Addvantage 2007 October/November

contents the total professional – enhancing your career 15 The Bradshaw bunch: Big legacy for a smalltown coach – by Jill Phipps, USPTA staff writer

departments 2 Executive Committee 3 President’s message 5 CEO’s message

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7 Cardio Tennis

Off-court focus – Avis Murray

10 USPTA mailbox 12 USPTA drills 27 Classifieds

news 11 USPTA announces new national board of directors for 2007 11 PGA TOUR Superstores now carry USPTA instructional tennis DVDs

33 Pro to pro 36 Career development 38 Industry action

29 Florida’s Barros and Nizri win singles titles at USPTA Grass Court Championships 30 USPTA Pros shoot for $30 million in total Lessons for Life™contributions

Conference 18 2007 World Conference 20 2007 Honorees

1927-2007

24 2007 Draws 25 International Championships 26 Country club pros tackle job-related issues at World Conference

Celebrating 80 years of excellence

27 Second annual USPTA Cardio Tennis Feeding Shootout sees record-breaking results at 2007 World Conference On the cover … 2007 Alex Gordon USPTA Professional of the Year, John Joyce.

volume 31 • issue 10

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com ADDvantage magazine editorial offices USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone – (713) 978-7782 (800) USPTA-4U Fax – (713) 978-7780 e-mail – magazine@uspta.org www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Editor Managing editor Circulation Advertising

Shawna Riley Kimberly Forrester Kathy Buchanan John Dettor

Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time ADDvantage is published monthly by the United States Professional Tennis Association.

The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the USPTA. Copyright© United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2007. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA. ADDvantage/October-November 2007

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USPTA Executive Committee Division presidents, regional vice presidents and past national presidents:

California Division

National Board of Directors: Harry Gilbert President (386) 793-0084

Tom Daglis First vice president (231) 591-3871

Mark Fairchilds Vice president (209) 571-2582

Jack Groppel Vice president (847) 658-1077

Randy Mattingley Vice president (806) 535-0881

Tom McGraw Vice president (502) 895-4646

Tom West President (714) 271-7266 Eric Stephens Regional vice president (562) 598-8624

Eastern Division Mark Savage President (845) 565-7600 Steve Diamond Regional vice president (973) 226-0661

Florida Division Dave Richardson President (239) 495-8100 John Joyce Regional vice president (561) 488-6996

Hawaii Division Cathy Nicoloff President (808) 879-1958 Ron Romano Regional vice president (808) 955-6696

Intermountain Division Paula Scheb Secretary-treasurer (239) 495-3573

Ron Woods Immediate past president (361) 991-7501

Adrian Games President (303) 674-6884 Kim Davis Regional vice president (719) 536-0797

Mid-Atlantic Division Joe Cappellino President (804) 360-0398 Pat Hanssen Regional vice president (434) 295-6167

Middle States Division Mark Centrella President (302) 654-8691 Tom Sweitzer Regional vice president (717) 421-2209

Midwest Division Michael Andrews President (260) 432-0502 Dan Moster Regional vice president (260) 422-5561, ext. 2135

Missouri Valley Division Gary Trost President (405) 848-2994 Kendell Hale Regional vice president (816) 235-6377

New England Division Steve O’Connell President (203) 895-3655 Avis Murray Regional vice president (978) 526-8900

Northern Division Tom Boice President (952) 829-8400 Bruce Gullikson Regional vice president (952) 830-7900

Northern California Division Paul Garron President (707) 864-0660

Pacific Northwest Division Ross Eaton President (206) 842-5661 Nancy Cox Regional vice president (503) 399-3252

San Diego Division Doug Bradley President (858) 259-0676 Dophie Poiset Regional vice president (858) 756-4459

Southern Division Jeff Hawes President (504) 482-4084 Dave Dvorak Regional vice president (770) 392-7788

Southwest Division Gerald Winder President (520) 761-4777

Texas Division Joe Snailum President (281) 863-5795 Ken Sumrow Regional vice president (972) 941-7192

Past presidents David T. Porter, Ed.D. (2004-2006) (808) 293-3755 Joseph Thompson (1999-2003) (303) 278-1130 Will Hoag (1997-1999) (954) 564-7386

President’s message ‘Who We Are’ is all about you and me

I

am proud to serve as president of USPTA. I look forward to continuing to work for all members of our Association. One of my goals for the next two years is our ongoing public relations effort. I’m sure you have seen our “That’s Who We Are” tag lines on various press releases, related stories and ads. Our mission is to continue to convey the importance of USPTA to our targeted markets. The two markets that I am focusing on are the tennis consumers and those making the hiring decisions. Vehicles for getting our message to the consumer include our continuing presence on the Tennis Channel, advertising in publications such as Inside Tennis, and, beginning in 2008, a renewed emphasis on regional publications such as Florida Tennis. Taking the message to those who make the hiring decisions involves our advertising in CMAA, IHRSA and parks and recreation publications, and attending trade shows for these various groups. We will continue to apply our resources to a more global effort to get our message into these Harry markets. With that being said, I often compare our Association’s membership to membership at a club. The absolute best representatives for a club are its members and the same can be said for our Association. Let us each take an active role in USPTA’s public relations campaign.

Let’s look at some ways that we can each help publicize the Association. The consumers are our customers, or potential customers – club members, clients who take lessons, players who participate in our tournaments and programs, and those who frequent our pro shop. Our goal is simply for these consumers to understand what being a USPTA Professional means and to consider this when choosing to patronize a tennis pro. How many of us have had a potential customer ask us questions about our background and experience? Probably quite a few, right? But, how many times have we been asked if we are a certified professional and, more importantly, USPTA certified? So let’s attack the problem from our own sphere of influence. Make it a goal to share with your audience the importance of being a member of USPTA. An obvious example is when you are going www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President

to be away from your club attending either your division convention or our World Conference. Let your members and clients know about the education and networking opportunities. Pass along some information or drills that you learned at one of the seminars and let your students know that it was information acquired at the USPTA conference. Another example is to occasionally discuss with your clients the USPTA testing process and what you did to become a member of our Association. Sometimes when I am working on a stroke with a student I will compare their results to what we expect in the playing portion of our exam. It is a great way to get them to ask a few questions about the testing process for our Association. It may be as easy as posting a personalized USPTA banner or sign. These are just a few examples of how you can personally take our campaign to the consumer.

The second market we must target includes people who make the hiring decisions. This may be Gilbert a club manager, commercial club owner, private club president or tennis committee chair, athletic director, recreation director, etc. Even USPTA pros hire tennis teachers. If you do, do you insist that they are certified by USPTA? Each of us has someone we report to, so let’s make it our mission to remind them of the importance of hiring USPTA Professionals. Make an effort to schedule time to discuss the continuing education that you receive as a member of USPTA. Remind them of our liability insurance and how your USPTA membership protects them in case of an accident on court.

If we can convince those who do the hiring that USPTA certification is a must, then we have gone a long way to ensure that the professionals who follow us at our respective jobs are USPTA members.

I firmly believe that each USPTA member who takes time to do the little things can make a noticeable difference in USPTA’s recognition among consumers and those making the hiring decisions.

I look forward to serving you for the next two years and remaining a part of the team effort to tell our public “Who We Are.” K

Harry Gilbert

First Vice President Vice Presidents

Tom Daglis Mark Fairchilds Jack Groppel Randy Mattingley Tom McGraw

Secretary-treasurer

Paula Scheb

Past President

Ron Woods

WORLD HEADQUARTERS CEO

Tim Heckler

Director of Operations Executive Assistant

Rich Fanning Marty Bostrom

Director of Communications

Shawna Riley

Creative Services Director

Julie Myers

Publications Coordinator Public Relations Coordinator

Kimberly Forrester Poornima Rimm

Communications

Jill Phipps

Director of Marketing

John Dettor

Sports Marketing Coordinator

Rick Bostrom

Video Production Manager

Joe Birkmire

Video Editor

Brad Wadsworth

Video Editor

H.R. Topham

Director of Fred Viancos Professional Development Corporate Janice Stollenwerck Services Administrator Director of Information Technology

Dan Wilson

Information Technology/ Multimedia

Scott Bucic

Computer Services/ Kathy Buchanan Club Relations Divisional Stephanie Shipman Executive Administrator Membership and Vicky Tristan Certification Coordinator Membership

Sylvia Ortiz

Membership/ Melony DeLoach Insurance Assistant Financial Manager Payroll/Benefits Controller

Kathy Ladner Renée Heckler Ellen Weatherford

Merchandise/ Shelina Harris Accounting Assistant

Legal Counsel Attorney-at-law

Paul Waldman

For information, write the USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone (713) 97-USPTA (800) USPTA-4U Fax (713) 978-7780 e-mail – uspta@uspta.org Internet – www.uspta.com Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Central time

ADDvantage/October-November 2007 2007

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CEO’s message Cheating, lying and stealing are all one and the same Is this how we want to shape our future generations? “

Y

eah, yeah, yeah, get out the violin – things being trained at the same facility) that has been given were always better when you were a kid a derogatory nickname because a number of the and today they have all gone to Hades in a players from that group are consistently accused of handbasket.” Who among you hasn’t heard this from cheating. This in itself is an allegation that its coaches your own parents or more recently said it to your allow cheating, either by telling their players, “Don’t teenage children? I have to admit that as I reach the give anything away,” or by turning a blind eye to the age of greater reason, this expression becomes more cheating and not attempting to correct it. meaningful to me.

I must be careful when referring to these groups Today, I apply it to the disturbing trend of cheating as examples, since most are organized by some of my in tennis, which seems to be growing into an epidemic most respected colleagues. It is easy to differentiate at junior tournaments and even in practhose groups that have a “win at all tice sessions. Yes, when I was a kid there costs” philosophy over those that strive was cheating, but in those days one’s to create winners in both tennis and reputation seemed to be worth much life. Players from the latter are ultimore than it is today. When a player mately more successful until they run earned a reputation as a chronic cheater, into a player who is desperate enough other players spread the word to such to cheat. And, unfortunately, in junior a degree that even the cheater’s friends competition, cheating can easily make didn’t want to hang out or practice with all the difference. him or her. Cheaters would eventually I have always said that any player develop a guilt complex that ultimately could beat another in a strongly conhad a positive effect on their behavior tested match if he or she were given 3 Tim Heckler and resulted in much less cheating or free points to replace 3 points that he stopped it altogether. or she would normally lose. In the old I’m afraid that trying to play off of someone’s sense days there once was a tennis handicap system called of right and wrong isn’t quite as effective nowadays as “bisque.” Before each match, the underdog would be it used to be. Maybe it’s because I believe that what awarded the number of free points (bisques) the toursome of today’s young players lack is a fully developed nament committee deemed necessary to even out the conscience. The sad reality is that some parents and players. When taken strategically, these bisques made coaches passively condone dishonesty by not saying it intensely difficult for the better player to win. Well, a word or not reprimanding their players when they I challenge you to give any “A” draw SuperChamp witness cheating. It is far too easy to look the other junior three bisques per set and have him or her lose. way with the rationale that “my player was closer to It just won’t happen except in cases where the very the call than I was” or that “it is OK since it will all highest ranked players compete against the weakest even out in the long run.” ranked players in a 64 draw.

So, what’s behind the cheating? It seems there’s a The problem is that most cheaters take more lack of integrity among some juniors. Some of these than three bisques per set. And, cheaters don’t steal players train in groups and are cheered by their team- unnecessary points; they steal only those points they mates in a system that is obsessed with winning at all strategically need to win. costs instead of building character. Unfortunately, this Cheating is not just confined to bad line calls. is just one bad example of Kipling’s noble expression In many cases it takes place in the form of a player “. . . the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.” deliberately taking too much time between points or The cheating epidemic has gotten so bad that claiming the wrong score. The wrong score argument there is actually a prominent group of players (all can only be solved by the tournament referee restarting

Cheating must be stopped.

Everyone knows that if players will cheat on the tennis court, they will cheat in anything else they do in life.

continued next page www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

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the match at the last point both players agree upon, which always favors the cheater. I once watched a tense match that was won 7-5 in the second set by a very fair player. His opponent refused to acknowledge the loss even though his coach, academy mates and the rest of the spectators were all standing up prepared to leave. A horrendous argument broke out on the court. I happened to be standing near the opponent’s coach and quietly asked him, “What do you think the score was?” He said, “I thought it was the end of the match.” I was astounded and asked him, “Then why don’t you go out there, put your arm around your player’s shoulder and stop him from this embarrassing ordeal?”

I was even more revolted when he refused to take any action and his other academy students celebrated when the referee finally decided to restart the match at 3-1 since this was the last score the cheater would acknowledge. Regardless of his protests, the fair player was threatened with a default if he did not continue to play.

Recently, I attended a junior tournament in which my son also fell victim to the epidemic. In one match, amidst five clearly bad line calls in the first set and four in the third, his opponent was taking up to a minute and a half between points. I asked my son’s doubles partner to mention the delay of game to a nearby referee who stood on the court from the beginning of the second set (which my son won 6-1) until he led 3-1 in the third. The referee left at that point and the cheating instantaneously resumed. His opponent took four more free “bisques,” permitting him to soar to a third set 6-4 victory.

Most experienced tennis coaches would agree that supporting and coaching a competitive player is not easy. Even coaching sectional tournaments usually involves several days that include hours of driving, many nights in uncomfortable hotels, scrambling for practice courts, fighting the heat or cold, grabbing food as time permits, missing valuable days of school and work, and spending nearly $1,000 each trip.

My frustration brings me back to the question: Is there any integrity left in the game of tennis or are we doomed to continue down this path? If there are no solutions and it only continues to spread, isn’t this a major deterrent to the growth and continued enjoyment of the sport? Is it worth competing in an atmosphere where you lose matches against players who cheat?

My five-hour drive home was very insightful. I discussed this topic with my son, tossing around ideas of how to stop cheating or penalize players who do cheat and the coaches who condone it. We both agreed, as most of you will who ponder the issue, that solutions are hard to come by. After exhausting every idea, my son said, “Dad, forget it. It would be easier to create world peace.” But I couldn’t forget it, so I decided to kill some time chatting with a friendly tournament referee at an ITF junior tournament a week later.

I asked him the same question – “What is the solution to cheating at junior tournaments?” His answer was rather succinct. He said, “If you want to stop cheating, don’t play a match.”

Some psychologists might say that because there is nothing you can do to solve the problem, you should ignore it. But you cannot ignore something that is downright unethical. It has gotten so bad that players who realize they’re losing to opponents who are cheating wrongly believe the only way to win is to cheat themselves. But this only leads the otherwise honest players down a slippery slope. So what can be done? Does anyone have a solution? If you do, please write to me.

Obviously, at the professional level, cheating is virtually nonexistent (save for the occasional coaching signal) thanks to the presence of chair umpires, line judges and the all-knowing Hawk Eye technology

used to verify line calls in some stadiums.

But, how do you solve this problem at the junior level? One solution, though impossible due to the high cost, would be to have an umpire for every match. Every tournament has only a limited number of umpires, and they cannot watch every match at all times.

Of course, when an umpire is present, players will play honestly, but the minute the umpire leaves the court, they’re back to deliberately making the wrong calls. So how do you prove that a player is cheating? When an objective official is not present, there is no proof and it only comes down to your word against his.

Another solution might be to monitor or penalize players who receive a certain number of written complaints from opponents.

Say, for example, a USTA section disciplinary committee received three complaint letters from a parent, coach or player claiming that a particular player cheated during a previous match. The committee would then place an umpire at each of the player’s matches thereafter. The problem is that there’s still no proof to the accusations, so there’s very little the committee can do about just one person’s word against another’s.

I have gone as far as to discuss this issue with the chairman of my USTA section’s Disciplinary and Grievance Committee, and I was comforted when he told me the committee is extremely concerned about the issue. In fact, he has written articles on the subject, and he’s aware of complaints about certain players who have been consistently reported for cheating. But, due to the lack of clearly substantiated proof and the fact that players will stop cheating as soon as an umpire is present, he expressed the same frustration over the apparent lack of solutions.

However, our conversation led me to one last idea that just might work. Each section’s disciplinary and grievance committee could assign an “undercover official” dressed in plain clothes, not the obvious umpire uniform, to attend a tournament and watch the matches of those people who have been listed by the D & G Committee for a certain number of complaints. The undercover official will sit on the sidelines and note any cheating that might be occurring in the match.

If the reported player is caught cheating, the undercover official would report them directly to the D & G Committee for final action.

In order for this to work, tournaments and sections need to extensively publicize the fact that there is the possibility that an undercover official may be present at any match. The players’ fear of the undercover umpire will help deter cheating. Just as an undercover police officer helps deter theft in a store, an undercover umpire should deter cheating.

According to Jim Loehr, Ed.D., there’s no way to absolutely prove that someone is cheating without a camera or umpire on the court, but it can be deterred through an educational process, including discussions like this one. As more information is released about cheating, players, parents and coaches will better understand the damage created when the behavior is allowed to continue in tennis or any other sport.

Perhaps the only thing we can do now is to continue creating the sense of guilt for anyone who cheats or knows someone who does, and constantly remind competitors, their parents and coaches of how wrong it is and the problems it perpetuates. Hopefully, this will influence the on-court actions of players who are tempted to cheat.

Cheating must be stopped. Everyone knows that if players will cheat on the tennis court, they will cheat in anything else they do in life. Is that how we want to shape our future generations? K

Tips from the pros

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www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Tips from the pros

Cardio Tennis: unique solutions to potential challenges

by Michele Krause, USPTA National Cardio Tennis manager and speakers team director

T

ennis professionals are having a lot of fun and success with Cardio Tennis as well as making money. Cardio Tennis is a wonderful program, but there are a few “challenges” one can encounter when it comes to the use of music, attracting the fitness market, using heart rate monitors, and working with starter and advanced tennis players. Unique solutions to these challenges will be addressed in the next few articles.

Consumers need to be educated on the program, its purpose, outcome and equipment, and this is the job of the tennis professional. Consumers need to know you understand workout principles and healthy heart workouts. As the saying goes, “Failing to prepare is preparing for failure.”

In order to help the Cardio Tennis professional to be as prepared as possible, in this segment I would like to tackle some of the challenges of using music and attracting fitness members.

Most of us love music and we know it is fun, but some members complain about it in terms of loudness, type and interruptions. First, let the members know you will be using music and educate them on why music is a big component to working out. This can be accomplished through newsletters, signage and the welcome desk.

Remember, your first line of defense is your front-desk staff; make sure they are trained, educated and have experienced the Cardio Tennis class.

For example, if a member is calling in for a court time let them know that Cardio Tennis will be on the court next to them.

This way they can choose whether or not they want to make the reservation for that day/time. If you do permanent court time you might consider offering a discount for the court next to the Cardio Tennis court.

As time passes I think you will find that those members playing near the Cardio Tennis court start to enjoy the music too and look forward to it! In fact, there are a number of facilities that are installing speakers on the tennis courts, both indoor and out, and playing the music throughout the day; how’s that for liberating our sport!

Keep it low-volume. Although it is fun to really blast the music, it is easier on everyone if you keep it at a decent decibel. This helps you as the instructor to be heard more easily and it doesn’t overwhelm the players on the other courts.

Schedule at low-volume court usage times. Research shows the prime time for Americans working out is 5 to 8 a.m. and tennis court prime time is 9 a.m. to noon.

Schedule your Cardio Tennis classes in the early morning to accommodate the “workout” crowd and since the courts are often underutilized during this time you can crank up the music. It is a win-win situation as you are catering to a potentially new customer base and making use of the early-morning court time.

With proper planning and marketing, a Cardio Tennis program can fill courts and create excitement among all levels of players. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Use personal music devices such as iPods, etc. Most people today own some sort of MP3 player and since there is little to no continued next page ADDvantage/October-November 2007 7

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instruction in Cardio Tennis (with the exception of drill explanation) this would allow each player to be tuned into their own music.

Try different kinds of music – keep it within their genre. There are many music genres to choose from on powermusic. com including country, classical, adult contemporary and oldies, all mixed to 130150 BPM, as well as top 40, hip-hop and Latin. Powermusic does offer a discount on music CDs for official Cardio Tennis sites. Please visit partners.cardiotennis. com for more details. Other music sources include workoutmusic.com and danceclassicshowcase.com.

but focus on selling the great features of music.

2) I’m not a tennis player so I won’t be able to do it.

• Music creates an exciting mood and a party atmosphere!

This statement comes from both the fitness enthusiast and the beginner player.

• Music is an attraction to new players and many returning players; it can help them to get more enjoyment out of our sport.

Inform them that if they have some hand/ eye coordination and are willing to try something new, Cardio Tennis will be an exciting, engaging, calorie-burning way to exercise. In fact, Cardio Tennis is “more gain, less pain.”

• Research shows people will work out with 30 percent more intensity if they are exercising to music.

• Music is played at World TeamTennis matches, other professional tennis events and on changeovers at the U.S. Open.

Placement of the sound system. Place your music system on the side of the court where the players will spend most of the time and keep the volume low. You might not hear the music but at least the customers can. There are numerous choices now for MP3 docking stations. Members of the Cardio Tennis national speakers team like the Sonic Impact at si5.com. It sells at a good price, is small enough to pack in a suitcase, but puts out good volume, and has a hardcover case that provides protection and makes it easy to direct the volume.

• Have you ever walked into a fitness center and not heard music?

Get key members involved or tough customers to buy into the program. Key club members and skeptics can become influential supporters of Cardio Tennis.

When a coach at a country club in North Carolina started Cardio Tennis he was getting complaints from one of the golfers (the courts were close to the course). As the golf member was complaining to him through the fence about the music the coach calmly said to the golfer, “Your wife, who is here right now, seems to really like the music and the class.” Guess who was at the cardio class the next week?

1) I do not pay for group exercise classes so why do I have to pay for Cardio Tennis?

Offering quiet Cardio Tennis is an option when everything else you have tried just doesn’t work. Leading a quiet Cardio Tennis class places more pressure on the pro to amp up the enthusiasm and energy levels, but it is definitely an option and has proven successful at many facilities.

If the fee issue becomes too challenging for fitness members you may want to look at the long-term benefits to your program (like a regular aerobic class) and offer free classes. If the fitness members are participating, engaged and loving Cardio Tennis they will eventually get involved in other lesson programs, buy equipment and clothing, and add tennis to their membership.

There will always be some traditionalists

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A huge target market for Cardio Tennis is the fitness market. The fitness industry continues to grow and dominate traditional sports participation. Unlike many other traditional sports, tennis has Cardio Tennis to spark the fitness junkie’s interest.

Our industry’s focus should be on getting those fitness people on the tennis courts.

The two biggest challenges we get from that market are:

In a typical fitness/tennis club environment the two departments are managed under two different budgets, and tennis professionals and fitness professionals get compensated differently. You need to share with clients that Cardio Tennis requires the right pro who has been trained in a special skill set. It also requires more equipment than a traditional tennis class, such as heart rate monitors, music, transition balls, sideline tools, etc.

Cardio Tennis is for all ability levels, specifically those who are new to the game, because it doesn’t matter where or how you hit the ball. In fact, in many classes you don’t even have to hit a serve. This alone will appeal to many of those people. And they will naturally improve and learn just by being out there and moving.

New players often think they will burden or hold back participants. Again, educate them that the class is for all levels and the use of transition balls will equalize the playing field and create a safe environment.

The coach is trained to feed according to skill level and fitness level, which ensures everyone gets a great workout and has fun in the process.

Cardio Tennis is not outcome based, it is more performance based with the goal for each player to get his or her very best workout. The emphasis is not on competition, although games should be played in all classes based upon the fun factor games provide. You can play games with or without keeping score.

Cardio Tennis is based on play first and learn as you go along. Initial reports are that those who start with Cardio Tennis pick up the game quicker and get better faster because they experience real-life movements right from the start.

In the next article I will offer solutions to heart rate monitor challenges as well as challenges involved with starter and advanced players. If you have experienced a specific challenge not mentioned please e-mail me at michele@cardiotennis.com.

Happy cardio! K www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA mailbox World Conference Dear Tim (Heckler, USPTA CEO), Thanks for your kind words on the letter concerning the 35 Year Award! (Can it be?) Please convey my regrets at not being able to personally accept the award. I’ve loved being a member of the USPTA for all these years, and it’s been fun to see it evolve – it just keeps getting better! And that’s where you come in ... congratulations and thanks for all you’ve done on behalf of teaching professionals everywhere. You’ve done a fantastic job, and are a truly visionary leader. Keep up the good work!

Sincerely, Jimmy Parker USPTA Master Professional Houston Tim, I wanted to share with you that, regretfully, I will be unable to attend the World Conference this year to receive my 30-year service award in USPTA. I will be with my son, Alex, at the Agassi NO Quit junior tournament in Las Vegas that week, as he is now a nationally ranked player, just entering the 16s.

I do want to say that I am very proud of my service award and consider it a privilege to be a member of this tremendous organization. The USPTA has brought me great friends and their education has essentially given me the knowledge to turn my passion as a young person into my life’s work. My work has positively influenced hundreds of people, helped many juniors earn more than $250,000 in college scholarships, raised more than $300,000 for various charities, and allowed my son and

me priceless time together as we developed him into a fine tennis player.

These results would not have been possible without the information I obtained from the USPTA over the years. So while your letter thanks me for my service to the USPTA, it is I who wish to thank the USPTA for providing me the basis for my very blessed career. I am still going strong, by the way, and am better than ever!

All the best, Larry Lineberry USPTA Master Professional Sedona, Ariz.

Hi Tim, Thank you very much for your fantastic hospitality during our stay with you at Saddlebrook. You all work so very hard behind the scenes to make the conference a great success.

Kind regards, Nigel Allingham Conference Coordinator British Tennis Coaches Association Dear Tim, Thank you so much for yet again a most enjoyable trip to the USPTA convention. Both Nigel and I were impressed by the wonderful event you put on and very much appreciate your hospitality. Just sad, as always, that our visit had to be so short.

Hopefully we will be able to come over again and see you in La Quinta.

Thank you all again and all good wishes.

Jane Poynder Associate chairman British Tennis Coaches Association

Tim, Great conference. I think it was one of the best yet. The seminars, general sessions, and speciality courses offered the attendees a world of good information to take back home and use to improve their programs and lessons. The USPTA staff working the conference did a wonderful job. Again, thanks for a great conference.

Jack Foster, USPTA Sugar Land, Texas Tennisplayer.net Dear USPTA, This is a great member benefit that I will use every month.

Great work!

Paul MacDonald USPTA Master Professional Mundelein, Ill. Hi John (Yandell, USPTA, of Tennisplayer.net), I’m a USPTA Pro in San Diego, and have been surfing through Tennisplayer.net since you allowed access to it from USPTA members’ Web sites. I am completely impressed by the powerful combination of high quality video and well-written narrative – it has confirmed many things I knew from experience and intuition, but has also opened my eyes to things I hadn’t realized, and, as a result, will make me a better player and instructor.

Thanks very much for providing free access to USPTA members – I’d say it is one of the best USPTA benefits! Keep up the great work!

Sincerely, Steve Kappes, USPTA Chula Vista, Calif.

Tim, Just thought I’d take a minute to convey my thanks to you, Ron (Woods, USPTA immediate past president), and the board for our newest USPTA benefit, that being Tennisplayer.net! As a heavy user of John Yandell’s site, I appreciate the fact that it is now an additional benefit to all USPTA Pros as part of our personal Web sites. Once I attended John’s seminar years back on his initial high-speed studies of modern strokes, I was hooked on how much I can learn by using his site to stay current in our industry.

I cannot see why anyone would not want to be certified in the USPTA when you guys keep making our membership fee dollars continually become more and more valuable! Again, thanks to all who helped make this additional benefit possible!

Jerry Winder, USPTA SWPTA President Green Valley, Ariz.

Dear USPTA, I have been a USPTA P-1 Professional for 27 years and have enjoyed many benefits of USPTA. However, with the recent addition of TennisPlayer.net, you have really hit an ace! Mr. Yandell is to be congratulated for developing such a comprehensive Web site and USPTA is to be congratulated as well. I have other tennis info, Web sites that I have used for years, but none are as easy to use or as helpful to my students’ progress as TennisPlayer.net. Thank you for making my dues and my association work for me.

Sincerely, Ken Ouellette, USPTA Ormond Beach, Fla.

Send your letters to the editor, along with a daytime phone number or e-mail address, to ADDvantage, USPTA, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, TX 77042; fax to (713) 978-7780; or via e-mail to kim.forrester@uspta.org. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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ADDvantage/October-November 2007

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA announces new national board of directors for 2007

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he United States Professional Tennis Association installed its new national board of directors that will serve the association until September 2009. Officers include one new board member. The new board took office during the 80th USPTA World Conference on Tennis, Sept. 17-22, at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla. The new board includes:

President Harry Gilbert, director of tennis at Ginn Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Fla. First Vice President Tom Daglis, director of the Professional Tennis Management Program at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., and president of Peachtree Tennis Promotions Inc.

Vice President Mark Fairchilds, director of tennis at Modesto Fitness and Racket Club in Modesto, Calif.

New board member and Vice President Jack Groppel, Ph.D., vice chairman and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute in Orlando, Fla.

Vice President Randy Mattingley, head tennis professional at Preston Manor Tennis Club in Lubbock, Texas

Vice President Tom McGraw, director of tennis at the Louisville Country Club in Louisville, Ky.

Secretary-treasurer Paula Scheb, director of tennis and fitness at the Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs, Fla.

Immediate Past President Ron Woods, former director of tennis at Corpus Christi (Texas) Country Club for 31 years.

The USPTA board manages the association’s affairs between meetings of the larger USPTA Executive Committee, which includes the board, three past national presidents, and two elected leaders from each of the USPTA’s 17 domestic divisions. Board members are nominated by a committee composed of Executive Committee members.

The chief executive officer of the USPTA since 1982 is Tim Heckler.

The USPTA World Headquarters is in Houston. K

PGA TOUR Superstores now carry USPTA instructional tennis DVDs

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he high-quality instructional DVDs produced by the United States Professional Tennis Association are now available at all Atlanta PGA TOUR Superstores, which carry golf and tennis equipment and supplies. The USPTA DVDs feature instruction and drills by top USPTA-certified tennis-teaching professionals, as well as interviews with them.

These great educational resources will retail for just under $20.

Eleven USPTA instructional DVD titles are carried exclusively in Atlanta stores with plans to expand to stores in Florida, Texas and Arizona. A sampling of the titles includes “The Modern Forehand” by Rick Macci, “Playing Successful Doubles – Playing Offensively” by Leslie Allen, “Meet the Topspins” by Brett Hobden, and “Footwork for the Open-Stance Forehand and Backhand” by David T. Porter, Ed. D. No other tennis-teaching organization produces the volume and quality of instructional DVDs that the USPTA does. The contemporary content incorporates both modern and time-tested tennis techniques. To assure quality, each DVD goes through an intensive review process that includes evaluation by a USPTA Master Professional and two Pro 1 level USPTA tennis-teaching www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

professionals. The DVDs, produced in-house by the USPTA’s own multimedia department, feature lessons by highly qualified USPTA instructors. The instruction is current and correct in order to guarantee a successful lesson.

“We are thrilled that PGA TOUR Superstores will be carrying a selection of USPTA instructional tennis DVDs,” said CEO Tim Heckler. “We see the PGA TOUR Superstores as a quality merchant, and they clearly recognize the value of the USPTA by carrying our top-notch instructional DVDs and hiring USPTAcertified professionals at their stores.”

PGA TOUR Superstores are owned and operated by Golf & Tennis Pro Shop Inc. Each store is dedicated to providing consumers with the best products, best services and best prices in an entertaining, interactive store environment. The Superstores are focused on game improvements in golf and tennis, as well as growing the games. Each store offers swing analysis, golf instruction by PGA of America teaching professionals and club-fitting. Certified professional tennis instructors, equipment and hitting nets make up the tennis section. The Superstores have a vast selection of golf and tennis equipment, clothing and home furnishings. K ADDvantage/October-November 2007

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USPTA drills Around the cone – balanced backhand prepared by Rick Macci, USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles Category: Backhand, conditioning, groundstrokes Level: Beginner/int./adv.

Time/players: 10 minutes/1-4

Description and goals: Hit balanced backhands, then run around the cone and prepare for the next shot. Focus on hitting through the ball.

Organization: Place a cone on the baseline at the center mark. Have student start at the cone and then move along the baseline to hit a balanced backhand. Make sure your feeds are directed so the student hits a balanced backhand and doesn’t move in or back. Focus on having student hit through the ball and then move around the cone for the next shot.

Key points: Focus on good movement along the baseline to the ball and having student hit through the ball. Aim your feeds so that student hits balanced backhand.

Practice player drill

prepared by David T. Porter, Ed.D., USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles Category: Backhand, conditioning, groundstrokes Levels: Int./adv./competitive Time/players: 20 minutes/2-4

Description and goals: The receiver plays as a practice partner for the server. This will increase the consistency of the receiver and the opportunity to set up and execute a singles strategy or pattern of play.

Organization: Player A serves to B and plays out point. Player B makes A play as many balls as possible with the outcome of the point dependent on A hitting a winning shot or making an error. Player B should work very hard to require A to hit one more ball. With multiple players, have them switch after every point or every two points.

Key points: Player B must work hard to make A play challenging and long points. If players are mismatched, it is important that A hit a second serve to start point.

Short court

prepared by David T. Porter, Ed.D., USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles Levels: All

Category: Warm-up and stretching Time: 10 minutes

Description and goals: Using half of a court and only the service boxes, players drop feed and play out a point. Players compete and develop an understanding of angles, depth and shot selection.

Organization: No volleys are allowed and both topspin and underspin are encouraged.

Key points: Both feed and return count. Play lasts for two minutes with players rotating in a “king-of-the-court” fashion. Shot variation, shot tolerance and competition are all side benefits.

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Generated by iTennisSystem – www.InterTennis.com ADDvantage/October-November 2007

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA drills Team sprints

prepared by David T. Porter, Ed.D., USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles, doubles Level: All

Category: Conditioning Time/players: Varies

Description and goals: A conditioning drill that emphasizes explosion, change of direction, agility and quickness.

Organization: Players start on the side of the doubles sideline. Players must touch singles sideline and come back, then touch center service line and come back, then touch other singles sideline and come back, then touch the far doubles sideline and come back. Competition as individuals and/or doubles teams also recommended.

Key points: Focus on explosive first step.

Tennis soccer

prepared by David T. Porter, Ed.D., USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles, doubles Level: All

Category: Warm-up and stretching Time: 10 minutes

Description and goals: Using half of the court and only the service boxes, one player drops ball and after it bounces kicks the ball over the net and into the opposite service box. After the ball has bounced in the service box, the opponent may touch the ball twice before sending it back over the net and into the service box. Soccer rules apply about hand use; however, the body, knees, head or feet may send the ball over the net. Games are played to 6 points with a tiebreak point played at 6-6.

Organization: Court size can be divided to include alleys and accommodate up to eight players.

Key points: Keeps warm-ups fun and competitive.

Volleys around the cone prepared by USPTA

Type: Singles Levels: All

Category: Volley Time: 8-10 minutes

Description and goals: A drill to work on volleys and movement.

Organization: Set up a cone at the “T.” Have players start at the cone and move diagonally forward to cut off a forehand volley. The player will then recover back around the cone for the backhand volley. Hit a predetermined number and rest. With more than one player, feed shots and have player go to end of line then feed the next player. Keep feeds relatively quick to avoid having players waiting in line.

Key points: Important for the player to run around the cone for recovery as it helps with all aspects of the volley – footwork, contact point, how much of a backswing, etc. Use targets and vary your feeds to work on the volley you want the player to hit.

Generated by iTennisSystem – www.InterTennis.com www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

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The Bradshaw bunch:

Big legacy for a small-town coach

by Jill Phipps, USPTA staff writer

M “He’s a fighter when it comes to playing tennis.

He would always work hard and emphasize loving the battle. I would never forget that.”

ore than 40 years ago, an enterprising young coach introduced a small Midwest town to the sport that would serve as a lasting bond – and a career – for some of his star players.

The high school tennis program that Arnold Bradshaw started in the farming community of Geneva, Ohio, produced a loyal, growing family of tennis-teaching professionals over the years. And he’s mighty proud of his former protégés.

“Those are my babies,” said the 66year-old Bradshaw, who coached the Geneva High School boys’ varsity tennis team – and helped his players develop their lifetime game plans – from 1966 to 1993.

Bradshaw moved to Geneva, where he also taught junior-high math, in 1963.

Three years later, the Northeastern Conference asked him to start a league team.

There was plenty of local football and

basketball, but very little tennis in this town that had a population of about 5,000.

In fact, there “in the snow belt,” Geneva would seem to be “the worst place to learn tennis,” he said with a laugh.

“We had to do what we did with nothing,” Bradshaw said, referring to the fact that there were no local clubs where he could recruit and funding was just as problematic. The teams used the two blacktop courts in the middle of town during the warmer months and the school gym in the winter. “They built four more courts after eight years,” he said. “We had a booming total of six courts in the whole town.”

Just the same, “We had a great time,” said Bradshaw, who practiced no-cut tennis continued next page

Members of the Geneva High School “tennis fraternity” hit the courts for Ben Bradshaw’s wedding.

Front row: Phil Dubsky, Al Redmond and Ben Barker. Back row: Ben Bradshaw, Tim Brueggeman, “Coach” Arnold Bradshaw and Abe Bradshaw www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

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from previous page long before it had a name. His tightknit teams also had the right stuff, capturing 26 conference championships in 28 years, as well as some national media attention, namely in Sports Illustrated (1975) and on ESPN (1993).

The Geneva Eagles, including the junior varsity girls that he led for a while, won more than 500 matches during his 28-year coaching career. His varsity boys earned 482 wins to 44 losses overall and their conference record was 346-4.

Bradshaw can name eight current members of the USPTA, as well as 16 other tennis-teaching professionals, who played on his high school teams.

He knows where they all work and what they do, and has kept detailed records of their high school play and their careers since then. For example, a girl who played on his boys’ team, Lee Ann Massucci, became head women’s tennis coach at Ohio State University.

Another former student, Phil Dubsky, went on to win two national indoor gold balls and has followed in his mentor’s footsteps as varsity tennis coach at Geneva High School.

The young people he took under his wing have not forgotten him after all these years. “Just about every week,” Bradshaw said, “I get a call from somebody saying, ‘Coach, how are you doing?’ They’re from all over the country.”

Bradshaw and his wife, Kathy, now live in Sun City Hilton Head, a retirement community in Okatie, S.C. He teaches part time at the tennis courts in the gated community of Belfair Plantation.

He’s also still honing his craft. “I’m learning all the time; you have to keep trying to get better as a teacher,” Bradshaw said. “I have a lot of the USPTA DVDS I study. I don’t want to sit on old laurels.”

Techniques may have changed, but his basic coaching philosophy hasn’t. “I’m still trying to help somebody,” he said. “I’ve got two real nice kids that play high school. It will be interesting to see where we can take these boys.”

The coach’s own son, Ben Bradshaw, USPTA Pro 1 and tennis director at Easton Racquet Club in Easton, Conn., said his dad always had a helping heart. He helped players – even from opposing teams – get into off-season programs to improve their

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games and then find a college where they could play on the team. Ben and his brother, Abraham, both played for their father in high school.

The elder Bradshaw, a USPTA member since 1969, retired from Geneva High School after his sons graduated from high school.

A half dozen or so of his former students, who graduated between the late 1970s and late ’80s, renewed their ties at this year’s USPTA World Conference on Tennis in Florida. They spent some time visiting and watching each other play.

“Coach Bradshaw is the thing that we all have in common,” said Jeff Hawes, USPTA Master Professional and president of the Southern Division. “When we come to conventions we do see one another, usually hit balls or go out to dinner together.”

If he weren’t new on the job as tennis director at the New Orleans Country Club, Hawes would have been among the Geneva High School “tennis fraternity” attending Ben Bradshaw’s wedding the week after the World Conference. Hawes graduated with Ben. “We get together and tell crazy stories about Coach Bradshaw and what it was like playing tennis with him,” Hawes said. “He has had such a major influence on so many

of our USPTA Pros.

“He’s a fighter when it comes to playing tennis. He would always work hard and emphasize loving the battle. I would never forget that.”

Hawes described Bradshaw as “a gentle man” who taught his students about decency, sportsmanship, and having fun, and as a “master motivator,” pumping up his players with prizes as plain as pens and calendars that he solicited from local businesses.

It was Bradshaw who suggested Hawes look into the PTM program at Methodist College in Fayette, S.C. He and his teammates “didn’t know you could teach tennis for a living” – and make good money – until the coach brought a former student, Jim Morton, to speak to the team.

Like Hawes, Morton said Bradshaw “was the first person to expose me to the idea that there was a career for a tennis professional.” In the summer of his senior year, Morton assisted Bradshaw at a private country club in Erie, Pa. The teenager did everything from sweeping courts to selling merchandise, stringing racquets and helping with clinics. “It was a great experience,” he recalled.

Tim Brueggeman, USPTA Pro 1, rekindled some memories while attending both the World Conference and Ben Bradshaw’s wedding. continued next page

Arnold Bradshaw, left, assisted his son, Ben Bradshaw, at the Easton Racquet Club in Easton, Conn., during the summer of 2004. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Persistent player walks by faith on and off court Arnold Bradshaw is as passionate about playing tennis as he is about his teaching.

The 66-year-old Bradshaw, who played in the nationals three years for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, won the South Carolina state hard court title in 65s this year. Also, he and his son, Ben Bradshaw, a fellow USPTA Professional, were ranked No. 16 in the nation in father and son doubles in 2001.

Bradshaw’s tennis – in fact, his life – is built on faith in God. But this spirited athlete is having to exercise his ability to trust what he can’t see like never before.

In 1992, while still coaching at Geneva High School in Geneva, Ohio, Bradshaw suffered a detached retina and lost his vision in one eye. He underwent two operations to reattach the retina, but neither was successful in restoring his sight.

Then he suffered the same kind of problem in the “good” eye. This time laser surgery was able to help him retain partial vision in that eye.

However, partial vision in one eye is not much of a consolation on the tennis court.

How does he still play? “I don’t know,” Bradshaw conceded. “It’s a tough game with two eyes … With half an eye it’s really tough. It’s more of a challenge now than it was before, for sure.”

His wife, Kathy, said he has always been a top-notch tennis player – strong and quick. “His game was amazing, especially his down-the-line shots. I do not in any way know how he plays tennis now … He is happy just being out there, running around and having fun with the game.”

In the 15 years since he began losing his eyesight, “I have never, ever heard him complain,” she said.

“The frustrating thing is it causes double vision and all kinds of weird things.

I can always tell when he hits the ‘wrong’ tennis ball on the court!”

But he also still manages to hit the “right” ball in a pinch. “I think he has the radar of a bat, he just knows where the ball is,” Kathy Bradshaw marveled. “He has to play back and he has perfected the drop shot and the lob. He outlasts most guys; he is willing to be out there all day long if necessary.

“He talks about stopping,” she said, “then the next thing I know he’s signed up for another tournament.”  “I’m so proud being a part of this group of guys growing up in this same little town, knowing that we all chose the same vocation all because of this very nice, caring coach,” said Brueggeman, who is director of tennis at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, Fla. “In my entire life, I have never seen a person emulate the principles of living a Christian life better than Coach Bradshaw,” Brueggeman said.

Arnold and Kathy Bradshaw were guiding lights for his young players. “For 28 years we would take the kids 500 miles to Lake Mohonk, a tennis resort in upstate www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

New York, for two-week periods to work,” Bradshaw said. The students even lived with the Bradshaws during those summer work trips.

“We’ve done the Lord’s work,” as the coach sees it. “We got a few of them on the right track anyway.”

“Some of the kids didn’t have dads and I kind of raised them,” Bradshaw said. “I understood that tennis was the greatest of all sports and did what we could to get them involved. Their whole lives were changed; they’re making a living now using a tool called a tennis racquet.”  ADDvantage/October-November 2007

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2007 Honorees Alex Gordon, San Diego – USPTA Hall of Fame Inductee (posthumously) Alex Gordon made great contributions to the game of tennis as a coach, player and USPTA member. As a coach, he was first hired on as head professional at Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego in 1946. He taught there for 10 years and then returned again in 1960 and remained there until 1976. While at Hotel Del Coronado he also coached at Bishop’s School in La Jolla, Calif. As a player, while attending UCLA he was captain of the men’s tennis team and the school’s No. 1 singles player. He was also the two-time Southern California Interscholastic doubles champion. He was a runner-up at the National Senior Hard Court Mixed Doubles and the National Senior Indoors in the men’s 50s and 55s. He was also the USPTA national 45 doubles champion in 1969, ’71 and ’72 (with Ben Press). Gordon also made tremendous contributions to this country and the USPTA. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was the president of the USPTA San Diego Division in 1969-1974.

He was also president of the USPTA national Board of Directors in 1976, but passed away during his presidency. He is credited with holding the Association together in the 1970s, when it struggled with internal political turmoil. For that and his other contributions, the Alex Gordon Professional of the Year award was named in his honor.

Bill Tym, Brentwood, Tenn. – USPTA Hall of Fame Inductee Bill Tym, a USPTA Master Professional and past USPTA national president, has been involved in tennis as a coach, player and administrator for half a century. He coached the Vanderbilt University men’s tennis team to its first NCAA tournament. Tym has had a 25-year association with the Indonesian Tennis Association and coached Yayuk Basuki, the first Indonesian player to reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. He also coached USPTA Professional Bryan Shelton, who became the first black player since Arthur Ashe to win an ATP event. As a player, Tym was a Southeastern Conference singles champion at the University of Florida. He also competed on the international tour and won 10 national and international titles. Tym has made significant contributions to the USPTA. As executive director of USPTA he helped create a standardized certification test. Tym was named USPTA Professional of the Year in 1982, College Coach of the Year in 1989, and Touring Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2002. He also received the George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Award from the USPTA in 2001 and the International Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Educational Merit Award in 1981.

John Joyce, Hypoluxo, Fla. – Alex Gordon ­Professional of the Year John Joyce is currently the director of tennis at Boca West Country Club, the largest equity club in the nation. He has overseen operations at this 39-court facility, which includes 8,500 total members, for the past 13 years. His involvement with the USPTA is extensive, including currently serving on the Florida Division Board as the Florida regional vice president. He is a member of the USPTA national Executive Committee and serves on the USPTA national Future Trends Committee. As Florida Division president, Joyce initiated the Florida Division Hall of Fame in 2006. He and his board helped initiate and organize the USPTA tournament in conjunction with the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships in February 2006. His accolades include Florida Division Professional of the Year in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2007, as well as Florida Division Facility Manager of the Year in 2000. As a player he has held a national ranking in Men’s 35 singles in both the USPTA and USTA. Joyce was also ranked No. 1 in men’s 25, 30 and 35 doubles by the Florida Section of the USTA. Joyce is also a member of the Prince Advisory Staff.

Rosemary DeHoog, DeWitt, N.Y. – Master Professional DeHoog is the head tennis professional at the Drumlins Tennis Club in Syracuse, N.Y. She has 34 years of experience as a tennis-teaching professional and has demonstrated the ability to produce tennis champions at the scholastic and state level. She is a USPTA Professional 1 and has served on the USPTA Eastern Division Board as president, national chair of the Women’s Committee and national tester. In addition, DeHoog has been involved in the following publications: “A History of the Women’s Division of the USPTA,” and “The Tennis Serve: A Film Analysis.” She has been a speaker at several USPTA Eastern and World Conferences. Some of her previous honors have included USPTA Pro of the Year and USPTA Major Contributor.

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Jane Hines, Omaha, Neb. – USPTA Star Jane Hines has devoted much of her life to teaching tennis as a USPTA tennis professional. In addition, she serves as the Nebraska District Diversity Chair, initiating the district’s Tennis Everyone program. The program sponsors tennis outreach efforts servicing after-school programs, inner-city community centers and parks programs, Special Olympics and wheelchair tennis. Hines is an active grant writer and fundraiser for various tennis projects within the Nebraska District. Hines was also named the USTA National Volunteer of the Month in August 2006. She was the Omaha Tennis Association Volunteer of the Year in 2004. She is currently the director of marketing at the Tennis Club and Indoor Soccer Center.

Sue Burke, Boulder, Colo. – USPTA Industry Excellence Award Sue Burke has used various avenues to serve as an ambassador and promote the game of tennis. She brought tennis to the Denver Broncos branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver for the first time ever and provided funding for 60 new players. She helped the I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County to get two USTA tennis and education grants and created and administered a tennis program for 140 lower-income minority kids in surrounding areas. Burke has also created a year-round tennis program for the Open Door Youth Gang Alternative program in Denver among several other community initiatives and programs.

Burke’s efforts have helped increase player participation in tennis by connecting resources with groups in need, financially and otherwise, so hundreds of new juniors and adults could begin playing tennis. Burke is currently the head tennis teaching professional at the Flatiron Athletic Club in Boulder, Colo.

Craig S. Jones, Martinez, Ga. – USTA/USPTA Community Service Award Craig Jones is very committed to the game of tennis and bringing it to the community on both a professional and volunteer level. He has been involved in several volunteer positions, such as racquet drive chairman, member of the South Carolina and Georgia junior tennis councils, chairman and founder of the SCTA Challenger Circuit and coordinator of Special Olympics.

Jones, who is a USPTA Professional 1, is the owner and director of tennis at the Petersburg Racquet Club. Under his direction, the club offers the Futures Program, which is for players of all levels from ages 4 to 18. The goal of the program is to make tennis fun and build a foundation that allows students to reach their potential.

Mike Doty, McGregor, Texas – Facility Manager of the Year As general manager of Waco Regional Tennis & Fitness, Mike Doty’s efforts have led to the construction and development of the club house design and layout, development of the tournament business model and to the facility being named the National USTA 2006 Outstanding Facility. The staff’s professional development and education are supported by the facility, which currently has 425 members, 18 tennis courts, and a 30,000-square-foot clubhouse.

Townsend Gilbert, Chester, Vt. – President’s Award Townsend Gilbert, a USPTA member for 21 years, was singled out for his service to Little Tennis®, the Association’s program created for children ages 3 to 10. The President’s Award is an honor that a current or outgoing USPTA president can give to someone for special service. Outgoing President Ron Woods honored Gilbert for his dedication to Little Tennis education and promotion and his volunteer service at Arthur Ashe Kids Day. Gilbert has staffed the USPTA court at Arthur Ashe Kids Day during the lead-up to the U.S. Open for about 12 years.

He has put smiles on lots of children’s faces and entertained as many parents.

He has always been quick to offer help to the USPTA when needed.

Tim Heckler, Houston – 25 Years of Service Tim Heckler has served the USPTA as CEO for 25 years. It is through his vision, hard work and leadership that the USPTA has thrived, increasing its membership and income during his tenure.

As CEO, Heckler has established USPTA as the foremost organization of teaching professionals in the world. He revolutionized USPTA’s operations through computerization and continually strives to introduce tennis professionals to the tools of the information age. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Heckler attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, and played on the international circuit, including Wimbledon in 1959 and 1961, and the U.S. Open in 1960. His work as a coach and a speaker, and his experience in designing, managing and programming several large recreational facilities, has given him the background to deal with all situations related to tennis. In 1973 he was the consultant and tennis director for the Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King “Match of the Century” held in the Houston Astrodome. He was named a grand inductee in the Association’s Hall of Fame in 2000, received the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Tennis Educational Merit Award in 2002 and was inducted into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005.

Clay Court championships and USPTA Florida Grand Prix. Barros is the head tennis professional at Winter Park Racquet Club in Orlando, Fla.

Dave Steinbach, Brookfield, Wis. – High School Coach of the Year The Brookfield Central High School girls and boys team finished first and second respectively in both the district and regional tournaments led by coach Dave Steinbach. The girls team was crowned state champions. The girls team had an impressive undefeated record of 26-0, while the boys team had an impressive record of 15-5. Several players on both the girls and boys team received all-state and all-conference honors. After 38 years as part of the high school faculty, Steinbach just retired this year and now teaches tennis at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

Val Wilder, Fort Worth, Texas – Men’s 45-and-over Player of the Year Val Wilder won the 2006 USPTA Hard Court Championships and was a finalist at the 2006 USPTA Grass Court Championships in men’s 45 singles. He is currently ranked No. 4 by the USPTA in men’s 45 singles. He is ranked No. 1 nationally by the USTA in men’s 45 singles and doubles. Wilder was both the men’s 45 singles and doubles champion at the USTA Hard Court, Indoor and Grass Court Championships. He also won the men’s 45 doubles at the USTA Clay court championships. Wilder is the director of tennis at Val Wilder Tennis in Fort Worth, Texas.

Gordon Hammond, Las Vegas – High School Coach of the Year The Bishop Gorman High School girls team was crowned champions in the district, regional and state tournament led by Gordon Hammond. The team has also amassed a very impressive 154-9 record. Three of his players received collegiate scholarships this year. Coach Hammond has the most state titles by any one coach for tennis at Bishop Gorman High School with six. The team has also had three undefeated seasons.

Brian Cheney, Chandler, Ariz. – Men’s 55-and-over Player of the Year Brian Cheney has been very successful in USTA sectional, national and international tournaments. In 2006 he won the USTA National Men’s 60 Hard Courts in singles and doubles and the National Men’s 55 Grass Courts in the doubles. He was a semifinalist in singles and finalist in doubles at both the USTA National Men’s 55 Indoor and Clay Courts. In 2006 he was player captain of the ITF Austria Cup Men’s 55 team, which finished second.

He is currently ranked No. 29 in men’s 55 singles and No. 12 in men’s 60 singles in the ITF and was ranked No. 3 in men’s 55 doubles in 2006 by the USTA. Cheney is currently the tennis director at Village Racquet and Health Club in Phoenix.

Michael Center, Austin, Texas – College Coach of the Year In just four short years as head men’s tennis coach for the University of Texas, the team has set itself apart as one of the premier tennis programs. Center has led the men’s tennis team to an impressive overall record of 75-29 and 23-6 in Big 12 Conference play. This past season, Texas captured both the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament titles for the first time in seven years. Center’s coaching career spans over 17 years and includes an overall lifetime record of 291-119. Prior to arriving at Texas, Center had earned conference coach of the year honors in four of his last five seasons as head coach.

Kari Yerg, Boynton Beach, Fla. – Touring Coach of the Year Kari Yerg is a teaching pro at the Patch Reef Park Tennis Center in Boca Raton, Fla., and has been deeply involved in wheelchair tennis coaching for many years. She is a seven-time coach of U.S. teams in World Team Cup. For the past three years she coached the U.S. juniors at Cruyff Junior Masters in Tarbes, France. She is the coach of 10 USTA nationally ranked wheelchair tennis players including three ITF world-ranked players. Other players she has coached include Randy Snow, David Johnson of Australia and the 2000 silver medalist in the Sydney Paralympic Games, and Kevin Whalen, a competitor in the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games.

Tommy Wade, Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Tester of the Year Tommy Wade is the director of tennis for the city of Decatur in Alabama. He took over a facility with six unused courts and has expanded the program to 16 hard and soft courts, two courts in a bubble, and a new pro shop and tennis building. Tommy is a twotime USPTA National Tester of the Year, state and division Pro of the Year, and Pride of the South award winner. He currently serves as the head tester for the Southern Division, and has held the office of president for both the state and the division. Tommy won 21 Kentucky State championships, played No. 1 on the team for four years at the University of Kentucky, made the SEC all-conference team three of those years, and later coached both the University of Kentucky and the University of Alabama tennis teams.

Paulo Barros, Orlando, Fla. – Men’s Open Player of the Year In 2006, Paulo Barros was the winner of the USPTA National Grass Court championships, USPTA Florida Grand Prix Masters – Isleworth and USPTA Florida Grand Prix – Bonita. This year, he was the men’s open singles and doubles champion at the USPTA Grass Court championships and a finalist at the USPTA National www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Anders Eriksson, Austin, Texas – Men’s 35-and-over Player of the Year Anders Eriksson was the men’s 35 singles and doubles champion at the 2006 USPTA International Championships. He is currently the USPTA’s No. 1-ranked men’s 35 singles and doubles player.

Eriksson was also the men’s 30 singles champion at the 2007 USTA Hard Courts. He is director of tennis at Onion Creek Club in Austin, Texas.

Julie Cass, Austin, Texas – Women’s Open Player of the Year Julie Cass was champion of both the women’s open singles and doubles at the 2006 USPTA National Hard Court championships. Cass was ranked No. 3 in women’s open singles and is currently ranked No.1 in women’s open doubles by the USPTA. She was also the champion in several USTA tournaments including the National 35s Grass Courts (singles and doubles), National Father/Daughter Grass Courts (open champion), adult sectionals (open singles and open mixed champion), National 35 Clay Courts (singles finalist and doubles champion) and senior sectionals (35 singles and doubles champion). She is the director of women’s programs at the Westwood Country Club in Austin, Texas.

Sophie Amiach, Eastham, Mass. – Women’s 35-and-over Player of the Year Sophie Amiach was the champion in women’s 35 singles, women’s 40 doubles and mixed doubles at the USPTA International Championships in 2006. She is also currently the USPTA’s No. 1-ranked player in women’s 35 singles and women’s 40 doubles. Amiach is the director of tennis at Willy’s Gym in Eastham, Mass.

Viktoria Beggs, Palm Beach, Fla. – Women’s 45-and-over Player of the Year Viktoria Beggs was the winner of women’s 45 singles at this year’s USPTA National Clay Court Championships and the 2006 USPTA Florida Grand Prix Masters – Isleworth. Beggs is ranked No. 2 in 45 singles by the USPTA. She is the tennis director at the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Fla. Sue Bramlette, Houston – Women’s 55-and-over Player of the Year Sue Bramlette has finished strong in several USTA tournaments.

She was a finalist in women’s 55 doubles at the USTA Clay Court Nationals, a team finalist in 55 singles and doubles at the USTA National Intersectionals, the 55 singles champion at the 2006 Tennis Express, a 55 singles finalist at the USTA Hard Court National Championships, and a 55 doubles champion at the Les Grande Dumes Checket Cup. Bramlette is the president of the National Senior Women’s Tennis Association.

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

21

Now available 2007 USPTA World Conference seminar set on CD-ROM All seminars in MP3 format

$69.95 The audio set will include the following seminars:

The 10,000-hour journey to becoming a player – Jack Groppel, Ph.D./Jim Loehr, Ed.D./David T. Porter, Ed.D.

Welcome back the 50-plus player to tennis – Anne Davis

Control your mind to win – Anne Smith, Ph.D.

Footwork, focus and flow – Michael Friedman

Developing a solid foundation, balance and movement – Nick Bollettieri

How to develop a forehand weapon for hard and clay courts – Luis Mediero

Training the genuine all-court player – Todd Martin

Developing world-class fundamentals for young players – Nick Saviano

Patterns of play and specific training – Emilio Sanchez Vicario

The serve and volleys – Dr. Martin Baroch

America’s plan for 10-and-under tennis – Paul Lubbers, Ph. D./ Anne Pankhurst

Como diseñar una clase de tenis para adultos incorporando aspectos tecnicos, tacticos, fisicos y mentales – Luis Mediero

Dealing with food and exercise obsession with tennis players – Page Love

The journey of molding a player from day one to the pros – Rick Macci

Guidelines to an expert lesson – Sophie Woorons-Johnston, Ph.D.

Grant writing – Linda Mann

A traditional approach to the modern game – Bill Tym/ Tommy Wade

Adultennis: un nuevo programa de enseñanza de tenis para jugadores adultos de inciacion y avanzados – Luis Mediero

High school coaches seminar – Team practices for multiple players and limited courts – Jason Jamison/Kirk Anderson

On court with Jose – Jose Higueras

High performance drills for all ages – Kim Davis/Diane Selke

Maximizing your productivity and efficiency with Microsoft Office – Kevin Jackson

Exploring the myths: Video and the truth – Warren Pretorius

Help! I have it all, but I have no life – Barbara Braunstein

Combining technique and tactics to develop players – Lorenzo Beltrame

Developing character through tennis – Bob Heller, Ed. D.

Dynamite doubles – Helle Viragh

Todd Martin

Anne Pankhurst

Emilio Sanchez Vicario

PRICE: $69.95 + shipping (includes all recorded seminars in MP3)

Name:_______________________________________Member No._________

SHIPPING: $7.95

e-mail:___________________________________________________________

Orders must be accompanied by full payment to:

Address:_________________________________________________________

USPTA 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One • Houston, Texas 77042 Telephone: (800) USPTA-4U • Fax: (713) 978-7780

City/state/ZIP:___________________________________________________ Credit card No.: _____________________________________Exp:_________

Cash Visa

Check – MUST be drawn on U.S. bank MasterCard American Express

Credit card security code (from back of card) ________________________ Name as it appears on card:________________________________________ Signature:________________________________________________________

Years of Service 60 years of service Fred Ashhurst Albert Chassard Bill Power Bob Stubbs Jr. 55 years of service Jack Cook Norman Copeland 50 years of service Don Kaiser Bill Landin Jim McCaffrey Gene Nolan Carl Schroeder

Joe Snailum, Texas Division president, accepts the Division of the Year award from USPTA President Harry Gilbert.

Divisional awards

Seminar contest winners

Division of the Year – Texas Newsletter of the Year – Southern Most Improved Division – New England

1. Ben Hestley – Southern 2. Ken Alrutz – New England 3. Joey Molina – Texas

Division Professionals of the Year

Division Testers of the Year

California – Hank Pfister Eastern – Phil Williamson Florida – John Joyce Hawaii – Cathy Nicoloff Intermountain – Adrian Games Mid-Atlantic – Feisal Hassan Midwest – Sylvia Gothard Missouri Valley – Bunny Bruning and Gary Trost New England – Michael Smookler Northern – Barb Meyer and Michael Stenquist Northern California – Todd Dissly Pacific Northwest – Mike Stone San Diego – Geoff Griffin Southern – Bob Love Southwest – Mike Van Zutphen Texas – Tommy Connell

California – Lee DeYoung Eastern – Ron Dyson Florida – Charlie Gaussiran Intermountain – Alden Bock Midwest – Paul Marcum Missouri Valley – Gary Trost New England – Mike Quitko Northern – Chris Combs Northern California – Sid Newcomb San Diego – Don Gomsi Southern – Tommy Wade Southwest – Mike Van Zutphen Texas – Tom Ingram

Division growth – Greatest number of new members

Greatest percentage of new members

1. Florida 2. Southern

1. Intermountain 2. Pacific Northwest

Tennis Across America™ – Greatest number of participants

Greatest percentage of participants

1. Florida 2. Southern 3. Midwest

1. Southwest 2. San Diego 3. New England

Lessons for Life™ – 2006 Most money raised

Most money raised per capita

Southern

Southern

45 years of service Tut Bartzen Bill Bos Herman Burkstaller John Foley Paul Lynner Dave Muir Albert Rogers Richard Tom Ken Wagstaff 40 years of service Steve Attinger Jay Burchett Jack Daniels-O’Brien Jim Doessel Dale Gibbons Nolie Howard Pat Rogers King Thaxton Ron Woods 35 years of service Janet Adkisson Sheryl Behne Ed Beyster Ron Bohrnstedt Bob Breckenridge Andy Briant Mason Brunson Howie Burnett Winston Cham-A-Koon Bertan Cikigil Errol Coard Ed Collins Charles Cooper Rich Dadich Gloria Darling Peter Daub Rod Dulany Fred Earle Larry Eichenbaum Tommy English Jon Fischer Steve Fiske Rafael Fuentes Sylvia Gothard Anne Griswold Laury Hammel Terry Hassall

Jim Heacock Bob Heald Mitchell Henkin Marty Hennessy Mike Hoffman John Hughes John Jenkin Arthur Johnson Clay Johnson Mike Kernodle, Ph.D. Dick Knight Chris Koutras Morton Lederman Bob Love Doug MacCurdy Brian Marcus Mickey Martin Dave Mathews Barry Maxwell Paul McNamara Rick Murray Bill Nichols Jim Parker Larry Parker Jack Pepiot Bob Raedisch Bill Rompf Gloria Ross Peter Sanderson Lenny Scheuermann Rod Schroeder Chuck Schunk Ron Sloan David Smith Jim Stephens John Stevenson Joel Taylor George Toley Rob Trowbridge Steve Wilkinson 30 years of service Susan Adams Rudolph Antonio Tommy Arnett John-Paul Austrew Alan Avdoyan Charles Badger Debby Blackburn Nick Bollettieri Jerry Borysko Warren Bosworth Andy Brandi Kathy Burke Rich Bustamante James Caruthers Brian Cheney Julian Cohen John Davis Carlos de Cubas Steve Doerrer Des Early Peter Eckhardt Patty Epps Leonard Fechter Ed Fitzhugh Diane Gildemeister Marc Goldberg

Barry Goldsmith Mark Graham Renee Gregorio, D.P.M. Steve Grill Bob Grossman Montgomery Grout Jerry Hankins Marshall Happer III Har-Tru Tennis Corporation Frank Hatten Richard Hoover Gary Horvath Peter Howell Richard Howell Ed Hubbs Gail Ingis Dick Johnson Zach Kleiman Don Kramer Susan Kurz Debbie Ladig Jim Lahl Griffin Lamkin Rick Liebman Larry Lineberry Lobster Jim Loehr, Ed.D. Philip Loguidice Rick Macci Dan Magill Tom Manring Kevin McCarthy Elizabeth Miller Mike Miller John Mills Tom Monahan Charles Moore Julio Moros Bill Mott Chuck Narvin Bill Ouzts Guy Parks II Paul Petticrew Patty Phillips Anne Pittman Andrew Pogonyi Vija Purs Dale Renner Coby Roberts Ken Robinson Chuck Rogge Bryan Rubenstein Mark Sarver Joan Schnarr Mark Skillicorn Barbara Skurdall Elizabeth Stanis Aaron Steinhauser Randy Stephens Charles Stewart Drew Sunderlin R.J. Tessier John Thomas Paul Thomas Beverly Wall Sheila Weinstock John Whitehurst III

Top education participants – 2006 Ken DeHart – Top credit earner Alan Cutler, Feisal Hassan, Brian Ruffner, Jack Foster, Mark Bey, Bunny Bruning, Bruce Gullikson, Doug Eng and Hans Romer

USPTA Specialists in Competitive Player Development Nelson Alapi, Brad Armfield, Monty Basnyat, Mark Beede, Nigel Bentley, Cannon Campbell, Tom Carey, Danny Casesa, Wesley Cash, Paul Danielson, Mait DuBois, Kris Gannon, Michael Gennette, Dennis Gibbens, Nancy Grimes, Bruce Gullikson, Phillip Hayman, Greg Hiers, Matthew Hill, Scott Hutchinson, Arun Jetli, Rhona Kaczmarczyk, Mary Lentz, Christopher Lewit, Mike Lissner, Jonas Lundblad, Gretchen Magers, Francisco Montoya, Stephanie Moser, Scott Nagle, Chad Oxendine, Kim Reid, Jeff Rothstein, Fernando Sanchez, Tyler Thomson, Kenneth Ventimiglia, Mark White, Scott Williams, Bill Wing, Agnes Wiski, Jeffrey Wyshner, David Zeutas-Broer www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA Specialist in Computer Technology

USPTA Specialist in Facility Management

Clay Parten

Feisal Hassan

Sportsmanship award winners

2007 Awards Committee

Sophie Alriksson, Maitland, Fla. Richard Bustamante, East Norwich, N.Y. Robin Keener, Melbourne, Fla. Andy Shields, Fredericksburg, Texas Chris Williams, Polk City, Iowa

Tom McGraw, chairman Judy Courtney Wilson Pipkin Joe Snailum

Education merit award for 10 years of continuing-education participation Rosie Bareis, Bunny Bruning, Alan Cutler, Mark Fairchilds, Michael Friedman, Jeff Hawes, Thomas Jaeger, Patrick Kearnes, Stan Oley, Anne Pamplin-Evenson, Fred Viancos ADDvantage/October-November 2007

23

USPTA International Championships

men’s open singles 1. Julien Link (1)

Sarasota, Fla.

J. Link (1)

2. Bye

women’s open singles

J. Link (1)

3. Mariano Perez

Little Rock, Ark.

4. Jamie Feagan

J. Feagan

6-1; 6-0

Clemont, Fla. 6-4; 6-1

5. Chris Williams

Polk City, Iowa

1. Shareen Lai (1) J. Link (1) 6-0; 6-2

4. Amy Sun

C. Williams

7. John Moore

Lisle, Ill.

C. Muna Milliken, Colo. 7-5 Ret (inj)

8. Christian Muna 9. Paulo Barros (3)

Orlando, Fla.

6-4; 6-1

5. Amal Basha J. Link (1)

13. Jacob Jensen

Salt Lake City

14. Jonathan Przybyl

Waco, Texas

15. Julien Curatella

J. Curatella Graniteville, S.C. 6-1; 6-0

16. Arturo Costa 17. Jared Kalpin

Fort Myers, Fla. L. Bailey Goldsboro, N.C. 7-6; 6-4

18. Lee Bailey 19. Florian Meier

Miami

M. Rozpedski Los Angeles 6-0; 6-3

20. Marcin Rozpedski 21. Erik Turnquist

Winter Haven, Fla.

M. Curran (4) 24. Mike Curan (4) 25. Peter Nakia Gordon

6-1; 6-0

A. Zguns (2) 7-6; 0-6; 6-2

M. Rozpedski 6-0; 6-1

29. Ryan Roeth 30. Keith Lipp

Eric Turnquist (1) Winter Haven, Fla. 1. Adrians Zguns Port Saint Lucie, Fla.

E. Turnquist 6-4; 7-5 A. Zguns (2)

Tyler, Texas

T. Whitlinger 28. Tate Whitlinger

men’s open doubles

M. Rozpedski

6-7; 6-1; 6-4

27. Bye

A. Zguns (2) Johnston, Iowa

31. Bye A. Zguns (2)

6-2; 6-3 A. Zguns (2) 6-1; 6-3

32. Adrians Zguns (2) Port Saint Lucie, Fla.

Arturo Costa 2. Mark Tatusko Ryan Roeth 3. Chris Williams

Graniteville, S.C. Turnquist-Zguns (1) Aiken, S.C. 6-1; 6-3 Johnston, Iowa Polk City, Iowa

Victor Palafox 4. Mariano Perez Paulo Barros (3) 5. Jamie Feagan

Hot Springs, Ark. Almaral Palafox-Perez Little Rock, Ark. 6-4; 4-6; 10-4 Orlando, Fla. Clermont, Fla.

Jeff Diggs 6. Denny Rager Florian Meier 7. Marcin Rozpedski

T. Whitlinger 2-6; 6-0; 6-3

Neenah, Wis.

K. Lipp Boca Raton, Fla. 6-3; 6-1

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

Fort Myers, Fla. Barros-Feagan (3) Fort Myers, Fla. 6-1; 6-4 Miami Los Angeles

Kansas City, Mo. Meier-Rozpedski Leawood, Kan. 7-6; 6-4 Waxo, Texas Lake Charles, La. Jacob Jensen Salt Lake City Curatella-Walters Saint Charles, Ill. 6-4; 6-2 10. Jonathan Przybyl Mike Curran Fort Myers, Fla. 11. Scott Harrington Fort Myers, Fla. Gregory Neuhart (4) Loxahatchee, Fla. Curran-Harrington 12. Hank Pfister Bakersfield, Calif. 6-4; 6-4 Shawn Hedrick Fort Myers, Fla. 13. Jared Kalpin Fort Myers, Fla. Fort Lauderdale, Hedrick-Kalpin Chris Kader 14. Anish Manrai Palatine, Ill. 6-3; 6-2 Nathan Griffin Bradenton, Fla. 15. Winston Owen Sarasota, Fla.

TurnquistZguns (1) 6-1; 6-2 MeierRozpedski 7-5; 6-3 MeierRozpedski 3-6; 6-4; 10-4

Mel Brown 8. Ken Veney Julien Curatella 9. Ronnie Walters

Kelly Jones (2) 16. Tate Whitlinger

24

6-7; 6-1; 6-2

J. Curatella

Fort Myers, Fla.

Pinellas Park, Fla. Wd (tae)

B. Stejskalova (2)

6-4; 7-5

P. Gordon 26. Michael Tarkowski

6-1; 6-3 A. Basha

P. Barros (3)

6-0; 6-4

23. Bye

B. Stejskalova (2)

8. Barbora Stejskalova (2) Orlando, Fla.

E. Turnquist

22. Vinicius Vieira Mountain View, Calif. 6-4; 7-5

7-6; 6-3

6-3; 6-2

J. Jensen

Saint Charles, Ill. 6-1; 6-3

Chippewa Falls, Wis.

B. Stejskalova (2) P. Barros (3)

C. Kader 12. Christopher Kader Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 6-2; 6-4

A. Sun Big Rapids, Mich. 6-3; 6-1

7. Bye

P. Barros (3)

Palatine, Ill.

Maitland, Fla.

6. Samantha Ardenfriend Sarasota, Fla. 6-4; 7-5

6-1; 6-3

10. Bye 11. Anish Manrai

S. Lai (1) A. Sun

3. Sophie Alriksson

C. Williams

6. Bye

Morrisville, Pa.

2. Bye

JonesWhitlinger (2) 6-2; 6-1 CurranHarrington 6-4; 7-5 JonesWhitlinger (2) 6-2; 3-6; 10-4 JonesWhitlinger (2) 6-3; 7-6

Tampa, Fla. Jones-Whitlinger (2) Neenah, Wis. 6-0; 6-0

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Men’s singles finals Men’s open – Adrians Zguns (2), Port Saint Lucie, Fla., def. Julien Link (1), Sarasota, Fla., 7-6, 0-6, 6-2.

Men’s 35-and-over – Anders Eriksson (1), Austin, Texas, def. Robert Kresberg, New York, 6-3, 6-3.

Men’s 40-and-over – Jeff Cohen (1), Longwood, Fla., def. James Kohr (2), York, Pa., 6-1, 6-1.

Men’s 45-and-over – Patrick Serret (1), Alexandria, La., def. Laird Dunlop (3), Wilmington, N.C., 6-3, 6-4.

Men’s 50-and-over – Kevin Manning (4), Clearwater, Fla., def. Jeff Davis (1), Treasure Island, Fla., 4-6, 4-0 Ret (inj) Men’s 55-and-over – Gewan Maharaj (1), Tampa, Fla., def. Larry Gagnon, Fort Myers, Fla., 6-2, 3-6, 7-6.

Men’s 60-and-over – Dave Romberg (1), Aurora, Colo., def. Cliff Price, Tulsa, Okla., 6-2, 6-1.

Men’s 70-and-over – Daniel Kennedy, Bonita Springs, Fla., def. Albert Rogers, Brookline, Mass., 6-1, 6-1.

Men’s 75-and-over – James Ridgley (2), Washington, D.C., def.

Dudley Bell (1), East Burke, Vt., 6-3, 6-7, 7-6.

Women’s singles finals Women’s open – Barbora Stejskalova (2), Orlando, Fla., def. Amy Sun, Big Rapids, Mich., 6-1, 6-3.

Women’s 35-and-over – Robin Keener, Melbourne, Fla., def.

Maureen O’Malia, Mission Viejo, Calif., 6-3, 6-2.

Women’s 40-and-over – Mariana Hollman, Winston Salem, N.C., def. Joni Hannah, Vienna, Va., 6-2, 6-1.

Women’s 45-and-over – Carolyn Franca, Tampa, Fla., round robin winner.

Women’s 50-and-over – Diane Fishburne, Charleston, S.C., round robin winner.

Women’s 60-and-over – Laura Thomson, Englewood, Colo., def.

Gaylene Winters, Glendale, Ariz., 6-2, 6-1.

Doubles finals Men’s open – Kelly Jones and Tate Whitlinger (2), Neenah, Wis., def.

Florian Meier, Miami, and Marcin Rozpedski, Los Angeles, 6-2, 6-1.

Men’s 35-and-over – Anders Eriksson, Austin, Texas, and Cary Lothringer (1), Montgomery, Texas, def. Thomas Brinkhoff, Los Gatos, Calif., and Christer Francke (2), Oslo, Norway, 6-4, 6-2.

Men’s 40-and-over – Jeff Cohen, Longwood, Fla., and James Kohr (1), York, Pa., def. Kevin Gillette, Meridian, Miss., and Robert Horsch (2), Laguna Niguel, Calif., 6-4, 6-3.

Men’s 45-and-over – Gregory Neuhart, Loxahatchee, Fla., and Patrick Serret (1), Alexandria, La., def. Andres Molina, Land O’ Lakes, Fla., and Norman Schellenger (2), Port Saint Lucie, Fla., 6-4, 6-3. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Adrians Zguns - men’s open winner

Men’s 50-and-over – Chuck Gill, Wellington, Fla., and Glenn Williams (2), Memphis, Tenn., def. A.L. Adams, Chevy Chase, Md., and William Rublee, Bethesda, Md., 7-6, 6-1.

Men’s 55-and-over – Larry Gagnon, Fort Myers, Fla., and Terry See, Sanibel, Fla., def. Thomas Boice, Eden Prairie, Minn., and Kenneth DeHart, San Jose, Calif., 6-2, 6-0.

Men’s 60-and-over – Dave Romberg, Aurora, Colo., and Art Thomson, Englewood, Colo., round robin winners.

Men’s 70-and-over – Daniel Kennedy, Bonita Springs, Fla., and James Ridgley, Washington, D.C., round robin winners.

Women’s open – Amal Basha, Chippewa Falls, Wis., and Amy Sun, Big Rapids, Mich., round robin winners.

Women’s 40-and-over – Joni Hannah, Vienna, Va., and Mariana Hollman, Winston-Salem, N.C., def. Viktoria Beggs, Palm Beach, Fla., and Allegra Campos, Lutz, Fla., 6-3, 6-2.

Women’s 55-and-over – Uta Hegberg, Oceanside, Calif., and Sheila Weinstock, Framingham, Mass., round robin winners.

Mixed doubles finals Mixed open – Shareen Lai, Morrisville, Pa., and Paulo Barros, Orlando, Fla., def. Barbora Stejskalova, Orlando, Fla., and Jamie Feagan, Clermont, Fla., 6-3, 6-4.

Mixed 75-and-over – Mariana Hollman, Winston-Salem, N.C., and David Wolf, Apex, N.C., by default.

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

25

Country club pros tackle job-related issues at World Conference

U

SPTA members who teach at country clubs gathered during the recent World Conference to discuss issues unique to club pros and compare notes with their peers from across the United States.

Jack Michalko, who has been the director of tennis at the Phoenix Country Club for more than 37 years, moderated the exchange of ideas and conducted a survey of the approximately 75 people who attended the discussion session. Sessions were also held for professionals who work at public parks, resorts and commercial clubs.

Much of the country club pro discussion was determined prior to the event and was based on topics submitted to Michalko by participants and other members a few weeks prior to the World Conference. Roundtable-style discussion groups were set up to address topics including compensation trends, job descriptions, member services, membership trends, pro shops, training, maintenance and handling difficult situations.

“The country club symposium alone made my trip to the USPTA World Conference worthwhile,” Michalko said. “It addressed the meat and potatoes of my job. I have been to every USPTA World Conference since 1970, but I have never attended a conference that has provided me with a more informative seminar than the country club symposium at this year’s event.”

Each discussion participant was also asked to fill out and turn

in a questionnaire with club-related questions. The results of the questionnaire and minutes of the meeting were sent out to each pro who attended the meeting. The answers to some of the questions may inspire future roundtable discussions or new conference seminar subjects.

One hot topic at this year’s country club session was the relationship between teaching professionals and their club managers.

Another discussion highlight was the topic of professionals who have job responsibilities outside of tennis.

The group was also asked to e-mail fellow discussion participants with one good idea that works at their clubs. Since the conference, Michalko said he has received many new ideas.

“One huge benefit I got out of this discussion that I hadn’t even thought about was that it put me in touch with several pros who run almost identical operations to mine. I now have a specific network of pros from all around the country that I can bounce things off of,” he said.

Regardless of the topic, Michalko said it is clear that this type of discussion will increase networking among teaching professionals who participate.

Members who were unable to attend the symposium and would like a copy of the minutes and complete results of the questionnaire may e-mail Jack Michalko at usptasw@cox.net. K

Some of the statistics from the country club professional questionnaire include: 78 percent of the pros surveyed are directors of tennis 9 percent are head pros 11 percent are associate pros 2 percent are other 48 percent of pros surveyed own the pro shop at their club 41 percent work at a club that owns the pro shop 11 percent split the ownership of the shop 78 percent of the pros surveyed work at member-owned clubs 11 percent work at corporately owned clubs 11 percent work at privately owned clubs 39 percent of the pros surveyed teach 10 to 20 hours per week 39 percent teach 20 to 30 hours per week 11 percent teach fewer than 10 hours per week 9 percent teach 30 to 40 hours per week 2 percent teach more than 40 hours per week 76 percent of the pros surveyed were hired from outside their current club 24 percent were hired or promoted from within their current club

26

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

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Second annual USPTA Cardio Tennis Feeding Shootout sees record-breaking results at 2007 World Conference

by Michele Krause, Cardio Tennis national program director, Tennis Industry Association

C

ompetition was fierce at the USPTA Cardio Tennis Feeding Shootout in Wesley Chapel, Fla., as 47 professionals competed to qualify for the last four spots in the finals on Sept. 21. Other finalists made the cut by winning their division feeding contests.

The final 20 participants were divided into four groups of five and the top two scorers from each group moved on to the quarterfinals, where winners were seeded based on their scores.

Many skilled feeders were timed as they fed balls at targets. The previous Cardio Tennis Feeding Shootout record of 59 balls was shattered during the final competition. In a very exciting semifinal between Floridians Samantha Ardenfriend and Ricardo Mendivil, the record was broken with scores of 61 and 66, respectively.

Mendivil went on to win the 2007 USPTA Cardio Tennis Feeding Shootout championship and $1,000 in prize money.

Each year the competition is tweaked a little to make it more challenging, said Michele Krause, Cardio Tennis national program director. “I encourage everyone to try the competition at your division convention in 2008; you never know, you might win some money,” Krause added.

For more information on Cardio Tennis visit http://partners. cardiotennis.com. Contact Krause for information on the 2008 shootout competition at michele@cardiotennis.com. K

SLINGHOPPER DRILL BAGS: 20 PERCENT OFF TO USPTA PROFESSIONALS. Go to www.slinghopper.com and enter “USPTA” in the promotional code. See why legendary coach Nick Bollettieri and Brad Gilbert endorse SlingHopper Drill Bags and so should you.

Rates: $30 for 20 words, minimum per issue. 50 cents per word thereafter. Pay by check, money order, Visa or MasterCard. Prepayment is required. Supply typed copy and include full name, telephone number, credit card number and expiration date. (No agency or cash discounts.) Issue closes 15th of month, two months preceding cover date. Fax to (713) 978-7780, attn: ADDvantage classifieds. No classifieds will be accepted by telephone.

No exceptions are made. USPTA cannot verify nor be responsible for the contents of any advertisement. The USPTA is committed to the policy that all people have equal access to its programs, facilities, employment and membership without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status. USPTA is an equal opportunity employer. USPTA reserves the right to reject any advertisement at its discretion, or to edit the advertisement to be certain that any employment requirements set forth in it conform with the law.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Samantha Ardenfriend, runner-up with 61 feeds, and Ricardo Mendivil, Shootout champion with a high score of 66.

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

27

Florida’s Barros and Nizri win singles titles at USPTA Grass Court Championships

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aulo Barros of Orlando, Fla., defended his men’s open title at the $5,000 United States Professional Tennis Association Grass Court Championships in August at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Philadelphia after defeating James Kohr of York, Pa., 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Marine Nizri of Boca Raton, Fla., earned the women’s open championship title by going undefeated in roundrobin play. Nizri defeated Jane Savage of Newburgh, N.Y., 6-1, 6-1 to be crowned the women’s open champion. Both singles champions later teamed up with the opponents they defeated in the finals to win the men’s and women’s open doubles.

Following is a complete list of all the results from final-round matches: Men’s Open Singles Finals Paulo Barros, Orlando, Fla., def. James Kohr, York, Pa., 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 Men’s 45-and-Over Singles Finals Patrick Serret, Alexandria, La., def. Vallis Wilder, Fort Worth, Texas, 7-5, 6-4 Men’s Open Doubles Finals Paulo Barros, Orlando, Fla., and James Kohr, York, Pa., def. Mike Curran and Scott Harrington, Fort Myers, Fla., 6-2, 6-4.

Men’s 45-and-Over Doubles Finals Patrick Serret, Alexandria, La., and Glenn Williams, Memphis, Tenn., def. Gary Clermont, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Vallis Wilder, Fort Worth, Texas, 6-3, 6-4.

Men’s 45 singles and doubles champ Pat Serret (left) with partner and 45 doubles champ Glenn Williams. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Ladies open doubles champs (from left to right) Jane Savage and Marine Nizri, with finalists Sophie Alriksson and Shareen Lai.

Women’s Open Singles Round Robin Marine Nizri, Boca Raton, Fla., def. Jane Savage, Newburgh, N.Y., 6-1, 6-1. Nizri def. Shareen Lai, Morrisville, Pa., 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Nizri def. Sophie Alriksson, Maitland, Fla., 6-0, 6-0.

Women’s Open Doubles Finals Marine Nizri, Boca Raton, Fla., and Jane Savage, Newburgh, N.Y., def. Sophie Alriksson, Maitland, Fla., and Shareen Lai, Morrisville, Pa., 6-4, 6-3.

The tournament was the second of five in a series of national tournaments on several court surfaces that the USPTA offers each year to its members as part of the USPTA National Surface Championship Series. K

Men’s open doubles finalists (from left to right) Mike Curran and Scott Harrington, with doubles champions Jim Kohr and Paulo Barros.

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

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USPTA Pros shoot for $30 million in total Lessons for Life™ contributions

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t’s unfortunate that oftentimes people’s lives must be turned upside down by some catastrophic event before others will reach out and help. It’s the big disasters and the spinoff charity events that attract a lot of media attention, but USPTA’s tennis teachers have been quietly raising money for numerous charities for many years. Even before USPTA’s Lessons for Life was organized in 1999 to track and publicize the many charitable actions of members, tennis teachers used our sport and their organizational abilities to make a difference in many people’s lives.

Events run the gamut, including charity tournaments, pro-ams, clinics, special exhibitions and member-guest events. In fact, even the money donated from single lessons adds up to contribute to USPTA’s yearly tally of charitable contributions by members who host or help organize thousands of activities across the United States.

Since 1999, USPTA members helped to raise almost $25 million for local, regional and national charities. USPTA’s goal for 2007 is $5 million.

Lessons for Life is not about the size of each contribution but about the difference the contributions make when people work together toward a common goal. Every single dollar and gesture matters. Some USPTA members choose to contribute money to large, nationally run organizations, while some pros donate their time and effort to charities that help people in their immediate communities.

Pro-am players from the Pacific Athletic Club.

USPTA Professional Paul Allam, director of tennis at the Pacific Athletic Club, has found a charity that is close to his heart in the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation®. For the past seven years he has raised money that helps to grant the wishes of very ill children in and around his city. For the past seven years, Allam, his club and generous support from the local community, club members, guests and event sponsors, have raised more than $500,000 for the charity.

One great example of Lessons for Life at work is the event that Allam helps to organize. This year the Greater Bay Area MakeA-Wish Foundation benefited from a winemakers reception and black-tie dinner that featured VIP guest and Make-A-Wish child, Jericho Rajninger. After battling leukemia for several years, Jericho wished for a robot to be built that could deliver medication to other kids suffering from cancer at the University of California at San Francisco Children’s Hospital. The $100,000 robot, designed to look like a train and named the “JR Railroad,” was commissioned through Make-A-Wish Foundation earlier this year. It currently operates on the sixth floor of the UCSF hospital, bringing smiles to the faces of the many children who are undergoing treatment there.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser also included a pro-am tennis tournament that featured former tennis legends Scott Davis, David Pate, Rick Leach, Jonathon Stark, Don Johnson, Ross Case and Bob Lutz. Paul Goldstein and Kannan Ayyar won the event in a competitive final against David MacPherson and Michael Kaiser.

Jericho Rajninger with dad, Steve; mom, Lara; and sister, Tomi.

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ADDvantage/October-November 2007

USPTA promotes the Lessons for Life program through an annual silent auction at its World Conference on Tennis. This year the event was held at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA members browse auction items at this year’s World Conference.

Paul Goldstein and Kannan Ayyar relax after a competitive final against David MacPherson and Michael Kaiser in this year’s pro-am tournament.

USPTA collected more than 60 items donated by members and manufacturers and raised more than $7,000. Some of the hottest items were autographed memorabilia, weekend getaways and a video iPod.

can’t register online, send the name of the facility, event name and date, USPTA members involved, the charity benefiting and the total amount raised to sports@uspta.org or lessonsforlife@uspta. org. All registrations must be in by December 31 to be counted toward USPTA’s $5 million goal for 2007.

If you’ve held a fundraiser of any type or size, please report it to USPTA before the end of the year. Please submit details about your fundraising activities by logging on to www.uspta.com and clicking on the Lessons for Life logo at the bottom right-hand corner of the home page. Fill out a registration form online and submit it. If you

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

If you have any questions about reporting funds raised, need ideas for fundraisers or are interested in contributing to next year’s silent auction, please contact Rick Bostrom at sports@uspta.org or at 800-877-8248, ext. 137. K

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

31

Save clay court line tapes and facility bucks

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by Robert E. Davis, USPTA Master Professional

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n areas where alternate freezing and thawing of clay tennis courts occur during winter months, I have for many years used a technique to reduce the annual maintenance costs by extending the life of line tapes.

The key is pegging and nailing – installing full 2-by-2-by-8-inch treated wooden pegs at the intersection of all lines and at the crossing of singles and doubles sidelines under the net. Depending upon the hardness of the peg material, the aluminum nails can be hammered into the wooden pegs easily. If desired, nails can be cut off and tapered on a grinder to reduce the amount of hammering required. The only caution on a subirrigated, fast-dry court installation (HydroCourt) is to limit the depth of the wooden pegs to less than the total thickness of the court top dressing and base material thickness so as to not puncture the court liner.

A 2-inch square aluminum net anchor provides for easier reinstallation of the center strap fastener during lengthwise court maintenance. The tapes, nails and pegs can be kept from popping up from underneath ice formation by either applying materials over these items, as suggested by Larry Turville in the October-November 2005 issue of ADDvantage magazine, or by using this technique and occasionally walking the lines and pegs or lightly rolling the lines, when favorable conditions permit.

Wooden line peg

Sideline net peg

This approach was developed at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Goddard Tennis Club (Greenbelt, Md.). At the beginning of each tennis season, it saves this club from having to replace 480 feet of line tapes and about 1,984 3-inch aluminum nails on each of eight fast-drying, clay-type courts. The Goddard Tennis Club uses a long, wide board fitted with a handle to walk flat the lines, nails and pegs. At the Cheverly (Md.) Swim & Racquet Club, the tapes are replaced, due to heavy court use, about every third year for six natural clay and two Har-Tru courts.

Last year at my home natural-clay court in Upper Marlboro, Md., I replaced my tapes after using only two sets of tapes over 17 tennis seasons! The required 21 pegs were installed and the surrounding surface material compacted, tamped flush, and then double-checked for measurement accuracy.

For ease of installation, I used a 2-foot-long, 2-inch-diameter steel pipe, having been ground sharp on one end, as a coring tool. This was driven into the ground about eight inches using a sledgehammer to www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

2-inch square aluminum anchor

facilitate the removal of clay to help the installation of the pegs. Then, installation of the tapes was done starting at the doubles court corners using a line stretcher pulling about 40 pounds of tension prior to the nailing of the line tapes. Another benefit of this approach is that the short, unsupported length of the line tapes can be pulled straight by sight and nailed without having to chalk the line edges. K ADDvantage/October-November 2007 33

Off-court focus –

Avis Murray • • • •

USPTA Master Professional Regional vice president of New England Division Member since 1970 Celebrated 70th birthday during this year’s World Conference

Residence: Gloucester, Mass.

Winter Employment: Tennis Professional at Manchester Athletic Club in Manchester, Mass. (34 years) Summer Employment: Head Tennis Professional at Bass Rocks Golf Club in Gloucester, Mass. (36 years) Avis Murray talks about her tireless involvement in USPTA, encouraging other women to join, and competing in the International Championships at the annual World Conference on Tennis.

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very year I am away at the convention on my birthday, Sept. 20. On that Tuesday (this year) when the New England Division got together for their division party, they celebrated my birthday with a chocolate cake (I love chocolate cakes on my birthday). I also treated myself to the Red Sox and Devil Rays game on Friday at Tropicana Park and watched Beckett win his 20th of the season.

I really enjoy every convention and always go home with some great material and new things.

I also really love playing in the tournament, even if I am not always prepared for competition. I think it is important as teaching pros to keep our playing skills up.

I have played in every tournament since 1986 except the year the convention was held in Cancun. I was unable to attend due to illness.

In 1986, when I attended my first national convention, I met (Master Professional) Betty Walsh from Rhode Island and we have been friends ever since. Betty and I have won 10 national doubles championships through the years and have competed against each other in singles for years.

This year Betty could not attend and I played (women’s 55 doubles) with another pro from New England, Jerri DiCamillo.

We were a little outmatched and outplayed, but I had a great time competing and en-

“

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ADDvantage/October-November 2007

joyed every minute on the court.

Betty Walsh is such a great person and friend that the year I had rotator cuff surgery she called me and asked me to play with her even though she knew I would have to play left- handed. We played and, again, it was fun.

I wish more women were playing at the national convention. Perhaps if they realize we are all in the same boat – working and teaching, and this time at the convention is our time to get out there and play, and compete and have fun.

Through the years, I have sponsored

many women in our association and continue to encourage others to join.

I especially like the Developmental Coach category. Friends who want to start getting involved have an avenue to access membership and become active with coaching high school teams and the recreational programs in their communities.

Tennis has given me so much and I want to give back in any way I can. I love the game and especially love teaching and coaching. As long as I stay healthy and continue to feel I can be of some help to others, I will keep right on going.” K

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

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Career Development conventions (division conventions, 5 credits) Middle States Division Landisville, Pa.

Jan. 18-19, 2008 Jan. 24-26, 2008

Midwest Division Lincolnshire, Ill.

Feb. 7-10, 2008

Texas Division Grapevine, Texas

May 27-June 1, 2008

Florida Division TBA

Oct. 8-9, 2008

Hawaii Division Honolulu

Oct. 29, 2008

Southwest Division Scottsdale, Ariz.

specialist degrees ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Little Tennis® Facility Management Computer Technology Sport Science Competitive Player Development Pro Shop Operations Wheelchair Tennis

exams, upgrades & certification review courses (4 credits for CRC segment) Nov. 10-11 Nov. 10-11 Nov. 10-11 Nov. 10-11 Nov. 10-11 Nov. 12-13 Nov. 16-17 Nov. 17-18 Nov. 17-18 Nov. 17-18 Nov. 18-19 Nov. 18-19 Nov. 30Dec. 1

Salt Lake City Boca Raton, Fla. Hot Springs, Ark. Indian Wells, Calif.

Birmingham, Ala. Houston* Minneapolis Asheville, N.C. Big Rapids, Mich.

Rome, Ga. Greenwood, Colo.

Los Angeles Gastonia, N.C.

Dec. 1-2 Dec. 2-3 Dec. 3-4 Dec. 3-4 Dec. 6-7 Dec. 8-9 Dec. 8-9 Dec. 8-9 Dec. 8-9 Dec. 8-9 Dec. 8-9 Dec. 10-11

St. Paul, Minn.

McLean, Va. San Francisco Houston* Flushing, N.Y. College Park, Md. Orlando, Fla. San Antonio Nashville, Tenn.

Atlanta Hilton Head Island, S.C. Burbank, Calif.

* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.

Exam reser vations must be made at least 21 days prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam, upgrade and CRC unless noted. Exam cancellations must be received no later than 14 days before the exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly. Applicant: 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 Little Tennis, Dec. 8, Atlanta, T. Gilbert

The deadline to register and/or cancel a course is 15 working days before the event. Anyone canceling late or failing to cancel will forfeit one-half the course fee. Schedule is subject to change.

Call the USPTA Education Department for more information or e-mail education@uspta.org.

CPD (Competitive Player Development) – Gained through the USA Tennis High Performance Coaching Program administered by the USA Tennis Coaching Education Department.

For more information about USPTA’s specialist degrees, including applications, please visit our Web site at www.uspta.com or contact the USPTA Education Department at (800) USPTA-4U or education@uspta.org.

Earn education credits from World Conference DVDs (Seminar DVDs, ½ credit/specialty course DVDs, 2 credits)

Receive your education credit report card via e-mail by visiting the members-only section of uspta.com.

Todd Martin lectures at the 2007 USPTA World Conference in Wesley Chapel, Fla.

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ADDvantage/October-November 2007

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

industry action Members USPTA Professional Steve Zalinski recently retired as director of sales after more than 15 years with Dunlop Sports Group Americas. Zalinski was an integral part of Dunlop’s renewed growth during his tenure. He will continue to work with Dunlop at tennis shows and other events throughout the country, as well as testing new products in development.

A native of Chicago, Zalinski served as a longtime board member of the Tennis Industry Association, was named the “1999 Nicest Male in the Tennis Industry”

by Tennis Week magazine, was the honorary chair of the South Carolina Junior National Qualifying Tournament in 2002, and was presented with the “Digging Deeper Award” in 2004 by the Dunlop chairman of the board.

USPTA Pro 1 Lee Holyoak is the director of tennis and head tennis professional at Long Cove Club, a private, gated community on Hilton Head Island, S.C. Holyoak previously worked at Pine Forest Country Club in Summerville, S.C., for 12 years. After being ranked the top junior in his native Australia, Holyoak went on to play for Lander University in Greenwood, S.C., and earned four national team championships and an NCAA national doubles title, and was twice named an All-American. During his time on the professional tour, he competed against such players as Pete Sampras and Patrick Rafter.

While at Pine Forest, Holyoak gained experience in developing member programs and expanding interest in tennis. Holyoak also has a

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background in proper clay court maintenance.

Steve Paulsen, USPTA, was named the 2007 National High School Senior Girls Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association.

Paulsen has coached the girls teams at Edina High School in Edina, Minn., for 15 seasons, winning the last 10 Minnesota Class AA state team titles, and 11 overall. His Hornets teams have won 108 of 109 conference dual meets and his career record stands at 320-9. His players have won six state singles titles and six state doubles titles.

In 2005, Paulsen was selected the Class AA Girls Tennis Coach of the Year by the Minnesota Tennis Coaches Association. In addition to coaching girls tennis at Edina, Paulsen coaches the boys team at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minn. He coaches eight women’s league teams and three junior development groups, and has been a clinician for the United States Tennis Association at the Fort Snelling Tennis and Learning Center. He is a teaching professional at LifeTime Fitness – 98th Street in Bloomington, Minn., and LifeTime Fitness – Lakeville in Lakeville, Minn.

U.S. and world tennis champion Marion Anthony “Tony” Trabert, USPTA, received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the University of Cincinnati commencement ceremony in June. A member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Trabert won the NCAA singles title and the U.S. Clay Court Championship while he was a student at U.C. (1948-52). He also

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

In September, Frog Hollow Racquet Club in Lansdale, Pa., used its five outdoor and six indoor courts to host a pro-am tournament to benefit the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Tennis professionals from the area, including three pros from Frog Hollow, gathered along with their amateur players at the Hyatt Regency in Philadelphia, where they were auctioned off. The highest bidder on each doubles team became that team’s “owner” and won the rights to a prize package based on their team’s placement in the tournament. Teams played three rounds of one-set, round-robin format tennis as onlookers cheered, snacked on food provided by local markets, and children were entertained by magicians and with kids tennis clinics. The weekend raised more than $95,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The owners of Frog Hollow Racquet Club presented awards to the winning doubles team and the runnersup. From left to right: Rob Cohen, Kevin Schmidt, Mark Macler, Anthony DeCecco, USPTA, Jeff Rightnour and Harold Conway, USPTA. played on the 1950-51 U.C. men’s basketball team. He claimed three of the four Grand Slam singles titles in 1955: the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. As a member of the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1951-55, Trabert holds the record for the most victories by a captain. He later became a successful tennis commentator for CBS Sports, where he was known as the voice of the U.S. Open. In 1994, Trabert was honored with the William Howard Taft Medal – the highest honor from the U.C. Alumni Association.

The new Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center in the university’s Varsity Village is named

in honor of Trabert and his childhood mentor and championship doubles partner, Bill Talbert, who was a University of Cincinnati tennis star in the late ’30s.

Ken Obermeier, USPTA, is the tennis superintendent at the new Palm Coast tennis center in the City of Palm Coast, Fla. He will be responsible for the budget, operation, staffing and programming of the center, which includes the 10 hydro-grid lighted clay courts. Obermeier is a USA Tennis High Performance Coach, a USPTA Specialist in Competitive Player Development, a USTA Junior Sectional Coach and a USTA Competition Training www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

industry action Center director of coaching. He also serves as an advisory staff member for Adidas and Yonex.

Member product showcase Jason Bivens, USPTA, has created a Web site that can be useful to teaching professionals trying to promote the sport of tennis. Anyone can create and manage their own tennis ladder from the Web site. Players can enter match scores and keep personal statistics.

The Web site is free to all tennis players. The only fees are associated with the manager of the tennis ladder. For more information, visit www.tennisladr.com.

Miscellany Former tennis team members from Bishop’s School in La Jolla, Calif., are seeking donations for a scholarship fund to honor the late Alex Gordon, past USPTA president and newly named Hall of Fame grand inductee.

Gordon was a tennis coach at the private girls school from 1960 to 1976. His former players have established the Alex Gordon Junior Tennis Scholarship Fund at the San Diego Barnes Tennis Center to support Youth Tennis San Diego’s after-school tennis program.

Donations in the form of sponsorship opportunities allow donors to have single engraved bricks placed near the tennis center’s stadium court. A larger donation offers a six-pack of bricks on the main walkways, the sport science court or facing stadium court. For more information, contact Kerry Appleby at kerryinrsf@ aol.com or Don Daniels at extrahops@cox.net. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

French Open doubles champions Luke and Murphy Jensen will host the inaugural Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic, Dec. 8, at The Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati, actor David Duchovny and musician Gavin Rossdale are among the tennis and entertainment stars scheduled to join the Jensens for the event.

The fun-filled day of tennis and an “Evening with the Stars” gala will raise money for a number of Jensendesignated, youth-oriented charities. The event will feature a tennis pro-am, followed by a kids clinic, a procelebrity tennis exhibition and the gala. For tickets to the exhibition, call 877-8886433.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced the names of eight ballot nominees for Hall of Fame induction in July 2008. In his first year of eligibility, 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang has been named to the 2008 ballot. Joining Chang in the Recent Player category are two-time French Open champion Sergi Bruguera and 1991 Wimbledon champion Michael Stich. Named to this year’s ballot under the Master Player category are Australian Owen Davidson, winner of a mixed doubles Grand Slam in 1967, and Spain’s Andres Gimeno, who became Roland Garros’ oldest singles champion in 1972 at the age of 34 years, 10 months. Nominated in the Contributor category are Donald L. Dell, an industry pioneer and leader in sports marketing, professional sports management and sports television and founder of ProServ; Mark Hume McCormack (posthu-

mously), a legendary sport executive and the founder of IMG; and Eugene L. Scott (posthumously), founder and publisher of the national tennis magazine Tennis Week, who as a writer directly influenced the public perception of the sport for more than 40 years. The announcement of the official 2008 induction class will be made in January, and the Class of 2008 Induction Ceremony is scheduled for July 12 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. Racquet Sports Industry will offer a new marketing opportunity in 2008 called the “RSI.com Site Block.” The Site Block is an exclusive sponsorship of RSI magazine’s official Web site, www.RacquetSportsIndustry.com, for one-month intervals. Site Block sponsors will receive exclusive advertisement opportunities on every page of RacquetSportsIndustry. com. Site Block sponsors can link their ads to pages on their own Web sites or use ads to promote special offers. RSI redesigned and re-launched its Web site in May 2007. Since the relaunch, traffic to the site has increased steadily each month. Anyone interested in more information about the new RSI.com Site Blocks should contact John Hanna, RSI advertising director, or Cindy Sherman.

Hanna can be reached at 770-650-1102, ext. 125, or Hanna@KnowAtlanta.com.

Sherman can be reached at 203-263-5243 or cstennisindustry@earthlink.net.

For more information about RSI, RacquetSportsIndustry.com, or the new RSI. com Site Blocks, visit www. racquetsportsindustry.com.

Tennis Channel’s new home on the sports and lifestyle network on DIRECTV is Channel 217. The nation’s largest satellite provider will carry Tennis Channel on its broadly distributed Choice Xtra programming package, which currently reaches more than 9 million customers. Additionally, both DIRECTV and Tennis Channel have plans to offer the network in high definition near the end of 2007.

This will mark the first time fans anywhere will be able to watch Tennis Channel in H.D. format.

Passings Mike Nishihara, the head strength and conditioning coach in USTA Player Development, passed away in September. Nishihara was a graduate of Indiana State University and the University of Illinois, where he received his master’s degree in kinesiology. He was a student of Jack Groppel, P.h.D., at Illinois. Prior to joining the USTA, Nishihara served as the director of fitness and sports conditioning at Saddlebrook Resort in Florida, as well as the director for the Center of Athletic Development in Indianapolis. He worked with many top players including Pete Sampras, Martina Hingis and James Blake. He was instrumental in making strength and conditioning an integral part of tennis for hundreds of junior and professional players while with the USTA. His impact on tennis will be long lasting, but he will be truly missed as a colleague and as a friend.

Nishihara is survived by his mother, two sisters and a brother.

ADDvantage/October-November 2007

39

Celebrating 80 years of excellence

Thank you, members!

We couldn’t have done it without you!

United States Professional Tennis Association uspta.com | (800) 877-8248

United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042-5235 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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