Why become a coach?: The benefits & opportunities of tennis coaching
Tennis coaches are the backbone of the sport, inspiring countless individuals to embrace tennis and elevate their game. As a tennis coach you’re not just hitting balls, you’re shaping athletes, building confidence, and changing lives.
A career in coaching offers the perfect blend of physical activity and personal and professional fulfilment. Whether your coaching kids picking up a racket for the first time, or guiding competitive players to victory, every session brings a sense of purpose and progress.
Considering a tennis coaching career? Check out more information on the benefits and pathways ahead.
Tennis coaching offers a diverse range of roles, each catering to different expertise levels and specialisations. The primary roles include:
- Assistant Coaches: Entry-level coaches assisting lead trainers.
- Instructors: Specializing in group coaching sessions.
- Coaches: Offering personalized training to individuals or groups.
- Head Coaches: Leading teams of coaches and overseeing training programs.
- Coaching Operators: Firms managing multiple coaching programs.
Coaches often specialise based on the audience (e.g., children, performance athletes, disability tennis) or by environment (e.g., park programs).
Britain is home to over 6,400 LTA Accredited Coaches, dedicated to nurturing grassroots talent and moulding future champions.
With approximately 2,200 coaching programs at LTA venues, opportunities abound for coaches.
While many operate in members' clubs, parks are emerging as popular coaching venues. Interestingly, 500 venues currently lack a coaching program, presenting unique opportunities, especially in parks.
On average, venues employ six coaches, but single-coach venues are common.
Tennis coaching is more than a job; it's a passion-driven career offering:
- Inspiration: Shape the future of tennis by mentoring budding players
- Active Lifestyle: Stay fit while working
- Impact: From a player's first rally to their tournament victory, be part of their journey
- Flexibility: Choose your working hours and days
- Affordability: Gaining qualifications and accreditations is cost-effective and quick compared to many professions
- Opportunities: From assistant roles to leadership positions, the tennis world is your oyster
- International work: Due to the LTA being awarded Gold Status within the ITF's global recognition program of coach education systems, portability (working in another country without having to fully re-qualify) is relatively easy compared to many other professions that require extensive re-training.
Hear from our female coaches and activators about the benefits of coaching, its flexibility, and how you can inspire more women and girls to play tennis:
A tennis coach's week typically involves 35 hours on-court, divided between individual and group sessions. However, off-court tasks like administration and marketing are equally crucial. While evenings and weekends are peak coaching times, flexibility is a hallmark of this career.
With 80% of coaches being self-employed, it offers autonomy and entrepreneurial freedom.
Conversely, the 20% employed enjoy benefits like holiday pay, sick pay, and pensions, often juggling coaching with managerial tasks.
A coach's earnings vary based on factors like qualifications, experience, location, and venue type.
Commercial venues might offer different pay scales compared to community facilities. While employed roles might have a slightly lower monthly income due to deductions like national insurance and pensions, they offer stability and additional benefits.
However, here's a few stats to help you understand potential earnings as a tennis coach:
- The average hourly rate for a tennis coach (after paying for court fees) in GB is £32. 24% of coaches earn more than £36 per hour, with over 3% earning more than £51 per hour.
- Level 3 coaches tend to earn on average 50% more per hour than Level 2 coaches. Level 4 and 5 coaches on average earn 27.5% more per hour than Level 3 coaches.
- Coaches based in London and SE tend to earn 20% more per hour than the rest of the country
- 15% of coaches earn more than £50,000 per annum, with the average annual income for a tennis coach being c. £35,000
- The cost to qualify as a tennis coach to Level 3 is significantly more affordable (circa £2500 across 18-24 months) and time efficient compared with university-based degrees
How to become a tennis coach
We offer range of qualifications to help you develop the skills you need for each role in tennis coaching. Find out more about the first steps you can take towards a career in coaching or check out our extensive list of qualifications.