USTA School Tennis
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New School Tennis News:
High School and Middle School Tennis Teams: Membership promotion
Calling all High School and Middle School Tennis Team coaches!! USTA Florida will donate $5 to your school tennis team for every player or student who joins or renews their USTA membership! In addition, for every 10 players/students who join or renew their membership, the coach will receive a FREE CASE OF TENNIS BALLS. There is no limit to how many players can sign up for USTA membership. ALL STUDENTS are welcome to sign up; this promotion is NOT limited to tennis team players only. But it is only available for a limited time, from January through April 2010.
Please see the HS & MS membership flyer and the program participation application for more information. Join the USTA today!
1. Recreational Grants:
Continuing in 2010
, there will be a new recreational tennis grant process for school districts and after-school agencies to apply for funds to assist them with their tennis equipment needs. This online application and process is being made available to you by the USTA. This new grant process will be the primary way, but not the only way, a school district and/or after-school agency/provider will be able to request and secure dollars for their tennis needs. If approved, your school district or after school agency will be supplemented with enough dollars to fulfill your tennis equipment and training needs. This grant window of opportunity is good until May 15th when the grant cycle will be closed until further notice. To learn more about this grant opportunity click here and to apply click here .
2. 2-for-1 Short Court Grants
:
So you've seen those awesome mini-tennis net systems at an in-service or at your neighboring schools tennis program and you want to know how to get some for your own tennis program? For USTA member schools only, USTA Florida offers a 2-for-1 short court opportunity for you! If the school antes up $100 for the purchase of one mini-net system, USTA Florida will purchase the 2nd one. This is a retail value of nearly $400 for a quarter of the price! Download this
application
and follow the directions to get your two short courts today!!
3. USTA School Membership Retention Program :
As a creative way to having your school become a multi-year member to our association, USTA Florida is offering a membership retention program so that your school stays involved with USTA for years to come. If your school will join or renew with our association for 3 or 5 years, USTA Florida is offering equipment kits that will help your tennis unit and keep your children happy and active for many years. To learn more about this unbelievable opportunity, download the membership retention application along with the USTA organizational membership application and follow the directions to get your school involved in the sport of a lifetime for a lifetime!!
4. In-Service Application:
For those school districts and after-school agenices that are interested in training - or re-training - their PE teachers and after-school staff, the new procedure is to complete this
in-service application
and submit it to Rebecca Halpern for review and approval.
Purpose:
More Than Just a Game - Enrich the lives of your students through tennis. Tennis is the ideal sport to help achieve the health and wellness goals of schools. The USTA is the ideal partner to help you bring it to your students. As the national governing body for tennis, the USTA is committed to producing relevant, up-to-date materials for physical education teachers, extracurricular staff and after school providers.
School Tennis Resources:
There are multiple resources available to PE teachers and after-school care providers that are interested in offering tennis to their students. These include:
• Curriculum Kit- The USTA has developed a cutting edge in-school curriculum, the Physical Educators Guide for Teaching Tennis in Schools and teacher training program to help educators feel more comfortable offering tennis in school settings. The newest tennis curriculum has eight easy-to-follow lesson plans ( download here ) created for teachers, by teachers that can be used in any school environment. Written in conjunction with renowned physical education expert, Dr. Robert Pangrazi, the lessons are:
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Based on NASPE standards.
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Designed to fit unique time and scheduling needs.
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Flexible enough to accommodate small and large groups.
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Fun and challenging for all kids and adaptable for students with special needs.
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Targeted towards grades 3-6 and can be adapted to higher and lower grade levels.
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Able to be taught on any flat surface - No courts required!
Click here
for a sample lesson from the eight provided in the Tennis Pocket Guide, Curriculum supplement.
• Teacher In-Service Workshops - These workshops complement a teacher’s large group management skills and demonstrate how to quickly transform a school gym or playground into a dynamic tennis-playing environment and allow students to experience instant success in a fun and safe manner. There is no cost to the school district to host a PE teacher in-service but a few minimal requirements must be met prior to scheduling. In-Services are scheduled in Florida via the School District PE administrator and USTA Florida.
• Tennis Equipment Support - Equipment grants and discounts are available to qualifying schools that are linked with an after school tennis program (aka Plus One). Modified tennis equipment including aged appropriate tennis racquets, easy-to-rally transition tennis balls and portable tennis nets make the game fun and engaging from the moment a child first picks up a racquet. See below how to apply and/or become eligible.
• Staff Support - Statewide support to assist you with the tennis and training resources you need to adopt tennis as part of your physical education curriculum.
How To Access These Tennis Resources (Pre-Requisites):
In order to receive access these school tennis resources, there are a few requirements that a individual shools and teachers must meet. These include:
• USTA School Membership: Each school must be an active USTA school member. This is a $35 per school annual fee. A school can register one at a time by visiting the
USTA membership website
. Or a group of schools, via the school district, can join all at one time with one payment by completing the
USTA organizational membership application
and submitting it to USTA Florida/Schools Department for processing.
• Teacher Training: At least one teacher from each participating school must receive USTA sponsored training within a 24-month period. This can be in the form of a USTA school in-service or recreational coach workshop.
• Plus One Program: Extracurricular school tennis programs can include: organized play before school, at recess, during lunch time, or after school, as well as student tennis clubs, intramurals and interscholastic no-cut team play. Schools that offer tennis in physical education and as an extracurricular activity for an additional minimum of 6 contact periods will be eligible for substantial equipment discounts.
How To Get Started:
1. The PE curriculum administrator for the school district - or someone of an equal decision-making level - should complete a USTA School Tennis District Application. This is an outline of the school tennis program's details and how the school district plans to include tennis in some or all of its schools.
2. Once this form is completed, submit to Rebecca Halpern at USTA Florida for review.
3. Once approved, the next step is scheduling a school district-wide tennis in-service that works best for the teachers and the trainer that USTA Florida will provide. Each school represented will receive an official USTA Schools curriculum kit and each teacher will receive a tennis T-shirt.
4. Finally, tennis equipment starter kits orders are placed for each eligible school via the PE curriculum administrator and USTA Florida. Each USTA member school has the opportunity to purchase severely reduced tennis equipment from any licensed vendor. Any current USTA member schools are eligible to order tennis equipment from these approved vendors. Please contact USTA Florida/Andy McFarland for order forms.
5. Then, tennis can begin!
How To Get Tennis In Your After School / Extended Day Program:
1. The after-school/extended day program director should contact Rebecca Halpern regarding your program's interest in tennis. Rebecca can be reached at 386.671.8928.
2. After discussion, and if appropriate, the next step is to schedule a QuickStart Tennis Workshop for all the after-school/extended day staff & volunteers that will be working with the children.
3. USTA membership is required for all programs that are interested in receiving tennis equipment starter kits for their tennis programs.
4. Finally, tennis equipment starter kits orders are placed for each eligible participating site. Each program that is a USTA member has the opportunity to purchase deeply discounted tennis equipment from our licensed vendors in addition to what USTA Florida can provide. Please contact Rebecca Halpern for these discount equipment order forms.
5. Then, tennis can begin!
No-Cut Coaches Recognition and Resource Program:
For more information on this program and how to register on the newly enhanced, contact Rebecca Halpern at USTA Florida and the interactive website: www.usta.com/nocut
Other School Tennis Resources:
The USTA is continuing to create resources and tools designed to make starting an after school tennis program easy and enjoyable for organizers. Check back for additional materials as they are developed.
Suggested formats, best practices and PE teacher tips that have been used in successful programs include:
Top Reasons for Providing School Tennis Programs:
"Playing tennis is an excellent way to engage kids in regular physical activity to help them live longer, healthier lives." - American Heart Association
Every child should have the opportunity to engage in healthy, lifelong activities in a safe and supportive environment with their peers.
Over 20% of children ages 6-18 are overweight, and that number has increased 200% over the past 3 decades. A recent study by the National Association for Sports & Physical Education showed that physically fit children performed better academically. Tennis is one of the few sports that can be played for a lifetime and uniquely benefits children like no other sport. Through tennis kids gain both physical and psychological benefits.
Tennis players score higher in vigor, optimism, and self-esteem, and lower in depression, anger, confusion, anxiety, and tension than other athletes and non-athletes. (Dr. Joan Finn and colleagues at Southern Connecticut University)
Tennis outperforms golf, running, weight-lifting, and many other sports in developing positive personality characteristics like sociability, mental focus, competitiveness, adventurousness, spontaneity, creativity, and assertiveness. (Dr. Jim Galvin, author of The Exercise Habit)
The average person burns more calories playing tennis than doing low impact aerobics, weightlifting, riding a stationary bike, hiking, walking a golf course, or playing softball, baseball, or volleyball. ( www.nutristrategy.com )
Contact:
Please contact Rebecca Halpern at USTA Florida via phone at 386.671.8928 or via email at halpern@florida.usta.com for your Florida school tennis needs.
The United States Tennis Association - Florida Section
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Tennis in Florida"