USTA Florida is dedicated to supporting, elevating and attracting diverse women to all aspects of the tennis industry in Florida.
Learn more about our efforts to INSPIRE, RECRUIT and increase REPRESENTATION of women in all aspects of tennis.
As part of our commitment to being a model DEI organization, we asked experts in research to help review the landscape for women in tennis and provide recommendations on our efforts. We chose Clarity Writing and Research for their experience in this area AND their insights as women leaders. They dug into the many pieces of information available today, and challenged us to look critically at our work. Learn more about them in the tabs below
The research tells us that, from a global perspective, women continue to trail behind men in sports and leadership roles – and Florida is feeling that acutely in participation, coaching and leadership. While we have a lot of resources available today, we need to do more to foster gender equity across the board.
USTA Florida (USTA FL) sought help from Clarity Writing and Research (Clarity) to gain insights into the current state of women and girls in tennis and to consider ways USTA Florida’s Women in Tennis (WiT) initiative can advance gender equity in tennis. To accomplish this, Clarity did contextual research, reviewed extant data from internal and external sources, and compiled a selection of relevant best and promising practices for equity work.
This report is structured into three sections:
Section 1 provides a contextual description of data and recent trends in tennis participation, youth sports, and the experience of women and girls as sports players, coaches, and leaders.
Section 2 focuses in on Florida and includes both extant data on tennis in Florida and a detailed description of USTA Florida’s Women in Tennis initiative and the activities and supports it provides.
Section 3 presents targeted conclusions and specific recommendations for how USTA Florida can put this research to work.
Following the research findings, USTA Florida is expanding our Women in Tennis initiative to do more of what we know works, and get even more laser focused on our mission in this space. We’re also providing better resources and peer support for our partners here in Florida to join us in this work. Check out the release for more details on the initiative, and reach out to get involved!
This new report is a groundbreaking study that reveals the cross-generational impacts of girls’ and women’s sports participation on leadership. The research illuminates the skills, traits, and experiences developed through youth sports and how they connect to leadership outcomes in adulthood. With survey respondents ranging in age from 20 to 80 years old, the research also provides insight into the shifting barriers to sports participation for girls and women across the generations, and the impacts of Title IX.
The present report set out to examine:
1. What is the relationship between sport participation and mental health in adolescent girls?
2. How do the characteristics of the sport environment affect the relationship between sport participation and mental health?
3. Does the relationship between sport and mental health differ across contexts and demographic groups?
The research used for this report entailed three major components. First, we extracted data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (Barch et al., 2018) to examine sport participation and clinical levels of mental health for a nationally representative sample of 11,875 children. With these data, we examined how participation in sport, duration of participation in sport, and number of sports played influenced rates of clinical mental health problems in girls and boys. Next, we commissioned eight focus groups with 45 girl athletes to better understand how girls themselves perceived the relationship between sport and mental health, and what factors facilitated or impeded this relationship. With the knowledge gained from these two data sets, the WSF commissioned a nationally representative survey of 2,956 girls between the ages of 12 and 17 and their parent/guardian. The data included girls who currently participate in sport (n = 1,677), girls who previously participated in sport (n = 343), and girls who have never participated in sport (n = 936). The survey examined the relationship between sport participation and depression, anxiety, peer relationships, and a sense of meaning and purpose. Results give insights into the unique contribution of sport to mental health, the conditions under which sport is most beneficial for mental health, and the relationship of sport and mental health across a range of socio-demographic groups.
America’s youth are experiencing a mental health crisis, and their futures are on the line. As the nation has witnessed an alarming rise in mental health challenges among young people, including increases in depression and anxiety, the need for urgent action to prioritize mental health is more important than ever. It is essential to share how sports participation impacts girls, offering far-researching benefits beyond physical fitness as it can serve as a cornerstone for nurturing positive mental health and promoting holistic development in girls.
To support, elevate and attract diverse women to all aspects of the tennis industry in Florida.
Women already play a huge part in the tennis industry, and that’s worth celebrating every day. Seeing other women succeed can inspire the next generation of girls and women to get in the game.
USTA Florida is hosting a series of all-women and girls events to provide those opportunities to inspire the next generation.
Hosting an all-female event? Let us know and we can add it to our calendar!
Despite their many roles in the tennis business, women are still under-represented as speakers at conferences and meetings. USTA Florida created a Women in Tennis Speakers Bureau to actively recruit women presenters and mentor women who would like to advance their own speaking skills.
If you are a speaker who would like to be added to the bureau, send us your bio and photo to be added to our list. If you are a meeting or conference organizer, view our full list of women speakers and topics below.
USTA Florida is committed to working with our industry partners at USPTA and PTR to recruit new and diverse tennis coaches and directors of tennis. Today, only 20 percent of certified coaches are women. It’s time to change the game.
If you are a woman who wants to coach, our USTA Florida community coach program will offer in-person and online training and mentorship. Register for an upcoming session today.
Hosting an all-female event? Let us know and we can add it to our calendar!
View Report
