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Continuing Your Education

By Peter Francesconi

We’re coming into the big pro tennis season in the U.S., as the Olympus US Open Series kicks off in July and leads right to the US Open. But while the pro tours provide a lot of excitement, one of the things I look forward to in the summer is the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference, which takes place in New York City at the end of August, just as the Open gets under way.

This will be the 38th year the USTA has put on the TTC, and for those of you who have attended in the past, you know how informative and educational it is, and how much fun it can be. With an outstanding faculty, sessions are held at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan (which also has a court set up in the ballroom) and, on the Sunday before Open play begins, on court at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. And there are plenty of opportunities to network with other teachers and coaches.

No matter what you do in this industry—whether you run a facility, teach tennis, own a pro shop, coach a school team, build courts—keeping up with what’s happening in your field is important. Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities to do that—and you should be taking advantage of them.

Toward the end of September, the USPTA will hold its annual World Conference in California, again with a stellar lineup of speakers and presentations. In October, the second annual Grand Slam Stringers Symposium will be in Orlando, Fla., with presentations geared toward stringing, racquet customization and more.

Court builders and others get together in December in New Orleans for the American Sports Builders Association annual Technical Meeting, which is always informative and educational. The PTR’s annual Tennis Symposium is in February, and right on the heels of that large gathering is the USTA’s excellent Community Tennis Development Workshop, both held in Hilton Head, S.C.

But there’s more: The TIA presents various “Growing Tennis” workshops, including Business & Technology Workshops and Cardio Tennis Workshops, at venues across the country. The TIA also has “Online Open Houses” three times a week that you can join from your own location. Many USTA, PTR and USPTA sections and divisions have their own conventions and gatherings. And if traveling in these tight economic times is a challenge, many also have comprehensive online learning opportunities.

What this laundry list is meant to do is tell you—maybe reassure you—that there are a lot of groups who are looking out for your business, because they know if you’re healthy, they’ll be healthy. The trick, of course, is taking advantage of these opportunities to expand your knowledge and grow your business.

This industry is trying to keep you moving forward. Now, it’s up to you to make this a priority for your business.

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of RSI magazine.

From the July 2008 issue
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