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USTA QuickStart Launches at Disney in Florida
Posted on April 3, 2008
The USTA officially launched QuickStart Tennis, an innovative new play format that will help to get more children 10 years of age and under into the game, during ESPN The Weekend at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios.
The QuickStart Tennis format, one of the most significant moves ever to introduce tennis to youth, provides a way to bring kids 10 and under into the game by utilizing equipment, court dimensions, and scoring that is tailored to their age and size.
Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Mary Jo Fernandez were on hand to help demonstrate the effectiveness of the QuickStart Tennis play format. They were able to give a "kids-eye view" of what a child experiences when they used adult-sized equipment to play on a regulation court. Navratilova and Fernandez utilized "giant-sized" racquets and balls and played on an "oversized" court -- 50' x 110' (as opposed to 36' x 78' for a regulation court). This helped to demonstrate the frustration and difficulties that children experience while trying to play tennis when it is "designed for an adult."
"Better late than never," said Martina Navratilova, speaking to reporters. "They've been doing it in Europe for a couple of decades now and it's been successful. Apparently, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin came through a [similar] program, that's how they got started. I think the biggest key is for kids to feel they are successful when they first try out tennis. We've been getting kids to try out tennis, but then they don't stay with it because there are so many other distractions and so many other sports, and you need to really make it successful from the get-go. Downsizing the equipment -- the rackets, the balls are fluffier, don't bounce as high and don't travel as fast and the courts are smaller -- but most of all kids can just hold on to the racquet and swing it."
USTA revealed the QuickStart Tennis play format at the ESPN Interactive Sports Zone, where all park goers had the opportunity to participate in sporting activities including basketball, football, golf, baseball, motocross and tennis. Throughout the weekend, USTA National Trainers assisted with on-court tennis activities to help parents, children and Disney "cast members" play QuickStart Tennis, while USTA Florida staff handed out QuickStart marketing brochures and aided in crowd control.
USTA Florida Jr. Team Tennis players from Fort Gatlin Tennis Center in Orlando volunteered to be videotaped for future QuickStart promotional materials.
It is estimated that ESPN The Weekend reaches over 100,000 parents and children, which is one of the main reasons the USTA decided to officially launch QuickStart Tennis at Disney. It is also the first time that tennis was included as part of ESPN The Weekend.
The QuickStart Tennis play format will roll-out this spring in over 1,000 facilities across the country, which are each expected to incorporate it within their existing 10-and-under programming. The USTA will also organize and implement training sessions, both to coaches and volunteers, including parents, to help early adoption of the format.
In addition, the USTA has begun incorporating the play format into its coed recreational tennis league, USTA Jr. Team Tennis, and its tournament offerings. In succeeding years, it will continue to be implemented into programming with the goal of reaching all aspects of 10-and-under youth tennis, including tournament, lesson based, recreational and team play.
For further information about QuickStart Tennis and to see interviews from ESPN The Weekend, go to www.quickstarttennis.com.
This article appears in the April 2008 issue of Play Tennis Florida magazine, www.PlayTennisFlorida.com
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