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Tennis clothing and gear for kids
What to actually buy for a child starting out, what not to spend on, and the mistake that makes kids quit.
Parents tend to over-equip and mis-equip. A child starting out needs fewer things than it seems, but the ones they need matter a lot.
What does matter
- Tennis shoes, not running shoes. The one place not to save: a child's lateral movement is as demanding as an adult's. See tennis shoes.
- A racquet sized to their height. An oversized racquet teaches bad technique. See which racquet size your child needs.
- Cap and sunscreen. A child on court in Ponce is as exposed as an adult.
- Their own water bottle. Kids drink more when the bottle is theirs.
What is not needed
- Pro-line branded clothing. A child grows two sizes in a year.
- A six-racquet tennis bag. A normal backpack is enough.
- Dampeners, wristbands, accessories. None of it affects their learning.
The mistake that makes kids quit
Equipping a child like a competitor while they are still figuring out whether they enjoy it. That places an expectation on them that they feel, and tennis stops being a game and becomes an obligation to live up to.
The healthy progression is the reverse: start with the basics, and let the gear rise as their interest rises.
Clothing specifically
A technical shirt that dries fast, not cotton, for the same reasons as an adult. Shorts with pockets, which is where a child keeps the second ball when serving, and that small detail teaches a good habit early.