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Recreational Coach Workshops Provide Skills to Beginning Tennis Teachers
Contributed by: Kelly O’Laughlin, USTA National Staff
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RCW Trainers at a workshop in Destin, FL
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Recreational Coaches Workshops (RCWs) are interactive, on-court training programs designed for tennis teachers and coaches working with players at the recreational level.
Since 2000, over 28,000 coaches have attended an RCW. In 2007, over half of the 200 workshops held nationwide were hosted by CTAs. If you haven’t hosted an RCW yet, there are many reasons why you should!
Why should my CTA host an RCW?
• To Train Coaches. The RCW offers an ideal first step for those teaching and coaching entry level tennis. The active 6-hour session covers: teaching large groups, the games-based approach to coaching, the QuickStart Tennis format, running effective team practices, and The Top 10 Games Every Coach Should Know.
Every coach who attends one of these workshops provided by one of 105 specially trained professionals is on the path to becoming an established certified teaching professional. The RCW is approved by the USPTA as the requirement for the Developmental Coach membership and by the PTR for Developmental Coach membership.
• To Grow Tennis. Since most new players have their first experience with a novice instructor, it makes sense to provide these new teachers with resources to make learning tennis fun in a group environment. If tennis cannot be presented in an environment where people can enjoy the sport quickly, these players will simply move into other activities that offer greater satisfaction. Providing better introductory teachers means more people who will have a good first experience with the game – which means more people who will continue to play tennis.
• As a Networking Opportunity. RCWs are a fantastic place to bring together tennis coaches, teachers, and organizers in your community to strengthen your tennis network.
• It’s Easy and Rewarding to Host. The basics you need to host a workshop are:
* A minimum of 2 tennis courts
* A minimum of 20 attendees
* The willingness to be the contact person for the workshop
* An application submitted a minimum of one month in advance
After the workshop, your CTA will receive a $10 reimbursement for every completed participant evaluation you return to the USTA. Your CTA also keeps any participant fees charged for the workshop.
Everyone wins when new instructors can use well-tested and successful techniques that get students playing and quickly enjoying their great sport. For more information on RCWs, visit www.usta.com/rcw.
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USTA Staff Member Anne Davis at an RCW in Hollywood, CA
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