December was a tough month for our sport. Within a 48-hour period, we lost two giants who had an indelible impact on our game: International Tennis Hall of Famer, Nick Bollettieri and Alan Schwartz, a pioneer in the indoor tennis club space and past president of the USTA. Both were 91 years old; both have been inducted into the TIA Hall of Fame but most significantly, both lived life to the max.
Once the news spread about Nick’s passing, there were a ton of testimonials on social media and in news articles about his life and what he meant to the players he coached. Therefore, I am not going to rehash his accomplishments because you already know them. I am only going to talk briefly about my personal interactions with him since we first met in the early 80’s.
During my time at both Wilson and Prince, we tried, unsuccessfully, to negotiate an agreement with him and the Academy to be an endorsee for either brand. While we were not able to come to an agreement, I continued to interact with him at a variety of industry functions for almost 40 years. With the USPTA, he was part of the original group of Master Professionals back in the early 80’s. We have had him speak at multiple World Conferences, had him film a few Quick Tips and other educational content that we turned into DVD’s, plus educational seminars for our new certification pathway. Always willing to do projects for the USPTA, he would constantly remind me that he loved our
Association and wanted to do whatever he could to help our members.
No one had done more on behalf of our professionals than Nick, so his induction into the USPTA Hall of Fame in 2013 was a no-brainer. Of course, his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014 was his greatest honor in tennis. I have a poster hanging in my home office commemorating that fabulous event with a handwritten note from Nick about his dedication to our Association.
His Celebration of Life is scheduled for mid-March. It will be a veritable “who’s who” of tennis royalty in attendance. It will be interesting to see what personalities will be speaking at the service.
Meanwhile, Alan Schwartz may not be as well-known as Nick, but his impact on tennis is no less significant. Along with his father, he built the first indoor tennis club in Chicago back in the 1970’s and grew the Midtown Athletic Club brand into a mega corporation with eight clubs across the country, employing over 125 professionals. Following the complete make-over of the original location on Fullerton Ave. in Chicago, I can honestly say that it is the absolute finest athletic club in the USA, bar none! It even boasts a fifty-room luxurious boutique hotel with one of the suites having been decorated by none other than Venus Williams.
Considered the “godfather” of indoor tennis, he had a hand in writing the NTRP, was President of the National Indoor Tennis Association (before it was rebranded IHRSA) and rose to be President of the USTA from 2003-2004.
I consider him to be the best President that the USTA has had in my 45 years of association because he was a businessman who understood what it takes to successfully deliver tennis in both the public and private sectors. He came up with the mission statement “to promote and develop the growth of tennis” that still is the USTA mantra today. He is also a proud member of ten Halls of Fame.
I first met Alan in 1986 when I moved back to Chicago and joined a group of former collegiate players for weekly Thursday night play at Midtown in which Alan played until injuries derailed his time on the court. Our regular sessions were often followed by a dinner at one of Alan’s favorite haunts where we would debate the world’s problems and the latest political doings. Because we had such a diverse group that covered the political gambit, the discussions were always lively! By the way, Alan had a particular affinity for lobster and lamb shank. We remained dear friends over the years. He would often call me to discuss USPTA business and he served as one of my most trusted advisors. No one was more generous with their time than Alan. He would give you the shirt off his back if that would be required to help someone in need. While the Midtown Athletic Clubs are his business legacy, his personal legacy will be his incredible family. Married for 64 years with four children (one that unfortunately predeceased him), seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, his life was so fulfilled. He traveled the world and was one of the brightest and most engaging people I knew.
I could go on and on about how Nick and Alan made such an impression on my professional and, in Alan’s case, my personal life. Couple that with Peter Burwash’s death this past summer, the USPTA has experienced a “brain drain” of monumental proportion. They can never be replaced. For me, there is a huge hole in my life. I will miss all three terribly!*
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
March 16, 2023
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
February 5, 2023
How do you view yourself and your career choice? More specifically, do you view yourself as a professional who positively impacts others and believes in self-improvement? Your honest answer to this question frames what your career can be in the future, and one group that exemplifies this professional and career growth mindset is our Master Pros.
Paula Scheb and Brett Schwartz are two Master Pros who advise younger pros to immediately begin planning for and doing things to attain Master Pro status, and pros who follow their advice benefit in a few ways. First, while a pro may not know what direction they want their career to take, accomplishing Master Pro requirements builds skills and confidence. If you don’t already have a personal self-improvement plan, simply following the requirements is enough to get you started. Second, pursuing Master Pro status will force you to keep records of your accomplishments which can help you build a stronger resume. Third, becoming a Master Pro has been the difference between securing and not securing a lucrative position for some individuals.
So, how does one become a Master Professional? Well, the first step is to review the requirements at uspta.com under the “Membership” tab and then “Membership Types.”
Let’s briefly describe the requirements. First, you need to be a member in good standing and hold an Elite Pro rating for ten years. If you aren’t already an Elite Pro, then that is your first action item!
The application itself has six sections with the first being the application and your resume. The second section consists of “research, publications, and communications” with various items worth differing points. This section
invites you to start thinking about sharing your knowledge with others. Our USPTA divisions and the National Office are always receptive to receiving articles and other content. Contact your division/ chapter and ask about contributing; it’s a great way to start getting published.
The third section involves service to the tennis industry. Have you served as an officer in your chapter and/or division? If not, this is your chance to ask about getting involved. This section also awards points for speaking at USPTA conferences and those of allied organizations. Presenting at conferences is a great way to develop or improve your public speaking skills while also getting you closer to becoming a Master Pro.
Section four concerns your playing accomplishments, as well as rankings of your players. Section five involves self-improvement such as attendance at a variety of tennis related workshops and conferences, some, but not all of which are USPTA. Attending conferences is a fantastic way to meet other growth minded professionals and potentially learn about job opportunities.
The sixth section concerns specialty courses, and you need a minimum of eighty hours to meet the requirements of this section. Many specialty courses are available at tennisresources.com. The easiest place to start your journey is by watching some of our outstanding specialty courses.
Becoming a Master Pro is an impressive accomplishment, but by taking these steps along the way, you will be improving your skills and becoming an increasingly knowledgeable and confident professional. I encourage you to take the challenge and go for it; you won’t be disappointed!*
Research, Publications, & Communications
Self-Improvement
Specialty Courses
You
Tennis fans from the United States have grown accustomed across the years and through the decades to the prominence of leading American men’s players who have wholeheartedly captured their attention. Think about how many iconic American figures have emerged in the realm of tennis history. Bill Tilden transcended the sport in the 1920’s. Don Budge
was the first player ever to secure a Grand Slam in 1938. Jack Kramer was the premier player of them all from 1946 through the mid-fifties.
Along came the redoubtable Pancho Gonzalez, the greatest player on the planet from the second half of 1950’s into the early sixties. When “Open Tennis” commenced in 1968, the exemplary Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith were the standout American performers, followed in the seventies and eighties by Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. By the late eighties, the “Greatest Generation” of Americans had emerged, carrying on majestically through the nineties and beyond, led by the eminent Pete Sampras, with luminaries Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Michael Chang declaring their greatness as well.
The mantle was passed to the estimable Andy Roddick, who established himself as the last American male player to win a major singles title by winning the 2003 U.S. Open, finishing that season at No. 1 in the world.
After Roddick departed in 2012, the American presence in the upper regions of the sport was declining. The towering John Isner carried the torch honorably, concluding ten years in a row (2010-19) among the top twenty in the world, rising to a career high at No. 8 in July of 2018. He established himself as the oldest
member of the top fifty in 2022 (No. 41) at age 37.
The past decade, however, has not been the best period for the men’s game in the United States. But the landscape is changing, and Americans are appreciating success on a wider scale than has been the case for a very long while. Consider this: 13 Americans were in the top 100 of the ATP 2022 year-end rankings. Nothing like that has happened since 1995, when fourteen U.S. men were top 100 residents. Moreover, no fewer than nine Americans finished among the top 50 for 2022, representing the largest American contingent in such elite territory since 1996.
What I find most encouraging is the fact that no other country had as many players as the U.S. in the world’s top 50, or the top 100, when the curtain closed on 2022. It tells you everything about the resurgence of American tennis. The way I look at it, this revival will only grow in 2023 and well beyond.
Examining the ages of the nine Americans who stood among the top 50 at the end of 2022, eight are 25 or younger. The leaders of the pack are the enormously appealing Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, who is arguably the most charismatic man in tennis. Fritz fought ferociously to garner the No. 9 ranking. He was only a whisker away from reaching the semifinals of Wimbledon before losing in a fifth set tie-break to Rafael Nadal. Moreover, Fritz surged into the semifinals of the elite ATP Finals in Turin, bowing in a pair of tie-breaks to Novak Djokovic. Tiafoe made it to the penultimate round of the U.S. Open, upending Nadal along the way. He thoroughly earned his No. 19 year end ranking.
These two young men will undoubtedly build on the platform of their 2022 success and land in even loftier territory over the year ahead. Fritz has demonstrated a growing awareness of his potential over the last year. In my view, he will take his game to another level this year. Tiafoe is a masterful entertainer, a dazzling shotmaker and an increasingly
wily competitor who cares about his craft more than ever before.
Fritz and Tiafoe are joined in the upper regions of the American game by the earnest and industrious Tommy Paul. Paul, too, is 25 and awfully good from the backcourt. Sebastian Korda, 22, is right up there as well with his first rate ball striking skills. Meanwhile, two other Americans— standing nearly seven feet tall like Isner and serving prodigiously— are Maxime Cressy and Reilly Opelka. The tenacious Brandon Nakashima and the enterprising Jenson Brooksby should be extraordinary in 2023.
American tennis is in a very good place, and I, for one, can’t wait to watch the 2023 season unfold as so many American players hope to realize their largest dreams.*
Unless you’ve not watched or read a news report in the past two years, you’re fully aware that the current job market is essentially a “buyers” market. The club industry is not immune to the unprecedented shortages of quality labor that is being experienced in almost every industry. This, on top of an aging Baby Boomer population of teaching professionals and a younger generation that yearns to work to live, rather than live to work, has led to a perfect storm for clubs seeking their next great candidate for a Director of Racquets. Today, it’s not just the prospective candidate that needs to put their best foot forward in the hiring process—it’s the employer too who often must compete for the best talent!
When a racquet sports professional decides to seek a new Director-level position, there are a lot of nuances that vary from position to position. A prospective candidate wants to know if the position requires a significant amount of time on the court, or if it is more of an administrative role? Is there a member committee that the Director will have to interface with, and if so, is the committee truly advisory – or are committee-member toes being dipped into the operations-pond? Is there a pro shop that needs to be managed or owned,
and if so, what is the history of member support, gross sales, and cost of sales? Who is responsible for operating expenses? Employers must define the role in all respects.
Thanks to USPTA DirectorSearch powered by McMahon Careers (USPTADirectorSearch.com), employers can spell out specifically what they are looking for in a consistent and concise manner before posting an open Director-level position. Club Managers can have their position posted on an industry-specific job board that is exclusively for Director-level positions; thus, elevating the level of candidates the employer receives and reducing the risk of a director-level position being lost amongst scores of other positions. For an employer, it has never been more important to define not only the expectations for a new Director, but why your open position is worthy of the attention of a successful, accomplished racquet sports professional.
For Professionals, it should be noted that if employers are putting their best foot forward on the job board found on USPTA DirectorSearch, how can Director-level candidates take advantage of complimentary resources to ensure that they are presenting the best version of themselves?
For USPTA members, USPTA DirectorSearch is chock-full of complimentary resources to help candidates stand out:
Your resume is designed to create confidence in the reader of your abilities, and offer a glimpse of who you are, and what you bring to the table. The goal of a resume is to spark interest and curiosity in the reader so that they want to talk to you—and hopefully meet you. Your cover letter is your opportunity to tailor your story to the position and outline how the role fits into your professional narrative and career pathway.
USPTA DirectorSearch offers prospective candidates resume tips, a guide for how to craft your professional summary, suggestions to differentiate yourself from the competition, and guidance on creating engagement on an emotional level.
A personal interview is your opportunity to reinforce how you are best suited to help an employer address and resolve challenges and needs. How do you put your best foot forward when you have a limited amount of time to shine?
Through USPTADirectorSearch.com, USPTA members have resources at their fingertips to help succeed in all things interviewing—from how to shine in a telephone or video interview, to tips for facing and acing a variety of interview formats, as well as how to best approach contract negotiations.
USPTA Members who are considering the next step in their career can schedule a complimentary Career Discovery Call with McMahon Careers Founder and USPTA Master Professional, Mark McMahon.
Visit www.mcmahoncareers.com/ coaching-discovery to schedule your complimentary discovery call.
For employers and USPTA members, the resources and benefits found on USPTADirectorSearch.com are abundant for navigating the hiring process more efficiently and professionally. USPTA DirectorSearch powered by McMahon Careers provides all the tools for employers to complete the hiring process more successfully, and for USPTA members to compete more successfully in the job market.
How are you planning for the future both personally and professionally? How can you plan for your career future today, while proactively pursuing your professional growth in an efficient and effective fashion?
USPTADirectorSearch.com offers short, enlightening videos designed to encourage you to get the wheels turning and help you plan strategically for your professional growth.
Michael Provenzano, USPTA Elite Professional
An aspect of being a consummate tennis professional and coach that is often overlooked is the ability to relate to your students. The majority of players you will teach in your coaching career will not be lifting the winner’s trophy at Wimbledon, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t want to achieve something by picking up a racquet.
Too many pros think saying hi at the beginning of the lesson, standing at the service line feeding balls, picking balls up and saying goodbye at the end is a good customer experience. Asking your students how they feel about aspects of their games and certain shots they would like to focus on makes them feel as if you care about their development as a player. It’s easy to go through the motions and deliver a decent lesson that won’t necessarily feel like it was too bad, but it’s not going to invigorate your players and make them feel eager to continue working with you. If you, like most full-time professionals, are looking to build your book of business, you must realize the importance of relating to your students.
Whether your student wants to play college tennis or simply run around, hit
balls, and get a good workout, you, as the professional, have to make him or her feel as if they are the most important person during that session. You have to bring out your human side and make it about more than just tennis. Not all players want to divulge every aspect of their lives while on the tennis court, but they also don’t want to feel as if the time is completely transactional. While your student’s main concern for the hour may be finding better rhythm on their topspin forehand, they also want to feel like they are interacting with another human being.
Find out what their tennis goals are, ask them about their hobbies, what they do for work and how you can help them as a coach. Staying in contact with your students in between sessions is also key in terms of building your relationship with them. If they had a tournament over the weekend, ask them how it went. See if there are things that happened in their match that they noticed and wanted to work on. Asking questions about someone and their interests, in this case tennis, shows a sincere interest in them and their progress. If your student is feeling down about their backhand, then try to uplift them and see the positives.
While they may think they are missing too many backhands, emphasize that there are good misses, and they are making more progress than they realize. As a coach, you are not only responsible for sharing your knowledge, but also conveying it in a clear way with positive reinforcement. We as tennis coaches get into this profession not just because we want to use our skillset to help individuals become better players, but also better people. A lot of people put a strong emphasis and importance on their extracurricular activities, and you can be a major helping hand in their journey with the sport of tennis. Being knowledgeable, but more importantly relatable and understanding of your students is the key to being a great professional. Treat your time with your players as more than a means to an end and I guarantee you will build your book of business and be a more successful teaching professional.*
Dillon Chustz, Director of Membership
