The state’s top 10-and-under orange ball players will come together for team play at the 2018 USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Orange Ball Team Tennis Sectional Championships on Oct. 27-28 at the USTA National Campus in the Lake Nona region of Orlando.
While the Top 16 boys’ and girls’ qualifiers made it to Orlando by winning at one of 16 designated orange ball qualifying tournaments, at the sectional championships they will be put on co-ed teams. There they will compete with and against each other and benefit from the camaraderie of team play under the tutelage of some of the state’s top 10-and-under coaches.
“The ‘Bobby Curtis’ Orange Ball Team Sectional Championship was created in 2017 to give our 10-and-under kids a great first immersion into higher-level competition,” says USTA Florida Director of Competitive Tennis Jason Gilbert. “It’s imperative that we pair development with competition to ensure that each child’s competencies continue to improve as they progress through the pathway.”
The two-day tournament, contested on 60-foot courts, will kick off with a 1-1/2 hour USTA Early Development Camp lead by Zoe Taylor, the former junior development director at the Midtown Athletic Club in Weston, Fla.
Last year’s champion orange ball team, “All Tricks and No Treats”
USTA Early Development Camps help players hone skills that link to technical development, work on movement and rhythm, and develop complex coordination skills while being part of a team. Development examples include helping players establish quality continental grip skills that will help in developing the slice backhand, volleys and a feel for underspin. Also covered are topics such as match preparation, the benefits of all-court play, and character traits such as respect and maintaining a positive demeanor on court and with teammates.
A parent education session will also be held to cover topics such as the 10-and-under USTA Youth Progression Pathway, development, and any questions regarding the team championship.
The first round of play will end on Saturday with a Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt around the grounds of the USTA National Campus, where players and other children will receive Halloween candy.
For additional information on the 2018 USTA Florida “Bobby Curtis” Orange Ball Team Tennis Sectional Championships click here.
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