6-TENNIS
Groundbreaking Jr. Team-Tennis League Is a Hit

Jim Coyne, Junior Tennis Manager, USTA NorCal, wants to change the way tennis is introduced to youth; the single-player, tournament-focused approach that uses adult-sized equipment and courts wasn't working. "When kids want to learn to play baseball, they start with T-ball to develop the basic skills of the game, and they don't have the fear of getting hit with a pitched ball," Coyne said. "The same approach is needed in tennis."

His answer: 6-TENNIS, an innovative junior team-tennis league designed for beginner and novice players. Comprising three age groups: 10 and under, 12 and under, and 15 and under, 6-TENNIS is completely community- and volunteer-run. All players between the ages of 8 and 15 are eligible to play — no child gets turned away. Seasons last for six-eight weeks, and unlike other team-tennis formats, the leagues remain local, removing the difficulty of traveling to matches.

"A lot of time and effort went into developing 6-TENNIS," said Coyne. "We had to create the entire structure since no one was offering this type of thing. We couldn't put anyone on the court until we determined the best system."

A format similar to Little League and youth soccer was chosen. The bare-bones instruction and game-base approach has most kids rallying in their very first practice session. "What makes tennis fun for most kids is being able to rally a ball back and forth over a net with a partner — and kids really like the team environment," said Coyne.

And Coyne's tenacity has paid off. There will be seven 6-TENNIS leagues starting up this fall and USTA NorCal is looking to have more than 20 leagues by spring of '09.

Rosalie Escamilla, mayor of Jackson, Calif., and former USTA NorCal community tennis coordinator, is organizing her fourth season of 6-TENNIS. "The Amador Tennis Club in Jackson is a community tennis association. We have no private clubs and there's not a lot of opportunity to introduce tennis to kids." Escamilla said.

Sixty-six participants enrolled in Jackson's first season in spring '07. The following fall saw a slight drop in enrollment due to competition with other activities, but this past spring the numbers jumped back up. And Escamilla is looking forward to a successful fall '08 season. All of Jackson's leagues play on public courts, mostly at local schools.

The softer balls and shorter courts are a hit with the kids. Matches are fun and quick-moving. As Coyne said, "No one has time to watch two 10-year-olds play a three-hour match." Leagues run only in the spring and fall, eliminating any extreme-heat concerns.

6-TENNIS offers three flights of play, determined by a player's experience and ability. As kids spend more time in their local 6-TENNIS league, they will progress from Flight III, through Flight II and eventually Flight I. Matches take place on weekends.

"There's been a tremendous positive impact on the community from 6-TENNIS," Escamilla said. "It provides another option for kids to be physically active. Some of the kids are now even playing in USTA tournaments and we feel that introducing kids to tennis at a young age will improve our high school teams."

Escamilla has seen kids who previously had not been involved with sports take to tennis with great enthusiasm. Additionally, many parents in Jackson have been returning to the game, rediscovering the fun, social and recreational benefits of tennis.

"The kids are really enjoying the team format. We have all sizes and ages mixed together and they are all very supportive of each other. The transitional equipment really helps — a lot has come around."

To find a 6-TENNIS program in your community, visit norcalteamtennis.com. If you are interested in starting your own program, contact Lester Herrera, USTA NorCal Jr. Team Tennis Coordinator, at herrera@norcal.usta.com or call (510) 748-7373.