The Trade Magazine of Men and Women Tennis-Teaching Professionals'"
Volume 14 -
Issue 4
April1990
The Voice Of The Tennis Teaching Profession
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President
Rod Dulany
First Vice President
Jack Justice
Vice President
SecretaryITreasurer CEO LEGAL COUNSEL
Gordon Collins Dave Sivertson . Kathy Woods Cliff Drysdale
Coordinator of Tennis Teacher Development Communications Coordinator
Paul Waldman
Rich Fanning Allan Henry Bill Gordon
Marketing Coordinator
Dana Stull
Magazine Coordinator
Becky Senseney
Public Relations Coordinator Corporate Services Manager
David Selman Christi Neumann Dale Henry
Corporate Secretary
Lori Garrett
Membership Coordinator
FEATURES 7
TEACHING MENTAL SKILLS TO DEVELOPING PLAYERS
The role of the sport psychologist in mental training.
9
USPTA'S ACROSS AMERICA TENNIS DAYsM
It's not too late to sign up for the May 12 event.
10
YOUR MOST IMPORTANT SERVICE
Is your facility prepared for sudden injury or illness?
12
OVERCOMING PROBLEMS WITH IMAGINATION
Making adjustments to account for physical/imitations.
Corporate Administrative Assistant
Computer Services and Club Relations
Cover photo of Capriati by Russ Adams
Will Hoag Tim Heckler
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS Assistant to the Executive Director
On the cover .. . At age 14, Jennifer Capriati is the talk of the tennis world. In separate interviews on pages 16- 18, the three USPTA pros involved in her development discuss her remarkable rise.
Kathy Buchanan Laraine Reid
16
A STAR IS BORN
A word from the pros who 've trained Jennifer Capriati.
19
CAPRIATI AND THE WIDE FOREHAND
A photo analysis by USPTA pro Tommy Thompson.
26
PLAYER-PARENTS-COACH: BALANCING THE RELATIONSHIP
Membership/ Education Assistant
Donna Woodstead
Defining and coordinatinr; the roles of each.
Membership/Education Assistant
Nanci Seehorsch
DEPARTMENTS
Financial Manager
Renee Heckler
Merchandise Services and Accounting
Stephanie Hulbert
Director of Certification and Academies
George Bacso
Co-Director of Academies Advertisin~/Marketing
BiiiTym Phone(813)973-3777
nformation
ADDvantage 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 (8 13 ) 9 73-3777. Office Hours: 9:00-5:30 EDT Copyright© United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 1990. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this magazine is not permitted w1thou1 written permission from the publisher.
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CEO'S MESSAGE ANNOUNCEMENTS SPECIALTV COURSES USPTA DRILLS TENNIS QUIZ DATES THAT RATE UPCOMING EVENTS DIVISION NEWS INDUSTRY ACTION GUEST MESSAGE
THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON PHYSICAL FTINESS AND SPORTS WASHINGTON, D.C. 20001
March 30, 1990
To Tennis Players Everywhere: One of the many important goals of the U. S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Across America Tennis Day is to increase public awareness of the health and fitness value of tennis. This event on May 12 is intended to involve tens of thousands of tennis players across America, many of whom will discover the benefits of tennis for the first time. It is ,fortuitous, then, that USPTA and its tennis-teaching members will be hosting tennis activities for USPTA's Across America Tennis Day during the month of May, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports hereby salutes USPTA's Across America Tennis Day and wishes the players and teachers the very best. Welcome to the national team!
. Onnen Dire or of Program Development Pre dent's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
-~-----------Where Growth Begins Our efforts in the grassroots benefit the entire tennis industry
Tim Heckler, CEO
It
see ms whenever I am asked to explain the role of USPTA and its teaching professionals in stimulating consumer interest in tennis, one word comes up again and again ... grassroots. There is no doubt that grassroots te nnis is the basis for the continued growth of our game, a growth that is gaining momentum as the industry heads full steam into the 1990s. The dynamics of this growth are not unlike those of any other popular movement - they are rooted in the actual participants, at the core level. At the same time, it is in the grassroots - at the tens of thousands of private clubs, resorts, schools, public parks departm ents and other points of tennis activity ac ross ou r nation - that USPTA's more than 8,000 tennisteaching members exert their greatest influence. Here you will find the true seeds of public interest, whether it be a c lub championship or a junior clinic or any other type of activity that prompts participation in its purest and most enduring form . Grassroots programs have long been the focal point of USPTA's efforts to generate interest in tennis, and they continue to be. On May 12, we will stage the largest, most intensive grassroots event in the history of our Association, possibly in the history of tennis as well. I am referring, of course, to USPTA's Across America Tennis DaysM, an event you have read and heard much about
over the past few months. On May 12, teaching pros across America will be hosting a free day of tennis activities for the public, activities that include instructional clinics and fun tournament play. Current, former and new players of the game are all encouraged to participate. Our goal is to contribute something important to the game by offering a worthy event to the public for free. In so doing, we intend to generate positive publicity for the participating pros, who have unselfishly given of their time to make the event a success, and unite the industry toward a singular goal. It is for these reasons that we have carefully avoided commercial izing USPTA's Across America Tennis Day. USPTA has assumed the costs in organizing and promoting the event so that all the industry factions can feel welcome to participate and ensure its success this year and in the future . We all have a vested interest in the health of tennis. Now we can pu ll together behind an event that will have an impact on the game and ourselves for years to come . Already, there are positive signs that th is national tennis day will be memorable. Site registration is moving along at a brisk pace , as is support from outside groups . Just recently, the National Headquarters received a letter of proclamation from the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
It appears opposite this editorial. The anticipation and excitement are beginning to build. For those teaching pros who have not yet signed up to host activities on May 12, I urge you to consider the many ways your involvement can boost your career, your tennis facility and the teaching profession in general. You may register by fill ing out and mailing the form on page 9 or by cal li ng USPTA at (813) 9733777 . You wi ll be sent a package of promotional and start-up materials, including a handsome poster and T-shirt. I think you will agree, there is something for each and every one of us in USPTA's Across America Tenn is Day. With your help, we will make th is one of the most important days in the history of our sport, a day that is remembered most because it brought together players, teachers, industry leaders, manufacturers, the media and others all for a good and common H cause .
3
ANNOUNCEMENTS PENN BAll DRAWING FOR APRIL ADDVANTAGE Twenty-four cases of Pro Penn tennis balls have been won in a USPTA-sponsored contest. The winners were picked in a random drawing of business cards collected at each of the three USPTA booths at the SGMA Super Show '90 in Atlanta. Each winner will receive one case of Pro Penn tennis balls. The winners are: Beth Marx, Marx Design, New York City; Vicki Ellis, Th e Terraces at Turnberry, North Miami Beach; Wynand Van Den Boom, Lake Region Yacht and County Club, Winter Haven , Fla.; Gary S. Duffek, The Tucker Racquet and Fitness Center, Tucker, Ga.; Len Simard, Wellington Club, Wellington, Fla.; Bill Johnson, Baton Rouge Country Club, Baton Rouge , La.; Scott Gales, Wickertree Tennis Club, Columbus, Ohio; Robbie Sargent, Century
Country Club, Purchase, N.Y.; Ted Murray, Olde Towne Athletic Club, Marietta, Ga.; Darelyn Holliday, Greenville Championship Tennis, Easley, S.C.; Sandy Kelman, Tennis Unlimited, Inc., Hilton Head Island, S C ; and Edmond R. Sahag Sr., Guntersvi lle, Ala. Also, David Siddons, Deer Valley Racquet Club, Boone, NC.; Harry Gilbert, Plantation Bay Tennis Club, Ormond Beach, Fla., Cliff and Sherry Price, Totally Tennis, Tulsa, Okla.; Dan Miller, Countryside Country Club, Clearwater, Fla.; Marilyn McGreevy, Pelican Bay of Naples, Naples, Fla.; Fran k lnamorati, Tennis Shop at Citrus Hills, Hernando, Fla.; Pete Poole, Jekyll Island Tennis Center, Jekyll Island, Ga.; Joe Dyser, Shaker Heights, Ohio; Ed Jacques, Gadsden Country Club, Gadsden, Ala.; John Stone, Club Tennis Consultants, Inc., Durham , N.C. ; Roger Williams, Nashboro Village Racquet Club, Nashville, Tenr:1. ; and John MacDonald, Waynesboro, Ga.
Just a note to let you know how great it is to see so much first-class material in our ADDvantage magazine - good stuff, meaty, of immediate usefulness. I've criticized in the past and thought it only fair to set the record straight. Bob Herschel Sarasota, Fla.
Has Your Address Changed, Will It Be Changing? In order to ensure that all mai lings and publications reach you in a timely manner, please report changes of address immediately to the National Headquarters in writing or by telephone. USPTA cannot be held responsible for any mailings that do not reach a member due to an incorrect or outdated address. If your address has changed , or is about to change, please fill out the coupon below and return to: USPTA National Headquarters Computer Services Department P 0 Box 7077 Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Effective Date _ _ _ __ _ _ __ Name - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Member Number _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ Address City - - - - - - - - - - - - -------------- - - State _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Division _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ Zip Code _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___
Home Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Work Phone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
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The same kind of German engineering responsible for some of the world's fastest cars is behind the new Pro Penn tennis shoe.Created by a famous Genuan designer, this shoe embodies the same obsession with performance and refined sense of style that you :rrllght see in a 911. Look beyond the Pro Penn's uncluttered, white leather exterior and you '11 find high-tech features and exotic materials. Like an interior
lrac!en'lafit;;J ()upon!
strap of nonstretching Hytrel* which anchors organization of tennis professionals. your foot in the shoe. And a sole made of Long Men's and women's Pro Penn tennis Play Fbrmula 144A~ a new rubber compound shoes are available in narrow, medium which will wear for hundreds of hard matches. and wide widths. Look for them at This brilliantly conceived shoe is manufac- your pro shop or tennis tured with the stringent quality control that has specialty store. Stickers made Penn and Pro Penn tennis balls number not included. one in the world. The USPTA recently1Jtol/Jelftft named it the official shoe for their ••••· "Aregsered Cor'1>81W
Part tennis shoe, part Porsche.
US PTA Jma~ttr ~roft~~tonal~ are not appointed It takes talent, dedication and hard work to achieve this prestigious rating. If you aspire some day to become a USPTAftla~ttr ~roft~~wnal, now's the time to start working toward completing the necessary requirements.
"It's never too early to start!" In addition to teaching, playing, industry service and professional tenure requirements, applicants for the USPTA ftla~ttr ~roft~~wnal rating must also complete a series of Specialty Courses to enhance their professional skills.
Get a Head Start on the Specialty Course Requirements 1990 1991 1992 1993
3 courses (24 Credit Hours) 5 courses (40 Credit Hours) 7 courses (56 Credit Hours) 10 courses (80 Credit Hours)
If you aspire to achieve this lifetime goal, start by signing up today for one or more of the following Specialty Courses, which are offered at a fee of $50 per course:
DATE April1 April26 April27 April28 April29 April30 May 18 May 19 May20 May20 May25 May26 May27 May31 June 2 June 3 June 17
LOCATION Tampa, FL Albuquerque, NM Kailua Kona, HI Hilton Head, SC Hilton Head, SC Hilton Head, SC Chicago Chicago Chicago Stowe, Vf Nashville, TN Nashville, TN Nashville, TN Palm Coast, FL Palm Coast, FL Palm Coast, -FL Lancaster, PA
TOPIC C.P.R. Programming Stroke Analysis Pro Shop Operations Court Construction, Design & Maintenance C.P.R. Business and Customer Relations Doubles Strategies and Tactics C.P.R. Programming Strategy & Tactics I Strategy & Tactics II C.P.R. Stroke Analysis Group Lesson I Group Lesson II Stroke Analysis
SPEAKER Red Cross Rod Dulany Dave Houston Kurt Kamperman Kurt Kamperman Red Cross Greg Lappin Tom Martin Red Cross Rod Dulany Bill Tym Bill Tym Red Cross George Bacso George Bacso George Bacso George Bacso
Call the USPTA Education Department for more information (813) 973-3777
Teaching Mental Skills to Double Reign in Key Biscayne
Developing Players by Jim Taylor, Ph.D.
While Andre Agassi, left, was pounding his way to the men 's crown in the Lipton International Players Championships, Tim Wilkison, top, was enjoying a title-winning debut in the USPTA International Tennis Teachers Championships. Full coverage of the tournaments will appear in the May issue of ADDvantage.
Jim Taylor has written a series of articles on mental training. They will appear in ADDvantage from time to time.
0
ver the past several years, awareness in the importance of mental preparation in tennis has risen dramatically among coaches and teaching professionals at all levels. However, there remains considerable misunderstanding about the role of the sport psychologist and the nature of mental training . It is commonly misconceived that athletes either have it mentally or they do not, and that no amount of work can overcome mental weaknesses. This is rarely the case. Athletes possess differing levels of mental skills that, like technical skills, can be developed with time and practice. In other words, mental factors such as self-confidence and concentration are malleable. With appropriate training, significant improvement may result. So coaches should view mental skills the same way they do physical fitness and technical development. Another misconception is that sport psychologists have " magic dust" and can simply sprinkle their knowledge over the athletes and they will improve. On many occasions, I have been called by a coach a few nights before a major tournament asking that I work with his or her athletes. I typically turn down these opportunities because no matter what I do, it is unlikely that the athletes will be able to benefit in
such a short time. However, I do recommend that the coaches contact me early in the year so that I can implement a mental training program for their players that they can use in preparation for the season. Still another misconception is that mental training takes a lot of time and energy. Actually, mental training is very efficient. Serious players typically spend up to four hours per day on physical or on-court training . In contrast, mental training off the court can be accomplished in 10-15 minutes per day several times a week. Considering the importance of the mind at all levels of competition, this seems like a good investment of time . In addition, I emphasize that mental training can be incorporated directly into oncourt training and physical training . In fact, it is best to develop mental skills along with
physical and techn ical skills because they are quite inseparable. Clearly, physical and technical abilities have little va!ue if athletes do not have the belief that they possess these abilities. Also, the incorporation of mental training into other facets of preparation does not involve a lot of complex techniques. Rather, a few simple and practical strategies may be included into training to provide tangible H personal and competitive benefits. Jim Taylor is director of the Sport Psychology program at Nova University in Fort Lauderdale. Fla. He is a USPTA-certified teaching professional. a member of the USPTA National Advisory Committee on Sports Medicine. a consu lting clinician for USTA and a member of the Oonnay USA advisory board. He has served as an author for Journal of Personality. The Sport Psychologist and TENNIS magazine. and has regularly spoken at universities and sports clubs.
7
~n-~/Mr~ ~SM lllay !Z~ 19.9~ W A T IS IT? USPTA's Across America Tennis Day is a new nationwide grassroots tennis event sponsored by USPTA. WHEN IS IT? Saturday, May 12, 1990. The event will be held annually thereafter. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? To stimu late interest in tennis as a participation sport and a means of maintaining physical fitness. New, existing and former players of the game are being targeted in order to have millions of tennis balls played simultaneously across the country on May 12. WHERE WILL IT BE HELD? At registered clubs and public facilities across the nation. IS IT LIMITED TO USPTA PROS? No. Any teaching pro is eligible to host activities at his or her facility.
WHAT ABOUT NATIONAL TENNIS MONTH? USPTA's Across America Tennis Day is being held this year in conjunction with National Tennis Month. Activities produced for USPTA's Across America Tennis Day may be credited toward participation in National Tennis Month .
Join your fellow USPTA pros on May 12 for what could become the largest singleday grassroots event in tennis history. For further details on USPTA's Across America Tennis Day, call the USPTA National Headquarters at (813) 973-3777.
,----------------------------, 1
DYes, I will participate in USPTA's Across America Tennis Day
:
My clinic social round-robin will be open to:
I ~
Host Professional - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location where event will be held: Call USPTA with questions: {813) 973-3777
fj\
Club/F a c i l i t y - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0 Public
0 Members only
Street Address - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City _ _ _ _ _ _ __
State _ _ Zip _ _ _ _ _ P h o n e - - - - - - -
Ship all materials to: (NO P.O. BOXES PLEASE)
Name - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HOW DO I REGISTER MY FACILITY? Simply fill out the registration form or call the USPTA National Headquarters at (813) 973-3777. WHAT ARE THE ACTIVITIES? Each registered facility will offer a free basic tennis clinic followed by social round-robin competition . The size and scope of the activities will be determined by the participating pros, each of whom will be provided with an event Starter Kit with an outline of suggested activity guidelines.
Club /F a c i l i t y - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Street Address - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City _ _ _ _ _ _ __
State _ _ Zip _ _ _ _ _ P h o n e - - - - - - -
0 Please count my event as a National Tennis Month Clinic. T -Shirt size:
0 Lg
0 XL
Send to: USPTA National Headquarters • P.O. Box 7077 • Wesley Chapel, FL 33543
L----------------------------~ 9
Your Most Important Service It's vital to be prepared for injury and illness at your club
by Greg Moran
Anytime a person steps onto a tennis court, there is the risk of inj ury or sudden illness. As a teaching professional, you must share this concern for your clients and do your best to minimize the chance of them being hurt during lessons or while playing at your club. Should they become seriously hurt or even ill - such as from a heart attack - it is also important that you have someone on staff who is properly trained in emergency medical attention. You should keep your courts properly maintained by removing all debris from the court area and keeping all teaching equipment (e.g. ball hoppers, ball machines, loose balls, etc.) away from the playing area. Injuries are an unfortunate consequence of the sport and one to which we resign ourselves with an unspoken acceptance. Although you can't always prevent an injury from occurring, you can make certain that when one does, you are prepared to treat it promptly and properly. Fortunately, most injuries are minor and can be treated with ice and bandages, both of which are easily administered and, therefore, should be stocked in abundance. However, if one of your clients were to suffer something more severe - perhaps even life-threatening - would you be prepared to help? According to the American Red Cross, heart disease is the leading cause of death among adult Americans . Overall, one in every five adults has some form of cardiovascu lar disease. Here are some startling statistics: Approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer heart attacks each year 700,000 die as a result 350 ,000 die before reaching the hospital
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situation such as one of your students suffering a heart attack. It is essential , then , that you take the proper steps to acquaint yourself and your staff with the various emergency medical procedures. Preparing for a crisis situation "The first thing you must do, " says Stephen McKelvey, executive director of the Am erican Red Cross, " is to train yourself and your staff to recognize the signs of someone who is suffering a heart attack." Greg Moran is the Head Professional at the Four Seasons Racquet Club in Wilton, Conn ., the largest indoor/outdoor facility in New England . A 1981 graduate of Rollins College in Orlando, Fla . Gred is also active as a freelance writer.
100,000 heart attack victims die within the first five minutes of being stricken Contrary to popular belief, it is not just the stereotypical middle-aged, overweight, heavy smoker who is a candidate for a heart attack. On Jan . 31, 1979, former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Arthur Ashe suffered a career-ending heart attack. Ashe has since undergone two open-heart operations and is no longer able to run or play competitive tennis for fear of further heart problems. Remember runner/author Jim Fixx? Fixx suffered a heart attack at a relatively young age and died. At the time of their heart attacks, Ashe and Fixx were in seemingly top condition . The fact is, anyone who walks into your club is, to an extent, a potential victim . It is quite possible, perhaps likely, that at some point you will be faced with a crisis
Beware of these heart attack signs: Pain or discomfort under the breast, in either arm, or in the shoulder or jaw 2. Shortness of breath 3. Severe perspiration 4. Pale complexion 5. Nausea 1.
If you notice any combination of these symptoms, or if the person suffers chest discomfort that lasts longer than two minutes, call for help immediately. If the victim stops breathing , the next step is to administer CPR. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a manual way to help a person continue breathing when his or her heart has stopped . When a person suffers a heart attack, the heart stops beating and ceases to provide oxygen to the brain and other tissues. If the brain is deprived of oxygen for more than four or five minutes, brain death or permanent damage usually occurs. Jane Brody, in her best-selling book, The New York Times Guide To Personal Health, describes CPR as "an artificial way to get oxygen-containing blood flowing to the brain and other tissues when the heart has stopped beating." In short, CPR can prolong life until medical experts arrive on the
scene and take over. Brody adds that many victims of sudden death have what cardiologists cal l "hearts too good to die," meaning undamaged hearts that could have gone on beating for years if the victim 's circulation had been maintained until medical techniques could restore the heart's normal pumping action. "The first four to six minutes are critical," says Robert McManus, an emergency medical services professional. " If CPR is not started within four minutes of when the victim stops breathing , their chances of survival drop to less than 4 percent." If the victim can be artificially stimulated to breath until proper medical attention arrives, he or she stands a much better chance of surviving the attack. In 75 percent of the deaths attributed to heart attack, the victims were stricken while in the company of others. Tragically, these bystanders were not trained in CPR and could not offer the victim any potentially life-saving assistance. Anyone who's trained in CPR can perform it, says McKelvey, adding that the Red Cross offers an eight-hour course in CPR and will train people to perform CPR on adults, children and infants. The course includes reading material, video and practical experience on mannequins. The cost varies from site to site . CPR is a vital asset to your staff and should be a requirement of employment. In
a life-threatening situation such as a heart attack, McKelvey says, it is critical to be able to begin administering CPR immediately. This does not ensure that the victim will
Getting Properly Trained 7be first step in learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is getting properly trained. USPTA and the American Red Cross have teamed up to offer a Spe~lty Course on basic CPR and .first aid this year. 7be remaining dates are: April30 Hilton Head, S.C May 20 Chicago May 27 Nashville, Tenn. 7be course offers training in what to do when a person collapses: clearing the victim's airway, giving rescue breathing and perfonning chest compressions to keep a victim's blood circulating. It also includes training in emergency first aid to help a person who is choking, prevention and the early warning signs of heart attack and stroke. For further course details, write or call the USPTA Nationql Headquarters at (813) 973-3 777.
be saved - sometimes the heart is damaged beyond repair - but in situations in which no one has the training, the victim's chances of survival decrease significantly.
" Being properly trained in CPR as well as basic first aid is a professional responsibility for all those involved in any aspect of the fitness industry," says Paul Gagon, a USPTA Master Professional. " Don 't fall into the trap of saying, 'It can't happen at my club.' It can, and at some point, it probably will." By simply placing a call to your local Red Cross office, you can arrange to have an instructor come to your club and in just a few hours train your staff in both first aid and CPR. (It is particularly important to be prepared for the summer months due to the increase in heat-related incidents.) In addition to being trained in first aid and CPR, it is also your job to encourage your students to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. You should urge them to: 1. 2.
3.
4.
Watch what they eat Don't smoke (a pack-a-day smoker has triple the risk of heart attack) Have their blood pressure checked periodically Exercise regularly
Perhaps the best reason to train yourself and your staff in emergency medical care is the piece of mind in knowing that you can help someone should an emergency arise. That way, you might never get into a situation of having to ask yourself, " If only I had ... " u
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Overcoming Problems with Imagination There are many different serves and service motions in today's game that came about as a result of personal injury. Two examples are John McEnroe, who adopted an exaggerated closed stance to compensate for a back inury, and Jay Berger, who overcame shoulder problems by radically shortening his service motion. As seen in these photos of Berger, you don 't have to have a full motion to have an effective serve. In photo No. 1, Berger begins his service motion from an abnormal stance. His racquet is fully cocked against
4
his back, but it doesn 't stay that way for long. In photo No. 2, he begins his shoulder rotation and his toss. Note in the next two photos that after the toss, Berger's elbow no longer is pointing straight back; it is now pointing down as his racquet moves farther away from his back. This process continues in Nos. 4-5, along with the flexing of his knees. In No. 6, the combined result of his knees fully extending and his upper .body rotating into the serve pulls Berger off the ground and into a normal contact position.
5
I once had a player who had lost an arm. I taught him to serve by having him rest the ball on the tip of his racquet. He would then toss the ball and continue with the backswing. It only took 30 minutes before he was able to serve as well as anyone else at my facility. It pays to be imaginative in your teaching . Look at each situation as a challenge and as something you can correct. ~ ¡~ Allan Henry Tampa, Florida
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the top so i/:5 stiffer, more powerfol,
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Choose the 95 squareinch orfo./1105 squareinch bead size.
~
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Slazenger's handsome new wide- body is available now And going fast Because the Phantom is a performer that plays as good as it looks. That's why Jimmy Connors has been playing one ever since his dramatic 1989 US Open. As your customers are sure to have noticed. Th make sure CoP.)'Iigln 1990 Dunlop Slazcnger Corpomtion. :r'- and Slazcn~r arc registered ir:tilemarks or Slazenger.; Limiied Phantom is a lr'dliemark or Dunlap Slazcnger Co11J0mlion.
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s s
Attack, Attack, Attack! This will drill students on midcou rt approach and put-away shots, and is designed for one or more intermediate to advanced students. The instructor stands at the baseline holding three or four balls. These are fed to the student, who begins the drill at the opposite baseline. The instructor randomly se lects one of these balls as a midcourt "floater," and the - student attacks and attempts to either hit an outright winner or an approach shot. The student then closes to the net. If the instructor has a play on the ball , the point is played out normally. To vary things, feed several rounds of forehands, then backhands, and finally a mixture of the two. Increase the difficulty of the "floater" for more advanced students. The instructor can play games against the students individually, or play against students as a team . The first side to 10 points wins. Note: The feeding sequence should be as random as possible so the student isn't just waiting in wait for the "floater."
I
s s
Art Steiger Merrillville, Indiana
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\ \
\ Player Movement Ball Movement
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Quick Serve and Volley The instructor stands at one baseline and the students form two lines at the opposite baseline. Both the instru ctor and students have a basket of balls. The first student in either line se rves and comes in whi le the instructor quickly feeds two bal ls, one after the other, at the net. Th e student is to place a vol ley in each corner. As soon as the two shots are completed, a student in the next line repeats the process. The instructor stands in the middle of the baseline in order to feed equally to players coming from either service side. After each turn, the student goes to the back of the opposite line. Mike Whittington Texarkana, Texas
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Unlimited Groundstroke Drill
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This drill is designed for groups of four to eight students. The purpose is to give the students the opportunity to work on movement, conditioning and to hit an unlimited amount of balls. The instructor forms two lines of students on the base line, one line hitting forehands and the other hitting backhands. As the instructor feeds balls to each line, the students remain hitting as long as they don 't miss the ball completely and as long as they touch the center mark of the baseline after each shot. For more advanced classes, feed balls wider and put in a few drop shots. After each student is done, have him or her pick up some balls and get in the back of the line to try again.
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Rob Peterson Portland, Oregon
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A STAR IS BORN
Interviews with the three USPTA teaching pros behind the remarkable rise of Jennifer Capriati Tommy Thompson
"You can't expect her to go out and be like some of these veterans," cautions Thompson .
1e
professional debut of Jennifer Capriati at age 13 evoked memories of Chris Evert a generation earlier, and in so doing focused significant attention on tennis and the development of junior talent. Capriati's playing style, which has been compared to Evert's (Capriati is more aggressive and hits with more power), was developed mainly by her father, Stefano, but with considerable input from three USPTA pros: Jimmy Evert, Chris' father, who coached Capriati from ages 5 to 10 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla; Rick Macci, who coached her at his Grenelefe, Fla., academy over the next 2 112 years; and Tom my Thompson, who now coaches Capriati at Hopman! Saddlebrook International Tennis north of Tampa, Fla. In the following interviews, Thompson, Macci and Jimmy Evert discuss their roles in the development of Capriati and offer their views on her future. 16
ADDvantage: Assess Jennifer's development to this point. THOMPSON : Obviously, it's been pretty good. I mean , she got to the finals of her first tournament (the Virginia Slims of Florida) and she won her first three rounds here (at the Lipton International Players Championships). so we are really pleased with that. I don 't think she is anywhere near her potential yet. She sti ll hasn 't fully developed physically and she's got a lot to learn with her game She really just bangs balls right now. She 's winning that way, but for her to develop a little further, she is going to have to absorb a little more strategy. ADDvantage: What in your mind makes her so unique? THOMPSON : I think the best thing about Jennifer is that she is able to take the ball on the rise and hit it with a little bit of spin when she needs to. But mostly that she drives through the ball and hits it flat without being inconsistent. She can keep the ball on the court and can do it by driving almost every ball, kind of like a Jimmy Connors. She just gets behind every single shot; she really drives it and does not use a lot of spin for control, which makes all her shots heavy. And yet the preparation for the shot and her hand-eye coordination are so good that she is able to do it without being too erratic. ADDvantage: How have you and Jennifer adjusted to one and other? THOMPSON : Her dad basically taught her to play from the beginning. So when the Capriatis came over here (in July 1989), I worked with Stefano really close on those things and, really, my job was to take her from where she was and try to get her ready for the pros. So I would do all the running with her myself so that I could know what she was going through and I would organize the practices and do the drills with her and make sure that she was ready when she turned pro. When you spend that much time with somebody, you are either not going to be able to stand that person or you're going to be able to grow to like her. I
think Jennifer and I get along very well. ADDvantage: What are some of things that she needs to work on? THOMPSON : Physically, we have to just keep doing what we are doing. You can 't rush it. She still hasn 't fully developed, so if you try to rush it, then you could cause injuries and not prevent them . That's really what we are trying to do, to keep her strong until her body naturally gets bigger and stronger (Capriati is already 5-foot-7, 125 pounds). Mentally, she's got to learn to be a little more patient. Sometimes she likes to end the points a little too early and that really causes her to make some mistakes that she probably wouldn't make if she would go and try to win the point with two or three shots. ADDvantage: We've also noticed you working with her on developing a onehanded backhand slice in addition to her regular two-handed backhand. THOMPSON : She hasn 't really used it that much in the matches yet, but it's a shot that she should have. So we are working on it every day. She 'll know the situations when she needs to use it and it'll be.there for her. I don't expect her to go out and start chipping and charging and using onehanded backhands on the wide balls, but if she practices it enough and gains confidence, eventually she will be able to use it. And it'll help because if you're playing against an opponent who has a onehanded backhand slice and the person keeps it really low and hits it short sometimes, it can bother a player with a twohanded backhand. (Mats) Wilander is a good example of that; he developed that (one-handed) fashion pretty late in his career. You just sort of let go with the left hand, let the arm drop down and put a little underspin on it and then just put the ball right back in play. ADDvantage: How did you go about preparing Jennifer for her professional debut at the Virginia Slims of Florida and how did you coach her while there? THOMPSON : It's always a concerted effort. There 's her father, myself and there 's (Hopman assistant pro) Richard Ashby, who trains her all the time . Richard is like
her sparring partner - he's on the court with us every day, hitting with her because he's right out of college . I mean, the guy hits a very heavy ball, and so she's been practicing against somebody who really puts pressure on her all the time, which is good because it constantly challenges her and she hits the ball really hard. We did a lot of drills in the beginning preparation stage, working on a lot of different shots and things like that, maybe a match a week and a lot of running, a lot of sprints and a little bit of weight work to prevent injuries. As we got close to the tournament, we backed off the drills quite a bit, didn't do as much distance running, did more spri nts and started playing a lot of match play with anywhere from 15- to 18year-old nationally ranked boys. As far as coachi ng her at the tournament, it's not a situation you 're in very often. She was so confident in herse lf that it kind of made everyone else relaxed. I think the coaches and the parents and everybody else were more uptight than she was. She knew it was her first match and she really hadn 't played anything (to that point} except the Continental Cup in December. So she was really eager to play: she had put in all that work all that practice, day in and day out and she was really ready to get it on . I think really only at one point in the match did she get a little nervous, when she was up 5-3 in the first set and sprayed a few balls. Other than that, she really was ready to play and there really wasn 't a lot that we had to do. Once you get to the tournament and you 're ready to play, there is not a lot a coach can do. You know you can 't coach during the match and you don 't want to give somebody like Jennifer too much to think about when she goes on the court because she can do so much with the ball and you really want the match to go her way. ADDvantage: How important is it to keep her training simple? THOMPSON : I think it sti ll has to be fun for her. You can't expect her to go out and go on the court and be like some of these veterans who go out and just expect to work and do this. Her program ... you have to kind of change it for her; you have to put different kids on the court who she enjoys playing with and keep it exciting for her. I don 't think you can just go out and treat her like some of the older pros who I've had to work with. She is 13 years old (Capriati turned 14 on March 29} and she responds well to it and that's why I like to do it. If it's just me every day or just Richard every day she gets really bored. She works a lot better when she's out there with some of the other kids. She really responds we ll and enjoys it when she's in an atmosphere like that. It's really the only way that you're going to get the best out of her.
, Rick Macci ADDvantage: Are you at all surprised by Jennifer's immediate success on the pro tour? MACCI: None whatsoever. When she first came here to the academy (Macci's International Tennis Academy} at age 10, there was no doubt in my mind that she had most of the basics needed to go on to be a champion. She was that special at age 10, and it was very obvious to me that by the time she became 14 or 15, she could be in the top five in the world. So I'm not surprised whatsoever by her success at the Polo Club (in the Virginia Slims of Florida} or at Lipton (the Lipton International Players Championships). She is a very special girl mentally, and when she went into the Polo Club ... I know how that girl thinks, and believe it or not, even though she was 13 at the time and it was her first pro tournament, what she expects from herself is the ultimate and she expected to win the tournament. Even though it's nice to say, 'I'm glad I won my first match,' there is no doubt in my mind that when she lost to (Gabriela} Sabatini in the finals, she was very disappointed because that's what makes her special. All champions think a little bit differently, and that's the way Jennifer thinks. ADDvantage: How do you assess Jennifer's development, taking into account the 2 1/2 years you spent coaching her? MACCI : I saw her play when she was 8, in a Florida designated tournament. At the time, I saw some impressive characteristics out on the court and I saw a very athletic girl. When the Capriatis came here to Grenelefe when she was 10, I saw a young lady with a tremendous love for playing the
Capriati, says Macci , is " highly, highly competitive .. she expects the ultimate."
game. She loved to be on the tennis court, and I know when you 're 10 it's easy to say that. But she really, really enjoyed tennis a cut above most of the other kids I have worked with who have really caught my eye. From a teaching point of view, the separation of her ground game and the balance and timing on her ground strokes were all there. I saw very good mechanics in that area. She really didn 't have a serve at age 10 and her hands were pretty stiff and she really didn't have that good of understanding of her wrist. Then again , she was 10, and it's hard to have a lot of things covered at that age. But I could obviously see with what she had mechanically and what she had in her blood line that at age 10 she no doubt could become a top world-class type of player. So when I talked to Stefano it came out that the main reason they came to Grenelefe was to develop her serve, not just the mentality to get the ball into the court but to develop the shoulder roll and coordinate the hips and develop the throwing motions and everything. A lot of juniors who have come through have had pretty good service motion. Stefano said he wanted his daughter to be more of an athletic type of server than just get the ball on the court and rely on a steady ground game. We knew if we could develop just a few areas, maybe develop a big-time serve and be able to cover the ball and roll the ball off the forehand ... those are two areas that could really help her out if she developed. ADDvantage: What in your mind makes her such a unique player? MACCI: You need a couple basics covered to become a champion in the women 's game. If you 're steady and you can run , there is a place for you in pro termis. But this girl not on¡ly is steady and can run , she has very good mechanics and she has a 95-mile-an-hour serve at age 14. But, more importantly, she gets on that court and she's a killer. She's highly, highly competitive for a female athlete, and you would never pick up on that because off the court she's just a normal, happy-go-lucky 14-year-old. She has a tremendous balance, and I think that will help her weather any storms that she might encounter on down the road . But when she hits that court, she's so competitive - and I see competitive kids every day. It's almost scary, (Jennifer} being a woman . Also, I think that just adds to her repertoire of having a lot of basics covered. So it's not like she has a great backhand and a good overhead. She has five or six things going for her. That spells the difference between No. 10 as opposed to No. 5, or No. 5 to No. 2 or 1. ADDvantage: How did you help develop her serve?
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MACCI: You can see a lot of Chris Evert in her ground game except on the forehand . She can cover the ball on her forehand and she's developed much better feel on how to use her hands and get the ball up and down. That has increased her range of motion on wide balls where you notice, a little bit like Chris on the wide forehand (Chris) would hit side stance - Jennifer can get a little better on the outside of the ball and roll it. The key thing is her serve, the thousands of hours that we have put in on the serve, about throwing the nerf football for 15 minutes every day just to develop a nice smooth shoulder turn . Because the problem is, a lot of times, girls grow up and they are not exposed to other sports and they really never develop the correct throwing motion . So we spent a lot of time every day throwing the football. I would have her imitate a hula dancer just to create rhythm in her shoulders and hips. We did a lot of work for about a year and a half just on her wrist. I think it took her about six to eight months to finally" sense an overhead just so she could understand how the wrist works, nd only on the serve but on the overhead. One of the other techniques we did a lot was, I would put her feet in ballhoppers so I could isolate the lower part of her body (and) she could just concentrate on the upper part, and I would toss the ball for her so she would have to accelerate the racquet. We really concentrated on the upper part of the body to develop very good racquet speed. This was a big, big priority because, like I said, you could see with her size and strength, the rest of her ground game was going to be there. Another thing we did to help her serve was we watched Martina (Navratilova) on film hundreds of times over, a 10-minute clip of her serving. Because I think Martina's the most fluid server on the women 's tour. ADDvantage: Jennifer hits with power ' seldom seen in a player her age. How did this come about? MACCI: When they first came here, Jennifer pretty much played three to four feet beh ind the baseline and was a steady player. One of the things that I wanted to try to do is have her play close to the baseline or inside the baseline so she could take the ball much, much earlier because I thought it set into her personality. She 's an aggressive type of kid, anyway, and I think just to keep the ball in play and steady ... that really didn 't fit her personality. So the personality was there to be aggressive and attack the ball. She had great preparation and balance, (which) makes life easier when you want to take the ball earlier. And , more importantly, she has the build. She 's built (sturdily) like her father. She plays pretty low to the ground. She has a lower center of gravity. So she's a very solid individual. 18
"The personality was there to be aggressive and atlack," says Macci.
Jimmy Evert ADDvantage: Jennifer has come a long way since the days when you coached her in Fort Lauderdale. Can you comment some on her development. EVERT: Well , she has proven to be the outstanding young player in the world today. I think she's worked hard at the game. She's enjoys it. She has a father who's spent a lot of time with her. Also, he deserves a great deal of credit for her development. But, anyway, I think she's done great and I'm really proud of her. ADDvantage: Were you at all surprised by the success of her pro debut? EVERT: Yes, I was surprised. I've watched her develop from the age of 5 and up until the time she was 10, and then she moved away from here. Even during those years, she surprised a lot of people. Seeing a young player like that develop so quickly and develop such good sound strokes and She 's always smil ing, she move well enjoys the game. She has good hands and ¡ a good head for the game and I think she's got all the ingredients that go into making a champion ADDvantage: How did you go about developing her game in cooperation with her father? EVERT: Well , we started when she was 5 years old , and at that point, Stefano had already been working with her some . But at that point, she hadn 't played a set yet. She hadn't learned the serve . She was 6 when she played in (her first) tournament. We worked on the serve first and got that going.
Everyone was just excited at the fact that she was here at Holiday Park (Tennis Center) and she really provided some good entertainment for all the people here. ADDvantage: What aspect of her development are you most proud of? EVERT: I don 't want to get into that so much. I mean , she has learned it all. She really knows all the basics and I like to think that I worked closely with Stefano, and together we taught her the basics and we tried things that she will have for her the rest of her tennis career. ADDvantage: Rick Macci said his first impression of Jennifer was that her ground game reminded him of Chris Evert. Is this coincidental? EVERT: Well , I like preparation in a player's approach to the game. Chris always prepared herself well for the ball and for the point, and she had her racquet back and had her feet moving all the time. She was always mentally alert, thinking always of what she is going to do with the ball. I think maybe some of those things rubbed off on Jennifer. I think preparation is very important. I think that's what Chris is best known for. I think Jennifer one day will be known for that. ADDvantage: What sort of impact has Chris had on Jennifer? EVERT: I think that it's been a good friendship. Jennifer would come over here and practice on a Sunday afternoon and that was one of the first things. Chris might hit a few balls to her - not often, but if she had the time, she would. And they just became good friends and Chris became friendly with Stefano and it's all been a real good relationship.
"They just became good friends," says Jimmy Evert of the re lationship between daughter Chris, above , and Capriati.
Jennifer Capriati and the Wide Forehand The first key to Jennifer's forehand is her grip. Jennifer uses the Eastern grip rather than the Semi-Western or Western grip, which are used by the big topspin hitters. The Eastern grip allows her to drive straight through the ball and gives her a lot of power. She hits with a little bit of an open stance - her stance is somewhat exaggerated in these photos because she's going wide to the ball - which gives her good rotation through the shot. Note, too, that her right hip is behind the ball. She gets a good coil on her upper body, stepping forward with her left leg with a little
. bit of an open stance. And even though she ¡ goes up a little high with the racquet on her backswing, she comes straight through the ball - unlike many players, who get under the ball for topspin. Next there is great acceleration through the shot and a really wide swing . A lot of players, in order to gain more control , will bring their elbow close to the body. Jennifer's elbow is away from her body as it comes around , which helps her generate a tremendous amount of power. You lose a little bit of control , but if you can practice it enough and hit it this way, you 'll gain a lot
more power. Also, she maintains a very strong wrist through the shot- there is hardly any wrist movement at all. For her age, she really has a big, strong wrist and is able to use her shoulder rotation, as well as her shoulder at contact, to drive through the ball. There is only a little bend of the racquet angle, to control the height of the ball. Tom my Thompson Director of Coaching Harry Hopman/Saddlebrook International Tennis
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Topic: Sport Science and Sports Medicine
1. In sport science, treatment and¡ prevention of injuries are no longer enough. A third area of expertise must be added. ¡What is it? D A. rehabilitation D B. flexation rigidity D C. mental curacy D D. sensory montination 2. What are the three primary injury areas in tennis? D A. degenerosis, itises, splaintox DB. bruises, shin splints, welts D C. muscles, ligaments, tendons D D. torn muscles, pulled muscles, strained muscles 3. What are the cardinal signs of inflammation? D A. rigidity, edema, swelling, tenderness D B. pain, edema, swelling, tenderness D C pain, swelling, palpable heat, color change D D. stiffness, swelling, tenderness, rigidity 4. What is the difference between micro-trauma and macro-trauma? D A. micro-trauma is a small bruise; macrotrauma is a large bruise D B. micro-trauma is an injury due to repetitive overu se; cnacro-trauma is a sudden and severe injury DC. micro-trauma is a short-term injury; macro-trauma is a long-term injury D D. micro-trauma is an injury due to a small ' problem that may become a big problem if not treated ; macro-trauma is an injury caused by carelessness. 5. True or false: The notion that everyone should stretch before playing is a myth. 6. How long should a cool -down period last after each match? D A. 1 0- 15 minutes D B. 30 minutes to 1 hour D C. 15-30 minutes D D. 2-1 0 minutes
7. What type of energy systems is primarily used by the tennis player? D A. aerobic D B. anaerobic D C. staph D D. isotonic 8. How many calories per day are needed by most competitive female tennis players? D A. 2000 -2500 D B. 2500-3500 D C 3000-4000 D D. 4000-5000 9. How many calories per day are needed by most competitive male tennis players? D A. 2000-2500 D B. 2500-3500 D C. 3000 -4000 D D. 4000 -5000 10. The primary fuel source for high-intensity efforts is what? D A. fat D B. calories D C aluminum-chlorhydrate D D. carbohydrates 11. True or false: There is no chemical difference between synthetic and natural vitamins. 12. The storage forms of energy for physical activity are and _ _ __ D A. vitamins and calories D B. clitots and synthodines D C. fat and carbohydrates D D. protein and carbohydrates 13. The primary source of energy for lowintens ity and long duration exercise is D A. 0 B. 0 C. OD.
carbohydrates protein calories fat
14. What percent of body weight is transmitted through the foot to the ground with each step?
0 A. 0 B.
100 120 DC. 150 0 D. 200 15. True or false: The tennis player should rely on thirst as a guide for water needs during a match. 16. Which water temperature is preferable for a player to drink during a match? 0 A. tepid 0 B. warm 0 C. lukewarm 0 D. cold 17. What are the three disorders due to heat? D A. sunburn, hot flashes, perspiration D B. heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke 0 C. hypothermia, heat exhaustion, heat cramps 0 D. heat thermia, chills, dizziness 18. Which of the three heat disorders is the most dangerous? 0 A. heat stroke 0 B. heat therm ia 0 C. hypothermia 0 D. heat exhaustion 19. Pertaining to beginners, why would a young male tend to be easier to teach than a young female? 0 A. although everyone is created equally, boys improve quicker D B. males are generally al ready physically active from a very young age and the majority of females haven't been taught basic movement skills 0 C. males are stronger 0 D. girls are generally easier to teach 20. True or false: Sex differences in learning, interest and performance are due to biological factors.
Answers on page 31 .
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Dates That Rate Exams and Upgrades April 1-2 April 3 April 7-8 April 20-2 1 April 21-22 April 22-23 April 24-26 April 27-28 April 27-30 April 29-30 April 28-29 April 29-30 May 6-7 May 6-7 May 7 May 8 May 12-13 May 13-14 May 14-15 May 18- 19 May 19-20 May 20-21 May 20-21 May 27 -28 June 1-2 June 2-3 June 2-3 June 3-4 June 9-10 June 12 June 16-17 June 24 June 30-July July 7-8 July 20-21 July 21 -22 July 22-23 July 23 July 28-29 July 28-29 July 29-30 August 4-5 August 5-6
Birmingham, AL Flushing, NY Big Rapids, Ml Tampa, FL Chicago, IL Abilene, TX Albuquerque , NM Mobile, AL: Kailua Kona, HI Atlanta, GA Boca Raton , FL Murrieta, CA Salt Lake City, UT St. Lou is, MO Woodland Hills, CA Flushing, NY Cleveland, OH Lafayette, LA Tyler, TX Stowe, VT Wilmington , DE Mclean, VA Richmond, VA San Francisco, CA Palm Coast, FL Seattle, WA Nashville, TN Denver, CO Minneapolis, MN Flushing, NY New Haven, CT Redlands, CA Nashville, TN Murrieta, CA Tampa, FL Monroeville, PA Houston, TX Chicago, IL Nashvil le, TN Flushing, NY Mclean, VA Cherry Hill, NJ Parker, CO
August 5-6 August 17-1 9 August 19-20 Augu st 19-20 September 6-8 September 9 September 9-1 0 September 21-23 September 24-25 October 4-5 October 6-7 October 7-8 October 9 October 19-20 October 20-21 October 20-21 November 3-4 November 4 November 5 November 9-10 November 10-11 November 11 -1 2 November 13 November 17-1 8 November 18
Richmond, VA Destin, FL Carmichael , CA (TBA), TX Phoenix, AZ Richmond, VA Mclean, VA Palm Springs, CA Chicago, IL Hot Springs, AR Ft. Washington , PA Las Vegas, NV Flushing, NY Bradenton, FL Boca Raton , FL Detroit, Ml Portland, OR Redlands, CA La Jolla, CA Tampa, FL Louisville, KY Houston, TX Flushing, NY Milwaukee, WI Farmington, CT
November December December December December December December December December December
Los Gatos, CA Hilton Head, SC Tampa, FL Minneapolis, MN Denver, CO Myrtle Beach, SC Flushing, NY Phoenix, AZ Boca Raton , FL Jackson, MS
18-19 1-2 7-8 7-8 9-10 9-10 11 13-15 15-16 15-16
. Certification Training -courses April 1 April 20
Birmingham, AL Tampa, FL
April 21 April 24 April 27 April 27 April 28 April 29 April 29 May 12 May 13 May 14 May 19 May 20 May 27 June 2 June 16 June 30 July 7 July 20 July 21 July 28 July 28 August 5 August 5 August 17 August 19 September 6 September 9 September 24 October 4 October 19 October 20 October 20 November 9 November 10 November 17 November 18 December 1 December 7 December 9 December 13 December 15 December 15
Chicago, IL Albuquerque , NM Kailua Kona, FL Mobile, AL Boca Raton , FL Atlanta, GA Murrieta, CA Cleveland, OH Lafayette, LA Tyler, TX Wilmington , DE Richmond, VA San Francisco, CA Nashville, TN New Haven, CT Nashville, TN Murrieta, CA Tampa, FL Monroeville, PA Flushing, NY Nashville, TN Parker, CO Richmond , VA Destin, FL Carmichael , CA Phoenix, AZ Mclean, VA Chicago, IL Hot Springs, AZ Bradenton, FL Boca Raton, FL Detroit, Ml Tampa, FL Louisville, KY Milwaukee, WI Los Gatos, CA Hilton Head, SC Tampa, FL Myrtle Beach, SC Phoenix, AZ Boca Raton, FL Jackson, MS
Tennis Teacher's -courses April 18-20 April 25-2 7 May 17-19 May 31- Jn 2 June 27 -29 July 25-27 August 16-1 8 September 6-8 October 17-1 9 November 15-1 7 November 19-23 December 12-14
Chicago, IL Boca Raton , FL Richmond , VA Nashville, TN Nashville, TN Nashville, TN (TBA), TX Mclean, VA Tampa, FL Los Gatos, CA Los Gatos, CA Tampa, FL
The following dates and sites are the revised schedule of USPTA educational events to be held in 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.
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Upcoming Events ~ onvention Dates ~ USTA Annual Meeting- April 7-13, 1990 - The Registry Naples, FL USPTA Intermountain Division and Southwest Division Convention - April 27-29, 1990 - Albuquerque, NM.
USPTA Hawaii Division- April 27-29, 1990 - Keauhou Beach Hotel - Kailua Kona, HI. USPTA Intermountain Division - Apri) 2729, 1990 -Albuquerque , NM. USPTA Northern California Division - April 23, 1990 -Nine Different Sites. El Polio Loco Open - May 57, 1990 - Randolph Tennis Center- Tucson , AZ. Roadrunner Open - May 1013, 1990 - Hohokam Tennis Center - Mesa, AZ. USPTA California Division May 11-1 3, 1990 - Upland Tennis Club- Upland, CA USPTA Southern Division May 11-13, 1990- River Hills Country Club - Lake Wiley, NC.
USPTA Hawaii Division Convention -April 27-30, 1990 - Kailua Kona, HI. USPTA New England Division ConventionMay 18-20, 1990- Stowe, VT. USTA Tennis Teachers' Conference- August 29-31 , 1990- Sheraton Centre- New York, NY. USPTA National Tennis Teachers Convention - September 15-23, 1990 - Marriott's Rancho Las Palmas- Palm Springs, CA USPTA Northwest Division Convention October 19-20, 1990 - Minneapolis/St. Paul , MN. Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association (ITCA) - December 15-20, 1990 - Sonesta Sanibel Harbor Resort- Ft. Myers, FL.
ournaments US PTA California Division -April 6-8 , 1990 - Laguna Niguel, CA. Royal Lahaina Open - April 13-15, 1990 Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch- Lahaina, HI. USPTA Northwest Division - April 1990 Decathlon Club- Minneapolis, MN.
fnl ther Events ~
USPTASouthwestDivisionWorkshop - April 25-26, 1990 Tanoan Country Club -Albuquerque, NM . USPTA Hawaii Division Workshop - April 29-30, 1990 - Keauhou Beach Hotel Kailua Kona, HI. USPTA Northwest Division - Volvo Clinic May 5, 1990 - Minneapolis, MN.
USPTA Northwest Division Workshop - May 11-13, 1990- Grandview Lodge- Brainerd/ Nisswa, MN. USPTA Pacific Northwest Division- Educational Clinic - June 3, 1990 - Lloyd Nordstrom Tennis Center -Seattle , WA USPTA Middle States Division WorkshopJune 16, 1990 - Philadelphia, PA USPTA New England Division WorkshopJune 20, 1990 - Yale University - New Haven, CT. USPTA Texas Division- Summer Educational Seminar - August 18-20, 1990.
USPTA California Division - May 17-20, 1990 - LaOuinta, CA
USPTA Hawaii Divisional Coaches ClinicDecember 29, 1990.
Kiwanis Recreation Center Open- May 1720, 1990 - Kiwanis Recreation Center Tempe, AZ.
~ pecialty Courses
USPTA Southern Division - May 18-20, 1990 -Wilmington, NC. Royal Lahaina No-Champs Tournament May 26-28, 1990 - Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch - Lahaina, HI. USPTA Middle States Division- July, 1990Philadelphia Cricket Club - Philadelphia, PA
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Programming - April 26, 1990 -Albuquerque, NM.
Stroke Analysis - April 27, 1990 - Kailua Kona, HI. Pro Shop Operations - April 28, 1990 Hilton Head, SC. Court Construction , Design and Maintenance -April 29, 1990 - Hilton Head, SC. CPR -April 30, 1990 - Hilton Head, SC
USPTA Northern California Division - August 13, 1990 Redwood City, CA. USPTA Southern Division ,. August 17-19, 1990 - Melrose Country Club - Hilton Head,
sc.
USPTA Intermountain Division - August 18, 1990 - Cherry Hills Country Club - Cherry Hills Village , CO .
These dates and sites are the revised schedule of important events. These dates are tentative and subject to change without notice to the USPTA National Headquarters. For more information on any of these events please contact the Division or Organization implied If your division is holding an important event and would like to have it listed, please contact the National Headquarters at (813) 973-3777
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Player-Parents-Coach Balancing the Relationship by Kelly Cooper
It
A teaching pro since 1969, Kelly Cooper has coached numerous national champion junior players as we ll as more than 260 sectionally ranked juniors. He has served as vice president of USPTA's Middle States Division and in 197 4 he was named one of th e top 10 teaching pros in th e nation by Esquire magazine, the New York Times and Philadelphia magazine. At present. Cooper is a member of the board of directors of Four Star Tennis Academy in Mcl ean, Va .
26
is imperative in the early development of a junior player that the coach stresses the fundamental skills of tennis as well as learning to enjoy the game. Most players are competitive and want to win . But when winning is promoted too early - whether it be by the player, parents or coach - it is often at the expense of learning the fundamentals. As a result, the player does not develop the total game needed to win consistently. Obviously, some players are gifted enough that in the early stages they can simply grab a racquet, get the ball over the net and play " ping-pong." In my view, the best game plan is to have them learn the fundamentals first, then work on psychology, how to compete and, finally, on strategies. In the long run , you will produce a more balanced player who has all the tools necessary to win . In working with a player, you may see that he or she has the potential to play toplevel tennis. If so, you should sit down with the player and his or her parents and open ly discuss the player's future. At this point, be reminded that the player's future will be limited unless he or she feels a keen need to succeed. Anything is possible for the player with a burning desire. I've had students become wor ld-ranked who, at an earlier point, I thought would have trouble becoming state-ranked and vice versa. As kids grow and change, a lot of them will surprise you .
First. you should meet with the player and parents, then with the parents on ly. There are issues that for the player's sake should not be discussed in his or her presence. The coach and parents should be free to talk openly and even disagree. but never in front of the student. The key when meeting with player and parents for the first time is to convey that you feel the player has the potential to become successful. Of course, you will make suggestions as to what the player should be doing and where he or she should be headed. At this point, however. it is paramount to ascertain: Does the player want to pursue his or her potential? Does the player want to play tournaments? If not. the meeting should be ended. Next comes the tough issues - defining the coach 's role and the role of the parents. The parents' role should be primarily to provide financial and emotional support. Even when the player is disappointed in himself or herse lf, the parents should be there to offer words of warmth and encouragement. like, "We're with you ; we love you ," or. "We know you 'll do better next time ." If the player is not trying , or is choking or misbehaving, it is the coach's role to reprimand and play the "bad guy" If the parents try to coach or be tough on the court. there will develop the kind of tension that has caused many a young player to give up the game.
N
F
N
T
I.
National Tennis Month Presented by
TENNIS MAGAZINE There will be times when the player will not be real fond of the coach . Yet, if the coach has already built a foundation of trust and support and has balanced every ounce of discipline with a pound of love, the player will be strong enough to deal with constructive criticism . Otherwise, the coach serves as a constant guide - instructing and directing the player and making changes and corrections along the way. The player has the most demanding role - by far. He or she must be concerned with continual improvement, learning how to compete, fine-tuning his or her game, and keeping an eye toward where he or she is going by constantly resetting and adjusting short-term, intermediate and long-range goals. . Indeed, a balance must be achieved among player, parents and coach that will give the player a chance to achieve his or her most ambitious goals. In my mind, however, there is one thing that can disrupt this balance and with it the
NCA
NaJ.ional Qub Association
necessary relationships. Say, or example, the player and parents are by themselves eating dinner. The player says, "Coach said this to me today and I don't know if I like it too much." The mother or father counters, "Well , don 't worry. You 're right to ignore what the coach said." Now the coach has to put a "nick in the armor" of the player's future. Or perhaps while the coach is working with the player, the player says, "Mom and Dad said this ... " When one party disagrees with the other, it helps if the person in disagreement comes forward and says, "Can I get together with you and discuss this further." I have had this occur many times over the years. When a parent or player has come to me to discuss an issue, it has worked out positively. But when the issue is left to fester, when it leads to talk amongst the player, parents and others, things can end up very negative. 0
lnfiniti National Tennis Month offers something for everyone: • lntiniti Amateur Mixed Doubles Classic Tournaments • lntiniti National Instruction Clinics • lntiniti National Tennis Month Tournaments
PROS & PLAYERS
Add your National Tennis Month events to your calendar now! Local events conducted
April IS-July I For more information call 1-800-344-4469 or in CT, (203) 373-7024
It's more than just tennis!
The Indispensable Membership For Private Clu6s
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 represe nts 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. 27
DIVISION NEWS PHIL LANCASTER NAMED TEXAS PRO OF THE YEAR The recent Texas Division convention was highlighted by the naming of Phil Lancaster as 1989 Texas Division Professional of the Year. Other award winners were: Chuck Sanchelli, Community Service Award Betty Sue Hagerman, Coach .of the Year Dessie Samuels, Female Player of the Year Jimmy Parker, Male Player of the Year Prince Manufacturing, Manufacturer of the Year.
Dan Hopkins, Rookie of the Year Larry Jackson, Dr. Fay Tooley Award Sue Selke, Nancy Micker Memorial Award Northern Ohio Tennis News, Media of the Year
CALIF. TRAINING CENTER OPENED BY 2 USPTA PROS A pair of USPTA pros have opened a tennis training facility in Woodland Hills, Calif. The Paul Halbach Championship Tennis Training Center, part of the Warner Center Club, is owned and operated by Doug Doss and Paul " Hobie " Halbach. Halbach will be in charge of on-court tennis activities, programs and events. Doss will handle the administative duties. For more information, write to Doss or Halbach at Championship Tennis Training Center, 6336 Canoga Ave ., Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Or call818-884-1100.
Results of the divisional election held during the convention are as follows: Ron Woods, President Randy Mattingly, First Vice President Bob Grammen, Second Vice President Lynn McWilliams, Third Vice President John Ingram, Treasurer Ken McAllister, Secretary Bob King, Regional Vice Preside nt Jim Loehr served as keynote speaker for the convention, which also featured a first for the Texas Division -a trade show that brought in 53 exhibitors.
KIRK ANDERSON IS MIDWEST PRO OF THE YEAR Kirk AndersoJl was honored as Midwest Division's Professional of the Year for 1989 at its annual convention in February in Battle Creek, Mich . Other award winners were: Mike Owens, Indiana Pro of the Year Rodney Workman , Illinois Pro of the Year Tom Gray and Jay Hardman, Michigan Pro of the Year Jim Davis, Ohio Pro of the Year Don Martin, Wisconsin Pro of the Year Kurt Hammerschmidt, Playing Pro of the Year Andy Moffat, 35s Playing Pro of the Year Doug Poor!, 45s Playing Pro of the Year Cary Bachman and Dave Steinbach, Coach of the Year
USPTA Vice President Kathy Woods with award winners from Midwest Division. Top row from left: Jay Hardman, Kirk Anderson , Jim Davis. Bottom: Tom Gray, Woods. Mike Owens.
USPTA'S DAUB CONDUCTS FERRIS STATE WORKSHOP USPTA pro Peter Daub recently conducted a teaching techniques workshop as part of Ferris State University's professional tennis management (PTM) program . Daub, owner of Frog Hollow Tennis Club in Pennsylvania and tennis coach at the University of Redlands, presented classroom lectures and court demonstrations as part of a series of workshops sponsored by USTA " Peter has made a very positive impact on our program," said Scott Schultz, Ferris State's PTM director. "We are also very grateful to Rodney Harmon at the USTA for making this workshop possible by their sponsorship." The PTM program at Ferris State is the only one of its kind in the United States. For information, write to: Scott Schultz, Ferris State University, Racquet Facility, Big Rapids, Ml 49307. Or call (616) 592-2212 .
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INDUSTRY ACTION USTA • Henry Talbert was appointed director of operations for USTA's office in Princeton, N.J. Talbert, a USTA staffer since 1974 and most recently director of tennis programs in USTA's New York office, will oversee the development and administration of all recreational tennis programs across the country and will serve as a spokesperson for USTA Talbert currently is president of the New Jersey Tennis Association . • USTAannounced the 1990 U.S. National Tennis Team, the top 18 junior and collegiate players in the country. 1990 U.S. NATIONAL TEAM Jill Brenner, Lakeland, Fla. Carrie Cunningham , Livonia, Mich. Erika DeLone, Lincoln , Mass. Nicole Hummel, San Marino, Calif. Nicole London , Rolling Hills East, Calif. Meredith McGrath, Midland, Mich. Lisa Raymond , Wayne, Pa. Chanda Rubin , Layfayette, La. Sandra Birch, Huntington Bay, NY Will Bull, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Chris Cocotos, West Palm Beach, Fla. Michae l Joyce, Los Angeles Jonathan Leach , Laguna Beach, Calif. Brian Mac Phie, San Jose, Calif. Jared Palmer, Wesley Chapel , Fla. Vincent Spadea, Boca Raton , Fla. Jonathan Stark, Medford, Ore. David Witt, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Carol Watson, a USPTA pro from New York, was named a coach for the USTA Player Development Program. Watson will coach and travel with female players in the Player Development Program , including members of the U.S. National Team. Watson has taught tennis at the USTA National Tennis Center since 1985 and played on the women 's tour for four years. In addition , she has served as a USTA Women 's Satellite tournament director. • Nominations are being taken for 1990 USTA Community Service Awards. Each candidate must have three consecutive seasons of field work and be nominated by at least two persons familiar with his or her work. Persons may not be nominated by members of their own family. 30
For an application , write to: USTA Community Service Awards, 707 Alexander Road , Princeton, NJ 08540. Applications must be postmarked by Aug . 1, 1990. • Three grand prizes will be awarded in the Tennis Industry Awards Program, a new contest for teaching pros to determine the best adult programming. The program must be offered for free and geared toward persons ages 19 and over who are either new to tennis or have not played on a consistent basis. Grand prizes are airfare to this year's U.S. Open; box seats for the event; and the opportunity to take part in a panel discussion on adult programming at the USTA Tenn is Teachers Conference during the U.S.·open . For an application, write to: Tennis Industry Awards Program, USTA, 707 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.
for which HEAD will provide all the start-up materials, will be offered to teaching pros interested in increasing youth participation in their program . Call Carol Molstad at 1800-257-5100 , extension 277.
Manufacturers • Prince Manufacturing signed rookie pro sensation Jennifer Capriati to an exclusive, multi-year racquet endorsement Capriati , who made it to the final of the Virginia Slims of Florida in her pro debut, uses the wide-body Prince CTS Lightning. • Prince introduced the Thunderblend racquet string, proclaiming that it had undergone "the most successful tennis stringplay in the company's history." • HEAD Sports developed a tool for measuring string gauge according to the new string standard set by USRSA Called the USRSA Universal String Gauge Indicator, the device is now available for shipment to dealers. • Dunlop Slazenger reorga nized its Racq uet Sports Division sales team. Don Parke was appointed Weste rn Region manager; Curt Whitmore will manag.e the South Florida territory; Mike Collins will handle the Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina territori es; and Scott Jackson was named the territory manager for western New York, western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia. • HEAD signed Arthur Ashe to a contract as chairman of its Tennis Advisory Staff and introduced a new program for players ages 4-8 called HEAD HOT SHOT. The program,
Arthur Ashe
Pro Tours • Mark Miles of Indianapolis was named chief executive officer of the IBM/ATP Tour, replacing Hamilton Jordan, who had announced his intention to resign to become chairman of the ATP board. Miles, 36 , served as president of the organizing committee for the 1Oth Pan American Games, managing a paid staff of 350 plus for 38,000 volunteers. Miles lettered in tennis three years at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. Jordan said Miles "brings the best of both worlds" to the CEO position, citing his "outsider" background and extensive experience in management, communications and marketing. • An in-house study reports the average income for the top 250 players was up 84 percent following the first two months of the IBM/ATP Tour.
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~7~ATP
2LTour
• Colin Dowdeswell was appointed director of business affairs for the IBM/ATP Tour in Europe. Dowdeswell , a former touring pro, will be responsible for managing the Tour's office in Monte Carlo as well as the association 's business interests in Europe. Dowdeswell will resign his position on the ATP board . • Resigned: Bill Talbert, director of administration for WITA since 1986, to become vice president of operations for the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau . Hired: Tracy Robinson to replace Maureen Harman as WITA public relati ons coordinator; and Alison Grant to succeed Megan Bardsley as WITA player communications in Europe.
•
WITA entered into agreements with
Travel Management, Inc. to become the offic ial travel agency of WITA; and TWA to become th e association 's official airline .
from the West Division won the league championship in 1989, a year in which attendance increased 30 percent
Miscellany Answers to Tennis Quiz on page 21.
•
International Tennis Services, Inc.
assu.m ed the tennis operations at Jiminy Peak Resort in Hanover, Mass., and Shipwatch Tennis Club in Largo, Fla. • The 1Oth anniversary Domino's Pizza TEAMTENNIS season is set to run July 11 to Aug. 5. Prize money for the 1990 season is $450,000. The San Antonio Racquets
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5. True 6. A
7. 8
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16. 0
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11 . True 12.
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Teaching pros and industry leaders got together during February's Super Show in Atlanta to promote USPTA's Across America Tennis Day.
31
guest message
It's Our Future, Too There's so much to be gained from USPTA's Across America Tennis Day
Gordon Collins, Vice President
This
past year, USPTA's Executive Committee mandated that greater public awareness in USPTA, its professionals and its programs be a primary goal for the Association . Since, as a not-for -profit trade association , we cannot "buy" public awareness to the degree that large corporations can, this was a difficult challenge . Members of the Association have regularly offered their suggestions on this subject. Many have proposed the purchase of national TV advertising and other high-profile and expensive forms of image promotion. Unfortunately, normal budgetary constraints preclude us from purchasing these forms of promotion as opposed to more costeffective means, of which there are many available to us. Perhaps the best means available is the efforts of our individual professionals in the grassroots. Therefore , a review was made of numerous divisional projects to stimulate concepts that would produce the desired result. It was determined that "Texas Tennis Day" a one-day event inspired jointly by Texas Tennis Association President
32
Bob Moehler and USPTA Texas Division President Phil Lancaster - best met both of the above criteria. The idea behind Texas Tennis Day was to have clubs, professionals and amateur players all participating in tennis on a particular day. It was a worthy event that did much to draw positive attention to the participating pros, and thus became the prototype for USPTA's Across America Tennis Day5 M As you know, the inaugural USPTA's Across America Tennis Day has been scheduled for Saturday, May 12. On this day, tennis-teaching professionals at facilities across the United States will offer a free day of fun and educational activities for persons of any age and skill level. This will bring tremendous exposure to the participating pros and it will further enlighten the public on the many excellent programs offered by USPTA Actually, USPTA's Across America Tennis Day will achieve three important goals. It will show the tennis industry and the general public that USPTA professionals are leaders in tennis and in their communities. It will allow USPTA
to provide a "shot in the arm " to the spirit and outlook of the game in our communities. And it will help unite the industry toward a common cause. Through this one day of grassroots tennis, each of us can achieve so much for our career, our sport, our division and our Association. In order for it to succeed, however, we need your involvement. The future of tennis certainly rests in our hands. Let's all do what we can to ensure the sport continues to grow and develop in a positive direction. It is, .o after all , our own future as well .
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