2014 USTA/Midwest Section
10 and Under Tournament Earned Advancement
Overview
The USTA/Midwest Section Junior Competition Committee is committed to providing the optimal level of
competition for all junior players throughout the Midwest Section. In the spirit of the committee’s charge, we are
introducing Earned Advancement for tournament players under the age of eleven. This is being done to ensure
that players are using the appropriate ball, racquet, and court size for their level of play. Within this system,
players will have the opportunity to experience appropriate levels of competition at each stage of the
USTA/Midwest Junior Tennis Pathway. The parameters put in place will allow players to progress through the
different stages at a pace most suitable to the player based on his competency, age, participation in competitive
play, and results in competition. This system will allow for a player to evolve his game tactically and technically
from red to orange, orange to green, and finally green to yellow. Players should advance through the various
stages with the understanding that this is not a race to yellow ball, but a process rich in development
opportunities at each stage. All children develop at different paces, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally.
This new system is designed to accommodate these variations.
The Earned Advancement system also provides the ancillary benefit of promoting goal setting. Learning to set
goals is a beneficial habit for all players to develop. Earned Advancement encourages players to set quantifiable
and achievable goals at each stage of the beginning of their Junior Tournament careers and will equip players with
a goal setting mindset to carry throughout their lives.
Grandfather Clause
Players who have competed and earned at least 20 USTA/Midwest Section ranking points as listed on any 2013
USTA/Midwest Final Ranking list are not subject to the rules and regulations detailed in this document, regardless
of their current age. These players are free to play any stage of 10 and Under Tennis Tournaments and may also
play in older age divisions as well. Please visit www.midwest.usta.com/earnedadvancement to view an entire list
of grandfathered players by Midwest district for 2014.
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8 and Under – Red Ball
Midwest Levels
Age Eligibility
Tournament Formats
Scoring Formats
Tournaments Available
Points Per Round
USTA/Midwest Section Level 7
Any Player until the first day of the month of their 9th birthday.
Non-Elimination Formats (i.e. Round Robin, Compass) - Single Day Tournaments
As permitted by Friend at Court
Districts may allow any number of red ball tournaments to be sanctioned.
Points per round do not apply. Each player will receive one (1) participation
point per tournament completed.
Rationale
Red Ball Tournaments are a great way for players in the first stage of the Junior Tennis Pathway to start with
tournaments. These non-elimination, single day tournaments are a great introduction for players to become
acclimated with the look and feel of a tournament. As there are no points per round associated and no Earned
Advancement to Orange Ball tournaments, the focus can remain solely on fun, development, and learning the
game.
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10 and Under – Orange Ball
Midwest Levels
Age Eligibility
Tournament Formats
Scoring Formats
To Advance to Green
Tournaments Available
Points Per Round
USTA/Midwest Section Level 7
Any Player until the first day of the month of their 11th birthday.
Non-Elimination Formats (i.e. Round Robin, Compass Draw)
As permitted by Friend at Court
In order to advance to Green ball, players must complete one of the following:
1. A player may advance to Green ball on the first day of the month of the
player’s 10th birthday.
2. A player wins at least one (1) Designated Advancement Orange Ball
tournament.
3. A player participates in at least four (4) Designated Advancement Orange ball
tournaments.
Districts will be responsible for determining how many Designated Advancement
Orange Ball tournaments to sanction each Earned Advancement Weekend. (See
Appendix A)
Districts may allow any number Orange Ball Tournaments not for advancement
throughout the year.
Points per round do not apply. Each player will receive one (1) participation
point per tournament completed.
Rationale
Players must show their competency at the Orange stage before earning entry to the Green stage. This can be
achieved through results, participation, or ultimately age. This system will provide better competition at the
Green stage, as the players at that stage will have demonstrated their competency to be there. Green Ball
tournaments will be advanced rather than entry level. By providing both Orange ball tournaments for and not for
advancement, players interested in advancement have opportunity while strictly entry level players can still
participate in Orange Ball tournaments not for advancement.
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10 and Under – Green Ball
Midwest Levels
Age Eligibility
Tournament Formats
Scoring Formats
To Advance to 12s-18s
Yellow
Tournaments Available
Points Per Round
USTA/Midwest Section Level 1-6
Any Player until the first day of the month of their 11th birthday (who has
advanced from the Orange Stage).
A variety of tournament formats will be used.
Best of 3 tiebreak sets with 10 point match tiebreak in lieu of 3rd set.
In order to advance to 12-18s Yellow Ball, players must complete one of the
following:
1. A player who has already advanced to Green from Orange may advance to 12s18s Yellow on the first day of the month of the player’s 10th birthday.
2. A player wins at least two (2) Green ball tournaments.
3. A player participates in at least four (4) Green ball tournaments.
4. A player wins one (1) USTA/Midwest Section Level 1 Green ball tournament.
The USTA/Midwest Section Junior Competition Committee has strategically
devised a geographically balanced Green ball tournament schedule throughout
the Section. (See Appendix B)
Players will receive USTA/Midwest Section Level 1-6 points per round as per the
most current USTA/Midwest Section Points Per Round Tables.
Rationale:
Just as players advanced from Orange to Green ball, they must demonstrate their competency in Green before
they can earn entry to Yellow ball. This can be achieved through results, participation, or ultimately age. This
system will encourage players to develop properly and demonstrate competency in the Green stage before
advancing to the Yellow stage.
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Appendix A
2014 Orange Ball Earned Advancement Weekends
Each month there will be two (2) weekends designated as “Earned Advancement Weekends”. The weekends
listed in the table below will be host to the USTA/Midwest Level 7 Designated Advancement 10 and Under Orange
Ball tournaments available for Earned Advancement in 2014.
Month
Weekend
January
TBD
January
TBD
February
TBD
February
TBD
March
TBD
March
TBD
April
TBD
April
TBD
May
TBD
May
TBD
June
TBD
June
TBD
Month
Weekend
July
TBD
July
TBD
August
TBD
August
TBD
September
TBD
September
TBD
October
TBD
October
TBD
November
TBD
November
TBD
December
TBD
December
TBD
Appendix B
2014 Green Ball Earned Advancement Schedule
The table below lists the schedule of USTA/Midwest Section Level 1-6 10 and Under Green Ball tournaments
available for Earned Advancement in 2014.
Date
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
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Location
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
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Tournament ID
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will Red and Orange Ball Tournaments be co-ed?
All Red and Orange Ball Tournament Directors have the option of creating their draws as co-ed. Based on
the number of entries, a co-ed tournament may be more conducive to providing more competition.
2. After my player has advanced from one stage to the next, can they still play in the stage from which
they just advanced?
Of course they can! For example, should a player advance from Orange ball to Green ball, but feel they
would benefit from continuing to play Orange ball, that player is welcome to do so until he ages out.
3. Do all USTA/Midwest Section Level 7 Orange Ball tournaments count toward a player’s advancement
criteria?
No. Only USTA/Midwest Section Level 7 Orange Ball tournaments that have been designated as
tournaments for advancement will count. This will be made clear in the title of the tournament and in the
tournament homepage information on Tennis Link.
4. What if my player participates in 2 Designated Advancement Orange Ball Tournaments in 2014 and 2 in
2015, would that count for his total of 4 to advance to Green Ball?
Yes. All advancement criteria are cumulative totals regardless of what year they were completed.
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