The City of Irvine tennis and pickleball program offers a wide variety of classes, camps, leagues and tournaments for all ages and skill levels. Read the reference guide below to help in choosing the level of play best fitting your skills and needs.
Levels
Beginner (B): First-time players learn basic grips, strokes and scoring. NTRP level 2.0/2.5
Advanced Beginner (AB): Can hit forehands, backhands, volleys, serves and keep score. Work on overheads, lobs, control and consistency. NTRP level 3.0/3.5
Intermediate (I): Can rally and serve well in match situations. Work on strategy and placement. Junior L7 tournament players. NTRP level 3.5
Intermediate Advanced (I/A): Must have consistent and competitive playing experience. Work on spin, drop and passing shots, footwork and games. Junior L7 tournament players. NTRP level 4.0
Advanced (A)*: For experienced players with focus on conditioning, drills and match play to improve mental toughness and physical skill. Junior Level 6 and 7 tournament players. NTRP level 4.5
*Need instructor approval prior to enrolling.
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Types of Lessons
Instruction: If the level is by itself, then the class is instruction. Learn new skills or reinforce skills pertaining to the level of the class.
Net Generation (NG): Kid-sized equipment, slower moving balls and a shorter court dimension promote the development of optimal swing patterns. Children can rally quickly to make playing tennis fun. For more information, please click here.
Workout (WK): Focuses on improving the skills you have at that level rather than learning new skills, point play drills, little to no instruction
Liveball: A high intensity version of a workout, mainly focused on "king of the court" point play drills
Match Play or Instructional Match Play: Instructor guided match play, strategy and positioning
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For adults looking to play in leagues or tournaments, but are unsure of what level to play, here are some guidelines to help you decide. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) have created a rating system that allows players to compete against players of similar skill and experience. This rating system is called the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP). Click on the link below to review the NTRP guidelines.
For more information, email tennis@cityofirvine.org or call 949-724-6617 or 949-724-6400.