Tennis Tip: What's The Best Age To Start Playing Tennis?

What is the optimum age to introduce to tennis to a child...? Just ask Elijah Chadwell. This photo was taken of Elijah at the tender age of 18 months. Now, a seasoned veteran of 24 months, Elijah loves to hang out at the courts with his daddy, Coach Sam.

Of course, Elijah is probably the exception to the rule... I do already work with my son on his movement and coordination skills. He loves to chase down tennis balls and is working on his striking skills, too. At this age it is crucial to have equipment scaled down and appropriate for the young body. Above all, I keep it fun. We don't over do it. Sometimes we only play for five minutes. At this stage it's crucial that Elijah equates tennis with fun times with dad, and he does. Making tennis fun is the most important thing a coach or parent can do in the early development of a child.

As I mentioned earlier, Elijah is an exception to the rule. At 2 years old he is way ahead of the game in a tennis setting. He is literally growing up at the courts...! I normally start a player at five years old if the interest is there...

Open Stance Forehand

Cade Sutherland Lines Up a Mid-Court Forehand...I spend a good deal of time working with players on how to implement their entire body into a shot. Connecting the hip and shoulder on the forehand or backhand ground stroke is crucial to hitting an efficient shot. In this photo taken at the Columbia Lakes Country Club Christmas Camp last year, Cade Sutherland, a junior at West Columbia High School does a good job 'loading' his weight onto his right foot. He's close enough to the target to where he can rotate his hip and shoulder to explode into the ball. He'll end up pivoting the bottom of his foot during the follow-through from an open stance. He's also keeping his head down for balance and his racquet head is dropping below the ball so he can swing up and create topspin.It looks like his left arm may have pulled away a little early from across his body which could cause the swing to become too circular, thereby producing a mis-hit or a ball landing shallow in the court. But over all there are enough good things happening that the end result is a pretty good attacking forehand.