In today's modern world of tennis equipment, rackets come in all shapes, sizes, weights and of course the most important of all ... color!
This makes the choice when it comes to picking the right equipment for junior players awesome and difficult at the same time.
As a junior tennis player (or parent / guardian of a junior) you have a lot of great options when it comes to rackets, all of which are adapted to ages, types of player and skill level.
But as so often in life, when you're confronted with so many options, the choice can also be quite overwhelming.
So, what's the right choice for you and your junior?
Well, when it comes to rackets, size matters. Junior rackets come in various different lengths, ranging from 19 inches to 26 inches.
Full size rackets are (with a few exceptions) 27 inches in length and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) recommends you stick with junior rackets below the age of 12.
A Simple Guide
Here's a simple graphic to help you figure out which is right the right choice based on age and height.
Now, all this assumes (to some extent) that humans are the same...which of course they are not. So there's a certain amount of subjectivity here, which may also depend on skill level and athletic ability.
But the size does make a difference.
Why Size Matters
Firstly, safety. If a junior player is using a racket that is too large for them, that typically means it's also too heavy and loads an unnecessarily amount of pressure on their joints. Although juniors won't be exerting as much force as adults a disproportionately heavy racket can create an imbalance leading to potential injury at a crucial stage of their physical development.
Now, it's true that you can also get full length (adult) rackets in lighter weights, but length is also important for learning good technique.
A correctly sized racket helps make better contact with the ball and enables youngsters to use more of their core body muscles effectively during the swing. If they're choking up (because too short) or extending too far away, (because too long) they end up relying on the wrist, arms and shoulders to hit their strokes rather than those stronger core and leg muscles. Not only is that placing excess strain on those weaker joints and articulations but by using more core their swings are stronger and more efficient. This helps juniors develop much more effective strokes and learn fundamentals that will stand them in good stead for life.
How to Tell if Your Child's Racket is Sized Properly
A trick you can use to determine if you have the right size is to compare the racket length with the height and dimensions of your child. Have your child hold their racket against the ground vertically with the end of the handle against their palm. Make them press the racket head straight against their shoe. If they can fully extend their arm and comfortably hold the racket, then there is a good chance it’s a fit. If they have to bend their elbow even slightly to rest their palm on the handle end, then this is a red flag that the racket length is too large.
Hopefully this helps.
If you have questions, please contact us !