outlook 2015 - Professional Tennis Registry

Transcription

Facility Operations
Recreational Play
Facility Managers
Simple secrets
Shorter courts and Changing CLIENTS’
to superior SALES ROG BALLS—
BEHAVIOR is a
AND SERVICE
not just for kids!
tricky situation
FEBRUARY 2015 / VOLUME 43/ NUMBER 2 / $5.00
OUTLOOK
2015
• Racquets
• Shoes
• Strings
Outstanding Tennis
Facility Awards
TennisIndustry
www.tennisindustrymag.com
FEBRUARY 2015
DEPARTMENTS
4
Our Serve
7
Industry News
13 Customer Service
15 TIA News
18 Retailing Tip
20 Executive Point: Steve Simon
22 Recreational Play
p.33
36 Ask the Experts
FEATURES
38
String Playtest: Head Gravity
24 B
ehavior Modification?
40 Your Serve, by Frank Giampaolo
Changing members’ behavior is a tricky
situation for any facility manager.
INDUSTRY NEWS
7
Calif. Products buys
three companies
33 Triple Threat
7
PTR Week, Symposium
set for Feb. 17-23
Tennis Industry and the ASBA present the best in
tennis court construction and design.
7
Under Armour signs
Andy Murray
8
Promote programming with
a USTA Tennis Play Event
8
Former tour players create
new Diadem strings
26 Racquets: It’s All About the Fit
8
Antigua launches spring line
With all the options, it’s still up to the dealer to
help customers select the perfect racquet.
8
PowerShares Series sets
2015 dates, venues
9
p.24
p.26
PBI pros to become
USPTA certified
28 Shoes: Stepping Up the Game
10
Peoplewatch
10
ASBA elects new officers
and directors
p.28
11 T
ennis Summit, TOM Conference set for Indian Wells
2 TennisIndustry
February 2015
The new shoe showcase features vehicles that
perform and look good, too.
31 Strings: In Search of Perfection
12 S
hort Sets
12 ITA coaches support
shortened format
OUTLOOK
p.31
Technology in strings continues to get better,
while marketing is getting more focused.
Our Serve
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
[email protected]
Tennis, And The
Top 20 Fitness Trends
F
or the past nine years, the
American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) has compiled its annual fitness trend forecast,
based on survey responses from thousands of health and fitness professionals. The most recent report—the
“Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends
for 2015: What’s Driving the Market”—was published late in 2014 and
is based on results from more than
3,400 professionals around the world.
Thirty-nine potential trends were
given as choices, and the ACSM
ranked the top 20. While “tennis”
specifically is not part of this survey,
many of the trends for 2015 clearly
apply to tennis, and in fact can help
direct fitness professionals, facilities
and parks & recs to lead consumers
right to the sport.
Here are the ACSM’s Top 20
Worldwide Fitness Trends for 2015:
1. Body-weight training
2. High-intensity interval training
3. Educated, certified and experienced fitness professionals
4. Strength training
5. Personal training
6. Exercise and weight loss
7. Yoga
8. Fitness programs for older adults
unctional fitness (to improve
9. F
ease of daily living)
10. Group personal training
11. Worksite health promotion
12. Outdoor activities
13. Wellness coaching
14. Circuit training
15. Core training
16. Sport-specific training
17. C
hildren and exercise for the
treatment/prevention of obesity
18. Outcome measurements
Peter Francesconi, Editorial Director
[email protected]
4 TennisIndustry
February 2015
19. Worker incentive programs
20. Boot camp
Tennis hits a lot of these fitness
trends. For instance, No. 3, certified,
educated and experienced fitness
professionals, which is something
tennis not only has, but with what
the USPTA, PTR and USTA are
doing, we as an industry continue to
improve. Tennis facilities and pros
should continue to promote their
credentials in this area.
Regular tennis play, and especially
Cardio Tennis, hits the mark for No.
6, exercise and weight loss. And Cardio Tennis also is spot-on for the No.
8 trend, fitness programs for older
adults. In fact, Cardio Tennis can
lead the way in many of these trends,
including No. 10, group personal
training; No. 12, outdoor activities;
and No. 16, sport-specific training.
When you consider TRX Cardio
Tennis, you are well-covered for the
top trend, body-weight training, as
well as strength training and core
training, among others. Tennis is also
very relevant to No. 17, children and
exercise for the treatment/prevention
of obesity.
But, whether Cardio Tennis or
Youth Tennis or some other form of
tennis, the point is this sport is one
of the healthiest—and most fun—a
person can play. Tennis must be a key
consideration in consumers’ choices
for maintaining a healthy and fit
lifestyle. Just look at this list, and
see how tennis can fit in with these
trends.
Let’s make 2015 the year we all
boost our tennis business by promoting the healthy and fit aspects of this
sport.
Associate Editor
Greg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Special Projects Manager
Bob Patterson
Contributing Editors
Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
Kent Oswald
Cynthia Sherman
Mary Helen Sprecher
Tim Strawn
Contributing Photographers
Bob Kenas
David Kenas
TENNIS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.TennisIndustryMag.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Advertising Director
John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
[email protected]
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
[email protected]
Tennis Industry is published 10 times per year:
monthly January through August and combined
issues in September/October and November/
December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, PO
Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096. Periodcal postage
paid at Duluth, GA and at additional mailing
offices (USPS #004-354). Feb 2015, Volume 43,
Number 2 © 2015 by USRSA and Tennis Industry.
All rights reserved. Tennis Industry, TI 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 Tennis
Industry, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096. TI is the
official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA.
Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/
Racquet Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our
website at TennisIndustrymag.com for free digital
versions back to 2004.
IndustryNews
Information to help you run your business
Cal Products Acquires
Latexite, Premier, Guardian
L
eading sports surface manufacturer California Products Corp. has acquired three
companies that officials say will expand and strengthen the products and services
provided by California Sports Surfaces (CSS). Latexite International Inc., Premier
Concepts Inc., and Guardian Crack Repair Products LLC will now fall under the California Products umbrella.
Latexite International is a manufacturer of Latex-ite, a sports surface coating system
used for tennis, basketball, volleyball, badminton, and other multi-sport systems. Premier
Concepts, incorporated in 1989, produces Premier Court, a patented manufactured composite that provides impact-absorbing cushion, which minimizes repetitive shock and
reduces body stress.
Guardian Crack Repair, originated in 2003, is designed to repair tennis court cracks and
cracked sport surfaces. Innovators of “peel and seal” crack-repair technology, Guardian
is a patented system used on thousands of asphalt
and concrete surfaces.
“This transaction offers a strategic fit that will
add new products, brands, geographies and distribution channels to our existing footprint,” says California Products’ Chairman and CEO Peter Longo. Current CSS brands include Plexipave,
the surface of the Australian Open since 2008; DecoTurf, the surface of the US Open since
1978; Rebound Ace, the surface of the Asian Games; and Plexitrac, a track surface system
for full-performance athletic facilities.
CSS Managing Director John Graham says several individuals, including Premier Concepts President Chris Rossi, will join the CSS team in the areas of sales, customer service,
distribution and technical support.
“We are very pleased to be joining CSS,” says Rossi. “Our brands are the perfect
complement to Plexipave, DecoTurf and Rebound Ace.”
Products from Latexite, Premier and Guardian can be found in a variety of markets:
national stadiums, international tennis venues, resorts, clubs, schools, colleges, and private residences. The surfaces have been selected at some of the world’s most prestigious
events and facilities, including Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties.
All of the products will be manufactured by California Products at its 160,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Andover, Mass. Visit calprocorp.com.•
PTR Week Set for Feb. 17-23
P
TR Week, which includes the International Tennis Symposium,
PTR Championships, and Trade Show, will be Feb.17-23 at the
Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island.
The PTR Championships will take place on Feb. 18 (entry deadline
for the Championships is Feb. 13), Symposium presentations start on
Feb. 19, and the Trade Show will be on Feb. 20.
There will be more than 40 presentations, covering all aspects of the tennis business
and coaching. Speakers will include Mike Barrell, Lorenzo Beltrame, Jay Berger, Jorge
Capestany, Doug Cash, Ken DeHart, Pat Etcheberry, Steve Keller, Dr. Ben Kibler, Dr. Mark
Kovacs, Michele Krause, Dr. Jim Loehr, Page Love, Dr. Anne Pankhurst, Nigel Pugh, Bill
Riddle, Kathy Rinaldi, Nick Saviano and many others. There will also be Professional Development Courses, PTR 11 to 17 Certification, and Etcheberry Certification.
For more information or to register, visit ptrtennis.org. •
Under Armour Signs
Andy Murray
Andy Murray has signed a fouryear deal to wear Under Armour
apparel, footwear and accessories.
The Brit also will be featured in marketing campaigns, will participate
in global training and tennis activations, and will make appearances
for the brand.
Murray had been with Adidas,
which recently decided not to
renew its contract with the 2013
Wimbledon and 2012 US Open
champion. However, reports indicate that Murray may still wear
Adidas shoes as he looks for acceptable footwear from Under Armour.
"I am honored and excited to be
joining Team Under Armour and to
help them tell their story globally,"
said Murray, currently ranked No.
6 in the world with 31 career titles.
"They are committed to providing
innovative apparel, accessories,
and footwear, with an unmatched
focus on training and performance."
Murray joins other world-class
athletes in the Under Armour
stable, including Lindsey Vonn,
Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Stephen
Curry, Jordan Spieth and fellow tennis player Sloane Stephens.
Five Earn PTR Master
of Tennis Designation
Five PTR professionals completed
extensive education requirements
to earn the organization’s highest
coaching certification—PTR Master
of Tennis. The pros are Olya Batsula of
Atlanta, Jared Flick of Midland, Mich.,
and Lisandro Carrillo of Visalia, Calif.,
who each earned the PTR Master of
Tennis–Performance certification, and
Jenny Robb of Birmingham, Ala., and
Tim Clay of Naperville, Ill., who both
earned the PTR Master of Tennis–Junior Development certification.
PTR Master of Tennis qualification
matches Level 5, the highest level, of
the National Council on Accreditation
February 2015
TennisIndustry 7
IndustryNews
of Coaching Education. The NCACE standards, at different levels, are used by many
other sports and education bodies in the
U.S. and are recognized and endorsed by the
United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
The Master of Tennis program, a first in
coach education in the U.S., is open to PTR
members who hold a Professional rating,
and develops the coach’s ability to plan
comprehensive club programs for all ages of
junior players, and to use competence-based
coaching skills.
“The Master of Tennis program debuted
last year,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. “It
is based on a number of courses in a unique
mixture of online learning and home study,
as well as practical on-court learning in small
groups of fellow professionals. The program
can be completed in as few as nine months
or can take as long as two years, and the
schedule takes into consideration that most
participants work full time.” Visit ptrtennis.
org for more information.
Promote Your Programming
With a USTA Tennis Play Event
The USTA will launch thousands of Tennis
Play Events across the country in the
month of March, pegged to the celebration of World Tennis Day on March 10.
USTA Tennis Play Events invite families
and kids of all ages and skill levels to try
tennis at local events, parks and facilities
and are a great way to introduce the sport
to kids and provide a platform to register
children for spring programs. Nationally,
March is the top month when parents
begin registering their children for spring
programs.
By hosting a Tennis Play Event anytime
in the month of March, tennis organizers have the opportunity to showcase
their junior tennis programs and attract
new players to the sport. In March 2014,
there were 1,145 registered Youth Tennis
events, a 54 percent increase over March
2013.
The first 2,000 tennis providers to register to host a USTA Tennis Play Event will
receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Registration ends on March 30. To host an event,
visit YouthTennis.com.
World Tennis Day on March 10 is a celebration of tennis around the world and is
held in conjunction with the BNP Paribas
Showdown in Madison Square Garden in
New York City.
Antigua Launches Spring Line
Antigua’s spring women’s tennis apparel
features a mix of contemporary and traditional designs using performance fabrics,
with an emphasis on team uniforms. Three
new additions highlight the collection:
• The Chip dress has a contrast mesh side
and back insets, pleated skirt and built-in
self bra (available in six color options).
• The Love tank, a racer-back, features mesh
side and back insets (also in six colors).
• The Spin skort is a 14.5” jersey knit skort
Former Tour Players Create
New Diadem Strings
F
ormer college and ATP players AJ Bartlett
and Evan Specht have created a new tennis
string company called Diadem and are offering
strings with the company’s patent-pending Star Core
Technology. The new Diadem Solstice line includes
the Power 16 and Pro 16L performance strings.
“Star Core Technology enhances spin generation,
precision, power and performance,” says Bartlett,
the director of sales & marketing. “Our goal is to
continue to design and develop new performance
equipment and products that implement Diadem's
unique, cutting-edge technology. Diadem is designed
for tennis players, by tennis players.”
For more information, visit diademsports.com or call 844-4-DIADEM.•
8 TennisIndustry
February 2015
with a scalloped front and
mesh underlay.
With its in-house embroidery capabilities, one of Antigua’s specialties is outfitting
tournament officials and teams
with logoed apparel, including for the Family Circle Cup in
Charleston, S.C.
Williams, Djokovic,
Bryans Honored by ITF
Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic
are the 2014 ITF World Champions. Williams is the Women’s World Champion
for the fifth time, while this is the fourth
occasion that Djokovic has received the
honor. Bob and Mike Bryan are the Men’s
Doubles World Champions for the 11th
time in 12 years, while Sara Errani and
Roberta Vinci of Italy become Women’s
Doubles World Champions for the third
successive year.
Catherine “CiCi” Bellis of the U.S. and
Russia’s Andrey Rublev are the ITF Junior
World Champions, while the ITF Wheelchair World Champions are the Japanese
duo Yui Kamiji and Shingo Kunieda, who
becomes men’s champion for the sixth
time.
The ITF World Champions will receive
their awards at the 2015 ITF World Champions Dinner on June 2 in Paris, during
the French Open.
PowerShares Series Sets
2015 Dates, Venues
InsideOut Sports & Entertainment announced the dates, venues and fields for the
2015 PowerShares Series tennis circuit that
will feature 2014 tour champion John McEnroe defending his crown versus a group of
legends led by Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi,
Pete Sampras and Jim Courier.
The North American circuit will visit 12
cities in 2015. Other players include James
Blake, Michael Chang and Mark Philippoussis. Each one-night event will feature two
one-set semifinal matches, followed by a
one-set championship match. Tickets start
at $30. Visit PowerSharesSeries.com.
The 2015 PowerShares Series schedule is:
• March 24: Salt Lake City, Utah
• March 25: Los Angeles
• April 1: Lincoln, Neb.
IndustryNews
PBI Pros to Become
USPTA Certified
I
n a new relationship, Peter Burwash International
(PBI) teaching pros will now complete the process
to become certified members of the USPTA. In
mid-September, nearly half of PBI’s professional staff became
USPTA-certified during PBI’s annual meeting in Naples, Fla.
In fulfillment of the requirements, PBI pros completed the
USPTA’s certification exam and on-court testing as well as precertification Coach Youth Tennis online courses and on-site 10
& Under Tennis workshops.
“USPTA certification provides instant credibility with tennis players around the
world and offers numerous resources and advantages for our professionals,” says
PBI President and Founder Peter Burwash, himself a USPTA Master Pro.
“PBI professionals are some of the best trained tennis teachers in our industry,”
adds USPTA CEO John Embree. “We look forward to serving PBI professionals for
years to come.” PBI, with operations at luxury hotels, resorts and private clubs in 32
countries, requires pros to complete a 450-hour training program, then 90 hours of
continuing education annually. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
April 2: Chicago
April 16: Austin, Texas
April 17: Little Rock, Ark.
April 18: Dallas
April 22: Boston
April 23: Richmond, Va.
April 29: Minneapolis
April 30: Cincinnati
May 2: Vancouver, Canada
• Adult Tournament of the Year – Tre’Day.
com “Labor of Love” Charity Classic,
Little Rock, Ark.
• Bill Ozaki Junior Sportsmanship Award –
Amy Yang, Alpharetta, Ga.
• CTA of the Year – Belton Tennis Associa-
tion, Belton, S.C.
• Educational Merit Award – Paula Bruchhaus, Lake Charles, La.
• Gerrie Rothwell Award – Judy Anderson,
Georgetown, Ky.
• Jr. Team Tennis Coordinator of the Year –
Cathy Baldwin, Durham, N.C.
• Local League Coordinator of the Year –
Maegan Kulich, Atlanta
• Marilyn Sherman Spirit Award – Laura
Weygandt, Cary, N.C.
• Member Organization of the Year – Dr.
Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center, Florence, S.C.
• Mickey McNulty Family of the Year – The
Craig & Traci Courville Family, Columbus,
Ga.
• NJTL Chapter of the Year – Lowcountry
Youth Tennis Association, Isle of Palms,
S.C.
• Southern Tennis Professional of the
Year – Carlos Lozano, Topspin Racquet &
Swim Club, Lexington, S.C.
• Wheelchair Excellence Award – Conner
Stroud, Rutherfordton, N.C.
Hourglass Performance
Joins PTR
Hourglass Performance Institute has
joined the PTR as a Corporate Member.
HPI specializes in assessment, training
and education in mental performance,
using state of the art equipment with
objective and reliable measures of
mental performance (i.e., focus, stress
management, relaxation/activation) on
and off the court, on site or at distance.
HPI’s Dr. Domagoj Lausic will conduct
a presentation in February at the PTR
International Tennis Symposium titled
“Mental Skills and Biofeedback in
Tennis: Evaluate and Train with Measurable Results.” PTR members receive a
discount on HPI services. Visit hpi-us.
com, or contact mentalperformance@
hpi-us.com.
USTA Southern Names
Award Winners
Among the winners honored at the USTA
Southern Section Annual Meeting are:
February 2015
TennisIndustry 9
IndustryNews
People
Watch
the determining board were
Hall of Famers and Tennis
Channel analysts Martina
Navratilova and Jim Courier,
and USA Today tennis writer
Doug Robson.
The “Daily Tennis News”
Person of the Year is industry pioneer Vic Braden, who
passed away in October.
Marissa Brown and Claire
Roth have been named the ITA
Collegiate Varsity Performer of
the Year and Volunteer of the
Year, respectively, by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Both awards are presented by
the USTA. Brown is the director
of Community Tennis for the
USTA Missouri Valley Section.
Roth first got involved by serving on the USTA Intermountain
Section Collegiate Committee.
Dave Fish, the Scott Mead
'77 Head Coach for Harvard
Men's Tennis, is the winner
of the 2014 ITA Meritorious
Service Award, presented by
ConantLeadership, for his
outstanding commitments and
contributions to the ITA and
college tennis.
Novak Djokovic was voted
2014 "Player of the Year" and
his Wimbledon five-set final
battle against Roger Federer
earned the title 2014 "Match of
the Year” by a panel of experts
from USA Today Sports and
Tennis Channel. The judges on
Stefan Kozlov
(right) and Sofia
Kenin, both
from Pembroke
Pines, Fla.,
won the Boys’
and Girls’ 18s
singles titles at
the Metropolia Orange
ASBA Elects New Officers
and Directors
The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization
for builders and suppliers of materials
for athletic facilities, has announced
the election and installation of its officers and directors for the coming
year. The new slate took its place at the
conclusion of the
ASBA's Technical
Meeting, held in
Ponte Vedra, Fla.,
in December. The
meeting drew a
record high registration of 503 participants.
Dan Wright of Sports Turf Co. of
Whitesburg, Ga., will continue in his
position of chairman of ASBA. Individuals elected or re -elected to positions
on the board are:
10 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Bowl Tennis Championships
in Plantation, Fla., in December. It was the first American
sweep of the Orange Bowl 18s
singles titles since Timothy
Neilly and Jessica Kirkland
in 2004. Photo credit: Ron
Angle/USTA
Tennis retailer Jim Augis,
owner of Racquets Etc. in
Westfield, N.J., died on Dec.
26 following a sudden illness.
He was 66. A former schoolteacher, Augis and his wife,
Lynne, opened their tennis
shop after he retired, and the
couple’s enthusiasm, sincerity
and sense of humor were a hit
with customers. Augis also
contributed his time to working with the TIA on retail
issues.
Head Penn professional touring player
Maria Jose Vargas
won her first career
professional tournament on Dec. 14 at the Ladies
• Track Division President: Troy Rudolph, CFB, CTB, CTCB (Sunland
Sports, Phoenix, AZ)
• Indoor Division President: Joe Covington (Covington Flooring Co.,
Inc., Birmingham, AL)
• Professional Division President:
Chris Sullivan, RLA (Verde Design,
Inc., Folsom, CA)
• Builder Director: Ben Brooks, PE
(Patriot Court Systems, Inc., Houston, TX)
• Professional Director: Megan Buczynski, PE, LEED AP (Activitas, Inc.,
Dedham, MA)
• Secretary-Treasurer-Elect: Linn
Lower, CTCB (Lower Bros. Co., Inc.,
Birmingham, AL)
Officers continuing on the board in
their current positions include Tennis Division President Pete Smith,
CTCB (The CourtSMITHs, Toledo, OH);
Professional Racquetball
Tour (LPRT) Christmas Classic event. Ranked as the No.
2 player in the world, Vargas
was the top seed in the
Virginia event.
John McEnroe and Jim
Courier kicked off the new
tennis offerings at the Casa
de Campo Resort in the
Dominican Republic by competing in a special exhibition
match in November. The
appearance by the two tennis Hall of Famers was part of
the resort's effort to raise the
profile of its tennis offerings
at its 16-court tennis center.
For the fourth consecutive year, Adrians Zguns
of Orlando, Fla., won the
men’s open singles championship at the USPTA Hard
Court Championships, Oct.
24-25, in Tyler, Texas. Carrie
Kalapala of Bloomington,
Ind., won the women’s open
singles crown.
R O N A N G L E / U S TA
Rafael Nadal is a new global
brand ambassador for U.S.
fashion designer Tommy
Hilfiger. In November, Hilfiger
was appointed to an elite ATP
business advisory board.
Field Division President Jim Catella,
CFB, CTCB (Clark Companies, Delhi,
NY); Supplier Division President Chris
Rossi (Premier Concepts Inc., Baltimore, MD); and Secretary-Treasurer Ed
Norton, RLA, ASLA (Holcombe Norton
Partners, Birmingham, AL).
Board members who will continue
in their current positions are:
• Builder Division: Mike Edgerton,
CTCB (Copeland Coatings, Inc.,
Nassau, NY); Kristoff Eldridge,
CTB (Cape & Island Tennis & Track,
Pocasset, MA); Mark Heinlein, CFB
(Turf Reclamation Solutions, LLC,
Cincinnati, OH) and Matt Strom,
CTCB (Leslie Coatings, Inc., Indianapolis, IN).
• Supplier Directors: David Moxley, (Sportsfield Specialties, Inc.,
Delhi, NY) and Art Tucker (California
Sports Surfaces, Andover, MA).
IndustryNews
Tennis Summit, TOM Conference
Slated for March in Indian Wells
T
wo key conferences are set for March in Indian Wells,
Calf.: The 2015 TIA Tennis Summit will be March
17-18 and the Tennis Owners and Managers (T.O.M.)
Conference will be March 18-19. Both will be at the Westin
Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa.
The Tennis Summit builds on last year’s “Future of Tennis
Summit.” Tennis and sports industry leaders and executives
will gather to discuss where the sport is headed and how
the sport will grow. Topics include the state of the industry,
trends to watch, collaborate leadership, capturing the youth
market, adult frequent play and much more. Among the
speakers confirmed as of early January are Dr. Jim Loehr
of the Human Performance Institute, coaching legend
Nick Bollettieri, Tom Cove of the Sports & Fitness industry
Association, USTA executives including President Katrina
Adams, media executives, and many more.
For more information on the Tennis Summit, including
the latest schedule and speakers and to register, visit
TennisSummit.com.
The T.O.M. Conference, for club and facility owners
and managers, will bring together leading experts in
facility management and programming to provide practical information to grow tennis businesses.
“Tennis facilities and clubs are where the rubber
meets the road in this industry—where players hit the
courts and buy the products and services that help keep
not only your business moving forward, but the entire
sport as well,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de
Boer. Speakers and panelists include management and
business consultants, facility/club operators, PTA and
USPTA executives and many more.
For speakers, schedule and registration information
for the Tennis Owners and Managers Conference, visit
TheTOMConference.com. •
February 2015
TennisIndustry 11
IndustryNews
Short
Sets
The U.S. Tennis
Congress will go back
to Tucson for the 2015
event, to be held Oct.
9-13. Registration will
open in March. Visit
tenniscongress.com.
The San Diego
Aviators of Mylan
World TeamTennis
has moved its 2015
season venue to the
Omni La Costa Resort
& Spa in Carlsbad,
Calif. In addition, San
Diego businessman
Fred Luddy, along
with Jack McGrory, are
the new owners of the
Aviators franchise.
World TeamTennis
and pharmaceutical
company Mylan announced an extension
of their title sponsorship agreement
through 2017.
PBI partner property
that "strives to offer
the highest quality
in its tennis facilities,
service and programs
while also demonstrating care and support
of PBI and its professionals," PBI President
Peter Burwash said.
The Thanyapura
Phuket property in
Thailand has been
recognized by Peter
Burwash International
with the 2014 Site of
the Year award. The
award recognizes a
Junior Tennis
Champions Center
of College Park, Md.,
has a new partnership
with tennis legend and
coach Brian Gottfried
and the internationally renowned Bolles
School in Jacksonville,
Fla. Bolles Tennis featuring Brian Gottfried
and JTCC is a new
comprehensive tennis
program in Northeast
Florida. The school’s
flagship tennis program is the College
Prep Program, which
combines high-performance development
under Brian Gottfried
and JTCC and college
prep education.
In December, the
Mylan WTT Smash Hits
raised more than $1
ITA Coaches Support
Shortened Format
D
uring its December meeting, the ITA Division 1 Operating Committee voted
to re-submit its dual match format proposal to the NCAA Division 1 Tennis
Committee for the 2015 NCAA Division I Team Championships. This decisive vote (25 yes, 0 no, 9 abstentions) was supported by the USTA and the USTA's
Athletic Directors Advisory Council.
In addition, the ITA Operating Committee voted 26-8 in favor of playing the
shortened format during the 2015 ITA Kick-Off Weekend and 2015 ITA Division 1
National Men's and Women's Team Indoor Championships. Also, the Committee
voted to adopt (30 yes, 0 no, 4 abstentions) the shortened format for all non-conference dual match competition with all singles matches being played to completion
(doubles will remain "clinch"). NCAA conference rules, however, supersede ITA
rules, so any conference can decide to not play the ITA format.
The ITA shortened format, for both Division 1 men’s and women’s tennis, includes:
• No-ad scoring in singles and doubles.
• Three doubles matches played, each match one set to 6, with a tie-break at 6-all.
• Followed (after a brief intermission; time TBD) by six singles matches, each
match 2 out of 3 sets, with tie-breaks at 6-all.
• No warm-up with opponents (in doubles and in singles).
"Over the past several years the ITA Division I member coaches have engaged in
a vigorous and dynamic dialogue about format and best ways to grow and promote
the sport of college tennis," said ITA Executive Director David Benjamin. "We are
very proud of the way in which all of our coaches of men's and women's tennis
programs—from widely diverse institutions—have managed to work together and
present a unified front on such a complicated and critical issue."
If the ITA shortened format is endorsed by the NCAA Division 1 Tennis Committee, it will be put forward to the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet.•
12 TennisIndustry
February 2015
million dollars for
the Elton John AIDS
Foundation, the
second time in the
event’s 22-year history that donations
topped $1 million.
Co-hosted by Sir
Elton John and Billie
Jean King the event
has now raised more
the $13 million. The
2014 event, won by
Team Billie Jean over
Team Elton, 22-16,
was held in London,
the first time it was
held outside of the
U.S.
USRSA Announces
New MRTs
Master Racquet Technicians
Jeff Cutler - Victoria, BC Canada
William Thomas - Victoria, BC Canada
Eric Lim Ong Soo - Singapore
‘Green’ Solutions Can
Save You Money
• The Tennis Legacy Fund is a non-profit
committed to increasing the awareness
of sustainability within the tennis industry
and community. To help tennis providers
operate a more profitable and sustainable
business, TI magazine will run occasional
tips by the Tennis Legacy Fund in partnership
with Greenlight Solutions and a sustainability initiative by students at Arizona State
University
CFL Light Bulbs: Save money, time
and the environment by using Energy Star
spiral compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL).
Normal light bulbs may be tempting since
they are one-third the cost of a CFL bulb
($.50 vs. $1.50). However, CFL bulbs
operate 10 times longer and at a mere 13
watts. According to Consumer Reports, it
costs about $74 to buy and operate a 60watt incandescent bulb for 10,000 hours,
but only $17 for a 13-watt spiral CFL bulb.
—Devon Edwards
Customer Service
Simplify The Selection
Of A New Racquet
By Denny Schackter
F
or many years I was a territory
manager for Wilson Racquet
Sports, until I retired six years
ago. Recently, I was teaching a woman
who asked me about picking out a
new racquet. Since I retired, I haven’t
been as familiar as I used to be with
current trends in the racquet market.
But in thinking back to what I would
tell consumers about picking out a
racquet, I thought about some helpful
things teaching pros and retailers might
consider to help simplify a customer’s
selection process.
Although I had worked for one company, I also worked hard to know other
companies’ products. A teaching pro
may play with one brand, but knowing the other brands and their product
strengths makes that pro a trusted advisor to his students.
Here are some other important
things to remember when helping a student or customer find the right frame:
• Check out your student’s current
racquet. Is it head light, balanced
or head heavy? Head light aids in
control, head heavy helps with more
power, and balanced is the best and
worst of both. As a player ages, they
might want more power, but one can
also injure a wrist or elbow because of
a change in head weight. Most highly
ranked players gravitate to balanced
or head-light sticks because they’re
able to provide most of the power
themselves, but the average club
player has to make more decisions
when buying a racquet.
• Determine the right grip size.
Measure the student’s hand. One way
to do this is to measure from the top
of the ring finger to the second lifeline, or to a spot very close to where
that lifeline should be. Another
method is to have the student grip the
racquet and make sure a forefinger
can fit between the end of his fingers
and the meat of the thumb. If the grip
is between sizes, go smaller since it’s
easier to build up a grip than reduce
it.
• Demo racquets four or more times
under game conditions. Game conditions are a lesson, a drill and play, or
even better, in a match. Most players
hesitate using a demo in a match
until they feel comfortable. However,
using a different racquet every other
game will give a player a pretty good
idea of how the racquet performs. It
is also a good way to zero-in on what
the student likes and which frame
seems comfortable. A tennis pro can
also monitor the strength of shots
coming off the student’s racquet.
• Judge a new frame based on your
favorite or best shot. In my opinion, this is one of the most important things to tell a student looking
for a new racquet. Some pros want
students to buy a racquet to improve
their weakest shot, but I’m not an
advocate of that because a weak shot
probably will not improve with a new
stick. However everyone has a shot
they love to hit or one they count
on at crunch time. The new racquet must feel good on that shot, or
confidence will drop quickly. Pancho
Gonzalez used to say, “Forget about
making your weak shots stronger; I
practice my strengths, to keep them
strong.” So he hit a multitude of
serves every day because that was his
weapon.
Your students are influenced all the
time by what they read, by friends, by
teaching pros and others. I remember
one student bought the same frame as
her best friend, who was a good player,
because she figured her friend’s needs
were the same as hers. But to keep
people in the game, improving and having fun, we need to make sure players
have the right racquets for them.
Racquet manufacturers, distributors and retailers have done a great job
on their websites to aid consumers in
making a well-researched choice. And
teaching pros can be a trusted advisor in
helping match a player to a frame.
However, it’s the player who can
best make the decision based on doing
a thorough investigation of products,
taking time to test racquets, and being
sure his or her best shot remains their
best shot. •
Denny Schackter resides in Palatine, Ill.,
where he is the owner of Tennis Priorities, a firm whose focus is recruiting
young people into tennis teaching. Check
out his website www. tennispriorities.
com or email him at [email protected].
February 2015
TennisIndustry 13
Facility Operations
Simple Secrets To Superior
Service and Sales
By Holly Chomyn
I
work at the Bonita Bay Club in
Bonita Springs, Fla.—a memberowned club with 18 Har-Tru tennis
courts, a 1,200-square-foot tennis
pro shop, five golf courses, golf pro
shop, and fitness and spa facilities. We
always strive to deliver excellent customer service, high-quality products
and an enjoyable tennis experience
every time a member comes to our
facility.
We are constantly trying to find
ways that set our pro shop apart from
the rest while also staying within a
budget. In the day of small pro shops
versus the larger chain stores and online retailers, we can only compete by
offering top-quality service along with
specialty products.
In the retail world we all know that a
welcoming greeting is key, followed by
having the products that our clientele wants and having the knowledge
about those products. We’ve found a
few extra tips to enhance our pro shop
sales and the deliver quality customer
service.
Warm and Welcoming
We offer complimentary cookies. The
aroma of “home-baked” goods offers
a warm and welcoming sense. We
bake cookies each morning in our Otis
Spunkmeyer oven and they are ready
by 9:30 a.m. To my surprise, we cannot
bake enough cookies. The service of
offering members free cookies seems
to attract buyers into the shop.
Another pro shop extra that we
do for our members is to have volunteers model tennis outfits and we
take their picture. We display the 11”
x 25” framed photos in our fitting
rooms. Our members feel like they
are helping the shop while at the same
14 TennisIndustry
February 2015
time they are trying on the new tennis
fashions. It shows off our clothing lines
while allowing our members to be involved in the promotion of “their” pro
shop. These photos are also used in our
email blasts to members.
We are always trying to find ways to
get our members to come into the pro
shop. We understand that they can go
to the big chain stores and get good
deals, so we’ve worked on ways to personally invite them to shop in “their”
store. We offer birthday discounts—
they receive a 35 percent off gift card
to use in the month of their birthday.
We have had members come in only
for their birthday month and then we
don’t see them all year. We also give gift
cards to our league captains in appreciation for their work. We try to keep
our members “at home” and supporting the club pro shop.
On-Court Benefits
On the courts, we offer two unique
and low-cost benefits to members and
guests. We have more than 20 teams
that play out of our facility and every
day we host at least two home matches.
We have a bulletin board that displays
the team matchups (home team and
visiting team) and which courts they
are playing on. Once out on the courts,
we have placards with the name of the
visiting team to display on the scorecard. These placards are made on the
computer, printed out on 11” x 17” paper, laminated, and folded over. Then
we slide them over the VISITOR arm.
They are interchangeable and we can
use them for several years. It seems
like a small gesture, but we continually
get compliments by our visiting teams
on how welcome it makes them feel.
We also offer a 20 percent discount in
the shop for all visiting league players.
Another low-cost item we offer for
cooling down after play is an iced coldwater bowl infused with mint, with
paper hand towels to dip into it. It is a
relaxing and refreshing way to cool off,
and we receive many compliments on
this “luxury.”
These may be small things, but they
enhance our members’ experience at
“their” club and attract others to our
club. You never know what may attract
a visitor to becoming a member.•
Holly Chomyn is the Head Tennis
Professional at the Bonita Bay Club
in Bonita Springs, Fla. She is a
USPTA Master Pro, USRSA Master
Racquet Technician and a USTA
High Performance Coach.
2015 TENNIS SUMMIT
More Players, More Fans,
More Tennis Consumers
Join tennis and sports industry leaders, executives and
professionals in Indian Wells, Calif., for the second annual
TIA Tennis Summit, March 17-18. The Summit will again
bring together all segments of tennis to discuss how we
can continue to collaboratively move the industry and the
sport forward.
This year’s event will build on the efforts of the
“Future of Tennis Summit” held last March, when industry
leaders gathered to discuss where the sport was headed
and how it could sustain its growth momentum into 2020
and beyond. A key focus of the 2015 Tennis Summit will
be how we can grow and retain the “core” group of
tennis participants (those who play tennis 10 or more
times a year).
Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa
Indian Wells, CA • March 17-18
IMPORTANT AND DYNAMIC TOPICS
• The State of the Tennis Industry
• The Sports Marketplace: Industry Trends to Watch
• The Sports Marketplace and Tennis: Consumer Habits & Trends
• USTA’s Vision for the Future
• Lake Nona—The New Home of American Tennis
• How the Pro Tours Connect to Grassroots Tennis
• Collaborative Leadership
• Tennis as a Healthy Commodity
• Capturing the Youth Market, and Beyond
• Moving the Needle on Adult Frequent Play
• New Approaches for Future Growth
KNOWLEDGEABLE SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS (confirmed to date)
• Katrina Adams, President, USTA
• Jason Bernstein, Senior Director–Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN
• Nick Bollettieri, Teacher and Coach
• Tom Cove, CEO & President, SFIA
• David Egdes, President, Tennis Channel
• John Embree, CEO, USPTA
• Kurt Kamperman, CEO–Community Tennis, USTA
• Ilana Kloss, CEO, WTT
• Dr. Jim Loehr, Human Performance Institute
• Greg Mason, President, TIA
• Dan Santorum, CEO, PTR
• Alan Schwartz, Founder/Former CEO, TCA
• PJ Simmons, Founder, The Tennis Congress
• Keith Storey, President, Sports Marketing Surveys
• Jeff Williams, Managing Partner, Tennis Media Co.
...along with other speakers and presenters to be announced.
PARTICIPATION & SUPPORT BY KEY EXECUTIVES
• TIA Board Members
• USTA Top Executives and Board Members
• Key Tennis Organizations
• Major Manufacturers
• Sponsors and Advertisers
For more details and to register, visit TennisSummit.com.
The T.O.M. Conference begins March 18, immediately following the
Tennis Summit, at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
ENGAGED & INFLUENTIAL AUDIENCE
From the moment the 2015 Tennis Summit was announced, the response
has been very positive. We expect the meeting room at the Westin
Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa to be filled to capacity, as registrations
come in daily from tennis executives, tournament directors, media, tennis
organizations, tech representatives, tennis providers, retailers, coaches,
teaching pros, potential new sponsors for the sport, etc.
February 2015
TennisIndustry 15
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2015 TENNIS OWNERS & MANAGERS CONFERENCE
Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa | Indian Wells, CA | March 18-19
Empowering Tennis Businesses and Leaders for a Stronger Industry!
The 2015 Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) Conference will bring together this industry’s leading experts in
club and facility management and programming to provide practical information and key takeaways that
owners and managers can implement to become more competitive and profitable.
Building on the success of the inaugural T.O.M. Conference last spring, the 2015 event
will be full of fresh ideas to help you improve your operations, streamline your business,
and increase your bottom line. Like the sport itself, the T.O.M. Conference is designed
to be fluid, dynamic and engaging, with presentations by industry and sports
experts, panel discussions and opportunities to network.
THE T.O.M. CONFERENCE WILL:
• Provide important business
“takeaways” that attendees can implement.
• Enhance the dialogue between owners/managers
and key industry segments.
• Identify new ways to show tennis as an attractive activity.
• Introduce the latest technology to drive your business.
• Provide networking opportunities, Idea Fair and expert counsel.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
• Best practices for managing and compensating staff.
• How to improve the efficiency and profitability of your facility.
• How to navigate the legal landscape.
• Proven marketing strategies to build your member/player base.
• Defining goals and benchmarks.
…and much more!
REGISTRATION INCLUDES:
• Welcome Reception at BNP Paribas Open.
• Keynote speaker breakfast, and lunch both days.
• TIA Level 1 Business Assessment for facilities and retailers.
• Welcome packet with program booklet.
• Resource Center with Conference special offers.
•D
iscounted hotel rate at Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa
(book by Feb. 12).
IMPORTANT & DYNAMIC TOPICS
• How to use industry research to help your business grow.
• Member acquisition and retention strategies.
• Staff compensation—managing your biggest expense.
• Idea Fair—programming that works.
• Facility and and surfacing technology and trends.
• USTA plans to bring more players to the game.
• Evaluate personnel before, during and after hiring.
• 2015 legal alerts you need to now about.
• Making big money in the Youth Tennis market.
• Social media game-changers.
• Evaluating and managing tennis as a profit center.
• The latest technology for today’s facilities.
• Moving the needle on adult frequent play.
• Manage and improve your club’s culture.
• Academies and camps that make a difference.
• Adapting your facility for the future.
PARTICIPATION & SUPPORT BY THE INDUSTRY
• Key Tennis Organizations
• TIA Board Members
• USTA Top Executives
• PTR and USPTA Executives and Members
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
ADVISORY PANEL
AND MODERATORS
• Doug Cash, Founder, CashFlowTennis
• Rod Heckelman, General Manager, Mt. Tam Racquet Club
• Greg Lappin, Former National Tennis Director, Life Time Fitness
• Mark McMahon, Tennis Consultant, McMahon & Associates
KNOWLEDGEABLE SPEAKERS & PANELISTS
Industry experts continue to express interest in the T.O.M. Conference, including
top tennis facility/club operators, owners and managers; management and
business consultants; youth tennis, adult tennis, league tennis and Cardio Tennis
experts; and former pro tennis players/current tennis broadcasters. Here are
speakers and panelists confirmed to date:
• Kirk Anderson, USTA
• David LaSota, Facility Designer
• Nick Bollettieri, Teacher and Coach
• Dr. Jim Loehr, HPI
• Virgil Christian, USTA
• Krista Lowery, PAI
• John Embree, USPTA
• Greg Mason, TIA
• Jeff Gocke, Fairfield Indoor Tennis
• Dan Santorum, PTR
• Gerry Faust, Faust Mgmt. Corp.
• P.J. Simmons, Tennis Congress
• Will Hamilton, Fuzzy Yellow Ball
• Alan Schwartz, TCA Holdings/
• Charlie Hoeveler, Nike Tennis Camps
Midtown Tennis Club
• Kurt Kamperman, USTA
• Keith Storey, SMS
• Michele Krause, Cardio Tennis
• Jeff Waters, USTA
ENGAGED & INFLUENTIAL AUDIENCE
Like last spring’s T.O.M. Conference, we expect the 2015 T.O.M. to be wellattended with facility and club owners/managers/operators and their key staff.
Enjoy professional men’s and women’s tennis at the 2015 BNP Paribas Open.
Tournament Ticket Packages will be made available.
The T.O.M. Conference immediately follows the TIA Tennis Summit (March 17-18),
which also will be at the world-class Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa.
March 18-19
For More Information and to Register, Visit TheTOMConference.com
Contact the TIA at [email protected] or 866-686-3036
February 2015
TennisIndustry 17
Retailing 135
Back to Basics!
These nine timeless tips are keys to serving
your customers and differentiating your store.
By Jay Townley
T
oday’s retail environment is fastpaced and always changing. But
for pro and specialty retailers,
there still are a few timeless basics that
haven’t, and probably won’t, change.
These eight tips aren’t high tech, but
they are proven sales and profit builders that won’t go out of date. We’ve
talked about many of these in the past,
but it never hurts to review some of the
fundamentals.
Store Entrance: First impressions are
vitally important. Doors and front windows should be cleaned daily and not
cluttered with stickers, decals or signs.
Even an “Open” sign in the front door
can make it look cluttered. The only
exception here is a neat “hours we are
open” sign or decal. Your store entrance
is there to make shoppers feel welcome!
Greeting: Within seconds of entering
your store, every shopper should be
greeted in a pleasant and cheerful way.
This is so important in making shoppers feel both welcome and comfortable
that we recommend a greeter on busy
days and during peak hours.
more because I have some suggestions
about how you can do that.”
Make Suggestions: After you have
asked enough questions, make low-key
suggestions about the products and
services that, in your expert opinion, will
be best suited for the individual shopper’s wants and needs. Some of your
suggestions will be rejected, of course,
but that’s part of the selling process,
and simply leads to alternative suggestions. “Suggestive selling” isn’t possible
without first having made the shopper
comfortable in your store.
Smile: A genuine smile on the face of
every employee is all about making
shoppers feel welcome so they stay longer, and shop more. It is amazing how
many retailers don’t comprehend the
importance of a real smile on the face of
every employee.
Name Tags: Name tags, like a genuine
smile, are often overlooked by retailers.
The connection that leads to the trust
of suggestive selling is both easier and
facilitated by you and your sales staff
wearing name tags. You should of course
introduce yourself, but a name tag large
enough to be read easily will make it
simple for shoppers to make a connection that leads to a sale.
Ask Questions: Express your interest
in each shopper, and help you and your
store employees gather information
about the individual’s tennis needs. The
key is asking questions in a casual way
and explaining why you are asking: “I’m
asking about whether you’d like to play
Signs: It’s simple—signs sell! When well
thought out and employed wisely in a
retail store, signs enhance the discovery
process, make shoppers more comfortable and help educate them so they are
more appreciative of you and your staff’s
suggestions and recommendations.
18 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Recovery and Keeping Things
Clean: Shoppers will not spend time
discovering your merchandise if
the clothing isn’t neatly folded, the
displays free of dust, and the floor and
carpet clean. Pay special attention to
your fitting rooms and restrooms and
make sure you and your staff are assigned to perform recovery of displays,
restocking of shelves, and cleaning
of bathrooms, fitting rooms, floors,
windows and all glass and mirrored
surfaces.
Follow Up: Follow up with both shoppers who didn’t buy and those who
did. Start by making sure you have
procedures to collect shopper and customer contact information. Build into
your daily responsibilities outreach to
shoppers in the form of old-fashioned
postcards and fliers, along with emails
and social media. Don’t overlook the
relationship-building power and positive word of mouth you can generate
by a simple “thank you” from the
owner for a shopper that stopped by—
or a customer who made a purchase.•
This is part of a series of retail tips
presented by the Tennis Industry Association and written by the Gluskin
Townley Group (www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
Executive Point
Steve Simon, Tournament
Director, BNP Paribas Open
Interview By Cindy Cantrell
venues, but we felt it was an important
fairness factor. Mr. Ellison supported
the investment. It’s a nice enhancement
for the fans, too.
P
layed over two weeks each
March, the BNP Paribas Open at
the Indian Wells Tennis Garden
in Indian Wells, Calif. is the largest
combined WTA and ATP World Tour
event in the world. In 2014, more than
431,000 attendees contributed to a total
gross economic impact of nearly $374
million to the Coachella Valley—a 29
percent increase over 2011.
In December 2009, Oracle Corporation Executive Chairman and Chief
Technology Officer Larry Ellison
became owner of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and the tournament that
is widely regarded as the fifth major.
Its management team is led by CEO
Raymond Moore and COO Steve Simon,
who has been the tournament director
since 2002. We recently sat down with
Simon.
TI: We read that you were introduced
to tennis at age 10, while growing up in
Arcadia, Calif. What was it about the
sport that hooked you?
Simon: My father introduced me to
the game, and I loved it right away. I
was a sports nut as a kid, and there was
something about striking a tennis ball
that was a lot of fun. Like anything,
when you start to see a little success,
you evolve in that direction.
TI: You played tennis in high school,
college and on the satellite tour. How
important were those experiences in
your current role as tournament
director?
Simon: I never had the success of the
players on our stadium court, but I do
understand what they need in order
to compete at the highest level. In the
beginning, I drove other tournament directors crazy with all my questions. As I
learned more, I enjoyed the job more.
TI: How did you initially get involved in
the business side of the sport?
20 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Simon: I had met Charlie [Pasarell]
and Raymond [Moore] as a sponsor,
and they brought me over in 1989. I was
parting ways with Adidas after six years
and looking for a change. I could have
always worked as a teaching pro, but the
idea of being on the business side was
intriguing. I’m still very appreciative of
the opportunity they provided me.
TI: In 2014, the tournament garnered
rave reviews for its $70 million expansion project. Describe some of the
improvements.
Simon: Our 16,100-seat show stadium
is special in its own right because it’s
the second largest in the world [behind
Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA Billie
Jean King National Tennis Center].
Now we have a beautiful new 8,000seat stadium with great sightlines
and sound. We introduced four new
practice courts and three restaurants,
plus another 19,000-square-foot shade
structure with video walls.
TI: This is the only event that provides
the Hawkeye line challenge system on
all match courts, including the qualifying rounds. What is behind this investment?
Simon: I believe it’s important that every player has the same tools available
in competition as everyone else. I know
it isn’t possible financially at many
TI: The BNP Paribas Open is unique
because of the green space for the players, outdoor amenities and general ease.
How do you achieve such a relaxed vibe?
Simon: We’re different because we’re
not in a major metropolitan area; we’re
a true destination event. The players
want to win, but Southern California
has a laid-back atmosphere that allows
them to enjoy the weather, the great
crowds, and this great event. They practice, play doubles and maybe a little golf
on their day off.
TI: Let’s talk about the business side.
Simon: The growth of ticketed patrons
and sponsors is interrelated, because
you need to draw big crowds in order to
increase sponsorships. We’re proud that
we’ve had a very long history and high
retention rate with our sponsors.
The other side is prize money. As
we grow and do better, the athletes
should do better as well. If players feel
like they’re being treated fairly, they’ll
continue to support us. Everything is
interrelated, and the key is figuring out
how to create an enhanced experience
for the players, fans, sponsors, media,
staff and volunteers. [Editor’s note: The
BNP Paribas Open awards more than
$10 million in prize money. In 2014, the
women’s and men’s singles champions
each earned $1 million.]
TI: Do you have any advice for other
tournament directors in terms of reinvigorating their events?
Simon: I’ve always said if you’re doing
the same things that you were doing
two years ago, you’re going backward.
You’ve got to evolve and change. It’s not
exactly reinventing, but more like staying current and adjusting to consumer
demands.•
Recreational Play
ROG Balls and Shorter Courts
Aren’t Just for Kids!
By Ellen Miller
T
his past spring I was a presenter
at the Maryland State High
School Coach’s workshop. The
topic? “Manage a Variety of Players
with Proven Skill-Building Activities.” Though the title might not give it
away, the idea was to show high school
coaches how to manage diverse levels of
play using red, orange, and green balls
while maximizing court space.
In one exercise, we turned a 78-foot
court into six 36-foot courts and let the
attendees build volley skills with a red
ball. Not your typical high school practice for sure. In fact most of the high
school coaches I worked with had never
used such equipment; some had never
even seen the red and orange balls.
Yet they loved how these slower balls
would allow their players, especially
the less experienced, develop more skill
and control. And they really loved how
many shorter courts could be made out
of one regular court.
When you think about it, your typical
tennis club is not unlike a high school
team—lots of levels of play and limited
court space. In both instances, the common denominator is the intermediate
player. They form the bulk of players in
this country.
But according to TIA research, there
is another large group out there—the
15 million people who are “interested”
in playing tennis but haven’t yet gotten
out on court.
Who are these people? How do you
entice them to play? My thinking is
many probably are beginners who are
a bit intimidated by taking up a new
sport as an adult. So to entice them to
play, you have to make it fun and make
them successful very quickly. Well,
you should look no further than Youth
Tennis. Why not borrow the tools that
have made tennis “kid-friendly” for the
22 TennisIndustry
February 2015
youngsters and make it “adult-friendly”
for the adults?
Build Their Skills
How to do it? Like in the high-school
presentation, start with skill-building
exercises and a smaller court. Try my
“alley rally” drill, which involves two
players standing on either side of the
doubles alley “tapping” the red ball back
and forth. With a Continental grip, these
players attempt a maximum number of
consecutive hits before trying to keep
the ball in the air (essentially volleying).
Sounds simple, but this is a great way to
teach control and touch. I use it for my
7-year-olds and 50-year-olds because it
is easy and players can learn to rally and
volley quickly.
Now, these initial skill-building
exercises can be taken to the next level—
rallying over a net. A 36-foot court will
do. If court space is not an issue, play
service box to service box. There are so
many fun live ball drills to use that the
possibilities are endless. They can rally,
hit volleys, play one-up, one-back (one
volleying, one hitting groundstrokes),
do the up-and-back volley drill. They
can serve from the service line and
work returns. Various spins can be introduced, slice and topspin. Mind you,
these drills are all with the red ball. It
is low bouncing and slow so beginners
can learn to control their shots.
As their hitting ability improves,
they can move back and hit from the
60-foot-court. Now pull out the orange
ball and let your players do live ball
play down the line, cross-court and
throw in a game of Dingle (the beloved
singles-doubles game). Sure you can
still do some dead-ball feeding to improve technique, but let your players
do more rallying with each other. Lots
of partner-oriented hitting exercises
are more fun. As your players progress,
move them back to the full court and
introduce the green balls.
ROG Keeps Adults Playing
Don’t think for a minute red-orange-
Don’t Forget Cardio Tennis and ROG
Cardio Tennis has also jumped on the ROG bandwagon, adopting the orange ball for
intermediate-level classes and the green dot ball for more experienced Cardio classes. When
I became a Licensed Cardio Tennis Professional last year, our group included several former
collegiate players. Nobody balked at the orange ball. In fact, we had a terrific time slugging
it out. The point play, especially at the net, involved some very skillful play and it was more
than challenging!
Oddly, Cardio Tennis is receiving some pushback on ROG balls, and that needs to stop.
Pros need to be willing to adjust! Look at your audience—the key is to adapt the ball to the
level of play. Let the players engage in solid rallies and be successful; if they can’t do it with
the ball you have, you need to find a slower ball. —E.M.
green are only for little kids and
beginners. Go global, think intermediates (the other big group we talked
about). True story: Recently one of my
2.5-level players said she took lessons
once before but “quit because the ball
was so fast, and it wasn’t any fun.” She
loved our “rallying” class with the red
and orange balls and said she hopes
now to play in a league.
Here’s another story: A 3.0 player
confided that she felt really comfortable with the orange and green balls
but when she played with the yellow
balls in league, it was ugly and she
didn’t have much success.
These two scenarios got me thinking. I wouldn’t want to put my beginner on a full-size court with a yellow
ball, not when she can’t handle it yet,
and my intermediate isn’t having
any fun in her league either. But they
want to compete. What to do? Create
my own in-house league of orange
(60-foot) and green (full-court) play.
Devise teams of four to six people
and have them play World TeamTennis format. Look to play other clubs
if they have similar leagues. As the
players improve and feel comfortable
to move up to the next ball, let them.
Maybe new “colored ball” leagues will
pop up soon.
Actually it’s happening already.
Possessing a healthy dose of senior
citizens, USTA Florida needed a way
to prolong play for this valuable group
of lifelong hitters. Much the same way
the regulation 78-foot court is too
large for the typical 7- or 8-year-old,
that same court becomes increasingly unmanageable for senior players
losing movement skills, especially
speed. What did they do? They put the
seniors on some of the newly lined 60foot courts across the state. Now these
senior “orange” ball clinics, leagues
and tournaments are prolonging the
lifespan of a valuable part of the tennis
population.
Kids with disabilities? Wounded
service men and women? The
progressions offered by 10 and Under
Tennis will give players with physical
disabilities the ability to learn, because
it’s easier, but also they’ll offer an incentive to play, because it’s fun.
The possibilities are endless. All you
need are some blended lines, low-compression balls and a willingness to step
outside the box. From red, to orange,
to green—it will boost your bottom
line faster than you think. You will gain
new players and—the best yet—you will
retain them.
Kids play tennis because they want
to rally and have fun with their friends.
Don’t think for a minute that adults are
any different! •
Ellen Miller is certified by the PTR, USPTA
and USTA High Performance and has a
master’s degree in elementary education. A
former player for Rice University, she is a
Youth Tennis workshop faculty member and
frequent presenter at provider events. She also
is Tennis Industry magazine’s 2014 Grassroots
Champion of the Year.
February 2015
TennisIndustry 24
Facility Manager’s Manual
Behavior
Modification?
Changing members’
behavior is a tricky
situation for any facility
manager.
By Rod Heckelman
A
sk any experienced manager in the club
industry what’s the most common complaint
they receive, and chances are it will be about
members’ behavior. They didn’t get off the
court at the end of their appointed time. They
were using their cell phone in a no-cell phone area. They were
being distracting or loud on a neighboring court. They left the
common area or locker room a mess. The list goes on.
Modifying behavior is a challenge in every aspect of life.
Within clubs, this problem is amplified as members are asked
to share a defined amount of space while participating in
activities. When you think about it, short of our educational
process, there are few times when a person is asked to develop
and/or perform in a group atmosphere with the same set of
people. It’s safe to say that a club’s environment is unusual
and unique.
Club life also adds another complicating element. In most
cases where there is a group gathering or activity, there is
someone appointed to be in control. At clubs, members are
made to believe they have final say and are in control. This
practice falls under the motto that the customer is always
right. But if you have worked in clubs long enough, you know
this has limitations.
The result of this potentially unstable social dynamic is that
most clubs post signs, rules and notices in hopes of establish-
ing some control over members’ behavior. Articles in newsletters or other forms of media are also used to spread the gospel
of club etiquette and proper protocols. But, once again, the
experienced manager knows most people will not read these
signs or pay attention to the reminders. So if traditional
methods of enforcing rules are not working, what will work?
The answer may lie in a three-pronged approach: education, application and repetition.
Education
To better understand how “education” works, let’s provide
some examples.
a) A long-time member consistently fails to check in when
entering the club. From his point of view, he feels this is his
club and he should be able to come and go as he pleases. During one of his visits, tactfully engage him in a conversation
with the intent of explaining the importance of keeping the
value of his membership by also keeping the privacy of the
club. You might also mention this policy also helps maintain the security of the club. To complete this educational
moment, ask him to help in the development of any new
employee by contributing to the exercise of getting everyone
to check in and further familiarize this new employee with
all the members. There is no guarantee this interaction will
be successful, but it lays the foundation for establishing an
The complete “Facility Manager’s Manual” is available for download at the TIA Associate Member level and above.
Visit TennisIndustry.org for more information.
24 TennisIndustry
February 2015
understanding with this member, and it will put the onus
on him to play by the rules.
b) Next, you have a member who seldom properly checks
in his guest. Even though your rules have restrictions on
non-member usage, your member, because he seldom
brings guests, does not perceive this to be a problem. (The
non-member probably doesn’t even consider this an issue.)
If you intercept them when they enter, you’ll be put in a position of having to enforce the rule in front of their guest—
an uncomfortable situation. The application of the rule
here is very important. You will need to show a welcoming
hand to both people and possibly invite the guest into becoming a member. Hopefully this dialogue moves into the
direction of you being able to bring up the rules of checking
in and the reminder that it is a private club. Always keep in
mind that this guest is not the enemy or a person trying to
purposely trespass, but rather a potential member.
c) This last problem occurs hourly at most facilities: a
member who uses the locker room or changing area as if it
was their personal venue. Others complain about how they
take over a space, leave clothes everywhere and in general
display poor locker room behavior. Of course, the signs
you posted are ignored. Because of the area being used, it
can sometimes be difficult to interact with this member,
especially at the moment the violation occurs. In this case
it might be best to formulate an e-mail or letter that you
could send explaining how important it is for members
to be responsible for their belongings and properly share
common space. (In fact, it might be efficient to draft
several letters that address common problems or issues,
such as a letter for those who park inappropriately, or
refuse to share a swimming lane, or break the rules while
using the courts, etc.)
Application
Education can help embed the standards, but there is also
a need for understanding application of the rules. Too
often clubs react to a problem by reestablishing the rules
to the whole membership. Because of the actions of a few,
the entire membership is subjected to a reminder. But by
constantly reprimanding the entire membership, they’ll
eventually ignore these notices or announcements, and
more importantly, it’s likely that the few who have been
behaving poorly will probably not be impacted.
There is also the natural reaction of many members to
become more sensitive to the few that are in violation. This
can lead to some members trying to police the club and creating potential conflict. On the other hand, by addressing
only those who are causing a problem, the enforcement is
more directed and the overall atmosphere is not impacted
by negative announcements.
Timing is important here. Again, members are sensitive
about being told what to do when using their club. Take our
first example. If you were to chase down that member to remind him to check in and that happened to take place in front
of others, it would result in that member feeling compromised
and embarrassed. Sometimes it’s best to let the moment go and
process the information via e-mail or letter. Other times it’s
best to approach the member in a more relaxed situation.
Lastly, when it comes to application, provide all the information and not just the rule itself. For example, you have a
member who brings in a personal trainer recommended by
a doctor to help him recover from an injury. If you were to
approach that member and simply state that outside contractors are forbidden to operate at your club, the member would
feel compromised and like they are being kept from meeting
personal goals or medical needs. By simply providing the rules,
you are perceived as an obstruction. If, on the other hand, if
you showed sympathy and asked what they were trying to
accomplish, you could begin the process of informing that
member of what services the club could provide and possibly
sway them toward using your staff.
Repetition
As long as your application is practical and courteous, there is
no harm in repeating rules over and over, just be careful that
you don’t end up beating up on your membership. Try to vary
the message to keep it interesting.
If you believe the message sent is more relevant than the
message received, then you will find yourself very frustrated
after a while. Teachers and coaches learn this early on. They
know there are some who retain information well, while others
have to constantly be reminded.
Repetition also addresses member transition. Most clubs
have turnover, and it is important to refresh the rules and regulations for this reason alone. In this process you will find that
it is an excellent way to review and update your rules. Methods
of communication are constantly changing and we need to
upgrade the methods that we use to deliver information.
Lastly, never take for granted that a member knows right
from wrong, and they often have a goal. Maybe it is to have a
workout in a set period of time, get in a few extra points on
court, in general trying to meet personal needs and not realizing they are compromising other members.
So, can we change members’ behavior? To some degree. But
at the end of the day, we should be satisfied with being able to
modify most members’ behavior. It’s an arduous task that can
be emotionally draining.
This area of management is not a battle that we can expect to
win, just an area we hope to positively impact. •
Rod Heckelman has been the longtime general manager of Mt.
Tam Racquet Club in Larkspur, Calif. His “Facility Manager’s
Manual” is available digitally through the TIA at TennisIndustry.
org. He recently added another manual, “The Tennis Pro’s Business Handbook.”
February 2015
TennisIndustry 25
OUTLOOK 2015: Racquets
It’s All About
The Fit
With all the options available, it’s still
up to the dealer to help customers
select a racquet that is a perfect fit.
I
By Bob Patterson
f you sell tennis racquets, there is one question you
probably get on a daily basis: “What is the best racquet?” Of course, that depends on many factors. It is
really all about fitting the player with the right racquet for his or her game. Otherwise, you wouldn’t
need that entire inventory!
Manufacturer’s have always known this and have offered a
range of racquets to fit a variety of needs. It is up to the dealer
and the player to decide which model best suits their needs.
And while that is still true today, we now have so many more
options.
In recent years we have seen manufacturers offer several
versions of their most popular racquets. Variations of weight,
length and string patterns of the same model have become
commonplace. And the options continue to grow. Last fall,
Dunlop launched its iDapt line that can be built to the player’s
specs with interchangeable parts. This year Head introduces
the Adaptive String Pattern (ASP), which can change the
pattern from a 16x19 to 16x16, with a switch of the side
grommet strip.
We have also seen technology enter in the mix—from
racquet selection tools on manufacturers’ websites to
racquets and devices that give players feedback on their
performance. Babolat is expanding its Play line of racquets that provide technical information to players about
their game. We have also seen several aftermarket devices
introduced that provide similar information.
Although the options continue to grow, it still depends
on fitting the player with the right racquet to enhance
their game. That is dependent on the dealer staying
abreast of the latest developments and being able to
explain it to customers and help them make the decision
of what is the best racquet for them. It is still about getting
the perfect fit!
BABOLAT
babolat.com • 877-316-9435
The Pure Drive, one of the top-selling racquets of
the last decade, gets an update with the addition
of FSI (Frame String Interaction) technology. Although the string pattern is still 16x19 like previous
generations, it is denser in the center of the racquet
for a more responsive contact zone. There are
several variations: Pure Drive, Pure Drive+, Pure
Drive Lite, Pure Drive Team, and Pure Drive Tour
are all 100-square-inch heads. There are also 107and 110-square-inch head-size models. Babolat will
also add the Play AeroPro Drive to the lineup next
month.
26 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Pure Drive
DUNLOP
dunlop.com • 800-768-4727
iDapt was launched a bit earlier (see Tennis Industry, September/October 2014) and has certainly
upped the ante on customizable racquets. There are
four iDapt models, and with interchangeable parts,
they can create 432 different racquets.
iDapt
HEAD
head.com • 800-289-7366
Head continues to expand the Graphene XT line
with the introduction of the Speed and Instinct
models. The Speed has four variations: Pro, Rev Pro,
MP A and S. The Instinct has three models: MP, Rev
Pro and S. The Speed and Instinct Rev Pro models
as well as the Speed MP A feature the new Adaptive
String Pattern (ASP) technology, allowing the string
pattern to be changed from 16x19 to 16x16 by swapping out the side grommet strip.
Speed MP
PRINCE
princetennis.com • 800-2TENNIS
Prince adds two new racquets to its Extreme String
Pattern (ESP) lineup: The Tour Pro ESP featuring a
16x16 pattern and the Warrior Pro 100T ESP with a
14x16 pattern. Both offer players comfortable control and spin potential.
Tour Pro ESP 100
TECNIFIBRE
tecnifibre.com • 888-504-7878
Tecnifibre recently introduced the T-Flash 285 ATP
and three T-Rebound racquets: the 295 Pro, 275 Pro
Lite and 265 Feel. Later this month the company will
debut its new T-Fight racquets.
T-Flash 285 ATP
VOLKL
volkltennis.com • 866-554-7872
Volkl continues to expand its SuperG lineup with the
introduction of four new racquets: Organix 1 SuperG,
Organix 7 SuperG, and Organix V1 SuperG in MP and
OS head sizes.
SuperG MP
WILSON
wilson.com • 800-272-6060
The Blade racquets get a new technology boost with
four new frames. The Blade 98 (16x19), the Blade 98
(18x20), the Blade S featuring a more open pattern,
and the Blade 104. A new franchise debuts with the
launch of the Burn, which is designed for baseliners and available in five models to suit a variety of
player styles: 100, 100S, 100LS, 100 ULS, and Team.
The Burn also features two premium junior models:
Burn 26S and 25S. •
Blade 98
February 2015
TennisIndustry 27
OUTLOOK 2015: Shoes
Stepping Up
The Game
The new shoe showcase features vehicles that
perform and look good, too.
T
By Kent Oswald
he showcase has begun. Television screens
worldwide have been offering close-ups and
slow-motion replays of tennis shoes grinding,
flexing, and squeaking all over the Plexipave
surfaces from Down Under. Racquets and
strings get most of the credit for players’ ability to hit shots
never before seen, but if the shoes are not durable, flexible,
supportive, or light enough to enable getting to the right place
ball after ball, the mind-boggling hit is never struck. And,
since shoes are very much vehicles for both function and
fashion, they have to do that while looking just as good when
they are standing still.
In many ways, the outlook for the tennis shoe business
parallels what can be expected from the pro game in 2015.
Everyone has stepped up their game incrementally; the top
ranks will include familiar names; prize money and unit sales
are expecting a slight increase; and tennis shoes will be making more of a statement both on-court and on the street.
Highlights for the first part of the year will include (all
prices are suggested retail):
ADIDAS • adidas.com • 971-234-2300
The German company ended 2014 excited with how well established its Adizero line had become. While awaiting the introduction of the light and flexible shoe’s next incarnation in July,
the home of Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki, among others, brings to market the next
generation of its Barricades. On the men’s side, there is a renewed emphasis on comfort and
responsiveness with a focus on a shoe well regarded for its support, stability and durability.
Highlighting the introductions is the new, dramatically patterned Saksaywaman Wall edition
(shown, $150), which draws inspiration and name from the formidable and mysterious Incan
stonewalled city. It will provide more mid-foot stability and greater freedom in the forefoot
than in the past, similar to the new, redesigned Barricade 2015 ($140). Also new for men will be
the Barricade Team 4 ($90), re-crafted to support the games of more aggressive players.
Stella McCartney-designed shoes continue to headline the distaff side of the line. The newest
version of the Stella McCartney Barricade (shown, $125) expands on the tradition of support,
comfort and style. Like the men’s version, the women’s Barricade Team 4 ($90) with its engineered mesh, features comfort and supports quick movements.
Sales support will include a continuation of the “Smash the Silence” campaign, enhanced
digital and social media outreach, and in-store programs.
28 TennisIndustry
February 2015
ASICS • asicsamerica.com • 800-678-9435
The seven-decade-old performance shoe, apparel and accessory company surges into 2015
still riding high from an increase in total market share as well as placing its Gel Resolution
into the top-selling slot in the tennis specialty channel, according to Sports Marketing Surveys and the Tennis Industry Association. The newest version, the Gel-Resolution 6 (shown,
$140) offers a lighter platform and improved upper fit available in both men’s and women’s
versions. Three new colorways are being introduced at the beginning of the year, with two
more to be added June 1.
The company is also updating its Challenger series, with the Gel-Challenger 10 (shown,
$100) on shelves beginning in January. Performance has been enhanced via an improved
upper fit system and more advanced mid- and outsole materials. The shoe debuts in two new
color combinations, with another to come in June.
In addition to increased visibility through a growing rank of endorsers, retail support will
be built around the Grand Slam tournaments, with both in-store and digital programs.
BABOLAT
babolat.com • 877-316-9435
France’s tennis-only company improves its top-of-the-line Propulse BPM All Court (shown,
$120) for both men and women, with enhancements inside and out including a new insert,
more advanced cushioning and durability and traction tweaks to the outsole in tandem with
partner Michelin, as well as new colorways. Similar tweaks have been made to the men’s and
women’s Propulse Team BPM All Court ($99), which also rolls out for 2015 in new colors.
In addition to the Propulse shoes, the company will be promoting its Babolat SFX All
Court shoes ($105) in new colors for men and women by continuing its mix of television,
print and digital ads, sponsorships, in-store efforts and through ongoing and aggressive
social media outreach.
DIADORA
diadora.com • 800-768-4727
Following up the (re)introduction of the brand through its distribution deal with Dunlop, the
Italian sporting goods manufacturer expands its offerings with new, vibrantly-hued S.Pro
Evo AGs (shown, $119) in men’s and women’s versions featuring air mesh uppers, removable
insoles, and durable outsoles, as well as the S.Star K VI for men (shown) and S.Star K III for
women ($139) built with kangaroo leather uppers, and the removable insoles and robust
outsoles.
The company has plans to promote through social media and digital outreach—while also
relying heavily on what it terms “grassroots” marketing—and will be introducing even more
expanded color offerings as the year goes by. Marketing efforts are likely to rely on reminding
consumers of the brand’s history as well as playing up the brand’s fashion-forward aesthetic.
FILA
fila.com • 800-845-FILA
Fila will add new color combos to both its men’s and women’s Sentinels ($100). Expectations
are to continue the positive sales trends of the last few years with marketing efforts for the
lightweight and stable shoe continuing to emphasize style and comfort. Efforts across all
platforms will play up the connections between the company’s apparel and footwear collections, as well as the links among its tennis past, present and future.
HEAD
head.com • 800-289-7366
The rollout of the new Revolt Pro shoes ($140 for men and women; $80 for juniors) begun in
late 2014 continues through the first months of the new year. Highlights of the technology
include an extra stable feel achieved by borrowing from advances made on the company’s
ski boot side. New colorways are planned for the men’s, women’s and junior lines. In-store
POP, digital and print advertising campaigns coalescing under the #gameraiser theme will
continue.
February 2015
TennisIndustry 29
OUTLOOK 2015: Shoes
K-SWISS
kswiss.com • 800-768-4727
While the California company recently changed the direction of the stripes on their logo as
a symbol of how they are moving forward, they do so building on their “d-rings,” five stripes
and a tradition of focusing on comfort and style, as well as the popularity of their brand
ambassadors, the Bryan brothers.
The new Hypercourt (shown, $130) line will be thematically related on the outside to the
iconic shoe from years ago, but has performance-based insides. New colorways are being
added for the Hypercourt Express ($110), a lightweight shoe introduced last year as the
"Ultra Express;" with a line extension to the Hypercourt Express LTR ($110), an all-leather
version. The Bigshot line, including the Bigshot ($130), the Bigshot Light 2.5 ($90; and the
company’s best-selling shoe) and Bigshot Light 2.5 ($65; a junior version), will also see new
color offerings in the new year.
NEW BALANCE
newbalance.com • 800-253-7463
The Boston-based company updates its premiere lightweight shoe, the 996v2
(shown, $150) for men and women, and introduces its first clay-court specific
shoe, the 60v1 ($99.95). The 996, to be featured on the feet of Milos Raonic among
others, will be available in numerous colorways and has been engineered for
stability and durability while supporting quick cuts. The 60, in various stylings for
men and women, finds its inspiration in the company’s Minimus line, but has the
enhancements of interior technology and external elements to support play on
the dirt.
NIKE
nike.com • 800-344-6453
Unlike companies that issue shoes by season, the Oregon-based sporting goods
behemoth pulses out new footwear in wave after wave. First up for the home
of Serena, Maria, Roger, and Rafa will be two new men’s styles scheduled to hit
shelves as balls first start flying back and forth at Melbourne Park. The lightweight, low-profile Nike Zoom Cage 2 ($135) also features a durable outsole and
arrives in solid colors; the Lunar Ballistec 1.5 ($165) is built with extra support
for its extremes of lightweight and comfort. Sales support will, of course, rely on
the ubiquity of the iconic swoosh, but specific programs will also be run through
social media and in-store programs.
PRINCE
princetennis.com • 800-2TENNIS
Prince begins the new year rolling out new stylings for its rugged Prince Warrior ($109) for men and women, and readily available in both hard- and claycourt constructions, as well as for the industry-leading stalwart of its line, the
T22 (shown, $110). The company will be supporting sales with print and digital
advertising, in-store merchandising, its tour team and an aggressive social media
presence.
WILSON
wilson.com • 773-714-6400
Construction enhancements on the inside of its signature shoes bring to the
men’s and women’s Rush Pro 2.0 (shown, $140) what the company describes as an
immediate “perfect fit.” There has also been a shaving of weight and addition of
stability features to the model that was very well received with its 2013 introduction. Also new will be the high-performance nVision Elite ($110), created for the
strong club-level player and featuring women-specific support inside.
Marketing programs will include advertisements on multiple platforms, instore merchandising, social media outreach, and extensive support for training
sales staff. •
30 TennisIndustry
February 2015
OUTLOOK 2015: Strings
In Search of
Perfection
Technology in strings continues to get better, while
marketing is getting more focused.
J
By Bob Patterson
ust like racquets, string manufacturers are constantly tweaking their lines seeking perfection.
Although the number strings being introduced
has slowed this year, manufacturers are continuing to push the envelope with new technology
and a variety of material combinations to produce a broad
selection of strings to suit every player type.
We are seeing new materials, new combinations of materials and a variety of gauges and shapes being introduced. As
a matter of fact, we recently made the decision at the USRSA
to drop our label of string type in our database. Once upon a
time, most every string fit into one of four categories—Natural Gut, Kevlar, Polyester and Nylon—but that is no longer the
case.
The lines are blurred as manufacturers combine materials
and discover new materials, so pigeon-holing strings into one
category is really impossible. In our lab tests we are seeing
co-polyester strings that originally were among the stiffest
strings tested, but have now become softer than some nylons. So, rather than divide strings based antiquated labels,
we will let each string’s specs speak for themselves.
USRSA members can take advantage of our string selector tool to get the specs of each string on the market and do
your own comparisons. We still feel that the most telling
stat is that of stiffness. That number tells a lot about the
playability of the string, and just like with racquets, no one
size fits all. Some players prefer a stiff string, while others like a soft feel, and still others will like something in
between.
Ultimately, it is up to the stringer and the player to decide
what will work best in their racquet for their particular type
of game. This provides the stringer with a great opportunity
to use their expertise to determine what the player likes
and guide them through the process. Be sure to look into
the newer introductions as a replacement for some older
stagnant inventory or just a fresh infusion to your mix.
ASHAWAY • ashawayusa.com • 800-556-7260
As an innovator of technical advances in string material, Ashaway has done it again with two
new racquetball strings, PowerKill Pro and PowerKill 17. Both strings utilize the company’s
new Power Filament Technology (PFT), which creates a new surface of Zyex fibers, increasing
durability and tension-holding capabilities.
BABOLAT • babolat.com • 877-316-9435
Even the company that invented tennis string continues to develop new and innovative strings.
M7 is the newest to the Babolat lineup. The string is composed of seven 100 percent polyamide
monofilaments and an innovative PA + PU matrix to provide a long lifespan and a high level
of comfort, according the company. Another addition is a 15-gauge (1.35 mm) version of the
popular RPM Blast.
February 2015
TennisIndustry 31
OUTLOOK 2015: Strings
DIADEM • diademsports.com • 844-434-2336
A new company, Diadem Sports has spent two years developing the patent-pending Star Core
Technology that is the foundation of its line. The company offers two co-poly strings: Solstice
Power, available in 16 (1.30 mm) and 17 (1.25 mm) and designed with increased elasticity for easy
power generation and excellent feel, and Solstice Pro, available in 15L (1.33 mm) and 16L (1.27
mm) and designed for the heavy-hitting player demanding ultimate precision and performance.
HEAD • head.com • 800-289-7366
Gravity is a new, unique hybrid string designed to maximize spin potential. Both strings are
poly but have different shape profiles. The triangular-shaped main string increases the friction
between the ball and string bed, while the thin, round cross string allows for a faster snap-back.
Head also adds Hawk Touch to the lineup in 16, 17 and 18 gauges. Hawk Touch utilizes a
unique string manufacturing process—Crystal Core Technology—that utilizes a complex, multistep heat treatment that allows Head to control the molecular crystal structure within the
string, setting it apart from conventional polyester strings.
LUXILON • wilson.com • 800-272-6060
Luxilon has new additions to two of its most popular strings—ALU Power Soft and 4G Soft.
For comparison, the Soft version of ALU Power 125 measures 185 on our stiffness test, vs.
242 for the regular version. 4G soft is 214 compared to 249 for the regular 4G 125.
SOLINCO • solincosports.com • 310-201-0166
Solinco adds two new strings to its formidable line. Tour Bite Diamond Rough is new to the
company’s flagship line. Instead of the edged design of previous Tour Bite strings, as its name
implies, Diamond Rough features a rough texture. This allows for superior spin/bite, but also
the modified composition allows for better ball pocketing, according to Solinco. Also new to the
lineup is a very soft, arm-friendly multifilament—X-Natural. The string utilizes a thermoplastic
polyurethane resin for bonding the high-modulus fibers, as well as TPU-Silicone coating for
superior playability and maintenance, says the company.
TECNIFIBRE • tecnifibre.com • 888-301-7878
XR3 is latest introduction from the French company and is marketed as an all-around string
hitting that middle ground between the company’s softer multifilaments and the co-polyesters. The string features a hybrid construction with a mixture of three monofilaments and
multifilament impregnated polyurethane heart. XR3 is available in both 17 (1.25 mm) and 16
(1.30 mm) gauges.
TOPSPIN • alphatennis.com • 800-922-9024
Alpha is now the official U.S. distributor for Topspin strings. The company is launching several
new strings: Sensus Rotation (1.27 & 1.31 mm), Cyber Delta (1.25 mm) and Ferox RoundString
(1.25 mm).
VOLKL • volkltennis.com • 866-554-7872
Volkl adds two new gauges to the popular Cyclone string introduced last year. The string is
now also available in a 19 gauge (1.15 mm) and a 20 gauge (1.10 mm).
WILSON • wilson.com • 800-272-6060
Revolve is the latest introduction from Wilson and is available in 15 (1.35 mm), 16 (1.30 mm)
and 17 (1.25 mm) gauges. It’s a co-polymer with two unique features. First it contains an additive (UHMW) to create a low-friction surface throughout the string. According to the company,
this means that even when the strings become notched, they will still have ample “snap-back.”
Second, a cross-linked polymer has been added, which allows the string to play more lively
while increasing ball pocketing. •
32 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards
Triple Threat
Tennis Industry and the ASBA bring you the best
in tennis court construction and design.
I
n 2014, there were 22 tennis project winners in the
Tennis Industry/American Sports Builders Association Facility-of-the-Year Awards program. Eighteen
of those winning projects were multi-court outdoor
facilities, eight of which were public facilities or
schools. Three projects were residential courts, and one was
an indoor facility.
Each year, based on entries submitted by an ASBA member
who designed or built the facility or court, the association
selects outstanding tennis facilities that meet the standard
of excellence in design and construction determined by the
judging committee. For 2014, the panel of judges deemed 22
courts or facilities to be worthy of special recognition,
but three of those winners were chosen for “Outstanding” honors:
• Springfield College–Appleton Tennis Courts in Springfield, Mass.
• Newton Residence in Newton, Mass.
• Montgomery TennisPlex in Boyds, Md.
Award plaques to the three Outstanding winners and
recognition for the Distinguished winners were presented at the ASBA Technical Meeting held in December
in Ponte Vedra, Fla. For more information, visit www.
sportsbuilders.org.
Outstanding Outdoor Tennis Facility-of-the-Year Award
Nominated by: Cape and Island
Tennis & Track
Architect/Engineer: Gale Engineering
General Contractor: Cape and Island
Tennis & Track
Specialty Contractor: Musco Sports
Lighting
Suppliers: California Products
Number of Courts: 8
Completed: November 2012
Springfield College–Appleton Tennis Courts
Springfield, Mass.
The asphalt tennis courts at Springfield College had deteriorated badly, so the contractor converted the courts to post-tensioned concrete, upgrading the facility with new fencing, lights, retaining wall and drainage. The old asphalt was supposed
to be removed by cold-planing, but a geotextile was discovered between asphalt layers, so the courts were pulverized, with
the excess 5 inches removed in order to maintain the same elevations. There was limited time to pour concrete, and the
urban environment meant roads were congested, which was a hindrance to a steady stream of concrete trucks. The solution
turned out to be simple: a significant police presence managing the traffic in and around the area.
February 2015
TennisIndustry 33
Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards
Nominated by: Boston Tennis Court
Construction Co. Inc.
Specialty Contractor: Boston Tennis
Court Construction Co. Inc.
Suppliers: J.A. Cissel (Har-Tru Sports)
Surface: Nova Sports USA
Completed: August 2013
Outstanding Residential Tennis Facility-of-the-Year Award
Newton Residence
Newton, Mass.
Site preparation for this new all-weather, cushioned acrylic court was considerable; the court was built on an adjoining lot
and the elevation change from one end of the proposed court to the other was 13 feet. Solid ledge was blasted on the site, totaling about 4,000 cubic yards. A 12-foot-high two-tiered retaining wall was built at the street end and a 6-foot-high retaining wall was built at the high end, with the walls faced with Pennsylvania fieldstone. The fence, custom-designed of Western
red cedar, is 10 feet high with sweeps that drop to a 25-foot open area at the bluestone patio, with a pergola above. A storage
closet, with a rolling hanging door of red cedar, was built into one retaining wall.
Distinguished Tennis Facility Honors
In addition to the Springfield College–Appleton Tennis Courts in Springfield, Mass., the Newton Residence in Newton, Mass.,
and the Montgomery TennisPlex in Boyds, Md., these 19 locations were chosen by the 2014 panel of judges for the ASBA as
excellent examples of court construction, receiving Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards. You’ll read more about them in
upcoming issues of TI. (The nominating company is in parentheses.)
elmont Recreational Center, Henrico County, Va. (Ten•B
nis Bishop Feehan High School Tennis Facility, Attleboro, Mass. (Boston Tennis court Construction Co. Inc.)
Country Club, Charlotte, N.C. (Global Sports &
• Carmel
Tennis Design Group)
of Miami Beach–Flamingo Park, Miami Beach, Fla.
• City
(Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)
Lauderdale Residence, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Fast• Fort
Dry Courts Inc.)
• Gene
Clayton Tennis Center at Methodist University,
Fayetteville, N.C. (Court One)
• Mino
Park, Boca Raton, Fla. (Welch Tennis Courts Inc.)
Bay Tennis Club, Boca Raton, Fla. (Welch Ten• Mission
nis Courts Inc.)
Beach County Residence, Palm Beach County, Fla.
• Palm
(Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)
Golf & Country Club, Parkland, Fla. (Welch
• Parkland
Tennis Courts Inc.)
• Portage Country Club, Akron, Ohio (Welch Tennis Courts Inc.)
• Prince George’s Community College Tennis Facility, Largo,
Md. (American Tennis Courts Inc.)
• Regency @ Monroe, Monroe, N.J. (Halecon Inc.)
• Richard Stockton College of N.J.–Barlow Athletic Complex
Tennis Facility, Galloway, N.J. (American Athletic Courts Inc.)
• Richland Country Club, Nashville, Tenn. (Welch Tennis Courts
Inc.)
• Treviso Bay Fitness Center, Fort Myers, Fla. (Welch Tennis
Courts Inc.)
• Troon Country Club, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Sunland Asphalt/Sunland Sports)
• University of the South Tennis Courts, Sewanee, Tenn. (Baseline Sports Construction LLC)
• Valencia Reserve, Boynton Beach, Fla. (Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)
• Weed Beach Tennis Park, Darien, Conn. (Cape & Island Tennis
& Track)
For details on the 2015 Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or [email protected], or
visit www.sportsbuilders.org.
34 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Outstanding Indoor Tennis Facility-of-the-Year Award
Nominated by: Bishop’s Tennis Inc.
General Contractor: Bishop’s Tennis
Inc.
Suppliers: Advanced Polymer Technology Corp., Putterman Athletics, HarTru Corp.
Number of Courts: 8
Completed: September 2012
Montgomery TennisPlex - Boyds, Md.
The new Montgomery TennisPlex includes two permanent air-supported structures each containing four courts. The
contractor was challenged to complete the project within 150 days—with 45 days of that timeline hit by rain. (The project
also included four outdoor courts.) Approximately 1,000 tons of stone were delivered and placed in four hours during the
base construction for each pad, but early construction required constant pumping of rainwater to achieve proper compaction and specification for the tennis court bases. The TennisPlex now has programming for players of all ages and skills, and
includes a pro shop and other amenities.
February 2015
TennisIndustry 35
Ask the Experts
Your Equipment Hotline
Q
Double pulling
I am a senior stringer here at
my shop. I have recently encountered a few of our stringers who
are double pulling—that is, tensioning two strings at the same time. Of
course, we are taught to tension each
string individually.
I would like to hear what the
USRSA thinks about double pulling.
Our shop strings hundred of racquets
each day for our customers and I
always want to provide the best possible string job. I would greatly appreciate if you can explain in detail the
pros and cons of double pulling. Once
I receive your recommendations, I
will go over with my team.
A
The USRSA recommends
against double pulling, except
in the rare instances when
called for by the manufacturer. We
have two easy ways to demonstrate why
stringers should not tension two strings
with the same pull.
First, tension two strings with one
pull (that is, double pull), then pluck
both strings. The string closer to the
tension head will have a higher pitch.
Second, use a calibrator on a string
that is being pulled by itself and check
the tension. Then, release tension and
feed another string after the calibrator
and pull tension on both strings together. You’ll see that the tension pulled
on the first string is much lower.
Each of these demonstrations
shows that the two strings end up at
dramatically different tensions when
you tension two strings with one pull.
The main reason for this difference in
tension is because of the friction the
string encounters as it goes around two
corners in the grommets, which create
a 180-degree turn.
Q
Improved string job
revisited
I read with interest the
description of Dr. Carl Love’s “Improved String Job” in a recent issue
of Tennis Industry magazine. You
awarded five sets of string without
comment. This is the first I have
heard of this technique. I have several questions.
I have heard rumors that several
pros were having their racquets
strung in the 40-pound range. Is this
the technique that is being used for
these low tensions? Is it appropriate
to use for all types of string or is it
best used with the polyesters? My
current string of choice is the Ashaway Monogut ZX Pro, which is Zyex.
I’m trying to understand what is
going on that would make such low
tensions feel like a normally strung
racquet at 60 pounds. Why doesn’t a
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Tennis Industry, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096; fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].
36 TennisIndustry
February 2015
racquet that is strung at many tensions just achieve equilibrium after
it had been played once or twice?
What is achieved by the extra-long
pull time? Are you just taking out
weeks of cold creep and elongation
so that the racquet changes less
with time?
Appreciate any insight from you
before I give it a try and expose the
concept to my customers.
A
I ran into a frame that had six tie-off
holes at the head and four at the
throat. When I finished, I had two
pairs of tie-off holes (one pair at the
head and one pair at the throat) “left
over.” What am I missing?
A
Probably nothing. There are
a few racquets out there with
“extra” tie-off holes. These
holes allow you as the stringer to decide
where to place your tie-offs, because
they give you the option of placing
the starting and tie-off knots for the
crosses using either main strings as
anchors or cross strings as anchors.
This might be important when stringing a hybrid of natural gut and polyester if, for example, you want to tie off
the natural gut on natural gut anchor
strings and polyester on polyester
anchor strings, or make all tie-offs on
polyester anchor strings.
—Greg Raven •
We published this without
comment because—as with
all the other tips we publish—it won’t be for everybody.
There are pros using lower tensions, but none of them is using
this technique as far as we know. If
there is a pro using this technique,
he would have to be using a private
stringer. Given the normal highpressure nature of a stringing room,
it is difficult to imagine a pro getting
this technique performed for him at
a tournament by the on-site stringing
team, even aside from the learning
curve.
It is our understanding that this
technique can be used with any
string, but of course, it all comes
down to the preference of the player.
Monogut ZX Pro might be a good
candidate because Ashaway recommends lower reference tensions to
start with, although you may lose
playability.
Differentially strung strings don’t
reach tension equilibrium because
each terminates in a 180-degree
turn at the frame, and the resulting friction between the frame and
the string inhibits string movement
around the outside of the frame that
would allow the transfer of tension
from one string to another.
The extra-long pull time employed
in this technique (and others similar
to it) removes elasticity from the
string during the stringing process.
This would have the effect of stiffening the string bed (even on a freshlystrung racquet), and reducing the
amount of cold creep and elongation
over time.
Q
Too many holes
Every so often I run
across frames that don’t
have enough tie-off holes for twopiece stringing, but the other day
February2015
TennisIndustry 37
String Playtest
By Greg Raven
(crosses), and $220 (with an MSRP of
$440) for 304 foot (mains) and 356 foot
(crosses) reels. For more information or
to order, contact Head at 800-289-7366,
or visit head.com. Be sure to read the
conclusion for more information about
getting a free set to try for yourself.
In the Lab
The coils measured 24 feet 1 inch
(mains) and 19 feet 7 inches (crosses).
The mains measured 1.41 mm per side
(the equivalent gauge in a cylindrical
string would be 1.25mm, but with 25
percent less cross-sectional area), and
the crosses diameter measured 1.18
mm prior to stringing. After stringing,
the mains measured 1.37 mm per side
and the crosses diameter measured 1.16
mm.
We recorded a string bed stiffness of
79 RDC units immediately after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff
6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a constantpull machine.
Head Gravity
Head Gravity is a polyester/polyester hybrid string that uses the
same Crystal Core technology Head introduced in Head Hawk a
little more than a year ago. According to Head, Crystal Core technology is a unique manufacturing process that utilizes a complex,
multistep heat treatment, which allows its engineers to create
different material properties in the core than in the outer region
of the string.
With this process, highly oriented molecules on the outside of
the string generate stiffness and energy efficiency for power. In
the core of the string, the more crystalline structure adds dampening and touch. The molecular variations in the cross-section create the highest possible energy efficiency with optimized control.
The result, says Head, is a string that maximizes spin potential,
allowing the player to control the trajectory and direction of every
shot. The triangular main strings increase the friction between the
ball and the string bed, while the cylindrical cross strings allow for
faster “snap back.”
Head designed Gravity for the player who likes polyester and
wants maximum spin and control. Head Gravity is available in
17/18 in white mains and anthracite crosses. It is priced from $16
(with an MSRP of $32) for sets of 5.5 meters (mains) and 6.5 meters
38 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Playtester Ratings
Ease of Stringing
(compared to other strings)
much easier
somewhat easier
about as easy
not quite as easy
not nearly as easy
0
1
18
13
6
Overall Playability
(compared to the string played most often)
much better
somewhat better
about as playable
not quite as playable
not nearly as playable
1
10
10
13
3
Overall Durability
(compared to other strings of similar gauge)
much better
somewhat better
about as durable
not quite as durable
not nearly as durable
7
10
14
3
3
Rating Averages
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability
Durability
Power
Control
Comfort
Touch/Feel
Spin Potential (9th overall)
Holding Tension
Resistance to Movement
3.4
3.9
3.5
3.5
3.1
3.1
4.0
3.6
3.8
After 24 hours (no playing), string
bed stiffness measured 72 RDC units,
representing a 9 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 tension loss.
In lab testing, Prince Synthetic Gut
Original has a stiffness of 217 and a
tension loss of 11.67 pounds, while Head
Gravity has stiffnesses of 193 (mains)
and 182 (crosses) and tension losses of
15.31 pounds (mains) and 17.99 pounds
(crosses). Gravity added 15.9 grams to
the weight of our unstrung frame.
The string was tested for five weeks
by 38 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP
ratings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind
tests, with playtesters receiving unmarked strings in unmarked packages.
Average number of hours playtested
was 24.4.
Out of the package, the Head Gravity
mains feel to be the thickest 17-gauge
string ever, and you’ll want to adjust
your clamps accordingly. Head recommends using a little more care during
stringing. Installing the triangular
mains wasn’t an issue for us—aside
from getting the string through some
of the tighter grommet barrels—but
weaving the crosses reveals just how
aggressive those three apexes are. Don’t
forget to readjust your clamps between
the mains and the crosses!
One playtester broke the sample
during stringing, five reported problems with coil memory, nine reported
problems tying knots, one reported
friction burn, and nine reported other
problems.
On the Court
Our playtesters were effusive in their
acclaim for Head Gravity. Twenty-seven
of the 37 playtesters (73 percent) had
great things to say about Gravity, usually praising the amount of spin they
were able to generate. Consequently,
Head Gravity was ninth best of the 183
strings we’ve playtested for publication
in Spin Potential. Our playtesters also
rated it well above average in Durability, Resistance to Movement, Tension
Playtester
Comments
“The string hit really
well! The shape really
bit into the ball and the
thicker main should
last longer than other
shaped polys. Definitely worth a try!”
—4.0 male baseliner with
heavy spin using Babolat
Pure Drive Roddick strung
at 60 pounds LO (Solinco
Tour Bite 16L)
“Good, soft feel with
good power and satisfactory spin. A top-tier
string. I would use it,
recommend it, and
sell it.”
—4.0 male baseliner with
moderate spin using
Wilson Steam S strung at
60 pounds CP (Tourna Big
Hitter Blue 17)
“Really liked this
string. Loaned my
racquet to some of
my younger, weaker
students and they didn’t
want to give it back!”
—4.0 male all-court player
using Babolat Pure Drive
strung at 60 pounds CP
(Luxilon ALU Power 16)
“A stiff durability string.
Great for banging balls
with not a lot of power.
Good spin and control.
String looser for elbow
ease.”
using Wilson Steam S strung
at 45 pounds CP (Wilson
Optimus 16)
“This string was stiff but
I had good control and
good bite on the ball.
Overall, I would say it
is a good to very good
string.”
(Babolat VS Gut 16)
“Definitely more spin
produced when hitting
with either Eastern or
Semi-Western grip. Same
for backhand. More bite
on slice and pop on topspin. Nice string!”
—4.0 female all-court player
(Natural Gut 16)
“Overall, not really impressed with the string.
Average on comfort.
Lacked the feel and touch I
need for my game.”
using Head Graphene Speed
PWR strung at 51 pounds CP
(Solinco Tour Bite Soft 17)
“Not a string I would use.”
using Volkl strung at 52/48
pounds CP (Wilson Synthetic
Gut 16/17)
(Strings normally used by
testers are indicated in parentheses. For the rest of the
tester comments, visit www.
tennisindustrymag.com.)
FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAM
Head will send a free set of Gravity to the USRSA members who cut out (or copy)
this coupon and send it to:USRSA, Attn: Head String Offer
PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096
or fax to 760-536-1171, or email the info below to [email protected]
Offer expires 15 February 2015 • Offer only available to USRSA members in the US.
Name: __________________________ USRSA Member number: _________________
Phone: __________________________ Email: _______________________________
If you print your email clearly, we will notify you when your sample will be sent.
Retention, Control, Power, and
Playability. Not surprisingly, Head
Gravity rated well above average
overall.
No playtester reported premature fraying or peeling, two reported buzzing, and nine reported
notching. Seven playtesters broke
the string during the playtest
period, one each at 2, 6, 9, 10, 15, 27,
and 44 hours.
Conclusion
Although there are now special racquets
designed to maximize spin, Head Gravity
can help maximize the amount of spin
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February 2015
TennisIndustry 39
Your Serve
Mind and Body
To best help your students, you need to understand the
mental and physical predisposition of “athletic royalty.”
By Frank Giampaolo
I
t’s time to get into your player’s
world, instead of continually forcing them into yours.
Old-school teaching and coaching
requires the student to get into the authority’s training methodology—which
disregards the student’s unique brain
and body design. This archaic approach
produces average athletes at best, and
causes gifted athletes to leave the game
at worst.
To get into your player’s world,
you need to recognize and respect a
student’s inborn characteristics, which
means understanding their brain and
body types.
Personality Types
To understand brain (and personality)
types, we can use the Myers Briggs
Type Indicator (MBTI), which has four
categories with their opposing profiles.
• Introvert vs. Extrovert: Introverts
(I) are more comfortable laying back
than retaliating. They need alone
time to recharge and prefer to be
inside their inner world. Extroverts
(E) prefer to initiate action. They
gain their energy by bringing people
together.
• Sensate vs. Intuitive: Sensate (S)
individuals prefer to collect data
and facts before making decisions.
Intuitive (N) persons trust their
gut instincts and are better quick
decision-makers.
• Thinkers vs. Feelers: Thinkers (T)
make decisions through objective
logic and impersonalize the situation.
They enjoy the technical components
and choose truthful over tactful. Feelers (F) are in tune to the emotional
climate of the event and others’ ac-
40 TennisIndustry
February 2015
tions; harmony is paramount.
• Judgers vs. Perceivers: Judgers
(J) prefer structure and like things
orderly; they make lists and prefer
to work before play. Perceivers (P)
are adaptable and flexible; they enjoy
experiencing new ideas and methods,
rather than agonizing over details.
To help identify your athlete’s
personality profile, first try categorizing yourself. Choose your dominant
brain functions and write down your
four-letter acronym. (While each of us
exhibits multiple sides to our personality, we each have a genetically dominant
trait.) For example, if you believe you’re
an extrovert, intuitive, feeler, perceiver,
then you are an ENFP.
Now, sit with your young athlete to
brain type him or her. (Be aware that
young people sometimes misdiagnose
their own personality profile as they
may choose characteristics they believe
to be more popular.)
Motor Skills
The other part of this puzzle is how
body types affect motor skills and
athletic potential. The two opposing
body types are called “fine-motorskilled dominant” and “gross-motorskilled dominant.” We all have a genetic
predisposition to one or the other.
Fine-motor-skilled athletes excel
from the muscles found from the
elbows through the hands and fingers. A
common compliment is that the athlete
“has good hands.” Gross-motor-skilled
athletes prefer the use of the larger
muscle groups in the torso, legs and
feet, and are known for superior core
balance and body coordination.
Raising athletic royalty requires
matching your young athlete’s preferred brain type and body type design
with the right sport, style of play and/
or position. Here's one example, using
two students of mine. Evan and Jarred
are 14-year-old twins. They take the
same number of private lessons and
clinics but their training regimen is
polar opposite. Evan is ENFP and
fine-motor-skill dominant; Jarred is
ISTJ and gross-motor-skill dominant.
Evan, being an extrovert, prefers
to make things happen on the court.
He often charges the net and ends the
point with his volleys (good hands).
Jarred is more comfortable assessing and then retaliating—the classic
counterpuncher. Being gross-motorskilled dominant helps Jarred uncoil
the larger muscle groups of the
kinetic chain—enhancing his textbook
groundstrokes.
Teaching each student within their
genetic guideline will maximize their
potential at the quickest rate. Knowing your student’s genetic makeup
and natural strengths and weaknesses helps to avoid the needless
frustrations in their development and
will better prepare you to assist and
encourage them. •
Frank Giampaolo is a 30-year sports
education veteran, author, speaker and
instructional writer for national and international publications. He is the author of
“Championship Tennis” (Human Kinetics
Publishing), “The Tennis Parent’s Bible”
and “The Mental Emotional Workbook
Series.” His book “Raising Athletic Royalty” is set to be released in January 2015.
Visit MaximizingTennisPotential.com.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to [email protected].

outlook 2015 - Professional Tennis Registry

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