USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - June 2024

Brian Dillman USPTA CEO

USPTA WORLD RACQUETS CONFERENCE 2024 | RANCHO MIRAGE, CA

Racquets United

For those of you who have met me in person, so far - luckily, it has been many - I hope you noticed I don’t like to exaggerate or be hyperbolic at all. I like to tell it straight to the point with no fluff.

Therefore, I would like to announce registration is officially open for the largest and best World Racquets Conference in the history of the organization. This will be the largest gathering of racquets professionals in the past 20 years. It will be a sell-out. We will have the world’s largest trade show since the Super Show. We are bringing back Division Olympics and many amazing, world-class speakers. We expect the main hotel, the Westin Rancho Mirage, will sell out. If you are late to register, there will be an overflow hotel.

The theme this year is Racquets United. We are bringing all our racquet

sports together into one conference with the focus on building a well-rounded professional with skills to grow, learn and improve yourself and those around you. We are so proud of our association and the impact we have on the industry and on people’s lives every day. We will celebrate you and provide a platform for sharing, learning and supporting each other.

We love the word, "United," in our theme because of the feeling you get when you are around other professionals who are like-minded, passionate and committed to our association. We are also uniting each other from our 17 divisions from the United States, and we are making a special invitation to our international partners in Japan, China and around the world. But let’s not stop the uniting there, we also encourage you (push, push) to bring in new, younger members, and even non-members, to share this time

with us. We are open to all. Our industry needs us all to be united, and let’s start in September in California. If you ever wonder, “Why should I be a USPTA member?” come to the conference and experience it for yourself.

As you talk with your fellow USPTA professionals about WRC24 and begin to strategize who will be the best teammates for Division Olympics, come ready to compete in multiple events like: tennis, pickleball, padel, duck bowling, stringing, golf and some surprise events that require you to break out of your comfort zone!

I would also like to say a personal thank you to Trish, the national board and our national staff. The first six months have flown by, and I am so proud to represent you. It has been amazing to meet so many of you at your divisional conferences, USTA sectional meetings, Indian Wells, the Miami Open, Del Rey Beach, Racquet X, The Directors Club, USTA AMC, The Billie Jean Cup and the USPTA Florida Central Division conference. Let’s keep it rolling together—I mean, united!*

Executive Committee Meeting / USTA AMC in Lake Nona and USTA Florida 75th Celebration

The USPTA National Board of Directors, our executive directors and our Executive Committee were also in town for our spring meeting, and the spirit was open, collaborative and unified (how many times can I use it?). We had open, honest discussions, learned how to, “Think Like McGyver,” and, “Feed Forward.” Throughout our 17 divisions, we work arm-in-arm with the USTA sections every day. As a matter of fact, in many divisions, we have USTA employees on our boards or as executive directors. This creates a great spirit of comradery and unity (there is that theme again). So, when the USTA AMC came to Lake Nona in April, it was wonderful to see everyone from around the country together, engaging and working to grow tennis. Congratulations to the USTA national staff and leadership for an outstanding conference, capped off with Andre Agassi closing the meeting with an incredible and authentic discussion about his life, tennis and more. Finally, to complete the weekend of celebrating our unity and tennis, the USTA Florida hosted a spectacular 75th anniversary celebration and the crème de la crème—a performance by KC and the Sunshine Band!

One of my inspirational heroes, Zig Ziglar, imbedded in his message the idea: You can get everything you want in life if you help others get what they want. The only thing stopping our industry is us. Meeting hundreds of our members in the past six months, spending time with our incredible national board, executive directors and the Executive Committee and meeting the thousands of volunteers who give their time and energy to tennis leads me to one conclusion. Unity is our bond and if we care about tennis and each other, then let’s spend our energy helping others get what they want. I think we will all be happier and much more fulfilled!

New players make good cents!

Recently, our colleague and past USPTA national president, Chuck Gill, presented at the Intermountain Division Conference. His presentation was titled Creating and Running Innovative Programs and Events. He mentioned an entry-level adult program was essential to a healthy club ecosystem. Too often, our industry and the USPTA culture revolves around performance athletes. However, savvy and successful professionals over the years have spent much of their time and energy on entry-level players. One example of this is the New Player Initiative in the Intermountain Division, a great example of the division and the USTA Intermountain Section partnering to help both organizations’ missions: elevating and supporting the USPTA Certified teaching professional and growing the game of tennis.

“Introducing new players to tennis is one of the more satisfying parts of my job. Getting players connected to the game through league play is the step that helps develop a commitment to playing our sport. Back in the ‘70s we introduced significant numbers to the game, but we lost many because we didn’t have a vehicle for them to continue playing. Today, league tennis gives us that next step. The steady growth in tennis we are experiencing is in large part due to teaching pros providing the basic instruction and following through by helping organize 2.5 teams,” said Tom Van De Hey, former USPTA Intermountain executive director.

When a USPTA professional pulls together a new entry-level team, each orga-

Rob Scott USPTA Vice President

nization awards $200 to that pro for a $400 total payday. Their name is put into a hat, and at the end of the season, two names are pulled. The Intermountain Section awards one of the lucky, deserving pros an all-expense paid trip to the US Open and the Intermountain Division awards the other lucky, deserving pro an all-expense paid trip to the USPTA World Conference.

“Working with 2.5 players is always inspiring because it takes me back to when I was learning to play and there is so much that can be done with these players. Having new players and teams invigorates our program and gets more people involved in all of the programs that we offer." said Marshall Carpenter, director of racquet sports at Congressional Country Club. " Winning the free trip to the USPTA convention in Orlando was a great surprise and wonderful reward. This is a great incentive, and it helps grow the game that we all love.”

New players bring a lot to the table financially for tennis professionals and their businesses, with multiple revenue streams including: lessons, clinics, membership dues, court fees, equipment sales (strings, racquets, footwear, apparel, etc), additional program fees (socials, tournaments, junior clinics, etc.), food and beverage revenue, etc. We were able to survey all pros who participated on a couple of occasions. In 2024, total revenues from an average seven-person team amounted to more than $20,000.

“I know a lot of teaching pros are only interested in high performance students, but the heart and growth of USTA lies in the 2.5 and 3.0 levels. I participated in the New

Player Initiative in 2023 and was rewarded with an all-expense paid trip to the USPTA World Conference. Participate in the New Player Initiative! Celebrate 2.5 players, encourage them to play for fun, play for competition and play for health. Find ways to combine games and drills for all ages and skill levels. You will be helping others, your community, the USTA and most of all, yourself!” said Jenell Lester, USTA Community Development Committee member.

Here are some examples of how various savvy pros recruited entry level players:

• "It was easy! We approached all the moms of kids in our summer program and got a group together."

• "We pulled from our existing beginner clinic participants who were in cardio tennis. We created a new format, with the goal of playing team tennis (2.5 USTA Adult League) at the end of the eight-week season."

• "I partnered with the local parks and recreation instructor. He shared with me the list of adults who took beginning tennis the summer before. I called them all in February and told them about the league and asked if they were interested, and invited those who were to an organizational meeting at the recreation center. During the meeting, they were given facts about the league and agreed to be captains."

• "Primarily by finding a couple of newer players, and then asking them to recruit a few friends. It snowballed because the friends had friends. The approach was low-key. We stressed that this was for fun, and that we were going to have a GREAT time."

Over 120 unique Intermountain Division USPTA professionals participated in this program to add over 3200 new players and 400 new teams to the adult league program in the Intermountain Section. Adding and/or nurturing a robust entry-level adult program to your business will pay big long-term dividends and is a win/win/win/win for the teaching professional, their students, the facility they work at and the tennis ecosystem in general. New players make good cents!*

USPTA WORLD RACQUETS CONFERENCE 2024 | RANCHO MIRAGE, CA

TCollin Brazan Public Relations Coordinator

he historic USPTA World Conference you have come to love is back with an updated name, as it is evolving! With a robust curriculum that celebrates all our racquet sports, the highly anticipated return of Battle of the Divisions — now Division Olympics — and a wealth of networking opportunities, the USPTA's annual conference is bringing more ways to celebrate the many sports you teach and play than ever before.

We're looking forward to seeing you all in California, where you’ll get to experience:

Our Most Varied Educational Offerings Yet

In developing our Racquets United theme and in meeting the needs of our members and racquet sports professionals everywhere, the USPTA is providing educational opportunities for tennis, pickleball, padel and more. It is important that we provide the tools you need to stay ahead of a rapidly growing and changing industry and that your education stokes your personal and professional interests. The more sports we can include, the more students we can teach and the more lives we can impact.

Our Most Robust Networking Experiences Ever

Strong reviews of the networking opportunities at 2023’s conference gave us the opportunity to consider how we could evolve the ways you interact with your colleagues even further. Last year’s annual USPTA Trade Show was our largest ever, and so we’re expanding our venue and inviting even more vendors. New events, in addition to our usual lineup, will bring opportunities to celebrate the racquet sports teaching profession and network with other professionals through our welcome party, closing reception, networking breakfast and a new last-night party.

The beloved USPTA Awards Luncheon will return to commemorate the impactful professionals who have aided our mission in raising the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches.

A Scenic Resort in the Desert's Heart

Sweeping views of mountains and peaceful palms set the stage for the calming retreat of The Westin Rancho Mirage, WRC24’s host hotel. Six dining destinations and in-room dining services set the eating stage outside of the USPTA’s events, while three pools, waterslides, The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Course, the resort arcade and The Westin Rancho Mirage Wellness Spa provide onsite entertainment and enrichment. With the rest of the greater Palm Springs area just a quick drive or rideshare away, there is certain to be no shortage of activity.

Projections indicate group hotel space will book quickly. The USPTA encourages attendees to book their stay immediately after completing conference registration.

A New Battle of the Divisions

Experience community and competition alongside your division friends as you square up against our 16 other divisions across the duration of WRC24 for title of gold medalist. Alongside some surprises, playing tennis, pickleball, padel, duck bowling, golf and participating in our World’s Fastest Stringing Competition during the USPTA Trade Show will earn your division points in this fierce contest.

Scan the QR code to register for the newly named World Racquets Conference 2024, the largest and most thrilling event in the USPTA’s history. Register through July 15 to take advantage of our early bird registration rates. *

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Leaving on Her Own Terms Danielle Collins

Steve Flink

International Tennis Hall of Fame

Photo Credit: Fred and Susan Mullane; Camerawork USA

Knowing when to bid farewell is among the most difficult tasks for all accomplished athletes. In most instances, they have built their reputations on being deeply committed, durable, purposeful, professional and resolute. They have succeeded by sticking assiduously to their routines and remaining steadfast in their self-beliefs. They have often found victory when defeat seemed around the corner. They have listened to their inner voices rather than

accepting the views of outsiders, critics or close associates.

Be that as it may, the fact remains that there have been too many unhappy endings for those who make their livings dedicating themselves to a particular sport. Players can carry obstinacy too far and start to make losing a habit the way they once succeeded as if it was second nature. They can easily lose perspective.

Not Danielle Collins. The 30-yearold American announced earlier this year that she would be wrapping up her career at the end of 2024. In 2019, Collins was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which causes excruciating pain and swelling in the body’s joints. Two years later, in the spring of 2021, she had emergency surgery to treat endometriosis, a condition which causes severe pain in the pelvis

and makes it harder to get pregnant.

Collins wants to have a baby not far into the future, and she realized that her biological clock is ticking even more rapidly than is the case for most women wanting to have a child. She took that into consideration when deciding when to put her racquet down and dedicate herself to a family life.

Some inside the tennis bubble believed Collins might be hard pressed to produce her best tennis under these daunting circumstances. Perhaps the pressure to play her best would work against her. Maybe, it was felt by a number of authorities, Collins might not play her customary brand of unbridled tennis any longer.

But too many people were underestimating Collins as a competitor of the

front rank who knows herself exceedingly well and realized exactly what she was doing. This highly charged player knows how to take matters into her own hands on the tennis court. The outcome of her clashes usually depends almost entirely on the quality of her aggressive style of play and the sound execution of her game plan, rather than who happens to be standing on the other side of the net. Passivity is not an option for her.

Collins struggled to reach peak efficiency early in the season. Prior to the Miami Open which took place March 1931, she was ranked No. 53 in the world. But then this charismatic individual proceeded to play arguably the finest tennis of her career to sweep two championships in a row for the first time in her career. She dropped her first set in Miami to Bernarda Pera before sweeping through the field by securing her last 14 sets, toppling five seeds in the process, taking the title over No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3.

Shifting onto the clay the following week after prevailing on hard courts in Florida, Collins was every bit as imposing, smothering her opponents with unrelenting, straightforward, top of the line tennis.

She dropped one set early in the Credit One Open in Charleston against No. 2 seed Ons Jabeur. Thereafter she was unstoppable. Collins collected that crown with a six match blitz, ousting four seeds in her startling march through the field. In the two events combined, Collins swept 13 matches in a row, conceded only two sets and ruled ruthlessly. By the end of that stirring run,

season of her career would simultaneously be her best ever, largely on the basis of her scintillating springtime.

Collins had only won two tournaments in her entire career before coming through so handsomely in Florida and South Carolina. But she conducted herself with a self-conviction and a swagger only authentic champions exhibit. The highest she had ever been ranked was No. 7 in the

Will Danielle Collins climb even higher this season? It doesn’t really matter. She has already scaled the heights of her game in the last chapter she will ever write as a player. By the early stages of April, Collins had made certain 2024 was going to be played out entirely on her terms. That, ultimately, is her most important triumph of all. *

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TJorge Capestany USPTA Master Professional

ennis drills are the cornerstone of most tennis professionals' work. Delivering a tennis drill is how most of us go to work. It is what we do most of the time when we’re on the court with our students, especially in group lesson settings.

I have been blessed to travel all over the planet, delivering on-court sessions to fellow coaches on the best tennis drills they could use in their classes.

Along the way, I found that most coaches need help to come up with new drills. Many coaches have a small number of drills in their arsenal, and they tend to use them over and over. I call those core drills and I believe that using core drills, the ones your players like, is important and should be done.

However, the problem arises when a coach uses the same 3-5 drills exclusively year in and year out, over and over. It makes the practice session boring for the players and the coach.

Perhaps you’ve been at a coach's conference and have seen a drill demonstrated that you thought would be perfect for one of your classes. Almost always, when a coach sees a new drill and they can imagine themselves delivering it back at their clubs with their players, it's truly exciting. A new drill is like a piece of gold to a tennis coach.

In this article, I'm going to lay out the steps I use to design tennis drills and some methodology that I think you'll find useful for designing your own tennis drills.

Definition of a tennis drill…

First, we'll start with a definition of what a tennis drill is…

A tennis drill is simply a replication of a piece of a tennis point.

For example, in a typical tennis point, the following situations may happen:

• a serve is hit

• a return comes back

• a baseline rally ensues

Designing Tennis Drills

• a player approaches the net

• a player executes a volley

• a player ends the point by hitting an overhead

… any one of the situations listed above could be isolated and turned into a drill.

So, let's talk about the specific steps involved in designing tennis drills.

Step 1: Assessing what the player(s) need…

Determine what the player(s) need to work on. The best way to do this is by observing your players in competition. Unfortunately, this may be difficult for many coaches with a busy schedule. But watching your players compete in competition and under the pressure of the scoreboard is essential for determining what they need to work on so this is always the first step.

If a coach cannot watch a player in an official competition like a tournament or league match, the next best thing is to watch them playing points in a practice setting. The only problem with this is that many of the player’s problems that surface during an actual tournament or league match may not surface in a practice match when there is less pressure.

Step 2: Identifying the Featured Shot or Skill…

Every drill should have an obvious fea-

tured shot or skill that it is designed to address. So, reverse-engineer the drill. Instead of just coming up with a generic drill, you're going to first decide what specific shot or skill the player(s) are struggling with.

Perhaps after watching your player (or team) in competition, you determined they need to improve their transition volleys. Now you’ve identified your featured shot or featured skill.

When I refer to feature shots, I'm talking about actual shots, like volleys, overheads or forehands. Conversely, feature skills are things like slicing or using more topspin.

A well-defined drill will always have a clear featured shot or featured skill and it's imperative that the coach communicates that to the players before the drill begins.

Step 3: Designing the Actual Drill…

Once you determine what the featured shot or featured skill is (i.e. transition volleys), then it’s time to start designing the drill itself. In this step the coach should consider all the items in the list below to make a drill effective.

• The level of the players

• How many players

• Should it be dead ball (not played out) or live ball (point is played out)

• Is the drill coach-fed or player-fed?

• Do the players understand the featured shot or skill?

• Does the drill give players lots of touches on the featured shot or skill?

• Is the drill cooperative or competitive?

All these factors should be considered when designing your drills.

Let's look at an actual drill I designed for our women’s 3.5 USTA team that needed to work on their transition volley skills. You'll see in the diagram that the drill has four players; one side is attacking the net while the other side is defending and hitting passing shots and lobs.

The players get tons of touches on the ball when it comes to volleys and that's what makes this drill one of my favorites.

You can watch me doing the Cuban Davis Cup drill by scanning the QR code below:

Modifying Tennis Drill for All Levels

Tennis professionals must be able to modify a drill, making it either easier or more difficult to suit the players they are working with at the moment.

I have found in my travels that many struggle to modify a drill. Once they see a drill demonstrated with a certain level of player, they assume that drill is only for that level.

Often, when I present at a conference, the players on the court are other coaches attending the conference. So, their skill level is typically pretty high, but when I'm back at my club I do those exact same drills with players at a lower skill level and the drill still works.

So, what are the steps to modifying a drill?

A drill can be modified in two ways… it can be made easier (regression) or modified to be more difficult (progression).

Once you determine which of those two options you need to make the drill work for the current students, you should ask yourself the five questions below to deter-

mine if the drill can be modified.

1. Could I change the feed direction?

2. Could I change the feed rate (the frequency of how quickly I deliver feeds)?

3. Could I change the difficulty of the feed (the better the player, the tougher the feed)?

4. Could I change the start position of the players?

5. Could I switch the drill between cooperative and competitive?

Simply asking yourself those five questions about any drill that you currently use would clarify in your mind if and how that drill could be modified.

A coach also needs to know what a good time is to abort a drill. It's okay for a coach to set up a drill and decide to abort the drill if it's not accomplishing its goal. I often do this, especially when I think that a drill might be hurting a player's confidence.

If you want to get free access to more than 15 drills, you can visit the link below: https://tennisdrills.tv/free-tennisdrills/*

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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 upwards 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.

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The design of the system makes installation and maintenance a short, 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.

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The ability to install the Tweener system in a fraction of the time that it takes to have traditional lighting installed 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 easy 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 tennis court lights to be installed above 14 feet in height, and using traditional lighting at this height would produce major dark and hot spots on the court. Tweener’s linear design produces 300 Lux (Recreational) level lighting 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 as well. 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.

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

JAMMIN' WITH JIM

Game, Set, Match:

Game, Set, Match:

Ace Your Tennis Experience with USPTA’s Referral Rewards and Advancing Development and Diversity Programs

in a dynamic stride toward fostering inclusivity and championing professional development within the tennis community, the USPTA offers innovative referral rewards and Advancing Development and Diversity programs. With a steadfast commitment to cultivating a diverse and thriving landscape within the sport, these initiatives stand as beacons of progress, offering unparalleled opportunities for both seasoned professionals and aspiring talents alike. Through a blend of incentivized referrals and targeted initiatives, USPTA sets the stage for a transformative journey, where meritocracy and inclusivity intertwine to propel the tennis industry toward a brighter, more equitable future.

Refer & Earn

The USPTA, along with Tennis Warehouse, offers a referral reward program, giving members Tennis Warehouse gift cards for referring new USPTA applicants. Members can earn money for use at Tennis Warehouse as part of our newly titled Refer & Earn program. The process is easy! Once the new applicant completes the USPTA application online to become a Certified Tennis Instructor or Certified Professional (which includes payment of the one-time application fee and prorated portion of membership dues for the current calendar year), you will earn a $50 Tennis Warehouse gift card!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President.

Each existing member can refer up to six applicants and earn a maximum of $300 in Tennis Warehouse gift cards per calendar year. To qualify, the new applicant must list the referring member’s name in the “Refer & Earn Referring Member” field at the time the online application is filled out. The referring member must be an existing USPTA member, active and in good standing.

ADD Program

USPTA’s Advancing Development and Diversity program offers free training, networking, tennis education and a tennis instructor certification opportunity to a socioeconomically disadvantaged individual with a desire to teach the sport. Qualified applicants also receive a free year of prorated membership dues for the Tennis Instructor category, as well as registration to a level 1 virtual or in-person workshop. Following their free introductory year of USPTA membership, accepted members in the ADD program also receive reduced membership dues for the second year (50% off), and the third year (25% off).

Applicants are approved by their respective USPTA division’s president. Once approved, they will receive guidance and mentorship from their division, along with the national office, to support becoming a certified instructor in the

industry. As part of our continued effort to share more about the USPTA and the industry, all approved ADD applicants are invited to their first division conference free of charge.

To apply to the Advancing Development and Diversity program, kindly go online to www.uspta.com >> Get Certified >> USPTA ADD Program. You can download a digital copy of the application from this site online. Please email your completed application to james. stockwell@uspta.org for review. *

Jim Stockwell, USPTA Director of Membership