Getting Started: ROGY Progressions
A beginner snowboarder will not start training by going down a black level slope, the most difficult color level. It would be impossible to learn anything going down a steep and dangerous hill when you can barely stand on the board without falling. Similarly, you will learn to drive at an empty lot and not the freeway. In mathematics, you don’t start with calculus before learning arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. All fields require progressive learning. You start with the most basic fundamentals and gradually evolve to the next level of difficulty.
Tennis is no different. This is why it’s important to understand the different ball colors and the purpose they serve. The ball progressions start with red, then orange, green and, finally, yellow (“ROGY”). Beginners, especially little children, will not learn much if they start rallying with the yellow ball – the ones used in professional tennis. The yellow ball is pressurized and hard. It bounces high and fast. A beginner will feel more chaos than control and it will be very difficult apply the instructions given by you.
The red ball is designed for little children, usually ages 3 to 6, and is played on a smaller court (36 ft. X 18 ft.). The ball is larger, easier to hit, has a shorter bounce, and is slower than the orange ball. The ball is perfect for little beginners. The racquet size used with the red ball typically range from 19 to 23 inches long. If your child has been playing on the red ball using the 23 inch racquet and can rally with control, then you can begin transitioning them to the orange ball.
The orange ball is sized like a yellow ball but much softer and has a slower bounce. The orange ball singles court size is 60 ft. X 21 ft. Racquets should be either 23 or 25 inches long. The fun part of the orange ball is the court size is small enough for kids to play long rallies and makes it easier come to the net (it’s not as scary). Let your child spend plenty of time on the orange ball court to develop footwork, technique, and point play. Of the two other progression balls, I recommend training longest on the orange ball. The red ball is limiting once you obtain control and the green ball, due to the full size of the court, can be too challenging if your child has not hit enough shots and lacks footwork and tracking skills.
Finally, the green ball is the last progression ball before playing with the yellow ball. The green ball contains more pressure than the orange ball but less than the yellow. So it will travel and bounce faster but not as hard or high. The green ball is played on the full court size and racquets should be longer too. The racquet length should be no smaller than 25 inches. The main goal is to get your child acquainted with moving on the full court and develop timing and acceleration.
A Few Side Notes
You can teach little children and beginners using the yellow ball if you do not have a red, orange, or green (“ROG”). But limit the training to drop feeds. To drop feed, let the ball fall from you hand from a high point (around shoulder height). This way, there is little effect from the yellow ball and your child will manage it. However, make sure to eventually get into the ROG progressions because you want your child to learn to track the ball and move into position. Live ball hitting is better training.
Secondly, you can transition back if you find that your child is having trouble controlling a more difficult ball level. You can also create a more controlled environment with a more difficult ball level to help your child get acquainted. For example, hand or racquet feeds, spending more time rallying from the service line, which is recommended when transitioning from green to yellow.
Finally, don’t force the ball transitions. Many parents are eager to rush their child to the more advanced ball level. It’s more important to prioritize learning control and fundamentals than being the first to get to yellow or making sure your child keeps up with the pace of some peers. The rule should be to gradually teach new levels such that your child is out of their comfort zone but in a manageable way. If it’s too far out of their comfort zone, then training will lead to frustration and discouragement.
Author: Leo Rosenberg