Providing opportunities for kids of all ages and levels and ensuring a positive first experience will help get—and keep—more kids in the game of tennis.
The educational curriculum program, “Coach Youth Tennis,” is designed to improve the quality and standards of teaching tennis to kids and enhance the long-term development of children in the sport. This exciting, innovative program consists of a series of dynamic online courses and an interactive, hands-on workshop that will guide participants through the fundamentals of teaching tennis to children ages 10 and under. The program newly launched on coachyouthtennis.com.
The educational curriculum establishes a set of standards for tennis teachers and coaches, ensuring that children will be taught the proper essentials of the game. This valuable new resource aims to help grow business for coaches and tennis providers, as well as enhancing their skills.
The program is a collaborative effort between the USTA, the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). Those who complete the program can go on to gain professional certification from both the PTR and USPTA certification programs. Beginning in 2014, all individuals who want to become a certified teaching professional will need to complete the “Coach Youth Tennis” curriculum. The industry support serves as a tremendous opportunity for tennis in the U.S.
“Elevating the quality and standards of teaching tennis to our youth will have lasting impact on our sport for years to come,” said USTA Player Development General Manager Patrick McEnroe. “’Coach Youth Tennis provides tennis teachers of all levels with the tools necessary to teach the sport to children.”
All involved associations will utilize their partnership to effectively raise the level of coaching in the U.S., and enhance the teaching process to create an early positive experience for kids.
“This partnership is part of the USTA’s continuing effort to bring more children into the sport,” said Kurt Kamperman, USTA Chief Executive, Community Tennis. “These educational resources will impact tennis teachers and coaches throughout the country, with information on how to best deliver the sport to kids, as well as on maximizing their business.”
The program consists of two stages of course work, which will include six interactive and engaging online courses and knowledge checks. The curriculum covers several important topics, including appropriate methods on how to communicate, understanding characteristics of children, tennis activities suited for young children, effective ways to transition children through ability progressions, and group management. In addition, the program includes a face-to-face “10 and Under Tennis” workshop that will provide proper fundamentals and skill development progressions for coaches of young players.
The USTA’s “10 and Under Tennis” initiative is geared towards getting more kids to participate in tennis by using modified equipment and courts tailored to a child’s size. By featuring shorter and lighter racquets, slower-bouncing balls, smaller courts and simplified scoring, children learn to play more quickly and easily while having more fun in the process.
“In providing 10 and under education for the last three years, PTR has been supportive of ‘10 and Under Tennis’ from its very beginning,” said Dan Santorum, CEO of PTR. “We are excited about the collaborative effort the USTA organized to expand 10 and under education for tennis teachers, and PTR looks forward to supporting the USTA’s efforts to enhance 10 and under education that can lead to PTR certification.”
“Our stated mission as an association is to elevate the standards of tennis teaching professionals and coaches,” said USPTA CEO John Embree. “It is not too much to ask professionals who wish to become certified to take seven hours of education prior to certification that addresses our most important initiative, which is to grow our base of players starting with kids 6-10 years old.”
For more information on Coach Youth Tennis, please visit coachyouthtennis.com.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for the sport of tennis and the recognized leader in promoting and developing the sport’s growth on every level in the United States, from local communities to the crown jewel of the professional game, the US Open.