Addvantage 2000 January

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contents

the magaline lor men cmd wom en tennis-teaching profe ssionals

the total professional - enhancing your career 8

Tell two pros about 'Champions,' add new dimension to programming Champion of Champions benefits pros, players, facilities .

departments 3 CEO's message 5 First vice president's message 14 USPTA drill 25 Little Tennis tips

9

Teach students to teach themselves

by Michael Kernodle, Ph.D., USPTA Master

29 Career development 30 USPTA welcomes new members 31 Industry action

Proftssional- A coach's greatest success occurs when the student can successfully make the transition to becoming a teacher.

32 C lassifieds

16 Ask the professor - You are a corporate athlete by jack Groppel, Ph.D., USPTA Master Proftssional - A businessperson needs as much mental, emotional, spiritual and physical stamina as professional athletes in competitive sport.

28 Positive publicity - Teaching pros earn recognition with Tennis Across America

news 8

USPTA offers Career Development workshop at The Super Show

12

One lesson at a time - USPTA pros help fund the fight against cancer 18 Little Tennis® recognized for contributions to Plan for Growth in 2000 22

Breast cancer prevention study

22

USPTA members win awards at tennis leadership workshop

22

Address is key to online, other benefits

23 Tennis pioneer Eve Kraft passes away 23 ADDvantage online has new look

ADDvantage magazine editorial offices USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpork Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone - (7 13) 978-7782 (800) USPTA-4U Fax- (7 13) 978-7780 e-mail - magazine@ uspto .org

On the cover .. . jobs. USPTA CEO Tim Heckler addresses advances in technology and USPTA's new online job service in his CEO message, 'The bottom line: It's about jobs," Page 3.

volume 24 • issue 1 Editor

Managing editor

Showna Riley Julie Myers

Circulation

Kathy Buchanan

Advertising

Diane Richbourg

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

ADDvantage is pub li shed month ly by the United States Professional Tennis Association .

The opinions expressed in ADDvantage ore those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the USPTA. Copyright© Un ited Stoles Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2000. Al l rights reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from US PTA ADDva ntage/ January 2000

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w inning International Flagship

Service~

we can also do it quite

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And remember to use our convenient ~ Electronic TicketTM option.

American Airlines. Making Europe even closer.

member of .

AmericanAirlinesÂŽ Something specialto Europe."

American Airlines, International Flagship Service and AA Electronic Ticket are marks of American Airlines, Inc. Glasgow service is seasonal. Schedules are subject to change without notice.

~E8's

message----------.

The bottom line: It's about jobs

I

effective version of our primed job listing service. n the Ocwber/November issue of ADDvantage, USPTA, through Find-a-Pro, has amassed more job we announced the release of one of the most innoopenings in a rwo-momh period than at any time in vative and useful member services - www.Linle me recem hiswry of our job listing service.

Tennis.com. The site has received rave reviews from USPTA professionals and the tennis indumy.

The program enables employers, such as head tennis professionals, facility owners and club managers, Whar's even more imponam is that its practical w place their own tennis-teaching or related job openday-w-day applications have imrigued chose who have ings online as often as they wish at no charge. At me used and researched the site more than me Imernet same time, USPTA-cenified professionals can access technology mat makes mem possible. and search for every available job mrough another area I'm excited abour this aspect of me new member of me site. A third benefit of the Find-a-Pro service benefits because it demonstrates mat our main focus allows consumers w search for teaching professionals on technology as viewed by you - me people who in any city, region or coumry and encourages mem to coum - is on creating practical solutions w concerns call for lessons or other tennis programming needs. mat affect USPTXs membership now - not just in USPTA members, division leaders and industry me .future. representatives have complimemed this Also, First Vice President Mark service for its convenience and its abilMcMahon's message on Page 5 of this ity w promote our pros w the indusissue addresses USPTXs use of techtry's employers. nology and whemer our members are "This is a fabulous service via our taking advantage of it. I believe me USPTA World Headquarters!' very peninent questions and directions presemed in both editorials do " The USPTA has just made it easier to get to our job postings." much to demonstrate USPTXs commitment w your success.

"I think the 'Kids (and adults) Find Pros' is an exceLLent service for the memAlthough the arrival of the Year bers. " 2000 has focused anemion on compurers, USPTA has used them since Many of our divisions are using me the imroduction of the microcomputnew online Find-a-Pro service in lieu Tim Heckler er. In fact, one of my first assignmems of or in addition to their own regional as USPTA's new CEO in 1982 was to develop a comjob listings, and we have also provided a link to the puter department for the Association. The Board of Find-a-Pro module from each division Web site. This Directors voted to purchase the equipment and asked program is just one current-day technological applime to learn and implement me technology available cation that is improving career options for US PTA professionals. And, needless to say, we will continue to at the time. provide the printed job listings during a transition It was a scarier proposition than it is wday, since period, however long it takes, for all teaching profesmere were no user-friendly instruction books, tutorisionals and the general population to get online. als, reliable computers or computer "nerds" to assist with technical suppon. That's why about 60 percent And, when will everyone be online? A recent study of US PTA members (and me general population for indicates that within the next decade, more man 90 that matter) are probably still a little uncenain abour percent of the households in the United States will be actively using the Internet. Also, the trend calls for the possibilities presented by the Information Age and where technology will take them in meir careers. manufacturers to produce computer equipment in such volume and sell it at such reduced prices mat in a few While it is imponant to keep an eye on futuristic shon years, the computer will become a common possibilities, I believe it's imponant to introduce me household appliance- as necessary to the average peramenities offered by technology in a practical manson as a microwave or dishwasher. ner and implement mostly those areas mat are immediately applicable to the careers of our members. One When I first began lecturing about how computsuch area within our main Web site and Little Tennis site is me Find-a-Pro module, which is a much more See Computers, Page 4

... it demonstrates that our main focus on technology as viewed by you ... is on creating practical solutions to concerns that affect USPTA's membership

now- not just in the future.

ADDvantage/ January 2000

3

Computers

or sports-related organizations.

from Page 3

Distance learning opportunities have just been introduced that will allow US PTA members and others to take educational courses online. This will diminish the need for teaching pros to take time off work and spend money to learn the latest in tennis-teaching techniques or facility management. Just look at the learning opportunities available through online articles, drills, games, lesson plans and other teaching tools in www.LitdeTennis.com alone.

ers and technology would impact the careers of teaching professionals almost 18 years ago, I suuggled to justify how individual pros would use computers. It previously was difficult to demonstrate the direct benefits of modern technology, since consumers usually viewed it as "futuristic" and not something relevant to their dayto-day lives. It's true that the most important question is, "What does technology do for me today?"

The obvious answer is, "It's not about technology- it's about how to use it. " And, this translates into jobs!

Here's how USPTA members, the industry, employers and tennis consumers are benefiting from today's use of technology: USPTA and its professionals are promoted through a master Web site that receives 2 million hits per year. This means that through just one of our programs, US PTA and its professionals are making 2 million impressions on the public - a phenomenal public relations coup when compared to other tennis

•

Members and the public can find jobs, teaching professionals or lessons through the Find-a-Pro segment of USPTA Web sites.

USPTA Web sites provide a convenient way for members, potential members and consumers to learn about USPTA, the membership process and benefits.

USPTA provides all certified members with a free Personal Website™ that can be used to promote themselves to owners, managers, facility members and anyone who wants to take tennis lessons.

This does not require the professional to

own a computer. We are still working on a method to accurately gauge the additional public relations impressions created for our pros by this. However, if the main site alone is generating 2 million hits, you can imagine the volume represented by the many individual member sites and additional sites for ADDvantage and Little Tennis. com.

•

Our Web sites include certification dates, locations, directions and other currentday, convenience-driven information.

• ADDvantage and NetMagic (an online magazine of www.LitdeTennis.com) magazines feature educational articles and timely information. ADDvantage online is especially valuable to international members, who can read it before people in the United States receive their issues in the mail. This adds value to international memberships.

•

US PTA can directly refer students/ consumers to our pros in targeted areas.

Online pro shops on both USPTA's main site and at LittleTennis. com. We are working with manufacturers to extend this concept into a buying syndicate through which our members can receive better discounts on merchandise for resale in their pro shops.

•

Web sites and e-mail promote USPTA and industry events that grow tennis. This enhances our ability to get more pros and the public involved in national events and local programs at your facilities.

• All 17 of USPTA's U.S . divisions have individual sites that offer members local and national support. These sites have loyal local readership and a unique regional flare.

ONE TOUGH ]ust ask anyone who owns one.

1.800.776.6770 www.playmatetennismachines.com

©1999 Meta ltek. All rights reserved.

The bottom line - these tools and image-enhancing resources are about jobs!

When the Board of Directors handed me the task of computerizing USPTA in 1982, I was somewhat fearful of what lay ahead of me. But, I soon began to appreciate the foresight of those people who looked beyond their current situations and forced us to work at meeting the future needs of our members.

If in 1981 Mike Eikenberry (USPTA president 1984-1986) hadn't walked into the board meeting in Sarasota, Fla., and

T ennl• Machlnee by METALT EK

See jobs, Page 1

4

ADDvantage/ January 2000

First vic:e president's message ~----'

A

usptao

v

1N1N1N.uspta.you

T

he above is nor an incorrectly punctuated Internet address. Rather, I have used the '~you" instead of the normal Internet ".com" or '~org''for a specific reason . With the explosive growth of the Internet, many tennis professionals will be tempted to "lean on technology" as we approach our business planning in the first year of the new millennium . The start of the year is always a good time to reflect, and to take stock of how we are doing in our business and personal lives. The start of the millennium however suggests that our efforts in this year's exercise should be particularly foc used.

As we move into the 21" century, I would like to suggest that as a part of your usual "new year" review, you take a moment to think about three areas of your professional life and ask yourself two questions. The areas I suggest yo u think about are: 1) the progress of yo ur career as a tennis professional; 2) your choice of USPTA as your trade association; and 3) the role that technology is playing in your professional life.

Ask yourself how you expect to maximize all three as you enter a new century. Finally, as you measure your own personal and professional progress at the end of this year, I am asking for your feedback on US PTA - yo ur trade

services instituted during the past four years that have leveraged the availability of new technology.

October 1995

www.uspta.org- US PTA's own home page goes online

April 1997

www.usptapro.org - USPTA offers Personal Websites to every member at no charge!

April 1998

April 1999

www.uspta.org - IntranetUSPTA information available to all division & national officers, testers and divisions www.uspta.org/div- USPTA divisional Web sites become available to all US PTA members

September 1999 www.LittleTennis.com USPTA's newest site, designed using the latest technology, offers teaching tips, a magazine and much more.

In addition, ADDvantage now has irs own Web site - addvantage uspta.com. OK, now for the feedback - What do you think? How are we doing? Have you taken advantage of these "technology" benefits? [f you have, how are you utilizing association. I hope that after reading Mark McMahon them and how can they be imthis article yo u will take a moment to proved? If you have not taken adprovide me with your feedback. vantage of them, why haven't you?

When thinking about this article, I considered My heading of www.uspta.you was used for two writing about the evolution of technology and how reasons. The first, as I have just mentioned, is beit is transforming our lives, impacting our workplace cause the new technology driven programs and serand providing wonderful new opportunities. Many vices we have delivered must be benefits that YOU of the new programs and member services developed want and that YOU will use. T he second reason is

by USPTA in the past 10 years have either taken adbecause I believe that the tennis industry, while unvantage of or been built around the evolution of techquestionably in a position to benefit from greater nology. In fact, the advances in technology offer albandwidth and faster data transfer (i.e. streaming most all the major "players" in our industry opportuvideo, large graphic heavy file transfers), is an innities to deliver improved services at a lower cost and dustry where "people" will continue to be the key in a more convenient fashion than ever before. With ingredient and therefore I believe the '~you" will rethe Internet and communications technology still in main at least as equally important as the '~com. "We their infancy stages, USPTA has been at the forefront are an industry where personal contact is essential of leveraging available new technology for improved for long-term success. Let me offer some examples. member benefits and greater operational efficiency.

Following is a brief review of those programs and See Technology, Page 15

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President

Joseph Thompson

Rrst Vice President Vice Presidents

Mark McMahon Tom Daglis Harry Gilbert David T. Porter, Ed .D. Ron Woods

Secretary-treasurer Randy Mattingley Past President

Will Haag

WORLD HEADQUARTERS CEO

Tim Heckler

Director of Operat ions

Rich Fanning

Executive Ass1stant

Marty Bostrom

Director of Communications

Shawna Ailey

Publications Coordinator

Public Relat ions

Julie Myers

Diane Richbourg

Coordinator

Shannon Kopp

Communications

Director of Fred Viancos Professional Development

Educational Administrator

Thelma Holmes

Corporate Secretary

Janice Stollenwerck

Computer Services/ Club Relat ions

Kathy Buchanan

Computer Systems Administrator

Quincy Kwok

Divisional Executive 1 Administrator

Yvonne Hung

Director of Certification

Jim Peavy

Membership and Vicky Tristan Certification Coordinator

Membership/

Joyce Saberola

Education Assistant

Payroll/Benefits Controller

Renee Heckler

Theresa Weatherford

Insurance/ Ellen Weatherford Merchandise Services Insurance/Accounting

Diana Pena

LEGAL COUNSEL Attorney-at-law

Paul Waldman

For information, write the

USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One

Houston, TX 77042 Phone (7 13) 97-USPTA (BOO) USPTA-4U Fox (713) 978-7780 e-ma il - uspta @ uspta.arg Internet - www.uspta.org Office hours: 8 :30a.m. - 5 p.m.

Central time

AD D va ntage/ January 2000

5

Jobs .from Page 4 said he'd been reading about computers on his plane flight and suggested that they might be applicable ro the future of teaching pros and the Association's business, we'd be a few years behind the technology eight ball roday.

Current USPTA President Joe Thompso n has always been a proponent of bringing tennis programming to our members, much like the programs he runs at his own club. Our Web presence will make it easier ro provide ideas and plans ro our members, and this will enhance yo ur programming skills and job value.

During his presidency, Past President Will Hoag asked us ro develop a program that would allow employers and other teaching professionals ro locate full- or pan-rime professionals looking for work. His suggestion expanded inro what I believe is the greatest service for our members in Find-a-Pro. This will assist both employers and professionals by matching job openings with qualified USPTA tennis reachers.

Vice President Dave Pormr has stressed the importance of reducing expenses and increasing the convenience of education for our

members. He has asked us ro develop and stress additional distance learning opportunities, unquestionably one of the fastest growing areas due ro technology. His foresight in motivating the development of these opportunities is already evident in quality sires like www.LircleTennis.com. Distance learning will also be expanded ro our certification process.

Job skills and career opportunities will naturally grow as a result of online education.

Former board member Townsend Gilbert urged us ro develop a children's magazine as a complement ro Little Tennis. From his suggestion, we've created NetMagic magazine, an online publication of LirtleTennis.com where it will be read by thousands of children and their parents. This is another online resource that will enhance the markerability of our members.

All of these resources are relevant today.

They are designed ro assist you in yo ur everyday job duties and help you improve your skills and knowledge of the tennis profession.

Aside from their convenience and the career and educational benefits, the Web sires are a wonderful promotion of yo u and USPTA, providing tremendous public relations value.

And, there is also good news for those who might worry about the financial and human

TECHNOLOGY SO ADVANCED , WE ' RE ATTRACTING

resources needed to carry our USPTA's technological feats. I've enjoyed the task and committed much of my (non-USPTA) rime to development and programming, which is by its nature better done at night or on weekends. Recently, we discovered a simpler programming application that allows us ro spread out our Web work among USPTA employees. Now, much of the "regular" work that we do with or without the advent of the Internet can be easily uploaded ro a Web page for the entire world to see. This means we spend very little extra time, effort or money ro make a huge impact on consumers and members alike.

For years we've fought to raise and maintain standards for reaching professionals.

We've worked to promote our profession as more than a blue-collar job. Technology has helped us to improve the image of teaching professionals and it has improved USPTA's ability to serve yo u.

Remember - it's about jobs!

Technology is no longer weird science, it's not the stuff of motion pictures and sci-fi books, it's now and it's being used and integrated into every aspect of our lives. Hold on - 2000 is here, and the Year 2010 will be here in the blink of an eye or ... the click of a mouse! 'ยง>'>

SOME ii'i!i@it.,! ATTENTION.

WWW . MASTERS PORTS. COM

ADDva ntage/ January 2000

7

USPTA offers Career Development 1n1orkshop at The Super Sho1n1

U

SPTA is offering a two-day workshop, Feb. 8-9, in conjunction with The Super Show/2000.

On Tuesday, Feb. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m ., USPTA Master Professional Feisal Hassan will present the Specialty Course, Doubles strategy: phases and situations. This course will train players how to identifY and handle the phases and situations of doubles play. Attendees will understand that doubles requires movement and that the situation changes almost every time the ball crosses the net.

The afternoon session runs from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. and includes four seminars.

Speakers will include USPTA members Tom Daglis and Greg Grover.

Stan O ley, US PTA, ..yill present I bought a ball machine. Now what do I do? Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 8:30a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

This free Specialty Course is a comprehen-

sive look at post-purchase marketing, lesson programming, drills and progressions for both private lessons and large groups.

It is sponsored by Playmate.

The Wednesday afternoon session is scheduled from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., and speakers are to be determined.

Each session is four hours in length and is worth 2 USPTA education credits. The early registration deadline is Jan. 25 and fees are $25 per course for USPTA members and $30 per course for non-members.

Mter Jan. 25, each session will cost $30 for members and $35 for non-members.

Early registration is highly recommended, as space is limited. The registration fee includes a one-day pass to The Super Show.

To register or for more information, contact the USPTA education department. Registration will be accepted at the door. 'ยง>a

Feisal Hassan, USPTA Master Profess ional, is the director of tennis at Riverside Wellness & Fitness Center-Bri arwood in Richmond, Va.; director of coaches' education and Junior Davis Cup coach fo r Tennis Zimbabwe ; a USPTA tester; and a member of the Prince advisory staff. He is also a visit ing tennis pro at Swept Away Resort in Negril, Jamaica. Hassan has written numerous articles and the book, " How to Handle Difficult Players and Conditions."

Stan Oley, USPTA, is the national sales manager for Playmate Ball Machines in Raleigh, N .C., and a member of the teaching staff at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Melbourne, Fla . Oley has spoken at numerous USPTA divisional conventions and World Conferences.

He has also given seminars for the USTA and high school and intercollegiate workshops around the country.

Tell two pros about 'Champions,' add new dimension to programming

W

hat does it mean if you find yo urself looking for a fresh programming idea, something new that will excite cl ub members?

It means that the pros at every other club in town probably are doing the same thing.

It means that all of you might be able to find what you're looking for by putting on a joint event that can be enjoyed by the larger tennis community.

Chances are that most clubs have a championship tournament. Those championships may be made more meaningful by creating a Champion ofChampionssM tournament pitting the champs of each club against one another. The tournament might end up large enough to resemble a city championship of sorts or a smaller event that includes the finalists or semi-finalists from

8

ADDvantage/ January 2000

just a few participating facilities.

Champion of Champions is an event that has several pluses: It adds incentive for members to play in their own club championships; brings together old playing partners and new friends from different facilities; unites the local tennis community; and provides competitive draws.

Also, tapping into new markets or growing existing ones is easy with this format. For example, divisions for seniors and for children and fami lies from Little Tennis may be added to the singles and doubles draws for men and women. Age groups and father-son , mother-daughter, parentyoung child and husband-wife divisions might be easy to include, provided there is enough court space.

By calling a few fellow tennis professionals and inviting them to join in a Champi-

on of Champions event, you may be able to start an annual tournament with lots of possibilities. The event might rotate to a different host facility each year, be a Lessons for Life fund-raiser or incorporate the Ten Cap handicapping system. Players from each facility could act as a team, gaining points with every individual match toward a facility championship trophy.

The USPTA Texas Division uses the concept for an annual playoff among US PTA Adult Tennis League5M winners from around the state. In a similar way, it might be used to wrap up other regional or divisional competitions.

For more information about Champion of Champions or a sample brochure/ entry form, please contact the USPTA Sports Marketing Department at (800) 877-8248 or sporrs@uspta.org. 'ยง>a

Teach students to teach

by Michael Kernodle, Ph.D.

When working with older children and adults, the teaching pro should initially use a combination ofqualitative feedback and low-level quantitative feedback .

USPTA Master Professional

. - - " s all informed tennis teachers and coaches know, there are many variables that must be controlled to optimize the teaching/learning environment. One of the most important and control...__. lable elements is feedback.

Essentially, there are two major categories of feedback: intrinsic and extrinsic, or augmented. Intrinsic feedback is information the learner receives as a consequence of performing a skill. An example of this would be seeing a serve go in the service box. Or the feeling of the ball making contact with the strings of the racquet.

Extrinsic or augmented feedback is information provided in addition to intrinsic feedback. This is information that a tennis professional or coach would give to his students. Augmented feedback can be provided either verbally or mechanically, such as in

videotape replay.

There are three main subcategories of extrinsic feedback:

• Knowledge of results. This is information about the outcome of a skill performance. An example of this would be a percentage of successful serves during a match or the number of down-the-line backhand winners during a match.

• Knowledge of performance. This is information about the movement pattern of the skill under scrutiny. This could be something as simple as showing a player a videotape replay or mentioning that they need greater knee flexio n on a low volley. In his most recent book, Richard Magill has suggested that knowledge of performance can be divided into descriptive KP (knowledge of performance) and prescriptive KP. Descriptive KP simply identifies the error while prescriptive KP prescribes how to correct it. Although there is no research-based information to support when to use which type of KP, it seems logical that the decision should be determined by the learning stage of each person. A beginner would not fare

See Feedback, Page 10

A coach's greatest success occurs when the student can successfully make the transition to becoming a teacher.

ADDvantage/ J a nuary 2000

9

Feedback from Page 9

well without information telling her how to correct the error and would therefore need to be provided with prescriptive KP. However, those with more advanced skills may have the knowledge to correct the error and descriptive KP may suffice.

• Transitional feed¡ back, which is similar to prescriptive KP, refers to what was done incorrectly and how to go about correcting it. This has also been called error correcting instructions, and along with prescriptive KP, is considered to be the most effective for teaching a complex skill, such as seen in tennis, because it reduces the amount of information provided to the learner to the least amount relevant to the performance of the task.

This, in turn, takes into account the limited processing capacity of the human system and does not overload the student. This is not to say that KR (knowledge of results) and descriptive KP are not useful, but because of the aforementioned reasons, it is suggested that transitional information or prescriptive KP would be most effective.

In addition to determining which type of feedback is most effective, one should also be aware of how to utilize this information appropriately. How often to provide feedback and the precision level of the feedback are two of the most important and easily manipulated variables.

Frequency of feedback (how often) is one of the most misunderstood and improperly utilized teaching tools available to an instructor. The most efficient and effective frequency technique is

10

ADDvantage/ January 2000

Effective verbal feedback 1. Demonstrate the skill so the learner can establish a mental template.

2. Demonstrate skills more than once and from different perspectives.

3. Use understandable terminology.

4. Use the sandwich technique, which consists of surrounding a criticism with two positives. The pro might say, "Nice effort on that down-theline passing shot, but your follow-through was incorrect. If you would swing on more of a lowto-high plane instead of straight ahead you would have more success clearing the net. " 5. Focus their attention on the least amount of information relevant to the performance of the skill so as not to overload their information processing system . One of the easiest ways to do this is to use transitional information.

called fading. This technique involves providing feedback regularly at first and then gradually reducing the number of times feedback is provided.

This allows the learner to be initially guided toward the correct movement pattern, but requires problem solving as the

feedback is withdrawn. This forces the learner to develop an internal learning strategy and reduces the dependency on the feedback. Therefore, when the player is in a competitive situation, she is used to making her own decisions and will perform at a higher level.

Sometimes it is difficult for teachers and coaches to relinquish the control they have over the student by constantly providing feedback, but it is necessary if the final goal is to allow the player to transfer what she has learned in practice to produce optimal results in competition. One of the most often asked questions about fading is, "When do I start withdrawing the feedback and what schedule do I follow?" The answer is that there is no set answer.

Each learner will progress at a different rate and it is up to the experience of the teacher/ coach to determine when the learner is ready to proceed and how rapidly to proceed. There is one other suggestion that should be provided at this point. When the instructor and student have arrived at the point where minimal feedback is needed, it is time for the instructor to ask the student to provide his or her own error correcting instructions.

A statement such as, "That was a great effort but could you tell me what you might have done incorrectly and how you could correct it?" is an example of this technique. Students may not be successful initially but with the guidance of the teacher they should become more and more proficient. Once again, the student is forced to problem solve, and at an even deeper level, which will allow for a more positive transfer to competitive situations. A coach's greatest success occurs when the student can successfully make the transition to becoming a teacher.

The precision of feedback is simply the accuracy of the information provided. The two major categories of feedback when discussing precision are qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative feedback has no quantity attached and might consist of a statement such as "nice try'' or

"great effort" or "way to go."

Q uantitative feedback does have a quanriry arrached and m ight res ult in a statement such as, "Throw yo ur ross 6 inches higher." The research in this area suggests th at up to a point t h e m ore precise the feedback the berrer the following performance. However, the level of precision utilized will depend upon a number of variables with two of the most imporranr; the person's age and stage of learning.

If you are working with very young players, you should stay away from precise feedback. In fact, with very young children you would be better served to almost exclusively use qualitative feedback. This is especially true of those working with a Little Tennis program, teaching children ages 3 to 5.

As the age of th~ players increase, so can the precision of the information. T heir information processing system will become more developed, they will have more life experiences and more information, allowing them to better understand the more precise feedback.

If yo u are working with players in the beginning stages oflearning, the teaching professional or coach should keep the level of precision relatively low.

As the skill level of the player improves, then the feedback can become more precise. When working with older ch ild ren and adults, it is suggested that the teaching pro should initially use a combination of qualitative feed back and low-level quantitative feed back. As the skill level goes up the pro can gradually insert more precise quantitative feedback. However, keep in mind that qualitative feedback such as "good job" or "way to go" can be motivational and can definitely be used in this manner.

In addi tio n to requiri n g

knowledge about what type of feedback to use, how often to use it and what level of precision will be optimal, the teaching professional m ust also be aware of how to effectively provide the feedback. The two basic means for presenration are verbal and mechanical (for the teaching pro, this will almost always involve the use of videotape replay). It is important to keep in mind that one must do more than just walk on the court and begin to talk or turn on the VCR. If you are going to provide feedback verbally you should attempt to adhere to the following suggestions: 1. Demonstrate the skill so the learner can establish a mental template.

2. Demonstrate skills more than once and from differem perspectives.

3. Use understandable terminology.

4. Use the sandwich technique, which consists of surro unding a criticism with two positives. The pro might say, "Nice effort on that downthe-line passing shot, but your follow-through was incorrect. If you would swing on more of a low-to-high plane instead of straight ahead you would have more , success clearing the net.

5. Focus their attenrion on the least amoun t of information relevant to the performance of the skill so as not to overload their information processing system. One of the easiest ways to do th is is to use transitional information.

If you are planning to use videotape replay be aware that a great deal of research strongly suggests that the use of videotape, if not properly controlled, will be no more effective than a

See Videotape, Page 32

Key words Knowledge of results (KR) - information about the outcome of a movement. Examples from the sport of tennis could include (1) the percentage of first serves made (2) the average number of hits per rally or (3) the percentage of points won while at the net.

Knowledge of performance (KP) - information about the movement pattern. Examples from the sport of tennis could include (1) viewing a videotaped replay of a just completed performance (2) being told to focus on your knee bend during the serve.

Transitional information or prescriptive KP information about what was done incorrectly and how to go about correcting it. Examples from the sport of tennis could include (1) your toss is too low, you need to throw the ball 1 foot higher (2) you are rotating your hips at the same time as your shoulders when serving, the shoulders must lag behind the hips to achieve maximal acceleration (3) when preparing to hit the open stance forehand you are not rotating far enough clockwise with your hips and shoulders, you need to rotate another 20 degrees to be successful.

Fading - a frequency technique that consists of starting off by providing feedback on a very regular basis and gradually reducing the number of times the student receives feedback. When teaching beginners tennis, you may want to start off by providing feedback every time the student attempts to hit the ball and continue to do so for the first 25 attempts. Then proceed to give feedback every other time for the next 25 attempts, give feedback every fifth time for the next 100 attempts and so on. Keep in mind that this is just an example.

Qualitative feedback- feedback with no quantity attached . Examples from tennis could include such statements as "nice try on that forehand " or "great effort on that backhand ."

Quantitative feedback - feedback that does have a quantity attached . Examples from tenn is could include (1) you need to clear the net by at least one more foot (2) you need to aim your groundstrokes at least two feet further towards the baseline or (3) you need to bend your knees another 15 degrees to prepare for the serve.

Suggested readings Magill , Richard A. (1993). Motor learning: Concept and applications (4'h ed .). WCB Brown & Benchmark.

Schmidt, Richard A. (1991) . Motor learning & performance: From principles to practice. Human Kinetics Publishing .

ADDva ntage/ January 2000

11

One lesson at a time

U

SPTA professionals across the country combined their efforts in the first Tennis Against Cancer Month last October with impressive results.

The Lessons for Life concept struck a chord with USPTA members, who made monetary donations, led lessons and dinics and organized special events to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Incomplete reports at press cime showed that USPTA members had raised more than $46,000 for the ACS. "This is just the start. The ball is in my park now," said Brenda Mertz, USPTA, who was diagnosed with breast cancer one year ago and welcomed the opportunity to participate in Lessons for Life.

"When I found out US PTA would be teaming with the American Cancer Society to stomp out this deadly disease, I couldn't wait to get started, " said Mertz in a letter about her Lessons for Life event at Pelican Bay Park Tennis in Naples,

12

ADDvantage/ January 2000

Fla. "I didn't realize it would be one of the easiest things I'd ever done. Every single person I asked to take a lesson said yes ."

The goal of Lessons for Life was to have each USPTA teaching professional conduct one lesson and donate the lesson fee to the ACS, said Russell Warner, national chairman of Lessons for Life. Hearing what some pros accomplished could sound a bit intimidating, "but it's as easy as donating that one Saturday lesson," he said.

In many cases, pros did give one or rwo lessons for the cause or wrote a personal check to ACS. Many more established events that could become part of their facility's annual programming or turned an existing event into a fund-raiser. ''I'm happy that USPTA has embraced a national charity. We are always trying both to help people and to spread the good word about USPTA. This program has been very successful in the Missouri Valley and now on the national level, and we look

forward to better things to come," said Warner, Missouri Valley Division president and executive director and head teaching professional at Phil crest Hills Tennis Club in Tulsa, Okla.

"We've all been touched by someone affected by cancer and wanted to help. This is one of the ways we can give back and help," Warner said.

Lessons for Life is modeled after the Missouri Valley Divisian's program by the same name, run since 1996. As part of the national program in 1999, more than 30 Missouri Valley pros earned more than $15,000 for ACS .

The event garnering the most donations was a tournament and silent auction organized by Warner in Tulsa. Bunny Bruning of Adel , Iowa , wrote letters to 300 people about those in her life who have been stricken with cancer.

Donations and lessons solicited through the letters helped Bruning raise $3,000, according to the division newsletter.

Other contributions in Misso uri Valley came from individual lessons, smaller tournaments and clinics.

From division to division, there was the same fervent participation. Liaisons in each division assisted interested pros with information and by colleering donated funds and turning them over to the local ACS chapter. Pros used their individual programming skills in support of Lessons for Life.

In Redmond, Ore., Director of Tennis Aaron Rucks organized a "Fight for the Cure" clinic at Eagle Crest Resort that raised $500 for ACS. "Eagle Crest plans to make this an annual event, and wishes to thank everyone who participated at Eagle Crest Tennis Club and across the country," Rucks said.

In the Southwest Division, Lessons for Life liaison and Regional Vice President Dick Johnson teamed with one of his students to develop a community fund-raiser program called Court the Cure. On March 6,

professionals throughour Albuquerque, N.M ., invited people to play doubles at their facilities for $5 per hour and raised $ 1,500.

Craig S. Jones, owner and director of tennis at the Petersburg Racquet Club, hosted the previously existing Mark Brown Memorial Tournament and raised $7,000 for ACS in 1999.

"For 2000, our recently formed profession al ass oc~ation will take over this event," Jones wrote in a letter about the event.

"I will be the chairman, and it is my goal to raise $ 10,000 .

With over 30 committed pros, I know this goal is attainable."

At the Ellsworth Holiday Inn, a two-court indoor facility in Maine, Director of Tennis Rusty Dyer had more than 50 players on the court to raise $1,200 to fight cancer. The event

included area women's teams plus a beginners tournament using Pro Penn Stars balls and run

by Townsend Gilbert, USPTA. "They played like the real champions they are, demonstrating not only their physical skills but utilizing their spiritual talents of generosity, positive emotion and humility against the unseen foe, " Dyer said.

US PTA has made a five-year commitment to Lessons for Life and the American Cancer Society. Although October is Tennis Against Cancer Month, fund-raisers may be held at any time. Please report the results of fund-raisers of any size so that USPTA's contriburion to ACS may be tracked.

For more inform a tion , please contact the World Headquarters at (800) 877-8248 or pr@uspta.org. 'f)G

Rusty Dyer's clinic at the Ellsworth Holiday Inn in Maine raises $ 1,200.

US. Rep. Steve Largent assists at Russell Ularner's clinic in Tulsa, Okla.

Brenda Mertz raises more than $ 1,2 00 in Naples, Fla., at her clinic (above and left).

Aaron Rucks, director of tennis at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, Ore., hosts a ''Fight for the Cure" clinic, raising $500 for ACS. ADDvantage/ J anuary 2000

13

Specialty

Connors' power drive X

X

B

X

Purpose:

I I

I

To handle high topspin groundstrokes.

I

I I

I I

Description:

I

1. Players begin as illustrated.

2. Side A hits high topspin groundstrokes. Side B attempts to take the ball on the rise and drive it or slice it back, like Jimmy Connors.

3. Players go to the end of their line after each point.

4. Play a game to 11 before the players switch sides.

I I I \ \

I I I I I I I \

\ \

\ \ \

\ \ \

\

X X X

14

ADDvantage/ J an uary 2000

A

Technology ftom Page 5 A player is already able to videotape his serve and then email the digitized film to his coach who is in another country, undoubtedly a great benefit of technology. However, this use of technology will never replace the goose-bumps that player and coach borh get when the player successfully executes a kick serve for rhe first time.

school and, bingo, when she arrives home her new tennis racquet will be waiting for her in a brown cardboard box!

Do you think this will ever replace the 10 minutes spent by the tennis professional with the girl and her mother in selecting a racquet? Do you believe that the mother will want to give up the excitement of talking to the professional with her little girl by her side? Together making sure the new racquet is the right grip size,

... 1 believe that the tennis industry, while unquestionably in a position to benefit from greater bandwidth and faster data transfer ... is an industry where the ".you" will remain at .least equally important as the ".com."

It will not be very long before anyone owning a pro shop will be able to place an order wirh Wilson, Penn or any of rhe industry manufacturers online, right from the "comfort " of their keyboard. You will know in real time whether or not rhe item is in stock, the date it will ship and the cost of shipping.

Again, great rime-saving technology, however, I don't believe this type of technology will ever rep lace the interaction, feedback and relationship building, that takes place in the traditional "sales call. " A mother wishing to purchase a new tennis racquet for her 6-year-old daughter can, if she wishes, pull up an Internet sire like "www.greatafmostfree n oth in g to fear buy onli ne tennisracquets.com" and consummate her purchase. The "UPSFedExRoadwayUSPosralService" truck can pull up to rhe driveway while the girl is at

the right type, one the girl can "grow into" and overall is suitable for a player of the girl's size and skill? I don't think so!

Technology is, and will co ntinue to make our lives easier, our businesses more profitable and our industry more efficient.

However, YOU, the USPTA professional, will remain an integral component of our industry if you continue to deliver those services rhat are impossible to deliver rhrough technology. YOU will continue to remain important to your students, your vendors and your customers if YOU understand what they want and deliver on that need.

Technology will also continue to allow USPTA, your trade association, to streamline its operations. To deliver new programs faster and more proactively, and provide opportunities to increase the va lue of

membership wirh better services to its members. However, we are a trade association that exists for YOU and only because of YOU! USPTA does not exist for the benefit of the national board, your division president, our national and divisional employees, tennis manufacturers or any orher tennis associations.

It is not a "public company," rhe purpose of which is to build large capitali zation on the promise of future dividends and shareholder wealrh. USPTA is rhe "public television" of the tennis industry.

Our association's leadership must constantly ask what it is rhat our "viewers" want from us.

Of the "programming" we provide, we need to know what has the most impact in the lives of those for whom we exist, and what doesn't. If the leadership of our association constantly asks these questions of our members, we will always know how we want our association to look in the future and what we must do today to head in rhe right direction.

services, needs and programs rhat technology cannot deliver, and find a way to remain the key link of rhe tennis chain.

As we enter rhe 21" century, I hope you will take a moment to reflect on what it is you must do to continue your success and build on your own personal and professional challenges. I hope also that you will provide USPTA with yo ur feedback. Your input is critical to our success. You can provide yo ur feedback through any member of the national board, your division leaders or the national office. Your staff and elected officials can only serve yo u better with yo ur input, ideas , criticisms and suggestions. Please feel free to contact me directly at (770) 392-7788 or by e-m ail at mmcm @mindspring.com. Contact information for all national and divisional board members is available in your membership directory. You can find a departm ental e-mai l listing for the World Headquarters staff on USPTA's main Web sne at www. uspta.org.

... YOU, the USPTA professional, will remain an integral component of our industry if you continue to deliver those services that are impossible to deliver through technology.

USPTA, "your trade association ," is really no different from YOU, "the tennis professional. " Both need to not only accept technology, but embrace it, if we are to provide rhe services our customers (members) want. At the same time, we both must stay acutely aware of rhose

Finally, on a personal note, I want to thank you for your support during the national board election rhar took place in 1999. I am pleased to have been yo ur choice and ro be elected first vice president. I hope that yo ur confidence in me is validated. I really look forward to hearing from you. '{l'o ADDva ntage/ January 2000

15

A sK

THE PROFESSOR

JACK GROPPEb, PH.D.

You are a corporate athlete I have heard you and _no••·•...Jt"'!,~hr talk about your corpo e training programs at LGE Performance Systems.

How would these programs relate to me as a tennis professional at my club?

First, we know that berear teaching professionis much more than just giving lessons. You are probably in a position of middle management or above at your club.

Your responsibilities are numerous. Customer service must be superb, you work long hours, you face incredible demands on your time and have no time for breaks from the rat race. In fact, as a truly successful businessperson, you are probably under more pressure than you ever were as an athlete. That is why we call you a corporate athlete.

"Corporate athlete" is a term we use at LGE Performance Systems because to perform at high levels, a businessperson needs as much mental, emotional, spiritual and physical stamina as professional athletes in competitive sport. So, how do you continue to perform your job at high levels under great pressure year after year and still maintain your health and happiness? You must do what great athletes do: TRAIN!

Test yourself, see where you are now, and give yourself time to improve Recover to get stronger emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically Affirm your attitude on an ongoing basis Intensify your effort like a sprinter, not a marathoner Nourish your mind, body and spirit To begin this process, you must face the truth. But, this is not simp ly increasing your knowledge and awareness.

Once you know the truth about yourself as a performer, own it and be responsible for it. Then, plan out your implementation strategies on what you must do to improve. Is it teamwork?

Leadership? Crisis management? Budgeting? Managing? Customer service? Your health? Your happiness?

Whatever it is, get after ir and get 1 percent better at it each day. Bur, don't wait to SEE! It's unfortunate - but true- that so many people wait for Significant Emotional Events (SEE!) to occur in order to make positive changes in their lives.

jack Groppel, Ph.D., is the executive vice president ofLGE Performance Systems. He is an instruction editor for Tennis magazine, and is the author of High-Tech Tennis and co-author of The Science of Coaching Tennis. Groppel is a USPTA Master Professional and was named 1987 USPTA Professional ofthe Year.

16

ADDvantage/ January 2000

Many corporate athletes don't understand that they can take control of themselves and manage their time better. Once you understand what you can do well and what you need to improve on, your life will become your own, and your new journey will begin. Fulfillment is ahead.

You will become self-actualized or truly fol.filled only when your needs become your wants.

Your needs: nutrition, exercise, spirituality, self-esteem, to love and be loved, safety and security. For example, you already know that you need to eat well and exercise. When you want to eat well and exercise and then make it happen because you

want to - not because you need to - you will start down the path to fu lfi llment. That is when you will handle problems better than anyone else. That is when your performance will go through the roo£ '§>a

When you're a corporate athlete, your performance will go through the roof

51

benefit - even if you don't have a computer. ~ US PTA pros get a free personalized site on the

web at www.usptapro.org. ~ Show off your bi.ography, color photos of you and

your club, and playing tips (provided by US PTA). ~ Be a hero to your students, friends, club members

and employers. Give them your personal password and they'll get full access to worldwide tennis news and events, business, family fun, travel, finance, games and much more. ~

Looking for a tennis job? Send a prospective employer your site address and password and "wow" them with your marketing savvy!

~ This web site would literally cost thousands

of dollars for each member to produce independently.

Don't miss out on one of the most exciting benefits brought to you by U.S PTA, always first with the newest and best benefits for professionals and the tennis industry.--- ---'

Call (800) USPTA-4U for a Personal Website registration form. Or, check out US PTA's site at www.uspta.org for complete details and an online registration form.

A Power up your career uspta. y with a USPTA Personal Website!

Little Tennis® recognized for contribution to Plan for Growth in 2000

B

eginning this year, USPTA's Little Tennis® will be linked with USA Team Tennis. The result of the link is that USPTA professionals and others will be able to count the players they bring into the game through Little Tennis toward the industry-supported USA Tennis Plan for Growth effort to increase tennis participation.

Professionals who share the results of their Little Tennis programs and run USA Team Tennis, among other criteria, also will be eligible to receive a USA Tennis incentive payment of $5 for every new player introduced through Little Tennis.

"By supporting children's programs like Little Tennis, this industry is laying the foundation for the next tennis boom," said USPTA CEO Tim Heckler. "We are showing children how to have fun on the tennis court while they progress from basic motor skills to the tennis

skills they will employ throughour their lives."

Little Tennis was introduced

by USPTA in 1994 and has since expanded to include 2,000 sites and involved nearly 250,000 children in the game.

Children as young as 3 are taught basic motor skills in a fun tennis environment through Little Tennis. Older children develop more sophisticated movement and ball striking skills, learning how to rally with a coach and then one another.

Those basic rallying skills serve children well as they transition to USA Team Tennis. The program begins with the Red Division for children ages 6 to 12, which incorporates the team rallying game called Ralleyball. Details of the Ralleyball format will soon be found online at www.LittleTennis.com.

The next step in USA Team Tennis is the White Division for ages 10 to 14 and then the Blue Division for ages 13-18. Later,

participants can feed into the USA League Tennis program for players age 19 and over.

"This agreement between the USTA and the USPTA is another example of the tennis community's effort to introduce tennis to younger audiences and increase tennis participation in the United States," said USTA Executive Director Rick Ferman. "We are pleased to work with the US PTA on this project that will continue to popularize tennis in this country among children."

Professionals who teach Little Tennis are eligible for the $5 incentive if they: • Provide evidence of a USA Team Tennis (youth) program with at least 24 players combined in the Red, White and Blue Divisions at their facility. (The minimum number of players is 24 because a USA Team Tennis league must have four teams and a team must

have six players.) A minimum of 36 players will be required in 2001.

• Agree to actively promote the USA Tennis Pathway at their facility and specifically link Little Tennis with the USA Team Tennis Red Division, using the Ralleyball format for Team Tennis.

• File a site commitment form and "yellow cards" with their USTA Section in a timely manner.

• Utilize the recommended USPTA curriculum for Little Tennis.

• Include a minimum of nine hours of instruction, games and other age-appropriate activities.

For more information about Little Tennis, USA Team Tennis and Ralleyball, please see USPTA's newest web site at www.LittleTennis.com. USTA may be contacted at (914) 6967000 and its web site may be found at www.usta.com.-s>o

US PTA VVorld Co.n ference on Tennis September 23-30 Phoenix, Arizona 18

ADDvantage/ January 2000

•

TENCAP, the USPTA-endorsed handicap system, accurately ranks players of differing abilities. That means more competitive events and active, motivated players.

It's the most significant advance in tennis in 15 years.

The TENCAP Advantage ...

• Tennis becomes exciting again. Matches between equals are more fun.

TENCAP makes every match a challenge.

• Events are more competitive. With TENCAP everyone has a chance to win.

• TENCAP generates revenue. Leagues and tournaments will be better attended. Plus, earn income from TENCAP fees.

• TENCAP helps manage your players. A built-in database keeps track of players and their scores.

COMING TO YOUR REGION THIS YEHR~

lii::::~!!llllll!!~==-

TEN c • p 11111$ IWIDJCAJIPJIG SYSTEII The Official Handicap System of the uSPiP

For more information, call 6U-591-9495 or e-mail at tencap@aol.com.

Out wear your opponent.

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

1-800-990-0000.

W and Wilson are regislefed trademarks of Wclson Sporting Goods Co. C 1993 Wi!son Sporting Goods Co.

Breast cancer prevention study

A

out 22,000 women are needed to take part in a major breast cancer prevention study at more than 500 medical centers across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

STAR, rhe Study ofTamoxifen and Raloxifene, is comparing rhe rwo drugs for

vel oping breast cancer and detailed information about the potential risks and benefits of both drugs. Once in the study, participants receive regular health exams.

The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), a nerwork of more

rr1 ;4~f!..

their effectiveness ill= 6,000 mediin reducing rhein- ~~ cal professionals cidence of breast successfully concancer in postmeLJducting clinical tripausal women age als for more rhan 40 35 or older who are Stu~y ofTamoxifen years, is conducting at increased risk for And Raloxifene STAR. The U.S . rhe disease.

National Cancer InRisk factors related to breast stitute supports it. cancer include age, family hisTo request a brochure about tory of breast cancer, personal STAR or to find a STAR site medical history, age at first near you, call rhe Cancer Informenstrual period and age at first mation Service at (800) 4live birth.

CANCER, or visit http:/ I Women interested in becancertrials.nci.nih.gov. In Canada, call rhe Canadian Cancoming part of rhis study will cer Society's Cancer Informareceive individualized assesstion Service at (800) 939-3333. ments about rheir risk for de-

Address is key to online, other benefits USPTA's Find-a-Pro service is designed to bring pros and players together. In recent weeks since this new service was unveiled, USPTA World Headquarters has received numerous calls from members who cannot locate their listings on Find-a-Pro. Due to the structure of US PTA's member database, we can list only one address for each member. A member's Find-a-Pro listing corresponds with the mailing address on file.

Many pros are unable to find their listing because they are looking under their employment address, rather rhan their designated mailing address. Phone numbers are listed in the same manner as they appear in rhe USPTA Membership Directory.

Pros who want their Find-a-Pro listing to correspond with their work location, should forward a change of address and phone number to USPTA World Headquarters, so that rhe appropriate fields in our database can be updated.

Changes can be sent via e-mail to karhy@uspta.org, or mailed to 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, Texas 77042.

22

ADDvantage/ January 2000

USPTA members win awards at tennis leadership workshop

M

ike Van Zurphen, USPTA Executive Committee member and Master Professional, received rhe USTA Community Service Award at the 1999 USTA Recreational Tennis Leadership Workshop in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Nov. 6. Edward Hubbs and Brent Frueh also received USTA Community Service Awards, and Linda Finkbeiner received rhe USA Team Tennis Volunteer of the Year Award. All four are USPTA-certified teaching professionals.

Van Zutphen, of Mesa, Ariz., is rhe director of tennis at The Mesa Country Club. He has served as rhe Arizona Special Olympics director of tennis for more than 20 years. In 1987, he was co-founder of rhe Arizona Tennis Association and founder of the USTA National Junior Tennis League Phoenix chapter. Van Zurphen's awards include the City of Phoenix Humanitarian Award and three Sourhwest Professional Tennis Association Pro of rhe Year awards.

Frueh, of Bismarck, N .D., is head tennis coach of the Bismarck Century High School girls' team. He also is a member of the USTA Norrhern Section Board of Directors and rhe section's Community Development Committee.

Hubbs, of Omaha, Neb. , is the tennis coordinator for the Omaha Parks and Recreation Department. He is the previous winner of rhe Volvo Tennis Coaches Community Service award, the Nebraska Tennis Association Community Service Award and the Outstanding Contributor to Player Development Award.

Finkbeiner, of Cape Coral, Fla., is rhe executive director of the Lee County Community Tennis Association. She also serves as rhe free lesson Blitz captain for Lee and Charlotte counties and coordinator of Ralleyball and USA Team Tennis. Finkbeiner was rhe 1999 USPTA District Volunteer of rhe Year for rhe Florida Division's Lee County District. ~

Wilson equipment contracts for 2000 are being mailed in December and are due back to Wilson by Jan. 31, 2000.

USPTA-certified members who did not receive a contract before Christmas should fax his or her name, address, phone number and USPTA member number to Tim Beyer, Wilson's liaison to USPTA, at (773) 714-4581. Information also may be e-mailed to Beyer at tcbeyer@racquet.wilson sports.com.

Tennis pioneer Eve Kraft passes avvay ve Kraft, US PTA honorary member and a former director of USTA's Recreational and Education Department, passed away on Nov. 11. Through her work as a USTA staff member and volunteer, Kraft introduced thousands of young people to the game of tennis, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Kraft became the first-ever women's varsity tennis coach at Princeton University in 197 1 and led the team to an undefeated record during her three-year tenure. She later founded and was director of the USTA Center for Education and Recreational Tennis in Princeton, N .J., and was also the founder and director (19 5 5-81) of the Princeton Community Tennis Program.

In 1985, Kraft was named one of the 20 most influential people in tennis by Tennis magazine. In 1996, she was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Women's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame.

She was also the recipient of the USPTA

E

USPTA endorsees •

Those of you who use USPTA's online services may have noticed a new look to ADDvantage online.

Beginning with the December 1999 issue , selecting ADDvantage from www.uspta.org opens a new browser specifically for the magazine. In addition, you can also reach ADDvantage independently by entering www.addvantageuspta.com.

Inside there is a list of feature stories plus a menu of departments, such as editorials, drills, Ask the Professor and Little Tennis tips.

The new Web site includes an option that enables readers to search for specific articles by keyword or author within each category. Issues prior to December 1999, while still online for viewing, are not included in the search.

Viewers can also find advertising rates and contact information for magazine staff '{)o

A closer look at Head/Penn Racquet Sports

Head/Penn Racquet Sports

• Wilson Racquet Sports • Bolle Ameri ca Inc. • Ten Cap Inc.

Additional supporting companies • American Airlines - official airline • MBNA America - USPTA MasterCard • Special Service Systems Bank ca rd processing • Tennis magazine •

Presidential Lifetime Ach ievement award (1996) for her excellence in the tennis ind ustry and dedication to the sport.

USPTA CEO, Tim Kraft Heckler said, "Those of us who have worked in our industry for many years remember what a vital source of energy, passion and caring she represented in her efforts to bring people and organizations together in her lifetime quest to benefit the sport she loved. Eve was the pillar that held USTA and USPTA together in the early days when we struggled to figure out just how our two organizations should work together. She was far ahead of everyone else in realizing that the most common bond was education for tennis teachers of every imaginable level - from professionals to the earliest ranks of physical education teachers and recreational players." '{)o

ADDvantage online has new look

Tennis Week magazine

Endorsee since 1973 - longest in the tennis industry Last renewed in 1996 Endorsed products: Pro Penn tennis balls and Pro Penn Stars President, Head/Penn Racquet Sports, U.S .: Dave Haggerty Headquarters: Phoenix Contact at (800) BUY-PENN Represented by Head/Penn Racquet Sports sales reps History: The agreement began with the tennis ball now called the USPTA Pro Penn ball. Pro Penn Stars were added in May 1998. Pro Penn shoes were produced from 1989-1 991.

How USPTA benefits: • Discounts on Pro Penn balls, sold exclusively in pro shops • Rebate on quarterly orders split between divisions and World H eadquarters • Support of World Conference through a sponsored party, golf tournament, speakers, gifts, etc.

• Support of division events with speakers, special promotions, etc.

• General support of US PTA benefit programs • Tennis balls for USPTA events

4Jro -/J@nn.

ADDvantage/January 2000

23

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Stop and squash As my Little Tennis students move from hitting stationary groundstrokes to hitting on the move, I find it is difficult to get them to stop and set their feet. They invariably either run into the ball or spin around as they move through it. I used to get blue in the face telling them to stop before they hit. Now, to teach them to stop and set their feet the proper distance from the ball, I have come up with a simple and fun exercise.

•

Start by having the class form a single-file line on the service "T." (Always have the other students in line give the first person plenty of room.)

• After first demonstrating the drill, the instructor sits cross legged at the net about halfway between the singles and center lines.

• The instructor rolls the ball easily about three or four steps in front of the first student in line.

• The first hitter (holding the racquet frying-pan style) runs to the ball and attempts to "squash" it with the racquet. She should hold the ball sandwiched between the court and the racquet until the instructor tells her it is OK to kick the ball away.

•

Go through this exercise for three or four rounds and then have them hit a "normal" feed, reminding them to stop just as they did when they were squashing the ball.

There are many benefits to doing this drill: footwork, visual acuity, balance and distance judgment. All will benefit from this fun and enjoyable drill.

Remember the service motion Cut the cake- when the racquet is out in front Brush your hair- when the racquet is behind the head Hit the fly- when the ball is hit Michael Shires, USPTA West Columbia, Texas 11

Popcorn" reward

Reward young players (4 years old) when they hit a groundstroke over the net two times in a row. "Popcorn" is when I drop four balls at a time in front of the student and he counts how many he can get over the net with one swing.

Michael Shires

Ball blasts Cut an old tennis ball in half, fill with a spoonful of flour and reseal ball with glue. During a group lesson on the serve, tease the students that you can blow up a ball with your serve. After taking a few warm-up serves, take the ball from your pocket and tell the kids to cheer- the louder they are, the more it helps. Then serve.

The pro who can blow up a tennis ball will be the most popular topic for weeks.

Michael Shires

Richard Katz, USPTA Barnegat, N.J.

G

5 ADDva ntage/ January 2000

25

USPTA jewelry Collection l anu41ry

February

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c-·~ BlACK ONYX (Smooth TQ9 Orlly)

Oe:totROSE ZIRCON

All rings are custom made in 10K gold and come with engraved initials and designated year. All rings are available with the above gemstones. A cubic zirconia may be added to all gemstone rings. Allow six to eight weeks for delivery.

Item

Description

Price

1A 18

Lapel pin (wreath logo) Lapel pin (star logo)

Item

Description

2A 28 2C 2D 2E 2F 2G/ H 21/J

Member ring $249 Player of the Year ring 249 Professional of the Year ring 249 249 Master Professional ring Coach of the Year ring 249 Division president ring 249 Circular signet ring 249 Rectangular signet ring 249 Cubic zirconia option add $99

3A 38

Sport watch Dress watch

$2 $2

Price (Women's)

$39 39

Price (Men's) $299 299 299 299 299 299 299 299 add $99 $39 39

USPTA Gift Shoppe (800) USPTA-4U • (713) 97-USPTA

USPTA Logo Merchandise

PRICE XS. S, M, L, XL, XXL

$95.00

S, M, L, XL

$28.00

S, M, L, XL, XXL

$28.00

QTY

TOTAL

$28.00

@ @ @

navy, red, white

S, M, L, XL

$24.00

white/navy trim

S, M, L, XL

$36.00

white

S, M, L, XL

$28.00

S, M, L, XL

$22.00

XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

$28.00

S, M, L, XL

$28.00

one size

$11.00

M, L, XL, XXL

$44.00

SUBTOTAL

1 - - --

--1

Houston CMTA) residents add 8.25% tax Other Texas residents add 7.25% tax 1------1

U.S. orders: Add $7.95 shipping and handling fee USPTA Gift Shoppe, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Houston , TX 77042 tel (800) USPTA-4U • (713) 97-USPTA • fax (713) 978-5096 e-mail : proshop@uspta .org • www.uspta .org

(Alaska. Hawaii, U.S. territories and Canada - additional fee required to cover air freight)

International orders: via express mail only (contact USPTA)

f --

---l

TOTAL PAYMENT METHOD:

0

Visa

0

MasterCard

0

Check (payable to USPTA)

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

0 Residence 0 Business

Name as it appears on credit card

Name

Credit card No.

Street

Exp. date

C ity

Signature

State

ZIP

Daytime phone No.

Member No.

Positive publicity

Teaching pros earn recognition vvith Tennis Across America

I

t was 11 years ago that US PTA introduced Tennis Across America. Then called Across America Tennis Day, it was the first major grassroots effort to introduce tennis to new players through a nationwide free lesson program.

Tennis Across America has been a success on that front because of the dedication of teaching professionals. But another of the program's successes has been its power as a positive publicity tool for the USPTA-certified professional.

Every year, more than 2,000 pros and volunteers gain recognition for themselves and their trade association by hosting many thousands more players at clinics around the country.

Events are publicized on television, in magazines and newspapers, at parks and schools .

Newspaper reporters mention US PTA in stories and columns, editors give Tennis Across America front-page play, sportscasters interview professionals on the air and even nontennis media mention what happens each May. On Tennis Across America Day, the second Saturday in May (May 13, 2000), and during the Tennis Across America Month of May, free clinics are aimed at inviting new players to the game or rejuvenating former or infrequent players. They happen ar clubs, parks, schools, neighborhood courts and anywhere else there are courts.

Often the clinic may be a kickoff to a spring tennis program that invites participants

28

ADDvantage/ January 2000

US PTA's

TENNIS ACROSS

&ffi'l1J~UBDŠ& Celebrating i ts 1Oth anniversary- 199 0 -2000

into a series of lessons as a follow-up meant to keep them playing, get them involved at the facility and become part of the active tennis community. It could be large enough to involve several pros who "share" the participants by inviting them to the faci lity nearest where they live for follow-up lessons. A pro at a private facility may run a clinic for her own membership or assist at a larger public clinic.

Multicultural clinics are offered to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to play tennis. They include minority youth or those from inner city areas , handicapped children and adults, seniors and more.

By participating in these special events, pros may be publicly recognized for what they do every day- encourage as many people as possible to play and learn about and from the game of tennis . Recognition comes in at least two ways - as individuals sharing the sport in the local community and as part of a worldwide professional organization that promores the game.

Sometimes, the most publicity might be generated by

joining forces with other pros in the community or region.

For instance, in Corpus Christi, Texas, about 15 pros put on one big event that sometimes includes a former or current touring pro as a guest clinician and presents Little Tennis and adult activities . The USPTA Florida Division designates a three-day period during which many pros hold exhibitions, tournaments and free clinics. By combining efforts for large events or a condensed schedule, it may be easier to get media outlets to recognize the program because of irs size or scope.

Nationwide, USPTA promotes Tennis Across America throughout the spring so that individual pros and the association benefit. News releases and photos are sent from the World Headquarters to media of all kinds. Members who register their clinics with the headquarters have those clinics listed on USPTA's main Web site.

Members of the public can find a local clinic by looking at the Web site or calling the World Headquarters.

However, pros are encouraged to run an event that works best for them.

It wasn't until October that

Huntington College coach John McWilliams , USPTA, held his fifth Tennis Across Montgomery clinic for 100 children in Alabama. A media and VIP fast serve contest was part of the event that, with the help of corporate sponsors and other patrons, raised $4,500 for a local charity, according to McWilliams. Though his clinic might not have been directly affected by national Tennis Across America publicity, he reported being interviewed by two TV stations and six radio stations. The Montgomery Advertiser ran a story about the clinic on the front page of the sports section during the height of football season.

Through Tennis Around the World, which was added to the Tennis Across America concept in 1999, tennis-teaching groups in countries such as Japan, the Czech Republic, Australia, Spain, South Africa and New Zealand are multiplying the effort to promote pros or coaches and the sport.

As with all USPTA programs, Tennis Across America is designed to help teaching professionals achieve their business and personal goals. If you have any questions about the program, please call the USPTA Sports Marketing Department at (800) 877-8248 or send an e-mail to spons@uspta.org. '{)G Please look in the next issue ofAD Dvantage for tips on publicizing all of your grassroots events. A program guide is scheduled for March.

Career fn

Conventions

Cl

Jan . 14-16

New England Division Haverhi ll , Mass.

J an. 28-30

Eastern Division

= ·-

·-·-> -= fn

(5 cred its)

Tarrytown, N.Y. Feb. 17-20

Texas Division Grapevine, Texas

Feb. 18-20

Northern California Division

Feb. 25 -26

Midwest Division

Feb. 25-27

Middle States Division

Napa , Calif.

Indianapolis Hershey, Pa. Feb. 25-27

Missouri Valley Division Prairie Village, Kan.

March 3-5

Mid-Atlantic Division Williamsburg, Va .

March 11-13

California Division City of Industry, Calif.

Activities/meetings (1 / 2 credit and up)

Midwest Division

* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.

Big Rapids , Mich.

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 wi ll 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.

Feb. 19-20

Texas Division

Feb. 26

Midwest Division

March 3-5

Midwest Division

March 25

Anderson, Ind .

specialty courses

Midwest Division

(2 cred its per four-hour co urse; 4 credits per eight-hour cou rse)

Midwest Division

Big Rapids, Mich.

ua:

Feb. 25-26 Feb. 26 -27 Feb. 26 -27 Feb. 26 -27 March 2-4 Ma rch 4-5 March 4-5 March 4-5 March 5-6 March 8-9 March 10-11 March 11 -12 March 11 -12 March 18-19 March 19-20 March 20 -21 March 24-25 March 24-25 March 25-26 March 25-26 March 26-2 7

Houston* Indianapolis (upgrades only) Gastonia , N.C. Burbank, Calif.

Hilton Head Island , S.C. Dalla s Las Cruces , N.M. Bonita Spring s, Fl a.

Wichita , Ka n.

Manchester, N .H. William sburg, Va .

Flu shing, N.Y. Bloomington , Minn.

Louisville, Ky. Los Gatos, Cal if.

Chagrin , Ohio Atl anta Houston * Industry Hills, Calif.

Hempfield , Pa. Charleston, S.C .

Streetsboro, Ohio Augusta, Ga .

Feb. 15-16

Chicago

Cl~

Feb. 21 -22 Feb. 25

Midwest Division Grand Rapids, Mich .

March 3-5

ca-t:

Tampa, Fla. Charleston, S.C. J ackson, Miss.

Haverhill , Mass.

Danville, Ill .

San Francisco Salt Lake City Houston* Florence, S.C .

Industry Hills, Calif.

Bonita Springs , Fla. Atlanta Banksville, N.Y. Midlothian, Va .

Lynbrook, N.Y. Mesa, Ariz.

Media, Pa. Kansas City, Mo. Mobile, Ala. Pl easan ton, Calif.

Rochester, N .Y. Bon ita Springs, Fl a.

Grapevine, Texas (upgrades only)

Feb. 19-20

Chicago

.c.= ucn

J an . 8-9 Jan . 8-9 Jan . 8-9 Jan. 14-15 J an. 15-16 Jan . 15-16 Jan . 15-16 Jan . 17-18 Jan . 22 -23 Jan . 22 -23 Jan . 22-23 Jan . 23-24 Jan . 27-28 J an . 29-30 Feb. 2-3 Feb. 3-5 Feb. 4-5 Feb. 5-6 Feb. 5-6 Feb. 12-13 Feb . 18-20 Feb. 19-20 Feb. 20

Texas Division

Grapevine, Texas

m=-

(4 credits for CTC segment)

Jan . 14-16

Houston

U)cn

exa111s, upgrades & certification training courses

Sport safety training , Feb. 17 , Grapevine, Texas (4 hours), American Red Cross

(2 credits)

Doubles strategy: phases and situations, Feb. 20, Grapev ine, Texas

J an. 15

Hawaii Division

(4 hours), F. Hassan

Kahuku , Hawaii

Team coaching, Feb. 24, Indianapoli s (4 hours), D . Porter

Jan. 21-22

Midwest Division

I bought a ball machine. Now what do I do?, Feb. 25, Hershey, Pa .

Lincolnsh ire , Ill.

(4 hours), S. 0/ey

Feb. 4-5

Midwest Division

I bought a ball machine. Now what do I do?, March 3, William sburg, Va .

Troy, Mich.

(4 hours) , S. Oley

Feb. 25-26 Feb. 27-28

Midwest Division

I bought a ball machine. Now what do I do?, March 11 , City of Industry,

Indianapolis

Calif. (4 hours) , S. Oley

Midwest Division Columbus, Ohio

March 17

Eastern Division Syracuse, N.Y.

The deadline to register and/or cancel a course is 15 working days before the event.

Anyone canceling late or failing to cancel will forfeit one-half the course fee. This schedule is subject to change. Call the USPTA Membership Department for additional information or write via e-mail to membership@uspta.org .

ADDvantage/ January 2000

29

USPTA vvelcomes nevv members Congratulations to the following new USP TA members who fulfilled requirements fo r membership between May 1 and j uly 31, 1999.

Corporate La Cross Country Club Midwest Division California Andrews , Randolph Baskin, George Behrens, Christine Bloom, Dana Bly, Donald Brown , Victor Chang , Anthony Crew, Tracy Daffara, Felicia Fultz, Debbie Jellen -Radow, Stacey Kern , Reynold Khatchatrian, Haroutioun King, Lawrence Lenoir, Pierre Mendez, Josephine Paseley, Veronica Pyles, James Rudolph, Kelly Sanders, Jesse Wasson, Clyde Eastern Balasundar, Bala Bodner, Daniel Brunson , Kendall Busenhart, Dieter Chow, William Curry, Jack Fairclough, Maureen Ferris, Nathaniel P Frankel , Steven Gilbert, Alex Hurst, Lee Kenney, Arthur J .

Lafontant, Laurent Lalin, Hill Lem, Warren Maget, Kenneth Mueller, Chris Ruttley, Allan Schultz, Adrienne VanAlstyne, Fred Vredenburg, Christopher Westoo, Patrie Wickenheisser, William

30

Florida Aulls Ill , Ernest C. Benson, Roger Braswell , David (Ty) Buck, Justin Clemmons , Kurt Connett, Andrew De Windt, Cullen Dextraze, Gregory Hannah, John Hill , Gregory D .

Hills, Ronald Holmes Jr., Norman Lassalvy, Nicolas McCraw, Peter Perry, Matthew Pierre, Wesley Schutzman , Russell Touchstone, Justin Williams, Douglas Hawaii Debrach, Anne -Cecile Kawahakui, Jackie Lum, Natalie Radman, Michelle Intermountain Barnett , Brett Godown, Marlin Justus, Trevor Laursen, Judith Sorovic, Nikola St. Denis, Richard Stevens, Christopher International Buchler, Gundula Burda, Pavel Hawkes, Katherine Imboden, Christine Jang, Soon-Chul Jean, Haeng-Seong Jin, Wha-Bong Joung , Lee-Young Kim , Ok-Han Kong , Ki-Hoon Laag, Philip Lee, Chei-Seung Lee, Seong-Geun Lindenberger, Janos Na, Sun-Ju Oh , Ki-Back Park, Sang-Kyu Saltmarsh , Nick Yang, Soon -Jai You, Chang -Ju

ADDva ntage/ J anuary 2000

Mid-Atlantic Barker, James Buswell , Colby Fuggitti , Marco Jackson Jr., Preston Kember, Michael Pugh , Michael Smith , Paul Middle States Brosius, Galen Collins, Melvin Conway, Harold Dotsey, Daniel Gaskins Jr., Donald Huang, Tony Jones, Courtney Ovelman, Kate Paige, Doran Reynolds, Abram Walker, James (Skip) Waychunas , Christopher Midwest Ansay, Scott M .

Baladad, Mark Berka, Peter P Bhatty, John Bickham , Marc Brual, Michael Bruni, Joseph Dubin, Nick Gelhaar, James Glebov, Andriy Hawkins, Donald Jackson, Matthew Kindig, Sharrie Kulendran , Naresh Maas, John W. Mcinerney, Sean McKim, David Miller, Mike J .

Packowitz, Marshall Passchier, Joshua Phillips , Dave Roark, Jennifer Sack, Mark Schimpke, Pat Seltzer, Todd Thammaraks, Eknarin Valbak, Dan Walli, Brenda Wegner, Sunny Yaccick, Philip

Missouri Valley Johnson, Boyd Sherrill, Steve Ward, Amy New England Brod, Nelson Copice, Brian Flanigan, Steve J. Flynn, Carlton Glover, Hajji Greenberger, Daniel Griffith, Nigel Harris, Karl Krig, Erik Latronica, Karolina Link, Andrew Maguire, Marcella Penicaud , Timothy Robinson, Carl Sternfield , Jonathan Terry, Richard Trupiano, Michael Northern California Alvistur, Alan Black, Shawn Buchholz, Michael Carpio, Anthony Craig, Sherife Do, Huy (Dennis) Ferdinandsen , Tye Governor, Frank Holt, Matthew Jacobson , William Jaffee, Jerry Knight, Billy Lawrence, Stephanee Levin, Robin Massie, Sarah Nelson, Jeff Ramirez, Jordana Sokalski , Norman Street Jr., Wayne Sykes , Philip Pacific Northwest Beaird , Douglas Lorenzo, Conan Swales, William (Ron) San Diego Alapi , Nelson Bos, Raymond Graziano, Dean Hedden, Anna Melton, Jesse Warner, Charles

Southeast Asia Chin, Ngien Siang Heng, Wei Hun Seaton , Gary Lee Thangavelu, Sasedharan Yong, Williard Southern Copeland, Peter Foulon , Catherine Gardner, Jeffrey Gavrilas, Catalin Helms, Katie Henderson, Nancy Hill, Jesse Hohenberg, Adam lbarrola , Fernando Koehler, Todd Layman, Kip Miller, Edwin Motil, Matthew Rush , Michael Scanling, John Scott, Scylance Spann, Bobby Strahan , Michael Trail , Mark Webb, Christopher M. Southwest Dill, Claudia Murphy, Kristin L. Navarro, Karla Ong, Suk Foong Texas Amiach, Sophie Arts, Jeri Hampton, Jason Hughes, Bryan Lester, Daryl Lewis, Mark Moore, Tanner Morgan , Jamal Nauta, Anna Ronquillo, Rene Smithart, Brian Thatcher, John Tomlin, Douglas Verdier, Celine Vick, Kathy Yayboke, Kenan

_j

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US PTA The Presidents ' Athletic Conference named Waynesburg College's Ron Christman, USPTA, as the PAC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year.

Jim Sharton, USPTA, was named director of Junior Tournament ""' ,.... Training and Sharton Special Programming at Weymouth Club in South Weymouth, Mass.

Billie Jean King, USPTA and U.S. Fed Cup' Captain, and Tom Gullikson, USPTA and USA Tennis director of coaching, worked with juniors at the USA Tennis Training Camp in Key Biscayne, Fla . The camp was held Oct. 20-24 and organized

by USPTA member Lynne Rolley, USA Tennis director of program development.

AI Garrett, USPTA, has been awarded a contract to teach all health and physical eduGarrett cation classes for The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) for the 19992000 school year. Garrett has been teaching the UAH weekend classes since February 1998.

Travelers Tennis Corp. has been awarded a contract with the City of Charleston, S.C. USPTA professional and Travelers Tennis Corp. President Tom Klein will direct the city's

\

tennis programs by providing the residents of Charleston and its visitors with innovative tennis services.

Member product showcase Jack Groppel, Ph.D., USPTA Master Professional, released his book, The Corporate Athlete: How to Achieve Peak Performance in Business and Life this month . The chapters include information on how nutrition, fitness and self-improvement can work synergistically to turn any businessperson into a corporate athlete.

The book is available for $24.95 from John Wiley & Sons Inc., www.wiley.com.

USTA The USTA:s USA League Tennis program concluded its 20'h season in October with the USA League Tennis 4.5 Senior National Championships at Randolph Park Tennis Center in Tucson, Ariz., and the 4.0 Senior National Championships at the Tennis Club of Palm Springs and Riviera Resort & Racquet Club in Palm Springs, Calif. Tucson's Randolph Park Tennis Center is the longestrunning host site in the history of the competition after celebrating its 12'h anniversary.

Manufacturers Score It Sports released its flagship product, Score Oneโ ข for tennis. Score One is the first handheld scoring device for tennis

~

l_j

~-1 ~~-~J that fits in the palm of your hand. For more information call Marc Takacs at (714) 841-8911 or visit www.scoreitsports.com.

Master Sports has developed the SAM Millennium II ball machine, which is capable of 99 preprogrammed drills with nine different skill levels and nine programmable oscillations.

The SAM Millennium II can service both the club member and the teaching pro. For free video and leasing information along with USPTA discounts call Master Sports at (800) 837-1002, ext. 2.

Associations CMAA will hold its 73'd Annual World Conference on Club Management and 23'd Annual Exposition at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Feb. 20-24. For more information visit ClubNet at www.cmaa.org .

Pro tour Harare City Sports Center in Harare, Zimbabwe, was chosen as the site of the 2000 Davis Cup by NEC. The first-round tie between the United States and Zimbabwe will be held Feb. 4-6. The United States vs. Zimbabwe first round tie will mark the debut of John McEnroe as captain of the United States Davis Cup team.

U.S. Open champions Andre Agassi and Serena Williams were named Male and Female Athlete of the Month for September by the United States Olym-

uยงJ

pic Committee. This marked the first t ime ever that tennis players have swept the prestigious honor in the same month.

Miscellany Smart Tennis has been translated into Japanese by Prentice Hall Japan, and both versions can be viewed at: www.smarttennis.com .

Regis Philbin and his wife Joy, joined actor/ comedi an Chevy Chase for the 1O'h Annual Chris Evert/ Tyco International ProCelebrity Tennis Classic at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Delray Beach , Fla., in December.

Philbin and Chase joined Hall of Fame tennis players John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors in the charity event.

Stephen Welch of Arlington, Texas, defeated Martin Legner of Austria to capture the men 's open singles title at the 1999 U.S. Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships at the George E. Barnes Family Junior Tennis Center in San Diego.

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), a national nonprofit litera cy organization for children, dedicated a new reading room at the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation to USPTA Hall of Fame member, Arthur Ashe. The reading room will commemorate Ashe's work to educate African American youth and honor his dedication to children's literacy.

ADDvantage/ January 2000

31

Videotape from Page 11

strictly verbal presentation. In fact, a recent study by the author has found that when comparing beginners receiving transitional information only vs. transitional information plus videotaped replay, there was no significant difference. It may be that because beginners can concentrate only on very limited amounts of information at any one time, the videotaped replay provides too much extra information and cannot be processed effectively.

In order to optimize the use of videotape replay, the teaching professional or coach should try to do the following:

Provide a model to establish a mental template or standard.

• Show the video of the student more than once, from different perspectives and occasionally in slow motion.

• Most importantly, make sure the learner's attention is focused on the appropriate part of the video.

Research has shown that learners exposed to videotape replay- even relatively advanced players - are unable to focus on the appropriate part of the videotape replay without guidance from a trained teacher. There is a tremendous amount of information available and those in the early stages of learning have no idea where to concentrate their

attennon. Even those in the more advanced stages of learning have trouble focusing on the appropriate information. The most effective means of focusing the player's attention on the correct information is to utilize transitional information, which by definition does what is required.

In summary, in order for tennis professionals or coaches to optimize the use of information feedback it is suggested that they incorporate the following into their lesson structure: Use transitional information augmented by knowledge of results.

Use the fading technique to force the learner to problem solve, reduce dependency

upon the feedback allowing the learner to process the information more deeply and perform at a higher level in competition.

Adapt the precision of the feedback to the age and stage of learning of each student.

Whether providing feedback verbally or mechanically, follow the prescribed suggestions previously discussed.

Michael Kernodle, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Appalachian State Universtiy, where he teaches motor skill learning and motor development. He is a USPTA Master Professional.

CLASSIFIEDS BACKBOARDS Rally Master Backboards. Lowest prices, 20year warranty. Puncture, fade and crack proof.

Quiet performance. Free brochure. Dealers wanted. (800) 609-9966

BOOKS AND VIDEOS www.TennisExpress.com: biomechanics, mental tennis, movement/footwork videos.

Drill books, training products, ball machines, coaching manuals. FREE catalog.

(800) 833-6615.

BUSINESS SOFTWARE USPTA Master Professional Mark McMahon announces CTS-ClubSolutions, exclusive distributors of a new Coaching & Business Management Software Suite for tennis professionals. The "Coaches Business Partner" offers a complete on-court and off-court software solution for tennis professionals. Call (800) 6054652 to request a demo version and information. www.GoCTS.com.

EMPLOYMENT FREE Online Job Bank: www.Ten nis Express.com . Review current job postings.

Advertise job openings. Post seeking-employment ads. It's all FREE. Go online or call (713) 78 1-4848 .

32

ADDvantage/ January 2000

Junior Program Coordinator wanted: Must be 5.0+ player. Would be in charge of junior programs for ages 4-18 years old. Lincoln Racquet Club web sire: lincolnracquerclub @navix.ner.

Send resume to: Rich Halpine, Director of Tennis, Lincoln Racquet Club, 5300 O ld Cheney Road, Lincoln, NE 68516.

Tennis camp developer, pro, director, tennis business manager. Westchester and Westhampton, N .Y. $31,000 base+ commission (up to 60K) , paid vacation, health insurance and some housing (possible couple). Call (914) 234-9462, fax resume to (9 14) 2343843 or e-mail to pkaplan@cyburban.com.

Tennis facility located in urban public park in Los Angeles, Calif. , is looking for a Director ofTennis with experience running junior summer camps and junior adult clinic programs. Potential exists to develop own private clientele as well. Please send resume to Director ofTennis, PO . Box 69692, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

USPTA Master Professional Mark Mahon announces CTS-TennisSearch, an executive search firm for the tennis industry. CTSTennisSearch discreetly conducts searches on behalf of irs clients (club managers, tennis committees and owners) who need a new director of tennis. Call (800) 605-4652 and be added to our confidential database of patenrial candidates. www.GoCTS.com.

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

TRAINING WARNING: Coaches and athletes only. Free newsletter. For serious tennis players. Enroll online. www.RealAthlere.com.

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 throughour the Caribbean. Join this long-running and successful program that so many professionals have enjoyed. For information, contact Mark Burns at (617) 552-3171.

Rates: $30 for 20 words, minimum per issue. 50 cents per word thereafter. Pay by check, money order, Visa or MasterCard. Prepayment is required.

Supply typed copy and include full name, telephone number, credit card number and expiration date.

(No agency or cash discounts.)

Issue closes 15th of month, two months preceding cover date. Fax to (7 13) 978-7780, attn: ADDvantage classifieds. No classifieds will be accepted by telephone . No exceptions are made.

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

PRESORTED STAN DARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAM PA, FL PERMIT NO. 602