Cardio Tennis at 20: Keeping players in shape
How pro tennis is handling online abuse and threats
Strengthen your program by treating parents as partners
Local providers are making a di erence across the country
A groundbreaking new initiative launches, designed to support tennis coaches at all levels, from volunteers to top professionals.
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EDITOR'S NOTE
Discussed for decades, the USTA is finally stepping into coach education and certification with USTA Coaching.
We are now, after decades of talk and speculation, at a critical time for the sport of tennis. On Aug. 13, the USTA officially launched USTA Coaching, a comprehensive effort to touch all aspects of coaching and teaching tennis in the U.S.—from volunteers and parents right through to certified and high-performance tennis teaching professionals.
For many in this industry, the phrase, “It’s about time” sums up the feelings this issue always stirs up.
There are a ton of details surrounding this coaching initiative, many of which we bring to you in our extensive and exclusive Q&A with Craig Morris, the USTA Coaching CEO, which begins on page 30. Morris is spearheading the USTA Coaching effort.
But I need to briefly try to set the stage for what may well be one of the most groundbreaking and significant disruptions for this industry. And, make no mistake, this is not just about teaching pros or the two teaching pro organizations in this country. This will have an impact on the future of this industry.
Since 1927 the RSPA (formerly USPTA), and since 1976 the PTR, have focused on education and certification of teaching pros, and they’ve done a phenomenal job over the decades. Now, though, as both of those organizations expand what they’re offering to their members in terms of education, certification and support in other racquet sports, and while both continue to look to expand internationally, the USTA has taken steps to focus on education for providers solely for the sport of tennis, and solely for providers in the U.S.
USTA Coaching is not about pickleball, padel, platform tennis or any other sport—and it’s not about reaching
beyond U.S. borders. Yes, other racquet and paddle sports are tremendously important to this industry, as is business expansion and taking advantage of opportunities wherever they exist. The RSPA and PTR are doing exactly what they need to do to continue to grow, and we all should be supporting what they continue to bring to this industry.
Increasing the number of qualified and capable coaches in this country— whether a parent or a high-performance coach—is critical to growing this, or any other, sport. As has been pointed out frequently over the decades, in virtually every other country, the National Governing Body of tennis oversees coaching education, so it makes sense for the USTA to take this transformational step here in the U.S.
But this also is about ensuring the future of tennis, and of the tennis teaching profession, in this country. It’s no secret that our profession is aging; we’re challenged with bringing in new and younger men and women of all backgrounds into the coaching profession, and also into this industry in many other roles. USTA Coaching, focusing just on tennis, is a huge investment in the future.
Tennis providers of all types are foundational to this sport. They are the true heroes of tennis. USTA Coaching is offering the support and firepower to increase that pool of heroes, and bring them top tennis education and resources to make them the best possible—for the good of this industry.
Peter Francesconi Editor Peter@AcePublishingGroup.com
PUBLISHER
BILL SIMON
EDITOR
PETER FRANCESCONI peter@acepublishinggroup.com
MANAGING EDITOR SCOTT GRAMLING
CREATIVE DIRECTOR IAN KNOWLES
SENIOR EDITOR ED M c GROGAN
ART DIRECTOR CRHISTIAN RODRIGUEZ
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR BOB PATTERSON
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
KIM BASTABLE, CYNTHIA CANTRELL, PEG CONNOR, JOE DINOFFER, JUDY LEAND, GREG MORAN, KENT OSWALD, CYNTHIA SHERMAN, MARY HELEN SPRECHER, JOE TEDINO
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID KENAS
EDITORIAL DIRECTION 10TEN MEDIA
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 60 East 42nd St., Suite 740, NY NY 10165 peter@acepublishinggroup.com
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR JOHN HANNA 770-650-1102, x125 hanna@knowatlanta.com
APPAREL ADVERTISING CYNTHIA SHERMAN 203-558-5911 cstennisindustry@gmail.com
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per year: monthly, January through August with combined issues in September/October and November/ December, by Tennis Channel, Inc., 60 East 42nd St., Suite 740, New York NY 10165. Periodical postage paid in New York, NY and at additional mailing offices (USPS #004-354). September/October 2025, Volume 53, Number 9 © 2025 by Tennis Channel, Inc. All rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logo are trademarks of Tennis Channel, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation and editorial: 917-817-0896. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40+ elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry, 60 East 42nd St., Suite 740, New York NY 10165. Racquet Sports Industry is the official magazine of the USRSA, RIRG and ASBA.
Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/Racquet Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our website at TennisIndustryMag.com for free digital versions.
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Information to help you run your business
Tennis providers, park & recs, facilities/clubs, retailers, volunteers, manufacturers, local media and more all rallied to help more people get out on the courts during National Tennis Month in May, when hundreds of events took place across the country, impacting thousands of individuals of all ages and skill levels.
“Galvanizing local communities to focus on our sport in a coordinated way makes a tremendous impact,” says Brian Vahaly, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “National Tennis Month allows us to put a megaphone to our sport, talking about the power of tennis and the world’s healthiest sport, and we see big results.”
More than 50,000 people visited the National Tennis Month website (USTA. com/NTM) to learn more about specific
events and find ways to play, along with 8 million impressions across social media and other media. Additionally, hundreds of cities, states and schools issued official proclamations declaring May as National Tennis Month.
Importantly, tennis providers used National Tennis Month as a platform to bring attention to tennis and grow the game locally, as dozens of local TV stations and hundreds of publications ran items about tennis, often featuring local tennis providers and players. The celebration also took center court during pro tournament broadcasts on Tennis Channel.
A key event was the second annual Hit to Be Fit Day, which spotlighted Cardio Tennis and Red Ball Tennis. A featured Hit to Be Fit event was held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, while across the country, more than 240 facilities hosted simultaneous
events, with 3,500 total participants.
“In the USTA Missouri Valley Section, more than 100 events were held throughout our five states, including ceremonies where we received 11 National Tennis Month proclamations,” says Manon Eilts, USTA Missouri Valley managing director for Marketing, Communications & Membership.
“USTA Southern continued our extensive financial, volunteer and staff support for National Tennis Month. We funded up to $1,200 for hosting NTM events and more than 430 events signed up,” noted USTA Southern Board member Ernie James.
Mickey Maule, the USTA’s managing director for Industry & Sales, adds: “We saw tremendous support for NTM from leading retailers as well as leading racquet brands such as Babolat, Head, Wilson and Dunlop, all of whom played a vital role in driving business and championing the sport’s growth.”
It’s time to nominate for Racquet Sports Industry’s 2025 Champions of Tennis Awards. Our January issue will mark the 25th edition of our annual awards, which honor the many, often unsung heroes of this sport and this business.
There is no formal nomination form. All we require is an email with some basic information (or as much detail as you’d like to supply). We’d like to know:
• Nominee’s name, location and contact info (phone, email). Note: you can selfnominate.
• Area or category you feel the nominee fits into. If you’re unsure of the category, we’ll find a home for your nominee. (We published our “Honor Roll” of past winners in the July 2025 issue, which shows the dozens of categories. The digital issue is available for free at tennisindustrymag.com.)
• Why you think the person or organization is right for the award. This can be brief, or
detailed, and you can include supporting material if you’d like, but it’s not essential.
• Your contact email and phone—for our internal use, in case we have questions.
Email your nomination by Sept. 15 to peter@acepublishinggroup.com and put “Champions” in the subject line
The 2025 Wimbledon was the most watched edition of the tournament of the past six years, reports ESPN, generating some of the highest viewership since securing rights to the All England Lawn Tennis Club tournament in 2003. Successes include the most viewed quarterfinals and semifinals of the past six years, the most viewed women’s semifinals in a decade and the most viewed Wimbledon Day One ever on ESPN platforms.
The men’s final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz averaged 2.9 million viewers, up 31 percent vs. 2024, with peak viewership at 4.0 million at the end of the match. Coverage of the men’s and women’s finals averaged 2.2 million viewers, up 19 percent vs. 2024. The audience for both the men’s and women’s semifinals was the most viewed of the past six years.
ESPN+ recorded its most-streamed tennis tournament on record. Engagement was up 163 percent and viewership increased by 24 percent over 2024. The top feed on ESPN+ during the tournament was the men’s final, with engagement up 67 percent from last year’s coverage.
Registration for the 2025 National Public Parks Tennis Championships, which will be in Orlando, Fla., in September, closes on Sept. 3. Visit playtennis.usta.com
For 2025, the event will be split into two weekends: The adult tournament will be Sept. 12-14 at the USTA National Campus, and the youth competition will be Sept. 2021 in Orlando public parks.
This year, the NPPTC coincides with the National Recreation and Park Association Annual Conference, held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Sept. 16-18, and which expects more than 10,000 attendees. NRPA conference attendees can take part in a tour of the USTA National Campus on Sept. 15 that will highlight Red Ball Tennis.
The University of Florida’s Department of Sport Management has launched a new professional development course for racquet sports professionals, marking the beginning of an expansion of its nationally recognized Director of Racquet Sports (DORS) professional development track.
The new online, self-paced course, “Personal Brand Management for Racquet Sports Professionals,” is open for enrollment and available to all individuals working in or aspiring to enter the racquets industry. The course is open enrollment and requires no application or prerequisites. To earn the completion certificate, students will invest 12 hours viewing videos, reading resources and completing assignments, including a
personal career consultation. The course is comprised of four structured modules and a capstone experience. The curriculum includes: 1) Maximizing Personal Brand Value; 2) Selling Yourself Through Written Communication; 3) Selling Yourself—Verbally; 4) Networking and Social Media Management. Upon successful completion of the modules, students submit a final project and participate in a one-on-one career consultation with Len Simard, Executive Search Consultant at Kopplin, Kuebler & Wallace, or a member of his team.
This fall, UF is expected to introduce two updated courses: “Facilities, Operations, and Marketing in the Era of Multiple Racquet Sports,” and “Leadership, Management & Finance.” Visit www. UF-DORS.com.
Best Lights, a leader in high-performance LED lighting for sports and recreational facilities, has launched DISC LED 2.0, the next generation of its flagship indirect lighting system. The company says DISC LED 2.0 delivers over twice the light output of traditional lighting systems while reducing energy costs.
The upgraded fixture offers the brightest and longest lasting LED light with a lumen depreciation rate of 1 percent per year over 10 years, says the company. With the addition of the optional Bluetooth Network Lighting Controls, clients can gain full control of their energy savings.
“Facilities deserve lighting that performs as hard as their athletes,” says Best Lights President Gary Yurich. “With the DISC LED 2.0, we’re giving indoor sports facilities, schools and rec centers a powerful tool to improve safety, reduce energy costs and meet sustainability goals.” He adds that most clients realize full return on investment in two to four years. Visit www.bestlights.com.
To celebrate Babolat’s 150th anniversary, at the start of this year’s Wimbledon, the company gathered together members of the Babolat family, including Eric Babolat, pro players, collaborators and stringers for a massive photo op. Also joining the company for the photo was Deborah Jevans, CBE, the chair of the All-England Lawn Tennis Club.
Babolat is an official partner of Wimbledon and this year unveiled its new Babolat x Wimbledon collection, which includes six racquets, four shoe models and three bags. The company also unveiled its 150th anniversary book, “The Perfect Match,” with forewords by Rafael Nadal and Björn Borg.
Astudy from Playtomic, a European-based app for booking racquet sports play, found padel clubs increased 22 percent globally in 2024, with significant growth in Southern Europe. Playtomic’s “Global Padel Report 2025” found that in 2024, 3,282 new padel clubs opened worldwide, an average of nearly nine new clubs per day, to reach a total of 15,933 clubs globally.
Worldwide, a total of 7,187 new courts were built in 2024, representing 26 percent growth, which pushed the global total to 50,436. By 2027, the total number of padel courts is expected to exceed 81,000, the study projects.
According to the study, in 2024 the U.S. added 352 padel courts and now has about 800 courts. Growth remains
“scattered” in the U.S. with hot spots in Miami and Texas. The study also said that in the U.S., the sport is still in its early stages, with faster expansion expected in 2026, and “real acceleration” projected for 2027.
Among the regions seeing the most new courts built in 2024 were Iberia (Spain and Portugal), with 1,077; France, 1,272; Benelux, 548; Italy, 365; and the rest of Europe, 1,148.
Other findings: Padel is now established in over 90 countries; the sport has a 92 percent return rate, representing individuals returning to play after their first try; padel and pickleball are increasingly coexisting, with 30 percent of U.S. pickleball venues now offering padel courts.
The USTA Southern California Section elected Cynthia Neiman as board president, marking the first time in the section’s 138-year history that a woman will lead the board. An avid player, Neiman is a seasoned business executive with an extensive background in marketing, branding and healthcare.
Ajla Tomljanovic, Jodie Burrage and Mackenzie McDonald are brand ambassadors for Original Penguin by Munsingwear, a division of Perry Ellis International.
Darren Wenger (below) is the new Director of State Partnerships & Strategy for the USTA Southern Section. Wenger previously held leadership roles at USTA Northern California. Also in USTA Southern, Jonathyn Young has been named manager of Integrated Marketing. Young began playing tennis at a young age at Norwalk, Conn.’s Grassroots Tennis & Education and was the first player from the NJTL to receive a college scholarship. After college, he eventually returned to the NJTL in communications and marketing.
Canada defeated host country Italy in July to claim its first Hopman Cup title. The Canadian team was led by Bianca Andreescu and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Following the devasting July 4 floods in Kerr County, Texas, the Spring Branch Tennis Association donated medicalgrade wipes to the clean-up efforts.
Playtomic and Babolat are co-title sponsors for the inaugural Anglo American Padel Cup, taking place Oct. 10-11 at The Padel Hub North London. The Ryder Cup-style team event will feature top padel players from Great Britain and the U.S.
The 2025 International Priest Tennis Tournament was held July 10-12 at the Overland Park Racquet Club in Kansas City, drawing 30 priests from around the world. The Open Division winner was Fr. Daniel Velasco of the U.S., who also won doubles with Fr. Bill Ester. The 65+ event was won by Fr. Boguslaw Skotarek of Poland. The tournament was organized by Fr. Brian Connor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in David City, Neb.
Life Time, the nation's premier healthy lifestyle brand, has opened the first phase of its multi-milliondollar renovation at Life Time Arden, the company's latest athletic country club, located in Sacramento, Calif. The Life Time Arden building spans 78,000 square feet across two levels. The racquet sports area will have 10 pickleball courts and nine tennis courts, along with an indoor pro shop.
Hydration expert Takeya is introducing its 32-ounce “Sport Soft Touch” water bottle, with leak-proof spout lid and easy-carry handle. The soft-touch finish is smooth yet grippy, and with triple-wall insulation, it keeps water ice cold for up to 36 hours, says Takeya. The built-in bumper adds extra protection. For more information, visit takeyausa.com or call 714-374-9900.
The USTA’s strategic investment initiative, USTA Ventures, has invested in EDGE Sound Research, an audio innovator with cutting-edge technology that redefines how sound is captured and experienced. The USTA says EDGE’s technology holds significant potential to enhance how fans experience tennis in-stadium or at home, aligning with one of USTA Ventures’ objectives of exploring innovations that can improve the tennis fan experience.
EDGE’s audio reproduction technology—“Embodied Sound”—transforms everyday materials, such as walls, seats and floors, into high-fidelity sound objects that you can both hear and feel in a speakerless environment. In-stadium, it can turn seating into a sound source, allowing a fan sitting far from a court to hear and feel the sounds of match play, creating the sensation of being on the court with the players. Over the past two years, EDGE has worked with other professional sports leagues and teams to
gain insights into how to scale the technology for live entertainment venues.
This is the third investment made by USTA Ventures, which focuses on investing in companies that will help advance the USTA’s mission. Ventures previously made investments in PlayReplay and Court16. The investment in EDGE is its first directed toward impacting the tennis experience for spectators.
Life Time, which has more than 800 dedicated pickleball courts across North America, announced its inaugural pickleball tournament, the LT Open, will be Oct. 11-19 at Life Time Peachtree Corners in Atlanta.
The LT Open will feature both men and women elite players competing in separate qualifier brackets starting Oct. 11, with 16 men and women advancing to the championship bracket. The finals will be broadcast live on Oct. 19 on ESPN2. Male and female champions will each claim a $50,000 grand prize.
Health & Fitness Association New Board Term Begins
The Health & Fitness Association board of directors started its 2025-2026 term in July with new board officers and five incoming directors. Luke Carlson, CEO of Discover Strength, is the new chairman of the board.
In this new term, Al Noshirvani, managing partner of ALTA Technology Group and owner of Method Gym, will act as vice chair; Ahmar Azam, CEO and founder of TriFit, will serve as finance chair; and Jeff Sanders, chief growth officer and partner of Energy Fitness, as secretary.
Five new directors, beginning fouryear terms, are: Shafiq Ahmed, founder, CEO and chairman, NRG Gym Limited; Cory Brightwell, co-founder and CEO, Chuze Fitness; Dimple Manghnani, general counsel and vice president, [solidcore]; Chyna Willman, founder and CEO, Grit City Wellness; and Mark Harrington, Jr., president, Healthworks.
Returning to the board are directors Richard Beddie, J.J. Creegan, Bill Davis,
Debbie Fiorella, Maria Gonzalez, Ori Gorfine, Richard Idgar, Mel Kleist, Erik Lindseth, Matthew Stevens, and Barry Walsh.
USRSA Names MRTs, CSs
Master Racquet Technicians
Adrian Jasso, Austin, Texas
Bryan Ruiz, Atlanta
Kenneth Valley, Cumming, Ga.
Pysan Yenchai, McKinney, Texas
Certified Stringers
Jackson Craig, Warrenton, Va.
Renjie Xiong, Richmond, B.C., Can.
Bought by GSE Worldwide
GSE Worldwide, a leader in sports and entertainment marketing and talent management, has acquired InsideOut Sports and Entertainment, an event production company that owns and operates global sports and entertainment events.
Founded by former world No.1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison, InsideOut has more than 20
years producing sports and entertainment experiences. The acquisition brings InsideOut's portfolio of events, including The Pickleball Slam, Pro Padel League and Major League Pickleball, under the GSE umbrella. Venison will join GSE as EVP and Head of the newly created GSE Productions division and InsideOut's team will continue to operate its slate of events while collaborating with GSE to scale into new markets.
The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) has announced the additions of longtime pickleball pro Regina Goldberg and pro pickleball coach Brad Mixson to help lead its player development initiatives at The Fort, the APP’s global headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Goldberg and Mixson will join the high-performance coaching staff overseeing the APP Academy and APP Touring Pro Program, alongside the recently announced Pickleball Hall of Famer Kyle Yates.
A world-class court begins with a foundation that seamlessly blends precision and strength. Our state-of-the-art posttension concrete system, ClassicCourt, is engineered to deliver consistent performance and unmatched durability.
Our proprietary, patented, breathable liquid vapor barrier is engineered to regulate moisture release from the concrete slab. Controlling the rate of evaporation—especially after heavy rain—helps prevent bubbling and other surface issues in the acrylic layer.
Once poured and tensioned, the concrete slab remains under constant compression. This allows it to ‘float’ over the subgrade rather than being rigidly anchored, absorbing ground movement and helping prevent shifting, settling, and cracking.
ClassicCourt uses high-performance 1/2” U.S. steel cables fabricated with virgin grease, powder-coated hardware, and an exclusive green sheathing exceeding 50 mils in thickness for superior corrosion protection.
Industry veteran, RSPA Vice President and former collegiate tennis player Kevin Theos has launched a boutique immigration law practice dedicated to the needs of international student-athletes and coaches.
With deep ties to the racquet sports community and a background in education, advocacy and program development, Theos brings a unique set of skills and experience to serving global racquet sports professionals.
Visit theosimmigrationlaw.com for more information.
Stefan Dostanic and Valerie Glozman each secured a spot in the 2025 US Open singles main draw, as they won the men's and women's singles titles at the American Collegiate Wild Card Playoffs held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. The new event featured the top American college players competing in singles and doubles, with six wild cards into this summer’s US Open up for grabs. Dostanic, of Irvine, Calif., capped off his college tennis career by leading the Wake Forest men’s tennis team to the NCAA title in May, where he was named the tourney's Most Outstanding Player. Glozman, of Bellevue, Wash., completed her freshman year at Stanford, where she was named the ACC Freshman of the Year and earned All-American honors.
Columbia’s Michael Zheng (Montville, N.J.) and Texas A&M’s Mary Stoiana (Southbury, Conn.), who were the singles finalists, will each receive a wild card into the US Open Qualifying Tournament.
Launched at the 2005 US Open, Cardio Tennis still captivates players while helping providers and businesses.
Twenty years ago, a health and fitness revolution was launched at the US Open when Cardio Tennis debuted at a media and consumer event on the indoor courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Fitness guru Denise Austin led the charge as spokesperson for the new way to play the sport, showcasing tennis as a fun and healthy way to work out, burn calories and get fit … and by the way, to improve your tennis, too.
That first Cardio Tennis event, on
Aug. 29, 2005, also featured doubles standouts Bob and Mike Bryan, along with their father and coach, Wayne Bryan, as an emcee, and former pro player Mary Joe Fernandez.
The Cardio Tennis program was the creation of both the USTA and the Tennis Industry Association (now called the Racquet Industry Research Group). It was led by the supercharged Jim Baugh, the TIA president at the time and a longtime tennis and sports industry executive who has dedicated his career to encouraging people of all ages to adopt a
more active lifestyle. Baugh recognized that, rather than working out in a gym, people could realize their fitness goals on the tennis court, with a beneficial “workout” that was actually enjoyable.
The result was Cardio Tennis, a high-energy group fitness experience that uses tennis in a structured gamesbased format to deliver a full-body, calorie-burning aerobic workout—in a fun and social environment.
Key to the start of Cardio Tennis and its continuing growth was hiring Michele Krause (above) to manage it. For the last two decades, she’s nurtured and expanded the program, now overseeing it as the USTA’s Cardio Tennis Consultant. Also important to Cardio Tennis’s growth and e ectiveness is having a network of instructors trained to deliver the program, which Krause created and continues to expand (visit cardiotennisinstructor.com).
In 2024, about 3.4 million people took part in Cardio Tennis, a 29 percent increase over the last three years. (Consumers can find out more about Cardio Tennis in their area by visiting playtennis.usta.com/programming.)
“We originally launched Cardio Tennis using yellow balls, focusing on drills, with minimal game-based play,” Krause says. “That changed in 2010, when we introduced lower compression red and orange ‘Cardio Balls.’ Now, about 80 percent of Cardio Tennis sessions focus on game-based play.
“We introduced Cardio Tennis Triples in 2014, which puts three people on each side of the court, with continuous action—running, hitting, scoring points for your team. It’s a huge amount of fun—and you don’t realize how much of a workout you’re getting!”
—Peter Francesconi
Deep relationships are good personally and professionally, but it means opening up.
By Joe Dinoffer
We usually avoid being vulnerable, since it indicates we are exposing ourselves to potential harm—physically, emotionally or otherwise. Like the word “surrender,” being vulnerable can imply opening oneself up to danger and loss of control.
A more positive way to relate to vulnerability is to see it as a prerequisite to being courageous. What does (courageous) vulnerability look like, and how does it relate to our industry? Businesses succeed for a wide range of reasons, such as enthusiasm, professionalism, good communication and exceptional customer service, alongside stand-out products and services. However, while all these things are wonderful, there is one more focus point that is a foundational requirement to stand out from the crowd. In
this recipe for success, exceptional programs forge meaningful relationships with both our customer base and fellow employees.
In our industry, customers fit into particular communities, such as general club members, league players, lesson-takers in tennis, pickleball or whatever activities we offer. We know that being open and vulnerable can deepen relationships, but how can we be vulnerable with so many people?
The 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, states that about 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of the effort or causality. This statistical guideline raises some important questions about managing relationships with hundreds of members. Do we focus on the 80 percent who are not too active in our facilities,
with the hope of increasing their participation? Or, do we try to deepen the relationships with a smaller group, such as the 20 percent of our customers who are most active and engaged?
While there is no clear answer, there are some adjustments we can all be more aware of when dealing with the people around us. These adaptations will be easy for some of us and more difficult for others, but they will deepen our relationships and businesses.
Most of us are nervous about sharing too much of ourselves, and we’re right to be cautious. The paradox is that to deepen relationships, we need to show some vulnerability to allow friendships to evolve and grow. Without this attitude of openness at work, we can miss a massive opportunity for growth. (This can include things that are as simple as posting your biography on the bulletin board or sharing your background in an email blast.)
Everything we do ultimately is sharable, but the more personal the subject, generally the smaller the group will be with whom we share that particularly sensitive thing.
Here is just one relatively easy example to deepen relationships, even for those of us who are more private when sharing their “personal” lives. Celebrate your family members’ birthdays at work! That’s right, have a party for yourself, your spouse, your children, even your dog, with cake and cookies, so you can share the experience with as many people as possible, including other employees.
You may think I’m being far too positive when using the word “vulnerable.” If it is difficult to think of being vulnerable as positive, think of it this way: While vulnerability is not considered an emotion itself, it creates an underlying framework for experiencing a wide range of emotions.
Vulnerability is a prerequisite for feeling many varieties of emotion that go deeper than simply “Hello, how are you?” These will inevitably lead to building deeper relationships, and experiencing a wider range of human experiences.
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You’re the parents’ coach, too, so strengthen your program by treating them as partners.
By Coach Pete Scales, Ph.D., RSPA
Whether you’re coaching in a club, park and rec setting, school, or another community program, if you’re working with juniors, you’re also working with their parents. For some pros, that can be a pain in the neck. For most, it may not be a pain in the neck—your relationships with parents are fine—but there’s a good chance you’re not making the most of that coach-parent relationship. I coach mostly high school boys and girls in public schools. While some of the things I do may work a little differently in your setting, I’m sure they’ll help, whether you deal with parents of average players or parents of highperformance students. The foundation
for it all is the respect you show parents and how much you include them. Respect starts with appreciation for their role as parents. You have responsibility for students’ safety while they’re with you. But parents have that responsibility 24/7. They are the boss. You know tennis, pickleball or whatever sport you teach. But they know their child and have legal responsibility for him or her. They rank higher than any pro in that regard.
Although tennis students are my primary focus, and I have a head coach and athletic director to answer to, I never forget that I am really working for the parents. I report to them on their student’s progress, issues we might be having, and my teaching suggestions, knowing that they—not I—make the final decisions about what path is best for their child.
I start the season with a lengthy email to parents explaining my coaching philosophy and expectations, key policies and dates of the season, and mentioning my RSPA and PTR certifications (which require SafePlay and continuing education). By season’s end I always have parents thanking me for the thoroughness of my communication.
Got a question for Coach Pete? Email him at
That “philosophy and expectations” email sets the tone by laying out our approach, that the habits of Compete, Learn and Honor are more important than our win-loss record, and that we are in the “person development” business even more than the player development business. In it, I also lay out that I am the coach and they are the parent, and that even though many of them have been their child’s primary or only tennis coach to this point, they are not their child’s tennis coach during the season—I am. In 17 years and 34 seasons, I have had less than a handful of parents who didn’t get and honor this clear separation of roles.
I also make sure to communicate every incident that happens that involves their child, most often injuries, however slight, but also sometimes about emotional upsets their child has or concerns about other things their child raises like schoolwork. I balance the student’s privacy and trust in me with their parents’ need to know about issues that can have an impact on their child’s well-being. When I report on injuries, I simply tell them what happened, what we and the trainer did, what our or the trainer’s recommendation is, and what our follow-up will be. Sometimes parent communication is difficult. Working on the mental game with a nationally ranked junior, I had
to advise the parent that this junior had reached a stage in both personal and tennis development that they needed a di erent primary coach than their parent. I had to explain that the parentcoach roles when a parent does both jobs were getting too confusing for this player to really benefit from the parent’s tennis guidance, and that it was affecting their parent-child relationship. It was uncomfortable for everyone, but the parent appreciated the advice. We also invite parents to provide healthy snacks and drinks for the team on match days, and help with carpooling our student-athletes to away matches. We invite parents to practices and make sure to enthusiastically say "Hi" when they do come to watch. And we invite parents to our season-ending Awards Banquets. You can do all these things in a club or other setting, too, and it’s even easier to do additional things like having family fun hits where
parents and children play together. None of this is rocket science. But it’s also not easy—it takes commitment and energy to have a welcoming and inclusive parent program. Some parents require more hand-holding than others, but I’ve found that even parents who are used to being in charge of everything will step back and allow you to be the coach if they feel welcomed and treated with respect, and if you are transparent about what you’re doing and why, right from the start.
In the end, you’re the parents’ coach, too, and you can even help them see sides of their child they hadn’t really appreciated—such as when I tell them their child is acting more like an athlete than they thought possible, or a shy student is showing unexpected leadership qualities, or a win-at-all-costs student is demonstrating honor and sportspersonship with their opponents.
I get notes from parents at the end of
every season remarking on how they never had a coach who really involved them. It’s unfortunate. But you can turn parent involvement from a rarity to a norm in your program if you treat them as partners and see your role as being their coach and mentor, too. Then watch parent satisfaction with your program soar.
Peter C. Scales, Ph.D., USPTA/ RSPA, PTR—“Coach Pete”—is an internationally-known developmental psychologist specializing in positive youth development; a Senior Fellow at the research nonprofit Search Institute; RSPA and PTR teaching pro; high school tennis coach; and mental strength consultant to college tennis teams. In addition to his mental game columns for RSI and the National Alliance for Youth Sports, he’s the author of two award-winning books, both available on Amazon.
USTA Coaching offers a connected, inclusive community with the benefits, services, and education to help you stay at the top of your game, on and off the court. No matter your coaching role today or in the future, you belong here.
Through training and technology, tennis organizations are trying to address online abuse and threats directed toward players.
By Joe Tedino
RAfter a loss at an International Tennis Federation tournament, she got a message saying, “Look around, because I’m going to find you, and I’m going to cut your arms.”
with malicious or nefarious intent to send abusive messages.”
A survey by Meta Platforms a few years ago showed that 13 percent of Instagram users ages 13 to 15 selfreported receiving unwanted sexual advances on the platform during a seven-day period, according to Arturo Bejar, a former engineering leader at Facebook, who reported the results to Congress in 2023. He said statistics like that proved it was a persistent problem for young people, convincing him that action was needed.
The governing bodies of tennis address social media abuse with awareness campaigns, education and technology. Anyone playing in a Grand Slam tournament or at any ITF, WTA or ATP tour event is covered by a free service called Threat Matrix, an AI-based tool that monitors and investigates abuse on players’ public social media accounts. A separate opt-in monitoring service is also available for players’ private direct messages on the social platforms, Miller says.
In June, the WTA and ITF issued a press release, noting, “Between January and December 2024, 1.6 million posts and comments were analyzed by Threat Matrix AI. Analysts then verified 8,000 posts/comments sent from 4,200 accounts as abusive, violent or threatening. Action has been taken against the most serious and prolific of these, including 15 accounts escalated to law enforcement."
The press release continues that during the year, 458 players were targeted with direct abuse or threats, with five players receiving 26 percent of the total ising teenage tennis players who make deep runs in professional tournaments often receive a flurry of heart emojis and encouraging messages on social media, praising their grit and potential. But not every reply is sunshine and good vibes.
A 17-year-old from the Czech Republic was called “pathetic” on Instagram and told to “go die” after a loss in February at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, while a 16-year-old American who reached the semis at Bogota’s Copa Colsanitas this year was tagged as a “hot shot” in a post on the platform X from an account that trades in sexualized content. Russian star Mirra Andreeva, 18, recalled in Dubai a threat of violence as a 14-year-old.
Getting flamed on social media is a big problem for tennis players, particularly up-and-coming juniors and young adults trying to build their careers and professional brands.
“We know that there is an issue with abuse of tennis players online,” says Stuart Miller, the head of integrity and legal a airs at the ITF. “Players travelling around the world and away from family and friends need social media not only for communication, but also for interacting with fan bases in real time and building their own brands. But it’s also an opportunity for those
One mistake that recipients of abuse can make is to either engage with the abuser or make the abuse more widely known by calling it out to the media or somewhere else. That actually makes it worse.
abuse identified, while 97 “prolific accounts” were responsible for 23 percent of all detected abuse.
Miller points out that juniors participating in ITF tournaments attend a mandatory Safeguarding module as part of the education sessions that cover their rights and point out ways to avoid harassment and abuse. Some 20,000 juniors worldwide have gone through the program.
Being bombarded with crude messages or threats within minutes of leaving the court can impact a player’s athletic performance and emotional well-being, says Jaclyn Ellis, who works with tennis players as a mental sports coach at Peak Performance Sports.
“It is a huge issue today,” she says. “There are quite a lot of negatives.” Younger athletes have difficulty
separating confidence in their athletic ability from their self-esteem as a person, Ellis says. Confusing these two can make hurtful online comments worse. She tells younger clients to ignore social media if they can—or ask a parent to manage the account for them—and focus on their training and performance goals rather than the uncontrollable reactions or images on social platforms.
Meanwhile, the USTA’s Safe Play program combines education, background screening and policies that set standards for athlete safety. Working alongside the U.S. Center for SafeSport and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the USTA developed safety policies and resources that help the tennis community recognize, prevent and report misconduct of any kind. Training courses for parents, adults and coaches are designed to help keep tennis players
safe on and off the court.
The USTA also pointed to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s “Know2Protect” campaign intended to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program provides education at schools, summer camps and community organizations to develop the skills needed to stay safe online.
Athletes should resist engaging with online abusers because that stops the poster from achieving their objective to get noticed.
“One mistake that recipients of abuse can make is to either engage with the abuser or make the abuse more widely known by calling it out to the media or somewhere else,” Miller says. “That’s an issue because that generally tends to satisfy the abusers who are looking for self-promotion. Far from making the problem better, it actually makes it worse.”
With the new USTA Coaching initiative, the organization is investing in, educating, supporting and rewarding tennis coaches at all levels of the game.
> USTA Coaching may well be the most significant initiative in tennis in decades. After years of speculation, the USTA is getting into the tennis provider education and certification realm, reaching tennis providers, high school coaches, volunteers, and parents right through to the highest levels of teaching professionals.
This comprehensive effort has been spearheaded by Craig Morris, the Chief Executive Officer for USTA Coaching. RSI Editor Peter Francesconi caught up with Morris recently to talk about this groundbreaking initiative, which launched on Aug. 13.
For more on USTA Coaching, visit ustacoaching.com.
Why has the USTA created USTA Coaching?
Morris: Coaches are fundamental to growing tennis and to achieving our goal of 35 million U.S. players by 2035. They are part of the three pillars to grow the game—coaches, players and facilities—and are simply foundational for growth in local communities. Coaches drive players and programs, they staff facilities and drive revenue. Ultimately, they’re the sport’s biggest prized asset.
As the national governing body of tennis in the U.S., it is paramount that the USTA invest in coaches, support them, reward them and become their greatest partners in what they’re doing locally. They should have everything at their fingertips to be able to deliver the greatest and best experiences for players, to engage new players and retain current players. So, it is foundational that the USTA has made this decision to create USTA Coaching.
We all know the idea of the USTA educating and certifying tennis coaches has been talked about for decades. And while we certainly respect the past, we’re making this decision to protect the tennis coaching industry and, therefore, to protect and ensure the game for decades to come.
Morris: This is going to be incredibly impactful for the industry as a whole. As the national governing body, we’re entering this marketplace around education for all deliverers, whether parents, volunteers, high school coaches, staff pros, directors of tennis, all the way through to certified professionals and above. This is for everyone who delivers the game of tennis.
This is, and will be, a decades-long effort. The USTA is investing resources, money, people, benefits and services into what we believe is the most important asset in growing the game, and that’s the people who deliver it.
But while the USTA is driving this— yes, our brand is on it—at the end of the day, this is not about the USTA. This is about tennis coaches. This is about what’s important for them and giving them the support they need to grow tennis. This is about the industry.
Morris: Our commitment to coaches spans all aspects: education, training, resources, recruitment, benefits, careers and more.
Research shows that people aren’t attracted to coaching as a career
anymore, and we need to change that, we have to rebuild this as a career. We need to work with facility owners and operators to put value on coaches who are educated and have a growth mindset.
It is paramount—now—that the USTA makes this decision to get engaged. We must be concerned about what this industry is going to look like in 20 years. We need to protect and support coaches now.
At the same time, while we talk a lot about professional coaches and certification, with USTA Coaching there is as much energy going into educating parents, volunteers, school staff, etc. to deliver tennis—providers who are not coaching tennis full-time. We are working to shift the narrative, where we broaden tennis participation and interest in this industry by having parents help introduce their kids to tennis.
How will USTA Coaching be structured?
Morris: USTA Coaching will have four tiers: Baseline, which is free; Rally, which is $49 a year; Pro, at $149 a year; and Pro Plus, at $249. Each tier is aimed at a specific category [see chart at right], from Baseline, which is geared to parents, teachers and volunteers, through to Pro Plus, for full-time teaching pros looking for insurance coverage and other benefits.
All tiers offer benefits, services and education to USTA Coaching participants, including equipment discounts that start at 20 percent for Baseline and go to 50 percent for Pro and Pro Plus. [All participants must be Safe Play approved to receive discounts and benefits.] Other benefits are extensive, including comprehensive education offerings. At the Pro and Pro Plus levels, insurance comes into play, even tele-health and a health insurance concierge.
We will be offering “office hours,”
where we’ll have coach developers around the country available to answer questions and give advice. Pro-level participants will have a heavily discounted registration to USTA Coaching conferences.
There will, of course, be requirements for each level—for instance, you can’t necessarily be a high school player and sign up as a Pro to get the equipment discount. The Pro levels are to reward those who are doing this full-time or working toward that point.
This is a lot, but we feel it’s just a starting point. We did a lot of research, focus groups and surveys, and what coaches tell us they want is equip-
ment, insurance, drills and activities, and education.
[Note: For those who sign up through December 2025, there is a 20 percent discount off each of the three tiers.]
Morris: We’ve really been intentional and inclusive with regards to how we structure our education. We want to make sure it’s easily digestible, so it’s more modular. To a certain degree, people can build their own pathways. And we’re making sure that the language we use will enable coaches to be recognized back to the industry and to
consumers, so everyone can understand what they’ve accomplished.
So, basically, we’ll have a badge structure that will feed into certification. The badges are earned by completing six online modules, each no more than 20 minutes.
These badges are great entry points—they’re short, flexible and you can earn them at your own pace. They’re designed for coaches, parents, volunteers, PE teachers, high school staff, people just starting out in this industry. They cover many areas of this business. The education behind these badges has been created by some of the best in the industry.
For example, we have a badge that is for parents who want to introduce their kids to tennis. So, six online 20-minute modules give you lots of activities to do with your kids. There’s a badge for high school coaches—how to run practice, activities, structure, training, all of that.
We have education and badges on the business of coaching, adaptive tennis, wheelchair tennis, being an inclusive coach, youth development, understanding competition, understanding the levels of USTA tournaments, ratings and ranking, advocacy, running a summer camp, stringing, racquet service, working in a park & rec, starting a CTA, empowering girls, and so much more.
We’ll cover dozens of areas, and we know if there are gaps, we can quickly get subject matter experts, build out the content, and create new badges. We can be very agile, reacting to feedback and giving the industry what it needs and wants.
What are the certification elements to USTA Coaching? Morris: The badges will lead to professional certification—if that’s the career path you’ve chosen. “Certification” indicates you’ve obviously taken a deeper dive into education. We want certification to reflect experience, leadership and commitment to higher standards.
We have three levels of certification: USTA Coaching Professional, which will show that you have a solid tennis coaching foundation; USTA Coaching Specialist, indicating an advanced focus on certain player groups or age levels; and USTA Coaching Master, the highest level of tennis coaching expertise. [See chart above.]
A USTA Coaching Professional is a coach who is part-time or full-time, and who has completed core education, junior and adult development, etc. Beyond the core education units, participants will also choose from the
badges, or “electives,” if you will. For a USTA Coaching Specialist certification, we’ll have streams around each specialty, for instance, a performance stream, a business stream, and a development stream. The USTA Coaching Master certification will also have education requirements and electives. It won’t just be based on years of experience; it’s a program you progress through. So, based on the stream you’ve chosen, you can position yourself back to the industry as, for instance, a Master development coach, or a Master performance coach.
What is the in-person part of this education process?
Morris: The face-to-face part of certification will be handled by our Coach Developer Program, which we’ve been running for many years and will be building out even more, with more trained personnel and more education centers around the country.
To be able to deliver the faceto-face training—any face-to-face training in the U.S. with the USTA Coaching brand—you will need to be comprehensively trained through the Coach Developer Program. And then ultimately, you’ll be licensed by USTA Coaching.
We know how important that Coach Developer role is in creating the environments for new coaches coming in. We want our Coach Developers to have great personalities, high energy, enthusiasm, and be great ambassadors for the industry.
What sort of testing is involved?
Morris: USTA Coaching will integrate diverse assessment methods, ranging from traditional knowledge checks (e.g., true/false, multiplechoice, matching) to more immersive formats, such as reflection prompts that ask coaches to analyze coaching behaviors in practical video scenarios. These formats will test recall and also encourage observation, application and deeper understanding of athletecentered coaching principles.
We’ll also expand the use of innovative tools, such as role-play scenarios powered by AI avatars, to provide a non-intimidating experience where coaches can practice decision-making and communication. In-person workshops feature portfolio assignments, where coaches complete written tasks and submit video evidence of on-court instruction to demonstrate real-world application.
As coaches progress to more advanced levels, such as the Applied Coaching Skills badge, assessments
will require deeper reflection, realtime tactical/technical application, and structured portfolio submissions.
Between the online education and in-person courses, this sounds like a lot to manage.
Morris: Everything will be housed in one central place—our Learning Management System (LMS). The LMS, which will be available in Q4 as part of our staggered launch, will be constantly dropping new content and badges as we evolve. We will be continually adding new modules based on what is being requested by the industry. We will also be licensing great content from experts in the particular field. By having this all housed in the LMS, we can reward and recognize everything the coaches complete back to the industry.
In addition to education and badges, all registrations for in-person courses, and many other things, will sit on the LMS. There will also be a huge resource center. We plan to have discussion boards, a job board, events calendar, social channels.
Where is USTA Coaching getting its curriculum?
Morris: We have had subject matter experts from across the industry that have built out the content for USTA Coaching—we haven’t done that internally. I have to give a big shoutout to Butch Staples, who has been instrumental in helping to drive our education and the courses and modules we’ll use.
Of course, there have been many other industry leaders who have had input into the development of the pathways and content, such as Jorge Capestany, Ajay Pant, Kim Bastable, Scott McCulloch, Simon Gale and Brian Parkkonen, to name just a few.
Based on extensive research, the comprehensive nature of our education will position USTA Coaching far differently to what’s been going on in this industry. It will be specific for
people to be able to choose and create their own journey in this industry.
Morris: Not everything is dropping at once. We officially launched to providers on Aug. 13, which is when they can start signing up for the benefits package that is relevant to their needs. We will have extensive engagement efforts planned, with events, webinars and direct-to-inbox content that we will be serving up before the LMS launches later in the fall.
When the LMS goes live in Q4, we’ll be looking to drive the badge structure, where people can start to engage in the education. The face-to-face training will begin in Q1 2026, with a series of workshops available from Intro to Coaching, Developing Junior and Adult players and Advanced Coaching skills, to name a few.
How do providers get started with USTA Coaching?
Morris: For those interested in getting into coaching, go online [ustacoaching.com] and answer some basic onboarding questions, which will point you in the right direction and to the right package. After that, you’d simply go in and start to engage with the online courses and the badges after the release in Q4.
Then, working with our Coach Developers, we’ll have face-to-face courses around the country that combine with the online education and badges. We’re also working with the USTA Sections to build out calendars for these face-to-face courses, so they can be easily available to USTA Coaching participants.
After a while, based on what you’ve done, the website will start to make recommendations for more badges or a face-to-face workshop, serving up suggestions that are aligned with the pathway you’re working on. The beauty of what we’re building is that you can engage with the education—
whether online or in-person—on your terms and on your timeline.
There must be some sort of “equivalency” for coaches who have progressed in PTR and RSPA, right?
Morris: We’ve built an inclusive equivalency program to recognize past education and certification achievements. If coaches choose to participate and be recognized by USTA Coaching, we’re making that as easy and as transparent as possible.
While we can’t go into all the details here [see chart below], suffice to say that if you’ve reached particular levels in current professional domestic and international organizations, you’ll be able to receive USTA Coaching Development Badges for your work, all the way up to a USTA Coaching Master level.
Let’s talk about the PTR and RSPA. Where does USTA Coaching fit in with what this industry has had for decades?
Morris: Right now, we have two organizations that deliver education to coaches. And they deal with all racquet sports, so they’re not focusing just on tennis. They’re also both international organizations. I have a lot
of respect for their business decisions here—they’re doing what they need to do to grow. There’s clearly a market for them to go into other racquet sports like they have.
But USTA Coaching will be the only organization in the U.S. that is focused solely on tennis coaches in America. Our focus is only on the tennis industry and the tennis coaching industry in the U.S.
What does this mean? It means we will not write a curriculum for pickleball or padel or other racquet sports. Our plan is to recognize back into our system other racquet sports qualifications or certifications because we know and support that coaches are diversifying their revenue, but our resources are going to be on tennis and tennis coaches in America—and in America only. This approach allows us to make the impact we need for tennis, while embracing other racquet sports.
What is the relationship now with the PTR and RSPA?
Morris: We have a very good relationship with both entities. For several years the USTA had an accreditation program, which was sunset earlier this year. We made the decision to shift away from accrediting organizations. Now, we plan to introduce a new
USTA Coaching Education Recognition Program where we’ll recognize coaching education and courses, not organizations. Entities like RSPA and PTR—and others, too—may choose to have their courses recognized by USTA Coaching through a new process we plan to introduce in 2026. When you recognize courses rather than accrediting whole organizations, it allows you to identify the best education that will complement what we’re trying to do with USTA Coaching. It is a more inclusive approach in which the coaches will benefit.
How will USTA Coaching handle recruiting into this industry?
Morris: As we work on our strategy for 2026, we’ll be very intentional about recruitment, particularly of bringing high school and college players into this industry. We know in the next couple of decades we need to embrace a new generation, and we need to start to introduce this age demographic now into the industry, for both men and women and people of diverse backgrounds.
How do the USTA Sections play into this?
Morris: The Sections will play a key and fundamental role. We have had many individual calls with each of the Sections about how they would like to be engaged based on their strategy. The feedback’s been fabulous. They can really identify things like workshop delivery, coaching services, our Coach Developer network, diverse coach recruitment. This is a very different approach than how we’ve worked with Sections in the past. We know at National we can’t have those local relationships the Sections have, which are essential to growing this sport.
What is the USTA Coaching Serve & Lead Program?
Morris: We’ve identified about 100
influential coaches around the U.S. who will act like our ambassadors to help drive awareness of USTA Coaching and its value.
And we’ll be building out USTA Coaching Education Centers around the country, to have regional opportunities for coaches to attend workshops. It also gives us an opportunity to work directly with great facilities across the country.
Morris: The feedback we’re getting has been incredibly positive, confirming that this is the way to go. We’ve had a tremendous, positive response from manufacturers.
Right now, Babolat, Head and Wilson are all on board to support the benefits offered as part of USTA Coaching, and we have others waiting at the door. To have the industry offer discounts of up to 50 percent for professional coaches, whether you’re with Babolat, Head or Wilson, has been fantastic. Never has the industry, or
>“The USTA’s commitment to lead the way in coaching education marks a defining moment for the tennis industry. USTA Coaching now offers a dynamic range of pathways for individuals to personalize their coaching development journey."
—Butch Staples
>“As the NGB for tennis, the USTA is the organization most players and consumers naturally associate with the sport. That’s why USTA’s leadership in establishing USTA Coaching is such an exciting opportunity—it will energize the game by creating a clear pathway for players to become coaches.”
—Kim Bastable
certainly the three major manufacturers, aligned around an initiative from the USTA and particularly around coaching as they are doing for coaches participating in USTA Coaching. Ultimately, this is all about growing our great game and making an invest-
> “I’m genuinely excited by the USTA’s commitment to developing coaches. With their resources and experience dedicated to USTA Coaching, we have a real chance to support coaches at every level, leading to more players who not only learn the game but come to love it.”
—Jorge Capestany
> “I applaud the USTA for recognizing that good coaches don’t just magically appear—they are cultivated and supported within a coherent sport ecosystem. That starts with parents, often a child’s first coach, who USTA Coaching is smartly engaging to deliver a great experience.”
—Tom Farrey, Aspen Institute Sports & Society
ment to protect the growth for years to come. We’re protecting and growing the delivery system, our coaches, the heroes of the sport.
We are thrilled with how responsive the industry has been to the vision for USTA Coaching.
> “The USTA is a strong National Governing Body, a great partner to the USOPC and an important part of Team USA. It's no surprise they are leading in coaching innovation, building on a history of success and giving current and future generations new opportunities to learn and achieve with the launch of USTA Coaching.”
—Sarah Hirschland, CEO, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
> “The most important ingredient for the success of tennis in the United States is the coaching that the players receive. Being a coach is maybe one of the highest honors I've ever gotten.”
–Lindsay Davenport, Captain, U.S. Team, Billie Jean King Cup
Whether an individual or an organization, each USTA Section has standouts that continue to advance the sport and inspire others.
> On Joe Steger’s first day as a USTA Eastern employee in 2000, the staff headed out to the US Open, where they enjoyed the tournament from the president’s suite in Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I thought, 'It can only go downhill from here!’” he says with a laugh. “But no, it has definitely gone up.”
Steger, a section Community Tennis Coordinator, has always worked remotely in Buffalo, where for the entirety of his 25-year career, he has helped bring tennis to local schools, parks departments and other community organizations across upstate N.Y. As a young 20-something, disconnected by distance from the Westchesterbased staff, the gig presented some challenges early on.
“Back then we didn’t have other staff members who lived in the area, so I didn’t have anyone to help me make connections,” Steger recalls. “I went to a CTA meeting in Syracuse two weeks after I started, with all these tennis volunteers, and was a little bit intimidated. It felt like, ’I have a lot to learn.’ But that’s where I began. You meet a couple of people and they introduce you to a couple of people, and the network grows.”
Over the years, Steger has leveraged that network to great effect, bringing together providers from across the tennis ecosystem. He has enlisted club pros to train elementary school P.E. teachers, collaborated with public officials to bolster tennis in parks, and actively connected countless tennis providers to the resources they require to introduce the game to those in underserved communities.
“The best part of this job has been building these relationships and trying to make the sport as accessible as possible,” he says. “I really like that, which is probably why I’ve been at Eastern for 25 years!”—Scott Sode
> For more than three decades, Grant Chambers has made a huge impact on tennis as a player, organizer and leader in his Texas community of Austin. As a marketer and entrepreneur, he has worked tirelessly to share the sport he loves. He’s served on numerous section and national committees, and has distinguished himself as president and board member of the Capital Area Tennis Association, where he has spearheaded new levels of media outreach, facility utilization, parks collaborations and much more. He recently received the 2025 USTA Texas Community Service Award.
“Tennis has been a lifelong journey of growth, health, fitness, connection and giving back. It’s taught me discipline, perseverance and the value of hard work, both on and o the court,” says Chambers. “Beyond personal growth, tennis has been a platform for building relationships and strengthening communities. I’ve had the privilege of helping others discover the sport and experience its benefits. That’s what continues to fuel my passion for sharing it with others.”
Many of Chambers’ peers, including Katy Rogers, USTA Texas director of CTAs and facilities, regard him as one of the most forward-thinking and dedicated leaders in Texas tennis. “For more than 30 years, he has served as an innovator, advocate and champion for our great sport, bringing new ideas, building strong partnerships, and always putting his community first,” she says. “His leadership on the Capital Area Tennis Association board, including his tenure as president, helped shape one of the strongest CTAs in the state.
“At USTA Texas, we are honored to support leaders like Grant, who live out our mission by growing tennis and inspiring healthier people and communities everywhere.”
HAWAII-PACIFIC
> Ikaika Jobe has a long record as a top player in Hawaii, as both a junior and adult. Currently he’s the director of tennis and boys’ varsity/head coach at Punahou School, is an RSPA-certified Elite Professional, and president of RSPA’s Hawaii Division.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Jobe is a 2001 Punahou School graduate and twotime state high school singles champion. He played Division I college tennis at Saint Louis University (2001-2004), where he majored in aviation science.
After college, Jobe traveled to more than 20 countries while competing professionally for three years on the ITF and ATP tennis circuits, achieving a Top 50 U.S. singles ranking, a Top 800 ATP singles ranking and a Top 400 ATP doubles ranking. He was also a hitting partner for former World No.1 Justine Henin, as well as for Gael Monfils, Ivo Karlovic and others.
Jobe returned to his alma mater to take the director of tennis position and share his love of the game with young players. He is also a high-performance coach who takes part in USTA High Performance Camps, and he volunteers on USTA committees such as the Junior Committee, the Coaches Commission and the Nominating Committee for USTA Hawaii-Pacific. —Jony Conching
> Denver, Colo., boasts the nation’s second-largest league tennis program and ranks No. 1 for annual NTRP tournament registrations, with nearly 45,000 players competing in league tennis and over 10,000 tournament sign-ups. But the sport’s surging popularity is straining the state’s tennis infrastructure, as court availability struggles to keep pace.
In a troubling development, four major tennis facilities in the Denver
metro area have shuttered over the past two years, erasing over 50 courts from the local scene. The closures threaten to curb the sport’s growth and limit access for players of all levels.
“Colorado tennis is booming,” says USTA Colorado Executive Director Fritz Garger. “This surge unfortunately comes at a time when the number of courts is shrinking. To meet the increased demand for our sport, we need more court infrastructure.”
To tackle the crisis, USTA Colorado has revamped its Tennis Champions program, rallying a statewide network
of advocates to promote the sport.
More than 600 tennis enthusiasts have already signed up as Colorado Tennis Champions, armed with resources to push for more courts and protect the future of tennis in their communities.
“Elevating awareness and inspiring our passionate tennis enthusiasts, USTA Colorado is helping local communities keep the tennis scene thriving in Denver and throughout the state by maintaining existing courts and building more tennis infrastructure,” says Garger.
—Kurt Desautels
> Rebecca Johnson, executive director of Todd Martin Youth Leadership, has led the charge to prepare more than 2,300 kids for success annually across western Michigan. Under her direction, TMYL delivered more than 15,000 hours of physical activity and 5,000 hours of academic tutoring in 2024.
The organization’s namesake, Todd Martin, is a former Top 15 professional tennis player who grew up around Lansing, and his enthusiasm for youth development led to his co-founding of TMYL. The organization combines academics, athletics, mentorship and financial literacy to ensure students achieve at school and beyond.
Last year, Johnson oversaw significant program expansion for the TMYL Riddle After School Program, and as of midJuly, the Summer Tennis & Leadership Program had welcomed more than 250 youth, averaging 116 participants per week. Programs such as these have led to measurable academic improvements, particularly in math and reading, for students who have previously struggled.
Kicking off the outdoor tennis season in May, Johnson championed community engagement efforts such as National Tennis Month. She also volunteers with USTA Midwest, where she learned about the section's Provider Growth Fund: $90,000 to support schools, providers and organizations in growing tennis. Johnson and TMYL were granted funds to support three vibrant National Tennis Month events that incorporated tennis, hip-hop and visual arts with community togetherness— celebrations that were just the beginning of a summer full of TMYL sports, field trips and social-emotional learning opportunities. —Molly Kinnick
In Western Michigan, Todd Martin Youth Leadership, led by Executive Director Rebecca Johnson, is preparing thousands of kids for success every year.
> Jakob Esterowitz and Jonah Dickson, Division l doubles partners at Boston University, share a passion for tennis, fashion and the environment. The duo, full-time student-athletes and entrepreneurs, co-founded Orobor, a sustainable startup that turns discarded tennis strings into high-quality polyester yarn for clothing manufacturing. The name “Orobor” draws inspiration from the ancient symbol of the ouroboros, a snake that eats its tail, representing an infinite cycle, symbolic of the pair’s efforts to create a circular economy that links tennis and textiles.
Esterowitz, who had been running a fashion brand, began questioning the origins of his materials. “When my manufacturer couldn’t tell me where the fabric was coming from, I dug deeper,” he says. What he found was a fashion industry riddled with environmental challenges, and a tennis world generating millions of pounds of waste in the form of broken polyester strings.
At present, Orobor is collecting used strings from more than 70 locations across the U.S. and is running pilot tests at two universities to convert the strings to yarn. The process prevents microplastics from entering the environment and reduces carbon emissions by up to 50 percent compared to the production of virgin polyester.
The start-up has been gaining traction within the tennis community and has also received support from BU’s Innovate@BU program, earning grants and mentorship to bring the idea to life. The team is now focused on expanding to 250 collection sites and building relationships with pro tournaments and apparel brands.
“Our goal is to make tennis more sustainable first, because it’s the sport we love,” says Esterowitz. “Then, we want to take everything we’ve learned and apply it to other industries.”—Wornden Ly
> If you hear a steady thwack of tennis balls across Las Cruces, N.M., courts, chances are Art Fierro had something to do with it. His boundless energy and willingness to roll up his sleeves and make things happen has immediately cemented him as one of the true heartbeats of the town’s tennis community.
Fierro arrived in Las Cruces a couple of years ago and wasted little time. He found USTA League Tennis and became a team captain. He took on the role of the USTA Flex League coordinator in Las Cruces. As co-coordinator of the Las Cruces Tennis Players Association’s Tennis 123 starter program, he’s also helped build a welcoming on-ramp for new adult players.
But it’s Fierro’s impact on youth programs that has become his true calling card. He’s a helpful middle school tennis coach, nurturing young talent and teaching life and on-court lessons. With partner Bruce Begor and local coach Judy Harlas, the Las Cruces Middle School League they’ve implemented has quickly become something to behold. Fiero also helped launch a program to introduce tennis at the Las Cruces Boys/ Girls Club and has attempted “Hit to Be Fit” events and an assortment of holiday-themed tennis events. To top it off, he’s jumpstarted Red Ball Tennis pilot programs, Kids’ Expos at farmer markets, and works with New Mexico State University. Any idea he thinks can promote tennis, Fiero will help serve it up with zeal.
In 2024, Fierro was elected to the USTA Southwest board as director at large, and was named the section’s Volunteer of the Year—a testament to the big splash he’s made in such a short time. —Jeff Sikes
> From the moment Nancy Wilkins picked up a racquet, tennis became a lifelong passion she couldn't wait to share.
“Teaching was all I wanted to do,” says Wilkins, who is the director of tennis at Ron Jaworski’s RiverWinds Golf and Tennis Club in West Deptford, N.J.
Decades later, she remains just as enthusiastic about the game as when she first started—and those who work with her aren’t surprised. She’s known for her dedication and generosity for both the sport and the people around her. That combination has not only made her a respected tennis professional, but also a long-serving, highly valued volunteer.
A former Middle States board president and current section delegate, Wilkins leads in areas that matter most to her, primarily adaptive and inclusive tennis. She created the National Adaptive Championships and is a member of the USTA Adaptive Committee, and has been involved with Special Olympics since 1988. She has also coached, volunteered and advocated for increased visibility and opportunities in the space for more than three decades.
No matter the issue, Wilkins continues to be a guiding voice and problem-solver.
“I’m as excited today as I’ve ever been,” she says. “We have a long way to go, and I’m excited to be here for it.”—Katie Miness
> A new adaptive tennis initiative is gaining momentum, thanks to a partnership between two non-profit organizations: USTA Pacific Northwest and Access Tennis Seattle. Together, they are expanding wheelchair tennis opportunities and building community through the sport across the Puget Sound region.
ATS launched programming at three area tennis centers, aiming to make the sport more inclusive and welcoming. Still in its early stages, the program currently offers weekly wheelchair tennis sessions at Galbraith Tennis Center in Tacoma through a partnership with USTA PNW, along with additional programming at Robinswood Tennis Center in Bellevue and Tennis Center Sand Point in Seattle.
One of the goals of ATS is to reduce transportation barriers by ensuring no participant has to travel more than 30 minutes to attend a session. By offering programming at multiple sites, the organization is creating more consistent, convenient access for adaptive athletes.
“One of the most rewarding things about tennis is how accessible the sport is as an impactful vehicle for physical and social activity for players of all skill levels and abilities,” says Sanja Lemes, the director of tennis and delivery for USTA PNW.
What began as a shared vision between three passionate advocates—ATS cofounders Anthony Anderson, Johann Tan and Dan James—has become a growing movement that’s redefining what access to tennis can look like. As ATS and USTA PNW continue working together to expand opportunities for adaptive athletes, the message is clear: Everyone deserves a place on the court.
One of the most rewarding things is how accessible the sport is as a vehicle for physical and social activity.
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> In the heart of North Minneapolis, a bold movement rooted in culture, connection and love for the sport of tennis is reshaping what community development looks like. Welcome to Camdentown Tennis Club, a social tennis club that is a vibrant, thriving hub that, at its core, is a growing community of culture-makers committed to creating a new blueprint for neighborhood development in which inclusivity, identity and recreation go hand-in-hand.
Founded by entrepreneur Houston White, Camdentown Tennis Club was born from his larger dream of cultivating a center for Black culture in the Twin Cities. A serendipitous meeting with Mark Encell, an RSPA teaching professional and Tennis In Your Park instructor, brought that vision onto the tennis court. Together, with the leadership of Jared Florell, director of the club, they built a dynamic, inviting space where everyone is welcome.
At Camdentown Tennis Club, the focus is simple: Grow the game by sharing its joy, one racquet swing at a time. Through approachable, community-forward programming and “pull-up-and-play” events, the club introduces tennis to new faces and places in ways that feel exciting, inclusive and fun.
In 2024, the club received the Wolfenson-Ratner Community Service Award from USTA Northern, recognizing exceptional work in expanding tennis through grassroots programming in parks, schools and neighborhoods. —Amanda Stewart
> Kevin Heim represented the U.S. as one of Team USA’s wheelchair tennis coaches at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, an experience he called “transformational.” He guided elite wheelchair athletes on the red clay at Roland Garros, including USTA Missouri Valley star Casey Ratzla .
While Paris was Heim’s first Paralympics, he’s no stranger to coaching at the international level. He has been a national coach since 2016 and on multiple occasions has led Team USA at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup—wheelchair tennis’s equivalent to the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.
In May, Heim coached the U.S. Junior Wheelchair team to a silver medal at the 2025 BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Turkey. In 2023, he was selected as the Paralympic Coach of the Year, one year after his induction into the USTA Nebraska Hall of Fame.
“There are a lot of other people who are very qualified but never get this opportunity,” says Heim. “I wasn’t even searching for it, and here I am representing the country and working with these top-level athletes.”
Back home, Heim is executive director of Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln, which serves more than 12,000 tennis patrons. Under his direction, Woods has expanded its wheelchair, adaptive, club and USTA League o erings, as well as junior tournament participation and community involvement. —Josh Sellmeyer
There are a lot of people who are very qualified but never get this opportunity to work with top-level athletes.
> When tennis players step onto the court, they often face more than just their opponents; they battle internal struggles and silent challenges. For Mike Reiney and Bill Sharp, co-founders of the nonprofit Ace the Stigma, tennis has become a platform to support mental health.
Founded in memory of Mike’s brother, Chuck Reiney, a beloved figure in Charlotte’s tennis community who struggled with mental health, ATS aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma and build a supportive tennis network. Chuck sadly took his own life in 2021, but friends and family inspired Mike and Bill to turn grief into action, launching ATS.
Ace the Stigma (acethestigma. com) hosts tennis events that include educational segments, professional mental health resources and communitybuilding activities. These events normalize mental health conversations and encourage players to support one another. To date, ATS has raised over $250,000, with $190,000 distributed to mental health organizations for therapy, outreach and education.
This past June, ATS held its first Florida event at the Yacht Club Tennis facility in Jacksonville, combining education and fun in Chuck’s memory. All proceeds supported local mental health initiatives.
—Jaret Kappelman
ATTEND THE COACH INCLUSION SUMMIT
DECEMBER 5 - 7
USTA NATIONAL CAMPUS IN ORLANDO
This Coach Inclusion Summit welcomes current coaches at all levels of experience, as well as those aspiring to coach. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just beginning as a community coach, you’ll gain valuable skills, insights, and connections to advance your career.
Through the lens of inclusion and belonging, the summit aims to support growth and development of coaches from all backgrounds, providing the tools and resources necessary for them to be successful and help their players thrive.
> At 58, Pasadena’s Tanya Robinson decided it was time to try tennis, despite never having picked up a racquet. Inspired by Roger Federer’s game, she joined group lessons and quickly fell in love with the sport. Just four years later, she is now a certified coach with the Pasadena Tennis Association and LoveSetMatch, both USTA Foundation NJTL programs.
“I jumped in with both feet. Tennis changed my whole outlook on life,” Robinson says.
Now launching a five-week Red Ball Tennis adult program in Pasadena, she is eager to help others find joy in the game.
“I’m pretty much the poster child for inclusion,” she says. “As a gay, Black, senior woman, I want people to realize these things aren’t obstacles in picking up tennis.”
A lifelong athlete, singer and musician, Robinson says tennis reawakened her creativity and energy. Those who’ve worked with her rave about her positivity and drive.
“She’s more enthusiastic about tennis fundamentals and understanding than any other online student,” says John Craig, founder of Performance-Plus Tennis. USTA SoCal’s Esther Hendershott adds, “We need more coaches who have Tanya’s ‘smile effect.’” —Wendy Anderson
> When Erika Moe steps on the courts at Racquets For Life Simsbury Racquet Club in Simsbury, Conn., she brings more than just years of coaching experience— she offers an inspiring story of recovery, perseverance and the power of family. Now in her second year as tennis director at RFL, Moe has dedicated her life to the sport she loves. But her journey hasn’t been without challenges.
Three-and-a-half years ago, Moe suffered a spinal cord injury that left her partially paralyzed. After intensive rehab, Moe returned to the court to teach lessons. While the injury changed her approach to coaching, it did not interfere with her passion. Now, with mobility limitations, she relies more on strategybased instruction, often calling on her daughters Kaya, 17, and Karina, 15, (both top-ranked junior players in New England) to step in for live hitting sessions.
“I can’t be as physically hands-on as I used to be, especially with beginners, but I’ve learned to be more descriptive. I’ve taught people who thought they’d never play again after injuries or surgeries. I call it ‘rehab tennis,’ showing people that anything is possible,” explains Moe.
Through every challenge and milestone, Moe has found strength in family, culture and a lifelong love for tennis. Tennis is what’s normal for the Moes, and with tennis a part of their lives, anything is possible. —James Maimonis
> Reagan Perry first noticed the pain in her left leg while playing tennis in 2017. At first, the Kinston, N.C., native thought she just had shin splints. But after the final match of the season, the 15-year-old high school sophomore told her parents she needed to see a doctor. After biopsies, they confirmed a non-cancerous bone tumor. But in January 2024, with pain and immobility hindering her quality of life, Perry decided to have her leg amputated.
“The goal was always to get back to tennis, and when I got my leg amputated, it felt so freeing in my
head. I'm going to be able to move pain-free,” Perry recalls.
“But once I found out that insurance wouldn't pay for an athletic leg, it was like tires screeching. What did I just do? I’ve lost my leg, and now, if we can’t a ord $50,000, I can’t play tennis.”
Perry’s experience led to the creation of “Reagan’s Law,” legislation introduced this year in the North Carolina General Assembly that would require insurance companies to expand their coverage to provide patients access to custom orthotics and prosthetics. Named after Perry, the bill, sponsored by N.C. Rep John Bell (photo), was unanimously passed by the North Carolina House. It is currently being considered in the Senate. —Rhiannon Potkey
In Tulsa, the Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park added three indoor courts to serve the burgeoning needs of the community.
By Josh Sellmeyer ADVERTORIAL
The tennis foundation in Tulsa, Okla., just increased in size, thanks to three new indoor courts at Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park. The additional courts are part of a $6.6 million expansion project at the award-winning facility that also includes more spectator seating.
Case held a grand opening in April to unveil its new indoor complex, with play beginning the following month. Now, this vital tennis hub in Tulsa County, which is a USTA Premier Facility, boasts six indoor tennis courts to go along with 21 lighted outdoor courts.
To help fund the construction of the three new indoor courts, Case received $150,000 in USTA Tennis Venue Services funding earlier this year, and $15,000
courtesy of USTA Missouri Valley. The facility also received over $3 million from Tulsa’s park agency, and $3.4 million from foundation sources.
“We congratulate the Case Tennis Center on receiving $165,000 in USTA funding toward its impressive $6.6 million renovation,” said USTA Tennis Venue Services consultant Heather Blythe, who worked closely with the project.
“This well-deserved support recognizes their unwavering dedication to growing the game of tennis and expanding access to high-quality facilities.”
Melissa McCorkle, a longtime director of tennis at Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park and a 2024 Oklahoma Tennis Hall of Fame inductee, is excited to double the indoor court space at a facility that welcomes more
than 100,000 patrons each year.
“The process was seamless,” McCorkle said. “And the support and guidance from the USTA team made all the difference in bringing our vision to life.”
That vision began to take root in April 2024, when a groundbreaking ceremony kicked off a year of construction. John Terpkosh, USTA Missouri Valley senior manager–Tennis Venue Services, along with the Missouri Valley section, were instrumental in aiding Case in its fundraising efforts.
“What a success for Tulsa tennis,” Terpkosh said. “Case is a true testament to perseverance and determination.”
For USTA Missouri Valley, the $165,000 in grant funding is one of the highest awarded TVS projects in section history. In 2025 alone, facilities within
USTA Missouri Valley have been selected to receive more than $1 million in TVS funding, impacting more than 100 tennis courts.
Case Tennis Center, which was selected for the USTA’s Outstanding Featured Facility Award in 2018, is part of the Tulsa County parks system. The membership-free facility offers programs for players of all ages and skill levels, including opportunities for wheelchair and adaptive tennis competitors.
Shortly after the grand opening for the indoor tennis complex this past spring, Case hosted retired ATP pros John Isner, Steve Johnson, David Martin and Nathan Price for an exhibition. The outing served as a fundraiser for local nonprofit First Serve Tulsa.
“By increasing their courts from 24 to 27 and undergoing a thorough technical review, the Case Tennis Center has ensured a well-built, enduring facility that will serve their community for years to come,” Blythe said.
“Thanks to their vision and commitment, even more players will be able to experience the joy and impact of the sport.”
Sponsored content. For more on how the USTA’s Tennis Venue Services can help your facility or project, visit usta.com/facilities or email facilities@usta.com.
TENNIS AND HEALTH
After a devastating diagnosis, tennis has been helping ease the burden.
By Joanna Beall
Until recently, my tennis story was an ordinary one: I first held a racquet on public courts in High Point, N.C., in the 1960s under the sweltering summer sun. While I wasn’t considered a “tennis player” as a child, I was often found on the courts with my sister or dad. It wasn’t until I met my husband, Frank Costantino, in college that I wanted to match his pure passion for the game.
Over the years, we struggled to find court time—as young parents in Baltimore, we squeezed in tennis, as our kids sat in the shade playing Legos or cards. Moving to Vermont in 2005 changed everything. Frank found tennis partners through work, and those relationships led to his involvement in USTA League play.
As I recovered from cancer treatment, I needed a way to build back physically and emotionally, and I focused on my fitness. I envied the friendships Frank made through tennis, and it wasn’t long before we started playing together again. I was now
"People say tennis is a drug," says Joanna Beall, with Frank at last year's US Open. "This is especially true in our house."
determined to become a tennis player, and despite shoulder surgery, I found mastery, balance and passion on the court. We played every day, sometimes twice a day. During lockdown, we played in the driveway.
Relationships with teaching pros, players and team captains led to many tennis connections: my own captaining roles, State League Committee participation, then the State Association vice presidency. My current roles as USTA Vermont Board President, USTA New England Board Member and USTA National Volunteer Engagement Committee member have become core parts of my tennis identity. We play as a family, revisiting the joy of just knocking around.
As the proud parent of a trans son, I have brought a commitment to inclusive programming to our state association initiatives, especially during September, which is Pride Month in Vermont. Last year we held the inaugural “Playing with Pride” event at The Edge in South Burlington.
Even so, everything about my tennis life changed drastically nine months ago on Halloween. In June of last year, recent changes I had noted in Frank’s gait, posture, balance and playing compelled me to get him to a neurologist. We tried to be positive, but it was at Dartmouth Hitchcock in New Hampshire that our fears were confirmed: Frank was struggling with Parkinson’s disease.
A sleep disorder diagnosed years before came with a 96 percent chance of Parkinson’s or Lewy-Body Dementia onset. We were devastated, yet grateful—it wasn’t dementia and his symptoms indicated his disease was at an early stage. There was medication. There were communities of people, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and physical and speech therapists. There were ways we could learn to navigate the present moment and the unpredictable future.
What we didn’t know was that our constant hitting had the unintended benefit of saving Frank’s life. His doctor confirmed that every time we stepped onto the court, our daily drilling, hitting, serving and point play were key elements in delaying his disease progression. Running, pivoting, serving, sudden changes in direction—these movements were all addressing many of the challenges to balance, coordination, agility, mood and decision-making PD patients experience at all stages of the disease. People say tennis is a drug; this is especially true in our house.
Last year, when I attended the USTA Annual Meeting, I tried to commit the new mission statement to heart: Growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere. Now, I didn’t have to try. Frank and I are living it, and our commitment to tennis spans the Green Mountain State, New England and beyond. Tennis saves lives in many ways. This is ours.
Avid player Joanna Beall is president of USTA Vermont, a member of the USTA New England Board of Directors, and a member of the USTA National Volunteer Engagement Committee.
Brian Dillman | RSPA CEO
One phrase I say to my kids frequently is, “I didn’t know that.” They continuously show me things I don’t know, like the things I can do on my phone, my computer, with AI and many other technologies I am not 100% familiar with. I feel like our association is very similar. During my travels to divisional conferences and in daily conversations with many members, this conversation comes up. I had a conver-
sation a few weeks ago with a member who said, “Wow, I would love a better option for health insurance.” And I said, “Well, we have that. We’re part of the health insurance marketplace through LIG that offers some of the best health insurance in the country.” And his response was, “I didn’t know that.” There was another member we had a conversation with who complained about the cost of sexual and molestation harassment insurance, and I told them that we have a great rate and all you have to do is call our membership department and add it on. Her response? “I didn’t know that.” And then, tragically, I went to one of our divisional conferences and was talking about our official tennis ball, which is Dunlop, and we had some people in that meeting who said, “I didn’t know that.”
We try very hard, and with a lot (maybe too much) of communication, to share all of the great benefits and
resources you have available to you as a member of the Racquet Sports Professionals Association. Sometimes the information gets lost in the cluster of email, texts and the magazine. Sometimes it’s too much communication (we get that, but we have a lot to share). But sometimes it’s on you as well. We all must take a little responsibility here, right? Well, this whole issue is about our industry and the resources we provide. Let’s start with some of the super-secret resources you might not know about. Did you know we have a Junior Apprentice Program for young adults (from 14-17) who, for $50, can join the association, receive RSI Magazine and have access to www.tennisresources. com, mentoring, discounts and more? This is a great entry point for potential new professionals in our industry. Did you know we have a program called The Inner Circle (large group discounts), which is designed for facilities with larger staffs of RSPA professionals. We offer lower cost renewals and lower cost workshops for one facility supporting six or more. Did you know we have reciprocal membership recognition? If you received your certification in one of our five sports from another accredited association or federation, we will honor the equivalent level of certification and you only pay the dues. We also have your office / headquarters in Orlando, Florida. This office is your club house. You built it and are welcome anytime. Stop by for coffee, a chat, a place to cool down, schedule a meeting or anything else that helps you.
And now, some of the not-so-secret resources: Did you know your membership in the RSPA includes all our
racquet sports? Yes, five sports incorporated into one membership. Our new jobs website, www.jobs.rspa.net, is our RSPA career center. It is free to register your profile, look for jobs, search by companies and connect with great new opportunities. We launched this only a few months ago, after we received member feedback which asked us to create our own job board. For RSPA employers, we’re already seeing positive results. As an RSPA member, you can post jobs for free for 30 days at an unlimited amount. This is becoming your go-to place to find your next role in tennis, pickleball, padel, platform and squash.
But the real resource that most of our members don’t take advantage of? The people! We have an incredible network of members who have mad skills, come from all walks of life, work in public, private, HOA, schools, etc. We have members who are ready to be mentors (officially through our program), but who are also ready and willing to take a phone call, have a cup of coffee or just offer themselves up as a resource. We have divisions looking for volunteers to assist their boards or committees and are looking for your expertise. You get out of your membership what you put into it, so
get a bit uncomfortable and reach out to your executive director, your divisional leadership, our national board, or our National Office. We are here for you!
The best part of my day is talking to members about different challenges they are facing in their jobs, career search, with members, bosses, etc. Please call or write me whenever you are stuck on something. Here is what I have done to help members so far this month:
1. Reviewed resumes and cover letters
2. Helped a member prep for a big job interview
3. Helped find staff for a summer opportunity
4. Was a reference for someone’s job search
5. Connected one of our members with a padel court manufacturer
6. And much, much more
My calling is to be of service to the racquet sports industry, but more specifically, our association. We will continue to communicate all our member benefits and resources, but we ask you to engage as well. Ask questions, challenge us, grow with us and help lead us into the future. I know I will not stop saying, “I didn’t know that,” to my kids, but I hope we can hear less of that from you.
Brian Dillman RSPA CEO
Trish Faulkner | RSPA President
In this month’s article, I want to remind everyone why they should be very proud of their decision to join and support the Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA).
We are gearing up for an exciting new format for our World Racquets Conference in Kona, Hawaii, September 21-25. I hope all our members in attendance will take a moment to enjoy some of the free time built into the schedule, along with all the incredible seminars throughout the days. Selecting Hawaii was a big decision for the board, but we were swayed by the tremendous energy and excitement displayed by the leaders of the Hawaii division. So we decided to take a leap and combine our conference with education and an exotic locale. We have also allowed time for open round table discussions and workshops. Those members who cannot make the trip to Kona will be able to catch some
of the key sessions which will be recorded.
I hope all of you will have benefitted from the expansion and rebranding that has taken place in the last year. Recognizing the rise of multi-sport facilities and the growing demand for versatile professionals, RSPA has evolved from its roots in tennis to become the leading certifying body for professionals across five racquet sports: tennis, pickleball, padel, squash and platform tennis. This bold move positioned RSPA as the only association certifying across multiple racquet sports under one unified membership, setting a gold standard for excellence.
Our commitment to professional development is evident through our worldclass certification programs, mentorship opportunities and leadership pathways. However, always with our members in the forefront, RSPA’s impact extends beyond certification. It fosters a vibrant community of over 14,000 members worldwide. Our monthly webinars, open Town Hall meetings, and guest panelists allow our members easy access to knowledgeable and experienced multi-sports personalities.
We have an incredible office staff led by our CEO Brian Dillman, and as a team, they have all contributed to our new look and successful rebranding. With an expanded marketing department, new look for our website, an
aggressive social media team with strong corporate support from our endorsees, our members have easier access and a broader scope to increase their multisport knowledge.
As RSPA approaches its 100th anniversary in September 2027, we continue to expand our reach globally and embrace new racquet sports. Here is a quick overview of what is now available to all our members, plus what is in the works for the next 12 months.
• RSPA is the only organization certifying professionals across five racquet sports: tennis, pickleball, padel, squash and platform tennis. By offering certifications tailored to the growing demand for multi-sport expertise, RSPA ensures its members are prepared to lead in modern, multi-sport facilities.
• The organization is also enhancing its certification pathways, such as developing an Elite Professional pathway for pickleball and expanding workshops for padel and platform tennis.
• Squash will be our next certification pathway currently in development.
• RSPA is actively working to expand its international presence. For example, we are conducting our first pickleball certification in Japan and training coach developers in countries like China, Mexico, Italy and Poland. These efforts aim to establish a global network of racquet sports professionals. We are also partnering with Tennis Australia in upcoming joint initiatives.
• RSPA is continuing to form strategic partnerships with organizations like USA Pickleball, Tennis Warehouse, Selkirk and DUPR Coach to enhance its credibility and provide additional benefits to members. These partnerships also help RSPA tap into new markets and audiences.
• Sponsorships with brands in equipment, apparel, and facility management further support RSPA’s growth while offering members exclusive discounts and resources.
• RSPA is looking to form joint partnerships to create a dedicated Executive Search and Career Services division. This will position RSPA as the go-to resource for leadership talent in racquet sports facilities, while still focusing on mentorship programs, leadership coaching, and professional development workshops to build a sustainable leadership pipeline.
• We recently launched a new Apprentice Membership level for younger players looking at our industry. In the last three months we have created a High School Task force to work with coaches and players to make sure they understand how RSPA can be beneficial as they expand their career choices.
• RSPA’s latest media campaign is titled “The Hire Standard” which highlights our world-class multisports certification process. An individual going through our training and education program is exactly the new “hire” a director or general manager will be looking at.
• RSPA is revamping its digital platforms, including TennisResources. com, to provide a comprehensive learning experience for all racquet sports. We are also leveraging its RSPA Career Center to connect. members with career opportunities.
• Social media and digital marketing campaigns are being enhanced to engage a broader audience and promote RSPA’s offerings. We are using, encouraging and helping our members leverage social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
• RSPA is committed to fostering inclusiveness in racquet sports. We continue to integrate DE&I efforts into conferences, webinars and educational content to ensure racquet sports are accessible to all. All seven DE&I Task Forces are
active and engaged with our entire membership. Our new WCSR (Women Coaching Racquet Sports) Foundation was formed to mentor and provide women RSPA members additional networking and speaking opportunities nationwide.
• As RSPA approaches its 100th anniversary in 2027, we want to use this milestone to further elevate our brand, attract new members, and showcase our legacy of excellence in racquet sports. I am confident our successful rebranding and our aggressive moves to expand our position in the racquet sports industry will continue to place RSPA as the leader in this arena.
Reading all the above, I am proud to be a long term RSPA member and your president through 2025. I hope you feel the same way!
Alex Skinner, RSPA Elite Professional
My path to launching a racquet sports tech company didn’t begin in Silicon Valley. It started at a school, on dorm duty and on the sidelines of a basketball court.
I spent nearly a decade at Brooks School, a boarding school in North Andover, Massachusetts, where I served as an admissions officer, dorm parent, academic advisor, and coach for varsity girls basketball and boys tennis. Eventually, I became Director of Physical Wellness, a role that deepened my understanding of how sport and education intersect to shape character and community.
I loved being able to see the students in a variety of contexts. I saw how they learned, interacted with friends and adults, and competed on the courts. It shaped how I think about leadership and how we understand people and help them grow.
As a lifelong athlete, I played Division I tennis at Boston College, where I
competed all four years and captained the team as a senior. That experience helped solidify my love for the sport and my desire to lead.
During my summers off at Brooks, I was director of tennis at Edgcomb Tennis Club in Kennebunk, Maine. After three seasons there, I pursued a master’s in School Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2019.
After my time at Brooks, I transitioned to full-time club management, serving as Director of Tennis at Spark Fitness and Tennis Club, a year-round facility in Andover, Massachusetts. For three years, I oversaw tennis operations and programming, which deepened my understanding of the day-to-day challenges clubs face and the importance of systems that support staff and elevate member experience.
In 2019, I also took on the Director of Tennis role at Chatham Beach and Tennis Club on Cape Cod.
I fell in love with Chatham—the tradition, the people, and the opportunity to build something meaningful. Now enter-
ing my sixth summer, I’ve helped grow the program, foster a strong staff culture, and create a member experience rooted in care, fun, and high-quality coaching.
Along the way, I earned an Elite Professional Certification through the Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA) and remain active in the organization’s mission to raise industry standards in coaching, management, and leadership.
But as I gained experience directing clubs, I became increasingly frustrated with the software options available to manage them.
Most systems were outdated, overly complex, and didn’t accommodate racquet sports. I was often wasting time juggling multiple platforms to perform simple tasks.
So instead of continuing to patch together workarounds, I teamed up with a co-founder and decided to build something better.
I’m now the co-founder and CEO of clubcloud, an all-in-one club management platform designed specifically for racquet and fitness clubs. The software handles everything from lesson booking and member communication to payments and court scheduling, all with a clean, intuitive interface.
Clubcloud isn’t just a booking tool— it’s the operational backbone for racquet and fitness clubs, built by people who actually understand what it’s like to run one.
The platform has been adopted by a range of clubs, including pickleball franchises, seasonal tennis clubs, private membership facilities, and nonprofit NJTLs. It integrates with key partners like USTA Connect, DUPR, and PlaySight, and was recently featured
My work isn’t just about software or private clubs. As executive director of Serving Stars, a growing NJTL chapter based in Lawrence, Massachusetts, I lead a nonprofit that offers tennis, fitness and academic enrichment to youth in a city historically underserved in both sport and education.
Serving Stars provides year-round programming with a strong focus on character development and opportunity-building, both on and off the court.
It’s about access and belief. When kids know people believe in them, it brings out the best in them. That’s true in a classroom, on a court, or anywhere else.
From classrooms to clubs to technology, I’m working to shape a future for racquet sports that’s inclusive, efficient and people-centered. With the experience of an educator, the expertise of a club director, the credentials of an RSPA Elite Professional and the drive of an entrepreneur, I’m helping modernize an industry while keeping its core values intact.
Whether I’m mentoring a team, coaching a young player, or building tools that help clubs run more smoothly, my approach is consistent: practical, thoughtful and always focused on improving the experience for everyone involved.
Steve Flink, International Tennis Hall of Fame
PHOTO CREDIT: Fred Mullane, CameraWorksUSA
The latest edition of Wimbledon marked my 60th anniversary at the world’s premier tennis tournament. I went there for the first time when I was about to turn 13 and have been at the shrine all but four years since that life-altering experience in 1965. It was an exhilarating tournament this year as Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek each deservedly secured the world’s premier title for the first time. The Italian gentleman pocketed a fourth career major while the Polish player took her sixth. They are the first players from their nations to claim the world’s most prestigious singles title. Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova’s stirring run to the final could not be diminished by her extreme apprehension in a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Swiatek; the 23-year-old American cut down top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the penultimate round and celebrated the fortnight of her life. Nothing can change that fundamental fact.
But from my point of view, the lasting impression of Wimbledon 2025 will be of Novak Djokovic reaching his
third consecutive major semifinal and then bowing out 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 against Sinner in the semifinals. Djokovic had taken an alarming fall two points before ousting Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a four-set quarterfinal, and his mobility against Sinner was severely impaired. He could not recover with anything like his usual speed when pulled wide on either side. His lateral movement was drastically subpar. He was forced to serve-and-volley far too often to compensate for his limited court coverage.
Had he not been competing at a Grand Slam tournament, the Serbian would surely have defaulted his match to Sinner. Walking on court in his terribly compromised state for his semifinal with Sinner, Djokovic surely understood he was a shell of his normal self.
And yet, Djokovic recognized that forfeiting a Wimbledon semifinal would have been unfair to the fans. And so he showed up for work and played the best he could under the worst possible
circumstances. The Serbian even manufactured a 3-0 third set lead with a break point for 4-0 before conceding six of the last seven games. He was the ultimate professional.
But where does he go from here?
This is a man who has set the highest standards with his record 24 men’s majors, 100 career titles, 7 ATP Finals trophies, an unimaginable eight years concluded at No. 1 in the world and no fewer than 428 weeks at the top of the tennis mountain. He has done it all, taking at least three titles at all four majors, reaching 37 Grand Slam tournament finals and 52 semifinals. His enduring excellence has been exceeded by no one save Pancho Gonzalez and Ken Rosewall, but even they did not perform year in and year out across two decades with the consistency of Djokovic. Last summer he celebrated a crowning moment when he stopped Carlos Alcaraz to capture the elusive gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris.
That career completing triumph would have been enough for many great champions to willingly put the racket down and leave a glorious career behind them, but not for Djokovic. His overriding goal is to
secure a 25th major title to break a tie for a record he shares with Australia’s estimable Margaret Smith Court. It is a target he has been trying to hit since the beginning of last year.
In 2024, the dynamic Serbian travelled to the semifinals of the Australian Open, the quarters at Roland Garros and the final of Wimbledon. He has been a semifinalist at all three majors this season. He realized a significant milestone in Geneva this spring by coming through to win a long-awaited 100th career singles crown.
Now he is on a quest to stand alone on the Grand Slam charts by achieving that 25th title. He is unwaveringly determined not to share that honor any longer with Court. Djokovic knows history when he sees it and has admirably chased his largest dreams for a very long time. Consider this: Heading into 2015, Federer had claimed 17 majors, Nadal 14, and Djokovic 7. Going into the 2019 Wimbledon, Federer led the “Big Three” with 20 Grand Slam titles, followed by Nadal with 18. Djokovic rallied valiantly from double match point down in the final against the Swiss Maestro to win 7-6 (5), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 13-12 (7-3) for his 16th major. He tied Federer and Nadal at 20 in the year 2021 but fell two titles behind Nadal in the first half of 2022 before eventually surpassing both of his revered rivals the next year. Coming from far behind, Djokovic made it to 24 while Nadal ended up at 22 and Federer finished with 20. That was no mean feat.
But it brings us back to Margaret Court. Djokovic already has the distinction of holding the most major crowns of any men’s player. Why does he need to surpass Court? What is the point? Court had a phenomenal career, but her record was padded by winning the Australian Championships/Open eleven times. Many of the fields were considerably weaker than those at the three other Grand Slam events. In any discussion among experts about the best women players of all time—or even the finest of the modern era—Court’s name is never mentioned by most authorities as the
G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time). Her achievements should be measured alongside those of Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams—not up against the numbers of Novak Djokovic. All three of those prodigious women—and the immensely accomplished Chris Evert—belong above Court on the historical ladder. In my view, the greatest of all male players can only be compared to other men. Women players should be graded exclusively against females. There have been all-time rankings done by Tennis Channel more than a dozen years ago and by the sagacious Jeff Sackmann of Tennis Abstract a few years back that are fascinating but flawed in my view because they combine the men and the women. We can’t measure Navratilova against Pete Sampras, Williams versus Federer or Graf opposite Nadal. Examining Djokovic directly against Court is ludicrous. Moving ahead of her would be gratifying yet superfluous.
Djokovic is a prisoner of his own luminous achievements. He should not fight a losing battle against his body too much longer. As he said after his loss at Wimbledon, his mind may want one thing, but “my body isn’t listening.” Djokovic has a small window left to keep performing at a level that is acceptable to him. With some
luck, he could secure one last prestigious prize, but time is short and Alcaraz and Sinner are getting better. Watching him walk off court after his loss at Wimbledon, I found myself wondering if he will be back. He said later that he plans on returning, but the feeling grows that the man many consider the greatest champion ever might be playing on borrowed time. That is one reason why the public at long last is appreciating him fully now and realizing he will leave behind a shining legacy as a singular tennis figure and an extraordinary human being with an abundance of inimitable qualities.
Image and Article Provided by Mindspring Padel
In 2005, Rafael Nadal was near the top of his game. Spanish tennis not so much. So tennis clubs started wooing younger players with a new racquet sport. Over 17,000 plexiglass courts later, Padel ranks up there with paella, tapas, and Rioja reds in Spanish lifestyle — #2 behind only soccer.
In the US, another racquet sport has enjoyed a similar meteoric rise. One that often require little initial investment and even less time to learn. If tennis demands countless hours finding the sweet spot, pickleball just requires picking up a racquet.
Padel is somewhere in the middle. Part tennis, part pickle, part geometry class. Padel offers an easy path-to-fun, long rallies, plenty of calorie burn — and a cushy turf surface for those aching joints. There’s just one hiccup. Padel courts aren’t cheap.
That’s where Mindspring Padel comes in. We offer a unique, risk-free and turnkey solution to ensure your club succeeds in integrating Padel and enjoys all the benefits it brings.
Globally, Padel is on a steep upward trajectory. According to Babolat & Wilson, global Padel revenues will
surpass tennis’ by 2026. We have partnered with the RSPA to help jump start that growth in America. We cover the costs of the courts and ground work to get you up and running; then get reimbursed over time via court bookings, whether its a pay-to-play or free-to-members court usage framework.
Ready to ease into this inherently addictive sport? Email LB@mindspringpadel.com, call 760-505-1862 or visit us at mindspringpadel.com.
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The Racquet Sports Professionals Association, in its dedication to elevating careers in racquet sports, is excited to announce some game-changing partnerships in the pickleball space. We are excited to announce that the RSPA pickleball certification is now accredited by USA Pickleball (USAP)! As the national governing body for the sport in the U.S., our certification team at RSPA found it crucial that our newly developed pickleball curriculum fall within the guidelines of USAP, who are dedicated to educating, certifying and serving pickleball professionals to be able to grow the game. There are many benefits that, depending on the tier, members receive when joining USAP: exclusive content through Pickleball Clinic, a monthly newsletter, ability to play in USA Pickleball leagues and a digital version of Pickleball Magazine!
DUPR Coach is the most recent pickleball partnership, adding to the long list of career-enhancing benefits our professionals receive! If you have not yet seen the advantages in multi-sport certifications to your professional development, the opportunity that this new partnership with DUPR Coach brings
makes it clear why a pickleball certification should be next on your to-do list!
As a part of the initial launch, certified members will be able to upgrade and add the DUPR coaching credentialing to their certification at a discount price of $50 for your first year – a $200 saving! This offer ensures that RPSA certified professionals are at the forefront of the rapidly growing pickleball market. To receive your credential, you will complete and pass two practice assessments virtually, with educational resources provided for you beforehand to ensure you successfully complete and pass the assessments. You will then be required to rate four non-rated players and connect them with DUPR. After that, you are credentialed and can begin facilitating sessions and large-scale assessment events at your local facility! Not only does this bring an opportunity to grow as a pickleball professional, bringing in new revenue opportunities and client retention, but
Linda Gordon | RSPA Membership Manager
this also opens up a door to new clients that are interested in developing their game, looking for consistent coaching and training, and with a goal to receive the best ranking they possibly can. Better yet, you have the flexibility to perform both in-person and remote assessments with their advanced, user-friendly technology tools. And who said coaches could never work from home!
Launching initially for RSPA Pickleball-certified members only, DUPR Coach will eventually be integrated into our certification pathway, allowing applicants to receive both an RSPA certification and DUPR coach credential at the same time! For the first time ever, a racquet sports certification will combine advanced education that will allow for immediate income opportunities for coaches.
If you are not familiar with DUPR Coach, it is a credential that provides a coach with the exclusive ability to generate Coach-Assigned DUPRs for non-rated pickleball players. As mentioned on their website, “using two simple, cutting-edge technology tools and a mobile phone, DUPR Coaches can introduce new programs within their pickleball communities” and develop a new revenue stream for themselves. With an estimated 34 million non-ranked player market, there is an incredible opportunity for members to be able to reach an untapped market by hosting workshops on a consistent basis, providing players with their DUPR ranking to help them understand their skill level, which will result in more competitive, enjoyable play!
The RSPA is extremely excited to provide our pickleball-certified members with innovative opportunities for immediate
return on investment, and make them as competitive as possible in the job market and industry itself. If you have any questions on what the accreditation means to you as a member, the DUPR Coach benefit, or about getting pickleball certified, please do not hesitate to reach out to our membership and certification teams. Happy dinking!
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