There are multiple ways that a junior player is expected to train to be the best tennis player that he or she can be. One-on-one private lessons focus on the details, whether it be in your strokes, footwork, or strategy. Group classes give you the opportunity to drill and play points with a multitude of different people. Matches obviously give you chance to put into effect all of the these things that you have been working on in your private and group practices. But in the one track mind to be the best tennis player ever, many juniors forget that developing the element of fun and being present in the moment is just as important. Hence why I fully believe in the importance of just hitting.
A few times a week, I meet with a 10 year-old tennis player and proceed to take on the role of a human backboard for an hour and a half. There’s no agenda except to just hit the ball. We don’t discriminate against any shot, running for in balls and out balls alike. If necessary, one of us starts a new rally by drop feeding the next ball. The rallies aren’t exactly friendly. I move him around the court and he tries to win the point, but we never keep score. This allows the hitting session to stay competitive without any consequences or punishments for missing. Both of us stay in the moment and enjoy just hitting the ball. We go for shots without any fear. We are both smiling and laughing, especially if one makes a great shot or epically fails. Granted, this kid has a smile on his face whenever he steps onto the tennis court, but I know that our hits, while they may appear fruitless, are helping him keep a healthy perspective on tennis and enjoy the sport even more.
The perks of adding in hitting sessions to junior tennis training:
- Stay in the moment: There is a lot of emphasis on mental toughness and focus when it comes to tennis. In singles, tennis players have to rely on themselves to keep their mind focused on each and every match. Hitting sessions help keep players in the moment. Because there aren’t any rewards and consequences, players learn how to celebrate their great shots and deal with their misses before resetting and feeding the next ball. The point of the rally isn’t about who wins the point, but about how both players focus on each shot that they hit and each rally that they are playing.
- Stay smiling: Without the pressures of winning during a hitting session, players can stay more relaxed and can even smile during the rallies. They can celebrate your partner’s shots as well as their own. The looseness that they feel in a hitting session is what is strived for in competition and players can realize their true potential as a player.
- Improve endurance and footwork: The rallies will be much longer than in a regular match. Because of this, players will increase their endurance and realize that good footwork is the basis for any tennis success.
The technical and strategic elements of tennis are imperative, but they are useless when a player can’t fully relax and doesn’t completely trust their body when out on the court. So, make time sometimes to forget about all of the pressures of what you can be in tennis, and just go out a have a good time for a few hours!
