Junior Davis Cup Preparatory Squads may be ocganieed on the
courts of clubs, schools, colleges or parks, provided authorization is
first received from the U.S.L.T.A. Application to form such a squad
should be made to the chairman of the Junior Tennis Development
Committee, U.S.L.T.A., Mr. Wm. Matson Tobin, 332 So. Michigan
Ave., Chicago, who thus describes the program of the typical Pre-
paratory Squad:

Organization. This particular branch of our Junior Development Pro-
gram should, as far as possible, be confined to boys of the ages of
twelve to eighteen years. In choosing players for the squad, not only
playing ability, but willingness to practice and to conform to the train-
ing rules should be considered. It is generally conceded that boys of
good scholastic standing more readily assimilate facts and apply them-
selves to the game just as they have to their scholastic work.

Before the squad has been formed, definite plans for instruction, prac-
tice and competition should be mapped out to cover the entire season.
There should be at least one period of instruction and one period of
practice each week. Wherever it is possible to see good tennis play,
arrangements should be made with the tournament committee to per-
mit the squad to attend as guests or at reduced admission fees. An
older person who has leisure time and who is interested in the develop-
ment of junior tennis makes an excellent captain. At the end of the
season the U.S.L.T.A. awards a small pin to the outstanding member of
each Preparatory Squad upon the recommendation of the captain.
Instruction. It is often possible to secure the services of a good pro-
fessional at a reasonable rate to conduct classes on a certain day each
week. Each instruction session should be devoted to a particular stroke
or shot. Normally it takes about eight class sessions to cover the fun-
damentals. Suggestions as to the proper amount of rest and food
should be given along with the sportsmanship of the game, both on
and off the court. Too much stress cannot be laid on court demeanor
during the playing of a match.

Practice. Wherever possible practice sessions should be arranged with
older and more experienced players. By practice we don’t mean simply
hitting the ball back and forth. The ball should be put into play by a
serve and the older person’s shots so played that the youngster can
work on one particular shot at a time until he has the shot under con-
trol. In these: practice sessions the opponent should play to the
younger player’s weakness. It is not advisable to keep score as there
is a tendency to play the shot as he formerly played it in order to win
the point, and not try to use the proper stroke. Squad members should
practice a couple of times a week with different players. In this way,
they will come up against the various styles of play which they meet in
later years.

Inter-Squad Matches should be arranged between squads within the dis-
trict or section, and matches should be played with teams from other
clubs. The whole purpose of instruction and practice is to develop
play, and matches of this kind materially help in holding interest and
keeping the junior program from becoming tedious. Shortly after a
match has been played, the squad should have a real “skull practice”
session. By this we mean that each boy should be asked to tell why
he either won or lost. This tends to make the player a little intro-
spective and he will learn to analyze his own play and that of his
opponent,

k kK * oe ae * * *

JUNIOR WIGHTMAN CUP PREPARATORY SQUADS
J. W. C. Preparatory Squads for girls may be organized in the
smaller cities along similar lines to the boys’ squads, if authorized by
U.S.L.T.A. Application to form J. W. C. Preparatory Squads should
be made to Mr. Wm. Matson Tobin, Chairman Junior Tennis Develop-
ment Committee, U.S.L.T.A., 332 So. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Illinois.
es 2% i ee

The series of articles on Strokes and Tactics for the Schoolboy
and his Tennis Coach will be continued in next year’s Service
Bulletins.