YOUTH TENNIS LEAGUE

GENERAL INFORMATION

For young tennis players, learning to match play, game rules are critical as they advance their skills.  We provide a valuable opportunity so players can gain the next level of experience to prepare for competitive play.  This will also put the players on the right track for high school tennis.

ORANGE BALL MATCH PLAY

Youth levels from intermediate to advanced are encouraged to come to have fun with their friends. Whether your child is an advanced player seeking more opportunities to compete or an advanced beginner seeking to improve match skills. Our program has something for everyone.
Kids will be grouped according to their level and will play round-robin matches. Players should be able to hit on their own, know how to serve the ball, and have some matchplay experience.

Orange ball Tennis League is an opportunity for boys and girls ages 7.5 to 10 to participate in match play.

Youth levels from intermediate to advanced are encouraged to come to have fun with their friends. Whether your child is an advanced player seeking more opportunities to compete or an advanced beginner seeking to improve match skills. Kids will be grouped according to their level and will play round-robin matches. Players should be able to hit on their own, know how to serve the ball, and have some matchplay experience. 

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL LEAGUE

Emphasis will be placed on improvement for all players. This includes learning to compete and succeed, establishing team goals, learning the value of practice, and demonstrating good sportsmanship toward all players and coaches. Everyone enrolled will be placed on a team according to their level. Please note that your location will be determined  based on the registration numbers from each middle school area.

We are offering Loudoun Middle School Tennis League (Ages 9-14) with participating schools for both girls and boys to serve as a bridge from middle school to high school tennis while maintaining a competitive level. 

Emphasis will be placed on improvement for all players. This includes learning to compete and succeed, establishing team goals, learning the value of practice, and demonstrating good sportsmanship toward all players and coaches. 

Everyone enrolled will be placed on a team according to their level. Please note that your location will be determined  based on the registration numbers from each middle school area.

HOW IT WORKS

MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE CATEGORIES

  • Development / Recreational players – players with little or no match experience that are looking to learn how to play a tennis match.
  • Intermediate players – players that can serve the ball, can rally the ball over 50%, needs limited direction during a match, and is a player who is eager to learn and improve their tennis skills.
  • Advanced players – players who can serve consistently and have previous match play experience and are looking for competitive match play amongst their peers in the County.
  • NOTE: Players will have the opportunity to move up and down in categories based on match results. Coaches’ discretion may be used to suggest a more appropriate group for your child.

DEVELOPMENT MATCH PLAY

(Ages 9-14)  Boys or Girls grades 6-8, can play matches  against players from other middle schools in Loudoun County on High School tennis courts. 

Development players can serve the ball in the box at less than 50% of the time, know the rules of tennis, can hit and rally ground strokes in the court less than 50% of the time, and have none or very little match play experience (league and tournament matches).

Match Play – Development

  • Singles match play
  • Players will be grouped according to their level and will play round-robin matches until time runs out
  • 3 out of 5 games (first to win 3 games) regular scoring with no AD.
  • Players will have a ranking based on winning percentage (total games won/total games played

INTERMEDIATE MATCH PLAY

(Ages 9-14)  Boys or girls grades 6-8, an opportunity to play matches against players from other middle schools in Loudoun County on High School tennis courts. Intermediate players can serve the ball in the box at least 50% of the time, know the rules of tennis, can hit and rally ground strokes in the court 50% of the time, and have 2 or more years of match play experience (league and tournament matches). 

Match Play – Intermediate

  • Singles match play
  • 8 game pro set, add scoring, tie break at 7 games all
  • 12 point tie break (first to 7 points) win by 2 points
  • Players will have a ranking based on winning percentage (total games won/total games played)
  • Each week players will be challenged by the player right below their position in the ranking

ADVANCED MATCH PLAY

(Ages 9-14)  Boys or girls grades 6-8, an opportunity to play matches against players from other middle schools in Loudoun County on High School tennis courts. Advanced players can serve the ball in the box consistently (at least 70%), know the rules of tennis, can hit and rally consistent ground strokes, and have many years of match play experience (league and tournament matches).

Match Play – Advanced

  • Singles match play
  • 8 game pro set, add scoring, tie break at 7 games all
  • 12 point tie break (first to 7 points) win by 2 points
  • Players will have a ranking based on winning percentage (total games won/total games played)
  • Each week players will be challenged by the player right below their position in the ranking

LOCATIONS

The location of your child’s match will be sent out by the Thursday before their Sunday match. We will try to keep your child’s match at the same location every Sunday, however, results of matches and rankings may lead to your child playing at a different location. Your child’s scheduled match start time should remain the same.

Match Default or NO SHOW:

If your child cannot make their scheduled match you must contact the league coordinator jrosado@lctacademy.net by the Saturday 6:00 pm of the scheduled match date as to not result in a NO SHOW. After 2 NO SHOW matches, meaning there has been no communication or notification that your child cannot make their scheduled match your child will not be included in the remaining match schedule but can continue to play if there are any available matches on the forfeit schedule. Please understand when signing up for the Spring league this is a commitment and courtesy to all players who sign up that there is a match every Sunday.

If your child defaults their match for any reason (illness, conflict of schedule) their opponent receives a (W) win and a (D) default for your child. Defaults are ranked differently than (L) loss of a match.

Forfeit Schedule:

The goal is for all our participants to get as much match play and practice as possible. The league will do its best to ensure all-league players have a scheduled Sunday singles match.  If your child’s opponent forfeits their scheduled match the league will contact players who are scheduled before or after to play a practice match. The match is treated as a scrimmage match and there is no official score recorded for either player. For example, if a player is scheduled to play a 9:00 am match and their opponent forfeited then the league will contact a player who has an 11:00 am match start time and ask if he/she would like to play a practice match before their scheduled 11:00 am match and vice versa. A player who played their scheduled 9:00 am match has the opportunity to play an 11:00 am practice match.

Rules:

We adhere to the official International Tennis Federation rules. 

Tiebreaker rules:

  1. The player who just served to even the set at 7-7 will receive the serve in the tiebreaker. The score is counted by 1, 2, 3…instead of 15, 30, 45.
  2. To counter the advantage of serving, the player who started serving in the tiebreaker will only serve one point.
  3. Then the opponent serves twice, starting at the ad court on the other side. Your opponent serves point #2 on the ad court and point #3 on the deuce court. Players take turns serving 2 points until the end of the tiebreaker.
  4. At 6 points total or any multiple of 6 points total, players switch sides.
  5. The first player to reach 7 points wins the tiebreaker with a margin of 2 points to win the tiebreaker. For example, you could win at 7-0, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5, 8-6, 9-7.
  6. The tiebreaker is treated like a game. At the conclusion of the tiebreaker, the score is recorded as 8-7.

HOW TO MATCH PLAY

  • 2.15 min video

The tennis scoring system works in a way in which players accumulate points, games, and sets.

  • Tennis points are counted as 0, 15, 30, and 40.
  • The first player to win 4 points wins a game, and the first player to win 6 games wins a set.
  • In order to win the match, a player must win 2 sets.

There are multiple ways a point can be scored.

  • An unreturnable ball (ball bounces twice);
  • Double fault;
  • Ace (unreturnable serve);
  • Ball hit out of bounds (the lines count as in);
  • Ball hit into the net.

Please watch this informative video that will help with understanding the above information;

Positioning When You Serve During the Singles Game

  • The server must serve diagonally into the service box across the court.
  • The server must serve from a stationary position behind the baseline, between the center mark and sideline — the singles sideline for singles and the doubles sideline for doubles.
  • The server gets two chances to hit a good serve. A missed serve is called a “fault”. The serve is a fault if the server swings and misses the ball. The server may stop the serve by catching the ball and starting over.
  • If a served ball touches the net but lands in, it is replayed because the net interfered.

In Doubles:

  • The server is only allowed to serve from behind the baseline of alternate halves, and he must start from the right side of the court.
  • The server’s foot is not allowed to touch either the court or the baseline, outside the imaginary extension of the sideline. 
  • The net player can stand anywhere they choose when their partner is serving, and this includes on their partner’s side of the court.

Another good video with all the info: 6.13 min video