One of the first things taught at tennis summer camp is how to watch the ball. Sounds simple, right? It isn’t. At least not for beginner players of the game or even for many advanced players.
As your child develops their skills at a Toronto tennis camp, they will have a better understanding of why it’s important to watch the ball.
What Does “Watch the Ball” Actually Mean in Tennis?
It is important for all skill levels to understand the phrase “watch the ball”. While this may not be part of the framework within the technical teachings at a kid’s summer tennis camp, the phrase is part of the tennis language.
When “watch the ball” is yelled out, the student is expected to focus on their surroundings and the game at hand. Over time, your child will come to learn how to concentrate on the situation enough to anticipate and even predict their opponent’s next move.
By mastering this skill, your child will be able to maintain better balance during motion, be able to quickly get into position, and improve overall coordination.
And yes, “watch the ball” does mean to look at the ball. A good tennis player always knows exactly where the ball is!
Common Mistakes We Make while Playing Tennis
You and your budding tennis player may be surprised to learn there are common mistakes players make time after time. The good news is with practice and awareness of their movements, anyone can soon correct and prevent the same mistakes from recurring.
Poor Judgement
Poor judgment is a key factor for most players when they struggle to anticipate the direction of the ball bounce. This results in missing the swing as the body is too far forward or leaning too far back.
To correct this, your child should watch the ball spin. If it has a topspin, spinning towards them, they need to increase the distance between them and the ball before it hits the first bounce. The ball will come to them in this instance.
If the ball is spinning away from your child, there are two motions the ball can take with the bounce. It may skid or have sidespin. To make contact, your child will either need to move back for a distance swing or may need to stay in one spot. Time and practice will help to detect how the ball is hit by the opponent to predict how it will land.
Poor Timing
Poor timing refers to the swing time your child presents. If the swing is too early or late, the ball may hit the racket at an angle or maybe miss completely. Timing is coordinated with the footwork of the player.
Improve the timing of the swing by doing a split step as soon as the opponent hits the ball. This encourages movement as the ball is in motion, giving better timing to make contact. With timing, hand-eye coordination is a key factor in having better control of the swing.
Poor Technique
Holding a tennis racket properly is one of the introductory lessons with any tennis club. A firm but flexible grip will help to swing the racket and hit the ball on time. From the stance to the swing to the timing, and the handling technique, once your child is comfortable with these factors, hitting the ball will come easier for them.
How to Focus Your Attention and What to Look For
There are key moments within a game that your child will learn to develop the necessary skills to focus on. Watch the ball method come into play with these tips.
Eyes-Only Practice
To learn how to watch the ball, your child will be expected to focus on the movement of the ball by concentrating on spotting certain features. To train their eyes, they must look for the seams on the ball, look for the label on the ball, and note the spin direction of the ball.
It may help your child to visually track the ball through the ball cycle of being hit from their racket to the opponent’s racket and back again.
Practice with Distractions around You
By focusing on the ball itself, all background distractions disappear. To do this, your child will need to practice their lessons and swings with distractions surrounding them. This will help them to train themselves to block out noise, music, yelling, and other background sounds during a game.
Stay Present in the Moment
Staying present in the moment is a lesson we all could learn for certain situations. While your child’s thoughts and stressors are very different than yours, guaranteed they will be thinking of the last game or worrying about a future match while playing. Concentrating on the here and now will be one challenge they will have to overcome to be successful at this sport.
The Beginning of the Ball Flight/Trajectory
Another focus factor is watching the ball as the opponent makes contact. As it leaves the racket, this is known as the beginning of the ball flight or trajectory. This is a clue as to where, how, and when the ball will land.
The Ball Leaving the Ground after the Bounce
Another part of the ball’s flight is how the ball responds to the bounce. The bounce determines if the ball has the ability to maintain speed and timing for your child’s swing.
Choose Bayview Village Tennis Camp in Toronto This Summer
For your child to learn and master these and other crucial techniques, sign them up for professional instruction at Bayview Village Tennis Camp. For more than 30 years, we have been providing tennis programs for beginner, intermediate, and advanced player levels at our summer tennis camp for kids. In addition to receiving skill development teachings from Peter Nielsen, Head Pro/Tennis Camp Director our instructors are all Tennis Canada-certified. Contact us today for more information and to book your child’s spot before our tennis sessions sell out!