Tennis Certification – It Isn't Taught Until It Is Learned

Tennis Certification – It Isn't Taught Until It Is Learned

For the past decade, the certification of tennis professionals has been in an unnecessary state of limbo. Hopefully, the dust will settle soon. It has never been more evident that an effective and efficient certification process is needed to identify professionals who will generate greater enthusiasm for the sport.

A credible certification process ensures that players receive instruction based on a common body of knowledge (CBOK). The CBOK includes all aspects of the sport, on and off the court.

1. Certifying bodies provide third-party verification that professionals have demonstrated an understanding of the CBOK. Those who lack that understanding will not receive certification.

2. The teaching organizations will establish standards based on the CBOK that identify objective metrics for meeting those standards. These measurable standards will help professionals provide effective and efficient instruction.

3. Certifying bodies will provide education and continuing education activities for member professionals to review material in the CBOK and stay abreast of educational trends.

4. The teaching organizations serve as the voice for teaching professionals in the industry. In addition, the organizations market the value of hiring certified professionals.

5. Certifying bodies may provide liability insurance or financial programs for teaching professionals.

6. Teaching organizations mandate safety programs to ensure a safe environment for athletes and professionals.

7. Certifying bodies foster a network of established professionals who interact and raise industry standards.

Tennis Certification - Then and Now

The following two sections highlight personal experiences related to tennis certification. The first begins with commentary about USPTA tennis certification, "Back in the Day," and the second discusses RSPA Level 2 certification in “September 2025”. Both processes effectively certified tennis professionals with slightly different methodologies in different eras.

Testing From Back in the Day

I had not heard of the USPTA when I accepted my first full-time job as head tennis professional. Fortunately, my boss was not aware of them either.

A certified professional told me about the organization and the certification process about a year later. He offered to sponsor me. The first requirement for certification was to have a sponsor.

The USPTA office sent a handful of recommended books as study guides for the exam. Tennis resources were scarce. World Tennis was published monthly. Tennis Channel, the World Wide Web, and browsers did not exist at the time. Cable television was in its formative stages. The Internet existed for government and research purposes only. The certification process did not include a review or preparation course.

I had to rely on my formal education and on-court experience. Certification sessions were sporadic. I jumped at the chance to make a 1,000-mile round trip by car to attend a certification session in Tucson.

The process kicked off bright and early with a four-hour written test that covered all aspects of the sport.

The playing part of the test was a skills test. Ropes were placed on the court to mark off target areas. Applicants hit serves, groundstrokes, net shots, and specialty shots to designated areas.

The teaching part of the exam was quasi-comical. The head tester, an open-level player, pretended to be a beginner. For example, he demonstrated a serve using a pancake grip and an 18-inch foot fault. With a smile, I correctly identified corrections for those errors.

Fast Forward to September 2025

The RSPA certification process currently has three levels (https://rspa.net/tennis-certification/):

1. Level I – Instructor.

2. Level II – Professional.

3. Level III – Advanced Professionals (Elite and Master).

In early September, I observed Marshall Carpenter, RSPA elite professional at Pinehurst Country Club in Denver, masterfully conduct a Level 2 Certification Course. He and the professionals spent ten hours over three days discussing and practicing the fundamentals of teaching tennis. 

Key elements from the process follow:

1. Professionals used specific techniques and fundamentals from the RSPA CBOK to create efficient instructional activities to meet the needs of the players.

2. Interaction should be customer-centric. The goal is to meet the needs of players.

3. Professionals should strive to provide players with an "experience" (preferably a good one).

4. An effective business model is to convert occasional customers into regular customers.

5. Communication skills are essential. Listen! Be succinct with instructions and demonstrations. Review to confirm that learning has occurred.

Throughout the process, the group used a small set of acronyms as reminders for key concepts. For example, HDDSS (height, direction, depth, speed, spin) was handy for teaching groundstrokes, volleys, and serves.

The group had a lively discussion identifying and ranking the skills associated with the preparation phase, hitting phase, and recovery phase for groundstrokes and volleys. This exercise helped them develop a better understanding of techniques and how to identify and correct errors.

As the course progressed, the professionals more effectively integrated information from the discussions into their demonstrations and practice lessons. Their presentations became more intentional - more concise, effective, and efficient.

The process produced results.

Making Sure the Lesson is Learned

The "Back in the Day" and “September 2025” processes were different; however, the professionals learned, and they were appropriately certified.

The first process was appropriate for the late 1970s. The industry was in its infant stages.

Professionals were responsible for learning from a finite set of resources, minimal feedback, and making mistakes to construct their own method of teaching.

Professionals learned to teach tennis by teaching tennis. Additional learning occurred when they attended national and regional conferences, established networks, and exchanged ideas.

There is merit to that process.

Between "Back in the Day" and “September 2025”, innovation and the maturation of the tennis industry elevated the role of the tennis professional in creating enthusiasm for the sport.

During this period, sports psychology, periodization, athlete-centric programming, sports nutrition, sport-specific training, and technology were examples of innovation. Over time, they have transitioned into components of the CBOK.

As well, continuing education programs were expanded and mandated. Observations from the RSPA Level 2 session illustrated that education has become an essential part of the certification process.

The model of spiral learning is evident in both certification processes. It involves revisiting concepts during and between lessons. Each encounter builds on prior knowledge, moving from simple to in-depth discussions. Spiral learning addresses challenges caused by learning and integrating new information during short time frames.

As tennis continues to evolve, the CBOK will change, which will necessitate alterations to the certification process. Appropriately timed upgrades to the process will increase the intellectual firepower of professionals and generate greater enthusiasm for the sport.

In addition, Gary Horvath has conducted extensive business and economic research that has largely supported the state of Colorado's economic development efforts.