USTA and ClubCorp: A new youth tennis alliance

One of the largest tennis operators in the nation and the national governing body for tennis in the United States have created a new alliance to bring the sport to the next generation of players. 

The USTA and ClubCorp, which boasts a portfolio of over 200 golf and country clubs, city clubs, sports clubs and stadium clubs in 27 states across the country, will now work together bring tennis to young people across the country.

A total of 950 tennis courts are among ClubCorp's facilities, with programming that includes teaching, clinics, junior instruction, tennis associations and leagues, and ClubCorp tennis professionals will now bring the USTA’s Net Generation youth brand to their communities.

By registering, creating a coaching profile and becoming SafePlay compliant, these professionals will help parents across the country find a safe, high-quality tennis coach for their children.

“We’ve been focused on growing tennis at the grassroots level for many years. Aligning with ClubCorp will enhance our efforts, allowing us access to new audiences within the club and leisure network that may not have previously participated in tennis programming,” said Gordon Smith, USTA Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director. “ClubCorp hosts an impressive network of clubs and coaches to help bring this to life.”

Supplementing their current youth offerings, clubs in the ClubCorp family will receive state-of-the-art coaching tools and programming resources from the USTA, including access to USTA’s Net Generation and adult suite of programs and apps. The digital suite includes practice activities, feedback, skill assessments and USTA coaching curriculums. 

“We are extremely proud to be working directly with the USTA on very important tennis initiatives,” said David Pillsbury, ClubCorp CEO. “Onboarding every club with Net Generation will allow us to enhance our tennis programming, grow the game and, ultimately, add more value for our members. We also very much look forward to working alongside the USTA to develop and deliver educational pathways that help our tennis coaches and professionals gain the necessary skills for professional growth and career advancement.”

The USTA and ClubCorp's collaboration will also seek to bring new adults into the sport for a lifetime, through new competitive and social leagues, tournaments, and team events. In addition, the groups plan to pilot new initiatives in fitness and tennis programming.

“Through Net Generation we are committed to providing coaches with an array of industry-leading resources,” said Craig Morris, USTA Chief Executive, Community Tennis. “Curriculum, linked to the Net Generation app, will support local coaches as they strive to deliver a fantastic on-court experience for kids nationwide. We are excited that ClubCorp has adopted Net Generation for their youth programming and look forward to a successful partnership.”