Comprehensive pack includes all of the equipment required to implement the QuickStart Tennis Format as endorsed by the USTA.

The QuickStart Format uses abbreviated court sizes and modified equipment to allow younger players to learn tennis in a scaled-down environment. QuickStart Pack includes equipment to accommodate students in different age groups and skill levels.

Basic Pack contains:

• 4 ea     UltraNet™ Portable Net Systems (20'W) w/ Storage Bag
• 16 ea   Gopher Jr Aluminum Racquets (8 ea 23"L and 25"L)
• 60 ea   Tennis Training Balls
• 12 ea   QuickStart® 36 Foam Tennis Balls
• 60 ea   QuickStart® 36 Slow-Bounce Tennis Balls
• 1 ea     Tennis Caution Tape (100'L Roll)
• 2 ea     Black Floor Tape (180'L x 1"W Roll)
• 1 ea     USTA School Tennis Curriculum

Premium Pack includes everything in the Basic Pack plus the heavy-duty, powder-coated steel RacquetKing™ Tennis Cart to organize and store all the equipment in the pack.

Additional details about each item included in this pack are listed below.

UltraNet™ Portable Net Systems (4 ea)
Durable steel-framed net system features easy set up and superior net tension. Versatile UltraNet™ systems have a 30" net that can be set to full 61" height for badminton or adjusted for tennis and other over-the-net activities. Durable powder-coated steel frame sets up and takes down quickly and easily, requires no extra weight for stability. Net edges are fully banded, with a nylon-web adjustment strap on the top net edge ensuring excellent net tension. Entire system stores neatly in a durable nylon storage bag (35-1/2"L x 6" dia). The 20'W UltraNet™ system lets you create a full-size court when and where you need it. Includes storage bag.

Gopher Midsize Junior Aluminum Tennis Racquet (21"L)
Durable construction in an easy-to-control length for ages 4-6. Midsize head, wide body, durable aluminum frame, nylon strings, synthetic-leather grip. 8 oz. 8 ea 23”L and 25”L.

Tennis Training Balls (60 ea)
Economical and rugged practice balls deliver consistent performance. Machine-compatible pressureless practice balls are ideal for drills and practice. Includes 60 balls. Standard size.

QuickStart® 36 Foam Tennis Training Balls (12 ea)
Designed specifically for the QuickStart® Tennis Teaching System, making them perfect for beginners. Foam tennis balls are 10% larger than regulation balls for early success. Balls deliver a consistent bounce and rebound at a height perfect for younger players. 2-3/4" dia.

QuickStart® Slow-Bounce Tennis Balls (52-346)
Color-coded training balls coordinate with the QuickStart® tennis teaching system. Three ball colors identify the progressive QuickStart® program levels: Red for QuickStart® 36 (75% less bounce; 15% larger for early success). Includes a matching storage bucket.

Deluxe Vinyl Floor Tape (2 ea)
Tough vinyl tape for your gym floors. Black.180'L x 1"W Roll.

Tennis Caution Tape (1 ea)
100’L Roll.

USTA School Tennis Curriculum (1 ea)
Beginners learn to play tennis through fun lessons in this NASPE-aligned program. Developed by the USTA and physical education expert Dr. Robert Pangrazi, this curriculum requires no tennis courts and adapts to any size group. Includes Guide for Teaching Tennis in Schools, Tennis Curriculum Guide, instructional DVD, and CD with Teachers Handbook and reproducibles.

RacquetKing™ Tennis Cart (1 ea in Premium Pack)
You'll "love" how easy it is to store and transport your tennis equipment! Space-saving cart features protective foam that cradles up to 24 racquets, removable side baskets that hold dozens of balls, and room at the bottom for up to 6 UltraNet™ tennis systems. Big 6" dia wheels and locking 4" dia casters roll easily indoors and out. Powder-coated steel frame. Assembly required. 52"L x 25"W x 45"H; 40 lb.

Product Details

Benefits

• Smaller, lighter racquets accommodate children’s small hands
• Compact court builds confidence and longer rallies
• Low-bouncing, slow-moving balls allow children to track the ball more easily
• Quicker skill-mastery makes it more likely that children will stay interested in tennis as a life-long sport

Scoring
The QuickStart Tennis scoring system is simple. It helps kids understand the structure of the game and allows them to keep track of the competition as it unfolds. Conveniently, it also gives parents and players a start and finish time.

For the 8 & Under group there are only seven points in a game, so match play is short and sweet. Kids play the best of three games; the first to score seven points wins the game. The first to win two games wins the match; the longest a match will last is approximately 20 minutes.

The 10 & Under group should play the best of three sets and the first to win four games wins a set. For the third set, the first player to win the seven points wins the match.

Balls
Kids need a ball that is sized and paced to their playing abilities. A regulation tennis ball moves too fast, bounces too high and is too heavy for the smaller racquet. Each age group, therefore, uses a ball better suited to their size and unique playing ability.

For 8 & Under, a foam ball or a very low-compression ball moves slower, bounces lower and travels less distance.

Racquets
For an adult player to succeed at tennis, racquet control is essential. The same is true for kids. Kids have trouble controlling full-size racquets. They're too long, too heavy and the grips are too large. Kids need racquets that are proportionate in length and weight and have a grip that fits their smaller hands.

For 8 & Under, the racquet should be 19"L, 21"L or 23"L.

For 10 & Under, the racquet should be 23”L or 25"L.


Court Set-Up
For 8 & Under, the court dimensions are 36' long and 18' wide. Children play across the width of a normal tennis court, with a portable net or tape dividing the court in half. The length of the court stretches between the doubles sidelines. The width spans from the baseline to the service line. Temporary lines (e.g., throw-down lines, tape or chalk) can be used to mark the boundaries. Since the dimensions are smaller, as many as four courts can be set up across one full-size tennis court. For this age group, the net height is 2' 9".

8 & Under children will play on a court that is 36’ long and 18’ wide.



For 10 & Under, the court dimensions are  60' long and 21' wide. By using temporary lines (throw-down lines, tape or chalk) as baselines, the length of the court can be shortened by 9' at both ends to make it a 60' length. The singles sidelines are used to determine the width of the court. Again, temporary lines can be placed 3' inside the singles sidelines creating a 21' singles court and 27' doubles court. For this age group, the standard tennis net height can be used. Just as kids need a court that suits their size, they also need the right size equipment. That's why both the racquet and ball are different from the equipment adults use.

10 & Under children will play on a court that is 60’ long and 21’ wide.


Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is QuickStart Tennis referred to as America's plan for 10 and under tennis?

The USTA, along with industry partners including USPTA, TIA and PTR, have taken steps to bring tennis to children aged 10 & under in a more fun and dynamic way. This collaborative effort has resulted in the development of a new format that will get more kids playing the game, developing better skills and staying longer.

The key goals are as follows:

• Improve the wellness of youth playing tennis
• Increase the number of beginning players ages 8-10
• Increase the retention of players aged 8-10 and beyond
• Improve the technical, tactical and physical development of
• players ages 8-10
• Develop future champions

2. Who decided on the specifications for the QUICKSTART TENNIS format?

The specifications for the format were agreed upon by representatives from the tennis industry - USTA, TIA, USPTA, and PTR. The specs were agreed upon based on lessons learned from pilot programs that were conducted by tennis professionals that operate some of the largest 10 & Under tennis programs in the country.


3. Is QuickStart Tennis a new USTA program?

No, QUICKSTART TENNIS is a format, not a program. By format, we mean specifications for play based on age, courts dimensions, net height, ball, racquet size and scoring. This format will be used for casual play, in lessons, team competition and tournaments.


4. What can pros, coaches and facilities gain by using the QuickStart Tennis format?

The response from professionals, club owners, parents and kids has been overwhelmingly positive. Young players are able to better develop proper tactics, footwork and technique at a much younger age, because the ball is landing in the kids’ strike zones, rather than going over their heads. Also, it’s easy to get more kids per court. And more kids, having more fun means better court utilization and revenue for facilities.


5. How is QUICKSTART TENNIS different than what people have been doing for years – using smaller balls and smaller racquets?

There are two key differences. Coaches and pros have used foam balls and smaller racquets for years. But there were never standardized specifications for the ball, the racquet, the court, the net and scoring based on age. The QuickStart Tennis format uses all of these elements together, the same way, and that makes a huge difference. The other key is that there were very few competitions using scaled-down equipment and courts. Therefore, it was used primarily as a teaching aid and was not considered “real tennis”. Since the QuickStart Tennis format will be used in competition, kids and parents both will consider it “real”.

Getting kids at this age to play on teams is critical to retention. In addition to USTA Jr. Team Tennis and many sanctioned tournaments using the format in 2008, we know that many professionals and clubs will be using the QuickStart Tennis format for their local team events and competition as well.

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