14 & Under Programs

At Olympic Indoor, we know that little players need big fun to keep them in the game.

We utilize the USTA‘s Quickstart program to teach our youngest and newest players to love tennis.

Every pro who teaches at this age is USTA Safe Play certified. At each lesson, children hit the court with an experienced Olympic Indoor pro, specially trained to make the basic skills fun to learn.

Class size is usually limited to six players. Players are grouped by age and skill level for their lessons which are once a week, for 12 weeks.

We provide smaller racquets and special low compression balls, plus a court sized just right for little players. Yellow Ball classes are for our older students who are new to the game.

Why Junior-sized tennis balls are important

No membership is required.

 PLAYTRACKER - HOW YOUR CHILD WILL PROGRESS

 12-WEEK PROGRAM REFERENCE INFORMATION

Class Descriptions

2024-25 Sessions

Tennis Drills at Home for Achievement Charts

1. Ball Balancing / Bouncing

• Equipment Needed: Ball and Racket

• Instructions:

• Level 1: Start by balancing the ball on the strings of the racket. Slowly move the ball around the rim of the racket, completing 5-10 full circles around the edge.

• Level 2: Begin by balancing the ball on the strings, then gently bounce the ball up off the strings and try to keep it in the air. Aim for a total of 10 bounces.

• Level 3: While bouncing the ball on the racket, start moving around. See how many bounces you can complete while on the move.

2. Toss and Catch

• Equipment Needed: Ball

• Instructions:

• Stand about 5-10 feet away from your child. Toss the ball to either side of their body. They should catch it with the hand on that side, stepping with the opposite foot (e.g., catch with the right hand, step with the left foot).

• Increase difficulty by gradually moving further away with each successful catch.

3. Balloon Game

• Equipment Needed: Balloon (Racket optional)

• Instructions:

• Have your child keep the balloon in the air for as long as possible, using their hands. This helps improve hand-eye coordination and foot movement.

• For an added challenge, let them use a racket to keep the balloon up. Encourage them to add spins or change positions while keeping the balloon in the air.

4. The Dribble

• Equipment Needed: Ball, Racket (Hard floor or outdoor surface)

• Instructions:

• Have your child bounce the ball on the ground using their racket, similar to dribbling a basketball. Start with them standing in place.

• Next level: Challenge them to walk in a specific direction while continuing to dribble the ball. See if they can dribble while walking back and forth.

5. Hopscotch

• Equipment Needed: Ball

• Instructions:

• Have your child jump through hopscotch squares, pausing after each jump. After each pause, toss the ball to either side of their body for them to catch and toss back. This helps develop the "split step," a small jump that prepares tennis players to change direction quickly.

6. Ball Rolling

• Equipment Needed: Ball

• Instructions:

• Stand about 10 feet away from your child and roll the ball towards them, either to their left, right, or directly. Their goal is to shuffle over to the ball and let it roll between their legs, improving their footwork and learning the shuffle movement used in tennis.

7. Target Practice

• Equipment Needed: Ball, Racket, Targets (e.g., cones, shoes, hats), Large outdoor or indoor area

• Instructions:

• Stand across from your child and toss them both forehand and backhand volleys. Their goal is to aim for the targets you’ve set up behind you. Remind them to avoid swinging; volleys should feel like giving the ball a high-five.

• For a challenge, have your child aim for a specific target and see how close they can get. Alternatively, you can call out a target for them to aim for.