May 2015 / Volume 43 / Number 5

Transcription

TIA Tennis Summit
Selling Footwear
Key conferences
Become a
address INDUSTRY SHOE EXPERT
CONCERNS
to boost sales
MAY 2015 / VOLUME 43/ NUMBER 5 / $5.00
Evolution
Of Poly
Strings
Top manufacturers
discuss poly and
co-poly strings
Racquet Tech
How to keep your
STRING MACHINE
in peak form
TennisIndustry
www.tennisindustrymag.com
MAY 2015
DEPARTMENTS
4
Our Serve
7
Industry News
14 TIA News
16 Racquet Tech
18 Retailing Tip
34 Tips & Tecqniques
p.20
Your Serve, by Ellen Miller
40
FEATURES
INDUSTRY NEWS
20 I ndustry Addresses Major
7
Roy Barth elected new
PTR president
Issues, Concerns
7
Connor Sport Court surface chosen for Lake Nona
7
John Austin named tennis
director at Hall of Fame
7
B
oost your business with
‘Try Tennis Free’
8
B
abolat offers French,
Wimbledon product
26 Kicking It Up!
8
D
iadora announces
2015 shoe line
Becoming a shoe expert will boost your store’s
sales and your customers’ loyalty.
p.26
Gill heads proposed
8
USPTA officer slate
8
S
usan DiBiase named GM
for Babolat USA
9
Hawk-Eye calls lines at
PowerShares Series
9
p.28
M
auresmo leads 2015
HOF induction class
At the Tennis Summit, top tennis and sports
execs examined the state of the tennis industry
and ways to grow the sport.
28 Evolution of Poly Strings
String manufacturers help sort though
questions about poly, co-poly and who should
play with them.
eoplewatch
10 P
30 Solid Solutions
TR ACE program set for
10 P
33 cities
11 I TA, Tennis Analytics,
announce partnership
hort Sets
12 S
2 TennisIndustry
May 2015
p.30
These nine outdoor facility winners are
excellent examples of hard-court construction.
Our Serve
The Next Chapters
I
’ve been fortunate over the
years to have attended a lot of
industry-related events, from
USTA meetings on national, sectional, district and local levels, to
educational conferences from the
PTR and USPTA, to meetings and
forums presented by the TIA focusing on growth, and much more. I
always find something useful in these
gatherings, and I never get tired of
meeting and networking with colleagues.
But in mid-March, I attended
two concurrent meetings in Indian
Wells, Calif.—the TIA Tennis Summit followed by the Tennis Owners &
Managers (T.O.M.) Conference—that
overall, may well have been the most
informative in many years.
In full disclosure, since the mission
of this magazine and the mission of
the TIA are similar, I work with and
for the TIA on many projects and
campaigns, and I did help in organizing these two meetings. But, as with
everything the TIA does, the meetings were more a product of help by
the entire industry—many segments
came together with the TIA and
volunteered their time and expertise
to help with the programs.
The Tennis Summit (see pages 14
and 20) had a great lineup of speakers and panelists from all walks of
tennis, while the T.O.M. had tennis
and club industry experts imparting
their knowledge to help facility owners and managers run their businesses more efficiently and profitably. After three days at these meetings, I left
exhausted, but thoroughly inspired
to do what I can to keep growing this
sport and get more people playing.
A number of speakers hit on
themes that I’ve always felt are critical. Dr. Jim Loehr, for instance, who
works with athletes in many sports,
thinks tennis is absolutely the best
overall for developing human beings,
and for providing healthy exercise
for body and mind. He feels we need
to do a better job of selling this sport
and its benefits.
I’ve long said we’re not getting “out
there” enough with messages about
all the benefits tennis can offer, and
it was gratifying to hear Dr. Loehr
and others talk about this. We all
know these benefits, but we tend to
speak to each other more than to
the general public. We like to make
ourselves feel good about this sport,
but it’s time we focused outward and
put together a consumer campaign
to reach people who don’t wake up
every morning thinking about tennis.
We must give people real, substantive reasons to play. We must
do a better job of selling the health
and fitness benefits of tennis to the
general public. We need a targeted
campaign to do this, one that pulls in
all segments of this industry.
And we need to realize, whether a
volunteer in tennis or someone who
makes their living from this sport,
that above all, this is a business. As
much as we want to do things simply
for the good of the game and to help
humanity, we need to know we can
stay in business and make money in
this sport. When tennis companies
start shutting down, this whole sport
suffers.
The news in tennis isn’t all rosy.
We have participation and retail sales
challenges. Some of these were mentioned in Indian Wells, and hopefully,
we as an industry won’t shy away
from telling not just the good, but the
bad and the ugly, too—then finding
ways to improve things. The TIA
meetings in Indian Wells provided
a great launching pad for the next,
critical chapters in our sport.
Peter Francesconi, Editorial Director
[email protected]
4 TennisIndustry
May 2015
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
[email protected]
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
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IndustryNews
Information to help you run your business
Roy Barth Elected
New PTR President
R
oy Barth of Kiawah Island, S.C., has been elected as the new president of the PTR
Board of Directors. Elected to serve as vice president is Karl Hale of Toronto,
Canada. Ajay Pant of College Park, Md., will serve as secretary, and Oivind Sorvald
of Oslo, Norway, will serve as treasurer.
Continuing to serve on the PTR board as at-large directors are Leo Alonso of Buenos Aires; Luciano Botti of Italy;
Rodney Harmon of Atlanta; and Pat Van der Meer of Hilton
Head Island, S.C. Jorge Andrew of Cayce, S.C., remains on
the board as immediate past president.
Barth (at right in photo with Jorge Andrew) was ranked in
the U.S. as high as No. 8 in men’s singles and No. 2 in men’s
doubles, as well as being ranked in the Top 50 in the world
on the pro tour. He also was a founding member of the ATP
Tour. In 1976, he was named director of tennis at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, where he manages two tennis centers with
24 courts. He has served as chairman of the USTA Davis Cup Committee and is a member
of the San Diego, South Carolina and Southern Tennis Halls of Fame. Barth, a PTR International Master Pro, was named PTR Professional of the Year in 1990 and 2007.
Vice President Hale is the tournament director for the ATP and WTA Rogers Cup in
Toronto. He also is the head tennis pro at the Donalda Club in Toronto. Pant is the general
manager for the Tennis Center at College Park, Md., and Sorvald is the director of High
Performance and Coach Education for the Norwegian Tennis Association.•
Austin Named Tennis Director
at HoF Tennis Club
J
ohn Austin is the new director of tennis at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Club in Newport,
R.I. Austin is a former ATP touring professional, ATP
coach and tennis director at prestigious resorts in the West
and Southwest.
“I have a deep passion for the game and a strong appreciation for the history of this great sport,” Austin says. “I’m
looking forward to being part of the club’s future, especially
with the renovations and programming that are sure to be
an integral part of the club in the years to come.”
He joins the Hall of Fame Tennis Club as the facility undergoes a major renovation that
will result in an all-new indoor facility with three hard courts and the addition of three
new indoor/outdoor courts. The club also has 13 grass courts and one clay court. Austin
will oversee all programming at the Hall of Fame Tennis Club, which is open to the public.
“John has built successful and engaging tennis programs at some of the most popular
clubs in the country,” says HoF CEO Todd Martin. “We are eager to bring his expertise to
our club to create a world-class experience for our members and guests."
Austin competed on the ATP World Tour for six years, achieving a world ranking of No.
40. In 1980, he partnered with his sister, Hall of Famer Tracy Austin, to win the mixed
doubles title at Wimbledon.•
Connor Sport Court Surface
Chosen for Lake Nona
Connor Sport Court International
has partnered with the USTA to
provide 16 courts for the USTA’s
new state-of-the-art tennis facility
at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla., set to
open in 2016.
As the “official and exclusive
supplier” of the USTA for 36-foot
and 60-foot courts, Connor Sport
Court will provide eight 36- and
eight 60-foot courts using its Sport
Court PowerGame surface, for use
by youngsters and adults.
“Connor Sport Court International is proud to partner with the USTA
to provide Sport Court-branded
tennis courts for the “new home
for American tennis,” says CSCI
President and CEO Ron Cerny. “This
is a great opportunity for our Sport
Court brand to be part of this transformational USTA initiative that will
help grow the sport of tennis in the
U.S. at both the youth and adult
levels.”
To keep in line with the USTA’s
goals, an advanced surface system
was required that provided not
only unparalleled safety but also
met the green technology initiatives of USTA and Lake Nona. The
Sport Court PowerGame surface
will be built on SportBase, a recycled concrete replacement product
that will provide additional cushion
and safety.
“We are working with leaders in
the tennis industry to build a gamechanging facility and are excited
that we are partnering with Sport
Court,” says Virgil Christian, the
USTA’s senior director of Market/
Facility Development & Collegiate
Tennis.
Boost Your Business With
‘Try Tennis Free’
Increase traffic to your courts and
bring more people into tennis with
the industry-supported “Try Tennis
Free” (TTF) campaign, which will run
May 2015
TennisIndustry 7
IndustryNews
throughout the month of May.
Tennis providers—facilities, certified
teaching pros, Community Tennis Associations, park & recs and others—can choose
the best introductory session or program
they feel will encourage new and returning
players to step onto the court. Free offers can
include lessons, clinics, Cardio Tennis, Play
Days, and more.
“You decide what will work best in your
area to attract people to tennis,” says Jolyn de
Boer, executive director
of the TIA, which is
spearheading Try Tennis Free, in conjunction
with the USPTA, PTR
and USTA. “Tennis providers who participated in the inaugural TTF campaign last
May reported that on average, facilities saw
30 new and returning players hitting their
courts.”
Providers can easily sign up at PlayTennis.
com to participate in TTF and receive free
customizable marketing material to download to promote the campaign locally.
Diadora Announces 2015
Tennis Shoe Lines
Diadora’s new
line of performance tennis
shoes for men
and women includes the Star
K and Speed Pro
EVO models.
Designed with an emphasis on performance, durability and style, each shoe
features Diadora’s proprietary technologies. Dunlop Sports Group America is the
U.S. distributor for Diadora.
The men’s Star K VI AG shoe is crafted
with soft kangaroo leather, has a removable Ortholite insole, and uses Axeler 5
Babolat Offers French,
Wimbledon Product
B
abolat has come out with new product for both the French Open and
Wimbledon.
For the French Open, the Racket Holder comes in 6-pack (suggested retail
$75) or 12-pack ($95) models and includes a cooler compartment to help preserve
string tension. The Backpack Team
($65) is an ultra compact model. In
addition, the company offers a variety of strings, grips and dampeners
designed in the spirit of the French
Open.
Babolat is the official licensee for
racquets, shoes, bags and accessories for Wimbledon and can use the
official colors of the event. This year,
the company offers the Babolat Pure
Strike Wimbledon special edition
racquet, with a 98-square-inch head
size, 16/19 string pattern, and suggested retail of $199.
Footwear includes the all-surface
Propulse BPM All Court, in black/
green or white/green, with a suggested retail of $119. The Wimbledon models have
the tournament’s official logo. The SFX All Court shoe ($105) also is available in
green, white and purple. Among Wimbledon logoed equipment bags, Babolat also
offers a Pure Strike Wimbledon bag in a new, larger size that can hold up to 15 racquets. Visit babolat.com.•
8 TennisIndustry
May 2015
Technology for shock absorption and
energy recovery, while the Power Flow
system provides ventilation and air flow.
The Duratech 5000 rubber outsole has
a six-month guarantee. Star K models
come in two colorways for both men and
women. Suggested retail for the Star K VI
and Star K III is $139.
The redesigned Speed Pro EVO AG is
built for lightweight speed and comfort,
says Diadora, with a lightweight Air
Mesh/Supreltech upper and uni-tongue
construction. The men’s Speed Pro Evo
AG is available in three colorways: Blue
Prugna/Flame Red, Lime/Fluo, and
Black/Fluo. The women’s Speed Pro EVO
is available in Blue Plum/Bright Rose.
Suggested retail for both models is $119.
USPTA Offers Proposed
Board of Directors Slate
The USPTA national Nominating Committee has submitted the following slate for the
2016-2017 national Board of Directors:
President: Chuck Gill
First Vice President: Gary Trost
Vice Presidents: Alan Cutler, Feisal Hassan,
Jack Michalko, Diane Selke, R.J. Tessier Immediate Past President: Tom McGraw
Additional nominations may be made by
the general membership in accordance with
the USPTA Bylaws. Procedures and information for running for a board position may be
obtained from the national office (uspta@
uspta.org). In order for a new candidate to
be added to the ballot, he or she must be
nominated by at least 120 members. Only
one nominee per office will be added to the
slate.
DiBiase Named GM
for Babolat USA
Susan DiBiase has been named the
new General Manager
of Babolat USA and will
lead the brand strategy
and execution in the
U.S., working out of the
headquarters in Boulder, Colo. She’s served
as the company’s marketing director since
2007.
DiBiase, named Tennis Industry magazine’s 2012 “Person of the Year,” has
IndustryNews
contributed to major growth in market
share by implementing diverse strategies and programs for Babolat. Recently, she spearheaded the U.S. launch
of the first “connected” tennis racquet,
the Babolat Play.
“I’m honored and thrilled by the opportunity to build upon the great work
that’s been accomplished, and to continue to cultivate relationships with our
partners and look for innovative ways
to grow the brand in the U.S.,” she says.
Officials Out, Hawk-Eye In
at PowerShares Series
InsideOut Sports and Entertainment announced that the 2015 PowerShares Series
tennis circuit will be the first pro tennis
event series to exclusively use electronic
line-calling systems in place of linespeople
throughout its 12-city tour, which started
March 24 in Salt Lake City.
The PowerShares Series, the North
American tennis tour for champion tennis
players over the age of 30, will now only
employ a chair umpire for matches during
its four-player nightly events and will have
all line-calling responsibilities decided by
the Hawk-Eye Officiating System. Players
will be allowed unlimited challenges during a match.
Players competing on the 2015
PowerShares Series are defending points
champion John McEnroe; Hall of Famers
Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier,
and Michael Chang; and Andy Roddick,
James Blake and Mark Philippoussis.
Mauresmo Leads 2015
HOF Induction Class
Former world No. 1 and two-time
major champion Amelie Mauresmo has
been elected to receive the highest honor in the sport of tennis—induction into
the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Joining Mauresmo in the Class of 2015
will be David Hall of Australia, a six-time
Paralympic medalist. Longtime tennis
industry leader Nancy Jeffett has been
elected in the Contributor Category in
recognition of her lifetime commitment
to the growth of the sport, particularly
in the areas of women's professional
tennis and junior tennis development.
The 2015 Induction Ceremony will be
May2015
TennisIndustry 9
IndustryNews
People
Watch
Babolat USA has promoted
Daniel Becker to senior marketing manager, from brand
marketing manager. Becker
will oversee communication,
sports marketing and field
marketing. In 2013, he was
named one of Tennis Industry’s
“30 Under 30.”
Amer Sports, which owns
Wilson Sporting Goods, appointed Vincent Wauters as
president of Amer Sports apparel business and a member
of the company’s executive
board. He had been general
manager of Amer’s Arc'teryx
Inc. brand since 2012. He will
report to Amer Sports' President and CEO Heikki Takala.
The Intercollegiate Tennis
Association announced the
six 2015 inductees for the ITA
Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall
of Fame: coaches Fred Kniffen
(University of Texas at Tyler
& Tyler Junior College) and
Jim Schwitters (University of
Hawaii); players Jay Berger
(Clemson University), Mark
Merklein (University of Florida)
and Jeff Morrison (University
of Florida); and contributor
Tim Russell (Northwestern
University). The Enshrinement
Banquet will be May 20 in
Waco, Texas, during the NCAA
Division I Men's & Women's
Tennis Championships at Baylor University.
The USTA announced that
Gold Badge Chief Umpire
Bruce Littrell has been named
Chief Umpire of the 2015 US
Open. Littrell, who served as
Deputy Chief Umpire of last
year’s US Open, succeeds
former Chief Umpire Phyllis
“Woodie” Walker, who retired
after succeeding longtime
Chief Umpire Rich Kaufman for
the 2014 US Open.
Bill Kellogg is again the
president of the USTA Southern
California Section.
Kellogg was
president from
2009 to 2011,
then was on the
USTA national
board of directors. He took the
reins again at SoCal at
the section’s annual meeting
in March.
Pro Heather Watson of the
United Kingdom is the latest
player to join the Babolat team.
She is playing with Babolat’s
Pure Strike racquet with RPM
Blast string. At Wimbledon,
she’ll use a special edition
“Pure Strike Wimbledon”
frame in the tournament’s
signature green and purple.
Babolat is the official licensee
of Wimbledon.
Grace Cummings, a studentathlete at Madison (Conn.)
Daniel Hand High School, has
been selected the 2015 national recipient of the “National
High School Spirit of Sport
Award” by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Cummings,
who has a 3.98 grade-point average, is a highly accomplished
three-sport student-athlete
July 18 at the International Tennis Hall of
Fame in Newport, R.I. The ceremony will
be held in conjunction with the annual
Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, an
ATP World Tour event. Visit HallofFameT-
10 TennisIndustry
May 2015
who plays field hockey in the
fall, ice hockey in the winter,
and tennis in the spring. She
underwent a liver transplant
in 2012.
USPTA Elite Professional
and former USPTA National
President Harry Gilbert is
the new executive director
of tennis at the Albany resort
community in the Bahamas.
Gilbert will reside at Albany
during November through
April and will continue to
spend the summer months
as director of tennis at
Waccabuc Country Club in
Westchester County, N.Y.
Steve Hinding and Vin
Rapuano have joined
Hinding Tennis LLC of West
Haven, Conn., full time.
Hinding, who is vice
president and in the
process of becoming a full partner, has
been in the tennis
surfacing industry
for 40 years. Rapuano
will promote and sell posttensioned tennis courts in
Connecticut, Massachusetts
and Rhode Island.
Former pro player JanMichael Gambill is the new
head coach for the Boston
Lobsters of the Mylan World
TeamTennis Pro League.
Gambill was ranked as high
as No. 14 in the world in
singles and reached the
quarterfinals of Wimbledon
in 2000. He played for WTT
for eight seasons, including
ennisChampionships.com.
PTR ACE Program
Set for 33 U.S. Cities
The PTR is reigniting its ACE Program
with the Lobsters from 2008
to 2012.
The San Diego Aviators of
Mylan World TeamTennis has
signed tennis champion and
BBC tennis commentator
John Lloyd as its coach for the
2015 season. Lloyd is a former British No. 1 in singles,
peaking at No. 21 in the ATP
Rankings. He also won three
Grand Slam mixed doubles
championships. Lloyd captained the British Davis Cup
team from 2006 to 2010.
WTA player and former
world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki is the newest advocate
for USANA Health Sciences,
joining more than 700 elite
athletes, including tennis
players Eugenie Bouchard,
Madison Keys, Samanth Stosur and Sloane Stephens.
Five-time world racquetball
champion Sudsy Monchik
has been elected to the
Racquetball Hall of Fame in
the “professional” category.
Monchik led the development of Dunlop’s global
product line, in addition to
handling promotions and
sponsorships.
Ashaway
has signed
rising
Scottish
international
badminton
player Paul Van
Rietvelde. He plays
with Ashaway ZyMax 66 Fire.
aimed primarily at increasing the number of
tennis coaches of color in the U.S. The ACE
(Advancing the Commitment to Education)
Program, which featured Arthur Ashe as its
spokesperson when it started in 1991, will
IndustryNews
travel to 33 cities across the country.
ACE is an invitation-only program
offering education and certification at a reduced rate as a result of scholarships from
PTR, participating USTA sections, and in
some cases, states and districts. The first
three ACE workshops—in Houston, Milwaukee and Columbia, S.C.—have been
sold out. Participants must be at least 4.0
players in order to qualify for certification.
“Our goal for the ACE Program is
simple: Increase the number of certified
coaches of color in the U.S.,” says PTR CEO
Dan Santorum. “Our goal is 33 percent of
PTR membership to be coaches of color in
three years.”
Gamma Offers New Solace
Multifilament String
Gamma’s newest string is Solace, a
multifilament featuring a high-energy
TNT2 Dual Core technology and high-tenacity multifilament outer wraps bonded
together by a polyurethane matrix and
coated with a soft abrasion resistant TPU
for maximum comfort and exceptional
playability, says Gamma.
In addition to a full set, Solace will be
sold as a half set main string paired with
Glide cross string—Glide Hybrid with Solace. The company says players with slow
to moderate swing speeds will benefit
from the power and vibration dampening
of Solace, and players with faster swing
speeds will benefit from the control, comfort and feel.
Solace is available in 16 and 17 gauges
in “natural” color. Suggested retail is
$16.95. Suggested retail for the Glide
Hybrid with Solace is $27.95.
ITA Announces Partnership
with Tennis Analytics
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has a new partnership with
Tennis Analytics LLC to provide video
match tagging for collegiate teams.
Raw match footage will be charted and
posted to a private online team collection, allowing coaches and players to
filter and view important match events.
Detailed match reports and player
season averages are also provided. The
service can be used for home and away
matches.
“Initially, Tennis Analytics was a
service that we provided to a select
few top touring pros and federations,"
said Warren Pretorius, who founded
May 2015
TennisIndustry 11
IndustryNews
Short
Sets
Great Britain beat the
U.S. in the Davis Cup
World Group first round
in early March, 3-2, and
will host France in the
quarterfinal in July. The
U.S. will play in September’s World Group Playoff
against an opponent to
be determined.
The USPTA is now accepting nominations for
its 2015 awards. USPTA
annually honors mem-
bers who go above and
beyond to support the
industry and the game.
Visit uspta.com/
awards for nomination
forms, rules and more
information. Deadline
is July 7.
USTA New England
and Babolat have
formed a partnership
in which the Francebased company will
serve as the section’s
official partner for
racquets, tennis bags,
strings, accessories
and 10 and Under
Tennis. Babolat will
work with USTA NE
to promote the youth
aspect of the sport with
the goal of growing the
game.
Invesco PowerShares
(PowerShares QQQ) has
renewed its title sponsorship of the Champions Series tennis circuit
though 2018. PowerShares QQQ has been
the title sponsor since
2011. The PowerShares
Series is the North
American tennis circuit
for champion tennis players over the age of 30.
Junior Tennis Champions Center of College
Park, Md., will partner
with Special Olympics
Maryland for the third
straight year. JTCC will
provide athletes on Team
Montgomery County
access to its training
facilities, as well as coaching from some of JTCC's
top junior champions and
award-winning coaching
staff.
the company. “A natural extension is the
collegiate market, and we already have
over 30 top teams as clients. In all major
sports, there is a far greater awareness of
the importance of analytics and having
greater information that allows you to
objectively track player and team progress.”
Head Takes Over Stringing
at BNP Paribas Open
Head Professional Stringing took over as
the official stringer for the 2015 BNP Paribas
Open in Indian Wells, the first change in
stringing teams at the March tournament in
decades. The BNP Paribas Open is the largest professional two-week combined ATP
World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier
tennis tournament in the world, with 96
players in the singles draws and 32 teams in
the doubles draws.
Head used a new stringing machine at
the BNP Paribas Open, however company
officials said the Head-branded machine is
still in development and not available yet for
stringers. With the move to official stringer
for the event, Head/Penn Racquet Sports
expands its role with the tournament, as
Penn has been the official ball since 1982.
Advantage Glove Helps
Players Get a Grip
Advantage Tennis Gloves, which has
primarily been available to players in
the U.S. Southeast, has expanded to
more national distribution, following
its ownership change to INTENNIS Inc.–
12 TennisIndustry
May 2015
The Global Tennis Network.
“With the continued growth and popularity of the Advantage Tennis Glove and
the growth of tennis, we believe it is the
right time to transition from a regional
to a national marketplace,” says Robert
Gore, CEO of Advantage Tennis Gloves
and publisher of INTENNIS. “Advantage
Tennis Gloves offer players a better grip
on their racquet and game, less stress
and fatigue for their hands, and increased
protection against blisters. It makes the
game more enjoyable, and will keep your
players playing more.”
Gore says the direct connection between a player and his piece of sports
equipment is the key to success. “Baseball players hold a bat for just a few minutes every game, yet they use a batting
glove every time. In golf, it takes only
The USTA has
renewed its agreement with IMG
as the US Open
media consultant
outside of the U.S.,
Canadian and Latin
American territories until 2025. IMG
has been representing the USTA
since 2013 and will
continue to consult
the USTA in media
negotiations across
Europe, Middle
East, Africa and
Asia Pacific.
seconds to swing a club, yet golfers can’t
do it without using a golf glove to improve their grip.
“But tennis players, who must hold
their racquet continuously for an hour
or more just to play the game, have traditionally avoided using a glove that can
help them improve their grip—and therefore improve their game. We think it’s
time tennis players got a better grip on
their tennis games.”
Advantage’s patented design provides
an improved grip with a seamless palm,
minimizing blisters and calluses, Gore
says. The mesh back provides greater
hand comfort, and the attached sweatband keeps the hand and the racquet
handle perspiration-free.
For more information or to order, visit
advantagetennisgloves.com or call 707888-3714.
US Open National
Playoffs Adds Doubles
The US Open National Playoffs will be held
for the sixth season this year, providing the
opportunity for all players 14 years of age
and older to earn a berth into the tournament. New this year, the National Playoffs
will include men’s and women’s doubles
competition. Also, players can continue to
compete in both men’s and women’s singles,
as well as mixed doubles.
The US Open National Playoffs singles
champions earn a wild card into the US
Open Qualifying Tournament, held the week
prior to the US Open. The US Open National
Playoffs men’s, women’s and mixed doubles
champions receive a wild card into the main
doubles draws of the 2015 tournament.
“This year, by adding men’s and women’s
doubles, the National Playoffs are giving
competitors the opportunity to earn their
way into the US Open in every possible way,”
said Katrina Adams, USTA Chairman of the
Board, CEO and President. “We look forward
to watching top juniors, collegians, aspiring pros, and weekend warriors compete
for the chance to play on tennis’ grandest
stage.” Registration for sectional qualifying
tournaments is at www.USOpen.org/NationalPlayoffs.
TIA Joins DC Lobbying Effort
Peg Connor, the grassroots program
manager for the Tennis Industry Association, represented the industry at the
Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s
2015 National Health Through Fitness
Day in Washington, D.C. on March 4.
Among the sports celebrities who
joined more than 100 sports industry
executives in lobbying Congress for key
legislation to battle the “inactivity pandemic” in the U.S. were six Olympic gold
medalists, one Heisman trophy winner, a
Super Bowl champion, and athletes from
Major League Baseball, NHL, NBA, USA
Swimming and more.
Connor (above) spent time visiting
lawmakers’ offices with former MLB
pitcher Tommy John, who was honored
with the SFIA Lifetime Achievement
Award. The sports execs pushed lawmakers to support the PEP Bill (Carol M. White
Physical Education Program) and the
PHIT Act (Personal Health Investment
Today). For info, visit sfia.org/nhtf.
USRSA Announces New MRTs
Anthony Heckle - Cincinnati, OH
Kristi Kelly - Glen Mills, PA
Steve Leane - Tucson, AZ
May 2015
TennisIndustry 13
TAKEAWAYS
FROM THE 2015 TENNIS SUMMIT
The TIA Tennis Summit took place March 17-18 at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif., during
the BNP Paribas Open pro tournament. The event brought together top tennis and sports industry executives, who examined
the state of the tennis industry and ways to grow the sport (see page 20 for more on the Summit). Here are some of the top
“takeaways” from the 2015 Summit.
• Fastest growing
• There still are
challenges to
demographic group is
overcome: Sales
Hispanics, so reaching out
of entry-level
to this group is a priority.
racquets have
(Katrina Adams)
declined. Players
• There is a huge
and teaching
opportunity with high
pros are aging.
school tennis players.
(Greg Mason)
Katrina Adams
There are more than
• The Try Tennis
300,000 high school
Free campaign,
players, but over 90% don’t compete outside
ramping up
of their school team. (Katrina Adams)
for the month
Greg Mason
• We must refocus and address
of May, will
sportsmanship in tennis. (Katrina Adams)
help increase
participation and bring business to tennis
• Lake Nona will include 102 courts. It will
facilities. (Greg Mason)
serve as a training ground not just for players,
• Health & wellness will be the No. 1 driver
but also for coaches. (Gordon Smith)
for recreational sports and activities.
• Cost of Lake Nona will be $50 million. The
(Tom Cove)
plan is to be revenue neutral at first, then
• Parents want a good experience for the
revenue positive. (Gordon Smith)
whole family, one that fits into modern
• Improving the USTA Billie Jean King
lifestyles. (Tom Cove)
National Tennis Center will cost more than
• Fitness trackers are huge; over 51% of
$500 million over the next four years.
millennials wear a fitness tracker. (Tom Cove)
(Gordon Smith)
• Retail is not dead, but a well connected,
• The focus for the ATP Tour is to use
omni-channel experience is a key for success.
the players to make tennis cool to attract
Retail is more and more about the “Amazon
millennials. (George Ciz)
effect”—get it to the
customer faster and faster.
• Although the ATP tour is global, the
(Tom Cove)
tour needs to act locally. The ATP is
planning hundreds of PR and grassroots
• Inactivity is a huge
events. (George Ciz)
problem. It’s increased
28% over the past seven
• Mylan World TeamTennis grows the
years. We need to build a
sport in local communities through
culture of activity based on
spectator and participatory experiences.
fun sports and recreation.
WTT takes pro tennis to smaller markets.
(Tom Cove)
Over the years, WTT has give out over
Tom Cove
300,000 free racquets. (Ilana Kloss)
• USTA is focusing
on the ABC’s: Accountability, Behavior,
• WTA asked 5,000 sports fans (not tennis
Communication. (Katrina Adams)
fans) what they want in a sports event/
experience. They want national stars, rising
• USTA needs to tell a better story, needs to
make sure people know what we do.
stars, story telling, defined seasons, better
(Katrina Adams)
scheduling. (Stacey Allaster)
14 TennisIndustry
May 2015
• We need to get more kids and girls
involved; we need to get kids on court with
the athletes. (Stacey Allaster)
• USTA Sections and Tennis Service Reps
use local events, including Futures and
Challengers, as platforms for promoting
tennis. (J. Wayne Richmond)
• For pro players to get involved in
growing the recreational game, you have
to make it easy for the pros. Playing the
tour is a full-time job; partners need to get
organized and streamline player participation.
(Ilana Kloss)
• The Emirates Airline US Open Series
events get involved with community efforts
by adopting a local NJTL chapter and using it
as a platform to host 10 and Under coaches
workshops. (J. Wayne Richmond)
Stacey Allaster, Ilana Kloss
J. Wayne Richmond
• Tennis must
do a better job
of addressing
parents to let
them know
how tennis
is different
from any other
sport. Tennis is
Dr. Jim Loehr
the No. 1 sport
for enhancing
health and personal development for a
lifetime. (Dr. Jim Loehr)
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
John Embree, Dan Santorum,
Dr. Paul Lubbers, Kurt Kamperman
• We need to accelerate tennis learning,
make tennis friendlier, make learning the
game more fun, awaken the world to the
value of tennis in life. (Dr. Jim Loehr)
• We need to sell tennis better: you can play
for a lifetime, there’s a low risk of injury, it’s
a full-body workout
you can get in 45
to 60 minutes, it’s
an extraordinary
brain workout, it’s an
individual and team
sport, it’s cleansing
physically, mentally
and emotionally.
(Dr. Jim Loehr)
• Embracing
technology is vital
and will bring more people into the sport from
a spectator and participant perspective.
(Ted Robinson)
• Look at different ways to introduce tennis
to kids. Kids get
introduced to golf
through caddying—is
there a way for tennis
to emulate that, such
as being a ball kid?
(Ted Robinson)
• Every golf shop
has the Golf Channel
on; tennis clubs and
facilities should have
the Tennis Channel on
all the time.
(Ted Robinson)
sports, shorter play formats, and nonelimination formats. (Kurt Kamperman)
• USTA is one of the few federations
that doesn’t require certification, but
there is movement toward licensing
for youth providers, not just from an
education perspective but also from a
safety/background check perspective,
because the marketplace demands it.
(Dr. Paul Lubbers)
• There’s a very small percentage of
college tennis players who want to
teach/coach tennis as a profession.
It’s imperative to reach kids earlier,
in high school, about considering
tennis as a profession.
(Dan Santorum)
• Be proud of tennis—
it’s a phenomenal activity.
(Ted Robinson)
Bahram Akradi
• Don’t do it unless you can do it
right and do it big. (Bahram Akradi)
• The point of view of the customer must be
front and center. (Bahram Akradi)
• Tennis members are loyal and social. They
spend two to three times as much as other
types of customers at a fitness club. Tennis
members are the most valuable members for
Life Time Fitness. (Bahram Akradi)
• Everyone, including club owners/
managers, has an obligation to emphasize
the importance of continuing education for
coaches and teaching pros. (John Embree)
• This is the first time in U.S. history that
children will have a shorter life expectancy
than their parents
due to the obesity
epidemic and
inactivity pandemic.
(Kurt Kamperman)
• Millennial parents
want more local
Nick
Bollettieri
• Physical literacy is important.
Many kids are not being exposed
to physical education and thus
are struggling to get into more
specialized sports. You’ve got to
learn to become an athlete before
you can learn tennis. Increasing
the number of kids with
physical literacy is key.
(Kurt Kamperman)
Ted
Robinson
• Dedication to senior
management is crucial…take care
of them so they take care of the
customers. (Bahram Akradi)
T.O.M. CONFERENCE
FOCUSES ON
INCREASING PLAYERS
AND BUSINESS
• We’ve got to be better at
selling tennis, not just clinics
or leagues, but selling tennis
as a lifestyle, as a way to
better your family. It’s a key
to growth among millennials.
(Dr. Paul Lubbers)
• Wearable technology is
the next big opportunity; less than 35%
of millennials watch TV. (Adam Ware)
• Human growth
is driven by three
things: appreciation,
recognition and
creative freedom.
(Peter Burwash)
The third annual Tennis Owners
& Managers (T.O.M.) Conference
took place March 18-19,
immediately following the Tennis
Summit in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
The T.O.M. Conference brought
together some of this industry’s
leading experts in club and facility
management and programming
to help provide
practical information,
strategies, ideas and
other
takeaways
that facility and club
owners/managers
David LaSota, Richard
can implement to
Zaino, Randy Futty
be more competitive
and profitable.
We’d like to give a special
thanks to our T.O.M. Conference
Advisory Board—Doug Cash, Rod
Heckelman, Greg Lappin and Mark
McMahon—for their invaluable
help in assembling speakers and
sessions for this year’s conference.
We realize that bringing more
Dr. Gerry Faust
people into this sport isn’t possible
without tennis facilities
and clubs, which continue
to grow this game and
create opportunities for
more people to play. We
have tentative plans to
present our fourth annual
T.O.M. Conference next
year in Miami, during the
Lin Conrad
Miami Open. We
hope you can join
us, as we plan to
continue to work
together to grow
the game, grow this
industry, and grow
your business.
• The characteristics
of good leaders are:
Peter Burwash
enthusiasm, great
creativity, expands
horizons, empathy, appreciation.
(Peter Burwash)
• The strongest leaders are lifetime learners.
(Peter Burwash)
• Keep your mission top of
mind at all times.
(Nick Bollettieri)
Rod Heckelman, Greg Lappin, Jolyn de Boer,
Mark McMahon, Doug Cash
• Don’t be afraid to fail…it’s
critical to success.
(Nick Bollettieri)
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
May 2015
TennisIndustry 15
Racquet Tech
Maintain Your Investment
By Bob Patterson
I
f you string racquets, your stringing
machine is obviously vital to your
business. If it breaks down, your income stops. For the most part, professional-level stringing machines are very
reliable. A maintenance routine will
ensure that your machine is operating
at peak efficiency and will keep any
problems to a minimum.
Since machines vary, we will just
speak in general terms here, but be
sure and check your machine’s owner’s
manual to see if other steps may be required or if any of the information here
is not valid for your machine.
Keep It Clean
Besides being detrimental to the efficient operation of your machine, dirt
and grime send the wrong message
to your client. Keeping your machine
clean, as well as your workspace, will
let your customers know that you care
about your equipment and, importantly,
their racquets.
For most machines, rubbing alcohol,
a cloth and an old toothbrush are all
you need to keep your machine clean.
Dampen the cloth with the alcohol and
rub down glide bars, glide rails or clamp
plate surfaces to remove any buildups.
For glide bar clamps be sure to clean
the bar jaw area, too. For fixed clamps,
clean the post. On all clamps, use the
toothbrush saturated in the alcohol to
get into the clamp and brush away any
build up of silicone, dirt and anything
else that collects in the tight spaces.
Don’t forget to clean the pulling head
jaws, your starting clamps and pliers
jaws, too.
We recommend cleaning your ma-
16 TennisIndustry
May 2015
chine after about every 25 string-jobs or
whenever you see build up or experience clamp slippage. Keeping a log will
make sure you stay on track rather than
guessing at how long it’s been since the
last clean up. If your workload is steady,
pick a day and clean machines in the
morning before you start to make sure
you never go too long.
Check Operations
For electronic machines, it is a good
time to run through the functions to
make sure everything is operating as it
should and that all displays and lights
are functional. Manual machines need
to be checked for wear around springs
and all of the interactive parts. If your
lock-out machine is not used on a daily
basis it is a good idea to set the tension
to near zero when not in use. This will
relieve pressure on the spring and make
it last longer.
Check Your Calibration
After cleaning is a good time to check
the calibration of your machine to make
sure your tension is accurate. If you
have it set on 60, it should pull your
calibration scale to 60. Otherwise, you
will need to follow directions for your
machine to re-calibrate.
Pick a good tension in the middle of
your normal tension range. If you only
string tennis racquets, checking at 50
or 60 is sufficient. However, if you also
string badminton and/or racquetball
racquets, you may also want to run a
second pull at a lower tension just to
make sure everything is spot-on.•
Retailing 137
The Power of ‘Hello’
Successful specialty retailers continue to refine their
store’s greeting to make it timely, sincere and helpful.
By Jay Townley
I
f you are like many specialty tennis
retailers, you staff the sales floor
and are directly involved with your
sales associates in serving shoppers and
customers. You lead by example and,
whether you do it consciously or not,
you are a mentor to your employees.
You surely already know from your
experience the power of a well-honed
customer greeting. But, you need to
constantly review, refine and improve
your store’s greeting in both form and
content—to stay current with shopper
and customer expectations. In today’s
consumer-controlled retail marketplace, a simple smile and a cheerful “Hi”
within seconds of a shopper entering
your brick-and-mortar store may not be
enough.
Customer service starts with your
greeting and the attitude of both hospitality and assistance it conveys. Millions
of shoppers walk past mass-merchant
retail greeters every day, ignoring their
canned words of welcome because the
greeters don’t express real helpfulness
and are just there to create the illusion
of customer service.
Consumers today want a genuine
greeting that is sincere and not canned,
but is also not overbearing or imposing. Think about your store greeting as
welcoming a guest to your “home” and
really paying attention to helping them
with their wants and needs.
This means you and your associates
need to stop whatever you are doing—
unless already engaged with a customer—to greet a new guest entering your
store.
The greeting skill set you and your
sales associates (both full- and parttime) have to develop and fine tune is:
• Greeting within 15 seconds (literally
count the seconds to get used to the
time frame). This gives shoppers time
18 TennisIndustry
May 2015
to transition to your store and engage
with you without you being seen as
overbearing and an obstacle that makes
shopping a chore.
• Focus on the shopper. If they are a
returning customer that you recognize,
personalize your greeting and welcome
them back.
• If they are a new shopper, literally welcome them to your store! “Welcome
to Jay’s Tennis Shop. My name is Jay—
how can I be of service to you?”
• Immediately give them a face and a
name (wearing your name tag will
help) and assurance they will receive
the help and service they need. It will
get them to put down their phone and
begin to feel comfortable.
• First impressions are important. A
shopper may not want or need your
help right away, and that’s fine, but
they will remember that help was sincerely offered.
• You don’t need to stalk shoppers after
greeting them, but watch to see if there
is an opportunity to offer to help or
answer questions. Again, this is a skill
that needs to be practiced and refined.
Research shows the higher the “intercept rate” (meaning more contact
between shopper and staff ), the greater
the average sale.
• Remember, women shop differently
than men! Women will seek you out to
ask questions and for help; men will
avoid contact, even though they may
want it. If left on their own, men will
seek the product they are interested
in, gather as much information as
they can read or pick up, and leave as
quickly as they can. Research shows
that men will visit, seeking information, three times before purchasing.
This can work for you if you greet
them to start a consultative-advisory relationship that integrates your
store into their Path to Purchase
and increases your store’s close
rates during their visits.
• Greeters on busy days! Have a designated greeter to welcome customers
within 15 seconds and ask how they
can help them or direct them. The
greeter should then hand them off
to a sales associate or stringer who
can best serve them.
Maintaining the power of your
specialty tennis retail store’s greeting
by continually refining, practicing and
updating will enhance your store’s
overall selling process and keep your
close rates high. •
This is part of a series of retail tips
presented by the Tinnis Industry Association and written by the Gluskin
Townley Group (www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
2015 Tennis Summit
Industry
Addresses Major
Issues and
Concerns
Top tennis and sports
executives examined the
state of the tennis industry
and ways to grow the sport
at every level at key
conferences in Indian Wells.
T
he 2015 TIA Tennis Summit, held March 17-18
in conjunction with the BNP Paribas Open
in Indian Wells, brought together a highpowered lineup of tennis, sports and business
executives who shared their insights, issues,
and concerns about the sport and discussed how to grow the
industry.
Among the speakers at the Summit, held at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa, were TV sports broadcaster Ted
Robinson, sports and performance psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Jim Loehr, USTA President and CEO Katrina
Adams, Women’s Tennis Association Chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster, ATP Tour Vice President of Marketing George Ciz,
Life Time Fitness Founder and CEO Bahram Akradi, Sports &
Fitness Industry Association President and CEO Tom Cove,
USPTA CEO John Embree, PTR CEO Dan Santorum, Hall of
Fame coaching legend Nick Bollettieri, tennis management
company founder Peter Burwash, Mylan World TeamTennis
CEO Ilana Kloss, Tennis Magazine/Tennis Industry Magazine
Publisher Jeff Williams, and Tennis Channel Vice President
David Egdes.
“We brought together a terrific lineup of industry execu-
20 TennisIndustry
May 2015
tives, legends, pros, coaches and other sports and business personalities to examine the state of the the sport,” said TIA President Greg Mason. “Our speakers hit key topics and themes
that will affect growth in every segment of the industry. Plus,
attendees were able to ask questions and make comments at a
number of ‘Open Forums.’ The interaction produced spirited
discussions that will help the sport move forward.”
Topics that were addressed at the Summit included:
• How the sport can remain relevant—and grow—in today’s
business climate.
• The importance of tennis in today’s society and what the
sport can learn from other sports.
• Challenges and opportunities facing tennis, including the
key tennis delivery system and teaching professionals.
• The drive for healthy and fit lifestyles through tennis.
• The importance of two major tennis infrastructure projects—one in Florida, the other in at the US Open in New
York—to the growth of the sport.
• The growth of the professional tours and how they’re connecting with grassroots players.
• How digital media is changing the landscape of sports entertainment.
May 2015
TennisIndustry 29
2015 Tennis Summit
Mason, TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer and sports
marketing research expert Keith Storey led off the Summit
with the “State of the Industry.” Among the data they presented was the value of the overall “tennis economy,” which
was at 5.73 billion at year-end 2014, up 3 percent from 2013.
Mason outlined concerns he has about the industry, including the fact that 1.5 million fewer entry-level tennis racquets were purchased from 2008 to 2014. Another concern is
that the age of the average player is getting older. “We need to
make sure we’re doing all we can to attract younger players to
our sport,” he said, adding that it also extends to needing to
bring younger people into the business of tennis, too.
One key to helping boost participation, Mason said, is
the industry-wide “Try Tennis Free” initiative, which runs
throughout the month of May and is designed to give new
and returning players an opportunity to get into tennis for
free at local facilities and with local pros. “The Try Tennis
Free campaign can bring in large numbers of players, of all
ages, looking to benefit from all that tennis has to offer,” Mason said. He urged all tennis providers to register their free
program offers at PlayTennis.com.
Following Mason and the TIA, Tom Cove, the CEO of
the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, identified and
defined trends that will impact the tennis and sports industries, among them that health and wellness will be the “No. 1
‘We need to make sure we’re
doing all we can to attract
younger players to our
sport,’ said Greg Mason.
driver” of sports participation in 2015 and that “parents want
a good experience for the whole family” when it comes to
sports and recreation.
Cove also discussed the “inactivity pandemic” in the U.S.,
including how 80 million Americans on a recent survey
reported they do no sports or activity at all. “Inactivity has
increased 28 percent over the past seven years,” Cove said.
“We need to build a culture of activity based on fun sports
activities.”
Katrina Adams, the USTA president, chairman and CEO,
talked about her priorities for her two-year term, which
includes targeting the Hispanic community as a way to give
tennis participation a boost. Her goals also include finding
more and better ways to reach out to recreational high school
players, which she called a “huge opportunity” for the industry, and also emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship.
Adams also plans to continue to increase the USTA’s collaboration and partnerships with other groups and organizations.
USTA Executive Director Gordon Smith discussed the ongoing improvements to the USTA Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center in New York, home of the US Open. Plans call
for spending more than $500 million over the next four years,
including completion of a roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“It’s important to be the leader, especially in the sports and
entertainment capital of the world,” he said.
22 TennisIndustry
May 2015
TIA President Greg Mason
Katrina Adams
Smith also discussed the 102-court facility the USTA will
build at Lake Nona, Fla., which will break ground on April 18
and has been dubbed the “new home of American tennis.” The
site will serve as a training ground for players and coaches, and
will be the home to the USTA Player Development and Community Tennis departments.
The professional game was on display with updates from
WTA Chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster and ATP Tour Vice
President of Marketing George Ciz. Allaster then joined a panel
with David Egdes of Tennis Channel, Ilana Kloss of WTT and J.
Wayne Richmond of the Emirates Airline US Open Series for a
discussion on how the pro tours and their players connect to the
grassroots.
World-renowned sports and performance psychologist and
best-selling author Dr. Jim Loehr wrapped up the Summit’s first
‘Inactivity has increased 28
percent over the past seven
years,’ Tom Cove said. ‘We
need to build a culture ...
based on fun sports activities.’
day with insights into how the tennis and sports industry can
remain relevant to today’s athletes and culture.
“There is a lot of competition for kids’ participation in sports
and activities,” Loehr said. “Tennis must do a better job of adwww.tennisindustrymag.com
2015 Tennis Summit
dressing parents to let them know how tennis is different
than any other sport. How do we accelerate tennis learning?
How do we make tennis friendlier? How do we make learning
tennis more fun? How do we awaken the world to the value of
tennis in life?”
Loehr said the industry needs to do a better job selling
tennis to parents, noting several points that work in tennis’s
favor, including how the sport provides a full-body workout,
exercises the brain, can be played for a lifetime, and helps to
make a better, more fully functioning person.
The second day opened with Emmy Award-winning TV
sportscaster Ted Robinson, who offered his take on the importance of tennis in today’s society and on what tennis can
Dr. Jim Loehr
‘Tennis must do a better job
of addressing parents to
let them know how tennis
is different than any other
sport,’ said Dr. Jim Loehr.
learn from other sports. “Tennis is unique in that some of the
greatest players still talk about tennis and are great ambassadors for the sport,” he said.
To bring more spectators and participants into the sport,
Robinson said technology was vital, especially for embracing
millennials through digital content. “Be proud of tennis,” he
said. “It’s a phenomenal activity.”
Life Time Fitness founder and CEO Bahram Akradi,
named Tennis Industry magazine’s “Person of the Year” for
his company’s commitment to tennis, explained why tennis
has been a wise investment for his business and how he is
looking to help the sport grow through his facilities. Life
Time is the largest operator of indoor courts in the U.S. “Tennis courts change the space from a fitness club to a country
club,” Akradi said. “If there’s any chance to put in tennis
courts, we will. Tennis is here to stay, and we plan to grow it at
every opportunity.”
The USTA’s chief executive of Community Tennis, Kurt
Kamperman, led a panel discussion and Open Forum on the
challenges and opportunities of growing tennis at the recreational level. Panelist included Dan Santorum of the PTR,
John Embree of the USPTA and Dr. Paul Lubbers, senior director of coaching education and performance for the USTA.
“Millennial parents want more local sports, shorter play
formats, and non-elimination formats,” Kamperman said.
“We’ve got senior players covered, but we still have work to
do with youth players and getting them into the game.”
Peter Burwash, a former pro tour player and founder of the
Peter Burwash International tennis management company,
discussed lessons he learned in his personal and professional
life and how they can apply to growing the sport. A good
leader, he said, has certain characteristics: enthusiasm, great
creativity, expanding your horizons, empathy and appreciation. “The strongest leaders are lifetime learners,” he added.
Immediately following the Tennis Summit, on March
24 TennisIndustry
May 2015
From left: John Embree, Dan Santorum, Dr. Paul Lubbers and Kurt Kamperman
18-19, top tennis facility managers and consultants shared their
knowledge and experience at the third annual Tennis Owners &
Managers (T.O.M.) Conference, also presented by the TIA.
Coaching legend Nick Bollettieri, who received the highest honor in tennis last July when he was inducted into the
International Tennis Hall of Fame, spoke at a lunch kicking off
‘Be proud of tennis,’ said
sportscaster Ted Robinson.
‘It’s a phenomenal activity.’
the T.O.M. Conference. “Keep your mission top of mind at all
times,” he told the crowd, “and don’t be afraid to fail—it’s critical
to success.”
“As a follow-up to both the Tennis Summit and the T.O.M.
Conference, we’re meeting to outline a plan that we hope will
go a long way to achieving transformational change within this
industry,” said the TIA’s de Boer. “These conferences examined
the industry and our sport, and where it’s headed, and helped to
define ways to ensure growth. We want to make sure we’re on
the right path for the long-term.” •
The TIA plans to present its annual Tennis Forum on Aug. 31
at the Grand Hyatt in New York City, as the US Open begins.
Details for 2016 tennis industry events will be announced in
the near future.
Visit TennisIndustry.org for more information.
Footwear
Kicking
It Up
Becoming a shoe expert will
boost your store’s sales and
your customers’ loyalty.
T
By Bob Patterson
he growing trend in tennis shoes is lighter
weight for increased speed and maneuverability. Manufacturers are accomplishing
this using lighter materials, less layers and a
profile that puts the foot closer to the ground.
According to tennis shoe manufacturers, as the game has
progressed to a hard-hitting slugfest, the need for speed has
never been greater. But as with most things in tennis, not
every player has the same needs. As a retailer, it’s important
to keep abreast of trends to ensure your inventory is relevant,
but you also need to assess your overall inventory needs.
While it is definitely true that today’s game is faster, we
must not forget that tennis appeals to a broad audience. In my
“old man” USTA League, speed is measured with a calendar,
so comfort and stability are the characteristics that are most
important to us. Just like there is no “perfect” racquet for
everyone, the same is true for shoes.
Knowing your customers and your inventory will ensure
your sales grow, inventory turns and your customers are satisfied. Make sure you have a wide selection that appeals to a
broad range, but tweak your inventory so it fits your customer
profile. If the majority of your customers are seniors, then
you’ll want to skew more styles to comfort and stability. On
the other hand, if juniors are your base, you’ll want to stock
more shoes for durability and speed.
Just like fitting a racquet to a player, knowing what shoes
work best for each player will take some education, but the effort will pay dividends. Shoes must be fitted to the foot shape,
the style of play, the court surface and then prioritized to the
importance of the individual’s preference. Some players may
choose to give up a little cushioning and comfort for a lower
profile and lighter weight. Others may want stability above all
else, so choosing the right shoe and the right fit is vital to having a satisfied customer.
It’s About the Fit
We often see references to pronated, supinated and neutral
26 TennisIndustry
May 2015
foot types, and this is often used as the basis for shoe selection. Several of the experts we interviewed say that while this
is very true for running shoes, it has little reference to tennis.
Unlike running, a tennis player is moving in all directions, so
most tennis shoes are designed to be foot neutral.
The Wilson design team explains, “In tennis, feet move in
all directions, especially laterally with a lot of start, go and
breaks. Players also tend to be on their forefoot most of the
time to be more reactive. Players are often encouraged to add
orthotic insoles versus buying by a foot type, as you would do
in a running shoe. Pronation control could create discomfort
on the push back for example, or supinator products could
enhance ankle twists.”
The toe box is another area of fit that is important, especially to aggressive competitors. Again, balance is the key. The
forefoot needs support but a toe box that is too tight will cause
discomfort.
Fitting Your Customers
So how do you know how to fit your customer? Unfortunately
you can’t have a shoe demo program like you do with racquets,
but you can go through a similar process right on the sales
floor.
Have the customer try on several different shoes in the
store. Have them do some quick starts and stops, as well as
lateral movements mimicking court movements. Get their
assessment of how they feel in the shoe.
Of course, the first order of business is to make sure you
know your inventory. Knowing the nuances of the fit and
make-up of each shoe is vital to helping your customer find
the right fit. Listen to what your customers say about each and
recommend the next model for them to try just as you would
in the racquet demo process.
Taking the time to become the shoe expert will not only
make your customers have more confidence in their purchase
but will also lead to more sales and more repeat business in
the future. •
P
U
T
I
E
V
R
E
S
Borna Coric (ＣＲＯ) / 2014 ATP Star of Tomorrow Awa rd
*The youngest player in Top 100
The VCORE Tour F adds 6%* more speed
to your serve with Aero Fin Technology.
*Compared to conventional model. Tested by Yonex.
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YONEX professional players may play with a customized racquet with different specifications than the model displayed.
May 2015
TennisIndustry 29
Strings
The Evolution
of Poly Strings
A panel of string manufacturers helps sort
through questions about poly, co-poly and
who should play with them.
T
By Bob Patterson
here is no doubt poly strings are popular
with everyone from top touring pros down to
junior and recreational players. Along with
that popularity, there seems to be an equal
amount of confusion. What is the difference
between “poly” and “co-poly”? What tension should I use? Is
poly a good string choice for me?
The questions seem unending. So we set out to get some
answers from the top manufacturers of poly strings.
properties (softer, more elastic, better tension maintenance,
etc.)” than are found in the base poly.
Steve Crandall of Ashaway explains it this way: “Co-poly
is a marketing term for poly strings with some additives in
the polymer formation to modify the polyester’s negative
properties.” Crandall also adds one tidbit that should not be
overlooked. “No matter what additives are used,” he says, “the
resulting string is much stiffer and less elastic than any other
type of tennis string.”
What’s In a Name?
What Are the Benefits?
The confusion seems to start in the name. Originally called
“polyester string” (yes, the same material your leisure suit
was made from if you are as old as I am), they are now referred
to as simply “poly” or “co-poly.” So what’s the difference?
The experts are fairly unanimous on this one. A “poly”
string generally refers to a monofilament made from a single
polymer called polyethaleneterephthalate (PET). Other polymers are also used such as PTT and PBT, according to Evan
Specht, director of operations at Diadem Sports.
Tom Parry of Pacific relates the confusion of poly/co-poly
to the similar confusion of what is “synthetic gut.” “Synthetic
gut is simply a marketing term that became an accepted
description of an advanced nylon string,” Parry says. “Essentially, both in their respective ways are derivatives of the same
originating materials and compositions—nylons for synthetic
guts and plastics for poly. We see higher grades of materials
being used in both types, allowing for numerous differences in
performance characteristics, as well as more complex manufacturing processes.”
“Co-poly” is generally referred to as this same string with
other additives. Hunter Hines with Dunlop explains that additives are included in the mix to “bring about different physical
28 TennisIndustry
May 2015
So now that we know what it is, what are the primary benefits
of this type of string to tennis players? Our panel generally
agrees that durability and spin generation are the key components, although not all see it exactly alike.
Both Parry with Pacific and Josh Newton of Babolat point
out a key ingredient needed for spin—player technique and
skill. “You must already possess sufficient technique and
racquet-head speed in order to get more spin from a poly or
co-poly string,” Newton says.
Parry elaborates that the potential for spin is there, but a
player will see the full benefit only when the “head speed and
technique are there.” Parry provided the chart (opposite page)
to illustrate the variations in the string and ball interaction
with the various string types. As you can see in the illustration, “See how each type has its own bending curve, as well as
how the ball energy is lessened as you go from gut to poly.”
Hines points out one often overlooked benefit: “The strings
never seem to move, and rarely need adjusting, even at lower
tensions. Of course, poly strings do move on impact, but are
better at snapping back into place between shots.”
This snap-back seems to be the key ingredient to spin
generation. Recent tests with high-speed video and tracking
software shows that the snap-back generates the spin, but
as our panel points out, it takes a lot of racquet speed at
impact to move the stiffer strings in order for them to snap
back and generate the spin players are looking for.
Durability is also misunderstood for most people. Yes
the string is more durable in that it doesn’t break as quickly
as other materials. However, the string does lose resiliency
much faster than other materials, so if the player is not
a frequent string-breaker, the durability is of no consequence. Newton points out, “Poly/co-poly strings lose
tension incredibly fast, both statically (after stringing but
before playing) and dynamically (while playing). Therefore
they need to be replaced very frequently, or else you will
lose control and power.” This could be the reason top touring pros go for a “fresh” racquet on every ball change (nine
games).
John Elliott of YTex says poly/co-poly strings need to
be restrung every two to eight hours of play depending on
the density of the string pattern, the type of string and the
gauge.
Who Should Use Poly/Co-Poly?
Are poly/co-poly strings suited for all player types and skill
levels?
Most of our panel agree that poly/co-poly strings are
best suited for skilled players who can generate the necessary racquet-head speed to flatten out the ball on impact.
However, Specht says, “I think a well-made co-poly could
be suited for anyone. I think if you have a soft co-poly that
also increases spin, you have a win-win.”
Hines says, “If you are not a string-breaker and/or a spin
player, I’m not sure you’d get much benefit out of poly/copoly strings. The average recreational player would be wise
to really weigh the options, as there are certainly drawbacks to poly/co-poly strings—especially for players who
are prone to arm trouble or need more power and depth on
their shots.”
Newton adds, “Most recreational players, including
competitive juniors, do not possess the ability to get the
spin benefits from poly/co-poly strings, and their games
and often their bodies suffer from the down sides of poly—
stiff, low power, poor tension holding.” He explains that to
get the full snap-back effect to create spin, the player must
first be able to move the stiffer string in order for it to snap
back and only the top-level players have the ability to do so.
What’s Next?
So, what does the future hold for poly/co-poly string?
Although most agree that poly/co-poly strings are bestsuited for a small segment of the market, they also think
they are with us to stay. Most feel companies will continue
to develop new constructions and additives to decrease the
problems of quick tension loss and stiffness.
“My feeling is the drive is to make the strings more
playable, powerful and have more spin potential, in an effort
to make them more usable by a wider range of players,” Elliott
says. “Unfortunately, poly/co-poly strings have limitations in
these categories due to their molecular make-up.”
Hines adds, “There is a generation of younger players in
the game who have only ever played with polyester or co-poly
strings, so I think it’s more ingrained in the market than ever.”
Most agree that hybrids will be a big part of the advancement.
“I think with today’s fast-paced, ‘knock the cover off the ball’
attitude and new stroke production being taught, poly is here to
stay,” says Parry. “Hybrids are going to rule as players are realizing they can tweak more and more their performance using
different strings.”
Several of our panel members say we will be seeing more
hybrids in the future, including poly/poly hybrids.
Crandall says he thinks there is not a lot of room for technical
developments of co-polys, but he sees “the future going to other
polymers, filament designs, and physical structure.” •
May 2015
TennisIndustry 29
Solid Solutions
These outdoor facility winners are excellent
examples of hard-court construction.
Regency @ Monroe
Monroe, N.J.
(Nominated by Halecon Inc.)
General Contractor: Halecon Inc.
No. of Courts: 6
Surface: California Sports Surfaces
Lighting: LSI Lighting
Nets, Posts, Cabanas: Har-Tru Sports
30 TennisIndustry
May 2015
Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
T
he majority of the nine outdoor hard-court winners of the Tennis Industry/
American Sports Builders Association distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
for 2014 are located in the eastern part of the country, with one in Tennessee and
one in Arizona. Two of the projects used a post-tensioned concrete base, while
the rest are asphalt.
The six asphalt courts, in two abutting batteries, at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, Mass., were about 20 years old and had significant cracking. After the fence, net posts and
concrete footing were removed, the asphalt was pulverized and blended with base materials to
a depth of about 8 inches. The asphalt surface was installed in two courses and a new fence was
installed during the curing time.
The owner provided a basic sketch and concept for the upgraded Gene Clayton Tennis Center at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., then the contractor filled in the specs and design
details and oversaw demolition of the old courts and construction of the new facility. Because the
base stone under the existing courts was insufficient, the asphalt was pulverized then 4 inches
of new stone was added to provide a stable base. The new courts, which also have lines for Youth
Tennis, are home to the university’s Professional Tennis Management program.
At Mino Park in Boca Raton, Fla., the contractor was tasked with demolishing the existing
tennis courts, basketball courts and hitting wall, then re-graded and compacted the site, put down
new asphalt and installed two new tennis courts, two basketball courts, four pickleball courts and
a practice tennis court. The project also included concrete curbing and adjustments to the existing fence.
When work began on redoing the eight courts at Prince George’s Community College, it
was discovered that the original courts were built without a stone base. After a quick meeting,
the contractor came up with a cost-effective solution to refurbish the courts, which included
filling existing cracks, installing paving fabric then 3 inches of stone dust, adding asphalt, then
the acrylic color system. The results, achieved through assistance from the USTA, are seven new
78-foot courts and two 36-foot courts. Since the opening of the new facility, the college will have a
new tennis team and host multiple events, including Youth Tennis events.
The project at Regency@Monroe in New Jersey resulted in six new cushioned hard courts,
complete with lighting, court cabanas, walking paths and more. To improve drainage at the site, a
new French drain was installed with decorative stone on top.
The site for the new tennis facility at Richard Stockton College in the New Jersey was virgin
woods and needed to be cleared of oak and pine trees, then clay-like material had to be excavated
and disposed of, and the site was backfilled with stable material, all while fighting heavy rains. But
the result is a new college facility with two batteries of three and four courts each, plus a stadium
court with spectator seating. The courts are all connected by a series of 8-foot-wide walkways.
The three asphalt courts at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., had structural and age issues; the courts had been covered with a rolled turf system and acrylic infield system that was failing. A full demolition and redesign was not feasible, so the contractor designed a post-tensioned
concrete overlay system. One major obstacle was the elevation changes—existing grate drains had
to be removed then reinstalled to match the higher elevation, as did light poles, junction boxes
and gates. New pavers were installed at each court entrance to match the new heights.
The two new courts for the varsity tennis team at the private University of the South in
Sewanee, Tenn., required retaining walls to be built around the courts, since there was not enough
room to taper out from the site due to the close proximity of a neighboring golf course. Fill dirt
was brought in to bring the courts up to grade, and the fence was built into the retaining wall.
When Hurricane Sandy hit the Connecticut coast, it ruined the six asphalt courts at Weed
Beach Park in Darien. To guard against future storm damage, the new courts, in two batteries
of three courts each, were raised by 2 feet and built with post-tensioned concrete engineered to
withstand extreme weather. The grade was raised to allow runoff from the courts to pitch into the
town storm drainage system. The project also included the backboard practice area.
—Peter Francesconi •
May 2015
TennisIndustry 31
Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
Bishop Feehan High School Tennis Facility
Attleboro, Mass.
(Nominated by Boston Tennis Court Construction Co.
Inc.)
General Contractor: Boston Tennis Court Construction Co. Inc.
No. of Courts: 6
Surface: Nova Sports USA
Nets, Posts, Center Straps, Anchors: J.A. Cissel/HarTru Sports
Gene Clayton Tennis Center at Methodist University
Fayetteville, N.C.
(Nominated by Court One)
General/Specialty Contractor: Court One
No. of Courts: 8
Surface: Sealmaster
Lighting: LSI Industries
Net Posts: Har-Tru Sports
Mino Park
Boca Raton, Fla.
(Nominated by Welch Tennis Courts Inc.)
Specialty Contractor: Welch Tennis Courts Inc.
No. of Courts: 2
Surface: California Products DecoColor
Nets, Posts: Welch Tennis Courts Inc.
Backboard: Bakko Backboards
Prince George’s Community College Tennis Facility
Largo, Md.
(Nominated by American Tennis Courts Inc.)
General Contractor: American Tennis Courts Inc.
Architect/Engineer: LaSota Engineering
No. of Courts: 9
Surface: Latex-Ite International
Lighting: Musco Lighting
Nets, Posts: Douglas Sports Equipment
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey–Barlow Athletic
Complex Tennis Facility
Galloway, N.J.
(Nominated by American Athletic Courts Inc.)
General Contractor: American Athletic Courts Inc.
No. of Courts: 8
Windscreen: Aer-Flo
Nets, Posts: Athletic Connection
32 TennisIndustry
May 2015
Troon Country Club
Scottsdale, Ariz.
(Nominated by Sunland Asphalt/Sunland Sports)
General Contractor: Sunland Asphalt/Sunland Sports
No. of Courts: 3
University of the South
Sewanee, Tenn.
(Nominated by Baseline Sports Construction LLC)
General Contractor: Baseline Sports Construction
LLC
No. of Courts: 2
Surface: Nova Sports USA
Windscreen, Nets, Straps: Putterman Athletics
Posts: Athletic Connection/Edwards
Weed Beach Tennis Park
Darien, Conn.
(Nominated by Cape & Island Tennis & Track)
Specialty Contractor: Cape & Island Tennis & Track
No. of Courts: 6
Nets: Har-Tru Sports
Posts: Douglas Industries
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.
May 2015
TennisIndustry 33
Tips and Techniques
Readers' Know-How in Action
Mounting it right-side up
In a stringing frenzy, it's easy to just
grab a racquet and mount it on your
stringer. However, if for some reason
you need to check the specs printed
on the frame and it's been mounted
upside down, you have to stand on
your head to see the information. So
I have developed the habit of making
certain that I mount each racquet with
the printed specs facing up so I don't
have to take extra time figuring out the
information.
5 sets of Luxilon Savage White 127 to:
Terry Boyle, Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Switching from starting clamp
to machine clamp
I do most of my string jobs using twopieces of string, employing a starting
clamp when starting the crosses instead of a starting knot. When it comes
time to tie-off the crosses at the head,
I recommend re-pulling the top cross
before removing the starting clamp
34 TennisIndustry
May 2015
and applying the machine clamp.
That is, don’t just apply the machine
clamp, and then release the starting
clamp.
In special cases, you may have
to use a starting clamp instead of a
machine clamp on the mains, too,
and here again I recommend re-tensioning the string before removing
the starting clamp and applying the
machine clamp.
I find that re-pulling the string previously held with the starting clamp
before tying the knot gives more
consistent string tensions.
5 sets of Babolat Origin 17 to:
Luis De Santis T., Venezuela
Alternative to silicone
I have never been a fan of injecting
silicone into a racquet handle, mostly
because I know that removing it will
be a bear if it doesn't work out.
Instead, if I am looking to add
weight inside the handle I use hot-
melt glue and lead. I purchase
a 5-pound lead ingot from my
local hardware store (lead fishing
weights are illegal in my area) and
I cut small pieces off of it with a
diagonal cutter.
[Editor’s note: Be careful handling
lead, as it can cause lead poisoning
and, if disposed of improperly, can
enter the environment.]
After popping open the trap door
on the butt cap, I stuff a cotton ball
into both sides of the handle and
put in enough hot melt glue to cover
the cotton. Then I insert a piece of
lead and then another squirt of hot
melt glue. Repeat until the desired
weight is reached.
If I am asked to remove this material, I usually can just yank it out
with needle-nosed pliers. But if that
doesn’t work, all I have to do is heat
the handle with a hot-air gun (same
as used for heat-shrink tubing), and
it all comes out easy as pie. An ad-
ditional advantage to hot-melt glue is
that it sets in minutes.
5 sets of Gosen Tec Gut Pro 16 to:
Ed Goldzweig, New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Protecting worn grommets
I have been stringing tennis racquets
for years and have been protecting
the grommets with a leather pad.
Just recently I built a new addition.
It is a 5/8-inch rubber hose glued to a
3/4-inch wood dowel. It sits on a small
base and I push it with my thumb so
as to cause the string to go into the
grommet at nearly a 90-degree angle
when tensioning.
I just purchased the Wise 2086
tension head complete with a foot
control, which makes it easy to have
a hands-free operation. This is not a
requirement though. It takes all of a
second or two to position this protective device, and it is used only on the
last four main strings on each side.
I tell my customers when they
come in for a string job about building this tool to protect their grommets and they appreciate it with their
loyalty.
5 3-packs of Wilson Profile Overgrips to:
Dr. Carl Love, Albany, Ore.
Making room for tubing
Our tennis pro had been shearing off
his poly strings (18 gauge mains) at
the top of the frame within a week
or two. I wanted to install tubing in
the center 12 mains, but the tubing
was too big for the grommets. I took
out the top center 12 main grommets
with an RAB grinder and replaced
them with 3.7mm Fittex grommets,
which will accept the tubing. This extended the string life to eight weeks
before the cross strings broke.
5 3-packs of Head Prestige Pro Overgrips to:
Don Howe, Chester, N.Y.
Burn Notice
Everyone knows the dangers of
burning the string while pulling the
crosses through the mains, but don’t
forget that you can burn the string
when pulling strings through blocked
holes, or holes with an anchor string.
Unfortunately, there is no “fanning”
procedure to prevent burning the
blocking or anchor string, as there is
with the mains and crosses; you just
have to pull the loose end through
slowly enough to prevent damage.
Also, if you use a knot such as the
close-quarters knot, where the loose
end presses up against other strings,
pulling the loose end through too
quickly can burn the tie-off and/or
anchor strings. Again, go slowly.
5 sets of Ashaway Crossfire ZX 17 to:
L. Hodges, Apple Valley, Calif.
—Greg Raven •
Tips and Techniques submitted since
1992 by USRSA members and appearing in this column have all been
gathered into a searchable database
on www.racquettech.com, the official
member only website of the USRSA.
Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA,
PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096 or
email greg @racquettech.com.
May 2015
TennisIndustry 35
Your Serve
Fix
Your
Delivery!
A Youth Tennis expert says when it comes to bringing
tennis to kids, “hitting” and “rallying” are very different.
By Ellen Miller
I
hear a lot of inane comments about
10 and Under Tennis: It shouldn’t
be mandatory; the balls are too
slow; competition is being watered
down; the courts are too small and kids
can’t keep the ball in play. That last
comment is my favorite, something
I hear from uninformed parents: My
child needs to move to a full court
because he can’t keep the ball in the
(36-foot) court. (I tell them to ask their
pro to teach their kid topspin.)
We seem to have these resistance
fighters battling this innovative Youth
Tennis movement, but for what? We
have a Youth Tennis program that is
actually a boon to our industry. Kids are
learning and having fun. What’s wrong
with that?
So, if not for this, what would we have
in its place? Well, I’ll tell you, because
I’ve had to endure it.
During a recent visit to the Northeast,
I witnessed—at two separate clubs—two
of the worst youth lessons I’ve ever
seen. In one, the boy (maybe 8) could
barely hit the yellow balls back and had
no movement skills—likely because he
didn’t need any with the feed-the-balldirectly-to him methodology of this illpaced lesson. After he hit about 15 balls
(mostly sideways), the coach said, let’s
work on inside-out forehands. What!?
Just hitting the ball over the net should
have been the goal.
Had I been able to, I would have done
my alley rally with the boy using red
balls (which were sitting in a basket
next to the court, btw), then progressed
to a short-court rally and just seen what
he could do. No doubt he would have
had more fun and success in five min-
36 TennisIndustry
May 2015
utes of rallying with me than he did in
an hour with this out-of-touch coach.
In the second lesson, I watched a pro
feeding seven yellow balls in a row to
a single kid who couldn’t hit anything
back. In the meantime the other five
kids ranging in age from 5 to 11 were
just standing on the sidelines, looking
around aimlessly.
Is this what dissenting coaches want
to maintain? A status quo that is designed to drive kids away?
As a teacher I spend a great deal of
time observing how kids learn. One
common theme I see is what many in
education call “discovery learning”—
kids learn by doing. That learning takes
place when students are placed in problem-solving situations that force them
to draw on their own experiences and
knowledge as they interact with their
environment. The teacher becomes the
facilitator, not simply the “transmissionist” of information. (On the tennis
court, this old-school “transmissionist”
is the cart-loving coach who spews balls
along with instructions.)
High-performance coaches will tell
you our best junior players are adept
problem-solvers, always adapting, making key decisions. What if we let the kids
in on the action? Let them feed balls to
each other and put a rally together; let
them work with a partner on athletic
development; let them develop games
they would like to play as a group?
We did this for a 10 and Under competency video that I was in with another
coach, Rita Gladstone. The day of the
shoot, we grabbed kids from our camp
and they learned as they went. Many
were playing tennis for the first time. It
may not have been perfect, but they all
got it. So, what’s so bad about that?
For a coach, it requires some lesson
organization and a bit of trial and error, but most likely it scares the coach
because he or she has to loosen control
over the group. But take that chance.
The results will surprise you. This
type of learning shows the kid that the
teacher believes in him—that he can be
responsible enough to a) help someone
else learn and b) be a team player. It’s a
powerful motivator.
Since I’ve been using the 10 and
Under kid-centered, learn-by-doing
methodology, I can’t go back to the
other way. Sure, I do some hand tossing and racquet-feed drills from time
to time, but only when the drills are
too advanced for the kids to execute
themselves. I like to let the kids work
together, and they like that more than
they like working with me!
“Hitting” and “rallying” a ball are two
very different things. The coach-fed ball
randomly gets “hit” back; the partnerrallied ball gets finessed so it stays in
the court at a speed and depth that will
improve the chances it will come back.
Two very different things. Two very different ways of looking at Youth Tennis.
Which path do you want to take?•
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.
She also is Tennis Industry magazine’s
2014 Grassroots Champion of the Year.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to [email protected].

May 2015 / Volume 43 / Number 5

Transcription

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