NC CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT THE WINSTON-SALEM OPEN!
JOIN US ON AUGUST 17, 2024, 1:30-4:30PM!
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
JORGE ANDREW: INTERNATIONAL
MASTER PRO; FORMER TOP 100 ATP TOUR PLAYER
BILL RIDDLE: HIGH PERFORMANCE
TENNIS SPECIALIST WITH OVER 35
YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE
CHRIS HOSHOUR: ATP CERTIFIED TOUR
COACH; DIRECTOR OF THE BLAKENEY
JR. TENNIS ACADEMY
COST: $15: EMAIL
Chris Hoshour. USPTA NC President, received the Southern High Performance Coach of the Year Award and served as a presenter at the conference.
Todd Upchurch led a Q & A session with USPTA CEO, Brian Dillman.
Tom Parkes was honored with the Fred Burdick Pride of the South Award
BY:JARRODLISTON, DirectorofRacquets RoaringGapClub
“Success is a journey, not a destination” – Arthur Ashe
In a recent conversation with a peer, they stated that they had been Assistant Professional for three years, so they deserved to be a Head Professional in their next role. When questioned as to how they had grown and matured into a Head Professional candidate, they were unable to provide a response besides their original statement that it was time.
For our younger and upcoming generation of USPTA professionals, Arthur Ashe’s quote can be a difficult concept to grasp. They have been raised in a world with advanced technology and the ability to have instantaneous feedback. If they want to know the answer to something, then they Google it. If they are hungry and don’t want to cook, then they order Uber Eats.
In terms of their professional development, this concept can also be difficult. Younger professionals often want to skip parts of the journey and arrive early at their destination of their goal job. Many of us have put in hard work, long hours, and sacrificed a lot to progress through our careers. We have been helped along the way by mentors, recommended for jobs by our peers, and made mistakes But just like in a tennis match, often you learn from your mistakes the most.
Allowing our younger USPTA professionals to have a pathway to make mistakes on their journey is critical The magnitude of repercussions that a mistake will have is important, but without delegating responsibility to these younger professionals, they will not be equipped to progress to their next job, and in turn their career. The future of our industry is being placed in the hands of this younger generation, and if they are not equipped to handle the workload and pressure, then we are the ones to blame. The only way to prepare them for what is to come is to have them be exposed to new situations. Ones where they don’t have instant feedback and must take their time to progress through decision making and planning.
There is a large group of young, energetic, excited, and charismatic USPTA professionals out there. They are all motivated by different factors; however, the constant is that they want the opportunity to contribute This contribution could be as simple as being allowed to run their own event, creating staff schedules, monitoring the weekly email, or attending networking sessions/meetings normally reserved for those in management. If younger professionals are not experiencing the difference between on-court and off-court responsibilities, then they will not succeed.
And ultimately as a manager, it is our duty to mentor them on their journey to success
