Young tennis players looking to develop their skills and technique on the court will have the opportunity to do so with Early Development Camp offerings throughout 2020.
Early Development Camps, or EDCs, are 1.5-hour sessions prior to Green and Orange Ball tournaments. The camps are the beginning of the TEAM USA Pathway designed to provide additional training opportunities for tennis players ages 7-10 in each USTA section, while also emphasizing fundamentals and overall athletic development in a fun way. The camps are geared toward players already competing in USTA-sanctioned tournaments and/or Junior Team Tennis.
“EDCs are paired with several of USTA Florida’s Green and Orange Ball tournaments to help assess players and maximize their proficiency in their current level,” said Christina Lucas, USTA Florida Youth Program Coordinator. “Having these camps before the tournament has been incredibly beneficial for the players.”
In 2019, more than 180 players attended an Early Development Camp in Florida. Each camp will take about 2 hours to complete. A coach evaluation is provided to all participating players at the end of the camp that explains how his or her competencies match with the ball color they use. That assessment is then shared with parents to provide additional education.
“These camps help expose motivated and eager young players to the TEAM USA curriculum,” said Lucas. “Bringing those kids together helps create a synergy that fuels growth and development. Oftentimes we find the players feel more comfortable during match play after participating in an EDC.”
New for 2020, USTA Florida will hold an EDC in conjunction with the Splitz format in Coral Gables in April. The Splitz format debuted in late 2018 consists of two-player teams competing in singles and doubles team play. The team that wins 2-of-3 short game sets wins the match. After each team match, the teams advanced into different parts of the draw depending on the team result.
2020 EDC Schedule:
| Date | Name | ID# | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4/2020 | Star Island Resort’s Green Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150037820 | 4 |
| 4/5/2020 | USTA National Campus Orange Ball with EDC | 150000420 | 4 |
| 4/11/2020 | Coral Gables Green Ball Splitz with EDC | 150086220 | 8 |
| 7/11/2020 | Coral Gables Green Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150086520 | 8 |
| 8/8/2020 | Star Island Resort’s Orange and Green Ball with EDC | 150039120 | 8 |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | 8 |
For additional information on Early Development Camps or junior tennis in Florida, visit www.ustaflorida.com/youth-tennis.
For questions, contact Christina Lucas at lucas@ustaflorida.com.
