Women’s History Month: Amanda Moore Inspires the Future of Women in Sports

USTA Texas: You've been in Texas for about a year and a half. How has your experience being a part of the Texas tennis community specifically impacted the way that you approach coaching? Leadership? Life? Your opinion on TexMex? All of the above?

Amanda Moore: Getting thrown into [the USTA Texas] Management Committee because of my National Board position right away got me really quickly entrenched in what the Section does and what we're about. I just came from the Southwest Section, which is a very different, obviously smaller, Section – with a very high bar for TexMex. But in terms of my tennis experience, it's given me some really great perspective on different avenues of coaching, different avenues of how tennis can work in different places. I've had to adjust to different crowds of people in my coaching career, up to the different goals that each Section has for what they're trying to accomplish. 

We're all trying to get to our same big goal of 35x35, but how each place does that works a little differently. So, I think that one of the biggest things I've learned coming here, aside from the fact that Texas is just awesome in general and we have so many things to be proud of [...] is the knowledge that it's important – as a coach, as a volunteer, as a provider – to really value listening, to really value the kind of perspective you have going into anything you do because it will make you successful. It will get you far just from being able to listen to what other people are saying, being able to add your own flair and thoughts to that, and being able to combine those things and create something special.

"It will get you far just from being able to listen to what other people are saying, being able to add your own flair and thoughts to that, and being able to combine those things and create something special."

USTA Texas: Let's talk about big USTA initiatives, specifically USTA Coaching. You've obviously been very involved in the launch and the scaling of that initiative. We know that there's a need for more women and girls in tennis, and we know that there is a need for more women in coaching specifically. What's your perspective on that?

Moore: First of all, I would be remiss if I didn't say, I mean, I sit on that USTA Coaching Board of Directors, but Craig Morris and Megan Rose are the true engines of that thing. It's already exciting to see us be able to recognize when things are going well, things we need to go back to the drawing board on, things we want to continue to pride coaches to be better on. 

But in terms of the women's space, you're absolutely right. It is one of the top topics of conversation. How do we get more women to see that this is a viable career, that this is something that they love to do and can stay here? Again, I've been lucky enough where I've had lots of people tap me on the shoulder, and, I'm not going to lie, my playing background helped give me a bump for that. I'm not sure everyone really gets to have that. [...] 

What Megan has particularly raised with the Women in Coaching Cohort is a program to pinpoint superstar females in [each Section’s] communities to include them in national level events, coaching seminars, and ways to support people. I think that's a great first step in being able to get toward that goal of including more women and empowering them to see that this is something that can be for them. I will say that I think it's getting better. I'm seeing more and more women start to pop up around me. I just hope that USTA Coaching and I can continue to foster that environment.

"I'm seeing more and more women start to pop up around me. I just hope that USTA Coaching and I can continue to foster that environment."

USTA Texas: What are some of the biggest hurdles or challenges you've seen as a woman in the coaching profession and how have you overcome those?

Moore: One of the biggest challenges is the natural stereotypes I think people make when women are approaching the coaching career. Oftentimes providers pinhole those people into “only children's programming” or “only these women's teams” and don't see that person as a coach, period. 

I found that when I started [...] I was actually targeted to do high performance because of my background. And then I very quickly found out that high performance is great, but it's not something that really resonated with me – it's also really difficult by the way – as much as working with beginners under 40 or Cardio Tennis. Cardio Tennis was a big change in how I saw how I could provide tennis. It had movement, it was fast, and it had music, which is another great love of mine. So I got to start to jump into different things. 

I think that it is important to not judge a book by its cover and ask that person, "Hey, what works for you?” [...] But I think that one of the biggest hurdles we face is making coaching – not just for women, but for anyone – just a blank canvas as opposed to guessing what you're going to fall into. Let the coach establish that. Let the coach find their own way or be able to to express what they'd like to do.

"One of the biggest hurdles we face is making coaching – not just for women, but for anyone – just a blank canvas as opposed to guessing what you're going to fall into. Let the coach establish that."

USTA Texas: What do you hope the future will look like for little girls, young girls, young women, women pursuing dreams and careers in tennis, in sports in general, in coaching, or just in leadership roles?

Moore: I think it just kind of goes to this overarching theme that we're talking about. My daughter's name is Melody, and I just hope for Melody that in anything she does – I hope it's sport but, who knows – that the sky is always going to be the limit. That there will be no ceiling or no barriers to the things that she wants and can do, and that people can step out and be able to highlight my daughter for what she does well. Obviously, as coaches, mentors, the real world, there's always the things like, “Hey, we need to get better at this.” But I think there is a real big need in sport right now to have that inclusive environment. And that is the best thing that I could wish for my daughter.

"I think there is a real big need in sport right now to have that inclusive environment. And that is the best thing that I could wish for my daughter."