USPTA ADDvantage April 2021

April 2021

What Worries Me? From the CEO

Innovation Initiative

Vice President’s Message

Filling their Shoes

Master Professional Corner

Not All Heroes Wear Capes Member Feature

The Future of Tennis-Teaching is Bright

Member Feature

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From the CEO USPTA

What Worries Me?

I

often get asked, “what keeps me up at night?” That is an easy answer. I worry what will happen when many USPTA members, who came into our industry during the boom years of the ’70s and ’80s, begin to retire. Our professionals’ average age is north of 50, and we have more professionals between 70-75 years than we have ever had in our association’s history, who are still actively teaching.

Over the next five to 10 years, there will be a mass exodus of tennis professionals, many of whom hold the most coveted jobs in our industry. There will also be a “brain drain” of our most reputable leaders who occupy the highest positions throughout our sport. Who is going to take their respective places? From where is the next wave of talented professionals going to come?

I have made mention of the predicament in this space on a previous occasion. But I am circling back on this topic because there is some encouraging news to report that could help stem this tide.

As I am sure that you are aware, the USTA has put a considerable effort over the past two years into expanding PTM (Professional Tennis Management) programs across the country. At the moment, there are seven institutions of higher learning offering a bachelor’s degree in tennis management, up from just two, four-year programs and one, two-year program a couple of years ago.

Additionally, there are two master’s degree programs and one certificate program available online for students who wish to elevate their education further.

Other schools are at various stages

John R. Embree, USPTA CEO

of putting together a PTM certificate program, which bodes well for the health of our sport long term. I encourage our members to make high school and junior players aware of the PTMs so that we will see a new generation of highly trained and competent tennis teachers coming into our profession.

In addition to encouraging more high school players to consider enrolling in a PTM, the USTA has announced a scholarship program beginning this spring. Over the next five years, up to 50 students per year who are enrolled in a PTM program could be granted scholarship dollars to help defray their collegiate education costs.

Not only will junior players who have a passion for tennis and want to pursue a career in our sport be incentivized under this new program, USPTA professionals, who recommend a student to attend a PTM program, will be recognized for those referrals. Pros regularly enlist some of their top junior players to assist with summer camps or teach younger clients on weekends. If a junior shows a propensity for customer service and a desire to help others, they are suitable candidates for our industry and specifically for teaching tennis. The passion they exhibit while on the court makes them an obvious choice to enroll in a PTM program.

Along a similar vein, the USPTA recently announced a partnership with the University of Florida for a new Director of Racquet Sports Certification. The USPTA Director of Racquet Sports Certification Program has been created under the auspices of the USPTA and USTA to provide

April 2021

ADDvantage Magazine - 43

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From the CEO USPTA tennis professionals with an educational curriculum focused on developing the business and leadership competencies required to manage a tennis operation successfully — whether in a private club, commercial setting, or public recreation setting. The University of Florida will be delivering the curriculum through its master’s degree in Sport Management and as a self-paced, non-credit continuing education curriculum. Both methods will offer pros a significant education: learning the skills needed to run programming and operations and successfully fulfill the role of Director of Racquet Sports.

The UF master’s program is currently enrolling prospective students, and the continuing education certificate option will start on June 1, 2021.

Coincidentally, Past National President, Will Hoag, talks about the same concern of finding new Directors of Tennis in his Master Pro Corner article in this issue.

As the saying goes, “like-minded people think alike.” No, we did not coordinate our messages in advance. But we both realize how critical this topic is for our association’s long-term prospects and our game that we love so much. You can help by identifying talented junior players, not just for their playing skills but also for their desire to be teachers and put smiles on people’s faces through tennis. They should be encouraged to join our noble profession, so I do not have to worry any longer. When it is time to ride off into the sunset, don’t we want the game to be in better shape than when we started? *

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University of Florida Director of Tennis Master’s Program uspta.com/ufdors or email Kim Bastable – kimbastable@ufl.edu

April 2021

ADDvantage Magazine - 45

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Vice President’s Message USPTA

USPTA Launches New National Initiative to Foster Innovation

A

s an industry leader, the USPTA has always been at the forefront of embracing change. In a time where our industry is going through unprecedented evolution, the USPTA’s National Innovation Committee (NIC) was launched in 2020 to support that core value.

The NIC’s creation is a new long-term strategic priority to engage, empower, and provide a platform to the racquet sports community to be creative and share ideas for our diverse and innovative membership base.

This year, the NIC will unveil an extremely exciting innovation contest to engage our members to develop viable innovative solutions to better serve our membership and racquet sports community at large.

According to the Physical Activity Council’s (PAC) Participation Report, tennis experienced tremendous growth

Jason Gilbert, USPTA Vice President

amid the global pandemic. Four million more people played the sport in 2020 than in 2019. What’s even more exciting is that nearly 3 million new players picked up a racquet in ‘20 over new players in ‘19. Our goal is to keep this tremendous momentum going forward by engaging and retaining all these current players while attracting a new generation of players.

Any member in good standing can participate in the innovation contest, and they will be able to submit an idea that can be implemented across any of the following three categories: Technology, Facility Operations, and Growing the Game.

Submissions opened on March 16, 2021, and will close on August 8, 2021.

The individual winners and divisions represented will be announced, recognized, and rewarded at the 2021 USPTA World Conference. *

April 2021

Rise Up and Innovate!

ADDvantage Magazine - 49

USPTA Master Professional Corner

Filling the Shoes of Retiring Tennis Directors Will Hoag, USPTA Master Professional and Former National President

W

hat a great time to be in the tennisteaching business. I reason that many Baby Boomers like myself will soon be retiring, and significant positions will become available to qualified applicants.

However, the keyword is qualified.

Competent candidates have been a concern of mine for quite some time but that does not need to be if today’s tennis directors and the USPTA address it headon. We need to prepare the next wave of potential directors with the skills necessary to succeed.

When I landed my director’s job, I was in the right place at the right time. Looking back, I now see that I was not qualified to take this position, but the demands in the 1970s were nothing like those of today. I was fortunate to have had one year’s experience at my facility, so I knew the members, their needs, and what was expected of the director from the owners and management.

To this day, I give credit and will always be grateful to the USPTA and the Florida Division professionals who helped me learn this business. I was also blessed with having Spike Gurney as my mentor. Without him and numerous USPTA pros, I would never have succeeded.

So, what can we do to help the incoming group of directors? Three groups will make an impact: management, current directors, and the USPTA. Let us begin with management. Those in charge of a facility need to offer a respectable salary and benefits to their tennis-teaching staffs. We know that most tennis-teaching professionals, except for directors, make

50 - ADDvantage Magazine

their living on the court. While this is an important segment of a tennis-teaching pro’s learning experience, it takes away from studying other critical components of the profession that occur off the court.

By providing a fair salary with benefits — pressure is taken off the pro to make a living solely from giving instruction. It helps this person become a more valuable employee of the facility. The more this individual knows about operations, the better the club will run daily. The best tennis-related facilities today are led by a team. To act as a well-oiled machine, everyone must understand the operation and needs of the club.

The second group who can help mold skilled directors are those that currently hold director positions. It is our responsibility to assist our staff in succeeding in this wonderful profession.

Directors, think back to your early days in

April 2021

the industry and what helped you move up the chain of command. Mentoring and coaching your staff takes a lot of time and energy, but that’s what must be done to help those who aspire to become a director. Each week, current directors should spend time with their staff to instill better understanding of how procedures work daily, monthly, and yearly. Some of the off-court competencies that should be addressed include running events, court maintenance, budgeting, managing staff, working with other departments, programming, pro shop operations, communication and member relations, and customer service.

Tennis is much different and more demanding today than it was when I became a director. Nowadays, it is a business. I was fortunate to serve on the Executive Committee of the USPTA. I

Master Professional Corner USPTA fondly remember my friend, Jim Davis, president of the Midwest Division and part-owner of a tennis club in Toledo, Ohio, hammering home the fact that if we did not look at tennis as a business, we could see our jobs and facilities disappear.

I recall the May 1994 cover article of Sports Illustrated, in which the headline read, “Is Tennis Dying?” The sport took a significant drop in the 90s due to tennisteaching professionals being more focused on their lesson books rather than growing the membership at their facilities. Many clubs closed because of this extensive oversight.

Jim Davis changed my outlook and made me a better director because of his sage wisdom.

Last but not least, the USPTA needs to be engaged in bettering future candidates, both nationally and divisionally. The association needs to work more closely with the clubs that do hiring and encourage them to provide more competitive salaries and benefits to their staff’s tennis-teaching pros. Providing more education for those professionals who wish to advance in their careers is essential. There should be different “tracks” at national and divisional conventions — and online offerings that provide content targeted to future tennis directors. Each division has great tennis directors — and so, they need to be called upon to speak, write, and mentor those who plan to make tennis their career. One of our members, Mark McMahon, offers a course that deals with specific management competencies.

We are so fortunate to be part of this great sport and business. Looking back, I am thrilled with my decision to become a tennisteaching professional. I have no regrets.

But the last thing that I want to see is tennis departments being managed by another department within the club because of a lack of proficiency or expertise. During my first few years on the USPTA National Executive Committee, I remember Joe Thompson, USPTA National Past President, and CEO Tim Heckler, emphasizing the importance of getting our professionals off the court so they could learn how to run our businesses better.

They were right then — and even more so now.

Tennis directors, it’s your serve! *

April 2021

ADDvantage Magazine - 51

The Future of Tennis-Teaching is Bright Dillon Chustz, USPTA Director of Membership

W

hat were your hobbies as a 16-year-old? Most of us would recall watching television, playing video games, or rocking out in our garage band — things you would typically associate with a teenager. Well, Jacob Eusebio and his friends in Southern California must have missed the memo. Instead, you will find them running “Serving Advantage,” their own tennis-teaching non-profit for kids with cognitive and developmental challenges.

Photo courtesy of Serving Advantage

I was introduced to these three advantageous teenagers when I came across their applications to become USPTA Certified Professionals. Jacob Eusebio, Natalie Rodriguez, and Andrew Loughran decided that it was time to begin their professional tennis journey by taking advantage of the many USPTA membership benefits, especially the on-court liability insurance needed for lessons and clinics hosted by Serving Advantage.

The first thing that I noticed was their age. Being under 18 meant they were technically not allowed to apply for certification with the USPTA. It was not until I reached out to them that I found out about the incredible work these teens are doing for our industry.

Jacob’s younger brother, Evan, is on the autism spectrum and so Jacob found it

hard to connect with Evan in the same way that other brothers can. It was not until Jacob noticed a severe lack of adaptive tennis programs in his area that he finally found an opportunity for that connection by creating Serving Advantage alongside Natalie and Andrew. Serving Advantage’s creation allowed Evan to learn to play tennis in a familiar environment, alongside his big brother and friends.

I was curious how three teenagers could get a program started so efficiently, especially amid a pandemic.

“It wasn’t easy,” Jacob said. “We went to different companies around town asking for support. Many of them didn’t take us seriously because of our age.”

Jacob’s mom, Wendi, oversees much of the correspondence for the program. She says that it was not until the program gained some traction that businesses started to offer their support. Wendi made it clear that Jacob and his friends are fully autonomous of Serving Advantage operations. She provides her parental perspective, but only when solicited. And so, Serving Advantage was eventually able to apply for and receive a grant of $1,200 from the Dragon Kim Foundation, which offers grant monies to charitable programs started by young philanthropists.

The three teenagers reached out to local therapy centers, regional medical centers, and special needs families they knew of in Orange County to help recruit participants. They also connected with Love Serving Autism, another non-profit organization in South Florida dedicated to adaptive tennis. This connection gave them

insight into an already established program.

Like many programs of this nature, Serving Advantage began with few participants — relying on word-of-mouth advertising to help publicize the program and fill their clinics. Fast-forward a full year, they now find themselves creating additional clinics to accommodate everyone interested in participating!

One of my favorite aspects of Serving Advantage is its use of volunteers, known as “Peer Buddies,” to help run its lessons and clinics. These volunteers are members of Jacob’s high school tennis team and other neighboring groups throughout Orange County. One of Serving Advantage’s philosophies is serving those diagnosed with developmental challenges and providing perspective to those who work with them. According to Jacob, this allows everyone involved to make a difference for people on both ends of the spectrum.

Photo courtesy of Serving Advantage

Photo courtesy of Serving Advantage

NetWork USPTA

You can imagine how encouraged I was to hear all of this from someone so young.

Prospective members like the ones at Serving Advantage are precisely what I hope for when I ponder the future of the USPTA. These young people are perfectly aligned with our mission — to continually elevate the standards of tennis-teaching. Should our industry’s future include driven, resourceful, passionate pros like these three, then we have a lot to look forward to! I encourage you to visit serving-advantage.com to learn more about the incredible work these teenagers are doing in Southern California.

I, for one, cannot wait to see what they accomplish next! *

April 2021

ADDvantage Magazine - 53

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Member Feature USPTA

Not All Heroes Wear Capes Mike Calendrillo, USPTA Public Relations

n an hour of need, exceptional individuals step up to answer the call of duty. One such person is Kristie Gipe, a USPTA Elite Pro from Menifee, CA. While Kristie has been a member of the association since 2010, over the past year, she’s spent less time on the court than usual because, as a Registered Nurse, she’s on the frontlines fighting against the global pandemic.

Waking up each day at 4:30 a.m. and arriving for work just 90 minutes later, Kristie’s 10-12 hour shifts traditionally kept her in the OR as a circulating nurse.

However, COVID-19 changed everything.

“We had to shut down elective surgeries — and as a trauma center, keep a skeleton staff for emergency cases only,” Gipe said. “I have been reassigned to the ICU where I am on a team supporting the primary nurse who is now having to take on more patients. I do anything that will give the primary nurse more time, which, unfortunately, has included (almost daily) prepping the bodies of those deceased and taking them to the morgue.”

Installed as a charge nurse for the Emergency Convalescent Unit in April 2020, Kristie’s job was to assist COVIDpositive patients abandoned by their medical facilities. “That first wave slowed down around June when I was able to return to the OR,” says Gipe. “This new wave has been rapidly increasing since early November.” To stay as physically safe as possible, Gipe continues to take all the necessary precautions possible. “I wear PPE, which includes two masks, one being an N95 face shield, gown and gloves,” says Gipe. “I get my scrubs at the hospital, so none of my clothing comes home with me. The things I do wear home stay in the garage. I have had to remain more isolated to ensure that I do not put my patients at risk and have remained secluded from family for their safety.”

Even with the national rollout of the COVID vaccine, a date of return to normalcy is still up in the air. However, most recently Kristie has been able to find time to return to tennis. Connecting with a surgeon that also loves the sport, the two have been able to decompress. “It is a huge stress releaser and helps reinforce me for the next shift. It is also a way to spend time with my family safely,” says Gipe.

As most tennis-teaching professionals know, working with students on court can quickly fill an open calendar, yet despite her busy nursing schedule, Kristie’s goal is to do both effectively. “I would love to be able to blend both nursing and tennis as I am passionate about both,” says Gipe.

“I love it [being on court] so much and am sure I will have tennis and nursing in my future, but I have yet to figure out just what that looks like.”

A former collegiate tennis player, Kristie was the No. 1 singles player at her NAIA school and No. 2 in doubles in the nation.

After playing on the tour for a few years, she transitioned to tennis teaching — joining the USPTA a few years later. “The USPTA has given me the motivation to never be stagnant but to remain excited about teaching tennis,” says Gipe. “It has allowed me to network with other teaching professionals, which broadened my perspective on teaching the same material to various ages and levels of players.” On achieving the status of Elite Pro, Kristie says it is very important to her. “I worked hard to gain this level when there were fewer women in the ranks. Because the USPTA is such a large organization, if I am collaborating with other pros, there is an understanding of my abilities before we even walk on the court.”

With love for the sport of tennis that is highlighted by hitting with her sons, making new friends, and maintaining mobility as life marches on, Kristie can

draw parallels between being both an RN and a tennis pro. “I think that playing tennis requires a certain amount of discipline to achieve goals,” says Gipe.

“The goal for a tennis pro is to help those who come to them to reach their potential at whatever level that may be. I believe this adds a great deal of enjoyment to their life.

Being a nurse is similar. We desire to see everyone live as healthy a life as possible — and to live life to the fullest.”

One thing that has become abundantly clear for Kristie is that the time people spend on the court learning and playing tennis brings about a level of mental health that is much needed and perhaps overlooked. “I think these COVID times have taught us how important it is to have a release and place of enjoyment to maintain good mental health,” says Gipe. “What tennis pros do is so very meaningful. I am proud to be a part of both worlds of healing and health — one is not more important than the other. The nursing world is highlighted at this time because of these unprecedented times.” *

April 2021

Photo courtesy of Kristie Gipe

I

ADDvantage Magazine - 55

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Financial Update USPTA

2020 USPTA Financials John R. Embree, USPTA CEO

I

n our effort to be fully transparent about the financial performance of the USPTA, please see the charts below which compare what was budgeted for 2020 versus our actuals. As you will learn, we had budgeted a slight loss for the year of $60,000. Because of COVID 19 and the impact that it had on our association, we were forced to pivot and manage our expenses against a significant decline in revenue.

The positive result is that we were able to produce a surplus of $100,000, which is an outstanding accomplishment against the most challenging economic time in recent memory. Twenty-twenty is now the eighth consecutive year where we have delivered an operating surplus of revenue over expenses. *

Revenue

Budgeted Revenue as of December 31, 2020

Actual Revenue as of December 31, 2020

$5,080,850

$4,271,942

27%

25%

51% 8%

8%

8%

Expenses

55%

5%

6%

5%

Budgeted Expenses as of December 31, 2020

Actual Expenses as of December 31, 2020

$5,143,259

$4,171,869

4%

4%

19%

24% 58%

4%

67%

6% 4% 5% 3% 2%

April 2021

ADDvantage Magazine - 57

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The Boardroom USPTA

F

Bill Mountford, USPTA Vice President

or practical reasons, such as assuring that the best opportunities exist for the most secure and lucrative jobs, USPTA members should consider becoming certified in platform tennis.

Increasingly in the Northeast U.S., and especially around the greater Midwest, the coveted year-round director of racquets positions are going to applicants prepared to coach and manage platform tennis during the cold weather months as well as the traditional summer-time tennis programming and management.

In the “old days,” this was surely not the case. Platform tennis would have been an “add-on” responsibility.

The management of drills and clinics, and the organization of teams and events, has striking similarities to the traditional director of tennis roles. It is a skill set that USPTA Elite Professionals will have acquired over time. It is worth noting that search committees at prestigious clubs are looking for more these days. The “qualification” of this certification can differentiate USPTA members from other applicants, or in extreme cases, assure that an applicant will receive consideration.

Mark McMahon, the founder and president of McMahon 10s — who leads searches for some of the most prestigious director positions in the U.S., feels strongly about this topic. He believes that it relates to perception with those doing the hiring. McMahon says, “Employers want to hire a person who is

committed to their profession; someone who has worked to stand out among their peers, in much the same way the employer wants their program to stand out among other programs.”

McMahon and his associates often gather dozens of highly qualified applicants for an attractive job opening.

But the question he asks many times is, “Why wouldn’t you do everything possible to separate yourself from the group?”

Often these roles become a matter of elimination. The search committees are looking at resumes to assess which applicants do not measure up to all aspects of the prospective job. If you are short in one area but outstanding in most, you might get eliminated before even receiving the opportunity to present yourself.

From a financial standpoint, an increasing number of USPTA members can significantly enhance their income when coaching and directing platform tennis as they have traditionally done with “just” tennis. In northern climates, where platform tennis is concentrated, tennis has a shorter outdoor season.

Increasingly, the “best jobs” are going to those applicants who are as adept with organizing and instructing platform as they are with conventional tennis programming and responsibilities.

Matt Davis of Park Ridge Country Club in the suburbs of Chicago — who also co-chairs the USPTA Platform Tennis committee, is case in point. He runs clinics

April 2021

Photo courtesy of Rj Lerich

Career Tennis Pros Should Get Certified for Platform Tennis

and leagues year-round in the Windy City. Specifically, Davis operates platform tennis programming in Chicago on Wednesday nights through the summer.

It is always a social event and creates different streams of revenue.

It is also worth noting, as Davis commented, that “travel platform is really common among the country clubs on the North Shore.” Simultaneously, there are, perhaps surprisingly, fewer men’s and women’s tennis teams that enter interclub competitions. There are regular practices and drills for nearly all of these teams, so it is a virtuous cycle for entrepreneurial organizers.

Based on his personal experiences, Davis advises fellow USPTA members to “get your certification for other racquet sports, especially after COVID, because you will not obtain consideration for top jobs without these designations.”

Our business continues to evolve, and both club managers and search committees are demanding more qualifications from their racquet sports professionals. In these “hotbed” areas for platform tennis, it will become increasingly difficult to get an interview for the most coveted positions without appropriate certification and knowledge to deliver this growing activity.

Becoming certified as a USPTA Platform Professional or Elite Professional is worth persuing. Please visit uspta.com for more information.

While in-person certifications were practically eliminated during the pandemic, they will soon be ramped up, and we encourage all interested members to get platform tennis certified for the 2021/22 season. *

ADDvantage Magazine - 59

USPTA What’s the Dill?

Linda Paulding: A Champion for Diversity and Inclusion

T

Dillon Chustz, USPTA Director of Membership

he USPTA is made up of members serving our sport in a multitude of ways. Aside from those laying the foundation on court, the USPTA is represented by officials, administrators, writers, and philanthropists, proving that a tennis professional’s role truly is what you make of it. One such member is Linda Paulding of Palm Springs, CA. When I encounter members with as infectious a personality as Linda’s, it leads me to learn more about their history with the sport and the USPTA. Linda has not only served the tennis industry as a coach and journalist but also as an ambassador, volunteer, and perhaps in her most esteemed role as the USTA’s first Minority Participation Coordinator. Needless to say, Linda has been busy!

Originally from Alabama, Linda played collegiate tennis at Tuskegee University.

After graduation, she found herself in Atlanta, GA, transitioning from player to coach. In 1991, a series of opportunities landed Linda in the role of Minority Participation Coordinator (now known as Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator) for the USTA! In this position, Linda helped establish inclusivity for African American tennis players — and as a correspondent and volunteer, she helped organize the tennis portion of the 1996 Olympic Summer Games. As if these contributions were not enough, Linda’s responsibilities functioned as a perfect segue into her work as a journalist for “Black Tennis Magazine.” Linda regaled me with stories of press conference interviews with

Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Maria Sharapova at the US Open and Indian Wells. Beneath all these career milestones, Linda’s work on the court, including acting as an early confidant to Richard Williams and his two future stars, has remained the bedrock of her service to our sport. Linda continues to teach in and around the Palm Springs area, even amid the pandemic.

I am always amazed by the extraordinary ways in which you all are influencing our industry. USPTA members are continually reshaping the role of “coach” into an incredibly complex and versatile one, perfectly pointed in the direction of our association’s future. It serves the USPTA in more ways than I can express. Keep doing great work, folks! *

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ADDVANTAGE MAGAZINE

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

Editor...................................................................................... Jim Burke Managing Editor......................................................... Mike Calendrillo Layout/Design.............................................................Kevin Karczewski Editorial Assistance .............................Alegna Hollis, Ramona Husaru, Sid Newcomb, Fred Viancos, Ellen Weatherford Circulation..................................................................... Trevor Trudelle USPTA World Headquarters 11961 Performance Dr. Orlando, FL 32827 407-634-3050 – www.uspta.com

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April 2021

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. 2021. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from the USPTA.