200602 Racquet Sports Industry

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February 2006

Volume 34 Number 2 $5.00

OUTLOOK

Special Section:How the TIA is helping your business

OUTLOOK

2006Whats in storefor the newyear?

Whats in storefor the newyear?


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DEPARTMENTS

R S I F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6Contents

February 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

Contents

4 Our Serve13 Stringing Business14 The Master Pros

16 Science

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Builders upbeat onU.S. court construction

7 Top stars to playTennis Channel Openin Vegas

8 Wilson launchesEvolution footwearline

8 James Blake signs 7-year deal with Prince

8 Chang joins newChampions Cup Series

8 Community Tennisworkshop set for

Hollywood

9 Tecnifibre introducesTflash 290 racquet

9 SlingHopper signsBollettieri

10 TIA plans major CardioTennis promotion

10 PTR Symposium setfor February

12 Campus Championshipsexpands to all sections

18 String Playtest: Tecnifibre Multifeel 1652 Ask the Experts54 Tips and Techniques

56 Your Serve, by Charlie Hoeveler

21 Serve It Up!New TIA initiatives offer more services tokeep your business moving forward.

22 Lets Grow This Business!President Jim Baugh says the TIA has the tools,programs, and services to help grow your business.

23 Moving ForwardThe TIA and its industry partners are working toincrease player participation and retention.

26 Getting to the Heart of CardioWith the official launch of Cardio Tennis,opportunities abound for heart-pumpingfitness on U.S. courts.

28 Welcoming ProgressThe Tennis Welcome Center initiative willcontinue strong into 2006.

28 Strength in NumbersGrowing Tennis 50/50 helps boost participationacross the U.S.

TIA Special Section

29 Web ChemistryTennisConnect.org is making it easy to servicemembers and increase play frequency.

30 Market KnowledgeThe extensive research available from theTIA will help you increase your business, andyour profits.

32 Economic LeverageThrough benefits and services with TIAaffinity partners, you can reduce costs andexpenses, and more.

33 Net AdvantagesEnhanced websites for the tennis industryprovide news, trends, and information tohelp you build your business.

34 Support Your IndustryThe TIA has membership levels to suit your needs.

35 Join the TIA Today!Help grow the game and your business.

37 A Winning YearBolstered by gains across the board, the newyear looks to be a winner for your business.

38 Popular AppealWhether high fashion or high performance,tenniswear is hitting the right notes.

42 Get Your KicksIn footwear, companies are cutting the weightwhile upping the quality.

44 Frames of ReferenceManufacturers have perfected their techniquesand are offering better products.

48 If You Build It...Court builders, coming off a busy 2005, areoptimistic that 2006 will bring more of the same.

50 Tied UpThe newest racquet strings offer something forevery player.

Outlook

2006


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n early December, I spent three days with people who

may well comprise the most important group involved

in tennis in the U.S.the members of the American

Sports Builders Association. These are the people who

build and repair the courts that all our businesses

depend on.The ASBA (formerly called the U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builders Asso-

ciation) met in Tampa for its annual Technical Meeting and Trade Show.

At first blush, you may not think seminars on engineering net-post foot-

ings, or building concrete slabs for indoor facilities, or maintaining grass

courts, can be all that exciting. But for people involved in many aspectsof tennis, whether construction-related or not, these presentations are

extremely informative. In part, its because of the excellent faculty that

the ASBA assembles for its meetings. But also, the presentations are inter-

active, and theres much to learn, both from presenters and peers, no

matter how long youve been in the business.

This year, the keynote speaker was Dr. Jim Loehr, the chairman, CEO,

and co-founder of LGE Performance Systems, which specializes in help-

ing people reach their full potential or, as he calls it, full engagement.

Ive heard Loehr speak before, and he is truly amazing, but even I was a

little skeptical that the 350 hardened court and track builders in the room

would be fully engaged in the presentation. Was I ever wrong. For two

hours, Loehr simply captivated the audience.

Over the last two years, under the chairmanship of David Marsden of

Hanover, Mass., the ASBA has experienced much growth and change. At

the end of the ASBA meeting, Marsden turned over the gavel to a new

chairman, Gerry Wright of Raleigh, N.C. Working with many committed

volunteers, along with a very competent and caring staff (Executive Vice

President Carol Hogan, Association Coordinator Cynthia Jordan, and

Financial Manager Judy Mellendick), Wright will no doubt continue the

cycle of growth for the ASBAand for the sport, as well.

If youre not familiar with the ASBA, visit the groups website,www.sportsbuilders.org. If youre a court builder and not a member of

the ASBA, you really should consider joining. From court awards, to con-

tinuing education, to construction standards and guidelines, to court

builder certification, and much moretheres so much good stuff going

on here, it would be a shame for you to miss out on it.

Peter Francesconi

Editorial Director

Our Serve

Building the Future(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Crawford Lindsey

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate Editor

Greg Raven

Design/Art Director

Kristine Thom

Assistant to the Publisher

Cari Feliciano

Contributing Editors

Cynthia Cantrell

Rod Cross

Kristen DaleyJoe Dinoffer

Liza Horan

Andrew Lavallee

James Martin

Mark Mason

Chris Nicholson

Mitch Rustad

Drew Sunderlin

RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY

Corporate Offices

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084

Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.racquetTECH.com

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

Advertising Director

John Hanna

770-650-1102, x.125

[email protected]

Apparel Advertising

Cynthia Sherman

203-263-5243

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-

5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly January

through August and combined issues in Septem-

ber/October and November/December by Tennis

Industry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

Periodicals postage paid at Hurley, NY 12443 and addi-

tional mailing offices. February 2006, Volume 34,

Number 2 2006 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All

rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logo

are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone

advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation and

editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the

U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address

changes to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,

Vista, CA 92084.

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2006

I

RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA, and ASBA


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ttendees and exhibitors alike

were upbeat about the tennis

business at the American Sports

Builders Associations 2005 Technical

Meeting and Trade Show, held Dec. 4 to 6,

in Tampa. About 350 tennis court and

track builders, designers, and product

suppliers registered for the meeting, thelargest attendance in decades, according

to meeting organizers.

Generally, court builders

report increased business in

2005 and are optimistic about

2006 (see page 42). Weve

seen a gradual resurgence of

interest in tennis, says Mark

Brogan of Pro Sport Construc-

tion of Devon, Pa., and I

expect it to continue.

In 2005, we had our high-est volume in resurfacing and

repair, adds Richard Zaino of

Zai no Te nni s Courts of

Orange, Calif. The economy

is still pretty good here and

interest rates are low. If 2006

is like 2005, Ill be happy.

The annual meeting

broug ht toget her court

builders, court surfacing man-

ufacturers, court products

companies, and others for seminars on

court construction and maintenance and

related issues, such as marketing, billing

customers and getting paid, and more.

Court contractors also could take the test

to become a Certified Tennis Court

Builder. And a trade show attracted more

than 40 exhibitors.

The ASBA also installed new officers

and directors. Gerry Wright (above, left)

of Court One, Raleigh, N.C., is the new

ASBA chairman, replacing David Mars-

den (above, right) of Hanover, Mass.

Gordon Pierce of Cape & Island Ten-

nis & Track, Pocasset, Mass., is the new Tennis

Division president; Ron Nemeth of Hillsdale,

Mich., was elected president of the Associ-

ate/Affiliate Division; and John Schedler is the

president of the newly formed Turf Division. Re-

elected as secretary-treasurer is George Todd Jr.

of Welch Tennis Courts, Sun City, Fla.

Newly elected members of the board of direc-tors are: Pete Smith of the CourtSmiths, Toledo,

Ohio; John Graham of DecoTurf, Andover, Mass.;

Aaron McWhorter of Sports Turf Co., Whites-

burg, Ga.; and Steve Wright of Trans Texas Ten-

nis, Houston.

Remaining on the board are: Sam Fisher,

Fisher Tracks, Boone, Iowa; Alex Levitsky, Global

Sports & Tennis Design Group, Fair Haven, N.J.;

Brion Rittenberry, Kiefer Specialty Flooring, Lin-

denhurst, Ill.; Mike Vinton, The Vasco Group,

Massillon, Ohio; David Nielsen, Leslie Coatings,

Indianapolis; Randy Futty, Lee Tennis, Char-

lottesville, Va.; and Marsden, as past chairman.

For more information, visit

www.sportsbuilders.org or call 800-501-ASBA.

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

R S I F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6

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


Top Stars to Play 2006Tennis Channel Open in VegasThe U.S.s top player,Andy Roddick,

joins other top Americans RobbyGinepri, James Blake, and Bob andMike Bryan in playing The Tennis Chan-nel Open, to be held Feb. 27 to March5 in Las Vegas, the Tennis Channelannounced in December.

Also committed to play the event areChiles Fernando Gonzalez, SpainsTommy Robredo, Belarus Max Mirnyi,Belgiums Xavier Malisse, BritainsAndyMurray,Australias Mark Philippoussis,and Americans Mardy Fish and VinceSpadea.The 2006 Tennis Channel Openwill take place at the new Amanda &Stacy Darling Memorial Tennis Center.

Im looking forward to playing, saysRoddick. The excitement of the cityshould be a tremendous draw for guyson the tour, and The Tennis Channels

plan to build a tennis-festival atmos-phere is a great idea thats going to bea lot of fun to visit each year.

The Darling Memorial Tennis Centeropened in the fall with 23 courts,including a 2,400-seat stadium courtthat will expand to 3,300 seats duringthe event. In the future, the 40-acrecomplex will eventually include twosmaller stadium courts.

Tennis Channel Founder and PresidentSteve Bellamy plans to build a Tennis-palooza around the mens pro event.Plans include mens, womens, and

juniors tournaments, surrounded byother events that feature both ama-teurs and professionals. Founded in1986, the ATP tournament was previ-ously held in Scottsdale, Ariz.The net-work held programming rights forthree years prior to its acquisition ofthe event in 2005.

Tennis Channel Open tickets can bepurchased by calling 888-826-8497 orvisiting www.tennischannelopen.com.

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Builders Upbeat on U.S. Court Construction


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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6

INDUSTRYNEW

S

Wilson Launches EvolutionFootwear Line

Wilson is launching the Evolution shoe line, which the

company says is the first line designed to meet the

specific needs of players as their game evolves. The

line includes eight styles engineered to fit the body mechan-

ics and court style of beginning, intermediate, and advancedplayers, the company says.

The Evolution footwear concept utilizes Wilsons revo-

lutionary shoe technology to offer incredible performance

on the court in a system that complements your game and

style of play, says Todd Fisher, Wilsons global director of

footwear. The Evolution line makes it easy for a consumer

to find footwear that matches their specific needs to what-

ever level of tennis player they are.

In a statement, Wilson says it developed the line taking

into account six principles: cushioning, stability, breathabil-

ity, light weight, toe drag, and outsole

radius.The Backdraw and Challenger,

the entry-level shoes in the

line designed for

recreational

players, fea-

ture added

cushioning and

stability in the rear

of the shoe, since most

beginners typically

hit the ball

standingupright, with

m os t of t heir

weight shifted to

the back of their

heels. The womens Chal-

lenger includes interchangeable color inserts.

The Wildcard and Qualifier (above, blue), for intermedi-

ate players, feature a centrally positioned ventilated stable

wrap and extended toe drag for aggressive play. The cen-

tralized cushioning, support, and stability compensate for

improved footwork and development of an all-around

game, says Wilson.

Advanced players who have an explosive game look for

superior cushioning, stability, toe drag, and breathability,

says the company. The Tour, CF2, and Open (above, red) are

the high-performance shoes in the Evolution line, designed

for serious players. Features include stable wrap systems,

three layers of cushioning that work independently of each

other, Duralast rubber outsoles, and 180-degree toe-drag

protection.

For light workouts and warm-ups, the line includes the

ETF (Eat the Fuzz) model, a shoe with an adjustable Velcro

strap.

Prices range from $30 to $130. Visit www.wilson.com

for more information.


James Blake Inks7-Year Deal WithPrince Sports

James Blake, whose personal

and professional comeback in

2005 made headlines beyond

the tennis world, has joined Prince

Tenniss Touring Professional Team

with a global, multi-faceted seven-year deal.

The partnership involves Blakes collaboration with

Princes research and development experts to develop a rac-

quet featuring O Technology, which Blake will use on the pro

tour. The new racquet will launch in 2006 as part of Princes

line of O3 racquets, according to the company.

"We are privileged and proud that James chose Prince to be

his brand of equipment, says Prince Sports CEO George

Napier. He embodies the values our Team believes in.

The deal is more than just a racquet endorsement, says

Blake. Prince is tapping my knowledge to help with product

design, as well as some cool marketing initiatives focused on

junior development. They are also enthusiastically supportingvarious charitable organizations that are important to me."

Chang Joins Champions Cup Series

Former champion Michael Chang will play in the new Cham-

pions Cup Series event in Boston to be held April 27 to 30.

Boston will be the second event on the 2006 Champions Cup

Series, a collection of tennis events in the U.S. featuring some of

the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30.

Chang joins Jim Courier, John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, andPat Cash for the Boston event, with three other players to be

named later. Each event in the series will feature an eight-man,

round-robin match format.

The Champions Cup Series is presented by InsideOut Sports

and Entertainment, a company started by Courier. Other Cham-

pions Cup Series events will be in Naples, Fla., March 10-13;

Memphis, Oct. 5-8; and Houston, Nov. 9-12. To compete in the

series, players must have reached at least a Grand Slam singles

final, been ranked in the Top 5 in the world, or played singles on

a winning Davis Cup team.

For tickets to Champions Cup Series events, call 978-443-

9006, or v isi t www.cham pionscupte nni s.com or

www.ticketmaster.com. Prices start at $15.

2006 CTDW in Hollywood

The 2006 USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop

will take place at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Holly-

wood, Calif., Feb. 3 to 5. The workshops and seminars are

designed to educate, encourage, and inspire tennis leaders and

coordinators, who deliver tennis at the grassroots level.

For more information on the CTDW and to register, visit

www.usta.com/communitytennis. For hotel reservations, contact

800-HOTELS-1.


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


TIA In New Digs

The Tennis Industry Association

has moved offices. The new

address, for deliveries only, is 117

Executive Center, Hilton Head Island,

SC 29928. Correspondence should

still be sent to P.O. Box 7845, HiltonHead Island, SC 29928. Phone

remains 843-686-3036.

Tecnifibre Introduces

Tflash 290

Tecnifibres newest

frame, the Tflash

290, is designed

for net zone play-

ers looking for amaneuverable rac-

quet with which to

attack the net. Texal-

ium Reinforcements

in the graphite frame

provide torsion stability

to improve accuracy, says

the company, while enhanc-

ing feel for more control and

dampening vibration. The rac-

quet has a 100-square-inch,

open-string-pattern head andweighs 10.2 ounces. For more

information, contact Tecnifi-

bre at 877-332-0825 or visit

www.tecnifibre.com.

Travel to See the Pros

If your members are looking for a get-

away to see the pros in action, Grand

Slam Tennis Tours offers travel pack-

ages to the upcoming Davis Cup match

in California in February, the Pacific Life

Open in Palm Springs and the Nasdaq-

100 Open in Miami in March.

The three-night Davis Cup package

(Feb. 9 to 12) at the La Jolla Beach &

Tennis Club includes courtside tickets to

all three days of matches for the U.S. vs.

Romania tie. Price is $1,595 per person,

double occupancy.

Package prices for the Pacific Life

Open (March 9-19) start at $1,395 per

person. Packages for the Nasdaq-100

start at $1,495. Call 800-289-3333 or

visit www.grandslamtennistours.com.

Bollettieri To UseSlingHopperSlingHopper Inc. announces thatNick Bollettieri is using the Sling-Hopper Drill Bag to help feed tennisballs to his students. SlingHopper Drills Bags

are a genuine teaching tool, Bollettieri says. Itenables the coach to move to any position forfeeding or rallying without any delay. SlingHop-per products are distributed through GammaSports and Gamma distributors. For information,call Gamma at 800-333-0337 or visitwww.gammasports.com.


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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6

INDUSTRYNEW

S


TIA Plans MajorCardio Promotion

Plans are being finalized for a major

national consumer promotion for

Cardio Tennis in 2006, according

to TIA President Jim Baugh. We needto break through the clutter with the

consumer, which is what our national

promotion will do, Baugh says. Our

early progress has been fantastic, but

Im confident that we can add more

quality sites and more consumers. We

want Cardio Tennis to be a major part

of our sport and help grow participation

and revenues for pros and facilities.

Baugh also says a recent TIA survey

of more than 250 Cardio Tennis sites

will help shape future plans for the

program. We received some great

input from our sites, he says. We

know we will grow even more in 2006

with some of the plans we have. An

executive summary of the site research

is available at

www.Partners.CardioTennis.com.

Bollettieris Random Act of KindnessMakes Dreams Come True for 4 Juniors

Legendary coach Nick Bollettieri made the dreams of four young New York ten-

nis players come true during the holidays when they each were granted schol-

arships to the IMG/Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida.

Bill Mountford, the director of tennis at the USTA National Tennis Center in

Flushing Meadows, N.Y., says it all came as a complete surprise. Back in June, Nick

was at the NTC to run a corporate tennis clinic for a Wall Street firm, says Mount-

ford. Before the event, he was walking around the field courts and saw students

in our six-week junior summer tennis camp, which was just beginning. Complete-ly unsolicited, Nick stopped at several courts to lecture and encourage the young

players.

Afterward, Bollettieri approached Mountford and offered the scholarships for

four young students and challenged the USTA NTC coaching staff to "find" the most

deserving players. One selection criteria that Bollettieri suggested was to choose

players who might not otherwise be exposed to such an opportunity, says Mount-

ford. Nearly six months later, on Christmas Day, Jillian Santos, Willie Griffin, Car-

olina Koladzyn, and Wie Cheng Lin were on their way to the Academy.

I feel indebted to Nick for this random act of kindness, says Mountford. Nick

Bollettieri's ripple effect on the tennis community has touched everyone involved

in our sport. He has provided four young players from New York with a gift they

will always cherish. His kindness has truly inspired.

PTR Sets Symposium

The 2006 PTR International Tennis Symposium and $25,000 Championships will

be Feb. 18-24 on Hilton Head, S.C. Register by Feb. 10 for $325 for PTR mem-

bers, $395 for nonmembers. After Feb. 10, its $375 and $425. The deadline for

tournament entry is Feb. 3.

For more information or to register, call 800-421-6289 or visit www.ptrtennis.org.

Sportwall Survives Hurricane WilmaDespite the large tree limb that Hurricane Wilma deposited on the Sportwall 1200installed at the Mariner Sands Country Club in Stewart, Fla., the Sportwall was fullyoperational after the October storm. Another Sportwall, installed at the MarcoIsland YMCA, also escaped unscathed and in working order. For more informationon Sportwall, visit www.sportwall.com or call 800-695-5056, x. 125.


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


Croatias Goran Ivanisevic and the SlovakRepublics Miloslav Mecir are the 2005 recipients of the Davis

Cup Award of Excellence, presented by the International Tennis Hall of

Fame and the International Tennis Federation. The award was presented on

Dec. 4, during the Davis Cup World Group Final between Croatia and the Slo-

vak Republic.

Dunlop squash player Amr Shabana won his second World Championshiptitle in three years with a win over Australias David Palmer. It was his ninth

Professional Squash Association title. Shabana plays with Dunlops Ice Custom

Elite racquet, which the company says will now become the Amr Shabana Sig-

nature Series frame.

Eric Won is Head/Penns new district sales manager for California. Won, from Foster City,Calif., will cover northern California and northern Nevada.

Two Tecnifibre players ended the year ranked World No. 1 on the mens and womens squashtours. Both Thierry Lincou and Vanessa Atkinson use Tecnifibres Carboflex squash racquets and

the companys 305 green squash string.

Head Team Elite program members Donald Young of the U.S. and Viktoria Azarenka ofBelarus are the 2005 ITF Junior Boys and Girls World Champions, respectively. Young,

at 16, is the youngest player ever to claim the year-end No. 1 ITF junior ranking. He

uses the Head Liquidmetal Radical MP.

U.S. pro Paul Goldstein made history in Boston in November bywinning a record 26th title on the USTA Pro Circuit.

P E OP L EWATCH

L E T T E R S

A Heartfelt ThanksHaving written about the gameof tennis for more than 30 years,it wasnt clearuntil a recentexperiencehow close and caring

this community is.

Because of a pre-existing situa-tion (I became a diabetic when Iwas 7), I am unable to acquireindividual health insurance. Forthe past decade (or more), myright hip, due to years of tenniscompetition, coaching, and run-ning, had deteriorated to the

point where I was unable to takea normal step. Pain was a con-

stant companion.

During Roland Garros in 2005,writer Michael Mewshaw, notic-ing my distinctive stride, askedabout the situation. When Iexplained the no insurance, no

surgery problem, he said hewould get something done. Afterdiscussing the issue with BudCollins, (who had his hip surgeoncontact a doctor in my home ofSouthern California to see if hecould help me), and U.S. TennisWriters Association President Liza

Horan, along with USTWA boardmembers Peter Francesconi, JimMartz, Andre Christopher andBob Larson, a solution appeared.

On Dec. 13, I had my right hipreplaced in Brawley, Calif. GeorgeFareed, the former US Davis Cupteam doctor and a close friend,arranged to have Dr. ChristopherLai, an associate, do the surgery.

Thanks to the assistance providedby the Kirby Family Foundationrun by Michael and Linda Mew-

shaw, along with the support ofthe USTWA board, as well as Drs.Fareed and Lai, I will be up andwalking better than ever in 2006.

My deep, heartfelt appreciationgoes out to all of you.

Mark Winters

We welcome your letters and comments. Please

email them to [email protected] or fax

them to 760-536-1171.


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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6I N D U S T RY N E W S


> USPTA members now can auto-matically connect to Head/Penns

online management system by sign-

ing up online when they go to

www.uspta.com. Once logged in,

members can place orders, updatetheir information, and more.

> The USTA has named Philadel-phias Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and

Education the National Level 1

National Junior Tennis League Chap-

ter/Program of the Year for 2005.

The award is given annually to the

countrys top NJTL Chapter for

demonstrating continued excellence

in youth tennis programming.

AAYTE was recognized for its recent

NJTL Summer Program, which was

operated at 65 public parks and

playgrounds for more than 6,000

kids.

> The four USTA Pro Circuit venuesaffected by the hurricanes in

Louisiana are expected to return to

the Circuit in 2006, says the USTA.

The first event will be a womens

$25,000 tournament in Hammond,

La., the week of March 7, followed

by a $50,000 womens event in

Lafayette starting April 24. The

mens $50,000 Challenger in Cov-

ington looks to return in September,

and the $15,000 mens Futures in

Baton Rouge will take place the

week of Oct. 23.

> Head has revamped its look for2006. Visit www.head.com to check

out the new use of colors, photog-

raphy, and emotion in the graphics.

> The Tennis Channel Open in Las

Vegas, held Feb. 27-March 5, willsponsor a World Stringing Cham-

pionships on March 3. The compe-

tition is for anyone who thinks they

can record the fastest time stringing

a racquet. Winners will receive

prizes and/or prize money. Register

online at www.tennischannelopen

.com/events for $20, or register on

site at the Darling Memorial Tennis

Center for $30.

SHORT SETS Campus ChampionshipsExpands To All Sections

The 2005-2006 year marks the first

time all 17 USTA sections will host USA

Tennis on Campus Championship

events.

Interest generated by the annualNational Championship has led more ten-

nis-playing college students to create

sports clubs on campuses across the coun-

try over the past few years, says Glenn

Arrington, the USTAs product manager for

College Tennis. And the competition and

camaraderie witnessed by campus coordi-

nators at the national event led to the

growth in the number of sectional champi-

onships.

The Tennis on Campus program fea-

tures co-ed recreational and intramuralplay in World TeamTennis format. Through

the USTAs partnership with the WTT, sec-

tion coordinators will receive help from

WTT Director of Competition Elaine Wing-

field, who will attend and help run the

inaugural tournaments of some of the

USTA sections.

The 2006 USA Team Tennis National

Campus Championships will be held April

20-22 at the University of Texas in Austin.

The 2005 national event attracted a record

47 schools and was won by Texas A&M, for

its third title in four years. For more infor-

mation about the 2006 competition, visit

www.usta.com. Upcoming USA Team Ten-

nis Section Campus Championships are:

* Caribbean, Feb. 25-26, Centro de Tennis

Honda, Bayomn, Puerto Rico

* Eastern, TBD

* Florida, March 4-5, University of South

Florida, Tampa, Fla.

* Hawaii Pacific, March 4-5, Central Oahu

Regional Park

* Intermountain, TBD

* Mid-Atlantic, March 11, Tournament Cen-

ter College Park

* Midwest, March 10-12, University of Wis-

consin

* Missouri Valley, Feb. 18-19, Drake Uni-

versity, Des Moines, Iowa

* New England, TBD

* Southern, TBD

* Southern California, Feb. 11-12, UCLA

* Southwest, Feb. 17-18, Randolph Tennis

Center, Tucson, Ariz.

* Texas, March 4-5, Texas A&M


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YOUR finances


Flaunt Your Customization By

Creating a Racquet Service CenterM

ost tennis retailers know that rac-

quet stringing is their highest profit

category, yet it is often relegated

to second-class status in the shop lay-

out. The stringing machine is crammed

into an out-of-the way corner, or even in

a back room completely out of sight.

Instead of hiding your stringing opera-

tion, flaunt it! Make the stringing opera-

tion the center of attention in your pro

shop or store. Create adequate room forthe stringing machine or machines, as

well as space to perform all racquet ser-

vice tasks.

Creating a Racquet Service Center

will project a professional image for your

entire operation. Whether your RSC is in

the front corner of the shop or in a large

defined area will depend on the size of

your overall space, but dont be stingy.

Having a professional-looking space for

racquet service will draw attention to the

operation and increase your business, andof course, your bottom line.

If your stringing machine is old or out-

dated, consider investing in a new mod-

ern machine. Often equipment purchases

like stringing machines are not considered

as investments, but they should be. A

quality machine will last for several years.

Considering the potential revenue pro-

duced by this one piece of equipment

makes it a no-brainer. Spending $2,000 to

$5,000 on something that can make you

a tenfold return in short order is a goodinvestment by anyones standard. If your

shop strings more than a dozen racquets

a week, a professional-quality stringing

machine is definitely an investment, and a

worthwhile one at that.

Another worthy investment to consid-

er is diagnostic equipment. The Babolat

Racquet Diagnostic Center is the ultimate

in this category, but if your budget cant

handle one, at least consider an accurate

scale and a balance board. If you have a

good scale and balance board, consider

Of course, this only works if you pro-

vide quality work and great service. No

matter how much glitz you show, if you

dont back it up with quality, it wont last.

Make sure that every racquet that comes

through your shop gets the very best ser-

vice possible. If you are not already a Mas-

ter Racquet Technician, consider taking

the necessary steps to earn that designa-

tion. If you have other technicians, have

them certified as well.

Establishing your shop as the place to

go for racquet service will pay huge divi-

dends. Q

adding a swing-weight scale such as the

AccuSwing from Alpha.

Even with a minimal amount of equip-

ment, by utilizing the calculators and

other tools available at

www.RacquetTech.com (for U.S. Racquet

Stringers Association members), you can

perform all sorts of analysis on your cus-

tomers racquets. And, in addition to daz-

zling your customers, youll be offering

them services that they likely cant get

from your competitors.By establishing a Racquet Service Cen-

ter in your shop and offering a complete

menu of services, you will separate your-

self from the rest of the competition. Not

only will it increase your racquet service

business, it will also lend credibility to your

overall operation, especially your racquet

sales. By establishing your operation as

the racquet experts in your area, cus-

tomers will rely on your expertise in buy-

ing racquets, as well as having them

serviced.

BUSINESS

B Y B O B P A T T E R S O N , M R T

Bob Patterson of Birming-ham, Ala., owns PlayersChoice Tennis and the rac-quet customization com-pany Racquetmaxx. Herecently was named RSIs2005 Stringer of the Year.

stringing


16/60

THE master pros

Its All About LearningTo make the grade as a teaching pro, Ken DeHart says never miss

an educational opportunity.

Throughout his career, 57-year-old Ken

DeHart of San Jose, Calif. has sought

to make learning tennis fun and sim-

ple for players of all ages. Just as effective

in growing the game, his colleagues say,

is the expertise and enthusiasm he imparts

to his fellow teaching professionals

through

seminars delivered

worldwide on the

strategic and men-

tal aspects of the

sport.

RJ Tessier, direc-

tor of certification

for the USPTA, says

DeHart is a popular

speaker whoseentertaining

demonstrations of

100 Drills in an

Hour (many of

which he invented),

how to teach large

groups, and the

psychology of com-

petition are repeatedly requested at indus-

try events.

Ken is an accomplished player, and

hes still in the trenches teaching day today. That experience adds a lot of credibil-

ity, Tessier says.

Julie Jilly, vice president of operations

for the PTR, also has special knowledge of

DeHarts dedication to the game; DeHart

hired her when he was the PTRs execu-

tive director in 1985. Even then, Ken was

this very nice, down-to-earth man who

loved being on the court, Jilly says. His

forte is helping people with their game;

hes just a great ambassador of the

sport.

DeHart became a PTR member in

1977, before the organization was even a

year old. He is also a national PTR clinician

and tester, and a longtime speaker at the

organizations annual symposium. If you

look at all his accolades, Jilly adds, its

amazing he has time to do as much as he

does.

Aside from being a player, teacher,

coach, speak-

er, and men-tor, DeHart

was the first

person to earn

Master Profes-

sional ratings

from both the

USPTA and

PTRand is

still one of only

six teaching

pros in the

world to haveaccomplished

that honor.

Its very spe-

cial to be iden-

tified by your

peers as one of

the elite peo-

ple in the ten-

nis industry,

DeHart says, though I started out on

such a small scale that I still dont see

myself at that level.DeHart was introduced to tennis

halfway through his freshman year at

Campbellsville College in Kentucky, when

he and the rest of the cross-country team

ran by some tennis courts. I had never

seen tennis played before, DeHart recalls.

I went right out to K-mart, bought a Wil-

son racquet for $14.95 and a can of balls,

and decided to become a tennis player.

In his sophomore year, DeHart con-

vinced his roommate to try out with him

for the tennis team. We didnt know you

B Y C Y N T H I A C A N T R E LL


had to be good, he recalls with a laugh.

Instead of a place on the team, the coach

said he could hit with the players and

pick up balls at practices. Impressed with

DeHarts work ethic, she offered him a

position as secretary of the physical edu-

cation department through which he

helped teach phys-ed classes, coach the

womens tennis team, and travel with the

mens tennis team. He also continued

playing, earning a spot on the team in hisjunior year. The following year, he was

named the teams most valuable player.

After graduating in 1971 with a triple

major in business, physical education, and

history, DeHart went on to earn a mas-

ters in education from Western Kentucky

University while coaching tennis, bowling,

This is the third of six installments

on the teaching pros who hold Mas-

ter Pro certifications from both the

PTR and the USPTA.

DeHarts Tips

for SuccessQ Embrace change. Ken DeHart continues to

look for ways to grow the gameand is

currently touring the nation to help other

teaching pros do the same by offering

Cardio Tennis at their facilities. Never

miss an opportunity to add variety to your

programming, which could attract a new

audience.

Q Reduce unforced errors: Throughout his

career, DeHart has worked to transform

weaknesses into strengths by refusing togive in to fear of either success or failure.

"Focus on the present," he says,

"because that's all any of us can really

deal with at any given moment."

Q Never stop learning. Seek the advice of

experienced fellow pros, and take the

time to pursue educational opportunities

through organizations like the PTR and

USPTA. Your time is valuable, but so is

the experience of learning best practices

from industry leaders.


17/60February 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15

table tennis, and track. After returning

to Campbellsville to teach high school

and college tennis, he met teaching pro

Thay Butchee who helped him get a

job interview for the director of tennis

position at an eight-court facility in

Nashville.For three years, I went over

[Butchees] house just about every

night and asked him what he had

taught that day. And for three years, I

taught that same thing the next day,

DeHart says. I always thought, if I ever

knew that much, it would be so amaz-

ing.

Many would argue that DeHart has

achieved that aspiration. Hes taught all

ages and skill levels at clubs in

Nashville, Tempe, Atlanta, Los Angeles,and now San Jose, where he is director

of tennis at the seven-court San Jose

Swim & Tennis Club. A USA Tennis

High Performance coach, he also con-

ducts Cardio Tennis demonstrations

and USTA workshops for recreational

coaches.

As one of the 20 Wilson Premier

Advisory Staff Members, DeHart travels

and speaks to tennis pros across the

country about drills, teaching certifica-

tion, and mental toughness. He alsoserves as associate editor of the Tennis

One website (www.tennisone.com)

devoted to tennis instruction, and is a

prolific writer who co-wrote the Inter-

national Book of Drills with PTR

founder Dennis Van der Meer.

During tax season, DeHart helps his

wife and father-in-law run one of the

largest income-tax practices in northern

California. Hes also a collector, having

accumulated about 1,800 tennis rac-

quets, 2,000 books on the sport, andmemorabilia including the 1924 trophy

commemorating Armys win over Navy.

More teaching pros should take

advantage of all the educational oppor-

tunities offered [by the PTR and

USTPA]. I hear people say they cant

take the time off, but the way I see it,

how can you not? DeHart says. Even

if you get just one new idea, it will help

you teach better and your players will

learn faster. Tennis will get even bigger

and be more fun for everyone. Q


18/6016 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2006

science

hen Crawford Lindsey and I were

writing Technical Tennis, our biggest

single problem was to find a mean-

ingful word or phrase to replace Apparent

Coefficient of Restitution, or ACOR. This is

the technically correct phrase used to

describe how well a ball bounces off a sta-

tionary racquet. The average tennis player

would probably tune out if we used that

phrase.

We eventually decided to call itRebound Power, or RP, which was sug-

gested by Howard Brody. In any case,

catchy name or not, why would anyone

care how well a ball bounces off a racquet

that is not being swung at the ball? The

answer is that the power built into the

racquet needs to be carefully distinguished

from the power that a player can get out

of it.

When players talk about racquet power,

they usually have in mind the power that is

built into the racquet by the manufacturerusing whatever technical tricks they can

come up with, such as an improved string

suspension system or some clever way of

constructing the frame. When manufactur-

ers design a new racquet, they might take

an existing frame, modify it in some way,

and end up with a racquet that they hope

will be a better, perhaps more powerful ver-

sion of the original. How would one test the

racquet to see if it is more powerful or not?

The obvious way would be to serve a ball at

a fixed racquet speed and use a radar gun

to see if the ball is served any faster with the

modified racquet. If it is, then the modified

racquet is indeed more powerful.

A simpler test is to fire a ball at a sta-

tionary, freely-suspended or hand-held rac-

quet and see if the ball bounces off the

racquet any faster. This test is simpler

because it is easier to measure the speed of

a ball than to measure the speed of a rac-

quet. A problem with measuring racquet

speed is that different parts of the racquet

travel at different speeds. Another problem

is ensuring that the racquet is swung at the

same speed each time. In fact, both tests

are entirely equivalent and yield the same

answer. In a stationary racquet test, one

measures the speed of the incoming ball

and the speed of the outgoing ball. The

ratio of these two speeds (speed out/speed

in) is rebound power (RP). It is a number

that doesnt involve the player or his ability

to swing the racquet. The RP is a measure

of the power built into the racquet. In gen-

eral, heavy racquets have a bigger RP thanlight racquets, so an increase in RP without

an increase in racquet weight is an indica-

tion that the manufacturer has come up

with an improved, more powerful design.

DETERMINING

REBOUND POWER

Crawford had the hopeful idea that it

would be nice to measure the RP of every

performance racquet on the market and

publish the results each year in RSI. The

problem is that it takes several hours tomeasure the RP properly, taking the aver-

age of perhaps 5 or 10 bounces at each of

several different spots on the strings. It is a

lot simpler to calculate the RP using other

measured properties of a racquet. The RP

can be calculated quite accurately for an

impact in the middle of the strings, but RP

calculations are less accurate at other

impact points since it is difficult to estimate

energy losses due to frame vibrations. This

is not a problem in the middle of the

strings because the frame doesnt vibrate

at all for such an impact. I measured the RP

in the middle of the strings for 5 radically

different racquets and got the same

answers as the calculated values, demon-

strating that it is easier to calculate the RP

than measuring it and the answer will be

the same, at least for impacts near the mid-

dle of the strings.

Using these formulas (which can be

found in The Physics and Technology of

Tennis), I calculated the RP for an impact

16 cm from the tip of the 268 different rac-

quets listed in the March 2004 and March

2005 issues of RSI. The results are shown in

Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows a graph of

RP vs. racquet weight. The points on the

graph are scattered all over the place, but it

is clear that the RP for heavy racquets is gen-

erally larger than the RP for light racquets, as

expected. A tennis ball bounces higher off a

heavy slab of concrete than a light sheet of

paper. The RP for a concrete slab is about

0.75, as specified by the rules of tennis. The

RP for a hand-held racquet, when the ballimpacts the middle of the strings, varies from

about 0.31 to about 0.43. In Figure 1 the

points are scattered all over the place

because the RP depends mainly on the

weight of the head rather than the weight of

the whole racquet. Two racquets of the

same weight will have different values of RP

if one is head- heavy and the other is head

light. The head heavy racquet will have a

larger RP, so it has more inbuilt power. If

both racquets are swung at the same speed,

the ball will come off the head-heavy racquet

faster.

AMAZING RESULTS

Figure 2 shows RP vs. swingweight for all

racquets. The result is simply amazing.

Instead of having the 268 dots scattered all

over the place, the dots line up perfectly

Figure 1: Calculated values of RP at a point

16 cm from the tip of the racquet, vs. rac-

quet weight, for 268 different racquets.

W

Raw Racquet PowerThe secret of racquet power revealedsweetspot power depends

almost entirely on swingweight! B Y R O D C R O S S


19/60

along four different curved lines. The four

curves correspond to different racquet

lengths. All racquets of the same length lie

on the same curve, with short racquets hav-

ing a bigger RP than long racquets. The

result in Figure 2 shows that any two rac-

quets of the same length and the same

swingweight will have exactly the same RP,

regardless of their weights and regardless of

their balance points. The inbuilt power of a

racquet in the middle of the strings therefore

depends only on the length and swing-

weight of the racquet, and on nothing else.

There is a simple reason that long rac-

quets have a smaller RP. In order for a long

racquet to have the same swingweight as a

short racquet, weight has to move out of

the head and relocated closer to the han-

dle. Since RP is determined mainly by

weight in the head, a long racquet must

therefore have a smaller RP than a shortracquet (at any given swingweight).

The inbuilt power can be increased

slightly by reducing string tension, but it

was assumed in Figures 1 and 2 that all rac-

quets had the same stringbed stiffness

when calculating the RP. In other words,

the string tension was adjusted for every

racquet to compensate for differences in

head size and string pattern so that the

stringbed stiffness would be the same. This

was not done on an individual basis.

Rather, it was assumed in the calculations.

The RP for impact points away from the

middle of the strings might tell a different

story, but it wont be a radically different

story. If a racquet has a large RP in the mid-

dle of the strings, then in principle it should

be large everywhere else over the

stringbed. However, it wont be propor-

tionally larger because there are other fac-


tors to consider when a ball impacts away

from the middle of the strings. Impacts

near the tip and throat result in frame

vibrations that act to reduce the RP com-

pared with that of an infinitely stiff rac-

quet. Consequently, if two racquets have

the same length and swingweight, then

the stiffer of the two will have a higher RP

near the tip and the throat (but they willhave the same RP in the middle of the

strings).

Impacts away from the long axis, near

the edge of the frame at the 3 and 9

oclock positions, cause the racquet to

twist around the long axis, which also

results in a lowering of the RP. In this case,

if two racquets have the same length and

swingweight, then the one with the high-

er twistweight will be the most powerful

on impacts towards the sides of the frame.

There is plenty that a manufacturer can do,

apart from increasing swingweight, to

increase the inbuilt power of a racquet

outside of the middle of the strings.

Whether or not the result is a racquet that

feels good in the hands of a particular play-

er is a completely different story. There is

no way that I can calculate the feel of a

racquet. It just doesnt compute. Qrd

Figure 2: Calculated values of RP at a point

16 cm from the tip of the racquet, vs. swing-

weight, for the same racquets as those in

Fig. 1.


20/6018 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2006

ing the test, at

3.5, 5, 6, 9, 18 (two), 20, 22 (two), and

40 hours. Average normal string longevity

for these playtesters is 19 hours. Average

normal string longevity for the entire

playtest team is 32 hours.

CONCLUSION

Lovers of soft multifilaments have reason to

be excited about the introduction of Tecnifi-

Tecnifibre Multifeel 16

string PLAYTEST

Tecnifibre Multifeel 16 is a solid-core sin-

gle-wrap multifilament string, which

according to Tecnifibre offers durability,

dynamic performance, and comfort at an

excellent price-to-value ratio.

The durability comes from the central

monofilament, which comprises 20 percent

of the total volume of the string. Surround-

ing the central monofilament are 985 com-

posite filaments arranged in bundles,

lending Multifeel what Tecnifibre calls

dynamic performance. As you would expect

from Tecnifibre, the assembled central

monofilament and multifilament wraps areimmersed in polyurethane to bind every-

thing together. This polyurethane infusion

accounts for another 20 percent of the total

volume of the string, and increases comfort

by reducing shock and vibration. Finally,

Multifeel has an anti-abrasion coating of Sil-

icone Pyrogene Lubritec (SPL).

Tecnifibre hopes Multifeel will appeal to

players currently using strings by other man-

ufacturers in the mid-price range, offering

quality in a string with 45 percent better

durability than the most popular perfor-mance synthetic strings, while introducing

them to a true Tecnifibre string, made

with its patented manufacturing process.

Multifeel is available in 16 (1.30 mm) in

natural only. It is priced from $9 per 40-foot

set, and $120 per 660-foot reel. For more

information or to order, contact Tecnifibre

at 877-332-0825, or visit www.tecnifibre

.com. Be sure to read the conclusion for

more information about getting a free set

to try for yourself.

IN THE LAB

The coil of 16-gauge Multifeel measured 40

feet 2 inches. The diameter measured 1.31-

1.32 mm prior to stringing, and 1.25-1.27

mm after stringing. We recorded a

stringbed stiffness of 71 RDC units immedi-

ately after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wil-

son Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a

constant-pull machine.

After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed

stiffness measured 66 RDC units, represent-

ing a 7 percent tension loss. Our control

string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original Gold

16, measured 78 RDC units immediately

after stringing and 71 RDC units after 24

hours, representing a 9 percent tensionloss. Multifeel added 15 grams to the

weight of our unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeks

by 31 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-

ings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind tests,

with playtesters receiving unmarked strings

in unmarked packages. Average number

of hours playtested was 25.3.

As noted by our playtesters, installing

Multifeel is comparable to working with

other strings. The SPL coating makes

weaving the crosses easier, without leavingexcess lubrication on your hands or equip-

ment. Blocked holes were no problem.

One playtester broke his sample during

stringing, five reported problems with coil

memory, none reported problems tying

knots, and one reported friction burn.

ON THE COURT

Tecnifibre strings are known for their com-

fortable playing characteristics, so it is not

a surprise that Multifeel scored highest in

Comfort with our playtest team, rankingseventh overall out of the 99 strings we

have playtested to date. Of the six strings

that ranked better than Multifeel, two

were other Tecnifibre strings (X-One

Biphasestill in first placeand 515 Gold

Prestretchedwhich is no longer avail-

able), and two were natural gut hybrids.

Multifeel is more than a comfortable

string, however, as it also ranks well above

average in Playability, Power, Control,

Touch/Feel, and Spin Potential. Thats

right, even though Multifeel is not

designed to be a power string, the mem-

bers of our playtest team felt as though

they were getting plenty of pop from this

test sample.

Playtesters using racquets with head

sizes above 98 square inches were slightly

more excited about Multifeels durability

than those using racquets with head sizes

98 square inches and less. On the other

hand, playtesters with the small head-size

racquets were wild about Multifeels other

characteristics.

Ten playtesters broke the sample dur-

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)

Number of testers who said it was:

much easier 1

somewhat easier 6

about as easy 18

not quite as easy 6

not nearly as easy 0

OVERALL PLAYABILITY

(compared to string played most often)Number of testers who said it was:

much better 1

somewhat better 6

about as playable 12

not quite as playable 7

not nearly as playable 4

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other strings

of similar gauge)

Number of testers who said it was:

much better 2

somewhat better 6

about as durable 11not quite as durable 10

not nearly as durable 1

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)

Playability 3.6

Durability 3.2

Power 3.4

Control 3.6

Comfort 3.8

Touch/Feel 3.6

Spin Potential 3.6

Holding Tension 3.2

Resistance to Movement 3.0


21/60February 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19

This string plays really nice. It seems to be easy on my arm and I havemuch better than average control. The string doesn't last as long as my

usual string, but given the much better control I would be likely to use it

myself and offer it to my control-oriented players who don't have a problem

with string breakage. Overall, an excellent string. 4.0 male all-court player using Yonex RDX 500 MP strung at 63 poundsLO (Wilson Sensation 16)

I knew I would like this string when Ipulled it out of the package. It has the

look of a softer synthetic, but the dura-

bility of a less-forgiving string. While

there is more tension loss than expected,

it still plays better than others. This is a

good string for those hard on strings,

but still wanting to control the ball with

good feel. I highly recommend thisstring.5.0 male all-court player using Wilson

nSix-One 95 strung at 60 pounds LO

(Wilson NXT Tour 17)

Great string. It has a gut-like feel. Solid on volleys, able to hit moder-ate spin, great feel on groundstrokes. Really like the playability of this

string. I would consider using it regularly.4.5 male all-court player using Wilson n5 strung at 63 pounds LO (Wilson

Reaction 16)

I feel this is an excellent 16-gauge string, providing as good feel andcontrol as my normal 17-gauge string. I was concerned about the fraying on

the sweet spot, but it did not seem to effect playability or longevity.4.0 male all-court player using Head Flexpoint 6 strung at 62 pounds

CP (Gamma ESP 17)

I am impressed with this string's elasticity. It has a nice feel and is

easy on my arm. The string also has nice durability given its superiorfeel. I would rate this one of the better

strings I have playtested.4.5 male all-court player using Wilson H

Tour strung at 60 pounds CP (Wilson

NXT 15L)

This string has great playability. Itholds tension very well and I am able to

feel the ball coming off of the strings.

Power generation is easily accomplished

and not forced. The only downside tothis string is that it does not resist move-

ment well, and the strings fray very

quickly in the sweet spot. The bigger

concern for me is tension maintenance,

and here this string held up well.5.0 female baseliner with heavy spin using Prince Shark strung at 58

pounds CP (Dunlop Max Comfort 16)

Great playability string with huge spin potential. Durability wasdecent. Broke after five hours, but I usually break strings after three

or four hours. Overall, it is a pretty good, soft string.5.0 male all-court player using Wilson nSix-One 95 strung at 58pounds CP (Wilson Synthetic Gut 16)

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

Nice soft string.Excellent feel. Actually reminds me of

gut. Very easy string to work with. Excel-

lent ball control. Also like the sound of

the ball striking the string. Excellent con-

trol while volleying with this string."

5.0 male all-court player using Babolat Zylon

strung at 52/50 pounds CP (Various 16 or 17)

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

bre Multifeel. Comparing the results of Multifeel playtest

against those of some of its best-selling competitors

shows that Multifeel is equal to or better than others in

its price range, especially in the Comfort category.

Multifeels strong showing among playtesters using

racquets with head sizes of 98 square inches and less,indicates that it might be a great starter string to

introduce a player to Tecnifibre strings, perhaps later

moving them to NRG2 or X-One Biphase.

This does not mean that players with larger racquets

are left out, though, as playtesters with these racquets

appreciated the playability, control, comfort, and spin

potential, and Multifeels dynamic response might be

good for taming the power in an over-size racquet with-

out resorting to the higher tensions that can sometimes

aggravate arm problems.

If you think that Tecnifibre Multifeel might be for

you, fill out the coupon to get a free set to try.

Greg Raven Q

FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAMTecnifibre has generously offered to send a free set of Multifeel 16

to USRSA members who request it.To get your free set, just cut out (or copy) this coupon and mail it to:

USRSA, Attn: Tecnifibre Multifeel 16 String Offer,

330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084or fax to 760-536-1171

Offer expires February 15th, 2006One set of free string per USRSA membership

Offer only available to USRSA members in the USFREE! Tecnifibre Multifeel 16!

Offer expires February 15th 2006Name:

USRSA Member number:

Phone:

Email:If you print your email clearly, we will notify you when your sample will be sent.

TESTERS TALK


22/60


23/60January 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org


24/6022 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2006 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

To: Partners for Profitable Growth

The Tennis Industry Association, formerly known as the American Ten-nis Industry Federation, has a more than 30-year history. But I hope

you can see and feel the progress all of our combined efforts have

made during the past few years. In 2005, total participation went up

over 1 million players, frequent players have increased for two straight

years with a 14 percent growth, and equipment sales are growing, too.

I am proud of what wehave accomplished. And, to top this off, in an SGMA study, tennis

is the only traditional sport to show growth in the past six years!

The words abovepartners for profitable growthare really the foundation for our goals.

We are looking at all ways to make the many partners in our sport grow their profitabili-

ty through many TIA tools, services, and programs.

In this special section, you will learn about many of the things we are doing. More impor-

tant, there are many TIA tools or services that will increase the profitability of retailers,facility operators, manufacturers, etc.

While the TIA is considered the research source

in tennis research, weve developed many new prod-

ucts and services that will increase profitability for

many of you quickly! For anyone who pays credit-

card processing fees, you have to look at TIA Mer-

chant Card Services on page 32. Doing any shipping?

The TIA has lined up great discounts with freight com-

panies through our TIA Freight Savings program on

page 32. If you operate a tennis facility, you have to

look at TIA TennisConnect.org on page 29. This soft-

ware package is the best way to service your players

or members.

And, of course, theres the research. We offer a ton

of research to guide your business. For Tennis Retail-

ers or Facility Operators, wouldnt it be great to know

how your peers are running their business compared

to yours? Look on page 30 for more information. And

we offer multiple research projects with both retailers

and consumers.

Finally, one of the key things we focus on to grow

everyones profitability is to increase tennis participa-

tion. We are continuing our momentum on key grow

the game initiatives, Tennis Welcome Centers and

the new Cardio Tennis. Both these programs are pro-

ducing results.

Please take time to read through this section and

see how the TIAs products and services can help you.

And thanks for being a great part of our sport.

Jim Baugh

TIA President

Lets Grow This Business!

CONTENTS

23 The TennisCampaign

26 Cardio Tennis

28 TennisWelcome

Centers28 Growing

Tennis 50/50

29 TennisConnect

30 MarketResearch

32 EconomicLeverage

33 Online Access

34 Support YourIndustry

35 Benefits ofMembership

36 Join Today!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steve Bellamy

The Tennis Channel

Dave Bone

USRSAMax Brownlee

Babolat

Kevin Callanan

International Management Group

Rick Devereux

IHRSA

Brian Dillman

Wilson Sporting Goods

Steve Dunlap

The Sports Authority

Doug Fonte

Prince Sports Group

Don Galliers

SportMaster

Chris Gaudreau

Racquet Koop

John Graham

DecoTurf

Dave Haggerty

HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports

Tim Heckler

U.S. Professional Tennis

Association

Kurt Kamperman

U.S. Tennis Association

Ilana Kloss

World TeamTennis

Debbie Mitchell

K-Swiss

Mike Wilson

Vlkl

Dale Queen

Your Serve Tennis

Dan Santorum

Professional Tennis Registry

Gene Scott

Tennis Week

Victor Taylor

ATP

John Welborn

Lee Tennis Products

Jeff Williams

Tennis Magazine

Steve Zalinski

Dunlop Sports Group Americas


25/60

The past two years have been an incredibly productive

time for the tennis industry, as the Tennis Campaign

continues to help the game grow and help the com-

mercial success of the industry. Through the unified efforts of

many people and organizations, we're now seeing positive

resultsand growthin many areas of the sport.

The USTA, manufacturers, organizations, teaching pros,

retailers, tournament directors, and others have all come

together to support tennis through the creation and execution

of a variety of initiatives. All these programs are designed togenerate more interest in tennis, bring more people into the

game, retain them in the game, and, importantly, bring more

business to retail shops, tennis facilities, and to all parts of our

sport.

But there is still plenty of work to do for the Tennis Cam-

paign. If theres one thing the tennis industry has learned over

the years, its that, just like a tennis match, things change and

evolve constantly. Programs need to be reshaped, strategies

need to be refined, priorities need to be readjusted. The sport

is dynamic, and so is the industry that supports it.

Frequent PlayerIncrease LeadsGrowth in Many AreasResults from the massive 2005 Tennis Participation Survey

show that the number of total players has increased. But per-

haps more important for your business, the number of fre-

quent players has increased, too.

Frequent players, defined as those who play 21 times or

more a year, is at 5.2 million, up from 4.75 million the previ-

ous year, or almost 10 percent. Whats more, frequent play-

ers increased more than 14 percent in the past two years! The2005 survey lists the total number of players at 24.72 million,

up more than 1 million new players.

Our combined efforts over the past three years have real-

ly started to pay off, says TIA President Jim Baugh. It took

time to turn this sport around, but now we have added over

600,000 frequent players in the past two years. We realized

frequent players are a major driver to our sport. We have

also added 1 million total players in the past year, equipment

sales are up, dealer confidence is up, and the number of pro-

fessional tennis fans is up. Everything is starting to click. We

are on a good roll, and not just in one area.

The increase in frequent players is extremely important,

continues Baugh, because they are the heart of the recre-

ational market. They buy the equipment, book the lessons

and court time, and are our best and most vocal fans of the

sport.

Baugh says TIA research with former frequent players has

given the industry a roadmap to what will influence them to

recommit to tennis or increase their play. The positive influ-

ence of teaching pros cant be overlooked, he says. Players

who take lessons to improve their skills stay in the game.

And, they have so much influence on other parts of ourgame.

Also influencing frequent play, according to former fre-

quent players, is organized team and league events, which

help keep players engaged.

Cardio Tennis StartsCapturing a New MarketWhile tennis continues to grow through traditional programs

such as leagues, Tennis Welcome Centers, and expanded

parks program, Car-

dio Tennis isexpanding tennis in

a new market.

The largest

growth segment of

sport or recreational

activities is the fit-

ness areas, says

Baugh, referring to

activities such as

treadmills, elliptical

trainers, and spin-

ning, and to fitnesscenters such as

Curves. This seg-

ment is huge. There

are over 56 million

Americans engaged

in fitness activities

on a serious basis,

and it is growing.

Traditional sports as

a whole are not

growing. But, now

with Cardio Tennis,

B Y P E T E R F R A N C E S C O N IThe TIA and its industry partners are working to increase playerparticipation and retention for the benefit of all.

Moving ForwardMoving Forward

February 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org


26/60

we have a new way to play tennis and attack this fitness

market.

The creation of Cardio Tennis stems from research indi-

cating that many people view tennis more as a recreational

activity and less for fitness. In fact, TIA research shows that

only one in four non-tennis players see tennis as a fitness

activity. Cardio Tennis will attract the fitness-minded partici-pant to our game, says Baugh. And we know from early

results of the program that Cardio Tennis is also giving existing

players a new way to enjoy our sportwhile getting a great

workout, too. Cardio Tennis helps frequency of play as well.

The official consumer rollout of Cardio Tennis took place in

August at the US Open, with health and fitness expert Denise

Austin as the spokesperson. Cardio Tennis is a great way to

exercise, she says. You

dont really realize that an

hour has gone by and

youve just had a great fat-

burning workout. And

youre improving your ten-

nis skills, too.

The TIA, in developing

the program, sought teach-

ing pros with a knowledge

of tennis exercises. Car-

dio Tennis is really going

to revolutionize the game

because we can attract

people from the fitness

industry, says Dr. Sophie

Woorons, director of ten-

nis at Performance Tennis

at Brookstone Meadows in Anderson, S.C.

With Cardio, the goal is to get a participants heart pump-

ing between 65 percent and 85 percent of its maximum heart

rate. For a typical program, each pro will have six to eight par-

ticipants on court. Specific Cardio Tennis drills and exercises

last only minutes, then its on to the next sequence. Instructors

are encouraged to introduce their own drills to the lineup, too.

This program will constantly evolve and grow, says Baugh.

Throughout 2005, the TIA staff, including Cardio Tennis

Manager Michele Krause, and a Cardio Tennis Speakers Team

presented 25 workshops across the country to more than 900

tennis teachers, including training sessions and on-court

demonstrations.

Currently, 1,000 sites have signed up to be official CardioTennis locations. For more information, visit www.Partners.

CardioTennis.com.

Tennis in Public ParksOne key to the Tennis Campaign is buildingand rebuild-

ingtennis in the public parks. Research shows that parks

are by far the No. 1 place where Americans play tennis, fol-

lowed by play on courts at

schools and colleges. More

than 70 percent of all ten-

nis played in the U.S. is

played in public facilities.With this compelling

figure as the backdrop, the

USTA, in concert with the

National Recreation and

Park Association and other

groups, has orchestrated a

Tennis in the Parks Initia-

tive to enhance public ten-

nis facilities and improve

their program offerings.

The revitalization of ten-

nis in our public parks iscritical to the growth strategy for tennis, says Franklin R.

Johnson, USTA chairman of the board and president.

In 2005, the USTA provided resources to more than 1,300

public parks, investing at least $1.8 million in the initiative.

That USTA investment served as a catalyst for more than $10

million in additional funds raised in local communities to fund

public-park tennis projects.

Work continues in the public-park arena. Despite more

than two-thirds of all tennis being played on public facilities,

fully two-thirds of all teaching pros work in private or com-

mercial facilities.

Increasing the number of pros in parks is a key to increas-ing participation, says Kurt Kamperman, the USTAs chief

executive of Community Tennis. Were working closely with

the NRPA to put more pros into public parks.

Tennis Welcome CentersAs the Tennis Welcome Center program enters its third year,

it is indeed alive and well and welcoming more and more peo-

ple to tennis. The initiative, started in 2003, was the largest

grassroots effort ever launched in the sport.

The TWC initiative came about through the combined

efforts of the TIA, USTA, teaching professionals, and many

other industry partners. Industry support and exposure (on

TENNIS IS GROWING WHILE OTHER TRADITIONALSPORTS STRUGGLE

SGMA research showing the net participation % change from 1998-2004

Activity % Change Activity % Change

Badminton - 35 Ice Skating - 21

Baseball - 21 Racquetball - 46

Basketball - 19 Roller Skating - 25

Bicycling - 5 Skiing - 15

Camping - 2 Soccer - 12

Fishing - 14 Softball - 23

Football* - 31 Swimming** + 1

Golf - 14 Tennis + 8

Hunting - 9 Volleyball - 17

Ice Hockey - 31* touch; other forms not tracked in 1998 **Statistically insignificant change

24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2006 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org


27/60February 2006 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

What the

Industry is

Saying About The

Tennis Campaign

Never have the

major associa-tions within the

industry worked

together as they

are now. Relation-

ships that were

once adversarial are now har-

monious and mutually benefi-

cial.

Franklin Johnson,

Chairman of the Board and

President, USTA

Most indicators

point to a resur-gence in tennis

right now, thanks

in part to industry-

wide cooperation.

Recent tennis ini-

tiatives like Tennis in the

Parks, Cardio Tennis, Tennis

Welcome Centers, and the

TSRs should continue to

increase participation num-

bers.

Dan Santorum,

Professional Tennis Registry

Tennis gained

more than 1 mil-

lion players last

year. This is proof

that the tennis

campaigncoordi-

nated through the

TIAis working, and it is

great news for everyone in

tennis.

Tim Heckler,

U.S. Professional Tennis Asso-

ciation

The TIA is the

glue that keeps

everyone working

together on the

tennis campaign.

From the recent

good news in the

industry, its clear that were

moving in the right direction

for our sport.

Dave Haggerty,

HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports

racquet hangtags, tennis ball cans, shoe box

inserts, etc., along with signage at the US

Open and US Open Series) has resulted in a

record number of hits on

www.TennisWelcomeCenter.com during

2005.

Consumers go to the TWC website, input

their ZIP code, and find facilities and parks intheir area that offer introductory tennis pro-

gramming where they can easily Learn to

Play Tennis . . . Fast! A toll-free nationwide

customer-service telephone line was added in

2005, too.

The website underwent a number of

improvements and enhancements that have

made it easier for consumers to find the infor-

mation they need and for facilities and parks

to disseminate pertinent details. For instance,

in addition to basic information about a TWC

location and details on introductory pro-grams, the TWC has the opportunity to pro-

vide information on all its programs,

appealing not just to beginners, but to all

players as well. The website also allows for

feedback on programs to be sent to the

TWCs.

The Tennis Welcome Center renewal

process for 2006, with new benefits and fea-

tures, is already under way. For information,

visit www.Partners.TennisWelcomeCenter.com.

TSRs: A SalesForce for TennisNew to the Tennis Campaign is the Tennis

Service Representative program. Serving as a

national sales force for tennis, TSRs are

being hired by the USTA sections, with sup-

port from the USTA national office, to assess

the tennis needs of communities and to help

people to do their jobs in the most efficient

way possible, says Mark McMahon, who is

the USTAs new national manager for the

TSRs.

As of January, nearly 70 TSRs had been

hired by the 17 USTA sections and charged

with helping to connect local tennis providers

with resources to grow the game at the grass-

roots level. The number of TSRs will vary

depending on the needs of the sectionslarg-

er sections generally will have more TSRs.

The TSRs will be supported by a combina-

tion of USTA national and section funding andwill report to their own sections. The national

USTA office has committed $12 million over

the next three years to the program, says the

USTAs Kamperman.

Raising TennisAwarenessHow do you elevate tennis in the recreational

choices that people have? Thats the key

question that the TIA and many others in this

business are working to answer.The visibility of the sport continues to

receive a huge boost through advertisements

on TV and in publications. Special sections on

the health benefits of tennis were inserted

into a dozen different consumer magazines in

2005, and increased TV coverage of both the

US Open Series of summer pro tournaments

(more than 200 hours broadcast) and the US

Open itself (more than 140 hours) brought

the sport to millions of viewers.

Expect to hear more about USTA Junior

Team Tennis (formerly called USA Team Ten-nis for Youth). Were going to reposition

Team Tennis, to elevate the program to true

league status to increase participation

among young players, says Kathy Francis, the

USTAs managing director of marketing for

Community Tennis. Also being targeted by

industry initiatives in 2006 will be the approx-

imately 28 million lapsed players in the U.S.

The TIA is very fortunate to have the

USTA as our main partner, says TIA Execu-

tive Director Jolyn de Boer. Wilson, Head,

and Prince are the major TIA Participating

Partners, along with Babolat, Vlkl, and other

leading manufacturers who are contributing a

percentage of their sales to help fund our

efforts. Nearly 80 percent of TIA revenue

goes directly back into grassroots programs

and industry research. We applaud their com-

mitment to our sport!

Through the united efforts of all the orga-

nizations and companies involved in tennis,

the sport is gaining in visibility and aware-

ness. If the recent past is any guide, that

should translate into greater participation.

It seems these industry initiatives may be


28/60

Cardio Tennis is sweeping the nation. Approximately

1,000 facilities in the U.S. have made themselves Car-

dio Tennis sites, offering this new form of tennis that

keeps the heart rate up, the feet mov-

ing, and the calories disappearing.

With 5- to 10-minute warm-up

and cool-down phases, the sub-

stance of the workout is 30 to 50 min-

utes of drill- and play-based exercisesdesigned to keep each players heart rate in an elevated yet

healthy range. Cardio Tennis is all about variety, and thats

what I love about it, says Cardio Tennis spokesperson and fit-

ness guru Denise Austin (below), who participated in the

unveiling of the program at the 2005 US Open.

And while improving the health of the nation, the program

will have the same effect on the health of the game. Were

going to grow the game with Cardio Tennis, says TIA Presi-

dent Jim Baugh. There are 56 million people in America that

are involved with fitness activities found in health clubs and

fitness classes on a frequent basis. If we just attract 1 percent

of those people to Cardio Tennis, we willincrease tennis frequent player base by

over 10 percent.

Cardio Tennis has something for

everyone, and players of all ability lev-

els can share the court. Greg Moran,

director of tennis at the Four Seasons

Racquet Club in Wilton, Conn., says his

Cardio Tennis classes have attracted

existing and new players, and have

brought former players back. And,

he says, the programs official web-

site, www.CardioTennis.com,

has been helping drive

business. By simply

entering their ZIP

Code on the

website, players

can find Cardio

Tennis classes at

facil it ies near them.

Weve got new people com-

ing to the club, says Moran.

We get several responses

each week from area

towns.

Meadow Creek Tennis and Fitness in Lakewood, Colo., cur-

rently offers five Cardio Tennis classes a week. Its bringing

a nice, healthy, younger group into the club, people who are

coming into their own and will

probably be tennis players for a

long time, says club owner Adam

Kahn. Its really hitting the audience

we want it to hit. People are really enjoy-

ing the workout that theyre getting.Cardio Tennis also is making money for pros and facilities.

David Oom, the director of tennis of the new, six-court MVP

Sportsplex in Grand Rapids, Mich., says his Cardio Tennis pro-

gram is on track to bring in about $40,000 to $45,000 in rev-

enue in the first year.

We started Cardio Tennis when the club opened in March

2005, with 16 participants in two classes, Oom says. By Jan-

uary, we had about 75 people in seven classes, and we expect

well have about 100 participants by March 2006. Oom

charges $15 per person per class and utilizes a lot of live-ball

drills and competitive games.

Oom credits word of mouth, along with a club staff that isknowledgeable about the program, as the main reasons peo-

ple have signed on to Cardio Tennis. Right now, Cardio Ten-

With the official launch of Cardio Tennis, opportunities forheart-pumping fitness on the courts abound across the U.S.

Getting to the HeaGetting to the Hea

B Y K R I S T E N D A L E Y

Survey Says: Cardio Tennis Is

A Hit With Sites and ParticipantsRecent survey results of Cardio Tennis participants and sites

show extremely positive reactions to Cardio Tennis. More

than 250 Cardio Tennis sites responded to a 50-question

survey. Highlights include these findings:

Q Sites with Cardio Tennis for at least 3 months have doubledtheir participant rates.

Q 61 percent of all sites say they will expand their program

offering in 2006.Q The average facility indicates Cardio Tennis has expanded

their revenues by 10 percent.

Q 92 percent of all sites will continue with Cardio Tennis in2006.

Q 60 percent of participants say Cardio Tennis is a betterworkout than their normal fitness routine (26 percent say it

is about the same).

Q 85 percent say Cardio Tennis is more fun than their normalfitness activity (15 percent say Cardio Tennis is the same).

Q 80 percent say Cardio Tennis is a better workout than tradi-tional tennis.

Q 92 percent

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200602 Racquet Sports Industry