Tennis Coach - Pathway Program

New York Junior Tennis & Learning; New York (NY); On-site; USD 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) is seeking instructors who specialize in junior development on the court and can develop grass-roots players into tournament-ready competitors. You will advance students through pathway programs toward success in local and in-house events, including USTA tournaments.

The role involves early-morning and evening training sessions at sites across Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx, with flexibility for additional hours as needed.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Demonstrated experience playing and/or coaching competitive tennis (high school varsity, college, USTA tournament play, or equivalent).
• Successful completion of pre-employment advanced tennis skills assessment.
• Previous experience coaching children in a similar setting required.
• USPTA/PTR/USTA certification preferred; candidates with tournament coaching or player-development experience considered.
• Player experience as a junior, college or adult preferred.

Responsibilities

• Reports to assigned site daily, on time, properly attired and ready to work.
• Designs and delivers advanced lesson plans covering stroke mechanics, footwork, tactics, and strategy for intermediate-to-advanced and tournament-track players.
• Adheres to positive coaching philosophy, motivating participants through encouragement and praise while pushing players toward measurable skill progression.
• Models polite, courteous, and respectful behavior while interacting with program participants and staff.
• Evaluates player skill level and adjusts instruction to challenge and advance higher-level athletes.
• Prepares players for match play and competition, including tournament readiness, scoring, rules, and on-court decision-making.
• Assists in court setup and breakdown, including ensuring cleanliness and safety.

Skills

Tennis coaching

Player development

Coaching experience

Advanced tennis skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

We hire for this position in Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx.

Openings vary across 30+ sites throughout the school year. Our complete list is at nyjtl.org/aces-sites.

About New York Junior Tennis & Learning

For over fifty years, New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) has honored its founder Arthur Ashe’s legacy by celebrating the diversity of children, encouraging them to reach their highest potential through free tennis and academic programs. NYJTL is the largest provider of youth tennis and education programs in the nation, providing services in 100 unique sites across all five boroughs while reaching nearly 90,000 kids. In addition, NYJTL designed, funded (with NYC), built and operates the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the South Bronx. All NYJTL community tennis and after school programs are offered at no cost to its participants.

The mission of NYJTL is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. It believes life skills gained through tennis, academics, healthy living, and character development are a catalyst for long-term achievement.

The Pathways Programs are designed to be a bridge between our grass roots community programs and school-based programs. Chosen on a tryout basis, these additional programs are designed for players ready to progress to a higher competitive level, offering focused early-morning and evening training sessions for athletes committed to advancing their games. Tentative Schedule: Sat & Sun, 6:00–8:00 AM, and/or Fri, Sat, & Sun evenings 5-9pm in Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx. Additional hours may be available during the week depending on site needs.

Position Summary

We are looking for instructors that specialize in junior development on the court with the ability to develop high potential grass-roots players into tournament ready players. Instructors should have the ability to progress all students within the pathway programs to have success in local and in-house tournaments as well as preparing students for success in USTA tournaments.

Core Responsibilities

• Reports to assigned site daily, on time, properly attired and ready to work.
• Designs and delivers advanced lesson plans covering stroke mechanics, footwork, tactics, and strategy for intermediate-to-advanced and tournament-track players
• Adheres to positive coaching philosophy, motivating participants through encouragement and praise while pushing players toward measurable skill progression
• Models polite, courteous, and respectful behavior while interacting with program participants and staff
• Evaluates player skill level and adjusts instruction to challenge and advance higher-level athletes
• Prepares players for match play and competition, including tournament readiness, scoring, rules, and on-court decision-making
• Assists in court setup and breakdown, including ensuring cleanliness and safety

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Demonstrated experience playing and/or coaching competitive tennis (high school varsity, college, USTA tournament play, or equivalent)
• Successful completion of pre-employment advanced tennis skills assessment
• Previous experience coaching children in a similar setting required
• USPTA/PTR/USTA certification preferred; candidates with tournament coaching or player-development experience considered
• Player experience as a junior, college or adult preferred.

Essential Skills And Attributes

• Attendance and punctuality
• Strong technical tennis knowledge. Able to teach and correct advanced stroke mechanics, footwork, and tactics
• Proper and precise use of tennis terminology
• Ability to assess player skill level and tailor instruction accordingly
• Understanding of competitive match play, scoring, and tournament preparation
• Effective initiative, teamwork, communication, and cooperation

Tentative Schedule

Sat & Sun, 6:00–8:00 AM, and/or Fri, Sat, & Sun evenings 5-9pm

Salary Range

• $30.00 - $36.00

NYJTL values the diversity of the people we hire and inspire. Diversity at our organization means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, respected, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We center equity in all our work and in our hiring practices.

Tentative Schedule: Sat & Sun, 6:00–8:00 AM, and/or Fri, Sat, & Sun evenings 5-9pm in Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx. Additional hours may be available during the week depending on site needs.