FAQ: Coloured Ball
What is Coloured Ball?
Tennis coloured ball creates an enhanced experience for young players to develop their tennis games using modified equipment, court sizes, and play formats. The levels of the coloured ball are defined by the ball colour (red ball, orange ball, and green ball).
What is the Coloured Ball Rating (CBR)?
The Coloured Ball Rating is a rating for beginners who play red, orange, and green ball matches and tournaments. The Coloured Ball Rating ranges from R1 to G3.
The Coloured Ball Rating system rewards players for competing hard and often. The system is level-based, so as your game develops, your rating improves!
How do I get a Coloured Ball Rating if I am NEW to UTR Sports?
Head over to UTRSports.net and create your UTR Sports profile. You’ll be required to answer the "Get Rated" questionnaire by answering two simple questions, “Are you a coloured ball player?” If yes, you will be prompted to answer, “What ball type do you mostly play with currently?”
Once completed, your Coloured Ball Rating will populate. If you’ve already played some red, orange, or green ball matches and/or tournaments, you might be able to claim your UTR Sports profile and receive your Coloured Ball Rating.
How do I get a Coloured Ball Rating if I have an EXISTING player profile on UTR Sports?
You'll need to log in to your UTR Sports profile here and go to your player profile page then, click the “Get Rated” button next to your name. If you are under 12 years old, you’ll be required to answer the two simple questions, “Are you a colour ball player?” and if yes, you will be prompted to answer the following question, “What ball type do you mostly play with currently?”
Regardless, you'll receive a Coloured Ball Rating as soon as you play matches with a red, orange, and green ball. If you’ve only played red ball matches, you will receive a Coloured Ball Rating of R1. As soon as you compete in your first orange ball match, you’ll receive a Coloured Ball Rating of O1.
How do I transition between ball colours (red, orange, and green)?
There are two different elements that factor into how a player can progress with the Coloured Ball Rating.
- Transitioning between ball colours is contingent on participation in matches for each specific ball colour.
- To transition from red to orange ball, once a player receives their first match result in an orange ball, they will transition to an orange ball rating.
- From an orange ball to a green ball, most players will go through a trial period, which you can learn more about below.
- Progressing within a specific ball colour (i.e. Orange Ball 1 to Orange Ball 2, or Green Ball 2 to Green Ball 3) is contingent on your match performance in that ball colour.
In the end, there are no set restrictions about transitioning quickly throughout the Coloured Ball Rating scale. Your Coloured Ball Rating is a function of your results. Do your best, play often, and you should be progressing in no time!
What is the TRIAL PERIOD for transitioning to a green ball?
The trial period is an important time for the development of a colour ball player. When starting the transition between the orange and green balls, the algorithm will provide you with a “trial period” of five matches. During these five matches, you can play green ball matches without immediately impacting your Coloured Ball Rating.
After those five matches, if you decide you are ready to play green ball matches, you should continue to do so. Once you play your sixth green ball match, it will count towards your Coloured Ball Rating. In other words, your trial period will be done, and you’ll have a Coloured Ball Rating of G1, G2, or G3.
How do I improve my Coloured Ball Rating?
You can progress with the Coloured Ball Rating by doing three things:
Playing Well – Performing well in matches is the easiest way to improve your Coloured Ball Rating. If the match is out of hand, don’t give up! Whether you play higher- or lower-rated opponents, you can improve your Coloured Ball Rating by winning more games than expected.
Playing Often – The more matches you play, the quicker your Coloured Ball Rating will reflect your current form. The Coloured Ball Rating algorithm is especially accurate for those who often play against a variety of opponents rated above and below them.
Be Patient – Since your Coloured Ball Rating is a rolling weighted average (i.e. we evaluated matches together over time), the effect of new results is slightly lagged. Your Coloured Ball Rating may not fully reflect a recent outcome right away, but it will over time.
How do I find and play Coloured Ball Rating events?
Go to UTRSports.net and then in the top search bar select “All Events”. Once on the event search page, you will see a new “Ball Type” filter where you can specify whether you are looking for red, orange, and/or green ball events.
Once on the event page, you will see the ball type displayed in the divisions so you will know which event to register for.
Am I restricted to playing in events that are only my ball colour?
No. UTR Sports will not restrict players from advancing. For instance, if a player currently has a Coloured Ball Rating of G3, but his or her coach and/or family feel that the player is ready to play yellow ball events, the Coloured Ball player may register for yellow ball events.
The same goes for the other way around. For example, if you usually play in green ball matches and tournaments, you can still play in orange ball tournaments and events.
How does the Coloured Ball Rating transition into a UTR Rating?
The UTR Sports Coloured Ball Rating and the UTR Rating are two different ratings. When you’re playing only red, orange, and/or green ball tournaments, you will have a Coloured Ball Rating. Once you play a yellow ball tournament, you will receive a UTR Rating.
I have a Coloured Ball Rating, but it is not displaying on my profile, how can I change this?
On your player profile, click the “Edit Profile” button below your profile name. Once you are at the Edit Profile page, view the dropdown selection, “Which rating to show on profile?” and select the rating you would like to appear.
