Parents are always looking for a good sport for their child and more and more parents are starting to turn to tennis as the perfect sport for their child. The benefits of tennis go far beyond simply learning good sportsmanship skills, it also goes deep into learning good skills in terms of eye coordination and even hand eye coordination just to mention a few. Deciding if tennis is the right sport for your child is sometimes easy and at other times a bit more complicated, but you should always take a cue from your child as you make the final decision.

The first step should be deciding if your child enjoys playing with large groups of people such as with football or soccer or if they prefer to play solo sports. While tennis is not so much a solo sport you are playing against another three people, rather than an entire field like many team sports involves. If your child does not like the idea of playing by themselves then tennis may not be the best match for them.

Children should also feel comfortable having a ball flying at them at high speeds. While nobody really sets out to walk onto the tennis court and be hit in the head with a ball, it is a possibility that is entirely possible to happen. If your child is quite shy they may not be comfortable with this idea, however if they are not easily intimidated then you may not have any problems with your child being upset over this. Many children take this as the perfect time to get started really improving their skills and technique in order to protect themselves from the ball.

You should also look at the benefits that tennis can provide. It is a great form of exercise that allows your child to move around the tennis court a very great deal thus providing them with plenty of exercise. At the same time, it is also possible to practice improved hand eye coordination, teamwork skills and even learn how to make quick decisions as a split second. A child who has issues making a decision is generally not cut out for tennis, however a child that is able to just jump in and make a fast decision will generally do very well at tennis.

Another good benefit of tennis is the ability to practice on their own. While many sports need a child to interact with numerous other people in order to actually practice a solid wall, tennis ball and racquet can allow your child to easily practice almost anywhere, even at your home. This allows your child to have the time to practice that they need which can be a huge help if you are looking for the best sport possible that will not potentially damage your property.

For parents who are looking for a competition sport tennis makes a wonderful choice, you can choose just how many or how few competitions you are comfortable with your child participating in and ultimately they can even play in the Olympics or as a professional if they are skilled enough when they get older. This can allow you to consider that tennis is a great sport because it has a serious future ahead that is very much possible for virtually anyone to learn.

Who ever knew that there was a lot of decisions involved in picking out a tennis ball? After all, they are green or yellow and fuzzy. The biggest decision that you would think you should have to make is picking the color that you want to use. Yet there is actually so much more that people generally do not think about. This is an amazing discovery to most people, because honestly a ball is just a ball right? Of course a ball is a ball, but at the same time you could not play tennis very effectively if you were trying to use a basketball or even a football and vice versa. This has created the need to have specific balls that are specifically designed for the sport you are playing.

The differences in the types of places that you can play tennis has also made it very necessary to take the time to really go in and ensure that you have the right balls for the type of playing that you do. For example, there are two primary types of balls. This is aside from the slight differences in color; the difference tends to lie in how the balls are constructed. There are pressurized balls and those that are pressureless. The difference is inside of the ball, for example, pressurized balls are filled with either air or sometimes nitrogen inside. However, pressureless balls are just a solid core that has no air or gas inside.

The primary benefit is often the costs, if you are just beginning to play then the pressurized balls are generally much cheaper, however they tend to lose their bounce as the air escapes slowly about a month after they are opened. This means that after a while you will need to replace them, pressureless balls on the other hand do not lose their bounce, but after a while the fuzzy felt that provides some friction when playing will wear off. This means that they will still need to be replaced, however they can be used much longer before needing to be replaced.

Now that we have covered that you are feeling as if you are a tennis ball expert, however, there are still something’s that you need to know. For example, each pack of tennis balls is clearly marked with a label that says either High Altitude, Extra Duty or even Regular Duty. The difference in the balls at this point will have a huge impact upon the actual way that they play while you are using them. Using the wrong ball at the wrong time can create a bit of a problem, however choosing the right ball is important.

The first type is the High Altitude; these are designed to be used in places that are very high above sea level. The pressure inside of the ball has been adjusted to provide the optimal bounce at a level of approximately 4,000 feet or higher above sea level. This type of ball would be highly inappropriate for use in a tennis court that is deep inside a valley or anywhere else that is not high above sea level.

Another type is the Extra Duty; these balls are designed to be a bit more durable than Regular Duty. The primary purpose of an Extra Duty ball is to be used on tennis courts that are grass or even asphalt. They tend to hold up much better against the very tough surfaces and ensure that even on a grass surface you can get the bounce that you need to be able to play effectively.

The last type of ball is the Regular Duty ball; these are designed to be used primarily on surfaces such as indoor tennis courts and even those that are made from clay. Typically, these balls are designed for the majority of players to get used. It is important to realize that if you do play tennis on a hard surface or even grass tennis court with a regular duty ball that you will be lucky to get a single game or two of use from the ball before it is necessary to replace them.

There are numerous places that are all available to play tennis and most cities have several options that you can explore based upon your individual needs. Finding a suitable place to play is often based upon where you live, how long you have to devote to playing and what type of surface you are looking for in terms of the court. There are grass courts, clay, asphalt and even an indoor wooden court. You need to decide which type you are most interested in before you obviously make a final decision, but having several options available to you will make it much easier to find a good tennis court that you can use.

Local gym – this is a place where you can generally find at least one indoor tennis court. While not all gyms will have an outdoor tennis court you can generally schedule a game or two a week. In addition this is a great place to find a tennis instructor that is able to work with you to improve your technique if you are interested. One of the biggest benefits to using the court at the local gym is there is typically no additional charges to use the court, you just may need to reserve the court in advance for your use.

Country club – many country clubs offer several tennis courts for members. Golf and tennis sometimes go hand in hand and the majority of country clubs will offer several different tennis courts that you can use. One of the biggest advantages is this will allow you to play more often because you have a greater chance of finding an open court. However, the bad news is that you generally will need to pay a membership fee for the country club, which can run as much as several hundreds of dollars a month. Nevertheless, there is some good news, finding a very good and successful instructor at a country club is an almost guarantee.

City parks – many local cities are pushing residents to get into shape and as such they are opening more parks that offer sports facilities for the general public to use. The disadvantage here is that they tend to be very busy and sometimes have limited hours. Additionally, there usually is not a staff available so there is no way to actually reserve the court. You will have to hope when you arrive that it is empty. However, the biggest advantage is that they are almost always free, plus it gives you a great chance to get out and meet new people in the area around you. If you are looking for a tennis instructor it may be a bit difficult since most public tennis courts do not have a place where instructors can post a sign advertising their services.

Tennis clubs – if you are already fairly skilled at playing you may be able to look for a local tennis club in your area. This would allow you to play with other players who all have various skill levels. The benefits are that you can learn from the more advanced players, plus it is a great way to find out about local tournaments. The disadvantage is you may have to pay additional fees each month in order to use the court. You can however usually find a great instructor this way. As you go along you may notice that you need to reserve the court in advance, however most tennis clubs offer more than a single tennis court, which helps to reduce the congestion on the courts.

Finding a good tennis court is quite possible and of course larger cities will have even greater options to find the perfect court for your needs.

Roger Gentilhomme, fit at 100, is still lacing up his tennis shoes

Tennis Court Locations

Sierra Vista West Tennis Complex

5001 Montaño NW (505) 897-8815

Court Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-dusk, Saturday & Sunday 8:00am-5:00pm

Map

Court rates, monthly and yearly pass information

This complex consists of 10 courts and a swimming pool. You may reserve the courts by phone or in person. Reservations are not required but can be made two days in advance.

It is a bit difficult to picture players in wheelchairs on a tennis court, not as spectators but actually playing the game. Serving and rushing across the lawn while still confined to their wheelchairs. Evelyn Watta caught up with this unique set of players practicing wheelchair tennis at the Sadili Oval Club in Nairobi.