Launching the first national tennis coaching membership platform
Services
User Experience Mapping
Product & Experience Strategy
Feature Prioritization & Roadmapping
Mobile & Website Design
Design System
Tennis is growing across the United States, yet only two-in-10 players currently receive formal coaching. To close the gap and fuel the next generation of players, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) teamed up with Code and Theory to launch USTA Coaching, the organization’s first national coaching membership platform.
Designed for coaches at every level, from parents and volunteers to high school instructors and seasoned professionals, the platform offers modern certification, flexible education pathways and a dynamic peer community. By giving coaches the tools, training and support they need, USTA Coaching strengthens player development, boosts participation and deepens the sport’s impact across communities nationwide.
Code and Theory played a vital role from concept to launch, helping define the vision for the digital experience and bringing it to life by designing the marketing site and coaching dashboard. The team also tackled complex user flows and business requirements, while collaborating with Material, the agency behind USTA Coaching’s brand identity, to apply the new look across the platform.
Impact
- 5M press reach at launch in AP, NBC and more
- 35M target growth for tennis players by 2035
- 1st of its kind national platform
Press
- USTA Puts Coaches at the Heart of Tennis's Future | LBBOnline
- USTA Launches Coaching Platform to Help Expand Tennis Nationwide | MediaPost
- The group in charge of tennis in the US is starting its first coaching program | AP News
- The group in charge of tennis in the U.S. is starting its first coaching program | NBC New York
A fresh, new, coach-first brand
The new USTA Coaching brand makes coaches of all levels feel inspired and supported in their coaching journeys. Code and Theory expanded the initial brand guidelines into a rich system of web components that bring the new brand to life.
USTA Coaching is a blueprint for how organizations can use digital platforms to meet users where they are. When you empower the user, in this case, coaches, you elevate the entire ecosytem they serve.
A guided learning experience
The USTA Coaching platform offers a wide variety of courses and certification programs for coaches across the spectrum, including virtual and in-person courses and training requirements. Whether you’re a parent learning drills for your kids’ practice or a seasoned pro looking for an advanced certification curriculum, we designed the platform to help users find the right coaching pathways that develop the skills they need, track their progress and stay motivated to continue their journey.
The platform provides coaches with
- Tailored learning and workshops: personalized coaching pathways, courses and hands-on workshops for every experience level.
- Practical coaching tools: direct-to-inbox practice plans, skill-building drills and actionable teaching insights.
- Membership benefits: access to gear discounts, exclusive content and events that support growth and community.
Driving membership retention and expansion
The USTA Coaching membership program has tiers designed to meet the needs of different coaches. The design was intentional about empowering coaches to easily see and redeem their benefits in a unified dashboard, and easily upgrade to the next tier with just a few taps. New users can take a quiz that helps them easily find the right tier for them, while providing the USTA with valuable information on their coaching needs.
Coaches come in all shapes and sizes — from parents and community volunteers to career coaches and professionals. The USTA has started marketing the new membership program to coaches across America, and thousands of coaches have already registered their interest ahead of the official launch at the 2025 US Open.