Tennis development at the ground level: Coaches’ perceptions of how incentive structures impact the development systems national tennis associations implement

Abstract

National Tennis Associations operate within the confines of a market-driven environment. An environment creating incentive structures forcing NTAs to be cognizant of revenue generation, which may impact how tennis development systems are designed and implemented, affecting how tennis products and services are delivered at the micro-level. Therefore, the study sought to examine coaches’ perspectives of how tennis delivery at the ground level is shaped by the incentive structures created by NTAs’ implementation of tennis development systems. Findings from eight interviews with experienced coaches demonstrate how coaches feel compelled to compromise some of their ideals in their delivery of tennis services, feel the pressure of competitive youth tennis can be overwhelming for players, and believe a team-oriented tournament structure can alleviate some of the concerns arising from extant incentive structures. Findings show the need to consider how tennis’s existence in a market-driven economy shapes how tennis is managed and delivered, and provide an initial foundation for future research.