The Youth Progression system (formerly known as Earned Advancement) ensures that players under the age of 11 are using the appropriate ball, racquet, and court size for their level of play. Within this system, players will have the opportunity to experience appropriate levels of competition at each stage of the USTA/Midwest Junior Tennis Pathway. The rules and regulations put in place will allow players to progress through the different stages at a pace most suitable to the player based on his or her competency, age, participation in competitive play, and results in competition
Stages of Youth Progression
1. Red Ball Tennis to Orange Ball Tennis
2. Orange Ball Tennis to Green Ball Tennis
3. Green Ball Tennis to Yellow Ball Tennis
Why Youth Progression?
Players should advance through the various stages with the understanding that this is not a race to Yellow Ball Tennis, but a process rich in development opportunities at each stage. All children develop at different paces, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally. This new system is designed to accommodate these variations.
Benefits of Youth Progression
Along with accommodating the progress of each child, the Youth Progression system also provides the ancillary benefit of promoting goal setting. Learning to set goals is a beneficial habit for all players to develop at a young age. Youth Progression encourages players to set quantifiable and achievable goals at each stage of the beginning of their Junior Tournament careers and will equip players with a goal setting mindset to carry throughout their lives.
