Big changes coming to coaching certification

[sureshs]

USTA is going to accredit teaching organizations like the USPTA and PTR.

Requirements to become a coach are going up drastically. Now, you need 8 hours of online training and an on-court test to become a coach. The new requirements will be to get a Professional Tennis Managament degree or to become an apprentice for 1500 hours of work and study under a mentor. It is expected to take a year. Training has to include CPR, first aid, and safety. The idea is to make tennis certification similar to PGA golf certification.

I don't know. There is a guy here who coached his son to a D1 school and became a coach. He is a 4.0 player. There is a woman who was a D1 college player and is a coach at a public rec center. I know touring pros are exempted, but it would seem to me that she would also have to apprentice for 1 year?

It also looks like the USTA is telling the PTA and PTR that their process is not good enough and is overriding them.

A PTM degree takes money. Will an apprentice be paid? Are there enough such positions?

Will a knowledgeable person like LeeD have to prove himself for 1 year to become a coach?

Will there be enough money at the end? Can a tennis pro charge like a golf pro? Golf has many rich customers. Tennis is the domain of Fat Bobs who never take a lesson (and for some good reasons). Would a pro now make more after having spent a lot of money? Or will the higher quality weed out the casual ones and ensure better pay for the cream?

Above all, why is the USTA becoming the decision maker here?

Rules will kick in in 2019, so if you are a Fat Bob dreaming of becoming a coach, do it while it is easy. Existing coaches will be grandfathered.

I expect JY, tennis_balla, Ash, and 5263 to comment.

http://www.tennisindustrymag.com/issues/201803/coaching-accreditation.pdf

 

[Pete Player]

We are a small nation and already on the lowest level there is a mentor required. I don’t really get it at that point. A level one guide needs to know how-to technically and mime the proper ways, control and have the group, he/she guides under his thumb, but not by just authority in his voice, but relationshipswise, not really need for a mentor is required to learn and get to the next level.

It seems, the modern is to make every coach/teacher a qualified and certified what ever PGA-member. Hence it is often, that the ones with less formal education would be the best teachers due to their human skills.

At least here it is huge deficit, that the beginners and juniors are taught by, yet certified, quite unable to explain why or how. They may have the epistola, but not really understand why. Or then I’m lost beyond the margins of the roadmap...

I think all and all, it is a policy and politics. In golf few of the absolute best are not members of the professional association, but ofcourse the ”union” pushes clubs not to hire people without their certified education.

Myself really don’t care, if a coach, or ”coach”, has the membership logo on their jersey. All I do care is their ability teach me properly.


——————————
On pain meds - all contributed matter and anti-matter subject to disclaimer

 

[stringertom]

USTA is going to accredit teaching organizations like the USPTA and PTR.

Requirements to become a coach are going up drastically. Now, you need 8 hours of online training and an on-court test to become a coach. The new requirements will be to get a Professional Tennis Managament degree or to become an apprentice for 1500 hours of work and study under a mentor. It is expected to take a year. Training has to include CPR, first aid, and safety. The idea is to make tennis certification similar to PGA golf certification.

I don't know. There is a guy here who coached his son to a D1 school and became a coach. He is a 4.0 player. There is a woman who was a D1 college player and is a coach at a public rec center. I know touring pros are exempted, but it would seem to me that she would also have to apprentice for 1 year?

It also looks like the USTA is telling the PTA and PTR that their process is not good enough and is overriding them.

A PTM degree takes money. Will an apprentice be paid? Are there enough such positions?

Will a knowledgeable person like LeeD have to prove himself for 1 year to become a coach?

Will there be enough money at the end? Can a tennis pro charge like a golf pro? Golf has many rich customers. Tennis is the domain of Fat Bobs who never take a lesson (and for some good reasons). Would a pro now make more after having spent a lot of money? Or will the higher quality weed out the casual ones and ensure better pay for the cream?

Above all, why is the USTA becoming the decision maker here?

Rules will kick in in 2019, so if you are a Fat Bob dreaming of becoming a coach, do it while it is easy. Existing coaches will be grandfathered.

I expect JY, tennis_balla, Ash, and 5263 to comment.

fat bob fedr in Basel did the right thing after getting his son on court with him and Lynette...hand him over to a certified pro. Of course they failed to have the paradigm of smootherness available back in the 80's. Now, kids get to see your vids right from the start.

 

[Raul_SJ]

My impression was that the USTA's primary mission was to increase tennis participation and that the USPTA is an independent entity that does its own teacher certification.

If I go to an instructor all I care about is whether he is USPTA certified. I don't see where the USTA comes into the picture with regards to instructional certification... But maybe the USPTA is completely under the thumb of the USTA and will adapt whatever requirements the USTA hands down.

Founded in 1927, the United States Professional Tennis Association is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 15,000 members worldwide, the association raises the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches, and promotes a greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers more than 60 professional benefits to its members, including on-court liability insurance, health insurance assistance and a retirement plan.

USPTA offers unequalled opportunities for tennis-teaching professionals to improve their teaching skills and increase their business knowledge. Today's tennis teachers are expected to assume a variety of business and social responsibilities in addition to their traditional job functions. USPTA helps prepare its members to meet these challenges.

USPTA is governed nationally by a democratically elected Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The daily administration of USPTA is overseen by the CEO at the World Headquarters in Lake Nona, just outside of Orlando.

Approximately 13,500 USPTA members work in the United States. The rest represent more than 80 countries around the world.

The majority of USPTA's membership consists of Professional and Elite Professional level members who work full time in the tennis industry. USPTA Professionals have job titles including general manager, director of tennis, assistant professional and coach. They direct tennis businesses, develop tennis programming, oversee tennis operations, teach lessons and coach teams at all types of facilities, such as private and commercial clubs, public tennis centers and parks, colleges and schools. A small and growing part of the membership includes Recreational Coaches, who are part-time teachers of tennis.​

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

Who is the USTA?

 

[ChaelAZ]

I have been working towards my cert for when I retire in a few years, but mostly for working with younger players since that is what I now for recreation. They have been doing a lot of changes for the kids coaching and such. All good stuff I think. I had gone through and done the Net Gen work which includes safe play guidelines and the background check. Good to know about the other changes. Not sure about the degree requirement though. My son's coach is also the head coach for Grand Canyon University and he just worked with the college to start their Tennis MGT degree recently. Will have to check.

Anyone have a link for all the information?

 

[sureshs]

My impression was that the USTA's primary mission was to increase tennis participation and that the USPTA is an independent entity that does its own teacher certification.

If I go to an instructor all I care about is whether he is USPTA certified. I don't see where the USTA comes into the picture with regards to instructional certification... But maybe the USPTA is completely under the thumb of the USTA and will adapt whatever requirements the USTA hands down.

Founded in 1927, the United States Professional Tennis Association is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 15,000 members worldwide, the association raises the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches, and promotes a greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers more than 60 professional benefits to its members, including on-court liability insurance, health insurance assistance and a retirement plan.

USPTA offers unequalled opportunities for tennis-teaching professionals to improve their teaching skills and increase their business knowledge. Today's tennis teachers are expected to assume a variety of business and social responsibilities in addition to their traditional job functions. USPTA helps prepare its members to meet these challenges.

USPTA is governed nationally by a democratically elected Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The daily administration of USPTA is overseen by the CEO at the World Headquarters in Lake Nona, just outside of Orlando.

Approximately 13,500 USPTA members work in the United States. The rest represent more than 80 countries around the world.

The majority of USPTA's membership consists of Professional and Elite Professional level members who work full time in the tennis industry. USPTA Professionals have job titles including general manager, director of tennis, assistant professional and coach. They direct tennis businesses, develop tennis programming, oversee tennis operations, teach lessons and coach teams at all types of facilities, such as private and commercial clubs, public tennis centers and parks, colleges and schools. A small and growing part of the membership includes Recreational Coaches, who are part-time teachers of tennis.​

The USTA will become the accrediting organization which will accredit the PTA and PTR, but those bodies will do the actual certification, as they do today.

Main difference is the huge jump from 8 to 1500 hours of training.

 

[sureshs]

I have been working towards my cert for when I retire in a few years, but mostly for working with younger players since that is what I now for recreation. They have been doing a lot of changes for the kids coaching and such. All good stuff I think. I had gone through and done the Net Gen work which includes safe play guidelines and the background check. Good to know about the other changes. Not sure about the degree requirement though. My son's coach is also the head coach for Grand Canyon University and he just worked with the college to start their Tennis MGT degree recently. Will have to check.

Anyone have a link for all the information?

Added link to OP.

Run and get certified ASAP.

 

[sureshs]

I think this is also designed to give an extra boost to PTM college programs like the one ChaelAZ mentioned.

 

[sureshs]

My impression was that the USTA's primary mission was to increase tennis participation and that the USPTA is an independent entity that does its own teacher certification.

If I go to an instructor all I care about is whether he is USPTA certified. I don't see where the USTA comes into the picture with regards to instructional certification... But maybe the USPTA is completely under the thumb of the USTA and will adapt whatever requirements the USTA hands down.

Founded in 1927, the United States Professional Tennis Association is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 15,000 members worldwide, the association raises the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches, and promotes a greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers more than 60 professional benefits to its members, including on-court liability insurance, health insurance assistance and a retirement plan.

USPTA offers unequalled opportunities for tennis-teaching professionals to improve their teaching skills and increase their business knowledge. Today's tennis teachers are expected to assume a variety of business and social responsibilities in addition to their traditional job functions. USPTA helps prepare its members to meet these challenges.

USPTA is governed nationally by a democratically elected Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The daily administration of USPTA is overseen by the CEO at the World Headquarters in Lake Nona, just outside of Orlando.

Approximately 13,500 USPTA members work in the United States. The rest represent more than 80 countries around the world.

The majority of USPTA's membership consists of Professional and Elite Professional level members who work full time in the tennis industry. USPTA Professionals have job titles including general manager, director of tennis, assistant professional and coach. They direct tennis businesses, develop tennis programming, oversee tennis operations, teach lessons and coach teams at all types of facilities, such as private and commercial clubs, public tennis centers and parks, colleges and schools. A small and growing part of the membership includes Recreational Coaches, who are part-time teachers of tennis.​

The USPTA has also moved into the USTA NTC complex in Orlando to be close to the action.

 

[sureshs]

I am also a little bit concerned about the effect of onerous requirements on the many immigrant coaches from Eastern Europe and South America. I know it is a sensitive issue (locals may allege pay depression) but they are sincere people who have used coaching to supplement their income. They might find the costs too prohibitive. But then again they could always just be "Craigslist" coaches I suppose.

 

[ChaelAZ]

I am also a little bit concerned about the effect of onerous requirements on the many immigrant coaches from Eastern Europe and South America. I know it is a sensitive issue (locals may allege pay depression) but they are sincere people who have used coaching to supplement their income. They might find the costs too prohibitive. But then again they could always just be "Craigslist" coaches I suppose.

I've been in these types of discussion before, but for athletic training. I have a degree in exercise science which included NATA and ASCM certifications, and I also completed my ACE certification. Was the director/trainer for a high-end local resort for years. I knew a lot of trainers that were not certified, degreed, or really established but were out holding fitness classes and training individuals at low rates. The question always came up among professionals about the 'diluted pool' of qualified people in that industry. Really I never saw it as such an issue because, for the most part, knowledge, service, and competency is what drove income. So while a some people could get good training for $25/hr, there was established and added value in what we offered at the resort. But you paid more for that. And depending on the individual needs, you do need that kind of leveling in my opinion. So in the case of tennis, while I might be a low end coach that is good for starting players and such, I certainly don't command the knowledge and rates of an established coach like we have for my son.

The idea in making stiffer requirements for certifications is to both weed out people who misrepresent their level and rates, and to firm up (add value) to the certification. So I get it, and actually appreciate it. And that in no way dis-allows individuals who can coach non-certified to continue and let the market develop that value.

And being an educator and working in a college environment for over 25 years now, I also think there is value in what a PTM degree can provide the industry as a whole. Though it certainly is not for everyone. I would think there would be/should be lower tracks that have different requirements like there is now to differentiate a rec coach vs. a full PTR/USPTA coach for a competitive tennis program of academy.

 

[sureshs]

I would think there would be/should be lower tracks that have different requirements like there is now to differentiate a rec coach vs. a full PTR/USPTA coach for a competitive tennis program of academy.

I am a USPTA-certified rec coach hehehe. I took the 8 hour training but no exam.

I could have applied for a waiver based on my ATP forehand, but I still took the test.

 

[sureshs]

As I said before, I don't see college players being given a waiver from the 1500 hour requirement. Maybe they will be, once the details get finalized.

I have some serious reservations about making a D1 player apprentice for a "Director of Tennis" whose highest level was a tenth of that of the college player.

I am also concerned, given the various scandals coming out now, about forcing women to apprentice under men (there are not many female pros).

In general, the mentor-mentee relationship works in a structured union-like environment where everybody "knows their place," but becomes a nightmare when the mentee is better than the mentor or is simply more independent-minded. When I joined the workforce, for example, I (and many of my peers) had no respect for most of the senior people, and that was proved when they were laid off, one by one. We frankly knew more out of school than they did after working for 20 years.

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

. We frankly knew more out of school than they did after working for 20 years.

In what industry does a clueless college grad with zero work experience know more than someone with 20 years of real world experience?

All I can think of is tech. But even in tech, kind of knowing some hot new language does not mean you know anything useful to the firm. Domain knowledge can't be learned in school

 

[sureshs]

I wonder who will guarantee the legal protections for apprentices? It is a position rife for harassment and discrimination. Many clubs make use of independent contractor coaches who are not employees. Other have their tennis program run by another company, like Drysdale or Burwash. Who assumes the legal obligations of making sure there is no discrimination, harassment or retaliation? The USTA? I don't think so.

 

[sureshs]

All I can think of is tech. But even in tech, kind of knowing some hot new language does not mean you know anything useful to the firm. Domain knowledge can't be learned in school

Keep thinking that. It is reassuring but not true.

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

Keep thinking that. It is reassuring but not true.

Must be a very simple job then? You simply can't get 20 years of experience in school in a career that is complex. Do you think doctors out of med schools know more than 20 year doctors? Do you think lawyers out of law schools know more than 20 year lawyers? Do you think bankers out of biz schools know more than 20 year bankers?

The premise is absurd unless you're taking about a fast food career. That is why there are entry level jobs.

 

[CJ Tennis]

Content not available.

 

[rogerroger917]

That's way too many hours to teach tennis. 1500 hours? Lol. The serious kids find a serious coach. Or join an academy.

1500 hours to teach old ladies and fat old men. Or babysit 7 year old kids using orange or red ball. You don't need usta certification to do that.

1500 hours is around 40 hours a week for a full year apprenticing. What are you doing to need fulltime for a year to feed tennis balls?

The best coaches just do it for years and build a reputation based on results and word of mouth. You know who the good coaches are after your kid sticks to tennis seriously for a few years.

 

[movdqa]

The better players gravitate to the better coaches so it's a Darwinian thing. Of course there are a lot of parents that can't tell the difference or only care about the price so there are lots of lesser coaches that can still make a living at it.

 

[Chadillac]

The uspta has really gotten bad over the years. There are so many bad pro's now a days who just show up to class. My old boss was a master pro but 3.0.

I stopped paying my uspta a few years ago when they went with "education". Sad the ptr is following, they were always more free thinking, not teaching the same thing you saw on a dvd to 1000000 different kids.

The 1500 hours is about the money going to them.

I laughed when they asked me to buy a dvd, i told him i can copy dvds, he looked at my like i was insane. Like it was holy or something

 

[Power Player]

Does mean that 0server can not claim he is a coach anymore?

 

[Topspin Shot]

1500 hours for new coaches could end up being a barrier to entry that keeps out the best coaches in favor of those with the money and free time to sign up for the training.

 

[Raul_SJ]

The USTA will become the accrediting organization which will accredit the PTA and PTR, but those bodies will do the actual certification, as they do today.

Main difference is the huge jump from 8 to 1500 hours of training.

"Approximately 13,500 USPTA members work in the United States".

Even if the current teachers are grandfathered in, the PTA will likely receive far fewer new applicants because of the stricter requirements.

In that case, the PTA will just stick with the current training and not adapt the USTA requirements... Still not clear what exactly the USTA "accredits" with regard to the PTA. They are not a teaching organization like the PTA.

 

[Sentinel]

We frankly knew more out of school than they did after working for 20 years.

In what industry does a clueless college grad with zero work experience know more than someone with 20 years of real world experience?

All I can think of is tech. But even in tech, kind of knowing some hot new language does not mean you know anything useful to the firm. Domain knowledge can't be learned in school

suresh is still clueless after 20 years of work experience.

 

[stringertom]

In what industry does a clueless college grad with zero work experience know more than someone with 20 years of real world experience?

All I can think of is tech. But even in tech, kind of knowing some hot new language does not mean you know anything useful to the firm. Domain knowledge can't be learned in school

Dump management skills are in great demand, according to an authority on the subject.

 

[tennis4me]

USTA wants in on the lucrative accreditation business.

Having said that, I'm curious how stringent their accreditation will be. I've seen USPTA applicant who had very minimal tennis skills (both as player and as instructor) and could barely hit any decent shots over the net passed the lowest level of certification (P3 at the time). I've heard someone told me that the ITF certification is much harder to obtain and they actually have a teaching method that they promote (vs USPTA where that part is left to the individual member).

 

[sureshs]

I stopped paying my uspta a few years ago when they went with "education"

Continuing education is required in every field.

 

[sureshs]

"Approximately 13,500 USPTA members work in the United States".

Even if the current teachers are grandfathered in, the PTA will likely receive far fewer new applicants because of the stricter requirements.

In that case, the PTA will just stick with the current training and not adapt the USTA requirements... Still not clear what exactly the USTA "accredits" with regard to the PTA. They are not a teaching organization like the PTA.

See the link in OP.

Also, the USTA has created USTA University:

http://www.tennisindustry.org/cms/index.cfm/news/usta-announces-new-usta-university/

They are getting into the teaching business, to put it briefly.

 

[sureshs]

For serious juniors they are almost always started by parents and/or coaches with past success with juniors through word of mouth. Academies have their own systems developed by the head person such as Evert, Macci, Sanchez-Vicario. All have staff trained in CPR and first aid already. They train their coaches in their system, not to the USTA system. For hobby juniors, any decent coach that is good with kids is fine. Most hobby kids come now and then and could care less about tennis. For adults a decent coach with a good gift of gab is fine.

What target audience would require a coach trained to specific USTA requirements for 1500 hours?

That's way too many hours to teach tennis. 1500 hours? Lol. The serious kids find a serious coach. Or join an academy.

1500 hours to teach old ladies and fat old men. Or babysit 7 year old kids using orange or red ball. You don't need usta certification to do that.

1500 hours is around 40 hours a week for a full year apprenticing. What are you doing to need fulltime for a year to feed tennis balls?

The best coaches just do it for years and build a reputation based on results and word of mouth. You know who the good coaches are after your kid sticks to tennis seriously for a few years.

That is what I also thought. Some people I know became coaches by coaching their children and built on that. I don't think 1500 hours are needed.

These are also the days of great instructional material and forums like this on the Internet. Why be an apprentice to a coach you don't agree with - like someone who claims there is only one way to hit any stroke - his. You can find another "mentor," but you risk getting bad evaluations and there are not that many positions available.

Perhaps the USTA doesn't know this, but many states have strict rules about unpaid interns or workers who are not protected in the workplace, or paid less.

 

[heninfan99]

"1,500 hours of work and study under the supervision of a mentor" means go get coffee, get the Master Professional's Audi washed.

There's a Master Professional head pro at a local club and he doesn't teach any better than the 4.5 part-timer.

Certs help climb the ladder at a facility and also help those with no background get students on Craigslist. Maybe the higher standards will cost PTR monies for the "Fat Bobs" might not bother.

 

[Raul_SJ]

They are getting into the teaching business, to put it briefly.

Will the PTA continue to offer certification for "USPTA Professional Level 1, Level 2, Level 3" which require far less than the 1500 hours training? Or will those designations be dropped with the introduction of the USTA standards?

What is the difference between accreditation and certification?

Schultz: Both “certification” and “accreditation” involve assessment against standards and both provide recognition of excellence.

However, accreditation refers to an organization voluntarily complying with standards set forth by an independent third party, whereas certification is a process by which an organization grants recognition of competence to an individual who has met predetermined qualifications specified by that organization. As the accrediting body, the USTA will not certify tennis professionals. Certification will continue to be administered by organizations such as the PTR, USPTA and any other organizations that meet the criteria established by the USTA to certify professionals. By separating the organizational roles, we collectively create accountability for adherence to standards.​

 

[esgee48]

It's a NAKED POWER GRAB by the USTA. They haven't really produced any top tier pro in decades [if any] so they want to grab any credit for someone else's work.

To say the they will accredit or certify the work of others is ridiculous. Their standards to date are not what I would consider professional.

The true bodies to say they are doing a good job should be composed of people from the ATP/WTA or their coaches; not a bunch of idiots. Think of the AICPA organization. They certify that any CPA is qualified to to do their work. Standards are real, so much so that the IRS/Govt orgs say OK. It will not be so with the USTA effort. Every professional line of business such as Chemistry [ACS] or Chem Eng [AIChE] have professional organizations that certify the knowledge of the people practicing the work. 3 cents.

 

[Fxanimator1]

I am a USPTA-certified rec coach hehehe. I took the 8 hour training but no exam.

I could have applied for a waiver based on my ATP forehand, but I still took the test.

You’re a tennis coach?

 

[heninfan99]

You’re a tennis coach?

He's certifiable.

 

[sureshs]

You’re a tennis coach?

Rec coach lol don't actually teach except provide tips to Federer in this forum

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[sureshs]

Volunteering at the tournament desk now of a tournament and a USPTA convention headlined by a kid's clinic by Wayne Bryan is underway in parallel. The age of the guys that I see going in is shall we say very advanced

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[sureshs]

If they want to attract younger people, how is making it harder going to help? By limiting good jobs to the richer folks in a PTM program or able to apprentice with none or lower ages?

Linking to PTM programs is also incestuous because USTA seems to control them.

D1 player needs 1500 hours but PTM grad at NTRP 4.0 does not?

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[Topspin Shot]

If they want to attract younger people, how is making it harder going to help? By limiting good jobs to the richer folks in a PTM program or able to apprentice with none or lower ages?

Linking to PTM programs is also incestuous because USTA seems to control them.

D1 player needs 1500 hours but PTM grad at NTRP 4.0 does not?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

It doesn't matter much, I don't think many coaches are going to sign up for this.

 

[sureshs]

Wayne Bryan took the details of the upcoming finals from me now (USC vs UCLA). Should have asked him about this LOL but he was too busy.

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[Chadillac]

Continuing education is required in every field.

More like endoctrination. You dont show people how to teach tennis, they have to understand the game and communicate. Not recite things you read or heard (how it has changed).

 

[sureshs]

More like endoctrination. You dont show people how to teach tennis, they have to understand the game and communicate. Not recite things you read or heard (how it has changed).

Relax man it is not like continuing education for surgeons. It is just tennis. It is just to keep the network going.

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[rogerroger917]

If they want to attract younger people, how is making it harder going to help? By limiting good jobs to the richer folks in a PTM program or able to apprentice with none or lower ages?

Linking to PTM programs is also incestuous because USTA seems to control them.

D1 player needs 1500 hours but PTM grad at NTRP 4.0 does not?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

The whole idea sounds stupid.

 

[RetroSpin]

Why would the coaching organizations sign on to this? What is the USTA bringing to this? The USPTA can adopt any criteria it wants for certification. It doesn't need to run them by the USTA. Was this some sort of financial takeovers of these organizations?

 

[sureshs]

Why would the coaching organizations sign on to this? What is the USTA bringing to this? The USPTA can adopt any criteria it wants for certification. It doesn't need to run them by the USTA. Was this some sort of financial takeovers of these organizations?

USPTA moved into the USTA Lake Nona center. Why?
Same top guys rotate through all the orgs like USTA USPTA USPTR TIA.

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[MarinaHighTennis]

USTA is going to accredit teaching organizations like the USPTA and PTR.

Requirements to become a coach are going up drastically. Now, you need 8 hours of online training and an on-court test to become a coach. The new requirements will be to get a Professional Tennis Managament degree or to become an apprentice for 1500 hours of work and study under a mentor. It is expected to take a year. Training has to include CPR, first aid, and safety. The idea is to make tennis certification similar to PGA golf certification.

I don't know. There is a guy here who coached his son to a D1 school and became a coach. He is a 4.0 player. There is a woman who was a D1 college player and is a coach at a public rec center. I know touring pros are exempted, but it would seem to me that she would also have to apprentice for 1 year?

It also looks like the USTA is telling the PTA and PTR that their process is not good enough and is overriding them.

A PTM degree takes money. Will an apprentice be paid? Are there enough such positions?

Will a knowledgeable person like LeeD have to prove himself for 1 year to become a coach?

Will there be enough money at the end? Can a tennis pro charge like a golf pro? Golf has many rich customers. Tennis is the domain of Fat Bobs who never take a lesson (and for some good reasons). Would a pro now make more after having spent a lot of money? Or will the higher quality weed out the casual ones and ensure better pay for the cream?

Above all, why is the USTA becoming the decision maker here?

Rules will kick in in 2019, so if you are a Fat Bob dreaming of becoming a coach, do it while it is easy. Existing coaches will be grandfathered.

I expect JY, tennis_balla, Ash, and 5263 to comment.

http://www.tennisindustrymag.com/issues/201803/coaching-accreditation.pdf

Sounds like PA school, only question is that are you guaranteed a coaching job after all these hours of what could be wasted time? You're not paid much to be a coach unless you're really good and had results so most of these ppl taking the certification are beginners and will find it hard to get a coaching position at a club, etc. To how much time and money, you'd also wish to be paid more, but customers wont pay for that and eventually they'll just turn to non-certified coaches who have cheaper rates. As long as you work with a coach for a period of time & they're both dedicated, they'll get your kid the results vs a club pro.

 

[vex]

So basically no one will bother getting certified and nothing will change.

 

[sureshs]

Sounds like PA school, only question is that are you guaranteed a coaching job after all these hours of what could be wasted time? You're not paid much to be a coach unless you're really good and had results so most of these ppl taking the certification are beginners and will find it hard to get a coaching position at a club, etc. To how much time and money, you'd also wish to be paid more, but customers wont pay for that and eventually they'll just turn to non-certified coaches who have cheaper rates. As long as you work with a coach for a period of time & they're both dedicated, they'll get your kid the results vs a club pro.

If you are not certified, how will you get liability insurance which a club will demand?

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[Notirouswithag]

Dont see the point behind this except money grabbing purposes and tacking their name onto something they don't contribute to.

I rarely

I have been working towards my cert for when I retire in a few years, but mostly for working with younger players since that is what I now for recreation. They have been doing a lot of changes for the kids coaching and such. All good stuff I think. I had gone through and done the Net Gen work which includes safe play guidelines and the background check. Good to know about the other changes. Not sure about the degree requirement though. My son's coach is also the head coach for Grand Canyon University and he just worked with the college to start their Tennis MGT degree recently. Will have to check.

Anyone have a link for all the information?

go get professional certification its cake and you will pass while you still can before the new stuff sets in