The tennis staff at Indian Wells Tennis Garden cordially invites you to join the Junior Tennis Instructional Program. We offer classes for all levels of juniors Monday through Thursday. With multiple levels of classes, we have something for everyone.
Team Tots is a program for 3-5 year old children who are not yet attending full days of school and accompanied by an adult. QuickStart Tennis is an instructional format for kids aged 10 & under which allows them to begin playing almost immediately. Challenger classes are for kids aged 11-18 years old, who want to learn fundamental technical and strategic skills with the emphasis on preparing for competition.
Our staff is at the forefront of Under 10’s player development, having been involved in the implementation of USTA QuickStart Tennis Programs throughout the country. We pride of ourselves in our use of developmentally appropriate equipment for juniors of every age and level.
We are fully equipped to train juniors from beginner to collegiate levels. Our staff has produced top-ranked junior and numerous college scholarship recipients. We welcome every level of junior player to benefit from our expertise and unique coaching abilities!
Session III: February 1 - April 15
Session IV: April 19 - June 11
Kids as young as 3 years old can benefit from group instruction as well! Team Tots is a program designed to prepare kids to participate in a group class by including an adult on court with the child. Moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles or even an older sibling are involved in the group class. Each pair will be guided through activities that are intended to familiarize the children with tennis racquets, courts and balls while beginning to develop the essential physical and technical skills necessary to play tennis. These classes are 45 minutes long and will include homework assignments for the ‘teams’ to practice between classes.
| AGE | BALL | COURT | RACKET *(Dependent on the size of the player) |
SCORING OPTIONS | STAGE DESCRIPTION |
| 3-4 years |
 Foam ball, larger than the oversized Red Ball |
 Various court sizes and shapes |
19" up to 23" | Cooperative Scoring Task Oriented Challenges |
For Team Tots, various sized balls and implements as well as various court sizes and shapes will be utilized. Players are trying to get acquainted with how their bodies work and how the racquet interacts with the ball. |
Team Tots Thursday 1:00 – 1:45pm
USTA QuickStart and ITF Play & Stay programs are the foundation for the Junior Tennis Instructional Program for kids aged 10 & under. These formats utilize a developmentally appropriate sized racquet, ball and court for varying aged kids. The goal of the IWTG QuickStart Program is to provide kids with the experience and learn the game at a level they can understand, as well as, giving them the necessary skills to play immediately in a non-threatening environment. Our Under 10’s program is designed to teach kids the skills they require to promote the correct development of technical and tactical skills.
Children are encouraged to come to their first class of QST WITHOUT their own tennis racquet. IWTG is happy to provide a loaner racquet for any child that is unsure of which size to purchase. We will fit them for the proper size racquet and provide them with a coupon for purchasing a racquet from our Pro Shop at a great discount. All kids need to bring to their first class are athletic shoes and smiles, as water is provided on each court as well.
| AGE | BALL | COURT | RACKET *(Dependent on the size of the player) |
SCORING OPTIONS | STAGE DESCRIPTION |
| 5-8 years |
75% slower than a yellow ball
|
11-12m (36-39ft) x 5-6m (16-19ft)
|
Up to 23" (43-43cm) |
1 x timebreak to 7 or 10 Best of 3 tiebreaks to 7 Timed Matches |
As Red, slower balls, smaller courts and shorter rackets enable players to play the game from the first lesson. Players start to play fun, team-based matches, and develop good technique and use realistic tactics. |
| QST Red |
Monday/Wednesday | 5:00 – 6:00pm |
| QST Red | Tuesday/Thursday | 3:30 – 4:30pm |
| AGE | BALL | COURT | RACKET *(Dependent on the size of the player) |
SCORING OPTIONS | STAGE DESCRIPTION |
| 8-10 years |
50% slower than a yellow ball
|
18m (60ft) x 8.5-8.23m (21-27ft)
|
23-25" (58-63cm) |
Best of 3 tiebreaks to 7 1 x short set to 4 |
Players move to a larger court, relevant to their size. The ball is slightly faster, but continues to provide an optimal striking zone and the ability to implement advanced tactics. Matches are longer than at Red, and children play both "team" and "individual" events. |
| QST Orange |
Monday/Wednesday | 4:00 – 5:00pm |
| QST Orange | Monday/Wednesday | 5:00 – 6:00pm |
| QST Orange |
Tuesday/Thursday | 3:30 – 4:30pm |
| AGE | BALL | COURT | RACKET *(Dependent on the size of the player) |
SCORING OPTIONS | STAGE DESCRIPTION |
| 9-10 years |
25% slower than a yellow ball
|
Full Size Court
|
25-26" (63-66cm) |
1 x short set to 4 Best of 3 short sets to 4 (3rd set as match tiebreak) |
The ball is faster than at Orange, but still slower and lower bouncing than the yellow ball, helping players to continue to develop good technique and to implement advanced tactics. Matches are slightly longer than at Orange, and both "team" and "individual" events are played. |
| QST Green |
Monday/Wednesday | 5:00 – 6:00pm |
| QST Green |
Tuesday/Thursday | 3:30 – 4:30pm |
For kids aged 11-18 years old, we offer introductory, transitional and competitive classes. We offer Challenger classes in four different levels. In Challenger I, participants are exposed to the fundamental skills necessary to constructing a rally and playing points. The goal is to equip each learner with the methodology of a match, serving, rallying, scoring and doubles. In Challenger II players begin to play more points and begin to polish technical skills and are exposed to simple tactics. Players in this level are welcome to play on the Challenge Ladder, USTA Junior Team Tennis and the intention is to prepare them to participate in their first tournament. Challenger III is for the transitioning junior player, each participant has already competed in Junior Match Play, USTA Junior Team Tennis or on the Junior Challenge Ladder. While in this level players will be given the tools necessary to polish their technical, tactical, mental and physical skills to play the next level of competition. Challenger IV is intended for players participating in SCTA Open level junior tournaments on a regular basis. Each player is expected to be participating in regular competitions as well as show a commitment to the game and to their development as a competitive tennis player.
| AGE | BALL | COURT | RACKET *(Dependent on the size of the player) |
SCORING OPTIONS | STAGE DESCRIPTION |
| 11 years and over |
Yellow Ball
|
Full Size Court
|
26-29"
(66-73.7cm)
|
Any scoring system within the Rules of Tennis |
Once players have progressed through the Red, Orange and Green stages, they will usually be ready to train and compete with a yellow ball on the full court |
| Challenger I | Tuesday/Thursday | 4:30 – 6:00pm |
| Challenger II | Monday/Wednesday Tuesday/Thursday |
3:30 – 5:00pm 4:30 – 6:00pm |
| Challenger III | Monday/Wednesday Tuesday/Thursday |
3:30 – 5:00pm 4:30 – 6:00pm |
| Challenger IV | Tuesday/Thursday | 4:30 – 6:00pm |
Adam Jasick, Director of Junior Tennis
Adam arrived at IWTG in November of 2009 from Boston, MA. He grew up in Whitehall, MI and played college tennis at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. After school, he began his teaching career at the renowned Van Der Meer Tennis Academy on Hilton Head Island, SC as a member of the Senior Staff. He has held positions of Head Tennis Professional and Director of Tennis at clubs in Michigan and New York and continues to lecture and consult for numerous clubs as Director of Evolve9 USA, mainly on the subject of Kids U10’s Tennis. Adam is a graduate of the USA Tennis High Performance Coaches Program, has been a USTA Pro Circuit Tournament Director, USTA National Tournament Director and is a Clinician and Tester for the PTR.
More about Adam…
| Favorite Music: R.E.M. and The Beatles Favorite Movie: Good Will Hunting |
Favorite Food: Tacos with catsup Favorite Place Visited: Bournemouth, England |
Favorite Quote: Never give up, don’t ever give up.” - Jim Valvano (1993 ESPY Award Speech)
Caerwyn Evans
Originally from Perth, Western Australia, Caerwyn grew up playing competitive junior tennis in Australia and has been coaching since 1999. In 2009 he coached the Palm Desert Girl’s Tennis Team to the CIF Championship. He is actively involved in the NJTL of the Coachella Valley, both on court and working in the development of the ASES Tennis Program. He has played competitive golf and volleyball as well as tennis. A little known fact about Caerwyn is that he is a licensed Hot Air Balloon Pilot.
More about Caerwyn…
| Favorite Band: Muse Favorite Car: Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren 722 |
Favorite Food: Vegimite Sandwich Favorite Player: Roger Federer |
Favorite Quote: “Regret not what you have done, only what you have not done”
AJ Bartlett
Playing junior tennis in Utah, AJ was the top ranked player in the state and section as well as ranked in the top 60 junior players in the country. He played #1 at fourth ranked BYU Hawaii in college and has been ranked on the ATP Tour in both singles and doubles. AJ brings a lot of playing experience as well as a well rounded teaching resume to the table here at IWTG. For the last few years he has worked in Vail, Lake Tahoe and now with us!
More about AJ…
| Favorite Singer: Justin Timberlake Favorite Food: Pizza |
Favorite Player: Maria Kirilenko |
Favorite Quote: “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.”
For more information on our Junior Tennis Instructional Program or to Register for a clinic, please contact:
Adam Jasick at (760) 200.8200(760) 200.8200 or AJasick@iwtg.net.
Feel free to visit these websites for more information on what is happening internationally with
Teaching Kids Under 10’s Tennis
www.evolve9.com
www.quickstarttennis.com
www.tennisplayandstay.com