LAKE NONA, FL, January 11, 2021 — The USPTA today announced it will partner with the American Tennis Association (ATA) to provide extensive educational opportunities to ATA coaches.
As part of the agreement, the USPTA is committed to granting Free Access to USPTA division conferences and the USPTA World Conference to a select number of ATA and HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) coaches. In addition, ATA coaches will have access to the USPTA’s education website, TennisResources.com.
Slated for August 3-8, 2021, at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, FL, the USPTA will support the ATA National Championships with seminars for coaches in attendance and education for players and parents. The USPTA is dedicated to providing ATA members and coaches of HBCU institutions with robust educational workshops to elevate their coaching and teaching standards.
The USPTA holds a strong belief in making both capital improvements to tennis facilities and establishing Professional Tennis Management (PTM) programs at HBCUs. To attract coaches of color to our industry, HBCUs need to improve their facilities to be on par with other major universities across the country. By creating a PTM program at one or two HBCUs, candidates who seek to become a tennis-teaching professional will better understand the pathway to an exciting career in tennis.
In return for this commitment, the USPTA will be the exclusive tennis teaching organization of the ATA. “I’m ecstatic about partnering with the ATA,” said John Embree, CEO, USPTA. “Inviting ATA members to become certified professionals or certified instructors of the USPTA will be mutually beneficial as we usher in the next great group of tennis-teaching professionals.”
Founded in Washington, D.C., in 1916, with its mission to elevate black tennis, the ATA is the oldest and longest-running African American sports organization in the country.
“The exposure granted to ATA members and HBCU coaches through USPTA programming and training offers incredible opportunity to improve how tennis is delivered to our community,” said Roxanne Aaron, President, ATA.
About the ATA: With a mission to develop, promote, and showcase opportunities through tennis in diverse communities, the ATA strives to be the leading diverse adult tennis organization that promotes the education, health, and wellness of under-served youth and to create the next generation of tennis heroes and community leaders.
About the USPTA: Founded in 1927, the USPTA is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 14,000 members worldwide and 17 divisions nationwide, the association’s mission is to raise the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches and to promote a greater awareness of the sport.