FAMILY

1. DUNLOP

Dunlop is now the Official Tennis Ball of the USPTA for the next five years. Known for its quality and durability, Dunlop is not only the Official Ball of the ATP Tour, but you probably noticed that it was the ball used at the Australian Open this past January in addition to being the official ball of the recently played Miami Open. Dunlop is the only brand with two wholly owned tennis ball manufacturing facilities giving them more R&D expertise and manufacturing experience than other brands. Because of the competitive pricing advantage that Dunlop has in the market, our members would be crazy not to purchase Dunlop for their shops and teaching carts.

2. TENNIS WAREHOUSE

Taking the positive reviews that we have seen with the Tennis Warehouse endorsement on the footwear and apparel side, TW proposed that we offer a similar formula in tennis racquets, equipment and pickleball. Why not give our members a choice of racquets rather than being exclusive with one company? Toward that end, we have struck an expanded partnership with TW to be the Official Equipment Supplier of the USPTA, giving members the option to select from three (3) different racquet companies: Babolat, Prince, and Tecnifibre. Pros who happen to be on the advisory staffs of these brands will continue to work with their respective companies as in the past. USPTA pros can purchase the racquet they wish to use at a 20% discount from TW. This, of course, includes string, bags, 10 & Under racquets, pickleball paddles and other accessories. Having worked with Tennis Warehouse and their team over this past year, they have exceeded our expectations from a customer service standpoint, and I have appreciated their willingness to go “over and above” to aid the USPTA. his/her shoelaces through the device, it will track how many steps, or how far the player runs during a practice session, match or workout. But what is really neat is that players can compare their training to others in their local program or even see how they do against some of the best athletes in the world. One can chart their individual progress through the app that can be downloaded to a phone. Players can also challenge their friends and the app keeps score. What a fun and interactive way to get your aspiring players to take their training seriously.

5. SES LIGHTING

Different from Sports Interiors, SES Lighting has a proven track record of providing High Output LED Lighting, Heavy-Duty Poles and Control Systems for outdoor facilities. SES provides IES Certified Lighting Designs and has won BoardRoom Magazine’s Excellence in Achievement Award for the last 7 consecutive years. If you need outdoor lighting, give them a call.

6. LEORÊVER

3. PUTTERMAN ATHLETICS/ SPORTS INTERIORS

If you are not in a northern market where indoor play is essential, you may not know the names of Putterman Athletics or Sports Interiors. But, if you are, you know that these two companies dominate the market in their particular product categories: Putterman with their court dividers, indoor court backdrop curtains and netting, while Sports Interiors has the best reflective liner system and LED indoor lighting system available. As the Official Indoor Court Fabrics and Lighting System Suppliers of the USPTA, they truly are the experts in their field.

4. LACECLIPS

This is cool! LaceClips is the new Official Footwear Wearable Technology Device of the USPTA. Once a player weaves

Jonathan Oe is a top designer and pattern maker for professional athletes and college sports teams. LEORÊVER has won Men’s Health Magazine’s Compression Tights of the Year title for the past three years. Handmade in America, LEORÊVER is now turning its attention to tennis and golf and is eager to find USPTA professionals who want to be an ambassador for the brand. I have a pair of tights and love ‘em!

7. RACQUETDESK AND COURTRESERVE

We are fortunate to have two software service providers who are willing to share our endorsement. These USPTA endorsees were willing to “play nice in the same sandbox,” so our members would be able to benefit from the software provider that best suits their needs when it comes to their facility management, reservations, lessons, billings, etc. We are excited to work with the RacquetDesk and CourtReserve teams in 2023 and beyond.

Expanded Partnerships

Finally, and while not endorsees per se, we have struck up two additional partnerships with the WTCA (Women’s Tennis Coaches Association) and the three most viable PTM programs that exist- Hope College, Methodist University and Ferris State University. It is paramount that we increase the number of female coaches in our industry and the WTCA can help us recruit more women into our Association. We will be collaborating on educational events throughout the year.

As for the PTM’s, they look to us to help them enhance their certification process for their students. Because we desperately need a pipeline of up-andcoming professionals to join our Association, the PTM’s could serve as an important vehicle for delivering qualified instructors. They too can help us get more women into our profession along with more diverse coaches.

With the announcements of these new endorsements, we started off 2023 with a bang! We welcome these companies to the USPTA family. The fact that they understand the value that our members can bring to their businesses is heartening. But, it works both ways. It is incumbent on all of us to do whatever we can to support all of our new and current endorsees. I thank them for their commitment to the members of our Association.*