Click here for the Winter 12-13 Tennis Schedule

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Tennis Staff |   Summer Camps & Clinics

HIGGINS TENNIS PROGRAM

William Higgins -Tennis Director

William Higgins brings his unique brand of tennis programming to Belvedere-Tiburon Community Recreation. He combines having fun on the tennis court with learning how to play and look like the pros. William's Bio

The Stars & Medals Program:
In our program, children start out earning their Stars and progress to Medals. To move up they must demonstrate certain stroke and playing skills. Just like belts in Karate, every time a child earns a Star or Medal it builds their confidence and self-esteem.

Our Philosophy on Competition:
We believe in preparing a child thoroughly before they compete so they can handle the challenge physically and emotionally. For each Star or Medal there is a competitive opportunity. At the beginner level, we start children competing in Junior Team Tennis. In this league, children compete with the support of a team using modified scoring and rules that make playing easy and fun. Then children move into Junior Team Tennis II and/or Spring League where they start to play Singles and Doubles, but still have the support of a team. Then players progress to tournament play beginning with Novice USTA tournaments, and continuing to Challenger, Open, and Top-ranked tournaments.

Junior Team Tennis and Quickstart Programs:
Players start at the Red Level, then proceed to the Orange, followed by the Green, and finally Real Ball Tournaments.

Class Descriptions

Red Level - Beginner to Advanced Beginner
For beginners or players with little tennis experience. Players will work on earning their Pink, Blue, and Red I medals. Players learn how to play using a larger 75% reduced speed ball and smaller 36 foot court. Players at this level are ready to learn stroke basics, participate in on-court fun games and begin to fall in love with the sport.

Red II & Orange Level - Low Intermediate
For low intermediate players who are working on the fundamentals and are starting to compete in Junior Team Tennis and Quickstart tournaments. Players learn how to play using a 50% reduced speed ball and smaller 60 foot court. Players will work on earning their Red II, Orange I, and Orange II medals.

Green Level – Intermediate
For intermediate players who are developing spin, full grips, and playing strategy in competitive situations. Players play using a 25% reduced speed ball on a full court. Players are working on earning their Green I & Green II medals.

Silver & Gold Level – Advanced Intermediate to Advanced
For advanced intermediate players who have shown a desire to be pushed to work at developing their game and are ready to develop a healthy sense of themselves as tennis competitors. Players are at the Novice/Challenger/Open USTA level and use a regular ball on a full court. Players are working on earning their Silver I & II medals and Gold I & II medals.

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Pre-K | Kindergarten | 1st-2nd | 3rd-5th | 5th-8th | 12 & Under Team

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and League Play

Pre-K Tennis

This class is for children who are just beginning through their 1st year of tennis. Children learn basic forehand and backhand strokes, racket handling skills, listening skills in a group setting, working together as a team to reach a common goal, and play fun games like feed the monkeys, catch the flying mice, and hockey tennis that will get them excite them about playing tennis. No classes on school holidays.

Kindergarten Tennis

This class is for children who are just beginning (pink level) through earning their blue medal. Children will be divided by level. They learn the forehand and backhand strokes, the concept of rallying, listening skills in a group setting, working together as a team to reach a common goal, and play fun games like train, scoop it up, and hockey tennis that will excite them about playing tennis. No classes on school holidays.

1st-2nd Grade Tennis - Beginner & Intermediate

This class is for children that are beginning (pink medal) through earning their Red II medal. Children will be divided by levels. They learn the forehand, backhand and serves, the fundamentals of rallying, listening skills in a group setting, working together as team to reach a common goal, and play fun games like train, skyball, and hockey tennis that will get them excited about playing tennis.  No classes on school holidays.

1st-3rd Grade Tennis - Beginner & Intermediate

1st/2nd Advanced & USTA Red Ball Academy Team - By invitation only.

Players must have completed their Red I medal or you can contact Higgins Tennis to be evaluated. Players focus on rallying and learning to play using serves. Players will learn topspin, ball directional control, full serves, volleys, doubles play and strategy. Players at this level will be invited to USTA Level I & II Play Days. USTA Red Ball used & 36 foot court used.

1st/2nd Advanced Red Ball - One time a week
Advanced players are not on the Academy Team, but work on the same skills and will advance to Orange Ball in 3rd-5th grade.

1st/2nd USTA Red Ball Academy Team - Choose 2 or 3 times a week
2x a week 15% off (save $154!)
3x a week 30% off (save $468!)

The Academy Team is for serious players who want to compete on a team and start playing tennis as a primary sport***
See Red & Orange Ball Academy Team Notes for schedule.

Academy Team Class Times: Tuesday 2:30-4:00, Wednesday 1:30-3:00, Friday 2:30-4:00.

3rd-5th Advanced Beginner to Intermediate - USTA Red/Orange Level

This class is for children who have some tennis experience through the low intermediate level. Players develop and refine forehands, backhands, serves, begin to rally, play matches. USTA Red & Orange Ball used. No classes on school holidays.

3rd-5th Advanced & USTA Orange Ball Academy Team - By invitation only

Players must have completed their Orange I medal or you can contact Higgins tennis to be evaluated. Players are focusing on advanced rallying skills and game play. Players will develop topspin grips for serve, backhand, and forehand, ball directional control, volleys, doubles play and strategy. USTA Orange Ball and 60 foot court used.

3rd-5th Advanced Orange Ball - 1x a week
Advanced players are not on the Academy Team, but work on the same skills and will advance to Green Ball in 6th-8th grade.

3rd-5th Orange Ball Academy Team 2x a week
The Academy Team is for serious players who want to compete on a team and play tennis as a primary sport****

Class Times: Monday 4:00-5:30pm, Wednesday 3:30-5:00pm & Friday 4:00-5:30pm.
Includes Friday Team Play for only $264

5th-8th Advanced Beginner to Intermediate - USTA Orange & Green Level

The advanced beginner to intermediate class will focus on skill development. Players develop full topspin grips, directional control while rallying, continental grips on full serves, volleying in doubles, and singles and doubles strategy. No classes on school holidays.

5th-8th Grade Tennis - Intermediate & Advanced Players - By Invitation Only

Players must have completed their Orange II medal. (or contact Higgins tennis to be evaluated). Players use a full court and USTA Green and Regular Balls.

Hard Ball & Green Ball Academy Team Players go to higgintennis.com to register for USTA Spring Junior Team Tennis for 12 & under and 14 & under players. Ten & under players should join the Orange Ball Academy Team (see above).

Red & Orange Ball Academy Team Notes

Academy Team Players will compete on Fridays in an in-house league team. Team players will receive team uniforms which they will wear to school on Fridays for their match that day. Players will have opportunities to go USTA Level 3 Play Days on the weekends. Academy Team players who do well enough will move on to the Orange Ball Adacemy Team when they reach the 3rd-5th grade. Included in your registration fee is a Jr. USTA Membership for 1 yr and all league fees and a T-shirt.

Academy Team Players will compete on Fridays against other clubs. Coaches attend all home matches only. There are approximately 6-8 home matches and 4-6 away matches in a season. Away matches are in S. Marin. Team players will receive team uniforms which they will wear to school on Fridays for their match that day. Players will have opportunities to go USTA Level 3 Play Days and USTA sanctioned tournaments on the weekends. Academy Team players who do well enough will move on to the Green Ball Academy Team when they reach the 6th-8th grade. Included in your registration fee is a Jr. USTA Membership for 1 yr and all league fees and a T-shirt.

* Affordable Community Class. Generally a higher student to teacher ratio.
**The instructor will meet participants who go to Reed school at the Reed school campus at the Kindergarten bathrooms for
Kindergarten class, and at the 1st and 2nd Grade lunch tables for the 1st/2nd grade class and walk them to the Lagoon courts.
***Bel Aire classes. Instructor will meet participants on the blacktop next to the lunch tables. Courts are set up on the basketball
court. Nets, rackets, and balls are brought to the school.

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Staff

From left to right: Adam Leong, Olga Bulycheva, and William Higgins

William Higgins - Tennis Director/Owner

William Higgins is the tennis director of Belvedere-Tiburon Recreation. He has been teaching tennis to all ages, as well as
training pros how to teach for over 18 years.

He ran the largest junior tennis facility in the world, the Barnes Junior Tennis Center in San Diego, was the Head Pro at the
Harbor Bay Club in Alameda, and from 2002-2008 was the Jr. Tennis Coordinator at the Belvedere Tennis Club.

William is originally from Austin, Texas where he was a top-ranked Open level player in the state. He played on the ATP tour
after graduating from the University of Texas with an English degree. In 2002 William coached Billie Jean King’s World Team
Tennis Junior National Team to a National Championship in San Diego. He has worked with National Adult & Junior ranked
players and teams.

You can reach William at 415-963-2549 or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Adam Leong - Head Pro

Originally from Hawaii, Adam played tennis for California Lutheran University and Wallace State College. he was the Assistant Tennis coach for Justin Siena Boys and Girls Varsity. Adam has 6 years coaching and is USPTA teacher certified. Parents and children love him for the energy and passion he brings to his teaching.

You can reach Adam at 808-228-0261 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Olga Bulycheva - Associate Pro

Olga was ranked in the top 600 in the world professionally and grew up in Moscow competing against such top 10 players as:  Svetlana Kuznetsova, Dinara Safina, and Vera Zvonareva. As a junior she was ranked #9 in the 14 and under division in Russia. Olga played collegiate tennis for Brigham Young University and reached ranking of 17 in singles. Was named a Senior Player of the Year in Intermountain Region. Reached Quarterfi nals of NCAA national tournament. She then played 2 years on the WTA tour after graduation.

Olga has taught for over 5 years, first as the Graduate Assistant Coach and as a Youth Camp Coach at BYU. Then she ran her own business in Provo Utah teaching private lessons to adults and children.

You can reach Olga at 415-505-5087 or email her This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bernard Sutter

Originally from Toulouse, France, Bernard has over 20 years of teaching experience. He is French Federation Tennis Association and USPTA certified. Bernard has taught all around the world, including Toulouse (FR), Martinique (Caribbean), Los Angeles, Hawaii, Berkeley and Moraga.  He was the Head Coach for the legendary Robert Lansdorp Junior program (coach of Pete Sampras, Tracy Austin, Maria Sharapova, and many more). For the last 12 years, he was at Moraga Country Club coaching over 20 Adult USTA teams and hundreds of children from the beginner on up to the nationally ranked level.  He has a passion for the game and enjoys teaching players of all ages and abilities. In his spare time, you can find him walking his dog, Beau, along the beach at Crissy Field. Contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 925-286-6553

Summer Camps & Clinics

Higgins' Tennis & All Sports Camps

Swim & Tennis Camps

Higgins' Tennis Clinics