USTA & Life Time Forge Relationship Aimed at Growing Tennis Participation in United States

SOURCE: Life Time

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 1, 2019 -- The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Life Time today announced a landmark alliance that brings together one of the largest tennis operators in the nation and the national governing body for tennis in the United States. Both parties will combine their vast resources to continue growing the great sport of tennis, especially among younger players.

Augmenting its premium courts, tennis leagues, lessons and youth tennis programs, all Life Time coaches and facilities will receive additional state-of-the-art coaching tools and programming from the USTA, including access to its Net Generation suite of programs and apps. Net Generation is the USTA's youth tennis brand designed to get more kids aged 5 to 18 playing. Through a smartphone app, coaches can connect with players around the clock to send practice activities, feedback and skill assessments at the click of a button. Coaches also gain access to USTA coaching curriculums, which include video lesson plans and exercises, to bolster their lesson plans.

"One of our top priorities at the USTA is increasing provider education and improving the consumer experience," said Gordon Smith, USTA Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director. "Life Time has been an industry leader in this area and we couldn't be more pleased to have their support and assistance in growing this great sport."  

Life Time, the premier healthy lifestyle brand, owns and operates more than 320 tennis courts and has 300-plus professional instructors nationwide, complete with top-tier programs. Net Generation will complement its SMART junior tennis programs and help parents easily find a high-quality tennis coach for their children at a nearby Life Time athletic resort.

"At Life Time we have exceptional tennis programs and premier courts across the country to support our vision of growing the sport," said Bahram Akradi, Life Time Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are proud to align with the USTA to accelerate our efforts in introducing the game to more youth players nationwide."

"Through Net Generation we are committed to providing coaches with an array of industry-leading resources," said Craig Morris, USTA Chief Executive Community Tennis. "Curriculum, linked to the Net Generation app, will support coaches as they strive to deliver a fantastic on-court experience for kids nationwide. We are excited that Life Time has adopted Net Generation for their youth programming and look forward to a successful partnership."  

The USTA and Life Time will also work to attract even more adult players to the sport through a range of new competitive and social leagues, tournaments, and team events, and by piloting new initiatives combining fitness and tennis programming. 

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 655,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, one of the highest-attended annual sporting events in the world, and launched the US Open Series, linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA's philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships in addition to supporting tennis and education programs nationwide to benefit under-resourced youth through the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. For more information about the USTA, go to USTA.com or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. 

About Life Time® – Healthy Way of Life 
Life Time champions a healthy and happy life for its members across 141 destinations in 39 major markets in the U.S. and Canada. As the nation's only Healthy Way of Life brand, Life Time delivers an unmatched athletic resort experience and provides a comprehensive healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment experience that goes well beyond fitness to encompass the entire spectrum of daily life for individuals, couples and families of all ages.