My son has a group of friends who are always doing something with a ball. They love baseball, basketball , football, golf and tennis and will go out of their way to be sure that every day involves one of these sports, if not more. I was on a trip to Las Vegas earlier this year attending the National Sporting Goods Manufacturers Convention when I saw a game I knew they would love. It turned out I was right and the summer of 2008 will always be remembered at our house as the year that Street Tennis invaded our backyard and never left.
Street Tennis is a tennis game that involves a lightweight racket, a simple net and a very special ball. The rackets that come with the game are lightweight, smaller than conventional rackets and perfect for hitting the special durable foam ball. The net stands about 2 feet high off the ground, which is perfect for being able to play the game in a small area but also high enough that a net is involved to factor into the play of the game. The net is held in place by a couple of large plastic bases that can be filled with water to add weight and stability. The net is setup within minutes of opening the box the game comes in, allowing play to begin very quickly as the excitement mounts.
The rackets that come with the game are a cross between a junior racket and a regular racket. They have strings and are at a decent tension level and they are a little thinner than a traditional racket which makes it easier to hit a ball within a confined space by providing the player with more mobility in the swing. The rackets are durable enough to hold up to a group of high school kids playing with them for a couple of months so I am confident that they are well made.
What makes the game unique in my opinion is the ball. The ball is made of a heavy foam rubber that has the feel of a thick and hard sponge that is strong and durable enough to withstand great efforts of topspin and backspin from the rackets. The ball is heavy enough to hit winners from all angles and to react to topspin to keep the ball in the court and light enough to not hurt at all if you get hit in the face with it at close range.
My kids setup the Street Tennis game in our backyard and dragged the net across the basketball court. We have just enough room to shoot three point shots (about 40 feet across) so the distance is perfect for them to whack the ball and to have it stay in the court. The games played have been fast and furious, lasting well into the darkness of night aided by the basketball court overhead light. My boys are now considering taking up tennis as a sport to play for the school, which is fascinating given their love of baseball. My oldest son has told me that his actual tennis game is much improved after having a racket in his hand for most of the summer.
I am thrilled that the Street Tennis game was such a nice diversion from video games and other indoor games that many kids play these days. Whenever I hear a parent talking about inactivity or a lack of exercise for their family this summer I always tell them about what fun my kids had this summer playing Street Tennis.
Chuck R Stewart operates a tennis web site offering a new tennis game [http://www.street-tennis.net] which is great for playing backyard tennis or beach tennis [http://www.street-tennis.net] Street Tennis is an affordable and fun way for the whole family to enjoy the great game of tennis. Chuck has enjoyed playing the game of tennis for the last 30 years enjoys sharing the love of the game of tennis with players of all skill levels.
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