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USTA, PTR, USPTA to develop youth curriculum

July 15, 2013

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced that it is developing an educational curriculum, consisting of a series of courses and workshops, that focuses on the development of young players. The USTA will work in collaboration with the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), in developing the curriculum, which will serve as part of the pathway to PTR and USPTA certification. The three associations will use their partnership to effectively raise the level of coaching in the U.S. and enhance the teaching process and long-term development of children in the sport. The program is set to launch in January 2014.

“Continuing to elevate the level of tennis instruction in the United States, especially at the youth tennis level, will be invaluable in fostering our young players,” said USTA Player Development General Manager Patrick McEnroe. “In addition, these efforts will assist with improving the quality and standards of teaching tennis to our youth.”

The program will consist of two stages of course work, which will include interactive and engaging online courses and tests. In addition, the program includes a 10 and Under Tennis workshop that will provide proper fundamentals and skill development progression for teaching professionals.

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.

“This important partnership and commitment among our organizations will positively impact how we develop and grow the sport among our nation’s youth,” said Kurt Kamperman, USTA Chief Executive, Community Tennis. “We believe this unified front will be vital in helping coaches across the country improve their understanding and approach to teaching tennis to kids.”

The program will establish a set of standards for tennis teachers and coaches so that children will be taught the proper fundamentals of the game. The combined resources and industry support serves as a tremendous opportunity for tennis in this U.S.

“10 and Under Tennis has been a priority for PTR even before the rule change,” said Dan Santorum, CEO, PTR. “This cooperation should result in more tennis teaching professionals becoming educated and certified to coach 10 and Under Tennis so we can continue to grow the game.”

“Continuing education will only strengthen the tennis industry, especially at the grass roots level,” said Tom Daglis, USPTA National President. “Tennis teaching professionals play a major role in delivering tennis programs to the consumer and the development of a sound educational curriculum will enhance that role and become a vital component in growing the sport.”

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level — from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 770,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series linking 10 summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S, and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA philanthropic entity, USTA Serves, provides grants and scholarships and helps underserved youth and people with disabilities. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page facebook.com/usta or follow @usta on Twitter.

PTR is the largest global organization of tennis-teaching professionals with more than 14,600 members in 117 countries. It has the greatest percentage of multicultural and women members of any such organization. PTR is dedicated to educating, certifying and servicing tennis teachers and coaches around the world in order to grow the game.

Founded in 1927, USPTA strives to raise the standards of the tennis profession while promoting greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers 70 professional benefits to its more than 15,000 members worldwide, including certification and professional development. With more than 300 days of educational opportunities throughout the year, USPTA offers the most comprehensive continuing education program in the tennis industry. For more information, call 800-877-8248 or visit uspta.com.

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