Several years ago, the United States Tennis Association made sweeping changes to its youth tennis program, which modified the format of match play in an effort to make it easier for kids to learn the game.
After all, kids aren't forced to play like adults in other youth sports such as baseball and soccer. Why should tennis be any different?
More: 5 Tips to Get Kids Excited About Tennis
All 10 and Under Tennis tournaments are now played according to the QuickStart format. The QuickStart Tennis play format is like Little League baseball and other youth sports such as soccer and basketball.
These youth sports employ smaller equipment and fields so that kids can achieve success the first time out -- and sustain that success every time they play.
The QuickStart format includes:
- Smaller courts with lower nets
- Lighter and lower bouncing balls
- Smaller and lighter racquets adjusted to a child's size
The change applies to all USTA-sanctioned events for children 10 and under.
This confidence-building play format designed for kids 10 and under makes it easier for kids to pick up a racquet and have fun right away—even if they've never played tennis before. By using equipment sized right for them, kids learn quickly, develop better technique and love the game for life.
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