Junior Tennis update

The 2016-17 Tennis season at Barrie North Winter Tennis features four Under 10 House league teams that compete every weekend, plus 6 Under 18 teams, as well as 3 select teams that travel across the province and even south of the border to compete. With each team featuring anywhere from 5 players to 15 each there has never been more kids competing on a regular basis. The sport of tennis has now reached a point that is somewhat comparable to team sports play:practice ratios that allow for kids to PLAY and LEARN simultaneously.

The Skyhawks select teams (U10, U12, U18) will be traveling to Ottawa Jan 6-8 to play both The National Tennis School and Ottawa Athletic Club in two separate club exhibition matches. Later those same Skyhawk select teams will resume their regular season matches competing in South Central Ontario’s North-South League with the U18 team striving to defend two consecutive titles in 2016 and 2015. In March the teams will then be traveling to Niagara Falls to play against The Niagara Tennis Academy and then in April they will travel to South Carolina’s Hilton Head for a week-long training camp that is capped off with a CAN-AM Tournament.

What this all adds up to is more competitive opportunities than ever before in this region. And what makes it unique is that the competition is team oriented. The matches players play (both singles and doubles) all have impact over their team result. Teammates coach and watch each other play down the line in an effort to win more matches than the other team, often resulting in dramatic finishes. Each player has the chance to play impactful points that could determine the overall outcome.

There is a buzz around the tennis club on weekends these days with not just parents but also club members following along to see how the teams are faring against some of the better junior tennis players in Ontario.

There is also a strong foursome of National ranked juniors who train at Barrie North Winter Tennis in the Smith brothers and the Granulo brothers. All of which are ranked in Ontario with the youngest Adrian Smith holding the highest National ranking at #6 in the Under 12 division. Seeing Adrian train with his older brother Sebastian and father Brian is a sight to behold; hitting shots seemingly impossible for such a young kid.

The future of tennis in the Barrie area has never been more encouraging with Barrie North Winter Tennis at the center of this development.