NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State head tennis coach Larry Holmes is one of 15 coaches selected to participate in the second annual Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) United States Tennis Association (USTA) College Coach Mentorship Program, the ITA announced on Wednesday.
 
Participants will be paired with a veteran collegiate coach during the 2021-22 academic year and will learn the best practices of an effective mentoring relationship. They will also explore goal setting and develop effective communication skills. The second year of the program will officially kick off with a three-day virtual orientation on July 13-15.
 
"I would like to thank the ITA and USTA for allowing me this wonderful opportunity to learn and grow in the world of collegiate tennis," Holmes said. "To be chosen for this program, and to learn from the elite coaches in the country, is a true honor. I am humbled and privileged to have this opportunity."
 
All participants of the ITA USTA program will take part in the True North Sports Coach Development Academy. The programming will help the coaches develop their team philosophy, culture and program structure. They will also receive free registration to the 2021 ITA Coaches Convention in Las Vegas, offering a wide variety of career development opportunities.
 
The ITA USTA program began last year with 12 pairings. It was expanded to 15 for this upcoming season.
 
"Congratulations to all of the college coaches selected to participate in this tremendously valuable program," Martin Blackman, General Manager of USTA Player Development, said. "After an incredibly successful first year, we are looking forward to making the second year even better and more impactful. The future is very bright for these young coaches who have the benefit of being mentored by some of the best head coaches in college tennis."
 
"I would like to thank the outstanding mentor coaches who participated in the first year of this program and gave their time so willingly to the mentees and the program as a whole," Dave Mullins, Managing Director of the ITA, said. "I am excited to see how these mentoring relationships continue to grow in the coming years and to follow the bright careers of our graduating mentee coaches."
 
Below are the 15 coaches selected to participate in this year's program: