SWR Coaches Network

While our community clubs are led by volunteer boards of directors, the coaches with whom they partner are also vital to the success of the clubs and to our sport. Coaches bring knowledge and expertise that support quality programming across the broad spectrum of club membership, from starter-level kids and adults to high-performance competitors.. Players of all ages and experience levels enjoy having a relationship with “my tennis pro”. We’re all looking to make the small improvements that enhance our tennis enjoyment and keep us free of injury.

Most coaches are independent entrepreneurs, working without benefit of paid sick days, pension plans and job security. Much of their work is early-morning, evenings and weekends. Contracts are very often seasonal in nature. Taken together, this defines a very challenging profession. The only people who really understand the difficulties involved are other teaching pros.

The SouthWest Region Coaches Network is intended to be a place for coaches to compare notes and lend each other a hand. As we learned all too well when the pandemic shut things down in 2020, it’s better to have communication systems than for everyone to be trying to go-it-alone.

It’s also intended as a means for coordinating efforts, and collaborating on joint missions. The visibility and image of tennis in the eyes of the public and of decision-makers is greatly enhanced when a similar message resonates from club to club to club.

First step toward building a meaningful network took place on Sunday February 9th, with a gathering at the Tamahaac Club in Ancaster. Gary Caron set the stage with a presentation of current research on the changing nature of the “Racquet Sports” business, and Mustapha Jamal agreed to serve in a Coordinator role. Next steps will be to identify all our coaches throughout the region, to create a newsletter of sorts, and to plan for future get-togethers.