USTA, Discovery Education Host 'Careers Beyond the Court'

SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The USTA and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, have teamed up to host the first ever "Careers Beyond the Court" Virtual Field Trip to inspire students to explore exciting career paths in the tennis industry. The event will premiere on Thursday, September 14, at 1 p.m. ET.

Careers Beyond the Court will take students to the new USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., and the 2017 US Open, hosted at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, to expose youth to experiences motivated by their passions and talents. As part of the Virtual Field Trip, special guest host James Blake, USTA Foundation Chairman and former world #4 tennis pro, along with US Open executives, will share experiences and insider knowledge of the diverse and dynamic career paths available in the sports industry.

"Discovery Education is proud to support USTA and their longstanding commitment to enriching the lives of youth, while encouraging the pursuit of their academic and talent-driven ambitions," said Lori McFarling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Discovery Education. "We are excited to present Careers Beyond the Court as a unique digital learning initiative to inspire today's young people to explore longterm career goals."

During the Virtual Field Trip, in an immersive classroom environment, Careers Beyond the Court will provide students with quality experiences, classroom activities and an insider's view of the important roles needed in the sport of tennis, beyond just professional play. The exclusive premiere event feature dynamic digital resources and will introduce learners to:

• Tennis Pros: Kaitlin Flaherty and Kyle LaCroix will showcase the career of a tennis pro, and the many responsibilities that this key role plays in the industry, from teaching and coaching, to pro shop management, to marketing, maintenance and more.
• Technology In Tennis: Sean Prokes, USTA National campus raquet bar manager and Joel Disbro, Wilson Sporting Goods lead racquet technician, will give students a look inside a technical career in tennis, racquet stringing. Sean and Joel will both explain their roles in keeping the key piece of equipment in the sport ready for player and will explain the STEM behind their careers.
• Mental Conditioning and Performance Coaching: Players need physical coaching, the right equipment, and the important ingredient of mental conditioning and performance coaching. Students will hear from Ed Tseng, Rio Olympics performance coach, lecturer and author, who has coached top players to increase their mental tenacity.
• Event Management and Operations: The Virtual Field Trip will conclude with an exclusive look at careers within the US Open. Students will meet Stacey Allaster, USTA chief executive for professional tennis and David Brewer, US Open tournament director to hear how their careers combine operations, event management, marketing and more.
  

"The Careers Beyond the Court Virtual Field Trip activity is exciting because it empowers students to consider ranging career paths through immersive and interactive standards-based classroom instruction," Rob Lamb, Pattonville, Missouri School District science teacher. "Virtual Field Trips open up a world of exploration and opportunity for youth to experience, showing students how to follow their dreams is more effective than telling them to, and when it comes to inspiring the next generation of thinkers and doers, every interaction counts."

Available at no cost to classrooms nationwide, Careers Beyond the Court provides high school students, educators and families engaging experiences that provide an all-access look into the many career opportunities available in the tennis industry. The program's online experience, includes: video vignettes, accompanying career profiles, industry guides and a selection of colleges with specific sports-related degree programs.

Educators and classrooms can join the conversation with a LIVE Twitter chat using #TennisVFT to get questions answered by @USTA, @DiscoveryEd and other featured participants. For more information on the program or to access the site's free resources, visit careersbeyondthecourt.com.