Troon, May/June 2019

16 TROON MAGAZINE coach around the country who has engaged in Net Generation said Craig Morris USTA chief executive community tennis Net Generation has swept the nation since launching in 2017 giving local providers the tools to help drive the growth of the game at the local level tools such as world class curricula a coaching app equipment and education All tools were developed to support the local coach in delivering a high quality experience The program was designed to make getting into tennis easier for child and parent alike With smaller courts shorter racquets and lower bouncing balls players will achieve greater physical activity and feel successful at tennis right from the start Cliff Drysdale Tennis has piloted complimentary Net Generation Family Fun Days at numerous locations allowing young players and their families to get a great tennis experience in a tennis club environment Net Generation Family Fun Days provide the perfect opportunity to allow players of all ages to experience the sport of a lifetime firsthand in a fun social environment with family and friends said Glenn Arrington USTA director of tennis service representatives One of the most challenging aspects in 2019 is retaining players with so many other options available many families experiment FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www NetGeneration USTA com FOR US ITS AS SIMPLE AS GETTING MORE PLAYERS ON THE COURT MORE OFTEN with multiple sports and activities without fully committing to any of them The first step in keeping players coming back is to educate them about the play options at their disposal The USTA has created a pathway that allows players of all levels to participate and compete in a welcoming fun environment To help providers better meet the busy lifestyle needs of todays consumer the USTA is delivering on a new youth and adult tennis suite of programs Utilizing more fun socially competitive and shorter timed matches modified courts and equipment we know were on the right track for positively impacting participation and retention noted Morris To leverage these programs Cliff Drysdale Tennis is introducing an engagement campaign based on participation launching in the summer of 2019 Players who participate in any junior program offering at all Cliff Drysdale managed locations will be incentivized by Cliff Drysdale Tennis and provided easy access to enter USTA programs events and tournaments in the region For us its as simple as getting more players on the court more often said Scott McCulloch vice president of operations for Cliff Drysdale Tennis Too often young players and their parents are intimidated by the process of becoming a great tennis player Instead we want to emphasize participation and play options improvement will come naturally and with less pressure The thought process said McCulloch is to have players engage in a number of different tennis experiences We want our juniors who take clinics and lessons to play in USTA team challenges and vice versa said McCulloch We must show children that there are a variety of ways to enjoy tennis By encouraging a holistic approach to the sport we are allowing more people to participate thus creating more lifelong players ON COURT WITH CLIFF DRYSDALE TENNIS www dunninggolf com