Careers Beyond the Court: Youth Development

Do you have a passion for tennis and like to work with kids? Passing on your love of the game to new and developing players can turn your work day into play! While a coach’s role is to develop skilled players, getting kids excited about playing tennis is the #1 goal of people who work in youth development careers. By putting together activities, events, clinics, youth camps, training programs and/or school programs aimed at getting kids to fall in love with the game, you’ll get to share your love of tennis and foster it in younger players. Great organizational skills are a big plus for people working in this field. If you’re outgoing and enjoy working with people to get things done, a youth development career can put your love of tennis to work!

Someone who works in youth development can expect to split their time between inside and outside activities. Inside duties might include things like planning and scheduling, fundraising, talking to people about your programs or events, or stringing racquets. Outside tasks generally include things like running camps, clinics, or tennis events.

Questions to Ask:

• What’s interesting about this career path to me ?
• What skills do I already have that are a great fit for this career path?
• What experiences do I already have that might support my success in this field?
• What kind of educational experiences do I want to pursue after high school?

Who Can I Talk To?

• Guidance Counselors or Career Education Advisors
• Local Tennis Program Organizers/Club Team Organizers
• Colleges/Universities that specialize in tennis-related careers
• Parents
• Teachers
• School Tennis Coach/Club Advisor