use the heaviest frame they can handle, some kids are small with fragile arms, some are built like tanks and have 13 size shoes
That is just fine for a girl that age. No issues at all with the weight. But get her a frame that has a stiffness of closer to 60 than 70. Of course string with an arm comfortable string.
I am in the process of selecting racquet(s) for my daughter. The ones I like are in the 11+ oz range. Are these too heavy for girls? I feel anything sub 11 oz may be too powerless.
OP - at 13-15 - you have to involve your daughter into the process as she has to like her racket. Ask her what manufacturers she likes, show her rackets on TW and get all sorts of demos - lighter and heavier, pay attention to swing-weight as well as weight. String them with the same strings and conduct hitting sessions with a hitting partner while you (and your coach) observe the action. Include serving, backhand volleys and slice in your playtest. Collect feedback from everyone (including hitting partner - he will tell you when she hits the heaviest ball). Changing rackets is cumbersome and costly. Most probably she will select the same racket as some other good girl is using or the one that her favorite pro is using. If she is sponsored - almost all manufacturers have demo programs that is very valuable if she uses grip 2 - hard to get a demo with this grip from a public source. Establishing relationships with a local pro shop may help.
The strung weights 11.1 - 11.3 and head sizes 95-100" are the most popular. Based on what kind of player she is decide if she needs more power or more control, open or closed string pattern, type of strings. Many girls start using co-poly hybrid or full co-poly at this age. If she takes the ball early with a short swing she may be better off with a lighter racket.
You will get a lot of CONFLICTING OPINIONS about stiffness.As far as spec is concerned, I am looking at:
98-100 sq in; 10.8 - 11.1 oz strung weight, < 65 stiffness.
Do you think these are about right for the skill level between intermediate and advanced, or advanced?
1.One should be very careful selecting poly and hybrids at this age.
2. It is very difficult to establish how long a GIVEN set of strings can be used
3. Using 95 rackets requires some evaluation of skills
1. - Player has to try it and see if she likes the feel of poly
2. - Not with all smartphone based apps nowadays. Hybrid can be used until softer string breaks. Full poly - need to establish experimentally how many hours it can be used. I used to do tension graphs and spreadsheets but now my player mostly breaks strings before they become unplayable. Occasionally she would complain that the racket sprays the balls - then I would restring
The most important - string poly with lower tension.
3. Generally agree that 95" require advanced skills but some 95" are almost the size of 100" and more forgiving. When we playtested I remember that BLX Tour 95" was much more playable than Pure Storm 98"
Your quote
--->
Hybrid can be used until softer string breaks
--->spring
I disagree.
I coached college this spring.
I coached a high school 5 years before
Some players were able to play 50 hours of hybrid without
breaking a softer component
As far as spec is concerned, I am looking at:
98-100 sq in; 10.8 - 11.1 oz strung weight, < 65 stiffness.
Do you think these are about right for the skill level between intermediate and advanced, or advanced?
Both the Pure Storm GT and Yonex VCore 100S are on my radar, in fact. Is the strung weight on 11 oz level too light even for girls?
Both the Pure Storm GT and Yonex VCore 100S are on my radar, in fact. Is the strung weight on 11 oz level too light even for girls?
Both the Pure Storm GT and Yonex VCore 100S are on my radar, in fact. Is the strung weight on 11 oz level too light even for girls?
Serena Williams's is 10.7 oz. Given her physical, I wonder why she chose such a light one. By the same token, is 11 oz average a more reasonable choice after all?
PRO TOUR my daughter isnt going to be with me this weekend. She has some kinda girl scout camping crap saturday night.
I am NOT negating your conclusion.REP's can know very little. They are the people representing the companies to try to sell more stuff to the shops.
Think for yourself.
Say you have a given tube, it's diameter and it's length.
Now increase it's diameter. You need to thin the wall thickness, of course. It's stiffer.
Now decrease the diameter. You would need to increase it's wall thickness, to keep the same weight. Now it's got slower REFLEX.
Protour...can you address this? We have spent hours with racquet reps and they tell us with modern materials, stiffness is stiffness, regardless of thin or thick frames. Is Lee correct here that a 65 stiffness thick plays harsher than a 65 stiffness thick? Thinking back, I do not think that is my experience. I have played with some thicker Wilson frames that played very, very soft.
I didn't think your wife was gonna let him miss school. I will try to figure something out.The problem is we live 2 and a half hours away from Atlanta. if not Heath has 4 or 5 other girls at the same level as my daughter that he can play.too bad was looking forward to hitting with my son, sort of north against south battle can she come another day Friday or sunday?
I know couple little thingsJulian, I'm curious why you don't recommend the Pure Storm GT. My 9 year old daughter has been using the Pure Storm Team GT, which is just a bit lighter, for about a year now. I've got it strung with Technifibre X-One 18 guage at middle of the range.
Everyone stresses about handling the 11.5 oz racket.
Maybe the weight of her racket should be based on the speed and spin of the incoming balls she sees. :shock:
No reason to use a 11.5 oz racket when the incoming balls are not WTA level, as the WTA PROS use 11.5 oz rackets. The balls she sees are much slower, so maybe a 10 oz racket is plenty heavy, and it would aid her swingspeed even when forced to run and stretch
Just like in men's tennis, the pros are using an average weight around 12 oz. WE do not face the pro level shots, and don't need anywhere near that weight of racket. At men's 4.0, I think 10oz is more than heavy enough to rip winners from anywhere on the court and to return winner attempts.