Youth tennis pro - falsely advertising

Started by LisaR21 • 8 replies • 309 views

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LisaR21 (Florida)
Posts: 22

Posted:

Our association employs 3 full time tennis pros who receive benefits, salary and commissions. One of the 3 is the Director. These pros all advertise in their community biographies on our website that they are “USPTA youth certified”. After many complaints about the professionalism of the youth coaches it was noted that one of the 3 is not youth USPTA certified and likely has not been since he came to work for the association several years ago and may have some felonies on his record. The tennis director has seemingly known for some time that the advertisement of youth certification of one of his pros is not accurate. What is our association’s responsibility to ensure that youth coaches have the credentials they advertise? Is this a liability for our association?

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Being certified in anything doesn't necessarily mean one has the people skills needed to do the job. If the instructors placed the bios, I don't know if the association could be held responsible, but that's a question you shoukd ask your association attorney.

Seems to me if people have complained about the instructor, the association should have addressed this before now (the behavior is a bigger problem). Have you asked why this has gone on for so long? Did you tell the board what you learned about the credentials? If not, why not?

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

LisaR21 (Florida)
Posts: 22

Posted:

Yes I have asked why this has gone on for so long and the board members have said that they put the decisions about tennis in the hands of the tennis director —who hired the pro and allowed him to falsely advertise youth credentials and the designation of being “USPTA safe play approved” which means they have had the appropriate background checks to work with youth. They have now changed the bio on the website to say this instructor “was previously” USPTA Safe Play approved. All parents of serious youth tennis players have left this program.

LisaR21 (Florida)
Posts: 22

Posted:

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

What did the board say when you asked them why haven't they had a serious discussion with the te nnis director (if the instructor misrepresented his/her credentials and tbe director did nothing, that’s the bigger problem. You did ask, didn't you?

Back to liability. I don't know if you have a lot to worry about. If people are leaving because this instructor is a jerk and a liar, word will get around. the serious players are already leaving and when the numbers and tbe money decreases, that will compel the board to act.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

LisaR21 (Florida)
Posts: 22

Posted:

They will only say that they are looking into it. I did confirm with both the USPTA and USTA. He never held a USTA coaching certification nor was he ever “Safe Play “ approved. He was only USPTA certified for a year and a half around 10 years ago which is odd because the dues are paid annually. Why fabricate 3 separate youth certifications? The bigger issue is the bizarre accounting and the 200-300k annual losses year over year despite the coaches receiving growing commissions.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

I would report them to that organization as falsely representing them. That can come with some legal issues they can handle. All the HOA can do is to request the boss investigate the falsehood of their employment. They need to decide to then make them truthful by joining the group or firing for not.

Former HOA President

LisaR21 (Florida)
Posts: 22

Posted:

Our association changed his bio on the website. They took off that he was previously “Safe Play” approve. Since he never ever held that designation. now it just says He so iHead Pro who has been a USPTA and USTA certified coach. The fact is the USTA has one record of him and the USPTA confiirmed he was only a coach in 2014 and 2015. If the credentials don’t matter -why bother? He really should not be working with youth since he likely has never had the appropriate background check. The kicker is that there was a truly legitimate, nationally awarded youth. Tennis coach that wanted tomlwad the youth development program and this uncertified liar and the dishonest Tennis Director were jealous of the real coach so they chased him away. All the competitive kids left the association program as well. Which reall only caters to adults. Very frustrating for parents who pay over 4k in annual assessments but have to drive to tennis courts elsewhere for a quality coach.

Would think false advertising of a youth coach would be a liability for the association eventually/

LisaR21 (Florida)
Posts: 22

Posted:

Corrected The USTA has NO record

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