Building a Bench of Women Coaches: Inside USTA Coaching’s New Women in Coaching Cohort

When Nancy Abrams walked into her first Girls’ Nationals in 2021 as a USTA Southern California staffer in San Diego, one thing jumped out immediately: almost every college coach on the recruiting sidelines was a man. “I remember thinking, ‘Is this really the same as when I played college tennis?’” she recalls. “We just weren’t seeing enough women in those leadership roles.”

 

That moment – plus decades of experience working with coaches on the ground – helped light the fuse for a national effort: USTA Coaching’s new Women in Coaching Cohort, a 10-month program designed to keep women in the profession, help them thrive and prepare them to lead.

After a corporate career, Abrams stepped into a part-time role with USTA Southern California when her kids were young, coordinating junior programming in Los Angeles. That was 23 years ago. 

 

Over time she advanced to Director of Engagement and Industry Relations for USTA Southern California, overseeing partnerships and coaching certification relationships, to support the section’s robust programming. The more she worked with coaches, the more she saw coaching as leadership – and the more urgent the need for women in those roles became.

Seeing so few women coaching at Girls’ Nationals pushed Abrams and her colleagues to act. With support from USTA Southern California leadership and partners, they launched “Women and Girls Who Ace,” a summit aimed at helping female coaches stay in the field and thrive.

 

At the first summit at the University of San Diego, something powerful happened. After a full day of panels with Olympians, athletic directors, USTA leaders and coaches, the (male) athletic director stood up and made a public commitment:

 

Any woman who applies for a coaching job at this university will get a chance. We need more women.

 

It was a clear sign: the conversations were working, and doors could open when stakeholders were challenged to do better.

 

In year two, the initiative expanded by partnering with the San Diego Wave (National Women’s Soccer League), adding a day focused on high school girls. The girls learned on- and off-court leadership skills together and then sat down with Wave players, young professional women athletes just a few years older than them.

 

The reaction from the girls was electric. Many weren’t even soccer fans, but they saw themselves in those pro athletes. The message was clear: “I can be here, too.” Each year, the need and the desire for more support for women in coaching grew.

After more than 22 years with USTA Southern California and three iterations of Women and Girls Who Ace, Abrams knew it was time to pivot. She resigned from her staff role but stayed involved nationally, joining the USTA’s Local Play and Competition Committee, the same youth-focused ecosystem where she’d always argued, “We don’t have enough women coaching these kids.”

 

At the same time, USTA Coaching leaders approached her:

 

“We’re going to do something to support women in coaching,” they said. “We want you involved.” Together, they shaped what is now the Women in Coaching Cohort, a program aimed squarely at experienced women coaches who are ready to level up as leaders.

Launching in January 2026, the cohort brings together 30 diverse female coaches from across the country. They represent collegiate programs, high school teams, National Junior Tennis and Learning programs and community tennis associations, and public and private clubs.

 

All are certified coaches with strong on-court and leadership skills. The goal now is to build out their advanced toolkit.

 

The cohort runs for 10 months, with in-person events at the January kickoff and the USTA Coaching Summit at the US Open in August, ongoing virtual learning throughout the year and monthly peer groups by sector for targeted support.

The cohort focuses on the parts of coaching that often get ignored, especially for women:

 

• Public speaking and presentation skills

• Personal brand and identity as a coach

• Personal development planning

• Financial literacy (including how to read a P&L and create new revenue streams)

• Physical health and longevity on court (hips, knees, energy, workload)

• Mental health and sustainability in the profession

 

The vision is to create a bench of female subject matter experts, women who can present at conferences, lead sessions for sections and clubs, mentor other coaches and model what long-term, sustainable coaching careers can look like for women.

The inaugural cohort is already selected and in motion. But Abrams is clear: this is just the beginning. USTA Coaching plans to grow future women’s cohorts, expand into additional identity-based cohorts and build a roster of women who can speak, lead and support other coaches across the country.

 

If you’re a woman coach who wants to be part of what comes next:

 

• Stay connected with USTA Coaching and your USTA Section

• Look for mentoring opportunities within USTA Coaching Education

• Raise your hand to speak, lead and be visible, even locally

 

Most importantly, know this: coaching is not just a side gig or something you can’t afford to stay in. With the right support, it’s a legitimate, sustainable leadership career where women belong.