Tennis coaching is not only a matter of someone giving classes because they want to, it has to start with a special education, which allows you to receive a certificate. There are separate certificates that prove different coaching levels, and each of them requires more training and investments.
The United States Professional Tennis Association (the USPTA) prepares tennis coaches. It offers different programs, including Coach Youth Tennis and Professional Tennis Management, which is an additional education after the bachelor’s degree. The USPTA provides the students with their certificates. Another option is to get the Professional Tennis Registry license (PTR), which also offers a training course: a range of online lessons plus a 2-days workshop. Also you can get the required level if you’ve been a champion during your trajectory.
It is possible to receive three types of certificates approved by the USPTA and recognized worldwide: professional, elite professional, and master professional. When you enroll in the education program certified by the USPTA, you can choose the age and level of tennis players you want to work with: 10 & Under, 11 to 17, Performance or Adult Development.
Even though being an elite tennis coach is a decently rewarded job, it involves many pitfalls. When a tennis coach works at a college, a small club, or opt for such jobs as a personal instructor or a coaching assistant, they will not be paid a million dollars per year. However, they can count on their insurance and pension fund coverage, usually going by default in jobs like these. When a coach is aimed at top-class sports, they gain an honorary rank in the sports community and earn incomparably more. The other side of these advantages is the lack of social security and a need to act as an individual entrepreneur, combining financial work with direct responsibilities
Finally based on our experience, being a tennis coach is not only a job it is also the possibility of making a life from the passion of training. The love of our students and for teaching them the way to get their best and up their game with us!
Yay! You did such a great job clarifying that even grown up people like me are never to late to learn some basic tennis skills as long as we do it under professional supervision. One of my old friends has invited me to play tennis with her at a fancy country club next week, but I have no idea how to play the sport. I guess I’ll have to hire an instructor to help me master the game very soon.
I am an Elite Pro certified by USPTA. I have taught tennis for over 25 years. I love coaching tennis. I have learned a tremendous amount from the in person courses, conventions, & online videos the USPTA & USTA puts on. There is a lot of support out there for educational growth as a tennis professional and so many focuses to choose from such as various ability levels, adaptive, wheelchair, group or individual focus, camps, tournament organization, grassroots, etc. I want to note that finding a job with retirement or benefits can be difficult unless you work for a larger facility & are able to acquire at least 30 hours of lessons a week consistently, or work for a college, municipality, or large organization such as USTA. However, the USPTA does offer a retirement option for USPTA certified professionals & other organizations may as well. So, if you’re wanting to be a tennis professional, keep researching & learning about your retirement opportunities & think outside the box if the organization you work for doesn’t offer retirement. You can also expect to move to other locations to follow job opportunities. It is a very rewarding job because you are teaching people skills that will improve their health and they are having fun learning those skills. If this is your passion, I recommend finding a mentor, & then go for it!