How to step into tennis industry - part time?

[remshaam]

I am really passionate about the game and have been playing for 17 years competitively. Right now working in engineering field, but want to step into the tennis industry. I would like to pursue my passion atleast part time for now, since I would like to be involved with the sport in the long run. I'm 26 years old.
1. How do I step into the tennis industry? Should I start with some certifications like USPTA and PTR? Will that help in networking with people who have experience with this?
2. What are the different pathways that I could take- like tennis coaching, club management etc? What does it take to get jobs at clubs, resorts? Also where to learn about racquet stringing?
3. Any ideas for marketing and promotions? Any helpful websites to market yourself as a coach for private lessons? I live in the Chicago area, and would like to teach tennis.
4. I am also really into fitness, so will certifications like American council on exercise (ACE) help along with tennis certifications to initiate career as a tennis / strength and conditioning coach?
5. I am also looking for opportunities abroad, like Gulf, Australia etc. How do you compare the opportunities here in the USA vs abroad?
Thank you all

 

[sovertennis]

I made tennis instruction and coaching into a very enjoyable part time job about 15 years ago. I stress "part time" because I had a fairly lucrative career (in business) that supported my growing family. Please be aware that there is not much money, and little job security, in most of the tennis teaching world, eg at clubs, resorts and camps. You can find numerous threads on this board outlining that--I I believe it was Fuji who had a thread recently about his experience as a just-starting-out instructor.

First, I'd suggest you make contact with the head pro at a club nearby, tell him or her about your plan, and ask if you can (for lack of a better term) be an intern instructor. If you find that you like to work, then get your USPTA certification. Be warned that USPTA certification is not, in and of itself, a ticket to a tennis coaching job, but it does show a prospective employer that you're serious.

Although I too had played competitively and had been a high school tennis (and many other sports) coach, I did not, early-on, presume I knew anything about teaching tennis, so I watched instructors whom I respected, asked a lot of questions and tried to emulate them. You can get a lot of information, of course, on-line, although a great deal of it IMO is of dubious quality.

Over time, I've made many contacts and have broadened my experience (hence ability) through some terrific, but not always income-producing, experiences, eg as a volunteer assistant on a highly ranked college team. At the other end of the coaching spectrum, I ran a program (nearly free of charge) for kids at a local park.

Recently, I retired from my business career and continue to work part time as a coach and instructor and enjoy is immensely. I earn more than enough money to provide good cash flow and get great satisfaction from being on a tennis court helping players of wide-ranging abilities improve their games, or for some, to just get out a play; not everyone wants to be the club champion.

None of this happened fast though, so if you proceed be aware that, in all likelihood, you won't just fall into a coaching gig that will earn you as much as you do with your engineering work. Good luck.

 

[sureshs]

If you are looking abroad, consider Dubai, Singapore, and resorts in the Caribbean islands, Maldives, Tahiti, Thailand, etc. Peter Burwash runs many resorts in exotic places. Ex-pat coaches are in good demand to cater to the Western tourist or high-flyer, and these places are usually full of coaches from UK and Australia. I just found out recently that while there are 200,000 UK expats in Dubai, there are also 50,000 from the US.

 

[onehandbh]

Oftentimes these gigs want people who have had skne competitive success greater than loval park champ or club champ.

Picking a sample of people I know:
- former #2 ranked junior in fairly big country
- top 10 ranked 18 and under player in fairly big country
- D1 college tennis player
- a few with some ATP pts
- jr davis cup or davis cup player for country

If you are looking abroad, consider Dubai, Singapore, and resorts in the Caribbean islands, Maldives, Tahiti, Thailand, etc. Peter Burwash runs many resorts in exotic places. Ex-pat coaches are in good demand to cater to the Western tourist or high-flyer, and these places are usually full of coaches from UK and Australia. I just found out recently that while there are 200,000 UK expats in Dubai, there are also 50,000 from the US.