On The Court with Matt Previdi

Chapter 1 of BOUNCE INTO TENNIS - YOUR GUIDE TO RUN A WORLD-CLASS ADULT BEGINNER TENNIS PROGRAM

WHY ADULT BEGINNERS ARE THE KEY TO EVERYTHING

Every tennis club, coach, and program is searching for growth, but the real key has been hiding in plain sight all along: adult beginners. These players are the lifeblood of the sport’s future. They represent the largest untapped market, the most consistent revenue stream, and the greatest opportunity for lasting impact. Unlike juniors who may drift away or advanced players who already have established habits, adult beginners arrive with fresh enthusiasm, no preconceived expectations, and an openness to being guided on their journey.

For all these reasons, and many more that follow, your biggest opportunity begins with adult beginners. Here are a few of the main reasons why:

• Beginners Replace Players We Lose
  As advanced players drop out or plateau, beginners bring fresh energy and help sustain the program's numbers and culture.

• Easiest Level to Coach
  You don’t need cutting-edge drills - just patience, encouragement, and a structured, welcoming environment.

• Underserved Segment - Other Clubs Typically Avoid Beginners
  Most clubs focus on juniors or competitive players, leaving beginners with few quality options - and a huge opportunity for you.

• Beginners Need Equipment
  Your club’s pro shop is specifically designed for players like these - players who need shoes, rackets, strings, and who do not already have a preferred offsite vendor of choice.

• Beginners Have No Reference Point for Costs or Expectations
  They’re not comparing your program to another - they’re deciding if tennis feels worth their time and money.

• Anyone Can Attend These Sessions - Quantity Over Quality
  While high-level players are few and fiercely competitive to coach, adult beginners are everywhere - and they keep coming. A well-run beginner program can attract dozens of new clients each month, making it the most scalable and sustainable revenue stream in the business of coaching.

Unlocking the Largest Market in Tennis

Tennis clubs often chase growth by focusing on elite juniors, competitive leagues, or niche private lessons. But these avenues, while important, don’t scale easily. The real growth engine? Adult beginners.

When you build a true pathway for beginner adults - one that is friendly, fun, and intentionally designed for new players - you unlock something special. You attract people who want to fall in love with tennis but don’t know how to start. And if you create the right first experience, they stay.

That’s exactly what we did.

We stopped treating beginner clinics like throwaway time slots and started treating them like the foundation of our entire business model. We used red, orange, and green balls to build confidence early, simplified the language we used, and focused on the experience over the instruction. What happened next speaks for itself:

What the Numbers Reveal

In the months after launching our structured adult beginner pathway, we watched our participation and revenue explode. What started with 24 monthly participants now regularly brings in over 400 players monthly. And revenue? From $720 to over $13,000 a month.

But beyond the chart is the story you can’t graph:

• These players stay longer and spend more than almost any other demographic.

• They become your word-of-mouth army, recruiting coworkers, spouses, and friends.

• They build lasting friendships and social circles around your courts, turning your program into more than just tennis-it becomes their community.

• They evolve into intermediate and advanced players who then fill your ladders, leagues, and private lesson rosters.

• Many of them become the parents who enroll their kids in your junior program - or even your next assistant coaches.

This isn’t just a feel-good program. It’s a business strategy.

And if done right, it’s the most profitable and sustainable one you will ever see.

Next month: Chapter 2
HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL ADULT BEGINNER PROGRAM

His expertise in program design and club management has been recognized with the San Diego District Tennis Association’s Coach of the Year Award and the USPTA San Diego Star Award, establishing him as a leader in growing participation and setting standards for successful adult programming.