10 & Under Tennis: The Future of Tennis Academies
Launched in 2010, 10 & Under Tennis remains one of the hottest topics in the tennis world. Some may love it, while others may hate it, but the reality is that the 10 & Under Tennis pathway is here to stay. Tennis in the U.S. is finally catching up to other sports and introducing young generations of players to smaller racquets and court sizes, as well as lower compression balls that are easier to manage at such a young age. These adjustments are supposed to inspire the youngsters and give them a chance to have more fun playing the sport while developing the needed foundation to quicker advance their game. There is a lot of controversy going on regarding the new system, but I would like to focus on the importance of youth tennis as a whole and its vitality to the prosperity of any tennis academy.
Tennis remains one of the most elite sports, and helps kids develop important qualities like time management, perseverance, patience and work ethic among others. Organizations such as USTA invest a lot of resources in promoting 10 & Under Tennis programs in the United States to attract a larger group of young players and boost overall participation in the sport. It’s not uncommon to see three-year-old children trying out the sport. The question becomes, “What can tennis academies do to inspire the love for the game among youth and encourage them to keep playing the sport?” Let’s also not forget that, for a traditional tennis academy/club, an average “life span” of a junior tennis player is between five- and 17-years-old. Once teens get close to graduating high school, they are ready to move on to the next chapter of their lives (i.e. go to college and possibly move out of the area and start a career). Academies that run successful 10 & Under programs manage to retain those customers throughout these years, which, in turn, positively impacts sales and overall growth of the business.
I would start by introducing smaller class sizes where each player gets plenty of attention from instructors and a chance to perfect his foundation. For example, limit the class size to eight players and always maintain a 4:1 player/instructor ratio. A tennis court can be divided into several areas with the help of smaller nets (depending on the age and level), and players can easily rotate between stations, playing games and drilling. It also gives the teaching pros a unique opportunity to get to know their players and forge a positive emotional connection. This emotional connection will go a long way and ignite the spark needed among young athletes. Consequently, a true relationship is born between a coach and his student.
Second, it’s up to the management of any tennis facility to hire and assign knowledgeable and enthusiastic coaches to 10 & Under programs with the zeal for kids’ development. It’s such a sensitive age group, where kids can be easily discouraged after just one unsuccessful practice. Moreover, their attention span is limited, therefore, teaching pros have to be continuously on lookout for creative ways of keeping their students engaged during class. Special equipment including cones, targets, buckets, among others, can be used to better explain drills and games, and encourage kids to have more fun.
Lastly, a well-balanced curriculum will prove to be a contributing factor to the development of any 10 & Under program. Many clubs and academies make a mistake and are either too serious with young children or are not providing enough depth in training sessions. It must be a balancing act between fun and hard work. It’s important to teach this age group important values that will extend well beyond the tennis court, but at the same time, allow kids to be kids.
Tennis at the 10 & Under level is still a new mindset for the United States. It will take another seven to 10 years to truly see the results. While the community is patiently waiting for the revival of the Golden Age in American tennis, I am staying very hopeful and am looking forward to seeing clubs and academies continue investing time and resources into growing 10 & Under programs–the future of tennis.
