Update on Return to Play For Youth Tennis

Mid-Atlantic Tournaments

• Tournament Play has resumed! 

  • For an updated list of Section events running this month please click here.

    • As events are being confirmed they are being posted approximately 3 weeks prior to the entry deadline. This timeline will remain in effect for the remainder of 2020 as we must confirm events and sites one by one.

    • If an event is confirmed it will be posted, however, entries will not open until all safety requirements are satisfied.

    • If an event is posted and entries are open; we are making the best effort to run that event as posted.

    • Due to COVID-19, there are limited sites available in the Mid-Atlantic to host tournaments. This means that the remaining 2020 Junior Tournament Schedule has been re-evaluated and revised. 

  • As noted in the Revised Junior Regulations, due to ongoing challenges associated with COVID-19 there may be aspects of the Regulations that must be modified on a case-by-case basis. 

    • Possible changes include: Duration of the event; Draw limits; Draw and Match Formats; and other adjustments deemed necessary to run each event in the safest possible manner. Only section staff may approve changes and those changes will be posted to each tournament home page as applicable.

• Waivers

  • Players and/or parents will be sent Waivers to sign prior to each event. This is part of our new process to safely return to play in the Section. For important information on the waiver process please review our Tournament FAQs.

     

• Standings

  • Weekly standings have resumed. Given the significant pause in play, the time period covered by each weekly standing list has been extended beyond the standard 52 weeks. As play continues, the extra weeks will gradually be adjusted throughout the remainder of 2020. For more detailed information on the resumption of the standings lists please review our Tournament FAQs

National Junior Tournaments

• For Information regarding cancelled National Junior events please click here.

  • The Section is working with sites for the remainder of 2020 to secure host sites for local opportunities in lieu of the cancelled national events. It is our hope that we will be able to offer at least one Level 4 event per month, however, it is contingent on-site availability and considerations for COVID-19 safety and health guidelines. This will be particularly important as we head into the indoor season.

• For National FAQs please click here.

Junior Team Tennis 

• As we head into the 2021 JTT Season, your JTT Coordinators will be working closely with Section staff to launch Fall programming. 

• All youth players are invited to participate in the Junior Team Summer Community Challenge! This unique program rewards juniors for getting active in tennis and involved in the community and there are fantastic prizes for participating - valued at up to $3,500 in total! Learn more. 

• For additional information regarding JTT please refer to our JTT FAQs.

High School Tennis

• High School coaches interested in learning about fun, flexible short format team programs to get kids back on the courts are asked to contact Warren Waterman.

• High School players are also encouraged to participate in the Junior Team Summer Community Challenge! 

(10U News)

10 and Under/Youth Progression

• 2020 Blast Tour

  • The MAS Open September 12-13, 2020 is on! 

    • REGISTRATION IS OPEN

    • The MAS Open will be singles play only. 

    • Draw formats will be announced but may include Round Robin Pool Play in order to allow as many players as possible to play while maintaining appropriate gathering size and social distancing.

    • The MAS Open will be the last Blast Tour event for 2020; the 2020 Capital Clash is cancelled.

    • For additional information regarding the MAS Open please email Warren Waterman.

• 10U Flex Round Robin

  • The 10U Flex Round Robin program allows 10U players to organize their own mini round robins of 3 to 4 players, with the guidance from their parents/guardians. They will complete this activity in a 1-2 hour time frame at a court of their choosing and at the completion of the matches each player will be able to earn virtual stars. Click here to learn more about this new program from USTA Mid-Atlantic.

• The Virtual Stars program has been extended

Safety Reminder:

USTA Mid-Atlantic reminds players to stay safe and we encourage you to review the required and recommended guidelines for safely returning to tennis so you know what to expect for health and safety at tennis events and programs:

• For tournaments, review here.

• For junior circuit & 10U events, review here.

• For Junior Team Tennis, review here. 

As noted in the USTA Player Tips and Recommendations:

The USTA Medical Advisory Group highly recommends competitive players ease their way back into play prior to competition. Given the layoff from competing, players will be more susceptible to under-training, over-use, and other injuries. The USTA strongly recommends at least three weeks of on-court and off-court conditioning before the competition begins.

For more information or questions contact a member of our Youth Team.