USPTA and Tennis Coaching
Prior to getting my USPTA certificate, I had coached tennis for over 10 years. I have taught for various tennis programs from the local county courts to the private clubs. Through the years, I've also dabbled in some freelance tennis coaching on the side - mainly for Juniors and Beginners students.I have not been paid to do this review but I simply want to share my experience with prospective exam takers. Also, I hope this blog post can help encourage other candidate tennis teachers.
I too was a bit hesitant to spend the $350 at first and unsure if I could pass it because I am not teaching professionally full-time. But if I can do it, so can you and anyone who studies for it*
For more info, please sign up for my free Tennis Coaches Overview Email
USPTA Referrals
If you decide to become a tennis coach and get a USPTA membership - please consider putting me (Jacky Cheong) as your referral on the USPTA Online Application Form when you sign up.Hopefully, you find my tips helpful below in this article. If you do mention my name, I will be very grateful as it will save me $50 on next year's dues!
I will happily answer your questions from my experience and interactions. The goal is to get more Tennis Education out there in the USA for aspiring coaches of tomorrow*
TopCourt: MasterClass and Netflix for Online Tennis Education
- Online Ed (Remote learning)
- Workshops (In-person)
- Experience (On-the-job training)
"No longer will we be having the one or two-day exams with the PTCA1 course. This is being replaced by the new structure which will take approximately 9 months for a pro to complete. It is equated to a year in a tennis college, coursework, online study, internship and more. More information will be forthcoming from the USPTA World Headquarters"
USPTA - 2/12/21
Choosing the 2-day course vs 1-day workshop options
I signed up for the 2-day course and here's why...
On the flip side, I noticed that there were a few "1-day" students who ended up having to repeat (and redo) portions of the group lesson that they failed during our 2nd day.
USPTA Certification Paths: One-day vs Two-day Options |
I was very fortunate to have a good instructor (Ted) that explained everything and set expectations clearly from day 1. It was great chatting and networking with the other tennis instructors too. We went out for lunch together and helped each other with studying for the test. Your fellow students will also be used for various portions of the test.
As a USPTA Recreational Coach certification back in 2006, I had Feisal who was also excellent in demonstrating progression lessons to help kids and juniors learn the game. Lots of hands-on drills helped encourage the use of foam balls and (clever) effective use of limited court space. I still remember he urged coaches to try practicing left-handed (non-dominant hand) to become more emphatic about the difficulty of learning tennis as a new sport.
The schedule was 8am-3pm on both days, but the second day was spent completely on taking turns to do the private and group lessons (~25 mins per person). You get about 90 mins for lunch, plenty of breaks, and time to ask additional questions.
Receiving your Test Preparation and Online Study Material
Taking the USPTA updated exam
The exam consists of several parts, completed both online and on-court.Youth Tennis Online Courses (7 modules)
As far as computer-based training goes, it is very well designed. Just watch the videos and answer the little Jeopardy-style questions. I'll even admit some are fun to play and test your knowledge. I recommend going through at a pace of about 1-2 per day.
The final youth tennis training course ($15?) is mostly a summary review of the other 6 courses. The USPTA should send you the link to this online course when you register. All your progress will be saved, but be sure to save your certificate at the very end as they will ask you to email them a copy when you are done.Grips
Know the finger and correct bevel positions for the forehand knuckle and palm! Do NOT use the "V" method.
Be sure you are able to rattle off at least 3-4 Advantages and Disadvantages with each grip (Continental - good for lower balls and hitting a slice; Eastern - easiest for starting players to use; Semi-Western - good for topspin and passing shots, etc).
Feeding
Make sure you lead the "player" into the court and across. Practice this at home if necessary. The 2-day course goes over this in the rehearsal.
Stroke Production
The drop shots (3 bounces before crossing the service line) are nearly impossible. I watched a former Top 300 player barely get 50% on this. It helps to put a little sidespin (and underspin) on the ball and aim toward the diagonal service line corners. Do not get flustered if you bomb this one...the lobs and overheads count toward the final score.
Remember: they don't give out style points. Whether you hit a 135 mph serve or a 65 mph serve inside the service, they each count as one successful shot. You should definitely strive for accuracy, not power.
You will need to put the proper spins on the ball (when they ask for a forehand slice or topspin serve, for example).
My Tips for a high score on the Private and Group Lessons
- Give an intro with 3 things about yourself.
- Always try to memorize and repeat your student’s first name for specific encouragement (they count each time you repeat it)
- Adjust the practice feed Depth & Frequency to suit the skill level of the student - keep the drill moving but also do not have a lot of idle time in the back waiting.
- Provide different "stations" and rotate players, if possible
- Use Progressions - step-by-step drills; always have multiple training drills that range in difficulty from super easy to more advanced
- Keep the lesson plan very simple and focused ~20 mins
- Spend less than 3 mins with intro and less than 5 for wrap-up and homework - I had trouble with this. Use the clock on the wall or one pro tip is to wear a watch facing in so you can glance at it during a feed.
- Safety First (clear all balls on their side of the net)
Written Exam
This is a 2-hour test taken online - but should take about 30-45 mins for most people. It covers most of the material in the PTCA1 .pdf file. There are portions where it helps to reference some notes and to know where various chapters are located. The passing grade was 70% and I feel like most people should be able to pass this with no major issues (as all the answers are essentially on the provided booklet*).It is all multiple choice and if you do not think too hard about the questions, you will usually pick the right answer. I would review some of the youth tennis dimensions and knowledge about the effect of using different tennis strings and racquet specs. After you pass the test and send in your youth tennis certificates to USPTA, they will review your scores and send you in the mail your results. I found that my USPTA tester gives me very good feedback on your performance during the lessons. Also, your diploma will be in the mail too!
Congrats and good luck! If you have any other questions, please leave a comment at the bottom or email me and I'll try to answer them.USPTA Levels
- Level 1: Recreational Coach (Part-Time Coaches)
If you happen to "fail" any part of the USPTA Professional test, you will also be put into this category. The fees are about $250/year to keep this membership.
- Level 2: Professional Coach (Standard Certification
- Level 3: Elite Professional ("Perfect" scores and complete elective exams)
- Level 4: Master Professional (Elite for 10+ years)
USPTA Referrals
If you apply for a USPTA membership - please consider putting me "Jacky Cheong" in the "References" section of the USPTA Online Application Form when you sign up.Hopefully, you found my tips helpful. If you do mention my name, I will be very grateful as it will save me $50 on next year's dues! If you email me, I will happily answer your questions from my experience and interactions. The goal is to get more Tennis Education out there in the USA for aspiring coaches of tomorrow*
See my review of the ICI tennis coach certification at Sanchez-Casal (2-day event) as a comparison
Dues and Fees
Just a note, if you miss even one year's worth of payments, you will have to pay an additional $100 reactivation fee, plus your annual dues will be about $45 more each year than a Recreational Coach (but that includes insurance).I believe USTA annual membership dues should be granted to USPTA teaching professionals who grow the game and refer more new players to the game. On top of Organizational Membership, Personal membership, Insurance Costs plus Annual Dues - teaching tennis these days has many stacked expenses!