The USTA introduced a multi-year sponsorship take care of Athleta that may see the ladies’s and ladies’ efficiency life-style model function one of many official sponsors of USTA League, USTA Participant Growth Instructing Skilled Initiatives and the USTA Basis Excellence Women’ Staff. The partnership will goal to empower girls and ladies and attain new audiences of energetic tennis gamers.
As a part of Athleta’s mission to empower girls and ladies to achieve their limitless potential, it continues to establish alternatives for innovation to satisfy the ever-changing wants of its clients. With greater than 22.6 million folks taking to tennis courts across the nation in 2021, a rise of roughly 1 million gamers from 2020, this sponsorship represents a chance to capitalize on tennis’ important progress and supply further touchpoints to introduce the Athleta model to the USTA’s rising member base of energetic people.
“Athleta is proud so as to add USTA to our roster of goal pushed companions, targeted on our mission of empowering girls and ladies,” stated Athleta president and CEO Mary Beth Laughton. “Between our progressive tennis product and equipment, increasing entry to ladies from underserved communities, and specializing in extra range within the next-generation of leaders in tennis teaching, this partnership is poised to make a major impression on the game.”
Athleta’s tennis assortment consists of an array of merchandise throughout its girls’s and ladies’ strains. As a part of the partnership, Athleta created a curated collection of skorts and clothes; breathable, ultra-lightweight tanks; and tennis equipment that may be worn to a tennis match or on a easy run across the neighborhood.
“We couldn’t be extra excited to companion with Athleta. They share our dedication to well being, wellness and inclusivity.” stated Lew Sherr, USTA CEO, and Government Director. “All three of the USTA initiatives that Athleta will probably be partnering with us on are areas the place the USTA is attempting to open extra alternatives for girls of all backgrounds as we proceed to develop tennis at each stage.”
Different aspects of the sponsorship embrace content material creation and expanded procuring experiences for USTA members and attendees at USTA occasions, and can activate throughout three key areas:
USTA League – With greater than 300,000 gamers taking part every year, USTA League is the nation’s largest grownup aggressive tennis league. It’s a good way for individuals to remain energetic, enhance their tennis recreation, and have the prospect to compete for a Nationwide Championship. League play begins on the native stage for gamers ages 18 and over, and is primarily organized in keeping with the Nationwide Tennis Ranking Program (NTRP) by age group. High groups from native leagues earn the prospect to compete in district and/or sectional championships, whereas the winners of sectionals advance to the USTA League Nationwide Championships. Athleta’s engagement will search to raise the Nationwide Championship expertise and enhance participant participation.
USTA Participant Growth Instructing Skilled Initiatives – USTA Participant Growth’s Tennis Teaching & Management Fellowship powered by Athleta simply accomplished its inaugural class. It can now look to coach the following era of leaders in tennis teaching by way of an integrative method that focuses on the core competencies of foundational teaching. The Fellowship will present younger and aspiring professionals with a world-class studying and coaching alternative with the USTA and is structured to ship important experiential and management coaching whereas concurrently finishing the Degree 2 Certification necessities with USPTA or PTR.
USTA Basis Excellence Women’ Staff – Excellence Program individuals are Nationwide Junior Tennis and Studying (NJTL) youth chosen primarily based on their elite stage of tennis capacity, instructional outcomes and dedication to the pathway to develop into student-athletes on the collegiate {and professional} ranges. The Excellence Program ensures one of the best teaching and sources can be found to these children with essentially the most need, athletic potential and monetary want. Native chapters are inspired to generate exterior funding for sustainability, and children study the significance of arduous work, grit and graciousness. As NJTLs embody the USTA Basis mission to carry tennis and training collectively to alter lives, Excellence Program occasions combine tennis on-court actions and academic off-court actions. At the moment, the USTA Basis has 19 NJTL chapters throughout the nation which have recognized near 350 promising athletes. These athletes are recognized and chosen as a consequence of their arduous work, expertise, perseverance and grit. These Excellence Groups are offered further sources designed to supply teaching, gear and event journey for gratis to underserved junior tennis gamers from under-resourced populations who would in any other case by no means have the prospect to even play.
