News

A group of ATP World Tour and WTA Tour coaches is launching a new organization to help support fellow coaches and tour trainers by offering them a full range of benefits and services, including access to various forms of insurance, financial services, job training, and mentoring. The organization is known as the Tour Level Tennis Coaches Association, and it will benefit and be solely comprised of ATP and WTA Tour coaches and trainers. The TLTCA will work in concert with the ATP, WTA, and ITF to promote the game across the globe.

Roger Rasheed (coach of ATP World Tour player Gael Monfils) and Vlado Platenik (coach of the WTA Tour’s Dominika Cibulkova) are spearheading the process of forming the TLTCA’s initial advisory board of directors. With the assistance of tennis industry professionals, they have developed a set of association by-laws and are currently enlisting other coaches to join the organization. Plans call for a member vote in early January in Australia for the first official board of directors.

The TLTCA’s mission is to give its members access to affordable health insurance, financial services, and contractual help. The Association will act as an advocate for coaches’ needs and actively market them individually and as group.

“The TLTCA’s plan to offer preferred access to benefits could make a huge difference to coaches,” said Petr Korda (coach of Radek Stepanek), a supporter of the initiative. “Because coaches come from so many different countries and backgrounds, they face a wide range of issues. For instance health insurance is often a problem for coaches based in the U.S., and that’s something the TLTCA will offer. The Association will greatly improve its members’ quality of life.”

“To ensure its success, the TLTCA is ready to work alongside the ATP, WTA, and ITF,” said Roger Rasheed. “We recognize the power each of those organizations has, and we want the TLTCA to complement those organizations’ initiatives to help grow tennis and advance the game in the right direction.”

“It’s important that coaches be more organized and more professional when it comes to marketing and representing ourselves,” said Vlado Platenik. “The TLTCA will help this cause through strategic marketing initiatives. Also, one of the TLTCA’s top priorities will be a constant flow of internal communication, and we will always make our business transparent for members to see. It’s very important that every member of the TLTCA feel they have an active stake in all decisions.”