Addvantage 1989 October

OCTOBER 1989 The Trade Magazine of Men and Women lenni -:reaching Professionals™

PRINCECTS. YOU CAN'T BEAT THE SYSTEM. Right off the bat you can see that the Prince Constant Taper System TM ( CTS) TM is special. Both the racquet and baseball bat have their largest or strongest parts at the top where you meet the ball, so you can hit with more power.

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The tip of the CTS racquet has a higher cross section, which makes the string bed stiff, and increases the sweet spot considerably. And because the racquet is stiffer all around, it flexes less for more control. , As for comfort, there's the exclusive Cushion Grip System TMwhich absorbs every shot.

To meet your different style of play, pictured below are the CTS Thunderstick,TM CTSApproach;M CTS Graduate;Mand CTS Precision~M Find out where you can demo the line by calling 1-800-2-TENNIS. And find out for yourself why you just can't beat the system .

•

PIIRCBUr THE GAMES BEGIN: i.

Prince. The Exclusively Endorsed Racquet of the United States Professional Tennis Association.© 1989 Prince Manufacturing, Inc .

a Volume 13 -

The Trade Magazine of Men and Women Tennis-Teaching Professionals'M

October 1989

Issue 10

The Voice Of The Tennis Teaching Profession NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Rod Dulany First Vice President Jack Justice Vice President Gordon Collins Vice President Dave Sivertson Treasurer Kathy Woods Secretary Allan Henry Past President Jim Reffkin CEO · Tim Heckler

On the cover ...

'Ti s the season to be indoors, as demonstrated by USPTA member Bud Schroeder and Jennifer Serena during a lesson at the Dayton Center Courts, in Dayton, Ohio, one of many indoor tennis clubs around th e · coun try. Photo taken by Ed Ponikwia.

LEGAL COUNSEL Paul Waldman NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS Assistant to the Executive Director Rich Fanning

CONTENTS

Communications Coordinator Bill Gordon Marketing Coordinator Dana Stull Public Relatlbns and Magazine Coordinator Becky Senseney Financ}al Manager Renee Heckler . Corporate Services Manager .,.

Christi Neumann Computer·Services and Club Relations Kathy Buchanan Membership Coordinator Laraine Reid Membership Processing Donna Woodstead Corporate Secretary Lori Garrett Receptionist/ Secretary Nanci Seehorsch Membership Services Anne Lepkoske Merchandise Services and Accounting Stephanie Hulbert Director of Certification and Academies George Bacso Co-Director of Academies BiiiTym Advertising/ Marketing Information Phone(813)973-3777 AOOvantage is published monthly by the United States Professional Tennis Association For information, write USPTA National Headquarters at Saddlebrook, The Golf and Tennis Resort, P.O. Box 7077, Wesley Chapel , Florida 33543, or phone (813) 973-3777.

Office Hours 9:00-5:30 EDT

Copyright© United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 1989. All rights reserveEI. Reproduction of any portion of this magazine is not permitted Without.written permission from the ,Publisher.

CEO Tim Heckler's Message ......................... .

3

Your Own Indoor Tennis Facility Getting Started

.

by Greg Lappin •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

7

~;~~~~e9G~~~;h~~~~ •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • II ~~~=~il~~~~~~-~~~~- .................... : ............. 15 For Safety's Sake

16 US PTA Dri lis ........................................ . 18

by Dave McKinney

Diff' rent Strokes

by Charles Stewart ••••• ·•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

22

Zipping into the '90s ............... .' ................

24

26 Division News ........................................ 30 President Rod Dulany's Message .................. . 32 Industry Action ......................................

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS ROD DULANY President

GORDON COLLINS Vice President

ALLAN HENRY Vice President

JIM REFFKIN Past President

(703) 524-3227

(408) 395-7116

(205) 236-3755

(602) 791-4896

JACK JUSTICE First Vice President

DAVE SIVERTSON Vice President

KATHY WOODS Vice President

PAUL WALDMAN Legal Counsel

(803) 642"-6642

(512) 453-7249

(201) 329-9146

(212) 354-8330

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CALIFORNIA DIVISION

MIDDLE STATES DIVISION

BOB PARKER

ANDREW POGONYI

LISA MOLDREM

President (213) 542- 1200

President (215) 233-3191

President (206) 526-0435

PETER DAUB

CAROLYN LUMBER

Regional Vice President (215) 855 -8103 .

Regional Vice President (503) 287-0250

HANK LLOYD Reg ional Vice President . (714) 535-7740

EASTERN DIVISION

2

PACIFIC NORTHWEST DIVISION

MIDWEST DIVISION

STEVE DIAMOND

MIKE HURLEY

President (201) 857-7476

President (216) 478-2712

SAN DIEGO DIVISION

RAY TUCKER

KIRK ANDERSON

Regional Vice President (718) 238-3880

Regional Vice President (513) 390-2740

President (619) 435-7133

ELORIDA DIVISION

MISSOURI VALLEY DIVISION

MARK McMAHON

JAIME VARGAS

President (407) 482-0110

President (314) 449-1332

JIM HAHN

DOUG BOSWELL

SOUTHERN DIVISION

Regional Vice President (407) 499-0771

Regional Vice President (918) 496-1523

RANDY STEP)-iENS

HAWAII DIVISION

NEW ENGLAND DIVISION

President (912) 474-5075

DON HENSON

BEN PRESS Regional Vice President (619) 435-1255

DINO BONDALLIAN

LARRY ABRAMS

TOM CASCARANO

President (808) 322 -3441

President (802) 496 -6412

Regional Vice President (205) 956-8585

DAVID PORTER

HOWARD BURNEIT

Regional Vice President (808) 293-3755

Regional Vice President (603) 772-6191

INTERMOUNTAIN DIVISION

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DIVISION

DAVE ROMBERG

DOUG ATKINSON

President (30 3) 761-9900

President (916) 482-6111

JACK MICHALKO

DAVE BROWN

DAVE HOUSTON

Regional Vice President (719) 495-0358

Regional Vice President (415) 435-3929

Regional Vice President (602) 263-5208

MIDDLE ATLANTIC DIVISION

NORTHWEST DIVISION

TEXAS DIVISION

SKIP BISHOP

RAJAN KESWANI

PHIL LANCASTER

President (703) 281-3870

President (612) 482-0704

President (214) 931-7326

LARRY LINEBERRY

STEVE WILKINSON

BOB KING

Regional Vice President (703) 989-87~8

Regional Vice President (507) 931-1614

Regional Vice President (713) 622-5921

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

BRIAN CHENEY President (602) 840-6412

Two More Reasons A new retirement program-and credit card make membership in USPTA more valuable than ever

b y Tim Heckler, CEO

Fom the .day USPTA was founded in 1927, it has been its purpose to create quality benefits for tennis-teaching professionals True to this intention, the Association has provided an increasing number of member benefits over the years, a list of which is included in your current USPTA Membership Directory In an effort to expand upon USPTA's already extensive list of member benefits, we have researched trade associations outside of tennis to discover additional career resources appropriate for teaching professionals. Until recently, however, we had found few additional benefits which could effect a truly "big bite, " so to speak, on teaching professionals.

With this in mind, it is worth noting that 1989 has been a rewarding year for USPTA Not only have we received a greater value for our seal of endorsement (allowing us to divert considerably more funds to activities such as educational and grassroots programs). but we have also managed to add two exciting new benefits in which members may now participate.

The first of these is the USPTA Retirement Program, which provides immediate tax benefits with tax-deferred accumulation of your money; a tax-free income str~am at retirement in addition to your social security and pension payments; and an immediate

estate benefit for your family that increases as the account grows. More details on this program will be sent to you by direct mail in the near future, followed by advertisements and related announcements in ADDvantage.

The second new benefit, which was announced last month at the USPTA Convention in Boca Raton , Florida, is the USPTA MasterCard. This program makes available a handsome, USPTA-inscribed credit card that will be of considerable value to members. Just a few of the many features of this benefit are free annual card membership for the first year, low annual percentage rates, higher lines of credit, and an assortment of excellent travel amenities at no additional charge .

You may receive more information on this credit card program and apply by calling (800) 847-7378 . You will be given special consideration due to your USPTA membership.

As with the other USPTA benefits, we hope you will participate in these programs, which have been specially designed for USPTA members. As always, should you have any special needs or ideas which lend themself to additional programs beneficial to the membership, I look forward to your comments. tt

3

NOW ON SALE United States Professional Tennie AMociation, Inc.

Tfu.• Vui.:c u/ rhc T mni•

T,·u..:hi'\( Pr(.fC!J.."i•m

The USPTA Guide To Country Club Tennis Operations

• Detennining the Fonnula for Success

The

USPTA Guide To Country Club

Tennis Operations

· • The Country Club Management Team • Staffing Your Facility • Country Club Pro Shop Merchandising • Organizing Lesson Programs • Projecting and Managing a Special Project Budget • Juniors and the Country Club • Programs for Country Clubs • Country Club Maintenance • Salary and Compensation

Volume I

Another Quality Publication of the

United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. Available at the USPTA Gift Shoppe $15 a copy.

-----------======

As USPTA members, you spot the talent and encourage the commitment.

As headquarters for Hopman/Saddlebrook lnteroatiGnal fennis, we provide the intensive teach·ng su~ ort you Aeed ... through the proven methods of o man,-Goach of 16 winning Davis Cup teams. His techniques and strategies form the basis for our on-going tennis program, which is available to you and your referrals ... along with these exclusive USPTA privileges:

• 37 tennis courts • 36 holes of golf •10% commission or pass-along discount on packages • 10% OFF Hopman/Saddlebrook packages for members • Group rates & scholarship awards for Hopman/Saddlebrook Tennis, upon agreement • Complimentary accommodations, tennis and fitness center for USPTA members accompanying groups of 6 or more • 60% or more OFF airfare on Eastern

PWS, you earn 10 chances to win a TRIP TO THE U.S. OPEN for every suite-night referral! Call today ... and make the most of your Home Court Advantage program! bll Free 1-800-237-7519 FL 1-800-282-4654

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100 Saddlebrook Way, Wesley Chapel , FL 33543-4499 Telephone (813) 973-1111 Telex 522621 SADDLEBROOK WSCL

-==

.__._..,________

Your Own Indoor Tennis Facility

Getting Started

by Greg Lappin

S o you want to build your own indoor tennis facility. There are easier tasks, such as challenging Ivan Lendl to a singles match and winning 6-0, 6-0. This underscores the difficulty in developing a tennis or athletic club.

The greatest challenge lies in obtaining financing . Two types of financing are required: debt financing and equity financing .

Debt Financing Ninety percent of all lenders will reject a loan application for a tennis club due to what they deem as unacceptable risks. The risks are: 1) Tennis clubs are singlepurpose, meaning if the club defaults, the facility likely cannot be used for any other purpose, and ; 2) these types of facilities are for recreational use, meaning they are not a necessity and members will probably flee if economic hardship sets in.

Even if you are able to secure a loan, the lender often asks for a letter of credit or stipulates that it will be recourse financing .

(A recourse loan has the owner personally liable for the mortgage.)

The maximum debt financing usually is 75 percent of the cost of the project.

Twenty-five percent is raised in¡ the form of cash equivalents from investors (e.g. donation of land).

such as a McDonald 's franchise. It is best to . look for an investor who will have an emotional buy into the project, or someone who has a need for a club such as for an amen ity to a residential or commercial developme~ ¡ Now for the good news: Hundreds of indoor facilities have been built, and there are many more under construction! ¡ For purposes of this article, it is not pos.sible to give a detailed explanation of each item. Therefore, listed below are several items to be included in a business plan that can be used to convince an investor that your club is a sound investment: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Equity Financing If the investor relies on the judgment of his or her accountant as to whether to invest, you probably won't be able to convince this person to support your tennis club. Accountants take an unemotional view of projects, basing their assessments solely on the amount of risk involved and the return on investments. There are safer investments with a high rate of return ,

8.

9.

Demographic study Financials ~ a detailed breakdown of assumptions, revenues and expenses for five to 10 years, and the projected return on investment List of amenities- product list of what will be in the club List of services - list of services that will be provided at the club Competitive analysis - detailed description of the competition Club concept, mission - explanation from the eye of the customer why the club exists Customer profile - who will join the club and why Legal organization Team a. Management b. Construction c. Architect d. Consultant e. Other (continued on page 10) 7

Any wide-body can send a high powered bullet across the net. That's the whole point of widebodies. But what about marksmanship? Now, Dunlop introduces the first wide-body racquets that don't sacrifice control: The Max Impact Plus, the Max Impact Pro and the Max Impact Mid. Unlike other wide-bodies, the Plus and Pro are widest and stiffest at the point of impact. This provides a powerful, more stable hitting surface. The frame -tapers into the grip for more forgiving flex and greater control. The Plus and Pro also have ''Impact Modulators'' molded into the frame. These are made of © 1989 Dunlop Slazenger Corporation. ~ and Dunlop

-

are registered trademarks of DNA

(~use marks)

Limited.

Sorbothane® and Kevlar, ® materials with remarkable ability to absorb vibration. The result is a solid, more comfortable feel. Greater shot accuracy. And less arm fatigue. In short, Max Impact racquets give your customers something unique: Powerful wide-bodies with great control. Contact your Dunlop representative . - - .to find out more about the Max Impact Plus, Max Impact Pro and our powerful mid-size wide-body, the Max Impact Mid. Or call Dunlop toll-free 1-800-476-5400. And give · your sales a big shot in the arm. iaiDUN.£DPi TENNIS

Sorbothane is a registered trademark of BTR PLC. Kevlar is a registered trademark of DuPont, Inc.

Dates That Rate Exams and Upgrades October 7-8 October 9 October 10 October 21-22 October 22 October 30 November 3-4 November 5-6 November 12-13 November 13 November 14 November 17-18 November 18-19 November 18-19 November 19-20 December 1-2 December 2-3 December 10-11 December 12 December 16-17 December 18-19 December 26-27

Ft. Washington, PA San Francisco, CA Flushing, NY Tampa, FL Detroit, Ml La Jolla, CA Bellevue, WA Salt Lake City, UT Houston, TX Redlands, CA Flushing, NY Tampa, FL Columbus, OH Farmington, CT Los Gatos, CA Minneapolis, MN Columbia, MO Las Vegas, NV Flushing, NY Tampa, FL Denver, CO Crystal River, FL

May 8 May 11-12 May 18 May 19 May 27-28 June 12 June 16-17 June 22-23 June 24 July 20-21 July 28-29

Flushing, NY Orlando, FL Stowe, VT Wilmington , DE San Francisco, CA Flushing, NY New Haven, CT Jacksonville, FL Redlands, CA Tampa, FL Flushing, NY

La Jolla, CA Woodland Hills, CA Flushing, NY Crystal River, FL Phoenix, AZ Wayland , MA Boca Raton , FL Flushing, NY Sarasota, FL Hershey, PA Rochester, NY Malibu , CA Palm Coast, FL Redlands, CA Carmel Valley, CA Flushing, NY Miam i, FL Flushing, NY Pembroke Pines, FL Kailua-Kana, HI La Jolla, CA Woodland Hills, CA

October 21 November 17 November 18 November 19 December 16 December 26-27

Tampa, FL Tampa, FL Columbus, OH Los Gatos, CA Tampa, FL Crystal River, FL

1990

1990 January 8 January 8 January 9 January 11 -12 January 18-20 January 20-21 January 26-27 February 6 February 23-24 February 24-25 February 24-25 March 3-4 March 3-4 March 11 March 12-13 March 13 March 16-17 April 3 April 20 April 27-30 April 29-30 May 7

Certification Training -courses

August 17-1 9 August 19-20 September 10 September 21 -23 October 7-8 October 9 October 19-20 November 4 November 5 November 9-11 November 17 November 18-19 December 11 December 13-15 December 28-29

Destin, FL Carmichael, CA Woodland Hills, CA Palm Springs, CA Ft. Washington , PA Flushing, NY Bradenton, FL Redlands, CA La Jolla, CA Tampa, FL Farmington, CT Los Gatos, CA Flushing, NY Phoenix, AZ Crystal River, FL

January 11 January 18 January 26 February 23 . February 24 February 24 March 3 March 16 April 20 April 27 April 29 May 19 May 27 June 16 June 22 July 20 July 28 August 17 August 19 October 19 November 9 December 13 December 28

Crystal River, FL Phoenix, AZ Boca Raton , FL Sarasota, FL Hershey, PA Rochester, NY Malibu, CA Miami, FL Pembroke Pines, FL Kailua-Kana, FL La Jolla, CA ¡ Wilmington , DE San Francisco, CA New Haven, CT Jacksonville, FL Tampa, FL Flushing, NY Destin, FL Carm ichael , CA Bradenton, FL Tampa, FL Phoenix, AZ Crystal River, FL

Tennis Teachers' -courses October 18-20 November 16-18 December 13-1 5 January 8-1 0 February 21-23 April 18-20 November 19-23

Tampa, FL Los Gatos, CA Tampa, FL Crystal River, FL Murrieta, CA Chicago, IL Los Gatos, CA

. The following dates and sites are ~he revised schedule of USPTA educational events to be held in 1989 and 1990. These dates are slightly different from those that appeared in the last issue due to last minute additions. For further information, contact the Education Department at the USPTA National Headquarters, (813) 973-3777.

9

Your Own Indoor Tennis Facility

Getting Started (continued from page 7)

What Kind of Club?

As tennis-teaehing professionals, we all have our favorite phrases that uie use when working with students. "Swing to your toes, don't toss to your swing" is one used for the seroe. Fellow USPTA member Bill Tym likes to point out that "tennis is a game of the appropriate use of speed, not a game ofpower."

Here's a phrase, or law, that applies to any business: "All businesses compete on price or differentiation." What this means is that a product must be the least expensive or in some way unique, special or different to successfully compete in the marketplace. This concept ap. plies to the club industry.

For a single-purpose tennis club to compete with a multipurpose club, it must offer very ine:x:pensive rates or special services and features. It could be exclusive, possessing the most competent professional staff or conduct unique programs and events.

1be wide variety of facilities available to a member ofa-multipurpose club makes it difficult for the single-purpose club to compete. 1be more amenities there are in a club, the more attractive it will be. An even stronger argument for a "IUiti.purpose club is the consideration of the b<Jttom line.

Four is the maximum number of members who can use a 6,000-square-foot (50-by-120foot) tennis court. It is virtually impossible to pay the debt service, taxes, operating expenses and make a profit on the membership dues and court fees generated from these four members.

At the Flagship Athletic Club, where I am employed, we have an athletic area of approximately 12,000 square feet - the size of two tennis courts. In this space we have an aerobics room, a high school-size basketball court, an area for various types of weight equipment, 55 pieces of cardiovascular equipment and a running track. This area can obviously accommodate hundreds of people at one time without being overcrowded. lbe per-square-foot revenues can be defined as the amount of money that can be realized from each square foot of space. Thus, the amount of revenue that can be generated in an athletic area is much greater than the amount ofrevenue that can be generated from a tennis court. That is why multipurpose clubs, especially those with a social orientation and which are anchored by the tennis membership, are destined to become the clubs of the '90s. l

- Greg Lappin

10

11 .

12.

13.

14.

Marketing, promotional¡plan Schematic architectural drawings List of questions and answers Analysis of potential success of the project. This document will probably be between 75 and 200 pages. There must be a comprehensive explanation of the project budget which will include : a. Site costs- land acquisiti'on, utility costs, soil corrections, etc. b. Professional fees - architects, engineers, accountants, etc. c. Construction costs - clubs are being built from $75 per square foot to $140 per square foot. Starage rooms may cost $60 per square foot and locker rooms may cost $1 25 per square foot. Permanent tennis structures cost about $25 per square foot with air structures costing considerably less d. Furniture, fixtures and equipment (F,F, & E) - costs can vary widely depending on quality and whether leased or purchased e. Marketing (pre-opening expenses) - what it costs to sell memberships and become operational before opening . Budgets can range from $100,000 to over $1 million depending on the size and scope of the club and philosophy of the owners f. Finance costs - underwriting fees, cost of issuance, construction financing, capital invested, etc. g. First-year pro forma for operating budget and revenue projections

Final Recommendations 1. Do not build a single-purpose tennis facility! Build a multi-purpose facility.

You are in business to serve the needs of your customers. Members want to be able to participate in more than one activity at a club. Also, we are in the retail business, where success is measured in terms of per-square-foot revenues. It is not as profitable having a maximum of four members playing tennis in a 6,500-square-foot area as it could be collecting dues from hundreds of fitness members for .a fitness area of similar size.

2.

3.

In the world of tennis, life is fair. We all operate under the same set of rules, with a predetermined system of keeping score. This is not always the case in the business world . If score is determined by how much money is made, fairness may be of little consideration. It is important to beware of the ethical standards of those with whom you might do business.

There are other ways to move into management or ownership than building your own club (e.g. take over a club that is in default). Explore all possibilities.

Remember: When you step off the tennis court and into the business world, the game changes. Learn to speak business language, understand how the business world operates and you will discover there are tremendous opportunities available today in the athletic club industry for the true professional. n

Greg Lappin conceived and assisted in the development of the Flagship Athletic Club, a $15 million multipurpose facility in Eden Prairie, Minn ., that ranks among the nation's top 10 in quality and gross revenue.

Greg authored Tennis Doubles: Winning Strategies for All Levels and has developed a customer service training course tailored for tennis and athletic clubs.

Greg currently serves as director of tennis at Flagship Athletic Club as well as director of training for Flagship and Restaurants No Limit, the parent company of Flagship Athletic Club.

Your Own Indoor Tennis Facility

Staffing Your Club

by Steve Gallagher Editor's note: The author has drawn exclusively upon his experiences at the Mid- Town Tennis Club of Rochester, N.Y., where he seroes as general manager.

Before you begin staffing your indoor tennis facility, you should consider the general characteristics and traits you want in all your employees. There are a number of basic characteristics to look for.

• The selection criteria we use at our club relates more to attitude, interests and personality than to job skills or job experience.

With the exception of the skilled positions - such as-tennis-teaching professional, for which certain pre-requisite playing and teaching skills are necessary, and physical therapist, which requires an advanced degree and accreditation - we feel we can train anyone for an entry level positiorri if he or she possesses enthusiasm, a good attitude and a willingness to learn.

The first thing to look for in a prospective employee (something hopefully shared by all existing staff members, no matter their length of employment) is a strong affinity for your product. We look for people who are genuinely excited about the benefits of membership (which we extend to our staff) and are eager about the prospect of actively using the club. We encourage this through employee contests and awards.

Staff members with a strong identification for your product are more enthusiastic about coming to work, are more adept at fielding questions and solving problems and can better articulate and sell the benefits of being a member of the club. This enthusiasm for the product translates into better service and sales.

In addition, look for people who portray the proper image and appearance. It is best to have a staff of physically fit and alert employees who project a sense of confidence in their posture, walk and overall physical presence. Look for people who by their appearance and image project the very lifestyle benefits that you claim come from using your product.

Other qualities to look for in a prospective employee: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Problem-solving skills Initiative Ability to deal with and manage stress and pressure Ability to interact well with others Self-confidence Dependability Flexibility and a willingness to work odd hours Eagerness to learn, grow and accept new challenges

Mid-Town Tennis Club of Rochester Location: Rochester, N.Y. Size: 140,000 sq. ft. athletic, snack bar-restaurant Memberships: 2,500 Employees: 90 full- and part-time in athletic, snack bar-restaurant areas (excluding pro shop, aerobics studio); 85 in athletic area only Facilities: 15 tennis courts, 4 squash courts, fitness center, aerobics studio, sports medicine center, pro shop, snack barrestauran~ 2 saunas, 2 suntanning beds, coed whirlpool

Finally, look for people who believe they can effect and influence change through their own actions. At our club, we look for people who assume personal accountability for their own actions, attitudes and behavior; who know how to exercise personal choice; and who take ultimate responsibility for their own course . This is pretty weighty stuff and not always easy to identify in an interview. Taking the time to find people with this attitude to life, however, will definitely pay dividends.

Certain positions are best filled by people with specific personality traits. Our club issues a survey to all job applicants to mea-

sure and identify personality traits and patterns under normal and stressful situations.

A few points to remember: 1.

2.

3.

It is beneficial to have a blend of different personality types, even among employees sharing the same job function , to promote teamwork and internal communications.

A person 's propensity for a certain type of behavior is no guarantee of success.

People with personalities thought to be in contrast with the requirements of the job can be successful given the proper enthusiasm, approach and training .

Our club prefers to hire full-time employees rather than part-timers. We have seriously attempted to establish career entry level positions (with competitive wages, benefits and incentives) and identifiable career paths within our club to facilitate the hiring and retention of . full-time people.

Full-time employees bring greater commitment and flexibility in available hours as well as the likelihood for longevity. In addition , there are recognizable savings in federal and state unemployment insurance taxes.

At our club, we hire for positions in nine departments. The positions, as well as the responsbilities, are as follows: Front Desk Receptionist • Greet and route members and guests • Computer entry and tracking of member usage • Open and close club • Court, tanning and private instruction reservations • Incoming phone calls • Answer and direct inquiries • Check-in for court time • Cashier functions - register transactions and sales • Operate court lighting, fans, page and music systems • Program and special events promotion • Distribute and collect loaner racquets and league balls • Tennis ball sales • Basic first aid (continued on page 13)

11

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-UifJu.s.

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Your Own Indoor Tennis Facility

Staffing Your Club (continued from page 11)

Membership Director • Prospecting for referrals and leads • Appointments and tours • Membership sales • New member orientation • Member retention Bartender/ Snack Bar Attendant • Prepare and serve food and drinks • Handle cash register and sales transactions • Open and close bar • Stock and organize food , beverages and supplies • General bar cleaning • Promote products • Wash bar glasses and dishes • Socialize with mer(lbers Maintenance/ Housekeeping • General clubhouse housekeeping and cleaning • Minor repairs • Replenish supplies and amenities • Wash, dry, fold and stock towels • Set up and take down of practice court ball machines • Balance and maintain whirlpool • Maintain outside grounds and parking lo · • Court cleaning • Heating, ventilation and AC preventive maintenance Nursery Attendant • Supervise and direct children 's play activities • Maintain sign-in records • Organize toys • General cleaning of nursery floor and adjoining bathroom Teaching Professional (tennis-squash) • On-court private and group instruction • Promotion of programs and activities • Court housekeeping • Prepare and maintain student files and reports Fitness Desk Receptionist • Maintain appointment books and signin sheets • Handle incoming phone calls • Maintain and update workout charts • Prepare traffic and no-show reports • Stock and organize desk supplies • General housekeeping of desk and surrounding ar.ea • Program and special event promotion

Fitness Attendant • Set weights and positions as prescribed by instructors • Record repetitions on workout charts • Maintain efficient traffic flow (monitor time usage on exercise equipment) • Program and special event promotion Fitness Instructors • Prescribe member exercise programs • Floor supervision and instruction • Orientations /trial workouts for new members • 1-on-1 workouts Administrative Secretary • Typing and word processing • Field and direct calls for general manager • Maintain copiers and office equipment • Daily mail, postal deliveries • Stock and organize office supplies • Prepare promotional and program fliers and applications • Deliver press releases • Assist with general bookkeeping functions • Maintain files, records of all typed, printed and mailed material Bookkeeper • Payroll • Season court promotion , registration and billing • Accounts receivables • Reconcile petty cash and register banks • Bank deposits • Accounts payable • Tax preparation • Balance bank statements • Post charges • Prepare financial report • Handle member billing inquiries • Collections • Maintain membership records, distribute membership cards • Process insurance claims and billings Physical Therapist • Patient care and treatment • Patient files and reports • In-service presentations • Prescribe patient independent exercise routines

Physical Therapist Assistant • Assist in patient care • Oversee patient independent exercise • Clean and maintain equipment Sports Medicine Desk Receptionist/ Secretary • Typing, word processing • Medical transcripts • Organize patient files • Handle incoming calls • Schedule and confirm appointments, monitor appointment book We also hire persons in supervisory and program administrative positions. These include: 1.

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Comptroller: Oversees the office staff and accounts. Also works closely with the general manager in budgeting, cash flow analysis, financial planning and central purchasing .

Assistant director of fitness/exercise physiologist, head instructor and three fitness specialists: Train, schedule , oversee and review the fitness staff, perform all fitness and nutritional tests and administer well ness programs and member contests.

Desk supervisor: Oversees scheduling, procedures and systems and staff performance supervision and evaluations.

Maintenar;Jce supervisor: Trains, schedules, supervises and reviews the maintenance staff; oversees purchasing, handles in-house repairs and monitors both contract repairs and regularly · scheduled outside maintenance service.

Sports medicine director: Determines treatment protocols, trains, schedules, supervises and reviews the sports medicine staff; coordinates promotion al programs; and establishes liaisons with referring physicians.

Food and beverage supervisor: Responsible for food and beverage promotions, scheduling , training and supervising the food and beverage staff.. menu selection , purchasing and inventory controls.

Team of teaching professionals: Adm inister all details of group instructional , league, tournament, team and special event programs.

13

Your Own Indoor Tennis Facility

We identify and hire our program administrators and supervisors almost exclusively from within our front-line ranks. Nearly all have been (and continue to be) proven , standout front-line performers. Our strategy in structuring job packages for this group is to ensure all continue to maintain front-line, direct-member contact shifts and responsibilities.

Our supervisory and program administrative group members also tend to wear a number of different hats. Divisions are seldom as clean as described above. Very often in addressing the special skills and needs of a person, we define positions which include job functions that cross over between departments. We also tend to call on this group to oversee and coordinate a number of central liaison, inter-departmental functions such as the production of our quarterly newsletter and our club-wide employee recognition programs.

Overseeing the entire operation of the club is a management team of five persons: a general manager, director of operations', director of racquet sports, director of membership, marketing and public relations and director of fitness. The team is responsible

NCA National Qub Association

for the philosophical image and policy direction of the club. The members of this team are also responsible for all final hiring decisions.

Heading up the management team is the general manager, the position I occupy. I oversee strategic planning , budgeting and budget adherence, supervision and performance reviews of the management team, energy management, the maintenance and sports medicine departments, liaison functions with our pro shop and aerobic lessees, our organizational structure, central purchasing , internal inspections and quality control and correction systems and programs.

As you can see, staffing involves many pieces to a puzzle. When everyone is in place, the club is profitable and runs smoothly. When everyone is not ·in place (during times when we 've lost some key people), operations don 't run nearly as well and the bottom line is adversely affected.

Having experienced both good and bad staffing situations, there is no question but that the best way to leverage the success of this or any other indoor club is to take the time to find and train the right people. H

The

Steve Gallagher is general manager of the Mid-Town Tennis Club of Rochester, a position he has held since 1986. Over the previous six years, he served as head tennis professional at the Mid-Town Tennis Club of Chicago. A USPTA member since 1979, he is a former vice-president and secretary of USPTA's Midwest Division and was named Illinois' Professional of the Year in 1985. He earned a B.A. from Colgate University in 1977 · and a master's in Community Planning and Area Development from the University of Rhode Island in 1979.

Indi~pensable

Membership For Private Clu5s

The National Club Association is the club of clubs. Today, 1000 private clubs belong because it's a membership they simply cannot do without.

• NCA represents the business , legal , legislative and policy interests of private clubs, coast to coast.

• NCA provides the tools a club must have to operate within a framework of sound business practices.

• NCA develops programs and techniques that keep clubs up to date on a host of issues and developments.

• NCA monitors Congress on issues that protect and expand clubs' business opportunities.

• NCA protects clubs' rights to select the members they want and control their destiny.

NCA promotes the business of clubs, the education of their members and the defense of their rights.

It's the Indispensable Membership To find out how your club can join the club of clubs call (202) 466-8424, or write to 1625 Eye Street, NW, Suite 609, Washington, D.C. 20006.

14

}'J

Your Own Indoor Tennis Facility

Managing Your Club

by Greg Lappin

Before any discussion concerning the management skills necessary to run a ten nis club can take place , we must address the question, "What is the purpose of a business?''

There is a common misconception that the purpose of a business is to make money. This is a hoped outcome, to be sure , but it is not the purpose. The purpose of a business is to solve problems. It would be impractical for a tennis-teaching professional to use the family station wagon to pick up and transport tennis balls from the factory to his or her pro shop. Fortunately, we have the trucking iFldustry to take care of transportation problem , and banks td provide checking accounts and solve purchasing problems.

Problems can be grouped into two types: technical and interpersonal. Managers, therefore , must possess two types of problem-solving skills: skills to solve technical problerfls and skills to solve interpersonal relationship problems.

The technical , or task, aspect of a manager's job is concerned with the physioal plant and equipment. Examples of these would be : 1.

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How is a swimming pool cleaned?

What is the best court-cleaning equipment?

When do the lights get changed in the tennis structure?

Technical aspects also include the special expertise or proficiency of the manager. Examples of these would be: 1.

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Factors involved in running a successful tennis event Effective teaching methods Marketing Forecasting Budgeting Written communication skills Planning and organization skills

As one can see, a manager must have a working knowledge of the club and its equipment as well as an understanding of all of the Harvard MBA concepts. This is the price of admission . Interpersonal relationship skills involve not only how a manager communicates verbally and non-verbally with this employees, but listening skills as well.

Now is a good time to substitute the term leader for manager. Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus said it best The problem with many organizations, and especially the ones that are failing, is that they tend to be overmanaged and underled. There is a profound difference between management and leadership, and both are important. Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right thing.

In other words, managers push their employees along , while leaders pull their employees along with them. Managers look to control productivity while leaders try to stimulate productivity.

2.

Flagship Athletic Club Location: Eden Prairie, Minn.

Size: 185,000 sq. ft. athletic, restaurant Memberships: 3,900 Employees: 250 in athletic, restaurant areas; 175 in athletic area only (60 fulltime) Facilities: 7 tennis courts under permanent structure, 6 tennis courts under bubble, 5 Har-Tru tennis courts, 2 platform tennis courts, 5 racquetball courts, 4 squash courts, 2 25-meter swimming pools, 2 gymnasiums, aerobics studio, indoor track, weight room, pro shop, nursery, restaurantlounge, 2 meeting rooms A leader's job, then, is to generate performance , which is the quality and quantity of work, and to create employee satisfaction , which refers to the fulfillment experienced by the employees. How do leaders influence the performance and satisfaction of their employees? They do it by the way they manage in five critical leadership areas: 1. Mission This represents the core value of the business - the sense of purpose or reason for being from the viewpoint of the employees and the customers.

Mission statements familiar to us are " IBM means service" or General Electric's "Progress is our most important product. " A mission statement is not

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something stuck on the shelf, but rather is used as a context for decisionmaking and a constant motivator of excellence and high performance. An individual 's reason for being in the organization is his or her own purpose.

I highly recommend that every organization and person develop a mission statement and statement of purpose .

The Christopher Columbus style of management develops without it.

Columbus didn't know where he was going, didn't know when he got there, and didn 't know where he was.

Goals Goals and /or objectives operationalize the mission. They focus energy on specific targets. Priorities are established and standards are set. Individuals understand their contribution to the mission . Goals should be realistic, understandable , measurable, written and tied to a reward and feedback system . They must be acceptable to all parties. The employee must take ownership of his or her goals.

Feedback Employees want to know how they are doing! Feedback and sharing are necessary for the learning and growth of the employee . If an employee is not given feedback, he or she will make up his or her own! A systematic review process should be set up.

Rewards An employee wants to know, "What's in it for me?" Rewards promote excellence, increase commitment and help create performance with fulfillment.

Rewards don 't always have to be monetary. Research shows the No. 1 reason that people go to work is to feel good about themselves. It is illogical for a leader not to strive to make his or her employees feel significant.

Support To perform well , an employee must feel he or she has the trust .of the leader and be able to trust that leader.

Trust is the most important ingredient to the functioning of a management team . Good support will create a climate of trust, remove barriers to performance and encourage creativity, risk-taking and learning.

H 15

For Safety's Sake How to make yours a safer tennis facility

by Dave McKinney Wether yo.u're an experienced or novice tennis-teaching professional, one of the most important things to consider on the teaching court is saf~ty. Safety concerns you-, your students and even spectators of your lessons. The students' trust in you as their instructor also means they have con fidence in your ability to run a safe court.

The last thing an instructor trying to build a lesson base needs is a student getting injured due to unsafe court conditions.

As instructors, we rely partially or fully on our lesson income, so we cannot afford to get hurt in a major way and still hope to maintain a steady income . We also must beware of spectators on or around the court so they are not hurt or disruptive of the lesson.

Even with experienced teaching professionals, it is easy to get caught up in the instructional part of the lesson or the excitement of a drill and forget about safety.

However, safety is just as important as great communication skills or great progressions during a lesson . Here are seven areas that each teaching professional should be concerned with for the safety of their students, themselves and spectators .

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Balls on Court - This is the No. 1 cause of injuries in lessons. When feeding balls to your students from one side of the court to the other, make sure all balls are clear on the students'

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side . Even if the balls are just outside the playing area, have them moved out of the way. You never know when one of your students may take that extra step. Whenever students utilize both sides of the court, or when you play on one side, constantly scan the whole court for balls during points and in between . Be especially alert for balls rebounding off the fences and the net.

Often, these balls are not noticed since they are no longer considered a threat once they leave the playing area.

Frequently, however, a ball will rebound onto the court during the next point or sequence of a drill. Either you or your students could suffer a twisted ankle or more serious injury by stepping on a ball.

Feeding position - For your own safety, beware of where you are when feeding the ball. It is unsafe to park yourself on the service line in the middle of the court during a high volley drill. Feeding from the middle of the court at the net will always present a risk for you and at times create an uneasy feeling for your students since they may fear hitting you If it does riot affect the purpose of the feed , you can also feed from the doubles alley, which will keep you out of your students' line of fire. Also when feeding , don't box yourself in with baskets and hoppers in

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case you need to move quickly to avoid a ball. Otherwise, you may find yourself in position for a direct hit.

Hopper and Basket Placement - In a situation where your students are helping themselves to a hopper during a lesson or drill sequence, make sure the hopper is clear of the playing area.

Often, students trip over or run into baskets that are too close by. Although students will tend to opt for the closer hopper, you should make sure they keep the hopper at a safe distance.

When practicing serves in a group lesson , make sure the hoppers are well back so that the students do not cross directly behind other students to get the next balls, but rather go directly backwards. You must make sure the baskets are well out of the way if you are doing a lot of moving or if you 're playing points. Don 't become lazy and keep the hopper near you . Remember: better safe than sorry. â&#x20AC;˘ Perimeter Equipment - At times, the teaching court can become cluttered with baskets, ball machines and teaching aids. Make sure this equipment is kept well out of the way and stored elsewhere. Chairs or benches on the court should also be well out of the way, especially if the drills have students running from one side of the court to the other. Any spectators

Ball baskets should be placed at a safe distance from students. In the above examples, baskets are near the fence and out of students' way.

16

should be seated well out of the way, or, better still, off the court altogether.

5. Spectators - Even spectators seated to the side of the court are at risk with mis-hit balls or a student chasing a very wide ball. Children should never be allowed to roam the courts. Often, children will sit to the side as Mom or Dad take a lesson. If they are allowed to roam even a little, their roaming can turn into sudden sprints around the court, causing disruption and endangering the safety of the child . Also, beware of children leaning on the outside of the fence with their faces pressed up against it, because the ball may strike the fence at a high pace and injure them.

6. Disabilities - Beware of students with disabilities. If a student is just recovering from a major knee injury, running down dropshots or · emergency shots may not be wise. Try to know your students and whether they have any chronic injuries or have had recent mishaps or illnesses. By doing so, you can structure your lessons to include the safety of your student.

7. Flow and Movement - The flow and movement of your private and group lessons must always be considered . In group lessons, safety is something that must be watched ' carefully. Are ther~

any dangers of being struck by a ball or another racquet? When there is too much chaos on the court, even if it's for fun, the possibility for accidents is always high. " Kill Drills," "Ball Wars" or "Headhunting" may be fun for the group, but how safe are they? What if a student gets hit in the eye? For these types of drills (if you really feel they must be implemented), consider using a nerf ball. Be sure to keep the students in control and don 't let them get too wild or injury may occur, ruining the fun for everyone.

Remember, you can never be too safe. I recall conducting a clinic at Seabrook Island Resort with Peter Burwash. All balls were well clear of the playing area. During a drill, a student of mine chased down a great lob. The student chased the ball at full speed all the way to the fence and then hit it. Unfortunately, there was a ball at the base of the fence and she stepped on it.

Luckily, she suffered only a mild ankle sprain and was able to return that afternoon and play more.

As USPTA teaching professionals, we are fortunate to have $1 million liability insurance as a member benefit. However, having this protection is no reason to relax your safety standards on the court. Beware of court safety for your students and yourself.H

Dave McKinney is the Director of Tennis at the Cabrillo Racquet Club in Camarillo, Calif.

Previously Dave was the Tennis Director at the Ojai Valley Inn and Country Club in Ojai , Calif. While there he rebuilt the tennis membership to a record high for the club. He also has coached nationally and sectionally ranked juniors in California. Dave has directed tenni s programs in Fiji and has helped the Fiji Lawn Tennis Association develop its national Junior program and national tennis league program .

In addition , he has taught tennis domestically at the Sports Core in Kohler, Wise., the Hawaii Kai Tennis Club in Honolulu and internationally at the Doha Club in Doha, Qatar and Tenniscamp Stanglwirt in Kitzbuhl, Austria.

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17

USPTA DRILL Airborne Purpose: To practice serve placement and lob return of serve. Illustrate effectiveness of lob off return of serve, particularly from forehand court. Practice team movement and communication for certain shot situations.

This drill illustrates the effectiveness of lobbing the ball from the forehand court over the backhand side of the net man (if right-handed) to the backhand corner, forcing a weak shot or lob. This tactic results in team position movement, forces weak shots and is good against a strong net-rushing server. It can be reserved for left-handed players.

Description : Player A serves and stays back or rushes the net according to ability or instructor preference . Player B attempts lob to target area and the point is played out. Players C and D should move to strong net position , B to a weak position if the lob is effective, C and D into weak defensive positions if the lob is short.

This drill also helps to teach court movement for doubles play as well as practicing communication. If the ball is short, C should warn D and either A orB should call for the ball whether going for a smash or retreat shot.

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This is a very good drill for intermediate and advanced players. The emphasis is on serve placement, lob placement, overheads and retreat shots as well as team movement and communication .

Ron Woods Corpus Christi , Texas

Groundstroke, Approach, Volley This is a great drill for teaching students, from beginner to professional , how to hit a groundstroke, approach and volley to a specific target. It can be done from either the forehand or the backhand side of the court, but should be done equally from both sides.

The instructor, holding three balls, hits the first one deep to the baseline . The student hits the first shot crosscourt to a target.

The instructor then hits a second shot short to the opposite service box. The student runs to the short shot and hits an approach shot down the line toward the target. The instructor then hits a groundstroke down the middle. The student should move in tight to volley the ball crosscourt to the target. The student should then sidestep off the court, and the next student starts the drill. This drill can be done well with a lot of movement with two to six students.

Kelly Cooper Martinsville, Va.

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30-30-30 Teaching professionals try to develop drills they feel accomplish the most for their students. Here is mine.

The diagram shows six students (SLS 6 ) on the court across the net from each other.

The instructor's initial position is to the side .

This can also be between two courts with si x or more students on the other. If you have more courts, this could be as many as the student's skill level (supervisory necessity) demands.

First, we have the students tap the ball back and forth (with a bounce) 30 times consecutively up close. It is important that the students not .omit the bounce. That would be a miss and the court would start over. The two students across from each other continue to do this until they have done 30 consecutively. This is all taking place at position No. 1. This is not as easy as it looks and the skill developed at this position is the ability to hit easy and work against the net, not an opponent. We have the students count as they do this to provide pressure. When they accomplish this, they can move back from the net to p9sition No. 2 at the service line. Again , while counting, they keep the ball going 30 times consecutively, again with a bounce, no volleys. ¡ The key here is the ability to adjust your force (hit) on the ball, to continue to work against the net, and by counting we get the pressure as well as the consistency. Once this is accomplished, we move to the baseline, to position No. 3, and hit the balls at full court 30 times consecutively. Here, of course, we continue pressure by counting, add more force to get the ball over the net, and develop consistency. As seen in this drill, our student is made to hit balls at varying distances/forces, learns respect for the net, and gains the consistency required to build confidence.

We then have our students come back to the net (position No. 1) and do the same thing with the volley. Looking at the diagram, you can see that position No. 1 is the same for the groundstrokes, but position Nos. 2 and 3 have changed. Position No. 2 is now halfway back between the net and service line and position No. 3 is at the service line.

This drill is fun, demanding and develops skills. I use it for all levels of students and vary the numbers (20-20-20 or 40-40-40) based on developing skills. For tots, I use lines and shorter distances.

Jack Justice Aiken, S.C.

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- - - + Student Movement ------t~Ball

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speaking of .

• •

FITNESS CENTERS page publication examines financial information , facilities , pricing , compensation and membership for racquet and fitness clubs. In addition , the report includes five-year trend information and Dun & Bradstreet's profitability index.

IRSA is a trade association of 1,550 racquet and fitness clubs worldwide . To obtain the report, call or write to I RSA , 132 Brookline Ave ., Boston , MA 02215, 617-236-1500.

Racquet and fitness club owners are optimistic about the future, and with good reason, according to "Profiles of Success : 1989 State of the Industry Report." A study done for I RSA, The Association of Quality Clubs, the publication was prepared by Ernst & Young (formerly Ernst & Whinny) based on the results of a survey involving 363 IRSA clubs.

In 1988, revenues were up over the previous year by 9 percent and pre-tax profit was up by 38 percent. In addition , membership has consistently grown for at least the past seven years. ''The industry is growing at a faster rate this year than last year," said Mona Hall , the Ernst & Young representative who compiled and analyzed the results for I RSA. "Clubs are paying more for quality employees and charging more for quality facilities ."

Despite higher salaries , average total payroll continues to drop for every club type and fell substantially as a percentage of revenues in 1988. Most clubs have reduced payroll to 33 percent of revenues , the study shows .

While optimistic about the future , club owners are still keenly aware of the increasing number of competitors , a fact which fueled the doubling of fees paid to marketing consultants from 1987to 1988, according to the study.

Penn 's on the BaO Penn Athletic Pmducts tees-o.ff,its 11eu •product line oftenniSjashion !-shirts Made of high quality 100%hemycotton, the pre-shrunk sbirts bal'e rein forced neck and shoulder semm; and co!oJjctst applications to resist fading Ami/able in adult sizes small, medium, large (fnd extra-large, the shirts sport a uariety of cololful, dramatic tennis designs.

20

PRINCE &

Pro Penn 's Fancy Footwork Penn Athletic Products, the world's largest manufacturer of tennis balls and racquetballs, unlaces its new line of tennis shoes. Made of handcrafted white leather with durable rubber soles, the shoes fea ture a "Hytrel strap " across the top of the foot to prevent instability and rolling An external heal counter helps prevent ankle twisting Available in men 's (right) and women's (left) styles, are a~ilabk in wid<luiz~fw =<om fii

<he_,

PENN Lining Up for Fall

FASHIONS TO LOOK FOR THIS SEASON

., Penn's Breaking Into Sweat Penn warms up its new product line of tennis fashion sweatshirts Made of a highquality 50/ 50 poly/ cotton blend, the preshrunk shirts have cover stitched seams, set-in sleeves, and colo/fast applications to resist fading Collar treatments include either an open neck or polo style. Available in adult sizes mal~ medium, large and extra-large, the shirts sport a variety of colorful, dramatic tennis designs.

Traditional Tennis • Court fashions take on a fresh,

classic look for Spring '90 as fashionable, functional designs go all-white.

Tenniswear swings off-court, above, with the sleeveless "Ellen " top and "Jessica" skirt from Prince Manufacturing's Traditional collection. The "Ellen " is constructed of a 100 percent cotton diamond jacquard knit fabric and features a three button extended placket with embroidered logo motif, available in November 1989.

Retro-Tennis Fun • Art-deco is the inspiration for Prince Manufacturing's Retro-Active group for Spring '90. Presenting a feminine yet sporty feeling, the group is centered around intense, saturated pastels. Pictured above is the oversized "Shannon " top teamed with the pleated "Jessica " skirt. This short-sleeved top features a dropped neckline with a flat knit collar and cuffs. The collection will be available in November 1989.

Penn 's Got A Whole New Bag Penn Athletic Products has unveiled a new product line of multipwpose Pro Penn Sports Bags. Each is constructed of water repellent 2 10 Denie~· nylon, with reiriforcet:l, padded handles and shoulder straps, heavy duty ztppers, and extra inside and outside pockets. Back row from left, cany-on bag (23.5''Lx 10"Wx 13"H); sport totebag(11'Lx8"Wx 14"H) ; team bag(29"Lx 12"W x 14"H). Front row from left, thermal multi-racquet bag (30.5"L x 4"W x 12"H); and ladies shoulder tote (18"L x 2"W x 14"H).

Warm·Up with Sporty Separates • Prince Manufacturing's warmups for Spring '90 offer the ultimate in cross-sport function. Bold colors and hot neons spice up comfortable, functional fabrics that move with the wearer, whether playing a tough game of tennis or stretching out on the couch. The women 's "Action " jacket and "Finale " pant offer the ultimate in sporty separates. Offered in this season's new Royal Blue, neon colorblocking highlights the unlined jacket. The men 's "Baseline " jacket, teamed with the Glow Green "Sport Short," is guaranteed to stand out in a crowd. Prince 's warm-up collection a/so features fully lined two-piece suits. The entire line will be available in November 1989.

21

DIFF1tRENT STROKES B'f CHARLES STEWART

WA'IS TO MAKE 'lOUR LESSONS INVITING, ADAPTIVE ... AND MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE

22

What a terrific occupation tennis teaching is, especially when it comes to working with youngsters. In this case, the tennis-teaching professional needs to be a cross between Robin Williams, St. Francis of Assisi and Gen. George Patten. The tennis professional needs to "hold tight with an open hand," always resisting the temptation to clone his or her charges. The tennis professional should adjust to his or her students, not the other way around . It is never a compliment when the pupils of a tennis professional¡play his or her way. Remember, each of these youngsters has a unique personality and ability. Some will use a degree of wrist on their groundstrokes, others will not. Some will have a natural service motion (See Laver, Nastase, Tanner), others won't (Connors, Rosewall).

In a group of five girls and five boys, you will usually get one "superbie," eight "soso's" and one "klutz." You have to keep all 10 happily involved in learning tennis. That means you have to keep the "superbie" challenged , the " klutz" from getting discouraged, and the "so-so's" contented .

How? Hit a little harder to the "superbie, " and perhaps promote him or her to a more advanced class age-wise or talent-wise.

Warning : Never, ever tell the parents about

an advanced class or they will insist their child be in it. Just say, with no explanation, to "come at 10 a.m . tomorrow instead of 9 a.m."

Make a big fuss over the "klutz." Hit easy shots to this student. Congratulate him or her on all good hits, but don't utter a word about the bad ones. Ask what other sports he or she plays. Intentionally miss a couple of shots and mak~ fun of yourself. Say such things as, " Boy, you have good posture."

Or, "If they ever were looking for someone to do a toothpaste commercial , you'd be a natural -you have great teeth ."

The "so-so's" are as easy as apple pie, which is essentially what ¡ they are. Just entertain them, let them know you like them and everything will be fine.

Never, ever position a poor player behind a superior one in a drill. Never, ever have a student attempt a third try after two successive misses. If you do, you could devastate him or her. Nobody, especially a youngster, can stand the humiliation and embarrassment of three failures in a row in front of their peers and the pro. When I see two misses, I say, "Something got in my eye. I didn't see that last shot. " Perhaps the reply will be , " But I'm the only redhead in the class. " Now you are dealing with a sm iling

student.

It is fun watching your students during class. I offer a three-minute rest period . The boys hit balls at each other, turn their racquet around and do an Elvis imitation followed by John Dillinger with a machine gun . The girls slowly gravitate to a shady area, assume a ballet position , with a foot off at an exaggerated angle, drop their wrists and chat cordiaUy. What a difference!

Every student loves to laugh , so I have a joke-telling contest, with awards for the best and yuckiest. Sometimes they insist and join in. I tell how a certain tree got its name. " It seems that about 100 years ago this tree was imported from Australia. People were told that it would grow rapidly and make money for them . Well , it did grow fast, but it was gnarled and not good for lumber, so th e people called the nursery and said , "You clipped us." This brings a chorus of boos.

Some of the kids' one-liners are priceless. One little girl ran up to me at the start of a lesson and said , "Guess what, Charlie. I got a new last name (i .e. a new Daddy)! " Another time, to demonstrate a certain stroke , I cut in front of a boy about to take a ball from a ball machine, explaining that it was "my court" and that "I am the instructor ." He listened, not liking it one bit, then blurted out, "Yeah, but isn 't it my money? " You can ach ieve tremendous results with reverse psychology. Instead of feeding. balls silently or encouragingly with remarks such as "good luck! " or "go get it," I offer the mock threat that "you better miss this or you 're in big trouble! " When they make it (and they usually do), I say, even louder, " Did you hear me? I said MISS IT! " By now, they are laughing and makng more shots. I even have the entire class wave their arms and yell , "Miss it! " Whenever you spot a student making an improper stroke, don 't embarrass the student by identifying him or her. Instead, join the student, and as the ball machine or the assistant pro serves balls over the net, say, "I don 't remember who it was, but one of you is doing this." Then do a comic caricature of the offending shot. The culprit doubles up with laughter.

In the event you forget a student's name, which is very unprofessional, don 't say, "I'm sorry, but I have forgotten your name." Or more inanely, "How do you spell your name again?" - in which case the kid replies "Jo-e" and looks at you funny. A much more positive scenario would go something like this

across the net, "you with the pig tails. Charlie wants to know your name."

Of all the shots in tennis, kids like the overhead smash best. When teach ing it, I ask them to make believe a hold-up man with a pistol says, "stick 'em up! " I tell them to immediately turn their shoulder sideways to present less of a target, throw up both their arms, step on the guy's foot with their left foot (if they are right handed), and hit him over the head with a loosely held racquet while yelling, "take that! " The loudest "take that! " usually makes the best overhead.

Here's a fun way to pick up the balls: Have eight of your 10 class members climb aboard the train (a shopping cart), three on each side , two in front¡ and two as roving scouts. You are the engineer and get to push. When the train is loaded, test it out with a swift swing to the right and left. Next, accelerate toward the net, saying , "I sure hope the brakes work, I just had them fixed ." Just about the point you are about to hit the net, apply the brakes. Next, proceed to the northeast corner of the court and call out, " Pasadena." When you arrive, say, "All passengers off. It'll cost you four tickets (balls) to return ." When they are back on , run over to the northwest corner, call , " Glendale," and do the same as at the last stop. In the meantime, the two scouts are picking up on the run and loading the train .

To get the most smooth -flowing strokes, I let my students play "Pantomime Doubles."

The game is played with racquets and no ball. The seNer makes an imaginary toss and serve. The receiver can call it out or play. You will rejoice at the splendid orthodox form displayed in this exercise.

The strokes are a thing of beauty, volleys crisp and angled, smiles aplenty. Once, one team argued that they had won the point on a beautiful overhead , but the other team insisted, "No, it just missed. Want to see the mark?"

Those old cliches "watch the ball ," "bend your knees " and "follow through " are not enough . You must tell them how to watch the ball (not intensely); when to bend the knees (prior to hitting; unbend as you stroke) ; and where to follow through (a little past your left shoulder as you pivot and place weight on front foot, not behind your neck). One of my students insists that he bends his knees and then rises. He is right, only he hits the ball after he has unbent his knees, negating the lifting action .

An actual scenario:

Tennis teacher: "Nice shot, Geraldine."

Student: "I'm not Geraldine' " "Okay, Hortense." ''I' m not Hortense, either! " "Well , who do you think you are?"

"MARGARET!!!"

"Sorry, I'll never make that mistake again , Yvonne."

Students: "Give us grades."

Me: "Okay," and I start feeding shots.

As a hitter goofs, me: "F-minus-m inus."

Again , after an especially neat stroke: "A-plus."

Again: "The highest grade I've ever given was an A-plus-plus-plus. Do you know who got it?"

Students: "Yeah , you ."

Once, I cleverly asked a little boyd o get out of his line and come over to me at the ball basket. "What's .the name of the girl in front of you?" I whispered . " Hey," he yelled

Next, I toss some "oh-oh 's" at them (that's two balls at a time). They must hit one. There are triple and quadruple "ohoh 's" and a Granddaddy "oh-oh ," which is

one white ball under 20 yellow ones loaded on my racquet. "Hit the white one only," I say as I toss all the balls at them. Nine out of 10 times, they hit it.

When I see an especially good shot, or, for that matter, a yuckie shot, I invite the hitter to approach the net and close his or her eyes. Then , in a voice like that of a circus ringmaster, I announce, "Ladies and gentlemen, for making the best (or yuckiest) shot of the day, this award goes to Joey Walsh!" and I dump a basket of 100 balls over his head.

Don 't rush to teach these little tykes the Continental grip for serves and volleys. I hope you never teach it for groundstrokes.

For now, it is okay for them to serve with the Eastern forehand grip. After a season with them, you can glue a glove to the racquet in the Continental position , put their hand in it and tape the whole assembly to the racquet. This way, they can 't change grips, and they are ready to serve, volley and hit overheads.

The scholars of tennis are convinced that excessive looping topspin is passe; that with better available coaching , the technological advances in racquets and strings, plus state-of-the-art nutrition and conditioning studies, the future player of distinction will be hitting on the rise from the baseline, rather than 10 feet behind it. This player will take to the net as soon as possible. There is no such thing as "no man 's land " to this player; he or she will move forward whether it's a deep volley or half volley. Ever notice how the better player makes a "put away" on the very same shot the less talented player elects to make an approach shot?

The conscientious tennis professional will do everything in his or her pmyer to keep the student interested. Keep up the enthusiasm. Never look at your watch or ¡ yawn . Imagine what kind of lesson you would give if 100 fellow pros were watching. Don 't be forced to tour. Let your performance be a tour de force.

Charles Stewart has logged over 45,000 hours as a tennis instructor. He played varsity tennis at the University of Southern California in 1950 and coached the Occidental Tennis Team from 1969 to 1971 . A USPTA member since 1976, Stewart was chosen Californ ia Pro of the Year and has been awarded the Clinician 's Award twice.

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FROM THE DESK OF USTA

ZiRRing into the '90s A look back at the USTA Tennis Teachers Conierence

The second floor of the Sheraton Centre Hotel and Towers in New York City had been transformed into a tennis facility. ,The action in the grand ballroom was on a fullsize tennis court rather than a dance floor.

This was September's USTA Tennis Teachers Conference- three full days of non-stop learning on and off the court, topped with the U.S. Open just a subway ride away.

The opening session of the conference, a musical review titled , "Tennis, A Sport For Everyone," featured world-class wheelchair tennis players Brad Parks and Rick Slaughter, .U.S. Davis Cup Captain Tom Gorman and directors from the USTA Schools Program. What followed was a remarkable display of the athletic ability and skills needed to play tennis in a wheelchair.

Parks and Slaughter began by rallying with what appeared to be great ease . But their true talent became evident when several of the Schools Directors took to sports chairs and tried to continue the game. Amid laughter and cheers, drills were demonstrated, giving everyone a sense of how to work with wheelchair and able-bodied players at the same time to make the game a fun and challenging experience.

The opening session concluded with a three-game match pitting Slaughter against Gorman. All was fairing well for Gorman, a former semifinalist at the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and the French Open, until rules stipulated he play the match game in a sportschair. It was a remarkable comeback

by Slaughter, who took the title in games 3-2 .

With more than 800 conferees pumped for more action, tennis legend Billie Jean King and members of the Do~ino's Pizza TEAMTENNIS League answered the crowd 's request with an on-court demonstration of new angles on' the serve and volley.

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Those conferees involved in recreational tennis attended sessions ranging from USTA Short Tennis to Special Olympics tennis to the USTA!Volvo Tennis League . Randy Hester, USTA coordinator of junior tennis and a USPTA professional , demonstrated the effectiveness of short tennis in teaching beginners of all ages the sport of a lifetime.

USPTA professional Spike Gonzales and Henry Cox, USTA administrator of adult recreational tennis, teamed for an informative discussion on programming fun and fitness into adult tennis.

Playing tennis in a wheelchair was a whole new experience for Davis Cup Captain Tom Gorman.

Meanwhile, David Schobel, administrator of the USTA/Volvo Tennis League and a USPTA professional, shared the team spirit of the league and its foundation, the National Tennis Rating Program . Information abounded on fund-raising techniques, inner -city tennis programming and the world

of winners: Special Olympics. USPTA Vice President Gordon Collins shared doubles strategies and situations. For those running tournaments or tennis camps, how-to workshops answered all kinds of questions.

Conferees also had an opportunity to discover the latest sport science findings from acclaimed experts. USTA Director of Sport Science Jim Loehr, a USPTA Master Professional, revealed the six dimensions of sport science and how they relate to tennis. Later, Lisa Raymond, a member of the U.S. National Team, demonstrated several of the concepts during a session titled, "Sport Science Testing: Do Your Kids Measure Up?" The session was led by Paul Roetert, USTA coordinator of research and also a member of USPTA. Raymond performed the running, jumping, stretching and agility movements which make up the USTA Fitness Protocol, a battery of tests used to measure strength, speed, agility and body composition in juniors. Also, Jack Groppel, a USPTA Master Professional and chairman of the USTA Sport Science Committee, demonstrated tennis drills from a sport-science perspective.

Presenting the latest trade secrets on fiscal fitness were a number of USPTA professionals. Gary Bodenmiller spoke on promotions to make every day at the club special. Larry Hampton talked about the use of personal computers from a teaching professionals perspective. And USPTA Vice President Jack Justice discussed career planning for the tennis professional.

USPTA member Bobby Bayliss and players from his Notre Dame men's tennis team took to the court to demonstrate team coaching. The following day, USPTA member Dennis Ralston, who coaches the men 's team at Southern Methodist, added his ideas on individualizing team¡ coaching . n

¡INDUSTRY ACTION------;

USTA ANNOUNCES FIRST AREA TRAINING CENTERS PRINCETON, N.J. - Forty sites across the U.S. have been named official USTA Area Training Centers (ATC), the United States Tennis Association (USTA) recently announced. Each facility will function as a center for junior training and development as prescribed by the USTA Player Development Program.

The goal of each ATC is to help the 20 best amateur players in that region reach their potential.

"After the success of the pilot programs, we are very excited about getting the area training centers officially into action this fall ," said Lew Brewer, USTA administrator of Area Training Centers. " It's very satisfying to see everything com ing together."

Players selected for these centers will train under a USTA curriculum and have their development tracked . In addition, they can receive sports-related guidance for themselves, their parents and personal coach . Participants will work closely with top coaches and scouts from around the country.

The ATC is designed to supplement local training academies. Participants will pay a modest fee for the training, however, scholarship money will be available on a need basis.

The starting date for each center varies, but most of the new ATCs will be operational

by Oct. 1. In order to better serve promising young players, many of the ATC locations include several local facilities. For instance, the Michigan ATC is represented by five different tennis clubs.

An additional eight sites could receive approval for start-up this fall. E~entually, over 100 ATCs will be appointed nationwide, involving well over 2,000 players.

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USTA PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AREA TRAINING CENTERS (USTA S~dion, city & facility location) Caribbean Tennis Association San Juan, P.R.

Central Park Tennis Faci lity

Eastern Tennis Association New York, N.Y.

USTA National Tennis Center

Florida Tennis Association Orlando Tampa Ft. Lauderdale

Kelly Complex Tampa Tennis Center Veltri Tennis Center

Intermountain Tennis Association Boise, Idaho Salt Lake City, Utah

Middle States Tennis Association Pittsburgh, Pa. Wilmington, Del.

Harrisburg/Lebanon/Carlisle, Pa. Missouri Valley Tennis Association Oklahoma City, Okla.

Iowa City, Iowa Wichita, Kan .

Northern California Tenn is Association Sacramento, Cal if.

Southwestern Tennis Association Phoenix, Ariz.

Southern Tennis Association Birmingham, Ala. Charleston, S.C. Memphis, Tenn.

Boise Racquet & Swim Club The Sports Mall Canyon Racquet Club Cottonwood Club Racquet Club of Pittsburgh Bellevue Tennis Center Del castle Tennis Center Elkton Indoor Club East Hempfield Sports Complex Racquet Club West

Edmond Racquet Club Univ. of Iowa Recreation Building Riverside Tennis Center Wichita Country Club Wichita Racquet Club Crestview Country Club

Arden Hills Country Club Elk Grove Racquet Club Western Reserve Club

Birmingham Tennis Center Charleston Tennis Center Wild Dunes The Racquet Club of Memphis

Southern Tennis Association Llttfe Rock, Ark. Baton Rouge, La. Spartanburg/Greenville, N.C. Greensboro, N.C.

Jackson, Miss.

Macon, ~a .

Texas Tennis Assoc iation Austin Houston Sari Antonio Dallas

Western Tennis Association Grand Rapids, Mich .

Detroit, Mich.

Toledo, Ohio

Dayton /Springfield , Ohio

Cincinnati , Ohio

Indianapolis, Ind .

USPTA'S VIANCOS JOINS ATP TOUR STAFF Rebsamen Tennis Center Highland Tennis Center Beaucage Racquet Club . Spartanburg Athletic Club Country Club of Spartanburg Greensboro Park Old Forrest Racquet Club Elon College Parham Bridges Tennis Center Colonial Country Club Millsaps College John Drew Smith Tennis Center

Westwood Country Club Westside Tennis Club McFarlin Tennis Club Brookhaven Racquet Club Canyon Creek Bent Tree Country Club L.B. Houston Tennis Club Fretz Tennis Center Nor-thwood Club Sameull Tennis Center T-Bar-M Racquet Club

East Hills Athletic Club Kalamazoo YMCA West Hills Athletic Club Tennis Club of Lansing Racquet & Health Club at Ramblewood East Side Tennis Club Westowne Tennis Club Laurel Hill Swim & Tennis Club Shadow Valley Club Dayton Center Courts South Dayton Swim & Racquet Club Springfield Racquet Club Kettering Tennis Center Sawyer Point The Racquet Club at Harper's Point Queen City Racquet Club Jack Nicklaus Sports Center Indianapolis Racquet Club

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.- USPTA member Fred Viancos, who starred at Texas Christian University and later played on the professional tour, has been named to the position of Tour Road Manager on the ATP Tour staff.

Viancos, 27 , a native of Chile, has trained in a number of areas 3t the ATP International Headquarters over the past couple of months. His first assignment was August's ATP Championship in Cincinnati .

Viancos retired from the pro circuit earlier this year after reaching the doubles quarter- finals with Eric Korita at the Tournament of Champions in Forest Hills, N.Y. Viancos finished in a tie with Mario Martinez for the No. 1 ranking in USPTA men's open singles for 1988. He competed for two years at Texas Christian, earning academic AllAmerica honors in 1984.

In addition to his road manager duties for the ATP Tour, Viancos has assisted in the development of the ATP Tour "Best of 14" ranking system for 1990.

, I ;

l 27 .

INDU.STRYACTION~M~u~)

SEVEN MANAGERS RECEIVE CMAA. ACCREDITATION ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Seven club managers have been accredited "Certified Club Manager" (CCM) by the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA).

The designees are Jay Di Pietro, Boca West Country Club; Robert P. Fordham , Woodfield Country Club; Michael L. Kaplan , Boca Lago Country Club; Raymond A Lisa, Mount Vernon Cou[ltry Club; Kenneth W. Mayes, Willow Brook Country Club; Richard P. Smetana, Thunderbird Country Club; George J. Wolfe, Riv~rton Country Club.

28

Each of the seven qualified for certification by fulfilling specific requirements in management, experience, education and association activity over El: period of years.

The exam is prepared and administered under the direction of the Certification Committee at various college and university sites across the country.

Through its CCM program , CMAA educates its members and assists club officers and members in securing the utmost in efficiency and success in club operations.

ATIF MAKES AVAILABLE PROGRAM DOl I A..RS The CCM exam contains 13 subject areas, such as private club administration, managerial accounting , food and beverage operations and principles of management.

NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla.- The American Tennis Industry Federation (ATIF) is looking for a few good tennis programs.

ATIF - the association of tennis equipment, apparel and footwear manufacturers, accessory manufacturers, court builders, suppliers and distributors - has funds available to assist programs that increase tennis participation . The money comes from revenue generated by the tennis segment of the annual SGMA Super Show in Atlanta.

Among the programs funded by ATIF in 1989 are a major industry-wide research project to track participation; an adult recreational program in Phoenix, Ariz.; the National Foundation for Wheelchair Tennis and its national tournament; and the Tennis Industry Council of the United States Tennis Association .

Other programs funded by ATIF include the Police Athletic League , a YWCA pilot program exposing young women to tennis, and an expenditure for "Condo Tennis," a program of free lessons for senior citizens.

In addition , ATIF's popular Racquets-ForKids program has received more support in 1989. The additional funds were used to put together promotions with two professional tournaments, the Lipton International Players Championships and the Eckerd Open , a Virginia Slims event held in Largo, Fla. Both events are held in the spring .

The ATIF executive committee met and put together firm guidelines for consideration of programs. "We wanted to encourage as many programs as possible to .apply for these grants, but we wanted to make sure we had firm guidelines in place," said ATIF President Jack Lacey of Spalding Sports Worldwide .

Matt Dingman of Penn Athletic Products, who serves as chairman of the ATIF Grant Review Panel, put together guidelines

approved at a recent ATIF board meeting.

"We are really interested in those programs and individuals out there that are doing good work for the sport of tennis, and we wanted to make sure they knew that we, as manufacturers, are supportive of their efforts and that we do appreciate what they are doing, " Dingman said. "We hope that the amount of funding we can give these programs will help spark some new ideas, as well as keep other programs going."

For more information about the program or to receive a grant request form , contact Brad Patterson, ATIF executive director, at 200 Castlewood Drive., North Palm Beach, FL 33408, tel. (407) 848-1026.

MATERIAlS NEEDED FOR FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY'S TENNIS RESEARCH CENTER Businesses, organizations and individuals are asked to help Ferris State University develop a tennis research center by donating any surplus tennis-related materials or equipment such as books, magazines, journals, vi qeo and audio tapes, personal com puters, club management software, video cameras, VCRs or stringing machines.

The tennis research center is to be used as an educational resource for students in the professional tennis management (PTM) program offered through the university's School of Business. The center will broaden PTM students' educational experience by providing access to current and historical information .

The four-year PTM program leads to a bachelor of science degree in business (marketing major). Graduates of the program are qualified for a variety of tennis management positions.

Organizations such as the USTA, USPTA, IRSA and ITCA are expected to be leading contributors to the new research center. All donated materials are tax-deductible, and contributors will be recognized individually.

Materials may be sent to: Scott Schultz, Racquet and Fitness Club, Ferris State University, 901 South St. , Big Rapids, Ml 49307-2295.

Questions may be directed to: Theresa Warrell , Frog Hollow Tennis Club, P.O. Box 44, Worcester , PA 19490, tel . (215) 584-5502.

SAN ANTONIO RACQUETS CLAIM 2ND DOMINO'S TEAMTENNIS ·TITLE CHICAGO - Karl Coombes changed uniforms but not his winning ways as his San Antonio Racquets upset No. 1 New Jersey and No. 2 Sacramento in August to clinch the 1989 Domino's Pizza TEAMTENNIS championship.

In men's doubles, Sacramento again staged a comeback and captured the final set 6-5 to force the match into overtime.

However, Edwards held serve to cement the title for the San Antonio Racquets.

"It was the pretty nerve wracking ," Elna Reinach said . "We were never sure we would win until the final point. "

CMAA SIGNS ON WITH NEW MAGAZINE PUBLISHER The San Antonio team of Elna and Monica Reinach , Eddie Edwards and Gary Donnelly, which had struggled to a 7-7 fourth-place finish in the regular season, came on strong in the playoffs to defeat New Jersey 28-19 and Sacramento 27-25 in the championship match , held in Sacramento.

Coombes guided the Charlotte Heat to league titles in 1987 and 1988 before switching to Leo Rose 's San Antonio team and taking Elna Reinach , Monica Reinach and Eddie Edwards along with him.

Sacramento, which defeated Portland 26-25 in a tense semifinal at Gold River Racquet Club, had high hopes going into the final. The Caps had soundly defeated the Racquets in their previous two meetings.

The big difference, though , was Elna Reinach . The league's two-time MVP and top money winner used her playoff experience to earn the 1989 female MVP award for post-season play.

Elna Reinach and male MVP Eddie Edwards gave the Racquets an early lead when they upset the league's top mixed doubles team of Robert Van 't Hot and Molly Van Nostrand 6-3 in the first event.

Sacramento's Sophje Amiach put the Caps back in the match in the next set by defeating Elna Reinach 6-5 after being down 5-3. The Racquets almost put the match away in women's doubles, winning five straight games. But Amiach and Van Nostrand recaptured the momentum with four straight wins to pull Sacramento within two games at 21-19 going into the final set.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) recently signed a contract with publisher E. MacFarlan Moore of Golf Club Publications in New Canaan, Conn., to produce .a new association magazine. The magazine, to be called CMM, will be published monthly and will premier in November.

During the initial negotiations with Golf Club Publications, various objectives and requirements were identified with regard to a new magazine, including:

• Educating CMAA members by publishing articles on subjects to enhance professional knowledge on a continuing basis; • Developing a publication that would conform to the professional standards and guidelines of the association and ; • Allowing the association to maintain considerable editorial control over controversial or sensitive subjects.

Moore and Golf Club Publications currently produce one other magazine, The Country Club, which has a bi-monthly circulation of 150,000 and is circulated exclusively to members at private country clubs. According to Moore, the interest in publishing a magazine for CMAA is "the synergism that exists between members, The Country Club, its subscribers and readers, and the CMAA members who must serve the interest of the private club member."

For more information , contact Kathi Pernell at CMAA at (703) 739-9500.

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1ST 'USPTA EDUCATIONAL TENNIS DAY' SPOTLIGHTS LEARNING,

SINGLETON NAMED FLORIDA DmSION "PRO OF THE YEAR"

MATCHES AND FUN FLORIDA DIVISION - Members from USPTA's Southern and Florida divisions gathered at the Sandestin Resort in the Florida panhandle Aug . 18-19 for the first Avia/Sandestin USPTA Educational Tennis Day. · The event, advertised "for tennis enthusiasts of all levels," included educational seminars, a round-robin grasscourt tournament (won by Southern member Pat Ser'ret), a Southern-vs.-Fiorida team beach volleyball tournament (won by Florida) and an event-ending beach party.

Seminars were conducted by Barbara Braunstein, Greg Grover, Woody Newsome, Mike Wallace, Doug Booth, Jorge Andrew, Dennis Fortenberry and Laura Nelke.

FLORIDA DIVISION - Skip Singleton , tennis director at Bluewater Bay Resort in Niceville, Fla., was named " Professional of the Year" for 1989 at the recent Florida Division Convention in Stuart. Singleton was selected by his peers for his outstanding service to the tennis industry and contributions to tennis.

USPTA'S RODGERS APPOINTED HEAD PRO AT THE MEADOWS Skip Singleton was named Florida Division 's " Professional of the Year" for 1989.

FLORIDA DIVISION - USPTA member Bob Rodgers has been named head tennis professional at The Meadows, a 1~ 600-acre

LEFT Participants in the round-robin grasscourt tournament held at the Sandestin Resort in Fla. BELOW: The victorious Fla. volleyball team in Sandestin .

ABOVE: Southern vs. Florida team beach volleyball tournament at the eventending beach party.

30

country club community developed by Taylor Woodrow Homes Florida, Inc. A longtime resident of the Sarasota area, Rodgers received his education at Texas Technological University and at the Professiona l Tennis Management College in South Carol ina.

FLORIDA DIVISION - Steve Pennington has moved to TOPS'L Beach and Racquet Club in Destin from Gulfport Racquet Club, where for three years he served as tennis director/ head professional. Pennington has been a resident of Pascagou·la, Miss. , for the past 10 years. Whi le in Mississippi, Pennington had served on the Mississippi Junior Tennis Council and directed the state Public Schools Program.

Pennington was named the 1984 Mississippi Tennis Association Pro of the Year. He

later received the 1985 and 1987 USPTA Mississippi Pro of the Year awards. Pennington has been acti\'le working with the USPTA, serving as Mississippi State Representative in 1984 and 1985 and was Regional Director for Arkansas, Lou isiana and Mississippi in 1986 and 1987. He has held a state ranking in men 's doubles the past 10 years. Pennington brings many years of teaching experience to TOPS'L, working with many state and Southern ranked players.

Bob Rodgers has been named head tennis professional at tti'e Meadows.

PENNINGTON NAMED TENNIS PRO AT TOPS'L

Internationally renowned tennis coach Rick Macci and former touring professionals Davy Hairston and Tomm Warneke, plus a top-notch teaching and playing staff, headed by dynamic Joy Macci , offer the ultimate PERSONAL total tennis training to all players, all levels.

RMTA disciples include 13-year-old French Open Junior Champion Jennifer Capriati , Kalamazoo Champion Tommy Ho, and U.S. Number 1 Ranked Will Bull and Vince Spadea, along with hundreds of top nationally ranked juniors. Day in and day out, all players train and spar under the special eye of Rick Macci, considered one of the best motivators in the game. Learn the moves and insight that make the difference!

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Small student/pro ratio Daily hi-tech video tape analysis Daily start machine explosion drilling Daily mental toughness training on and off the court Weekly monitored match play Unique plyometric obstacle course training Complete nautilus room and massage therapy Fitness testing , charting, and diet Weekly computennis.feedback 24-hour supervision Study hall and tutoring available Weekly competitive tournaments and professional charting • Aerobics instructor and movement advisor • Game room , 5 swimming pools, 54 holes of golf • Train on all 3 surfaces: grass, clay, hard Steve Penni ngton named new tennis professional for TOPS' L Beach and Racquet Club.

, RICK MACCI USPTA Florida Coach of the Year

20 COURTS Grass- Clay- Hard

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~

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31

Be the Difference Help Guide Students into the Profession

by Rod Dulany, USPTA President

A t one point or another, each of us has had a high school- or college-aged person approach us about entering the tennis-teaching profession. These persons want to know about the job qualifications, the financial benefits and where to get the educational background necessary to succeed.

These programs deal vvith instruction, business and hands-on application.

In the past, we suggested that they attend this workshop or that conference - all good suggestions, but, unfortunately, not enough. We shouldn't just wait for people to "fall " into our profession ; we should guide them . As USPTA professionals, we have two ways at our disposal for accomplishing this - college curriculums and professional tutelage.

Currently, Ferris State University (fouryear program) and Tyler Junior College (two-year) have USPTA-approved curriculums in place to assist in building toward a career as a tennis-teaching professional.

These programs deal with instruction, business and hands-on application. For example, Ferris State has its own indoor tennis complex, which the students help manage, providing them with practical experience.

Even with these educational opportuni-

32

ties firmly in place, however, your help is needed. Tell prospective students about these schools and what they offer. If you are unfamiliar with either of the college programs, contact the USPTA National Headquarters for more information.

At present, Ferris State also has a PGAendorsed program exclusively for students referred by PGA professionals. USPTA can achieve the same. Ferris State University and Tyler Junior College need the opportunity for their interning students to work under certified USPTA professionals.

These students and other new teaching professionqls need your help in providing job opportunities. ..

This is where our professional tutelage can make a difference for both the student and us. The student gets to apply his or her trade under our guidance, and we, in turn, get a certified professional for our club.

Where else are we afforded as thorough an opportunity to review a prospective employee at work?

These students and other new teaching professionals need your help in providing job opportunities as well as a chance to learn from a qualified professional. This is one way each of us can make a difference.

501

--'"d of E)(Cili\P"

"Th6 Staâ&#x20AC;¢--

BULK RATE U.S. POST AGE

PAID Tennis Professionols

UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL TENNIS ASSOCIATION, INC. At Saddlebrook, The Golf and Tennis Resort Wesley Chapel, FL 33543

Permit No. 3887 Tampa, FL