Tennis Backboards Teach Tennis to Thousands – by C. Taghdiri 

In order for athletes to improve their tennis skills, they must play regularly with an opponent. Not necessarily!  Individual players can prepare for upcoming matches by playing against tennis backboards. Players can repeatedly practice different drills to improve volleys and ground strokes. Backboards are also a great tool for tennis players to “warm-up” prior to a match. This tennis wall, often referred to as the game’s best kept secret, is perfect for solo players and for doubles teams. 

Tennis backboards were creatively invented during the 1970s by Bakko after he grew tired of hearing the tennis ball constantly pounding against his garage door. Many of today’s tennis players were introduced to the game during their youth when they banged the fuzzy ball against a tennis backboard. In fact, some of the sports’ most famous players including Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, the Williams Sisters, Pete Sampras and John McEnroe are tennis backboard graduates. Not only are backboards a superior training tool for potential players, they are also an economical option for making tennis available to a vast amount of children who may not otherwise benefit from the opportunity.

Throughout the United States, a number of schools and communities are raising money to refurbish their local tennis courts and install tennis backboards. For instance, a non-profit organization based in Hawaii, called Project Tennis Backboard, got help from volunteers and parents to raise the necessary amount of money to purchase a backboard for use by the local community. 

There also some conveniences to playing against a backboard. Players can schedule their own practice sessions without relying on a partner and play at any time during the day or night. Backboards help improve serves, overhead smashes, forehands, backhands, approach shots and lobs. This tennis equipment enhances players’ fitness and cardiovascular training.  Some studies show that players can hit more tennis balls on a backboard in just 15 minutes then they would during an entire match.

Know your wall! Some backboards are vertical walls while others are sloped or curved. The angled backboards rebound the ball back to the player with an arc. The trajectory of the ball varies with a flat backboard and one that is sloped. The well-known backboard makers are Bakko, Courtmaster and Rally Master. Depending on the quality of the backboard, it should not see damages from rain, strong winds and powerful hail. Bakko’s economy flat backboard stands at 8 ft. high and its single curved backboard series are 10 ft. high. Different material is used for constructing tennis backboards including fiberglass, wood, UV treated plastics, polyurethane and brick.  Bakko backboards are comprised of fiberglass and coated with UV treated paint, resulting in noise reduction from the sounds of the tennis ball hitting the surface. Rally Master backboards are made from UV stabilized plastic, formed in panel-sized molds and are covered under warrantee, regardless of the type of sport. 

Tennis backboards are also useful for other sports such as soccer, lacrosse and basketball. Just choose the sport and play against a backboard for years to come.