January 2009

Volume 37 Number 1 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com

CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2008
Our annual awards
honor those who
continue to make this
sport a winner
Dave Haggerty • Boar’s Head Sports Club •
Nate Ferguson • Boston Tennis Court
Construction Co. • Jim Haneklau • Sport Chalet •
Tennis & Golf Co. • Chuck Kuhle • Sue Jollensten •
Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex • Michael Mercier •
Roswell Park & Rec • Lee County Tennis Association •
Jorge Andrew • Tom Sweitzer • Sue Bordainick •
Pacific Northwest
ADVERTORIAL
Contents 2008 CHAMPIONS OF TENNIS
R S I J A N U A R Y

INDUSTRY NEWS
2 0 0 9

Our annual awards honor the people, businesses 7 “Tennis Night” to feature
and organizations that are making a difference youth registration,
in the tennis industry. WTA showdown

28 Person of the Year 34 Municipal Facility of the Year 7 Arlen Kantarian to

Dave Haggerty Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex leave USTA

30 Private Facility of the Year 34 Wheelchair Tennis Champion 7 PTR Symposium set
Boar’s Head Sports Club of the Year for February
Michael Mercier
30 Stringer of the Year 8 Lucy Garvin named
Nate Ferguson 35 Public Park of the Year USTA president
Roswell Park & Rec
31 Builder/Contractor of the Year 8 USPTA offers online
Boston Tennis Court Construction Co. 35 Community Tennis Association “Practice Planner” tool
of the Year
31 Sales Rep of the Year Lee County Tennis Assn.
8 QuickStart tips
Jim Haneklau
36 PTR Member of the Year offered online
32 Chain Retailer/Mass Merchant Jorge Andrew
of the Year 9 USTA, ITA announce
Sport Chalet 36 USPTA Member of the Year campus coach winners
Tom Sweitzer
32 Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year 9 PBI presents awards
Tennis & Golf Co. 37 High School Coach of the Year at annual meeting
Sue Bordainick
33 Junior Development Champion 10 Prince names Rob Grow
of the Year 37 USTA Section of the Year new director of apparel
Chuck Kuhle Pacific Northwest

33 Grassroots Champion of the Year 13 Babolat announces

Sue Jollensten promotion, new hires
15 Athco to produce
FEATURES 38 How to Become the Perfect Manager Dunlop apparel
New economic challenges are putting

23 USRSA Members’ Choice Awards

managers to the test.
16 Klip America is worldwide
Our exclusive rankings, based on 40 Mature Outlook licensee for Volkl
responses by USRSA members, will help Package tennis to meet all the needs of
you pick the right strings for your shop. the over-50 player, and you’ll meet your 16 Pacific is stringer for
bottom-line needs, too. Masters Cup in Shanghai

DEPARTMENTS 20 The Mental Game

4 Our Serve 42 String Playtest: Wilson [K] Gut Pro 16
7 Industry News 44 Tips and Techniques
17 Letters 46 Ask the Experts
18 TIA News & Updates 48 Your Serve, by Mark McMahon
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
Our Serve
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Be a Tennis Champion Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

E
arly in November, I ran into the person who brought me Editorial Director
into the tennis business. Alexander McNab was the edi- Peter Francesconi

tor of Tennis Magazine in 1987, when he hired me as Associate Editor

Greg Raven
an associate editor.
My tennis experience at that time was minimal but, thankfully, Alex Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
took a chance on me. A lifelong tennis player and fan, he guided me
through the intricacies of the sport and of the industry, and—whether Contributing Editors
he realized it or not—fostered a love of the game that continues today. Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
When I saw Alex, I mentioned what I was doing in the industry, and
Rod Cross
that I was very thankful that he had brought me into this business. Kristen Daley
As fate would have it, a week after seeing Alex, my more than 20- Joe Dinoffer
year career with Tennis Magazine abruptly ended. (My full-time job in Liza Horan
the last few years was to head up a division that worked with the USTA James Martin
to produce USTA Magazine. But declining budgets led to a reduction in Greg Moran
Chris Nicholson
frequency of USTA Magazine, which led Tennis to shut down our divi-
Bob Patterson
sion. Thankfully, though, this doesn’t affect my role with RSI.) Cynthia Sherman
When he heard the news, Alex was one of the first to call and Mary Helen Sprecher
express his concern, something I truly appreciated. And I realized
something else. Certainly for me, Alex has been a true champion of RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
tennis.
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
In this issue, we honor our Champions of Tennis award winners. And Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
as I’ve said in the past, while we only mention a handful of people in Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
these pages, there are probably thousands of others out there, like Alex, Website: www.racquetTECH.com
who can be considered real “champions” to others in this industry. It Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
could be a coach, teaching pro, tennis director, business executive, or
Advertising Director
other mentor—chances are we all can point to someone who brought
John Hanna
us in, made us feel welcome, showed us the ropes, and helped us devel- 770-650-1102, x.125
op a passion for this sport. hanna@knowatlanta.com
Whenever I talk about our Champions of Tennis awards, I always say
that they “honor the unsung heroes” of this sport. Especially now, as Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
the economy continues to slide and confidence in business continues to
203-263-5243
go south, it’s important that we all do what we can to honor those who cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
brought us into this sport that we love, and helped us to make a living
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
at something that, for many of us, we may not actually consider
year: monthly January through August and com-
“work.” bined issues in September/October and Novem-
But even more than that, it’s important that all of us become men- ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330
tors to others who want to get into this sport, or maybe who need a lit- Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail at

tle convincing that this sport is for them. We need to spread the tennis Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Vista, CA and
additional mailing offices. January 2009, Volume 37,
word, and—like Alex McNab—each of us needs to be a “champion” to
Number 1 © 2009 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
someone else. rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and
logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-
tions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER:
Peter Francesconi
Send address changes to Racquet Sports Industry,
Editorial Director 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

R S I J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9
INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU
Kantarian to Leave USTA
Arlen Kantarian, CEO of Professional Tennis
for the USTA, is stepping down at the end of
2008, after spearheading nine years of
record growth for the USTA and the US
Open. The former NFL and Radio City execu-
tive joined the USTA in March 2000 in the
newly created position of Chief Executive,
Professional Tennis.
Under his leadership, the US Open became
the highest attended annual sporting event
in the work, with revenue increasing more
than 80 percent and attendance setting
records every year. In addition, he developed
and launched the Olympus US Open Series,
which links 10 summer North American tour-
naments in a lead-up to the US Open.
While there’s no denying his impact on the
professional game in the U.S., it was widely
known that Kantarian’s contract, unless
renewed by the USTA, was set to expire at
the end of 2008. Kantarian announced he
was leaving the USTA in a statement at the
end of October.
Kantarian has brought several other innova-
tions to the sport, including the introduction
of instant replay with player challenges, the
prime-time US Open Finals, live entertain-
ment, and the transformation from green to
blue courts – now being embraced by
schools and parks across the country. Under
Kantarian’s leadership, the USTA secured
new television deals with CBS, ESPN, and
Tennis Channel which will provide an
unprecedented 400 hours of live television
coverage in the U.S. next summer.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
RUN YOUR BUSINESS
‘Tennis Night’ to Feature
Youth Registration, WTA Showdown
he USTA is planning its first-ever National Youth Registration Night for Monday,
T March 2, which will be billed as “Tennis Night in America” and will culminate in the
“BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup,” a one-night single-elimination
event that will bring together four of the world’s best women players. The pro event will
be at Madison Square Garden in New York and televised live on HBO starting at 7:30 p.m.
The USTA says Tennis Night in America will be among the largest grassroots initia-
tives the sport has ever seen. On that night, kids and teenagers across the country can
begin signing up for spring and summer USTA league play.
Also, in conjunction with the BNP Paribas Showdown, the USTA will kick off its
search for “America’s Best Tennis Town,” which will include a nationwide search for the
most passionate tennis town in the U.S. The announcement of the winner will be made
at the 2009 US Open in August.
The four pros vying for the BJK Cup will be 2008 Grand Slam Champions Serena
Williams, Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic, and World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic. Each par-
ticipant will compete in a one-set, no-ad scoring semifinal, with the winners advancing
to a best-of-three-set final (regular scoring) for the Billie Jean King Cup.
“Our core mission is to grow the sport of tennis throughout the United States,” says
USTA Executive Director and COO Gordon Smith. “An exciting event such as this, fea-
turing four of the most dynamic players in the game in one of the most revered venues
in the world, is a wonderful opportunity to not only galvanize our fans, but to attract so
many more to this great sport.”
Tickets for the pro “showdown” range from $50 to $1,000 and can be purchased
online at www.thegarden.com or at Ticketmaster. The $1.2 million event is produced
by StarGames in association with Madison Square Garden and will benefit the Dream
Vaccines Foundation and Women's Sports Foundation.
PTR International Symposium Set for February
he PTR will hold its annual International Tennis Symposium
T & $25,000 Championships from Feb. 14 to 20 at PTR Head-
quarters on Hilton Head Island, S.C. The Symposium
attracts nearly 1,000 tennis teachers and coaches from more
than 50 countries.
More than 50 presenters will conduct classroom and on-
court presentations, including Leo Alonso, Mike Barrell, Bob Bigelow, Doug Cash, Lisa
Duncan, Pat Etcheberry, Dick Gould, Laury Hammel, Don Henson, Whitney Kraft, Dr.
Jim Loehr, Anne Pankhurst and Lenny Scheuermann. Topics will range from tennis busi-
ness to tactics to injury prevention and treatments. There also will be a special high
school coaches’ series held over President’s Weekend.
The Symposium also offers a Tennis Trade Show where 45-plus organizations and
companies, such as, Gamma, Head/Penn and Playmate, exhibit their new product lines,
latest technologies and services. For information and registration, visit
www.ptrtennis.org.
January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7
 J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9
Lucy Garvin to be Next USTA President
INDUSTRYNEWS
L
ucy Garvin of Greenville, S.C.,
will be the next USTA chair-
man of the board and presi-
dent, serving a two-year term
beginning Jan. 1. Garvin, who
completes a two-year term as
first vice president, is a long-
time volunteer who has dedicat-
ed more than 30 years to
growing the sport of tennis in
local communities around the
country.
In addition, the USTA Nomi-
nating Committee announced
the following slate for USTA
Officers for 2009-10: Jonathan Vegosen (Midwest Section) as
first vice president; Joseph A. Grover (Mid-Atlantic Section) as
vice president; David A. Haggerty (Middle States Section) as
vice president; and Donald L. Tisdel (Pacific Northwest Sec-
tion) as secretary-treasurer.
Nominated for director-at-large positions on the USTA
Board are: Karin J. Buchholz (Eastern Section), Steven K.
Champlin (Northern Section), Hon. David N. Dinkins (Eastern
Section), Walter E. Massey (Midwest Section), Pamela J. Sloan
(Northern California Section), Carol J. Welder (Texas Section),
Katrina M. Adams (Eastern Section), Patrick J. Galbraith (Pacif-
ic Northwest) and Tommy Ho (Texas Section).
Racquet Network Expands into U.S.
R acquet Network (www.racquetnetwork.com), a social net-
work for adult racquet sports players and instructors, is
now accepting members from the U.S. and Australia. "Five
years ago we started out as a network of two Canadian squash
players,” says founder Brent Johner. “Now we include all
major racquet sports and we have members on four
continents."
The recent downturn in the American economy has cre-
ated ideal conditions for Racquet Network's expansion into
the U.S., says Johner. "When consumers face economic dif-
ficulties, extras like club and gym memberships are the first
things to go. Racquet Network allows people in these cir-
cumstances to continue playing racquet sports until they can
get back on their feet and go home to their clubs."
Racquet Network also helps instructors, clubs and
leagues weather tough economic times, says Johner. "We
have a proven track record in the racquet sports industry.
We can help fill holes in leagues and top up lessons and pro-
grams. Working within our network can help clubs and
instructors stay in business long enough to see the good
times return." For more information, email brentjohn-
er@racquetnetwork.com or visit the website.
8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
GSS Symposium Draws
Stringers from 7 Countries
T he 2008 Grand Slam Stringers Symposium
presented by the USRSA was held in Orlando
in October, tripling attendance from the inau-
gural event last year and drawing stringers from the U.S.,
Canada, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Great Britain, France and Spain.
“Feedback has been extremely positive,” says symposium
organizer Tim Strawn. “Vendor participation in the trade show
was phenomenal. Many symposium attendees have already
commented that they plan to return next year.” The 2008
event was held at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and Strawn
hopes to return in 2009.
Seminar leaders included Dave Bone, Mark Gonzales, John
Gugel, Ron Rocchi, Richard Parnell, Bob Patterson, Brian
Laumeyer, Jeff Davies, John Elliot and Strawn.
Visit www.grandslamstringers .com for information.
USPTA Offers Online
‘Practice Planner’ Tool
T he USPTA is now offering an online Prac-
tice Planner tool to assist members in build-
ing individualized practice and lesson plans.
Users can take advantage of several pre-
designed plans or start their own plans from scratch.
The planner has two user modes: Wizard and Expert. Wizard,
which is recommended for new users, includes a step-by-step,
one-question-per-page process in which you are asked to answer
questions and select drills to build your practice plan. The Expert
mode lets you build your practice plan quickly with a series of
selection boxes for length of practice, type of activity, drill cate-
gory, drill type, length of time per activity and more.
USPTA members can go to http://planner.uspta.com or go to
Teaching tools in the USPTA members-only Career Center at ben-
efits.uspta.com. Members can register for free with their last
name and member number.
QuickStart Tennis Tips Offered Online
P laySportsTV, an online youth sports resource for kids, par-
ents and coaches, has developed a series of web-based
instructional videos for the QuickStart Tennis format for bring-
ing tennis to children aged 10 and under.
PlaySportsTV specializes in developing original instruction-
al and coaching videos. The aim is to bring tennis down to size
for kids, parents and youth coaches, through the production
and distribution of over 35 short-form videos that offer an
introduction to QST, the equipment, coaching advice, drills and
game tips.
PlaySportsTV teamed up with top tennis coaches Anne
Davis and Kirk Anderson of the USTA to create the “How to
Play QuickStart Tennis” video library. The complete series of
videos can be viewed free of charge at www.playsportstv.com/
quickstarttennis.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com

USTA, ITA Announce
Campus Coach Winners
W ashington State University women's tennis coach Lisa
Hart has been named the national winner of the
USTA/ITA Community Outreach Award and Bill Macom, the
director of tennis, men's and women's tennis coach at
Florida Institute of Technology is the national winner of the
USTA/ITA Campus Recreation Award. Both coaches were
honored by the ITA and the USTA in December at the ITA
Coaches Convention in Naples, Fla.
This year's national winners were selected from a
group of USTA Sectional winners determined this fall (and
listed below). The Community Outreach Award honors ITA
coaches for contributions in developing community-based
tennis programs. The Campus Recreation Award honors
coaches who have done an outstanding job implementing
recreational tennis programs on campus. The awards pro-
gram, which began in 2003, was open to more than 2,000
ITA head and assistant coaches at the NCAA Divisions I, II
and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College levels.
USTA/ITA Community Outreach Award—Sectional Winners
Q Florida: Chi Ly, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Q Hawaii Pacific: Stefan Pampulov, Hawaii Pacific University
Q Intermountain: Mark Tichenor, Boise State University
Q Northern California: Marc Weinstein, Mills College
Q Pacific Northwest: Lisa Hart, Washington State University
Q Southern: Bill Riddle, Cumberland University
Q Texas: Bobby Kleineckie, Texas A&M University
USTA/ITA Campus Recreation Award—Sectional Winners
Q Florida: Bill Macom, Florida Institute of Technology
Q Intermountain: Michael Phillips, Montana State University
Q Mid-Atlantic: Marc Walters, West Virginia University
Q Missouri Valley: Chase Hodges, Drake University
Q New England: Chris Davis, Smith College
Q Texas: John Peterson, Tyler Jr. College
USTA National League Champions Named
T he USTA recently held national championships for USTA
League Tennis in Indian Wells, Calif.; Tucson, Ariz.; and Las
Vegas. Winning national titles for 2008 are teams from the
following cities (USTA section in parentheses):
5.0 Adult Women: Sacramento, Calif. (Northern California)
5.0 Adult Men: Sacramento, Calif. (Northern California)
4.5 Adult Women: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Midwest)
4.5 Adult Men: Baton Rouge, La. (Southern)
4.0 Adult Women: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Florida)
4.0 Adult Men: Seattle, Wash. (Pacific Northwest)
3.5 Adult Women: Sunnyvale, Calif. (Northern California)
3.5 Adult Men: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico (Caribbean)
3.0 Adult Women: Seattle, Wash. (Pacific Northwest)
3.0 Adult Men: Columbia, Md. (Mid-Atlantic)
2.5 Adult Women: Haverhill, Mass. (New England)
2.5 Adult Men: Salt Lake City, Utah (Intermountain)
4.5 Senior Women: Long Beach, Calif. (Southern California)
4.5 Senior Men: Shreveport, La. (Southern)
4.0 Senior Women: Clearwater, Fla. (Florida)
4.0 Senior Men: Lancaster/Manheim, Pa. (Middle States)
3.5 Senior Women: Nashville, Tenn. (Southern)
3.5 Senior Men: Roswell, Ga. (Southern)
3.0 Senior Women: Baltimore, Md. (Mid-Atlantic)
3.0 Senior Men: Roswell, Ga. (Southern)
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
PBI Presents Awards at Annual Meeting
P eter Burwash International (PBI) recently
held its annual meeting at the Bio-Hotel
Stanglwirt in Tirol, Austria. The yearly meet-
ing brings 90 PBI pros together from around
the globe for craft sharing and continuing
education, with more than 10 hours of semi-
nars and conferences daily. Topics focus on
both personal and professional development,
ranging from coaching tour players and inno-
vative teaching techniques to communica-
tion and program marketing.
Senior PBI professionals conducted “PBI University” seminars
covering a variety of key areas, including: Putting Your Tennis Pro-
gram on the Map, Creating Repeat Business, Hosting Events with Pro
Players, Improving Member/Guest Service, Technology and the Ten-
nis Coach, Coaching Teams, Organizing a Tennis Carnival, and more.
Guest speakers from the tennis and hospitality industries includ-
ed John Embree, president of Prince Americas. In addition, the fol-
lowing awards were presented:
Q Professional of the Year: Eric Thorel (above, left, with Peter Burwash), tennis director at
Tokyo Lawn Tennis Club in Tokyo, Japan.
Q Most Improved Professional: Adri Atkinson, tennis director at Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt in
Tirol, Austria.
Q Rookie of the Year: Todd Kramer, head pro at Rancho Las Palmas in Rancho Mirage,
Calif.
Q Site of the Year: Kapalua at Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii.
Q Friend of the Year: Jim Sheridan of London, former senior partner with Goldman Sachs.
RSI Award Winner To Host Fed Cup
T he USTA has chosen the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in
Surprise, Ariz.—RSI’s 2008 Municipal Facility of the Year award
winner (see page 34)—as the site for the 2009 Fed Cup by BNP
Paribas quarterfinal between the U.S. and Argentina, Feb. 7-8.
The complex, which will be hosting a Fed Cup event for the
first time, currently hosts an annual USTA Pro Circuit women’s
event. It also received the 2008 USTA Outstanding Facility Award.
The USTA will construct a temporary stadium at the complex for
the two-day, best-of-five-match quarterfinal.
“We are thrilled to choose a community that loves tennis,”
says Mary Joe Fernandez, who will make her debut as the U.S.
Fed Cup captain. “We are eager to start the 2009 Fed Cup cam-
paign in front of an enthusiastic and patriotic crowd.” The U.S.
has met Argentina three times in Fed Cup play, leading the series
2-1. The U.S. is 33-3 in home Fed Cup ties.
January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9
 J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

Collegians Represent Rob Grow Joins Prince

INDUSTRYNEWS

U.S. in France as Director for USA Apparel

T he USTA and Intercollegiate Tennis Associa-
tion selected six top American collegians to
represent the U.S. in the International Universi-
ty Challenge of Tennis sponsored by BNP
Paribas. The event, in its third year, features
eight teams composed of college and university
players from around the world and was played
in early December in Poitiers, France.
The seven nations competing with the U.S.,
which is competing for the first time, include
Belgium, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Mon-
tenegro, Russia and Switzerland. Teams will
compete in a best-of-seven format consisting
of two men’s and two women’s singles match-
es, one men’s and one women’s doubles
match, and one mixed-doubles match.
Representing the U.S. were: John Kauss,
Gustavus Adolphus College; Nate Schnugg, Uni-
versity of Georgia; Michael Venus, Louisiana
State University; Amanda Fink, University of
Southern California; Jennifer Kung, University
of Chicago; and Kelcy McKenna, Arizona State.
The team was coached by Michelle Dasso,
head women’s tennis coach at the University
of Illinois, and Paul Settles, head coach of the
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges men’s team.
The U.S. team was selected using the fol-
lowing criteria: Top male and female American
finishers at the 2008 ITA All-American Cham-
pionships, top male and female American fin-
ishers at the 2008 ITA Small College
Championships, and top male and female
Americans ranked in the 2008 ITA Preseason
Division I Rankings.
P rince Sports has hired Robert Grow as its director for
USA apparel. Grow most recently was at Athco Inc.,
which was the North American apparel licensee for Wilson
Sporting goods.
At Prince, Grow will manage all U.S. apparel sales and
marketing initiatives, collaborating with Jane Gao, global business manager
of apparel, bag and accessories, on product development and sourcing. He
will report to John Embree, president of Prince Americas, and will be respon-
sible for building upon the relaunch of Prince’s apparel business last year
with the introduction of Aerotech.
“The introduction of Aerotech last year was the first step in establishing
Prince as a major player in the category,” says Grow. “I look forward to build-
ing upon that success and using it as a stepping-stone to introduce some truly
innovative product.”
Grow was a ranked junior player, played on the satellite circuit for two
years before attending Florida State University, and served as director of ten-
nis operations at the Boca Grande Club in Florida throughout the 1990s. He
will be based at Prince headquarters in Bordentown, N.J.
Squash Star Uses New Ashaway Shoe
A shaway has come out with the new AMPS 301 squash
shoe, which quickly became the favorite for squash star
Natalie Grainger, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the U.S.
and No. 4 on the women’s international tour. Grainger
helped evaluate the new line of Ashaway squash shoes
introduced in 2008.
The AMPS 301 is designed for both serious and recre-
ational players. AMPS stands for Anatomic Multi-Perform-
ance System, and the shoes are anatomically molded to the shape of the
human foot, says the company. The shoe supports the
whole foot, not just the ball and heel, increasing
comfort and stability and reducing foot
fatigue. Visit www.ashawayusa.com or
call 800-556-7260 for more information.

Tennis Racquet Top-Selling Racquets Top-Selling Top-Selling

Performance at Specialty Stores Tennis Shoes at Tennis Strings
Specialty Stores, By year-to-date dollars, January-September 2008
(average selling price)
Specialty Stores at Specialty
January-September, 2008 vs. 2007 By year-to-date dollars,
Units 2008 630,628 Best-Sellers January-September 2008
Stores
1. Babolat Aeropro Drive Cortex MP $173 (average selling price) By year-to-date dollars,
2007 634,317
2. Babolat Pure Drive Cortex MP $170 1. Adidas January-September 2008
% Change vs. ’07 1%
3. Wilson K Blade MP $174 Barricade V $102 1. Prince
4. Prince O3 Speedport Black MP $187 2. Nike Synthetic Gut Duraflex
Dollars 2008 $87,814,000
5. Wilson K SixOne 95 MS (16 x 18) $175 Air Breathe Free 2 $97 2. Wilson
2007 $87,842,000
“Hot New Racquets” 3. Adidas NXT
% Change vs. ’07 0%
(Introduced in the past 12 months) Barricade II $84 3. Wilson
1. Wilson K Blade MP $174 5. Nike Air Breathe Sensation
Price 2008 $139
2. Wilson K Blade Tour MS $183 Cage II $98 4. Prince
2007 $138
3. Prince O3 Speedport White MP $186 5. Nike Air Breathe Lightning XX
% Change vs. ’07 1%
4. Wilson K Pro Open MP $168 Cage $90 5. Luxilon
5. Wilson K Tour MS $170 Alu Power

(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 USRSA NEWS

MEMBER CLASSIFIEDS
FOR SALE: Tennis/Swim Club for
Sale in North Carolina. Profitable,
excellent location, established mem-
bership, setbrooks@yahoo.com.
FOR SALE: 1986 Babolat Star 3
Stringing Machine Perfect working
order! New tension dial, poten-
tiometer and circuit board. Impec-
cably maintained! $1500 plus
shipping (FL) contact: aten-
nis@tampabay.rr.com

Congratulations To the Following For

Achieving MRT & CS Status

New MRTs
Clint Laukhuf Lewisville, TX
Francisco E.P. Bruni Sao Paulo, BRAZIL
Dimas Mendez Ponce, PUERTO RICO
Andrea Oliveira do Amaral RdJ, BRAZIL
Richard Schumann Rockledge, FL
Chuck Hakansson Doraville, GA
Bill Black Arcadia, CA
Cathy Lehman Raleigh, NC
Carmine Grimaldi Wayne, PA
David Yamane Winston-Salem, NC
Brian Trinkle Alpharettta, GA
Andrew Hurt Melbourne, FL
Ed Matheson Dunwoody, GA
Kazumichi Shinohara Cupertino, CA
Mark Brunner O'Fallon, IL
Thomas Carter Green Virginia Beach, VA
Reed Stout Rocklin, CA

U • S • R • S • A
CERTIFIED
STRINGER
New CSs
Alex Campbell San Diego, CA
Linsay Ling San Diego, CA
Jon Deputy Bell, CA
Don Roesler Carmel, IN
Diane Hamm-Vida Shallotte, NC
Kaye Kimpling Effingham, IL
Marcee Finn Wilmington, NC

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9
P E O P L E W AT C H
INDUSTRYNEWS
• Brian Hainline, M.D., has been named to the newly created
position of chief medical officer for the USTA. Hainline will develop
and oversee medical policies affecting all aspects of the sport, from
recreational programs to professional tournaments, with an eye
toward promoting and developing the healthy growth of tennis.
He also will develop and coordinate comprehensive medical prac-
tices for the US Open, Davis and Fed Cup competitions, and USTA
Pro Circuit events, and will supervise medical, sport science and
conditioning issues for USTA Elite Player Development athletes.
• Frenchman Gael Monfils, 22, has signed
with Prince and will play with a new Prince
frame that will be released in 2009.
• Tom Gorman, a world-renowned tennis
player and successful Davis Cup captain, has
been named director of tennis at La Quinta Resort & PGA West in
the Palm Springs, Calif., area. Gorman was one of the founding
tennis professionals who originally developed La Quinta Resort's
award-winning tennis program in the late 1970s.
• William “Bill” Rombeau announced that he will step down as
president of the Southern California Tennis Association (USTA
Southern California Section) effective in February. Rombeau, who’s
been president since 1997, will turn over his gavel to William Kel-
logg.
• Jim Courier closed out the 2008 Outback Champions Series sea-
son in November by defeating Series newcomer Stefan Edberg in
the final of the Emirates NBD The Legends “Rock” Dubai Champi-
onships, held in the United Arab Emirates. The win earned Courier
a first-prize paycheck of $54,000 for his fourth tournament title of
the year on the global tennis circuit for champion tennis players
age 30 and over. Courier was also presented with a $100,000
check for finishing the 2008 Series as its No. 1 ranked player. In all,
he collected $404,000 in prize money in 2008.
• Belgian tennis player Yanina Wickmayer, 19, has signed with
IMG.
• Former No. 1 Lindsay Davenport joined Tennis Channel’s on-air
staff during its telecast of the 2008 Sony Ericsson Championships
New Grip Aid
Oncourt Offcourt and USPTA and PTR Master Professional
Joe Dinoffer are the distributors of a new training aid for
tennis. Grip Loose finger sleeve is a quick and easy way
to get players to relax their grip on the racquet, using a
simple “beeping” sound every time the player grips too
tightly. The Grip Loose was designed and patented by vet-
eran international tennis coach Allen Webb and also
works for other sports, including golf, baseball and hock-
ey. The Grip Loose neoprene sleeve comes in two sizes
and is packaged for retail sale. For information, call toll-
free 88-TENNIS-11 or visit www.oncourtoffcourt.com.
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
from Doha, Qatar, in November. Davenport, who has won six
Grand Slam singles and doubles titles, worked with a broadcast
team that included veteran play-by-play announcer Barry MacKay,
analyst and former doubles No. 1 Corina Morariu; and on-the-spot
interviews, features and commentary from Doha by Tracy Austin.
• Moacir Santos, a sophomore at Laredo Community College, and
Suzana Cavalcante, a senior at the University of West Florida,
received the 2008 James O' Hara Sargent Sportsmanship Awards
presented by Rolex Watch USA. The awards go to players who dis-
play outstanding sportsmanship and exemplify the spirit of college
tennis during the course of the ITA National Small College Cham-
pionships.
• Julie Ditty made tennis history in late September when she
swept singles and doubles at the 2008 ColemanVision Tennis
Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., her 31st and 32nd career
USTA Pro Circuit titles. With the wins, she becomes the all-time
leader in USTA Pro Circuit titles.
• Argentine Guillermo Vilas is the 2008 recipient of the Davis Cup
Award of Excellence, presented by the International Tennis Hall of
Fame and the International Tennis Federation.
• Cory Ross, the No. 3 seed, of Denver, claimed the men’s open
title at the $10,000 USPTA Hard Court Championships held in
Tyler, Texas, in October. Marina McCollom of Ames, Iowa, earned
the women’s open title.
• Shane Vanderson, a member of Head’s Elite Racquet-
ball Team of National Pro Staff, won the 2008 IRT Japan
International Tournament in November. The event, held
in Tokyo, is the only International Racquetball Tour (IRT)
event held outside North America. Vanderson, of
Tampa, Fla., currently ranked No. 5, defeated fellow Team
head member Tony Carson of Scottsdale, Ariz., in the final.
• The Nevada Tennis Hall of Fame inducted new members in
November: tennis legend Mike Agassi, the father of Andre Agassi;
community leader Ann Rockwell; and junior legends the Thomp-
son twins, Catrina and Christian, for their outstanding talents, abil-
ities and commitment to the game of tennis.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Babolat Announces USTA Community Development Workshop Set for Feb.

Promotion, New Hires T he 2009 USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop will be Feb. 13-15 at the
Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa in South Carolina. The workshop, featuring key

B abolat has promoted Seth McKin-

ley to sports marketing manager
for the Americas and Australia and
speakers in the industry, is one of the best resources for community tennis develop-
ment and tennis programming for local organizations. More than 500 tennis pros,
organizers, coaches, etc., are expected to attend. For more information or to register,
added Jackie Carleton and Steve visit www.usta.com/ctdw.
Strecker to the Babolat USA sports
marketing team.
McKinley, formerly in charge of
Babolat promotions for professional
and junior players in the U.S., has
been with the company since 2005.
In addition to his new international
player responsibilities, he will contin-
ue to work closely with the promo-
tions team in the US.
Carleton joins Babolat as promo-
tions manager for the US and will
head up junior and college player
programs, handling recruitment,
sponsorships, contracts and player
relations. She came from Adidas,
where she was a junior team repre-
sentative for its tennis division. She is
a former U.S. No. 1 junior player and
played at UCLA and Duke and is a
two-time All-American in singles.
Strecker is the new marketing/
promotions coordinator and will be
transitioning from his current posi-
tion as a Babolat inside sales rep. He
has a strong background in market-
ing and promotions and as a student
at the University of Colorado helped
shape and run the club tennis team.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

 J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9
SHORT SETS
INDUSTRYNEWS
> Penn has been named the official ball
of the BNP Paribas Showdown for the Bil-
lie Jean King Cup, which will be Monday,
March 2, at Madison Square Garden. The
event will be telecast live on HBO begin-
ning at 7:30 PM EST honoring Billie Jean
King and will feature four of the women’s
top tennis players in a single elimination
format.
>December
Babolat sponsored a special event in
in support of Babolat player
Andy Roddick and The Andy Roddick
Foundation. The “Rock-n-Racquets” exhi-
bition hit Louisville, Ky.; Columbia, S.C.;
and Knoxville, Tenn., with top players that
included Roddick, Serena Williams, John
Isner and Caroline Wozniacki.
> Head/Penn participated in Touchstone
Behavioral Health’s 6th Annual Family Fun
Day event, which supports children and
families who have behavior issues at
home and at school, and introduced the
game of tennis to children of all ages.
Members of the Head/Penn team set up
four mini tennis courts, which supports
the QuickStart Tennis format, to allow
children to play tennis for the first time.
The company also gave away 40 junior rac-
quets, T.I.P. 1 and 2 balls, and other prizes.
>andPrince was named the official apparel
footwear partner for the season-end-
ing Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Champi-
onships, which was held in early
November in Doha, Qatar, and featured
the top eight women’s singles players and
top four doubles teams, competing for
the largest purse in women’s tennis, $4.5
million in total prize money.
>theInSony
addition to being the official string of >In late November, Tennis Channel launched
Ericsson WTA Tour, Luxilon also “Tennis Channel Academy,” a celebrity-
was named the official stringer at the
Tour’s year-end Sony Ericsson Champi-
onships in Doha, Qatar. The Luxilon string-
ing team, consisting of world-class
stringers from several countries, was on-
site for the tournament.
>maintain
The USPTA and Elations, a drink to >Roger Federer says he will play for Switzer-
healthy joints, have entered into land in the first round of the 2009 Davis Cup
a licensing agreement incorporating the
USPTA's service mark, “Tennis – for the
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
health of it!” Elations will promote the slo-
gan on its packaging and in some advertising
into June.
>tionThe(ISHA)
International Sports Heritage Associa-
has chosen the International Ten-
nis Hall of Fame & Museum as a first-place
Communications Awards winner in the
Video Presentation category. The Hall of
Fame’s winning entry is the video presenta-
tion that accompanied the 2007 exhibit
“Breaking the Barriers: The ATA & Black Ten-
nis Pioneers,” researched by the Hall of
Fame’s museum staff and produced by
Harold Hecht.
>siteFindTennisStore.com is a new search web-
for tennis consumers to connect and
work with local tennis pro shops and special-
ty stores. Pro shop and store owners register
their store (annual membership fee $175)
and become part of a search network and
have an instant internet presence. Website
visitors enter their zip code and results show
the nearest tennis stores, actual distance,
maps, directions, contact information, prod-
ucts and brands that they carry. Contact 206-
715-7973 or email at support@find
tennisstore. com.
>a Industry veteran Martin Baroch has created
networking website—www.MyTennis
World.net—“to help facilitate worldwide
tennis contacts among serious tennis lovers,”
both players and fans. The site also contains
educational content to help grow the game.
Similar to Facebook, creating a profile on the
site is free, and members can upload photos,
videos and leave comments on other mem-
bers’ pages. Current members include play-
ers and fans from all over the world.
packed six-part tennis coaching series hosted
by Hall of Famer Tracy Austin. Tennis coaches
in the series include Nick Bollettieri, John and
Chris Evert, Pat Etcheberry, Robert Lansdorp,
and Carlos Rodriguez with Justine Henin.
Visit www.tennischannel.com for info.
against the U.S. The U.S. will host the Swiss
team for the March 6-8 tie at a location still
to be determined. “It’s certainly not going
to feel like a first-round tie,” says U.S.
Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe.
“Obviously, it’s great for us and great for
tennis. I don’t think Roger would come if
he didn’t think the same way.”
>itsCliffpartnership
Drysdale Tennis (CDT) has extended
with Fila as its “Official
Worldwide Apparel and Footwear Spon-
sor” through 2011. As part of the agree-
ment, Cliff Drysdale and every coach,
director and staff member from CDT, as
well as tennis legends from CDT-owned
Grand Slam Sports, including John New-
combe, Roy Emerson, Jimmy Arias, John
Lloyd, Mikael Pernfors, Dick Stockton, Ross
Case, and Tom Gorman, will act as brand
ambassadors for Fila. In addition, each
CDT-managed resort in the U.S. will fea-
ture Fila apparel, footwear and accessories
in pro shops.
>HallTheofInternational Tennis
Fame & Museum
honored USTA President
Jane Brown Grimes on
Dec. 11 at a special tribute
in New York City. Net-
work-TV tennis announcer
Mary Carillo served as master of cere-
monies and Hall of Fame President Tony
Trabert was honorary chairman. Featured
speaker was U.S. Davis Cup Captain
Patrick McEnroe. Proceeds from the event
will benefit the International Tennis Hall of
Fame’s Annual Fund.
> Lacoste will continue as the official
apparel and footwear partner of the Bar-
clays ATP World Tour Finals until 2013. As
part of the restructuring of men’s tennis in
2009, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
will replace the Tennis Masters Cup, cur-
rently held in Shanghai, as the year-ending
finale of the ATP World Tour.
>andPrince was the official racquet, string
ball of the Nike Junior Tour and its sea-
son-ending International Masters event.
The NJT brings together top 12- and 14-
year-old juniors from 24 countries. In addi-
tion, Team Prince junior Carlos Bautista of
Spain captured the Boys’ Under-14 title at
the NJT International Masters.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Athco to Produce Dunlop Apparel

Athco is teaming with Dunlop Sports to produce and
distribute tennis and other sports apparel in the U.S.
“We’ll continue our focus on technical fabrics and
solid design,” says Athco’s Bill Hall. The longterm
agreement with Dunlop includes men’s and women’s
apparel, including Athco’s SunBlock line shown at
right, which provides a UPF 50+ rating, to block
more than 98 percent of UV rays. For information,
contact Athco at 800-990-0000 or 941-351-1600.

Ashaway, Huczek
Sign New Deal
Ashaway Racket Strings has signed a
new two-year sponsorship agreement
with racquetball pro Jack Huczek in
which Huczek will continue to sup-
port his favored Ashaway Superkill II
string as well as his signature Jack
Huczek/AMPS 311M racquetball
shoes. In addition, under the new
agreement, Huczek will become more
involved with Ashaway product devel-
opment and marketing efforts. Visit
www.ashawayusa.com for more
information.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15

 J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

Klip is Exclusive Licensee for Volkl Worldwide

INDUSTRYNEWS

K lip America is the worldwide licensee for Volkl Tennis equipment, bags and
accessories, effective Jan. 1. The 10-year agreement with Marker Volkl Inter-
national of Switzerland means Klip will now design, manufacture and distribute
Volkl products worldwide. Klip has been the U.S. and Canadian distributor for Volkl
Tennis for the past 21 months.
“Our goal is to keep research and development true to its German roots,” says
Sean Frost, managing director of Klip America. Frost says Volkl will continue to use
the same experienced R & D team located in Straubing, Germany. Volkl has been
designing and manufacturing tennis equipment since 1973.
Frost says the arrangement between Klip and Volkl will make Volkl a stronger player
in the worldwide market. “Klip America will make significant investments to increase
visibility, consumer demand and dealer profitability,” he says.
Klip also has a separate licensee agreement with Boris Becker Tennis. “There’s a lot
of brotherhood between Volkl Tennis and Boris Becker Tennis, but we’ve found that there
is some confusion, too,” says Frost.
“We’ve found some nice niches for the Becker brand, and we need to correctly posi-
tion the brand. Going forward, there will be more separation between the brands.”

Pacific is Stringer for 2008 Masters Cup in Shanghai

P acific was the official stringer for the 2008 Masters Cup held in Shanghai Nov. 9-16. Tom Parry, Pacific’s global brand man-
ager, and Christian Reuter, the company’s European player services manager, both put in time in the stringer’s room, often
working from 8 a.m. to well past 11 p.m., when the last ball was struck.
Parry says that brothers Bob and Mike Bryan “led the pack” when it came to stringing requests. To start each day, Parry and
Reuter strung up three frames for each of the Bryans—both used the same hybrid, but slightly different tensions.
During Andy Murray’s first match, Parry says he sent in two of his frames at the same time for “emergency” stringing. “Chris
cranked them out in less than nine minutes per stick,” says Parry. “I barely had the second frame cut out before he’d finished
the first! They came in on a changeover, and the first one was back on court before the next changeover.”
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, for his last match, decided to switch from 100 percent poly to natural gut mains and poly crosses, with
no change in tension, says Parry. Early in the second set, however, he grabbed an old frame from his bag that was all poly. “Play-
ers, no matter their ranking, are really finding the world of hybrid stringing one to explore,” says Parry. Pacific’s stringing log of
the Masters event is below.
Name Country Racquet Racquet Model String String Model Tension
Björkman, Jonas Sweden Wilson K Six One 95 18x20 Luxilon/Wilson Big Banger Alu Rough / Natural (Gut) 23/23 K
Bryan, Bob USA Prince O3 Speedport Black Luxilon/Tecnifibre Big Banger Timo / NRG_ 17 41/45
Bryan, Mike USA Prince O3 Speedport Black Luxilon/Tecnifibre Big Banger Timo / NRG_ 17 43/46
Bhupathi, Mahesh India Wilson K Six One 95 16x18 Wilson Natual (Gut) 57/57
Coetzee, Jeff South Africa Dunlop AeroGel 200 Pacific Poly Gut Hybrid 54/54
Cuevas, Pablo Urugay Head MicroGel Prestige Mid Luxilon Big Banger Original 54/54
Davydenko, Nikolay Russia Prince 03 Tour Midplus Polystar Polystar 130 23/21 K
Del Potro, Juan Martin Argentina Wilson K Six One 95 18x20 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 63/63
Dlouhy, Lucas Czech Republic Fischer M Pro No. 1 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 25.5 K
Fyrstenberg, Mariusz Poland Babolat Pure Storm Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 24/23 K
Horna, Luis Peru Babolat Prue Strom+ Luxilon BB Alu Power Rough 49/49
Knowles, Mark Bahamas Head MicroGel Prestige Mid Babolat/Luxilon VS Gut / Big Banger Alu Power 57/55
Matkowski, Marcin Poland Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Babolat Pro Hurricane / VS Gut 23.4/22.5 K
Moodie, Wesley South Africa Head MicroGel Prestige Mid Pacifc Poly Gut Hybrid 62/60
Murray, Andy Scotland Head MicroGel Radical MidPlus Luxilon/Babolat Big Banger Alu Power / VS Gut 60/60
Nestor, Daniel Canada Wilson K Six One 95 16x18 Wilson/Luxilon Natural (Gut) / Big Banger Alu Power 54.5/52.4
Paes, Leander India Babolat Pure Drive Luxilon/Babolat Big Banger Alu Power / VS Gut 51/51
Roddick, Andy USA Babolat Pure Drive Roddick + Babolat Pro Hurricane / VS Gut 61
Simon, Gilles France Head MicroGel Prestige Mid Head Intellitour 24/23 K
Stepanek, Radek Czech Republic Wilson K Blade 98 Babolat VS Gut 24.5/22.5 K
Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried France Wilson K Blade 98 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 26/25 K
Ullyett, Kevin Zimbabwe Wilson K Six One 95 18x20 Wilson Natual (Gut) 50/50
Zimonijc, Nenad Serbia Head Radical VS/Luxilon VS Gut / Big Banger Ace 23/21.5 K

16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Letters
Younger Talent, Yes, and Education is Key
To the Editor:
I enjoyed very much the article “Generation Next” (Novem-
ber/December 2008). Although I agree that the industry needs
young talent, it’s vitally important that this talent be educated
in their field of endeavor.
Low salaries and retainers offered to tennis teaching pros is
a problem, but another major problem is the fact that club
owners, parks and recreation managers and directors of tennis
often just hire someone who can feed balls or rally with a stu-
dent, but that does not constitute “teaching” tennis. There is a
huge disconnect between what a consumer perceives as “get-
ting a tennis lesson” and what he/she is really getting.
Many of today’s young pros have not received the right
message about how to become a top-flight tennis teaching
pro. The tools are out there, yet they’re not being taken
advantage of by those who need them the most. In most
cases, young pros have no idea how to teach and improve the
hitting and playing skills of their clients.
The idea that one can take a four- or six-hour course and
become a certified tennis teacher is ludicrous. It takes years of
playing experience, teaching experience and attending educa-
tional conferences to hone one’s skills. Most of our top teach-
ing pros were good players themselves and attended many
USPTA divisional and national conferences, PTR Symposiums
and USTA workshops. These individuals realize the educational
and networking value of belonging to a certified teaching
association.
The USPTA has for years been a part of the Club Managers
Association of America conferences and continues to promote
the certified teaching pro as the most knowledgeable individ-
ual to run programs. As in any industry, continuing education
and change with the times is the core to success. We need to
do a better job of impressing on club managers, owners,
municipalities and directors of tennis that it is in their best
interest to hire a person who is certified and has knowledge of
teaching the game—not just feeding a tennis ball.
I applaud the TIA for addressing the issue of better compen-
sation for teaching pros. This will help with drawing in good
young people. Tennis facilities, whether public or private, need
to realize that it takes good salaries to maintain good help, not
only to teach, but also to run successful programs.
So the big questions are how do we in the tennis industry
convince people who pay salaries and retainers to offer good
compensation, and how do we convince those youngsters
coming into the tennis industry to become more educated in
not only teaching the game, but in the business of tennis as
well?
Hopefully, getting the TIA and USTA behind this issue will
help get the attention of those who control the purse strings
to better compensate teaching pros and therefore bring in
younger talent who will see that a career in tennis is a viable
path.
Ron Woods
USPTA Past President
We welcome your letters and comments. Please email them to rsi@racquetTECH.com or fax them to 760-536-1171.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Clay Can Develop
Skills for Any Surface
To the Editor:
Jose Higueras has been in the news
recently explaining how he, while grow-
ing up on the clay courts in Barcelona,
learned all the necessary tools to become
a world-class tennis player. And he hits
the nail on the head! The ability to slide,
maintain balance, control long rallies,
develop agility and construct points were
some of the components that helped him
grow into an all-around athlete.
After settling in the U.S., he adapted
and developed a hard-court game as
well. The transition was pretty smooth
since he already had “invested” so much
in growing up on clay. He concludes that
for young American players, the story is
reversed. They grow up on hard courts
and have a harder time developing skills
for other surfaces at a later stage in their
careers.
Growing up in the Netherlands, my
development was similar to Higueras’.
While I never competed on the pro tour, I
do feel that my tennis game has solid
“roots.” As youngsters, we were on the
red clay courts all day. We were able to
develop our athletic skills naturally, with-
out really being aware of it.
The USTA (which recently hired
Higueras as director of coaching for USTA
Elite Player Development) has come to
realize that utilizing clay courts in the
development of young players will bene-
fit and accelerate their learning process. I
believe that this a great step forward.
What can we do as teaching pros?
Tough question if you are teaching at a
hard-court facility. However, if you are at
a clay-court facility I urge you to host an
official USTA Junior Clay Court Tourna-
ment. In our second year at the Portland
Country Club in Maine, we hosted nearly
100 juniors, from seven states, during our
Southern Maine Clay Court Champi-
onships. The kids had a blast, and they
played on a surface that can help their
games grow.
Hans Romer
USPTA/PTR/KNLTB/USRSA
Director of Tennis
Portland (Maine) Country Club
January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17
 T I A N E W S J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

NEWS & UPDATES

News You Can Use! U.S. Tennis Participation Highest Level Since 1992

D
Coming off positive
equipment ship-
ments for 3rd quar-
espite a down economy overall, the tennis industry is enjoy-
Q Total participation
Tennis in the U.S.
ing growth in participation, with more players (nearly 26.9
increased 7% from last
million) taking to the court this year, according to the annu-
year to 26.9M players.

Thatʼs nearly 12%

ter, racquets are up al research survey conducted for the TIA and USTA by The Taylor

increase over 2003.

17.4%, youth rac- Research Group. It is the largest number of players in the U.S. in 15

Q Frequent players
years.
Jolyn de Boer quets up 37.5%,
increased over 7% to
“These increases are great news for tennis,” says TIA President
5.62M in 2008, a 23%
balls up 8.7% and
Dave Haggerty. “While people may be reining in spending on vaca-
increase from 2003.
string shipments up 5.2% from

Q “Continuing” players grew

2007. And it’s tied to the positive tions and major purchases, they appear to be staying closer to

to 15.13M, up nearly 9%
participation news, especially with home, getting more involved in an activity like tennis, which is

over last year and up

play occasions breaking records.
But we know the last quarter of
2008 will tell quite a different story.
affordable, fun and relatively quick to play. Plus, it’s a great family
18% from 2003.
activity.”
Q There were 5.91M new
That appears to be borne out by the industry’s “Court Activity
players in 2008, a 3%

increase from last year.

Monitor.” Tennis facilities are reporting increases in all categories of

Q Total “play occasions”

Is tennis recession-proof? The play, with the largest (56%) in the number of new players joining the

increased 13% to 603M

research shows that a bad econo-
my doesn’t necessarily affect partic-
ipation—it might actually help it.
We need more than ever to do
game. And importantly, total “play occasions” in tennis broke 600 mil-
in 2008—a 33% increase
lion for the first time in 2008, up 13% to 603 million.
from 2003.
“We’ve tried to make tennis as accessible as possible at the grass-
Q Nearly 6 million former
players, the most ever,
roots levels,” says Kurt Kamperman, the USTA’s chief executive of

came back to the game in

what we do best: work together to Community Tennis, “and will continue promoting initiatives to grow

2008 – up 7% over 2007.

support the initiatives and efforts to
grow the game. We’ve been the
fastest-growing traditional sport,
achieving a 30.6% growth in total
youth and adult participation.” USTA COO Gordon Smith adds, “Ten-
nis is stronger and healthier than it’s been in decades, it’s great to see
This good news, however,
that all of our collective efforts are producing such good results.”
is tempered by an increase
in the number of “lapsed”
The TIA/USTA results compare favorably to other research from

players, those who no

participation from 2000-2007. And the 2008 Sports & Fitness Participation Report (SGMA) showing ten-

longer play tennis. The

in times like these, we need to stay
focused on our core mission to
grow the game and the economic
vitality of tennis.
nis grew 30.6% since 2000, making it the fastest growing traditional
leaky bucket remains with
sport in the country. These two participation reports along with ship-
24 million, a 4.8% increase
ment and other indicators will be weighted together to determine the
2008 Tennis Health Index due in March. over 2007.

New Tennis Retailer Health Index Developed

Decline to Continue in Q4; Outperforming Consumer Confidence Index

T
he TIA has added a bi-annual monitor to track the pro/specialty retail market using several indicators. The measures include
pro/specialty retail audit reports for racquets; dealer trend reports for balls, shoes, racquets and future racquet projections; and
economic indicators such as the Consumer Confidence Index.
For the 2008 late season, the Pro/Specialty Retailer Index dropped two points from its high earlier in the year, as racquets (in
units and dollars) and future racquet sales showed declines. Shoes showed a slight decline, while ball sales showed a slim rise.
Third-quarter 2008 sales were marginally down, but
industry research is forecasting an 8 percent drop in racquet
sales in the fourth quarter. Both balls and shoes appear to be
less volatile than the racquet market and have been holding
relatively steady at retail.
While the Pro/Specialty Retailer Index shows a clear
decline as we close out 2008, the tennis market is still out-
performing the Consumer Confidence Index, which has suf-
fered a huge decline in the past year.

18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
 TIA NEWS

Growing Tennis News

Tennis Welcome Center of the Month: Timberhill Tennis Club

A
t Timberhill Tennis Club in Corvallis, Ore., they’re all about creating new players. In fact, since
becoming a Tennis Welcome Center in 2003, the club has redesigned many of its programs
and now has a complete package for any new player who walks into the facility. “New play-
ers are the life-blood of any club,” says Hunter Lipscomb, Timberhill’s director of tennis and head pro.
“And being a Tennis Welcome Center is a great tool to get more of them.”
*Special Deal on
TWC Banner*
Is your TWC Banner
Timberhill offers QuickStart Tennis and many programs for beginning and advanced juniors,

looking a little worn?

but its best inventive program is the adult refresher course—a month of “practice and play” class-
You can get a replace-
es consisting of 45-minute “refresher” instruction followed by an hour of court time in which the
ment for only $10
(includes shipping). To
participants may practice the topic of the day or play sets.

order, e-mail
Getting new players in the Pacific Northwest can be a challenge, says Lipscomb, because indoor

josh@tennisindustry.org.
court availability is hard to get and expensive. But with the refresher class, players don’t have to
be members, and both instruction and court time is built into the price.

QuickStart Tennis is a New Favorite Sport in Denver

D
euces, Droppers, Lobbers, Aces, and Smashers—these aren’t just tennis terms at Drop Shots,
a unique tennis facility created specifically for children 10 and under. They’re used to define
the age groups on a colorful schedule found hanging on refrigerators in many
homes in Centennial, Colo. Children 2 years old are called Deuces, 3- and 4-year-olds are
Droppers, 5- and 6-year-olds are Lobbers, and so on.
Matt Nelsen, a 25-year-old who was just named Entrepreneur of the Year in Centen-
nial, opened Drop Shots last February in a popular shopping center. The two-court
indoor center is a place for children to learn tennis, race through obstacles, play games
that improve hand-eye coordination, have birthday parties, participate in QuickStart
Tennis tournaments, and make friends.

CT Player of the Month: Sign-Up For Tennis Clinics at 2 AM!

Mike Fowler Do you or some-

I
n Macon, Ga., parents are enrolling their kids in QuickStart
one you know
have what it takes
Tennis at John Drew Smith Tennis Center at all hours.

I
f Mike Fowler, a real-estate execu-
to be Cardio Ten-
That’s because the city uses a special online enrollment
tive in the Los Angeles area, didn’t
nis Player of the
program run through TennisCon-
Month? E-mail
lose 60 pounds, he would be at
nect, a website builder designed
your story to
high-risk for developing diabetes and
specifically for the tennis industry.
Amanda@
other serious medical conditions.
tennisindustry.org.
“With this program, the shop is
“After hearing this list of ‘horribles’
If your story is fea-
always open,” says Carl Hodge, ten-
that go with being overweight, I decid-
tured, you will win
nis manager and head pro for the
a Cardio Tennis
ed I better get serious about getting in
city. “Parents can register their kids
shape,” he says. When he read an arti-
when it’s convenient for them.”
cle about Cardio Tennis with Ojakian
Hodge brought QuickStart Ten-
Tennis in The Los Angeles Times, he decided to give it a try.
nis to local elementary schools and
Fowler lost 60 pounds playing Cardio three to four times
introduced tennis to kids at assem-
a week and maintaining a healthy diet. “I’ve run into peo-
blies and demonstrations. The kids
ple I haven’t seen in a few years,” he says. “A few of them
then brought fliers home to parents,
didn’t even recognize me. I can’t get over the weight I’ve
prompting them to go online to find
lost!”
out more about QST and pre-regis-
ter. In 10 days, 144 kids had been registered online—and
As of early December, nearly half the registrations took place after normal business
there were: hours.
Q 2,454 Tennis Welcome Centers As any tennis pro knows, 144 kids in a program can turn
Q 1,694 Cardio Tennis sites into a big administrative headache. But Hodge has it under
Q 1,010 QuickStart Tennis sites control. “Without this online system, I don’t know how it
could be done,” he says. “It would be too costly and time-con-
suming. But now the parents are doing all the work for us.”

Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19
 The Mental Game
Positive Reinforcement
Whether you’re a retailer, teaching pro or
manager, using the same key mental strategies
G
as top athletes can help you weather the
economic storm. BY DR. ROBERT HELLER
iven the tough economic times
we are all experiencing, keeping
a cool head is no easy task. For-
tunately, many of the same mental skills
that help top athletes perform at their
best can help you better weather the
financial crisis and its consequences.
It’s unlikely any of us have escaped
the fallout from the worst financial crisis
to hit this country since the Great
Depression. Whether it’s struggling to
avoid foreclosure, the evaporation of
your retirement account, the shakiness
of the job market, or the reduction in
store sales or lesson income, dealing
with major losses and the uncertainty of
the future presents unique challenges to
our mental and emotional well being.
Here are some strategies and
reminders to help you move forward in
a positive way.
Q FORGET THE PAST: What’s done is
done. Since you can’t change it, learn
from it and move on. You may need to
cut your expenses, lower your mar-
gins, offer creative programs to get
new students and so on. Focus on
what you can do to position yourself
for what may be tougher economic
times ahead.
Q SELF-CARE: Don’t compound your
problems by adding to them. Take
care of your health. Be sure to eat well,
rest, exercise and get regular check-
ups. Putting off these basics may result
in bigger and more expensive prob-
lems down the road.
Q RELAX AND RECOVER: Incorporate a
“relaxation” technique into your daily
life. For example, take several long,
slow, deep relaxed breaths every hour
or so during the day. Stretch, practice
Tai Chi or take a yoga class.
20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
Q LAUGH: Remember, “Don’t take life so
seriously; you’ll never get out of it alive.”
Have fun. Walk on the “light side.”
Q OPTIMISM: Associate as much as possible
with “positive” people while keeping your
distance from the “naysayers.”
Q LIMITS: Limit your watching, listening and
reading of the news. Most of the news is
designed to “shock” us by focusing in on
the “best of the worst” in our world.
Unless you are a day trader, it really
shouldn’t matter much whether the mar-
ket goes up or down on a particular day.
Q STRAIGHT THINKING: Be careful not to
distort or exaggerate negative events.
Don’t be overly concerned about predict-
ing the future. Even professional meteorol-
ogists can’t precisely predict tomorrow’s
weather!
Q GET UNPLUGGED: Unless you are a sur-
geon on call, do you really need to be con-
nected 24/7? Unwind your body and mind
and you will find yourself taking more
things in stride, reacting more appropri-
ately and making better decisions.
Q PERSPECTIVE: “Tough times never last,
tough people do.” Don’t sweat the small
stuff. Be grateful for what you have in
your life beyond material possessions.
Think about your friends and family.
“Relationships” are the true currency of
life. Q
Dr.Robert Heller is a psychologist
and sport psychology consultant
based in Boca Raton, Fla. He is
the author of “Managing Your
Stress” and “Anger Manage-
ment.” For information on mental and emo-
tional coaching in person and by phone and
for self-help materials, visit www.robertheller.net.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
2009 STRING SURVEY

Our exclusive rankings, based on responses by USRSA members,

will help you pick the right strings for your shop.

W
hat string is best for your customer? It’s a tricky question average for that string. We added the scores from each respon-
to answer, since there are so many different strings out dent to obtain a sum for that string, then divided the sum by the
there that all have unique combinations of benefits. But number of respondents who rated it.
once again, we’ve gone right to the experts, the thousands of U.S. To ensure that strings with a reasonable breadth of distribu-
Racquet Stringers Association members, and asked them to rate tion are included, each string must be rated on at least 13 ques-
strings in three categories: playability, durability, and comfort. tionnaires. We feel that having at least 13 respondents allows us
Our 32nd annual string to include enough
survey, which is on pages strings by enough
24 through 27, is a compi- Most Responses by Gauge manufacturers, includ-
lation of survey question- (percent) ing smaller market
naires sent in September share companies. Too
to 2,000 randomly select- Gauge 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 2000 high a number will
ed U.S. members of the 16 55.3 56.7 58.4 64.6 62.0 62.4 61.9 58.9 54.8 mean the survey
USRSA (no chain stores). 17 28.7 26.1 25.5 24.5 28.2 23.1 26.2 27.0 31.8 results will only
Recipients were given a 16L 5.7 6.2 6.0 4.6 3.8 4.3 2.8 1.5 - include the top two or
15L 5.0 5.3 5.5 3.8 4.3 5.7 5.9 7.8 11.1
list of every string on the three manufacturers.
18 2.9 3.4 3.7 1.9 1.3 1.4 1.8 2.9 0.9
market and asked to rate 16/17 1.0 0.3 - - - - - - - Remember, the cat-
the ones they are familiar 17/16 0.5 0.7 - - - - - - - egory scores for each
with from 1 to 10 in each 15 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.6 - 0.5 - 0.8 0.8 string are averages of
of the three categories. 19 0.2 0.2 0.3 - - 1.7 0.4 0.4 - all the respondents’
Then an average score 17L 0.2 0.1 0.2 - 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.6 rankings for a given
16L/16 0.1 0.4 - - - - - - -
was calculated for each string. Often, these
18/17 0.1 0.1 - - - 0.5 0.4 - -
string in each category. averages are very
19/16 - 0.2 - - - - - - -
For a string to qualify close; the differences
for a rating, the respon- between rankings can
dent must have strung at Most Responses by Brand be mere hundredths of
least 20 sets of that string (percent)
a point. Though only
in the past year. This 20- one string can claim
set minimum ensures that Brand 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 2000 the top spot in a cate-
respondents are rating a Gamma 21.5 20.0 21.3 20.4 22.9 24.7 25.6 25.9 27.2 gory, many of the
string they know some- Wilson 20.5 22.0 21.6 23.2 22.0 21.9 23.8 21.6 30.5 strings close to each
thing about and that has Prince 18.5 17.3 16.4 19.8 19.6 19.8 19.2 20.7 23.7 other in ranking are of
some vitality in the mar- Babolat 12.4 12.3 11.9 9.3 7.2 7.1 6.1 6.9 6.3 equal stature. In prac-
ketplace. For some busi- Luxilon 6.7 6.1 5.7 3.6 3.4 3.0 - - - tice, each of these
nesses, 20 sets may Head 6.4 7.5 8.6 9.4 7.7 7.4 7.3 4.0 7.0 strings is one of the
represent 20 percent of Tecnifibre 5.7 4.7 4.8 4.5 4.8 4.1 4.1 4.7 3.4 best of its niche.
Gosen 1.6 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.9 1.9 3.2 1.4
their total business, and Use our String Sur-
Ashaway 1.3 1.5 1.4 2.0 1.6 1.8 1.7 2.2 <1.0
for others, 1 percent. Forten 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.2 2.3 2.6 2.6 3.5 0.5 vey in your shop and
Some businesses may Pacific 0.6 0.9 - - - - - - - help your customers
only sell 20 sets of the Klip 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.9 - - - - determine which
string; others may sell Alpha 0.6 0.4 0.8 0.9 1.0 - - - - strings may best help
500. Each ranking, how- TOA 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.4 - - - - their games.Q
ever, carries the same Dunlop 0.5 0.7 0.5 0.6 1.2 1.1 - - - If you would like a .pdf of the
weight, and all are includ- Kirschbaum 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.8 - - - - poster to have printed for your
shop, visit www.racquetsports
ed in the total sum and Others 1.4 1.5 2.7 2.3 2.3 4.6 5.2 4.4 -
industry.com

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23

 Alphabetical Playability

ts
de n

y
ty
y

ty

an
an

ge
ili

ort

pon
ili

uge
ing
mp
yab

re
mp

era
rab
ing

uge

mf

Sco
Res

Ga
Str
Co
Co

Av
Pl a
Str

Du

Co
Ga
Babolat Attraction 16 7.15 6.00 7.41 6.85 27 Babolat VS Team Thermogut 17 9.87
Babolat Conquest 16 6.36 6.07 6.14 6.19 14 Babolat VS Touch Thermogut 16 9.65
Babolat Pro Hurricane 16 6.52 8.56 5.51 6.86 61 Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Ball Feel 15L 9.26
Babolat Pro Hurricane 17 7.31 8.21 6.00 7.17 29 Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Longevity 15L 9.23
Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 16 6.29 8.29 5.55 6.71 42 Gamma Professional 18 9.09
Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17 7.47 8.44 8.41 8.10 32 Wilson NXT 17 8.91
Babolat Superfine Play 16 6.96 6.09 7.04 6.70 23 Gamma Live Wire 17 8.80
Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Ball Feel 15L 9.26 7.28 9.57 8.70 23 Gamma Professional 17 8.78
Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Longevity 15L 9.23 6.15 8.92 8.10 13 Gamma Professional 16 8.67
Babolat VS Team Thermogut 17 9.87 6.05 9.87 8.59 30 Gamma Live Wire XP 17 8.66
Babolat VS Touch Thermogut 16 9.65 6.29 9.73 8.56 52 Wilson NXT Tour 18 8.62
Babolat Xcel 16 7.71 5.86 8.18 7.25 28 Wilson NXT Tour 17 8.58
Babolat Xcel Premium 16 8.32 6.24 8.21 7.59 19 Gamma Live Wire XP 16 8.55
Gamma Asterisk 16 7.82 7.30 8.00 7.71 33 Gamma Asterisk 17 8.53
Gamma Asterisk 17 8.53 7.11 8.42 8.02 19 Tecnifibre NRG2 17 8.52
Gamma Gut 2 16 7.33 6.73 7.07 7.04 15 Wilson NXT 16 8.43
Gamma Infinity 15L 4.13 9.07 4.00 5.73 15 Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.24) 17 8.39
Gamma Live Wire 16 8.23 6.58 8.00 7.60 43 Wilson NXT Tour 16 8.33
Gamma Live Wire 17 8.80 6.33 8.47 7.87 30 Babolat Xcel Premium 16 8.32
Gamma Live Wire XP 16 8.55 7.55 8.17 8.09 47 Wilson K Gut 16 8.30
Gamma Live Wire XP 17 8.66 7.03 8.32 8.00 38 Gamma Live Wire 16 8.23
Gamma Marathon DPC 15L 6.38 8.19 6.19 6.92 16 Wilson Sensation 17 8.21
Gamma Professional 16 8.67 7.63 8.57 8.29 46 Prince Premier w/Softflex 16 8.20
Gamma Professional 17 8.78 7.07 8.59 8.15 41 Gamma TNT2 17 8.17
Gamma Professional 18 9.09 7.05 8.73 8.29 22 Wilson Reaction 17 8.16
Gamma Ruff 16 6.77 6.69 6.23 6.56 13 Prince Premier w/Softflex 17 8.10
Gamma Synthetic Gut 16 6.54 6.53 6.61 6.56 54 Gamma Zo Tour 17 7.95
Gamma Synthetic Gut 17 7.17 5.67 7.00 6.61 18 Wilson NXT Max 16 7.95
Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 16 6.81 6.77 6.94 6.84 31 Tecnifibre NRG2 16 7.94
Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 17 7.69 6.69 7.75 7.38 16 Head FXP Power 17 7.92
Gamma TNT2 16 7.64 6.93 7.55 7.37 84 Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.30) 16 7.88
Gamma TNT2 17 8.17 6.07 8.00 7.41 58 Gamma Asterisk 16 7.82
Gamma Zo Power 16L 7.29 8.88 7.18 7.78 17 Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 17 7.79
Gamma Zo Tour 16 7.20 8.78 7.08 7.69 25 Head FiberGel Power 16 7.78
Gamma Zo Tour 17 7.95 8.77 7.50 8.08 22 Prince Lightning XX 17 7.73
Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 6.86 6.77 6.82 6.82 22 Babolat Xcel 16 7.71
Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17 7.46 5.92 7.23 6.87 13 Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 17 7.69
Head FiberGel Power 16 7.78 6.61 7.78 7.39 18 Gamma TNT2 16 7.64
Head FXP 16 7.32 6.63 7.11 7.02 38 Wilson Sensation 16 7.62
Head FXP 17 7.48 6.24 7.13 6.95 23 Wilson NXT Duo 16/17 7.54
Head FXP Power 16 7.08 6.54 7.08 6.90 13 Wilson Reaction 16 7.54
Head FXP Power 17 7.92 5.77 8.31 7.33 13 Wilson NXT OS 16L 7.50
Head Intellistring 16/17 7.07 7.21 6.86 7.05 14 Prince Lightning XX 16 7.49
Head RIP Control 16 6.75 7.46 6.63 6.94 24 Head FXP 17 7.48
Head Sonic Pro 17 7.00 8.00 6.08 7.03 13 Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17 7.47

24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 Durability Comfort Average Score

y
y

y
an
an

an
uge

uge
uge
ing

re

ing
mp

ing
mp

mp

re
re
Sco

Sco
Sco
Ga
Str

Str

Ga
Co

Str
Co

Co
Ga
Wilson Hyperlast 15 9.15 Babolat VS Team Thermogut 17 9.87 Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Ball Feel 15L 8.70
Gamma Infinity 15L 9.07 Babolat VS Touch Thermogut 16 9.73 Babolat VS Team Thermogut 17 8.59
Prince Problend w/Duraflex 16 8.91 Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Ball Feel 15L 9.57 Babolat VS Touch Thermogut 16 8.56
Gamma Zo Power 16L 8.88 Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Longevity 15L 8.92 Gamma Professional 16 8.29
Gamma Zo Tour 16 8.78 Wilson NXT 17 8.73 Gamma Professional 18 8.29
Gamma Zo Tour 17 8.77 Gamma Professional 18 8.73 Gamma Professional 17 8.15
Luxilon Big Banger Original 130 16 8.74 Gamma Professional 17 8.59 Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17 8.10
Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 125 16L 8.69 Gamma Professional 16 8.57 Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Longevity 15L 8.10
Wilson Enduro Pro 16 8.57 Wilson NXT Tour 17 8.54 Gamma Live Wire XP 16 8.09
Babolat Pro Hurricane 16 8.56 Gamma Live Wire 17 8.47 Gamma Zo Tour 17 8.08
Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Rough 125 16L 8.47 Gamma Asterisk 17 8.42 Gamma Asterisk 17 8.02
Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17 8.44 Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 17 8.41 Gamma Live Wire XP 17 8.00
Tecnifibre Pro Red Code 16 8.38 Tecnifibre NRG2 17 8.39 Gamma Live Wire 17 7.87
Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Fluoro 123 17 8.38 Wilson NXT Tour 18 8.38 Gamma Zo Power 16L 7.78
Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 16 8.29 Wilson NXT 16 8.33 Wilson K Gut 16 7.78
Wilson Enduro Pro 17 8.27 Gamma Live Wire XP 17 8.32 Wilson NXT 17 7.77
Babolat Pro Hurricane 17 8.21 Head FXP Power 17 8.31 Wilson NXT 16 7.77
Gamma Marathon DPC 15L 8.19 Wilson K Gut 16 8.30 Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.24) 17 7.73
Head Sonic Pro 17 8.00 Wilson Sensation 17 8.22 Gamma Asterisk 16 7.71
Wilson NXT Duo 16/17 7.69 Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.24) 17 8.21 Tecnifibre NRG2 17 7.70
Wilson Sensation Duo 17/16 7.69 Babolat Xcel Premium 16 8.21 Wilson NXT Tour 16 7.69
Gamma Professional 16 7.63 Babolat Xcel 16 8.18 Gamma Zo Tour 16 7.69
Prince Recoil 16 7.58 Gamma Live Wire XP 16 8.17 Wilson NXT Max 16 7.68
Gamma Live Wire XP 16 7.55 Wilson Reaction 17 8.16 Wilson NXT Tour 17 7.61
Prince Topspin w/Duraflex 15L 7.46 Wilson NXT Max 16 8.15 Gamma Live Wire 16 7.60
Head RIP Control 16 7.46 Wilson NXT Tour 16 8.14 Babolat Xcel Premium 16 7.59
Luxilon Big Banger Ace 112 18 7.40 Prince Premier w/Softflex 16 8.13 Prince Premier w/Softflex 16 7.57
Prince Tournament Nylon 15L 7.32 Prince Premier w/Softflex 17 8.10 Wilson Reaction 17 7.53
Gamma Asterisk 16 7.30 Gamma Asterisk 16 8.00 Wilson Sensation 17 7.46
Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 15L 7.29 Gamma Live Wire 16 8.00 Tecnifibre NRG2 16 7.45
Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Ball Feel 15L 7.28 Gamma TNT2 17 8.00 Gamma TNT2 17 7.41
Head Intellistring 16/17 7.21 Tecnifibre NRG2 16 7.86 Prince Recoil 16 7.40
Gamma Asterisk 17 7.11 Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.30) 16 7.84 Head FiberGel Power 16 7.39
Gamma Professional 17 7.07 Head FiberGel Power 16 7.78 Prince Premier w/Softflex 17 7.38
Gamma Professional 18 7.05 Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 17 7.75 Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 17 7.38
Gamma Live Wire XP 17 7.03 Wilson Sensation 16 7.72 Gamma TNT2 16 7.37
Wilson NXT Max 16 6.95 Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 17 7.71 Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.30) 16 7.36
Gamma TNT2 16 6.93 Gamma TNT2 16 7.55 Wilson NXT Tour 18 7.36
Wilson Reaction 16 6.88 Gamma Zo Tour 17 7.50 Head FXP Power 17 7.33
Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16 6.79 Wilson Reaction 16 7.50 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Fluoro 123 17 7.33
Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 16 6.77 Wilson NXT OS 16L 7.43 Wilson Sensation Duo 17/16 7.33
Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 6.77 Babolat Attraction 16 7.41 Wilson Reaction 16 7.31
Wilson K Gut 16 6.74 Prince Lightning XX 17 7.38 Wilson Sensation 16 7.31
Gamma Gut 2 16 6.73 Prince Lightning XX 16 7.34 Wilson NXT Duo 16/17 7.28
Gamma Ruff 16 6.69 Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17 7.23 Babolat Xcel 16 7.25

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25

 Alphabetical Playability

ts
de n
ty

ty
y

y
ge
an

an
ili

ort
ili

pon

uge
uge

yab

ing
era

re
rab
mp

mp
ing

mf

Sco
Res

Ga
Str
Av
Pl a
Ga

Du
Co

Co
Str

Co
Head Synthetic Gut 16 6.46 6.54 6.62 6.54 13 Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17 7.46
Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16 6.06 6.12 5.88 6.02 17 Prince Recoil 16 7.42
Luxilon Big Banger Ace 112 18 6.93 7.40 6.27 6.87 15 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 17 7.40
Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 125 16L 6.77 8.69 5.62 7.02 103 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Fluoro 123 17 7.38
Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Fluoro 123 17 7.38 8.38 6.24 7.33 21 Gamma Gut 2 16 7.33
Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Rough 125 16L 7.04 8.47 5.74 7.08 57 Head FXP 16 7.32
Luxilon Big Banger Original 130 16 6.26 8.74 5.77 6.92 39 Babolat Pro Hurricane 17 7.31
Prince Lightning XX 16 7.49 6.37 7.34 7.07 95 Wilson Sensation Duo 17/16 7.31
Prince Lightning XX 17 7.73 5.81 7.38 6.97 37 Gamma Zo Power 16L 7.29
Prince Premier w/Softflex 16 8.20 6.39 8.13 7.57 51 Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 16 7.28
Prince Premier w/Softflex 17 8.10 5.95 8.10 7.38 21 Gamma Zo Tour 16 7.20
Prince Problend w/Duraflex 16 5.38 8.91 5.22 6.50 58 Gamma Synthetic Gut 17 7.17
Prince Recoil 16 7.42 7.58 7.19 7.40 26 Wilson Super Spin 16 7.16
Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 16 7.28 6.69 7.15 7.04 39 Babolat Attraction 16 7.15
Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 17 7.79 6.14 7.71 7.21 14 Prince Topspin Plus 16 7.14
Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16 7.14 6.59 7.00 6.91 29 Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16 7.14
Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 15L 5.76 7.29 6.06 6.37 17 Head FXP Power 16 7.08
Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16 6.72 6.79 6.59 6.70 165 Head Intellistring 16/17 7.07
Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 17 7.40 6.22 7.05 6.89 65 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Rough 12516L 7.04
Prince Topspin Plus 16 7.14 6.57 6.76 6.83 21 Head Sonic Pro 17 7.00
Prince Topspin w/Duraflex 15L 6.49 7.46 6.27 6.74 37 Babolat Superfine Play 16 6.96
Prince Tournament Nylon 15L 5.63 7.32 6.00 6.32 19 Luxilon Big Banger Ace 112 18 6.93
Tecnifibre NRG2 16 7.94 6.54 7.86 7.45 35 Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 6.86
Tecnifibre NRG2 17 8.52 6.18 8.39 7.70 44 Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 16 6.81
Tecnifibre Pro Red Code 16 5.62 8.38 4.77 6.26 13 Gamma Ruff 16 6.77
Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.30) 16 7.88 6.36 7.84 7.36 25 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 125 16L 6.77
Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.24) 17 8.39 6.57 8.21 7.73 28 Head RIP Control 16 6.75
Wilson Enduro Pro 16 6.14 8.57 5.67 6.79 21 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16 6.72
Wilson Enduro Pro 17 6.67 8.27 5.47 6.80 15 Wilson Extreme Synthetic Gut 16 6.70
Wilson Extreme Synthetic Gut 16 6.70 6.55 6.68 6.64 50 Wilson Enduro Pro 17 6.67
Wilson Hyperlast 15 5.15 9.15 5.00 6.44 13 Gamma Synthetic Gut 16 6.54
Wilson K Gut 16 8.30 6.74 8.30 7.78 23 Babolat Pro Hurricane 16 6.52
Wilson NXT 16 8.43 6.54 8.33 7.77 119 Prince Topspin w/Duraflex 15L 6.49
Wilson NXT 17 8.91 5.97 8.73 7.77 97 Head Synthetic Gut 16 6.46
Wilson NXT Duo 16/17 7.54 7.69 6.62 7.28 13 Gamma Marathon DPC 15L 6.38
Wilson NXT Max 16 7.95 6.95 8.15 7.68 20 Babolat Conquest 16 6.36
Wilson NXT OS 16L 7.50 6.14 7.43 7.02 14 Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 16 6.29
Wilson NXT Tour 16 8.33 6.61 8.14 7.69 36 Luxilon Big Banger Original 130 16 6.26
Wilson NXT Tour 17 8.58 5.71 8.54 7.61 36 Wilson Enduro Pro 16 6.14
Wilson NXT Tour 18 8.62 5.08 8.38 7.36 13 Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16 6.06
Wilson Reaction 16 7.54 6.88 7.50 7.31 42 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 15L 5.76
Wilson Reaction 17 8.16 6.26 8.16 7.53 19 Prince Tournament Nylon 15L 5.63
Wilson Sensation 16 7.62 6.58 7.72 7.31 138 Tecnifibre Pro Red Code 16 5.62
Wilson Sensation 17 8.21 5.96 8.22 7.46 67 Prince Problend w/Duraflex 16 5.38
Wilson Sensation Duo 17/16 7.31 7.69 7.00 7.33 13 Wilson Hyperlast 15 5.15
Wilson Super Spin 16 7.16 6.58 6.84 6.86 19 Gamma Infinity 15L 4.13

26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 Durability Comfort Average Score

y
y

y
an
an

an
uge

uge
uge
ing

re

ing
mp

ing
mp

mp
re

re
Sco

Sco

Sco
Ga
Str

Ga
Str
Co

Ga
Str
Co

Co
Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 16 6.69 Prince Recoil 16 7.19 Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 17 7.21
Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 17 6.69 Gamma Zo Power 16L 7.18 Babolat Pro Hurricane 17 7.17
Head FXP 16 6.63 Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 16 7.15 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Rough 12516L 7.08
Head FiberGel Power 16 6.61 Head FXP 17 7.13 Prince Lightning XX 16 7.07
Wilson NXT Tour 16 6.61 Head FXP 16 7.11 Head Intellistring 16/17 7.05
Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16 6.59 Gamma Zo Tour 16 7.08 Gamma Gut 2 16 7.04
Gamma Live Wire 16 6.58 Head FXP Power 16 7.08 Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 16 7.04
Wilson Super Spin 16 6.58 Gamma Gut 2 16 7.07 Head Sonic Pro 17 7.03
Wilson Sensation 16 6.58 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 17 7.05 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 125 16L 7.02
Prince Topspin Plus 16 6.57 Babolat Superfine Play 16 7.04 Wilson NXT OS 16L 7.02
Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.24) 17 6.57 Gamma Synthetic Gut 17 7.00 Head FXP 16 7.02
Wilson Extreme Synthetic Gut 16 6.55 Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16 7.00 Prince Lightning XX 17 6.97
Tecnifibre NRG2 16 6.54 Wilson Sensation Duo 17/16 7.00 Head FXP 17 6.95
Head FXP Power 16 6.54 Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 16 6.94 Head RIP Control 16 6.94
Head Synthetic Gut 16 6.54 Head Intellistring 16/17 6.86 Luxilon Big Banger Original 130 16 6.92
Wilson NXT 16 6.54 Wilson Super Spin 16 6.84 Gamma Marathon DPC 15L 6.92
Gamma Synthetic Gut 16 6.53 Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 6.82 Prince Synthetic Gut Original 16 6.91
Prince Premier w/Softflex 16 6.39 Prince Topspin Plus 16 6.76 Head FXP Power 16 6.90
Prince Lightning XX 16 6.37 Wilson Extreme Synthetic Gut 16 6.68 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 17 6.89
Tecnifibre X One Biphase (1.30) 16 6.36 Head RIP Control 16 6.63 Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17 6.87
Gamma Live Wire 17 6.33 Head Synthetic Gut 16 6.62 Luxilon Big Banger Ace 112 18 6.87
Babolat VS Touch Thermogut 16 6.29 Wilson NXT Duo 16/17 6.62 Babolat Pro Hurricane 16 6.86
Wilson Reaction 17 6.26 Gamma Synthetic Gut 16 6.61 Wilson Super Spin 16 6.86
Head FXP 17 6.24 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16 6.59 Babolat Attraction 16 6.85
Babolat Xcel Premium 16 6.24 Prince Topspin w/Duraflex 15L 6.27 Gamma Synthetic Gut w/Wearguard 16 6.84
Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 17 6.22 Luxilon Big Banger Ace 112 18 6.27 Prince Topspin Plus 16 6.83
Tecnifibre NRG2 17 6.18 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Fluoro 123 17 6.24 Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 6.82
Babolat Tonic+ Thermogut Longevity 15L 6.15 Gamma Ruff 16 6.23 Wilson Enduro Pro 17 6.80
Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament 17 6.14 Gamma Marathon DPC 15L 6.19 Wilson Enduro Pro 16 6.79
Wilson NXT OS 16L 6.14 Babolat Conquest 16 6.14 Prince Topspin w/Duraflex 15L 6.74
Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16 6.12 Head Sonic Pro 17 6.08 Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 16 6.71
Babolat Superfine Play 16 6.09 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 15L 6.06 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 16 6.70
Babolat Conquest 16 6.07 Babolat Pro Hurricane 17 6.00 Babolat Superfine Play 16 6.70
Gamma TNT2 17 6.07 Prince Tournament Nylon 15L 6.00 Wilson Extreme Synthetic Gut 16 6.64
Babolat VS Team Thermogut 17 6.05 Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16 5.88 Gamma Synthetic Gut 17 6.61
Babolat Attraction 16 6.00 Luxilon Big Banger Original 130 16 5.77 Gamma Ruff 16 6.56
Wilson NXT 17 5.97 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power Rough 125 16L 5.74 Gamma Synthetic Gut 16 6.56
Wilson Sensation 17 5.96 Wilson Enduro Pro 16 5.67 Head Synthetic Gut 16 6.54
Prince Premier w/Softflex 17 5.95 Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 125 16L 5.62 Prince Problend w/Duraflex 16 6.50
Gosen OG Sheep Micro 17 5.92 Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour 16 5.55 Wilson Hyperlast 15 6.44
Babolat Xcel 16 5.86 Babolat Pro Hurricane 16 5.51 Prince Synthetic Gut w/Duraflex 15L 6.37
Prince Lightning XX 17 5.81 Wilson Enduro Pro 17 5.47 Prince Tournament Nylon 15L 6.32
Head FXP Power 17 5.77 Prince Problend w/Duraflex 16 5.22 Tecnifibre Pro Red Code 16 6.26
Wilson NXT Tour 17 5.71 Wilson Hyperlast 15 5.00 Babolat Conquest 16 6.19
Gamma Synthetic Gut 17 5.67 Tecnifibre Pro Red Code 16 4.77 Head Synthetic Gut PPS 16 6.02
Wilson NXT Tour 18 5.08 Gamma Infinity 15L 4.00 Gamma Infinity 15L 5.73

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27

 T
alk to Dave Haggerty about his career and all that he’s
done in the tennis business, and he’ll tell you how
“lucky” he’s been. Lucky that tennis was a part of his
childhood. Lucky to have received a college tennis scholar-
ship. Lucky to have become a director of tennis in 1980.
Lucky to have had opportunities with major tennis compa-
nies. Lucky to be involved in a sport he loves.
But when you get to know Haggerty, you realize that, while
he may have been in the right place at the right time in cer-
28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
tain instances, “luck” really played a minor role. It’s more
about Haggerty himself—his dedication and passion for ten-
nis, his knowledge, his style, his easygoing nature—that both
sets him apart, yet also makes him a kind of tennis “every-
man,” someone who can relate to all segments of this indus-
try, and to whom everyone else can relate, too.
And importantly, for nearly 30 years, Haggerty has been
using all of this accumulated industry knowledge and passion
for the good of the sport. That’s why, for 2008, Dave
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Haggerty is Racquet Sports Industry’s Person of the Year. “Dave has a great grasp on the levers that can move things
Never is the saying, “If you want something done, ask a through the industry,” says longtime friend, doubles partner,
busy person,” more applicable than when talking about Hag- and Head colleague Kevin Kempin.
gerty. He is currently the CEO of Head USA (responsible not A large part of Haggerty’s effectiveness in this industry,
just for Racquet Sports, but also for the Winter Sports and Div- and what really sets him apart as our Person of the Year, is all
ing divisions) and the president of Penn Racquet Sports; he is that he has done, and is doing, on the volunteer side of
on the USTA board of directors (and will be a USTA vice pres- tennis.
ident beginning in January); and he is on the TIA Executive “Dave’s wealth of experience in this industry is a huge
Committee (after serving as TIA president for the past two asset to us,” says Lucy Garvin, the incoming USTA president
years). He’s also held positions on the board of trustees for the and chairman of the board. “He brings a wonderful business
Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and on the USTA acumen to the board. I’m going to count on his experience to
Middle States board of directors, among many other activities, help broaden our relationships.”
both professional and volunteer. “With the focus of the TIA to bring everyone together, it’s
Haggerty started playing tennis when he was 5, taught at clear that’s Dave’s motivating factor,” says TIA Executive
first by his father, who was a science and biology teacher and Director Jolyn de Boer. “He is able to easily reach across the
a tennis coach in Trenton, N.J., and who was the director of aisle. He’s all about the sport of tennis, and promoting it.”
tennis for the city of Trenton. At age 6, Haggerty was ranked Haggerty’s relationships extend to all areas of the business.
in the USTA Middle States section. He played through high A teaching pro himself, he is tight with both the PTR and
school, then attended George Washington USPTA (in fact, Head is a sponsor of both),
University on a tennis scholarship, graduat- and understands the value teaching pros
ing in 1979 with a degree in business admin- bring to the industry. He is involved with

 Be a volunteer. Like Haggerty,

istration. (He recently was inducted into the other companies via his role with the TIA, he
GW Athletic Hall of Fame, and he’s also in is heavily involved with the USTA sections,
get as involved as possible.
the Mercer County, N.J., Tennis Hall of he is an avid player and understands the ten-
You’ll not only have a good
Fame.) nis consumer, and he doesn’t shy away from
time, but you’ll contribute to
During summers, he taught tennis with something really worthy. dealing with the media to get the tennis mes-
his father at the Trenton Country Club. After  Lead by example. “I’m not sage out.
college, he went to Europe and played in afraid of early hours and late And more than that, “Dave is a genuine
some pro events, but “I realized I was play- days,” says Haggerty. person. He really brings a sense of calmness
ing my best tennis, and I was as good as I  Keep your head. Haggerty’s and level-headedness to all the different
was going to get,” he says. calm, unassuming demeanor things we do,” says de Boer. “He’s very reas-
“I was lucky enough to become the direc- puts people at ease and exudes suring, and very calming.”
confidence.

tor of tennis at an indoor/outdoor club in That’s a quality that many people echo.
Hamilton, N.J., which is near Lawrenceville, Give people autonomy and let “Dave is always the calm in the storm,” says
them do their jobs. “Dave has
where Prince was located,” Haggerty says. Kempin. “In the times we’re going through
no problem being in the back-
He started teaching Jack Murray, then the now, it’s great to have someone who doesn’t
ground and letting others make
president of Prince, and one day, after ten- decisions and get the credit,” whipsaw back and forth and doesn’t panic.
nis, Murray “told me if I ever get tired of says Kevin Kempin. He’s always calm, focused, positive, firm
teaching tennis, to give him a call. So I wait-  Communicate often. It puts when needed—you don’t see him go to
ed until noon then called Jim Baugh, who everyone on the same page and extremes. He has a very balanced approach.”
was with Prince at the time, to ask him what minimizes surprises. On the flip “He has a warm personality, and he’s
it means. I had an interview with Jim and side, like Haggerty, be a good someone you want to work with,” adds PTR
Jack a few days later.” Haggerty became the listener, too. CEO Dan Santorum. “He’s helped keep this
product manager for accessories for Prince, industry together, which is a testimony to his
which at the time consisted of two strings and two men’s and diplomatic skills.”
two women’s T-shirts. And it’s also a testimony to the respect he garners from all
He left Prince in 1993, after 13 years, rising to product test- areas of the business. “Dave has helped both build a stronger
ing manager, regional then national sales manager, vice pres- bridge with the USTA and further bring together our industry
ident of sales and marketing, then general manager of the overall,” says Jon Muir, the general manager of Wilson, who
Americas. He consulted for a while then became the president will take over as president of the TIA in January.
of U.S. operations for Dunlop in 1994. In 1998, he moved to Adds Olivia Bellato, his longtime executive assistant at
Head, as vice president and general manager of racquet Head: “I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Dave.
sports. He runs three businesses, is on all these volunteer boards, has
“In the roles I’ve had in companies, I’ve been able to expe- his family (five children), coaches tennis and soccer, and his
rience everything from sales and marketing to operations, door is always open for you. He’s an amazing human being.
and to know what it’s like to run a warehouse, understand “Someone told me when I first started working with Dave
customer complaints and issues, and all sorts of things,” he eight years ago that I’d never find a more highly respected
says. “I feel that I’ve been very fortunate to have such a broad person in the tennis business. I certainly lucked out.” 
view of tennis, and the tennis business.” —Peter Francesconi

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

 A
main goal for the Boar’s Head Sports
Club, says Club Manager James Neider-
er, “is to create the best tennis experi-
ence for anyone who walks through the
door—whether a spectator, beginner, interme-
diate, collegiate or professional player.”
BHSC, and there are other in-house club leagues
for players at all levels. “The social side of ten-
nis is alive and well here,” says Neiderer. BHSC
also has six certified teaching pros. The active
junior program, for ages 4 and up, also includes
the high-performance Boar’s Head Elite Acade-

 Make it a family affair. BHSC

And with all the programs and activities, it’s
safe to say that the Charlottesville, Va., club is
well on its way. That’s why we’ve named the
Boar’s Head Sports Club RSI’s 2008 Private
Facility of the Year.
BHSC has 12 indoor Decoturf courts, 10 out-
door Har-Tru courts, and four outdoor Deco,
and the facility is the home indoor tennis site
for the University of Virginia teams. The sports
club, which is a part of the four-diamond Boar’s
Head Inn resort, has about 1,200 memberships,
servicing more than 2,500 tennis players, says
Neiderer. About half the memberships are for
families.
At least 17 USTA league teams play out of
my for top juniors.
BHSC also is extremely active in running out-
side events. In fact, longtime BHSC racquet
sports director Ron Manilla recently shifted jobs
to be the club’s tournament director, running
events that include Intercollegiate Tennis Asso-
ciation national tournaments, USTA events, pro-
fessional events (including the Boyd Tinsley
$50,000 USTA Women’s Pro Tennis Champi-
onships) and much more. Overseeing the tennis
operation for members is Tim Bauer.
“Even in this economy, our club is doing
quite well,” says Neiderer. “We hang our hat on
tennis here; it’s what we do best.”
—Peter Francesconi
offers programs that keep fami-
lies, including the youngest kids,
active on the court.
 Don’t neglect the social side of
tennis. Men’s night, ladies’
night, member-guest, and mem-
ber-member events give people
more reasons to play, and give
potential members a good look
at what you do best.
 Make your members your
biggest fans. Neiderer says mem-
bers really embrace the UVA
teams, often traveling to see
away matches, too.

A
fter working in racquet customization for
12 years under Warren Bosworth, Nate
Ferguson took what he learned and
became Pete Sampras’ personal stringer. “I
wanted to start my own company, Pete wanted
someone who could both string his racquets on
the road and customize them perfectly,” says
Ferguson. And so the Tampa-based racquet cus-
tomization company Priority One was born.
While he will occasionally do work for
friends and local players, his business focuses
on touring pros. Built on the idea of consisten-
cy, trust and reliability, his “Gold Service”
clients—Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Mardy
Fish, Marcos Baghdatis, Novak Djokovic, Marat
Safin, Lleyton Hewitt and Fernando Gonzalez—
receive customization, a personal stringer on
the road and someone looking out for their
most important piece of equipment at all times.
In other words, Ferguson and his P1 colleagues,
Ron Yu and Glynn Roberts, provide them with
total racquet peace of mind. Each member of
the P1 team travels with their own stringing
machine to ensure consistency.
Because of the precision, says Ferguson,
there is no margin for error. And because the
business is so personal, the players have to
know that they can rely on Ferguson and Prior-
ity One. “We go the extra mile, whatever it
takes, to make sure our clients get exactly what
they want,” he says.
Ferguson (shown with one of his “prized pos-
sessions,” a racquet given to him in 1998 by
Pete Sampras after he broke it in anger during a  You have to sell yourself. Rac-
match) built his business on consistency, trust quet stringing and customization
is a service, not a product.
 Make each client, whether a top
and reliability. And he knows he has to work as
hard as the players do: “They barely get any
time off; we barely get any time off,” he says. professional or a recreational
player, feel like they are the
And with a roster that includes 2008 US Open
most important client you have.
 Establish your credibility through
champion Roger Federer and runner-up Andy
Murray, working hard for his clients is his No. 1 trust and reliability.
priority. —Sam Kissinger

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 I
n the eight years we’ve named a
Builder/Contractor of the Year, we’ve noticed
certain phrases that keep coming up: “dedi-
cation,” “conscientious” and “quality workman-
ship.” Those words, and more, describe our
2008 Builder/Contractor of the Year—Boston
Tennis Court Construction Co. of Hanover,
Mass.
“You couldn’t meet a nicer, more dedicated
group,” says Nova Sports USA’s Bill Righter. “It
helps us tremendously when we deal with peo-
ple like Dave Marsden and Bruce Mahler.”
BTCC was started in 1968—Marsden started
working seasonally for the company in 1969.
When he graduated from Babson College in
1971, he was offered a full-time job. Mahler, a
USPTA-certified pro for 38 years, joined in
1969. He was a two-time New England No. 1
junior player and played No. 1 for Duke Univer-
sity. By 1981, Marsden (at left in photo) and
Mahler had bought the company, and both have
been Certified Tennis Court Builders for more
than 20 years.
The company doesn’t bid any public work.
“If you build courts for a private club and
they’re pleased with the job, then you strike up
a relationship that’s ongoing,” says Mahler,
adding that 90 to 95 percent of their business is
 Get involved beyond your cor-
on a referral basis. Mahler’s tennis-playing cre-
dentials bring a unique dimension to the busi-
ner of the business. “Working
ness, allowing him to address customers’ with the ASBA really opened
questions from a player’s perspective. my eyes and helped to educate
“Service is probably our strongest point,” me,” says Marsden.
adds Marsden, who has been heavily involved  Be honest and up-front with
in the American Sports Builders Association, customers on all aspects of
including three years as chairman. BTCC also construction. “Educate them so
sells and services (often on-site) Playmate ball they know what they’re getting
machines. “This really gets us in a lot of doors.” and appreciate the quality of
the work,” says Mahler.
 Don’t badmouth competitors.
“Dave and Bruce are committed to the indus-
try and the sports construction business,” says
“It will turn people off,” says
Randy Futty of Lee Tennis. “They’re really great
Marsden. “Tell them what you
guys.” —Peter Francesconi offer.”

T
o be a successful sales rep, you have to
offer customers a kaleidoscope of attrib-
utes: expertise, reliability, professional-
ism, flexibility, persistence and drive to
succeed. As a savvy sales veteran with 21 years
Jeffery Adams, national sales manager for
Wilson Racquet Sports, says Haneklau's laundry
list of attributes make him a worthy recipient:
“Jim exemplifies the successful traits of a great
sales professional in our industry: character,

 Make the call. Don't wait for the

of experience in the tennis industry, Jim
Haneklau certainly epitomizes all of those
things, but one of his biggest retail accounts
points out a perhaps more subtle and rare qual-
ity—visibility.
“Everyone in my stores knows Jim,” says
Dale Queen, owner of Your Serve Tennis, which
has seven locations in the metro Atlanta area.
“He stops by all of my locations, trains my
employees and gets to know all of them. He's
got a big territory to handle, so that's pretty
amazing.”
It's this kind of reputation that has earned
Haneklau, who covers the tennis-rich territory
of Georgia and Alabama for Wilson Sporting
Goods, RSI’s Sales Rep of the Year award.
trust, problem-solver, accountable, results dri-
ven, highly motivated and empathetic.”
“I was an enthusiastic club player,” says
Haneklau, “and I got hooked on the sport. I
thought it would be great to have a tennis job.
At the end of the day you're making a living in
the tennis business.”
He offers a down-to-earth attitude to explain
his success: “The bottom line is my customers
and the products and brand I represent have
enabled me to be successful.”
“Jim is always so well prepared for every
meeting, and he's so well organized,” says
Queen. “He knows my business, what I've sold
in the past. More than a rep, he's a business
partner.” —Mitch Rustad
phone to ring to ask to be seen,
make the call yourself.
 Be proactive. Don't wait for
issues to come up with cus-
tomers, head them off. Stay in
touch with your customers via
newsletters, emails and phone
calls. “They need to be updated
on any type of news,” says
Haneklau.
 Do whatever it takes. It takes a
great attitude to grow your busi-
ness. “If that means working
weekends, late hours, or getting
up early, do what it takes.”

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31

 W
ith some 4,300 employees in more
than 50 full-service locations
throughout California, Nevada, Ari-
zona and Utah, and with more than 50 services
for the serious sports enthusiast (kayaking
lessons, anyone?), can a mass-merchant like
Sport Chalet actually satisfy a savvy tennis cus-
tomer? Hey, just because you offer backpack-
ing, canyoneering and kayaking instruction, not
to mention custom golf-club fitting and snow-
board and ski rental and repair, doesn't mean
you can't be a tennis expert.
“Having been in store as a consumer and
now as a brand rep, inasmuch as they are a
mass merchant, on the front end they feel like a
specialist,” says Jeffery Adams, national sales
manager of racquets for Wilson. “That is the
definition of success for Sport Chalet, and that is
what makes them so good.”
A dynamic staff on the sales floor, immacu-
late presentation and a comprehensive product
W
hen you’ve been in business for
more than 30 years, you must be
doing something right. Starting in a
750-square-foot space, Tennis & Golf Co. in
Royal Oak, Mich., now occupies nearly 20,000
square feet, and that contributes to the “wow
factor,” says Prince rep Matthew Haley. “Their
assortment and variety is enormous, and the
terrific staff is welcoming and helpful.”
Owner Dave Schwartz (at right in photo)
knows tennis inside and out. His pragmatic
approach to business, as well as his devotion to
tennis, his customers, and the community, has
won him a large client base. “Dave really cares
about tennis and the community,” says Wil-
son’s John Rapson, “often donating his time and
money to get kids into the sport.”
A big attraction is “club pricing”—for a $55
yearly membership, customers can buy apparel
and equipment at a substantial, unadvertised
discount. The membership pricing is “the most
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
selection, combined with a glowing reputation
around the industry, have made Sport Chalet
our 2008 Chain Retailer/Mass Merchant of the
Year. (Sport Chalet also claimed this honor in
2003.)
“They really understand their customer and
they're very disciplined, so they buy efficiently
and put inventory on their walls that will be suc-
cessful,” which enhances profits and leads to
fewer sales and markdowns, adds Adams.
Another factor that makes Sport Chalet such
an important large retailer for manufacturers is
its commitment to showcasing an entire line of  No matter how big your store
products—including the latest technology. is, tennis players respond when
they think of you as a specialist.
 Showing complete lines will
“Sport Chalet really gets the high-end busi-
ness and has a great scope of everything,” says
keep customers coming back at
Head’s Greg Mason. “Everybody else focuses on all stages and ages.
the $60 to $100 range, but Sport Chalet is an  Product displays drive interest
exception that sells high-end performance rac- and sales. Clean, dynamic pre-
quets and looks at itself as a specialty shop.” sentation will help your bottom
—Mitch Rustad line.
aggressive I’ve ever seen,” says Haley.
The store has an 80- by 16-foot demo area
for customers to test racquets. Schwartz says he
wants to “educate consumers to where they can
make judgments on their own and make an
objective decision on what to buy.”
Stringing is huge, with five stringers churning
out more than 16,000 string jobs a year. One-
hour stringing is available—“It’s one of the fea-
tures that keeps us one step ahead of the
competition,” says Schwartz. And apparel is big,
too, with a deep selection for men and women
and displays that are refreshed regularly. The  Offering a club member-
store also has extensive relationships with ship/discount pricing plan
encourages consumer loyalty.
 Educate customers so they can
league and school teams and sponsors a yearly
high school coaches conference.
make informed buying deci-
“They have great merchandising, staff, and
sions.
aggressive and creative programs,” says Greg  Have a passion for the sport
Mason of Head. “Whenever I’m looking for a and carry it over to school and
new idea or a different spin on things, Dave is community programs.
the guy I turn to.” —Cynthia Sherman
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 A
former professional player who compet-
ed on the U.S. and Swiss satellite cir-
cuits, Chuck Kuhle of Decatur, Ill., has
extensive experience practicing what he teach-
es as director of tennis at the Decatur Athletic
Club. In this role since 1980, Kuhle has trained
sectional and national level juniors, including
four Illinois high school champions. He is also
head coach of the Middle and Southern Illinois
USTA Competition Training Center; president of
the Decatur Community Tennis Foundation;
and tournament director of a men’s $10,000
Futures tournament since its inception in
Decatur 10 years ago.
Kuhle, a USTPA master professional, has
now earned another accolade: RSI’s Junior
Development Champion of the Year.
USTA Pro Circuit Director Brian Earley prais-
es Kuhle for his insight in using the Futures tour-
nament, which is held every July at the Decatur
Park District, as the “centerpiece” for growing
the game in the city. “Chuck sees beyond his
role of running the tournament to promoting
tennis in the community at large,” Earley says.
“He’s low-key and doesn’t look for a lot of pats
on the back, and that’s why he gets them.”
Kuhle says he encourages all ages to play
tennis because he truly believes in the sport’s
lifelong physical and social benefits. And while
the Futures competitors provide an example to
which juniors can aspire, its proceeds have
funded local grassroots initiatives including sub-
sidized tennis programs; tennis equipment for
the city’s public schools; and court renovation, a
new clubhouse, and other upgrades to the pub-
lic park facility.
The benefits, however, aren’t all tangible.
Kuhle was just as excited to hear that two tour-
nament volunteers have become friends and
now play tennis together. “The tournament has
a tremendously positive influence on tennis in
Decatur,” he says. —Cynthia Cantrell
 Keep it interesting. Pay extra
attention to beginners, but offer
a variety of social and competi-
tive programming to meet the
needs and interests of all levels.
 Recognize achievements. Publi-
cize tournament results and
other accomplishments in
newsletters and local papers.
 Leverage professional events. By
watching the pros, youngsters
gain a better understanding of
the work ethic required to earn
a college scholarship or even
become pros themselves.

A
sure sign of success for a community
outreach program is when people call
organizers for information on how to get
involved, rather than organizers searching for
volunteers. This is the situation Sue Jollensten of
Albuquerque, N.M., now finds herself in as she
runs after-school tennis programs for students
across New Mexico.
2007 and 2008 (and a 2008 winner of the
USTA’s Eve Kraft Award), Jollensten has also
launched a high school junior varsity tennis
league to promote a continued interest in the
sport. And to keep kids playing from childhood
on up, she is currently working to establish ele-
mentary school programs.
In programs like the middle school league,

 Charging a reasonable partici-

Jollensten started her flagship program, the
Governor’s Cup Mid School Tennis Champi-
onships, in 1996 to give more children the
opportunity to play tennis. This year, nearly 800
students represented their schools during six
weeks for matches and an end-of-season tour-
nament. “We had a record year in 2008, which
tells me that there’s a need for this sort of pro-
gram in middle schools,” she says.
In recognition of her efforts, Jollensten has
been named RSI’s 2008 Grassroots Tennis
Champion of the Year.
The chair of the USTA Schools Committee in
Jollensten says, “Students have so much fun
learning tennis and playing on a team repre-
senting their schools. It creates camaraderie
and confidence.”
“Sue has been a driving force behind the
growth and development of junior tennis in our
community,” says Becky Lee, a USTA Southwest
Section tennis service representative in North-
ern New Mexico. “Her grassroots approach has
empowered and motivated many community
volunteers, parents, teachers, and school
administrators to make tennis available to our
children. —Kristen Daley
pation fee, and paying volun-
teers a small stipend, gives a
program more substance and
value, and increases commit-
ment.
 Develop a season for the pro-
gram, so that volunteers know
the time commitment.
 Partner with as many peo-
ple/organizations as possible to
promote your program's growth
and longevity.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33

 I
t’s a tennis oasis, and it’s been garnering
praise from players and organizations alike.
The Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in
Surprise, Ariz., opened in 2007 to rave reviews.
With its 25 courts, including a stadium court,
along with a tastefully designed clubhouse that
includes lockers, lounge and pro shop, the com-
plex won the USTA’s 2008 Outstanding Facility
award. And now, with its wealth of program-
ming, growing player base and unique relation-
ship with the city, the Surprise Tennis &
Racquet Complex is RSI’s 2008 Municipal Facil-
ity of the Year.
“Tennis has been kind of new on the western
side of Phoenix,” says John Austin, the tennis
operations manager at the Surprise complex.
“There are a lot of 55-and-over communities
with courts, but they’re not accessible to the
general public.” The Surprise Tennis Complex
has no memberships and is open to anyone—
daytime court fees for residents are just $2 for
M
ichael Mercier’s mission is strikingly
similar to the USTA’s mission to “pro-
mote and develop the growth of ten-
nis.” Mercier simply adds the word
“wheelchair” to that statement.
Mercier’s introduction to wheelchair tennis
came 15 years ago, when he volunteered at a
clinic in Augusta, Maine. “It was kind of a chal-
lenge, a fun new thing to do,” he says. “To push
the chair, with racquet in hand, that’s a learning
curve of mobility. Once you get that part down,
it’s actually really easy.”
Since then, the Harvard University tennis
professional, USPTA Wheelchair Tester and win-
ner of the USPTA New England Wheelchair Pro
of the Year, has unselfishly dedicated time and
energy to teaching wheelchair tennis and rais-
ing awareness of the sport. For this, he has been
named the RSI Wheelchair Tennis Champion of
the Year.
“Michael is an innovator when it comes to
34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
90 minutes, non-residents pay $3; night rates
are $3 and $4.
“The demographics in this area has shifted
from heavily 55 and over to about 35 years old,
with two kids,” says Austin. “So we have the full
spectrum of people playing here.”
And the complex is bringing in big events,
too, including sectional and national champi-
onships and a professional Outback Champions
Series event. In February, the facility will host  Adjust programming to suit
the Fed Cup quarterfinal between the U.S. and changing demographics in your
area.
 Bring in big events. The money it
Argentina, then in April it will host the popular
USTA Tennis on Campus National Champi-
will add to the local economy
onships.
will help keep the future bright
The city of Surprise really was “thinking
for large municipal facilities.
long-term,” says Austin. One key is the “impact  Give players all they need. The
fee” that developers pay when building in the Surprise complex is open seven
rapidly growing area. “The city used no bonds days a week, has drop-in pro-
or loans because 25 percent of the impact fee grams, classes and activities for
goes to the park and rec. It was all done on all ages and skill levels, areas to
developer’s money.” —Peter Francesconi socialize, and more.
engaging people with wheelchair tennis at the
local level,” says Dan James, USTA national
manager of Wheelchair Tennis. “He has certi-
fied teaching professionals and ensured players
have the opportunity to play.”
Between USPTA wheelchair certification and
educational clinics, Mercier runs 20 events a
year to instruct others how to play and teach
wheelchair tennis, often using a sports wheel-
chair himself. He is also vigilant in scouting out  Recruit players from other
entrances and exits for wheelchair players at wheelchair sports, organizations
local facilities. for disabled citizens, schools,
For more than a decade, Mercier, who chairs etc.
the wheelchair tennis committee for USTA New  Assess facility accessibility.
England and was recently named the USTA Things to look for include steps,
Brad Parks Wheelchair Tennis Professional of height, width and grade of
the Year, has opened his camps and clinics to entrances, and opening
between net posts.
 Promote wheelchair tennis
players of all ages and abilities. “It is a gift to
work with athletes who have such passion,
through word of mouth, special
camaraderie, desire and positive work ethic,”
events, media and more.
says Mercier. —Kristen Daley
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 A
s a public facility, the mission of the
Roswell Recreation and Parks Depart-
ment in Roswell, Ga., is to offer recre-
ation opportunities for all the city’s residents.
From a tennis standpoint, every age group is
covered.
“The Roswell Recreation and Parks Depart-
ment has a well-rounded offering of tennis pro-
gramming for youth and adults,” says Karen
Ford, national manager of USTA Tennis in the
Parks. For that reason, it’s not surprising that
the organization, which was selected as the
2007 USTA Georgia Park and Recreation
Department of the Year, has earned another
honor: RSI’s 2008 Public Park of the Year.
Beginning with Pee Wee tennis for ages 5
and 6, juniors traditionally have progressed
through a series of instruction-based levels
offered by the Roswell Recreation and Parks
Department. The organization is quick to
embrace new opportunities, however, becom-
ing one of the few park and rec agencies orga-
nizing USTA Jr. Team Tennis using the Quick-
Start Tennis format.
Today, parallel tracks exist for juniors in tra-
ditional clinics, as well as those whose parents
provide on-court coaching support for the
QuickStart team concept. While he believes the
QuickStart approach is more fun for kids, recre-
ation/tennis supervisor Scott Laakso says main-
taining both offerings is important in satisfying
the needs of the community.
The QuickStart format has become so popu-
lar, however, that the organization recently put
down permanent QuickStart lines on eight pub-
lic courts. Not only is it a time-saver over using
temporary tape, but Laakso says the juniors feel
prideful ownership in playing on courts that
have been specialized for their brand of tennis.
“The kids love it,” Laakso says. “For us, it’s
all about making sure the kids have a good time
so they continue playing.” —Cynthia Cantrell
 Make it easy. At the Roswell
park and rec, players are provid-
ed with a racquet, ball, T-shirt,
junior USTA membership, and
paid entry fee into the local ten-
nis league.
 Family affair. Roswell offers mul-
tiple opportunities for children
and parents to learn together.
 A park and rec is at risk of losing
players to its competing sports
programs. Introduce kids to hav-
ing fun on court, however, and
you may see the beginning of a
lifelong love of the game.

T
he Lee County Community Tennis Associ-
ation in the Fort Myers, Fla., area was
established to provide tennis lessons to
the community’s underserved youth. Since its
founding in 1995, it has grown by leaps and
bounds. “But our primary focus,” says LCCTA
President Harriett Bohannon, “is still on our
vision have earned them distinction as RSI’s
CTA of the Year.
Serving players throughout the county, the
LCCTA has certainly put tennis on the map. At
the end of 2007, the CTA closed in on 700
members, who are offered fee reductions on
lessons and clinics, a community tennis

 Reach an agreement on orga-

youth programs,” which include lessons, daily
instruction as part of an after-school program,
and league and tournament competition.
Maintaining that focus is one of the associa-
tion’s four core principles. The group also
strives to offer accessible and affordable pro-
grams, achieve continuous improvement in pro-
grams and operations, and establish
partnerships to help support its goals.
“Our long-range vision is to position Lee
County as a state and national tennis destina-
tion that builds on a comprehensive schedule of
tennis programs for all ages and abilities,” says
Bohannon. Their efforts toward achieving that
resource guide and newsletter, and discounts on
sporting goods, fitness and personal care.
nizational priorities and moni-
Volunteers are in strong supply, with more
tor progress toward
than 100 full- and part-time residents, tennis achievement, to avoid being
professionals and more. And there are plenty of pulled in many different direc-
opportunities to serve, from assisting at Special tions.
Olympics tennis practice to volunteering at  Nurture the volunteers. Make
after-school tennis and tutoring programs. sure they feel valued and know
“The Lee County Community Tennis Associ- their efforts are appreciated.
ation has programs servicing all groups within  Don’t hesitate to ask for peo-
the community, and does a great job of making ple to volunteer time and
sure tennis courts are always full,” says David resources. Some may just be
hesitant to step forward on
Slade, USTA National Manager of Community
their own.
Tennis Associations. —Kristen Daley

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35

 J
orge Andrew is the ultimate tennis profes-
sional. The director of tennis operations for
the Lexington County (S.C.) Recreation and
Aging Commission, Andrew is a premier
teacher of the game. He is a fixture at industry
events as a presenter (in both English and Span-
ish), serves on sectional and national commit-
tees, and is one of only a handful of teaching
pros who are master professionals in both
teaching organizations.
“Jorge is one of the shining stars in this busi-
ness,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. “Every-
thing about him is so positive. He really is
wonderful.” And Andrew genuinely cares not
only about tennis, but also for everyone who
plays the sport.
Because of his total dedication to tennis,
Jorge Andrew is RSI’s PTR Member of the Year.
Andrew grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and
played on the pro tour for 10 years, reaching a
career high singles ranking of 61 and doubles
I
n the 33 years Tom Sweitzer has been a full-
time teaching pro, he has just about seen it
all—from pros who are bored and show it, to
overly technical instructors who won’t let play-
ers hit two shots in a row without correcting
their strokes.
A successful junior and college player despite
never having taken a lesson himself, the Her-
shey, Pa., native has dedicated his career to
sharing his love of the game with others. And
for 2008, Sweitzer is RSI’s USPTA Member of
the Year.
“Tom Sweitzer has shown his continued
commitment and dedication to the USPTA and
the sport of tennis,” says USPTA CEO Tim Heck-
ler. “It is evident from his success in so many
facets of tennis, including as a teaching profes-
sional and through contributions to the commu-
nity, education and publications.”
Now a USPTA master pro, Sweitzer teaches
his players the strokes and strategies he has
36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
ranking of 69. He left the tour in 1982, but he
says playing professionally taught him to be dis-
ciplined, something he has carried over to his
jobs in tennis.
“My teaching philosophy, too, has changed
since I left the tour,” says Andrew. “At first, I
enjoyed teaching top-level juniors. Then in the
club business, I enjoyed teaching women’s and
men’s teams. And now the thing I enjoy the
most is doing QuickStart Tennis and working
with beginners, not just juniors but also adults.”
Andrew has been the only tennis director at
the 21-court Lexington County Tennis Complex,
which opened in 2002. Soon to be added to his
long list of responsibilities will be a second
major complex, with 24 courts, expected to be
completed in 2010.
But Andrew is involved in so many areas of
the business, it’s hard to keep track. “Jorge just
does an amazing job with everything,” says San-
torum. —Peter Francesconi
honed since those days. He is just as committed
to his fellow USPTA members, speaking at
numerous national and sectional conventions
and writing more than 30 articles. He’s a USTA
Middle States Hall of Famer, former USPTA Mid-
dle States Division president, past USTA and
USPTA Middle States pro of the year, and past
recipient of Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Com-
munity Service citation for helping to raise $8
million for local health care facilities through
charity tennis events.
Sweitzer has taught more than 50,000 hours
of tennis lessons, with more than 200 of his for-
mer students involved in teaching or coaching
tennis, and has directed over 250 USTA tourna-
ments.
“I could probably make more money doing
something else,” Sweitzer says, “but the biggest
paycheck for me is seeing my students do well
and families come together through tennis.”
—Cynthia Cantrell
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 Plan your work and work your
plan. “I try to plan every day,
and I also plan the time with my
family,” says Andrew, who has
two sons, ages 10 and 13.
 Make sure that when you teach,
the main interest is your stu-
dent’s needs, not yours. “Every-
one would like to teach the No.
1 player, but we need to keep
every single person that we
touch.”
 When teaching beginners, the
most important thing is to teach
them how to rally. “The moment
you have them rallying, you’ll
have them hooked on tennis,”
says Andrew. “Make it fun, so
they’re not just chasing balls.”
 Get involved. Attending the
USPTA national convention is a
great first step for members, and
all 17 divisions offer regular
meetings and educational
opportunities.
 It’s a big world out there. Visit
and experience the good and
the bad of other clubs. You may
gain valuable networking oppor-
tunities, or learn something new
which may benefit your own
players and club.
 You are your own business.
Your business doesn’t have to
stop when you step off the
court. Promote and market your
skills.
 E
ver since Sue Bordainick started coaching
tennis at Ramapo High School in Spring
Valley, N.Y., in 1973, she has not cut any
player who’s tried out for the team. While num-
bers were modest when she first began coach-
ing the team, 25 years later her boys’ and girls’
“We just go until darkness,” says Bordainick.
“Tennis owes a great deal of credit to coach-
es like Sue who work extra hard and spend
more time because keeping extra kids on the
team is more challenging than simply cutting to
a more convenient or manageable number,”

 For a no-cut tennis team, on the

teams are attracting upwards of 60 members
each.
“The students know when they come out
that they made the team,” says Bordainick. “So
there’s no pressure on them. They can just
relax.” For her work to make the game available
to all students who want to play, Bordainick has
been named the RSI’s 2008 High School Coach
of the Year.
The Ramapo teams consist of three divi-
sions—varsity, junior varsity and “modified” for
seventh- and eighth-graders bused to Ramapo
from the local middle school. To manage time
and court space, the varsity practices first, fol-
lowed by the JV team, then the modified squad.
says Kirk Anderson, USTA director of Recre-
ational Coaches & Programs.
“The kids just love coming out for tennis,”
says Bordainick, who recently received the
2008 USTA Starfish Award for no-cut coaches.
“Most of the kids from our district, when they
come out, have never played before. It’s nice to
see them grow.”
And it’s not just the students’ tennis skills
that are growing, but also a bond between
schoolmates. “They are so close-knit by the end
of the season,” says Bordainick. “After a long
match, win or lose, they yell ‘Team Hug!’ And
the whole team runs out on court.”
—Kristen Daley
first day of practice (which is
not a “tryout”), let the students
know they all made the team.
 Compliment players on their
success. Bordainick’s motto: “If
you get the ball over the net
one more time than your oppo-
nent, you’ll win the point.”
 Try to keep players moving
throughout the entire practice.
Bordainick has each player hit
four balls, then run and place
four balls back in the hopper.
There is no down time.

F
or the USTA Pacific Northwest Section,
teamwork is key. Success in everything
from tennis programming to improving
tennis infrastructure across the section has been
built through the cooperation of its members.
“I think what sets the section apart is that the
entire staff and volunteers are well-connected to
their communities,” says Karen Green, USTA
national manager of Tennis in the Parks. “They
know what is going on in almost every commu-
nity and are a welcoming organization.”
And for all its success, the Pacific Northwest
Today, every area of the section offers a
Junior Team Tennis Local League, and participa-
tion has grown to 2,000 recently. League Tennis
participation increased a record 9 percent since
2007 and now boasts nearly 20,500 players. A
focus on team play for juniors through adults,
says section CEO and Executive Director Bill
Leong, has led to competitive success all the
way up to the national level.
To ensure there are plenty of places to play,
the section provides grants for local communi-
ties to use toward the construction and renova-

 Be sure diversity and inclusion

Section is the 2008 RSI USTA Section of the
Year. It’s the second time the section won this
award, having been honored in 2004, too.
The section's current USTA membership of
more than 23,000 represents a 100 percent
increase from eight years ago. This increase in
members has resulted from program participa-
tion, particularly in the USTA League and Junior
Team Tennis programs.
tion of courts. It also teams up with technical,
fundraising and advocacy experts. "There's a lot
involved in it," says Leong.
The backbone of the PNW Section is its
squad of staff and volunteers, who worked
together to host the Davis Cup final in 2007.
"We have a very strong and effective volunteer
and staff partnership," says Leong.
—Kristen Daley
are embedded in the business
operating plan.
 Maintain a strong partnership
between professional staff and
volunteers.
 Engage the community and pro-
vide relevant service needs.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 37

 HOW TO
YOUR BUSINESS
BECOME THE
PERFECT
MANAGER
New economic challenges are putting managers to the
test. Here are some of the characteristics they’ll need
to acquire to meet these changing dynamics.
D
BY ROD HECKELMAN
arwin would be pleased to see that his evolutionary theories
have progressed all the way from the Galapagos Islands to
impacting the managers of modern day tennis and fitness
facilities.
In an industry that has evolved so rapidly in the last few
decades, managers who could not keep up with the changes have
been left behind, or have become extinct. Those who have been
able to keep up, and who now are weathering economic woes,
may well be evolving into near-perfect managers.
To be fair, no one’s perfect, but in this business climate, the
manager often is asked to perform at that level. Put it in perspec-
tive and you’ll see why. The purchase of a membership is, in most
cases, an option for the consumer. Despite your arguments that
everyone needs to partake in some sort of health and fitness pro-
gram, it’s still the consumer’s choice. The fact is, most people have
their natural environment or can attend public facilities—options
that are free. Now factor in the challenging economic situation fac-
ing today’s consumers, and managers are really being put to the
test.
Those who do survive will truly become the cream of the crop.
They may even evolve into the “perfect manager.”
What are the characteristics that these managers will acquire
to meet today’s new challenges? What will it take for someone cur-
rently in the position of tennis director to become general manag-
38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
er? If a personal trainer aspires to become the fitness director,
SAVING MONEY AND TIME
what will they need to learn?
The first step will be to learn and have the ability to multi-task. This
is more than just being able to sit at the front desk while an
employee takes a break, or correcting the height of a net when
playing with members on court. This is all about being able to save
money and save time.
As a manager reviews their responsibilities, they will transition
from overseeing different departments to being able to run these
departments. Instead of calling in a consultant to help with sales,
the manager becomes astute enough to know how to properly
market his product. He or she can create, design and properly
place ads where those ads will get the most bang for the buck.
They become experts at analyzing the market, using everything
from Google Analytics to caller I.D. feedback. They become
experts at selling memberships and, in turn, can organize and
guide their sales staff from the experience of their own success.
Instead of calling in a temp when their accountant or book-
keeper is unable to work, they can step in and handle the paper-
work, everything from billing to payables. They can author, publish
and print the club’s newsletter.
If a pipe breaks, they may not be able to fix it, but they can cer-
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
tainly address the problem from the standpoint of either guiding
someone through that task or knowing how to limit the impact a bro-
ken pipe might have. If a sprinkler head blows up and sprays water
all over the courts, instead of being dependent on a maintenance
person who may not be on hand, they know how to turn off the
valve. They even go out and dry the courts for play. This list of what
a perfect manager can handle becomes longer and longer, demand-
ing that they evolve.
They know how to make the café an image of the members’
desires and needs. The perfect manager creates a menu that is
geared to what is most likely to cross the counter and increase sales.
They’re able to do this not only as a result of interacting with mem-
bers and their staff, but by also having a complete knowledge of the
software so they can access the statistical information concerning
the turnover of inventory. They take it one step further, forecasting
trends and making available new types of healthy products that will
sell.
An integral part of the food service will be the organization of
social events. The task of overseeing the calendar of events will be
only a portion of the job. Promoting events to take place at the club
and then making sure that these events run on time and are proper-
ly serviced by the staff will become second nature for the perfect
manager. The manager will format a program that creates a ritual for
the staff to follow for all events. This reliability will provide much
more time off for the manager while still being in control and on top
HEALTH & FITNESS TRENDS
of the profit/cost of these events.
Although the perfect manager may not need to conduct yoga or spin
classes, they will know how those classes are taught, and as a con-
sequence, what teachers are best suited for the job. In the field of fit-
ness, the staff is all-important. The quality and enthusiasm of a
teacher can make all the difference in attendance. A knowledgeable
trainer can both attract and retain memberships. With the rapid
expansion in the fitness industry, it will be important to stay in touch
with the most recent advances, both in equipment and in classes.
The more insight the manager has, the more they will be able to
distinguish between what is a fad and what has practical application.
Is it what the members want or is it what a sales person or an enthu-
siastic fitness person believes you should have? Is it a fiscally respon-
sible move or a reaction to a few vocal members? Only a manager
that has stayed on top of the fitness industry and has been a hands-
on person can really answer those questions. Looking in on the fit-
ness area throughout the day, or occasionally discussing fitness
issues with staff, will not provide enough up-to-date information.
Small tennis clubs feeling the financial pinch may be forced to
cut costs by hiring tennis pros, or directors, that also can serve as
club manager. This will be the ultimate test of multi-tasking. Pros
who want nothing to do with management may become obsolete.
Pros who realize their close relationship with members makes
them the perfect choice to manage the club will not only save their
club money, but will also give them job security. Their rapport with
members and other employees will help greatly in membership
retention. During difficult economic times, the emphasis must
change from acquiring new members to retaining current members.
A change in management or bringing in new faces can sometimes
upset the stability of a facility and cause members to leave.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
MORE INTERACTION
The perfect manager will more willingly take on interaction with
both members and employees. They may maintain a chain of com-
mand for better organization, but they’ll take the time to interact
with the whole staff and as many members as possible.
More interaction means optimizing more ways to communicate
and pass on information. The use of the internet, emails, the phone
system all become elevated and, in turn, this manager can interact
more quickly and more accurately. Capitalizing on modern-day tech-
nology will allow managers to interact from anywhere at any time,
without compromising their own personal freedom.
Instead of managing their staff more so that they can work less,
managers will become more efficient at delegating responsibility so
they can create more opportunities to be more productive. This task
of becoming more time-efficient requires the acquisition of more
knowledge and information. Attending conventions, reading articles,
interacting with others in the industry all help to create shortcuts in
both problem resolution and the skills needed to avoid problems.
This is a big change. No longer can managers just be on top of their
own operation. They will need to learn more about the entire indus-
try. This process of collecting more outside information will provide
the insight that will allow the perfect manager to be part of a rapid-
DISAPPEARING STATUS QUO
ly changing industry.
Change will be considered normal. The status quo for any manager
will disappear and there will be no resting on one’s laurels. No mat-
ter how much success a manager has experienced in the past, they
will be judged on their daily accomplishments and what they are
planning to achieve in the future.
When it comes to motivating and educating staff, the perfect
manager will need to be able to walk the walk and talk the talk. It will
not be enough to remind members or staff of how things worked in
the “good old days.” Forecasting the future will not always be ade-
quate; there will be a need to be the future—one step ahead of the
industry and the competition. The perfect manager will achieve this
by learning from their past and moving on, willing to accept the risk
of attacking probability.
The industry has entered a new, economically challenging era.
Managers will be asked to cut costs and increase services. Although
that may sound like an oxymoron, it is what these new economic
challenges demand. The sooner a manager realizes that and
approaches these challenges aggressively, the more likely they will
achieve job security and financial rewards.
As you read this, there are many out there looking to hone their
talents in club management. Most likely they will be the person who
is willing and able to do many things very well. This will be the sur-
vivor, the one most likely to evolve into the perfect manager. Q
Rod Heckelman is the general manager and tennis pro at
the Mount Tam Racquet Club in Marin County, Calif.,
where he has been for the last 31 years. His career in the
industry started in 1967 at the famed John Gardiner’s Ten-
nis Ranch. In 1970, when Gardiner opened his resort on
Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Ariz., Heckelman, at
age 20, became one of the youngest head pros in the
country. He created the “Facility Manager’s Manual” based on his years of
experience in the tennis business.
January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39
 MATURE OUTLOOK
REACHING THE 50+ PLAYER

Package tennis to meet all the

needs of the over-50 player,
and you’ll meet your bottom-
line needs, too.
BY KATHY AND RON WOODS

40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

H
ave you reached out to the 50+ population of players and
potential tennis players yet? If not, why not? Are you not con-
vinced of their potential as a market, or just uncertain about
how to touch them, entice them and get them playing regularly? If
that is the case, read on for some insight and strategies that can
swell your participation numbers and pump up your bottom line.
As people hit that big “5-0” birthday, many reflect that they are
in the prime of their middle years and eager to enjoy life. They
want to stay healthy, maintain physical strength and vigor, enjoy
socializing with people, want to look good and feel great. Tennis
can be the answer to meet every one of those dreams.
Sports participation surveys show that millions of Americans
are heading to gyms to use treadmills, elliptical trainers, strength-
training machines or stationary bicycles. A significant number,
especially women, have opted for yoga or Pilates. But indoor gyms,
where the message is “workout,” don’t appeal to everyone and
over time, legions of well-intentioned exercise-seekers drop out or
struggle with the discipline of regular activity.
We have the answer. Why not offer people the chance to
“play” rather than “work” at a sport activity? Playing tennis can
produce intense feelings of enjoyment, success, fun and delight.
Hitting a solid shot for a winner, ending a point with a well-placed
volley, or making an impossible save create feelings of exultation.
Even the excitement of a challenging rally of eight or 10 balls is
WHAT DO PEOPLE OVER 50 WANT?
cause for celebration.
It really isn’t that complicated. We want to keep our bodies fit and
looking good, our minds sharp and spend time with friends and
family. Think about those “wants” in tennis terms. We’re not look-
ing to have perfect form, don’t expect to become the local cham-
pion, and sure don’t want to put up with others who do. We just
want to play, have fun and do something good for our body, mind
and emotions at the same time.
Tennis can be presented and packaged beautifully to meet all
of these needs. But it take some re-engineering of thought and pro-
grams led by professional staff who understand the market of 50+
players.
We know tennis can be a great
physical workout if you’re matched up
with the right partners and have the
skill to maneuver each other around
the court. People do have to learn a
few principles about how to keep the
ball in play during a rally if they want a
workout other than bending down to
retrieve a ball. The physical benefits
have been widely circulated thanks to
sport scientists and most people are
convinced. But how many know about
the effects of exercise on the brain and
memory?
New research on “neurogenesis,”
or the brain’s ability to grow new cells
at any age through physical activity, is
truly revolutionary stuff. Author John
Ratey, M.D., in his new book Spark
presents convincing evidence that aer-
obic exercise can stimulate the growth
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
of new brain cells. Perhaps even more exciting is the news that
some types of exercise, like tennis, can enhance and strengthen
the neural connections in our brains.
Ratey suggests that, “Sports like tennis that tax both the car-
diovascular system and the brain simultaneously will keep your
brain and nervous system at the highest level even as you age.”
Even though these new neural circuits are created through physi-
cal activity, they can be recruited by other areas and used for think-
ing in general.
Another author, Norman Doidge, M.D., writes in his book, The
Brain That Changes Itself, that the brain is no longer viewed as a
machine hardwired early in life and destined to wear out, but
instead it exhibits a “plasticity” that allows it to change throughout
life if given the right stimulus. If your memory is beginning to slip
a bit like ours, this news is heaven-sent. Play more tennis and
remember stuff… and where we left it.
So tennis is great for our body, maybe even better for our
mind. Who needs to know this information and how do we get it
EXACTLY WHO IS OUR AUDIENCE?
to them?
Let’s look at three groups of potential tennis players over the age
of 50.
First, there are those who have played all their lives, are fre-
quent players and the backbone of our sport. As they age, unless
we tailor the sport to meet their changing priorities, needs and
wants, we may lose them. Or maybe age and injuries will get them
first. They need help on keeping their bodies fit, recovering from
injuries, improving technique to minimize injury risk and new
playing strategies to accommodate gradual loss of mobility and
speed. Aging frequent players are a precious resource who love
tennis, but may turn to other less demanding sports unless we
guide them carefully.
A second group is those who used to play tennis, maybe in the
1970s during the tennis boom, but eventually dropped out. We can
reclaim these players if we point out that today’s racquets make
the game easier to play, offer new strategies to understand the
game and congenial folks who will satisfy their social needs.
The third group is those who have never played tennis. In our
view, the only requirement to have some success in tennis is a rea-
sonable amount of eye-hand coordination in tracking a ball and
striking it. We can teach the rest of it.
But programs need to be carefully designed to make learning
fun, in groups to meet potential playing partners, no standing in
lines, slower courts and tennis balls, oversize racquet heads and
enthusiastic coaches. Once players learn to track a ball in flight and
predict the bounce, the easy part is learning the most efficient
stroking technique.
In future articles, we’ll probe more deeply into strategies for
attracting and retaining our 50+ friends. Q
Kathy and Ron Woods are co-authors of Playing Tennis After 50, pub-
lished by Human Kinetics. Kathy is the director of tennis at the Rac-
quet Club of St. Petersburg and a former
president of the USPTA. Ron is a former staff
member of the USTA for 20 years, college
coach and professor of sport science. Both
were individually awarded the prestigious Ten-
nis Education Merit Award by the International
Tennis Federation
January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 41
 String Playtest
Wilson (K) Gut Pro 16
Wilson (K) Gut Pro is a premium multi-
filament made of high crystallinity xycro
microfibers bonded together with
polyurethane. Fluorocarbon (polytetra-
fluoroethylene) microfibers are inter-
spersed among the xycro microfibers for
enhanced performance. According to
Wilson, (K) Gut Pro is engineered for
maximum control, and is more durable
that (K) Gut. (See our playtest report of
(K) Gut on-line at racquetsportsindus-
try.com.) (K) Gut Pro is also pre-
stretched for a crisp feel and minimum
tension loss. Wilson recommends (K)
Gut Pro to any player who wants a string
with excellent control, gut-like comfort
and feel, and enhanced durability.
(K) Gut Pro is available in 16 (1.33
mm) and 17 (1.28 mm) in gray only. It is
priced from $20 for sets of 40 feet. For
more information or to order, contact Wil-
son at 773-714-6400, or visit
www.wilsontennis.com. Be sure to read
the conclusion for more information about
getting a free set to try for yourself.
IN THE LAB
We tested the 16-gauge (K) Gut Pro. The
coil measured 40’. The diameter measured
1.32-1.35 mm prior to stringing, and 1.27-
1.29 mm after stringing. We recorded a
stringbed stiffness of 74 RDC units imme-
diately after stringing at 60 pounds in a
Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern)
on a constant-pull machine.
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed
stiffness measured 65 RDC units, repre-
senting a 12 percent tension loss. Our con-
trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original
Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi-
ately after stringing and 71 RDC units after
24 hours, representing a 9 percent tension
loss. (K) Gut Pro added 16 grams to the
weight of our unstrung frame.
In our lab testing of 688 strings, we
found that (K) Gut Pro 16 has a stiffness of
182 lbs/in. and a tension loss of 10.62 lbs.,
putting it in the top 20 percent of strings in
terms of softness, and the top 20 percent
in terms of tension maintenance. Compar-
ing it only to other synthetic strings, (K)
42 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
Gut Pro 16 is in the top 15 percent in each
of these categories. You can read about
our lab test procedure at
www.racquetsportsindustry.com/articles/20
08/09/the_right_plotline.html.
The string was playtested for five blocked holes due to its softness.
weeks by 35 USRSA playtesters, with No playtester broke his sample during
NTRP ratings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are stringing, one reported problems with coil
blind tests, with playtesters receiving memory, none reported problems tying
unmarked strings in unmarked packages. knots, and two reported friction burn.
Average number of hours playtested was
26.9. ON THE COURT
There are no special stringing instruc- In our playtest team’s judgment, (K) Gut
tions for (K) Gut Pro. We found that (K) Pro 16 is above average across the board,
Gut Pro is easy to handle during stringing, and well above average in Touch/Feel and
although we did have some problems with in Resistance to Movement, out of the 127
strings we’ve playtested to date for publi-
EASE OF STRINGING cation. It would normally be anomalous to
(compared to other strings) have a polyurethane-impregnated string
Number of testers who said it was: score highly in Resistance to Movement,
much easier 1
but in this case (K) Gut Pro follows in the
somewhat easier 8
footsteps of (K) Gut, which scored well
about as easy 22
not quite as easy 4
above average in this category.
not nearly as easy 0 Four players broke the string during
the playtest period, one each at 6, 15, 21,
OVERALL PLAYABILITY and 27 hours.
(compared to string played most often) Two playtesters broke the sample dur-
Number of testers who said it was:
ing testing, one at three hours and one at
much better 0
14 hours.
somewhat better 6
about as playable 14
not quite as playable 13 CONCLUSION
not nearly as playable 2 As we predicted in our playtest report of
(K) Gut, Wilson is refining its use of fluo-
OVERALL DURABILITY rofibers in tennis string. By reducing the
(compared to other strings
power and improving the durability of (K)
of similar gauge)
Number of testers who said it was: Gut, while maintaining its benefits, Wil-
much better 0 son’s (K) Gut Pro should appeal to heavier
somewhat better 9 hitters who are looking for a premium
about as durable 22 nylon string to augment their game. One
not quite as durable 4 of the truly amazing things about (K) Gut
not nearly as durable 0 Pro is how “balanced” its scores are from
RATING AVERAGES category to category. In fact, (K) Gut Pro
From 1 to 5 (best) has the best across-the-board balance of
Playability 3.4 any string we’ve ever playtested. Based
Durability 3.5 on this metric, we’d have to say that no
Power 3.3 matter what you want from your string,
Control 3.3 (K) Gut Pro is likely to deliver, and you
Comfort 3.3 won’t have to sacrifice anything else to
Touch/Feel 3.2 get it.
Spin Potential 3.3 If you think that Wilson (K) Gut Pro
Holding Tension 3.4
might be for you, fill out the coupon to get
—Greg Raven Q
Resistance to Movement 3.4
a free set to try.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
TESTERS TALK
“ Incredible spin from the back court, and
”
good pop on volleys. 5.5 male serve-and-
volleyer using Wilson nBlade strung at 60
pounds LO (Wilson NXT 16)
“ This string absorbs shock very effectively.
”
Excellent comfort and control. 4.0 male
baseliner with heavy spin using Völkl DNX 8
strung at 57 pounds LO (Luxilon Timo 122 17)
“ This is a good all-around string which
should appeal to a wide audience. It compares
favorably with the best multifilaments on the
market. The comfort and control are exception-
”
al. 5.0 male serve-and-volleyer using Wil-
son nTour strung at 59 pounds CP (Natural Gut
16/17)
“ Stringing is quick and easy. This is a com-
fortable, all-court control string. It has a nice
crisp pop on volleys and a solid feel on ground
strokes. It does not lose playability over
”
time. 4.0 male all-court player using Prince
O3 Red MP strung at 54 pounds CP (Gamma
TNT2 Pro Plus 17L)
“ This string has a comfortable feel. It is also
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
quite durable, making it a good option for string
breakers who want to try something besides poly- FREE PLAYTEST STRING
”
ester. 4.5 male all-court player using Prince O3
Hybrid Tour (16x18) strung at 62 pounds LO
PROGRAM
Wilson will send a free set of
(Prince Premier w/Softflex 16) (K) Gut Pro 16 to USRSA members
who cut out (or copy)
“ For a nylon multifilament, the control, durabili- this coupon and mail it to:
ty, and tension maintenance are very good.
5.0 male all-court player using Prince O3 White ” USRSA
MP strung at 60 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 16) Attn: Wilson String Offer,
330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084
“ This is an arm-friendly string with a solid feel.
Spin and touch are adequate. Power is on the low
or fax to 760-536-1171,
or email the info below to
stringsample@racquettech.com
”
end. 4.5 male all-court player using Wilson
KFour strung at 54 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation
16)
Offer expires 15 January 2009
Offer only available to USRSA members
“ This string feels great initially, but it eventually in the US.
”
loses resilience and playability suffers. 5.5
male all-court player using Wilson nTour Two Name:
strung at 55 pounds CP (Wilson Ultra Synthetic
USRSA Member number:
Gut 16)
Phone:
“ The ball seems to slide of the strings, making
it hard to control the depth and trajectory with
Email:
If you print your email clearly, we will notify
you when your sample will be sent.
”
spin. 5.0 male all-court player using Prince
Extender Thunder 880 OS strung at 48 pounds CP
For the rest of the tester comments, visit
(Prince Synthetic Gut Original 17) www.racquetsportsindustry.com.
January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 43
 Tips & Techniques
Readers’ Know-How in Action
TOURNAMENT
STRINGING SPEED
Although there are many skills a stringer
needs to master before becoming a “tour-
nament stringer,” my advice to hopeful
tournament stringers is not to work faster
than you can string. It sounds redundant,
but I’ve seen stringers trying to work
faster than their skill level allows, and using string from the reel, simply leave
often they’ll make errors — sometimes, the reel on the Slatwall arm, pulling off the inch, stabbing through the carpet.
bad ones. I find it’s better to take the time desired length. The reel itself should spin I don’t take chances anymore. I found
you need to do the job correctly, rather and move easily while still hanging on the a solution to this problem that is inexpen-
than hurry through the job and then have wall. Measure appropriately, and you're sive and quick: Use the rubber cord from
to spend 10 minutes fixing it or 30 min- ready to string! a new racquet’s marketing tag to tether
utes re-doing it. 5 sets of Ashaway Synthetic Gut 16 to: your awl. Tie the other end to your
5 sets of Head Sonic Pro 17 to: Lynn Khaing, MRT, Dallas, TX stringing machine.

TETHER YOUR AWL

Ron Yu, CS, Tampa, FL Depending on how high your stringing

SLATWALL
machine is, you can adjust the length of

FOR STRINGING
If you have Slatwall close to your stringing
machine, use a long arm to store multiple
reels of string. Here's a bonus tip: When
Stringing in the comfort of your home is
nice, but things might change in a hurry if
an awl happens to fall off the tray and
land on your foot. I came very close twice:
The awl just missed my foot about one
the rubber band so that it is flexible
enough to be used as normal but not so
long that it hits the ground if dropped.
5 sets of Wilson NXT Max 16 to:
Thomas Le, San Jose, CA

44 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

KEEP YOUR TAILS SHORT
When trimming the tails on knots, the
tendency is to cut them relative to the
edge of the racquet. That is, you angle
your cutters so that the end of the tail will
be slightly below the edge, which hopeful-
ly will be out of the way so the player
doesn’t scratch himself.
This works fine on racquets with rela-
tively narrow beams, because the dis-
tance from the edge of the frame to the
1
2
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
3
knot is small (photo 1). However, on rac-
quets with thicker beams, this can leave a
tail that is long enough to snag, even
though the end is still below the edge of
the racquet (photo 2).
Therefore, I always check the total
length of the tail when trimming my
knots, rather than trusting that a tail
that’s short enough on one racquet will be
short enough on all racquets (photo 3).
Forten Tour Bag to:
L. Hodges, Fresno, CA
MARK YOUR
MACHINE SET-UP
I don’t have to move my machine very
often, but I really like the way I have it set
up. To help me restore it to the correct
position each time, I put a band of electri-
cal tape around the post to mark the
height adjustment. You wouldn’t believe
how much time this saves.
I also mark off the positions of the legs
on the floor using gaffer’s tape, so I don’t
have to approximate where the machine
sits. This also saves me a lot of time,
because I have the feet of my machine lev-
eled to a specific spot in my shop, and
being able to reposition it exactly means I
don’t have to relevel it each time I move it.
5 sets of Gamma Asterisk 16 to:
James Sly, Carpinteria, CA
—Greg Raven Q
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by
USRSA members, and appearing in this column,
have all been gathered into a single volume of
the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Service Tech-
niques which is a benefit of USRSA membership.
Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St.,
Vista, CA 92804; or email greg@racquettech.com.
January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 45
 Ask the Experts
Your Equipment Hotline
Q
LISTING GROMMET
KITS IN THE DIGEST
I JUST RECEIVED MY NEW
Stringer’s Digest, you know, the
one with the huge frame database
with stringing instructions. Well, I have a
suggestion for a new field. I think it would
be most useful if there were a field with
the manufacturer’s grommet number or
A
code. It would serve multiple purposes by
helping us find grommets faster, but also
find grommets that can be shared.
WE ACTUALLY USED TO publish
something called the grommet
guide years ago. Unfortunately, it was a
real mess because it was difficult to
obtain accurate information about grom-
mets. As a result we would spend lots of
time collecting the data, only to end up
publishing multiple erroneous listings
every year. This obviously caused prob-
lems for our members, as sometimes no
information is better than incorrect infor-
mation. However, it may be time to con-
46 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
tact some of the manufacturers again to see
if we can get more accurate information
about grommet kits. If so, we’ll consider
publishing this information again. Com-
pared to stringing instructions, though, it
will still be tricky: We obtain racquet sam-
ples from each manufacturer to verify
stringing instructions before publication. It
would be much more difficult to exercise
comparable caution with bumperguard and
Q
grommet kits.
O3 OPTIONS
I HAVE A STRINGING MACHINE that
does not have an easily accessible
turntable lock. Does that mean I
A
have to use the boomerang tool? I have also
heard that you have to string the racquet
five pounds higher, for some reason.
THE THREE BEST WAYS TO restring
the Prince O-port racquets are:
1) Lock the turntable,
2) Use the boomerang tool, and
3) Manually counter-hold the racquet from
turning while pulling tension.
Clearly, the third technique is a des-
peration measure, and it’s a miserable
way to string a racquet. If you can’t lock
the turntable, the boomerang tool is your
best bet. If you can lock the turntable
but it’s an ordeal to do so, again the
boomerang tool is your best bet.
As for the reference tension, you still
follow the recommendations in the
Stringer’s Digest, or on the frame if you
don’t have the Digest handy. There is no
need to add five pounds to your refer-
ence tension arbitrarily.
When the O3 racquets first came out,
the rumor was that you had to increase
the reference tension when installing the
crosses because the boomerang tool
somehow changed the way the string is
pulled, resulting in looser crosses. Given
the extreme difficulty in measuring ten-
sion on installed strings, however, it’s
unlikely that anyone outside of Prince
actually did so, and if someone did try,
it’s unlikely that it was done correctly.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 Q
REMOVING

Therefore, it is not necessary to increase
the reference tension by five pounds just
for the crosses, either.
A
OLD HEAD TAPE
others are doing the same on the mains?
Does it have an effect on the sweet spot,
and is there any other reason to do this? I HAVE A FRAME THAT HAS sever-

Q
LOOKING UP
al strips of Babolat head tape on it

STRING STIFFNESS
I READ YOUR “GUIDE TO STRINGS”
article on pages 38-39 in your Sep-
tember/October 2008 edition of
Racquet Sports Industry magazine. I want
to look up the “stiffness/tension loss” specs
for the 600 other strings your article refers
to. I went to www.usrsa.com, could not
THE BEST REASONS TO lower
tension on the crosses relative to
the mains are 1) this is the recommend-
ed way of stringing some racquets, and
2) some hybrid string sets recommend
installing one string at a lower reference
tension than the other. Other than that,
it seems to be personal preference. Dif-
ferential stringing does not change the
A
that I need to remove. Is there an
easy way to pop them off? I don’t want to
scratch or damage the frame.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO remove
even old, baked-on head tape just
by peeling it off. To remove the residue,
try an adhesive remover such as Valspar®
Goof Off or Goo Gone®. —Greg Raven Q

A
find the link to click on to view the com-
plete string listing and chart. Please direct
me to the appropriate link.
sweet spot or anything else we can
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Racquet
determine, aside from the overall Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-
stringbed stiffness. 536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.

USRSA MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS to

the full listing on-line at
www.usrsa.com via the String Spec Search
tool, which allows you to narrow the listing
by searching for strings of interest. To view
the full listing of 688 strings in its entirety,
go to: www.racquetsportsindustry.com/
issues/200809/200809allstrings.html
Note that on the full listing, you can
click on any of the column heads to sort
the table by the contents of that column.
Clicking again on the same column head
reverses the order of the sort.

Q
MAINS AND
CROSSES REVISITED
I READ WITH INTEREST THE ASK
The Experts answer that, according
to Babolat, the main strings con-
tribute durability and spin, while the cross
strings contribute power and comfort.

A
Would it make sense to say that main
strings are also contributing to the control
factor?

IGNORING FOR THE MOMENT THE

difficulties that arise when you
attempt to define “control,” from what we
can tell in lab tests, control is a function of
stringbed stiffness and the impact signa-
ture of the string in question, all other
things being equal. Therefore, even though
you need mains to have meaningful
stringbed stiffness, it is not accurate to
state that control is due to the main strings

Q
alone.

DIFFERENTIAL TENSIONS
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY SOME
players lower the tension two to
three pounds on the crosses and

www.racquetsportsindustry.com January 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 47

 Your Serve
Acting Locally
The former TSR manager says drilling down
into communities is the way to get more
people playing tennis.
H
BY MARK MCMAHON
ow can I help you today?”
This is the credo of the 90-
plus team of USTA Tennis Ser-
vice Representatives (TSRs) as they visit
tennis providers in communities across
the country. TSRs asked this question, or a
variation of it, more than 36,000 times in
the past three years, as they visited more
than 10,000 facilities inquiring if there
was anything they could do that might
help a provider increase play.
Originally envisioned as a “national
sales and service force” for tennis, TSRs
have changed the way the USTA provides
support to individuals who deliver tennis
at parks, clubs, schools and service organi-
zations. Beginning in late 2005 and for the
past three years, it was my privilege to
navigate the TSR initiative from its original
concept to the positive results our sport
has achieved during this period and which
this group helped accomplish.
Results of the latest Tennis Health
Index suggest tennis, especially participa-
tion, is in the best shape it has been in the
last 30 years. While there are many indi-
viduals and groups who can take some of
the credit for this, I have no doubt the cre-
ativity and hard work of local TSRs has
played a significant role.
Without the presence of a TSR in
Akron, Ohio, for example, it is unlikely
that 165 children under the age of 10
would have had the opportunity to play
tennis, on a team, in a league organized in
cooperation among the park district, the
local CTA and the USTA section. It is just
as unlikely that more than 50 children in
Huntington, Pa., would be participating in
a play-based after-school tennis program
without help from a TSR.
True increases in participation begin at
the local level, and that’s exactly why
TSRs are so important to this sport. TSRs
have contributed to literally hundreds of
local success stories, including:
48 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2009
Q A pizza company in Miami providing
more than $5,000 in sponsorship and
support to a local JTT program.
Q Convincing a reluctant mayor in Puerto
Rico to have tennis court lines painted
in the parking lot of the town’s sports
complex, then to considering four new
tennis courts.
Q Establishing a Tennis on Campus club
at the University of Utah with 30 found-
ing members.
Q Creating an after-school program in
Kearney, Neb., featuring USTA Junior
Team Tennis.
Q Los Angeles and Santa Monica park
agencies working together with a school
district and local CTA to establish two
JTT leagues, a new after-school pro-
gram, and a summer novice tourna-
ment.
For the past three years, I was fortu-
nate to have been in a position to wit-
ness the evolution of these ideas into real
programs and projects. At the conclusion
of the 2008 US Open, however, I ended
my TSR role with the USTA. Now, I’ve
stepped into the world of tennis consult-
ing and find myself working with many
of these same communities again.
My first consulting project has me
working with the USTA Community Ten-
nis marketing team and partnering with
CTAs across the country in support of the
largest youth registration initiative ever.
“Youth Registration Night” events are
currently being organized by CTAs and
planned by facilities and will be held on
Monday, March 2, which is “Tennis Night
in America.” Once again I find myself in
a supporting role, working for the people
who do the heavy lifting of growing ten-
nis participation and promoting tennis in
their local communities.
By leveraging the excitement of pro
tennis matches televised live from Madi-
son Square Garden on HBO on March 2,
those who organize youth programming
have an opportunity to bring an early
springtime tennis focus to boys and girls
everywhere. Early March is typically a
time when parents decide whether to reg-
ister kids for soccer or Little League as
spring and summer sport options. Now,
with Youth Registration Night on Tennis
Night in America, tennis will be on that list
of options. More information, and ways
you and your facility or organization can
participate, can be found at
www.tennisnight.com.
For more than 25 years, as a teaching
pro, facility manager and volunteer in this
business, I’ve been fortunate to see—and
help—this sport evolve at all levels. I hope
that TSRs will continue to play a pivotal
role in community tennis development as
the USTA supports local tennis providers,
teaching pros and volunteers. And I look
forward to contributing to Tennis Night in
America as it brings in a new generation
of recreational players. Q
For the past three years, Mark
McMahon led the USTA’s Tennis
Service Representative initiative. A
recipient of numerous industry
awards, including Facility of the
Year, Tennis Director of the Year and USPTA Pro-
fessional of the Year honors, he now runs
McMahon Tennis Consulting and can be
reached at 404-271-3088 or at m.mcmahon@
earthlink.net.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com or fax
them to 760-536-1171.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com