Whats good about tennis especially for the kids is that it teaches them a lot of things on court during practices and matches. The development of attitude on and also off the courts differs from one kid to another.
The problem with tennis is that, there is always no umpires during matches. Due to financial constrain of organizers, the chair umpires always a norm to not have one during matches. The junior players need to be honest with the line calls due to this. One of the many reason the sport is called the gentleman’s game and this has been the culture in tennis since forever.
It seems to be an opportunity for kids to take advantage of the lacking situation. Some may be taught to take this opportunity by doing bad calls. Bad calls have been around for years and it is still happening. We always call kids doing that as cheaters and it is never a good thing for kids to cheat. Everyone agrees with that.
But how to diminish cheating in junior tennis? Initially it comes from the pressure of winning matches. The pressure for the kids as the results of time and money spent on tennis by their parents. Parents who really push their kids of the winning outcomes.
In tennis, when you are caught, the referee can be called to the court and solve the issue. But as long as I remember, the cheaters never been punished. They are given the points as they are eligible to call their side. Even if everybody else saw what he or she was doing, the punishment for that is not around in tennis rules. Sometimes, the points is given away to opponent being cheated when the refferee coming in. No matter what the excuses are, you just cannot rob a bank, and when you are caught, you just cannot give back the money and say “we are good?”.
That is what happens now in tennis. Kids try to cheat, and when they are argued on that, they just get away with it that easy. That is why, they might try to do it again.
Habitual cheaters as we might say, may comes from parents or coaches. Some may teach them to do bad calls. Several players use the analogy, anything touches the line means out. There are players where everyone aware of, if you play that particular player, you will need an umpire.
It is ashame that we need to think of how to handle the situation. It should really not be a thing to think of. Kids should not be worrying about cheaters but should be thinking more on strategy and tactical rather than how to not get cheated. When they are 10 or 12 years old, they should not be handling the cheaters.
The rule is simple. If you are not sure, call the ball in.
Sometimes, parents from outside the fence saw the balls were out but the kids call it in. Thats because the kids saw it in. When the particular match finish, the parents scolded them as they should call it out, which they did saw it in. Doing that will make the kids starts to be doing bad calls. Kids will start to call out even the ball touches the line.
Mistakes do happen. Some kids maybe need glasses. But there are also really bad behaviours and hopefully the one got cheated do not leave the game.
Be the parents who always look at this seriously. Contribute to the positive culture rather than the negative culture. Let make tennis better without cheaters.