Three years ago, based on the results of a complete analysis of the section, USTA Intermountain restructured and created a new strategic plan that emphasized getting section resources down to grassroots tennis programs.
“It made a lot of sense,” says Rob Scott, who’s been the USTA Intermountain executive director since 2012. “Now, our structure is one of our greatest strengths. We’re managing from the bottom up, not the top down, and we recognize that tennis must grow at the grassroots level. We’ve also reduced ‘bureaucratic inertia,’ so things are getting done.”
As a result, the section is working together and has seen solid growth in many programs and initiatives, including Play Days, locally branded Junior Team Tennis and Adult Leagues. And for 2014, Intermountain is TI’s USTA Section of the Year.
“We’ve embraced the unique strengths of our six districts (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming), rather than holding them at arm’s length,” Scott says. “Our district EDs are where the rubber meets the road. We work together as one unit, and it’s really exciting.”
Scott also credits the Intermountain board of directors and his staff. “We have a diverse board who are all very engaged in the tennis community. They have a vested interest in seeing tennis grow, and want to make sure the pipeline is full of youth players who will grow into tennis consumers of the future. Our staff is all very passionate about what they do. They’re not only great professionals, they’re fun to work with. We definitely enjoy that and support each other.”
Tips for success
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Intermountain does “provider workshops” throughout the section, pulling in teaching pros, facility owners/managers, retailers, and parks and recs to talk about growing the game.
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Nurture relationships with staff and volunteers at every level and stop “operating in silos.”
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It’s about getting tennis players, not necessarily USTA memberships.