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.
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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.