WESTBOROUGH, MA - The relationship between USTA New England and the local USPTA and PTR chapters is stronger than it’s ever been. The three organizations have once again teamed up to host a free yearlong virtual education series focused on tennis providers beginning on January 27. Pro Power Series will bring teaching professionals and coaches from New England and beyond together for networking and professional development during a time when it’s needed most.
“All USPTA and PTR tennis professionals need to fulfill continuing education requirements to maintain their certification, and the COVID-19 pandemic has put virtually all our usual in-person conferences and educational events on hold indefinitely,” said Mike Kolendo, President of USPTA New England. “Extending the Pro Power Series is one way we hope to help our members fulfill these requirements. We also hope that, by partnering with both USTA and PTR, the series will reach a wider audience for both presenters and members.”
The Pro Power Series made its debut in 2020 in a 14-part series spanning from April to June as a way for tennis providers to improve their coaching in anticipation of their return to the court following COVID-19 restrictions. More than 450 providers joined sessions led by New England and National industry leaders.
“When COVID-19 first hit, our team felt it was important to build an initiative around bringing our New England community of coaches together. With many finding themselves in a position unable to do the job they love, it was important to us to help fill that void in some small way,” said Shawna Fors, USTA New England Director of Player Development and series co-creator.
“Our number goal was to keep coaches engaged while providing them an opportunity to continue their education, and what grew from the series was so much more.”
The series saw the relationship between the USPTA and PTR blossom in a way it hadn’t before, all while opening more doors for pros certified by either organization.
“Our organizations share the same overall goals regarding our commitment to raising the bar of tennis professionals, we just have slightly different education pathways. There’s much more synergy now than ever, and we see this as an opportunity to open up some avenues of education that we may not have realized or made available to both organizations before,” said Lance Andersen, PTR’s Massachusetts State Representative.
This year’s series will feature a diverse lineup of 1-2 monthly “Power Hours” running through the end of 2021 and possibly beyond. The first Power Hour will be live on Zoom on January 27 from 12-1 pm and feature Tim Donovan speaking on the landscape of the college tennis recruiting process.
“This is a great opportunity for industry as a whole. As we sat through the pandemic, we thought, wow, there’s a lot we can bring to our membership online from a professional growth perspective that doesn’t require them to be in person,” Andersen said. “The Pro Power Series allows you to get your continuing education at your own pace, and it’s more cost effective because we’re allowing local pros to have access to presenters we may not have had the budget to bring in otherwise.”
For more information on the Pro Power Series, including how to register, click here.
