Addvantage 2000 March

contents the total professional - enhancing your career 7

Building rapport and trust with today's junior by jim Sharton, USPTA - By building rapport with your junior students and getting them to see their improvement, you will retain them as clients and enjoy a much more rewarding and fulfilling relationship.

departments 3 President's message 4 USPTA mailbox 5 CEO's message 17 USPTA drill

11

Doubles philosophies and tactics

by Feisal Hassan, USPTA Master Profissional- Be a proactive team - one

23 Little Tennis tips

that makes things happen.

28 Career development 29 Industry action

15

Good exercise, low risk

by Dave Romberg, USPTA - Inherent risks of tennis and ways to reduce

30 Classifieds

them .

18 Treat current, new players to memberbeginner guest event The USPTA member-beginner guest event is a sociable and fun event for members and guests, despite the differences in their tennis skill levels.

on the cover USPTA p rofissional Billy Morehouse takes a break with the kids at a 1999 Tennis Across America clinic in Corpus Christi, Texas.

20 Getting the word out in the grassroots Public relations tactics gain publicity for special programming.

24 Ask the professor - Factors of the followthrough by j ack Groppel Ph.D. , USPTA Master Profissional- T he follow-through might be the most important factor over which you have total control.

32 Pro Penn Quarterly Discount

special section This issue ofADOvantage fiatures the annual USPTA Tennis Across America TM pullout guide. It includes promotional tips, press information, a colorfol poster and an outline on running a 90-minute clinic.

news 16 Jack Barnaby focus of documentary 19 New millennium, new location for USPTA conference 31

volume 24 • issue 3

Sad news re-awakens fond memories

ADDvontoge magazine editoria l offices USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briorpork Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone - (7 13) 978 -7782 (800) USPTA-4U Fax - (7 13) 978-7780 e-m ail - mogozine@ uspta .org

Editor Managing editor

Shawno Ril ey Julie Myers

Circu lati on

Kathy Bu chanon

Advertisi ng

Diane Richbou rg

Office ho urs: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Centra l lime

ADDvontoge is published monthly by the United Stales Professiona l Tennis Association.

Th e opinions expressed in ADDvontoge ore those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvontoge or the USPTA. CopyrightŠ United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2000. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted with out written permission from USPTA. ADDvantage/March 2000

1

•

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.

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For more information, call 913-789-8580 or e-mail at tencap@aol.com.

PresicleAt's

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usptao

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Working for the new millennium USPTA tournament players can earn ranking points with new program

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A

s president, I have the great honor of leadWinners and runners-up in eligible singles diviing US PTA as we venture into the new milsions will receive personalized engraved "gold" and "silver" bag tags featuring the USTA and USPTA lennium. In giving my acceptance speech logos. at last September's World Conference in Miami, I said my focus as president would be in three major All Category II national championships must areas: Communication, Education and Cooperation. fulfill the following criteria: Since that time, your board and the national office a. The tournament must be an existing, successhave been working diligently to establish some new ful event. programs of which you will hear more about in the b. The event must include players from outside future. the hosting section.

One of these programs will involve USPTA cooperating with the USTA's c. The event must feature multiAdult/Senior Competition Committee ple senior-age categories. by sponsoring the ne;, Category II nad. The tournament location must tional championships. The focus of this be geographically diverse. project will be to increase participation After meeting the above criteria, in both USTA and USPTA national the USTA Adult/Senior Competitournaments for ranking purposes. It tion Committee also must approve also represents another commitment by all additions to the Category II naUSPTA to "grow the game." tional championships. If you think USPTA professionals who now you have an existing tournament play in Category II national champithat would qualify as a Category II onships will receive points that will tournament, please contact your apply to both USTA and USPTA naJoseph Thompson sectional USTA office. tional rankings and can win prize monI'm excited about working on ey and ranking points for singles comUSTA, and specifically want this project with the petition. We so believe in this concept that the to thank Joe Rasgado and his committee for all USPTA will commit $50,000 over a five-year period their hard work in making this a realiry. to all Category II national championships.

Where would I like to see USPTA's national rankIf you are not familiar with adult/senior national ings go from here?

It is just a matter of time before tournaments, the following are minimum requireprofessional tennis associations in other nations will ments for USTA national rankings: be sending teams to USPTA's World Conference to • Men's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75 sin- represent their countries in various age categories as gles- Two Category I USTA championships and they compete in the "PTA World Cup." one other tournament; or one Category I USTA This is just the first of many programs you will championship plus one Category II USTA chamsee offered during this next millennium. It's just one pionship and two other tournaments. Tournament more example of how your Board of Directors, Explay in at least two sections is required. ecutive Committee and national staff have made a commitment to making US PTA the best it can be. 'iJG • Women's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65 singlesTwo Category I USTA championships and one othA tentative schedule for USTAJUSPTA Category er tournament; or one Category I USTA champiII national championships for 2000 can be found on onship plus one Category II USTA championship Page 21. and two other tournaments. Tournament play in at least two sections is required.

President

Joseph Thompson

First Vice President

Mark McMahon

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

Vice Presidents

Secretary·treasurer

Randy Mattingley Wi ll Haag

Past President

WORLD HEADQUARTERS CEO

Tim Heckler

Director of Operations

Rich Fanning

Executive Assistant

Marty Bostrom

Director of

Shawna Ailey

Communications

Publications Coordinator

J ulie Myers

Diane Richbourg

Public Relations

Coordinator Communications

Jill Kite

Comm unications

Shannon Kopp

Director of Fred Viancos Professional Development Educat ional Administrator

Thelma Holmes

Corporate Services Janice Stollenwerck Administrator Computer Services/ Club Relations

Kathy Buchanan

Computer Services/ Data Entry

Sylvia Flores

Computer Systems Administrator

Quincy Kwok

Divisional Executive Administrator

Yvonne Hung

Membership and Vicky Tristan Certification Coordinator Payroll/Benefits Controller

Renee Heckler Theresa Weatherford

Ellen Weatherford Insurance/ Merchandise Services Insurance Services

Charlene Davis

LEGAL COUNSEL Attorney-at -law

Paul Waldman

For information, write the USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briorpork Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone (713) 97 -USPTA (800) USPTA·4U Fox (713) 978·7780 e-mail - uspto@uspto.org Internet - www.uspto.org Office hourso 8:30 a.m. • 5 p.m.

Central time

ADDvantage/ March 2000

3

USPTA mailbox Dear Tim Heckler and US PTA, Thank you so very much for the beautiful standing spray that you sent to my dad's funeral service. Our family appreciates the continued support and friendships that USPTA extended to our family and my dad.

Sincerely, The McCleary Family, USPTA Ennis, Texas

Dear US PTA, I would just like to say how nice it is when I call the national office in Houston that I actually get to speak to a friendly and helpful person, not a machine.

This is just one of the little things that makes the USPTA one of the best associations in the tennis business today.

Mark Geyer, USPTA Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The new Little Tennis site is great.

Keep up the good

Dear USPTA, The new Little Tennis site is great. Keep up the good work.

I also wanted to commend Jack Justice on his Certification Exam he held at Greensboro, N.C. Jack taught me a lot in those two days even though I have been teaching for 25 years.

Thanks Jack and I am glad I took the time to get certified that weekend.

Mark Trail, USPTA Raleigh, N.C.

Dear USPTA, I recently used the Find-aPro Web site and it worked beautifully. I thank you very much for providing the service.

It is one of the best things the USPTA has done in several years. I will definitely use this service again should the need arise. Hopefully the quality of the candidate I hired as a result of using this service will be so good that I will not need to look for another tennis professional for a long time!

Thank you, Cynthia Young, USPTA Olmsted Falls, Ohio

4

ADDvantage/ March 2000

Dear Tim and staff, I just want to tell you what a fantastic job you did with the Little Tennis Web site and what it has to offer. It's a great tool for today's professional. Keep on being creative.

Sincerely, Mike Lange, USPTA Geneva, Ill.

Dear USPTA, I just wanted to write and thank everyone at headquarters for working so hard to improve the USPTA and its programs.

Recently I had gone to lunch at a local diner, nothing fancy just a regular place, and I happened to be wearing a US PTA hat. As I finished ordering, the man looked at me and said, "Oh you're one of those real tennis pros . . . the ones that if I was going to take a lesson it should be from one of you guys, huh?"

I kind oflaughed and asked him how he knew of the USPTA. His reply was that he had seen it on television! This man is now a tennis player at the age of 63!

Kelly K. Marshall, USPTA Austin, Texas

work.

I just want to tell you what a fantastic

Dear USPTA, I was taken by January 2000's article, "One lesson at a rime. " Brenda Mertz's reaction to the prospect of aiding in the fight against cancer was identical to mine, as I had newly been diagnosed with cancer of the prostate.

The clinic I conducted, in conjunction with the Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District in the Palm Springs area of southern California, was quite successful. I did not receive the local media attention that this program deserved, but the clinic held on Oct. 23, 1999, was well attended. The participants were very supportive in their enthusiasm for the fight against cancer. My congratulations to not only Brenda but to US PTA for this program.

I trust it will continue.

Sincerely, Bob Mitchell, USPTA Indian Wells, Calif.

job you did with the Little Tennis Web site and what it has to offer.

Dear USPTA, What a great Web site. To teach kids is and was always most exciting for me. I love teaching kids; it is so rewarding.

I tried to establish a Web site in Germany. I am a native German pro, but we are so behind with the Internet. I almost gave up, but with your site it gives me new motivation. Thank you for a great job!

Mark Pachtner, USPTA Dunwoody, Ga.

Can a large industry succeed vvith only a fevv decision-makers?

Goals: n some respects the tennis industry appears to I doubt that anyone would disagree that "growbe large and multifaceted - made up of many ing the game" is tennis' most important goal. It will groups with special niches - teaching profescreate more players for everyone in our industry. Not sionals, manufacturers, club owners, the USTA, the only will this mean a better way of life for existing tournaments and the professional playing tours. manufacturers, volunteers, publishers, agents, and These groups represent thousands of people who playing and teaching pros, but it also will benefit make their living either directly or indirectly through the new converts we bring into our great sport. tennis.

Yet, at the same time, it is really small when you Objectives: look at the number of decision-makers. These comprise just a few dozen people, who are usually conAt this level, very few also would argue that the national Plan for Growth and USA trolled by only a handful of individTennis 1-2-3 are not worthy objecuals who design and implement protives for achieving our goal. The programs meant for our entire industry. solicit support from everyone grams Complications arise when the in the industry in their attempt to very small group makes decisions meet the objectives of delivering new that affect a larger number of diverse players to the sport with introductointerests. Just as you and I have our ry tennis lessons and retaining the own ideas and hopes for tennis, so same players with acceptable followdo many of the people who make up up activities. this small but powerful alliance. In many cases, the personal philosophies and passions of one or a few Strategies: This is where things start to unpeople actually dictate each program Tim Heckler ravel and individual passions begin our industry adopts. to collide. It would be unfair ifl didn't use myself as Often programs are adopted and implemented the first example of such a passion. While I am supwithout full regard to whether they are actually necportive of all the strategies approved by our indusessary or will achieve the desired results. Take a motry, my personal passion is the rebuilding of the player ment to count the number of grassroots programs base through Little Tennis. I have witnessed the pride that are already out there. They number in the dozUSPTA members have in their program and have ens. So, before we try to throw out another wellintentioned program we should thoroughly review lobbied consistently for its inclusion as an overall industry strategy. it and value the input from all the groups, especialSome other tennis industry strategies that have ly the teaching pros in the trenches who are expectachieved mixed results are: ed to support and implement the new projects.

Let's take a step back and ask ourselves what the • A program supported by manufacturers that recommon denominator of a successful program is. quires teaching professionals to submit the names We first must have a commonly accepted goal. Then, of 10 new players that they personally introduced it needs one or more clear objectives to help us reach to tennis the previous year before they can rethe goal. Finally, it must have sensible and "doable" ceive any "free" product from manufacturers. strategies to help us accomplish our objectives. I've • The plan to recruit 4.0 level recreational playprovided some specific examples so that you won't ers to train beginner players in the USA Tennis misunderstand the basis for my frustration.

I

In some respects the tennis industry appears to be large and multifaceted ... yet, at the same time, it is really small when you look at the number of decisionmakers.

see Strategies, Page 6 ADDva ntage/ March 2000

5

Strategies from Page 5 1-2-3 program if a certified professional was not available. •

Free lesson programs used to attract people to tennis initially and draw them into follow-up lessons or leagues. Numerous groups in our industry have used this strategy for years. While this has probably been the most successful strategy to date, we need to start developing new more imaginative concepts that do not rely on "free lessons." How about easier beginner training and activities with technologically improved equipment such as the Pro Penn Stars ball?

While we share the same goal and objectives, we may not choose the same strategies to achieve it. Even if an idea has possibilities, it may not succeed if its implementation is flawed.

Before any program can be deemed "doable" it must first be judg~d by four specific criteria. However, it must also be under-

stood that the success of any program that is judged against these criteria often depends on human nature- something that we cannot always control or predict.

In any case, for any project to be a success it must be: be easy to explain and easily understood by the people who implement it. It should be simple and to the point.

any other part of the world. Although we are at an advantage because we all share a common language across state lines, local and regional differences are often very significant and can make or break a program. A simple message that can be conveyed by local volunteers and tennis teachers will go a lot further and cut the expenses of a major national campatgn.

2. Easy to implement- Don't go off on

4. Mutually beneficial- A program will

a tangent and design a program that is arduous for both organizers and your potential audience. If it can be an adj unct or supplement to the delivery system's existing workload, it wi ll succeed. If yo u "re-invent the wheel" in an effort to meet the same goal of attracting people to tennis, then you're no further along than when yo u started.

succeed if it benefits everyone involved, and it must not be punitive in nature.

In the case of the tennis industry, this means everyone must see a realistic return for the time, money and effort they put into a promotional campaign.

The goal may be increased tennis racquet sales that will mean more profits for a manufacturer. Or, it could be more lesson revenue for a tennis-teaching professional if he attracts more customers to his tennis program. In many cases, a program's success depends on the payout of one of two currencies money or glory. If you can't pay volunteers at all or enough to earn a living, you must be prepared to give the lion's share of the glory to them. It's also important to remember that criticism will not get you very far if you depend on someone else's delivery force to implement your program.

I. Easy to understand- A program must

3. Simple to communicate - We must comm unicate the tennis industry message throughout the United States for it to be effective. This challenge means spreading information to the equivalent of 50 sm aller countries in

If every idea for growing our sport was measured against the four criteria mentioned above, a lot of ideas would be tossed out before they have a chance to fail. Common sense tells us that if an idea is easy to explain, enjoyable for all participants and mutually beneficial to everyone involved, then the program will succeed.

Successful programs will also go a long way in uniting the split personality of tennis and creating a cooperative spirit among the distinct groups that make up our unique

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Building rapport and trust vvith today's junior

by Jim Sharton, USPTA

If we can introduce children to the game and keep them playing, they will enjoy a lifetime of tennis and all the benefits that come with it.

We as teachers will benefit as well.

George Bacso had a special gift for establishing rapport with juniors.

ADDvantage/ March 2000

7

W

e have been hearing that tennis is stagnating or declining for many years now and it is our obligation as professionals to grow the ganie. Growing the game means introducing more people to the sport, but that is not enough. We must retain them and do everything possible to keep our players interested and excited about tennis. If we can introduce children to the game and keep them playing, they will enjoy a lifetime of tennis and all the benefits that come with it. We as teachers will benefit as well.

When there is strong student-teacher rapport and the student is making progress, the chances of that junior dropping out of tennis are dramatically reduced. In my years of teaching tennis to children, I have had the opportunity to teach mariy levels of personality, learning style, background and goals. Each student cannot be treated and taught in the same way. Whether teaching an aspiring future pro or a child that has picked up a racquet for the first time, I try to create an interesting atmosphere where a majority of students must make changes and try new concepts to develop and improve their games.

• Show that you genuinely care about your students, in and out of tennis. Ask questions and then listen carefully. You may learn about them and how they think. What is their daily schedule and what part does tennis play in their lives?

When the relationship is one of mutual trust, juniors place confidence in the pro's ability to teach and coach.

The most development can occur in an atmosphere where there is rapport between the student and teacher. When the relationship is one of mutual trust, juniors place confidence in the pro's ability to teach and coach.

This environment does not blossom overnight, but must be cultivated and nurtured.

Communication AB with any relationship, it is critically important to communicate with your junior students and for them to communicate with you. It may be impractical to spend a lot of time off the court with your student, but a few moments on the court at the appropriate time may be very helpful in building the line of communication:

• Use the ball pick up time in a private lesson wisely. Talk and listen to your student during this time. Don't allow him or her to pick up the balls on one side of the net, while you are picking up the balls on the other side. This defeats your purpose. The balls don't get picked up any quicker and you have lost an opportunity to talk with the junior. Do not allow parents to help pick up the balls; they may think they are doing you and their child a favor and although the junior may hit a few more balls, it takes away from the rapportbuilding process and a much needed mental and physical break for both the student and teacher.

• Never allow distractions during a lesson. Your student must know that during that lesson you are completely focused on him or her.

Using effective communication • Show that you genuinely care about your students

• Be empathetic about your students' on- and off-court problems

• Use the ball pick up time in a private lesson wisely

• Know the "pop culture"

• Never allow distractions during a lesson • Do not allow parents to be on the court on a regular basis 8

ADDvantage/ March 2000

• Find a common bond outside of tennis • Talk to the parents

• Do not allow parents to be on the court on a regular basis. They may be a distraction. The student may try to please the parent instead of focusing on what the pro wants him to do. The private tennis lesson should be a "safe haven" from immediate parental input and feedback.

The student-teacher relationship will be strengthened if this "safe haven" is developed and remains intact.

• Be empathetic about your students' on- and off-court problems. You will thus establish a warm and helpful relationship.

• Know the "pop culture. " Although it is far from crucial to have watched South Park, listened to the Spice Girls, played Nintendo 64 or own a skateboard, conversations that initially start about these topics may lead into more substantial discussions in which you may learn about the students. The more you understand about what touches their lives, the more you can understand where they are coming from.

• Find a common bond outside of tennis. You will be perceived as a whole person by the student and have a launching pad for future discussions.

• Talk to the parents; you may find out more information about your student and learn about the parents and their personalities. This may provide great insight into your student and help you understand how to achieve your goals most effectively.

Respect You cannot have rapport and trust without respect. I believe it must be earned. Over time the following will help you earn your student's respect: • Be consistent. If you say that you will sit a student down if they bang their racquet on the court, then sit him or her down , otherwise you lose your credibility and respect will be much harder to come by.

• Have patience. Your students will respect you for allowing them to learn at their pace, and for the leeway you allow them when it is appropriate.

• Learn when to push and when to back off. There are times when it is crucial to push your student to the limit an d other times when pushing harder may be frustrating and contradictory.

• Make sure they know what you expect. They will appreciate ground rules and guidelines, instead of surprises.

Show that

• Be enthusiastic about their progress. Your enthusiasm will be contagious.

genuinely

The most important thing that you can do as a pro is to get your students to improve and let them know it. Kids are very smart, so only emphasize their improvement when it is real and concrete. If you are perceived as less than straight forward, you will lose any trust that has been developed.

By building rapport with your junior students and getting them to see their improvement, you will retain them as clients and enjoy a much more rewarding and fulfilling relationship.

You will also be doing yourself and the game of tennis a great service by growing the game. ~

you care about your students, in and out of tennis.

Earn students' respect • Be consistent • Have patience • Learn when to push and when to back off

Jim Sharton, USPTA, is the director of tournament training and special programs at Weymouth Club in Weymouth, Mass.

• Make sure he knows what you expect • Be enthusiastic about his progress

ADDvantage/ March 2000

9

Out wear your opponent.

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Doubles philosophies

and tactics

by Feisal Hassan, USPTA Master Professional

ADDvantage/ March 2000

11

from Page II

Keep the ball in play Every tennis point has a beginning, a middle and an end.

While your opponent may make an error early on, most points that you successfully complete must be won in stages.

The beginning of a point includes only the serve and return ofserve. The middle of the point extends from the first volley, or first groundstroke after the return if you do not move into the net, through all the subsequent shots played up to the one that will end the point. The end of the point is simply the one ball that does not come back into play. Players who become overanxious or lack doubles training tend to reverse this order and generally make a high number of unforced errors. In doubles, it is generally the tea~ who makes the fewest mistakes - not the team who hits the most winners - that will win the match.

Remember, the goal is to reach the middle of the point, and that is not possible if you don't get your serve or return of serve in play. Determining where to place shots during the middle or at the end of a point can be simplified into a finishing shot or a set-up shot.

A finishing shot is a putaway shot that will end the point. A set-up shot is a shot that will help develop the point and, at some point, will lead to a finishing shot. If you look at your opponent's feet from your side of the court, the opponent closest to the net looks like he has a bigger foot compared to the one further back. Therefore the player closest to the net is Big Foot and the player furthest back is Little Foot. The rule to follow is this: aim your finishing shots at the player closest to you (Big Foot), giving him less time to react. This does not

12

ADDvantage/ March 2000

mean to literally aim at your opponent or try to hit him, but finish the shot at his feet or in his general area. Aim your setup shots at the player furthest from the net (Little Foot), giving your team the most recovery time.

How does a player know when she has a finishing shot or when she has a set-up shot?

A player must develop an awareness of three key factors in match play: his balance, contact point and court position.

Balance is developing an understanding of your body position. Ask yourself are you stable or unstable when making contact? If you are balancing on one foot when returning a wide serve, you are off balance.

The contact is the point at which the ball is struck with the racquet. Developing an awareness of contact point on your strokes is essential for decisionmaking in doubles. Are you meeting the ball out in front of you, beside you or behind you?

Are you hitting the ball below your knees, at waist height or shoulder level? Was your last volley at eye level or waist level?

Court positioning is the player being aware of where he is standing on the court (see diagram) . The offensive line is a parallel line 14 feet from the net.

This line divides the service court into the front two-thirds (close) and the back one-third (deep). When standing close, it should be possible - assuming good contact and balance - to hit a finishing shot to Big Foot.

A finishing shot must have all three factors in your favor.

A set-up shot exists when only one or two of the factors are favoring you. One rule to follow is to choose a set-up shot when you are behind the offensive line. Let's look at the following four play situations to decide if you have a set-up or

finishing shot.

Situation 1: You are on the service line, on balance and you take a chest-high volley. This is a set-up shot.

Hit to Little Foot since you are on the service line. This court positioning puts you deep behind the offensive line.

Situation 2: You are on the baseline hitting a backhand groundstroke. This is a setup shot. Hit to Little Foot because you are standing near the baseline. Yes, you can hit the ball harder because it has a farther distance to travel but, because your opponents are farther away, this extra time allows them to return your best shots. The chance of blasting the ball directly at an opponent and creating an error is slim.

Situation 3: You are 8 feet from the net hitting a knee-high forehand volley with good balance. This is a set-up shot. Hit to Little Foot since your contact point is low, a

shot at knee-high level.

Situation 4: You are hitting an overhead 9 feet from the net, your balance and contact point are good. This is a finishing shot. Hit to Big Foot since all three factors are in your favor.

Play as a team In doubles, you want to move as a unit as much as you can. The reason you and your partner should move together is simple: you're always trying to cut down your opponent's shot possibilities. If you don't move as a team, you're going to open up your side of the court and present all kinds of gaping holes for your opponents to hit through. By moving together, you keep those angles of attack small and make it tougher for your opponents to hit through you.

A good key is to shift in the direction of the ball as it is traveling away from you. The rule is simple: think line to line. The crosscourt player covers the cen-

Aim your finishing shots at the player closest to the net, giving her less time to react.

ter line and the down-the-line player covers the singles line.

Leave the extreme crosscourt and lob openings unguarded in your initial game plan. Those openings are difficult shots for your opponents. Your team cannot cover the entire court area, so guard against their easiest two openings and don't fret over a few low-percentage winners they may hit.

If they are successfully lobbing your team, your shifting will keep you a little further back in your court near the service line. Your job then is to read whether the opponent is going to lob or attempt a drive. As the match progresses, you'll recognize the tendencies and preferences of your opponents. Make adjustments to your original shifting plan as needed.

Attack In doubles, this means territorial attack. Take the net! Taking the net allows you a larger angular range for your returns and it greatly reduces the amount of time and court space your opponent has to get to your return. Let us analyze playing the net in terms of our three key factors in match play. Consider your court position. The closer you are the better the angle potential for a finishing shot.

Being this close, no balls should be able to get low to your feet.

Play isolation An isolation involves finding two-on-one situations, where the two of you gang up on one opponent. It's an intimidating and exciting doubles concept. The isolation philosophy is where two players work

as a unit to control the point through high percentage shotmaking, two-on-one team play, isolation targets and court positioning before and after each point. Your team is essentially taking an opponent out of the game until you make the decision to make them a target. By isolating, your team has less shift work, target control and ball control. The isolated player may get frustrated since she is not getting to play much and the player being ganged up on may be taken away from her comfort element.

When you have set-up shots, find Little Foot, continue to target deep to her half of the court, make your shift and wait for an error or a finishing shot opportunity for your team to end the point. Force an error instead of trying to make finishing shots.

By isolating, your team is playing the high percentage game plan, reducing your team's unforced errors and forcing opponents into low percentage shot selection.

Be a proactive team and discover that by making things happen, you can continue to improve as long as you play the game. 'ยง>o

Feisal Hassan, USPTA Master Profossional, is the director oftennis at Riverside Wellness and Fitness Center-Briarwood in Richmond, ~-

ADDvantage/ March 2000

13

• low risk Good exerc1se,

by Dave Romberg, USPTA

L

ife is getting better. Every year our life expectancy increases. We are exercising more and eating healthier foods, and we even have air bags in our cars.

Tennis is considered one of the best sports for health. You get an abundance of exercise with a small amount of risk.

Some of the inherent risks of tennis are: 1.

Ankle injuries from tripping and stepping on balls

2.

Knee, foot and back injuries from spending years on hard courts

3.

Tennis elbow from incorrect strokes, inappropriate racquet or strings

4.

Eye injuries froJ;ll balls

5.

Skin damage from the sun

Reduce your risks 1. Ankle injuries- Be sure that your shoes have good soles. Play on courts that have divider fences to prevent balls from rolling onto your court during play.

Teach your students to not start a point or rally if a ball is near them, their partner or opponent.

2. Knee, foot and back injuries - Over the last few years, tremendous improvements have been made in footwear. The support, comfort and durability have all improved. The support they provide can really help the feet and back. Playing on soft or clay courts can reduce these injuries and allow players who suffer from these ailments the opportunity to play pain free.

3. Tennis elbow- Properly sized racquets, the new softer strings, shock-dampening features, racquets with larger sweet spots and good elbow supports lessen the effects of tennis elbow or provide total prevention of the ailment.

4. Eye injuries- The new hi-technology sunglasses can protect your eyes from a shotgun at 15 feet away and from a tennis ball at any distance.

5. Skin damage- Hats and the appropriate sunblock are the obvious and necessary tools for saving your skin.

All of these solutions may cost a little more time and money, but you will gain so much in health and enjoyment. 'f)o

Playing in sunglasses and hats and on soft surfaces might help protect players from injury.

ADDvantage/ March 2000

15

Jack Barnaby focus of documentary A documentary film has been released about US PTA Past President (1969-70) Jack Barnaby. Barnaby was a 1932 Harvard graduate, and during his coaching span at Harvard (1932-1976), his squash teams won 780 matches and captured more national championships than all other colleges combined. He is the winningest coach in Harvard history. jack Barnaby is a 25-minute video documentary directed by Michael Masland of the Harvard Film Study Center. The film zooms in on the living legend and offers not only a compelling portrait of "Barnabus Rex," but also explores the secrets of Barnaby's effectiveness in building teams that dominated a sport for nearly half a century.

The video includes interviews with Barnaby and several of his former students including author George Plimton and 10-time National Amateur Squash Champion Victor Niederhoffer.

The issues discussed in the documentary transcend both squash and tennis. Copies of the video are available by calling (617) 4962714 ore-mailing fsc@fas.harvard.edu. 'fJo

September 23-30

-

The Pointe Hilton Resort on South Mountain

~~PRESENTS Division of SeaiMaster

1-800-395-7325

internette

[where tCJ surf 8J vCJUe4l www.tennisweek.com

Court Surface www.sportmaster.net .Sources of Daily Tennis News on the WorldWide Web CNN/SI Tennis: www.cnnsi.com/tennis ESPN Sportszone Tennis News: ESPN.SportsZone.com/ten FOX Sports Net: www.foxsports.com/tennis Nando's Sportserver: www.sportserver.com Reuters Tennis News: www.sportsweb.com/Tennis/index.shtml Sportsline USA: www.sportsline.com/u/tennis/index.html Tennis Information Services The Tennis Server: www.tennisserver.com Temlis Week: www.tennisweek.com Professional Tour News ATP Tour: www.atptour.com Worldwide Senior Tennis Tour: www.seniortenniscircuit.com World TeamTennis: www.worldteamtennis.com WTA Tour: www.wtatour.com Tennis Organizations Christian Tennis Ministry: www. tennismin.istry.com ITA: www. tennisonline .com/ ita ITF: www.itftennis.com International Tennis Hall of Fame: www. tennisfame .org USPTA: www.uspta.org USPTR: www.usptr.org USTA: www.usta.com USTA/Eastern-Metro (NYC): www.metrotennis.com VanderMeer: www.vandermeertennis.com Tennis Product Manufacturers Gamma: www.gammasports.com/index.html Head USA: www.headusa.com Nike: www.n.ike.com Penn: www.pennracquet.com Prince: www.princetennis.com Wilson: www.wilsonsports.comjwilson/Tennis/tenn.ismain.html Tennis Tour Grand Slam Tennis Tours: www.tennistrips.com Tennis School Ferris State University: www.hello.to/FSUPTM Tyler Junior College: www.tjctennistech.com Tennis Shopping Holabird Sports: www.holabirdsports.com PlayPro: www.playpro.com Hotel The Roger Smith Hotel: www.rogersmith.com Online Performance Center Athletes Village.com: www. athletesvillage.com Tournament Sites Australian Open: www.ausopen.org French Open: www.frenchopen.org U.S.Open: www.usopen.org Wimbledon: www.wimbledon.org USA Network: www.usanetwork.com (French & US. Opens)

For ad rates on website listing, please call (212) 808-4750.

16

ADDvantage/ March 2000

US PTA's Celebratiog its 1

o'" anniversary-

1990-2000

Your Tennis Across America 1M kit contains: • Ideas for optional activities • A sample lesson plan • Promotional tips that will help you publicize your event • A colorful poster for promoting your event • Press information. Fill in the appropriate blanks on the public service announcement and press release (photocopy or create your own) and deliver them to newspapers and television and radio stations • A free lesson sign -up sheet • A form to register your event with USPTA

USPTA's

ACROSS

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Ce leb rat i ng its 1 a·· a nnive r sary

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Suggested guidelines Run a 90-minute clinic

Optional activities

Introduce yourself and your staff to the participants.

Briefly discuss USPTA and how it promotes tennis in the grassroots through programs such as Tennis Across America, USPTA Little Tennis®, the USPTA Adult Tennis League 5 M , USA Tennis 1-2-3 and players worldwide participate in Tennis Around the World. Point out tennis' lifetime benefits and how your teaching programs can help improve their skills.

Conduct a free demo If your facility has a pro shop, you may wish to conduct a free demo session to encourage your members and other clinic participants to try new products. This would also be an excellent time to have a pro shop sale, since most shops are fully stocked with spring and summer goods.

The options are endless - put your imagination to work.

Tennis Across America is a great opportunity to increase lessons, pro shop sales and exposure for you, your staff and your facility.

The depth of your clinic will depend upon the skill levels of your participants. Your clinic may include students of any skill level, juniors and adults. The sample lesson plan is ideal for social-level players. For more advanced players, you may wish to incorporate a drill format.

A large group lesson plan is included in this pullout. This lesson plan was designed to get the students playing quickly and having fun .

Review the clinic Allow 10 to 15 minutes to review the points discussed in the clinic and have a question-and-answer session .

Explain the importance of regular practice and offer practice tips, such as how to use backboards and ball machines. This is a good time to distribute information on lessons and pro shop merchandise.

Run a social round robin Assign each player a number and begin with social round robin doubles. Play may be divided into men's and women's doubles. This is a great public relations opportunity. Have the teaching staff socialize with the partici pants and offer advice and tennis tips.

Add a luncheon Your social program can include a reasonably priced luncheon or cookout at the courts. The cookout should follow the clinic or the optional round robin.

/"""f\ I'

US PTA's

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Sample lesson plan

e le bra ting itS 1 a ·· anniver s ary

The following lesson plan is based on a series of progressions to help tennis professionals handle clinic participants with varying degrees of tennis experience and ability. However, all players should not be expected to make it through every step of each progression. While this lesson plan concentrates on the forehand groundstroke, many of the same progressions may be used to teach the backhand. The lesson should last approimately 90 minutes.

I.

Introduction (2 min.)

II.

Warm-up (5 min.)

Ill.

Ball-handling drills (1 0 min.)

F

C. Bump-ups with a bounce Forehand basics (8 min.)

A. Demonstrate the grip.

C. Explain contact point and the length of the backswing and follow-through'.

D. Have players drop-hit balls from 5 feet from the net, from the service line and halfway between the service line and the baseline.

Toss and hit (1 0 min.)

Have pairs face each other across the net, each standing inside the service line. Place targets midway between the net and the service line.

VIII. Serve and return (10 min.)

Place two players on each end of the court. The four players each serve once and return once before the whole group is replaced by four more players. The goal of the returners is to get the ball back, aiming for the middle of the court. Points should not be played out. Those waiting may want to shadow the serve or return.

A. Teach players to feed one another by controlled toss.

B. Have one partner toss and the other hit the ball back, using controlled toss and hit and then switch.

C . Let the players take two steps back and then try to rally with one another using the same gentle taps again.

IX.

D . When the players reach the service line, have them start points with a self-drop and rally until they miss. If the players can get five in a row, move them further back.

E. Have the players count consecutive hits as partners or hold a contest for most consecutive hits.

Play mini-tennis (8 min.)

VII.

Serve (25 min.)

Target game (5 min.)

Let the players at the net and the fence serve every ball.

They must make one of every two serves (in the service box or in the target areal in order to take a step backward.

G. Scoring game (5 min.)

Again, half the players are on the service line facing the net and half are facing their targets on the fence from 6 feet away. Explain the tennis scoring system, and then have the players play a game. Players should get two serves for each point. If they make their first or second serve, they win the point. If they double-fault, they lose the point. Without alternating from deuce to ad court, have the players keep score for an entire game.

B. Practice self-feeds with the nondominant hand.

VI.

1990 - 2 000

1. Throw at the target 2. Shadow a serve 3. Serve at the target If players do not hit the target with the serve, have them continue to throw, shadow and then serve. When they hit their target, players should take one step back and repeat the sequence.

Note: If the toss is keeping players from having success, have those players return to the toss and trap the ball as in the first serving practice drill.

B. Bump-downs

V.

----t

E. Use the step of the service motion progression with which the students are most comfortable (e.g ., the trap, tray, V position or full serve).

A. Bump-ups

IV.

ACROSS

Doubles play (10 min.)

Place a doubles team on each baseline. Again, each player should have a chance to serve (each should get two chances at a successful serve) and return. This time, the points should be played out. After four points have been played, bring new doubles teams onto the court.

Be sure at this point to promote your follow-up program, such as USA Tennis 1-2-3. This is a critical time for these players. If they do not continue through some type of follow-up program, many will not continue at all.

A. Trap - Students extend their arms reaching their racquets upward, use an underhand toss and trap the ball against the fence as it reaches its peak. Discuss proper grip.

Additional notes:

B. Tray - The forearm and palm of the hand are laid back so that the racquet face is in the position of a tray carried above the head of a waiter.

Breaks 1. Offer breaks between the forehand and service portions of the lesson. Have half the class break while the othe ~ half plays more mini-tennis, and then switch.

2. Offer another break after the service lesson and before practicing the serve and return. Have half the class serve, return and play out the points while the other half breaks, and then switch.

C. V position -The elbow is high with the racquet hung back from the wrist (almost in back-scratch position) .

D. Full serve - Racquet drops behind the back, making a loop before coming forward to trap the ball as it reaches its peak.

Note: Students may not progress to a full serve in this lesson. Throughout the service lesson, ask them to use the service motion closest to the full serve with which they have success.

* If you would like a more detailed sample lesson plan , please contact the World Headquarters at (800) USPTA-4U.

0

USPTA's

ACROSS

ffiCR10 ~~D©ffi™

Cel e bra ti ng i ts 1

a··

a nn ive r s a ry

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Promotional checklist

write your own press release, remember these basic rules: The press release should be typed and doublespaced; provide your name and phone number where people may reach you for more information ; number and label each page; and check for proper spelling and that all facts are correct .

Tennis Across America is an excellent opportunity to promote tennis as a fun means of physical fitness and to generate publicity for you and your facility. Whether your event is for the public or for club members only, the following steps to promote your clinic can help ensure its success:

~

~

~

~

~

~

Organize committees or solicit pros to assist with various aspects, such as public relations, refresh ments and invitations to local dignitaries.

Contact local VIPs or dignitaries, such as city council members, the mayor or local celebrities, and invite them to attend your clinic. Make one of them an honorary chairman , which would provide good photo opportunities for advance press releases and would encourage great~r publicity through local media.

~

If you are hosting or assisting with a public clinic , contact local volunteer groups, such as the Boys Club, the Girl Scouts, community tennis association CCTA), high school coaches or the local chamber of commerce, to help organize the event and to increase the number of participants .

~

Ask your facility, CTA, coaches or local parks and recreation department to donate racquets and tennis balls for participants who may be unable to provide their own .

~

Compile a local media list of daily and weekly news papers, television and radio stations, regional tennis publications and community newspapers, as well as contacts at the USPTA national office. You may also wish to include the chamber of commerce, the local tourism bureau and school newspapers. Be sure to gather information regarding deadlines, too .

~

Your media list should include the names of contacts for:

~

Newspaper: Sports editor, tennis writer, lifestyle editor, photo editor Television: Sports director, news director, assign ments editor Radio: News director, sports director, community program hosts

~

Send a press release to those on your media list announcing the event. You may type the appropriate information in the blank spaces on the sample press release provided, or you may create your own . If you

Send a public service announcement to the television and radio stations on your media list. You may use the sample public service announcement provided or create your own . If you write your own, follow the same basic rules for press releases and be sure to include the length (30 seconds or 60 seconds) of the announcement for programming purposes. Remember that public service announcements are much shorter than releases for print media .

Encourage local soft-drink bottling companies, snack distributors and restaurants to gain public exposure by providing free or low-cost refreshments for participants during the event. Hold drawings for donated prizes.

Encourage your students to invite friends and family to participate in the event. Remember, Tennis Across America is a great opportunity for introducing new players to programs and lesson series.

Display the sign-up sheet included in this packet at your facility or other locations where people will see it, such as health clubs or doctors' offices. Call USPTA to request extra posters to publicize your event(s) .

Appoint three people to take photographs of your event and send copies to the local newspaper, the USPTA national office for possible use in ADDvantage magazine and USPT.A:s Web site, and to other tennis-related publications. Remember to identify those in the photo (from left to right), the location of the event and the host professional. Also, be sure to include your name and phone number and mention that you are a USPTA professional.

Create a follow-up press release with information on the attendance, location, pros who participated and any notable happenings. This release should be sent to those on your media list within 24 hours of the event (preferably the day of the event). Try to write the release before the clinic, so that you may simply fill in the details at the end when time is more pressing.

Copyright© United States Professional Tenn is Associa t ion Inc. 2000. A ll rights reserved. Reproduct ion of any porti on of t his ma terial is not pe rmitted wit hout written permission of t he publisher.

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ARE PLANNED:

THE FOLLOWING EVENTS

Join the fun in a free clinic.

NEWS RELEASE UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL TENNIS ASSOCIATION, INC. World Headquarters, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, TX 77042 (713) 97-USPTA (978-7782) • fax (713) 978-7780 toll free: (800) USPTA-4U (877-8248) e-mail: uspta@uspta.org • web: www.uspta.org

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT TIME:

:30

CONTACT: (name)

(phon e)

Join the fun

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

for a free Tennis Across America clinic at

(date)

--------------------------...,......,.-,-...,-----------------------· The event, sponsored by the United (club/ fac ility)

States Professional Tennis Association, will be held from _______________ to ------.,....--------· Be (starting time)

(ending time)

among the thousands of players hitting millions of tennis balls in this 11th annual nationwide celebration of the sport for a lifetime. Contact------------,------,------------ at ---------:-:----:--------- for (nam e)

more details.

USPTA is a nonprofit organization of tennis-teaching professionals.

####

(phone)

NEWS RELEASE UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL TENNIS ASSOCIATION, INC. World H eadquarters, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, TX 77042 (713) 97-USPTA (978-7782) • fax (713) 978-7780 toll free: (800) USPTA-4U (877-8248) e-mail : uspta@ uspta.org • web: www. uspta.org

CONTACT: (name)

(ph o ne)

(date)

Free tennis lessons offered through USPTA's Tennis Across America

TM

------------:-:-:--:::--:-::--:----------- m - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - will (cl ub/ fac ili ty)

(city)

be part o f the nation's biggest tennis event in M ay that will involve hundreds of thousa nds of players hitting millions of tennis balls, according to -------,......-..,.---------' tennis profess ional at------,-.,--,-..,.,.---=-.,-------(pro)

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The 11tl' annual USPTA Tennis Across America program is sponsored by the U nited States Professional Tennis Association. T he events w ill be free to the publi c and w ill feature an instructional tennis clinic. Begi nners and advanced players, both juniors and adults, as w ell as those w ho have never pl ayed tennis before, are invited to -------,-..,..,....,......,.,........------(cl ub/ fac ili ty)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ on ------;.,..--.,..----beginning at-----;...,..--,----- to participate in this (date)

(tim e)

nationw ide tenni s event.

"Millions of Americans have already di scovered th at tennis is an enj oyable way of keeping fit," said Tim H eckler, CEO ofUSPTA. "Through thi s event, we hope to show millions more that it can be fun for them , too, and that tennis is a sport for life."

USPTA is the world 's oldest and largest nonprofit organi za tion of tennis-teaching professionals . Tennis Across America is designed to prom ote tennis as a means of exercise and fun, bringing new players to the gam e and form er players back to the courts.

For more information on USPTA's Ten nis Across America, call -------,---....,.--------- at (name)

- - -_...,.--;--..,-----' or contact the USPTA World H eadquarters at (800) USPTA-4U. Information about the nati onw ide (n um be r)

program and player tips are also part of USPTA's Web site at www.uspta.org. ####

USPTA's

ACROSS

ffi[1YAJ B~D©&™

Celebrating its 1 a ·· anniver sary

1990-2 000

Free lesson sign-up sheet Date Name

Phone

.•

Clinic Yes No

REGISTER!

REGISTER!

C

USPTA's Tennis Across America brings the sport to nearly 150,000 players each year.

reated expressly to help grow the game,

USPTA's Tennis Across America

REGISTER!

TM

is for new players looking for a fun, social way

to exercise, current players who want to play more and

former players who would like to get back into the sport.

What is Tennis Across America ™?

advertising and publ icity campaigns. Calls to USPTA from the public are referred to local pros and clinics nationwide.

Sponsored by the United States Professional Tennis

Also, USPTA will list local events on the Internet through its

Association - the world's oldest and largest organization of

Web site at www.uspta .org .

tennis-teaching professionals - Tennis Across America is an exc iting instructional grassroots program consisting of

To register your event, return the form below to USPTA

three segments:

e

e

or sign up on the Internet at www.uspta.org. Your registered

Free clinics held during the month of May at public

clinic earns your division points toward national USPTA

and private facilities across the nation

awards.

Multicultural clinics to introduce the sport to groups that do not normally have the opportunity to

Division awards:

play

e

Divisions will be rewarded at the World Conference for their

Follow-up programs to provide players with an

various achievements.

opportunity to pursue their new enthusiasm for tennis

1.

Each division that has a minimum of 20 percent of its members participate in the program will receive

Who can run clinics?

recognition .

2.

Any USPTA professional or tennis enthusiast who wants to

Plaques will be awarded to the three divisions that recruit the highest number of participants in Tennis

help grow the game can participate.

Across America .

Why register?

3.

Plaques will also be awarded at the World Conference to the three divisions with the highest percentage of

USPTA promotes Tennis Across America through national

members participating in this program .

I Copy thi s form, co mplete and mail to th e add ress bel ow. Use additional sheets if needed.

Yes, I will pa rti cipate in USPT/\s Tenn is Across America as a/ an

D

D

host professional

USPTA mem ber

D

assistant

D

yes

no

E-mail _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

D the publ ic

C ity

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _ __ ZIP _ _ __

D

members only

Facility pho ne ( _ __

Th e following people will assist at my event: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ USPTA member _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ USPTA me mber

D D

yes yes

D D

no no

USPTA World Headq uarters, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Su ite One, Houston TX 7704 2

Questions? Ca ll (7 13) 978-7782 or (800) USPTA-4U, fax (7 13) 978-7780 or send e-mail to sports@ uspta .org L- - --- - ---- - ---- - --- - -- -- -- - --- - ------ - -~

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

Do1Jbles

Doubles rush A

Purpose: To develop serve and volley skills.

Description: 1. Players line up in a doubles formation .

2. As player "/:\' approaches the net, the instructor feeds a ball that ''Pl.' volleys or half volleys, then moves to the net to play out the point against "C" and "D."

c

'' '' '' '' ''

3. After five points, players rotate positions.

Instructor

Options: Additional players can line up behind ''A."

D

ADDva ntage/ March 2000

17

Treat current, nevv players to member-beginner guest event

T

here are at least three reasons a facility might host a new tennis event; to keep current members active and happy, to entice more tennis players to join the facility or be more active in it and to bring new players to the game and fill beginner programs. There's a simple concept that can help a facility be successful on all three fronts - the USPTA member-beginner guest event.

The idea is that a club or facility's tennis-playing members invite a non-playing person or total beginner to be their guest for an event that includes an instruction session and social play. The member will be partners with his or her guest throughout the event.

With the right drills and by using the right ball, the memberbeginner guest is a social and fun event for members and guests, despite the difference in their tennis skill levels.

A typical event might hold the instruction portion on a Friday night, immediately followed by a reception, and then feature a round-robin tournament on Saturday morning. Or, the event could be planned over the better part of a day, perhaps separated into two parts by a light lunch.

A member-beginner guest event at your facility can help fill beginner lesson programs.

18

ADDvantage/ March 2000

For the two-hour clinic, all the club professionals can participate, with one professional acting as the master of ceremonies.

Members play the role of assistant coaches and hitting partners for their guests, assisting them while the pros wander from beginner to beginner offering more detailed guidance. This allows the beginner guest to hit as many balls as possible and have a good time with the member who invited them, rather than only doing drills that are not social and require standing in lines.

One drill that is not intimidating to beginners and can accommodate a lot of players on the court is no-net tennis. Members rally a short distance with their guest without the obstruction of a net, learning to control the ball. The next step would move partners across the net from one another for short-court tennis.

The round-robin tournament can be flighted as necessary; however, the rules should permit the beginners to be successful.

For example, the accomplished player might not be allowed to win a point against a beginner and have to play without a second serve.

Pro Penn Stars balls are recommended to help the beginners have faster success and to equalize play between the beginners and accomplished players. The non-pressurized, soft balls come off a player's racquet more softly than a regular ball, making it easier for beginners to make solid contact and control their shots.

Although Stars bounce true, the ball will require that adjustments be made by the better players, making pace less of a factor in their matches.

Setup for the event need not be complicated, but it is a perfect opportunity to showcase the quality of available instruction, plus any other amenities at your facility by: •

Scheduling a beginner lesson series or clinic to follow the event so participants will know how they can continue playing

•

Providing beverage and/or food service at one or both sessions

•

Holding a special sale in the pro shop

•

Taking pictures and/or have cameras available for participants to take their own candid shots

•

Making non-participating club members feel welcome to watch so they may be willing to bring a non-playing guest to the next event.

•

Publicizing the event before and after in newsletters, on bulletin boards and anywhere else appropriate.

Including a member-beginner guest event in your facility's calendar can help fi.ll beginner lesson programs by bringing more players into the game and keeping them at a place where they will find other interesting programs year-round to keep them involved. ':?a

New millennium, new location for USP7A conference he new millennium takes the USPTA World Conference on Tennis to a resort nestled along the base of the pnstme South Mountain Desert. From Sept. 23-30, convention-goers will have an unbelievable variety of accommodations at The Point Hilton Resort on South Mountain in Phoenix, Ariz.

One highlight of the resort includes the Southwest's largest state-of-the-art fitness center and spa facility. The 42,000-squarefoot fitness center has an extraordinary range of recreational offerings. The exercise facilities offer aerobic and aqua-aerobic classes, cardiovascular equipment, weight machines and free weights. Enjoy a challenging game of racquetball, volleyball or basketball, or swim a few laps in the 20-meter outdoor lap pool. If all that isn't enough, there are 18 holes of championship golf and 10 lighted tennis courts for your enjoyment.

After a full day of tennis or any of the other fitness activities, let yourself be pampered by a massage therapist and choose between five great restaurants available to you on the premises.

The country's sixth-largest city offers a multitude of cultural and recreational activities and is one of the top travel destinations in the United States. The sunshine that inspires the casual lifestyle of this resort mecca is more plentiful than in any other part of the country. The climate makes outdoor activities a way of life with an average annual daily temperature of72 degrees with 300 days of sunshine per year.

Families can visit several museums for Western, Native American, Spanish and other cultural heritages, or visit The Old West and relive the gold-panning expeditions, horseback rides or a hayride cookout. Venture into the So no ran Desert on a desert jeep tour to experience the real Southwest.

Water sports may be more to your liking. If so, visit the popular nearby lakes that are bordered by majestic canyon walls, tube or raft on the Verde and Salt rivers or, for the less adventurous, shop until you drop at an outlet mall close to the resort.

T

The Pointe Hilton Resort on South Mountain in Phoenix, Ariz.

A full schedule of career enhancement, seminars, tennis exhibitions and parties are a few reasons to attend the World Conference. One of the featured speakers will be Peter Burwash - one of the top tennis coaches in the world and a US PTA Master Professional. He is the founder and president of Peter Burwash International, the world's largest international tennis management firm.

Burwash is a well-known speaker and author who has written several books and speaks on topics ranging from health and

fitness to service and leadership. He won 19 singles and doubles titles as a Canadian champion and Davis Cup star, and was honored as the US PTA Professional of the Year in 1990.

If you want to compete or just watch some tennis, the conference will also feature the USPTA International Championships Sept. 23-28.

Make plans now to attend the USPTA 2000 World Conference on Tennis. You can look for more details in future issues of ADDvantage. ~ ADDvantage/ March 2000

19

PR tactics gain publicity for special programming

Getting the word out in the grassroots

W

hen Tennis Across America was introduced in 1990, it was the first grassroots program of its kind meant to introduce the game to players who would create a larger base of tennis consumers. While the number offree lesson programs has since multiplied, Tennis Across America remains a unique generator of positive 'Publicity for teaching professionals.

By taking advantage of all the possibilities for publicity in your own community, outside of the national advertising and public relations campaign coordinated by the World Headquarters, you might bring more people to your event, promote your facility and build an image and larger clientele for yourself. You might also develop more efficient ways to promote all of your special events.

Get the word out Getting the message out about your event can be done in two ways - advertising and public relations. Simply put, advertising is paid communication.

While you control the message, it can be expensive. Public relations involves communication that is meant to create a favorable image and generate positive publicity about an organization, product or service.

PR is less expensive than advertising and can be very effective, and it looks to be gaining support among large companies.

According to a PRWeek/Burson-Marsteller CEO survey, 85 percent ofCEOs believe PR will become more important to their businesses in the next five years.

Among CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, 100 percent agree on its growing importance. In comparison, a survey of top executives by the American Advertising Federation found that

43.1 percent thought that advertising would gain importance in the next three years.

APR campaign can be time consuming, but getting information about your grassroots event in the hands of the right people can make a huge difference in the amount of publicity generated and, therefore, the response you get for your effort.

The first step is to plan your approach. Your PR goals for a grassroots event might include: •

Pre-event publicity in the local newspaper

•

Creating or enhancing an image with a certain community group

•

Recruiting new members

•

Raising charity

money

for

a

Be specific about what you want. How many articles or mentions would you like in the

paper? How many participants do you want at a clinic or fundraiser?

When you know what you want to achieve through PR, define the audience that must be reached and how best to reach it. Media, facility members, allied associations and the wider community might be your targets.

Now, be specific. For instance, do you want to reach only large media outlets like citywide newspapers or to include smaller ones like homeowners associations and community newsletters? Is a flier on the clubhouse bulletin board enough, or is there another way to reach members? Of course, you'll have to communicate differently with media than with club members.

Finally, maintain visibility with media contacts, community leaders and other friends of your program. Follow up after the event and get back in touch long before the next one occurs.

Send photos, thank-you letters, articles, news releases, guest event details and other relevant information as needed.

What to say

Well-planned public re!atiom helps lure participants and media to grassroots events.

20

ADDvantage/ March 2000

News releases sent to media should be short and simple. Include the essential details of your program: who, what, when, where, why and how.

Also, use a quote from an organizer or spokesman and provide the name and phone number of a person who can answer calls for more details.

Press kits sent to media or potential sponsors should indude news releases, fact sheets, brochures, press clippings from

previous publicity and possibly biographies of important figures.

News releases and press kits also can contain a suggestion for a feature story. Give the media another reason to cover your event by letting them know if there is a particularly interesting person involved or a trend or topical subject that can be related to it.

For example, do you have a celebrity chairman who will give an interview or is there a participant who is inspiring to others or has an interesting story to tell? Will there be participants who represent the growing baby boom or senior population so often reported about, or is your event early in the year when people are looking

for ways to exercise or dropping out of less social exercise programs?

Photographs should be included with news releases and press kits, when possible.

Send one or two clear, black-and-white, 35millimeter, 5-by-7-inch shots.

Fliers should be graphically interesting and eye-catching, but easy to read with only the essential information. Put them on bulletin boards at public parks, health clubs, YMCAs/YWCAs, grocery stores, college campuses, bookstores, apartment complexes and churches.

With the right PR campaign, you can make sure that your enthusiasm for a special event spreads. <§>-

Public relations tactics • A media/celebrity event like a proam or fast-serve contest • Naming a spokesman to do radio or TV interviews • Publishing a brochure • Weekly newspapers • Local fitness magazines • Business newspapers • Informing tennis retailers and sporting goods stores • A letter to the editor • Piggy backing your event with local health festival

USTA/USPTA Category II national championships Jan. 12-16 Ballen Isles Women's Tennis Classic Ballen Isles Country Club Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Trish Faulkner- (516) 625-5707 Women's 35, 45, 55, 65*

April 6-9 Walden Super Senior Walden Racquet Club Montgomery, Texas Larry Eichenbaum- (409) 582-1022 Men's and women's 55, 60, 65, 70, M75*

Oct. 4-8 Senior Women's Classic Burbank Tennis Center Burbank, Calif.

Linda Stude - (818) 843-4105 Women's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70*

Jan. 25-30 Snack Wells Senior Invitational Mission Hills Country Club Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Steve Solomon - (760) 325-8084 Men's and women's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, M75*

April 27-30 Team Doubles lntersectionals Tucson Racquet Club Tucson, Ariz.

Bob Haward (TD)- (480) 994-8348 Jennifer Cusano (USTA)- (914) 696-7291 M!W doubles and mixed 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80

Oct. 4-8 Men's Intersectionals River Hills Club Jackson, Miss.

Jim Russell (TD)- (864) 338-5464 Jennifer Cusano (USTA)- (914) 696-7291 Men's 35, 45, 55, 65, 75*

Feb. 2-6 Checket Cup Lauderdale Tennis Club Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Patty Crawford- (954) 763-8657 Women's 35, 45, 55, 65*

May 17-21 Atlanta Senior Invitational Cherokee Town & Country Club Atlanta, Ga. Beth Clay- (404) 237-5427 Men's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60*

Oct. 9-15 Women's Intersectionals Walden Racquet Club Montgomery, Texas Larry Eichenbaum (TD)- (409) 448-1024 Jennifer Cusano (USTA)- (914) 696-7291 Women's 35, 45, 55, 65*

March 17-20 Walden Senior Open Walden Racquet Club Montgomery, Texas Larry Eichenbaum- (409) 582-1022 Men's and women's 35, 40, 45, 50*

Aug. 11-13 Boise Mixed Doubles Boise Racquet Club Boise, Idaho JoAnn Kurz- (208) 376-1052 Mixed open, 30, 40, 50, 60

March 30-April 2 Merrill Lynch Tennis Classic Wmter Park Tennis Center Winter Park, Fla. Mary Ann Plante- (407) 647-1682 Women's 40, 50, 60, 70*

Sept. 23-28 USPTA International Championships The Pointe Hilton Resort on South Mountain Phoenix, Ariz.

Rich Fanning- (713) 978-7782 Men's and women's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, M75* (For USPTA members only)

Nov. 16-19 Les Grandes Dames Tuscawilla Country Club Winter Park, Fla. Mary Ann Plante- (407) 628-1682 Women's 30, 40, 50, 60, 70* Nov. 20-Dec. 3 Fiesta Bowl Senior Scottsdale Athletic Club Scottsdale, Ariz.

Robert Hing- (480) 948-5990 Men's and women's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, M75*

*Tournaments have additional divisions not eligible for Category II status. Please contact the tournament director for exact information.

ADDvantage/ March 2000

21

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by Christie Borne, USPTA Parker, Colo.

Stick it to 1 em

Treats for the sweet-spot

Velcro pads have lots of uses: 1. Serving arm warm-up- In a private or semi-private lesson before serving, each of us puts a Velcro pad on the non-dominant hand. The players and the pro are on opposite sides of the net. We begin with friendly throws that they have to catch in the air. We then throw up lobs, forehand and backhand groundstrokes to each other. Not only are we warming up the throwing arm, we are working on turning our bodies and getting to the ball to make the catch either in the air or off the bounce.

2. Introducing the forehand volley- Make sure you have plenty of the fuzzy balls. Each player attaches the Velcro pad to their dominant hand. The player then turns perpendicular to the net with their arm out in front of their body. The pro or a partner tosses balls to the player who blocks them and tries to get the balls to stick. For every ball caught he can toss it back into the basket with his non-dominant hand for two points.

The child with the most points gets a sticker.

3. Shuffle step - Players line up in single file behind the "T" at the service line with the velcro pad on their dominant hand.

As the players shuffle from side to side along the service line, the pro rolls or tosses a fuzzy ball to either the forehand side or to the backhand side. The player catches the ball and throws it back to the pro who rolls or tosses another ball as the player shuffles to the opposite side. After four to six catches the next player in line begins to shuffle.

Empty tennis cans make a great container for treats like popcorn, Dum-Dum suckers, bubble gum, wrist bands, chapstick or whatever at the end of any group session, camp or clinic. Take a knife and slit the plastic top . Blow up a yellow balloon and push the balloon knot through the hole. And there you have a treat for the sweet!

Beach ball groundstrokes Find a partner with blue eyes. Find a partner with pigtails.

Find a partner wearing a green shirt or whatever way you choose for the players to find partners. Have each team grab a 12-inch beach ball. Each team finds a place on the court away from the others or an area that you designate. Both players practice hitting forehand and¡backhand groundstokes to each other with the beach ball. The students love to play this game. I introduce beach ball groundstrokes only after I have taught the children alternating groundstrokes. They learn how to get their bodies turned and follow through more quickly than with any other game I know.

G

Future tennis stars jump through hoops at a Little Tennis event.

a ADDvantage/ March 2000

23

AsK THE PROFEssoR

JAcK GROPPEb, PH.D.

Factors of the follow-through I am a USPTA pro who ith juniors at the tourn t level. I currently work at a job where the other pros feel very strongly about teaching the developing players to followthrough "straight as an arrow."

They also have them start with a straight arm. I was hoping you could give me your opinion on this subject as it is something I don't agree with and is a controversial topic among some tennis teachers.

This question has been for years and will proba ly exist forever. The issue is that logic seems to tell us' that, if the arm is taken straight back and the racquet is swung straight forward with an extended follow-through, impact with the ball might be more effective.

First, it is important to understand that there is no perfect way to swing the racquet. Over a century ago, a wealthy golfer, Sir Ainsley Bridgland, developed one of the first research teams in all of sport, consisting of anatomists, engineers and physiologists. Their goal was to discover the hidden secrets of the perfect golf swing. After all, a golfer merely had to address a stationary ball set up on a tee, so it seemed that there would be only one absolutely perfect way to swing the club. But after much research, the team concluded that there was no perfect way to

swing the club; a variety of swing techniques could achieve the optimal outcome.

The same is true for tennis, especially when you consider that the ball is seldom hit in the same place stroke after stroke.

Sampras consistently strikes the ball hard, but uses spin well; Agassi effectively uses a twohanded backhand; and Hingis is an outstanding all-court player who can mix the speed and spin of her groundsrrokes with ease. All three athletes are great tennis players but they all play differently.

Some of the factors that determine how well you hit a solid ball are difficult to monitor.

However, follow-through may be the most important factor over which you have total control. The only way you can hit penetrating groundstrokes is to swing the racquet head through impact effectively. Until the ball is hit, there cannot be racquet head deceleration during the forward swing. You can learn a great deal about your stroke from how you follow-through.

Many players finish their follow-throughs with their racquets pointing high, across the net or both. This means that their swings must follow an arc while traveling from the fully prepared position to the end of the follow-through. Other players wrap their racquets over their shoulders and still others

jack Groppe4 Ph.D., USPTA Master Professional, 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 the newly released book 'The Corporate Athlete. "Information can be found at www. mentalfytough. com.

24

AD Dvantage/March 2000

Many players wrap their racquets over their shoulders.

follow-through with their racquet faces directed skyward.

There is nothing wrong with any of these follow-throughs, but you must consider one thing as you accelerate the racquet through impact into your follow-through. Don't think of how you will follow-through but of how the racquet face will travel through impact. One cue I give my athletes is to think of making the strings follow the ball as long as possible when it's hit.

A complete swing with a full follow-through is necessary to achieve maximum velocity while imparting the correct amount of spin on the ball. In order to hit

through the ball, you must strive to hit it well in front of your body midline. Hitting the ball behind the middle of the body forces you to swing upward quickly and thus not hit the ball effectively. A forward contact point will allow you to transfer all bodily forces to the upper limb and to attain a high racquet velocity. As you hit the ball, practice a long follow-through after impact. This will help you to continue accelerating the racquet through impact. If the followthrough is abbreviated, it's a sure bet that you started slowing down the racquet before you hit the ball.~

Enhance your decor with USPTA logo plaques

Display pride in membership This is a great opportunity to own a hand-painted cast replica of the wood-carved USPTA logo. Each plaque has been painstakingly finished with 23K gold leaf and premium paints and stains, and is suitable for interior or exterior use. Together with the matching personalized USPTA professional plaque, it will create a dynamic impression in. your pro shop or office.

A. USPTA logo plaque A cast replica of the US PTA logo wood carving with painted and 23K gold leaf lettering . Mounting hardware included .

16" diameter x 11;4" thick

$149

plus $7.50 for shipping and handling/cont. U.S.

Order your USPTA member plaques today.

B.

Personalized USPTA professional plaque

Custom made with your name in 23K gold leaf lettering to match USPTA logo plaque. Mounting hardware included.

_IAJ

_ rnJ

USPTA logo plaque(s)@ $149

$ _ __

Personalized USPTA plaque(s)@ $79

$ _ __

Houston MTA residents add 8.25% Other Texas residents add 7.25%

16" X S1f2" X 11;4"

$79

Add $7.50 for each plaque

Subtotal

$

Sales tax

$ _ __

---

Shipping & handling

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

plus $7.50 for shipping and handling/cont. U.S.

Total

$ ---

$ _ __

Name to be carved on personalized plaque: (maximum 18 spaces) 1. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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

2. _ _ _ __ ____ ____ ____ ____ ________ ____ PAYMENT METHOD:

Name

Ovisa

Street

Name as it appears on credit card

City

Credit card No.

State

ZIP

Exp. date

Daytime phone No.

Member No.

Signature

0MasterCard

Ocheck (payable

USPTA Gift Shoppe, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, TX 77042 tel (800) USPTA-4U • (713) 97-USPTA • fax (713) 978-5096 • e-mail: proshop@uspta.org • www.uspta.org

to USPTA)

USPTA Personalized Nylon Banners

•

certified professional

•

WILL

HOAG united states professional tennis association

•

$45

PER BANNER (ACTUAL SIZE 5' X 3')

SHIPPING AND HANDLING (please allow six to eight weeks for delivery) U.S.- add $4.95 for first banner. For each additional banner, add $1.

International- add $20 for first banner. For each additional banner, add $5.

Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Canada - add $15 .

PAYMENT must accompany all orders. Make your check payable to USPTA.

PAYMENT METHOD (International orders must pay by Visa or Maste rCard) :

D

Visa

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MasterCard

D

Check

Name as it appears on credit card Exp. date

Credit card No. Signature SHIPPING ADDRESS (no P.O . boxes, please): Name (to appear on banner) Address City

State

Member No.

Daytime phone Quantity (banners)

TEL (713) 97-USPTA (978-7782) (800) USPTA 4-U

ZIP

Total enclosed, including shipping charges $

USPTA Gift Shoppe 3535 Briarpark Dr., Suite One, Houston, TX 77042

FAX (713) 978-5096

Career en

=

·-·-en > ·--= Q

Conventions (5 credits)

Mid-Atlantic Division

March 3-5

Williamsburg , Va.

exa111s, upgrades & certification training courses (4 credits for CTC segment)

March 11-13 California Division City of Industry, Calif.

March 2-4

Las Cruces, N .M .

April 14-15

Pittsburgh , Pa .

Intermountain Division

March 4-5

Bonita Springs, Fla.

April15-16

City of Industry, Calif.

Vail, Colo.

March 4-5

Wichita, Kan .

April 23 -24

Atl anta

Northwest Division

March 5 -6

Williamsburg , Va.

April22 -23

Fayetville, N.C.

March 8-9

Flushing , N.Y.

April 22-23

Midlothian , Va .

March 10-11

Bloomington , Minn .

April 29-30

Bonita Springs, Fla .

March 11-12 Louisvi lle, Ky.

April 29-30

Tyler, Texas

March 11-12 Los Gatos, Calif.

April 30-

Frederick, Md.

April6 -9 April 7-9

White Bear Lake, Minn.

New England Division

May 11-14

Stowe, Vt.

Florida Division

May 30June 3

Naples, Fla.

March 18- 19 Chagrin , Ohio

Activities/meetings (1/2 credit and up) March 3-5

Mi,d west Division Chicago

March 3-5

Midwest Division Anderson, Ind.

March 25 Apri l 7-9

May 17 -21

Midwest Division

May 1 Nashville, Tenn .

March 19-20 Atl anta

May 5-6

March 20-21

May 5-6

Laie, Hawa ii

March 24-25 Industry Hills, C alif.

May 5 -6

St. Louis, Mo.

March 24-25 Hempfield , Pa.

May 6-7

Mandeville, La.

Houston*

March 25 -26 Charleston, S.C.

May 6-7

Bradenton, Fla .

March 25 -26 Streetsboro, Ohio

May 13- 14

Conway, Ariz.

March 26 -27 Augusta, Ga.

May 19-20

Wilm ington, Del.

Big Rapids, Mich .

April 5-6

Vail, Colo.

May 20-21

Burbank, Calif.

Midwest Division

April 8-9

Aurora, Ill.

May 20-21

Fremont, C alif.

Chicago

April 8-9

Birmingham, Ala.

May 22-23

Houston *

Midwest Division

April 8 -9

Boca Raton , Fla.

May 27-28

Hilton Head, S.C.

Homewood-Flossmoor, Ill. May 20

Hawaii Division Wailea, Maui

May 27-29

Midwest Division Homewood- Flossmoor, Ill.

en en m=ucn

== C-f QC»

(2 credits) March 5

a:

en

= 28

Mid-Atlantic Division Williamsburg, Va.

March 17

Eastern Division Syracuse, N.Y

AprilS

Intermountain Division Vail, Colo.

ui:

cen

* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.

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

specialty courses (2 credits per four-hour course; 4 credits per eight-hour course)

Racquet service workshop

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

(4 credits)

Williamsburg , Va . (4 hours), S. 0/ey

March 12

Fitchburg, Mass.

March 19

Lansing, Mich.

April9

Ch icago

April18

Philadelphia

May 16

Lansing, Mich.

For more information, call the USRSA at (858) 481 -3545.

ADDva ntage/ March 2000

Group Lessons, March 3, Williamsburg , Va . (4 hours) , J. Dinoffer

I bought a ball machine. Now what do I do?, March 11, City of Industry, Calif. (4 hours), S. 0/ey The deadline to register and/ or ca ncel a course is 15 working days before the event.

Anyone canceling late or failing to cancel will forfeit one-ha lf 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.

"I

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Jennifer Subbert, USPTA. is the new head men's and women's tennis coach at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan . Subbert is also the executive administrator for the Missouri Valley Division .

Mark H. Pachtner, USPTA. is the new head tennis professional at the Dunwoody Country Club in Georgia.

He is a certified pro with the German Tennis Pro Association.

Charles Van Middlesworth , USPTA. has been appointed tennis director at The Suburban Club in Pikesville, Md. Jon Jacobson, USPTA. has been named the tennis professional at the same club.

The USRSA announced that Patrick Curry, USPTA. is its new president and owner. Curry is also the Chief Executive Officer of TeamAcquisitions .

USPTA professional Michael Wallace has been appointed the new director of tennis at the Lauderdale Yacht Club in Fort Lauderdale, Fla .

Greg Aten , USPTA, has taken on the duties of tennis director at the Chagrin Valley Athletic Club in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

USPTA Master Professional Jay Hardman was the featured speaker at the Georgia Professional Tennis Association meeting held at the Racquet Club of The South in Atlanta .

Hardman 's topic was "Teaching strokes that last a lifetime."

USTA

Whitey Joslin, USPTA,(left) and partner Tom Diehl won the gold medal in the men's doubles competition at the Disney's Wide World ofSports complex. Joslin is the owner and head teaching professional at the Mountainside Racquet and Fitness Center in New London, NH.

Seven USPTA members were honored at the 1999 Annu al Awards Banquet of the Georgia Professional Tennis Association at the Country Club of Roswell.

George Amaya , Senior Player of the Year; Michael Edge, Rookie of the Year award ; Matt Grayson, Head Pro of the Year; Mark McMahon, Most Valuable Member of the Year; Billy Pate, Player of the Year; Tim Smith, Community Service award; and Wilson Tennille, Tennis Director of the Year.

L_

~ LLL~L1_ signed to provide tennis professionals with an easy, professional way to man age their business- on court and off. For more information on The Coaches Business Partner call CTSCiubSolutions at (800) 605-4652 .

US PTA

USPTA Master Professional and First Vice President Mark McMahon joined the Wilson Sporting Goods Advisory staff as a speaker.

I

Frederick Niemeyer defeated fellow Canadian Sebastien Lareau to win the 1999 USTA $50,000 Men's Chal lenger at the University of Illinois. The event was held on the indoor hard courts of the Atkins Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Illinois in ChampaignUrbana.

skill levels and styles of play. In conjunction with the new racquets, Head will be introducing a new technology for the millen nium . ComfortZone '" , a patented dampening system in the racquet frame, is desig ned to reduce string vibration up to 25 percent.

Associations CMAA announced that James B. Singerling, CCM, CEC, execu tive vice president and chief executive officer of CMAA, has accepted a position on the American Culinary Federation's American Academy of Chef's honorary Board of Trustees.

Manufacturers Match Tuff '" introduced a personal tennis scoring system - EZ-SCORE '" - for league players traveling from club to club. EZ-SCORE is easy to use, easy to see and avoids scoring disputes. It is affordable and small enough to fit into a player's tennis bag with score cards large enough to see from one end of the court to the other. For more information, visit www.matchtuff.com, email matchtuf@aol.com or call toll free (877) 6282488.

Member product showcase

Wilson Sporting Goods announced a Venus and Serena Williams signature line for youth tennis racquets and sport bags . The junior racquets will feature the sisters' favorite colors of bright blue and yellow.

USPTA Master Professional Mark McMahon will manage the U .S . distribu tion of The Coaches Business Partner. Designed in Australia, CBP is an integrated software suite de-

Head has introduced six new tennis racquets for 2000.

Head's Lightweight Titanium tennis racquet line has been expanded to offer a complete lineup of titanium technology for players of all

Pro Tour Andre Agassi of Las Vegas and Serena Williams of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., were among six finalists for the prestigious U .S. Olympic Committee SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards . It is the first time that two tennis players have been named finalists for SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year in the same year.

The United States Olympic Committee named Pete Sampras the Male Athlete of the Month for Novem ber. Sampras won the season-ending ATP Tou r World Championships in Hannover, Germany, for the fifth time in his career.

Andre Agassi and Serena Williams, the 1999 U .S. open men's and women's singles champions, met with President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office .

Continued next page ADDva ntage/March 2000

29

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Miscellany

Passings

GetFit.com announced plans to launch its premier online fitness training service, the first of its kind to tailor a personalized fitness program to each member's goals and needs. Accessi ble from anywhere via the Internet, GetFit.com's service is designed for a wide range of lifestyles, creating workouts for the gym , the home, the office or anywhere in the world.

USPTA life member Charlie McCleary of Waco died Dec. 18, 1999. McCleary and his wife, Emadele, were instrumental in relocating, buildMcCleary ing and maintaing the Texas Sports Museum and Hall of Fame .

WTS International appointed Rohun Beven as vice presi dent of the firm's tennis division. He will oversee tennis operations and program services at private clubs and resorts associat¡ ed with WTS .

More than 20 tennis tykes strutted their stuffduring the halftime show at the Orlando Magic vs. the Dallas Mavericks game to help spread the word about the outstanding Orlando tennis program. The 3-to 8-year-olds displayed their skilled groundstrokes, volleys, overheads, serves and controlled points.

CLASSIFIEDS BACKBOARDS

EMPLOYMENT

Rally Master Backboards. Lowest prices, 20-year warranty. Puncture, fade and crack proof. Quiet performance. Free brochure.

Dealers wanted. (800) 609-9966.

BOOKS AND VIDEOS www.TennisExpress.com: biomechan ics, mental tennis, movement/foorwork videos. Drill books, training products, ball machines, coaching manuals. FREE catalog. (800) 833-6615.

BUSINESS SOFTWARE WANTED! Computer program for a challenge ladder, called "The Challenger," by Tennis Ventures Inc. Copyrighted 1988. Would like it to be either Wmdows 98 or PC compatible. Any ideas appreciated. Contact Cam Watts, Elmcrest Country Club, 1000 36th St., N.E., Cedar Rapids, lA 52402, or call (319) 363-6589. Email to ElmTennis @mdeodusa.net.

30

ADDvantage/ March

2000

BERKHEIMERS'S TENNIS SERVICES. A pro-placement service in Vero Beach, Fla. , is actively matching USPTA managers, tennis directors, head pros and assistants to dubs, resorts and academies nationwide. Call Gerry Berkheimer for details at (561) 388-5491 Monday-Friday.

TENNIS EMPLOYMENT and tennis news is now available from Bob Larson. For FREE rwo-month trial, send your name and "Free USPTA trial" to tennisnews @aol.com.

FIND-A-PRO free online job bureau. Find or list jobs. Search by location (city, state, ZIP), position title or type of employment (full, part, summer) . www. uspta.org, www.LittleTennis.com, www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com.

Motivated tennis pros needed for year-round and summer country dubs and resorts. Fax resume to WTS International (30 1) 622-3373 or call (301) 622-7800, ext. 122.

www. tennisjobs.com The Tennis Job Line is a tennis professional's employment service.

It advertises tennis openings at country clubs, tennis clubs, resorts, public facilities, colleges and summer camps.

MENTAL STRENGTH TRAINING "How to be a fierce competitor, win more trophies and be a bettter athlete." Order the MENTAL STRENGTH AND PEAK PERFORMANCE training manual. $64.97, 84-pages, 8'/z x 11 , soft cover. www.MentalStrength.com.

TRAINING PRODUCTS The Pre-Stroke Trainer is a 7ounce performance-enhancing training aid that attaches to your racquet face and is molded to look like a tennis ball. It is used to stretch, strengthen and train your tennis-specific muscles before play and during off-court workouts.

The Pre-Stroke Trainer retails for $1 7.50 and is available to pro shops and specialty stores, as well as individuals. Call (561) 5632200 or fax (561) 388-0193.

VACATION OPPORTUNITIES WANTED! Tennis professionals and tennis coaches. The Professional Coaches Association offers numerous opportunities for tennis pros and coaches to participate in PCA Working Vacation Programs at exclusive resorts throughout the Caribbean. Join this long-running and successful program that so many professionals have enjoyed.

For information, contact Mark Burns at (617) 552-3171.

Rates : $30 far 20 words, minimum per issue. 50 cents per word thereafter. Pay by check, money order, Visa or M asterCard.

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 (713) 9787780, attn: ADDvantage cl assifieds. No cl assilieds will be accepted by telephone.

No exceptions are made.

USPTA cannot verify nor be responsible for the contents of any advertisement. It re¡ serves the right to reied any advertisement at its discretion.

Sad news re-awakens fond memories Editor's note: This article was written by john L. Foley, USPTA, about his encounter with the former tennis great Don Budge. Budge, who passed away jan. 26, was the first winner ofthe Grand SLam in 1338.

1m.

27, 2000. Thi• momng's newspapers all report e death of Don Budge. Anyone even remotely connected to tennis knows of his greatness.

The sports pages of every rnajor newspaper and tennis publication will have article after artide about the Grand Slam of1938 and his Davis Cup marches - especially those just before World War II. The political ramifications of playing the German team received as much publicity as the tennis itself. His 1937 match with Gottfried von Cramm is one ·of two matches involving Budge that Steve Flink lists in his new book, Greatest Matches of the

Twentieth Century.

Did I ever meet and talk with Don Budge? Yes . Would he remember me? No, I seriously doubt that our meeting was the highlight of his day. However, it was one of the highlights of my tennis career.

I grew up in Lowell, Mass., where, in the 1950s and 1960s, tennis was not the "in" thing to do. We played recreation park tennis. No lessons , we just hit it whichever way was most natural.

We didn't have much style, but did we ever love to play tennis. This fact was made even more obvious whenever we went out of Lowell to play in a tournament: we seldam got past the second round.

Fortunately, the recreation director for the city liked tennis, and he arranged to have Don Budge come to the park to give a clinic.

During the clinic, Mr. Budge seleered one boy and one girl to rally with, and I was the lucky boy.

As the city junior champion, I figured that I would show Mr. Budge that I could really play. I was in for quite a shock.

About an hour into the clinic, we were forced to stop due to rain.

The delay enabled us to sit and talk with Mr. Budge. A local newspaper reporter asked him what he thought about my game. Despite being uttered 47 years ago, his reply is etched in my brain. He said "John's forehand is weak, his backhand is non-existent, but he does have a nice service motion. " I couldn't believe it. I was the city junior champion. Weak forehand? Non-existent backhand?

He must have meant the girl, not me. He was correct and truthful and sometimes the truth hurts.

Eventually, the rain stopped and we returned to the court. He showed me how to stroke the forehand and backhand correctly. His fluid backhand is legend-

ary. When he put a tennis ball can in the backhand corner and then proceeded to hit it with an effortless, laser-like backhand, it just blew me away.

I have been a USPTA member for 38 years. Anyone who has ever taken a lesson from me will attest to the fact that I love to teach the backhand. They will also say I am an awful haunt about using the correct grip, correct footwork, etc.

All of this goes back to that day in the early 50s, when Don Budge gave me the first lesson I ever had.

The newspapers, newsweekly magazines and the sports magazines will have stories about his great matches, and Lowell will not be mentioned. But I am sure that today's sad news will re-awaken tennis players all across the country with some fond memory of Don Budge like mine (the champ with the weak forehand and no backhand at all). '§'o

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