Reston Association To Build Kid-Sized Courts

Reston Association has received a $17,000 grant from the U.S. Tennis Association that will go towards converting two regulation tennis courts into six kid-sized courts.

drive will turn into six 36-foot courts designed specifically for children ages 10 and under.

's tennis program serves about 2,000 children in group and private lessons, the scholarship program that helps any child learn the game and 50-60 children who are enrolled through the nearby

“Many of these children would otherwise have no opportunity to get the exercise and skills that come with learning tennis,” Mary Conaway, manager of Reston Association’s tennis programs, said in a statement.  “This grant will ultimately allow us to serve more children.”

The USTA grant will be used to help pay the construction cost for converting the courts, which should be ready in the spring, said RA spokeswoman Amelia Townsend. When completed, the North Shore 10 and Under Courts will feature bleachers and storage lockers. Currently, instructors carry all their equipment –including child-sized racquets, balls and a net - to courts each time.

Because Reston Association is a USTA CTA (Community Tennis Association) as well as a NJTL (National Junior Tennis and Learning Chapter), RA qualified for consideration for the grant.

Conaway says Reston Association has been teaching 10-and-under tennis  “before it had an official name. We used foam balls and our shorter courts.”

One advantage of the right-sized courts is that children experience success with the game almost immediately, which was often not possible for children trying to get a ball over the net on a regulation court. Conaway says the new tennis courts for 10-and-under players also encourages outdoor play and exercise, part of the National “ Let’s Move" Campaign to get children off couches and exercising.