Merchiston Tennis Levels – Parent Guide

 

This guide explains the different tennis levels your child can progress through at Merchiston. Please note that tennis requires patience and that this levels are just a tool. 

Each level describes:

• the age range (rough guide)
• the court size, racket, and ball
• the skills your child needs to show to move to the next level

It helps:

• Coaches know what to work on next
• Parents understand what their child can do
• Children feel motivated and proud as they progress

 

Helpful Tennis Words + Key Terms

• Rally: Hitting the ball back and forth without stopping
• Serve: Starting the point by hitting the ball into play
• Return: Hitting the serve back
• Forehand (FH): Shot played on your strong side
• Backhand (BH): Shot played on the opposite side
• Tennis Track: A planned sequence of shots during a point
  (for example: serve → forehand → volley)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Level 1 – Blue Ball

Ages: 4–5
Court: Very small court
Racket: 19” or 21”
Ball: Soft balls (purple, sponge, and red)

What children learn at this stage

This level is all about getting comfortable:

• Holding and swinging the racket
• Making contact with the ball
• Basic coordination and movement
• Playing cooperatively with others
• Understanding simple “playing against someone” ideas

This is an introduction to tennis, not competitive play.

 

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Level 2 – Red Ball

Ages: 5–7
Court: Small court (11 metres, lower net)
Racket: 21” or 23”
Ball: Progresses from very soft to red balls

Red Ball – Stage 1

(After completing Blue Ball)

Children can:

• Rally 4 shots total with the coach (2 shots each)
• Serve and then hit one more shot with the coach

When they can do this consistently, they move to Stage 2.

 

Red Ball – Stage 2

Children can:

• Rally 8 shots with the coach (4 each)
• Rally 4 shots with another child
• Serve, then hit a forehand and backhand

Competition skills (needed to move on)

Children can:

• Call the ball “out” when it lands outside the lines
• Follow the score during simple games

 

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Level 3 – Orange Ball

Ages: 7–9
Court: Medium-sized court (18 metres)
Racket: 21” or 23”
Ball: Orange ball

Orange Ball – Stage 1

Children can:

• Rally 8 shots with the coach
• Rally 4 shots with a friend
• Serve, move forward, and hit the ball near the net
• Play simple doubles points (2 vs 2)

Orange Ball – Stage 2

Children can:

• Rally 16 shots with the coach
• Serve and return with a friend, rally, and finish the point
• Serve, move forward, volley, and smash

Competition skills

Children can:

• Confidently call balls “out”
• Understand tie-break scoring
• Take part in a club tournament

 

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Level 4 – Green Ball

Ages: 9–11
Court: Full-size court
Racket: 25” or 26”
Ball: Green ball (slightly slower than a yellow ball)

Green Ball – Stage 1

Children can:

• Rally 10 shots starting from a serve
• Serve, return, rally, and finish with a drop shot
• Play more advanced shot patterns with the coach
• Play structured doubles points

Green Ball – Stage 2

Children can:

• Rally 20 shots from a serve
• Rally using topspin and finish points tactically
• Combine several attacking shots and net play

Competition skills

Children can:

• Count points, games, and sets correctly
• Begin playing local tournaments

 

 

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Level 5 – Yellow Ball

Ages: 11+
Court: Full-size court
Racket: Full-size racket
Ball: Yellow (standard tennis ball)

Children can:

• Play full tennis points using serves, slice, top spin, returns, rallies, net play, lobs, and smashes
• Understand match play and competition expectations

Competition

Children can:

• Start competing in tournaments in and around Edinburgh