How to find a tennis coach in Australia

A plain guide to choosing a tennis coach in Australia, with links to Tennis Australia and the eight state and territory member associations.

This is a free, non-commercial reference page. It does not list, rank or recommend individual coaches, and it is not affiliated with Tennis Australia or any state or territory association. Check details with the official bodies linked below before booking.

The guide

What kinds of lessons exist, what coach qualifications mean, what applies when children are involved, and how to find and book a coach.

Types of lessons

Tennis Australia describes several coaching options for adults: beginner classes, group lessons, private (one-on-one) coaching, coaching for competitive tennis, Cardio Tennis, and coaching for all abilities, including Blind and Low Vision, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Intellectual Disability and Autism, Wheelchair Tennis and Para-standing tennis. For children, options include Swisse Hot Shots Tennis, private lessons, holiday programs and match-play coaching.

Programs you are likely to see

Swisse Hot Shots Tennis is Tennis Australia's game-based program for kids, run in colour stages: Blue (ages 3–5+), Red (5–8+), Orange (8–10+) and Green (10+). Cardio Tennis presented by Chemist Warehouse is a group workout combining tennis drills and cardio moves set to music, suited to all fitness levels. AO Holiday Programs are school holiday programs for children aged five to 15 that mix tennis, games and creative play, led by qualified coaches at local clubs.

Coach qualifications

Tennis Australia's coaching pathway lists these courses: the Participation Coaching Course (a free online course centred on supervised Hot Shots Tennis activities), the Trainee Coaching Course (the basic needs of junior players, mainly through Hot Shots Tennis), the Development Coaching Course (Level 1) (planning, delivering and reviewing sessions and creating positive learning environments for children; select versions include the Certificate III in Sport Coaching), the Club Professional Course (Level 2) (player development plus the operational side of a coaching business) and the Performance Coaching Course (Level 3) (coaching high-performance athletes). There is also a Business and Venue Management course, and Recognition of Current Competence for coaches with prior learning. Tennis Australia states its courses are ITF-recognised at gold level. Asking which of these a coach has completed is a reasonable first question.

Tennis Australia coach membership

Coaches can join Tennis Australia as coach members. Tennis Australia's coach membership policies state that a current Working With Children Check and a National Police Check are essential prerequisites for active coach membership, that all coach members must complete a Member Protection Declaration, that new coach members must complete the online Keeping the Tennis Community Safe course, and that first aid is mandatory for Business Package and Qualified coach members. Coach members must also follow the Coaches' Code of Conduct and wider Tennis Australia policies.

Juniors and Working with Children Checks

Tennis Australia requires all staff and volunteers in a child-related role to hold a valid Working with Children Check, and lists anyone teaching or coaching juniors, paid or volunteer, among those roles. The check is run by each state and territory and goes by different names: Working with Children Check in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia; Blue Card in Queensland; Working with Vulnerable People Registration in the ACT and Tasmania; and Ochre Card in the Northern Territory. Rules differ between jurisdictions, so Tennis Australia recommends checking with the relevant authority. Tennis Australia's Working with Children Check page links to each one.

Finding a coach

Tennis Australia's website has a Find a Coach search (tennis.com.au/book/find-a-coach) within its Find, Book and Play section, which lets you search by location for nearby courts, coaches and programs, including Hot Shots Tennis, Cardio Tennis and AO Holiday Programs. Many local clubs run their coaching through club pages on play.tennis.com.au. Your state or territory member association, listed below, works directly with clubs and coaches in its region and is a good contact if you cannot find coaching nearby.

Booking

Tennis Australia's booking hub says you can contact the coach directly or book through the club, and that lesson costs vary by program, duration and whether the session is group or private. Confirm the details in the questions below before you pay.

Official tennis bodies

Tennis Australia and its eight state and territory member associations. This directory lists official bodies only, not individual coaches or businesses.

What member associations do. Tennis Australia describes its member associations as representing their state or territory and working directly with clubs, coaches, players and communities, including running competitions, supporting facilities and connecting people to tennis in their region.

Websites. Each member association's website is hosted as a section of tennis.com.au. The links below are as published on Tennis Australia's member associations page.

Inclusion in this directory is not an endorsement. Links are to official websites as published at the time of checking.

Questions to ask a coach before booking

Plain questions worth asking before the first lesson.

Which Tennis Australia coaching courses have you completed?

Course names tell you whether the coach has trained for beginners, juniors, club players or competitive players.

Are you a current Tennis Australia coach member?

Active coach membership carries screening, safeguarding and code of conduct requirements.

Do you hold a current Working with Children Check (or your state's equivalent)?

Anyone coaching under-18s should hold the check that applies where they coach. Ask to see it.

Do you hold a current first aid qualification?

Useful to know for any physical activity, and especially for children's sessions.

Is the lesson private, semi-private or group, and how long is it?

Format affects how much individual attention you get and how the session is run.

What level or age group is the session pitched at?

Beginners and juniors do better in sessions designed for them, such as Hot Shots Tennis stages for children.

What happens if it rains, or if I need to cancel?

Ask for the weather and cancellation policy in writing before paying, including whether missed lessons are made up or credited.

Are court hire and balls included?

Some coaches include these and some charge separately, so confirm what the lesson price covers.

Can I book a single trial lesson first?

A trial lets you check the coach's style and the venue before committing to a term or package.

Where will lessons be held, and can parents watch?

Confirms the venue and, for children, how supervision and viewing work.

About this page

tenniscoaches.com.au is a free, non-commercial reference page. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Tennis Australia or any state or territory association, and it does not list or recommend individual coaches. Information was checked against Tennis Australia's website in October 2026; programs, course names and policies can change, so confirm current details with the official bodies linked above.