USTA National Volunteer Opportunities
As a volunteer-driven organization, the USTA engages tennis enthusiasts to work with the association’s staff and members to ensure that we are fulfilling our mission to grow tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere, and achieve the ambitious goal of 35 million people playing tennis by 2035
Opportunities to Serve. At the national level, the USTA has a volunteer structure that is intended to maximize volunteer impact and organizational value. The structure includes several different types of volunteer groups, all of which play an equally important role:
- Committees: These groups serve 2-year terms and have deliverables and oversight that are tied to a regulatory purpose as set forth in the USTA Bylaws and USTA regulations. Committees are comprised of a volunteer Chair, Vice Chair and members, and a USTA staff member and have clearly defined scope of authority and deliverables.
- Consulting Teams: These groups provide USTA staff with a pool of experts in a given area to provide advice needed to make informed decisions. Consulting teams are led by a USTA staff member, and the duration of service can vary.
- Task Forces: These groups serve varied term lengths depending on the assignment. Like Committees they are comprised of a volunteer Chair, Vice Chair and members, and a USTA staff member, and have clearly defined scope of authority and deliverables. The difference between committees and task forces is committees have a regulatory role and always serve 2-year terms. Task forces do not have a regulatory function, and term lengths may vary. Task forces terms may also be renewed depending on existing needs.
- Insight & Innovation Teams: Insight & Innovation teams facilitate the gathering and sharing of information on a variety of subjects. These teams include a volunteer Chair and Vice Chair who, in collaboration with USTA staff facilitate information gathering and sharing. This may include quarterly information sessions, surveys, or other information gathering tasks. Though only two people per group serve national roles, Sections may invite all relevant and interested volunteers and stakeholders to participate in information.
To learn more about the volunteer opportunities available to apply for during the 2027-8 term, please review the information found at the link that follows. Each group will include its category (Committee, Consulting Team, Task Force, Insight & Innovation Team), proposed charge and goals, and approximate duration of service. Please understand that the charge and goals are subject to change; however, what appears in the information is considered a best draft of what can be expected. MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON.
Appointment Process. The USTA President formally approves all appointments to volunteer groups; however, recommendations to the USTA President are made from a number of sources including section leadership, committee and council leadership, and the Volunteer Management Council. Specifically, each USTA Section makes endorsements of applicants from their region, and the Volunteer Management Council, with input from council and committee leadership advises and assists during the appointment process. The USTA Athletes’ Advisory Council provides input on applicants who are Elite Athletes and Actively Engaged Athletes. Factors considered for appointment include an applicant’s relevant experience and skill set(s), and geographic balance.
Requirements for Service. While many national volunteers have participated in their local, District or Section communities in some way before serving at the national level, such prior service is not required to serve on a national volunteer group. Membership in the USTA, Safe Play approval, and submission of a Conflict-of-Interest Discloser Form is mandatory to serve. Click here to learn more about USTA Safe Play.
Applying for a Volunteer Group. The application period runs from August 17 to September 21, 2026. Use the link that follows to access the application: Volunteer Application (LINK COMING SOON). Please contact us at volunteer@usta.com if you have any questions on the appointment process.
Frequently Asked Questions: Applying for a USTA National Committee
The list of volunteer groups for the upcoming term, along with the associated charges/goals and duration is subject to change after the application period opens because of the provisions of the USTA’s governing documents. The USTA Bylaws impact the timeline for appointments. At that time the application opens in August, the slate for the upcoming term, including who will be the USTA President has not been announced, making it impossible to finalize decisions about the groups that will be formed and the corresponding charges/goals. The earliest the slate and new President are known is September 20, and the latest is October 25, depending on whether an alternative slate has been submitted.
The initial application period runs from August 17 to September 21. APPLICATION COMING SOON. However, teams may be appointed outside of the two-year cycle, and individuals will be able to apply to those teams as they are created.
Yes, all persons who wish to serve on a national volunteer group that is listed are to complete an online Volunteer application each term.
APPLICATION COMING SOON.
- You may choose to apply to serve on up to three groups in order of preference.
- You will be asked to name the position you are seeking: member, Vice Chair, or Chair.
- You will be asked about the skills, experience, and qualifications you bring to this role and how they will contribute to the group’s success.
- You will be asked for your USTA Membership Number, although being a member is not required to apply, only to serve.
- You will be asked to complete a USTA Volunteer Profile. The Profile includes: selecting up to five skill sets you feel are your strongest; a request for your employment history, including the opportunity to upload a resume; your experience as a tennis volunteer within and outside of the USTA, including service as the local/grassroots, District, Section and national USTA levels.
- You will be asked whether you quality as an Elite Athlete or Actively Engaged Athlete - terms that are defined by the USOPC and which are included on the application.
- Experience/skills/expertise
- Relevance of experience/skills/expertise to the volunteer group
- Leadership experience
- Diversity, including USTA Section/geographic representation
- USTA Section endorsement
- Input from the incoming Chair and USTA staff input
- For Elite Athletes and Actively Engaged Athletes, input from the USTA Athletes’ Advisory Council
National volunteer group members include representatives from the tennis industry; volunteers from the USTA Sections and Districts; local community tennis leaders; Elite Athletes; players actively engaged in playing tennis; and others with a passion for tennis. Anyone may apply!
- All USTA national volunteers must be USTA members, although a person may join following appointment, but before a term of service begins.
- Committee members are expected to attend and participate in all meetings of their volunteer group, including one in-person meeting per year: the USTA Annual Meeting (held in the spring).
- USTA volunteers must be Safe Play Approved for the duration of their term. To become Safe Play Approved or to check your status, please visit www.usta.com/safeplay. Step-by-step instructions can be found here.
- USTA volunteers must submit a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form annually and adhere to the USTA’s Conflict of Interest Policy and Volunteer Code of Ethics and Professional Standards.
- Committee members must be proficient in the use of the internet. Much of the communication for committees is done by email, and through the use of the Google suite (Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, Google Meet).
The USTA does not cover travel costs for all volunteers to attend the USTA Annual and/or Semiannual Meetings. You may contact your Section office, or if applicable your District office or CTA, to determine if these organizations subsidize these expenses.
Committee Chairs and VMC members are notified in October. All other volunteer appointments as part of the CAP are announced between mid-November and mid-December Additional appointments may be made outside of this cycle as needs arise.
While not all applicants may receive an appointment this year, the volunteer structure allows for on-going appointments to groups as they are formed throughout the term. All persons in the Volunteer Profile System will be notified of new opportunities, and the information you have provided in that System, along with the input of your Section, will assist the President and VMC in making appointments to new groups.
Any applicant that chooses a volunteer group that is not in the organizational chart for the next term who only selects that group will be contacted to review alternate opportunities. No other applicants will be contacted individually.
Applications are read by a number of people who participate in the selection process. Section Presidents and Executive Directors will have access to information on applicants from their Section. The President Elect, VMC, Council Chairs, and Vice Chairs will have access to all applications. Newly appointed Chairs and USTA staff members review the applications for their individual groups. The USTA Athletes’ Advisory Council will have access to applications submitted by Elite Athletes and Actively Engaged Athletes.
Volunteers who have served USTA 20 years or longer receive the following lifetime benefits:
- Invitation to Annual Meeting and Conference
- Access to AMEX Travel to make airline reservations
- Access to USTA Hotel rates at meetings
- Meals at official functions
- Priority ticket order form for US Open
- USTA Volunteer Non-Photo US Open Bus Transportation Pass for volunteer and one guest
- Access to USTA Volunteer Lounge and Seating area
- Volunteers who have served USTA less than 20 years receive the following benefits for two years following their last appointment:
- Invitation to Annual Meeting and Conference and Semiannual Meeting and Conference
- Access to AMEX Travel to make airline reservations
- Access to USTA Hotel rates at meetings
- Meals at official functions
- Priority ticket order form for US Open
- USTA Volunteer Non-Photo US Open Bus Transportation Pass for volunteer and one guest
- Access to USTA Volunteer Lounge and Seating area
Volunteers who have served USTA less than 20 years receive the following benefits for two years following their last appointment:
- Invitation to Annual Meeting and Conference and Semiannual Meeting and Conference
- Access to AMEX Travel to make airline reservations
- Access to USTA Hotel rates at meetings
- Meals at official functions
- Priority ticket order form for US Open
- USTA Volunteer Non-Photo US Open Bus Transportation Pass for volunteer and one guest
- Access to USTA Volunteer Lounge and Seating area
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