COACHING, TRAINING AND PLAYER SERVICES
Our coaching program is designed to actively assist in the development of the next group of top male and female American players. To accomplish this goal, we are committed to working closely with parents, personal coaches and the various private academies in an effort to help produce a multitude of players that will compete on the ATP and WTA tour and ultimately become world class American champions.
Our program assists with the development of players in following ways:
- Bring our best players together to practice and play matches against each other.
- Provide direct or supplemental coaching based on the player's developmental unit/need.
- Develop a working relationship with personal coaches.
- Impress upon the player the importance of physical fitness and off-court training.
- Impress upon the player the importance of developing mental toughness.
- Provide video analysis to improve technical aspects of the player's game.
- Provide speakers on various topics in order to educate players and parents.
- Provide play-off opportunities for wild cards.
- Assist players with the proper balance of scheduling the appropriate level of tournaments (including exposure to international and pro circuit competition at a younger age).
- Provide two USTA Training Centers (Boca Raton, Florida and Carson, California) and USTA Certified Regional Training Centers, so that we provide the best training environment for our players.
- Assist players in their development by providing grants to players to assist with training and travel.
- Provide various camp and trips for players.
- Arrange Wild Card playoffs for major events to instill competition and work ethic for earning Wild Card opportunities.
- The aim of our program is to develop a united national culture among players, personal coaches and our staff, so that American tennis can be the strongest in the world. The Player Development department is headed by General Manager Patrick McEnroe, with the Men’s Program directed by Jay Berger and the Women’s Program directed by Ola Malmqvist. Coaching direction and oversight is provided by Jose Higueras, Director of Coaching.
The USTA currently has 15 national coaches, which work with male and female players from across the country and with players at our USTA Training Centers. In addition, when these coaches are not traveling to tournaments they work at one of our two training centers (Boca Raton, Florida and Carson, California) and train the players who are on-site.
COACHING EDUCATION AND SPORT SCIENCE
- Organize and conduct the USTA High Performance Coaching Program, consisting of 24 participants for each program.
- Organize and conduct USTA High Performance Coaching Continuing Education Programs, consisting of 18 participants for each program.
- Publish the High-Performance Coaching newsletter on a quarterly basis.
- Produce instructional videos for coaching purposes.
- Work cooperatively with the USPTA and PTR on coaching education related matters.
- Work with the USOC on coaching education and drug testing.
- Gather, disseminate and support the latest research in the sport science disciplines.
- Work with the USTA Sport Science Committee.
- Provide research grants.
- Plan and conduct Sport Science Competency Testing.
- Coordinate drug education and testing.
- Provide strength and conditioning support to players working at our training centers and provide guidance to our USTA Certified Regional Training Centers.
JUNIOR AND COLLEGIATE COMPETITION
- Provide customer service to players, parents and coaches on the National Junior Rankings and tournament play on a daily basis.
- Administer and enforce junior rules and regulations.
- Publish the National Junior Tournament Schedule.
- Maintain the National Junior Tournament Calendar on-line.
- Maintain the National Junior Rankings database for boys’ and girls’ in the 12-18 age groups.
- Sanction and schedule all National Junior tournaments.
- Liaise with designated tennis governing bodies (i.e. International Tennis Federation, United States Olympic Committee, NCAA, Intercollegiate Tennis Association) on issues and rules involving junior tennis and varsity collegiate tennis.
- Work with the Junior Competition Committee and National Ranking Chairman.
- Conduct tournament director workshops and provide a tournament director’s manual.
- Support tournament directors in the organization of National Championships and tournament procedures.
- Direct major international tennis tournaments in the United States such as the Junior US Open, Dunlop Orange Bowl and International Spring Championships.
- Work cooperatively with the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) and USTA Collegiate Committee on those matters pertaining to varsity college athletes, including but not limited to selecting players for Summer Collegiate Teams and World University Games, saving varsity college teams from being cut, supporting major intercollegiate tennis events, keeping Pro Circuit events on college campuses and addressing areas of concern with the NCAA as they affect junior, collegiate and professional tennis.
TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT
- Oversee USTA Certified Regional Training Centers.
- Organize and administer 100 Competition Training Centers (1600 players and 300 coaches and administrators).
- Organize and conduct the CTC Coaches Workshop, the premier training program for our 300 CTC coaches.
- Administer the network of Local Excellence Training programs (900-plus) throughout the country.