THE ‘COLOURS’ OF KIDS TENNIS
The colours we refer to correspond to the Hot Shots Tennis program, which breaks the game into colour stages to suit a child’s size, strength, and ability.
Blue Ball Tennis – Early Development Stage
Our Blue Ball program is a fun and engaging introduction to tennis for little ones ages 4 to 5. Using soft, low-bounce blue balls and smaller racquets, kids learn through movement, play, and imagination. Sessions focus on developing coordination, balance, and ball skills while building confidence and a love for the game. It’s the perfect first step into tennis — filled with laughter, learning, and plenty of energy!
Focus & Skills Developed:
At this stage, the goal isn’t competition – it’s fun, movement, and coordination. Kids build the foundational skills that will later transfer into real tennis. They’ll learn to:
- Develop basic motor skills – balance, coordination, catching, throwing, and tracking moving objects.
- Build racket and ball awareness – tapping, rolling, bouncing, and gentle hitting.
- Learn body movement and positioning – moving side to side, stopping, starting, turning.
- Practice listening and following instructions in group activities.
- Begin to understand simple tennis concepts like rallying, aiming, and court boundaries.
- Build confidence, teamwork, and focus through games and fun challenges.
Red Ball 1 & 2
Students in this stage use 25% compression red balls that bounce lower and slower, making them much easier to hit. Played on modified court sizes with appropriate net height – all this helps them develop hand/eye coordination while getting a feel for moving around a tennis court. The recommended racquet size for this stage is 19-23 inches.
Red Ball Squad (Invitation Only)
Red Ball Squad is designed for our Red Ball Players who are looking to perfect their rallying game. Aims of these squads is for players to develop their accuracy and explore all aspects of the court and game play and includes a squad shirt. Find Out More
Focus & Skills Developed:
This stage introduces the basics of real tennis in a way that’s fun and achievable. Kids will:
- Learn rallying and serving with proper technique.
- Practice aiming, control, and consistency over a short distance.
- Develop footwork, balance, and agility through movement-based drills.
- Understand scoring and simple match play in friendly, short-format games.
- Build confidence, teamwork, and sportsmanship while having fun on court.
Orange Ball
Students in this stage use 50% compression red balls that bounce lower and slower, making them much easier to hit. This stage offers two court sizes to match each player’s needs, helping them develop their tennis skills and confidence as they move on from the previous stage, all this helps them develop hand/eye coordination while getting a feel for moving around a tennis court. The recommended racquet size for this stage is 23-25 inches.
Orange Ball Squad (Invitation Only)
Orange Ball Squad is designed for our Orange Ball Players who are looking to perfect their rallying game. Aims of these squads is for players to develop their accuracy and explore all aspects of the court and game play and includes a squad shirt. Find Out More
Focus & Skills Developed:
At this stage, players start refining technique and learning how to construct points while developing consistency and confidence. They’ll:
- Improve rallying skills with greater control and depth.
- Learn to serve, return, and volley with proper grips and footwork.
- Practice court positioning and shot selection for match play.
- Begin to understand tactics, scoring, and competition etiquette.
- Continue building coordination, strength, and endurance through fun drills and games.
Green Ball
Once students have entered the Green Stage, they use 75% compression green balls and play on a full-size court. By this stage, their motor skills and tennis game should be progressing at a steady pace. There are two levels in the Green stage: Green Ball 1 & Green Ball Young Guns Squad (Invitation Only).
Focus & Skills Developed:
This stage bridges the gap between modified and standard tennis, helping players consolidate technique and learn to play competitive points confidently. They’ll:
- Refine stroke technique for power, accuracy, and consistency.
- Strengthen serve and return skills with better control and placement.
- Develop court awareness, movement, and tactical thinking.
- Learn match strategies, including how to build points and adapt to opponents.
- Build resilience, focus, and good sportsmanship through structured match play and team events.
Yellow Ball
There are three levels at our Academy for the Yellow Ball. The Yellow stage gives students the opportunity to further develop their technique and match play skills. They’ll learn how to rally with better consistency and power, improve their court coverage, doubles teamwork and net play. From here, students have the chance to compete in tournaments with the aim of playing the sport at a more advanced level.
Yellow Ball Performance Squad (Invitation Only)
Our Performance squad is all about connection to the game, including mental, physical and matches. Our program includes tournaments, strategies for match preparation, routines, resilience, intensity, focus and most importantly fun. Find Out More
Focus & Skills Developed:
At this stage, players are ready to play full tennis with complete technique, tactical awareness, and competitive confidence. They’ll:
- Refine advanced stroke mechanics and consistent shot production.
- Develop power, spin, and precision across all shots.
- Practice strategic point construction and adaptability in different match situations.
- Build physical fitness, endurance, and mental toughness for competition.
- Learn match discipline, respect, and sportsmanship at a higher competitive level.
“It’s not about the time you put into practice but the focus and intensity that counts. ”
