Course for 10 yo student

[dainova]

Hi, our boy play with personal couch for 2+ years, on and off, roughly 1.5 times per week, now he can do 10+ comfortable shots with the coach, can do about 40% first serve, what is the best next step to advance to competition play? or better say next step?

Coach says that it could be bit early for him, and overall I think all coaches are quite conservative , plus now it's hard to find a partner.
I learned that we can enter USTA tournaments but coach says that it will be one time good and shock experience but not real value, as he is not quite ready, as there are many little pros there which playing every day..)

Should he play with more partners before competition ?
Thanks to all

Mario

 

[Wise one]

He's too young.

 

[ZanderGoga]

Only you and the boy know. But if you want to be careful about over-reaching in tennis, but want to be proactive at the same time, consider looking into a second sport. Baseball and soccer/football in particular have a ton of carryover skills that will improve overall athleticism while offering paths to direct improvement in his tennis game, assuming the coaching is good. He could play nothing but those sports for the next few years, come back to tennis, and rocket past where he is right now as effectively as if he'd spent the whole time on the court.

 

[sureshs]

He needs to play a lot with other kids, in USTA or other tournaments or flex leagues (there are some which are gender and age neutral). Just hitting with the coach is not enough. Plenty of 10 year olds playing tournaments here. At least have him play matches with other kids, boys and girls. That is how you will find out how good he really is and how he reacts to losses. Coach might be prolonging this for money, so use your judgement. I don't know what he means by USTA tournaments having no value. They are played by thousands of kids for decades and are usually the path to move up. I have volunteered for many of them, and that is how the kids get confidence to play in high school teams and later in college.

 

[dainova]

Thanks to all, coach says that entering any tournament could be a just a shocker with his level (not "no value"). we will try to find new blood to play first before competitions. He pointed into visible difference now between feeding and hitting kinda of real rally with him, which he said need more time to transition.

Thanks
M

 

[BallChaser]

I would look into "league/tournament" classes that some tennis clubs offer. These classes usually have a lower pro/player ratio and has no instruction on techniques. But a beginning level of these classes teach scoring and structures each match like a game, emphasizing fun/sportsmanship. They are more friendly introduction into competition, than formal tournaments.