Addvantage 2016 April

Inside this issue The Ten Commandments of Being a USPTA Professional– 48 Invest in Yourself – 52 Departments: 42 CEO’s Message 44 Vice President’s Message 46 USPTA Benefits 48 Master Pro Corner

52 57 58 60

Beyond the Court USPTA News Career Development Member News

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com On the cover: Great coaches inspire players and give them the foundation

for success. Are you that coach? Does your program fill that role? See Page 54 to enhance how you operate your club’s junior programs.

CEO’s Message

Unsung Heroes

by John Embree

I

t is always such a pleasure to hear from our members who appreciate the culture change that has taken place within the USPTA over the past three plus years. Unsolicited calls and emails come in to Houston praising the direction that the association is heading and how we are making such a positive difference in the lives of our professionals. Needless to say, it is gratifying to be on the receiving end of these compliments.

Trying to get everyone “to get on the bus” is not easy. With so many divergent opinions and factions within any national organization that has more than 15,000 members, there will never be “buy in” by 100 percent of the constituency. But, if we can get the majority of the membership on board with our roadmap, and have local advocates who serve as mouthpieces for the transformation of the association, it is then that we have the necessary impetus to move forward.

While one of our greatest strengths is the fact that we are a volunteer organization, nothing happens without the tremendous commitment of our paid staff, both nationally and within the divisions. I have gone on record multiple times, both in public and in my writings, acknowledging the outstanding work that the national team continues to do to serve our members. After reducing our staff by 30 percent in January of 2013, we continue to operate at a very high level without adding additional overhead. This is a tribute to those who are dedicated to our mission and want one thing and one thing only: to provide outstanding customer service to USPTA Professionals in the field.

But this message is specifically dedicated to the executive directors and executive administrators who toil behind the scenes at our divisions, often doing so without fanfare or much recognition. It is they who execute the national programs that we roll out. It is they who keep the divisions on track

42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

when the board leadership turns over every two years. It is they who manage the financial affairs of the divisions, coordinate the division educational offerings, including the division conventions, and communicate with their respective constituents through newsletters, email blasts, etc.

Tom Van De Hey (Intermountain) were long-standing USPTA Professionals and continue to be before they “stepped up” into the line of fire.

Finally, our two “newbies” have jumped right into the mix and have shown their leadership early on and often. Traci Fisher (Middle States)

While division leadership turns over on a regular basis, the executive d ­ irectors and executive administrators remain the one constant, the anchor for division leadership ... I want to publicly acknowledge the contribution that each of them makes to put their division first. They are the unsung heroes and, as Billie Jean King would say, “sheroes” of our association.

The USPTA has been blessed to have several seasoned veterans manning the fort of their divisions. In the cases of ­ nderson Pat Anderson (Florida), Carol A (Midwest), and Don Patch (Pacific Northwest), they have been ensconced in their roles for over 20 years. Jack ­Michalko served the USPTA Southwest for just as long but turned those duties over to his wife, Rita, upon his election to the national board. After Christin Thurston, who has been in her role for 11 years in Northern, and Don Gomsi in San Diego of seven years, all of our other executive directors and administrators have been working on behalf of their divisions less than five years. In fact, there has been considerable turnover of these positions of late with several only being on board officially in this capacity for two years or less.

The good news is that even some of the newcomers had plenty of experience in USPTA leadership, having served as president of their division before taking on the role of executive director. Charlotte Wylie (Texas), Angie Koumaris (Missouri Valley), Patrick Kearns (Mid-Atlantic), Sara Morse (Southwest but now ED of California), Pat Whitworth (Southern) and Andrea Barnes (Nor Cal) were all capable presidents in their own right before assuming this important role after their term ended. Plus, Paul Fontana (Eastern) and

and Michelle Brown (New England) have embraced the challenge and are performing admirably even when faced with daunting challenges when they got started. I can honestly say that the current group of EAs/EDs is the best collection of leaders that we have assembled in my time here.

I revert back to my days in corporate management and respectfully view these individuals almost like sales representatives for our brand. They are the catalyst for anything and everything that happens at the division level. While division leadership turns over on a regular basis, the executive directors and executive administrators remain the one constant, the anchor for division leadership. Who else is able to keep things together and have all of the answers when their boards need help?

I value what they do on a daily basis to keep the ship on course. Most serve as a part-time independent contractor, but the fact is that their jobs could be 24/7 if they allowed it to be.

I want to publicly acknowledge the contribution that each of them makes to put their division first. They are the unsung heroes and, as Billie Jean King would say, “sheroes” of our association.

Next time you speak to or communicate with any of them, tell them thanks for all that they do to support our organization. They deserve your plaudits. h

Vice President’s Message

The Lifelong Learner

by Feisal Hassan

I

t is an honor to be one of your representatives on the USPTA National Board where I have been appointed to co-chair both the National Education Committee and the Certification and Testing ­Committee.

Along with the committee members and our newly hired national ­tester, Sid Newcomb, we are here to serve you.

Sid will be working closely with the head testers from each division and with the National Certification and Testing Committee to provide a certification training and testing process that is consistent and uniform around the country as well as to select, train, and add new testers. The goal is to provide a certification pathway that is easily accessible from any location in the country.

As your Education and Certification and Testing co-chair, I highly recommend that members who have a “Professional” level status certification consider working toward becoming “Elite” Professionals.

Here are a few reasons why: 1. Validate Your Expertise When did you become a USPTAcertified Professional? Chances are some time has elapsed and you have grown in your teaching. Let that show in your teaching credentials as well as on the court.

2. Gain an Edge in the Job Market Did you know that many teaching

Lifelong learning is a hallmark of a profession as a whole and a ­professional. We hold other professions to a standard of lifelong learning, but what standard do we hold for our profession?

The game of tennis continues to evolve; are you evolving with it? professional jobs already require Elite Professional status? Employees are looking for the best and the brightest in our industry to serve their members. Don’t miss out on advancing your career!

3. Commit to Lifelong Learning Lifelong learning is a hallmark of a profession as a whole and a professional. What if your auto mechanic didn’t continue to learn? Chances are your newer, high-tech automobile couldn’t be serviced. What if your doctor or surgeon didn’t continue to learn? Chances are you wouldn’t get the newer laparoscopic or robotic procedure. We hold other professions to a standard of lifelong learning, but what standard do we hold for our profession? The game of tennis continues to evolve; are you evolving with it?

What’s Required to Become an Elite Professional?

• Be a USPTA member and at least 22 years of age. Take and pass the written Elite exam, which covers business, programming, sport science and tennis operations, the Elite stroke analysis exam, and the Elitelevel on-court exams.

• Earn 16 specialty course and 24 APC credits, which are readily available by attending workshops, conventions, webinars and other educational offerings.

• Earn 6 credits every three years to maintain your membership.

• The cost of the upgrade fee includes a set of nine specialty course DVDs. The DVDs help you prepare for the Elite written exam as well as earn your specialty course credits.

“ If I am ever through learning, I am through.”

~ John Wooden Many of you know of John ­ Wooden. If you don’t know who this legendary collegiate basketball coach was, Google him immediately. In his book, “Life Wisdom: Inspiring Thoughts from the UCLA Coaching Legend,” Coach Wooden shares his words on lifelong learning. I will leave you with his words as we look toward continuing education for 2016 – “If I am ever through learning, I am through.” John Wooden h

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44 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

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USPTA Benefits

Four Benefits of Attending USPTA Conferences

By Max Desmars, USPTA

U

SPTA conferences and workshops are very helpful for tennis pros to better themselves. The first-ever ­USPTA Southern U30 conference was a great success thanks to ­Marley Woods and Dan Beedle, who organized every detail of this event, and to great speakers from all over the country to share their knowledge. The conference was hosted by the Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club in H ­ endersonville, Tenn.

There are many benefits of educational conferences that can help make tennis p ­ rofessionals more s­ uccessful.

Benefit No. 1: Network, network, network Meeting other tennis professionals and hearing about their experiences will be very valuable for your career.

Networking will obviously result in great opportunities; you will not only start developing your own network, but also gain access to other people’s ­networks.

Benefit No. 2: Learn from the best coaches in the country You will meet several top-notch coaches in a short amount of time. Craig ­Cignarelli is one of the best high-performance coaches in the country and was present at the U30 Conference. He shared his knowledge about the mental game, coaching styles, and player ­patterns.

Frank Giampaolo, a bestselling author, talked about the athlete’s development plan and the benefits of educating tennis parents.

PowerPoint presentations to take home with you for future reference. Conferences enable you to address your problems, questions, or concerns you had on or off the court.

Claire Bartlett, a U30 tennis professional, shared her knowledge about how the mental game is crucial for tennis players. She has a master’s in kinesiology/sport psychology and was able to give everybody tips on how to use mental exercises to help our players.

Benefit No. 3: Collecting valuable information You will gather presentation sheets or

Benefit No. 4: Your clients will appreciate that you care about what you do to help them Yes, you will have expenses when you attend USPTA conferences, but you have to see it as an investment. The information and knowledge you get will help you be a better coach, which may result in more on-court time.

There are countless benefits of attending work conferences that will help your tennis career. These benefits will make you a better tennis professional, but will also help you distinguish yourself from other tennis pros who never attend conferences. h

#GetYour6 in 2016 Still need to earn your 6 continuing education credits this year? There are tons of ways to earn credits: • Attend USPTA conferences and workshops • Attend USTA activities and events • Attend events of affiliated organizations (CMAA, PCA, IHRSA, TIA, ITA, PTR, etc.)

• PTCA I • Seminars • Speak at conferences • Watch USPTA DVDs or stream education content online at TennisResources.com • Complete the online courses at coachyouthtennis.com • Watch webinars • Other activities such as computer courses, CPR certification, etc.

Visit uspta.com/education for all of the ways to earn education credits and to check the event calendar for upcoming events near you!

Article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of The Standard, the official newsletter of the USPTA Southern D ­ ivision.

46 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

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Master Pro Corner

The Ten Commandments of Being a USPTA Professional

By Glen Howe, USPTA Master Professional

H

aving been a teaching professional and in the tennis industry for 35 years, it is amazing all the opportunities that have come my way. With a lot of hard work, a little bit of luck and a lifetime of experiences, you too can achieve your personal dreams. As you already know, this is not an easy profession. I have found that there is a guideline that has helped me throughout my career: 1. Thou shalt work at one’s education The game is constantly changing and with the massive amount of televised tennis, consumers learn techniques by watching the best players. Eighty percent of all students are visual learners, so it can’t be emphasized enough that attending workshops and conferences is very necessary. Not only are there numerous forums, but networking creates many learning opportunities outside the classroom. All good techniques were borrowed from another source. Nothing that I use as a management or teaching technique was created by me.

2. Thou shalt take care of one’s self To be a professional trainer, it takes a lot of discipline to take care of yourself properly. Carrying too much weight is not good for your body and not good for your image.

Eating healthy snacks and drinking the right fluids can go a long way in curbing excessive eating after work.

In addition, training in your spare time and lifting weights can be very helpful in weight management as well as keeping yourself injury-free.

It has always bothered me that some of my fellow teaching professionals

48 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

tennis industry. Take the time to be engaged in your organization. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the benefits of membership and what they mean to you.

Training in your spare time and lifting weights can be very helpful in weight management as well as keeping yourself injury-free. don’t take care of themselves physically like they should. After teaching all day (eight to 12 hours) and getting home around 9 p.m. on a regular basis, food is often used as comfort rather than as life’s sustaining element.

Instead of eating the right foods and less of them close to bedtime, we gorge ourselves. Some may even drink a good amount of beer and fall asleep. Your body is your most important asset as a teaching professional, so take care of it for the long haul.

3. Thou shalt take advantage of all the benefits USPTA offers many benefits to its membership. Unfortunately, most USPTA Professionals are not aware of all the opportunities. Education, competition and resources are but a few of the perks of being a USPTA member. The USPTA.com website connects you to the many avenues of our divisions and the rest of the

4. Thou shalt find one’s passion I have spent the majority of my tennis career wanting to be somewhere that I wasn’t. When I was a head pro, I wanted to be a tennis director.

When I became a general manager, I wanted to be an owner of a facility.

The key was to find my passion as well as where I could make the greatest impact in the tennis industry.

For me personally, it was about making an impact and sharing my passion of tennis with as many people as possible. I found over many years that teaching hundreds of kids at one time really didn’t have as much impact as I would have liked. I found that working with and testing teaching pros has had a tremendous effect on what I was trying to accomplish. Teaching pros have a lot of students that they come in contact with.

5. Thou shalt play tennis This tennis commandment is very important but is many times overlooked. As an example to your students, fellow workers and industry professionals, playing tennis is a premium. You are looked at as an example and must maintain the best profile as a teacher as well as a player. Many times a student will ask about how to compete or what to do in a specific situation. No one can help accurately answer these questions better than someone who competes on a regular basis.

Playing tennis in tournaments and at tennis conventions can be one of the

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47

best networking opportunities that teaching professionals can find.

6. Thou shalt network with other teaching professionals This point, is in my opinion, one of the greatest assets of being a ­USPTA teaching professional. So much can be learned and experienced by interacting with fellow teaching professionals. Sharing experiences and solutions to issues that our ranks encounter daily can be helpful to our clients that we service.

Networking is by far the easiest way to get that elusive job that you have been seeking or an opportunity in the industry. The average tennis director position has a couple of hundred resumes flooding the position with about eight seconds being spent looking at each resume. The recommendation of a teaching professional to an employer works very well, as we all know. A personal recommendation gets the best possible person for the job and a level of confidence to the employer. ­Networking in the USPTA will help you go far!

7. Thou shalt talk the talk and walk the walk Being in the tennis industry, there is an extreme amount of scrutiny that accompanies your interaction with contacts. Customers, staff, and fellow teaching professionals are among the many that are observing every aspect of your existence. How you dress, being on time and how you carry yourself is only the beginning of the essence of a committed teaching professional.

A mentor of mine used to say to me to try to raise your personal bar 10 percent every day. What this means to me is to work at my trade and get out of my comfort zone. Speak at a convention, play in a sanctioned tournament, or attend classes to learn a skill that will improve you to be a well-rounded pro and human being. This pursuit of excellence has no finish line or ending.

8. Thou shalt be faith-based in one’s convictions During the height of my tennis ca-

Networking is one of the greatest assets of being a ­USPTA teaching professional. reer, all my obligations and profit centers took precedence over taking time for my faith. My basic line was “I don’t have time.” The fact of the matter was, I didn’t make time for what was the most important aspect of my life. An old financial planner friend of mine was teaching me about personal wealth. One of his first points of emphasis was to “pay yourself first!” What this means with my time is to make appointments to go to church. If anything gets in the way, you will have to say that you have another appointment.

For me, creating a habit was the key to reading the Bible on a regular basis. I wanted to make this a priority so I have found that getting up a little earlier in the morning is the perfect time because the house is quiet.

Find time to take care of yourself spiritually with what grounds you.

9. Thou shalt be both ethical and moral Above all, always do the right things and make the right decisions that are based on your own value system

and the organization that you work for. I always tell my staff to make decisions as though the city manager was standing next to you. As far as the working environment, if the decisions are based on the core values and service standards of the company, one will do great. As far as personal decisions, make them as though God or your spouse/partner is standing next to you.

10. Thou shalt mend the fences at home first Many have learned this lesson all too late in their tennis careers. In the pursuit of accolades and advancement in this industry, we often forget to take care of the homefront first. When not taking care of your spouse or family while pursuing personal acknowledgement, one can lose one’s family as a casualty of personal improvement.

Playing in tournaments and winning trophies and prize money have very little to do with the needs of the club in which you are employed. Always take care of your family and job before pursuing personal ­benefit. h

Glen Howe is Superintendent of Tennis for the City of Tallahassee, Fla. He served as treasurer and president of the USPTA Middle States Division and was named Middle States Division Pro of the Year in 1998. He was twice named USPTA 35s Player of the Year and has received the USPTA Facility Manager of the Year award. Currently, Howe is a Florida Division Officer and has been the Florida Head Tester for the past 10 years.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 49

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Beyond the Court

Invest in Yourself

By Ian Thomson, USPTA Elite Professional

T

here are a lot of articles that discuss how to come up with new programs, market your programs to others, and drills to use with clients, but very few that deal with the future of tennis professionals. When the topic of the future is brought up, many people immediately think it will only be about retirement and financial planning, and those are topics that too few professionals consider. The retirement side of things is just one area that professionals should consider. But a professional should understand that the future will be the present soon and time should be spent on them. These include career choices, education, health, and, of course, r­ etirement.

Career

The obvious first consideration for anyone who is beginning their career is the path that they would like to take. No one wants to stay in the exact same spot forever, so understanding where the professional would like to go is important. There are several questions that a professional can consider when looking at career choices:

Education is becoming more important than ever and those who focus on learning are not only investing in themselves, they are also investing in the membership and clubs where they teach.

ly work with highly ranked juniors, juniors in general, or adults? l Does the professional want to work at a country club, a public facility, or independently?

to be at the club even when it is raining.

Others would rather have the salary when the weather causes lessons to be cancelled. A professional will also need to understand what is expected from his director. And if the professional is the director, how does the general manager or homeowners association feel things need to be done to be successful?

While there are professionals who will be well-suited to be directors, there are some professionals who will not aspire to that. The thing to remember is that when a professional is first starting out they may be on the court 30 to 40 hours a week. Can the same professional continue to teach that much as he gets older and nearing retirement? Some professionals are more interested in the flexibility of making their own hours, and do not want the responsibility of having

Most directors are going to make sure that their staff is helping the program and that they are an asset to the membership, so they will want the professional to invest some time in themselves.

Since a tennis professional may be in this profession for roughly 40 years or more, it is important to understand the path that one wants to take. Education will be what it will take to get to their goals.

Education is becoming more important than ever and those who focus

l Does the professional want to be a

director of tennis someday?

l Does the professional want to main-

52 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Education

on learning are not only investing in themselves, they are also investing in the membership and clubs where they teach. The most important thing to remember about education is that every conference, workshop, convention, or other form of education will produce new knowledge or will reinforce what the professional already knows.

The professional as well as the club will look good when education is a priority. Along with education, attending these events allows the professional to network with other professionals, which can lead to the exchange of new ideas, or create occasions for clubs to work together on new events so the membership has different people to play. Sometimes these events can also lead to new positions. Another reason for the professional to spend time on education is the USPTA’s continuing education for certified members. While some professionals will have to weigh the idea of losing revenue and time to travel to some of the offerings in order to remain certified, it is something that has to be worked around. Most states’ workshops are one-day events that are near the professionals and easier to get to. The divisional workshops last a few days, and the World Conference is a weeklong mega event. The World Conference is very inspiring and professionals need to make sure to plan to attend one in the near future. The advantage to going to a divisional convention or the World Conference is the break from normal routine along with educational and networking opportunities. There is also the advantage that the cost of the conference can be used as a tax write-off if the professional personally pays. A tax attorney will be helpful here.

Health

The body is the centerpiece for the career, so the physical and mental health of the tennis professional has to be valued.

When professionals are on the court for long hours day in and day out they tend to wear down, so a vacation or a break is a good thing. The brain needs a release from the workload, and what better way to do this than attending a conference where someone else does all the work and the only choice is what to attend during the stay. Getting away from the grind allows the professional to be more relaxed and ready to get back into the normal routine.

Besides the mental health of the professional, the physical health is also

The advantage to going to a divisional convention or the World Conference is the break from normal routine along with educational and networking opportunities.

important. Two areas that are major concerns for tennis professionals are skin protection and hydration. Working out in the sun all day makes sunscreen necessary to prevent skin cancer. Skin cancer is one of the higher risks for tennis professionals after a long career due to the amount of time that they are in the sun. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids while teaching all day is also vital. Professionals should remember to eat well and rest also because the toll on the body is tough throughout the year, and during the whole career. No matter what happens during the career of the tennis professional, it is only the professionals who take care of their bodies that are able to enjoy the fruits of their labor after they decides to walk away.

Retirement

Retirement is a subject that many professionals do not relate to well because, one, it is in the future, and two, it is sometimes tough for tennis professionals to be able to really plan for their retirement. People in many other fields have it easier when considering retirement because they are making the same amount of money each week, or very close to it, so the consistency allows for a better budget.

Many tennis professionals rarely have a consistent budget because things change depending on lessons taught, weather, getting sick, or other variables.

Many professionals say they will wait until the next year to start saving for retirement, and soon they are getting close to retirement and nothing has been done. The easiest thing to do is to make sure any money that is set aside for retirement comes out before it is seen. It will come out before the check is ever sent to the professional, so even if it is only $20 per check, the more time that the money has to grow the more a professional will have when he retires. If a club matches any investment in the 401K then the professional will want to make sure to get the full match. Besides the 401K there are IRA and ROTH IRA accounts.

The difference is that the ROTH money was taxed the year it was put in so the money is withdrawn tax free, and a traditional IRA is taxed when it is pulled out. There are some requirements that need to be checked and considered, so consult a financial planner to make sure all the details are explained. Another option is the USPTA Retirement Gold+ program, which allows USPTA Professionals to receive quarterly contributions from our endorsees.

Go to usptaretirement.com for more information or to sign up. Just remember that a professional does not want to get to 60 years old and realize that they cannot retire after all the years of hard work. Make sure to consider how to retire and spend some time looking at it. The future is coming. Are you going to invest the time to be prepared for it when it gets here? h

Ian Thomson is tennis professional at Buckhead YMCA in Atlanta. In 2010, he was a Top 10 education recipient at the USPTA World Conference and the Industry ­Excellence Award winner from the USPTA-Georgia Chapter. He has specialist degrees in Competitive Player Development, Sport Science, 10 & Under Tennis, and Facility Management. He is the First Vice President of the USPTA GA Board of Directors.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 53

Beyond the Court

“20 point” Inspection Tool for Youth Tennis

By John Sherwood, USPTA Elite Professional

W

hen I see great junior players, some of the questions I ask them are, “Who were your first coaches? Who taught you to play?”

These coaches inspired those players and gave them the foundation for success! Are you that coach? Does your program fill that role? While many clubs run strong and successful junior programs, here are several components that you can use to compare and enhance how you operate today.

1. Select your 10U coaches based on their ability to communicate, manage the court, and most importantly, connect and have fun with their students.

2. Clearly communicate to your coaches the teaching philosophy and teaching progressions you wish to use at your club, and especially within your Foam Ball to Yellow Ball Junior programs. This can be accomplished with some in-house coaching education. I would recommend using the USTA High Performance Stroke Parameters and HP 10U guidelines as a starting point.

Set up weekly continuing education sessions whereby current staff reviews and discusses current trends.

Structure it so staff contributes and presents on assigned topics.

3. Develop a “weekly theme” and/or “Shot for the Week” for each week of lesson program and its sessions.

4. Develop detailed lesson plans for each level (red, orange, green, etc.) per week/day with some built-in flexibility to address individual group levels and coaching styles.

54 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Select your 10U coaches based on their ability to communicate, manage the court, and most importantly, connect and have fun with their students.

These lesson plans should include “coaching notes” that help young coaches focus on the key areas for each drill, lesson or task. There is a lot of work involved in developing well thought-out teaching progressions that cover technique, game strategy and athletic and mental development. This is missing in most clubs/programs.

5. Having themes, lesson plans, and weekly planning meetings with coaches is key to having a well-coordinated developmental pathway and will positively affect student retention. It will provide a consistent product presentation, from session to session, year to year, and provide greater continuity as coaches come and go. In addition this really builds your club/program as a brand.

6. Hold weekly coaching meetings to review the upcoming week’s lesson plans, on-court drills and key points for the coming week. These are different from the continuing education meetings.

7. Mentor your coaches and give them plenty of time for continuing education outside of the club.

8. Establish teams and team leaders for each level of progression – Foam and Red Ball leader, Orange Ball leader, Green Ball leader, etc. Hold these coaches accountable for lesson quality, sign-ups, retention, and parental contact. They should report the 10U director or junior ­director.

9. Your junior director or 10U director needs the flexibility to manage and

“float” between programs, levels and courts freely. They need to be able to interact with coaches, players and parents at will, rather than be tied down on court. Their job is to build and manage the program through developing players and coaches and cultivating parent ­relationships.

10. Hold a parent orientation before the start of each session (session being multiple week lesson program).

11. Set up a more formal parental contact plan via email, handouts and coach interaction. Having parents educated and involved in your program is key to player retention and program growth. Coaches should provide updates on the students’ progress every two weeks. Coaches should review the lesson topics covered and what’s coming up. This communication should dovetail into registration initiatives for the next session.

Ball players that runs parallel to and compete each week so they can your regular programs. As part of build on what they learned within this pathway, establish minimum their lesson. participation parameters like three sessions per week plus one private 19. Educate the players and parents lesson per week. These are your about the local USTA’s Orange committed players. and Green Ball play opportunities in their area. Expose them to the 17. Expose your younger players to tournament pathway. your more accomplished players.

Allow your older players to be role 20. Young players need open court models, big brothers/big sisters to time, free time and time to play the younger players. If possible, tennis with their friends – without have your older players work with coaches or parents or formal struccollege players and strong adult ture. Make sure you encourage parplayers, especially in doubles. Playents to set up these play sessions. ers need to see where the developmental pathway leads.

Building and incorporating these simple components into your program 18. Set up a formal league/ladder for may take time and several evolutions each level of competition. There to get everything in place within your are many ways to structure this, business format. However, it is worth but the key is to provide every play- it! YOU can have a great impact on your er the opportunity to play, have fun business, and a young player’s life! h Hold weekly coaching meetings to review the upcoming week’s lesson plans, on-court drills and key points for the coming week.

12. Teach your players’ parents basic hand-feeding drills so they can play, practice and interact with their child outside of the lesson.

13. Use your “team leaders” to establish an in-house team that discusses player progression and advancement between levels. Ensure a player has mastered all skill sets before graduating to the next ball color or court size. This should be completed two weeks before the current session ends, allowing time to market the next session.

14. Set up “Red Ball” private lesson times where six Red Ball private lessons can take place on one court at one time. You can use half- and full-hour formats.

15. Use video technology to present lessons/strokes and stroke analysis. Video should be a part of every group lesson at least once per week.

It can be as simple as watching a one-minute lesson or professional player’s stroke and discussing.

16. Establish a “High Performance” pathway for Orange and Green

John Sherwood is a USPTA Elite Professional and USTA High Performance Coaching graduate. He played Division I tennis for the University of Toledo, after which he embarked on a business career. He became chief club operating officer of Five Seasons Sports C.C. in Cleveland, Ohio, and Burr Ridge, Ill. He also served as a coach at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y., and as director of High Performance Tennis at Centercourt Athletic Club in Chatham, N.J. In addition he served as a coach for the USTA Spring National Team Championships for the last two years, and is currently on staff with the Boston College women’s team. He has coached and guided hundreds of junior players along the developmental pathway to Major DI college teams and into the professional ranks. While developing solid fundamentals in his players, his coaching skills excel in developing his players’ mental, strategic and problem-solving skills that set the top-tier players apart.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 55

USPTA News

$10,000 USPTA Clay Court Set for May at TOPS’L

T

he USPTA Clay Court Championships return to Florida but have a new home in 2016.

This year’s tournament will be hosted by TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort in Miramar Beach, Fla., May 14-16, and is open for registration to USPTA-certified Professionals through May 6.

TOPS’L is a beach and racquet resort located in Miramar Beach in the Sandestin area of Northwest Florida.

Situated on 52 private acres, the fullservice resort is bordered by the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and a nature preserve, and the tennis facilities are home to 12 newly resurfaced clay courts. Tennis Resorts Online consistently rates TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort as one of the world’s Top 100 Tennis Resorts & Camps and a Best Value for the Dollar.

Total prize money for the tournament is $10,000 and will feature events in the following categories: men’s and women’s open singles and doubles competition; men’s 35, 45, 55 and 65 singles; men’s 35, 45, 55 and 65 doubles; women’s 35 and 45 singles and doubles; and mixed doubles.

Tournament players will also have the opportunity to earn continuing education credits while on site. USPTA Master Professional Bill Tym will conduct a professional development seminar on Saturday, May 14, from 8-9 a.m.

Also on Saturday will be a vendor showcase of several top tennis equipment manufacturers, a player luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a player welcome party that evening.

As a benefit to certified members, the surface championships provide an opportunity to play against other USPTA Professionals, showcase skills, and win prize money. Members who play in the surface championships have the opportunity to play their way into the

USPTA Masters Invitational, which will be held in September at the 2016 USPTA World Conference in Indian Wells, Calif. This tournament, which replaces the International Championships, gives USPTA-certified Professionals an added opportunity to showcase their skills and earn a portion of the $7,500 prize money.

Players receive points in both the main draw (if they win at least one match) and in consolation play (if it is offered). In consolation matches, a player or team advancing by default will receive credit for a win as long as that player or team does not default the next match. Doubles players will receive individual rankings.

The USPTA Surface Championships are open to all USPTA-certified Professionals in good standing. To see the current rankings or learn more about ranking rules, sanctioned tournaments, and tournament regulations and requirements, go to uspta.com/ tournaments. h

2016 USPTA Surface Championship Schedule: USPTA Indoor Championships March 18-20, 2016 Racquet Club of Memphis Memphis, Tenn.

USPTA Clay Court Championships at TOPS’L May 14-16, 2016 TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort Miramar Beach, Fla. USPTA Masters Invitational Sept. 24-27, 2016 Indian Wells Tennis Garden Indian Wells, Calif.

USPTA Hard Court Championships Nov. 4-6, 2016 Hollytree Country Club Tyler, Texas Visit uspta.com/tournaments to register.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 57

Career Development Division Activities Exams, Upgrades Coach Youth Tennis Workshop & PTCA I (6 credits)

(4 credits for PTCA I segment) April 9-10 Aurora, Ill. April 9-10 Orlando, Fla. April 10-11 Lakewood, Calif.

April 11-12 San Francisco April 11-12 Atlanta April 13 Hilton Head Island, S.C. April 14-15 Mt. Kisco, N.Y. Midlothian, Va. April 17 Las Vegas April 17-18 Tuscaloosa, Ala. April 19 Tyler, Texas April 20-21 Des Moines, Iowa April 23 Albuquerque, N.M. April 23-24 Fairfield, Conn.

April 23-24 * 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.

April 24-25

(2 credits) April 2 May 1 May 14

Gainesville, Fla. Pensacola, Fla. Palmetto Bay, Fla.

May 21

Port Orange, Fla.

May 22

Albuquerque, N.M.

USPTA Eastern Convention Chatham, N.Y. May 1-2 USPTA New England Convention Norwich, Conn.

May 12-14 USPTA Southern Convention Atlanta May 15 USPTA Hawaii Convention Honolulu

For more workshops, visit coachyouthtennis.com.

Cardio Tennis March 18

Cardio Tennis Training Course Crooked Creek Tennis Club, Alpharetta, Ga.

April 9

Webinars (.5 credits) April 13

TBD Emilio Sanchez

Cardio Tennis Training Course

Maines Pines Racquet & Fitness Club, Brunswick, Maine Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.

Watch all 2015 recorded webinars at youtube.com/ user/TheUSPTA. For more information visit uspta.com/ Education>Education Calendar.

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.

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.

58 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

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.

Member News • USPTA Past President Tom Daglis was selected to receive the International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award. This is a great honor that was presented to him at the USTA Annual Meeting in La Costa, Calif., in March.

The list of past award winners is impressive, with many having strong ties to USPTA: George Basco, Bill Tym, Jim Reffkin, Peter Burwash, Nick ­Bollettieri, Kirk Anderson, David T. Porter, Tim Heckler, Steve Wilkinson, Mark Kovacs, Butch Staples, Vic Braden, Jack Barnaby and Kathy Woods.

• La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA WEST announced the appointment of Lynne Rolley as director of tennis. Rolley will be responsible for the leadership and oversight of all tennis operations at La Quinta Resort & Club, including instruction, clinics, seasonal tennis camps and educational/social programs serving the 776-guestroom resort and members of The Citrus Club at La Quinta Resort. A USPTA-certified teaching professional with more than 40 years of instruction and coaching expertise, Rolley previously served as director of tennis at Berkeley Tennis Club in Berkeley, Calif., where she was responsible for all member operations since 2007. She also held posts as tournament director for the Girls’ and Seniors’ National Championships. Her lifelong passion turned career also included posts as Director of Women’s Tennis for the USTA where she coached Jennifer Capriati and US Open winner Lindsey Davenport to center court. Rolley is also the first woman to coach a men’s collegiate tennis team in the U.S., early in her career at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif. Ranked in the top 10 as a junior player in the USTA, Rolley resides in Palm Desert and is a certified PTR and USPTA Elite Pro, member of the ITF International Coaches Commission, and 2008 inductee into the Northern California Tennis Hall of Fame.

• In a moving style reminiscent of inspirational author Andy Andrews, Amazon No. 1 Bestselling Author David F. Berens blends his expertise as a USPTA tennis-teaching Professional and fiction writer to bring us not only an exciting look into the grind of a single professional tennis match, but the life that is changed within it. Whitfield Franklin Andrews, the burned-out veteran pro tennis player, is on his way to losing an important tennis match. The book opens at 6-0, 5-0 – rock bottom for a tennis player – but he quickly realizes that he’s at rock bottom in his life as well.

The journey through his epic comeback in this match leads the reader to explore and find nine life lessons that relate not only to tennis players, but to regular people as well. “Break Point” is an inspirational and motivational story that will keep readers engaged and reflecting until the end. To order visit Amazon.com.

• “Never Give Up” is the inspiring true story about Brad Minns, a­ USPTA Professional who, at age 3, became sick with an extremely high fever. The battle over sickness left him with a severe hearing impediment. “Never Give Up” chronicles Minns’ life in which he overcomes adversity to win at tennis, bodybuilding and life. Minns’ journey to come from behind at the 1985 World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles to win the gold medal is one of the most incredible sports comebacks in history. To order a copy of the book, visit www.BradMinns.com or Amazon.com.

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

60 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Managing editor Circulation

• USPTA Professional Lane Evans was awarded the USTA NC Carlton Harris NC Pro of the Year for 2015.

He also received the Master Tennis Performance Specialist Designation from International Tennis Performance Association. Evans is Director of Tennis & Wellness at Champions Hills in Hendersonville, N.C. • After rapid success as Director of Tennis Operations at Renaissance Family Fitness, USPTA Professional Umang Chadda recently accepted a new challenge – to oversee the complete fitness club operations and serve as RFF’s General Manager. Chadda serves on the USPTA Louisiana Board and recently organized the USPTA Southern Adult One Day Tournament at Renaissance. Chadda received a 10 years of service award with USPTA in 2015.

• Mike Carrigan passed away on Friday, Nov 27, 2015. He was 68. He had a lengthy career as a USPTA tennis-teaching Professional and had been the director of tennis at a club in Gainesville, Fla. More recently he worked in residential real estate and played in many USTA leagues. C ­ arrigan was on the 2015 Shipwatch men’s USTA 65+/8.0 team that won the Florida Sectional in April 2015.

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President First Vice President

Chuck Gill Gary Trost

Vice Presidents

Past President CEO Legal Counsel

Alan Cutler Feisal Hassan Ken McAllister Jack Michalko Diane Selke

TM

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.

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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. 2016. All rights reserved.

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