A new format for teaching tennis to children ten years of age or younger has been implemented by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to increase enjoyment and grow the game by helping children achieve success through rally performance. The curriculum for the new format was published by the USTA in a manual titled Quickstart Tennis: A Guide for Parents and Recreational Coaches. Modified equipment and a games model for teaching is used in the new format as opposed to standard "adult" equipment and a traditional model of teaching. Studies have shown the benefits of using modified equipment in youth sports, including tennis, but no studies have evaluated the implementation of the 10 & Under curriculum produced by the USTA. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the implementation of the USTA 10 & Under curriculum in two already intact 10 & Under Level II classes. Two 10 & Under Level II tennis classes at two tennis clubs will be observed, one class following the USTA 10 & Under Curriculum and one that has deviated from the guidelines within the manual. Sixteen children ages 7-9 completed an enjoyment measure at the end of each lesson and took part in a pre- and post-rally performance test. No significant differences were found between the two classes for sport enjoyment and rally performance. However, observation data supported the hypothesis that the club in which the instructor implemented the 10 & Under manual more closely followed the principles and guidelines offered in the manual. Future research should focus on long-term outcomes of the 10 & Under Quickstart Tennis Format.
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