ADDvantage March 2020

March 2020

Help is on the way CEO John Embree

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Aaron Kolz : A PTM success story

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PTM Programs

Take your career to the next level

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USPTA From the CEO

Help Is On The Way John R. Embree, USPTA CEO

A

s I travel the country, I am often asked what keeps me up at night.

Oh, there are plenty of complex problems that we face as an Association, but this is easy for me to answer. Tennisteaching professionals are getting older, and we need young, exciting professionals to reinvigorate our sport.

I sleep a little easier, though, knowing that we are on the right path to tackling these issues.

It is no secret that the average age of our members and of tennis-teaching professionals in general is 50 years old. Nor is it a secret that we have a shortage of qualified tennis-teaching professionals that can deliver tennis in such a way that will keep people engaged and make tennis the “sport of their lifetime.” We get calls all the time from club managers who cannot find teaching professionals with the skillset to fill the role of director of tennis.

We also hear from directors that have difficulty securing the services of staff professionals that are eager to learn, show good customer service and want to make teaching tennis their profession.

To those managers and directors, rest assured, and keep your doors open.

Help is on the way.

We can take a lesson from Professional Golf Management programs. Roughly 1,750 students are enrolled in 18 PGM programs across the country, with almost 450 aspiring professionals joining the ranks as new graduates every year. The success of these programs and their impact in the

golf world cannot be denied.

Professional Tennis Management programs tout similar success.

Nationwide, PTM programs have a nearly 100% job placement rate! These graduates enter the industry full of energy and expertise, and if they can provide a positive experience, their players will become “lifers.”

Such an outstanding job placement rate is a testament to the success of the programs and their graduates and of the demand for these graduates in the marketplace. Credit the USTA-U, under the direction of Scott Schultz, for encouraging more colleges and universities to add PTM to their academic offerings. There are now 11 PTM programs across the country, with more on the horizon. Still, PTM programs today only have 150 students enrolled.

The key, then, is making sure these classes are full of excited tennis students. To do this, I have embarked on a journey in the first quarter of 2020 to seven different state high school tennis coaches association conventions (many of which are being held in conjunction with USPTA division conferences) to raise awareness of PTM programs and the incredible career potential they can provide.

But this cannot be done alone. As with nearly everything we do as an Association, we are relying on our members, particularly high school coaches, to raise awareness and encourage players to consider a career

42 - ADDvantage Magazine — March 2020

in tennis. If each coach identifies one player from their team – just one – that is passionate about tennis, wants to work with people and be a leader in their community, it would have a HUGE impact on the future of our sport. It doesn’t even have to be the best player on the team!

Once they graduate from a PTM school, these young professionals are better trained and more educated than the pros before them. They will be USPTA-certified and prepared to take on the industry from the ground up. That’s when we can really make a difference in their careers.

It will be up to us to give them the competencies and opportunities to explore the various career paths our sport has to offer: a high school or college coach, a director of tennis or a club general manager, running a parks and recreation department, work for a manufacturer or even a USTA section or district office.

The possibilities are endless; we just need to give these future professionals a nudge in the right direction.

To me, there is no more vital mission than to create a pipeline of enthusiastic, polished professionals that will leave their mark on our sport.

Join me on this mission. Recruit the best and the brightest to join our ranks so I can sleep a bit better at night knowing that our great game will be in better hands in the years to come. If you are interested in PTM, visit www.uspta.com/ptm*

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USPTA Vice President’s Message

Leadership: The Time is Now Lane Evans, USPTA Vice President

A

tremendous responsibility to the tennis world. It must navigate many issues and make critical decisions regarding the future of the organization. USTA accreditation is a prime example. This is a very complex process with many moving parts and many people involved – more than most would think.

Throughout that process, the Board had to do what was best for all USPTA members. Indeed, the Board must do what is best for all of us in everything it does.

Understanding the magnitude of this appointment, I consulted a few experts on leadership that you may have heard of in my research for this article.

USPTA

s I moved up the ladder of leadership positions in the USPTA in my 30-plus years as a member, I always dreamed of the day when I could serve our organization at its highest level, the USPTA Board of Directors.

Shortly after learning of my appointment, CEO John Embree called to congratulate me and assure me that my leadership would be counted on as we move into a new year with many new challenges. His words brought to mind the Peter Parker principle of the great Stan Lee: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Those are strong words.

The USPTA Board of Directors is a very powerful tennis entity that has

The USPTA Board of Directors ( left to right): Bill Mountford, Mark Faber, Rich Slivocka, Feisal Hassan, Gary Trost, Trish Faulkner, Jason Gilbert, Lane Evans

46 - ADDvantage Magazine — March 2020

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

– Abraham Lincoln “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things.

He is the one that gets people to do the greatest things.”

– Ronald Reagan “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”

– John Quincy Adams Not bad advice from some wellknown leaders.

I have always considered myself a club members’ pro that will always work on their behalf, because it is not, and will never be, about me. I’d like to think I’m a USPTA members’ board member, too. I want to know what you want from the USPTA because you are what matters. I get calls all the time from USPTA members from across the country to voice their concerns. It has always been my pleasure to take these calls and address their concerns; now it is my solemn promise.

Serving on the USPTA Board of Directors is a serious responsibility.

Our industry is constantly changing, and we must continue to keep pace with and affect how those changes impact our members and our sport. It is up to all of us to do this, but as a board member, I feel a special duty to uphold.

We, as an Association, need to decide what we want to be. There is leadership greatness in all of us. Let’s find that greatness and move forward together as a team, paving the way forward for the USPTA and the tennis industry as we head into a new decade.

Finally, I want you to know you always have ears at the board level that will listen to your thoughts and ideas.

We will always support you. As a USPTA Tester, this is one of the main ideas I convey to new applicants at every test.

We’re here for you. We’re glad you’re here with us. *

USPTA

PTM Prepared Aaron Kolz for Life On and Off the Court Lucas Casás, USPTA Communications

Gino Recchia

W

hen Aaron Kolz was in high school, he had a decision to make.

He was weighing his career options and saw two choices. The first was inspired by his history teacher, a Vietnam veteran who was “so warmhearted and wanting to be there for his students.” The second was to follow his father’s footsteps into coaching tennis.

Both offered the opportunity to work with kids and impact their lives.

A schoolteacher touches the lives of more kids on a daily basis, but it’s hard to relate to students that don’t necessarily want to be there. On the tennis court, though, “kids are coming because they want to come.

They’re going to be more likely to open up and communicate about how their day is,” he said.

Tennis had always been a part of Kolz’s life. His father Mike, a longtime high school coach and parks & rec director just outside Milwaukee, started taking him to the courts for practice when he was about 4 or 5, and he grew up hitting on local courts with his younger brothers.

So when it came time to make the decision, he chose the court over the classroom and enrolled in the Professional Tennis Management program at Ferris State University in Michigan.

In truth, his decision wasn’t all that hard. In fact, in a way, he had already made it. He was in the third grade and it was Career Day. “Seeing what my dad did and how much fun he had on the court, to me that’s what I wanted to do,” Kolz said.

“Seeing a role of what your parents do

and how it affects the community, to me as a third grader, that’s what made me think this is what I want to do.”

Learning to swim in the deep end

At Ferris, Kolz immersed himself in the game. He was below a 4.0 rating as a player, so he was expected to be on-court between 10 and 15 hours a week to hone his skills. He connected with some guys on the Bulldogs men’s team and started hitting with them at 6 o’clock in the morning.

“We would probably hit two or three times a week, then I would drill for three hours, then I would go play a match,” Kolz said. “I was oncourt five to six days a week.”

The PTM program at Ferris offered credit to students that completed an internship at a club, so Kolz reached out to USPTA

Master Professional Jay Massart, who was the director of tennis at the Milwaukee Country Club.

“He was very professional,” Massart said. “You could tell that he had been taught through his father and through the PTM program. He was always there early, always had a lesson plan, he took our club’s students very seriously.”

Still, Kolz showed his youth.

And at Milwaukee Country Club, “expectations are high,” Massart said.

One day, he pulled Kolz aside for a reality check.

“You’re not an intern,” Kolz remembered Massart telling him.

“You’re working here, you’re on my staff, you’re going to do the things that are expected of you. You’re in the real world, so you can’t rely on school for help.

“With him, it was learning to swim in the deep end,” Kolz said.

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Kolz worked for Massart for two summers during his time at Ferris.

But he wasn’t progressing through the curriculum on schedule and started getting burned out from school, so he took a year and a half off and worked as an assistant coach at Elite Sports Club in Milwaukee.

“I didn’t know how to ask questions and go to professors,” he said. “It was the learning of it’s okay to say you need help. When I took that year and a half off, I started practicing that.

I would ask my director, how can I get better? What is the expectation?

That’s when I really started to grow as a teaching pro.”

He took a U10 travel team to a Midwest junior team tennis tournament and placed in the top five.

“After seeing the interaction for that weekend of the kids with myself, I thought that was a true calling,” Kolz said. “This is what I’m meant to do.”

Invigorated, he enrolled at Tyler Junior College in Texas to complete his PTM degree.

“That beats any paycheck”

Gino Recchia

A graduation requirement of PTM programs across the country – 11 colleges and universities currently

Gino Recchia

USPTA

Kolz (middle) with two students at the Green Bay Tennis Center in Wisconsin.

offer PTM – is that students become USPTA Professionals.

“I didn’t feel prepared to just go take the USPTA exam by myself,” Kolz said. “I wanted to go through the PTM program because one of the things all the schools do is they walk you through the entire exam and how to prepare yourself for it.”

Kolz never lost sight of the value of applying what he learned in the classroom on the court. So when he arrived in Texas, he started working at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels. Monday through Friday, he was a student. On Friday afternoon, he would drive nearly 300 miles to Newk’s, work the weekend, and drive back Sunday night.

“It’s one thing to teach your peers,” he said, “but to be able to put the practice into going off and actually teaching an eight-hour weekend for random guests at one of the most well-known resorts for tennis, that’s a different animal. That’s making sure you’re on your A-game the entire weekend.”

Kolz earned his associate’s degree in PTM from Tyler in May 2016.

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He took a job at River Place Club in Austin, where he worked under Beverly Bowes, a USPTA Elite Professional and former WTA top100 player. Kolz said she taught him to be more flexible and “how to be a good country club pro.”

Homesick, he then moved to Oshkosh, Wis., where he was the head pro at the YMCA. A few years later, an old boss invited him to the Green Bay Tennis Center to be a staff pro and the 10U director. He says he feels valued as a coach, “and having that beats any paycheck.”

“The one thing PTM helped me out with the most is understanding that education is foremost in the sense of once you’re done taking your exam, you’re only as good as the last thing you remember,” he said. “You need to continue to find material to learn how to be a better pro because you can always be replaced. [The value of ] education was one of the biggest things Ferris and Tyler instilled in me. The other was the ability to network. The more you network, the more people you have that can help you progress in your career.”*

USPTA

Professional Tennis Management Programs Are you interested in a career in tennis? Are you a teaching professional looking to take your career to the next level?

Countless clubs and facilities nationwide have high demand for young, qualified tennis professionals to fill roles including director of tennis and general manager, and Professional Tennis Management can help you get there!

Eleven colleges and universities currently offer USTA-accredited certificate, undergraduate and graduate PTM programs.

These programs focus on areas of hospitality, sports management and exercise science to provide students with the expertise to be well-rounded professionals in the field. They also offer invaluable networking and internship opportunities that have resulted in a nearly 100% job placement rate.

If you’re interested in studying Professional Tennis Management, check out any of these programs across the country! *

Berry College Mount Berry, GA www.berry.edu

Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA www.bridgew.edu

Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI www.ferris.edu

Hope College Holland, MI www.hope.edu

Manhattanville College Purchase, NY www.mville.edu

Methodist University Fayetteville, NC www.methodist.edu

Ohio University Athens, OH www.ohio.edu

San Diego State University San Diego, CA www.sdsu.edu

Tyler Junior College Tyler, TX www.tjc.edu

University of Central Florida Orlando, FL www.ucf.edu

Queens College – CUNY Queens, NY www.qc.cuny.edu

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USPTA From the CEO

Travel With Your Members!

Hans Römer, USPTA Master Professional

(Left to right) USPTA Master Professional Hans Römer with Elite Professionals Kie Foreman and Sam Garcia.

D

on’t you love hearing this? “Please

stow your carry-on luggage underneath the seat in front of you or in an overhead bin, and please fasten your seat belt for takeoff.” Some people do not

like flying, but I do. Flying means arriving somewhere else, which means exploring new cultures, tasting different foods, experiencing different environments and meeting new people. Flying means receiving the traditional small bag of peanuts!

Basically, it comes down to stepping out of

your comfort zone. Isn’t that exactly what we teach our students/members as well? By actually traveling with your members, you create the ultimate win-win situation by talking the talk, and walking the walk!

As a Director of Tennis for several years at clubs in California, Florida and New England, I have been fortunate to serve memberships that have supported me tremendously in events, fundraisers and trips. Or does my dedicated staff deserve a little credit for promoting and executing all

March 50 - ADDvantage 2020 — ADDvantage Magazine —Magazine March 2020 - 50 Hans Romer

Hans Romer

USPTA these initiatives...

tennis, and that is exactly what creates

members abroad to a Grand Slam.

USPTA members can enjoy so much more than just tennis on a trip with Tennis Ventures.

Providing your membership with creative programming that includes exciting events, tournaments, mixers, ladders and round robins is a fundamental part of your job description. And if you meet, and hopefully exceed, the expectations of your membership and management, you have established your own job security. Is that it? Or is there room for a little more icing on the cake?

Yes, there is, by traveling with your members! Allow me to categorize that into three levels. Of course, that starts at the local level by attending the away games of your USTA teams and watching your juniors and/or adults compete at tournaments. Another local or regional event could be setting up “interclubs” for men and women.

Organizing and engaging at the local level is the first sign that you care. One benefit that stands out from a tennis development point of view is that you get to see how your students perform in real matches, away matches. During these short trips, by sharing a cup of coffee, or even a ride, you realize that there’s more to talk about than just

and strengthens your connection with your membership.

The next step would be taking a group of juniors and/or adults, to a professional ATP or WTA tournament, or Davis Cup/Fed Cup tie – assuming that you are fortunate enough that your facility is within a reasonable distance to the venue. Many tournaments offer great packages for larger groups and even the USPTA now offers its members free entry to early rounds of many of the ATP and WTA US Open series! Make it day! Include lunch, perhaps a clinic, and arrange a meeting for one or more professionals, a short Q&A. One of the major basic needs of any human being is inclusion. These trips offer exactly that!

The third level is truly going above and beyond by taking your

Flying, dining, playing tennis and watching the top players compete is the ultimate bonding experience. I have been on three of these trips with Tennis Ventures. Owners Chadwick and Camilla Byrd have been doing this successfully for 10 years and have taken hundreds of people to Australia, England, France and Italy. These trips include watching Grand Slam tennis matches with splendid five-star hotels, fine dining and instructional tennis clinics and play.

Going on three of these trips (Aussie twice, RG once), it really opened my eyes that the trip in itself is awesome, but the connections and relationships you create and strengthen with your members cannot happen, and will not happen, just at the club. Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi! *

Hans Römer is a USPTA Master Professional and is the seasonal Director of Tennis at Edgcomb Tennis Club in Kennebunk, Maine. In the winter months, he teaches tennis at Cedar Hammock Golf & Country Club in Naples, Fla. In addition to Maine and Florida, Römer has taught in California, Amsterdam and England.

He has traveled with Tennis Ventures on three occasions, but also co-organizes his annual Pebble Beach East Coast-West Coast Tennis Camp in California. Römer can be reached at hansromer@icloud.com.

March 2020 — ADDvantage Magazine - 51

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USPTA Extends Multi-Year Partnerships With Har-Tru, SportMaster Sport Surfaces

Gustavo Reyes/USPTA

he USPTA has agreed to a threeyear partnership with Har-Tru, the world’s premier manufacturer of tennis court surfaces, equipment, accessories and supplies. HarTru will continue as the official provider of teaching carts, ball mowers and ball baskets of the USPTA. Additionally, the USPTA has extended its multi-year partnership with SportMaster Sport Surfaces to continue as the official tennis hardcourt surface of the USPTA. As part of the agreement with Har-Tru, USPTA members will have access to discounted HarTru products. Har-Tru will also contribute 3% of the net sales value

of all equipment purchased by USPTA members to the USPTA Supplemental Savings Program. Additionally, Har-Tru will supply the USPTA with HarTru equipment and products for use in USPTA programs and initiatives.

The USPTA will provide Har-Tru and SportMaster with marketing and other promotional benefits, including in ADDvantage Magazine, SportMaster Sport Surfaces at the Merchandise & Trade division and Show at the 2019 World Conference in Las Vegas. national e-newsletters and the World performance for both players and Conference program. surfaces. SportMaster tennis court SportMaster has been resurfacing products feature 100 supplying a percent Acrylic Resins worldwide ensuring long-term network of protection from professionals all the elements, with premium including supreme quality sports resistance from the surfaces and damaging effects of repair products the sun. SportMaster for more than products are available 45 years. Their at over 100 locations dedication to throughout the bringing science U.S., and additional and advanced distributors and technology to installers, worldwide. sport surfaces Visit www.sportmaster.

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What is the Platform Tennis Index?

New rating system adopted by the APTA for leagues Amin Khadduri, APTA CEO

T

he American Platform Tennis Association has teamed up with league website Paddlescores.com to offer Platform Tennis Index (PTI), a new feature for all APTA members who play in APTA leagues. League administrators, team captains, tournament directors, and teaching pros will find the PTI to be a valuable tool for the sport.

WHAT IS A PLATFORM TENNIS INDEX (PTI), AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN? A player’s PTI is a number from 0 to 80.

It is similar to a golf handicap: better players have a lower PTI.

• An 80 represents a player who has never played paddle before and has little racquets experience.

• A 0 represents a highly skilled player who is competitive at the national level.

• It is possible to have a negative rating.

HOW DO PLAYERS GET AN INITIAL PTI? There are four options to set a player’s initial rating:

1. Use match data from prior seasons.

2. Set an initial PTI based on a player’s division/typical line number.

3. Have a club platform tennis professional set it.

4. Play in an APTA tournament that uses Live Scoring.

In most cases, Paddlescores can use your historical match data to generate PTI for an existing league. The APTA and Paddlescores will help get a new league up and running.

HOW DO I GET A PTI FOR PLAYERS AT MY CLUB/IN MY LEAGUE?

To get a PTI, your league needs to use Paddlescores (powered by Tenniscores). For leagues that require APTA membership to participate, everyone in the league

will have a PTI. For leagues that do not require APTA membership, APTA members will have a PTI. Players who are not APTA members won’t have a visible PTI (although it will be computed for them and ready to access when they become APTA members.)

HOW DOES A PTI ADJUST?

PTIs are dynamic and adjust after match results are posted. The PTI algorithm uses the match outcome (win/loss and games won) and the relative strength of the teams playing to determine the adjustment.

Example: Player A (a 20 PTI) and

Player B (28) have a match versus Player C (24) and Player D (30). Team A/B has a rating of 48 versus Team C/D

March 2020 — ADDvantage Magazine - 55

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USPTA BESIDES THE PTI, WHAT OTHER FEATURES DOES PADDLESCORES HAVE? Flexible scoring system: Every league runs differently and Paddlescores customizes the site to work for any structure or scoring system.

Payment system: Paddlescores gives leagues the ability to collect dues, tournament fees, etc., with funds going directly into a league’s bank account.

with 54. The team with a lower rating is favored to win the match. If Team A/B wins (the expected outcome), PTIs for A and B will decline a small amount and PTIs for C and D will increase by the opposite amount. If Team C/D wins (an upset), PTIs for C and D will decline by a more significant amount while PTIs for A and B increase.

Large changes in PTIs are achieved through upsets or lopsided victories between closely matched teams. A heavily favored team cannot improve its PTI by feasting on weak opponents.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PLAYERS HAVING A PTI FOR LEAGUES AND CLUB PROS? 1. PTIs are used to prevent lineup “stacking” in league play. For example, the top divisions in the Boston Men’s League require that teams order their lineups by PTI. Line 1 must have a lower PTI than line 2, which is lower than line 3, etc.

2. PTIs can be used by pros or team captains as an objective measure to help evaluate player placement for club teams, often a delicate process.

3. Tournaments: PTIs are now being used in Boston to create

tournaments for all different levels of ability. With PTI thresholds determining eligibility, every player in the country would have an opportunity to compete at their appropriate skill level

WHAT LEAGUES ARE CURRENTLY USING THE PTI SYSTEM?

Ease of use for Commissioners: Commissioners have flexibility around what captains are able to enter and edit.

Ease of use for Captains: Captains can request player availability, create lineups, and communicate with teammates directly.

Tournaments: Tournament directors can run, promote, collect fees, seed using PTI, and use Live Scoring.

Leagues fully turned on (PTIs viewable to everyone): • Chicago (Men) • Boston (Men) • Philadelphia (Men) • Pittsburgh (Men & Women) Leagues testing it out (viewable only to captains): • Baltimore (Men) • Fairfield County (Women) Several leagues are currently evaluating moving to PTI and Paddlescores site for next season.

Ladders: Intra-club or league-wide ladders can be set up.

Casual Play score entry: For the truly die-hard players, casual play matches can be scored and count for something.

WHO DO I CONTACT IF I’M INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? PADDLESCORES and PTI: Contact Nancy Biggs at nancybiggs@tenniscores.com LEAGUES: Contact Ann Sheedy at apta@platformtennis.org *

Amin Khadurri is the CEO of the American Platform Tennis Association, the governing body of platform tennis, and is the Chair of the Boston Men’s League. He also is the captain of the Brae Burn Country Club A Team. His PTI is currently 14.7.

March 2020 — ADDvantage Magazine - 57

Career Development USPTA

Career Development USPTA Certification Testing Dates

March 6-7................................................Berry Creek Country Club

Georgetown, TX March 7-8......................................................... Oaks at Boca Raton

Boca Raton, FL March 7-8......................................................Sea Cliff Country Club

Huntington Beach, CA March 7-8................................................................... Andulka Park

Riverside, CA March 9-10...................................... La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club

La Jolla, CA March 13........................................Oklahoma Golf & Country Club

Oklahoma City, OK March 14-15...............................................Bayou Bluff Tennis Club

Gulfport, MS March 15-16......................................................... ACAC Midlothian

Midlothian, VA March 17-18............................................................. Glenview Club

Golf, IL March 21-22.......................................... Green Island Country Club

Columbus, GA March 22-23.......................................................Park Crossing Club

Charlotte, NC March 26................................... Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center

Minneapolis, MN March 27...........................................................Nassau Tennis Club

Skillman, NJ March 27-28.................................................... Ranch Country Club

Westminster, CO April 3-4......................................................Bayou Bluff Tennis Club

Gulfport, MS April 4.................................................... Mingus Union High School

Cottonwood, AZ April 4-5........................................................... The Westwood Club

Richmond, VA April 6-7.......................................................USTA National Campus

Orlando, FL April 10..................................................................Life Time Fitness

West Harrison, NY April 10-11.....................................................................BYU-Hawaii

Laie, HI April 11-12...................................................... Atlanta Athletic Club

Johns Creek, GA April 15-16........................................................ Tyler Junior College

Tyler, TX April 17...................................................... Wee Burn Country Club

Darien, CT April 18-19................................................. Rush Copley Healthplex

Aurora, IL April 19-20................................................... Burbank Tennis Center

Burbank, CA

Exam reservations must be made by calling the USPTA World Headquarters at 407-634-3050 ext. 2 at least 21 days prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam and upgrade. PTCA I is included in the two-day exam. Exam cancellations must be received no later than 14 days before the exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly.

2020 USPTA Division Conferences Feb. 28-Mar. 1 Northern.......... Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center .

St. Paul, MN March 7-8 San Diego....................... La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club .

La Jolla, CA March 12-15 Mid-Atlantic..........................Country Club of Virginia .

Richmond, VA May 1-3 Eastern...................International Tennis Hall of Fame. .

Newport, RI May 1-3 New England.......... International Tennis Hall of Fame .

Newport, RI May 14-16 Southern.............................................................. TBD .

TBD May 15-17 Southwest........................... Grand Canyon University .

Phoenix, AZ May 28-31 Florida...................... Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club .

Naples, FL June 5-6 Pacific Northwest................................Linfield College .

McMinnville, OR Sept. 21-25 USPTA World Conference...................Hilton Riverside .

New Orleans, LA Divisions not listed have not yet set a date for their annual conference as of press time.

Visit www.uspta.com for a complete listing of certification and educational opportunities • Wheelchair • Padel • Platform

• Pickleball • RacquetFit

Visit TennisResources.com to find hundreds of exclusive educational and instructional videos, audio material, articles and drill diagrams related to all levels and aspects of the game of tennis. The user friendly video interface is great for watching on a desktop or mobile device and makes it easy to #GetYourSix wherever you are!

March 2020 — ADDvantage Magazine - 59

USPTA Executive Committee Directory National Board

Hawaii

Midwest

Northern

Southern

First Vice President Richard Slivocka

Regional Vice President Ikaika Jobe

Regional Vice President Matthew Davis

Regional Vice President Cristina Primo Carrau

Regional Vice President Todd Upchurch

Head Tester David Porter, Ed.D.

Head Tester Mike Lange

Head Tester Roger Boyer

Head Tester Ron Gwyn

Contact Hawaii-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Carol Anderson Midwest-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Christin Thurston Northern-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Pat Whitworth Southern-ED@uspta.org

Intermountain

Missouri Valley

Pacific Northwest

Southwest

Regional Vice President Daniel Gray

Regional Vice President Tom Jennings

Regional Vice President Bill Fletcher

Regional Vice President Laurie Martin

Head Tester Hassan Humayun

Head Tester Bunny Bruning

Head Tester Ted Sayrahder

Head Tester Gregory Prudhomme

CEO John Embree

Executive Director Tom Van De Hey Intermountain-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Angela Koumaris MissouriValley-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Don Patch PacificNorthwest-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Jack Michalko Southwest-ED@uspta.org

Eastern

Mid-Atlantic

New England

San Diego

Texas

Regional Vice President Jacqueline Clark

Regional Vice President Rob Oakes

Regional Vice President Michael Kolendo

Regional Vice President Amanda Fink

Regional Vice President Craig Bell

Head Tester Whitney Kraft

Head Tester Ted Meyer

Head Tester Wayne Turner

Head Tester Don Gomsi

Head Tester Tom Ingram

Executive Director Paul Fontana Eastern-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Patrick Kearns Mid-Atlantic-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Vacant NewEngland-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Don Gomsi SanDiego-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Charlotte Wylie Texas-ED@uspta.org

Florida

Middle States

Northern California Southern California President John Evans

President Jeff Miller

Regional Vice President Rich Walker

Vice President Timothy Fitzgerald

Regional Vice President Carrie Zarraonandia

Regional Vice President Scott Burton

Head Tester Glen Howe

Head Tester Mark Centrella

Head Tester Rosie Bareis

Head Tester - Interim Sid Newcomb

Executive Director Patricia Anderson Florida-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Anthony Santonastaso MiddleStates-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Andrea Barnes NorthernCalifornia-ED@uspta.org

Executive Director Sara Morse SouthernCalifornia-ED@uspta.org

President Feisal Hassan

Vice President Lane Evans Vice President Mark Faber Vice President Trish Faulkner Vice President Jason Gilbert Vice President Bill Mountford Immediate Past President Gary Trost Legal Counsel George Parnell

President Jason Speirs

President Joseph D’Aleo, Jr.

President Mike Graff

President Cathleen Nicoloff

President Andy Zodin

President Rod Zerni

President Patricio Misitrano

President Jason Grigg

President Tim Irwin

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President................................................................. Feisal Hassan First Vice President.............................................Richard Slivocka Vice Presidents...............Lane Evans, Mark Faber, Trish Faulkner, Jason Gilbert, Bill Mountford Immediate Past President............................................ Gary Trost CEO...........................................................................John Embree Legal Counsel........................................................George Parnell

President Bruce Gullikson

President Kevin Theos

President Matt Iwersen

President Conan Lorenzo

President David Moyer

President Matt Watson

ADDVANTAGE MAGAZINE Editor.................................................................................John Cornell Managing Editor.................................................................Lucas Casás Layout/Design............................................................... Gustavo Reyes Editorial Assistance ........................... Jacquelyn Dahre, Alegna Hollis, Ramona Husaru, Sid Newcomb, Fred Viancos, Ellen Weatherford Circulation.................................................................... Trevor Trudelle USPTA World Headquarters 11961 Performance Dr. Orlando, FL 32827 800-887-8248- www.uspta.com

60 - ADDvantage Magazine — March 2020

ADDvantage is published monthly by the United States Professional Tennis Association.

The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the United States Professional Tennis Association.

Copyright© United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from the USPTA.