Yankee PROse by USPTA New England

YANKEE PROse New England Division

October 2014

Chatham Bars Inn Cape Cod, MA 2014 USPTA New England Convention November 7-9

JUNIOR TENNIS CAMP June - July - 2015 Dates TBA

Located at Dartmouth College Celebrating our 27th year! Directed by Chris Drake, Bob Dallis, and Dave Jones, the Dartmouth College Tennis Coaches One of Tennis Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 Best Junior Tennis Camps in the Country!

www.kjtctennis.com or call (603) 646-0751

President’s Message BOARD OF OFFICERS Dear USPTA New England Pros and Coaches, We have our annual USPTA New England Convention coming up in a few days! If you didn't attend the Tennis Teachers Conference in New York, this is the next best event of the year. USPTA and PTR both have mandatory educational requirements. So encourage all your certified pro friends to attend as it is only $75 for USPTA/PTR members. We have a terrific line-up of speakers at Chatham Bars Inn and Willy's Gym on Cape Cod. See you there!! We are also planning to move the 2015 USPTA New England Convention to May. Not that far away! USPTA also has added renewed and new benefits including Rezilient Direct and Power Plate. Rezilient Direct offers additional health coverage for our members. If you didn't know, Rafael Nadal uses Power Plate to help him train. The vibrating plate increases muscle contractions making workouts more effective. It's amazing how advances in sport science and technology can elevate our game. Speaking of sport science and mandatory education, we are planning to have a specialty course in every state in New England this winter and early spring. The courses will be quite inexpensive and have a social side (e.g, lunch). And you get educational credits for your accredited professional coach classification and mandatory education. If you have a topic in mind and want a specialty course at your facility, please contact me at douglas.w.eng@ gmail.com or our Education Committee Chair and Regional Vice President, Phil Parrish at lftennisdirector@hotmail.com And finally, speaking of sport science and education, you probably already know that one of our great legends, Vic Braden passed away. USPTA inducted Vic into the Hall of Fame just this past year. Vic made more people laugh than Adam Sandler and Will Farrell combined and taught tennis to more people than the entire population of New England…at least, if you saw his old PBS shows or read his books, during the tennis boom of the 70s. If you got a chance to listen to Vic, he'd make you laugh telling jokes referring to donkeys, elephants and tennis. How many of us own one of Vic's books? How many of us have filmed our students? Braden was a pioneer in biomechanical analysis and sport psychology. He had a collection of tens of thousands of video that ESPN deemed important enough to digitalized and archived. He even had his own ESPN show. Vic Braden was also an original member of the USTA Sport Science Committee. Regarding video analysis and the USTA committee, he was personally an influence on me. Several years ago when I first joined the USTA Sport Science Committee, I was ecstatic. It's the group that had great tennis minds like Jim Loehr, Jack Groppel and Vic Braden. Unfortunately my timing wasn't great since they no longer served on the committee. Over the years, I had several chances to share ideas with Vic regarding footwork, brain-typing or expertise in sports. Vic was always generous and willing to give his time to others, especially children. For those of us too young to know who Vic Braden was, think again. Your coach was probably influenced by Vic. He influenced virtually all of us, directly or indirectly. Vic was every tennis pro's mentor. He never left us. If we carry on Vic’s legacy, pursue your coaching education. be like Vic. Best, Doug

PRESIDENT Doug Eng, Ed.D, Ph.D. 30 Revere Beach Pkwy. #302 Medford, MA 02155 Cell/H 617-281-8368 douglas.w.eng@gmail.com REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Phil Parrish 3 Woodside Road Framingham, MA 01701 H 508-877-8903 W 508-358-7355 Cell 617-794-8898 lftennisdirector@hotmail.com SECRETARY Michael L. Mercier 108 Lovett Street Beverly, MA 01915 Cell 978-273-6500 mercier@fas.harvard.edu TREASURER Helaine Vrana 20 Lyman Road Framingham, MA 01701 H 508-788-8027 Cell 508-740-5554 hvrana@verizon.net VICE PRESIDENT Connie McHugh P.O. Box 1823 Edgartown, MA 02539 H 508-627-9200 W 508-696-8000 cmtennis@comcast.net VICE PRESIDENT Stephen Thuot, Ph.D. 9 Garfield Stret Maynard, MA 01754 W 978-369-7349 Cell 617-283-7340 sthuot@adirondackclub.com VICE PRESIDENT John Ciarleglio 20 Southpont Lane Ipswich, MA H 978-356-3925 Cell 781-697-6639 johnciarleglio@yahoo.com IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Christopher Stevens 502 Springbrook Circle Portsmouth, NH 03801 W 603-610-0183 Cell 603-969-2648 cstevens@wentworthbytheseacc.com EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR Amy Hartigan P.O. Box 333 Duxbury, MA 02331 Cell 339-236-6073 usptaneweng@gmail.com

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Tennis Ball Grants You can get a Prince tennis ball grant (up to two cases) for grassroots tennis events. Submit a written request describing your program details, the location and dates of the event. Also, what pros are involved and the type of people that your program will serve (preferably novices and beginners). Programs that qualify are any type of free or low-cost programs or an event of your own creation. The grants are sponsored by USPTA New England Division. E-mail your request to President Doug Eng at douglas.w.eng@gmail.com for processing. Apply early as there are a limited number of cases of Prince balls for this program.

Reid Tennis Courts, Inc. Tim Reid P.O. Box 1551 Avon, CT 06001 860-678-0479 TReid1551@aol.com

Find-a-Pro Visit USPTA's free job listing service, Find-a-Pro, at www.uspta.com, to find a job, list a job or find other USPTA Pros.

A N U S E

The difference between the best athletes and the rest is in how they handle their ‘bad' days Allistair McCaw McCaw Method Sport Performance

Also, In my experience of working with athletes, I’ve found that it’s those with perfectionist like personalities who are most likely to impede their performances by not accepting that they aren’t playing as well as they’d like to. They end up letting matches slip away that they should have won by being frustrated that they weren’t playing the way they would have liked to. In other words: They beat themselves. Roger Federer with Allistair McCaw,

Here are 6 things a successful athlete does better:

Having almost now been in the athletic/sports industry for 20 years, as an athlete and now sports performance coach, there’s one major thing that stands out for me in athletes. This one thing that clearly separates the ordinary from the extraordinary, the good from the great. What is it you ask? - It’s that the best athletes are the one’s who can best manage their ‘bad’ or ‘off’ days. The days where it feels like nothing is ‘clicking' or going right.

1. A successful athlete accepts that they aren’t going to play their best every time they step onto the court, track or playing field.

Having spoken to a former Wimbledon Champion about this, he let me in to the fact that as an elite athlete, you will probably only experience that ‘in the zone’ feeling or moment no more than 3 or 4 times in your career. That ‘perfect’ performance or match if you like.

3. A successful athlete understands that in order to win on their ‘bad’ days, they need to always give their best and believe they can actually win.

2. They understand that success doesn’t lie in a oneoff upset against a big player or just having a few good results. It lies in consistent control of their emotions and mindset.

4. A successful athlete doesn’t spend their time comparing themselves or current level to their best ever performances.

Now, to some of you that might sound very pessimistic, but it’s true. You see, It doesn’t always go perfectly or to plan out there, a bit like life. In my experience, the biggest mistake a lot of athletes make is comparing their current performances to their best one. They feel that having achieved that ‘in the zone’ performance they should be playing like that every time. Probably the hardest thing for an athlete to realize is, that in a 365 day year, you will have more days that you aren’t going to be playing to your expectations and ability.

5. The success of an athlete lies in their ability to play ‘well enough’ to pull out a win on that day. They understand it gives them another day and chance to make it better! 6. They don’t ruin their chances of winning or playing better (even when playing poorly) by letting a negative or bad attitude get in the way.

However, it is no excuse for not always giving your best effort and attitude. Great athletes like Roger Federer, Rory McIlroy and Serena will tell you that they’ve won some of their biggest matches and tournaments playing far less from their best. They simply did what they needed to do that day to get through. That, my friends is the difference.

So, in summary, we need to teach our athletes to get rid of the quest for perfection and rather aim for consistency and improvement in their daily performances "controlling the controllables". Also, that they learn to accept that they aren’t going to play great every time they step onto the court, but through the right mindset, it can still be good enough to get them through that day.

Welcome New Members March to September

Rick Ballou Courtney Bartlett Lanell Beckles Christopher Bentley Dermot Caffrey Brian Carlson Brooke Faulkner Daniel Giammalvo David Gold Megan Hall Chris Ivanov Jem Kogen Tigran Matirosyan Connor Schon Fernando Paiva Dana Parziale Eliot Potvin Daniel Regan Anthony Russo Jake Ryan Happy Simbarashe Frederick Steiwer Bryce Warren William Wiseman

Hanover, NH Boston, MA Watertown, MA Burlington, CT Southborough, MA Lynn, MA Boston, MA Milford, MA Richmond, VT Cranston, RI Hyannis, MA Great Barrington, MA Lynn, MA Hanover, NH Cleveland, MS Cumberland, RI Brighton, MA Old Greenwich, CT Beverly, MA Norwood, MA Stowe, Vermont Norwalk, CT Waltham, MA Olathe, KS

Upgrades: Mary Gambale Bellerica, MA Gennady Burakovsky Milton, MA

Courtney Bartlett • I grew up in Atlanta, GA and have been playing tennis my entire life. I traveled the country as a nationally ranked junior, played varsity tennis for Walton High School, then went on to play for Williams College as a scholar athlete, NESCAC and New England Champion, and All-American. I started teaching tennis at Universal Tennis Academy while still in high school, and never stopped. Upon graduation from college I got a full-time job with Forrester Research, but throughout my 8 year long career there continued to teach tennis part time in the cities I lived: first, Longwood Cricket Club in Boston, then the East Bank Club in Chicago, followed by the Roosevelt Island Racquet Club in New York City. I recently moved back to Boston, decided to trade in my tech career to follow my love for tennis, and am now teaching out of Natick Racquet Club working with adults and children, and am a coach with the New England Academy of Tennis as well. Why I teach • Tennis has taught me more about myself and prepared me more for life than anything else. I teach tennis because I love sharing what I've learned with others, and helping others discover their own passion for the game. It's so much more than a game!

Dana Parziale is originally from Pinehurst, North Carolina, but has made Rhode Island his new home. He is a graduate of Bryant University where he majored in Computer Information Systems and Minored in Communication as well as playing for their Men`s Tennis Team from 2010-2014. He has worked at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI and most recently was a Staff Professional at the prestigious The Dunes Club in Narragansett, RI. During the 2014/15 winter season Dana is available for private and group lessons in the greater Providence, RI area.

• 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Tigran Martirosyan started playing tennis in Armenia and has been playing tennis for 23 years. He played junior tennis in the US and went on to play college tennis for the University of Kentucky where he was an All-American. After college he played professional tennis and reached 361 on the ATP Tour. He has been teaching since 2008 and is currently a teaching pro at Westboro Tennis and Swim Club.

Bucket List Attend every grand slam Play on the world's highest tennis court in Dubai Visit every continent, even Antarctica (Re)learn Italian, and stay fluent this time! Have an Alaskan Malamute (named Spock)

Upcoming Testing Date November 15-16 USPTA CRC and Certification Wentworth By The Sea CC - Rye, NH For all information concerning 2015 testing date contact Head Tester Wayne Turner at 401-863-6801 / wturner@ric.edu

2014 USPTA NE TTC ATTENDEES Alrutz, Rikki Andersen, Lance Anderson, Kirk Angeli, Bruce Banks, James Bazinet, Jason Brown, Aaron Cassidy, Ryan Chase, Robert Christian, Kevin Connolly, Susan Eng, Doug Filipek, Michael Gagliardi, Paul Gardner, Sue Gilbert, Townsend Gold, David Koekkoek, Peter Kolendo, Mike Lyons, Christine Maitland, Barbara Mccartney, Harvey Mercier, Michael Misitrano, Patricio Murray, Avis O'Connell, Steve Paolini, Gregg Parlman, Ron Parrish, Phil Smith, Scott Stevens, Christopher Thuot, Stephen Tortolani, Mark Van Aarem, Amy Vero-Casavant, Collin Vidal, Victor Vrana, Helaine Wishingrad, Amy

Congratulations USPTA Honorees YEARS OF SERVICE 30 Years Jeff Bearup Carl Briggs Tom Over Scott Smith 35 Years Charles Renfrew 40 Years Larry Abrams Bob Briggs Peter Jutras Ed LeDuc Marvin Moriarty Henry Tiberiow Ernie Uthgenannt 45 Years Charles Kinyon 50 Years Dudley Bell Edward Letteron USPTA SPECIALIST in COMPETITIVE PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Christopher Stevens

Pr s

n the G Congratulations Dave Altshuler The 25th anniversary of The Jimmy Fund Tennis Classic was held at Beverly Golf and Tennis on Friday June 27. Tennis Director and General Manager Mike La Pierre generously offered the use of the 10 clay courts for the Jimmy Fund cause. Heartfelt thanks go out to Mike and his terrific tennis staff. In the photo below Dave Altshuler is holding two plaques that were presented to him by the Jimmy Fund and the DanaFarber Cancer Institute commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Jimmy Fund Tennis Classic which started in 1990. With this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total of $44,520 raised, Dave passed the $950,000 mark. This is indeed remarkable and worthy of recognition and praise for his supreme effort over the years in running this annual LFL event..

Lesson for Life Fundraiser at Bass Rocks Golf Club Bass Rocks Golf Club hosted the Play for Pink Fundraiser as part of the USPTA Lessons for Life. The event was held in late July and was well attended. Three separate round robins were held and the Tennis portion raised over $1,300 for this worthy cause. The golfers also participated on the same day and with both combined the Bass Rocks Golf and Tennis raised over $6,500 for Play for Pink. Avis Murray, USPTA Master Pro and Director of Tennis organized the event and was assisted by Kim Foster and Lynne Salah.

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New England raises over $195,000 Amount

Date Pro

Club

Charity

$ 11,000 6/6 Host Pro: Bill Mountford

New Canaan CT Field Club and Woodway CC

$ 45,500 6/25 Host Pro: David Altshuler

Beverly Golf & Tennis Beverly, MA

$ 6,500 7/31 Host Pro: Avis R. Murray Assistants: Kimberly Foster Lynne Salah Terri Doane

Bass Rocks Golf & Tennis Club Breast Cancer Research Play for Pink Fundraiser

$135,000

Woodway Country Club Darien, CT

9/12 Host Pro: Bill Mountford 9/13

Mikey Czech Foundation Match Point for Mikey

Jimmy Fund at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Alliance of Southern CT Grassroots Tennis Program

It’s not too late to register your Lessons For Life event. For miore information and details contact the USPTA New England Lessons For Life Chairperson Helaine Vrana at hvrana@verizon.net. All Lessons For Life events must be registered at USPTA by December 31 for our division to receive credit and consideration for 2015 USPTA awards.

On-Court with USPTA featuring New England Master Professional Hans Römer On Sunday morning October 26 at 6:30am EST, Tennis Channel featured our own New England Master Professional Hans Romer hosting a 30-minute show for “On-Court with USPTA.” Hans covered “Secrets to the one-handed backhand.” The one-handed backhand vs the two-handed backhand debate will always be an interesting topic for tennis coaches. “Top players such as Federer, Wawrinka, Gasquet, and Dimitrov are demonstrating that the one-hander is far from extinct,” says Romer, who coaches both strokes.

Power Plate® Partners with USPTA for New Membership Benefit Power Plate is the latest supporter of the USPTA, providing another benefit to USPTA-certified Professionals. As teaching pros, you have a great concern for your own wellbeing as well as that of your customer base, so this partnership with Power Plate will give you an opportunity to provide the latest fitness technology to your club members. Owned by Performance Health Systems, Power Plate is the world’s leader in whole body vibration equipment and is engineered to apply the science behind the body’s natural response to destabilization. USPTA members may sell Power Plate at a special discounted rate to the facilities they operate or visit, as well as to individual clients. In addition, Power Plate will make a contribution to a USPTA member’s Retirement Gold+ account for each unit sold. For more information or to get started, call 866-256-0247. Many of the world’s elite athletes and teams endorse Power Plate in sports such as soccer, basketball, football, baseball, and golf. Professional tennis players who credit Power Plate as an integral part of their training or recovery regimen include Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Power Plate has been linked, in both clinical research and practice, to a wide range of performance, health and wellness benefits, from strength, balance, flexibility and weight loss to improved circulation, pain reduction, detoxification and stress alleviation. Visit the website at powerplate.com.

Joy

The of becoming a member of the USTA New England Hall of Fame How fitting for Betty Walsh to cap off an ongoing highly successful tennis career with her inducton into the USTA New England Tennis Hall of Fame. Many friends, family and colleagues were on hand to see betty receive this prestigious honor.at the Induction Ceremony on Saturday, June 7, at The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI. Avis Murray had the honor of introducing her long-time friend who received this honor for her thirty nine years of being involved with Coaching High School Tennis as well as her commitment and dedication to the Parks and Recreation Programs, She not only holds rankings in USTA New England but also #1 rankings in the USPTA National Championships both in singles and doubles.

Maser Professional Betty Walsh

• Girls High School Head Tennis Coach from 1976 to present • Maloney High School, Meriden, CT: 1976-1987 – 116 Wins/62 Losses • St. George’s School, Newport, RI: League Champions 1993, Runner up 1994 • 1992 USPTA 35 & Over Division Women’s Player of the Year • 1991 USPTA Master Professional Accreditation • 1987 USPTA New England Coach of the Year • 1985 USPTA New England Player of the Year • 1982 and 1984 USPTA New England Division Pro of the Year • USPTA National Ranking #1 Singles – 8 years • USPTA National Ranking #1 Doubles – 10 years • Member of the National High School Coaches Association – 11 years • Published articles in ADDvantage magazine • Former member of the USPTA NE Board of Directores

L to R: Avis Murray, Presenter, Betty Walsh and Gary Pino, USTA New England President.

USTA NE 110 Turnpike Road Westborough, MA 01581 Tel: 508-3663450 Fax: 508-365-5805 ustanewengland.com

Reasons to Practice the Inside-Out-Backhand By John W. Sherwood - USPTA Elite Professional, USTA High Performance Coach

In today’s game one of the most under practiced shots is the Inside-out Backhand. The inside-out backhand is not a weapon like the more powerful inside-out forehand. However, there are key moments and reasons you should include this shot in your match play and practice. 1. Return of Serve: As a right handed player, returning in the deuce court (lefty’s into the Ad court), and when your opponent serves into the T, and thus your backhand, you will need to have the option of creating this inside-out angle, and be able to adjust your footwork and stance accordingly, allowing for contact to be made on the inside of the ball. The inside-out Backhand return becomes more important and valuable in doubles play given the server’s starting position, coupled with your goal as returner to create a crosscourt return away from your opponent at net. Most players should be spending more time practicing their return of serve anyway, and focusing on creating this inside out angle and proper set up, for both singles and doubles play, will produce big dividends. 2. Hit Behind Your Opponent: There will be times when you find yourself with the opportunity to hit behind a moving opponent, but due to your court position a Backhand must be executed. The inside out Backhand, vs. crosscourt Backhand, may not be the shot anticipated by your opponent, thus catching them by surprise and increasing its effectiveness. You will want to create practice scenarios to prepare for this sequence. 3. Your Backhand is better than your Forehand: This is fairly common in younger players and even with some adults. Your backhand may be more consistent or your ability to control shot placement a bit better. If this is the case, your inside out Backhand will give you greater rally flexibility and the ability to hit behind your opponent as discussed above. 4. Out of Position: You have been pulled out wide to the Forehand side and have not fully recovered. Your opponent has caught you out of position.

John Sherwood (USPTA Elite Professional and USTA High Performance Coaching Graduate). Played Division I tennis for the University of Toledo, after which he embarked on a business career running national sales organizations, then structuring and operating small business turnarounds . He became Chief Club Operating Officer of Five Seasons Sports C.C. in Cleveland, Ohio and Burr Ridge, IL. He also served as Director of High Performance Tennis at Centercourt Athletic Club in Chatham, NJ. He has coached and guided hundreds of junior players along the developmental pathway to Major Division I college teams and into the professional ranks. While developing solid fundamentals in his players, John’s coaching skills excel in developing his players’ mental, strategic and problem solving skills that set the top tier players apart. John can be reached by phone at (216) 403-1374 or email J1Sherwood@aol.com

USPTA Tennis Across America Free Lesson Days July 7-8

Assistant Anne Schwartz

Director Jacques Faulise

Free Lesson Days are Happy Days. A quick glimpse at all these photos, taken by Anne Schwartz, will give you an idea of how many juniors and adults participated in the Annual Tennis Across America Free Lesson Days. Over many years Jacques Faulise, seen above, has organized and run this popular event with the help of USPTA Volunteer Pros. It is held during the first two days of The Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Championships at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI.. The lessons are held on the grass court just as you enter the grounds. All interested players sign up at the court and are assigned to appropriate age groups throughout the day. You can be sure that there are a lot of eager participants who are delighted to have the experience of playing on grass. The volunteers this year were: Helaine Vrana, Mike Mercier, Corey Tusler, Paul Radcliff, Ian Griffin, Mary Rompf, Anne Schwartz and Tom Callahan.

International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum

Celebrating 60 Y ears

In 1954, Jimmy Van Alen created a “shrine to the ideals of the game.” Today, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is the steward of the sport’s history, offering visitors an unforgettable tennis experience.

The Hall of Fame’s $15.7 million Match Point Capital Campaign will result in expanded indoor tennis facilities, improved stadium seating for Bill Talbert Center Court, and a renovated and modernized museum slated to open spring 2015. 1 9 4 B E L L E V U E AV E N U E , N E W P O R T , R H O D E I S L A N D • T E N N I S F A M E . C O M • 4 0 1 - 8 4 9 - 3 9 9 0

Above is a photo of those who gathered at the Bass Rocks Golf Club for their annual Tennis Across America event. Many members participated in the round robin Breakfast at Wimbledon Season Kick-off celebrating the USPTA Tennis Across America. Tents were set up, TV with the finals of the Wimbledon Women's Singles, strawberries and cream and cookout along with the tennis. The event was organized and run by Avis Murray, USPTA Master Professional, Director \ of Tennis at the Bass Rocks Golf Club

Name Facility Date City • Laury Hammel • Patrick LaSalle • Patrick LaSalle Janet Anderson • Chris Santos Eric Gomes Robert Ryan • Dinesh Rajagopalan Katie Neils Brad Harrington John Martinello • Phil Parrish • Avis Murray Olivia Turner Conor Cronin Morgan Bell Kim Foster Terri Doane Eric Weist • Jacques Faulise Anne Schwartz Mike Mercier Corey Tusler Paul Radcliff Ian Griffin Mary Rompf Tom Callahan Helaine Vrana • Steve O’Connell

Bruce Angeli Tom Quagliano Skip South Bob Zysk Patrick LaSalle

The Longfellow Club Town of Coventry Praks and Recreation

4/16 4/26 6/14

Wayland, MA Coventry, RI Coventr, RI

New Bedford High School

5/3

New Bedford, MA

New Milford Tennis & Swim Club

5/10

New Milford, CT

The Longfellow Club Bass Rocks Golf Club

5/19 7/5

Wayland, MA Gloucester, MA

International tennis hall of Fame

7/7-7/8

Newport, RI

Connecticut Tennis Center

8/18

New Haven, CT

The Influence of Anxiety on Tennis Performance Stephen Thuot, Ph.D., USPTA Regional V.P. Tennis Director, The Adirondack Club

Playing tennis provides players unique physical and mental demands. These potential stressful demands have the opportunity to create anxiety in all levels of players. From a psychological perspective, stress is an imbalance between demands placed on a player and the player’s ability to meet those demands. Examples of physiological stress include exercise and work. Psychological stressors include uncertainty, fear of failure, expectation levels. Players perceive situations differently (set points vs. points in the middle of a set) which can create different responses from players ranging from excitement to fear. These responses to potentially stressful situation create changes in performance (choking, tanking). Physiological changes when anxious are: muscle tension, hyperventilation, headaches, dry mouth, upset stomach, clammy hands. Increases in anxiety can cause increases in muscle tension which interferes with coordination. Psychologically the two biggest changes are players worrying about making mistakes as well as fear, the fear of losing control over the match and oneself or the fear of being evaluated by others (parents, coaches). Players have control in reducing on and off court anxiety. One of the most effective off court anxiety reduction techniques is breath control. Proper breathing increases the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, more oxygen= more energy carried to the muscles. Psychologically, Focusing on proper breathing = less likely to focus on distractions. During a match players can help reduce the anxiety levels by the doing the following: 1) Practice stressful situation: tie breakers, serving out games/sets/matches. The more familiarity with stressful situations, the less overwhelming the actual stressful situation. 2) Develop a Routine or Ritual: Watch any professional athlete they have similar behaviors right before they begin. Routines reduce anxiety by performing a familiar, repetitive habit regardless of the situation. The player has a sense of controlling any situation. 3) Focus on the Present: Anxious players focus on “IF” vs. “How”. Focusing on IF I will win the next point creates doubt while focusing on HOW I will win the next point creates a sense of control. 4) Crack a SMILE !!. Tennis is supposed to be fun!! The relaxation impact of a smile and laughter during stress is not trivial. All situations whether in tennis or life have the potential to be stressful. How we interpret and react to the situation creates the anxiety that can negatively impact performance. Ultimately, the player that feels in control over these situations is the player that can manage stressful situation both on and off the court.

2014 USPTA New England Convention on Cape Cod November 7-9

Chatham Bars Inn and Willy’s Tennis and Fitness in Eastham Agenda Friday, November 7, 2014 2:45 p.m. Convention Registration Opens - Chatham Bars Inn (CBI) 3 - 4 p.m. Steve Thuot - “Transitioning from Tennis Professional to Tennis Director” 4 - 5 p.m. Allistair McCaw - "The McCaw Method - Optimizing Training for Athletes and Coaches" 5 - 6:30 p.m. Cocktails and Social Networking at the Sacred Cod (CBI)

Saturday, November 8, 2014 8 a.m. Morning Stretch and Beach Run (Meet on the oceanfront deck (CBI) Breakfast on Your Own 8:40 a.m. Convention Registration Opens at Willy’s 9 - 9:50 a.m. Bill Riddle - "30 Drills in 30 Minutes" 10:10 - 10:50 a.m. Edgar Giffenig – “30 Years Coaching Competitive Tennis – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” 11:10 - 12 p.m. Greg Lappin - “Teach Receiving Skills to be a Complete Professional” All morning TENNIS SHOW on court at Willy’s 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. Awards Luncheon with USPTA Vice President Chuck Gill – Harbor View Room 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. Marcy Cohen - “Opportunities in the Schools and the Community for Tennis Entrepreneurs” (Monomoy Room - CBI)) 4 - 5 p.m. Bill Riddle - “Working with Media Sponsors and Promotiona - Taking your event to the next level" (Monomoy Room - CBI) 5:15 - 5:30 p.m. Steve Calechman Stand-Up Comedy 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. PRINCE “North vs South” Mini Tennis Tourney with emcee Steve Calechman Dinner on your own 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. Bonfire on the Beach

Sunday, November 9, 2014 7:45 - 8:45 a.m. 9 - 10 a.m. 10 - 11 a.m. 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

General Membership and Board Meeting (Monomoy Room) Greg Lappin – “How To Advance Your Career” (Monomoy Room) Speaker - USPTA Vice President Chuck Gill - Topic TBA Tennis Across America Event at Willy’s

To register for the USPTA New England Annual Convention Nov. 7-9 on Cape Cod (Chatham Bars Inn and Willy's Tennis and Fitness in Eastham,MA, go to usptaplayer.com 1. Click on the blue "register" button under the upcoming events on our homepage 2. Fill out the form .... You're Done! 3. To book a room for Friday and Saturday evening, call Chatham Bars Inn at 1.800.527.4884 and request the "USPTA New England Event rate of $139/night" If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact Amy Hartigan at 339.236.6073 or via email: usptataneweng@gmail.com The first 100 members to complete online registration will receive a SPECIAL GIFT .

USPTA Renews Partnership

The United States Professional Tennis Association announced on Thursday the renewal of its partnership with Rezilient Direct Corporation to continue to give USPTA-certified members the opportunity to purchase additional health coverage. Rezilient Direct, which is based in Austin, Texas, is one the first companies to offer supplemental health benefits directly online to the consumer. Their extensive interactive platform allows customers to enroll and purchase supplemental health insurance within minutes and get covered in as little as 24 hours. They also have a Call and Live Chat center to assist customers throughout the process. “As the leading organization for tennis-teaching professionals, we want to be able to offer our members as many resources as possible so they can advance and grow in their careers. This program through Rezilient Direct will give USPTA-certified members the peace of mind in the event they are not fully protected through medical insurance should a major medical issue occur,” said USPTA CEO John Embree. “We’re proud to be able to offer this benefit to our members again.” Rezilient Direct offers four supplemental products in the United States. Their core business is voluntary products such as Cancer, Accident and Heart & Stroke insurance underwritten by American General Life Companies, and Hospitalization insurance underwritten by Heartland National Life Insurance Company. This year, they are adding Short-Term Disability, Term Life, Dental and Vision to their portfolio. In addition, Rezilient Direct has an agreement to offer Critical Illness policies through Rezilient Direct Canada, a subsidiary of Rezilient Direct Corporation. “Rezilient Direct is excited about the continued partnership with the USPTA. We are enthusiastic about continuing to offer the affordable supplemental health benefit packages offered over the past year as well as many new products which will be rolled out over the coming months,” said Rezilient Direct CEO Greg Feste. “Our products, when pooled together, offer additional coverages to gap the high deductibles experienced by many consumers entering the health exchanges as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Supplemental health benefits are advantageous and timely in a new era of health care cost protection in which many individuals face the challenge and opportunity of wisely shopping for their own coverages as opposed to receiving them through their workplace insurance plans.” For more information, visit www.rezilientdirect.com.

Editor, layout and design of 2014 October issue of USPTA New England YANKEE PROse. Special thanks to the following contributors:

USPTA Professional Jerri DiCamillo

Dave Altshuler Kathy Buchanan - USPTA Doug Eng Amy Hartigan Alex Hinkley - USTA NE Christiana Johns Alistair McCaw Anne Marie McLaughlin -International THOF Michael Mercier Avis Murray Julie Myers - USPTA Steve O’Connell Hans Romer Patti Roy- USTA Anne Schwartz Steve Thuot John Underwood Helaine Vrana

There were a lot of good things happening in New England Division - the photos tell it all. Your Board works hard at providing timely information and useful events for you throughout the year. As of Oct 17 there are approximately 668 members in New England. Why not contact a Board member with your suggestions and ideas. GET INVOLVED!

Laugh and Win By Hans Römer ~ USPTA Master Professional

With the recent passing of Vic Braden we have lost a giant in our tennis coaching fraternity. What Vic has accomplished in his 85 years is something that most of us can only dream about. On a professional level I am very sad, but more so on a personal level. Back in The Netherlands in the early 80’s - while I attending the CIOS Sport College – several of Vic’s books were on the reading list. With our tennis class we even watched and analyzed several of his famous videos. So I felt extremely honored when Vic personally asked my to join his staff at his wellknown Tennis College in Coto de Caza in 1996. It was that same year that Vic, Melody and the rest of the family invited me over for Thanksgiving and Christmas at their house. It was a privilege to be part of all this and in addition to the daily coaching sessions, Vic invited me to join him on several occasions (to carry his big camera!), including a memorable 3 days in Newport where the USA Davis Cup Team was hosting the Netherlands. During this stretch of almost 3 years, Vic taught me many new insights on coaching tennis, but most importantly I learned from observing his friendly and kind approach, the way he connected with everyone using humor as his vehicle. His approachability and accessibility was unparalleled – he personally emailed everyone, anywhere in the World, no matter what time of the day! He had a unique genuine interest in everyone’s story, as we all witnessed when Vic joined us in Vermont during our USPTA New England May Convention, only a few years ago. After teaching tennis in the United Sates for many years I have come to realize that tennis would not be where it is today, if it wasn’t for Vic’s involvement, promotion, research, contributions, and passion for our beautiful game. On behalf of all tennis professionals in New England - and beyond - I would like to salute Vic and thank him sincerely for showing us how to “Laugh and Win”!

24th Annual

"Tennis Across America FREE LESSON" Presented by United States Professional Tennis Association New England August 18, 2014 Connecticut Tennis Center Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

Former USPTA New England President Steve O'Connell, once again helped organize the 24th Annual Tennis Across America FREE Lesson in New Haven, CT. This event is the longest running yearly TAA event of its kind in New England and one of the oldest TAA events in the country. The New Haven TAA event was held on Monday, August 18th, 2014 at Aetna Fit Zone courts on the grounds of the CT Tennis Center from 1pm to 4pm. Steve and long serving USPTA members, Skip South, Tom Quagliano, Bruce Angeli, and Bob Zysk were on the classic courts of the Connecticut Tennis Center on the campus of Yale University to put on FREE clinics for the general public as part of Tennis Across America. They were joined by Patrick LaSalle, USPTA/NE Board member and TAA New England Chair. Michael Mercier and USPTA/NE Executive Administrator Amy Hartigan. Also on hand were USPTA/NE and PTR pros as well as USTA Recreational Coaches.

Mike Mercier (USPTA/NE Board member and TAA New England Chair,) Christie Cole (CT OPEN Manager), Steve O'Connell (USPTA-CT OPEN TAA Coordinator)

Coach Steve found some special friends on the courts

USPTA Pros and volunteers who helped make the TAA a success! L to R :Bruce Angeli, Bruce Levine, Bob Zysk, Adrian Cruz, Steve O'Connell, Patrick Lasalle, Al Pertuci, Skip South, Tom Quagliano, Noah Villet

CT Wolf Pack Mascot, "Woofie" invites all to a FREE Tennis Lesson! Mike Mercier and Doris tested their skills at wheelchair tennis.

Building New England’s Tennis Community through Outreach by Michael Mercier, Secretary, USPTA New England, and Harvard University Head Tennis Professional

The last few months have been busy for USPTA New England outreach, as we try to continue our efforts to grow the membership of our organization. In early June, the annual Massachusetts Special Olympics Summer Games were held at Harvard University, where Rebecca Bennett and I co-directed the tennis competition. Our continuing relationship with Special Olympics is an important part of community building and strengthens our partnerships across the region. The summer saw some major opportunities for outreach at the tennis events in our area through the USPTA’s Tennis Across America program. First, at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, Rhode Island on July 7–8, host pro Jacques Faulise organized a Free Lesson Day for adults and juniors. Later in July, in partnership with the Boston Lobsters, over 180 lessons were given to kids from three to sixteen years old. The host pro was Dave Colby, with the assistance of Scott Hayes, myself, and Joe Perrone Sr. and Jr. Free t-shirts, water bottles, and tennis racquets were provided by the Lobsters, and the event was hosted by the Manchester Athletic Club outdoors on a grass field with 10-and-under nets. Finally, in conjunction with the Connecticut Open in New Haven in August, there were several events. I led a series of special clinics at the ACES Center for Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders in Northford, CT, in order to lay the groundwork for starting a tennis program at the school. Over eighty students and therapists participated in the sessions. At the Connecticut Open itself, another Tennis Across America event was held, with over 150 children and adults taking advantage of the Free Lesson Days. Tennis Across America has been going on for 25 years, and I want to give special recognition to USPTA New England pro Steve O’Connell, who has been running programs at the tournament in New Haven for almost that entire time.

An important aspect of USPTA NE outreach has been to add younger pros to our membership through the Under 30 (U30) initiative. On October 4–5, Harvard University hosted the Tennis On Campus New England Championships, where club team members from twenty-four colleges across New England competed for a spot at the National Championships. During the event, I ran an information booth for U30 and made numerous connections with young players eager to learn more about USPTA NE and what we have to offer. Looking ahead, we have some important events coming up. On November 15–16, Harvard University will host the New England Wheelchair Tennis Camp and USPTA wheelchair certification course. This is an annual event, and every year we bring in players in greater numbers and from farther afield. As part of the USPTA’s national education initiative, a specialty course on wheelchair tennis for USPTA pros will also be run that weekend, as well as a Tennis Across America Free Lesson Day. On November 16, New England Wheelchair Sports, Harvard University, and Adaptive Sports New England will also co-host a Paralympic Experience for individuals with visual or mobility impairments. This is a three-hour clinic that gives people the opportunity to try several adaptive sports, including sled hockey and wheelchair tennis, and also provides a venue for adaptive sports programs to network and share information about what they do. Harvard University is moving to become a Paralympics Sports Club, a certification that facilitates partnerships with veterans’ organizations such as Wounded Warriors, supports the Boston marathon victims, and allows us to reach out to people of all ages who are interested in paralympic sports. The wheelchair tennis programs of USPTA NE set us apart from other sections as we reach out to this underserved community. As USPTA New England pros, we all recognize the importance of strong and diverse outreach programs. This year is shaping up to be an active one—let's make sure to keep up our efforts in the coming year.

Kid's Day August 17, 2014

It was a BLAST! More than 100 kids sharpened their skills under guidance of USPTA, PTR, and USTA trained Pros and Coaches.

USPTA Pro Skip South helped organize the day's event.

Pro Drill Exchange.

USPTA Pros Bob Zysk (Past USPTA/NE Tester), Skip South After the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities the pros got together to share ideas (USPTA,CT OPEN Kid's Day Coordinator), Steve O'Connell and drills on the courts of the Cullman-Heyman Tennis (USPTA/NE Past President), Tom Quagliano (USPTA, Center on the Yale University campus. Veteran CT OPEN Pro Volunteer, Patrick LaSalle (USPTA/ NE, Past USPTA/Eastern President)

LOVE

REKINDLED Prince is proud to once again be partnering with the USPTA as the exclusive supplier of racquets, strings, accessories and balls.

princetennis.com

Official Racquet, String, and Ball of the USPTA

USPTA Wheelchair Tennis Certification November 15 Murr Indoor Tennis Courts Harvard University 65 North Harvard Street Boston, MA 02163

Wheelchair Tennis Specialty Course Para-Olympic Experience November 16, 1 - 4 p.m. USPTA Wheelchair Tennis Certification contact - Vicki Tristan 1-800-USPTA4U Site contact - Michael Mercier 978-273-6500 / mercier@fas.harvard.edu

The following is the rate schedule for ads placed in the USPTA New England newsletter - YANKEE PROse Size One Issue 2 Issues 3 Issues Bus. Card $35 $30 ($60) $25 ($75) 1/4 page $60 $55 ($110) $50 ($150) 1/2 Page $85 $80 ($160) $75 ($225) 3/4 Page $100 $90 ($180) $80 ($240) Full Page $110 $100 ($200) $90 ($270) As of 10/21/2014 there are approximately 668 tennis professionals in New England. The newsletter YANKEE PROse can be viewed on line at www.uspta.com and usptaplayer.com by all USPTA members, the presidents and vice presidents of the 16 other divisions of the USPTA as well as the USPTA National Board. The deadline for sending information for the March (Spring) newsletter is February 1, 2015

Game. Set. Give.

To: Tennis Clubs/Pros: The US Open has ended, but our love for tennis and our country goes on. We are asking tennis clubs/pros across the country to join us in supporting ThanksUSA's Tennis Thanks The Troops campaign. Tennis Thanks the Troops is a partnership between ThanksUSA and the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA). ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable effort to mobilize Americans of all ages to thank the men and women of the United States armed forces. The organization provides college, technical and vocational school need-based scholarships for the children and spouses of active-duty status military personnel. ThanksUSA has provided over $10 million in needbased scholarships since 2006, and the organization has a top rating from Charity Navigators. We are asking your club to do what you can to support our military at this time. We are supporting the Tennis Thanks The Troops campaign by asking clubs to participate before Jan. 1. If every club can do their small part, imagine what we can accomplish together in the spirit of tennis to help our military families. Here is your opportunity to make a material difference for the families who have sacrificed so much for our country. Host an event with proceeds donated to Tennis Thanks The Troops. For more information, visit ThanksUSA or register your event at Tennis Thanks The Troops.