Addvantage 2017 April

Inside this issue Using Today’s Technology to Get Your Dream Job – 50 Five Steps to Better Student Retention – 54 It’s Better to Serve than Receive – 56 Departments: 42 CEO’s Message 54 Inside Coaching 44 Vice President’s Message 56 Master Pro Corner 46 USPTA’s 90th Anniversary 58 Career Development 49 Beyond the Court 60 Member News Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com On the cover: Tennis Thanks the Troops with Veterans Adaptive Clinic in Orlando, Fla. See Page 49.

CEO’s Message

Miscellaneous Musings

By John Embree

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am going to take a different approach with my message this month by reporting on two different events that have recently taken place, along with a sneak preview of two industry initiatives that will be forthcoming.

CMAA – With Orlando, Fla., being such an attractive convention destination for so many groups, the Club Managers Association of America brought their World Conference to the Magic City in early February. Over 2,500 general managers and other club personnel from all over the world attended this year’s convention. In our continuing effort to build a bridge with this important allied organization, the USPTA was represented by President Chuck Gill, First Vice President Gary Trost and me over the course of three days. Besides having a booth at their trade show, we attended various functions that allowed us to network with so many key managers and got to witness several educational seminars that were fantastic. And, Chuck Gill hosted his own seminar, talking about how golf-centric clubs can do more to enhance the member experience away from golf.

LAKE NONA IMPACT FORUM – The very next week in mid-February, I was

fortunate to be invited to participate in the Lake Nona Impact Forum, which welcomed more than 250 thought leaders from business, academia, government and industry who are driving creative and innovative health and wellness solutions that will move the needle on health care expenditures nationally and globally.

The high-profile members of this gathering are committed to unlocking innovation to create sustainable health communities and advance quality of life by exploring the intersections of wellness, sustainable living and education.

What an incredible lineup of 69 speakers who are the absolute best in their respective fields in medicine, technology, healthcare, the media and of course, sports. Two of the headliners were Dr. Richard Garmona, the 17th Surgeon General, and Sanjay Gupta, CNN medical contributor.

On the sports side of the ledger were Dr. James A ­ ndrews, who invented the Tommy John surgery; Michael ­Johnson, four-time Olympic champion and eight-time world champion sprinter; Anikka Sorenstam, eighttime LPGA Player of the Year and Golf Hall of Famer; and Charles Woodson, Heisman Winner and Super Bowl champion. I came away from this

From left, Gary Trost, USPTA First Vice President; Chuck Gill, USPTA President; and John Embree, USPTA CEO. Photo taken at the CMAA Convention trade show in Orlando, Fla.

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three-day conference so motivated and energized. Being a part of the Lake Nona community is going to pay huge dividends to our association.

NET GENERATION– I was able to get a sneak preview of the newly created youth brand initiative that the USTA rolled out in March at the USTA Annual Meeting here in Lake Nona. You will be hearing a great deal more about how this effort will engage average consumers into our great game and how we as professionals will be asked to help drive this endeavor in our local communities.

It is an all-encompassing program that will touch every aspect of the industry: from provider, parent, manufacturer, facility, coaches/tennis-teaching professionals, USTA sections/districts, media, US Open, etc. More details are included in this issue of Tennis Industry and in future editions, but it is incumbent on us as the delivery system for industry programs to be fully invested behind NET GENERATION. ONE TENNIS-TEACHING ASSOCIATION – Over the past 20 year or more, there has been on-again, off-again discussion about the possibility of creating one tennis-teaching association. In fact, National Board member Ken McAllister wrote an article in ADDvantage back in 1987 espousing the rationale for the two existing organizations coming together.

Whenever asked, I have publically endorsed the concept of one body, believing strongly that it would elevate our standards significantly and be the best thing for the industry in general.

Over the past six or seven months, dialog between the USPTA and PTR has reached new heights. As of this writing, deliberations continue. While I cannot speculate as to what may end up happening, I can tell you that the Board has been proactive in moving the concept forward. We will certainly keep you posted on the outcome. h

Vice President’s Message

Diversity and Inclusion Accomplishments and Goals

By Diane Selke

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

I would like to thank the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which is in its second year of making great things happen –Gary ­Cimperman, Eddie Davis, Dale Evans, Tim ­Fitzgerald, Jack ­Foster, Warren Lem, Joy Macci, Suk Ong, ­Miranda ­Rodriguez and Karla Ruaya.

Accomplishments:

By end of 2016, the application for those wanting to serve on a national committee for 2018-2020 was updated.

It will be sent out soon. Make sure to include your resume and send it in by the Nov. 1 deadline. Never served before? Get involved first by serving on a committee in your division.

The 2016 USPTA World Conference in Indian Wells had the most diverse list of speakers compared to any other conference! Thank you to Alan Cutler, Feisal Hassan and Fred Viancos. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee also provided information on speakers/ seminars to the Education Committee for the 2017 USPTA World Conference.

There was a women’s open meeting at the 2016 World Conference that was well-attended. We now have a women’s task force led by Trish Faulkner. Members include Bunny Bruning, Pat Anderson, Kaitlin Flaherty, Megan Hall, Isabella Graf, Nancy Horowitz, Kathy

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Foulk, Miranda Rodriguez and Kim Jones. Divisions are also forming their own women’s networking groups. There will be a women’s open meeting at each World Conference.

The ADD program, which offers applicants in need an opportunity to join the USPTA, was amended at the 2016 Executive Committee meeting. In addition to receiving the first year’s dues free, now, after the applicant takes and passes the exam, the second year will be 50 percent off and the third year will be 25 percent off. Go to uspta.com/join and click on Financial Assistance (ADD Program).

Sid Newcomb, USPTA National Tester, and all divisional testers have been updated on the ADD program.

Eddie Davis, Diversity and Inclusion Committee member, attend the Historically Black Colleges MEAC Championships last April where he set up a USPTA booth and spoke with many coaches.

I attended the Women’s ITA Regional at Michigan State University and also talked to many coaches.

Yasmine Osborn, USTA Manager, Diversity and Inclusion at the USTA National Campus, is attending our monthly D & I conference calls.

Goals:

We are gathering the divisional Diversity and Inclusion committee chair information and having them work with the USTA sectional Diversity and Inclusion chairs. There are events where we can work together and improve the diversity and inclusion in all sections.

USTA has D & I grant money available.

We will finish the history of Diversity and Inclusion in the USPTA by end

of 2017.

A list was provided with dates of the 2017 Division I, II, III Championships, NAIA, NJCAA, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities Championships (MEAC, SWAC and CIAA). Our goal is to have several USPTA Pros who live in these areas attend these events and get the word out about the USPTA. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee is asking ALL members to add a component to one of your existing events in 2017 and help raise money for the USPTA Foundation. We can make a difference. Add a drawing, clinic, or mixer to an event. Money from the USPTA Foundation goes back in grants to USPTA Pros who are connected to a 503 C foundation. It’s a win-win for you!

We plan to get the women’s task force up and running by end of third quarter of 2017, if not sooner.

National Awards

Applications for the 2017 National Awards are due April 10, 2017. The forms can be found online at uspta.com/awards.

We are using Cognito Forms and they are easy to use. Any USPTA Professional, Elite or Master Professional can apply!

Divisions may submit their award winners for national awards by using the appropriate official award applications.

For 2018, the Awards Committee will review a procedure that would include a single application for both divisional and national awards. The Newsletter of the Year Award and Division of the Year Award will also be updated for 2018.

If you have a comment or question, please email me at dsgogreengowhite@ gmail.com. h

USPTA 90th Anniversary

PLTA Attracts Tennis Greats, Membership Grows

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s the years passed, America’s greatest tennis players and teachers belonged to the association, then called the Professional Lawn Tennis Association, including Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Fred Perry, Don Budge, Bobby Riggs, Pancho Segura, Bill Tilden, Ellsworth Vines, Frank Parker, Vinnie Richards, Bruce Barnes and Welby Van Horn.

As early as the 1940s, the organization also began to attract famous women members, including Pauline Betz Addie, Alice Marble and Sarah Cooke.

These women and men were the cream of the tennis crop, and their professional tours captured the imagination of thousands of fans around the world.

During this period, the PLTA membership was limited primarily to the eastern United States. The association offered few benefits other than a membership directory, annual meetings and an opportunity to meet others in the profession.

In the late 1940s, membership increased to more than 200 of the nation’s top professionals. The group added benefits such as a job placement service, two meetings a year and a model professional contract for members to use with their clubs.

In following years, the PLTA acquired an official song, “I’m in the PLTA now!”, and members were involved in three movies, “Topflite Tennis,” “Great Moments of Great Matches with the World’s Greatest Pros; Tennis by Contrast, Comparative Games of Riggs, Budge, Perry, Stoefen and Tilden;” and “Mixed Troubles,” a tennis comedy starring Mickey Rooney, Walter Pidgeon, Pauline Betz and Sarah Palfrey Cooke.

In 1957, the association changed its name to the United States Professional Lawn Tennis Association (USPLTA).

Membership grew to more than 550 professionals in eight geographic re-

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Clockwise from top left: Bobby Riggs, Pauline Betz Addie, Pancho Segura, Alice Marble, Jack Kramer, Sarah Cook gions under the presidency of William Lufler in the early 1960s.

The open tennis explosion in 1968 brought professional players into their heyday, and the industry grew by leaps and bounds. The first national certification exams were administered in 1969 under then President Jack Barnaby, modeled after those already in use by several of the association’s divisions.

Over the years, it was molded under the direction of George Bacso, former USPTA director of certification and academies, into the extensive exam it is today.

The establishment of professional standards through the Certification Exam caught the attention of teaching professionals interested in a tennis career path, and membership began to grow. During the 1960s and early ’70s, USPLTA expanded west and added its last eight divisions. It made its final name change to USPTA in the early ’70s.

USPTA Presidents (1948-1973)

George Seewagen (1948-53, 1962-63) was the only member to serve as president twice.

He was the tennis coach at St. John’s University for 49 years. He also was the tennis professional at Jackson Heights Tennis Club and the 7th Regiment Tennis Club, and he coached the ELTA Junior Davis Cup Squad.

Mercer Beasley (1954) coached at Tulane, Princeton, Lawrenceville School and the University of Miami, and taught tennis at private clubs in Milwaukee, Pasadena and Chicago. He authored the book, “How to Play Tennis: The Beasley System,” in 1933, which was a highly influential

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book that emphasized accuracy and consistent play.

Thomas Byrne (1955-56) was a USPTA member for 44 years. Prior to serving as national president, he was the Eastern Division’s president from 1954-55. He was the professional at Travers Island, N.Y., for many years.

Arthur Condon (1957-58) was the professional for Old York Road Country Club in Jenkintown, Pa., and Northeast Harbor Tennis Club in Northeast Harbor, Maine.

Ralph Chambers (1959-61) was recognized in 2000 as USPTA’s longest serving member – 72 years. He coached Army Men’s Tennis from 1933 to 1946. In 1965 he received the Joseph D. ­Deitz Bowl Award.

Bill Lufler (1963-66) was a collegiate coach at Presbyterian College, the University of Miami and the University of South Florida. He was the head professional at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y., and St. Petersburg Tennis Center and Safety Harbor Spa and Resort in Florida.

Under his direction, the Association adopted stricter admission standards

and encouraged better communication among those in the profession. He was a USPTA member for 65 years.

of the USTA Competition Training Center at Homewood-Flossmoor from 1988-2009.

Milton Phillips (1967-68) also served as the association’s secretary. He was a tennis professional at Schuyler Meadow Club in Loudonville, N.Y.

Ted Withall (1973) has been a USPTA member for 66 years. He is a Master Professional and he served as the Florida Division president in 1967. He founded the H.V. Kaltenborn Junior League in Stony Brook, N.Y. (1958-61), and the Arvida Trophy League, an adult competitive league for clubs from Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (1958-70). h

Jack Barnaby (1969-70) was a USPTA member for 47 years. He was the winningest coach in the history of Harvard University, coaching from 1932 to 1976. He was inducted posthumously into the USPTA New England Hall of Fame in 2013. Barnaby was instrumental in the creation of the first USPTA Certification Exam in the mid-1970s.

Dave Muir (1971-72) has been a USPTA member for 55 years.

In 2015 he received the USPTA George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Award. Muir has coached some of the top teaching pros in the Chicago area today, several national champions, and Illinois High School Champions. He continues to be an integral part of the local USTA Competition Training Center Program, having been a CTC coach for the last 20 years. Muir also served as president of the USPTA Midwest Division, and he was the head coach

Pros Art Prochaska and Doris Hart give a tennis clinic in Pittsburgh (1958).

Alex Gordon Award for the USPTA Professional of the Year 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976

Kirk Anderson Jorge Capestany Randy Mattingley Avis Murray David T. Porter, Ed.D. Feisal Hassan Ron Woods Robert Greene Jr. Tom Sweitzer John Joyce Tom Daglis Rick Macci Steve Diamond Jim Loehr Will Hoag Dave Kozlowski Mark McMahon Chip Brooks Joseph Thompson Luis Mediero Jim Reffkin Angel Lopez Kurt Kamperman Jim Davis Bill Bond Nick Bollettieri Peter Burwash Vic Braden Spike Gurney Jack Groppel Sean Sloane Dave Sivertson George Bacso Paul Gagon Bill Tym Ken McAllister Rod Dulany Tim Heckler Rob Danner/Bill Thompson Joe Dennis Fernando Velasco

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Beyond the Court

More than a Sport:

Tennis Thanks the Troops with Veterans Adaptive Clinic in Orlando

By Stefanie Bannon, ThanksUSA

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ndre Agassi once said, ­“Tennis uses the language of life. Ad- vantage, service, fault, break, l love – the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature.” Those who are passionate about the game of tennis know the feeling Agassi was describing. It has a way of inspiring players from all walks of life, and reaches far beyond the physical benefits.

On January 13 in Orlando, Fla., veterans had the chance to experience this for themselves. They participated in a Veterans Adaptive Tennis Clinic at Isleworth Golf and Country Club under the leadership of Len Simard, Isleworth Director of Tennis and USPTA Master Professional, and Tennis Thanks the Troops Ambassadors and USPTA Florida Tennis Professionals Mike Dombrowski and Tweet Coleman. The clinic was hosted

by ThanksUSA, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to military families with the help of generous USTA and USPTA Foundations grants and volunteers. Veterans from the nearby Orlando VA Medical Center took part.

The adaptive clinic was coached by 2015 PTR Maryland Member of the Year Brenda Gilmore, a tennis player who can attest to the advantages the sport can offer. At the age of 27, Brenda was involved in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now teaching and competing from a wheelchair, she motivates and encourages players across all physical circumstances and skill levels – a constantly smiling example of Agassi’s “language of life” through tennis.

Tennis built Brenda’s self-esteem and confidence, and now Brenda wants to do the same for our veterans – “Wounded warriors have given so much to my freedom in the United States, it’s the least that I could possibly do,” she says.

Those that participated in the adap-

tive clinic, as well as a Pro-Am for Isleworth members and Central Florida tennis enthusiasts, also had the opportunity to attend a luncheon with guest speaker General Ann Dunwoody, 2011 recipient of the NCAA’s ­Theodore Roosevelt Award for tennis and 2012 recipient of the Intercollegiate Tennis Associations Award.

General ­Dunwoody shared her enthusiasm for tennis, as well as her inspirational story of becoming the Army’s first female four-star general. Now retired, she captures the essence of goodwill and service through her participation in charity events and support for ThanksUSA’s mission as a board member.

Also in attendance was ThanksUSA/ Sergeant Matthew Thomas scholarship recipient and beneficiary of USPTA Florida’s 2016 Tennis Thanks the Troops fundraising event at the Orlando Grand Cypress, Shae Corey. Shae’s scholarship allows her to pursue her studies at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. The scholarship is named after fallen solider Sergeant Matthew Thomas. Matthew’s mother Sonya volunteered at and attended the event at Isleworth in support of Shae, with whom she has formed a special bond. Sonya has nicknamed Shae “little dove” to symbolize how her education will enable her to spread her wings and

ThanksUSA’s Veterans Adaptive Tennis Clinic at Isleworth Golf & Country Club, led by Brenda Gilmore and assisted by several USPTA Central Florida professionals.

General Ann Dunwoody proud to sign her book for veteran tennis participant Sharona Young.

fly, while keeping her son’s spirit alive.

Whether you are a superstar playing in a grand slam, or a wounded veteran fighting through physical and mental wounds, tennis has the power to challenge and frustrate you, while motivating and inspiring you to improve on and off the court. Remarkable women like Brenda Gilmore and General Dunwoody are examples of how passion for the sport can be used to improve the lives of others, and supporters like the USPTA and USTA, in conjunction with the USPTA and USTA Foundations, make it possible to do so. For more information, visit www.ThanksUSA.org. h

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Beyond the Court

Using Today’s Technology to Get Your Dream Job

By Farley Young, USPTA, and Jeremy Carl, USPTA

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oday’s job market is very competitive, and applications should go beyond just the hard paper copy. Resumes are crucial, but leave out many factors that influence hiring, such as your apparel, body language, projection of voice, and ability to build a quick rapport with clients. Thus, when emailing a resume to the tennis director or owner for a tennis-teaching position, include a link to your website.

One of the benefits of your USPTA membership is a free website that you can personalize, including adding YouTube videos (detailed instructions are available when you log into your usptapro.com website). Embed videos of you teaching tennis to both adults and juniors to allow the hiring managers to see how you hit, instruct and communicate during the lesson. Many interviews are conducted with you performing a tennis lesson. Thus, this video will be a preview for the tennis director to see if they want to grant you an in-person interview. In fact, the day may come when tennis directors will mandate this procedure for your application.

Also, if you have published any articles in ADDvantage or other tennis magazines or newsletters, add links to them on your website. In addition, record a video of yourself talking about why you coach, how you help students, and explain your coaching philosophy.

Include information about a couple of events that you developed for a club or events that you could direct that are not typical days of revenue (e.g., the day after Thanksgiving, the Saturday on Labor Day weekend, etc.). Upload this video to YouTube and embed it in your website. If you gave a presentation at a division or national conference that was recorded, include that video as well, especially if the topic would relate to the position for which you are applying. For example, if you are applying for

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a head professional or director of tennis position, a presentation on hiring practices or increasing on-court revenue would highlight your expertise.

Be sure your website is up to date and professional in appearance. A future employer may also check your ability to create a professional website, as this may be a job requirement to promote the club.

But let’s not forget the resume. This is the first thing the employer will see, so the actual hard copy itself should be professionally produced, either by you or by a company. Before even one word is read, the appearance is immediately noticed by the employer. If two resumes were held up in front of you for one second and then taken away, one will stand out. An employer may receive as many as 100 resumes for one job, and spend only five to 10 seconds per resume. She will divide these resumes into two piles. The first stack will be around 10 resumes to look at again,

and the other 90 will more than likely never be viewed again. Make sure that yours is in the short stack.

Near the top of the resume, highlight your strengths in line with what the club is looking for. Use either three to five bullet points or a brief paragraph in bold type. This section will be immediately after your name and contact information, and can be labeled as Professional Profile. Do not hide your top strengths! Remember, a tennis director is usually too busy to read your resume a second time; make sure that you attract their attention the first time!

Finally, carry your resume or business card to any convention or tournament that you attend. Your business card should include your professional website. If you meet someone that is in a hiring capacity, you should hand out your business card and direct them to your website that features a video of you teaching a lesson. Follow up a few days after the convention with a call to the tennis director to see if they have had a chance to view your lesson on your website. Do not expect the tennis director to always make the first call; you need to be aggressive to get a job in this competitive job market.

Take advantage of the technology available to you today along with the tools provided by USPTA, but don’t forget networking and the benefit of having a professional resume. Today’s job market is tough; use all the tools available to you to make yourself stand out among the rest. h

Jeremy Carl is Director of Junior Farley Youman is a tennis profesTennis for Blue Chip Sports Mansional with Blue Chip Tennis Acadagement and is a USTA High Peremy. He is teaching full time at both the Worldgate Club (Herndon, Va.) formance Coach. He was former and the Burke Club (Burke, Va.). head pro at Burke Racquet and He previously taught 250 students Swim Club in Burke, Va., and former tennis director at Mount Vernon Athletic over the course of six months at Saddlebrook Tennis Resort (Wesley Chapel, Fla.).

Club in Alexandria, Va.

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Inside Coaching

Five Steps to Better Student Retention

By Rod Heckelman, USPTA

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n this new challenging tennis market, we have come to a point where student retention is very important.

This is why we need to find ways of teaching that will keep our students coming back for more. The obvious way to make that happen is to continue to provide a path for improvement, which we could also refer to as a path for learning. For that task to be mastered, we need to be able to interpret how each student learns. Each has their own learning behavior, a puzzle that we must unlock first before any instruction will be accepted. As it has been said many times before, we don’t teach tennis, we teach people how to play their tennis. It makes sense then, that accomplishing that task will go a long way to retaining students.

It takes years of experience to learn how to recognize and adjust our messaging to each individual student.

Unfortunately, sometimes we reach a road block, a failure to connect, and are unable to make any changes or progress with a student. This will most likely result in the loss of that student or some degree of frustration with the student/ teacher relationship. We need to remind ourselves that student retention is based on their learning, not our teaching. Although there may be many reasons for this lack of progress with a student, here is a five-step process that can help most teachers and their students get back on track toward improving their game, and in turn retain that student.

1. Transitioning to auto-pilot – Most pros have heard of the four steps involved in learning repetitive physical behavior. The sophisticated like to refer to this as a student’s progress from non-cognizant incompetent, to cognizant incompetent, then cognizant competent and finally to non-cognizant competent … more

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The goal of a teacher is to help guide, direct and educate their students toward improvement and leave them with the tools that they can continue to process on their own.

simply put, the process of learning to execute either a stroke or tactic automatically. Some students will have a very difficult time in accomplishing that last step. They run into a conflict of trying too hard, or more specific, thinking too much.

They fail to allow themselves to accept successful change and, in turn, develop confidence in that change.

The very nature of transitioning to doing something automatically correct is in itself a non-cognizant moment. To try to think your way through that transition is contradictory to the process. Most teachers know that players reach their goals through correct repetition over a period of time and then transitioning those changes gradually into their style of play. You need to take the time to make this message resonate with your students. The next step will be adjusting their game and releasing some goals in order to develop a practical approach to improvement.

2. Helping the student release their goals – Most players begin the process of improving by establishing goals. This is often the foundation of a player’s motivation, so asking them to release these goals is difficult. Their current style of play has provided them with their security and sense of direction. Many students have spent hours and hours honing a skill to improve their game and now you are asking them to either make an adjustment or try something completely new. As an example, your student has been working hard to develop a driving backhand with pace and accuracy and now you are telling him that he needs to master a defensive slice backhand on the occasion where he does not have position or balance.

You explain to him the difference of compensation versus adaptation, and hope he appreciates the quest to develop a more rounded game. This adjustment now needs to become part of his new expanded foundation of his game. Learning these new shots

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and not being bound to prior goals is a big step toward developing a more rounded and flexible game. Once a student takes the step of learning to accept the idea that variety can be just as effective as hitting a ball better or harder, he is ready to understand the third step of learning: lateral vs. vertical development.

needs to find a pattern of solving to step back into an automatic response in performing. At a certain point in time, a teacher needs to help the student realize that he needs to redirect his game toward something he can do and not something he may want to do. Again, this can go against the grain of person’s learning style. Often very successful students are successful because they are stubborn and refuse to lose points. The “no giving up” mindset is important in competition, so you need to convince the students that they are not giving up, but just taking a brief timeout to reboot their game. How often do you see players continue to miss first serve after first serve, instead of taking some pace off the ball and trying to just get the first serve in? You remind the students that the second serve is the only shot in tennis that always follows failure and hope that just getting their first serve in will help them access a pattern of success. Remember that during a match, for the most part, coaching is not provided, and having the student come to any new enlightenment about any change will require our fifth step in learning: creating autonomy and intuitive skills.

it is equally important to help the students recognize success on their own. They need to be reminded that self-encouragement is important in sustaining progress and interest. The coach needs to help guide that endeavor with an accurate analysis. Barking repeatedly positive comments makes you more of a cheerleader than a coach. Although this approach can be stimulating for a while, it can grow old, especially if the student’s improvement and performance comes to a halt. By asking a student about how she was successful, not just about what went wrong, you will help her evaluate her play and begin the process of helping her achieve autonomy. As a teacher you can help guide her through the understanding of cause and effect.

As an example, she may have a bad forehand day; your teaching should allow her to be educated enough that she can figure out what is causing this issue and how to address it.

This development of an intuitive process will accelerate and help the student recognize sooner and more effectively what she needs to do in order to turn things around during the heat of competition. A great coach is someone who helps their students perform on their own and not constantly need a coach to tell them what to do. This approach to coaching will also open doors for the student to take on new projects in their game and help improve their play. Trying to always control a student can end up forcing them away from you.

3. Lateral vs. vertical development – Every player has limitations, mostly as a result of their physical skills and athletic competence, but also as the result of a more challenging opponent. The latter can be addressed strategically, but the lack of physical skills resulting from age, injury or level of athletic ability, needs to be addressed in a more practical manner. The last thing you want to tell your students is that they can no longer improve, but you should be able to convince them that they can expand their game and learn a number of new shots. This lateral versus vertical development will often restart their motivation and kindle a new challenge to improve their play. As an example, a student may not physically be able to retreat back well enough to harness a powerful overhead, but she may be able with her limited mobility, reach just high enough and learn how to hit a soft side-slice overhead that can be quite effective and offensive.

Another player who has hit a limit in his mobility may discover that learning more shots with spin can create a smarter strategical game plan. He finds ways of engineering a game plan that provides opportunities for his opponents to lose to him, rather than always trying to hit winners.

Once your students begin to see how many new shots they can develop, they rebuild their confidence and create new goals ... which leads us to the fourth learning characteristic: accessing success.

5. Building autonomy and intuitive skills – This is especially important with young players who are rapidly developing their style of play and at the same time trying to compete. At some point in time, all coaches need to let go of their students and allow them to fail or succeed on their own.

Most parents have a very difficult time with this, and it is surprising to see how many coaches have the same issue. Giving up control can be a difficult task, but the results can be very fruitful. The very process of change and improvement starts with experimentation along with trial and error. Although it is a great habit for any coach to reinforce success,

4. Accessing success – If you remember your school days, you might have heard that when you were taking a test and came upon a question you could not answer, it was best not to dwell on it but rather move on to the next question in hopes of reestablishing a successful train of thought. The reason for this is simple – the brain

Rod Heckelman’s career started in 1966 when he began his five-year role as a teacher at John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch in Carmel Valley, Calif. Later he opened as the resident pro for Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch on Camelback in Scottsdale, Ariz. In 1976 he took over as head pro/tennis director at the Mt. Tam Racquet Club in Larkspur, Calif., and added the title and responsibilities of general manager in 1982. In 2010 he was awarded “Manager of the Year” for the USPTA NorCal Division and the “Manager of the Year” at the USPTA World Conference. He has written several books including, “Down Your Alley” in 1993, “Playing Into the Sunset” in 2013 and most recently, “250 Ways to Play Tennis.” He also produced the “Facility Manager’s Manual” and the “Business Handbook for Tennis Pros,” which is distributed by the TIA.

At the end of the day, that is the goal of a teacher – to help guide, direct and educate their students toward improvement and also leave them with the tools that they can continue to process on their own. With that in mind, remember this simple equation: student ­learning = student retention. h

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Master Pro Corner

It’s Better to Serve than Receive

By Tom Sweitzer, USPTA Master Professional

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hat concept goes far beyond the lines on a tennis court. At the Spring 1999 USPTA Executive Committee meeting, Russel Warner from the Intermountain Division made a proposal for “Lessons for Life.” The proposal called for the American Cancer Society to be the official charity of the USPTA. It was accepted. October was named Tennis Across Cancer Month and all USPTA members were asked to conduct one lesson or clinic and donate the fees to the ACS. In 2002, USPTA made Lessons for Life an umbrella program that recognized the contributions by members to any legitimate charity. Through 2016, USPTA members have raised more than $55.6 million for charity. That’s a big number. That’s a big story. That’s a huge service to others.

This brings up the question, “What have you done to contribute to the Lessons for Life program?” To answer this question, we must go a step further, asking, “What does participating in Lessons for Life do for you?” The idea of Lessons for Life was to encourage ­USPTA members to get involved with charities for the good of the community, the game of tennis, and the organization, as well as the specific cause. Many times helping others pays big dividends for those involved, as well as for the organization and/or cause. The following are some positive reasons to get involved with Lessons for Life.

1. Create a signature charity event that makes your facility stand out in the community.

2. Working with charity organizations will get you involved with many community leaders, which will enhance your ability to advocate tennis.

3. If the goal of your event is to raise funds for a non-tennis purpose, it will expose tennis to a group of people you normally would not reach.

56 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

4. Getting publicity for tennis has become extremely difficult. Despite this, media coverage for a charity event is almost always a guarantee.

5. The tennis charity event will bring people into your facility/club. In any business, increasing foot traffic is critical to the success of the business.

gether toward a common cause. Like in life, the important thing is that you have to get started now. When Andy Roddick asked Andre Agassi what was the biggest mistake he had made in his career, Andre answered, “It was not starting the Andre Agassi Foundation sooner.”

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to SERVE others at whatever cost.” ~ Arthur Ashe 6. Working with charity groups and the people involved with an event is like networking on steroids. Many times these community leaders can assist you and your business in other ways in the future.

7. Your involvement will contribute to your becoming more than “just a tennis pro.” You will become a community leader and a complete ­professional.

8. An important part of many award applications (including Master Professional) look for your contributions to the community. Being a community leader will greatly improve your chances to earn recognition and help to secure important career awards. These awards enhance your creditability within the tennis industry as well as your community. Securing speaking and publishing opportunities are as much about what you have to say as they are about your creditability.

9. Your event can be big or small. It can start and grow into a major event if you can get everyone working to-

10. The self-satisfaction you receive from being a part of a fund-raising team is a very rewarding feeling that will inspire others and make you a positive force in both the tennis and local community.

Keep in mind that the largest sporting event in the world, the US Open, raises the necessary funds to pay for all the tennis-related projects of the USTA. The USPTA is not the only tennis organization that advocates doing for others.

The PTR tag line “Making a World of Difference” is an outstanding way of encouraging tennis professionals to utilize their tennis skills and celebrity status to grow far more that the game itself.

Tennis great Arthur Ashe had coined many insightful quotes during his career as he was a great humanitarian, one of which is: “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to SERVE others at whatever cost.”

It is time for all of us to improve our service! h

Tom Sweitzer is a USPTA Master Professional and the 2008 USPTA Alex Gordon Professional of the Year, as well as the 2013 USPTA Manager of the Year, Large Facility. During his career, his events have contributed more than $9.5 million to charities and earned him a PA Governor Citation for Community Service. His current free lesson program provides lessons to 3,000 inner-city children. This attributed to his being named the City of Orlando Employee of the Year and Tri County League of Cities Employee of the Year. He and his wife Mikel, who is also a tennis professional, reside in Orlando, Fla. … the Land of Tennis Magic.

Career Development Exams, Upgrades Cardio Tennis & PTCA I

Conferences/ Activities

(4 credits for PTCA I segment)

(Division Conferences – 6 credits)

April 2

April 2 April 3-4 April 7-8 April 8-9 April 8-9 April 10-11 April 17-18 April 21 April 21-22 April 22 April 22-23 April 28-29 April 29-30 April 29-30 May 5 May 6-7 May 19-20 May 20 May 20 May 20-21 May 20-21 May 24

Hilton Head Island, S.C. San Francisco Lakewood, Calif.

Atlanta Aurora, Ill. Orlando, Fla. Tyler, Texas Harrison, N.Y. Darien, Conn.

Des Moines, Iowa Albuquerque, N.M. Laie, Hawaii Baltimore, Md. Big Rapids, Mich.

Stowe, Vt. Huntington Beach, Calif.

Houston Eau Claire, Wis. Nichols Hills, Okla.

Lafayette, La. Tucson, Ariz.

St. Louis, Mo.

Level 1 Training Course

Wayside Athletic Club; Marlboro, Mass.

April 8

Level 1 Training Course

Hoover Country Club; Birmingham, Ala. April 8

Level 1 Training Course

May 5 May 18

Greenwood Athletic & Tennis Club; Greenwood Village, Colo.

April 28

May 31

Level 1 Training Course

New England Convention Stowe, Vt. Southern Division Convention Lafayette, La. Florida Division Convention Naples, Fla.

Twos Athletic Club; Toledo, Ohio May 13

Level 2 Training Course

Cedardale Health & Fitness; Haverhill, Mass.

June 10

Level 1 Training Course

Edgewood Country Club; Pittsburgh, Pa. July 15

Level 1 Training Course

Princeton Racquet Club; Princeton, N.J. July 16

Level 2 Training Course

Princeton Racquet Club; Princeton, N.J. Sept. 8

Level 2 Training Course

Crooked Creek Country Club; Alpharetta, Ga.

Webinars (.5 credits)

Watch all recorded webinars at tennisresources.com.

* 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.

For more information visit uspta.com/Education.

Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.

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 • Arizona Special Olympians participated at Troon Country Club in the seventh annual Tennis Fun Day on Saturday, Jan. 21. USPTA Professional Mark Pachtner, director of tennis at Troon Country Club, coordinated the event which annually attracts more than 200 participants.

Prior to his tenure at Troon Country Club, Pachtner developed Fun Day events with the local chapters of the Special Olympics in Georgia, Florida and California since 1999. Tennis Fun Day, also a well-established fundraiser for the Special Olympics Arizona, raised more than $16,000 from this year’s event. Since inception, more than $115,000 has been donated with 860 athletes and 2,100 volunteers participating. Each athlete received a commemorative Fun Day T-shirt, free Wilson tennis racquet and a gold medal for participation during the post-event awards luncheon. Athletes and volunteers also got time to explore a fully-equipped fire engine and police cruisers, courtesy of the City of Scottsdale. “Tennis Fun Day is truly a captivating event and one in which we look forward to with great anticipation and excitement each and every year. Mark Pachtner and Troon Country Club have done a marvelous job in organizing this event for the past seven years and we couldn’t be more delighted with its success and charitable gift-giving,” said Tim Martin, Special Olympics Arizona president and CEO.

• USPTA Master Professional Larry Lineberry of Sedona, Ariz., was inducted into the USTA Southwest Section Hall of Fame. Lineberry is a 25-year resident of Sedona, a 40-year member of the USPTA and Master Professional since 1990. His induction into the SWS Hall of Fame recognizes Lineberry’s service to the SWS from both the USTA and USPTA organizations. Since 1999, he has served as president of the Northern Arizona Tennis Association; a SWS board member; coach of numerous SWS teams at national competitions; a SWPTA board member; promoter and director of eight USTA Challenger Professional tournaments in Sedona; and conceived and promoted two music concerts by longtime friend, Grammy Award Winner Bruce Hornsby. Lineberry’s students have earned over $500,000 in college scholarships since 1978 and his tennis-related activities have generated over $300,000 for various charities since 1976. Lineberry is originally from Hampton, Va. While in the USPTA Middle Atlantic Division he was a four-time Virginia Pro of the Year (1982-85), Middle Atlantic Pro of the Year (1986) and division president (1986-87).

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.

• USPTA Professional Phil Chamberlain was inducted into the Memphis Open Hall of Fame. A native of Perth, Australia, Chamberlain’s impact on tennis in Memphis began at the University of Memphis where he was the No. 1 singles player, leading that team to a NCAA national ranking of 18. Following graduation, he was named Tennessee Professional of the Year in both 1979 and 1982. During that time, Chamberlain served as an assistant coach at his alma mater from 1979 -1980. After nearly two decades away from the University of Memphis, he returned as head coach from 1999 - 2005 where he led the Tigers back to prominence, with the team reclaiming a spot in the national rankings. Chamberlain is no stranger to the Memphis Open presented by ServiceMaster, serving as its tournament director from 2005 - 2008, following a 20-year run as assistant tournament director beginning in 1984 at the Racquet Club of Memphis. He also served as the club’s director of tennis for 30 years, from 1978 – 2008. Chamberlain is currently director of tennis for Memphis University School where he coaches the MUS and Hutchison Varsity teams and the MUS lower school tennis team.

He was inducted into the University of Memphis Hall of Fame in 1991, the Memphis City Amateur Hall of Fame in 1992, and Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001. Over the last 40 years, Chamberlain has coached 12 collegiate All-Americans, 240 sectionally-ranked juniors, 104 collegiate scholarship athletes, and seven touring professionals.

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

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. 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA.

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