This guide explains how to set up a full development pathway on the Programs page using predefined templates or custom programs. Templates are available for tennis, pickleball, and padel — only for sports your academy has enabled.
Independent reference (not affiliation)
Predefined templates are reference layouts based on commonly published player development frameworks. CourtSync is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Tennis Australia, the USTA, the ITF, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), USA Pickleball, the International Padel Federation, or any other governing body. Card titles describe pathway style only; icons in the app are placeholders, not official logos. You may edit all created programs to match your academy's own naming and structure.
Before you start
- Your academy must be on a plan that includes Programs (Professional or Enterprise).
- Configure the sports your academy offers under Academy Settings → Sports. Reference templates appear only for your active sports.
- Optional but recommended: configure Age Groups under Academy Settings so you can map template stages when creating a pathway.
Start a new pathway
- Go to Programs in the owner dashboard.
- Click New program (in the empty state or toolbar when programs already exist).
- Choose a reference layout or Create custom pathway.
When your academy runs more than one sport with available templates, use the sport filter badges at the top of the modal to narrow the list.
Step 1 — Choose pathway source
Select a reference layout for one of your active sports, or choose Create custom pathway to define stages manually.
Tennis
| Template | Region | Stages |
|---|---|---|
| Australian-style pathway | Australia | Blue → Red → Orange → Green → Yellow |
| US-style pathway | United States | Red → Orange → Green → Yellow |
| European Tennis10s-style | Europe | Red → Orange → Green → Yellow |
| UK youth-style pathway | United Kingdom | Blue → Red → Orange → Green → Yellow |
The US-style template includes a note that many programs also track Net Generation / Youth Progression readiness alongside ball-color stages — that framework is not imported as a separate program.
Pickleball
| Template | Region | Stages |
|---|---|---|
| Pickleball rating-style pathway | All regions | Beginner (2.0) → Social (2.5–3.0) → Intermediate (3.5) → Advanced (4.0+) |
Padel
| Template | Region | Stages |
|---|---|---|
| Padel category-style pathway | All regions | Beginner → Improver → Intermediate → Advanced |
Custom pathway
Choose Create custom pathway to open the program editor and define a single stage from scratch. Use this when no reference layout fits, or when your academy runs a sport without a predefined template (for example badminton or squash).
If no reference templates match your active sports, the modal shows a notice and Create custom pathway remains available.
Step 2 — Preview stages
Review each stage's name, description, recommended age range, skill level, and target skill count. A legal notice confirms these are reference layouts you can rename after import. Confirm the order matches how you want players to progress.
Step 3 — Map age groups
For each stage, assign an academy age group or leave None. Recommended ages on the template are labels only — they do not auto-create age groups.
You can add or edit age groups anytime in Academy Settings → Age Groups. Age groups are academy-wide and apply across all sports.
Tips:
- Map ball-color stages (e.g. Red, Orange) to matching academy age groups when you use custom grouping.
- For pickleball and padel rating-style stages, map to age groups that match how you organise squads, or leave None and assign later.
- You can change the age group on any program later via Edit program.
Step 4 — Review and create
Confirm the summary, then click Create. CourtSync creates all programs in one transaction, links predecessors so the pathway tree renders correctly, and tags each stage with the matching sport for your academy.
After you create a pathway
- Edit any program to adjust goals, target skills, cover images, or other settings.
- Use the sport filter on the Programs page when your academy runs multiple sports.
- Link lessons to programs from Terms & Lessons or Camps as usual. The program dropdown on lesson forms is filtered by the lesson's sport.
- Coaches track student progress against each program's target skills on the student detail page.
Parallel pathways for invitation-only stages
Predefined templates create open enrollment stages. Many academies also run selective groups at the same ball-color, rating, or performance level — for example a public Orange squad and an invitation-only Orange Performance squad.
CourtSync supports branching pathways: more than one program can share the same This program follows predecessor. Use that to run parallel tracks from one stage.
Suggested approach
- Create the main pathway using New program and a predefined template (or build stages manually with Create custom pathway).
- For any stage that should be invitation only, add a parallel program:
- On the Programs page, click Parallel branch under the stage you want to branch from. CourtSync pre-fills the same This program follows predecessor.
- Give the new program a clear name (e.g. "Orange Stage — Invitation only").
- Enable Invitation only on the selective program.
- Adjust target skills or goals if the selective group differs from the open group.
- Link open lessons to the public program and selective lessons to the invitation-only program.
Example
| Program | Follows | Invitation only | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Stage | — (start) | No | Community red-ball groups |
| Orange Stage | Red Stage | No | Standard orange progression |
| Orange Performance | Red Stage | Yes | Selective squad; EOI required |
| Green Stage | Orange Stage or Orange Performance | No | Depends which orange track the player completed |
Because multiple programs can follow the same predecessor, you do not need a separate linear chain for every selective group — only the branches that need different enrollment rules.
Expression of interest
With Invitation only enabled, guardians submit an expression of interest before booking lessons linked to that program. You review EOIs and send invitations with a unique link. See Managing Programs and EOI for the full workflow.
Students who already have an active booking on any lesson in that program can book other lessons in the same program without a new EOI.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | What to do |
|---|---|
| New program / pathway option not visible | Confirm Programs feature access on your subscription tier |
| No reference templates in the modal | Check Academy Settings → Sports — templates appear only for active sports that have reference layouts (tennis, pickleball, padel) |
| No age groups in mapping step | Configure age groups in Academy Settings, or create with None and assign later |
| Pathway order looks wrong | Check This program follows on each program; template creation sets links automatically |
| Need invitation-only at one stage only | Click Parallel branch under that stage, or create a program with the same predecessor and enable Invitation only |
| Programs not showing on lesson form | Confirm the lesson's sport matches the program's sport |