i9 Sports® Tennis gives players the opportunity to enjoy tennis on their own terms through our progression format.
i9 Sports Tennis is for kids ages 5-14 and is designed to suit players based on their skill level and developmental readiness. It’s all about providing players the opportunity to enjoy tennis on their own terms. i9 Sports Tennis models after USTA’s Net Generation program that introduces players to tennis with fun age-appropriate formats and equipment.
We use red, orange, and green balls that bounce at the right height for success. These balls are specially designed to be slightly different from regulation tennis balls to be easier to learn with. This allows players to have fun, learn the game, and start producing rallies quicker. Consistent with all of our programs, i9 Sports Tennis teaches weekly sportsmanship values to all players to help teach life lessons that extend beyond the court. i9 Sports Tennis focuses on building the fundamentals of the sport through instruction and match play. Start your tennis journey with i9 Sports!
Because tennis is an individual sport, kids are grouped by both ages and skill level. It’s more likely that children of different ages will be together learning the same skills. As kids progress, they can be moved up a group during their season so that they’re playing with similarly sized and skilled opponents.
Red Ball: Beginning Tennis Lessons for Kids
The red ball progression of tennis is the perfect development program to introduce first time tennis players, regardless of age. At this level, it’s all about introducing the sport in a safe and fun environment. Modified equipment is used to increase player confidence and technique out on the court. Red balls bounce lower and move more slowly through the air, giving beginning players a chance to set up and take a swing at the ball. Court sizes are modified so players can focus on making contact and having successful rallies.
Once a player is comfortable with red ball, they graduate to orange ball which could happen mid-season or next season.
Orange Ball: Tennis Lessons for Kids
Moving up the developmental ladder, we have our orange ball format which is designed for players who have some experience with the sport of tennis. At this level of play, courts extend in size and the ball changes. The orange ball bounces higher and moves faster than the red ball, yet is the same size as the yellow ball. This makes the orange ball format ideal for players to continue developing their athletic, technical and competitive skills in the game of tennis.
Once a player is comfortable with the orange ball, they graduate to the green ball which could happen mid-season or next season.
Green Ball: Advanced Tennis Lessons for Kids
i9 Sports offers green ball as the last stage of progression before yellow ball tennis. Green ball tennis utilizes a regulation size tennis court and net but uses a green ball which has reduced bounce compared to the yellow ball, making it a smooth transition to the larger court. This level of play is designed for the more advanced tennis player. At this stage of tennis, players continue to improve their technical skills, confidence, and athleticism without being hindered by the full-size tennis court.
Green ball is offered at select locations.