Online platform connects students and coaches for affordable sports lessons

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Tim Ton, an avid tennis player since the age of eight, has found a way to share his passion for sports while earning extra income.

While he has a career in business development for a pharmaceutical software company, Ton also coaches tennis and pickleball through the online platform Teach Me To.

"I played in high school, played in college, played for Mesa College, played for Serra HIGH," Ton said, reflecting on his extensive background in tennis.

Thanks to Teach Me To, Ton charges between $100 to $120 per lesson and teaches an average of 14 lessons each week. This allows him to pursue his passion for coaching while supplementing his income.

"With this platform, you get to find different people and you have a plethora of different coaches. If one doesn't work for you, someone else will," Ton explained.

Nick O'Brien, president and COO of Teach Me To, emphasized that the platform offers significant savings for students compared to traditional private lessons.

"On average, it's significantly cheaper. You can find a range of prices all the way from about $30 an hour up to above $100, and it's really up to you to find the coach that's best suited for your needs," O'Brien said.

Teach Me To serves as a marketplace where users can search for coaches by sport or hobby, lesson cost, and level of instruction. Currently, there are approximately 10,000 coaches across the United States offering more than a dozen types of lessons, ranging from basketball and golf to musical instruments and surfing. There is no fee to use the website.

Dottie Sutherland, a new student on the platform, appreciates the convenience it provides.

"This is a social sport and so it's a little bit scary to pick up the phone and call and make a formal lesson, and what a great idea to come here to the park to get fantastic coaching, right in your community," she said.

For those interested in booking a lesson or becoming a coach, information can be found at https://teachme.to.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.