Tennis Academy of the South

What Tennis Academy of the South does

Tennis Academy of the South is a privately held tennis training organization founded in 1985 by former Georgia Tech men's tennis coach Gery Groslimond, operated through Groslimond Tennis Services, Inc. The company delivers tennis instruction across three locations in the Atlanta metropolitan area — Sandy Springs Tennis Center (its 30-court headquarters), Fowler Park in Cumming, and Newtown Park in Johns Creek — under a management contract with the City of Sandy Springs held since 2013. Its product portfolio spans a structured developmental pathway: Youth Tennis (ages 5–10, USTA Net Generation curriculum), Junior Development (ages 11–14), TAS Select (ages 7–10), TAS Academy and High Performance Academy (ages 11–18, tournament-level), Adult Clinics and Private Lessons ($65–$90/hour), Summer Camps, and a newer pickleball vertical on 8 dedicated courts.

The academy's differentiators are largely human-coach-driven rather than technology-driven: a 3-part physical/mental/emotional training methodology, video stroke analysis performed by staff, mental imagery techniques, and direct tournament coaching by former nationally ranked players. The business monetizes through multi-week subscription program fees ($170–$700 per session tiered by age and intensity), per-hour private lesson payments, public court rental fees at Sandy Springs Tennis Center ($4–$8/person), ball machine rentals ($25/hour), and pro shop concession fees. Customer acquisition relies on direct-to-consumer enrollment (online via playbypoint.com and bluesombrero.com, by phone, and in-person), community outreach partnerships with local schools and nonprofits, USTA Net Generation affiliation, and event-driven word-of-mouth from tournament results.

The company positions itself as a college-recruiting pathway business, with documented outcomes of 250+ college scholarships, 14 NCAA All-Americans, 5 NCAA national champions, 2 junior national champions, and 14 professional tour players developed over 30+ years. The organization is family-controlled (Groslimond family), with no external investors, no acquisitions, and no app or technology product lines; strategic activity has been limited to multi-location expansion, facility capital reinvestment, and the addition of pickleball programming.

Name

Tennis Academy of the South

Legal name

Groslimond Tennis Services, Inc.

Website

https://tennisacademyofthesouth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tennis Academy of the South is a family-owned tennis training organization founded in 1985 that develops junior and adult players across three Atlanta-metro facilities, with a tournament-level academy pathway producing 250+ college scholarships and multiple NCAA champions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tennis Training Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAJAB

Single-Sport Skill Academies (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, etc.)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Camps, Academies & Training Centers

SECONDARYHSADAEAA

Sport-Specific Skills Coaching (e.g., soccer, basketball, tennis)

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Sports Coaching & Athletic Performance

SECONDARYMPAKABAF

Tennis & Racquet Sports Clubs (Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Squash)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Professional Sports Teams & Clubs

Keywords

• Tennis instruction services
• Junior tennis training
• Adult tennis clinics
• Pickleball training programs
• Summer tennis camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandy Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees and Training Sessions: Revenue from junior recreational training, tournament-level training, youth tennis sessions, summer camps, and adult clinics. Pricing varies by program intensity, session length, and frequency (2x/week vs 3x/week). Tournament-level programs are by invitation with customized pricing.
2. Private Tennis Lessons: Private lessons and specialty training for adults and juniors, priced at $65-$90 per hour, paid directly to TAS pro. Includes tournament coaching and league match coaching.
3. Court Fees and Facility Access: Revenue from court reservations at Sandy Springs Tennis Center, ranging from $4-$8 per person depending on time slot and duration. Also includes ball machine rental at $25/hour.
4. Pro Shop Operations: Pro shop operated by Your Serve Tennis with in-house racquet stringing, equipment sales, and apparel. TAS receives facility access fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tennis Academy of the South delivers year-round tennis and pickleball instruction across three facilities in the Atlanta metro area. Its portfolio spans Youth Tennis (ages 5-14), Junior Tournament Academy (ages 7-18), Adult Clinics and Private Lessons, Summer Camps, and Pickleball programming, delivered by 12 certified instructors under a holistic physical/mental/emotional training methodology. The academy also operates as the programming arm of Sandy Springs Tennis Center under a management contract with the City of Sandy Springs.

Product overview

Tennis Academy of the South is a tennis training organization operating across multiple facilities in the Atlanta metro area. The company offers a portfolio of programs organized by age and skill level: Youth Tennis (ages 5-14, beginner/recreational) and TAS Academy (ages 7-18, tournament-level training including Performance Academy and High Performance Academy) for juniors; Adult Lessons/Clinics and Private Lessons for adults; Pickleball Training as a separate sport offering; Summer Camp for children ages 5-14; and specialty add-on services including Video Tape Analysis, Mental Imagery Training, Off-Court Physical Training, and ALTA/USTA Team Coaching. Programs are delivered at three facilities: Sandy Springs Tennis Center (primary location with 30 courts), Fowler Park, and Newtown Park. The organization also operates a pro shop through Your Serve Tennis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ college scholarship recipients, 14+ NCAA All-Americans, 5 NCAA National Champions, 2 Junior National Champions, 14 professional tour players
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Sandy SpringscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroslimond Tennis Services, Inc. (GTS) has managed and operated the Sandy Springs Tennis Center since 2013 through a contractor agreement with the City of Sandy Springs. The city owns the facility while GTS/TAS provides all programming and operations management.
• Local SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTAS partners with local schools for community outreach programs, bringing juniors to summer tennis camp and providing educational access to tennis programs.
• Sandy Springs MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for underserved youth tennis programs, collaborating on the complimentary summer tennis camp for underserved juniors of Sandy Springs.
• Sandy Springs Tennis AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local tennis association for community tennis events and programs including Sandy Springs Tennis Week and Kids Fun Days.
• USTA (United States Tennis Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTennis Academy of the South is a registered provider of USTA's Net Generation program. TAS uses Net Generation's format, curriculum and resources to help kids learn tennis. Program is modeled on USTA's high performance player development approach.
• Georgia Pickleball AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSandy Springs Tennis Center hosts the Georgia Pickleball Association's Sandy Springs Earth Day Slam tournament, demonstrating facility hosting capabilities and community event collaboration.
• Special Pops, ALTA Foundation, American Cancer SocietyminorOthersCharitable partners receiving discounted or complimentary court time and services through community outreach programs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• IMG Academy: Premier multi-sport training academy offering elite tennis alongside other sports, providing year-round residential and day programs for junior athletes. Comparable as a high-performance tennis training destination, though much larger and broader in scope than TAS.
• USTA National Campus: USTA's flagship training facility in Orlando providing high-performance coaching, Net Generation youth programs, and competitive player development. Comparable as a tennis training destination with structured curriculum and pathways.
• Bollettieri Academy (IMG Academies): Legendary tennis training academy now part of IMG, focused on full-time elite junior development. Comparable in mission to develop professional-level tennis players, though substantially larger and more institutional.
• Life Time Tennis / Life Time Athletic: National premium fitness and tennis club brand offering junior tennis programming, adult clinics, and private lessons in multiple states. Comparable touchpoints in junior tennis training, adult clinics, and multi-location facility management.

Emerging players

• Pickleball Kingdom: Fast-growing pickleball-focused franchise operator with dedicated indoor facilities, clinics, and league play. Comparable as a competitor in TAS's growing pickleball programming (clinics, mixers, leagues) and a potential adjacent threat to tennis academy diversification.
• My Tennis Lessons: Online marketplace connecting consumers with private tennis instructors across the US. Comparable as a competing channel for adult private lessons ($65-$90/hour at TAS) and a longer-term threat to in-person instruction economics.

Direct peers

• Rick Macci Tennis Academy: Florida-based tennis academy known for developing elite junior players who went on to professional careers. Comparable in serving tournament-level juniors seeking high-performance coaching and college scholarship pathways.
• Evert Tennis Academy: Florida-based elite junior tennis training academy founded by Chris Evert, focused on competitive player development and college pathway preparation. Directly comparable mission, target customer (junior tournament players), and college scholarship outcomes model.
• CourtSense Tennis Academy: Multi-location junior tennis academy in the Northeast offering high-performance training, college placement, and recreational programs. Comparable in player development philosophy, college scholarship focus, and multi-tier programming from beginner to elite.

Regional players

• Roughrider Tennis Academy: Multi-location tennis academy in the Midwest offering year-round junior and adult programming. Comparable in offering structured developmental pathways, tournament coaching, and multi-location operations, though serving a different geographic region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/tennisacademyofthesouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tennis-academy-of-the-south

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tennis Academy of the South