Junior News

 Junior News

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2008 - Growing the Game - Growing Champions!


Annual Plan
You can’t build a skyscraper without a strong foundation! Therefore, if we can increase participation at all levels of play and in all age categories, we can ensure the largest number of advanced competitors in our province, and make our impact on the national and international scene.
With this principle, Tennis BC continually works to provide more and better pathways for the competitive structure in British Columbia. Tennis Canada has suggested that, for our top juniors to compete internationally, they must increase the annual number of matches played. Not to be forgotten, the “indoor court crisis” is still at play, and continues to challenge our juniors’ developmental needs. 
Incorporating the comprehensive needs of competitive players, ranging from the challenger level to our national teams, is no easy feat. Again for 2008, Tennis BC has endeavored to provide a template that includes more opportunities for competition. Tennis BC will now offer four indoor and five outdoor provincial qualifying events, which will form the basis for National Team selections. The criteria for these selections are detailed below.
Between 2006 and what is proposed for 2008, fourteen new events have been added to our junior calendar. This includes the Indoor/Outdoor Qualifiers, combined with Champs, Challenger, Futures & Progressive events. These new tournaments account for a 45% increase in the total number of junior events.

January – March (Junior Indoor Ladder)
A new indoor format will be used to maximize participation while addressing the need to promote an increase in the number of competitive singles matches. This format will be named the Junior Indoor Ranking Ladder, and will comprise three weekend events in each age category, at which each participant will play three matches.
Following the completion of 9 ladder matches, the top eight (8) ranked players will be invited to the “Selection Cup” to determine which players will represent BC at the Junior Indoor Nationals.
Tennis BC is recommending that during these months, in addition to the ladder matches, each junior plays an additional twelve (or more) matches (practice or other tournaments). This will help BC players move closer to the National Plan of total annual matches recommended for top competitors. As a result, players will be better prepared for the summer season, when the tournament play is more frequent and intense.
Doubles tournaments may be added (dependent upon the availability of additional court time) to round off the indoor program. For more information, go to the Tennis BC website under “Junior News” (Also – signup for Jr. E-News, to receive monthly updates and event information).

May – August – Updated as of April 24, 2008
Keeping in line with “more matches” as our theme for 2008, five National Qualifying Events are scheduled. All National Qualifiers will be limited to 24 players in each age category. Singles events will include a feed in consolation draw from the quarterfinals onwards (last 8 players), as well as third and fourth place playoffs. The entry fee includes doubles, which will utilize no-ad scoring and a deciding match tie-break in lieu of a third set.
Given our usual unpredictable spring weather, and the short timeframe between the end of school and the selections for Nationals, some events will be held indoors and are divided between venues to ensure that all players can be accommodated.
Stanley Park moves one week further into the summer, and the ITF U18 Junior Event moves from Stanley Park to Vancouver Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club, which allows the juniors to play both ITF and the Champs events at Stanley Park.

September - December
Over the past two years, Junior Team Tennis has proven to be a viable product that is now catching on in the outer regions. For its third year, we will continue to encourage participation from players of all ages and levels around the province.
Considering that the league is only ten weeks long, is a non-ranking event, and that it uses an alternate format, we believe it serves a valuable training vehicle that inspires fun, camaraderie and preparation for college tennis. So within the league for 2008, we will also include a “Champs” division to encourage our top pool of players to participate. Plans are underway to send top teams in both Champ and Challenger levels to U.S.T.A. sectionals in 2009.
While this time of year may be viewed as a “rest/training/preparatory season” for players who have competed heartily throughout the first eight months, for others it continues to provide competitive opportunities with the recent addition of champ level events in the fall. Many thanks go to the Member Clubs who are recognizing the value to holding and hosting events.
We’ll see you on the courts in 2008!


Tennis Canada’s Junior National Events

The number of Junior National spots allocated to BC is determined by Tennis Canada. U12 categories allow 4 spots for boys and girls, U14, U16, and U18 allow 5 spots for each.
Any player selected to represent BC at the Junior Nationals must be a member in good standing with Tennis BC, a resident of British Columbia, and either a Canadian citizen or hold Landed Immigrant Status.

National Team Selection Criteria for British Columbia
Players qualify for the Indoor Junior Nationals by participating in the 2008 Junior Indoor Ranking Ladder.

Selections for the Outdoor Junior Nationals will be made on performance in the following National Qualifying Events:
1) Hollyburn Junior Classic (Level 1.5) – All Ages
2) Sportstown Pacific Junior Spring Open (Level 1.5) – Ages U16, U18
3) People’s Courts Tennis Academy Open (Level 1.5) – All Ages
4) BC Junior Provincial Championships Closed (Level 2) All Ages
5) Victoria Junior Open (Level 1.5) All Ages
6) BC Junior Hardcourts (Level 1.5) – Ages U12, U14
All players must participate in the BC Junior Provincial Championships. Players wishing to play outside of their age category must apply to the High Performance Director prior to May 15th.
In the event of a tie in points for the final spot(s), head to head results, averages, followed by sets won and lost in that category from the three tournaments above, will determine the spot(s). Should the players still be tied, a playoff match will be held.

Merit Spots
Any player seeking a merit spot for Junior Nationals must apply in writing to the High Performance Director PRIOR TO THE FIRST QUALIFYING EVENT FOR EITHER INDOOR OR OUTDOOR NATIONALS.
Criteria for selection will be:
· Meeting Tennis Canada's Performance Standards
· A “top 4” national year-end ranking
· Results from events outside the province
· Meeting all team requirements
· Provision of an acceptable competitive plan substituting for participation
  in the qualifying events

PLAYERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT FULFILLING THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF A MERIT SPOT, and that the final selection will be made by the High Performance Committee. The Committee reserves the right to award a merit spot in extraordinary circumstances to a player who has not met the selection criteria.