Tennis is a sport for life, and there are now more opportunities than ever to continue playing during post-secondary student life. Playing at university is an incredible way to continue a student’s tennis career, stay active, make new friends and compete at a high level.
The Canadian University Tennis Program was founded to create opportunities for students to play the sport they love. The program began with seven universities and has since grown to include schools across Canada from coast to coast. The tennis landscape in Canada is extremely diverse, and university tennis is an incredible pathway for young players to strive towards, at any level they choose to play, regardless of their tennis background.
The university tennis season consists of regional play leading into one of four regional championships held across Canada. The prize is qualification for the Canadian University Tennis Championships. The championships are held in conjunction with the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto and Montreal. They are held in August and give players the opportunity to compete on the same courts as the top players in the world. In some cases, there are thousands of fans watching university matches – it is truly an experience of a lifetime.
Unlike the US, in Canadian universities, there is not a lot of recruiting and coaches aren’t full-time. Prospective players have to take the initiative to contact the coach. No matter what level they are at, from beginner and up, there will be opportunities to take part for players of all skill levels. Most coaches will gauge a player’s level or host some kind of a tryout at the beginning of each season for the competitive team.
The level of tennis at Regionals and Nationals is high. Most players have competed at the provincial or national level in their junior careers. However, many teams have practice squads and recreational club programs that accept players of all levels, including beginners. There are plenty of schools that have tennis clubs for recreational players. This is a great way to meet new friends and stay active during the school year.
In addition to the incredible opportunities to compete, continuing to play tennis at the post-secondary level can lead to a potential summer job as a coach. Coaching is a great way to find meaningful, impactful and fun summer work.
UNIVERSITY TENNIS PROGRAMS IN CANADA
Many universities throughout Canada currently offer a tennis program. These universities compete amongst one another to ultimately be a representative in the Canadian University Tennis Championships. A full listing of these universities and their respective program information are as follows:
UNIVERSITY TEAM CAPTAINS
WESTERN CANADA
Jessic Silva (W)
ONTARIO
Nabil Tadros
Robert Perry
Women’s: Mike Richards
Beth Emery
Men’s; Rasim Sehovic & Doug Ho
Women’s; Peter Patiakas
QUEBEC
ATLANTIC
If you are interested in starting up a tennis program at your university, contact us at university@tenniscanada.com for full details.