Coaches should start young kids with a conservative Eastern grip because as they get older the grip may slip more western.
If the grip does slip too far western, it “will be a nightmare to fix later.”
Truth:
Beginning little kids can and should be taught a semi-western grip variant—the best grip for spin and power—from day one.
Conservative grips can make learning topspin difficult for young children.
And conservative grips are often expected to be changed later, which is a waste of time.
All U10 ROG programs should update their curricula to recommend modern grips right away rather than old school grips.
Coaches should monitor any subtle shifts in the grip from tournament to tournament and make sure the grip stays where they want it.
If the grip slips more western than desired—if caught early—it’s actually easy to change back. Definitely not a nightmare.
It only becomes difficult to fix if a coach is not paying attention and the grip changes for a prolonged period of time.
Furthermore, a coach shouldn’t let a grip shift over time and hope it ends up where they want.
Nobody knows how much or how little it will change, and at what rate. This approach is imprecise and wastes time.
It’s better to just teach the grip from day one the way it should be—and monitor it closely.
This is a more exact and time-saving method.
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