December 14th, 2018
Florida Expands USTA Early Development Camp (EDC) Offerings for Tennis Players Age 7-10 in 2019
Early Development Camps, 1.5-hour sessions prior to Green and Orange Ball tournaments for players age 7-10, will expand throughout 2019 in Florida to emphasize fundamentals and overall athletic development for players and parents seeking additional USTA Player Development opportunities.
“We’re pairing EDC camps with USTA Florida’s Green and Orange Ball tournaments to help assess players and maximize their proficiency in the level they are in,” says USTA Florida Director of Youth Tennis Jason Gilbert. “After a player participates in an Early Development Camp Tournament, they will receive an evaluation on how his or her competencies are matching up with the ball color they are using. Parents will receive the assessments from the section staff after the EDC coaches compile the data.”
Early Development 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. The camps emphasize fundamentals and overall athletic development while keeping the activity fun. The camps are geared toward players already competing in USTA-sanctioned tournaments and/or Junior Team Tennis.
An example of an EDC camp would be a 1.5 hour session from 9-10:30 a.m. prior to an orange or green ball one-day tournament. When the camp ends, coaches would finalize the evaluation to share with parents, and players would receive a sufficient rest period before the tournament began. Tournaments with EDC camps are facilitated by certified EDC Assessment Coaches trained through USTA Player Development.
“The Youth Progression Pathway has been successful in Florida, and now we are improving the pathway even more by adding a development component,” Gilbert says. “With the addition of EDC Camps directly before tournaments, developing skills and technique will also be an essential part of the program, which will create a more complete player.”
2019 Green Ball Tournaments/EDC-Qualifier Schedule:
| Date | Name | ID# | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/26/2019 | ProWorld Tennis Academy 10 & Under Champions Cup (Green Ball Qualifier EDC Tournament) | 150042019 | 6 |
| 2/16/2019 | Amelia Island Spring Smash Level 6 (10 & Under Green Ball Qualifier) | 150008619 | 2 |
| 3/16/2019 | Friends of Miami Tennis Green and Orange Ball Qualifier | 150013819 | 8 |
| 3/23/2019 | Lake Cane March Madness Level 6 (10 & Under Green Ball Qualifier) | 150061819 | 4 |
| 4/6/2019 | Star Island Resort’s Green Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150007419 | 4 |
| 5/11/2019 | Rick Macci Green Ball Regional Qualifier | 150025219 | 6 |
| 5/24/2019 | Countryside Green Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150027119 | 3 |
| 6/1/2019 | Coral Gables Green Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150065919 | 8 |
| 6/7/2019 | Countryside Green Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150027120 | 3 |
| 6/15/2019 | Lee County CTA June Standalone 10U Green Ball Qualifier at Three Oaks Park (Ft. Myers) | 150044819 | 7 |
| 6/22/2019 | Broward Summer Level 6 Championships (10 & Under Green Ball Qualifier) | 150045219 | 8 |
| 7/6/2019 | Naples Drop Shot Junior Classic Level 6 (10 & Under Green Ball Qualifier) | 150017319 | 7 |
| 7/20/2019 | Haile Plantation Country Club Green Ball Qualifier with EDC | TBA | 2 |
| 7/27/2019 | RSTC Green and Orange Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150021119 | 1 |
| 8/10/2019 | Hendrickson Memorial Level 6 (10 & Under Green Ball Qualifier) | 150088619 | 5 |
| 9/7/2019 | Coleman Junior Level 6 (10U Green Regional Qualifier) | 151456819 | 4 |
2019 Orange Ball Tournaments/EDC-Qualifier Schedule:
| Date | Name | ID# | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/16/2019 | Friends of Miami Tennis Green and Orange Ball Qualifier | 150013819 | 8 |
| 5/11/2019 | Lee County Orange Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150063619 | 7 |
| 6/22/2019 | Orange Crush Orange Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150030819 | 2 |
| 6/22/2019 | ProWorld Tennis Academy 10 & Under Champions Cup (Orange Ball Qualifier EDC Tournament) | 150042020 | 6 |
| 7/27/2019 | RSTC Green and Orange Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150021119 | 1 |
| 8/10/2019 | Star Island Resort’s Orange Ball Qualifier with EDC Camp | 150020919 | 4 |
| 8/17/2019 | Countryside Orange Ball Qualifier with EDC | 150005619 | 3 |
| 8/31/2019 | Celsius Fall Championships Level 7 (10 & Under Orange Ball Qualifier) | 150058119 | 5 |
Additional sites will be determined by February 2019.
For additional information on EDC Camps or junior tennis in Florida go to www.ustaflorida.com/youth-tennis.
For questions regarding the new EDC Qualifier Tournaments contact Christina Lucas at lucas@ustaflorida.com or (407) 917-9827.
