Addvantage 1988 January/February

What could be more important to America~ leadi~g

tennis company than tennis equipment?

Tennis.

At Prince, tennis is more than just a business. In fact , it's our most important product.

So when you see more than half of America's nationally-ranked junior and collegiate players use Prince, you're seeing commitment.

And when you read how Prince racquets have enhanced the game-from the original Prince Classic racquet which enabled more people to play better tennis, to our newest racquet, the Prince Response;M which offers the confident feeling of controlled power-you're reading about commitment.

And when you hear about the Prince teaching programs, free nationwide clinics, and the United States Professional Tennis Association exclusively endorsing the Prince racquet, tennis shoe, apparel, ball machine and string machine, you're hearing about commitment.

Does this mean you should expect Prince to continually provide y~u with .the most innovative equipment and ÂŽ programs m tenms?

Yes.

IJ'IJIBCI e

LET THE GAMES BEGIN. Š 1988 Prince Manufacturing, Inc.

®

Volume 12 -Issue 1

The Trade Magazine of Tennis Teaching ProfessionolsT•

January /February 1988

CONTENTS President Jim Reffkin's Message ........ . .............

The Importance of Winning the First Set

by Randy Hyllegard .....••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•

Zen and the Art of Underspin: Mental Training for Modern Tennis Battle

2

3

6 I0

by Jonathan Bailin ••.•.••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Clarifying the Insurance Change in the 1988 Dues Notice by Paul R. Waldman •••••...••.

A Fresh Look at Conditioning and Performance

12 Preparing a Resume by Randy Stephens •••••••••••••••• 15 Developing Junior Champions by Ted Murray ••••••••• 18 Industry Action ...................................... 22 Executive Director Tim Heckler's Message ......... 24

by Greg Alexander. • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • . . . . . • . . . . • •

On the cover . ..

USPTA logo clothi ng is modeled durir:1g the Prince Manufacturing fashion show held at the 1987 USPTA National Convention at Saddlebrook, Golf and Tennis Resort.

Sporting Goods

Q

vcr1togeÂŽ

Official Magazine of the United States Professional Tennis Association

Sales Escalate

by Jim Reffkin

NATIONAL BOARD OF OFFICERS Jim Reffkin

President

Rod Dulany

First Vice President

Jack Justice

Vice President

Gordon Collins

Vice President

Spike Gurney

Treasurer

Dave Sivertson

Secretary

Paul Waldman

Legal Counsel

Mike Eikenberry

Past President

NATIONAL OFFICE (813) 973-3777

Tim Heckler

Executive Director

Rich Fanning Elaine Sroka

Assistant to the Executive Director Office Coordinator, Membership

Carol Kroh Smith

Public Relations/ Magazine Coordinator

Dana Stull

Marketing Coordinator

Renee Heckler

F1nanc1al Manager

Kathy Buchanan Donna Woodstead Christl Neumann Laraine Reid

Data Process Operator Membership Assista Executive Secretary

Secretary

Advertising/Marketing Information Phone {813) 973-3777 "A DDvantage" is published bi-monthly by the United States Professional Tennis Association. For information, write US PTA National Headquarters at Saddlebrook, The Golf and Tennis Resort, P.O. 7077, Wesley Chapel, Florida 34249, or phone {813) 973-3777.

CopyrightŠ United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 1988. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this magazine is not permitled without written permission from the publisher.

2

Those who had the opportun ity to attend the 1988 Atlanta Super Show were surely impressed with the general health of the sporting goods business .

Needless to say, attendees were overwhelmed wi th an incredible display of sporting goods and equipment. This awesome spectacle once again focused our attention on the fact that sports serve as a powerful and intricate part of our culture.

In today's society, is it possible to go through one day of our lives without being reminded of how important it is to play sports well and , while doing so , to look good , also? Without a doubt, a major share of marketing services and product designs are based on the success of sporting events, their participants and the products they use to achieve their success.

The hero worship of successful athletes is never more evident than during the temple service of the sports deity -the Super Show . The shrines constructed to display products are only outdone by the theatrics used to worship the endorsement heroes and heroines who represent the many manufacturers.

What a spectacle to behold! Grown men and women in awe and in search of television sports icons. An autograph, at best, maybe a few words of small talk is their prize for endless waiting and staring. All this just to be given a chance to say that they have met a real live professional sports figure. Oh , the power of the media! Let's neverunderestimatethe lasting effect it has on the life of every individual capable of turning on a television set.

With this in mind,justhowwell did the tennis industry do in competing for the sacred ground of the Super Show stage.

The fact is , as a whole , the industry did quite well. The tennis manufacturers showed a renewed enthusiasm , an ambitious work ethic , that we in the tennis industry should be proud of.Tennis is competing for its share of the sports mar-

ketplace and , as a result , is showing signs of a healthy resurrection.

At last, after many years of zero growth and declining sales , it is exciting to see a bull market again . This year's show also stimulated lots of buying and plenty of wheeli ng and dealing, healthy signs of a tennis industry recovery. It's so encouraging for us as teaching professionals and managers of tennis facilities to know that our sport is once again competitive and aggressive in recruiting participants into our share of the recreational market.

We feel particularly pleased to learn that golf and tennis playing professionals receive more endorsement money than any other sport's participants . It was encouraging to see these same professionals spending qualitytimesigning autographs and promoting various tennis products . Once again, it was great to see the Lend Is and the Everts representing tennis , representing the teaching professional and promoting our very livelihood. o

How Important is it to Win the nrst Set?

by Randy Hy llegard

Tennis enthusiasts are well aware that it is difficult to win a match after losing the first set. Of course , players do win matches after losing the first set , but the odds are against it. The purpose of this article is to examine the results of recent men 's professional tournament play to find how often players who lose the first set eventually win the match.

In Grand Slam tournament play, professionals occasionally win matches even after losing the first two sets .

Memorable examples of dramatic come-from-behind victories include Ivan Lendl overcoming John McEnroe's two set to love lead to win the 1984 French Open. Last summer at Wimbledon , Jimmy Connors beat the odds by taking Mikael Pernfors in five sets after being down two sets, with a break in the third.

As exciting as these matches were,such resu Its are the exception , not the rule.

More frequently than not , players who lose the first set , lose the match.

To determine how frequently professional tennis players win matches after losing the first set, analyses were made from the results of recent men 's Grand Slam and Grand Prix tournament play. Table 1 shows the recent Grand Slam tournament results for players who lost the first set of the match (the French Open , 1985 and 1987; Wimbledon, 1986 and 1987; and the US . Open , 1988).

As Table 1 depicts, the players who lost the first set went on to lose the match 80 percent of the time at the French Open , 77 percent at Wimbledon , 76 percent at the U.S. Open and 80 percent at the Australi an Open. As one would expect , it was particularly difficult for the players to win a Grand Slam match after losing the first two sets. Table 2 shows that only one percent of the matches at

Table 1. The match results for players who lost the first set in men's Grand Slam tournament play.

Lost in 3 Lost in 4 Lost in 5 Total Lost

French 56% 19% 6% 80%

Wimbledon 47% 21% 9% 77%

U.S. Open 52% 15% 9% 76%

Australian 53% 15% 12% 80%

Wonin4 Wonin5 Total Won

13% 7% 20%

13% 9% 23%

13% 11% 24%

15% 5% 20%

Table 2. The percentage of matches won by players who lost the first set, or the first two sets, in Grand Slam tournament play.

French

Wimbledon

U.S. Open

Australian

Split Sets 1 and 2

6%

13%

11%

5%

Lost Sets 'il and 2

1%

3%

5%

2%

the French Open were won by players who lost the first two sets. Similar findings were made for Wimbledon (three percent) , the US. Open (six percent) and the Australian Open (one percent).

These results reflect the differences in the styles of play on a slow surface versus a fast surface. The long rallies on c lay tend to favor the more consistent player, while the short points on grass

tend to equalize the players ' skil ls. Of the four tournaments , the French Open and the Australian Open (played on the new Rebound Ace surface) appear to be the most difficult tournaments for a player to win after losing the first set, particularly if the match went five sets.

Grand Prix play was analyzed on four types of surfaces : European clay , HarTru , Deco-Turf II and grass. The tour3

Table 3.The match results for players who lostthefirstset in men's Grand Prix tournament play.

Lost in 2 Lost in 3 iTotal Lost

Grass 68% 16% 84%

Clay 66% 16% 82%

Har¡Tru 69% 14% 83%

Deco Turf II 72% 16% 88%

Won in3

16%

18%

17%

12%

naments held on European clay included the 1987 Swedish Open, the 1987 Head Cup , the 1987 RADO Swiss Open , the 1987 Mercedes Cup and the 1987 Nabisco Grand Prix Passing Shot. The tournaments conducted on Har-Tru included the 1987 U.S . Clay Court and the 1987 U.S. Pro Championships. The results from play on Deco-Turf II were derived from the 1987 Stratton Mountain and the 1987 Canadian Open. The grass court results were gathered from the 1987 Hall of Fame Championships .

The results from the analysis of Grand Prix play are similar, but even more decisive, when compared to the results from the Grand Slam Tournaments .

When the results from the four surfaces are averaged , only 16 percent of three set matches were won by the first set loser. This compares with Grand Slam events where an average of 22 percent of the matches were won by the player who lost the first set.

The differences between Grand Prix and Grand Slam tournaments may seem surprising , but are really not. In Grand 4

Prix play, the first set loser must win the next two sets to win the match , or 100 percent of the next two sets. While in Grand Slam play, the first set loser has a better chance of winning three or 75 percent of the next four sets .This is still a difficult task , but with a margin for error.

In both Grand Prix and Grand Slam play , the first set winner has the advantage of only needing to win 50 percent of the next two or four possible sets to win the match. When players have similar physical skil ls,the greater demands that are placed on the first set loser to beat the percentages makes winning difficult.

Thesea-nalyses must be viewed with one caveat: using the seeding system to place players into the draw tends to bias the results . Seeding players acts to pit the stronger players against the weaker players in the early rounds . For these analyses to be more representative of how set scores actually influence match results , the manner in which players are placed into draws must be completely randomized , something that will never occur in competitive tennis .On the other hand ,the results do reflect the realities of

professional competition and emphasize the value of being seeded .

Serious tennis players understand intuitively that the first set of a match is , if not crucial , at least important. These analyses demonstrate how difficult it is to win after losing the first set. Nevertheless ,as all players know ,winning the first set does not guarantee a victory. Regardless of the order, a player must win at least two sets to claim a match .

H

Randy Hyllegard , a USPTA member, recen tly earned a Doctorate Degree in Physical Education/ Hig her Education from Oregon State Univers ity.

Prior to graduation, he was employed by Oregon State University as a graduate teach ing assistant in Phys ical Education. Randy has also served as a lee¡ tu rer in the Department of Recreation, Physical Education and Dance at the University of Nevada.

Randy has taught begi nn ing, intermediate and advanced tennis at the university level for fi ve years.

He is cu rrently working on two research projects whil e applying for a pos ition teach ing Physical Education in a university setting .

Zen and the Art of Underspin: Tennis BaHie

by Jonathan Bailin

A t h letes who travel in the rarefied atmosphere of the tennis elite are, for the most part, acutely aware of how closely matched they are physically. Aside from superstars like Navratilova and Evert, any one of about 80 percent of the women in the Women 's International Tennis Association (WITA) can be beaten by any of her co lleagues on a given day.

For these professionals , physical discipline is a given and the very definition of their status.lt is a life style with which they make a sometimes uneasy peace.

The professional's physical prowess is obvious and demonstrable. It is what draws the spectator and wows the young and naive tennis aspirant. And , although physical acuity is not easy to attain , it is well defined. Most advances in training technology are quickly and widely disseminated throughout the closely knit tennis world. By the time a young athlete hits the circuit, he/she is physically able to win.

If you 're an aspiring professional ,you will probably notice that as you advance the difference between you r physical abilities and that of your competitors will diminish. You will find the best coach possible, and given the constraints of yourbody,pushyourselftowhatyou perceive to be your optimal performance.

You'll examine your physical regimenyou 'll tweak, modify and improve it. And, you'll hope that the difference between your slightly stronger groundstroke or serve and those of your competitors will bring career success.

The experienced professional knows , however, that the difference between winning and losing becomes less and less dependent on physical condition-

6

ing as the competition becomes more fierce and expert.Whatthen,will give you a significant competitive edge?

As an athlete rises through the tennis hierarchy, physical expertise is a given.

Since receiving his Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology in 1982, Jonathan Bailin has juggled a multifaceted career while finishing his Doctorate in Exercise Science at the University of Southern California.

As ch ief consu ltant for Los Angeles based Exercise Options Management, he advises c lients on products and programs in the areas of fitness assessment, exercise prescription and sporting goods development. A member of the USTA Clinicians Service and Speakers Bureau , Jonathan occasionally speaks on proper nutrition and cardiovascular training for tennis at US PTA California Division workshops and conferences.

In addition ,Jonathan maintains a small cadre of students while acting as an Assistant Coach for the USC Women 's Tennis Team ,a program with seven national titles si nce 1977. He has been a member of USPTA for over 10 years .

The following article is a product of Jonathan 's graduate research in sports psychology and biomechanics , as well as his years of study of Zen philosophy, meditation and its potential role in modern sports at Rama Seminars Inc.

Success rests more and more on those peculiar and mysterious qualities of confidence and mental toughness .lt's ironic that so much attention is given to the science of physical training , while the science of mental toughness is neglected .

Maybe it's because the science of mental conditioning is so mysterious , and for the most part, unknown in the West. We never know quite where confidence comes from, how to get it or how to instill it. We only know that winners have it and losers do not.

In the arena of mental discipline, "East beats West." The martial arts grew out of Zen Buddhist practice, which is a profound science of mental discipline.

Zen practitioners understand the unity of the physical and the mental and are able to use their mental acuity to accomplish what are, inarguably, great physical feats .

But, can the Zen art of mental discipline be applied to modern tennis?

How can Zen concentration be made practical and what benefits can it bring to athletes? We know that concentration increases confidence. Concentration exercises can help players to keep their attention on the ball and their mind on the court. Every player knows that uncontrolled negative emotions and thoughts can be devastating.

At a crucial competitive moment, you may find yourself remembering a painful argument with a loved one or a friend, or you may suddenly be seized with feelings of weakness or inadequacy. The effeCt can snowball. You miss a shot and then get angry at yourself for making such a mistake. Your anger becomes uncontrollable and suddenly the usual cor-

Mental Training for Modern

nerstone ofyourgame,such as the serve, suffers. You feel as if all of your power (in Japanese, "ki") has suddenly flushed out of your body. As Vic Braden might put it, you 'll find that the ball just "rolls down your thigh."

Self control of your thoughts is the first and most obvious necessity. Thought control is most easily learned by practicing daily meditation. This is why most martial arts practice sessions begin with a minute or so of mental clearing.

Before a match or a workout,sitdown alone, hold your back straight and close your eyes for two or three minutes. Pretend that your thoughts are similar to a radio playing in the next apartment your thoughts are there, but do not concern you. Don 't neglect this important moment - it can make or break your next few hours of play.

It may seem difficult, at first, to calm your mind. But, like anything else,ittakes practice to learn. However, it will be easier to calm yourself before an important match if you 've practiced the clearing exercise before regular workouts.

And , if you take up a more serious study of meditation , practicing it regularly in the mornings and evenings, you will find your skill increasing faster. This will enable you to handle yourself much more gracefully under pressure.

Zen teaches its practitioners to "be here now." It demonstrates how to focus all of your attention on the current moment and to eliminate all thoughts of the past or the tutu re. This does not mean that you will lack a strategic awareness regarding the course of the match , but that you will learn to push all other concerns out of your mind.

You probably have hundreds of thoughts a day that you don't notice.

How can you begin to control these thoughts if you don 't even know they're there? You might begin by writing down all of the thoughts that you can remember experiencing during a workout or a match in a "Tennis Journal " (more on this later). Do this right away while your session is fresh in your mind. In just a week or two, what seemed like a tedious practice may interestingly begin to show you what your mind is doing when your body is on the court. If you 're honest,you will probably be surprised by how many of your thoughts have nothing to do with tennis. Be especially aware of thoughts about people, particularly your competitors. You may be letting these individuals intimidate you mentally.

Next, you must practice eliminating those thoughts that drain your energy and weaken your game. The court is not the place to think about sex, money, shopping , parties, your ranking , the next match , the next set, or even the next point. When you 're playing this point, play this point. You can use all of your powers of observation to develop strategy, however, you 'll only observe clearly if you play "in the now" Strategize between points , but play each point with your full attention .These practices seem simple and obvious, however, an honest assessment of your mental patterns will reveal that full concentration is no small feat.

Try this quick mental exercise. After you read this paragraph, put down the magazine and sing one chorus of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" to yourself. Try to think only of the rowing , the boat, the

stream and the "merrily, merrily". Push away any other thoughts. Now try it.

If you had no trouble elim inating all other thoughts , you either have a great natural talent for concentrating and should hone and refine it, or you 're not yet completely aware of all yourthoughts.

Most of us will find that controlling the mind is a skill that must be developed just like a dominating serve or penetrating underspin .

Total concentration refers to the almost legendary state of athletic Nirvana which athletes term , "the zone." Arnold Palmer has said that if a 74 7 were to crash on the next fairway while he was lining up a putt, he wouldn 't even hear it.

In the tennis "zone ", the effects of weather, surroundings , officials and occasional missed shots seem as they truly are - trivial. These trivial distractions can 't penetrate the armor of fierce concentration . The fearful, petulant ego and insulting , self-judgments are gone.

Only the ball exists , and the ball obeys your every command.

Your willingness to make mental discipline part of your training program will determine both how accessible the "zone " is to you and your ability to cope with imperfect periods of performance.

Mental discipline requires skill, guidance and practice, but it will result in increased confidence and a higher, more consistent level of performance.

The Tennis Journal Your Tennis Journal should be kept in a notebook small enough to fit inside your racquet cover or tennis bag . It is here that you can track and evaluate your thoughts and their impact on your 7

tennis game. A thorough Tennis Journal will include evaluations of competition , practice, coaching , diet, off-court training and non -tennis issues , as well as objectives for the future. To help you get started , a sample Competitive Assessment and Planning List (CAPL) has been provided. Feel free to modify this list to meet your own needs.

The Competitive Assessment and Planning List(CAPL)will help strengthen your recall of the basic physical aspects of the competition so that crucial changes in concentration , especially those that take place under competitive stress, may be noted . Your journal should be private and honest. It will allow you to examine, at an objective glance, what you need to improve both mentally and physically during competition . This written process of self-disclosure, often viewed as silly or unproductive by the beginner, can quickly prove more mentally fortifying than the most personalized expert coaching . A written record of "that last crisis " can serve as a "self contract ", a motivating device, to develop a commitment to improve your physical or mental weaknesses .

CompeHHve Assessment and Planning Ust (CAPL) 1) Environment, Arena , Results Date, time , weather, location , court type, opponent, my scores 2) Opponent's Performance Physical description : (size, weight, age, left-handed?)

Opponent's Physical Strengths And Weaknesses First and Second Serve Types Groundstroke Spin and Direction Preference Preferred Volleys Lateral Mobility General Endurance Return Preference Overhead Strength Transition Mobility Opponent's Mental Strengths And Weaknesses Body Language: (When and what signs of dejection occurred?)

8

Match Tempo : (Did they change it at a specific time?)

Key Points : (Compare performance to non-key points?)

Key Losses: (What kinds of shots "got " to them _mentally?)

3) My Performance Initial Strategy : (baseline, serve and volley, loops , junk, drops, etc.)

Secondary(Trailing Strategy: Tertiary(Trailing Strategy : Stroke Execution Today 's Strengths and Weaknesses : (forehand, backhand , serve, vol ley, return , etc .)

Mid-Match Changes: Level of Concentration Overall: Momentum Swings and Distractions (physical or mental): At what scores: who served , thoughts and feelings , action taken , result

My Mental Strengths And Weaknesses Body Language: (When and what signs of dejection occurred?)

Match Tempo : (Did I change it at a specific time?)

Key Points : (Compare performance to non-key points?)

Key Losses: (What kinds of shots "got" to me mentally?)

4) Planning Suggested future strategy against identical opponent: Practice exercises to improve execution of above : Less obvious , but crucial journal entries for serious players should include reflections on the things you like most and least about practice and /orworking with your coach. Records on diet, nontennis physical training ,and most importantly, sources of outside emotional stress should be kept.

Most competitors are, to put it mildly, very concerned with the severity of the ebbs in their concentration and performance.A player might look at the first sign of imperfection and think, "Oh no! How bad will this get?" But, a deeper attention

to your thought patterns will make you see the self-fulfilling prophecy in that statement: the fear of the ebb is much more damaging than the ebb itself.

Admitting your fears on paper and /or discussing them with your coach will help you become more detached from these fears and , therefore , less at their mercy .

In a largersense,even while working to the utmost to perfect our minds and our bodies , we must learn to accept our frailties , our fears and our mistakes .

Every obstacle can be seen as an opportunity to grow,mature and appreciate the deeper joys of athletics . To accept that we experience human frailty quite regularly is the first crucial step to mastering the stress of elite competition . Without pounding ,our molten competitive nature can never become the glistening sword of an elite athlete. We must accept, then welcome , competitive stress .

The martial artist bows in respect to his /her opponent. He/she does so also out of respectforthe self and for the inner dignity essential to the martial artist's confrontations with life-or-death situations.

In truth , the opportunity to learn from , and make light of, distinctly human moments of indecision and frailty, as well as to enjoy hard fought losses , can make you a stronger competitor in a way that success cannot. At all times , a formidable warrior's posture and body language project respect for his craft. If you approach tennis with this spirit, you willwin . n

ATES PROFESSIONAL Nl ASSOCIATI0N

TENNIS T ACHERS' COURSES SPTA Tennis Teachers' Courses are conducted by Education and Academy Directors George Bacso and Bill Tym, and other noted professionals. The USPTA teaching method taught at these courses is based on sound biomec ani cal principles. It is not simply the ideas of one teaching professional, but represents the teaching experience of over 6,000 professionals. By utilizing both classroom and oncourt instruction, the Tennis Teachers' Courses will provide tennis instructors with practical training necessary to become teaching professionals. Attendees will receive three of US PTA's books, Tennis: A Professional Guide, the USPTA]unior Development Manual and the US PTA Tennis Professional's Business Manua.

The Courses will stress • Groundstrokes- Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Level Backhand and Forehand

• Progressions- the Key to Success • The Serve, Overhead and Specialty Shots - Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Levels

• Moving from the Physical to the Mental Game

• Moving from Individual Shots to Patterns • Presenting the Ideal Lesson

Dates and sites for the USPTA Tennis Teachers' Courses.

(Please check the box by the course you plan to attend.)

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

January27-29 February 24-26 March 23-25 April 20-22

Tampa, Fl Murrieta, CA Birmingham, Al

April27-29 May12-14

Chicago, ll Tampa, Fl Vienna, VA

June15-17

Houston, TX

July27-29 August 17-19 November17-19 December14-16

Nashville, TN Denver, CO los Gatos, CA Tampa, Fl

*Optional Certification Workshop and Test will be held on the two days following each of the above dates.

Return to: USPTA National Headquarters P.O. Box 7077, Wesley Chapel, FL 34249 Tennis Professionals or call (813) 973-3777 0 Register me for the 30-hour USPTA Tennis Teachers' Course which I have $50.00 deposit (or) indicated to the left Enclosed is my _ _ _ _ _ _ _ $400.00 registration fee.

0 Register me also for the optional two-day Workshop in preparation for certification or upgrading (at no additional charge for Tennis Teachers' Course attendees) .

0 I plan to take the US PTA Certification or Upgrade Test at the Workshop. (You must contact the US PTA Membership Department regarding testing and application fees.)

0 Please send me more information about the USPTA Tennis Teachers' Courses.

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _______ Zip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Daytime Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ US PTA Member#

Division _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Important Notice: Full payment of $400 or a non-refundable deposit of $50 must accompany this registration form in order to reserve your space in the Tennis Teachers' Course. For information about group discount rates at area hotels, contact the US PTA National Headquarters.

Clarifying the Insurance Change in the 1988 Dues Notice

by Paul R. Waldman A Change in Substance or Form?

Paul Waldman is an attorney in New York City, New York. He has served as General Counsel to the United States Profess ional Tennis Assoc iation for 14 years.

Paul is a graduate of Col umbia Col lege where he played on the tennis team. ln add ition, he earned a L.L.B . Degree from Co lumbia Law School.

Paul res ides with his wife and three children in the suburbs of New York City.

10

As you know, your dues notice this year looked different from prior years.

The notice had broken out the cost of your insurance premium so that the dues notice now said: "Dues $120 ; Insurance $20." I can assure you that this was a change in form and not in substance . It was the result of my advice to the Executive Committee , wh ich in turn directed the change in the dues notice.

I advised the Executive Committee to make the change because of Internal Revenue Service rulings. The IRS has said that a tax-exempt trade association , such as USPTA , may not spend money on each of its members as members.ln other words , money may be spent by the Association in accordance with its taxexempt purposes , which are essentially to improve the profession of tennis teaching and the popularity of the sport of tennis. This does not include buying each member of the Association an insurance policy .

In the past, each member of the Association was covered by an on-court liability policy purchased by the Association. The premium for this policy was always small , traditionally around $4 or $5 per member. Because the Association 's tax exemption , which was granted in 1975, allowed this relatively small expenditure without a breakout on the dues statement, no breakout was made up to this year. The Association would purchase the policy, allocating the $4 or $5 from dues receipts .In effect,although you did not know it, this portion of your dues was being devoted to your insurance policy. When premiums tripled or quadrupled in the last two years , however, because of the well-known liability insurance crunch, premium money allocated from your dues became significantly more. All trade associations of which I am aware, including the PGA , handle this problem in the same way.

They indicate right on the dues billing that portion of the money wh ich otherwise might be considered dues as being devoted to a member's liability policy.

Because of the greatly increased amount of each member's payment, I was forced to advise the Executive Committee to do the same. The $20 is not a new charge but merely a charge which you can now see rather than one that

was buried .

Why No Choice?

Tim Heckler tells me that some remarks have reached him that if the insurance premium is $20, why can't you choose not to pay it if you wish to forego the insurance? The answer to that is simple. We have found no insurance company, offering a reasonable premium , which will grant USPTA a policy unless all of the members pay for their share of the premium and are covered by the terms of the policy. One insurance agent put it as follows: "There cannot be any objection , because for $20 where could you buy $1 ,OOO,OOOofliabilitycoverage?

Surely, this sum is worth a $20 bill." To me this sounded reasonable , and still does .

Why Cannot I Rely on My Employer's Liability Insurance?

A few members have said they were against the $20 premium because it was a waste of money.They felt that they were employees and that if they caused an on-court accident, their employer's liability policy would coverthem.\n my opinion ,this line of th inking is short-sighted. lf you are an employee, you wi ll never know: (a) Whether your employer has a liabi lity policy; (b) Whether, to save money, your employer lets it lapse through nonpayment of premium , because he or she wished to become a self insurer; (c) Whether the amount of your employer's insurance is adequate to your needs ; (d) Whether you r employer's insurance companywill claim that you are not covered under the policy for the particular incident; and (e) Any combination of the above .

Specifically, I can certainly imagine any number of situations whereby an employer's insurance company will claim that the accident caused by you was not in the course of your employment and , consequently , you will be left without insurance protection .At best,you will have the dubious pleasure of hiring your own attorney to fight not only the claimant 's lawyer but your employer's lawyer as well.

Why Do I Need Liability Coverage?

One more point I should touch upon.

Some members have said that they only teach part-time and their risk is minimal.

Therefore, they dont want to spend the $20 on coverage . My answer again is

that, in my opinion , this view does not take into account the risk as compared with the coverage expense. Over the yea rs , I have seen many, many claims being made for large sums of money against the teaching professional. The majority of these claim s involve eye injuries or leg injuries but th ey are so

varied as to stagger the imagination .

Even though a member teaches occasional ly and is wholly self-employed , I can only share with you my own experience which tells me that your on-court liability policy is just about as necessary to you as your homeowner's or automobile liability policy.

H

Match Mate Coach Provides Better Clinic Program I have been using Match Mate Ball Machines extensively at our club for eight years now. Currently I am using two of the COACH models for rental and to better facilitate our clinic program. It is amazing how our clinic program has improved due to the challenge and versatility the COACH provides. Our ball machine rental hours have also greatly increased and our members seem to enjoy the ease of the COACH's operation.

Phillip Curtis Phillip Curtis USPTA Professional

Director of Tennis Porter Valley Country Club Northridge, California USPTA Professional

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''A Fresh Look at Performance''

by Greg Alexander

Bob Gajda 's reputation for treating professionals and his personal and professional credentials are impressive, but it is Gajda's philosophy of conditioning and concepts of corrective therapy that have coaches and players listening.

Let's meet this man whose ideas are revolutionizing the treatment of injuries and performance training.

Bob Gajda currently teaches concepts of corrective therapy at his "Health Plus Network " located in Northbrook and Hillside, suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.

He has treated dozens of Chicago 's professional athletes from teams such as the Bears, Black Hawks and Sting. In addition, he has treated a number of top ranked professional tennis players including John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Tracy Austin.

Gajda serves as a consultant to Nick Bollettieri's Academy in Florida and Rod Schroder's Tennis Camp in Arizona. He has worked with many tennis programs in the areas of performance training and injury prevention. In addition, Gajda has helped develop many of Chicago 's top junior tennis players.

In 1966, Gajda won the triple crown of body building: Mr. America, Mr. U.S.A. and Mr. Universe. Having earned a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy and a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology, Gajda is working on his Doctorate in Biomechanics at the University of Illinois.

Bob Gajda has co-authored a book with Sue Starrett, entitled "Power Tennis Educate Your Body to Win and Survive". The book will be released this fall.

Greg Alexander 12

Conditioning and

Editor's Note: Greg Alexander recently conducted the following interview with Bob Gajda and felt that the contents of this interview might be of interest to fellow USPTA members. Therefore, he submitted for publication the following article which was excerpted from this interview. Although USPTA considers each member's viewpoint of interest to the Association , as a whole , USPTA does not endorse the views of any one member, including those presented in this article. USPTA is grateful to Bob Gajda for sharing his concepts with us and we invite members to submit letters to the editor related to the topics discussed below.

Alexander: Bob, you 've had quite a bit of exposure to junior players and their tennis programs. Are mistakes being made in conditioning and performance , and if so , what are they?

Gajda: Mistakes are being made by using too many unproven, unscientific methods that include stretching , jogging , aerobics and strength training. To train aerobically for an anaerobic sport like tennis is a mistake.

Jogging or any slow running makes you run slower and this is not a plus in performance. Stretching, in general , is injurious because it leads to ligamentous laxity or the weakening of ligaments leading to instability. In 1983, I had the opportunity to work with the Harvard Tennis Team. They won the regional title that year with a very successful season and no injuries. We worked with them to pop-

ularize a no-stretch warm-up by using a D'ROM Program (Desired Range of Motion). We found that no stretching equals no injuries. We have also made mistakes trying to improve performance with quick answer machine mentality. Nautilus and Universal machines are for show business musculature. Machine based strength is misleading because the machines balance the weight and lack the ability to improve on balance and coordination.

Machine strength building deemphasizes the functional stabilizing muscles which can only be trained by your own body mass . Machine weights shorten the muscle which limits performance. For example, I see athletes who can leg press 400 pounds , but cannot squat on one leg.

Alexander: In what direction should we go to improve our juniors in performance and conditioning?

Gajda: We need to practice a total body concept. What we have been doing is overusing an already overused system. An imbalance occurs because of the overuse of these specific tennis muscles. We need to train the total body and develop the core muscles more (abdominal , back , flank , as well as neck and pelvic). A strong core is the basis of total body training. Attention must be paid to all the muscle groups that surround the joint. Stability of the joint is achieved when the specific and the opposite muscle groups are developed .

Coaches must be aware of symmetrical strength development when

training their athletes so that any imbalance is minimized . For example, kids who are hitting hundreds and thousands of forehands are using pectorals , forearm flexors and biceps over and over again .Coaches need to make sure that the opposite muscle groups are also being used and getting exercise: the forearm extensors , triceps and upper back muscles. This stabilizing of specific muscle groups will enhance performance and prevent injury.

Alexander: Bob, you mentioned injury prevention ; what types of things can teaching pros do to prevent or minimize injuries in their junior programs?

Gajda: First, we must identify the cause of injuries : overuse, misuse and downright abuse . We can reduce injuries and enhance performance by achieving structural integrity , proper alignment and proper techniques for strokes . Overuse shortens the principal muscles involved. What you have to do is reset those overused muscles _by working the muscles responsible for the opposite action. For example, when forearm flexors are overused , we can reset the gripping motion by exercising the forearm extensors.

This can be done by weaving a rubber band around the fingers and engaging in finger spread exercises .

By resetting the spec ific , overused muscles , they can return to their normal resting stage, thereby achieving symmetrical tone to those muscles and their joints. This is essential in maintaining stability in the joint. It is vitally important to maintain the prop13

er muscle symmetry in the muscle system to prevent injury in the long run .

Alexander: Does technique play a part in injury prevention?

Gajda: Exactly, but not just technique in hitting the ball . Coaches need to emphasize proper technique of basic motor skills, as well. Improper technique of running is just as injurious as improper technique of hitting .

Running alignment and non-pounding should be considered when evaluating the techniques of running.

Jumping rope is an insult to the body unless you are practicing to land feather light. Pros need to be careful that they are not teaching kids shots they cannot physically handle. This will overwhelm and overuse the muscles and spasms will occur.

Alexander: Bob , what types of procedures are used at your clinic in the areas of therapy , rehabilitation and sports performance?

Gajda:The Health Plus Network Clinic is unique because it is not a surgically based center. We are one of the few sports rehabilitation centers that does not see surgery as the answer to the problem. We believe in injury prevention .first and foremost.

This includes strengthening weak muscle groups , stabilizing joints through muscle symmetry and resetting overused muscle groups. This is achieved by specific exercises that incorporate stability and balance while the athlete is control ling his own body mass. Different sized rub-

ber bands and surgical tubing 1s used to provide controlled resistance in strengthening muscle groups . Therapy consists of various treatm ents that soften the spasm in overused muscles and aid in the healing process of injured muscles .

These treatments include soft tissue therapy (called G-5) which softens spasmed muscles by deep massage.

Other treatments include laser therapy and Inferential (low frequency electrical muscle therapy) . Our staff tennis professional , Mindee Epstein , will evaluate technique involved in motor skill movement , as well as stroking technique that will reduce stress on specific mus cle groups and enhance performance . We have found that posture plays an important role in executing proper body mechanics used in tennis strokes .

Retracting the shoulders, head back , chin in and pelvis forward minimizes stress on the body. Mindee works with tennis players on their control .

Keeping the head steady during play eliminates whiplash , improves vision control and has a positive effect on balan ce. At the performance center we teach an effective way to improve posture , bal ance and head control.

Drugs are used minimally and only when necessary. The idea of giving someone a pain killer or an antiinflammatory agent and telling them togo on playing isabsurd .Thiswould just mask the symptoms . We recommend rest or activity that would minH imize injurious conditions .

Greg Alexa nder currently serves as Head Professional at Wheaton Sport Center located in the western Ch icago suburb of Wheaton , Illinois. He has taught tennis in the Chicago area for approximately ten years. Greg has worked with nationally and sectionally ranked juniors in the Chicago area , as well as with many #1 ranked juniors in northern Illinois.

Greg graduated from Grand Valley University in Grand Rapids , Michigan with a teaching degree in Physical Education. While attending Grand Valley University, he played #1 for th e tennis team .

Greg has had several articles published in the USPTA Midwest Divisio n News letter, as well as two tennis tips published i .. ¡,ennis Magazine." He was recently elected Second Vice President of the USPTA Illinois District.

UPCOMING EVENTS Hawaii Division Convention -April 29-May 1, 1988 - Maui , HI

USPTA Tennis Teachers' Courses- See "Dates That Rate" -Industry Action

Southwest Division Convention- April 29-May 1, 1988- El Paso, TX

USPTA Tennis Teachers' Workshops- See "Dates That Rate" -Industry Action

Florida Division Convention- May 5-8, 1988Marco Island, FL

USPTA Test/Upgrade- See "Dates That Rate"Industry Action

New England Division Convention - May 20-22, 1988 - Stowe, VT

14

by Randy Stephen~

There

Randy Steph ens is the Tennis Manager for the City of Macon, Georg ia and the Pres ident of USPTA's Sou thern Division. He serves on the Advisory Board of National Tennis Week and the Board of Di rectors of the Georgia Tennis Association. In addition, Randy acts as the Boys Rankin g Chairman for the Southern Ten nis Association and as the Vo lunteer Tennis Di rector for the Georg ia Special Olym pics. He has also been chosen to coach the Georg ia Junior Davis Cup and the Sou thern Tennis Association 's Girls and Boys 1416 Intersectional Teams.

Randy was selected three times by his peers as the Georgia Tennis Professional of the Year and the Southern Tenni s Professional of the Yea r in 1986.

He obtained his US PTA Master Professional rating in 1987.

Editor's Note: This article was excerpted from The USPTA Tennis Professional's Business Manual.

are as many opinions concerning how to prepare and write a resume as there are writers . However, experts agree that in most cases some type of letter or fact sheet is a prerequisite to a job interview. Almost all journals , newsletters and job bureaus require a resume.

The importance of the resume in the job search process cannot be overemphasized. It serves the potential employer as an introduction to you. Therefore , it should project you in the manner that you would li ke to be perceived if meeting the interviewer personally.

A resume is essential for the tennis professional seeking a job. It is best to have an up-to-date resume on file, rather than waiting until you are out of a job to begin preparing one. Preparing an effective resume is not a simple task ,and to ensure favorable results , a task that cannot be done hurriedly.

The word resume is French and it means "summary." A resume is a fact sheet summarizing past experiences and accomplishments that relate to the job you are seeking. For the employer, it serves as a screening device to determine which appli cants will be interviewed. The resume can be viewed as your "ticket to the interview ," where only a few tickets will be accepted. If your resume is neat, error free and easy to read , your chances of being asked to interview are greatly enhanced . More candidates are eliminated because of sloppy, poorly written resumes than for any other reason!

Although most professionals shou ld be able to prepare their own resume (up to the printing stage), for those who cannot, there are resume services available to help compile your resume. By all means , if you are seeking a "professional" job , present yourself in a professional manner. A good resume is the first step in th is process .

Your resume shou ld outline your education ,work experience ,honors and affi liations , including dates and locations where applicable . Before writing the actual draft , it is a good idea to assemble all of the pertinent information in what is called a fact sheet. The fact sheet shou ld

in clu de schools , jobs , honors , professional affiliations , publishing credits , speaking experience, military history and other related experiences that can be summarized and incorporated into your resume . Do not be brief in preparing the fact sheet. There wil l be an opportunity to delete and summarize as you prepare the actual resume.

Once the fact sheet has been completed , it is time to prepare the rough draft of your resume. There are varying opinions as to what headings should be included in a resume and in what order they should appear. This will be left to your judgment and will depend on what best suits your personality and style. The resume serves as an extension ofyou ,so each person 's can be different and still be "correct."

Identification Spell out your entire name and provide your comp lete address , with a minimum of abbreviations.lfyou include your home and office telephone numbers , be sure to indicate which is which.

(Note: If your present employer is not aware that you are app lying for another job , list only your home address and phone number).

Personal Data This section may or may not be included in your resume. If you decide its inclusion wou ld be beneficial the following topics may be pertinent: height, weight , date of birth , marital status , children , health condition , hobbies , rent or own home and willingness to relocate. Some sources recommend that a photograph be included with your resume , however, others discourage it.

Remember, you wi ll be hired only after a positive interview. Including a picture may serve to eliminate you if the prospective employer is not impressed with your appearance.

Job Objective Experts disagree as to the necessity of including a job objective mainly because it can limit the scope of the job you are seeking and for which you will be considered. If you desire a position as 15

an assistant professional , working under the direction of a USPTA P-1 professional at a country club facility, you will want to include a job objective in your resume . However, if you are seeking a job as a head tennis professional, and are willing to accept a position as a tennis director or as a head tennis professional / club manager, stating a job objective may eliminate you from contention for a job you may be interested in .

Education List the schools and/or colleges you have attended in reverse chronological order./ nclude the location ,dates attended and degrees and honors attained.

Accentuate your highest level of education . For example , if you have a Masters Degree , do not elaborate on your high school education (you may even want to omit this , unless you were an honors graduate) .lfyou have been out of school for several years ,you will find it beneficial to place more emphasis on your work experience and accomplishments than on educational achievements.

Work Experience This section of your resume is the most important to a prospective employer, unless you are a recent graduate. It should include your present and past employers ' name and location , your dates of employment, job responsibilities and how well you carried out these responsibilities. These should also be listed in reverse chronological order, with your present or most recent job being given the most space . Use action verbs and statistics to point out the results attained in your previous jobs whenever possible.

Example A. Head Professional , responsible for lessons , socials , tournaments and court maintenance.

B. Head Professional , responsibilities included directing the lesson program , tau rnaments and social activities. Implemented a court maintenance program that resulted in a $6,000 annual savings to the club's management. During this period , membership increased 25 percent with four additional courts added to include 12 soft courts and six hard courts .

The "A" professional stated only the job responsibilities. The "B" professional stated the job responsibilities with the results attained , using action verbs (directed , implemented , increased) and a statistic (25 percent). Employers are more interested in accomplishments than in the position you held.

16

If you have held a position of responsibility and have produced readily identifiable results , by all means, include a short summary. This is one area in your resume where you want to elaborate whenever possible. However, it is important to give consideration to whether the type of results attained in a previous job would be seen as desirable in the job you are applying for.

Publications I Speaking Experience If you have had articles published in professional journals , newsletters and local newspapers , or spoken at local civic meetings, professional conventions or workshops, it might be helpful to list these. Your involvement in the community and reputation among your peers may prove to be a valuable asset.

When all other qualifications are equal, an employer will prefer a professional who represents their facility in a positive manner in outside activities.

Affiliations This section should include your involvement with professional organizations, honor societies and civic associations. If you have held positions of leadership, state these next to the organization 's name. Be careful when listing political or religious affiliations , as they may differ from your prospective employer's or interviewer's, which can be disastrous.

M111tary History Unless you performed tennis related duties while in the service or had a distinguished career , you may want to limit or omit the space given to this section .

This can be determined bytheamountof space needed for other sections of the resume.

References Personal references will usually be checked only after you have made a favorable impression in the interview.

The purpose of the resume is to get a ticket to the interview , therefore , the space taken to list references could be used more productively in other sections . Unless your references include people that will be easily recognized by the prospective employer, it is best to state that references are "available upon request."

After you have completed the rough draft , you should visit a typesetter to determine the layout and amount of space needed for your resume . Having your resume typeset will cost a few extra dollars, but will allow you to get a great deal more information on a page. In

addition , it will help your resume "stand out" among the many submitted for each highly sought after job.

As far as paper and ink are concerned , it is best to stay with the standard 8% x 11 inch paper, as it is easier for the interviewer to file and retrieve . A quality white paper (20 pound bond) with black ink is suggested. Unless your career is one of longevity, with many achievements , include all of your data on one sheet of paper. This is where typesetting will prove to be of considerable value .

It may take several rough drafts to delete , summarize and rearrange your resume so that all of the needed information will fit onto one page, but it is worth the time spent to accomplish this . Two page resumes must be stapled or clipped together, and can be easily separated. A page may even be lost!

When you have completed your resume and are ready to mail it to prospective employers , you will want to include a cover letter. The cover letter serves to introduce you and to highlight any points inyourresume (or those not in your resume) that best suit you for the particular job available. Before sending your cover letter, find out the name and title of the person who is responsible for the actual hiring or interviewing (ask for the proper spelling). Send the resume addressed directly to him or her. This is a more personal approach than directing your letter "To Whom It May Concern " or "Dear Sir" (your resume may be discarded before it is even read if a "Madam " is doing the interviewing!).

After you have addressed the letter to a specific person , stressed your major strengths and pointed out why you are best suited forth is particular job , be sure to close your cover letter with a request for an interview. This will further emphasize that you are serious about your interest in the job and not just sending resumes out for every job opportunity which might fit your qualifications .

A resume which is well thought out, factually and technically correct , and which presents you to the prospective employer in a professional manner is absolutely critical to achieve successful results in your job search. Most prospective employers will interview a limited number of the candidates who present resumes for consideration. Careful attention to the preparation of your resume can mean the difference between obtaining one of the prized "tickets to the interview" and being screened out. The hours spent ensuring that your resume presents you to potential employers in a manner which will achieve positive results can be the most important time you will invest in the job search process o and your professional future .

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Develo

JWlior

by Ted Murray

Regardless of the particular aspect of the professional tennis business you eventually concentrate on ; one of the most challenging and rewarding areas is working with top juniors .The following are some suggestions for handling such a group of talented juniors . These ideas are based on Peter Burwash International 's (PBI) extensive work with national junior teams , most specifically the Britannia Amritraf Tennis Program set up by Vijay Amritraj and Nabisco to produce Davis Cup players for India.

Gelling Started As the teaching professional , your initial meeting with your players is critical . The first impression you make must be one of openness , fairness , strictness ,

Instruction

knowledge and competence . You must gain their respect, as well as fully explain the program to ensure your full credibility. Find out what your students ' goals are regarding tennis and what their aspirations areforthe program .Ask your players to put their goals in writing and then ,together,set up short-term goals to be used as stepping stones to their ultimate goal (playing Davis Cup is the common goal for our players). The participants in your program should then make the commitment to do whatever is necessary to reach their goals . In addition ,they must have confidence that you will do everything possible to help them achieve these goals .

Set very strict standards for acceptable attitude and behavior, and enforce

these strictly from the start.Your students will test you to see what they can get away with. Being tough at the start will enable you to become friendlier later as your students gain respect for you as an authority.

Stress the importance of the team concept and of working together to help each other improve. Use examples of the Australians of Laver's time and the Swedes of today to prove that the team concept not only produces champions , but also produces the most stable , levelheaded individuals . Do not allow any serious rifts to develop that could destroy team unity.

The best on-court drill to start with is around-the-world . Around-the-world is played with eight participants on one

Pressure & Overload

Cooperation

18

Competition

•

Cham 10'15 court. Four players are lined up, one behind the other, on each side of the court . Only one ball is used during play.

As soon as a player hits a shot, he/she runs to the opposite side of the court to the end of the line . This pattern continues u nti I the team , as a whole ,reaches a certain number (set by the professional) of consecutive hits. As soon as a player misses, he/she is eliminated until only two or three players remain .

There are many variations of around -theworld such as top spin only, backhands on ly, forehands only and hitting with two hands. Finally,this drill is often used as a co-op. This drill provides the perfect way to determine players ' overall : a) level and degree of control , b) level of fitness and amount of hustle and c) attitude towards themselves and others , as well as their amount of ego .

DrWs Rather than provide you with all of PBI 's favorite drills (and thus rob you of your creativity) , I want to share with you a visual framework from which to successfully structure your own practices .

These drills are applicable to each individual practice session , as well as to the overall long-term direction of the program.

Pro-Oriented - Insbuctton This type of instruction is necessary in the early stages of any program to enable the professional to become a control factor while making basic stroke corrections. This is standard for private lessons which are an important aspect of any team situation.

Player-Oriented - Cooperation Cooperation forms the basis needed to create team unity during the first few months. It provides the necessary measure of control and is highly goal-oriented . It is in this area where most of the basic PBI concepts are developed . The

professional must stress individual corrections and checkpoints during many of these sessions. All warm-ups are comprised of these types of drills .

Player-Oriented - Competition These drills are the real essence of any tournament-oriented team program.

It is here that the creativity of the professional must be unlimited .The key is to create games that require the performance of the specific skill you want to emphasize . This is done by manipulating the scoring systems , target areas , limitations and time factors to make the games functional , fair, fun and fiercelyfought. Don 't be afraid to experiment, as well as be ready to make adjustments or change the dri II completely if it isn ~work­ ing as intended. Players will try to find loopholes in the rules and take advantage of them. This should be encouraged as it builds the competitive intelligence and creativity needed to succeed . However, if this behavior overbalances the contest you must devise a rule to close the loophole. Virtually any cooperative type of drill can be turned intoacompetitiveone.This is most effective when two players cooperate as a team to beat other pairs and is especially useful in time-regulated goal or numberoriented drills . These drills provide the best method for increasing the intensity of players who aren~ concentrating fully .

Pro-Oriented - Pressure and Overload Once the basic foundation has been solidified ,these types of drills are essential to raise the game to higher levels beyond the range of pressure either you or the other players can provide in a hitting or match situation . Advanced feeding techniques are essential, including the use of a variety of spins and the ability to feed hard for an extended period of time. The key is to overload in terms of pressure from balls coming at the players

and the amount of fatigue encountered.

These are often short-duration , highintensity drills followed by rest periods.

Targets and goals are still needed to maintain concentration and shot precision , but should not be so greatly emphasized that they restrict the players ' freedom to go for shots .

Putting the Model to Work The general flow of the model is from upper-left moving counter-clockwise .

This is the general sequence that works in overall programs , as well as in individual sessions . For example ,the first couple of months of PBI's program are spent primarily on instruction and cooperation with a reasonable amount of competitive and overload situations. Of course , once you overload players ,you find new areas of weakness at a higher level . Therefore, the professional must return to the instructional phase to make the necessary corrections. Individual practices may begin with a cooperative warm-up (minitennis,volleys ,groundstrokes)with some competitive time drills added before including pressure and overload drills.

Of course ,the real goal is to combine as many of the elements as possible into each of the drills. Instruction is still necessary at all levels . Also, competition will add to any cooperation or pressuretype drill. A cooperative aspect is often needed to salvage a competitive game that is out of control. And , often the professional must become involved in a drill in which the intensity has been lost. In all areas ,the professional 's prime responsibility is to ensure that concentration and intensity is maintained .

Developing Intensity 1. The professional must set an example for his / her players .The intensity of our practices increased immeasurably when we started participating in the warm-up dril ls ourselves , rather than just directing them .This encouraged the less motivated students to 19

work harder.ln addition ,we generally hit with these students so that the more intense players would not become agitated. This also served to increase our own intensity on-court by forcing us to constantly set an example .

2. The following rules must be established : 1) Always go for every ball (in or out) on the first bounce . If necessary, a penalty of kangaroo hops can be implemented to cure players from hitting on the second bounce. 2) Always run to pick up balls , as well as to and from the court on water breaks .

3) When "match point" is called , play only one point and then stop.

3. Create positive incentives . A "player of the week " award does wonders for a player's intensity, even if the reward is only ice cream . The naming of a team captain every month or two helps provide leadership , give responsibility and solve many attitude problems (we use a small fining system for various infractions such as being late or using swear words) .

Physical ntness Training 1. Aerobics is the most important aspect of physical training . Therefore, we scheduled aerobics training each day at the end of practice. Stretching is essential as a warm-up and warmdown for aerobics and should also become a habit for the players every time they step on the court .

2. Shuttle-ball runs are great. To increase con centration, have your students run an extra ball rather than add two seconds if the ball rolls off the racquet. Also , place the fastest and the slowest runners in separate groups .

3. Strength training is essential . Hand grippers are a must and should be used constantly. A 10 pound dumbbell is very useful for wrist curls (forehand and backhand with both hands), as well as for simulating groundstrokes and serves.

4. The use of heavy rope is a tremendous conditioner and a great addition to regular exercises such as push-ups , sit-ups , etc.

20

5. Distance running isn 't essential ,but it can be beneficial if time permits , students have an appropriate place and proper shoes , and running is combined with sprints. Running stairs is also great training as long as it doesn 't cause injury.

Mental Training 1. Players must be taught mental toughness . Visualization is essential for championship play. The best book I've found on visualization techniques is "Quantum Fitness." Jim Loehr's book , "Athletic Excellence: Mental Toughness Training for Sport" is also very good and is geared primarily toward tennis .

2. Players must not be allowed to lose their temper or challenge line calls .

They should also be discouraged from expressing negative thoughts by making comments such as "I can 't" or "I'm a terrible player ." Only positive thoughts should be expressed.

3. Yoga is also helpful , not only for flexibility, but for concentration and breath control . This can be very helpful in maintaining a positive mindset throughout the match.

weapons needed for the future. In addition , he/she must understand the value of the team concept . Real progress will come only when the player gets off his / her selfish platform . Finally, the player must understand himself/herself and look deeply to see if he/ she has the dedication and willingness to do whatever it takes to become the best player possible .Once all of the members of the team have made that commitment they will do anything you direct that will help them reach their goal. This is when coaching becomes rewarding and challenging ,for the only limit is how good you think your players can become.

Don 't limit yourself or your students by thinking small.

-tt

Understanding As in life in general , understanding is the key that enables the player to gain the maximum benefit from the program and to continue to constantly strive with enthusiasm towards his/ her goal . The player must have a complete understanding of the teaching concepts and how they provide a solid foundation to enable the player to act as his/ her own coach . The player must understand you as the coach -your instructions ,yoursincere desire to help and your own motivation for being the best coach and individual you can be . He/she must understand the modern game and the fact that weapons and aggressive play are necessary to make it on today's circuit (we spend half-an-hour on serve and return and half-an-hour on serve and volley each day). Only by understanding this concept will the player be able to accept losses now in order to build the

Ted Murray has been a member of Peter Bu rwas h International (PBI ) since its inception in 197 4. He is currently employed as Assistant to the President and Di rector of Trainin g for PBI .

Ted has also served as the tenn is director at a number of clubs located throughout the world . His most recent ass ignment was in Madras , India where he coached th e top eig ht Indian juniors to prepare them for Ind ia's futu re Davis Cup Team.

Ted has been a member of US PTA since 1976.

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36. 00 39.00 26.00 28.00 10.00 21 .50 10.00 10.00 21 .50 10.00 6.50 2 1.50

WHITE

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WHITE

MLXL

WHITE

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WHITE

SM LXL

LIGHT GRAY

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REO, WHITE OR BLUE

AOJUSTIBLE

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FITS ALL

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WHITE

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10.00

10.00 15.00 2 1.50 7.00

TOTAL AMOUNT

SHIPPING, HANDLING AND INSURANCE

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UNIT PRICE

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Payment Must Accompany O rder.

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(NO P 0 BOXES • ALL ORDERS ARE SHIPPED UPS)

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Name of Credit Card Holder Signature of Credit Card Holder Enclose check or money order made payable to: USPTA GIFT SHOPPE 269 Southeast 5th Avenue Delray Beach, Florida 33483 Phone(305)278-0545

See merchandise on back cover.

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INDUSTRY ACTION Tests/Upgrades

DATES THAT RATE The following dates and sites have been scheduled for US PTA educational events in 1988. For further information, contact the USPTA National Headquarters at (813) 973-3777.

Tennis Teachers' Workshops Tampa, FL January 30-31 February 16-1 7 Atlanta, GA February 27-28 Murrieta, CA February 27-28 Detroit, Ml February 27-28 Rochester, NY March 13-14 Carmel Valley, CA Miami , FL March 19-20 March 22-23 Las Vegas , NV Birmingham, AL March 26-27 April9-1 0 Cleveland/ Akron , OH La Jolla, CA April17-18 April 23-24 Chicago, IL April 30-May 1 Tampa , FL May 1-2 Maui , HI Big Rapids , Ml May 7-8 Marco Island , FL May 8-9 Vienna, VA May15-16 Tyler, TX May16-17 Stowe, VT May 20-21 Wilmington , DE May 21-22 Houston, TX June18-19 New Haven, CT June18-19 Murrieta, CA July10-11 Flushing, NY July 23-24 Nashville, TN July 30-31 Vienna, VA July 31-August 1 Denver, CO August 20-21 Dallas, TX September 11-1 2 Palm Springs, CA September 24-25 Chicago, IL September 26-27 Hilton Head, SC October 22-23 Los Gatos, CA November 20-21 Tampa, FL December 17-18 Tennis Teachers' Courses January 27-29 February 24-26 March 23-25 April 20-22 April 27-29 May12-14 June 15-17 July 27-29 August 17-19 October 19-21 November 1 7-19 December 14-16

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Tampa , FL Murrieta, CA Birmingham, AL Chicago, I L Tampa , FL Vienna , VA Houston, TX Nashville, TN Denver, CO Hilton Head, SC Los Gatos, CA Tampa , FL

March 4-5 March 6 March 6-7 March 6-7 March 12-13 March 12-13 March 13 March 13-14 March 14 March 19-20 March 20-21 March 22-23 March 26-27 April 9-10 April April April April April April May May May May May May May May May May May May May

17-18 18 18 19 23-24 30- May 1 1-2 7-8 8-9 15-16 15-16 16 16-17 17 2Q-21 21 21-22 22-23 28-29

Minneapolis , M N Hilton Head , SC New Orleans , LA Tulsa , OK Boca Raton , FL Des Moines , lA Indianapolis, IN Carmel Valley , CA Woodland Hills , CA Miami , FL Austin, TX Las Vegas , NV Birmingham , AL Cleveland/ Akron , OH LaJolla , CA Palm Springs , CA San Francisco , CA Flushing, NY Chicago , IL Tampa , FL Maui , HI Big Rapids, Ml Marco Island , FL Marco Island , FL Vienna , VA Woodland Hills , CA Tyler, TX Flushing , NY Stowe, VT Bradenton , FL Wi lmington , DE Denver, CO Niceville , FL

PENN ATHLETIC PRODUCTS HONORS BILL SEXTON Phoenix, AZ - (February 1988) - At its recent national sales conference held in Scottsdale, Arizona, Penn Athletic Products honored long-time Penn employee Bill Sexton with the "Distinguished Service Award " for his many years of devotion and achievement.

Sexton's career with Penn Athletic Products began 23 years ago, after 17 years of coaching pro football and scouting for pro teams like the New York Jets .

In 1969, Sexton was promoted to regional sales manager, responsible for all sales efforts in the southeast region and the Caribbean.

Sexton is a graduate of the University of Alabama , where he played both football and baseball. He is married and has four children.

Sexton now resides in Panama City, Florida.

Penn Athletic Products , based in Phoenix, Arizona , has been manufacturing tennis balls for more than 60 years.

The firm was acquired by GenCorp in 1945, a diversified company whose products include chemicals ,rubber and plastics. Through its association with this industry giant, Penn has access to vast technological and quality control expertise.

USTA ANNOUNCES RESEARCH GRANTS AVAILABLE Princeton, NJ- To help individuals currently involved or interested in pursuing tennis research , the United States Tennis Association is pleased to announce the availability of research grants.

"The purpose of these grants is to encourage people who are independently , or in conjunction with academic institutions , exploring information that is related to the teaching or playing of tennis ," said Paul Roetert , Coordinator of Research , who is heading up the grant program. "Our primary interest is in original research that is being done with tennis players and will benefit the tennis playing public at large," he added.

For 1988, the USTA has set aside

$10,000 in grant money. In most cases, awards will range from $250 to $750.

Research can be done on any number of topics. During 1987, 15 grants were awarded ,covering the sociopsychological,as well as the biophysical aspects of tennis , including equipment, survey and performance studies.The results can be presented in the form of a report, thesis paper or project summary. Information gained from these efforts will be widely disseminated by USTA to all tennis players and coaches to contribute to the enhancement of the game.

Individuals interested in receiving an application form should write to Paul Roetert , USTA , 707 Alexander Road , Princeton , NJ 08540.

MAUREEN CONNOLLY BRINKER CONTINENTAL PLAYERS CUP The twelfth annual Maureen Connolly Brinker Continental Players Cup was held December 13-19, 1987 in Coral Springs, Florida. This international competition for ladies 18 years of age and under was hosted by the Tennis Club of Coral Springs. Thirty-three nations were represented. The United States Professional Tennis Association proudly served as a Co-Sponsor of this event .

The Soviet team of Elena Brukhovets

FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY HOSTS WORKSHOP Big Rapids, MI-United States Tennis Association (USTA) officials E. Alan Simpson and Carol Rogers Simpson recently conducted a Tournament Administration Workshop for Ferris State University's Professional Tennis Management students.

Alan Simpson serves as USTA MidAtlantic Vice Pres'ident of Umpires and authored the USTA Referee Manual.

Carol Simpscn , a county tennis director in Maryland , is a USTA National Tennis Rating Program verifier. The two-day workshop/seminar, a course requirement in the Ferris Professional Tennis Management Program ,was held at Ferris State University Racquet and Fitness Club facilities.

"Both Alan and Carol did a superb job in preparing our students for their internships," said Scott Schultz , Professional Tennis Management Program Director and Club Manager. "They provided in-depth coverage of tournament administration, USTA/Volvo League Tennis and the National Tennis Rating Program ," Schultz continued.

The Professional Tennis Management Program , the only one of its kind in the nation , was developed jointly by Ferris State University and the United States Professional Tennis Association to meet the increased industry need for skilled tennis professionals. The unique program leads to a baccalaureate degree in marketing through the Ferris School of Business.

Professional Tennis Management students study topics such as racquet repair, tennis teaching techniques and tournament administration in preparation for employment within the tennis profession or in other related recreational jobs. Started in 1986, the Professional Tennis Management Program requires three 10-week internships with tennis professionals at facilities located throughout the United States .

and Natalia Medvedeva captured first place by defeating 2-1 the Italian team of Gabriella Boschiero and La uri La pi. The United States team , comprised of Ann Grossman , Meredith McGrath and Laxmi Poruri lost in the quarter finals.

The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation , Inc .was founded by the late Maureen Connolly Brinker and Mrs .

Frank A. (Nancy) J effett. The Foundation serves to continue and expand its efforts to strengthen girls', boys ' and women's tennis, as well as provide the benefits of tennis for growing numbers of youngsters throughout the world . In addition to sponsoring a number of tournaments , the Foundation provides awards and grants to outstanding junior players .

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From leftto right:JacquieSymonds ,Tournament Director; Natalia Medved eva ,USSR ; Elena Brukhovets,USSR ; and Cindy Brinker, daughter of Maureen Connolly Brinker.

Standing at right : E. Alan Simpson

23

''The Reports About My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated''

by Tim Heckler

The title of this article has surely caught the attention of those who are familiar with the nuances of my editorial in the January/ February issue of the USPTA NewsJournal. I'm happy to say that the subject matter of that article has been favorably accepted by most and the reasons for choosing this title are not at all personal.

Since a combination of well-known circumstances have repeatedly done their best to hospitalize our sport - and we have all felt the untoward effects of this from time to time - I find it necessary to paraphrase from a man who has his work stolen from far too often . It is only with the utmost respect that I describe the current state of the tennis industry by using a phrase from Mark Twain - "the reports about my death have been greatly exaggerated " In the minds of many ,the 1988Super Show in Atlanta has, perhaps , given the industry new life and a new commitment to the future. Yes , the "reports of tennis 's death have been greatly exaggerated " (although some would say there were times that the game registered a rather frail heartbeat). The Super Show, with its reported one billion dollars worth of sales , has paved the way toward a profitable 1988 season which many anticipatewill overflow into 1989 and beyond .

For the first time in several years , the tennis aisles at the Georgia World Congress Center were filled with authentic buyers rather than window-shoppers .

Although the Super Show might therapeutically lower the industry's fever, it won 't make the ailment disappear forever. However inspiring , it should not be viewed as the single key which will unlock every door that has been deadbolted over the past several years . Our industry does not solely revolve around booths , new products and merchandise sales .It also requires qualified people to implement a variety of programs to support the growth of the player base. The increase of this base in mandatory for us to enjoy the continued atmosphere of progress felt in Atlanta. And , when it comes to discharging this important task , the solutions will come from the very readers of this magazine- USPTA teaching professionals .

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Amidst the Big Tent splendor of the Super Show, and a week later at the equally impressive International Racquet Sports Association Convention in New Orleans , industry leaders met in forums to discuss future directions of tennis . Without exception , the teaching professional was considered as the primary delivery system in all discussions dealing with increasing the new (or entry level) player base. This means that teaching professionals will be called upon repeatedly in future months "to come to the aid of their sport."

And , from the results we have witnessed this past year, I believe this group can meet any reasonable and well conceived challenge.

When thinking of the complexity of the task ahead , I cannot help but remember the problems we faced a few years ago in the United States due to the oil crisis . Few ever felt that we could go from famine to glut as quickly as we did .

However, the collective resolve of this nation is awe-inspiring and , awakening the consciousness of Americans is all that is really needed for them to overcome any problem.

This petition has been presented to you so many times and in so many ways that you might confuse it as a broken record . But , I ask you to recognize that the task is different now than it has been

in the past. Two years ago this industry faced an additional problem which required attention of the highest priority.

The player base was dropping at such a rate that programs related to preventing attrition were of primary concern . Our player base was contained in a "leaky bucket " and our first assignment was to plug the holes. We developed 101 ways to retain our current base and the bucket now appears to have stopped leaking .

Unfortunately, now , in the aftermath , it is only half full and if we don1 supply it with the necessary water, our remaining part will evaporate into the air.

We have reached the crossroads at which we must start prioritizing entry level programs while simply maintaining those which are designed for existing players . You will see more and more written on this subject in the following months.

There is little doubt in my mind that the efforts of US PTA members have contributed greatly to the partial recovery being felt by our sport. Undoubtedly, the industry needs 15 more Super Shows before we can ,with certainty, say that our current optimism is reality. In addition , although it might be slightly premature to draw such a conclusion , it would seem that we are heading toward a stage where the demand for tennis services and equipment may actually be catching up with supply.

I urge USPTA members to use the Super Show as an inspiration to examine the broader picture.ln many ways , it has demonstrated that our real work may have actually just begun. There is little doubt that all areas of the industry will flourish and, Super Show '89 will be another record-breaker if teaching professionals maintain their dedication to fulfilling their industry responsibilities.

Sincerely,

Tim Heckler Executive Director

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UNITED STATES PROFESS TENNIS ASSOCIATION, INC. at Saddlebrook, The Golf and Tennis Resort Wesley Chapel, FL 34249

BULK RATE U.S. POST AGE

PAID Permit No. 3887 Tampa , FL