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USTA
IN THIS ISSUE
Court
Construction &
National Campus Maintenance
Our Annual
Sets New Guide

Standards
The New Home of American Tennis

Court Lighting
Is it time to consider an
LED lighting plan? t
32

Player Amenities
Locker rooms can be
functional and attractivet
34

Plus:
String Selector
How to find whats right
for your customerst
26

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TA pg
USP
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 www.tennisindustrymag.com
TennisIndustry

Contents Mar ch 2017

DEPARTMENTS p. 30 p. 26
4 Our Serve
7 Industry News
16 TIA News
18 Racquet Tech
20 Grassroots Tennis
22 Retailing Tip
24 Facility Management
38 Ask the Experts
40 Your Serve, by Kevin Theos

INDUSTRY NEWS
7 TOM Conference focuses
on business growth FEATURES
7 PTR honors Louie Cap, 26 String Selector
presents annual awards
8 Patrick McEnroe joins
Use our exclusive
Sportime as co-director annual guide to find
8 ASBA inaugurates regional the perfect strings for
technical meetings
8 USTA hires digital media
your customers.
director from MLB
9 Louis Armstrong Stadium
demolished
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE 36 Working
9 Lobster releases app 30 Open for Business! Knowledge
for Apple Watch With state-of-the-art features and With help and support
10 Har-Trus Tracy Lynch
officiates at Rose Bowl technology, the new USTA National from USTA University,
10 Ana Ivanovic joins PlaySight Campus is poised to transform the sport. PTM programs are
as partner and ambassador growing across the
10 Head Play Better Promo
uses IBM Watson tool 32 Light Reaction country.
12 Hinding Tennis completes While lower costs may be an incentive
rebuild of Cuban facility to move to LED lighting, there are many
14 Short Sets
other factors to consider.
12 K-Swiss introduces Knitshot
tennis shoe
14 People Watch 34 Creature Comforts
15 Head Penn partners with
Cliff Drysdale Tennis
Locker rooms that are attractive yet functional
are a key to retaining your members. p. 36

PLUS
p.41 42 CEOs Message
44 Vice Presidents Message

42 44 52 56 46 USPTA News
Tennis and Continuing Tennis on Diagnose, Then 49 Endorsee News
Fitness Go Education is a Campus Should Cure: Doing 52 Beyond the Court
Hand in Hand Never-Ending be Part of Our Your Best for 56 Master Pro Corner
Journey Future Your Students 58 Career Development
60 Member News
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

2 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_BOB_TOC.indd 2 1/26/17 10:39 AM

 PREMIUM COURT
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 TennisIndustry

OurServe PUBLISHER
JEFF WILLIAMS

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
PETER FRANCESCONI
EDITOR'S NOTE

Repair and Replace MANAGING EDITOR

SCOTT GRAMLING

Its time for an industry-supported, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

IAN KNOWLES

comprehensive campaign to educate SENIOR EDITOR

ED McGROGAN

consumers about their equipment. ART DIRECTOR

CRHISTIAN RODRIGUEZ

PRODUCTION EDITOR

O

SAM CHASE

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR
BOB PATTERSON
ne thing you can pretty still find Tennis Tune-Up on
much count on in this PlayTennis.com.) CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
industry is that there will And the U.S. Racquet Stringers ROBIN BATEMAN, CYNTHIA CANTRELL, PEG
CONNOR, KENT OSWALD, CYNTHIA SHERMAN,
always be some sort of Association, under Executive Direc- MARY HELEN SPRECHER
grow-the-game campaign tor Bob Patterson, continues to push
or initiative, or even a major focus on the idea of educating consumers about CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
BOB KENAS, DAVID KENAS
a particular group or program, thats their equipment. For the USRSA, the
designed to boost tennis and bring first step in this endeavor is making WEBMASTER
more people into the game. (In fact, sure stringers, retailers and other ten- GREG RAVEN

over the next six months or so, youll
probably hear much more about a
major initiative by the USTA targeted
mainly at youth players of all ages,
including through high school.)
Its debatable whether, over the
years, these initiatives and campaigns
can be considered to have been effec-
tive. In many instances, success or
effectiveness depends on which seg-
ment of this industry you are a part of.
For your own businesswhether as a
tennis retailer, facility manager, teach-
ing pro, stringer, manufacturer, court
builderyou know when a particular
campaign or initiative has had a posi-
tive impact on your bottom line. And
thats a pretty good measure of its suc-
cess, at least for your business.
But theres one initiative that we
havent yet been able to crank into high
gear. We need an all-encompassing,
industry-wide campaign to start edu-
cating tennis consumers about their
equipment, and how important it is to
upgrade and replace equipment regu-
larly. For tennis providers in all seg-
ments of this industry, a campaign such
as this can be incredibly important.
This isnt a new idea. In fact, a
number of years ago, the TIA created
a Tennis Tune-Up promotion to get
across the idea that consumers need
nis providers have the information and
knowledge they need to provide their
customers with proper advice.
But this equipment tune-up type of
campaign needs to involve all segments
of this industry. Players need to know
that their strings and racquets wear
out, and that restringing and replacing
equipment will help them to play their
best and avoid injury. Which, of course,
means that they will play more tennis.
Its a message that needs to come from
stringers, retailers, teaching pros,
league captains, manufacturers and
more. And it is a message that is essen-
tial to keeping this industry vital.
Our industry needs to come together
and provide resources and support to
create a comprehensive campaign, to
promote the idea that players must
refurbish and replace their equipment
regularly. One of the best things we all
can do for this sport is, collectively, to
encourage tennis consumers to buy
tennis products and services. It needs
to be an industry priority.
Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
Peter@TennisIndustryMag.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
TIM McARTHUR
EDITORIAL DIRECTION
10TEN MEDIA
TENNIS INDUSTRY
48 W 21st St., New York, NY 10010
646-783-1450
info@tennisindustrymag.com
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
JOHN HANNA
770-650-1102, x125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
APPAREL ADVERTISING
CYNTHIA SHERMAN
203-558-5911
cstennisindustry@gmail.com
Tennis Industry is published 10 times per year:
monthly, January through August with combined
issues in September/October and November/
December, by Tennis Media Company, 48 W 21st
St., New York, NY 10010. Periodical postage paid in
Duluth, GA and at additional mailing offices (USPS
#004-354). March 2017, Volume 45, Number 3 2017
by Tennis Media Company. All rights reserved. Tennis
Industry, TI and logo are trademarks of Tennis Media
Company. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising:
770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation and editorial:
646-783-1450. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S.,
$40+ elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to Tennis Industry, 48 W 21st St., New York, NY 10010.
Tennis Industry 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.

to restring their racquets and buy new

racquets and shoes regularly. (You can

4 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FOB_OurServe.indd 7 1/26/17 1:11 PM

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 IndustryNews Information to help you run your business
From left: Brent
Centlivre, Jack Groppel,
Paul Roetert
INDUSTRY EVENT
TOM Conference Eyes Future,
Focuses on Business Growth
K
ey industry presenters will be
on hand for the fourth annual
Tennis Owners & Managers
(TOM) Conference, March 27-29, in
Orlando, Fla., which will focus on the
future of the sport and how best to
position tennis businesses for growth in
todays dynamic consumer market.
Tennis facility owners and managers
will hear from Disney Institute execu-
tive Brent Centlivre on creating top-
level customer service, business leader
Tommy Ho on hiring and entrepreneur
Mark Ein on business strategies, along
with top tennis industry and sports
experts Doug Cash, Greg Lappin, Virgin
Actives Gary Stewart and Simon Pear-
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y P T R
son, fitness marketing guru Casey Con-
rad, Mike Barrell, Feisal Hassan, Ajay
Pant, Butch Staples, Mike Woody, Joe
Wang, Whitney Kraft, among others.
Dr. Jack Groppel, the Health & Wellness
Advisor for the tennis industry, will lead
www.tennisindustrymag.com
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 7
a Health, Wellness & Tennis Panel that
will include Dr. Brian Hainline, chief
medical officer for the NCAA; Dr. Paul
Roetert, CEO of SHAPE America; and
Tom Richards of the American Council
on Exercise.
The conference will include a Future
of Tennis Forum on March 27, along
with the Tennis Industry Innovation
Challengea Shark Tank-like competi-
tion for new products, moderated by
leadership and strategy executive Car-
los Salum. There also will be a site visit
to the new 100-court USTA National
Campus that opened in January.
For additional information, and to
register for this industry event, visit
TheTomConference.com.
Fix-A-Court Introduced
By USPTA, SportMaster
The USPTA has announced a three-year
agreement with SportMaster Sport
Surfaces that retains the surfacing sup-
plier's products as the official surface of
the USPTA, and will introduce the Sport-
Master Fix-A-Court program as a benefit
to USPTA members.
The Fix-A-Court program will allow
USPTA members to pre-register for a
potential tennis court (or other court)
repair, resurfacing or construction proj-
ect. If the project takes place, the member
will benefit from their referral.
This will be a great way for SportMas-
ter to assist in the improvement of tennis
and other sport surfaces, while sharing
a portion with our valued USPTA part-
ners, says SportMaster Sport Surfaces
Director Jeff Gearheart.
SportMaster Sport Surfaces is a divi-
sion of ThorWorks Industries Inc.
Louie Cap with tennis legend Billie Jean King
PTR Honors Louie Cap,
Presents Annual Awards
Dr. Ludovit Louie Cap of Hilton Head
Island, S.C., was inducted into the PTR Hall
of Fame in February during the PTRs 2017
International Tennis Symposium. Other
awards and honors during the Feb. 15-18
event on Hilton Head Island, S.C., included:
Professional of the Year: Frank A. Adams,
Aurora, Colo.
International Master Pro: Donato
Campagnoli, Italy
Clinician of the Year: Michael OKeefe, Park
City, Utah
Touring Coach of the Year: David Witt,
Jacksonville, Fla.
College Coach of the Year: Chris Leicht,
Wilkes Barre, Pa.
High School Coach of the Year: Al Must,
Rochester, Mich.
Wheelchair Professional of the Year: Seth
Haynie, Chandler, Ariz.
Humanitarian of the Year: Karl Hale,
Toronto, Canada (for Helping Hands Jamaica
Foundation)
March 2017 TennisIndustry 7
2/1/17 11:24 AM
 IndustryNews

Volunteer of the Year: Meg Farrelly, Isle In addition to educational presentations USTA Hires Digital Media
of Palms, S.C. and discussions, the ASBA Regional Meeting Director from MLB

Public Facility of the Year: City of Irvine,
Calif.
Private Facility of the Year: Life Time
Athletic Westchester, West Harrison, N.Y.
Newcomer of the Year: Izabella Edin,
Staples, Minn.
PTR/USTA Service to the Community
Award: Kirk Anderson, Portland, Ore.
PTR/TIA Commitment to the Industry
Award: Dr. Jack Groppel
is designed to offer networking opportuni-
ties, and will include a reception/dinner/
tour of Citi Field (home to the New York
Mets) and a tour of the USTA Billie Jean King
National Tennis Center. For more informa-
tion, visit Sportsbuilders.org.
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y J M TA
The USTA has hired former Major
League Baseball Advanced Media execu-
tive Kevin Mahoney to the newly created
position of Managing Director, Digital.
He will report to USTA Chief Marketing
Officer Amy Choyne.

Patrick McEnroe

Pat Mac Joins Sportime,

JMTA as Co-Director
Sportime and The John McEnroe
Tennis Academy (JMTA) of New York
have named Patrick McEnroe as
co-director, alongside longtime JMTA
Director Lawrence Kleger.
I am very pleased that my brother
Patrick has decided to join us at JMTA,
as we continue to refine our model and
expand our impact, says academy
founder John McEnroe. There prob-
ably isnt anybody who understands
American tennis and New York tennis
better than Patrick and nobody in the
world who has better or more experi-
ence coaching talent at the highest
levels of the game.
A TV tennis commentator, Patrick
McEnroe also led USTA Player Develop-
ment for four years.

ASBA Inaugurates
Regional Meetings
The American Sports Builders Associa-
tion will present the first of its new
Regional Meetings on March 8-9 at the
Marriott New York LaGuardia Airport.
The educational conference will include
roundtable discussions and sessions
on topics such as diagnosing and fixing
asphalt and concrete problems, jobsite
planning, athletic equipment and installa-
tion, and more.

8 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 8 1/27/17 2:05 PM

 IndustryNews

Mahoney will help lead the transfor-
mation of the USTAs digital marketing
efforts and social media strategy, and its
integration across all USTA divisions. He
most recently served as vice president,
partner solutions for MLB Advanced
Media, part of a 10-year career at the
organization. Prior to MLB, he managed
digital media for Sprint Nextel.
Ajay Pant
Named Tennis
Director at
Life Time
Ajay Pant will be the
new national tennis
director for Life Time,
based at the companys
national headquarters
Ajay Pant in Minneapolis. For the
last five and half years, Pant has been the
senior vice president of operations at the
Junior Tennis Champions Center in College
Park, Md.
"Ajay has made an invaluable contribution
to our operations, says JTCC CEO Ray Ben-
ton. This is a wonderful opportunity for him
to use his abilities on a national stage.
John Borden, current assistant general
manager at JTCC, has been named as the
new general manager and will be assuming
Pant's responsibilities, including manag-
ing JTCC operations and overseeing JTCC's
satellite facilities at the Bethesda YMCA,
Silver Spring YMCA and the Bolles School in
Jacksonville, Fla.
ASBA Names New
Officers and Directors
The American Sports Builders Associa-
tion (ASBA) has elected officers and direc-
tors for the new membership year. The
new slate took office at the conclusion of
the ASBAs Technical Meeting in Decem-
ber in Amelia Island, Fla., which featured
a record attendance of more than 600.
Pete Smith of The CourtSmiths in
Toledo, Ohio, will continue as the ASBAs
chairman throughout 2017. The chair-
man-elect is Kristoff Eldridge of Cape &
Island Tennis & Track in Pocasset, Mass.
ASBA Division presidents are: Troy
Rudolph of Elite Sports Builders in
Phoenix (Track Division); Joe Covington of
Covington Flooring in Birmingham, Ala.
(Indoor Division); Megan Buczynski of
Activitas in Dedham, Mass. (Professional
Division); and David Moxley of Sports-
field Specialties in Delhi, N.Y. (Supplier
Division).
Ed Norton of Holcombe Norton Part-
ners in Birmingham, Ala., is the ASBAs
secretary-treasurer.

Lobster Releases App

For Apple Watch

Lobster Sports

Lobster Sports has released an Apple

Watch App for controlling its cutting-edge
Elite Grand Series and Phenom Series ball
machines. (Both series are also compatible
CONSTRUCTION with an iPhone Remote Control system,

Louis Armstrong which can be purchased separately.) The

downloadable Apple Watch App is available

Stadium Demolished on the App Store or iTunes.

With the Apple Watch or iPhone remote

O
control system installed, the user can oper-
ne of the most famous tennis stadiums in the world, Louis Armstrong Stadium, in ate any Elite Grand Series or Phenom Series
Flushing Meadows, N.Y., was demolished late last year. It will be replaced with a machine from an Apple Watch, iPhone, iPod
state-of-the-art stadium with 15,000 seats and a retractable roof, as the transforma- Touch or iPad.
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y U S TA

tion of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center continues. In the future, this will allow for expansion
Louis Armstrong Stadium was originally built as the Singer Bowl for the 1964 New York into fitness-based tracking as well, says Lob-
Worlds Fair, and was pressed into service by the USTA in the 1970s, when the US Open ster Sales & Marketing Manager Curt Toney.
moved from Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows. Soon, we can count ball throws, count
A temporary stadium will replace Louis Armstrong for the 2017 US Open. The new stadium, steps, or maybe even count calories burned.
estimated to cost $100 million, is expected to be completed in time for the 2018 Open. Visit lobstersports.com for more info.

www.tennisindustrymag.com March 2017 TennisIndustry 9

FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 9 1/27/17 2:05 PM

 IndustryNews
EXTRACURRICULARS
Har-Trus Tracy Lynch
Officiates at Rose Bowl
H
ar-Trus director of sales,
Tracy Lynch, has a not-so-
secret second job. For the past
20 years, hes been a football official.
Lynch started officiating at high
school games, then moved on to college
football, and for the last six years he
has officiated games for the Atlantic
Coast Conference. On Jan. 2, he was on
the field as an official at the Rose Bowl,
which turned out to be the highest scor-
ing game in Rose Bowl history, as USC
defeated Penn State, 52-49.
It was an honor to be a part of the
10 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 10
Lynch has
officiated ACC
football for
six years.
game and a part of the history of the
Rose Bowl, says Lynch, who was Ten-
nis Industrys Sales Rep of the Year
for 2009. When all is said and done, I
believe people will remember the game
and not the officiating, and hopefully
that means we did a pretty good job.
Were all incredibly proud of Tracys
accomplishments, says Har-Tru Presi-
dent Pat Hanssen. To work at the elite
level in a sport like football is a huge
commitment, and Tracy has worked
hard to get there, balancing his career,
his family and football.
Head Play Better Promo
Uses IBM Watson Tool
Head is piloting a program with an
IBM Watson-enabled web tool called the
Head Tennis Racquet Finder. The tools
artificial intelligence-powered interface
relies on IBM Watson technology to guide
consumers through personalized racquet
recommendations.
As part of the pilot, Head launched
a sweepstakes called Play Better
that runs through 2017, with winners
announced every Friday. Participants
answer questions that leverage the
Racquet Finders technology to identify
the most suitable racquet for their game,
and are eligible to win Head performance
racquets or tennis balls. Sweepstakes
players also are eligible for a free demo
coupon at participating retail stores.
Head developed its own algorithm for
matching players with its frames, and
the Racquet Finder taps into IBM Watson
to present the top three recommended
racquets for each player, ranked accord-
ing to Watsons evaluations that include
weight, head size and balance, as well as
calculations of their suitability for a user.
Visit headplaybetter.com.
Ivanovic Joins PlaySight
Ana Ivanovic
PlaySight, the company behind the
instant-feedback SmartCourt, has added
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y T R A C Y LY N C H / H A R -T R U, A P
recently retired WTA Grand Slam singles
champion and former World No. 1 Ana
Ivanovic as a partner and ambassador.
All levels of tennis player can benefit from
training smarter with PlaySights analytics,
instant video, fair play line calling and gami-
fied tennis training, Ivanovic says.
Ivanovic joins a group of PlaySight part-
ners that includes Billie Jean King, Chris
Evert, Pete Sampras, Novak Djokovic, Tom-
my Haas, Paul Annacone and Darren Cahill.
PlaySight SmartCourts are installed at the
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/27/17 2:05 PM

Letters
Analyzing Serving American Style
The "Master Pro Corner" article by
James R. Shaughnessy in the USPTA
ADDvantage section of TIs November/
December issue made a compelling
case for the "American Style" serve over
the "Trophy Style. But the statistical
box "Career Service Points Played and
Won" failed to prove a cause-and-effect
relationship between American-Style
servers and successful serving. To prove
that relationship, the following variables
would need to be broken down and ana-
lyzed for each server:
1. Points vs. Games: Service games won
matters far more than service points
won. The sole exception is points won in
tie-breakers.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 11
2. Big Points vs. Little Points: All points
are not equal in value. Generally, the
biggest service points are match points,
followed by set points and then game
points. (Of course, all service points are
important in a tie-breaker.)
3. Surface: Generally, the faster the
surface, the higher the percentage of
service points won.
4. Points won outright by the serve.
5. Points not won outright by the serve,
but which were still set up by strong
serves: In this case, strong serves elicit
weak or very weak returns.
6. The third and subsequent shots in
IndustryNews
serving games. For example, Roger
Federer fares well here because he has a
well-rounded game that wins points in a
variety of ways. Andy Roddick's chances
of winning points that had three or
more shots, however, were not as good
because the rest of his game was not as
effective as Federer's. So Federer won
many points and games even when he
did not serve as well as usual.
7. The quality of opposition: The tougher
the opposition, the more difficult it is to
win service points. The better the player,
the further he or she advances in tourna-
ments, playing better opponents.
Bucky Adams, USPTA Elite Pro
Paul Fein, USPTA Elite Pro
March 2017 TennisIndustry 11
1/27/17 2:05 PM
 IndustryNews
FOOTWEAR
K-Swiss Introduces
Knitshot Tennis Shoe
K -Swisss newest high-performance
tennis shoe, the Knitshot, com-
bines innovative design and ad-
vanced technology, says the company, and is
designed for intermediate to advanced play-
ers. The shoe features new K-NIT material
to provide comfort and stability.
K-NIT has a unique high-abrasion thread
Short
Sets
Grand Slam Tennis Tours of Stowe,
Vt., has been named the official travel
partner of the USTA New England sec-
tion. GSTT will work with the section
to provide tennis travel experiences to
USTA members at a discount. In other
sponsorship news, Kysek is now the
exclusive ice chest and cooler partner
for USTA New England.
TGA Premier Youth Tennis has added
five new franchises in Texas. Four will
launch in the Dallas markets of North-
west Collin County, South Tarrant
County, North Tarrant County and South
Denton County, along with one in the
North Houston market.
The Novak Djokovic Foundation and
the Jamie Murray-supported Children
Change Colombia are among nine
recipients in the ATP Aces For Charity
grant program. Each grant recipient,
12 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 12
that is used in vehicle armor, body armor and
climbing equipment. The new GuideGlide
construction places lower density foam
under the foot to provide long-lasting cush-
ioning while putting firmer foam around the
outside of the shoe for stability and support.
The Knitshot suggested retail price is
$155. Visit KSwiss.com.
nominated by ATP World Tour players,
tournaments and alumni, will receive
grants of about $18,500. Since 2011,
Aces for Charity has awarded 76 grants
totaling more than $940,000.
The USTA has extended its broadcast
rights agreement in Japan with partner
WOWOW. The five-year extension will
allow the Japanese TV broadcaster to
present the US Open through 2021.
The Gainesville Area Community
Tennis Association was recently named
USTA Floridas 2016 Outstanding Mem-
ber Organization.
Life insurance broker Health IQ has
joined the Tennis Industry Association as
a corporate partner and will become the
official life insurance option within the
TIAs TennisInsure. Visit healthIQ.com or
contact insurance@healthiq.com.
CONSTRUCTION
Hinding Tennis
Completes
Rebuild of
Cuban Facility
H
inding Tennis of West Haven,
Conn., recently completed
a set of extensive renovations
at the National Tennis Center in Havana,
marking the first bricks-and-mortar con-
struction project by an American company
in Cuba since the Dwight D. Eisenhower
Administration.
This has been the most challenging
project I have completed in my 42 years
in the tennis industry and, by far, the most
gratifying project I have ever been involved
with, says Steven Hinding.
Hinding made his first trip to Havana
nearly two years ago with Jake Agna, the
founder of Kids on the Ball, a Burlington,
Vt., non-profit promoting junior tennis. Since
2002, Agna has introduced thousands of
kids in Burlington to the sport.
Agna had been to Cuba and wanted junior
tennis to thrive there, but first the players P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y K- S W I S S, H I N D I N G T E N N I S C O U RT S
in Cuba needed courts. He and Kids on the
Ball set out to find donors and support to
renovate the 10 courts at Havanas National
Tennis Center.
Construction started on Nov. 26 and
was completed Dec. 19. The project was a
collaboration among Hinding Tennis, Ace
Tennis, Mid-Atlantic Tennis, AFSCO Fence,
Gateway Fence & Guardrail and Riteway
Crack Repair. The court surface is California
Sports Surfaces Premier Court.
To come out and help during the con-
struction process then to see the players
take so much pride in the new facility is life-
changing, says Hinding.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/31/17 3:15 PM
 IndustryNews

USTA National Campus and at federa-

tions, academies, colleges, and clubs
all over the world.

Head Debuts Four

Instinct Series Frames
Heads new Instinct racquet series
features a new frame construction
that introduces Graphene Touch
technology, which the company
says offers great touch and
maneuverability, along with an
ideal combination of power and
control for all playing levels.
Head says advanced 3D carbon
engineering provides more stability
and a bigger sweet spot for added
power and is the secret to the play-
ability of the new frames. The
racquets feature special grommets
that dampen vibration, and the
bumper and bridge sections are de-
signed to integrate with the frame.
The new Instinct series is avail-
able in four modelsMidPlus, Adap-
tive, S and Lite. Visit head.com.

Head's new Instinct series frame

JMTA to Hold Second Have you ever wanted to buy a house

College Recuiting Event
For the second straight year, the John
with a tennis court?
McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) will
run a College Recruiting Combine, Are you a tennis pro that is interested
which is scheduled for the weekend in doing your own programming?
of June 24-25 at Sportime Randalls
Island in New York City. Can you imagine yourself living and loving
The Combine, which debuted last
June, will give selected rising high- the tennis life in peaceful Central Oregon?
school sophomores, juniors and
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opportunity to showcase their techni- 2,500 sq. ft. 1BR Main House w/ 1,000 sq. ft. Master Bedroom
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cal and tactical tennis skills, as well
as their athletic abilities and mental
toughness, in front of coaches from
top colleges and universities. Dozens
of JMTA students currently compete at
top colleges across the country.
400 sq. ft. Pro Quarters Cabin
4 bedroom tennis house that accommodates 8+ players (each room has court access)
This property is 10 minutes from Bend, Oregon. Interested in finding out more?
Visit: www.tennispropropertybendoregon.com or call Arron @ (541) 410-3893

www.tennisindustrymag.com March 2017 TennisIndustry 13

FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 13 1/27/17 2:05 PM

 Industry
IndustryNews
COMPETITION
New Book
Deals With
Choking in
Sports
E
motional Aptitude in Sports:
Stop Choking in Competition
is the latest book by coach,
speaker and author Frank Giampaolo.
Emotional control supersedes
athletic, mental and fundamental
development during competition,
Giampaolo says. Underdeveloped
emotional skill sets debilitate an
Giampaolo's athletes developed strengthsjust
new book is when they are needed the most. The
available now
book is available on Amazon.
LOVE LOVE
Club members and students will LOVE facing
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offering the added advantage.
follow lobste
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te play more. win more.
For more information, please call 888.380.9460 or visit www.lobstersports.com
14 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 14
People
Watch
Peter Burwash International
(PBI) will direct the tennis
program for the Four Seasons
Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. Kata
Bulcsu, a native of Budapest, will
be the director of tennis.
Nicole LaDuca has been
appointed as the Intercollegiate
Tennis Association's new com-
munications coordinator. She is
a former East Carolina University
tennis player.
Nicole Gibbs is the newest
ambassador for ArrowBar, a
newly launched gluten-free
energy bar, joining John Isner,
Stevie Johnson, James Blake and
Michael Russell as ambassadors
for the product.
Head Penn racquetball pro
and world No. 1 Paola Longoria
went undefeated in 2016, win-
ning all 13 events she played on
the Ladies Professional Racquet-
ball Tour.
Tom Patterson of Chicago
recently won the USTA Midwest
Sections Mel Bergman Award.
Other section volunteer awards:
the Tad Malpass family as USTA
Midwest Family of the Year, and
John Pearson as recipient of the
Stan Malless Award.
USTA Foundation Advisory
Board member Carol Richard-
son Kimmelman, who received
the Foundations inaugural
National Service Award in
November, passed away on Jan.
6 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., fol-
lowing a long illness. To honor
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y F R A N K G I A M PA O L O
Kimmelmans lifetime dedica-
tion to serving others, the
Kimmelman family has
announced the endowment of
the Carol Richardson Kimmel-
man Tennis Center, to be built
and developed in conjunction
with the USTA Foundation
(USTAF) in Los Angeles.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/27/17 2:05 PM

PARTNERSHIP
Head Penn Partners With
Cli Drysdale Tennis
H
ead Penn Racquet Sports
announced a multi-year
agreement as the Official
Worldwide Tennis Equipment and
Tennis Ball Sponsor of Cli Drysdale
Tennis (CDT).
Head Penn Racquet Sports will
become the exclusive equipment and
ball sponsor at more than 400 CDT-
managed tournaments, events and
programs in the U.S., and each CDT-
USRSA Announces
New MRTs and CSs
Master Racquet Technicians
Darrell Haines, Rockville, Md.
Benjamin Kron, North Wales, Pa.
Dave Neagle, Cincinnati
Scott Nilsen, Rockville, Md.
Certified Stringers
Dick Nelson, Minnetonka, Minn.
Prasert Ruamthong, Alexandria, Va.
PTR Honors State Members
At the recent PTR International Tennis
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y F R A N K G I A M PA O L O
Symposium on Hilton Head Island, the PTR
awarded its State Members of the Year:
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y H E A D P E N N
AL George Wilson, Birmingham
AR Kelli Holmes, Maumelle
AZ Melissa L. Tafoya, Mesa
CA - Todd Dissly, Los Gatos
CT Mitchell Case, Torrington
DE Gaby Brengle, Dover
FL Pedro Estrada, Orlando
FL Kelvin Rivera, Saint Cloud
www.tennisindustrymag.com
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_IndustryNews_Updated.indd 15
IndustryNews
Head Penns Kevin Kempin (left)
and Greg Mason (right) with
CDT's CEO Don Henderson.
managed pro shop will exclusively
feature Head racquets, strings, grips
and bags, and Penn tennis balls. In
addition, Hall of Famer Cli Drysdale,
all represented coaches, directors and
sta members will endorse Head and
Penn products.
This is a perfect match of people,
culture and vision for the future, says
Kevin Kempin, Head North America
CEO and president.
HI Shelby Baron, Honolulu
ID Katie Wate, Meridian
IL Zane Fulton, Westmont
IN Brandon Currie, Indianapolis
IA Kevin Nebergall, Cedar Rapids
KS Mike Woody, Gardner
KY Bruce Stone, Louisville
LA Walker Sahag, Mandeville
MA Avis Murray, Gloucester
MD Ernest J. Quarles, Mitchellville
MI Derek Ameel, Big Rapids
MN Isaac McBroom, Excelsior
MS Geoff Norton, Jackson
NY Anthony Evrard, Brooklyn
NC Carla McKenzie, Vass
OH Philip Conley, Tiffin
PA Aaron Grant, Philadelphia
SC Mike Pollard, Bluffton
SD Mark Vellek, Sioux Falls
TX Tony Huber, Cypress
VA Tim Bainton, Washington DC
WA Karen Baebler, Seattle
WY Kenneth Yamada, Cheyenne
March 2017 TennisIndustry 15
1/27/17 2:05 PM
 Join Us In Orlando!
On March 27-29, tennis facility and club management experts, sports and fitness industry executives, and top tennis industry
officials will share their knowledge, experience, expertise and the latest news and data at the 2017 Tennis Owners & Managers
(TOM) Conference and Future of Tennis Forum, which will take place at the award-winning Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. The three-
day event is presented by the TIA. Sessions and specialty courses are eligible for continuing education credits for PTR and USPTA
members. To register for the TOM, which immediately follows the nearby USTA Annual Meeting, visit TheTOMConference.com.

Future of Tennis Forum: Growing Our Business FUTURE OF TENNIS

FORUM
The 2017 TOM Conference will open on Monday, March 27, with the Future of Tennis Forum, at which top industry
officials will present the latest news and data about the state of the tennis industry and look ahead to ways to grow
the business of tennis.
Speakers at the Forum will include TIA President Jeff Williams, managing partner of the Tennis Media Co.; TIA Executive
Director Jolyn de Boer; and Sports Marketing Surveys Vice President Keith Storey, who will present the latest tennis industry
news, data and more.
Dr. Jack Groppel, co-founder of the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, will offer a preview of the importance of connecting
health and wellness messages with consumers. Dr. Gregory Rose will discuss how other sports are bringing youngsters into their games and
what tennis can do to create more life-long players. Dr. Stuart Miller of the International Tennis Federation will share how the ITF is helping
to grow tennis globally, including through online communities.
Craig Morris, the USTAs general manager of Community Tennis/Youth Tennis, will reveal a key initiative designed to help drive more youth
players into the gameand how tennis businesses can benefit.

Tennis Innovation Challenge: New Products & Services

Monday morning will conclude with the inaugural Tennis Innovation Challenge, a Shark-Tank- Te n n i s I n d u s t r y
innovation
like competition in which three finalists (who were chosen among online applicants) present their
innovative tennis product or service to a panel of judgesand an audience of industry leaders
and tennis facility owners and managers. The competition will be moderated by Carlos Salum,
president of the leadership, performance and strategy firm Salum International Resources.
CHALLENGE

Tennis Health & Wellness Panel: Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles

The Conference will include a Tennis Health & Wellness Panel that will focus
on how the tennis industry and its businesses should use health and wellness
messaging to attract more people to the game and encourage active, healthy
lifestyles through sports.
The panel will be led by Dr. Jack Groppel, co-founder of the Johnson & Johnson
Dr. Jack Dr. Brian Tom Dr. Paul
Human Performance Institute and the Health & Wellness Advisor for the tennis Groppel Hainline Richards Roetert
industry, and will include Dr. Brian Hainline, chief medical officer for the NCAA and
former longtime chief medical officer for the US Open; Dr. Paul Roetert, CEO of SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) and
former managing director of USTA Player Development; and Tom Richards, the director of corporate engagement for the American Council
on Exercise (ACE).
16 TennisIndustry March 2017 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
Tennis Owners &
Managers Conference
Agenda (subject to change)
MONDAY, MARCH 27 12:00 p.m.: Lunch Break 3:30 p.m.: Networking Break/Resource Center

8:00 a.m.: Resource Center Opens
9:00 a.m.: Future of Tennis Forum
Speakers: Jeff Williams, Jolyn de Boer, Keith Storey, Dr. Jack Tom Richards, Dr. Paul Roetert
Groppel, Dr. Gregory Rose, Dr. Stuart Miller, Craig Morris
10:30 a.m.: Tennis Innovation Challenge
Moderator: Carlos Salum; Judges: Walid Fattah,
Carlos Salum, Jeff Williams
11:30 a.m.: Networking Break/Resource Center
1:00 p.m.: Health & Wellness: 4:00 p.m.: Critical Legal Issues Facing Todays
Tennis Players Live Longer! Tennis Facilities
Moderator: Dr. Jack Groppel; Panel: Dr. Brian Hainline, Moderator: Doug Cash; Speakers: Peter Brewer,
Jordan Schwartz
2:00 p.m.: Best Lessons Ive Learned in Business 5:00 p.m.: Networking/Resource Center
Mark Ein
5:30 p.m.: Tencap Welcome Reception/Cocktails
2:45 p.m.: Secrets of Hiring and Leadership
Tommy Ho

TUESDAY, MARCH 28 10:45 a.m.: Creating New Revenue:
How to Re-Think Retail Operations
7:00 a.m.: Cardio Tennis Workout (optional) Moderator: Mike Volkin; Panel: Sean Barkulis, Matt Colton,
Michele Krause Dave Emkey, Bob Patterson
7:30 a.m.: Resource Center Opens 11:30 a.m.: Networking Break/Resource Center
2:45 p.m: Roundtable: Is Your Facility as Tech Savvy
as Your Members?
Moderator/Speaker: Carlos Salum
Roundtable Leaders: Brian Brouda, Noah Dreyer, Walid
Fattah, Alberto Genty, Pedro Machado, Richard Moore,
Charlie Ruddy, Topias Soininen

8:30 a.m.: Creating New Revenue:
How to Re-Think Sales & Marketing
Casey Conrad
10:00 a.m.: Creating New Revenue:
How to Re-Think Fitness Programming
Whitney Kraft (POP Tennis), Michele Krause (Cardio Tennis),
Simon Pearson (Virgin Active)
12:00 p.m.: Lunch: Customer Service, Disney Style!
Brent Centlivre
1:15 p.m.: How to Grow Your Tennis Base
Moderator: Doug Cash; Speakers: Michael Mahoney,
Ajay Pant, Gary Stewart, Mike Woody
4:00 p.m.: Networking Break/Resource Center
5:00 p.m.: Site Tour, POP Tennis and Barbecue
at USTA National Campus
Welcome by Kurt Kamperman, USTA Chief Executive of
Community Tennis/USTA National Campus

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29 9:00 a.m.: The Tennis Facility of the Future! 11:30 a.m.: Announcement of Tennis Innovation
Moderators: Doug Cash, Greg Lappin; Speaker: Mike Barrell Challenge Winner
7:30 a.m.: Cardio Tennis Workout (optional) Roundtable Leaders: Mike Barrell, Jim Bates, Scott Baxter, Closing Remarks/Takeaways
Michele Krause Virgil Christian, Simon Gale, Will Hamilton, Feisal Hassan,
Whitney Kraft, David LaSota, Michael Mahoney, Ajay Pant,
8:00 a.m.: Resource Center Opens Scott Schultz, Butch Staples, Mike Woody

SPECIALTY COURSESSUNDAY, MARCH 26 Register today at

1:30 p.m.: What is the Value of Your Facility? with Jim Bates
3:30 p.m.: Dynamic Leadership and Optimum Staff Performance with Greg Lappin TheTOMConference.com!
TOM Conference Speakers (subject to change)

Mike Jim Doug Brent Virgil Casey Mark Dave Simon Feisal
Barrell Bates Cash Centlivre Christian Conrad Ein Emkey Gale Hassan

Tommy Kurt Whitney Michele Greg David Michael Stuart Craig Ajay
Ho Kamperman Kraft Krause Lappin LaSota Mahoney Miller Morris Pant

Bob Simon Gregory Carlos Scott Jordan Butch Gary Mike Mike
Patterson Pearson Rose Salum Schultz Schwartz Staples Stewart Volkin Woody
 TennisIndustry

RacquetTech
INVENTORY CONTROL

Taking Stock
Put some thought into your string inventory so
your shop covers every type of player.
By Bob Patterson

W
ith over 1,100
strings on the
market, selecting
your inventory can
be mind-boggling,
even for large shops. How do you
narrow your selection to keep it man-
ageable? And, how do you begin the
selection process?
Determining the number of strings
you can carry is not just about how
much space you have to stock your
inventory. There are other questions
to consider: How much do you have
to spend? How many inventory turns
do you want? Do you need 10 SKUs to
cover your needs, or 40 of each?
The decision process is easier than
you may think. First, make sure you
have a variety of strings to cover differ-
ent playing styles and needs. This can
be as few as 10 SKUs, but if you have
the budget, the room and the volume,
you may want to increase the offerings.
Often, though, giving a customer too
many choices will add to the confusion,
so you want to be somewhat selective. Determining the number of strings
Using the tools and information you can carry is not just about how
on the RacquetTech.com site, USRSA
members get all the specs from pro-
much space you have.
spective strings for your inventory to
not only make sure you have a wide
variety, but to also make sure you keep hand, if the majority of your customers their game or their health, suggest a
similar-playing strings to a minimum. are hard-hitting juniors who want spin better string set-up and tell them why
Once you feel you have a good and durability, go heavier on strings it will improve their play and their
variety, you can expand to fill in gaps, that accentuate those qualities. The enjoyment of the game. Even if they
or skew your inventory to meet your key is to make sure you have sufficient stick with their same set-up, they may
clientele. If your customers are mostly inventory and variety to meet your be willing to try something elsewhich
senior players who tend to like softer, primary audience, while still covering your shop will have in stocklater on. 
more elastic strings, then beef up that all the requisite bases.
portion of your inventory by adding Also, educate your customers! Dont Bob Patterson is the Executive Director
more colors or gauges to meet their just take orders. If a client is using a of the United States Racquet Stringers
needs and expectations. On the other set-up that you feel is detrimental to Association.

18 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FOB_RacquetTech.indd 7 1/26/17 1:40 PM


 TennisIndustry
GrassrootsTennis
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Play It Forward!
CTAs, public parks, schools and NJTLs
are on the front lines when it comes to
growing our sport in communities.
INTERMOUNTAIN
Womens Doubles Event Supports Safehouse
F
or 30 years, abused women
and children have come to
Crossroads Safehouse in Fort
Collins, Colo., where they have
found safety, shelter and the personal
assistance and resources they need to
help build their lives.
And virtually every year since Cross-
roads opened its doors in 1980, the
Ladies Day Doubles event has
beenbenefitting the shelter. It started
with a group of friends from the Fort
Collins Tennis Association getting
together to help raise money and
awareness for the cause. Since then,
the event has blossomed into a cant-
miss date on every Northern Colorado
player's tennis calendar.
20 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_Grassroots.indd 7
Proceeds from the event, held each
June, are donated to the Safehouse.
Since 2009, contributions have
increased tenfold. In 2016, total dona-
tions and sponsorships for the Ladies
Day Doubles tournament topped
$14,000. Participants also bring sup-
plies that are needed on a daily basis at
the facility, as large tables are piled high
with necessities.
The Colorado State University
womens tennis team andretiring
coach Jon Messick once again hosted
the event, which included 124 women
in the draw and has become one of the
biggestand most importanttennis
socials in the FCTA section.
Kurt Desautels/Colorado Tennis
MISSOURI VALLEY
North KC Schools
Go All-In for Tennis
T
he North Kansas City School
District in Missouri is embrac-
ing its mission of getting tennis
into its elementary schools. After
working with USTA Heart of America
Schools Tennis Organizer Carrie Hel-
lerich, the district made 22 of its
elementary schools USTA organiza-
tional members to make sure they
would receive the necessary support
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y C R O S S R OA D S S A F E H O U S E , U S TA M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y
needed to get tennis into the curricu-
lum. But the efforts didnt stop there.
Of the 22 schools, 19 successfully
applied for USTA Missouri Valley
Serving Up Tennis Grants and were
awarded $1,000 each. USTA Missouri
Valley staff, as well as an area facil-
ity manager, also assisted the district
by hosting a school tennis workshop
for 29 teachers in October (pictured
above). The schools also ordered tennis
equipment packages to use in physical
education classes.
My elementary PE budget is pretty
tight, says Jason Fowler, phys-ed and
health coordinator for the district.
The grants make it a doable thing for
our district.
Andrew Robinson
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/26/17 1:07 PM
 monogut-zx-third-advert-image-update.pdf 1 06/07/2016 22:23

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K
 TennisIndustry
FUTURE TRENDS
Give Them a Show
Creating a better retail
customer experience involves
all areas of your store.
By Jay Townley
O
ne of the most important
reasons for consumers to
shop at your store, or at
any store, is for the
experience. This is a retail
trend that some of Americas most suc-
cessful specialty retailers recognized
early on. At outdoor recreaton stores
Cabelas and REI, nearly one-third of
consumers said they are interested in
the experience at retail stores, not just
what they are there to purchase. Earlier
this year, Crains Chicago Business
reported that McDonalds is looking to
create a Starbucks experience with
kiosks and digital menu boardsall
part of the fast-food giants push to cre-
ate a better customer experience.
As mentioned here last month, Small
Business Trends said U.S. shoppers are
22 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_RetailingTip.indd 7
RetailingTip
most interested in health or fitness
classes (29 percent), cooking classes
(27 percent) and learning from experts
(20 percent). (Clearly, the substantial
interest in health and fitness classes
is something tennis specialty retailers
should latch onto.) Seventeen percent
of consumers are interested in clubs
that meet at retail stores, because of the
experience they can provide.
An Inviting Exterior
The retail experience starts with
your shops exterior. Is it designed to
be open and welcoming? Do you use
green plants around your entrance? Is
lighting arranged to reflect warmth?
Consider every detail for consumers.
Next is the entrance itself. Make
sure your store is easy to get into and
navigate, particularly for parents with
children and strollers. The entrance
should be clean and well-lit, with no
decals on the front door and windows.
Have a neutral zone just inside the
entrance. In his book Why We Buy!,
environmental psychologist Paco
Underhill says consumers walk faster
than their brains can process what they
see. Creating a neutral zone inside a
store is important to how shoppers
perceive the store environment.
Pay attention to the
whole picture your store
conveys as customers
enter the neutral-zone.
Sound and smell are also important
loud, inappropriate music needs to be
replaced with pleasant and inviting
tunes. If you arent sure of your choices,
invite consumers to walk around and
ask for their reactions and recommen-
dations about what they experience.
Line of Sight
Pay attention to the whole picture your
store conveys to customers as they
enter the neutral-zone. Its what they
see that helps them understand where
they need to go to get what they want.
Purposeful signage should be easy
to read and understand. Comfortable
places for customers to sit are im-
portant, especially for the shoppers
companionwhich in turn keeps the
shopper in the store longer.
Of course, the greeting from you and
your staff is probably the single most
important component of a retail-store
experience. How soon and with what
degree of genuine sincerity and warmth
are shoppers greeted when they enter?
It will have a huge impact on how wel-
come they feel, how comfortable they
become and how much they appreci-
ate and talk about the experience your
store delivers. These days, its also the
PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK
experience your customers expect.
Jay Townley is a partner in the retail
consulting firm Gluskin Townley Group
(www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
www.tennisindustrymag.com
2/1/17 12:23 PM
PTR-March-2017.qxp_Layout 1 1/23/17 10:40 AM Page 1

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May 20 Kingsland, GA June 17 Reston, VA
May 20 San Jose, CA July 8 Bloomington, MN
May 20 Midland, MI July 28 Fairhope, AL
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 L
TennisIndustry

ate last year, a federal FACILITY MANAGEMENT

judge in Texas halted
the implementation of
new Department of Wage Differential
Labor (DOL) fed-
eral overtime rules
When it comes to managing overtime
that would have raised the salary
threshold for exempt employees
for your staff, the issuesand laws
(employees who are not eligible
for overtime pay) from $23,660 to
are by no means clear-cut.
$47,476. Had the rule gone into
eect, many more workers would
By Joe Wang
have been eligible for time-and-a-
half overtime pay.
While the possibility of the new
overtime rule being implemented
down the road still exists, tennis
facility owners and managers contin-
ue to struggle with existing overtime
rules, and ensuring their compensa-
tion structure and overtime poli-
cies are in compliance with the Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Facilities that classify their teach-
ing professionals as exempt under
white-collar exemptions have
diculty fitting job descriptions to
comply with the FLSAs admin-
istrative or professional duties
definitions. And tennis clubs opting
to avoid these employment issues
by using third-party contractors
face customer-service and member
satisfaction issues as they give up
scheduling and pricing control over
independent contractors who ser-
vice multiple clients.

Classifying Tennis Pros

So how should facility owners and
managers classify their tennis pros
relative to overtime compensation?
A potential solution might be found
in Section 7(i) of the FLSA, which
exempts from overtime employees
of a retail or service establishment
whose regular rate of pay is more
than one-and-one-half times the
minimum wage and if more than half
their compensation for a representa-
tive period represents commissions
on goods or services.
It is important to note there
currently is no legal precedent of
a tennis-specific club demonstrat-
ing compliance with the FLSAs
overtime rules by establishing that
its teaching pros fall under the 7(i)
exemption. However, the exemption
is widely used in other commission-
heavy industries, such as the auto-
mobile dealership industry.
Ultimately, the determination of
whether tennis professionals can be
classified as exempt from overtime
under the 7(i) exemption will have
to be made on a case-by-case basis,
depending on each clubs compensation
structure, business structure, and state
law. These issues should be discussed
with your facility or clubs attorney, or
with a labor attorney.
Test for Compliance
If a retail or service elects to use the 7(i)
overtime exemption, three conditions
must be met:
1. The employee must be employed by a
retail or service establishment.
2. The employees regular rate of pay
must exceed one-and-one-half times
the applicable minimum wage for every
hour worked in a workweek in which
overtime hours are worked.
3. More than half of the employees
total earnings in a representative
period must consist of commissions.
The DOL defines retail and service
businesses as establishments 75
percent of whose annual dollar volume
of sales of goods and services is not for
resale and is recognized as retail sales
or services in the particular industry.
While there is no existing precedent
for tennis clubs, the DOL did issue an
opinion letter stating that a health and
athletic club with trainers, aerobic in-
structors and tennis pros would meet
this condition if 75 percent or more of
its sales of services was considered re-
tail. Given the nature of a tennis lesson,
this condition is easily satisfied.

24 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Management.indd 7 1/26/17 12:50 PM

 The DOL has also stated: Typically,
a retail or service establishment is one
which sells goods or services to the
general public. Even if a clubs mem-
bership may not be purchased by the
general public, the DOL recognizes that
if certain facilities within the club are
open and available to the public, as well
as to club members, and are a distinct
physical place of business separate
from other facilities and qualify as an
establishment, then the exemption
may apply.
Therefore, private clubs should take
into consideration: (1) whether teach-
ing services can also be open for sale to
the non-member general public with
no restriction; (2) whether the physi-
cal location of the tennis facilities is
separate from other areas of the club;
and (3) whether the structure of the
I M A G E C O U RT E S Y S H U T T E R S T O C K
operation and management and duties
of the tennis services and teaching
professionals is exclusive to the tennis
portion of the business and does not
cross over to other areas of the club.
Meeting the other compliance condi-
tionsregular rate of pay exceeding
one-and-a-half times minimum wage
and more than half of total earnings
FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Management.indd 8
consisting of commissionswill be spe-
cific to each facility. When making this
calculation, it is important to ensure
that: (1) commissions are true commis-
sions that vary and are tied to volume
of sales, and are not just a regular fixed
fee; (2) accurate records are kept of
employee hours and pay; and (3) rep-
resentative periods used to calculate
a particular employees compensation
must not be less than a month.
Ultimately, club owners and ten-
nis directors must do an indepen-
dent evaluation on whether they can
categorize their tennis pros as exempt
from overtime under the FLSA 7(i)
exemption. Given the potential benefits
to a tennis club business, you should at
least explore this with your attorney.
Joe Wang is Assistant General
Manager/Director of Tennis at Army
Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA.
He has also held positions as a business
strategy analyst at Apple Inc. and Nokia.
Mr. Wang is a USPTA teaching pro and
has a J.D. from Villanova and an MBA
from Georgetown, where he has also
worked as an adjunct professor in the
McDonough School of Business.
Overtime
Exemption:
Benefits and Risks
for Tennis Facilities
Benefits:
With the FLSA 7(i) exemption, there is no need to
conduct complex calculations and budgeting for
overtime when dealing with varying commissions
and employee teaching schedules.
There is no minimum salary requirement that other
overtime exemptions require.
Allows tennis professionals to focus on teach-
ing tennis rather than meeting an administrative
duties test to comply with white-collar overtime
exemptions.
Promotes an incentive to sell more lessons for the
business and removes the chilling effect overtime
management places on a teaching pros hours and
ability to earn income.
Risks:
There is no specific case law establishing a legal
precedent that the 7(i) exemption can be applied to
a tennis club.
In locations with concurrent state wage laws,
some states may not recognize the application of
the 7(i) exemption.
Private tennis and country clubs may confront
additional compliance issues when trying to qualify
as a retail establishment under the FLSA.
1/26/17 12:50 PM
 TennisIndustry

With the USRSA's

String Selector
tool, educating

E
recreational players
about strings is
easier than ever.

ven after decades of

GUIDE TO STRINGS
Educational Initiative
Use our exclusive guide to find
the perfect strings for your customers.
By Bob Patterson
Executive Director, USRSA
stringing racquets,
I am still amazed at
how little attention
most players pay
to their strings and
grips. As technicians,
we are used to seeing racquets with
tattered grips coming in for restringing
only because the strings broke. A look
at the label reveals the frame hadnt
been strung in at least a year.
Even players buying a new racquet
seem indifferent about their strings.
They will spend weeks or even months
trying out racquets, researching online
and even discussing it with their
local technician or pro. And when they
finally make their choice, they say,
String it with whatever is cheap, or
Use the blue strings. Theyll look good
in this racquet.
Strings are the greatest contributor
to how a racquet will perform. Even
for the most novice player, the differ-
ence between a very stiff string, such
as a polyester monofilament and a soft,
elastic multifilament nylon is easy to
discern. So why are most recreational
players indifferent about their strings?

Educating Customers
We feel that it is because of a lack of
knowledgewhich you will hear us say
often as we try to push out an educa-
tional initiative to change that. The
collective we of the tennis industry
racquet technicians, tennis retailers,
manufacturers, teaching pros and
anyone else in a position to educate the
playerhas a responsibility to do so.
This may not be an easy task, but
we must all join forces to make tennis
players aware that having the right
string and tension for their frame, and
for their particular needs and style of
play, is vital to them playing their best
P H O T O BY A N I TA A G U I L A R

and enjoying the game.

And its vital to your business, too.
The first step is to make sure you
have the necessary knowledge to
provide good string advice whenever
the opportunity arises. The only thing

26 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Strings.indd 7 1/26/17 1:03 PM

 TennisIndustry

We must know our stuff when it comes

to all things strings and racquets.

worse than no advice is bad advice, so
we must know our stuff when it comes
to all things strings and racquets.
Online Database
There are more than 1,100 strings in
our database listed as currently avail-
able in the market. That is an over-
whelming number for even the most
knowledgeable technician to handle.
But with our String Selector tool
available to USRSA memberswe can
make the task much less daunting.
Using the String Selector tool and
other tools on RacquetTech.com pro-
vides all the information racquet tech-
nicians need to help their clients find
the perfect string match. Many of our
members even produce a list for their
customers with the technical informa-
tion on the strings they stock.
For advice on how to best use this
information, be sure to read the section
Using the String Selector on page 28
of this guide. For a better understand-
ing of the string graph, read the section
titled, The Geography of Feel.
Our online versions include even
more tools for USRSA members, such
as the String Spec Search, whch allows
you to choose a brand and model of a
string, and locate all the specs without
having to sift through those of hun-
dreds of other strings.
Our most used tool in this category
is the String Selector, which allows the
member to select a string and ask for
changes in stiffness, gauge and tension
loss. The member can choose: More,
Less or About the Same for each. The
tool then searches our database and
presents a list of all the strings available
that match the desired characteristics.
Members find this tool useful in
choosing their inventory to ensure
that they offer a wide variety of strings
with as little duplication as possible. It
can also come in handy when a client
requests a string not in your inventory.
By entering the string and choosing
About the Same for all characteristics,
you can see if any of the strings in your
inventory are a match.
The below specs chart lists strings
that have been introduced since our
last chart, in the March 2016 issue.
For detailed information about every
strung currently on the market, go to
RacquetTech.com.
Not a member of the U.S. Racquet
Stringers Association? Join at
RacquetTech.com.

NEWEST STRINGS ON THE MARKET

Tension Tension
Company String Material Gauge Stiffness Loss Company String Material Gauge Stiffness Loss
(lbs.) (lbs.) (lbs.) (lbs.)

Luxilon Natural Gut 125 Natural Gut 1.22 82 8.71
Luxilon Natural Gut 130 Natural Gut 1.28 90 8.38
Gamma Ocho TNT Rx 16 Nylon 1.29 131 13.87
Ashaway Super Nick ZX 1.25 Nylon & Zyex 1.24 134 12.52
Diadem Impulse 17 Nylon & Polyamide 1.26 136 20.37
MSV Soft-Touch 1.25 Polyamide 1.25 138 12.28
MSV Soft-Touch 1.30 Polyamide 1.29 140 13.59
Gamma Ocho XP 17 Nylon 1.25 141 13.83
Gosen Laytex Touch 16 Nylon 1.3 141 13.06
Genesis Zona Spin Hexa 16 Nylon 1.32 142 14.7
Genesis Zona Spin Hexa 17 Nylon 1.27 144 12.94
MSV Soft-Touch 1.35 Polyamide 1.35 149 12.43
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.15 Red Polyester 1.13 151 22.77
Diadem Impulse 16 Nylon & Polyamide 1.3 157 56.67
MSV Focus-Hex Ultra 110 Polyester 1.18 157 19.01
Volkl V Star 19 Polyester 1.1 157 18.83
Volkl V Star 18L Polyester 1.14 160 18.88
Volkl Cyclone 19 Polyester 1.1 161 17.71
Diadem Elite XT 18 Polyester 1.21 162 18.95
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.15 Black Polyester 1.14 162 20.78
MSV Hepta-Twist 1.15 Polyester 1.13 163 18.83
Wilson Revolve Spin 17 Crosslink Ester Polymer & UHMW 1.23 165 20.24
Volkl Cyclone 18L Polyester 1.17 165 17.86
MSV Focus-Hex Plus 38 1.15 Polyester 1.19 166 24.19
Diadem Solstice Power 18 1.14 166 17.95
MSV Focus-Hex Ultra 115 Polyester 1.22 168 17.61
Isospeed Cream 17 Polyester 1.29 171 17.16
Dunlop S Gut 18 Nylon 1.18 172 12.9
Diadem Elite XT 17 Polyester 1.22 173 17.27
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.20 Red Polyester 1.2 173 19.91
Tecnifibre Red Code Wax 1.20 Polyester 1.2 174 17.64
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.30 Black Polyester 1.24 175 21.04
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.20 Black Polyester 1.2 175 18.99
Gosen G-Tour 1 16L Polyester 1.23 177 16.96
Gamma Ocho TNT 17 1.24 178 10.59
MSV Focus-Hex Plus 38 1.20 Polyester 1.26 179 24.25
Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough 1.20 Polyester 1.2 180 41.83
MSV Focus-Hex Plus 25 1.20 Polyester 1.21 181 23.92
MSV Focus-Hex Plus 38 1.25 Polyester 1.27 181 23.13
Laserfibre Vorso 17 Polyester 1.17 182 18.92
MSV Focus-Hex Plus 25 1.25 Polyester 1.16 183 21.72
Diadem Elite XT 16L 1.28 184 16.89
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.30 Red Polyester 1.3 184 22.25
Gosen G-Tour 1 16 Polyester 1.28 185 16.7
MSV Focus-Hex Ultra 120 Polyester 1.27 185 15.42
MSV Focus-Hex Plus 38 1.30 Polyester 1.31 185 23.26
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25 Black Polyester 1.24 185 20.46
MSV Focus-Hex Soft 115 Polyester 1.14 186 5.4
MSV Co-Focus 1.23 Polyester 1.17 188 14.57
MSV Focus-Hex Soft 120 Polyester 1.23 189 16.36
MSV Co-Focus 1.18 Polyester 1.16 189 15.79
Kirschbaum Max Power 1.20 Polyester 1.19 190 12.99
Tecnifibre Red Code Wax 1.25 Polyester 1.28 191 16.5
Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25 Red Polyester 1.22 191 17.11
Kirschbaum Max Power Rough 1.30 Polyester 1.28 191 15.88
Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough 1.25 Polyester 1.25 194 19.56
MSV Focus-Hex Ultra 125 Polyester 1.25 195 15.41
MSV Focus-Hex Soft 125 Polyester 1.32 195 14.09
MSV Focus-Hex Plus 25 1.30 Polyester 1.35 195 21.83
Diadem Elite XT 16 1.28 196 15.17
Kirschbaum Pro Line II Rough 1.30 Polyester 1.31 196 21.01
MSV Co-Focus 1.27 Polyester 1.25 198 15.83
Head Hawk Rough 17 Polyester 1.25 198 15.39
Tecnifibre Red Code Wax 1.30 Polyester 1.32 199 16.94
Kirschbaum Max Power Rough 1.25 Polyester 1.25 199 18.1
Wilson Revolve Spin 16 Crosslink Ester Polymer & UHMW 1.27 200 17.24
Kirschbaum Max Power 1.25 Polyester 1.26 202 11.29
MSV Focus-Hex Soft 130 Polyester 1.28 204 15.41
MSV Hepta-Twist 1.30 Polyester 1.3 205 18.12
MSV Focus-Hex Ultra 130 Polyester 1.34 206 17.99
Babolat RPM Blast Rough 16 Polyester 1.26 206 18.21
Gamma Ocho 17 Polyester 1.25 213 13.54
Kirschbaum Max Power Rough 1.30 Polyester 1.31 215 18.25
Kirschbaum Max Power 1.30 Polyester 1.3 216 12.74
Diadem Elite XT 15L 1.42 217 15.48
Gamma iO 15L Polyester 1.36 228 18.17
(Strings listed by stiffness.)

www.tennisindustrymag.com March 2017 TennisIndustry 27

FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Strings.indd 8 OUTSTANDING RESIDENTIAL TENNIS FACILITY-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD 1/26/17 1:03 PM

 TennisIndustry

GUIDE TO STRINGS

Using the String Selector

The String Selector covers the 76

newest strings on the market and gives NEWEST STRINGS ON THE MARKET:
a general idea of which ones might be
right for your customers. For a com-
TENSION LOSS VS. S TIFFNESS
prehensive list of all strings on the
On average, compared to previous years data, new strings are trending less
market, USRSA members can go to stiffparticularly for poly-based stringsand are holding tension better.
RacquetTech.com. (For a complete look at all strings, USRSA members can visit RacquetTech.com.)

1. Start by finding the string your client

currently uses.
2. Note the strings stiffness and
tension loss numbers, and then go to
the map to find the dot located at
these coordinates.
If your client is completely satisfied
(total loss in lbs. for 200 seconds and 5 impacts)

with their current string and doesnt

want anything different from their
next string, dots close to their current
strings dot will likely play similar.
If your client is happy with the
Tension Loss

durability of their string, but doesnt

love the feel of their string, try a string
whose dot is on the same vertical level,
but farther to the right or left. Strings
to the right should feel stiffer, while
strings to the left should feel softer.
If your client is happy with how their
string feels, but not with how long it
feels that way, try a string whose in
the same column, but higher or lower.
Strings higher on the chart should
soften (or loosen) up more quickly,
while lower strings should hold their
initial feel longer.
3. Once youve found a dot that is of
interest, note the coordinates and look Stiffness (lbs/in)
them up in the table.

The Geography of Feel: Finding Your

Feel-Good Location
Softer strings are to the left, stiffer
strings to the right.
Strings that lose more tension are at
the top; those that lose less are at the
bottom.
All strings on the same vertical line
should feel about the same, no matter
the tension.
All strings at different locations on
the same horizontal line will feel
different from each other.
Stringbed power increases to the left.
Player supplied power increases to
the right.
Stringbed control increases rightward.
Arm friendly strings are to the left. created at impact to stretch the string.
Feedback intensity (shock) Lower values represent softer strings
increases to the right. and lower impact forces. Higher values
Feel consistency over time tends to be represent stiffer strings and higher
lower on the map. impact forces.
Test Procedure: Hybrids:
All strings were tensioned to 62 pounds To look up a hybrid combination, you
and allowed to sit for 200 seconds. must look up each string separately. If
Then the string was hit five times with a it is a pre-packaged hybrid, most pack-
force equivalent to hitting a 120 m.p.h. aging indicates the name of each string.
serve. The tension loss represents the There are a few hybrids using strings
total amount of the relaxation over that arent sold separately. Those
both time and impact. strings are included in our lists. Each
The stiffness value is a calculation will be listed as the name of the hybrid
derived from the amount of force with (main) or (cross) after the name.

28 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Strings.indd 9 1/26/17 1:03 PM

 AN AWESOME MIX OF
VIDEO, ANALYTICS AND
FUN FEATURES
Ana Ivanovic
Former WTA #1 Ranked Singles
French Open Champion

CONNECTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ATHLETES

playsight.com

PS Tennis Industry-IVANOVIC-JAN2017.indd 1 2017-01-23 8:24 AM

 A
TennisIndustry

fter more than two

years in the mak-
ing, the 100-court
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
USTA National
Campus officially
opened on Jan. 2
HOME OF AMERICAN TENNIS
and will serve as
the new home of American tennis. By
any measure, the state-of-the-art, $60
million facility in Lake Nona, FL is
impressivenot just for its size and
sheer number of courts, but for the
planning, execution and technology
that went into its development.
Open For Business!
The USTAs goal for the facility is to
enhance the sport at every level and With state-of-the-art features and
create an unparalleled playing, training,
coaching and educational experience for technology, the 100-court
recreational players, competitive play-
ers, coaches and spectators. The facili- USTA National Campus is poised
ties at Lake Nona will be the headquar-
ters for the USTAs Community Tennis to transform the sport.
and Player Development divisions.
The opening of the USTA National By Peter Francesconi
Campus is a monumental milestone
for our sport, USTA Chairman of the
Board and President Katrina Adams
said at a ceremony on Jan. 5 that
included tennis icons, local dignitaries,
partners and tennis enthusiasts. The
new Home of American Tennis will
redefine how the USTA delivers on its
mission and will provide a new vision
for the future of tennis in the U.S.
The USTA partnered with the Tavis-
tock Group, along with a consortium of
regional and state partners, to develop
the 64-acre site, which is now one of
the largest tennis facilities in the world.

The complex is divided into

dedicated areas that focus on
the complete tennis pathway.
It will serve as the anchor of the Lake
Nona Sports & Performance District,
which includes the future home of
Orlando City Soccer Clubs Training
Center and Elite Youth Academy, the
USPTA headquarters, the USTA Florida
headquarters and the Lake Nona Sports
and Performance Building.
The Campus will serve as a lab for
sports science and allow for the testing
of new and emerging technologies. It
will be the home to the national training
center for USTA-certified officials and
will be the home to USTA University,
developing future coaching, teaching
pros and tournament directors.

30 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Construction_New.indd 4 1/31/17 3:18 PM

 The January opening
of the USTA National
Campus in Lake
Nona, FL marked the
beginning of a new era
for American tennis.
We want the National Campus to be
a hub of innovation and a platform for
developing the next generation of ten-
nis providers and tennis facilities, says
Kurt Kamperman, chief executive for
Community Tennis and USTA National
Campus. Were already helping others
develop large-scale, technologically
advanced facilities in other parts of the
country, and that bodes well for tennis.
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y U S TA
The USTA National Campus is the
heartbeat of American tennis, adds the
National Campus General Manager,
Tim Cass. It will become a model facil-
ity further developing and growing the
game while integrating all of the pillars
www.tennisindustrymag.com
FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Construction_New.indd 5
of tennis to innovate, inspire, motivate
and educate.
The facility will be open to the public
year-round (membership not required)
to serve all levels of play for all ages
(court fees are $12/hour for hard courts
and $15 for clay). This year alone, the
USTA says it expects 80,000 to 100,000
attendees at the National Campus.
In addition, the USTA now is fully
engaged in the sports tourism busi-
nessabout 100 local, regional, national
and international events are scheduled
to take place at the National Campus in
2017. The facility will also host USTA
Pro Circuit events.
The complex, which will have two
championship courts, is divided into
dedicated areas that will focus on the
complete tennis pathway. There are 32
Plexicushion hard courts, 32 Har-Tru
green clay courts, 16 Sport Courts, eight
DecoTurf acrylic cushion courts, six
European Terre Davis red clay courts
(with more than 450 tons of imported
Italian clay) an indoor facility and six
Rebound Ace courts.
Features of the new USTA National
Campus include:
Adidas Performance Center
This area is home to USTA Player
Development and has eight DecoTurf
courts and six red clay courts, along
with six Rebound Ace courts in an
indoor facility with LED lighting. Up
to 40 players in Player Development
training programs can be housed in a
player lodge. The athletic training area
includes a strength-and-conditioning
area, a 350-foot sprint track, sand pit,
indoor and outdoor workout areas,
hot/cold soaking tubs, and offices for
Player Development staff.
Team USA/Tournament Headquarters/
League Areas
These areas feature 32 Har-Tru courts
with subsurface irrigation and 20 Plexi-
cushion courts. The two championship
courts (one Har-Tru, one Plexicushion)
can each seat about 500 spectators, with
temporary seating available for another
500 each. A tournament administration
building houses trainer rooms, officials
area, storage, a viewing deck, restrooms
and a tournament registration area.
There will also be a caf with patio
seating. The Team USA area, in addition
to hosting tournaments and league
championships, will be used by the 17
USTA sections.
Nemours Family Zone
Designed for young players and adults
learning the game, this area has eight
36-foot courts and eight 60-foot Sport
Court PowerGame courts, with an envi-
ronmentally friendly SportBase replac-
ing the traditional cement subsurface.
USTA Welcome Center
The 50,000-square-foot, LEED-certi-
fied USTA office building includes the
main check-in area, a large pro shop
operated by Fromuth Tennis, a Racquet
Bar for stringing and customization,
locker rooms and the Net Post Grill.
USTA offices are located on the second
floor in an open office space concept.
Collegiate Area
Home of the University of Central
Florida mens and womens tennis pro-
grams, this area includes 12 Plexicush-
ion courts, so two dual matches can be
played simultaneously. It also features
a cafe, restrooms, locker rooms, coach
offices and an area for trainers and
officials. The high-mast court lighting
is suitable for television and there is
elevated seating for 1,200.
Technology
The National Campus incorporates
the latest in technology, including
an in-house TV network allowing for
messaging and programming to be seen
throughout the campus. PlaySight is the
official livestreaming and court analyt-
ics partner; 32 courts are PlaySight
SmartCourts and all 84 tournament
courts feature live streaming. Wi-Fi will
be available throughout the campus.
March 2017 TennisIndustry 31
1/26/17 11:45 AM
 TennisIndustry
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
COURT LIGHTING
Light Reaction
While lower costs may be an incentive
to move to LED lighting, there
are many other factors to consider.
By Lex Kessler
Although a number considerations go
into assessing the state of our tennis
facilities, they should always be con-
sidered from the players perspective.
This includes understanding what the
players experience is when they visit
another facility, which happens regu-
larly in our sport.
From this perspective, tennis players
are likely to have already played at a
facility with LED (light-emitting diode)
32 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Construction_New.indd 10
lightingwhich means you should
consider an LED plan for your facility,
if you have not already. This may be a
plan for a conversion to LED within the
next few years, or an assessment that
LED is not in your future for a specific
reason. If you choose to go forward, it
is important to consult an illuminating
engineer, architect or tennis facility
specialist to help determine an effi-
cient, quality LED-conversion plan.
In addition to potential savings on
electricity costs, you also may want to
consider converting to LED lighting for
any potential rebates from your utility
company. There can also be savings in
maintenance and replacement costs
compared to other types of lighting.
Light Quality for Tennis
As you evaluate your existing facility,
the most important factor should be
the quality of light you are providing to
players. Playing tennis is much differ-
ent than soccer, football and basketball
in that the ball is much smaller, travels
much faster, and is viewed at many
more angles against different back-
grounds. The result is that our sport
requires more light, and the level of
light from one end of the court to the
other and from ground level to heights
of 40 feet should be consistent.
It is important to measure the light
at all places the ball travels, including
outside the playing lines. If the ball
P H O T O S C O U RT E S Y L S I I N D U S T R I E S
travels from areas that are well lit
through areas that have even a 25 per-
cent difference in light level, the effect
can distort the actual motion pattern,
making it difficult for our brains to
adjust to the proper timing to strike the
ball effectively.
When most people discuss a foot-
candle, theyre thinking of a quantity
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/26/17 11:45 AM

Due to the speed of the game
and the comparatively small
size of a tennis ball, playing
tennis at night requires more
light than other sports.
of light that falls on their desk, the
kitchen counter or an operating table.
These are horizontal foot-candles, and
they are very important. But vertical
foot-candles are the more important
quality issue for tennis, as it pertains
to the light on the face of the ball as it
approaches the player. Light-meter
readings at various locations on the
court should be measuring vertical
foot-candles, so players get the qual-
ity of light they need to strike the ball
properly, and more often.
Financial Rewards
A well-planned investment in LED
lighting can save money on the electric
bill, provide a rebate from the local
utility company and decrease annual
expenses between 25 percent and
75 percent. The savings comes from
decreasing the wattage in LED lamps:
lower watts means less electricity used.
But facility owners and managers need
to be careful. If they press for maximiz-
ing electric savings, they may end up
with a quality issue that costs more
money to fix.
The rebates and/or incentives from
www.tennisindustrymag.com
FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Construction_New.indd 11
utility companies can be an important
piece of the payback equation. Doing
research online and a having follow-
up conversation with your electricity
provider will provide you with the
information you need. Some utilities
may need to visit your facility to audit
what exists. You should understand and
quantify your specific rebate for LED in
advance of vendor selection.
Maintenance is an important piece
of the puzzle, too. Cleaning the fixtures
and lamps should remain an annual
function, but depending on which LED
you select, you will not be replacing
lamps as often, because LED lamps last
longer. That results in annual savings
on parts and labor.
When you add up the maintenance,
the rebate and the monthly electric sav-
ings, its possible to see a payback in the
range of two to five years for an indoor
tennis facility and four to 12 years for
an outdoor facility. The difference is
due to the number of hours of lighting
required; indoor facilities in the U.S.
operate about 12 to 16 hours a day,
while outdoor courts are generally lit
only about two to four hours a day.
TennisIndustry
Selecting a
Vendor and
Installation
After understanding your rebate,
calculating your payback and mak-
ing the decision to proceed with
an LED lighting installation, youll
want to write a brief Request for
Proposal. In addition to traditional
RFP language regarding vendor/
contractor experience, length in
business, references, etc., make
sure to include the following:
1. What lighting class is your facility? (See the
Typical Facility Classifications chart on page 132
of Tennis Courts: A Construction & Maintenance
Manual, 2015.)
2. For indoor facilities, do you want direct light-
ing? To put it anothe way, are you considering 100
percent direct lighting, 100 percent indirect or a
mixture? Less direct lighting is better for tennis,
although it does require more light, and some-
times may require a new ceiling.
3. Make sure provisions for testing per USTA
guidelines are done prior to acceptance of the
project, to ensure compliance.
When selecting a vendor, its important to retain
a professional to level the various bids and sort
through technical information in the proposals.
Such expertise will help you avoid unforeseen
costs down the road and help you make the most
informed decision.
A note of caution: in my experience, a high
number of facilities that have installed LED lights
have not achieved the desired result. Make sure
you thoroughly research products, vendors and
installers before making a commitment. Any
product being considered should have DLC
(Design Lights Consortium) certification, which
is often required to be considered for a utility
company rebate.
When youre ready for the install, tell your
members as well as the community what youre
planning to do and why. Consider holding an
open house to allow people to see whats going to
happen, to generate additional exposure. Make it a
celebration and invite local media.
For each court, the conversion to LED lighting
can usually be done in just a day or two, and can
most often take place without any interruption of
service to the players. When the installation starts,
be prepared to take foot-candle readings a number
of times, ideally when the first court is halfway
done, and then when the first court is completed.
This way, any adjustments can be done right away.
Good luck!
Lex Kessler is the founder and owner
of Indoor Courts of America. For
34 years, he has designed, built and
renovated indoor tennis facilities in
the U.S. and abroad.
March 2017 TennisIndustry 33
1/26/17 11:45 AM
 TennisIndustry
COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
P L AY E R A M E N I T I E S
Creature Comforts
Locker rooms that are attractive
yet functional are key to retaining
your members.
By John Torsiello
High-definition televisions, compli-
mentary Wi-Fi, smartphone charging
stations, massage chairs, food and
beverages, service-to-go capability via
a club app, heated towels, eucalyptus
steam, shoe shines: those are just a
few of the creature comforts planned
for the new mens and womens locker
rooms at the Houston (Texas) Tennis
Club, which is being renovated.
We want our locker rooms to be
timeless, not too contemporary and
trendyor too old schoolbut also
warm, inviting, relaxing, convenient,
says Thomas Preuml, the clubs COO
and general manager.
At Atlantas Windy Hill Athletic Club,
players can access an executive locker
room for a small fee, says General
34 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FEA_Construction_New.indd 7
Manager Karen Parker, where they
have a permanent locker and TV lounge
area. There is a separate bathroom and
shower, as well as laundry service.
Keep Members Happy
Attractive, functional locker rooms
are key to member retention, says
Christa Plaza, principal and architect at
Colorado-based Essenza Architecture.
Although there are a lot of tennis club
members who like the comfort of their
own homes to shower and get ready,
there are still numerous tennis players
who will use the clubs facilities.
Another key to keeping members
happy is by keeping the locker rooms
clean. Make sure you and your staff
check them and clean them frequently.
Plaza says that every tennis facil-
ity, regardless of its physical size and
membership numbers, should create
attractive and functional locker rooms.
Tennis clubs should always have an
option for their members to shower
and go to their next event of the day,
she says. Know the demographics of
your members and what they are look-
ing for in a tennis facility.
Member surveys can provide a
wealth of information in determin-
ing what they expect in a locker room.
There are numerous materials and
options to create a beautiful locker
room that is within a clubs budget.
Working Within a Budget
There are inexpensive accessories
clubs can add to their locker rooms
that make a big difference, items often
seen in spas, such as lotion, shaving
cream, hair care and other grooming
products. How about a tennis-themed
chair or couch, artwork and reading
material? It can all enhance the feel of
a locker room.
Depending upon materials, locker
rooms can be cost effective or quite
expensive. Costs generally can range
from $80 to $200 per square foot,
says Plaza. There are so many great
options, even with a tight budget. If
the infrastructure of the locker room
is already there and the changes are
just cosmetic, the costs could be less.
Cost-effective materials and creative
lighting design provide a unique oppor-
tunity for amazing locker rooms, where
small enhancements go a long way.
Plaza says it is important to cre-
ate locker rooms that are warm and
inviting. It is also vital to incorporate
materials that are sophisticated and
clean, such as wood and tile. The
right lighting is key in the feel of the
locker-room space, she notes. Light-
ing should be soft and indirect in the
changing areas, and more direct where
grooming occurs.
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y E S S E N Z A A R C H I T E CT U R E
The idea of having a full amenity
locker room is so that members can
have all they need to be herebefore
work, lunch break or after work, Plaza
says. They can have a great place for
recovery and to relax.
We try to eliminate excuses of why
they cannot be here.
Really, shouldnt that be the primary
goal of every tennis facility owner and
general manager?
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/31/17 3:18 PM
 PLAY
IS ONE CLICK AWAY

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 TennisIndustry

COLLEGE PROGRAMS

Working Knowledge
With help and support from USTA University,
Professional Tennis Management programs
are growing across the country.
By Kent Oswald

T
he game of tennis
is huge, which is
why the business of
tennis can tend to
get overshadowed.
As a result, the path
to making this sport
into a career may at times seem some-
what haphazard.
To that end, Professional Tennis
Management (PTM) programs at a
growing number of schoolsinclud-
ing one from the University of Central
Floridas Rosen College of Hospitality
Management that will use the facilities
at the new USTA National Campus in
Orlandostrategically prepare those
going into the business. Among other
attributes, potential employers should
expect PTM program graduates to
possess professionalism, a knowledge
of tennis and management both on
and off the court, leadership skills and
a technology background to help them
succeed in the marketplace.
Dave Johnson, director of tennis at
Bretton Woods Recreation Center in
Germantown, Md., takes on challenges
such as catering to the needs of his
D.C.-based international memberships
weekend tennis needs while also mar-
keting to a local, non-member group
taking advantage of the clubs programs
during the week. His experience and
expertise are an example of the differ-
ence such a program can make.
A Career From a Passion
Johnson knew at the age of 12 that he
wanted tennis to be a major part of his P H O T O C O U RT E S Y F E R R I S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y P T M P R O G R A M
life. Through Ferris State Universitys
PTM program, he was able to match
learning about marketing, inventory
and staff management with his pas-
sion for tennis. From the pro shop, to
learning all the equipment in tennis, to
teaching, it is a great program for going
into tennis, Johnson says.
The program at Johnsons alma
mater has the support of the USTA, is
accredited by the USPTA, has Wilson
as a sponsor and claims a 100 percent
placement of graduates in the tennis
industry since its 1986 debut as the
countrys first PTM program. Created

36 TennisIndustry March 2017 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FINAL_03_TI_FEA_PTM_Programs.indd 7 1/27/17 2:14 PM


within the schools undergraduate
College of Business, the curriculum
melds on-court instruction, work in
the schools indoor tennis and fitness
facility and industry internships with
academics specific to tennis, as well
as general business courses. Students
graduate with a BA or BS, as well as
PTR and USPTA certifications.
According to Scott Schultz, who
served as the Ferris PTM programs
first director from 1987 to 1998 and is
now the managing director of USTA
University, there is a huge demand
for entry-level people not being met.
Hoping to have 1,000 or so students in
the PTM pipeline, the USTA will help
expand from the seven current pro-
grams that prepare industry aspirants
(ranging from the Associate degree
offered by Tyler [Texas] Junior College
to the Masters degree granted by San
Diego State University) to between 15
and 20 programs by 2020.
On-The-Job Training
There is no better preparation for work-
ing in the tennis industry than hands-
on practice. The experiential learning
of going out there and doing it is the
FINAL_03_TI_FEA_PTM_Programs.indd 8
most important thing, says Schultz.
The USTA U expansion plan aims to
encourage programs diverse in geogra-
phy, academic standards, type of insti-
tution and even in type of degree. The
USTA continues to develop curriculum
that PTM programs across the country
will be able to use.
While the USTA has taken an active
role in helping to seed and encourage
schools to add PTM programs, prospec-
tive students and their parents need to
recognize the value in pursuing a career
within the tennis industry, notes Jolyn
de Boer, executive director of the
Tennis Industry Association.
The tennis industry needs to contin-
ue to collaborate, support and promote
efforts of the USTA, teaching groups
and tennis businesses, to nurture and
grow this new workforce and future
leaders of our sport, she says.
PTM schools provide technical
and training skills to help students be
informed on marketing, management,
technology and areas to cultivate lead-
ership. It is not necessarily all about
on-court careers.
A PTM program, adds Johnson, just
gets you ready for the real world.
TennisIndustry
Where to
Find PTM
Programs
Do you have students or members
who are interested in a career in the
tennis industry? These Professional
Tennis Management programs are
helping the sport grow, and thanks to
support from the USTA, more PTM
programs continue to be created
across the country. (Visit USTA.com
for more information.)
Berry College, Mount Berry, GA
Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI
Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ
Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC
San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Tyler Junior College, Tyler, TX (2-year program)
University of Central FloridaRosen College of
Hospitality Management, Orlando, FL.
1/26/17 1:02 PM
 TennisIndustry
AskTheExperts
Spare Parts Search
Q: I have a Babolat Star 5 machine and
was wondering if the spare parts that
came with the machine with purchase
are available separately?
A: The spare-parts kit consists of two
Allen wrenches (4 mm and 5 mm), a
brush for cleaning the inside of the
clamp tubes, replacement contact pads
for the billiards and side supports, and
a pair of fuses.
Of these, only the pads and fuses are
available from Babolat as spare parts.
Fuses are $2 and the pads are $5 a pair.
The brush is no longer available, but
you can make do with a rolled-up paper
towel. The Allen wrenches are available
at almost any hardware store.
You can reach Babolat machine
services at 877-316-9435. At the
prompt, first press 2, then press 5.
Frames Cracking
Q: In the past 30 days, the frames of
two racquets have cracked during
stringing in the same general area, the
38 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_AskExperts.indd 7
two oclock position. In each case, I was
four rows away from completing the
racquets, which were well worn. Heres
what happened:
I cleaned the racquet and checked for
cracks or damage prior clamping.
When clamping, I only secured the
mounts finger-tight.
I made certain the racquet was secure
and started stringing the mains first.
I also calibrate the stringer once a
month, sometimes more if a large num-
ber of racquets are being strung.
Im thinking the issue is on my end,
as the cracks appear to be consistent
with each other, though the frames are
from two different manufacturers. Can
you give me an idea of what may be
going on here? Im almost afraid to
string any more racquets until I have
some type of solution.
A: With old racquets, there is not much
you can do during restringing if the
racquets have been abused. Abuse can
take the form of sharp contact with
immovable objects, as well as improper
stringing somewhere along the line.
Also, just because you have two frames
that have cracked doesnt mean they
cracked for the same reason.
The best way to avoid issues with
frames cracking is to string the crosses
from the head down, using the two-
piece technique, Around-the-World
technique, or box pattern when neces-
sary. Also, install the crosses immedi-
ately after installing the mains. Dont
stop in the middle of restringing, as
the force of the mains compressing
the hoop can damage the racquet if not
counteracted right away by the crosses.
To double-check your stringing
technique, measure the overall length
of the frame without strings before
starting, and then measure the racquet
after stringing. If you see more than
a 3/32-inch difference, you are doing
something that puts a lot of stress on
the hoop, to the point where it is only a
matter of time before you see addi-
tional failures.
Racquet Replacement
Q: I have a customer who has a couple
of racquets he very much likes, but are
now both broken. He is desperate to
find a current equivalent. His racquets
have a 16 x 19 pattern, and are listed as
having a 1200 power level.
A: The USRSA website (racquettech.
com) offers members the Racquet
Selector online tool, which allows you
to select the racquet you want to match
and specify the characteristics most
important to you. Then, it shows cur-
rently available racquets that are most
similar to the racquet you are trying
to match, along with data about where
the current offerings differ from the
racquet you are trying to replace. (A
manufacturers power level is calcu-
lated differently than the USRSA power
level, which accounts for the differenc-
es between these two similar-sounding
T O P P H O T O C O U RT E S Y G R E G R AV E N
specifications.) It is invaluable for
updating your customers equipment,
although not every old frame has a cur-
rent equivalent.
We welcome your questions. Please send
them to Tennis Industry, 48 West 21st
Street, New York, NY 10010, or email
greg@racquettech.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/26/17 1:06 PM
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 TennisIndustry
RECREATIONAL PLAY
Open-Door Policy
Pickleball continues to gain
in popularity. What can tennis
learn from its growth?
By Kevin Theos
W
hen discussing the
rising popularity
of pickleball with
others in the tennis
industry, Ive found
that many are unsure about what, if
anything, we should do in response.
After seeing pickleball in practice, its
clear to me that we can learn important
lessons by examining what this sport
appears to be doing so well.
First, pickleball players are eager to
share their sport with others. My first
direct experience with pickleball
occurred while on a family vacation.
During a walk through a park near our
hotel, I noticed a group playing. As
soon as I approached to get a closer
40 TennisIndustry March 2017
FINAL_03_TI_FOB_YourServe.indd 7
YourServe
look, a man greeted me with a warm
smile and invited me to play. Since that
trip, I have had the opportunity to drop
in on pickleball groups in other states,
and without exception players have
quickly and wholeheartedly invited me
to join them in playing. This enthusi-
astic willingness to let others join in
on the fun certainly contributes to the
increasing popularity of pickleball.
In addition, the way pickleball play
is organized makes it easy to share with
new players. Pickleball groups fre-
quently use a mixer-style format on
multiple courts, in which players who
win move up a court while players who
lose move down. If there are too many
participants for the number of courts,
players take turns sitting out matches.
The mixer format is fluid in application
and easily accommodates new players
who happen to show up on any given
day. Using this flexible format and
having an eagerness to share the sport
with othersoften newcomershelps
in getting people to give it a shot.
But it is the immediate success play-
ers enjoy in pickleball that really mat-
ters. The ball travels slow enough and
bounces low enough so even beginners
of modest ability can keep the ball in
play, which is what makes any racquet
or paddle sport fun. This early grati-
fication inspires new players to come
back, but thats not the only impor-
tant takeaway. A subset of these new
players anticipate that family, friends
and acquaintances would also enjoy
pickleball, partly because it is so easy
to play. In turn, these players take the
sport back home.
Consider the profound expansion in
the number of pickleball players and
sites in recent years, despite limited
funding or organizational push. This
expansion is the result of beginners
having been warmly welcomed to try
the sport at sites that use a flexible
playing format, and they typically enjoy
instant success. As a result, many of
them take pickleball elsewhere to share
with others.
Tennis has all of the pieces to rep-
licate the success of pickleball. The
mixer-style format is nothing new,
low-compression and foam tennis balls
allow players to rally successfully right
away, and we have plenty of players
who love sharing tennis with others.
If we thoughtfully assemble these
pieces and pay close attention to the
ball used for beginners, tennis is capable
PHOTO MINTO US OPEN PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
of similar success. Lets give it a try.
Kevin Theos is the
USTA Southern
Section TSR for
Alabama. He is a
longtime USPTA pro
and is the former
executive director of
the Birmingham Area
Tennis Association.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to info@tennisindustrymag.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
1/26/17 11:47 AM
Inside this issue
Tennis and Fitness go Hand in
Hand 42
Continuing Education is a Never-
Ending Journey 44
Diagnose, Then Cure: Doing Your
Best for Your Students 56
Departments:
42 CEOs Message 52 Beyond the Court
44 Vice Presidents Message 56 Master Pro Corner
46 USPTA News 58 Career Development
49 Endorsee News 60 Member News
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
On the cover: Tennis on Campus should be part of our future. See Page 52.
 CEOs Message
Tennis and Fitness go
Hand in Hand
By John Embree
T
o be a good tennis player, you
have to be in good shape. And
tennis is a great way to maintain
your physical fitness. In 2008,
USPTA launched a public relations ini-
tiative, Tennis for the health of it!, to
identify USPTA and its members as the
means through which the public could
receive the many health benefits from
tennis. While this is no longer an active
program for us, it doesnt diminish the
fact that tennis and fitness have always
gone hand in hand.
The American College of Sports
Medicine has just released its 11th
annual survey of worldwide fitness
trends. I am going to highlight a few of
the top 20 that I believe work well with
tennis, in hopes that you can incor-
porate some of these trends into your
tennis programs and continue to grow
your business. To view the full list, go
to bit.ly/2017acsmtrends.
No. 1 Wearable technology, such as
activity trackers, heart rate moni-
tors and smart watches. This is main-
stream now, but Cardio Tennis trainers
have been using them for years. If you
arent a certified Cardio Tennis trainer,
consider adding this to your repertoire
and offering a program at your facility.
Encourage your students to track their
steps and monitor their heart rate as
they practice and play.
No. 3 High-intensity interval train-
ing. This is ideal for tennis players as it
involves short bursts of high-intensity
exercise followed by a short period of
recovery. Training should be done by
42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
a professional as there can be an in-
creased risk of injury. Again Cardio Ten-
nis is a good program for this, or work
with a fitness professional at your facil-
ity or in your local area to provide non-
tennis training for your students.
No. 4 Educated, certified and ex-
perienced fitness professionals. In
golf, the Titleist Performance Institute
was created several years ago to certify
golf professionals, fitness providers and
the medical community to advance the
fitness levels of the golf population. The
USPTA is partnering with TPI for a ten-
nis-specific certification program that
will link tennis-teaching professionals
with local fitness and medical experts to
help tennis playing consumers prevent
injuries, stay on the court more and im-
prove performance. You can expect to
hear more about this new and exciting
initiative later on this year.
No. 6 Group training. As Paul Mac-
Donald wrote in the February issue of
our magazine, group lessons are a better
use of club resources than private les-
sons (The Key Principles to Operating a
Profitable Tennis Program). Be motiva-
tional, make your lessons fun, and when
necessary, design your programs for
players of different ability levels.
No. 7 Exercise is Medicine. This
is a global health initiative managed by
the ACSM that is focused on encourag-
ing primary care physicians and other
health care providers to include physi-
cal activity when designing treatment
plans for patients. Talk to local doctors,
especially those who are club members
or tennis clients, about the health ben-
efits of tennis (see No. 10) and encour-
age them to prescribe tennis to their
patients.
No. 10 Exercise and weight loss.
As recently shown by the British Jour-
nal of Sports Medicine, tennis players
have a 56 percent lower risk of death
from heart disease and stroke, and a 47
percent lower risk of death from any
cause. In addition, competitive tennis
burns more calories than aerobics or
cycling, according to studies in caloric
expenditures. Read more about the
BJSM study in the February issue of
ADDvantage and share this informa-
tion in your community as a way to
promote your tennis programs.
No. 11 Fitness programs for older
adults. Tennis is a great sport for se-
niors, and as Baby Boomers continue to
age and enter retirement, this is a grow-
ing market. Health-wise, playing tennis
can help seniors improve balance as
well as develop bone strength and den-
sity by helping prevent osteoporosis. Its
also a great social sport. Develop group
programs and offer league play at your
facility for this active age group.
As teaching pros, we all know that
tennis is a great sport that offers so
many health benefits to those who play.
It is vital that you keep it in the fore-
front of peoples minds as an important
part of their fitness regimen by incor-
porating the top fitness trends into your
tennis programs. h
 Vice Presidents Message
Continuing Education
is a Never-Ending Journey
By Feisal Hassan
T
he best professionals in our
industry are the ones who con-
tinue day after day, year after
year, seeking to improve. Every
pro, from the best in the country to the
entry-level novice, should want to keep
growing and improving.
Research has found that adults need
to know why they need to learn some-
thing before they will attempt to learn
it. Typically in a learning environment,
adults will invest a considerable amount
of time weighing the benefits of learning
something against the consequences of
not learning it. Also, adults may already
be aware of the need to know after
an on-the-job performance appraisal
and job shadowing. (Learners: Consid-
erations for Education and Training,
Adult Education & Retraining, February
2011, Mark J. Kistler)
The USPTA is all about education
with our mission being to elevate the
standards of teaching-teaching profes-
sionals and coaches.
In the past, we tested and certified
with the goal being predominantly
about testing the applicants level:
Recreational Coach, Professional or
Elite Professional.
As our applicants proceed along the
Certification Pathway, we need to edu-
cate them on how to get better in their
profession.
Moving Forward
When people join the Association
and want to become certified, we will
educate and evaluate them in their
pursuit to obtain the Professional
Certification. This evaluation is for
members seeking to be employed
44 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
and teach on court. As these new
members gain experience, use their
membership, and attend division and
national conferences, we encourage
them to upgrade their membership to
the next level.
The Elite Professional level is now
designed for Professionals who are
ready to transition to a role that has
more off-the-court responsibilities,
such as management, budgeting, court
maintenance, etc. This category is for
those interested in becoming head pro-
fessionals and/or directors of tennis.
Wherever you are in your tennis career ... the USPTA wants to help you
continue to learn, grow, and strive to get better. We want to help you to
elevate your standards as a tennis teacher.
Our new evaluation and education
process will be to:
l Educate applicants on how to do
their job better
l Inform applicants on how to con-
tinue to get more education (tennis-
resources.com, division and World
Conferences, networking, etc.)
l Offer customer service and be there
as a resource, mentor and/or con-
tact point
l Evaluate the applicants skills and
identify where more training is
needed, which the evaluator can
provide
The revised Elite Professional level
went into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. The
new requirements are:
l Score Elite level on the certifica-
tion exam private lesson,
group lesson, stroke production
and grip.
l Pass the online Elite stroke analy-
sis exam with a score of at least 75
percent.
l Pass the online, 29-multiple-
choice Elite written exam with a
score of at least 75 percent. The
time limit is 90 minutes to com-
plete the exam.
l Watch three specialty courses and
one webinar on tennisresources.
com. Required courses are:
m Using Your Coaching Skills in a
Managers Role (specialty course)
m Tennis Business Management
(specialty course)
m Management: A Learned Skill
(specialty course)
m Budget webinar
Wherever you are in your tennis
career a part-time Red Ball teacher,
high performance junior coach, direc-
tor of tennis, or anything in between
the USPTA wants to help you continue
to learn, grow, and strive to get better.
We want to help you to elevate your
standards as a tennis teacher. h
 USPTA News
USPTA History Shows Growth of a
Profession, the Start of an Industry
O
n Sept. 23, 1927, a small
group of tennis professionals
gathered in an upper-story
room of the Spalding build-
ing in New York City. Their mission:
to bridge the gap between the amateur
ranks and a respectable career as tennis
professionals.
When the group emerged from its
first meeting, the Professional Lawn
Tennis Association of the United States
was born. The group sent out the fol-
lowing notice to all recognized tennis
professionals:
For some time there has been a very
strong feeling among lawn tennis pro-
fessionals that there is a need for some
organization to protect and promote
their interests, and to assist them in ob-
taining a proper and recognized status
in the tennis world. A meeting was held
on September 23 and it was decided to
form an Association ... An initiation fee
of $10 will be charged to all new mem-
bers. Dues are to be $5 annually.
An executive committee has been
elected and a constitution adopted. It is
the desire of this executive committee
to have all tennis professionals of ac-
cepted standards become members of
this Association. As one of these, you are
cordially invited to fill out the enclosed
application blank for membership.
Little did they know their plan
46 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
would materialize into todays United
States Professional Tennis Associa-
tion a worldwide organization of more
than 15,000 teaching professionals ded-
icated to promoting the sport and rais-
ing the standards of their profession.
This year, the USPTA is celebrating
its 90th anniversary, and in recogni-
tion of our rich and diverse history, this
magazine will feature the leaders of the
association over the next several issues.
The anniversary will be officially com-
memorated at the 2017 USPTA World
Conference in Orlando.
USPTA Presidents
George Agutter (1927-1935) was a
charter member and the
USPLTAs first president,
serving seven terms. He
was a teaching profes-
sional at West Side Tennis
Club at Forest Hills in New
York City. He previously
worked at the Queens Club in London.
Edwin Faulkner (1936-37) was a
charter member of the
association and also
served as president of the
Middle States Division. He
coached tennis at Swarth-
more College in Delaware
County for 41 years. He
USPLTA officers, clock-
wise, from bottom center
Louis Ballato, Mickey
Phillips, Thomas Byrne,
Lillian Martin, George
Agutter, James Bernson,
Herb Walker, Richard
Barrow, Claudia Long
and Arthur Condon
(1958)
was named head coach of the Spanish
Davis Cup team in 1923, and from 1924
to 1926, he coached the United States to
three consecutive Davis Cup victories.
Henry Geidel (1938-39) was a charter
member and also served
as secretary of the associa-
tion. He was the tennis and
squash coach for the Nas-
sau Country Club on Long
Island, where he worked
for more than 32 years.
James Pressly (1940-41) was the fourth
president of the associa-
tion, and he was a club pro
for Jupiter Island Club
in Florida and Bedford
Golf and Tennis Club in
New York for more than
30 years. He was a captain
in the U.S. Army during WWII. Before
he was a teaching professional, Pressly
earned a masters degree in history
from Columbia University. All five of
his children played college tennis and
two went on to earn national titles.
Charles Wood (1942-46) was a charter
member of the PLTA and
was the first amateur to
turn professional. He
played in the first National
Professional Tennis Cham-
pionships in 1927 and won
the National Professional
doubles title in 1933 and 1936. He was the
owner and manager of the Coral Beach
Club in Palm Beach, Fla., for many years.
Frank Rericha (1947) served as ex-
ecutive secretary of the
association from 1945-
1946 before serving as
president. He was the
tennis professional for
Greenwich Country Club
in Greenwich, Conn., for
many years and then later worked at
the Wilmington Country Club. h
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
USPTA Timeline
u 1927 Professional Lawn Tennis Association of the United States was formed
u 1957 Association name changed to United States Professional Lawn Tennis Association
u 1969 First certification exams were administered
u 1970 Association name changed to United States Professional Tennis Association
u 1974 Ray Bovett, first full-time executive director
u 1974 First national office in Houston
u 1975 Bill Tym becomes second full-time executive director after the death of Bovett. USPTA has 1,000 members.
u 1975 National office moves with Tym to space outside of Chattanooga, Tenn.
u 1977 USPTA celebrates 50th anniversary and launch of ADDvantage, USPTAs own magazine,
under president Sheldon Caldwell.
u 1978 USPTA strikes endorsement agreement with Colony Beach & Tennis Resort near Sarasota, Fla.,
to move its headquarters there. Michael Fryer hired as executive director. Membership is up to 2,000.
u 1982 Tim Heckler becomes executive director/CEO
u 1982 Japan Professional Tennis Association becomes first international division
u 1983 USPTA moves headquarters to Saddlebrook Resort
u 1983 Computerization of USPTA begins
u 1984 Membership totals 4,000
u 1990 USPTA begins original free grassroots lesson program, Tennis Across America
u 1990 USPTA moves its headquarters back to Houston and its own building
u 1992 Membership grows to 10,000
u 1993 USPTA officially opens its Hall of Fame with induction of the late Arthur Ashe
u 1994 USPTA introduces Little Tennis, a new program targeting young players from 3 to 10
u 1995 USPTA launches www.uspta.com
u 1997 USPTA offers free personal websites to every member
u 1999 USPTA launches Find-a-Pro service
u 2002 USPTA celebrates 75th anniversary
u 2003 USPTA launches TV show On Court with USPTA that airs on the Tennis Channel
u 2004 USPTA introduces Player Development Program
u 2007 USPTA has 14,500 members
u 2010 USPTA China Division is formed
u 2012 Tim Heckler retires as CEO and John Embree assumes the reins
u 2015 USPTA has 15,000 members
u 2015 USPTA begins certifying platform tennis instructors
u 2016 USPTA breaks ground on new World Headquarters in Lake Nona, Fla.
u 2017 USPTA relocates to Lake Nona, Fla.

1975 Bill Tym becomes USPTA 1978 USPTA moves to Colony Beach & 1982 JPTA becomes first international 1982 Tim Heckler
Executive Director. Tennis Resort near Sarasota, Fla. division. becomes USPTA CEO.

1983 USPTA moves to Saddlebrook Resort. 1990 USPTA moves to Houston. 2017 USPTA moves to Lake Nona, Fla.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
Endorsee News
Wilson Offers Special Pricing
for New Ultra USPTA Ball
L
ast September, the USPTA was
thrilled to announce a compre-
hensive endorsement relation-
ship with arguably the biggest
name in the racquet sports industry
Wilson. For the last four months, both
Wilson and the USPTA have been gear-
ing up so that beginning in 2017 they
could hit the ground running with a
variety of initiatives that should be ex-
citing to the membership.
Equipment contracts are now being
offered to those who qualify based on
the ability of USPTA members to help
drive sales of racquets, strings, grips,
bags and 10U equipment. In addition,
Wilson announced the development
of a new ball specifically made for the
USPTA, the Wilson Ultra USPTA All
Court that arrived in inventory in early
January. This ball was developed with The Wilson Ultra USPTA All Court ball was developed with the USPTA Professional in
the USPTA Professional in mind, to mind, to be durable for both hard court play yet equally playable for indoor or clay courts.
be durable for both hard court play
yet equally playable for indoor or clay troduced the Wilson US OPEN ball to In an effort to make the transi-
courts. Yes, you heard that right: this the marketplace in 1992 when I was tion to the Wilson Ultra USPTA ball,
product can be played on any court sur- employed at Wilson, I know a little Wilson has an incredibly generous
face with the desired results of an extra something about tennis ball perfor- 16+4 introductory offer that en-
duty or regular duty felt. mance, said John Embree, USPTA sures special pricing for 2017. Visit
How is this possible, you ask? CEO. As a result, I can heartily put uspta.com/Wilson or contact your local
Because of a unique combination of my stamp of approval on this product. Territory Manager for details. This of-
woven and wool felt that does not fluff You will not be disappointed. Wilson fer is good through March 15.
up on moist clay court and also lasts Sporting Goods is known for making a Finally, you should be aware that
incredibly long on a hard quality tennis ball. The Ultra the more the USPTA does to get behind
court. The playability is out- ALL Court ball follows in that the sales of this product, the more the
standing. And you only have fantastic tradition. association is rewarded financially.
to buy one SKU if your facility While it would be ideal if Wilson deserves our support for
happens to be multisurface. all members could playtest the making the commitment to produce a
What a concept! In addition, product before ordering, that tennis ball just for the USPTA and the
the logo is slightly larger than may not be possible. Reps have pro/specialty market, said Embree.
previous Wilson logos, which samples and are prepared to And they did so in a truncated timeline
means the proprietary ink seed a can or two to members which was a feat unto itself. You will
can better penetrate the felt, as they make their rounds in not see this ball in distribution in any
contributing to longer logo their respective territories, but sporting goods stores or mass mer-
wear. The USPTA logo will be it may be a challenge to get it chants. It is for us and for us alone.
included on the ball, which quickly to every member. Thank you in advance for embracing
will help market the USPTA You should feel confident all of the products being offered by our
brand to consumers all across changing over your current or- new partner. Contact your local Wilson
the country. ders to this particular product, territory manager for more informa-
Trust me, as an avid even if you are currently with tion and how to order the Wilson Ultra
player myself and having in- another brand, Embree said. USPTA All Court tennis ball. h

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 49
 Beyond the Court
Tennis on Campus Should be
Part of our Future
By Dave Neuhart, USPTA
F
or most people who grew up
playing tennis, it seemed there
were only two paths to take: (1)
Work your tail off in the hopes
of getting a college scholarship to a
university, large or small, or whoever
would take you, or (2) Play as much
as you could through high school and
then hang up the racquet for a future of
recreational tennis to concentrate on
studying for your future career in the
main stream work force.
Those two scenarios are still alive
and well, but there is another very vi-
able option playing a club sport called
Tennis on Campus (TOC) at the univer-
sity of your choice. The USTA came up
with this program in 2000. Tennis on
Campus also uses the World TeamTen-
nis format. A typical match consists of
five no-ad sets and includes mens sin-
gles and doubles, womens singles and
doubles, and one set of mixed doubles.
Teams add up the cumulative number
of games won to determine a winner.
There is also an opportunity for the
trailing team to come back in the mixed
52 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
doubles and get into overtime. College-
aged players love the drama where ev-
ery game counts.
Under the watchful eye of Glenn
Arrington, the program has continued
to flourish. While not as rigorous as
varsity tennis, it is often nearly as com-
petitive. Now a prospective student
has the option to concentrate on their
future career and maybe even go to
that large university they wanted and
play competitive tennis on a club team
using those finely tuned skills honed
in USTA junior competition. However,
TOC doesnt require all the travel, time
away from school and long practices. It
is co-ed, too, and students love to have
fun with a meal or two together, lots of
laughter, and a whole lot less stress.
Oftentimes you see teams who just
played against each other in very ag-
gressive matches, eating together after
their competition. What varsity teams
do that? There is so much excitement
and energy at their matches and tour-
naments. Many of the players could
play for very solid university varsity
programs, but they choose to keep their
competition when and where they want
it. As a matter of fact, recently two Ten-
nis on Campus female players on the
University of Georgia Club Team were
recruited to play on the varsity wom-
ens team. That shows you the level of
play these players have accomplished.
What does all of this mean for ten-
nis professionals and directors in our
industry? We all have a responsibility to
train those who will take our place and
keep the industry solid and growing.
Where are these professionals coming
from? The large majority of current ten-
nis professionals are aging up and there
is not the large influx of professionals
and coaches that there used to be. Often
varsity tennis players arent ready to
stop playing right after college and have
not had the training time to jump into
a tennis teaching or tennis professional
position. Because they have spent so
much time on their own game and play-
ing skills, they have not learned how to
do what we do as tennis professionals. If
they keep playing for a while, they dont
always come back to the game as the
stress on the tour and challenger/lower
pro levels is very high, and they might
want to do something else.
What can we do to help? By creating
Tennis on Campus, the USTA has taken
the first step in an effort to retain junior
tennis players by providing an outlet
such as club tennis in college. This might
be a very good answer to the problem of
keeping more high school players in the
game. Tennis on Campus players have
not had that stress that varsity players
have juggling schoolwork, homework,
practices, road trips, strange travel
hours and worrying about keeping your
scholarship with new players coming
in each year. These TOC players have
spent lots of time gaining experience
in organization, planning, fundraising,
people skills, networking, managing
travel and developing relationships.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
The very skills we would like our future
tennis professionals to have might have
already been taught or learned by these
outgoing students through this valu-
able USTA tennis program. In addition,
if the TOC player has spent any time
as a captain, co-captain or any part of
helping organize the club team, they
have developed these skills and have a
head start in the areas we need them to
have. I have heard from many of those
who have hired a former TOC player for
their tennis staff who said, I look to see
if they have played TOC on their re-
sume first, and if they do, they go to the
top or at least make the short list. There
is less they have to be trained to do and
can jump right into job-ready positions.
They also have great attitudes and love
to come to work every day and are hun-
gry to be a part of tennis. It appears
that the service aspect of our industry
that is so important is already embodied
within them from the start. Helping
each other and those around them is
part of their personality and passion.
However, dont forget the other
important side of TOC that we all need
to be a part of. We should direct those
we teach and coach who may not be
able to make university varsity teams
to consider TOC. This will keep tennis
as a big part of their lives in college.
We can encourage them to play for an In addition, many facilities need extra
established club team or start a team support staff for their own events and
on their future college campus. Many when schedules permit, the TOC players
schools have as many as 80-100 players are usually ready to step up and help.
on their club teams. They often help There are quite a few new under-30
support varsity teams and organize tennis programs that have started from
grassroots programs for kids on their this same group of TOC players after
campuses and even host high school they graduate. Some of these include
teams to play in fun events with them. one that started in Atlanta called Sets
Everything they do helps keep or intro- in the City and has since spread all over
duce players to this game we all love. the country. Others include Casual
Other areas that some rec depart- Sets, Fireball, Sip and Serve, as well as
ments and clubs have taken advantage many others. You may have heard about
of makes use of open court time for the missing link in tennis between high
these players. This team effort is a win- school and 40+ year old players. These
win for all as they can fill empty courts TOC players give high school players a
and provide some financial benefits, chance to stay in our game longer and
not to mention that it shows the tennis hopefully never take a break from the
facility has more activity during those game or leave altogether. This could
slow times. They say, activity breeds have a far-reaching effect and fill our
more activity. Sometimes those facili- young adult leagues across the country.
ties even benefit from seeing how the Who knows, they may come up with
TOC players manage their teams, react a format many never thought of. It
to regular players at the facility, interact wouldnt surprise me to find that they
and can easily see them working there in help fuel the next tennis boom in the
the future in kind of an exploratory way. U.S. and maybe the world. h
Dave Neuhart is the Director of Tennis at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga.
He is also the North America East Regional Manager for Peter Burwash International.
He is President of USTA GA, Chairman of USTA Southern Collegiate Tennis Commit-
tee, serves on USTA National High School Committee and recently Tennis on Campus
Committee. Neuhart has coached high school and collegiate teams and visiting tour-
level professionals. He is an industry speaker, USRSA Master Racquet Technician and
tester, and recipient of USTA Facility of the Year and Professional of the Year awards.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 53
 Master Pro Corner
Diagnose, Then Cure:
Doing Your Best for Your Students
By Dave Hagler, USPTA Master Professional
S
omething is wrong with your
car. You suspect it is the trans-
mission, but from your per-
spective cars operate via magi-
cal principles. Which mechanic would
you trust to fix your car?
Mechanic 1 explains at great length
how a transmission works and then
goes on to describe the physics behind
the internal combustion engine. Hes
billing you for his time and you want
him to start repairs.
Mechanic 2 says when transmis-
sions have problems it usually it be-
cause of X. He then takes your trans-
mission apart and replaces part X.
Mechanic 3 asks about your car
how much do you drive and under what
conditions? He checks the age and
mileage. He asks why you suspect it is
the transmission. Specifically he asks,
What happens when you drive, shift,
or go up hills? Based on your answers
he may ask more questions. He then ei-
ther drives your car (assuming it is safe
to drive) or asks you to drive around
the block. He diagnoses the problem
and suggests there are two likely sce-
narios and proceeds.
I think it is pretty safe to say we
would feel best about going to Me-
chanic 3. All too frequently I see tennis
teachers who try to help a student or
group of students in a manner similar
to that employed by Mechanic 1 or Me-
chanic 2.
If you are meeting a student for the
first time, ask questions! If you listen
to his words, you will get a sense of his
learning style and personality. You can
begin to build an environment of trust,
and a student who trusts you will be in-
clined to try what you ask. The student
will also be more relaxed, and more
likely to succeed.
If he wants a lesson on his back-
hand, you might want to ask some of
56 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
the following questions: What hap- more effectively than when he tries to
pens when you hit your backhand well? hit crosscourt, the issue may be one of
What happens when you miss? Where spacing, contact point, stance, racquet
do you most frequently miss (long, swing path or something else. If a play-
in the net, wide)? What kinds of balls er serves more effectively to the ad side
(fast, slow, high, low, etc) are most dif- than the deuce side, it may be a matter
ficult for you? What would you like to of stance, balance, swing path, contact
be able to do with your backhand that point, or something else.
you cant? Are you better at hitting There are times when a student is
crosscourt or down the line? Are there doing four things wrong and correcting
areas of the court (behind baseline, the root cause of the problem will cure
or midcourt) where you are more or the other three. It is your job to learn
less effective? to identify root causes in other words
You probably wont want to ask all you have to figure out what matters
of these questions. This is especially and what doesnt. This is student and
true if he has difficulty assessing or it is situationally specific.
your sense he feels at all threatened by You should then share with the
this process. Remember his assess- student what you see, and explain what
ment may not be accurate and you will you would like him to try. It is almost
need visual verification for what youve always better to tell him what you want
been told. them to do (i.e. do this) while show-
It is then vital that you watch the ing him what you want. Then ask the
student hit. You may know (or think student to show you to assure he un-
you know) the issue after one or two derstands the goal. Another common
shots but it is a good idea to let the stu- mistake beginning teachers make is to
dent warm up and hit several shots as tell the student, Dont do this. If I say,
at times what you initially observe may Dont think about purple cows, Ive
change as the student warms up and probably made it more likely that you
relaxes. It is almost always a good idea will think about purple cows.
to watch a student hit groundstrokes At a USPTA National Testers meet-
crosscourt, down the line and inside ing I attended I asked other testers
out (even from mid- or court) when where applicants had the most difficulty
you are assessing mechanics. It is wise on the exam. Every one of them said,
to have a player serve from both the Diagnosis and Cure. It is impossible to
deuce and ad sides when you are giving diagnose a problem a student has with a
a serving lesson. If there is a difference backhand without seeing him hit.
(and there frequently is), you can de- You may find if you spend a bit more
termine why and use the stronger side time on diagnosis it is much easier to
to help the weaker side. For example, find a cure.
if a player hits a forehand inside out Good luck! h
Dave Hagler is a USPTA Master Professional, National Tester and graduate of the
USTA High Performance Coaching Program. He works with players of all ages but has
a special passion for Junior Development and has spoken at conventions on a wide
variety of topics. Hagler has received service awards from the Southern California
and Intercollegiate Tennis Associations, is a two time Los Angeles District and 2007
California Division Pro of the Year. He is a member of the Head/Penn Advisory Staff.
Career Development
Exams, Upgrades Cardio Tennis Conferences/
& PTCA I March 10 Level 1 Training Course Activities
(4 credits for PTCA I segment) ACAC; Midlothian, Va. (Division Conferences 6 credits)
March 17 Level 1 Training Course
March 4 Haverhill, Mass. March 2 Mid-Atlantic Convention
March 4-5 Rome, Ga. Crooked Creek Country Club; Alpharetta, Ga.
Alexandria, Va.
March 6 La Jolla, Calif. March 19 Level 2 Training Course March 5 San Diego Division Workshop
March 11-12 Boca Raton, Fla. Park Crossing; Charlotte, N.C. La Jolla, Calif.
March 17 Nichols Hills, Okla. March 26 Level 2 Training Course May 5 New England Convention
March 17-18 Houston*
Rosen Shingle Creek; Orlando, Fla. Stowe, Vt.
March 18-19 Charlotte, N.C.
March 19 Columbus, Ohio April 2 Level 1 Training Course May 18 Southern Division Convention
March 19-20 Midlothian, Va. Wayside Athletic Club; Marlboro, Mass. Lafayette, La.
March 23 Minneapolis April 8 Level 1 Training Course May 31 Florida Division Convention
March 25-26 Phoenix Hoover Country Club; Birmingham, Ala. Naples, Fla.
March 31 Henderson, Nev.
April 8 Level 1 Training Course
April 2 Hilton Head Island, S.C.
April 3-4 San Francisco Greenwood Athletic & Tennis Club;
April 7-8 Lakewood, Calif. Greenwood Village, Colo.
April 8-9 Atlanta April 28 Level 1 Training Course
April 8-9 Aurora, Ill. Twos Athletic Club; Toledo, Ohio
April 9-10 Orlando, Fla.
May 13 Level 2 Training Course
April 17-18 Tyler, Texas
April 21
April 21-22
Harrison, N.Y.
Darien, Conn.
Cedardale Health & Fitness; Haverhill, Mass.
Webinars
April 22 Des Moines, Iowa (.5 credits)
April 22-23 Albuquerque, N.M.
Watch all recorded webinars
April 23 Midlothian, Va.
at tennisresources.com.
* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.
Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days For more information visit uspta.com/Education.
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 Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.
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.

Accredited
Professional Coach
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. Education requirements
To use the system at a seminar,
general session or specialty course,
All USPTA-certified Professionals must earn 6 education credits in a three-year period
you must scan two QR codes. One to remain current. Go to USPTA.com/Education for a partial list of eligible activi-
QR code is on your conference badge. The second ties. Please send verification (email, letter, certificate, receipt, etc.) that shows you
QR code will be in your conference notebook and
cannot be scanned until the end of the session or
attended the event/activity and submit it along with the date and agenda to educa-
the beginning of the next session. If you do not have tion@uspta.org to receive your credit. (International members, Recreational Coaches
a smartphone, you may use someone elses. Forms and those over the age of 65 are exempt.) Questions? Write to education@uspta.org
are available upon request.
or call 800-877-8248, ext. 147.

58 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
 Member News
USPTA Tennis Professional Yann Thefaine and Matthews Tennis Club in Matthews, N.C., hosted Ajay Pant will be leaving his position as
a fundraising tournament for Parkinsons Disease as well as to honor two of their longtime Senior Vice President of Operations at JTCC
members, Elmer and Mary Gau. The Gaus may be not be able to play anymore due to the dis- to take on a new role as the National Tennis
ease but they showed Director of LifeTime based at the companys
that tennis is the sport national headquarters
of a lifetime in their in Minneapolis. Ajay
spirit as they support- has made an invalu-
ed over 40 players in a able contribution to
one-day tournament our operations in the
named in their honor. five and a half years
The money raised he has been with us, commented Benton.
was given to the local He will be missed in many ways but this is
YMCAs Beyond Limits a wonderful opportunity for him to use his
program. Pictured abilities on a national stage. JTCCs Senior Di-
from left is Tony Gray rector of Tennis, Vesa Ponkka, added, It has
(YMCA board chair), Debbie Inman (YMCA Financial Development Director), Steve Norman, been a pleasure to work with Ajay to develop
Yann Thefaine (Director of Tennis Matthews Tennis Club, owner Tennis Academy North Caro- a true pathway for youngsters to enter our
lina), and Jim Nance (Owner Matthews Tennis Club). programming as young as three years old and
have a seamless path right through to earning
Wade Lanning Herren passed away December 7, 2016. He was born on June 7, 1927, in Birming- a tennis scholarship to a major university.
ham, Ala., the younger of two sons. He graduated from Ramsay High School and served in the
Navy during World War II (1945-1946). Herrens older brother introduced him to tennis, shaping USPTA Professional Dave Power, a coach of
the course of his life. He attended Tulane University and Birmingham-Southern four national champions
University on tennis scholarships. He won more than 200 tennis titles, includ- during his 45-year career,
ing an SEC Championship in 1948 while at Tulane and four national champion- is offering his teaching
ships. He later founded Highland Racket Club and contracted to build tennis system free to all USPTA
courts all over the South. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Professionals. The teach-
Fame, the Southern Tennis Association HOF, the Alabama Tennis Association ing system is divided
HOF, and the Birmingham-Southern HOF for his achievements and influence among the following
in the sport of tennis. He married Vivien Stretton Smith on December 16, 1961, topics: Basic Concepts,
and they welcomed three children into their family. He joined Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Miscellaneous Articles, Tips, Games, Drills,
1966 and served there as an elder and Sunday school teacher. He served on the board of Better Doubles, and Private Lessons. Visitors will
Basics and Young Business Leaders and as President of the Alabama Tennis Association. In his need to sign in first before printing the
retirement years, Wade carefully kept a series of notebooks in which he chronicled his many bless- articles, which are located on the website,
ings especially the people God had placed in his life and thanked God for every single one. theinnercoach.org. The website is a compan-
ion to his book, The Inner Coach, which is a
Dr. Sydney Brass, retired podiatrist, tennis pro and 25-year resource about the mental side of tennis. The
resident of Key Biscayne, died November 6, 2016. Dr. Brass was book can be purchased through the website.
born and raised in Boston, Mass. After graduating from Temple
University in Philadelphia, and serving in the U.S. Navy in World NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
War II and the Korean conflict, he married Yetta Gitelson in San President Chuck Gill
Francisco in 1945. They settled in Newton, Mass., in the 1950s to First Vice Gary Trost
start a podiatry/sports medicine practice. For almost 30 years, President
Brass operated a tennis camp on the grounds of Pine Manor Col-
Vice Presidents Alan Cutler
lege in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Beginning in 1975, they vacationed Feisal Hassan
regularly in Key Biscayne, moving there permanently in 1993. For Ken McAllister
many years, the Brasses volunteered at the Miami Open tennis tournament at the Crandon TM

Jack Michalko
Tennis Center in Key Biscayne. Bras was a 45-year member of the USPTA and was a dedicated Diane Selke

member of the Key Biscayne Tennis Association, where he developed many friendships and Past President Tom McGraw
lifelong associations. In addition, he helped to form the Round Table Tennis Group, where he CEO John Embree
served for many years. The family requests donations be made to USPTA in his honor. Legal Counsel George Parnell

ADDvantage magazine editorial offices Managing editor Kimberly Forrester The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the
USPTA World Headquarters Circulation Kathy Buchanan authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the
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United States Professional Tennis Association. of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without
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written permission from USPTA.

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