Mountlake Terrace Juniors (Kids) Tennis Lessons Presented by Basha Tennis
- Junior Lesson FAQs
- Coached Match Play
- Yellow Ball
- Yellow Ball Advanced
- Green Ball
- Orange Ball
- Red Ball
- High School Live Ball
Closed-toed athletic shoes are recommended for playing on court, but we emphasize that any sandals or open-toed shoes are not allowed on court due to safety reasons.
We do have a few tennis rackets you can borrow, but we recommend buying one if you plan on playing tennis regularly.
Jeans are not allowed, but any other clothes are allowed as long as you can move freely and feel comfortable running around and sweating a bit.
Hydration is vital for any exercise or sport that is physically demanding. So a water bottle or athletic drinks are allowed on court, but nothing outside of the necessities (no energy drinks, soda, juice, or foods).
There is no substitute for match play
Coaches provide positioning and tactical coaching while players are competing in set play
Matches are singles or doubles depending on registration
We arrange the best possible matches to ensure close matches
We create special in match rules to challenge players, special rules may include tactics to use or specific targets to hit
Yellow Ball Classes
Ages 12 – 18
Court Size 78′
Racket 27″
- This program uses the traditional yellow tennis ball and full court size, in comparison to our other junior programs. All beginner and intermediate players are welcome to sign up, and will be split into separate groups by skill level after everyone gets on court.
- Beginners: Players will learn basic footwork, tennis strokes, and court positioning in this program, to help build the fundamentals and confidence in the players. Coaches will throw tennis balls towards the players as a feeding drill to help them gain familiarity with their ground strokes.
- Intermediate: Players will start playing more drills and games to help improve their footwork and adaptability to different situations in live-ball play. Coaches will also give critiques to help improve their accuracy and technique.
Yellow Ball Advanced
Ages 14 – 18
- This program uses the traditional yellow tennis ball and full court size, in comparison to our other junior programs. High school players on a team, or aspiring to be, with the fundamentals mastered, are encouraged to join Yellow Ball Advanced.
- For players who want to hone their ability to aim their shots at specific targets and learn how to keep a consistent rally. This is a class for players aiming to play in competitive matches or tournaments on the high school level. Coaches will also focus on different tactics and strategies in each class to diversify the players’ knowledge.
Green Ball Classes
Ages 7 – 11 (Intermediate)
Court Size 78′
Racket 27″
- This program uses green tennis balls, which bounce 75% the height and speed of the traditional yellow ball and the courts are 78 feet long (playable range).
- For players who want to hone their ability to aim their shots at specific targets and learn how to keep a consistent rally. This is a class for players aiming to play in competitive matches or tournaments. Green Ball is the step up from Orange Ball, once the players have mastered the fundamentals.
Orange Ball Classes
Ages 7 – 11 (Beginner to Intermediate)
Court Size 60′
Racket 21″ – 23″
- This program uses orange tennis balls, which bounce 50% the height and speed of the traditional yellow ball and the courts are 60 feet long (playable range).
- Players will start building fundamental skills like coordination, foot placement, and basic stroke structure. Players will also learn playing in a live ball environment with coaches feeding balls as well as other exercises and activities.
Red Ball Classes
Ages 4 – 7
Court Size 36′
Racket 17″ – 19″
- This program uses red tennis balls, which bounce 25% the height and speed of the traditional yellow ball, and the courts are 36 feet long (playable range).
- Coaches will focus on exercises and activities that help build players’ coordination, strength, and dexterity. A few examples of these exercises are throwing and catching with a partner, hitting ground strokes, guiding the ball activities and more.
High School Live Ball
Ages 14 – 18
Court Size 78′
Racket 27″
This program focuses on live point plays in doubles teams, improving rallying, teamwork skills, and learning how to play against different opponents. This program is ideal for high school players who want to play in live-ball situations, aren’t entirely confident in playing in a match, or just looking for some fun rallying with others.
If you’re unfamiliar with live ball, this are how the game works:
Setup: Coaches will divide the players and choose two “champions” of the court, which will stay on the feeding side of the court. The rest of the “opponents” will stay on the other side of the net, forming a line at the back wall. The first two players in line will position themselves in default doubles positioning. Rotations will happen throughout the game, with the “opponents” team. Net players going to the back of the line, baseline players going to the net, and the first players in line going to the baseline.
Playing: The players at the baseline will hit a groundstroke from the coach. Players on court will then play out the point. If the “opponents” win the point, then the coach will feed the next shot to the players at the net for a volley. Finally, the last ball from the coach will be for the players at the baseline for an overhead shot. After 3 consecutive points, the “opponents” on court will become the new “champions” and the old champions will go to the back of the line, and the new “opponents” will be the two players in the front of the line. If the “champions” win any point, the “opponents” will rotate.
High Performance Youth Tennis Lessons
Junior High Performance
Ages 9 – 12 (Advanced – Coach Approval Required)
Yellow Ball High Performance clinics are designed for young players who are currently competing in USTA tournaments.
This program is designed for players who are looking to play more in a competitive setting, to recognize and utilize tactics and formations in singles or doubles match play. Coaches will make sure that players strengthen their weak areas to help improve overall play. JR High Performance is the step up from Green Ball, once the players can consistently rally and have solid footwork skills.
Green Ball High Performance Classes
Ages 7 – 10 (Advanced – Coach Approval Required)
Green Ball High Performance clinics are designed for young players who are currently competing in USTA tournaments.
In this clinic, students learn singles pattern development as well as doubles tactics development.
The use of green balls encourages explosive footwork and early racquet preparation.
Participants adhere to a tournament schedule developed in coordination with the coaching staff.
Coaches attend students’ tournaments to provide real-time analysis and feedback to help each player progress.
Benefits of Playing Tennis for Youth
In recent years, children and teenagers have been exposed to a variety of new and challenging situations. Many youngsters no longer attend school with their peers and have ceased participating in sports and other activities.
Anxiety and depression rates are quite high due to the risk of isolation, loneliness, and the sensation of losing key aspects of their life.
Strength may emerge from times of extreme hardship and struggle. Because we are under stress, our inner resilience “muscle” is being tested and grown.
Children and teenagers must participate in situations that allow them to interact, move, and be present in order to manage their stress and channel it into a development experience.
Tennis is a fantastic sport for the period we live in since it can be played from afar. We can keep kids safe while they’re playing the game. And we’ve decided to address the mental health concerns and circumstances that are causing problems.
5 Reasons to Get Your Child Involved in Tennis
If you’re wondering if tennis lessons are a good option for your child, continue reading to see just a few of the most impactful ways the sport can have on adolescents.
#1 Get Out & Socialize With Like-Minded Youth
With group tennis lessons, students get to participate in an energy-exerting, competitive encounter with others of a similar age.
Tennis allows youngsters to form connections on the court and escape the isolation that may lead to loneliness, a fear of losing out on life’s events, anxiety, and depression.
#2 Reduce Anxiety & Depressions
Tennis has the potential to bring joy to young people by allowing them to get out and move, get in shape, and spend time playing with others.
Exercise has also been shown to relieve tension and anxiety, and getting young people who are depressed moving more has been shown to help them feel better. This is true for adults who play tennis too.
#3 Create Cognitive Challenges
Tennis presents the task of finding out how to move the ball to the opposite side of the net while also counteracting your opponent’s actions. It also increases focus and engagement because players must not only focus on the ball while moving, but also solve problems.
Losing and winning are healthy challenges for young people as they learn to interact with others respectfully while striving for personal success.
#4 Learning & Competing Boosts Self-Esteem
Tennis development, including physical, mental, emotional, and social abilities, may help boost a young person’s confidence and self-esteem.
A healthy response to stress is having faith in one’s ability to deal with the demands of a situation. Furthermore, children learn which coping methods work and which do not, and they begin to develop an understanding and skill set for dealing with stress in a healthy manner.
#5 Improves Resilience
Tennis necessitates a player’s undivided attention as well as the ability to deal effectively with errors and losses.
Because of the “messy aspect” of tennis, which means that many points are gained as a result of errors, when properly instructed, players learn to regulate their emotions and cope with mistakes.
Players may handle stress, “bounce back,” and adjust to challenges such as playing badly when the emphasis is on the process of becoming better rather than on winning and losing, resulting in a resilient reaction.
Resilience is important for overcoming stress and anxiety, as well as serving as a protective shield against other mental health conditions.
Those that are prospering are resilient and adept at adjusting to their surroundings. Tennis allows young players to experience being resilient in a competitive setting.
Latest From Our Blog
Tennis Frequently Asked Questions
You have tennis questions and we have answers. Below we've started to compile a list of questions about tennis that get asked a lot. #1 What is Tennis Elbow? Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a painful ailment that develops when the tendons in your elbow are...
10 Tips to Improve Your Tennis Game
Tennis is, without question, a hugely popular sport. Tennis is played by around 87 million people worldwide. That equates to roughly 1.17 percent of the world's population. Tennis is one of the most popular individual/non-team sports in the world and it is often...
How Does Tennis Scoring Work?
When you first start playing tennis, one of the most perplexing and intimidating features of the game is the scoring system. Points, games, advantage, sets, and tie-breaks are just a few of the words you'll need to understand. You'll also have to learn how to count...