DCE
https://coaching.hhp.ufl.edu/dors-info/
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The UF Director of Racquet Sports Certificate Course is focused on developing the business and leadership competencies required to successfully manage a tennis and racquets operation, whether in a private club, commercial setting or public recreation setting.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
Success in business depends on many factors, including: a unique and differentiated value proposition for the customer; a strong internal business culture; a prudent business plan; a passionate, connected and disciplined team; an intentional marketing strategy and proper capitalization. Yet, even when all these attributes are present, the single greatest influence on whether a business will be successful and, therefore, profitable for the long haul depends on its leader. Leaders, especially great leaders, and, therefore, great racquet sports directors, are the single most important influence on any club or tennis business’s ability to succeed, and the industry’s most difficult challenge is identifying, cultivating, and putting in place qualified leaders.
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 created challenges to the tennis/racquets industry, initially, but it ultimately, provided a boost to participation numbers by the conclusion of the year. The challenge the racquets industry now faces is to capture the new or returning players for the future, to continue to bring more people into the game of tennis (the USTA has a goal of 4M more players for a total of 25M by 2025) and drive continuous growth in racquet sports participation over the next century. Also, the industry must build a reserve of tennis professionals who are fully capable of leading and managing a tennis/racquets business, driving participation, revenue and profits to further grow the business. The demand today is not for teaching professionals, but for individuals who are capable to act as leaders of a racquets business.
Therefore, in 2019, a committee of USTA and USPTA leadership began considering the important components of education necessary for success in the role of Director of Tennis, now called Director of Racquet Sports. That committee, led by Len Simard, Scott Shultz (USTA) and John Embree (USPTA) also consisted of successful USPTA-certified and PTR-Certified Directors of Tennis from around the country along with educational advisor Stephen Tharrett. The committee's work created a curriculum that became the foundation for this online course which is taught by UF professor & Director of Professional Tennis Management and former Gator NCAA All-America Kim Bastable. In addition, education is provided by respected industry consultant Doug Cash, a financial expert with 40+ years of racquets industry experience.
COURSE FORMAT
This course is being taught completely online through the UF Canvas online learning management system. Students are expected to view all course lectures and readings and complete all assignments through Canvas. Students should adhere to the UF policies regarding academic misconduct (i.e. plagiarism, cheating, or other dishonest representations of academic work.)
This comprehensive educational curriculum is constructed to be fully self-directed though, also, interactive with peers. Students are taught through educational modules, problem-based, critiqued and graded projects and a certification mid-term and final exam.
The course modules are, in order, as follows:
Module One – Introduction to the role of Director of Racquet Sports
Module Two – Tennis history and knowledge
Module Three – Complementary Racquet Sports
Module Four – Facilities and Operations
Module Five – Technology
Module Six – Maximizing Personal Brand
Module Seven – Human Capital, Culture & Leadership
Module Eight – Finance and Accounting
Module Nine – Marketing and Sales
Module Ten - The Customer and Member Experience
Each module has its own learning guide that details the objectives for the module, describes learning activities to be pursued to meet the module objectives, and contains various articles, lectures, videos and interviews that are part of the required learning activities. In addition, each module has a short mastery quiz and several modules include a project that must be turned in for grading.
All students in the program will be provided access to a private, social media-style discussion site where other students, members of the curriculum development committee and subject matter experts will reside. The site allows students to post questions, offer responses and chat on topics relevant to the role of Racquet Sports Director. The site will be available for graduates of the program to use as a resource after their successful completion of the program, as well.
NOTE:
The educational content of this course is part of the UF Masters of Sport Management. For someone who is seeking a full masters degree, information can be found HERE.
CERTIFICATE COURSE COMPLETION
The mid-term and final exams in the course, designed by the members of the Racquet Sports Director Certification Committee and external educational advisor, include multiple choice questions that cover the content brought forward in the curriculum. To successfully complete the Certification program, candidates need to achieve a score of 70% or better on all quizzes and exams.
The program is self-paced. There are no assignment deadines. It is estimated that a student will complete the program in 6 months, by investing 4 hours each week. Students have 1 year to complete the certification program.
Upon satisfactory completion, the candidate will receive a certificate designating them as having successfully completed the course. Candidates must then present that proof of completion to the USPTA (www.uspta.com) or PTR (www.ptrtennis.org) to receive their designation as a “Certified Director of Racquet Sports.”
"Certified" Directors of Racquet Sports are required to keep their membership with USPTA and PTR current.
HOW TO APPLY
Qualified applicants are those who are:
COURSE FEE
No fee is required to submit an application for the course.
Upon acceptance, the course fee is $2,395.
REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
You will need:
A cover letter outlining how you are a suitable candidate for the certification and how it will contribute to your career aspirations
your professional resume
a letter of recommendation from a superior explaining your leadership capability. The letter should include their role, their relationship with you and in what capacity they have worked with you. Please also be sure the letter includes their email address.
a copy of your current certification certificate with PTR or USPTA
verification via a PDF or a screen shot to show current USTA Safe Play approved status - be sure the screen shot shows your name
NOTE: Those not USPTA or PTR certifed can still apply for the course if they hold significant industry experience and other certifications of note. AND, if they are accepted, the course fee will be $2,895. The information regarding the specific situation should be included in the cover letter.