USPTA Louisiana May Newsletter
Message from USPTA Louisiana President, Johnny Wahlborg
“Fellow tennis professionals, I hope you are doing fantastic as you continue to grow the game of tennis. I am extremely excited about the conference opportunities that are helping to build everyone’s knowledge of the sport. The joint conference with the LTA at LSU’s beautiful tennis complex was a great success with wonderful speakers. Also, I would love to see as many of you as possible attend the Southern Convention at the Bayou Bluff Tennis Club! It will be loaded with amazing speakers and great opportunities to connect with other professionals around the south. Hope to see you there as we all continue to Greaux Tennis!”
Upcoming Conference!
The USPTA Southern Division Conference is taking place from May 16th-18th at the Bayou Bluff Tennis Club in Gulfport, Mississippi! This conference will host a plethora of presentations and events, including but not limited to: USPTA updates, the player development process, working with visually impaired students, and the Awards/Hall of Fame lunch. Join your fellow teaching professionals in your pursuit of growing your knowledge of tennis!
Registration: 3 days - $150 1 day - $90
NEW MEMBER PRICING!!!
$25 (members who have joined from May 2023 to current)
CONFERENCE SHOUTOUT!
“We had an amazing USPTA/LTA conference at the LSU Tennis Complex! I want to personally thank Bill Phillips with the Louisiana Tennis Association for all of his help in setting up the conference. Ken DeHart and Calvin Kemp were both fantastic presenters.
Remember - presenters at conferences are all unique and bring different viewpoints to the table. If you pick up a few good nuggets of new information, it’s worth the conference!”
Presenter and USPTA Master Professional Ken DeHart giving an on court presentation during April’s conference
USPTA Mentorship Program
In an effort to help young Tennis Professionals, the USPTA LA Chapter is offering advice for any young professional in the industry or looking for a helping hand in finding a new job or career advice. Teaching tennis can be a fulfilling, prosperous and fun career. Working with all ages and levels can be very rewarding as you help each individual achieve their goals. Having been a Teaching Professional since college, I can speak firsthand on how rewarding a career in the tennis industry can be.
I am reaching out to those who have been a USPTA member for less than 5 years, or are under the age of 30. As a board, we want to ensure that all of our new state members and coaches have access to guidance and mentorship to help navigate our industry.
Our board consists of members who have experienced many different career paths in tennis. I feel confident that with our combined knowledge and experiences, the board can be a useful resource to up-andcoming tennis professionals
Newsletter by Joe Rizzo, Assistant Tennis Director at Southern Oaks Athletic Club
in the state. Whether advice is needed in career pathways, running tournaments or even discussing innovative ideas, we are here to help.
Personally, I have been very fortunate to have had experienced members who have helped me find success. If you are in need of a mentor, please reach out to me at:
hassan.potc@gmail.com or 504-638-1154.
-Hassan Abbas, Assistant Tennis Director, Piermont Oaks Tennis Club
