By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, April 3, 2024
America would be the world’s prime tennis nation by 2035—if the USTA achieves an bold purpose.
The USTA right now introduced a daring mission: to extend the nation’s tennis-playing inhabitants to 35 million whole gamers, or 10% of the U.S. inhabitants by 2035.
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That might sound like a stretch given the very fact pickleball participant development is surpassing tennis participant development in lots of areas of the nation.
Then there’s the very fact Americans are additionally main extra sedentary lives because the pandemic.
One in eight folks on the earth live with weight problems, in response to The World Health Organization, which ranks the United States tenth on the earth for weight problems amongst males, with a male grownup weight problems charge of 41.6% in 2022.
The U.S. grownup weight problems charge “increased from 21.2% in 1990 to 43.8% in 2022 for women… placing the country 36th in the world for highest obesity rates among women,” in response to a WHO examine cited by U.S. News and World Report.
Given these statistics and the upper value of enjoying tennis in comparison with different sports activities like pickleball, basketball and soccer, how does the USTA plan to realize its bold purpose over the subsequent decade?
The U.S. Tennis Association technique features a devoted deal with participant retention, coaches and courts.
“When players have exceptional experiences, we all succeed. When the delivery system flourishes, tennis grows. At the USTA, our role is to be a connector of excellence across the entire tennis ecosystem,” mentioned Lew Sherr, USTA Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. “By ensuring players new and old have access to the programs, coaching and facilities they need to progress on their tennis-playing path, we can continue to grow the game and deepen its positive impact — creating new opportunities for human connection and improving the physical, mental and emotional health and safety of our communities, both on and off the court.”
Over the previous 4 years, the USTA says tennis participation within the U.S. has “experienced remarkable growth of 33%, fueled by new players taking up the sport.”
This development stretches throughout a wide range of communities, with participation amongst Hispanic/Latino gamers and Black/African-American gamers “growing by 105% and 63%, respectively, over the past five years — making tennis look more like America than ever before,” the USTA asserts.
However, participant retention is a matter in America.
Durind the pandemic, tennis participant participation rose, nonetheless some new gamers left the sport and a few skilled gamers departed tennis in favor of pickleball.
So how does the USTA plan to draw new gamers and attempt to persuade lapsed gamers to return to tennis?
The USTA technique contains making “a generational investment in strengthening tennis” by:
Creating and scaling programming that retains new and returning gamers on the courtroom — for all times. By guaranteeing each participant has entry to new and current programming that meets their wants at each step of their journey, the USTA plans to develop the nation’s tennis-playing inhabitants to 35 million gamers — roughly 10% of the overall U.S. inhabitants. This will embrace the roll-out of a portfolio of aggressive and informal play packages that meet the wants of all ages and curiosity — from younger to outdated, cardio to aggressive, and past.
Expanding the provision of high quality teaching in any respect ranges. To be sure that each participant receives the steerage and high quality instruction they want, the USTA goals to additional increase the usual of teaching and improve the variety of obtainable SafePlay-approved coaches to over 80,000 nationwide — together with each skilled coaches and community-level instructors who present on-court instruction and facilitation — conserving tempo with the objective to develop general participant participation. In doing so, the purpose is to get extra coaches in parks, public services and at colleges; present extra assist for volunteers within the roles they select to play of their communities; and create extra viable profession alternatives for individuals who select to make teaching their career.
Maximizing courtroom availability to maintain tempo with participation. Increased participant participation requires extra courts and extra obtainable playable hours on these courts. The USTA plans to deepen its partnership with native governments, parks and recreation services, faculty boards and native golf equipment to construct, renovate and shield tennis services throughout the nation, whereas additionally searching for to maximise current infrastructure by means of enhancements that may prolong playable hours and lengthen the tennis season. The objective is to make sure there are 350,000 courts (together with each conventional and non-traditional enjoying areas) — one for each 100 gamers — obtainable to assist catalyze play in native communities, with a selected deal with underserved areas. As a part of this effort, the USTA will assist facility operators with the instruments they should run efficient, environment friendly and worthwhile operations, together with programming, know-how, information intelligence, coaches and gear.
Supporting and elevating the subsequent technology of stars. The USTA stays dedicated to its efforts to develop, assist and showcase one of the best occasions, gamers and coaches that U.S. tennis has to supply — empowering up-and-coming rivals to realize their full potential, and offering a clearer path for our prime junior performers to succeed in the top of the game and inspire hundreds of thousands extra to observe of their footsteps.
“Tennis is the healthiest sport in the world. In fact, tennis extends our lives by almost 10 years — which is more than any other sport or form of exercise, while improving cognition, psychological well-being, and strength and agility. We can’t let current or future generations miss out on these life-changing benefits,” mentioned Dr. Brian Hainline, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “Whether it’s the thrill of watching professional play or swinging a racquet on a community court, it’s important to help ensure that communities everywhere have access to the life-enhancing benefits of our wonderful sport.”
Photo credit score: Matthew Calvis
Source: www.tennisnow.com