Coaching Juniors

Hello...I'm an advanced player that now has 3 junior students.  I have a son 8, daughter 10, and 15 yr old student that have been playing for about 7 months now.  I have spent considerable time trying to make sure they develop good strokes and now I'm starting to teach them how to loop. Another advanced player that is a friend said I shouldn't have my son push very much, that I should have him loop most of the time, so now I'm having him concentrate more on looping.  Is my friend correct? He said if my son pushes too much at this early age that he may become too defensive.

 Thanks,

Dave

Hi Dave,

It is important to develop all the strokes initially.  Learning the push is good for learning control.

You can now teach him more about paying a rally. That is making an attacking stroke when he gets the opportunity.  Teach him the difference betwena short and long ball and show him that he can topspin the long balls.

Playing with topspin in a match is a key to being able to improve.

So, don't think that you have done anything wrong by teaching them the push.  But now it is time to show them when to attack.

I hope this helps.