USTA Coaching to Host Inaugural Coaches Open Event Featuring Billie Jean King to Celebrate Coaching Community

Flagship event will unite the USTA Coaching community for education, networking and celebration this August in New York City

• Inaugural Coaches Open conference presented by USTA Coaching takes place August 25-27, 2026, in New York City
• The event will feature tennis legend Billie Jean King, USTA CEO Craig Tiley, USTA Coaching CEO Craig Morris, Grand Slam-winning tennis coaches Darren Cahill and Paul Annacone, University of South Carolina Women's Basketball Coach Dawn Staley, U.S. Women's National Hockey Team Head Coach John Wroblewski, Gold Medal Goaltender Aerin Frankel, and bestselling author of Unreasonable Hospitality Will Guidara
• Holistic programming, including inclusive coaching, youth development, financial planning and on-court training at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

ORLANDO, Fla. , Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- USTA Coaching today announced the first-ever Coaches Open conference, a new flagship event for the coaching community taking place August 25-27 in New York City.

The inaugural three-day event is designed to help coaches grow their craft, expand their network and reconnect with what brought them to the sport in the first place. Organizers describe it not simply as a conference, but as a celebration of coaches and the impact they make every day. The event also comes as USTA Coaching approaches its one-year anniversary, a period during which the program has grown into a national community of coaches at every level of the sport.

"The Coaches Open conference is one of the most important investments we've made in the coaching community to date. Coaches are the backbone of this sport, and this event is our way of giving them the recognition, resources and experience they deserve. Holding it in New York as the US Open gets underway felt like the right moment to bring this community together," said Craig Morris, CEO, USTA Coaching.

MAJOR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

The Coaches Open conference will bring voices from across sports, leadership and hospitality to the stage, providing a wide range of perspectives on professional success and reflecting the belief that the best lessons for coaches may or may not come from inside the sport itself. Featured speakers include:

• Billie Jean King, Legendary 39-time Grand Slam winner and founder of the Women's Tennis Association
• Craig Tiley, USTA CEO, former CEO at Tennis Australia and Tournament Director of the Australian Open
• Craig Morris, USTA Coaching CEO and former coach of US Open Champion Sam Stosur
• Coach Darren Cahill, Former professional tennis player and current coach of three-time Grand Slam winner Jannik Sinner
• Coach Paul Annacone, current coach of Taylor Fritz and former coach of Roger Federer and Pete Sampras
• Coach Dawn Staley, Three-time Olympic gold-medalist, five-time WNBA All-Star and current three-time NCAA National Championship Head Coach of the University of South Carolina Women's Basketball Team
• Coach John Wroblewski, 2026 Olympic gold medal-winning Head Coach of the U.S. Women's National Hockey Team
• Aerin Frankel, 2026 Olympic gold medal goaltender
• Will Guidara, bestselling author of Unreasonable Hospitality and former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, ranked the #1 restaurant in the world

TRAINING AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

The inaugural Coaches Open conference was built to meet coaches wherever they are in their careers, whether they're just starting out, running their own business, or leading at the highest levels of the sport. Across three days, sessions trace the full arc of a coaching journey, from the fundamentals of the craft to the business decisions, personal growth and leadership moments that shape a lasting career, with topics including:

• Leadership and Culture: Sessions exploring the lasting impact of great coaching, culture-building, and lessons in hospitality and excellence drawn from outside the sport
• Hands-On Coaching and On-Court Training: On-court sessions led by Paul Annacone, Brad Stine, Margie Zesinger and Sandra Zaniewska at Louis Armstrong Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, plus drills and workshops covering footwork, movement, in-match decision-making and player development fundamentals
• Women in Coaching: A dedicated session with Dr. Nicole LaVoi on research-based strategies for empowering girls in sport
• Inclusive and Adaptive Tennis: Sessions dedicated to inclusive coaching practices and the growing wheelchair tennis journey, alongside recognition of coaches advancing accessibility in the sport
• Technology and Performance: Sessions covering performance analytics, AI-driven coaching tools, and the USTA Coaching App, giving coaches practical ways to bring data and technology into their programs

CELEBRATING THE COACHING COMMUNITY

Beyond development opportunities, the event is designed to give back to the USTA Coaching community, with additional activities and benefits including a trade show and innovation showcase. To help as many coaches as possible attend, USTA Coaching is also offering free childcare on-site throughout the event, part of a broader effort to ensure coaches from all backgrounds and circumstances can take part.

"Every detail of this event, from the on-court sessions to the networking moments in between, was built with the coaches' experience in mind. We want our coaches to leave feeling seen, supported and genuinely excited about the work they do every day," said Megan Rose, Managing Director and Head of Business Development and Operations, USTA Coaching.

The Coaches Open conference is open exclusively to registered members of the USTA Coaching community. Interested coaches can find more information and sign up to join USTA Coaching at USTACoaching.com. Registration details for the Coaches Open conference can be found HERE.

ABOUT USTA Coaching

USTA Coaching's national platform offers tiered benefits for coaches at every level - from professional instructors and high school coaches to parents, teachers and volunteers. With a modern approach to certification, flexible education pathways and access to exclusive tools and benefits, USTA Coaching is redefining who gets to lead on the court. By empowering more people to coach, USTA Coaching ensures that as demand for tennis grows, so does the community of skilled, diverse and well-equipped leaders guiding the game forward. To learn more, visit USTACoaching.com.

SOURCE USTA Coaching