The Tennis Professionals Association (TPA) was founded by Tennis Canada in 2004 and has grown to include almost 2000 members since its inception. The association is designated to include certified Instructors, Coaches, and Club Professionals all across Canada. The purpose of the TPA is to enhance the overall development, improve communication, provide benefits, and provide up-to-date educational resources to all of its members. All certified individuals have a central resource bank of information that they can access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at their own leisure, simply by visiting the TPA website (http://www.tenniscanada.ca/tennis_canada/Pub/TPAHome.aspx).
         
Additionally, in order to maintain an active status of certification, all certified individuals are required to:

• Attend ongoing professional development. Since 1994, Tennis Canada’s policy has been that all certified individuals attend a professional development opportunity every 4 years.
• Maintain membership in Tennis Canada’s Tennis Professionals Association.

The TPA is comprised of 2 membership levels. Level 1 membership encompasses Instructors and Club Pro 1’s (formerly Coach 1). New Instructors will receive a membership that is valid from the time of registration until the end of 2007 for the same price as a 1 year membership. The cost for a level 1 membership is $50. A level 2 membership is comprised of Club Pro 2 & 3, as well as Coach 2, 3, 4, & 5’s. Level 2 memberships cost $80. All funds raised from the memberships will be reinvested into coaching development, including: operation of the TPA, development of coaching related resources, professional development opportunities, training of coaches through certification, improving communication with all our members, etc.

Through our “members’ only” website, TPA members will be able to access our various resources at any time. The main benefits and features available to all members include:

• $2,000,000 liability insurance
• 70% off a one year subscription to Tennis Magazine
• Over 50% off a one year subscription to Tennis Week Magazine
• 30% discounts off Wilson products
• 30% discounts off Head products
• 30% discounts off Gamma products and Fischer Racquets
• 30% discounts off Human Kinetics resources
• 50% discount off Advanced Tennis Research high-speed video's and DVD's by John Yandell
• 50% discount off www.tennisplayer.net ; a fee based website which contains tennis related streaming video's and articles of the most up to date players, coaches and topics.
• 20-25% off equipment from Berten International
• Discounted TPA/Wilson tracksuits and hats
• Discounted Tennis Canada resources from our online store
• Articles
• Interviews with successful coaches/club pro's/players
• Featured books, video's and websites
• Streaming video clips providing tips
• Job Find
• Results from our TPA survey which was submitted by 135 coaches' nation wide.
• Archived section off all material posted on the website since the inception of the TPA

As a new instructor you will receive a TPA “TEMP” status. All benefits and resources (with the exception of the liability insurance) are made available to you as soon as you register with the TPA and complete the TPA assignment. Your TPA active status will be granted as soon as confirmation has been provided to us by the Course Facilitator stating that you have successfully completed and passed the course. At this point, you will receive coverage under our $2,000,000 liability insurance policy. If you are unsuccessful in completing or passing the course, you will be deemed an affiliate member. This membership status allows you to continue to have access to the website and its many benefits and resources; however, coverage under the liability insurance policy will not be provided.

If you have any questions, please contact Adriano Fuorivia at tpa@tenniscanada.com or by phone at: 416-650-7944 or 1-800-263-9039 ext. 7944.