Youth Tennis Mini Aces League Class

Learning is motivated by goals and competition. With the BumbleBee Tennis Mini Aces League, students can apply their newfound tennis skills to formal tennis competition and gain positive motivation to focus and improve. The goals of the league are to encourage team work, good sportsmanship, improve tennis skills, increase self-esteem, and have fun.

Who Can Join the League

The Mini Aces League Class is for advanced beginners to intermediate youth players who currently take classes at orange and green levels. Because it level based, students will range in age between 6- 10 years old.

Recommended ages and levels: Advanced 6 year olds, advanced beginner 7-8 year olds, beginner 9 & 10 year olds.

Coaches

The class will be instructed by a BumbleBee Tennis coach, with a maximum of 6 students assigned to that instructor.  There will be a maximum of 12 students in one league class (with two coaches).

League Class Curriculum

This league class is a new program, established to enable BumbleBee students to try competing in an age appropriate, safe, and fun environment.  Each session will include running, footwork, stretching, and warm up drills.  The first few sessions will teach students the standard tennis scoring and game format, while doing practice points.  Later sessions will include a 40-minute round robin structured tournament.  This format is subject to change as we work to find the one for this age and skill level.

Court Set-Up

The court size and equipment will follow the QuickStart tennis method, matched to the skills and abilities of the students.

Times and Days

The Fall League class at the West Side/ Columbus Circle location is 8 sessions, following the same schedule as the fall general group classes (9/13/09 to 11/1/09) with 2 rain dates (11/18 & 11/15).  It will meet at the same time each week.

Level

Students should be skilled enough where they can easily move to a far away shot and hit 3-4 over the net consecutively.  Ralleying is much more challenging because partner A may not hit straight to partner B like a coach will.  This means that for ralleying to be satisfying, students need to be skilled enough to move to a ball a few steps away and consistently hit it over 3 out 5 times.  We have seen advanced 6 year olds and beginner 8 and 9 year olds capable of consistent movement hitting.

Students do not neccessarily have to be able to fully control their shot as that can be learned quickly within the class.

Teams

There will be no formal teams.  Students will be randomly paired up each week by the instructor for doubles games.

Games & Competition

Competition will consist of both traditional and non-traditional tennis games.  We will mix it up between singles and doubles, placing a stronger emphasis on doubles to encourage team work.