| Partners
For Success (PFS) |
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Partners For Success (PFS) is the first mentor program in
pro sports. PFS pairs a protege (player aged 18-and-under and
ranked in the Top 100 of singles) with a mentor (recently retired
or veteran player), who shares her dynamic experience to help
the protege make a smooth transition into her career. Billie
Jean King serves as the historian for the mentor program and
exemplifies the role of a mentor.
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| Player Orientation |
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In the Rookie Phase of PRO U, players learn the on-site realities and responsibilities of the
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in a live environment as well as receiving INSIDE SCOOP materials to review at their own pace. The orientation
helps a player gain a sense of the business as well as her roles and opportunities both on and off the court.
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| Age Eligibility |
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| The Age Eligibility Rule progressively allows players to play
more and at a higher level, by phasing them onto the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
in accordance with their age, their ranking and the skills gained
from participation in Professional Development. Click
here for a PDF version of the Age Eligibility Rule. |
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| Athlete Assistance |
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| Athlete Assistance provides players with educational and preventive
strategies for enhancing their on-court performance and coping
with the many challenges of professional tennis. Assistance
can be accessed through monthly education topics, the Athlete
Assistance phone services and web site via the departments of
Sport Sciences & Medicine and PRO U. Click
here for a PDF version of the Athlete Assistance Program. |
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| Career
Development |
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| Players identify their skills, values, work style preferences
and what motivates them. Career Development guides players to
use this information to maximize their potential on and off
the court. Distance learning with universities and exciting
internship opportunities are also available. |
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| Media Training |
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| Players learn how to be prepared, professional and self-expressive.
Players participate in Introductory Media Training during their
Player Orientation. Advanced Media Training is conducted with
players in the Elite and Premier Phases of PRO U and by request. |
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| Coach
Registration |
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| Coaches help build players and the Tour is committed to enhancing
that process. All Sony Ericsson WTA Tour coaches are offered Tour-sponsored Education
Symposiums and Orientations. Coaches of players participating
in PRO U are required to participate in an
orientation and agree to abide by Tour rules (including the
Coaches Code of Ethics). Coaches who complete all aspects of
the program become eligible for "Registered Coach" status. Click
here for a PDF version of the Coach Registration. |
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| Parent Orientation |
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| Parents are a critically important part of each player's team. PRO U players' parents
are required to complete an orientation with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour that provides vital information about
what their daughter will encounter in the world of elite women's tennis and how she can best utilize the services
and facilities offered by the Tour to maximize her career. |
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| All-Court Game |
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| Players are also required to complete the minimum educational
requirements of her country, complete and annual physical examination
to be cleared for participation, and register her Agent with
the Tour (agent agrees to abide by the Tour Rules). |
