-
Player Development
USTA taps MARTINBLACKMAN forPlayer Development
Retail Success
Sometimes BACKTO BASICSis best for sales
Health & Fitness
Give themREASONSto play tennis
Incorp
oratin
g USP
TA
JUNE 2015 / VOLUME 43/ NUMBER 6 / $5.00
ConstructionExcellenceAward-winning private courts
Racquet TechnologyStay up to date on the latest in frames
Group SalesOutfitting teams can boost your biz
pg. 41
-
DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve
7 Industry News
13 Letters
14 TIA News
16 Racquet Tech
18 Retailing Tip
20 Your Players: Sun Protection
22 Facility Management
36 Ask the Experts
38 String Playtest: Tecnifibre Black Code 4S 17
40 Your Serve, by Hunter Lipscomb
PLUS
42 CEOs Message
44 Past Presidents Message
46 Endorsee News
48 Inside Coaching
52 USPTA World Conference
56 USPTA World Conference
58 Career Development
50 Member News
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 Martin Blackman tapped to head USTA Player Development
7 USTA breaks ground at Lake Nona site
7 North Carolina sportswriter wins Tennis Media Award
7 PTR adds senior, junior educational programs
8 USTA presents awards at Annual Meeting
8 Sport Court named USPTA official 36, 60 court
8 World TeamTennis 40th season to start in July
8 Legendary coaches honored at Easter Bowl
10 Ad-In Bin collects used balls for recycling
10 Peoplewatch
10 Adidas introduces Y-3 Roland Garros Collection
12 Short Sets
JUNE 2015Tennis Industry
24 Basic TrainingDriving sales in your store often involves a
simple formula.
26 Advancing the CauseStay up to date on the latest racquet
technologies, frame materials and construction techniques. 28
Adding Years to Your LifeLong known as the sport for a lifetime,
tennis is the sport of a longer, healthier, more complete
lifetime.
30 Group SalesGoing after the team businesswhether for clubs,
leagues or schoolscan be a nice boost for your store.
34 Private EnterpriseThese residential winners are great
examples of tennis-court construction.
48 Building Champions of Character through Tennis
52 Tulanes Rick Dickson to Headline USPTA Awards Luncheon
54 Silent Auction Returns to World Conference
56 Magic Seven
p.28
p.30
2 TennisIndustry June 2015
p.41
FEATURES
p.26
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
p.34
-
Our Serve Publishers David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director Peter Francesconi
[email protected]
Associate Editor Greg Raven
Design/Art Director Kristine Thom
Special Projects Manager Bob Patterson
Contributing Editors Robin Bateman Cynthia Cantrell Kent Oswald
Cynthia Sherman Mary Helen Sprecher Tim Strawn
Contributing Photographers Bob Kenas David Kenas
TENNIS INDUSTRY Corporate Offices PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171 Email: [email protected]
Website: www.TennisIndustryMag.com Office Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8
a.m.-5 p.m. Advertising Director John Hanna 770-650-1102, x.125
[email protected] Apparel Advertising Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243 [email protected]
Tennis Industry is published 10 times per year: monthly January
through August and combined issues in September/October and
November/ December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, PO Box 3392,
Duluth, GA 30096. Periodcal postage paid at Duluth, GA and at
additional mailing offices (USPS #004-354). June 2015, Volume 43,
Number 6 2015 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rights reserved.
Tennis Industry, TI and logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in
the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation
and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S.,
$40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis Industry,
PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096. TI is the official magazine of the
USRSA, TIA,and ASBA.
Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/Racquet Sports
Industry? Visit the archives at our website at
TennisIndustrymag.com for free digital versions back to 2004.
One of the areas USTA President Katrina Adams has identified as
a huge oppor-tunity for tennis is with high school players. Right
now, there are an estimated 350,000 or more students who play on
h.s. teams, but the vast majority of them dont play beyond their
high school seasons.Fifteen years ago, the USTA did an
amazing job when it realized tennis was letting go of hundreds
of thou-sands of players who, after graduat-ing from high school,
had few or no opportunities to play tennis in col-lege. Thats when
the USTA created Tennis on Campus, one of the most successful
programs in this sport. TOC continues to grow and is now at nearly
680 colleges and universities, involving nearly 40,000
students.Now, Adams has recognized the
need to do more to keep h.s. tennis players engaged right now,
during their high school off-seasons. They already play tennis; we
should be able to find more ways to keep them playing year-round.
It helps every-one: the players, the school teams, local tennis
retailers and facilities, tennis manufacturers.To tackle this, the
USTA has cre-
ated a High School Task Force and, heres where it can get really
cool. One of the key people on this task force is Glenn Arrington,
the USTAs director of TSRs/High School/Ten-nis On Campus. Glenn
will never admit this (and Im sure hes cring-ing right now reading
this), but it was in large part his guidance start-ing in 2000 and
continuing today that truly drove TOC to be the fun, engaging,
tennis powerhouse it is. Glenn loves hearing about ideas to grow
tennisno matter where these ideas come fromand he lets people do
what they do best when it comes to growing this game.Of course, the
H.S. Task Force is
loaded with great talent, all with solid credentials when it
comes to growing this sport, including its chair, Mark Faber, a
tennis direc-tor, USPTA elite pro, and National Community Service
Award winner, among many other honors. Over the next few years,
expect
to hear much more from the High School Task Force. And Im sure
theyd welcome your thoughts, too, about how to keep high-school
players engaged and on the courts year-round.
Peter Francesconi, Editorial
[email protected]
The High School Push
4 TennisIndustry June 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
As we were finishing up this issue, we received some very sad
news. Mary Lloyd Hodges Barbera, the director of marketing,
membership & special events for USTA North Carolina, passed
away unexpectedly April 22, at age 49. Mary Lloyd was one of the
most amazing people Ive ever met, and a true joy to work with in
every wayalways with a ready smile, witty quip, encouraging words,
and always
advocating and pushing for tennis. When I think of an ideal
tennis per-sonand just a wonderful person overallMary Lloyd comes
to mind. Our hearts go out to her family, friends and colleagues at
USTA North Carolina. This sport, and all of us in it, will miss
her.
FR
ED
MU
LL
AN
E/C
AM
ER
AW
OR
K U
SA
-
The speculation on who would replace Patrick McEnroe at the helm
of USTA Player Development ended in early April when the USTA
tapped coach and former pro tour player Martin Blackman.As general
manager, Blackman will oversee the Player Devel-
opment staff and partner with the U.S. tennis community to
identify and develop the next generation of world-class Ameri-can
tennis players, the USTA said in a statement. Hell report to USTA
Executive Director and COO Gordon Smith.
Blackman will oversee both the USTAs Player Development staff
and Training Centersincluding its Regional Training Cen-ter network
and the Player Development facilities at the soon-to-be created
USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Fla.
As a junior player, Blackman trained with Nick Bollettieri
alongside future greats Andre Agassi and Jim Courier. He won the
USTA Boys 16s National Championship in 1986 and reached the Boys
18s final two years later, then went on to become a member of two
NCAA Championship teams at Stanford. He played on the ATP Tour from
1989 to 1995, reaching a career-high of No. 158.
Blackman was head mens tennis coach at American University in
1998, where he was named conference coach of the year three times.
In 2004, he became director of the Ju-nior Tennis Champions Center
in College Park, Md.
Blackman was hired by the USTA in 2009 as senior director of
talent identification and development. He left the USTA in late
2011 to found the Blackman Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Fla.
Blackman, who has an economics degree from George Washington
University, also served two terms on the USTA Board of Directors,
from 2003 to 2006.
June 2015 TennisIndustry 7
Industry NewsInformation to help you run your business
N.C. Sportswriter Wins2015 Tennis Media Award
Scott Fowler, a sports columnist for The Charlotte (N.C.)
Observer, is the winner of the 2015 Tennis Media Award, presented
by the TIA in conjunc-tion with the Nation-al Sportscasters and
Sportswriters Association (NSSA). Fowler will be recognized at the
NSSAs 56th annual Awards Week-end in Salisbury, N.C., June 6-8.
Fowlers story, which was published in August, is about his
attempts to return the serve of tour pro John Isner. A recreational
player, Fowler managed to get his racquet on two of the eight
serves Isner hit. For his winning entry, he will receive a cash
award and travel expenses to the NSSA Awards Weekend.
Two other journalists will re-ceive runner-up awards. Chuck
McGill of the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail, who won the inaugural
Tennis Media Award last year, is a runner-up in 2015 with his story
on a recreational player who delayed a critical transplant of his
stomach and intestines so he could play tennis, something doctors
told him he wont be able to do after the surgery. Another runner-up
is Jack Thompson, whose story about overly involved tennis parents
appeared in the PTRs TennisPro magazine.
PTR Expands EducationWith Senior, Junior Programs
The PTR is expanding its educational offerings with a new Senior
De-velopment Certi-fication pathway and Level 3 Junior Development
Program. By the end of 2015, PTR will have 1,000 hours of
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Martin Blackman to Head USTA Player Development
The USTA broke ground April 8 for what is now being called the
USTA National Campus at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla. The facility
will have more than 100 courts and is expected to be completed in
late 2016. It will house the USTAs Community Tennis and Player
Development divisions.
When completed, the facility will feature red and green clay
courts, hard courts, and youth tennis courts. The site, which will
be open to the public, also will house a collegiate tennis center
capable of hosting a number of college events and will serve as the
home for the University of Central Floridas mens and womens varsity
teams.
The groundbreaking was attended by senior USTA officials,
officials from Tavistock Group and Lake Nona, along with City of
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orlando Coun-ty Mayor Teresa Jacobs,
as well as a number of state and regional partners. The USTA
facility will serve as a cornerstone for Lake Nonas Sports
Innovation & Performance District, an athletic district with a
focus on research, design, innovation and technology.
USTA Breaks Ground in Florida
-
education available to its members.The Senior Development
Certification pro-
vides on-court training workshops to help coaches prepare for
teaching senior players. The Level 3 Junior Development Program is
for coaches who wish to progress their coaching skills and
knowledge beyond basic certification. Its the first program of its
kind in the U.S. that provides advanced coaching education from the
red to yellow court.
For more information, visit ptrtennis.org.
Sport Court Named USPTA Official 36 and 60 Courts
Connor Sport Court Internationals Sport Court is now the
official 36-foot and 60-foot court of the USPTA. In addition, CSCI
will also contribute a percentage of sales to participating members
USPTA Retirement Gold+ accounts on Sport Court purchases for their
clubs and facilities.
Industry News
Sport Court will provide the surface for the on-court
demonstrations at the 2015 USPTA World Conference in New Orleans in
September. Also, CSCI will donate two courts during the USPTAs
annual conven-tion: One will be donated to the USPTAs Division of
the Year award winner, and another will be donated to be sold at
the annual silent auction for the USPTA Foundation.
Sport Court is excited to partner with the worlds largest
association of tennis-teaching professionals, said Ron Cerny,
Connor Sport Court President and CEO. The USPTA is helping lead
the charge along with Sport Court to Reimagine Tennis, where their
members can teach longer and players can play tennis longer on
Sport Courts engineered safe sur-faces. Visit sportcourt.com. World
TeamTennis ProLeague To Start July 12
Mylan World TeamTennis announced the schedule for the 2015
season, which is highlighted by the return of world No. 1 Serena
Williams to WTT action for the first time since 2011. This summer,
Mylan WTT becomes only the fifth major professional team sports
league in the U.S. to reach the 40th season milestone when the
season kicks off on July 12.
The 52-match schedule runs July 12-29, with conference
championships scheduled for July 30 and the Mylan WTT Finals on
Aug. 2 on the home court of the Eastern Confer-ence Champion.
Williams will take the court on July 21 in Washington D.C. for
the defending Mylan WTT champion Washington Kastles, which are
looking to become the first team in league history to win five
consecutive titles. The Kastles lineup also includes returning
marquee players Martina Hingis and Venus Williams and American
standout Sam Querrey.
After finishing at the bottom of the standings in 2014, the
Boston Lobsters this year added world No. 7 Eugenie Bouchard. The
top-ranked doubles team in the world, Bob and Mike Bryan, will play
for the new Sacramento-based California Dream, and John Isner was
picked up by the Springfield Lasers. Visit WTT.com for the full
schedule and ticket info.
Legendary Coaches HonoredAt Team USA Coaching Event
Legendary tennis coaches Jimmy Evert, Dennis Van der Meer and
John Wilkerson were honored as Team USA Coaching Legends at the
second annual Team USA Coaching Awards reception held April 6 at
the ASICS Easter Bowl junior tourna-ment at the Indian Wells Tennis
Garden in California.
In addition, Lynn Nabors-McNally, coach and mother of 2014 USTA
National
8 TennisIndustry June 2015
USTA Presents Annual Awards
The USTA honored its annual award winners at the Annual Meeting
and Conference April 10-13 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in
Florida. The honorees were recognized for their dedication to
growing the game. Brad Parks Award: Harlon Matthews of
McDonough, Ga.The award honors an indi-vidual or organization
that has been instrumen-tal in the development of wheelchair tennis
around the world through playing, coaching, sponsoring or promoting
the game. The award was named after Brad Parks, a pioneer of
wheelchair tennis.
USTA NJTL Founders Service Award: MaliVai Washington of Ponte
Ve-dra, Fla.Created by USTA Diversity in 2011, the award recognizes
an individual NJTL chapter founder who is committed to positive
youth development through tennis and education and provides free or
low-cost tennis, education and life-skills programming to thousands
of underserved children each year.
USTA Member Organization of the Year: DC Department of Parks and
Recreation, Washington D.C.Instituted in 1981, this award
recognizes the outstanding services of a USTA member organization
through its commitment to the tennis community, the organizations
members and the game of tennis.
Ralph W. Westcott USTA Family of the Year Award: the Ponwith
Family of Scottsdale, Ariz.Created in 1965, the award emphasizes
the theme that Ten-nis is a Family Game and is given annually to
the family that has done the most to promote amateur tennis,
primarily on a volunteer basis.
Seniors Service Award: Connie Ebert of Abington, Pa.Established
in 1958, the award goes to the person most deserving of the respect
and honor of all senior players. It is awarded on the basis of the
recipients willingness, cooperation and participation, either in
play or organizational work, for the betterment and furtherance of
senior competition.
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
-
Industry News
June 2015 TennisIndustry 9www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Champions John and Caty McNally, was recognized as the 2014 Team
USA De-velopmental Coach of the Year, and the Tucker Tennis Academy
in Tulsa, Okla., was named the 2014 Team USA Devel-opmental Program
of the Year, part of USTA Player Developments Team USA initiative
to work collaboratively with developmental coaches and programs
across America.
Jimmy, Dennis and John have been synonymous with coaching
excellence for decades, and were honored to be able to recognize
them as Team USA Coaching Legends, said USTA Player Development
General Manager Patrick McEnroe. On top of that, Lynn and the team
at the Tucker Tennis Academy have done outstanding work this past
year and deserve to be acknowledged for setting such a high
standard for coaching success.
Oncourt Offcourt DistributesStart Rite Grip Trainer
The Start Rite Grip Trainer will now be distributed by Oncourt
Offcourt. Formerly distributed by another company as the Yippee
Grip Trainer, the training aid was invented by tennis industry
veteran Rod Schroeder.
This is the first racquet sport grip aid that is easy to use,
durable, and works quickly, Schroeder says. One of the big-gest
challenges for players and coaches is to start with the Continental
grip on the serve. All tennis players know that holding the right
grip allows for the fastest improvement. The Start Rite Grip
Trainer
-
PeopleWatch
Young American Frances Tia-foe has turned pro and signed with
the Roc Nation Sports agency.
Australian tennis great Thelma Coyne Long passed away April 14.
She was 96. Long captured her first major title in 1936 and her
last, an im-
pressive 22 years later, in 1958. Over that span, she won a
total of 19 Grand Slam tournament titles, including championships
in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. She was inducted into the
International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013.
Nicole Jeter West, the USTA
Managing Director of Ticket-ing and Digital Strategy, has been
named to Sports Busi-ness Journals 2015 Forty Under 40 list.
For the fifth time in six years, Tony Larson won the mens open
singles division at the $5,000 USPTA Indoor
Championships in March at the Racquet Club of Mem-phis. Ashley
Murdock of Memphis won the womens open singles division title.
Jason Joseph is the new tennis director at the Rhinebeck (N.Y.)
Tennis Club.
Industry News
10 TennisIndustry June 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
meets this challenge.The Start Rite Grip Trainer is
available
for under $3 each and sells in packs of one dozen. Visit
OncourtOffcourt.com or call 888-366-4711.
USOS Tix On Sale June 8 Tickets for the
2015 Emirates Air-line US Open Series go on sale across the
nation, begin-ning June 8. Now in its 12th season, the Series
serves as a true regular season
to make tennis more readily available to VA patients. With more
than 8 million veterans enrolled, VA operates the largest
integrated health care delivery system in the U.S.
The three-year partnership will include organizing tennis
clinics for VA medical facili-ties, linking VA medical facilities
with com-munity resources, and providing consulting and design
services for VA facilities inter-ested in upgrading or building
tennis courts. The USTA Foundation will support VA in the form of
coaching, instruction, equipment, use of courts and other technical
assistance needed to sustain a tennis clinic.
In addition, the USTA Foundation recently developed the Warrior
Tennis Curriculum, an electronic manual that provides
rehabilita-tion therapists, tennis professionals and vol-unteers
guidance through text, pictures and videos on how to use tennis as
a therapeutic option to help veterans stay fit and active.
For more information on facilitating or starting a program,
getting connected to a VA facility in your community, or to obtain
a copy of the Warrior Tennis Curriculum, contact
[email protected].
Ad-In Bin Collects Used Tennis Balls for Recycling
Retour Tennis introduces the Ad-In Bin, the first tennis ball
collection bin de-signed to attach directly to court fencing to
make recycling balls at public courts and clubs compelling and
easy. Designed with input from parks and rec staff for easy
maintenance and collection, the Ad-In Bin begins tennis ball
recycling at the source: When players walk off the court with balls
they will not play with again.
Discarded tennis balls enter American landfills at the rate of
up to 125 million a year, but there are now companies that grind up
balls to be recycled into alterna-
of hard court tennis, linking eight sum-mer tournaments to the
US Open.
The eight USOS tournaments run from July 27 to Aug. 29, stopping
in Atlanta; Stanford, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; To-ronto; Montreal;
Cincinnati; New Haven, Conn.; and Winston-Salem, NC.
To purchase tickets, and to find out more information on all the
tournaments, visit emiratesusopenseries.com
VA Partners WithUSTA Foundation
The USTA Foundation, the national chari-table organization of
the USTA, is partnering with the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA)
Adidas Introduces Y-3Roland Garros Collection
Adidas has introduced its Roland Garros Collec-tion by Y-3,
which will be worn at the French Open by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Ana
Ivanovic. The collection will also be worn by the tournaments ball
boys and girls.
The range includes functional accessories such as socks and
wristbands in classic Adidas designs, while footwear utilizes the
brands ultra-light Adizero concept, designed to maxi-mize clay
court use. The collections colorways are firmly rooted in the
classic Y-3 look, offering both Yohji Yamamotos signature stark
black-and-white as well as vivid, electric, ultra-bright Hawaiian
floral prints that reference Y-3s Spring/Summer 2015 collec-tion.
Visit adidas.com.
-
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Industry News
June 2015 TennisIndustry 11
tive surfaces, says Bill Dermody of Retour Tennis. The Ad-In
Bin, which hangs at eye level, installs in 10 minutes and adjusts
to fit any fencing. It can hold 200 balls and weighs 40 pounds when
full. The bottom swings open for easy ball collection, and the unit
unlocks and empties in sec-onds. It is made of a durable,
weather-resistant composite and is virtually maintenance-free.
For more infor-mation, visit retourtennis.com or call
608-218-3688.
USRSA Names New MRTs, CSs Master Racquet Technicians
Alex Belote - Springfield, MONathaniel Helmkamp - Big Rapids,
MINate Pagel - Berrien Springs, MIJohn Radcliffe - Chandler,
AZDaniel Rhoades - Springfield, MORJ Rumsey - Roswell, GADavid
Terzaghi - Big Rapids, MIKyle Wartick - Springfield, MO
Certified StringersSteven Rifkin - New York, NY
Support For Military Families ThanksUSA, in partnership with
USPTA,
is appealing to tennis professionals and enthusiasts to donate
or to host a fund-raising event to benefit ThanksUSA and its
mission of providing need-basedpost-secondary scholarships for
college, technical and vocational school to the children and
spouses of military men and women.
Visit uspta.com or ThanksUSA.org.
Correction to Stringers Digest Due to incomplete information
supplied to the USRSA for the 2015 edition of the Stringers Digest,
were printing here the correct specifications for the Tecnifibre T
Fight Dynacore frames. Please copy or cut out this informa-tion and
insert it into page 99 of the Stringers Digest.
-
12 TennisIndustry june 2015
Industry News
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
ShortSets
Following its 3-2 Fed Cup World Group Playoff loss to Italy in
April, the U.S. Fed Cup team will be relegated to World Group II
play for 2016. In the decisive doubles match, Serena Williams,
partnering for the first time with Alison Riske, lost to Sara
Erranni and Flavia Pennetta. It was Williams first loss in Fed Cup
singles or doubles; she now has a 17-1 record overall. The 2015 Fed
Cup final will be contested Nov. 14-15 between Russia and
de-fending champion Czech Republic.
The PTRs Wheelchair Tennis Championships has been designated an
International Tennis Fed-eration Grade A Junior Tournament. The
event is one of only seven events
in the world awarded this designation for 2015. Grade A events
offer more points than other Junior tourna-ments. The PTR
Wheel-chair Championships, which draws players of all level from
around the globe, has been on Hilton Head Island, S.C., for more
than 20 years and has seen the worlds best players compete. This
year, the event will be Oct. 1-4.
Cliff Drysdale Tennis has launched The Cliff Drysdale
Foundation, a donor-advised fund with a mission to pro-vide support
through the game of tennis to organizations and pro-grams that
enhance the lives and well-being of others.The Foundation will
raise funds through the tennis endeavors of Cliff Drysdale Tennis
and its partners.
Italian coffee compa-ny Lavazza has signed a multi-year
agreement to sponsor the French Open. Lavazza spon-sors Wimbledon
and recently signed to sponsor the US Open.
PlayYourCourt, which introduces tennis les-sons and programming
at dead or under-utilized facilities, has entered into a
partner-ship with the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section to grow the
accessibility of tennis throughout Maryland, Virginia, West
Virginia, and Washington D.C. The company says that with its
full-service software and nationwide staff of tennis professionals,
it makes tennis more accessible to players in their local
community.
Entrepreneur Maga-zine, in its March 2015
issue, has recognized TGA Premier Youth among its Top New
Fran-chises. The magazine makes its selections from companies that
have been franchising for the last five years. In related news, TGA
has estab-lished a second chapter in the Raleigh/Durham, N.C.
area.
The USTA has launched a nationwide online audition as part of
its ninth annual US Open casting call. A select number of
submis-sions will be chosen to participate in a call-back that will
be held at the Queens Theatre in Flush-ing Meadows Corona Park on
June 30, with those selected earning the chance to perform America
the Beauti-ful live in Arthur Ashe Stadium at the 2015 US Open.
Children 14 and under are eligible.
The ITF announced that the UNIQLO Wheelchair Doubles Masters
will continue to be held in Mis-sion Viejo, Calif., through 2016.
The 2015 event, which is the ITFs flagship wheelchair tennis
doubles tourna-ment, will be at the Marguerite Tennis Pavilion Nov.
3-7. The season-ending event currently features the worlds top
eight mens pairs, top six womens pairs and top four quad pairs.
Gamma Sports continued its spon-sorship of Tennis Recruiting
Network by becoming the title sponsor of "Count-down to Signing
Day" and "Signing Week" fea-tured content areas of TRNs
website.
U.S. Pros Attend Cardio Tennis Trainer Summit
Thirty select tennis and fitness professionals from across the
U.S. took part in the Cardio Tennis Trainer Summit in April, held
at the IMG Academy in Braden-ton, Fla. At the two-and-a-half-day
event, attendees learned the skills and knowledge required to be a
TIA Cardio Tennis Trainer.
We trained the trainers, said TIA Cardio Tennis Manager Michele
Krause. These 30 tennis and fitness professionals are qualified to
deliver official Cardio Tennis education to tennis and fitness
professionals around the country, so that those pros can bring
quality Cardio Tennis programs to con-sumers and players.
The CT Summit kicked off with a welcome from IMG Acad-emy
founder and tennis Hall-of-Famer Nick Bollettieri. Then David
Thompson of Polar USA talked to the group about the use of
heart-rate monitors for Cardio Tennis participants, to make sure
theyre receiving maximum benefit from their on-court activity.
Over the course of the weekend, the CT Trainers were coached and
evaluated on feeding technique, delivery of Car-
dio Tennis games, warm-up and cool-down activities, as well as
personal fitness. Other speakers included Cassiano Costa, the head
tennis fitness trainer at IMG; Jeff Smith from Rapid Force; and
Krause.
Also during the weekend, there was a Cardio Tennis Tri-ples
tournament, in which 36 professionals participated. In addition,
there were TRX Cardio Tennis workouts and IMG protocol pro training
sessions.
The third day of the Summit included a seven-hour Cardio Tennis
course delivered to 45 participants by multiple mem-bers of the CT
Trainer Team.
"It was an incredible weekend of learning, bonding, team-work
and personal growth, Krause said. The members of the TIA Cardio
Tennis Team are the best in the business, and their passion and
energy over the weekend was off the charts. As an educational team,
we are now that much stronger and evolved to continue providing
some of the very best education in the tennis industry.
For more about Cardio Tennis, including training for tennis
providers, visit CardioTennis.com.
-
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Improving ParticipationIn the May issue, I enjoyed reading many
terrific thoughts and sug-gestions concerning how we can improve
tennis participation levels. For me, three concepts in particu-lar
are interconnected and crucial toward increasing the popularity of
tennis.
First, in Our Serve, Peter Fran-cesconi suggested we need to get
out there more. We must reach people who are not currently or have
never played tennis. Most ten-nis communications are to current
players, which will never result in acquiring unique players.
Second, in the Tennis Summit summary (Industry Addresses Major
Issues and Concerns), Tom Cove of the SFIA was quoted as say-ing,
Parents want a good experi-ence for the whole family when it comes
to recreation. He is spot on. All people love their families and
want activities they can do together. The message that people
should play tennis as a family could resonate with millions of
parents, grandparents and siblingsif they were to get the
message.
Third, Ellen Millers Your Serve piece discusses the impor-tance
of using low-compression balls to help players rally, which is
essential for player development. But the value of rallying goes
further than that. Rallying is what makes every racquet sport fun.
Time spent playing versus pick-ing up balls is a decisive factor in
determining whether new players stick with tennis, and using
low-compression balls can make all the difference.
If we were to do a better job of reaching the non-tennis playing
public with the message that they
Letters could enjoy tennis as a family, and that using
low-compression balls will help them rally and have fun, we could
create an upsurge in the number of people who get hooked on
tennis.
Kevin Theos Tennis Service Rep, Alabama
Appreciates String InfoI enjoyed the excellent article by Bob
Patterson (The Evolution of Poly Strings) in the May issue. It did
a great job of clearly explaining string types and benefits, as
well as pitfalls for each.
It can be a struggle to work with customers in matching their
game to strings they will be happy playing with. I avoid getting
overly technical and confusing, and the concise info from this
article discusses each type in a manner that all can easily
ap-preciate. The illustration was also an excellent visual to
demonstrate ball and string interaction.
Keep up the great work!Ken Fisher
Cleveland, OH
Getting Pros Up to DateEllen Millers Your Serve was right on. A
great tennis player feeding balls to students does not make a good
teacher. I call it pro-centered teach-ing, vs. student-centered
teaching.
I am a USPTA elite-level pro who recently left the industry,
disillu-sioned with club owners who require only that their "pros"
be great players. Sure, that doesn't hurt, but there is so much
more that should be required. When will the USPTA, PTR and USTA
send representatives to each club in the country and sell them on
the value of having a certified teaching pro at least lead their
classes?
I've seen many head pros at clubs who, while they may be great
players, have no teaching credentials, don't go to conferences,
don't get involved with
local USTA initiatives, and basically teach the same way they
were taught. Sometimes decades ago. Schoolteach-ers don't enter the
class unprepared and without up-to-date information and neither
should tennis teachers.
Please, follow what Ellen wrote about and keep this subject
going. Maybe some of the independent, family-owned clubs will pay
attention.
Chris Sanford, USPTA Toledo, Ohio
I enjoyed and totally agree with El-len Millers Your Serve in
the May issue.
Nigel ORourkeDirector of Tennis
Toscana Country ClubIndian Wells, Calif.
Wisdom of Lessons PastIm writing to say how much I liked Mark
Reardens column in the April issue, Respecting the Wisdom of a
Lesson Taught Years Ago. Not only was it well-written, but Rearden
tells a great story and makes an excellent point.
I had a similar experience as a col-lege student in the 1980s,
working as a summer counselor at the Allen Fox Tennis Camp at
Pepperdine. Like Reardens friend, Mr. Charlie For-tune, Dr. Fox
consistently revealed hidden truths that still astonish me with
their profound simplic-itytruths I still share with my own students
today.
I love a good memoir, and it frus-trates me that most tennis
magazines don't publish much of it anymore. Bravo.
Keith Hayes, USPTA. Marin County, Calif.
We welcome your opinions and com-ments. Please email them to
[email protected].
June 2015 TennisIndustry 13
Industry News
-
The 2015 T.O.M. Conference and Summit were wonderful events that
were informative and engaging, with an A list of industry speakers
and attendees. These events were examples of how all of us in the
tennis industry must work together and share information to promote
our amazing sport and spread the benefits of playing tennis. Hats
off to the TIA! Jeff Gocke, COO, TennisCT
Thank you for putting on such a wonderful conference. The
sessions I attended were educational and informative. During the
breaks I was able to make a number of connections, develop business
contacts and renew friendships. Clark Corey, Director of Tennis,
Carmel Valley Ranch I cannot thank the TIA enough for organizing
the Tennis Owners & Managers Conference. I also attended the
one a year ago in Charleston, S.C. Both were terrific, with the
opportunity to meet others in the industry who have similar
challenges, to meet executives with the various companies and to
hear leaders in the field express their opinions on everything
tennis. It was time and money well spent. Terry Ward, Manager,
Frontenac Racquet Club, St. Louis, Mo.
I am so glad I went to the T.O.M. Conference. It was very well
organized, the topics were well thought out and the seminars were
well planned. It was so informative because there were so many
great speakers who shared their experiences and opinions. As a
tennis facility manager, I am thankful for TIA for putting this
event together. Bram Sada, Manager, Cerritos Tennis Center,
California
The conference did a great job of bringing several strong
operators that provided expertise and perspectives that were of
great value to what we are trying to accomplish with GreatLIFE!
Next year I will be bringing several members of our team, because
what I learned this year will make us better both operationally and
financially.Tom Walsh, GreatLIFE Malaska Golf & Fitness Clubs,
South Dakota
The TIA should be applauded. This no-nonsense T.O.M. Conference
is a must for anyone who cares about the business of tennis. Topics
and speakers are highly relevant and encompass critical areas. Of
course, networking opportunities abound. The conference has
successfully created an environment and informal settings where you
can meet and chat with industry giants. Simply stated, The T.O.M.
is good for tennis! Ajay Pant, General Manager, College Park Tennis
Club, Maryland
What Theyre Saying About The 2015 T.O.M. Conference
14 TennisIndustry June 2015 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your
Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
The second annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.)
Conference played to an engaged and connected audience in Indian
Wells, Calif., in March. The two-day conference, which started
immediately after the TIA Tennis Summit, featured top tennis and
business speakers and consultants, along with a number of tennis
facility owners and managers who spoke on panels, in breakouts, and
in working sessions. T.O.M. Conference attendees also spent an
evening at the BNP Paribas Open pro tournament.
The feedback on this years T.O.M. Conference has been very
positive, said TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. The tennis
club and facility owners and managers, and other tennis providers
who attended the event, have all been commenting about how useful
the presentations,
seminars and workshops have been, in addition to the opportunity
to network and share information and best practices.
The event included a Resource Center where attendees could
connect with companies
and organizations. We also had legal experts, technology
consultants, compensation and staffing experts, retail experts and
more, de Boer added. Our T.O.M. Conference Advisory CommitteeDoug
Cash, Rod Heckelman, Greg Lappin and Mark
McMahonput together a terrific lineup that covered the bases for
club owners and managers.
The TIA is making plans for next years T.O.M. Conference to be
in Miami during the 2016 Miami Open.
2nd Annual T.O.M. Conference Educational and Informative
Key Stats Presented At The T.O.M. Conference Average number of
participants
in intro/beginner programs is 41, which is down from 57 in
2009.
Average age of tennis teaching pros: 51. Industry needs to get
more under-30s and women into the teaching profession.
Retention rate following beginner programs is 61%, which is
quite high.
The average tennis teaching pro works 44 hours a week. 65% of
pros work over 40 hours a week.
The average income per court is $33,000, which is up 12%.
Court fees have declined from $25 to $21.
On the positive side, the number of members leaving clubs has
decreased.
Owners and managers should explore incentives for pros that grow
activity, not just book private lessons. At facilities, emphasize
growing the game, not just coaching it.
Advisory panel (from left): Rod Heckelman, Greg Lappin, Mark
McMahon, Doug Cash, with TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
-
Ted Robinson; Sportscaster, Tennis Channel, NBC
Embrace techn1ologyit will bring more people into the sport.
Look at different ways to introduce tennis to kids. Every facility
should have the Tennis Channel on TV.
Bahram Akradi, Founder & President, Life Time Fitness
Tennis is the least productive square footage of the club, but
tennis members stick around, are loyal, social and spend two to
three times as much as other types of customers at the club. Tennis
members are the most valuable members. Dedication to people and
senior management is crucialtake care of them so they take care of
the customers.
Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, USTA Community Tennis
It is harder to get kids off their digital devices and into
sports. Free play is non-existent; every kid is over-scheduled. The
tennis player base is aging. We have senior players covered but
still have work to do with getting youngsters into the game.
Millennial parents are looking for sports that better fit into
modern family lifestyles: social, fun, local, shorter time. Are we
listening to the marketplace?
John Embree, CEO, USPTA Everyone, including the club
owners/managers, has an obligation to emphasize the importance of
continuing education for tennis teachers.
Dan Santorum, CEO, PTR A very small percentage of college tennis
players want to teach/coach tennis as a profession. Its imperative
to reach the kids earlier, in high school, about considering tennis
as a profession.
Paul Lubbers, PhD, USTA Senior Director of Coaching Education
& Performance
Weve got to be better at selling tennis, not just the clinics or
leagues, but selling tennis as a lifestyle, as a way to better your
family. There is movement toward licensing [tennis teachers] for
youth providers, not just from an education perspective but also
from a safety/background-check perspective, because the marketplace
demands it.
Peter Burwash, Founder & President, Peter Burwash
International
The characteristics of good leaders are: enthusiasm, great
creativity, expand horizons, empathy, appreciation. In the resort
business, many people in the last seven years have moved from golf
to tennis due to the time factor and cost. The strongest leaders
are lifetime learners.
Nick Bollettieri, Hall-of-Famer, Coaching Legend
Keep your mission top of mind at all times. You cant be afraid
to failits critical to success.
Matthew Stevens, President & CEO, The Bay Club Company
Bring in youngsters through internships from high schools and
colleges, both on court and on the business side.
Greg Lappin, Industry Consultant Were in the lifestyle change
business, not the tennis business. A team that is aligned, skilled
and informed will produce the desired results.
Dr. Jim Loehr, Human Performance Institute Health and happiness
enable high performance. Health ignites performance. Take cues from
John Wooden, one of the greatest coaches: Seek opportunities to
show you care. The smallest gestures often make the biggest
difference. Happiness begins with selfless deeds. The No. 1
predictor of engagement is the perception that the coach cares
about the player as a person. Repurpose your teams mission away
from individual performance to focus on helpingthe team.
Lin Conrad, CEO, California Clubs of Distinction
Be aware of independent contractor vs. employee
statusindependent contractor status may not be legal in many
instances. Stay on top of the number of hours employees and
independent contractors work per week. Too many may open you up to
legal action. Make sure appropriate working conditions and breaks
are provided.
Doug Cash, Owner, Cash Flow Tennis The No. 1 staff job
description is to grow the game. Tennis is a try and buy productget
people to try it, and hold their hand while they try it. Get rid of
guest fees; it will increase guest traffic 15 to 20 percent. Offer
special pricing for members to bring guests.
Dr. Gerry Faust, Founder & President, Faust Management
Group
Manage separately and distinctly for short and long term. Have
two separate and distinct plans, as well as two separate meetings
every monthone for operations and one for strategy. Most of the
problems we work to solve every day are symptoms, not problems.
Customer needs are the rock. Most organizations are too busy
playing whack a moleknocking down day-to-day administrative issues
and problems, which takes away from focusing on customer needs.
Change your mission statement every two to three years or it just
becomes wallpaper that everyone ignores. Make it relevant or
business will stagnate.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . .
. www.TennisIndustry.org June 2015 TennisIndustry 15
Nick Bollettieri
T.O.M. Conference Takeaways
Programming That Works Its important to lower barriers to entry
and
get customers playing as fast as possible. Jorge Andrew,
Director of Tennis Operations, Lexington County, S.C.
Stop selling lessons and clinics and start selling a lifestyle.
Over 75% of kids drop out of activities if they only play once a
week; we need to get them playing at least twice a week. Simon
Gale, Director of Tennis, Yonkers Tennis Center
Lets start marketing tennis with a focus on fun, fitness and
forever, rather than on lessons and clinics. Facebook is a great
lead generator. Jeff Gocke, COO, Tennis CT
The value of tennis to peoples lives is greater than the game
itself it helps encourage a healthy lifestyle. Lets make tennis
less complicated. Tom Walsh, Chairman, Dakota King
Ted RobinsonDr. Jim Loehr
Lin Conrad
Dr. Gerry Faust
David LaSota, Richard Zaino, Randy Futty
-
One Tool, Many UsesBy Bob Patterson
Racquet Tech
16 TennisIndustry June 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Whether you are a novice stringer or a seasoned veteran, one
tool that is second only to the stringing machine itself is the
starting clamp. Obviously, it is a great tool to start the
stringing process, but it has even more uses that can help
stringers do their job. Lets look at a few of the most commonly
used.
StartingThis one seems obvious, but I am always surprised at
workshops and other places to see so many technicians who do not
use a starting clamp to start. Utilizing only the fixed clamps on
the machine is certainly acceptable, but using a starting clamp is
easier and faster. The most common way is to simply place the clamp
on the string outside the frame. With the clamp resting against the
frame, tension is pulled (photo 1). My preferred method is to place
the clamp on the center string (or second string if your machine
mount is in the way) and pull tension for the first string on the
adjacent string (2). This allows for pulling tension on each string
only once, whereas the common method requires pulling the first
string twice (once to apply tension and then again in the opposite
direction to remove the starting clamp). The starting clamp can
also be utilized to back up your ma-chine clamps. This is
especially useful if your clamps dont have great holding power or
if youre using a rather high tension (3).
Starting CrossesThe starting clamp can be used instead of the
starting knot on a two-piece string job (4), as we talked about in
our Racquet Tech segment in the April issue.
Around-the-World or Box PatternsWhen using these pat-terns, you
will often find the need to clamp off two strings on the same side
of the racquet (5). A starting clamp is the only way to go. I have
actually seen technicians utilize two starting clamps plus the
machine clamps on some patterns that require special tie-offs that
required three strings to be clamped on one side.
Bridge or JumperI have heard it referred to by both names, but
whichever you choose, it can be a life-saver (or at least a job
saver) if you find yourself coming up a bit short in string length.
By placing a piece of scrap string through the eyelets on the clamp
to form a loop around the clamp (6), the clamp allows for instant
string extension to your machines tension head (7). If you have an
extra clamp, you can leave it set up for this to make rescues even
quicker. A piece of tubing protects the string as it passes through
the clamp eyelets.
So, even if you dont use it for its intended purpose, the
starting clamp is an invaluable tool. As with all your tools, make
sure you invest in a good one with strong springs and a quality jaw
surface. Otherwise, when you apply tension the clamp is likely to
become a flying object that does nothing to help you get the job
done.
1. Common starting clamp starting position.
2. Alternate starting clamp starting position.
3. Starting clamp position as back up for machine clamp.
4. Starting clamp used for starting crosses in lieu of a
starting knot.
5. Starting clamp used in around-the-world pattern.
6. Starting clamp and a piece of scrap string create a bridge
when strings come up a bit short. Tubing helps protect the
string.
7. Starting clamp bridge allows tension to be applied to strings
too short to reach the tension head.
-
I was conducting a webinar recently and hammering away on one of
our themesabout making it easy to buy from your locally owned
specialty retailer, while at the same time making it easy to sell
for your storewhen a question popped into my head: Why is it so
hard to keep it simple?
I waited for an attendee to ask it, and although no one brought
it up, it stuck in my head. Local specialty retail is the very
heart of small business and small, family-owned retailers in the
U.S. You would think keeping it simple would beshould berelatively
easy. But too often, the opposite it true. Why is it so hard to
keep it simple? Why is it so hard to make it easy in specialty
retail?
Product MixOur experience in the specialty bicycle, outdoor and
tennis channels have uncovered the same issues relative to the
simplicity of the retail process. First and foremost is the product
portfo-lio that determines what models and stock-keeping-units
(SKUs) your store stocks and you educate and train you and your
staff to sell day-in and day-out.
There should be only one final authority when comes to what
models and SKUs go into your product port-folioyou! Allow staff
input and seek input from your best customers and sales reps, but
the final authority is the person who writes the checks.
Be clear and concise in the models and SKUs you select. Strive
for a simple Good, Better, Best selection that, wher-ever possible,
provides logical steps in value, features and price for your
cus-tomers, is easy to understand and sell, and returns a fair
profit to your store.
For some models, you may want to stretch to a four-step spread,
adding
one SKU to the mix, but do this only after careful consideration
and make sure you run the numbers and create carefully thought-out
sales forecasts for each and every SKU.
Remember, it isnt your job to make money for your sales reps and
suppliers. It is their job to help your store make a fair profit.
If they dont agree, you need to do some sorting and supplier
selection.
What too often happens is one brand or one sales rep does their
job better than the others, and they end up selling you or your
buyer on the merits of stocking a broader selection with more
inventory commitment, which ties up your open-to-buy and cuts down
your inventory turnover and your gross margin return on investment.
This may work for them, but it has to be a win-win-win for your
store, your customers, and you and your staff.
Displays and SignageNext is merchandising and display, including
signage. The same principles apply here: There is one final
author-ityyou, the store owner. You may want to seek help with
merchandising and display and signage, but its not your suppliers
final responsibility, nor do they have final authority as to what
your store displays and how it is coordinated
This is part of a series of retail tips presented by the Tennis
Industry Association and written by the Gluskin Townley Group
(www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
with your Good, Better, Best product portfolio. The guiding
principle is, if its in this seasons product portfolio, it goes on
display supported by back stock and intelligent, well-thought-out
signs and price cards.
Finally education and training. With a simple product portfolio,
it is also simple to craft displays and signage that easily point
out and explain product step-up features and price/value
differences. It all becomes part of a simple, straightforward
storythat you and your staff will find easy to un-derstand, commit
to and tell over and over again to shoppers and customers.
I think we sometimes lose sight of how much more profitable
simple and easy is, or can be, because the consumer-dominated
digital world, including the growing complexity of our supply
chain, keeps wanting a piece of the action that is going on in your
specialty retail store. But it is possible to keep it simple and
make it easy and profitable.
Why is Simple So Hard?By Jay Townley
Retailing 138
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com18
TennisIndustry June 2015
-
W ith summer around the corner, many of us will step up our
outdoor activities and increase sun exposure. The blue skies and
warmer weather mean tennis tour-naments, day camps, morning
leagues, round-robins and drills with students and members of all
ages.
As temperatures rise and the sun gets higher in the sky, it
should be an auto-matic reminder to grab the sunscreen and lotion
up. But the truth is, we should pursue sun protection all year
round, not just in summer.
According to The Skin Cancer Foun-dation, 5 million Americans
are treated for skin cancer annually, with more new cases reported
than combined incidences of prostate, lung, colon and breast
cancers. Think skin cancer is reserved for those over the age of
50? Think again. From 1973 to 2009, pedi-atric melanoma averaged a
2 percent increase per year.
As facility managers and tennis coaches, we should add the sun
protec-tion lecture to our lesson plans. After all, tennis players
find themselves in the sun during the course of an entire weekend.
The tennis court isnt exactly sun-protection friendly
(although,
to fabric, look for clothing with a higher Ultraviolet
Protection Fac-tor, or UPF. A shirt with a UPF of 30 means the
fabric allows only 1/30th of the suns harmful UVA and UVB rays to
penetrate the skin. If the fabric says SPF, that means protection
against UVB only. A number of tennis apparel manufacturers make
clothing de-signed to block UVA and UVB rays. Look for garments
with a high UPF rating, such as 40 or 50 and above.
Players and spectatorsand tennis teaching prosshould also use
wide-brimmed hats, UV protection sunglasses, umbrellas, towels and
Frogg Toggs to help aid them in their fight against skin cancer.
Remember, typical baseball-style hats provide no sun protection for
the ears and neck, which are particularly vulnerable and often
overlooked.
Also keep in mind, standing near surfaces like water or glass
can increase the intensity of exposure because UV rays bounce off
these surfaces.
Pro shop owners should keep a well-stocked shelf of
water-resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 30. Dont forget to add
umbrellas, hats and UPF clothing.
Its not just your players who are at risk, but tennis pros and
coaches, parents, fans and spectators, too. Keep the products handy
that will keep them out on the courts longer.
Shady Dealings
Your Players
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Keep your players, and your teaching pros, healthy and on the
courts by offering products to protect from the sun. By Robin
Bateman
as much as possible, you should have shaded areas near and
between courts). Its not only on court when your skin is at risk,
before the match or practice, on the trip in the car, your skin
takes a hit. UVA rays can pass through glass.
Players arent the only ones who should practice sun protection.
Coaches and spectators need to protect their skin, too. The nature
of tennis doesnt allow everyone to avoid the sun from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m., as guidelines suggest. So, what can we do?
Sunscreen: Skincancer.org recom-mends using a broad spectrum
water resistant SPF 30. You should apply 30 minutes prior to
exposure and reap-ply every two hours. Sunscreen is a must, says
Huntley Sanders, a physi-cian assistant at Georgia Dermatology and
Skin Cancer Clinic. If youre rid-ing in your car, walking to your
mail-box, you need sunscreen. And not just in summer, adds Sanders.
You should wear sunscreen every day, regardless of weather or the
season.
Coaches can really impact players habits in this area. Virginia
Lane, a 25-year-old coachs assistant, makes a show of putting it on
in front of the
8 & Under kids in her program. I never hit the court before
reapplying, she tells the kids as she slaps it on her cheeks.
Clothing: While SPF is used to rate sunscreen lotions, when it
comes
Comparison Between UPF and SPF Ratings This chart is from the
American Melanoma Foundation (www.melanomafoundation.org).UV
Protection Rating %UV BlockedVery Good UPF 25, 30, 35 96.0% -
97.4%Very Good SPF 25, 30 96.0% - 97.4%Excellent UPF 40, 45, 50+
97.5% - 98.0%Excellent SPF 30+ 97.5%
20 TennisIndustry June 2015
-
Getting the Word Out in Todays World
Facility Management
22 TennisIndustry June 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
We would all agree that commu-nication to club members as well
as among staff is crucial. Research has shown that it takes between
10 and 30 touches of communication be-fore people respond to an
advertisement. Knowing this stat, at our club, we publicize our
events multiple times in several differ-ent forms.
First, we publish an events calendar with all the events for the
season. Every mem-ber of the club receives the calendar. Then, we
personally create fliers and posters for each upcoming event. The
fliers are posted
By Holly Chomyn
on the event bulletin boards inside the pro shop and on the
outside patio. Fliers are also displayed on tabletop easels on the
patio tables. We make mini fliers, which are smaller 5.5- by
4.25-inch ver-sions, as take-home reminders, as well as Save the
Date fliers that advertise events specific to the month.
We purchased a printer designed to print 24- by 36-inch posters.
We display our framed posters on easels next to the water stations
and walkways. We also send out email blasts weekly. We person-ally
call new members to invite them as
well as members who have previously come out to events. Our pros
spread the word in their lessons and clinics.
All this may seem like overkill, but we still have members who
say, I didnt know anything about it.
Recently, we started two new ap-proaches to get the word out.
One is to produce a promo video of an upcom-ing event starring our
members. Once they get talking about being in the video, the word
seems to get around quickly. People come out to watch the filming
and are excited about the event. It seems to stir more personal
interest and camaraderie among the members. It also seems that
people will look at a video clip with more interest than reading
about it.
Another new communication approach we are using is the private
social media app called Clubster. Clubster is a social media
network for private country clubs where all com-munications stay
within the club and do not go out onto the internet. Mem-bers can
exchange information within small groups or they can reach out to
other members within the network. Staff members are also using it
to com-municate with each other and across departments. It is a
faster, easier way to communicate using mobile devices.
It seems we will always struggle making every member aware of
our events, but by using calendars, emails, posters, fliers,
videos, word of mouth and social media, we can say we have our
bases covered.
Holly Chomyn is the Head Tennis Professional at the Bonita Bay
Club in Bonita Springs, Fla. She is a USPTA Master Professional,
USRSA Master Racquet Technician and a USTA High Performance
Coach.
-
24 TennisIndustry June 2015
Retailing Success
Basic Training Driving sales in your store often involves a
simple formula.By Kent Oswald
Whether trying to improve ones game or shortcut a path to
greater sales, it is easy to get caught up in the excite-ment of
the search for the secret or the new. However, as a brief roundup
of recent retail success stories suggests, the recipe for success
often is rooted in the more mundane: Execute the basics.
Be Open to Opportunities In St. Paul, Minn., Tennis on Selby has
been the sports sole independent outpost on the citys east side for
about five years. Owner Deb Irvine welcomes both the hardcore and
non-traditional tennis customer into
her 1,000-square-foot shop with a no-pressure atmosphere that
encourages active browsing for some customers and just gathering to
watch the televised tennis for others.
That approach attracted a local Vietnamese man who saw a need
for community building and organized tennis play. On a day soon
after the roll-out of the Babolat AeroPro Drive Play, he walked
into the store while Irvine was experimenting with
the racquet. His intrigue led to hitting with it, buying it and
then introducing it throughout his network. That introduc-tion has
led not just to increased string, shoe and accessories sales, but
specifically to the vending of repeated shipments of Aero Pros and
a level of customer engagement that serves as a conduit of her
stores principles to his network.
Testimony of the bridge that has been built comes directly from
Irvine, who remembers, Several of my customers were anxiously
awaiting their Play racquets and could see that they were available
from one of the online retailers immediately. My shipment was stuck
in the work slowdown on the West Coast, but because they value
having a local tennis shop here in town, they waited until my stock
arrived to make their purchase.
Listen to Your Customers Jan Davids original plan for Tennis R
Us, southwest Floridas largest tennis specialty shop as of their
2014 move, was to allocate floor space and inventory evenly among
all manufacturers. Before opening the Bonita
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
-
June 2015 TennisIndustry 25
Springs store, I bought equally from all [and] was some-what
rooting for smaller brands, he says. The idea was to let his
customers choose what they wanted in a marketing-neutral
environment.
Choose they did, zeroing in on Babolat racquets, and causing
some rethinking: If Babolat did so well without full support, David
says, it was time to get behind the brand. He embraced more
opportunities to take advan-tage of the marketing support they
offered, and, today, while major and some smaller manufacturers all
have their wall space, it is the Babolat line that consistently
increases its presence in Davids store, satisfies his growing
customer base, and adds to the bottom line.
Have and Convey Faith in the Products You Sell Paradoxical to
the advice to trust cus-tomers is the need to build trust with a
sales rep and convey faith in a product to players. That is one
lesson to learn from Jeff Hawes, director of tennis at
the New Orleans Country Club, whose rep was enthusias-tic when
introducing Dunlops Black Widow co-poly string a few years ago.
Hawes experience playtesting was as positive as he had been led to
believe, which meant a strong order when it became available.
We started off recommending the 16 gauge to keep it from
breaking, says Hawes. Members loved it up until about the last 20
to 25 percent of the strings life. He began stringing more racquets
with the 17 gauge (often in com-bination with the companys S-Gut
strings), which wore out slightly sooner and avoided giving players
that dead string experience.
Because of the nature of the club, Hawes is careful to avoid
seeming to sell the strings. A favored story is of how he went out
for a lesson with one of the better hitting men and made the
suggestion that not hitting quite as flat might help keep a few
more balls in play and help his game. The player demoed the Black
Widow string, came back to Hawes, closed the office door and asked
that all his racquets be strung anew and that Hawes stop selling
the string to anyone else.
We let members play with it and go from there, Hawes says, a
strategy that took a new string from a trusted rep to the best
selling string for players who trusted a recommen-dation enough to
try it for themselves.
Talk Honestly with the Sales Reps You Trust Chuck Ellis,
co-owner of Chuck & Mikes Tennis in Louisville, Ky., has been
an enormous advocate of Asics shoesso
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
much so that he lets them crowd out other brands in his other
outlets, which also serve as a source for non-playing customers
referred to the shoes by local podiatrists. But when Asics first
introduced the BZ100 racquet, Ellis was no fan. He remembers the
prototype as a dull-looking stick without shelf pres-ence, and he
did not shrink from sharing the impression or feedback about what
he believed would work in his store. If [a customer is] going to
spend $200 on a racquet, he says, it has to look nice.
But when he looked at the BZ100 Asics ended up putting into
production, he saw that his (and presumably others) styling
recommendations had been noted. To his eyes it had been given a
rich look, with a throat piece that stands out and inspires
customers to touch it. Ellis was so impressed with the look and
play that he highlighted the racquet as part of the stores demo
programcustomers can try a new racquet for a week at a time over a
two-month periodand also features it in the middle of the wall. The
combination of it all has taken the BZ100 to the second best
selling racquet in his store. The racquet isnt yet quite as
successful for the store as the shoes, which Ellis says he no
longer brings out at the end to close a shoe sale, but as part of
the first batch to save himself time, but it is a large step
forward from his initial disappointment.
Sell Products that Mesh with Your Stores Expertise and Customer
Expectations New Jerseys Tao Tennis Shops owner Gerald Sarmiento
sells his store as a place to fine-tune a stick off the wall and
get you
the right racquet. As a result, the brand promise of Dunlops
iDapt racquet line with its built-in customizing features was a
perfect complement to what the store was already providing two
large niches of customers, the more demanding adults and
high-performance kids.
Playtesting convinced Sarmiento and his staff of the iDapts
quality. Its conception as a product quickly de- and recon-structed
helped Tao by reducing the amount of time it took to individualize
the racquets for demos. This in turn made for easier comparisons
not just within but across brands during the week customers were
given as part of the racquet demo program.
Additionally, being able to change grip size instead of buying
new racquets when a childs hand grew was a big selling point for
parents making large investments in their childs develop-ment.
Those selling points, as well as in-store marketing and merchandise
displays to create conversations about the new product, resulted in
an estimated eight of 10 players choos-ing an iDapt over other
companies product when purchasing from Tao in the first months
after going on sale, as well as one of its hottest launches for a
new product and continuing strong sales.
-
26 TennisIndustry June 2015
Racquet Technologies
Advancing the Cause Stay up to date on the latest racquet
technologies, materials and construction techniques.By Bob
Patterson
It seems that everything in our lives is driven by technology.
Racquets are no exception. While revo-lutionary advances like the
Babolat Play racquets or the Sony Smart Sensor scream technology,
there are many other subtle advances in racquets. Manufacturers
continue to seek out new materials and
construction techniques to improve racquets. They are also
constantly tweaking the designs and integration between the frame
and string bed to give player better feel and better
performance.
These changes seem to come at a pace that makes it difficult for
retailers to keep up. As part of our effort to make sure the USRSA
Master Racquet Technician program exemplifies the highest standard
of professionalism in racquet service, every MRT is required to
complete an annual update test to ensure they are keeping up with
the latest technologies introduced in the industry. (Visit
USRSA.com for more information about certification.)
Here is a list of the latest technologies being introduced,
along with a brief description provided by the manufacturers.
BABOLATFrame String Interaction Technology (FSI)New frame
technology that provides a tighter stringing pattern in the
redefined sweetspot area (slightly higher than the tradi-tional
center of a racquet), along with an optimized woofer
system, to offer more control and consistency on all
strokes.
DUNLOPiDaptA revolutionary frame technology that allows players
to choose how their frame feels, plays and even looks. Players are
able to choose their head size and look, followed by their feel,
which is driven by the Shock Sleeve, available in firm, me-dium and
soft feels. From there the player chooses their grip size and
handle length. The dealer assembles the racquet in minutes. iDapt
allows 432 different combinations to be built from just 12 racquet
heads.
GAMMAAdvanced Aerodynamic Cross SectionAerodynamic frame shape
reduces air resistance and allows easier maneu-verability. Also
gives the perfect amount of flex in the head to store power for
maximum ball speed.Recessed Bumper GuardBumper system built into
the frame for a seamless blend with frame. This prevents less drag
and faster racquet-head speed.
HEADAdaptive String Pattern (ASP)Allows racquet to be strung
with two different patterns (16x19 and 16x16), utiliz-ing two
exchangeable grommet inserts. Changing the number of cross strings
changes the spacing between the strings in
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
-
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
the center of the sweetspot, allowing the player to adapt the
racquet to what they want.GrapheneXTAllows for an extreme
distribution of weight from the shaft to the tip and grip to
increase swingweight and raise the sweetspot to maximize power in
the modern game. Up to 30 percent stronger and 20 percent lighter
and pro-duces up to 10 percent more energy transfer.
PRINCETeXtremeNew Prince TeXtreme frames utilize this high-tech
material by positioning it in the shaft and lower hoop with a 45
orientation, resulting in 25 percent less twisting without
increasing stiffness or swing weight. This provides more power and
plow-through by reducing energy loss at im-pact. It also provides
more control and accuracy by maintain-ing good racquet-face
positioning at impact. Lower stiffness reduces overall racquet
vibration and shock to the arm during play, improving comfort and
feel.
TECNIFIBREArmor CapA thicker, wider and longer bumper guard
pro-viding better protection with more durability.DynacoreFrame
construction featuring unmatched com-bination of flexibility and
torsional stability. Solid construc-tion for long-lasting
performance. A softer feel for muscle integrity and less fatigue.
Better and quicker communication to the hand.
EZ Lock EyeletExtra flat and larger grommets on tie-off holes
eases stringing and improves tie-off knot.
WILSONBraided Graphite + BasaltAn elastic and reactive mate-rial
combination that improves the racquet flex and increases the balls
contact with the strings to provide enhanced feel and greater
control.Braided Graphite + KevlarProvides a solid and consistent
feel, dampens vibra-tion, and enhances touch and control.High
Performance Carbon FiberDeveloped for aggres-sive swings, this
premium modulus carbon graphite provides increased frame stiffness
for power.Sony Smart Tennis SensorSensor attaches to the racquet to
gather data about shots and strokes.X2 ShaftCombines a longer
handle for increased feel and leverage on two-handed backhands and
a rounded and nar-rower shaft to enable quick grip changes and
optimal feel for the opposite hand on forehands.
Advance your own causeand your business, tooby becoming a USRSA
Certified Stringer or Master Racquet Technician. Visit USRSA.com
for more information.
June 2015 TennisIndustry 27
-
There are many opportunities for people of all ages to get into
tennis and continue to play this sport. But are we doing a good
enough job giving consumers reasons to play?
Tennis is one of the only sports you can play all your life,
from the youngest ages to the oldest. As tennis providers, we all
know the sport has healthy benefits that will keep your body fit
and your mind sharp.
But how do we get that message across to regular consumers, who
dont (yet) wake up every day thinking about this sport? We need to
give people reasons to play tennis that are simple and direct, that
everyone can get behind. We need to tell people tennis is great
for
whatever ails you, and if nothing is ailing you right now,
tennis will keep it that way. We need to tell people that tennis
gives you all the benefits of working out in a gym, but its much
more fun, exciting and social.
Tennis can be the answer to virtually any type of issue. Want to
lose weight? Want to get in better shape and tone muscles? Want to
keep your mind sharp and reduce stress? Want to make more friends
and expand your social network? Think tennis.
The bottom line: Tennis not only is the sport for a lifetime,
but its the sport for a longer, healthier and more complete
lifetime.
TENNISADDING YEARS TO YOUR LIFE, AND LIFE TO YOUR YEARS!
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . .
. www.TennisIndustry.org28 TennisIndustry June 2015
Play 3 hours of tennis a week and youll cut your risk of death
in half from any cause, according to a Harvard University study of
10,000 people during a 20-year period.
Tennis Burns Calories An hour of singles can burn 580 to 870
calories, depending on your weight, says the Mayo Clinic.
Tennis Keeps Your Heart Healthy The Cleveland Clinic says tennis
is an ideal sport for a healthy heart. And a Johns Hopkins study
showed that middle-aged men who played tennismore than any other
activityhad a significantly lower incidence of cardiovascular
disease as they aged.
Tennis Develops, Tones and Strengthens Muscles
Constant movement works out both your upper and lower body.
Tennis Increases Bone Strength and Density
No matter what your age, weight-bearing activities like tennis
are important for bone health, according to the National Institutes
of Health.
Tennis Improves Flexibility When you play tennis, youre working
all your limbs, joints and muscles. An expert panel at ESPN ranked
tennis in the top 12 out of 60 sports in terms of flexibility.
Tennis Improves Balance, Coordination and Reaction Time
By moving then adjusting to hit the ball, tennis helps general
body coordination, and by constantly judging the timing of the
ball, it improves eye-hand coordination.
Health & Fitness
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
-
MENTAL BENEFITS
SOCIAL BENEFITS
Since tennis requires alertness and tactical thinking, it may
generate new connections between nerves in the brain and thus
promote a lifetime of continuing development of the brain,
according to scientists at the University of Illinois.
Tennis outperforms all other sports in developing positive
personality characteristics and physical fitness development,
according to Dr. Jim Gavin of Concordia University, the author of
The Exercise Habit.
Tennis Develops Your Mind The sport requires critical thinking
and problem solving. Tennis keeps your brain active.
Tennis Helps Develop a Work Ethic By improving through lessons
and practice tennis reinforces the value of hard work.
Tennis Develops Self-Discipline Regular practice keeps you
disciplined in your approach to improvement.
Tennis Helps in Managing Mistakes Being able to move past
mistakes is critical, whether in tennis or in life.
Tennis Helps in Problem-Solving and Managing Adversity
Players need to figure the angles, geometry and physics, while
also adjusting constantly to match conditions.
Tennis Helps to Manage and Reduce Stress
With the physical, mental and emotional challenges tennis
presents, youll increase your capacity to deal with stress.
Tennis Develops Social SkillsYou play with others both across
the net and on teams and in leagues. For players of all ages and
abilities you can make new friends and expand your social
network.
Tennis Time Is Great Family TimeIts a great sport that the whole
family can enjoy together.
Tennis Develops TeamworkWhether its playing on a doubles team,
or on a league or school team, tennis helps develop your ability to
communicate and work together.
Tennis Teaches SportsmanshipYou learn to compete and play fairly
with others.
Tennis Improves Your Self-ImageTennis players scored higher in
vigor, optimism and self-esteem while scoring lower in depression,
anger, confusion, anxiety and tension than other athletes or
non-athletes, according to a Southern Connecticut State University
study.
Special thanks to Dr. Jack Groppel and his 34 Reasons to Play
Tennis, on usta.com.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . .
. www.TennisIndustry.org June 2015 TennisIndustry 29
-
Apparel
Group Sales Going after the team businesswhether for clubs,
leagues or schoolscan be a nice boost for your store. By Cynthia
Sherman
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com30
TennisIndustry June 2015
It all boils down to the outfits, and the right outfits are
crucial to success. No other sport boasts better clothing options
than tennis. Yoga and fitness wear might come close, but tennis has
the goods.For a tennis team, theres not much worse than
en-countering an opposing team wearing the same outfits. But teams,
and retailers, can take heart knowing there are more and more
choices out there. There are the obvious go-to appar-el players
that many teams stick to, but in recent years there have been some
movers and shakers who are making an impact on team wear and they
all are adept at the customization that many teams, particularly
schools, require.
While team wear can be big business for apparel companies,
theres also a very practical reason retailers should consider
outfitting teamsit can be profitable. Getting a team of six or
eight women all ordering from the same menu from your store,
consistently, year after year, easily can help your bottom line.
And think about the possibilities if your local middle school or
high school has a no-cut tennis team, where potentially dozens of
team members could be visiting your shopwhich means plenty of
other, non-apparel sales, too.
Team wear is a great business niche because it brings in more
business as a whole, especially with womens club teams, says Jen
Cunningham, buyer for The Racket Man in Des Peres and Chesterfield,
Mo. Ladies come in for their team uniforms and end up buying more
fashion-oriented pieces.
Joyce Capuzzi, owner of The Tennis Shop in Collegeville, Pa.,
notes her store does a great team business year-round be-tween
womens USTA, club and high school teams. Servicing
teams bring back a lot of individuals who buy more clothing and
equipment, she says. Team business encourages more foot traffic,
and thats what you need in a store.
The Indianapolis Racquet Club takes servicing teams ex-tremely
seriouslyit works with between 2,000 and 4,000 teams yearly, from
middle school to college, in 48 states. With all that volume, Patty
Jones, who works on the team-wear side of the business, tends to
notice whats working and any trends with team apparel. Pieces have
remained pretty consistent over the years, she says. The big
changes have been in the sil-houettes.
Asics and DUC Sport have been coming on strong with styles
geared toward school teams. Some of DUCs styles are revers-ible for
more options. The style and fit is designed specifically for a high
school girls tennis team. Asics has aligned with de-veloping young
athletes, who it believes will be loyal to their brand for
life.
Antigua is a relative newcomer to the team wear arena, but
company officials say that team sales are picking up. A lot of
Antiguas focus has been on embroidered apparel sales to clubs and
retailers.
Some teams are going a different route to lines that have been
more fashion-oriented, such as Tail and Bolle. Both manufacturers
feature stylish graphics and color-blocking that is appealing to
both school and league teams. Tails "Elec-tric Rush" line has been
a popular choice for teams this year, and Bolles fashion pieces and
High Performance line, such as All That Jazz, are becoming
signature team standouts on the court.
BOLLEbolletennisapparel.com
[email protected], 888-977-7272
-
ANTIGUA (facing
page)[email protected] ext.
2221
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com June 2015
TennisIndustry 31
[email protected]
BOLLEbolletennisapparel.com
[email protected], 888-977-7272
-
DUC [email protected]
TAILtailactivewear.com
[email protected]
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com32
TennisIndustry June 2015
Apparel
-
34 TennisIndustry June 2015
Private Enterprise These residential winners are great examples
of tennis-court construction.
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Fort Lauderdale Residence(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts
Inc.)Architect/Engineer/Specialty Contractor: Fast-Dry Courts
Inc.Surface: Har-Tru Sports (ClayTech Membrane, HydroBlend
Clay)Court Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts Inc. & 10-S Tennis
SupplyFencing: Fast-Dry Courts Inc.
-
June 2015 TennisIndustry 35
Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
Private Enterprise I
n 2014, the panel of judges for the Tennis Industry/American
Sports Builders Association picked out three residential courts as
winners in the Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards. One, a
private court in Newton, Mass., was singled out for outstanding
honors. That new, all-weather cushioned acrylic courtsurrounded
by a custom-designed fence of Western red cedarwas honored with the
other outstanding award-winners in our February issue. The other
two distin-guished award winners for 2014 are both in Florida, and
both were built by the same company.
The owner for the Fort Lauderdale residence court chose a
synthetic clay surface with a HydroBlend infill, which requires
less maintenance and water than typical clay courts (the court is
conventionally irrigated). The property is nearly surrounded by
water, so due to the courts proxim-ity to the water table, the
court required a thickened concrete slab because of possible
unstable soils. Natural retention swales are used for storm-water
management. Vinyl-coated fencing, which is lower at the sides and
includes angled corners, complete the award-winning package.
The new residential court in Palm Beach County, which also has a
bas-ketball hoop at one end, is a cushioned system over an asphalt
base. The owner wanted the court to feel open, so the solution was
to use open mesh netting for the fencing, affixed to imported
custom marble columns. The netting is a white, high-tenacity
polypropylene knotless netting with a white sewn rope border, with
high-quality marine-grade cable tensioning mechanisms on the top.
The construction site was extremely busy, with other contractors
performing other jobs on the property, so the court con-tractor had
to juggle schedules and deliveries, but the final product proved a
winner. Peter Francesconi
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Palm Beach County Residence(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts
Inc.)Architect/Engineer/Specialty Contractor: Fast-Dry Courts
Inc.Surface: LaykoldCourt Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts Inc. &
10-S Tennis SupplyFencing: Fast-Dry Courts Inc.
For details on the 2015 Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards,
contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or [email protected], or
visit www.sportsbuilders.org.
-
QClamp Replacement
How often should the clamps be replaced on a stringing
machine? I clean them with a tooth-brush when I see build-up on
them. I bought my machine used.
AThey're expensive, so don't replace them until they wear out.
Some manufacturers re-furbish their clamps, so you get a slight
break on the price, but they get your old clamps in exchange.
QPlaytest Stiffness In the conclusion of a recent playtest
report, you wrote,
"although it feels stiff during instal-lation it has a soft
feeling during play." Then I compared this to the section on
Overall Playability. Here, it seems that many more people rate
the
string as being not as playable. How do you explain that?
A The reference to stiff in the conclusion is based on how it
feels coming out of the package.
The reference to soft in the conclu-sion is based on some of the
comments of how the string felt in play, and is a subjective
comment probably based on comparisons to other polyester strings.
It is not related to the Overall Play-ability section. You will
note that in the Overall Playability section, were asking the
playtesters to compare the string sample against the string they
use most often, which is typically going to be their favorite
string.
Q Playtest Tension LossI just read a playtest where you strung a
racquet at 60
pounds. After 24 hours (no play-ing) the string-bed stiffness
went from 79 to 64, and you refer to that as tension loss. How do
you convert Babolat Racquet Diagnostic Center (RDC) stiff