Supervised Play

Junior Tennis Pathway

What is Supervised Play?
Supervised play can be offered anywhere in which courts are made available for kids to use under the direction of an adult. The role of the adult is to serve as the “gatekeeper” and provide a safe area in which everyone has an opportunity to play. Similar to an “open gym” for basketball or an “open pool” for swimming, these opportunities are ideal for schools, youth centers and neighborhoods where kids can meet up and enjoy the camaraderie of playing with one another.

Supervised Play Opportunities
One such opportunity for supervised play is a Tennis Festival, which are free events that provide an exciting and entertaining opportunity for kids to experience what tennis can offer. They offer a variety of tennis activities, interactive games and contests that appeal to a wide range of ages and skill levels. In addition to introducing tennis to the kids and teaching them about the game, Tennis Festivals offer parents the opportunity to learn how to get their kids involved in a local program. Call your local parks & recreation department or community association to see if there are any introductory tennis festivals that your child can participate in.

Kids’ Tennis Clubs are offered at local schools, parks, youth centers and tennis facilities. This format lets kids “sample” the sport in a social and group environment. The Kids Tennis Club is structured like an organized extracurricular activity. These clubs offer kids the opportunity to have fun, gain confidence and meet new friends all while enhancing their social, educational and physical development. If a Kids Tennis Club isn’t offered in the local community, parents should encourage local youth-serving organizations to add tennis to their curriculum.