Addvantage 2014 November/December

Inside this issue Deadly Doubles Behaviors – 48 Tennis Teachers Conference – 52 Coach Your Students in Sport and in Life – 60 Sins of Omission – 61 Departments: 40 42 44 56 60 62 64

CEO’s Message Vice President’s Message USPTA News 2014 Honorees Inside Coaching Career Development Member News

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com On the cover: Randy Mattingley, 2014 Alex Gordon USPTA Professional of the Year.

CEO’s Message

What a celebration!

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t is time to put a ribbon on the 2014 Tennis Teachers Conference that took place in New York, August 22-25. This issue is dedicated to providing a glimpse of all that happened during the three-plus days of education along with the many social highlights that occurred.

Almost anyone who was there would probably concur that this collaborative effort with the USTA to bring our industry together for one big celebration was a “home run.” Candidly, it was a bit of a risk to try a completely different approach rather than hosting our usual ­USPTA World Conference in mid-September. But until one makes an attempt to do something different, one would never know what the potential could be.

Through the cooperative teamwork between the USTA and USPTA staffs, involving months of preparation and dedication, we were able to bring together a world-class group of speakers to share their expertise on five different education tracks. To see the ballroom (which hosted most of the general sessions) transformed into a center court worthy of any stadium court at most permanent facilities was spectacular.

Bleachers were constructed on three sides of the court with seat backs for 650 people that made for comfortable viewing. No expense was spared to give USPTA endorsees signage around the entire court, which made for wonderful visibility. And, to have two huge screens where the images of the speakers could be projected from a full-time cameraman provided easy viewing for the attendees. Anyone who had concerns about what the featured court would look like in a hotel ballroom was blown away by the environment. It was first class all the way.

One other ballroom was dedicated to a 60-foot court that often had a simultaneous session going on. One of the tweaks that would have to be made if we are to make a return in the future is there has to be more seating at this sec-

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by John Embree ondary court. We were bursting at the is what it is. While the cost of the room at seams to fit people in. the Grand Hyatt may have seemed high, Thanks to the incredible generosity try to book a four-star hotel in New York of the USTA, the hospitality on the first on your own with all that we had and you day at the Open was “off the charts!” To will quickly realize we got one heck of a get FREE grounds passes to the tournadeal, thanks again to the USTA. ment along with bus transportation to As with every new venture, you do and from the National Tennis Center is your utmost to put your best foot forward. We absolutely one thing, but to top it Almost anyone who was there accomplished that with off with the sumptuous would probably concur that this an eye for things that cuisine offered to all collaborative effort with the can be improved in the registrants plus unUSTA to bring our industry limited drinks and ice future. Having downtogether for one big celebration loaded with the Board cream to boot, everywas a “home run.” and our staff along with one was totally amazed the USTA about things we can do differat how well we were taken care of in the specially dedicated corporate hospitality ently, I know that we could run another area. To escape the heat of the day, relax wildly successful Tennis Teachers Conference with a few minor changes. We with friends and colleagues, eat until shall see how the survey results come your heart’s content and enjoy an adult back from those who participated. I beverage or two while watching matches honestly believe the overwhelming maon various monitors throughout, we just cannot thank the USTA enough for being jority of pros would vote to go back.

I would be remiss if I did not conso generous to our attendees. gratulate all of our award winners who For those who were worried about were recognized during various parts of a loss of USPTA visibility or who had the weekend, especially the Alex Gordon concerns about this collaboration for Pro of the Year, Randy Mattingley; our the USPTA, ask those who were in attendance how they felt about it. There USTA/USPTA Community Service winners, Tim and Peanut Harper; and our was an incredible buzz throughout the newly recognized Master Professional, conference; even the vendors at the TIA Bunny Bruning. Thanks as always to the trade show Sunday night raved that they incredible hard work of the USPTA staff had not seen so much interest and enthusiasm in many years at an industry that made sure that our USPTA members were well looked after during their exhibition. Our members had plenty of stay. And thanks to the Board and Execuopportunity to network with their peers tive Committee who thought that this during the day and of course, to enjoy endeavor was worth a trial. To see it pan what New York has to offer at night. Had out as it did was so gratifying. we known how many people would go to So, now we turn our attention to the the division party on Saturday night, we World Conference in the Crescent City would have booked a larger venue. But there was plenty of food and drink for all, (New Orleans) next September. Plans are already underway to make this and those who stuck around through the event just as memorable as New York, evening knew that bars in New York are but the bar has been set extremely high. crowded by nature!

Sure, New York is expensive and many Stay tuned in the months ahead as we roll out more details; you won’t want to folks had “sticker shock” at the cost of just a cup of coffee in the hotel. But there miss it. If you have never been to New Orleans, you owe it to yourself to put were plenty of affordable options for this on your calendar. What a celebrafood and entertainment if one just did a tion it will be! h little research. New York is New York; it

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and Ball of the USPTA

Vice President’s Message

Find Your Niche

by Jack Michalko

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ennis professionals are no difwould suit you best. Would you be betferent than those in any other ter suited dealing with a membership, profession. They have varied resort/hotel guests, the general public skills, abilities, likes, dislikes or a combination thereof? Do you and experience. So for those of you enjoy running tournaments and social who are just starting events, or would you Find the right type of facility out or are assistant rather spend most of pros with little experi- for you. Your happiness should your time teaching? ence, be aware of your be paramount ... Remember, Are you good with this is your livelihood; it’s what numbers? Do you options.

The only thing ten- you want to do day in and day consider yourself a nis professionals have out for the rest of your life. leader? These are all in common is teaching questions you need to tennis and our love for the game. From ask yourself before you decide what here things get complicated. What are type of facility you would seek emyou looking for in a career and where ployment. is your niche? Those are two questions If you want to spend most of your you should be asking yourself right time on the court teaching, you probfrom the start. ably would want to be employed at a Our profession is broken up into public facility or racquet club. But on four main facility categories; Resorts, the other hand, if you want to wear Public Facilities, Racquet Clubs and lots of different hats in addition to Private or Country Clubs. This does teaching, like running tournaments/ not include college or high school activities, possibly owning your own coaching, which is also an option. tennis pro shop and enjoy seeing the Each is very different in many ways. same clientele on a regular basis, you The big question is, where would you might be a better fit at a private club best fit? or a country club. Private and country If you are an assistant or just beclubs come in two varieties: corporate ginning your career, you are probably owned and member owned. They are spending most of your time on the two completely different types of enticourt teaching. Now is the time to ties. If you are leaning toward country start formulating your goals for the clubs, know the differences before you future so that by the time you are a begin your search. head pro or director of tennis, you are The point I am making is to give at the type of facility that is suited to thought to the type of tennis profesyou. Where do you want to be down sional you would like to be. I suggest the road? Let me give you some things you contact the best tennis professionto think about. als (in your opinion) in each of the cat What type of person are you? It’s egories mentioned up above and preimportant to know what environment pare a list of questions you may have

42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

on their type of facility. This could go a long way in helping you to decide on the course of action to take. Ask them to explain their responsibilities to you and be sure to ask their opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of that type of facility.

You probably won’t start out at the facility of your dreams, but that’s OK. You are gaining experience at your current job. Don’t just wander along aimlessly; have a plan!

One last thing I would like to mention is having your priorities in the right place. Do not put too much emphasis on money. Find the right type of facility for you. Your happiness should be paramount. If you are good at your job and you are happy, the money will take care of itself. Remember, this is your livelihood; it’s what you want to do day in and day out for the rest of your life. Think it through, do your due diligence, and get it right! h

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President First Vice President

Tom McGraw Chuck Gill

Vice Presidents

Past President CEO Legal Counsel

Alan Cutler Jack Michalko Dan Moster Diane Selke Gary Trost Tom Daglis John Embree George Parnell

USPTA News

Power Plate: Tennis Pros’ Performance “Secret” Can Help Improve Average Player’s Game, Too

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rom Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, to Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, an ever-growing roster of tennis’ brightest stars are making Power Plate advanced whole-body vibration a staple in their fitness arsenals. This isn’t an isolated phenomenon. What these pros know can help improve on-court performance and post-game recovery of tennis players of all ages and abilities.

Power Plate is a vibrating platform that enhances the effects of any movement performed on it, based on the science behind

44 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

a body’s natural reflex stabilization as well as in renowned centers of excelmechanism to adapt to changes in the lence including IMG, the U.S. Olympic environment. ­Using a Power Plate Training Center, EXOS (Athlete’s Pertriggers rapid reflexive muscle conformance), and USTA’s National Tennis tractions to improve Center. Elite athletes balance, circulation, As a supporting partner of the around the world enUSPTA, Power Plate offers spe- dorse Power Plate in tissue temperature, cial pricing for USPTA memflexibility and range virtually every sport bers purchasing Power Plate of motion. Dozens including soccer, basequipment for their clients, of studies show that ketball, football, baseclubs or facilities, with a perthese physiological ball, golf and tennis. centage of the sale going back to As a supporting responses translate into increased speed, participating members’ Retire- partner of the USPTA, jump height and pow- ment Gold+ accounts.

Power Plate offers er, all essential skills special pricing for in tennis.

USPTA members purchasing Power “Off-court training is as important Plate equipment for their clients, clubs to me as on-court,” Williams said. or facilities, with a percentage of the “With the Power Plate, I’m able sale going back to participating memto accelerate my bers’ Retirement Gold+ accounts. off-court training Among those Power Plate models and maximize the most applicable to tennis centers ­benefits.” and training facilities are the popular Most coaches Power Plate pro5; the columnless will agree that speed Power Plate pro5HP, designed to acand footwork are more commodate 360 degrees of motion important to the average tennis around the plate and facilitate inteplayer trying to improve his or gration with other training equipher game than swing mechanics. ment, such as squat racks and kettleThe reflexive muscle contracbells; and the top-of-the-line Power tions stimulated by exercising on Plate pro7. The pro7 incorporates a Power Plate result in heightened built-in touch screen computer with muscle activity and improved reeasy-to-follow training videos and action time on the tennis court. dynamic retractable cables for upper Post-match, Power Plate body training. provides a great therapeutic Power Plate is owned by Performassage, relieving pain and mance Health Systems LLC, a global decreasing delayed onset company dedicated to delivering admuscle soreness. vanced technology solutions through Power Plate is the ac- its health and wellness equipment. For knowledged world leader additional information about Power in whole-body vibration Plate, visit www.powerplate.com. and can be found in thou- To learn more about the USPTA sands of professional and Retirement Gold+ Program, visit collegiate training rooms, ­usptaretirement.com. h

USPTA News

Save the Date!

1

National Education Day is Nov. 15 In order to help you reach your goal of six continuing education credits for the 2014-2016 period, every division will host at least one educational event on or around Nov. 15. Visit uspta.com/education to see the calendar or visit your division’s website at ­usptaplayer.com.

2

USPTA Surface Championships

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: 2014 USPTA Hard Court Championships Oct. 24-26 Hollytree Country Club Tyler, Texas 2015 USPTA Indoor Championships March 27-29 Racquet Club of Memphis Memphis, Tenn.

2015 USPTA Clay Court Championships April 30-May 3 Landings Yacht, Golf and Tennis Club Fort Myers, Fla.

3

2015 World Conference Sept. 21-25 Hilton New Orleans Riverside

Highlights: n Opening Gala at the National WWII Museum (nationalww2museum.org) n USPTA Masters Invitational and reception

2015 Grass Court Championships May 29-31 Desert Highlands Scottsdale, Ariz.

2015 USPTA Masters Invitational September 21-23 New Orleans Hilton Riverside & Towers New Orleans

Look for more information in 2015.

Sign up at usptaplayer.com

46 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Sept. 21-25

NEW ORLEANS

RIVERSIDE

The chemistry between good doubles partners, such as the Bryan Brothers, looks like magic from a distance.

Deadly Doubles Behaviors

by Mark Centrella, USPTA, and Dr. Karissa Thacker The chemistry between good doubles partners looks like magic from a distance. Just think about the Bryan Brothers, Woodford and Woodbridge, or Navratilova and Shriver. The chemistry factor seems quite mysterious when it is really working. It can also get really ugly when it is not working. Doubles tennis is a team sport. As a team sport, interpersonal behavior (or the ways in which we interact with our partners) is a key factor in creating chemistry that works or

48 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

does not work. Most club players know basic things to do like call for the ball and yell “switch.” Saying “I’ve got it” or “switch” are examples of basic positive interpersonal communication that is important on the tennis court. But how many of us know what NOT to do? How many of us are aware of destructive interpersonal behaviors that we need to avoid?

There are several negative interpersonal behaviors that lose tennis matches and derail strong technical partnerships that should work. The three most deadly doubles behaviors are: Blaming Bossing l Bailing l l

l Blaming involves either verbally

or in your own mind assigning responsibility to your partner for mistakes as you go through the

match. There are several problems most common examples of bailing with this. First, your head is in the include not being in position, not past and not in the current point. moving well, not moving much, Second, your partner is likely to or being on your heels instead of feel bad and focus on how difficult toes. This can really infuriate a it is to play with partner who is you versus figur- Doubles tennis is a team sport. still working and ing out how to gutting it out. It As a team sport, interpersonal win the match. behavior (or the ways in which is also the most The most obvi- we interact with our partners) subtle of the three ous of all is that is a key factor in creating chemistry to detect on the you are likely tennis court. that works or does not work. causing your partner’s confidence to go down Given enough stress and pressure, and not up, which is not good for all players demonstrate negative inthe team. How does this play out? terpersonal behaviors like blaming, Blaming plays out most often nonbossing and bailing to some degree. verbally. Typical behaviors include eye rolling, loud sighing, or not talking between points or during change overs.

Blaming will likely cause your partner’s confidence to go down l Bossing – Telling your partner and not up, which is not good what to do and what not to do is for the team. another common counterproductive behavior. It is different from joint strategizing. Bossing likely negatively impacts your team because you are focusing on critiquing your partner instead of figuring out sound tactics to deal with the situation on the court. Of most importance, bossing is likely causing your partner to be angry.

Adults do not respond well to being told what to do in general unless by a qualified coach. Qualified coaches have a skill set that allows them to understand players as individuals and tailor instruction to that player. The role of partner is not the same as the role of coach.

I, Mark, am a tennis coach. However, when I am playing a match with a doubles partner, my job is not to coach my partner. I make it a point to refrain from offering technical critique and keep my commentary focused on tactics and strategy. l Bailing,

or quitting and accepting defeat, is the third deadly doubles behavior. You just stop putting in 100 percent effort. You stop thinking about how to change the momentum and instead accept your defeat passively. While your partner is working hard and thinking hard, you have just given up. The

With any interpersonal behavioral challenge, the hardest part is to understand how one’s behavior is impacting the other person. It is not easy for doubles partners to tell each other to stop blaming or bossing. Players are not likely to get that kind of direct, honest feedback from each other.

However, if coaches can make their players aware of these three types of common behaviors and encourage each player to make an honest selfdiagnosis, negative tendencies can be identified and genuinely confronted.

It is through self-discovery that players will be more willing to confront their negative habits. h

From Wilmington, Del., Dr. Karissa Thacker is a widely respected management psychologist who has served as a consultant in more than 200 Fortune 500 companies including UPS, Best Buy and AT&T. Her specialty is executive coaching with a focus on increased performance at work in combination with increased individual satisfaction at work.

Mark Centrella is a USPTA Master Professional as well as the Head Tester for Middle States. He is the director of racquet sports at the Greenville Country Club in ­Wilmington, Del. He is also the creator of the doubles instructional video “Winning Doubles with Mark.”

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 49

2014

HOLIDAY

COLLECTION

AVAILABLE NOW

uspta.fromuthtennis.com Fromuth is the official distributor of Nike footwear and apparel to the USPTA.

More photos from the official 2014 Tennis Teachers Conference photographer are available for download at http://bit.ly/2014TTC

Master Professional Forum at the 2014 TTC

Women’s social gathering at the 2014 TTC

Tennis Teachers Conference

Big Turnout in Big Apple for Tennis Teachers Conference

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his year’s World Conference had a new look as USPTA combined its efforts with the USTA to host the 2014 Tennis Teachers Conference at the Grand Hyatt New York in August. With the highest attendance at the TTC since 2008 and a fantastic day at Flushing Meadows, it’s easy to say the conference was a success.

The premier event in the tennis industry took place in the Big Apple and brought together the leading tennisteaching professionals and coaches in the industry for a weekend of education capped by visiting the most exciting Grand Slam event in the world, the US Open.

“The overall highlight of the conference to me was the energy and passion that was present at this conference,” said USPTA Midwest President Mark Faber. “I have attended many conferences, and I personally believe the energy and passion that was at the conference this year was amazing and created a first-class learning environment.”

This year’s keynote speakers included Patrick McEnroe, former USTA Player Development General Manager; Paul Annacone, Australian Open doubles champion and former coach of Roger Federer and Pete Sampras; Judy Murray, mother of Andy and Jamie Murray and British Fed Cup Captain; and retired Admiral James Stavridis, Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Other noted speakers were USPTA Master Professionals Jorge Capestany and Rick Macci; and author of “The Sports Gene,” David Epstein.

The USPTA Division Party was bursting at the seams at Connelly’s Pub. Thanks to the divisions for coming together to host one big party for USPTA members to meet and enjoy some New York City nightlife.

For Master Professional Ron Woods, the highlight was the recognition of outstanding USPTA pros during the awards presentations.

“I enjoy seeing those who have contributed to the game being recognized,” Woods said. “This will hopefully inspire them and others to continue promoting and growing our game. It shows how much our members do for our great game other than just teach.”

The Tennis Industry Association did an outstanding job hosting The Tennis Show on Sunday night. Having the leading tennis manufacturers take over nearly the entire first floor of the Grand Hyatt made for a great atmosphere. Technology was front and center, with several vendors showcasing everything from racquets and devices designed to track and improve a player’s tennis strokes, to match and player analysis systems, and software helping businesses run more efficiently.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the weekend was attending the opening day at the US Open and enjoying the USTA’s generous hospitality.

“The food and drink in the hospi-

tality suite was more than I expected.

I thought the USTA really went out of their way for us!” said USPTA Vice President Jack Michalko.

California Division Regional Vice President Cari Buck said for many of the first timers to the Tennis Teachers Conference that she spoke with, being able to go to the US Open was a huge perk. “There was such a buzz, such great energy and I think it carried throughout the entire weekend, with attendees and speakers alike,” she said.

The excitement and energy in New York along with the combination of superior educational offerings and the trip to Flushing Meadows to cap the weekend makes others eager to return.

“The US Open is the preeminent tournament in the world and the hospitality and tennis were outstanding,” Northern Division President Bruce Gullikson said. “All in all, a great conference, and I would highly favor going back.” h

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 53

Tennis Teachers Conference

TTC Renews Passion for the Profession

By Enrique Casados, USPTA; Bradenton, Fla.

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hat a conference! A huge thank you to the USTA and the USPTA for organizing and putting this great conference together! I came away with many new ideas and concepts that I have already began implementing in my lessons; however, the most valuable take-away for me was a renewed passion and excitement for teaching tennis.

Often with any routine, whether it be tennis or otherwise, one of the toughest challenges we face as professionals is burnout and stagnation. The TTC and conferences like it are in many cases a career saver in the sense that if we cease to have positive energy and a sincere interest for what we are doing, we will inevitably burn out. As soon as the pro loses interest, the first person to feel that shift in energy is the student.

I think we all can agree that this is the surest way to put yourself out of business. It is imperative that we as professionals continue to learn and strive to be our best, always pushing ourselves to be better and raise the bar personally, as well as for our industry. The moment you feel you are finished learning is the moment you should change careers.

This is a lifelong journey. As teachers, we are also students.

Education is the vehicle that will

raise the level of teaching and tennis in our country and the world. It is the continued quest for knowledge that will keep us invested and passionate about our role as coaches. We as an industry must come together in a supportive manner if we are to continue to progress and evolve in a positive direction. We must be willing to work together, putting our egos aside and focus on the big picture of growing tennis. We will always be stronger working together, rath-

Under 30 professionals at the Tennis Teachers Conference.

54 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

er than competing with each other. I feel that the TTC and similar conferences do just this. They bring our industry together in a fun, learning environment where we can all be students of our craft and learn, support and exchange ideas.

This is key if we are to reach our goals as a global tennis community.

I am very excited about the USPTA Under 30 movement as this is the future of our game and industry. I feel that it is wise to invest in our future, and the U30 initiative is doing this in an amazing and big way!

For me, the biggest take-away from the 2014 Tennis Teachers Conference was a renewed passion and excitement for our game of tennis and for our profession as tennis-teaching professionals. We truly are some of the luckiest people in the world to be able to get up each day and sincerely love what we do. This is priceless and the TTC really reinforced this. It is so important to be reminded of this, and each time we step on the court, emit that passion to those we are working with, for this is the magic of an effective teacher, and the magic of tennis. h

Tennis Teachers Conference

Invest in Yourself

By Nicole Berger, USPTA; Key West, Fla.

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t is important to invest in yourself through education. The best way to do this is by attending tennis conferences. The industry is constantly changing. Not only is the tennis ball going faster, the pros are becoming more fit and the racquets are lighter.

The way you market and promote to your clients is changing constantly. It is important to stay current with both business and teaching skills.

By attending the TTC in New York this year, I learned very valuable information to better my tennis business.

The following key points will be implemented into my business: • Bill Kurtain talked on owning your own business. He reminded me to set measurable goals, not only yearly and five years, but also daily and for every event. Also he said the key to creating a great business “is to look at something before it is even there” and envision what it could become.

• Luis Herrera spoke on teaching for the future. The main thing I took

• Todd Upchurch talked about ­using social media. It is important to remember that social media is ­constantly changing. Understanding what age your target market is and what media source they are using is very important. Facebook, for instance, has a much older age group using it than even a year ago.

Understand your target market when using social media.

away from his speech is that we are tennis pros, but we are also training players for success in life. We know how to be great coaches, but we can also influence behavior off the court, such as by talking with players and parents about proper amounts of sleep, eating healthy, and personal responsibility for tennis bags/water bottle.

When teaching tennis and/or running a tennis business, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Use the best of the best in the industry to ask and learn from. They have been teaching tennis for years. The tennis industry is small.

You can have access to the greatest tennis coaches in the U.S. by attending a USPTA conference. I prefer the USPTA World Conference because there I meet up with friends and pros from all over the country. The U30 group is amazing.

We are go-getters, have great ideas on how to grow tennis, and are not afraid to try new things. I am very excited to be a part of the U30 group and to see where the future of the tennis-teaching pro is going. h

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Tennis Teachers Conference

2014 Honorees

USPTA recognized tennis coaches, industry leaders and volunteers during its annual national awards presentation at the Tennis Teachers Conference at the Grand Hyatt New York. These are the leaders who go above and beyond to help the sport of tennis.

Randy Mattingley (Kingwood, Texas) received the USPTA Alex Gordon Professional of the Year Award, the association’s top annual member award. A USPTA Master Professional with more than 36 years of tennis experience, Mattingley has contributed to the USPTA for decades, through several positions on the USPTA National Board of Directors and the USPTA Texas Division Board of Directors. He is also a two-time USPTA Texas Professional of the Year.

Husband and wife duo Tim and Mareen “Peanut” Louie Harper (San Francisco) received the USTA/USPTA Community Service Award for their contributions to their community through tennis, presented annually by the United States Tennis Association as part of the USPTA’s awards program. Tim, a USPTA Recreational Coach, and Peanut, a former WTA World No. 19 touring pro, founded Harper for Kids in 2008 with the mission to provide children with educational opportunities and enrichment programs based on the philosophy of UCLA coach John Wooden and his Pyramid of Success. The organization combines these programs with tennis activities to foster leadership skills and promote healthy character development for children.

In recognition of his business acumen and advancing the sport of tennis in his community, Jeff Rothstein (Pine Brook, N.J.) received the USPTA’s Industry Excellence Award. This award is sponsored by the Tennis Industry Association, and Rothstein will receive a $1,000 grant from the TIA and a Tennis Tutor ball machine from Sports Tutor for use in his programs. As the Executive Regional Director of Junior Tennis Development and Programming at Centercourt Athletic Club in Chatham, N.J., Rothstein grew the 10 and Under Tennis program to more than 850 unique players since 2009. He also increased pro shop sales by 35 percent and raised $14,000 for Academy Cares in the last year. Rothstein has volunteered with the USTA Eastern section, USTA Eastern/NJ region, USTA National Junior Competition Committee and USPTA Eastern.

USPTA President’s Paul Waldman Award Paul Waldman became the first recipient of the USPTA President’s Paul Waldman Award. For his 40 years of service as the USPTA’s general counsel, this award was renamed in Waldman’s memory after he died in December 2013. Waldman graduated from Columbia College, where he played on the tennis team. He received his L.L.B. from Columbia Law School and practiced law in Tarrytown, N.Y. He was made a USPTA Honorary member in 2003.

The award was accepted by his wife, Polly, during the annual awards presentation on Saturday, Aug. 23 during the Tennis Teachers Conference at the Grand Hyatt New York.

This award is given by the USPTA President for lifetime achievement as a member of the association.

“Paul Waldman represented our Association with distinction for 40 years as general counsel, and our Board of Directors felt renaming this award in his honor was appropriate considering Paul’s dedication to USPTA,” said USPTA President Tom McGraw.

Waldman was the general counsel to the USPTA from 1974 until his death on Dec. 28, 2013. A New York native, he was formerly a partner in the law firm of Vladeck, Waldman, Elias and Engelhard in New York City.

Kevin Clark (Austin, Texas) was awarded the USPTA Star Award for his work with children in the underserved population of Central Texas. Clark founded and runs “Set 2 Serve,” which teaches life skills through tennis. More than 120 children have received instruction and tennis equipment since 2000 while having a safe place to play the sport.

Jason Holland (Portland, Texas) was recognized for his efforts to increase tennis participation in his community by being named the recipient of the Tennis Across America Award. A national USTA Gold Ball Winner in mixed doubles, Holland hosted a free tennis clinic and an exhibition doubles tournament for all ages, held in conjunction with “Party @ the Net” to benefit the Tennis Success Foundation.

Bill Riddle (Nolensville, Tenn.) is the recipient of the individual Lessons for Life Award for his work helping to raise more than $1.6 million for Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Riddle has served as the Co-Chairman and Tournament Director for the past 10 years of the Music City Tennis Invitational, a tennis tournament that benefits the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Child Development Center. In 2014 alone, the fundraiser donated $105,000 to the center.

Christopher Tran (Vienna, Va.) received the association’s Diversity Award for his ability to unite diverse populations within his community through tennis. Tran founded the Vietnamese-American Junior Tennis Association in 1990 to give junior tennis players of various backgrounds a place to play tennis. Nearly 90 percent of the juniors are of differing nationalities. He also serves as Diversity Chair for the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division and manages the Citi Open Kids Day.

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USPTA Master Professional Nick Saviano (Boca Raton, Fla.) was this year’s recipient of the Tim Gullikson Touring Coach of the Year award. Saviano has more than 29 years of coaching top 50 ATP and WTA players and owns his own tennis academy, Saviano High Performance Tennis. He coached Eugenie Bouchard, who reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and the finals at Wimbledon in 2014, then became the highest-ranked Canadian in WTA history at No. 7. The honor is his second; he first earned this award in 1993.

After leading both of his teams to state titles, Clete Browder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) was named the High School Coach of the Year. As head coach for the boy’s and girl’s tennis teams at Tuscaloosa Academy, Browder led both teams to undefeated seasons and state championships in the largest division in Alabama. He also coached the boy’s and girl’s Tuscaloosa Area Spring Sport MVPs this season.

Two college coaches were recognized as College Coach of the Year: ­Peter Smith (Los Angeles) and John-Paul “Dash” Connell (Tyler, Texas). With Smith at the helm, the University of Southern California men’s tennis team earned a No. 1 ranking and its fifth NCAA Division I Team Championship in six years. He also coached the Pac-12 Conference Singles and Doubles Players of the Year.

After leading the Tyler Junior College’s men’s and women’s programs to national championships in 2013, Connell coached both programs to regional championships and runners-up finishes in 2014. He also led multiple players to the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships finals.

Kyle LaCroix (Boca Raton, Fla.) was named the George Bacso Tester of the Year. LaCroix is the head tennis professional and director of marketing and membership communications at The Oaks at Boca Raton. He is a committee member for the “Under 30” Initiative for the USPTA Florida Division and a board member for the USPTA National College Curriculum Committee.

Larry Savvides (Boca Raton, Fla.) was named the Facility Manager of the Year, Small Facility. Savvides has been the General Manager of Mizner Country Club for three years. Under his leadership, Mizner won both the Distinguished Gold Club of the World Award and an America’s Healthiest Club National Award. His club promotes tennis through free clinics and round robins, and all tennis professionals are USPTA-certified.

C.J. “Joe” Bendy, Jr. (Houston) was named the Facility Manager of the Year, Large Facility. Bendy has been the COO and General Manager of River Oaks Country Club for 12 years, and last year developed a $42 million capital construction project.

He also coordinated the lease and purchase of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, and invests $100,000 annually in staff training and development programs.

Bunny Bruning (Adel, Iowa) achieved Master Professional status, the highest professional rating within the tennis profession.

Bruning has more than 30 years of teaching and coaching experience and has been a USPTA-certified Professional since 1987. She is a Specialist in Competitive Player Development (High Performance Coach) and has won the USPTA Missouri Valley Professional of the Year award four times along with the Lessons for Life, Continuing Education, and Iowa Pro of the Year awards. She is also the Head Tester in the division. She has served on the Missouri Valley USPTA board for more than 15 years.

She also held office as a USPTA National Vice President from 2009 – 2011 and continues to work on countless national committees.

The USPTA National Awards program is conducted annually. Nominations are submitted by the organization’s 17 divisions and by individuals. Recipients in each category are decided by the USPTA Awards Committee.

2014 Awards Committee: Dan Moster, chair; Andy Benedict, Kevin Braun, Cari Buck, Jack Foster, Allan Grossman, Tom Ingram, Don Roesler, Rich Slivocka, Todd Upchurch

President Tom McGraw presented Randy Mattingley (right) with the USPTA Alex Gordon Professional of the Year Award

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 57

Player of the Year Awards Men’s Open Player Paulo Barros

Men’s 50s Doubles Craig Wittus Greg Neuhart

Men’s Open Doubles Adrians Zguns Juan Garcia Men’s 35s Singles Paulo Barros Men’s 40s Doubles Louis Ballantyne Jeff Cohen

Women’s 45s Singles Kathy Vick

Men’s 60s Singles Gewan Maharaj

Women’s 50s Doubles Susie Brown Cindy LePrevost

Men’s 60s Doubles Gewan Maharaj Geoffrey Moore

Mixed Open Doubles Tony Larson Marina McCollom

Men’s 65s Singles Geoffrey Moore

Women’s 40s Doubles Tanja Janssen Darryl Fornatora

Men’s 45s Singles Jeff Cohen

Men’s 75s Singles James Ridgley

Men’s 45s Doubles Mike Vidmar Bryan Biever

Women’s Open Singles Marina McCollom

Women’s 45s Doubles Robin Keener Richard Schmidt

Women’s Open Doubles Callee Conda Dilcia Pederson

Men’s 50s Singles Kie Foreman

Division Testers of the Year Florida Kyle LaCroix

Texas Laura Gilbert

Midwest Paul Marcum

Southern Allan Jensen

Division Awards Large Division of the Year – Texas Small Division of the Year – Southwest Newsletter of the Year – Southern Division growth Greatest number of new members – 1. Southern 2. Florida Greatest percentage of new members – 1. Intermountain 2. Pacific Northwest

Tennis Across America™ Greatest number of participants – 1. Texas 2. Midwest Greatest percentage of participants – 1. Texas 2. Midwest

2013 Lessons for Life™ Most money raised – Southern Most money raised per capita – Southern

Specialist Degrees USPTA Specialists in Competitive Player Development Franco Aller Attila Azucki Rob B. Black Sasha M. Bluestone Iztok Bombac Alanna A. Broderick Robert Carlbo Jeremiah De Jose Maureen Diaz Justin P. DiMaio

Douglas M. DiRosario Todd C. Dissly John H. Guerrero James G. Higgs-Horwell Daniel J. Howard Felix A. Insaurralde Aaron D. Koch Tsvetko I. Kostadinov Erick Martinez Sean E. Miller

Elliott Pettit Angelo A. Rossetti Matthew T. Schrader John W. Sherwood Christopher J. Stevens Blaine A. Sumpter Jack Thompson Linda Van B. Stafford Taylor R. Vaughn

USPTA Specialist in Sport Science

USPTA Specialist in Facility Management

Levander Kelley

Lane H. Evans

Education Awards Top education participants – 2013 Josh Jorgensen – Top credit earner

Feisal Hassan

Lane Evans Monty Basnyat

Levander Kelley Mike Gennette

Jeff Rothstein

Pat Whitworth

Rosie Bareis

John Sharpe

Education merit award for 10 years of continuing education participation Tim Irwin

Angela Koumaris

Christin Thurston

58 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Pat Whitworth

Years of Service 30 Years

Mark Abel Paul Albares Don Alger Gary Alpert Dana Anderson Russell Angell Yuji Aoyama John Arciero Luis Ayala John Barr Ed Barry Sue Bartlett Brice Bassett Molly Beardsworth Jeff Bearup Gary Bodenmiller Juan Bracho Vic Braden Carl Briggs Curtis Brown Doug Browne Roger Browne Mike Carter Cid Carvalho Wesley Cash Tony Cavett Tom Cheatham George Cobia Kathryn Collins Dennis Combs Russell Cormier Greg Cosgrove Mike Davey Dominick DeCarlo Mike Dombrowski Douglas Doss Mike Doty Martha Downing Lary Duque Kurt Ehrhardt Drew Evert Tony Fernandez Charlie Fischer Dexter Fong Jim Fowler Kimitaka Fujimoto Susan Furtney Steve Futchko Harry Gilbert Chuck Gill Chris Gilroy Bob Goss Tommy Gray Wendy Green Kamel Guessoum Kelly Gunterman Ted Hagey Mike Hall Jay Hardman Shinya Hasegawa Jim Hastings Gary Heatwole Betsy Heidenberger Dennis Higashiyama Martin Hublitz David Huckaby Evan Hundley Bob Ingersole Frank Inn Craig Jones Tokinari Kanemaru Craig Kardon Dave Kaufman Gary Kesl Paul Kid Bob Klyce Dan Knight Rob Knox Atsushi Kounosu Keith Kovach Bob Krueger Steve Krulevitz Phil Lancaster Chris Langdon Joseph Langlois

David Bryant Dan Leon Charles Talbert Gustavo Castillo Bruce Levine Mike Tammen Nicholas Logan Donna Tollefsen Tom Crosby Rosemary DeHoog Kevin Long Shinya Toya Jim Dixon Bruce Lum Craig Uttley Jeff Dumansky Dan Magnuson Steve Vaughan David Gill Michael Mahoney Russ Warner Geoffrey Gluck Louis Mason Herman Washington Steve Goldman Jay Massart Roger Watson Bernice Goldstein Shozo Matsuda Ted Watson Aggie Guastella Mitsumasa Matsuda Lynn Welch Spike Gurney Courtney Mayer Hal Wernik Roger McKee Carey Westberg Steve Hibben Kerry Hlady Cleon McKnight Andreas Weyermann Dennis McWilliams Susan Whiteside Maurice Holmes Nancy Holt Chuck Melkent Kim Williams Dave Houston David Mennel Gerald Winder Kenneth Jantz Cherise Meoli Jim Wolavka Carl Mickler Matt Wooldridge Peter Jutras John King Marc Miller Rod Workman Lisa Moldrem Kazuo Yokoyama Barry Laing Ed LeDuc Bob Moore Brian Marcus Pauline Moore- 35 Years Bob McCutcheon Naber Jeff Aarts Lewis Miller Carl Morgenstern Jim Annesi Marilyn Morrell- Jefferson Barnes Marvin Moriarty Jim Moss Kristal John Bengston Warfield Morsell Marvin Benzing John Nelson Mike Oppenheim Ryo Motooka Mark Berner Robert Pass Herbert Munks Lewis Brewer Leslie Peek Jim Munsil Richard Brown Peter Plaushines Beth Ann Myers Tom Carey Joan Ramey Laura Nealon Ted Carlson Scott Nesbit Tom Cascarano Gilberto Rincon Chuck Sanchelli Jack Newman Bob Cooper Woody Newson John Cummings Mike Sember Jerome Simon Scott Nichols Steve Diamond Dave Sivertson Juan Nunez Joseph Dyser Bohn Smith Terry O’Grady James Elwing Greg Stephenson Tim O’Neal Mike Farrell Barry Sterett Gordon O’Reilly Kirk Frey Nigel O’Rourke Robert Glickman Henry Tiberio Susan Torrance Chris Oakes Ian Griffin John Trump Jim Oescher Brett Hall Chihiro Ohashi Rod Heckelman Ernie Uthgenannt Ralph Walton Tom Osborne Larry Heflin Bill Washauer Kendall Osbourne Jefferey Herr David Ott Bruce Holbrook Rob Wheatley Tom Over Darelyn Holliday Roy White Richard Whittington Bill Ozaki Bob Howell Glenn William Leon Pahiakos Greg Jones Mace Williamson Max Pavon Chip King Wayne Penniman Cary LaCouture Ron Woods Richard Yates Katherine Pfordt Joe Lyden Ron York John Phillips Bill Maddock Wayne Pickard Saisnarine Maharaj Pete Poole 45 Years Bruce Mesches Bill Rapp Walter Geraghty Jaime Moretti Mark Ray Paul Gill Jerry Murphy Carol Reed Ben Pigorsch Scott Greer Kelvin Rivera Charles Renfrew Richard Johnson Lynne Rolley Steve Schulman Jack Justice Bill Rublee Charles Kinyon Rob Scott Richard Rumble Anna Kuykendall Bob Stafutti Robert Russell Graham Stilwell Ron Lague Thomas Schoen Astrid Suurbeek Jack Michalko Joshua Schraeter Bobby Mooty Ken Temple Bill Scott Ben Press Linda Thomas Diane Selke Timothy Thomas David Weber John Shade Mark Ullman Carolyn Shaner Richard Verzaal 50 Years Ron Sharp Jim Vidamour Duane Bruley David Sherry Susan Vinton Ed Brune Shozo Shimoura Mark Weir Jaime DeCarvalho Jay Sims Clarence Wenzel Pat Grant John Singer John Williams Charles Morrison Scott Smith Steven Winer Al Varoski Jennifer Smith Rick Workman Martin Vinokur Scott Smith George Zahorsky Bill Smith 55 Years Greg Stacey 40 Years Dudley Bell Sue Stemmler Larry Abrams Sam Giammalva Jay Stokes Dallas Aleman Leo Katz Stephen Storey Francis Barker Edward Letteron Ezekiel Straw Jack Bethlenfalvy Nobuhiro Takeda Bob Bridges

Tennis Teachers Conference

Seen on Twitter

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 59

Inside Coaching

Coach Your Students in Sport and in Life

A

s a coach, what are your goals? Do you teach a “winat-all-costs” mentality? Or do you strive to win while also pursuing the goal of teaching life lessons through tennis?

Positive Coaching Alliance, a national non-profit organization that works to develop “Better Athletes, Better People” by providing youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience, offers three principles to help you coach your students in sport and in life.

The ELM Tree of Mastery While winning is important and learning to compete is one of the major life lessons available through sports, not everyone can win every game or match. Still, youth athletes are winners, regardless of what the scoreboard says, when they pursue mastery of their sports. As a way to remember key elements of mastery, PCA uses the acronym ELM for Effort, Learning and Mistakes are OK. Youth athletes who keep these

• Tell them you appreciate their best effort even if they fall short of the desired result.

• Recognize that Mastery is hard work and an ongoing process over time.

Filling Emotional Tanks An “Emotional Tank” is like the gas tank in a car. When it’s empty, we go nowhere, but when it’s full, we can go most anywhere. The best fuel for an Emotional Tank is an average of five specific, truthful praises for each specific, constructive criticism. things in mind develop habits that will serve them well throughout their lives.

As an added benefit, athletes who are coached toward Mastery tend to have reduced anxiety and increased confidence because they focus on things they can control. Therefore, they are more likely to have fun and perform better. Here’s how you can help: • Tell your athletes it’s OK to make a mistake.

Here’s how you can help: • Encourage your athletes with specific tank-fillers regardless of scoreboard results. Be honest, but remember the value of that 5:1 ­ratio.

• Avoid an immediate and critical debrief right after the game or match.

Honoring the Game To help remember the ideals of sportsmanship, which PCA calls “Honoring the Game,” we talk about respecting ROOTS, an acronym for Rules, Officials, Opponents, Teammates and Self.

Here’s how you can help: • Review ROOTS with your athletes (learn more about the meaning of each letter by visiting PCA’s website at www.positivecoach.org).

• Model “Honoring the Game” yourself as you watch your athletes compete.

• Encourage others to “Honor the Game.” h

For more PCA Tools, visit: www.positivecoach.org/our-tools © 2014 Positive Coaching Alliance.

All rights ­reserved.

60 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Inside Coaching

Sins of Omission

By David Warren, USPTA

S

“

orry,” is one of the most common words on a doubles court.

Most of my students utter it when they make a mistake, though some, during the point, shout it reflexively as they offer an easy floater to the other team. But I rarely hear an apology from a player who lets her partner miss for her. Most of us are blind to our sins of omission.

A sin of omission is the sin of not doing what one is supposed to do. In Catholic Masses, the parishioners will ask God’s forgiveness for what they have done, and for what they have failed to do. It’s an acknowledgment that we are called to think of our lives not in the negative (What must I avoid doing today?), but in the positive (What am I being asked to do today?).

In doubles as in life, there are also sins of omission, obligations we have given our position. Though there are different ways of teaching doubles strategy, there is a unified consensus that one’s positioning on the court determines one’s role. At the net, a player is expected to be more aggressive, to put the ball away when possible, because her position makes this tactic possible. At the baseline, one is expected to set up the net player to do her job.

This idea is lost on many players who are anxious at the net: afraid to miss, to get beaten up “their” alley, or to greedily “steal” their opponent’s shot by poaching. When these fears grip a player, she tends to retreat further and further toward the sideline until her partner is playing singles.

Will she make any errors from this spot? No. Will she be guarding the alley? Like a pit bull guarding a steak.

Will she be accused of stealing? She is too far from the scene of the crime even to make an attempt. Does that mean she is not guilty for the loss?

Not in the least.

As mentioned, the net player’s job, properly understood, is to be ag-

Doubles is a game that works only when each party is doing its job in cooperation and coordination.

It falls apart when it is reduced to two individuals attempting to mess up the least.

gressive and touch as many shots as she can (provided she isn’t hitting a defensive shot). She is the spiker and her partner is the setter. She will miss at the net, but she will also make a lot of shots that her partner wouldn’t have been able to do anything with.

She will get beat up the alley (which does not belong to “her” by the way!), but she will gain many more points for her team by poaching. To be honest, it would be absurd to think that covering the alley is her job. The alley constitutes 1/6 of the court. Does that mean her partner should cover the other 5/6? No, her job is to cover her side, which includes the alley, but goes all the way to the center strap (and further if the ball is an easy floater or short drop shot). Finally, she will also feel, at times, that she has hit a ball that she should have let her partner hit. But, her partner will be more pleased that she poached and won so

many points for the team.

If a player walks away from a point satisfied that she didn’t make the mistake on her team, she has missed the meaning of doubles. Doubles is a game that works only when each party is doing its job in cooperation and coordination. It falls apart when it is reduced to two individuals attempting to mess up the least. As coaches, we must teach our students their jobs so that they know more than what not to do, but also what is expected of them and how they can help their team win from the position they hold. We must also remind them of the bigger picture: that we play to win, not to avoid losing. h David Warren, USPTA, is the Youth Tennis Coordinator at HealthTrack Sports Wellness in Glen Ellyn, Ill.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 61

Career Development Exams, Upgrades & PTCA I

Conventions Oct. 25 Nov. 7-9 Nov. 7-9 Nov. 14-15

Northern California Division Conference (5 credits) Revolution Conference – IMG Academy (4 credits) New England Division Conference (5 credits) Middle States Division Conference (5 credits)

San Francisco Bradenton, Fla. Cape Cod, Mass.

Princeton, N.J.

(4 credits for PTCA I segment) Oct. 18-19 Atlanta Frederick, Md. Oct. 19-20 Oct. 24-25 Houston Oct. 25-26 Mountlake Terrace, Wash.

Carlsbad, Calif.

Nov. 1 Nov. 2 Rancho Mirage, Calif. * This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.

Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam, upgrade and PTCA I 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 – $95; 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.

National Education Day

TAUT Workshops

Cardio Tennis Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 9 Nov. 14

CT CT TRX CT CT

Pasadena, Texas New York New York Atlanta

National Education Day is Nov. 15.

In order to help you reach your goal of six continuing education credits for the 2014-2016 period, every division will host at least one educational event on or around Nov. 15.

Visit uspta.com/education to see the calendar or visit your division’s website at usptaplayer.com.

Please visit www.cardiotennis.com to register online.

Specialty courses Nov. 16

Drills that work Fremont, Calif.

Oct. 17 Oct. 18 Oct. 18 Oct. 18 Oct. 18 Oct. 18 Oct. 19 Oct. 24 Oct. 24 Oct. 24 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 9 Nov. 23 Dec. 14

Atlanta Indian Wells, Calif.

Fredericksburg, Va. Tempe, Ariz.

Vero Beach, Fla. Cheyenne, Wy. Fayetteville, N.C. Houston Mountlake Terrace, Wash.

Big Rapids, Mich.

Missoula, Mont.

Tupelo, Miss.

Oakland, Calif.

Aurora, Ill. Fayetteville, N.C.

Go to www.coachyouthtennis.com for more workshops or to register.

Accredited Professional Coach Register your Accredited Professional Coach (APC) and specialty course credits earned with the USPTA SmartCode Education System. This uses your smartphone

62 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

to instantly register your attendance to all seminars and specialty courses earning APC. To use the system at a seminar, general session or specialty course, you must scan two QR codes. One QR code is on your conference badge. The second QR code will be in your

conference notebook and cannot be scanned until the end of the session or the beginning of the next session.

If you do not have a smartphone, you may use someone else’s. Forms are available upon request.

Member News • USPTA Master Professional Ken McAllister (center) was inducted into the 2014 class for the Southwestern Athletics Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor.

McAllister is a 2013 Texas Tennis Museum Hall of Fame inductee and his impact on the world of tennis can be felt well beyond Southwestern’s campus. A native of San Angelo and Fort Stockton, McAllister was a two-year letter winner on the Pirate tennis team where he competed in No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles from 1962-1964. Upon graduation he began coaching at the high school level at Snyder High School in 1964 where his players won three UIL state titles. McAllister has coached nearly 30 state and nationally ranked players.

An accomplished player even after his departure from Southwestern, McAllister has had 35 Texas rankings since 1971, five USTA rankings in 1983 and was named Texas Pro of the Year twice.

• Larry Mason was named Great Plains Athletic Conference women’s coach of the year for 2014. He is men’s and women’s coach at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, and has been a USPTA Professional since 1999. He is pictured at Rod Laver ­Stadium in Australia during the USPTA Australia Open trip in January 2014.

• Betty Walsh, USPTA New England Master Professional, was recently inducted into the USTA New England Hall of Fame. Walsh made her mark in New England tennis first as a player and later as a coach over the course of a career that has spanned 40 years. In singles competition, Walsh won several consecutive USPTA championships in the 1980s. Later, she turned her focus to doubles, where she teamed with Avis Murray, also a USTA New England Hall of Famer, to attain several USPTA No. 1 rankings. Walsh began her coaching career in the 1970s at Maloney High School in Meriden, Conn. During her

10-year tenure at Maloney, she was named Connecticut’s Coach of the Year. She went on to coach at St. George’s in Middletown, R.I., where she started a junior tennis program that evolved into a successful junior and adult program.

Walsh is currently the girl’s tennis coach at Chariho Regional High School in Rhode Island.

• USPTA members donated $22,086.25 to ThanksUSA as part of the Tennis Thanks The Troops campaign this summer, which included a $1,000 donation from the USPTA Foundation. Through Tennis Thanks the Troops, USPTA and ThanksUSA have teamed up to encourage USPTA Professionals to raise money for scholarships given to the families of military men and women.

USPTA Professionals held tournaments, festivals, auctions and lessons to help raise funds.

• Sidney Welby Van Horn, the legendary American tennis coach and former world top 5 tennis player, passed away Sept. 17, 2014. Known to all as Welby, he was 94. During his amateur and professional playing career (1938-1951), he played against such greats as Bill Tilden, Fred Perry, Don Budge, Jack Kramer, Bobby Riggs, Pancho Segura, and Pancho ­Gonzalez, and either won or reached the finals in singles and doubles in the amateur and professional slam events of his day. As a tennis coach, Welby was famous for putting Puerto Rico on the tennis map where his protégés racked up more than 150 national junior titles during the late 1950s to early 1970s. From 1991 to 2008, Welby served as Tennis Professional Emeritus at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Palm Springs. He received numerous accolades for his tennis accomplishments, including induction into the Puerto Rico Tennis Hall of Fame, Puerto Rico Sports Hall of Fame, and his most coveted, the USPTA Hall of Fame (2008).

• USPTA member Charles Van Middlesworth, III, 68 of Fort Myers, Florida, died Aug. 9, 2014.

He was a high school teacher for 30 years in the Baltimore County public school system. Van Middlesworth was an avid tennis player and was a teaching pro at The Suburban Club in Baltimore for 30 years, becoming the director of tennis at the club in 2000. After retiring from teaching,

he moved to Fort Myers and became a tennis professional at Gateway Golf and Country Club where he instructed adult team clinics and junior development. He was a graduate of East Carolina University and earned his Masters from Morgan State University. While at East Carolina University, he was a member of the tennis team and was a semifinalist in singles and doubles in the Southern Conference tournament from 1966 to 1968.

• Jeff Aarts, a Pound Ridge, N.Y., native who was a well-known and wellrespected USPTA tennis pro in the Westchester/Fairfield area, died suddenly on Aug. 8, 2014. He was 59. Aarts was director of tennis for several different clubs in Westchester and Fairfield for more than 30 years. He served as tennis director at Cedars Tennis Resort in Longboat Key, Fla., and as a senior professional at Chestnut Ridge Racquet Club in Mount Kisco. He was a tennis pro at Bedford Golf & Tennis and remained active as a tennis player and competed in a wide array of sectional and national events since graduating in 1977 from the University of New Hampshire. Upon graduation, Aarts played the European and United States satellite circuits. He was ranked in doubles on the ATP world doubles circuit.

• Sergio Rivas, a beloved tennis coach who taught in the Orlando area for more than 20 years, passed away on Aug. 17, 2014. He fought hard and gave it everything he had to win the battle against Glioblastoma brain cancer. He drew strength from the tennis community, especially the outpouring of support by his fellow USPTA pros at the “I Play for Sergio” event last December. Rivas’ love for tennis began as a young boy in Mexico City. He received his formal training from the Bollettieri Tennis Academy and began teaching and working at the Academy soon after graduating from college. In addition to being a ­USPTA member for more than 25 years, he obtained a membership in the USRSA, certification in claycourt maintenance, certification in Fitness and Nutrition, and certification in Mental Toughness, making him a well-rounded tennis coach.

Murray/Walsh

ADDvantage magazine editorial offices USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone – 713-978-7782 / 800-USPTA-4U Fax – 713-358-7794 email – magazine@uspta.org

64 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Managing editor Circulation

Kimberly Forrester Kathy Buchanan

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. 2014. All rights reserved.

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