Rules of Match Play have been modified, to take into account each players level.  YLT Rules vary primarily on serving to eliminate double faults and insure that all youth compete successfully with players of equal level and improve their current skills.  Only the green (beginner) level player has an instructor on their court at all times.   The red (novice) level drills on ground strokes and serves with a YLT instructor approximately the first 30 minutes weekly, before beginning match play.  All other levels are assigned matches.  Coaches visit all courts weekly to provide match coaching.  The student to instructor ratio is approximately 8-1.  Only the green and red levels receive stroke instruction.

Youth are originally rated by their parents on the registration form and then reassessed and grouped by their League Director the first week. All Sites send 2 players per level to play-offs. This gives every level player a real chance to make it to play-offs.  Youth must play at least 5 weeks to be eligible for play-offs!

The 5 Youth League Tennis Levels Green, Red, Yellow, Blue & Purple and are described below: 

Green Level:
Beginners and new tennis players, who need instruction on the basics and are unable to begin a rally on their own. These players require constant professional supervision and guidance.

Match Play: Green players will have approximately 8 players on 1 court per instructor and will be supervised at all times. They will begin the first week by learning the basics and then continue weekly to compete as teams and individually through games, that reinforce and teach the necessary skills they need to work towards playing competitively on their own. The focus of this instruction is getting these players ready to move up to the red level. 

Underhand serving, as well as overhead serving is taught. This is the only level that plays 1.5 hours weekly.

Goal: Green level players will be taught strokes, scoring and tennis etiquette through drills and competitive games run by an instructor. Each player will build a strong foundation, while building team work skills and instilling a love of competitive tennis.

Play-Offs:  Team Groundstroke Steadiness competition led by an instructor.

Red Level: 
Novice players, who have begun to be able to rally and who are able to consistently begin a rally with a drop hit forehand, but still lack control. These players should also have received some instruction on how to hit an overhand serve. They are not expected to be able to serve with accuracy or consistency and may or may not know how to keep score. Red level warms up ground strokes and serves with an instructor for 30 minutes weekly and plays matches for 1.5 hours weekly. 

Match Play: Red players will be taught how to keep traditional ad scoring , play 6 game sets and 12 point tie breakers. Red players will primarily play doubles matches with all 4 players beginning each point from the baseline. When serving, each player is entitled to 3 serves per point. the first serve must be overhand, the 2nd serve is a drop hit forehand that must land in the appropriate service box, and the 3rd serve can be a drop hit forehand that lands anywhere in the court, including the alleys, to begin the point. Players are allowed to stand inside the baseline to hit their 3rd serve.  This level plays baseline doubles and tag team doubles.

Instruction: Red players will begin competing with players of equal level, and establish the confidence and desire to improve their current skills. Playing 4 from the baseline will greatly improve ground strokes, movement and team work skills. Overhand serves will also improve because each player must begin each point with an overhand serve (thus they are practicing this stroke and learning it's importance throughout the match).  Each week begins with the red level player drilling for 30 minutes with an instructor to work on ground strokes and serves.  We refer to this as their warm-up.  This level of player usually becomes more motivated to improve once they begin competing.

Play-Offs:  Baseline Doubles competition.

Yellow Level: Intermediate players, who can rally and serve overhand with some control and consistency. They can regularly place underhand serves into the appropriate service box. These players do know how to keep score, and may or may not have had previous match experience.

Match Play: Yellow players will be given 3 serves per point. The first 2 must be overhand and land in the appropriate service box. The 3rd serve can be over or under hand and must land in the appropriate service box. Yellow players will play doubles, tag team singles and occasional singles matches. When they are 4 on a court, all players will begin each point at the baseline.  

Instruction: Yellow players will work on improving their match playing skills, focusing on concentration, movement, ground strokes, serve and return of serve. Playing 4 from the baseline will greatly improve ground strokes, movement, placement and team work skills.  

Play-Offs:  Baseline Doubles competition.

Blue Level: These players can rally and serve with control and consistency and are already playing matches by USTA rules. Most have had previous match experience, and may or may not have begun competing in novice and Satellite tournaments.

Match Play: Blue players compete by USTA rules. They will play doubles, tag team singles and singles matches weekly. When they are 4 on a court, all players will begin each point at  the baseline.  

Instruction: Blue players will improve their match playing skills, concentrating on movement, consistency & shot selection. Playing 4 from the baseline will greatly improve groundstrokes, placement and team work skills. 

Play-Offs:  Tag Team Singles competition.

Purple Level: These players are experienced tournament players and must qualify to play at these elite YLT tournament training league sites based on their tournament records. they are not the top Junior tennis players in their section, but are serious tournament players and would greatly benefit from playing more competitive matches. 

Match Play: Purple players compete by USTA rules. They will play doubles, tag team singles and singles matches weekly. Play-offs is singles competition for this level only.

Instruction: Purple players will improve their match playing skills, concentrating on movement, consistency & shot selection. These players are encouraged to think about how they are winning and losing points during a match. Playing 4 from the baseline will greatly improve groundstrokes, placement and team work skills. 

Play-Offs:  Singles competition.  Play-Off Champions are invited to join the adidas national junior tennis team and receives a generous gift from adidas.

*TO ENROLL AT A PURPLE SITE YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:

For Youth ages 8-10: you must have achieved a ranking in the top 70 in Southern Cal in the 10 & under division. 

For Youth ages 11-12: you must have won at least 2 rounds in a row in 2 sanctioned USTA Satellite tournaments, but have not yet achieved a ranking in the top 40 in the 12 & under division. 

For Youth ages 13-14: you must have won at least 2 rounds in a row in 1 USTA sanctioned Satellite tournament, but have not yet been ranked in the top 70 in the 14 & under division.

*Exceptions: If you feel that you would qualify for a purple site based on your level of play, but have elected not to play in tournaments thus far, we may allow you to register, on a case by case determination, with a coaches strong recommendation, and a tryout.