SMTC Live Ball Information and Sign-Up
Live Ball is a fast-paced, cardio-heavy doubles format with rapid-fire points fed from a ball cart.
When it runs
Live Ball sessions are offered:
- Sundays, 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
- Wednesdays, 7:00–8:30 PM (restricted by level of play)
- Selected Friday evenings (offered occasionally based on demand)
Session dates are announced in the newsletter and Live Ball sign-up email.
Pricing
- Members: $25 (priority sign-up)
- Non-members: $35
Not a member yet? Start or renew your membership
What is Live ball?
Live Ball is fast-paced and cardio intensive. See this explainer video at YouTube.
It’s basically doubles without serving—a coach (or volunteer) feeds balls continuously from a cart, and players compete in quick points with very little downtime.
A typical session runs best with 5–7 players rotating in.
Basic format and rules
- 4 players are on court at a time: one team is the Champions, one team is the Challengers.
- The first feed always goes to the Challengers.
- Challengers become Champions if they win 4 points before losing 2 points.
- If they win, the former Champions rotate off and go to the back of the line.
- If the Challengers lose 2 points before reaching 4, they rotate off to the back of the line and the next Challengers step in.
- Players only stop for short breaks to pick up balls and refill the cart.
Who can play
Because of the speed and continuous movement, Live Ball is best for players who can:
- move quickly and change direction often
- sustain cardio-level activity for about 15–20 minutes at a time
Wednesday evenings are restricted by level of play so the play stays competitive and fun for everyone.
Benefits
Live Ball is great for:
- anticipation and reaction (reading the first ball quickly)
- net play and reflexes (many points develop fast at the net)
- fitness and footwork under pressure
Interested? How to sign up
Sign-ups are managed by email invitation from the Live Ball manager.
- Request to be added to the list: email smtctennis@gmail.com
- Once you’re on the list, reply to the weekly email to claim a spot.
Please sign up only if you’re confident you can attend. If you cancel late, you may still be responsible for the session fee if a replacement player can’t be found in time.