Ages 4–11 · Director Katie Finke
Where a tennis player starts.
Foundational skills in a fun, team-based environment, built so kids gain confidence at the same rate they gain strokes. Every level has its own ball, its own court size, and its own skills to clear before the next one.
How to sign up
Three steps, same for every program.
- Get a player rating New to the club? Call 630-282-4888. The front desk creates your profile and sets a rating in a few minutes. Played before? Ask for the free 30-minute evaluation.
- Find your class The class list shows only what matches your rating, so you will not have to guess. Class sheets for the current session are on each program page.
- Register online or in the app Book on the member portal or the FSTC app. Drills, makeups, classes and courts are all in the same place.
The pathway
Three stages, in order.
Kids don’t move up on their birthday. They move up when the skills are there, and we tell you which ones we are watching for.
Red Ball · Ages 4–8
Four levels before the court gets bigger.
Everything at this stage is sized for a small player: soft ball, short court, short distances to run. The point is to make contact, then make it repeatable.
Red Ball 1
The first class: a fast-paced 30 minutes with foam and low-compression red balls, so a four-year-old can actually hit the thing. Agility, balance and coordination drills sit alongside the first correct stroke shapes.
Red Ball 2
Stroke technique, taught through games and scoring rather than lectures. Rally skills come in, and the serve is introduced through throwing technique. New players aged 6–8 register here.
Advanced Red Ball
Builds on Red Ball 1 and 2. The class is built on rally-based drills, refining technique and footwork patterns.
Red Ball Academy
The start of the High Performance pathway. Admission is by invitation, or with approval from the Program Director. You cannot register for it directly.
Orange Ball · Ages 8–9
Bigger court, real mechanics.
The step where strokes stop being approximations. Players coming out of Red Ball rebuild their technique for a larger court and a livelier ball.
Orange Ball
For beginners moving up from Red Ball. Stroke mechanics first, then preparation for match play.
Advanced Orange Ball 1 & 2
For advanced players: enhanced stroke mechanics and rallying ability, with match play experience carrying more of the class.
Academy Orange Ball
The High Performance pathway at the Orange stage. Admission is by invitation, or with approval from the Program Director.
Green Dot · Ages 10–11
Full court, and a schedule to keep.
Green Dot players are expected to compete regularly. Practice starts pointing at something specific: the next tournament.
Green Dot
Placed by ability. Footwork, rallying, serving and match strategy on a full court, with regular tournament play expected.
Advanced Green Dot 1 & 2
A transition based on skills, not age. Players also register for the Ball Control class, take private lessons, and play tournaments regularly.
Academy Green Dot
By invitation or Program Director approval, with a weekly practice commitment. This is the last rung before High Performance.
The in-house league
Advanced players play for a team.
Junior Development runs its own league inside the club, exclusively for Advanced and Academy Orange Ball and Green Dot players. A player is not just in a class. They are a Wolf, a Bobcat, a Bear or a Bulldog, and they are playing for somebody.
- Four teams: Wolf Volleys, Bobcat Aces, Bear Dropshots and Bulldog Forehands.
- Timed matches that start promptly. Players keep their own score, and every game won counts toward both the player and the team. Scores are posted on social media through the session.
- Bring a racquet, a water bottle, apparel with pockets and appropriate shoes.
- Registration is required for match play. Absences need 48 hours’ notice, substitutions are allowed, and there are no refunds or makeups for a missed match.
Ask Coach Katie which team your child is playing for this session.
How it works
Placement, scheduling, makeups.
- Free 30-minute evaluation for players who have hit before: we place them, and we say why.
- New to tennis? Create a profile and get a player rating first. The class list then shows only what fits.
- Flexible scheduling: classes run when schools are out.
- Year-round, except major holidays.
Not sure which level?
Coach Katie Finke runs Junior Development. Tell her your child’s age and what they have played, and she will tell you where to start.