Tennis Industry News

Cardio Tennis Kids debuted Feb. 18 at the PTR Symposium on Hilton Head Island. The three-hour workshop consisted of both classroom and on-court sessions and was led by Michele Krause, the national Cardio Tennis manager for the Tennis Industry Association, who was assisted by members of the Cardio Tennis national speakers team.

More than 150 tennis teaching professionals from around the world attended the workshop, which consisted of a detailed overview of agility ladder skills and kids movement, a demonstration of a CTK class with 9- and 10-year-olds on the orange court, plus various tennis games and activities. Attendees learned why Cardio Tennis Kids is important, as well as appropriate age groups, the use of pedometers, music and other tools, the appropriate court and ball for the age, and how to market a CTK program.

Cardio Tennis Kids is a group tennis training activity featuring action-based tennis drills and games for children ages 6 through 12 of all ability levels. It emphasizes movement and fun using music and pedometers. Using age-appropriate equipment, the CTK environment develops tennis and athletic skills and improves health and fitness.

CTK is a training program that complements other formats and programs, and it can be incorporated into a club’s current junior programming. Each class runs 30 to 45 minutes depending on the age of the children. CTK’s primary mission is to invigorate children’s tennis programming with an emphasis on fun, play, and fitness.

At the debut of Cardio Tennis Kids, 25 fourth-graders from St. Francis School on Hilton Head took a “fitness field trip” to participate in the workshop, which took place on the indoor courts at the Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club. The students’ trip was organized by Brian O’Donnell, the TIA’s national programs manager, and Dr. Mike Rockers, principal of St. Francis School. The kids each received a Cardio Tennis Kids T-shirt, pedometer, and information on the MyPyramid.gov nutritional guidelines for kids.

To order the Cardio Tennis Kids educational package, which includes a playbook with over 100 drill diagrams plus two DVDs, go to www.partners.cardiotennis.com.