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Also Inside:
Footwear Equipment Construction
Updated and stylish Teaching pros must Award-winning
Impact
models from the top be key influencers pickleball courts highlight
manufacturers in gear purchases a growing sport
20 26 24
5
.3
TA pg
USP
ating
or
corp
In
www.tennisindustrymag.com
TennisIndustry
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 National Tennis Center to host
Fortnite Finals
7 TC’s Strokes of Genius
nominated for Emmys
24 26 28
7 WTA, PTR sign partnership
C OV E R P H O T O C O U RT E S Y KO S E R J E W E L E R S T E N N I S C H A L L E N G E ; T H I S PA G E : B A B O L AT, A S B A , S H U T T E R S T O C K , TA L L A H A S S E E T E N N I S C H A L L E N G E R
agreement
7 12th Annual TIA Tennis Forum
set for Aug. 26 in NYC
8 US Open Qualifying extended
to five days
8 Lininger named Dunlop’s
national sales manager
9 Estabrook named president
of Fila North America
9 Dunlop promotion sends fans
to ATP, Next Gen finals
10 Kiawah Island announces
Barth-Hawtin Tennis Academy
10 Short Sets
11 Selkirk announces $300K
pickleball prize pool
FOOTWEAR CONSTRUCTION RETAILING GRASSROOTS
11 Top pros set to play WTT
season July 14-31 Sizing Pickleball Influence Courting the
12 Rolley, Van Daalen join Them Up Push Peddler Community
PTR board of directors
12 Ball Buddy combines ball A closer look at Two award- Teaching pros Standout stops
mower and hopper the newest—and winning residential play an important on the USTA
quite stylish— projects help role in helping Pro Circuit
12 XTP extends handle of any shoe offerings highlight a sport players find the combine great
racquet or paddle from the top that continues right equipment for tennis with local
13 WTT, CBS Sports manufacturers. to grow in the U.S. their games. involvement.
Sign Multi-Year Deal P. 20 P. 24 P. 26 P. 28
PLUS
36 From the CEO
p.35 40 Immediate Past
President Message
42 Master Pro Corner
36 40 42 48 45 Inside Coaching
Our Valued The Tennis Pro 3D Data USPTA World 52 USTA Accreditation FAQ
Partners of the Future Weigh In on Conference 54 USPTA Mid-Atlantic
Pro Tossing Preview 56 USPTA Elections
58 USPTA Financials
59 Career Development
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 60 Member News
on w id e in st al le rs .
ts , w it h ex pe ri en ce d na ti
ti on w id e in st al le rs .
ac in g & re pa ir pr od uc , w it h ex pe ri en ce d na
qu al it y sp or t su rf re pa ir pr od uc ts
To ur na m en t-
en t- qu al it y sp or t su rf ac in g &
To ur na m
sportmaster.net
sportmaster.net
Lotto Sport Italia Announces
Sport Life USA as its New Exclusive
Distributor in the US Tennis Market
Lotto Sport Italia, the Italian leading manufacturer of footwear and clothing for sport and leisure,
announces Sport Life USA as its new exclusive distributor in the US tennis market.
Curt Dailey
President WYOMISSING, PA - Sport Life USA, a new company formed for the purpose
Sport Life USA of importing, marketing, and distributing Lotto, will be run by industry veterans
cdailey@lottosportlife.us Curt Dailey and Josh Hausman.
According to Sport Life USA President Dailey, “We think there is great potential
for this brand. It has heritage, performance, and Italian style. Lotto is well
represented on both the ATP and WTA Tours, and the players speak very highly
“
of the product. It made no sense to us that this footwear and apparel line that was
seen on TV every week was not available in the US.”
Josh Hausman
Vice President Josh Hausman will take on the role of VP of Sales. “Lotto is well
Sport Life USA “In our preliminary discussions with retailers, we
represented on
jhausman@lottosportlife.us became convinced that Lotto was going to be
welcome on their retail floor. The tennis specialty both the ATP
market is in need of more “special” brands, and Lotto and WTA
fits that niche.” Tours, and the
lotto.sportlife.us
IndustryNews
USTA National Tennis Center CEO and Chairman Steve Simon. “I’m excit-
ed by the potential for the WTA’s partnership
To Host Fortnite Game Finals with PTR to see an increase in the number of
certified and licensed women tennis coaches
worldwide.”
T
registration at TennisIndustry.org/forum.
and WTA have worked together to facilitate educational projects, including certification announced at the 40th Annual Sports Emmy
formal coaching pathways for tour-level through the WTA Tour Coach Program—with Awards ceremony in New York City May 20.
players and their coaches. a particular focus on former WTA tour players. Additionally, network announcer Ian Eagle
Established in January 2017, the WTA “The WTA Coach Program highlights and was nominated for the Outstanding Sports
PUBLISHER
Personality–Play-by-Play award for his Tuesday. It also extends the event to five JEFF WILLIAMS
work with Tennis Channel, CBS Sports days, from four days in previous years. EDITOR
and Turner Sports. The move to a five-day event will allow for PETER FRANCESCONI
Tennis Channel produced Strokes of greater scheduling flexibility for the US
MANAGING EDITOR
Genius in conjunction with Amblin Televi- Open Qualifying Tournament, providing a
SCOTT GRAMLING
sion, creative-production company Rock greater window in case of weather issues.
Paper Scissors and Wimbledon's All Eng- The US Open Qualifying Tournament CREATIVE DIRECTOR
IAN KNOWLES
land Lawn Tennis Club. Author Jon Wert- features 128 men and 128 women
heim, whose 2009 book Strokes of Genius: attempting to win three matches to earn SENIOR EDITOR
Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match berths into the main draw; in total,16 ED McGROGAN
Ever Played inspired the film, also co- men and 16 women will earn a spot in the
ART DIRECTOR
produced the documentary. Wertheim, 2019 US Open main draw. The US Open CRHISTIAN RODRIGUEZ
the executive editor and senior writer for Qualifying event, which is free to the
Sports Illustrated, regularly appears on public, is the fifth biggest tournament in PRODUCTION EDITOR
SAM CHASE
Tennis Channel. The film's musical score the U.S. Last year’s tournament awarded
was written by award-winning composer more than $3 million in prize money. SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR
Jeremy Turner. BOB PATTERSON
marking the first time the tournament managing Dunlop’s territory managers. ASSOCIATE EDITOR
will begin on a Monday, rather than Lininger, who has more than 30 years of TIM McARTHUR
EDITORIAL DIRECTION
10TEN MEDIA
TENNIS INDUSTRY
250 Park Avenue, Ste 825, NY NY 10017
646-381-8735
info@tennisindustrymag.com
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
JOHN HANNA
770-650-1102, x125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
APPAREL ADVERTISING
CYNTHIA SHERMAN
203-558-5911
cstennisindustry@gmail.com
D
of Fila North America
Fila North America has appointed unlop’s new consumer pro-
Jennifer Estabrook as its president. motion will send two sets of
Estabrook succeeds Jon Epstein, who winners to the 2019 Nitto ATP
passed away suddenly in February. Finals in London, three sets of winners
Estabrook, who was the company's to the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals in
Chief Operating Officer, had most Milan, and 24,000 new ATP balls to
recently been acting president of Fila tennis players across the country.
North America. The promotion comes on the heels of
The announcement followed news Dunlop’s new agreement as the official
of record revenue, profits and stock ball of the ATP Tour. Tennis fans can
price for parent company Fila Korea. In find special codes inside cans of Dun-
2018, revenue for Fila North America lop ATP Extra Duty, ATP Regular Duty,
reached its highest level since Epstein ATP Championship Extra Duty or ATP
assumed leadership in 2007. Championship Regular Duty balls, and
“Jennifer has the industry savvy, enter them on play.dunlopsports.com.
financial and operational command, Fans can also enter online, without
and passion for the brand to guide Fila a ball purchase, by visiting the same
to its next stage,” says Fila Chairman website. The deadline to enter the
Gene Yoon. contest is Aug. 31.
iGENIE
Short
Sets
IHG Hotels & Resorts is the new its “Selkirk Growth Progam” and pledg-
official hotel and hotel loyalty partner ing to donate 1,000 pickleball paddles USPTA Pro Develops
for the US Open. The multiyear agree- to schools, youth organizations, first re- Cooling Device
ment will begin with the 2019 US Open, sponders and charitable organizations. The new Chillimanjaro, developed by
and includes sponsorship of the West- USPTA pro Dean Caccamo of North Caro-
ern & Southern Open in Cincinnati, part French bank BNP Paribas will no lina, clips to the neckline of most shirts,
of the US Open Series. longer be the title sponsor of the ITF’s keeping a player’s neck cool during play.
Davis Cup. BNP Paribas, which has “I'm a fan of the ice towel to the back
Australia will host France in the Fed sponsored the Davis Cup since 2001, of the neck, but you obviously can't play
Cup Final Nov. 9-10. In a World Group will remain a partner of the ITF, with a with one, so I took that concept a step
Playoff in April, the U.S. defeated Swit- focus on women’s and junior tennis. further,” Caccamo says. The Chillimanjaro
zerland, 3-2, and will be eligible to com- is a zippered pocket that holds ice or any
other coolant and clips to a shirt’s neck-
pete for the Fed Cup final in 2020. Other Kourts Inc., a booking and manage-
line. Once in place it stays in place—and
Playoff winners were Czech Republic, ment software-as-a-service (SaaS) for
out of the way on the back of the shirt,
Germany and Spain. tennis facilities, instructors and players
says Caccamo. Contact deanstennis@
aimed at growing the sport, has named
yahoo or visit chillimanjaro.com.
Selkirk Sport celebrated National Brad Wills, former chief strategy officer
Pickleball Month in April by announcing at Mindbody Inc., as an advisor. Kiawah Island Announces
Barth-Hawtin Tennis Academy
Kiawah Island Golf Resort announced
the creation of the Barth-Hawtin
Tennis Academy, a world-class
program that offers comprehensive
development for highly competitive
junior tennis players.
The new program results from
the partnership of the Barth Tennis
Academy launched at Kiawah Island
Golf Resort in 2015 and Bruce Hawtin,
who has headed the Tennis Academy
at River Run Country Club in Charlotte,
N.C. for the past 15 years. Former tour
player Roy Barth is the founding direc-
tor of tennis at Kiawah Island.
LOVE LOVE
C O U RT E S Y D E A N CA C C A M O, A S H AWAY
control and increased power, but still ers and the top Americans in the sport,” says where she’ll join ATP Tour players Frances
want the feel of a multifilament nylon WTT CEO Carlos Silva. “We are excited to Tiafoe and Nick Kyrgios. Top-ranked Ameri-
SuperNick string, says Ashaway. see our tennis stars lend their talent towards can John Isner will suit up for the New York
this unique league and embrace the team Empire, along with teammate Mardy Fish,
Selkirk Announces $300K approach to tennis as they compete for the the current U.S. Davis Cup captain.
Pickleball Prize Pool King Trophy.” The WTT also expanded this year, with the
Williams, poised to play her 14th WTT Orlando Storm and the Vegas Rollers as new
season, returns to the Washington Kastles, franchises. Bob and Mike Bryan will play for
Vegas, along with Sam Querrey and Reilly High-Performance Wheelchair To customize any racquet, remove the
Opelka. Orlando will feature Madison Added to USTA Play Dev factory butt cap and install the XTP, with
Keys and Feliciano Lopez. USTA Player Development has added its patented “heat fit” technology. The
For more information and schedules, high-performance wheelchair tennis to XTP can add about half an inch or slightly
visit www.wtt.com. its organizational structure. Jason Har- more to the overall length of the racquet.
nett, national manager and head coach “The XTP Tennis Butt Cap is an easy
USRSA Names MRT, CS, PRA for Team USA Wheelchair, will lead the and inexpensive way to customize a rac-
Master Racquet Technician high-performance group out of the USTA quet or paddle handle and give players
• Joseph Colitz, Reading, Pa. National Campus in Orlando, Fla., report- exactly what they’re looking for to play
Certified Stringer ing to Dr. Paul Lubbers, senior director of their best,” says inventor John R. Keller.
• Carol Tomlinson, Wynnewood, Pa. Education & Sport Science. The original XTP sometimes had a
Professional Racquet Advisors "High Performance Wheelchair slight build-up where the cap slipped
• Sydni Lewis, Fayetteville, N.C. Tennis is one of the most demanding over the handle. “Some players like that
• James McCollum, Sparks, Nev. event categories in our sport," says small build-up,” Keller says, “but now the
• Henry Murray, Fayetteville, N.C. Martin Blackman, USTA Player Develop- new patented system includes a slight
ment general manager. "Over the past taper to the handle to accommodate the
Lynne Rolley, Martin Van two years, Player Development has XTP butt cap, so there is no build-up, for
Daalen Elected to PTR Board worked seamlessly with Jason and his players who prefer that type of feel.”
team, but now we can fully leverage our For more, visit xtptennisbuttcap.com
resources to support the best wheelchair or call 818-625-3634.
tennis players in the country."
Ball Buddy Combines
XTP Extends the Handle Ball Mower, Hopper
of Any Racquet or Paddle
•
Shower Facilities uct,” while offering more hitting time
• 6 Outdoor Har-Tru Clay Courts for players. For more information,
• 2 Hard Courts visit surewinllc.com or contact info@
• Swimming Pool surewinllc.com or 303-875-7735.
• Basketball Court
Sotheby’s CFO is New Chairman
Contact: Christine Seewagen of Int'l. Tennis Hall of Fame
Office: 516.364.1000 Cell: 516.647.8088 Michael F. Goss, executive vice presi-
seewagen@verizon.net dent and CFO of Sotheby's, has been
People
Watch
IMG Academy announced that Retired pro and former world No. 9 Longtime pro and junior tennis advocate
Jimmy Arias has been promoted to Nicolas Almagro (below) is the new tennis Mark Platt was inducted into the St. Louis
Director of Tennis. Arias joined the academy director at La Manga Club in Tennis Hall of Fame in April.
Academy as director of player develop- Murcia, Spain. He’ll be in charge of day-
ment in 2018, and will now oversee to-day operations at the resort’s tennis Dana Andrews is the 2019-2020 presi-
all aspects of the Academy program, center, which features 28 courts and has dent elect for the USTA Florida Board of
including boarding school, camps, pro- hosted some of the most prestigious Directors. She replaces Chuck Gill, who
fessional player training and events. In events in the game, including the Davis resigned the office when he was named to
related news, IMG Academy also named Cup, Fed Cup and ATP tournaments. the USTA National Board of Directors for
longtime coach Pat Harrison to director the current term.
of tennis operations.
Legacy Building Solutions, a manufac-
Steve Moeglin has joined LSI Industries turer of custom fabric structures, has
as director of national accounts. He will added Pat Hamilton to its staff as a build-
be responsible for leading the commercial ing and project design consultant for
sales team focused on large national the military industry. He has 18 years of
lighting, graphics and digital solutions tactical sales experience in military and
retail customers. public sector services.
Retailing
APPAREL & FOOTWEAR
Italian Style
New distributor Sport Life USA brings
World No. 6 Kevin Anderson
wore Lotto during his run
to the quarterfinals of the
L
tennis athletes includes an impressive
list: Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker,
Thomas Muster, John Newcombe,
otto puts its best foot will oversee domestic sales, marketing Andres Gomez and Jose Luis Clerc.
forward and is ready to and promotions. Hausman was a sales Today, Lotto Sport Italia distrib-
play ball. manager and key accounts manager for utes its products in more than 100
Sport Life USA, a new Adidas for many years and held sales/ countries. Sport Life USA will handle
company based in Wyo- marketing roles at Tecnifibre. He began distribution of all Lotto products across
missing, Pa., is now the his career as a college tennis coach. the U.S., including shoes, apparel and
exclusive U.S. distributor of apparel and “We’re extremely excited about this accessories, such as bags, headbands,
footwear from Lotto Sport Italia. Under opportunity to grow the Lotto brand in hats and wristbands.
the leadership of two sports industry the U.S market,” Dailey says. “With its “This is an exciting time for tennis
veterans, President Curt Dailey and heritage in tennis, combined with qual- players in the U.S.,” Dailey says. “Wheth-
Vice President Josh Hausman, Sport ity, performance-oriented and stylish er players and fans remember the Lotto
Life USA will import, market and dis- products, we’re confident this brand products of the past, or are new to the
tribute Lotto products. will appeal to all player levels.” brand, we know they’ll appreciate
Dailey currently serves as CEO of Starting this summer, Dailey says Lotto’s strong presence in the U.S. with
Laserfibre LLC, which he re-launched Sport Life USA’s initial order will arrive its quality footwear and apparel. We
after a successful 20-plus-year career at its warehouse for distribution in look forward to helping the sport and
A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S
in the tennis industry. He has held key Fall/Winter 2019, with a broader line business of tennis to grow in the U.S.”
roles with Prince, Gamma and Tecni- of products already secured for Spring/
fibre USA. Hausman currently serves Summer 2020. For more on the Lotto brand and
as director of sales and marketing for Lotto products are well-represented products, visit lotto.sportlife.us or call
Laserfibre. With Sport Life USA, he on both the ATP and WTA tours. 484-261-2100.
Teaching Professionals
I
try. PTM program graduates will be cer-
tified from a USTA-accredited organiza-
n mid-January, the independent players, and the best way to achieve that tion, meaning in the near-term, they’ll
Accreditation Review Commit- is to provide an exceptional on-court be USPTA-certified professionals.
tee formed by the USTA granted experience. Certified teaching profes- • USPTA professionals will have access
full accreditation to the USPTA. sionals are the front line in delivering to extensive continuing-education op-
As part of that designation, both that on-court experience.” portunities and online education to ex-
the USTA and USPTA have agreed to In meeting these new standards, pand their depth of knowledge and stay
cooperate on a number of initiatives, teaching pros from accredited organiza- up to date on coaching developments.
with the goal of raising the standards of tions will receive a variety of benefits. Embree says the USPTA, together
the tennis teaching profession. These will include priority listing on the with the USTA, will develop 400 educa-
An important condition of this part- Net Generation Coach Search website, tion modules for teaching pros over the
nership is that the USTA has made a along with free Safe Play training and next two years. This educational content
commitment not to get into the business a background screen every two years. will be hosted on a platform called
of certifying teaching professionals. Because it’s important that those who Blackboard ULTRA, which hundreds of
“The USTA has long maintained hire teaching pros be aware of these new colleges currently use.
that we have no interest in being in the educational standards and the Safe Play “This will continue to be a great
teaching pro certification business,” requirements, a co-branded advertising deal of additional work to comply with
says Kurt Kamperman, chief executive campaign will be launched this summer these high accreditation standards,”
SHUTTERSTOCK
of the USTA National Campus who from to educate both consumers and facility Embree says. “But it’s not just about the
2003 to 2018 was the head of the USTA’s owners and managers. USPTA; this is about raising the bar for
Community Tennis Division. “Our “We’re making a commitment to have the whole industry and the long-term
goal is to attract and retain new tennis all of our members Safe Play trained and health of our sport.” •
GrassrootsTennis
I
player Frances Tiafoe, former US Open
quarterfinalist Rodney Harmon, and
Serena and Venus Williams.
n 1968, as the world saw nity—came together to discuss a unique But more importantly, NJTL has
significant political and social concept: getting more kids involved in helped open doors to education and
transformation, the world of tennis. opportunity for countless young people.
tennis also saw major change. A year later, the National Junior Ten- It has improved thousands of young
That year, the amateur players nis and Learning (NJTL) network was lives and inpsired thousands of accom-
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y U S TA
who had long filled the top founded, and over the past 50 years, it plished adults.
tournaments’ draws began to share the has transformed the lives of hundreds Now under the auspices of the USTA
spotlight with professionals, ushering of thousands of youth. Foundation, NJTL includes a robust
in tennis’ Open era. It was also the year By 1971, 50 NJTL chapters had been 300 chapters around the country that
that Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and established throughout the U.S., reach- reach 180,000 youth per year. And its
Sheridan Snyder—prominent figures ing 25,000 youngsters annually in pub- success stories continue to be written
on the court and in the tennis commu- lic parks. The first eight years saw great every day.
Racquet Tech
Many stringers consider
a two-piece job to be more
consistent, since both sides of
the mains are installed in
the same manner.
installing crosses from the bottom up
will void the racquet’s warranty.
There are other considerations for
using two pieces rather than one. For in-
stance, if you are using a delicate string,
such as natural gut, two pieces will save a
lot of wear and tear on the cross strings,
since that portion will only be handled
during cross installation.
Many stringers consider a two-piece
job to be more consistent, since both
sides of the mains are installed in the
same manner. I have heard the argument
that one-piece string jobs are superior
CUSTOMER SERVICE since there will be less loss of tension
Simple But Significant with two knots instead of four, but if you
are tying a good knot, the tension loss is
minimal, and is uniform with both sides.
There are important factors to In my early days as a stringer at pro
tour events, the use of two knots was
consider when deciding whether to prevalent and often asked for by players.
use one piece of string or two. As a result, several variations of “box”
or “around-the-world” (ATW) patterns
were developed by stringers to facilitate
By Bob Patterson the players’ requests and still install
the crosses from the top down. These
Executive Director, USRSA requests, of course, diminished greatly
in the last decade with the popularity
of hybrid stringing. But I was genuinely
surprised this past summer when I
I
worked the Atlanta Open to hear most
pro players requesting four knots, even if
they didn’t use a hybrid.
t seems like a simple choice to use two different strings for custom- There are a few patterns that require
when stringing: Do you want ers looking for such a set-up. bottom-to-top stringing. Many badmin-
to use one piece of string for Otherwise, it is up to you, but there ton frames are designed this way and will
both mains and crosses, or are plenty of considerations. On frames actually fatigue or collapse if the crosses
cut the string into two pieces, where the mains end and tie off at the are installed starting at the top. Some
using one for the mains and the throat, then the cross-string installation racquetball and squash racquets with
remainder for the crosses? would start at the throat and be installed unique patterns also call for bottom-up
Unless there is a compelling reason to bottom to top if using the one-piece stringing for various reasons.
use one or two pieces of string, then it is method. The USRSA highly discourages The bottom line, though, is to follow
the choice of the stringer to decide what this practice, though, even if the manu- the directions provided in the USRSA
A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S
would be best. facturer allows it. Installing cross strings Stringer’s Digest, and if the pattern
In the case of hybrid stringing, the de- in this manner puts much more stress on provides a choice of either one-piece or
cision is made for you. Over the last 10 the frame than installing them from the two—and the one-piece shows crosses
years or so, hybrid stringing has become top down. In fact, some manufacturers, starting at the throat and working up to
very popular, in which case you’ll need including Head and Yonex, warn that the top—then go with the two-piece. •
R E TA I L I N G
FOOTWEAR
Sizing Them Up
Are your players looking to replace their current
shoes with an updated model? Take a look at these
new offerings from the top manufacturers.
By Kent Oswald
I
t might just be a six-month durability guar-
case of semantics, antee. The social, clay-court
but when most doubles player may be well
tennis players pur- served by their choice for
chase tennis shoes, nine months or more before
they’re generally it's time for a change.
not buying shoes that are Particularly for shoes on
“new” to them; they’re buy- the lighter, less-durable end
ing a “replacement” pair. of the spectrum, the players’
Avid and frequent tennis challenge is to know when
players tend to go with what “comfort” may degrade
has been working for them. enough to signal support
For players looking to breakdown. Part of the
replace their existing shoes problem for many players is
with a new pair of the same, that they wear only one pair
they first need to admit that of shoes when they play, so
the good times are over for the breakdown in comfort
their current footwear— or support may happen so that way players will have an ing, or their body might be
that while the shoes may gradually they don’t notice immediate point of compar- changing (or growing, in the
still be stylish and attrac- it until it becomes critical to ison for the breakdown in case of juniors) so they need
tive, and even comfortable, their game or health. support or cushioning that to find shoes better suited to
their current pair no longer But there might be a way has occurred with the pair their health and well-being.
adequately supports either to help players realize their they wear more regularly. It Or, simply, they may need
their game or their health— current pair of shoes are can also keep them coming a change in colorways or
and probably should be no longer functioning at back to your store to replace style—or might need to co-
relegated to gardening. optimal levels: by promoting pairs on a regular basis. ordinate with team apparel.
A high-performance the idea that players have at Of course, though, there Whenever, or however,
hard-court hitter might least two identical pairs of are plenty of times when inspiration for new court
consider replacing footwear court shoes on hand. They simply buying the same shoes hits players, here are
in months, or even weeks, can play regularly with one replacement pair no longer brands and styles that you
although hopefully not if pair, then occasionally trade will work for a player. Their should consider. (Prices are
they wear shoes featuring a off with their fresher pair— style of game may be chang- suggested retail.)
Promote the idea that players have at least two identical pairs of shoes
on hand. Players can play regularly with one pair, then occasionally trade off
with their fresher pair, so they have a point of comparison .
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y M I Z U N O, N E W B A L A N C E , P R I N C E , W I L S O N, YO N E X
hartru.com
877-4-HAR-TRU (877-442-7878) | hartru@hartru.com | 22OO Old Ivy Road, Suite 1OO, Charlottesville, VA 229O3
TennisIndustry
D I S T I N G U I S H E D F A C I L I T Y- O F - T H E -Y E A R A W A R D S
COURT CONSTRUCTION
courts highlight a sport that Nominated by: Lower Bros. Co. Inc.
Specialty Contractor: Lower Bros. Co. Inc.
continues to grow throughout Surface: California Sports Surfaces
Lighting: Frasure Reps/LSI Sports Lighting
the United States. Net, Posts: Putterman Athletics
Completed: December 2017
Certified Tennis Court Builder: Linn Lower
By Peter Francesconi
A Bronze Award winner for construction, this new, cush-
ioned pickleball court, with LED lighting, replaced a swim-
ming pool, which was filled in and compacted. For extra pro-
tection against possible settling, the post-tension concrete
sub-base included additional reinforcement over the filled
P
pool location. Access to the site was limited and required a
temporary road around one side of the house, but supplies
still needed to be brought in by small vehicle or hand, while
ickleball continues to add to business and concrete was pumped over the top of the house. The addi-
revenue for court builders. The American tional space beside the court accommodates a bocce court
Sports Builders Association recognized the and shaded seating area.
importance of this sport to its members a
few years ago when it established a Courts
& Recreation Division. Of course, the
ASBA, along with Tennis Industry maga- K. Cove Residence
zine, want to honor those builders and projects that meet
Austin, Texas
the ASBA’s standards of court-construction excellence, and
for the last few years, the annual Facility of the Year Awards
have included honors for building pickleball courts. Nominated by: Ace Surfaces North America Inc.
In 2017, the ASBA partnered with the USA Pickleball Contractor: Ace Surfaces North America Inc.
Association to produce the first “Pickleball Courts: Con- Surface: Laykold Masters Gel
struction & Maintenance Manual,” which includes informa- Completed: January 2018
tion on the sport, how to build pickleball courts, lighting,
fencing, care and maintenance information, along with This new residential court in Austin, with low-glare, LED
detailed drawings. To order a copy of the pickleball manual, stadium lights, was built on a steep slope, with no bedrock
visit sportsbuilders.org. underneath. The court is elevated, with pylons installed
Many of the same supplier companies and court contrac- to support the platform. The steel support system has a
tors that build tennis courts also are putting their products marine plywood top, then the surfacing system, which allows
and talents to use building top-notch pickleball facilities. substrate movement without cracking. Drainage is a critical
While there hasn’t yet been a flood of pickleball entries in the factor on the slope, so 4-foot retaining walls were installed
Facility of the Year Awards, expect that to change in the com- around and below the court, along with a French drain sys-
ing years. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the tem, to allow water to run off down the hillside.
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y A S B A
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S., now with
more than 3.3 million players. According to the USAPA,
more than 100 venues a month are being added to its facility database.
Cunningham Residence
K. Cove Residence
D I S T I N G U I S H E RDAFCAQCUI LE ITT A
Y-DOVFI -STOHRES-Y E A R A W A R D S
C O U R TE QCUOINPSMTERNUTC T I O N
but if you listen, you can tell that they’re contact with the ball. Too light, and the
feeling them. (Spin potential, however, player may feel the racquet is very
may require some experience before it unstable, if they are playing at a level
can be determined by new players.) with balls coming in at higher velocity.
These four characteristics are what
manufacturers consider when design- 5 / String Pattern
ing frames. They are trying to provide The string pattern is simply the
a variety or mix of these four charac- number of main and cross strings in
teristics to meet the needs of various a frame. Commonly, racquets have
playing styles and abilities. This is either 16 or 18 main strings and 18 to 20
accomplished by altering the specifica- crosses. However, there are exceptions.
tions of various frames in their line, for More “open” patterns—meaning fewer
instance, making changes to the frame’s crosses and mains—cause bigger spaces
stiffness to provide more power and less between strings, will allow more ball
shock protection. pocketing (hence more spin on the ball)
and more comfort, while a denser pat-
2 / Handle Size tern will provide more string durability
While experienced players may have from experienced players.
some wiggle room when it comes to
sizing the handle, it is critical to have a 6 / String and Tension
properly sized grip for beginning and Today’s strings are more diverse than
inexperienced players. If the grip size is ever before, from very stiff mono-
too large or too small, the player will not filament polyester strings to multifila-
have adequate control over the racquet, ments made from thousands of mi-
which can result in inconsistent shots— croscopic fibers twisted together. Like
and posssibly arm problems. the frame, choosing the proper string
type and tension requires assessing the
3 / Head Size player’s needs, and how that string and
Again, for experienced players this tension will work in the chosen frame.
may be more of a personal preference. For a player to perform their best,
The larger the racquet head, the more regardless of skill level, they need a frame
forgiving the racquet will be. Beginners that is best suited for their ability, swing
will generally prefer an oversize. speed and game. As players, we are con-
Many of today’s racquets have head sistently changing and in need of reevalu-
sizes of 115 square inches or more, but ation, so our requirements will change.
many teaching professionals prefer to We recommend each player be evalu-
keep beginners in a 105- to 110-square- ated at least every three years, and more
inch head size, allowing the student to often for beginning players advancing
learn to be more accurate with their in skill level. This will ensure that the
swing, rather than being encumbered player has the best racquet possible for
with swinging larger heads. their game. •
D I S T I N G U I S H E DU SF T
AAC IPL RI TOY-COI RF C
- TUHI ET -Y E A R A W A R D S
C CO OU MR TM UC NO NI TSYT RI MU PA
C T CI OT N
Koser Jewelers
Standout stops on the USTA $60,000 Tennis
Challenge
Pro Circuit combine great tennis
with local involvement.
By Judy Leand
W
ith more than 100 tournaments held annually
throughout the country and prize money ranging
from $15,000 to upwards of $160,000 (for an annual
total of about $4 million), the USTA Pro Circuit
is the largest developmental tennis circuit in the • This ITF Women’s Circuit outdoor
world, and the pathway to the US Open and tour- tournament has been held annually at
level competition for aspiring tennis players. the Hempfield recCenter in Landisville,
Since its inception in 1979, the Pro Circuit has provided a stage for some of the Pa., since 2008, and is the final USTA
sport’s top talent and has offered a glimpse of tennis’ future stars. Just as impor- Pro Circuit stop—and last of the wild-
tant, on its 40th anniversary, the USTA Pro Circuit provides exciting, up-close card challenges for American players—
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y KO S E R J E W E L E R S T E N N I S C H A L L E N G E
experiences for thousands of fans who might not otherwise have an opportunity before the US Open. The event, which
to attend a pro tennis event. this year will run from Aug. 5 to 11, is
In 2018, about 14,000 players worldwide took part in the USTA Pro Circuit, free to the public.
and the tournaments have served as a launching pad for many of today’s top But exciting tennis is only part of
stars, including Andy Murray, Maria Sharapova, John Isner, Sloane Stephens, Kei the equation for success. Community
Nishikori, Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki and Garbine Muguruza. In fact, involvement is also a key factor, as evi-
Pro Circuit alumni have claimed more than 50 Grand Slam singles titles, and 17 of denced by an array of on- and off-court
those competitors have claimed the No. 1 world ranking. grassroots efforts that include Kids’
Of course, one of the Pro Circuit’s main draws, so to speak, is that the players Day programs, charity events and a fun
willingly give back to the sport and to the local communities that host the tour- outreach initiative that targets the mil-
naments. The pros get involved in a broad array of events such as youth clinics, lennial crowd. Wilson Pipkin, director
pro-ams, school programs and hospital visits, all of which help to strengthen of tennis at Hempfield recCenter, notes
the sport’s grassroots and pro tennis’ connection with both devoted and newly that for Kids’ Day, the tournament
minted fans. partners with NJTL as well as a local
Here, we showcase three USTA Pro Circuit tournaments that consistently day camp, since schools are out of ses-
exceed expectations on and off the court. sion during the summer.
Since its inception in 1979, the Pro Circuit has provided a stage for
some of the sport’s top talent and has offered a glimpse of tennis’ future stars,
while also providing up-close experiences for thousands of fans.
“We run six courts of activities for On the charity front, the tournament American pros Kristie Ahn
(left) and Jessica Pegula meet
more than 300 kids, and the event is supports Wear White for Water Street, a junior player during the coin
held midweek on a Friday before the a fundraiser to support the provision toss at the Koser Jewelers
weekend of finals,” Pipkin says. “For of food and shelter to the homeless in Tennis Challenge. Fans wear all
white (facing page) to support
kids 10 and over, we offer on-court ac- Lancaster City. The initiative, a night food and shelter for the
tivities and exhibitions with pros in the event with dinner, is held after a feature homeless in Lancaster City.
morning. We divide up the courts, keep match during the week and includes
all the kids active, and then provide live and silent auctions. Last year more
lunch afterward. than $7,000 was raised for the cause.
“In the afternoon, kids 8 and under In keeping with the USTA’s current
can participate in mini-court play, push to reach out to millennials, this says Pipkin. He adds that a couple of
autograph sessions, face painting and year the tournament is introducing weeks after the tournament, the facility
other off-court activities.” Tennis on Tap, a social tennis program will offer tennis clinics, thereby giving
To help attract more youngsters to that combines networking and tennis millennials a pathway to get involved
the game throughout the year, Hemp- via a bar, food and on-court play. in the sport. “The biggest challenge for
field recCenter also distributes fall “The goal is to draw new people into us is raising the money and making the
tennis schedules following the Kids’ the sport, to build an awareness of ten- community aware of the great tennis
Day action. nis and to spark an interest in playing,” right in their backyard.”
D I S T I N G U I S H E DU SF T
AAC IPL RI TOY-COI RF C
- TUHI ET -Y E A R A W A R D S
C CO OU MR TM UC NO NI TSYT RI MU PA
C T CI OT N
P H O T O S : RYA N B I B B ; C O U RT E S Y TA L L A H A S S E E T E N N I S C H A L L E N G E R
DALLAS, TEXAS
The community events—and there by touring pros who meet patients and
RBC Tennis are many—start a week prior to the sign autographs round out the impres-
Championships of tournament, and many of the clinics sive community package.
Dallas take place during tournament week,
beginning with a citywide clinic for kids
“We try to do as much as we can for
the community while we have these
of all ages. pros in town,” says Edwards. “Our
“Some touring pros come out, run biggest challenge is to remain visible—
• Held in early February, the RBC Ten- clinics and play games with the kids on there’s only one opportunity per year to
nis Championships is part of the men’s 28 courts,” says Tournament Opera- get kids out to see the tournament.”
ATP Challenger Tour and has occurred tions Director Shawn Edwards. But Edwards is making the most of it.
annually since 1998. The event, which Events are then added throughout “You can teach a kid to play ten-
includes housing for the pros, is played the week, and include a Latino tennis nis, but seeing pros in person helps
on indoor hard courts at the T Bar clinic—which this year attracted 250 to get them hooked on the game,”
M Racquet Club in Dallas, with prize kids. A clinic for the deaf is held, and a says Edwards. “We want to give kids
money totaling $135,400. This year, 60 USTA adaptive clinic gets kids out on opportunities to mingle and interact
volunteers and 40 staffers, along with the stadium court. A Susan G. Komen with the players. It’s fun for everyone
100 ball kids throughout the week, Dallas County Pink Day features a shop and it helps tennis keep its place in the
helped everything run smoothly. with special vendors, and hospital visits greater sports world.”
TA L L A H A S S E E , F L A .
the helm since 2005. “It’s an excellent The Southside Extravaganza is anoth-
Tallahassee Tennis proving ground for players.” Just as er Net Generation event. There is also a
Challenger crucially, the tournament is a fund- Boys Town event for boys and girls from
raiser, with proceeds benefitting the marginalized and homeless families.
Vogter Neuro-Intensive Care Unit at “I always get choked up about a
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. couple of things,” admits Vogter. “I also
• A men’s ATP Challenger Tour event, “We believe in health and investing in love the awards for sportsmanship for
the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in tennis,” Vogter says. Junior Team Tennis. The winners serve
Florida is part of the Roland Garros Toward this end, there are a plethora as player escorts and coin tossers at
Wild Card Challenge for American of children’s events tied to the tourna- evening matches.”
players and is contested on the green ment. For example, four schools’ worth Vogter also enjoys watching the ball
clay courts of the Forestmeadows Ten- of third-graders—about 1,000 kids— kids interact with the players after
nis Complex. It has been held annually participate in Net Generation. “We pay matches. “These opportunities are not
in April since 2000, run by about 300 for buses to get the kids here, teach available at big tournaments,” she says.
volunteers. them for an hour and then let them “It’s a unique opportunity in a small
“Our tournament has a really good watch a pro match,” explains Vogter. town the size of Tallahassee. Com-
reputation,” says Tournament Direc- In addition, a huge Special Olympics munity and volunteer support is what
tor Karen Lyn Vogter, who has been at program includes 200 to 300 athletes. makes our tournament happen.”
Tips&Techniques
You should always
wear eye protection
when stringing
racquets.
Blow It Up
Recently, I found a magnifier feature
on my iPhone, which has been help-
ful at times when stringing racquets. I
Protect Your Eyes! the most common is the simple spring now use it when trying to read the very
This may seem like an obvious state- calibration scale. These can be tested small print of racquet specifications or
ment, but it’s very important for all for accuracy by suspending a known the print on the string in a racquet that
stringers: wear eye protection. weight to ensure an accurate reading. a customer wants to match.
I do wear glasses to see, and I’ve also I tested my spring-tension calibrator by Here is a link to an article describ-
worked for a company that required weighing an object that I knew was 25 ing the magnifier feature: https://
eye protection be worn when stringing pounds. My scale was off by 5 pounds, www.imore.com/how-use-magnifier-
racquets. These practices have clearly showing 20 pounds instead of 25. iphone-and-ipad
benefited me: On more than one occa- If your calibration scale is off, you
sion, while stringing poly, the springy, can generally adjust the scale yourself. I
sharp end of the string has caught me used a pair of pliers to unscrew the end
in the face hard enough to draw blood. that has the plunger (the part with the
Getting hit in the eye would have been KG/LB scale). Don’t turn the plunger
devastating. itself; you’ll need to place your pliers
around the thin black part at the very
5 sets of Dunlop NT Max Plus to: end of the housing (photo 1).
Dave Heilig Once the plunger/spring unit is
Chapel Hill, N.C. unscrewed from the housing, you’ll see
a washer and nut at the end (photo 2).
In my case, the nut was about in the
Calibrate Your Calibration Scale middle of the threaded area. Screwing
Racquet technicians know that we need the nut in or out will adjust the tension
to periodically check to make sure our reading. You’ll probably need two sets of 5 sets of Gamma Solace 16 to:
stringing machine is pulling accurate pliers to do this, one on the nut and the Roger Gough
tension. Just because you set the ten- other on the opposite end of the plunger Davis, Calif.
sion to 50 pounds doesn’t mean that
your stringing machine is actually pull- 1
ing 50 pounds. Tips and Techniques submitted since
The USRSA recommends checking 1992 by USRSA members and appearing
calibration every 25 racquets, or when- in this column have all been gathered
SHUTTERSTOCK
Access to the Net Generation Mobile App where you can build custom
lesson plans and connect to players in order to provide assessments and
reward them with digital badges
YourServe
However, at the end of the cycle in
2016, there were two distinctly different
approaches toward compliance. USPTA
sent numerous letters to its member-
ship over a two-year span informing
them that not complying with the full
12 hours or six credits would result in
suspension of membership and loss
of benefits. Local professionals were
strongly encouraged to attend one of
the 17 USPTA division conventions
held annually, participate in Regional
Education Days (RED) held around the
country, or use TennisResources to gain
their credits. USPTA carefully tracked
the educational credit activity of each
member, and those who did not comply
were subsequently suspended.
By contrast, PTR sent an email to its
members stating that upon member-
ship renewal, 12 online credits would be
TEACHING PROFESSIONALS available by simply clicking a link—not
at all in the spirit of the agreement.
Lessons Learned? Worse, those PTR members who did not
comply were never dropped from the
The USPTA president states the case membership roster and remained with
full benefits—there was no incentive at
for enforcing the continuing education all to continue their education.
To be clear, this opinion column is not
mandate for teaching pro organizations. about PTR membership; it’s about one
association demonstrating the willing-
ness—and taking the risk—to enforce
By Gary Trost agreed-upon standards. Throughout
this process, USPTA has remained com-
F
mitted to raising the standards of tennis
education by requiring education as a
or decades, the U.S. has “certified ” professional of any major part of membership.
had two associations that tennis country. Sadly, this state of affairs means it’s
certify coaches and tennis To remedy this, in 2013, leaders from the sport of tennis in the U.S. that suf-
pros domestically: the U.S USPTA, PTR and USTA came together fers—along with the millions of Ameri-
Professional Tennis Asso- to work toward a solution. The common cans expecting quality tennis education.
ciation, created in 1927; and the Profes- ground was that a more-educated tennis The USPTA currently is the only
sional Tennis Registry, founded in 1976. coach would provide better on-court USTA-accredited teaching professional
Both organizations have thousands of experiences for players and consumers. organization, and I’m proud to stand
loyal and long-tenured members, many USPTA and PTR agreed to elevate with the thousands of professionals
of whom are passionate about delivering standards in the U.S. by requiring, mini- who, every day, continue to make the
our sport to the millions of players. mally, 12 hours or six credits of educa- commitment to follow-through on the
Both associations provide education tion for all our respective members continuing education mandate.•
to the industry and benefits to their over a three-year period. Additionally,
membership. But both also compete for six hours of “Coach Youth Tennis,” an Gary Trost is the
the same group of coaches. In fact, one online course, became required for pre- national president of
glaring deficiency with the current “two certification of new applicants. the USPTA. A USPTA
certifying body system” is that both Crucial to success was that both Master Professional, he
SHUTTERSTOCK
CEO James Fromuth and staff at the 2018 Tennis Teachers Conference in
New York.
CLASH IS
CONFIDENCE
ON-COURT CONFIDENCE IS ABOVE ALL ELSE. CLASH INSTILLS THAT
CONFIDENCE WITH A PLAYING EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER.
THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT? TRY IT.
THERACKETREVOLUTION.COM
ADDvantageJune2019GUSJC.indd 39 3/12/19
4/29/2019 9:23
9:46:33 AMAM
USPTA PAST PRESIDENT MESSAGE
grow the game, and most importantly, of the tennis director becoming more
grow their business. The education of of a “play facilitator” and not just
the future pros will need to be as diverse the person that runs instructional
as the jobs themselves. Our members programs. Expect to see more
work with all ages and abilities, as emphasis ( and financial rewards) for
well as the all important new players. pros that grow tennis with active social
Expect more education about how to play programs as well as fix your serve.
make tennis fun for entry level players- Who better to help develop and add
that is the future of growing the game. value to entry-level leagues and social
THE PRO OF
Regarding education, expect to see play than the professional? Many
more and more education online! With professionals need to see the bigger
society becoming more and more
THE FUTURE
“time constrained,” pros are going to
have less time to travel and take time
away from their work and families.
Bringing education to them at a place
by Chuck Gill, they want, at a time they want is the
USPTA Immediate Past President future.
Job Market
SHOP THE
KEY LOOKS
NikeCourt French-inspired prints that look great when you clash them up,
while sweat-wicking, breathable fabrics deliver Nike performance.
3D DATA WEIGH IN ON PRO TOSSING Plagenhoef, Ariel went on to invent THE BALL WHEN SERVING.
the first 3D motion analysis system on Plagenhoef’s data shows most of
a PC available to coaches and athletes: the accomplished players were letting
The Ariel Performance Analysis the ball drop 15 inches or less to
Figure 2
James R. Shaughnessy
USPTA Master Pro
There was a significant difference higher and therefore, tacitly concludes purpose of the high toss is to allow one
in the average drop of toss from the that tossing higher is productive. to better load the body than a low toss,
ball’s peak height to contact between In further reflection one might and the purpose of loading the body,
elite men and women professionals question, however, why one would is to swing the racquet swiftly upward,
(p<.001). It followed that we should want topspin. Topspin is productive and the racquet is not swinging more
look for the advantage or disadvantage for consistency. Topspin curves the swiftly upward, the argument that a
of the toss difference. ball downward. Topspin gives a player higher toss better loads the body fails.
One argument I often hear when a larger window over the net in which From our data we were able to
coaches tell players to toss higher is, to be successful and topspin in most confidently determine a strong
“the player isn’t contacting the ball cases causes a trickier bounce. The correlation of success when male and
high enough”. greater downward velocity on the ball female professional players impact the
The data in this study showed, created by a higher toss theoretically ball at 1.5 times their height (p<.001).
however, that, there is no correlation gets a little more topspin on the ball. And comparing our two charts, we
between the height of the toss and the But, should we consider the trade-offs see the lion’s share of Grand Slam
height of ball-racquet contact in the required to get this small amount of Championships are won by players
men’s group, the women’s group or in extra topspin? As an example, let’s whose ball tosses drop a maximum of
combined grouping. compare a serve by Dinara Safina and 20 inches.
The take away is that tossing the ball Venus Williams. In conclusion, our study using data
higher does not mean the player will Safina’s toss drops 58 inches to from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal,
impact the ball higher. contact. Venus’s drops 16. Safina’s Novak Djokovic, Pancho Gonzales,
Another argument I hear for tossing ball arrives at impact going down Rod Laver, Roy Emerson Serena
higher is that “you will get more power 12.01mph while Venus’s is going 6.4 Williams and Maureen Connolly has
on your serve.” (See my article in mph. Depending on the strings and the shown agreement that tossing higher
Tennis Industry Sept/Oct 2018 page overall coefficient of friction, Safina will not facilitate hitting the ball
48, “A New Direction for Racquet might gain a little topspin here. What towards your target with more speed.
Head Speed” for an explanation on the is the price? Safina’s toss must travel Tossing higher will not give you an
misuse of the word power). 6.5 feet farther than Venus’s. If we advantage in upward racquet velocity
Coaches tend to use two reasons for assume the racquet has a nine-inch to cause greater topspin. Even though
insisting higher ball tosses give more vertical area in which the players can small gains of additional topspin due
ball speed toward the target. First, the meet the ball on the string bed, the ball to friction will occur when tossing
ball is coming down faster and it will will be in this region 79 milliseconds much higher, it will cost you increased
go out faster. Second, the higher toss for Venus compared to 42 milliseconds exposure to wind, require you to be
will give more time to load the body. for Safina. That puts the ball in Venus’s very accurate with a riskier and larger
Research at the SCiO lab at Racquet strike zone almost two times longer. toss distance and cause a need for
and Health 91 in Tulsa state shows To check the validity of the second your timing to be substantially more
there to be no correlation between reason, we checked the upward precise to make solid contact. There
higher tosses and outgoing forward velocity of the racquet tip which is are other kinesiological advantages to
ball velocity. correlated with topspin on serve tossing lower not discussed. However,
Another commonly heard argument in other research. We found no when it comes to the toss, historic and
for tossing higher is that the player correlation between toss height and contemporary 3D data reveals less is
will get more topspin. There are two upward racquet tip velocity. Since the more.*
alleged reasons. First, it is alleged that
the increased downward velocity of the
ball will cause it to scrape against the
strings faster creating more topspin.
James R. Shaughnessy MSS, CSCS, is a USPTA Master Pro specializing in the
Second, that there is more time to load
application of sports biomechanics to elite tennis players training at Tucker Tennis
the body which causes increased ability Academy a USTA Regional Training Center Racquet and Health 91 located in Tulsa. He
to swing up stronger with the racquet is an award-winning professional with 30 years of experience as a speaker, researcher,
and thus get more topspin. analyst and consultant in tennis biomechanics, 3D motion analysis and computerized
The first reason alleges you will exercise prescriptions. He is the founder of SCiO 3D Sports. Special thanks to Hank
get more topspin by tossing the ball and Molly Pellegrini who make this work possible.
#1 I AM A TEENAGER. #3
they will experience and the heartache Please remember I am a teenager. HIRE GOOD
of knowing what they will experience is I have a teenage brain. I will make COACHES AND
unnerving for a parent. Some of my very teenage mistakes. I have teenage wants LET THEM
best memories of life are from junior and needs. I want to go to the beach, COACH.
tennis. By competing at a young age, I was the movies, the mall and to just hang Help me find good
able to travel the world, interact and build out with friends. I see everything and coaches that work well with
relationships with players from different everyone on the sidelines and I can do ME. And then, let them coach.
ory. countries, experience hands-on how to deal this all while I am playing a match. It Let them do their job so you don’t
with tough competition and, yes, most of is called multi-tasking and I hear it is a have to do it. And by the way, I need a
all, the high of winning tennis matches. much-needed skill later in life. When tough coach. I am a tough personality
It was exhilarating and I loved every I get into high school, I want to go to and need an equally strong person to
second of it. However, it was also one of the the football games and dances and yes, be in charge. I need someone to teach
toughest times for my parents, my family I want to stay to the end, even if I have me, push me to my limits, enforce the
and myself. an 8 a.m. practice. And by the way, boundaries, hold me accountable to my
We all know as parents, parenting isn’t does it have to be 8 a.m. every Saturday goals, teach me discipline with my shot
an easy task if you are parenting an elite morning? Oh, and when you are thinking selection (good luck with that one),
athlete, especially one in an individual about letting me travel in a group to co- correct my mistakes and to be there
sport like tennis. It is safe to say that the ed tournaments, please don’t think back for me when things aren’t going well
children who are able to walk on a tennis to what you wanted to do as a teenager (believe me, things will get ugly now
court by themselves, perform in front because as athletes, we would never ever and then).
of family, peers, strangers, agents and do any of that. No, never.
recruiters, make all the strategic decisions
by instinct and then the kicker… to deal
with you, the parent when they come off the #2 DON'T
MICROMANAGE ME.
#4 I NEED A BREAK
FROM TENNIS.
Please don’t talk about tennis all the
court, that is difficult. Yeah, you didn’t tell I want to organize my own practices, sign time. The same way you don’t want me
them all of that when you talked them into up for my own tournaments, manage my checking Instagram at the dinner table.
their first tennis lesson did you? This takes own homework, write my own essays, I don’t want to hear a play-by-play from
a unique child. I can honestly say, there etc. Managing all these things will help my match or practice at the dinner
is nothing normal about teenagers in the me with all the moving pieces I juggle on table. Also, please let me take one day
first place, let alone one that has chosen to the tennis court. Believe it or not, I am off a week, not just on a rare southern
pursue sports. Get ready for a bumpy ride, capable of setting my own alarm, packing California rain day. My body and my
because kids can be hell on wheels to raise! my own suitcase and responding verbally brain need a break. I actually play better
So here are my “Top Ten Tips For to adults. Now, that doesn’t mean that I after a day off and chances are, I will
Tennis Parents” from Marianne Werdel, will always get up on time, pack all the have fewer injuries. Oh, and a day off
the 14-year-old girl who was ranked No. right stuff and not embarrass you with means “a day OFF”. Not a bucket (or
1 in the country, fiercely independent, what comes out of my mouth. But hey, five) of serves, or a workout, or a run,
intensely competitive, cunningly smart, I am a teenager and we can only learn or reading a tennis book, or watching
somewhat (or very) precocious, driven and from our mistakes, right? tennis on TV, etc. You get the picture.
#5 I AM THE ONLY
ONE ON THE COURT.
Nothing is more annoying than
wait until I am a parent
myself for me to truly
appreciate the hell you go
hearing you say, “WE did this and WE through driving all over the
did that.” Last I saw it was “me, myself place and waiting endlessly
and I” out on that court. Funny that at tournaments. Just to
when I don’t do well it is always, “you watch me compete, choke
didn’t do this, you didn’t do that”. And matches, get crushed and
the way you talk to people about “our” behave like an imbecile
match as if “we” played and “I” am not all the while my tennis
standing right next to you. expenses siphon your bank
accounts dry. Having fun
#6 DON’T INTERFERE
WHEN I AM ON THE
yet?
COURT.
It is my job to handle things on the
tennis court. This is my playground,
#9 SOMETIMES TO
LOVE ME, YOU
MUST LET ME LOSE.
my sanctuary and my place with my I need to play all the tough
peeps. I don’t need you to correct the tournaments, all the tough
score or correct my opponent’s line opponents and in the tough
call, or my line call, or try and tell me conditions. Manipulating
what to do from the bleachers. Let me my schedule, avoiding
handle it. I GOT THIS! Even if I don’t competition and playing the
Werdel (right) with her student, Nicole Mossmer.
always get it right. I need to learn system won’t help me in the
how to do it myself. Call me crazy but long run. You don’t want to sweat and tears into the preparation.
chances are I may even have more see me struggle any more than I have No one knows better than I do how
experience at this than you do. to, but please make me earn my way. badly I messed up and chances are
I will be stronger in the end. I’m sure no one wants to win more than I do.
#8
THERE.
I KNOW IT CAN BE HARD
TO WATCH ME OUT
Marianne Werdel is a former professional tennis player on the WTA Tour and an
All American at Stanford University. As a junior player, she won 19 USTA Junior
Championships, and as a student-athlete at Stanford, she was an All American
Well, not really. I am a teenager and and a member of the 1986 NCAA National Championship team. She went on to
my world is rather myopic. It is all enjoy an 11-year tour career from 1986 to 1997. During that time, she reached a
about me, myself and I. You have to career-high ranking of #21 in singles and #29 in doubles.
10-s.com
800 - 247 - 3907
The 2019 USPTA World Conference will make its triumphant return to Las Vegas September
23-27 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. The USPTA World Conference is the
world’s largest gathering of tennis professionals, industry leaders and representatives,
manufacturers, wholesalers and media. In addition to the educational offerings, USPTA hosts
its board and Executive Committee meetings, evening parties, industry meetings, awards
presentation, and more. Register now for the early bird registration price of $349.99 before
September 1. After the deadline, the price for the full four days is $399.99. Day passes for
the World Conference will be $175 and non-members will be able to purchase tickets to the
conference for $449.99.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
PHOTO CREDIT: ROBERT LABERGE/GETTY
CONFERENCE ADMISSION:
• Full registration $399.99
• One-day pass $175
• Non-member pass $449.99
• Early-bird registration $349.99
MORE INFORMATION
LOCATION:
Westgate Las Vegas
3000 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV 89109
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ADDvantageJune2019GUSJC.indd 51 4/29/2019 9:47:01 AM
USPTA USTA ACCREDITATION FAQ
PAYING IT FORWARD
by Tommy Cardinal, USPTA Communications
Tuffy WINDSCREEN ®
Add our exclusive Chroma-Bond® Digital Imprinting to make any court or facility look its best for
many years. Simple or dramatic imprinting that is so durable, it lasts as long as the fabric.
ACTUAL DEPICTION
First Vice
President Vice President Vice President Past President
Rich Slivocka Jason Gilbert Bill Mountford Gary Trost
1.35%
Actual
$4,597,419.30
Budgeted
$4,245,506.79
1.34%
USPTA REVENUE AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018 USPTA BUDGETED REVENUE AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018
$4,597,419.30 $4,245,506.79
MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP
28.97% 1.35% SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES 29.12% 1.34% SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES
EDUCATION/TESTING EDUCATION/TESTING
WORLD CONFERENCE WORLD CONFERENCE
53.51% 55.13%
MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP
DIVISIONS DIVISIONS
28.97% SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES 29.12%
1.81% 6.75% OTHER 1.29% SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES
OTHER
EDUCATION/TESTING 5.95% EDUCATION/TESTING
7.62% 7.16%
WORLD CONFERENCE WORLD CONFERENCE
53.51% 55.13%
DIVISIONS DIVISIONS
1.81% 6.75% OTHER 1.29% OTHER
USPTA EXPENSES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018 USPTA BUDGETED EXPENSES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018
$4,495,864.91 $4,270,603.38
4.06%
4.36% 0.00% 3.30% 0.00% 2.50%
USPTA EXPENSES AS OF DECEMBER
1.05% 31, 2018 USPTA BUDGETED EXPENSES AS0.50%
OF DECEMBER 31, 2018
$4,495,864.91 $4,270,603.38
MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP
4.06%
4.36% 0.00% 3.30% SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES 0.00% 2.50% SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES
1.05% EDUCATION/TESTING 28.95%0.50% EDUCATION/TESTING
29.77%
WORLD CONFERENCE WORLD CONFERENCE
61.53% MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP
DIVISIONS 63.99% DIVISIONS
SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES SPONSORSHIP/ENDORSEES
OTHER OTHER
EDUCATION/TESTING 28.95% EDUCATION/TESTING
29.77%
WORLD CONFERENCE WORLD CONFERENCE
61.53% DIVISIONS 63.99% DIVISIONS
OTHER OTHER
Teaching System
USPTA
skills, customer service, team building,
At Academia Sanchez-Casal USPTA
budgets and HR issues. This is a very
interactive course that will involve group professionals can earn 10 Education Credits by
LEADERSHIP participation utilizing group projects and participating in the Level 1 or Level 2 course of
ACADEMY
exercises within each training module. the Spanish Tennis Teaching System hosted by
All sessions will be held at USPTA World the International Coaches Institute.
Headquarters in Lake Nona, Florida.
The USPTA Leadership Academy is laser May. 31 – June 2........................ Naples, FL
focused coaching on key tennis industry Information and Location: Competitive Coaching Course Level 1
leadership principles. Led by USPTA • Dates: November 8 - 10
members Feisal Hassan, Ajay Pant, Sara • Location: USPTA Headquarters, Orlando, FL June 2 – 4.................................. Naples, FL
Morse and Jose Pastrello, the leadership • Cost: $499
Pro Coaching Course Level 2
academy will use case studies, self-
assessments and best practices and • Education credits: up to 15 education credits Nov. 13 – 15............................... Naples, FL
behaviors. Additional topics to build Competitive Coaching Course Course Level 1
a strong leadership base will include 6 credits + up to 9 credits for the education
time management, communication sessions. Nov. 15 – 17............................... Naples, FL
Pro Coaching Course level 2
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADDVANTAGE MAGAZINE ADDvantage is published monthly by the USPTA
The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are
President...................................................................... Gary Trost Editor.............................................................................John Cornell those of the authors and not necessarily those
Managing Editor ................................................... DeVonte’ Martin of ADDvantage or the United States Professional
First Vice President................................................. Feisal Hassan Tennis Association.
Layout/Design........................................................... Gustavo Reyes
Vice Presidents..........................................Cari Buck, Mark Faber,
Editorial Assistance.......................... Tommy Cardinal, Risa Epstein, Copyright© United States Professional Tennis
Trish Faulkner, Bill Mountford, Richard Slivocka Ramona Husaru, Sid Newcomb, Ellen Weatherford, Fred Viancos
Association, Inc. 2019. All rights reserved.
Circulation................................................................ Trevor Trudelle Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not
Immediate Past President.............................................Chuck Gill
USPTA World Headquarters permitted without written permission from USPTA.
CEO...........................................................................John Embree
11961 Performance Dr.
..
Legal Counsel........................................................George Parnell Orlando, FL 32827