There is nothing more satisfying to a tennis coach than seeing an amateur player come through the ranks and turn professional after years of hard work. If you are a budding tennis coach, then getting the best from young players at a young age should be your objective. Therefore, getting it right from the start is critical. However, with several tennis court surfacing choices available at your disposal, it might be challenging to make the right choice. Nonetheless, a clay court is the best surface for training young tennis protégés. This article looks at the reasons.
Reduced Injury Risk
From a young age, budding tennis players put their bodies through a lot of stress; therefore, the risk of injury is real because the system is still not fully developed. Most of the injuries are the result of playing on a hard surface. With clay courts, the risk of injury is significantly reduced because the surface soil allows young players to slide across the court. The action prevents injuries related to the ankle and knee joints. Therefore, your protégés will play their game without having to worry about the possibility of injuries. Moreover, clay courts readily absorb stress impacts originating from the foot and leg joints, thereby acting as a shock absorber. It prevents impact-related injuries and allows young players to train for longer.
Cooler Than Hard Courts
Training on a hot summer afternoon can take a toll on young tennis players. It is even harder on concrete or asphalt surfaces because of the simple fact that these surfaces absorb and retain heat. It often forces coaches to limit training durations for young players. According to experts, clay courts are 20% cooler than their hard surface counterparts, and this makes a clay court the best surface option for young tennis players. It can be attributed to the fact that clay surfaces have excellent breathability and retain moisture well. Therefore, you don't have to worry about changing your players' training regimen, whether it is summer or winter.
Enjoyable Practice Sessions and Games
When training tennis skills to young kids, great emphasis should be placed on enjoying the game. However, no matter how much you encourage your players to enjoy themselves, your efforts will be ineffective if they are playing or practising on hard-surfaced courts. The reason is that a tennis ball travels faster and bounces higher on a hard surface such as asphalt than on soft surface such as clay. Therefore, if you want kids to enjoy their game without putting so much effort, then a clay court is your best option. The slow ball bounce ensures that children have enough time to return serves and shots, which makes for enjoyable practice sessions and competitive matches.
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