"Coach Youth Tennis was created by a best-practice process of gathering coaching experts, player development experts, communication specialists and educators to collaborate around a program that could be utilized by coaches while also having the best interest of the youth player in mind," said Chris Snyder, USOC director of coaching education. "The Coach Youth Tennis program is an amazing example of programming to drive athlete development not only in the U.S. but in the world." Beyond expanding their base of knowledge, those coaches who complete the program can go on to gain professional certification from the PTR and USPTA certification programs. In fact, beginning in 2014, all individuals who want to become certified teaching professionals will need to complete the Coach Youth Tennis curriculum. "Our stated mission as an association is to elevate the standards of tennis teaching professionals and coaches," said John Embree, USPTA chief executive officer. "It is not too much to ask professionals who wish to become certified to take seven hours of education prior to certification that addresses our most important initiative, which is to grow our base of players starting with kids 6 to 10 years old." Youth tennis has become a critical component of all tennis organizations in the U.S. in recent years, and that emphasis is now starting to yield tangible and encouraging results. A 2012 study on tennis participation in the United States - commissioned by the USTA and the Tennis Industry Association and conducted by the independent Taylor Research Group - found that tennis participation was at its highest levels in three years and that the biggest increase, at 13 percent, was among kids ages 6 to 11. Moreover, separate surveys have demonstrated growth in the number of available youth courts, in ball sales and in those involved in youth tennis competition. To help foster this growth, the USTA , in conjunction with the International Tennis Federation, has focused recent efforts on the importance of sizing the game right for kids. That means smaller courts, shorter and lighter racquets, and slower-moving and lower-bouncing balls that allow children mto rally and experience success the first time out. The result - said Dave Miley, executive director for tennis development for the ITF - has been a notable increase in participation and in enthusiasm.
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