Addvantage 2015 September/October

Inside this issue (Platform) Tennis Anyone? – 46 Simple Customer Service That Goes a Long Way – 52 USPTA World Conference – 56 Departments: 46 CEO’s Message 48 Vice President’s Message 50 Endorsee News

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Master Pro Corner USPTA World Conference Career Development Member News

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com On the cover: Join USPTA Pros in New Orleans for the USPTA World Conference, Sept. 21-25. Read more on Page 56.

CEO’s Message

(Platform) Tennis Anyone?

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y the time you read this article, the platform tennis season will be just around the corner. In Midwest markets like Chicago, teams begin gearing up for play right after Labor Day weekend.

In the Northeast, New York and Middle States/Mid-Atlantic regions, the season commences a few weeks later in early October. “Paddle” as most enthusiasts call it, is all-consuming in those parts, and in many clubs and facilities, platform tennis participation is far greater than it is in tennis during the fall and winter months. Seriously …

Many of you may be asking, “Why is this important to the USPTA?” Platform tennis is a rapidly growing sport, not just in the Eastern and Midwest states, but now spreading to parts of the South and West. The increased participation means there is a need for more professionals to teach the game, which led the Professional Platform Tennis Association (PPTA) to believe that its members would be best served by combining with the larger USPTA organization. In April 2015, the USPTA Executive Committee voted to incorporate the PPTA into the USPTA. On May 2, the governing body for platform tennis – the American Platform Tennis Association (APTA) – announced the merger at their annual meeting in Toronto. Thus, USPTA will begin offering platform tennis certification this fall as a separately tested and certified membership category under the USPTA umbrella.

The coming together of the PPTA and the USPTA has been in the works for more than a year. The PPTA was originally founded back in the late 1980s

by USPTA members who used the USPTA as the model for structuring its organization. Recognizing that the USPTA could offer so much more to the PPTA members in terms of membership benefits, administrative support, education and governance, the PPTA believed that coming together at this time would be in

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by John Embree the best interest of PPTA professionals fessionals an opportunity to generate as well as the USPTA. more income than in tennis. Hard to There are now three types of believe, but true.

USPTA-certified Professionals: those The platform certification category certified in tennis, those certified in will be managed by the newly formed platform tennis, and those who hold Platform Tennis Committee, chaired both certifications. Professionals can be

by Brad Easterbrook, former PPTA certified to teach both sports under the president. All professionals who besame USPTA organization, pay the same come certified in platform tennis will amount in annual dues and take advanreceive all of the same benefits and tage of all the same professional-level pay the same annual dues as current member benefits such as liability insurUSPTA-certified tennis professionals. ance, the Retirement Gold+ program, I want to thank Brad Easterbrook and product discounts and much more. For his board of directors who enthusiastithose pros who cally endorsed Since platform tennis is a traditional currently teach this move. He winter sport, it gives certified platform will serve an implatform tennis but are not certi- tennis-teaching professionals an portant role, foopportunity to generate more income fied, this new cusing on growcategory will give than in tennis. ing the game and them the opconducting more portunity to be certified by the Platform certification clinics than have been Tennis Committee with the credibility held previously. of the USPTA behind their names. For When you come to New Orleans for those current PPTA members who desire our World Conference, we hope to feato be certified as USPTA tennis-teaching ture platform tennis as a part of our eduprofessionals, they can go through our cational lineup. And, you can stop by the normal testing and certification process PPTA booth during the Buying Show to and only pay the application fee. learn more about how you can become The biggest impact will be felt at involved in the game at your facility or those clubs that currently offer platbecome platform tennis certified. form tennis as an amenity. We want I know on a personal level the wonpros to be fully versed in both games derful attributes of the game, having and be able to teach both sports. Courts played most of my adult life at the highare expensive, so it makes sense to be est national level, winning the Men’s certified in both tennis and platform Open Illinois States, the Chicago Charitennis to enhance your expertise. ties Men’s 45s (with APTA Hall of Famer, USPTA Professionals who hold certifiHank Irvine) and the National 50s in cations in both tennis and platform ten- Baltimore 12 years ago. During my time nis will be more diverse and marketable. at Wilson Racquet Sports in the mid-90s, In fact, if a professional does not have we decided that it would be advantaa platform certification, it is likely that geous for the brand to enter the market he/she won’t be considered for a plum with platform tennis balls and paddles. club job that has both activities.

My purpose in telling you this is not The tennis season is typically three intended to beat my chest but rather to four months long, but platform tento indicate my strong passion for this nis – especially in those areas with incredibly fun and competitive game. harsh, long winters – can be six to If you have any questions and want seven months long. Since platform ten- to chat with me, I love talking paddle. nis is a traditional winter sport, it gives Once you play it, you will be hooked, I certified platform tennis teaching propromise. Paddle anyone? h

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Vice President’s Message

National Committees – be a part of one!

by Gary Trost

U

SPTA’s national committees are always recruiting new volunteers to help their tasks, and these committees help shape the direction that the association is headed. We would like to be more inclusive and invite members who have not yet served on committees to become more involved. We would also like to have one U30 member on each committee as well as a person of diversity. We need fresh, new ideas! The deadline to apply is Sept. 15. At the end of this year, the incoming president, Chuck Gill, will be making the decisions on who will be the chairperson for each of the committees. These chairpersons will be recruiting members for their committees and will begin to serve Jan. 1. They will get straight to work so that information funnels to the National Board and Executive Committee that govern our association.

The box above lists the current national committees; one of them may interest you.

Each of the committees has a mission statement and specific tasks that are very important to our growth as an association, alliances with our partners, and inclusion of every member. Here are a couple of examples of the mission statements: Diversity and Inclusion The USPTA recognizes and appreciates diversity and inclusion within the game of tennis and within its membership of tennis professionals. By promoting the USPTA as a more diverse and inclusive organization, we will enrich the sport of tennis and add deeper, richer and a broader experience for everyone. Di-

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Current National Committees: n 10 and Under Tennis Committee n Awards Committee

n Budget and Financing Committee n College Curriculum Committee n Conventions Committee

n Master Professional Review Committee

n Nominating Committee

n Sport Science and Sports Medicine

Committee

n Testing and Certification Committee

n Diversity and Inclusion Committee n Tournament and Rankings Committee n Education Committee

versity and inclusion permit the USPTA and its members to embrace the world and also allow the organization to reflect its society.

Education The role of the USPTA National Education Committee is to make recommendations and suggestions to the USPTA National Board and Executive Committee in matters concerning the continuing education of both our new and current members in: 1. Assisting divisions with providing education opportunities 2. Keeping our specialist degrees and specialty courses up to date and on the cutting edge 3. Offering education material, courses, workshops and webinars for members to obtain education to enhance their careers 4. Review and approval of education courses 5. Oversee the creation, implementation and review of all education programs.

To see all of the mission statements, go to uspta.com/About > National Committees > National Committee mission statements.

The national staff is wonderful, hardworking and experienced; they do everything possible to help complete the tasks set by each committee. It is the blending of diverse members on specialized committees and this great staff that keep our association strong and healthy.

You will now have a vested interest in the direction of our association and a voice to get moving in that direction.

Your knowledge and experience are needed, as every division has different needs and should be represented in every decision and in every committee.

NOW, the next step is up to you!

Take the first and most important step – contact the World Headquarters at uspta@uspta.org and they will send you a short questionnaire to get you started in the right direction and to the correct committee chairperson. It only takes a minute of your time and I promise that you will benefit from the experience.

Thank you to all the committee members past and future. h

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Endorsee News The Cause is Unreal for USPTA Partner Prince

U

SPTA partner Prince® Global Sports is renewing its relationship with the non-profit organization Bright Pink (www.brightpink.org) to join forces in the battle against breast and ovarian cancer. Bright Pink is the only national nonprofit organization focused on prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women.

As part of their partnership, Prince is introducing a new TeXtreme® Warrior 107L racquet in a special pink design, T22 Lite Tennis Shoe and a coordinated pink design three-pack tennis bag. In conjunction with the renewal of their partnership, a donation on behalf of Prince Global Sports will go to support Bright Pink in its continued fight against breast and ovarian cancer.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be able to continue our partnership with

Bright Pink,” said Paige Miller, Direcrior 107 Special Edition in blue, to help tor of Brand Marketing, Prince Global raise awareness of men’s health issues.

Sports. “In addition to its promotion of The new Blue TeXtreme Warrior 107 early detection and prevention, Bright will be available in November, in conPink also encourages healthy life“ In addition to its promotion of early detection and style behaviors prevention, Bright Pink also encourages healthy lifestyle such as physical behaviors such as physical activity. We knew this made activity. We knew this made them them the best match for us as a partner and believe it’s a the best match partnership the USPTA community can get behind.” for us as a partner and believe it’s a partnership the USPTA commujunction with Men’s Health Awareness nity can get behind.”

Month.

The newest addition to the Both TeXtreme® Cause racquets, TeXtreme collection, the TeXtreme the Warrior 107L (Pink) and the Warrior 107L (Pink) will be available Warrior 107 Special Edition in blue for purchase starting in October during will be available from a retail locaBreast Cancer Awareness month. tion where Prince products are sold.

Not to leave the men out, Prince is TeXtreme, the Technology is real, the also launching a new TeXtreme WarCause is unreal. h

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THE TECHNOLOGY IS REAL

THE CAUSE IS UNREAL.

Coming soon Warrior 107L and Warrior 107 Limited Edition As a leader in performance tennis equipment, we are bringing a selection of Cause related products to the market to support the awareness of breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Special edition racquets, footwear and bag will feature pink to “highlight” breast cancer and blue to “highlight” prostate cancer. We will also be making a donation to organizations dedicated to breast cancer prevention and early detection and finding a cure for prostate cancer.

LET’S RALLY TOGETHER!

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Master Pro Corner

Simple Customer Service That Goes a Long Way

By Chuck Kuhle, USPTA Master Professional

C

ustomer service takes discipline to make a difference. It is easy to sit back and only respond to members when they make contact with you. To take it one step further, consider or reconsider some of these tips to make customer service at your facility stand above the crowd.

Fill in When was the last time you filled in as a fourth for a doubles group? There never seems to be a good time to do this as we are usually very busy. Maybe just fill in for a half hour to show your members you do care about their game. We need to take care of all our players, not just the ones that take lessons from us.

Attentive Court Reservations Often members will book a court later than they want because that is the only court available. What happens if something opens up earlier after they have made their reservation? How about a quick call to let them know an earlier court opened up? Easy to do and they will appreciate it.

Tennis Elbow Sometimes members come down with tennis elbow. Other than the standard ideas of different strings, tension, using new balls, etc., how about offering them some written information? Find a good article on tennis elbow and make copies to give to your members when they are struggling with this ailment. Better yet, go out and give a complimentary 10 minute stroke evaluation to see if there is something technically wrong in their strokes.

We are not doctors but we can go that extra step and let them know we care.

Injured Member When a member gets hurt on the court, obviously we try to assist the best we can. But what about a few days later when they are laid up? A friendly phone call just checking in is a great way to let them know you care about them as a person as well.

Game Arranging If you are not doing this, you should. The biggest hurdle to our sport is finding someone to play. Offer an unadvertised 48-hour service to your newer members in arranging a singles game. It takes a little time but if you do this a few times for the newer member, they will be on their way to meeting other players. It usually only takes a couple efforts to make this happen.

Late Member Some members often show up late. How about jumping on the court until they arrive to get the others playing right away?

It usually just takes a few minutes and discreetly lets the latecomer know to show up on time to the next match. Most people don’t really want to inconvenience the pro.

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Tennis Link We all know what a challenge this system is for newcomers to the game. Many pros sit down and help their students navigate this website for the novice tournament or league player. Takes a few minutes but this is really a no-brainer for the tennis professional.

Away Games When members travel, they still like to play tennis. Offer your member some assistance in finding a club or a USPTA Professional who can help them with a game or a lesson. Remember, what goes around comes around.

Match Preparation Does your junior or adult student have an upcoming match on a different surface or environment than your facility?

If management allows, arrange for your next lesson outdoors if you are an indoor facility or on a clay court if you teach on hardcourts. The travel time may become

an issue eventually, but every once in a while donating your time is good customer service.

League Mother There is always a mother who struggles getting to the courts with her little children. How about assisting her in getting all the children into the nursery before the women’s league begins? It will help the league start on time as well!

Observing Students When was the last time you watched your students compete inside or outside your facility? Whether they are adults or juniors, every player likes the extra attention from their professional. Every once in a while, watch them play. This shows you care about their game and very well may assist you in recruiting another lesson.

Return Messages All business contacts, whether it is phone calls, emails or text messages, should be returned if at all possible by the end of the day. It is easy when you are tired to just leave after your last lesson but that is where the discipline of being a “professional” should kick in.

Plus, this practice makes one less thing to do tomorrow!

Some of these tips could be considered “billable time” but if you have to get paid for every move you make, your members will see through this. Try being proactive and the game of tennis may be a little easier to grow at your facility! h Chuck Kuhle is the director of tennis at the Decatur Athletic Club and the Fairview Tennis Complex in Decatur, Ill. He is a USTA Pro Circuit tournament director and serves the USTA/Midwest Section as a Delegate-at-Large. Kuhle was recently named the 2015 USPTA Midwest Pro of the Year.

USPTA World Conference

(Net)work that Conference: 10 Proven Tips to Help You Make CareerEnhancing Connections

By Alaina G. Levine

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ttending important conferences in your field should be an essential element of your career strategy because each of these gatherings represents a golden opportunity to network and build mutually beneficial partnerships with others.

Conferences provide singular opportunities to access and learn from decision-makers, appropriately promote yourself and your brand, and discover opportunities that can lead to employment, awards, and other game-changing career experiences. I like to refer to conferences as “networking nodes” because they aggregate people of related disciplines or industries in one location, which makes networking extremely efficient.

But what if you’re more comfortable taking your drink and hiding behind a potted plant than circulating and chatting at conference mixers? What if you’d rather run a 5k in your dress shoes than approach an industry leader out of the blue? Whether you consider yourself an introvert, socially awkward, or just a networking newbie, fear not. Here are 10 tips to help you make the most of your next conference: Don’t wing it. If you simply show up at a conference and participate in whatever events catch your fancy, you’re likely to miss the best networking opportunities.

Before attending the conference, familiarize yourself with its program. That doesn’t mean perusing it on the airplane to the meeting city. Download the conference app and start learning about the speakers and what they will be talking

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and follow other social media sites directly from the app itself.

Apps might also announce newly added events and activities, and can even give you insight into transportation options to get to and from the convention center.

Take advantage of these, because traveling with other conference attendees is (you guessed it!) also a great chance to meet and network with new people.

When you optimize your time before, during and after a conference, you will be pleasantly surprised by the relationships you forge and the opportunities you uncover. about. Then start creating your schedule.

Set aside time to attend not just talks and seminars, but also special events such as the general membership meeting, parties, and other networking-centered affairs. And don’t forget to pencil in time to visit the USPTA Buying Show.

Take advantage of the conference app. These apps are often full of hidden treasures. For example, some apps list all attendees and their contact information, and allow you to send messages within the system. Others allow you to tweet

Make appointments ahead of time … If you know you’d like to meet with fellow attendees, request appointments with them at least two to three weeks before the conference.

They are busy, too, so it’s wise to get on their calendars beforehand.

If you’d like to connect with someone you’ve never met before, the conference itself serves as a reason to make cold calls, which is especially great for introverts. And even if the person you want to meet is not on the program, it’s okay to reach out to her, ask if she will be attending, and, if so, whether her schedule would allow a meeting. … and keep them short. When making plans to meet with others, ask for short appointments, such as a coffee meeting.

The other person may not have time for a lunch or dinner, but he can probably squeeze in 15 minutes over a cup of joe.

Just be sure to leave yourself a buffer of time between your own appointments, no matter how short they are. You need time to digest what each encounter offers and to physically move to the next location. And you also want to have windows in your schedule just in case something special comes up.

Leverage the Buying Show. Don’t just wander around aimlessly looking for free pens and cup holders. Instead, try to learn new things and make connections that will serve you well long after those free pens have run dry.

Carefully study the list of exhibitors and map out where the ones you really want to visit are located. Make a plan to visit booths that are of primary, secondary and tertiary importance to you, depending on how much time each tier of visits takes.

Load up your nametag pouch. Your nametag holder – especially if it’s the large kind that comes with a lanyard – can be used for more than just your nametag. As soon as you pick yours up, put in a few business cards and a small notepad and attach a pen. This way you’ll always be prepared to exchange information with fellow attendees.

Use social media before, during and even after the conference. We’re in the Digital Age, and these days, many last-minute changes to conferences’ programs (as well as many supplementary events and activities) are promoted only via the conference app or on social media – so make sure you’re a fan, friend, or follower!

Twitter is especially useful because you can tweet and follow tweets with the conference hashtag, #USPTAWC15.

You’ll get incredibly useful insight about leaders, hot topics, and sessions.

Often, this information isn’t shared anywhere else.

Be an early (and friendly) bird. Arrive early to talks and sit down near someone you don’t know. This is a great opportunity to network, especially for introverts, because there is a reason to speak with the other person: You are both here to attend the session.

Furthermore, this networking has an “expiration date,” so you won’t be stuck making conversation indefinitely.

After you sit, introduce yourself, then reference the speaker and his or her subject as a way to get the conversation started. Then, as soon as the speaker begins, you can whisper, “It was great to meet you. May I have your business card?” Now you’re done!

Don’t eat alone. At almost all conferences, attendees flow into restaurants

within a few-block radius of a convention center. And at mealtimes you can usually identify fellow conference participants because they tend to keep their nametags visible. So if you see someone from the meeting eating alone, don’t be afraid to ask, “Do you mind if I join you?”

Chances are the other person will invite you to sit. And since you’re attending the same conference, you’ll automatically have something to talk about.

Don’t be tempted to spend your lunch hour reading email when there is networking gold to be had right next to you!

Be a volunteer. Volunteering at a conference is your ticket to achieving more of your conference (and career) goals than you thought possible. And quite frankly, very few people take advantage of this opportunity. Volunteering at a conference establishes you as a professional and a hard worker, allows others to observe your dedication to your craft and the association, gives you easy access to networking opportunities, and opens doors to leadership and other volunteer experiences.

One easy way to volunteer at the USPTA World Conference that will be appreciated by both the conference staff and by fellow attendees, is to help people scan their QR codes with your smartphone following the sessions. You don’t even have to sign up to do this.

After you have scanned your own codes and received credit, you can help others by scanning the QR code on their name badge, then the course code.

Make sure to close the loop. Followup is of the utmost importance. If you just go to a conference and do nothing after it, you have (almost) completely wasted your time. The meeting itself is the starting point to make contacts, to develop partnerships, and to appropriately promote yourself and your work.

After everyone has returned home, it’s up to you to make sure you stay on your new contacts’ radars. Start by composing an email thanking each person for his or her time at the conference, recapping what you talked about, and suggesting a phone or Skype appointment to further develop your partnership.

When you optimize your time before, during, and after a conference, you will be pleasantly surprised by the relationships you forge and the opportunities you uncover. While “born connectors” might make networking look effortless, it isn’t. The more time and energy you put into making and developing career-enhancing relationships, the better your results will be. And who knows? In our increasingly connected world, your greatest future success might be a direct result of the networking you do at your next conference. h

Alaina G. Levine is the author of “Networking for Nerds” as well as a celebrated and internationally known speaker, comedian, career consultant, writer, and entrepreneur. She is president of Quantum Success Solutions, an enterprise dedicated to advancing the professional expertise of both nerds and non-nerds alike. To learn more, visit www.alainalevine.com or follow @AlainaGLevine.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 57

USPTA World Conference

Meet the speakers

T

he USPTA is hosting a wide variety of new and returning speakers at the World Conference in New Orleans this month. We interviewed new speaker Michelle Cleere, a four-time bestselling author who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, a master’s in sport psychology and a certificate in eating disorders. We also spoke with Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, president of the International Society of Tennis Medicine & Science and director of tennis medicine for the Emory University Sports Medicine Center in Atlanta.

Michelle Cleere, Ph.D. You will be speaking about your system, Beating the Demons. What can our attendees expect from your session? In my work with tennis players I paid attention to and discovered what the key moments in the game of tennis were. These key moments were prime opportunities for the demons to jump in and sabotage tennis players. This is how I developed the Beating the Tennis Demons system™. Attendees will come away with a better understanding of what these key moments are.

But here is the real beauty of my system…

Over the years what I realized is that most tennis players only need small tweaks to make a huge difference. My clients have been able to see results quickly: improved focus, better consistency, increased confidence, less tension and the ability to move around the court more fluidly. Attendees will learn how to help their tennis players make these tweaks so they get similar results.

Attendees will also learn how to help their tennis players get out of their head and focus at the task at hand, let go of the past, forget about the future and be present because that is where they have the most control.

This is the foundation of my Beating the Tennis Demons System™.

What is it about the performer’s (athlete, musician, etc.) mind that drew you to this field? I didn’t finish high school and never thought I’d go to college. When I had the chance to attend college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I chose a program that seemed to make sense. I got my first master’s degree in Management of

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Leisure Services. Around the age of 30 I moved from upstate New York to California. Shortly after, I decided I didn’t want to work in parks & recreation.

I started looking for other ideas and found the master’s degree program in Sport Psychology at JFKU in Northern California. I didn’t even know this field existed but thought, sport and psychology? How perfect! I’ve been an athlete most of my life and could definitely empathize with how difficult competition can be. I’d also done a lot of work on myself, which made a huge difference not only in my life but how I dealt with competitive situations. I was excited about learning how to help athletes perform at their very best by enhancing how they dealt with emotions during pressure situations.

I was further drawn to this work after I started using it in my work as a triathlon coach. The impact was priceless.

Athletes were feeling more motivated to train, had increased positive feelings about it, and were fierce and confident competitors. Most came back for several more seasons.

Further solidifying my feelings was being able to see results in my own training as a competitive triathlete.

Goal setting help me stay motivated to get through a long training program.

Cognitive restructuring helped me feel better during a training session and imagery helped to build confidence during competition.

The icing on the cake was when I started working with clients. I could see the results my clients were having.

They felt more in control, had more fun and were happier. It made me happy to be able to help them, which increased my passion for the work. At this point I couldn’t think of ever wanting to do any other profession.

How did your earlier work lead to a system that helps tennis players win? Most of my early work with clients provided fabulous results and my practice became the laboratory from which my current work got its foundation. I wanted to figure out what was going to have the greatest impact on most all athletes, in the shortest amount of time. I paid attention to and discovered what the key moments in the game of tennis were. These key moments were prime opportunities for the demons to jump in and sabotage tennis players. This is how I developed the Beating the Tennis Demons system.

What is your athletic background?

I was fat until around the age of 14. This made it pretty impossible to be athletic.

I slimmed down the summer before high school and as it turned out, I was a great basketball player (as a freshman I played varsity) and cross country runner (I was always in the top 6 of a state championship team). I also played volleyball, softball and did pentathlon.

When I moved to California I started seriously doing triathlons and marathons while also playing tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, golf, rugby and learning how to row.

What are some of your hobbies?

My No. 1 hobby is working out. I work out five to six days a week because I love it, it feels good and it helps me get through my busy days.

My No. 2 hobby is learning. I love taking classes. I take one class a year through JFKU where I teach, and generally take one to four classes a year through Coursera. I take advantage of free college classes from many of the world’s top colleges and universities.

Besides these, my hobbies include being present and enjoying life! I am passionate about my work, my relationships and living life!

be the best tennis player by the age of 12. We have to remember that kids only get one childhood, and while there are exceptions to this, we have to base recommendations on what is best for MOST young tennis players.

Additionally, we still don't have any data to suggest that being a yearround, single sport tennis player at a young age will improve your chances of any later success (college or beyond).

We have to revisit what is best for our developmental model of young athletes across the board, and I hope this panel can engage our tennis-teaching professionals to be at the forefront of this discussion.

Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, USPTA You will be participating in a specialization panel discussion with Brian Hainline, Tom Farrey and Paul Lubbers. What can we expect from your session? This discussion will allow a broad perspective – if how we are currently training our young tennis players is appropriate when we compare it to other sports and longer term goals. The panel includes some of the country's experts on youth sports to allow the tennis-teaching professional to gain various perspectives. Dr. Hainline, who previously was the Chief Medical Officer for USTA is now the Chief Medical Officer for the NCAA. Tom Farrey is an award-winning ESPN journalist and director of Aspen Institute's Sport and Society Project Play to transform youth sports. Paul Lubbers is a long-time respected USTA director of coaching education as well as having roles in player development. And I am the president of the Society for Tennis and Medicine Science and have done quite a bit of work following about 1,200 young athletes for three years to evaluate their risks of specialized training.

You are a sports medicine physician, but also a specialist in tennis medicine. What is tennis medicine? "Tennis medicine" is an organized and comprehensive approach toward managing the health of a tennis player of all levels, while understanding his or her needs on and off the court. This may also include appropriate, evidence-based, tennis-specific medical treatments and rehabilitation, counseling on tournament, match volume, training and risks, and lastly I personally go on court to do evaluations of strokes and technical aspects coordinated with the teaching profes-

If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

Wow! This is a difficult question.

Dali Lama? Oprah? Hillary Clinton?

There are tons of professional athletes that I am interested in meeting. I am most interested in meeting my next client. Why? Because I want to see who the next person is that I am going to help be at their best!

sional to increase a player's chances of long-term healthy participation.

What are the dangers of specialization in young athletes? We have had several publications that discuss the potential risks of burnout, injury, overuse injury, and serious overuse injury.

My biggest concern is not just these risks, but of attrition and quitting the sport altogether, and not continuing as an adult. We are doing some preliminary work to evaluate parents and children of tennis players to see what specialization may do in the long term to tennis participation.

What advice would you give to parents who wish to have their child focus on only one sport? A parent should first figure out the goal of the child and advise them appropriately versus what their own goals are. Typically, having fun and physical activity even during competitive years is the primary goal for many kids playing tennis. Our adult-centered competitive structure makes them feel that they must give up everything else and ONLY

What are some of your hobbies?

Well needless to say, I am crazy about tennis. I still get out and play 5.0/open events (depending on how much sleep I am able to get). In fact, we are moving our family to Atlanta this summer so I can work at Emory University and develop a novel tennis medicine program, and hopefully have our two sons have a lot more exposure to a lot of sports throughout the year (including tennis of course!)

If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be and why? I have worked the ATP tour for the last 15 years as a volunteer physician, and the WTA Tour more recently in an advisory role, and I have become more impressed with the true history of the sport of tennis and how it influences society.

But I'd love to sit down and chat with Billie Jean King one day and really hear about the types of things she did to innovate the sport and promote societal change, and also make woman's professional tennis the most successful professional woman's sport around. h

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 59

USPTA World Conference

USPTA Launches Mobile App for World Conference Powered by Crowd Compass

T

here is an app for everything these days, and now USPTA will have one for the premier event in the tennis industry.

Staying connected at the USPTA World Conference will be easier than ever with the use of the USPTA World Conference app, powered by Crowd Compass and brought to attendees by TuringSense.

Attendees will be able to see more, do more, and get more value out of the event – right from their mobile device. Receive up-to-the-second information with greater accessibility to education and offers from USPTA endorsees and Buying Show exhibitors right from your computers or mobile devices to enhance your convention experience.

Features of the app include: • The full event schedule sorted by day, speaker, and/or track, and the ability to rate the sessions directly on the app

• Connect and exchange contact details with other attendees • Share your event experiences on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and post on the internal activity wall • Follow the event on Twitter at #USPTAWC15 • Find session and exhibitor locations with maps of exhibit halls and session rooms • See details about all of the exhibitors, sponsors and speakers • View information on all of the social events such as the Welcome Reception, Division Parties, Masters Invitational and Awards Luncheon • Scan your QR codes for education credits directly in the app

60 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

• Access the Virtual Event Bag directly through the app • Interactive maps of the hotel, Buying Show floorplan, and New Orleans • Catch notifications about networking opportunities, contests, and other breaking event news pushed directly to your device Using this app at the World Conference will make it easy to stay organized.

Attendees will be able to create a custom schedule and personalized stream for the events and seminars they attend, find out more about speakers and exhibitors, give instant survey feedback after sessions, and much more.

Not only can attendees receive notifications for reminders and room changes, they will be able to receive individual notifications tailored to their experience. They can get a reminder about an upcoming seminar, when to head to the Buying Show or receive exclusive offers from sponsors and vendors.

Interactive maps make navigating the conference easy and intuitive. Find out

how to get around New Orleans, learn the layout of the hotel, or explore the Buying Show floorplan. Click on a part of the map to zoom in and out, tap on pins for exhibitor and session information, and click on links to full profiles.

The app makes staying social a cinch. Meet up with old colleagues or manage new connections with the ability to message other attendees right through the app. Social sharing is even easier. Attendees can also update their social media status and monitor their feeds and the #USPTAWC15 hashtag during the conference.

To download and install the app, visit crowd.cc/s/7TVG from your device.

Or download the Crowd Compass Directory app directly from iTunes or Google Play, then search for USPTA World Conference to add to your events.

This app performs optimally whether or not there’s an Internet connection. When connected, the app downloads updates (like a schedule or room change). Once downloaded, all of the data is stored locally on the device so it’s accessible even if there’s no Wi-Fi. For more information on the 2015 USPTA World Conference, visit uspta. com/conference. h

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Career Development Exams, Upgrades & PTCA I

Specialty courses

Coach Youth Tennis Workshop

(2 credits)

(2 credits)

(4 credits for PTCA I segment) Sept. 12-13 Sept. 12-13 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 24-25 Oct. 3-4 Oct. 4 Oct. 4 Oct. 8-9 Oct. 9 Oct. 10 Oct. 10-11 Oct. 10-11 Oct. 16-17

Vancouver, Wash.

Clearwater, Fla. Midlothian, Va. Tuscaloosa, Ala. New Orleans Huntington Beach, Calif.

W. Bloomfield, Mich.

Hilton Head Island, S.C. Mt. Kisco, N.Y. Nichols Hills, Okla.

Eau Claire, Wis. Boca Raton, Fla. Atlanta Houston*

* 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.

Sept. 21

Teaching tennis successfully at the club level F. Hassan USPTA World Conference, New Orleans Sept. 21 Career Planning G. Lappin USPTA World Conference, New Orleans Sept. 23 Fitness training and periodization M. Kovacs USPTA World Conference, New Orleans

Sept. 19

Casper, Wyo.

Sept. 19 Sept. 25

Key Biscayne, Fla. Boulder, Colo.

Oct. 3 Oct. 17

Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Fayetteville, N.C.

Oct. 23

Bradenton, Fla.

Conventions (8 credits) Sept. 21-25

USPTA World Conference New Orleans

Cardio Tennis Sept. 11 Sept. 12 Sept. 12 Sept. 13 Sept. 19 Sept. 19

CT CT TRX CT TRX CT TRX CT TRX CT

Alpharetta, Ga. Santa Clara, Calif.

Santa Clara, Calif.

Santa Clara, Calif.

Park City, Utah Park City, Utah

Sept. 20 Oct. 10 Nov. 14 Nov. 14 Nov. 15

TRX CT CT CT TRX CT TRX CT

Park City, Utah Providence, R.I. La Quinta, Calif.

La Quinta, Calif.

La Quinta, Calif.

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

62 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register online.

Education requirements All USPTA-certified Professionals must earn 6 education credits in a three-year period to remain current. Go to USPTA.com/Education for a partial list of eligible activities. Please send verification (email, letter, certificate, receipt, etc.) that shows you attended the event/activity and submit it along with the date and agenda to education@uspta.org to receive your credit. (International members, Recreational Coaches and those over the age of 65 are exempt.) Questions? Write to education@uspta.org or call 800-877-8248, ext. 147.

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Member News • The third annual "Serving It Up For Special Olympics" was held on May 30 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Tournament Director Cathy Thomas, USPTA, along with several dedicated volunteers, organized the event that attracted a dozen Special Olympians. The Olympians participated in various lessons and skills events, and were given a message of encouragement from members of the Cincinnati Bengals. Commemorative T-shirts were presented to each Olympian.

The public was invited to play in the evening, during which some 42 doubles teams competed. Afterward, both a silent and live auction took place generating $30,195 for Special Olympics of Hamilton County, Ohio (Cincinnati).

• Bert Poole, USPTA, recently won the ITA Southeast Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year Award. He is the Assistant Men’s & Women’s Tennis Coach at the University of Mount Olive in Mount Olive, N.C. He is the first Trojan assistant tennis coach and only the second Trojan assistant coach in any sport to win the Regional Assistant Coach of the Year Award. His men’s team was ranked as high as No. 24 in the nation (DII) this season and went undefeated in conference play two years in a row.

• Acing Autism, nonprofit organization led

by USPTA Professional Richard Spurling that brings specialized recreational tennis programs to children with autism spectrum disorders in communities throughout the U.S., has a new partnership with PlayYourCourt, a service that connects students with teaching professionals. PlayYourCourt is supporting ACEing Autism with a portion from every

Dave Boon, USPTA Pro and executive director of the Wyoming District of the Intermountain Section, has worked with American Indians on the Cheyenne/Arapaho Reservation outside Lander, Wyo. Boon helped the Wyoming Indian Elementary School obtain a USTA Serves ICON School Grant to develop and implement a tennis, education and wellness program at their school. A USTA Serves grant and additional funding from the USTA Wyoming District helped the school purchase equipment. Boon helped train the PE teacher, Richi Kraisin, launch a full-blown tennis PE program for every student in the school that lasted for a month. Every student at WEIS had tennis a minimum of two times each week.

The school also promoted an afterschool program, Kids Tennis Club, and had 55 students show up the first day.

The program lasted for six weeks. On the last day of the Kids Tennis Club, Boon and the USTA WY District provided each student with a free racquet and foam ball.

ADDvantage magazine editorial offices USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite 202 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.

lesson sale going toward helping children with autism spectrum disorders learn tennis. Learn more about Acing Autism at www.aceingautism.com. Learn more about PlayYourCourt at www.playyourcourt.com.

• Legendary University of Hawai'i tennis coach Jim Schwitters, already a 2009 inductee in the UH Sports Circle of Honor, will now enter the ITA Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame. Schwitters retired as the winningest coach in NCAA history with a combined men's and women's record of 1,327-610-15, all at the University of Hawai'i. He coached the men's team for 38 years, from 1966-2004, to an 819409-8 record, and coached the women's team for 25 years, from 1966-1991, to a 508-201-7 record. On the men's side, Schwitters coached 14 all-WAC players, one ITCA scholar-athlete and five ITA scholar-athletes. He was the ITCA Region VII coach of the year in 1999-2000. Among his highlights include an eighth place finish at the 1968 NCAA College Division Championship and qualifying for the 1975 NCAA Division I Championship. As a player, Schwitters was named one of the top 10 players of the 20th Century in Hawai'i and was Player of the Decade for the 1970s.

He won more than 400 tournaments in all eligible age groups, founded the Hawai'i Division of the USPTA in 1970, was the first inductee into the USPTA Hawaii Division Hall of Fame and was USTA Hawaii President in 1965.

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President First Vice President

Tom McGraw Chuck Gill

Vice Presidents

Alan Cutler Jack Michalko Dan Moster Diane Selke Gary Trost

TM

Past President CEO Legal Counsel

Tom Daglis John Embree George Parnell

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. 2015. All rights reserved.

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