Coach’s Journal by Emma Dell – Part 2: What Does It Mean to Serve Your Passion?
For Emma, the past month of the USTA Coaching Fellowship in Tennis Coaching and Leadership has been a masterclass in bringing classroom knowledge to life on the court. From guiding youth orange ball players to training collegiate athletes, Emma’s first month of hands-on coaching has completely redefined her approach to leadership.
In this reflection, she shares her biggest takeaways from the court, insights from the Coach Inclusion Summit and how a familiar campus mantra is taking on a powerful new meaning: it’s not just about loving the game – it’s about what it truly means to serve the people looking to you as a coach for guidance.
Read Coach’s Journal by Emma Dell – Part 1: First Impressions.
July 7, 2026 – What Does It Mean to “Serve Your Passion”?
When I wrote my first journal entry, I shared how excited I was to learn as much as I could throughout the USTA Coaching Fellowship. Over the past month, that excitement has only grown, but the biggest difference is that I’ve gone from learning about coaching in the classroom to applying those lessons on the court every day.
Since my last journal entry, I’ve had the opportunity to coach a variety of groups, including collegiate players, varsity athletes, orange ball players and green ball players. Coaching athletes of different ages and skill levels has challenged me to think differently about every practice I lead. I’ve learned there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to coaching. Every player learns differently, every group has different needs and every coaching opportunity requires me to adapt.
One of my biggest wins has been gaining confidence in applying what we’ve been learning throughout the fellowship. Concepts like athlete-centered coaching, purposeful practice design and guided discovery have become much more meaningful now that I’ve had the chance to put them into practice. Instead of feeling like I need to have every answer, I’m learning to ask better questions, create better learning environments and trust players to discover solutions for themselves.
Another highlight of the past month was attending the Coach Inclusion Summit in Kansas City. I expected to leave with new coaching strategies, but I walked away with something even more valuable, a deeper understanding of leadership and self-awareness.
One message has stayed with me ever since: “The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is awareness.” That idea challenged me to think differently about coaching. Athlete-centered coaching starts with the coach. It begins with being willing to evaluate yourself, recognize your own motivations and ask whether you’re creating the best possible environment for the people you’re leading.
That reflection connected perfectly with something I’ve seen every day around the USTA National Campus: “Serve Your Passion.”
At first, I thought the phrase simply meant having a passion for tennis. But over the past month, I’ve realized the emphasis isn’t on the word “passion” – it’s on the word “serve.”
Serving means putting the needs of others before your own.
Throughout the fellowship, we’ve spent a lot of time discussing the difference between being a good coach and a great coach. While technical knowledge and communication are important, the biggest difference often comes down to consistently choosing to put your athletes first.
It’s bringing energy to an orange ball clinic after a long day. It’s taking a few extra minutes to ask a player about their day when your own social battery is running low. It’s noticing the athlete who needs encouragement and understanding that sometimes the most important part of practice isn’t the forehand you taught – it’s making a player feel seen and valued.
The more I reflected on it, the more I realized this mindset extends far beyond coaching
A great employee is the one who stays behind to make sure the ball carts are put away and everything is ready for the next group. A great student sees a break between sessions as an opportunity to network, ask questions and soak up knowledge from the people around them. A great athlete shows up ready to work whether they’re competing in 100-degree heat or practicing on an indoor court. They understand that growth isn’t determined by circumstances but by the effort and attitude they bring each day.
Those moments may seem small, but they’re often what separate good from great.
The great student eventually becomes the teacher. The great employee earns greater responsibility because others know they can be trusted. The great athlete continues to improve because they’re committed to the process, not just the outcome. And the great coach experiences perhaps the greatest reward of all, not because of wins or recognition, but because they know they’re making a meaningful difference in someone else’s life and contributing to something much bigger than themselves.
“Every practice, every conversation and every experience has reinforced that becoming a great coach isn’t defined by how much you know– it’s defined by how well you serve the people who have entrusted you with their development.”
Emma Dell
To me, that’s what it truly means to serve your passion.
It’s not simply about loving tennis. It’s about allowing that passion to become an act of service by investing in others, leading with humility and creating an environment where every player feels valued.
As I continue through this fellowship, I’m realizing that coaching is about much more than developing better tennis players. It’s about developing better people while continually challenging yourself to grow alongside them. Every practice, every conversation and every experience has reinforced that becoming a great coach isn’t defined by how much you know – it’s defined by how well you serve the people who have entrusted you with their development. I am very excited to continue applying this and learning more as I continue my time in the fellowship program!
