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DEPARTMENTS
R S I A P R I L 2 0 0 4
FEATURES
32 Construction With a Soft TouchThe eight soft-court Facility-of-the-Year winners
share some striking similarities.
35 A Welcome AdvantageFor this Pennsylvania facility, the Tennis Welcome Center
concept has already been a big hit.
39 Follow the Bouncing BallUnderstanding how the ballbounces can help you and yourstudents pick and read shots.
April 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3
26 Serious Tennis, Atlanta, GA
28 Van Der Meer Shipyard TennisResort, Hilton Head Island, SC
29 Indianapolis Racquet Club, Indianapolis, IN
These three retailers knowhow to keep their numbers up
in apparel and footwear
4 Our Serve18 Ask the Experts20 Winning Personnel22 Retailing Strategies24 Market Place
44 String Playtest: Klip Blast 17
46 String Playtest: Head RIP PerfectPower 1648 Tips and Techniques51 New USRSA Members and MRTs53 Calendar56 Your Serve
INDUSTRY NEWS7 PTR Symposium includes USTA
board meeting
7 Wilson introduces new groupfor Innovation & Design
8 Tennis Channel extends dealwith ATP
8 Stan Smith honored
8 SSV Tennis rating systemoffered free
9 USTA honors 9 atDevelopment Workshop
10 USTA, MassMutual reach deal10 NY shop boutiques racquet
brand
11Prince releases racquet index
11 Pro events come to Forest Hills13 Texas A&M wins campus
championship title
13 USTA publications for yourfacility
14 Briton receives Hall of Famehonor
ContentsRETAILING SUCCESS
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6/604 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
Every business has its movers and shakersthe
high-profile types who keep pushing, get a lot of
things done, and, because of their effectiveness,
tend to receive a lot of attention.Right now in tennis, it is an important time for movers and shakers. The
new marketing campaign for the sport is starting to hit at the consumer level,
and the Tennis Welcome Center programwhich is the biggest initiative ever
in this sport to bring people into the gameis beginning to get under way. In
addition, the sport is on the verge of seeing a US Open Series of pro
tournaments that lead into the Open, something that fans will love.
But its also a time when the influence of many not-so-high-profile people
and initiatives are beginning to be noticed more and more. Case in point is a
man by the name of Kirk Anderson.Kirk doesnt seek the limelighthes a soft-spoken man who knows that
while its important to have people out front leading the charge, its even more
important to have competent people behind the scenes making it all happen.
Kirk is what the player side of this business is all about. And its people such
as Kirk that the game needs to have even more of.
Currently the director of the Community Play department at the USTA, Kirk
has done pretty much everything in this sport over the last 30 years--player,
recreation department instructor, teaching pro (both PTR and USPTA), club
manager, promotions manager, program administrator, volunteer, author of
books and articles. He was with the USTA Midwest Section for seven years and
joined the USTA national office eight years ago.
He travels a lot, giving clinics, teaching the teachers, designing curriculum.And the guy is fantastic. So fantastic, in fact, that the International Tennis Hall
of Fame just awarded him its Tennis Educational Merit Award, an honor for
which the Hall of Fame could not have found a better recipient.
The point of all this is, yes, to give Kirk his due, but also to point out that
for Kirkand for many others like himtennis is more than a job, more than
a simple source of income. When hes not working on the clock for tennis,
hes, well, still working for tennis. And its fair to say that Kirk and others like
him have kept tennis alive even through the lean years. To use an overworked
phrase, hes on a missionand hes been on that mission for more than 30
years.
There are, of course, many others out there who not only do their jobs and
do them well, but also go well beyond the scope of their jobs when it comes to
working for tennis. For instance, in this issue of RSI, youll meet three retail-
ers who also take the attitude that tennis is more than just punching in and out
as they pass through their pro shop doors. And youll read about a facility
owner in Pennsylvania who adopts that same attitude when it comes to
programming for new and returning players.
You know, it just makes sense to see tennis as more than a 9-to-5 jobnot
just for your own piece of business, but also for the sport as a whole. Its also
the best way to ensure that, while we all may not be holding aloft a well-
deserved trophy or plaque, we will alllike
Kirk Andersonstill be award-winners.
Our Serve
E
Its About More Than Just The Job(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editor-in-Chief
Crawford Lindsey
Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi
Associate Editor
Greg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Design Consultant
Amy Berger
Assistant to the Publisher
Cari Feliciano
Contributing Editors
Cynthia Cantrell
Rod Cross
Joe Dinoffer
Liza Horan
Andrew Lavallee
James Martin
Mark Mason
Chris Nicholson
Mitch Rustad
Drew Sunderlin
Jonathan Whitbourne
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171Email: usrsa@racquetTECH.com
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Advertising Director
John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
john@racquettech.com
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
Racquet Sports Industry (application to mail at Period-icals Postage Rates is pending at Vista, CA,and ataddi-tional offices) is published 10 times yearly by USRSA,
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084. April 2004, Volume 1,Number 3 2004 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logoare trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phoneadvertising: 770-650-1102 x.125. Phone circulation and
editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $55 in theU.S., $65 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,
Vista, CA 92084.
Editorial Director
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Wilson IntroducesNew Group ForInnovations &Design
Wilson Racquet Sports has namedcompany veteran Bill Severa the
director of technology for the
newly formed Innovations &
Design Group.
The new group will be respon-
sible for all performance and
prestrung racquets, from start to
finish, from design and concept,
to playtesting new technologies.
The group also will handle all
stringing aspects and the string
itself.
Severa, who has been with thecompany for 21 years, was the
senior designer for the last seven
years. He has 13 U.S. patents
under his belt, including patents
for the Sledghammer, Power
Holes and TRIAD technologies.
The Innovations & Design
Group will utilize four engineers
for the various product categories.
Dan Hernandez is the project
manager for racquetball, squash
and paddle; Mark Lin is the test
lab supervisor and productmanager for badminton; Mike
Moon is the project manager for
recreational racquets; and Don
Loeffler is the project manager for
performance racquets.
In addition, Ron Rocchi is the
global tour equipment manager,
responsible for servicing and
customizing all racquets for
touring pros. Klara Nowak is the
prototype manager, and Dawn
Cacioppo is the master racquet
technician.
esults of an on-site survey conducted by
the PTR at its 2004 International Tennis
Symposium & $25,000 Tennis Champi-
onships say that the event was the best
ever held by the organization, says Dan Santo-
rum, the PTRs CEO and executive director.Nearly 700 attendees participated in the
courses and presentations at the February event.
The Symposium also included a two-day Tennis
Trade Show and a tournament in which more
than 200 teaching
pros competed for
prize money in 27
divisions.
One key to the
event was that the
USTA board of direc-
tors and key staffmembers attended,
meeting with the
PTR to discuss ten-
nis participation in
the U.S., among other issues. The board of direc-
tors participated in the Parade of Nations Flag
Ceremony, which featured 47 countries. USTA
President Alan Schwartz (above), who also is on
the board of the ITF, welcomed attendees.
It was great that the USTA board was there
for PTR week, says Santorum. Theyre reaching
out to the industry more and working with their
partners. And I know its going to continue.
Youre going to see the same tone from the peo-
ple on the board who are going to succeed Alan
Schwartz, as far as being more industry-friendly.
Santorum says he gave a report to the USTA
board about the ACE multicultural program. ACE,
which stands for Advancing the Commitment to
Education, is a joint PTR-USTA initiative designed
to educate tennis teaching pros in multicultural
communities. Its being conducted in 60 cities
this year.
Also at the Symposium was Tennis Corpora-
tion of Americas senior staff of tennis directors
and general managers from 37 top tennis clubs.
TCA staff were among the 56 faculty who
conducted more than 70 on-court and classroom
presentations.
It was fantastic to have the TCA directors, and
the nice thing was some of them were speakersfor us, so we got to take advantage of their
expertise in running and managing clubs, says
Santorum.
In other PTR news, the organization was
recently honored by
Special Olympics South
Carolina as the 2004
Outstanding Organiza-
tion of the Year. The
PTR and the Van Der
Meer Shipyard Racquet
Club have hosted theSpecial Olympics South-
east Regional Tennis
Championships since
its inception five years
ago. Participation in that time has grown from 30
athletes to more than 175 athletes from 13 states.
2004 PTR Symposium Cited as Best Ever
I N D U S T R Y N E W SI N D U S T R Y N E W S
R S I A P R I L 2 0 0 4
I N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S
R
Among those honored at the PTR Sympo-
siums annual awards banquet were: Professional
of the Year: Ajay Pant, Overland Park, Kan.; Coach Verdieck
Award, College: Joey Rive, Texas Christian University, Fort
Worth, Texas; Coach Verdieck Award, High School: Macy
Bruce, Upper St. Claire High School, McMurray, Pa.; Coach
Verdieck Award, Touring Pro: Andy Brandi, Boca Raton, Fla.;Also, Clinician of the Year: Jimmie Nigro, Philadelphia;
Tester of the Year: Todd Miller, East Amherst, N.Y.; Stanley
Plagenhoef Award, Dr. Jack Groppel, Algonquin, Ill.; Male
Player of the Year: John Powless, Madison, Wis.; Female Play-
er: Renata Marcinkowska, Rock Hill, S.C.; Wheelchair Pro: Paul
Walker, Lakeland, Fla.;
Also, Humanitarian Award: Dr. Elizabeth Odera, Nairobi,
Kenya; Volunteer of the Year: Adam Gardner, Shanghai,
China; Media Excellence Award: Carlos Manaure, Caracas,
Venezuela; USTA Community Service Award: Mary Thompson,
Sioux Falls, S.D.; TIA Commitment to the Industry Award:
Fernando Velasco, Austin, Texas; Public Facility: Robinswood
Tennis Center, Seattle; Private Facility: The Racket Centre,
Nussloch, Germany. w
PhotobyK
enMak
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A P R I L 2 0 0 4
INDUSTRYNEW
S
Tennis Channel ExtendsDeal With ATP Masters
T
he Tennis Channel has signed a four-year extension for the
exclusive U.S. telecast rights to five of the 10 tennis tour-
naments in the ATP Masters Series.The 24-hour cable television
network devoted to tennis and
other racquet sports will telecast
the five European events of the
ATP Masters SeriesMonte Carlo,
Rome, Hamburg, Madrid, and
Parislive and in their entirety,
and will provide early-round cov-
erage of the ATP Masters Series U.S.-based events in Indian
Wells, Calif., and Miami.
Additionally, this year The Tennis Channel will cap its ATP
Masters Series telecasts with complete, live doubles coverageof the series finale, the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston in
November. The agreement begins this year and runs through
2007, and builds on TTCs previous licensing relationship with
the ATP Masters Series which saw the network telecast the
European ATP Masters Series tournaments and the doubles
championship at the Tennis Masters Cup.
This agreement is great for tennis, tennis
fans, the ATP Masters Series and The
Tennis Channel viewers, said Steve
Bellamy, president and founder
of TTC. For viewers and fans,
we will be bringing thesetournaments on live and in
their entirety, about 10 hours a
day. For the sport, this extension
continues our ability to provide the most com-
prehensive tennis coverage on television.
In other TTC news, the 2004 spring tournament schedule
includes the following (check local listings for times):
April 9-11: Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, second round, France at
Switzerland and Argentina at Belarus.
April 16-18: U.S. Mens Clay Court Championships
April 18: The Family Circle Cup, doubles semifinal and championship
April 19-25: Masters Series Monte Carlo
April 24-25: Fed Cup Opening Round, U.S. at Slovenia and Croatia at
Belgium
May 1-2: J&S Cup, semifinal and championship
May 1-2: Open Seat Godo, semifinal and championship
May 3-9: Masters Series Rome
May 8-9: Ladies German Open, semifinal and championship
May 10-16: Masters Series Hamburg
May 15-16: Telecom Italia Masters, semifinal and championship
8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
STAN SMITHHONORED ATSPORTS
LEGENDS AWARDSF
ormer Wimbledon and US
Open champion Stan Smith
(left) was one of five sports
legends honored recently at the
13th Annual Sports Legends
Awards, presented by The Paraly-
sis Project of America. Tennis legend and former honoree Jack
Kramer (right) a member of the Paralysis Projects Sports
Council, presented Smith with his award at The Omni Hotel in
Los Angeles. Hosted by ABC sportscaster Al Michaels, the
event also honored auto racings Bobby Unser, baseballs Joe
Morgan and golfs Kathy Whitworth, and made a special pres-entation to footballs Mike Utley, the former Detroit Lion who
was paralyzed on the playing field in 1991. (Photo by Lou
Sauritch, The Paralysis Project of America)
SSV Tennis Rating SystemReceives Anonymous Gift
Neil Johnson, president of SSV Tennis, says that a signif-
icant grant has been received to establish Serve, Stroke
& Volley (SSV) as an international rating system for ten-
nis. The funding, from an anonymous donor, will allow theSSV Tennis Rating and internet support services to be
offered free to players, pros, coaches, clubs, schools, parks
and associations across the country and internationally,
Johnson says.
In addition, to promote the use of the rating system,
Johnson says SSV will sponsor a national competition for
high school tennis teams. The free program will have play-
ers tested by their coaches on their home courts. All players
receive a national ranking based on their SSV rating in their
age division. The top six rating scores are added to deter-
mine the team score, and then the teams will be ranked
nationally and by state.SSV is a method for determining tennis ability at all lev-
els that Johnson says clearly and objectively answers the
question, "How good are you?" The SSV Rating is an on-
court test that measures basic skills.
Players hit 40 balls to target areas using different strokes,
and points are scored for control and power by assigning a
value to the first and the second bounces of the ball. The
location of the first bounce indicates control; the depth of
the second bounce indicates power. The combined total is
the SSV score. The complete test takes less than 10 minutes.
For more information, contact info@ssvtennis.com or
visit the website at www.ssvtennis.com.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
April 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9
Nine Honored at USTADevelopment Workshop
TThe USTA honored nine individuals recently at an awards banquet held dur-
ing its annual USA Tennis Community Tennis Development Workshop. More
than 450 community tennis leaders attended this years workshop and
banquet, held in February at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.Six people were presented with the Eve F. Kraft Community Service Award for
their selfless dedication to bringing the game of tennis to anyone who wants to
play:
Christy Balsiger of El Paso, Texas formed the El Paso Tennis Development Founda-
tion in 1996, formed a partnership with the El Paso Independent School District,
and spearheaded a campaign to raise money to build the El Paso Youth Center,
which opened in 1999 and provides free tennis to area students.
Kerry Blum of San Diego joined Youth Tennis San Diego as a volunteer in 1989
and now is director of the After School Tennis Program servin g 7,500 kids. She
has forged numerous partnerships with school districts and other organizations
and agencies and is working toward growing the program to 150 locations and
40,000 students.Valerie Kreger of Cloverdale, Calif., and the Cloverdale Tennis Association helped the high
school in this small community restart its tennis program by purchasing equip-
ment, assisting with travel expenses and, more recently, helping to provide
coaches. Also, the CTA is helping the Boys & Girls Club implement the USA
Tennis 1-2-3 program.
Yvette Marshall of Denham Springs, La. plans and implements all grassroots tennis
programming for adults, children and multicultural populations for a large area
of the Greater Baton Rouge CTA. She also provides training and workshops for
instructors and solicits grants and sponsorships. She has broadened the reach of
the CTA from 400 to 2,400 participants, and recently helped form two new CTAs
and three NJTL programs.
Mark Platt of St. Louis runs Beginners World Tennis, geared to beginning adultplayers. He was instrumental in bringing Rallyball to the areas kids and has
brought tennis to more than 10,000 students at 25 elementary schools. In all,
more than 40,000 people participate in his programs.
Dr. Lance Turner of Stockton, Calif. heads the grassroots program Future Stars
2000s, teaching tennis to underprivileged kids and adults and promoting tennis
in Northern California communities. The program now has more than 5,000
participants.
Three other attendees were honored with the USA Team Tennis Volunteer
Awards:
David Bell of Pittsfield, Mass. for his work with youth involved in team play.
Kristin Granlund of Corvallis, Ore. for her work with team competition at the
collegiate level, specifically with Oregon State University.
Laurie Selby of White River Junction, Vt. for her work with the Upper Valley CTA and
as the Adult Team Tennis League coordinator.
Corrections8 The updated model of the Prince Scream will not be the Prince Turbo
Scream, as reported in "Survival of the Fittest" in our February issue. The new
racquet will be the Turbo Beast, which will be available in August.
8 The web address for PowerAngle in the string chart (A Turning Point?) in
our February issue should be www.powerangle.net.
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12/6010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
USTA and MassMutual Sign 5-YearSponsorship Agreement
T
he USTA and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
signed a new worldwide marketing agreement for the US Open through 2009
in the insurance category. The five-year deal also makes MassMutual a chartersponsor of the proposed US Open Series, a series of summer professional tennis
events that lead in to the US Open, tentatively scheduled to launch this summer.
The deal includes a major media commitment to US Open television broadcasts
and, for the first-time, an extensive sponsorship of usopen.org. This component
will include online media, email, USOpen.org Radio and TV and an online promo-
tion. In addition, CBS Sports will produce a vignette on MassMutual and the US
Open Junior Championships that will air during CBSs broadcast of the Mens Sin-
gles Final. The agreement brings to 15 years MassMutuals long-standing relation-
ship with the US Open.
MassMutual has been a key partner in helping us grow the US Open into one
of the worlds greatest sports and entertainment events, says J. Pierce ONeil,
chief business officer of the USTA. By creatively packaging and extending thepower of our brand, we can continually offer sponsors new and bigger opportuni-
ties to get involved with the US Open.
As a major new extension to its involvement with the USTA and US Open, Mass-
Mutual will become a charter sponsor of the US Open Series which will establish
for the first time regularly scheduled live television broadcasts of the North Amer-
ican hard-court summer season following Wimbledon and leading up to the US
Open.
We are thrilled to expand our relationship with MassMutual to include the US
Open Series, says Arlen Kantarian, the USTAs chief executive of Professional Ten-
nis. Their commitment to tennis on every levelfrom the Junior Championships
to the US Open and now to the new US Open Seriesis a significant development
for tennis in the U.S.
NY Shop BoutiquesRacquet Brand
Customer response to Masons Tennis Marts first
boutique of racquets and accessories from a
single brand has been fantastic, says Mark
Mason, owner of the New York City tennis retail
shop.
Ive never boutiqued a racquet brand. We do it
in apparel, but not in equipment, Mason says.
Mason decided to display as a group all of Babolats
products because the brand in his area has been so
hot, he says. The displays have all the brands racquets, bags, T-shirts, hats, grips,
dampeners and more together in one place.
It makes shopping for that brand so much easier, says Mason. Everything a
customer wants is all in one place. We make it as visual as possible, and it makes for
a better presentation.
Mason says that European shops often group, or boutique, their racquets and
accessories by brand, rather than having one spot where, for instance, all the grips
from different manufacturers would be displayed. Were trying in our shop to make
people brand-conscious, and to add value to our franchise, he says. If this works
the way it appears to be working, we may try to do this for other brands.
A P R I L 2 0 0 4I N D U S T R Y N E W S
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The USTA has awarded The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y., two new
professional tennis tournaments, bringing the total to three for the 2004 ten-nis season at the historic club. Each tournament will be played on a different
surface and will serve as a Grand Slam tune-up event. The historic West Side Ten-
nis Club was the home of the US Open for more than 50 years.
The WSTC will host two USTA Pro Circuit men's challengersThe Forest Hills
Clay Court Classic May 10-16, and The Forest Hills Grass Court Classic June 7-13
and a newly sanctioned WTA Tour hard-court tournament Aug. 23-28 leading into
the 2004 US Open.
The two USTA Pro Circuit events will be held the weeks immediately preceding
the qualifying tournaments at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, respectively. The
USTA funds the 96 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S.awarding nearly $3 mil-
lion in prize moneyand acquired a sanction from the WTA to launch the August
women's event.
"The return of professional events to this venerable club reinforces the connec-
tion of the US Open and the sport to the community," says Lee Hamilton, execu-
tive director of the USTA. "The West Side Tennis Club is a hub for recreational play
and with these new events, we expect interest in the game to grow throughout For-
est Hills and the Borough of Queens."
Last year, professional tennis returned to the former home of the US Open for
the first time since 1989 when the WSTC hosted The Forest Hills Classic, a USTA
Pro Circuit Men's $50,000 Challenger. Home to the US Open until 1977, the club
hosted the tournament on grass until 1974 and the only three years the event was
held on clay (1975-77). The West Side Tennis Club is currently home to over 800
members, maintaining 39 courts on four different surfaces.
Prince Tennis ReleasesPerformanceRacquet Index
Prince Tennis unveiled its 2004 Racquet Index guide that
educates players of all swing types on how to choose the
right Prince Performance racquet according to their individ-
ual style of play. The index is broken down into the Thunder Series,
Turbo Series and Tour Series, and correlates specific swing types and
player preferences with racquets of varying levels of power and con-
trol, says Prince President Alistair Thorburn.
Weve worked to better segment our Performance racquet line
and make it more consumer-friendly, says Thorburn. We want ten-
nis players to understand the differences in their individual games so
that they choose the correct racquet.
The Thunder Series includes models that cater to players with short-
er swings who are looking for maximum power in a lightweight frame. The TurboSeries represents racquets for players with moderate swings who are looking for a
blend of power and control. The Tour Series offers racquets for players with long, full
swings who are looking for maximum touch and feel.
To view the 2004 Prince racquet index, visit www.princetennis.com.
Prince
Tour
NXG
Graphite
Mid
3 PRO EVENTS TO BE PLAYED AT
I N D U S T R Y N E W S
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14/6012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
James Blake Announces UniqueCharity Initiative
USTA, ESPN Near
Deal for OpenSeries
Reports in a recent issue ofSports Busi-
ness Journal claim the USTA and ESPN
are near to signing a multiyear agree-
ment to broadcast a proposed new sum-
mer tennis series of tournaments that
lead up to the US Open.
The publication said an ESPN execu-
tive confirmed that the network was in
talks with the USTA, but that the USTA
still had to line up a requisite number of
tournaments before the deal could go
through.
Citing tennis sources, the maga-
zine said that four summer tournament
have signed on. Tournaments that the
publication said are believe to be on
board are the Bank of the West women's
event in Palo Alto, Calif.; the Legg Mason
Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C.; one
if not both of the men's (Mercedes-Benz
Cup) and women's (JP Morgan Chase
Open) events in Los Angeles; and the
U
.S. player James Blake kicked off a 2004 charity ini-
tiative during Januarys Australian Open to benefit
the Harlem Junior Tennis Program and ShrinersHospital. Blake, 24, began donating $100 to each organi-
zation for every match he wins.
To date, his donations total $1,400 from the seven
matches he won collectively at the Australian Open,
Siebel Open, Kroger St. Jude and Franklin Templeton
Classic. Prior to the Australian Open, Blake, ranked 23rd
in the world, made initial donations and appearances on
behalf of both charities. He plans to continue this initia-
tive during all sanctioned professional matches this year
as well as the Davis Cup. Nike and Dunlop will also par-
ticipate in the donations, Blake said.
A pro player since 1999, Blake has had a long-stand-ing relationship with both organizations. Over 20 years
ago, Blakes parents became volunteer coaches at the
Harlem Junior Tennis Program in New York City. Both James and his brother, Thomas,
were also participants in Harlem Junior Tennis. Blake also has close ties to Shriners
Hospital, which provided him with free medical treatment and equipment as he wres-
tled with scoliosis as a teenager.
A P R I L 2 0 0 4I N D U S T RY N E W S
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15/60April 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13
T
exas A&M beat Virginia 30-9 to capture its second title in three years at the
2004 USA Team Tennis National Campus Championships at the Florida Ten-
nis Center in Daytona Beach.
This co-ed event, which was played March 11 to 13, is the national champi-
onship for club and intramural tennis teams. This years event featured a record
40 teams from 33 schools participating in the fifth annual tournament.
This event gives me a great chance to represent my school, said Michael
Karka, a Texas A&M senior from Houston who had wins in singles and doubles. I
could have played tennis at other schools, but wanted to focus on academics at
A&M. Coming here and playing in this tournament has been so much fun.
A&M was playing in its third straight final at this event, winning its second title.
The Aggies dominated the tournament, winning 32 of 35 sets played in the seven
matches and sweeping all five matches in the championship. The format for each
match includes sets of mens and womens singles and doubles and mixed dou-
bles. Scoring is cumulativeeach game won counts as a point to a teams overall
score).
Also, Florida International won the Silver Division, Ohio University won the
Bronze Division and Central Florida (B) won the Daytona Cup.
Former U.S. Davis Cup Captain Tom Gullikson was on hand as a special guest
for the championship. Tape delay television coverage will be broadcast on The Ten-
nis Channel and Sunshine Network in May (dates and times to be announced). The
tournament is administered by the USTA, Intercollegiate Tennis Association, and
National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association.
Texas A&M Captures National TeamCampus Championships
USTA PUBLICATIONS FORYOUR FACILITY
Ever wonder what publications you should make sure you have on hand at your
facility? Rick Rennert, the USTAs director of publishing, suggests that tennis
facilities carry these:
Friend at Court:
The USTA Handbook
of Tennis Rules andRegulations,
2004 edition.
Paperback,
spiral-bound,
286 pages, $5
Rules of Tennis,
with The Code:
The Players Guide for
Unofficiated Matches,
2004 edition.
Booklet, 52 pages,
$1.50
Also suggested is the USA Tennis Guide to Dynamic and Static Stretching. Pam-
phlet, 2-sided, $1. (Rennert suggests getting two copies of this pamphlet and posting
them, front and back, on your clubs wall.)
To order, call 888-832-8291(shipping costs are extra). USTA members receive a 10
percent discount.
I N D U S T R Y N E W S
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A P R I L 2 0 0 4
INDUSTRYNEW
S
Briton Curry ToReceive Hall ofFame Honor
John Curry of Great Britain is the
2004 recipient of the prestigious
Golden Achievement Award, pre-
sented annually by the International
Tennis Hall of Fame to individuals who
have made important contributions to
tennis in the fields of administration,
promotion or education, and have
devoted long and outstanding service to
the sport.
Presentation of this years award will
be made in England on Saturday, June
19, at the International Club Ball, which
marks the start of the Wimbledon
Championships.
Curry has been involved in tennis
form more than 30 years. He served as
chairman of the All England Lawn Ten-
nis Club and chairman of The Lawn Ten-
nis Championships (Wimbledon) from
1989 to 1999. During his tenure, Curry
led major changes in the Wimbledon
facilities for both players and spectators.He was also an active participant and
leader of the Grand Slam Committee
and worked to bring about major
changes and enhancements in the
worldwide importance of the Grand
Slams.
Nominations for the Golden Achieve-
ment Award are submitted by tennis
federations from around the world, and
then voted on by the Golden Achieve-
ment Award Selection Committee.
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
USPTA Midwest Honors Its Own in IndyTHE USPTA MIDWEST DIVISION HONORED THE FOLLOWING AT ITS ANNUAL CONVENTION IN FEBRUARY IN INDIANAPOLIS:
Coaches of the Year High School: Robert Wagemann, Lake Bluff, Ill.; College: Debbie Peirick, Noblesville, Ind.; Individual Jun-
ior Coach: Dennis Royal, West Bloomfield, Mich.
Players of the Year 45 and Over: Mark Simcina, Huntington Woods, Mich.; 35 and Over: Christine Sheldon, Arlington Heights,
Ill.; Mens Open: Mike Friedman, Highland Park, Ill.; Womens Open: Kristin Reed, Westerville, Ohio.Rookie of the Year Don Roesler, Fishers, Ind.; Facility Manger of the Year: Don Arndt, West Bloomfield, Mich.; Midwest Out-
standing Education Award: David Brouwer, Hudsonville, Mich.; Seminar Contest Winner: Jason Stanislaw, Chicago; Nancy Mick-
ler Memorial Award: Anna Hazlett, Evansville, Ind.; Fay Tooley Memorial Award: Denny Schackter, Palatine, Ill.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
> The Delray Beach Stadium and Tennis Center in Florida was
chosen as the site for the U.S. vs. Sweden Davis Cup quarterfi-
nal, played April 9 to 11. The U.S. and Sweden have met on 10
previous occasions in Davis Cup play, with the U.S. leading the
series 7-3. In the last meeting, Sweden swept the U.S. 5-0 inthe 1997 World Group Final in Goteborg, Sweden. Davis Cup
was last played in Florida in 1995 when the U.S. defeated
France 4-1 in the first round in St. Petersburg.
> Prince Tennis has been named the official racquet of the
2004 Family Circle Cup. The WTA tournament is in its 32nd
year. Prince will showcase product and feature interactive ele-
ments, including two autograph sessions with Prince players.
> Vlkl is the official racquet of the 2004 Easter Bowl junior
tournament. The company will have a booth at the event and
consumers will be able to playtest racquets.
> Todd Fisher is the new marketing director for global
footwear for Wilson Racquet Sports. Previously, he was the
global director of tennis and indoor court footwear for Reebok.
> Footstar announced that it will close all 88 Just For Feet
stores and 77 Footaction stores, which is about 18 percent of
the specialty chains outlets. Liquidators are lining up to bid on
the right to sell off the more than $100 million in retail inven-
tory.
> The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., as
part of its 50th anniversary celebration, will hold the Angela
Moore Fashion Show and Champagne Breakfast on July 8,from 9 to 11 a.m., just prior to the tennis session of the Camp-
bells Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. The event will
include a fashion retrospective, plus new looks from Lilly
Pulitzer, Manuel Canovas and the Angela Moore Collection.
Tickets for the event are available at 401-849-6053 or online at
www.tennisfame.com.
> The WTA Tour and Whirlpool Europe have signed a multi-
million dollar, three year deal that establishes Whirlpool as the
premier sponsor of the womens tour in Europe. The deal estab-
lishes Habitat for Humanity International as the Tours official
European social cause, and aligns Whirlpool Europe with theTour in innovative sponsorship capacities involving television,
new media and community outreach. The Whirlpool-WTA Tour
partnership comes on the heels of the Tours recent signing of
an umbrella sponsor for the Asia-Pacific/Middle East region.
> The 78th Annual National Public Parks Tennis Champi-
onships will be Aug. 2 to 7 in St. Louis, Mo. For information,
check www.stlouis.usta.com or call 314-432-3990.
> SFX Tennis has signed a one-year extension of its agreement
to represent 21-year-old Russian tennis star Dmitry Tursunov in
on- and off-court marketing and management.
SHORT SETS
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I N D U S T R Y N E W SA P R I L 2 0 0 4
April 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17
PRINCE LAUNCHES NEWPREMIER STRING
Prince Tennis has announced a new string,Premier, that combines a multifilament designwith Princes exclusive Softflex technology that
the company says providesexcellent playability.
Doug Root, Princes prod-uct manager for strings, saysPremier with Softflex offersgut-like play and performanceat a price far less than naturalgut. Premier provides playerswith increased power and feelwithout sacrificing durability,he says.
The elasticity of Softflex offers shock dampeningand shock absorption for an ultra-soft, enhanced feel,says Root, adding that even those with tennis elbowwill experience increased string reaction with addedcomfort thanks to the strings gut-like feel. Additional-ly, the string experiences minimal tension loss due toSoftflexs superb recovery from stretch.
Premier with Softflex features a multifilamentstring design consisting of a micro-filament corewrapped with filament outer wraps made of the elas-tic Softflex. The string also has a soft polyurethanecoating for added touch and feel, says the company.
Premier with Softflex is available in 16 and 17 gaugesin gold.
For more information, visit www.princetennis.comor call 800-283-6647.
TennisWelcomeCenter.comWebsite Goes LiveThe consumer website for the Tennis Welcome Center
initiative was officially launched in February. New and
returning tennis players wishing to find a place for intro-
ductory tennis programs can visit tenniswelcomecen-ter.com, plug in their
ZIP code and
find places in
their area that
offer lessons
and play.
More than 3,000 clubs and facilities signed
on to become Tennis Welcome Centers, exceeding the
goal the USTA and the Tennis Industry Association set for
the program. The TIA says more content will be added to
the consumer site in the future. w
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T H E E X P E R T Sask?
PROPORTIONAL STRINGING
I STRING FOR A TALENTED localjunior player, and her father has
asked that I string her racquets
using the proportional stringing method. I
have no idea what hes talking about. How
do you do it?
PROPORTIONAL STRINGING
refers to changing the reference
tension while you string so that each string
receives the theoretically correct tension in
proportion to its length, compared to the
length of the longest string (typically, thecenter two mains). If you have ever
strummed the main strings before starting
your crosses, you know that the outer
mains sound at a higher pitch than the
center mains, and the rest are usually
somewhere in between. This is due in part
to the fact that a shorter string pulled to
the same tension as a longer string will be
tighter (which is why it sounds higher
when plucked). The goal of proportional
stringing is to reduce the tension on short-
er strings so that the installed stiffness ofeach string is the same, which in theory
enables the stringbed to respond to off-
center hits more like it responds to on-cen-
ter hits, optimizing rebound across the face
of the racquet.
Whatever its merits, there are some
downsides to proportional stringing. First,
it is time-consuming and error-prone
because you must change your reference
tension setting often, sometimes for eachpull on the crosses. Also, it works best if
you are able to set the reference tension
on your stringing machine to tenths of a
pound. Keep in mind that proportional
stringing does not take into account the
fact that installing the crosses increases
the tension of the mains, while due to fric-
tion the crosses are never at the reference
tension on the side of the frame farther
from the tension head.
You should also be aware that propor-
tional stringing can radically alter thestresses on the racquet. In a traditionally-
strung Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 Classic, for
example, with the mains and crosses both
at 60 pounds, the pull on the frame by the
mains is roughly 89 percent of the pull on
the frame by the crosses. Using propor-
tional stringing, that ratio changes to
roughly 118 percent. That is, instead of
the crosses exerting more pull on the
frame than the mains, the mains exert
much more pull than the crosses. As
always, measure the dimensions of thehoop before and after stringing to ensure
that the amount of frame distortion is
acceptable.
Before you get yourself into a situation
where your junior must have her racquet
proportionally strung or she simply cannot
play, you should conduct a blind test,
wherein you string up two identical rac-
quets for her.
Have her hit with
each to see if she
can tell the differ-
ence, and if so,
that she prefers
the proportional-
ly-strung racquet.
Depending on
how much time
you spend string-
ing her frames
proportionally,
you might want
to consider charg-
ing more per
frame.
Finally, USRSA members can use our
on-line Proportional Stringing Calculator todetermine the correct tensions for propor-
tional stringing, which can be found on our
website at http://racquettech.com/ mem-
bers/tools/proportional.html.
FOREIGN PRODUCTS
IVE LOOKED ALL OVER your website
and cant find any mention of the
strings I use locally. These are Epsilon
strings, three of which are popular with my
customers here in Australia. They are the
Kev-Power, the Kev-Spin, and the Top-Spin.Do you have any information on these?
BECAUSE WE ARE the U.S. Racquet
Stringers Association, we sometimes
do not have information on products
including frames and strings) that are not
distributed or at least sold here in the U.S.
If you would like to send us samples, how-
ever, we would be happy to test them and
include them in our on-line tools.
KEVLAR TENSION
I HAVE HEARD VARIED OPINIONS on
the tension that should be used for
Kevlar strings. One person says it
should be 5 percent lower than normal,
another says it should be 10 percent lower
than normal, and yet another person told
me not to string it above 48 lbs regardless
of the players usual tension. Whos right?
BECAUSE OF THE HIGH dynamic
stiffnes of Kevlar, it is typically strung
10 percent lower than you would string
nylon in the same application. According to
our lab tests, Kevlar is between 2 and 6
times more stiff than nylon, and between 4
and 10 times more stiff than natural gut.
For more information about dynamic stiff-
ness, see our String Selector Guide in the
June 2003 issue of Racquet Tech maga-
zine.Greg Raven w
We welcome your questions. Please send
them to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,
Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email:
usrsa@racquettech.com.
Q
Q
T H E E X P E R T Sask
A
A
Q
A
Your Equipment & Business Hotline
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WINNINGW
20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
In spite of your best efforts to hire the
right employee for the right job and to
motivate and manage in a way to
maintain a happy and effective employ-
ee, problems can and will develop. Like
any relationship, sometimes the differ-
ences can be worked out. Sometimes,
though, they lead to a parting of the
ways.
It may be that the employee has a
better job opportunity elsewhere, decidesto change careers, or needs to relocate for
personal reasons. In these types of cases,
assuming the employee has done a good
job, you wish them well, have a going
away party and do your best to replace
them. In other situations, it may be that
the employee is experiencing some level
of professional burnout or that personal
problems are interfering with his or her
ability to do the job at the previous high
standard.
Given the cost in time, money, effortand good will required to hire, train and
break in new employees and the possible
negative impact that an unmotivated or
dissatisfied staff member can have on
many facets of your business, learning to
recognize the signs and symptoms of a
troubled employee makes good sense.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS
A good manager maintains ongoing
relationships with his or her employees
through formal and informal methods of
communication (see Moving Ahead in
the March/April 2003 issue of Tennis
Industry). This personal contact along with
performance reviews reduces the risk of
unwanted surprises. It alerts you to actual
or potential problems, and to the
changing needs or expectations of the
employee.
Hopefully, if you have developed a
good relationship with your employees,
they will come to you with problems,
either for help in resolving them or in
alerting you to factors that might affect
their job duties. In that way, you can pos-
sibly make plans to address the changing
needs of your employee. An example
might be having the time to hire someone
to help out in the morning clinics while
the employee takes two weeks off to deal
with a family situation in another part of
the country.
In cases where the employee may not
come to you with problems, concerns and
issues, you can rely on a knowledge base-
line of past behavior and performance to
notice gradual or sudden changes in their
level of functioning at work. These
changes may be both objective and
subjective. Objective indicators include:
attendance, punctuality, number of
lessons taught, amount of product sold,
etc. Subjective indicators include mood,
attitude, demeanor (withdrawn, loss of
enthusiasm, reduced effort, short temper,
irritable), or comments and complaints by
customers, colleagues and staff.
The earlier these warning signs are rec-
ognized and addressed, the greater likeli-
hood there is some part you can play in
helping the employee adjust, modify or
view things in a more positive way to
return the situation to a satisfactory level.
The most common sources of personal
problems include difficulties at home with
a spouse or child, problems with an aging
On The RocksLearn to recognize and deal with a troubled employee before
it affects your business.B Y R O B E R T F . H E L L E R , E D . D . A B P P , U S P T A
personnel
parent, financial, health and legal
concerns, and excessive use of alcohol or
drugs.
The most common sources of job
stress include too much or not enough
responsibility, ongoing interpersonal
conflict with you, other staff or customers
and clients, loss of interest in the work,
feeling treated unfairly, lack of opportuni-
ty to advance, not feeling valued or
appreciated, dissatisfaction with workconditions, pay or benefits.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The first thing to do is review what you
have or havent done that may have
contributed to the problem. Have you
made promises you havent kept? Have
you showed favoritism among your
employees or rewarded or punished them
in an arbitrary way? Have you ignored
early warning signs of difficulties hoping
they would go away on their own? Haveyou been short on praise and long on
criticism?
If you identify a deficiency on your
part, own up to it, rectify it and see if
things start to improve.
If you are comfortable that the
problem doesnt lie within your actions,
then approach the employee privately and
mention your concerns as objectively as
possible. Mention what you have seen or
heard using I messages. Take on a tone
of concern for the employee.
For example, John, I noticed that you
missed the staff meeting yesterday. Is
everything all right? Listen carefully to
the response. Is there a reasonable
excuse? Is it likely to happen again?
Restate what you expect or modify it,
based on what makes the most sense.
Later, document your meeting and sum-
marize what was said and agreed to.
Effective managers are flexible and
creative problem solvers. If the employee
does a good job, the manager might
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Dr. Robert Heller is owner of The Winning Edge inBoca Raton, Fla. He consults with individual athletes,coaches, managers and executives and conductsworkshops in the areas of Performance EnhancementSkills and Stress Management. Address yourcomments and questions to Dr. Heller at561-451-2731 or robertfheller@earthlink.net.
allow the employee to
work earlier or later to
make up for missed
hours or exchange
duties with another
staff member to createa better job fit.
A trickier issue is
when the employees
problem lies outside of
the job but has a direct
impact on their job. The employer needs to balance understand-
ing the needs of the employee with the needs, requirements and
duties of the job. The manager should try to listen to and under-
stand the pressures the employee is experiencing but should take
a limited role in helping to resolve personal problems.
In most cases having a wide referral network to draw upon
can be quite helpful to the employee. Offering and evensuggesting contacting a relevant professional (doctor, lawyer,
therapist, etc.) can be seen as a balanced approach that
demonstrates caring and practical help without overstepping the
bounds of the employer-employee relationship.
Hopefully, these interventions will allow the valued employee
to return to their previous high level of functioning.
LETTING GO
Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, the employees actions
are either so unacceptable, the level of performance so low or
the difficulties so varied and ongoing that your best decision is to
let them go.In todays litigious times, an unhappy or angry employee can
sometimes blame you for their work difficulties and even accuse
you of causing their personal distress. You can be sued for age,
race and gender discrimination. There are numerous local, state
and national laws that savvy lawyers can dredge up to make life
miserable for you even if you didnt do anything wrong.
Depending on the size of your operation and the resources
available to you, it would be best to consult with your own
lawyer, human resource specialist, general manager or other
specialist to determine what and how to go about laying off an
employee.
Whenever possible you want the employee to be in
agreement that its best to leave and if possible, on good terms
and with a good recommendation. Ideally, termination is worked
out in a way and at a time to be least disruptive to your business
and to the employees particular situation. w
...approach the
employee privately
and mention your
concerns asobjectively as
possible.
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STRATEGIESretailing
22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
The success of your footwear businesscan be crucial to your tennis retail
operations bottom line. But in todays
ever-changing footwear environment,
retailers of all shapes and sizes could be
forgiven for scratching their heads when it
comes to sales strategy.
Footwear had become very, very
tricky, says Greg Wolf, president of Mid-
west Sports, who notes that the onslaught
of new introductions and subsequent lack
of continuity can lead to bewilderment as
retailers and consumers look to keep pacewith all the changes.
To help navigate the footwear mine-
field, Racquet Sports Industryhas assem-
bled an array of tipsechoed by some of
the countrys top tennis retailersdesigned
to put the spring back in your shops
footwear sales.
WHO MOVED MY SHOES?As a barrage of new introductions creates
faster-than-ever phase-outs of older mod-
els, consumers seeking a familiar favoritecan be left in the lurch. Keeping close tabs
on manufacturers changes can help your
sales staff suggest compatible replacement
models to an old favorite. We make sure
to let our staff know exactly whats going
away, and what is going to be replacing
it, says Wolf.
KNOW YOURTARGET AUDIENCEThis golden rule of retail applies to virtually
any category, but especially to footwear,which is particularly prone to specific tastes
and age groups. Weve learned that our
members want something simple, so we
avoid the flashy silver or multi-colored
shoes, says Jason Havelka, pro at the Sun-
set Hills Country Club in Thousand Oaks,
Calif. We focus on a more conservative
shoe, because thats what they want.
STAR POWER SELLSBeefing up your futures with the latest
styles worn by an Andy Roddick or an
emerging new star can lead to GrandSlam-like sales, but keeping your pulse on
a players hot factor isnt so easy. Keep
talking to your rep constantly, to keep in
touch with the latest trends, suggests
Wolf. Its crucial to react quickly to what
the stars are wearing, and to adjust futures
accordingly.
MAKE A SOLIDFIRST IMPRESSIONA crucial factor in booming footwear sales
is establishing repeat business. Make anextra effort to give them the right shoe
the first time out, says Betsy Bromley,
store manager at Advantage Yours in
Clearwater, Fla. If you get them fitted
properly the first time, that gives them a
good first impression, and theyll be back.
OFFER A WIDE SELECTIONCarrying only the biggest, flashiest
footwear brands doesnt always translate
into bigger footwear business. Instead,
offering an assortment of choices canhelp keep up with your customers unpre-
dictable tastes. Carrying a wide selection
of brands, if possible, is definitely the way
to go, says Dan Oh, owner of Dans
Sports Racquets in Simi Valley, Calif.
OFFER A SPECIFICCLOSE-OUT AREAOne of the biggest challenges for retail-
ersespecially those short on display
spaceis what to do with older models
gathering dust on the shelves. Displayingdiscounted models in a separate area of
the storeperhaps near the front
entrancewont distract or confuse cus-
tomers seeking the newer models. If
youve got five pairs of old shoes left, you
shouldnt display them next to the new,
higher priced models, says Wolf.
PROMOTE WARRANTIESWITH CAUTIONA wide variety of footwear manufacturers
offer warranties, which can be an effective
Watching Your StepsThese retailing tips can help you find your way through the footwear minefield.
sales tool for the higher-end, more expen-
sive brands. Its almost like a 2-for-1 sale,
so a customer might take a look at a
more expensive shoe if it has a warranty,
says Oh. But proceed with caution,
because warranties also have the potential
to steal a sale from you down the road,
says Wolf.
OFFER TOP BRANDSAT CLOSEOUT PRICES
Offering last seasons models at closeoutprices can build high-end brand loyalty
and reach consumers at a variety of price
points. We always try to have something
on closeout, so theres always something
on sale for people, says Bromley. There
are always people that dont have or
arent willing to spend the money, so
youll lose them if you dont offer a sale
or closeout.
PROVIDE A
COMFORTABLE SPACEHow many people actually buy a shoewithout trying it on first? Providing a com-
fortable, spacious area for customers to
leisurely ask questions, use the mirrors,
etc., can go a long way toward increasing
footwear sales. Most of the people buy-
ing shoes are repeat customers, so its
important to provide a comfortable area
for customers to try shoes on, ask ques-
tions and just take their time, says Oh.
GIVE A SHOE SAVINGSPASS/INCENTIVE CARDOffering a shoe stamp card of some
kindsuch as an after 5 purchases youll
get half off your next purchase dis-
countcan be a highly effective repeat
sales tool, in addition to creating customer
loyalty.
OFFER A SELECTIONOF WIDTHSCarry a variety of brands in different
widths for hard-to-fit customers tired of
B Y M I T C H R U S T A D
G
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having to go the extra mile just to get
the right size. There are always people
requesting different widths, says Oh.
Theres real a market for it, so I try to
carry a variety of widths for men and
women.
FIRST IN, FIRST OUTDISPLAYS
Organizing your shoe wall in this man-nercategorized by new arrivals, in-line,
specials and close-outscan be a highly
effective means of showcasing your
inventory. Each proceeding step features
a slightly lower price point. For the cus-
tomer who wants the latest and great-
est, it makes it very easy to shop, and it
helps a retailer organize their inventory,
because it helps you visualize what youve
got to move, says Wolf.
CARRY QUALITY BRANDSBuyers would be wise to focus their atten-
tion on performance shoesnot entry-
level brandsto keep footwear customers
coming back and to establish higher-endbrand loyalty. In general, with perfor-
mance shoes youre going to get a better
fit, says Bromley. And as people get
older, they need shoes with really good
support, so you just have to be careful
with the quality of shoe youre buying.
ROTATE YOURINVENTORY/MARKDOWNSPRONTO!When you know you have a slew of new
product coming in, be sure to mark
down your old inventorysooner rather
than laterto make enough room for
the new shipment. With all the new
introductions in footwear these days, that
really has to be watched very closely,says Wolf. w
April 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23
Contributing Editor Mitch Rustad has been alongtime freelance writer based in New YorkCity.
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THE market place
24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
HEAD TOUR TEAM
COMBI BAG
The Tour Team series of five bags features the new Climate Con-
trol Technology that Head says adds stability to the temperature
within select pockets. The compa-ny says that racquets
stored in pockets with
CCT have a lower risk
of damage due to
temperature fluctua-
tions. The Head Tour
Team Combi bag shown
features two racquet compartments
for four to six racquets, a large outside com-
partment and end handle for easy carrying. Theres also a
separate shoe bag and an MP3 and mobile phone pouch with
headphone outlet. The Tour Team Combi retails for $45; prices for
other bags range from $40 to $85. Contact 800-289-7366 or
www.head.com.
VISOR BUFF
The concept behind Caviro USAs new Visor Buff is to offer the
same performance fabrics you find in apparel for gear you wear on
your head. The Visor Buff has a neo-
prene visor with a microfiber fabric tail,
which, according to the manufacturer,
manages moisture, offers evaporative
cooling in the heat, and blocks thewind and insulates when its coldin
addition to protecting from the sun.
The tail can be styled about a dozen dif-
ferent ways: as a hat, headband, neck
gaiter, balaclava, bandana, scarf and more.
They retail for $18.50 each.
Contact 307-734-7575 or www.buff.us.
SOLE CUSTOM FOOTBEDS
Sole Custom Footbeds allow your members to customize their
shoes without resorting to expensive orthotics. Consumers simply
pre-heat the oven in their kitchen to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, place
the insoles on the oven rack for a few minutes, put them in
their shoes, then put the shoes on. The base layer
of EVA softens in the heat, then molds to
the shape of the foot and hardens as it
cools. The orthotic is covered with a
shock-absorbing material
called Poron and finished
with a fabric designed to
wick away moisture and
reduce friction. Suggested retail is
$39.95. Contact 866-235-SOLE or www.yoursole.com.
GAMMA EZ TRAVEL CART
This lightweight cart is designed for the teaching pro who travels
from site to site, and for serious players looking
for a mobile ball carrier. It takes just
seconds to remove the 150-ball-capacity bag, fold up the
cart and put it into the carrying
case (the empty bag and cart
frame weigh about 11
pounds). For non-stop teach-
ing, buy an additional bag and
switch out with an empty bag
on court. The zippered top holds
balls in place when traveling. The
cart and bag retail for $119.99;
additional bags are $34.99 each.
Contact 800-333-0337 or
gammasports.com.
STREAMERS TAILBALL
Add fun, variety and excitement to
your drills with the new Stream-
ers Tailball from Oncourt Off-
court. Each ball has 20 bright
green and silver streamers that are
resistant to tears or tangles. For
instance, in any feeding drill,
periodically throw in a surprise
with a Streamer ball, then give thestudent an extra reward for correctly
hitting that ball. By the dozen, they are
$24.95. By the case, five dozen are $89.95.
Contact 214-823-3078 or www.oncourtoffcourt.com.
SPIN TRAINER
Pro Tennis Training has come out with a device that is designed to
help your members learn proper form on ground stokes and will
allow them to train any-
time, anywhere, with-
out a partner. With the
26-ounce Spin Trainer,
the ball hangs in a sling
from the aluminum
frame and helps players
to work on rhythm,
footwork and timing.
Players can hit the ball
with topspin or slice
and see the result as
the ball releases from the sling. The unit folds to 27 inches and fits
neatly into a tennis bag. Retail price is $199.99.
Contact 949-388-2515 or www.ProTennisTraining.com.
a
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MOLDING YOUNG ATHLETES
Just released from Purington Press is Molding Young Athletes
($14.95), by Darrell Erickson, with a forward
by Jim Baugh, the president of the Tennis
Industry Association. The book targetsparents and coaches of children and pro-
vides ways to help kids develop self-confi-
dence and perseverance, deal with failure,
become motivated and moreall while
growing and having fun. Contact 608-
873-8723 or
www.puringtonpress.com.
MAPLE HARDWOODCLOTHING RACK
Add warmth to your pro shop with
natural wood clothing racks that can
attractively show off your apparel. The
multi-use CRII-TRC-11 Tower
Clothing Rack is part of a larger mod-
ular rack system. The 60-inch height
allows retailers to showcase tops and bottoms efficiently. The
maple hardwood is resistant to scratching and marring. The unit
costs $225 and includes the two 15-inch waterfalls, top sign board
and point-of-purchase sign holder, and 2-inch casters. Contact The
Conde Rack at 800-546-3155 or www.CondeRack.com.
SLINGHOPPER TEACHING DRILL BAG
The new, lightweight SlingHopper Pro Bag is made of durable
ripstop nylon and can
hold 40 balls. The water-
proof bag allows teach-
ing pros greater mobility
while feeding balls to
students; pros can walk
to various positions on
the court and generatefeeds with different tra-
jectories, speeds and
angles, while main-
taining the rhythm
necessary to keep the student focused. It can be used by
itself or in conjunction with your current cart hopper. Con-
tact 954-385-1374 or www.SlingHopper.com w
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Look at the list of soft-court winners of the Racquet
Sports Industry/U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builders
Association 2003 Facility-of-the-Year Awards and a
few things immediately jump out at you. First, seven
of the eight winners are in the state of Floridathat
haven (some may say, heaven) for clay-court players. And
second, five of the winning facilities were built by Welch Ten-nis Courts of Sun City, Fla.
Welch built the facilities at KIWI Tennis Club, the Club at
Seven Oaks, the Club at Mediterra, Cap Ferratt and Skyview
at Terra Vista of Citrus Hills. The projects ranged from 13
courts at KIWI at Indian Harbour Beach (nine of them Har-
Tru, three acrylic and one cushioned) to two rooftop Har-Tru
courts at a high-rise condominium complex at Cap Ferratt in
Naples (where equipment and materials had to be lifted by
crane).
The largest project in this group of outdoor winners was
the 15-court Mirasol Country Club facility in Palm Beach Gar-
dens, Fla., built by Fast Dry Courts of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Included in the project was one red-clay court. Some
projects, such as the three-court Phipps Ocean Park Tennis
Club in Palm Beach, Fla., built by Global Sports & Tennis
Design Group of Fair Haven, N.J., also included future plans
for more court construction.
But there are some other significant similarities among
these winners. All of the seven Florida locations were built
using subsurface irrigation systems, which help to reduce
water use and, ultimately, saves the facility money in the
long run. The lone non-Florida winner, the five-court Tennis
Facility at Black Rock Country Club in Hingham, Mass., was
built by the Boston Tennis Court Construction Co. using
conventional irrigation.
Also, in a continuing trend, all eight winners used laser-
grading to quickly and accurately get the surfaces just right.
And there seems to be a conscious effort on the part of
facility management, whether of a private or community
facility, to give players and spectators amenities that make
the on-court and off-court experiences
pleasant ones, including viewing areas,player seating areas, food service and
restrooms. All of the seven Florida facili-
ties recognized the need to provide respite
from the sun by offering players shaded
areas near or between the courts.
When it comes to building soft-court
facilities, the term Southern comfort has
a special meaning, for players and
spectators alike. Peter Francesconi w
Construction With a
R S I / U S T C & T B A F A C I L I T I E S O F T H E Y E A R
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
Construction With a
E
F
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The BestSoftiesThe eight soft-courtFacility-of-the-Year
winners are:A Black Rock Country ClubTennis Facility, Hingham, MA,
built by Boston Tennis Court
Construction Co. Inc., Hanover, Mass.
B Cap Ferratt, Naples, FL,built by Welch Tennis Courts Inc.,
Sun City, Fla.
C Club at Mediterra, Naples,FL, built by Welch Tennis Courts Inc.,
Sun City, Fla.
D Club at Seven Oaks TennisFacility, Wesley Chapel, FL,
built by Welch Tennis Courts Inc.,
Sun City, Fla.
E KIWI Tennis Club, IndianHarbour Beach, FL,
built by Welch Tennis Courts Inc.,
Sun City, Fla.
FMirasol Country Club TennisFacility, Palm Beach Gardens,
FL, built by Fast Dry Courts Inc.,
Pompano Beach, Fla.
G Phipps Ocean Park TennisCenter, Palm Beach, FL,
built by Global Sports & Tennis Design
Group LLC, Fair Haven, N.J.
H Skyview at Terra Vista ofCitrus Hills Tennis Center,
Hernando, FL,
built by Welch Tennis Courts Inc.,
Sun City, Fla.
For details on the
Outstanding Tennis
Facility Awards, contact
the USTC&TBA at
410-418-4875 or email
info@ustctba.com.
April 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33
A
B
C
G
H
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Well, I can tell you from our experi-
ence at the West Branch Tennis Club in
Williamsport, Pa., that the concept will
work. Were proof that the TWC program
is the way to spread the tennis gospel
and make converts to the sport. Why?
Because that same concept is essentially
how weve been growing tennis in our
area for more than 10 years.
Wi lli amsport i s a smal l c it y,
population 30,000, in North Central
Pennsylvania about 100 miles north of
Harrisburg, the state capital. It is located
in Lycoming County, which has a popu-
lation of 108,000. We probably have
more deer in this area than people. And,
for the past decade and a half or so, our
population has actually been decreasing
steadily.
But our tennis club survives, even
thrives, in this small population base. I
can think of few other indoor facilities
with such a small base from which to
draw.
The West Branch Tennis Club is a six-
court indoor facility that was built in the
tennis boom years of the 1970s. We
have a reception and viewing area direct-
ly behind and overlooking courts 2
through 5. The locker facilities are on the
court level, under the desk and viewingarea. Nothing fancy, but everything is
well kept.
Ive owned the club for the past 17
years, having inherited a membership of
325.Our membership now is more than
500 and revenues have tripled as I
learned the business of what motivated
people to want to play tennis. It took
about five years to evolve from combing
the tennis community for members to an
expanded idea that resembles the Tennis
Welcome Center concept of today.
The process began by realizing that
even though we are the only indoor club
for a 100-mile radius, having a monopoly
on indoor tennis meant little. The tennis
base was shrinking fast during the late
80s and 90s. I came to realize that a
monopoly on the 8 percent of the popu-
lation that played tennis regularly was
not going to make a viable business.
It was during those five years that I
realized that my competition was not
other tennis facilities, but anything that
competed for peoples leisure time and
money. That made bowling, golf and
other sports competitors. It also made
non-sport activities like watching TV,
doodling with a computer or even
spending disposable cash on computer
equipment my competition. I had to
make tennis into something that people
wanted to do rather than spending their
ti me an d money on t hese otheractivities.
I also realized that we already had the
8 percent of the population that played.
That left a hefty 92 percent as prospec-
tive members, just as soon as I taught
them to play!
First, Get Em Playing!My strategy evolved over the next few
years. We started by doing beginner
classes at the club for a nominal fee. I
devised a beginner class that was four
sessions, usually four Fridays from 6 to
7:30 p.m. We taught the fundamental
strokes to hundreds of people and sent
them on their way, populating the
Susquehanna Valley with new players.
After a couple of years, during a beginner
class, one student who had taken the
course before remarked that he learned
the strokes, but he never did learn how
to play the game!
I changed the course immediately to
teaching how to play the game first. The
P R O G R A M M I N G S U C C E S S
A WelcomeAdvantageA WelcomeAdvantage
Now that over 3,000facilities have signed on as
Tennis Welcome Centers,
Ill bet some of you are
wondering whether this
new program will pay off
for your club.
FOR THIS PENNSYLVANIA
FACILITY, THE TENNIS
WELCOME CENTER CONCEPT
HAS ALREADY BEEN A BIG HIT
B Y E D R O C E R E T A
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The second week starts with a serve
review, and then we go into the forehand.
The session ends with another 15 to 20
minutes of playing tennis. The third week
includes a review of the previous strokes,
adds the backhand and ends with more
doubles play. The fourth week is for
volleys, overheads and a quick video lessonof each student on their forehands, back-
hands and serves. We stress that this is not
to see what is wrong, but to show them
how far they have come while pointing out
something that will improve each stroke.
We finish with a little doubles round-
robin tournament in which the winning
team wins the coveted West Branch Tennis Club mug a
souvenir coffee cup from WBTC.
The final evolution of this training process came about 10
years ago when I realized that teaching people was not the most
important thing, but keeping them playing was really what thiswas about. From the very first week on, I now tell them that
there will be a place for each and every one of them in a group
here at the club. I know that this may sound intimidating at first,
but I throw it out there.
As the weeks go by, the barriers break down and the students
actually become a group of friends. Each week I describe a bit
more how important it is to keep playing or they will return in
three years to take the course over and begin again. I also
36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2004
P R O G R A M M I N G S U C C E S S
first lesson is now a crash course in playing doubles, with the
oft repeated phrase that no one should worry about not
knowing how to do the shot, we are going to teach that next,
just have some fun learning the mechanics of the game. The
people have a ball! In about 20 minutes, we explain thegeneral rules, scoring, where to stand, who serves and what
to do when the ball is coming. Then we play a set.
After this introduction, we stop and teach the serve,
explaining that this is how the game begins and we will now
add the serve to the players skills. We do the PTR method of
serve instruction then finish with a few more games. The first
lesson ends after a get-together and admonition to go out and
practice before the next weeks lesson.
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explain that we will make a league of this group at the club and
explain the costs, telling them that their fee for taking the
course will be deducted from the club membership and playing
in a league only costs about $6 per week. We end the final session
with a pizza party and a sign-up sheet for the new league.
Give Them a Reason to PlayThis is how I have steadily grown tennis in a small town for10 years. I can look out from the clubs viewing area any
evening and see different beginner classes playing each
eveningsome from years ago, some from just the last begin-
ner class. I estimate that 20 percent of the people on my courts
are graduates of our classes, part of the 92 percent of the population
that did not play tennis before taking the course, part of the 200
new memberships that we did not have prior to 1986.
Our advertising has stressed the words fun, fitness and
friends. I discovered long ago that just asking people to play
tennis meant little unless you explained why. We give people a
reason to want to learn tennis, like meeting new friends, addingtennis to their fitness program or just doing something for fun,
like when they were kids.
We have found that people over 35 are the best targets for
new members. This is when people have a little more free time
and are looking for something new to do that is fun and
provides exercise. Almost everyone has tried tennis as a kid,
but most people are not ready to play until later, when tennis is
the perfect activity to turn to. We explain that they dont need
a team; we will put them in a league of compatible people with
comparable skills, for a very reasonable cost. We say it over
and over and eventually they try it out. Once in here, they are
hooked. Tennis is truthfully the perfect activity for an adult
and they find that out quickly.
We also attract many people who are retired. That also is a
great age to take up tennis, again for the first time!
Advertising is paramount. Get the message outover andover. We use newspaper ads, but our big boost came when we
asked the star personality on the areas most popular local
radio show to take the course and we would pay for ads in
which she would describe the fun she was having learning
tennis.
That was five years ago, and Gail still does our ads, telling
thousands of listeners twice a week about the fun she has in
her league and the people she meets through tennis at our
club. What started out as a hopeful experiment turned out to
be a primary advertising venue for us. Gail is able to tell her
radio audience what a great time she is having with
compelling conviction because she is having a great time. Wesupply general copy to reflect current programs, especially the
beginner clinics we do four times per year. Gail ad libs with
ease because of her ongoing experience with tennis.
We expect that the Tennis Welcome Center concept will
work for you. It has worked for us for 10 years, and added
hundreds of new members. w
Ed Rocereta is the owner of West Branch Tennis Club in Williamsport, Pa.
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science
April 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39
Watching tennis played on the red clay of
Roland Garros at the French Open and on
the Centre Court grass at Wimbledon canseem like watching two different sports.
The events, flow, and look of the game are
completely different. And for good rea-
sonthe bounce of the ball is completely
different on each surface, and it is the
bounce that determines the game.
That five-millisecond bounce dictates
everything, including shot selection, tac-
tics, strategy, stroke mechanics, grips, and
training. During that five one-thousandths
of a second, the ball's speed, spin, direc-tion, height, and angle are changed. And
these in turn dictate what kind of strokes
and strategy a player adopts as he or she
learns the game.
When a ball hits the court, a vertical
force pushes the ball up and a horizontal
force acts to slow the ball and change its
spin. These two forces have far-reaching
consequences, with effects that may seem
contrary to intuition and experience.
VERTICAL BOUNCEVERTICAL BOUNCE FACTORS
Vertical speed and court hardness. The
magnitude of the upward force, known
as the ground reaction force, is deter-
mined by the vertical incident speed of
the ball and the relative hardness of the
court and the ball. The harder the court,
the higher the ball will bounce. If the
court is soft, energy will be lost deforming
the court surface. The surface does not
spring back fast enough or efficiently
enough to aid the ball in its bounce, so
that energy is lost. (This is the oppositeof what happens on strings. The softer
the strings, the faster and higher the ball
bounces. This is due to both the greater
resiliency of strings and the fact that the
ball deforms less on soft strings.)
Comparing vertical speeds. The ratio of
the balls vertical speed after the bounce
to that before is known as the coeffi-
cient of restitution (COR). If the vertical
speed after the bounce is faster on one
court versus another, the ball will bouncehigher on that court. The COR is about
0.6 for grass, 0.83 for hard courts, and
0.85 for clay courts. That means that a
balls vertical bounce will be highest andfastest on clay, lowest and slowest on
grass.
LIMITS ON
VERTICAL BOUNCE
Ball deformation. The vertical bounce
speed depends on the balls vertical speed
before it hits the court. For a given court,
the faster the ball hits the surface, the
faster and higher it will bounce. The
efficiency of the bounce will deteriorate,
however. Higher impact speeds will causethe ratio of post- to pre-impact velocities
(COR) to go down. That is because the
ball will deform more with faster impacts.
The more it deforms, the more the energy
used in that deformation becomes
unusable for ball bounce.
Ball stiffness. In general, at moderate
speeds, about 45 percent of the energy
that goes into ball deformation is lost. This
percentage goes up at higher impact
speeds. But it does not go up a greatdeal. Thats because the ball also gets
stiffer the more it is deformed. The gain in
stiffness tends to decrease the amount of
deformation that occurs for each unit of
increase in impact speed. In general, a
faster ball will always bounce higher than
a slower one, but it will not bounce high-
er in direct proportion to the speed
increase, but something less.
FACTORS INFLUENCING
VERTICAL SPEED
Trajectory. What will be the vertical
speed of the ball when it impacts the
court just prior to the bounce? This is
important for both the vertical and hori-
zontal bounce of the ball (see below). On
most shots (all except volleys, overheads
and some serves in which you hit down
into the court), the vertical speed of the
ball toward the court is almost totally
determined by gravity. Simply put, the ball
drops from the maximum height attained
in its trajectory. You dont usually hit the
Follow the
Bouncing BallUnderstanding how the ball bounces can help youand your students pick and read shots.
B Y C R A W F O R D L I N D S E Y
Stages of Bouncing(some or all may occur)
Flying
Landing
Slowing
Spinning
Skidding
Rolling
Biting
Stretching
Hopping
Flying
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ball down onto the court; it falls into the
court. The horizontal speed of the ball
before the bounce has nothing to do with
the vertical impact speed or how high it
will bounce.
Spin. The spin of the ball will also affect
the vertica
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