The future of racquet sports is bright, and the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) is leading the charge. The organization recently changed its name to the Racquet Sports Professional Association (RSPA) to reflect the growing popularity of racquet sports beyond tennis.
The RSPA now certifies teaching pros in five sports: tennis, pickleball, padel, squash, and platform tennis. This move is a recognition of the shifting business landscape, as clubs are adding new racquet sports facilities to meet the growing demand.
According to RSPA CEO Brian Dillman, “The market was demanding this change. Clubs are adding new racquet sports facilities, and we want to take advantage of that.”
The participatory numbers are too clear to ignore. There are 20 million tennis players in the US, but there are 55 million racquet-sports players. This opens up a bigger potential marketplace for instructors.
Dillman believes that pickleball is a ground-floor game that can get racquets and balls into more people’s hands. This can lead to increased interest in sports where more training is needed, such as tennis, padel, and platform tennis.
As more players move between racquet sports, the RSPA hopes to give instructors more sports to teach. This will allow them to round themselves out and learn from other sports.
Pickleball pros, with less technique to teach, will focus on event organizing and match tactics. Padel and squash are seen as big areas for growth among pros, as they require more lessons to improve or compete.
Tennis remains the heart of the teaching pro business and the racquet sports industry. However, the RSPA’s new branding reflects the growing popularity of other racquet sports.
“Tennis is our core,” Dillman says, “and you can’t remove your core.” But now, there are more paths to a teaching career in racquet sports.
