200504 Racquet Sports Industry

10 WAYS TOFIRE UP TENNIS!Ideas that can reinvigoratethe pro game and increasethe sport’s popularity

Corporate Tennis LeaguesCan Help Your Business

Peter Burwash International:Still Serving at 30 Years Old

Australian Open PlayerEquipment Log

� Customer Relations� Retail Signage� String Playtest� Ask the Experts� Tips and Techniques� Science

April 2005Volume 33 Number 4 $5.00

DEPARTMENTS

R S I A P R I L 2 0 0 5Contents

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

Contents

4 Our Serve

16 Customer Relations

18 Industry People

20 Your Finances

22 Marketing Success

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 PTR Symposium honorsmembers, facilities

7 Tennis Channel buys ScottsdaleATP stop

8 USRSA announces 3 newcertification testers

8 Tail collection shines withSwarovski crystal

9 “Grommets Network” startedby USRSA

9 K-Swiss fortifies 7.0 footwear line

10 Wheelchair documentary to debutin April

11 New tennis collectibles on sale

13 Vantage Sport offers custom-builtracquets

13 Wilson adds five to Speaker’sBureau

14 In•Tenn releases 2nd DVD

14 Prince debuts new T10 shoe

14 Atlanta CTA honored by USTA

14 Letter to the Editor: Bring tennisto PGA Show

24 Retailing Success

40 String Playtest: Volkl V-Rex

42 Ask the Experts

44 Tips and Techniques

46 Science

48 Your Serve, by Scott Hanover

FEATURES27 10 Ways to Fire Up Tennis

Award-winning tennis writer Paul Fein says that when enthralling rivalries and charismaticcharacters are in short supply, the popularity of tennis doesn’t have to plummet.

30 Corporate DividendsStarting company tennis leagues in your area can be lucrative for your business, fun foremployees, and beneficial for the corporations.

32 Customer TennisFor 30 years, Peter Burwash and Peter Burwash International have been providing unrivaledservice to players, vacationers, facilities, and their own employees.

36 Get Down to Business!These two racquet sports facilities take different paths, but both lead to increased profits.

38 Australian Open 2005Let your customers check out the equipment their favorite players were using Down Under.

hat did you learn last week that will accelerate the con-

tinuous reinvention of yourself and your business in

order to survive, compete, and prosper in today's and

tomorrow's business environment? Approximately 800 PTR

pros spent the last week in February at the annual PTR Inter-

national Symposium attending on- and off-court seminars,

networking, comparing best practices, and intermingling

with the brightest minds in the tennis community. I was also

lucky enough to attend and got to sit in on these sessions:

� Five 3-hour USTA Sport Science Courses: Sports Psychology, Biomechanics, SportsMedicine, Motor Learning, Physiology

� Keys to Mastering the Volley—Nick Saviano� To Carb or Not to Carb?—Page Love� Managing a Tennis Complex—Fernando Velasco� Great Games for Teaching Strategy and Tactics—Ken DeHart� Nutrition in Action—Dr. Sally Parsonage� Resistance Training for Racquet Speed and Court Speed—Dr. Jeff Chandler� How to Develop Young Kids into Champions—Robert Lansdorp� Physiology of the Older Player—Dr. Ben Kibler, Dr. Peter Jokl, John Powless� Recruiting and Hiring Tennis Pros—Greg Snow� Games Galore and More!—Lisa Duncan� From Tanking to Top Performance—Linda LeClaire� How to Grow Your Tennis Business—Doug Cash� Coaching Through Storytelling—Dr. Jim Loehr� Playing Smart: With Mind, Not Just Muscle—Dr. Allen Fox� Is Your Tennis Business Service Driven—Mark McMahon� CardioTennis Extravaganza—TIA� Strategies for Winning On Court and Off—Dr. Allen Fox� Where on the Racquet to Hit for Maximum Power and Minimum Errors—Dr.Howard Brody

� Modern Tennis: Technical Solution for Tactical Problems—Brett Hobden� The Calorie Counting Game—Dr. Bonita Marks

And, I missed many, many others, not being able to be everywhere at once!

If I were a teaching pro, retailer, club owner, stringer, etc., you would have tocompete against me. Do you feel just an inkling of competitive disadvantage,inadequacy, or insecurity? No? Well how do you feel up against all those whohave gone to every PTR Symposium, USPTA Conference, and many other edu-cational conferences for the past 10 to 15 years? Have you ever wondered howthese folks can afford to take an entire week or more away from work everyyear? Hmmm, do you think there is a connection?

Crawford LindseyEditor-in-Chief

Our ServeWhat's on Your BusinessLearning Calendar?

(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

Editor-in-ChiefCrawford Lindsey

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate EditorGreg Raven

Design/Art DirectorKristine Thom

Assistant to the PublisherCari Feliciano

Contributing EditorsCynthia Cantrell

Rod CrossKristen DaleyJoe DinofferLiza Horan

Andrew LavalleeJames MartinMark Mason

Chris NicholsonMitch RustadDrew Sunderlin

Jonathan Whitbourne

RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCorporate Offices

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171

Email: [email protected]: www.racquetTECH.com

Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time

Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna

770-650-1102, [email protected]

Apparel AdvertisingCynthia Sherman203-263-5243

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly Januarythrough August and combined issues in Septem-ber/October and November/December by TennisIndustry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.Periodicals postage paid at Hurley, NY 12443 and addi-tional mailing offices. April 2005, Volume 33, Number4 © 2005 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rightsreserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logo aretrademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phoneadvertising: 770-650-1102 x.125. Phone circulation andeditorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in theU.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,Vista, CA 92084.

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY April 2005

W

he Professional Tennis Registry honored several of its members and two tennis facilitiesduring the annual Awards Banquet in February at the Crowne Plaza Resort on Hilton HeadIsland, S.C. The banquet was part of the annual PTR International Tennis Symposium and

$25,000 Championships (see page 9). Honorees were recognized for service, commitment, anddedication to the PTR, their communities, and the sport.

� Professional of the Year—Angel Lopez, San Diego� Clinician of the Year—Daniel Leal, Pike Road, Ala.� Tester of the Year—Jose Luis Castillo, Cayey, Puerto Rico� Coach Verdieck Award–College Coach of the Year—Patty Fendick McCain, University of Wash-

ington, Seattle� Coach Verdieck Award–High School Coach of the Year—Susan Minchau, Johnstown, Pa.� Coach Verdieck Award–Touring Pro Coach of the Year—Tony Huber, Cypress, Texas� Humanitarian Award—Enrique Ninente, Hagatna, Guam� Volunteer of the Year—Diana Seggie, Bluffton, S.C.� Newcomer of the Year—Beverly Bourguet, Albuquerque, N.M.� Wheelchair Pro of the Year—John Johnston, Gainesville, Fla.� Male Player of the Year—Raj Bonifacius, Reykjavik, Iceland� Female Player of the Year—Patricia Rogulski, Rankweil, Austria� USTA Community Service Award—Lisa Duncan, Downingtown, Pa.� TIA Commitment to the Industry Award—Wayne St. Peter, Westbrook, Maine� Public Facility of the Year—Plaza Tennis Center, Kansas City, Mo.� Private Facility of the Year—Kiawah Island Resort, Charleston, S.C.In addition, the following were honored as PTR state members of the year: Ken DeHart, Cal-

ifornia; Luis Maria Brest, Florida; Pete Collins, Georgia; Enrique R. Ninete, Hawaii Pacific; DougLintala, Illinois; Ajay Pant, Kansas; Alicia von Lossberg, Maryland; Wayne St. Peter, Maine; HenryHostetler, North Carolina; Larry Dillon, New Jersey; Todd Miller, New York; Joey Eskridge, SouthCarolina; Curtis Holland, Tennessee; Dan Bonfigli, Vermont; John Raker, Virginia.

INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSR S I A P R I L 2 0 0 5

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Tennis ChannelBuys ScottsdaleATP Tour StopThe Tennis Channel has bought theATP tennis tournament based inScottsdale, Ariz., for an undisclosedamount. The tournament, which thisyear was held Feb. 21 to 27, wasrenamed the “Tennis ChannelOpen.”

TTC purchased the event fromScottsdale Tournament productions,whose managing partner is IMG, theworld’s largest sports marketing andmanagement agency. IMG managedand operated this year’s event forthe TTC, but starting with the 2006tournament, the network will assumeall managerial and operationalresponsibilities.

“Owning the tournament will permitthe network to continue its aggres-sive promotion of the sport by pre-senting it like no other,” says TTCPresident and Founder Steve Bellamy.The Tennis Channel has had pro-gramming rights to the tournamentsince 2002, and this year telecastmore than 40 hours of play, includingsingles and doubles quarterfinals,semifinals, and finals.

Founded in 1986, the Scottsdale ATPtour stop takes place at the FairmontScottsdale Princess hotel. The venuehas played host to a series of GrandSlam champions and tennis house-hold names during the past 18 years.

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

PTR Presents Annual Honors at Symposium

ports InterActive LLC, a new venture headed by former Prince executive Herb Sweren, hasestablished an internet “Tennis Shopping Mall” that consumers can access through par-ticipating tennis clubs, pro shops and specialty retailers.

“As part of the program, we will develop and implement a website for each club or retailer,”says Sweren. “The sites will be tailored for each client so that members/customers can schedulelessons, reserve court time, find matches, register for tennis camp and, of course, shop at thetennis mall.” Fromuth Tennis will provide inventory for the online tennis mall.

According to Pat Shields, owner of Fromuth, shops must have an existing storefront and asales volume to justify the costs of going online. “An account needs to be actively marketing theirretail business and pushing product sales,” says Shields. “The website gives them a powerful newtool to generate additional sales and profits and grow their business.”

Sweren says he saw the tennis site opportunity after years in the industry working with spe-cialty retailers. “Members and customers want their pro shop or specialty store to be fullystocked with the latest merchandise, but small shop owners can’t assume that inventory risk,”says Sweren. “This takes care of both concerns. It also allows our clients to market through theirwebsite and to compete with big merchandisers while offering members a level of personal serv-ice the big boys can’t match.”

Launch is expected by April. For more information contact Herb Sweren at 410-484-3322 [email protected].

SSports InterActive Forms Online Tennis Mall

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Prince Is Official Supplier At SAP; Plans New Ball Launch

Prince Sports was named the official racquet, footwear, apparel, and ball sup-plier to the SAP Open men’s pro tournament, which took place in NorthernCalifornia in February.

Prince originally had planned to launch its entry into the premium tennis ballcategory at the SAP Open, but the company said that due to the developmentefforts of Prince’s new O3 racquet technology, the ball launch will be slightlydelayed. Prince says that O3 technology increases a racquet’s sweetspot by 54percent, enabling players to hit their best shots more often.

For the SAP Open, Prince collaborated with Wilson Sporting Goods to private-label Wilson’s US Open Extra Duty ball for exclusive use at the California event.Prince says it will launch its new premium Prince Tour ball later in 2005. Formore information, visit www.princetennis.com.

Tail Collection Shines With Swarovski Crystal

Tail Inc. has developed acollection of warm-upsand tops beaded with

Swarovski crystals. The com-pany is offering two warm-ups,along with a tank top with“Love 30” in crystals, to cele-brate Tail’s 30th anniversary.

“The response to theSwarovski crystal group hasbeen incredible,” says BillEvans, Tail’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Both golf and tennis shops areinterested in offering them to their customers. We are re-introducing the dressywarm-up from the past with up-to-date fashion trends.”

For more information, contact Amy Bentley at 800-678-8245, ext 2309.

USRSA Announces ThreeNew Certification Testers

The U.S. Racquet Stringers Associa-tion has named three new certifica-tion testers:

� Glenster Flint of West Perth, Australia,is a Master Coach USPTA,Level 2 TCA, MRT-USRSA,and Company Director ofStringing International,which services elite tour-ing pros and attends all

Grand Slam and Master Series events.Flint is also privately contracted byplayers throughout the year at non-scheduled events and holds a HopmanCup stringing contract, from 2004. Healso coaches elite players. Flint has aretail shop in West Perth and a secondshop planned for Brisbane.

� Al Klieber of Victoria, British Colum-bia, is originally from Ger-many, where he workedas a tennis teaching pro.Klieber played the highlycompetitive regional teamtennis circuit in Germany

for 12 years. He began stringing tennisracquets as a teenager and has over28 years of racquet technical serviceexperience, with nearly 14 years as aUSRSA Certified Stringer/Master Rac-quet Technician. He has also trainedfive stringers to be Certified Stringers/MRTs. He and his wife created Court-side Sports Ltd. in 1989 in Victoria,along with the online store www.courtsidesports.com.

� Geoffrey Jones of G. Jones RacquetStringing in Rochester,N.Y., received a mastersdegree in computer sci-ence in 1998, but healways wanted to stringhis own racquets. He

bought an inexpensive stringingmachine and learned to string bywatching and talking with a certifiedUSRSA stringer. Jones then joined theUSRSA, quit his job as software engi-neer at Eastman Kodak, and went intothe stringing business. He has sinceupgraded his stringing machine andbecame a Master Racquet Technicianin 2003.

Ferris State, Head/Penn Form Partnership

Ferris State University’s Professional Tennis Management program has formeda three-year partnership with Head/Penn. Head will be the official racquet andPenn the official ball of the PTM program.

Ferris State’s PTM program is the only four-year program that is fully accreditedby the USPTA. Graduates earn a bachelor’s degree in busi-ness/marketing/professional tennis management and a USPTA professional certifi-

SGMA Has New President, Location

Tom Cove is the new president and CEO of SGMA International, which owns TheSuper Show. Cove replaces retiring president John Riddle. The organization, whichalso will be moving its headquarters from Florida to Washington, D.C., by June,

says Cove is expected to bring about a transformation of the 99-year old SGMA andits role as the voice of the sporting goods industry.

“SGMA is committed to our core missions of helping our member companiesimprove their business and promoting the interests of the sporting goods industryto the trade, media, government, and consumers,” says Cove. “Whether it bethrough a trade show, an education seminar, a research product or a lobbying event,SGMA needs to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas, with the goal ofimproving our members’ ability to succeed.”

SGMA International is the global business trade association of manufacturers,retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry.

I N D U S T R Y N E W S


USRSA Starts “Grommet Network”

The U.S. Racquet Stringers Association has started a“Grommets Networking Program” so that members canfind out-of-production grommets for older frames.

The free program is handled via email. Members lookingfor a set of grommets send an email to [email protected], then that email is forwarded to allmembers on the “grommets list.” A USRSA member who hasthat particular grommet contacts the member directly toarrange payment and shipping.

“We will simply be trying to help put members who needgrommets together with members who have the grommets,”writes USRSA Executive Director David Bone in an email tothe USRSA membership. The USRSA does not get involved inthe transactions nor does it receive any portion of the sales.

K-Swiss Fortifies 7.0 Line

K-Swiss introduces thenew Defier RS andthe Mid version of the

Ultrascendor in its 7.0 Sys-tem footwear line.

The company says theDefier RS is engineered tostand up to intense play,with a TecTuff high-abra-sion toe wrap to create a barrier between the court and thefoot, and abrasion-resistant DragGuard in the toe and heelof the Aosta 7.0 rubber outsole.

The Ultrascendor Mid features Secure-Fit Lacing Systemto provide ankle support, says K-Swiss. The paddedAchilles Support with Heel-Grip Lining grips the sock tominimize heel slippage. For more information visit www.k-swiss.com.

USTA Pro Circuit Hits 91 Locations

The 2005 USTA Pro Circuit will include 91 events and nearly $3million in prize money comprising the world’s largest devel-opmental tennis tour. The USTA Pro Circuit brings world-class

professional tennis to 26 different states in communities rangingin size from Troy, Ala., to The Bronx, N.Y. Sixteen tournamentswill be held in the Top 10 markets across the country.

This is the fifth straight year that the USTA Pro Circuit calen-dar will feature more than 90 tournaments. The USTA increasedthe number of men’s Challengers and upgraded the prize moneyof three women’s events in order to provide young Americanplayers ranked in the No. 75 to 200 range the opportunity toearn more ATP and WTA Tour Ranking points.

“One of our goals this year, along with that of our High Per-formance group, is to increase the opportunities for players atthe Challenger level to earn more ranking points,” said BrianEarley, Director, USTA Pro Circuit. “The USTA Pro Circuit alsoremains one of our most effective means of creating excitementfor the sport. The local tennis communities rally around theseevents and they are a great vehicle for generating new fans andrecreational players.”

PTR $25K Championship Winners

Mirko Jovanovic of Hilton Head Island, S.C. won themen’s open singles title at the 2005 PTR $25,000Championships in February during the PTR Interna-

tional Tennis Symposium. He beat Carlos Bracho, also ofHilton Head, 6-2, 6-1.

The women’s open singles event was won by JoleneWatanabe of Bluffton, S.C., who beat Christine Damas ofHilton Head, 6-0, 6-1. In men’s doubles play, Jovanovic andBracho teamed to take the open crown.

The 2005 PTR event featured play in 23 different divisions.


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> Pete Sampras and Maria Sharapovaheadlined a roster of present and formerathletes at Legacy Villas Desert Smash Pre-sented by Jaguar and Land Rover benefit-ing the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation,held March 9 to 10 at La Quinta Resort &Club in California. The event launched the10-year anniversary of the foundation,which was founded by Tim& TomGulliksonand their families after Tim was diagnosedwith brain tumors in 1995.

> “Right Angles for Tennis” is a new train-ing aid designed to keep hand and wrist inthe correct position for various shots and todevelop “muscle memory.” The originaldesign is available for license or sale tomanufacturers or marketers. For moreinformation, write Dept. 03-CUT-255, ISC,217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, orcall (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368, or visitwww.isc-online.com.

> The 8th edition of the SGMA Interna-tional Activewear Color Card has been pro-duced for Spring/Summer 2006 andFall/Winter 2006/2007. The Color Cardforecasts 24 directional colors for theactivewear market. It’s available to SGMAmembers for $30; nonmembers for $50.Visit www.sgma.com.

>Munson Inc. of Glendale, Wis., will holda Tennis Court Seminar on April 5 at theManchester Suites Hotel East in Milwau-kee. Nine court construction professionalswill offer advice on how to build, maintain,and reconstruct courts. Cost is $50 per per-son and includes handouts, refreshments,and lunch. Visit www.munsoninc.com orcall 414-351-0800.

> In February, The Tennis Channel and E!Entertainment Television aired the “Serving forTsunami Relief” player and celebrity tourna-ment, which took place in Houston Feb. 1 andraised over $500,000.

> The US Open Series, a six-week summertennis season leading up to the US Open, hasadded the women’s Acura Classic in San Diegoto its roster, which will be played Aug. 1 to 7.The Series now includes 11 tournaments.

> The Australian Open women’s final in whichSerena Williams defeated Lindsay Davenportin three sets was ESPN2’s highest rated andmost-viewed tennis event ever, earning a 1.5rating and viewed in an average 1.35 millionhouseholds.

> Andre Agassi joined the U.S. Davis Cupteam for the March 4 to 6 tie against Croatiaat the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Hejoined teammates Andy Roddick and Bob andMike Bryan.

> Auto-Ref Inc. of Canada, owner of sophis-ticated technology designed to provideinstant, animated video replay from variousangles to improve line-calling accuracy,received a U.S. patent recently, which coverstechnology relating to an optical line monitorfor tennis matches.

> Stanford beat Kentucky 4-0 to win its sec-ond straight and eighth overall title at theUSTA/Intercollegiate Tennis AssociationNational Women's Team Indoor Champi-onship at the University of Wisconsin's A.C.Nielsen Tennis Stadium. At the NationalMen’s Team Indoor held at the Mid-Town Ten-nis Club in Chicago, top-seeded Baylor beatVirginia 4-1.

SHORT SETS

Champions on Wheels,” the first doc-umentary on wheelchair tennis, willdebut in April at the Palm Beach

International Film Festival. The film, fromdirector/producer/journalist Grace Shafir,tells the stories of world-class wheelchairtennis athletes and their determination,athleticism, zest for life, and desire to beseen for their abilities, not disabilities.

Shafir shot more than 130 hours ofvideo, following such athletes as SharonClark, Beth Arnoult, Larry Quintero, NickTaylor, and Steve Welch. The story opens

Wheelchair Tennis Documentary to Debut in Aprilat the Paralympic Games in Sydney andends four years later at the ParalympicGames in Athens.

Footage also includes interviews andcomments by such stars as Andre Agassi,Andy Roddick, Serena and VenusWilliams, Jennifer Capriati, Chanda Rubin,and Bob and Mike Bryan. The film is nar-rated by actor Daryl Mitchell of TV’s“Veronica’s Closet” and “Ed.”

The documentary was made for PBS.For screenings in your area, visitwww.wheelchairchampions.com.

“



Gullikson FoundationUnveils New LogoThe Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation to helpbrain tumor patients and their families deal withthe social, emotional, and physical challenges ofthe disease has unveiled its 10-year anniversary“Tenacious Teamwork” logo. The organizationwas founded by former tennis pros Tim and TomGullikson and their families after Tim was diag-nosed with brain tumors.

Corrections� The suggested retail price for Pow-

erAngle racquets is $179, and thewebsite for more information iswww.PowerAngle.net. Both werelisted incorrectly on RSI’s RacquetSelection Map in the March issue.The toll-free number for PowerAn-gle is 877-769-3721.

New TennisCollectibles on Sale

Ace Authentic, a new sports market-ing company in Tampa, Fla., is pro-ducing tennis trading cards, player

posters, and signed framed photos, aswell as selling game-worn apparel andmerchandise.

The 2005 Ace Trading Card DebutEdition Set hit the market at the end oflast year with 99 cards, including thefirst officially licensed rookie cards ofMaria Sharapova, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Tim Henman, David Nalban-dian, Nadia Petrova, Dinara Safina,Tatiana Golovin and Marat Safin. The setalso included cards for Andy Roddick,Andre Agassi, Juan Carlos Ferrero,Paradorn Srichaphan and AnnaKournikova.

“There is currently a great demandfor tennis trading cards as well as tennismemorabilia,” says Ace President ToddGoldman, who also is the publisher ofTennis Life Magazine. “With theincreased interest in tennis and its per-sonalities, these products will quicklyfind a niche.”

To order, call 800-600-4364.

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• Tom Russ is the new manager of sports

promotions for Prince Sports, responsible for all player and

event promotions in the U.S. including the recruitment and manage-

ment of touring pros, junior, collegiate, and senior sponsored players. For the

past four years, Russ was the competition team/promotions director at Babolat.

• Junior standout Donald Young, a Head Team Elite member, won the Australian

Open junior boy’s singles event and, at 15 years, 6 months, became the youngest boy

to win a Junior Grand Slam and the youngest to reach No. 1 in the history of the ITF

junior rankings. Also, Head Team Elite member Victoria Azarenka of Russia won the girl’s

title at the Aussie Open.

• Pro Guillermo Coria debuted Prince’s new O3-engineered racquets at the Australian Open.

Prince says O3 improves sweetspot and speed. For more info, visit www.princetennis.com.

• Billie Jean King is the chair of the USTA’s USA Tennis High Performance Committee,

which assists the High Performance professional staff in developing world-class American

champions. Also on the committee is pro Michael Chang, who will serve a two-year term,

and tennis legend Jack Kramer, who will serve as a special advisor.

• Rising tennis star Scott Oudsema has signed on with SFX Sports Group for marketing

and representation.

• Jennifer Capriati and Fila have parted company, unable to agree on terms of a new

contract. Capriati had been wearing Fila clothes since 1999.

• Bill Riddle, Cumberland University’s men’s and women’s head tennis coach, was named

the 2004 USPTA Tennessee Tennis Professional of the Year. Riddle is the president of the

USPTA Tennessee Chapter and director of tennis at the Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club.

• David Butterfield (at right) is the new director of tennis at Cheeca Lodge &

Spa on Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

• The USTA has named Kathy Francis to the newly created position of Man-

aging Director, Community Tennis Marketing and Development. Francis will

be responsible for the development and implementation of the USTA’s Com-

munity Tennis marketing initiatives, focusing on new advertising, promotion and pro-

gramming to grow participation and frequency of play on a national and grassroots level.

• Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams will lead the U.S. Fed Cup team against Bel-

gium April 23-24 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Fla.

• The International Tennis Hall of Fame promoted Linda M. Johnson, to the associate

director of development from director of the annual fund.

• University of Florida Senior Hamid Mirzadeh won the USTA Sportsmanship Award

recently at the USTA/ITA National Men’s Team Indoor Championship.

• Eiichi Kawatei of Tokyo, Japan, is the 2005 recipient of the Golden Achievement

Award, which is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame in recogni-

tion of contributions to tennis in the fields of administration, promotion,

or education.

• George Hovsepian of Acworth, Ga., is the 2004 Member

of the Year for the Georgia Professional

Tennis Association.

P E O P L E W AT C H



Vantage Sport OffersCustom-Built Racquets

Vantage Sport International of Englandhas launched a custom-build racquetbrand. According to the company, play-

ers can order racquets built to their specifi-cations at prices competitive withmass-market brands.

“Previously, if you wanted to have a rac-quet made to your requirements, you eitherhad to be a highly ranked professional ten-nis player, or pay over $400 to a specializedracquet technician,” says Paul Angell,founder and CEO of Vantage Sports.

Through its website,www.vantagetennis. com, Vantage allowsplayers to select options to define a racquetthat best suits their playing style and phys-ical ability. The options include technicalspecifications such as head size, string pat-tern, stiffness, racquet length, andweight/balance. Vantage also offers a selec-tion of handle shapes, grip types, grip sizesand two cosmetic options. Once they arepersonally configured, the frames can beordered directly from Vantage online.

In addition to custom racquets, Vantagealso offers a range of “prebuilt” frames anda line of accessories including bags, strings,and grips. Purchasers also get their owncode that can earn credits and discounts.For more information, or to find out how toadd Vantage to your existing racquet shopofferings, visit the website or email [email protected].

Wilson Adds Five to Speaker’s Bureau

Patrick McEnroe, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert, Luke Jensen, and MurphyJensen have joined the Wilson Speaker’s Bureau program, sharing their pas-sion for the sport with the tennis community. The former touring pros cur-

rently use Wilson’s nCode racquet technology and are also part of Wilson’sAdvisory Staff.

“The Wilson Speaker’s Bureau is focused on educating the community aboutthe excitement, competitiveness, and history of tennis,” says Jon Muir, U.S. direc-tor of sales and marketing for Wilson Racquet Sports. “We are honored to havesuch a distinguished group of ambassadors helping to share this important mes-sage and shape future generations of leaders, players, and fans.”

Other members of the Speaker’s Bureau include Billie Jean King, Chris Evert,Vic Braden, Peter Burwash, and Wayne Bryan.

PTR Names AndersonMaster Professional

Kirk Anderson of New Fairfield, Conn.,was named a PTR Master Profession-al at the annual awards banquet at

the PTR International Tennis Symposiumin February. Anderson joins an elite groupof 21 others in the 11,000-member PTR toearn that designation. Also, Anderson, isone of only five in the world to hold Mas-ter Pro certifications from both the PTRand the USPTA.

Anderson is the department directorfor recreational coaches and programsat the USTA, which provides servicesand resources to coaches and tennisleaders throughout the U.S. who areinvolved with recruiting new playersand retaining them in local programs.

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Prince Debuts New T10 Shoe

Prince says its newest tennis shoe, the T10, is as aggres-sive in appearance as it is in performance. The lightgray performance shoe is part of

Prince’s Agility Series, which thecompany says is designed to pro-vide a tailored, comfortable fitby hugging the foot from heel totoe and supplying supportand stability.

“The T10 providesunsurpassed support andcomfort for serious playerswho are looking for fast-movingresponsive foot-wear on a number of dif-ferent playing surfaces,” says James Lin, Prince’s productdevelopment manager. “This shoe gives them better stabil-ity and gripping traction for quick starts and stops.”

The T10 shoe will be featured on Competitive Edge, aseries running on ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, and The TennisChannel. In addition, in-store POP and regional advertisingwill be a part of the launch campaign. For more informa-tion, visit www.princetennis.com.

L E T T E R SBring Tennis to the PGA Show?To The Editor:

I'm writing to you with the hope that you will disseminate theproposition outlined below. What prompts me to do this is thecurrent sad state of affairs of the tennis industry.

I walked the 2005 Super Show in Orlando in January, and forthe first time since the Super Show's Atlanta inception in 1985,my company was not an exhibitor. There were only seven smallcompanies representing tennis at this year's Super Show.

The PGA has a golf show in Orlando, and this show likewise isnot doing well. Quite a few facilities across the U.S. are golfand tennis. Wouldn't it make sense to collaborate with the PGAand become part of their show? Maybe the USTA and the TIAcan be the combined tennis body to represent tennis manufac-turers at the PGA show.

This can be a win-win for all. They have an experienced showmanagement group, a good Orlando location, and would prob-ably welcome the infusion into their lackluster show atten-dance.

Gene NiksichPresident, Unique Sports Products

We welcome your letters and comments. Please email them [email protected] or fax them to 760-536-1171.

Atlanta CTA Honored by USTA

The Atlanta Community Tennis Association (ACTA)has been selected as the 2004 National CommunityTennis Association of the Year. ACTA was honored

before more than 600 community tennis leaders at theannual USTA Community Tennis Development Work-shop held at Sandestin Resort in Destin, Fla., Feb. 4 to 7.

ACTA was founded in 1980 as a non-profit, volunteer-run tennis league. Today it operates under the leadershipof a board of directors, an executive committee, Execu-tive Director Matt Olson, and a full-time staff of five peo-ple who facilitate a diverse breadth of tennis programsand services that extend to over 35,000 adult membersand 45,000 participants.

“Through its exceptional tennis programs, dedicatedcorps of volunteers, strategic community partnerships,effective planning, and pervasive marketing and publicrelations, the Atlanta Community Tennis Association hasbecome a thriving organization,” says Lee Hamilton, theUSTA’s executive director.

In•Tenn Releases 2nd DVD Issue

In•Tenn, the DVD tennis magazine, recently released its secondissue. This new edition contains more than two hours of tennisaction, with 65 percent of the video devoted to improving the

viewer’s tennis play.The issue features Jim and Linda McIngvale and their tennis pro-

gram for the Houston Independent School District, a feature onAndy Roddick’s Foundation, and a segment on two young playersand their tennis development.

The DVD also features Computerized Tennis Lessons, Drills,Tips, Conditioning, guidance on when to restring your racquet, andwhat kinds of strings to use to improve your play. Former DavisCup doctor George Fareed reports on preventing injuries, andsports psychologist Allen Fox reports on how to prepare for amatch.

For more information about In-Tenn, visit ww.intennn.com.

BYU-Hawaii Breaks Its Record

The top-ranked Brigham Young University–Hawaiiwomen’s tennis team broke its own NCAA record inFebruary by winning its 104th consecutive dual

match, defeating University of Hawaii–Hilo, 8-1. TheSeasiders, who began NCAA Division II play in the fall of1998 and won their first 103 matches, now have a 207-1 record.

customer RELATIONS�

Top retailers spend a considerable amountof time researching and analyzing whatmotivates the consumer to make a buy-

ing decision. Much of this research revealsthat buying decisions are oftentimes emotion-ally based. We first want something, and thenwe rationalize the decision to buy it.

Successful retailers capitalize on this aspectof buying by making their customers feelcomfortable and at home in their stores. Andthis same concept can hold true for tennisfacilities looking to attract and keep newcustomers.

By tradition, some tennis facilities and theirpersonnel can give off an intimidating appear-ance for newcomers. Perhaps it's putting forththe image that tennis is “stuffy” or for the“elite.” Perhaps it is a facility that is “dated”and just needs a renovation to keep pace withthe times. There could be a myriad of otherreasons, but the result is that many new cus-tomers never get up enough courage to comein. If they do, they feel uncomfortable andleave quickly—empty-handed.

A large part of customer service is creatinga seamless experience. When customer expec-tations are met or exceeded, the result isexponential growth in both revenue and cus-tomers. With the Tennis Welcome Centercampaign, the idea is for new and returningplayers to have a fun, friendly, non-threaten-ing first experience in tennis, so they’ll contin-ue to play the game.

At right are some tips designed to makeyour facility customer-friendly.

It's what happens after the customerarrives that determines whether you'll keepthem. Welcome customers with great people,great attitudes, and an inviting environment.Get them involved with your programs andstaff. Get to know them, not only as cus-tomers, but also as people.

They'll buy, they'll come again, and they'lltell their friends and neighbors. �


Ten Easy Steps to a Customer-Friendly Tennis Facility B Y G L E N N A R R I N G T O N

� Website: If you have a website, create and manage a dedicated area onyour home page for new players or former players looking to get into ten-nis. Provide easy-to-follow information about programs, events, and ser-vices for newcomers.

� Telephone: This is generally where the “first impression” comes from.Think pleasantry, sincerity, and brevity. Work to train phone staff on allavailable programs and services. Remember, you are sending a visualsnapshot of your tennis operation through the telephone line.

� Facility Entryway: By creating an exciting and visually appealing entry-way, you can create a secondary “first impression” with the customer.Consider window displays, creative landscaping, fresh flowers, and exteri-or signage to direct newcomers and visitors to the appropriate area.

� Greet Customers Warmly and Genuinely:We’ve all been in storeswhere we feel like intruders. Make every effort to approach the new cus-tomer as soon as possible and let them know you are there to help.

� Set the Tone With Music: Soft jazz or mood music can create a warmand relaxing environment for your facility and help put customers at ease.

� Create a New Player Area: Develop a special area within your facilityto showcase information, photos, and special activities designed for newplayers and new customers.

� Create a New Player Guide: Have informative packets available forinquiring customers and new players to acquaint them with your facilityand the policies and procedures. Also include discount coupons for newequipment and programs.

� Display Prices and Programs: Consumer radar (suspicion) goes up ifthe customer has to inquire too much about the pricing structure. Have alist of available programs and pricing clearly displayed and available.

� Help Educate Your Customers: One of the most often overlookedand best ways to gain customers is to be the information provider. Con-sider providing complimentary information on health and wellness, nutri-tional tips, tennis vacations, tennis instruction, how to choose a tennisracquet, etc. Once you are perceived as the trusted expert, you have acustomer for life.

� Get Personal: Let your customers get to know the people behind thescenes. A simple biography and photo of staff members, including theirhobbies and personal interests, can prove helpful to relationship-building.Also, work to arrange opportunities for staff to spend time on the tenniscourt with the customers they serve.

Glenn Arrington is the USTA’s product man-ager for Tennis Welcome Center, and is a PTRand USPTA pro.

INDUSTRY�


ee that man in Chicagoland? Theone with no tennis court but with alegion of children who owe their

love of the game to him? That’s MarkMiller. He’s changed how tennis caters toyoungsters in the Chicago area, and he’saiming to expand his catering businessnationwide.

Miller’s passion and business grewfrom an epiphany he had in the fall of1996. He was watching his then-3-year-old daughter participate in a tennis clinic

that used a shortenedcourt. “That’s when Icame up with anidea,” Miller remem-

bers. “I said, ‘I’m goingto teach tennis to little kids,

and I’m not going to use a ten-nis court.’ “

The tactic, Miller says, is thatby not limiting clinics to schools andneighborhoods with tennis facilities, ten-nis reaches a broader audience. “So I canexpose literally thousands and thousandsof kids to tennis because I don’t use atennis court,” he says. “I go to a gymnasi-um, classroom or recreation room and usethat facility.”

Eight years later, Miller’s MunchkinProgram is a hit in Chicago. It has spreadto 70 locations in 45 Chicagoland dis-tricts, and programs have opened in Indi-ana and Wisconsin. MunchkinProgram—which also incorporates soccer,Nerf football, T-ball and other sports—has

seen plentyof press,too, havingbeen cov-ered by ABCNews, NBC,CNN, theChicago Tri-bune andnationalmagazines.

“Mark is

a tennis entrepreneur—we need moreMarks out there,” says Jeff Giles, thedirector of community tennis develop-ment for the USTA’s Midwest section.“He works out arrangements withschools and, more importantly, day-carecenters, and sets up short-court tennis,takes balls and little nets, and takes theprogram right to the facility. And he’sdoing a great job. He’s energetic, he’spassionate, and he understands thesocial and psycho-logical benefitsthat tennis canhave to the youthin a community.”

One of thekeys of Miller’ssuccess is that hepasses the respon-sibility of market-ing onto therespective commu-nities. This notonly allows him tofocus on teachingthe children, butalso reduces hisoverhead.

“The beauty ofmy business is I don’t have to continuallymarket it because the park districts do,”Miller says. “I never touch registration, Inever advertise.”

Despite the success of the wholeMunchkin Program, there’s one aspectthat’s particularly close to Miller’s heart.“I want to raise money to help under-privileged kids—kids with diabetes, withcancer, with any kind of disability what-soever,” Miller says. “My big passion isthe Parents and Me program, wherethese parents spend quality time withtheir kids. I want to be in every park dis-trict imaginable doing this. We’re tryingto fight kids’ obesity as well as promot-ing family togetherness through thegame of tennis.”

A future part of the program is a col-oring book that will be handed out freeto participants. The book will cover notonly tennis, but also nutrition, exerciseand self-esteem and will be paid for by acorporate sponsor.

With everything going so grand,what’s next for the Munchin Program?Expansion. Miller wants to see the pro-gram eventually go nationwide, throughwhat he calls a “franchise with no fran-

chise fee.” (Interested parties can getmore information by visitingwww.munchkinprogram.com.)

“What I look for in my staff is theyjust have to be great with kids and bereliable, and I’ll teach them the rest,”Miller says. “I’ll even take someone whodoesn’t know how to play tennis,because I have a step-by-step manualthat tells them everything.”

The growth might take a while, butif Miller’s success in Chicago is any indi-cation, it will be steady and sure. “We’rejust going step by step,” Miller says.“Go to one state, go into another state,go into another state. We’re really tryinghard to grow the game of tennisthrough this.” �

In Chicago, a Courtless TennisProgram for Countless Kids B Y C H R I S N I C H O L S O N

people

S

YOUR finances$

What is the best entity for operatingyour tennis facility or shop? For taxpurposes, the predominant forms of

business enterprise are the regular, so-called “C” corporation; its pass-throughsmall-business cousin, the “S” corporation;a partnership; a limited-liability company(LLC); or a sole proprietorship.

To choose among those entities is tochoose among significant differences infederal income tax treatment. Althoughmany of the tax law’s provisions apply toall entities, some areas of the law arespecifically targeted for each type of busi-ness organization.

Unfortunately, there is more to choos-ing the right structure for a tennis businessthan just tax considerations. Not only willthe decision have an impact on how muchis paid in taxes, but also it will affect thepersonal liability faced by the principals,the operation’s ability to raise money, andthe amount of paperwork required.

THE TAX QUESTIONOf all business entities, the C or regularcorporation is subject to the toughest taxbite. The earnings of an incorporated ten-nis shop or facility are taxed twice. First acorporate income tax is imposed on thetennis operation’s net earnings and then,after the earnings are distributed to share-holders as dividends, each shareholdermust pay taxes separately on his or hershare of the dividends.

Naturally, a corporation can reduce, oreven eliminate, its federal income tax liabil-ity by distributing its income as salary toshareholder-employees who actually per-form valuable services for the corporation.Although this can reduce taxation at thecorporate level, those who receive profitsfrom a corporation in exchange for servicesmust pay tax on the amount received,which is treated as salary. Fortunately,there is some relief available to individualshareholders who currently benefit fromthe new, lower tax rate on dividends.

This scheme of taxation differs radically


from that applied to S corporations, part-nerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships.These entities, often referred to as “pass-through” entities, do not pay an entity-leveltax on their earnings. Only the owners ofthese entities are taxed on their share of thebusiness’s earnings.

GOING IT ALONEThe easiest structure is the sole proprietor-ship, which usually involves just one individ-ual who owns and operates the retailbusiness or facility. The tax aspects of a soleproprietorship are especially appealingbecause income and expenses from thebusiness are included on the sole propri-etor’s personal income tax return.

Of course, as a sole proprietor, a retailshop or facility owner must also file Sched-ule SE with Form 1040, which is used tocalculate how much self-employment tax isowed. And don’t forget that quarterly pay-ments of estimated taxes are due from self-employed tennis professionals and businessowners.

Naturally, there are a few disadvantages.Selecting the sole proprietorship structuremeans that the owner or proprietor is solelyresponsible for the operation’s liabilities. Asa result, a sole proprietor places his or herown assets at risk, subject to seizure to sat-isfy a business debt or legal claim.

PARTNERING UPIf the tennis business will be owned andoperated by several individuals, take a closelook at partnerships. Partnerships come intwo varieties: general and limited. In a gen-eral partnership, the partners manage thebusiness and assume responsibility for thepartnership’s debts and other obligations. Alimited partnership has both general andlimited partners.

In a limited partnership, the generalpartner owns and operates the business andassumes liability for the partnership, whilethe limited partners serve as investors only;they have no control over the operation andare not subject to the same liabilities as the

general partners. Obviously, unless manypassive investors are involved, limited part-nerships are not the best structure to use.

One of the major advantages of apartnership is the tax treatment it enjoys.A partnership does not pay tax on itsincome but “passes through” all profits orlosses to the individual partners. Eachpartner is required to report profits fromthe partnership on his or her individual taxreturn. Even though the partnership paysno income tax, it must complete and file aparternship informational return, Form1065.

Personal liability is a major concern formany facility owners, especially thoseemploying a general partnership. Similarto a sole proprietorship, general partnersare personally liable for the partnership’sobligations and debt. Partnerships are alsomore expensive to establish than sole pro-prietorships because they require moreextensive legal and accounting services.

INCORPORATINGTHE BUSINESSUsing the corporate structure for a tennisoperation is, as mentioned, more complexand expensive than for other types ofbusiness entities. The resulting corpora-tion, however, is an independent legalentity, separate from its owners. As such,the corporation must comply with moreregulations and tax requirements.

The biggest benefit for the owner ofan incorporated business is the liabilityprotection he or she receives. Althoughthe courts are increasingly “reachingbehind” the corporate structure, for themost part, a corporation’s debt is not con-sidered to be that of its owners.

Another plus is the ability of a corpo-ration to raise money. A corporation cansell stock, either common or preferred, toraise funds. Corporations also continueindefinitely, even if one of the sharehold-ers dies, sells his or her shares, orbecomes disabled.

The corporate structure also comes

Choosing the Best Organization forYour Business B Y M A R K E . B A T T E R S B Y

with a number of downsides. A major oneis higher costs. Corporations are formedunder the laws of each state with theirown set of regulations. A corporationmust also follow a more complex set ofrules and regulations than either a soleproprietorship or a partnership. And, don’tforget that other downside: the doubletax paid at both federal and state levels.

S CORPORATIONSAn S corporation is merely an incorporat-ed business that has chosen to be treatedas a partnership for tax purposes. It offerssome appealing tax benefits while still pro-viding its owners with the liability protec-tion of a corporation. With an Scorporation, income and losses are passedthrough to shareholders and included ontheir individual tax returns. As a resultthere is just one level of federal tax to pay.

On the downside, S corporations aresubject to many of the same requirementscorporations must follow resulting in high-er legal and accounting fees. They mustalso file articles of incorporation, holddirectors and shareholder meetings, keepcorporate minutes and allow shareholdersto vote on major corporate decisions.

Another major difference between aregular corporation and an S corporationis that S corporations can only issue oneclass of stock despite the limit of havingup to 75 shareholders. Experts say this canhamper the tennis operation’s ability toraise capital.

NO LIMITS TO THE LLCWhile the S corporation remains the most-used entity for small businesses, the limit-ed-liability company or LLC introduced in1997 is a fairly recent phenomenon. AnLLC is a hybrid entity, bringing togethersome of the best features of partnershipsand corporations.

LLCs were created to provide businessowners with the liability protection thatcorporations enjoy without the doubletaxation. Earnings and losses of an LLCpass through to the owners and areincluded on their personal income taxreturns.

Although it sounds similar to an S cor-poration, the LLC has no limit on thenumber of shareholders. In fact, anymember or shareholder of the LLC areallowed a full participatory role in thebusiness’s operation.

To set up an LLC, articles of organiza-tion must be filed with the secretary ofstate where the facility, retail shop orother tennis business will operate. Somestates also require the filing of an operat-ing agreement, which is similar to a part-nership agreement.

Like partnerships, LLCs do not haveperpetual life. Some states stipulate thatthe business must dissolve after 30 or 40years. Technically, an LLC dissolves whena member dies, quits or retires.

Despite its popularity and the attrac-tions, LLCs also have disadvantages. Sincean LLC is a relatively new entity, its taxtreatment varies by state.

FINDING THE RIGHT ENTITYThe annual tax return provides one incen-tive to reconsider the options for yourtennis business. Entities with more thanone member are allowed to elect corpo-


rate status on the annual tax returns. Thus,an entity that is a partnership under statelaws may elect to be taxed as a C or S corpfor federal taxes by using Form 8832 (EntityClassification Election). Unfortunately, underthose so-called “check-the-box” regula-tions, entities formed under a corporationstatute are automatically classified as corpo-rations and may not elect to be treated asany other kind of entity.

Changing circumstances, changes in thetax laws and even the success of the tennisbusiness might prompt a reassessment ofthe form your retail shop or facility operatesunder. It makes sense to ensure you areusing the best entity to provide your busi-ness—and you—with the most benefits andconsistently lowest tax bill.�

Mark E. Battersby is a tax and financialadvisor, lecturer, writer and author inArdmore, Pa.

DEMO RACQUET RACKON COURTFor under $50, you can purchase a profes-sional-looking portable racquet center thatwill hold a dozen or more racquets. Havethe pros at your facility bring it out on thecourt when they teach drill sessions andclinics, or simply keep it on the court forback-to-back lessons. Players will be eagerto try new racquets, and you may just makea few quick sales.

DEMO RACQUETCENTER IN SHOPGet a second racquet rack for the shopand, if you buy into this marketing concept,have a double set of demo racquets as well.Then, train your desk staff to ask all playersgoing out to play if they would like to try a

SUCCESSmarketing&

Ideas That Can Help You SellMore Racquets B Y J O E D I N O F F E R


hen I managed pro shops and play-ers wanted me to recommend aracquet, I usually walked them over

to the display area and asked them whatcolor they liked.

This overly simplistic advice underscoressomething far more important. People playtennis largely for fun and for the satisfac-tion of improvement. Their racquet is asimportant to them as the clothes theywear, the car they drive, the cell phonethey use, and the house they live in. Theywill select it largely because of an emotion-al reaction. And, yes, color is important.

Each year racquet manufacturers comeup with higher performance, more sleek,and more high-tech equipment. Even thenames of the frames are hot. For instance,Head’s “Liquid Metal Series.” It sounds likethe nearly indestructible and ultra-cool she-

villain in Terminator 3. Or Babolat’s“Pure Drive,” which Andy Roddick uses.Who doesn’t want to hit their shots“pure” like Roddick, whatever thatmeans? Or Prince’s “Shark,” remindingus of that tenacious and sometimesdeadly fish.

The point is that the racquet compa-nies are working for us. They conceive,design, and promote new racquets eachyear to tickle your players into tryingthem out and ultimately purchasingthem. The question is, how can we takeadvantage of the work that they areinvesting in our business?

Here are a few ideas to help you cashin on the investments the racquet manu-facturers are making in the industry.Someone will be selling racquets to play-ers. It may as well be you.

W


Joe Dinoffer is Master Professional forboth the PTR and USPTA. He speaksfrequently at national and internationaltennis teacher workshops as a memberof both the Head/Penn and Reebok

National Speaker's Bureaus. He is president ofOncourt Offcourt Inc. and has written 16 books andproduced more than 30 instructional videos.

demo racquet. They should already be ask-ing the players if they need a can of balls,so have them ask, “You’re on Court 6.Have fun. Do you need a can of balls?Would you like to try out a demo racquetfree of charge?”

PAY ATTENTION TO THEDEMO DETAILSTreat your demo racquets like you do yourcar when you have it detailed. The racquetsshould always look and feel perfect.Strings, stencils, grips, etc., should all be inexcellent shape. If they don’t look and feelterrific, who will want to buy them?

LIST THE TOP PROS’EQUIPMENTEveryone loves a celebrity. Look in Tennismagazine or check on the internet for acurrent list of the Top 10 ATP and WTAplayers or check out the Australian Openlog on pages 38-39. Type up their namesalong with the brand of racquet and framestyle that each player uses. Then, spend 30minutes or so and take your computerprint-out of this list to a nearby copy centerand have it enlarged to poster size. Buy a

nice frame that makes it easy to slip theposter in and out each month and hangit in the middle of or next to your proshop’s racquet display area. You’ll be sur-prised at how much attention it gets.

This idea is also a great icebreaker orconversation starter for your staff mem-bers who help customers with racquets.But, remember, the key is to update thelist monthly. A little extra time each

month will definitely help sell at least oneextra racquet. With an average profitmargin of $75 to $100 per racquet, isn’tit worth the effort?

PLAYER POSTERS OFFRAMESTake advantage of pro player posters thatthe racquet companies distribute. Butdon’t just use scotch tape or maskingtape to hang them—that looks tacky.Frame them nicely. And ask your racquetmanufacturer for an autographed copy ofthe poster. Tell them that you are framingthem in the shop, so it will last for years,and that some of the other racquet mak-ers are helping you with this project. Youmay not get every player’s autographedposter, but if you’re persistent, you’llmost likely get a few. �

SUCCESSretailingSigns of the TimesUse captivating graphics to capture more sales.

G

Use technology as a meansof communication: Don’t justrely on the traditional, brief print signsand large-format graphics, says Tesler.Consider using computer screens orsmall kiosks to provide information fromthe vendor directly to the shopper.

Ken Nisch, president of JGA Services inSouthfield, Mich., also emphasizes theimportance of digital imaging for in-storegraphic displays. “It’s all about creating anenvironment and experience—not just a 3-by-5 graphic,” he says. Pro shops andsmaller tennis retailers should considerusing computers and DVD players to“leverage the content in their environ-ment” and create high-energy, dynamicgraphics, Nisch says.

B Y C Y N T H I A S H E R M A N


s a retailer, do you know whatsome of your best weapons arewhen the economy is weak? Sig-

nage and graphics.That’s according to Display and Design

Ideas magazine’s 2003 Signage andGraphics Industry Survey. If sales flattenout or decline and you have to cut retailstaff, point-of-purchase signage can helppump up your business.

But graphics and signage can do muchmore for you. Today, consumers are look-ing for diverse, newer, more eclectic shop-ping venues. Malls are losing consumertraffic yearly, says Mike Tesler, president ofRetail Concepts in Norwell, Mass.Research has shown that people aren’tresponding to the homogenized look—stores that look like other stores, Teslersays. “This is where the pro shop and thesports specialty retailer has a real chanceto stand out.”

Graphic design gurus are pushing newtechniques that can make even small proshops and stand-alone tennis retailersstand out, ensuring their graphics dollarsmake the biggest impact. Here are sometimely tips from retail industry pros.

Signage needsto communicate: Tesler sug-gests using features and benefits, pricepoint, and short sentences in graphicvisuals throughout the store. A shopneeds to create its own interpretation ofwhy a consumer should buy a specificproduct or brand of equipment orapparel and be able to briefly communi-cate that visually.

Signage needsto coordinate: This is a goodplace to establish a shop’s personality.Store graphics need to be coordinatedso there’s a unity of branding andimage that a shopper associates withthat particular store. Don’t use signagesolely to push sale items, says Tesler.Graphics and signage can do so muchmore for your business.

A

Try digital “slip covers”:Another use for digital imaging is “slipcovering,” as Nisch calls it—creatingcovers for tables or other fixturesthrough digital imaging. Digitallyenlarging and enhancing an image of aracquet, ball, or other tennis-relatedelement and using it as a slip cover fora display “gives the store a new face

without changing the architecture,”says Nisch. To make this economicallyfeasible, see what a Kinko’s-type ofstore can do for you.

Put images on vinyland board stock: To captureconsumers’ attention, Dean Henkel,creative director of Innovative Media inMadison, Wis., suggests what he calls“grand-format imaging”—puttingimages on flat-board stock or moreflexible vinyl overlays. Adhesive-backedvinyls—which can adhere to walls,floors, fixtures, windows, etc.—can bepeeled off and changed frequently fora new look, at a relatively low cost.

Incorporate graphicsinto display space: Jeff Gill,managing principal of design firmMCG Architecture in Irvine, Calif., sug-gests incorporating graphics into thedesign of the display space. “You canuse a repetitive band that wrapsaround the periphery of the space, typ-ically above the merchandise,” Gillsays. “It serves to highlight productand is very effective in small locationswhere the graphics band acts as astrong element due to its repetitivenature.” This kind of graphic is morestationary as it is generally silk-screened or painted on other types ofsurfaces.

In a larger store, larger-than-lifegraphics boards can be used as a back-drop, drawing attention to a particularpart of the store and highlighting theproduct. This draws attention to the dis-plays themselves and enhances the prod-uct’s appeal.

Use your imagination: Youshould be seeing the trend by now.You need to capture the shopper’sattention, and communicate your mes-sage. Nowadays, there are so manyoptions available to customize yourlook and brand your store.�

10 WAYS TOFIRE UP TENNIS

TIP #1: BRING BACK SERVINGAND VOLLEYING.

Shockingly, the most exciting and athletic playing style exem-plified by McEnroe, Becker, Sampras, Gonzalez and Navratilo-va and decades of Australian stars from Sedgman to Court toRafter—is almost extinct. Imagine football without the for-ward pass or boxing without body punching and you get thebleak picture. Tim Henman, now 30 and never a champion,is the only Top 10 serve-volleyer, and less than a dozen top100 players frequently do it. Among the women, only AussieAlicia Molik and American Lisa Raymond, 31, serve and volleyeven occasionally. What’s the remedy? Gradually reduce theallowable overall width of the racquet head from the current12 1/2” (31.75 cm) to 10” (25.4 cm). That will significantlydecrease the tremendous power and vicious spin that today’shigh-tech racquets generate and help redress the imbalancenow favoring baseliners. Increase the importance of grass-court play—where serving and volleying is most effective—byscheduling Wimbledon a week later to add another week ofgrass tournaments. And create some new grass-court eventsduring the year. Get rid of slow, abrasive hard courts thatunduly favor groundstrokers. Encourage talented youngstersto improve their volleying skills so they can develop their serv-ing-and-volleying as juniors. Contrasting styles create sensa-tional match-ups, such as McEnroe-Borg, Sampras-Agassi andNavratilova-Evert, that feature diving volleys, leaping smashes,scintillating passing shots and cunning lobs. Otherwise, ten-nis fans suffer baseline blahs from a menu limited almostcompletely to forehands and backhands whacked by incom-plete players.

TIP #2: CREATE INFORMATIVEAND CLEAR STANDINGS.For the past 30 years newspapers have published a confus-ing array of tennis rankings and lists that turn off, ratherthan enlighten, sports fans. Want to know who’s No. 1and who’s in the Top 10? It’s no easy task! The men’sgame, for example, gives us the ATP Champions Racewhich often conflicts with the ATP Entry Rankings (viz. the“real” rankings), which are different from the US OpenSeries rankings during the summer. We also are barragedwith not one but two doubles rankings: team and individ-ual. To bewilder us further, we get weekly prize moneylists, which are meaningless because they combine singles,doubles and mixed doubles earnings. Then, of course, theITF crowns its own annual men’s and women’s champi-ons—such as No. 3-ranked Anastasia Myskina in 2004—which don’t always coincide with the year-end ATP andWTA No. 1 players. Enough already! Team sports, such asthe NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB, clearly and simply tell us whoare the best teams and the order of the rest with standings.No conflicts, debates, or confusion. Tennis, both an individ-ual and team sport, can and must create easy-to-under-stand and informative “standings,” too. Theseground-breaking, weekly Top 10 singles standings wouldinclude the player’s last name, country, point average, mostrecent results (such as round reached in last tournament)and next scheduled tournament. Doubles standings wouldinclude the Top 5-ranked teams with a similar format.These Monday-morning standings would provide aficiona-dos with all they need to know.

Enthralling rivalries and charismatic characters make tennisboom, but the sport doesn’t have to plummet in popularitywhen they are in short supply. Here are 10 ways to fire uptennis, from an award-winning tennis writer. B Y P A U L F E I N

T H E P R O G A M E

10 WAYS TOFIRE UP TENNIS



TIP #3: IDENTIFY THEPLAYERS.

Big-time tennis is blessed with so much depththat unknowns and lesser lights test and upsetfavorites regularly. Hardly anyone outside theircountries, though, had heard of Tomas Berdych,an 18-year-old Czech ranked No. 135, whoshocked world No. 1 Roger Federer at theAthens Olympics, and No. 447 Chris Guccione,an 18-year-old Aussie who ambushed No. 3Juan Carlos Ferrero at the 2004 Sydney Interna-tional. Who are these guys, and where do theycome from? Inquiring fans want to know.Starting in 2005, doubles players, generallymuch less known by spectators, should berequired to wear their full names and countrieson the back of their shirts, dresses and warm-upsuits. Singles players would follow suit in 2006.Then there’d be no more “Come on, whatshis-name!” cries from the crowd.

TIP #4: REV UP TOUR-NAMENT FINALS.

Tennis is often compared with boxing, anothermano a mano fiercely competitive individualsport. Dramatic entrances and colorfulannouncements magnify the already ear-shatter-ing noise and exciting anticipation at title fights.Renowned ring announcer Michael Buffer’sfamous “Let’s get ready to rumble!” climaxeshis engaging introductions of the boxers andwhips fans into a frenzy. Boxing great SugarRay Leonard once said, “When I heard [thosefive words], it made me want to fight. I could-n’t wait to get it on.” Tennis should copy thatformat or create other dynamic pre-final formatsat non-Grand Slam tournaments. Playing thenational anthems of both finalists would height-en patriotic fervor and also rev up partisanonlookers.

TIP #5: CONNECT PLAY-ERS AND FANS.Sports like NASCAR are way ahead of the gamebecause devotees feel they “know” the stars oftheir sport. Fans chat with Jeff Gordon, DaleEarnhardt Jr. and other drivers minutes beforethey risk their lives at breakneck speeds. “Weall know you follow someone’s career more

intently if you know them,” points out former doubles champion Pam Shriver,now a TV analyst. “Tennis stars need to be accessible on game day before com-petition as well as after.” To strengthen the player-fan connection, tennis shouldcopy golf and conduct Pro-Am events benefiting charities before Tennis MastersSeries and International Series tournaments. On the last weekend players couldalso stage adult and junior camps and seminars when the courts have opened up.

TIP #6: NICKNAME PLAYERS.Whatever happened to the colorful and fun nicknames of yester-year? I remember when players got tagged with memorablemonikers such as “Muscles” (Ken Rosewall), “Snake” (RossCase), “Rocket” (Rod Laver), “Nails” (BobCarmichael), “Gentleman Jack” (Crawford),“Hacker” (Fred Stolle), “The Wizard” (Nor-man Brookes), and “Killer” (Darren Cahill).And those are only Australian men, forstarters. Catchy sobriquets are rare todaywith the best being “The Beast” (MaxMirnyi), “The Mosquito” (Ferrero) and“Scud” (Mark Philippoussis). No oneasked me, but how about “The Mad Russ-ian” for Marat Safin and “Pocket Rocket”for Justine Henin-Hardenne?

TIP #7: DRESS LIKECHAMPS, NOTCHUMPS.Sex sells and not just for tennisbabes whose outfits range fromattractively classy to seductivelyskimpy. For the past 10 years, howev-er, men’s attire has gone downhill fastwith baggy shorts that look more like crum-pled underwear and shirts with sleeves down to theelbow. Some dorks even wear baseball caps whenplaying indoors. What are they trying to hide, any-way? A survey a while back revealed men tour playersboasted an awesome 6.9 body fat percent average. Thebest sartorial innovation this century is the sleeveless shirtworn by German Tommy Haas, Spaniards Rafael Nadaland Carlos Moya, and American James Blake. Hey, guys,show those muscles. Chicks dig them!

TIP #8: STOP THE STALLING.Sports fans crave action. But the disturbing truth isthat men’s singles matches, in particular, provide muchtoo little “action time.” Typically, the ball is in play only

10 to 15 percent of the total match time, compared to a far more entertain-ing 30 to 50 percent in other leading sports, such as football, basketball andsoccer. To reduce the “dead time,” tennis should put a 20-second clock oncourt, like the shot clock in basketball, and when the buzzer goes off, theplayer loses that point if he hasn’t served. The WTA Tour should get rid ofthe ridiculous two “bathroom breaks” rule and limit on-court visits by train-ers—that typically last three to five minutes—to once in best-of-three-setmatches and twice in best-of-five-set matches. And neither tour should

adopt a rule allowing players to challenge line calls. It’s yetanother boring and unnecessary time-waster.

TIP #9: RESUSCI-TATE DOUBLES.Back in 1991 former doubles starFrew McMillan rightly observed:“The way tournaments treat dou-bles reminds me of a grocer whohas a good product but won’tput it out on the shelf. Thepeople would buy the prod-uct if they saw it, but mostof them aren’t even awareit’s available because of

the way it’s hidden fromview.” Doubles is

the event thatrecreationalplayers favor,and as Aussiegreat JohnNewcombeonce said, “Agood doublesmatch can beone of the fastestand most excitingof all sports


events.” Here’s how doubles can reach its propotential.� Start doubles on Wednesday to encouragefirst- and second-round singles losers to enter.

� Televise all doubles finals after the singles.� Assign an ATP and WTA communicationsdirector to doubles only, and publicize leadingteams with a major promotional campaign.

� Immediately follow the 7 p.m. singles matchwith a doubles match—or start the doubles at6:30 p.m., followed by a singles at approxi-mately 8 or 8:30 p.m.

� Require matching shirts and shorts for doublesteams.

� Have doubles teams appear together in auto-graph sessions.

� Have doubles teams conduct “Kids Days” sothat doubles is explained and showcased.

� Nearly double the measly 17 percent ofTennis Master Series total prize money (and20 percent overall) that doubles receives to 30percent.

TIP #10: FIX THESCHEDULE.

To help reverse the epidemic of injuries, exhaus-tion and burnout, shorten the grueling season sothat it ends in October with the Davis Cup andFed Cup finals. Reduce the Davis Cup WorldGroup from 16 to eight teams and from four tothree rounds and play the first round in April sothat the previous year’s champion will reign forat least six months. This 10-week “off-sea-son”—still small compared to other sports—willbenefit fans, too. We’ll actually start to miss thesport and will eagerly look forward to its Januaryreturn in Australia. �

Award-winning tennis writer Paul Fein’s book, Tennis Con-fidential: Today’s Greatest Players, Matches, and Contro-versies, published by Brassey’s, Inc., was listed No. 1among tennis books by Amazon.com and BN.com. Informa-tion about the book and how to order it can be found at:www.tennisconfidential.com. His second book, You CanQuote Me on That: Greatest Tennis Quips, Insights, andZingers, will be published by Potomac Books, Inc. (formerlyBrassey’s, Inc.) in March 2005. For more information, visitwww.tennisquotes.com.

CORPORATEDIVIDENDS


n increasing focus on the growth of corporate tennis pro-grams not only stands to benefit companies across the

country, but also tennis teaching pros, facilities and retail shops.And, in addition to promoting the healthful attributes of thegame, corporate tennis programs will bring new players intothe game.

At least 30 corporate tennis leagues currently exist in theU.S.—both intercompany leagues where different corporationsplay each other, and intracompany leagues made up of teamswithin the same company. This year, the USTA and WorldTeamTennis are joining forces to grow corporate tennis pro-grams, with a goal of finding 10 metropolitan markets this yearto start leagues. The partnership has already proved fruitful—anew league has begun in Atlanta, under the auspices of theGeorgia Tennis Association.

“World TeamTennis is fun, exciting, quick and co-ed,” saysDelaine Mast, WTT national program coordinator for the recre-ational leagues. “The USTA has a desire to grow the game. Soit’s a very good partnership.”

As a teaching pro or facility manager, you should look forcompanies in your area that are ripe to start corporate tennis. Itcould be a lucrative venture for your business, and there are alot of advantages to everyone involved, including employeesthemselves and the companies they work for.

GOOD FOR THE COMPANYCorporations that offer employee-fitness programs benefit

in a number of ways. The Health Partners Research Foundationhas found that increasing physical activity to moderate levels canlower health care charges by $2,000 per employee. In addition,physically fit employees are known to demonstrate better jobperformance. What’s more, adds Glenn Arrington, USTA prod-

uct manager for Adult Tennis, is that “these programs provide a reallynice platform for team-building within an organization.”

Meanwhile, facilities that host such programs also see substantialbenefits, most obviously in increased revenue from equipment andretail sales, league fees and court fees. Tennisport Incorporated, a pri-vate facility in Long Island City, N.Y., is the home of “CorporateLeague Tennis,” a program that brings 26 New York City companiestogether for tennis competition and camaraderie. According to manag-er Doris Sterling, approximately 25 percent of league participants overthe past 10 years have become club members. In particular, the facili-ty’s pro shop has noticed that the number of racquets they’ve restrunghas increased substantially as a result of the corporate program.

Another benefit of corporate tennis for a community and/or tennisfacility is the potential for sponsorship opportunities. “When a businessparticipates in the corporate tennis program, and sees the benefits toits employees, it is more likely to support the cause of tennis,” saysJulie Pek, executive director of the USTA Kentucky district. KentuckyFried Chicken, headquartered in Louisville, has participated in a corpo-rate tennis program for the last five years. “Because of this awarenessof tennis, and some very influential employees, KFC was a major spon-sor of the USA League Southern Sectional Championships in 2001 and2002,” says Pek.

FIND THE RIGHT FORMATCorporate tennis play formats are flexible. Arrington suggests

that facilities interested in hosting a corporate tennis program look intowhat the company wants from the program, and use that as a guideto achieve a balance between the league’s needs and those of othermembers and visitors. According to Sterling, the corporate leaguetakes over the Tennisport courts between 8 and 10 p.m. on weekdays,and 6 and 8 p.m. on weekends, a time convenient for other members.

There are several ways to market a tennis program to a company

A

Starting company tennisleagues in your area can belucrative for your business, funfor employees, and beneficialfor the corporations. B Y K R I S T E N D A L E Y

G R O W I N G T H E G A M E

CORPORATEDIVIDENDS


and its employees. “We have 32 courts thatwe need to fill, so we need to look at everyavenue,” says Michael Woody, managingdirector at Midland Community Tennis Cen-ter in Midland, Mich. To get companiesinterested, he appeals to their humanresources or personnel representatives, pitch-ing the center’s “Play Tennis Fast” programas a healthy lifestyle program for employees.

Going straight to an existing tennis playeris another way to start or grow a corporateleague. One employee could bring in agroup of colleagues to participate in aleague, or approach his or her employerabout sponsoring a program or a team.

Woody has found offering corporate ten-nis to be an effective tactic in growing thegame and his business—the program yieldsabout 200 new players and 100 new mem-bers a year. He considers it an “importantpiece” in a collaboration of programs thathelp build the business’s bottom line. “If wedidn’t market to corporations, we’d lose1,000 hours” of court time, he explains,which equates to about $10,000 in revenue.

Arrington sees the promotion of corpo-rate tennis as an efficient way to market toa group quickly and get a substantial return.“I think corporate tennis is an untappedmarket at this point,” he says. “It hasenormous potential to reach the 25-to-45age group.”�

How to Start a CorporateLeague In Your Area� Contact a company’s Human Resourcesdepartment: Tell them of the benefits a cor-porate league can have to both the companyand its employees. Most companies, especial-ly large firms, should find the health-care costsavings and increased productivity of workersquite appealing. See whether the companycan subsidize all or part of the cost of theleague for its employees.

� Get the word out: Once you have the OKfrom H.R., use every resource available to getthe word out to company employees. Try tofind a “point person” in the company whocan act as your liaison for the league; possiblysomeone in the personnel department ormaybe a tennis player from that companythat you already teach or know from yourfacility. Then have him or her send emailblasts to fellow employees and have noticesposted on bulletin boards and in companynewsletters and corporate-wide memos. Haveyour point person manage the sign-up list forthe league.

� Find out the best play format for the newleague: Contact your USTA section, district orCTA or World TeamTennis to figure out whichformat will work best for the league. Someformats are better for beginner players andmay also include clinics and practices to helpthem improve their games. Make sure youcan carve out court time that is compatiblewith the employees’ schedules.

� Hold a welcome party: Pick a date and openup the facility, or at least a few courts, for aparty for the employees. Have snacks andbeverages (see if the company can help fundthis), organize round-robins, drills and clinics.Make sure you address all the different levelsof play you may get, from rank beginners toadvanced players. And above all, keep it funand make sure that employees have a chanceto socialize with each other when not playing.

� Work the league season: Be in constanttouch with league members, through emailsand notices on bulletin boards and incompany newsletters. List the leaguestandings each week.

� Hold a season-ending party: Give awards, andencourage current players to bring new peo-ple into the league. Also take this opportunityto have them sign up for the next season.

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CUSTOMERTENNIS


eter Burwash gave me my first formal tennis lesson.It happened 17 years ago at Seabrook Island Resort in South Car-

olina. And I was intrigued—by Burwash himself, by his pros, by histeaching methods, by his whole positive outlook toward life and tennis.

I think Burwash would be happy to know that now, after havingtaken lessons from many different pros over the years, I still remember—and more importantly, still use—at least two key Peter Burwash teachingpoints: On the serve, “hit up, snap down” (I remember him sitting cross-legged on the court at the baseline and “snapping” the ball over the netand into the service court), and, in the ready position, hold the throat ofyour racquet with your non-racquet hand, with your index finger on thestrings to help “set” the direction of the head for the next shot.

When everything else starts falling apart during a match, these twosimple tips help me regain my balance. Then I remember what a greattime I had that long weekend 17 years ago and how much I learnedabout playing and enjoying the game. And I consider how lucky I was tohave my introduction to tennis be from someone who has such a hugepassion for the game.

SOLE SURVIVORIt was 30 years ago this past February when Burwash started Peter

Burwash International, which manages the tennis operations at some ofthe world’s most exclusive resorts and clubs. In 1975, Burwash, whogrew up in Canada and was living in Hawaii at the time, was fresh offthe pro tour, having played professionally since 1967, winning 19 singlesand doubles titles.

“When I was on the tour, playing at clubs and resorts around theworld, I saw how a lot of tennis operations were set up,” says Burwash,“and three things struck me. First, in those days, there were a lot oftourneys at resorts, and I’d interact with resort managers and they’d belooking for a pro. So I thought, maybe there’s room for a managementcompany to supply pros to resorts.

“Second, living in Hawaii, I’d hear from people who saidthey had visited three or four different islands and would getdifferent instruction from each pro, with no consistency fromone to the next.

“Third, I just had an incredible life on the tour and had achance to play in 74 countries. I thought, it would be nice ifpeople could have this travel experience even if they weren’table to play on the pro tour.

“I thought a tennis management company was a brilliantidea. I didn’t realize that by 1975, there were 16 others doingthe same thing,” he says. “Right now, of those original 17,we’re the survivors. We’re the one still standing. And it’s beenvery gratifying.”

INTENSIVE TRAININGCurrently, PBI manages the tennis at 69 sites around the

world, and there are 101 tennis professionals in the company.“I’ve personally interviewed 10,586 pros,” says Burwash.

“And these are long interviews—10 to 14 hours. I believethat the president of the company should do most of theinterviews and take time with them, so you get it right. I’mstymied today with how many people do one- or two-hourinterviews. You can’t really learn that much in that time.”

Pros who survive the interview process still have a longway to go, however—450 hours of training, crammed intoone month of 15-hour days. Prospective PBI pros spend 130of those training hours on court, learning about basic teach-ing methods, how to give private and group lessons, and vari-ous on-court programs. But, says Burwash, “We don’t teachsystems; we teach individuals. We teach a setup concept andterminology that will allow customers to go from one PBIfacility to another. That consistency and continuity of commu-nication is very important and leads to very loyal customers.”

The other 320 hours of training are off the court and inthe classroom, where PBI pros learn about the business. Butthey don’t just learn about their little area of tennis; PBI prosare schooled in all aspects of the resort and club business.

“We have courses about what a hotel manager does,what convention bookers and meeting planners do, how each

For 30 years, Peter Burwash andPeter Burwash International havebeen providing unrivaled serviceto players, vacationers, facilities,and their own employees.

B Y P E T E R F R A N C E S C O N I

I N D U S T R Y S U C C E S S

CUSTOMERTENNIS


department in a hotel fits into the whole scheme of things, class-es in writing, understanding the media, how to put together apress release, how to take photos, budgeting, court construction,lighting, court maintenance, computers, and much more,” saysBurwash. “It’s very intensive.”

BECOMING PARTNERSThe idea behind the training is to make the PBI tennis pro a

partner with the host facility, with an understanding about whatthese resorts and clubs deal with daily and how they can becomemore profitable.

“We can put together a tournament to help generate roombusiness, and we help bring meetings to these facilities,” saysBurwash, adding that it was his suggestion that brought theUSTA Annual Meeting to the Westin Rio Mar Resort & Casinolast year, a PBI facility in Puerto Rico.

“We train our guys to be proactive,” says Burwash. “Original-ly, we were just service people. Now we’re service/managementpeople to help the fiscal health of the property along. While ourpros are not employees at these resorts, they are departmentheads. The resorts know that we’re in the business to help themsell rooms.”

PBI pros also go through a 150-item checklist regularly onhow to take care of the tennis courts and equipment. “All thesedetails ensure that we remain fiscally responsible” to the resortor club, says Burwash.

“But,” he adds, “no decision on our part is going to bebased on dollars; it’s going to be on, can we deliver the service.The first day of training, we say to pros, ‘You’re coming into theservice business, not the tennis business.’”

DRESSING FOR SUCCESSAnd that brings up another key distinction of PBI pros.

“We look at how we are being perceived,” says Burwash. “Theimage of the average tennis pro is extremely poor. If a pro comesout with his shirt hanging out, looking like a slob, I’m not goingto have a lot of faith that this guy knows what he’s talkingabout.

“I was doing a conference last year and the general managerat the resort said to me, ‘Why do tennis pros have to dress likesuch slobs? Look at the golf pros—they’re all dressed well andclean-shaven. What is it with you guys?’” says Burwash. “That’swhat I hear. Owners don’t want to put money into tennisbecause it’s perceived like such a slobbish sport. They can’t getpast that perception to see that the purpose of the courts is togenerate room revenue.

“One of the major complaints is that pros either miss lessonsor show up late to them,” he adds. “Tennis has it over golf inpractically every segment, but what golf has over us is a muchhigher degree of professionalism. This lack of professionalism intennis pros drives me crazy.

“To me, it’s just common sense on how you dress, how youact, and how you present yourself,” says Burwash. “Most ofour properties, they’d throw us out if we presented ourselvesthat way.”

CUSTOMER SATISFACTIONWhile PBI is installed at 69 sites in 32 countries to date,

“We’ve turned down quite a few over the years,” says Burwash.“The No. 1 reason is for a lack of service mentality—the owner ormanager doesn’t really see service as critical. No. 2 would be securi-ty. We’ve had offers to go to different places that aren’t really safe.No. 3 is that we’ve carved out a niche of being in five-star opera-tions, so our customers have come to expect that. We generatecustomers who trust us.”

And for 30 years, the customer is what PBI is all about. “Wehave a strong corporate policy of never charging if the customerdoesn’t get it,” says Burwash. “I expect all of our pros, if they don’tsucceed in a lesson, to give the lesson for free. Also, if we are oneminute late, we give the lesson for free, and the pro pays a $50fine to the [host] company. The customer is the winner. I wishmore service businesses would do that—if you don’t get the jobdone, don’t charge.

“I would average 20 to 25 letters a week commending theexcellent service,” he adds. “I think we’ve had two negative lettersin the 30 years, and they were both our fault and we ended upcovering the cost.”

Communication within the PBI organization is also key, both forserving the customer and serving the host facility. Burwash sendsout a message to all his pros two or three times a week, he says.Also, every PBI pro must send out a newsletter at least four times ayear to all the other pros, sharing information about their successesand failures.

“We’re very conscientious about sharing where we go wrong,”says Burwash. “If you don’t communicate your mistakes, they con-tinue to happen.”

EMPLOYEE SATISFACTIONWith PBI pros, the rigorous interview process, the intensive

training, and the constant communication pay off big. Burwashsays he’s never laid off anyone in his company over the 30 years.Ten of his pros have been with him since day one, and the mostjunior person at PBI headquarters at The Woodlands in Texas hasbeen with him for 24 years.

Pro Dan Aubuchon joined PBI 26 years ago, when he graduatedfrom college, and now is the tennis director at the Bighorn GolfClub in Palm Desert, Calif. “There are two things that Peter didthat really keep people in the company,” he says. “One is that thechallenge is always changing and moving. Whatever you want toget into, Peter will help you. I’ve gotten into consulting and design

work, coaching pro players, running clinics for new PBI coaches.“The other thing is the people,” Aubuchon says. “The peo-

ple you spend time with are incredible. I’m as close to thesepeople as I am to my family.”

Adds Chris Dwyer, PBI’s executive vice president and COO,“Peter’s enthusiasm is contagious. It keeps you going. He keepschallenging and encouraging. Hegives you a lot of freedom to take theinitiative.” Dwyer, whose main job ismatching pros to resorts, has knownBurwash since his days living in Cana-da.

Burwash’s respect for his pros alsoruns deep. “I’ve never taken a pennyfrom another pro; I’ve never receivedone cent from the company,” Bur-wash says. “I have no salary. I makemy money on speaking engagements,books, articles.

“For me, loyalty is a two-waystreet,” he adds. “Today, employersare not loyal to their employees, yetthey want their employees to be loyalto them. I’ve always felt that if youremployees are happy, that’s going tobe truly reflected in how they treatthe customer.

“I speak to major corporations,and I find that one of the reasons they’re struggling today isthat the president is so focused on the bottom line that theyspend all their time worrying about that instead of taking careof the employees,” says Burwash. “You’d better make it a neatenvironment to come to work in. Everyone has my direct lineand email and can contact me any time. I spend three to fourhours a day just talking to the pros individually.”

HOME AND AWAYBurwash’s speaking engagements take him around the

world, addressing such companies as American Express, Four SeasonsHotels and Resorts, Chemical Bank, the American Cancer Society,Cornell University, Pacific Asia Travel Association, the USPTA, and theUSTA. His topics can range from leadership, to motivation, to healthand fitness, to service, to tennis, and more.

For nearly 25 years he spent more than 300 days a year on theroad, averaging about 264,000 air-travel miles annually. But, he says,“I’m trying to get smarter.” For the last eight or nine years, he sayshe’s averaged about 150 days on the road, packing more into eachtrip so he’s able to spend less time away from his family—wife Lynnand adopted daughters Kimberly, 14, and Skyler, 9.

Home for Burwash now is Carmel Valley, Calif., where the familymoved from Hawaii in 1999. “We came to buy the Gardiner TennisRanch,” says Burwash. “When John Gardiner wanted to sell, hecalled me and said I was the only one he trusted the property to. Iraised the money in 24 hours, then there was a zoning dispute andmy lead investor panicked, then prices rose and it didn’t happen.”

Now Burwash runs the 12-court (10 hard, two clay) Carmel ValleyRanch. The director of tennis at Carmel Valley Ranch is Bruce Haase,who has been a pillar of the PBI organization since its founding, saysBurwash.

Burwash also has written 10 books, including the still popular“Tennis for Life.” But only two of his books are about tennis; theothers are on life and motivation. His latest book is “Dear Teenager,”which deals with teen suicide and getting through the toughteenage years.

Among his many successes on court,Burwash started wheelchair tennis. “InFebruary 1975 we founded the nonprof-it International Foundation of WheelchairTennis,” he says. “We put down the firstrules and had the first tournaments.When Brad Parks formed the NationalFoundation of Wheelchair Tennis, wefelt he would be a better spokesman forthe sport.”

Burwash also started a tennis pro-gram for prisoners at the Hawaii StatePrison. “In 18 years, of all the guys inour program, only one returned toprison after being let out,” says Bur-wash. “They were absolutely my favoritegroup to teach; they were truly the mostappreciative, and their deportment onthe court was impeccable. I still keep intouch with some of them.” The programended in 1993 when the prison neededthe court space to build more cells.

But community service remains a keyfor PBI today. “I ask all of our pros to give two to four hours a weekof community service on behalf of the sport,” says Burwash. “If theycan’t, then PBI isn’t for them.”

For Burwash, though, and for the three-decades-long successstory of PBI, it comes down to one very simple business philosophy.“My No. 1 role is to take care of the employees,” he says. “Theemployees’ No. 1 role is to take care of the customers. And, magical-ly, the customer takes care of the bottom line.

“We’ve made money for 30 years with that philosophy.” �


PROMOTIONSTHAT WORK


hat makes some racquet sports facili-ties busier than beehives? That's thequestion I put to some folks in the

industry.“You've got to talk to Beth Beck at Club

Fit,” said Denise Jordan, executive directorof the USTA Eastern Section.“You've got to talk to Richard Millman atWestchester Squash,” said Simon Haysom, anational-level amateur squash player.

Well, they were both right. I found outthat Beth Beck and Richard Millman mayhave different ways of doing business, butboth are amazingly successful. You, too, canlearn some valuable lessons from what Beckand Millman are doing at their facilities.

THE MULTIDIRECTIONALAPPROACH

There are two Club Fits in upscale Westch-ester County, a northern suburb of NewYork City. I headed for the one in Briarcliff,N.Y. (the other facility is in Jefferson Valley).

The place is immense, with acres of park-ing, and on the Thursday morning Istopped by, the lot was nearly full.

I met co-owner and President Beth Beckin the lobby, which was buzzing with activi-ty. “We're having a party tonight to cele-brate our 30th birthday, so it's a bit morehectic than usual,” she said. “We're expect-ing over 800 people.” That, I later learned,was only 10 percent of the membership!

Beck took me on a tour, starting at thenursery where a dozen or so little kids werenoisily playing. We got a welcoming wavefrom the room's supervisor, who kept righton playing with the kids. (The secret: Hiresomeone who loves playing with kids andstill has 360-degree vision.) Next door is theplayroom for the older kids, which wasempty since all the kids were in school. Butthe room looked like heaven for 10-year-olds: dozens of things to climb, balls tothrow, games to play—and no hard edges.We visited the two indoor hard tenniscourts that are the survivors of the original

six. Later westopped by theseven new, bub-bled Har-Tru out-door courts.Quick count: twoempty, two play-ing singles, fivewith pros teach-ing lessons. Notbad for midday,mid-week.

Next, it wason to the gymfacilities that havetaken over from

four of the original courts. That would beabout 24,000 square feet and, like theparking lot, it was nearly full. After that, wewent out to the new pool area.

“We used to have just one pool,” Becksaid, as I looked at the three-pool facility.“Some people wanted to swim laps, somewere there for water therapy, and the kidswanted to play. It just didn't work.” When Ivisited, there were lap swimmers in the lappool and a seniors class in the therapy pool.The kids' pool will fill up after school.

I met Patty Irwin, the aquatics director,who explained the different temperaturesthey keep their pools: cooler for the lapswimmers, warmer for therapy. I'm begin-ning to see a pattern: attention to everydetail.

When we visited the seven bubbledcourts, I realized that they were turned 90degrees from the summer layout shown onthe website. By switching from a north-south layout in summer to an east-west lay-out, Club Fit gained one extra court spaceunder the bubble. Again, they don't miss asingle detail.

The six racquetball courts were upstairs,and they were empty. “Look . . .” Becksaid, with a note of real pain in her voice,“they'll be full tonight with the leagues, butstill . . .” She takes the empty space person-ally.

The club was built by a group of doctors

W

These two racquet sports facilities may be taking differentpaths, but both are leading to increased profits. B Y M A R T I N R I N E H A R T

PROMOTIONSTHAT WORK

I N D U S T R Y S U C C E S S


during the 1970s tennis boom. Beck wasasked to run a failing facility while the doc-tors decided what they would do with it.Eventually, Beck and a partner bought it.

“We turned the corner when westopped selling court time and started sellingmonthly EFT [electronic funds transfer]memberships,” she said. “That took a bit ofcourage, but it's really the key to the clubbecause you don't get into the renewalprocess.” With EFT, dues are automaticallydeducted at the beginning of every monthfrom a member's checking or credit-cardaccount. That was in1982 when EFT was anovel idea. Today, Club Fit in Jefferson Val-ley is undergoing a $10 million renovation.“You've got to keep investing; you can'tstand still,” said Beck.

In return for that investment, you canask your customers to pay. “We raise ratesabout 4 percent every year, whatever theeconomy's doing,” she said. Today's cus-tomers pay $120 a month for a 12-month,EFT commitment.

Finally, I asked about marketing. “Wedo a little of everything: mail, newspapers,www.clubfit.com. Our biggest advertising iscable television during the US Open,” Becksaid. “But basically it's all word-of-mouth.We offer $50 to anyone who brings in anew member.” She added that membersprefer the money rather than getting, say, afree month. “They really like to get thatcheck.”

Over the years the Club Fits havebecome models of a modern racquet sportsand fitness facility. Tennis alone doesn'twork for them; tennis and a good variety ofother fitness activities work. Trying to sellcourt time doesn't work; electronically paidmemberships work. Having one swimmingpool doesn't work for them; creating threepools, while not realistic in most demo-graphic areas, suits Club Fit members best.

It's all about what the members wantand need.

A SINGULAR FOCUSPat and Richard Millman, both squash

pros, created Westchester Squash inMamaroneck, N.Y., in 1998. It's a four-courtfacility in a converted warehouse in anindustrial bit of southern Westchester Coun-ty. It's not visible from any road likely to bedriven by a potential customer. On the otherhand, if you know where you're going, it'sconvenient by highway and train.

Westchester Squash is nothing but

squash. You can play squash, get squashlessons, buy a squash racquet, or haveyours restrung, but that's all. If you wantto lift a weight or swim a lap, you'll haveto go elsewhere.

Despite not having other activities todraw in members, Westchester Squashwas a success from day one. Richard Mill-man says it took three years for the word-of-mouth to make it the place to playsquash. Today it's a Mecca for squashenthusiasts—the facility hosts internation-al-level tournaments. Millman began toexpand as other owners of squash facili-ties (usually near-empty facilities) soughtout the Millman magic. WestchesterSquash now manages three four-courtlocations, keeping a dozen professionalsbusy.

“There are three things you need torun a successful squash program,” Mill-man told me. “First, you have to have aclean facility. I've seen private clubs wherethey wash their walls once a year. I usedto teach at a place where they washed thewalls every other day and you could tellthat the second day wasn't as good as thefirst.” Millman's walls are washed everymorning.

“Second, you have to have good 'pro-gram managers,'” he said. “Some peoplecall them teaching pros. Here, we haveprogram managers. They have to be goodwith squash, they have to be good withpeople, and they have to organize andmanage the squash businesses.

“Third, you have to have multiple prof-it centers,” he continued. “We have initia-tion fees and our EFT memberships.” It'sthe same revenue model as the Club Fits.But memberships are only a start.

“Then we have leagues. Lessons are amajor profit center. Our junior programsare another. We have school programswhere we give away court time butcharge for the coaching. We have tourna-ments here. We have coaches available togo with players to tournaments such as

the nationals.” Millman, himself an interna-tionally-ranked player, has coached many ofAmerica's top squash players.

Listen to Millman for even a short timeand you can add a fourth item to his list: alove of squash that is contagious.

He even entertains pure sales thoughts.“Parents know that their kids have a betterchance of getting into an Ivy League schoolif they're good squash players,” Millmansaid. This sort of thinking works well in anarea like Westchester County.

Millman is just as excited about pro-grams that bring squash to inner-city kids.Today, Westchester Squash is a partner inprograms that bring squash into urbanareas in New York and three other cities. Hewants to make squash a sport for everyone.

Like Beth Beck, Millman says word-of-mouth is his big seller. There's even a con-ductor on the commuter rail line whoannounces, “Mamaroneck Station, wherethe world-class squash players play.” Mill-man advertises in a squash magazine, atwww.WestchesterSquash.com and in theYellow Pages. Also, he credits the tourna-ments they host as promotional opportunities.

For Millman, it's all about providing thebest squash experience possible.

THE COMMON THREADLook closely and you can see that what

Beck and Millman have in common is a pas-sion for what they are doing. And thattranslates into an attention to details thatmake the Club Fits and Westchester Squashfacilities some of the best in the business.Each of Beck's pools is at the right tempera-ture. Millman's walls are washed everymorning.

But also, their passion is contagious. Itshows in the way Patty Irwin takes care ofthe pools. It's reflected in the way Millman'sprogram managers work. And you can betthat all the members of Club Fit andWestchester Squash feel that passion, too.

That's why they keep coming back, andbringing their friends. �


The U.S.’s Serena Wilwith title wins at theusing natural gut striful of male pros in thchart in your store, s

MENRound Racquet Racquet String

Rank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand1 S Roger Federer SUI Wilson N Six One Tour 90 Luxilon/Wilson2 F Lleyton Hewitt AUS Yonex RDX-500 90 Babolat/Luxilon3 S Andy Roddick USA Babolat Pure Drive + 100 Babolat4 W Marat Safin RUS Head Liquidmetal Prestige Mid 93 Luxilon/Babolat5 4 Guillermo Coria ARG Prince O3 Tour 100 Luxilon6 1 Carlos Moya ESP Babolat Pure Drive 100 Luxilon7 3 Tim Henman GBR Slazenger Pro X-1 95 Babolat/Luxilon8 3 Gaston Gaudio ARG Wilson N PRO 95 Toalson9 Q David Nalbandian ARG Yonex RDX-500 98 Luxilon10 Q Andre Agassi USA Head New Coming Soon 107 Luxilon11 4 Joachim Johansson SWE Yonex RDX 500 90 Luxilon/Babolat12 4 Guillermo Canas ARG Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 95 Kirschbaum13 4 Tommy Robredo ESP Dunlop 300G 98 Luxilon14 3 Fernando Gonzalez CHI Babolat Pure Storm Plus 98 Luxilon15 Q Nikolay Davydendo RUS Head LM Radical MP 98 Luxilon16 2 Mikhail Youzhny RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Pacific17 2 Tommy Haas GER Dunlop 200g 95 Babolat18 2 Nicolas Massu CHI Babolat Pure Storm Plus 98 Luxilon19 Q Dominik Hrbaty SVK Fischer Pro Extreme FT 95 Kirschbaum20 3 Feliciano Lopez ESP Babolat Pure Drive plus 98 Luxilon

WOMENRound Racquet Racquet String

Rank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand1 F Lindsay Davenport USA Wilson N Tour 95 Babolat2 W Serena Williams USA Wilson N3 110 Wilson3 Q Amelie Mauresmo FRA Dunlop 300G 98 Babolat4 S Maria Sharapova RUS Prince Turbo Shark MP 100 Babolat5 4 Anastasia Myskina RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Luxilon6 Q Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Luxilon7 4 Elena Dementieva RUS Yonex RDX-500 MP 98 Luxilon8 4 Venus Williams USA Wilson New Racquet coming soon 110 Wilson9 DNP Jennifer Capriati USA Prince Tour Diablo 95 Babolat/Luxilon10 Q Alicia Molik AUS Dunlop 300G 98 Luxilon11 2 Vera Zvonareva RUS Fischer Pro No One FT 98 Luxilon12 4 Nadia Petrova RUS Babolat Pure Drive Team 98 Luxilon13 S Nathalie Dechy FRA Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Babolat14 Q Patty Schnyder SUI Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Kirschbaum15 DNP Justine Henin-HardenneBEL Wilson N Tour 95 BDE16 DNP Elena Bovina RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Luxilon17 4 Karolina Sprem CRO Fischer Pro Tour FT 98 Tecnifibre18 4 Silvia Farina Elia ITA Prince Triple Threat Graphite OS 110 Luxilon19 3 Francesca Schiavone ITA Fischer Pro No. One 98 Luxilon20 DNP Paola Suarez ARG Prince NXG Graphite 100 Prince

P L A Y E R E Q U I P M E N T L O G


lliams and Russia’s Marat Safin kicked off the 2005 Grand Slam season in style in JanuaryAustralian Open. As the chart below shows, Williams is one of the few women pros stillings in her racquet. To further illustrate this march toward polyester strings, only a hand-e Top 20 are using natural gut, and all of them use it as part of a hybrid system. Post thisso your customers can check out what their favorite players are using.

String String Footwear ClothingString Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model BrandBig Banger Alu Power Rough/Natural Gut 16L 25/23.5 Nike VAPOR S2 NikeVS Team/Big Banger Alu Power 16L 56 Nike MAX Breathe FREE NikePro Hurricane/VS Team 16 16 73 Reebok Figjam DMX ReebokBig Banger Alu Power Rough/VS Touch 16 - Adidas Barricade III AdidasBig Banger Original 16 52 Adidas a3 Accelerate AdidasBig Banger Original 16 60 Nike MAX Breathe FREE NikeBig Banger Timo 18/ VS Team Natural Gut 18 51.6 Adidas Barricade III AdidasCyber Blade Tour Thermaxe 127 1.27mm 59.5 Diadora Protech DA2 DiadoraBig Banger Original 16 64 Yonex SHT-304 YonexBig Banger Alu Power 16L 66 Nike MAX Breathe FREE NikeBig Banger Alu Power/VS Team Natural Gut 17 - Yonex SHT-304 YonexSuper Smash Honey 1.2 - - - KDYBig Banger Original 16L 23.5kg Sergio Tacchini - Sergio TacchiniBig Banger Alu Power 16L 25/27kg Adidas Barricade III AdidasBig Bangert Alu Power 16L - - - -

1 Polygut Blend 17 17 26kg Fila X-Point FilaVS Touch - Asics - AsicsBig Banger Alu Power 16 53 Adidas Barricade III AdidasSuper Smash 17 17 - Lotto ATP Machine speed LottoBig Banger Original 16 - Nike - Nike

String String Footwear ClothingString Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model BrandVS Touch 15L 63/64 Nike Air Zoom Thrive NikeNatural 16 67 Nike - NikeVS Touch 16 57.2 Nike MAX Breathe FREE NikePro Hurricane 17/VS Touch 17 17 - Nike VAPOR S2 NikeBig Banger Timo 18 18 56/52 Nike - NikeBig Banger Alu Touch 16L - Fila X-Point FilaBig Banger Alu Power 16L 51/48.5 Yonex SHT-304 YonexNatural 16 65 Reebok VESW DMX ReebokVS Touch 16/Big Banger Alu Power 16L - Fila X-Point FilaBig Banger Alu Power 16L - Adidas Barricade III W AdidasBig Banger Alu Power 16L - Adidas Barricade II W AdidasMonotec Supersense 16L 28 Adidas Barricade III W AdidasVS Touch Natural Gut 16 - ASICS Gel Enqvist ASICSSuper Smash Spikey 17 - Adidas Barricade III W AdidasBDE Performance 16 - Adidas Barricade III W AdidasBig Banger Timo 17 - - - -

1 X-Tra Dynamic 1.33 16 57.3/55.1 - - -1 Big Banger Original 16 52/50 Sergio Tacchini - Sergio Tacchini

Big Banger Alu Power 18 - Diadora Kynetech W DA2 DiadoraTournament Nylon 15L - Lotto ATP Supreme Lite Lotto


there, Völkl V-Rex might be just the stringthey need.

—Greg Raven �

Völkl V-REX

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)Number of testers who said it was:much easier 0somewhat easier 4about as easy 9not quite as easy 18not nearly as easy 0

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)Number of testers who said it was:much better 0somewhat better 4about as playable 7not quite as playable 17not nearly as playable 3

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other stringsof similar gauge)Number of testers who said it was:much better 8somewhat better 17about as durable 6not quite as durable 0not nearly as durable 0

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)Playability 3.2Durability 4.5Power 3.3Control 3.9Comfort 2.7Touch/Feel 2.8Spin Potential 3.5Holding Tension 3.5Resistance to Movement 4.0

string PLAYTEST

V-Rex is a new monofilament polyester

string from Völkl. According to Völkl, V-

Rex is a unique co-polyester developed

specifically for today's serious aggres-

sive player who demands precise control

and reliable durability. Due to a patent-

ed manufacturing process, Völkl says

that V-Rex maintains tension exception-

ally well, which ensures its unique per-

formance longer than conventional

polyester strings. And where conven-

tional polyester strings can feel harsh,

Völkl tells us that V-Rex offers a soft yet

elastic feel.V-Rex is available in 16L in yellow only.

It is priced from $8 per set, and $120 forreels of 770 feet. For more information orto order, contact Völkl at 800-264-4579,or visit www.völkl.com.

IN THE LABWe tested the 16L (1.27 mm) gauge V-Rex. The coil measured 41’11”. The diam-eter measured 1.27 mm prior to stringing,and 1.23 mm after stringing. We recordeda stringbed stiffness of 71 RDC unitsimmediately after stringing at 60 poundsin a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pat-tern) on a constant-pull machine.

After 24 hours (no playing), stringbedstiffness measured 66 RDC units, repre-senting a 7 percent tension loss. Our con-trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut OriginalGold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi-ately after stringing and 71 RDC unitsafter 24 hours, representing a 9 percenttension loss. V-Rex added 15 grams to theweight of our unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeks by31 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP ratingsfrom 3.0 to 6.0. These are blind tests,with playtesters receiving unmarkedstrings in unmarked packages. The aver-age number of hours playtested was 23.8.

Out of the package, V-Rex feels andstrings up like other polyesters, with lowelongation during tensioning. Coil memo-

ry is about what you wouldexpect, but blocked holes are noproblem. The string has enoughtexture to it so that it doesn’tslip through your fingers whenweaving the crosses. Thirteenof our playtesters rated itabout the same or easier toinstall than their favoritestring, while 18 rated it notas easy to install.

No playtester broke a sample duringstringing, 13 reported problems with coilmemory, 5 reported problems tying knots,and 3 reported friction burn.

ON THE COURTAccording to our playtesters, Völkl V-Rexreally stands out in our Control, Resis-tance to Movement, and Durability cate-gories. In the Control category, ourplaytesters gave V-Rex second place of allthe strings we’ve tested to date. In Resis-tance to Movement, they gave V-Rex thirdplace of all the strings we’ve ever tested.And for Durability, they gave V-Rex fourthplace of all the strings we’ve ever tested,with 25 of our playtesters also saying thatV-Rex has better or much better durabilitythan other strings of similar gauge.What’s more, our playtesters think V-Rexis well above average in Spin Potential,and Holding Tension, and above averagein Power. These ratings were goodenough to give Völkl V-Rex an overallabove average score.

Only two playtesters broke the testsample, one at 18 hours, and one at 70hours.

CONCLUSIONVölkl V-Rex is yet another solid option forplayers seeking the durability that comesfrom using a polyester string, as alongwith that durability comes control, resis-tance to movement, spin potential, andpower. This is a great combination for anystring, and more than a third even foundthe playability better than average. If youhave customers who take a full swing atthe ball and need a string that can hang in


“ I love this string. Coil memory is not a minus, for it strings up quickand clean. Tension is still near where I strung it, 25 hours of play and amonth later. Lots of pop, great power, but under control, even with myoversize frame. Still feels great.“3.0 male all-court player using Völkl Catapult VI OS strung at 58pounds LO (Gamma XP Pro 17)

“ I like this string. It hits great. I will use it when I find out thename.”4.0 male all-court player using Wilson H5 strung at 55 pounds CP(Wilson NXT Max 16)

“ This is a string I love to play with. Stiff stringbed, string doesn’tmove. Great control. Lets me supply thepower I need. Solid feel. Great. Let meknow what it is!”4.5 male all-court player using Wilson HBlaze strung at 70 pounds CP (LuxilonAlu Power 16L)

“ Overall pleased with the string. Reallyhad good “pop” on flat serves and stillhad plenty of kick on spin serves.”3.5 male serve-and-volleyer using WilsonPro Staff 6.5 strung at 62 pounds CP (Wil-son Sensation 16)

“ I like this string right from the start. Ifeel I can do anything. The only setback was tension loss after a while.Some members used my racquet as well, and they liked it very much.This is a good string. No pain in the elbow as with many poly strings.”5.5 male all-court player using Head Liquidmetal Rave strung at 54pounds CP (Head IntelliTour 17)

“ This string plays slightly better than most polyester strings I’ve triedin the past, but still maintains most of the qualities of a poly. Excellentcontrol, durability, and resistance to movement, but comfort and feelare below average. I would like to try this string in a hybrid with a soft-er synthetic gut in the crosses. Could be a winner in that setup.”4.0 male all-court player using Völkl V1 Classic strung at 58 poundsLO (Babolat Tonic 16)

“ This string has a very comfortable feel from the first hit. Tensionholds up nicely. Nice combination of power and feel. Stringing wasslightly more problematic. It was stiff enough to make knots more diffi-cult. Not a flexible string during installation.”5.0 male all-court player using Prince More Control DB 800 strung at63 pounds LO (Prince 16)

“ This string plays more like a synthetic gut than a poly. I am sur-prised at the playability and power it has. It maintains tension verywell and does not move at all in a 16x18 pattern. Depending onprice, I would consider using this string.“5.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using Wilson Pro Staff ROKstrung at 68 pounds LO (Luxilon Ace / Babolat VS Tonic 18)

“ This monofilament feels very stiff out of the package, but is bothfast and easy to string, with little to no coil memory and very shortpulls on the tension head. My first reaction on court was that it hasless “pop” than my current string, but I’d adjust the tension to com-pensate if I tried it again. It has significantly better ball grab than mycurrent string. I’m hitting my best slices and topspins ever—even

better than with hybrids I’ve tried. There isabsolutely no string movement for quite awhile, and amazingly, the string has anunexpectedly soft feel at impact. Thisstring should sell well to young power hit-ters who want a soft feel, great grab, spin,and durability.”3.5 male all-court player using GammaDiamond Fibre F-9.0 strung at 65 poundsLO (Gamma Live Wire XP 17)

“ This string has a great combination ofdurability (its strongest feature) with com-fort and control. After 20 hours of play, thestrings have yet to end up out of place.

After stringing, I was expecting it would be hard on my arm, but I’mpleasantly surprised.”3.5 male all-court player using Head Liquidmetal Radical OS strungat 60 pounds CP (Babolat VS Touch 16)

“ I found nothing special about this string—a standard poly withgood durability and control, but no feel. There are plenty of otherpolys I like more. Stringing was easy, no problems.”4.0 male all-court player using Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.0 strung at60 pounds LO (Wilson Natural Gut 17)

“ Relatively difficult to string, but this is a good choice for playerswho use huge amounts of spin, and for those who use control andfeel. This string is not for recreational players, as power must be gen-erated by the player’s technique. This string could be reliably recom-mended to frequent string breakers.”4.5 male serve-and-volleyer using Wilson Hyper Hammer 2.3 strungat 66 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 16)

For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com.

“Much better thanmost other polys.Very responsive for a poly. I would

even recommend it over the present

leading poly strings.”

5.0 male all-court player using Babolat

Pure Drive Zylon strung at 50 pounds CP

(Forten Kevlar / Gosen Polylon 17/16)

(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

TESTERS TALK

the EXPERTSask

RACQUET SPECSIS THERE A GENERAL GRIP SIZEused for stating specs on new rac-quets? I'm starting to receive some

new frames from Wilson and it appears asthough the specs quoted for unstrung rac-quets were done for a 4-3/8” grip. Mynew nPro Surge was right on the moneyand it has a 4-3/8” grip. However, thenTour is a 4-1/2” grip and it differs. Arethe specs posted on your site taken direct-ly from the manufacturer? When manu-facturers are giving swingweightmeasurements is each using the sameapparatus (such as the Babolat RacquetDiagnostic Center) for the measurement?What do they use for measuring stiffness?

There's a lot of confusion out here asto the consistency of information from var-ious manufacturers. For instance, I'd like tobe able to access the database at Racquet-TECH.com and use comparison figures for

racquets. If I know that the manufacturersare using a specific piece of equipment formeasuring swingweight then I can re-cali-brate my Rossignol Swingtest to match thatpiece of equipment. That way, when I havea customer come in with an older modelframe that's not in your database, I can domy own swingweight test and get anumeric figure to plug into the search fea-ture when I'm trying to find my customer aclose match to their current racquet.

ALL SPECS ARE TAKEN from actualracquets, which are represented to

us as being samples of production rac-quets. They are typically size 3 grips (4-3/8”), and each racquet is measuredstrung. We virtually never publish manufac-turer specs.

We weigh each racquet on a calibratedscale, measure the balance on an AlphaViper Balance Beam, and get the flex and

swingweight from our Babolat RDC. Fromwhat we can gather, some manufacturersdo use the Babolat RDC, but others havemade their own equipment, and typicallythese custom measuring devices are signifi-cantly different from the Babolat RDC.

Although superficially similar to theswingweight portion of the Babolat RDC,the Rossignol swingweight tester producesresults that cannot easily be correlated tothose of the Babolat RDC because onereads low on the low end and high on thehigh end, compared to the other. We have

Q

A


Your Equipment Hotline

from the standard Gamma quick-mountsystem to their top-of-the-line suspen-sion-mount system, where one knobmoves two shoulder-support arms at thesame time. When I mount a racquet, theshoulder-support arms do not contactthe frame at the same time. When thefirst one contacts the frame, the otherone is still 1/8 inch away. By the timeeach arm is in contact with the frame,the racquet is pushed to one side. I havetried mounting different racquets, and Ialways get that same result. Is this some-thing I should worry about?

THERE ARE TWO THINGS YOU cando before contacting Gamma.

First, check that the centerline of thetower is aligned with the centerline ofthe table (that is, not twisted 1/16 inchto one side). If the tower is aligned prop-erly, check that the shoulder supportassembly is also properly aligned with thetower.

—Greg Raven �

We welcome your questions. Please send themto Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista,CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email:[email protected].


tested swingweight using the pendulummethod, however, and the data points corre-late well with the RDC. (See our on-line toolat http://www.racquettech.com/members/tools/swing_weight.html for all the details.) Itis also worth noting that we sporadicallycheck the calibration of the swingweightportion of our RDC using a special set of rac-quets having known measurements.

SAFE TENSION RANGEI NOTICED IN YOUR PRO equipmentlogs (http://www.racquettech.com/members/prologs/pro_logs_toc.html)

that the string tension indicated for severalplayers is higher than the racquet manufac-turer's tension range on their racquets. Arethe pros playing with special made versionsof these racquets to handle higher string ten-sions? Is there a "safe" range over the man-ufacturer's tension range that a racquet canbe strung?

SOME PROS DO PLAY SPECIAL framesthat are not available to the public,

even though the graphics on the pro's rac-quet are similar to those appearing on rac-quets that are available to the retailcustomer. In those cases where a pro is play-

ing with a frame that is available to retailcustomers, the primary concern is to getthe racquet to perform a certain way,regardless of any reduction in framelongevity, because the sponsoring manu-facturer provides free or low-cost rac-quets to the player.

The published tension range is thesafe range. Increasing tension beyondthe maximum listed tension will void thewarranty.

RACQUET MOUNTINGI HAVE A GAMMA PROGRESSIONST II stringer, and I have upgraded

Q

AQ

A

pendently, and have found a way to tight-en both at once.I first lightly mount the racquet with the

6 o'clock and 12 o'clock mounts. Then Istand opposite the arms I am about totighten and use my forearms to squeezeboth mounting arms up to the hoop. Thisputs my hands in position to tighten bothmounting arm knobs simultaneously. I thenrepeat the procedure on the other side.5 sets of Gosen Polylon Comfort 16& a Gosen T-Shirt to:Peter Underwood, Whitewater, WI

MARKETINGSELLING ATW STRINGINGI include a sheet with each around-the-world (ATW) string job I do. This callsattention to something the customer maynever have noticed, and helps establish meas a stringing expert.5 sets Silent Partner Original SynGut to:Justin Figel, MRT, Laurel, MD

can be prevented by putting a smallamount of clear fingernail polish on theend of the trimmed string end to seal thestrands together before they can separate.5 sets of Prince Polygut 16 to:Bill Thompson, MRT, Farmville, VA

BEGINNERSALPHA MOUNTINGADJUSTMENTS

I have an Alpha Blu-DC Plus stringingmachine that has individual tighteningknobs for each side of the mounting arms.I find it clumsy to tighten each knob inde-

and TECHNIQUES

TIGHTER TIE-OFFSIn order to get as much slack out of thetie-off knot as possible, I insert the end myawl through the loop of the knot, andwhile pulling on the end of the string witha pair of pliers, slowly ease the awl out.This gets as much slack out of the string aspossible before the knot tightens on itself.5 sets of Gamma Zo Power & a GammaT-Shirt & Hat to:Don Stull, Tucson, AZ

SEALING NATURAL GUTKNOT ENDSThe free end of knots tied in natural gutwill unravel over time. This is unsightly and

Readers’ Know-How in Action


tips


Editor’s note: Members who are interestedin obtaining a copy of Justin’s sheet canfind it on-line at: http://www.racquettech.com/members/reference/Figel_ATW.zip.However, while the sheet states explicitlythat stringing a racquet ATW will not voidthe manufacturer’s warranty, this is not thecase with Head racquets that are specifiedfor two-piece stringing. For these racquets,any one-piece stringing will void the warranty.

COMPUTERIZEDSTRINGING RECORDSI have created a Microsoft Excel workbookcontaining different spreadsheets to keeptrack of various aspects of my stringingbusiness. It features:

� An invoice template to generate and print

a final invoice.

� An order form. This is set to print “two

up” on a letter-size piece of paper. After

printing, I cut each sheet down the middle

lengthwise, producing two order forms.

Each customer fills out a form when drop-

ping off a racquet, which I attach around

the grip of the racquet with a rubber band.

� An invoice record log.

� A logbook to record stringing information.

This worksheet is set up so I can easily gen-

erate reports on any column. For example, I

can quickly look at all jobs for a particular

customer, jobs for a single racquet frame,

jobs by string type, etc.

� Racquet IDs. I give each frame a number,

which I track. In the logbook I can pull up

any ID and know how many times I have

strung the corresponding racquet, when I

have strung it, and with what string.

� String Inventory. I keep track of my string

inventory to make certain I have sufficient

supplies of the strings I list on my order

form. And by keeping costs up to date, I

also know how much money I have tied up

in working capital. I do about 350 racquets

a year, and try to keep my string inventory

below $2,000.

� Maintenance and calibration. This is where

I keep some simple notes about mainte-

nance and adjustments to my stringing

machine.

5 sets of Wilson Reaction 16 & a WilsonTournament Bag to:Dan McManus, Auburn, WA

Editor’s Note: Members who are interestedin obtaining a copy of Dan’s spreadsheet canfind it on-line at: http://www.racquettech.com/members/reference/McManus_Logbook.zip. —Greg Raven �

Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA mem-bers, and appearing in this column, have all been gatheredinto a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Ser-vice Techniques which is a benefit of USRSA membership.Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA92804; or email [email protected].


science

SOMERSAULTING ANDFLIPPING RACQUETSThere are some things in life that are almosttotally useless, like rock music, but whichsome people find important. The "TennisRacquet Theorem" is another good exam-ple. The theorem says that if you toss a ten-nis racquet (starting with strings parallel tothe ground) into the air to perform a som-ersault before you catch it, it usually alsoflips over in a half-twist and lands upsidedown in your hand. This can be good or baddepending on circumstances.

If the racquet happens to be a cat fallingseveral floors out a window, this flippingover effect is good for the cat. If the racquethappens to be a fresh piece of butteredtoast with jam on top, then the flipping overeffect is bad, especially for the carpet. If youare an Olympic diver or gymnast, flippingover several times while doing a few somer-saults can earn you extra points, perhapsleading to fame and fortune.

As far as tennis players are concerned,the Tennis Racquet Theorem is similar in sig-nificance to whether bath water rotatesclockwise or counter-clockwise in the

Southern Hemisphere when the bath plug ispulled out. But it is a fascinating occurrence,fun to watch, and apparently fun to do,since so many players are constantly flippingand spinning their racquets between andafter points or during simple idle momentsabout the club. It is doubly fascinating sincethe flip does not occur when you toss theracquet to rotate in any other way. If youbegin the somersault by holding the racquetface perpendicular to the ground, no twistoccurs. If you spin it about the long axis, itdoesn't also do a somersault, but if you tossit in a somersault, it will also spin.

HOW IT FLIPSA tennis racquet, like any other solid object,has three different axes all at right angles toeach other. A racquet can be made to rotateabout any of the three axes separately or itcan rotate about all three axes simultane-ously, which is the usual situation in any ten-nis stroke. One can even measure the easeor difficulty of rotation about each axis, andit can be given a number specified by theswingweight (moment of inertia) about thataxis. The three swingweights for a tennis

racquet are typically about 15, 120 and135 kg•cm2, when each of the three axespasses through the balance point of theracquet. More commonly, the middleswingweight most associated with a tennisstroke is measured about an axis near theend of the handle, in which case the typi-cal value that is quoted is around 330kg•cm2.

The easy axis of rotation is the one pass-ing along the handle up to the tip of theracquet. It is easy to spin a racquet aboutthis axis, and many players do just thatbetween points either as a nervous habit orto distract their opponent. They can evenget the racquet rotating up to about 10revolutions per second or 600 rpm. Inter-estingly, the racquet doesn't flip aroundand whack them in the back of their handwhen they do this, even though it is a sim-ple spin around an axis just like the somer-saulting racquet above.

Similarly, players sometimes stick theirfinger in the hole in the throat section andtwirl (cartwheel) the racquet around theindex finger. Again the racquet only rotatesabout one axis without any flips about the

Racquet AcrobaticsAmaze your friends with racquet tricks and theexplanations behind them. B Y R O D C R O S S

others. This cartwheel axis has the largestswingweight, and we can call it the "hard"axis since it is hardest to rotate at highspeed around this axis. Andy Roddick espe-cially loves doing this. It is just as easy to tossthe racquet in the air and spin it around the"hard" axis, and the racquet doesn't flipover. It is only when a racquet is rotated(somersaulted) about the third axis that ittends to flip over. It is the same with a bookor a box of cereal. Only one of the threeaxes causes flipping, and it is not the onewith the smallest or the largest swing-weight, but the one with the medium sizeswingweight.

Suppose you toss a racquet with thestrings starting in a horizontal plane, paral-lel to the ground, as shown in Figure 1. Tossit fast enough so that it rotates through acomplete circle and then catch the handle.Most times, the racquet lands upside downas shown in Figure 2, having completed halfa twist around the easy spin axis. It doesn'talways do that. If you are really careful tomake sure the racquet has no twist whenyou toss it, then you might get it to rotatewithout flipping over. But any slight twist atthe start will grow rapidly and cause theracquet to flip around the easy axis. Some-times it appears that there is no twist at all,and then it suddenly appears "all at once"at the very end of the somersault.

It might seem that the racquet flips onlyaround the easy axis. However it also flipsaround the hard axis just as rapidly. Sup-pose the racquet has reached its halfwaypoint in mid-air, having completed 90degrees of its 180-degree twist or flip. Theracquet is still rotating in somersault fashionin the direction it was tossed, so it arrives ata point where the racquet is rotating edge-on, as shown in Figure 3. At this point theracquet is rotating in cartwheel mode, asopposed to a somersault, and it is also inthe middle of its twist and is still twistingaround the easy axis. In between these twomodes, the rotation is part somersault, partcartwheel, and part twist.

The tricky part of all this is to visualizewhich axis is which. There are three axes atright angles that we can visualize as beingattached to the racquet. The problem is theracquet is rotating so the axes are alsorotating while the racquet itself rotatesabout each of the three axes.

To prevent our heads spinning as well, itis common to imagine that the three axesare attached to the ground rather than the

racquet. In that case the racquet rotatesonly about two of the ground-based axes,doing a 360-degree somersault about oneaxis, a 180-degree twist about anotheraxis and no rotation at all about the thirdaxis. But the racquet really does rotateedge-on during part of its journey, so itreally does rotate about the hard axis justas fast as it does about the easy axis.

WHY IT FLIPSIt is possible to toss the racquet in a som-ersault without it flipping, but very diffi-cult. More likely is that the racquet makesit about 180 degrees without any visibletwist, and then it does its flip all in the last180 degrees. That's because the influenceof the initial twisting force of your handgrows exponentially with time. For thatreason, if you try to do a double somer-sault, the racquet will flip several times,not just two half flips, one on each som-ersault. The time to flip will depend on theinitial twist rate and the three swing-weights. During the entire acrobatic act,the energy gets channeled from one axis(about the medium somersault axis) intothe other two axes. The rotation speedabout these axes increases exponentiallywith time. But, as noted before, this onlyhappens when the rotation begins aroundthe medium somersault axis.

APPLICATIONSo there you have it—interesting, odd,probably not the focus of your next tennislesson, but, nonetheless, not totally frivo-lous or irrelevant. You see, it helps toexplain how a player can twist a racquetaround the long axis while it is simultane-ously rotating rapidly about the usualswing axis, especially during a kick serve.Biomechanists like to use the word“pronation” to describe twisting of theforearm. Obviously, arm muscles areneeded to twist the arm, but a racquetcan twist around all by itself, even thoughit doesn’t have any muscles of its own.Just toss it in the air, and it will happily flipover in front of your very eyes. So the armdoesn’t have to do very much pronationwork at all. The arm just needs to exertsome control over the process so the rac-quet doesn’t twist in the wrong directionor at the wrong rate. Even if you threw aracquet at a ball, it would probably delivera pretty good kick serve with about theright amount of slice and topspin.�


Your ServeCommunity Tennis Action!Unsure how a CTA can help your business? The head of the CTA Develop-ment Committee says you have a lot to gain by getting involved.

Is “CTA” in your vocabulary? Better yet, areyou doing all you can for community tennis?It’s a tough question to ask yourself.

As chair of the national USTA Com-munity Tennis Association DevelopmentCommittee, I am dedicated to this cause.It is our charge to advise and supportstaff and volunteers at all levels in creat-ing, developing, and strengthening anationwide network of self-sufficientCommunity Tennis Associations toincrease tennis participation at the locallevel.

As a PTR certified pro, I see beinginvolved in community tennis as a part ofmy professional obligation to help pro-mote and develop the growth of tennis.

A CTA-based program, along with astrong park partnership, started my ten-nis-playing career. The good folks at theGreater Des Moines Tennis Associationsponsored the local USA Tennis NJTL pro-gram, where I learned the basics. If notfor this great introduction to tennis, whoknows what I would be doing now?

What is a CTA? It is defined as “anyincorporated, geographically defined, not-for-profit, volunteer-based tennis organi-zation that supports or provides programswhich promote and develop the growthof tennis.” CTAs fall into four categories:� A Single-Purpose CTA is organized with

a single, narrow purpose that addressesa specific community need, such as agroup of senior citizens interested instarting a senior division of USA LeagueTennis.

� A Multi-Purpose CTA is similar to a sin-gle-purpose CTA, except that the asso-ciation offers more than one programor service. An example is a communitycommitted to offering a variety of USATennis programs for youth, but not foradults.

� An Umbrella CTA represents the mostcomprehensive type, delivering a fullmenu of programs and services to theentire community, regardless of age,

gender, cultural or socioeconomic back-ground, physical ability or skill level.

� A Coalition CTA represents the alliance ofdiverse community organizations whosepurpose is to facilitate the delivery of ten-nis programs and services.

Don’t be threatened by a CTA—embraceit. It will surely enhance you and your opera-tion. It’s everybody’s tennis future.

So what’s in it for you to get involvedwith one of these organizations? Plenty.You’ll be able to:

1. Gain additional experience by offeringa program outside of your normal com-fort level, perhaps an inner-city or wheel-chair program.

2. Build potential future customers whomight decide to take up the game andjoin your facility.

3. Work with your CTA to share revenueof select events.

4. Gain additional exposure for you and/oryour club or facility.

5. Feel good about what you’re doing inthe professional realm to give back tothe sport.

6. Take a leadership role in the CTA, suchas being an officer, and gain prestigeand further your education and knowl-edge.

7. Offer CTA-based events that can lead togreat networking opportunities withconnected folks in your community.You can also bring a wealth of people to

the CTA with your current club clients thatare attorneys, bankers, media, or non-profitexperts. Any and all would be great to haveon the board.

Plenty of free and low-cost resources areavailable for you to begin or expand your

CTA, including: CTA start-up and expan-sion grants; CTA manuals for forming aCTA and for fund raising; USTA adjunctfaculty from the USTA/SERV Departmentable to conduct local training sessions;website advice and development; USTAsection and district staff liaisons; CTAinsurance; on-line registration; andmuch more. To learn more, call yourUSTA section office or go towww.usta.com.

Additionally, over the next severalmonths, the USTA staff and volunteerswill unroll an initiative to grow tennisthrough the park and recreation system.It truly does start in parks. With ourpartner—the National Recreation andPark Association—the $1 million Tennisin the Park initiative will look at grants,advocacy, infrastructure, technical assis-tance, facility enhancement, and more.

And with continued promotion ofTennis Welcome Centers and CardioTennis, the opportunity to grow oursport is endless.

The USTA’s CTA Development Com-mittee is dedicated to its priorities:� The Community Funding Program

(formerly called Funded Markets).� Expanding benefits and education.� National and regional workshops.� Awards and volunteer recognition.� Communication flow to our section

representatives and other sectioncommunity development committees.CTA …You’ve got the definition, the

big picture, how we can help, how ithelps you. Now it’s your turn to serve.�

We welcome your opinions. Please emailcomments to [email protected] or faxthem to 760-536-1171.

Teaching pro and longtime USTAvolunteer Scott Hanover is thegeneral manager of the PlazaTennis Center in Kansas City,Mo.

B Y S C O T T H A N O V E R


“A CTA will surelyenhance you and youroperation. It’s every-body’s tennis future.”

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