JUNIOR TENNIS
College Park Athletic Club has been in the business of developing junior tennis players for more than 40 years. Today, we have over 1,000 registered players in our youth programs with goals of succeeding at the high school level and beyond.
Our strong commitment to developing junior players starts with our beginners, as young as age 3, and continues with more competitive levels of play. We start by focusing on basic skills, athleticism and stroke production. As athletes advance and master these foundations, the emphasis broadens to include strength work and competitive strategy.
At CPAC youth players won’t have just one coach; they’ll have access to a team of
experts dedicated to their success. This involves tennis coaches with differing expertise, strength coaching, tournament consultation, and mental coaching.
The CPAC team strives to create a positive atmosphere that encourages players to not only work hard but also work together. We care about our players and are here to support their efforts both on and off the court. Even if our players don’t choose to play college tennis, they’ll learn the values and work ethic in developing the skills and love of a life-long sport.
If you have any questions about our youth programs, contact Junior Tennis Director Jean Erasmus (jeane@cpacweb.com).
TENNIS FOR AGES 3 TO 9
QuickStart Tennis is our program dedicated to beginners. It’s designed to promote fun and success for young players by using lower bounce compression balls, smaller racquets, and shorter courts (36’, 42’ and 60’ courts).
Emphasis is placed on hand-eye coordination, motor skill development, proper stroke technique, tennis footwork patterns and fitness, as well as teamwork, sportsmanship, and court etiquette.
Players new to CPAC will need an evaluation to ensure they’re enrolled in the right program.
Schedule an Evaluation or call (847)948-5330
For more information contact Rachael White (RachaelW@cpacweb.com)
TENNIS FOR AGES 9 TO 18
Junior Development Program (JDP)
JDP is designed to develop proper technical skills for consistent baseline rallying. Proper footwork and grips are emphasized. Players will be separated by age and ability. Registration in JDP requires evaluation unless approved by Donna Marks (DonnaM@cpacweb.com).
Tournament Training (TT)
TT is designed for players interested in developing skills essential for competition. Players will learn to execute proper technique in groundstrokes, serves, and volleys. Registration in TT requires evaluation unless pre-approved by Kevin Aquino (kevina@cpacweb.com).
Tennis Advancement Program (TAP)
TAP focuses on drills to improve competitive skills for team and tournament play, emphasizing shot consistency and building a player’s competitive edge. Registration in TAP requires evaluation or approval by Frank Chen (FrankC@cpacweb.com).
Super Excellence (SE)
This high intensity program for high school and USTA tournament players emphasizes advanced technique and competitive application. Registration in SE requires evaluation or approval by Chris Novak (Chrisn@cpacweb.com)
High Performance (HP)
HP is an invitation-only program for CPAC’s top USTA tournament players. All players must have competed in the Chicago District Championships, fulfill the minimum Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) or World Tennis Number (WTN) requirements, and have National and Midwest Rankings. Emphasis is on advanced technical and competitive application. Invitation to HP requires evaluation or approval by Chris Thomas (Christ@cpacweb.com).
OTHER JUNIOR TENNIS PROGRAMS
Match Play
Youth players of all ages and levels can participate in CPAC match play programs, offered as a stepping stone to USTA sanctioned tournaments. On-court coaching is provided where needed to implement the skills learned in classes and private sessions.
Monthly Quick-Start match play uses low-compression tennis balls, focused on young junior players who want to practice their skills and have fun.
CPAC Junior Team Tennis League match play is for participants in our TT and TAP programs, and play singles and doubles against juniors from other North Shore Chicago area tennis clubs.
Weekly Match Play is designed to help our JDP, TT, TAP, SE and HP players prepare for upcoming tournaments or high school tryouts. Includes both singles and doubles play. Results count towards WTN ratings.
Please note: A 24-hour cancellation policy is strictly enforced for match play programs, to aide in adequate scheduling and court allocation.
For more information contact our Match Play director, Jean Erasmus (JeanE@cpacweb.com)
Tournaments
CPAC hosts more than 50 tournaments per year sanctioned by USTA or verified by UTR. In addition to playing host, CPAC also offers regular informal meetings and private consultations with our tournament director, Patty Lambropoulos (PattyL@cpacweb.com), who has more than 25 years of experience organizing and running tournaments and preparing CPAC juniors for competition at the district, sectional, and national levels.
High School Team Tennis
Participating on the CPAC high school doubles league is a great way to get crucial tournament and match play experience. CPAC fields three teams in the Chicagoland Indoor Tennis Association (CITA) high school tennis league. Each CPAC team includes eight players (four doubles pairs) per match and competes against teams from area clubs. CPAC runs team practices to work on doubles skills and strategy, and will provide coaching during matches (college format allows coaching on odd-number games). Have questions about our high school doubles Math Play program? Contact Kevin Lai (KevinL@cpacweb.com).
Camps
Though our junior programs take a few breaks throughout the year, we offer continued training for all levels. Learn more about CPAC’s summer tennis camps or contact camp director, Jean Erasmus (Jeane@cpacweb.com)
GET STARTED WITH CPAC JUNIOR TENNIS
- Players will only be able to register for programs and classes for which they are approved, based on their player rating.
- Rating level is determined by an evaluation with one of our tennis directors.
- To ensure your child is registered in the right class, all new students above beginner level need to complete a free skills evaluation.
- Plan on 20-30 minutes for your evaluation.
- Non-marking tennis shoes and a racquet are required for youth classes.
- One make-up per session is available for students who give instructors advanced notice of missed classes and must be completed prior to the end of each session.
- Coaches can provide specific feedback on how your child is progressing. If you have any specific questions, contact your child’s coach directly.
Schedule an Evaluation
Benefits of Junior Membership
Membership for Quick Start and Junior Development (JDP) are included in class prices. Annual Junior Membership is required for all players enrolled in our Competitive Programs (Tournament Training and above).
Junior members currently enrolled in the CPAC program have discounted junior court time privileges. Bookings must be made within 24 hours of the time of play.
Once a junior is registered in a class, they are automatically be given a spot in future sessions. If you choose to withdraw your junior from the next scheduled session block, their spot will be given to players on our wait lists.
One make-up per session is available for students who give instructors advanced notice of missed classes, and must be completed prior to the end of each session. Please contact the appropriate program director to notify them of missed classes or schedule makeups.
All class times, locations, and prices are subject to change. For the most up to date information please contact Junior Tennis Director Jean Erasmus (Jeane@cpacweb.com).
