Future Champions Team Invitational
February 9, 2011 01:17 PM
San Francisco Tennis Club was the host to over 100 top 10-and-under tennis players from 16 local Bay Area tennis clubs. The invitational tournament, which was sponsored by the USTA NorCal, had kids who were between 6-10 years old playing both singles and doubles team tennis using the Quick Start Tennis Play Format.
Paul Allam, tennis professional and chair of the USTA NorCal 10 and Under Tennis Committee is incorporating tournament competition into the 10 and Under Tennis program in Northern California. The first Future Tennis Champions Invitational took place last fall at Stanford with rave reviews from the 12 teams of players, coaches and parents. A Future Tennis Champions Team Tournament is scheduled for each quarter in 2011.
Over 100 children on sixteen coed teams arrived at SFTC with their coaches and parents ready to play. The afternoon began with a presentation from Coach Tim Harper, stressing the importance of sportsmanship and effort, and not worrying about results. Harper expressed his gratitude to Paul Allam for giving his organization, Harper for Kids, the opportunity to work with kids at an early age and teach them how to achieve their personal best on and off the court based on legendary UCLA Coach John Wooden Pyramid of Success.
Harper says, "For many of the kids, this event was their first experience with tournament competition; it's really important for the kids and the parents to start this journey off in a healthy and positive perspective."
The Quick Start Tennis Play Format allows players 10 and under to compete on scaled down versions of tennis courts. By using modified balls that correspond to the size of the courts players are able to play real tennis, have fun, and improve like never before.
Each coed team competed in three levels based on their age and ability, playing singles and doubles.
- Red Division competed on 36’ courts with mini nets using red balls which travel at 25% the speed of a regular tennis ball
- Orange Division used a 60’ foot court with a regular net and orange balls which travel at 50% speed.
- Green Division played on a regular court with a green dot ball that travel at 75% speed, producing longer, more interesting rallies with developed strokes.
Congratulations to the Los Gatos Tennis Academy (LGTA) for earning the most combined points in the three levels and taking first place. They brought home the large Future Tennis Champions Trophy. LGTA adopted the Quick Start Tennis format many years ago. As a USTA National Trainer for Recreation Coaches & QuickStart Trainer, LGTA Director Todd Dissly understands well the advantages to the QuickStart and 10-and-Under concept. "The biggest advantage to me, aside from the ease and fun of the format, is that the modified courts and balls allow players to play a real tennis game. Players hit all shots and can develop an all-court game. Because the ball bounces in the correct contact zone and the court dimensions are more in line with the players’ size, players frequently play transition shots, volleys, half-volleys, ground strokes, and can use real strategies that work on a full size court. In the past there would be no reason for a player under 10 to come to the net – a passing shot could be high enough to lob them – not to mention the poor form that is adopted to handle high bouncing balls at the baseline, i.e. extreme grips."
LGTA Head Coach, Caryn Cranston was extremely proud of her team. "Coming from our grassroots program, which we run out of local recreation centers, it is great to see our players perform so well against the competition. I am particularly proud of the way in which our players conducted themselves. Winning is great, but my primary goal is for these kids is to produce champions for life. I am confident that we are on the right track when I see how we performed.
Winning teams form the Future Champions Team Invitational were invited to play in an exhibition at the SAP Open on Monday evening, February 7th, after the Pete Sampras/Gael Monfils match. The following players showed the HP Pavilion crowd how 10 and Under Tennis is played:
Red Level
Organization: Pacific Athletic Club
Coach: Paul Allam
Stephane Nivaggiolli, 7 yrs
Alec Van Kerckhove, 6 yrs
Ethan Lo, 7 yrs
Iman Shafaie, 7 yrs
Orange Level
Organization: Los Gatos Tennis Academy
Coach: Caryn Cranston
Eamon Smith, 10 yrs
Nicholas Dean, 9 yrs
Milad Shafaie, 9yrs
Green Level
Organization: Olympic Club
Coach: Nigel O’Rourke
Timothy He, 10 yrs
Marshall Leung, 9 yrs
Anna Campana, 10 yrs