Addvantage 2017 November/December

November/December 2017

I AM

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Pros often customize the rackets they use, including string patterns. Consumer racket specifications may vary from models customized by Pros for match-play. Š 2017 Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Trademarks advertised other than those of Wilson Sporting Goods Co. are properties of their respective owners. 17-0232

FROM THE CEO

TAKEAWAYS A Recap of the NEXT Generation: A Tennis innovation workshop John R. Embree, USPTA Chief Executive Officer

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of professionals, programs, etc. It aving just completed the Next Generation: A Tennis was clearly evident that because Innovation Workshop, powered by the USTA and USPTA, of the close proximity of the two I am struck by the overwhelming enthusiasm the attendees associations and the genuine expressed to me. Yes, the registrations were strong (over, 1,070 desire to collaborate that we are in total) and yes, the 80+ education sessions were varied and able to not only cooperate on informative. But, what came through loud and clear from programs that will both grow the every segment of the delivery system that attended was how game together but help elevate the collaborative this workshop was between the USTA and the standards of our professionals. It USPTA. was incredibly uplifting to feel the energy in the room!

As the planning phase of this joint conference developed Finally, the closing session on Sunday provided a chance during the year, I was never quite certain how our members for attendees to discuss what two or three things they learned would react to combining our usual World Conference with at the workshop and what they were going to do differently the USTA Tennis Development Workshop (TDW), especially when they returned home as a result of what they learned. To one month later than our traditional September dates. But, listen to those who presented their takeaways was incredibly the curiosity about the USTA National Campus and a genuine motivating, not only for me but for everyone in the audience. interest to see our new worldwide headquarters (now that we are operational) proved to be an enticing combination that motivated a large segment of our membership to venture to Lake Nona. And what a time we had!

Beautiful weather greeted the loaded buses as they arrived at the USTA National Campus on Thursday, the first full day of education. Three seminars ran concurrently every hour from 8:30am to 3:30pm while tours of the campus and our new building were conducted all day long. That night, there was a tremendous buzz (which might have been helped by the open bars) at our Buying Show with 70 booth spaces occupied and our Foundation conducting its silent auction to raise money for its worthwhile endeavors. And raise money they did: over $15,000!

(Left to right) Todd Martin with Hall of Famers Stan Smith, Friday was our big day with an opening general Gigi Fernandez, and Nick Bollettieri. session conducted by Craig Morris of the USTA about After all, the purpose of providing all of the education that we Net Generation to a packed house. Todd Martin, CEO of did is to encourage members to implement some of what they the International Tennis Hall of Fame, then hosted a panel heard into their daily regimes. discussion with three Hall of Famers, Nick Bollettieri, Gigi My takeaway is simple: the collaborative effort with the USTA Fernandez, and Stan Smith, that was compelling. The shared on this workshop is only the beginning. Both organizations are Awards Luncheon with Chairman and CEO of the USTA, committed to one thing and one thing above all else: growing Katrina Adams, and our President Chuck Gill, was inspiring as tennis. We cannot do it alone or separately. We have to be both associations handed out their top awards to an incredibly aligned and work together in order to inject new energy into deserving group of grass roots leaders. Then, the day ended our game and build our player base. This workshop was a clear with our General Membership Meeting when we issued the indication of what can be done when we are totally aligned. remainder of our awards to those top performing USPTA By relocating to Lake Nona and being a close neighbor of professionals in 2016 followed by a stimulating Q&A session the USTA, we can accomplish so much. And we cannot thank with our Board of Directors. the USTA enough for its significant financial support for Saturday was highlighted by a general session with a panel making the Next Generation: A Tennis Innovation Workshop a of USTA and USPTA staff that discussed how Lake Nona will tremendous success.* serve as an innovative laboratory to create the next generation

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FROM THE Board

Introducing the USPTA Leadership Academy

By Alan Cutler, USPTA Vice President

T

he United States Professional Tennis Association is proud to announce a two-anda-half-day event tailored for experienced tennisteaching professionals. The 2018 Leadership Academy, will be hosted at the USPTA National Headquarters in Lake Nona, Florida in Spring 2018.

The Leadership Academy will provide attendees with the skills needed to transition from teaching on the court into managerial roles.

Designed like an intensive Masters Certificate program, The Leadership Academy offers 18 one-hour sessions on more than 18 topics ranging from human resources management, conflict management, presentation skills, and more. Learn skills from USPTA Professionals such as Feisal Hassan, Ajay Pant, and Jose Pastrello.

Each of these speakers started out as tennis-teaching professionals and have worked their way to becoming a general manager or multi-departmental managers in successful entities. These instructors have experiences in different types of tennis employment and all share the common trait of being among today’s industry leaders.

Aspiring tennis leaders will find the Leadership Academy useful in identifying the skills and abilities they should develop to become successful in the field, hopefully avoiding pitfalls and mistakes that most new managers make. Experienced tennis-teaching professionals will be exposed to new concepts and trends in supervision, management, and leadership that they can utilize in their current and future positions. In addition, they will have opportunities to further develop their skills and “sharpen the tools” they already have in their tool box. Whether you work for a country club, commercial club, home owner’s association, municipality, or a resort, this intensive two-anda-half-day Leadership Academy will provide an

in-depth training of the skills and knowledge required for general manager and multi departmental manager positions within a club or organization.

Each hour of this inaugural event will include mini-lectures, class discussions, and group presentations.

Attendees will have the opportunity to work individually and in groups to solve real-life scenarios and day to day management issues. These sessions were created with the intent to challenge the critical thinking of the modern-day tennis-teaching professional, while offering them the ability to further their career on the TM management side.

All participants who complete the Leadership Academy will be awarded a certificate that can be added to your resume or portfolio.

Possessing this certificate from the Leadership Academy is one more indication that you have the knowledge and experience to advance in your career. Registration for the 2018 Leadership Academy will be announced at a later date along with application requirements and we ask that all interested members be on the lookout for future announcements.

The mission of the Leadership Academy is to provide tennis-teaching professionals with valuable resources to personally and professionally grow within your career and increase your participation with the USPTA as a leader on the local and national level. If you’re looking to become a renowned tennis-teaching professional or just looking to improve your personal brand, then the Leadership Academy is where you want to be. Come visit Orlando and dare to be great at the Leadership Academy.*

LEADERSHIP

ACADEMY

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MASTER PRO CORNER

Cue phrases ADDINg THE CORRECT TOOLS TO THE PRO’S TOOLBOX Bob Love, USPTA Master Professional

C

ue phrases are used by every teaching pro and coach. We need cues to elicit the behaviors necessary for skills acquisition and during competition. Cues have become an essential part

of every pro’s communications “tool box.” Cue phrases are not always “good news,” some can be “bad news.” Let’s take a look at cue phrases and my personal journey with a few of them.

“Good news” phrases are grounded in sport science and high-level observations. In my case, I was so motivated by Dr. Jack Groppel and others that I returned to graduate school at age 40 to do graduate studies and learn why my learning methods seemed to work, and additionally, how I could be better in the future. This is my 50th year of teaching tennis, and I still try and make certain that anything I say on the court is valid from scientific and performance perspectives. To me, to be “professional” is to be an on-going student of the game!

Phrases become “bad news” when the pros or coaches using them fail to understand the mixed messages they send. “Follow through high” is an example of a phrase with multiple negatives. I stopped using “follow through” over four decades ago due to a variety of definitions and learned that the word “finish” elicited a much quicker learning response. Also “high” varies as pros fail to define what a “high” position is as it has different meanings.

Changing the “bad news” cue phrase “follow through high” into the “good news” phrase “finish high” worked when I clearly taught what I meant by “high”, “low”, and even “Rafa” positions. Results were enhanced when I used the “backward chaining” method of showing the finishing position first and had the student swing from the finish to the start and then reconnect to the finish. The motor-learning process seemed to be accelerated, and results were remarkable!

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More “bad news” appears when coaches and pros give instructions like “focus” or “concentrate.” Players MUST be able to respond physically to any cue of this type!

Players need to be trained in stress management (a physical process) to prepare for performing mental rehearsal and imagery. Relaxation is the key to the doorway of mind-body integration.

Personal journey: My favorite cue phrase is, “Reach with your feet and let the strings do the work.”

It has become a cornerstone for building lower-body (reach with your feet) and upper-body mechanics (let the strings do the work). My training programs are based on this phrase, and it has proven highly effective!

Origin: This phrase was created in response to my observations during a semi-finals match in the 1972 US Open. I was one of the service-line umpires and had an ample opportunity to observe the stroking mastery of Ilie Nastase versus Tom Gorman. For the four sets it took Nastase to win, I was amazed at the fluidity and effectiveness of his footwork and form. As a tennis educator, my personal challenge has always been to develop learning tools so my players can acquire high levels of skill. I wanted my students to play like Nastase. A lofty goal, indeed!

Therefore I had to ask myself a major question.

Why was Ilie able to manipulate his racket with such ease? He moved into every shot and always seemed on balance. Obviously he was able to make all these terrific shots because he was in position to produce them.

How? Talent was an obvious response, but I wanted to

Reach with your feet and let the strings do the work. analyze his mastery in terms from which my students could benefit. Knowing that every shot is the result of the eyes-feet-hands linkage, I decided to look at the three components.

Eyes: Ilie really “saw” the ball well. He never seemed to be surprised and covered Gorman’s responses with ease in spite of the variables on the West Side Tennis Club’s grass courts. By the semis, the grass courts were dicey.

“Reach with the feet.”: Ilie’s facility in stroke production was based on getting in position to produce strokes. He was light footed and seemed to get the jump on every shot so his racket could execute a competitive shot. At the baseline, he rotated his hips, hopped up into strokes, and used his entire lower body to establish a power-stroking linkage. In retrospect, he was “loading and exploding” before I ever heard of that phrase. I KNEW that I had to find some way to share that skill set with my students.

“Let the strings do the work.”: Ilie seemed like a magician as he would streak toward the net, place his racket horizontally about one foot from the ground, let Gorman’s short ball simply bounce off of it, and produce a dazzling drop shot. He did this several times.

I was dumbfounded and eager to get on the court and try that technique. Volleying was SO easy for Ilie as he simply placed his racket in the path of the ball and “let the strings do the work” to produce clean, crisp shots.

Also, I noticed that he always had a slight lower-body weight going forward as he volleyed. Moreover when he finished his other strokes, he had his racket in the same position consistently for each type of shot. Clearly,

creating consistent racket paths was an essential element of his stroking prowess.

“Head shift”: The classic cue phrase “Keep your eye on the ball” has been upgraded as research in head shifts has demonstrated the necessity for training players to minimize turning of their heads while stroking. “Eye coaching” through head stabilization has become part of basic competitive skills training. Fortunately, the Eye Coach training device has proven a major asset in this effort.

“Footwork” is NOT enough! I urge all pros to study the extensive video resources the USPTA provides to make your cue phrases valid. The modern game requires that players use footwork skills that promote hip rotation while the upper body generates a valid racket path. Then, the player MUST get into position for the next shot or response. No shot is complete until a player is ready for the next shot!

Summary: Cue phrases need to be valid and understandable. Physical elements such as arm positions on finishes need to be clearly defined.

Dynamic movement must be patiently learned as students can get easily confused. Use strong cue phrases to declutter the learning process.

Also, please remember the following: For competition, function precedes form. For skills acquisition, form precedes function, because formbased strokes are repetitive. If we are going to retain players for the future of tennis, we must promote repetitive stroking which is the foundation of enjoyable tennis—our sport of a lifetime.*

Bob Love, Kentucky, is a USPTA Master Professional, international tennis clinician, and personal coach. A member of the U. S. Professional Tennis Association since 1971, Bob was one of the first 18 USPTA professionals to be named a Master Professional in 1983. He then served the USPTA for six years as chairman of the Master Pro Screening Committee. Bob served as president of USPTA-Kentucky for 2005 and 2006. He, a native of Port Huron, Michigan, is a member of the American Legion, a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, lives in Elizabethtown with his lovely wife JoAnn, and is a member of Valley View Baptist Church.

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Giving Back

A Journey of Self-Healing Through Tennis Tennis Thanks the Troops sends Veteran Isaac Cortes to US Open 2017

By Stefanie Bannon, ThanksUSA

A

•A

•N•

K •S

T•

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nyone who plays tennis knows that the game is so much more than what happens on the court. No one knows this better than Isaac Cortes, an Army, Air Force and Navy Veteran who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Traumatic Brain Injury as a result of a deployment to Iraq in 2003.

For years Isaac struggled to manage his anger and depression, which had taken a heavy toll on his relationships with his family.

He was skeptical about the game at first, but as time went on he felt the stress melt away and he began to open up to the people around him. Following the camp, Isaac began to dedicate himself to the sport. He detected that there are many similarities between tennis and his experience in the military: “The military requires a lot of discipline and hard work to overcome obstacles and the same applies to tennis.” The instructional nature of tennis reminded Isaac of the instruction he received while serving in three branches of the military, and so it seemed natural that he should gravitate towards it.

On May 21, 2017, the San Diego District Tennis Association (SDDTA) and Balboa Tennis Club held their 17th Annual Tennis Fest – one of, if not the largest free tennis festivals in the country. For many years the SDDTA, Balboa Tennis Club staff and volunteers, with assistance from the San Diego community and on-court instruction by over 60 USPTA tennis pros have been

U S A

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important supporters of Tennis Thanks the Troops. Tennis Thanks The Troops is a partnership with ThanksUSA and the United States Professional Tennis Association to raise money for scholarships given to the families of U.S. military personnel. All funds raised through a silent auction of over 50 beautifully arranged baskets, a labor of love by Manuela Griffin, were donated to ThanksUSA. This year they were the top fundraiser and grand prize winner of Tennis Thanks the Troops’ trip to the US Open, and it was not a difficult decision to choose their recipient for the prize. According to Steve Kappes, the Association’s Director for Military Outreach, “Isaac deserved the Isaac and his wife Anna Cortes at the 2017 exciting trip not only because of his US Open. military service, but because tennis September, and made memories that will has become central to his well-being. It last a lifetime. Isaac’s most memorable was an exciting opportunity for Isaac moment? Watching Canadian tennis to strengthen his ties to the tennis star Dennis Shapovalov. For Isaac, community.” attending the US Open was more than Steve Kappes and Balboa Tennis Club just a vacation. It was a chance for him to Director of Tennis, Geoff Griffin, have a get out of his comfort zone to share his special bond with Isaac. As co-founders, passion for tennis with others who love they lead the Wounded Warrior Tennis the sport.

Camps where Isaac fell in love with the It was also a reminder of how far game and, as Steve emphasizes, they are he has come physically, mentally and “personally invested in his recovery and emotionally since his first tennis camp in his access to tennis.” That’s why Tennis San Diego. But this is just the beginning Thanks the Troops and their California for Isaac. He has no regrets about his Ambassadors were thrilled to send Isaac choice to serve our nation in the military, and his wife to New York for their first and with the support of his family and US Open. fellow tennis enthusiasts there are bright Isaac and his wife Anna attended days ahead of him!* their first major tennis tournament this With inspiration from the SDDTA Wounded Warriors Tennis Program, Tennis Thanks the Troops is supporting wounded Service Members through our very own Veterans Adaptive Tennis Clinic Program in Washington D.C. Learn more at http://www.thanksusa.org/veterans-adaptive-clinic.html. ThanksUSA in partnership with the USPTA continues to support scholarships for military families. To learn more, visit www.ThanksUSA.org.

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Pros often customize the rackets they use, including string patterns. Consumer racket specifications may vary from models customized by Pros for match-play. Š 2017 Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Trademarks advertised other than those of Wilson Sporting Goods Co. are properties of their respective owners. 17-0859

Product review

Wilson Ultra USPTA Tennis Ball

By David Robinson, USPTA Elite Professional, Wilson Advisory Staff, ACSM & NSPA certified fitness trainer

B

eing a longtime Wilson Ad Staff Team member and longtime USPTA pro, I am very pleased that USPTA and Wilson are “together” once again.

That said; I confess to having bought some (many) of my teaching balls from anywhere, often Amazon and Costco to get a deal on a major brand.

A New and Old Ball Story

At the March 2017 USPTA Mid Atlantic convention I was both hopeful and apprehensive when attending pros were introduced to the new Wilson Ultra USPTA tennis ball; a premium grade teaching ball designed for match-play.

Our East Coast Regional Wilson rep, Steve Huber and our Mid-Atlantic rep Preston Lemon, presented all the new Wilson products during an on-court meeting at the division convention.

I took advantage of the “buy 16 cases get 4 cases free with free shipping” convention offer, breaking down to $50 per case. I ordered 40 cases on split shipment with option to cancel the second shipment if my staff, my clients, or I didn’t like the ball.

The first shipment arrived mid-March and the second shipment was scheduled for delivery June 1 to mesh with my usual two-month teaching ball duty-cycle.

Play-Test: Days 1-14

Day one; I immediately noticed the brighter yellow Wilson Optic Felt technology. The balls were on the firm side; a concern at first and a blessing later.

That firmness softened slightly over the week, then stabilized, much the way new strings might.

The Ultra USPTA ball played slightly faster than a typical all-court, durable design ball. Therefore, it played better on clay relative to the other all-court design ball I have tried.

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Play-Test: Weeks 2-8 and beyond

This is where the Wilson Ultra USPTA balls literally shined. Even after eight weeks of daily hardcourt play, the balls were in great shape; still firm, still very yellow, labels fully intact, and a surprisingly consistent speed and bounce amongst the many balls in my teaching cart.

Mid-May, I emailed Wilson rep Preston Lemon to delay 2nd shipment arrival for another month asking for a July 1 delivery.

Why? The balls we opened in April for

the teaching baskets were still “way too good” to down-cycle into summer kids’ program baskets.

August, after four months, none have become “pop-sound” dead and balls still bounce well enough for general uses. In 37 years of teaching tennis, I can’t say that about any other ball, EVER! Seeing is believing: You can see in these photos after four weeks and at 16 weeks on hardcourts; the 16-week-old ball is still yellow, but not as yellow as the fourweek ball. The labels on both balls remain perfectly defined from a new Wilson imprint technology.

Neither ball has “gone bald” due to Wilson Duraweave felt blend, which also resists staining via tighter weave rather than greater thickness typical in ExtraDuty Felt type balls.

Feeling is believing: What you can’t see in this photo is how firm these balls remain. Well, feeling is believing, and I still couldn’t believe.

Game Changer

Because of the Wilson Ultra USPTA balls, my teaching ball budget has improved dramatically for the first time in decades due to extended playability.

Steve Huber explained the Ultra USPTA price-point as halfway between Wilson Practice and US OPEN balls, and a little less than Wilson Championship after the special that was offered.

The take-home point is Wilson Ultra USPTA balls really demonstrate their superiority during the latter half-life cycle providing extended high-quality playability which other balls do not.

The Ultra USPTA balls seem to lose pressure evenly and slowly thus the speed and bounce consistency is superior to many other ball types in later stages.

Resultantly, that undesirable mixedbasket effect is minimized. “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” can now be retitled “The Very Good, the Good and the Pretty Good”

Executive Summary

My bottom line: 30% reduction in teaching ball budget and much better playing “old” balls.

PROS: • Excellent price.

• Outstanding durability with consistent quality over extended use.

• Clay or hardcourt use.

CONS: • A bit firm when first opened. Might open day before use to soften up a bit.* David Robinson is the Vice President and co-founder of the Lafayette Tennis Association. Lafayette is a USTA Community Tennis Association which offers tennis programming at 11 facilities in Washington DC Metro area.

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USPTA MEMBER FEATURE

Above and Beyond From Morocco to the Stadium court at the US Open

By DeVonte’ Martin, USPTA Staff

T

he mission of the United States Professional Tennis Association, (USPTA) is to elevate the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches.

The members go above and beyond our mission statement from teaching junior players how to perfect their serve to providing guidance to advanced tennis players and one USPTA professional has continued to rise to the challenge. His name is Othmane Garma.

Originally from Morocco, it was here that his passion for tennis began to come full circle.

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Othmane Garma with 2017 US Open Champion Sloane Stevens

USPTA MEMBER FEATURE “I started playing tennis at the age of seven and when I first picked up that racquet, I just fell in love with the sport,” Garma said. “I played other sports like Karate and Soccer as a kid but I ended up sticking with tennis.”

As a teenager, Garma’s family moved 3,874 miles from Morocco to Washington D.C. and had to quickly adjust to their new lifestyle.

“At that age I had two goals in mind,” Garma said. “The first was to get a full tennis scholarship at a university and the second was to fully learn the English language.”

At the end of his high school year, Garma had received offers from NCAA Division I colleges such as the United States Naval Academy, UNC Wilmington, and Florida State University.

Garma said that with him being new to the country, he didn’t know much about the different NCAA divisions but one school caught his attention.

“After visiting the campus and seeing the college culture of Howard University, I ended up falling in love,” Garma said. “It also allowed me to stay close to my parents in Washington D.C. When I first got to Howard, everything was different. I was so used to playing tennis individually, but now was part of the Howard team. I loved every minute of it. I was very fortunate to receive a scholarship.”

Throughout his career at Howard University, Garma’s growth as a collegiate tennis player began. His biggest career achievement was when he led the team to the finals of the MEAC Conference Championship.

“During his time here at Howard, Othmane led by example,” Coach Strickland said. “He had a strong drive for getting better as a player and was very well liked by all his teammates during his collegiate career. We here at Howard are very proud of his accomplishments.”

After graduating from Howard University, Garma wanted to find a way to keep growing as a tennis professional. One option that was available to him was to play on the ATP World Tour but limited resources steered him to become a tennis coach.

Garma said at the time, he wasn’t quite sure what kind of coach he wanted to become but he knew that he wanted to stay as close to the pros as possible.

“I had to decide whether I wanted to be a coach at either an academy, country club, or have my own facility,” Garma said. “I ended up becoming a high performance coach because if you’re around the best tennis players and coaches in the world, your knowledge of the game will only increase.”

Garma got his start on the professional level for a term of six months by becoming a hitting coach for ATP World Tour

doubles player Treat Huey, who was also a childhood friend.

They met in Virginia when he was 15 and their childhood friendship extended into their adult years. The two would meet at tennis courts and hit balls daily. After six months of being the hitting coach, Huey promoted Garma to his full time staff.

“When he approached me to be his coach, it was almost like a family affair,” Garma said. “I saw the potential and the talent and I knew I could push him and bring some positive feedback to his game.”

As Garma excelled, he worked on the ATP World Tour as a touring coach for seven years; working with players such as Somdev Devvarman, Treat Huey, Dominic Inglot, Max Mirnyi, and Sanam Singh. In 2016, he led the doubles team of Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi to win the 2016 Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico. The duo also reached the semifinals at Wimbledon and finished the year ranked among the top 20 in the world in doubles.

At the end of the 2017 Australian Open, Garma moved from D.C. to Los Angeles and decided he wanted to take some time off and explore his new home. It was in Los Angeles where he would find his next coaching opportunity.

“Around the end of May, Sloane Stephens’ mother, Sybil Smith, reached out to me and asked if I was available to work with Sloane. I took the chance and told Sloane’s mother that I would give it two week trial run and if there was chemistry, I would stay on as one of her coaches,” Garma said.

During the two-week process, Sloane was receptive to his style and method of coaching. He was added to her staff alongside Coach Kamau Murray. After Wimbledon, Garma traveled with her to WTA tournaments and he was by her side when she captured her first Grand Slam title at the 2017 US Open.

“I always knew that Sloane Stephens was one of the most talented players in the world. It’s great that the three of us are working towards one common goal.” Garma said.

At the 2017 Next Generation: A Tennis Innovation Workshop powered by USTA & USPTA, Garma was honored with the Tim Gullikson Touring Coach of the Year Award; which is bestowed upon those who currently coach a playing professional on the ATP World Tour, the WTA Tour, touring juniors, and adult teams. When asked if there was any advice he received from any players throughout his career, Garma said he learned one important lesson from Max Mirnyi: “90% of life is how we react to the 10% that happens to us.”

“I learned from Max that if you’re positive and bring excitement to the court day in and day out, that will help you in the long run.” *

If you’re positive and bring excitement to the court day in and day out, that will help you in the long run...

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USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

2017 USPTA Hall of fame inductee

Rick Macci

R

ick Macci is an iconic tennis-teaching giant. Over the past 40 years his overall innovative, unique, and powerful on court philosophies and passion have inspired millions of players and coaches at each level. Macci has coached players such as Karim Alami, Jennifer Capriati, Tommy Ho, Sonia Kenin, Bethani Mattek, Anastaysia Myskina, Mary Pierce, Tina Pisnik, Andy Roddick, Christan Rudd, Maria Sharapova, Vince Spadea, Venus and Serena Williams. Since 1985, Macci and his academy of USPTA professionals have produced 247 USTA national championships in singles and doubles. Rick has been an instructional editor for Tennis Magazine for over the past 30 years. A high demand motivational speaker, clinician, and author, his award winning book, Macci

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Magic , a self-help novel and a snapshot of players Rick has coached, is one of the most read tennis books ever. Macci also consulted for Trump Management from 1998 to 2004.

Macci, along with the USPTA, has produced many awardwinning videos and his Improved Forehand Technique with Rick Macci video delivered more than a million views on YouTube. Macci is in the Hall of Fame for Basketball and Tennis in his hometown of Greenville, Ohio. He was honored recently by the USTA with the USA Legendary Coach Award.

He is also a member of the USPTA Florida Hall of Fame and has been named Coach of the Year numerous times in Florida.

In 2006, he received the USPTA Alex Gordon Professional of the Year Award. Macci now coaches at The Rick Macci Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida.*

USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

2017 USPTA Hall of fame inductee

Harry Hopman

“Harry Hopman was my coach, mentor, Davis Cup captain and stalwart of amateur tennis. A porickly customer with a big heart, he insisted on the highest standards of behavior on and off the court, and was one of the reasons behind Australia’s golden age of tennis.”

— ­ Rod Laver

H

arry Hopman is known throughout the tennis industry as the most successful Davis Cup captain, leading the Australian contingent to 16 World Championships from 1939-1967.

Hopman inspired a host of Aussie tennis greats, including players like Mal Anderson, Ashley Cooper, Roy Emerson, Neale Fraser, Rex Hartwig, Lew Hoad, Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Mervyn Rose, Ken Rosewall, Frank Sedgman, and Fred Stolle.

Hopman was known on the ATP World

Tour for capturing the 1929 & 1930 Australian Men’s doubles title alongside Jack Crawford and four mixed doubles titles. After consecutive years of success in the Davis Cup, Hopman moved to the United States in 1969 and became a highly successful tennis-teaching professional at the Port Washington Tennis Academy in New York. He later moved to Largo, Florida with his wife Lucy and opened the Hopman Tennis Academy and lived in the city until his death in 1985.*

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USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

USPTA Award Winners USPTA Alex Gordon Professional of the Year Anthony DeCecco

A

nthony DeCecco first began as a tennis-teaching professional at a local country club and eventually worked his way up to Tennis Director. He later became Head Professional at Pickering Valley Racquet Club, where he served as tennis director for 10 years before ultimately buying the business in 1997. In 2004, he purchased the surrounding land and buildings, which have since become Tennis Addiction Sports Club. Tennis Addiction, which boasts more than 1,000 adult members and 400+ juniors, has won the USTA’s “Premier Facility” award every year since its inception in 2013.

DeCecco has served as the USPTA Middle States District President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Past President. In 2016, he coached Downingtown East High School tennis team to a 14-2 overall record with the doubles team making it to the semifinals of the state championships.

For more than two decades, Anthony partnered with Camphill Special Needs School, hosting an annual Gala/Pro-Am Tennis Tournament which has raised more than $3 million dollars with the Anthony DeCecco with Chuck Gill proceeds going to building a kindergarten and an additional wing at the school. DeCecco currently coaches boys and girls high school tennis and is on court up to 40 hours a week, running programs at the West Chester Golf and Country Club in addition to being the Chief Executive Officer at Tennis Addiction.

USPTA President’s Paul Waldman Award Jack Michalko

J

ack Michalko was awarded the USPTA President’s Paul Waldman Award. Michalko has been a USPTA member for more than 47 years and has held multiple roles within the association.

He has been a member of the USPTA Executive Committee, National Job’s Committee, National Nominating Committee, National Awards Committee, and National Membership Committee.

Michalko has also served the USPTA on a local level, having held several positions with the USPTA Southwest Division board, including roles as President and Regional Vice President and has been the Executive Director of the USPTA Southwest Division for 23 years.

Jack Michalko

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USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

USPTA Award Winners The George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Award Fernando Velasco

F

ernando Velasco is a 40-year veteran in the Tennis Management business and has served as General Manager and Director of Tennis at top-notch clubs in Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Savannah, Boca Raton, Florida, and in Austin at the Grey Rock Tennis Club. He is presently the Executive Director of the Capital Area Tennis Association and teaches part-time at the Polo Tennis and Fitness Club in Austin. He is considered one of the top teaching professionals and managers in the country, having been selected as National Pro of the Year by the USPTA He is a sought after speaker at national and international tennis professional conventions. He is currently a USPTA and the USTA ranked player. In 2014, he was selected as the CATA Tennis Legend for his contributions to tennis in Austin since his arrival in 2000.

He was a personal close friend of George Bacso. Together, they were members of the USPTA National Board for over 10 years.

Velasco was instrumental in translating the USPTA Certification Exam in Spanish and aided Bacso in grading the Spanish applicant exams by sending audios to him with their responses in English.

Fernando Velasco with Chuck Gill

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USPTA Award Winners USTA/USPTA Community Service Award Dale Evans (Oakland, California) received the USTA/USPTA Community Service Award. The award recognizes a USPTA member for exceptional community service through the game of tennis. He is a volunteer at USTA NorCal giving countless hours of his personal time. He has served as chair of the Diversity Committee and Junior Council and now sits on the USTA NorCal Board of Directors.

USPTA Industry Excellence Award In recognition of his business acumen and advancing the sport of tennis in his community, Juan Selle (Rome, Georgia) received the USPTA’s Industry Excellence Award. Selle created an after-school program called Teach Me Tennis, which set goals to create a tennis culture and awareness in the community, place a tennis racquet in every student’s hand, and to impact the lives of children through the game of tennis. In 2016, the Teach Me Tennis program affected 14,000 students in four counties through tennis presentations, equipment donations, and classroom experiences.

USPTA Star Award Tom Sweitzer (Orlando, Florida) was awarded the USPTA Star Award for his efforts to bring tennis to socioeconomically challenged communities as the tennis program director at the Orlando Tennis Centre. Sweitzer submitted a proposal to the City of Orlando to provide free beginner tennis lessons to inner city children of Orlando who participate in the summer Community Center programs. His efforts led to the Orlando Free Lesson Program which started in 2013 and over the course of four years has partnered with 30 community centers that held events for 6,000 kids.

Dale Evans with USPTA President Chuck Gill and USTA President Katrina Adams

Juan Selle with Chuck Gill

Tom Sweitzer with Chuck Gill

Top Education Credit Earner for 2016 Levander Kelley (Richmond, Virginia) was named the Top Education Credit Earner for 2016 after earning 320.5 education credits as part of the USPTA Career Development Program.

Lessons for Life Award Michael Dombrowski (Orlando, Florida) was awarded the Lessons for Life award for hosting the La Amistad 26th Annual Tennis, Golf, and Silent Auction fundraiser at the Interlachen Country Club. This one-day fundraising event included a morning co-ed tennis round robin, player’s luncheon/awards, afternoon golf, a doubles tournament, and an evening cocktail reception and silent auction. This event not only raised $20,000, but 85% of the proceeds went to the La Amistad Foundation, which is a long term residential treatment center for adults with chronic mental illnesses.

Levander Kelly with Tom McGraw (Photo from 2014)

Michael Dombrowski with Chuck Gill

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USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

USPTA Award Winners USPTA Diversity Award Lynn Bender (Zeeland, Michigan) received the association’s Diversity Award for her work to increase diversity within the USPTA. Bender volunteered at the USTA/ITF Jr. Wheelchair camp for the past four years, donating her time as a camp instructor with kids from around the world to educate and teach them the game of tennis. She also raised $30,000 to help purchase tennis chairs for individuals in the town of Lima, Ohio and traveled to conduct workshops with tennis leaders, a rehab sports center, and a school all within the country of Haiti.

Tim Gullikson Touring Coach of the Year Othmane Garma (Los Angeles) received the Tim Gullikson Touring Coach of the Year Award. He coached Treat Huey, who with his doubles partner Max Mirnyi, won the Doubles Championship at the 2016 Abierto Mexicano Telcel. The duo then reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and finished the year being ranked in the top 20 in the world in doubles. Garma has also worked with ATP World Tour players such as Somdev Devvarman, Dominic Inglot, and Sanam Singh. He is the current hitting coach of 2017 US Open Women’s Singles Champion Sloane Stephens.

USPTA High School Coach of the Year Jonathan Betts (McHenry, Illinois) was named the High School Coach of the Year. As the head boy’s tennis coach at Jacobs High School in Algonquin, Illinois, Betts led the team to a 21-2 overall record. Betts also coached the girl’s tennis team to a 24-1 overall record in 2016. Both teams went on to win both district titles while the boys team went on to win the regional title and place 10th in the state tournament. The girls team placed second in the regional tournament and placed 39th overall in the state tournament.

Lynn Bender with Chuck Gill

Othmane Garma

Jonathan Betts with Chuck Gill

Steve Wilkinson College Coach of the Year

Sheila McInerney (Tempe, Arizona) was named the Steve Wilkinson College Coach of the Year after leading the Arizona State University women’s tennis team to an 18-6 overall mark last season along with capturing the Pac-12 team title for the first time in program history. The title is awarded to the team who wins the most singles and doubles matches in the main draw of the Pac-12 Tournament. McInerney is entering her 34th season as the head coach for the women’s tennis team at Arizona State University.

George Bacso Tester of the Year Hassan Humayun (Las Vegas) was named the George Bacso Tester of the Year. Humayun is a USPTA Elite Professional, USPTA Intermountain President, and the USPTA Head Tester for the Intermountain Division. He has been a USPTA member for 17 years, four of which he has been a tester.

In 2016, he administered the USPTA certification exam to 28 people and was instrumental in reorganizing the Intermountain certification process by adding and training three additional testers in prominent locations to provide for better applicant service.

Sheila McInerney

Hassan Mumayun with Chuck Gill

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USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

USPTA Award WinnerS Large Facility Manager of the Year Glenn William (Rochester, New York) was named the Large Facility Manager of the Year. William is a USPTA Master Professional and has been the General Manager of the Midtown Athletic Club in Rochester, New York for the past 24 years and has more than 38 years of private club management experience. His facility has 3,900 memberships, a total of 7,300 members, 18 tennis courts, and requires all tennis-teaching professionals to be USPTA certified.

U30 Award Ryan Knarr (Robesonia, Pennsylvania) is the third recipient of the U30 Award. The U30 Award recognizes a USPTA Professional aged 30 or under for their contributions to tennis. Knarr helped increase tennis visibility as the Director of Tennis at the Conrad Weiser Tennis Association. He also placed tennis into the Conrad Weiser School District which introduced over 1,200 students to the game. This accomplishment won Knarr the Community Tennis Association of the Year award from both the USTA Middle States and Eastern PA District in 2014. He also serves as the USPTA Middle States Recruiting Chair and for the past two years, Knarr was influential in certifying 15 USPTA professionals, all under the age of 30.

Small Facility Manager of the Year Kevin MacDonald (Berkeley, California) was named this year’s Small Facility Manager of the Year. MacDonald has been the general manager of the Claremont Club and Spa at Fairmont Hotel for 17 years and his facility has 5,000 members with 10 tennis courts and requires all tennis-teaching professionals to be USPTA certified. MacDonald’s facility has won numerous awards such as the USPTA NorCal Facility of the Year in 2016, the USPTA Facility of the Year in 2011, and the USTA Member Organization of the Year in 2008.

Glenn William with Chuck Gill

Ryan Knarr with Chuck Gill

Kevin MacDonald with Chuck Gill

Division Award winners

Large Division of the Year and Newsletter of the Year were presented to Texas.

Pictured Above: Texas President Jenny Gray with Chuck Gill.

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Small Division of the Year was presentod to Missouri Valley.

Pictured Above: Missouri Valley President Rick Slivocka with Chuck Gill

Lessons for Life award was presented to Southern.

Pictured Above: Southern Past President Todd Upchurch with Chuck Gill.

USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

NEXT GEneration College tailgate WELCOME PARTY

USPTA Foundation Silent Auction raises $15,000 T And the Winners Are... he USPTA Foundation raised $15,000 from the Silent Auction that took place during the 2017 USPTA Buying Show on Thursday, Oct. 12. The Silent Auction benefits the USPTA Foundation, which through grants supports various programs in the community that help to grow tennis and bring the game to those who might not otherwise have the chance to play.

“The USPTA Foundation’s Silent Auction was a great success,” said USPTA Foundation President Warren Lem. “The event is a wonderful example of what a combined team effort can accomplish.”*

Clockwise from top left: Chris Stevens, Lane Evans, Anna Norris, Stan Oley, Brian McCoy.

Kyle Allen........................................................100 Antigua Hats Brian McCoy ................................. 10-S Tennis Supply Package Tamara Jarrett.............................Online Education Package #1 Venton Lee..................................Online Education Package #2 Kie Foreman.......................US Open/Mandarin Hotel Package Chris Stevens..... Autographs - Sharapova, Agassi, Jack Kramer Lane Evans ............................. Playmate iSMASH Ball Machine Scott Hutchinson ......................... I Love NY - Yankees Package Sue Jollenston....... Cincy Tournament, Marriott, HOF Package Kevin Theos ...................Rebounces Mini Green, Tourna, 2XU,

Vulcan Tennis Grips, YTEX, Havana Bobs Package Pat Whitworth........................................ Athletic DNA Package Don Gomsi........... Nike Tennis Shoes for a Year from Fromuth Penny Maingot................................ Tops’l Wyndham Vacation Tom Daglis....................................... I Love NY - Knicks Package Cari Buck................................................................ Arizona Trip Dave Dvorak..............................DIsney & Hyatt Grand Cypress Spike Gonzales......................................Wilson Tennis Package Carols Triana........................Pop Tennis, CP Vineyards Package Kyle LaCroix.........................OnCourtOffCourt, BATT Court Dry Chris Bull................................................................Book Basket Amy Brandon..............NetKnacks, Dunlop, EyeCoach Package Mike Mercier............................................... Tecnifibre Package

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USPTA NEXT Generation Workshop

Images from the NEXT GENERATION WORKSHOP

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USPTA CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Exams, Upgrades & PTCA I Cardio Tennis

2018 USPTA Division Conference Schedule

4 Credits for PTCA I Segment Nov. 3 ..........................Saratoga Springs, NY Nov. 3-4........................................ Azusa, CA Nov. 3-4.....................................Boulder, CO Nov. 5-6 .........................Miramar Beach, FL Nov. 10 .............................. Lafayette Hill, PA Nov. 10-11 ...................................... Rye, NH Nov. 11 .....................................Mequon, WI Nov. 11-12 ............................. Charlotte, NC Nov. 13-14 ................................ Orlando, FL Nov. 13-14 .......................San Francisco, CA Nov. 17-18 ....................... Westminster, CO. Nov. 18-19 ...........................Big Rapids, MI. Nov. 18-19 ...................................Rome, GA Nov. 25-26 ............................... Flushing, NY Dec. 2-3 ....................................Camden, SC Dec. 3 ...................................Midlothian, VA Dec. 3 .................................. Brentwood, TN Dec. 4 ...................................... Carlsbad, CA Dec. 7 ............................... Minneapolis, MN Dec. 8 .................................Nichols Hills, OK Dec. 9-10 ............................. Boca Raton, FL Dec. 9-10 .................................Burbank, CA Dec. 9-10 ..................................... Dallas, TX Dec. 9-10 .................................. Atlanta, GA Dec. 10 ................................Hilton Head, SC Dec. 30-31 ............................... Flushing, NY

Division Conferences - 6 Credits January 26-28..............................Northern

Lifetime Fitness & Athletics

Fridley, MN

Dec. 1 ................... Level 2 Training Course

Two Athletic Club; Toledo, OH Dec. 2 ................... Level 1 Training Course

Frog Hollow Racket Club; Lansdale, PA Dec. 10 ................. Level 1 Training Course

Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt; Austria Jan.29 ................... Level 1 Training Course

Stanford University, Stanford, CA

February 22-24.................. Missouri Valley

Kansas City Country Club

Mission Hills, KS February 22-25................................. Texas

Horseshoe Bay Resort

Horseshoe Bay, TX Visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.

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.

USPTA

January 27-28..............Northern California

Taube Tennis Center

Stanford, CA

February 10-11................... Intermountain

Lifetime Fitness;

Centennial, CO

February 5......................... Hawaii Division

Maui, Hawaii

requires all certified members to earn 6 credits of continuing education in a three-year period.

(International members, recreational coaches and those 65 or older are exempt.) The time period coincides with the date you completed the certification exam or reinstated your membership. Please login to My USPTA to check your Professional Development Program end date to see if your credits are due by Dec. 31, 2017.

If the requirement is not met, you will have your membership suspended. To help you meet that goal, USPTA provides hundreds of hours of education every year in the form of conferences, workshops, webinars, DVDs and more. TennisResources.com is an excellent resource for free education opportunities. In addition, the Coach Youth Tennis website offers six free online courses that earn a 1/2 education credit each.

Upon completion of the sixth course, you will receive 3 bonus credits(one-time only), bringing the total to 6 credits and completing the continuing education requirement (you do not need to complete the online workshop unless you are completing your USPTA certification). Go to coachyouthtennis.com for more information.

February 25-26............................ Midwest

Columbus Marriot

Columbus, Ohio March 1-4...............................Mid-Atlantic

Army Navy Country Club

Arlington, VA

March 4..................................... San Diego

La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

La Jolla, CA

May 5-6................... Eastern/New England

National Tennis Center

Flushing, NY May 17-19...................................Southern

TBD; Atlanta, GA May 18-20................................ Southwest La Camarilla Racquet, Swim & Fitness Club

Phoenix, AZ May 30-June 3................................ Florida

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

Orlando, FL June 1-2..........................Pacific Northwest

Yakima Tennis Club

Yakima, WA

August 22-23...... USPTA World Conference

Grand Hyatt

New York, NY April/May....................Southern California

TBD November............................Middle States

TBD

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USPTA MEMBER NEWS

2017 USPTA Election Results The 2017 Board of Directors Election results were announced on Friday, Oct. 6. Slated nominee for vice president Bill Mountford defeated challenger Diane Selke with 59.5% of the vote. Slated nominee for vice president Cari Buck defeated challenger Jenny Gray with 56% of the vote. Nominees Gary Trost (President), Feisal Hassan (First Vice President), Alan Cutler (Vice President), Mark Faber (Vice President) and New Board Members: (left to right) Cari Buck, Mark Faber, Bill Mountford, Rich Slivocka.

Rich Slivocka (Vice President) were all unopposed. The new board term will start on January 1 and run for two years.

Connell has been teaching tennis for more than 25 years. He began teaching in 1972 and has served as the director of tennis at Lakeside Country Club in Houston since 1974. As a player, Tommy has been ranked No. 1 in Texas five times in singles, three times in doubles, and three times in husband/wife doubles in his age division. He won the national USPTA 40-andover singles and doubles championships in 1992, the doubles again in 1994, and the 45-and-over singles and doubles titles in 1996. In 2000, he received the USPTA Texas Division Professional of the Year award.

Todd Upchurch (pictured with Chuck Gill) was honored at the Awards Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 13 during the Next Generation: A Tennis Innovation Workshop powered by USTA & USPTA for achieving Master Professional status, the highest professional rating within the tennis profession.

USPTA Master Professional Becky Desmond is set to be honored at the 2017 Chester County Sports Hall of Fame. A tennis coach for the Downingtown School District for 52 years from 1961-2014, Desmond’s teams won 15 Ches-Mont league championships. The tennis courts at Downingtown West are named in her honor and she authored a book titled “How to Coach Tennis Successfully” for the United States Tennis Association. Desmond is a two-time Daily Local News and USTA Middle States Coach of the Year and was named the USPTA High School Coach of the Year in 2003.

USPTA Professionals Beverley Bowes-Hackney and Tommy Connell are the newest additions to the 2017 Hall of Fame Class for the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame. Bowes-Hackney is a former WTA Tour player who won more than 250 matches and competed in the main draw of 30 grand slam tournaments. After her retirement she became a touring professional at the Ballenisles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and worked for the USTA . She served as head coach for Southern Methodist before returning to her alma mater ,Texas, as assistant head coach. She is currently the Director of Tennis at River Place Country Club in Austin.

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USPTA Elite Professional Eric Wammock was named Head Tennis Professional at Hilton Head Island’s Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. Wammock has been in the tennis industry for 33 years. Wammock previously was the owner of Hilton Head Island Tennis, a company that provided tennis programming for Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort, and previously worked at Sea Pines Resort.

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President............................................................................... Chuck Gill First Vice President............................................................... Gary Trost Vice Presidents..................... Alan Cutler, Feisal Hassan, Ken McAllister, Jack Michalko, Diane Selke Past President...................................................................Tom McGraw CEO.................................................................................. John Embree Legal Counsel................................................................. George Parnell The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the United States Professional Tennis Association.

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. Managing Editor ....................................................................... John Cornell Editorial Assistance............................................................ DeVonte’ Martin

Ellen Weatherford, Amy Buchanan Circulation............................................................................ Trevor Trudelle Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern time ADDvantage is published monthly by the USPTA USPTA World Headquarters 11961 Performance Dr. Orlando, FL 32827 Phone – 407-634-3050 email – magazine@uspta.org www.uspta.org