Create a Progress Pipeline
by Joe Dinoffer -
February 27, 2009
When you think about it, just about everything we accomplish in life, whether it be education, music, sports, or business, progresses incrementally. Measurable step-by-step progress gives us guideposts that motivate and reinforce middle- and long-range goals. Successful tennis programs work the same way. Tennis students should be clearly guided through a steady progression to higher and higher levels of play. The current USTA initiative called QuickStart Tennis is just one example of this concept.
Beginning students progress through three levels of play, each geared towards helping the players improve as quickly and effectively as possible. The court length starts from the 36-foot length doubles sideline to doubles sideline. This is called the Red Level and uses slow-bouncing balls and shorter racquets. Then, players move to a moderate speed ball and a court that’s 60 feet long called the Orange Level. The third stage is the Green Level and the idea is to play at full length with either a three-quarter speed ball or even a regular ball if the playing ability has developed sufficiently. This same concept is promoted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) under the name “Play and Stay.” For more information on the details on this QuickStart Tennis program, please click here: http://www.oncourtoffcourt.com/c-58-quick-start-tennis.aspx
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