UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION’S

PARENT SUPPORT GUIDE

 GAME ON!
WELCOME TO TENNIS, FITNESS, AND FUN
Being a parent of a child that plays sports is no easy task and is a much larger responsibility.
Considering the parenting chores of clothing, feeding, loving, supporting (materially and
emotionally), and educating your children, the added responsibility of being a sporting parent
includes financing your children’s sport, providing the necessary sporting attire, transporting
them to practices and competition, volunteering your time, and guiding them through the
emotional roller coaster that is apparent in youth sports. Other factors to consider are the toll
on the family financially and emotionally, your marriage, the opportunity costs you and your
family incur, and your own needs and interests.

In this parent support guide, the objective is to offer a strength-based approach to parenting
in organized youth sport. Initially, we offer supporting information to you as a parent of a child
(or children) participating in youth sports. The reasoning behind this is that as the governing
body of tennis nationwide, we want to encourage multi-sport participation at a young age.
We sincerely hope you have already chosen tennis or are open to allowing your child to have
tennis as one of their youth sports.

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We see parents as a resource to enhance children’s performance, enjoyment, motivation, and
overall positive youth development. The parent-child sports relationship is essential because
when children perceive their parents to be supportive, they experience increased enjoyment
and motivation, higher levels of performance, and an improved parent-child relationship.
With the strategies and tools outlined in this support guide, we hope that you, as a parent,
will be empowered to assist coaches and sport practitioners in creating a positive learning
environment for your young athlete(s). We believe your child will potentially fall in love with
youth sports in general (and tennis specifically) due to the many health benefits, individual
and team formats of participation, and the ability to play for a lifetime.

The United States Tennis Association (USTA), the national governing body of tennis, wishes
to provide you with information, insights, and tools you as a parent will need in order to
raise not only great athletes but also great people. This resource will help make your child’s
sport experiences a positive one and encourage them to play tennis (and other sports)
for a lifetime.

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 YOUTH SPORTS
Playing sports can be a unique environment in which to raise children. The benefits they
receive from athletic participation are plentiful. Children experience the brilliant benefits of
physical health and activity, including exercise, fitness, vitality, and mastery. Children also learn
more about themselves, including how to think, how they feel, how they conduct themselves
and perform in a variety of sport-related settings.

Psychological and emotional areas in which sports assist children, to name a few, include:

• Understanding their passions

• Commitment
• Confidence
• Focus
• Discipline
• Resilience

The knowledge gained through sports experiences can play a significant role in how children
grow and whom they become as adults. An active life can shape their self-identity, self-
esteem, goals, and future directions their lives take. Sports can also impact children’s social
development. The opportunities young athletes face in terms of teammates, coaches, teamwork,
competition against opponents, and rival teams can have a considerable effect on how they
learn to communicate, respond to conflict, and develop relationships as they progress toward
adulthood. The mentorships they build with coaches and the friendships that transpire with
teammates can leave a lasting impression. More importantly, the relationship you develop with
your child can leave them with a lifetime of family memories and also provide the foundation
for lifelong connection based on love and common interest. Playing sports, children develop
the ability to learn and practice, and they ingrain essential physical, personal, and social skills in
preparation for adulthood. Sports, in general, can resonate deeply with children.

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 50 Reasons to Play Sports

Increases confidence Develops focus

Develops stronger bones Improves reflexes
Builds friendship Improves academic performance
Develops Stronger joints Teaches life lessons
Builds character Improves immune system
Helps to control weight Improves brain functioning
Improves self-esteem Teaches children about winning
Reduces obesity Improves sleep
Improves the quality of life Teaches children about losing
Develops resilience Improves decision making
Teaches children about values Increases energy levels
Teaches respect Improves posture
Improves cognitive functioning Improves learning
Improves mood Helps children to achieve goals
Reduces anxiety Helps children to experience success
Improves blood flow Improves memory
Reduces stress Develops creativity
Improves fitness Promotes fair play
Reduces depression Promotes social interaction
Teaches teamwork Develops autonomy
Teaches life lessons Increases attention
Improves body image Builds strength
Improves breathing Reduces fatigue
Boosts brain power Helps to develop coping skills
Helps children to learn from failure Helps children have fun

Playing sports is just plain fun. Sport is a form of organized play, and children love to play.
The simple act of playing sports, whether running, jumping, throwing a football or baseball,
kicking, hitting a tennis or golf ball, impacts children in such a wholesome and untouched way
that is evident in their smiles and laughter.

Playing sports is a beautiful way to help your children grow into successful, happy, and
accomplished people.

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 I LOVE TO WATCH YOU PLAY!
ROLE OF A PARENT

VALUES
The values you as a parent convey to your children provide a lens through which they view
their sport participation. With that in mind, we recommend that you are thoughtful, deliberate,
and proactive in introducing your children to values. These values will lead them to fulfill
an enjoyable athletic experience, a positive lifelong relationship with sports, and a strong
influence of sports in their personal and social development outside of sports.

In terms of your child’s sports involvement, their values will dictate how they think. For
example, if you impart the importance of effort and fun over winning, they will focus on those
values when they approach competitions, just like if you prescribe the values of winning over
trying their best.

The thinking that transpires from the values your young athletes hold will produce specific
emotional reactions when they participate in their sport. Keeping with the previous example,
if the emphasis is on effort and fun, they will likely experience emotions like excitement and
pride as they approach competitions.

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ca n pl ay a bi g ro le in te ac hi ng values and prin ust are all part of the game and are
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for life. Just thin k, te am w
s in ho w w e m ak e th e m os t of our lives. layer.
also all factor — Cal Ripke
n Jr ., Hall of Fam
e baseball p

The values that your children show and express in their sport participation will clearly define
the following statements:

• This is who I am.

• This is what I value.
• This is what I stand for.
• This is what guides my sports participation.
• This is how I will behave.
• This is what I want out of my sports participation.

The following list of values will serve your children as they get involved in their active lives and
leave youth sports experiences behind them:

• Honesty • Teamwork
• Commitment • Patience
• Strong work ethic • Perseverance
• Pursuit of personal experience • Resilience
• Love of sport • Best effort
• Fun • Embrace failure
• Respect of self and others • Balance in life
• Sportsmanship • Physical health
• Humility

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 A suggestive way to introduce your children
to the importance of healthy sport values is
to also identify unhealthy values in sport and
assist them in distinguishing the differences
between positive and negative values. Some
negative values:

• Winning is the ultimate goal

• Bravado
• Selfishness
• Machismo
• Winning at any cost
• Demeaning the opposition
• Pursuit of fame and fortune

To understand what values you have as a

parent and what you communicate with your
children regarding their sport experiences,
pose the following questions to yourself:

• What values were you raised on in

terms of sports participation?
• What do you value in your child’s
sports participation?
• How do you spend your money and
time related to sports?
• Will the values you’ve identified bring
your children meaning, satisfaction,
and enjoyment in their athletic lives?

Parent Tip:

Know the value your child places on sport participation and performance, as well as how
they define success. Comparing your own goals with your children’s goals could prevent
disconnection and/or confrontation.

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IS EARLY SPECIALIZATION REALLY NECESSARY?
Early specialization involves intensive year-round training in a single sport from a young age.
Research shows that specialization too early causes overuse injuries, burnout, and dropout
rates, and unexpectedly, a decrease in overall athletic development. Experts state that early
specialization can also lead to emotional and family costs. Other research findings have
explained that multi-sport participation can result in more well-rounded athletes, greater
long term success, and more importantly, lifelong enjoyment of and participation in sports.

Early accolades do not necessarily guarantee success later in children’s lives, as the
examples below demonstrate:

• Tim Duncan (Five-time NBA Champion) started swimming and only

later changed to basketball.
• Alex Morgan (Olympic soccer player) only started playing soccer
when she was 13 years old.
• Clay Matthews (Super Bowl Champion and six-time NFL Pro Bowl
selection) was not given an athletic scholarship until his junior year.
• Roberta Vinci (Professional tennis player) reached a Top 10 ranking
for the first time at the age of 33.
• Angelique Kerber (professional tennis player), became the oldest
first-time number one ranked player in tennis at 28 years old.

PRESSURE ON PARENTS
In this day and age of superstars like LeBron James, Michael Phelps, and Michelle Wie, there is
pressure on parents to specialize early, and if they choose not to, their child will never become
a superstar. It is with this theory in mind that youth sports are currently not positioned for the
benefit of children and having fun. Programming in youth sports has become big business,
as they are catering to the dreams parents have for their children as opposed to what is
best for their children. An entire industry has materialized that comprises of private coaches,
after-school sports programs, and summer sports camps relaying the message that early
specialization is required for young athletes’ long term success.

Parent Tip:

Your child is more likely to become a teacher, fireman, entrepreneur, or lawyer than a
professional athlete. It is important, then, that you clearly understand what you want your
child’s organized youth sport participation to yield. Check in with them from season to
season to ensure you are pursuing the same goals as them!

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 WHICH ROAD TO TAKE
You may find that your child possesses the drive within him/herself to specialize in one
sport and that he/she has a real passion. In this case, as a parent, it is recommended to
guide that enthusiasm and energy in a way to keep their thirst for that sport but also ensure
physical and mental balance with rest and recovery.

If specializing in one sport, you should ask the question of whether it is best for your family.
The impact is not only on the child but also you as a parent and other siblings. There are
three resources to consider: time, cost, and energy.

• Time — What is the opportunity cost? If not at sporting events, what could the family
be doing?
• Finances — Could the money spent on sports participation be best used
somewhere else?
• Energy — do you want to spend your energy in your child’s specializing pursuits?
• Family — what are the potential ramifications for other siblings in your family if you
are dedicating time to the child that is specializing?
• Rest and Recovery — are strategies being taken to prevent injuries and illness?

It is hoped the above information is framed for you to make the appropriate decision in
terms of early sport specialization. At the end of the day, if you would like your child to stay
healthy and play sports for a lifetime, expert opinion and research shows that multi-sport
participation before the age of 12 is the appropriate choice.

Parent Tip:

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, tennis icons, both played youth soccer before
concentrating on tennis in their teens.

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BUILDING THE FOUNDATION TO PLAY TENNIS FOR LIFE!
UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for tennis in the
United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests
100% of its proceeds in promoting and developing the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots
to the professional levels. The USTA was created to standardize rules and regulations and to
promote and develop the growth of tennis in the United States.

NET GENERATION
The USTA has created a youth brand called Net Generation. Net Generation is a celebration
of a game where no one sits on the sidelines. Tennis is easy to learn and tailored for all
ages and abilities, giving kids a game that will help them build friendships and learn skills
they will use for life. Net Generation aims to connect tennis providers with players in a safe
environment that focuses on engaging more kids in sports in order to get them playing for
a lifetime. To achieve this, all providers are required to complete a Safe Play background
screening that the USTA subsidizes. The USTA’s willingness to pay for each Net Generation
provider’s Safe Play background screening demonstrates the importance of protecting our
youth in sports in this day and age.

Net Generation’s mission is to spread the love of tennis to a new generation by empowering
those that will teach them. Coaches, organizers, and teachers can gain access to the
expertise of the USTA as they work with leading experts worldwide to develop new play
formats, curricula, and digital tools. Net Generation is innovating to reach a new generation
and a new era of tennis.

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 NET GENERATION AS AN
AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL
The guiding principles of Net Generation conform to an American Development Model
(ADM) that is positioned as the aligning tool for all of USTA’s stakeholders. From skill
development to competition perspective, the ADM aims to achieve its objectives of
stemming early specialization, developing multi-sport athletes, and increasing physical
activity in youth. As the USTA refines its Long-Term Athlete Development plan, the ADM will
form a critical component in how the USTA embraces core athlete development principles.
The long-term goal is to allow American youth to utilize sport as a path toward an active
and healthy lifestyle and to create opportunities to maximize their full potential. These key
principles, tailored to the sport of tennis, include:

Universal Access Developmentally Educate Coaches A Clear Development

Appropriate and Officials Pathway
Make sure playing tennis
Coaching and Play
is safe, accessible, local, Ensure coaches and Integrate tennis into
and affordable. Emphasize movement officials engaged with physical education
skills through all ages and abilities programs in schools and
developmentally are trained. recreational community
appropriate coaching programs, and transition
and play. into age- and skill-based
-programs and play
opportunities.

Support Multi-sport Fun and Player- Parent/Player

or Multi-activity Centered Guidance, Education,
Participation Health, and
Focus on creating a
Transparency
Build athletes through a fun, positive, engaging
multi-sport approach within atmosphere within a team Provide parents and players
tennis programming and culture rather than wins the information they need
cross-promotion with other and losses. to guide their healthy
sports and activities. tennis development.

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WHY SHOULD YOUR CHILD PLAY TENNIS?
Tennis is one of the most popular sports worldwide, with millions playing every year. One of the
advantages of playing tennis is that it can be played for a lifetime. Senior players from 90 years
old and over are playing tennis, as can be seen with the staging of competition with
that age group.

A sample of the overall benefits of tennis participation in addition to typical health benefits:

• A non-collision sport
• A great way to meet people and spend time with friends
• Suitable for all ages and skill levels
• A game that can be started at any age
• A game that can be played for a lifetime
• Played all over the USA
• Gives a total body workout
• Has built-in rest periods
• Involves cognitive function
• Provides low lactic acid buildup, resulting in low levels of
perceived exertion

The potential health benefits of consistent tennis participation are:

• Increased aerobic capacity

• Lowering of body fat
• Lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure
• Improved reaction times
• Improved muscle tone, strength, and flexibility
• Reduced stress
• Lower cardiovascular risk & mortality rates
• Increased bone health

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 MODIFIED EQUIPMENT
Using modified equipment is a fun way to start tennis
and makes it easy for children to play the game, develop
good technique and tactics, and a love for the sport.
I grew up playing with slowinerg
balls, and I could easily swballs
Using these slower balls helps players to develop the
most efficient technique and to be able to implement
advanced tactics that in most cases, could not be
through the shot, and the e.
didn’t fly all over the plac
performed using the Yellow ball on the full court.

With smaller courts, shorter racquets, and lower derer,

— Roger Fe
ner
bouncing balls, youth players will achieve greater nd Slam win
20 time Gra
physical activity and feel successful at tennis right from
the start. Tennis is a game that can be played at home
in the driveway with the whole family or with friends on
any flat, safe surface.

GET STARTED. RED BALL.

The tennis journey starts with red. Red balls can be made of foam or felt, are larger, bounce
lower, and travel slower than the standard yellow ball, making it easier to learn and acquire skills.

Court sizes 36’ x 18’

Red Courts are short and narrow, making it easy for players to focus on learning the
fundamentals of the game.

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MOVING ON. ORANGE BALL.
Orange balls travel through the air a little faster and farther than the red ball, but are the
same size and still bounce lower than a green or yellow ball.

Court size: 60’ X 21’ - OR - 60’ X 27’ (Doubles)

Slightly smaller than the full-size 78’ court, Orange Courts are ideal for players who are still
developing their athletic, technical, and competitive skills.

LEVEL UP. GREEN AND YELLOW BALLS.

Green balls have a slightly reduced bounce compared to the yellow ball, making the
transition to a full-size 78’ court much easier.

Court sizes: 78’ X 27’ - OR - 78’ X 36’ (DOUBLES)

At this stage, while continuing to improve their tactical and technical skills, a player’s size
does not hinder their ability to cover a full-size tennis court.

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 RACQUET SIZES

19” 21” 23” 25” 26”

Recent research gathered more insight into the perceptions of players, parents, and coaches
of a modified equipment program.

Players like playing with modified equipment, including shorter and lighter rackets and
shorter courts, because it:

• Allows them to play the game more effectively

• Encourages fun regardless of hitting partner
• Enables them to improve their skills
• Is easier

Parents believe that modified equipment:

• Is designed for their kids

• Instills confidence in their kids
• Allows for more success with their kids
• Allows their kids to have more fun

Coaches believe that modified equipment:

• Facilitates player-centered development

• Helps with learning to play the game
• Serves as a necessity for all coaches to adopt for their sessions
• Promotes partner activities and engagement
• Is conducive to more team competition

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PLAYERS AND EQUIPMENT
A tennis match can be played by either one player on each side - a singles match - or two players
on each side - a doubles match. To start a point, the server has two serves to use an overarm
motion to hit the ball and land in the diagonal service box. A singles match has the players using
the inner side tramlines of the court and a doubles match using the outer tram lines.

A tennis court has the below dimensions and can be played on different types of surfaces,
including grass, clay, hard, and indoor.

78’

36’

SCORING
You need to score four points to win a game of tennis. The points are termed as 15 (1 point),
30 (2 points), 40 (3 points), and the fourth would result in the winning point, and the end of
the game. If the scores are levelled at 3 points each (40-40), this is known as deuce. When a
game reaches deuce the player must win by two clear points.

BEGINNER 0 1 2 3 • Game is over with 4th point won

INTERMEDIATE 0 15 30 40
• Game is over with 4th point won
(no-ad scoring)

40
ADVANCED 0 15 30
40-40
• (Deuce-must win 2 points in a row
to win game)

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 PARENT BEHAVIOR AT COMPETITIONS
Parents! Children love you watching them play tennis competition. Your behavior at
competition makes a big difference in their experience. As a suggestion try the following
practical tips.

• Take the time before, during, and after your child’s practices and
competitions to reflect on your parenting behaviors
• Ask your spouse or partner, or other parents to provide feedback
on your behavior around competitions.

WHAT CHILDREN DON’T WHAT CHILDREN DO

WANT FROM PARENTS WANT FROM PARENTS
• Comments focused on
child’s performance
• Helping athlete be
BEFORE • Communicating expectations about
physically prepared

COMPETITION winning
• Attend to child’s needs for mental
preparation
• Tactical advice with
no knowledge

• Intimidation towards opponents

• Drawing attention
• Etiquette and compliance
towards themselves
with guidelines

• Criticizing/coaching
• Positive tone and
child or team
body language
DURING • Disputes with officials,
COMPETITION coaches, or parents
• Control over emotions

• Praising good performance

• Contradicting
coach instructions
• Encouragement after
poor execution
• Repeating instructions

• Booing opposing team

• Criticism of performance • Positive feedback on

effort and attitude

AFTER • Blaming outcomes on

referee or others • Realistic feedback
COMPETITION • Focusing on negatives of • Give feedback when
performance child is ready for it

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THE
F U T U R E
OF T E N N I S
SI HERE
 TOGETHER WE WILL

GROW
THE G A M E