Which ages we teach
Junior tennis at Universal Rackets runs for ages 5 to 17, and kids are grouped by age first and then by level, because a child's size and coordination matter far more on a tennis court than anything else.
Ages 5 to 7 learn on smaller courts with softer, slower balls. The goal at this age is simple: rally early, move well and have enough fun that they ask to come back. Sessions are built around games, and the coaching is tucked inside the games.
Ages 8 to 12 build the full set of strokes: forehand, backhand, volley and serve. This is where real technique takes hold, and where kids start playing points against each other and keeping score.
Ages 13 to 17 work on match play, serving and strategy, with more live points and more time on the parts of the game that decide matches.
For children under 5, our Ready Set Rackets parent and child classes introduce tennis, pickleball and padel through play for ages 1.5 to 5.
What a junior tennis clinic looks like
A clinic is a weekly session with the same coach and the same group of kids, running in a series of five to six weeks at the same day and time. Seeing the same coach every week is how strokes actually change, and seeing the same kids every week is how your child makes friends on court. A clinic, a class and a group lesson all mean the same thing here.
A typical hour starts with a warm-up that gets everyone moving right away, then focused work on one or two strokes, then live points or games so what they practiced shows up in real play. Every clinic runs with a low coach-to-player ratio, so nobody stands in a line waiting for a turn. Kids leave tired and happy.
About the softer balls and smaller courts
You may have heard coaches talk about red, orange and green balls. Here is the simple version. A regular tennis ball is fast and bounces high, which is fine for a teenager and nearly impossible for a five year old. So the youngest players use a softer, slower ball on a shorter court, and as they grow and improve they move up to a faster ball and a longer court, and eventually to the regular ball on the full court. Red is the slowest, orange is the middle step, and green is the last step before regular balls.
You do not need to know any of this to register. Your child's coach decides which ball and court size fit the group. We mention it so you understand why your seven year old is not hitting the same ball as the teenagers on the next court, and why that is a good thing.
Where we run junior tennis near Philadelphia
Junior tennis clinics run at township parks and school courts in seven towns. On the Main Line and in Delaware County, that is Radnor, Lower Merion and Tredyffrin. In Montgomery and Chester County, it is Limerick, Lower Gwynedd, Phoenixville and Springfield Township. Each town page lists live dates, times, ages and levels, and the courts the clinic uses.
Tennis runs year round in four seasons. Fall and spring clinics are outdoors at township parks and school courts. Winter sessions move indoors at select locations where the township has gym space, such as the Sulpizio Gym in Radnor, and the town pages show what is running each winter. If your town is not on the list, contact us and we will point you to the closest clinic.
Summer tennis camps
In summer, junior tennis expands into full-week camps for kids ages 6 to 14, with half-day and full-day options depending on the location. Camp days mix games, drills and friendly competition, and campers are grouped by age and level once they arrive, so a first-timer and a tournament player both get a good week. Weekly clinics still run in summer too. See our summer camps page for camp weeks by town.
Picking the right level
Within each age group, kids are sorted by level. Beginner is for a child who has never played or has only hit a handful of times. Advanced beginner is for a child who can rally a little and knows the rules but wants more consistency. Intermediate is for a child who rallies comfortably and plays points. If you are not sure, pick beginner or advanced beginner and tell the coach on day one. We move kids between groups when it helps.
What to send with your child
Sneakers, comfortable clothes and a water bottle. We provide racquets and balls at every clinic and camp, so there is nothing to buy before you know whether your child likes it. If they already own a racket, they are welcome to bring it.
How to register
Go to Find a Program, pick your town and look for the junior tennis sessions, which are listed by age range and level. For many locations you register right on universalrackets.com. Township-run programs, such as Lower Merion and Springfield Township, register through the township's own recreation page, and the town page links you straight there. Sessions fill in the last two weeks before they start, so registering early is the safest way to get your first choice of day and time. If it rains, we schedule a make-up session and email everyone on the roster.
Want the full picture first? Read our tennis page, or, if your child is curious about pickleball too, our kids pickleball page covers junior pickleball for ages 7 to 14.
Common questions from parents
What age can my child start tennis lessons?
Junior tennis clinics start at age 5. Kids are grouped by age and level: ages 5 to 7, ages 8 to 12 and ages 13 to 17. For ages 1.5 to 5, Ready Set Rackets parent and child classes introduce the game through play.
Does my child need their own tennis racket?
No. We provide racquets and balls at every junior clinic and camp. Send your child in sneakers and comfortable clothes with a water bottle. If they already own a racket, they are welcome to bring it.
My child has never played tennis. Will they be lost?
No. Most kids who join us have never taken a lesson. Groups are sorted by age and level, so a first-timer is on court with other first-timers, and the youngest players use softer, slower balls on smaller courts so they can rally early.
Which towns near Philadelphia run junior tennis?
Junior tennis clinics run in Radnor, Lower Merion, Tredyffrin, Limerick, Lower Gwynedd, Phoenixville and Springfield Township. Each town page lists live dates, times, ages and levels.