A new wave of young tennis talent is emerging from local courts, influenced by the Smart Term, Dime and Woodcats International Coloured Ball Tennis Tournament. 

The initiative is quietly strengthening Jamaica’s youth sports foundation by giving children structured access to coaching, discipline, and confidence, qualities that are also causing positive ripple effects far beyond the court. The two-day event closed the first full year of a youth tennis series designed and led by Lieutenant Colonel Warrenton Dixon, founder of the Tennis Kernel Academy and tournament director.

The tournament has brought together 30 young players from across Kingston and beyond, giving many their first taste of organised competition under international standards and uses the International Tennis Federation’s coloured-ball system, which matches the court size and ball speed to the ability levels of young players rather than placing them on full-sized courts designed for adults.

The coloured-ball system uses red, orange, and green balls, each slower and easier to control than the last, helping children develop proper technique and build confidence as they advance.

The 30 participants competed across eight divisions in the final event of the 2025 series. The 2025 series included tournaments in February, July, and October, and organisers plan to expand the format next year to reach more schools and regional clubs. 

Producing a stronger youth pipeline

For Jamaica’s tennis community, the tournament marks another step toward a stronger youth pipeline; one that grows talent from the ground up, one serve at a time. Parents and supporters filled the stands, creating a cheerful yet competitive setting that highlighted how sport can bring families and communities together.

Dixon explains that, “the tournament provides a structured, progressive way for kids to develop their technical and physical skills. Tennis is played from the ground up; your legs drive your movement, stability, and balance. If young children are placed on full courts with fast balls, their form breaks down quickly. Our recent tournament was a huge success. It was an opportunity to give back and help kids grow through sport.”