It's about Education not Certification

In any industry, any profession, at any point in life, competition fuels growth. It forces you to be better, to see things differently, try things another way, and continually improve. As you improve, the world around you improves, starting with others. A leader unknowingly improves the lives of others. That was the case with the USPTA and the PTR through the racquets boom of the seventies, eighties and nineties. They pushed each other, offered different approaches, competing pathways to becoming a great coach, however, they both shared a common vision…to help members become the very best version of themselves on and off the court. They created a community of leaders, who in return created a bigger community of leaders. It was the golden age of tennis because the sole focus was on taking care of their people who took care of their people. Tennis in the United States exploded.

It has been almost 100 years since the USPTA (United States professional Tennis Association) was born. The founding principles were simple, help coaches be the absolute best they could be. They grew by bringing people together with a common vision and purpose (to educate and certify) and the focus was always on quality and consistency. The tennis industry grew and so did the professionals that laid the foundation that met the growing demand and popularity of the sport.

Almost fifty years later, the PTR (Professional Tennis Registry) was born out of the USTPA when their most popular educator at the time, Dennis Van der Meer, broke away to create his own pathway to coaching success. The result was international acclaim fueled by his personal accolades as a coach and ability to attract people to listen and learn. He was charismatic, smart and had a vision coaches could relate to and more importantly, was someone others wanted to follow.

As the racquets industry continues to grow (and since the birth of “racquets,”) the race for relevance (and control) has never been more present. Both the USPTA and the PTR were able to exist because the USTA focused on their own growth and decided to partner instead of control. In other words, it was never worth their time. That all changed in 2017 when the USTA announced accreditation to the USPTA and not PTR. This was an initial move to control from behind the curtain and one the USPTA was on board with. The PTR blead members and with USPTA moving their headquarters to USTA National Campus it looked like the PTR was in its final days. In 2018, with their backs against the wall, PTR put their faith in pickleball and the PPR (Professional Pickleball Registry) was born. The result was hundreds of members which turned into thousands overnight. These new paying members gave PTR the lifeline they needed and bundling the different racquet sports certification/memberships together allowed them both to grow and succeed together. A few years later, accreditation was offered to PTR as the racquets,” industry was born.

In any industry and in any business extreme growth leads to a deeper fighter for relevance. When people are lost, it is more often than not the uneducated and unknowing that lead the way. This is always the result of people being scared and looking for anyone to follow. That continues to be the case with pickleball and to a larger extent with racquets. The USTA has doubled down, moving into the certification world which will ultimately allow them to absorb, control or put under both the USPTA and PTR. Pickleball continues to be the only lifeline that keeps both the USPTA and PTR alive. Instead of focusing on their members, the education and their founding principles, these organizations now focus on the number of memberships and the revenue they bring in to stay alive. Poor leadership, lack of vision and disappointing decisions have thrown quality out the door and left thousands of professionals scrambling for direction.?

As racquets continues to grow and the race for relevance (and control) becomes more present we have to open our eyes to what is right in front of us. The idea of doing things bigger, quicker and less expensive has ruined the certification industry. The fighting between certification bodies instead of the comradery that once fueled them is killing them. The USTA simply waits and can take over at any point and will within the next two years. As is the case in any time of extreme growth, the future is unclear. Conferences are boring, the speakers are sub-par, the food is terrible and the experience is not only lackluster but down right disappointing. The racquets industry is going to lose 30% of its professionals at a time of growth that will topple 300% in the next five years. The organizations that once lead are now squabbling for the crumbs that USTA drops off their table. ?

The future is about leadership and mentorship. It is about education and making communities smaller by helping networks to grow bigger. The future is not trusting acronyms after your name but investing in yourself so you have the knowledge to invest in others. The future of racquets is a runaway train, speeding toward the unknown at unprecedented speeds. It is up to you to gain control and up to us, together to steer it home. It was once about the letters after your name, (I know, I have enough of them) but it is now about the names you can call for help. The future is in your network and now is the time to grow it. Invest in people, invest your time in learning and apply yourself to leading. The future is not about following, it is not about certifications, it is now about education, and leadership. Always look to the future with open eyes and an open heart, the future is yours! Shape it.

Let the journey continue!

?

?