Expand play opportunities for your players and members with fun and social play programs. Check out ideas and resources below to help you get started.
What Are Social Tennis Programs?
Adult social tennis programs provide casual play opportunities for players of all skill levels whether someone is new to tennis to those with years of experience. These programs are great opportunities to play with friends & family and to meet new people. Check out some of the types below.
Social Leagues
A Social League is a group of tennis teams that compete locally against each other on a designated day, time and location for a multi-week season where match results count towards league standings that may or may not result in a local league play-off. Click the image to see what a social league looks like!
Recommended Levels
Beginning/intermediate, intermediate/advanced leagues or a combination.
Recommended Registration
- League Provider accepts full teams, partial teams, and individual registrations.
- Choice of registration platform is up to the discretion of the provider.
Need an online registration system? Click the button below to find out more about USTA Serve Tennis tools.
Recommended Fee
One time bundled fee for league season, court fees, balls, and racquet’s – $50 or less.
Recommended Equipment
Recommended to run social leagues with a green dot ball on a 78 ft. court.
Recommended Season
- Six to eight weeks including local playoff.
- Matches to be held at the same facility, time and day of the week for the entire season.
Recommended Player Amenities
League Provider present at every match to assign courts, take scores, and answer questions.
- Green dot ball recommended for match play.
- Post match specials at local restaurant/bar or host facility.
Recommended Format
League Provider keeps track of scores and overall standings, win/loss records and total number of games won by each team per match
- Recommended to run social leagues with a green dot ball on a 78 ft. court
- One court per team match
- Teams can play a team match with a minimum of 2 men and 2 women
- No warm-up
- Timed matches: 1.5 hour per team match
- 3 doubles matches each match 30 minutes
- 1 men’s doubles, 1 women’s doubles, 1 mixed doubles
- The team with the most games wins
- Teams can substitute a player in once per individual match
- If two teams are tied at the end of the team match, one mixed doubles game will be played to determine winner
- Team with most number of team wins at the end of the league wins or have the top two teams playoff to determine league winner
Watch These Short Videos For More Social League Tips
Environment
Click the image to watch a short video to show you what the Social League environment looks like for the best experience for all.
Format
Click the image to watch a short video that walks you through the format of a social league.
Provider Responsibilities
Click on the image above for a short video that talks about provider responsibilities for a social league.
Drop In
A Drop In is a tennis program focused on introducing competition in a low pressure environment without an emphasis on keeping score.
Recommended Levels
All Levels are welcome.
Recommended Registration
Choice of registration platform is up to the discretion of the provider.
Need an online registration system? Click the button below to find out more about USTA Serve Tennis tools.
Recommended Fee
Recommended $10-$20 a session or if multiple sessions are offered consider bundling the cost for all sessions into a one-time fee.
Recommended Equipment
- Up to the discretion of the instructor. Provider might use different color balls, targets, hoppers, portable lines etc.
- Provide tennis racquets as needed.
- Green dot balls recommended.
Recommended Session
Offer Drop In play weekly, monthly or quarterly depending on facility availability and provide a schedule of future dates.
Recommended Player Amenities
- Instructor present at every session to provide level-based play, explain games, feed balls and answer questions.
- Court fees included in registration cost.
Recommended Format
- Organized by an instructor with a mixture of match play and fun games.
- Suggested Games: Jail, Around the World, Triples, Target Practice, Up and Down the River.
Team Up Events
A Team Up is a half day event with an innovative format that focuses on light competition and team based results.
Recommended Levels
Open to all levels (players of different levels are evenly distributed onto teams)
Recommended Equipment
Recommended to run Team Up Event on a 78 ft. court with green or yellow tennis balls. Party supplies needed for player social.
Recommended Duration
Up to 3 hours on court and 1 hour post-tennis social.
Recommended Player Amenities
- Assign players or teams to ensure even skilled teams for the best possible on and off- court experience for players.
- Host post-tennis player social.
- Consider a theme for your Team Up Event such as countries, college teams, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, or Superheroes etc.
Round Robin, Team Format Option
- Timed matches (25-30 minutes per individual match)
- Team Up provider keeps track of total number of games won, overall standings and total number of by each team per match.
- Team with the most number of games after the round robin is complete wins the event.
- If two teams are tied at the end of the round robin, #1 doubles will play one game to determine winner.
Dynamic Duo Format Option
- 2 to 4 players on a team.
- 2 sets of singles and 1 set of doubles.
- Team match played on one court.
- Team that wins the most sets wins.
Getting Started
We are here to help you get started with adding social play programs and play opportunities to your lineup. Check out the recommended steps below. Need assistance? Go to the “Have Questions?” area and contact us today.
Which program and who is it for?
A good place to start is identifying what players you would like to attract and/or what players are looking for in your area or facility. Some questions to ask might be:
- Do players want to commit to certain times?
- Are players looking for play opportunities that are more flexible?
- What level players will participate?
Once you have these answers you can look back through the various programs and identify which one(s) would be the best fit.
Identify potential partners and/or sponsors
Local clubs, restaurants, and/or bars are great places to reach out to for potential partnerships and/or to sponsor your social program. They can help with promotion, a place where players can gather and socialize after play ends, financial support towards your program. In return and your program can help promote them by including their information on promotional material or items like shirts you made be providing, and encouraging players to meet up there after play.
Set up a schedule
Check with your facility for court availability and a good time for a kick-off event would be. The set your schedule for when play will take place.
Plan for volunteers
Do you need volunteers to help with your event and/or program? We can help. Click the button below to contact us.
Set up registration
It’s important to create an easy way for players to sign up. The best method is to use an online registration system. This may be one your club/facility already uses. Need an online registration, contact, program management system? USTA Serve Tennis tools are the perfect fit. Click the button below to find out more.
Schedule a kick-off event
Providing a free kick-off event is a great way to introduce players to what is being offered, let players try the format, have fun and meet others. Some recommendations for this event are:
- Ask people to RSVP in advance so you can better plan for the best experience for all.
- Have food and drinks available.
- Plan on-court play whether it be round-robin play or tennis drills and games.
- Include information about any partners and/or sponsors.
- Have information ready for attendees to register if they haven’t already.
Get the word out about your program.
Now that you’ve completed the other steps you are ready to tell everyone about it! We have great tips to help you reach participants in your area. Click the button below to go to our Marketing & Promotion Tips section on our Providers Resources page.
Have Questions or Need Assistance?
We are here to help. Contact our Adult Program Coordinator below.
