The USTA national body and the largest tennis operator in the U.S., Life Time, have announced a strategic relationship to combine resources to continue growing the sport of tennis, especially among younger players.
Augmenting its premium courts, tennis leagues, lessons and youth tennis programs, all Life Time coaches and athletic resorts will now receive additional state-of-the-art coaching tools and programming from the USTA, including access to USTA’s Net Generation and adult suite of programs and apps.
Net Generation is the USTA’s youth tennis brand designed to get more kids ages 5-18 playing the sport. Through a smartphone app, coaches and players can connect on practice activities, feedback and skill assessments at the click of a button. Coaches also gain access to USTA coaching curriculums, which include video lesson plans and exercises, to bolster their lesson plans.
“At Life Time we have exceptional tennis programs and premier courts across the country to support our vision for growing the sport,” said Life Time Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bahram Akradi. “We are proud to align with the USTA to help accelerate our efforts in introducing tennis to more youth players nationwide.”
Life Time owns and operates more than 320 tennis courts and has 300-plus professional instructors nationwide, as well as top-tier programs. The Net Generation brand and associated tools will complement Life Time’s junior tennis programs, helping parents find a high-quality tennis coach for their children.
“Through Net Generation we are committed to providing coaches with an array of industry-leading resources,” said USTA Chief Executive, Community Tennis Craig Morris. “Curriculum, linked to the Net Generation app, will support local coaches as they strive to deliver a fantastic on-court experience for kids nationwide. We are excited that Life Time has adopted Net Generation for their youth programming and look forward to a successful partnership.”
The USTA and Life Time will also collaborate on ways to attract even more adult players to the sport through a range of new competitive and social leagues, tournaments, and team events, and by piloting new initiatives combining fitness and tennis programming.
For more info go to www.usta.com/news.
