USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - August 2023

John Embree, USPTA CEO

By the time most of you read our August issue of ADDvantage, we will be less than two months away from convening in Orlando. We are gearing up for what will be a fantastic World Conference. If you have not yet made your plans to attend, you should!

In the July issue, we started to “whet your appetite” by informing you of the key headliners who will be speaking, teasing you with the social functions we have scheduled and giving you a sense of why this event will be so special. It’s been 30 days since that initial communication, and there are more details I can share with you that should round out the fantastic experience you will have when you come. 1

For those of you who are golf fanatics, we are offering opportunities to play right at the Rosen Shingle Creek. We are ecstatic to be at a venue that has a golf facility connected to the hotel, and we’re happy to provide conference attendees with a rate of $49 for a round that includes a golf cart! 2

The Saturday before WC23 kicks off will see a first-time educational event for high school tennis coaches. Scott Enge and David Smith from the National High School Tennis Coaches Association will host a one-day workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Rosen Shingle Creek. Registration is $25.00 for both classroom and on-court sessions. Hopefully, some of the attendees will be interested in sticking around for our World Conference starting the next day, depending on their school obligations back home. 3

The social calendar begins on Sunday night, Sept. 24, when we will venture two miles down the road from the hotel to Andretti Karting & Games from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Bus transportation

to/from the hotel will be provided starting at 6 p.m. and going until 9 p.m. This will be cool! You will be able to get in a go-kart and race on an indoor track. Plus, test your gaming skills on all the games you could imagine while also enjoying food and beverages. 4

I have previously mentioned the panel discussion on Tuesday morning with professional athletes from other sports to pass along their insights into their own coaching experience. We will also be hosting a second panel discussion that afternoon with three leaders in the alternative racquet sports space. Marcos del Pilar, who serves as president of the USA Padel Association; Mike Cochrane, who is our lead coach developer for Platform Tennis and a national champion and Terri Graham, who is the president and founder of the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples every April, will grace the stage to pass along their insights about these three sports which are changing the landscape of our industry.

fessionals who buy and run pro shops in the country club sector: Matt Grayson from the Ansley Golf Club in Marietta, GA. and Sabrina Gugino from the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla.

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Following our General Membership Meeting late Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday night is reserved for the divisions to host their own parties for their members. Always one of the highlights of the week, divisions will often team up with one another to create a livelier affair. We will be letting everyone know where their respective events will be held through the USPTA app.

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Finally, WC23 will crescendo on Wednesday and Thursday, with our Awards Luncheon and Poolside Party reception on Wednesday. The grand finale will be on Thursday when we venture out to Lake Nona and the USTA National Campus for the last remaining education sessions, followed by an open house with lunch at USPTA National Headquarters.

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It has been several years since we had a session that addresses pro shop operations and the retail marketplace. I am delighted to inform you that on Wednesday, Sept. 27, we will have a panel discussion, moderated by USPTA past president Chuck Gill, with three experts who live and breathe this responsibility every day. Tobias Svantesson is the owner of e-tennis here in Winter Park, one of the more successful online retailers in the country. He will be joined by two pro-

I am excited about the terrific program that Ramona Husaru and our Education Committee have put together. I want to thank them for their hard work. By all measures, the 2023 World Conference should be one for the ages. To register for WC23, go to uspta.com/WC23. See you there! *

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Tracy Almeda-Singian

Dr. Stephen Esser

Sarah Neale

Matt Grayson

Katie Dellich

Ed Montecalvo

Chris Evert

Tara Collingwood

Scott McCulloch

Michael Cochrane

Kim Bastable

Emilio Sanchez

Chuck Gill

Terri Graham Scott Mitchell

Otis Sadler

Kyle LaCroix

Evan Enquist

Dale Evans

Tobias Svantesson

Simon Paek

Sabrina Gugino

Mark McMahon

Kathy Rinaldi

Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami

Brian Gottfried

Thiago Santos

Shelby Baron

Rusty Komori

Dr. Mark Kovacs

Katherine Gonzalez

Dr. Erin Boynton

Ashley Hobson

Shantala Boss

Rita Gladstone

Marcos del Pilar

Johnny Parks

Dominique Lemperle

Ann Grossman

Sean Brawley

Peter Taglianetti

Larry Lauer

Frank Nobilo

David Ramos

Adam Snook

Certification Pathway USPTA The

By Feisal Hassan, USPTA Immediate Past President & Ramona Husaru, USPTA Director of Education and Certification

The USPTA’s mission is to elevate tennis-teaching professionals’ standards. This goal has been consistent throughout the years, and it became even more prominent when we decided to enhance our certification pathway. USPTA leadership felt it was essential to expand the educational pathway and have the applicants undergo further training before getting certified. Since the launch of the new pathway, USPTA applicants have been exposed to a broader range of educational topics that help them become better and more well-rounded teaching professionals.

The USPTA career pathway offers four main categories, with Level 1 Instructor and Level 2 Professional as the main certification pathways.

Elevating the standards of tennisteaching professionals remains the core mission of the USPTA, and the new USPTA pathway equips tennis-teaching professionals with the necessary tools to be successful in their careers. The USPTA remains committed to providing the best educational program to its members and continues to advance it from year to year.

The Level 1 Instructor category is for (but not limited to) entry-level coaches. This pathway focuses on the basics of coaching beginner to intermediate players, including communication and organization during group lessons. This pathway involves an initial application fee of $199 and the prorated portion of annual dues at $215. It’s important to note that Level 1 is done completely online. Applicants are currently required to complete the following steps:

1. Safety training: Undergo Safe Play training, a background check and CPR/First Aid certification.

2. Level 1 online courses: Covering a variety of topics.

3. Online workshop: Attend the Level 1 online workshop and submit a group lesson video. The workshop is divided into two four-hour sessions that cover fundamental coaching concepts and how to apply those concepts to court. Although the workshop is virtu-

al, it requires active participation and interaction with other coaches. Once the Level 1 Workshop has been completed, the last step of the Level 1 pathway is to submit a group lesson video.

The Level 1 Instructor pathway involves a time commitment of approximately 35 hours; however, the requirements are self-paced, and the completion time will depend on the applicant’s effort and time availability.

The Level 2 Professional category is designed for full-time coaches who are interested in pursuing or enhancing their career in tennis. This pathway focuses on how to coach players of all levels and conduct successful group and private lessons using our six-component framework (physical, technical, tactical, strategic, mental, environmental). This pathway includes an application fee of $399 and the prorated portion of annual dues at $315. Applicants are currently required to complete the following steps:

1. Complete all the Level 1 requirements before beginning Level 2.

2. Complete the Level 2 online courses and submit a private lesson video.

3. Attend an in-person Level 2 Workshop. This is a three-day in-person workshop that focuses on coaching concepts for teaching both private and group lessons and also focuses on working with players of all ages and levels using our six-component framework. During the workshop, the applicants are also assessed on their stroke production and on conducting a group lesson.

The Level 2 Professional pathway involves a time commitment of approx-

imately 75 hours; however, the requirements are self-paced and the completion time will depend on the applicant’s effort and time availability.

Applicants can apply directly for the Level 2 Professional pathway or upgrade from the Level 1 Instructor. The Level 2 pathway differs from Level 1 by including an in-person workshop, allowing tennis-teaching professionals to hone their skills alongside their peers and our coach developers. The program costs about $200 in addition to the Level 1 pricing.

Tennis-teaching professionals who wish to elevate their career further can earn unique opportunities with Level 3 certification. Level 3 Elite Professional is available to all Lev-

el 2 coaches and involves additional requirements for upgrading, with its focus being on facility management. To advance in your career, having the Elite Professional certification is a must.

Elite Professionals typically hold positions ranging from head tennis professional, to director of tennis, to director of racquet sports and beyond.

Level 4 Master Professional is the highest recognition offered by the USPTA. It is for those members who have demonstrated mastery of all aspects of tennis teaching and manage-

ment, as well as achievements over the course of their career. Master Professional applicants must have held an Elite Professional rating for 10 years and have completed all the Master Professional

requirements. If you have any questions regarding our certification pathway, please visit www.uspta.com or email certification@uspta.org.

Collin Brazan Public Relations Coordinator

The National Nominating Committee has completed its task and proudly submits the following slate for the 2024-2025 USPTA National Board of Directors:

BOARD SLATE 2024-2025

Members seeking to challenge a nominee proposed by the nominating committee must have notified the national office by July 1 of their intention to challenge and specifically designate whom they are challenging for the board. In soliciting signatures from the membership, the challenger must use the official notification process prescribed by the national office.

If there were no challenges by July 1, then the proposed slate would be accepted for commencement of the new term beginning on January 1, 2024. If an election is necessary, it will be held for a three-week period starting Monday, October 2, and ending Monday, October 23. The new slate would be announced by November 1.

For a member to be eligible to challenge a candidate nominated by the nominating committee, the member must

have applied to the nominating committee for a board position during the current election cycle.

The challenger must present their credentials confirming that they have secured the “requisite support” from the membership before August 16 of the election year. Only one nominee per office will be added to those persons nominated by the nominating committee — and the one name added will have received the greatest number of nominations from the membership (“Membership Nominee”).

To qualify as a Membership Nominee, the candidate must be endorsed by at least 120 members (which shall be deemed the “requisite support”). In the event there is a tie in the number of nominations obtained by the Membership Nominees, the Membership Nominee with the highest number

First Vice President Mark Faber

Vice President Jason Gilbert

Vice President Jenny Gray

Vice President Kevin Theos

President Trish Faulkner

Vice President Rob Scott Vice President Milos Vasovic

General Counsel George Parnell

Immediate Past President Rich Slivocka

of continuing education points during the 10-year period prior to and through July 1 of the current election year shall be added to the ballot. In the event the Membership Nominees remain tied after counting the number of continuing education points, the board shall select the name of the Membership Nominee to be added to the ballot. A Membership Nominee may not run against the person nominated by the nominating committee for president or first vice president.

Once the slate and Membership Nominees, if any, have been determined, each candidate shall be permitted to submit an

approved video in support of their candidacy, which shall be made available to the membership of the association. All videos will be two minutes total and will be filmed during the general membership meeting in Orlando. All videos will be prepared utilizing the exact production requirements to be promulgated by the national office.

Members shall cast their votes electronically. In the event a member cannot cast their vote electronically, the member may request a paper ballot from the national office. In the event the candidates receive the same number of votes, the proposed nominee who has the highest

number of continuing education points shall prevail. In the event the nominees remain tied after counting the number of continuing education points, the nominee presented by the nominating committee shall be declared the winner.

Any slight variances from the above deadlines or procedures may be authorized by the board and will be based on reasonableness and fairness to all candidates. Thanks for supporting the USPTA’s democratic process for the selection of our future leadership.*

Rich Slivocka USPTA President

Greetings to our USPTA membership. With the retirement of our current CEO, John Embree, we are going through an extensive process to select a new CEO. With this writing, I thought it would be helpful to update you on where things stand and fill you in on how the process will play out during the rest of this calendar year.

In late April/early May, I established a CEO Task Force made up of five past presidents plus Trish Faulkner—our incoming president—and myself. We developed a job description that embodies all the responsibilities required of this position and a character profile of the person who we seek.

Secondly, we created a proposal request that was circulated to a variety of executive search firms to see what interest they would have in engaging in this project. Any firm that wished to submit

a proposal for this engagement had to submit their documentation by June 1. It is gratifying to know that this high-profile project garnered a variety of applications from quality professional entities.

During the month of June, the CEO Task Force reviewed the applications and vetted those agencies that seemed to be the best fit. Zoom interviews were conducted with several firms and a selection was made by June 30.

With the agency on board, an announcement was made to our membership in general and to the tennis industry at large asking for applicants to submit their resume during the month of July. Once the application window closes, the agency will vet candidates and come up with a preliminary list for the CEO Task Force to review. It is expected that will take place in mid-late August.

The goal is to identify the top two or

SEARCH

STATUS

three candidates by early September and then have them visit the World Conference in Orlando for face-to-face and final interviews with the CEO Task Force. Thus, an announcement about the new CEO could be made in early-to-midOctober with a start date to be determined based on that person’s commitment to their current employer (assuming they are working elsewhere). Ideally, that would be by January 2, 2024, but could be sooner depending on timing. John has agreed to help with the transition if need be.

The task force believes that we will have some outstanding candidates from which to choose, who will successfully shepherd our association in the years to come. We will keep you informed as to our progress. Thanks for your continuing efforts to support the USPTA!

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IGA SWIATEK

IS BUILDING A REPUTATION

AS A BIG-MATCH PLAYER

In my view, it is non-negotiable that women’s tennis across the past decade has come of age in a multitude of ways. The level of speed, power and anticipation among the top 100 players in the world is stupendous, the athleticism exhibited by these performers spectacular, the contests they play against each other riveting. Count me in as an ardent admirer of the women’s game.

But one drawback in recent years has been the lack of continuity at the top.

For five years in a row, from 2017-21, no player was able to take two Grand Slam titles in an annual campaign. But that pattern changed last year. Poland’s perspicacious Iga Swiatek was victorious at both Roland Garros and the US Open. This young player of growing stature started the 2022 season with 37 match wins in a row and established herself unequivocally on auspicious occasions.

Steve Flink International Tennis Hall of Fame

Now Swiatek has raised her reputation significantly by virtue of her triumph at the 2023 French Open. Not only was this her fourth major title run, but also her third at Roland Garros. Ever since Swiatek came to the forefront of tennis in 2020 with her first major title run in Paris, she has been the embodiment of what a champion is supposed to be, utterly consumed with the game, deeply determined to succeed.

What made this latest Roland Garros triumph stand out was the way she achieved it. In all three of her previous finals at the Grand Slam tournaments, Swiatek prevailed in straight sets. Swiatek’s extreme prowess from the backcourt and almost tangible will to win were twin virtues.

But this time around at Roland Garros she took on a resurgent adversary in Karolina Muchova in the title round contest. Muchova had engineered an astounding comeback to oust No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, rescuing herself from 2-5 down in the final set, saving a match point, collecting 22 of the last 27 points to prevail 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5.

Muchova almost produced a similarly astounding comeback against Swiatek. The top seed was ahead 6-2, 3-0 in the final, seemingly headed inexorably toward a comfortable victory. But Muchova battled back to win nine of the next eleven games for a 2-0 final set lead. Swiatek found her range again to lead 3-2, then behind 4-3. And yet, when she was ominously close to defeat, Swiatek redefined herself, fighting back with quiet ferocity, ultimately succeeding with immense character. She swept three consecutive games to complete a hard earned 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win.

By claiming the crown at Roland Garros once more, Swiatek moved to 4-0 in major finals. Only two other women (Monica Seles and Naomi Osaka) had been victorious in their

first four finals on Grand Slam stages since Open Tennis started in 1968. This was only her 17th career appearance at a major, making her achievement all the more remarkable. Moreover, Swiatek, 22,

established herself as the youngest woman to secure four Grand Slam singles titles since Serena Williams in 2002 at the US Open.

No one in women’s tennis is better from the baseline. Swiatek blends stinging offense with superior defense unassailably. As John McEnroe said on NBC during the French Open final, “Iga is one of the best athletes I’ve ever seen on the tour. She moves in and out of the corners better than anyone on the tour.”

Swiatek has grown into her success with increasing comfort, confidence and class. The view here is that she will reside at and near the top of the rankings for the next decade, and perhaps longer. She is nowhere near the peak of her powers. Swiatek is highly motivated, thoroughly professional and

singularly dedicated to her craft. The public identifies with familiar figures: great, durable and authentic champions. Consider this: since the middle of 2003, Roger Federer (20), Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (23) have taken 65 of the last 79 majors collectively. Examining the modern game, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova each claimed 18 singles titles at the majors, Steffi Graf took 22, Serena Williams went one better than that and Margaret Court is alone at the top with 24. That kind of continuity across long stretches is extraordinarily important.

If Swiatek can travel into double digit territory at the places of prestige and become a champion of enduring excellence, dedicated fans will be wearing wide smiles on their faces while fully appreciating her unparalleled discipline, determination and professionalism. *

“

” she has been the embodiment of what a champion is supposed to be, utterly consumed with the game, deeply determined to succeed.

Tweener Lighting Systems The Official Low Mast Lighting of the USPTA

After taking the tennis court lighting industry by storm in Europe with over 1,500 installations in 23 different countries, Tweener lighting systems has now begun to make a name for itself in the United States. First publicly launched in the States in December of 2021, the new innovative lighting solution has been installed on over 90 courts at more than 40 different facilities in 11 states. For many country clubs, HOAs and residential courts around the country, this system has become the best and sometimes only solution to light their courts for a number of reasons.

What is Tweener?

The system is made up of sixteen 12’ 6” fixtures that run 100 feet in length down each side of the court, or bank of two courts, to light the playing area. These fixtures are mounted directly to the vertical fence posts within the existing fencing structure at 9-10 feet in height or directly below the top rail. Four 3’ fixtures are installed below the longer fixtures in between the net and service line on each side of the court pointing upward to light high balls and lobs. Each 100-foot run is powered by a power supply box that is mounted directly to a vertical fence post in the same fashion as the fixtures.

Easy Installation

The design of the system makes installation and maintenance a quick, easy and inexpensive process for players and facilities looking to light their courts. With no need for concrete

footers, 24’ poles or lift rentals, Tweener can be installed and fully functional for less than the price of traditional lighting in as little as 1-2 days with no structural or building permitting required.

Cost/Energy Efficiency

The ability to install the Tweener system quickly not only saves time, but also money for its customers. On average, Tweener saves its customers up to 30% on materials and installation costs compared to a traditional high mast LED installation for a single court and more than 50% on a bank of two courts.

Minimal Lighting Spillage/ Pollution

This installation process along with the system’s low mounting height allows it to be used in areas where traditional high mast lighting can’t. Certain areas of the country do not allow traditional high mast lighting. Tweener’s linear design produces Class II/III level lighting as classified by the USTA while also meeting light height regulations almost anywhere.

In addition to areas with light height restrictions, Tweener can be used in places with light spillage restrictions. It produces less than one foot candle of light spillage 10 feet outside the fence line of

the court, meeting the majority of lighting ordinances in strictly regulated areas.

“The Tweener lighting system has been a remarkable improvement to our facility,” Jon Neeter, owner of The Santa Monica Tennis Center, said. “The experience of our players playing at night was enhanced from day one. Not only did it get rave reviews, but our electrical bill decreased by almost 70% the next month. The best part about Tweener in comparison to our previous lighting solution was the reduction of hot spots. The court is lit so much more evenly than it was in the past. On top of the product performing incredibly well, we’ve been very happy with the technical support and follow-up from 10-S supply. The crew there has been incredible.”

To learn more about the cuttingedge lighting technology, visit www. tweenerusa.com or contact Nick Schultz at 954-824-2001 or nick@10-s.com. *

JAMMIN' WITH JIM

Stockwell, USPTA Director of Membership

Smashing Stereotypes: Breaking Barriers in Tennis with Social Media

Social media plays a significant role in the world of tennis, allowing players, fans and organizations to connect, share information and engage with the sport in various ways. It has revolutionized the way tennis is consumed and experienced, providing unprecedented access to players, tournaments and the sport as a whole. It has become an integral part of the tennis ecosystem, enabling widespread engagement and connectivity within the tennis community. Josh Morain is a Certified Professional member with the USPTA who understands this and wants to grow the sport of tennis through his coaching by using social media as a platform.

“I want to showcase through my social media outlets that tennis is for everyone and at all levels,” Josh said when I sat down with him to discuss using social media in tennis. His posts capture just that, giving tips and tricks that can help players no matter their level of play.

Josh has been playing tennis since he was nine years old. His father, who himself was self-taught, taught Josh how to play tennis and was also his high school tennis coach. From there, Josh went on to serve in the Navy and was stationed overseas in Japan for almost four years. He never lost his enthusiasm for the game and upon returning to the United States, started his journey as a tennis pro. He

NATIONAL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President. Richard Slivocka

First Vice President Trish Faulkner

Vice Presidents Tracy Almeda-Singian, Mark Faber, Jason Gilbert, Kevin Theos, Jenny Gray

Immediate

CEO John

began teaching and coaching on the side. But his students and their parents quickly recognized that he had a natural ability to build a rapport with them and was able to help them to become better players. That turned into a full-time career for Josh where he has now been able to share his love of the game with others for the past five years.

Utilizing social media has given Josh a platform to promote himself and his love of the game with people all over the world.

“So many other posts show just professional tennis players and what they are doing in the sport. Instead, I want to use social media to show people who look like me and people of all skill levels that they can enjoy the sport and get so much out of it,” Josh said. Josh says the sport needs to be more embracing and that’s what drove him to post content online.

He started posting instructional videos and workouts but has developed even more content including posts about grips, stance, feeding techniques and much more. Social media is a very powerful tool for self-promotion! It allows you to define your brand, collaborate with other tennis pros and share instructional content.

One of the greatest things a tennis pro gets out of coaching and teaching the game of tennis is sharing what they love with others who appreciate it. Josh has taken the opportunity to do so and has expanded his presence with social media platforms to show, grow and elevate the sport of tennis, while being inclusive for people at all levels of play.

You can check out all of Josh’s great tutorial videos by following him on TikTok @Josh.tennispressplay, on Instagram @joshmorain and on YouTube @tennispressplay9574. *

Jim