Interview with Jana Fogleman and Kathy Hinrichs
By Billy E. Crawford Sept 01, 2011
Q. What is 10 and Under Tennis?
A. 10 and Under Tennis is tournament play and training for 10 and under children using lower bouncing slower balls, smaller racquets and smaller courts (measuring 36 feet and 60 feet).
Q. What is QuickStart Tennis?
A. QuickStart Tennis is a play format that can be used by anyone at any age level to learn tennis more quickly. QuickStart engages all of the children in the group utilises smaller court, slower bouncing balls, and smaller rackets.
Q. If I was observing a 10 and Under Program in progress at a local tennis center, could I tell the age of the kids by the color of the tennis balls used?
A. Yes, for the most part. Foam balls are used inside with beginners at any age. Age breakdowns are as follows:
- 5 and 6 year old children generally use a form ball for indoor play. The red felt ball is slower and lighter than the orange or yellow ball and good for play on a driveway on playgrounds as well as on a 36 -foot court. Rackets for the 5 to 6 year olds are 19 or 21 inches in length.
- 7 and 8 year olds: racket size is 23 inches. Again, for indoor play the foam ball is most often used: the red low compression ball preferred on all other surfaces.
- 9 to 10 year olds: racket size is 23-25 inches. Orange balls are preferred. The orange low compression ball is the same size as the yellow ball but slower moving and bounces higher to land the younger players swing path.
- 11+ year olds: racket size is 26-27 inches. Green or yellow balls are used. Choice of balls depends on player’s level of development.
Q. How is the program organized in the New Orleans area? Who are the persons providing the leadership? Teachers/Coaches? Funding? Locations?
A. New Orleans was selected by the United States Tennis Association as a target- market for the growth, promotion, awareness, marketing and education of the new format for 10 and Under Tennis. Kathy Hinrichs and Jana Fogleman oversee the three- year grant. Current grant priorities include blended lines for 36 and 60 feet play, education and training utilizing the QuickStart format, and effective programming at public and private facilities as well as in schools in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes.
Q. How is the best way for a parent, grandparent or guardian to get their children involved here in New Orleans?
A. Information can be obtained on the following websites:
www.neworleanstennis.com
www.10andundertennis.com
www.southerntennis.com
www.louisianatennis.com
or by contacting:
Jana Fogleman Kathy Hinrichs Diane Simpson
fogleman@sta.usta.com khinrichs1@gmail.com Junior Team Tennis Coordinator
(504)858-8523 (504) 621-6040 nojtt@cox.net
Q. If a person would like to volunteer in youth tennis, who is the best person to contact? How? Is experience needed? What is the “most needed” areas?
A. Anyone who would like to volunteer can contact the Chairman of the NOMATA Junior Committee Joey Kuchler at the Metairie Country Club, Jana Fogleman, 10 and Under Coordinator (504) 858-8523, or Kathy Hinrichs, Community Coordinator (504) 621-6040. A listing of eleven subcommittees in need of volunteers can be found on the NOMATA (New Orleans Metropolitan Area Tennis Association) website as www.neworleanstennis.com. Some experience working with young children is preferred.
Q. First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative, “Let’s Move”, is dedicated to solving the problem of childhood obesity and a healthier lifestyle in our country. Has the 10 and Under Program partnered with her initiative?
A. First Lady Obama has partnered with the USTA endorsing 10 and Under Tennis.
First Lady Obama’s video that encourages children to fight obesity by playing 10 and Under Tennis can be found at www.10andundertennis.com.
Q. Have any professional tennis players promoted this initiative?
A. Andre Agassi and Steffie Graf have been huge endorsers of 10 and Under Tennis, as well as Partick McEnroe, our former Davis Cup captain.
Q. Using this format, playing tennis is no longer restricted to a regulation size tennis court. Where can tennis now be played?
A. 10 and Under Tennis can be played on a number of surfaces including a regulation size court with blended lines, on a playground or play space, on a driveway, in parking lots, in a gym area.
Q. It seems to me that playing tennis for FUN is a real goal in this program. Is this correct?
A. FUN, development of strokes, and success are the goals of 10 and Under Tennis. Having fun goes hand in hand with success and the QuickStart format allows kids on smaller courts with the appropriately sized equipment to have fun because they are successful with this new play format.
Q. According to the information posted on the USTA website, beginning in 2012 the USTA sponsored tournaments for kids 10 and under are to be played on smaller courts with slower-moving balls and lighter, shorter racquets. What impact does this new rule have on the teaching of tennis to youth?
A. 10 and Under Tennis is a revolutionary change in the way young children play tennis. Beginning in January, 2012, the USTA requires all 10 and under children to play on the smaller court with slower bouncing balls and smaller rackets. The USTA has realized that making younger players compete on full sized 78 feet courts was not resulting in fun or success for the younger children. As with other youth sports, the gearing of equipment and court size to the ages of the children has resulted in appropriate skill development, success, and fun.
Q. What are the 10 and Under Target Marker Accomplishments for this year?
A. They are:
- Doubled 10 and Under Junior Team Tennis participation in the spring 2011 league
- Partnered with NORD
- Blended court lines have been completed at 5 facilities
- 2 QuickStart training workshops provided for local teaching professionals and educators
- In-service for public and private school teachers to provide QuickStart as a P.E. module
- Introduced the QuickStart play format to 15 summer camps
- Introduced the QuickStart format to 10 schools during the regular P. E. classes
Q. What are some of the upcoming events?
A. September 12th--Junior Team Tennis Captain’s meetings—contact Diane Simpson nojtt@cox.net for details.
September 17th- -10 and Under Kids Tennis Carnival at City Park/Pepsi Tennis from 1 to 3 p.m.
Junior Team Tennis Fall League to begin October 1st, 2011
A. Yes, it certainly is! Visit usta.com/membership and enter source code JOIN2PLAY.
However the offer expires on December 31, 2011.
Q. What are the local facilities providing QuickStart programming?
A. Atkinson Stern Tennis Center
Audubon
Aurora Tennis and Swim
Beach Club
Bissonet
Capitano’s
Chateau
City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center
Green Acres
Metairie Country Club
New Orleans Lawn and Tennis Club
New Orleans Country Club
University Tennis Center
