YANKEE PRO-SE The Newsletter of the USPTA New England Division
FALL 2020
I n t hi s news l e t t e r : National Convention Information Page 03 Division Award Winners Page 07 Coaches' Corner Page 17 Pros on the Go Page 21 Testing & Conference Page 29
USPTA New England Board of Directors Regional President: Mike Kolendo m_kolendo@charter.net Regional Vice President: Michael Mercier supermiketennis1@gmail.com Vice President: Lisa Wilcott metennis@comcast.net Vice President: Christy Bennett bennett@newengland.usta.com Vice President: Milan Kubala stowemiles@gmail.com Treasurer: Chris Stevens stevens10spro@gmail.com Secretary: Steve O'Connell steveoconnellrs@gmail.com Immediate Past President: Michael Mercier supermiketennis1@gmail.com Head Tester: Wayne Turner wayne.turner54@icloud.com
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT: MIKE KOLENDO Dear Tennis, Racquet, and Paddle Professionals, "The new normal..." Is anyone else getting tired of hearing that phrase? Do any of us know what it really means? I sure don't. In fact, it seems to change on a regular basis depending in which state, city, or town you live. The rules are different if you're indoors or outdoors. Some of our kids will likely be attending school with masks while others will be home learning remotely. Even the rules at our individual tennis facilities are likely to vary. So maybe the old cliche holds true in these very strange times: "The more that things change, the more they stay the same..." It certainly feels that way with respect to our New England Division's leadership. Our entire Board of Officers was saddened by the resignation of our President, Patricio Misitrano. Patricio has been a great leader for our organization, and he'll be sorely missed by all of us who've worked with him over the past several years. Unfortunately for us, other obligations from the many roles Patricio fills within our industry has made his continued service impossible. We wish him great success in all of his future endeavors and know that he'll remain a good friend to our association, our Division, and to all of us individually. I want to thank our own New England Division's Board of Officers for the vote of confidence given when placing their trust in me to become our Division's next President. On Sunday, August 8th, they made it official with a unanimous vote. One week later, we made the decision to install Mike Mercier as Regional Vice President for the remainder of this term. Mike was previously serving as Immediate Past President. This move allows the rest of our Officers to continue serving in the role intended by our Nominating Committee. It also means that we are ready to get back to the business of serving our members. To that end, our first order of business is to ensure that all of our members know that the USPTA has partnered with the USTA to offer free 2021 USPTA Membership dues to certified teaching professionals that meet the following criteria by October 1, 2020: Reside and teach in the United States Be a USPTA certified teaching professional in good standing Complete USPTA Continuing Education requirements Complete USTA Safe Play and background screening Make a "good faith" effort to introduce 50 new people to tennis
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A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT: MIKE KOLENDO That's the good news. Here is the bad: As of today, 410 of our 565 New England members do not yet qualify for the dues subsidy. For some, it's undoubtedly the Continuing Education credits. For others, it's likely the USTA Safe Play and background screening. Either way, there is plenty of time to get current and take advantage of the opportunity for free 2021 dues. Participation in this year's Virtual World Conference will be an easy way for all of us to fulfill our Continuing Education requirements. The Conference will take place September 21-23, and will allow attendees to earn up to 7.5 CE credits. Each session will be recorded, and participants will be able to view them and receive the credits for another 30 days. Registration for the World Conference was launched on August 1st and, as a thank you, the first 1,000 to register will receive a gift box with special World Conference merchandise from our endorsees. This year's World Conference will be the most affordable annual event ever. Registration is only $79 for members whose Safe Play credentials are current, and $99 if they are not. Since it is a virtual event, there won't be any travel expenses, and because everything will be recorded, sessions can be watched at your convenience; meaning that there'll be no time away from work or family. Lastly, our New England Division will be offering a limited number of scholarships to pay for the registration. Please be on the lookout for an upcoming e-blast with all of the details. In addition to the World Conference, our New England Division is partnering with USTA New England to provide a Virtual Conference on November 6th and 7th held in conjunction with the USTA NE's Virtual Tennis Weekend. Although this event will take place after the October 1st deadline for completing the Continuing Education requirements for the dues subsidy, it will still be a great way to connect with our greater New England tennis community. Please look for details in upcoming e-blasts from both our Division and USTA New England. This is always a busy, stressful time of year for our members - trying to get a few more days of teaching outdoors while preparing to head back indoors to our fall/winter facilities. But this year feels different, doesn't it? I'm wondering what this indoor season might look like. Will all of our players come back? Will most of my students? I know I'm still figuring out how to juggle my work schedule, my daughter's remote learning, and my USPTA/USTA volunteer roles. I assume I'm not alone. The old saying, "May you live in interesting times," comes to mind; we certainly are. If our New England Division can, in any way, help to make these times a little less interesting, more normal, please reach out. We'd love to know how!
USPTA New England State Presidents: Connecticut: Paul Coorssen pcoorssen@gmail.com & Kyle Devlin kyle@trumbullracquet.com Maine: Wilbur Shardlow shardlowtennis@roadrunner.com Massachusetts: Stu Lehr stuartklehr@gmail.com New Hampshire: Richard Lane rlaneii@comcast.net Rhode Island: Nestor Bernabe nestortennis@gmail.com Vermont: Joyce Doud jdoud@edgevt.com
NE Executive Director: Pam Dodman pamela.dodman@uspta.org
All the Best, Mike Kolendo President; USPTA New England Division The Yankee PROse E-Newsletter| page 02
2020 USPTA VIRTUAL World Conference
2020 USPTA World Conference Virtual Event Registration* *From the national USPTA website
Conference Details The 2020 World Conference Virtual Event will be held live Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, September 21, 22 & 23. Each day there will be 5 sessions from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. ET. In between sessions, we will have breaks for a chance to explore the virtual venue, including our trade show. We will have networking opportunities in our virtual lounge and opportunities to win great prizes. Sessions will be recorded and available to conference attendees to view at a later time.
Incredible Speaker Lineup & Topics Expect to enjoy a variety of pertinent topics from renowned tennis industry professionals, such as Sven Groeneveld, Mats Wilander, Gigi Fernandez, Emilo Sánchez Vicario, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Craig O’Shannessy, Chanda Rubin, Sarah Stone, Ann Grossman-Wunderlich, Zina Garrison, Todd Ellenbecker, Rita Gladstone, Ellen Miller, Johnny Parks, Dr. Karl Davies, Lori Riffice, Jon Glover, Mark McMahon, Tracy Almeda Singian, John Embree and the USPTA Board! Click Here for Detailed Agenda. Click Here for Speaker Bios.
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2020 USPTA VIRTUAL World Conference
USPTA Member Safe Play Discount
USPTA Members with Safe Play completed at the time of registration will receive a $20 discount. For more information go to the national registration page.
WC20 Virtual Trade Show Booth
Does your company want exposure in front of the world’s largest gathering of tennis-teaching professionals? Secure your virtual trade show booth today! The cost is $399 for all three days of the conference. Each day we will have a block of time to allow conference attendees the opportunity to explore the virtual trade show. For details, contact Jim Burke at (407) 634-3071 or email james.burke@uspta.org.
USPTA New England Virtual PLAYER SOCIAL Join us on Wednesday, September 23rd, at 7:30 pm A Zoom link will be sent via e-blast.
Registration Instructions
For more information go to the national registration page.
Registration Fees
USPTA Member - $99* *USPTA Member with Safe Play - $79 Please carefully read the USPTA Member Safe Play Discount paragraph above. Non-Member Attendee - $125 Virtual Trade Show Booth - $399
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Division AWARD WINNERS Congratulations to the following for their Outstanding Contributions in 2019! Tennis Professional of the Year Adam Zaccara
Adam had a very busy and productive 2019. He was appointed President of the Newport Tennis and Fitness program, which is a non-profit organization that focuses on weekly wheelchair and adaptive tennis programs as well as able-bodied clinics. Adam was hired as the Head Tennis Coach for the Men's and Women's tennis teams and Salve Regina University in Newport. He was appointed Program Director for ACEing Autism, which is a nationwide tennis program for youths with autism. Also, Adam was appointed CTA President for Newport County. Adam was hired as one of 13 National USTA Regional Wheelchair Providers, and he was hired as Camp Director for Nike Tennis Camps. Adam also upgraded his certification to Elite Professional.
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Division AWARD WINNERS Regional Tennis Professionals of the Year
Rachel Kahan
Brian Lomax
Rachel is the Head Women's Tennis Coach at Middlebury College. She has coached the team to 3 NCAA semi-final appearances with 2 doubles teams and 3 singles players in the semi-final individual tournament as well. In addition to her college coaching responsibilities she offers free lessons and clinics to older members of her town, teaches tennis at the local club, volunteers with the high school tennis team, and helps run the Women in Tennis Together in Vermont.
Brian owns and operates PerformanceXtra, which focuses on the mental performance of athletes. Brian works with several college teams in the Boston area, and has presented at USPTA New England Division conferences. While improving mental toughness is the main reason for working with Brian, many students find that his "homework assignments" result in helping them build habits that improve many aspects of their lives. Brian generously donates his time to help colleagues with their students and teams.
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Division AWARD WINNERS College Tennis Coach of the Year Adam Reeb
Adam is the Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He guided the men’s team to a ranking of 19 in the ITA Division III Northeast Region and the women's team to a ranking of 36 in the ITA Division III National rankings and a ranking of 14 in the ITA Division III Northeast Region during the 2018-2019 season. Adam mentored two players, one from the men's team and one from the women's, who earned an ITA Division III National Ranking of 17 and 29, respectively. The fall 2019 recruiting class for men's tennis was #18 in the country, which was the top ranked class in the history of the program. Adam also served as the Tournament Director for the 2019 ITA Men's Regional Tournament, which was held at Colby College for the first time.
High School Tennis Coach of the Year Gavin Glider
Gavin is the Girls' Varsity tennis coach at Yarmouth Academy in Yarmouth, Maine. In 2019, he had 29 girls come out for tennis; many of whom had never played before! He fielded a Varsity and JV team with separate practices ensuring that all of the girls learned to play and had the opportunity to play matches. The team, once again, made a run to the playoffs with a girl making it to the round of 32 in the state singles tournament. One of the girls, who the year before was just learning, trained exceptionally hard with Gavin during the season and throughout the summer and is now a collegiate tennis player. In just two years of being the coach at Yarmouth Academy, Gavin has grown the tennis program but more importantly Gavin has grown the girls' love of tennis! The Yankee PROse E-Newsletter| page 10
Division AWARD WINNERS 60+ Professional of the Year Phillip Hayman
Phillip is USPTA / PTR Certified in tennis and pickleball, and has been teaching tennis in the New England area for over 25 years. He is a full-time teaching professional at the Weymouth Club, in Weymouth, MA, where he has worked with adults and youth from competitive play individuals (High Performance) to novice. While still participating in some of the clubs fundamental programming he started his own program for the town of Hingham, MA, which includes tennis and an ever-increasing pickleball program. Phillip's summer tennis camp has grown from 20-30 kids per week to over 75, and his pickleball program has increased so much that the town has brought in outside consultants to assess the needs for dedicated courts so as to relieve tennis court congestion.
Wheelchair Professional of the Year Susan McAnneny
Susan is USPTA certified in Wheelchair Tennis and actively attends all New England Wheelchair Tennis events. She teaches wheelchair tennis at the yearly wheelchair promotional event at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Susan serves on the USTA New England Wheelchair Tennis Board and volunteers for the Southcoast Wheelchair Tennis organization, the New England Wheelchair organization, and the USTA New England Wheelchair / Adaptive program.
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Division AWARD WINNERS Platform Tennis Professional of the Year Johan Du Randt
Johan is a USPTA Elite Certified Platform Tennis Professional and is also IPTPA certified. Johan is Director of Racquet Sports for The Country Club in Chestnut Hill, MA. In 2019, Johan won the National American Platform Tennis Association Doubles Championship, which was held at The Field Club of Longmeadow.
President's Award Javier Ferrin-Kranewitter
Javier has been a leader among his peers and has recently joined the USPTA New England Public Relations Committee. He organizes yearly meetings for Directors of tennis and paddle in lower Fairfield County, CT, to collaborate and share their experiences. Since taking over the helm at Round Hill Club, he has grown the tennis and platform tennis programs tenfold. In 2018 he was awarded the USPTA Connecticut Pro of the year. Most recently, Javier presented a seminar on “How to Grow Participation in a Junior Program� at the 2019 USPTA New England Conference, held in Maine. Javier is a great leader in our industry and deserves this special recognition. The Yankee PROse E-Newsletter| page 12
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Division AWARD WINNERS Ed Serues for Outstanding Long-time Service Michael Mercier
Michael has been on the Board of the USPTA New England Division for the past 12 years. His commitment to serving our members is second to none. One of only 7 Master professionals in New England, Michael has been recognized for his lifetime commitment to New England tennis with USTA New England's Gardner Ward Chase Memorial Award. Michael was also named USPTA New England Tennis Pro of the Year for 2016. Michael has given hundreds, probably thousands of hours, to the Division and deserves this award for his outstanding long-time service.
Al Rogers Educacational Achievement Award Thomas Callahan
Tom teaches special needs / wheelchair tennis programs in the Newport area year-round. For the past several years he volunteers for the USPTA New England's “Free Tennis Lessons“ that are held at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Tom is always eager to add to his tennis knowledge thus he attends all USPTA and USTA New England tennis coaching and teaching events.
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Division AWARD WINNERS Small Facility of theYear Award Foreside Fitness & Tennis, Falmouth, ME; Jeff Daigle - Owner, CEO
Foreside Fitness and Tennis in Falmouth, Maine, is a premiere facility just north of Portland. It hosts 6 indoor, newly resurfaced US Open blue tennis courts along with a couple of racquetball courts and a complete fitness center. Foreside Fitness and Tennis are active ambassadors for tennis and the USPTA New England division. Foreside has been very generous to the USPTA New England division through the donation of their facility and courts for the USPTA New England Division Conference in 2019, and hosting a workshop in December at a reduced rate. Foreside is also home to Wayne St. Peter's Grand Slam Tennis, which won the USTA New England's 2019 Organization of the Year Award.
Large Facility of the Year Award Longfellow New Hampshire, Nashua, NH; Laury Hammel - President & CEO
Longfellow New Hampshire hosts over 90 tournaments a year, along with USTA Adult Leagues, the successful Diva Doubles tournament, and a very successful Junior Team Tennis Program (which qualified for Nationals). Longfellow NH runs the New England Tennis Academy 603 and offers junior programs for all ages and levels. Longfellow is currently working with Nashua Parks and Rec, Hudson Parks and Rec, and Advantage Kids through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Nashua. Advantage Kids brings tennis to under-served youth. The facility provides 8 indoor hard and 8 outdoor clay courts to serve the citizens of New Hampshire and Northeast Massachusetts. The Yankee PROse E-Newsletter| page 15
Division AWARD WINNERS Net Generation Award
Tina Schroeder
Tina is invaluable in growing the game of tennis, especially on Aquidneck Island. She is the founder of Elite Tennis Rhode Island, Tennis with Tina, and the Island Community Tennis Association. Tina is also involved with many USTA initiatives to grow the game such as enrichment programs in the public schools, and Junior Team Tennis. She was asked by the USTA to pilot two new initiatives; Team Challenge and Adult Learn to Play. Team Challenge offers juniors a low-key and safe environment for juniors to play tennis competitively however the focus is on fun and teamwork not winning and scores. The Adult Learn to Play is a six-week program that introduces tennis to people who have never picked up a racquet. Tina also runs affordable summer tennis camps to juniors in the Newport area.
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COACHES' Corner Using Visualization to Improve Learning and Permormance by Brian Lomax, USPTA Elite Professional
Visualization (also known as imagery) is an area of study in sport psychology and motor learning that has received a great deal of attention over the last few decades. It is often discussed from the perspective of players and how they can use it for mental rehearsal and preparation. Novak Djokovic is an example of a player who uses visualization in this manner. However, since visualization can also improve learning and retention, we should address this topic from the perspective of coaches. Visualization is a technique that coaches should use to help players learn and retain skills more effectively. The PETTLEP Model Numerous research studies have demonstrated the positive effects of visualization on performance and learning. In fact, athletes who combine visualization with physical practice consistently outperform athletes who engage in physical practice only. The same results are true for learning and retention. But as coaches and teachers, how can we incorporate visualization into the learning process? The PETTLEP model of imagery can guide us. PETTLEP is an acronym that stands for the following: P - Physical (wearing tennis clothes, holding the racquet, etc.) E - Environment (on the tennis court or at a tournament site) T - Task (visualization should be focused on a specific task and should include feeling the movements; task should be based on the learner's capabilities) T - Timing (the visualization should occur in real-time; it should not necessarily be sped up or slowed down) L - Learning (the content of the visualization will change as the student progresses) E - Emotion (the player should experience the emotions required to be successful in order to achieve the task) P - Perspective (seeing the visualization from an internal or external perspective; both have their uses) Observe that this model is quite different than traditional forms of visualization of which you may be familiar. It does not suggest getting into a relaxed state, assuming a comfortable position, or being in a quiet room. In fact, it's quite the opposite. This is good news for tennis teaching professionals. The tennis court is the perfect place for your students to visualize skills. (continued on next page)
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COACHES' Corner Using Visualization to Improve Learning and Permormance by Brian Lomax, USPTA Elite Professional
Visualization and the Serve Practicing the serve is a great opportunity to include visualization into a student's learning process. Prior to each serve, ask the student to stand on the baseline and visualize the path and the trajectory of the ball over the net (through an imaginary or actual hoop) and subsequently to the target in the service box. The student can then visualize hitting the serve along that same path. During this process, feel free to engage with the player about what they are seeing. Use the seven item PETTLEP checklist as a means of asking questions. Not everyone has well-developed visualization skills, so learning to visualize well may take some practice before they can form clear images. After the student has visualized the serve, ask them to actually hit a serve. If the serve was a fault, the student should visualize the correction to the path, and visualize hitting the serve along the new path. If the serve was successful, the student will repeat the previous visualization of the path and of the serve. This process can be followed for every serve attempt. Research has shown that this combination of visualization and physical practice of the serve can result in higher accuracy at the same velocity. In this scenario the entire focus of the visualization was external to the player; that was on purpose. Having an external focus has been shown to be beneficial for tasks that include accuracy. If you are working with a player on the coordination tasks of the serve, an internal focus and perspective would be more appropriate. In that case you could use video as a model of the serve that the player could then visualize/image themselves doing prior to hitting the serve. In conclusion, visualization is a technique that goes beyond mental preparation for players. It is a valuable tool in the teaching of tennis that will enable your players to learn and retain their skills. If you have questions about using visualization/imagery with your students, feel free to contact Brian at brian@performancextra.com. Brian owns and operates PerformanceXtra, which focuses on the mental performance of athletes.
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COACHES' Corner Finding Return of Serve Cues for Your Players by Lynn Miller, USPTA Elite Professional When I injured my shoulder many years ago I knew that to continue to win matches I could no longer always count on winning my lefty serve so I worked on developing a better return to compensate for a compromised serve. From trying different “cues” (key trigger words or phrases) and techniques, I came up with some things that worked for me on my returns. My recommendation would be for you and your players to find cues at practice and not “wing it” hoping for a miracle in matches, although you may get lucky and discover new, effective cues while competing. Once you help your players find these cues, find someone who wants to practice their serve and see if your player’s returns hold up in a game consisting of serves and returns only. Have your players write the cues down and even have their returns videotaped so they can get a good visual picture of what works. Then, of course, remind your players to REMEMBER TO USE THE CUES IN THEIR MATCHES! Although this seems like a no-brainer, remembering your cues is part of having a strong mental game when forgetfulness is sometimes an issue for players. Listed below are examples of my personal tennis cues (which are underlined). You can have your players try some of these and see which ones work for them, or experiment and come up with your own. State of readiness (Photo #1) - Set up in a staggered stance with one leg slightly in front of the other, arms relaxed, and racket pointing down (credit to Jeff Salzenstein for this cue). This helps to contact the ball earlier off of the ground. I also use the cue to keep my knees bent much more than I think.
Photo #1
Just before the server contacts the ball, straighten your back (like Agassi) and think about relying on your legs to move quickly and in a wellbalanced fashion without hunching over. Sometimes, I slide or take a small adjustment step with my lead foot before I explode toward the ball. Count down in your mind “3-2-1” when the server is starting his/her service motion, then “GO” - burst out of the starting gate (like a ski racer) into the split by bringing the back foot around, landing with both feet shoulder width apart, and facing the server/net. This gets you to what looks like a traditional ready position when landing off of the split (photo 2). There are times, however, when you land and load (step out) at the same time, depending upon the speed and angle of the serve.
Photo #2 The Yankee PROse E-Newsletter| page 19
COACHES' Corner Finding Return of Serve Cues for Your Players by Lynn Miller, USPTA Elite Professional
Photo #3
The split landing, on both feet, is immediately followed by a small, quick (load) step on the ball side as the racket goes back at the same time as the shoulder turn (photo #3). Also make sure your wrist is laying back enough on the forehand volley so you get solid contact. Next, step toward to the oncoming ball without jamming yourself (photo #4). This step takes place as, or sometimes even after, you contact the ball. There’s generally only enough time to take that one step upon contact or just after contact. Think “ball over net” upon contact so you clear the net, making your opponent play your ball, and not taking yourself out of the point.
Photo #4
Any additional steps taken may be considered a recovery, or break step, to get back to a traditional ready or neutral position with the racket head held well above the wrist (hands-up cue), (photo #5). The hands and the racket head could be higher than shown in the photo allowing you to be ready to volley or hit an overhead. In summary, my footwork sequence of cue words are “split forward, step out, 1 (or) 2 steps.” If I am not returning well, I further simplify my thought process and just say “split and 2 (steps)” Also, remind your students to be ready for the next shot coming back so their opponent’s ball doesn’t get behind them!
Photo #5
Finding the right cues come over time and will most likely change over time as your body changes. The cues I personally currently use came over a period of at least 5 years of trial and error practice (after my first bad shoulder dislocation).
Lynn Miller is a USPTA/New England Elite Professional and is also PTR Certified. She was the full-time men's and women's Head Tennis Coach at Wheaton College (1980 - 2015). She is currently semi-retired, coaching tennis at Colbey-Sawyer College, Kearsarge High School, and at several clubs in the Lake Sunapee area in New Hampshire.
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Pros on The Go The "Gigi Method" Tennis Hall of Famer, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and fellow USPTA Tennis Professional Gigi Fernandez was at the York Golf and Tennis Club in York, Maine, in July. This 17-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion instructed to a sold-out group of players on how to play doubles. The "Gigi Method Doubles Program" helps recreational players understand the art and science of doubles. This was Gigi's first tennis clinic event since February and her first trip to Maine - she loved her Maine experience!
Gigi contacted Lisa Wilcott, Tennis Director at the York Golf and Tennis Club, this winter about coming to York to present her clinic to the club. At this time, Lisa had also become a member of the Board of Directors of the Tennis Without Borders Organization. After organizing the clinic date, Lisa saw this as a great opportunity to provide a valuable and special tennis experience to her members while also collaborating with Gigi on Tennis Without Borders. Wilcott said, “This was an amazing experience for all involved. The clinic was excellent, she was amazing to work with, and the USPTA pros helping had a great time working and playing with Gigi! We were able to participate and kept our tennis protocols in place for social distancing and raised some money for a great cause (Tennis Without Borders). Members and juniors of the club also got to see and hold Gigi’s Gold Medals which was a big treat.“ The Yankee PROse E-Newsletter| page 21
Pros on The Go Tennis Without Borders
Click image to go to the website.
Lisa Wilcott joined the Board of Directors for the Tennis Without Borders non-profit organization. Tennis Without Borders is a 501c3 Organization whose mission is to help children, worldwide, pursue life opportunities on and off the court through the sport of tennis. They provide tennis instruction, gear, racquets, and they also offer academic support. In the past, TWB has assisted in international programs in Cameroon, Uganda, Ghana, and Columbia. In the United States, they have collaborated with many National Jr. Tennis and Learning Centers – which are Arthur Ashe Legacy Programs that combine education and tennis to underprivileged youth.
This spring members of Tennis Without Borders, which included Lisa, had planned a trip to Africa but it was cancelled because of the pandemic. Hopefully, soon they will be able to get back to traveling with Africa, Puerto Rico, and Barbados on the list of places. Lisa says that this year they are collecting equipment to donate to local organizations to help. Contact Lisa Wilcott, at metennis@comcast.net, for any questions or if you would like to get further information.
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Pros on The Go FIRST SERVE BRIDGEPORT
BRINGS INSTRUCTION TO UNDER-SERVED YOUTH
USPTA coach Steve O’Connell with First Serve Bridgeport future stars!
First Serve Bridgeport is a National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) program, validated and endorsed by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). First Serve provides unique tennis, educational, and growth opportunities to under-served youth, which collectively serves to strengthen character and open a pathway to success for less-advantaged children living in Bridgeport, CT. Its end-goal is spectacularly simple and straightforward: to improve the lives of under-privileged and at-risk children, both now and in their futures. First Serve does this by teaching youth skills and engaging them in experiences that will further their potential. Many area USPTA certified pros volunteer their time and expertise to groups such as First Serve. This is another way we help elevate the industry’s standards for tennis teaching professionals. For more information about First Serve and how to get involved in your area, contact: Steve O’Connell 203-895-3655, steveoconnellrs@gmail.com
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Pros on The Go Play for P.I.N.K. Master Professional, Avis Murray, hosted her annual Play for P.I.N.K. Tennis Fundraiser at the Bass Rocks Golf Club in July. Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate diagnosis, New technology, Knowledge) is a national organization that supports thousands of volunteers who host sporting and lifestyle events to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Avis has held this event for many years, raising thousands of dollars for this research. This year she raised around $3,000.
Click image to go to the website.
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Pros on The Go USPTA Recognizes a New England Member for Outstanding Educational Achievements The United States Professional Tennis Association recently recognized Steven O’Connell for two outstanding educational achievements. First, Mr. O’Connell was awarded a Level 3 Certificate of Achievement for earning 42.5 credits in the Associations’ Career Development Program in 2019. Next, Mr. O’Connell was awarded a Level IV Certificate of Achievement for earning 9 credits each year for 10 consecutive years in the Associations’ Career Development Program. By participating in the USPTA education and other professional development programs, Mr. O’Connell has helped elevate the industry’s standards for tennis teaching professionals and earn the credibility and respect of the entire industry. Steve O’Connell 203-895-3655 steveoconnellrs@gmail.com
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Pros on The Go USPTA Members, Brian Lomax and Josh Burger, Launch Tennis IQ Podcast Sport psychology professionals and USPTA members, Brian Lomax and Josh Burger, have launched a tennis podcast called Tennis IQ. In these podcasts they share their insights on mental performance in tennis, discuss current events in the world of tennis, and interview guests with a unique perspective on mental toughness. If you have any questions or comments send them to tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter using #tennisiq.
Click image to go to the web page.
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Pros on The Go Wayne St. Peter's Grand Slam Tennis named USTA NE Organization of the Year
Wayne St. Peter is founder and director of Grand Slam Tennis, a program that provides tennis instruction to several communities in Maine. Grand Slam Tennis was honored with the "Organization of the Year Award" by the USTA NE for 2019. Grand Slam Tennis was also one of 17 finalists for the national award. This summer, a summer of Covid-19, St. Peter's Grand Slam Tennis program recorded its largest participation ever - over 600 participants!! Wayne was able to accomplish this through his successful marketing program and his ability to manage the Covid-19 guidelines. This year, Wayne St. Peter was named Head Tennis Professional at Foreside Fitness & Tennis, in Falmouth, ME.
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Pros on The Go New England Wheelchair Sports
Richard (Dick) Lane with New England Wheelchair Sports provides drills and instructional play for players in wheelchairs. The group meets on Saturday mornings and focuses on one skill per week. After the instructional portion of the clinic, play focuses on the new skill. where players can earn double the points if they use the new skill and hit a winner!
Providence Tennis at Roger Williams Park The Providence Tennis, directed by Nestor Bernabe, ran all the tennis programs at Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island, this summer. They had a phenomenal claycourt season hosting 11 tournaments and 14 weeks of summer tennis camps. Thanks to the great networking within the USTPA and USTA New England coaches, they set safety protocols in early May which gave them a successful Covid free summer!
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Testing and Division Conference Testing Information TENTATIVE Dates & Locations September 25th, New Canaan, CT October 18th, A-Copi & Sports Center, Augusta, ME For more information please contact Head Tester, Wayne Turner at wayne.turner54@icoud.com
Division Conference Mark your calendars for November 6th and 7th for the VIRTUAL Division Conference! USPTA NE is joining the USTA New England's Virtual Tennis Weekend to provide members with educational and networking opportunities. More information will be provided in upcoming e-blasts.
Click image to go to the website.
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Just For FUN
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Last Shot
This painting was done by our very own USPTA New England member, Gail Ingis, and hangs in the USPTA National Headquarters. Gail did this for the the USPTA's 75th anniversary. Gail graciously allowed her painting to be included in our newsletter. You'll notice small numbers next to the players. Below is a list of players: 1 - Jimmy Connors 2 - Chris Evert 3 - Jack Kramer 4 - Billie Jean King
5 - Roscoe Tanner 6 - Pam Shriver 7 - random player 8 - random player
9 - John McEnroe 10 - Peter Fleming 11 - Arthur Ashe 12 - Fred Perry
13 - Rod Laver 14 - Althea Gibson 15 - Stan Smith
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