Latest / Kidcast Daily / Ep394: Ball Kids in Sports

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Ep394: Ball Kids in Sports · Kidcast Daily

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  Spin the wheel, let's take a ride.
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  Sports and science bursting from inside a world of wonder.
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  Open wide. Come on kids, let's amplify kid
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  cats. Daily starts your day, Fun and
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  laughter come your way. Sports and Trinia games galore.
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  Welcome to Kid Cast Daily. Whether you're into sports
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  stats, science experiments, ancient history, or mind blowing
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  trivia, today's episode has something special for you.
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  Today we're exploring the world of ball kids, the hard working
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  helpers you see on the courts during big tennis matches.
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  They make the game run smoothly by moving quickly, paying
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  attention and staying calm. You will learn what they do, how
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  they train, what gear they use, and some cool facts you can
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  share with your friends. So let's get on with today's
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  episode. First, what is a ball kid?
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  A ball kid is a young person who helps during tennis matches by
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  collecting tennis balls that are out of play and getting the
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  right ball to the right player at the right time.
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  They also help keep the court tidy and safe by removing loose
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  balls right away. Their job keeps the match moving
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  quickly so players can focus on serving, returning, and planning
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  the next point. You usually see ball kids at
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  professional tournaments like the Australian Open, Roland
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  Garros in Paris, Wimbledon and London, and the US Open in New
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  York. Ball kids learn specific spots
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  on the court where they stand. Some take positions behind the
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  baseline and others stay near the net.
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  When a point ends, the ball kids near the net roll balls along
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  the court surface to the side where they're needed.
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  They do this using smooth low rolls so the ball does not
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  bounce into the playing area at the wrong time.
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  The ball kids at the baseline are ready to give a player a
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  ball for the next serve. They watch the players carefully
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  so they can respond quickly without getting in the way.
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  Training is important. People who want to be ball kids
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  go through tryouts and practice sessions where coaches test
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  footwork, catching skills, rolling accuracy and
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  concentration. They practice staying still like
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  a statue when the ball is in play, even if a ball is close to
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  them, because movement can distract the players.
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  They learn to watch the chair umpire and line umpires so they
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  know when a point is officially over.
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  They also learn safe ways to move across the court, like
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  running along the edges and keeping their eyes up to avoid
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  collisions. Here is a trivia question to
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  teach you something new. Which Grand Slam tournament
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  selects many of its ball kids from local London schools and
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  trains them for months before the event?
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  The answer is Wimbledon. The tournament has a long
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  running program that recruits students from nearby schools and
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  prepares them through regular practice sessions so they are
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  ready for the fast pace of championship tennis.
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  Many tournaments have age guidelines.
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  Most ball kids are in their early to mid teens, often
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  between about 12 and 18 years old, although exact ages vary by
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  event. Some tournaments run community
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  programs or open days where kids can sign up to try out coaches.
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  Look for quick reactions, good listening skills and steady
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  focus. Respect and manners matter, too.
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  Ball kids do not share during points.
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  They keep a neutral expression, and they respond promptly when a
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  player or an official needs help.
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  Uniforms help everyone look professional and feel
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  comfortable. Ball kids usually wear matching
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  shirts or polos, shorts or skirts, hats or visors for sun
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  protection, and supportive athletic shoes for quick starts
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  and stops. Did you know many events provide
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  sunscreen, water stations and snacks to keep ball kids safe
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  and energized during long days? Hydration and rest are part of
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  the schedule, and supervisors rotate ball kids on and off
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  court to manage fatigue during a match.
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  Timing is everything. Ball kids stay alert so they can
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  clear a ball immediately after a point ends.
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  They avoid stepping onto the court until they are certain
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  play is stopped, and they move off quickly before the next
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  serve begins. They also keep an eye on stray
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  balls that roll toward the baseline or near the sideline so
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  no one trips. Did you know that in
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  professional tennis, the chair umpire announces when to start
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  the warm up, when time is up, and when to begin play?
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  And ball kids listen for these cues, too.
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  Here is a yes or no question that introduces a brand new
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  detail. Do ball kids get paid at every
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  professional tournament? The answer is no.
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  Policies are different. At some tournaments, ball kids
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  are volunteers who receive uniforms, meals and a small
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  gift. At other events, they might also
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  receive a stipend or hourly pay. The exact setup depends on the
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  tournament's rules and local laws.
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  You might wonder how ball kids handle Special Situations.
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  Rain can stop outdoor matches, and then the court crew covers
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  the court with large tarps. When play resumes, ball kids
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  return to their spots in hot weather.
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  Supervisors schedule extra breaks and encourage frequent
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  water sits. Some tournaments use towels and
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  special boxes or on towel racks so players can handle them
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  themselves. Procedures have changed at
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  different times to improve hygiene and reduce contact, and
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  ball kids follow the current rules for each event.
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  Here is another trivia question that adds a new fact.
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  How many tennis balls are kept in circulation on court during
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  most professional matches before a ball change?
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  The answer is 6. Players request balls for their
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  serves and the ball kids help make sure the correct number is
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  available. Umpires announce ball changes at
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  set intervals and new cans are opened at the correct time.
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  If you have watched a match, you have seen players check tennis
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  balls and pick the ones they prefer for serving.
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  The felt on a ball can become fluffier or flatter as it is
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  used and that changes how it moves through the air and off
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  the strings. Did you know that tournaments
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  replace tennis balls on a regular schedule because the
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  felt wears down and the bounce changes?
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  The schedule is set in advance so every player has the same
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  conditions. Did you know tennis balls are
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  pressurized inside? That can so they hold their
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  bounce until open on court. Communication on court must be
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  quiet and clear. Ball kids use their eyes, quick
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  nods and careful positioning to show they are ready.
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  Here is a yes or no question that brings in a fresh detail.
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  Do ball kids sometimes use quick hand signals to show how many
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  balls they have or where a spare ball is?
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  Yes, simple, unobtrusive signals help the team coordinate without
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  interrupting the match or distracting the players.
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  Speed and safety go together. Ball kids bend their knees to
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  pick up balls safely and keep their backs straight to avoid
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  strain. They look both ways before
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  crossing behind a player who is preparing to serve.
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  They never run across the court during a rally.
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  Supervisors teach them to keep their hands clear when rolling
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  balls to avoid finger jams. Did you know many tournaments
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  require first aid training for staff and have medical teams on
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  site during play? Let's add one more learning
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  moment with a new angle. What material covers the outside
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  of a tennis ball that ball kids handle all day?
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  The outer layer is a woven felt, usually a blend of wool and
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  nylon. The felt helps the ball grip the
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  quart surface and effects its speed and bounce, which is one
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  reason fresh balls behave differently from older ones.
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  Although ball kids aim to be almost invisible during points,
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  their work is noticed when everything runs perfectly.
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  A quick, accurate role saves time between points, and a ready
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  supply of balls keeps the server from waiting.
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  Over the course of a long match, that consistency adds up.
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  Did you know some tournaments have thousands of applicants for
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  only a few 100 ball kid spots? And the final teams are chosen
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  after weeks or months of training and assessments.
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  At the end of a match, ball kids help collect all the balls and
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  return equipment to storage. They think officials and
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  teammates and check in with supervisors.
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  Many say the best parts of the job are learning responsibility,
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  building confidence, making friends and getting a close up
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  view of world class tennis. Some return year after year and
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  move into leadership roles where they help train the next group.
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  Let's recap what we learned today.
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  Ball kids are trained helpers who keep tennis matches moving
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  by collecting and delivering balls quickly and safely.
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  They work in teams at the baseline and the net, follow
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  strict signals and timing, and stay calm and focused.
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  They wear uniforms, hydrate and rotate to manage long days.
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  Tournaments set clear rules for how balls are used and when they
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  are changed, and ball kids support those procedures.
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  We also learned that Wimbledon recruits many ball kids from
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  local schools with months of training, that not every
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  tournament pays its ball kids, that 6 balls are typically in
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  play before a ball change, that quiet hand signals help with
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  coordination, and that tennis balls are covered in will nylon
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  felt. Now the next time you watch a
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  match, you will know how much teamwork is happening just
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  outside the lines to make every point run smoothly.
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  Grab. Your breakfast, feeling fine,
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  adventures waiting, don't be late.
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  Today's the. Day we celebrate kid Cast Daily
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