April 2008 -- Not a month goes by that I don't get a phone call from a club manager who wants to pick my brain about hiring the perfect head pro or director of tennis.
Most managers, even if they're former tennis teachers themselves, are quick to rattle off many of the characteristics they desire for these positions. In a nutshell, they want a superhuman for the job. The primary qualification they stress is "CHARISMA." And, why is this one characteristic so important? Because they want someone who can spend time with members, cater to their needs and sell a member on spending more time and money at their facility while also recruiting new members to do the same.
If it's a tennis director they want, they are also looking for a person who can manage the operations and maintenance of a full-service tennis program. So, in addition to a great personality, they want a person who is qualified to supervise staff, direct court maintenance, promote pro shop sales, implement and direct tennis programming and more. Some managers even want tennis directors to oversee fitness and swimming programs!
One of my first questions to any manager is about the value of the compensation package they have in mind for a particular position. The response I get inevitably leads to a lengthy discussion on "you get what you pay for."
The bottom line is - well, it's
the bottom line. Facility managers want a head pro or tennis director who can do it all, but they don't want to pay what should be considered a reasonable compensation package to get it.
What follows might help explain why tennis professionals are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to salaries and their jobs.
As the tennis boom began to fade in the late 1980s, it became apparent to me and many in our profession that tennis-teaching professionals were being relegated back to the courts to make a larger portion of their living. As tennis pros renegotiated new contracts they were asked to make concessions to allow clubs to realize more profit. In many cases this meant pros were giving up larger percentages of their own lesson fees and those of their assistant pros. Tennis professionals were also asked to give up their pro shops so that clubs could hire lower-paid employees to operate the shop and take all of the profits.
I've talked to many members over the years who agreed to make concessions in their first and maybe second contract negotiations, only to be back in the same predicament the next time their contract came up for renewal. Many pros eventually give up and move on to another job when talks break down. The problem is that they can't continue to give up money, spend more hours on the court, support their families and grow professionally.
It seems the "comprehensive professional" - a person who once received a salary, the full pro shop, lesson and activities concession - is becoming a contradiction in terms nowadays. Experienced and talented tennis professionals are increasingly asked to "contribute" to the club's bottom line by new, and mostly younger, managers who show up with a seemingly single goal in mind - to balance the club's overall bottom line at the expense of the tennis department. This trend is particularly prevalent if a facility is operated by a corporation that owns many clubs. The manager's goal is to quickly make a name for himself by cutting expenses and increasing income before moving on to a bigger and better club within the corporate ranks. This often means the tennis program loses an experienced pro and keeps the assistant pro who makes less money and doesn't yet have the skills to direct a tennis program.
The real contradiction in most situations is that if a pro is constantly on the court trying to make a living he or she can't build relationships with members that lead to increased profits, more memberships, and more sales in the pro shop and food and beverage areas. This creates quite the enigma.
I've asked managers how they expect their head pros or directors of tennis to be in two places at once. Of course, they don't understand the question at first, but I explain that it's ironic that they want a professional who will do much more than teach tennis, yet they don't provide a work environment or salary that will permit a tennis teacher to do all those "extra" things that make members happy and the bottom line bigger.
So, now what do we do? It's up to USPTA - and you - to educate facility owners and managers about your skills as professionals. Don't hesitate to explain how your experience and knowledge can translate into better programs, happier members and increased revenue.
Last year, USPTA began its launch of an extensive public relations and advertising campaign titled "Who We Are." The messages in this promotional and educational push target owners, managers and consumers through multiple avenues and extol the qualities of USPTA members. This campaign needs your help to ensure its success.
How can you do your part? USPTA offers many benefits that will allow you to take charge of your career and help us reverse the mindset that so many of our most talented members face.
If you're unsure about your management or sales ability, we offer you an amazing array of educational options. Watch a DVD from the hundreds USPTA offers on its Web site and receive education credit. Choose your courses at www.usprotennisshop.com. Review more online resources by logging into the members-only area of our Web site (www.uspta.com) and then go to "Education" where you can see a schedule of live courses offered throughout the country at division events, conventions and our annual World Conference. You can also access information about USPTA's specialist degrees, our Player Development Program, Lessons online and more.
Rewrite your resume and brush up on interview tips by visiting our Career Center, also in the members-only area of our site. Along with resume and interview tips, check out the tools available for your job search, public relations needs and teaching. This is also where you'll find out how to use your USPTA personal Web site and our Find-a-Job benefits.
If our PR campaign creates a "superhuman" image of USPTA Professionals, it's imperative that you also commit to a plan for self-improvement and promotion of your credentials. That's why USPTA is putting so much effort behind building the industry's most extensive educational and promotional machine for teaching professionals. Only by highlighting and demonstrating your qualifications during interviews or to current employers can you help us prove to owners and managers that the "comprehensive professional" is out there and is a necessary position within their management team.
