Kids like to play. When it comes to tennis, kids would rather play points than practice patterns. Every tennis player has done this. Breezing through a warm up just to play games or a practice set. Games are fun no matter what age you are, and chances are you will gravitate towards what you enjoy most. Now, while playing points is necessary to becoming a good tennis player, it is essential to practice patterns and groove as well. Grooving is when your child hits the same shot over and over again. Grooving shots and practicing patterns helps your child get a feel for their shots. The added feel and practice will not only get them playing better but will allow them to get more out of a practice session as well. In this article, we will go over the benefits of both grooving and point play.
Grooving
Grooving is when your child hits the same shot over and over again in a live ball situation. Doing so allows them to gain full control of the stroke and get them into a rhythm that they can carry into point play and matches.
When your child is out practicing without a coach for more than an hour, the first 30-45 minutes should be dedicated to grooving. They should spend at least 5 minutes in short court. Then, split the rest of the time equally between crosscourt rallies, down the line rallies, and net play. You can get a more detailed explanation of patterns in my other article here.
If your child is going out to practice for an hour or less, then they should dedicate the practice to either point play or grooving. Kids should groove towards the beginning of the week and do more point play close to the weekends when they might have tournaments coming up.
It is important for children to understand that grooving their strokes will allow them to play their best. Patterns can be a little boring since they are monotonous. However, your kids can make it more engaging by trying to hit better and miss less than their hitting partner. As a bonus, if they play points after grooving, they will notice the difference in how they play, helping to motivate them further.
Kids should also make sure that they are grooved before tournament matches so they can play their best. You can check out our tournament warm-up recommendations in our article here.
Grooving is one of the most important things someone can do in tennis. It allows people to get a handle on their shots and play their best during games and matches.
Point Play
Point play is where kids learn how to construct points and get better at playing the game of tennis. During point play, kids learn what to do, and what not to do, through a trial and error process. Eventually learning the best way to play their game.
While playing practice games and matches kids will also see what their weaknesses are. They will be able to see what their opponents keep attacking and can then go back and work on them later.
Practice matches are also a great place to practice strategies that your child might want to use. During these low-pressure matches, kids can feel free to try different things to see if it works with their game style.
Point play is where kids can refine their game and figure out who they are and what they are capable of as a player.
Using the two together
Grooving allows your child to play their best while point play teaches your child how to use all of their shots. Grooving and point play together allow your child to get a true sense of their game, what they’re capable of, and what they need to work on next.
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