Tennis-struck kids are right on the ball

Jade Lewis says what appeals to her most is the chance to be with the players. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Accuracy, speed and excellent hand-eye co-ordination are what is needed to become a ball-kid.

Yesterday the youngsters had their final training session and were handed their uniforms for next month's Heineken Open.

The tennis championships will be held at the ASB Bank Centre from January 11-16. The event has been held in Auckland since 1956 and is played in the week before the Australian Open.

Auckland Tennis starts hunting for ball-kids in August and they begin training in October.

The children take part in two-hour training sessions after school every one to two weeks. The high-pressure role involves paying attention to the game at all times, staying out of the way of players, catching balls and returning them straight and fast.

At the start of the series 60 ball-kids are split up into teams of six and eight. As the games progress and players drop off, so do the teams of ball-kids.

Joan Whatnall has been involved with organising the ball-kids since her son was a ball-boy 43 years ago.

"I feel a great sense of pride seeing them work as teams."

The children are paid a small fee of $12 a day, but Mrs Whatnall says the real reward comes from being involved in such an important event.

"I think they get a kick out of meeting the players. Some of the girls even get crushes."

Once they have had enough of chasing tennis balls, many of the children go on to become line umpires.

Jade Lewis, 11, has been a ball-kid for three years with her sister Carolina, 13. The girls play tennis for Scarborough Tennis Centre and their father, David, is a commentator at the tournament.

Jade's favourite thing about being a ball-kid is getting to be with the players.

She said she does not get too tired and they get plenty of water to drink during the day.

Stephen Nobel, who trains the youngsters, says speed and accuracy are the key and the hardest thing to teach is court awareness.