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Retailing
Tips to helpincrease yourAPPAREL SALES
Tennis Research
U.S. tennisPARTICIPATIONincreases
Racquet Tech
DIRECTIONALSTRINGINGfor cross strings
I n c o r p
o r a t i n
g U S P T A
UNE 2016 / VOLUME 44 / NUMBER 6 / $5.0 0
p g. 4 1
ConstructionExcellence! Award-winningprivate courts
Local HeroesDedicatedvolunteers
are growingthe game at the
grassroots
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DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve
7 Industry News
14 TIA News
17 Court Construction
18 Racquet Tech
20 Retailing Tip
36 String Playtest: Pacific Poly Force
38 Ask the Experts
40 Your Serve, by Holly Chomyn
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 Participation, “play occasions”
increase in the U.S.
7 Ninth Annual TIA Forum setfor Aug. 29 in NYC
7 Tennis Machines joins
String ‘n Swing Tennis
8 ITA to move to Arizona;
elects new Board
8 Reyes, Fish to work with
USTA Player Development
8 World Tennis Fitness
Conference in July
8 Powershares Series kicks
off 10th year
10 Short Sets
10 USTA takes part in White
House Easter Egg Roll
10 Spinfire launches in U.S.
and Canada
11 Zondag is new PBI president
11 ESPN’s McKendry focuses on
Grand Slams
12 Peoplewatch
PLUS
42 CEO’s Message
44 Vice President’s Message
46 Endorsee News
48 USPTA World Conference
50 Master Pro Corner
52 Inside Coaching
54 USPTA News
58 Career Development
60 Member News
JUNE 2016
TennisIndustry
FEATURES
22 Clothes CallsIs selling apparel a challenge for your shop?These retailers make it look easy.
24 Residential DevelopmentThree award-winning private courts are greatexamples of tennis facility construction.
28 Local HeroesThese dedicated volunteers, from eachof the USTA’s 17 sections, are helping togrow this game where it counts themost—at the grassroots.
48
Start Making
Plans for the
USPTA World
Conference
52
The Tiebreaker
Plan
50
Mental
Toughness
54
USPTA Joins
PHIT America
2 TennisIndustry June 2016
p.41
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
p.22
p.24
p.28
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Our Serve
4 TennisIndustry June 2016 www.tennisindustrymag.com
AM ON G TH E HI GH LI GH TS AT TH IS
year’s USTA Annual Meeting in March
was the chance to hear from Craig
Morris, who the USTA hired in Novem-
ber as the new general manager for
Community Tennis & Youth Tennis.
Morris came from Tennis Australia,
where he served in the key role of direc-
tor of participation.
Morris said things many of us have
been pushing for years. When it comes
to getting people, especially kids, into
tennis, he stressed that everything
needs to be seen through the eye of the
consumer. “This is not about us; it’s
about the next generation of players.”
What is it about tennis that appealsto children? How easy is it for them
to find what they need to get into the
game? What will make them choose the
sport, and continue to play it?
And then he said the magic words we
too often ignore in this industry: “We
have to keep it simple.”
Many of us have hammered on that
theme over the years. To me, part of
keeping it simple is using all the tools at
our disposal to grow the game, no mat-
ter where they come from. Let’s not
duplicate efforts and waste more timeand money. Let’s no longer fall victim to
the “not invented here” syndrome.
The USTA’s influence and resources
are vast, but many things in this
industry that may well help grow the
game—sensibly, simply and cost-effec-
tively—just won’t happen if the USTA
isn’t behind it. This isn’t any sort of
revelation; we’ve all known this.
With Morris on board, I’m hopeful
on many fronts that we can “use all
our tools” to grow this sport. Let’s take
Cardio Tennis. Yes, the USTA helped
fund it in 2005, but back then it was all
just the TIA promoting it, with limited
budget and resources. Now, Cardio
Tennis has 1.8 million participants—no
program in tennis has ever had that
kind of growth. In Australia, Morris
realized the value of a tennis product
that focuses on health and fitness,
so they licensed Cardio Tennis from
the TIA. With Morris now part of the
USTA, I look forward to the organiza-
tion seeing the value in using Cardio
Tennis to reach new consumers.
In the keep-it-simple and not-du-
plicate-efforts categories, let’s look at
PlayTennis.com, an unbranded website
simply devoted to getting and keepingpeople playing. Again, with limited
resources, the TIA has grown
PlayTennis.com to hundreds of thou-
sands of users and registrants who
can find partners, matches, lessons,
coaches, courts, etc.—but there is more
to do. I’m hopeful now this industry can
come together to grow participation for
all ages through PlayTennis.com, rather
than trying to re-invent it.
I’m looking forward to the future,
and to what I hope will be a construc-
tive re-evaluation of what we’re doing,and how we’re doing it.
Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
Re-Evaluating What We Do
PUBLISHER
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2016, Volume 44, Number 6 © 2016 by USRSA and
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The number of peopleplaying tennis in the
U.S. and the number
of tennis “play occasions”increased in 2015, according
to the latest figures released by
the TIA and USTA, which werepart of the Physical Activity
Council (PAC) Annual Partici-pation Study.
In addition, the PAC study
shows tennis is the onlytraditional participation sport
to see an increase in overall
participation over the lasteight years—up 6 percent since
2007. All other traditional
participation sports—soccer,basketball, baseball, football,
volleyball, golf, fishing and rac-quetball—saw declines in that
time period. The PAC study isthe largest single-source independent sports participation survey in the U.S., measuringparticipation in more than 120 sports and activities.
For 2015, total tennis players numbered 17.96 million, which is a .3 percent increase
from 2014, according to the PAC study. “Core” tennis players—those who play 10 ormore times a year—increased .5 percent to 9.96 million. The number of tennis “play oc-
casions” also increased in 2015, both overall and for core players. Overall play occasions
were up .8 percent to 446.4 million; core players accounted for 418.3 million of thoseplay occasions.
Last year, there were 2.07 million new tennis players, which is a 3.8 percent increase
compared to 2014. Another 2.2 million players “returned” to the game in 2015, which isa 14.8 percent increase. The total for combined new and returning players in 2015 is a
9.2 percent increase from 2014. In addition, 14.75 million Americans who are non-play-
ers are interested in playing tennis, and another 12.8 million who may not have playedin the past year “consider themselves” tennis players.
Youth participation saw slight declines for ages 6 to 12, with participation at 2.11 mil-lion, a 1.1 percent drop from 2014, and for ages 13 to 17, which fell 5.5 percent, also to 2.11
million players, while overall "core" youth participation rose in 2015 by 5 percent.
Of particular note is the Cardio Tennis program, which in 2015 alone grew 12.6percent in participation, to 1.82 million players. Cardio Tennis, which was developed in
2005, was first measured by the PAC study in 2008 and has grown 119 percent in partici-
pation in the past seven years. Also noteworthy is increasing tennis participation among Hispanics in the U.S., which
has been a priority for the USTA. In 2015, Hispanic tennis players jumped 12.2 percent,to 1.79 million players. Participation among Asians in the U.S. increased 5.6 percent in
2015 to 1.98 million. However, African-American players declined by 1.7 percent to 1.9
million, and Caucasian participation dropped .8 percent to 11.89 million.
June 2016 TennisIndustry 7
Industry News Information to help you run your business
Ninth Annual TIA ForumSet for Aug. 29 in NYC
The ninth annual TIA Tennis Forum
will be held on Monday morning,
Aug. 29—the first day of play at the
2016 US Open—at the Grand Hyatt
New York City (42nd Street and Lexing-
ton Avenue).
At the Forum, which is free to
attend, tennis industry executives will
present the latest news about the state
of the industry, including participation
research, equipment sales data, Youth
Tennis, and updates from the USTA.
The Forum also will outline ways to
better define and boost the economic
growth and impact of the tennis
industry, and ways to distribute clear,
consistent messaging of health, fitness
and reasons to play tennis.
The Forum also will honor the 2016
inductee(s) into the Tennis Industry
Hall of Fame.
The morning will include a “Ten-
nis Tech Fair,” which will highlight the
latest products, trends and interactive
resources in the sport. Attendees alsowill receive information on the 2016
State of the Tennis Industry report.
Terry Ward, Tennis Machines Joins String ‘n Swing Tennis
String ‘n Swing Tennis, with ten-
nis retail stores in Memphis and
Nashville, is adding a new store in
the St. Louis suburb of Frontenac. It
has also added a new investor, Terry
Ward of St. Louis. In addition, String
‘n Swing Tennis has purchased the
assets of Tennis Machines, Sales andService of St. Louis.
Tennis Machines, Sales and Ser-
vice traces its roots to the early
manufacture of tennis stringing
machines, dating back to the early
1930s. The new String ‘n Swing Ten-
nis location will also house the St.
Louis Tennis Hall of Fame. Founded
in 1972, String ‘n Swing Tennis car-
ries tennis equipment, apparel,
stringing machines, court equip-
ment and accessories from manu-
facturers all over the world.
Tennis Participation, ‘PlayOccasions’ Increase in the U.S.
PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK
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Industry News
Reyes, Fish to Work WithUSTA Player Development
Gil Reyes, Andre Agassi’s longtimestrength and conditioning trainer, will begin
working with USTA Player Development as a
“master strength and conditioning coach,”
while former world No. 7 Mardy Fish will
continue his work with Player Development
as an “expert consultant” for Men’s Tennis,
coaching and advising men in the Top 100.
Reyes will host select groups of American
junior, collegiate and professional men’s and
women’s players for strength and condition-
ing training camps at his Las Vegas facility.
Widely known for training Agassi throughout
his career, Reyes has also worked with Caro-
8 TennisIndustry June 2016
ITA Announces Move to Ariz.;Elects New Board of Directors
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the
governing body of college tennis, will move itsheadquarters to the campus of Arizona State
University in Tempe, from its longtime home in
Princeton, N.J. In a statement, the ITA said the moveis “a strategic alliance that will leverage the resourc-
es of a research-based university to grow the sport oftennis locally, nationally and globally.” The ITA saidit will work with Sun Devil Athletics to expand com-
munity outreach and accessibility, develop research-
based initiatives, and create a new collegiate tennismodel centered on advancing the sport.
The organization announced a new board of direc-tors to serve a two-year term beginning July 1. The
ITA board chairman is Jon Vegosen (top) of Chicago,
a former USTA president. Also on the board is theITA’s CEO, Dr. Timothy Russell (bottom) of Phoenix.
ITA Member Coaches are Betsy Kuhle, retired
head women’s tennis coach at Western Michigan
University; Geoff Mcdonald of Vanderbilt Univer-sity; David Roditi, head coach at Texas Christian
University; Bryan Shelton, men’s head coach at theUniversity of Florida; Alison Swain, women’s head coach at Williams; and Vince
Westbrook, men’s head coach at the University of Tulsa.University administrators on the ITA board are: Dr. Charles M. Ambrose, presi-
dent of the University of Central Missouri; Rick Dickson, director of athletics at
Tulane; and Dr. Karin Lee, senior associate athletic director at Ball State University.Other executives on the new ITA board are: William Dutton, partner at Skyline
Asset Management; Harold Edwards, president and CEO of Limoneira Co.; Barbara
Georgescu, retired ad executive with Young & Rubicam; Neel Grover, founder andCEO of Indi.com and chairman of Bluefly.com and The SWI Group; Dr. Mark
Kovacs, a performance physiologist, researcher, author, coach and professor; and
Sean S. Mayo, former top bond broker for JP Morgan.
line Wozniacki, Fernando Verdasco, Grigor
Dimitrov and Sania Mirza.
Fish began working with Player Develop-ment in the off-season at the USTA Training
Center–West in Carson, Calif., and will focus
on coaching and advising Top 100 men.
World Tennis FitnessConference Set for July
The World Tennis Fitness Conference
will be held July 30-31 at Life University in
Marietta, Ga., presented by the Interna-
tional Tennis Performance Association
(iTPA). The conference chair is Dr. Mark
Kovacs, iTPA founder. The conference is
for tennis coaches, strength and condi-
tioning coaches, physical trainers, certi-
fied athletic trainers, physical therapists,
chiropractors, physicians, healthcareproviders and tennis enthusiasts inter-
ested in learning the latest tennis-specific
fitness education. In addition to Kovacs,
speakers include Dr. Ben Kibler, Gil Reyes,
Robby Ginepri, Dr. Paul Lubbers, Lane
Evans, Page Love and Allistair McCaw.
Registration is $170 for iTPA members
and $199 for non-members. Visit itpa-
tennis.org.
PowerShares SeriesKicks Off 10th Year
The PowerShares Series, a tennis circuit for
champion players over the age of 30, kicked
off its 10th anniversary season on April 8 in
Chicago. Each event features two one-set
semifinal matches and a one-set champion-
ship match. For the second straight year,
players will make their own line calls, with
the assistance of electronic line-calling.
Players for 2016 include Andre Agassi,
James Blake, Jim Courier, Mardy Fish, John
McEnroe and 2015 champion Andy Roddick.
Upcoming stops are: July 17—Newport, R.I.;
Aug. 21—Winston-Salem, N.C.; Aug. 25,
26—New Haven, Conn.; Nov. 4—Portland,
Ore.; Nov. 5—Denver; Dec. 1—Orlando, Fla.;
and Dec. 3, New York City. For tickets and
information, visit PowerSharesSeries.com.
ITA Partners With ZebraWeb.org
ZebraWeb.org will serve as the digital
platform for all Intercollegiate Tennis
Association officials and will be the online
hub for communications, training, edu-
cation and certification. ZebraWeb.org
works with over 20 sports, including col-
legiate Olympic and professional sports.
“ZebraWeb.org has the infrastructure
in place to allow our officials to access allof the tools they need to succeed,” says
ITA CEO Timothy Russell. “We're confi-
dent this collaboration will be fruitful for
ITA officials for years to come.”
ZebraWeb.org will allow the ITA to
track all the details about an official (ex-
perience, tenure, certification, personal
information), and allows officials to
update their records. Meeting atten-
dance, dues and training collateral can
also be managed, and it will allow the ITA
to offer the capabilities to perform online
testing and online meetings.
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Industry News
10 TennisIndustry June 2016 www.tennisindustrymag.com
President Obama took to the tennis court on March 28 for the annual White
House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn. It was the seventh straight year
that the USTA and the USTA Foundation have been involved in the event.
The USTA offered families and kids of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to try
tennis in support of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” initiative.
USTA, Foundation Take Part in White House Easter Egg Roll
Spinfire Launches in U.S.
and Canada Spinfire of Melbourne, Australia, has
announced the formation of Spinfire USA
Inc., the exclusive North American distribu-
tor of the Spinfire Pro line of tennis ball
machines and accessories and Spinfire
stringing machines in the U.S. and Canada.
“We are excited to be able to further
increase product availability, brand aware-
ness and product support and service for
Spinfire in the U.S. and Canada,” says Spin-
fire USA President Leon Rudanycz.
Among the company’s products is the
Spinfire Pro 2 ball machine, developed in Australia and introduced into the U.S. more
than four years ago. One of the innovative
features of the Spinfire Pro 2 is its internal
oscillation, which allows the machine to
throw balls in different directions without
the machine itself moving. The machine also
now offers an external portable battery, as
well as an internal battery or AC power.
The company is looking to expand its
dealer network. For more, visit spinfireusa.
com. In the U.S. email [email protected],
or call 888-244-0003; in Canada, contact
[email protected] or 888-299-2021.
ShortSets
The U.S. Fed Cup team
beat Australia, 4-0, in Bris-bane, Australia, in a World
Group Playoff in April. The
win puts the U.S. back
into the World Group for
the 2017 competition.
The Fed Cup is the largest
annual international team
competition in women’s
sports, with 102 nations
taking part in 2016. The
U.S. leads all nations with
17 Fed Cup titles, the last
in 2000.
The Tennis Industry
Association is accepting
nominations for the Ten-
nis Industry Hall of Fame
for 2016, which honors
individuals who have
made a significant impact
on the sport of tennis.
Nominations, which are
due by June 1, can be in
any of four categories:
Inventors, Founders,
Innovators or Contribu-
tors. Those inductedinto the 2016 Tennis
Industry Hall of Fame
class will be honored at
the TIA Tennis Forum
in New York City on
Monday, Aug. 29, the
first day of play at the
US Open.
Criteria for nominat-
ing and a short nomina-
tion form are available
at TennisIndustry.org/
HOF.
Amazon has desig-
nated PHIT America
as one of the Amazon
Smile charities. When
you designate PHIT
America Foundation as
your charity with Ama-
zon, they will donate,
at no additional cost,
one-half of 1 percent of
your purchase to PHIT
America. PHIT America
will then use these funds
and other donations itreceives to put physi-
cal education back in
schools by expanding the
PHIT America GO! Grants
programs. Founded in
2013, PHIT America is a
non-profit campaign fo-
cused on three strategic
approaches—education,
supporting school-based
activity programs, and
advocating—to get
Americans, especially
youth, more active, fit
and healthy. The TIA
is a partner with PHIT
America.
The University of
Auburn came back to
win its first-ever USTA
Tennis on Campus
national title in a super-
tiebreaker, 23-22, over
the University of North
Carolina–Chapel Hill in
April. Auburn was trail-
ing 18-15 heading intothe final mixed-doubles
match.
Since 2009, more
than 3,100 Florida “Play
Tennis!” license plates
have been purchased,
providing the USTA
Florida Section Founda-
tion’s grant programs
with $359,000, as of
January. The revenue,
which represents 90
percent of all proceeds
from the sale of theplates, goes to assisting
charitable organiza-
tions in operating
tennis programs for
Florida’s youth and spe-
cial needs populations,
as well as building and
renovating public ten-
nis courts.
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New Tennis Event TargetsMiami’s Underserved Youth
Before the Miami Open this March,
the city's underserved youth were the
recipients of The Big Serve, a first-time
professional tennis play event andclinic that is planned to be an annual
event. More than 400 kids participated
at the Flamingo Center in Miami Beach,
mingling with celebrities such as Olym-
pic gold medalist Nicolas Massu, fellow
tennis pro Alexander Peya, former
Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning, local
favorite DJ Irie and Miami Beach Mayor
Phillip Levine.
The event was organized by Jona-
than Nussbaum and Flamingo Park
Tennis Director Howie Orlin in part-
nership with USTA Florida. Student
participants ages 6 to 14 were from
the Overtown Youth Center, the DJ Irie
Foundation, Wades’ World Foundation
and the Orlin Foundation.
Using 13 courts with tennis teach-
ing pros and volunteers, the children
for two hours experienced tennis
activities and games, a fitness station
and a short pro exhibition. Each child
received a racquet and red tennis ball,
a T-shirt, and packs of Lace Clips. For
more info, visit thebigserve.miami.
USRSA Adds Two NewCertification Testers
The U.S. Racquet Stringers Association
has added two new Certification Testers:
Liam Nolen of Norwich, England, and Troy
Russell of Toronto, Canada.
Nolen has been a USRSA member for
more than 30 years and an MRT for more
than 20 years. He served on the Wimble-
don stringing team, including a stint as
head stringer. In 2002 Nolen launched the
United Kingdom Racquet Stringers Asso-
ciation (UKRSA), providing workshops on
stringing and racquet service for tennis,squash and badminton throughout the
U.K. He will now be offering the USRSA
Certification Test in conjunction with
UKRSA workshops and seminars.
Russell, an active player, has been a
USRSA member for more than 25 years
and an MRT for over 15 years. His family-
owned business, Racquet Guys (formerly
RCS Racquet Sports), serves all racquet
sports in the Toronto metro area, servicing
and selling racquets for tennis, racquet-
ball, squash and badminton. Russell has
several USRSA MRTs on staff.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
René Zondag NamedNew PBI President
Peter Burwash International has
announced the promotion of René
Zondag to serve as the tennis manage-
ment company’s president. Companyfounder and chairman Peter Burwash
will remain active in the growth and
development of PBI and its employees.
“René’s contributions to our com-
pany over the last 19 years have been
exceptional and there is no one more
uniquely qualified to take on this po-
sition,” said Burwash. “He has been
instrumental in PBI’s growth wherever
he has served, exemplifying our core
service standards, developing new PBI
programs and enhancing our existing
programs for our client facilities, guests
and members.”
Zondag has most recently served as
PBI’s vice president for the Middle East,
Europe and Asia, overseeing the com-
pany’s programs, professionals and
growth in these regions. In his new
role, he will be in charge of PBI’s global
growth and operations, including the
company’s tennis programs at five-star
resorts and clubs in 32 countries.
ESPN’s McKendry to FocusOn Grand Slam Coverage
Longtime ESPN SportsCenter anchorChris McKendry has reached a new agree-
ment with the network that ends her time
atSportsCenter but will place a focus on
tennis. McKendry will continue to front
ESPN’s start-to-finish coverage of the Aus-
tralian Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
McKendry joined ESPN’s SportsCenter
in 1996. “But when ESPN first assigned
me to the Australian Open in 2010, I knew
instantly that I was working on my future,”
says McKendry, a tennis player at Drexel
University. “I've decided the future is now.”
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Industry News
People Watch
Media industry veteran
Randy Master has joined theConnecticut Open in its cor-
porate partnerships depart-
ment. He most recently was
vice president and director of
East Coast ad sales for Tennis
Channel, working closely with
major consumer brands.
Jon Glover and Lori Riffice
have joined USTA Player
Development as national
coaches–Player ID and
Development, to help iden-
tify and develop top junior
boys and girls, respectively.
Both coaches will be based
out of the USTA National
Campus in Orlando. Glover
joins USTA Player Develop-
ment from Legacy Youth
Tennis & Education in
Philadelphia, where he wasthe director of player devel-
opment since September
2009. Riffice, a former top
player at UC-Santa Barbara,
has been a tennis instructor
in the private sector for the
past 30 years.
Geoffrey S. Norton has been
named executive director for
USTA Mississippi. He succeeds
Ann Brady, who is retiring
after 20 years in the position.
Norton most recently was a
tennis service rep in Missis-
sippi for the USTA Southern
Section. He is the former USTA
National Manager for Adult/
Senior Competition & Techni-
cal Programs as well as the
former director of development
for PTR, where he continues to
serve as a clinician.
Former South African player
Bob Hewitt was expelled from
the International Tennis Hall
of Fame in April, the first time
the sport’s highest honor has
been revoked from an inductee.
The expulsion is a result of a
conviction against Hewitt on
two counts of rape and one
count of sexual assault. Hewitt,who was inducted in 1992, was
indefinitely suspended from
the ITHOF in November 2012.
At that time, his Hall of Fame
plaque and all references to
him among the Hall of Famers
were removed.
World No. 1 racquetball
player Paola Longoria won gold
in both women’s singles and
doubles at the 2016 Pan Ameri-
can Championships in March.
Chicago-based advertising
sales veteran John Ward is
Tennis Channel’s new director
of advertising sales, Midwest
and Central regions.
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Eight Boys Named to USANational Junior Team
Eight top junior boys qualified for the
2016 Team USA National Junior Team, a
training program designed to give a col-
lection of America’s best young players,born in either 2000 or 2001, opportuni-
ties to train together during the summer
and travel to play against top junior
competition from around the world.
Players were invited to a playoff in
April in Florida, based on tournament
results and USTA and ITF rankings.
USTA Player Development will provide
the National Junior Team with training
opportunities and coaching and travel as-
sistance to select ITF junior tournaments
throughout the summer.
The 2016 Boys’ USA National Junior
Team is: Christian Alshon, Andrew Fenty,
Michael Heller, Jaycer Lyeons, Govind
Nanda, Adam Neff, Axel Nefve and
Sangeet Sridhar.
USRSA AnnouncesNew CSs and MRTs
Certified Stringers
Drew Clifton—Dallas
Lee Rollins—Birmingham, Ala.
Master Racquet Technicians
Mike Baugh—Fort Myers, Fla.
Geoff Browne—Franklin, Tenn.
Cortiglia Debuts New TennisTotes
Recently released from Cortiglia aretwo stylish tote bags suitable to go from
the office to the court, and to the restau-
rant afterward. Detailed in turquoise, the
Tiburon Tennis Tote (suggested retail
$295) can hold two racquets, but also
features a computer sleeve, jewelry
pouch and two outside pockets for easy
accessibility to cell phone or keys. The
newest addition to the Cortiglia line
is the Rendezvous Tennis Tote ($395),
which is made in Italy and also holds two
racquets. For more information, visit
cortiglia.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
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14 TennisIndustry June 2016
More than 250 people took part in the third annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) Conference in March in Miami, presentedby the TIA. The conference brought together leading experts in facility management, programming,personnel and other key areas, who provided dozens of best practices, tips and other vitalinformation to grow tennis businesses and bring in more tennis players. Here are some of the key“takeaways” from the 2016 T.O.M. Conference. For many more takeaways, visit TennisIndustry.org.
The four roles of management are to: ProduceResults (short-term effectiveness, driving/goal-oriented), Administer (short-termefficiency, organized/systematic), Entrepreneur
(future-orientedand adaptive,creative/risk-taking), andIntegrate (createa team, have acommon vision/mission).—Dr.Gerry Faust,President, FaustManagement Co.
All organizationsgo through
stages of growth and aging. Along the
way, they may or may not deal well withtheir challenges; if they don’t handle themwell, they can begin to slow down and ageprematurely.—Dr. Gerry Faust
To develop responsible employees, you must:1) Give them work they can be successful at.2) Give a clear understanding of the differencebetween a vision and a mission. 3) Let themknow you care about them. 4) Let them knowthere is something in it for them. 5) Give themmeaningful work.—Dr. Gerry Faust
As a manager, you want engaged problem-solvers. Empower employees—everyone
needs to know they matter and can make adifference. Use these six magic words: “Whatwould you suggest we do?”—Dr. Gerry Faust
Networking andpartnerships are a keyto filling courts andsuccessful programming.Look to friends,supporters, advocates,community membersand leaders, keystakeholders, your ownmembers, employees,etc.—Mike Woody,
National Director ofTennis, Genesis Health Clubs
It’s all about programming, programming,programming—and finding the right person todeliver the programs!—Mike Woody
Conduct an energy audit. Local utilities offerfree energy audits that can help uncovercost-effective energy savings and rebates.Also check out energystar.gov for tips.—P.J.Simmons, Founder, The Tennis Congress andNetGains Foundation
Cardio Tennis is the No. 1way for tennis to get into thefitness industry. Tennis canbe a game-changer in thehealth & fitness industry.—Dr. Jack Groppel, Co-Founder,Johnson & Johnson HumanPerformance Institute
Wellness needs to become a business strategyfor tennis facilities. Incorporating fitness intotennis facilities should be seamless, not just anadd-on.—Dr. Jack Groppel
Taconic Sport & Racquet added pickleball linesto a basketball court, which complementswhat members are looking for, but doesn’t losetennis “real estate.”—Simon Gale, Owner/GM,Taconic Sport & Racquet
A high-performance junior program helpsbring attention to your facility; gets ex-playersinvolved with the club; provides exposure
through p.r. andsocial media;provides top-notchcompetition forjunior development;provides juniorswith a sense ofbelonging.—EmilioSanchez, Owner,Academia Sanchez-Casal
Make the teaching pro an entrepreneur, findingways they can help the business grow. Andincentivize the pro so he or she will grow the
business off the court, too.—Dan Santorum,CEO, PTR
Ownersandmanagersshould
ask staffif they’vecompletedtheir professional development requirements,or better yet, tie continuing education intocompensation or job security.—John Embree,
CEO, USPTA
We need to reach kids in highschool about a career in tennis. Weneed more internships and PTMprograms.—Scott Schultz, ManagingDirector, USTA University
Teachers and coaches must
be R.E.A.L.I.S.T.I.C: Respectful,Engaging, Attentive,Lively, Inspirational,Social, Timely, Involved,Compassionate… andhave to also know howto teach tennis!—GigiFernandez, Hall ofFamer, Coach
Compensation dictatesbehavior. Recognizeand reward those whomake improvements in whatever they aredoing. —Doug Cash, Owner, CashFlow Tennis
For organizing events, follow the five P’s: Properplanning prevents poor performance.—Fernando Velasco, Owner/Manager,Grey Rocks Tennis Club
Nearly 83 million Americans, or 28% of thepopulation, are totallyinactive. Each year, moreAmericans die frominactivity (5.3 million) thansmoking (5 million).—JimBaugh, Founder, PHITAmerica
48% of schools have nophysical education, and
TAKEAWAYS
Dr. Gerry Faust
Mike Woody
Emilio Sanchez
Jim Baugh
Gigi Fernandez
Dr. Jack Groppel
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recess has been eliminated in many schools.The average school budget for PE is $764 peryear. A Pediatrics Study found that on average,kids move only 23 minutes per day in school.—Jim Baugh
73% of tennis clubs and facilities have neverhad a valuation performed on them, 15% hadone recently, and 13% had a valuation overa year ago.—Jim Bates, Co-Founder, SportsClub Advisors
Facilities are choosing cushioned surfaces. Youcan vary the speed of play, and don’t need toresurface as often.—Randy Futty, V.P.-BusinessDevelopment,California SportsSurfaces
Look for those proswith a commitmentto the professionand who aren’tjust passingthrough. They mustunderstand thattennis can be fun,and they need toknow how to keepeveryone engaged. They need to inspire morepeople to play, not steal players and membersfrom other clubs in town.—Cliff Drysdale, Hall
of Famer, Owner–Cliff Drysdale Tennis
Tools for successful retail include a racquetdemo program, a demo program with ballmachine use, and a visible stringing center.Become your new students’ equipment expertand supplier at their first lesson.—Kevin
Brandt, Owner, Brandt SportsManagement
Tennis programming andthe social interaction inclubs is what make peoplestay.—Gary Stewart,Head of Racquet Sports,
Virgin Active
Even though half of allclay courts are still watered from above,subsurface irrigation is a big trend, sinceit reduces the amount of water neededand has lower maintenance costs.—PatHanssen, General Manager, Har-Tru Sports
Safety is a focus with modular surfaces, whichhave more left to right lateral stiffness, makingit forgiving when sliding. Modular providesshock absorption and is environmentallysafe.—Lee Sponaugle, National Sales Director,Sport Court International
You needdedicatedsellers. Also,follow or
establish aspecific salesprocess—itwill helppinpointwhere youmay be losingsales. Manage by the numbers. Goal-settingis critical.— Casey Conrad, President,Communication Consultants WBS Inc.
The customer must be engaged at least onceper week with some sort of intervention orphone call if they don’t show up. Personalinteraction must be a part of the process.
—Casey Conrad
Partnerships arecrucial. Workwith the businesscommunity, chamberof commerce,schools, etc.—VirgilChristian, SeniorDirector, Market/Facility Development,USTA
Opportunities forhealth insurance reimbursement
programs include seniorreimbursement programs,National Independent HealthClub Association (NIHCA.org),independent health insurancecompanies.—Reid Hans, AthleticClub Financial Consultant
As of 2015, 65% of U.S. adults used socialnetworking sites, including 35% of adults age
65+. Over 90% of adultsunder age 35 used socialmedia regularly. Many willnot go to a local business ifthey can’t verify information
about that businessonline.—Bill Konstand,President & CEO, TAG
The top four membercomplaints are: 1) I wantmy kid in the next (higher)
class. 2) Pros contradict each other. 3) Classeshave no purpose. 4) There are no funspecial events.—Jorge Capestany,Manager, DeWitt Tennis Center
Establish a teaching doctrine thatis collaborative. It will reducecomplaints, create a more effective
staff, and is a great training tool forpros.—Jorge Capestany
Cliff Drysdale
Prior to the start of the T.O.M., theTIA presented a State of the IndustryForum, which brought attendees fromall industry segments. Some of the keypoints delivered at the Forum:
We need to work more closely together togrow the game, the industry and the busi-ness.—Jeff Williams, TIA President andManaging Partner, Tennis Media Co.
Despite flat core and overall player participa-tion, tennis is an industry with a $5.73 bil-lion economy projected to grow another $1
billion by 2020. Core players (playing 10 ormore times a year) spent $823 million onequipment in 2014.—Keith Storey, VicePresident, Sports Marketing Surveys USA.
Tennis remains the only major traditionalparticipation sport to show growth (6%)over the last eight years; all other tradition-al participation sports declined.—Jolyn deBoer, TIA Executive Director
One-third of all the money wespend is at retail.—Mark Byrd,Chief Customer Officer, RetailNet-Group
ESPN tennis viewership increased45 percent over the last four years,with 10 times tennis growth overthe last five years on the Wat-chESPN app.—John Suchenski,Senior Manager, Programming &Acquisitions, ESPN
At the new USTA National Campus in Or-lando, “We want to create a learning lab foranyone who delivers tennis” and foster inno-vation in our delivery system.—Kurt Kamper-man, Chief Executive, Community Tennis and
USTA National Campus, USTA“We are going toput a concerted ef-fort toward a short-court version of tenniscalled POP Tennis.”—Kurt Kamperman
The tennis industryneeds to do a better jobof telling its own storyabout ease of play andthe benefits of an active lifestyle. We need todo a better job of marketing health benefits
data to decision-makers outside of this indus-try.—Dr. Jack Groppel
June 2016 TennisIndustry 15
Jeff Williams
Kurt Kamperman
John Suchenski
Casey Conrad
Gary Stewart
Jorge Capestany
FORUMSTATE OF THE INDUSTRY
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The NPAP was unveiled on April 20 in a
press conference at the National Press
Club in Washington, D.C., followed by a
Congressional briefing at the U.S. Capitol.
At the announcement, the sport of tennis
was cited by Dr. Jack Groppel as “the first ofhopefully many entire sports to endorse this
pledge and this plan.”
The NPAP is a roadmap for actions
supporting and encouraging physical
activity for all Americans. “The Tennis
Industry Association (TIA) Board of Directors
represents all sectors of the tennis industry,
and in our efforts to support the NPAP and
bring more activity to all Americans, we are
absolutely thrilled to have the
backing of the sport of tennis,”
Groppel said.
Groppel represented The
Global Alliance for Health & Performance,
the National Coalition for Promoting PhysicalActivity, and the CEO Pledge in support of the
NPAP. He then asked TIA Executive Director
Jolyn de Boer to sign the CEO Pledge on
behalf of the TIA board and the industry
overall. At the Congressional briefing, Rep.
Bob Dold of Illinois and Sen. Roger Wicker of
Mississippi both signed the CEO Pledge. The
pledge is a commitment by senior business
leaders to promote physical fitness. To date,
more than 430
CEOs, executive directors,senior business leaders and other “C”-level
executives have signed.
“Our board is in unanimous support of
the CEO Pledge and how it can help get
Americans moving,” de Boer said. “The sport
of tennis is excited to have been a part of the
announcement of the new National Physical
Activity Plan.” For more information, visit
ncppa.org. and physicalactivityplan.org.
Industry EndorsesNPAP and CEO Pledge
The Tennis Industry Association is
accepting nominations for the Tennis
Industry Hall of Fame for 2016, whichhonors individuals who have made a
significant impact on the sport of tennis.
Nominations are due by June 1.
Those inducted into the 2016 Tennis
Industry Hall of Fame class will be honored
at the TIA Tennis Forum in New York City
on Monday, Aug. 29. Plaques will be on
permanent display in a special industry
section at the International Tennis Hall of
Fame in Newport, R.I. More information
and a short nomination form are atTennisIndustry.org/HOF.
More than 300 tennis industry leaders heard
about the future of the sport, including
challenges and opportunities, at the 2016
State of the Tennis Industry Forum in Miami
in March.
Among the challenges are a national
“inactivity pandemic,” in which 83 million
Americans of all ages self-report as having
“no physical activity.” Tennis, however, isfaring better than most sports, according to
Physical Activity Council data. Over the last
eight years, tennis remains the only
traditional participation sport to show
growth, at 6% overall.
“We look to develop ‘future
thinking’ initiatives to attract and
retain more adults and youth, along with
efforts to improve the tennis marketplace,”
said TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
Opportunities include the USTA National
Campus, expected to open in Orlando inDecember with more than 100 courts. It will
be “a learning lab for
anyone who delivers tennis,” said the USTA’s
Kurt Kamperman. He also announced the
USTA will be testing POP Tennis, played on
36- and 60-foot courts with ROG balls and
short racquets or paddles.
Prior to the Forum, POP Tennis was
demonstrated on a 60-foot court in the hotel
ballroom, where three Miami TV stationsfilmed the action. The morning also included
a “Tennis Tech Fair.” The Forum closed with
health and wellness expert
Dr. Jack Groppel, who
urged the industry to do a
better job of marketing the
sport’s ease of play and
health benefits.
Following the Forum, about 250 tennis
facility and club owners/managers took part
in the three-day Tennis Owners & Managers
Conference. For more information, visitTennisIndustry.org.
Nominations Sought for2016 TI Hall of Fame
‘State of Industry Forum’Brings Key Leaders to Miami
FORUM
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
16 TennisIndustry June 2016
The tennis industry became the first sports industry to endorse the new National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) and the CEOPledge for Physical Activity.
Tennis industry executives sign the
CEO Pledge.
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The goal of the USTA is to grow
the game. A key to that, of course,
is providing well-maintainedcourts and facilities. But building,
renovating and updating courts can be
an overwhelming task for even the mostexperienced tennis facility manager.
The good news is you don’t have to go
it alone. The USTA Facility Assistance
Program offers grants, logistical andtechnical support to help maintain yourfacility’s excellence, or to upgrade it to
suit your customer’s needs.
Since 2005, the USTA has offeredassistance and funding to facilities
nationwide. Technical assistance is pro-
vided—at no cost—from experts withindustry-leading experience in tennis
court and facility construction. Thou-
sands of concept plans, constructiondocument reviews, design decisions
and specifications have been distribut-
ed over the years. To provide assistance
on the ground, project consultants fromthe USTA national staff can deliver
personalized support and service.
“Our goal is to serve as advisors andto make the process as easy and reward-
ing as possible,” says Maiysha Warren,the USTA’s national manager for CTAs,
Parks and Tennis Facility Development.
The USTA typically receives 10 to 16
inquiries a week regarding facility as-sistance. An inquiry kicks off the review
process, during which the USTA workswith the facility to make sure its plans
or desires meet industry standards and
guidelines. The association works onprojects of all sizes, from all over the
country, including community centers,parks, YMCAs, military installations
and schools.
Over the past 11 years, the USTAFacility Assistance Program has built
more than 39,000 tennis courts, allocat-
ing over $12 million to the program.
Currently, there are five categoriesof funding:
Line Grants: Painting permanent
36- and 60-foot tennis lines on existingcourts (blended lines), paved areas,
playgrounds, gymnasiums, etc. (upto 50 percent of total project cost to
$4,000 maximum). Category I: Basic facility improve-ments (up to 50 percent of total cost to
$4,000 maximum). Category II: Resurfacing of exist-ing courts; converting existing 78-foot
court to standalone 36-foot courts;lighting (up to 50 percent of total cost
to $10,000 maximum). Category III: New construction orexisting reconstruction of 36-, 60- and
78-foot courts (up to 50 percent of totalcost to $20,000 maximum). Category IV: Install live streaming
and/or player analysis technology at
varsity tennis facilities (up to 50 per-cent of total cost to $10,000 maximum).
To be considered for funding,among other requirements,communities must:
Be actively engaged with the USTA
Facility Assistance program (complete
the USTA Facility Assistance Form,
work with USTA-appointed projectconsultant, etc.). Meet specified industry standards for
the project, as determined by the USTA
technical team and the latest edition of“Tennis Courts: Construction &
Maintenance Manual.” Demonstrate financial need andmatching (up to 50 percent) of project
funds.
For more information, visitusta.com/facilities or email
Making Dreams a Reality The USTA offers technical and financial support to help
build and renovate courts at facilities throughout thecountry. By E.J. Crawford & Tamarah Strauss
Court Construction
www.tennisindustrymag.com
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For most of our readers, direc-
tional requirements for install-
ing cross strings may be a new
concept, but it actually goes back to
the days of wooden frames. Most wood
racquets had a telltale zigzag at the top
edge that was an indicator of what side
the short side should be on, or where
your crosses should start if doing atwo-piece job. At least now, most of
the manufacturers place graphics on
the frames indicating the short side
and placement of the starting knot,
although some are very subtle and
require a search to find them.
If you use the USRSA Stringer’s
Digest for instructions, we try to point
out when directional stringing is
required and provide specific directions
for each model, so look at all the notes
before starting. They will help you get
the most out of your string and racquet.
Why Directional Stringing?
With some frames, it is easy to see
why directional stringing is necessary.
The Prince O-Port frames are the best
example. If you start the crosses on the
wrong side, you will quickly find that
you simply can’t continue, as the O-
Ports just don’t line up.
Other racquets may not be so obvi-ous, unless you know what to look for.
The new Force series from Dunlop and
the Pacific X Tour Pro 97 have recessed
grooves to accommodate the loop on
the outside of the frame, protecting it
from scrapes on the court. If you install
the crosses in the wrong direction,
they not only lose the protection of this
recess, but they are actually raised and
even more exposed to court abrasion.
The most subtle of the current rac-
quets using directional stringing are the
newer Babolat frames. While the Pure
Aero line also has recesses, the Pure
Drive line doesn’t, but it still requires
directional stringing to line up with the
woofer system in the grommet strip.
Look Carefully
Some frames are clearly marked, with
labels indicating “Short-Side” and/
or “Start Knot.” But not all are, andsome markings are very subtle, with
labels so small that it is hard to see even
when you are looking for them. Some
are marked on both the frame and the
grommet strip, which makes it easier.
If you replace the grommet strip, be
sure you have the grommet oriented
correctly, otherwise the frame labels
will now be incorrect. Some racquets
are only marked on the grommet strip,
so you can install them normally as the
strip dictates direction, but they may
be harder to find in the first place.
Racquet Tech
P H
O T O
B Y
B O B
P A T T E R S O N / U S R S A
Following DirectionsMore new racquets require cross strings be installedin a certain direction, which requires attention to detailand a bit of planning. By Bob Patterson
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N
o matter how sophisticated
the technology shoppers and
retailers use, there are still
only three ways specialty tennis and
pro-shop retailers can grow their busi-
nesses:
Increase the number of customers. Increase the number of transactions. Increase the value of the transactions.
Increasing the number of customers
is a challenge all retailers are strug-
gling with. Relatively flat sales have
been compounded by steadily declining
shoppers at brick-and-mortar stores
over the past six years, all while onlinepurchases have steadily increased.
In response, the retail world has
overwhelmingly incorporated some
form of “omni-channel” retailing—
meaning commerce-enabled websites
and social media providers being
integrated with brick-and-mortar store
brand and operations. One of the most
common forms of omni-channel retail-
ing is ordering online and picking up in
the store. The objectives are increasing
the number of customers—that is, shop-
pers who are converted and closed—anddeveloping a long-term relationship.
This will generate positive word-of-
mouth and increase the number of
customers—both physical and cyber.
Increasing the number of transac-
tions goes hand-in-hand with increas-
ing the number of customers, but its
most powerful application is increasing
the number of transactions with
existing customers! Eighty percent of
sales at the typical specialty retail store
come from about 20 percent of the cus-
tomer base. If you could increase that
number to 25 percent, think about the
financial impact it could have!
Think of it this way: All your costs
are being covered by doing regular
business—or, transactions with about
20 percent of the customer base—so
adding an additional 5 percent is es-sentially incremental, and won’t cost
appreciably more. If you personally
addressed and signed 100 postcards per
day until you have sent them to your
entire customer list, you will have a
simple but extremely effective method
for increasing the number of transac-
tions your shop does with your custom-
er base. It also will increase store traffic.
To go a bit more high-tech, use emails
instead of postcards, and include a code
customers can use when visiting the
store’s website to make a purchase.
Increasing the value of each transac-
tion is all about upgrading and add-on
sales. Many specialty retailers and sales
associates are reluctant to “sell up” or
suggest add-on items—and while we
agree both have to be done carefully
and with some skill, we also know that
no retailer or sales associate is goingto sell today’s consumer anything they
don’t want! Shoppers today will not
hesitate to make it clear when they are
done buying.
If done properly, there is no down-
side to making a knowledgeable recom-
mendation or suggestion for additional
sales—in fact, most of your customers
expect it!
Jay Townley is a partner in the retail
consulting firm Gluskin Townley Group
(www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
Retailing Tip
P H
O
T O
S H
U
T T E R S T O
C K
There Are Still Only Three WaysTo Grow Your Retail Biz!Technology has changed retail, but focusing on businessfundamentals remains the smart approach. By Jay Townley
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Apparel Retailing
The tennis shop at the Resort at Longboat Key Club in Long-boat Key, Fla., provides a well-stocked inventory of every-
thing a player needs, which fits perfectly with Tennis Direc-
tor John Woods’ comprehensive tennis program. Apparel has
always played a big part in the shop, and getting away from
the traditional country club look and more into fashion was
a key to building sales.
A few years ago, a large retail space was added, allowing the
shop to carry more products from additional manufacturers,
says Jackie Mitchell, who has run the shop at Longboat for
13 years. She emphasizes the boutique feel of the shop, which
provides diverse choices that cater to both the club’s mem-
bership and vacationers. Among the nine lines are fashion-
forward brands Lucky In Love, Sofibella and Bolle, which
Mitchell says are popular among Longboat’s wealthy, well-traveled clientele. “How it’s displayed and looks when cus-
tomers enter the store is important,” Mitchell says. “It has to
hit their eye immediately.”
When ordering, Mitchell gets almost everything in a par-
ticular group and showcases it in front of the store with
matching accessories like bags, shoes and socks. Showing
skirts with different tops and always rotating displays gives
customers options and encourages multiple purchases.
With a knowledgeable staff and two dressing rooms, the
shop provides an open, easy traffic pattern and comfortable
environment. Members receive a 20 percent discount on
apparel and shoes, and USTA groups also receive a discount.
Holiday promotions help boost sales.
Clothes CallsIs selling apparel a challenge for your shop?These retailers make it look easy. By Cynthia Sherman
Resort at Longboat Key Club
Full-service tennis shops can’t afford not to carry apparel, although often, the apparel category is the
most challenging as far as sales and profit—especially when it’s so easy to point, click and buy that skirt
and top online. For brick-and-mortar stores, inventory needs to be presented in a visually appealing way,
with clothing organized so customers can easily find what they’re looking for and enjoy their experience.
The tennis shop
showcases seasonal
colors on extensive wallspace and low racks with
glass shelving. Half-
body mannequins sportthe latest outfits.
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Game Set Match in Denver is the largest retailer in a five-state region, with four stores. Manager Rachel Heise gives
each apparel brand its own section and utilizes stationary
fixtures, vendor POP displays, racks and mannequins. Cus-
tomer demographics vary from soccer moms to trendy junior
players, so Heise makes sure to stock a cross-section of styles
and brands to fit that range, from athletic to more relaxed.
Apparel is a challenge, says Heise. “It takes up more than
half the store yet accounts for less than half our sales. But you
have to have it—and you have to have a wide variety.”
To differentiate from online competitors, Heise runs “team
nights,” where teams get a 15 percent store discount. Also,
while shopping, teams can have their racquets strung and
gripped. Half the teams that come in end up ordering uni-
forms, which drives sales for fashion pieces and accessories.Heise takes advantage of social media to gain custom-
ers; she’ll promote new items on Facebook and send email
blasts when a new line comes in. The store has a big sale dur-
ing the US Open, sponsors local tournaments and makes
donations, so it gets its name out in a variety of ways.
Game Set Match
Game Set Match's teamdiscount is a tip any
retailer should consider
to boost apparel sales.Customer service should
be immediate, and staff
must be knowledgeable.
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Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
The new, private cushioned hard court at the Nelson
Residence in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., is the 2015 Residential
Silver Award winner. The owners wanted a court complete
with lighting, a seating area and a music system they could
use for entertaining—and they wanted it set in the middle
of a well-known 18-hole golf course they had developed. As
such, the court and surrounding area had to meet aesthetic
requirements to match their home and the golf course design.
One challenge in constructing the court was the several feet
of elevation changes at the site, which required stone retain-
ing walls. The owners chose a natural stone to complement
the golf course and their home. The retaining wall was kept
several feet from the sides of the court to allow surface drain-
age from the court to seep into the stone base and into drain
tiles. Drainage around the exterior of the court is through
natural landscaped swales.
ResidentialDevelopment These facility winners at private homes are great
examples of tennis-court construction.
n 2015, a panel of judges for the Tennis Industry/American Sports Builders Association pickedout four residential courts as winners in the Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards. One, a
private court on a hillside in Los Angeles, was singled out for “Outstanding” honors. That new,
cushioned acrylic court—with a glass guardrail on the downhill side, resulting in an “infinity”
court with no visual barriers to block a stunning view of the city—was honored with the other
Outstanding award-winners in our February issue. The other three Distinguished award
winners for 2015 include Silver and Bronze honors.
Nelson Residence
Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
(Nominated by Munson Inc.)
Architect/Engineer:Fred Kolkmann
General Contractor:Munson Inc.
Surface: Plexipave
Lights: Har-Tru Sports
Windscreen: J.A. Cissel
Backboard: BollettieriBackboards by Bakko
ASBA Certified Builder:Fred Kolkmann
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Dirt Oasis
A new, private red-clay
court located on a semi-
private island in MiamiBeach won the ASBA's
Bronze Award.
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Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
The ASBA’s Bronze Award winner is a new, private red-clay
court in Miami Beach. The site is on a small, semi-private
island with limited access over a small bridge, which made
for tight access for court-building equipment. With the
Intracoastal Waterway to the north and west of the court, the
area has both a high water table and poor soil—coral rock was
found while excavating the site. To help mitigate the soil con-
ditions, shallow spread footers were engineered and installed
for all fencing, light poles and net post footings. The court has
both a subsurface irrigation system and a conventional six-
head auxiliary system. Due to lighting restrictions imposed
on the private community by the city, special lighting was
designed with 10-foot mounting height, 3-foot arms and 750-
watt cut-off fixtures, tilted at 35 degrees.
Alsop Residential Court
at Haven Hill
Beverly Farms, Mass.(Nominated by Boston TennisCourt Construction Co. Inc.)
Specialty Contractor:Boston Tennis Court
Construction Co. Inc.Surface: Har-Tru Sports
Lighting System:Har-Tru Sports
Net, Posts, Anchors,Windscreen, Lines, Accessories: Har-Tru Sports
ASBA Certified Builder:David Marsden
Receiving Distinguished Award honors is the Alsop Court
at Haven Hill in Beverly Farms, Mass. The chosen site
for the clay court not only was filled with ledge, but also had
major elevation changes of 24 feet at one end and 15 feet di-
agonally. About 1,000 cubic yards of ledge was blasted out;
some was used as backfill to balance the site, and some as rip-
rap outside of the retaining walls on the low sides. There is a
full perimeter retaining wall which accommodates the light
poles, which on the high side extends more than 10 feet high.
A silt fence was installed around the court on all low sides,
and drainage around the exterior includes swales on the high
side. The chain-link fence does not extend all the way around,
so a divider net curtain on a cable was installed to close off the
open sides during play.
Miami Beach Residence
Miami Beach, Fla.(Nominated by
Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)
Architect/Engineer/General Contractor:
Fast-Dry Courts Inc.
Surface: Har-Tru SportsEuropean Red
Lighting: Techlight
Fencing: TennclosureFence System LLC
Court Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts/
10-S Tennis Supply
Trench Drain System: Zurn Industries
ASBA Certified Builder: John Sonner
For details on the 2016 Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA
or [email protected], or visi t www.sportsbuilders.org.
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“PLAYSIGHT IS THEULTIMATE PLAYER
DEVELOPMENT TOOL”
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Community Tennis
LOCALHEROESThese dedicated volunteers from each of the
USTA’s 17 sections are helping to grow this game where it
counts the most—at the grassroots.
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Hernández says he"has a great passionfor helping others."
Watson coached varsitytennis at FarringtonHigh School for anumber of years while
running her programs.
C A R I B B E A N
Creating aSpecial Tennis
Legacy
Adrián Hernández has been contributing to and promot-ing tennis in Puerto Rico for 35 years, involved in develop-ing players at all skill levels—beginner, college, league andadvanced. He even works with instructors. While he has agreat passion for the sport and what it can bring to people ofall ages and abilities, his greatest pride comes from being amentor on ethics, discipline, perseverance and respect.
One of Hernández’s remarkable efforts is leading adaptive
tennis. As an instructor at the Parque Central tennis facilityin San Juan, Hernández has impacted the lives of more than7,000 children, juniors and adults with special needs eachyear with his lessons from Tuesday to Saturday. Since 2007,as a coach of multiple Special Olympics teams, he has ledhis players to more than 40 medals at international events,including 13 gold medals.
“Through tennis, I’ve had the chance to share my knowl-edge about the sport and serve my country with pride,”Hernández says. “Tennis is a lifestyle for me, because when Iam not teaching, I am giving support to my wife and daugh-ter, who are also players. And, as a plus, through tennis Ihave built an extended family.”—Section staff
H A W A I I P A C I F I C
Serving the
Underserved
For decades, Vailima Watson
has been helping the youthof Hawaii believe in them-selves, and her service to thecommunity has made hersomewhat of an institutionin the local tennis scene.
In 1989, she and herhusband, Jerry, started afree tennis program at theKokua Kalihi Valley Clinic, acommunity-organized non-profit in Honolulu formed tomeet the health needs of the
valley's growing Asian andPacific Island population.Since its inception, the pro-gram has provided tennis tothousands of children in thetypically underserved area.By the early 1990s, Watsonbegan feeding her studentsinto USTA Junior TeamTennis programs, many ofwhich she coached herself.
“Life for me is to live andto make people happy,” says
Watson, a 2009 inductee
into the section’s Hall ofFame. “What’s importantis each other. It’s not whoyou are or how rich you are.
What’s important is you as aperson, your character.”
Watson’s guidanceextends well beyond thecourt, as she serves as anacademic mentor—98 per-cent of her students not onlygraduate high school, but goon to college.
“You can’t take anythingelse with you when you leavethis world,” she notes. “Youcan only take your goodworks, what you’ve done,and how you’ve treatedpeople. I know they’re goingto pass that on to their kidsone day.”—Ryan Trujillo
O
OS
COUR
S
O
US
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Community Tennis
Dinsmore (left) startedoff as a player for theOrange Blossom Tennis Association, but hasbecome so much more.
Akpan (right) is a former JTT coach and volunteersat the local playoffs andSection Championships.
Herdelin helped GPTLbecome the section'sPremier Provider in 2015and 2016.
F L O R I D A
For Orlando Volunteer,
‘It’s Just Tennis’
For a guy who says he likes being behind thescenes, Jeff Dinsmore is pretty out there when itcomes to the Orange Blossom Tennis Association.The Facebook page manager for the association,which is a social tennis group for LGBT playersand their allies in Orlando, Fla., Dinsmore alsomanages the schedule for weekly round robins,arranges court dates and sends out e-mail blasts.
“I am a bit of a control freak,” he admits.Dinsmore started out as a player in the group,
then became a player representative on the OBTAboard, then became group secretary three yearsago. “We are a small group, always open for othersto join,” Dinsmore says. “We enjoy getting out andplaying some good and not-so-good tennis—butalways having fun and laughs. We offer a weeklyround robin, open to all ages and levels of play.”
These days, says Dinsmore, tennis is just tennison the courts. “I feel the days of ‘gay’ tennisgroups are coming to an end, and I am O.K. withthat. It’s served its purpose. But now with thetimes finally catching up, its just tennis. It’s not‘gay tennis’ or ‘straight tennis’ or any othertennis—it’s simply getting on the courts andhitting that tennis ball.”—Rick Vach
E A S T E R N
In a League of
His Own
Obong Akpan of Brooklyn,N.Y., is a passionate USTALeague player. He currentlycaptains four League teamsin the USTA Eastern’s MetroRegion, where he organizespractices and matches threetimes a week. A captainsince 2008, Akpan also playson several League teams
himself—last season heplayed for seven teams.
“My favorite part of USTALeague is the competition,”he says. “I’ve also beenfortunate to meet a lot ofpeople and make manyfriends through playing.”
But Akpan, who wasnamed USTA Eastern’sOrganizer of the Monthfor April, takes his love oftennis to the next level. He
volunteers at Youth Tennisprograms in his communityand introduces his Leagueteammates to volunteeropportunities in their localcommunities.
“I try to recruit membersof my team to coach JuniorTeam Tennis or get theirkids to play on teams,” Ak-pan says. “It’s rewarding towatch the kids develop intogood players from season to
season.”—Kelsey Clark
M I D D L E S T A T E S
Tennis for a
Change
Keriann Herdelin believestennis can change the world.
And given the way GreaterPottstown Tennis andLearning is offering tennisin Pottstown, Pa., she’s right.
With just Herdelin, theexecutive director, runningthe day-to-day operations,GPTL is earning recognition
nationally. It was selected asone of 29 National JuniorTennis and LearningChapters to be part of theUSTA Foundation CapacityBuilding Program. Theorganization also runs freeprograms for students in thePottstown School District,as well as for low-incomeand special needs players.
One of GPTL’s highlightscame when it partnered with
USTA Middle States to hosta tournament with SpecialOlympics of Pennsylvania.
“We want to promotehealthy behaviors at an earlyage,” Herdelin says. “Char-acter-building, healthyliving and sportsmanshiparen’t always pushedenough. Those are some ofthe things that we’reworking with partners onreally promoting.”
—Michael Gladysz
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In the winter, Garciatakes his programindoors to elementaryschools and PE classes.
Gibson cites her USTAteam as "my lifeline"and is grateful for theirsupport.
The USTA Missouri Valleyhas honored Platt forhis contributions andcommunity service.
I N T E R M O U N T A I N
Tennis in Boulder
is ‘Gonzo’!
Gonzalo Garcia, better known as “Gonzo,” runs ayear-round playroom for the Parks & RecreationDepartment in Boulder, Colo. It may consist ofdrills that teach hand/eye coordination and howto live an active, healthy lifestyle—skills kids need
to play tennis—but it feels more like a party.“Tennis isn’t fun unless you play it with Gonzo,”
says 4-year-old Finn Muller.“When I first started ‘Gonzo Tennis’ in 2007,
we had maybe 10 kids in the tennis program,” saysGarcia, a USPTA pro from Argentina. “But I hada vision. I’m passionate about coaching. I’ve beendoing it for more than 30 years and I wanted todevelop a program that had a strong identity andconsistency, similar to the one my brother and Ideveloped in Argentina called ‘690’—because ten-nis is a sport you can play from age 6 to 90.”
A typical summer program has 500 to 600 par-
ticipants on court in two-and-a-half months andcan be found at two Boulder Rec Centers.
“I credit a lot of our success to our unique andimportant partnership with the city,” Garcia adds.“It’s a win-win—the city gets programs run byprofessionals that get people excited about play-ing tennis and out on the 53 courts in Boulder.
And I get the exposure and opportunity to pro-mote my baby.”—Wendy Anderson
M I D W E S T
Sharing Tennis
and Fun
Beth Gibson’s 11-year-oldson Will is her hero. Bornwith Down syndrome, Willwas the inspiration behindthe creation of Buddy UpTennis Inc., an adaptivetennis and fitness clinic forchildren and adults withDown syndrome.
In 2008, Gibson noticed
how Will would watch whenshe and her older son playedtennis at Wickertree Tennis& Fitness Club in Columbus,Ohio. Two staff members,Stephanie Anderson andDoug DiRosario, alsonoticed and volunteered toteach Will how to play.
While researchingteaching techniques, theyrealized there was a need fortennis and fitness programs
for individuals with Downsyndrome. Later that year,Gibson, Anderson andDiRosario conducted thefirst Buddy Up Tennis clinic.The program is now offeredin 15 locations nationwide.
“Will has given me adifferent perspective on lifeand I feel lucky to be able to
value what is important:family, friends and tennis tokeep us all having fun,” says
Gibson.—Section staff
M I S S O U R I V A L L E Y
Building From
the Ground Up
Name a successful tennisplayer from St. Louis, Mo.,and it’s likely that they gottheir start in one of MarkPlatt’s programs.
Platt created Beginner’s World Tennis in St. Louis in1984 to encourage newtennis players, team tennisleagues and community
events. More than 30 yearslater, it’s not uncommon tohave over 1,000 people of allages participating in Platt’sprograms and events atmore than 25 facilitiesacross the St. Louis area. Healso has a staff of 10 whoteach lessons, and Platt’sprogram will have morethan 10 Junior Team Tennissquads this summer.
Platt was named Grass-
roots Champion of the Yearby Tennis Industry magazinein 2002, and he received theEve Kraft CommunityService Award from theUSTA in 2004.
“Everything I’ve done hasoften been met with at leastsome resistance, but iteventually becomes anindustry trend a few yearslater,” Platt says. “I try tostay ahead of the game.”
—Andrew Robinson P H
O T O S
C O U R T E S Y
O F
U S T A
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Community Tennis
"Coach Enoch" is afixture in Washington,D.C. for his support oftennis-playing childrenand their families.
"Sharing something Ifeel passionate aboutis quite fulfilling,"says Cutone.
In 2003, the courts inMilbank were named inhonor of Larry, known as"Mr. Milbank Tennis."
M I D - A T L A N T I C
Coaching Overtime
Enoch Thompson, known as “Coach Enoch,” has
taught tennis for 25 years. He started coachingUSTA Junior Team Tennis 10 years ago and hasmanaged the Young Masters program in Washing-ton, D.C., for the past five years.
Of the many benefits of tennis, the one thatresonates most with Thompson is how lessonslearned inside the lines of a tennis court can beapplied to life outside as well.
“Junior Team Tennis teaches kids how to winand what to do when they don’t win,” Thompsonsays. “I don’t like to use the word ‘ lose.’ Being partof a team helps develop real life skills they cantake off the court—like how to support others andovercome hardships.”
One of the hardships a player of his had to over-come was the death of a parent. Ajani Bell, age 10,was a player in Thompson’s program when hismother passed away in 2015. Thompson encour-aged Bell to stick with tennis, keeping him in asupportive and safe environment. Coach Enochserves as a mentor to Bell and has made him a fix-ture of the Trinity Washington University tennisteam, where Thompson serves as head coach.
Thompson epitomizes what tennis offers: activ-ity, fun, life lessons, support, teamwork, friend-ships and memories.—Chris Miller
N E W E N G L A N D
Maine
Contributor
It’s hard to top the dedica-tion of Dr. Steven Cutoneof Kennebunkport, Maine.Cutone, a USTA Leagueplayer, is a volunteer for theRec Department’s summertennis program and at theindoor Apex Junior Tennis
Academy. He also sponsorscharitable tournament play
and has rallied parents andinstructors in his commu-nity to start programs.
“Volunteering has been agreat source of pleasure forme,” Cutone says. “There areso many life lessons that canbe taught through the gameof tennis.”
In 2015, Cutone receivedUSTA New England’s Maine
Volunteer of the Year award.That same year, he and his
family (wife Jen; kids Olivia,8, George, 10, and Alberto, 7)were honored by the MaineTennis Association as theFamily of the Year for theircontinued work hosting aweekly youth tennis night.
“Steven and his familyhave been tremendous con-tributors to our game, andwe are extremely grateful,”says Scott Steinberg, USTANew England president &
CEO.—James Maimonis
N O R T H E R N
Family Tennis
Affair in Milbank
When it comes to tennis inMilbank, S.D., well, theCantine family is tennis.
“I have never met a familywho cares so much about thesport,” says Milbankresident Ron Waletich.
Last summer, the Can-tines—Larry, Loretta, Kevin,Greg and Scott—organized a
Level 8 tournament andUSTA Play Day to introduce
juniors to the sport, whileKevin ran the summerprogram aimed at kids ages12 to 16. Kevin also ispresident of the MilbankCommunity Tennis Associa-tion, after taking over fromhis father this year, who hadrun it the previous 40 years.In 2015, the Cantine familywas named USTA Northern
Family of the Year.The Cantines play area
tournaments and fund-raiseyear-round to support teamsand camps. They also workwith Combined Appeal,showing the value of tennisactivities for the community.
“We never have felt likewe did that much,” Larrysays. “It is just a great game.
Who wouldn’t want to beinvolved in tennis?”
—Lisa Mushett
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N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A
Above and Beyond
in Sacramento
The Sacramento Community Tennis Association,founded in 1999 by Alan Criswell, offers afford-able junior tennis programs to more than 300youngsters in the Sacramento area, with a focuson underserved kids. Criswell’s work continues toboost the sport in Northern California, and in2015, the Sacramento Community Tennis
Association was named the section’s OutstandingCommunity Tennis Association.
Criswell focuses on all players. In 2010, he wasawarded the Wheelchair Tennis Outstanding
Volunteer, which goes to an individual that hasgone above and beyond in providing outstandingservice to the wheelchair tennis community.
“The staff and people at USTA NorCal helpmake us a success,” Criswell says. “We’re sup-ported in all areas and implementing programsthat follow the USTA model and player develop-ment pathway for junior tennis, and we have hadsupport from the very beginning.”—Section staff
Known as "Mr. AntelopeTennis," Criswell wasinstrumental in thecreation of the AntelopeTennis Center.
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Kester's persistenceand acumen has keptPiedmont Park's tenniscenter humming.
Henry has coachednational champions andhelped bring familiestogether on the court.
S O U T H E R N
Teamwork Boosts
Atlanta Tennis
Dan Kester knows the namesof all the players on his tennisleague teams. That may not soundunusual, but Kester leads about 30teams every year.
While Kester himself can’t playon 16 USTA League, 15 ALTA teamsand two young adult rec teams, hehas figured out how to keep themall going. He uses his organization
skills that help make his business, IPlay Atlanta, a success. Kester has asolid business model and asks oth-ers to implement it.
“My goal is to get more playersplaying,” Kester says. “So, I set upthe teams and then have someoneon each team make up lineupcards and handle rainouts andother details.”
But Kester’s service to Atlantatennis goes beyond organization.“About five years ago I went to
USTA Atlanta and asked how Icould help,” he says. “The AtlantaYouth Tennis & Education Founda-tion asked for used racquets. I wasable to collect 150.”
Since then, Kester has donatedmore than 1,000 racquets.
Kester then set up a collectionbox at this store for used balls;each year, he brings roughly 5,000balls to the AYTEF. Additionally,he collects used shoes and sells therubber, donating the money to the
AYTEF.—Ron Cioffi
S O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A
A Tennis MentorChanges Lives
Since 1971, Dee Henry hasbeen leading the tennis teamat Biola University in LaMirada, inspiring playersto become outstandingstudents and leaders. “It’s athrill to see a player devel-op,” she says. “I love teach-ing tennis and find greatfulfillment in doing it year in
and year out.”Henry’s involvement with
the Southern CaliforniaTennis Association beganin 1983 as a site coordinatorfor the LA84 FoundationNJTL. A product of the VicBraden Tennis Academy,Henry is a Level P1 certifiedUSPTA pro. After meetingBrad Parks, she wanted tobe involved in wheelchairtennis, too, and received her
certification in 2008. Shealso has been recognized forher work serving challengedathletes in the community.In 2008, Biola was selectedas the SCTA OrganizationalMember of the year.
“Dee is and has been amentor t
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