Junior 10-12 racket set-up?

[BMC9670]

I looked in the racket section and there is not much talk about Junior rackets. This is more of a poll than needing advice anyway...

If you're a 10 to 12 year old junior, what are you playing with:
1. model
2. length
3. weight
4. balance
5. strings

My son is growing fast and I want to move him into the right equipment as he progresses. Thanks!

 

[seminoleG]

Daughter and Several other 7-9 Year olds:

Babolat Drize Z Lite, 52-55#'s Grip 2

 

[dunno]

My sister is 13 and uses the Flexpoint Radical team, leaded up to around 11.5 ounces. Golden set torque strings(crosses), with Gosen polyon at very low tension.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

Daughter and Several other 7-9 Year olds:

Babolat Drize Z Lite, 52-55#'s Grip 2

Thats a pretty stiff racquet for kids that age with a stiffness of 67. Look for something closer to 55-59 like the Head Microgel Extreme Team. Wilson also has some nice flexible models.

 

[BMC9670]

Right now, my son is playing with a Price Ozone Tour 26" Junior. He is 8 years old, but has the body of a 10 year old - 4'9", 70lbs. At 8.5 oz, the Prince is pretty light (and 2 pts head heavy). I'm trying to decide if I should add some weight to the Prince and even out the balance a bit, or move him into an overall bigger racket for the summer. He's been playing for 2 years and has solid technique on the basic shots. I want his equipment to match his ability and not hold him back. Thoughts?

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

Right now, my son is playing with a Price Ozone Tour 26" Junior. He is 8 years old, but has the body of a 10 year old - 4'9", 70lbs. At 8.5 oz, the Prince is pretty light (and 2 pts head heavy). I'm trying to decide if I should add some weight to the Prince and even out the balance a bit, or move him into an overall bigger racket for the summer. He's been playing for 2 years and has solid technique on the basic shots. I want his equipment to match his ability and not hold him back. Thoughts?

I don't think you will get agreement about this as other posters will advise differently. I can only tell you the approach I learned from Rick Macci and Nick Saviano who have had much success.

They would move your boy up to a full size racquet at this point. Something in the flexibility range under 60 and closer to 10-10.5 ounces. Neither of them go head heavy for kids.

The string type and tension you should discuss with your local stringer....you want the set up to fit his game style yet be comfortable and safe for his young arm.

 

[Pro_Tour_630]

I don't think you will get agreement about this as other posters will advise differently. I can only tell you the approach I learned from Rick Macci and Nick Saviano who have had much success.

They would move your boy up to a full size racquet at this point. Something in the flexibility range under 60 and closer to 10-10.5 ounces. Neither of them go head heavy for kids.

The string type and tension you should discuss with your local stringer....you want the set up to fit his game style yet be comfortable and safe for his young arm.

you are welcome

 

[Djlpenguin]

uh, im 12.
i use a babolat pure storm gt, thinking about going up to limited version. strung with revenge at 62.

 

[Djlpenguin]

btw im 5,5 and about 100 lbs, so im pretty big.

 

[dannythomas]

For my 9 year old daughter (4ft 9 , 65 pounds ) the Prince Hybrid Sharapova. 26+ ins, the lightest of its type at 7.8 pounds. Nothing else below 8.3.

 

[adimax8]

Head YT Elites or Lites should be about right weight.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

dannythomas, I am sure you mean ounces and not pounds of course.

I am curious as to why people want lighter weight racquets. Unless you are using low compression balls, it does not make sense. The regulation balls hit with any pace put a lot of stress on the juniors. That is where the wear and tear comes from. If your kids are playing tennis with regulation balls, get them into a full size racquet as soon as you can. You want a stick that is designed to hit a regulation ball.

This silliness of 8.3 ounces or 7.8 ounces is ridiculous. For an 8 year old? A 9 year old? Ounces?? Come on now, kids that age are not affected by a few ounces. The 2 extra ounces is not going to cause undue stress, in fact it will prevent it as it is more suitable to handling regulation balls..

Like Pro Tour taught us, the flexibility is important. Proper stringing is important. But going with a light weight racquet because somehow that got put in the conversation as being better for or easier on kids is wrong.

Light weight racquets are for low compression balls. They are not for regulation tennis.

I cringe when I think of an experienced 4'9" nine year old hitting with a light weight 26" stick....my kid went full size on her 5th birthday and has never looked back. She handles it like it is part of her hand....as do almost all the kids down here once they get to be age 6 or 7 at the latest.

 

[OrangeOne]

my kid went full size on her 5th birthday and has never looked back.

This again?

Your kid's tennis may have never looked back (that said, she doesn't have a twin using a 25 who you can then look into the future and assess both kids' progress, right?).

BUT: Her body, especially her tiny wrist, tiny elbow and tiny, tiny shoulder, well, they're something you may not know the truth about for 10 or 20 years.

I've said the above to you before and we've discussed it and I don't expect or even want a reply. I'm just writing it as 'the other opinion' for others reading this thread.

And before anyone says "but I learnt with a wood racquet", tennis was very different back then, with very different (lower) loads placed on joints.

Lots of good advice in the rest of this thread - light, flexible and 26 is a good option for 10ish, or the same and 27 for large 10ish to 12.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

This again?

Your kid's tennis may have never looked back (that said, she doesn't have a twin using a 25 who you can then look into the future and assess both kids' progress, right?).

BUT: Her body, especially her tiny wrist, tiny elbow and tiny, tiny shoulder, well, they're something you may not know the truth about for 10 or 20 years.

I've said the above to you before and we've discussed it and I don't expect or even want a reply. I'm just writing it as 'the other opinion' for others reading this thread.

And before anyone says "but I learnt with a wood racquet", tennis was very different back then, with very different (lower) loads placed on joints.

Lots of good advice in the rest of this thread - light, flexible and 26 is a good option for 10ish, or the same and 27 for large 10ish to 12.

Total nonsense. There is nothing to support your statement that at smaller racquet is better or safer, nothing. Light racquets are WORSE if the kids are hitting regulation balls. It is simple physics.

Its what Rick Macci and Nick Saviano and Emilio Sanchez-Vicario have learned after decades and thousands of kids. Get kids into a racquet that is full size and designed to handle a regulation ball as soon as they can handle it, end of story. These guys have worked on this theory with numerous pediatric sports doctors and every one confirms the wisdom of a larger racquets.

Its common sense. Hitting a hard regulation ball with a light undersized racquet puts MORE STRESS on the arm. The truth is the complete opposite of what you posted.

Go try it. And try it for 6 months ....or 2 years. Go take a 23 and 25 and 26 inch racquet and hit with it, long term. Every single tennis pro who comes into our system and we require them to hit this way ends up with a sore arm. Every one of them. The smaller the racquet the sooner the pain starts.

The shorter racquets were designed for kids based on the theory that they could swing them easier...not to lessen the stress on the arm. It sounds like a good idea but it is a lousy idea. A little kid should only hit low compression balls with a short racquet....but that is not the way most use them.

Go rent a ball machine and set it on a moderate setting. Hit with a 23 inch racquet and concentrate on feeling your arm....then do it with a 25 "...then a full size. You will feel WAY more stress on your arm with the smaller racquets. It is not rocket science.

You have nothing to back up your contention that a smaller racquet is better. And until you try it yourself for at least 6 months don't try to give advice on the topic as you will be talking nonsense.

Every parent here should obey this rule. Start kids out with smaller sticks and foam balls. Then move them to low compression balls. Do NOT move them to a regulation tennis ball until they can handle a full weight racquet. Its like hitting a rock with a fly swatter.

And we are talking about weight here as much as length. If you can find a 26" that is close in weight to a full size, fine. But honestly, kids will handle the full size just fine if you let them.

 

[OrangeOne]

Total nonsense.

Let's see here - whose ego is primarily served when the 5 year old daughter of a tennis coach is putting the stress of a full-size racquet and full-weight balls through her tiny, tiny rotator cuff?

That's right, the ego of the coach.

As for Rick Macci - can you make a post discussing this without referring to him?

The interests of super-coaches like him (I know only about him what I've gleaned from the net and threads like this) aren't centred on the welfare of the child - he doesn't care how many kids fall away from tennis for one reason or another, he simply wants one or two to 'make it' or near enough every few years. Simple.

Anyone, in 2010, with such advanced 'junior' equipment on offer, who is making their 5 year old play tennis with a full size racquet and full weight/compression balls on a full size court - is kidding themselves if they think they have the health and well-being of the child at heart.

Put another way: A 5 year old gets one spine, one shoulder, one elbow and one wrist for life. They may want to be a neurosurgeon when they grow up, or a concert pianist, or a world-changing artist. I know for a fact when I have kids that I'd rather they still have these options at age 20. What I don't want is to have them sitting there with a spine or arm or a hand that was trashed when they couldn't even spell neurosurgeon as daddy forced them to learn topspin forehands with a heavy, long tennis racquet.

 

[BullDogTennis]

Total nonsense. There is nothing to support your statement that at smaller racquet is better or safer, nothing. Light racquets are WORSE if the kids are hitting regulation balls. It is simple physics.

Its what Rick Macci and Nick Saviano and Emilio Sanchez-Vicario have learned after decades and thousands of kids. Get kids into a racquet that is full size and designed to handle a regulation ball as soon as they can handle it, end of story. These guys have worked on this theory with numerous pediatric sports doctors and every one confirms the wisdom of a larger racquets.

Its common sense. Hitting a hard regulation ball with a light undersized racquet puts MORE STRESS on the arm. The truth is the complete opposite of what you posted.

Go try it. And try it for 6 months ....or 2 years. Go take a 23 and 25 and 26 inch racquet and hit with it, long term. Every single tennis pro who comes into our system and we require them to hit this way ends up with a sore arm. Every one of them. The smaller the racquet the sooner the pain starts.

The shorter racquets were designed for kids based on the theory that they could swing them easier...not to lessen the stress on the arm. It sounds like a good idea but it is a lousy idea. A little kid should only hit low compression balls with a short racquet....but that is not the way most use them.

Go rent a ball machine and set it on a moderate setting. Hit with a 23 inch racquet and concentrate on feeling your arm....then do it with a 25 "...then a full size. You will feel WAY more stress on your arm with the smaller racquets. It is not rocket science.

You have nothing to back up your contention that a smaller racquet is better. And until you try it yourself for at least 6 months don't try to give advice on the topic as you will be talking nonsense.

Every parent here should obey this rule. Start kids out with smaller sticks and foam balls. Then move them to low compression balls. Do NOT move them to a regulation tennis ball until they can handle a full weight racquet. Its like hitting a rock with a fly swatter.

And we are talking about weight here as much as length. If you can find a 26" that is close in weight to a full size, fine. But honestly, kids will handle the full size just fine if you let them.

no, its not....your comparing a 5 year old or whatever to a 25 year old. the main thing that allows the younger kids to use smaller racquets is they CANNOT GENERATE THE RACQUET HEAD SPEED. why do you think old people go to lighter racquets? umm....because it doesn't hurt there arm because there not swinging as fast. sure, if your 5 year old can generate the racquet head speed, put her in a full size racquet. but chances are they can't. your logic is very flawed. what you say is true, IF a 5 year old was as strong as a 25 year old....

how is it possible for a 5 year old benefit from playing with a racquet that is as tall as she is!? please answer this.

sure, damage won't show up for a long time...but i hope you feel proud when your daughter is 20 years old, has tendentious in her wrist and elbow. and a mis aligned back from trying lug around a racquet as big as she is.

 

[Pro_Tour_630]

Like Pro Tour taught us, the flexibility is important. Proper stringing is important. But going with a light weight racquet because somehow that got put in the conversation as being better for or easier on kids is wrong.

thanks and I agree if the kid can handle (racquet head speed on serve as well) a full size frame the heavier the better provided that it is flexible and with proper soft strings at low tension with proper 0 grip which is more important than weight and length IMO.

a good example is this which is almost 27 it is 26.8 http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Volkl_Power_Bridge_10_Junior_18/descpageRCVOLKL-PB10JR.html

with a zero cushion grip found on other online sites

 

[mike53]

why do you think old people go to lighter racquets?

Because they don't have the strength to overcome inertia and bring the racquet around fast enough to reliably hit the ball in the contact zone.

I think we are way out of line and in very bad taste to be predicting future injuries for young athletes. The reason to use a shorter, lighter racquet is to learn a good full swing and not poke at the ball and block it like I did starting out with my wooden racquets. Certainly this is OK for fed balls and light rallies.

I have played with a 26in racquet and it wasn't a problem although I prefer a longer racquet.

 

[OrangeOne]

think we are way out of line and in very bad taste to be predicting future injuries for young athletes.

Sorry? You think we are way out of line to talk about potential injuries, and thus be cautious? You're kidding yourself. If it's out of line to look at the 'safe, cautious' side of a debate, well, I just don't know what to say.

Out of line is making 5 year olds play tennis with equipment that is many years beyond their development level.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

I am not talking beginners. Sure kids start with shorter racquets when they first start out. Some kids start out at 3 some start at 7.

At that stage they should be using low compression balls and shorter racquets to learn their strokes.

This thread is about kids who have experience and have their strokes ingrained. Some kids have that at 5 and some have it at 10, whenever.

There is NO BENEFIT in a lighter racquet at that stage, none. We are talking a few OUNCES. Not one kid who has played tennis a few years is affected by a few ounces as far as messing their swings up. They adjust to the extra length within a week. I know, I have seen it hundreds of times.

So you can stick to your way if you want. I will go with Macci and Saviano and Sanchez-Casal.....guys who have actually dealt with many, many, many successful kids.

Arguing that a kid would be better off hitting a regulation hard tennis ball with a 7 ounce racquet instead of a 10 ounce racquet is pure stupidity. It makes zero sense.

When a kid is experienced enough to handle playing with regulation balls, get him a full size, yet flexible, racquet. If a kid can use a 26 inch racquet with skill, they will use a full size with no problem. In fact, within a week or so they will be hitting better than they ever have in their lives.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

Sorry? You think we are way out of line to talk about potential injuries, and thus be cautious? You're kidding yourself. If it's out of line to look at the 'safe, cautious' side of a debate, well, I just don't know what to say.

Out of line is making 5 year olds play tennis with equipment that is many years beyond their development level.

You are focused on the wrong thing. The length and weight of the racquet is not the dangerous part of the equation at all.

Having kids hit hard regulation balls exclusively, especially with light racquets, is the danger.

The type of ball used is where the stress to kids arms comes from, not the difference in a few inches or ounces of the racquet. The difference in stress from a regulation ball vs a kid friendly low compression ball is huge.

Our kids are limited in the number of regulation balls they can hit. Most of their work at the younger ages is done with low compression balls.

 

[BullDogTennis]

I am not talking beginners. Sure kids start with shorter racquets when they first start out. Some kids start out at 3 some start at 7.

At that stage they should be using low compression balls and shorter racquets to learn their strokes.

This thread is about kids who have experience and have their strokes ingrained. Some kids have that at 5 and some have it at 10, whenever.

There is NO BENEFIT in a lighter racquet at that stage, none. We are talking a few OUNCES. Not one kid who has played tennis a few years is affected by a few ounces as far as messing their swings up. They adjust to the extra length within a week. I know, I have seen it hundreds of times.

So you can stick to your way if you want. I will go with Macci and Saviano and Sanchez-Casal.....guys who have actually dealt with many, many, many successful kids.

Arguing that a kid would be better off hitting a regulation hard tennis ball with a 7 ounce racquet instead of a 10 ounce racquet is pure stupidity. It makes zero sense.

When a kid is experienced enough to handle playing with regulation balls, get him a full size, yet flexible, racquet. If a kid can use a 26 inch racquet with skill, they will use a full size with no problem. In fact, within a week or so they will be hitting better than they ever have in their lives.

with your logic, since i play with around a 12 ounce racquet, pretty easily...i should probably just bump up a FEW ounces...and play with a 14 ounce racquet? no, because my body could NOT take that, and play at a high level...now lets go back a 130 lbs and 15 years, and say i was 5...and i was playing with a 7 ounce short racquet. then all the sudden i was bumped up a few ounces...i can't imagine what going from 12 ounce to 14 ounces would do to my arm, now...when i have fully developed muscles and bone structure...i mean, what would that do to a 5 year old with a non developed bone/muscle structure.

 

[OrangeOne]

You are focused on the wrong thing. The length and weight of the racquet is not the dangerous part of the equation at all.

Having kids hit hard regulation balls exclusively, especially with light racquets, is the danger.

And your proof of this is? (Let me guess, because Rick Macci says it?)

The type of ball used is where the stress to kids arms comes from, not the difference in a few inches or ounces of the racquet. The difference in stress from a regulation ball vs a kid friendly low compression ball is huge.

A few inches and a few ounces, in the context of a range that is only a few more inches and ounces, is massive as Bulldog pointed out above. Worse, adding those few inches and ounces at the end-of-range have a significantly magnified effect at the fulcrum, which in this case is a tiny, tiny shoulder.

But of course, tiny shoulders don't exist, because Rick Macci says they don't, right?

I'm done here.

 

[Rina]

My son now 11 has been playing for a while with Wilson K six one.26
He would be playing with a 27 but is still very short for his age and very thin as well. When he started playing with this racquet instead of Hammer 25 improvement was immediate, I mean the first day he was hitting better. He will probably stick with this set up for a while, or until a next growth spurt. Of course, we changed the original strings after first couple hours of hitting. Hope this helps.

 

[arche3]

this argument is silly. kids will not get future injuries using a full size racket. any more than using a smaller racket. maybe if your forcing your kid to play everyday and drill and practice all day. if your kid plays a few times a week if he or she can handle a full size racket there will be no injuries if they have good form. kids bodies are incredibly resilient unlike us adults. my son has played with a full size racket since age 6. he had no issues. but he is big for his age. at 9 now he is 5 ft tall 95 pounds. as soon as he wanted to play real tennis (as opposed to small racket and foam balls) on a tennis court i gave him a real racket. as long as they are just playing for fun and learning at this stage there is no worries unless they are in some crazy tennis bootcamp.

 

[BullDogTennis]

this argument is silly. kids will not get future injuries using a full size racket. any more than using a smaller racket. maybe if your forcing your kid to play everyday and drill and practice all day. if your kid plays a few times a week if he or she can handle a full size racket there will be no injuries if they have good form. kids bodies are incredibly resilient unlike us adults. my son has played with a full size racket since age 6. he had no issues. but he is big for his age. at 9 now he is 5 ft tall 95 pounds. as soon as he wanted to play real tennis (as opposed to small racket and foam balls) on a tennis court i gave him a real racket. as long as they are just playing for fun and learning at this stage there is no worries unless they are in some crazy tennis bootcamp.

come back when there 25. and if there still okay and injury free then talk to me...like i said, these things DO NOT show up over night.

but whatever, naive parents will be naive parents

i'm done here now also.

 

[arche3]

come back when there 25. and if there still okay and injury free then talk to me...like i said, these things DO NOT show up over night.

but whatever, naive parents will be naive parents

i'm done here now also.

umm... yeah. you do realize the tennis balls are moving very slow when kids hit it right? the racket speed is also very slow. they don't hit many balls. most of it is just fun. maybe pete sampras at age 8 hit a bunch of balls but most 8 year olds do not. I am pretty sure there are many many things much more detrimental to a kids development and potential injuries than 2 ounces on a racket. and calling people who disagree with you naive is just lame. I just disagree. As a parent there are so many more serious issues than worrying about if the tennis racket is too heavy. If it hurt my sons arm or shoulder he would tell me and he would stop. common sense. if it does not hurt NOW when he is playing how can it hurt him in 15 years? And for the record my son hits easier and better with a full sized racket. he tells me it takes less effort to hit the ball.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

umm... yeah. you do realize the tennis balls are moving very slow when kids hit it right? the racket speed is also very slow. they don't hit many balls. most of it is just fun. maybe pete sampras at age 8 hit a bunch of balls but most 8 year olds do not. I am pretty sure there are many many things much more detrimental to a kids development and potential injuries than 2 ounces on a racket. and calling people who disagree with you naive is just lame. I just disagree. As a parent there are so many more serious issues than worrying about if the tennis racket is too heavy. If it hurt my sons arm or shoulder he would tell me and he would stop. common sense. if it does not hurt NOW when he is playing how can it hurt him in 15 years? And for the record my son hits easier and better with a full sized racket. he tells me it takes less effort to hit the ball.

Great post. This thread cracks me up on several levels.

The first is that people somehow think 2 ounces or 2 inches on a racquet will have any effect on a child's safety. I have no clue what evidence or common sense would make them think that.

The second is that people think hitting an object with a lighter racquet is somehow safer that hitting an object with a slightly heavier racquet. Again...evidence, common sense, and high school physics should be easy to apply here.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

this argument is silly. kids will not get future injuries using a full size racket. any more than using a smaller racket. maybe if your forcing your kid to play everyday and drill and practice all day. if your kid plays a few times a week if he or she can handle a full size racket there will be no injuries if they have good form. kids bodies are incredibly resilient unlike us adults. my son has played with a full size racket since age 6. he had no issues. but he is big for his age. at 9 now he is 5 ft tall 95 pounds. as soon as he wanted to play real tennis (as opposed to small racket and foam balls) on a tennis court i gave him a real racket. as long as they are just playing for fun and learning at this stage there is no worries unless they are in some crazy tennis bootcamp.

Another great post. Like I said, hitting hard regulation balls too much as a kid is a body stressor, not warming up is a stressor, bad form is a stressor, improper rest is a stressor....not a few extra ounces/inches on a racquet.

Best of luck to your boy.

 

[mike53]

I have no clue what evidence or common sense would make them think that.

There is no evidence. Injuries to jr tennis players are pretty well researched and equipment and equipment scale is not really a factor that comes up.

 

[dannythomas]

dannythomas, I am sure you mean ounces and not pounds of course.

I am curious as to why people want lighter weight racquets. Unless you are using low compression balls, it does not make sense. The regulation balls hit with any pace put a lot of stress on the juniors. That is where the wear and tear comes from. If your kids are playing tennis with regulation balls, get them into a full size racquet as soon as you can. You want a stick that is designed to hit a regulation ball.

This silliness of 8.3 ounces or 7.8 ounces is ridiculous. For an 8 year old? A 9 year old? Ounces?? Come on now, kids that age are not affected by a few ounces. The 2 extra ounces is not going to cause undue stress, in fact it will prevent it as it is more suitable to handling regulation balls..

Like Pro Tour taught us, the flexibility is important. Proper stringing is important. But going with a light weight racquet because somehow that got put in the conversation as being better for or easier on kids is wrong.

Light weight racquets are for low compression balls. They are not for regulation tennis.

I cringe when I think of an experienced 4'9" nine year old hitting with a light weight 26" stick....my kid went full size on her 5th birthday and has never looked back. She handles it like it is part of her hand....as do almost all the kids down here once they get to be age 6 or 7 at the latest.

Yes got mixed up with pounds and ounces !

Interestingly my daughter works with Rick and he has never suggested a change up to a full size or heavier stick . Maybe it's because her game is based a lot on touch and feel rather than power. I will ask him tomorrow and let you know what his current thinking is !

When we went to USTA Groups they were advocating smaller racquets - even less than 26" but hey what do they know ?

 

[mike53]

When we went to USTA Groups they were advocating smaller racquets - even less than 26" but hey what do they know ?

Through both their actions and their inactions, the USTA demonstrates themselves to be somewhere between clueless and way behind the curve. I would suppose that your coach likes what he sees and wants to stay with it. You can always take matters into your own hands and buy various size racquets and use the one that best serves you and your daughter's goals at any specific time. Each individual is different, physically and emotionally.

 

[dannythomas]

I asked Rick Macci today about his philosophy in putting young kids into full size racquets. He said he has no such policy ! He said every kid is different depending on their physical make up and the way the kids play. He took another look at my daughter's 7.8 ounce Prince and got her to try out a heavier Babolat. His impression was that it was too heavy for her and that as I thought her racquet suits her style of play. He said she might try tape on one of her racquets and see how she feels about it.