Addvantage 1997 June

It's the biggest thing to tennis world. Legally. JJ.r••nr.rfl'..,.,rl> International Tennis Federation regulff tions. if we made our new Outer Upjts racket even one millimeter lo~~ror larger. it would no longer meet the official specs.

But why is bigger better?

Because. when you take a 29" long frame with a 135 sq. inch head size and couple it with our patented Wilson Sledge Hammer8 Stretch"' technology. you not only get a giant sweet spot but you get the biggest sweet spot to ever hit th~ court Which meat\s you get more power in your strokes and better odds for solid returns. Which also means size actually does matter.

the total professional- enhancing your career

departments

6 Job skills for today ... and the 21st century- Take (a few) extra measures to keep club members satisfied

by Will Hoag, USPTA- Pay special attention to facilit y, staff and programming.

14 Customize USPTA Adult Tennis LeaguesMto meet needs and reap rewards 16 Success in sports is more than the score

by Dave Rombe1;g, USPTA - Redefine winning and exercise.

to

mean enjoyment, education

32 Pro Penn Quarterly Discount

countdown to cancun 22 22 22 23 24 25 26

3

CEO's message

S

Vice president's message

1

Little Tennis tips

8

Off-court focus

27

Career development

30

Industry action

31

Classifieds

Use Cancun for career development Members to be honored at annual conference Conference highlights Plan a day trip to Xcaret, nature's playground Conference registration form/hotel reservation form Compete for prize money in Cancun Tournament registration form

special section USPTA LiHie Tennis™ bolstered by industry effort to grow the game

VOLUME 21 • ISSUE 6 Editor Assistant editor

Showno Riley Julie Myers

AOOvontoge magazine editorial offices

Circulation

Kathy Buchanon

One USPTA Centre, 3535 Briorpork Drive

Advertising

Dione Richbourg

Houston, TX 77042

Office hours : 8 :30a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time

Phone - (713) 978-7782 Fox - (713) 978-7780 e-mail - mogozine@uspto.org

AOOvontoge is pub lished monthly by the United Stoles Professional Tennis Association.

The opinions expressed in AOOvontoge ore those of the authors and not necessarily those of AOOvontage or the US PTA. Copyright© United States Professional Te nnis Association, Inc. 1997. All rights reserved .

Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from US PTA.

ADDvontoge/June 1997

1

AmericanAirlines" Something special in the air."

Let's seize this opportunity to bring the family back to tennis

I

f you asked anyone familiar with tennis, "Where can you find the largest and most active children's market in which to promote the sport ?", the unanimous answer would be "schools." While soccer, basketball and baseball have been extremely successful through schools pro grams, tennis has yet to achieve the same success.

However, in the past few months , the entire tennis industry has put its focus on children, specifically those from ages 3 to IO. The USPTA, ATP, TIA, USTA and other tennis groups have joined to grow the game through this age group .

And, in another milestone event, even the popular Cartoon Network will promote a nationwide program, SMASH Tennis, designed to introduce kids to tennis . It will feature many of the network's most recognizable cartoon characters, and a rolling truck equipped with transportable tennis courts and inflatable characters. As with all programs of this type, it will be largely delivered by USPTA teaching pros. A nationwide media campaign will be running simultaneously, so we must be prepared for the influx of interest.

See the special insert in this issue

USPTA little Tennis bolstered by industry effort to grow the game

How can we meet this challenge the industry is posing? Since I 994, US PTA has been promoting its Little Tennis program, with its precisely graduated equipment and Little Tennis Starter Kit for this exact market. Many of our pros have already tapped into it, and even more will benefit from this industry-wide push. While our program has been successful, we've never stopped improving it.

We've continued to run ongoing studies at t he USPTA Tennis Centre to constantly refine the techniques , marketing and implementation of the program.

Now, we have taken all of the excellent material from the first edition Little Tennis Starter Kit and expanded it to include extensive lesson plans. This material will be released to the general membership in a newly revised (second edition) manual. The manual also includes templates so that a professional can choose from an assortment of games, drills and training methods and customize the lesson plans to his or her needs . We included these specifically for professionals who might prefer not to use only the detailed lesson plans provided but who wanted to create their own lesson plans, incorporating personal methods and styles. Our new kit caters to everyone.

The advantage to all of this is that USPTA Little Tennis is the most comprehensively designed program for 3- to I 0 -year- old children. It places USPTA pros at a tremendous advantage to jump-start their involvement now that the rest of the industry is finally focusing media and other promotions on this important age group.

The Wilson equipment that USPTA endorses

((Soccer moms)) aren)t just interested in socce~ their real interest is simply tn their children.

Continued nex t page ADDvontoge/June 1997

3

CEO message from page 3 for thi s age group is , in my mind, the best in the wo rld. The Wilson Carnival equipment is for motor and racquet skills and the mr. peeWee kit is used for playing skills. We have done extensive experi mentation wit h a wide va riety of tennis balls and the lat est incarnation s are making Little Tennis an ideal game for young children to play with teac hers, parents and against each other.

I have no doubt that the n ew les son plans and equipment modifications have created a situation where Little Tennis leagu es and o ther fun competitions will b e a reality within 12 to 24 months. This fun competitive atmosp h ere o n a local level will ena bl e tennis to parallel other popular children 's sports . This is becoming acknowled ged even by man y who , in ea rli er times , opposed .competition for young players.

In t he past, the main problem wi th

sc hools programs (for tennis) was that there was no consistently workable administrative plan. Tennis profess ionals had to overcome the dive rs e interests and priorities of superintendents, principals and P.E. teachers , set up playing and teaching areas under less than ideal conditions and work with little or no exp erienced help. I have add ressed these problems wit h my n ew concept, Little Tennis for School Children.

Little Tennis for Sch ool C hildren brings the kids to your facility. It provid es you with ideal assis t ant coaches -pare nts- who help with set up and organization (just like soccer, bas ketball and other children' s sports) . The sp ec ial pullout section in the middle of this is sue goes into further d era il about how this concept can brin g more people to the ga me, and at the sa m e time increase a profession al's income direc tl y. It identifies ways for pros to exp and their lesson base with dignity and style. It also is easy to implement - a single pro can d o it- and most of all , it eliminates administrative road-

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4 ADDvontoge/June 1997

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block s by putting scho ol children' s tennis in the hand s of all teaching pro s and parents.

Little Tennis has been very successful since its debut four yea rs ago and the reason is si mple: It is a p1·ogram designed by tennis p1·os for tennis pros. Thousands of children ac ros s the country are now playing t ennis, and more than 1,000 USPTA p ros have registered their progra m s with us. Where else would yo u find the No. I men's player and former No. I wo men's player endorsing a progra m ? Yes! Little Tennis is endorsed by both Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf, and they are shining examples of what these yo ung players can become.

Little Tennis . .. is a program designed by tennis pros f or tennis pros.

Virtually everyon e in the industry is convinced that this age gro up is wh ere tennis will make it s recovery.

Littl e Tennis continues to allow USPTA pros to make a good livi n g while growin g the gam e. I have seen firsthand that it works- the child ren curre ntly in our Littl e Tennis classes at the World H eadquarte rs were previo usly playing soccer. Not only are these children playing tennis , but their parents are now also involved becau se it' s something the whole family can enjoy together.

"Soccer moms" aren 't just interested in soccer, their real interest is sim ply in t heir children. Let 's seize this opportunity to bring the famil y back to t ennis. ?,:;to

Oops I A typo appeared in the round-robin chart in the I 997 Tennis Across America program guide. In the section for I4 players , round 2 on court I should read 1 3 & l vs. 7 & 3·

VIE£ PNESIB£NT-'5M£SSAGE- - - - - - - - .

The Voice of the Tennis Teaching Profession

L

ast year about this time , I wrote my board member message under the heading of, "It's the job market , stupid!" In that article, I suggested that USPTA and its members collectively focus on promoting themselves as the most qualified, educated and skilled professionals in the industry. To that end, a club manager or club owner in need of a tennis professional wou ld look first to a USPTA profes sional when trying to fi ll a position.

Well, a year later there has been some very positive action taken toward this goal. I suggested in my article that USPTA could and

should do whateve1· possible to influence the job market. M y objective was for US PTA members to· be recognized as the best in the industry. Before we look ahead , let me take a moment to review some of the things that USPTA has accomplished to ward this objective.

create a better understanding of the particular challenges that each group faces . This type of communication has led to greater respect between the two groups.

•

USPTA, its board and the Executive Committee recently took a bold step by taking our Continuing Education Program to the next level. By removing the punitive aspects and developing positive incentives that reward our members in a variety of job enhancing wa ys, this program is now much more meaningful to our members.

•

In the last year, USPTA and its representatives have given specializ ed presentations to more than 300 club managers at various Club Managers Association of America conferen ces. Topics have ranged from "How to hire and m anage a certified tennis professional" to "Understanding your tennis program ." This t ype of visibility is essential to our objective of influ encing the job market.

ADDvantage magaz ine has published several articles during the past 12 months under the heading of "Job skills for today and the 21st centu ry." These articles have focused on skills that are need ed in specific segm ents of our industry. This type of education not only assists our members but demonstrates to owners and managers that o ur co nc erns with a club stretch from the court to the clubhouse.

•

Several divisions have cooperated with local owner and manager groups by setting up booths at works hops or trading speakers to

President

Ku rt Ka m perman

Wil l Hoog

First Vice President Vice Presidents

Joseph Thompson

Townsend Gilbert David

For example, when applying for jobs, members can have a "transcript" of their participation sent to a prospective employer. Many employers today are asking members of their professional management team to set and accomplish annua l goals that will improve their overall job performance. I think that USPTA members should consider completion of some of US PTA's Specialty Courses or workshops as one of their 1997 performance goals .

There are many other things that have been put into action over the last year to make USPTA members the most "emplo yable" of any tennis profess ionals. However, there is sti ll much to do and some hard decisions to make.

For example, many of our m embers feel that keeping our membership and testing standards as the " highest in the industry" should be our m aJOr concern.

Others feel that we should m ake it as easy as possible for individuals to join USPTA but then impose stringent upgrad e and continuing education requirements. Still others think that USPTA should make it more difficult for new members to achieve the highest level of tested certification ( PI ) witho ut first being a teaching professional for a minimum number of years . As you can see , there are some important issues facing our Association as we adapt and

T.

Porter

Mark McMahon

Ron Woods

Secretory-

Treasu rer

Kothy Woods

Post President

WORLD HEADQUARTE RS CEO

Tim Heckler Rich Fa nning

Director of Operations

Marty Bostrom

Executive

Mark McMahon •

NATIO NAL BOARD O F DIRECTORS

Assistant

Showno Riley

D irector of

Commun ications

Communications

Courtenay Oreves

M agazine Coordinator

Sports Ma rketi ng

Julie Myers

Sharon Jasmer

Coo rdinator

Ma rketing

Diane Richbourg

Coordinator Public Relations

Don Saine

Coord inator Computer Systems Administrator

David Rudzinski

Webmoster ond

Christi Coli

Corporate Services Manag er Reception ist

Arju Hussain

Computer Services

Kathy Buchanon

ond Club Relations Notiona l Divisional Administrator

Kelly Dolon

Divisional Executive Administrator

Amy Pruett

Educationa l Administrator

Melissa Stevens

Membership/

Vicky Tristan

Education Fin an cial Manager Con trolle r

Renee Heckle r

Theresa Weatherford

Insu ra nce/ Merchandise Servi ces

Ellen Schmidt

Director George Bacso of Certifi cation and Academies

LEGAL COUNSE L Attorney-at-law

Paul Waldman

For information, write the World Headquarters

US PTA One USPTA Centre 3535 Briarpark Drive

Houston, TX 77042 Phone (713) 97 -USPTA Fox (713) 978-7780 e-mail - uspta@ uspta.org Internet - www.uspta.o rg

Office hours: 8:30 o.m .. 5 p.m.

see Job market, page

12

Central time

ADDvonloge/June

1997

5

j@B SKJt[S FOR lQQAÂĽ-. ..-Af\JB fME ll sr bENTURY Take (a few) extra measures to keep club members satisfied

by Will Hoag, USPTA

"Show me a successful clu b w ith an active ten nis program and I will show y ou a quality tennis professional.11

Will Haag, USPTA national first vice president, !Jas been the director of tenn is at Cora l Ridge Cou nt1y Club, owned by the RobM Tren t Jones fa mily, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., since 1973¡ H aag serves as chairman of the national education, ethics, long-range planning and USTA player development committees.

6 ADDvontoge/June 1997

This was a quote I heard during a talk given by USPTA Past President Gordon Collins.

D\lring the period of time when tennis play was down and our sport was considered "dying," there were clubs that were still very busy and making a nice profit. What were the tennis professionals at these clubs doing differently from the others?

In my opinion, they realized that to run a successful club and retain members , they must be more than "ball bangers."

During the tennis boom of the '70s, if you had tennis courts and tennis balls you almost could not fail. But this has changed over the past decade due to competition from other sports and other factors.

The job of the country club professional of the '90s is different from that of fellow professionals at other facilities (commercial, municipal, resorts and independent). The country club professional deals with a captive audience who usually pays a higher fee to belong to this type of facility, and requires special attention. Below are some areas that, if special atten-

tion is given, will keep your membership rosters full of happy, active members.

The facility Always keep your facility looking neat and well maintained. Plan ahead to make the necessary improvements yo ur budget will allow. I like the philosophy of fixing it before it breaks. Good planning makes this possible.

The staff Hire the right person and pay an adequate wage. Research locally what the position is paying. It is also a good idea to provide all employees with a job description prior to hiring.

This can eliminate misunderstandings down the road. By taking time with the hiring process, you should cut down on staff turnover. This not only saves the club money but also reduces the amount of time you have to spend training new personnel. Your members also benefit because they feel more comfortable seeing familiar faces around their club rather than strangers .

Programming A club with a good balance of social and competitive events, clinics, lessons and league play is certain to survive

the tough times . Keep in mind that events are only as successful as the promotion. Lead time, signs, phone calls, newsletter articles and even faxing upcoming event information to member businesses (after business hours) will help make events more successful. Most important is staff awareness .

The staff should be well informed on all details of upcoming events.

Free play should also be mentioned. You want to hear members say, "My club has a lot of guests that I can participate with , but there is also time for my personal games." Help members find games and increase their player base, especially new members.

The big picture Obviously, the main concern of a tennis professional is his own department, but it should not end there. For any club to survive, every department should be operating to its potential. The tennis professional has the ability to help the dining room and food service areas and should do so. Most country clubs find it difficult to run their food service in the black.

By tying tennis play and clubhouse activities together, you can create more win-win situations see Extra measures, page 12

Find their strengths

A

s a teaching pro, I use my training as a special education teacher to zero in on the different learning modalities of my young tennis students. Not all students learn in the same manner. Some are auditory learners and must hear the commands. Some are visual learners - they must see the action. Some are tactile learners they must feel the action. And some students learn by using any combination of the three.

A good teacher must be able to differentiate among all of the above and teach to each student's strengths, a not too easy task. By the way, adults also fit into the above categones.

Terry Daniels, USPTA via e-mail

Beautiful carvings When my mini-tennis students ( 3- and 4-year-olds) arrive for their first class, I always have them sign in on my clipboard. Later, when some over-zealous parent asks me, "Why can't Jimmy do this?" or "Shouldn't Janie be able to do that by now?", I pull out the beautiful carvings that are the signatures of their children. This usually reminds them where my young students are coming from!

Shubrick Kothe, USPTA Potomac, Md.

rects everybody to the different lines or parts of the court. The word "stop" is replaced with "split step." Another game is to have children select lines or parts of the court and place a ball on the properly identified area.

Others will remove the balls that they have, in turn, identified.

Jackie Guy, US PTA West Nyack, N.Y

i ~

i

*i:.r

Goalie drill This drill gives kids a chance to run back and forth and block the ball. Here is how we play: The pupil is goalie. The goalie defends the alley lines from the ball going across the baseline. The pro rolls the ball on the ground, timing it so the child can just get from the center mark to the alley and block the ball with her racquet at a 90 degree angle. Use six balls per child.

Ben Bishop, USPTA East Hartford, Conn.

l:r i

** 14: *ir j j

Learning the lines Through "Follow the leader," we have taught children the names of all the lines, the deuce court, the add court, net, back court, etc. Ask the children, "Who knows where the service line is?" The first child who answers correctly is the leader, and he or she decides how everybody will follow: hop, swim, fly, etc.

We also play " Simon Says." Simon di-

..J~

'i j.

Simon Says, a game that most child1¡en enjoy, can help teach parts of the court.

ADDvontoge/June 1997

1

0FF-G9UR-l

F9SlJ9- -PAtll:INE 8ET2 A DDIE

Still in the game - and loving it

F

ifty years ago, the powers that be in amateur tennis took a four-time U.S. national champion and Wimbledon winner out of competition. But they could not take her out of the game.

Pauline Betz Addie, who broke the rules of her day by turning professional after her I 946 victory on Centre Court, is still playing and teaching the game she loves at the age of 77.

The U.S . Lawn Tennis Association suspended Addie from the a~uteurs- and the competition on which she thrived - for trying to organize a pro exhibition tour.

She became one of the first tennis pros , playing country clubs and gyms with Sarah Danzig, Gussie Moran, Bobby Riggs, Don Budge and Jack Kramer.

Addie had grown tired of struggling on the modest "expense money" that amateurs received (with ma le players garnering the bulk of it) . But she paid a hefty price for earning a better -but by no means extravagantliving as a pro.

"In order to compete and play the big tournaments, you had to be an atnateur," Addie explained in a recent telephone interview from her home in Bethesda, Md. Addie, who won a total of about IO nationa l tides , now questions her decision to turn professional. Does she wish she had remained an amateur and pursued more Grand Slam tides?

"Maybe," she replies, "but I' m satisfied with what I did."

What she did was help open doors for male and female pros alike. But Addie, an honorary

8 ADDvontoge/June 1997

member of US PTA and an inductee into the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. , does not cons ider herself a pioneer.

She is, however, proud of the fact that she and Dodo Bundy played on the men's tennis team at Rollins College in Winter Park , Fla., because there was no women's team. The two received what Addie believes were the first ath letic scholarships given to women.

Pauline Betz began playing tennis at the age of 7 and by the time she was IO, she was dreaming ofWimbledon.

Surprisingly, though, it's not her Wimbledon victory that she cites as the high point of her career. " To me the most exciting was the first time I won t he N ational Championships (before it was called the U .S. Open) ," Addie said. The year was I 942 and she was still in college. Four years later, in the first Wimbledon held since the beginning of World War II, she defeated Lou ise Brough, 6-2, 6-4.

Addie said she had the most fun when she was coming up as an amateur and just starting to win . "I do like winning," she allowed , adding t hat she's " mellowed a bit. " She still plays in USTA women's doubles leagues, son"letimes beating opponents in their 20s and 30s "if I have a good, strong partner. " Addie, who bega n her teaching career while she was a tour pro, still does a little teaching on her own . She taught for about

20 years at an indoor court in Bethesda, and ran a tennis camp for kids for 2 5 years at the private school in Washington, D.C. , that Chelsea Clinton attended.

Of Addie's own five children, two are tennis- teaching pros . One of them, Rusty Addie, recently became a USPTA member.

Addie, whose late husband was a Washington Post sportswriter, also enjoys playing golf and tournament bridge , as well as "good piano and bad flute ."

This good- humored tennis legend, who appeared on the cover of Tim e magazine in I 946 , said she doesn' t think of herself as famous. But she still gets a lot of mail and requests for auto gra phs , which she obliges. "It just amazes me, " after all these years , she said.

And after about 70 years, tennis is still "a big part of my life," said Addie, who is planning to attend Wimbledon this year. "It always has been, and I guess it always will be." f!)c

mif4on.

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ATTENTION

Extra measures

Job market

from page 6

from page 5

for the club.

Another area where the tennis professional can help the club is by encouraging members to upgrade their tennis memberships to fu ll club memberships ( includes golf). Promote t ennis and golf events p eriodically throughout the year. This is a normal transition when the members reach a certam age.

Finally, it goes without saying that t h e tennis roster shou ld always be a top priority. Stay on top of the numbers and be aware of members yo u haven't seen playi ng . Give them a call and find out why- this goes a long way.

S uccess of the tennis professional in the '90s and beyond won't be determin ed solely on how good yo u are on the court, but also on how well yo u perform off the courts. itJo

adjust to a changing industry.

T he point of this article is to su ggest that regardless of what yo ur opinion is, our cours e of action should be d et ermined by passing the following means test: Will this policy/act ion/ decision give USPTA members an advantage in the job market ?

The other action that we all must take - no matter what policies are es tablished regarding certification, testing and continuing education - is a continued emphasis on " getting the message out." As is the case with our n ew incentive-based Career Development Program, we need to offer meaningful opportunities to our m embers to advance their careers and provide ways for our members to be recognized for their efforts .

Some of the programs that I think USPTA shou ld offer include specialized education for members who have developed their career within one particular niche of the industry, and cooperative education that might be provided through agreements with organizations that share USPTA goals, such as IHRSA and CMAA. In this age of comp uters, the Internet and USPTA's own Intranet , interactive education and case study work should become a reality in the n ea r future. USPTA is already leading the industry in this area and we should not rest now. The use of technology is fast becoming a fund amental survival skill in today ' s business world.

USPTA is truly a democratic organiza tion. The individuals who make the decisions on the issues that I have mentioned are yo ur fellow professionals.

They are the men and women who serve on yo ur divisional boards , particularly your division president and regional vice pres ident who sit on USPTA's Executive Committee. Along with the national board, they are the individuals who determine our direction. Let us know what you think. I welcome your opinions on these or any other issues that fac e our Association. itJo

USPTA MEMBERS AND

AFFILIATE MEMBERS: If you wish to upgrade your rating or become certified for the

1998 USPTA Membership Directory you must take the exam prior to Dec. I.

1997.

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N

competmg.

So the Texas professionals did what good pro fessionals do- they impro vised, tweaking the format to meet their needs.

The same use of creativity and expertise has helped USPTA professionals in New Hampshire, Colorado and across the country profit Tips from USPTA pros from the Adult Tennis League.

• Advertise league to fellow pros through divisional After playing newsletters through the fall of • Keep league fees lo.~ f b ut offer end-of-season I996, II cities sent • Make local compentton the ocus, mixed-level men's incentives . all slow times and women's teams Schedule the season dunng usu Y • f meet local needs to Texas' January • Modify the ormat to .

1. . for league players · by offenng c mLCS playoffs. "Christ• Generate lesson mcome . al mas is over and .d k f local professiOn s • Build a networ o d . . anufacturers to provL e New Year ' s is over, . L ff clinic an mvtte m • Host a k tCJS.O and everybody's prizes l · h. b k • Use Tencap to define leve s Ltc mg to get ac out," Maingot early 450 players, some traveling hundreds of miles across the state, met in Houston in January for the Texas Division's USPTA Adult Tennis League state championships.

The league and its playoff tournament grow every year, said Gerry Main got, the division's league coordinator. Yet, when Texas Division tennis professionals introduced the Adult Tennis League several years ago, it wasn't clear that it would meet its potential for filling courts, producing lesson income and keeping club members happily

How they make it work

Suggested format: h of fo ur levels) that S uad _Eight doubles teams (tw~ at ~ac q . f .1. t or organtzatton 1 represent a tennLS acL 1 Y , . d d bles or mixed leve ' tnen s, mtxe ou Type _ Can be mens, wo d en's doubles team at

'

said. By holding the round-robin

( one women's doubles team an one m

tournament indoors, the division guarantees

each level) . d b the Tencap handicap system or Level _ Can be determme Y

players plenty of court time.

NTRP rating d . e the winning squad and "We encourage nt to etermm 1 1 1 1 Playoffs - A tourname . . doubles team at each eve oca competi~~~~~t~o~d~e~te:r~m~i~n~e~t~h ~e~w~tn~n~Ln~g~~:;~~................ tionas t he top anot er priority," said

14 ADDvontoge/June 1997

David Davis, USPTA. " Then we have the carrot at the end, which is the top two teams get a trip to Houston.

And everybody loves that trip."

They must love it. It's an eight-hour road trip to Houston from Abilene's Rose Park Tennis Center, where Davis is the head tennis professional.

His ability to alter the league format to suit his needs was a key to its success , Davis said. He hosts the fall league for eight or nine weeks starting in October, which fills the void of league activity and suits the facility's court schedule. Daytime matches are scheduled on weekends so the league can be held outdoors.

Davis found he can get more than IOO players involved by running separate men's and women's leagues at each of the four NTRP divisions, 3.0, 3.5 , 4.0 and 4 .5. The top two doubles teams from each division become part of the multi-level, I6-member squads t hat travel to

I meet

needs and reap rewards

the state playoffs. The squads meet twice for practice and to get to know one another before making the long haul to the season-ending event in Houston.

While Texas saves its blowout event for the end of the season, the Intermountain Division professionals arrange theirs at the beginning of the season.

"One of the biggest things we do is have a kickoff clinic" that draws 300 to 400 women, said Joe Thompson, director of tennis at Rolling Hills Country Club in Golden, Colo., and USPTA National League Committee chair. Two separate clinics are held for the 3.0 to 3.5 and 4.0 to 4 .5 levels , manufacturers are invited to give prizes and the participants stay for lunch.

The kickoff clinic is vital to the league, which is played mornings during the summer and, this year, will use the TencapÂŽ handicap system. But there 's also an incentive at the

end of the season, said USPTA Vice President Thompson. Besides the squad playoffs , there also is a playoff at each level, giving players an ex tra chance to w1n.

Against the examples of the Texas and Intermountain divisions, the six-team league in Southern New Hampshire that is coordinated by Donna Alexson, USPTA, may seem small.

That doesn't mean it's unsuccessful.

"For the effort we put in, (the league) really increases lesson activity and our knowledge of what our members want and need because of better contact with them, " said Alexson, tennis director at Executive Health and Sports in Manchester, N .H .

As a winter/indoor season mixed doubles league, the Adult Tennis League takes up very little court space but the benefits are numerous, Alexson said. Because players play at their own levels, their matches are competitive and enjoyable. As a result, league players find compatible pracuce partners and reserve more court time.

Placing players of different levels on the same squads builds a more social club environmenr; it also allows lower-rated players to bet-

ter see their potential for improvement. Team practices have led to increased lesson income.

Because it's so easy to get a player rated and involved in a squad, Alexson said, "We look upon it as building a new club."

Pro Penn tennis balls are recommended for use in the USPTA Adult Tennis League.

For more information about the Adult Tennis League, including checklists for area and site directors, league rules and operations, a sample score card, a poster, a level roster, round-robin combinations and sample press release, please contact USPTA at

(7 1 3) 978-7782.

fi>o

4

r--------------~~

l I I II

Registration l form I Nome _________________________________ Address - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ State _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ZIP _________ Business phone ( Home phone ( USPTA member

yes

no

Member No. _ _ _ _ _ _ Division Do you live or work in or near a city or metropolitan area? _ _ yes - no City's n o m e - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1would like to participate as: on Area Director

I

I I

a Site Director

Return to USPTA World Headquarters

3535 Bdo'f'o,kr;;:.too, TX 77042 officio I ball of the USPTA Adult League

L---------------~ ADDvontoge/June 1997

15

Success

in sports is more than the

by Dave Romberg, USPTA

I

n the United States, winning at an ything and eve rything is a priority for our society. Profess ional, college and high school coaches get evaluated by their win-loss record. If they lose too many games, they lose their job.

Even in recreational yo uth sports, parents will try to get their children on _...,:::=- teams with the bes t records. Some parents place more importance on the coach's win-loss record than on his coaching philosophy and practices.

"Winning isn't everything, but striving to ,, win ts .. '

TJ:'

- vtn

ce Lombardi

A new meaning for winning

Dave Romberg, USPTA, is the tennis director at Cherry Hills Country Club i11 Aurora, Colo. In 1995, he was ranked No. 1 in Colomdo in 35 doubles a.nd No. 1 natio11ally i11 45 doubles by USPTA.

16 ADDvontoge/June 1997

Our society is so intent on winning that it would take too many years for people to accept the concept, "It doesn't matter if you win as long as yo u had fun. " Of course, the response to that is , "I lost, how could I have had fun? " Instead of teaching people that winning is not important, we should redefine winning so that we can feel comfortable saying, "I hope you win," or "Did yo u win?"

Winning is: I . Enjoying the game 2. Learning and improving skills 3. The excitement of competition 4. Getting exeuise and improving health 5. Feeling good about what you are doing 6. Enjoying and getting to know y our teammates and opponents When someone comes off the

court after a match and you ask, "Did you win? ", what are yo u saying? The first thing we say indicates that it is the most important.

If we focus on the outcome of the player 's match instead of her enjoyment or performance, she will probably associate her win or loss with her self-worth. When players think about winning or losing during points , their performance will be less than their potential. During a point, the focus should be on executing the correct shot, not on the match outcome.

D ecide the order of importance of enjoyment, improvement (learning) , exerc ise or winning.

Then ask the appropriate questions in that order.

Two years ago an extensive survey showed that 45 percent of 10years- olds played sports. By the time they were 18, the number dropped to 26 percent. There are various reasons why they quit, but I suspect that the main reason is that we don' t meet the needs of young athletes. Since most young athletes play for fun, we should ask our kids how they enjoyed their games.

To better understand "fun" in According to the 10,000-student survey done by the Athletic Footwea r Association in 1990 , these are the top 10 reasons that kids play sports.

1. To have fun

2. To improve their sk ill s 3. To stay in shape 4. To do somethi ng they're good at 5. For the excitement of compet ition 6. To get exercise 7. To play as pa rt of a team 8. For the cha ll enge of competition 9. To learn new sk il ls 10. To wi n

sports , go by this definition: Fun is the quest for balance between the challenge of competition and the development of playing skill.

What does winning mean to you?

There is a huge difference between striving to win and winning. Trying to win is important because we put forth more physical and mental effort , which lifts our performance. Also, striving to win is something we can control.

Vince Lombardi was once misquoted as having said, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing. " What he actually said was , "Winning isn' t everything, but striving to win is ."

Getting upset, losing tempers , poor sportsmanship and too much celebration indicate that someone is obsessed with winning. It's a Catch 22 - the more they want to win, the more nervous they get, the tighter their muscles get, the more they miss and then lose.

This is a formula for top performance : Practice, eat correctly, warm up well before matches, be on time, plan your strategy, have good equipment, get the right amount of sleep and have the proper attitude.

In your warm-up with your opponent, relax, watch the ball and look for the opponent's weaknesses. Before every point think, "How well can I play this point," or "How much fun can I have with this point." If you keep this attitude, you won't get upset, yo u'll have more fun, you'll perform better and you'll be a winner no matter what the score is. ib>o

USPI A litt\e f ennis,.M bo\stered by industry effort to grow the game

Litt\e f ennis for 5choo\ Children T.

f you make your living teaching or promoting tennis, it's J . .hard not to be envious of the huge nationwide participation in soccer, basketball and baseball, and the success these sports share among school children.

We all know that tennis must attract the youngest players before it can realize a true resurgence and enjoy the popularity and economic returns of a new tennis So, where can we find the most kids at any one time and most effectively communicate a message? Schools are the obvious answer.

For years everyone has tried to expose children to tennis by taking it into the schools, where they had to battle less than ideal conditions and compete with many other school priorities. But, there can be little doubt that the atmosphere most conducive to learning tennis is at the local tennis facility (not uttle I ennis for school the school playground), where it can be children allows tennis to be introd~<c.ed to introduced in ideal conditions , played ctuldren in ideal with the right equipment and taught by conditions with the right eql<ipment. enthusiastic tennis-teaching professionals.

While some sports are organized through and practiced on school property, the idea that this makes the games more convenient just isn' t true.

Take soccer for instance. It may be organized through a child's school, but parents must see to it that children are transported back to the schoolyard for an evening practice and shuttled to Saturday games that may be played in another part

Little I ennis coaches meet before a class to plan the day's lessons . From left : Rich Fanning,lim Heckler, Kevin 5mith, Diane Richbourg, Renee Heckler,5haron Jasmer, Rob Case,5teve Gartrell and Barry Kelly.

of town. The local tennis facility probably is just as convenient as a carpool ride to school and in many cases it's closer than the area's soccer field. So location really isn' t the problem.

In fact, bringing the children to an ideal tennis situation - a tennis facility as opposed to trying to conduct a tennis program in a school gym or on the playground is just the start to utilizing some of the elements that make other children's sports successful.

Little I ennis should not be confused with competition at The real problem in capturtoo early an age.rt starts with ing the same number of kids motors kills, racquet skills, playing skills and the most basic. lies somewhere else. fundamentals and has chfldren Before outlining a step-byplaying against each other as their abMy level deems step plan for capturing the appropriate. school children market, we might have to overcome certain myths, only one of which is location. They include: I. Soccer moms just love soccer. The truth is most of them know very little about the game. They simply love their children and the opportunity to participate with them (even if only from the sidelines) in a sport that brings their children together with classmates and friends, and the parents with their spouses and other parents. Overall, it creates a family and friend gathering that is fun for everyone.

2. Competition is bad for kids. Nonsense. Do you think other children's sports Proper playing for111 is gradually introd~<c.ed and becomes an important aspect of each lesson about midway through a \CHesson series . Form is e111phasized once a child begins to 111ake reasonable contact with the ball.

-a b\ueprint for success are void of competition? OJ course not. Competition is only bad when it is not handled or explained properly by coaches and parents. Most children's activities, including soccer, baseball and basketball, suffer at times from the overbearing behavior of a jew adults.

And, the resulting pressure has a psychological impact on the development ofyoung children. However, adults who act this way at sports most assuredly react similarly in other areas of their children's lives as well. The solution is not to remove the sport or an element of it, but find a way to deal with the adults. Most people (adults or children) are instinctively competitive, and sports should be used to help them strive for their desired level of excellence through good sportsmanship .

.1

------------~,' ""t's was, Littl e .... .Lenrâ&#x20AC;˘

.

3.same Tennis cannot deliver the social and competitive elements that soccer does.

It can and it will. It's just a matter of designing the correct program that brings children together with their peer group or classmates.

4. Tennis is harder to teach than soccer since it requires more specialized help to adequately deliver the programs. Not true. The new lesson plans and parental assistance program (fully outlined in the new edition of the USPTA's Complete Guide to Little Tennis) have been developed through considerable research. They make it a family event. Parents help you teach the chil-

ntS

designed Jor ten ' als by projesston , l ' professtona s' l tenntS -

l

-

fhe team mother confers with refreshment chairwoman on the day's oc tlvities .

Parent ,os organizational helpers, is the key ingredient for success In o Little f ennis for .School Children program .

dren and participate in homework assignments that encourage children to practice their new skills.

5. School children already have too many activities to add yet another one. There are never too many activities for most children.

Tennis can be played year-round, but conflicts can be avoided by timing a lesson series on off days, like Sundays or afternoons when soccer is not scheduled. Or it can be arranged in between soccer seasons or during the summer months when children are looking for something fun to do.

6. Tennis is not a team sport enabling an entire class grade to participate. A whole class or grade level can participate, depending on your facility and the number of courts you can spare. Again, it is simply an organizational issue, and by getting parents and children together, you not only make it a team sport, but you make it a family sport. Children are actually playing on teams by the time the first Little Tennis lesson series is complete. ]. It takes too long for children to reach a competency level where they can play against each other in see School, page

12

Following o big win, Little f ennis makes me feel good,

3

\J5Pf A Litt\e f ennis: A program designed Everyone wins with progratns that benefit entire industry Editor's note: In recent months, the tennis industry has set its sights on the youngest potential tennis market- children under age

12.

In an

iffort to capitali.z§ on what might be the answer to tomorrow 's tennis boom, groups including Cartoon Network, ATP, TIA and USTA are hastily following USPTA's lead to develop programs to attract these children. USPTA plans to support the ifforts of these groups with our own well-established children's program, Little Tennis.

USPTA began its campaign to target this age group back in 1993 with the development of USPTA Little Tennis. It welcomes the industry's push to market to this group and hopes to bolster its already popular program through a variety of industry-wide promotions.

With more than JO,ooo kids and more than

1, 000

sites par-

ticipating in Little Tennis programs, USPTA is doing its part to create more tennis players for its members and the industry.

0

ccasionally, people wonder why USPTA works so

hard to develop and promote some of its own sports marketing events like Little Tennis , TencapÂŽ and Tennis Across Americaâ&#x201E;˘. USPTA , as the trade association for teaching professionals, designs its programs with the intention of benefiting and satisfying the interests of roo percent of its members.

Whether a professional's interests are in parks and recreation centers, community tennts assonauons, resorts , commercial clubs or country clubs , a USPTA program can be equally applied and benefit each pro and the respective community.

At any given time, most other industry companies and groups introduce programs that are workable for only one or two of the segments representing these employment

Marketing tips The first lesson plan for each age group in USPTA's Complete Guide to Little Tennis can be used for multiple purposes $... All special occasions - Birthday parties -Introduction to summer

Little Tennis Olympics - Great festivity day - Include both parent and child A good marketing tip Is to design f -shirts with a sponsor's name on them . For example, these f -shirts were designed for St. Vincent's figerf ennis team .

$.,. Parent-child doubles

Littler ennis - not Just f or kids- brings families back to the cot.rts.

interests of teaching professionals.

For USPTA to design programs for only a portion of its membership would be similar to having the American Medical Association design physician programs for only the general practitioners in its group and not for the full spectrum of doctors that includes everything from brain surgeons to family practice physicians.

It's a fact that

promoters of the game.

But, it' s clear that every group that creates and promotes a tennis program has at least two objectives. The first may be to grow the game, but the second is to grow its own brand or product name.

Promoting one's own name or product isn't a bad thing in the business world. You wouldn't expect a manufacturer to create a

many tennis programs vie for the teaching professional's participation. There are more than 50 different programs that ask you to volunteer your time each year to deliver tennis-related

to benefit tennis that wouldn't also boost its tennis-related product sales.

And, it wouldn't be inappro-

projects.

Everyone in tennis has been asked to "grow the game," and the efforts are appreciated by an industry that is seeing some positive results from enthusiastic

priate for a playing professional group to design a project to promote the growth of tennis that also promotes the growth of its tour events and prize money.

The same can be said of

program

I for professiona\s by professiona\s all tennis entities - magazines, sports marketing agencies, volunteers or agents.

Everyone wants to grow the game, but, understandably, they also want to push their products, their causes, their name or their opinions.

While most of these groups fund their own programs and promotions, they can all be linked by a common denominator- the programs must be delivered to consumers by a network of teaching professionals.

Program organizers must depend on teaching professionals to implement these respective projects and meet specific goals, but it's evident that not every program is uniquely suited to benefit or attract IOO percent of the teaching professionals across the broad spectrum from parks and recs to country clubs. Since each company designs its particular program to meet mostly its own objectives, it is impossible for the same project to benefit all USPTA members or fit in with their dayto-day jobs.

Because of this, only a certain portion of USPT~s

membership partiCipates many one program. Unfortunately, when the promotion is not a total success, the organizing group usually

will collectively blame USPTA pros for not delivering the desired results, when the program design itself is to blame.

USPTA has always believed that maximum delivery by teaching professionals can be achieved only if programs are designed with all professionals and their clientele in mind. The p erfect example is USPTA Little Tennis.

Little Tennis, as with all USPTA-designed programs, was not designed to benefit only one element of the tennis family such as equipment manufacturers, players , volunteers or a particular segment of recreational facilities. The program was designed to benefit all segments of the industry and all professionals and players who participate in all areas of the industry.

Little Ten-

nis receives no funding from outside grants or contributions. The fact that USPTA alone is financing the program may slow its progress, but its success is ensured because it is the most comprehensive program of its kind and is inclusive of everyone's interests.

USPTA never earns money from the programs it develops and promotes. It designs projects that benefit the growth of tennis and support all elements of the industry, but its primary goal is to improve the professional status and economic well-being of each of its members. So, in the long run, our secondary motive is really not very different from other groups that design events. We do so to grow the game and to grow our own brand. The difference USPTA can garner more par-

((Teaching pros who implement this new system of Little Tennis can make an extra $1 o) ooo this year while growing the game.

Why shouldn)t they make a substantial income while achieving our industry)s goal?))

-Tim Heckler ticipation because of its broader market appeal.

The world's oldest, largest and most respected trade association for tennis-teaching professionals designs "programs for professionals, by professionals. "

The bottom line The bottom line with the push to attract young children to tennis is that a teaching professional can make a substantial income while achieving our industry's goal. Take the following:

30 children@ $4- $6 per hour ($I20- $I80) x

I 0 lessons (one class per week for I 0 weeks)

$1,200- $1,800 Then consider pro shop sales: Racquets for children Racquets for parents Adult lessons Clothes Court fees

Guest fees Activity fees Club functions Members hips

Not only is Little Tennis a great schools and family program, but yo u're increasing your income while bringing the family back to tennis!

5

Proper equipment ensures success

'

..

A val TM

key element of'any successful sports program is its equipment, and USPTA Little Tennis uses the best on the market. Wilson's specially-designed Tennis Carniand mr. peeWee tennis TM are ideal teaching tools geared

toward 3- to 10-year-olds. The graduated equipment features smaller-sized racquets and nets, as well as an assortment of carefully designed teaching aids for virtually every motor and racquet skill application.

These products lessen the age and ability levels needed to participate in tennis-related striking skill games and activities, and make tennis easy and fun for children to learn. Multiple stations can be assembled onto a tennis court, with individual station s geared toward developing specific skills. In addition, USPTA has just finished developing a series of lesson plans for each age and ability level that enable excellent application of these teaching tools. r ennis balls c.otne in tnany fortns .'fhese 3- to ll-year-olds start hitting basic.s with balloons and work their way thro1.1gh a progression inc.l1.1ding beac.h balls, larger rllbber balls, qotntn high-density foatn balls and 70tntn low-press1.1re tennis balls, before grad1.1ating to reg1.1lar tennis balls .

6

WilsonÂŽ reoc.hing

aids The carnival kit is designed to develop motor skills and racquet skills,

'fhe obvioliS strength of other c.hildren's sports is flln c.otnpetition between kids .\Jntil now, tennis has tnissed this .

Here, 5t. Vinc.ent's first grade st1.1dents are c.otnpeting against eac.h other in leag1.1e tennis after only seven lessons in o1.1r new Little 'f ennis plan for 6- and 7-year-olds . By ~.~Sing tnr. peeWee tennis c.o1.1rts , a professional c.an divide one reg1.1lar tennis c.o1.1rt into fo1.1r tnini-c.o1.1rts .

and it includes the following components: ~ Teaching tree- fun and flexible stationary aid designed to teach forehand and backhand skills . ~ Inflatable teaching targets - three targets with mr. peeWee tennis graphics. ~ Teaching tower - the overhanging arm can be locked in place for more stationary skill development, and the length of the cords can be adjusted for student height and positioned for either groundstrokes or overhead and serving motions. The tower comes with interchangeable cords - one that features a permanent ball, the other a velcro attachment for a ball that releases with impact.

A Littler ennis player prac. tic.es her ~ Teaching tether forehand ~.~Sing the Wilson 'f eac.hing this multipurpose tower 'free. Wilson 'f eac.h Feet help her know how her feet sho1.1ld be positioned. features two teaching

>of chi\dren 's tennis

fhe Wilson f eachingf ower has adJ ~.~Stable cords that can be positioned for either groundstrokes or overhead and serving motions .

options. One, a rotating collar that spins allowing one person to hit groundstrokes in either direction.

Two, a stationary collar that allows stroke practice as the ball wraps around the pole. Beginners can have the ball fed at a low speed and the ball stays on one plane, greatly reducing the skill necessary for success. Also, two players can hit the ball back and forth to rally and develop their cooperative skills. ~ Teaching cable- the student's striking skill development is expanded by introducing movement as they move around the court hitting suspended balls. Adjustable weather resistant cords are easily attached to court fences for individual or group relay races. The teaching cable can also be used to create five hitting stations when hanging five balls (equally spaced) on it and performing striking skills horizontally as opposed to transversely. ~ Teach feet- brightly colored targets featuring monster feet can be used to teach footwork, serve as placement targets and control the placement and po-

Backboard practice is a key to both the oncourt lesson and homework assignments for young children . Even a garage door will do .

fhe imaginative pro will find additional lesson equipment on the aisles of any local toy store.Here, 3- and >.l-year-olds balance froggie bean bags on their racquets during a relay race runnings kills drill.

sitioning of yo unger students. Teach feet come in three fun colors of red, green and blue.

rnr. pe.e.We.e. tennis Tennis professionals who wish to set up minitennis courts can do so with mr. p eeWee tennis. Four mr. peeWee tennis courts fit on a regular t ennis court, two on each side of the net. However, a tennis court is not necessary. Gyms, playgrounds or driveways work just as well, and set up only takes about five minutes .

The mr. peeWee Starter Kit includes one net , two posts, two bases , four racquets and a do zen foam balls, all packed in a red nylon bag. mr. peeWee is used primarily to develop racquet and playing skills.

Wilson Tennis Carnival and mr. peeWee tennis are the official equipment of US PTA Little Tennis, and are exclusively endorsed by USPTA.

Balls with tails are good tools for teaching young children hand-eye coordination skills such as catching. If children miss the ball, they can still be successful by catching the tail.

7

Pete and .Steffi \ove it, too USPTA's Little Tennis is endorsed by two of the world's top touring pros- Pete Sampras and Steffi GraÂŁ Their support has helped to give Little Tennis even more exposure and credibility among parents and children alike.

Sampras helped to film a video promoting Little Tennis and the Wilson junior equipment recommended for the program.

Children who are registered in a Little Tennis course may receive an award certificate featuring Sampras and Graf upon completion. In addition, posters showing that these two players endorse Little Tennis are available for tennis pros who run the program to display in their facility. They may be obtained by contacting the World Headquarters.

Where in the world will you ever find the No. 1 men)s player and former No. 1 women)s player endorsing a program? Sampras and Graf both endorse USPTA Little Tennis.

)

)

I

)

Network fV campaign t o hype tennis to youngest market

f

hanks to a collaborative effort by Cartoon Network, the ATP Tour, the USTA, the Tennis Industry Association and teaching professionals, thousands of children will be signing up for summer tennis programs including USPTA Little Tennis.

Cartoon Network SMASH Tennis is a national touring program that will introduce kids to the game through their favorite cartoon characters and a series of fun games. The I2city tour began April 2 and will continue through July 3 0. The touring program will be complemented by a series of television spots that feature children playing

tennis with popular cartoon characters.

A completely "cartoonized" I 8-wheeler will be traveling across the country to bring tennis to children in I2 cities. The truck is decorated from top to bottom with cartoon stars Scooby Doo, Dexter, Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, and Tom and Jerry. The truck, which includes a video wall, sound system and portable stage, carries four inflatable structures including a 20-foot-tall Scooby holding a IO-foot-long racquet in his mouth. Children can actually play inside giant inflatable games such as the Galactic Ball Blast with Ball Boy Elroy Jetson, Dexter 's

Super-Colossal IO-Megaton, 450,000-Watt Serve Return Thingy and Fred Flintstone's Saber-toothed Serve-0-Rama.

The inflatable

create a cartoon envtronment for kids. The traveling tennis show also features bright purple and green checkerboard tennis courts, mini tennis racquets and lowcompression tennis balls.

Children will be able to meet and talk with five to six live cartoon characters including Scooby, the Flintstones, the Jetsons, and Tom and Jerry.

Television spots targeting children between the ages of 6 and I I years old are appearing on TBS, TNT and the Cartoon Network.

The project will spend $1 million on 81 3 3 0-second spots (an average of 3 8 spots a week) that will be seen by 134 million children. The campaign will reach more than 50 percent of children ages 6 to I I. "The future prosperity of the tennis-teaching profession lies in our ability to introduce kids to tennis," said Kurt Kamperman, president of TIA and USPTA. "In particular, we must focus on children under age I2."

"The competition for these kids is fierce with soccer, roller hockey and many other activities aggressively pursuing this group. Cartoon Network SMASH Tennis provides tennis with an ideal vehicle for attracting kids to our sport," Kamperman added.

This cooperative tennis program will serve as a huge promotion for tennis and inspire children to take up the game. USPTA encourages its members to use this opportunity to promote their children's programs and begin Little Tennis chapters at their facilities .

"Interest in children's tennis programming is high, and we believe Little Tennis is the perfect program for professionals, children and the entire family," said Tim Heckler, USPTA CEO. "We've been promoting our program for almost four years and we greatly appreciate the industry's push to target this segment of the market.

q

Little Tennis is bringing the family back into the game.

10

U5Pf A's Complete Guide to Little f ennisfM Revised Utt\e f ennis .Starter Kit features co\or-coded sections and detai\ed \esson p\ans

U

SPTA has produced the most comprehensive manual for teaching 3- to 10-year- old tennis

teaching.

Here are just a few additions that the new manual includes: • • • • • •

A student del'l"lonstrates a l'l"lotor skill running relay drill with a ball and rac.quet. fhis type of drill is featured in the Little f ennis lesson plans .

players, USPTA's Complete Guide to Little Tennis. The popular manual, formerly called The Little Tennis Starter Kit, has been revised and expanded this year to include step-by-step organizational details for both off-court and on-court programming and

How to schedule lessons Your equipment needs Staff orientation Pricing Leagues Plug ' n' play forms - Promotional poster - Sign- up form - Attendance roster - Medical release -Poster - Player progression chart - Press release

The new lesson plans are color coded, making it easy to find the right section and age group you are looking for.

The four progression levels warm-up skills, motor skills, racquet skills and playing skills - feature games, drills and numerous lesson tips for each ability level. There are also templates so that a pro

Houston tennis professionals are the first to rec.eive and test lesson plans that are inc.luded in IJSPf A's Col'l"lplete Guide to little f ennis .

can choose from an assortment of games, drills and training methods and customize the lesson plans to his or her needs.

Best of all, parents are a part of every drill. They serve as assistant coaches and help with equipment setup and refreshments.

With the forms available in the new book, you can show a parent where their child is

at this moment and where you can take them.

This extensive amount of teaching material is designed to help a teaching professional get started with Little Tennis, and includes everything from the nuts to the bolts. The new manual will be available to USPTA members later this summer.

Watch ADDvantage magazine for details.

A fortunate l'l"lol'l"lent for this tennis beginner as he gets private ins true. tion frol'l"l George Bac.so, IJSPf A's teac.her ofteoc.hers .

Japanese guests get a total orientation at IJSPf A's Houston headquarters on IJSPf A Little f ennis for il'l"lplel'l"lentation in Japan .

II

school)from page 3 games and leagues as in soccer. Equipment is very important to this program.

You will find that if you invest the profits from the first jew lesson series into Tennis Carnival and mr. pee wee products, it will make future lessons much easier to teach and pay not only for the equipment, but increase the professionalism ofyour presentation while helping the learning curve ofyour pupils.

.¡ Everyone has fun as parents play an a c. tive part in Little f ennis programs by partic.ipating in on-c.ourt drills and less ons .

Many tennis experts, including tennis professionals, are also parents of school children who undoubtedly participate in other team sports.

It is surprising that it has taken us this long to create a program for school children hugely more effective than we so far have done. Consider the following: Let's steal a little from soccer and add to it our own creative talents in designing a tennis program for school children.

The following is an analysis of the most critical elements of soccer and how Little Tennis for school children can use them.

There are very few teaching pros who do not have adult pupils who are mothers or fathers of school children between

After the first series of lesson plans , 6- to 7year-olds begin to show e xc.ellent form .

the ages of pre-K and fifth grade.

(Keep in mind most of these parents are also "soccer moms") How simple would it be , following a lesson , to strike up a conversation with this person about her favorite subject - her child.

The conversation might go like this: "By the way, Jane, how's Bobby?"

The obvious answer would be, "Wow! He is so busy - taking tae kwon do twice a week, soccer twice a week (one practice and one game). He's even thinking about doing gymnastics."

continued page 14

5hadow drills with both parents and students play an important role in teac.hing early shot development.

IJ

Chelsea Hec.kler, star pupil of the pre-K c. loss, takes a break on the best seat in the house, head c.Unic.ian fim Hec.kler's shoulders.

Bunny hops get everyone's heart purnping as the coach and a group of 3- to 5-year-old students warrn LIP for the day's lessons.

A 5occer coach dads serve as assistants, helping irnplernent lesson plans and supervising on-co urt activitles .Dads slrnply love to work with kids regardless ofthe sport . .,.. A parent supervises his own child during a lesson, creating a three-way bond between parent, child and tennis . .., learning to watch the ball.

A "Who rne?" Does quest ioning the urnplre begin as early as age 6?

<Ill 5ornewhere in the rniddle of this rnob is the parent who serves as refreshrnent chairwornan .Parents take turns providing refreshrnents , which Is an inexpensive arnenlty f or the parents , a big convenience for the pro and a welcorned treat for the kids .

13

school) from page

12

Your reply would be: "Why don't we get him into some tennis lessons?" and the obvious answer to that is, "Oh! He doesn't have enough people to play with and he has so much fun being with his friends in the other sports."

You could say, "Can you give me a moment to s h o w you something?" and you whip out a

USPTA's Complete Guide to Little Tennis or one of many impressive program diagrams showing the progressions you can take Bobby through during You also solve the partner/ opponent issue instantaneously by combining it with your soccer mom's social and family interests by saying, "Why don' t you become the team mother (a role played by many soccer moms) and bring Bobby ' s entire first grade class to the facility for group lessons? We can arrange an affordable I O-lesson series in which Bobby and all of his friends will learn and play together. And, the parents join the lessons as assistant coaches to learn and play with their children as hitting partners. Parents come free."

You also add that you will overcome the scheduling conflicts with other sports and school activities by arranging the lessons on a day that does not conflict with anything else.

Most times there is at least one day that the entire class has an afternoon free, and practically all of them are free on Sundays.

Every child's parent is needed to help on court.

lim Heckler, head clinician, gives out homework assignments to children and parents at the end ofthe lesson.

By doing this, you've just created a schools program for children that takes into account all of the successful features of soccer, including: â&#x20AC;˘ Team mother: To sign up and organize the other mothers and children and function as a liaison parent for any information pertinent to the program that needs to be conveyed. â&#x20AC;˘ Team parents: I. Assistant coaches- the better players among the team parents will become your assistant coaches (much like soccer parent assistant coaches) who, under your direction (following plans either personally produced or found in USPTA's Complete Guide to Little Tennis ) , will follow the lesson plans and work with small groups of kids while you oversee the entire group, keeping various games, drills and play on schedule. You will meet with these assistant coaches before each lesson to prepare them for the day's program. By utilizing them, it frees you up to not only supervise the entire court ( s) , but also lets you float from one child to the other to offer needed assistance.

2. Regular parents - each child will have a regular parent on court (better than sitting on the sidelines as in soccer) to become a hitting partner and help their child advance more rapidly. You will see from the drills, games and lesson plans (in the

USPTA's Complete Guide to Little Tennis) that even a beginner parent can help. At the same time, the 60-minute outing lets children do something they love - play games with their parents. The 14

lesson series also allows parents and children to enjoy the camaraderie of their respective peer groups.

3. Refreshment parent- the team mother asks one of her friends to become the parallel to a soccer refreshment parent for each outing. This means that parents alternate bringing snacks and drinks for the children each week.

It is an inexpensive amenity for the parents, a huge convenience for the pro and an anticipated treat for the kids.

4. Court setup parent - again, the team mother establishes a schedule where one parent each week arrives early to help with pre-setup of equipment.

Once the parents are involved and excited about the program, the key ingredients are in place for it to be a success you've got your organizational helpers, and the program is being taught under id.eal conditions - at a tennis facility. Even better, parents will learn right along with their children and may feel inclined to take more lessons and m ake pro shop purchases. Suddenly, the whole family is playing tennis.

An assortment of running relays helps maintain children's attention span .

By taking our cue and applicable parallels from the success of soccer, we, too, are establishing team mothers, having children play with their peer group, and increasing the popularity of our sport - tennis .

Organizational tips ~ Make effective use of yo ur support staff (parents) ~ Arrange for pre-setup of equipment ~ Hold Little Tennis courses back to back to avoid

multiple setups ~ Insist that moms and dads serve as assistant coaches

- Let them hit balls back and forth with children -Work in different stations - Help with homework ~ Appoint a team mother

- to organize details - make phone calls - rotate parents to supply refreshments ~

Have a court setup person

~ Organize in advance ~ Select a "late gatekeeper" to direct tardy students ~ Let others take care of details while yo u choreograph

and orchestrate

fhe Little f ennis program is supplemented with a variety of equipment and other materials developed for the program over the post four years . Many people are surprised at the number of resources and the depth of the program that is only now becoming a household word. \J5Pf A has funded 100 percent of the development and relies on its current resources to advertise and promote Little f ennis' incredible value to the tennis industry and the public..

15

USPTA Little Tennis . A child)s introduction to the sport of a lifetime . An activity to get families back to the courts ... A program with tremendous possibilities for tennis--teaching professionals and players

Thanks to all the children and parents who made the USPTA Little Tennis lesson series at the World Headquarters a success. US PTA is especially grateful to the students of Houston's St. Vincent de Paul School and its new Fighting Tiger Tennis team who, along with some very dedicated parents, have made tennis a big part of their lives.

16

It's Like Playing Indoors!

SunHappens!™ And too much of it on outdoor courts can take the skin off your nose, as well as years off your life. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 800,000 people in the US. will develop skin cancer this year due to improper sun exposure.

Fortunately, there is indoor coverage for outdoor tennis, SmartShield™. It is a line of skin care products specially formulated for daily use by people over exposed to the sun. SmartShield™ products are sweatproof, non -oily, Dermatologist approved and won't affect your grip. They come in a display case personalized for your organization. Ordering and stocking is easy.

So, if a roof over your courts is not an option, try our umbrella plan. Call SmartShield™, 1.800.343. 1504.

It's like playing indoors.

Skin Research Labs, Inc. POBox 191091 Dallas, TX 75219 Approved product of the United States Professional Tennis Association Founding Member, Notional Coalition for Sun Safety, under the auspices of the American Academy of Dermatology.

us

'ttl!e accessor USPTA Good work chart

~lltiil

$ lt • l

~ ~

v'QH~fJ

'" ~

Name

Awards

'" US PTA ittttJ - -.... =:........,. :-:--:--ll .. HIS.

Item

Package description (all items are in fvll color)

Starter kit

Inst ructional program book

25.00

Nylo n banner

4 ft. by 4 ft.

40.00

Skill charts

6 charts per package

3.00

Stickers

600 stars per packag e

1.50

Name tags

84 tag s per packag e

4.50

Posters

1 poster

Quantity

Price

Total Amount

SEND ORDER TO: USPTA Gift Shoppe, One USPTA Centre 3535 Briarpark Drive, Houston, TX 77042 nL (713) 97-USPTA • FAX (713) 978-5096

0

PAYMENT METHOD:

VI SA

0

MASTERCARD

0

Jnte r national o rders mus t pay by Visa or Mas terCar d

N ame as it appe ars on credit card Crcdi 1 card No .

Exp . dau.

.50

SH IPP ING ADDRESS (N o P.O . boxes, p lease):

T a ttoos

Certificate

2

11

X

2

12 for 5.00 25 fo r 7 .50 50 fur 12 .50 I 00 fo r 20.00

11

Fcatu res Sampras and Graf

I

NO CH ARGE. Call U S PTA for d c1ails.

Add ress

ZIP

State Phone (art·a cud r.:)

McmOCr No.

Daytime phone (area cmk )

Sh ipping and handlin g: sec below

Total order

Du•i ncss

N amt.>

Subtotal Houston (MTA) residents add 8.2 5% t ax other Texas residents add 7.2 5% tax

0

Shipping and handling charges I. 2.

3.

Co ntig"uo us 4H U .S. Sl.atcs .

Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico am..l Cartalla l ntc rmu io n al o rtJc rs (via express mail o nly)

. add $4.95 co macroffi cc co macr offi cc

CHECK

USPTA Little Tennis merchandise

liJSPTA

Item

Package

Single

cost

price

Men's polo shirt (white, embroidered wnogo)

N/A

$32

Women's sleeveless polo (wh ite, embroidered wnogo)

N/A

$29

Ad ult cap (white, embroidered wnogo)

N/A

$10

Adu lt T-shirt (package of four/same size)

$25

$10

Child's 50/50 T-o hirt (package of four/same size)

$20

$8

Child's tank d ress (white) (package of fo ur/same size)

$34

$12

Socks - baby (12-18 mo.) (box of six)

$13.50

$3

Socks - chi ld's (5-6 1/,) (box of six)

$1 5. 60

$3.50

Socks- child's (6-7'/,) (box of six)

$15.60

$3.50

Socks - child's crew (7-9) (box of six)

$21 .60

$4.50

Socks - child's crew (9-11) (box of six)

$23.40

$4.75

Socks - child's anklet (7-9) (box of six)

$1 7.70

$3.75

Total amount

SEND ORDER TO: USPTA Gift Shoppe, One USPTA Centre 3535 Briarpark Drive, Houston,. TX 77042 TEL (713) 97-USPTA â&#x20AC;˘ FAX (713) 978-5096 PAYMENT METHOD:

D

V ISA

D

D

MASTERCARD

International orders must pay by Visa or MasterCard Name as it appears on credit card Credit card No.

Exp. date

Signature

D

SHIPPING ADDRESS (No P.O. boxes, please):

Business

D

Residence

Name

Address

City

Subtotal

ZIP

State

Phone (area code)

Children's sizing: (XS) (S) (M) (L)

small 3-year-o lds 3-4 years old 4-6 years old 7-10 years old

CHECK

Houston (MTA) res idents add 8.25% tax other Texas residents add 7.25% tax

Daytime phone (area code)

Member No.

Shipping and handling: see below

1--Total order

-t-- - ---1

Shipping and handling charges 1.

2.

Contiguous 48 U.S. states . . .

Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Canada . .

3.

International orders (via express mail only)

add $5.95 contact office contact office

Treat your feet to the new Wilsonâ&#x20AC;˘ Pro Staffâ&#x20AC;˘ CS 365. Not only w ill you get better cushioning. you'll get better lateral support and a beuer outsole guarantee ( 12-months) than any other tennis shoe out there. So put on a pair. And step on it

nlUIPU _ _ _6060 www.w1lsonsports.com . ,,,,,, , ,,,,, , 1800WJN

Officially and exclusivtlytndorSt"d byThtUSPTA.

Out wear your opponent.

Athco, Inc. is an authorized licensee of WJson Sporting Goods .

1-800-990-0000.

The Right Equipment M al~es The Difference'" The Right Equipment Makes the Differenct is a trademark and Wa nd WilsoH are registered trademarks of Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Cl 19!13 Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

(ounfdown fo (anton ~

lise tantUn for tareer development ancun. The relaxed lifestyle.

The ocean. The history.

People come to this Caribbean vacation spot for many different reasons, but USPTA members have a special one.

Career enhancement.

Over 40 seminars, two general sessions and eight Specialty Courses are planned so that USPTA professionals will have the opportunity to learn how to become better at what they do, get better jobs and make more money.

Former New England Patriot and four-time NFL AllPro Brian Holloway is this year's keynote speaker. His motivational speeches teach audiences how to unleash their full poten-

Holloway

tial, seize opportunity and overcome fear. He will hold a general session for convention attendees on Friday, Sept. I 9.

Peter Burwash, a USPTA Master Professional and president of Peter Burwash International, will also present a general session, scheduled Thursday, Sept. I 8. Burwash has written five

books, including Tennis for Life, Total Tennis and his most recent, Who Cares? A Wake-Up Call for Service and Leadership. He played tennis professionally on the international tennis circuit in the I 970s, winning I 9 singles and doubles titles.

Each Specialty Course is worth 2 credits in USPTA's Career Development Program and costs $25. A list of topics and a registration form will appear in a future issue of ADDvantage.

Members interested in taking the Certification Training Course or upgrading their classification must register

by Aug. I 5 by calling the US PTA Membership Department. The exam and CTC will be offered in portions over a six-day period. The CTC will cost $40.

Anyone interested in becoming certified must meet the requirements for membership before registering for the exam. Prospective members should have all requirements met in August.

Rc:f!lsfraflon People who register early for the annual conference will save money. The final deadline to register is Aug. 5, but those who sign up by July 15 will save $70 per person. The registration form

Registration begins Wilson welcoming party Peter Burwash- It's in the Computer

Saturday, Sept. I 3 Wednesday, Sept. I 7 Thursday, Sept. I 8

Awards Breakfast

Friday, Sept. I 9

General Session: Brian Holloway

Friday, Sept. I 9

USPTA International Tennis Buying Show reception

Friday, Sept. I 9

Penn reception and cookout

22 ADOvontoge/June 1997

Saturday, Sept. 20

is on page 24 and has detailed pricing information.

To receive discounts on hotel room rates, the official hotel reservation form on page 24 must be used. The deadline to reserve your room is Aug. I2. If you are interested in sharing a room, call the USPTA World Headquarters for a list of other interested members . All convention attendees must make their own room reservations. fb.o

(ountdown to (anton

,, Looking for the perfect day trip from Cancun? Try Xcaret , an eco -archaeological park toured as " nature's se paradise" and "Mother park." from Cancun' s ho can be reached by folksy, pink and purple buses that leave daily from a central location at 9 and 10 a.m.

Lush vegetation surrounds Xcaret, which has a lagoon and its own underground river that leads to a small cove with multicolored fish and friendly dolphins. Visitors can enjoy the transparent water by swimming through illuminated caves and caverns, or relax on the sheltered beach and rocky inlet. Inner tubes and water boards are available for children, and lifejackets are provided.

Snorkelers and scuba divers might spot endangered sea turtles that are kept in pools until they are large enough to be released. Snorkel and scuba equip-

rented on site, and experienced divers can enjoy the open water of the Caribbean along the reef rhar runs the length ofXcaret.

Land lovers might prefer to follow paths that wind through the jungle to a series of small Mayan temples. Xcaret was once a Mayan port and some archaeological vestiges still remain, including the Port of Pole. There is also a museum with scale models of the prin-

cipal ancient Mayan cities.

This natural paradise is endowed with a tropical aquarium, wild bird breeding aviary, butterfly farm, botanical garden, bat cave and wildlife corner. You can also take a horseback ride along the beach, but you should make your reservations early if you want to swim with the dolphins or ride horses .

At night, Xcaret' s jungle has been likened to a voyage through time, to an ancient land whose story is told through song and dance. The evening entertainment includes a Charro show with Mexican rodeo artists , mariachis, folklore ballet, tours through caves , and an authentically reproduced Mayan village, circa 1000 A.D. After a full day of activity or whenever hunger strikes, several of the park's restaurants serve snacks and a variety of authentic Mexican cuisine and seafood. A typical tour day lasts from 9 a.m. until 5 p .m . Children under 5 are free. ft;to

ADDvontoge/June 1997

23

, ---------------------------- - - ------------ ,

: 70TH IJSPTA WORLD (ONfEREN(E ON TENNIS (J\N(UN, I1EN1(0

SEPT. 14·22

Registration form This /o rm must be completed /or convention registration.

Save over $70 by registering before July 15.

USPTA member No. - - - - - - - - - Division _ _ _ _ _ __

Payment options

Name Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____

Make ch eck or money order payable to US PTA, or charge my

City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _

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D

ZIP _ _ __

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(W) L___)

Phone (H) ( _ } _ _ _ _ __

Friend 's name-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - T-sbitt sizes M L XL

S ignature

Checl~ applicable fees

I

Fee after July 15

Fee after Aug. 5

$255 $280 $140 $255

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$325 $350 $210 $325

D

Member

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Postmarked

by July 15

D

Visa

(Spouse/spouse equivalent must register to receive special package o/ pal'ties and products.)

Return this form with payment to: USPTA World H eadquarters One US PTA Centre 3535 Briarparl~ Drive H ou st on, TX 77042

$

HOTEL ROOH RESERVATION (Ibis torm musf be used lor reservafions) Tiis completed /arm must be received by Fiesta Americana no later than A ugust 12, 1997. The hotel will not accept reservatio n s over the phone.

S end to : Fiesta Americana Hotels 5950 Bersl>ire Lane, 9tl, F loor LB2 Dallas, TX 75225 Attn : Claudia Simpson (800) 343-782 1 (for information only) fax (214) 891-3158 (11ousing form)

Conference: WoJd Conference on Tennis Cancun, Mexico, Sept. 14-22 Location :

Arrival date:

Fiesta Americana Coral Beacb Cancun

Last name {print legibly)

Departure date: _ _ _ _______

Middl e initial

First name

Street State

Cit-y

ZIP

(Area code) Teleplwn e

Please indicate choice of accommodations. All rates are European plan (no mea ls included) .

Rates: Tie published room rates do not include a 10 percent D $ 140 - Fiesta Club Rooms D $99 - Single l1otel room VAT tax and 2 percent room tax. Tiird party in any $99 - Double hotel room D $ 145- Master Suites D room is $30 per day.

Please reserve ___ room(s) for ___ person(s).

Deposit:

D

Cbeck

D

Credit card :

AmEx

VISA

MC

Ca.rd No. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Exp. date - - - - - - - - - - - - Na me printed on card - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Autborization signature - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - General information • AU rese rvation requests mu st be received by A ugust 12, 1997 . Requests received after tbi s date, o r for dates o tl1e r than the main co nference period, will be accepted on a space-

ava;lable basis ouly.

•

Please include one night's room revenue as a deposit in the form of credit card num_ber

(with an expiration date valid through date of departure) or cl,ecb, which will bold your

Checl~-in time is after 3 p .m. - Checl~-out time is 1 p.m. arrival date, a charge eq ual to one night' s stay will apply. When canceling or cbangin g yo ur reservatio n in writin g, be su re to o btain a cancellation o r co nfirmation number.

The hotel will rna be every effort to honor requests in writing for specific types and locations of roo ms. H owever, o n occas ions when sucb requ es ts ca nnot be met, th e hotel reserves the ri gh t to provide alternate accommodations

room un-til midnigl,t of tbe day of arrivaL Make cbeck payable to : Fiesta A me ricana Cora l

INTERNAL USE ONLY

Beac/r.

Agent name

Cancellatio n notice of seven days is req LLired for a re-hmd. If you ca ncel witbin tluee days of

L ____________________ _

24 ADDvantage/June 1997

Date

Tinte

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

-1C~oJ~Ifu~·~n1~a;ti;on~N;o;.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;~J~VE;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;~l_ _jl

(ountdo n fo (antiin

tompefe tor prize money in tanc:Un

T

ropical ocean breezes will offer a welcome respite this year to members participating in the 1997 USPTA International Championships.

The tournament is sponsored by Wilson Racquet Sports. Set against the cool backdrop of Cancun, Mexico, players will compete for $30,000 in prize money from Sept. 14- 18.

P lay will be held at the host hotel, Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun, as well as several other satellite facilities on hard courts and Omni courts. Singles and doubles tournament action is planned for men and women in a variety of age categories. All rounds for an age division will be played on the same surface.

In addition, there will be a 1nixed do ubles with a combined age of75. Current USPTA members in good standing who preregister for the World Conference on Tennis are eligible to play. All membership requirements must be completed by June I 3 to allow for exam grading and application processing.

Unfortunately, due to ITF rules, USTA is unable to sanction the International Championships.

A registration form for the USPTA International Championships is on page 26. It must be returned to the World Headquarters by July 15.

Entry fees are $50 for singles and $20

per person for doubles.

There is no entry fee for the International Team C hampionships, scheduled Sept. 19-21. Each division may have one team, with each team consisting of two men's doubles, one women's doubles, one mixed doubles and one men's 3 5 doubles. The Team Championships will use an eight-game pro set

(no-ad scoring) with a tiebreak at seven games all.

Members should contact their divisions to participate in the International Team Championships The USPTA Pro Penn tennis ball is the official ball for each event.

For more information, contact the World Headquarters. ~ ADDvontoge/June 1997

25

19971JSPIA lnfernafional (hampionships Presented by

IDi&on. Racquet Sports

Whal: Singles and doubles competition, open and age categories

PI8Ytr/tYtal rttiU181101§: Each eligible player is limited to two events. An event is two players or teams competing. Men's open limited to a 128-draw. Events may use block seeding, depending on size and strength of draw.

WhtD: S()Jt 14·18. Starting times for first-round singles matches will be mailed Aug. l.

Whtrt: Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancillt and several satellite facilities

111Xtd dOUblts rult: Players may play regular doubles and mixed doubles.

Surla£t: Hard court and Omni-court. (All rounds for an age division will be played

ltnlanvc sl8rllnll !£htdulc: §()It 14

on tl1e san1e surface.)

Prlzt money: $30,000 -

Time TBA- start MOS, M35S. 5 p.m. - Sign up ends for all doubles.

number of entries affect distribution

IndiVIdual tOll')' ltts: $50/singles, $20/doubles. Tournament players musl register for the world Conference on Tennis SM; tournament and convention fees musl

S()Jt 15 9 a.m. - Start WOS, M40S, M45S. 3 p.m.- Start MOD, M35D, M40D, M45D, WOD.

be paid separately (see convention registration form, elsewhere in magazine).

Slndlts tnlry and Itt! dtadllnt, July 15. Doublts may r(Qislu al lournamml sue, pruqlslranon tn£ouralltd.

11al£h §(OriDII: Regular match scoring, two of three tiebreaker sets.

S()Jt 11 !I a.m.- Start remainder men's singles and women's singles.

RUits: USTA. 15-m.inute default rule in effect. Players allowed minimum hour

3 p.m.- Start remainder men's doubles and women's doubles.

5 p.m. - Start MXD .

rest between singles matches, 30 minutes between singles and doubles matches or two doubles matches .

This schedule may change as a draw increases. Players are advised t o arrive one day before first scheduled match.

Drtss (Odt: Proper tennis attire. No T -shlrts, tank tops or Capri tights.

Playu dllllbiiUY: Current US PTA members in good standing who preregister for World Conference on Tennis. All mtmbtr!hlp rtqulrtmmls musl bt £ompldtd bY Junt 13 lo allow lor gradlnQ exam and pro£tsslnd 8PPII£81101. US PTA will not be held

lournamtal §1811: Frank Kelly, tournament director; Kathy O 'Neal, Todd Ruedisili

respons ible by any individual or division if entry is not accepted due to not fulfilling requirements before, the 60-day deadline.

and Gary Scanlon, Tournament Committee.

• The exclusively endorsed ball of the USPTA

•

X Rankind Na1ne _______________________________________________________ Street _______________________________________________________ City_______________________________ State

ZIP ________

Phone Birthdate - - - - - -- - - - - SS No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ USPTANo. USTANo. _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Doubles partner _______________________________________________ Birthdate - - - - - - - - - - - SS No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

D D D D D D

ATP/WTA US PTA USTA sectional USTA national State W/L record

Attach past and present ranking information if needed.

Mixed doubles partner ----------------------------------------Birthdate - - - - - -- - - - - SS No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

I, , hereby release the United States Professional Tennis Association, its officers, directors and employees, including those of the USPTA divisions and tournament sponsors, from any and all liability for injury to me, including illness, resulting from my participation in the USPTA International Championships. I assume all risks inherent in my participation.

ftes Singles $ 50

$

Doubles $20/person

$

Total enclosed$

Enfry deadline

July 15 Date

Signature

l'faillhis c:nlry, alonll Wilh your paymc:nl, lo: USPT4 lnlc:malional £hampionships one: USPI4 £c:nlrc • 3535 Briarpark Drivr: • Houston, TN 77042

11 en's 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MOS M35S M40S M45S M50S M55S M60S M65S M70S M75S M80S M85S

0 0 0 0 0 0 D D 0 0 D 0

MOD M35D M40D M45D M50D M55D M60D M65D M70D M75D

MBOD M85D

women's 0 wos 0 W35S 0 W40S 0 W45S 0 W50S D W55S 0 W60S 0 W65S 0 W70S 0 W75S

D D D D 0 0 0 0 0 0 W ht:t:lchair 0 MOS 0 0 WOS 0

D

WOD W35D W40D W45D W50D W55D W60D W65D W70D W75D

MOD WOD

11 iXt:d doublc:s

Career Development This page lists numerous opportunities

Division conventions

for USPTA members to participate in

(5 points)

continuing education activities.

Division meetings/activities

June 5-8

Pacific Northwest Division Sunriver, Ore.

June 20-22

Hawaii Division Kahuku, Hawaii

(I / 2 point and up) June I 3-I 4 June I 3- I 5 June 20-22 July I2 July 30 Aug. 21-24 Sept. 26-28

California Division Huntington Beach, Calif Midwest Division Chillicothe, Ohio Midwest Division Spring Lake, Mich.

California Division Los Alamitos, Calif California Division Los Angeles, Calif Texas Division Austin, Texas Midwest Division Chillicothe, Ohio

Aug. I 5- I 7

Southern Division Hilton H ead Island, S.C.

Aug. 22-24

Northwest Division Breezy Point, Minn.

Club Tinnis Marketing, June 3 0 , New City, N.Y (4 hours), L. Karageanes

Bend, Ore.

lnd~stry

June 8-9 June II-12 June14-I5

Austin, Texas Dearborn, Mich.

Baltimore, Md. La Jolla, Calif Freeport, N .Y Grenelefe, Fla.

Sport Psychology , Aug. 22, Breezy Point, Minn. ( 4 hours), B. Young Competitive Doubles Patterns, Aug. 2 3, Austin, Texas (4 hours) , Tom Martin Competitive Singles Patterns, Aug. 24, Austin, Texas (4 hours), Tom Martin

Coaches Workshops (2 points each) Aug. I4

Eastern Division DeWitt, N.Y

Aug. 30

California Division Fullerton, Calif

The deadline ro register and/ or cancel a course is 15 working days before the event. Anyone cancel ing late or failing ro cancel will forfeit onehalf rhe course fee. This schedule is subject to change. Call the US PTA Membership Department for additio nal informacion or write via email to membership@uspra.org.

June 8

Chicago, Ill. , M. Campanile

June 8

Kansas City, Kan., N. Wtlker

July 27

Clearwater, Fla., K. Cashman

Aug. 9

Philadelphia, Pa. , D. Sunderlin

To re,~ ister for a workshop, orfo•· more information, m/1 Phyllis Zm-ro at (619) 481-3545.

Exams, upgrades &Certification Training Courses

Specialty Courses (2 points per four-hour course; 4 points per eight-hour course)

USRSA racquet service workshop (4 points)

June 22-23 July 5-6 July 12 July !2-13 July 12-13 JulyJ9-20

Greensboro, N Atlanta, Ga. Boca Raton, Fla. Aurora, Ill. (CTOonly) Flushing, N.Y Orlando, Fla. Birmingham, Ala. Fountain Valley, Calif McLean, Va.

Hamden, Conn.

Industry Hills, Cali£ Carmel, Calif

Aug. 14-15 Aug. 16-17 Aug. 16-.17 Aug. 22-24 Sept. 5-6 Sept. 6-7 Sept. 6-7 Sept. 6-7 Sept. 6-7 Sept. 7-8 Sept. IO- ll Sept. 13-14 Sept. 20-21 Oct. 3-5 Oct. 4-5 Ocr. 8-9 Oct. 9-II Oct. II-12 Oct. II-12 Oct. II-12 Oct. 12-13 Oct. 17-18 Oct. 19~20 Oct. 25-26 Oct. 25 -26 Ocr. 25-26

Bmksville, N.Y q1 Texas

kla. ~160inington, Minn.

S. Barrington, Ill. Louisville, Ky. Burbank, Calif Aurora, Ill.

·wi~hita, Kan. Gre~elefe, Fla. Freeport, N .Y Tucson, Ariz.

Fort Myers, Fla. Murrieta, Calif EastLansing, Mich. crarnento, Calif .on, Fla.

Boca Raton, Fla. Fort Worth, Texas

Exam reservations must be made ar least 21 days prior to che dares listed. Each date includes an exam, and CTC unless noted. Exam cancellations musr be received no lat~r than 14 days before the a cancellation fee will be accordingly. Affuiate members: late Sa.JlCellation fee - $75; - application feeJs Certified members: !are -. fee- $25; failure the upgrade. fe e be accepted are paid.

ADDvontoge/June 1997

27

USPTA book, video, audiocasseHe and review order form Send or fax order to USPTA Gift Shoppe, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Houston, Texas 77042.

For information, call

978-7782, fax

978-7780, or e-mail

Books

Reading a USPTA book, listening to an audiocassette or viewing a videotaped Specialty Course and completing the review is a convenient home-study method of obtaining your Career Development credits .

Each book and video review is eligible for 2 credits and the audiocassette for 1 credit. There is a $ 15 charge per review to cover processing. If only reviews are ordered, shipping charges do not apply.

Amount

Shipping & handling charges: 1 . Contiguous 48 states $4 first lb. plus $. 50 each additional lb.

2. Alaska , Hawaii, Puerto Rico

& Canada Price from grand total plus $1 0 second-day air or $ 15 next-da y ai r 3. Other countries $20 first lb. plus $6 each additiona l lb.

Subtotal 1

Videos

Video purchase Video rental Video deposit ($46.95 each) ($35 each) ($50 each)

No. of reviews {$15 each)

Amount

Competitive Doubles Patterns, Tom Marlin Incorporating System 5â&#x201E;˘ Into Lesso ns, George Bacso Sports Physio logy, Todd Ellenbecker, Paul Roeterl Strategy and Ta ctics, Sean Sloane Ten nis Business Management, Kurt Kamperman

Ship to: (p lease print clearly) No P. 0. boxes please.

Nam e ____________________________________________ Address---------------------------- Apt. No. _ _ __ City _______________________ State ZIP ____________ Daytime phone (include areo code) __________________________ USPTA member No. _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Method of payment Visa MasterCard Check International orders must pay by Visa or MasterCard.

Name as it appears on ca rd _____________________________ Credit card No. Exp. date _____ Signature ------------------------------------------

28 ADDvontoge/June 1997

Subtota l 2

L...---1

Subtotal 1 Subtotal 2 Houston (MTA) residents add 8.25% tax other Texas resi dents add 7.25% tax Shipping & handling (see above) Grand total

Win USPTA dues in Tennis magazine program for Association members

U

SPTA is excited about a beneficial new offer for its m embers from Tennis magazine. It's easy to participate, open to residents of both the United States and Canada, and it creates loyalty between teacher and student.

The Tenn is m agaz ine Gift Certificate Program consists of a pad of forms to

be handed out to yo u r players that entitle the recipient to one free trial issue of Tennis magazine, along with a discounted subscription . Best of all, it allows rhe pro the freedom to customize th e pro gram to his or her best interest. For example, the Te nnis n"lagaz ine gift certificates may be handed out at public or private lesson s, round rob ins , tourna-

m ents, social gatherings, grassroots programs, through the pro shop, or countless other ways. It 's yo ur ca ll.

As an added incentive, the pro who comes up with the best or most creative program receives one full year of paid USPTA m embership dues, compliments of Tennis m agazin e. So, go ahead and get involved. Give rhe gift of tennis. f!)o

TENNIS Magazine, in conjunction with the USPTA, has developed an exciting new program designed to help you become a more effective tennis professional. The TENNIS Magazine Gift Certificate Program is easy and flexible and can be tailored to meet your professional needs. Best of all, there's not an ounce of paperwork!

Focus your energies where they belong - on motivating people to love and play tennis. Let the program build your professional image and success!

Here's how the program works: Soon you'll receive a package of FREE TENNIS Magazine Gift Certificates, provided through special arrangement with the USPTA. Use them to involve players in any way you like. Here are just a few ideas: Tournaments: Award TENNIS Magazine Gift Certificates to your tournament participants. Surprise them in their goodie bags, or promote the Gift Certificates at sign-up time.

Lessons: To encourage players, from beginners to experts, offer TENNIS Magazine Gift Certificates when they sign up for lessons with you.

Pro shop visits: Draw traffic to your pro shop with the offer of a TENNIS Magazine Gift Certificate for all who visit-or just for those who buy.

FREE

USPTA Membership Dues awarded to the pro who develops the best program.

Oetails to follow.

Thank yon's: Thank your best customers, playing partners or friends with a no-occasion Gift Certificate to TENNIS Magazine. There's no better reason than "just because"!

TENUSPTA0197

US PTA Randy Mattingley, US PTA, has been named on-site manager and director of tennis at Houston Indoor Tennis Club. He was formerly director of tennis at the University Club in Houston .

John McEwing, US PTA, is now the m arketing and communications manager for Auckland Tennis, the largest tennis association in New Zealand.

Glen Howe, USPTA, has contracted with Hercules Countr-y Club in Wilmington, Del. , to build six clay

Howe

courts, an air structure and a larger tennis clubhouse.

Howe is the director of tennis at the club.

USPTA member Tom Gullikson and his late brother Tim were honored in April at Northern Illinois University' s Gullik-

son Event, a weekend tribute to the Hall of Famers. Mary Carillo of CBS-TV served as emcee.

The twins were the first recipients of the Gullikson Award, named in their honor.

Tennis Insights Inc. , founded

by USPTA Master Professional Michael Baldwin Sr., has been con tracted to operate three tennis learning centers in Palm Beach County, Fla. Baldwin is also president of the company.

Bill Humes, USPTA, organized a tennis demonstration at a local school in Princeton, N.J., for National Girls and Women in Sports Day that resulted in an article in the local newspaper. Humes is the girls tennis coach at Princeton High School.

in Hammacher-Schlemmer ' s competition for best new inventions.

Nathaniel Grover, son of USPTA member Jan Grover, won the Boys 12s in the Virginia State C hampions hip.

Brett Bothwell, USPTA, has invented a racquet whose strings can be made more taut or slack as needed.

His racquet was a finalist

USPTA Maste1路 hofessional Kim Dillard, alon,~ with USPTA pros Jag Gowda, Mitch Adler and Bert Poole, hosted a USTA A rea Training Cmter for students and coacl;es in Greensborou,~h, N.C., ncently. Top level juniors tnlined i1z such areas as mental toughness, biomechanics and strategy and tactics.

30 ADDvontoge/June1997

The US PTA Texas Divisiotz awarded outstanding members at its annual conference in Grapevine, Texas. From lift, Jonas Lundblad, Open Male Player of the Year; Gerry Maingot, Pro qf the Year; JoAnn Padgett, Excrutiw Directo1路 if the Texas Division; Tommy Connell, Senio1路i\-iale Player qf the ):tar; Sue Bramlette, Smio1路 Fi:male Player if the Year; and Randy Mattingley, Texas Proud Award.

Member projects

Jan Grover is trying to compile a historical brochure of all past and current Virginia State Champions. All the records for Virginia have been lost or destroyed. Please send any information you may have on adults and juniors to be included in this brochure. After all the information is compiled, the Virginia Tennis Association would like to have a reunion. If you know of anyone who has won a Virginia State Championship, please fax the information to (757) 539-1677 or e-mail it to

doclOs @aol.com.

USTA The USTA and the Corel WTA Tour have announced a year-long joint media training venture to strengthen players' communication skills and make them more comfortable working with the media. The workshops will be held at three selected events throughout the year.

The Frank Veltri Tennis Center at Plantation (Fla.) Central Park was honored as the USTA Organization of the Year.

It is the first facility to win the award by unanimous vote of the USTA selection committee.

Barbara Williams , the first woman to serve on the USTA board of directors, received the Samuel Hardy Award at the International Tennis Hall of

Fame Luncheon. The award recognizes those who personify lifelong dedication to volunteerism for the growth of renms.

The Wilson Hammer 6.2 Stretch was selected as the highest-rated racquet in I 996 by Tennis Industry magazme.

Miscellaneous Manufacturers Penn was the official ball for the I 997 Family Circle Magazine Cup. In commemoration of the event's 25'h anniversary; Penn produced a special ball for tournament play with the Cup's anniversary logo.

Penn appointed Jackie Kirkwood as district sales manager for Nprth Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Southern Virginia.

J ohan and Peter Krick took rime out from the Nuveen Masters at Kensington Country Club in Naples, Fla. , to visit with Dave Meharg from ISP Original Fast Dry. Johan was a doubles finalist at the Nuveen Masters and Peter was in charge of maintaining the ISP/ HydroGrid stadium court.

ISP was a sponsor of this event, and ISP Original Fast Dry is the official surface of the Nuveen Masters.

In the first two tournaments she played after switching to the Wilson Hammer 6.2 Stretch tennis racquet, Lindsay Davenport won the singles title at the IGA Tennis Classic and both the singles and doubles titles at the State Farm Evert Cup.

The RCA Championships has been selected Championship Series "Tournament of the Year" by the players of the ATP Tour for the ninth consecutive year. The RCA Championships is the only tournament to win this award since its inception in I988.

The ATP Tour has announced the formation of a Junior Tennis Academy, a new partnership with schools to give students access to a tennis training program at the ATP Tour complex. Mike Newell, the ATP Tour head professional, is a member of US PTA. Tom Van De Hey, US PTA, and his wife recently celebrated their 25 'h wedding anniversary in Jamaica while taking advantage of a work/ vacation opportunity with Sunshine Tennis. For two hours of daily teaching, tennis professionals and their guesr (s) can enjoy one or two weeks at a world-class Jamaican resort for a minimal fee and the cost of air fare.

All stays include accommodations and meals.

For more information, call Andrea Perelman at (809) 974- I246.

WANTED: YOUR USPTA LITTLE TENNIS TIPS AND UPDATES If you are running a USPTA Little TennisTM program. or work with young children. we want to know about it. And. we want to share it with the rest of the USPT A membership.

Please send your Little TennisTMtips and drills. along with reports of special events or programs you may be running. to the USPTA Sports Marketing Department or ADDvlUltage magazine.

(LASSIFIEDS AUDIO CASSETTES FREE SAMPLE CASSETTE. Call (800) 75 2-7673. "Coach Tennis America" Audio-Magazine produced by US PTA M aster Profe ssional Joe Dinoffer. H ea r highlights of hundred s of coaches workshops in the U .S. and Europe. Stay on the cutting edge!

Save time and money.

BUSINESS PROGRAMS Net Profit: The Business Program for Club Tennis Professionals by Dave Sivertson. 400 pages- guaranteed to make profess ionals more productive and profitable. Approved for US PTA Career Development points.$ 195 . Call (5 12) 261-7775.

DRILLS The Private Lesson Drill Book.

50 different drills for one-on- one situations. FREE sample. Call to leave address, (800) 569-4661.

Do you want new and exciting clinic formats and drills every week for the next 50 weeks?

FREE sample. Call to leave address, (800) 569-4661.

EMPLOYMENT HOW TO GET A BETTER JOB Bob Larson's magazine, TENNIS EMPLOYMENT, lists almost 100 jobs every month. Current issue $10. Bob Larson, P.O. Box 24 379-H, Edina, MN 55424.

"Come to Jamaica and Feel All Right" One- and two -week work/ vacation for you and your guest.

Contact Andrea Perelman at Sunshine Tennis in Jamaica. Tel (809) 974-1246, fax (809) 974-5 9 12.

EVENT PACKAGES Looking for a great event ? Complete JAI ALAI TENNIS event package available for $ 149. Jerseys, print masters , detailed instructions and more. Great charity or club event. Jim Vidamour, P.O. Box 290715 , Daytona Beach, FL 32129. Email: tiebreaker@aol.com. (904) 7568028.

TENNIS PRODUCTS EASY TENNIS LADDER: Attractive, light-we ight, screenprinted customized ladder. 28" x 22 1/ 2" x I/ 8". Eight columns of numbers I -20. Velc ro nametags , self-adhesive computer labels. Call for free brochure. (8 16) 7 5332 53.

Rates: $30 for 20 words, minimum per

issue. 50 cents pe r wo rd thereafter. Pay by check, money order, Visa or MasterCard.

Prepayment is required. Supply typed copy and include full name, telephone number, credit card number and expiration date. (No agency

or cosh discounts.)

Issue doses 15th of month , two months preceding cover date. Fax to (713) 978-7780, attn: ADDvontoge dassifieds. No clossifieds will be accepted by telephone. No exceptions are made.

USPTA cannot verify nor be responsible for the contents of any advertisement. It reseNes the right to reied any advertisement of its discretion.

ADDvontoge/June 1997

31

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