Question regarding teaching kids 8 and under the forehand

[dufferok]

I've been researching how to teach the forehand. Growing up in the early 90s we all were taught to use a closed or semi-open stance and to step in towards the ball when hitting the forehand in order to use our body weight as linear momentum to get power behind the shot. Today the "modern forehand" is being taught. Instead of stepping in, the player uses an open stance and shifts all their weight to their back foot, then uses angular momentum and what the USPTA calls the kinetic chain to vertically push off of their back leg, while rotating the shoulders 90 degrees, swinging with more of a wind shield wiper forehand and finishing with the weight on the opposite foot.

I am teaching the fundamentals of tennis to a group of kids ages 5 - 8. I want to make sure I give them a solid foundation. Starting out, I taught them the ready position (facing the net) and the forehand ready position (turn 90 degrees and face the fence) with their racket back, racket head pointed up and left arm out. At this point, I drop a ball for them to hit. They naturally let the racket head fall and then swing low to high with a follow threw near their shoulders/neck. Next level of progression, I go from dropping the ball to tossing the ball to them. After that, I then toss the ball further away from them, forcing them to move to the ball. They focus on keeping the left arm out and pointed towards the ball and stepping into the shot to get power. As their timing develops, I then show them how to hit using a semi-open stance.

I recently went to a 10 and under tennis tournament and was shocked at seeing kids ages 7 - 10 hitting with open stances and the modern forehand. So it appears the next level of progression is that I should be teaching the kids how to hit with open stances and the modern forehand but my questions are:

1. Should I be showing them how to hit a modern forehand starting out or am I doing it correctly by progressing them from closed, semi-open to open stances?
2. Are there any online videos or articles that show a good method or drill for teaching the modern forehand to kids 8 and under?

 

[10s talk]

keep it simple, minimize all the specifics ..........at that age they don't need perfect form.....the worst thing you can do is give to many instructions

 

[dufferok]

I understand that the main goal at this young age is to keep it fun and simple but I think you can do that and progress into teaching proper technique as well. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to start their learning so that the progression to advanced techniques is smooth.

The kids I watched at the 10 and Under tournament had beautiful form AND footwork. Slice serves, flat serves, slices, modern forehand/backhands, forward hop approach shots, swinging and non-swinging volleys...I was absolutely amazed at the level of technique these kids were using. The winner of the tournament was only 8 years old and her technique and footwork for such a young age was amazing. In order to compete at this level, the kids that are depending on me to teach them need a solid foundation and if I start them off the wrong way, I'm afraid this could harm them when it comes time to learn the advanced techniques I saw these kids using.

 

[GA-TennisCoach]

1. Yes I think that the LTA mini progressions are actually really good for this. I would teach like you starting from a neutral stance and then progressing it. It is important that they understand that they will have to hit from different stances depending on where the ball is on the court and what type of ball that they receive.

If you look at the top juniors they all, mostly, hit modern forehands and backhands

 

[ga tennis]

1. Yes I think that the LTA mini progressions are actually really good for this. I would teach like you starting from a neutral stance and then progressing it. It is important that they understand that they will have to hit from different stances depending on where the ball is on the court and what type of ball that they receive.

If you look at the top juniors they all, mostly, hit modern forehands and backhands

ga tennis coach where are you out of??

 

[5263]

1. Should I be showing them how to hit a modern forehand starting out or am I doing it correctly by progressing them from closed, semi-open to open stances?
2. Are there any online videos or articles that show a good method or drill for teaching the modern forehand to kids 8 and under?

In MTM, Oscar teaches to start them in what you would call open stance,
which I believe, gets them started with the right balance and coil fundamentals
they will continue to build on as their game grows.

 

[boramiNYC]

I'm not a fan of teaching specific stance to little kids. try this. E grip. feed high ball with no bounce close to the net. tell them to hit high five motion to hit the ball over the net. most likely the stance will be neutral (semi open) naturally. I think this is the best first intro to fh.

then they should learn both loopy ball with the weight on their back foot and fast ball with the weight on their front foot. loopy ball should make them use more open stance and fast ball should make them use less open stance. this practice should be alternated regularly to develop the sense of two opposite limits.

 

[GA-TennisCoach]

GaTennis - I coach in the uk

 

[TCF]

I understand that the main goal at this young age is to keep it fun and simple but I think you can do that and progress into teaching proper technique as well. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to start their learning so that the progression to advanced techniques is smooth.

The kids I watched at the 10 and Under tournament had beautiful form AND footwork. Slice serves, flat serves, slices, modern forehand/backhands, forward hop approach shots, swinging and non-swinging volleys...I was absolutely amazed at the level of technique these kids were using. The winner of the tournament was only 8 years old and her technique and footwork for such a young age was amazing. In order to compete at this level, the kids that are depending on me to teach them need a solid foundation and if I start them off the wrong way, I'm afraid this could harm them when it comes time to learn the advanced techniques I saw these kids using.

I assume you saw an low compression ball 10 and under tournament as the yellow ball 10 and unders are no longer available.

So if you want to compare your kids to those, make sure you are talking apples and apples....low bounce balls and sometimes smaller courts. Most kids look great very quickly when using the slow and low bouncing balls.

 

[dufferok]

Yes. I am teaching the students on the 60' court and using the lower compression orange balls. The tournament was played this way as well. Some of my really young students are using the 36' court and the red balls.

 

[TCF]

Yes. I am teaching the students on the 60' court and using the lower compression orange balls. The tournament was played this way as well. Some of my really young students are using the 36' court and the red balls.

Then sure, when using the red balls and orange balls, you can pretty much teach them the more advanced things very quickly. Those balls are so slow pretty much any kid with half decent coordination will look amazing very quickly.

 

[jakeytennis]

teaching them proper technique isn't going to do much. The need to work on their motor skills, tracking skills, and most of all, they need repetition.

 

[newpball]

Somehow I think this will really motivate kids to get the left arm out, Gulbis' exaggerated 'stop the ball thing' will be a fun and easy thing to teach.

My six year old loves it!

 

[vvkid]

GaTennis - I coach in the uk

where in UK? you know any competitive camps around London?

 

[newpball]

Tell me this won't catch on with young kids:

Why bring the racket back with the left hand, then the left hand goes out, naw, go straight in the scarecrow position! :grin: