Jeff Guerin - USPTA Professional
Teaching at Querbes Tennis Center - Shreveport, LA
Contact e-mail: jeffonthelittlemo@gmail.com
and cell: 870-925-1378
Just a bit on my teaching organization - The USPTA
Founded in 1927, the United States Professional Tennis Association is the global leader in tennis-teacher certification and professional development. With more than 15,000 members worldwide, the association raises the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches, and promotes a greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers more than 60 professional benefits to its members, including an on-court liability insurance.
USPTA offers unequaled opportunities for tennis-teaching professionals to improve their teaching skills. Today's tennis teachers are expected to assume a variety of business and social responsibilities in addition to their traditional job functions. USPTA helps prepare its members to meet these challenges.
USPTA is governed nationally by a democratically elected Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The daily administration of USPTA is overseen by the CEO at the World Headquarters in Lake Nona, just outside of Orlando. Approximately 13,500 USPTA members work in the United States. The rest represent more than 80 countries around the world.
The majority of USPTA's membership consists of Professional and Elite Professional level members who work full time in the tennis industry. USPTA Professionals have job titles including general manager, director of tennis, assistant professional and coach. They direct tennis businesses, develop tennis programming, oversee tennis operations, teach lessons and coach teams at all types of facilities, such as private and commercial clubs, public tennis centers and parks, colleges and schools. A small and growing part of the membership includes Recreational Coaches, who are part-time teachers of tennis.
And a little history...
On Sept. 23, 1927, a small group of tennis professionals gathered in an upper-story room of the Spalding building in New York City. Their mission: to bridge the gap between the amateur ranks and a respectable career as tennis professionals.
When the group emerged from its first meeting, the Professional Lawn Tennis Association of the United States was born. The group sent out the following notice to all recognized tennis professionals:
"For some time there has been a very strong feeling among lawn tennis professionals that there is a need for some organization to protect and promote their interests, and to assist them in obtaining a proper and recognized status in the tennis world. A meeting was held on September 23 and it was decided to form an Association ... An initiation fee of $10 will be charged to all new members. Dues are to be $5 annually."
"An executive committee has been elected and a constitution adopted. It is the desire of this executive committee to have all tennis professionals of accepted standards become members of this Association. As one of these, you are cordially invited to fill out the enclosed application blank for membership."
Little did they know their plan would materialize into today’s United States Professional Tennis Association – a worldwide organization of more than 15,000 teaching professionals dedicated to promoting the sport and raising the standards of their profession.
In 2017, the USPTA is celebrated its 90th anniversary. The anniversary was officially commemorated at the 2017 USPTA World Conference in Orlando.