Tennis Jobs: Private Coaching v.s Working at a Club

Being a tennis coach is one of the most fun and rewarding jobs I have ever had, but every coaching position has had its advantages and disadvantages. Today I want to share some things you may want to consider as a tennis coach and whether you think you want to work for a club or yourself. 

Working for a Club

I have been extremely lucky to have coached at one of the best clubs in Nashville and Miami, while under great Directors, so I know how a program should run. I've also assisted at clubs that were not as organized and have seen how things don't run as smooth at times. Being a part of an organized program will make your job a lot easier in so many way from: scheduling, finding lessons, getting court time, managing kids. Being a part of something without structure can become very frustrating. 

When you are a part of a country club or tennis club you'll get a lot of exposure since they are usually full of people coming and going. Most Directors do a great job of plugging you into their system and give you some clinic hours when you start which is your opportunity to network and find more lessons. Take advantage of it. Clinics usually are not optional and you'll have to work them so make sure to block off that time in your schedule every week if its reoccurring. You will be expected to be there. The great part about being a part of a club with tennis programs is you'll probably have about 10-15 guaranteed hours a week. However, that hourly rate for those hours will likely be much lower than your lesson rate. Clubs generally will take a portion of your lesson rates as well. Part of that will go to the club to pay staff and maintenance (which are lifesavers) and some directors will get a percentage as well. So I think it ends up being a trade off between getting a lot of easy exposure and giving up a little bit financially. 

Being a part of a tennis or racket club can be a great place to meet people and learn from other coaches. The energy when all the courts going is so much fun and wold highly recommend everyone spend some time working with a great club if you are looking to have a coaching career. 

Private Tennis Coaching

The biggest differences between working for a club and being a private coaching is: flexibility, exposure, and hourly rate. When you work for yourself you open yourself up to be much more flexible with your schedule because you are not obligated to be working at certain times. So if you are organized with your time, which you will have to be, you'll enjoy the the freedom of having a more open schedule. While also taking on more responsibility, you will also be bringing home a higher hourly rate since you won't be giving up a percentage. However, You may have to pay for court  time you don't have access to a court. 

You will still get exposure if you do lessons at parks and other public places, however you need to make sure you have a good network of people who want to play/want lessons so make sure you'll be successful. Working on one court  with people privately can limit the amount of people hear/know about you and your services. 

These are just a few things that I think can be helpful for a tennis coach that is trying to figure out what exactly he wants to do with his coaching career. Each path has things that make it unique and you should do what is best for you. You be the one to choose and don't be afraid to blend the two either.