her a 24-hour grace period before we talk about her matches. He wants to give her time to reflect on what went well, what worked and didn’t work, then talk about it at her next lesson. I stay in the mom lane. I’ll go out and warm her up before her matches and hit with her, but I won’t coach. “We try to get Taylor in a tournament one time a month, in Wichita or Kansas City. It’s up to the parent to find the tournaments and sign up.” Laura Bechtel, Taylor’s Mom TAYLOR’S TAKE ON TENNIS Tell us what you love about tennis. I love getting to use what I learn in practice when I play matches. I also love traveling to tournaments in different cities, meeting new friends, and playing against kids from all over. What’s the hardest thing you’re learning? The hardest thing I’m working on right now is my footwork. I’m also trying to stay more consistent and finish all the way through my shots. What is it like to compete? Competing in tournaments can be challenging because it’s just me on the court, and I have to remember everything I’ve learned in practice. But I always try my best, and most important, I have fun when I play. What professional tennis player do you like to follow and why? I like following Caty McNally because her mom was actually my mom’s coach when she was growing up. I love watching her play because she’s tough, never gives up, and shows what it takes to be a great tennis player. What do you believe you’re really good at in tennis? My forehand. What is it like to have Colin and Addi as coaches? Colin and Addi are great coaches. They always encourage me to do my best, both on and off the court. They know what I need to work on and help me keep getting better every day. What advice would you give to someone your age who is nervous about trying tennis? It’s okay if tennis feels hard at first because everyone starts somewhere. Don’t be afraid to try it because it’s a really fun sport! Colin and Addi do a great job helping beginners learn and have fun. Congratulations on stepping up to yellow ball! How do you feel about that accomplishment? I feel really proud and excited! Moving up to yellow ball is a big accomplishment, and I’m excited to challenge myself and compete at a higher level. A TUTORIAL FOR TENNIS JUNIORS AND ADULTS, WITH COLIN AND ADDI What size tennis racquet does my child need? This depends primarily on your child’s age, height, and ability level. The goal is for the racquet to be easy to control, not simply the biggest or most advanced racquet they can handle. If you’re unsure, we can look at your child's size, skill level and swing and recommend the appropriate racquet. As a general guideline, younger players use shorter racquets designed specifically for their age and size. Typically, for children under the age of 12, the racquet should be a little less than the length of their dominant arm, from their underarm to the longest finger. As they grow, they can gradually move into longer racquets and, eventually, a standard 27-inch racquet. One of the biggest mistakes we see is giving a young player an adult racquet because it is better. A racquet that is too long or heavy can make it difficult to develop proper technique and take the fun out of learning. Is my child ready for match play? If your child can serve, rally, keep score and understand basic court positioning, they are probably ready to start playing matches. Being ready for match play doesn't mean your child needs to be able to hit perfect shots or win every match. In fact, match play is one of the best ways to develop those skills. We encourage players to start competing when they have enough basic skills to keep a ball in play and understand the fundamentals of a match. For younger players, modified courts, lower-compression balls and age-appropriate formats make competition much more accessible. The emphasis should be on learning how to compete, problem- solve and have fun — not simply on winning. During Junior Match Play at Prairie Dunes, we’re on the court to coach and help the players when things get confusing. If your child is nervous about competition, start with an in-house match-play event or a low-pressure team format. Our first goal is to make competition something they enjoy. How often should my racquet be restrung? A good rule of thumb is to restring your racquet as many times per year as you play each week. So, if you play three times a week, consider restringing about three times a year. That said, there are several reasons you may want to restring sooner. If your strings are visibly worn or notching heavily, your racquet is losing tension, you're having trouble controlling the ball, or the strings simply don't feel right anymore, it's probably time. Strings lose tension and elasticity even when you're not breaking them. Fresh strings can improve feel, control and consistency, and they can also help prevent you from compensating for dead strings with your swing. Fresh string can also help prevent elbow and other arm pain! And if you're a frequent player — or someone who generates a lot of racquet-head speed — you may benefit from restringing considerably more often. If you can't remember the last time your racquet was restrung, that's probably a pretty good sign it's time. I've never played tennis. Can I still come to Cardio Tennis? Absolutely! Cardio Tennis is designed to be an active, social way to get on the court, and you don't need to be an experienced tennis player to participate. You will hit tennis balls, but the emphasis is on movement, fitness and having fun rather than playing traditional tennis or keeping score. We can modify drills and feeds so that players of different experience levels can participate together. If you've never picked up a racquet before, don't worry about being the best player on the court. Come ready to move, learn something new and get a good workout. Cardio Tennis is a great way to get introduced to tennis without feeling like you have to already know how to play. 27
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