Junior Tennis
Life Time is building the next generation of tennis players. SMART℠ tennis was created to give every child interested in tennis a pathway to succeed — on the court and in life.
Stage of development. Maturity level. Athletic development. Repetition and practice. Tournaments. That’s SMART tennis for juniors.
New SMART sessions begin every three months. Winter session starts in January, Spring in March/April, Summer in May/June and Fall starts in August/September. Check with your club for specific dates and times.
SMART Tennis
Presented by Wilson
The preeminent junior tennis program in the nation, Life Time’s SMART tennis matches your child’s development with appropriately sized balls, racquets and court sizes. Using world-class teaching techniques, SMART allows the sport of tennis to grow with your child. Kids start playing with other kids right away, learning as they go. Check with your club for SMART session timing.
SMART Levels of Progressive Training
Red Ball
For ages 3 to 7, children learn the basic elements of tennis through partner-based activities to develop hand/eye coordination and motor skills. Red balls bounce low and slow, so they’re easier for smaller kids to hit.
Orange Ball
For 7-to 10-year-olds starting to refine their technical mechanics, children focus on racquet-head speed, serve and return and transition to net. Basic strategies and tactics for singles and doubles are introduced.
Green Ball
For 10- to 12-year-old kids who are able to maintain a consistent rally on a full court, players will continue to refine the technical, tactical and physical foundation established in earlier stages.
Advanced Player Progressive Training (Yellow Ball)
Development
For ages 12 to 18, players in the initial levels of Development will work on refining their stroke mechanics. As players advance, a larger array of shots and techniques will be addressed, with a particular focus on match play strategies.
Performance
Juniors competing at high school, district and/or sectional levels will sharpen their strategic advantages through drills, competitive match play and intense physical training. Identifying and developing a style of play and understanding match flow are reinforced through situational drills. Active tournament play is required.