201606 Tennis Industry magazine

8/17/2019 201606 Tennis Industry magazine

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Retailing

Tips to helpincrease yourAPPAREL SALES

Tennis Research

U.S. tennisPARTICIPATIONincreases

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Local HeroesDedicatedvolunteers

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DEPARTMENTS

4 Our Serve

7 Industry News

14 TIA News

17 Court Construction

18 Racquet Tech

20 Retailing Tip

36 String Playtest: Pacific Poly Force

38 Ask the Experts

40 Your Serve, by Holly Chomyn

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Participation, “play occasions”

increase in the U.S.

7 Ninth Annual TIA Forum setfor Aug. 29 in NYC

7 Tennis Machines joins

String ‘n Swing Tennis

8 ITA to move to Arizona;

elects new Board

8 Reyes, Fish to work with

USTA Player Development

8 World Tennis Fitness

Conference in July

8 Powershares Series kicks

off 10th year

10 Short Sets

10 USTA takes part in White

House Easter Egg Roll

10 Spinfire launches in U.S.

and Canada

11 Zondag is new PBI president

11 ESPN’s McKendry focuses on

Grand Slams

12 Peoplewatch

PLUS

42 CEO’s Message

44 Vice President’s Message

46 Endorsee News

48 USPTA World Conference

50 Master Pro Corner

52 Inside Coaching

54 USPTA News

58 Career Development

60 Member News

JUNE 2016

TennisIndustry

FEATURES

22 Clothes CallsIs selling apparel a challenge for your shop?These retailers make it look easy.

24 Residential DevelopmentThree award-winning private courts are greatexamples of tennis facility construction.

28 Local HeroesThese dedicated volunteers, from eachof the USTA’s 17 sections, are helping togrow this game where it counts themost—at the grassroots.

48

Start Making

Plans for the

USPTA World

Conference

52

The Tiebreaker

Plan

50

Mental

Toughness

54

USPTA Joins

PHIT America

2 TennisIndustry June 2016

p.41

www.tennisindustrymag.com

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com


p.22

p.24

p.28


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Our Serve

4 TennisIndustry June 2016 www.tennisindustrymag.com

AM ON G TH E HI GH LI GH TS AT TH IS

year’s USTA Annual Meeting in March

was the chance to hear from Craig

Morris, who the USTA hired in Novem-

ber as the new general manager for

Community Tennis & Youth Tennis.

Morris came from Tennis Australia,

where he served in the key role of direc-

tor of participation.

Morris said things many of us have

been pushing for years. When it comes

to getting people, especially kids, into

tennis, he stressed that everything

needs to be seen through the eye of the

consumer. “This is not about us; it’s

about the next generation of players.”

What is it about tennis that appealsto children? How easy is it for them

to find what they need to get into the

game? What will make them choose the

sport, and continue to play it?

And then he said the magic words we

too often ignore in this industry: “We

have to keep it simple.”

Many of us have hammered on that

theme over the years. To me, part of

keeping it simple is using all the tools at

our disposal to grow the game, no mat-

ter where they come from. Let’s not

duplicate efforts and waste more timeand money. Let’s no longer fall victim to

the “not invented here” syndrome.

The USTA’s influence and resources

are vast, but many things in this

industry that may well help grow the

game—sensibly, simply and cost-effec-

tively—just won’t happen if the USTA

isn’t behind it. This isn’t any sort of

revelation; we’ve all known this.

With Morris on board, I’m hopeful

on many fronts that we can “use all

our tools” to grow this sport. Let’s take

Cardio Tennis. Yes, the USTA helped

fund it in 2005, but back then it was all

just the TIA promoting it, with limited

budget and resources. Now, Cardio

Tennis has 1.8 million participants—no

program in tennis has ever had that

kind of growth. In Australia, Morris

realized the value of a tennis product

that focuses on health and fitness,

so they licensed Cardio Tennis from

the TIA. With Morris now part of the

USTA, I look forward to the organiza-

tion seeing the value in using Cardio

Tennis to reach new consumers.

In the keep-it-simple and not-du-

plicate-efforts categories, let’s look at

PlayTennis.com, an unbranded website

simply devoted to getting and keepingpeople playing. Again, with limited

resources, the TIA has grown

PlayTennis.com to hundreds of thou-

sands of users and registrants who

can find partners, matches, lessons,

coaches, courts, etc.—but there is more

to do. I’m hopeful now this industry can

come together to grow participation for

all ages through PlayTennis.com, rather

than trying to re-invent it.

I’m looking forward to the future,

and to what I hope will be a construc-

tive re-evaluation of what we’re doing,and how we’re doing it.

Peter Francesconi

Editorial Director

[email protected]

Re-Evaluating What We Do

PUBLISHER

JE FF WI LL IA MS

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

PETER FRANCESCONI

MANAGING EDITOR

SCOTT GRAMLING

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

IAN KNOWLES

SENIOR EDITOR

ED MCGROGAN

AR T DI RE CTO R

CRHISTIAN RODRIGUEZ

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER

BOB PATTERSON

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

ROBIN BATEMAN, CYNTHIA CANTRELL,

PEG CONNOR, KENT OSWALD, CYNTHIA

SHERMAN, MARY HELEN SPRECHER

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

BOB KENAS, DAVID KENAS

WEBMASTER

GREG RAVEN

AS SO CI ATE ED ITO R

TIM MCARTHUR

EDITORIAL DIRECTION

10TEN MEDIA

TENNIS INDUSTRY

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ADV ER TI SI NG DI RE CTO R

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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, 48 W 21st St., New York,NY 10010. Periodcal postage paid at Duluth, GA and

at additional mailing offices (USPS #004-354). June

2016, Volume 44, Number 6 © 2016 by USRSA and

Tennis Industry. All rights reserved. Tennis Industry,

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the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125.

Phone circulation and editorial: 646-783-1450.

Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis

Industry, 48 W 21st St., New York, NY 10010. 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.


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The number of peopleplaying tennis in the

U.S. and the number

of tennis “play occasions”increased in 2015, according

to the latest figures released by

the TIA and USTA, which werepart of the Physical Activity

Council (PAC) Annual Partici-pation Study.

In addition, the PAC study

shows tennis is the onlytraditional participation sport

to see an increase in overall

participation over the lasteight years—up 6 percent since

2007. All other traditional

participation sports—soccer,basketball, baseball, football,

volleyball, golf, fishing and rac-quetball—saw declines in that

time period. The PAC study isthe largest single-source independent sports participation survey in the U.S., measuringparticipation in more than 120 sports and activities.

For 2015, total tennis players numbered 17.96 million, which is a .3 percent increase

from 2014, according to the PAC study. “Core” tennis players—those who play 10 ormore times a year—increased .5 percent to 9.96 million. The number of tennis “play oc-

casions” also increased in 2015, both overall and for core players. Overall play occasions

were up .8 percent to 446.4 million; core players accounted for 418.3 million of thoseplay occasions.

Last year, there were 2.07 million new tennis players, which is a 3.8 percent increase

compared to 2014. Another 2.2 million players “returned” to the game in 2015, which isa 14.8 percent increase. The total for combined new and returning players in 2015 is a

9.2 percent increase from 2014. In addition, 14.75 million Americans who are non-play-

ers are interested in playing tennis, and another 12.8 million who may not have playedin the past year “consider themselves” tennis players.

Youth participation saw slight declines for ages 6 to 12, with participation at 2.11 mil-lion, a 1.1 percent drop from 2014, and for ages 13 to 17, which fell 5.5 percent, also to 2.11

million players, while overall "core" youth participation rose in 2015 by 5 percent.

Of particular note is the Cardio Tennis program, which in 2015 alone grew 12.6percent in participation, to 1.82 million players. Cardio Tennis, which was developed in

2005, was first measured by the PAC study in 2008 and has grown 119 percent in partici-

pation in the past seven years. Also noteworthy is increasing tennis participation among Hispanics in the U.S., which

has been a priority for the USTA. In 2015, Hispanic tennis players jumped 12.2 percent,to 1.79 million players. Participation among Asians in the U.S. increased 5.6 percent in

2015 to 1.98 million. However, African-American players declined by 1.7 percent to 1.9

million, and Caucasian participation dropped .8 percent to 11.89 million.

June 2016 TennisIndustry 7

Industry News Information to help you run your business

Ninth Annual TIA ForumSet for Aug. 29 in NYC

The ninth annual TIA Tennis Forum

will be held on Monday morning,

Aug. 29—the first day of play at the

2016 US Open—at the Grand Hyatt

New York City (42nd Street and Lexing-

ton Avenue).

At the Forum, which is free to

attend, tennis industry executives will

present the latest news about the state

of the industry, including participation

research, equipment sales data, Youth

Tennis, and updates from the USTA.

The Forum also will outline ways to

better define and boost the economic

growth and impact of the tennis

industry, and ways to distribute clear,

consistent messaging of health, fitness

and reasons to play tennis.

The Forum also will honor the 2016

inductee(s) into the Tennis Industry

Hall of Fame.

The morning will include a “Ten-

nis Tech Fair,” which will highlight the

latest products, trends and interactive

resources in the sport. Attendees alsowill receive information on the 2016

State of the Tennis Industry report.

Terry Ward, Tennis Machines Joins String ‘n Swing Tennis

String ‘n Swing Tennis, with ten-

nis retail stores in Memphis and

Nashville, is adding a new store in

the St. Louis suburb of Frontenac. It

has also added a new investor, Terry

Ward of St. Louis. In addition, String

‘n Swing Tennis has purchased the

assets of Tennis Machines, Sales andService of St. Louis.

Tennis Machines, Sales and Ser-

vice traces its roots to the early

manufacture of tennis stringing

machines, dating back to the early

1930s. The new String ‘n Swing Ten-

nis location will also house the St.

Louis Tennis Hall of Fame. Founded

in 1972, String ‘n Swing Tennis car-

ries tennis equipment, apparel,

stringing machines, court equip-

ment and accessories from manu-

facturers all over the world.

Tennis Participation, ‘PlayOccasions’ Increase in the U.S.

PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK


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Industry News

Reyes, Fish to Work WithUSTA Player Development

Gil Reyes, Andre Agassi’s longtimestrength and conditioning trainer, will begin

working with USTA Player Development as a

“master strength and conditioning coach,”

while former world No. 7 Mardy Fish will

continue his work with Player Development

as an “expert consultant” for Men’s Tennis,

coaching and advising men in the Top 100.

Reyes will host select groups of American

junior, collegiate and professional men’s and

women’s players for strength and condition-

ing training camps at his Las Vegas facility.

Widely known for training Agassi throughout

his career, Reyes has also worked with Caro-


ITA Announces Move to Ariz.;Elects New Board of Directors

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the

governing body of college tennis, will move itsheadquarters to the campus of Arizona State

University in Tempe, from its longtime home in

Princeton, N.J. In a statement, the ITA said the moveis “a strategic alliance that will leverage the resourc-

es of a research-based university to grow the sport oftennis locally, nationally and globally.” The ITA saidit will work with Sun Devil Athletics to expand com-

munity outreach and accessibility, develop research-

based initiatives, and create a new collegiate tennismodel centered on advancing the sport.

The organization announced a new board of direc-tors to serve a two-year term beginning July 1. The

ITA board chairman is Jon Vegosen (top) of Chicago,

a former USTA president. Also on the board is theITA’s CEO, Dr. Timothy Russell (bottom) of Phoenix.

ITA Member Coaches are Betsy Kuhle, retired

head women’s tennis coach at Western Michigan

University; Geoff Mcdonald of Vanderbilt Univer-sity; David Roditi, head coach at Texas Christian

University; Bryan Shelton, men’s head coach at theUniversity of Florida; Alison Swain, women’s head coach at Williams; and Vince

Westbrook, men’s head coach at the University of Tulsa.University administrators on the ITA board are: Dr. Charles M. Ambrose, presi-

dent of the University of Central Missouri; Rick Dickson, director of athletics at

Tulane; and Dr. Karin Lee, senior associate athletic director at Ball State University.Other executives on the new ITA board are: William Dutton, partner at Skyline

Asset Management; Harold Edwards, president and CEO of Limoneira Co.; Barbara

Georgescu, retired ad executive with Young & Rubicam; Neel Grover, founder andCEO of Indi.com and chairman of Bluefly.com and The SWI Group; Dr. Mark

Kovacs, a performance physiologist, researcher, author, coach and professor; and

Sean S. Mayo, former top bond broker for JP Morgan.

line Wozniacki, Fernando Verdasco, Grigor

Dimitrov and Sania Mirza.

Fish began working with Player Develop-ment in the off-season at the USTA Training

Center–West in Carson, Calif., and will focus

on coaching and advising Top 100 men.

World Tennis FitnessConference Set for July

The World Tennis Fitness Conference

will be held July 30-31 at Life University in

Marietta, Ga., presented by the Interna-

tional Tennis Performance Association

(iTPA). The conference chair is Dr. Mark

Kovacs, iTPA founder. The conference is

for tennis coaches, strength and condi-

tioning coaches, physical trainers, certi-

fied athletic trainers, physical therapists,

chiropractors, physicians, healthcareproviders and tennis enthusiasts inter-

ested in learning the latest tennis-specific

fitness education. In addition to Kovacs,

speakers include Dr. Ben Kibler, Gil Reyes,

Robby Ginepri, Dr. Paul Lubbers, Lane

Evans, Page Love and Allistair McCaw.

Registration is $170 for iTPA members

and $199 for non-members. Visit itpa-

tennis.org.

PowerShares SeriesKicks Off 10th Year

The PowerShares Series, a tennis circuit for

champion players over the age of 30, kicked

off its 10th anniversary season on April 8 in

Chicago. Each event features two one-set

semifinal matches and a one-set champion-

ship match. For the second straight year,

players will make their own line calls, with

the assistance of electronic line-calling.

Players for 2016 include Andre Agassi,

James Blake, Jim Courier, Mardy Fish, John

McEnroe and 2015 champion Andy Roddick.

Upcoming stops are: July 17—Newport, R.I.;

Aug. 21—Winston-Salem, N.C.; Aug. 25,

26—New Haven, Conn.; Nov. 4—Portland,

Ore.; Nov. 5—Denver; Dec. 1—Orlando, Fla.;

and Dec. 3, New York City. For tickets and

information, visit PowerSharesSeries.com.

ITA Partners With ZebraWeb.org

ZebraWeb.org will serve as the digital

platform for all Intercollegiate Tennis

Association officials and will be the online

hub for communications, training, edu-

cation and certification. ZebraWeb.org

works with over 20 sports, including col-

legiate Olympic and professional sports.

“ZebraWeb.org has the infrastructure

in place to allow our officials to access allof the tools they need to succeed,” says

ITA CEO Timothy Russell. “We're confi-

dent this collaboration will be fruitful for

ITA officials for years to come.”

ZebraWeb.org will allow the ITA to

track all the details about an official (ex-

perience, tenure, certification, personal

information), and allows officials to

update their records. Meeting atten-

dance, dues and training collateral can

also be managed, and it will allow the ITA

to offer the capabilities to perform online

testing and online meetings.



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Industry News

10 TennisIndustry June 2016 www.tennisindustrymag.com

President Obama took to the tennis court on March 28 for the annual White

House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn. It was the seventh straight year

that the USTA and the USTA Foundation have been involved in the event.

The USTA offered families and kids of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to try

tennis in support of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” initiative.

USTA, Foundation Take Part in White House Easter Egg Roll

Spinfire Launches in U.S.

and Canada Spinfire of Melbourne, Australia, has

announced the formation of Spinfire USA

Inc., the exclusive North American distribu-

tor of the Spinfire Pro line of tennis ball

machines and accessories and Spinfire

stringing machines in the U.S. and Canada.

“We are excited to be able to further

increase product availability, brand aware-

ness and product support and service for

Spinfire in the U.S. and Canada,” says Spin-

fire USA President Leon Rudanycz.

Among the company’s products is the

Spinfire Pro 2 ball machine, developed in Australia and introduced into the U.S. more

than four years ago. One of the innovative

features of the Spinfire Pro 2 is its internal

oscillation, which allows the machine to

throw balls in different directions without

the machine itself moving. The machine also

now offers an external portable battery, as

well as an internal battery or AC power.

The company is looking to expand its

dealer network. For more, visit spinfireusa.

com. In the U.S. email [email protected],

or call 888-244-0003; in Canada, contact

[email protected] or 888-299-2021.

ShortSets

The U.S. Fed Cup team

beat Australia, 4-0, in Bris-bane, Australia, in a World

Group Playoff in April. The

win puts the U.S. back

into the World Group for

the 2017 competition.

The Fed Cup is the largest

annual international team

competition in women’s

sports, with 102 nations

taking part in 2016. The

U.S. leads all nations with

17 Fed Cup titles, the last

in 2000.

The Tennis Industry

Association is accepting

nominations for the Ten-

nis Industry Hall of Fame

for 2016, which honors

individuals who have

made a significant impact

on the sport of tennis.

Nominations, which are

due by June 1, can be in

any of four categories:

Inventors, Founders,

Innovators or Contribu-

tors. Those inductedinto the 2016 Tennis

Industry Hall of Fame

class will be honored at

the TIA Tennis Forum

in New York City on

Monday, Aug. 29, the

first day of play at the

US Open.

Criteria for nominat-

ing and a short nomina-

tion form are available

at TennisIndustry.org/

HOF.

Amazon has desig-

nated PHIT America

as one of the Amazon

Smile charities. When

you designate PHIT

America Foundation as

your charity with Ama-

zon, they will donate,

at no additional cost,

one-half of 1 percent of

your purchase to PHIT

America. PHIT America

will then use these funds

and other donations itreceives to put physi-

cal education back in

schools by expanding the

PHIT America GO! Grants

programs. Founded in

2013, PHIT America is a

non-profit campaign fo-

cused on three strategic

approaches—education,

supporting school-based

activity programs, and

advocating—to get

Americans, especially

youth, more active, fit

and healthy. The TIA

is a partner with PHIT

America.

The University of

Auburn came back to

win its first-ever USTA

Tennis on Campus

national title in a super-

tiebreaker, 23-22, over

the University of North

Carolina–Chapel Hill in

April. Auburn was trail-

ing 18-15 heading intothe final mixed-doubles

match.

Since 2009, more

than 3,100 Florida “Play

Tennis!” license plates

have been purchased,

providing the USTA

Florida Section Founda-

tion’s grant programs

with $359,000, as of

January. The revenue,

which represents 90

percent of all proceeds

from the sale of theplates, goes to assisting

charitable organiza-

tions in operating

tennis programs for

Florida’s youth and spe-

cial needs populations,

as well as building and

renovating public ten-

nis courts.


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New Tennis Event TargetsMiami’s Underserved Youth

Before the Miami Open this March,

the city's underserved youth were the

recipients of The Big Serve, a first-time

professional tennis play event andclinic that is planned to be an annual

event. More than 400 kids participated

at the Flamingo Center in Miami Beach,

mingling with celebrities such as Olym-

pic gold medalist Nicolas Massu, fellow

tennis pro Alexander Peya, former

Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning, local

favorite DJ Irie and Miami Beach Mayor

Phillip Levine.

The event was organized by Jona-

than Nussbaum and Flamingo Park

Tennis Director Howie Orlin in part-

nership with USTA Florida. Student

participants ages 6 to 14 were from

the Overtown Youth Center, the DJ Irie

Foundation, Wades’ World Foundation

and the Orlin Foundation.

Using 13 courts with tennis teach-

ing pros and volunteers, the children

for two hours experienced tennis

activities and games, a fitness station

and a short pro exhibition. Each child

received a racquet and red tennis ball,

a T-shirt, and packs of Lace Clips. For

more info, visit thebigserve.miami.

USRSA Adds Two NewCertification Testers

The U.S. Racquet Stringers Association

has added two new Certification Testers:

Liam Nolen of Norwich, England, and Troy

Russell of Toronto, Canada.

Nolen has been a USRSA member for

more than 30 years and an MRT for more

than 20 years. He served on the Wimble-

don stringing team, including a stint as

head stringer. In 2002 Nolen launched the

United Kingdom Racquet Stringers Asso-

ciation (UKRSA), providing workshops on

stringing and racquet service for tennis,squash and badminton throughout the

U.K. He will now be offering the USRSA

Certification Test in conjunction with

UKRSA workshops and seminars.

Russell, an active player, has been a

USRSA member for more than 25 years

and an MRT for over 15 years. His family-

owned business, Racquet Guys (formerly

RCS Racquet Sports), serves all racquet

sports in the Toronto metro area, servicing

and selling racquets for tennis, racquet-

ball, squash and badminton. Russell has

several USRSA MRTs on staff.


René Zondag NamedNew PBI President

Peter Burwash International has

announced the promotion of René

Zondag to serve as the tennis manage-

ment company’s president. Companyfounder and chairman Peter Burwash

will remain active in the growth and

development of PBI and its employees.

“René’s contributions to our com-

pany over the last 19 years have been

exceptional and there is no one more

uniquely qualified to take on this po-

sition,” said Burwash. “He has been

instrumental in PBI’s growth wherever

he has served, exemplifying our core

service standards, developing new PBI

programs and enhancing our existing

programs for our client facilities, guests

and members.”

Zondag has most recently served as

PBI’s vice president for the Middle East,

Europe and Asia, overseeing the com-

pany’s programs, professionals and

growth in these regions. In his new

role, he will be in charge of PBI’s global

growth and operations, including the

company’s tennis programs at five-star

resorts and clubs in 32 countries.

ESPN’s McKendry to FocusOn Grand Slam Coverage

Longtime ESPN SportsCenter anchorChris McKendry has reached a new agree-

ment with the network that ends her time

atSportsCenter but will place a focus on

tennis. McKendry will continue to front

ESPN’s start-to-finish coverage of the Aus-

tralian Open, Wimbledon and US Open.

McKendry joined ESPN’s SportsCenter

in 1996. “But when ESPN first assigned

me to the Australian Open in 2010, I knew

instantly that I was working on my future,”

says McKendry, a tennis player at Drexel

University. “I've decided the future is now.”


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Industry News

People Watch

Media industry veteran

Randy Master has joined theConnecticut Open in its cor-

porate partnerships depart-

ment. He most recently was

vice president and director of

East Coast ad sales for Tennis

Channel, working closely with

major consumer brands.

Jon Glover and Lori Riffice

have joined USTA Player

Development as national

coaches–Player ID and

Development, to help iden-

tify and develop top junior

boys and girls, respectively.

Both coaches will be based

out of the USTA National

Campus in Orlando. Glover

joins USTA Player Develop-

ment from Legacy Youth

Tennis & Education in

Philadelphia, where he wasthe director of player devel-

opment since September

2009. Riffice, a former top

player at UC-Santa Barbara,

has been a tennis instructor

in the private sector for the

past 30 years.

Geoffrey S. Norton has been

named executive director for

USTA Mississippi. He succeeds

Ann Brady, who is retiring

after 20 years in the position.

Norton most recently was a

tennis service rep in Missis-

sippi for the USTA Southern

Section. He is the former USTA

National Manager for Adult/

Senior Competition & Techni-

cal Programs as well as the

former director of development

for PTR, where he continues to

serve as a clinician.

Former South African player

Bob Hewitt was expelled from

the International Tennis Hall

of Fame in April, the first time

the sport’s highest honor has

been revoked from an inductee.

The expulsion is a result of a

conviction against Hewitt on

two counts of rape and one

count of sexual assault. Hewitt,who was inducted in 1992, was

indefinitely suspended from

the ITHOF in November 2012.

At that time, his Hall of Fame

plaque and all references to

him among the Hall of Famers

were removed.

World No. 1 racquetball

player Paola Longoria won gold

in both women’s singles and

doubles at the 2016 Pan Ameri-

can Championships in March.

Chicago-based advertising

sales veteran John Ward is

Tennis Channel’s new director

of advertising sales, Midwest

and Central regions.


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Eight Boys Named to USANational Junior Team

Eight top junior boys qualified for the

2016 Team USA National Junior Team, a

training program designed to give a col-

lection of America’s best young players,born in either 2000 or 2001, opportuni-

ties to train together during the summer

and travel to play against top junior

competition from around the world.

Players were invited to a playoff in

April in Florida, based on tournament

results and USTA and ITF rankings.

USTA Player Development will provide

the National Junior Team with training

opportunities and coaching and travel as-

sistance to select ITF junior tournaments

throughout the summer.

The 2016 Boys’ USA National Junior

Team is: Christian Alshon, Andrew Fenty,

Michael Heller, Jaycer Lyeons, Govind

Nanda, Adam Neff, Axel Nefve and

Sangeet Sridhar.

USRSA AnnouncesNew CSs and MRTs

Certified Stringers

Drew Clifton—Dallas

Lee Rollins—Birmingham, Ala.

Master Racquet Technicians

Mike Baugh—Fort Myers, Fla.

Geoff Browne—Franklin, Tenn.

Cortiglia Debuts New TennisTotes

Recently released from Cortiglia aretwo stylish tote bags suitable to go from

the office to the court, and to the restau-

rant afterward. Detailed in turquoise, the

Tiburon Tennis Tote (suggested retail

$295) can hold two racquets, but also

features a computer sleeve, jewelry

pouch and two outside pockets for easy

accessibility to cell phone or keys. The

newest addition to the Cortiglia line

is the Rendezvous Tennis Tote ($395),

which is made in Italy and also holds two

racquets. For more information, visit

cortiglia.com.



16/64


More than 250 people took part in the third annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) Conference in March in Miami, presentedby the TIA. The conference brought together leading experts in facility management, programming,personnel and other key areas, who provided dozens of best practices, tips and other vitalinformation to grow tennis businesses and bring in more tennis players. Here are some of the key“takeaways” from the 2016 T.O.M. Conference. For many more takeaways, visit TennisIndustry.org.

The four roles of management are to: ProduceResults (short-term effectiveness, driving/goal-oriented), Administer (short-termefficiency, organized/systematic), Entrepreneur

(future-orientedand adaptive,creative/risk-taking), andIntegrate (createa team, have acommon vision/mission).—Dr.Gerry Faust,President, FaustManagement Co.

All organizationsgo through

stages of growth and aging. Along the

way, they may or may not deal well withtheir challenges; if they don’t handle themwell, they can begin to slow down and ageprematurely.—Dr. Gerry Faust

To develop responsible employees, you must:1) Give them work they can be successful at.2) Give a clear understanding of the differencebetween a vision and a mission. 3) Let themknow you care about them. 4) Let them knowthere is something in it for them. 5) Give themmeaningful work.—Dr. Gerry Faust

As a manager, you want engaged problem-solvers. Empower employees—everyone

needs to know they matter and can make adifference. Use these six magic words: “Whatwould you suggest we do?”—Dr. Gerry Faust

Networking andpartnerships are a keyto filling courts andsuccessful programming.Look to friends,supporters, advocates,community membersand leaders, keystakeholders, your ownmembers, employees,etc.—Mike Woody,

National Director ofTennis, Genesis Health Clubs

It’s all about programming, programming,programming—and finding the right person todeliver the programs!—Mike Woody

Conduct an energy audit. Local utilities offerfree energy audits that can help uncovercost-effective energy savings and rebates.Also check out energystar.gov for tips.—P.J.Simmons, Founder, The Tennis Congress andNetGains Foundation

Cardio Tennis is the No. 1way for tennis to get into thefitness industry. Tennis canbe a game-changer in thehealth & fitness industry.—Dr. Jack Groppel, Co-Founder,Johnson & Johnson HumanPerformance Institute

Wellness needs to become a business strategyfor tennis facilities. Incorporating fitness intotennis facilities should be seamless, not just anadd-on.—Dr. Jack Groppel

Taconic Sport & Racquet added pickleball linesto a basketball court, which complementswhat members are looking for, but doesn’t losetennis “real estate.”—Simon Gale, Owner/GM,Taconic Sport & Racquet

A high-performance junior program helpsbring attention to your facility; gets ex-playersinvolved with the club; provides exposure

through p.r. andsocial media;provides top-notchcompetition forjunior development;provides juniorswith a sense ofbelonging.—EmilioSanchez, Owner,Academia Sanchez-Casal

Make the teaching pro an entrepreneur, findingways they can help the business grow. Andincentivize the pro so he or she will grow the

business off the court, too.—Dan Santorum,CEO, PTR

Ownersandmanagersshould

ask staffif they’vecompletedtheir professional development requirements,or better yet, tie continuing education intocompensation or job security.—John Embree,

CEO, USPTA

We need to reach kids in highschool about a career in tennis. Weneed more internships and PTMprograms.—Scott Schultz, ManagingDirector, USTA University

Teachers and coaches must

be R.E.A.L.I.S.T.I.C: Respectful,Engaging, Attentive,Lively, Inspirational,Social, Timely, Involved,Compassionate… andhave to also know howto teach tennis!—GigiFernandez, Hall ofFamer, Coach

Compensation dictatesbehavior. Recognizeand reward those whomake improvements in whatever they aredoing. —Doug Cash, Owner, CashFlow Tennis

For organizing events, follow the five P’s: Properplanning prevents poor performance.—Fernando Velasco, Owner/Manager,Grey Rocks Tennis Club

Nearly 83 million Americans, or 28% of thepopulation, are totallyinactive. Each year, moreAmericans die frominactivity (5.3 million) thansmoking (5 million).—JimBaugh, Founder, PHITAmerica

48% of schools have nophysical education, and

TAKEAWAYS

Dr. Gerry Faust

Mike Woody

Emilio Sanchez

Jim Baugh

Gigi Fernandez

Dr. Jack Groppel


17/64

recess has been eliminated in many schools.The average school budget for PE is $764 peryear. A Pediatrics Study found that on average,kids move only 23 minutes per day in school.—Jim Baugh

73% of tennis clubs and facilities have neverhad a valuation performed on them, 15% hadone recently, and 13% had a valuation overa year ago.—Jim Bates, Co-Founder, SportsClub Advisors

Facilities are choosing cushioned surfaces. Youcan vary the speed of play, and don’t need toresurface as often.—Randy Futty, V.P.-BusinessDevelopment,California SportsSurfaces

Look for those proswith a commitmentto the professionand who aren’tjust passingthrough. They mustunderstand thattennis can be fun,and they need toknow how to keepeveryone engaged. They need to inspire morepeople to play, not steal players and membersfrom other clubs in town.—Cliff Drysdale, Hall

of Famer, Owner–Cliff Drysdale Tennis

Tools for successful retail include a racquetdemo program, a demo program with ballmachine use, and a visible stringing center.Become your new students’ equipment expertand supplier at their first lesson.—Kevin

Brandt, Owner, Brandt SportsManagement

Tennis programming andthe social interaction inclubs is what make peoplestay.—Gary Stewart,Head of Racquet Sports,

Virgin Active

Even though half of allclay courts are still watered from above,subsurface irrigation is a big trend, sinceit reduces the amount of water neededand has lower maintenance costs.—PatHanssen, General Manager, Har-Tru Sports

Safety is a focus with modular surfaces, whichhave more left to right lateral stiffness, makingit forgiving when sliding. Modular providesshock absorption and is environmentallysafe.—Lee Sponaugle, National Sales Director,Sport Court International

You needdedicatedsellers. Also,follow or

establish aspecific salesprocess—itwill helppinpointwhere youmay be losingsales. Manage by the numbers. Goal-settingis critical.— Casey Conrad, President,Communication Consultants WBS Inc.

The customer must be engaged at least onceper week with some sort of intervention orphone call if they don’t show up. Personalinteraction must be a part of the process.

—Casey Conrad

Partnerships arecrucial. Workwith the businesscommunity, chamberof commerce,schools, etc.—VirgilChristian, SeniorDirector, Market/Facility Development,USTA

Opportunities forhealth insurance reimbursement

programs include seniorreimbursement programs,National Independent HealthClub Association (NIHCA.org),independent health insurancecompanies.—Reid Hans, AthleticClub Financial Consultant

As of 2015, 65% of U.S. adults used socialnetworking sites, including 35% of adults age

65+. Over 90% of adultsunder age 35 used socialmedia regularly. Many willnot go to a local business ifthey can’t verify information

about that businessonline.—Bill Konstand,President & CEO, TAG

The top four membercomplaints are: 1) I wantmy kid in the next (higher)

class. 2) Pros contradict each other. 3) Classeshave no purpose. 4) There are no funspecial events.—Jorge Capestany,Manager, DeWitt Tennis Center

Establish a teaching doctrine thatis collaborative. It will reducecomplaints, create a more effective

staff, and is a great training tool forpros.—Jorge Capestany

Cliff Drysdale

Prior to the start of the T.O.M., theTIA presented a State of the IndustryForum, which brought attendees fromall industry segments. Some of the keypoints delivered at the Forum:

We need to work more closely together togrow the game, the industry and the busi-ness.—Jeff Williams, TIA President andManaging Partner, Tennis Media Co.

Despite flat core and overall player participa-tion, tennis is an industry with a $5.73 bil-lion economy projected to grow another $1

billion by 2020. Core players (playing 10 ormore times a year) spent $823 million onequipment in 2014.—Keith Storey, VicePresident, Sports Marketing Surveys USA.

Tennis remains the only major traditionalparticipation sport to show growth (6%)over the last eight years; all other tradition-al participation sports declined.—Jolyn deBoer, TIA Executive Director

One-third of all the money wespend is at retail.—Mark Byrd,Chief Customer Officer, RetailNet-Group

ESPN tennis viewership increased45 percent over the last four years,with 10 times tennis growth overthe last five years on the Wat-chESPN app.—John Suchenski,Senior Manager, Programming &Acquisitions, ESPN

At the new USTA National Campus in Or-lando, “We want to create a learning lab foranyone who delivers tennis” and foster inno-vation in our delivery system.—Kurt Kamper-man, Chief Executive, Community Tennis and

USTA National Campus, USTA“We are going toput a concerted ef-fort toward a short-court version of tenniscalled POP Tennis.”—Kurt Kamperman

The tennis industryneeds to do a better jobof telling its own storyabout ease of play andthe benefits of an active lifestyle. We need todo a better job of marketing health benefits

data to decision-makers outside of this indus-try.—Dr. Jack Groppel

June 2016 TennisIndustry 15

Jeff Williams

Kurt Kamperman

John Suchenski

Casey Conrad

Gary Stewart

Jorge Capestany

FORUMSTATE OF THE INDUSTRY


18/64

The NPAP was unveiled on April 20 in a

press conference at the National Press

Club in Washington, D.C., followed by a

Congressional briefing at the U.S. Capitol.

At the announcement, the sport of tennis

was cited by Dr. Jack Groppel as “the first ofhopefully many entire sports to endorse this

pledge and this plan.”

The NPAP is a roadmap for actions

supporting and encouraging physical

activity for all Americans. “The Tennis

Industry Association (TIA) Board of Directors

represents all sectors of the tennis industry,

and in our efforts to support the NPAP and

bring more activity to all Americans, we are

absolutely thrilled to have the

backing of the sport of tennis,”

Groppel said.

Groppel represented The

Global Alliance for Health & Performance,

the National Coalition for Promoting PhysicalActivity, and the CEO Pledge in support of the

NPAP. He then asked TIA Executive Director

Jolyn de Boer to sign the CEO Pledge on

behalf of the TIA board and the industry

overall. At the Congressional briefing, Rep.

Bob Dold of Illinois and Sen. Roger Wicker of

Mississippi both signed the CEO Pledge. The

pledge is a commitment by senior business

leaders to promote physical fitness. To date,

more than 430

CEOs, executive directors,senior business leaders and other “C”-level

executives have signed.

“Our board is in unanimous support of

the CEO Pledge and how it can help get

Americans moving,” de Boer said. “The sport

of tennis is excited to have been a part of the

announcement of the new National Physical

Activity Plan.” For more information, visit

ncppa.org. and physicalactivityplan.org.

Industry EndorsesNPAP and CEO Pledge

The Tennis Industry Association is

accepting nominations for the Tennis

Industry Hall of Fame for 2016, whichhonors individuals who have made a

significant impact on the sport of tennis.

Nominations are due by June 1.

Those inducted into the 2016 Tennis

Industry Hall of Fame class will be honored

at the TIA Tennis Forum in New York City

on Monday, Aug. 29. Plaques will be on

permanent display in a special industry

section at the International Tennis Hall of

Fame in Newport, R.I. More information

and a short nomination form are atTennisIndustry.org/HOF.

More than 300 tennis industry leaders heard

about the future of the sport, including

challenges and opportunities, at the 2016

State of the Tennis Industry Forum in Miami

in March.

Among the challenges are a national

“inactivity pandemic,” in which 83 million

Americans of all ages self-report as having

“no physical activity.” Tennis, however, isfaring better than most sports, according to

Physical Activity Council data. Over the last

eight years, tennis remains the only

traditional participation sport to show

growth, at 6% overall.

“We look to develop ‘future

thinking’ initiatives to attract and

retain more adults and youth, along with

efforts to improve the tennis marketplace,”

said TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.

Opportunities include the USTA National

Campus, expected to open in Orlando inDecember with more than 100 courts. It will

be “a learning lab for

anyone who delivers tennis,” said the USTA’s

Kurt Kamperman. He also announced the

USTA will be testing POP Tennis, played on

36- and 60-foot courts with ROG balls and

short racquets or paddles.

Prior to the Forum, POP Tennis was

demonstrated on a 60-foot court in the hotel

ballroom, where three Miami TV stationsfilmed the action. The morning also included

a “Tennis Tech Fair.” The Forum closed with

health and wellness expert

Dr. Jack Groppel, who

urged the industry to do a

better job of marketing the

sport’s ease of play and

health benefits.

Following the Forum, about 250 tennis

facility and club owners/managers took part

in the three-day Tennis Owners & Managers

Conference. For more information, visitTennisIndustry.org.

Nominations Sought for2016 TI Hall of Fame

‘State of Industry Forum’Brings Key Leaders to Miami

FORUM

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY


The tennis industry became the first sports industry to endorse the new National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) and the CEOPledge for Physical Activity.

Tennis industry executives sign the

CEO Pledge.


19/64 June 2016 TennisIndustry 17

The goal of the USTA is to grow

the game. A key to that, of course,

is providing well-maintainedcourts and facilities. But building,

renovating and updating courts can be

an overwhelming task for even the mostexperienced tennis facility manager.

The good news is you don’t have to go

it alone. The USTA Facility Assistance

Program offers grants, logistical andtechnical support to help maintain yourfacility’s excellence, or to upgrade it to

suit your customer’s needs.

Since 2005, the USTA has offeredassistance and funding to facilities

nationwide. Technical assistance is pro-

vided—at no cost—from experts withindustry-leading experience in tennis

court and facility construction. Thou-

sands of concept plans, constructiondocument reviews, design decisions

and specifications have been distribut-

ed over the years. To provide assistance

on the ground, project consultants fromthe USTA national staff can deliver

personalized support and service.

“Our goal is to serve as advisors andto make the process as easy and reward-

ing as possible,” says Maiysha Warren,the USTA’s national manager for CTAs,

Parks and Tennis Facility Development.

The USTA typically receives 10 to 16

inquiries a week regarding facility as-sistance. An inquiry kicks off the review

process, during which the USTA workswith the facility to make sure its plans

or desires meet industry standards and

guidelines. The association works onprojects of all sizes, from all over the

country, including community centers,parks, YMCAs, military installations

and schools.

Over the past 11 years, the USTAFacility Assistance Program has built

more than 39,000 tennis courts, allocat-

ing over $12 million to the program.

Currently, there are five categoriesof funding:

Line Grants: Painting permanent

36- and 60-foot tennis lines on existingcourts (blended lines), paved areas,

playgrounds, gymnasiums, etc. (upto 50 percent of total project cost to

$4,000 maximum). Category I: Basic facility improve-ments (up to 50 percent of total cost to

$4,000 maximum). Category II: Resurfacing of exist-ing courts; converting existing 78-foot

court to standalone 36-foot courts;lighting (up to 50 percent of total cost

to $10,000 maximum). Category III: New construction orexisting reconstruction of 36-, 60- and

78-foot courts (up to 50 percent of totalcost to $20,000 maximum). Category IV: Install live streaming

and/or player analysis technology at

varsity tennis facilities (up to 50 per-cent of total cost to $10,000 maximum).

To be considered for funding,among other requirements,communities must:

Be actively engaged with the USTA

Facility Assistance program (complete

the USTA Facility Assistance Form,

work with USTA-appointed projectconsultant, etc.). Meet specified industry standards for

the project, as determined by the USTA

technical team and the latest edition of“Tennis Courts: Construction &

Maintenance Manual.” Demonstrate financial need andmatching (up to 50 percent) of project

funds.

For more information, visitusta.com/facilities or email

[email protected].

Making Dreams a Reality The USTA offers technical and financial support to help

build and renovate courts at facilities throughout thecountry. By E.J. Crawford & Tamarah Strauss

Court Construction



20/6418TennisIndustry June 2016

For most of our readers, direc-

tional requirements for install-

ing cross strings may be a new

concept, but it actually goes back to

the days of wooden frames. Most wood

racquets had a telltale zigzag at the top

edge that was an indicator of what side

the short side should be on, or where

your crosses should start if doing atwo-piece job. At least now, most of

the manufacturers place graphics on

the frames indicating the short side

and placement of the starting knot,

although some are very subtle and

require a search to find them.

If you use the USRSA Stringer’s

Digest for instructions, we try to point

out when directional stringing is

required and provide specific directions

for each model, so look at all the notes

before starting. They will help you get

the most out of your string and racquet.

Why Directional Stringing?

With some frames, it is easy to see

why directional stringing is necessary.

The Prince O-Port frames are the best

example. If you start the crosses on the

wrong side, you will quickly find that

you simply can’t continue, as the O-

Ports just don’t line up.

Other racquets may not be so obvi-ous, unless you know what to look for.

The new Force series from Dunlop and

the Pacific X Tour Pro 97 have recessed

grooves to accommodate the loop on

the outside of the frame, protecting it

from scrapes on the court. If you install

the crosses in the wrong direction,

they not only lose the protection of this

recess, but they are actually raised and

even more exposed to court abrasion.

The most subtle of the current rac-

quets using directional stringing are the

newer Babolat frames. While the Pure

Aero line also has recesses, the Pure

Drive line doesn’t, but it still requires

directional stringing to line up with the

woofer system in the grommet strip.

Look Carefully

Some frames are clearly marked, with

labels indicating “Short-Side” and/

or “Start Knot.” But not all are, andsome markings are very subtle, with

labels so small that it is hard to see even

when you are looking for them. Some

are marked on both the frame and the

grommet strip, which makes it easier.

If you replace the grommet strip, be

sure you have the grommet oriented

correctly, otherwise the frame labels

will now be incorrect. Some racquets

are only marked on the grommet strip,

so you can install them normally as the

strip dictates direction, but they may

be harder to find in the first place.

Racquet Tech

P H

O T O

B Y

B O B

P A T T E R S O N / U S R S A

Following DirectionsMore new racquets require cross strings be installedin a certain direction, which requires attention to detailand a bit of planning. By Bob Patterson


21/64


22/6420TennisIndustry June 2016

N

o matter how sophisticated

the technology shoppers and

retailers use, there are still

only three ways specialty tennis and

pro-shop retailers can grow their busi-

nesses:

Increase the number of customers. Increase the number of transactions. Increase the value of the transactions.

Increasing the number of customers

is a challenge all retailers are strug-

gling with. Relatively flat sales have

been compounded by steadily declining

shoppers at brick-and-mortar stores

over the past six years, all while onlinepurchases have steadily increased.

In response, the retail world has

overwhelmingly incorporated some

form of “omni-channel” retailing—

meaning commerce-enabled websites

and social media providers being

integrated with brick-and-mortar store

brand and operations. One of the most

common forms of omni-channel retail-

ing is ordering online and picking up in

the store. The objectives are increasing

the number of customers—that is, shop-

pers who are converted and closed—anddeveloping a long-term relationship.

This will generate positive word-of-

mouth and increase the number of

customers—both physical and cyber.

Increasing the number of transac-

tions goes hand-in-hand with increas-

ing the number of customers, but its

most powerful application is increasing

the number of transactions with

existing customers! Eighty percent of

sales at the typical specialty retail store

come from about 20 percent of the cus-

tomer base. If you could increase that

number to 25 percent, think about the

financial impact it could have!

Think of it this way: All your costs

are being covered by doing regular

business—or, transactions with about

20 percent of the customer base—so

adding an additional 5 percent is es-sentially incremental, and won’t cost

appreciably more. If you personally

addressed and signed 100 postcards per

day until you have sent them to your

entire customer list, you will have a

simple but extremely effective method

for increasing the number of transac-

tions your shop does with your custom-

er base. It also will increase store traffic.

To go a bit more high-tech, use emails

instead of postcards, and include a code

customers can use when visiting the

store’s website to make a purchase.

Increasing the value of each transac-

tion is all about upgrading and add-on

sales. Many specialty retailers and sales

associates are reluctant to “sell up” or

suggest add-on items—and while we

agree both have to be done carefully

and with some skill, we also know that

no retailer or sales associate is goingto sell today’s consumer anything they

don’t want! Shoppers today will not

hesitate to make it clear when they are

done buying.

If done properly, there is no down-

side to making a knowledgeable recom-

mendation or suggestion for additional

sales—in fact, most of your customers

expect it!

Jay Townley is a partner in the retail

consulting firm Gluskin Townley Group

(www.gluskintownleygroup.com).

Retailing Tip

P H

O

T O

S H

U

T T E R S T O

C K

There Are Still Only Three WaysTo Grow Your Retail Biz!Technology has changed retail, but focusing on businessfundamentals remains the smart approach. By Jay Townley


23/64


24/64www.tennisindustrymag.com22 TennisIndustry June 2016

Apparel Retailing

The tennis shop at the Resort at Longboat Key Club in Long-boat Key, Fla., provides a well-stocked inventory of every-

thing a player needs, which fits perfectly with Tennis Direc-

tor John Woods’ comprehensive tennis program. Apparel has

always played a big part in the shop, and getting away from

the traditional country club look and more into fashion was

a key to building sales.

A few years ago, a large retail space was added, allowing the

shop to carry more products from additional manufacturers,

says Jackie Mitchell, who has run the shop at Longboat for

13 years. She emphasizes the boutique feel of the shop, which

provides diverse choices that cater to both the club’s mem-

bership and vacationers. Among the nine lines are fashion-

forward brands Lucky In Love, Sofibella and Bolle, which

Mitchell says are popular among Longboat’s wealthy, well-traveled clientele. “How it’s displayed and looks when cus-

tomers enter the store is important,” Mitchell says. “It has to

hit their eye immediately.”

When ordering, Mitchell gets almost everything in a par-

ticular group and showcases it in front of the store with

matching accessories like bags, shoes and socks. Showing

skirts with different tops and always rotating displays gives

customers options and encourages multiple purchases.

With a knowledgeable staff and two dressing rooms, the

shop provides an open, easy traffic pattern and comfortable

environment. Members receive a 20 percent discount on

apparel and shoes, and USTA groups also receive a discount.

Holiday promotions help boost sales.

Clothes CallsIs selling apparel a challenge for your shop?These retailers make it look easy. By Cynthia Sherman

Resort at Longboat Key Club

Full-service tennis shops can’t afford not to carry apparel, although often, the apparel category is the

most challenging as far as sales and profit—especially when it’s so easy to point, click and buy that skirt

and top online. For brick-and-mortar stores, inventory needs to be presented in a visually appealing way,

with clothing organized so customers can easily find what they’re looking for and enjoy their experience.

The tennis shop

showcases seasonal

colors on extensive wallspace and low racks with

glass shelving. Half-

body mannequins sportthe latest outfits.


25/64 June 2015 TennisIndustry 23www.tennisindustrymag.com

Game Set Match in Denver is the largest retailer in a five-state region, with four stores. Manager Rachel Heise gives

each apparel brand its own section and utilizes stationary

fixtures, vendor POP displays, racks and mannequins. Cus-

tomer demographics vary from soccer moms to trendy junior

players, so Heise makes sure to stock a cross-section of styles

and brands to fit that range, from athletic to more relaxed.

Apparel is a challenge, says Heise. “It takes up more than

half the store yet accounts for less than half our sales. But you

have to have it—and you have to have a wide variety.”

To differentiate from online competitors, Heise runs “team

nights,” where teams get a 15 percent store discount. Also,

while shopping, teams can have their racquets strung and

gripped. Half the teams that come in end up ordering uni-

forms, which drives sales for fashion pieces and accessories.Heise takes advantage of social media to gain custom-

ers; she’ll promote new items on Facebook and send email

blasts when a new line comes in. The store has a big sale dur-

ing the US Open, sponsors local tournaments and makes

donations, so it gets its name out in a variety of ways.

Game Set Match

Game Set Match's teamdiscount is a tip any

retailer should consider

to boost apparel sales.Customer service should

be immediate, and staff

must be knowledgeable.



Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards

The new, private cushioned hard court at the Nelson

Residence in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., is the 2015 Residential

Silver Award winner. The owners wanted a court complete

with lighting, a seating area and a music system they could

use for entertaining—and they wanted it set in the middle

of a well-known 18-hole golf course they had developed. As

such, the court and surrounding area had to meet aesthetic

requirements to match their home and the golf course design.

One challenge in constructing the court was the several feet

of elevation changes at the site, which required stone retain-

ing walls. The owners chose a natural stone to complement

the golf course and their home. The retaining wall was kept

several feet from the sides of the court to allow surface drain-

age from the court to seep into the stone base and into drain

tiles. Drainage around the exterior of the court is through

natural landscaped swales.

ResidentialDevelopment These facility winners at private homes are great

examples of tennis-court construction.

n 2015, a panel of judges for the Tennis Industry/American Sports Builders Association pickedout four residential courts as winners in the Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards. One, a

private court on a hillside in Los Angeles, was singled out for “Outstanding” honors. That new,

cushioned acrylic court—with a glass guardrail on the downhill side, resulting in an “infinity”

court with no visual barriers to block a stunning view of the city—was honored with the other

Outstanding award-winners in our February issue. The other three Distinguished award

winners for 2015 include Silver and Bronze honors.

Nelson Residence

Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

(Nominated by Munson Inc.)

Architect/Engineer:Fred Kolkmann

General Contractor:Munson Inc.

Surface: Plexipave

Lights: Har-Tru Sports

Windscreen: J.A. Cissel

Backboard: BollettieriBackboards by Bakko

ASBA Certified Builder:Fred Kolkmann



Dirt Oasis

A new, private red-clay

court located on a semi-

private island in MiamiBeach won the ASBA's

Bronze Award.


28/6426 TennisIndustry June 2016

Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards

The ASBA’s Bronze Award winner is a new, private red-clay

court in Miami Beach. The site is on a small, semi-private

island with limited access over a small bridge, which made

for tight access for court-building equipment. With the

Intracoastal Waterway to the north and west of the court, the

area has both a high water table and poor soil—coral rock was

found while excavating the site. To help mitigate the soil con-

ditions, shallow spread footers were engineered and installed

for all fencing, light poles and net post footings. The court has

both a subsurface irrigation system and a conventional six-

head auxiliary system. Due to lighting restrictions imposed

on the private community by the city, special lighting was

designed with 10-foot mounting height, 3-foot arms and 750-

watt cut-off fixtures, tilted at 35 degrees.

Alsop Residential Court

at Haven Hill

Beverly Farms, Mass.(Nominated by Boston TennisCourt Construction Co. Inc.)

Specialty Contractor:Boston Tennis Court

Construction Co. Inc.Surface: Har-Tru Sports

Lighting System:Har-Tru Sports

Net, Posts, Anchors,Windscreen, Lines, Accessories: Har-Tru Sports

ASBA Certified Builder:David Marsden

Receiving Distinguished Award honors is the Alsop Court

at Haven Hill in Beverly Farms, Mass. The chosen site

for the clay court not only was filled with ledge, but also had

major elevation changes of 24 feet at one end and 15 feet di-

agonally. About 1,000 cubic yards of ledge was blasted out;

some was used as backfill to balance the site, and some as rip-

rap outside of the retaining walls on the low sides. There is a

full perimeter retaining wall which accommodates the light

poles, which on the high side extends more than 10 feet high.

A silt fence was installed around the court on all low sides,

and drainage around the exterior includes swales on the high

side. The chain-link fence does not extend all the way around,

so a divider net curtain on a cable was installed to close off the

open sides during play.

Miami Beach Residence

Miami Beach, Fla.(Nominated by

Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)

Architect/Engineer/General Contractor:

Fast-Dry Courts Inc.

Surface: Har-Tru SportsEuropean Red

Lighting: Techlight

Fencing: TennclosureFence System LLC

Court Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts/

10-S Tennis Supply

Trench Drain System: Zurn Industries

ASBA Certified Builder: John Sonner

For details on the 2016 Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA

or [email protected], or visi t www.sportsbuilders.org.


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“PLAYSIGHT IS THEULTIMATE PLAYER

DEVELOPMENT TOOL”


30/64www.tennisindustrymag.com

Community Tennis

LOCALHEROESThese dedicated volunteers from each of the

USTA’s 17 sections are helping to grow this game where it

counts the most—at the grassroots.



Hernández says he"has a great passionfor helping others."

Watson coached varsitytennis at FarringtonHigh School for anumber of years while

running her programs.

C A R I B B E A N

Creating aSpecial Tennis

Legacy

Adrián Hernández has been contributing to and promot-ing tennis in Puerto Rico for 35 years, involved in develop-ing players at all skill levels—beginner, college, league andadvanced. He even works with instructors. While he has agreat passion for the sport and what it can bring to people ofall ages and abilities, his greatest pride comes from being amentor on ethics, discipline, perseverance and respect.

One of Hernández’s remarkable efforts is leading adaptive

tennis. As an instructor at the Parque Central tennis facilityin San Juan, Hernández has impacted the lives of more than7,000 children, juniors and adults with special needs eachyear with his lessons from Tuesday to Saturday. Since 2007,as a coach of multiple Special Olympics teams, he has ledhis players to more than 40 medals at international events,including 13 gold medals.

“Through tennis, I’ve had the chance to share my knowl-edge about the sport and serve my country with pride,”Hernández says. “Tennis is a lifestyle for me, because when Iam not teaching, I am giving support to my wife and daugh-ter, who are also players. And, as a plus, through tennis Ihave built an extended family.”—Section staff

H A W A I I P A C I F I C

Serving the

Underserved

For decades, Vailima Watson

has been helping the youthof Hawaii believe in them-selves, and her service to thecommunity has made hersomewhat of an institutionin the local tennis scene.

In 1989, she and herhusband, Jerry, started afree tennis program at theKokua Kalihi Valley Clinic, acommunity-organized non-profit in Honolulu formed tomeet the health needs of the

valley's growing Asian andPacific Island population.Since its inception, the pro-gram has provided tennis tothousands of children in thetypically underserved area.By the early 1990s, Watsonbegan feeding her studentsinto USTA Junior TeamTennis programs, many ofwhich she coached herself.

“Life for me is to live andto make people happy,” says

Watson, a 2009 inductee

into the section’s Hall ofFame. “What’s importantis each other. It’s not whoyou are or how rich you are.

What’s important is you as aperson, your character.”

Watson’s guidanceextends well beyond thecourt, as she serves as anacademic mentor—98 per-cent of her students not onlygraduate high school, but goon to college.

“You can’t take anythingelse with you when you leavethis world,” she notes. “Youcan only take your goodworks, what you’ve done,and how you’ve treatedpeople. I know they’re goingto pass that on to their kidsone day.”—Ryan Trujillo

O

OS

COUR

S

O

US



Community Tennis

Dinsmore (left) startedoff as a player for theOrange Blossom Tennis Association, but hasbecome so much more.

Akpan (right) is a former JTT coach and volunteersat the local playoffs andSection Championships.

Herdelin helped GPTLbecome the section'sPremier Provider in 2015and 2016.

F L O R I D A

For Orlando Volunteer,

‘It’s Just Tennis’

For a guy who says he likes being behind thescenes, Jeff Dinsmore is pretty out there when itcomes to the Orange Blossom Tennis Association.The Facebook page manager for the association,which is a social tennis group for LGBT playersand their allies in Orlando, Fla., Dinsmore alsomanages the schedule for weekly round robins,arranges court dates and sends out e-mail blasts.

“I am a bit of a control freak,” he admits.Dinsmore started out as a player in the group,

then became a player representative on the OBTAboard, then became group secretary three yearsago. “We are a small group, always open for othersto join,” Dinsmore says. “We enjoy getting out andplaying some good and not-so-good tennis—butalways having fun and laughs. We offer a weeklyround robin, open to all ages and levels of play.”

These days, says Dinsmore, tennis is just tennison the courts. “I feel the days of ‘gay’ tennisgroups are coming to an end, and I am O.K. withthat. It’s served its purpose. But now with thetimes finally catching up, its just tennis. It’s not‘gay tennis’ or ‘straight tennis’ or any othertennis—it’s simply getting on the courts andhitting that tennis ball.”—Rick Vach

E A S T E R N

In a League of

His Own

Obong Akpan of Brooklyn,N.Y., is a passionate USTALeague player. He currentlycaptains four League teamsin the USTA Eastern’s MetroRegion, where he organizespractices and matches threetimes a week. A captainsince 2008, Akpan also playson several League teams

himself—last season heplayed for seven teams.

“My favorite part of USTALeague is the competition,”he says. “I’ve also beenfortunate to meet a lot ofpeople and make manyfriends through playing.”

But Akpan, who wasnamed USTA Eastern’sOrganizer of the Monthfor April, takes his love oftennis to the next level. He

volunteers at Youth Tennisprograms in his communityand introduces his Leagueteammates to volunteeropportunities in their localcommunities.

“I try to recruit membersof my team to coach JuniorTeam Tennis or get theirkids to play on teams,” Ak-pan says. “It’s rewarding towatch the kids develop intogood players from season to

season.”—Kelsey Clark

M I D D L E S T A T E S

Tennis for a

Change

Keriann Herdelin believestennis can change the world.

And given the way GreaterPottstown Tennis andLearning is offering tennisin Pottstown, Pa., she’s right.

With just Herdelin, theexecutive director, runningthe day-to-day operations,GPTL is earning recognition

nationally. It was selected asone of 29 National JuniorTennis and LearningChapters to be part of theUSTA Foundation CapacityBuilding Program. Theorganization also runs freeprograms for students in thePottstown School District,as well as for low-incomeand special needs players.

One of GPTL’s highlightscame when it partnered with

USTA Middle States to hosta tournament with SpecialOlympics of Pennsylvania.

“We want to promotehealthy behaviors at an earlyage,” Herdelin says. “Char-acter-building, healthyliving and sportsmanshiparen’t always pushedenough. Those are some ofthe things that we’reworking with partners onreally promoting.”

—Michael Gladysz



In the winter, Garciatakes his programindoors to elementaryschools and PE classes.

Gibson cites her USTAteam as "my lifeline"and is grateful for theirsupport.

The USTA Missouri Valleyhas honored Platt forhis contributions andcommunity service.

I N T E R M O U N T A I N

Tennis in Boulder

is ‘Gonzo’!

Gonzalo Garcia, better known as “Gonzo,” runs ayear-round playroom for the Parks & RecreationDepartment in Boulder, Colo. It may consist ofdrills that teach hand/eye coordination and howto live an active, healthy lifestyle—skills kids need

to play tennis—but it feels more like a party.“Tennis isn’t fun unless you play it with Gonzo,”

says 4-year-old Finn Muller.“When I first started ‘Gonzo Tennis’ in 2007,

we had maybe 10 kids in the tennis program,” saysGarcia, a USPTA pro from Argentina. “But I hada vision. I’m passionate about coaching. I’ve beendoing it for more than 30 years and I wanted todevelop a program that had a strong identity andconsistency, similar to the one my brother and Ideveloped in Argentina called ‘690’—because ten-nis is a sport you can play from age 6 to 90.”

A typical summer program has 500 to 600 par-

ticipants on court in two-and-a-half months andcan be found at two Boulder Rec Centers.

“I credit a lot of our success to our unique andimportant partnership with the city,” Garcia adds.“It’s a win-win—the city gets programs run byprofessionals that get people excited about play-ing tennis and out on the 53 courts in Boulder.

And I get the exposure and opportunity to pro-mote my baby.”—Wendy Anderson

M I D W E S T

Sharing Tennis

and Fun

Beth Gibson’s 11-year-oldson Will is her hero. Bornwith Down syndrome, Willwas the inspiration behindthe creation of Buddy UpTennis Inc., an adaptivetennis and fitness clinic forchildren and adults withDown syndrome.

In 2008, Gibson noticed

how Will would watch whenshe and her older son playedtennis at Wickertree Tennis& Fitness Club in Columbus,Ohio. Two staff members,Stephanie Anderson andDoug DiRosario, alsonoticed and volunteered toteach Will how to play.

While researchingteaching techniques, theyrealized there was a need fortennis and fitness programs

for individuals with Downsyndrome. Later that year,Gibson, Anderson andDiRosario conducted thefirst Buddy Up Tennis clinic.The program is now offeredin 15 locations nationwide.

“Will has given me adifferent perspective on lifeand I feel lucky to be able to

value what is important:family, friends and tennis tokeep us all having fun,” says

Gibson.—Section staff

M I S S O U R I V A L L E Y

Building From

the Ground Up

Name a successful tennisplayer from St. Louis, Mo.,and it’s likely that they gottheir start in one of MarkPlatt’s programs.

Platt created Beginner’s World Tennis in St. Louis in1984 to encourage newtennis players, team tennisleagues and community

events. More than 30 yearslater, it’s not uncommon tohave over 1,000 people of allages participating in Platt’sprograms and events atmore than 25 facilitiesacross the St. Louis area. Healso has a staff of 10 whoteach lessons, and Platt’sprogram will have morethan 10 Junior Team Tennissquads this summer.

Platt was named Grass-

roots Champion of the Yearby Tennis Industry magazinein 2002, and he received theEve Kraft CommunityService Award from theUSTA in 2004.

“Everything I’ve done hasoften been met with at leastsome resistance, but iteventually becomes anindustry trend a few yearslater,” Platt says. “I try tostay ahead of the game.”

—Andrew Robinson P H

O T O S

C O U R T E S Y

O F

U S T A


34/6432 TennisIndustry June 2016

Community Tennis

"Coach Enoch" is afixture in Washington,D.C. for his support oftennis-playing childrenand their families.

"Sharing something Ifeel passionate aboutis quite fulfilling,"says Cutone.

In 2003, the courts inMilbank were named inhonor of Larry, known as"Mr. Milbank Tennis."

M I D - A T L A N T I C

Coaching Overtime

Enoch Thompson, known as “Coach Enoch,” has

taught tennis for 25 years. He started coachingUSTA Junior Team Tennis 10 years ago and hasmanaged the Young Masters program in Washing-ton, D.C., for the past five years.

Of the many benefits of tennis, the one thatresonates most with Thompson is how lessonslearned inside the lines of a tennis court can beapplied to life outside as well.

“Junior Team Tennis teaches kids how to winand what to do when they don’t win,” Thompsonsays. “I don’t like to use the word ‘ lose.’ Being partof a team helps develop real life skills they cantake off the court—like how to support others andovercome hardships.”

One of the hardships a player of his had to over-come was the death of a parent. Ajani Bell, age 10,was a player in Thompson’s program when hismother passed away in 2015. Thompson encour-aged Bell to stick with tennis, keeping him in asupportive and safe environment. Coach Enochserves as a mentor to Bell and has made him a fix-ture of the Trinity Washington University tennisteam, where Thompson serves as head coach.

Thompson epitomizes what tennis offers: activ-ity, fun, life lessons, support, teamwork, friend-ships and memories.—Chris Miller

N E W E N G L A N D

Maine

Contributor

It’s hard to top the dedica-tion of Dr. Steven Cutoneof Kennebunkport, Maine.Cutone, a USTA Leagueplayer, is a volunteer for theRec Department’s summertennis program and at theindoor Apex Junior Tennis

Academy. He also sponsorscharitable tournament play

and has rallied parents andinstructors in his commu-nity to start programs.

“Volunteering has been agreat source of pleasure forme,” Cutone says. “There areso many life lessons that canbe taught through the gameof tennis.”

In 2015, Cutone receivedUSTA New England’s Maine

Volunteer of the Year award.That same year, he and his

family (wife Jen; kids Olivia,8, George, 10, and Alberto, 7)were honored by the MaineTennis Association as theFamily of the Year for theircontinued work hosting aweekly youth tennis night.

“Steven and his familyhave been tremendous con-tributors to our game, andwe are extremely grateful,”says Scott Steinberg, USTANew England president &

CEO.—James Maimonis

N O R T H E R N

Family Tennis

Affair in Milbank

When it comes to tennis inMilbank, S.D., well, theCantine family is tennis.

“I have never met a familywho cares so much about thesport,” says Milbankresident Ron Waletich.

Last summer, the Can-tines—Larry, Loretta, Kevin,Greg and Scott—organized a

Level 8 tournament andUSTA Play Day to introduce

juniors to the sport, whileKevin ran the summerprogram aimed at kids ages12 to 16. Kevin also ispresident of the MilbankCommunity Tennis Associa-tion, after taking over fromhis father this year, who hadrun it the previous 40 years.In 2015, the Cantine familywas named USTA Northern

Family of the Year.The Cantines play area

tournaments and fund-raiseyear-round to support teamsand camps. They also workwith Combined Appeal,showing the value of tennisactivities for the community.

“We never have felt likewe did that much,” Larrysays. “It is just a great game.

Who wouldn’t want to beinvolved in tennis?”

—Lisa Mushett


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N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A

Above and Beyond

in Sacramento

The Sacramento Community Tennis Association,founded in 1999 by Alan Criswell, offers afford-able junior tennis programs to more than 300youngsters in the Sacramento area, with a focuson underserved kids. Criswell’s work continues toboost the sport in Northern California, and in2015, the Sacramento Community Tennis

Association was named the section’s OutstandingCommunity Tennis Association.

Criswell focuses on all players. In 2010, he wasawarded the Wheelchair Tennis Outstanding

Volunteer, which goes to an individual that hasgone above and beyond in providing outstandingservice to the wheelchair tennis community.

“The staff and people at USTA NorCal helpmake us a success,” Criswell says. “We’re sup-ported in all areas and implementing programsthat follow the USTA model and player develop-ment pathway for junior tennis, and we have hadsupport from the very beginning.”—Section staff

Known as "Mr. AntelopeTennis," Criswell wasinstrumental in thecreation of the AntelopeTennis Center.


36/64www.tennisindustrymag.com

Kester's persistenceand acumen has keptPiedmont Park's tenniscenter humming.

Henry has coachednational champions andhelped bring familiestogether on the court.

S O U T H E R N

Teamwork Boosts

Atlanta Tennis

Dan Kester knows the namesof all the players on his tennisleague teams. That may not soundunusual, but Kester leads about 30teams every year.

While Kester himself can’t playon 16 USTA League, 15 ALTA teamsand two young adult rec teams, hehas figured out how to keep themall going. He uses his organization

skills that help make his business, IPlay Atlanta, a success. Kester has asolid business model and asks oth-ers to implement it.

“My goal is to get more playersplaying,” Kester says. “So, I set upthe teams and then have someoneon each team make up lineupcards and handle rainouts andother details.”

But Kester’s service to Atlantatennis goes beyond organization.“About five years ago I went to

USTA Atlanta and asked how Icould help,” he says. “The AtlantaYouth Tennis & Education Founda-tion asked for used racquets. I wasable to collect 150.”

Since then, Kester has donatedmore than 1,000 racquets.

Kester then set up a collectionbox at this store for used balls;each year, he brings roughly 5,000balls to the AYTEF. Additionally,he collects used shoes and sells therubber, donating the money to the

AYTEF.—Ron Cioffi

S O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A

A Tennis MentorChanges Lives

Since 1971, Dee Henry hasbeen leading the tennis teamat Biola University in LaMirada, inspiring playersto become outstandingstudents and leaders. “It’s athrill to see a player devel-op,” she says. “I love teach-ing tennis and find greatfulfillment in doing it year in

and year out.”Henry’s involvement with

the Southern CaliforniaTennis Association beganin 1983 as a site coordinatorfor the LA84 FoundationNJTL. A product of the VicBraden Tennis Academy,Henry is a Level P1 certifiedUSPTA pro. After meetingBrad Parks, she wanted tobe involved in wheelchairtennis, too, and received her

certification in 2008. Shealso has been recognized forher work serving challengedathletes in the community.In 2008, Biola was selectedas the SCTA OrganizationalMember of the year.

“Dee is and has been amentor t

201606 Tennis Industry magazine

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