MOULTRIE — A group of parents that wants its children to be able to play tennis year-round in Moultrie has started a USTA Junior Team Tennis program and early results appear promising.

According to organizer David Oaks, 123 youngsters have registered for the program, which will begin team play on Thursday.

Each team includes four girls and four boys. The Colquitt County program has three 12-and-under teams, four 14-and-under teams and nine 18-and-under teams.

There were not enough players for 10-and-under teams.

“I’m just amazed at the interest,” Oaks said. “It’s been incredible.

“And it’s going to be great for the kids.”

Team play will continue through May and June. Teams can advance to state, sectional and national competition.

Oaks said a team from the new program in Valdosta recently won a national championship.

Players also will be able to take part in Georgia Recreation and Parks Association district and state tournaments and the annual City Tennis Tournament sponsored by the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Department.

The USTA program will resume in the fall and will allow the players to compete until the high school and middle school seasons begin in February.

Several Colquitt County parents have been taking their children to USTA tournaments in Bainbridge, Valdosta and Albany for several years.

This year, several contacted USTA, which send a representative to meet with the locals to begin the process of organizing a local program.

Part of the impetus for the starting the program came from the success of the Colquitt County middle school’s boys tennis team, which won all four of its regular-season matches by 5-0 scores.

In the conference tournament, the middle school Packers won four more matches: three by 5-0 scores and the other by a 4-1 score.

“The goal is to have kids play year-round,” Oaks said. “We have kids who put the racket down (after the high school or middle school season) and don’t play again until next January or February.

“But next February, they’ll have played all year. That’s something that hasn’t happened here before.”

The Colquitt County High School teams ultimately will benefit from the additional court time the young players will get in the program and Packers coach Grant Hammack has encouraged participation.

The program will be administered by the Colquitt Tennis Association and its local board. Matches are scheduled to be played on Thursday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Jim Buck Goff Recreation Complex courts.

Players from Moultrie, Camilla, Tifton, Albany and Valdosta have signed up.

USTA Junior Team Tennis is the largest youth tennis program in the country. Boys and girls ages 6 to 18 are eligible to compete.

Players must have current USTA Junior memberships, which can be obtained or renewed at USTA.com or at 1-800-990-USTA.

Players also must rate themselves in accordance with the NTRP.

The cost is $28 to cover entry fee, the TennisLink user fee, a Team Tennis T-shirt, balls and an end-of-season party.

For more information the local program, contact David Oaks at 890-3738 or david@heritagelife.org.