USTA Florida Launches Public Tennis Park Fellowship to Train Future Leaders

ORLANDO, FL., Aug. 12, 2025 —  USTA Florida has launched a new statewide fellowship initiative to train the next generation of public tennis leaders. The USTA Florida Public Tennis Park Fellowship is a paid, two-year, full-time program that blends education, mentorship, and hands-on experience at USTA Florida-managed facilities. 

Fellows will learn how to run public tennis centers, manage city partnerships, and lead community recreation programs. The goal: build a pipeline of professionals who can grow tennis in parks and public spaces across Florida. 

Chuck Gill, USTA Florida President, emphasized the importance of the program. “Developing the next generation of coaches is the key to growing tennis. New players need great first experiences to become lifelong players,” he said. “Our fellowship program will train coaches not just to teach, but to build sustainable programs for players of all ages and abilities.” 

This fellowship is built for people who love tennis and want to make a lasting impact in their communities. Fellows will gain hands-on experience at USTA Florida-managed facilities across the state while receiving structured training in nonprofit management, city partnerships, marketing, communications, human resources, and financial operations. On-court development is integrated throughout the program. 

In the second year, fellows will shift focus to business operations, including budgeting, capital planning, staff development, and long-term strategy. They’ll also earn a Level 2 tennis teaching certification and gain experience in adaptive, wheelchair, adult, and junior programming. Advocacy training and site evaluations will prepare fellows to lead public tennis facilities with confidence. 

Lori Burdell, USTA Florida’s Training and Quality Assurance Manager, will lead the fellowship. “There is a need to go even further by training and developing passionate tennis minded individuals to run our Florida tennis parks and recreation locations,” she said. “There are many tennis parks that need assistance with managing their facilities and at USTA Florida we have the tools and proven success to help those parks thrive.” 

This program is designed for individuals who are 18 or older, have a high school diploma, and are U.S. residents. Candidates should be passionate about public service and tennis, willing to work full-time including nights and weekends, open to relocating across Florida, and ready to lead teams and solve problems. Fellows will also be paid while they learn and will be eligible for health benefits after 90 days. 

This is your chance to build a career in tennis while serving your community. 
For more information or to apply now visit ustaflorida.com/fellowship.