Tennis Industry Magazine

Health & Wellness
Industry News
Dr. Jack Groppel

TSRs gather for
promotes tennis as a SALES & SERVICE
FITNESS ACTIVITY development
2017 Calendar
PLAN YOUR YEAR

with TIAs industry
event calendar
JANUARY 2017 / VOLUME 45 / NUMBER 1 / $5.00
2016
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
pg.25
Our annual awards honor those who continue

to make this sport a winner.
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO :
D O N T I S D A L E R A N D Y F U T T Y S E A C O L O N Y T E N N I S C L U B S C O T T H A N O V E R G A M E - S E T- M AT C H
O K L A H O M A C I T Y T E N N I S C E N T E R C I N D Y H U E T H E R C O U R T O N E N O R T H M A I N AT H L E T I C C O M P L E X
S A M M Y G I A M M A LV A T I M M I L E S S A N A N T O N I O T E N N I S A S S O C I AT I O N C O L E T T E L E W I S
P H I L I P V A N A S S E LT D A N J A M E S C O R T E N N I S / R E A D I N G R E C R E AT I O N C O M M I S S I O N
NEW BALANCE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE MARK FABER
M A R T Y H E N N E S S Y I N S P I R I N G C H I L D R E N F O U N D AT I O N J A C K S A B B Y S O C I A L T E N N I S L E A G U E
U S TA M I S S O U R I V A L L E Y K I R K A N D E R S O N
TA
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TennisIndustry
www.tennisindustrymag.com
JANUARY 2017
DEPARTMENTS
5
Industry News
16 TIA News
20 Executive Point: Dr. Jack Groppel
22 Industry Events Calendar
23 Social Media
36 Ask the Experts
2016
38 String Playtest: Babolat

RPM Blast Rough 16
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
40 Your Serve, by Paul Fein
INDUSTRY NEWS
5
TSRs gather for

development meeting
TGA launches its own

youth racquet line
Bryan Ogle is Babolats

national sales director
PlaySight debuts system

to reduce incorrect calls
Antigua launches new

line of polos
Dunlop introduces
Precision racquets
USTA hires 4 head pros

for National Campus
PeopleWatch
Our annual awards honor the people,

businessesandorganizationsthataremaking
a difference in the tennis industry.
p.25
10 USRSA presents workshop

at Ferris PTM program
12 Wilson introduces new
Blade racquets
13 Short Sets
14 USTA partners in new Laver Cup
DON TISDALE RANDY FUTTY SEA COLONY TENNIS CLUB SCOTT HANOVER
GAME-SET-MATCH OKLAHOMA CITY TENNIS CENTER CINDY HUETHER COURT ONE
NORTH MAIN ATHLETIC COMPLEX DAN JAMES SAN ANTONIO TENNIS
ASSOCIATION TIM MILES COLETTE LEWIS PHILIP VAN ASSELT SAMMY GIAMMALVA
COR TENNIS/READING RECREATION COMMISSION NEW BALANCE HIGH SCHOOL
CHAMPIONSHIPS MARK FABER PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE MARTY HENNESSY
INSPIRING CHILDREN FOUNDATION JACKS ABBY SOCIAL TENNIS LEAGUE
USTA MISSOURI VALLEY KIRK ANDERSON
p.41
46
USPTA Offers
Health and
Life Insurance
Options
54
National Board
Applications
to be Available
Soon
56
Wilson to
Launch New
USPTA Tennis
Ball
PLUS
42 CEOs Message
52 Inside Coaching
44 Presidents
Message
56 Master Pro Corner
47 USPTA News
58 Career Development
60 Member News
51 Endorsee News
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

2 TennisIndustry
JAN_TI_TOC_SC.indd 2
January 2017
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IndustryNews
Information to help you run your business
TSRs Gather for

Development Meeting
Babolat Names Ogle As
National Sales Director
C O U RT E S Y U S TA / B A B O L AT/ T G A P R E M I E R YO U T H T E N N I S
taff from seven USTA sections gathered in Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 18-20
for a TSR Regional Meeting designed
to strengthen professional development
in both sales and customer service.
The 67 attendees included section Tennis Service Representatives, marketing
directors, and diversity and inclusion staff.
The Midwest, Northern, Missouri Valley,
Mid-Atlantic, Texas, Northern California
and Southern California USTA sections
were represented.
The keynote speaker was Craig Morris,
USTA general manager of Community
Tennis & Youth Tennis. Other speakers

included Rob Cornilles, CEO of Game
Face Inc., USTA Director of TSRs Glenn
Arrington and Bob Pfaender of the USTA
TSR program.
A big goal was to improve communication and understanding between sales
and marketing both at the sectional and
national levels, Pfaender says. It was an
outstanding learning and bonding experience. The TSRs are the face and voice of
the USTA in the field; letting them know
that USTA National is here to help really
makes a difference. !
TGA Launches Its

Own Youth Racquet Line
GA Premier Youth Tennis, which delivers tennis programming to communities around the U.S., is launching its own line of custom tennis racquets for boys and
girls. The racquets are availalable in five sizes19, 21, 23, 25
and 27 inchesand can be purchased at shop.playtga.com.
Expanding to provide properly fit tennis equipment to
our customers is only natural, says TGA CEO Joshua Jacobs.
With access to tens of thousands of first-time tennis participants, we plan to directly introduce our customer base to the
equipment line and progress them through the sizes. !
Dec_TI_IndustryNews_SC.indd 8
Babolat has named Bryan Ogle as

its new national sales director. Ogle
will be responsible for developing,
leading and driving key growth sales
strategies and action plans for the
United States.
Bryans extensive sales and
marketing experience, both outside
and inside the tennis industry, makes
him the perfect candidate to lead our
U.S. sales efforts, says Babolat USA
General Manager Susan DiBiase.
He shares our passion for the sport,
and our commitment to strengthening our customer relationships by
becoming better consultative business partners.
Prior to joining Babolat this past
fall, Ogle was with K-Swiss since 2009,
first as director of business development and then as senior director of
global sales and marketing.
USRSA Seeks 1975 Edition

of Stringers Assistant
The U.S. Racquet Stringers
Association is in the process of
scanning and making available to
its members everything weve
ever published, says USRSA
Executive Director Bob Patterson.
This will include all issues of Racquet Tech magazine and Stringers
Assistant, going back to the 1970s.
However, the organization is
missing the very first Stringers
Assistant newsletter, labeled Volume 1, Number 1, from 1975. If
anyone has a copy available for the
USRSA, please contact Patterson at
bob@racquettech.com.
January 2017
TennisIndustry 5
11/21/16 12:38 PM
IndustryNews
Cardio Tennis Schedules
2017 Training Courses
The Cardio Tennis staff is in the process
of setting its training courses for 2017.
Currently on the calendar are Level 1 and
Level 2 training courses, along with other
training and appearances at national
events. Go to CardioTennis.com to find the
current schedule and sign up for a training
course near you.
Antiguas New
Polo Line
Features
Perfected Pique
C O U RT E S Y A N T I G UA G R O U P/ DA N S M I T H : J O H N P O W L E S S
he Antigua Groups 2017 collection of mens performance tennis apparel is highlighted by its
new Perfected Pique polo, which the
company says uses fiber with a specific
filament count and four-way stretch
construction to create a fabric that
possesses the softest hand, drape and
comfort while still providing moisture
wicking. The new line includes the
Endure, Channel and Revive jerseys,
available in a variety of colors and
styles. The line also includes two new
pairs of tennis shorts, the Rally Short
and the Sport Short.
Antigua also specializes in custom
embroidery to outfit tournament
officials, teams, schools and tennis
pro shops with bradned apparel. As an
example, Antigua provides officials,
umpires and ball kids with logoed
apparel for the Volvo Cars Open pro
event. For more information, visit
Antigua.com. !
Jan. 7-8: Midland, Mich.Levels 1 & 2

Jan. 19: Melbourne, Australia
Specialized education
Feb. 19: Memphis, Tenn.Level 1
Feb. 19-20: Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Levels 1 & 2
Feb. 21-24: Washington, D.C.NIRSA
Trade Show
March 17: Alpharetta, Ga.Level 1
March 27-29: Orlando, Fla.T.O.M.
Conference
April 2: Marlboro, Mass.Level 1
April 21-23: Encino, Calif.Levels 1 & 2
Sept. 8: Alpharetta, Ga.Level 2
Oct. 16: Wayne, N.J.Level 1
Oct. 10-15: Orlando, Fla.USPTA
World Conf.
Nov. 11-12: Big Rapids, Mich.
Levels 1 & 2
Nov. TBD: Fayetteville, N.C.Level 1
Camps, which will increase from three in

2016 to more than 10 in 2017.
As GSTT grows into a full-service tennis
experience company, says GSTT President
Andrew Chmura, its important to recognize friends in the industry who can add
breadth and diversity to the opportunities
we offer our guests.
PlaySight Debuts System

To Reduce Incorrect Line Calls
PlaySight has introduced its PlayFair
Challenge system for its cutting-edge
SmartCourts, giving players the ability
to challenge line calls instantly through
multi-angle, on-court videos.
With the PlayFair Challenge system,
we are enabling all levels of tennisfrom
recreational club players to college
players to professionalsto have multiangle video review available for any
tournament or match they play on a
SmartCourt, says Yuval Bar Yosef, general manager of PlaySights North American Operations.
PlaySight piloted two PlayFair Challenge tournaments this past fall, at the
SoCal Intercollegiate Tennis Championships at USC and at the Junior Tennis
Champions Center in College Park, Md.
For more info, visit playsight.com.
Ashaway Creates New

Micro-Gauge Squash String
Ashaway has developed a new microgauge squash string using its Power
Filament Technology. The new SuperNick ZX Micro is an 18- gauge (1.15
mm) string with a multifilament nylon
core wrapped in a special PFT wear
layer of Zyex filaments.
Designed to provide precise touch
while maintaining excellent tension
control, SuperNick ZX Micro is best for
players who require superior durability and better tension control but still
want the feel of a nylon core SuperNick
string. Visit ashawayusa.com for more.
Grand Slam Tennis Tours

Partners With PBI
Grand Slam Tennis Tours has partnered
with Peter Burwash International, looking
to expand upon PBIs foundation as a leader in professional tennis management for
fine clubs and resorts worldwide. Initially,
the two groups will focus on increasing
the volume of guests to PBI Tennis World
Rec Champ Powless Releases

A Life Well Played Memoir
At 84 years old, John Powless still travels
the globe playing tennis tournaments. His
new memoir, John Powless: A Life Well Played,
written by Dan Smith, follows Powless from
the farm fields of Illinois to the White House
tennis court, and around the world.
In 2015 Powless, who owns the John
Powless Tennis Center in Madison, Wis.,
was ranked the No. 1 senior tennis player in
his age category by the International Tennis
Federation. The book is $24.95 and can
be purchased on Amazon.com; also visit
johnpowless.com for more information.
January 2017
TennisIndustry 7
11/21/16 12:38 PM
IndustryNews
Georgia County Looks to
Demolish Olympic Tennis Venue
Dunlop Precision Frames

Offer Thinner Beams,
More Weight
unlop has introduced its Precision line of racquets aimed at

intermediate to advanced
players. The company says the four
new frames mark a return to some of
the performance characteristics that
defined Dunlop for many decades,
including thinner beams, slightly heavier weight and an emphasis on control.
In doing so, the racquets also take
advantage of modern frame geometry
and new Dunlop technologies, including the SR-X handle system and parallel
stringing, giving players control, feel
and forgiveness. The four new frames,
Chrissie by Tail Offers Garnet

Red Collection
Chris Evert and Chrissie by Tail have
released the Garnet Red Collection, with its
red gemstone hue color, advanced fabrications and contemporary design details.
The collection has figure-flattering seam
lines, athletic layered mesh textures and is
paired with a metallic stripe print. The line
is distributed by Tail Activewear.
For more photography and informaiton,
visit chrissiebytail.com.
USTA Hires 4 Head Pros

For National Campus
The USTA has hired four head tennis
teaching pros for the USTA National
Campus in Orlando, Fla., set to open to
the public in January. The team of head
pros will report to Kathy Woods, director
of tennis at the National Campus.
8 TennisIndustry
January 2017
Chanelle Chani Anderson will focus

on high-performance development programs for youth players. A former WTA
professional, she most recently taught at
the Interlachen Country Club in Winter
Park, Fla.
Rita Gladstone will lead programming
at the Nemours Family Zone for young
players, adult beginners and senior
adult players. She is a nationally recognized USTA trainer.
Tim Pleasant will provide program
direction for players ages 11-18. He
brings more than 20 years of experience
as a teaching pro and college coach.
Ben Zaiser will focus on all areas of
adult play and programming. He has
more than a decade of experience at the
Midlothian Atlantic Coast Athletic Club
in Richmond, Va.
each with a beam width of 22 mm and

suggested retail of $170, are:
Precision 9898-sq.-in. head size,
10.58-oz. unstrung weight, 320-mm
unstrung balance, 16 x 19 string pattern.
Precision 98 Tour98-sq.-in. head
size, 11.1-oz. unstrung weight, 310-mm
Precision 100100-sq.-in. head size,
10.4-oz. unstrung weight, 315-mm
Precision 100 Tour100-sq.-in. head
size, 10.93-oz. unstrung weight, 310-mm
Visit DunlopTennis.us for more. !
NCAA Pulls Events

From North Carolina
The NCAA will relocate seven championship events from North Carolina during
the 2016-1017 academic year, including
the Division III Mens and Womens Tennis
Championships, originally scheduled to be
played in Cary May 22-27. The NCAA Board
of Governors made the decision because
of the cumulative actions taken by the state
concerning civil rights protections.
In its decision in early September, the
Board said NCAA events must promote
an inclusive atmosphere for all college
athletes, coaches, administrators and fans,
and that current North Carolina laws make
it challenging to guarantee that host communities can help deliver on that commitment if NCAA events remained in the state.
The decision also means the opening
C O U RT E S Y D U N L O P S P O RT S / TA I L
Gwinnett County in Georgia plans to

acquire and demolish the former Olympic tennis stadium near Stone Mountain,
which could clear the way for private
development of the site.
The county board of governors
recently approved a deal that would
result in the county receiving the 24-acre
stadium site. An official said the county
would then likely seek proposals from
private firms to redevelop the land.
The site was the tennis venue for the
1996 Summer Olympics, but after the
Games, the Stone Mountain Memorial
Association was unable to find ways for
the 8,000-seat stadium to pay for itself.
The stadium has been in disrepair and
unusable for years.
11/21/16 12:38 PM
IndustryNews
People
Watch
Andy Murray became the new No. 1
player in the world in November during
the Paris Masters. Murray, the first
British player to be ranked No. 1 since
the calculations became computerized
43 years ago, dethroned fellow Head
player Novak Djokovic, who had held
the top spot for 122 straight weeks.
Former ATP No. 2 and BNP Paribas
Open Tournament Director Tommy
Haas has joined PlaySight as an investor and partner in its marketing and
media campaign.
Michael Redlicki of Arkansas and
Francesca Di Lorenzo of Ohio State
took the mens and womens singles
titles at the 2016 USTA/ITA National
Indoor Intercollegiate Championships
in November. In doubles, Wake Forests Skander Mansouri and Christian
Seraphim claimed the mens crown,
and Kentuckys Mami Adachi and Aldila
Sutjiadi won the womens title.
Roger Federer is No. 1 in the athlete category of the Forbes Fab 40,
which picks the most valuable sports
brands in four categories: athletes,
teams, businesses and sporting events.
Federers current brand value,
according to Forbes, is $36 million.
Neal Cassidy is the new tennis
director at The Buccaneer in St. Croix,
U.S. Virgin Islands, where the tennis program is run by Peter Burwash
International.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame
and the International Tennis Federation
honored Masaaki Morita recently with
the 2017 Golden Achievement Award
for his work to grow tennis in Japan.
Mark Winters, the communications
manager for USTA Southern California,
is retiring after 42 years of service to
the section. Annette Buck, SoCals
director of adult tennis, is also retiring
after 31 years of service to tennis and
the section.
Congratulates
JACKS ABBY SOCIAL TENNIS LEAGUE
Adult Tennis Provider of the Year
NEW BALANCE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP

Innovative Tennis Event of the Year
KIRK ANDERSON
PTR Member of the Year
USPTA Member of the Year
January 2017
TennisIndustry 9
11/21/16 12:38 PM
IndustryNews
rounds of the March Madness basketball
tournament will move out of Greensboro.
LTA Partners With

Universal Tennis
USRSA Presents Workshop

At Ferris State PTM Program
SRSA Executive Director Bob

Patterson and former Executive Director David Bone visited
Ferris State Universitys renowned Professional Tennis Management program
in Big Rapids, Mich., in October to present the organizations annual Racquet
Repair Workshop.
The two-day workshop, which
students complete in their freshman
year, has been presented by the USRSA

at Ferris State for more than 25 years.
It includes classroom presentations,
hands-on demonstrations and applications. Upon completion of the workshop and testing, the students then
string an additional 20 racquets to gain
increased proficiency.
Ferris State has offered its PTM
program since 1986. !
C O U RT E S Y F E R R I S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y P T M
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA),

the national governing body for tennis
in the United Kingdom, has partnered
with Universal Tennis Ratings (UTR). The
LTA now sends weekly results to UTR
from its sanctioned age-graded junior
tournaments, as well as from the Open
category of adult competitionadding
approximately 5,000 new match results
to UTRs database every Friday.
As of September, UTR officials said the
LTA alliance had produced 4,200 rated
British players. In addition, there were
13,254 active players in the LTA who
had at least one match result reported to
UTR within the past 12 months.
Often described as tenniss equivalent
to a golf handicap, UTR features 16 levels that can track a players progression
from introductory junior competition to
the top level of professional tennis. UTR
10 TennisIndustry
January 2017
11/21/16 12:38 PM
IndustryNews
CONGRATULATIONS
Top-Selling Racquets at
Specialty Stores
January-September, 2016 vs. 2015
Units
2016
483,373
2015
523,689
% change vs. 15 -8%
Dollars 2016
$71,798,000
2015
$76,931,000
% change vs. 15 -7%
Price
2016
$148.53
2015
$146.90
% change vs. 15 1%
Top-Selling Racquets
at Specialty Stores
By year-to-date dollars, Jan.-Sept. 2016
1. Babolat Pure Drive 2015 (MP)
2. Babolat Pure Aero (100) 2016 (MP)
3. Babolat Pure Aero Team 2016 (MP)
4. Wilson Pro Staff 97 (MP)
5. Babolat Pure Drive Lite 2015 (MP)
USTA PACIFIC NORTHWEST

CONGRATULATES DAN JAMES,
WHEELCHAIR TENNIS
CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
USTA PACIFIC NORTHWEST

CONGRATULATES KIRK ANDERSON,
PTR MEMBER OF THE YEAR &
USPTA MEMBER OF THE YEAR
Hot New Racquets

(introduced in the past 12 months)
1. Wilson Ultra 100 2016 (MP)
2. Head XT Radical MP (MP)
3. Wilson Ultra 103S 2016 (MP)
4. Wilson Ultra 108 2016 (OS)
5. Prince Warrior 100 Textreme (MP)
Top-Selling Tennis Shoes at

Specialty Stores
By year-to-date dollars, Jan.-Sept. 2016
1. Asics Gel Resolution 6
2. Prince T22
3. Nike Zoom Cage 2
4. Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour 2015
5. Asics Gel Solution Speed 3
Top-Selling Strings
at Specialty Stores
By year-to-date units, Jan.-Sep. 2016
1. Babolat RPM Blast
2. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex
3. Wilson NXT
4. Wilson Sensation
5. Luxilon Alu Power
Congratulations to our three

Champions of Tennis.
A(%('2A''",A %.
!"%")A'A,,%"-2A(A "' A''",
Private Facility of the Year
Stringer of the Year
Parks & Recreation Agency of the Year
(Source: TIA)
January 2017
TennisIndustry 11
11/21/16 12:39 PM
IndustryNews
is also being utilized by Tennis Canada,
six USTA Sections and the Intercollegiate
Tennis Association. Visit universaltennis.com for more information.
New US Open Grandstand

Gains LEED Certification
Wilson Introduces
New Blade Racquets
OnCourt OffCourt Revamps

Website
OnCourt OffCourt has updated its
website, OnCourtOffCourt.com. The
relaunch includes the addition of two
free educational video blog seriesthe
first, Game Set Watch, will share the
latest creative marketing ideas for recreational tennis programs; the second,
Your Return, is designed to educate
the tennis coaching and playing community on the importance of effectively
returning serves.
Fromuth Seeks Stringers

For USTA National Campus
Fromuth Tennis is looking for stringers
for the USTA National Campus in Orlando,
Fla. In addition to stringing, responsibilities
include educating customers on different
strings and guiding them to the best selec-
12 TennisIndustry
January 2017
he new Grandstand at the USTA

Billie Jean King National Tennis
Center is the first US Open stadium to be LEED certified. The Grandstand achieved LEED certification for
implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at
achieving sustainable site development,
water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental
quality. (The US Open transportation
building was LEED certified in 2015.)
tion for their games, training and educating

staff, and assisting customers with their
shopping experience in stores.
Stringers who arent USRSA Master Racquet Technicians will be required to obtain
MRT certification within three months
of employment. Candidates must have
a thorough understanding of string and
racquet technologies, specs and benefits,
and have excellent customer-service, timemanagement and organizational skills.
Email applications@fromuthtennis.com for
more information.
This year, the US Open received the

2016 Green Sports Alliance Innovator of the Year award in recognition of
the events excellence in advancing the
green sports movement. The US Open
has been a member of the Green Sports
Alliance since 2012, working closely
with a network of sports teams, venues
and leagues all focused on lessening
their collective impact on the environment. The USTA also is a member of the
U.S. Green Building Council. !
Judy Murray, Leon Smith

Sign on With Rebo Wall
Former Great Britain Fed Cup Captain
Judy Murray and Great Britains Davis
Cup Captain Leon Smith are new ambassadors for Rebo, a pre-fabricated, freestanding rebound practice wall with
an angled face that is manufactured in
the U.K. As part of her partnership with
Rebo, Murray will use the wall for two
grassroots initiatives she is delivering.
Im thrilled to be teaming up with
Rebo, Murray says. We share the same
P H O T O BY B O B K E N A S
Wilson recently introduced four new

high-performance racquets to its Blade
line. The frames feature Countervail
technology, a layered carbon fiber placed
in specific areas of the frame designed to
minimize vibration. According to the company, racquets with Countervail technology help reduce fatigue, resulting in 40%
greater accuracy and control.
The newest members of the Blade family
with Countervail (suggested retail $219)
include the Blade 98 (18x20), Blade 98
(16x19) and Blade 98S (S stands for Spin
Effect technology). Additional 2017 models
without Countervail ($199) include the
Blade 104, 101L, 98L, 98UL, which were
specially developed for younger players.
Visit Wilson.com for more photographs
and information.
11/21/16 12:39 PM
IndustryNews
Short
Sets
The U.S. will meet Germany on Feb.
11-12 in the 2017 Fed Cup World
Group First Round at the Royal Lahaina
Resort in Maui. The matches will be
played on an outdoor hard court.
to the USTA Intermountain Section Champions of Tennis Winners
NJTL of the Year
Pro/Specialty
Retailer of the Year
Marty Hennessys
Inspiring Children Foundation
Adam Burbary, Owner &

Rachel Heise, General Manager
The USPTA will partner with SelectQuote to provide health and life insurance options for USPTA members.
PepsiCo is an official sponsor of the
USTA National Campus in Orlando,
Fla., which will feature the companys
soft drinks, water and isotonic drinks.
PepsiCos Gatorade brand will be the
Official Sports Drink.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Denver, Colorado
The USPTA is accepting nominations

until April 10 for its 2017 National
Awards Program. All Professional-level
members are eligible. Winners will be
recognized during the USPTA World
Conference, Oct. 10-15, in Orlando.
Nomination forms are at uspta.org, or
email pr@uspta.org.
For the third consecutive year,
Legacy Building Solutions has been
ranked among Engineering NewsRecords top 600 specialty contractors. Legacys 2016 ranking is 540, an
increase from each of the previous two
years. Engineering News-Record is a
weekly publication for the construction
industry.
Ashaway Racket Strings has again
been named the Official String of USA
Racquetball (USAR). Ashaway has been
USARs Official String since 2004.
Tasc Performance is the official
apparel sponsor for the Intercollegiate
Tennis Association, with product
available beginning in the spring.
Tasc will develop logo apparel for ITA
officials and staff and create a discount
program for ITA member coaches and
school programs.
USTA New England recently signed
a partnership agreement with Kysek
Ice Chests.
ASBA Congratulates Tennis Industrys

2016 Champions of Tennis Winners
Court One
PRESENTS
Builder/Contractor of the Year
2016
Randy Futty
CHAMPIONSS
OF TENNIS
Tennis Industry Service Award
January 2017
TennisIndustry 13
11/21/16 12:39 PM
IndustryNews
would like to congratulate
Tim Miles
Sales Rep of the Year

PRESENTS
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2016
Thank you for all that you do!
vision for growing the game by making

tennis fun and taking it into areas where
you might not normally find a court, a
coach or a club.
According to the manufacturer, a Rebo
wall can be installed anywhere in a matter of hours. Visit rebowall.com.
USTA Partners in New Laver Cup

The USTA has become a partner in the
Laver Cup, a new annual three-day mens
team tennis competition that will pit a
team of six of the best players from Europe
against six players from the rest of the
world. For the first three years, starting in
2017, Bjorn Borg will captain Team Europe
while John McEnroe will lead The World.
Both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
have committed to compete in the inaugural event, which will take place Sept. 22-24
at the O2 arena in Prague, Czech Republic,
which has previously hosted events such as
the Davis Cup finals. Organizers announced
their commitment to hold the second Laver
Cup in 2018 in the United States at a site to
be determined.
Remnant Square.qxp_Layout 1 11/16/16 7:17 AM Page 1
Your
Roadmap
to Success!
Unparalleled
Education
FIVE distinct pathways
to Tennis Coaching
Certification
843-785-7244 www.ptrtennis.org
14 TennisIndustry
Hurricane Forces Reschedule

Of PTR Tech Conference
The PTR has rescheduled its inaugural
Tennis Technology Conference to May
4-5, at the Marriott Resort Hilton Head
Island, S.C. The event was originally
scheduled for this past November,
but was postponed due to Hurricane
Matthew. The conference will feature
interactive sessions covering the latest
developments in products and software
to help tennis coaches and club directors
and managers to run their businesses
more effectively.
For more information on this year's
event, visit go to members.prtennis.org
USRSA Announces New

Master Racquet Technicians
Scott BlackBrentwood, Tenn.
Nicholas IonescoQuebec, Canada
Carl JohnsonRochester Hills, Mich.
Christian KofodRaleigh, N.C.
Melvin TanSingapore
Ryan TracyWoodbridge, Va.
Minchao WuFlushing, N.Y. !
January 2017
11/21/16 12:39 PM
To learn more please visit www.californiasportssurfaces.com or call 1.978.623.9980.
Congratulations Randy!
All of us at California Sports Surfaces
would like to congratulate our friend and
colleague, Randy Futty, on being given the
2016 Tennis Industry Service Award.
TI AD Jan. 2017 .indd 1
11/17/16 4:29 PM
2016year
in
REVIEW
The tennis industry continues to face challenges,

particularly when it comes to the flat or declining
equipment market, along with tennis participation
that has seen only relatively minor gains. Thanks to
the efforts and support of thousands in this industry,
the TIA continues to work toward improving
collaboration and long-term growth of the sport and
business of tennis.
JANUARY
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YOUTH TENNIS MARKET
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Tennis Owners & Managers
March 23-25, 2016

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January 2017
QU
FACICK
TS
60 Court
60'
21'
Ball green ball green-dot tennis ball

Court 60-foot court, throw-down,
blended or taped lines
Racquet Pop/Padel Tennis racquet

max length 18.5 inches
Net same as regular court ...
does not need to be lowered
Rules same as tennis
except one underhand serve
Scoring same as tennis

Surface all surfaces - hard, clay,
modular, etc.
FEBRUARY
THETOMCONFERENCE.COM
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TheTOMConference.com
contact the TIA / 843-473-4504
meetings@tennisindustry.org
MARCH
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Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
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CEO PLEDGE
FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Our world is in a health care crisis, well beyond

worse case scenarios even the expected predicted
only ten years ago. With heart disease, diabetes,
obesity and depression on the rise, every
organization in the world has an obligation and
responsibility to lead its community.
or the betterment of my company,

our employees, their families, and the
community, I pledge to improve employee
health and wellness by providing opportunities
and resources for physical activity before,
during or after the workday, and to enhance
my own health and wellness by engaging in
regular physical activity.
Signature
TEN
NIS
IND
Activity has a vision that one day, everyone will be

physically active and they will live, work and play
in environments that faciltate regular physical
activity. By supporting employee health and
wellness initiatives in the workplace, companies can
improve employee morale, increase productivity,
enhance quality, and reduce staggering health care
outreach to help create a healthier world.
Date
STAT
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INDU O F THE
STRY
2 0 1
6
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Tennis industry executives sign the

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Februar
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Februar
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Februar
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As we move into 2017, the TIA is more focused than ever on key initiatives and platforms to achieve our mission:
To promote the growth and economic vitality of the tennis industry. We look forward to the continued support and
involvement of all industry stakeholders. Visit TennisIndustry.org - Get involved, get informed and support your industry.
THE BUSINESS OF TENNIS powered by the TIA.
July
January 2017
TennisIndustry 19
Executive Point
Dr. Jack Groppel
The Tennis Industrys new Health & Wellness Advisor

wants to promote tennis as a fitness activity.
raise awareness that tennis

is a tremendous vehicle for
people of all ages to become
fitter and healthier.
Currently, we are assembling a Task Force to develop
an action plan. I am truly
excited about the work we
will be doing through the
Tennis Industry Association
and all the various organizations in our sport.
Tell us about your new

role. What will this mean
for the sport?
What is your history in

tennis?
Most people recognize tennis is a great activity, but its

not at the front of peoples
minds when they think of
getting healthier or improving their fitness levels. As
Health & Wellness Advisor,
my role is to help our sport
become front and center
in the health, wellness and
well-being industry, and to
20 TennisIndustry
Jan_TI_ExecutivePoint_SC.indd 2
January 2017
I began playing at age 11,

played high-school tennis
in Alton, Ill., then walked
on to the tennis team at the
University of Illinois. After
studying for a Ph.D. at Florida State, I was hired back
at the University of Illinois
as the mens varsity tennis
coach and an assistant professor of kinesiology,
and then received a joint
What are you doing now

with the J&J Human
Performance Institute?
As co-founder, I serve as a
thought leader, developing
and representing new ways
of thinking about health and
well-being solutions and to
support our JJHPI business
development strategy. Ive

spoken at two Congressional
Briefings, at the United
Nations Side Event on Physical Activity & Non-Communicable Disease, and I was
honored to represent the
worksite wellness industry
at the U.S. Surgeon Generals
Call to Action on Walking &
Walkable Communities.
Youre now getting back

involved in tennis. Why?
Tennis has played an incredible role in my own personal

and professional growth. Its
given me so much and taught
me how to compete both on
the court and in life. Tennis
has also served as the foundation and launching pad
from where Jim Loehr and I
began our work in sport science. Im honored to be able
to give back to the game.
Why is tennis the best

fitness activity for health
and wellness? Whats
your elevator pitch
for the sport?
There is no sport that

matches tennis for both its
physiological and psychological benefits. Some sports are
outstanding for the physical
benefits they offer, and some
are great for the mental
benefits, but tennis serves us
in all dimensions of life. You
can also play tennis from a
very young age to very late in
life. Tennis is truly the sport
for a lifetime. !
PHOTO FRED MULLANE/CAMERAWORK USA
hortly after the US

Open, Dr. Jack Groppel, an internationally
recognized medical authority and pioneer in the science
of human performance, was
named the Health & Wellness Advisor for the Tennis
Industry. We caught up with
Groppel, who has a long history in tennis, to discuss his
new position and objectives.
appointment in bioengineering. I left tenure at

Illinois to be Director of
Player Development for
Harry Hopman/Saddlebrook International Tennis,
as well as the Director of
Sports and Health Development at the resort. In 1986,
I was appointed chair of
the USTAs National Sport
Science Committee. I served
as an instruction editor for
Tennis magazine and am an
honored member of both
PTR and USPTA.
Ive worked with Jim
Loehr since the late-1970s,
and in 1992, Jim and I started the Human Performance
Institute, working with tennis players, other athletes,
business professionals,
law enforcement, military
special forces and critical
care units in medicine to
help individuals, teams and
organizations improve their
health and performance in
high-stress arenas. In 2008,
the Human Performance
Institute was acquired by
Johnson & Johnson as part
of its Health & Wellness
Solutions business strategy.
11/18/16 11:31 AM
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CY
CMY
06/07/2016
22:23
2017
2017
S M
1
2
8 9
15 16
22 23
29 30
January
T W T
4 5
3
10 11 12
17 18 19
24 25 26
31
2017
S
W T F
3
1 2
8 9 10
15 16 17
22 23 24
2017
M
F S
6
7
13 14
20 21
27 28
February
7
5 6
12 13 14
19 20 21
26 27 28
TENNIS INDUSTRY EVENT CALENDAR
March
W T F
3
1 2
7 8 9 10
5 6
12 13 14 15 16 17
19 20 21 22 23 24
26 27 28 29 30 31
2
9
16
23
30
4 5 6 7
3
10 11 12 13 14
17 18 19 20 21
24 25 26 27 28
2017
S
1
8
15
22
29
May
M T W
2 3
1
7 8 9 10
14 15 16 17
21 22 23 24
28 29 30 31
T
4
11
18
25
2017
M
S
4
11
18
25
April
2017
S
4
11
18
25
F S
5 6
12 13
19 20
26 27
June
T
4 5 6
7
11 12 13 14
18 19 20 21
25 26 27 28
T F S
2 3
1
8 9 10
15 16 17
22 23 24
29 30
Event Date
Location
Event Name
January 16- 29
Melbourne, Australia
Australian Open
February 3-5
TBD
Davis Cup First Round
February 7-11
Orlando, FL
CMAA World Conference
February 11-12
TBD
Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Opening Round
February 15-18
Hilton Head Island, SC
PTR International Tennis Symposium
February 21-25
National Harbor, MD
NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational

Sports Exhibition
February 24-26
Riviera May, Mexico
ASBA Winter Meeting
March 7
Washington, D.C.
SFIA National Health Through Fitness Day
March 7
Global Event
World Tennis Day
March 8-11
Los Angeles, CA
IHRSA International Convention
March 8-19
Indian Wells, CA
BNP Paribas Open
March 20-April 2
Miami, FL
Miami Open
March 24-27
Orlando, FL
USTA Annual Meeting & Conference
March 27-29
Orlando, FL
TIA Tennis Owners and Managers

Conference
April 1-9
Charleston, SC
Volvo Cars Open
April 7-9
TBD
Davis Cup Quarterfinal
April 9-11
Cary, NC
Tennis On Campus National Championships
April 22-23
TBD
Fed Cup by BNP Baribas - Semifinals
May 4-5
PTR Technology Conference
May 29- June 12
Paris, France
French Open
July 3-16
London, England
Wimbledon
July 15-17
Newport, RI
Hall of Fame Induction Weekend
July 24-30
Atlanta, GA
BB&T Atlanta Open
July 31-Aug 6
Stanford, CA
Bank of the West Classic
August 1-4
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
ITF Annual General Meeting
August 7-13
Montreal, Canada
Rogers Cup (Men)
August 7-13
Toronto, Canada
Rogers Cup (Women)
August 14-20
Cincinnati, OH
Western & Southern Open
August 21 - 27
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem Open
August 21 - 28
New Haven, CT
Connecticut Open
August 27
Forest Hills, NY
Mylan World Team Tennis Finals
August 28
New York, NY
TIA Tennis Forum
Aug. 28 - Sept. 10
Flushing Meadows, NY
US Open
September 3-6
New York, NY
2017 USTA Semiannual Meeting and

Conference
September 15-17
TBD
Davis Cup Semifinal
September 26-28
New Orleans, LA
NRPA Congress & Exposition
October 10-15
Orlando, FL
2017 USPTA world Conference
October 11-15
Orlando, FL
USTA Tennis Development Workshop
November 6-8
PTR Directors of Tennis Conference
November 11-12
TBD
Fed Cup by BNP Baribas - Finals
November 13-20
London, England
Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
November 24-26
TBD
Davis Cup- Final
December 1-5
New Orleans, LA
ASBA Technical Meeting
December 10-13
Naples, FL
ITA Coaches Convention
Dates subject to change.
Industry Events
Grand Slam Tournaments
22 TennisIndustry
January 2017
US ATP Masters 1000/WTA Premier/WTT Event
US Open Series Tournaments
July
2017
S
2 3 4 5 6 7
9 10 11 12 13 14
16 17 18 19 20 21
23 24 25 26 27 28
30 31
August
2017
S
S
1
8
15
22
29
T W T F
2 3 4
1
6 7 8 9 10 11
13 14 15 16 17 18
20 21 22 23 24 25
27 28 29 30 31
2017
S
5
12
19
26
September
3
10
17
24
4
5 6
7
11 12 13 14
18 19 20 21
25 26 27 28
2017
F S
2
1
8 9
15 16
22 23
29 30
October
S M T W T F S
4 5 6 7
2 3
1
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
2017
S
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
November
T
W T F S
1 2 3 4
7 8 9 10 11
14 15 16 17 18
21 22 23 24 25
28 29 30
2017
S
4
3
10 11
17 18
24 25
31
December
T
5 6 7
12 13 14
19 20 21
26 27 28
Davis Cup/Fed Cup/Olympics
F S
2
1
8 9
15 16
22 23
29 30
Holidays
Social Media
Video Frequency
YouTube can be an important marketing

tool for tennis facilities and teaching pros.
By John Torsiello
PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK
s a tennis facility owner or

teaching pro, if youre not using
YouTube to reach out to existing
and potential customers, youre missing
a huge opportunity.
Instructors can introduce their
teaching styles, along with their personalities, through the medium, says
Jack Brennan, a sports industry consultant who believes that YouTube can
be a powerful marketing tool. People
tend to do business with a personality
they like or relate to socially.
Simon Gale, owner and general manager of Taconic Sports & Racquet in
Hopewell Junction, N.Y., uses YouTube
to get the word out about his facilitys
offerings. Reaction has been positive.
Videos aimed at the 10-and-under
age group and facility drone videos
have been used with great success,
says Gale. Were making a [red, orange,
green, yellow ball] video that will highlight the progressions of each ball color.
We are always looking for ways to get
our message across more effectively.
Gale says making the YouTube video
can be time consuming, but is ultimately worthwhile. Make sure you have
someone on your staff who is familiar
Jan_TI_SocialMedia_SC.indd 1
with video and social media, he notes.

Less words and more video seem to be
the overwhelming feedback. People can
easily connect to it.
Posting a video on YouTube is simple.
Go to YouTube.com, create an account
and sign in. Then click the "Upload"
button and choose a video file. When
your video has finished uploading,
youll see a link where you can view it.
To edit your video, click "Edit," then
"Enhancements." Adjust the fill light,
contrast, saturation, color temperature.
You can even "Trim" and "Stabilize"
your video. When your video looks the
way you want it, share it with the world.
For an even better YouTube video
experience, follow these tips:
" Use a high-definition camera, which
can be purchased for around $250. You

dont need all the bells and whistles, but
enough features to record your tip or
lesson clearly and professionally.
" You need good lighting to best showcase your subject or scene.
" You also need good audio. A decent
microphone will cost $30 to $50, but
the better ones will be $100 to $200.
Its a wise investment. If your audience
cant hear you clearly, theyll click off.
" Keep videos short, maybe one to
three minutes. You need to capture

viewers in the first 10 seconds.
" Simple drills that can be explained
and demonstrated in less than two minutes work best. Anything longer and
people are likely to not watch the entire
video, so only part of your message is
reaching them.
" Try utilizing titles and other editing
effects to make videos memorable.
" A few really well-done videos are better than 100 average videos
" Get the word out: Use Twitter, Facebook, email lists, in-house posters and
word of mouth.
" Post videos on a regular basis so viewers wont forget about you.
With more tennis players and
parents of juniors conducting online
research prior to investing in lessons,
joining a club or signing up for a tennis
camp, owners and instructors with an
online video presence have an advantage on the competition. Hop onto
YouTube to help grow your client base,
enhance your visibility and increase
your bottom line. !
JBOVBSZ 201
TennisIndustry 23
11/21/16 12:04 PM
A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR
COACHES & ORGANIZERS

Whether you are looking to promote your programs
and events, take a course or learn the latest coaching tips,
the USTA Resource Center has what youre looking for.
BRING USTA
JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS
TO YOUR COMMUNITY
usta.com/jtt
CATCH A RISING STAR TODAY !
PROCIRCUIT.USTA.COM
COACHING & EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES MARKETING MATERIALS,

INCLUDING CUSTOMIZABLES VIDEOS TIPS COURSES DRILLS
MEDIA ADVISORIES RULES & REGULATIONS PROGRAM GUIDES
RESOURCES.USTA.COM
2016 United States Tennis Association. All rights reserved.
12315 CT Resource Site Promotional One-Pager.indd 1
9/20/16 12:04 PM
PRESENTS
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2016
This is the 16th year that Tennis Industry has

named our Champions of Tennis, honoring the
oft-unsung heroes who go above and beyond
in helping to make a difference in tennis and
in the business of tennis. We hope they inspire you,
too, to continue to move this industry forward.
DON TISDALE RANDY FUTTY SEA COLONY TENNIS CLUB SCOTT HANOVER GAME-SET-MATCH OKLAHOMA CITY TENNIS CENTER
CINDY HUETHER COURT ONE NORTH MAIN ATHLETIC COMPLEX DAN JAMES SAN ANTONIO TENNIS
ASSOCIATION TIM MILES COLETTE LEWIS PHILIP VAN ASSELT SAMMY GIAMMALVA COR TENNIS/READING RECREATION
COMMISSION NEW BALANCE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS MARK FABER PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE MARTY HENNESSY
INSPIRING CHILDREN FOUNDATION JACKS ABBY SOCIAL TENNIS LEAGUE USTA MISSOURI VALLEY KIRK ANDERSON
Dec_TI_Champions_SC.indd 2
January 2017
TennisIndustry 25
11/21/16 11:54 AM
PRESENTS
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2016
PERSON OF THE YEAR
Don Tisdale
26 TennisIndustry
January 2017
leadership, the USTA might

not have had the courage to
tackle the National Tennis
Center and National Campus projects, both critical
to the growth of the sport
and industry. And its why
Tisdale is Tennis Industrys
2016 Person of the Year.
Hes an unbelievable
guy, says Kurt Kamperman,
USTA chief executive of
Community Tennis and the
National Campus. He loves
this game. Hes a wiz financially, and hes truly selfless.
His impact and influence
on key initiatives and projects the USTA undertook in
the last 10 years cannot be
overstated.
In a lot of ways, Don is
probably the strongest, most
qualified person never to
have been president of the
USTA, adds Dave Haggerty,

a former USTA president
who is now president of
the International Tennis
Federation. Hes had a big
impact on the financing on
many projects. Hes saved
the USTA a lot of money.
For his part, Tisdale
remains all-in when it comes
to promoting tennis.
Tennis has been the
foundation for me throughout my life and opened
doors that wouldnt have
opened otherwise, including
the fabulous experience Ive
had with the USTA, he says.
But Im just one of a group
of people that has brought
the USTA to where it is. Im
very proud to be associated
with so many good people
over so many years.
Peter Francesconi
Ive thoroughly
enjoyed my
experience with the
USTA, says Tisdale,
with his wife, Gerri,
at the US Open.
COURTESY USTA
Anyone whos ever undertaken a construction or

renovation project knows
there are a lot moving parts.
This is especially true of the
major projects the USTA has
pursued in recent years.
Creating the USTA
National Campus in Orlando, Fla., and the continued
renovations and reconstruction at the USTA Billie Jean
King National Tennis Center in New York took a lot of
planning on all fronts, not
least how to make it all work
financially. This is where
Donald Tisdale shines.
Dons knowledge and
expertise in the financial
area is invaluable, says
USTA President & CEO
Katrina Adams. Hes that
EF Hutton person on our
board: When he speaks,
everyone listens. You know
hes evaluated and surveyed
everything before coming
out with an opinion.
An avid tennis player,
Tisdale, who recently moved
with his wife, Gerri, from
Lake Oswego, Ore., to the
Seattle, Wash., area, has
been on the USTA Board of
Directors since 2005, serving as secretary-treasurer
from 2007 to 2012, and then
as a vice president. While
hes retiring as a board
member at the end of 2016,
Adams says Tisdale will
become a presidential
appointee. It still allows
me to pick up the phone and
lean on him, she says.
Behind the scenes, Tisdales rare combination of
business knowledge, passion
for tennis and drive to grow
this sport has helped push
the envelope for the USTA
and this industry. In many
ways, it could be argued
that without his financial
11/21/16 11:54 AM
TENNIS INDUSTRY SERVICE AWARD
When it comes to tennis courts, its hard to find

someone with more knowledge than Randy Futty.
The vice president of business development for
California Sports Surfacesthe maker of
DecoTurfFutty has also held key roles with
Har-Tru and Connor Sport Court.
But whether tackling the challenges of the
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center or
revitalizing school courts in a small town, Futty
brings a passion to this sport few can match.
Thats a key reason hes our 2016 Tennis Industry
Service Award winner.
Futtys dedication also comes through in his
volunteer work. Hes spent more than a decade
on the board of the American Sports Builders
Association. Hes served on and chaired the USTA
Technical Committee and now he serves on the
USTA Public Parks Committee. Hes also volunteered with Special Olympics in Virginia, where
he lives. I learned early on that you need to give
back, Futty says. Volunteeringand advocacy
for this game and this industryis important at
all levels. Peter Francesconi
Tip for Success

Make volunteering
in this industry a
core value.
COURTESY USTA
C O U R T E S Y R A D N Y F U T T Y/ S E A C O L O N Y T E N N I S C L U B / U S T A M I S S O U R I V A L L E Y
Randy Futty
P R I VAT E FA C I L I T Y
GRASSROOTS CHAMPION
OF THE YEAR
OF THE YEAR
Sea Colony
Tennis Club
Like many resort communities, the Sea Colony Tennis
Club in Bethany Beach, Del.,
has first-rate playing options
and programs. Its 34 hard,
clay and indoor courts run
clinics, lessons, and tournaments for all playing levels,
and the club has a half-mile
private beach, multiple
pools and a recently renovated fitness center.
What earns Sea Colony
accolades as our Private
Facility of the Year is its
atmosphere. As Director of
Tennis Thomas Johnston
explains, You always hear
people say, Everybody is
welcomed here. Well, thats
the whole idea! Johnstons
goals are that participants
have fun and learn something new in a welcoming
environment.
As Maiysha Warren, USTA
National Manager, Tennis
Facilities and Development, explains, I talk with
many people about facilities
around the country. Rarely
is the praise as unanimous
as it is concerning Sea
Colony. Kent Oswald
Tip for Success
Create the right atmosphere
by hiring staff who believe
in making sure players will
have fun and learn.
Scott Hanover
For nearly 20 years, Scott
Hanover has made a difference through tennis.
Whether its a clinic for
children or stepping up to
organize a new league for
young professionals, his passion and desire for growing
this sport knows no bounds.
Thats why he is Tennis
Industrys Grassroots Tennis Champion of the Year.
Hanover, the tennis director at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Mo., first
learned the game through
an NJTL and then playing
for his high school, seeing
first-hand the benefits the
sport brings to the grassroots. Today, he organizes
USTA Flex Leagues, World
TeamTennis Rec Leagues,
among others. Hanover also
has served within the USTA
at the national, sectional
and district levels, including
three years as president of
USTA Missouri Valley.
I developed a great fondness for community tennis,
Hanover says. Its important to provide that opportunity. Andrew Robinson
Tip for Success

Go slow and steady. Its
good to take risks, but
you want to take sure
steps, too.
January 2017
TennisIndustry 27
11/21/16 11:54 AM
PRESENTS
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2016
T E N N I S A DVO C AT E O F T H E Y E A R
P R O / S P E C I A LT Y R E T A I L E R
M U N I C I PA L T E N N I S FAC I L I T Y
OF THE YEAR
OF THE YEAR
Game-Set-Match
Game-Set-Matchs string of
stores has been servicing the
greater Denver area since
1989proof that brick-andmortar is alive and well.
To Adam Burbary and
his talented staff, its all
about connecting with the
customer and providing the
best service. Years of studying buyer behavior have
honed his skills and kept the
retailer agile and adept at
figuring out what works.
With an array of racquets
and apparel, stringing while
you wait and the option to
drop off racquets for customers who cant make it to
the store, Game-Set-Match
is a sought-after commodity in the retail business.
Aside from daily business,
the store participates in
fundraisers, donates to kids
programs and sponsors the
Intermountain Tennis
Associations playoffs.
It comes down to relationships and making the
deal, Burbary says. Its not
always about volume, but
about growing the business.
Cynthia Sherman
Tip for Success

Dont just sell to your
customers; get involved in
the community as well.
28 TennisIndustry
January 2017
Oklahoma City
Tennis Center
Steve Henry, director of
programming, is more than
ready for the Oklahoma
City Tennis Center to be
open year-round. For four
decades, the facility only
had outdoor courts, with
nearly 45,000 players coming through the doors every
year. But every November,
things would come to a
screeching halt, Henry says.
Then wed have to reinvent
the wheel every spring.
In early 2016, the center opened six new indoor
courts (to join its 24 outdoors) as part of an ongoing
$3 million capital improvement campaign. Following
the implementation of six
dedicated youth courts and
accompanying programming, the USTA recognized
the center with an Outstanding Facility Award, and
it is TIs Municipal Facility
of the Year.
It has to be one of the
best public tennis facilities
in the country, says David
Minihan, executive director
of USTA Oklahoma.
Andrew Robinson
Just getting the community involved is Cindy

Huethers mantra when it comes to tennis in
Sioux Falls, S.D. As executive director of the Sioux
Falls Tennis Association, Huether has done that
and more to build tennis from the ground up.
In developing the citys tennis infrastructure, Huethers accomplishments are vast. She
provides equipment to elementary school and
day-care facilities, was instrumental in building
one of the nations first-ever permanent, 36-footcourt tennis complexes, Spellerberg Park, and
organized Recreation Coaches Workshops for all
teachers in the cityto name a few.
Huether and her husband, Mike (below), who
is the current mayor of Sioux Falls, have also
opened their personal checkbook to grow tennis,
providing the lead gifts on both the Huether Tennis Center at Augustana College in 2009 and the
new Huether Family Match Pointe Indoor Tennis
Center, which opened in 2015. Lisa Mushett
Tip for Success

Have a plan that involves the
community at all levelsschools,
businesses, government entities,
the local CTA, facilities, teaching
pros and more.
C O U R T E S Y G A M E - S E T - M A T C H / U S T A M I S S O U R I V A L L E Y/ U S T A N O R T H E R N
Cindy Huether
Tip for Success

Put a great team in place, from
the teaching pros to the front
desk staff. Everyone is equally
important.
11/21/16 11:54 AM
BUILDER/CONTRACTOR
Court One
North Main
Athletic Complex
Maybe there is something

to the power of three. After
all, it says something when
a company has been in business for more than three
decades, covers a three-state
area and has three Certified Tennis Court Builders
(CTCB) on staff.
No matter how you look
at it, North Carolina-based
Court One is one of the
regions largest tennis and
recreational court builders,
specializing in both construction and renovation.
The companys projects
have been honored by both
the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) and
the USTA.
Court One also gives back
to this industry. President
Gerry Wright, a CTCB, has
served as chairman of the
ASBA and remains very
active in the organization.
Its important to understand who youre talking to
and what they want, Wright
says of his customers. You
need to make every effort to
deliver a high degree of professionalism at a fair price.
Mary Helen Sprecher
Tennis Industrys Public

Park of the Year, the 42-acre
North Main Athletic Complex in Holly Springs, N.C.,
originally was a borrow
pitan area from which
soil, sand and gravel were
pulled to complete various
projects. But today the area
has become one of the states
premier sporting facilities.
Through funding from the
Holly Springs Parks & Rec
Department, Western Wake
Tennis Association (WWTA)
and the USTA, the complex
was able to build eight regulation and four youth-sized
tennis courts, complete with
lighting. Theyre currently
working to further improve
the facility.
Weve increased the
number of tennis instructors on staff from one to
four to offer a wider variety
of programs for youth and
adults, says Holly Springs
Leisure & Recreation
Programs Manager Kristen
Denton. Weve also partnered with the WWTA to
better educate the community about tennis opportunities. Garrett Mansfield
OF THE YEAR
COURTESY ASBA/USTA NORTH CAROLINA/USTA
PUBLIC PARK OF THE YEAR
Tip for Success

Keep an unwavering
focus on customer
service.
Tip for Success

Maintain relationships
and talk with area
tennis professionals for
advice and guidance.
W H E E LC H A I R T E N N I S C H A M P I O N O F T H E Y E A R
Dan James
A childhood friends illness and a desire to do

more helped shape the path of Dan James
wheelchair coaching career. Rolf Jacobson, both
a friend and mentor to James, was a top junior
player. Diagnosed with cancer at age 15, Jacobson lost both his legs but continued playing in a
wheelchair, partnering with James in doubles.
Later, as a young club pro, James was covering
a clinic and was stunned to arrive on court to see
10 wheelchair players waiting. I taught the best
able-bodied tennis clinic for 30 minutes, he says,
laughing. Then, the players took me under their
wing. I got in the chair, fell out of it 10 times but
fell in love with the sport.
After 18 years with the USTA, most recently as
national manager of Wheelchair Tennis, James
left his post past fall, but his impact remains. My
hope was to help people understand that these
players are legitimate athletes, he says. Get past
the inspiration, stop seeing the chair and start
seeing the tennis player. Peg Connor
Tip for Success

Tennis is tennis. Focus on
the similarities between
wheelchair and able-bodied
tennis, rather than the
differences.
January 2017
TennisIndustry 29
11/21/16 11:54 AM
PRESENTS
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2016
C TA O F T H E Y E A R
San Antonio Tennis

Association
JUNIOR TENNIS CHAMPION
OF THE YEAR
OF THE YEAR
Sales is not always about

selling. At its highest levels
it is just as much about
sharing. Or at least it is as
practiced by Tim Miles, our
Sales Rep of the Year.
Babolats North Florida
rep doesnt serve his territory by blindly pitching
products, or selling in a
way that only benefits his
own interests. Rather, he
does so by trying to figure
out strengths and weaknesses and inform as much
as learn, according to
Miles. Its important to
understand what the [store
owners] goal is, what their
long-term vision is, and how
we can make that shop as
profitable as possible.
Tim is always trying to
find ways to help his
accounts grow their customer base and their business,
says Regional Sales Manager
David Dwelle, and its an
advocacy that extends beyond the Babolat brand and
its customers. Ive worked
with Tim for eight years and
he is constantly sending in
ideas to help grow the game
of tennis. Kent Oswald
In Kalamazoo, Mich., where

journalist Colette Lewis
grew up, the premier sports
event remains the Boys
18 and 16 USTA National
Championships. Lewis says
she loved going to the junior
tennis tournament because
it was a huge part of the
summer scene.
I was always impressed
by the dedication and
maturity of most junior
tennis players, says Lewis,
and thought they werent
recognized enough for the
sacrifices they made to be
the best they could be.
Since 2005, Lewis has
covered junior players from
around the U.S. for her
blog, ZooTennis, and other
outlets. Her support has
made her our Junior Tennis
Champion for 2016.
There is no greater
advocate for junior tennis in
the U.S. than Colette, says
Bill Mountford, the USTAs
director of junior tournaments. Junior players
consider it a tremendous
honor when Colette reports
on their results.
Tracy Maymon
Tim Miles
Tip for Success

You can learn from your
customers business
experience, even if its
from outside of tennis.
24 TennisIndustry
June 2016
Colette Lewis
Tip for Success

Use social media to share
your expertise with an
online community you
feel comfortable in.
11/21/16 11:54 AM
C O U R T E S Y P H I L I P VA N A S S E LT : T E N N I S J U N C T I O N / S A M M Y G I A M M A LVA / C O R T E N N I S : R E A D I N G R E C C O M M I S S I O N
Tip for Success

Do surveys to make sure you're
focusing on the needs and
wants of your customers.
TENNIS SALES REP
C O U R T E S Y S A N A N T O N I O T E N N I S A S S O C I A T I O N / B A B O L A T/ B I L L K A L L E N B E R G : C A P T U R E D I N A C T I O N
Every year, the San Antonio Tennis Association

(SATA) reaches more than 10,000 people with its
array of tennis programming and events for all
ages and abilities. SATA also works closely with
the citys Parks & Rec Department, as well as
schools, clubs and other tennis organizations in
the surrounding areaall to help spread the game
to more people.
In both 2015 and 2016, SATA was named USTA
Texas Community Tennis Association of the Year.
This year, the organization adds Tennis Industrys
CTA of the Year honors.
Led by President Debbie Grieder and Executive
Director Roger Ojeda, SATA invested time and resources into revitalizing the hub of tennis for the
community, the McFarlin Tennis Facility. Those
efforts have paid off by improving relationships
with the city, school districts and miltary, among
other local groups.
SATA has had great success in revitalizing San
Antonios tennis scene and growing this sport
overall, says USTA Texas Executive Director Van
Barry. Todd Carlson
YOUTH TENNIS PROVIDER
PA R K & R E C AG E N C Y
OF THE YEAR
OF THE YEAR
C O U R T E S Y P H I L I P VA N A S S E LT : T E N N I S J U N C T I O N / S A M M Y G I A M M A LVA / C O R T E N N I S : R E A D I N G R E C C O M M I S S I O N
Sammy
Giammalva
STRINGER OF THE YEAR
Philip van Asselt

Philip van Asselt, owner of Tennis Junction in
Bryn Mawr, Pa., has built his stores reputation
around providing great racquet service. A USRSA
Master Racquet Technician for more than 24
years, van Asselt makes sure his clients understand the importance of having the right racquetand string, and tensionto fit their style of
play. And he ensures all his employees, including
a staff of Certified Stringers and MRTs, continue
providing the best service possible. For his dedication to servicing and educating his customers,
van Asselt is TIs 2016 Stringer of the Year.
To make sure his customers hone in on the
right racquet, van Asselt has more than 200
demos available. But a key to his service is the use
of a Babolat Racquet Diagnostic Center. Stringbed deflection readings can be tracked, and players are advised when their string set-up has lost
its ability to perform.
Customers need to be educated, van Asselt
says. It will help create loyalty. Bob Patterson
Tip for Success

Build your reputation
on consistency, and
never stop learning.
Sammy Giammalvas visionary style to expand the game

of tennis started with the
purchase of a fading tennis
club in northwest Houston
16 years ago. The former
No. 28-ranked ATP player
took his mission directly to
this community of vibrant,
young families, who would
make the Giammalva Racquet Club their home.
Giammalva was successful
in growing the game locally
in part because of his implementation of school-related
programs, such as on-site
support for PE teachers and
after-school tennis. They
not only brought tennis
to new youth players, but
also benefitted by adding
dozens of new family memberships to the club during
its first year.
Sammy is an example of
one who truly understands
the value of local programs
for their community, says
USTA Texas Executive
Director Van Barry.
Todd Carlson
Tip for Success

PE teachers know how to
manage groups of kids,
so hire them to work your
10-and-Under program.
COR Tennis/
Reading Rec
Commission
At a time when many parks
and recreation departments
are cutting budgets and
programs, COR Tennis & the
Reading (Pa.) Recreation
Commission has helped tennis thrive through the power
of community partnerships.
Starting small in 1998,
COR provided staff to
conduct USTA school tennis
assemblies. From there,
COR expanded outreach to
local schools, businesses and
clubs, with support from
tennis retailer Fromuth.
COR Tennis Director
Larry Zerbe has been
instrumental. Larry sets
high expectations for staff
and players, says Renee
Lenz, tennis service rep for
USTA Middle States. He develops great tennis players,
but, more importantly, he
develops great kids.
Today, the courts in Reading are filled with families,
a testament to the positive
impact COR Tennis continues to have.
Peg Connor
Tip for Success
Dont forget your roots
always remember why
you started the program
in the first place.
January 2017
TennisIndustry 31
11/21/16 11:54 AM
PRESENTS
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2016
M A S S M E R C H A N T/ C H A I N O F T H E Y E A R
I N N OVAT I V E T E N N I S E V E N T
HIGH SCHOOL COACH
OF THE YEAR
OF THE YEAR
New Balance
High School
Championships
The New Balance High
School Championships was
created in 2014 to honor top
high school tennis players from across the United
States. The tournaments
growing popularity, both
with players and their families, makes it our Innovative
Tennis Event of the Year.
The event, which is run
by the USTA and funded by
Boston-based New Balance,
is held over four days in July
at Harvard University. It
features 64-player singles
draws, uses the Universal Tennis Rating system
to determine entries and
seedings, and the girls and
boys winners receive wild
cards into the main draw of
the ITF International Hard
Court Championships.
This tournament represents an incredible opportunity for the countrys top
young players to compete on
a national stage, says Bruce
Schilling, general manager
of tennis for New Balance.
James Maimonis
Tip for Success
Create the best consumer
experience for playersand their
parents. Make the participants feel
welcomed and valued.
32 TennisIndustry
January 2017
Mark Faber
USPTA Elite Professional
Mark Faber is not only head
tennis coach at Toledo St.
Francis High School in Ohio,
hes also director of tennis
at Twos Athletic Club and
serves as vice president of
the Ohio Tennis Coaches
Association.
Faber has been a no-cut
coach for 22 years, and he
helped create a program
at his club that allows high
school teams to practice
during the off-season, without memberships. Over the
past three years, weve also
created several fun, outof-the-norm events geared
toward the needs of high
school students, says Faber.
Faber also serves on the
USTAs national High School
Task Force. Marks undying commitment and his
leadership on the Task Force
has helped develop a clear
vision for enhancing high
school tennis, says Glenn
Arrington, director of high
school tennis for the USTA.
Tracy Maymon
PGA Tour Superstore earns customer and manufacturer plaudits with the retail equivalent of
an all-court game. Its 27 (and growing) big-box
locations each devote about 5,000 square feet to
tennis inventory, have in-store hitting alleys and,
in some cases, actual courts. Many stores also
have Master Racquet Technicians on staff.
The company also works well with its vendors.
PGA is a good partner in helping educate consumers and advocating for our sport, according
to Mickey Maule, Wilsons regional commercial
director of racquet sports. They go above and
beyond in their merchandising support and in
showcasing tennis.
For those questioning why a store with golf in
its name is so interested in tennis, Chief Marketing Officer Matt Corey answers: Golf and tennis
go hand-in-hand, with many households having
family members playing both. We focus on taking
care of our customers one at a time, and our goal
is to inspire them to play their best.
Kent Oswald
Tip for Success

Hire people passionate about
the sport, and work with
vendors to continue to educate
both staff and consumers.
COURTESY USTA/USTA MIDWEST/PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE
PGA Tour Superstore
Tip for Success

To grow a strong program,
you need to pay attention
to all players, not just the
top players.
11/21/16 11:54 AM
PTR Symposium Ad.qxp_Layout 1 11/2/16 1:39 PM Page 1
International Tennis Symposium

Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
February 15-18, 2017
Dr. Ben Kibler
Leo Alonso
Edgar Giffenig
Dr. Mark Kovacs
Page Love
Johan Kriek
Oivind Sorvald
Dr. Jim Loehr
Craig OShannessy
Walker Sahag
Lorenzo Beltrame
Pat Etcheberry
Join PTR members, non-members

and industry leaders from around
the world for this important event!
Awards Banquet Feb 15
Tennis Trade Show Feb 16
For more info, visit www.ptrtennis.org/ptrweek

Register online or call 843-785-7244
Somporn Cholsiripunlert/Shutterstock
PRESENTS
CHAMPIONS
OF TENNIS
2016
NJTL OF THE YEAR
Marty Hennessy Inspiring

Children Foundation
Tip for Success

Use social media. People are
visualshare photos and
videos you can go back to and
track progress.
A D U LT T E N N I S P R O V I D E R
OF THE YEAR
Jacks Abby Social

Tennis League
Since the spring of 2015,
Jacks Abby Social Tennis
League has been helping
more than 350 adults ages
21 to 40 have fun, stay active
and meet new friends. The
league, sponsored by Jacks
Abby Craft Lagers, originated in Brookline, Mass., and
has now spread to multiple
sites around Boston as well
as to New Haven, Conn. For
its efforts, it is TIs Adult
Tennis Provider of the Year.
Over the last two years,
weve seen a huge growth
in attracting young adults
to tennis nationwide via
social leagues, says Marilyn
Sherman, USTA national
promotions manager for
Adult Tennis. Jacks Abby is
a great example of a weekly
league that is as much fun
off the court as it is on.
Its exciting to be able to
reach a wide audience looking to play tennis and meet
new people, adds USTA
New England Adult Recreation Coordinator Christo
Schultz. This is the perfect
platform.
James Maimonis
Tip for Success
Offer an inclusive
environment for players off
the court, so theyll want to
arrive early and stay after.
24 TennisIndustry
June 2016
U S TA S E C T I O N O F T H E Y E A R
Missouri Valley
When it comes to growing

tennis, the USTA Missouri
Valley section gets it. They
do so many things well,
says Craig Jones, the USTAs
Director of Professional Development & Education.
The sectioncomposed
of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas,
Oklahoma, Missouri and
part of Illinoishas been a
leader in promoting Youth
Progression. Hispanic outreach also has also been at
the forefront, as has reaching out to the wheelchair
and adaptive communities.
The seven Tennis Service
Reps spend a lot of time with
park and rec departments, as
well as high school coaches
in rural communities. The
section is seeing growth in
many areas, including youth
tennis, Junior Team Tennis
and adult leagues.
We have a strong staff
and a great relationship with
our board, says Executive
Director Mary Buschmann,
plus so many great volunteers, with such great passion for this sport.
Cynthia Sherman
Tip for Success

Strive to communicate
as best as you can out in
the community.
C O U R T E S Y M A R T Y H E N N E S S Y F O U N D A T I O N / U S T A N E W E N G L A N D / U S T A M I S S O U R I V A L L E Y / U S P T A
Twelve years ago, Ryan Wolfington and Marty

Hennessy helped one boy find a facility to play
tennis in Las Vegas, and maybe earn a college
scholarship. They didnt plan on building one of
the most successful NJTL programs in the
entire country.
Its been an amazing journey, says Hennessy.
We wanted kids to see they had choices. Now
they go through our program, come back and
mentor other kids.
The Marty Hennessey Foundation, our NJTL
of the Year, mentors more than 350 kids annually,
and over 70 NJTL graduates have earned college
scholarships.
I always read quotes like Be the change you
wish to see in the world, but I never really understood what that meant until I went through the
program, says Trent Alenik, who was the second
child in the Foundation and now is the current
executive director. To help people get to places
they never thought were imaginable, its truly
remarkable. Wendy Anderson
11/21/16 11:54 AM
2017 STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP

MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION
1. Title of Publication: Tennis Industry
2. Publication number: 4-354
3. Filing date: 11/18/16
4. Issue Frequency:
monthly (January August)
bi-monthly (Sept/Oct & Nov/Dec)
5. Number of issues published annually: 10
6. Annual subscription price: n/a
7. Complete mailing address of known
office of publication:
The Tennis Media Company LLC,
48 W 21st Street, 6th floor,
New York NY 10010,
Contact: Tim McArthur (646-783-1450)
8. Complete mailing address of
headquarters or general business
office of publisher:
48 W 21st Street, 6th floor,
New York NY 10010
9. Full names and complete mailing
addresses of publisher, editor and
managing editor:
Group Publisher: Jeff Williams,
same as no. 7
Editor: Scott Gramling, same as no. 7
Managing Editor: Scott Gramling,
same as no.7
PTR MEMBER OF THE YEAR
C O U R T E S Y M A R T Y H E N N E S S Y F O U N D A T I O N / U S T A N E W E N G L A N D / U S T A M I S S O U R I V A L L E Y/ U S P T A
U S P TA M E M B E R O F T H E Y E A R
Kirk Anderson
When asked to suggest possible candidates for Tennis
Industrys PTR Member of the Year and USPTA Member
of the Year, the heads of both organizations didnt hesitate: They both picked longtime pro Kirk Andersonthe
first time weve had a unified choice.
Anderson, who was named our Person of the Year in
2006, retired in September after 20 years with USTA
national. One of only 11 people worldwide to hold Master
Professional distinction with both the PTR and USPTA,
Anderson recently won the USPTAs 2016 Alex Gordon Award for Professional of the Year. His numerous
honors include PTR Professional of the Year, in 2012,
and the Educational Merit Award from the International
Tennis Hall of Fame, in 2003.
One of the things I take pride in is changing the way
weve introduced tennis to so many people, says Anderson, who is a popular speaker for both teaching pro organizations. More than 100,000 people have gone through
our workshops, and Im proud of how we delivered them,
the quality of the faculty, and being able to give people
the best experience possible.
While Anderson may be retired, he admits his career
is by no means over. I hope to be doing a lot of things
with coaching and coaching education, he says.
Peter Francesconi
Tip for Success

Surround yourself with team
members who have the right
attitude and are willing to work
hard toward a shared goal.
10. Owner:
The Tennis Media Company & TDG
Investors, LLC, 814 S.
Westgate Avenue, Ste 127
Los Angeles, CA 90049
11. Known bondholders, mortgages and
other securities:
Miller Mackin Holdings LLC, 814
S. Westgate Avenue, Ste 127,
Los Angeles CA 90049
12. Tax Status: Has not changed in the
preceding 12 months.
13. Publication Title: Tennis Industry
14. Issue for circulation data below:
Sept/Oct 2016
15. Extent and nature of circulation:
Average no.
each issue
during
precedin12
months
PUBLISHER
JEFF WILLIAMS
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
PETER FRANCESCONI
MANAGING EDITOR
SCOTT GRAMLING
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
IAN KNOWLES
SENIOR EDITOR
ED McGROGAN
ART DIRECTOR
CRHISTIAN RODRIGUEZ
PRODUCTION EDITOR
SAM CHASE
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR
BOB PATTERSON
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
ROBIN BATEMAN, CYNTHIA
CANTRELL, PEG CONNOR, KENT
OSWALD, CYNTHIA SHERMAN,
MARY HELEN SPRECHER
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
BOB KENAS, DAVID KENAS
WEBMASTER
GREG RAVEN
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
TIM McARTHUR
EDITORIAL DIRECTION
10TEN MEDIA
TENNIS INDUSTRY
48 W 21st St., New York, NY 10010
646-783-1450
info@tennisindustrymag.com
No. of copies
of single issue
published
nearest to
filing date
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
JOHN HANNA
770-650-1102, x.125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
e. Total Free 17,873

or Nominal
Rate
Distribution
16,546
17,873
f. Total
Distribution
16,546
APPAREL ADVERTISING
CYNTHIA SHERMAN
203-558-5911
cstennisindustry@gmail.com
g. Copies not 200

Distributed
200
18,073
h. Total
(sum - f and g)
16,746
i. Percent
Paid
0%
0%
I certify that all information furnished

on this form is true and complete. I
understand that anyone who furnishes
false or misleading information on this
form or who omits material or
information requested on the form
may be subject to criminal sanctions
(including fines and imprisonment)
and/or civil sanctions (including civil
penalties).
Tennis Industry is published 10 times per

year: monthly, January through August with
combined issues in September/October
and November/December, by Tennis Media
Company, 48 W 21st St., New York, NY 10010.
Periodical postage paid in Duluth, GA and at
additional mailing offices (USPS #004-354).
Jan 2017, Volume 45, Number 1 2017 by
Tennis Media Company. All rights reserved.
Tennis Industry, TI and logo are trademarks of
Tennis Media Company. Printed in the U.S.A.
Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone
circulation and editorial: 646-783-1450. Yearly
subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40+ elsewhere.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis
Industry, 48 W 21st St., New York, NY 10010.
Tennis Industry is the official magazine of the
USRSA, TIA and ASBA.
Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/
Racquet Sports Industry? Visit the archives at
our website at TennisIndustryMag.com for free
digital versions.
Jeff Williams, Publisher

11/21/16 11:54 AM
Ask the Experts

Your Equipment Hotline
Replacing bumper guards
Q: Why cant Babolat improve its

bumper design? Over the years I have
found them a real pain to replace. Ive
called the company several times and
was told they receive numerous complaints about bumper-guard replacement, but have no intention to redesign
them. What's the best way to go about
replacing one of these bumper guards?
and bumper guardand cleaning the

framestart with the throat piece.
Then work your way up the hoop, doing the short outside pieces next. Do
not heat or soften the new parts; this
invites disaster. Instead, use your sharp
awl from the outside of the frame to
guide the grommets through the inner
holes, while using the thumb on your
other hand to press the strip into place.
Next, start the side pieces, keeping
PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK
A: Because you describe having difficulties over the years, you must not be
referring to the new FSI grommet sets,
which present an added challenge because they are directionalthat is, they
have to be mounted a certain way on
the racquet. For older Babolat racquets,
the most common type we see is the
original-style Pure Drive. This racquets
bumper guard is easy to service if you
approach it the right way.
After removing all the old grommets
Bumper guards
experience regular
abuse during play,
and require careful
repair.
in mind there is a big end and little

end, even though they look symmetrical. The big end goes toward
the throat (where the tie-off hole is).
Instead of installing the side pieces all
the way up, stop around 3 and 9 oclock
on the hoop.
Then, take the bumper guard and
center it on the top of the hoop. There
are little marks on both the inside and
outside of the bumper guard that show
where the center point is. Then walk
one end down the frame (it doesnt
matter which end), align the holes in
the bumper guard with the holes in
the frame and install the sidepiece to
secure it in place.
Once you have one sidepiece completely installed, and the end of the
bumper guard locked in place, install
the top grommet strip, continuing
from the next grommet hole.
After you finish the top grommet
36 TennisIndustry
Jan_TI_AskExperts_SC.indd 38
January 2017
11/18/16 11:28 AM
strip, the holes on the loose end of the

bumper guard will only generally be
aligned with the holes in the hoop. Go
back to the other side piece and work
it into place up the hoop, taking a little
extra care when you get to the end of
the bumper guard, because you will
be pulling/stretching the sidepiece up
while pulling/stretching the bumper
guard down into alignment. Once
you get the end attached with the end
grommet, the rest of the installation
should go pretty easily.
Your biggest worry should be that
you dont poke your support hand with
your awl as you use it to align the grommets and the holes in the hoop.
For other types of racquets, a general
rule is to start each section of a grommet strip at the end that has the longest
grommet barrels, because it is more
difficult to steer those with the awl if
they dont just slide into place.
The catch is that this printer is now

discontinued, although you may be
able to find one for sale online. You can
also purchase the newer version of the
printer, the Brother PT-P700 or the
Brother PT-P750W, each of which
accommodates the same label tape.
For those of you who dont mind the
old-fashioned method of filling in the
information by hand, USRSA racquet
labels are your best option. If you can

make do with a plain racquet label,
check out the Avery 5266 label stock. !
We welcome your questions. Please send
them to Tennis Industry, 48 West 21st
Street, New York, NY 10010; or email
greg@racquettech.com.
Creating racquet labels
Q: Is there a way to print a racquetlabel sticker from a home computer

that shows the string and tension, similar to those being printed and stuck on
Tennis Warehouse demo racquets?
A: We reached out to Tennis Warehouse and found that they use a Brother P-Touch PT-2430PC printer and
Brother TZeS231 tape, which prints out
the perfect size with good adhesive.
Jan_TI_AskExperts_SC.indd 39
11/18/16 11:28 AM
String Playtest
Conclusion
Babolat RPM
Blast Rough 16
In the Lab
We tested the 16-gauge RPM Blast Rough
in black. The coil measured 38 feet, one
inch (Babolat assures us the length of the
retail sets will be 40 feet). The diameter
measured 1.26 mm prior to stringing, and
38 TennisIndustry
Jan_TI_StringPlaytest_SC.indd 36
January 2017
Playtester Comments
While challenging to install initially due
to the texture, the string held tension well
and allowed for excellent spin without
changing my swing path. This would be a
great string for a moderate- to high-level
player seeking more spin and durability.
4.0 male all-court player using Wilson
Burn 100S strung at 54 pounds CP (Wilson
Revolve 17)
This string is my new favorite. I played a
week-long, high-level tournament with it,
Playtester Ratings:
Ease of Stringing
(compared to other strings)
Much easier: 2
Somewhat easier: 3
About as easy: 11
Not quite as easy: 9
Not nearly as easy: 0
Overall Playability
(compared to the string played most often)
Much better: 2
Somewhat better: 5
About as playable: 5
Not quite as playable: 11
Not nearly as playable: 3
On the Court
Overall Durability
Our playtest team appreciated the Spin

Potential of Babolat RPM Blast Rough,
ranking it 12th highest in this category
of the 196 strings we have playtested for
publication to date. Our team also ranked
RPM Blast Rough well above average in
Durability, Resistance to Movement and
Control. As a result, Babolat RPM Blast
Rough ranked well above average overall.
No playtesters reported premature fraying or peeling, one reported buzzing and
one reported notching. Two playtesters
broke the sample during the test period,
one at six hours and one at 65 hours.
(compared to other strings of similar gauge)
Much better: 6
Somewhat better: 6
About as durable: 11
Not quite as durable: 3
PHOTO COURTESY OF BABOLAT
abolat RPM Blast Rough is a

textured geometric monofilament polyester string. According to Babolat, it offers maximum spin
thanks to its octagonal cross-section,
surface roughness and cross-linked
silicone, which allows the string to
bite the ball better.
Babolat says RPM Blast Rough is
designed for competitive and performance players seeking the highest
levels of spin, along with great response
and control.
RPM Blast Rough is available in 16
and 17 gauges in black, red and yellow.
It is priced from $15 for 40-foot sets,
with quantity price breaks available.
For more information or to order,
contact Babolat at 877-316-9435, or
visit www.babolat.com/strings. Be
sure to read the conclusion for more
information about getting a free set to
try for yourself.
1.24 mm after stringing. We recorded a

string-bed stiffness of 73 RDC units
immediately after stringing at 60 pounds
in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a constant-pull machine.
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed stiffness measured 69 RDC units,
representing a five percent tension loss.
Our control string, Prince Synthetic Gut
Original Gold 16, measured 84 RDC units
immediately after stringing and 77 RDC
units after 24 hours, representing an eight
percent tension loss. In lab testing, Prince
Synthetic Gut Original has a stiffness of
217 and a tension loss of 11.67 pounds,
while Babolat RPM Blast Rough 16 has a
stiffness of 206 and a tension loss of 18.21
pounds. RPM Blast Rough 16 added 16.5
grams to the weight of our unstrung frame.
The string was tested for five weeks by
26 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP ratings
from 3.5 to 5.5. These are blind tests, with
playtesters receiving unmarked strings in
unmarked packages. The average number
of hours playtested was 29.9.
No playtester broke the sample during
stringing. Six reported problems with coil
memory, one reported problems tying
knots, none reported friction burn and one
reported other problems.
Competitive and performance players

are bound to value RPM Blast Roughs
features. It received the highest durability
rating of Babolat strings we have tested,
as well as the best rating for Resistance to
Movement. For players who want to look
at more than numbers, the shape and
texture of RPM Blast Rough are obvious
selling points.
If you think that Babolat RPM Blast
Rough might be for you, fill out the coupon
on the following page to get a free set of
string to try. Greg Raven
Not nearly as durable: 0

Rating Averages
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability: 3.3
Durability: 4.2
Power: 3.3
Control: 3.6
Comfort: 3.1
Touch/Feel: 3.1
Spin Potential: 3.9
Holding Tension: 3.3
Resistance to Movement: 3.9
11/18/16 12:11 PM
along with a lot of balls hit in practice and

teaching sets. Great pop. Spin is excellent
and it still hit well after nine sets. I did not
feel that it lost tension over that time.
5.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using
Wilson Blade strung at 54/53 pounds CP
(Kevlar/Nylon 16)
This string played very well. Had good
pop on the serve. Comfortable on groundstrokes. Not bad touch with volleys. 4.0
male serve-and-volley player using Prince
Textreme Warrior strung at 35/37 pounds
LO (Prince Warrior Hybrid Touch 16)
Nice feel, making the string easy to
install. The texture was great for spin and
bite. 5.0 male serve-and-volley player
using Wilson Pro Staff RF strung at 55
pounds LO (Gamma Live Wire Pro 16)
This felt like a good working string that is
average and predictable, which is a compliment. At the right price it would make a
good stock string for someone who wants
a softer feel. 4.0 male baseliner with moderate spin using Babolat Pure Drive strung
at 55 pounds CP (Babolat VS 16)
If I liked an all-polyester string bed, this
would be a candidate. 4.5 male touch
player using Babolat Strike strung at
55/52 pounds CP (Babolat VS/Babolat
RPM Blast 16/17)
Pretty good string. Nothing out of the
ordinary. 5.0 male all-court player using
Wilson BLX 5 strung at 55/57 pounds LO
(Wilson NXT 16/17)
Not a bad string, but not something that I
would use. 5.0 male all-court player using
Head Prestige strung at 58 pounds LO
(Prince 16)
Not my favorite string. It was harsh and
hurt my arm. 3.5 male baseliner with
heavy spin using Wilson BLX Blade 98
strung at 58.5 pounds LO (Wilson Natural
Gut 17) !
(4USJOHTOPSNBMMZVTFECZUFTUFSTBSFJO
QBSFOUIFTFT'PSUIFSFTUPGUIFUFTUFS
DPNNFOUT WJTJUUFOOJTJOEVTUSZNBH
FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAM

Babolat will send a free set of RPM
Blast Rough to the first 500 USRSA
members who cut out (or copy) this
coupon and send it to:
USRSA, Attn: Babolat String Offer,
310 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North,
Suite 400, Birmingham, AL 35203
or fax to 760-536-1171,
or email the info below to:
stringsample@racquettech.com.
Offer expires Jan. 15, 2017. Offer only
available to USRSA members in the U.S.
Name: __________________________
USRSA Member number: ___________
Phone: _________________________
Email: __________________________
If you print your email clearly, we will
notify you when your sample will be sent.
TAKE YOUR
COACHING TO
THE NEXT LEVEL
The Coach Youth Tennis
online courses and interactive
workshops will enhance your
teaching skills.
Highlights include:
Teaching tennis skills and
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Organizing age appropriate
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Learn more at
CoachYouthTennis.com
2016 United States Tennis Association. All rights reserved.
Jan_TI_StringPlaytest_SC.indd 37
JBOVBSZ201
TennisIndustry 39
11/18/16 12:11 PM
Your Serve
Save Our Scoring System
The expanding use of tiebreakers and No-Ad scoring

is destroying the games integrity.
By Paul Fein
40 TennisIndustry
YourServe.indd 40
January 2017
skilled player, who needs just one point

to win a game from deuce. Fluke shots,
bad bounces, net cords and incorrect
line calls take on undue significance in
shortened scoring formats. Much like
the 10-point tiebreaker damages the
integrity of the set, No-Ad scoring damages the integrity of the game.
The third-set super tiebreaker is not
a true test, and the best player or team
doesnt always win, argues former
Wimbledon champion Pat Cash. It is
usually the player or team with
momentum at the time that wins.
Simons panicky, misguided proposals would destroy one of tennis crowning glories: its brilliant scoring system.
Longer, closer matchesincluding the
fluctuating crises of ad-in and ad-out
are more entertaining. The scoring system provides us with classics that make
a connection with fans, as Rafael Nadal
has noted. Television commentator

and former pro player Mary Carillo
recently called a tiebreaker in lieu of a
third set illegitimate.
If attendances are decreasing in tennis, It is not because of long matches,
observes former French Open singles
champion Virginia Ruzici, but mainly
because of a lack of big rivalries which
create intense, dramatic matches. !
Award-winning tennis
writer Paul Fein is
a former Satellite
tournament director,
USPTA Elite Pro and
longtime tournament
player.
C O U R T E S Y A P/ P A U L F E I N
n 2001, the Australian Open

shattered tradition by adopting
10-point tiebreakers in lieu of
deciding sets for mixed doubles.
Doubles star Todd Woodbridge, then
the ATP Players Council president,
warned: Eventually its going to go to
mens doubles and womens doubles,
and in the long term, singles as well.
And then tennis is no longer a true test
of skill and will. What theyre doing to
mixed doubles now is the beginning of
the downfall of the whole game.
Woodbridges prediction proved
prescient. Five years later, the ATP
adopted the 10-point tiebreaker in lieu
of deciding sets in doubles at all tour
eventsand installed No-Ad scoring to
further distance itself from the sports
classic scoring system. The WTA followed suit in mid-2007. Today, only
Wimbledon abstains from using the
10-point tiebreaker in place of deciding
sets in mixed doubles.
If WTA CEO Steve Simon has his
way, the last domino of Woodbridges
doomsday scenario will fall. Simon,
who believes the ideal match length
is 60 to 90 minutes, claims its necessary to implement both the 10-point
tiebreaker and No-Ad scoring in singles
by 2019 or 2020.
We need to begin embracing our
future audience, Simon told reporters
this September at the Wuhan Open.
Now, if a video is more than 20
seconds, it is too long and [people]
wont even look at it.
We need to remember, however, that
fairness and credibility matter. Tennis
traditional scoring system increases the
odds that the more skilled player will
win a given game, while No-Ad scoring
unfairly boosts the chances of the less
We welcome your opinions. Please email

comments to info@tennisindustrymag.com
11/18/16 12:47 PM
Inside this issue

USPTA Offers Health and Life
Insurance Options for Members 47
National Board Applications to
be Available Soon 48
Wilson to Launch New USPTA
Tennis Ball 51
Departments:
42 CEOs Message
52 Inside Coaching
44 Presidents Message
56 Master Pro Corner
47 USPTA News
58 Career Development
51 Endorsee News
60 Member News
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
On the cover: January 2017 is the deadline for the professional development
requirement of 6 credits in a three-year period for certified members in
good standing and under the age of 65. For more details, see Page 42.
CEOs Message
A New Day for USPTA

By John Embree
an. 2, 2017, will go down in the history of the USPTA as a milestone.

For the first time in our history, all
U.S.-based certified members in
good standing and under the age of 65
will have had to complete the professional development requirement of 6
credits in a three-year period by that
day. For those of you who completed
the required 12 hours of education and
development, CONGRATULATIONS!
Your commitment to following our
mission of elevating the standards of
our profession will make us stronger
and more credible in the industry.
Back in mid to late 2013, the
USPTA Board, along with the USTA
and PTR, agreed to a common goal of
elevating the standards of the tennisteaching community in general. These
three organizations were universally
in sync with the concept of requiring a
minimal level of education to further
raise the abilities of professionals so
that the consumer experience would
be more positive. When every other
industry requires continuous training
in order to stay employed or to keep
their certification, we in tennis mutually believed that we had to make a
statement to the industry: we would
work to make each and every member
better at what they do.
At the same time, we knew that the
implementation of this requirement
would not come without its challenges.
Many people did not believe that we
would stick to our guns, remembering
what occurred back in the 1990s when
the USPTA folded under the pressure
of only having 60 percent compliance
for continuing education. At that time,
the USPTA feared the revenue loss it
would experience while also fearing that
members would leave and join another
competitive organization that did not
subscribe to the same requirements.
There are others who do not believe
42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
that continuing education is necessary

since they have been successful in their
jobs for many years: why should they
have to learn anything new? Some even
suggest that we, as a non-profit trade
association, cannot mandate anything
to anyone; that this is outside our
charter. Many are content and satisfied
with their knowledge, thinking that
passing a test decades ago is enough to
keep them on the cutting edge today.
We are excited about the possibilities
of an engaged group of tennis-teaching
professionals who all truly care about
raising the bar and being better
at what we do.
For those of you who subscribe to
any of these notions, I can promise you
that the Board and Executive Committee are absolutely steadfast in their
resolve to go forward with this vision,
even with the prospect of a projected
loss of members and subsequent revenue. Yet, there is no equivocation
from the leadership of the USPTA. As
President Chuck Gill has stated often,
we cannot let the financial impact of
this action deter us from doing what is
right in the long run.
On January 2, if you happen to be
one of those individuals who have no
credits or some credits but not all 6,
your membership will be suspended
and you will no longer be eligible for any
USPTA benefits, period. If you procrastinated or were unable to complete this
in the required time, you still have an
opportunity to complete your professional development. Between January 2
and June 30, 2017, you have six months
to do any combination of the following:
* Attend a division conference.
* Go to coachyouthtennis.com or
tennisresources.com to watch the
online courses
* Submit to our education department

a syllabus of training or education
that you may have received outside
of tennis that can count toward this
requirement.
If you accomplish this goal, your
membership status will change from
suspended to active (as long as you
pay your dues for 2017) but you will
only have 2 years to complete another 12 hours or 6 credits by the end
of 2019.
In this, the last year of this threeyear cycle, we will have sent out an
email at the end of each quarter to
those who have not complied. In addition, there have been postcards and
letters sent by regular mail as well as
phone blasts advising every person of
their status and encouraging them to
complete this endeavor. Suffice it to
say, no one who is an active USPTA
member can say that they were not
aware of this requirement. The communication has been constant.
If June 30 rolls around and a member has yet to fulfill his/her obligation,
their membership will be dropped
altogether. Once that happens, they
will need to go through the process of
re-instating and paying the requisite
penalties in order to get back in along
with proof of the professional development compliance.
Moving forward, we are excited
about the possibilities of an engaged
group of tennis-teaching professionals
who all truly care about raising the bar
and being better at what we do. Again,
thanks and congratulations to the vast
majority of our members who share
our vision. We are stronger and more
credible in the tennis industry as a
group of professionals who do not simply pay lip service on the importance
of being better professionals ... but
truly walk the walk! h
Presidents Message
Happy New Year!
By Chuck Gill
appy New Year to all! I

wish a happy and prosperous 2017 to each of you in
our USPTA family. First,
congratulations to all of you who
fulfilled your professional development requirements for the past
three-year cycle. By engaging in our
education, you have demonstrated
a commitment to raising the bar,
and have shown why USPTA is again
leading the way in providing relevant
ways for our pros to be better at
what we do! As of press time, more
than 85 percent of our membership
had fulfilled or were on their way to
completing this requirement, our
remaining division workshops were
showing great sign-ups, and courses
online were being utilized at a record
pace. In the event that you have not
completed your professional development requirements, please visit
coachyouthtennis.com or log into
tennisresources.com for free online
courses. By watching these courses
for credit you will remain a member
in good standing and maintain your
benefits.
Each New Year gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past, and optimistically look ahead to the future.
For the coming year, I would like to
share a few of my tennis resolutions
for 2017:
Be a better professional Much of
the last three to four years, my club
job at The Club at Ibis has required
me to spend more hours off court
as a part of our $36 million renovation project. Having completed this
project, I can now turn my attention
back to being on court more, and doing more of what I have loved doing
the previous 30-plus years, which is

teaching tennis! I am excited about
getting back into the swing of team
practices and lessons ... and I realize
that my drills and techniques need
to be current for my students. I have
a personal goal of Get 6 Every 6,
meaning that I am going to try to
dedicate at least 12 hours every six
months learning something new.
While it may seem like a lot of edu-
help USTA, CMAA and other associations. It gives me a much better

perspective on my own sport, as
well as the overall club business and
business in general. As I get older,
I find that when I step outside my
normal realm of expertise, it gives
me a totally new look at issues and
challenges. The sports landscape
is rapidly changing so learn to get
comfortable being uncomfortable.
It is always wise to take stock in your personal and business life on a frequent
basis, but, it should be done at least yearly. The key is following through on some
of the commitments that you set out to accomplish.
cation (and certainly more than is
currently required), it is only two
hours a month, or roughly a half
hour a week on tennisresources.
com. Who says an old dog cant learn
new tricks?
Play more tennis Last year in my
travels, I tried to carve out an hour
or so at each conference to play
tennis when I could ... and always
found willing hitting partners like
John Embree, Lane Evans and Bill
Mountford! Im constantly reminded of why I started in this business
I really like to play TENNIS! This
year I resolve to stretch more, take
better care of myself, and find a
way to improve my own game as I
turn 60. A very smart friend told
me that senior tennis is the only
sport where every five years you
move a bit better and your serve
gets a bit bigger!
Diversify my education While I
love USPTA, I look forward to more
conferences and volunteering to
Balance work and play Most of

us have busy lives and mine is no
exception. I love to volunteer, but
I need to balance everything better. In 2016, I made some progress.
I found some down time for a
few trips with the family. I spent
more afternoons playing tennis or
golf with some buddies, and was
(for the most part) able to commit
one day a week to spend some time
away from the busy work schedule.
We simply are not made or wired
to run at fast speeds forever. 2017
will be the year that I keep better
balance between work, volunteering, friends and family.
It is always wise to take stock in
your personal and business life on a
frequent basis, but it should be done
at least yearly. The key is following
through on some of the commitments that you set out to accomplish.
I certainly intend to do so.
Again, I wish everyone the best for
2017, and hope that this year is great
both on and off court! h
USPTA News
USPTA Offers Health and Life

Insurance Options for Members
he USPTA has partnered with

SelectQuote to provide exclusive healthcare, Medicare and
life insurance resources for
USPTA-certified Professional members.
As a strong and well-respected brand,
SelectQuote has provided coverage
for more than 1 million customers and
more than 1.5 million policies.
The company represents more than
60 of A.M. Bests A rated insurance
carriers, and has offered consumers an
unbiased comparison shopping experience to purchase life and Medicare
supplement insurance at competitive
rates since they were founded in 1985.
Our partnership with USPTA will
give members an opportunity to save
time and money shopping the SelectQuote insurance exchanges for their
pre-65 health care, Medicare and life
insurance. SelectQuote looks forward
to assisting the membership with
these important financial decisions,
said SelectQuote Vice President Paul

Gregory.
SelectQuote has a strong ability
to meet customer needs for an insurance product that is complementary
to the USPTAs core values. With the
complexities of ACA and the changes
to come, as well as the need to provide
quality health care options for those
members who seek medical coverage for
themselves and their families, its won-
derful to affiliate with one of the leaders

in its space, said USPTA CEO John
Embree. The fact that SelectQuote will
also provide our members life insurance
programs as well, we are fortunate to
have an affiliation with this company.
With a projected 10,000 people
turning 65 every day from 2011 through
2030, SelectQuote can help individuals find the best plan for the best price.
Healthcare expenses can consume 12 to
15 percent of elder Americans income.
With SelectQuote, USPTA members 65
and older can compare Medicare plans
and save up to $840 per year.
As the demand for health and life
insurance continues to rapidly grow,
the USPTA and SelectQuote will work
together to inform and provide you with
the best options, prices and coverage
that meets your needs.
For more information, go to uspta.
com/benefits and click on the Insurance,
Healthcare and Retirement tabs. h
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
USPTA News
National Board Applications

to be Available Soon
he USPTA Nominating Committee will

be seeking candidates who are interested in serving on the USPTA National Board of Directors for the 2018-2019
term. Information and the application will be
emailed to eligible members in January.
The application deadline is March 1, and
phone interviews will be conducted with
qualified nominees. The top candidates will
then be offered a live interview during the
Executive Committee in late April.
A nominating slate will be presented to
the membership by June 15, and any challenges to the slate must be submitted by Aug.
1. If an election is needed, it will be held in
late August so that results can be announced
at the World Conference in October.
Please note that only members in good
standing with a certification level of Elite
Pro or higher are eligible to apply. Any candidates failing to meet these criteria will not be
considered. h
2016-2017 National Board
Endorsee News
Wilson to Launch New USPTA

Tennis Ball
ilson Racquet Sports,

the Official Equipment
Sponsor for the USPTA,
is releasing a new tennis ball, the Wilson Ultra USPTA All
Court.
Scheduled to be launched Feb. 1,
2017, the new Wilson Ultra USPTA
ball has three major technological advancements:
1. A thicker, tighter-weave felt for

enhanced durability, engineered for
all court surfaces
2. A new Hi-Visibility felt for better
ball tracking
3. New logo application for longer
wear
We at Wilson are absolutely

thrilled to once again be the Official
Equipment Sponsor of the USPTA,
said Tim Buwick, Wilsons U.S. Promotions Director for Racquet Sports. Our
relationship with the USPTA and John
Embree spans several decades. It feels
like we are back home again.
To order the new Wilson Ultra

USPTA All Court ball, contact your
territory manager. A list of territory
managers and regions can be found at
uspta.com/wilson. h
We at Wilson are absolutely thrilled to

once again be The Official Equipment
Sponsor of the USPTA.
Buwick continued, Wilson is also
excited to launch a new ball that has
been in development for many months.
We are confident that USPTA pros are
really going to love the new Wilson Ultra
USPTA ball, with its greater durability
on all court surfaces. It also has a new
Hi-Visibility felt, which you will begin to
see when we begin shipping this product
to you in February (pun intended).
USPTA CEO John Embree play tested the new ball. I played with the new
Wilson Ultra USPTA All Court ball on a
damp clay court on a very hot and humid
day, he said. After one hour of play, the
felt wear was very consistent and there
was no fluffing. It still looked new!
I was very impressed with this ball
and have no concerns about how it will
play on a hard court considering how
well it played under extreme conditions
on clay.
The following tennis ball booking program is available through March 31, 2017.
All USPTA Pros are pre-approved for BASE pricing
USPTA Pros purchasing $5,000 or more annually in Wilson products are approved for 17TB Pricing
Item Number 2017 Description

WRT109500
BASE Pricing
Wilson Ultra USPTA All Court $65.28
Who is eligible to participate?

Must be a current USPTA member
17TB Pricing
CAN MAP
CASE MAP
$60.00
$3.99
$79.99
Details:
Normal account terms apply
Inside Coaching
Coaching Nine Valuable

Life Lessons from Tennis
By David F. Berens, USPTA
oaching. What exactly is

coaching? Patterns on a
chalkboard? The Xs and Os
of plays and formations run
ad nauseam in practice until they become second nature to the athletes on
a team? Recruiting of individuals to
your team? It is all of these and more.
I have been practicing my own
coaching art for more than 16 years
and have boiled down my technique to
practicing five basic strategies thats it,
just five. However, during those years,
I came to realize that I was missing a
gigantic portion of what my students
needed. The mental and psychological
pieces of the game of tennis became a
monumental presence, overshadowing everything else I was teaching. The
great baseball coaching legend, Yogi
Berra, is credited as saying, Baseball is
90 percent mental and the other half is
physical. I began to make notes and address the overlying arc of the mind and
how it affected my students. Nine themes
began to reoccur in such strong ways that
I knew these themes were universal. During my lessons, I would not only address
how and when certain strategies and
techniques should be used, but how each
strategy and technique would affect my
players and their opponents.
These themes are simple. However,
you might think them so universal that
you dont give them much attention
when coaching your players. I would
argue that these are just as important as
the Xs and Os, the patterns of play, and
the techniques of your athletes. Teaching them is essential.
1) Recognize Your Situation: It is very
easy for an athlete or team to perceive a situation during a game in a
negative or positive light. But is that
perception accurate? Are recent or
past events clouding their notion of
whether they have the advantage
The mental and psychological

pieces of the game of tennis ...
are just as important as the Xs
and Os, the patterns of play, and
the techniques of your athletes.
Teaching them is essential.
or if they are at a disadvantage? In

tennis, I like to point to the score of
deuce and ask, How do you feel about
that score? Most tennis players will
report that it is a fairly neutral situation an even score. Then I ask them,
what if you were up 40-love and your
opponent had come back to tie the
game at deuce. Or what if you were
down love-40 and you came back to
tie it up. Both very different perceptions of the same score. It is still deuce
and it is important that athletes are
able to deal with that situation in a
way that allows them to forget the
negative aspects, accentuate the positive, and use the patterns and strategies that theyve been coached to use
in that situation.
2) Make a Plan: Once you recognize your
situation for what it truly is, you need
a road map. Playing a game without
one is essentially playing a game of
chance. Youre hoping to get lucky.
This is commonly expressed during
a game in phrases like, We have to
win this point. Or one of my favor-
ites, Come on, Dave, youve got this.

These things are unactionable. I cannot take either of those and do anything with them thus I will be even
more anxious and very likely blow it!
The alternative is to actually come up
with a strategy, and dont get complicated. To make it complex makes it
harder to pull off under pressure.
3) Be Consistent: When I learned tennis,
my coach was a backboard. I quickly
taught myself the control it would
take to keep the shots rebounding
off the wall at the right pace so that I
could return them. Again and again
and again. Many of the players I work
with have never hit against a wall
and its readily apparent when they
arent able to rally more than three
balls in a row. So, what does consistency on the tennis court mean?
Simply, you are better than the average player if you can make three shots
with the same speed, trajectory and
target. Three shots thats all it takes.
This is true of any sport. The things it
takes to win are often boring and DO
NOT win every point. Often, athletes

will execute a strategy or technique
until it fails once and then they abandon it. It is important to help them
understand that consistency works
over time, is never flashy, and wins
a higher percentage of the points
played.
4) Support System: Putting a player on
an island is a bad idea. The athlete
needs to understand you are there for
them. Champions often have a long
list of people who have helped them
and you always hear about it when
they win. If youve ever seen a professional tennis player win a Grand
Slam tournament, the first thing they
do after they shake their opponents
hand is head up into the crowd to his
box. All of their support system is
represented there, from parents to
coaches to friends. And that athlete
knows how important they were to
his journey. Letting a player know
that you are a part of their system
will make them indebted to you when
they are playing their game
5) Just Deal With It: As a coach, and
probably a current or former player,
you know that there are things that
happen in a game that are completely unexpected. If players have
practiced these situations, they will
easily deal with it and then move
on. If, on the other hand, they have
not, you will hear excuses. I cant
hit a shot from there. That guy is
faster than me. She has a killer
slice backhand. Ok, I know that, you
know that, we all know that. Buckle
up and deal with it. See No. 2 make
a plan and Just Deal With It. Players need to know that you have put
them into every possible situation
so that they will be able to respond
when the bizarre, unexplainable and
difficult arise in their matches.
6) No Looking Back: On the tennis
court, I like to tell my students that
it does absolutely no good to say,
That shot stunk, or I shouldve
done this, or worse, I cant even
make a forehand today. This is all
negative, past-looking visualization
that reinforces the poor result. Our
minds are very interesting in that
they see those actual errors and the
visualized errors as the same. Thus,
you are repeating mistakes over and

over again, even though on court,
they only happened once. We see
evidence of this when a player loses
a big point with a poor shot or poor
strategy and then loses the next
three points still reliving the point
they lost in their mind.
I encourage players whove made an
error to turn their negative emotion
from replaying the poor shot in their
minds to picturing and even saying
out loud, Next time I will do this. It
forces us to see the shot we want to
make and hear ourselves confirm it.
Instead of several negative replays
of the error in our mind, we get a few
positive pictures of how we do want
to play the point.
7) Dealing With Setbacks: Athletes see
setbacks in every single match they
play. In tennis we may get up in the
set a few games and suddenly the
other team manages to fight back.
We win the first set, only to lose the
second set. Coaching an athlete to
deal with these is again an examination of perception.
Most journeys that are worth taking
have ups and downs. The best roller
coasters have lots of hills and twists
and turns. We love summer, but without winter, would the warmer season
be as nice? Athletes must understand
that a setback is part of a larger picture; part of the journey, not the end.
If youre not ok with the unexpected,
you probably wont like sports in general. Often, the unexpected is what
makes our sport so enjoyable. Take a
step back from this bump in the road,
examine where you are going, and
find a way around it. Circle back to
your plan and move on.
8) Momentum: Theres a very interesting phenomenon at work in every
winners life called momentum. It has
been referred to as different things,
from being in the zone to the Midas
touch. Everything this winner touches
turns to gold. I once watched Michael

Jordan make free throws with his
eyes closed! But how do we achieve
this? Can we make this happen on
purpose? The answer is yes, but the
actions to take are quite boring.
The lessons we all learn in our bike
riding years are that you push the
pedals to move and on a hill, if you
stop, its really hard to get moving
again! Its pretty easy to ride up a hill
if you just keep pushing the pedals
one at a time and dont ever stop. But
thats difficult if you look up at the
top of that hill and see how far up it
is. Many long and arduous tasks are
often failed before they begin because the end seems too far away.
Though we must focus on where we
are going, achieving success often
comes from breaking down our plan
into small, actionable pieces that
move us closer to our goals. In a tennis match, it might look something
like this: I want to win the Australian Open. A daunting task indeed!
Simplified, it might look more like
this: I must win seven matches. To
do that, I must win my first match.
To do that, I must win the first set.
To do that, I must win the first game.
To do that, I must win the first point.
To do that, I must hit a better first
shot. Weve boiled down winning a
Grand Slam to hitting a better first
shot over and over and over again.
9) Learning: A champion must be willing to learn. Andre Agassi learned
that image wasnt everything.
Federer learned that outdated technology wasnt helping him win. Tiger
Woods changed his swing at the
height of his career to better himself.
Learning is the process you need
to keep your momentum going, to
bounce back from rock bottom, to experience a fuller, more rewarding life
and have success for ourselves and
our athletes. The mind is a powerful
tool that requires sharpening. h
David F. Berens has been a certified USPTA Elite Tennis Professional since 2001. His experience
in tennis has taken him from city parks to exclusive resorts and island getaways. Today he calls
Knoxville, Tenn., home. He has also been a writer most of his life and went to Carson-Newman
College and East Tennessee State University to obtain his English Literature degree. Berens has
authored two books, Dragon Reign: Book 1 of The One Prophecy, and BREAK POINT: 9 Life
Lessons from the Tennis Court Taking You from your own Break Point to a New Beginning with
Specific Life Hacks from a Tennis Coachs Perspective. You can follow him at www.BecomingAChampion.info.
Inside Coaching
Getting Philosophical
By Bert Poole, USPTA
have been coaching college tennis

for the past three years and it has
been the most rewarding and joyful endeavor of my professional
life. Working with college age studentathletes has been a great challenge
and I truly love it. More importantly,
my coaching experience has been very
meaningful to me as I strive to instill
the values in our players that will serve
them well throughout their collegiate
careers and for the rest of their lives.
Its quite a responsibility and it is the
primary reason that I have decided to
clearly define my personal coaching
philosophy that will help guide me
through the challenges ahead.
Molding a group of individuals into a team and

inspiring them to do their best is a wonderful calling.
My Coaching Philosophy
Academics First
It cannot be overstated that the most
important aspect of a student-athletes
career is academics. Putting academics first may seem obvious, but given a
coachs day-to-day responsibilities and
the competitive environment in which
we work, it can be very easy to lose sight
of this. I try very hard to put this idea at
the forefront of my thinking each day.
That said, prioritizing academics should
not diminish the players commitment to
their team and it is my responsibility to
clearly communicate what is expected of
them both academically and athletically.
Establish a Culture of Excellence
I dont consider the phrase a culture
of excellence some fancy slogan. I believe
that it is essential to the long-term success
of a program and I work hard to continually develop and define it. Elements of this
culture are excellence in the classroom,
giving your best effort in practice, and
having an on-court mental toughness
that emphasizes winning the right way,
which is displaying an intense fighting
spirit while being respectful of your opponents, officials and opposing coaches. This
culture also applies to me and anyone under my supervision. I believe that people
recognize a culture of excellence when
they see it, and are attracted to something

they can be proud of a team whose
players excel in the classroom and have a
healthy attitude toward competition.
Coaching Tenets
Be Patient, Be Fair, Be Respectful and
Be Consistent By demonstrating
these qualities, trust develops as
lines of communication open and
misunderstandings are minimized.
Create a Vision Players need a vision of
what they can become and this, in turn,
becomes a source of motivation for
them. Taking the longer view enables
our players to keep things in their
proper perspective, and not get too
high or too low during their journey.
Communicate Optimism A good
coach believes in his players and his
players believe in him. Belief can
move mountains.
Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome
I go to great efforts to explain the distinction between the two to our players. As a coach, my primary efforts
are focused on player development
and team building, and experience
has taught me that a fierce devotion
to a process will produce the desired
outcome over time.
See the Good in People The rewards

of developing this habit are too numerous to list and profoundly affect
the coach/player relationship ... both
in the short term and down the road.
Summing Up
This coaching philosophy has been
shaped by my experiences as a lifelong
teacher and college coach. Molding
a group of individuals into a team
and inspiring them to do their best is a
wonderful calling, and even with all its
challenges there is nothing Id rather do.
I do my best to stay true to my coaching
philosophy ideals every day, and hopefully our players will benefit from it to
some degree. John Wooden, the great
UCLA basketball coach once said, Its
what you learn after you know it all that
counts. Yep, I can relate to that but
its sure good to know that Im not the
only one! h
Bert Poole is the Assistant Mens &
Womens Tennis Coach for the University of Mount Olive. He was named
the ITA Southeast Regional Assistant
Coach of the Year for 2015. He is a
USPTA Certified Elite Professional,
USPTA Specialist in Competitive Player Development, USTA Certified High Performance Coach, and
USTA Certified Sport Science Coach.
Inside Coaching
Handicapping Makes all Your

Players Better
By Gerry Berkheimer, USPTA
andicapping in tennis drills

and games is to give the
lesser player one or more
advantages in order to try
and equalize his chances of success
with the better player. Conversely,
handicapping creates a more difficult
but doable challenge to the higher
player. It is a more level playing field
and handicapping gives the lesser
player a chance to win that he would
not have otherwise. This makes the
better player focus more on his mission of accuracy on the court and gives
inspiration to the underdog that he
truly has the opportunity to win the
drill or game with a little effort.
Im sure many of you may already
use the scoring handicaps of giving one
player an up or down 15-0, 30-0, or even
40-0 every game, giving one player 1-4
games up when starting the set, having
one serve to balance the competition,
opening up the alleys for the lesser
player, or a combination of these, and
they are all good starter handicapping

options.
Several other player handicaps
that I have found to be as effective are:
allowing one player to hit the ball in
the backcourt only; hitting the right
or left side of the entire singles court;
and stroking every ball to the back
quarter of the court on the deuce or
ad side this is dividing the backcourt
in half and only hitting one side. This
one will test your best players; it makes
them focus on their spin, speed, height,
and finding the designated target area
quickly in order to win the game.
In one game for the kids where I
include all levels at the end of the lesson, I gave the youngest or least experienced players the entire court to hit
to on the other side against the most
advanced players; thats inside or outside the lines of the court as long as the
ball did not hit the side or back fences
in the air first. This is a vast amount of
court to cover for the advanced player
Handicapping is one of the best
tools a teaching professional has
to push both the stronger and
weaker players to new heights
in their games.
and he had to read the ball direction

extremely quickly to retrieve the ball,
then make such a good shot back to the
lesser players singles court. Often, I
would use the above handicaps for the
advanced player during this drill so
that he would have to hit the ball back
into the backcourt area only, the right
or left side of the singles court, or the
back quarter deuce or ad quadrant. I
found pinpointing a difficult target
area under scoring pressure in a game
like this had the kids improving much
faster when locating their targets in
tournament match play.
Additionally, I use the handicapping
system for equally-talented players
to push them harder to focus and find
their normal target areas; then, when
they do have to play equals again, it is
much easier as the handicaps have been
lifted and they feel more relaxed in hitting their designated spots.
Finally, one of my favorite handicapping techniques is to give the higher
player a different racquet for several
sets. Whether a player breaks strings
during the match or simply doesnt
have enough racquets, there will come a
time when they have to use an unfamiliar one. Hitting with different racquets
in practice will mentally prepare them
for that situation when it occurs and
they will concentrate more on the immediate match than the replacement
racquet.
I consider handicapping one of the
best tools a teaching professional has to
push both the stronger and weaker players to new heights in their games. h
Gerry Berkheimer has been a USPTA
member for more than 30 years. As
a coach, he worked with more than
15 top 300 players in the world and
one top 30 player. Berkheimer is in
his 21st year as the tennis director
at The Jungle Club in Vero Beach, Fla. To contact
Berkheimer regarding the article, call 772-321-7800.
Master Pro Corner
Prolong Your Career

By Ian Griffin, USPTA Master Professional
he USPTA is working hard to

make tennis a sustainable lifelong profession. The U30 initiative along with the partnerships
in insurance and retirement address
both ends of the career ladder timeline.
As a lifer, Ive at one time or another
practiced every one of the following:
Take Time Off

There are huge demands on a professionals time and body. Perhaps even
greater are the demands on that professionals self: the demands of people if
youre coaching or even if youre not.
Those people can never be overlooked
theyre your clientele, your supporters,
your fans. They may not be as important
as they think they are, but thats exactly
the point: everyone has to be made to
feel number one.
But you need to replenish, too, to help
you to stay up. Most of us can afford
two to four weeks. You may love to travel
or sit and do nothing. Fishing is ideal
because it poses a different challenge
and it can relax you at the same time. You
might like something tennis-related, as
long as youre not working, such as a trip
to Wimbledon or the Open if you can
swing it. Or maybe even better, to a River
Oaks or Newport-type event where the
tennis is as important as The Show.
The low-key atmosphere and proximity
to the players may remind you of tournaments the way they used to be.
Take Care of Your Body
One of the most frustrating things
about standing all day as a teaching professional is how you end your day feeling
exhausted when youve done nothing
that actually counts as physical conditioning! But even if youre restricted to
hardcourts, you can do little things that
make it easier on the body: thick socks
and orthotics, liberal uses of massages/
saunas/muscle creams, and avoiding
stop-start impact running when you can.
By all means, watch your weight and diet,
and run or bicycle for cardio training,
but take preventative measures, too.
Pursue an Outside Interest/

Develop an Extra Source of Income
Some work lends itself to part-time.
Theres the old standby of stringing
racquets at home; maybe youre able to
work as a DJ; or my personal favorite,
investing in real estate. You need an outside interest to relax the mind, and an
investment provides the security that a
depleting asset the body cannot. But
mostly these can help to define you as
something besides being just a tennis
professional. If you are your job, and
then something goes wrong, then you
are nothing. There will be the inevitable
low time, low not only for your bank account, but for your spirit. Your friends
on the committee already have spent X
years telling you how high to jump; now
they think its time for a change. Having
something extra can buoy your spirits
and prevent you from compounding a
low time with making a wrong decision
about what to do next.
Remember Your Roots
If your college or high school is
close by, volunteer your time as a fundraiser, assistant coach or supervisor.
It doesnt even need to be for tennis;
there likely is a committee that can use
your help. Its members will appreciate
your perspective; the other graduates
probably are not athletic professionals.
For your part, theres ample evidence
that pro bono work is good for the
soul. Even more, youll profit just by
being in touch with the people who
were there then, helping to make you
the person you are now.
Attend Conferences: USPTA/USTA/etc.
They all include some mix of seminars, food and playing; but most of all,
they include friends. More than your
clients or even a player youre close to,
the conference attendees are your peers
and your real friends, people whove
experienced the same ups and downs.
After 20 years, youll be talking with
people you once wouldnt have given
the time of day, because there were no
shared interests. And after 10 more

years, youll be seeking out those same
people because you want to enjoy them
in the present.
Most of All, Stay on the Court A Little
Ive been a tennis-teaching professional for almost 20 years and intend to be
known as such for the rest of my life. An
important question I always ask in selecting tennis pros with long-term potential
is, Do you want to be punching balls at
age 45? To me the best answer is I hope
to always keep my hand in it. This person
believes in the product and probably gets
energized and nourished from enhancing
peoples lifestyles. This person is probably
a good teacher and people developer. His
or her answer reveals a satisfaction derived from being a successful teacher.
~ Spike Gonzales, From Tennis Pro to
Manager, ADDvantage, December 1989
Spikes remarks are a reminder that
most of us came into the tennis business
as on-court teachers for the sheer joy of
showing someone how to do something.
It can be almost better than doing it
ourselves. The most successful people
carry this enthusiasm over into their
other pursuits in the industry.
Without a doubt, you have your own
devices to keep your work fresh and sustainable. All these suggestions arent to
replace tennis, theyre to supplement it,
not ways to get out, but to stay in longer.
If you began teaching during the
boom, you may remember that you
couldnt believe that people actually
would pay you to do something that you
love. Tennis, and teaching tennis, were
our passion before they became our
profession; well last longer at the latter
if we never lose the former. h
Ian Griffin graduated from the University
of Toronto Law School in 1974, where he
played varsity tennis and squash. He has
operated his own Beaumont-based academy
for more than 35 years, and wrote the chapter Negotiating a Contract for Yourself for
the USPTA Guide to Municipal Operations. He is USTA
Sport Science Level II certified; directed the City of Beaumonts pre-NJTL parks program, 1980-94; and was active in
the USTA Player Development Program from its inception.

Career Development
Exams, Upgrades Cardio Tennis
& PTCA I
Conferences/
Activities
(4 credits for PTCA I segment)
(Division Conferences 6 credits)
Feb. 11
Jan. 13-14
Houston*
Jan. 14-15
Boca Raton, Fla.
Jan. 16
Feb. 9-10
Feb. 12
Feb. 13-14
Feb. 17
Feb. 23
Feb. 25-26
Jan. 20
Southern California Convention

Los Angeles
Jan. 27
Southwest Division Convention

Phoenix
Cardio Tennis Training Course

Level 1
Windyke Country Club, Memphis, Tenn.
Jan. 27
Northern Division Convention

Fridley, Minn.
Feb. 3
Midwest Division Convention

Troy, Mich.
Viora, Ill.
Centennial, Colo.
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Orlando, Fla.
Palo Alto, Calif.
Feb. 17-18
Feb. 20

Level 1 & 2
Van Der Meer Shipyard Resort,
Feb. 19
Vienna, Va.
Jan. 20-21
Feb. 19
Feb. 20
Houston*
Vienna, Va.
Prairie Village, Kan.
Horseshoe Bay, Texas
* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.

Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days
prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam,
upgrade and PTCA I unless noted. Exam cancellations
must be received no later than 14 days before the
exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly.

Level 1
Griffin Club, Los Angeles

Level 2
Van Der Meer Shipyard Resort,

Level 1
Crooked Creek Country Club, Alpharetta, Ga.
Intermountain Division Convention

Centennial, Colo.
Feb. 17
Northern California Convention

Stanford, Calif.
Feb. 23
Texas Division Convention

Horseshoe Bay, Texas
March 17
April 2

Level 1
Wayside Athletic Club, Marlborough, Mass.
Applicant: late cancellation fee $95; failure to cancel

application fee is forfeited. Certified members: late
cancellation fee $25; failure to cancel $25 plus the
upgrade fee is forfeited. Registration for another exam
will not be accepted until cancellation fees are paid.
Coach Youth
Tennis Workshop
Feb. 11
Webinars
(.5 credits)
Watch all recorded webinars

at tennisresources.com.
For more information visit uspta.com/Education.
Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.
(2 credits)
Jan. 28
Nogales, Ariz.
For more workshops, visit coachyouthtennis.com.
Accredited
Professional Coach
Register your Accredited Professional Coach (APC)
and specialty course credits earned with the USPTA
SmartCode Education System. This uses your
smartphone to instantly register
your attendance to all seminars
and specialty courses earning APC.
To use the system at a seminar,
general session or specialty course,
you must scan two QR codes. One
QR code is on your conference badge. The second
QR code will be in your conference notebook and
cannot be scanned until the end of the session or
the beginning of the next session. If you do not have
a smartphone, you may use someone elses. Forms
are available upon request.
Education requirements
All USPTA-certified Professionals must earn 6 education credits in a three-year period
to remain current. Go to USPTA.com/Education for a partial list of eligible activities. Please send verification (email, letter, certificate, receipt, etc.) that shows you
attended the event/activity and submit it along with the date and agenda to education@uspta.org to receive your credit. (International members, Recreational Coaches
and those over the age of 65 are exempt.) Questions? Write to education@uspta.org
or call 800-877-8248, ext. 147.
Member News
Bob Love, USPTA Master Professional, celebrated the week of his 76th birthday by sharing his
tennis knowledge in two different places. Oct. 10-11, Bob directed a workshop for 23 coaches at
the El Sawy Tennis Academy in Alexandria, Egypt, and then returned to host a USTA Tennis Block
Party in Munfordville, Ky., on Saturday, Oct. 15.
On Oct. 1, 2016, a fundraiser was held for the Friends of

Vicki Dangelmayer, a tennis member of the Bass Rocks
Golf Club and the Manchester Athletic Club. Dangelmayer
had a fall last November and suffered a broken neck. She
had surgery, was in two rehab and therapy facilities, and is
now home improving slowly. Avis Murray, USPTA and PTR
member, organized a fundraising committee consisting of
Ruth Liebermann, Joanne Hobbs, Chicki Hollett, Trish Francis
and General Manager of Bass Rocks Golf Club, Peter Hood. Ruth Liebermann, Vicki Dangelmayer
The event, which comprised of a tennis round robin, social and Vickis granddaughter.
cocktail party, raffle
and a silent auction as
well as one live auction
item donated at the last
minute, raised $27,000.
Dangelmayer attended
the event that evening
and was overwhelmed by
the support and caring
and generous contributions made in her behalf.
ADDvantage magazine editorial offices
USPTA World Headquarters
3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite 202
Houston, TX 77042
Phone 713-978-7782 / 800-USPTA-4U
Fax 713-358-7794
email magazine@uspta.org
Managing editor
Circulation
Kimberly Forrester
Kathy Buchanan
Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time

ADDvantage is published monthly by the
United States Professional Tennis Association.
Derek Sabedra , USPTA, was named the

Maryland State High School Tennis District
IV Representative for the 2016-2017 academic school year. The District IV region encompasses all high schools in the Southern
Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC).
The Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades,

Calif., welcomed Mary Pat Faley as their new
director of tennis last August. Faley is a successful tennis teacher, entrepreneur, keynote
speaker and published author. Her energy
and programming for a diverse group of
members is recognized throughout Southern
California. In addition to her 25-year USPTA
membership, she
is the winner of the
Southern California
2011 USPTA Tennis
Pro of the Year, 2010
USPTA California Pro
of the Year, and the
2009 USPTA California District 2 Pro of
the Year.
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
First Vice
President
Chuck Gill
Gary Trost
Vice Presidents
Alan Cutler
Feisal Hassan
Ken McAllister
Jack Michalko
Diane Selke
TM
Past President
CEO
Legal Counsel
Tom McGraw
John Embree
George Parnell
The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the

authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the
USPTA.
Copyright United States Professional Tennis
Association, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not
permitted without written permission from USPTA.
TI MAG AD pg.indd 2
5/26/16 12:53 PM
(FRA)
*Except in Japan
TEAM BABOLAT PRO PLAYERS MAY PLAY WITH A CUSTOMIZED OR DIFFERENT MODEL THAN THE EQUIPMENT DEPICTED.
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BABOLAT - OFFICIAL TENNIS RACKETS, SHOES*, PERFORMANCE APPAREL,

BAGS AND ACCESSORIES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON

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