SRQ Tennis vs a Country Club Program: What's Different

Parents in Sarasota ask me a version of this question every week: why pick SRQ Tennis over a country club tennis program? It's a fair question, and I'm in a reasonable position to answer it. I'm Michael Boothman, USPTA Elite Professional and founder of SRQ Tennis, and I started my coaching career at private clubs before I built a program in Sarasota's public parks. Both models can work. They're built for different things, and the differences matter more than the marketing on either side suggests.

The structure: small groups, public parks, no membership

At SRQ Tennis, every group is capped at 6 players. Not 8 when registration runs hot. Not 10 during the busy season. Six. That cap is the single biggest structural decision in the whole program, because group size decides how many balls your kid actually hits and how much feedback they actually get. A 60 minute session split across 12 kids is a different product than the same hour split across 6, even if the price looks similar on paper.

Large junior clinics are common everywhere, at clubs and parks alike, so this isn't a swipe at any one place. It's just math. Fewer players per court means more repetitions, more individual corrections, and a coach who knows exactly where each player's contact point broke down on Tuesday. The 6 player cap is our answer to that math, and it doesn't move.

The second structural difference is where we coach. SRQ Tennis runs at Potter Park in Sarasota and Pineview in Osprey. Public courts, open community, no initiation fee, no monthly dues, no requirement to belong to anything. You pay for coaching and nothing else. Here's the current pricing in full, because I'd rather you read it here than have to call and ask:

• 10 & Under at Potter Park (ages 4 to 10): $150 every 4 weeks for once a week, $275 every 4 weeks for twice a week, or a $40 drop in.
• Youth Development at Pineview (ages 11 and up): $225 every 4 weeks for once a week, $425 every 4 weeks for twice a week, or a $60 drop in.
• Private lessons: $110 an hour, with a 6 lesson package at $570.

You can see the full pathway on our junior programs page, and details on one on one coaching on the private lessons page. Drop ins are welcome at both parks, which means you can watch your kid take an actual class before committing to anything.

The method: live ball and real numbers

Structure gets families in the door. Method is what develops players. SRQ Tennis is built on a coaching philosophy we call the Six Pillars, and two of them explain most of the difference parents notice in the first month.

The first is Live Ball Is the Method. Tennis is a reading game. Spin, bounce, angle, decision. None of that happens when a coach stands at a basket feeding the same comfortable ball over and over, and none of it happens off a machine. The majority of court time at SRQ Tennis is live rallies, real points, and game situations, because that's where the skill has to show up on match day. As we put it inside the program: real skill requires real decisions, so design the practice to demand them.

The second is Confidence Is Built, Not Given. Empty praise doesn't build a competitor. Evidence does. We set targets, count results, and compare them week over week. "Last week 6 out of 10. Today 8 out of 10. That's not a compliment. That's a fact." When a player can see their own numbers moving, they stop needing an adult to tell them they're improving. That kind of belief holds up under pressure because it's built on something true.

Every session your kid attends is shaped by those pillars, whether it's a red ball class at Potter Park or a Youth Development session at Pineview. You can read more about how the program started on our about page.

What this means for your family

If you already belong to a club and your kid loves the program there, I'm genuinely glad. Good coaching exists in lots of settings, and I learned plenty during my own years on club courts. But if you're choosing fresh, here's the practical picture.

Twice a week in the 10 & Under program costs $275 every 4 weeks. That's 8 coached sessions in groups of 6 or fewer, with no dues stacked on top and no waiting list tied to membership status. The courts are public, the pricing is published, and the progress is tracked with numbers you can ask about at any time.

You also get direct access to me. Not a front desk, not a pro shop voicemail. Parents text me at 941-239-4703 with questions about placement, schedules, or how their player is coming along, and I answer. With a maximum of 6 players per group, I know every kid on my courts, and I can tell you specifically what your player is working on and why.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a membership to join SRQ Tennis?
No. There are no membership fees of any kind. You pay for the program or lesson, and that's the entire cost.

Don't you run a camp at a country club?
Yes, and the distinction matters. Our Summer Tennis Camp 2026 runs at Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club because it's a great venue for a full day of camp, but campers don't need a membership there. Camp is open to everyone ages 6 to 16, at $425 a week for full day and $325 a week for half day. SRQ Tennis camps are also listed with the USTA.

What if my kid has never held a racket?
Start with a drop in. $40 at Potter Park for ages 4 to 10, $60 at Pineview for ages 11 and up. Equipment is provided for the youngest players, and one class tells you more than any website can.

How do I know the small groups are real?
Come watch. The courts are public. Count the kids. Six is the cap, and you'll see it.

Wrap up

The real difference between SRQ Tennis and a country club tennis program isn't parks versus clubhouses. It's 6 player groups, live ball training, and progress you can count, with no membership standing between your family and good coaching. Text me at 941-239-4703 or check out the junior programs page to find the right fit for your player.

See you on the court,
Coach Michael

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Coach Michael Boothman is a USPTA Elite Professional and the founder of SRQ Tennis in Sarasota, Florida. He coaches juniors and adults at Potter Park and Pineview Park. Text 941-239-4703 or email [email protected] to talk about your player.