At the WTCA, one of our primary goals is to build relationships and empower females within the coaching community. With that specific goal in mind, we are proud to announce an official partnership with TennisPAL™ app and their official coach platform TennisPAL™ Coach.
Although the relationship between the WTCA and TennisPAL™ was formed just six months ago at the WTCA Conference NYC, it has blossomed into a true partnership between two organizations who hope to create a strong tennis community while also elevating female athletes and coaches into the forefront of the sport.
TennisPAL™ was formed by Haleh Emrani, an engineer and self-proclaimed tennis fanatic, who encountered challenges finding tennis partners who matched her level of play while attending conferences and meetings.
“Haleh asked herself, why isn’t there something like an Uber for tennis players? That’s when the initial idea behind the creation of a tennis app sparked, and she and her coach at the time began conceptualizing what is now TennisPAL™,” said TennisPAL™’s brand and communication strategist Mahta Emrani.
Currently, TennisPAL™ is an iPhone and Android app devoted to connecting tennis players and coaches, whether it be through simple conversations, scheduling a playing time or simply sharing moments. The concept is simple; you use the app to search for players near you, locate a court close by, find local tennis events, schedule matches, and share these moments via TennisPAL™’s social media feature.
Haleh’s vision was to build a platform where avid tennis fans could play, learn and buy tennis related items. The first step in the journey to realize her vision was a focus on the player side, helping other passionate tennis fanatics to find their tennis pals.
As Haleh began demoing the app with her tennis community, she quickly realized that there was a major need for an application like TennisPAL™. That is when she opted to leave her executive role at the systems engineering firm where she was a partner to focus her attention on TennisPAL™ full-time.
Since its inception, the TennisPAL™ player app has grown to a community of over 25,000 members within the United States. Based on that success, TennisPAL™ is now unveiling their coaching platform, TennisPAL™ Coach, with the help of the WTCA.
After the WTCA Conference NYC trade show, the TennisPAL™ team formed a connection with WTCA CEO Sarah Stone, who has been integral in the development of the TennisPAL™ Coach app.
“We want to help the WTCA as much as we believe the WTCA can help us build our business,” said Mahta. “The TennisPAL™ Coach app is being created in close consultation with Sarah Stone based on her understanding of what the coach community needs and what would be the best solution for them.”
The TennisPAL™ team continues to benefit from the WTCA partnership, and more specifically, Sarah Stone’s experiences, knowledge, and relationships as it continues to develop a tool that could deliver value to the community of coaches. And, as a next milestone, TennisPAL™ hopes to connect with the WTCA’s international community to bring a more broad-reaching aspect to their platform.
“With this partnership, we’re excited to gain knowledge of what the coaching community wants and what makes them tick,” said Mahta. “We will have access to the coaching community and the idea of shared goals and objectives between the two organizations is valuable to us. We’re not rooting solely for women, but we’re excited that the WTCA is designed to support female coaches.”
In addition to the coach app, TennisPAL™ hopes to use their platform at future WTCA events. “We envision using the app at WTCA conferences for helping people sign up for the events. They can connect, share content, and learn more about the speakers. It’s a fully integrated partnership,” explained Mahta.
In the future, TennisPAL™ hopes to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming an international hub for all things tennis. The WTCA is predicated on building a global community within the sport, which is why this mutually beneficial partnership will be a monumental stepping stone for both organizations for many years to come.