COTA Junior Team Tennis

 

Captain’s Packet
 
Program Coordinator: Courtney Meadows, jtt@cotatennis.net,
706-338-3028
 
 
All captains must have completed the online training course and background check before the start of the season. Junior Team Tennis is sponsored by COTA, a community tennis association under the guidance of Georgia Tennis Association (GTA) and USTA Southern Section and USTA Georgia. In an effort to provide a secure and safe environment for our junior players, USTA Southern Section has mandated all JTT captains complete the online course and background check prior to the first match date per season. If you have not completed this training, please contact the Program Coordinator immediately. Approval is valid for two years and will not be repeated until such time. COTA JTT will be tracking and verifying this information. Note: Our championship year is an early start program beginning in fall for the next calendar year.
 
 

JTT Committee

 

Lisa Bowen, JTT Coordinator, jtt@cotatennis.net
Courtney Meadows, Program Coordinator, jtt@cotatennis.net 706-338-3028
Missy Sennowitz, Support staff
Jennifer Sams, Support staff
Zoe Rowlands, Support staff
Robin Stevens, COTA President, president@cotatennis.net
 
Junior Pro Committee
Paul Allen
Genaro Angeles
Debbie Beck
Cole Donley
Allen Miller
Stacey Venker
 

Summary of Duties
 
T-shirts will be given to you from your facility for team distribution. Please verify correct sizes were provided.
 
Create a Captain’s contact list. Log into TennisLink (http://teamtennis.usta.com) and view match schedule. Click on the Team Coach/Captain Report link and you will be provided Captain’s name and phone number. As a courtesy, contact your opposing team 2 days before a home scheduled match to exchange any necessary information such as, another parent will be acting captain and provide contact information, or any change in contact information, directions to facility.
 
Distribute Spring Rules and Regulations to team. **It is helpful for the children to have Rules and Regulations in their tennis bags in the event they need assistance. Junior players are to do their best to resolve any questions amongst themselves while on court. If they need assistance they are to check with their Captains or Court Supervisor, not anyone else courtside.
 
Distribute Season schedule and verify player availability. If there is a match date a player is not available, please provide this information to your Pro/Instructor. This information is critical to create the line-up and ensure equal amount of play for players.
 
2-3 days before Match Date you will receive the Match line-up from your Pro/Instructor, which you will forward to your team, so players know who will be playing.
 
Organize snacks/drink schedule if you would like snacks for your team.
 
Day of the match, check in with COTA Court Supervisor if available, and  introduce yourself to the opposing Parent Captain and exchange line ups. Check court posting for court assignments. Record individual match scores upon completion. *If you are the HOME team and not able to stay for the completion of all matches, ask the parent of the last player to call you to report their score.
 
If you are the HOME team, you will need to report scores through TennisLink within 24 hours. If you are the AWAY team, please verify reported scores within 48 hours.
 
Then on to the next Scheduled Match!
 

Captains/Coaches Duties (suggestions)

PRE-SEASON
·         Complete online training and background check
·         Register as a Coach/Manager with TennisLink. 
·         Familiarize yourself with TennisLink. Try to get a “Team Mom or Team Dad” to bring drinks or snacks and help with transportation or carpooling.
  • Teams are responsible for its own transportation. It is recommended to try to recruit parents to handle carpooling to practices and matches.
·         Promote team spirit. Have players wear their Team shirts on match days.
·         Establish practice days.
 
PRACTICE
  • Establish days and location for practices.
  • Communicate fees and schedules to parents and players.
  • Establish rules for safety at practices. (No swinging racquets, etc.)
  • Review Player Etiquette.
  • Distribute simple rules of tennis to the players.
  • Teach your players how to play no-ad scoring and a tiebreak.
  • Try out different doubles teams.
 
MATCHES
  • Encourage good sportsmanship and appreciation for teammates, coaches and opponents. 
  • Require your players to shake hands with each other after the match.
  • Advise the parents that there will be no coaching.
  • Build their confidence. Have your player’s look and act like tennis players.
  • Consider a “buddy” system on the day of matches-using a player that is not playing that day to watch and cheer the “buddy” on. Be sure you teach the etiquette of tennis to spectators and players.
  • Parent Captains may assist players on the beginner teams only during the initial practice matches. If the players are having a problem with scoring or tiebreakers, both captains from the teams can assist. Please do not sit on the court. Please do not give strategy advice to the players. Only help with a specific problem the players may be having. There will be NO coaching allowed for any teams regardless of level. Grievances can be filed, see coordinator for details. 
 
POST MATCH
·         Home team should enter scores on TennisLink within 24 hours and the visiting team should confirm the scores within 48 hours. Please get the scores in ASAP so that standings can be determined.

 

Online Instructions for TENNISLINK
The JTT program utilizes Internet applications for USTA membership and team management through TennisLink. TennisLink is a powerful application allowing Captains to create teams, view schedules, enter scores and generate reports, and Parents/Players to register on their teams, pay fees, and view their progression throughout the season online. **Be sure to bookmark the Jr. TennisLink website for future use. 
 
Team Reports
1)      Go to Jr. TennisLink, teamtennis.usta.com.
2)      Log in by clicking on “Coach/Coordinator Sign In”. 
3)      Enter USTA #or Coach/Captain #, and Password, and select Logon
4)      On the right side of the page, under “My Options”, select Teams
5)      On the far right side of your team information, click on the icon
 
From here you can, you can view:
 
               Team Summary - contains players, team standings and team matches
 
               Match Summary - includes match schedule along with results*
 
               Match Schedule - includes schedule along with captains’ phone number
 
Player Roster – includes players’ names, address, phone number, etc.
 
For coach/captain’s report, select Flight and select Team Coach/Captain’s Report. This selection is ONLY available at the Flight level.
 
To Enter Or Confirm Scores
Helpful Hints
Match ID Numbers
You will need match numbers for score entry and score confirmation.
Print a “Match Summary” report, which lists your matches along with their ID numbers. Save this for reference throughout the season.
 
Scorecards
If while in Match Summary, or Match Schedule you click on a match ID number, you can print a blank scorecard for the designated match. This blank scorecard will list the names of all registered players on both the home and visiting teams. Take this to the match for recording scores. 
 
To Enter Scores
You will need:
Match number (Hint: Print a “Match Summary” report, which lists your match ID numbers. Save this for reference throughout the season.)
Scores from match
 
1)      Go to Jr. TennisLink, teamtennis.usta.com.
2)      Log in by clicking on “Coach/Coordinator Sign In”. 
3)      Enter USTA number or Team Tennis number of captain, and Password, and select Logon
4)      On the right side of the page, under “My Options”, select Score Entry
5)      Enter the match number, select Next
6)      Verify it’s the correct match for which you wish to enter scores, select Next
7)      Scorecard: Enter the date the match was played. Select players in each position from the drop down list and enter scores;
8)      Click Next.
9)      Verify information entered is correct. If accurate, click Finish.
 
To Confirm Scores
You will need:
Match number (Hint: Print a “Match Summary” report, which lists your match ID numbers. Save this for reference throughout the season.)
            Scores from match
 
1)      Go to Jr. TennisLink, teamtennis.usta.com.
2)      Log in by clicking on “Coach/Coordinator Sign In”. 
3)      Enter USTA number or Team Tennis number of captain, and Password, and select Logon
4)      On the right side of the page, under “My Options”, select Score Entry
5)      Enter the match number, select Next
6)      Verify it’s the correct match for which you wish to enter scores, select Next
7)      Scorecard: Review players, positions and scores.
8)      Select confirm, if accurate. Click Dispute, if not accurate and contact the league coordinator for correction of scores.
9)      Click Finish to complete the process.
 
 



PLAYER, SPECTATOR AND TEAM ETIQUETTE
 
      Besides the rules of tennis there are also some important unwritten laws, which come     under the title of tennis etiquette. Tennis is a social game, a game involving simple      politeness and consideration. Everyone will enjoy the game so much more if those       standards are maintained. Here are some of the rules, which are most important:
 
  • Talk quietly when standing near tennis courts that are in use.
 
  • Never walk behind a court when a point is still in play. Wait until the point is over and then cross as fast as possible.
 
  • Always come prepared. Bring not only balls, but also towels and water to drink when it is hot.
 
  • Wear sneakers for tennis. Other shoes may wear out quickly, hurt your feet, or damage the court.
 
  • When you’re ready to play, put racket covers, ball cans, jackets etc., out of everyone’s way.
 
  • To see whom serves first, spin your racket. If you win the spin, the choice is yours. You may serve first, or you may choose to receive first or to pick which end of the court you want to start playing on. As a third choice you may make your opponent choose first.
 
  • When sending balls back to a neighboring court, roll them to the back of the court. Never send them back while play is in progress.
 
  • Retrieve balls for your partner and your opponent.
 
  • Don’t criticize your partner, but offer encouragement.
 
  • Call your own lines and let your opponent hear the call. If the ball is good say nothing and play on.
 
  • Always respect the line calls of your opponent.
 
  • If there is a disagreement, offer a let. In other words, replay the point, even if it was a second service.