USPTA, Univ. of Florida Partner for Director of Rac Sports Certification
February 19, 2021
LAKE NONA, FL, February 18, 2021 — The USPTA announced it will partner with the University of Florida (UF) School of Health and Human Performance to deliver its new Director of Racquet Sports curriculum. Once students complete the curriculum and pass the final exam, they will be eligible to receive the new designation of “USPTA-certified Director of Racquet Sports.”
UF is delivering the curriculum in two ways, through a continuing education option and as a part of the Sport Management Masters degree program. Both programs are 100 percent online.
Students interested in a full, 36-hour masters degree receive the curriculum through a specialization program within the degree. The Sport Management masters is rated by bestcolleges.com as the leading Sport Management masters program in the country, and it is enrolling now (https://sm.hhp.ufl.edu/).
Students interested in the non-credit, continuing-education track can apply and begin on June 1, 2021, and complete the self-paced curriculum in as few as three months. The continuing education option’s initial cost will be $1,995 — a discounted price from the regular price of $2,395.
Tennis professionals who earn their Director of Racquet Sports Certification from the University of Florida will be able to differentiate themselves in the job market as someone who has pursued the most extensive content available in our industry. Long-time USPTA Elite Professional and former Gator All-American player Kim Bastable will be directing the program.
“This curriculum is perfect for tennis professionals who want to transition into leadership positions in tennis and racquet sports,” said John Embree, CEO, USPTA. “Following two years of development from some of the brightest minds in the USPTA, we are thrilled that the University of Florida, which has such a strong reputation amongst institutions of higher learning, has agreed to deliver this education for the betterment of our industry.”
“The University of Florida is very excited to partner with the USPTA on the Director of Racquet Sports specialization,” said Michael Sagas, Professor and Chair for the Department of Sport Management at the University of Florida. “We believe this curriculum is an excellent complement to the existing core curriculum in sport management and look forward to working with leaders in the tennis industry to expand their knowledge, expertise, and relevance.”
“The Director of Racquet Sports curriculum meets the increasing industry demand for professional development and competencies in all areas of the tennis and racquets business in private clubs and public facilities,” said Kim Bastable, M.S. USPTA, UF Director of Professional Tennis Management. “We are excited to provide the delivery of USPTA and USTA’s strong curriculum because the tennis and racquets industries need more leaders, and this program will create both competencies and a leadership network.”