School Tennis
USTA School Tennis
Tennis is more than a sport. In addition to encouraging physical fitness and healthy living, it teaches important life skills like being responsible, gaining independence, self-confidence, treating others with respect, fairness and problem solving. The earlier we expose kids to these attributes, the more of an impact we can make in helping develop strong and healthy people. USTA School Tennis can help!
Click here to see why school tennis is perfect in the schools.
Note: Many of the files on this page are formatted for Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Schools currently participating
Taking Kids to the Next Level and Other Extracurricular Resources
Breaking the Barriers Educational Supplement
Interested in becoming a USTA School Tennis Clinician?
Physical Education Teachers Resources
Current USTA School Tennis Clinicians Resources
What is USTA School Tennis?
USTA School Tennis is a national program that enriches the lives of elementary, middle and high school youngsters through tennis. By giving students an opportunity to learn the basic skills of tennis in their physical education classes and then developing extracurricular tennis playing programs, students are becoming more fit and having fun doing it. The program includes a free in-service training workshop for physical education teachers which gives them the skills and materials necessary to teach tennis. Teachers gain access to a comprehensive step by step curriculum, discounted equipment and free student assemblies.
Then, whether it’s a Kids Tennis Club, Lunchtime Tennis, intramurals or leagues, USTA is committed to providing the training, expertise and resources you need to give kids in elementary, middle or high school the opportunity to play and have fun outside of the school day.
USTA School Tennis has already brought the joy of tennis to students around Colorado and the country since 1985. It’s a great way to bring exciting, healthy recreation and fun to schools and students! This past year an estimated 139,000 Colorado youngsters were exposed to the lifetime sport of tennis through their physical education classes as part of USTA School Tennis. Annually, over 22,000 schools across the country participate in the USTA School Tennis program. Click here for an overview of the benefits and expectations of schools that participate.
Who can participate?
The program is running in Colorado’s largest school districts along the Front Range and on the Western Slope including Denver Public Schools, Jefferson County, Colorado Springs District 11, Poudre, and Mesa Valley. A strong relationship exists with 9Health Fair in the Classroom and CoAHPERD (Colorado Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) where we exhibit and conduct teacher trainings annually at their statewide convention.
Since the program’s inception, USTA School Tennis has provided the necessary tools and assistance to physical educators, after school program staff, parents and volunteers to get students playing a sport they can enjoy for a lifetime. Last school year, close to 400 Colorado schools received support from the USTA Colorado through teacher training workshops, curriculum guides, tennis racquets and other equipment, opportunities to host school tennis assemblies, access to technical consultation from our certified clinician staff and access to USTA’s network of resources!
We want to see USTA School Tennis in every school district throughout the state. If you are interested in bringing USTA School Tennis to schools in your community, contact the USTA School Tennis Coordinator.
School Tennis Registry
If you are teaching PE Tennis, conducting an Extracurricular Tennis Program or coaching a No-Cut Middle School or High School Tennis Team, click here to register on the School Tennis Registry
Register today and receive:
| • | Recognition Certificate |
| • | School Tennis Handbook |
| • | USTA/Schools Clipboard |
If you are not a USTA School Organization member yet, click here to join and receive:
| • | Curriculum kit |
| • | Laminated Set of Station Signs |
| • | Equipment and Skillastics Discounts |
Taking Kids to the Next Level and Other Extracurricular Resources
USTA Colorado would like to see easily accessible student tennis programs offered to follow-up USTA School Tennis. As a result of inquiries and needs of communities attempting to fill that niche in the schools, the USTA Colorado Community Development Department created a useful resource. Taking Kids to the Next Level is a manual that assists physical educators and/or other community members in providing follow-up tennis programs to students who are excited about continuing the sport. This clinic, in conjunction with Junior Team Tennis, is a comprehensive approach to after school, before school tennis or even lunch time programming.
In addition to Taking Kids to the Next Level, the Learn to Rally and Play Book and the QuickStart Tennis Practice Plans are also excellent resources that all provide support from the planning stages through the last day of the program. They are designed for people new to coordinating and/or teaching beginner tennis no matter where the program is conducted – in a multi-purpose room, on the playground blacktop, at neighborhood tennis courts or in a gymnasium.
These lesson plans may be downloaded in Adobe PDF format:
Taking Kids to the Next Level
QuickStart Tennis Practice Plans
Learn to Rally and Play Book
Additionally, the following extracurricular materials may be helpful in starting programs
| • | USTA Coaching Resources |
| • | After school tennis organizer kit |
| • | Tennis Games & Play for Organized Play |
| • | Helpful Websites |
Breaking the Barriers Educational Supplement
In 2011, USTA Colorado and the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Denver’s Five Points Historic District partnered to showcase Breaking the Barriers, a historical timeline of African American History and African American Tennis History from the 1800s to the modern era. As part of the exhibit, USTA CO developed materials designed to engage kids of all backgrounds with the history and relevant topics included in the timeline.
The Breaking the Barriers educational packet was developed for this purpose. Connected to Colorado Academic Social Studies Standards for 3rd through 6th grade students, the packet is an excellent supplement to combine classroom and physical education curriculum together through tennis. Key themes of this supplemental curriculum packet include diversity, unity, multiculturalism, personal achievement and individuality.
Download the Breaking the Barriers educational packet in Adobe PDF format and share it with teachers or use it as an enrichment component to an extracurricular program.
Interested in becoming a USTA School Tennis Clinician?
All USTA School Tennis activities are conducted by trained clinicians assigned to geographic areas throughout the state. These independent contractors provide action-packed assemblies and informative teacher training workshops on behalf of the USTA Colorado. If you have tennis experience, are comfortable interacting with professional adults (teachers) as well as children (kindergarten through high school) and have a passion for exposing kids to tennis, find out more about becoming a clinician.
All download files require Adobe Acrobat Reader to open. Click here to download a free copy.
Physical Education Teachers
By introducing your students to the lifetime benefits of tennis, you are expanding the fitness options available to youth in your community. We commend you for your involvement with USTA School Tennis and if you are not involved, please find out more about the program and how to get involved.
Below are some resources and information that is available to you if you are already involved with USTA School Tennis.
Most download files require Adobe Acrobat Reader to open. Click here to download a free copy.
Check out these new games and tools!
Tennis Skills Challenge
Great Games for School Playgrounds and Gyms
School Tennis Field Day
Current USTA School Tennis Clinicians
USTA Colorado contracts with individuals throughout the state who are passionate about bringing tennis to kids to implement USTA School Tennis. If you are already certified by USTA Colorado as a clinician, the following frequently used forms are available to you:
All download files require Adobe Acrobat Reader to open. Click here to download a free copy.
| • | Promotional flyer |
| • | Activity Report |
| • | Invoice |
| • | Assembly evaluation |
| • | In-service sign in form |
| • | Organized Play workshop sign in form |
| • | Community Equipment Discount |
| • | Matching equipment grant |