Addvantage 2016 July

Inside this issue USPTA World Conference – 42 Whys and Hows of Personal Branding – 50 Adding Time and Focus to Tennis Instruction – 52 Departments: 36 CEO’s Message 38 Vice President’s Message 50 Beyond the Court 52 Master Pro Corner

54 56 58 60

USPTA News Growing Your Business Career Development Member News

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com On the cover: Join USPTA Pros in Indian Wells, Calif., for the USPTA World Conference, Sept. 25-29. Read more on Page 42.

CEO’s Message

Westward Ho!

T

he July issue of ADDvantage is always dedicated to previewing the upcoming USPTA World Conference. We will be heading west for the first time since we were in Monterrey in September 2012. Four years is a long time between stops, but we have had some memorable World Conferences in that time: Orlando (2013), the US Open (2014) and last year in New Orleans. Because of demand from everyone west of the Rockies, I expect a record turnout of our membership from the Mountain and Pacific Time zones!

We return to the desert for the first time since La Quinta in 2010 but have selected the serene and luxurious Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif. We could not have asked for a better venue this time around, not only because of the exceptional accommodations but the room rate of $115+ is almost unheard of.

As always, we are shaking up the typical schedule to provide a change of pace while offering different educational offerings. For example: 1) The USPTA Buying Show will kick off the social calendar on the first evening of our conference, Monday night from 5-10 p.m. Being the largest and only annual true tennis buying show that exists in our industry, we anticipate more than 75 vendors to attend.

Be prepared to enjoy our buffet dinner and walk the show to see the latest and greatest that our exhibitors have to offer. Of course, the silent auction that benefits the USPTA Foundation is always a highlight that evening.

2) For the first time ever, we will be hosting a panel discussion with three members of the International

36 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

by John Embree Tennis Hall of Fame. Facilitated by Hall of Fame CEO and former tennis great himself, Todd Martin, I anticipate that the conversation among these all-time greats will be riveting.

3) We moved the Awards Luncheon up in the schedule so that more people could attend. Plan on spending two hours starting at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 27, to see who will be awarded the Alex Gordon Professional of the Year Award along with our other top national awards. Plus, I am excited to announce that Peter Burwash will be inducted into the Hall of Fame where we will honor his 40-plus years of service to our association and to tennis-teaching professionals across the globe. He will follow up his induction with a general session presentation later that afternoon and share his usual words of wisdom. By the way, Todd Martin will also serve as our keynote speaker at the Awards Luncheon to wrap up this celebration of the best that the USPTA represents.

4) Tuesday afternoon we host the General Membership meeting followed by the division parties that evening. I am sure your respective division has a plan to make your event special.

5) We have slated two other exciting panel discussions: one with the CMAA and its Director of Education, Jason Koenigsfeld, who will present the core competencies that are required to become a general manager at a club. He will be supported by two USPTA Professionals who graduated to become GMs of their facilities and will also share their experiences.

The USTA panel will present the latest on the status of the USTA National

Campus in Lake Nona while Martin Blackman will give a state of the young professional American talent that is making headway on the tour.

6) After a full day of education on Wednesday, you can look forward to a relaxing and enjoyable evening at our poolside reception as the night cools the desert and the stars come out!

7) Thursday will be our last day of education, highlighted by Dr. Gerry Faust, noted author and consultant to Fortune 500 companies. I have heard Gerry speak on several occasions and it is fortunate that he will share his expertise with our membership on running your own business.

One of our allied organizations, United States Racquet Stringers Association, will be presenting a specialty course that afternoon for those who are interested in the latest equipment technology and stringing.

Finally, we took a giant leap forward last year with the implementation of the World Conference mobile app to help you manage your experience.

This year, we are taking it one step further by making our registration process completely paperless! Cvent, the leading provider of registration services, will be aiding us as we transition to a more efficient registration platform. Embrace the change!

I always look forward to our annual get together: to get reacquainted with old friends, meet new members, and be energized by a terrific cadre of speakers. We have been working for months putting together what looks to be another outstanding program. And with the deadline fast approaching for members to complete their professional development requirements, I expect a HUGE turnout. Westward Ho! See you in the desert... h

Vice President’s Message

Diversity and Inclusion Accomplishments and Goals

by Diane Selke

A

s chair of both the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Awards Committee, it’s my responsibility to keep track of how we are progressing with the initiatives we have in place. I’m glad to share with the membership what we have accomplished thus far and what our goals are looking to the future.

Accomplishments: • By end of 2015, we received 70 applications from the membership for those wanting to serve on a national committee. Thank you! The application will be updated and sent out in 2017 for members who want to serve a two-year term in 2018 – 2020 on a national committee. Get involved by first serving on a committee in your division.

• Women are a gender and not a diverse population. It was agreed that there would be a women’s subcommittee under Diversity and Inclusion. There will be a meeting at the World Conference, so look out for the date and time on the conference app.

• The ADD Program flier was created and sent to all divisions. The ADD Program offers applicants in need an opportunity to join the USPTA. For more information, go to uspta. com/join and click on Financial Assistance. The Membership Committee, led by Chairman Jack Michalko, is looking at ways to retain these applicants once the test is finalized.

38 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Goals: • We are looking for more diverse, experienced speakers at the divisional and national levels. If you know of anyone, please send their name, division, topics and where they have spoken in the past three years to Alan Cutler, Education Committee Chairman, at playtennisforlife. info@yahoo.com. We are looking forward to the diverse speakers scheduled for the USPTA World Conference in Indian Wells. I hope you will join us in September!

• We hope to finish our diversity history by the end of 2017. Warren Lem and Karla Ruyua will complete this assignment. Thank you!

• We are always looking to recognize members who go out and work/ teach diverse populations. We all have diverse members at our facility. Who goes the extra mile and seeks out diverse populations and

Tom McGraw with Dale Evans (left), 2015 Diversity Award winner.

brings tennis to them? If you know someone, send us a headshot of the professional and include the name, division, number of years as a USPTA Professional, what certification level they are, and the name of the diverse group they teach. Explain who, what, where, why and how they bring tennis to a diverse group.

Limit it to one paragraph and send it to magazine@uspta.org.

• We hope to create a calendar of diverse events that USPTA should send a representative to. This will give us exposure when we set up a booth and network to attract new members. If you know of an event that USPTA should attend either by a divisional or national BOD or committee member, please send type of event, date, time, place and number of people attending to John Embree at john.embree@uspta.org and me at dsgogreengowhite@gmail.com.

National Awards We will be streamlining the application process further. I would like to thank my 2016 committee: Mark Faber, Conan Lorenzo, Craig Bell and Terence Killen for their continued work in this process as we try to bring the divisional awards and national awards in line with one another. This past year the application was online. Look for more information coming in this year’s fourth quarter.

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

Help us recognize these members that go above and beyond during the awards presentation at the World Conference! h

USPTA World Conference

7 Reasons to Attend the USPTA World Conference

E

very year, USPTA puts on the premier event in the tennis industry at the World Conference. No other event brings together tennis-teaching professionals and coaches, manufacturers and industry representatives like this annually.

But if you still need convincing, here are seven reasons why you should attend the 2016 version of this.

about new programming ideas to take back with you to your club or facility.

1. #GetYour6

4. New venue

If you haven’t earned your 6 continuing education credits yet, this is the place to do it. This year is the last year in the first three-year period to earn your credits, so why not knock them out in just a few days at THE education event in the tennis industry?

2. Sharpen your knowledge

Sometimes you have to get out of your routine and into a new environment to sharpen your skills. How much better does a new ball bounce versus an old one? Freshen up on the latest teaching techniques, discover new drills and learn

3. Meet the experts

Where else would you be up close and personal with some of the leaders in the tennis industry? Take the opportunity to make a connection with an influencer or share a business idea with someone whose career you admire.

Never been to the desert? Here’s your chance. The Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa is a first-time host for the World Conference. The resort has beautiful amenities to enjoy when you’re taking a break from seminars.

Take advantage of the discounted rate for golf – an excellent way to get to know the other attendees (new colleagues, perhaps?). The Indian Wells Tennis Garden – home of the BNP Paribas Open – is also just a short drive away. Check that tennis venue off your bucket list by coming to the World Conference!

5. New tools and technology

The USPTA Buying Show is the largest tennis-only trade show in the country and this year it kicks off the conference on Monday. Check out the latest trends and technologies the exhibitors will have on display to sell at your pro shop or give you the edge at your club or during your lessons.

6. Have fun!

Why did you get into the tennis industry in the first place? If you’ve been stuck in a rut doing the same thing, attending the conference will give you a fresh perspective on why you were so passionate about teaching tennis in the first place. Division parties, the poolside reception and lots of other opportunities to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones are a fantastic way for you to feel energized about your profession. There’s nothing like being there to meet people face-toface to make meaningful and lifelong connections with your colleagues and friends. h

Here are a few tips for getting the most out of the conference: Look beyond the schedule. There’s more to attending the conference than just sitting in a lecture. Keep your eyes and ears open as you walk from session to session. You might run into an old acquaintance you haven’t seen in years. You might see a pro you’ve always heard about but never met.

Take some time to have a cup of coffee with someone new.

This is a great opportunity to network. You never know where your next job might come from or where you might find the perfect employee. Schedule a meeting in the app!

Don’t leave everything up to chance. Where else are you

going to go where you will be around hundreds of other people in the tennis industry? Make plans ahead of time to have lunch, dinner or drinks with a group of your peers and chat. Your downtime is a great time for picking up new ideas. Download the app to see who is on the attendee list and send them a message!

42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA World Conference

Registration Information

T

he 2016 USPTA World Conference is right around the corner with registration set to open soon. Here’s the latest information along with some tips to know before you go to get the most out of your experience in Indian Wells.

Hotel Reservations l

l l

2016 USPTA World Conference registration rates

(Registration will be available soon.) l Full registration $390 by Sept. 11/ $440 after Sept. 11 l Spouse/guest registration $200 by Sept. 11/ $215 after Sept. 11 (no continuing education credits) l Daily registration $165/day l Specialty courses $50/course

Discounts (Only one per person) l l l

First-time attendee Save $75 on full registration New USPTA member Save $75 on full registration Three or more USPTA members attending from same club/facility $25 discount on each for full registration

l

Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa 4600 Indian Wells Lane Indian Wells, CA, 92210 Room rates $115 per night + taxes & fees Parking $5/day Reservations Call 888-421-1442 or register online at bit.ly/WC16-hotel.

Need a roommate?

Contact Janice Stollenwerck ( janice. stollenwerck@uspta.org or 800-8778248, ext. 100) at the USPTA World Headquarters to be put on a room-share list. She will send regular updates.

Stay Connected #USPTAWC16

facebook.com/USPTA.Official twitter.com/USPTA_Tennis instagram.com/uspta/ youtube.com/user/TheUSPTA

Need a car?

Save on your rental

Save up to 30% at participating locations and lower your travel costs for both business and pleasure. Go to bit.ly/AvisUSPTA and enter Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) No. U353920 or call 800-831-8000.

Save up to 5% at participating locations. Go to bit.ly/EnterpriseUSPTA and enter account number XZ06853 and Password USP. Save up to 10% at participating locations. Go to https://www.nationalcar.com and enter account number XZ06853 and password USP.

Certification, Upgrading

Need to take the Certification Exam or upgrade your rating? The PTCA I and Certification Exam will be offered at the World Conference. Contact the Membership Department at membership@ uspta.org or 800-877-8248 for more information or to sign up. h

Take notes and highlight action steps. Then act!

Taking copious notes is a big part of attending a conference. You’ll hear lots of great ideas and words of wisdom. But if you just write them down and then forget about them, you’ve lost a great opportunity. Instead, highlight the ideas you want to try back home. Then, when you get back to work, read through all your notes while the conference is still fresh on your mind. Make a to-do list with your action items and get started! You can even take notes of each session right in the app!

Make your attendance count. One benefit of attending the World Conference is the opportunity to earn all of your required education credits at one time. Just attending the World Conference is worth 10 continuing education credits. Each seminar is worth another half credit. Be sure to scan your badge or membership card then the course code in order to receive your credits.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 43

USPTA World Conference

World Conference Looks to Expand Role of Technology in Indian Wells

A

t last year’s World Conference, USPTA connected tennis industry professionals and experts from all over the world. Using technology during the event made information easily accessible and communication quicker than ever.

For 2016, USPTA will have technology play an even bigger role to expand the reach of educational offerings. Attendees will have up-to-the-second information, greater accessibility to education, and the ability to view offers from our exhibitors and sponsors right from their mobile devices and computers to enhance their convention experience.

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 #USPTAWC16 hashtag during the conference.

The app will be available for iPhone, Android and tablets. Just search “USPTA World Conference” in your phone’s app store. Visit uspta.com/conference for further details.

CrowdCompass Conference App

For the second straight year, USPTA will use a smartphone app through CrowdCompass exclusively for the World Conference. 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 Indian Wells, learn the layout of the hotel, or explore the Buying Show floor plan. 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

44 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Self check-in

When you come to the World Conference, you want to be able to check in quickly, receive the information you need and get going. To get attendees on their way, USPTA will offer a self-check-in option. Simply walk up to one of the tablet stations, input your information, and your ID badge will automatically be sent to a printer where a USPTA staff member will hand it to you, and then you’ll be on your way. How quick and easy is that?

Virtual Event Bag

Also coming back to the 2016 conference is the Virtual Event Bag, a “green” way for attendees to take advantage of all the offerings from exhibitors and enhance the Buying Show experience.

Conference goers will get an email invitation to go online and visit their “event bag” and explore all of the offerings from our vendors. Similar to online

shopping, attendees will add items to their “bag” and either redeem the exhibitor’s offer at the show or save for later.

The bag also allows vendors to reach an even greater audience than the Buying Show. The virtual event bag will open to the public Sept. 19 and be available for 30 days after the show for tennis professionals and coaches to take advantage of information, discounts and other offers.

Live streaming

One of the most successful aspects of the 2015 conference was the ability to live stream four general sessions to those professionals and coaches who were not able to attend. Hundreds of members from multiple countries tuned in to learn and earn education credits.

USPTA will offer live streaming access to multiple general sessions with the option to earn education credits while at home or taking a break at their club or facility. USPTA members will have the option to purchase live-streaming of general sessions (not seminars or specialty courses) and view through YouTube. Tennis pros will be able to hear about the latest happenings in the organization and still earn continuing education credits.

Social media

The reason the USPTA World Conference is the premier event in the tennis industry is the ability to bring together the top industry professionals and leading experts on all things tennis.

Using social media to meet and connect with other attendees or speakers – or to reach out to them from home – after a great session or a meeting is a fantastic way to stay in touch. Connect with USPTA on social media through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Search #USPTAWC16 to monitor the conversation or join in and share the experience. h

USPTA World Conference

Meet Some 2016 Featured Speakers Lorena Martin, Ph.D., USPTA, is an applied behavioral scientist, quantitative methodologist, and exercise physiologist who specializes in the use of statistical methods in health behaviors and sports performance.

What is sports analytics and how did you become interested in it?

It’s the science of analyzing data collected from the athlete’s on- and offcourt performance to gain insight and a competitive advantage.

I became interested as a result of studying psychology and physiology for many years. I wanted to be able to quantify and measure progress and improvement and found that statistics was the way for me. It puts to rest unfounded beliefs. I really loved the ability to closely examine my theories and analyze the data, objectively removing my biases through the numbers.

What are your thoughts on analytics in tennis? Is it being used effectively?

I am seeing an effort in the tennis world to improve their analytics and staHoward Moore, USPTA, has been the program director at Saddlebrook Tennis for 30 years. He was coached by the late Australian Davis Cup coach, Harry Hopman.

He joined Hopman’s staff in 1978 and ran the Harry Hopman International Tennis Club in Bologna, Italy.

The tennis program at Saddlebrook has been rated by Tennis Resorts Online as one of the Top 4 camps in the country. What do you do there to make it stand out?

Saddlebrook provides an attentionto-detail experience for the clients.

Additionally, the programming for the adult and junior athletes is well structured. Unquestionably, the roles that the staff has played have been the key to the

46 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

tistics viewpoints. Technologies such as PlaySight and Babolat, along with IBM have attempted to promote analytics and are doing a great job at it.

Tennis coaches should incorporate either an analytics platform or include a sports performance analyst on their team to examine a player’s training regimen, nutrition habits, and sleep patterns, which could later be used to customize training programs, prevent injuries, and improve performance on the court.

You have earned multiple certifications – USPTA Elite Professional, personal trainer, nutritionist, certifications in yoga and aerobics, etc. How have these certifications impacted your career?

It wasn’t like I was trying to get as many certifications and degrees as possible. It happened as a result of my innate desire to learn as much as I could about becoming the best athlete I could become – it was a way to attempt to improve my level of tennis and compete in pro circuit events.

The same holds true for my educational background, I wanted to learn everything I could about the human body (mind and body) and athletic greatness. success that has been deployed and executed on a daily basis. The overall amenities of the resort are also outstanding.

What was it like working with the great Harry Hopman?

Harry Hopman was unsurpassed as a team organizer, coach, psychologist and motivator. Hopman was the Vince Lombardi of tennis. I owe my entire journey and success in the game of tennis to Mr. Hopman.

What changes would you like to see in coaching?

The direction that the USPTA is taking with its continuing education platform is paramount to the future success of the entire organization and to the game in general. Coaches must embrace the model that allowed them

While working on your doctorate, your research focused on reducing health disparities among the Hispanic population. Why did this topic interest you?

I have always been interested in reducing health disparities as well as increasing diversity in sports. As a result, I volunteered in the Diversity and Inclusion arm of the Southern California Tennis Association and later became Vice Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the SCTA. I think it is important that tennis participation includes not only children of all races but of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

How did you start playing tennis?

I actually ran cross country up until the age of 13, and one day my mother took me to the local courts in Miami and I hit the ball back and forth with her. A nearby coach approached me and asked if I would like to play a match.

Being one to never turn away from a challenge, I said yes. I won the match and I became instantly addicted to the sport of tennis. *

* More from this interview is available at www.addvantageuspta.com to enter into the tennis arena from their professional onset.

What made you join USPTA and earn your certification?

I joined USPTA when the headquarters was at Saddlebrook. The networking affiliates compiled with the support of the entire membership obviously enticed me to join. I am grateful for what the membership has provided me over the years.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?

Train yourself to get up two hours earlier every day, four days a week and get those menial tasks out the way. By completing this exercise you gain weeks on your life. Over a month, 36 hours x 12 months leads to 432 hours, which is 18 days of organization. h

USPTA World Conference

Conference Schedule (This schedule is tentative and subject to change)

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

9/25/16

9/26/16

9/27/16

9/28/16

9/29/16 8:30 a.m. – noon CYT Workshop (register at coachyouthtennis.com)

9 – 1 p.m.

Specialty Course 1:

TBA / Hank Pfister

9 – 10 a.m.

Seminar (Ct) / Stan Oley Seminar (I) / Benefits Panel

9 – 10 a.m.

Seminar (Ct) / Paul Goldstein Seminar (I) / Lorena Martin

9 – 10 a.m.

Seminar (Ct) / Emma Doyle Seminar (I) / David Sammel

9 – 10 a.m.

Seminar (I) / Tracy Almeda-Singian Seminar (I) / Feisal Hassan

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Seminar (Ct) / Jeff Salzenstein Seminar (I) / Jeff Gearheart

10:30 a.m. – noon General Session: Hall of Fame Panel / Rosie Casals, Lindsay Davenport, Pam Shriver

10:30 a.m. – noon General Session: Seminar (Ct) / Jose Higueras

10:30 a.m. – noon General Session: Seminar (I) / Gerry Faust

Noon – 2 p.m.

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch 1 – 2 p.m.

Seminar (Ct) / Torey Hawkins Seminar (I) / Pat Shields

2 – 6 p.m.

Specialty Course 2:

TBA / Paula Scheb

Awards Luncheon Keynote speaker: Todd Martin

1 – 2 p.m.

Seminar (Ct) / Michele Krause Seminar (I) / Ajay Pant 1 – 5 p.m.

1 – 5 p.m.

Specialty Course 3:

Specialty Course 4:

TBA / John Yandell

TBA /Bob Patterson

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Seminar (I) / Craig Jones, Scott Schultz Seminar (I) / Jane Savage

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

General Session / Peter Burwash

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

General Session (I) / CMAA Panel: Tim Dietrich, Jason Koenigsfeld, Steve Shaw

3:45 – 4:45 p.m.

Manufacturers Ad Staff Meetings

3:45 – 4:45p.m.

General Session (I) / Martin Blackman, Kurt Kamperman, Craig Morris

3:45 – 4:45 p.m.

Seminar (I) / Tim Mattek Seminar (I) / Howard Moore

5 – 10 p.m.

USPTA Buying Show and Reception

5 – 6:30 p.m.

General Session (I) / USPTA Membership Meeting

5 – 6 p.m.

Seminar (I) / NJTL Seminar (I) / Desmond Oon

7 – 9 p.m.

Division Parties

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Poolside Reception

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47

USPTA World Conference

Things to do Around Indian Wells

T

he Coachella Valley offers everything from shopping to museums to casinos. This region is also a magnet for nature lovers. Here’s a sneak peak of some of the activities available to you when you join us in Indian Wells for the USPTA World Conference.

1

Palm Springs Arial Tramway. This attraction is not for the faint of heart. Get a bird’s-eye view of Palm Springs and the valley floor as you travel 2 ½ miles up the cliffs of Chino Canyon in a rotating tram car to a final elevation of 8,516 feet.

3

Agua Caliente Casino. If Lady Luck is a friend to you, check out this casino that has 1,400 slot machines, 39 table games and a room for high-limits gambling.

2

San Andreas Fault Jeep Eco-Tour. This three-hour tour is led by an expert naturalist guide and includes a guided nature walk in the San Andreas Fault Zone.

4

General Patton Memorial Museum. Military buffs will enjoy learning more about this American hero. The site of the museum is a former Desert Training Center hand-picked by General Patton, because of its proximity to water and its semblance to the desert of North Africa.

5

Eisenhower Peak: Wilderness Loop Trail. Bring your hiking boots and discover this 5-mile trail that wanders through the Living Desert Nature Preserve. It takes you through various Sonoran Desert biological communities and habitats.

(Photo by Dsyrengelas at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3078559)

For a more detailed listing of things to do and places to go, see our guide at uspta.com/conference.

48 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

JOIN US VISIT

USPTA.COM/CONFERENCE

FOR MORE INFO & REGISTRATION RATES

Beyond the Court

Whys and Hows of Personal Branding

By Boris Fetbroyt, USPTA

A

s USPTA is encouraging all teaching professionals to get their six credits through the professional development program, it’s important to understand the bigger picture – that professional development builds a teaching professional’s personal brand. So why is personal branding important?

Job Demand As continuing education/professional development is becoming more mainstream in the business world, the same can be said in the tennis industry. As teaching professionals, the physical aspect of teaching gets harder as we age, so our goal is to find ways that we can make money while spending less time on court. With this we come to career choices! I can’t speak for everyone but I would assume a great number of teaching professionals aspire to be directors one day. If we look at positions that open up for directors of tennis, you can see there is quite a list of requirements just to apply for the position. Most director positions require an undergraduate degree, with a master’s preferred.

On top of your academic educational requirements, owners and general mangers of clubs are asking for an applicant’s most recent tennis educational activity or involvement. Are you on a board? Committee? Employers love seeing a continued path of success in their applicants, which shows a strong work ethic and a true dedication to your industry.

Job Security It’s important to understand that you can never take your job for granted. No matter what type of club you work for, whether it’s a country club or commercial club, changes can always be made. Owners of com-

50 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Whatever tennis market you decide to work in, make sure you become a specialist in it. If you choose the high performance pathway, make sure you master the skill of developing talented junior players, or if you decide to be a college coach, make sure you master the art of motivating your team. Once you believe that specialty is mastered, showcase it and build that credibility. mercial clubs can decide to sell their club to other buyers who bring in their own staff to run the tennis programs. The same goes for country clubs as tennis committees and executive boards change throughout time, which can lead to directors/ teaching professionals losing their positions as well.

As we know, there are things in life that are out of our control. However, our name is our greatest asset and one that stays with us for the rest of our lives. Taking your name and transforming it into a personal brand that others will appreciate and recognize is your best chance for long-term success in the tennis world. One of my favorite quotes from Benjamin Franklin is, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” So how do we build this personal brand?

Upgrade Your Certification Level First and foremost, upgrading your certification level to Elite Professional should be the first item on your thingsto-do-list if you aren’t currently an Elite Pro. Most director positions require an Elite Professional certification level and some of the top country clubs in the United States even require an applicant to be a Master Professional.

Understand Yourself and the Industry Many teaching professionals are former players, whether it’s playing on the junior circuit, playing college tennis, or even giving the professional tour a shot. But from personal experience, I realized that figuring out which market you want to teach in is mostly learned through experience. Sometimes your first teaching job is one that you really enjoy and love and you decide to follow that path; for others, below are some pathways teaching professionals can pursue.

• • • • •

High School Coach College Coach High Performance Coach Commercial Club Structure Country Club Structure

Whichever pathway you pursue, make sure that you enjoy it and understand that every pathway tends to be different and has different job descrip-

tions along with different goals. High school and college coaches have the pressure of winning matches to keep their jobs. High performance coaches must develop young junior players so they succeed in junior tournaments and hopefully receive tennis scholarships. In commercial clubs, you tend to work for one owner and the person you report to may be different compared to a country club structure where you report to a committee or board.

Grow Your Network The USPTA offers many of its educational and networking opportunities through workshops, seminars, and divisional and national conventions.

Through all these opportunities, and especially the USPTA World Conference, you have the chance to meet fellow teaching professionals, directors, general managers and owners from every aspect of the tennis industry. You never know when you might cross paths, but it starts with attending these events and getting your name out there.

How to Build Credibility The USPTA offers many great opportunities for teaching professionals to grow their credibility through speaking engagements at workshops, seminars and conventions, as well as writing articles for your divisional newsletter. The best way to get involved with these types of engage-

ments is to get in contact with the executive director or president of your USPTA division and see what dates are available to present or what newsletters still have openings for articles. It’s very important to understand that you never know who is reading your article or who is at any given convention.

These presentations can potentially open future doors for you that you weren’t even expecting.

Showcasing Your Specialty As tennis-teaching professionals, we all have strengths and weaknesses.

Some coaches are great with juniors; some coaches relate better with adults; and some coaches are better at technical work, whereas others may be better with strategy and patterns of play.

Whatever tennis market you decide to work in, make sure you become a specialist in it. If you choose the high performance pathway, make sure you master the skill of developing talented junior players, or if you decide to be a college coach, make sure you master the art of motivating your team. Once you believe that specialty is mastered, showcase it and build that credibility.

Always Remain a Student Remember, no matter how well you think you know your industry or how much of an expert you think you are in it, never stop learning and mastering your specialty. Every industry changes through time; it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and certifications in our sporting world. The second we stop learning, presenting, and attending conventions, our personal brand starts to devalue. It takes a lot of time and effort to build a personal brand, so let’s not let it go to waste.

Bottom Line The services that your brand provides will always be in demand as long as you live up to what you showcase. Just remember – life happens; things happen out of our control, but your brand is what no one can take away from you. h

Our name is our greatest asset and one that stays with us for the rest of our lives.

Taking your name and transforming it into a personal brand that others will appreciate and recognize is your best chance for long-term success in the tennis world.

USPTA Elite Professional Boris Fetbroyt is the Head Tennis and Paddle Professional at Baltimore Country Club and a USTA High Performance Coach. He also serves on the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Board of Directors and the USPTA U30 National Committee.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 51

Master Pro Corner

Adding Time and Focus to Tennis Instruction

By Bob Anderman, USPTA Master Professional

T

he challenge for me as an instructor is to understand why it is so hard for a tennis player to move beyond the 3.5 level. Beginning students seem to move quickly to 3.0. It takes them a little longer to reach 3.5, but then they hit a tennis level wall.

Once a player reaches the 3.5 level they should have solid stroke technique, a basic understanding of tactics and strategy, and some concept of mental toughness.

Playing matches and lessons that work on skill development seem to have a modest impact. So what am I missing?

To better understand this, I studied other pros’ teaching methods and started doing my own research. I discussed this quandary with a good player who once coached a major college baseball team.

For him, tennis and baseball were the most difficult sports to conquer because they require the player to hit a fast-moving ball and stay focused while moving.

Specific to baseball, the ball travels 95 mph over a distance of 60.06 feet.

A tennis ball does not travel that fast.

However, players have to react to a moving ball while they themselves are moving. So I decided to do some research on the speed of the tennis ball. During the most recent Wimbledon, the New York Times had an animated video of a tennis serve. It showed that a serve hit at 150 mph ends up on the server’s racquet at 75 mph. Wow! Half the speed is lost!

To give this fact some perspective, look out the window of a car traveling at 75 mph. The world zooms by. Because my curiosity was peaked, I decided to create a spreadsheet showing different speeds and distances of a tennis ball. I doubled each result based on the NYT’s video to show the actual hitting time. For example, a ball hit at 40 mph takes 1.3 seconds to travel 78 feet. I doubled this time to 2.6 seconds. That information gave me a new appreciation of the amount of time a player has to prepare and react, while simultaneously having to deal with a

52 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

spinning ball with an arc, plus a bounce. I never covered this concept of time in my teaching, yet it is obviously a key component of hitting a tennis ball.

Focus is the other component that I haven’t taught. Focus should not be confused with mental toughness or watching the ball. I have worked with my tennis students and players on mental toughness

practice and competition?

There is an enormous amount of new information that is available to us and I have tried to integrate that new information into my teaching and coaching.

Coaches and pros like Tomaz Mencinger at www.feeltennis.net, Craig O’Shannessy at www.braingametennis.com, and authors like Daniel Goleman (“Focus: The

How much time do we spend on teaching players how to focus and what to focus on?

Are we giving our students so much information that they are confused on actually what to focus on in practice and competition?

and watching the ball but assumed that players knew how to focus. What is actually happening in the player’s mind as the ball is approaching? We know it takes the brain .02 seconds to process a thought.

Also, the more thoughts entering the brain, the longer it takes exponentially to process, thus slowing the reaction.

The question is, how does one focus on a moving object, make contact with the ball, and redirect it to the proper place, all within a very limited about of time? The ball is coming quickly and we ask our brain to process the speed, height and spin, and do all the biomechanical necessary things to make contact. It comes down to one’s ability to focus on what is most important.

How much time do we spend on teaching players how to focus and what to focus on? Are we giving our students so much information that they are confused about what to actually focus on in

Hidden Driver of Excellence”) and Anders Ericsson (“The Road to Excellence: Acquisition of Expert Performance in the Arts”) have changed my way of coaching and teaching. I personally spend more time with my tennis students and high school teams on learning how to focus on the ball in flight, how to use time to their advantage, and how to recognize when time is against them. Understanding the opportunities and challenges of time and working with students to enhance their ability to focus will have a dramatic effect on how much they improve. h Bob Anderman, tennis coach for the boys and girls at Glenelg Country School in Ellicott City, Md., has had two careers spanning 60 years. He started teaching tennis in 1954 and teaching school in 1968. He taught high school and college and served as an educational consultant for such companies as the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He actively competes in tennis, and in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 he was ranked No. 1 in doubles.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47

Tuffy WINDSCREEN ®

THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST TENNIS WINDSCREEN Tuffy Windscreen offers the unmatched durability of VIPOL® Matrix Mesh.

Exclusively ours, VIPOL Matrix is a super tough fabric that outperforms conventional windscreens because it contains over 50% more micro-fibers.

It’s virtually tear-proof and has the highest puncture resistance available.

Tuffy Windscreen features LOCKSTITCH finishing to assure that its sides and corners do not unravel, a historic problem with conventional chain-stitched windscreens.

Carries a 5 year factory warranty.

ITS PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE ENHANCES ANY FACILITY.

100% M ade in USA

Chroma-Bond® IMPRINTING

Our exclusive, double-coating process for vivid lettering and logo imprints that are much more durable than competitive screen or digital imprinting. Chroma-Bond images literally BOND INTO the Vipol vinyl surface, so they do no scratch off or prematurely fade from UV sunlight exposure like other printing processes. Images last as long as the windscreen.

SOLD BY ONLY THE BEST TENNIS DEALERS

Official Tennis Windscreen of USPTA

INCLUDING:

• 10-S Tennis Supply

800-247-3907

(10-S is ex clusive USPTA R etirem ent Gold+ W indscreen participant.)

800-823-7356 www.aerflo.com

© 2015: Aer-Flo, Inc. All trademarks owned by Aer-Flo, Inc.

• Active Sports

800-322-2848

• Tennis Equipment Sales 480-443-1084 • Total Tennis

614-488-5004

• Athletic Connection

800-527-0871

USPTA News

Emirates Airline US Open Series Invites USPTA Professionals Back

S

ummer is back and so is the 13th season of the Emirates Airline US Open Series! The five-week summer tennis season links seven North American hardcourt tournaments to the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open.

For the fourth consecutive year, USPTA will partner with the USTA to make the 2016 Emirates Airline US Open Series available to the USPTA and its certified members.

The partnership began in 2013 to provide USPTA Professionals access to the U.S.-based tournaments in the Series and was modeled after other successful agreements already in place in Stanford, Calif., New Haven, Conn., and Cincinnati.

Once again the tournaments will offer an additional benefit to USPTA division leaders. Each division’s president and Professional of the Year award winner will both receive two box seats to an available session at the tournament in their area. Both the division president and the Pro of the Year will be recognized during the tournament.

ESPN2 and ESPN3 will again feature weeklong coverage from the BB&T Atlanta Open, Bank of the West Classic, Winston-Salem Open and Connecticut Open presented by United Technolo-

gies. Tennis Channel and ESPN2 / WatchESPN will provide weeklong coverage from the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank and Western & Southern Open. In total, nearly 70 hours of live national coverage is scheduled to air on ESPN2 / WatchESPN, 140 hours on ESPN3 and more than 85 hours on Tennis Channel.

“As part of the overall tennis community at large, USPTA Professionals have an obligation to ensure that professional tennis tournaments are successful locally,” USPTA CEO John Embree said.

“We should play an important role in promoting these events by encouraging attendance by our customer base.”

USPTA Professional-level members must present their current membership card in order to receive access to the available sessions at each tournament. Tickets or grounds passes are subject to availability and determined at the discretion of the tournament. For updated ticket availability, visit uspta. com/benefits > Additional Benefits > US Open Series.

For more information on the Emirates Airline US Open Series please visit www.emiratesusopenseries.com. The newly designed site features responsive design for streamlined viewing across all devices making it user-friendly

2016 Emirates Airline US Open Series Schedule: Availability to USPTA Professionals are in italics; Subject to availability in the U.S. only (Canada excluded). Members must present their USPTA membership card to claim ticket.

Bank of the West Classic July 18-24 | Stanford, Calif.

Attend any session on Monday or Tuesday at no charge. Must present current USPTA membership card.

BB&T Atlanta Open July 30 – Aug. 7 | Atlanta TBD

Western & Southern Open Aug. 13 – 21 | Cincinnati One session ticket or grounds pass per member for each session of the tournament, depending on availability at discretion of tournament. Must pick up at Will Call at North entrance on day of event only.

Connecticut Open at Yale Aug. 19 – 27 | New Haven, Conn.

TBD

Winston-Salem Open Aug. 20 – 27 | Winston-Salem, N.C. TBD

with an enhanced look and feel. h

54 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Growing Your Business

TGA’s New Tennis Center Opens Doors for USPTA Professionals TGA Premier Youth Tennis of West Houston to manage programs at The Village Tennis Center

A

s a global leader in aerospace and health care/biotechnology, Houston is no stranger to innovation. Texans think big.

This explains why The Village School, an acclaimed private academy in Houston, has leaped to the forefront of an innovative tennis facility coupling TGA Premier Youth Tennis, the nation’s fastest-growing and most innovative grassroots developmental tennis program with USPTA Professionals.

The Village School built a state-of-the-art tennis facility as part of its new athletic complex. The West Houston chapter of TGA will oversee and manage all programing at the tennis facility, and is creating staffing opportunities for USPTA Professionals.

Dave Bergeron, Chapter Director of TGA of West Houston, has been offering tennis programs in the community since 2012 and believes TGA’s partnership with The Village School has created an exceptional platform for USPTA Professionals to advance their careers and impact the future of tennis in the community.

“The Village Tennis Center is a wonderful opportunity for all parties involved to grow tennis and offer expanded programming throughout the community,” said Bergeron. “Having access to this kind of facility is a perfect career opportunity for a USPTA Professional to build his or her business and run programs for all ages and skill lev-

56 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

els. USPTA Professionals can put their coaching philosophies into practice and create a proper pathway for youth to become tennis players for life.”

Bergeron said TGA of West Houston is actively seeking local USPTA Professionals to help manage the facility, as well as assist in the development and coordination of programs for youth and adults.

The Village School for several years had considered building a tennis center. The project finally got the green light thanks to the school’s experience with TGA of West Houston’s extendedday tennis enrichment program.

“The Village School and TGA have been partners for more than five years,” said Dustin Embrey, The Village School Director of Athletics. “During that time we have watched our students benefit immensely from TGA services. It made perfect sense for us to enhance this partnership by developing our new Village Tennis Center, which will broaden the opportunities we offer to the great-

er Houston community.”

“The professionalism, quality, and experience of its coaches is what differentiates TGA from other youth sports organizations,” said Embrey. “The TGA curriculum mirrors our vision and standards for providing a top choice independent school option.”

The Village School is part of the Nord Anglia Education organization, which operates 42 premium international schools, including 10 in the United States. As one of the leading independent educational institutions in Texas, The Village School provides an emphasis on innovative math and science programs, integrated with the arts and resulting in exceptional college placement and workplace preparedness.

The Village Tennis Center will comprise of six courts in the first phase of development. Phase two of the project, which will begin construction during the summer, will include lights for the courts and a fully stocked tennis pro shop. The facility is expected to impact more than 500 students annually through a variety of junior programming and camps, and provide access to thousands of more students throughout the Houston community.

USPTA Professionals who are interested in learning more about the TGA of West Houston project and TGA Premier Youth Tennis should visit www.PlayTGA.com/WestHouston or contact Dave Bergeron at dbergeron@ playtga.com. h

Career Development Exams, Upgrades Coach Youth Cardio Tennis & PTCA I Tennis Workshop (4 credits for PTCA I segment)

Cardio Tennis Training Course Level 1 + Level 2 USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York

Aug. 7

Cardio Tennis Training Course Level 2 USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York

Aug. 20

Cardio Tennis Training Course Windyke Country Club, Memphis

Sept. 25

Cardio Tennis Training Course Level 2 Windy Hill Athletic Club, Atlanta

Dec. 10

Cardio Tennis Training Course Level 2 Midtown Athletic Club, Chicago

(2 credits)

July 9-10

Boston

July 21

Stanford, Calif.

July 9-10

Boca Raton, Fla.

Aug. 6

Tallahassee, Fla.

July 11

Vienna, Va.

Aug. 18

Cincinnati

July 16

Clayton, Mo.

Aug. 26

Boca Raton, Fla.

July 16-17

Lafayette, La.

Aug. 27

New Haven, Conn.

July 17

San Diego

Aug. 28

Santa Cruz, Calif.

July 29

Haverford, Pa.

July 29-30

Kansas City, Mo.

July 30

Columbus, Ohio

Aug. 4-5

Port Washington, N.Y.

Aug. 6-7

Grandbury, Texas

Aug. 6-7

Tallahassee, Fla.

Aug. 6-7

Huntington Beach, Calif.

Aug. 7

Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Aug. 7

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Aug. 8-9

Aug. 6

San Francisco

* 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.

For more workshops, visit coachyouthtennis.com.

Conferences/ Activities (Division Conferences – 6 credits; World Conference – 10 credits) Aug. 18

Sept. 25-29

Midwest Division Summer Symposium Cincinnati USPTA World Conference Indian Wells, Calif.

Webinars (.5 credits) July 28

How to be Promoted in Tennis – The Fast Path!

Jose Pastrello

Watch all recorded webinars at tennisresources.com.

For more information visit uspta.com/Education.

Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.

Accredited Professional Coach Register your Accredited Professional Coach (APC) and specialty course credits earned with the USPTA SmartCode Education System. This uses your smartphone 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 • Riverhill Country Club Director Of Tennis Garry Nadebaum, USPTA, won a silver medal at ITF World Young Seniors Individual Tennis Championships held in Umag, Croatia. Nadebaum was there representing Australia in the Dubler Cup World Team competition for men’s 45 age group the week before where the team placed ninth out of 20 countries represented. Nadebaum teamed up with Massimo Cudini from Italy to win three tough matches, beating opponents from Austria, Great Britain and Sweden before losing a hard-fought match in the final. His final score was 3-6 , 3-6 against Sander Groen (Netherlands) and Mathias Huning (Germany). With a runnerup finish at the World Championships in doubles, Nadebaum’s ITF World Doubles ranking moves back up to No. 2 in the world. In the singles event Nadebaum was seeded No. 20 and won two singles rounds before losing 4-6, 4-6 to No. 4 seed Taras Beyko from Canada who has been No. 1 in the ITF World 45’s singles for the past four years and retained his No. 1 after this tournament. Nadebaum’s ITF singles ranking is currently No. 28. Pictured from left: Garry Nadebaum and Massimo Cudini.

• USPTA members Rod Laver (left) and Dave Hagler at the BNP Paribas Open on USPTA Day, March 14.

• Longtime USPTA member Cindy Jones (left) was recently inducted into the USPTA Southern Division Hall of Fame. Jones was head tennis professional and then tennis director at the Country Club of Roswell in Georgia. She received the first full tennis scholarship for women’s tennis at the University of Alabama where she played the No. 1 position. She has trained many employees who became tennis directors at country clubs in the Atlanta area.

Among her publications are “How to Train Your Staff to Reach the Top” and “How to Hire and Train Your Staff.”

Jones has received many awards over the years and is also a member of the Georgia Professional Tennis Association Hall of Fame.

• USPTA CEO John Embree presents Bob Davis, USPTA Master Professional, with the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Hall of Fame Award.

Davis is 95.

• The Waterville Valley Tennis Center was named a Gold Medal Resort in the annual tennisresortsonline.com rankings of tennis resorts across the globe, with a ranking of No. 22 in the world. It is owned by Tom Gross, Jr., USPTA. In addition, the Tennis Center was recognized in the poll as No. 2 for Best Value for Dollar and No. 5 for Best Setting. The Waterville Valley Tennis Center was one of only two New England tennis centers to be a Gold Medal Resort, and one of only two New England tennis resorts recognized in the individual categories.

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President First Vice President

Chuck Gill Gary Trost

Vice Presidents

Alan Cutler Feisal Hassan Ken McAllister Jack Michalko Diane Selke

TM

Past President CEO Legal Counsel 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

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.

Tom McGraw 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. 2016. All rights reserved.

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

Ask for NOVA

All-weather sport surfaces are all we do.

We have to do it better!

2016 Fed Cup – Kona, HI

Brilliant Long Lasting Colors

Enjoy your vibrant court surface for years to come with 2x the industry standard for color retention.

Low Abrasive Texture

All textured surfaces use a unique low abrasive texture reducing wear on shoes, balls and more importantly your body.

Durable High Solid Acrylic Blends

By using premium acrylic binders with high solids we are able to add more pigment, texture and filler. The surface will have greater U.V. resistance, film thickness and durability.

Worldwide Dealer Network

Authorized installers in all 50 states and over 40 countries committed to providing a higher level of quality and service.

For more information or to locate a certified installer in your area please contact us at 800-USA-NOVA or info@novasports.com Qualify for LEED Credits

Simply, The World’s Best All-Weather Sports Surface

www.novasports.com