“Our new motto is ‘Growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere,’” said Marilyn Sherman USTA national manager, social play. “We are bringing this new way to play tennis to make it easier for new adults and families to play, to give current players a way to invite their non-playing friends and family to play in a space and with equipment that allows them to enjoy tennis with all skill levels and a way for players to stay in the game when the full court/yellow ball is no longer an option.”
Schroeder Tennis Center in Tipp City is one of the more than 500 tennis facilities across the country that is participating in the USTA pilot program.
“I think tennis is such a fun game, I always want to get rackets into the hands of more people,” owner Bud Schroeder said. “And this is a great way for beginners to get into tennis.”
Red Ball Tennis 101
The game will be played on smaller courts, with shorter rackets and slightly larger tennis balls.
“The shorter court, lighter rackets and 66-to-75-percent slower balls allow for full tennis swings in a smaller space which gives instant success to new players and can be quite fun for current players of all skill levels,” Sherman said.
The modified equipment — including 23-inch rackets and red dot felt balls — is included in the pilot package for all participants in the program designed to increase player success.
“The slightly bigger and softer tennis balls will be easier to control,” Schroeder said. “And the smaller court will be easier to cover.”
The five-week Schroeder Tennis Center program, which gets underway on October 10 at 6 p.m., includes a free racket, instruction and court time.
Beyond the pilot program
“We are piloting/naming/branding this year and, if data suggests, USTA will likely begin launch next year,” Sherman said.
A nationwide rollout of the program will likely get more rackets in the hands of beginners as well as those coming back to the game after years away. Schroeder is hopeful that it also leads to an increase in the number of traditional full-court players.
“I personally would love to see some of the players progress into full-court tennis and even join a league,” he said.
According to the Tennis Industry Association, 23.8 million Americans ages 6 and older played tennis at least once in 2023 and 25.1 million Americans who didn’t play tennis in 2023 are “very interested” in doing so now.
“This is a fun way to get more people into the game,” Schroeder said.
More details
For more information on the Schroeder Adult Red Ball Tennis program, email bud@schroedertennis.com or call 937-669-5552.
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