-
Footwear
Match your PLAYERS SHOESto the surface
Tennis History
HALL OF FAMEreopens aftermajor facelift
Racquet Tech
Planning is keyfor ATW AND BOX PATTERNS
Incorp
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TA
JULY 2015 / VOLUME 43/ NUMBER 7 / $5.00
2015 Guide To Ball Machines Effective teaching tool Our
exclusive listings Nylon vs. Poly Strings
Cardio Tennis Trainer Summit
pg. 39
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DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve
7 Industry News
13 Letters
14 TIA News
16 Racquet Tech
18 Footwear
20 Tennis History
24 Cardio Tennis
36 Ask the Experts
37 Tips and Techniques
38 Your Serve, by Rod Heckelman
PLUS
40 CEOs Message
42 Presidents Message
44 Inside Coaching
46 Endorsee News
47 USPTA Benefits
50 USPTA World Conference
60 USPTA News
62 Career Development
64 Member News
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 Timothy Russell named new CEO of ITA
7 Tennis Magazine celebrates golden anniversary
7 Grand Canyon University adds PTM program
7 Sony Smart Tennis Sensor launches worldwide
8 USPTA to incorporate Platform Tennis Association
8 IART Symposium set for Sept. 18-22
8 ITA partners with Oracle
8 Hall of Fame rebrands with new logo
9 PTR adds two corporate members
9 Gael Monfils stars in new Asics tennis campaign
11 USTA NE creates Boston Social Tennis League
JULY 2015Tennis Industry
22 Champions of Tennis Honor Roll
As we take nominations for Tennis Industrys 2015 annual awards,
we look back at the impressive roster of past winners.
26 Nylon vs. PolyWith the advancements and new introductions in
co-poly strings, are nylon-based strings still relevant? The short
answer: Very much so. 34 Inside GameTennis helps round out the
offerings of two award-winning indoor facilities.
28 Play the Long GameA ball machine can be an incredible
teaching tool and a great source of revenueand can help strengthen
the game.
30 Ball Machines on the MarketOur comprehensive guide lists the
ball machines currently on the market, along with features,
benefits and prices.
44 Musculoskeletal Injuries in Tennis-Teaching Professionals
47 New Initiative Rewards USPTA Pros who Recruit New Members
50 USPTA World Conference
61 Opposed Slate of 2016-2017 National Board
p.26
p.34
2 TennisIndustry July 2015
p.39
FEATURES
p.22
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
COVER PHOTO BY ELIZA JACOBS
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
p.28
2015 Guide to Ball Machines
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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). July 2015, Volume 43,
Number 7 2015 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rights reserved.
Tennis Industry, TI and logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in
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and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S.,
$40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis Industry,
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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.
I recently was looking at some marketing material for a prod-uct
that, while suitable for all ages, was being targeted mainly to
adults and older Americans. One of the hooks is that these groups
have money (lots of it).Now, in tennis, I fully support our
efforts to reach younger players and bring more kids and teens
into this sport. Its important for the future of the game, and for
the future of this industry. But, lets look at this in terms of
your (and my) business. We need revenuenowto survive. We need
people to buy equipment (the larger the margin, the better), take
lessons, book court time, play in leagues, buy apparel and shoes,
etc. In most instances, we have to reach adultsthey have the money,
they have the time, and with health and fitness such a big issue,
they should have the desire and motivation to get out on the
court.What they may not have, though,
is an easy and welcoming way to en-ter this sport, designed and
targeted especially for them. Many tennis facilities, teaching
pros, and park & recs offer adult classes and clinics. But
how many of those are designed specifically for adults, to make
them feel welcome, make them progress, and keep them engaged and
wanting to continue in the sport?Heres an idea, and it will
cost
you nothing: Check out Play Tennis Fast, which is designed to
bring adults into tennis, and see if it can
be right for your facility or program.Play Tennis Fast was put
together
by the Tennis Industry Association to help grow this sport, and
like most things the TIA does, PTF is free to use. Its an option
for tennis providers to help get adults engaged in tennis for the
long term. If youre a facility or teaching pro, it will help create
tennis consumers for your business. The details for PTF can be
found
at PlayTennis.com. Briefly, its a course of six one-hour lessons
designed to introduce or welcome back adult players to tennis.
Importantly, it uses slower balls, which helps adults achieve
success quickly.PTF has a solid foundation
based largely on the successful, global ITF TennisExpress
program for adults. For PTF, the TIA also had input from top PTR
and USPTA pros. The TIA is not looking for any credit (you dont
even have to use the name Play Tennis Fast). It just wants to get
more adults playing and consuming tennis.PTF has not been heavily
pushed
yet, but pilot programs at facilities in South Carolina have
been well received (one saw 21 new adult players). Theres also been
interest from a few USTA sections and a group of clubs in one state
to offer this option to facilities as their intro to tennis adult
program.Check out Play Tennis Fast on
PlayTennis.com. If its right for you and your business, use it
to bring in long-term adult tennis consumers.
Peter Francesconi, Editorial
[email protected]
Catching Adult Players
4 TennisIndustry July 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
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The Intercollegiate Tennis Association board of directors has
appointed Dr. Timo-thy Russell as the new CEO of the ITA. Russell
will take over July 1 from longtime ITA CEO David Benjamin, who is
retiring.Russell has spent three decades as an educator at two
major
Division I schools, Ohio State University and most recently,
Arizona State University, as well as at the University of
Roches-ter, a leading Division III institution.
"While ASU is losing an extraordinary member of our faculty, the
ITA and college tennis are gaining an incredibly creative person
who will advance your cause, build your community and imaginatively
address the most pressing challenges, said Steven Tepper, dean of
the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts at Arizona State
University.
I am humbled by this opportunity, and feel especially hon-ored
to succeed David Benjamin who has served the ITA and college tennis
tirelessly throughout his career," Russell said.
Russell is well known in tennis. He served as the USTA
Collegiate Varsity Chair from 2007 to 2010, where he helped put
together a strategic plan for the partnership of the USTA with the
ITA and varsity collegiate tennis. From 2011 to 2012, he guided the
USTA through major changes in the junior competitive tournament
structure as USTA Junior Competition chair. He also served as a
researcher and moderator for last year's ITA For-mat Steering
Committee.
Tim knows and understands the ITA and the key issues facing
college tennis, and will hit the ground running, Benjamin said. His
work with boards of directors, strate-gic planning, fundraising and
expertise in unifying large numbers of people around big causes
will all be super assets for the ITA and college tennis.
July 2015 TennisIndustry 7
Industry NewsInformation to help you run your business
Grand Canyon Univ. Adds Professional Tennis Management
Program
Grand Canyon University in Phoenix is adding a Professional
Tennis Management program, the first NCAA Division 1 school to do
so. The program, which begins this fall, will offer a bachelor of
science degree in business management with an emphasis on tennis
man-agement.
GCUs program falls within the Colangelo College of Business,
named after Phoenix sports icon Jerry Colangelo. The 120-credit
program will be incorporated with the Universitys growing Sports
Business program as well as its new hospitality program, also being
rolled out in the fall. It will cover the skills needed to manage
tennis operations, including facility man-agement, merchandising,
event planning and introduction to food and beverage
management.
The program, accredited by the USPTA, also will teach player
de-velopment and the skills needed to become an effective
instructor, and students will be required to get at least 100 hours
of experience in the industry before they graduate. Students in the
program also will have the opportunity to become USPTA certified by
the time they graduate.
Sony Smart Tennis SensorLaunches Worldwide
After teasing the U.S. market for months, Sony has finally
launched globally its Smart Tennis Sensor, which mounts on the butt
of the handle of selected racquets from
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Timothy Russell Named New CEO of ITA
Tennis Magazine turns 50 years old this year. The magazine,
founded in Chicago in 1965 by Asher Birnbaum, is owned by the
Tennis Media Co. and now is led by managing partner Jeff Williams
(who also is co-publisher of Tennis Industry).
Tennis celebrates in May/June with a special anniversary issue,
which includes 50th Anniversary Moments50 es-says that highlight
the moments that took us from the quiet lawns of the amateur era,
to the glory years of the tennis boom, to the golden age of
all-time great players that were witnessing today. (The first 20
Moments are in Tennis May/June issue; the rest will appear in the
next two issues.) Tennis editors also created a Tournament of
Champions that puts the best players over the last 50 years against
each other in a fantasy draw.
To look through issues of Tennis is to see a snapshot of the
evolution of the sport, writes Chris Evert, the magazines general
partner. Heres to another 50.
Tennis Mag CelebratesGolden Anniversary
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Head, Prince, Yonex and Wilson. The sensor uses vibration
analysis and motion sensors to track and store data, either in the
racquet, in the cloud or in the smartphone app.
It offers real-time shot visualizations on smartphones and
tablets, as well as display-ing recorded video and shot metrics.
Players can collect data on ball and swing speed, spin, where you
hit the ball, the type of shot you hit, etc. For more information,
visit smarttennissensor.sony.net.
USPTA to IncorporatePlatform Tennis Association
During the USPTA semiannual meeting in April, the Executive
Committee voted to incorporate the Professional Platform Tennis
Association (PPTA) into the USPTA. The PPTA has voted to dissolve
and its assets, programs, certification process and mission will be
borne by the USPTA. The USPTA will assist with administrative
functions and handle certification and education responsibilities
for platform tennis-teaching professionals.
Platform tennis professionals will become a separately tested
and certified membership category under the USPTA umbrella. All
professionals who become certified in platform tennis will
receive
Industry News
all of the same benefits and pay the same annual dues as current
USPTA-certified tennis professionals.
With so many facilities where USPTA professionals teach offering
platform tennis, there is an increasing need for professionals who
are certified in the sport, said USPTA CEO John Embree. The steady
growth in this game pro-vides USPTA professionals who become
certified in platform tennis more job and business opportunities.
IART SymposiumSet for Sept. 18-22
The ninth annual IART Train-ing Symposium is set for Sept. 18-22
at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Fla. Tim Strawn, execu-tive
director of IART (Interna-tional Alliance of Racquet Technicians),
says the 2015 event has been revised with a new format, new
speakers and more hands-on training sessions.
The IART Symposium includes on- and off-court activities, a
three-hour trade show, and an evening meet-and-greet. Sunday will
feature a full day of hands-on instruction on a wide variety of
topics, led by seasoned professionals, Monday will showcase
four
seminars with new speakers and topics, and Tuesday will be a
full day of racquet custom-ization, led by Ron Rocchi, manager of
the Wilson Team Room and Wilson Tour Services stringing team.
For details or to register, visit gssalliance.com or contact
Strawn at [email protected].
Rome, Ga., Tennis CenterBreaks Ground for 51 Courts
The design for the 51-court Rome Ten-nis Center of Georgia has
been finalized and ground broken. The first phase of the
construction is expected to be completed by June 2016. The plans
include six NCAA regulation courts, three center courts, and one
exhibition court that can accom-modate seating for 2,000.
All courts are lighted and have shade cabanas for players, and
12 of the courts will be lined for Youth Tennis. The facility will
have a 3,846-square-foot clubhouse with a viewing deck that
overlooks the terraced courts. The design also allows for future
development of six NCAA regu-lation indoor tennis courts.
The Rome Tennis Center of Georgia is about increasing economic
impact, said Rome City Manager Sammy Rich. The facility will allow
us to not only keep our existing events, but make us more
mar-ketable and able to go after additional, larger tournaments as
well.
Hall of Fame RebrandsWith New Logo, Campaign
The International Tennis Hall of Fame has introduced a new logo
and brand identity, inspired by the global nature of tennis and
reflecting the organiza-tions commitment to
8 TennisIndustry July 2015
ITA Partners With Oracle
In a new partnership, Oracle will serve as the title sponsor for
three programs as part of the Oracle Collegiate Tennis Tour,
administered by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). The
three programs are the inaugural Oracle/ITA Masters, hosted by
Malibu Racquet Club Sept. 18-20; the Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis
Rankings; and the Oracle/ITA Outing & Awards Luncheon (this
year Aug. 28).
"We are thrilled to be a part of the Oracle Collegiate Tennis
Tour and to be sup-porting these rising tennis stars," said Oracle
CEO Mark Hurd. "Our partnership with the ITA gives us another
opportunity to invest in college students who are key to Oracle's
future."
With the Oracle/ITA Masters, the top 16 mens and womens singles
players and eight mens and womens doubles teams can earn a trip to
Malibu, Calif. The Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings will track
singles and doubles players in NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA,
Junior Colleges and California Junior Colleges. The Oracle/ITA
Outing & Awards Luncheon will honor members of the ITA
Col-legiate All-Star Team and ITA/Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship &
Leadership National Award winners at the historic West Side Tennis
Club in Forest Hills, N.Y.
"Partnering with Oracle will be transformative for the ITA and
college tennis," said ITA Executive Director David Benjamin. Oracle
already has a major presence in the tennis world and we are
thrilled with its growing commitment to the college game."
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Industry News
July 2015 TennisIndustry 9www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
preserving and promoting tennis history to a worldwide
audience.
The logo was rolled out in early May, a few weeks ahead of the
re-opening of the renovated Hall of Fame Museum. The logo will be
seen in a new advertising campaign this year that will highlight
the stories for the 243 individuals who have been inducted into the
Hall of Fame.
Our goal is to draw attention to the sto-ried history of tennis
and those who have built this history, as well as to engage fans
with the International Tennis Hall of Fame, our outstanding new
museum, and our programs," said HoF CEO Todd Martin.
PBI Offers UniqueTennis Camp in Austria
In conjunction with Peter Burwash Internationals ongoing 40th
anniver-sary celebration year in 2015, the orga-nization has
announced the creation of the first PBI World Tennis Camp to take
place Sept. 21-24 at the Bio-Hotel Stan-glwirt in Tirol,
Austria.
The camp will coincide with PBIs annual conference, so more than
85 PBI professionals and directors from around the world will be on
hand, offer-ing a one-of-a-kind tennis camp experi-ence.
Participants will receive at least
Monfils Stars in NewAsics Tennis Campaign
Asics has launched a global tennis campaign with the tagline,
It's a tough game. Go smash it, and starring pro player Gael
Monfils. The campaign was launched with an ad spot to coincide with
the 2015 French Open. Other ele-ments include print ads, in-store
visuals and online banners.
The inspirational approach is aligned with Asics global
advertising campaign, It's a big world. Go run it, which launched
in early 2015. In the tennis-specific TV commercial, Monfils is
transported from the tennis court to a fast-paced, urban
en-vironment, where a group of opponents send tennis balls toward
him at lightning-fast speeds and from all angles.
In the ad, Monfils wears Gel-Resolution 6 tennis shoes. The
campaign also intro-duces apparel styles of its spring tennis
collection. Visit asics.com.
four hours of instruction and play each day, on Stanglwirts
eight red clay courts at the base of the Austrian Alps. (There also
are six indoor courts available.) Visit pbitennis.com or contact
[email protected] or 800-255-4707.
Bollettieri Opens Access toExtensive Coaching Archive
Legendary coach Nick Bollettieri has announced that he is giving
fans around the world exclusive access to peruse his per-sonal and
formerly private library of plans, notes, photos, videos and
published articles. The Hall of Famers new website,
nickbollet-tieri.com, has personal stories, images and the secret
training techniques he utilized to cultivate some of the sports
biggest stars.
The content sat for years in Bollettieris personal storage
units. The self-proclaimed pack rat admits that he has kept his
train-ing plans, notebooks, diagrams and photo and video library
secret until now, carefully cataloging and archiving his approach
and journey though the sport. Once we opened the first box and saw
its contents, the never-before-seen photos and documents, we knew
we had to share it with the larger tennis world, said Steve Shulla,
content director for NickBollettieri.com.
Bollettieri has partnered with TEAM HQS
(www.teamhqs.com) to launch the website, where fans can access
his entire catalog through a $99 a year subscription. New con-tent
will be added to the site weekly.
PTR Adds Two Corporate Members
Sport Court International and The Pick Up Wall by Tennis Tech
have joined the PTR as corporate members.
Sport Court has more than 100,000 backyard court and gymnasium
floor installations worldwide and bills its ten-nis courts as the
safest courts in the world, with its PowerGame tennis court
designed for its safety and shock absorp-tion. The USTA has chosen
Sport Court as its Official and Exclusive 36 and 60 Court Surface
Supplier. The Pick Up Wall by Tennis Tech is an automatic ball
col-lection system that requires only 3 feet of space at the back
of the court and will feed any top-loading ball machine or
hopper.
Cancer Claims Stefano Capriati Stefano Capriati, who groomed his
daugh-
ter Jennifer to be a top tennis professional, died of cancer in
Tampa, Florida, on April 18. He was 79 years old.
The Italian-born Capriati coached his daughter to the world's
top 10 when she was just 14 years old and helped her win a gold
medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Jennifer also won the
Australian Open in 2001 and '02 and the French Open in 2001,
becoming the No. 1-ranked player in the world later that year. She
was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in
2012.
Capriati is survived by his daughter, as well as a son, Tampa
lawyer Steven Capriati. Contributions in his memory can be made to
the Children's Cancer Center, 4901 West
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PeopleWatch
Former USTA President Dave Haggerty will run for president of
the International Tennis Federation, the sports global governing
body. The ITF position is a four-year term. The current ITF
president, Francesco Ricci Bitti of Italy, has held the job since
1999. The last ITF president from the U.S. was Walter Elcock in
1975. The ITF owns and operates the Davis Cup and Fed Cup and lower
tier pro events, along with overseeing the sports anti-doping
program and the Olympic tennis tournament.
Gerald Mathews is the new Tecnifibre brand ambassador for
Southern California and is part of the companys Pro Staff for the
West. A former pro player, Mathews is the head coach for the
Calabasas High School boys and girls tennis teams.
Tennis broadcaster Mary Car-
illo received the ITFs highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier
Award, at the 2015 ITF World Champions Dinner on June 2 in Paris,
for outstanding contribu-tions to the game. Billie Jean King, John
McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, the All England Club, and 2014 Award
winners Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde are among the other
former recipients.
Billie Jean King was hon-ored with the Centennial Award by the
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, which recognizes an
accomplished female leader who will leave an indelible mark on this
cen-tury's global landscape for the achievement of women and girls.
She received the honor at a special ceremony May 6 in Center City
Philadelphia.
After 12 years at the Yonkers (N.Y.) Tennis Center, Simon Gale
is moving to Taconic Sport
and Racquet in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., where he will be
co-owner and general manager. Gale was Tennis Industry magazines
2014 Youth Tennis Provider of the Year and USPTA Easterns 2010
Facility Manager of the Year.
Patrick Kuhle of Quincy University and Joey Sway-sland of the
University of Oregon have been selected as the 2015 Wilson/ITA
National Promoter of the Year winners. Both Kuhle will receive a
paid summer internship to work in the Grassroots Marketing
Department at Wilson's headquarters in Chicago.
Peter Burwash Interna-tional pro Donald Becker is the new tennis
director at the Hanalei By Resort on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
He was the PBI ten-
nis director for the last three years at Caneel Bay Resort in
the Caribbean.
Mark Chellas is the new director of tennis at Cop-perWynd Resort
& Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. The resorts tennis operation is
managed by Cliff Drysdale Tennis.
Maui Jim has added WTA pro Flavia Pennetta to its roster of
players who will wear the companys Polar-izedPlus2 sunglasses.
Other pros include Martina Hingis, David Ferrer, Philipp
Kohlsch-reiber and Benot Paire.
Adrians Zguns of Orlando, Fla., won the mens open singles title
at the USPTA Clay Court Championships in May in Fort Myers, Fla. On
the womens side, Julia Farina of West Palm Beach, Fla., won the
singles and doubles titles.
Industry News
10 TennisIndustry July 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33607. Cindy Shmerler
Sun Protection For Players Hands
Are your members concerned about sun exposure on their hands?
Consider the PalmFree SunGloves, made from UPF50 fabric to block 98
percent of UV radia-tion. The gloves were developed by avid tennis
player Patricia Ferrer, a physician assistant specializing in
dermatology
who sees the long-term effects of chronic sun damage in her
patients who have numerous precancers and skin cancers on the back
of their hands. The palmless gloveavailable in two styles, four
colors and five sizesallows players to grip the racquet naturally
while protecting the back of the hand. Visit
palmfreesunwear.com.
Serena Williams OffersOnline MasterClass
Serena Williams was one of the first ex-perts to offer an online
class at MasterClass (masterclass.com), a new online instruc-tion
site that launched in May and features experts in their fields.
Others offering online classes at the site include Academy
Award-winner Dustin Hoffman teaching acting and best-selling author
James Patterson on writing. Future online classes will include
sessions from performer Usher and photog-rapher Annie
Leibovitz.
Williams provides more than two hours of
video lessons that cover core technique to pro-style fitness
drills and the mental game. I wanted to make my class feel as
though you're right there on the court with me. It's like getting a
private lesson," Williams says. The cost for her lessons is $90.
The video classes were directed by Jay Roach ("Austin Powers" and
"Meet the Parents") and Bill Guttentag, a two-time Academy
Award-winning documentarian.
Roof Takes Shape AtNational Tennis Center
Construction is moving right along for the roof over Arthur Ashe
Sta-dium, the most visible and talked about part of the renovations
at the USTA Billie Jean King Nation-al Tennis Center. This photo
was
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Industry News
July 2015 TennisIndustry 11
USTA NE Creates Boston Social Tennis League
In its inaugural season, dozens of young adults have signed up
for the Boston Social Tennis League. Created by the USTA New
England Section, the league targets 21- to 40-year-olds who want to
play tennis in a fun, social environment with their friends, and
want to make new friends.
The doubles-only league kicked off in May, for seven weeks, with
play on Wednesday and Thurs-day nights. Players pick the night they
prefer and can register as a team or as an individual, and then
will be placed on a team. Teams are co-ed (any com-bination of men
and women) and must have at least six players. After tennis each
night, players head to a local restaurant/bar that has a reserved
section for the league and offers food and drink specials crafted
for them.
USTA New England reports the feedback has been terrific, with 84
players reg-istered. After the first night, almost every player
came up to me to say how much fun they were having and that this
league was exactly what theyve been looking for in Boston, said
league organizer Sarah Rice, manager of Community Tennis for the
section. We knew this was a group we werent reaching with our
current USTA adult programs, so its wonderful to bring tennis to
all of these new players.
The sections goal is to partner with social sports organizations
in Boston to ex-pand to more seasons in multiple locations around
the city. For more information, visit
www.ustanewengland.com/bostonsocialtennisleague. Alexandra
Troli
taken in late May by Melissa Schwartz of New York City, from a
Delta Air Lines flight.
Bollettieri Partners ForExclusive Wimbledon Trip
For Wimbledon 2015, Nick Bollettieri has partnered with GR8 for
a unique travel experience July 1-4. The exclusive trip, which
costs $10,200 and up per person, features a personalized host,
luxury transportation to the Savoy Hotel for a three-night stay,
spa treatment, private welcome reception, pri-vate VIP Skyview Box
seats, hospitality meet-and-greet with Bollettieri, and a private
dinner or private clinic with him. (Purchase also includes a
donation to a special charity.) Word is GR8 and Bollettieri are
cooking up something for the 2015 US Open. Visit
gr8-experience.com.
USRSA Announces New MRTs and CSs
MRTsScott Brashier - Laugna Beach, CAIan McCusker - Fort
Collins, COCherkeia Ryan - Lawrenceville, GAJason Pfannschmidt -
Gaithersburg, MD
Stephanie Hunter - Fayetteville, NCPedro Palma - Fayetteville,
NCJeffrey Yeh - Wattle PK AUSTRALIAAndrei Hent - Toronto, ON
CANADA
CS'sFernando Santos - Mount Vernon, NY
ITA Announces 2015 National Award Winners
Division 1MenCoach of the Year: David Roditi, Texas Christian
Univ.Assistant Coach of the Year: Howard Endelman, Columbia
Univ.Senior Player: Sren Hess-Olesen, Univ.of TexasRookie: Noah
Rubin, Wake Forest Univ.Player to Watch: Andrew Harris, Univ.of
Okla-homaMost Improved Senior: Jonny Wang, Univ.of Southern
CaliforniaRafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award: Mitchell Frank, Univ.of
VirginiaArthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award:
Sebastian Stiefelmeyer, Univ.of Louisville
Division 1WomenCoach of the Year: Geoff Macdonald, Vanderbilt
Univ.Assistant Coach of the Year: Aleke Tsoubanos, Vanderbilt
Univ.Player to Watch: Stephanie Wagner, Univ.of
Miami (FL)Senior Player: Robin Anderson, UCLARookie: Brooke
Austin, Univ.of FloridaMost Improved Senior: Julia Jones, Univ.of
MississippiCissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship: Lindsey Kayati,
Rutgers Univ.Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award:
Lorraine Guillermo, Pepperdine Univ.
Division 2MenCoach of the Year: Hendrik Bode, Hawaii Pacific
Univ.Assistant Coach of the Year: Martin Parkes, Saint Leo
Univ.Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsman-ship: Mark
Heimberger, Palm Beach Atlantic Univ.Player to Watch: Ahmed Triki,
Barry Univ.Senior Player: Armand Levandi, Lewis Univ.Rookie: Marko
Lenz, Hawaii Pacific Univ.Most Improved Senior: Kacper Boborykin,
Midwestern State Univ.
Division 2WomenCoach of the Year: Dave Porter, Brigham Young
Univ.-HawaiiAssistant Coach of the Year: Nicolai Nonnenbroich,
California Univ.of Pennsylvania Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for
Leadership and Sportsman-ship: Lauren Howard, West Liberty
Univ.Player to Watch: Beatriz Leon, Columbus State Univ.Senior
Player: Marietta Tuionetoa, Brigham Young Univ.-HawaiiRookie:
Kristyna Hancarova, Hawaii Pacific Univ.Most Improved Senior: Jesse
Burrell, California Univ.of Pennsylvania
Division 3MenCoach of the Year: Steve Gachko, Stevens Institute
of TechnologyAssistant Coach of the Year: Pauri Pandian, Brandeis
Univ.Senior Player: Warren Wood, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
CollegesRookie: Nicholas Chua, Univ. of ChicagoMost Improved
Player: Motasem Al-Houni, Gustavus Adolphus CollegePlayer to Watch:
Ari Smolyar, Middlebury CollegeArthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship &
Leadership Award: Tyler Carey, Univ. of Mary Washington
Division 3WomenCoach of the Year: Kelly Stahlhuth, Washington
Univ.St. LouisAssistant Coach of the Year: Andrew Cohn,
Pomona-Pitzer CollegesPlayer to Watch: Joulia Likhanskaia, Bowdoin
CollegeSenior Player: Maria Pylypiv, Williams CollegeRookie: Eudice
Chong, Wesleyan CollegeMost Improved Player: Claire Marshall,
Depauw Univ.Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award:
Rebecca Curran, Williams College
NAIAMenCoach of the Year: Chase Hodges, Georgia Gwinnett
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12 TennisIndustry july 2015
Industry News
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
ShortSets
Kiawah Island Golf Resort has created the Barth Tennis Academy,
honoring Roy Barth, the resorts longtime tennis director and a
former world-ranked player. The academy will run throughout the
summer at the resort for players looking for tournament success at
all levels, in addition to preparing for college tennis.
Boast USA is the new official apparel company
for the BB&T Atlanta Open, to be held July 25-Aug. 2, and
will provide apparel for the tournaments staff, volunteers,
officials and ball persons.
Cliff Drysdale Ten-nis will oversee the tennis program at the
nine-court Copper-Wynd Resort & Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.the
first Southwest location for the 27 Drysdale-managed
properties.
Lighting company ThinkLite was named
Inc. magazines top pick in its 30-Under-30 list for 2015.
ThinkLite, based in Natick, Mass., and co-founded by brothers Danny
(left) and Dinesh Wadhwani, supplies businesses with LED bulbs
compat-ible with their existing infrastructure.
The BB&T Atlanta Open, an ATP World
Tour 250 event to be held this year July 25-Aug. 2, has
announced a multi-year title sponsorship renewal agreement with
BB&T.
The Mylan World TeamTennis professional league will begin its
40th season on July 12.
The ATP World Tour has awarded a $15,000 grant to the Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Community Cen-ter in Newport, R.I., to support its
hunger relief programs. The grant is one of nine awarded by
the ATP ACES For Charity program, a global initiative aimed at
giving back to communities where ATP World Tour events are
played.
Volt Athletics, which provides individualized sport-specific
training programs built by certified strength coaches, has
partnered with the National Strength and Conditioning
Association.
Tennis Resorts Online Names Top Resorts, Camps Tennis Resorts
Online (tennisresortsonline.com) has released its annual rank-ings
of the Top 100 Tennis Resorts and Camps worldwide, compiled from
evalu-ations submitted by tennis vacationers. Reviewers rated their
experiences in 20 categories, including the overall tennis
experience, quality of the teaching staff and instruction,
dedication to game arranging, allure of the tennis complex, caliber
of the pro shop, and a wide variety of amenities and services, such
as lodging, cuisine, value for dollar, childrens programs, spa and
fitness options, and other recreation.
The top 10 resorts, in order, are:1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort,
S.C.2. Rancho Valencia, Calif.3. Wild Dunes Resort, S.C.4. JW
Marriott Desert Springs Resort &
Spa, Calif.5. Omni Amelia Island Plantation
Resort, Fla.6. Sea Island, Ga.7. La Quinta Resort & Club,
Calif.8. Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico9. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel,
Hawaii10. Four Seasons Resort Nevis, West
Indies
The top 10 camps are:1. Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks,
Switzerland2. Cliff Drysdale Tennis at Amelia, Fla.3.
Saddlebrook Tennis (Hopman), Fla.4. New England Tennis Holidays
at
Sugarbush, Vt.5. John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, Texas6. Reed
Anderson Tennis School, Calif.7. Topnotch Tennis Academy, Vt.8. PBI
Tennis Camp at Bio-Hotel
Stanglwirt, Austria9. Sea Colony Tennis Camp, Del.10.
Wintergreen Tennis Academy, Va.
CollegeAssistant Coach of the Year: Johnny Thornton, Lindsey
Wilson CollegeArthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and
Sports-manship: Wesley Ng, Missouri Valley CollegeSenior Player:
Fabio Silva, Vanguard Univ.Most Improved Senior Player: Miguel
Grifol, Auburn Univ.at MontgomeryPlayer to Watch: Matias Hatem,
Georgia Gwinnett CollegeRookie: Kevin Konfederak, Georgia
Gwinnett College
NAIAWomenCoach of the Year: Mark Goldin, Cardinal Stritch
Univ.Assistant Coach of the Year: Sara Hawkins, Savannah College of
Art & DesignArthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and
Sports-
manship: Clara Ruegsegger, Olivet Nazarene Univ.Senior Player:
Maria Perdomo-Medina, Brenau Univ.Most Improved Senior: Jessica
Trink, Arizona Christian Univ.Player to Watch: Valeria Podda,
Georgia Gwinnett CollegeRookie: Alice Baudeigne, Auburn Univ.at
Montgomery
Junior and Community CollegeMenCoach of the Year: Brian Slack,
ASA CollegeAssistant Coach of the Year: Brent Krivokapich, Tyler
Jr. CollegeArthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship:
Shane Trebisky, Meridian Comm. CollegeSophomore Player: Joshua
Page, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeMost Improved Player:
Jose Gonzalez-Torres, Modesto Jr. CollegePlayer to Watch: Ismael
Mzai, Seminole State CollegeRookie: Guy Iradukunda, Seminole State
College
Junior and Community CollegeWomenCoach of the Year: Deo Sy,
Glendale Comm. CollegeAssistant Coach of the Year: Brent
Krivokapich, Tyler Jr. CollegeArthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership
and Sportsmanship: Cassidy McWhorter, Eastern Arizona
CollegeSophomore Player: Joanna Savva, Tyler Jr. CollegeMost
Improved Player: Taylor White, Meridian Comm. CollegePlayer to
Watch: Megane Bianco, ASA CollegeRookie: Macarena Olivares, ASA
College
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www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Show Us Something BetterI truly appreciate Ellen Millers
article, Fix Your Delivery, in the May issue. In Canada, while our
battle with 10-and-under tennis is mostly over (it is now the norm
rather than the exception), there are still pockets of
resistance.
What I really liked is her com-ment about the thought that, if
we didnt do the appropriate 10-and-under development, what would be
the way it is done? In multiple conversations with traditional
coaches and misinformed parents, the advocates of under-10 Red,
Or-ange and Green balls seem to be the ones who have to prove
everything, while the dissenters have nothing to offer.
Just like Ellen, I cringe when I see the actual lessons from the
people who want to stay in the past. I have observed (on many, many
occasions) that the type of lessons they are holding on to are
ineffec-tive, inefficient, and mostly no fun.
If you dont agree with the un-der-10 ROG pathway, at least show
(dont just talk) something that is better. So far, I have yet to
see it.
Wayne Elderton, Tennis Director North Vancouver Tennis
Centre
Head of Coaching Development & Certification-British
Columbia
Improving Our GrowthThe June issue, pages 28-29, has a wonderful
presentation of the benefits of tennis. During my 15 years as a
USPTA pro I have never seen this type of presentation in a magazine
or newsletter outside of tennis. In fact, I have never seen tennis
listed as an exercise in any health article.
In my opinion, tennis associa-tions, club owners, and
teaching
To the Editor:
July 2015 TennisIndustry 13
Letters
pros make no effort to promote tennis outside the tennis
industry. There is an unlimited senior group waiting for a fun
exercise. However, it has been my observation that private and
municipal locations refuse to use a free introduction to tennis.
Growth is waiting for a change.
David G. Hendricks, USPTATucson, Ariz.
Tennis On and Off CampusThe Our Serve column in the June issue
(The High School Push) was right on. Glenn Arrington continues to
do great things for Tennis On Cam-pus and also for Tennis After
Campus. The challenge for TAC is keeping track of those players who
begin new jobs, in new cities with a new set of priorities.
We in the Midwest are working diligently to achieve that bridge.
We've found the best way to keep former TOC kids playing tennis is
to bring them back to campus to com-pete against the current TOC
team. Of course, there is a social time after-wards that deserves
no mention!
Denny SchackterTennis Priorities Co., Palatine, Ill.
Turn Down the Sound!Is grunting in womens pro tennis driving
potential players from the game? During the Miami Open, I asked
both media and tennis fans what they thought about grunting.
Without hesitation, 95 percent said grunting is a real turn-off,
and often theyll turn down the sound on their TV so they dont hear
it. Unfortu-nately, this also means they miss often insightful TV
commentary.
The problem posed by grunting goes beyond watching the pros,
thoughits simply poor sportsmanship. At some tennis academies,
coaches actu-
ally encourage their students to use grunting as a tool for
intimidation and distraction. Grunting is not only undignified and
unappealing, but it also is gamesmanship in every sense of the word
and is in direct contrast to the ITFs Rule 26, the Hindrance Rule,
written with the sole purpose of eliminating gamesmanship.
The WTA introduced a rule recently that young players embark-ing
on the pro tour will be penal-ized if they grunt. Yet officials
dont penalize top women players who are the worst offenders for
fear of upsetting them, so up-and-coming pros still try to imitate
their heroes. The WTA needs to stop sending this mixed message and,
for the good of the fans, the game and the pros, enforce the
rulesfor all players.
Angela Buxton, Pompano Beach, Fla., and Cheshire, UK
(1956 Wimbledon singles finalist; 1956 French and Wimbledon
doubles
winner)
Missing Tennis Dear FriendI want to thank you for the kind words
about Mary Lloyd Barbera in the June edition (Our Serve). Mary
Lloyd was certainly one of a kind and someone I will miss terribly
in all aspects of my life. I keep thinking she is going to burst
through the door with her big grin and a huge laugh. Tennis has
lost one of its most passionate support-ers, and we have all lost a
dear friend.
Amy FranklinDirector of Community Development,
Outreach and TrainingUSTA North Carolina
We welcome your opinions and com-ments. Please email them to
[email protected].
-
Krause demonstrates Cardio Tennis programming for coaches in
Italy.
During the qualifying tennis tournament for the Italian Open in
Rome in early May, the Italian Tennis Federation (FIT), in
cooperation with PTR Europe, invited TIA Executive Director Jolyn
de Boer and TIA Cardio Tennis Manager Michele Krause to speak at
the 2nd Annual International Tennis Coaches Symposium, which was
held at the historic Foro Italico.
The gathering of more than 3,000 tennis professionals and
coaches is the worlds
largest tennis symposium. Luciano Botti, president of Tennis
Services s.a.s. and a PTR board member, was instrumental in
arranging a Cardio Tennis presentation and demonstration on the
Grand Stand
14 TennisIndustry July 2015 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your
Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
The eighth annual TIA Tennis Forum will be on Monday, Aug. 31,
on the Ballroom level of the Grand Hyatt New York City, right
before play begins at the 2015 US Open.
The Forum, which is free to attend, will present the latest news
about the state of the tennis industry, including participation,
equipment sales data, grassroots initiatives, Youth Tennis, updates
from the USTA, and more. In addition, Peter Burwash will become the
10th inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame in a ceremony
at the conclusion of the Forum.
The Forum also will outline pathways to increasing the number of
core tennis players, ways to better define and boost the economic
growth and impact of the tennis industry, and effective ways to
distribute clear, consistent messaging of health,
fitness and the reasons to play tennis.Also, mark your calendars
now for the
third annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.)
Conference,
which will be held March 23-25 in Miami during the 2016 Miami
Open. While
the venue and complete schedule are still being finalized, the
2016 T.O.M. Conference is expected to start in the afternoon on
Wednesday, March 23. Attendees will also have the chance to attend
the Miami Open.
With the upcoming Tennis Forum and T.O.M. Conference, were
continuing our efforts from our meetings in Indian Wells this past
march on ways to bring in more players, more fans, and more tennis
consumers, says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
Peter Burwash, the founder and president of Peter Burwash
International, the largest tennis management company in the world,
will become the 10th inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame
in a ceremony at the conclusion of the TIA Tennis Forum on Aug.
31.
Burwash, a former ATP tour player, founded PBI 40 years ago and
now operates in 32 countries. A certified sports physiologist and
nutritionist and a sought-after speaker for Fortune 500 companies,
Burwash wrote the popular book Tennis for Life, which has sold over
1 million copies. In 1995, he received the International Tennis
Hall of Fames Educational Merit Award.
The Tennis Industry Hall of Fame was created in 2008 and
currently has nine inductees: Howard Head (2008), Dennis Van der
Meer (2008), Alan Schwartz (2009), Billie Jean King (2010), Nick
Bollettieri (2011), Howard Gill Jr. (2013), Walter Montenegro
(2013), Sheldon Westervelt (2013) and Jim Baugh (2014). Plaques of
Tennis Industry Hall of Fame inductees are displayed at the
International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
TIA Tennis Forum, Aug. 31, NYC T.O.M. Conf., March 23-25,
Miami
Peter Burwash to Enter Industry Hall of Fame
Save the Dates:
Cardio TennisDebuts to Coaches
in Italy
-
Gets Key Upgrades
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . .
. www.TennisIndustry.org
Court by de Boer and Krause. The on-court Cardio Tennis
participants wore Polar Bluetooth heart-rate transmitters and the
data for each participant was displayed on the courts Jumbotron so
the audience could see the players heart rates live and follow
their progress as they were put through the Cardio Tennis session,
burning calories and getting their heart rate into their training
zones.
Cardio Tennis, which is managed by the TIA, already is offered
in more than 30 countries, including as a key pillar for tennis
participation in Australia and the United Kingdom. In the U.S.,
more than 1.7 million people participate in Cardio Tennis.
Prior to the sessions at the Foro Italico, the Italian Tennis
Federation hosted a special session at the Vatican with Pope
Francis, who used the encounter to speak about sports and tennis as
an educational experience. Nearly 7,000 tennis coaches, their
families and others involved in the sport were in attendance in the
Vaticans Paul VI Audience Hall on May 8, including coaching legend
Nick Bollettieri; former touring pro, longtime tennis director and
current PTR President Roy Barth; past PTR President Jorge Andrew;
U.S. mental toughness coach Lorenzo Beltrame; and well-known
Italian coach Pablo Lozano, among others.
You athletes have a mission to fulfill: To be, for those who
admire you, good role models, the Pope said.
July 2015 TennisIndustry 15
Tennis participation in the U.S. has remained stable over the
last three years, according to the latest figures compiled by the
TIA and the Physical Activity Council. Total tennis players
numbered 17.9 million in 2014, which is up 1.3 percent over the
year before.
Core tennis participants, who are those who play 10 or
more times a year, is at 9.91 million, down 1 percent.
The slight decrease in core players was balanced by an increase
in casual players, who play one to three times a year, says Jolyn
de Boer, executive director of the TIA. The small drop could
indicate increasing competition for consumers time. But also, poor
weather in the first quarter of the year may have had a hand in
slightly reducing play frequency. Related to this is a slight drop
in total play occasions, to about 440 million.
Core players account for 80 percent of all tennis expenditures
and 94 percent of all play occasions. The average core
player plays tennis 42 times a year.
Tennis Participation Stable for 2014
De Boer, with translator, addresses coaches at Foro Italico.
The PlayTennis.com website, which is a central portal for
bringing people into tennis, has been upgraded with new features
and functionality. The upgrades were in place in early May, in time
to further help to boost play during the tennis-industry-wide Try
Tennis Free campaign.
PlayTennis.com is an unbranded, collaborative industry website
devoted simply to getting people to play tennis and enjoy all the
health, fitness and social benefits of the sport. Managed by the
TIA, PlayTennis.com is a key component for the national
TryTennisFree campaign, which saw nearly 2,000 tennis providers
offering a free introductory tennis session for new or returning
players.
Upgrades to the website include an improved Tennis Concierge
widget that quickly returns results on tennis locations and tennis
organizers in local communities. There also is a new rating
function so consumers can rate facilities and programs.
For tennis facilities and teaching professionals, updating
program and facility information on the website has been
streamlined, and theres also a live chat feature for instant
answers about the site and its functionality. In addition,
providers have access to new marketing collateral so they can
advertise and support Try Tennis Free in their local
communities.
Weve received a lot of feedback over the last few months about
the features that consumers and tennis providers would like to see
when it comes to finding and offering tennis programs, and were
happy to continue to adjust and streamline PlayTennis.com to better
serve tennis players, and those looking to get into the game, says
TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
Photos by Anni Miller
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By Bob Patterson
Racquet Tech
16 TennisIndustry July 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
T he string tickets at most profes-sional tournaments provide
the basic information for the technician to string the racquet.
Along with the string type and tension, there is usually a
designation of 2 Knots or 4 Knots, indicating if the player has
requested a 1-piece or 2-piece job. If two knots are designated and
the frames pattern has the mains ending at the throat, the
technician will know that a Box Pattern must be employed.
Although many manufacturers allow for crosses to be installed
from bot-tom to top, you will notice that almost always, the
two-piece instructions show the crosses starting at the top. This
is because top-to-bottom stringing places less stress on the frame.
At most pro tourneys, this is standard procedure.
Around the World (ATW) patterns are as varied as racquets and
there is certainly not enough space here to detail them all, so I
will just emphasize some of the basic principles to consider.
Usually, the pattern used is dictated by the pattern and skips
in the original
ATW and Box PatternsCommonly used by advanced stringers, Around
the World or Box Patterns call for careful planning.
pattern of the frame, but even then there are several different
ways to ac-complish it. On a certain pattern, some technicians may
install the top cross string and two bottom strings before filling
in the remaining crosses, while others would install two at the top
and one at the bottom. My point is there is no set pattern, but
there are some key points you need to employ.
1. Plan AheadBefore you start, decide what will be the most
efficient pattern
for this frame. Your goal is install the majority of the cross
strings from the top working down, but you also want to minimize
the runs of strings on the outside of the frame. Make sure your
method will be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional.
2. Plan Ahead, Part 2Often you will find that you may need to be
clamped on two strings on the same side of the racquet, so make
sure you have a start-ing clamp handy to supplement your machine
clamp and make sure it can be placed where needed (no machine
supports in the way, etc.).
3. Be CarefulMis-weaves or du-plicate weaves are the most common
errors in ATW patterns. Know how many total crosses are in the
pattern. Even-numbered strings will all employ the same weave and
odd-number crosses will all be the same but op-posite of the evens.
Since you wont be installing the crosses in order, this can cause
problems that are not easily caught until you are all but finished,
so check and double-check as you go.
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By Bob Patterson
Footwear
18 TennisIndustry July 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
W hats on the bottom of your shoe? It can make a world of
difference in your traction, comfort and stability during play.
The outsole is something that often goes unnoticedmost players
are first attracted to the color and design of the upper. Even when
the shoe is on your display shelf, players wont see the out-sole
unless they pick up the shoe. Yet, the outsole is crucial in how
the shoe performs.
There are all sorts of outsole patterns, and although some may
look like works of art, there is a methodology to their design.
Tread design is crucial to stabil-ity, traction and overall
performance of any shoe.
Since the majority of tennis in the U.S. is played on either
hard courts or synthetic clay, most shoes offered here are designed
for those two surfaces, or in many cases, both. (There are also
grass-court shoes designed specifically for those who play on the
lawns.) Over the last few decades, tennis-shoe manu-facturers have
been developing new technologies to help players find the best
solutions for gripping the surface, or sliding, based on court
type.
Clay Court ShoesFor clay courts, its important to have a
combination of slide and grip that al-lows players to develop
defensive skills and cover more area while conserving energy. Clay
court shoes usually will have a tight herringbone or wave pat-tern
to provide that sliding control and grip.
The overall surface of the outsole is generally flat. A true
clay court shoe can
Bottom LinersOffer customers the opportunity to match their
shoes to their preferred court surface for optimum performance.
be used on hard courts, but the player certainly wont get the
best perfor-mance. Usually there is less cushioning and the
traction will suffer, but the big difference will come in
durability. Clay shoes are not set up to withstand the abrasive
aspects endured on a hard court.
Hard Court ShoesMost hard court shoes will incorporate a similar
herringbone pattern, al-though it will be less dense than a clay
sole pattern and often less uniform. Of-ten the patterns may vary
in different areas of the foot.
One big difference that may not be visible is the compound used
in the rubber. Generally, for hard court shoes, the rubber is much
harder for durabil-ity reasons and can be thicker, espe-cially in
high-wear areas of the shoe, according to the shoe design team at
Head. Most hard-court shoes are not suitable for clay courts and
some may even damage the softer clay-court surface with their
deeper grooves.
Dual PurposeHunter Hines of Dunlop/Diadora says it is important
to know what the player is seeking in order to get them in the
right shoe with the right outsole.
All-court/all-surface shoes are great for both surfaces as they
have a good herringbone pattern, albeit different size and
directional treads, Hines says. At the end of the day, its what the
player is most comfortable with, but a good all-court outsole will
meet the needs of just about every player.
If the player commonly plays on
both surface types, the dual-purpose or all-court shoe may be
the best answer, although they will sacrifice some performance
offered in a shoe specifically designed for the playing
surface.
Lacing SystemsThe laces are another component that players
usually don't think much about, but the lacing system, which
literally holds your foot in the shoe, is crucial to comfort and
performance. In fact, most people may not realize they dont have to
use all the lacing holes in the shoe; they can skip holes if it
makes the shoe more comfortable or produces a better fit
Companies look to strike a balance of just enough pressure and
comfort. While there are slight variations in lacing systems, the
two main varianc-es are a traditional tongue style and a
tongue-less or uni-tongue style.
The traditional style allows for more control on how tight is
too tight, but the uni-tongue gener-ally provides a more snug fit
and is usually preferred by aggressive players.
Your shoe inventory should be di-verse enough to offer your
customers options so they can find the perfect shoe. Having a
well-trained staff that not only knows their inventory but also are
good listeners will go a long in way in keeping customers
happy.
When players can have enough choices so they can find a shoe
that not only fits well but also will help them perform better, its
a win/win for everyone.
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By Cindy Cantrell
Tennis History
20 TennisIndustry July 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
F ollowing a six-month closure for renovations, the museum at
the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., reopened on
May 20 with an entirely new experience for visitors..
The $3 million project was years in planning. Interactive
exhibits include a tennis history touch table, opportuni-ties to
call the match like a broad-caster, a rotating globe highlighting
the sports worldwide impact, and a hologram experience featuring
Roger Federerthe first use of holographic technology in an American
sports museum.
Redesigned galleries provide a cohesive narrative of tennis
history, as told through the lives and careers of the 243 Hall of
Famers. In addition, the number of artifacts on display from the
25,000-piece collection has nearly doubled to 1,900, including Rod
Lavers first Wimbledon trophy, gold sneakers worn by Serena
Williams, an original Andy Warhol portrait of Chris Evert and a
display of more than 100 vintage tennis ball cans.
The streamlined layout showcases the original 1880 architecture
and fur-nishings of the historic Newport Casino building, including
three previously covered fireplaces.
Tennis history dates back to the 12th century and it evolves
with tourna-ments around the world weekly, says Todd Martin, CEO of
the International Tennis Hall of Fame. There have been
extraordinary people and moments throughout the sport's history.
This new museum will share the stories of the sports legends with
the world in a really exciting way, and it will hopefully serve as
an inspiration for the next genera-tion of tennis greats and fans.
For more information, visit tennisfame.com.
Hall of Fame Reopens After Major Renovation
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Awards
22 TennisIndustry July 2015
Our January 2015 issue marked the 14th year that weve named our
Champions of Tennis winners. As we start the process for picking
this years Champions of Tennis, wed like to recognize all of those
past winnerspeople, businesses, organizationsthat have helped to
make a differ-ence in tennis, and in the business of tennis.
As you can see on this impressive list, many of our past
Champions of Tennis winners are still at itstill dedicated to
making this sport the best it can be, to bringing in new
partici-pants, to supplying players with equipment and places to
play, and to making tennis businesses grow.
We salute our past Champions for their continuing dedica-tion to
tennis!
TI Champions of Tennis Honor Roll
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
Person of the Year
2014: Bahram Akradi
2013: Virgil Christian
2012: Susan DiBiase
2011: Pat Freebody
2010: Jon Muir
2009: Eric Babolat
2008: Dave Haggerty
2007: George Napier
2006: Kirk Anderson
2005: Max Brownlee
2004: Arlen Kantarian
2003: Jim Baugh & Kurt Kamperman
2002: Alan Schwartz
Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year
2014: Your Serve Tennis
2013: Serious Tennis
2012: Tennis Town
2011: All About Tennis
2010: NYC Racquet Sports
2009: Tennis Express
2008: Tennis & Golf Co.
2007: Michael Lynnes Tennis Shop
2006: Swetkas Tennis Shop
2005: Racquet World
2004: Players Choice Tennis
2003: Advantage Yours
2002: Chicago Tennis & Golf
2001: Dale Queen
Private Facility of the Year
2014: Army Navy Country Club
2013: Tennisclub of the Low Country at Rose Hill
2012: Life Time Fitness
2011: Western Racquet Club
2010: The Polo Club
2009: Reynolds Plantation
2008: Boars Head Sports Club
2007: Meadow Creek Tennis & Fitness
2006: Midtown Tennis Center
2005: Brookhaven Country Club
2004: Indian Creek Racquet Club
2003: New Albany Country Club
2002: Woodfield Country Club
Municipal Facility of the Year
2014: Indian Wells Tennis Garden
2013: Baseline Tennis Center (U. of Minn.)
2012: Southlake Tennis Center
2011: Roger Scott Tennis Club
2010: Copeland-Cox Tennis Center
2009: Reffkin Tennis Center
2008: Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex
2007: Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education
2006: Cary Tennis Park
2005: John Drew Smith Tennis Center
2004: Lexington County Tennis Complex
2003: Midland Community Tennis Center
2002: Cooper Tennis Complex
2001: George E. Barnes Tennis Center
Builder of the Year
2014: Trans Texas Tennis
2013: Fred Kolkmann Tennis & Sport Surfaces
2012: Baseline Sports Construction
2011: Leslie Coatings Inc.
2010: Pro-Sport Construction
2009: DeRosa Tennis Contractors
2008: Boston Tennis Court Construction
2007: Sportsline Inc.
2006: Courtsmiths
2005: Fast-Dry Companies
2004: Zaino Tennis Court
2003: General Acrylics
2002: Cape & Island Tennis and Track
2001: Welch Tennis Courts
Sales Rep of the Year
2014: Allan Iverson
2013: Richard Mennig
2012: Joe Habenschuss
2011: Lee Sponaugle
2010: Rick Walsh
2009: Tracy Lynch
2008: Jim Haneklau
2007: Hunter Hines
2006: Jim Willwerth
2005: Kay Barney
2004: Dustin Perry
2003: Bob Strimel
2002: Bob Pfaender
2001: Sheri Norris & David Blakeley
Grassroots Champion of the Year
2014: Ellen Miller
2013: Carla OConnor
2012: Danice Brown
2011: Brenda Gilmore
2010: Robert Pangrazi
2009: Lisa Stone & Susan Chambers
2008: Sue Jollensten
2007: Dan Vonk
2006: Beverly Bourguet
2005: Shirley Ruane
2004: Gwen & Dan Ramras
2003: Scott Biron
2002: Mark Platt
2001: Donna Owens
Junior Tennis Champion of the Year
2014: Jack Newman
2013: Vesa Ponkka
2012: Todd Dissly
2011: Jeff Rothstein
2010: Butch Staples & Leah Friedman
2009: Dan Faber
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TI Champions of Tennis Honor Roll
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com July 2015
TennisIndustry 23
Send Us Your TI Champions of Tennis NominationsTo nominate for
Tennis Industrys 2015 Champions of Tennis, email
[email protected], and put Champions in the subject line.
In the email, include the category, the name of the person or
organization you are nominating, contact info (phone and email) for
the nominee, andbrieflysome information about the nominee,
including a website address if appropriate. All nominations will
be
confidential, but wed also like your name and contact info, in
case we have questions. Deadline for nominations: Sept. 1,
2015.
2008: Chuck Kuhle
2007: Craig Jones
2006: Bwana Chakar Simba
2005: Wayne St. Peter
2004: Emma Hubbs
2003: Phyllis Greene
2002: LaMont Bryant
2001: Ned Eames
Wheelchair Tennis Champion of the Year
2014: Paul Walker
2013: Nick Taylor
2012: Curt & Lynn Bender
2011: Jeremiah Yolkut
2010: Harlon Matthews
2009: Dean Oba
2008: Michael Mercier
2007: Jason Harnett
2006: Bruce Karr
2005: Karin Korb
2004: Julie Jilly
2003: Dan James
2002: Tina Dale
2001: Nancy Olson
Community Tennis Association of the Year
2014: InnerCity Tennis Foundation
2013: Dallas Tennis Association
2012: Tri-County CTA
2011: Bucks County Tennis Association
2010: Southern Crescent Tennis Association
2009: Western Wake Tennis Association
2008: Lee County Tennis Association
2007: Grants Pass CTA
2006: Montgomery County Tennis Association
2005: Baltimore Tennis Patrons
2004: Pikes Peak CTA
2003: Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation
2002: Macon Tennis Association
2001: Homewood-Flossmoor
Stringer of the Year
2014: David Yamane
2013: Chuck Hakansson
2012: John Gugel
2011: Todd Mobley
2010: Tom Parry
2009: Ron Rocchi
2008: Nate Ferguson
2007: Tim Strawn
2006: Grant Morgan
2005: Bob Patterson
2004: Randy Stephenson
Public Park of the Year
2014: Mercer County Park Tennis Center
2013: BNA Bank Park
2012: Kiest Park
2011: Cadwalader Park
2010: Dwight Davis Tennis Center
2009: Darling Tennis Center
2008: Roswell Park & Rec
2007: Fort Lauderdale Park & Rec
2006: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
2005: Scalzi Park
Mass Merchant/Chain of the Year
2011: PGA Tour Superstores
2008: Sport Chalet
2007: The Sports Authority
2006: PGA Tour Superstores
2005: Golfsmith
2004: City Sports
2003: Sport Chalet
2002: Dicks Sporting Goods
2001: Galyans
High School Coach of the Year
2014: Laurie Martin
2013: Ken Griffith
2012: Terry Valdez
2011: Jim Neal and Jim Solomon
2010: Bill Wagstaff
2009: Rich Johns
2008: Sue Bordainick
2007: Marian DeWane
2006: David Steinbach
Online Retailer of the Year
2005: Tennis Warehouse
Tennis Advocate of the Year
2014: Shima and Joe Grover
2013: Robert Walsh
2012: Nancy McGinley
2011: Mike Woody
2010: Robin Jones
2009: Ellen Doll
Park & Recreation Agency of the Year
2014: Washington, D.C. Parks & Recreation
2013: Lexington Co. Rec. & Aging Commission
2012: Reston Association
2011: Tualatin Hills Park & Rec District
Youth Tennis Provider of the Year
2014: Simon Gale
Youth Tennis Facility Developer of the Year
2014: Signature Tennis Inc.
2013: Fast-Dry Courts Inc.
2012: Top-A-Court Tennis
2011: Hinding Tennis
Innovative Tennis Event of the Year
2014: The Tennis Congress
USTA Section of Year
2014: Intermountain
2013: Eastern
2012: Northern California
2011: Middle States
2010: Southern
2009: Midwest
2008: Pacific Northwest
2007: Florida
2006: Texas
2005: Florida
2004: Pacific Northwest
2003: Southern
2002: Northern
2001: New England
PTR Member of the Year
2014: Nigel Pugh
2013: Robert Carlbo
2012: Roy Barth
2011: Jorge Capestany
2010: Rodney Harmon
2009: Ken DeHart
2008: Jorge Andrew
2007: Luke Jensen
2006: Ajay Pant
2005: Lisa Duncan
USPTA Member of the Year
2014: Randy Mattingley
2013: Avis Murray
2012: David Porter
2011: Feisal Hassan
2010: Ron Woods
2009: Robert Greene Jr.
2008: Tom Sweitzer
2007: Mike Van Zutphen
2006: Brett Hobden
2005: Bob Reed
2014
CHAMPIONS OF TENNIS
p r e s e n t s
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The comments that came back fol-lowing the Cardio Tennis Trainer
Summit in April were, in a word, awesome.
Thank you for an incredible week-end. I learned so much and am
feeling inspired to grow Cardio Tennis. I feel honored and
privileged to be on your team, said Andrew Sirota of Wayne,
N.J.
Amazing. I always leave with more knowledge and gain that much
more to make me better, added Marcy Bruce of McMurray, Pa.
What a great Cardio Tennis Summit. No matter how often I am with
you and the rest of the group, I learn so much, said Bruce Levine
of New Haven, Conn.
The two-and-a-half-day CT Trainer Summit was held at the IMG
Academy in Bradenton, Fla., April 10-12, put to-gether by Cardio
Tennis National Man-ager Michele Krause and her core team,
including Dorian Adam of Bend, Ore., Lance Andersen of Boxborough,
Mass., and Ted Murray of Boulder, Co. Thirty select tennis and
fitness professionals from across the U.S. took part, learning the
skills and knowledge required to be a TIA Cardio Tennis
Trainer.
We trained the trainers, Krause said. These 30 professionals
were chosen based on their tennis and fit-ness experience, and
passion for Cardio Tennis
and the role fitness plays in our sport. Now, theyre qualified
to deliver official Cardio Tennis education to tennis
and IMG protocol pro training ses-sions. The third day of the
Summit included a seven-hour Cardio Tennis course delivered to 45
participants by multiple members of the CT Trainer Team.
It was an incredible weekend of learning, bonding, teamwork 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 con-tinue providing some of
the very best education in the tennis industry.
Reaching Their Cardio Summit
Cardio Tennis
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30 top tennis and fitness professionals go through intensive
Cardio Tennis training and education.
and fitness professionals around the country and the world, so
that those pros can bring quality Cardio Tennis programs to
consumers and players. Cardio Tennis is offered in more than 30
countries, including as a key pillar for tennis participation in
Australia and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., more than 1.7
million people participate in Cardio Tennis.
The CT Summit kicked off with a welcome from IMG Academy founder
and tennis Hall-of-Famer Nick Bollet-tieri. Then David Thompson of
Polar USA talked to the group about the use of heart-rate monitors
for Cardio Ten-nis 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 Cardio Tennis games, warm-up and cool-down
activities, as well as personal fitness. Besides Krause, other
speakers included Cassiano Costa, the head tennis fitness trainer
at IMG, and Jeff Smith from Rapid Force.
There also was a Calorie Burn Chal-lenge, with 28 trainers
participating. Over the course of the two days, the group burned a
total of 140,570 calories. The highest woman calorie-burner was
Marley Woods of Bristol, Tenn., with 6,298; the leader for the men
was Michael Branan of Longwood, Fla., who burned 10,233
calories.
Also during the weekend, 36 profes-sionals participated in a
Cardio Tennis Triples tournament. The winning team consisted of
Jack Steyn of Braden-ton, Fla., Sirota, and Woods. In addition,
there were TRX Cardio Tennis workouts
2015 TIA Cardio Tennis TrainersDorian Adam, Bend, ORLance
Anderson, Boxborough, MASamantha Ardenfriend, Naples, FLDan Beedle,
Memphis, TNMichael Branan, Longwood, FLMarcy Bruce, McMurray,
PAEnrique Casados, Bradenton, FLGary Cimperman, Valdosta, GADevin
Crotzer, Lebanon, TNKalindi Dinoffer, Dallas, TXNathaniel Fleming,
Bannockburn, ILFarshad Garakani, Vienna, VACarmen Garcia,
Alpharetta, GAJason Golden, Bradenton, FLMichael Harper, Vienna,
VAFeisal Hassan, Midlothian, VAAdam Jasick, Palm Desert, CAMichele
Krause, University Park, FLBruce Levine, New Haven, CTTed Murray,
Boulder, COJosh Myers, Hilton Head Island, SCChris Ojakian, Beverly
Hills, CAMalcolm Ridenour, La Quinta, CATroy Robinson, Kinston,
NCJustin Russ, Bradenton, FLDavid Schwartz, Newhall, CAHeather
Silvia Killingsworth, Milton, GAAndrew Sirota, Mahwah, NJJessica
Watts, New Rochelle, NYMarley Woods, Bristol, TN
24 TennisIndustry July 2015
For more about Cardio Tennis, including train-ing for tennis
providers, visit CardioTennis.com or contact Krause at
[email protected] or 941-457-7880.
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26 TennisIndustry July 2015
Strings
Nylon vs. Poly With all the advancements and new introductions
in co-poly strings, are nylon-based strings still relevant? The
short answer: Very much so.By Bob Patterson
Poly strings seem to dominate the tennis scene nowfrom junior
tournaments, manufacturer advertising and even commentators at pro
tournaments. Now, when strings are men-tioned, its generally all
about the wonders of poly.
But while it may appear that were headed to a time when poly
will be the dominant material for tennis string, most experts dont
think that will be the case. Sure, poly has many benefits, but also
has some drawbacks, especially for the rec-reational player. (See
The Evolution of Poly Strings in the May 2015 issue.)
Regardless of how you feel about poly, the real loser in the mix
is nylon. It seems no one talks about nylon anymore, although no
other string segment has more variations and has undergone more
development than this venerable veteran. Even with new nylon
strings being developed and introduced to the marketplace, it seems
that most marketing dollars are spent promoting what the pros are
using, which is often a poly/gut hybrid, although the gut is also
rarely mentioned.
Identity Crisis While it may seem that nylon strings have gotten
lost in the mix, it really could simply be an identity crisis. You
will be hard-pressed to find any marketing material using the word
nylon, and youll rarely find it even in the fine print on the
package or in the catalog. We may be able to trace the aversion to
the label back its roots.
Back when all racquets were wooden, natural gut was the only
string used, until technology provided us with nylon as
an alternative that was much less expensive and much more
durable. Tennis enthusiasts and better players snubbed the new
string since price and durability were all it could offer in
comparison with natural gut.
But as time went on, and players grew up using nylon, it became
more popularespecially as the game moved from country clubs to more
city parks and schools. The string also got better, as
manufacturing techniques began to produce string that had better
playing characteristics. Wrapped construction and multifilaments
proved to be better received than the original monofilaments.
Somewhere along the way the better nylon strings started to be
called synthetic gut, which was a more palatable name to the
purists of the game.
Still No RespectFast-forward 50 years. Today, nylon still lacks
respect, it seems, since all the attention is on the co-poly
formulations.
But can we as racquet technicians shoulder some of the
responsibility? While we certainly dont control the manufac-turers
marketing plans, nor do we have any influence on what the
commentators talk about on televised pro matches, we should be the
biggest influence when it comes to helping our customers choose the
right string for them.
It is pretty well-established that co-poly strings are not the
best choice for average recreational players, so are we guilty of
letting our customers down by not informing them that using Nadals
string is never going to help them hit screaming topspin
winners?
Since poly gets all the attention these days, its easy to just
go with the flow and give customers what they ask for, even
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when its not the best choice for their games or their arms.
In a quick, informal survey from a few dealers, most were
stocking the latest in-troductions of poly strings. However, the
vast majority offered nylon-based strings that had been in the
marketplace for two decades or more. These are perfectly good
strings to have in the inventory, as they are great products.
But I was amazed that many of the newer nylon-based strings were
absent from most inventories in my survey group. Can this be
attributed to lack of marketing from the manufacturers,
unwillingness for us to embrace new strings, or maybe both?
Client InterventionWhile we can only inform and suggest, it is
imperative that racquet technicians take the time to educate their
clients about the best equipment choices for their particu-lar
game.
Sure, there are clients who wont listen and will demand what
they think they need. But there also are plenty of play-ers who are
looking for anything that will help them elevate their game. It is
up to the racquet technician to explain how the strings are an
integral part of that process.
Perhaps it is an unattainable goal to get all recreational
players into a string set-up that will benefit their game and not
simply mimic their favorite pros, but we should, at least, inform
and educate each and every one.
Inventory StapleWhile manufacturers have been empha-sizing
co-poly strings, many new nylon strings have been introduced in the
last few years and really deserve a look.
Nylon offers such a wide variety of playing characteristics
because it can be configured in so many ways and combined with
other materials. They should be the staples of any string
inventory. From soft multifilaments to single- or double-wrapped
nylons, a technician can find something for every player type.
Creating hybrids with a co-poly or another nylon gives the client
even more options.
The bottom line is, dont give up on ny-lons! Embrace them. Learn
about newer introductions and look for ways to incor-porate them in
your inventory in order to offer a complete and diverse range of
strings to your clients.
July 2015 TennisIndustry 27
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2015 Guide to Ball Machines
PH
OT
O B
Y E
LIZ
A J
AC
OB
S
28 TennisIndustry July 2015
There it is, sitting out on a far court, with a tangled mess of
an extension cord, filled with balls that are no longer good enough
for the juniors. It hasnt been serviced since it was bought five
years ago. Now it begins to rain, but it is left and forgotten
because of its distance from the pro shop.
This is the typical scenario for most tennis ball machines
across the country.
Often, the culture created at the facility by the teaching pro
is that the ball machine is strictly for beginnersand that it
presents competition to their personal lesson revenue. But this
could not be any further from reality.
A ball machine is simply a tool for the teaching pro, not
competition. It does not correct mistakes. It does not teach
strategy. It provides a ball so the teaching pro can effectively
coach.
In reality, if used and marketed properly, the ball machine can
be an incredible teaching tool and a great source of rev-enue. And,
it can be an effective way to separate the teaching pro from his or
her competition close by.
The Lesson CultureLets begin with a look at the lesson culture
at the club. Ever since I can remember, private and group lessons
have been done by the teaching pro standing near the net, feeding
balls to the student. But anyone would agree that a ball that is
fed from the net is nowhere near the type of ball that a player
receives in a match.
When I ask pros, why then, do they still feed from the net, the
top three answers I get are: 1) It is easier; 2) Habit; 3) It is
how they were taught.
When I ask tennis club and facility members why they think pros
feed from the net, they answer: 1) Pros dont take the lessons
seriously; 2) They want the members to leave happy; 3) It is
easier.
Now, before you teaching pros out there get defensive,
es-pecially with that No. 1 answer, here are a couple of things to
keep in mind. Out of the hundreds of pros that I questioned, less
than 10 percent say they come to the court with a lesson plan.
Members notice this lack of a plan. When members were questioned,
they said that the pros rarely, if ever, work on deficiencies from
their last league match in a team practicehence, no plan.
Further, for the last three years, Ive traveled the country
doing my FBT60 (Fit By Tennis In 60 Days) clinics and have worked
with hundreds of recreational players. (FBT60 is a free, innovative
tennis/fitness program combining a series of ball machine drills
with nutrition and stretching, for both members training on their
own as well as group clinics. Visit www.fbt60.com.) Something we
noticed immediately was that players did not know any of the shots
required to perform the programfor instance moonballs, high
approach, low approach, etc. Most staggering, of 547 players in our
clinics to date, 547 did not know what their strike zone was for
particular shots. Think how hard the game must have been for those
players before we taught them about strike zones. They had no idea
where they had to get the ball for their technique to be
successful.
As an industry, in 2011 and 2012, we lost a combined total of
9.7 million players, while bringing in only 8 million, accord-
Play the Long Game
If used and marketed properly, a ball machine can be an
incredible teaching tool and a great source of revenueand can help
strengthen the game.By Stan Oley
For all the latest ball machines and all their specifications
and fea-tures, see our exclusive Guide to Ball Machines starting on
page 30.
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Stan Oley, a member of the USPTA, PTR and Cardio Tennis Global
Speakers Team, has been working with and teaching with ball
machines for 24 years. He is a product marketing specialist for
Playmate Ball Machines and founder of FBT60 (Fit By Tennis in 60
Days), a tennis/fitness program combining nutrition and a series of
ball machine drills. He is sponsored by Adidas and Babolat.
www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com
ing to the Tennis Industry Association based on the annual PAC
study of tennis participation. While some may attribute this net
loss of 1.7 million players to excuses such as the economy, a spike
in other sports, industry cycles, etc., I believe it boils down to
the teaching pro needing to be better and able to provide a more
superior customer learning experience.
Now, the ball machine may not solve all of the tennis indus-trys
problems, but it certainly can provide a great start.
Using a Ball MachineLess than 5 percent of U.S. teaching pros
use a ball machine with private lessons. But if the pro did use a
ball machine, it would al-low him or her to be beside the student
to provide the necessary coaching, demonstration, and encouragement
for a particular shot. It also would allow the teaching pro to work
on shots and shot sequences they may otherwise not be able to or
want to feed.
Once the teaching pro is freed up from feeding, it also provides
a great opportunity for videotaping. (There are many video apps
available, as well as standard video programs that now come on
smart devices.) Most importantly, when a teaching pro uses a ball
machine in a private lesson, the student gets better at an alarming
rate, making the student excited and wanting more!
Next, there is the group lesson. Most pros feel they have no
problem feeding a two-line high approach and overhead drill. The
problem is that for the feed to be correct, it needs to come from
the baseline and be fed at a frequency of when each players ball
passes the pro, they feed another ball. In most cases, it needs to
be about a ball every two seconds or less to be correct. If you
think you can do this, start checking to see if your feeds are
timely. For players to improve, it matters! Of course, if the pro
is that focused on the feeding, is there really any serious
instruc-tion happening?
Today, we have ball machines that can do this drill without
fail, allowing the pro to step in and demonstrate proper technique
as well as work with each player privately as they exit the lines.
The quality of instruction and encourage-ment with the ball machine
can be staggering, compared with that of feeding from afar. Again,
the students get much better and want to learn moreand play
more!
Now lets look at the post-lesson curriculum. After a student
takes a golf lesson, they are told to practice the information
given in the lesson on the range several times before taking to the
course. In tennis, the teach-ing pro seems more concerned with
getting the student back for another lesson, instead of what the
player is doing in between lesson visits to get better.
I always had a rule that the student had to hit on a ball
ma-chine twice in between lessons or the student should really not
expect to improve very much at all. You have to wonder when you see
a golf course has 20 range slots and the tennis depart-ment only
has one ball machine that is rarely used.
Ball Machine CareNow, lets go back to where we started, with
that lonely ball machine sitting out on that far court. Ball
machines get far more use and less abuse on a court close to the
pro shop, where people can be seen using it. In a sudden storm, it
is much easier to put away as well. When out on court and not in
use, make sure the machine is covered. It should be stored in a dry
place overnight or when not in use for long periods.
Always try to keep a consistency of balls in the machine for
reliable throws. A ball with extra duty felt (regardless of the
surface) is best because the felt is usually the first to wear out
in a well-used machine. Also, to create an effortless customer
experience with the machine, always have the extension cord on a
reel for easy set-up and take-down.