Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie
Rookie tournaments can now be found online on the tournament calendar. Click here.
The Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie is a national program designed to bridge the gap between entry-level tennis and the provincial competitive junior circuit. Originally launched in 2009, the tour has reached thousands of juniors each year at tennis clubs and community venues throughout the country. Last year over 6,000 boys and girls across the country competed in over 450 events. The Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie encourages players to continue through the tennis pathway to transition to sanctioned competition or enjoy tennis for life.
Boys and girls up to the age of 18 are eligible to play in Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events. All Rookie events are non-elimination tournaments. These events offer beginner competitors a fun and exciting experience with multiple opportunities to play. Events could be combined boys and girls depending on the number of entries. Each player is guaranteed a minimum of three matches.
- 8&U – red ball; 1/2 court
- U10 – orange ball; 3/4 court
- U12 – green dot ball; full court
- U14 – U18 – yellow/regular ball; full court
The Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie is for:
- Beginner-to-intermediate players up to the age of 18 who wish to compete for the first time in a Tennis BC Sanctioned Event.
- Players who wish to compete at an introductory level.
- Players who have not participated in any sanctioned provincial tournaments*
- At Orange Ball events and above; players will need to have a consistent overarm serve and be able to keep score independently during a match. Whilst these events may be the first official event that they have played in; it should not be the first time that they have played a match and kept score by themselves. Please ask the players coach or coaching program to verify that they are ready to play at this level.
*players who have participated in five Rising Star (U9/U10) events are not eligible to play in Rookie.
To be a part of the Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie, players must be registered as a RECREATIONAL MEMBER of Tennis BC.
Players must then register for a specific Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournament. For a complete list of province-wide Rookie tournaments, click here.
Step 1: How to register for a Tennis BC membership
A Recreational Membership is FREE!
To register please click here.
- Click on the login/Sign Up button
- Select Tennis BC
- Agree to Rules and Regulations
- Create a profile
- For membership type, select RECREATIONAL in the drop-down menu
- Finalize account
**Signing up for a Recreational Membership does not mean you have registered for a tournament**
Step 2: How to register for a tournament
- To Register for a tournament, click here.
- Click on an event in your province & age category (U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 or U18) to register
- Click the button on the top-right-hand corner to enter online
Online registration for the event opens 3 weeks prior to the event.
Entry deadline and withdrawal deadline is one week prior to the event. Acceptance is prioritised for those who are entering a Rookie tournament for the first time and those players who have only competed in Rookie tournament prior to the event.
- Late entry may be accepted.
- Tournament Committee may cancel an event if there are insufficient entries.
- Tournament Committee has the final decision.
- Registrants must have valid Tennis BC membership. You may sign up for a free Recreation membership to enter a Rookie tournament – Set up your free Tennis BC membership (recreational) here
- NB All new memberships will need to complete their registration by providing proof of age documentation to Tennis BC by emailing: sly@tennisbc.org
- Players / Parents are responsible to read the tournament regulations before registering
- Players must withdraw from the tournament online before the withdrawal deadline to be eligible for a refund.
- Refund will be processed after the tournament by the end of each month.
- Players who are ineligible to play in Rookie will not receive a refund unless they have withdrawn their entry online before the registration deadline.
- If a player has been notified that they are on the reserve list they will have an extended deadline to withdraw from the event. If they do not withdraw by this second deadline they will not be eligible for a refund. There is an expectancy that if you are on the reserve list and have not withdrawn that you are committed to play in the event.
It’s a lot to ask beginner players to jump from entry-level tennis to the provincial competitive junior circuit. The Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie makes that jump more of a step, allowing junior players to play competitive tennis at an introductory level suitable for their age. Depending on the age category, matches are played with progressive balls and on smaller courts:
- Ages 7-8 – red ball; 1/2 court
- Ages 8-10 – orange ball; 3/4 court
- Ages 10-12 – green dot ball; full court
- Ages 11-18 – yellow/regular ball; full court
Draw Format
All Rookie events are non-elimination tournaments. Each player is guaranteed a minimum of three matches. Events could be combined boys and girls depending on the number of entries.
Match Format
Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournaments use modified scoring formats to provide a friendly introduction to competition and have matches completed in a shorter period of time. Rookie events will use one of the scoring formats outlined below.
| Red Ball |
| 15-minute timed match |
| Orange Ball |
| Minimum of 20-minute timed match |
| Green Ball |
| Minimum of 25-minute timed match |
| Yellow Ball |
| Minimum of 25-minute timed match |
Prizing
Players receive a prize at each Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie event. Players can compete in multiple events to collect all available prizes.
Providing a competitive environment in which all matches are contested fairly is essential to ensuring a positive experience for all players. Everyone must work together to make this happen including Tennis Canada, Provincial and Territorial Associations, players, parents, and officials.
Players are expected to follow these key Fair Play elements:
- Following the rules of the game
- Treating opponents, officials, organizers, coaches, parents, and spectators with respect
- Embracing both victory and defeat with dignity
- Displaying appreciation for a good performance
- Exercising self-control
- Playing a part in creating a safe and inclusive tennis environment by not engaging in any form of maltreatment or verbal, physical or online abuse towards opponents, officials, organizers, coaches, parents, and spectators
- Players are expected to know and understand the Tennis Canada Rules of the Court and the Code of Conduct.
- Players or any persons associated with a player (i.e. parents, coaches, friends or family) are expected to give due respect to the host clubs, their members, officials, other players and any other person associated with the tournament.
- Misconduct, whether on or off the court, will result in penalties against the player.
- Tennis BC has a no-tolerance policy towards abusive or inappropriate behaviour.
- Tennis Matchplay 101 – click here
- Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie: Player & Parent Checklist – click here
- Tips for Parents – click here
If you would like to provide feedback on the Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie, please take the time out to complete our survey. This short survey will take approximately five minutes to complete.
Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events act as a bridge between community tennis programs and competition. The program reaches thousands of players each year, encouraging them to continue along the tennis pathway, whether their aspirations lean towards professional competition or a lifelong passion for tennis.
To view the Whole Player Development Pathway (WPDP) click here.
We recommend that U9 and U10 players participate in a minimum of 3 Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events before progressing to the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars. Learn more about Rising Stars tournaments here.
Please note that to participate in the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars or provincial sanctioned tournaments, players will have to upgrade their Tennis BC membership on their Tournament Software website account.
If you have any further questions about the Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie, please email dwrighton@tennisbc.org
- Tournament Director Checklist – click here
For more information on hosting a Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournament at your club, please email dwrighton@tennisbc.org
