Coaches Gearing Up for Junior Team Tennis

With the spring season of Junior Team Tennis (JTT) season slated to begin in late March for USTA St. Louis, it’s a terrific time for coaches to start getting their squads and players organized for the upcoming campaign.

Registration isn’t open quite yet, but Toni McDonald — JTT Coordinator and 10U Coordinator for USTA St. Louis — encouraged coaches to contact her to let her know whether they are leading squads this spring. Coaches will in turn receive a Team ID number they can pass along to their players and parents for registration purposes. McDonald can be reached at jtt@ustastl.com

The Junior Team Tennis 14U outdoor season is scheduled to begin March 21 and will run through May 2. Both boys and girls can participate and will be utilizing either yellow, green or orange balls depending on their age level. McDonald advised a minimum age of 7-years-old for participation. Players will compete in both singles and doubles with each match being a no-ad set to six games.

“Players are learning how to keep score and positioning in doubles, which they don’t practice much in clinics,” McDonald said. “And strategy — a lot of the kids are very good, but they have never played a match. So, they get to learn how to win a point and how to set up a point. It’s a great way to start competition. It’s not high pressure like in a tournament. You have coaches on the court to help.”

The Junior Team Tennis girls’ high school season starts March 28 and wraps up May 16. This outdoor season likewise features singles and doubles play, and matches are also one no-ad set to  six games.

“JTT is a good option to get them ready for their high school seasons; doubles and singles is the same format as high school,” McDonald said. “It’s a great opportunity to get to know their teammates better and get more practice. And it’s also social. Especially now when a lot of them aren’t back in school full-time. It’s a way to interact safely with their teammates and friends.”

To aid with any COVID-19 concerns, there will be a limit on the number of individuals per tennis court. Temperature checks will be taken when individuals enter the facility, and there will be a limit of one spectator per player this spring.

For both the 14U league as well as the girls’ high school league, teams can expect to play about six outdoor matches this season. Competition will take place on Sundays at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park. The 14U league will have a start time of 2:00 p.m., while the girls’ high school league begins at 4:00 p.m.

JTT coaches should note March 8 is the deadline to put in a request for a team with McDonald. Players simply have to be registered prior to their first match. If coaches have questions, they can get in contact with McDonald. If parents or players have questions, they can reach out to their prospective coaches or email McDonald.

Individuals interested in participating in Junior Team Tennis can reach out to these contacts to learn more information or join a team. The listed tennis locations squads every season. To learn more about Junior Team Tennis, click here.

Creve Coeur Racquet Club 

Toni McDonald

toni@ccrctennis.com

Edwardsville

Emily Cimarolli

ecimarolli@gmail.com

Missouri Athletic Club

Max Shapiro 

maxshapiro@gmail.com

St. Louis Country Club

Dan Batchelor

dan.batchelor@stlouiscountryclub.org

Sunset Tennis Center

Taylor Tyre

taylor@sunsettenniscenter.com

Vetta Sports Concord Brett Helbig

bhelbig@vettasports.com

Vetta Sports Concord: Sammy Lhotak

slhotak@vettasports.com

Vetta Sports West: Josh Patrick

jpatrick@vettasports.com

Vetta Sports West: Beth Jameson 

bjameson@vettasports.com