201602 Tennis Industry magazine

Racquet Tech

Complete a greatstring job by tyinga PERFECT KNOT

Community Tennis

CROWD-FUNDto help your nexttennis project

Your Serve

Partnering withSCHOOLS willgrow your biz

Incorporating USPTA

FEBRUARY 2016 / VOLUME 44/ NUMBER 2 / $5.00

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OUTLOOK 2016• Racquets• Shoes• Strings• Apparel

Outstanding TennisFacility Awards

DEPARTMENTS

4 Our Serve

7 Industry News

11 Letters

13 Racquet Service

16 Retailing Tip

18 Racquet Tech

20 Grassroots Tennis

22 Community Tennis

36 Ask the Experts

38 String Playtest: Tourna Big Red 16

52 Your Serve, by Jason Jamison

PLUS

42 CEO’s Message

44 First Vice President’s Message

45 Master Pro Corner

46 USPTA News

48 Endorsee News

50 Inside Coaching

54 Beyond the Court

58 Career Development

60 Member News

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Tennis Owners & Managers Conference attracts top experts

7 PTR Week, Symposium set for Feb. 15-21

7 ITF Recognized Court program comes to U.S.

8 Bob Patterson named USRSA executive director

8 Providers: List programs, events at RallyTheFamily.com

8 PlaySight installations continue to increase

9 ASBA elects new officers and directors

9 Jon Vegosen named ITA chairman

10 People Watch

10 Mateflex offers modular court surfaces

11 Bollettieri teams with Pivot wearable tech

11 Longtime tennis journalist writes ‘Safe Tennis’ book

FEBRUARY 2016Tennis Industry

24 Racquets & Strings: New and Improved

Racquets for spring include updates of existing models and brand new lines, while strings offer something for all types of players.

28 Shoes: Stepping ForwardColors continue in new footwear, along with moves to either lighter weight or more durability. 30 Apparel: Springing AheadSoft sophisticated tones and shapes are coming back, leaving the neon brights behind. 33 Three’s CompanyTennis Industry and the ASBA present the best in tennis court construction and design.

46 2016 USPTA Annual Awards Program Open for Nominations

47 USPTA Foundation Raises Goal for 2016

50 Rainy-Day Tennis on the Racquetball Courts

54 Trip of a Lifetime to the US Open

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2 TennisIndustry February 2016

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FEATURE

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www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

www.tennisindustrymag.com

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OUTLOOK 2016

Our Serve Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

Editorial Director Peter Francesconi [email protected]

Associate Editor Greg Raven

Design/Art Director Kristine Thom

Special Projects Manager Bob Patterson

Contributing Editors Robin Bateman Cynthia Cantrell Peg Connor Kent Oswald Cynthia Sherman Mary Helen Sprecher Contributing Photographers Bob Kenas David Kenas TENNIS INDUSTRY Corporate Offices PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096 Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171 Email: [email protected] Website: www.TennisIndustryMag.com Office Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Advertising Director John Hanna 770-650-1102, x.125 [email protected] Apparel Advertising Cynthia Sherman 203-263-5243 [email protected]

Tennis Industry is published 10 times per year: monthly January through August and combined issues in September/October and November/ December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 310 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Suite 400, Birmingham, AL 35203. Periodcal postage paid at Duluth, GA and at additional mailing offices (USPS #004-354). Feb 2016, Volume 44, Number 2 © 2016 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rights reserved. Tennis Industry, TI and logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis Industry, 310 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Suite 400, Birmingham, AL 35203. TI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA.

Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/Racquet Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our website at TennisIndustrymag.com for free digital versions back to 2004.

In the fall, I had the chance to at-tend three national conferences that were important in terms

of education in the tennis indus-try: First was the USPTA World Conference in New Orleans in late September, then the USTA’s Tennis Development Workshop in San Di-ego in early November, and in early December, I was at the American Sports Builders Association’s Annual Technical Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. (Another important confer-ence in December I wasn’t able to be at was the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Coaches Convention in Naples, Fla.).

Attending these conferences once again showed me how important education is when it comes to being a successful tennis provider. Not only were the presentations packed with great information, but the op-portunities to network with peers and exchange ideas, challenges and solutions are a key to keeping your tennis business vital and moving forward.

Other tennis-specific national conferences are coming up: Feb. 17-21 the PTR will hold its Inter-national Tennis Symposium on Hilton Head Island, S.C., and March 23-25 in Miami, the Tennis Industry Association will present its third annual Tennis Owners & Managers Conference (including a State of the Industry Forum). The USTA holds its Annual Meeting & Conference March 12-14 in Carlsbad, Calif., and its Semi-Annual Meeting & Confer-ence in New York Sept. 3-6 (during the US Open). And of course, there are other sports and fitness-related national conferences, too, such as

with the CMAA, IHRSA, NIRSA, NRPA, etc. (For a calendar of tennis industry events, go to TennisIndus-try.org and click the “More” tab.)

Keep in mind, there’s also an extensive list of regional and sec-tional conferences, conventions, symposiums and workshops that go on all the time around the country by groups such as the USTA, PTR, USPTA and USRSA. Clearly, there are many in this industry who feel the growth of this sport, and of your business, is important and want to help give you every chance to succeed.

And this is where you need to come in. With the tens of thou-sands of teaching pros, facilities and retailers in the U.S., only a fraction actually take advantage of these educational and networking op-portunities that are out there. While I realize online education is growing, necessary and incredibly important (witness the success that Coach Youth Tennis has had with its online modules), there’s nothing quite like being in the thick of a gathering with hundreds of colleagues, hearing presentations and insights from renowned coaches, motivational speakers, business leaders, com-munity leaders, successful teaching pros and others, and being able to interact on a spontaneous level.

So, no matter what professional organizations you belong to, or even if you don’t belong to any at the mo-ment, this is a plea to “get involved” and take advantage of these educa-tional and networking opportunities. Your business, and this sport and industry, depend on it. I hope to see you at many of these industry events.

Peter Francesconi, Editorial [email protected]

Learning Curve

4 TennisIndustry February 2016 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com

The third annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) Conference, presented by the Tennis Industry Association, will bring together top leaders from inside and out-side the tennis industry. The event will be March 23-25 at the Downtown Miami

Hilton, during the Miami Open pro tournament.The conference will open with the State of the Tennis Industry Forum (see box). A

major focus of the T.O.M. will be on innovation and new ideas to help tennis businesses position themselves for growth. The T.O.M. will include a Tennis Tech Fair & Resource

Center, which will give owners, managers and their staff an opportunity to learn more about and try out the latest products that can engage members and players. There will also be an interactive “Idea Fair” workshop, along with problem-solving roundtables.

Among those who are planning to present at the T.O.M. Conference are Dr. Jack Grop-pel, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute and V.P. of Applied Science and Performance Training at Wellness & Prevention Inc., who will address the importance and business imperative of being a “tennis wellness center” along with how to implement key strategies to to help your member base. Also speaking is Dr. Gerry Faust, a world-renowned expert at strategic planning, executive coaching and business turn-arounds.

The T.O.M. will include expert speakers and panelists on programming, management, court construction and renovation, facility maintenance, sustainability, legal and person-nel issues. There will be a number of opportunities for networking, along with an oppor-tunity to attend the Miami Open on Thursday evening.

A major component of the T.O.M. Conference will be how tennis will look in the future, and understanding what drives and motivates today’s consumers to get into tennis and stay in the game. Gary Stewart, head of racquet sports at Virgin Active Health and Racquet

Clubs in the U.K., will present ideas about successful programming, and building and retaining members. Ken Lindner, the president of the U.S. POP Tennis Association, will speak about his success rebranding “paddle tennis” and how the sport is looking to adopt 36- and 60-foot tennis courts to help bring people of all ages into the sport.

USTA executives speaking at the T.O.M. will include Kurt Kamper-man, Craig Morris and Scott Schultz. Also presenting will be PTR CEO Dan Santorum, USPTA CEO John Embree, TIA President and Tennis Media Company Managing Partner Jeff Williams, and Sports & Fitness

Industry Association President/CEO Tom Cove. Additional speakers include Jim Baugh, Simon Gale, Jorge Capestany, Jeff Gocke, Craig Jones, Tom Sweitzer, Greg Lappin and Doug Cash, among other successful industry leaders and entrepreneurs.

Visit TheTomConference.com for more details and to register, or call the TIA at 843-686-3036.•

February 2016 TennisIndustry 7

Industry NewsInformation to help you run your business

PTR Week, Symposium Set for Feb. 15-21

PTR Week will be Feb. 15-21 on Hilton Head Island, S.C., and will include Professional Devel-opment Courses (Feb. 15-21), the PTR Championships (Feb. 16-19), the International Tennis Symposium (Feb. 17-20), Awards Banquet (Feb. 17) and Tennis Trade Show (Feb. 18). The event, which attracts hundreds of tennis teachers and coaches from around the world, will be held at the Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club and Sonesta Resort.

More than 40 tennis industry experts will conduct classroom and on-court presentations, with subjects ranging from tennis business to teaching tactics and techniques. International Tennis Hall of Famer Billie Jean King will be inducted into the PTR Hall of Fame at the organization’s awards banquet on Feb. 17. Visit ptrtennis.org for more info and to register.

ITF Recognized CourtProgram Comes to U.S.

Stuart Miller, a senior executive director of the International Tennis Federation, spoke in December to the Tennis Division of the American Sports Builders Association about the ITF’s “Recognized Court” pro-gram.

The new program is designed to acknowledge that a tennis court meets the recommendations pro-vided in the “ITF Guide to Test Meth-ods for Tennis Court Surfaces.” In the U.S., the recognition program will be available for courts built by an ASBA Certified Tennis Court Builder.

The ITF offers two levels of recog-nition: for a One-Star ITF Recognized Court, the court is tested for quality of installation. Two-Star recognition involves determining if the average court pace rating of the court falls within 5 points of the ITF classified value. For more on the ITF Recog-


3rd Annual T.O.M. Conference Attracts Top Experts & Leaders

State of the Industry Forum March 23 in MiamiKicking off the third annual T.O.M. Conference in Miami will be the 2016 TIA State of the Industry Forum, which will be March 23 from 10 to 11:45 a.m. at the Downtown Miami Hilton. The Forum is free to attend, however, since space is limited, registration is required at TheTomConference.com.

The Forum will include industry executives pre-senting the latest news and data about the state of the tennis industry, including participation research, consumer and tech trends, an update on initiatives, and more. Prior to the start of the Forum, registered attendees are invited to the “Tennis Tech Fair & Re-source Center,” which opens at 8:30 a.m.

Industry News

nized Court program, visit itftennis.com.

List Programs, EventsAt RallyTheFamily.com

Looking to boost tennis activity at your facility or for your CTA? As a tennis provider, sign up now at RallyTheFamily.com to par-ticipate in the industry-wide “Rally the Fam-ily” campaign. Rally the Family focuses on tennis for all ages, using lower compression Red, Orange and Green tennis balls, shorter courts, shorter racquets and modified scoring.


Patterson Named USRSA E.D.; Office Moves to Birmingham The U.S. Racquet Stringers Association is

excited to announce that Bob Patterson of Birmingham, Ala., has been appointed the

executive director. Patterson, a longtime USRSA member and Master Racquet Technician, has worked with the USRSA and Tennis Industry magazine for the last three years as special projects manager.

Patterson began his career in the tennis industry with a home-based string-ing business that grew into a successful tennis specialty store. He also has done extensive racquet service for tour players and worked on several pro tournament stringing teams.

“Bob’s passion for equipment and racquet service, as well as his experience as a shop owner and tour stringer, make him the perfect fit for the executive director position,” says David Bone, president of the USRSA. Patterson started his new posi-tion on January 1.

“I’m honored to be in this new position and I’m looking forward to meeting the challenge of serving our members,” adds Patterson. “The USRSA just completed its 40th year and there have been a lot of changes in our industry and our organization during that time. Our goal has always been to help stringers provide their custom-ers with the best professional service possible, and I will make sure we continue to do that. Our focus will be to continue to provide the very best training and informa-tion for our members. I am looking forward to working with our members to see how we can improve their experience with us so that we can meet their needs for the next 40 years and beyond.”

To allow the new executive director to take over all the day-to-day operations of the USRSA, the organization has moved its main office to Birmingham.

The new USRSA address is: 310 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Suite 400, Birmingham, AL 35203. The phone number remains 760-536-1177 and the fax remains 760-536-1171. Email for Bob Patterson is [email protected] or [email protected]. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cen-tral Time.•


All tennis providers are encouraged to sign-up to be part of the national campaign and list their programs and events for free at RallyTheFamily.com. The initiative, ex-pected to launch to consumers this spring, is designed to drive adults and kids to your courts and programs. Registered providers will have access to free tools and resources to promote their business locally. WTA Reports Audience Gains

The Women's Tennis Association an-nounced key metrics from an audience

report by SMG Insight that show overall viewership of the 2015 WTA season rose 25 percent, with 395 million cumulative viewers in 2015 vs. 316 million in 2014—an all-time high. For the second consecu-tive year the WTA registered a substantial increase in audience, as viewership in 2014 rose by 23 percent.

The number of households reached by WTA TV programming hit 954.4 million in 2015, a 38 percent increase over 2014. Digital viewership was up 44 percent, with 44.6 million viewers watching women's tennis through online channels, compared to 31 million in 2014.

The top five most-viewed tournaments in 2015 were: 1) China Open, Beijing (34.64 million); 2) WTA Finals Singapore (32.49 million); 3) Rogers Cup, Toronto (29.70 million); 4) Miami Open (29.37 million); 5) BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells (26.81 million).

In 2015, the number of unique users and visits to the wtatennis.com website were up 14 percent and 15 percent, respectively. The number of fans follow-ing official WTA and player social media pages was up 16 percent and reached 120 million cumulatively, while video views across official WTA website and social pages hit 48 million. PlaySight InstallationsContinue to Increase

Since signing a key deal with the Intercol-legiate Tennis Association in November, sport video and analytics technology plat-form PlaySight Interactive reports that it’s planning for a number of new installations in the new year. PlaySight offers clubs, facili-ties, colleges, and academies an all-in-one solution—from live streaming to real-time analytics to after-action video review capa-bilities to professional coaching tools.

Recent PlaySight installations include

Industry News

February 2016 TennisIndustry 9www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com

courts at the Tennis Club of Albuquerque, University of California, Duke University, Midtown Tennis-Rochester, Northwestern University, and Scarborough East Tennis & Fitness Club in Columbus, Ohio. For more information, visit playsight.com.

ASBA Elects New Officers and Directors

The American Sports Builders Association, the national organization for builders and suppliers of materials for athletic facili-ties, has elected officers and directors for 2016-2017. Pete Smith (above, right), a Certified Tennis Court Builder (CTCB) with The CourtSmiths of Toledo, Ohio, is the new chairman of ASBA. Smith, who previously served as president of the Tennis Division, has been active in the association on many levels, includ-

OKC Tennis Center Opens Year-Round Courts

As part of its $4.2 million expansion, the OKC Tennis Center in Oklahoma City recently completed a new 37,500-sq.-ft. tension fabric building housing six regulation courts. The largest tennis facility in the state, OKC now has a total

of 36 courts. The final phase of the expansion project is planned for spring. Designed and constructed by Legacy Building Solutions, the new structure is a

rigid, solid-steel frame with ceiling-mounted LED lighting fixtures. The building is insulated and heating and air conditioning systems were installed to keep athletes comfortable in all seasons. Legacy offers fabric in a variety of colors, and can also custom print images and logos; OKC chose an exterior that features blue trim on the roof and walls, which coordinate with the color of the outdoor courts. Visit LegacyBuildingSolutions.com.•

ing serving on committees, speaking at meetings, reviewing technical articles and working on Association projects.

The new Tennis Division president is Mike Edgerton, CTCB, of Copeland Coatings in Nassau, N.Y. The new Field Division president is Jim Catella of Clark Companies in Delhi, N.Y.; and the new Supplier Division president is Chris Rossi of California Sports Surfaces of Ando-ver, Mass. New board members include Paul Nagle of Nagle Athletic Surfaces of Syracuse, N.Y., and Bob Cohen of Robert Cohen Co., of Albuquerque, N.M.

Others continuing on the board are: Chris Sullivan, Verde Design, Folsom, Calif.; Troy Rudolph, Sunland Sports, Phoenix; Joe Covington Jr., Covington Flooring, Birmingham, Ala.; Linn Lower, Lower Bros. Co., Birmingham, Ala.; Ed Norton, Holcombe Norton Partners, Birmingham, Ala.; Ben Brooks, Patriot Court Systems, Houston; Megan Buczyn-ski, Activitas Inc., Dedham, Mass.; Randy Futty, California Sports Surfaces, Ando-ver, Mass.; Mark Heinlein, Turf Reclama-

tion Solutions, Cincinnati; David Moxley, Sportsfield Specialties, Delhi, N.Y.; and Matt Strom, Leslie Coatings, Indianapolis. Dan Wright (at left in photo) of Sports Turf Co., Whitesburg, Ga., remains on the board in the position of past chairman.

Ashaway Crossfire A‘Cult Favorite’ for Hybrids

Ashaway’s Crossfire hybrid family includes six different material and string gauge com-binations to suit “even the most discerning player’s taste,” says the company. Earlier Cross-fire models, such as Crossfire II, 17 and 18, utilized ara-mid (Kevlar) mains and synthetic gut crosses. The most recent additions to the Crossfire hybrid line incorporate Ashaway’s 100 percent Zyex monofilament strings. These include Cross-fire ZX and Crossfire XZ Tour.

Ashaway’s Crossfire hiybrid strings have been used for over 25 years. The first hybrid used on the pro tour was of Ashaway’s signa-ture aramid main string, in combination with natural gut. “Players of all stripes are using polyesters or aramids for stiffness and dura-bility, but mixing them with a softer string for playability,” says Ashaway’s Steve Crandall. Ashaway’s Crossfire, though, has become a “cult favorite” among hybrid fans. For more information, visit ashawayusa.com.

Vegosen Named ITA Chairman The Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s

Board of Directors has unanimously appointed Jon Vegosen as chairman of the board. He succeeds David Benjamin, who announced his retirement after having served as chairman for nearly four decades.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to again serve collegiate varsity tennis, especially as part of the ITA,” said Veg-osen. “I am eager to work with the ITA’s accomplished board members, dedicated

PeopleWatch

Alexandre Papineau is the new promotion and marketing manager for Tecnifibre USA. After serving Tecnifibre for seven years as head of the sport marketing department in Spain, Papineau will move to Miami to develop and expand the com-pany’s brand image in the U.S.

Dr. Ann Lebedeff, professor of physical education and athletics and women's tennis head coach at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, re-ceived the 2015 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Meritori-ous Service Award during the 2015 ITA Convention held in December. The award is given annually in recognition of an ITA coach who has gone "above and beyond" in their commitment and contributions to the ITA and college tennis in general.

Sports Illustrated has named Serena Williams as its 2015

Sportsperson of the Year. Wil-liams won three Grand Slam titles in 2015 and 53 of 56 matches, and she was ranked No. 1 every week for the sec-ond straight year. Her 21 total Grand Slam singles titles is one short of Steffi Graf’s record in the Open Era.

Pioneering tennis promoter and Volvo International Tennis Tournament Director Jim Wes-thall, of New Hampshire and Florida, passed away on Nov. 26, 2015. He was 88.

New International Tennis Federation President Dave Haggerty is now part of the Tennis Industry Association’s Global Council. In addition, Steve Simon, who became CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in October, is the newest member of the TIA Board of Directors.

Taylor Helfeldt Jones, who has served with USTA Texas for five years, has been named senior marketing manager for the section, responsible for marketing strategies and membership.

USTA Southern has named Cee Jai Jones as the asso-ciation’s director of Diversity, NJTL (National Junior Tennis and Learning) and Grants. Jones, of Atlanta, joins USTA Southern after five years as di-rector of Community Outreach & Programs for the Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation.

Ed Norton of Holcombe Norton Partners, Birmingham, Ala., received the Chairman’s Award at the American Sports Builders Association’s annual Technical Meeting, held in December in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Andy Murray has signed an endorsement deal with British carmaker Jaguar.

Former pro players Mary Pierce and Mark Woodforde have been appointed to the In-ternational Tennis Federation’s Board of Directors for four-year terms as athlete-members.

Longtime pro, coach and tennis director Greg Lappin of Chaska, Minn., has been named PTR Minnesota Mem-ber of the Year.

Bo Gard of Laurel, Miss., and David Despard of Parrish, Fla., have earned the PTR Master of Tennis–Junior Development certification. Earlier this year, Gard earned Master of Tennis–Performance, and is now one of an elite group of coaches who have more than one Master of Tennis certification.

Industry News


Antigua apparel offers three new additions to its col-lection. The Rebel half-zip

pullover is a long sleeve, jersey face fleece with bold color block-ing, available in five color options. The Serenity half-zip pullover is a brushed two-color geometric jac-quard knit long sleeve, available in three colors. And the Prime Jacket and Pant are 100 percent polyester double knit for warmth and freedom of movement, available in three col-or options. Each piece uses Antigua’s Desert Dry fabrics to keep players warm and dry in the elements.

Antigua also offers in-house embroidery, ideal for outfitting tour-naments, officials and teams with logoed apparel. Visit antigua.com.•

college coaches, valued partners, and talented staff led by CEO Tim Russell and COO Erica Perkins Jasper.”

Vegosen is a long-time volunteer, leader, advocate, fundraiser and connec-tor for tennis at all levels. He served as the 2011-2012 chairman of the board, president, and CEO of the USTA and spent four years on the Grand Slam Committee. In September, he completed a four-year term on the ITF board of directors. He also has served two years as chairman of the USTA Collegiate Committee following two years as the Committee’s Vice Chairman. Vegosen co-developed PACT (Preserving American College Tennis) and became a leading advocate for varsity college tennis.

Mateflex Offers Modular Court Surface

Mateflex says its interlocking modular tennis surface combines the comfort and resiliency of a soft court and the durabil-ity and low maintenance of a hard court. The company, which recently displayed its

Antigua Apparel Adds New Outerwear Pieces


Industry News


products at the ASBA exhibitor show, says its 12- by 12-inch injection-molded tiles con-nect with an easy to use interlocking system. The narrow gauge ribs not only allow for fast, flow-through drainage for quick drying and safe footing, but also help the ball bite the surface.

The manufacturer also says minor sub-base faults won’t adversely affect play or ap-pearance of a Mateflex court, so the surface can be used to convert older hard courts to a softer surface or solve ongoing sub-base problems. For more information, call 800-926-3539 or visit mateflex.com.

Bollettieri Teams with Pivot Wearable Tech

TuringSense, a Silicon Valley pioneer of wearable sports technology, and Interna-tional Tennis Hall of Fame coach Nick Bol-lettieri have partnered to bring to market Pivot, a biomechanics-based wearable that incorporates Bollettieri’s coaching knowledge.

Integrated within Pivot, says the com-pany, is access to Bollettieri’s training techniques and instructions, which can be customized for individuals, to help

them become better players. Pivot also allows other users or coaches to integrate their own training techniques.

Pivot is a multi-sensor, high-speed motion-capture and analysis system designed to improve playing and train-ing and to prevent injuries. Unlike other products that attach a single sensor to a tennis racquet, Pivot uses a pack of wear-able sensors that attach to different parts of the body or clothing.

“I’ve dedicated my life to helping play-ers enjoy and improve in the sport of tennis,” Bollettieri says. “Through Pivot, I’m excited to be able to share my tennis know-how and techniques with a much larger swath of tennis players spanning all ages and abilities. Now I can share my techniques with everyone, wherever they are in the world.” Visit turingsense.com.

Longtime Tennis JournalistWrites ‘Safe Tennis’ Book

Longtime tennis journalist Jim Martz has authored a new book, “Safe Tennis: How to Train and Play to Avoid Injury and Stay Healthy” (Skyhorse Publishing) that teaches readers how to avoid injuries and how to

properly prepare for practice and matches with detailed warm-up plans and exercises that specifically strengthen players for tennis.

The book, with a foreword written by International Tennis Hall of Famer Nick Bollettieri, includes stretching exercises designed by sports medicine physical therapists, proper cool-down techniques, and many other methods to help avoid injury. Martz, founder and publisher of Florida Tennis magazine, covered tennis for the Miami Herald for 21 years. The book is available through Amazon.com, or email Martz at [email protected].

Dave Miley Leaves ITF After 24 Years

After 24 years, Executive Director of Tennis Development Dave Miley has left the International Tennis Federation for personal reasons, effective at the end of 2015. Miley had visited over 140 coun-tries worldwide and played a key role in

‘Fish Where the Fish Are’I am in complete agreement with your Our Serve on “Catching More Players” in the November/December issue. As tennis professionals and providers, it is one of our duties to grow the game, and while national initiatives are great, it is the local level that will have the greatest impact on the sustained growth of the sport.

I recently spoke at the USPTA Middle States Conference on "Work-ing With Large Groups and Growing The Game” and my focus was similar to the idea of “fishing where the fish are.” As an avid fisherman, I know that even though my line is in the water, I will not catch any fish if there aren't any nearby.

At the club where I work, Birch-wood Tennis Club in Clarks Sum-mit, Pa., we have successfully run programs targeting large groups and brought more players into tennis. Perhaps one of the largest groups is high school tennis players. In Penn-sylvania, we estimate, conservatively, that over 25,000 play fall or spring high school tennis. As we know, many put their racquets down when the season ends. In addition, every one of those players has family, friends and neighbors who watch and support them and just might want to play themselves if given the opportunity. That’s a lot of fish!

During the cold winter months, in between the boys’ and girls’ seasons, we run a series of low-cost clinics for high school players and we recruit high school coaches to volunteer as well. Instead of focusing on the

top players, we target the rest of the team. It is fun, social and the kids improve their tennis. After these clinics we offer Junior Team Tennis, camps, clinics and Play Days to keep them playing!

My 8-year-old daughter is involved in Girl Scouts and we did a tennis clinic for her troop as a fun activity and a badge. I registered it as a USTA Play Day, had 60 girls that first year, and the event grew. Soon other local troops wanted to participate. The idea has become so popular that the head of the local chapter asked me to move the date outside of cookie season so that even more could participate.

Catching more players is not that difficult if you know where to look. Thanks for the great article.

Tim Haus, USPTABirchwood Tennis Club

Clarks Summit, Pa.

Letters


Industry News


ShortSets

Tennis Channel and USA Today Sports partnered to determine the best player and match of the 2015 season. Novak Djokovic was crowned “Player of the Year” and Serena Williams' US Open semifinal upset loss against Roberta Vinci earned the title of “Match of the Year.” The judging committee included Nick McCarvel for USA Today and Hall of Famers Tracy Austin and Jim Courier for Tennis Channel.

Great Britain beat Bel-gium, 3-1, to win the 2015

Davis Cup title.

Peter Burwash International has a new partnership with Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, offering daily ten-nis activities to resort guests. This is the first time the resort will offer a full-service tennis program. PBI is also directing award-win-ning tennis programs at eleven other Four Seasons resorts around the world.

PlaySight, a tennis video and analytics

company, has joined the Tennis Industry Associa-tion as a new Technology Partner. PlaySight creates a product that players, facilities, coaches and other groups in tennis can use to enhance and expand the tennis-play-ing experience.

The World TeamTennis Pro League is returning to Orange County, Calif. The franchise that in 2013 moved from Orange County to Austin, Texas—and was renamed the Austin Aces—will be back in Orange County for

the 2016 season with its original name, the Orange County Breakers.

“On This Day In Tennis History,” the popular tennis book, ebook and mobile app, is now also available as an audio book. The calendar-like compilation of historical and unique anniversaries, events and happenings from the world of ten-nis, compiled by Randy Walker, is now available in audio form via Audible.com and can be pur-chased at Amazon.com. The narrator is Tiffany

Bobertz, a theatre production veteran graduate of Augustana College. The audio version is available for $26.21 or $14.95 with an Audible.com membership.

Tower Strategic Group LLC is now the official life insurance provider of the USPTA, providing a wide range of value-added services for USPTA-certified members, including consulting with members on their life insurance needs.

the development of tennis globally. He initiated many successful projects including Tennis10s, which grew out of the ITF’s Play and Stay program.

In 1993, Miley established the ITF Coach Education Program and was author of both the Level One manual and co-author of the Advanced Coaches manual that is now available in over 20 languages worldwide. The Junior Tour-ing Team program proved very success-ful with many top-ranked players com-ing out of the teams, including Grand Slam Champion Victoria Azarenka.

With Miley’s departure, the ITF has promoted both Kris Dent and Stuart Miller to senior executive directors, with expanded duties that include the activities of the former Development Department. Miller will head up Integ-rity and Development, adding Devel-opment, Rules of Tennis, Governance and some legal activities to his present responsibilities for Anti-Doping, Anti-Corruption, Science and Technical. Dent will head up ITF Circuits and Pro-fessional Tennis Events that will include all ITF Circuits (Pro Circuit, Juniors, Seniors, Wheelchair and Beach Tennis), Live Scoring, Davis Cup and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, Olympic Tennis and Hop-man Cup.

Williams, Djokovic NamedITF World Champions

Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic have been named the 2015 ITF World Champions. Williams is named Women’s World Cham-pion for the sixth time, while this is the fifth occasion that Djokovic has received the honor.

Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza are the Women’s Doubles World Champions, while Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau are Men’s Doubles World Champions. Dalma Galfi and the U.S.’s Taylor Fritz were named ITF Junior World Champions, while the ITF Wheelchair World Champions are Jiske Griffioen and Shingo Kunieda. All will receive their awards at the 2016 ITF World Champions Dinner on May 31 in Paris, during Roland Garros.

PTR and OrangeCoachForm Partnership

The PTR has entered into a three-year partnership with OrangeCoach, an online job and career platform that provides recruitment services for tennis employers and coaches, in which PTR members will receive a free OrangeCoach Gold mem-bership, valued at $150.

With its do-it-yourself or personal services, OrangeCoach connects tennis employers, such as managers, tennis par-ents, resorts, academies and clubs, with

coaches who match their candidate re-quirements. It was founded by WTA coach Sven Groeneveld. For more information, visit www.OrangeCoach.com.

ASBA Announces BlogOn Sports Facility Issues

The American Sports Builders Association is producing a weekly blog on areas of inter-est to the sports facility industry, including tennis court construction. The blog, which is sent to ASBA members each week, also is posted on the ASBA’s website, www.sports-builders.org, and will cover issues pertaining to sports facilities in active use, as well as those under construction, and more. In addi-tion, the blog will cover association interests, members’ activities and more.

Arnhold Elected Chairmanof Tennis Hall of Fame

The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced that John Arnhold has been elected chairman of its Board of Governors and Michael Goss has been elected as vice chairman, effective January 1, 2016. Arnhold and Goss, both financial services executives, are avid tennis players and devoted supporters of the sport.

As members of the Hall of Fame's Exec-utive Committee for the past four years,

$70 million; Andy Murray, $70 million; Victoria Azarenka, $30 million; Caroline Wozniacki, $30 million; and Ana Iva-novic, $25 million.

Is Your Cardio TennisBusiness License Current?

Are you registered as a Cardio Ten-nis Authorized Provider? To help ensure quality Cardio Tennis for consumers, you should be licensed to deliver CT sessions and have access to valuable benefits and services to help run the program. Since Cardio Tennis began in 2005, more than 3,500 U.S. coaches have taken formal Cardio Tennis education. Make sure your 2016 Cardio Tennis Authorized Provider license is up to date. Visit CardioTennis.com/for-providers/.

USRSA Announces New MRT

Drew Violette - Amelia, OH

www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com February 2016 TennisIndustry 13

New Concept in Racquet ServiceBabolat continues to transform tennis from conventional to connected.

Racquet Service

Babolat is launching a new concept that is sure to enhance participating retailers strug-

gling to maintain their brick-and-mortar identity in an online world. My Play Point is a multi-tiered program with several components designed to provide dealers an opportunity to offer their customers a unique experience while improving efficiency and pro-moting professional standards for the dealer.

Two key components to My Play Point will be a new stringing machine and new software for operating a rac-quet service center. The new machine will feature a more fluid and efficient ergonomic design. The machine can be configured to meet the needs of the dealer with several options available, from clamps to height adjustments.

The other key component is a soft-ware package that offers a variety of tools to track your customers’ service

records. “The software is based on the software we have used at Roland Garros for the last five years,” says Mickey Maule, national sales director for Babolat USA. “We’ve honed and tweaked it over the years it has been in use and now have configured it for use in a retail environment.”

The software can be used on a com-puter or tablet and also has a feature to track racquets used for demo as well as customer racquets for service. Another feature is the availability of an app that customers can download and have

access to their racquet service history along with other related features.

Other components will include dis-play modules for storing strings in both sets and reels, a work desk, and other displays for racquets, shoes and other merchandise—all coordinated to pro-vide a uniform and professional look.

Babolat plans to launch My Play Point in February 2016 as a pilot in 16 stores in eight countries. The complete My Play Point will available in October 2016. Pricing is yet to be determined.

—Bob Patterson

both Arnold and Goss have taken an active leadership role in long-term plan-ning, fundraising, and strategic efforts to grow the organization's work to preserve and promote the history of tennis and to honor its great champions. Arnhold succeeds Chairman Christopher Clouser, who concluded his term after eight years as chairman.

Women Pros DominateForbes’ Top 10 $$$ List

Tennis players dominated Forbes maga-zine’s list of the world’s highest paid female athletes, with seven of the top 10 spots. The list takes into account prize money, appear-ances, licensing and endorsements between June 2014 and June 2015. No. 1 on the list is Maria Sharapova with $29.7 million in total earnings, and of that total, $6.7 million came from tournament prize money.

Serena Williams is the second highest paid female athlete, with $24.6 million total

($11.6 million in prize money), and No. 3 on the list is Caroline Wozniacki with $14.6 million in total earnings ($3.6 million in prize money).

Also in the Forbes top 10 are Ana Ivanovic at No. 5, with $8.3 in total earnings ($1.8 million prize money). No. 6 is Petra Kvitova at $7.7 million ($5.9 million). No. 7 is Simona Halep at $6.8 million ($5.3 million). And No. 10 on the Forbes list is Agnieszka Radwansak at $6 million ($2 million).

Wealth-X Says FedererHas Highest Net Worth

A Wealth-X list of the top 10 wealthiest tennis players shows Roger Federer is way ahead of his peers, with a net worth of $330 million. No. 2 on the list is Maria Sharapova, with a net worth of $160 mil-lion. Rounding out the Top 10, according to Wealth-X, are: Serena Williams, $130 million; Novak Djokovic, $110 million; Ra-fael Nadal, $80 million; Venus Williams,


Reserve your spot now for the 2016 TIA State of the Industry Forum, which will be held in Miami on March 23, in conjunction with the Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M. Conference). The Forum is free to attend and will run from 10 to 11:45 a.m. in the Symphony Ballroom of the Downtown Miami Hilton on Biscayne Blvd. The event is being held during the Miami Open professional tennis tournament.

At the Forum, industry executives will present the latest news and data about the state of the tennis industry, including participation research, consumer and technology trends, an update on the

TIA State of the IndustryMarch 23, 2016 in Miami

The upcoming Tennis Owners & Managers Conference (T.O.M. Conference) in Miami in March will provide an opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest products and trends and to experience interactive resources and ideas, as the event will feature a Tennis Tech Fair & Resource Center and an “Idea Fair” workshop.

The T.O.M. Conference will be held March 23-25 at the Downtown Miami Hilton (Biscayne Blvd.), during the 2016 Miami Open pro tennis tournament. To register for the event, visit TheTOMConference.com.

Through the Tennis Tech Fair & Resource Center and the Idea Fair workshop, tennis facility and club owners and managers will have the opportunity to learn about key trends and products in the industry that will help them manage and run their businesses more effectively.

“It will be a very interactive, hands-on exchange of ideas, information and best practices that T.O.M. attendees will find very useful for their businesses,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.

The Tech Fair & Resource Center will give owners, managers and their staff an opportunity to learn more about and try out the latest products that can engage members and players. The “Idea Fair” workshop will include expert panelists, along with suggestions from the wealth of knowledge among T.O.M. Conference attendees, all with the goal of increasing profits and participation.

Visit TheTomConference.com for more details and to register for the conference or call the TIA at 843-686-3036 for more information.

Tennis providers can sign up now at RallyTheFamily.com to participate in the industry-wide “Rally the Family” campaign to increase tennis activity and interest in the sport.

Rally the Family focuses on tennis for all ages, using lower compression Red, Orange and Green tennis balls, shorter courts, shorter racquets and modified scoring, along with a focus on family time in fun and healthy activities. All tennis providers—facilities, parks, clubs, teaching pros, etc.—are encouraged to sign-up for this initiative and list their programs and events at RallyTheFamily.com.

“Rally the Family was developed by this industry and its stakeholders to grow this sport, for the benefit of all—including the important benefits tennis brings to

children and adults,” says TIA President Jeff Williams. “We urge you to join your industry to help revitalize tennis in America.”

Rally the Family providers will have access to free tools and resources to promote

their business locally, including a Guide to Welcoming New Players, along with downloadable and customizable promotional material and templates.

“When you offer family tennis events and programs with Rally the Family, you’ll be part of a national campaign to grow our sport,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. “This family tennis initiative, launching to consumers this spring, is designed to drive adults and kids to your courts and increase activity at your club or facility.”

2016 Owners & Managers Conference to Feature Interactive

Tennis Tech Fair, Resource Center,

Idea Fair

Providers: Get Involved With ‘Rally the Family’

FORUMSTATE OF THE INDUSTRY

“Rally the Family” initiative, and updates from the USTA,

including the progress at the USTA National Campus in Orlando,

Fla., and the renovations at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis

Center in New York. The Forum also will outline ways to better define and boost the economic growth and impact of the tennis industry, and effective ways to distribute clear, consistent messaging of health, fitness and the reasons to play tennis.

Prior to the start of the State of the Industry Forum, registered attendees are invited to the “Tennis Tech Fair & Resource Center,” which opens at 8:30 a.m. and will offer the opportunity to learn about key trends and products that will help industry business run more effectively and help boost tennis participation.

While the State of the Industry Forum is free to attend, registration is required, as space is limited. To register, go to TheTOMConference.com site and select “State of the Industry Forum.” (For those also attending or exhibiting at the T.O.M. Conference from March 23 to 25, the website has registration information and details.)

For more info or to register: TheTOMConference.comcontact the TIA / 843-473-4504 • [email protected]

T e n n i s O w n e r s & M a n a g e r sCONFERENCE March 23-25, 2016

Miami, FL

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Tennis Tech Fair & Resource Center—8:30-10 a.m.State of the Industry Forum—10-11:45 a.m.Free to attend—but registration required at TheTOMConference.com.

• Latest news about the state of the tennis industry• Updates on key initiatives, including “Rally the Family”• USTA updates, including the USTA National Campus and NTC

• Participation, consumer and technology trends• How to boost the “tennis economy”• And much more…

TIA State of the Industry ForumDowntown Miami Hilton (Biscayne Blvd.) March 23, 2016

Join top industry leaders and executives, manufacturers, organizations and more in support of YOUR industry.

Space is limited. Register now at TheTOMConference.com.

Lots of attention is given to bigger chain stores when they close because, presumably, these

store closings define the overall health of brick-and-mortar retail. But that’s too narrow a scope to take. More often, it’s not that physical stores will melt away into oblivion to give way to pure e-commerce, but it’s the lack of relevance of certain stores.

Starbucks, Wal-Mart and Apple have planned huge new store openings this year. Expansion in both domestic and international markets is under way by the largest U.S. retail chains. And global retailers like H&M, Zara and Uniqlo are expanding into the U.S., attracted by the diverse consumer base, personal income growth and resilient economy.

At this point and beyond, there seems to be solid evidence that brick-and-mortar retailing is still thriving for those retailers with relevant offerings and sustainable business models.

According to RBC Capital Markets data, U.S. retailers are in the midst of opening 76,000 stores in the next two years.

Growing retailers are all about relevance and niche lifestyle—specialty sport and fitness, fast fashion, food, and pharmacy—and focus on what consumers care about most, including value, quality, health, the environment, and customer service. These retailers focus on and promote their differences: by rewarding loyal customers; creating a sense of urgency; and being savvy when it comes to social

media, technology and marketing. Shopping their stores is an exciting and noteworthy experience. Preference for Physical StoresA study done by ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) found that consumers prefer physical stores to online shopping for nearly every tested reason to shop. This filters down to the specialty store, too, where you can really play up your attributes.

Tennis-playing consumers are like most shoppers in that they enjoy the shopping “experience”—even if they already know what they want. Window and floor displays are tools for enhancing this experience—they’re more powerful than social media tools for communicating product information.

Online and omni-channel is here to stay, and while consumers will actively mix both online and brick-and-mortar purchasing, they also want to shop local. You can leverage the strength of your physical store to deliver what the consumer wants, so give them a reason to:• Focus on unique attributes like

physical displays.• If you have great stringers on board,

great gear selection, a demo program, a loyalty program, make it known.

• Create interactive displays, provide mobile accessibility and payments—that’s a big draw that enables you to compete with the bigger guys.

Personalized ServiceThe enhancement of categories like sporting goods will be extremely important as shops distinguish themselves from humdrum online shopping. It’s true that while your customers will remain price-sensitive, you have to boldly communicate a blended message of value, selection, convenience, customer service and experience.

Get to know your customers by name, what their kids are up to … emphasize service by offering to get equipment back to your customers before their next match—maybe even offer to drop racquets off to peoples’ homes. No online shopping source can provide that kind of personalized service.

With manufacturers setting pricing policies across online and brick-and-mortar stores, the amount consumers save by buying tennis gear online isn’t much, despite the common misconception from shoppers.

Think of the shopper who’s looking for shoes who has bad knees and other pains. Your experienced staff has the ability to fit them for the proper shoes and, perhaps, orthotics, which will vastly improve their physical well-being and as a result, their game, for which they may be eternally grateful. This is a service to publicize!

Niche specialty retailers like tennis shops have many positive attributes—not least is that their customers simply don’t like faceless purchasing, and prefer the smaller-shop experience. •

Specialty Stores Are Alive and Well!

By Cynthia Sherman

Retailing 141

www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com16 TennisIndustry February 2016

For customer experiences and preferences, small retailers have attributes that online and chain stores just can't match.

By Bob Patterson

Racquet Tech


F or new stringers, tying knots can be intimidating. But a good knot is vital to a good job, since it holds everything in place.

When I run workshops for new stringers, nothing seems to cause more trepidation than tying off. Although, once learned, it seems quite easy. Tying a good knot is vital to producing a good string job. You may have done everything correctly, but it’s all for naught if the knot isn’t perfect.

There are several things that can go wrong, but the most common is simply doing a sloppy job. The knot must secure the tension without damaging the anchor string, and it must hold up during play and not come undone.

For beginners, the double half-hitch is best as it does a great job and is easy to tie with a bit of practice and by following simple guidelines. While many experienced stringers may use a “signature” knot of their own, it is hard to beat the utility of the double half-hitch.

Remember O-U-T: Over, Under, and then Through. After tensioning and clamping your last string, lock the turntable and cut any excess string, saving about 12 inches or so for tying off. Take the string OVER the anchor string and then UNDER it, then THROUGH the loop the string created around the string.

With a good pair of parallel jaw pliers, pull the loop closed around the anchor string and slide it away from the frame to pull any excess slack out of the string along the outside of the frame (photo 1). Once you’ve elimi-nated the slack, hold the string taut as you slide the loop back toward the grommet (2).

Now repeat the O-U-T loop, taking care to go in the same direction as the first one. The one difference in the first and second loop is one that is often overlooked by even experienced stringers. Do not pull away from the frame with the second loop. Instead, simply cinch the loop up against the first.

Think about the first loop as your lock and the second as the deadbolt. Once you have the first loop locked into place, you don’t want to “unlock” it by pulling it away again. Once you have the second loop snugged up, release the clamp while still holding the knot tail with your pliers. This will ensure the knot stays tight and in place. When completed, the two loops should lie parallel to one another around the anchor string (3). If they don’t, something has gone wrong.

Trim the knot tail (end of the string) to about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. Be sure it is at least below the edge of the frame. Knots cut too short may come undone and those cut too long look unprofessional and can cause an annoying buzz during play. If you are using a poly-based or similar stiff string, make sure the string end is cut flat. Sharp tips of strings can actu-ally cause harm if the player hits it (4).

All knots should be tied using hand-applied tension with pliers. Never use your machine to pull knots. •

Stringing 101—Knots

USTA NorthernIn Hastings, Tennis is for EveryoneNine years ago, Sadie Reiners was looking for junior competition for her daughter, Taylor, so she could qualify for the Minnesota State High School Tournament. Not finding much help in the surrounding communities, Reiners took it upon herself to develop players, so she started the Hastings Tennis Association. From its two initial members, HTA now has over 160 members and was named USTA Northern’s 2015 Member Organization of the Year.

The HTA’s mission is to inspire people of all ages to live an active life-style, instill that all members are mentors and leaders, and create a love for the game. Initially running only competitive junior offerings, the HTA now offers recreational programming that includes drills, lessons, leagues, clin-ics, Play Days, adult and junior tournaments and Junior Team Tennis.

More than 110 kids participated in 2015 and the HTA fielded eight JTT teams—three advanced to the JTT Section Cham-pionships and Hastings Blue 14U won the Intermediate title. Team Blue represented USTA Northern at Nationals in Decem-ber, where they finished 12th and claimed the Team Spirit Award. Player Colby Zak also took home the Boys Sportsmanship Award.

The HTA has big plans for 2016, including bringing tennis to day-care programs operated by the school district and the YMCA and the Hastings Senior Center. In addition, it will be hosting “Rally the Family” events starting in May.

“We believe tennis is for everyone,” Reiners says. “We try to make tennis fun. Players are encouraged to give back by mentor-ing youth and beginning players. And we strive to be inclusive and affordable to all interested in playing.” —Lisa Mushett

Middle StatesFamily Fun Day Partners with 2K RunFirst there was tennis. Then running, and tennis. Then much more run-ning, followed by much more tennis. It was all part of a day that featured two sports and multiple organizations coming together to promote some-thing valuable to both: an active, healthy lifestyle.

USTA Middle States and its community partners in the Philadelphia area partnered with youth running organization iRun4Life last spring at Central Park in Doylestown, Pa., as part of the section’s first-ever Free Fam-ily Fun Day, which took place throughout the day and offered free tennis to families from all over the area. The partnership with iRun4Life connected tennis to nearly 1,000 kids participating in a morning 2k run. Before and after the race, the kids were encouraged to try tennis on the park’s public courts, which were full of local tennis professionals who donated their time to provide one-on-one training to the kids.

When not on the tennis courts, there were prizes, giveaways and other games available for the kids. A special emphasis was placed on families and staying active together. While kids played on some courts, there were professionals there to work with adults as well.

Middle States also provided the chance for kids to continue playing after they left the event. Information packets were handed out with local play opportunities and junior programs, connecting the families to local programs.

The partnership is expected to continue in the coming years, helping to introduce the sport of tennis to thousands more. —Michael Gladysz

Play It Forward!

Grassroots Tennis


CTAs, public parks and NJTLs are on the front lines when it comes to growing this sport in communities.


Let’s say you want to resurface the tennis courts in your town. The contractors are saying that it’s

going to cost $70,000. You may be able to secure up to $10,000 through the USTA’s facility assistance program. But how do you raise the other $60,000? In the past, it might have looked like this:

1. Gather all the tennis advocates in your area.

2. Plan a fundraiser3. Invite all those in the area with the

resources to make your project happen.4. Lobby city officials and parks com-

mittee members.

5. Hope that it works out or know someone with the means to make it happen that also happens to owe you a favor.

Many communities are faced with these tasks when working on funding a tennis project, but the process could take months, or even years. And until lately, there were few alternatives.

But at least one community has turned toward crowd-funding, and to be more specific, “crowd-granting,” as the answer. That community is Charlotte, Mich., a small town in mid-Michigan with about 9,000 residents.

The town has four tennis courts at Bennett Park, and that’s where every-thing happens, from high school tennis matches to summer community tennis programs.

But the Bennett Park courts have been slowly deteriorating. Because of that, the high school teams have been spending more time playing away matches instead of at home. Something needed to change, and that's when the tennis community took action.

As the Tennis Service Rep for the area, I received a call from Michael Clark, a local tennis advocate and

Use ‘Crowd-Funding’ to Help With Your Next Tennis ProjectBy George Lowe

Community Tennis


parent helping to bring the issue of tennis-court repairs to the city. His initiative led him to Emily Williamson and city councilwoman Yvonne Ridge. Clark and I met to complete the USTA’s facility assistance form, then discussed funding resources. He told me about the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and their ability to match funds for qualified civic proj-ects. In the case of Charlotte, it was a 50 percent match, so if Charlotte could find $35,000, the MEDC would match it for the grand total of $70,000.

And this is where crowd-funding came in.

Crowd-funding is a way to solicit low-dollar donations from a high number of donors, using an online social media campaign and one of crowd-funding’s many platforms. According to www.crowdfunding.com, the No. 1 crowd-funding site is GoFundMe, which raised $470 million in 2014. Next is Kick-starter, at $444 million, then, in order,


Indiegogo, TeeSpring and Patreon.Each platform has a unique aspect

to it, so if you’re considering crowd-funding your tennis project, make sure you shop around to decide which may be your best option. Some may require a partnership with your local economic development corporation or other resource.

So how does crowd-funding work? First, go to the site and create an ac-count for your project. Next, complete a project application online to get ap-proved. Your application should include a description of the project, your fund-raising goal and timeline (for instance, the average campaign on Patronicity, another crowd-funding site, lasts nine weeks).

Then through the use of social media, a video, pictures and back story, which you develop for your project, spread the word and ask people to donate money. In some cases, your crowd-funding platform will do some extra legwork for

you and qualify your project for a grant match, like Patronicity did for Charlotte Tennis.

Most crowd-funding sites charge a service fee of 5 percent to 15 percent. But some offer your donors the ability to cover this service fee as part of their donation. If you do not raise the funds in your allotted time frame, the money will be refunded to the donors. In Charlotte, the successful crowd-funding campaign means resurfacing will begin this spring.

Crowd-funding is a viable resource for fundraising for all tennis projects that is free in most cases and simple to execute. Through the power of the internet and social media, people can now become a donor to your project at a level that makes sense to them. And, if you want, you can take a break from planning expensive fundraisers. •

George Lowe is the Tennis Service Rep-resentative for Michigan in the USTA Midwest Section.

OUTLOOK 2016: Racquets & Strings


As we start a new year, manufacturers are gearing up with new models that include tweaks of successful designs as well as brand new racquets. They also continue to push the envelope with new string introductions to suit players of every type.

New and Improved Racquets for spring include updates of existing models and brand new lines, while new string offerings are available for all types of players.By Bob Patterson

BABOLATbabolat.com • 877-316-9435Babolat continues to advance technology. Its Play racquets, intro-duced in 2013, were the first “connected” tennis racquets. Now, the company introduces POP, which is a wristband that can be worn during play using any racquet, allowing players of all ages and play-ing levels to discover their game performance through entertaining features and challenges. The device pairs with any IOS or Android device.

Babolat also introduces a new family of racquets for 2016, includ-ing a new recreational range and an evolution of its predecessor, the E-Sense line. The Flow series includes three frames—Flow Tour, Flow Lite and Flow 105—to fit the needs of all player types.

DUNLOPdunlop.com • 800-768-4727Dunlop is introducing five new tennis racquets for 2016: the Force 98, Force 98 Tour, Force 100, Force 100 Tour and Force 105. The new Force racquets feature Dunlop’s new SR-X handle system, giving them an entirely unique feel. Glass fiber rods slotted into precision channels inside the handle help dissipate vibration, says the com-pany, resulting in a softer feel on the hands when striking the ball. To increase racquet control and stability, the size of the flare at the base of the handle has been increased by 30 percent.

Flow Tour


Force 98


Prestige MP

BXT X force LT

Premier 120


GAMMAgammasports.com • 412-323-0335Gamma launches a new string series for 2016 with the Ocho line. The octagon-profiled strings are offered in a variety of styles to fit most players’ needs. The 8-sided string profile is designed to bite the ball for ultimate spin and control, says the company. Gamma Ocho is a soft co-poly monofilament construction designed for baseliners. The nylon Ocho TNT features an octagonal coating with a solid center core and is suited for all-court players. The Ocho XP features an octagonal coating with a multifilament core providing more power and comfort. All three strings are available in 16 (1.30 mm) and 17 (1.25 mm) in both sets and reels.

HEADhead.com • 800-289-7366Head continues to expand the Graphene XT line with introduc-tion of nine new tennis racquets. The GrapheneXT Radical Pro, GrapheneXT Radical S, GrapheneXT Radical Lite, and Gra-pheneXT Radical MP A, which features the Head Adaptive String Pattern (ASP), allowing the frame to be strung either as a 16x16 or 16x19 pattern by swapping out the side grommet strip. Other new frames are the GrapheneXT Prestige Pro, GrapheneXT Prestige Rev Pro, GrapheneXT Prestige MP, GrapheneXT Prestige S, and the GrapheneXT PWR Prestige. All the new racquets are compat-ible with the Sony Smart Tennis Sensor.

PACIFICPacific.com • 941-795-1789Pacific introduces the next evolution of basalt fiber technology—BXT—with three new racquets for spring: BXT X Force Pro.1, BXT X Tour 97, and the BXT X Force LT. All three have Pacific’s new PGS (Precise Grip System), which features a handle made of high-tech injection molding, ensuring that every handle has the exact same weight and size and is 80 percent stronger than traditional foam handles.

Pacific also is adding new gauges to its two best-selling poly strings. Poly Force and XCite will now be available in a 1.20 mm/17 gauge.

PRINCEprincetennis.com • 800-2TENNISPrince expands its Textreme technology with five new frames for spring: the Premier 120, Premier 105, Warrior 100, Warrior 100T and Warrior 100L. Textreme is an advanced super-thin mate-rial that allows for a tighter weave pattern, which packs more carbon fibers per square inch, delivering greater control, says the company.

A new string is also being introduced: the Warrior Response 16, available in both sets and reels.

VOLKLvolkltennis.com • 866-554-7872Volkl rolls out two new frames this year. First is an updated version of the classic C10 Pro offering continuity for the longtime Volkl player. The racquet features a twin absorber handle developed specifically for tournament-level play-ers. Also new is the Team Speed, which is a 102-square-inch head that offers a large, forgiving sweet spot, making this the perfect transition frame for juniors moving into the adult performance market, says the company.

WILSONwilson.com • 800-272-6060Wilson introduces a new racquet franchise with a familiar name—Ultra. The Ultra racquets feature octagon geometry inside the frame and a rounded geometry outside of the frame, which allows players to swing faster with less effort, according to Wilson. The Ultra frames consist of four mod-els: 97, 100, 103S and 108.

Also new from Wilson are three Burn FST (Fast Speed Technology) models: 95, 99 and 99S. The Burn FST racquets are built for speed, says the company, designed for baselin-ers to increase racquet-head speed to play a more aggressive game. All the new Wilson frames are compatible with the Sony Smart Tennis Sensor.

OUTLOOK 2016: Racquets & Strings


C10

Burn FST 99S


OUTLOOK 2016: Shoes

Stepping Forward Colors continue in new shoes for 2016, along with moves to either lighter weight or more durability.By Kent Oswald

Continuing the trends of recent years, tennis shoes in 2016 will showcase an ever more colorful palette. Similarly, while there are no game-changers, the construction of the shoes will continue to take them mostly toward either end of the spectrum, with light weight and durability serving as the poles. You’ll want to make sure

many of these models are on your shoe wall. (Prices are suggested retail.)

ADIDAS adidas.com • 971-234-2300Elegance, comfort and response are the key benefits for the extensively named Adidas by Stella McCartney Barricade Boost (women, $150) debuting in 2016. Features include a Primeknit upper, Boost technology in the midsole, an ergo-nomically-shaped TPU heel counter, and outsole durability backed by a six-month guarantee. The Energy Boost (men, $175) will also be introduced as the company’s most comfortable tennis shoe in history. The lightweight shoe’s upper has engineered mesh, and integrated tongue-bootie construction; Boost technol-ogy in the midsole for responsiveness; and an outsole made durable enough to stand up to the hardest of hard courts.

BABOLAT babolat.com • 877-316-9435France’s singular tennis company will introduce new and even “special edition” colorways into its Propulse All Court line of stable and durable shoes (men, $120) that are also available with a wide “comfort fit.” There will also be new colorways for the SFX 2 All Courts (men and women, $100) that among the cushioning features include midsole construction focused on providing an exceptional level of long-lasting and comfortable support.

DIADORA diadora.com • 800-768-4727Extending its flagship Star K line, Diadora introduces the Star K VII AG (men, $140) dressed in kangaroo leather and featuring the brand’s proprietary technol-ogies for maximum shock absorption, energy recovery, and interior ventilation, as well as a six-month outsole guarantee. The Star K IV (men and women, $140) series grows with the addition of two new colorways. Additionally, the Speed Pro EVO II AG (men and women, $120) built to compete in the lightweight section of the market and featuring maximum breathability and a comfortable, snug fit, will receive three new colorways for men and two for women.


FILAfila.com • 800-845-FILAThe performance-oriented Fila Cage Delirium (men and women, $100) has been enhanced for 2016. Designed for optimum upper support, and breathability, comfort and stability throughout, the shoes also feature a patented “four-pivot outsole configuration” to enhance acceleration. Additional benefits include a flexible toe shield and carbon fiber midsole layers for improved foot comfort. The shoes are available in outsole options created specifically for hard, clay and grass courts.

HEADhead.com • 800-289-7366Nitro Pros (men and women, $139.99; junior, $79.95) are unveiled just in time for the first ball in Melbourne. The premium lightweight shoes designed for all surfaces showcase a low profile and feature technologies for robust flexibility and comfort. The Revolt Pros (men and women, $139.99) created to synthesize equally comfort, stability, durability and energy rebound gain new colorways in 2016.


K-SWISSkswiss.com • 800-768-4727Out of California come new colorways for the company’s high-performance Hy-percourt Express (men and women, $110). The lightweight, durable player’s shoe features a seam-free upper, padded tongue and collar for comfort, “stay-tied” laces, a superior mid-foot support chassis, durable outsole and toe guard.

NIKEnike.com • 800-344-6453The NikeCourt Air Zoom Ultrafly (men, $220), which the company describes as its “most innovative tennis shoe,” premieres in white/volt and triple black. High-lights for the ultra-lightweight shoe include maximum responsiveness, a mesh upper, superior heel and forefoot cushioning, and an ankle cuff.

PRINCEprincetennis.com • 800-2TENNIS2016 will see Prince continue to explore the color spectrum for its premium performance Warrior lines (men and women, $109). Two new colorways will be introduced in January for both men and women in this line of shoes featuring support and stability, and backed with a six-month durability guarantee. As for the company’s best-selling T22s (men and women, $99), colorway introductions will be rolled out for the cushioned, breathable and durable shoes in March, June and again later in the year.

WILSONwilson.com • 773-714-6400The lightweight and flexible Kaos (men and women, $125) shoes arrive in market with attention-demanding colorways, and with an extra attention to arch sup-port, comfort and outsole durability. The recently introduced Glide series (men and women, $199) is designed with patented Glide Plate technology in recogni-tion of the increasing need for players to control their slides across hard surfaces. The shoes also feature rubber reinforced toe and internal drag pads, and an enhanced outsole durability.


OUTLOOK 2016: Apparel

Springing Ahead It may be frosty outside in the northern tier, but that only means it’s time to start stocking up on Spring tennis gear, and courtside never looked so good. Soft sophisticated tones and shapes are coming back, leaving the neon brights behind. (Prices are suggested retail.)

By Cynthia Sherman


ADIDASadidas.com/us • 800-982-9337The Adidas by Stella McCartney Bar-ricade collection forecasts the first com-ings of Spring in this Climacool dress and matching shorties ($100) in peaches and corals. This breathable, moisture-wicking 3D fabrication with its venti-lated channels and mesh inserts allow air to circulate close to the skin. It’s sure to be a winner on the hot courts of the Australian Open.

BOLLEbolletenniswear.com • 301-362-0360

Bolle’s Melange fashion line shows off a sophisticated heather gray palette, against black and yellow accents in a winning

moisture-wicking poly/spandex fabrication. A variety of piec-es add to the line’s diversity. Prices ranges from $62 to $70.


ELEVEN BY VENUS elevenbyvenuswilliams.com • 855-880-7777French Open fans will “ooh-la-la” over this soft, lightweight, breathable Geo Swirl print dress from Eleven by Venus. The muted geometric pattern sports a contrast waistband, which provides tummy support. With a bonus of UV protec-tion, a built-in shelf bra and a sleek modified racer back ensure comfort ($96).

FILAfila.com • 800-845-3452

Fila’s refreshing Net Set feminine collection focuses on peplum shap-

ing, baby pleats and figure-skimming cuts in soft mint tones. High perfor-

mance fabrics in cool knits, French terry, and fine pique come to life in a chic pieced racerback tank ($60)

that pairs beautifully with the color-blocked fine pleated skort ($55).

LUCKY IN LOVEshopluckyinlove.com305-638-5484On court or off, Lucky In Love’s easy, breezy poly-lycra blend outfit whispers Spring in a soft turquoise diamond-printed pleated tiered skirt ($72) and matching bralette racer-back tank ($64).

TAIL (facing page)tailactivewear.com 888-906-1341Tail makes a splash with its Making Waves line in an ultra-comfortable poly-spandex sporty rose/navy/white color-blocking top ($69) and complementary print wave pattern flouncy skirt ($69) in a figure-flattering fit Tail is famous for. The performance jersey pieces have the added bo-nus of UPF 40+ protection.

Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards

In 2015, there were 12 tennis project winners in the Tennis Industry/American Sports Builders Associa-tion Facility-of-the-Year Awards program. Seven of those winning projects were multi-court outdoor facilities, three of which were public facilities or

schools. Four projects were residential courts, and one was an indoor facility.

Each year, based on entries submitted by an ASBA member who designed or built the facility or court, the association selects outstanding tennis facilities that meet the standard of excellence in design and construction determined by the

judging committee. For 2015, the panel of judges deemed 12 courts or facilities to be worthy of special recognition, but three of those winners were chosen for “Outstanding” honors:• Bell Recreation Center in Sun City, Ariz.• James Goldstein Residence in Los Angeles• Tuscaloosa Tennis Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Award plaques to the three Outstanding winners and rec-ognition for the Distinguished winners were presented at the ASBA Technical Meeting held in December in Scottsdale, Ariz. For more information, visit www.sportsbuilders.org.

—Peter Francesconi

Three’s CompanyTennis Industry and the ASBA bring you the best in tennis court construction and design.

Outstanding Outdoor Tennis Facility-of-the-Year AwardBell Recreation CenterSun City, Ariz.The 10 new post-tensioned concrete tennis courts, in three batteries, at the Bell Recreation Center replace nine courts that were demolished and hauled from the site. Among the challenges were numerous buried, hidden and unknown obstacles that were discovered during demolition of the more than 30-year-old site, including old, abandoned light footings that had been covered with concrete. The site was substantially lower than the surrounding facilities and was surrounded by tall block walls, but there was no original drainage around the walls, so a footing drain system was designed and retrofitted into the site. The project also involved designing new drainage for the courts, including a slot drain in each battery, catch basins in the landscape areas between batteries, and a small retention area—all tying into the new storm-water infrastructure below the courts.

Nominated by: Sunland SportsGeneral Contractor: Sunland SportsSuppliers: California Sports Surfaces, SportsEdgeNumber of Courts: 10Completed: April 2015



Outstanding Residential Tennis Facility-of-the-Year Award James Goldstein ResidenceLos Angeles, Calif.The original design for the tennis court was created by famed architect John Lautner decades ago. The court is situated on a south-facing slope, with a lush, terraced garden on the northern uphill side. The western end is enclosed by a concrete wall extending up from the office below the court, and serving as a rebound wall. (The eastern end will eventually be enclosed by a concrete structure of the reception/home theater building.) To the south, in order to maximize the view, is a glass guard-rail, resulting in an “infinity” court with no visual barriers. The tennis court is a double post-tensioned slab with water-proofing in between that allows it to serve as a roof for the office structure below.

Nominated by: Zaino Tennis Courts Inc.Specialty Contractor: Zaino Tennis Courts Inc.Suppliers: California Sports Surfaces, Edwards/Roldri Div. of Athletic ConnectionCompleted: June 2013

Distinguished Tennis Facility HonorsIn addition to the Bell Recreation Center in Sun City, Ariz., the James Goldstein Residence in Los Angeles, and the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center in Alabama, these nine locations were chosen by the 2015 panel of judges for the ASBA as excellent examples of court construction, receiving Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards. This year, the ASBA also awarded Silver and Bronze awards in various categories. You’ll read more about these winners in upcoming issues of TI. (The nominating com-pany is in parentheses.)• Belle Meade Country Club, Nashville, Tenn. (Welch Ten-

nis Courts Inc.)—Silver Award, Outdoor Facility• Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, Reno, Nev. (Ten-

nis and Track Co.)—Bronze Award, Outdoor Facility• Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club, Palm City, Fla.

(Welch Tennis Courts Inc.)• Life Time Fitness Center, Centennial, Colo. (L.E.R. Inc.,

dba Renner Sports Surfaces)• Sundial Resort, Sanibel Island, Fla. (Welch Tennis Courts Inc.)

• Xavier University Brockhoff Family Tennis Facility, Cincin-nati, Ohio (Sportworks Field Design)

• Nelson Residence, Wisconsin Dells, Wis. (Munson Inc.)— Silver Award, Residential Facility

• Miami Beach Residence, Miami Beach, Fla. (Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)—Bronze Award, Residential Facility

• Alsop Residential Court at Haven Hill, Beverly Farms, Mass. (Boston Tennis Court Construction Co. Inc.)

For details on the 2016 Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or [email protected], or visit www.sportsbuilders.org.

Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards

Outstanding Indoor Tennis Facility-of-the-Year AwardTuscaloosa Tennis Center - Tuscaloosa, Ala.This new, three-court indoor tennis facility in Tuscaloosa was designed with expansion in mind. Initial construction in-cluded the indoor hard courts and six outdoor fast-dry courts, but the building and pro shop were placed in such a manner that will allow three more indoor courts and several more outdoor courts to be built in the future. The completed facility will complement the nearby University of Alabama complex and provide facilities capable of holding large NCAA and USTA events. The exterior of the building is attractively landscaped and connected to the adjacent parking lot with a wide side-walk. Inside, the walls and ceiling are well insulated and covered with a smooth layer of vinyl, providing a uniform reflective surface and a very attractive appearance.

Nominated by: Lower Bros. Co. IncSpecialty Contractor: Lower Bros. Co. IncSuppliers: California Sports Surfaces, LSI Courtsider Sports Lighting, Putterman AthleticsNumber of Courts: 3Completed: February 2015


Q Counting calories

I was wondering if any-one has determined how

many calories are burned stringing a racquet. I've had some surgery and will not be able to play for a few more weeks, but can still string racquets and would like to keep up on my calo-rie intake and output.

AWe weren’t able to find anything, but for the aver-age American male, standing

burns approximately 200 calories per hour compared with sitting, which burns approximately 164 calories per hour. We do know that if you have a wrist-mounted activity tracker such as the Garmin Vivofit 2, even rapid string-ing isn’t enough to convince the device that you are active, although if you’ve

ever had to string three racquets in an hour you know it takes a lot more effort than simply standing in place, so you may be burning a few more calories due to the movement (and stress, if any).

We are not in a position to dispense medical advice, but to keep from gain-ing weight until you recover, your best bet seems to be to reduce your caloric intake, and walk for a couple of minutes every hour even when you are doing a lot of stringing, depending on what is allowable given your physical condition.

Q Digest notes

Years ago, the “Stringer’s Digest” came in a loose-leaf

binder. In those days, updates were added by individual pages we could insert in the binder. A bonus with the loose-leaf binder was the ability to make notes in the margins of the

pages and keep these through the years.

When the Digest became a bound publication, which I realize is probably a function of cost, I wrote to you about how trying to retain notes from the old Digest to the new Digest is now pretty much impossible.

AThanks for your feedback. From what we hear, the overwhelming majority of

our members have told us they ap-preciate the new format because the pages don't fall out and new racquets are included alphabetically among the old frames, so they have to look in only one place, instead of two.

One way to make the best use of the new format while retaining your notes is to keep your notes with

Your Equipment HotlineAsk the Experts


We welcome your questions. Please send them to Tennis Industry, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096; fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].


your other customer records. That way when the customer comes in, you see any special notes on his customer record before even refer-ring to the Digest, so replacing your Digest doesn’t mean having to copy over all your notes. You can do this in your own loose-leaf notebook, or in a simple computer spreadsheet or database.

Q Tie-off tangle

I just finished a racquet for which the Digest

lists the mains tie off at 6T. I used 6T on one side, but on the other side I accidentally tied off at 8T. I am afraid that if I undo the knot, my string may be damaged in that area, so it may be better to just leave it.

In the future, should I stick to the 6T tie off, because the 8T tie off appears to be cleaner/shorter, with less string going on the out-side of the frame?

AAs long as you have a tie-off hole for the crosses, you should be able to

complete the string job even using the “wrong” tie-off holes. To avoid problems in this particular situ-ation, you can start your crosses in such a way that they end (and tie off ) on the side of the racquet where you tied the mains off at the correct hole.

In the future, if using the “wrong” holes works better for you, that’s great. Usually, however, swapping the tie-off holes for the mains and crosses means your main tie-off is blocking the hole for the cross tie-off, so you are creating more work for yourself in that respect. As long as you can negotiate the tie-off string around the string blocking the hole, you should be fine.

Whatever you decide, stick with it so you are stringing that frame consistently each time the cus-tomer brings it in. —Greg Raven •


Tourna Big Red is a monofilament poly. According to Tourna, Big Red is a soft, comfortable, playable poly that is easy on the arm. Tourna designed Big Red as a control-oriented string with outstanding feel, with medium power to give players excellent accuracy and directional control. Additionally, Tourna tells us that Big Red has great tension maintenance and durability.

Tourna Big Red is intended for intermediate to advanced players.

Big Red is available in 16 and 17 gauges in red only. It is priced from $7.95 for 40-foot sets, and $79.95 for 660-foot reels. For more information or to order, contact Tourna at 800-554-3707, or visit uniquesports.us. Be sure to read the conclusion for more informa-tion about a special offer on Big Red from Tourna.

In the Lab We tested the 16-gauge Big Red. The coil measured 41 feet 10 inches. The diameter measured 1.27 mm prior to stringing, and 1.26 mm after stringing. We recorded a string bed stiffness of 74 RDC units immediately after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a constant-pull machine.

After 24 hours (no playing), string-bed stiffness measured 69 RDC units, repre-senting a 6.8 percent tension loss. Our control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original Gold 16, measured 84 RDC units immediately after stringing and 77 RDC units after 24 hours, representing an 8.3 percent tension loss. In lab testing, Prince Syn-thetic Gut Original has a stiffness of 217 and a tension loss of 11.67 pounds, while Tourna Big Red 16 has a stiffness of 194 and a tension loss of 16.32 pounds. Big Red 16 added 16.3 grams to the weight of our unstrung frame.

String Playtest


Tourna Big Red 16

The string was tested for five weeks by 31 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP ratings from 3.5 to 5.5. These are blind tests, with playtesters receiving un-marked strings in unmarked packages. Average number of hours playtested was 23.4.

Tourna Big Red feels stiff out of the package, which is not unusual for a poly. Coil memory made it a bit unruly on the mains, but installing the crosses was nice, as the mains offered just the right deflection during weaving. Even before getting the lab test results, it became obvious that Big Red wasn’t as stiff as it seemed, because we had to trim the end twice while negotiating a blocked hole. Finally, Big Red offers great feedback when cinching down knots.

One playtester broke the sample dur-ing stringing, 11 reported problems with coil memory, five reported problems tying knots, two reported friction burn, and none reported other problems.

On the CourtOur playtest team found Durability to be excellent in Tourna Big Red, and Resis-tance to Movement and Control each to be well above average.

No playtester reported premature

Playtester Ratings Ease of Stringing(compared to other strings)

much easier 1somewhat easier 1about as easy 16not quite as easy 12not nearly as easy 1 Overall Playability(compared to the string played most often)

much better 1somewhat better 3about as playable 5not quite as playable 15not nearly as playable 6 Overall Durability(compared to other strings of similar gauge)

much better 7somewhat better 14about as durable 7not quite as durable 2not nearly as durable 0 Rating AveragesFrom 1 to 5 (best) Playability 3.2Durability 4.1Power 3.4Control 3.5Comfort 2.7Touch/Feel 2.7Spin Potential 3.3Holding Tension 3.3Resistance to Movement 3.8

By Greg Raven


fraying or peeling, or buzzing, and five reported notching. Three members of the playtest team broke the sample dur-ing the playtest period, one each at 6, 12 and 27 hours.

ConclusionBig Red’s higher-than-normal installed weight implies a denser material, which might help explain its great durability and truly impressive measured tension maintenance. These characteristics at this price point should be exceptionally attractive to budget-conscious players.

If you think Tourna Big Red might be for you, Unique is offering a special buy one, get one free offer to USRSA members.

Playtester Comments"String has great control and resis-tance to movement. Plays fairly stiff with average power, but very good for putting spin on the ball. Has a firm feel on volleys and is great for hitting aggressive serves. Easy to keep the ball in the court.” —4.5 male all-court player using Wilson Steam Spin strung at 64 pounds CP (Head Reflex MLT 16)“Very good power from the baseline. Good spin production. Slight loss of control probably due to lower ten-sion. Very good tension retention.” —3.5 male baseliner with heavy spin using Prince O3 White strung at 51 pounds CP (Ytex Square X/Ytex Touch 16)“This string hit well! Recommended for anyone looking for a more durable string either in a full poly setup or in a hybrid. The hybrid would provide the durability and control of a polyester with a softer feel and power of a mul-tifilament.” —3.5 male baseliner with heavy spin using Babolat Pure Drive Roddick strung at 60 pounds LO (Solinco Tour Bite 16L)“While it still had a poly feel, the play-ability was better than expected. This is one of the few strings that I would be willing to switch from a hybrid for.” —4.5 male all-court player using Prince Textreme Tour strung at 49 pounds CP (Prince Tour XC/Prince Premier Control 16L/16)(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses. For the rest of the tester comments, visit www.tennisin-dustrymag.com.)


Want more kids and families in your programs? There is no better place to look than

your local schools.But, how do you go about getting

permission to promote your programs? And how do you get kids and families excited about tennis and aware of what your facility has to offer?

The USTA has developed a Partner with Schools Handbook to help facility and program leaders understand how to make connections with schools, con-duct fun demonstrations and events, and link kids and families to follow-up programs. This resource is available for free at usta.com/schoolshandbook.

In addition to tips and techniques for meeting with decision-makers, the handbook provides several options for creating interest for tennis on school grounds, including assemblies, lunch-time demos, class visits and festivals. There are a wide variety of games and activities, too, along with tips for conducting Kids’ Tennis Clubs and Play Days for school kids.

Do Your HomeworkBefore approaching school decision-makers, though, connect with your local USTA office to let them know of your interest in partnering with a local school or schools. They may have exist-ing contacts and relationships that can benefit your facility, and they’ll have ac-cess to resources and support that can complement your outreach efforts. This often includes equipment discounts, program grants, training, curriculum and more.

Once you’ve made contact with your

local USTA office, this recipe can help you get on a fast track for creating school and facility partnerships to grow your programs:

1. Create a program flier for distribu-tion at the schools.

2. Get to know the targeted school administrators, teachers and person-nel and promote the benefits of the program. You can do this in a number of ways, including attending PTO/PTA meetings; conducting an assembly or demo (with permission); offering to assist with P.E. classes; assisting with a USTA School Tennis Workshop. (usta.com/schools has more information on materials and resources available for conducting PE programs, Kids’ Tennis Clubs, and School Workshops).

3. Organize a Play Event to kick off the program at your facility.

Generating IncomeAround the country, many pros and youth program providers have created successful partnerships with schools and have grown their business, result-ing in new members and customers for their facility and thousands of dollars in additional income.

PTR pro Mark Smith from Green-ville, S.C., for example, targeted a school near his club in an effort to grow his junior program and gain new members. In working with just one school, he generated over $30,000 in additional income through lessons, clinics, pro shop sales, league teams and member-ships.

“The USTA Schools program is a great vehicle for creating partnerships with local schools,” Smith told me.

USPTA pro Chris Michalowski of Traverse City, Mich., has been target-ing schools in his community for many years. His school-based strategies have resulted in reaching thousands of kids through on-site schools programs that have generated significant revenue and brought new players into his facility.

I’ve benefitted from targeting schools, too. Prior to joining the USTA as the National Schools Program Man-ager in 2004, I worked with schools that connected to my youth develop-ment program. I conducted assem-blies, class visits, school trainings, and taught lessons for schoolteachers to establish long-term relationships as a foundation for my programs.

With a little effort, you’ll find unlim-ited opportunities to transition kids from school-based programs to facili-ties. It’s good for the game, and it will be great for your bottom line! •

Getting Ahead of the ClassA grassroots tennis expert says partnering with local schools will grow your business and generate revenue. By Jason Jamison

Your Serve

PTR and USPTA professional Jason Jamison is a tennis industry consultant with over 25 years of experience with USTA and facility pro-grams. He serves regularly

as a trainer and presenter for conferences and workshops around the country. From 2004 through 2015, Jamison served as National Manager for School Tennis for the USTA. He and his team were respon-sible for quadrupling program participa-tion and creating on-court and program delivery resources used throughout the industry. He can reached at [email protected] and through his website, coveringthecourt.net.

We welcome your opinions. Please email comments to [email protected].


42 CEO’s Message 44 First Vice President’s Message45 Master Pro Corner46 USPTA News

48 Endorsee News50 Inside Coaching54 Beyond the Court58 Career Development60 Member News

On the cover: In 2015, the USPTA Foundation gave a grant to ACEing Autism, one of 18 programs that support the mission statement “to help economically disadvantaged people learn tennis.” See Page 47.

Departments:

Inside this issue

Trip of a Lifetime to the US Open – 54

Rainy-day Tennis on the Racquetball Courts – 50

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Game Changing!CEO’s Message

42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

A s many of you know, the USTA is developing the “USTA National Campus” in Lake Nona, Fla., (in the city of Orlando), which

will be the single largest tennis complex in the world (102 courts). It will house both the USTA Community Tennis operations and Player Development. Scheduled completion date is antici-pated to be in late 2016. In an attempt to make this location the epicenter of tennis in the U.S., the USTA has invited allied organizations and tennis companies to join them in order to create a dynamic and vibrant “Home of American Tennis.” Tavistock Development Company, part of the international investment organization Tavistock Group, is the full-service development company working with everyone who is considering a move to this location. Think of it this way: Tavistock is the owner of a giant mall, the USTA will serve as the anchor ten-ant, and Tavistock is trying to attract other storefronts to build out what will be a huge tennis mecca. Since learning about the USTA’s intentions and what their plans were more than 18 months ago, the USPTA Board of Directors believed it to be its fiduciary responsibility to examine the opportunity of relocating to central Florida to be a part of this endeavor. Would a move like this make sense, both from a financial as well as a busi-ness perspective? What would it mean to the USPTA to leave our home for the last 25 years and relocate? What would the impact be on the staff? Could we afford to sell our building and lose the rental income, or could we even keep our building and be an absentee landlord? What would the upside be of moving to this complex? What would it cost us to operate in Lake Nona vs. Houston? What would our relationship be with the USTA, knowing that we are steadfast about remaining an indepen-dent trade association right in their backyard?

These, along with many other ques-tions, were all part of the due diligence that the Board undertook to develop a game plan that was finally presented to the Executive Committee for consider-ation last September during our World Conference in New Orleans. Months of number crunching, financial analysis, evaluation of various real estate op-tions, design and schematic prepara-tion, construction budgets prepara-tion, etc., all played a huge part in de-termining a proper course of action. After consider-able deliberation, the Executive Com-mittee overwhelmingly voted to sell our existing building in Houston and move to Lake Nona. Turn the clock back to the early ’90s when the then-Executive Committee decided that it would be best for the association at that time to move from Florida to Texas and to purchase a building in a commercial real estate area in Houston. It was a game-changing decision at that time. The senior leadership of the association knew that it was a bit of a leap of faith to make that commitment because no one could look into a crystal ball and know how everything would play out. Without question, it proved to be a pru-dent decision. We are all aware of the incredibly rapid pace of change happening in the world today. Technology and innovation are driving businesses and changing organizations quickly, some in a good way, some in a not-so-good way. One thing is clear: those entities that do not embrace change and proactively look to prosper in the new world will fall be-hind and eventually become irrelevant. The leadership of the USPTA desires to always be on the front lines of innova-tion for our sport and the fulcrum for that innovation will clearly be at this new “Home of American Tennis” for decades to come. With that in mind, the

USPTA would be foolhardy not to make another leap of faith as was done more than two decades ago. I readily applaud the bold thinking and the strategic vision of the USPTA Board of Directors and Executive Com-mittee for this decision. It is game- changing for the USPTA. Without a doubt, we have to do everything that we can to manage the downside risk and

minimize any financial concern that comes with making this commitment. But, we will dedicate every resource possible to ensure that the USPTA will come out of this stronger and more rel-evant than before. Now, the heavy lifting begins. We will be selling our building shortly, purchasing the land from Tavis-tock, constructing a state-of-the-art, 10,000-square-foot building right at the base of the USTA National Campus and then handling a relocation of staff and operations sometime in early 2017, as-suming everything works according to plan. But, you know how construction timelines typically go. Naturally, we will attempt to do so without any interruption of services provided during the transition. It is not going to be easy to manage through this scenario, but the staff is professional and understands its obligation to first serve our membership in the best pos-sible fashion. I cannot promise that there won’t be some hiccups along the way, but we hope to keep them to the bare minimum. The Board and I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. You can look forward to getting regular updates from me as we progress through this game-changing time in the history of our association. h

by John Embree

The leadership of the USPTA desires to always be on the front lines of innovation for our sport, and the fulcrum for that innovation will clearly be at this new “Home of American Tennis” for decades to come.

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W indscreen participant.)

• Active Sports 800-322-2848

• Tennis Equipment Sales 480-443-1084

• Total Tennis 614-488-5004

• Athletic Connection 800-527-0871

Our Financial Future Depends on Every Member

by Gary Trost

First Vice President’s Message

In 1990, the USPTA Board of Direc-tors had the foresight to move the national headquarters from Flori-da to Houston and buy our existing

building. A great deal of hard work by the staff during these subsequent years has given us an opportunity to make this exciting move back to Florida. We need to thank all of the past board members and staff for their efforts. It was not easy to move to Houston, and it will not be easy to move to Lake Nona. I believe that we are going to surge ahead as an association, our brand will be recognized and we will grow throughout the industry. As I take the chair of the Finance Committee in the coming months, there are many things that we can all do to help the USPTA make this move and surge ahead.

Support our endorsees and partnersEvery USPTA member should be stocking and using Prince racquets and balls, Nike shoes and clothing from Fromuth, ten-nis court equipment from 10-S Tennis Supply, and products from our other endorsees. Not only does it help you by increasing your sales and products that you receive, it is sending money to your retirement account. The USPTA will make extra money with bonuses and continued support from our endorsees.

Be an ambassador of USPTAYour efforts as an ambassador will always multiply through the industry. Other tennis professionals will want to

be part of our association, tennis players will want to take lessons from USPTA Professionals, and general managers

will want to employ USPTA Profession-als. Host a test or educational work-shop at your facility

and encourage others to get certified and engaged. We all need to pitch in and work together.

Do the simple stuffThe easiest way to help us out is by doing the basics, get your dues paid as soon as you can, and get those 6 hours of education! Remind your staff and USPTA colleagues to continue their support of our association – the future is bright for us and you can help us on our way. h


The best programs start with the best coaches. The best coaches start with Coach Youth Tennis.

Learn how to:

• Teach tennis skills and fundamentals

• Organize age appropriate games and activities

• Communicate more effectively with children

Learn more at CoachYouthTennis.com

© 2015 United States Tennis Association. All rights reserved.

ONLINE COURSES ON-COURT RESULTS

Host a test or educational workshop at your facility and encourage others to get certified and engaged. We all need to pitch in and work together.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 45

So you ask, what is the deal with these Master Pros? Read on for interesting facts about USPTA Master Professionals.

In 1983, the USPTA announced a new class of membership – Master Professional. The problem was that the require-ments were a bit vague. The general fields were service to tennis, service to the USPTA, demon-strated coaching and play-ing skills, education and training, contributions to professional develop-ment, and publications. At the convention in Saddlebrook, Bob Love went to George Bacso, na-tional awards and testing chairman, and expressed concerns about the lack of specificity in the re-quirements. For example there were no apparent “places” for the officiating, or articles written for news-papers and magazines. His response was

that he would welcome Love creating a point system, and then would review it. Love created a 600-point system with 150 points in each of four areas

– publications and research, service to industry, coaching and competing and service to USPTA. For each item he indicated the type of support material the Master Pro Committee would require for veri-fication. Items included articles published in local newspapers or magazines, radio and TV tips, graduate research projects, theses, and doctoral dissertations. A person needed to score 450 points with a mini-mum of 75 in each area for acceptance. Love was asked to be the commit-tee chairman, a position

he held for the next six years. The Master Pro program has evolved a great deal over the years in a very posi-

tive direction, and any Master Profes-sional today is highly deserving of the honor. The basic concepts of honesty, service, devotion, and passion for tennis that the early Master Professional pos-sessed are still exemplified by the Mas-ter Professionals of today. Our newest Master Profession-als, honored in 2015, are Michael Chamberlain, Christopher Chopra, Stan Oley, James Shaughnessy and John Trinity. This group exhibits a continued desire to help others and contribute to both USPTA and the tennis profession. Many of the Master Professionals have submitted materials for the Busi-ness Essentials section on the USPTA website. This is a collection of docu-ments and information in several cat-egories, from interviews to operations. The group also presents at the World Conference, and will continue to share at the division level. All it takes is a call, and most (if not all) of these profession-als are ready to help. Please keep that in mind whenever you have a chance to chat with a Master Professional. While it is a great honor to become a Master Professional, you will rarely find a group more willing to help and share. h

Master Pro CornerMaster Pro by the NumbersBy Pat Whitworth and Bob Love, USPTA Master Professionals

Pat Whitworth, left, is the tennis profes-sional for the River Club in Suwanee, Ga. He is a past president of the USPTA Southern Division. Bob Love, right, has

been a national clinician for the USTA and at USPTA conferences. He has made presentations in Spain and Egypt and has been a tennis teacher for 48 years.

The Master Pro program has evolved a great deal over the years in a very positive direction, and any Master Professional today is highly deserving of the honor. The basic concepts of honesty, service, devotion, and passion for tennis that the early Master Professional possessed are still exemplified by the Master Professionals of today.

The first USPTA Master Professional class, 1983. Front Row: Tim Heckler, Bill Tym. Middle Row: Dick King, John Verde, Nick Bollettieri, Newton Cox, Gary Wilensky, Bob Love, Ted Withall. Back Row: George Bacso, Les Long-shore, Paul Gagon, Jack Justice, Don Henson , Gardnar Mulloy, Don Leary. (Not pictured: Peter Burwash, Fred Earle.)

Current Master Pros in divisions:

5 – California 7 – Eastern29 – Florida 2 – Hawaii

6 – Intermountain 3 – International

12 – Mid-Atlantic4 – Middle States

17 – Midwest8 – Missouri Valley 8 – New England

1 – Northern4 – Northern California 2 – Pacific Northwest

4 – San Diego 25 – Southern

7 – Southwest14 – Texas

Master Pro Stats:• 1983 The year the Master Pro level began• 18 Number of pros in the first class • 156 The current number of Master Pros• 42 The age of the youngest members • 102 The age of Gardnar Mulloy, our

oldest member• 28 The youngest age that anyone achieved

Master Pro status – Ed McQuillin. • 65 The median age for current Master Pros • 10 Years certified at Elite Professional

before you can apply

USPTA is now accepting nomi-nations for its 2016 National Awards Program. As the lead-er in tennis-teacher education

and certification, each year the USPTA honors members who are committed to excellence as tennis teachers and as am-bassadors using tennis to impact people and communities. This year the awards period has moved to a calendar year, and the nomi-nating period has been moved up to accommodate the new schedule. The awards period for 2016 is from Jan. 1, 2015 - Dec. 31, 2015. All Professional-level members are eligible. USPTA is accepting nominations until the Feb. 28 deadline. These changes were made to allow the Awards Committee more time to review applications and give award recipients more time to make travel arrangements to accept their awards in person. Recipients will be recognized during the USPTA World Conference, Sept. 25-29, at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif. In addition, the USPTA will no longer recognize Players of the Year based off of USPTA player rankings. Instead, winners of the USPTA Masters Invitational will be awarded during a ceremony after the completion of the tournament. The Awards Committee voted to rename the College Coach of the Year award after Steve Wilkinson, a USPTA Hall of Fame inductee who retired in 2009 after 39 years as the head coach at Gustavus Adolphus College’s men’s tennis program, where he was the win-ningest coach in the history of men’s col-legiate tennis with 923 victories. Also new in 2016, nominations may be submitted via an online form along with supporting documents. Online forms can be accessed at uspta.com/awards.

The awards categories are as follows:

• Alex Gordon Award for Professional of the Year

• USPTA Stars

• USPTA Industry Excellence Award

• Steve Wilkinson College Coach of the Year

• High School Coach of the Year

• Tim Gullikson Touring Coach of the Year

• George Bacso Tester of the Year

• USPTA Lessons for Life™ Award

• USPTA U30 Award

• USPTA Diversity Award

• Manager of the Year, Large and Small Facility

Award nomination forms and guide-lines are available at uspta.com/awards or by sending a request to [email protected]. Since changes have been made to some individual categories, as well as Division of the Year criteria, be sure to read the general rules and requirements for each award carefully. Also there are changes to the awards format at the conference, so please note that while all awards will be announced in writing at the confer-ence, not all awards will be presented formally as they have in the past. h

USPTA News2016 USPTA Annual Awards Program Open for Nominations


As the leader in tennis-teacher education and certification, each year the USPTA honors members who are committed to excellence as tennis teach-ers and as ambassadors using tennis to impact people and communities.

Jorge Capestany, 2015 Alex Gordon USPTA Professional of the Year

USPTA NewsUSPTA Foundation Raises Goal for 2016

The USPTA Foundation, Inc., completed its second year of operations awarding grants to needy tennis programs

nationwide. In 2015, the Founda-tion selected 18 programs that sup-port the mission statement “to help economically disadvantaged people learn tennis.” Programs include wheelchair, veterans of war, and inner city youth. Grants exceeding $32,000 were awarded to programs that have USPTA-certified members on the staff. A’s and Aces, ACEing Autism, Harper for Kids, Mardy Fish Founda-tion, Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation, Tennis Success, Upstate NY Cerebral Palsy Down the Line, Serv-ing for Success, and Tennis 4 Every 1 are just some of the programs your USPTA Foundation supported in 2015. If you are involved with a program that fits

the mission statement, please apply for a USPTA Foundation grant online at uspta.com/Foundation. The Foundation is responsible for raising its own funds, primarily at the silent auction. The World Conference in New Orleans raised its highest total ever. Many divisions stepped up and added valuable prizes that helped gen-erate nearly $20K for the foundation. As we move into 2016, the foun-dation target operational budget is $50,000. This increased budget will al-low your foundation to fund more pro-grams across the country. Most of the budget is allocated to funding grants since the Board of Directors and com-mittee members are all volunteers. How can each USPTA member help the foundation? You can make a tax-deductible contribution and join other USPTA members on the Foun-dation Recognition ladder. h


USPTA Foundation Gift Recognition Ladder

l Platinum Donor = $2,500 and abovel Gold Donor = $1,000-$2,499l Silver Donor = $500 - $999l Bronze Donor = $250 - $499l Patron = $249 or below

Your generous donation will support programs that help economically dis-advantaged people learn tennis. Please make your tax deductible check out to and mail to: USPTA Foundation 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite 202 Houston, TX 77042

USPTA Foundation Board of Directors: Warren Lem, Nancy Cox, Christin Thurston, Kristen Wilson & Pat Whitworth

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Prince regional Brand Manager Miguel Rosa is passionate about his job and the op-portunity it brings for him to

work directly with USPTA members. Covering Florida and parts of the Ca-ribbean gives him a large area to cover and plenty of opportunity to help edu-cate USPTA members on the Prince benefits. “I honestly enjoy being able to meet and help the many diverse USPTA Professionals that live and work in my territory. Besides being able to help educate them on the Prince TeXtreme line, I also help promote the many ter-rific Prince benefits that are available to them through the USPTA,” said Rosa. We had an opportunity to talk with Miguel and ask him a few questions about what he thought were the high-lights of the Prince-USPTA relationship.

Q: What do you believe is the top benefit that many USPTA mem-bers should take advantage of but perhaps are unaware of that Prince offers?

A: Without a doubt, the USPTA’s Re-tirement Gold+ Plan has to be the top benefit. It’s one I would take advantage of. Prince contributes 5 percent on the purchase of racquets and accessories, and 2.5 percent on both Tour and Play & Stay balls* to the USPTA’s Retirement Gold+ plan for any USPTA Professional who is a club shop owner or who has

direct financial responsibility for their shops. Many members don’t know that Prince was the first major USPTA endorsee to contribute to the retirement plan.

Q: Do USPTA members have the op-portunity to access new Prince equipment ahead of the general market?

A: Absolutely. At Prince we are com-mitted to ensuring all players are always “fitted” for the optimum equipment for their game. I will hold demo days for any USPTA pro that requests one and provide the pros and their members an opportu-nity to test our TeXtreme line while educating them on the benefits of this breakthrough technology.

Q: Does Prince provide special in-centives or programs for USPTA members?

A: That is probably one of the most obvious benefits of the Prince-USPTA partnership. We provide USPTA members access to several Team Prince equipment packages that are sure to fit every member’s needs. Additionally, we provide very competitive industry pricing to our USPTA members who would like to enhance their shop with the Prince TeXtreme line. The TeXtreme tech-nology has been wildly successful and when I hold a Prince demo day, club members are always excited to experience firsthand the improve-ments that these new racquets actu-ally make to their game.

Q: What would be one last feature of the Prince-USPTA partner-ship you would share?

A: I think many USPTA members are surprised when I share with them that Prince offers a Friends & Fam-ily program. What a great way to share their love of the game by giv-ing USPTA pros’ friends and family access to some of their Prince- USPTA benefits! h

* All USPTA Professionals may receive contributions to their Retirement

Gold+ accounts for purchases of tennis balls.


Up Close & Personal: Q & A with Prince Brand Manager Miguel Rosa on Prince-USPTA Member Benefits

Endorsee News

For more information on the many Prince-USPTA benefits, contact your local Prince Brand Manager or visit the USPTA Prince page on the USPTA website at uspta.com/Prince.

Early on in my career I added racquetball and squash to my list of sports just because they were related racquet sports

and because I could get a racquet work-out indoors on a rainy day. The obvi-ous next step for me, since tennis was my main sport, was to play tennis on the racquetball courts on rainy days. I created some simple rules and began a long and productive journey to im-prove the tennis games for my clients on the racquetball courts. The courts I access now are full-size racquetball courts at our club and not just a couple short side walls and a front wall. The three-sided walls are fine in a pinch and will help warm up all the strokes, but they give you only a fraction of what the six-sided* courts can. Do what you can to find any avail-able indoor or covered outdoor full courts and you will begin to see the im-provement every time you and your cli-ents/friends use the racquetball courts to play tennis. Have the clients pay for the indoor time or work a deal with the club that has the courts – the benefits will be worth it to both your adult and junior programs. The six-sided racquetball court is about half the length of a tennis court and I use the first line up from the floor on the front wall as the “net.” All serves must hit above the first line on the front wall first, then may bounce off the floor or side walls. (I would not recom-mend serving and hitting the front wall then the back wall in the air). Once the serve is in play, you may hit any wall you like as long as the ball hits above the first line on the front wall during that sequence of shots. You may also use the back wall during the rally after the serve. The benefits to tennis from the rac-quetball court are numerous:

Inside CoachingRainy-day Tennis on the Racquetball Courts


By Gerry Berkheimer, USPTA

I tell my kids on rainy days that they are the only ones playing tennis today any-where in the county because we are the only club with racquetball courts. If you have access to indoor racquetball courts, there are no rained-out tennis days.


1. Since the length is about half the distance of a tennis court and has a solid wall at that point, the player’s reaction time in preparation in-creases dramatically – I would say doubling in quickness would be safe. Keep in mind the floors are wood or another very fast surface so the player must respond faster to stay with the court, wall and hit-ting speeds. When the player goes out to a regular tennis court, the quickness in preparation shows immediately – the player prepar-ing to hit the incoming ball is extremely early and waiting to ad-dress the ball as now he has twice the distance to get ready.

2. The enhanced reaction time in reading where the ball is being hit by the opponent also is valuable. As the player is in a smaller space on a racquetball court, he has to follow the ball much more quickly from various angles to make the shot. On the tennis court the player arrives earlier to the designated hitting point as he has a longer, straighter surface and more time to run to that particular shot.

3. Reaction time is also increased by the smaller six-sided court and its angles as opposed to watching a sin-gle linear ball path on a larger ten-nis court. Initially a player will miss many of the angles on a racquetball court as he is accustomed to linear training on a tennis court, but once that player has learned to respond to shots off several walls and seem-ingly an infinite number of possible angles in the shortest amounts of time, that player automatically becomes faster and believes he is faster when back with only the lin-ear path on the tennis court.

(Note here that players will smack their racquets against the side and back walls until they adjust to the distance, then that problem virtu-ally disappears. I would recommend using older or used racquets until they find their range. To date I have had no racquets broken on the rac-quetball court walls).

4. Playing tennis points on a rac-quetball court will improve fitness Photo by Brian Walters Photography

rapidly. The rallies are significantly longer as players improve and learn the wall angles. We play games to 50, 75, or 100. I’ve had games to 75 with 30-50 shots on many points on the racquetball courts and this fitness, intensity, and focus will definitely carry over to the tennis courts. If the score is 75-60, you have played 135 points – 5 ½ “golden” sets or about three competitive sets. Playing this game to 75 takes about 45 minutes to one hour. That quick burst of speed needed to retrieve the ball on racquetball courts really helps on the quick first step needed at the tennis baseline and at the net as well.

I would only recommend two tennis players on the racquetball court when playing competitively, although after 35 years of using racquetball courts, I have had only two or three minor

injuries with three to eight juniors running around. The question of safety has come up often over the years and I recommend the racquetball safety glasses to concerned players; however, I do believe a unique self-preservation kicks in on close quarters of the rac-quetball court. I have had many more accidental injuries on the tennis court with colliding doubles partners, play-ers misgauging incoming lobs, or get-ting hit by overheads than hitting one another on the racquetball court. I also utilize the racquetball courts for individual shot improvement on serving, the serve and volley routine, groundstrokes, volleys, overheads, half-volleys, swing volleys, and drop shots. Even Bucharest Backfires and “tweeners” can be practiced on the rac-quetball court. Each shot can be honed individually then used in different sequences and combinations to reflect those same shot patterns on the tennis court. Another point to consider is the type tennis ball to take on the racquetball court. It is here that I select almost dead tennis balls for beginners and advanced beginners and new balls for the fastest game with my intermedi-

ates and advanced players. The dead or well-used balls have the pace for the slower game and less experienced players while they get accustomed to the multi-walled court and speed of the surface. The new balls will boost the adrenalin levels of your best players by creating an extremely quick and often reflexive game of strokes and footwork. Games are where the fun really be-gins. There is a game for the advanced kids where they have to call the shot they are going to make before they make it. Calling the shot in advance makes them think ahead. I include games where one player hits the most number of balls he can, then switches with one of several kids I have standing against the back wall. The highest num-ber of hits wins. Another game is each player hits one ball and rotates to the back wall until it is his turn again. If a player wins 10 points, he wins the game.

The kids love the games and the number of games are up to your imagination. I have seen such immediate im-provements with my kids’ speed and reaction times from the racquetball courts to the tennis courts that I have considered going to the racquetball courts once or twice a week on “nice” days and/or if I have extra kids or adults. For the record you may use a squash court for these games and strokes too. I tell my kids on rainy days that they are the only ones playing tennis today anywhere in the county because we are the only club with racquetball courts. If you have access to indoor racquetball courts, there are no rained-out tennis days. h

* I include the floor as a side as it is so valuable in the training

Gerry Berkheimer has been a USPTA member for more than 30 years. As a coach, he worked with more than 15 top 300 players in the world and one top 30 player. Berkheimer is in

his 21st year as the tennis director at The Jungle Club in Vero Beach, Fla. To contact Berkheimer regarding the article, call 772-321-7800.

I have seen such immediate improvements with my kids’ speed and reaction times from the racquetball courts to the tennis courts that I have considered going to the racquetball courts once or twice a week on ‘nice’ days and/or if I have extra kids or adults.

Trip of a Lifetime to the US OpenBeyond the Court


The vibrant atmosphere of the US Open was highlighted by the suite we enjoyed on the mezzanine level of Arthur

Ashe Stadium,” Chuck Poteet recalls, “with great food and unbelievable seats to view the matches.” He’s referring to the once-in-a-life-time opportunity he and his wife Freda enjoyed at the US Open after winning the grand prize in the Tennis Thanks the Troops contest. Tennis Thanks the Troops is a campaign organized by ThanksUSA, which since 2006 has provided more than $11 million in educational scholarships to the children and spouses of our servicemen and wom-en. Awardees represent all military branches—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve—and come from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Tennis Thanks the Troops cam-paign offers a reward to the club or pro that raises the most money: two tick-ets to the US Open along with airfare and lodging. For the third year in a row, the grand prize trip was awarded to Berkeley Hills Country Club in Du-luth, Ga. Tennis Director Todd As-sini began his 2015 push by hosting a Memorial Day tennis mixer and

concluded by hosting a Wimbledon viewing party and silent auction. “It is the least we can do for all those who sacrifice every day for our freedom,” he said. The Poteets’ son from Berkeley Hills Country Club decided to turn the trip over to his mother, an avid tennis player for years. Freda, who plays in USTA, ALTA and league ten-nis in the Atlanta area, was able to turn a dream into reality during this astonishing trip. She was thrilled

when Martina Hingis, her favorite player, and partner Sania Mirza con-tinued their run by winning the US Open women’s doubles title without losing a set. Chuck and Freda Poteet know the stresses military service can mean for families. Chuck’s father was in the military. He came of age on the heels of the Vietnam War and went into law en-forcement in 1979, where he continues to be active today. “This was a trip of a lifetime that she and I will always remember,” Poteet said. “I think your [Tennis Thanks the Troops] campaign does great things for the families of our ser-vice men and women, and I appreciate any organization that recognizes the sacrifices made by so few to protect so many.” h

ThanksUSA in partnership with the USPTA continues to support scholarships for military families. To join our team, visit www.ThanksUSA.org.

Tennis Thanks the Troops provides “a trip of a lifetime that she and I will always remember.”

“… the highlight would have to be the suite we enjoyed on the mezzanine level of Arthur Ashe Stadium…”

Chuck and Freda Poteet at the US Open, courtesy of Tennis Thanks the Troops.

“

All Rezilient Direct policies pay cash directly to you, even if you are covered under another plan. These policies will cover expenses not paid under your major medical plan such as

daily living expenses, rent, or the loss of income from being out of work.Monthly policies cost as little as $25.00 for accident, $40.00 for critical illness and $87.00 for hospitalization.

* International members and those over the age of 65 are exempt from the professional development requirements

of membership.

And remember, you can check to see how

many credits you already have at any time by logging into your member

documents at uspta.com.


Career Development

March 7-8 La Jolla, Calif.

March 11 Rochester, N.Y.

March 12-13 Boca Raton, Fla.

March 12-13 Huntington Beach, Calif.

March 12-13 Rye, N.H.

March 15 Jackson, Miss.

March 18 Nichols Hills, Okla.

March 19-20 Paradise Valley, Ariz.

March 20 Columbus, Ohio

March 24 Minneapolis

March 25-26 Houston*

April 9-10 Aurora, Ill.

April 9-10 Orlando, Fla.

April 10-11 Lakewood, Calif.

* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters. Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam, upgrade and PTCA I unless noted. Exam cancellations must be received no later than 14 days before the exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly. Applicant: late cancellation fee – $95; failure to cancel – application fee is forfeited. Certified members: late cancellation fee – $25; failure to cancel – $25 plus the upgrade fee is forfeited. Registration for another exam will not be accepted until cancellation fees are paid.

(4 credits for PTCA I segment)

Exams, Upgrades & PTCA I

Register your Accredited Professional Coach (APC) and specialty course credits earned with the USPTA SmartCode Education System. This uses your smartphone to instantly register your attendance

to all seminars and specialty courses earning APC.

To use the system at a seminar, general session or specialty course, you must scan two QR codes. One QR

code is on your conference badge. The second QR code will be in your conference notebook and cannot be scanned until the end of the session or the beginning of the next session.

If you do not have a smartphone, you may use someone else’s. Forms are available upon request.

Accredited Professional Coach

Education requirementsAll USPTA-certified Professionals must earn 6 education credits in a three-year period to remain current. Go to USPTA.com/Education for a partial list of eligible activi-ties. Please send verification (email, letter, certificate, receipt, etc.) that shows you attended the event/activity and submit it along with the date and agenda to [email protected] to receive your credit. (International members, Recreational Coaches and those over the age of 65 are exempt.) Questions? Write to [email protected] or call 800-877-8248, ext. 147.

Webinars

Feb. 10 Present challenges in

running a tennis complex

Fernando Velasco

March 10 TBD

Craig O’Shannessy

(.5 credits)

Feb. 18 USPTA Texas Convention

Horseshoe Bay, Texas

Feb. 19 USPTA Southwest Convention

Phoenix

Feb. 19 USPTA California Convention

Los Angeles

Feb. 25 USPTA Missouri Valley Convention

Kansas City, Kan.

March 4-5 USPTA Mid-Atlantic Convention

Rockville, Md.

March 6 USPTA San Diego Convention

La Jolla, Calif.

April 24-25 USPTA Eastern Convention

Chatham, N.Y.

May 1-2 USPTA New England Convention

Norwich, Conn.

May 12-14 USPTA Southern Convention

Atlanta

May 15 USPTA Hawaii Convention

Honolulu

Division Activities(6 credits)

Watch all 2015 recorded webinars at youtube.com/user/TheUSPTA. For more information visit uspta.com/Education>Education Calendar.

Cardio TennisFeb. 21 Cardio Tennis Training Course

Shipyard Racquet Club,

Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.

Member News


• Four USPTA members

were named 2014-15

Wilson/ITA Coaches of

the Year at the awards

banquet during the ITA

Coaches Convention in

Naples, Fla., in Decem-

ber: Mark Goldin, NAIA

Women’s Coach of the

Year, Cardinal Stritch

University; Hendrick Bode, NCAA Division II Men’s Coach of the Year, Hawaii Pacific University; David T. Porter,

NCAA Division II Women’s Coach of the Year, BYU-Hawaii; and Kelly Stahlhuth, NCAA Division

III Women’s Coach of the Year, Washington University in St. Louis.

ADDvantage magazine editorial offices

USPTA World Headquarters3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite 202Houston, TX 77042Phone – 713-978-7782 / 800-USPTA-4UFax – 713-358-7794email – [email protected]

Managing editor Kimberly ForresterCirculation Kathy Buchanan

Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time

ADDvantage is published monthly by the United States Professional Tennis Association.

The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the USPTA.

Copyright© United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA.

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Chuck Gill First Vice Gary Trost

President

Vice Presidents Alan Cutler Feisal Hassan Ken McAllister Jack Michalko

Diane Selke

Past President Tom McGrawCEO John EmbreeLegal Counsel George Parnell

TM

• Lane Evans, Director of Tennis & Wellness at Champion Hills Club in Hendersonville, N.C., had a

busy November giving and helping others. After receiving the 2015 USPTA Industry Excellence

Award, which came

with a $1,000 grant

and a new Tennis

Tutor ball machine

package valued

at around $3,000,

Evans decided to

go on a little giving

spree. He first gave

the $1,000 grant to

the tennis program

at West Henderson High School where the money will go toward court resurfacing or other team

needs. Evans then went to the Methodist University Professional Tennis Management program in

Fayetteville, N.C., for his next phase of giving. “They had an old broken down ball machine that was

being held together with spit and scotch tape so I decided the next gift should go to them,” Evans

said. Finally, he had one more item of giving business to attend to. Annually, he spearheads a food

drive to help the Hendersonville Rescue Mission. Through the tennis and fitness programs as well

as Champion Hills Club member generosity, many hundreds of pounds of food have been collected

and donated over the years for the mission.

• On Aug. 22, a Pro/Am Tournament was held on Williams Island, North Miami, Fla., to assist a

fellow USPTA member, Antony Emerson. Emerson, the son of legendary Roy

Emerson, was diagnosed with brain, lung and liver cancer in 2015. His friends

led a team of volunteers to organize and facilitate the event. A record number

of pros and amateurs were on hand for an exciting competition, all sporting

“Go Emmo” T-shirts and wristbands.

Those who did not play were still

included in the day’s festivities as par-

ticipants partook of a benefit lunch and silent auction,

all making for a very successful fundraiser. Emerson

is receiving treatment at home in California with his

family and friends. If you would like to contribute to his

ongoing battle, a site has been set up for him: www.

gofundme.com/AntonyEmerson

• Art Thomson (February 10, 1947 – December

19, 2015), lost his battle of over four years to

ALS. ALS robbed him of his

ability to walk and talk and

thus removed him from the

sport of tennis in Septem-

ber of 2013. Thomson, a

Colorado native, competed

for George Washington

High School. Graduat-

ing from the University

of Colorado-Boulder at No. 1 singles position,

he finished third in the Big 8 Conference. He

captured the 1981 Colorado State Open singles

title at age 34 and holds three major Colorado

open doubles titles – two Denver City Open

crowns (1971 and 1972) and one Intermountain

Championships (1973). He was runner up at the

Denver City Open twice (1970 and 1973). Over

a 30 year period, Thomson was named USPTA

Intermountain Player of the Year in various age

brackets, between 35 – 65. Thomson amassed

23 “triple titles” (singles, doubles and mixed) as

well as numerous individual singles and doubles

titles. In 1993, Thomson was named USPTA

National 45 and Over Singles Player of the Year.

In 2014, he was a Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame

inductee. During his 50+ years as a USPTA Elite

Professional, he worked at Arapahoe Tennis

Club, Mount Vernon Country Club, Vail Racquet

Club and was owner/director for Loves Acre in

Colorado. Thomson has shared his love and

passion for the game of tennis with countless

students. He is survived by his wife and tennis

partner, Laura (also a USPTA Professional),

two stepsons, Garth (Katie), Marc (Britta), and

grandchildren, Sophie and Cooper Miles.

201602 Tennis Industry magazine

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Transcript of 201602 Tennis Industry magazine