Mock Social Media Client Proposal: Anderson University Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach

Social Media Client Proposal: Anderson University Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach

Organizational Overview

Located in Anderson, South Carolina, Anderson University is a private Christian university with over 4,000 students gaining a high-quality education with Christian values. Athletically, the university is a member of the NCAA Division II, and its athletic teams compete in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC). Anderson University Athletics has 18 intercollegiate sports led by nationally recognized coaches. 

Coach Joey Eskridge is the heart of the Trojans’ men’s and women’s tennis programs, with a total of 17 seasons under his belt (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) has deemed Joey Eskridge an elite professional, and he is also recognized as a high-performance coach by the United Tennis Association (USTA) (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). The ultimate highlights of his career include being named John Newcomb Tennis Professional of the Year by the South Carolina Tennis Association in 2008 and being named Coach of the Year by the South Carolina USTA in 2013 (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). Under his leadership, the Trojans have won two conference tournaments, a regular season championship, and have advanced to the NCAA tournament a total of four times (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). His player-focused and relationship-driven coaching style enables him to help students succeed both on and off the court (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). 

Opportunity at Hand

Despite Eskridge’s success and influence, his social media presence is fragmented and underutilized. His Instagram account (@autenniscoach), a LinkedIn profile, and a personal Facebook page are not cohesive, inconsistently used, and not used professionally (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). The opportunity is to expand and personalize his digital presence by ensuring consistency with branded content on his current social media platforms. After talking with the client, I am made aware that he has a desire to build a presence on X, YouTube, and TikTok to strengthen recruiting and visibility (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025)

Audience and Stakeholders

The primary audience for Coach Eskridge’s social media includes both current and prospective student athletes. Prospective athletes would be around the age of 15 to 18, both domestic and international. They would be interested in team culture, coaching style, and athletic growth and progression. Current student-athletes are ages 18 to 22 with domestic and internationally diverse backgrounds, with some athletes being from Spain, France, and New Zealand. This audience will be looking for recognition of accomplishments, personal development, behind-the-scenes content, and team culture.

His secondary audiences include Trojan tennis alumni, parents, AU students, the local Anderson community, potential donors, and the NCAA community as a whole. Parents, families, and alumni will be from all over the globe, looking for program updates, team schedules, and recognition of their child from the parent perspective. The Anderson community is going to be of all ages interested in attending matches, how to support their local teams, coaching tips, how to get involved with the program, and where to buy merchandise. Statistics, rankings, program success, and highlight content are something the NCAA community and potential donors will be looking for. 

Prior Social Media Efforts

Coach Eskridge currently manages three platforms: 

• Instagram (@autenniscoach): This platform is used to share team photos, new recruits, the occasional match day win, and family posts (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025).

• LinkedIn: This functions as his professional resume, highlighting his coaching credentials as well as his achievements (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). This is useful for networking, but he needs help cultivating posts and engaging with his 200+ followers on this platform. 

• Facebook: This is used for both personal and professional purposes. He connects with alumni, players, friends, and family, and there is potential for broader program promotion (J. Eskridge, personal communication, September 2, 2025). Right now, there is no structured approach. 

Reasons for Choosing This Client

I desire to work with Coach Joey Eskridge and Anderson University tennis since this program is one that is authentically excellent. With his impressive coaching record and strong reputation, the AU tennis program deserves to enhance its digital presence for growth in recruiting, community engagement, and brand recognition. Working with this client will prepare me for a future in digital marketing and sports communication, especially since I have a strong passion for the game of tennis.

References

Anderson University Athletics. (2024a). Anderson University Men’s Tennis. Anderson University. https://autrojans.com/sports/mens-tennis

Anderson University Athletics. (2024b). Anderson University Women’s Tennis. Anderson University. https://autrojans.com/sports/womens-tennis