Its really difficult to sum this answer up. I get asked this question quite often. To understand the life of a tennis pro you first have to see the different types of working pros:
Pro #1 work at tennis clubs
Pro #2 carry tennis balls in the back of their cars
I have been pro #1 and I have to say that if you pick the right country club, it can be a pretty cush job. When I worked at the Houston Racquet Club it was delux. One free meal a day, medical and health benefits plus a retainer to get you through those wet days and slow times, groundsmen to roll your courts when a light rain rolls through, good lighting for tennis under the stars…..but most importantly a constant pool of clients to pull from– in a nut shell security. Oh yes did I mention you get to exercise and stay healthy too?
Flip the coin over and you’ll find…….
A typical tennis club will take anywhere from 30-40% of your hourly rate–although the more you teach the less the clubs takes. Which is great right? Well its a catch 22 because the more you work, well the more you work. That and you become physically and mentally tired. I felt there was nothing worse then teaching a 10-12 hr day then feeling I had nothing inspiring to say.
On to Pro#2
All tennis pro’s are easy to spot. First they have a layer of caked dry sweat on, crazy sock and sunglass tan and to finally confirm that they are Pro #2’s …follow them out to their car preferably when you are at a grocery store—watch them open the trunk then BAM! a Wilson or a Gamma hopper in the back filled with tennis balls!
Ok so why would anyone want to leave the manicured tennis club and work at public courts with cracks, poor lighting and sometimes the occasional crazy person walking around? I’ll tell you why, FREEDOM. No one to answer to nobody telling you how much you have to teach or tell you when to do what for members, no meetings, unlimited vacation days, ownership of your own schedule, no mandatory times for teaching the junior programs……and best of all you keep 100% of your hourly rate!
That FREEDOM is great, but with it comes extra responsibilities: billing, the art of collecting money, added customer service, pressure to keep and attract new clients, no medical benefits, no 401 k’s and the constant smell of tennis balls lingering in the car.
Now are certain tennis pros better then others? Nagh, I know a lot of Pro 1 & 2’s its just a matter of choice. They are all professional and capable of explaining tennis in clear concise methods. I find that moving from Pro 1 to Pro 2 for me was the smart choice. I went through my rough patches with being a freelance tennis pro the first two years that now I can enjoy the FREEDOM it allows me to pursue K-Claw. Plus I love surfing in the morning in Galveston then head back to to H-town to start my 3-8p.m. lessons!
FREEDOM is a beautiful thing.
