USTA Coaching Tops 17,000 Community Members in First Year as Tennis Boom Drives Demand for More Coaches

With more than 25 million Americans playing tennis, USTA Coaching expands education nationwide and builds new pathways for women and emerging coaches

• The Online Learning Hub launched in November and now offers 1,500+ hours of education across 31 badges, 83 modules and 250+ on-demand videos.
• Intro to Coaching, Empowering Girls and Coaching High School are among the most-earned badges in USTA Coaching's first year.
• More than 1,500 coaches attended 135 workshops, many hosted at 44+ Coaching Education Centers throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
• Women represent 34 percent and coaches under 30 represent 24 percent of the USTA Coaching community, reflecting efforts to expand and diversify the coaching pipeline.

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tennis participation has reached its highest level in decades, with more than 25 million Americans playing, yet USTA research found that only 2 in 10 receive any formal coaching. When USTA Coaching launched on Aug. 13, 2025, to help close that gap, the response was immediate. On launch day alone, more than one person per minute joined. One year in, the platform has grown into a national community of more than 17,000 coaches, parents, volunteers, educators and industry professionals.

In its first year, USTA Coaching built the infrastructure to expand the coaching pipeline. Through flexible education, in-person training, research and partnerships, the organization has worked to make coaching easier to enter and more sustainable as a career.

"Our goal from the start was to make coaching more accessible, more rewarding and more impactful at every level of the game," said Craig Morris, CEO of USTA Coaching. "The first year showed us the demand was real. But tennis is growing faster than the coaching workforce behind it, and that is the work ahead. Our ambition is to make sure that every person who picks up a racquet has a qualified coach to learn from, and that means building this pipeline as fast as the sport is growing."

EXPANDING ACCESS TO COACH EDUCATION

USTA Coaching built its education model around the realities of coaching: People enter the profession from different places, learn in different ways and need support that fits their goals. Coaches can begin with focused badges, pursue certifications and combine online learning with hands-on workshops. Topics range from introductory coaching and group lesson delivery to junior and adult development, wheelchair tennis, cardio tennis and athlete-centered coaching.

The Online Learning Hub, which launched in November, now includes 31 badges, 83 modules, more than 250 on-demand videos, 1,500 hours of instructional content and AI role-play scenarios. It also recognizes multiple equivalency levels for Professional Tennis Registry and Racquet Sports Professionals Association certifications, allowing coaches to receive credit for credentials they already hold.

Education also extended to courts nationwide. More than 1,500 coaches attended 135 workshops led by professional coach developers, many held at 44+ Coaching Education Centers across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. That regional model gives USTA Sections, facilities and coach developers a direct role in strengthening their local coaching communities and supports the USTA's goal of reaching 35 million players by 2035.

TURNING RESEARCH INTO OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN

Just 16 days after launch, USTA Coaching hosted Women in Coaching: A Cross-Sport Collaboration summit during the 2025 US Open. Billie Jean King, Dr. Nicole LaVoi of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, and leaders from across professional sports examined the structural barriers that keep women from entering and remaining in coaching.

Those conversations helped shape a national report released in March with the Tucker Center. Among its findings: insufficient pay and lack of caregiving support are among the leading reasons women collegiate coaches decline job offers.

"The numbers tell an important story, but recruitment without retention is not progress," said Megan Rose, Managing Director and Head of Business Development and Operations for USTA Coaching. "What we heard from coaches across sports was that the barriers are structural. If we want more women leading on the court, we have to change how these roles are built and supported, not just how many women we invite in."

USTA Coaching put that research into practice. Its inaugural Women in Coaching Cohort brought 25 established women coaches to the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Florida, for a three-day experience followed by continued development throughout the year. In April, USTA Coaching became a Mission Partner of WeCOACH, a national nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, advancing and retaining women coaches across all sports.

The organizations also launched Serving All: Aspiring Coaches powered by WeCOACH for collegiate women tennis players considering coaching careers. Thirty participants from 18 states are taking part in education, mentorship and leadership development, and each received a complimentary WeCOACH membership. Together, the programs support women already coaching while building the next generation of leaders. Women now represent 34 percent of the USTA Coaching community.

BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION

Building the coaching pipeline also means reaching future coaches earlier and creating more pathways into the profession. Coaches under 30 now make up 24 percent of the USTA Coaching community, including 835 coaches ages 13-17, driven in part by high school engagement and incentives. USTA Coaching is also reaching emerging coaches through Spring Break Tennis, National Junior Tennis and Learning chapters and Community Impact Hubs.

That pipeline extends to higher education. In May, USTA Coaching established collaborations with Ferris State University, Hope College and Methodist University, giving students in professional tennis management and racquet sports management programs access to the ustacoaching.com platform as they prepare to enter the workforce. USTA Coaching has also delivered education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities through the USTA David N. Dinkins HBCU Coaching Grant, expanding access to coaching education and creating more entry points into the profession.

A CAPSTONE MOMENT IN NEW YORK

USTA Coaching marked its first anniversary August 25-27, with the inaugural Coaches Open in New York City bringing together 500 coaches from across the country for three days of education, connection and professional development.

Billie Jean King headlined a cross-sport speaker lineup that included USTA CEO Craig Tiley, USTA Coaching CEO Craig Morris, Grand Slam-winning coaches Darren Cahill and Paul Annacone, University of South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley, U.S. Women's National Hockey Team head coach John Wroblewski, Olympic gold medalist Aerin Frankel and author Will Guidara.

"When I look out at a room full of coaches, I see the future of tennis," said King. "Every champion started with someone who believed in them first. Giving coaches the education, the tools and the recognition they deserve is how this sport keeps growing, and it is long overdue."

In Louis Armstrong Stadium, coaches took part in on-court sessions focused on movement, decision-making and player development, while additional programming explored leadership and culture, inclusive and adaptive coaching, women in coaching, and technology and performance. In addition, 21 coaches will have completed the first phase of specialty courses, while a tradeshow and innovation showcase featured 30 companies serving the profession. Free on-site childcare helped make the event more accessible to attendees.

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