Addvantage 1999 February

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ADDvan

the magazloe fo' men and women "'nnl s-teachl ng p: tsf . ! s

the total professional - enhancing your career

departments

1 0 Ask the professor - Use caution if teaching open stance to beginners

3 CEO 's message

5 Vice president's message

by Jack Groppel, Ph.D., USPTA - When open stance is taught from the beginning, it's hard for th e new p layer to learn how forward momentum can be used to make the game easier.

20 Little Tennis talk 33 Career development

35 Industry action

11 A can't-miss ktd

by Rick Macci, USPTA - Macci explains

th~ specific training format he has used over

the years to train p hen omenal players.

36 Classifieds

news

16 Warning: Are you strength training your students for success?

4 USPTA seeks nominations for national board

by Sam Hirschberg, USPTA - Peak strength fitness is the universal requirement among all elite tennis players and high-level athletes.

4 USPTA members get special rates on bank card servtces

24 Want ·it. Believe it. Make it bappen.

6 The Super Show®/99:

by Marilyn King - Increase local, regional, national and global participation in tennis with Olympian Thinking TM. King was the keynote speaker at the I 998 US PTA World Conference on Tennis.

Buyers' guide to wide world of sports products

8 A few words with George Bush ...

34 Instructor category paves way to professional ranking New category allows aspirin g professionals with little or no teaching experience to become USPTA members.

34 Career Development program builds respect for USPTA pros in marketplace

30 Tencap study suggests ability ratings could keep more juniors in the game

On the cover ... US PTA members George Bush and Chris Evert give "thumbs up" at the 1998 Chris Evert/ TYCO Internationa l Ltd. Pro-Celebrity Tent~is Classic. Photo© 1998 Alese & Morton Pechter.

·ADDvontoge magazine editorial offices

Editor Managing editor

Showna Riley Julie Myers

Houston, TX 77042

Circulation

Kathy Buchanan

Phone - (713) 978-7782

Advertising

Diane Richbourg

(800) USPTA-4U Fax - (713) 978-7780 e-mail - magozine@uspta.org

32 USPTA welcomes new members

volume 23 • issue 2

r One USPTA Centre, 3535 Briarpork Drive

21 New ad campaign urges players to "Get better, faster" through l!SPTA pros

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

ADDvontoge is publ ished monthly by the United States Professiona l Tennis Association.

The opi nio ns expressed in ADDvontoge ore those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvontoge or the US PTA Copyrig ht© United States Professiona l Tennis Association, Inc. 1999. Al l rights reserved .

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

ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

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Competition prepares pl~yers for the vvorld beyond s-p orts

I

've played tennis since the age of 3, and I am proud to admit competition was and is a natural part of my personality. I've always viewed the concept of competition as an intrinsic part of human nature - something as basic as the fight and flight mechanisms that have ensured our very survival.

Most of us consider high school, college and professional sports a "normal" .outlet for competition. Whether it's football, baseball, basketball or tennis , we' re used to cheering for our favorite players to win a particular contest of athletic ability and determination. But, mention the word competition in other se~tings , including children's sports , and you' re likely to get a few nasty looks .

Through several experiences, I've developed a deep appreciation for what competition can do for individuals, and I'm afraid that society is losing sight of the very positive role it can play in our lives and those of our children.

Although there were many earlier examples , one of the most important lessons I learned about the value of competition came courtesy of my college tennis coach. In 19 59, I, along with a cast of young international players, was recruited by Lamar Tech (now Lamar University), a small college in Beaumont, Texas . By the end of m y junior year, our ream had accumulated 86 consecutive wins - the three most notable being against USC, UCLA and Stanford University. These three colleges generally alternated winning the NCAA championships.

We were ranked the No. I team in the world in a World Tennis magazine poll. Although my coach was happy wit h his team's winning recor~, he was proudest of his former team members ' acco,mplishments off the tennis court and would often brag about one or more of them who had achieved na- , rional .or world prominence in various fields of business. He attributed much of hi former stu dents' successes to their competitive nature and their ability to deal with people as both partners and opponents on the tennis court.

Another notable lesson in competition came a few yea rs later, when I first became a teaching pro

and agreed to coach a squad of four competitive junior players. Prior to traveling to our first series of tournan1ents, I held a ream meeting and a father of one of the boys approached me and said he never again wanted to hear the word "champion" used in a conversation with his child. H e said he simply didn' t believe in pressuring his child with such competitive expectations.

Thinking back, I should have told the boy's father that under the conditions his child did not belong on the competitive traveling squad. In subsequent years, he was always a bit of a problem in my program. Today, at age 40, he still doesn't have a job.

The other three team members were always highly competitive, and the same competitive spirit was no doubt part of the foundation upon which they achieved their future success. One of them is now a heart surgeon, one of them has become a ¡ multimillionaire in a communicatio ns capacity and still another owns a major multimedia production company.

Among others, these two lessons proved to me char competition isn't a dirty word . Competition in one form or another is responsible for our country's success in business , our political system and the social values and standards we set for others and ourselves.

There will always be people who are opposed to the general concept of competition for competition's sake, including parents who do not want to pressure their young children into winning at all costs. There is , however, a difference between pressuring a child to be competitive and allowing a child to use his or her natural competitive instincts.

It worries me that_there are several movements afoot aimed at trying to remove competition from yout h sports.

Take for example, a story out of Boston that was published in the Houston Chronicle last summer.

It explained that the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association had instituted "nonres ult oriented competition" for all tournaments for children I 0

Tim Heckler

Competition in one form or another is responsible for our country )s success tn business)_our political system and the social values and standards we set for others and ourselves.

see CEO, page 4 ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

J

CEO from page]

and under and were considering the sam e rules for I2-year-olds. This means no keeping score, no awards ceremony and no winn ers for tournaments ... " According to the article, the soccer association felt the new rules were need ed so " there will b e no losers , and none of the bad feelings that can come with defeat. " The association' s registrar continued by saying, "We're trying to take away that 'You've-gotta-win- the-trophy' feeling. " You show me a 6-year-old who doesn't know if he or she has won or lost a game at the most basic recreational level , and I will be very, very surprised . This fact alone is why soccer will never make it as an adult competitive sport in th e United States. Removi ng the scoring and other competitive as pects of the recreational game will not allow the s'port to becom e entrenched in the public's mind as an exciting and challenging activity.

On another front , some parents are more worried that their children may not make the cut for the No. I team. Instead of allowing their children to play at the next lower level, they would rather take the competitive aspect out of the sport altogether and make all children play at the sa me level, regardless of their skills .

This sort of thinking is scary! Not only are these modifications to children's sports removing competition from games such as soccer, but th ey are also setting a trend that promotes the equalization of all children in many other areas , including academic settings, without consideration of their individual talents and abilities . This is a little too close to socialism for me.

Over the yea rs, tennis has had its own debate on the pros and cons of competition for y~ung playe rs . A few years bac k, USTA dropped its national competition for 12-year- olds. Today, American tennis is desperately looking for 18-yearolds tha t are capable of making it into the world's Top IOO. The problem is that toda y' s I 8-yea r- olds lost two valuable

years of national competition. It is quite conceivable that they simply did not get the competitive training early enough to be able to now challenge players from other countries that train t heir athletes to compete at a very young age.

Alt hough too late, having recognized the problem, USTA has reinstituted the I2s competition.

As tennis begins to rebuild the ranks of yo ung competitors, it's important that we look at the total tennis picture from the low-level recreational player to the world-class competitor. While recreational tennis should be fun , it should provide enough competition to allow us to recognize those youngsters who have the potential to compete on a national and international level.

Individualism and competition still i-s the driving force behind what makes o ur country great. To successfully compete is the American dream, whether it's in the sports are na or in the boardroom, American tennis and other sports can benefit from this lesson. ~

US PTA seeks nominations for national board

USPTA members get special rates on bank card services

The National Nominating Committee is accepting applications from members who are interested and available to serve on the national US PTA Board of Directors for 1999-2000.

Applicants must submit a resume and a 250- to 500-word essay outlining their opinions on the goals and directions ofUSPTA. These materials should be postmarked no later than Feb. I 5, and sent to:

USPTA is happy to announce a new Association benefit for all of its members whose businesses use bank card pro cessors.

USPTA has formed a partnership wit h Special Service S ys tems Inc. to provide complete bank card services at special rates to USPTA members. SSSI provides customized terminal management services for point of sale sys tems , including payment systems for credit, debit, cas h and checks. One notable feature of the service is a base discount rate on Visa and MasterCard transactions of 1.88 p ercent.

SSSI, bas ed in Tu lsa, Okla. , provides bank card services through First of Omaha Merchant Processing, a wholly owned subsidiary of First National Bank of Omaha.

"S p ecial Service Systems offers a

Mark Fairchilds 200 Norwegian Ave. Modesto, CA 95350

4 ADOvontoge/februory 1999

complete point of purchase package, so we can be a single source of service," said Allen Ledbetter, SSSI liaison to USPTA .

"We're excited to be able to offer this program to USPTA members ."

For more information about the SSSI program, please call Ledbetter at (9 I 8) 595-5236.

Editor's note: In the October/ November issue of ADDvantage, US PTA Master Professional Jim Krimbill was mistaken ly identified as the acting managing director of the Midland Community Tennis Center in Midland, Mich. USPTA professional Brett Hobden is the tennis center ' s managing director. Krimbill is the director of tournaments , events and activities and the Dow Corning!USTA Challenger.

A V-iÂŁe president's messflge-----r usptao

v

Cha.l lenge-.based compet_itio,.

W

hat is competition and at what age is it appropriate for children? The question of competition in youth tennis has been argued for decades. Proponents have extolled its benefits while others have feared short-term stress and long-term burn out. Is there one correct point of view or one age at which competition becomes beneficial?

Philosophically, either position can be effectively argued. Examples can be given that support and encourage competition while other exarpples could be cited that share the perceived devastation that comes from losing while experiencing the pressure to win.

If we were to observe children at play, unattended by adults, we would find that in many inst~nces , they have created a competitive environment on

ments for players I 0 years and younger, and is considering extending the practice to I2-yearolds . Apparently no scores are kept.

Unfortunately, results are the end product of participation. Whether against ourselves, a single opponent or a group of opponents, there is no hiding the res ults of any participation or competition from those who participate.

Whether it's soccer, spelling, tennis or hide-and-go-seek, participants know if they won or lost, finished first or last, enjoyed the victory or were disappointed in defeat. Since competition is a natural process and part of participation, what then is its purpose? The answer is challenge.

This principle of challen ge is consistent with how our bodies work. The purpose of exercise is to challenge the body's system s. That challenge makes them stronger. Without that challenge, those body systems weaken. On the graph below, we have two components that illustrate the phenomenon just described. The first component is challenge, while the second component is knowledge or ability.

David 1 Porter, Ed.D.

their own. We would find them at recess playing and competing for marbles, for pogs, in dodge ball, kickball, soccer, chaseymaster or basketball. We would find them after school competing in street hockey, football, skateboarding, Ninrendo or here in Hawaii, boogie-boarding.

We might even look into their elementary school classrooms and observe them competing in math, spelling, reading comprehension or art. Competition begins early as winners, whether the first student to finish or the student with the most correct answers, are rewarded by leading the class to recess or lunch.

Spelling bee champions are crowned for eac h classroom beginning in the first grade and competition continues from the classroom to the entire school grade, t h rough district, region and statewide tournaments. In selected age groups, even nationally televised competitions are held with one grand champion.

There are similar competitions in hi story, geography, math and science. Chi ldre n compete for , grades,_for positions in plays and on teams, and for attention from parents or friends . C6mpetition is an unavoidable part of our society.

In spite of this , there is a move on today to eliminate or minimize competition in yo uth. The Houston Chronicle 0 une 3, I 998) reported that the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association has adopted a

NATIONAL BOARD

"nonresult-oriented con1petttton" in all tourna-

see Challenge, page 27

OF DIRECTORS President

W ill Hoog

First Vice President

Joseph Thompson Harry Gilbert Mark McMahon David T. Porter Ron Woods

Vice Presidents

Secretary-treasurer Townsend Gilbert

Post President

Kurt Kompermon

WORLD HEADQUARTERS

Tim Heckler

CEO

Rich Fanning

Diredor

of Operations Executive Assistant

Marty Bostrom

Showno Riley

Director of

Communications Communications/ Divisional Liaison

Courtenay Dreves

Communications

Jill H. Phipps

Publications Coordinator

Don Saine

Marketing Coordinator

Diane Richbourg

Director of Career Development

Jim Peavy

Educational Administrator

Thelma Holmes

Career Mathew Thompson Development Assistant

Webmaster/ Carporate Corporate Services Secretory Computer Services/ Club Relations

9 8

Kathy Buchanon

Renee Heckler Theresa Weatherford

Insurance/ Merchandise Services

improvement

Kendra Garcia

Vicky Tristan

Financial Manager Controller

Growth and/or

Christi Call

Services Manager

Membership/ Education

10

Julie Myers

Public Relations Coordinator

Merchandise Services

Ellen Schmidt

Susan Wright-Broughton

7 LEGAL COUNSEL

6

Attorney-at-law

Paul Waldman

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For information, write

No challenge =no growth

~------------------------------

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 KNOWLEDGE or ABILITY

2 Chal lenge and 2 Knowledge or abi lity

8

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= Comfort zone

Increased challenge. increased knowledge or ability

the World Headquarters US PTA One USPTA Centre 3535 Briarpark Drive Houston, TX 77042 Phone (7 13) 97 -USPTA (BOO) USPTA-4U Fax (713) 978-7780 e-mail- uspta@ uspta.org Internet- www.uspto.org Office hours: 8:30a.m. - 5 p.m.

Central time

ADDvontoge/februory 1999

5

The Super Sho1n1®/99: Buyers' guide to 1n1ide 1n1orld of sport~ products

C

elebrate Valentine's Day early, and then head out to Atlanra, Feb. 12-15, for The Super Show®/99. The Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Dome and The Pavilion will be the sites for the 19 different shows this year.

The show hours are:

Friday, Feb. 12 9 a.m . ~6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 13 9 a . m.~6 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 14 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 15 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

• The Golf Show • The Imprint and Apparel Show • The In-Line Skating Show • The International Show • The Licensed Sports Show • The Outdoor Sports Show • The Marine and Wat er Sports Show • The New Products Show • The Sports Nutrition and Health Show • The Team Sports Show

The SGMA industry breakfast will be Feb. 13 at 7 :30a.m. in the Omni Hotel Ballraom.

More than 3,000 manufacturers of sports products will exhibit their merchandise to buyers from all over the world.

Approximately 100,000 attend- · ees will view more than 10,000 booths t hat occupy 2.4 million square feet of floor space.

Sports celebrities , business seminars, fashion shows and demonstrations will be featured.

Exhibitors will be grouped into 19 differenr shows: • The Activewear Show • The Bowling, Billiards and Darts Show • The Cycle Show • The Fitness Show • The Footwear Show

6 ADDvontoge/februory 1999

.-

• The Tennis Show • The Trading C a rds and Collectible Products Show • The Trophies and Awards Show • The WinterWear Show

Visitors ca n find the USPTA at booths in the tennis show and East Concourse, Level 2. A floor plan for Th e Super Show is on th e next page.

The Super Show is op en only to qualified buyers. For more information about The Supe r Show/ 99 call ( 404) 223-4000.

USPTA is sponsoring several popular Specialty Courses prior to The Super Show/ 99. Each course is four hours in length and is worth 2 USPTA Career Development credits . The speake rs are USPTA memb ers Bill Tym , Kim Dillard and Townsend Gilbert. See the January issue of ADDvantage for more information on the courses .

Courses cost $30 for members and $ 3 5 for nonmembers .

It is highly recommended that you register early, as sp; ce is limited. The registration fee includes a pass to The Super Show.

To register or for more information , contact the US PTA Career Development department. Registration will be accepted at the door. 'Pe

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Afew words with George Bush

• • •

USPTA honorary m ember George Bush was recently interviewed by D ave Kozlowski, US PTA Master Professional, for the Florida Tennis Tal·k Show, aired on the Sunshine Network. Bush was in Florida to p articipate in the I 998 Chris Evert/ TYCO International Ltd. Pro-Celebrity Tennis C lassic. The following is an excerpt from the interview.

D.K.: You have given so much to the game that the USPTA has made yo u an honorary m ember. What has the game given yo u?

G.B.: Well, it 's given me a wonderful sense of competition. It teaches George Bush

yo u a lo r about the joys of victory and how to take a defea t. I have had plenty of experience in that. But yo u know the professional tennis teachers are a wonderf ul gro up. They do a lot to teach yo ung p eople. It's a growing sport again. More and more people are in it. So of course when they (USPTA) took m e in as an honorary member, they were scraping the bottom of the barrel - except for the enthu sias m I have.

D.K.: Don' t yo u believe that at all.

G.B.: Certainly I was honored.

D.K.: Well , let's talk about yo ur enthusiasm for the game. There are a lot of deals which have been closed on the golf course. Have you closed any on the tennis court?

G.B.: No, not in th e middle of a game, because you 're movi ng so much.

George Bush "test swings" his new 1'acquei, a pmen tjrom USPTA CEO Tim Heckler- (r) and USPTA Texas Division President Paul Cln-istian (ct1).

8 ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

Golf, as yo u know, I love golf You walk up to each hole and yo u get a lot of conversation. But here (on the tennis court) it's dog ea t dog. Especially if yo u're playing with C hrissie Evert. Slow down a little and she gives yo u a big kick and yo u get going a gam.

Come Along.

- A great big world is.. out there waiting for you, eager to share new experiences and opportunities. When you 're ready to go, we're ready to go to the ends of the earth for you.

Call your Travel Agent, of American -at 1-800-433-7300, or visit us on the web at www.aa.com

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ABK THE PROFEBBOR

JACK GROPPEb, PH.D.

Use caution if teaching open stance to beginners In the September I 998 u DZT, the German tennis rna azine, 220 top professionals were studied and the following was observed: • 90 percent of all forehands were hit with an open stance • 40 percent of all two-handed backhands were hit with an open stance • 45 percen t of all one-handed backhands were hit with an open stance • roo percent of all students use rotation, and the linear momentum in each shot was minimal Please comment on these results and their ramifications to teaching tennis. Should everyone begin hitring open-stance strokes now? · J.1S

Jack G1·oppel, Ph.D., is the executive vice president of LGE Performance Systems. He is an i1istmction editor for Tennis magazine, and is the au.thor of High-Tech Tennis and coauthor of The Science of Coaching Tennis. Groppel is a USPTA Master Professional and was named 1987 USPTA P!·ofessional of tile Yea~

J0 ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

There are several things ust be said about such a study. First, I must ass ume that the scientific method used to evaluate the strokes was adequate and that no problems occurred that would affect the validity or the reliability of the data.

Given that, data do not lie.

There is no question that th e open stance has been used more and more over the las t several years. And by all indications, iris here to stay. The utilization of an open stance enables a pretension to occur in the rotary muscles of the trunk and also allows for a greater degree of rotation.

It doesn' t surprise me at all that so man y forehands at the world-class level are hit with an open stance ; the same is true fo r an open - stance two-h a nd e d backhand. As the body rotates

At the top level, open-stance strokes enable players to strike the ball effectively.

back ward prepanng for the stroke, the arm controlling the racquet is directed away from the net. In addition, there is little question that th e footwork required to hit with an open stance · is not as demanding as when a player constantly tries to set up to hit with a square stance.

At the world -cl ass level, a player lea rns to adequately get in position , set up properly, rotate the bod y in preparation and then strike the ball effectively. This even allows the great player to recover back toward the center of the baseline without stepping out, catching him or herself and then pushing off to accelerate back in to court.

As for the open-stance onehanded backhand, this rakes a litde more coordination. The racquet arm is actually closer to the net. Therefure, when an athlete uses the open-stance one-handed backhand, there exists the poten-

rial for tremendous rotary stress on the lower back. Again, at the world-class level, there would likely be adequate strength and fl ex ibility to perform such a movement at high velocities.

From my perspective, the biggest caveat now presents itselfteaching the open-stance stroke.

Let me begin by saying that openstance strokes are excellent as far as mechanically enabling the player to strike the ball effectively.

However, world-class playe·rs understand their games and thei r bodies extremely well. They are totally in touch with what they can do and what they cannot do.

As a player develops, I see absolutely nothing wrong with develo ping open-stance strokes .

Where I feel mistakes are made is when op en -stance strokes are taught from the beginning and the player never learns how forward momentum can be used to make the game easier. As long as players understand how forward rn..ovement can facilitate their game, I have no problem with open-stance strokes . However, when players begin hitting with an open stance du e to laziness or a lack of knowledge of how to use great footwork to position themselves, I see a major problem in development.

To summarize, data such as these are always very interesting.

Data, in themselves, however, do not mean that is how everything must be done. We always need to study, find new answe rs and then ask more questions. Then, we will truly begin to understand the developing player. 'f>o

ince I985, I have been expect more from themselves very fortunate to have not because they have played and just young, talented athpracticed since they were I 0 letes attend the academy, but a years old. few with terrific genes and lots Jennifer Capriati used to exof God-given, innate abilities. change groundies on a regular Champions are born, not made. basis with heavy top-spin hitting It is a combination of having with Will Bull, former No. I gifts and eventually being in the ranked junior in the country. hands of the right people who When Capriati saw Gabriela can enhance and coax those Sabatini' s heavy topspin, which qualities to a world-class level. gave lots of players fits, to JenCoaching is an art. A coach nifer it seemed like no big deal. must possess long-term vision, Why? At a younger age she saw passion and drive. Coaching a a bigger ball, a heavy ball and phenomenon is much more than had to go forward and take it motivation, strategy and techearly. Otherwise, the ball would nique. dominate her and she would Below is the specific trainmiss or deliver a short reply. The ing format I've used over the . message? To be big, you've got years in training players who to think big and train big. With have superstar potential. age, size, strength and confidence the player will mentally (jl:'e.>undi~s and physically grow into makOn a regular basis , say five ing the shot because he or she days a week, we do a minimum has been making the right moves of two to three hours on authorwith the right intention all itative solid strokes on both along. sides. Personally, I have always preferred a cleaner stroke that ll~turn e.> t s~ee.>nd s~N~ has more long- term upside as a Attack, attack, ¡ attack and weapon . Great solid groundattack. Stand 2 to 4 feet inside strokes with early preparation, the baseline. It might be the especially in the women's game, shortest ball in the rally, with are a must. Staying near the speeds of 50 to So mph, with baseline, looking to dictate and very little variety. Train tliem to control the show, is how I try to go after it down the line and indevelop players at a young age. side out. Crosscourt is easy, so Positive aggressive errors are practice the most difficult apvery common. Courage, forproach and it becomes second wardness and no fear are traits nature. Most players hit a minthat can be developed. You've imum of I 00 returns a day. got to look long term, not at the moment. I believe most top-level Vd~~)'S This is without a doubt the players should hit daily with a toughest. sale in junior tennis. pro who could play at at least a 300-world ranking. A more solAll players can volley, but only id, more aggressive reply back to a few can ever play_the net. This the student, day in and day out, is key. It is important for a player enhances development quicker to learn the moves at a young age and always look to sneak in. and forces a player to dig deepThis is the most available oper and push himself mentally tion to all players. Thrs is a and physically. mindset you have to develop at When players reach the pro level, they have seen it all and a young age because most girls

12 ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

Fourteen-year-old Monique Viele will be America's newest and brightest tennis star.

on the tour really don't want to volley and if they do, it isn't second nature. The key is developing a package as a coach, and not letting yourself fall in love with those laser groundstrokes. Let's add more glue and stability and stick in the sneak volley.

A phenom hits hundre-ds of balls, terminating or carving the floating volley every day. Notice I said floater, not standing 3 feet from the net and doing the vanilla volley. While that is all right, for the big picture players need repetitions in transition from baseline to net.

There are two players at the academy right now who have a shot at No. I someday: I4-yearold Monique Viele and an IIyear-old Russian, Katia Afino genova. Monique is no longer playing juniors and may be the most talented overall player I

have coached. S h e possesses great raw speed like Venus, as well as long strides, she serves 115 mph already, her groundies are ea rl y, and ¡s he's aggressive and positive . Monique will be a Grand Slam champion before it is all said and done. I look forward to fine- tu ning and polishing all the subtle aspects it takes to stabilize her game and make it concrete in all areas. She will be America's newest and brightes t star, even if t he age eligibility rules limit her play from developing on tour.

Young Karia is still small but plays big. H er courage and volley capabilities are alread y as good as 90 percent of the players on tour. Her genes are good, with her mother being seven tin<e wo rld champion in the 800 meters and her brother, a 17"year- old th ird- round draft

choice by the Buffalo Sabres.

She is the ultimate athlete as far as hand and eye coordination , running, jumping and balance.

My job is to d evelop weap ons and use and train that speed offensively, not defensively. Karia came to me i~ January 1998 and started playing-tournaments in November. T his past yea r she

Dealing with the parents of phenoms can be tougher than the actual coaching. Because these young champions ¡venture into uncharted waters, the parents are really driven . Behind most phenoms, however, is a parent who really cares . ¡ Maybe the parent had an athletic past on a collegiate, pro or Olympic level. Sometimes the paren t is living through dreams for his or her children to the point that the balance in the youngster's life can become shaky. As a coach , you have to be buffer, diplomat, politician and parental figure just to keep everything somewhat normal.

In my relationship with Stefano Capriati and his lovely daughter Jennifer, I dove in headfirst on and off the court. He was a great dad to both his kids . There is no doubt he was driven to excel, but he was a superb dad first. I respected that , so I could handle any of his involvement in the coaching or training of Jennifer.

A coach's job is to work with parents, not against them . This mindset takes a lot of patience and it is not always easy. Remember, the parent has control of all the buttons. You are merely the coach.

My relationship with Tommy Ho, the most dominant junior ever in the history of the game, was very special. His pa rents were not too much involved and he was like a son to me. It seems like yesterday that he was crushing all players in his way.

The Williams situation from 1991-1995 was by far the most complex. No tournaments, lots of hype, lots of jealousy _from other junior-tennis parents, the race card , and a controversial father to top it off. But to me, the bottom line was that Serena and Venus were my family.

Rick and Bernadette Viele, Monique's parents, are easily the most knowledgeable and easygoing parents of them all . Both were proven high-lev.el athletes during their time- that alone makes my job easier. Most of all, however, they have a great, balanced relationship and chemis.try with Monique.

All that should matter to the coach is that students are improving and working hard to be No. 1. . Phenoms have that in their future if all areas are co~structed properly and a strong mindset is maintained each and every day.

trained six hours a day and has made gri p changes , footwo rk modifications and most of all, a mindset change. What I like most abo ut this little Russian rocket is that she loves to compete and kick butt.

Pheno ms wo uld b e goo d players no matter where or wit h whom they trained. But good is a far cry from great and great is a big step from awesom e. My job is to make it happen sooner, and with the substance and glue to stay there. There is a big difference between No. 50 in the wo rld and 30, 20, 10, 5 and I. D eveloping talent at a yo ung age and having the vision to see it before it explodes at 19 or 20 is the key. This is coaching and teaching. This is what a real pt ofessional has to see, feel and deliver. This is what a can' t-miss kid deserves. ~

US PTA professional Rick Macci is president of the Rick Macci Tennis Academy and vice president ofMacci Enterprises and Management Company for professional athletes .

He has been the personal coach for many world-class tennis players, including Jennifer Capriati, Venus and Serena Williams, Mary Pierce, Tommy Ho, Karim A lami and Vince Spadea .

ADDvantoge/February 1999

13

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Ara you strangth training your stud ants for succass7

by Sam Hirschberg, USPTA

uccessful USPTA tennis professionals have one . interest at heart: the good of the athlete. Helping our students mature into the best tennis players and athletes that they can become is the ultimate goal.

Teaching the fundamentals of tennis is only a portion of the job. Tennis ski ll s are merely stacked on top of the student's athletic ability. Very few students , if any, have a solid foundation of athletic abilities specific to the needs of the game of tennis. Besides teaching the basic tennis skills, pros also have the job of helping their students acquire the correct athletic skills to meet the demands of tennis.

The best sportspeople in the world invariably build a bedrock of athleticism. This is the reason they are the best. Nothing is left to chance.

As tennis professionals, we must implement the appropriate "art and science" to help our students. Whether our students are competing or not, they need to develop their strength fitness to excel. If you aren't actively

S

16 ADDvantage/February 1999

Limit strength

involved in helping your students develop the correct types of strength essential to helping them become better players , have more fun and stay injury free·, then you could be hurting their games. Peak strength fitness is the universal requirement among all elite tenl)is players and high-l evel athletes. " Strength" is one of the most commonly used words in the E ngli sh language . Yet strength is an extremely misunderstood principle in the world of sports. It is not just a word that bodybuilders, weig hrlifters or powerlifters toss around; a player's level of strength predetermines everything s he does on the tennis court.

Strength- the ability to exert force against an object- has five components. All of them working together in the right combination is critical to success in ·any sport: These five strengths are known as the pentagon of strength, and are as follows:

Tennis players overlook limit strength more than any of the other four strengths . .Limit strength is the amount of musculoskeletal force one can generate for a single, all- out effort.

II

Limit strength is usually built in the weight room.

This type of strength is usually built in the weight room , although there are ways to build limit strength on the tennis court , football field or track.

Limit strength is the foundation of an athlete.

With too much focus on limit strength, one might end up adding I 0 pounds of muscle

mass that could create problems -as Andre Agassi did a few yea rs ago. Michael Chang, on the other hand, has excellent proportions for a tennis player - indicative of grea t limit strength in his calves and thighs (hamstrings and quadriceps) , strong upper body (yet not bulky) , and a strong, flexible trunk ( abdominals and erector muscles) .

Speed strength The Russians believed that "speed is everything," and they produced some of the best athlet es and training methods the world h as ever seen. Sp ee d strength is critical to a t ennis player. Speed strength is the ap~ plication of force with velocity.

Movements that employ "fasttwitch" muscle fibers characterize speed strength. Fast-twitch muscle fibers are those that respond rapidly but fatigue quickly. Speed strength is of two types:

1. Starting Atrength - The ability to "turn on" many muscle fibers (muscle cells) instantaneously d etermines yo ur starting speed strength.

A fast tennis serve and throwing a I OO-mph fastball are ac tivities requiring high s tarting speed strength.

Greg Rus edski and M ar k Philippoussis have tremendous starting speed strength that is very apparent in their I 40-mph-and-above serves.

2. ExploAive Atrength- Once yo ur muscle fibers are turned on, the ability to leave them on is a function-of your explosive speed strength. The five-yard acceleration to the tennis ball is an example of explosive speed strength. Explosiveness occurs just after the "s tarting" of an activity requiring speed . Linebackers in football, tennis playe rs

Any repetitive movement done all-out and recurrently, such as a running stride in a marathon, is a linear aerobic movement."

and sprinters all requi re a high explosive speed strength.

cer or basketball game . A nonlinear aerobic activity can take place over a three-hour time frame with frequent stops and starts, which may be comprised of running, kicking or jumping.

Aerobic strength Aerobic strength is critical to all athletes. It is .the critical factor to a marathon runner. The term "aerobic " m eans with oxygen. The efficiency with which you are able to feed your working muscles and relieve them of the m etabolic waste products that accumulate is your cardio vascular endurance. Your aero bic strength is comprised of two categones:

1. Linear aerobic endurance

/

- An example of an aerobic activity is running a marathon or rowing a boat. Any repetitive movement done ~ll-out and recurrently, such as a running stride in a marathon, is a linear aerobic n1ovemenr.

Anaerobic strength a point in tennis is much more of an anaerobic activity than an aerobic activity.

The word "anaerobic" means without oxygen. If your muscles do not need oxygen supplied to them during an activity, you are performing an anaerobic activity. You need oxygen t~ survive, so when you have completed the anaerobic activity, you repay your muscles by breathing hard.

This is when you pay back your body for the "debt" of oxygen.

Because of this , a point in tennis is much more of an anaerobic activity than an ae robic activity. Just like aerobic ¡ strength, anaerobic endurance is made up of two characteristics:

2. Nonlinear aerobic endurance - An aerobic activity

1. Linear anaerobic endurance - Linear means that

with frequent time interruptions like in a fast-paced soc-

the same movement is done Continued next page ADDvontoge/Februmy 1999

17

From previous page repeatedly, like a weightlifter doing 10 repe titions on the squat rack . The ability to susta-in all - out running speed, as Carl Lewis does in t he 100-meter sprint, is an example of linear anaerobic endurance . Even the elite sprinters , like Lewis or Ben Johnson , fatigue in the latter half of a 100-met e r sprint. The degree to which they tire is a measure of their anaerobic endurance .

· 2. Nonlinear anaerobic endurance - The ability to play tennis with exceeding explosiveness for the length of a tennis match is a measure of nonlinear anaerobic endurance. The tennis playe;s with the best five-set victory records have a high nonlinear anaerobic endurance.

Peak Performance Zone Strength

Sam Hirschbe,-g is a bodybuilde1; personal trainer and USPTA tennis profes~ sional. Throughout his studies, professional tennis career; and competition in various sports, he has developed aunique and speciali<!d knowledge. Hirschberg is vice president of TeamMastermind, where he helps train othe!' professional coaches and athletes to "own the Peak Peiformance Zone."

18 AOOvontoge/Februmy 1999

The Peak Peiformance Zone is your essential key to becoming a better-than-average tennis player. The level of your Peak Peiformance Zone is comprised of a specific combination of strengths working together in balance with a strong, focused and positive mental attitude.

In addition to your physical strength requirements, the major component of your Peak Performance Zone Strength is your

mental strength and attitude.

Because of th e mental strength needed, tennis can be up to 90 percent mental at the higher levels of competition. Not all of your students will be competing at these levels , alrhough most would like to achieve a higher level of succes~; they will when they understand and apply these principles.

To monitor your own mental strength, ask yourself provocative questions such as: • "Do little things aggravate tne? " • "Am I easily frenzied?"

• "Am I abl e to concentrate single mindedly on the task at hand? " • "Do I say things to myself such as, 'The score will be I 5-40 if I miss this serve,' causmg me to lose focus easily? " In order to play in the Zone, you must: • Have a positive attitude to ward what you are doing, and • Believe in yourself and in your talents ; this is known as your self~concept. Your self-concept is the single most important ingredient to your success as an athlete and your ability to literally "own the Zone."

The Peak Peiformance Zone and your mental strength are built

upon a foundation of four ingredients: I. The pentagon of s trength

corresponding with your sport - through s p ecific trammg; 2. M astery of the basic skills balance, contact, use of left hand (or right hand if you are left-handed) ; 3. Making movements auto matic through focused repetition of the basics; 4 . Keeping your mind from " thinking too much." Learn to avoid asking questions of yourself like the ones listed above.

There is always room for aJ.'!. increase in one or a combination of pillars in the pentagon of strength. As professionals , we can help our students find their wtnntng combination of strength and apply the Peak Performance Zone, as Michael Chang, Carl Lewis and hundreds of other elite athletes have done.

Every athlete in every sport must have a high pentagon of strength. It is our job to help our students develop the correct muscles and strengths to avoid injury, have fun and succeed at the game of tennis. As professionals we can play a huge role in our clients' lives, and be- the determining factor in developing hundreds, if not thousands , of high quality athletes. ~

TeamMaster~ind provides a free special report. in the form of a simple, 10-page informational brochure ~hat will g~ve you a very good understanding of what strengths you and your clients need to develop.

You can receive this free report by writing to P.O. Box 1412, Ojai, Calif 93024. Be sure to mention that you are a USPTA professional. You can also ca11 toll-free (877) 44-MASTER to request the free specia l report.

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Junior Olympics: a vvinning experience for Little Tennis players

T

he Rush-Copley Healthplex Fitness Center, on track with a promising first Junior Olympics , may have a Little Tennis® program that 's as good as gold .

This $I 7 million indoor facility in Aurora, Ill. , has found a fun and reward ing way to interes t children - and parents - in playing t ennis .• Rush-Copley has made the Junior Olympics a centerpiece of its growing Little_Tennis program , capping eac h nine-week session in Olympic form. The center hos t ed its inaugural Junior Olympics- last November, at the end of a Little Tennis session, with over 20 p articipants.

"We had a blast out there, " said Mike Lange, manager of t ennis services at Rush-Copley Healthplex Fitness Center.

More than 50 children were active in th e Little Tennis pro gram at that time. Participants are di vid ed into thre e age gro ups : Pee Wee I , ages 3 Yz to 5; Pee Wee II, 6-7; and Little Tennis, 8-IO. Little Tennis is a fun series of lessons using Wilson Tennis Carnival® and mr. p eeWee tennis® equipment.

Before each round of Little Tennis lesso n s, Ru sh-Copley . . pros go Into communit y schools to generate excitement over the sport, Lange said. They then offer free classes for kids and adults for t~o weeks prior to the session . Lange and Julie Milota, a fellow USPTA member and p art-time staff professional at Rush-Copley, figured a Junior Olympics wo uld be the p erfect ending to a Little Tennis session. Lange had been impressed by a June 1997 pullout section of ADDvanta:ge magazine that showcased the p are nt's role in Little Tennis.

"We wanted to create something m; aningful and competitive so that we could retain the (children's) interest in their classes ," Milota said . "We wanted them to work for a gre~ter purpose than a star or sticker."

G

20 ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

Their first Olympic event was, indeed , a rousing success. "I see it getting bigger and bigger every session," Lange said. "The kid s look forward to it. " The Little Tennis students on each of the three levels had th eir own schedule of events and were tested on eight techniques lea rned throughout their nine-week session, Milota explained. There was a bump-up station, serving station, groundstroke station, volley station, etc.

Four teaching pros fed balls and the parents helped tremendou sly by taking pictures, keeping score and making sure the kids didn' t wander. Attractions included red, white and blue balloons , d ecorations , signs , name tags, music, pizza and soda.

Bes t of all , every child earned a participation medal in the Junior Ol ympics. Also awarded were team medals and individual medals in each of the three age levels . Gold, silver and bronze medals were presented to the children as they walked proudly to the pedestal to the tune of "Olympic Fanfare."

"It gets yo u a bit choked up, I must admit," Milota said.

"Th e children wh o did win we re more than on fire for th eir next session. The children who didn' t win are ready to work hard to capture that moment on the pedestal at Rush-Copley's n ext Junior Olympics !"

The Rush-Copley H ealthplex Fitness Center is planning to t ake its program to the next level by creating the position of Little Tennis coordinator, and Lange wo uld like for Milota to fill that role. "She does a great job with little kids," he said of the young pro.

Little Tennis does contribute to the growth of the game, Lange said. "You've got to start off with these little kids. They're the future stars of tennis." '§>e

a

Public relations spotlight

New ad campaign urges players to 'Get better, faster' through US PTA~ pros

A

ew consumer ad campaign running in national tennis publications is showing why millions of players s hould trust their games to USPTA-certified professionals.

The "Get better, faster" ads in Tennis, Tennis Week and other tennis magazines showcase USPTA pros as "the best teaching professionals in the game" and reinforce why players should take their next lesson from a certified member. " These new consumer ads are boosting awareness of our association, telling players abo ut our high certification and education standards, · and encouraging them to take lessons from a USPTA professional," s_ aid USPTA CEO Tim Heckler. "A major benefit of USPTA membership is national publicity and promotion, and these ads are an important part of that member service."

USPTA als o selectively adverti~es in the member magaz ines of the C lub Managers Association of America, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association and the National Recreation and Park As-sociation. Ads in these publications encourage club owners and managers to hire US PTA-certified professionals in order to get the most out of their tennis departments .

For details abo ut USPTA advertising or other public relations ac tivities, or to request sample ads to use in your club newsletter or local tennis publication, contact USPTA Public Relations Coordinator Dan Soine at the World Headquarters, ( 800 ) USPTA-4U. ~

Tennis Is more ihilll a game to IJSPT A-certllll!d ~dling p111fmlrmais. Bes•Ms teachinqwinnio~J strat."91e5 on ~e court, USPTA pres know what it l.akes!ow1noffthecourt.

Planning pn>grams th.1~ fiH

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USPTA also advertises in club management maga~nes to

encourage club owners and managers to hire USPTA-certified professionals.

ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

21

USPTA Color Photo Business Card Order Form Send completed form to: (Allow two to three weeks for delivery) US PTA GIFT SHOPPE • 3535 Briarpark Drive • Houston, TX 77042 TEL (800) USPTA-4U • (713) 97-USPTA (978-7782) • FAX (713) 978-5096 • e-mail- proshop@uspta.org

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0

D B

P _ _a t_r_ic_k_S_e_r_re_t_ Director of Tennis

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Courtyard Health and Racquet Club 5615-H Jackson Street Extension AJexandria, LJ\ 71303 (318) 487-4141 • fax (318) 448-0827 e-mail: pmserret@aol.com

NOTE: Include photo with order.

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Subtotal Houston (MTA) residents add 8.25% sales tax Other TX residents add 7.25% sales tax

River Oaks Country Club

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This order form and price list (effective for 1998-99 only) supersedes all previously listed prices. We will honor only the prices indicated above. All orders must be in writing. Please type or print clearly. The USPTA will not be responsible for illegible copy or customer errors. By submitting an order, you are acknowledging that there are no copyrights preventing the unauthorized reproduction of your photo, and you are giving the USPTA permission to reproduce it.

Picture this* Interest in tennis is

Local clubs are full to the brim w

by Marilyn King

DEMAND FOR TEACHING PROFESSIONALS IS AT AN all-time high and USPTA membership is skyrocketing. More families are enjoying the sport than ever and the first 10 years of the 21st century are being described as "The Tennis Decade" by sport historians.

Impossible dream? Maybe. But maybe not. In this article I'd like to share a few ideas that could help you dramatically increase local, regional, national and global participation in tennis over the next few years. At the same time you will be teaching the thinking skills used by all high achievers. These skills, when part of our everyday habits, dramatically accelerate our progress toward a peaceful, sustainable world.

Achieving the "impossible" in sports, in business and in global endeavors begins with what I call Olympian Thinkingâ&#x201E;˘.

Want it.

Believe it. Make it happen.

s exploding

all

over the world.

with new members of every age and description. ¡w hat is Olympian Thinking?

Olympian Thinking is simply the alignment ofbody, mind and spirit or passion, vision and action. It is the ability to align t hree innately human capacities that is the secret to sustained high performance and real satisfaction. When only two of these three traits are present, you have no chance for exceptional performance. It is a fac that all high achievers have these three elem.ents in alignment and, at times , each of us has too. The challenge is to identify and develop these traits and then to pay attention to when we are in alignment and when we are not.

How do we begin?

First and foremost , all high achievers have discovered what the y are passionate about.

Passion is that gut level emo tional involvement that is the source of the unlimited energy and creativity that serves high achievers year after year after year. Those who operate from should, supposed to, or have to, will never approach the level of performance ac hieved by those who are passion-powered.

The secqnd element is vision - the courage and the ability to envision the goal in very great detail and-constantly monitor one's images and beliefs in relationship to that goal.

Vision is an art and a science that when mastered, allows for a level of efficiency and effectiveness that h as the performance appear as easy and effortless. Those who are not masters

of this art may be more talented than the others, but will always be victims of their thinking, which constantly creates roadblocks and obstacl es between them and the realization of their full potential.

T he third element is action -the engagement of a long-term strategy and daily practices in the service of the dream. It is a fact that each and every thought , word and deed moves us closer to or further away from the realization of our cherished dream.

The day-to-day, moment-tomoment recognition of this fact is what allows peak performers to align all that they do in the service of their dream. At some time in our lives all of us have aligned passion, vision and action without even knowing it. High achievers use th-is "Olympian Thinking" from the moment they awaken and in every decision they make. They live their dail y lives with their passion, vision and action in align.m ent.

... each and every thought) word and deed moves us closer to or further away from the realization of our cherished dream.

How did I discover it?

I used Olympian Thinking in training for my third Olympic Team after a truck crashed into my Volkswagen and a bulging disc in my back made it impossible to move, much less do the six to eight hours of training needed to compete in the grueling five-event pentathlon.

By afigning my tremendous desi;â&#x201A;Ź. to compete in my third Olympic Games (passion) with watching films of the world recordholders in all five events for three to four hours a da y (vision) and then standing on the

For the last 20 years, two-time . Olympian Marilyn King has been helping people achieve what they thought were impossible dreams. She provides business leaders and educators with thinking tools that will serve them for a lifetime. King was the keynote speaker at the 1998 USPTA World Conference on Tennis.

track practicing each event in my mind (action) , I placed second at the Olympic Trials for the I 980 Moscow Games without physical training.

I know that I initially learned Olympian Thinking by listening to stories from my grandmother Marceline who aligned passion, visio n and action when she brought her seven children to the United States during the depression and found my grandfather, who had left her in Canada p romising to send money.

By teaching students how to use Olympian Thinking to improve their tennis game, they are acquiring a powerful thinking skill that will serve them in all areas of their lives. Athletics , academics, career pursuits, solving personal problems and creating the world we all want to live in are all impacted by the alignment or misalignment of passion , vision and action.

Through the power and practice of Olympian Thinking, you can transform the world of tennis, create avalanches of new interest in the sport, and even help to make a better wo rld for us all. H ere's how.

Step one. RecogniZ! the power of Olympian Thinking to transform y our own game, your teaching and the lives ofyour students.

Olympian Thinking is th e .tool used by all high achievers to develop their skills and access new, higher levels of performance. Elite athletes have already discovered what they are willing to devote their lives to See Olympian, page 28 ADDvantage/february 1999

25

Out wear your opponent.

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

'1 -800-990-0000.

-1]1 Wand Wi15011 are regJSierlld lf&Oemarks ol Wdson Sponmg Goods Co. C 1993 Wilson Spornng GoOOs Co.

Challenge from page 5 If the challenge, in any task or life situation, is equal to our knowledge or ability to perform or complete it, then the graph would show a diagonal line indicating balance. T his is a comfortable place to be and we often refer to th is place as our" comfort zone." When we are challenged above the diagonal lin e, we are forced to increase our knowledge or ability in order to get back to that comfort zone. By doing this, we have grown stronger, developed more talent or skill, or become more proficien t as a res ult of t he challenge.

By accepting gradual challenges and increasing our knowledge or ability to meet t hose cha llenges, we climb•in small steps toward a better game, a better understanding or n"laybe even a better life.

If, however, the challenge ~ere below the diagonal line and our knowledge or

ability surpassed our need for challenge, we would fail to increase or develop more strength, talent or skill. Growth on ly occurs above the line.

If all of our tennis opponents are weaker than we are, we will have a difficult time improving the quality of our game. When our game is challenged and we find ·a need to improve in understanding or pe;formance, we increase our knowledge or ability by seeking a new level at which we can perform comfortably.

This constant growth, wh ich comes from appropriate challenge, is the result of participation, competition, exposure to new heights and greater levels than we currently possess. It is a natural process and one that is applied in life at every level. Happiness and satisfaction come from meeting new challenges and growing in knowledge and ability.

We · should not discourage competition among children, but rather make certain that t hey are the only ones com-

Take note

T

he United States Professional Tennis Association would like to remind all t eaching professionals to start planning for Tennis Across America TM 1999. This year marks t he lOth ann u al event and USPTA would like to encourage everyone to help make this year 's event an even greater success!

This program is one of the largest free grassroots tennis programs in

the country. USPTA first h osted the event in 1990 a s a m eans to increase tennis participation.

Tennis Across Amer ica has grown into a program with three segments that target a variety of consumer

peting during their periods of p lay and participation.

USPTA professionals should monitor competition in tennis, keeping teac hers, parents, other coach es and sponsors in a quietly supportive position, such as silen tly observing children at recess or in after-school play. Ad ults should consider that it is seldom the activity children participate in that holds potential harm to the children, bu t t he adults' own selfish and inappropriate behavior.

USPTA professionals can on ce again lead o ut, as th ey have done for years in teaching stroke production and strategy, and take the forefront in encouraging appropriate challenge-based competition. It can start in USPTA Little Tennis and continue in any one of the many programs that USPTA professionals worldwide create for the clubs and communities they serve. '§)e

••• groups and endeavor to k eep people playing the game of tennis long after the annual festivities . The segments include multicultural clinics, national public clinics and player retention programs.

Be sure to look for the Tennis Across America kit in the March issue of ADIJvantage. promotional tips , press infor mation, incentives, a color post er for pr omoting your event, a clinic outline and additional ideas for various activities.

ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

27

Olympian from page

25

mastering. They are fortunate to have discovered an area that they have the will or spirit to pursue with all their heart. To tap into the tremendous energy and creativity released by passionpower, remind yourself why you chose teaching as a profession and explore with your students why they want to perfect their game. Olympians and high achievers wake up every morning and remember what they are up to and why. You and your stud ents should always have in mind the compelling reason for what you are doing out there on the court. Being in touch with what really matters to you is the source of inspiration and satisfaction.

Step two. Apply Olympian Thinking in your own game, teaching and life.

The best of the best have very specific ways of thinking: envisioning in very great detail d~e dream they are pursuing, the traits they must embody and the road to realizi.ng their dream. They understand that all the thoughts they have, all the images that run through their 路heads and all the beliefs that they hold either contribute or detract from the achievement of their goal. They are masters at paying attention to their thinking and choreographing their thoughts. because they know that every thought has a profound impact on their results.

Here are two simple exercises you can begin with right now.

Write down as many words as you can think of that describe you as a tennis player or teaching professional and notice how many of these d escriptors are positive, powerful images and how many are images that are negative. Noticing and assessing your thoughts and beliefs is a powerful first step in Olympian Thinking. There are numerous activities available through sports psychology to assist you in transforming the negative images and beliefs into strengths and assets.

For the second exercise, notice how many times a day yo u think or say, "I wish," "I hope that, " "maybe, " "sort of" or " not possible." Replace each of those thoughts with, "I am/ Oh yes I can" statements. The more you envision the desired state, the more new images of how to achieve it will emerge. Focus your attention on your strengths and why you are already as good as yo u are. -Then find someone whose strength is something you need to improve. Spend time imagining how it will feel when you have mast~red that aspect. Imagine how you would feel if that trait were actually your strong suit路. Spend time each morning envisioning your entire day as someone wh? has already mastered the trait you are working on. This same practice works for being a great parent, manager or student.

28 ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

Step three. Teach Olympian Thinking to all you1路 students.

There are man y ways to engage individual students , whole families or teams in this practice. When members of a supportive "tean1" ha~e~each chosen and shared the aspect that they want to improve, "tea mmates " then begin to notice when the trainee is working on that trait. People naturally offer encouragement, feedback and even helpful suggestions . All this leads to faster learning and acquisition of the trait.

A corporate leadership training group recentl y mad e nametags d eclaring, "I am a great listener " (or whatever specific trait they needed to work on) . They wo re these badges for three days focusing on that single trait. By the time they left, all were much more confident about their ability to master the trait. They reported very positive experiences practicing, making progress, getting feedback and feeling part of a supportive team . The breakthroughs in their thinking and confidence about themselves as leaders were a cause for joy and celebration. 1

Step four. Use Olympian Thinking to mate a better wo1路ld.

Internationally respected futurist Willis Harman said that " the negative belief that peace is not possible is the greatest impediment to achieving peace." He knew that if you cannot imagine something coming to fruition , then you will never have the images and ideas necessary to create a strategy to achieve it.

Olympian Thinking is simply making sure our thinking, which guides our actions , is aligned with what we say we value and want for ourselves, our families and the world. Often it is our unexamined thinking that leads us to act in ways that are counterproductive to what we really want to achieve. So, just as elite athletes and high achievers do each day, begin your day with some Olympian Thinking. Begin by thinking about your family, yo ur community or the world at large and one trait or behavior you can focus on. Be that supportive teammate for others, encouraging them to examine their beliefs and images in order to become who they really want to be.

Just like in athletics, diligent, persistent, daily practice is the key to success in all areas. So start today. What is your vision for your own life, for your famil y, your students, for US PTA, for the world? Olympian Thinking can help yo u achieve it. As Tim Heckler wrote in the July 1998 issue of ADDvantage . .. "Most of all, we should just get out there and ... play! " So play every day with these ideas. Begin to flex your own Olympian Thinking mental muscles. Teach everyone you meet the tools used by the world's best athletes, and students will beat a path to your court. And know that together, by thinking like Olympians, we can create a better world. Oh yes, we can! 'ff>G

Th 0

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starts here

1999 USPTA World Conference on Tennis Dora I

Golf Resort September

Where istennis headed in the new millennium?Who will emerge as tomorrow's top players and teachers? What will it take to excel in our industry? More than 1,500 top teaching professionals, VIPs and an unparalleled lineup of tennis experts will share answers¡ to these questions, and more. They'll compete for prize money in the USPTA International Championships,

&

Spa, 1 8 - 2 5

Mia m

browse the USPTA International Tennis Buying Show, learn the latest at more than 60 seminars and network with the best and brightest in the game. Make plans now to join your peers at the world 's premier tennis-teaching conference. Stay ahead of the curve. Know the trends. Make a difference in your sport.

The future of tennis starts here ...

Tencap study suggests ability could keep more juniors in the

T

he score was 6-2, 6-2, and you felt lucky to have won four games.

You paid a $15 tournament fee to watch your opponent walk off the court with the can of balls and an easy smile while you wondered in dissatisfaction what to do with the rest of the weekend.

Almost all players have suffered such mismatches and decided to stick it out anyway.

Plenty of others have had the experience too often to find a positive answer to t he in evitable question: "Why do i play t his game?"

In I997, 707 juniors played one tournament in the USTA Northern California Section and didn't p lay a to urnamen t again.

Ninety percent of the dropouts didn't have a competitive experience, according to a study by Ten Cap Inc. "What we found is that when play is organ ized by age, ability ranges are too great for the competitive, fun p lay we want for junior tennis," said Ten Cap President Peter H itch.

"Too many players are trying one event and not returning to the age class system."

So many more factors than just age determine a child's ability to win, including speed, stren gt h, quick n ess and s ho t selection - all of which improve at different speed s. To offer more comp etitive and enjoyable match es, the study's au t h ors recommend s ubdivi d i n g the norma l age classification s with ability ratings to help match

30 ADDvantage/February 1999

players of similar ski ll whenever possible.

T he aim isn't to replace the USTA Jtmior Ranking System, Hitch said, but to establish more flexible tournament programming at the local level.

"We believe we need an objective way to measure junior ~bi li ty at the local site level so that the ability of all juniors can be measured .and local events can be organized by ability an d age. W hen age divisions aren't large enough to be subdivided," he said, "we believe p lay. s hould be organized by ability rather than age."

Of course, organizing by ability is difficult without a rating system. To test the ability of the Tencap rating system to accurately rate junior players, a temporary Tencap rating was assigned to all boys and girls competing in any tournament in the USTA NorCal Section in I 997. Temporary ratings were assigned players based on factors such as ranking, observation and interviews.

To rate new and unranked players, their initial scores against players with established Tencap ratings were used to assign a temporary rating. (Please see "Getting a Tenc~p rating," page 31.)

After e;ch one-month period, t he ratin gs were updated . At year's end, 84 percent of the players listed in the top I 0 by Tencap rating also were in the USTA's top 10 rankings, and Tencap' s t op 20 inclu ded 89 percent of USTA' s top 20.

From Ten Cap's perspective,

(. .. as ability levels get close~ play becomes more compatible.)

-- j)eter ~itch

more important than the ratingranking comparison is the ability to predict match outcomes according to Tencap rating. The study shows that Tencap ratings accurately predicted match outcome 85 percent of the time.

When the two players' ability ratings were close, matches were more difficult to predict. With a six-point rating difference, Tencap predicted 87 percent of matcH winners. When only one rating point separated players, the system was correct at predicting 59 percent of match outcomes.

When players held ratings 15 or more Tencap rating points apart, matches were correctly predicted 100 percent of the time indicating matches were n ot competitive. According to the study, such large differences in ability occur often within an age class. For instance, in the girls I2-and-under category, Tencap ratings ranged from 3 5 to 67, or 32 points. In boys I8s, the range was 20 to 6 I, or 41 poi.nts.

(Please see the chart below.)

Tencap ratings Age group

Official Tencap range

Tencap spread

G12

35-67

32

G14

28-60

32

G16

22-58

36

G18

21 -58

37

812

35-68

33

814

20- 61

41

816

18- 57

39

818

14- 52

38

•

Tencap charity pro-am

rat1ngs game Further, the study reports that 56 percent of sets in boys events and 59 percent of sets in girls events had the loser of each set winning two or fewer games.

Six of the seven most common match scores have the loser winning four or fewer games.

"When we analyzed match scores on the ATP Tour, which of course does not use age as a crite-· rion, we found it much less com.mon for scores to be 6-0 or 6- I ," Hitch said. "It's simply because as ability levels get closer, play becomes more compatible.

"What we saw happen in NorCal over one year - a loss of 700 players after one tournament - is being multiplied across the country. We hope to be involved in determining pro gramming ideas to keep young players in competitive and recreational tennis ." <§>e

USPTA professional Dan Bonfigli, tennis director at Racquet's Edge in Essex Junction, Yr. , recently hosted a Tencap pro -am tournament and related events that raised more than $1 ,500 for Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sport.

The weekend included a free tennis clinic for 40 adults, a wheelchair tennis exhibition, a live auction and C~l~utta pro-am doubles and USPTA pro singles. Proceeds from the third annual event were used to purchase two wheelchairs for Adaptive Ski & Sport.

"It was a pleasure to participate for such a great cause. To help physically challenged players have a chance to experience t he game is wonderful, " said Rob Aubin.

Aubin was a fina list in the singles competition, losing to Townsend Gilbert, USPTA secretary-treasurer. Aubin teamed with amateur Dave Ericson to win the pro-am doubles.

Six USPTA professionals participated: Dennis Langdell, Matt Perry, Tammy Azur, Dudley Bell, Townsend Gilbert and Dan Bonfigli.

Getting a Tencap rating Tencap is a computerized rating and hand icap sys tem t hat provides an ability rat ing for each player. Ability ra tings ra nge from 0 , the top international male pl aye r, to 65.

Pl ayers may be as signed a t emporar y ra ting based on their NTRP rating or other factors . Thereafter, a comp u te r system is used to update the rating to reflect each player' s degree of success relat ive to the cal iber of opponents . ~ Tennis director Dan Bonjigli (left) presents a check to Townsend Gilbert (center) , winner of the pro singles competition. Gilbert defeated Rob Aubin (right) 6-j, 6-4·

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ADDvantage/February 1999

31

USPTA vvelcomes nevv members Congratulations to th efollowing new US PTA members who fulfilled requirements for membership between July

California Andrews, William Barriga, Paulo Gallant, Kerry Lageman, Frederick Malin, Stuart Miller, Mark Puz, Paul Shekim, Sirsa Vi ll ano , Jeff Eastern Abbondondelo, Steven C .

Bo rk, Steven Chan, Alan Choma, Mark John st on , Adam Manas, Richmond Martin, Wayne Mechanic, Stanley Obidzinski , Jan Rosen, Evan M. Saint-Clair, Clifford San Juan, Dominic Schw idder, Ernst Seenauth, Rona ld Smith, James 0 .

Zamalloa Jr., Em ilio M .

Florida Axelrod, Keith Baker, Mark Beltrame, Lorenzo Berger, Jay Bullock, Barrington Cannava le, Steven V. Carball o, Fernando Chang , Paul Childs, Tammy Cory, Matthew Crutchfield, Russell Cubela , Noel Cunin , Chris Duddy, Kathleen Dunlop , Keith Eichhorn, Patrick Escriba no, Diego Escribano, Oscar Houck , Gregory Johnson, DaVal Joseph, J eff A. Kantor, Eric Karner, Janette Kerlew, Stephen M. LeBlanc, Calvin Milford Ill , Philip L. Polajenko, Alex Reiff, Frederick Reiff, Gail Rice, David Andy Riddell , Trish Seman, Richard Sierra, Ileana

32 ADDvantage/Februmy 1999

Spatz, Daniel Villarroel, Fausto Ware, Kevi n Warren, Robert J .

Lanave , Joseph Lawson, Devon H. Lemery, Kimberly Miller, Rodn ey Patri ck, Kaleb Patterson , Drew Shapiro , Jared Smith, Leah Tegel, Barry Zakov, Nick

Hawaii Hingano, Pa sim i Liu , Yu-Hsien Su , Wei -Yu Intermountain Alahan, Vel Ardenfriend , Randy Bindle, Michael Du rha m, Thomas Geist, Susa n Huddleston, Adolph Maurtua, George Nokes, Eric Paschal, Scott Rose, James Stewart, Julie Wittern, Jonell Woolley, Logan

Missouri Valley Bianco , Jeffrey Eustache, Henry C .

Evelyn, Simon Glasgow, Michael Grubb, Jason W. Mills, Derek A .

New England Dancsak, Ed W. Filipek, Michael W. Kantner, Robert J .

Lindsay, Toby MacDonald, Mary McCaffrey, Sean Mellekas, John Newman, John Pitrone, Marissa Silverstei n, David Sorrell, J .M .

Stokes, Jason Sull ivan, Diane Tiberi i, Matthew Vincent, Kevin

Mid -Atlantic Carson, Jody Chang , Thomas Chester, Matt Fea rins , Rebecca Gahan, Matthew Kircher, John Mast, David L. Spurrier Jr. , Joseph Middle States Belzak, Brad Cohn, Cecil Edlinger, Matthew Emkey, Christopher D. Fry, Li sa Garwood, Tricia Nara njo, Albert Nycum, Steven Pierson, Harvey Pilipczuk, Cynthia Rupert , Matthew Wyzykowski, Gregory

Northern California Carmel Valley Tennis Camp (Corporate)

Cosio, Roy Price, Benjam in W. Schmitt, Alexa ndra Yash iro, Tsuyoshi Pacific Northwest Andreic, Du sko Dragoo, Ad rienne Martin, Michelle Reilly, Mary

Midwest Allare, Marjorie (Bunn ie) Boshell, Alex C .

Brown-Borden, Christopher Bulfer, Caro l Eiland, Robin B. Fiocchi, Rich M. Garavag lia , Matthew D. Gennero, David Hausserman, Jason Jackson, Nicole Khan , Anwar Kindig , Shelly Kuznets, Grigoriy

San Diego Bonfigli, Andrea Silva, Larry Southern Anderson, William Baile, Joseph S. Bew ley, Steve Blocher, Steven Bradley, Denise Brady, G. ~a rry Brunner, Eric Burks, Johnny

...

1 and

Sept. 30, 1998.

Daspit , Tracy Paul Fergu son Ill , Arnold Gilkey, Jason Grimm , Brandon Heiss , John Herb, Tom Holden , Ashley (Taylor) Holmes, Bryce Jackson , Julie Livengood, David Manning, Yoko McCarthy, Steven McKee, Richard Mellencamp, Eric Northcott, Franklin Sean Parker, Rebecca Skakle, Clifford Smith , Blain Sull ivan, M ichael Sylvia , Heather Temple, Erin Wahl, Matt Wood, S.a lly Southwest Barua , Maru Barua , Miroslava Brussel, Todd Colema n, Beverly Gagnon, Lucia Dee Goldfarb, Robert Kihumba, Charles Law, Kwan Pau lson, Sean Schneider, Nicholas Sloat, Edward F. Trujillo , Robert Texas Andersson, Jonas Beltran , Enriq ue Blalack, Chris Booth, Campbell Bramblett, Barbie C .

Fimbres , Victor Ford, Charles David Herbert , Stephan ie Kang, Dong Kroon , Niclas Mace, Brett McKee, Grady Mendez, David Nel so n, Eric Owens, Jeffrey Richards, Kevin Richbou rg , Diane Scott, Edward Sicola , Rosan ne Smith, A. Kirke Smith , Howard (Kern) Smith, Jamie Sombito, Laurence Thompson, Ma thew

Career â&#x20AC;˘ Division meetings/activities

Exams, upgrades & Certification _Training Courses

(1/ 2 credit and up)

( 4 points for CTC segment)

Feb. 6

Midwest Division Aurora, Ill.

March I2

Midwest Division Grand Rapids, Mich.

Burbank, Calif

Mesa, Ariz.

March !3-14

Los Gatos, Calif

Feb. 6-7

Mobile, Ala.

March 13-14

Louisville, Ky.

Feb. 13-14

Boca Raton, Fla.

March 20-21

Boca Raton, Fla.

Feb. I 3-I4

Pleasanton, Calif

March 2I-22

Atlanta, Ga.

Coaches workshop

Feb. I 3-15

Kansas City, Mo.

March 22-23

Houston, Texas

(2 credits)

Feb. I9-20

Rochester, N .Y.

March 27-28

Streetsboro, Ohio

Feb. 19-20

Industry Hills, CaliÂŁ

March 27-28

Charleston, S.C.

Feb. 5-6

Midwest Division Troy, Mich.

Feb. 5-6

Midwest Division Indianapolis , Ind .

Feb. 7 Feb. 20-21 Feb. 26-28

Eastern Division Bethpage, N.Y.

Lynbrook, N.Y.

Feb. 4-6

..

March I3-I4

March 26-27 Midwest Division Big Rapids, Mich.

Feb. 3-4

Grapevine, Texas

March 27-28

Augusta, Ga.

(upgrades only)

April 3-4

Bloomington, Minn.

Feb. 22-23

Houston, Texas

April 3-4

Haines City, Fla.

Feb. 24-25

Denver; Colo.

April 7-8

Merrick, N.Y.

Feb. 2I-22

Midwest Division Cincinnati, Ohio

Feb. 27-28

Danville, Ill.

April 10-11

Birmingham, Ala.

Midwest Division Chicago, Ill".

Feb. 27-28

Wichita, Kan.

April23-24

Reno, Nev.

Feb. 27-28

Gastonia, N .C.

April24-25

Boca Raton, Fla.

Feb. 27-28

Dallas, Texas

April24-25

Aurora, Ill.

March 5-7

Las Cruces, N.M.

April25-26

Atlanta, Ga.

March 7-8

Williamsburg, Va.

Apri125-26

Tyler, Texas

March 10-li

Flushing, N.Y.

April26-27

Houston, Texas

March 13-14

Manchester, N.H.

April29~30

Brewster, Mass.

Feb. 28 -March I

Midwest Division Columbus, Ohio

March 13

Eastern Division DeWitt, N.Y.

March 21

Eastern Division DeWitt, N.Y.

April 9-1 I

Midwest Division Chicago, Ill.

April I I

Midwest Division Chicago, Ill.

Division conventions (5 credits) Feb. I8-2I

Texas Division Grapevine, Texas

Feb. 20-22

California Division City of Industry, Calif

Feb. 20-22

Missouri Valley Division St.-Louis., Mo.

Feb. 24-28

Intermountain Division Littleton, Colo.

Feb. 26-28

Middle States Division Lake H armon y, Penn.

March 5-7

Mid-Atlantic Division Wi1liamsburg, Va.

April 25-26

Northern California Divison Reno, Nev.

April 29 -May 2

New England Division Brewster, Mass .

Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam, upgrade and CTC unless noted. Exam cancellations must be received no later than 14 days before the exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly. Affiliate members: late cancellation fee- $75; failure to cancel - application fee is forfeited. Certified members: late cancellation fee- $25; failure to cancel- $25 plus the upgrade fee is forfeited. Registration for another exam will not be accepted until cancellation fees are paid.

Specialty Courses

(2 credirs per four-hour course; 4 credits per eighr-hour course)

Building and repairing fundamentals , Feb. 4,

Indianapolis, Ind. (4 hours), D. Kozlowski The doubles connection: how to be a better dou- bles partner, Feb. 10, Atlanta, Ga.

Little Tennis , Feb. I I , Adanra, Ga . ( 4 hours), T. Gilbert Advancing large groups from intermediate to advanced-level player, Feb. I I , Adanra, Ga.

.(4 hours) , K. Dillard

(4 hours) , B.Tjm

Advancing large groups from a beginner to intermediate-level player, Feb. I 0,

Assertive communication and negotiation , Feb.

Adanra, Ga. (4 hours) , B. Tjm

2I, Grapevine, Texas (4 hours) , B. Fackel

The deadline to register and/ or cancel a course is I 5 working days before th e event. Anyone canceling late or failing to cancel will forfeit one-half the course fee. This sc hedul e is subject to change. Call the USPTA M emb ers hip D epar tm ent for addition al information o r write vi a e-mail to members hip@ uspta.o rg.

ADDvantage/ February 1999

33

Instructor category paves vvay to professional ranking USPTA's new Instructor category, implemented in October, is intended to be a stepping stone to the professional ratings. The Instructor category is designed to allow aspiring professionals with little or no teaching experience to become USPTA members and have access to all of the Association's educational and mentaring benefits. Applicants with less than three years of teaching experience must rest in at the Instructor level and remain there for a minimum of one year. During this rime, Instructors are expected to gain the experience and knowledge nec~ssary

to be rated a Professional I, 2 or 3. After the experience requirement is f ulfifled, Instructors may upgrade to the professional categories.

The education process will actually start as applicants study and prepare for the USPTA Certification Exam. It will continue as they acquire more teaching experience and are exposed to the many educational benefits offered by the Association, including seminars and Specialty Courses at conventions and workshops.

The following changes went into ef-

feet in October. They are part of an ongoing effort to ensure that USPTA applicants are consistently offered the best resting experience possible.

The Certification Training Course was inco1porated into the exam process and is pmvided to all applicants. It provides education designed to prepare applicants for their initial exam or upgrade process. It covers analysis of grips, establishing teacher/student 1·apport, private and group lessons, lesson prog1·essions, and an overview of the written exam.

The fee fo1· the Certification Ii·aining Course and exam is $1]5·

Career Development program builds respect lor USPTA pros in marketplace USPTA's Career Development Program was developed to enhance the image of US PTA professionals in the marketplace by creating a demand for their services, enhancing job skills and building respect for USPTA members in the tennis industry. The Career Development Program offers its professionals a vast variety of educational opportunities.

"Specialty Courses , professional meetings and seminars recognized by the USPTA Career Development Program stimulate new ideas and rekindle job enthusiasm. Participation in these events introduces you to leaders in the field and builds camaraderie among fellow tennis professionals. Most importantly, participation in the Career Development Program gives you confidence that you are offering your students the best, up-todate instruction possible. It's a shot of adrenaline to keep that enthusiasm and love of the game alive," said Terrie Gooch: 1997 USPTA's Top IO Credit Achiever.

Active members may establish a network of friends and acquaintances that will be invaluable throughout their tennis career. By attending state/district workshops,

34 ADDvontoge/Februory 1999

division conventions, Specialty Courses, the World Conference and other educational activirie~, professionals will meet other professionals that can serve as a source for job opportunities or references.

eWe often hear from club managers and other employers who are impressed by teaching pros who strive to improve their job peiformance through education. 1 -Jim Peavy US PTA Director of Career Development

Today, employers are demanding more and more from tennis professionals.

Through USP'.fA's Career Development Program, members can stay current with the latest trends in the industry as well as expand their areas of expertise. By at-

tending educational events, members also can promote themselves to a potential or current employer as one who is truly dedicated to being the best they can be.

"We often hear from club managers and other employers who are impressed by teaching pros who strive to improve their job performance through education," said Jim Peavy, USPTA Director of Career Development. "Our goal is to offer the most beneficial seminars. and Specialty Courses to help USPTA- professionals further distinguish themselves in the job market."

USPTA rewards those who obtain a minimum of 9 credits annually. T hrough certificates of achievement, promotional letters, recognition in publications and discounts on USPTA business merchandise, USPTA professionals can demonstrate their commitment to continuing education and advance within the job market.

For information regarding the Career Development Program or educational activities in USPTA divisions , contact Thelma Holmes , USPTA educational administrator, at the World Headquarters at (8oo) USPTA-4U. ~

USPTA USPTA professional John Austin is the new director of tennis at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. He replaces Jido Alvarez, USPTA, who retired to pursue a career in investments and finance.

Terry Bobbitt, USPTA, has been named tennis director at Moon Valley Country Club in Phoenix.

Previously, Babbitt B o b b i t t worked for the American Club in Hong Kong.

The fourth annual Missouri High School Tennis Coaches Clinic is scheduled for Feb. 6 in Columbia, Mo. The event is coordinated by USPTA member Ben Loeb and will feature auest speaker Mervyn Webster, USPTA. O

USPTA professionals Chuck Cunningham and Brian Nester were officials at the 1998 U.S. Open. Cunningham began officiating for the Open in 1990. Nester served as both a line and chair umpire.

Kari Yerg, USPTA, has been named coach for the 1999 U.S. women's World Team Cup squad. The World Team Cup, which is the wheelchair tennis equivalent of the Federation Cup, will be played July 26-Aug. I in Flushing Meadow, N.Y.

USTA The USTA has hired John (Jack) A. Fitzgibbons of

Jackson Heights, N.Y., as the new director of advertising and promotions.

Fitzaibbons comes to the USTA from the National Football League, where he served as director of retail marketing. o O

Associations The U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builders Association has presented its annual awards, which are given to facilities built by USTC&TBA members that best exemplify construction excellence. Projects are scored on considerations such as layout and design, sitework, drainage, base construction, surface, innovation and overall impression. In addition to running track and residential tennis facility categories, awards were presented for the following winning indoor and outdoor facilities: Outdoor tennis facility category • Mill Creek, entered by Court One (Raleigh, N.C.) • Country Club of Mobile tennis courts, entered by American Tennis Courts Inc. (Mobile, Ala.) • Tennis facilities at Tbe Club at Sterling Oaks, entered by Welch Tennis Courts Inc. (St. Petersburg, Fla.) • Tennis courts at Porto Vita, entered by Fast-Dry Courts Inc. (Pompano Beach, Fla.) • Tennis facility at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club, entered by Welch Tennis Courts Inc. (St. Petersburg, Fla.) • Cooper Creek Recreation Center, entered by Welch Tennis Courts Inc. (St. Peters-

burg, Fla.) • Sunrise Tennis Club, entered

by Global Consult Group, a division ofL. Robert Kimball & Associates Inc. (Ebensburg, Penn.)

• USTA National Tennis Center, entered by Global Consult Group, a division of L. Robert Kimball & Associates Inc. (Ebensburg, Penn.)

• Port Clinton Tennis Association, entered by The CourtSMITHs (Toledo, Ohio) Indoor tennis facility category • University of Tennessee Indoor Tennis Complex, entered

by Empire Recreational Surfaces (Knoxville, Tenn.)

• Vicmead Hunt Club, entered

by Sportsline (Villanova, Penn.)

The U.S. Racquet Stringers Association has released its 1999 certification testing schedule. The exams will be administered in 20 cities during the year. The threepart test examines proficiency in all areas of racquet service and product knowledge.

The test fee is $95 for USRSA members and $ 175 for nonmembers. USPTA members receive 3 Career Development credits for successful completion of testing. For more information, contact the USRSA at (619)481-3545.

Manufacturers Penn was the official ball for the 1998 DuPont Teflon® World TeamTennis AilStar Smash Hits® in Chicago. The event was hosted by Billie Jean King and Elton John and raised

money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Lindsay Davenport captured her latest win at the Swisscorn Challenge in Zurich using Hyper Carbon in her Wilson Hammer racquet.

She began playing with Hyper Carbon after winning the U.S. Open. Jonas Bjorkman, Magnus Larsson and Irina Spirlea also have begun using new Wilson Hyper Carbon racquets.

USTA's Effective Group Teaching, the new video from Human Kinetics, explains the unique benefits of teaching tennis to large groups. It provides structured lessons for group instructors and shows how to maximize practice time and court space regardless of class size. Another book, USTA's Backboard Tennis, helps players maximize the backboard's potential to achieve three primary benefits: stimulate rallies better than ball machines; practice without a partner; and enables players to practice at their own pace. For more information about either book, call (217) 351-5076 or visit Human Kinetics' web site at www.human kinetics.com.

Penn Racquet Sports has extended its contract as the official ball for Grand Slam Sports for the next two years. Penn has also extended its partnership with the ATP Tour through 2003-

Miscellany The British defeated the United States in the 26th annual Continued next page ADDvantoge/Februaryl999

35

Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy match, 7-4.

The event was sponsored by Lucent Technologies and was held at the Boca Pointe Country Club in Boca Raton , Fla. USPTA Master Professional Fernando Velasco, the club's director of tennis, served as tournament director along with Herb Cannon, co-chairman.

USPTA pro Andy Brandi was the U.S. team captain.

Sportsworld Travel, the only official tour operator for North America to The Championships, Wimbledon, is offering a range of inclusive tours that guarantee reserved Centre Court, No . I Court and No. 2 Court tickets. Prices start at $675 for one day of tennis and two nights of accommodation. For more information , call Sportsworld at (800) 278-6738.

Passings John V. Warzycki, USPTA, of La Jolla, Calif, died Nov. 2.

Before becoming a USPTA member tn I950, Warzycki fought in World War II, owned a ping pong club, and War0'cki worked as a trainer and physical therapist for a sports club. At age 3 I, he became one of the youngest people to win the National U.S. Professional Squash Rackets Championship. During his 48 years of teaching tennis, he worked in New York, Cleveland, St. Louis, Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia. He retired

36

ADDvantage/February 1999

in I98 5 and moved to La Jolla to teach children and play daily games of tennis.

Carlos Cisneros of Deerfield, Ill. , a USPTA member for 35 years, died Nov. 29. Cisneros was born in Lima, Peru, where he started working in tennis at age 9 as a ball boy at Cisneros the Lawn Tennis Club of Lima. He soon â&#x20AC;˘ became the top junior player in Peru, and in I9 57, he was asked to repres.e nt Peru at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Three years later, Cisneros moved to New York where he worked as a tenni~ pro at the Pukeesse Tennis Club with Stan Singer.

When Singer moved to Chicago to work at the North Shore Racquet Club, Cisneros joined him andremained there as the pro for 3 5 years.

Honorary USPTA member Roy Wilder of Corpus Christi, Texas, passed away Dec. I. He first discovered tennis as a child and at age 3 I, he retired from his bookkeeping job to become an official and follow tournament tennis. As an umpire, he called more than 2 ,000 matches in IO languages.' Wilder was known for his re:Uarkable memory and knowledge of all things tennis-related. He 'was also known for the time he spent hauling players , spouses and gear from one site to another, without accepting a penny from anyone.

(LASSIFIEDS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TENNI S PROFESSIONALS/ENTREPRENEURS: Is your NETWORKING as good as your NET GAME? After 20 years, I found the perfect match and strategy for creating wealth and financial freed o m. "FREE TAPE" (800) 345-9688, ext. 5656.

DRILLS New, exciting clinic formats and group drills, plus drills for private lessons. Free samples!

Our products make your job easier! Call Club & Resort Marketing, (800) 569-4661.

EMPLOYMENT BERKHEIMER'S TENNIS SERVICES, a pro-placement service in Vero Beach, Fla., is actively matching USPTA managers, tennis directors , head pros and assistants to clubs , resorts and academies nationwide.

Call Gerry Berkheimer for details at (561 ) 388-5491.

SEEKING TENNIS CAMP OPPO RTUNITY. Enterprising, energetic married couple with 20 years teaching experience looking to direct summer tennis camp in Eastern U.S. We are USPTA professionals who are skilled promoters and organizers.

Please call (407) 294-4138.

Summer tennis director and staff needed for top private camp in the Northeast. High salary, full travel , room and board included. Great facilities and staff. Call (800) 494-6238 or e- mail winadu@camp winadu.com.

Want to be a college coach?

Bob Larson's College Tennis Employment newsletter lists what jobs are open. Sample $5. P.O. Box 24379, Edina, MN 55424.

www.tennisjobs.com The Tennis Job Line is a tennis professional's employment service. It advertises tennis openings at country clubs, tennis clubs, resorts, public facilities, colleges and summer camps.

OPPORTUNITIES Christian Tennis - Tennis Ambassadors - Interactive network around the world.

Monthly chats, news, bulletin boards, contacts. Contact info @tenn isministry.com or http://www. tennisminis try.com.

Address: P.O. Box 884, Fanling, NT, Hong Kong.

VACATION OPPORTUNITIES WANTED! Tennis professionals and tennis coaches.

The Professional Coaches Association offers numerous opportunities for tennis pros and coaches to participate in PCA Working Vacation Programs at exclusive resorts throughout the Caribbean. Join this long-running and successful program that so many professionals have enjoyed. For information, contact Mark Burns at ( 6 I 7) 552-3171.

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