Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) – Tennis Pathway
The Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) is a systematic approach being adopted by Tennis Canada to maximize potential and increase the enjoyment of participants and athletes in our sport. It provides a framework for developing physical literacy, physical fitness, technical and tactical skills, and competitive ability using a stage-by-stage approach. The Tennis Canada LTAD model outlines an optimal development plan based on growth, development, and maturation for all individuals to participate in tennis.
![tennispathwaybig](https://www.tenniscanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/tennispathwaybig.jpg)
To Learn More about each stage of the tennis pathway, click on the name of the station below
Stage 1 – ACTIVE START
Boys/Girls *0-5/6
The overall focus in this stage is to promote a passion for physical activity while laying the foundation for the lifelong enjoyment of sport.
Stage 2 – FUNDAMENTALS
Boys/Girls *5-8/5-9
The most important focus of this stage is to emphasize fun and enjoyment when playing tennis.
Stage 3 – DEVELOPING
Boys/Girls *9-12/9-12
The focus of this stage is building physical literacy through continued development of tennis skills. This stage moves players from kids’ tennis to full court tennis.
Stage 4 – CONSOLIDATING
Boys/Girls *13-15/12-15
This is a critical stage of development for the athlete/tennis player as it sets the foundation for learning to be a competitive junior.
Stage 5 – LEARNING TO PERFORM
Boys/Girls *16-18/15-18
The participant has made a conscious decision to pursue a potential career as a “professional player”.
ITF Teenagers in Tennis Report
Stage 6 – LEARNING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL
Boys/Girls *19-23/17-21
This stage integrates and harmonizes the complex diverse factors that contribute to performance in competition.
Stage 7 – LIVING AS A PROFESSIONAL
Boys/Girls *24+/22+
At this stage the full-time athlete is committed and producing consistent performances on demand.
Stage 8 –TENNIS FOR LIFE
Boys/Girls *All Ages
Within this stage, there are three types of participants – the new participant entering at any age, the recreational participant who is active for life, and the competitive (or former High-Performance) participant who is no longer training to be professional, but still enjoys competing regularly.