In conjunction with the thousands of USTA Free Tennis Play Days being held across the country in celebration of Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play, the Wellington Tennis Center will host a free 10 & Under Tennis Festival on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 1 to 4 p.m.
“The event will have on-court tennis activities, USTA Jr. Team Tennis match play, a bounce house, a DJ, crafts, raffle prizes and much more,” said Debbie Ellsworth, USTA Florida 10 & Under tennis coordinator for Wellington. “It will be fun for the entire family, and it’s all free, so come ready to have fun.”
The event will utilize the USTA 10 & Under Tennis format, which allows smaller children to play tennis on smaller court sizes, with racquet sizes that fit their hands, foam and low-compression balls, a simple scoring system, all adjusted to ease kids into the sport.
Similar mini-tennis formats have long been popular in Europe, where current stars such as Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters first learned the game with age-adjusted racquets, balls and court sizes.
During the festival, parents and children can also sign-up for lessons or programming at the following local facilities: the Wellington Tennis Center, Black Diamond, Village Walk, Olympia and Fountains.
Information will also be available for parents and players on local USTA Florida Jr. Team Tennis leagues and other play opportunities. USTA Jr. Team Tennis (JTT) brings kids together in teams to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles against other teams. It promotes social skills and important values by fostering cooperation and unity, as well as individual self-growth. It is designed for kids ages 5-18, and matches can be held anywhere from a local park or school to a commercial or private club. JTT teams are co-ed and divided by the play levels beginner, intermediate and advanced, and utilize the 10 & Under format for the 10-U and 8-U leagues.
The event is an effort to get kids active and involved in tennis following National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. USTA Free Tennis Play Days provide kids and parents of all skill levels with the opportunity to experience tennis in a social and fun setting. The event is open to the public with an emphasis placed on family participation, effort and sportsmanship.
Partnering with the USTA Free Tennis Play Day at the Wellington Tennis Center are sponsors Abrakadoodle Art Education, Lowes, Tijuana Flats, TCBY, Sports Authority, Whole Foods, Publix, Palms West Monthly, Solrx, YouFit Health Clubs and Wilson Tennis.
For information on area 10 & Under Tennis opportunities, or the Oct. 6 festival, contact Ellsworth at ellsworth@florida.usta.com.
Established in 1949, USTA Florida is a section of the United States Tennis Association. It is a not-for-profit volunteer organization with more than 50,000 members, 1,000 organizational members and a $4 million budget.
As the official governing body of tennis in Florida, USTA Florida operates from an executive office in Daytona Beach with 28 staff members and more than 600 volunteers throughout the state working toward a mission to promote and develop tennis in Florida. To learn more about USTA Florida, visit www.ustaflorida.com.
