Bill Bryan Hall of Fame
Jeff Chandley Pro of the Year
Tom Parkes Pride of the South
USPTA Southern Summer Conference
“Building Success On and Off Court”
August 2-3rd
Leftwich Tennis Center – Memphis, TN
Friday Specialty Course Members $50 / Non Members $75
Conference Members $50 / Non Members $75 / BUNDLE PRICE for both days + USPTA logo straw hat member $75, non member $100
Registration is through uspta.com. Members sign into their account, non members just create an account (just like every website requires). CLICK TO REGISTER
Host Hotel is not confirmed, but will be in the area and around $135/night
LUNCH provided on Saturday
Education Points: the Specialty Course is 6 points, the conference is 9 points, Earn all your term points in 1 1/2 days.
FUTURE Info and details at www.usptasouthern.com
Friday, August 2nd
2:00-4:00pm USPTA Outreach Clinic and Junior Match Play at Leftwich Tennis Center
4:00-8:00pm USPTA Specialty Course – Technology and Digital Resources to Build Your Racquet Sports Business (Ashley Owens)
Saturday, August 3rd
8:00-8:30am Check in and continental breakfast
8:30-9:15am Panel discussion “Junior Pathways to Play College Tennis” classroom
9:15-10:00am Scott Mitchell “Building Your Team and Staff for Success” classroom
10:00-10:15 Networking activity presented by Court Reserve
10:15-11:00 Jason Hazley “Keys to a balanced overall facility racquet sports program” classroom
11:00-noon Panel discussion "How to Monetize Your Pickleball Program" classroom
Noon-1:00pm LUNCH & USPTA Update on site
1:00-1:45pm MJ’s ALL STARS Drill Exchange for Club Players indoor court
1:45-3:15pm Chris Hoshour “Performance Based Practices” indoor court
3:15-4:00pm Bill Riddle “Maximizing Your Training Efforts” indoor court
Sunday August 4th
a pickleball workshop/certification will be held. Registration starts next week at uspta.org, choose CALENDARS, and pickleball. This is the normal cost for certification.
Members - the first 40 to register for both days will receive this logo USPTA straw hat. Perfect for those ‘dog days’ in August and
Congratulations to our award winners and Hall of Fame Inductee
Not pictured:
Charity
General Manager: Andy Veal
Hall of Fame Commi ee
Fred Burdick
Reedy Toney
Tom Daglis
Awards Chair
Jason
Hall of Fame: Fred Burdick Pride of Allan Henry Pro of the High Performance Coach Bill Bryan The South: Tom Parkes Year: Jeff Chandley Chris Hoshour
Assistant Pro: Pete Pastor Industry Excellence: Pete Mazzella
Mentor: Stewart Russell Teaching Pro: Carolina Blouin
Event: Dave Dvorak
Hazley
High School Coach: Craig Wells College Coach: Rod Slack
It Was A Conference Worth the Time by
We had to skip visi ng Bayou Bluff last year as their club had undergone a mul million-dollar renova on. The wait was worth it as this beau ful facility and staff welcomed us and gave us their club to use for the en re conference. Special thanks are to USPTA Master Pro Bo Gard, and club GM Lisa Metz.
Conference chair Allan Jensen gathered a unique blend of speakers and seminars that certainly tamed the comment ‘ red of the same old speakers’. What a great mix from Edgar Giffenig to Chris Hoshour to the Blind & Visual Impaired speakers that showed us a totally new view of tennis. The old guard was represented though as top reviews were sent for Tom Daglis and Craig Jones. They always are on their game and have such great informa on. One thing that we can not leave out when visi ng the Gulf
Pat Whitworth & Ken Andriano
Coast is the food, and it was tremendous. All our meals were tops, but the HOF & Awards lunch was a don’t miss. Jason Hazley did a great job as our MC of the event, and we were proud to honor Bill Bryan into the Hall of Fame, and Fred Burdick Pride of the South recipient Tom Parkes, and the Alan Henry Pro of the Year Jeff Chandley. All the winners are listed later, and you can check out a special look into the history of Bill and Jeff in the Spotlight sec on. Finally, it is not a conference without friends. It is great to see the many tennis friends that we have made over the years, and some are much more than just tennis friends. New friends are made every trip, and I look forward to seeing many of them in the future. Makes plans to catch the 2025 conference at Greenville Country Club. The team is already making plans, and it should be another winner.
Southern Conference - Great Info & Partnering
As usual, the speakers and presenta ons at the USPTA Southern Spring conference were top notch. The beau ful tennis facility of Bayou Bluff, delicious buffets, and a endee gi s were the icing on the cake. The speakers provided a broad array of useful topics from posi ve coaching mental techniques from Todd Upchuch to learning how to "control chaos" on the court with Craig Jones. One of the highlights of the conference for me was watching a local pro/tennis director in my hometown, Bill Bryan, get inducted to the Hall of Fame by my boss/mentor and execu ve director of the LTA, Bill Phillips. Bill Bryan provides abundant programming for a large number of individuals in our tennis commu-
by Courtney Dugas,
nity and has done so for decades. Being an employee of USTA Louisiana for the past 3 years and a USPTA cer fied pro for the past 7 years (and a huge advocate for both organiza ons) it was very fulfilling for me to see first hand the strong partnership between the USTA and USPTA. Just at this one conference, there were several USTA Employees involved on USPTA boards and commi ees on the state, sec on, and na onal level. I look forward to con nuing to support and be supported by the USTA and USPTA and feel privileged to have the opportunity to a end these enriching events.
By Lee Cockerell
Rou ne is a good thing. Having the right rou nes in your life can improve your whole life. Rou nes around your health such as working out daily at the same me, using a day planner to plan your day every day before you start your day, thinking about the responsibili es you have signed up for in your life every day are just a few rou ne things which are important. What rou nes do you have now in your life? Which new ones should you establish?
Someone asked me recently how you deal with leaders who are not performing or have poor leadership behaviors. I told them the same way you deal with your children. You sit down and tell them the truth. You tell them the consequences of con nued poor performance or poor behaviors. Give them concrete examples of what they are doing which is unacceptable and soon you will see a change in their performance.
I saw a sign in a restaurant recently which said, "The gap between enough and more never closes." This is really true in business so you have to constantly be going through change to get more. More service, more customer sa sfac on, more commitment from your employees, more profit, more cost management and so on. Without an a tude of constant change is necessary in this world we live in you will soon fall behind.
You may not always be able to help someone in need but you should always try.
Don't get bored with the basics. Walt Disney and JW Marrio Sr. both said almost the same thing. Keep it clean and keep it friendly and things will turn out just fine. They both understood the basics. Treat people respec ully, train them and they will take care of your business for you. Mr. Marrio even said it a different way. If you want the food to taste good use salt and pepper on it. Salt and pepper is about as basic as it
gets and it works.
It is a lot easier to get done what you want done if you know what you want. Your employees want to do what you want so figure out what that is and tell them... also tell them why. You will be quite happy with the results of being candid and clear.
Sit down right now and make a list of the people in your life that you appreciate and then go about telling them before the week is out. If any of them faint this is a sign you are not doing it o en enough. You can not do it too o en. This builds self confidence and self esteem. Your ac ons in this area will make a big difference in how people in your life succeed. We all need apprecia on, recogni on and encouragement.
Bill Marrio told me once... "Lee, if you have flies in your opera on it is because you like flies." This quote I will never forget because it reminds me that I get what I want in life. If I have rude employees that is what I must want. If I have rude children that is what I must want.
The fact of the ma er is that Great Leaders keep their promises. Do you keep your promises? Every day leaders make explicit and implicit promises by the dozens. When you are someone's leader, it is expected that you will do what you say and do what is expected of you. If you are not great in this area take a Time Management course every month un l you get great at it. It is your reputa on at stake.
The gap between more and enough never closes.
If you do what you should do when you are young, you can do what you want to do when you are old.
I did the work un l I learned to manage. I managed un l I learned to lead. I led un l they learned to manage. They managed un l they learned to lead. Then I re red!
When you are not loving your job and are
frustrated about how work is going just think what your life would be like without a job.
Remember to prac ce the Four Customer Expecta ons: 1) Make Me Feel Special, 2) Treat Me As An Individual, 3) Respect Me, 4) Have Knowledgeable Employees
Remember to prac ce the Four Employee Expecta ons: 1) Make Me Feel Special, 2) Treat Me As An Individual, 3) Respect Me, 4) Make Me Knowledgeable, Educate Me and Understand My Job
People who pay a en on to what is going on around them are much more successful. Pay a en on to your fellow team members and to what is going on around you just like you would if you were in a dark parking lot late at night. This may save your life and your career.
There are four things you need to be competent in, to be successful. 1) Technical Competency, 2) Management Competency, 3) Technological Competency, 4) Leadership Competency
What are you doing today which will make you more competent in these four areas a year from now?
Do you hire too fast and fire too slow? Be careful whom you hire and promote. They are your company, they are your brand.
Alabama
Save the Date for the USPTA Alabama Winter Workshop to be held Saturday 12/7/2024 9 AM - 4 PM (rain or shine). Our host will be Samford University Tennis Center. Lunch is provided. This is a great chance to earn education credits, network, share ideas, and win prizes.
Arkansas
Shout out to Raul Bermudez and Janan Batchelor from Little Rock! This year was another successful International Family Day hosted at the 2024 UAMS Health Little Rock Open at Rebsamen Tennis Center. Raul Bermudez took lead in hosting the hour and half event that brought kids and families together on the court. Not only did families and youth get to play tennis and participate in on court games, but all got to play for prizes at the end. Also hosted during the Little Rock Open was the Arthur Ashe Kids Play Day. Janan Batchelor, also with the Rebsamen Tennis Center, hosted an afternoon of fun, games, and on court activities for kids of all ages from the Central Akansas area. Area pros and volunteers assisted her on court.
Georgia
USPTA GA is excited to announce another joint workshop with GPTA and the Atlanta Open on Saturday, July 27 from 9-12pm at Georgia Tech’ s indoor courts. The keynote speaker will be Edgar Giffening, He is the Director of Tennis at Norfolk Country Club. His forte is working with high performance players and teaching players to play with passion. Registra on is $30 limited to 30 people. Registra on comes with a Free* Atlanta Open cket for the day session semi- match that day, but you will need to pay $105 for the cket, then you will receive a refund once you have a ended the matches.
North Carolina
The USPTA Southern Conference was a great event held in Gulfport Mississippi with North Carolina pros Todd Upchurch and Chris Hoshour presen ng at the conference. When the Southern awards were presented, Tom Parkes won the Fred Burdick Pride of the South Award and Chris Hoshour won the High Performance Coach of the Year. Our workshop will be August 17th at the Winston Salem Open from 1:30-4:30. The speakers are confirmed with Bill Riddle, Jorge Andrews, and Chris Hoshour presen ng
Tennessee
Plan on a ending the USPTA Southern Summer conference in Memphis August 2-3. View the full agenda on usptasouthern.com, including a specialty course on day 1. The conference is being held at the new Le wich Tennis Center. There is a charity Pickleball event in Nashville, the 3rd annual Music City Pickleball Fes val on July 6. There will be indoor and outdoor play, exhibi ons and celebrity pro matches. For more informa on visit bmwopb.com.
Louisiana South Carolina
As I make my way around the state doing different ac vi es, it’s great to see all of the USPTA professionals ge ng away from their facili es and improving the tennis experience for their members as well as seeing some of the familiar junior pros at the Jr qualifying in Lafaye e. I was fired up to meet some new professionals as well as seeing some youngsters ge ng into the business. It is so important that we give our junior students every opportunity possible to go out and compete. There is a curve to Tennis! Get them past the curve then get them into a USTA junior tournament. The connec ons that we all made as juniors player is las ng a life me. As coaches, you make some incredible rela onships and at the same me you are giving your players a great opportunity.
One quick shout out to Bill Bryan for ge ng inducted into the USPTA Southern Hall of Fame. Well-deserved! The next opportunity for educa on is a 10 and under conference on July 19 at the LSU varsity courts.
The USPTA South Carolina chapter has released its first newsle er of the year, which has been met with posi ve feedback. The newsle er highlights the USPTA State Awards nomina on opportunity, with an extended deadline of August 1st due to its irregular occurrence in the past. The three award categories are "Professional of the Year", "Assistant Professional of the Year", and "Teaching Professional of the Year”. Self-nomina ons are encouraged and can be submi ed to usptasouthcarolina@gmail.com. Addi onally, a USPTA South Carolina workshop will be held on the coast this fall, with details to be announced in future newsle ers.
Kentucky
is s ll looking for someone to lead us. If you can help out and want to get involved, contact Bill Riddle TENNISUN@aol.com
Mississippi
We are s ll working on ge ng our lunch and learn mee ngs on the books, but we will have one on July 12 at River Hills Club. This will happen right before the USTA MS College Showcase, so if you have players coming to that then you can come early and get a lunch and good roundtable discussion. ! Please email me at williamf@mstennis.com for more informa on on both of these events!
You've seen the promo ons but the August 2-3 Memphis Conference has a great lineup and is easy for us to a end, especially our northern half.
Jeff Chandley, Hall of Fame 2024, Atlanta Athle c Club,
Johns Creek GA
Give a brief descrip on of your tennis/ other career: I started my career in Nashville Tennessee, and worked as mostly an independent professional for 5 years. I was hired at Maryland Farms club as a professional and later became the DOT. I stayed for 8 years at Sawgrass Country Club, and then had the opportunity to become the DOT at the Landings Club in Savannah Ga for 10 years. In 2008, a friend of mine let me know one of the most pres gious jobs in Atlanta opened up and I would be perfect for it. I loved Savannah, but knew the opportunity in Atlanta was in front of me. I became the DOT in 2008 at the Atlanta Athle c Club and have served this membership for 16
Bill Bryan Raising Canes Tennis Center
@ Youngsville Sports Complex
Youngsville, LA
Give a brief descrip on of your tennis/other career: I was raised in Houston, Texas reaching a Ranking of #7 in singles and #2 in doubles in Boys 18’s in Texas sec on. Played at University of Louisiana 1976 – 1980. Inducted into the University of Louisiana Athle c Hall of Fame in 2011. Worked as an Assistant Pro – Red Lerille’s Health & Racket Club, Lafaye e, LA 1985 – 1990, then served as the Tennis Director and GM at Aurora Country Club, New Orleans, LA. Currently the Tennis Director at Youngsville Sports Complex, Youngsville, LA 2012 – present. Proudly inducted into the USPTA Southern Hall of Fame 2024.
years. In all four of the past clubs, I have also served as the Director of Athle cs. A er 44 years of being in the profession, I will be re ring January of 2025. It has been truly a blessing to have been a part of the tennis community.
When did you start playing tennis? I started playing tennis my junior year of High school
What other sports did you play? I played golf, baseball and had football scholarships a er my senior year of high school. Because I fell in love with tennis, and the number of injuries I had I went to Walter State Community College to play on the tennis team.
What moved you to teach tennis? I started teaching tennis in my junior year of college in Nashville. I was introduced to Peter VanLingen and he asked if I wanted to learn how to teach and be a tennis professional. This all happen just before I graduated. It was one of the best decisions of my life. He was so far ahead of the game and was teaching the modern game of tennis back in the 80s.
What is something people will be surprised to learn about you? Maybe that I played foot-
ball, and love to fly fish.
When did you start playing tennis? I started playing tennis at 12 years old
What other sports did you play? Football & baseball
What moved you to teach tennis? I was going to be too small to play college football and my father could teach tennis
What is something people will be surprised to learn about you? I am a big fan of the Grateful Dead (Deadhead)
What are your hobbies? Thoroughbred horseracing and sports be ng
What is your favorite movie? Confederate General from Big Sur by Richard Bra gan
What is your favorite sports team? definitely the New Orleans Saints
Who is your favorite player of all me? Joe Namath
What are your hobbies? Golf, fishing and traveling
What is your favorite movie? Just watched the “Longest Day”
Are you reading anything right now? Well since I am re ring in six months, I am reading a lot about Medicare! Lol
What is your favorite sports team? Braves, Jaguars and UT Football
Who is your favorite player of all me? John McEnroe
What person would you most like to have lunch with? Billy Graham
What would you be doing if you were not in tennis? I also work with a travel group to the Holy Land, and other faith based trips. If you had a "do over", what one thing would you have done differently in your teaching career? I have been so blessed in this profession, I am not sure there is anything I would change. We all make mistakes but learning from those mistakes is an important part of growth.
What person would you most like to have lunch with? Bob Weir or Clint Eastwood
What would you be doing if you were not in tennis? Running my own business of some sort
If you had a "do over", what one thing would you have done differently in your teaching career? I’ve had things go my way and don’t think I’d change a thing.
Pickleball Points
PROMOTE THE USPTA
You have likely seen the recent emails, texts, and social media posts from the USPTA promo ng the new pickleball outreach. Pickleball instructors who are not USPTA tennis cer fied are eligible to join the
USPTA and par cipate in a pathway specifically designed for them. This pathway contains course content similar to the Level 1 tennis cer fica on and helps new teaching professionals to be be er instructors.
If you know of people who are not cer fied and teaching pickleball, or are tennis cer fied with another organiza on, men on the USPTA to them. This is your chance to sponsor new members and to help grow the organiza on.
If you or poten al applicants need more informa on, they can reach out to Darryl Lewis at d.lewis@aussie10s.com
QUICK TIP - Just like in tennis, unforced errors are the key to winning. The less you make, the more you’ll win. So many players try for the fancy, low percentage shot. Just keep the ball in play and your wins will come.
CERTIFICATION will be held at the Summer Conference at the Memphis Le wich Tennis Center on Sunday 8/4 following the conference. More details posted soon on the CALENDARS sec on of uspta.com
It's been such a great USPTA Southern Conference, and we invite everyone to join us next year. One thing that I would love to see is more diverse coaches, specifically women, presen ng at the Southern Conven on. If you know anyone or would love to share your knowledge with fellow coaches, please don't hesitate to let me know.
Also, at the World Conference, we are planning to have a roundtable discussion with Hispanic coaches. If you are planning on a ending, please let me know.
On another note, on July 28th, USTA Southern, in conjunc on with USPTA, will host a Hispanic Coaches Workshop at the Atlanta Open. It will be a great opportunity for networking and learning from each other. We will have Edgar Giffenig, former coach from Mexico, USTA, and the German Federa on, and Andy Zigman from Argen na, former coach of the Israel tennis team, and
a top 300 player in the world. Please join us.
On August 18th, we are also holding a USTA and USPTA joint Hispanic Workshop at Winston-Salem in conjunc on with the USPTA NC Conference. We will have Jorge Andrew and Tito Perez presen ng. It's going to be our second conference in NC. Please let me know if there is anything you would love to see coming from the DEI.
On October 25-27, there will be a USPTA Cer fica on Exam at ITA in Atlanta. If you know anyone who is interested in par cipa ng, please let me know so I can reach out to them and guide them through the process. If your facility would love to host one of these events, please let me know.
It's been a pleasure to be involved with the USPTA Southern Board, and with the leadership of Ken Adriano, we have a bright future ahead.
One Good Idea!
From the USPTA Southern Conference notes from Rick Wille
Blind and Visually Impaired Presented by Dana Costa and David Dile uso
Both are experts in this adap ve tennis field. They were the first presenters.
Coaches and players got to simulate blindness using special glasses while moving on the court.
Some mes the balls made noise making it easier to make contact with the ball.
The training included serving and groundstroke techniques giving players a chance to do some rallying, exposing them to the challenges the visually impaired have. David emphasized coaches use concise and descrip ve language to communicate, simplifying hi ng the ball back and forth with the makeshi glasses.
It was fascina ng to start with assessment progressing
to rally exchange with these techniques David and Dana taught.
Craig Jones Controlling Chaos Courtesy of USTA
His presenta on focused on prepara on before the start of the clinic, checking space and equipment available, ra o of students to coach, and player profile including skill level and consistency.
Once you are about to start prac ce on the court with the students, the coach has to manage the athlete centered ability, use of assistants and their role, the culture of the students, and how much me in the hour clinic to do the on court drills and match play.
The coach needs to format the coopera ve play, varying skill sets with op mal challenges, plus spli ng students into groups of twos or threes.
In the playing por on, determine court space playing on 1/2 court or full court and doubles vs singles.
Can also add pressure giving them one serve per point. Tiebreakers are always good, enabling them to play each point under pressure. The thrust of Craig's presenta on was to make it more realis c and teach the students how to win more matches, building their confidence..
The Written Word
By Brian Perry USPTA Elite Professional
Play Tennis with Passion
by Edgar Giffenig
This past May at the USPTA Southern Conven on in Gulfport I was lucky enough to be selected as a raffle winner. I chose Edgar Giffenig's book Play Tennis With Passion. Let me give you an overview of what is in the book and some topics that I found very helpful.
Play Tennis With Passion is a book that helps all levels whether you are a junior or adult. Edgar's book uses ten performance factors that directly relate to a player's performance no ma er the ability - consistencyprecision - footwork - percep on & an cipa on - varia on - spin - ball speed - camouflage - mental skill and decision-making. Every chapter addresses each one of these factors in greater detail with effec ve and
simple drills/exercises/ ps that as I said earlier are easily applied by all players of all levels. I have already used several concepts from the book with the USTA teams that I coach at Fort Sanders in Knoxville. The material has been well received. Let me give you an overview of my favorite performance factor that helped me with my adult teams. It was without a doubt chapter 4 on percep on and an cipa on.
The ability to "read" the ball off your opponent's racquet allows the player to be be er prepared for the execu on of his or her own shot. This area went on to also talk about recognizing speed, spin, and the trajectory of the ball as well as where and how it will bounce a er your opponent hits, which gives
you a much be er chance to make a successful swing in a balanced stance.
In addi on to percep on being discussed the aspect of an cipa on was talked about in great detail. Having your player recognize cues from their opponent. How is the swing path, is your opponent balanced and what are your opponent's tendencies? These were all very helpful and like I said earlier gave me some new ideas while adding my own experience to present some new material to my USTA teams.
In closing I would like to say my favorite quote of the book so far is - it's called footwork for a reason and not footplay or foo un.
Growing Revenue and Member Satisfaction with a Comprehensive Pickleball Program
By Ryan Johnson, JD, CRSE, USPTA, Director of Racquet Sports, Paradise
Presented by McMahon Careers
Valley Country Club USPTA Southwest Pickleball Head Coach Developer USPTA Elite Professional
Over the last four years, pickleball has witnessed an explosive rise in popularity. The sport grew to 13.6 million players in the United States according to the 2024 Sports and Fitness Industry Associa on (SFIA). This recent growth represents a 55% increase from 2022-2023 and an incredible 223.5% growth rate from 2020. Clubs and facili es are uniquely posi oned to capitalize on this trend by developing comprehensive pickleball programs. Such programs can significantly boost revenue and member sa sfac on, provided they address two of the most common challenges: players o en ask, "Where do I go next?" and many are reluctant to take lessons. This ar cle will provide some ideas on how to navigate these challenges effec vely.
First and foremost, your team should include a professional that is dedicated to the pickleball program. Many facili es have recognized the importance and value of staffing a Head Pickleball Professional and are providing compe ve compensa on packages to a ract and retain top talent. This professional will be instrumental in developing the pickleball program and cul va ng rela onships with the members.
Once you have the right pickleball professional in place, you are ready to develop a pathway for skill progression. This will serve as your framework or roadmap for your players. This can cover everything from your Intro to Pickleball class to your Advanced Clinics/Play. The clinics and programming that you provide will be some-
what dependent on your players. As with any part of your racquets program, you will want to provide a diverse selec on of offerings that accommodate the wants and needs of your members. Moreover, this pathway should address the first challenge of dealing with the next step for your players. It’s incumbent on us as professionals to develop offerings that will retain players and provide the proper next
step in their pickleball journey. This can be in the form of social and/or comple ve play opportuni es.
As part of the pathway for skill progression, it’s recommended to define skill levels that fit your program. Players want to understand objec vely where they fit and, in most cases, how they progress to the next level.
The second challenge is the most pervasive, in my opinion. I’m sure many of you have experienced the no on that pickleball players don’t want to take lessons. For a sport that began with social play at its founda on, I can certainly understand how this culture developed. And for many players, the social component is one of the most a rac ve aspects of the sport. That said, I believe that many players want to progress their skills and game if provid-
ed in the right environment. One way of approaching this challenge is to build a comple ve ecosystem in your program. By crea ng this compe ve environment, you are providing an incen ve and value for players to improve. This can be in the form of club tournaments, interclub play, pickleball exchanges, and many others. At PVCC, the development and implementa on of interclub play was the biggest driver in lesson revenue growth. Members were now compe ng against players outside of the club and in a team environment, which created numerous incen ves for developing their skills and game. Another approach to addressing these challenges is to offer free introductory classes. This lowers the barrier to entry and demonstrates the value of coaching. With your well-developed pathway, you will confidently be able to guide your players to their next step in the program. Developing a comprehensive pickleball program can significantly enhance both revenue and member sa sfac on at your facility. By addressing the common challenges of skill progression and lesson par cipa on, you create an environment where players feel supported, engaged, and mo vated to improve; Implement structured skill pathways; Offer engaging and fun lessons, and capitalize on various revenue opportuni es. With these strategies, your pickleball program will not only a ract new members but also retain and sa sfy exis ng ones, fostering a vibrant and thriving community.
Summer Camp Fun: PropVue Screen and AuKing Projector
As summer camp directors, we're always looking for engaging ac vi es to keep our young campers cool and entertained during breaks. This year, we decided to try a projector and screen combo, and we were pleasantly surprised by the results!We specifically used the PropVue Projector Screen with Stand (100-inch) and the AuKing Projector 2024 Upgraded Mini Projector. Here's our take on this dynamic duo:
Pros: Perfect size for our camp se ng, offering a large viewing experience for the kids. The included stand is easy to assemble and lightweight, making it a breeze to move around between different indoor areas. Plus, the 160-degree viewing angle ensures everyone has a good view, no ma er where they're seated.
Cons: The screen is manual, so there's no fancy electric opera on. While the PVC material resists wrinkles, it might not be the top-of-the-line screen quality.
The AuKing Projector 2024 Upgraded Mini Projector:
Pros: This li le projector packs a punch! It delivers a clear and vibrant picture that's perfect for our camp
se ng (especially with the lights dimmed). The
variety of connec on op ons (HDMI, USB, etc.) allows us to easily hook up our Nintendo Switch for gaming sessions.
Cons: As with most mini projectors, the sound quality isn't the best. We typically use an external speaker for a more immersive experience.
The Perfect Camp Combo:
Despite some minor drawbacks, the PropVue screen and AuKing projector have become a summer me staple at our camp! The simple and quick setup allows us to get things going in minutes, perfect for rain delays, water breaks, or even pre/post lesson entertainment. The best part? It's been a great tool for fostering interac ons between campers and coaches. We've even used Mario Tennis Aces ("swing mode") to turn play me into a sneaky condi oning session,prac cing shot selec on strategy and posi oning!
The ROI on Fun:
Here's the kicker: the en re setup falls within a very reasonable price range. Considering the increased camper engagement, coaching interac ons, and overall fun factor, it's been a fantas c investment. We highly recommend this projector and screen combo for any camp or organiza on looking for a budget-friendly way to keep their crew cool,entertained, and even sneak in a li le learning during those summer breaks!
The PropVue Projector Screen with Stand (100-inch):
SPTA "TEAM SOUTHERN" represented at Junior Nationals
By Captain Bill Riddle USPTA Master Professional
For a number of years now, the USPTA Southern Division has helped support junior tennis players from the Southern sec on who play on "Team Southern" at the Junior Na onals. These players primarily come from or are selected by USPTA professionals throughout the south and come together to compete against 16 teams from around the USA at the Junior Na onals in Orlando at the USTA Na onal Campus. Players compe ng at this event are all looking to move onto playing college tennis and the event was founded over 27 years ago by Billie Jean King.
Without the help and support from local USPTA professionals to iden fy players and the support of key divisional leaders like Tom Parks, Ken Andriano, Pat Whitworth and Todd Upchurch these junior players may miss out on a life changing opportunity to compete at this na onal level.
"Team Southern" has fielded two
MEMBER BENEFITS
of the 16 teams since covid hit and have represented the south well finishing always in the top half and last year one team finished 3rd overall. A big thanks goes out to a number of key coaches that have always supported the teams with players such as Tyler Sory, Dani Leal, Keith Swindoll, MJ Garne , Devin Crotzer, Ken Adams and many others along the way. For the last 20+
years the teams were organized and coached by Bill Riddle who originally began this journey way back when BJK led the event known then as the World Team Tennis Junior Na onals in San Diego, CA.
Did you know about all of your special discounts and offers??
TENNIS WAREHOUSE Apparel and Footwear: 30% member pricing discount- Brands included: Nike, adidas, Asics, FILA & 40% discount off MSRP for inventory purchased for pro shop distribu on on adidas products.
Equipment: 20% discount on Babolot, Tecnifibre and Prince (Racquets, String, Bags, 10 & Under Racquets, Pickleball Paddles, Padel Paddles and other accessories) and 40% off on Prince products for Pro Shop retail accounts.
DUNLOP
USPTA members can order tennis balls directly from Dunlop and receive a 15% discount off retail pricing on all orders on the Dunlop website. You’ll also receive free shipping on orders of 3 cases or more through the Dunlop website
This year Team Southern will be represented by 3 teams (3 boys and 3 girls per team) and will also feature some new young coaches who are looking at careers in tennis. Coaches and players from Team Southern will all visit the USPTA Na onal Headquarters during their me at the Na onal Campus July 14-18.
20% FTD Florist product discount
INSURANCE
$6 million of on -court liability insurance
Select health insurance quotes through LIG Solu ons
Free access to US Open Series tournaments leading up to the US Open
OTHER MEMBER DISCOUNTS
10-S Tennis Supply, Aer-Flo Sports, CourtReserve, ICL Academy, LEORÊVER, NFW Promos, Playmate Tennis Machines, Pu erman Athle cs/ Sports Interiors, RacquetDesk, SES Ligh ng, Selkirk, SportMaster, String Ping
30% AVIS rental car discounts
Exercise Tracking of Pickleball vs. Tennis
By Emily Price
Pickleball is quickly gaining in popularity across the United States. There’ s no denying that playing a sport of any kind can help improve your health, but is trading your tennis racket for a kickball one a be er move? Apple decided it wanted to find out. Researchers from the Apple Heart and Movement Study looked at data from Apple Watch users in an a empt to learn how the game compares to the game of tennis as well as how it impacts a player’s overall health.
The study found that par cipants o en play both sports for long periods, averaging a peak heart rate of 70% of their es mated max heart rate during their recorded workouts on the smartwatch. Pickleball players tend to spend slightly longer playing than their tennis player
counterparts, 90 minutes versus 80 minutes; however, tennis workouts typically resulted in more me spent in higherintensity heart rate zones as well as a higher average peak heart rate, 152 beats per minute versus 143 beats per minute.
Pickleball, in general, has risen to a point where it’s a bit more popular to play than tennis for Apple Watch wearers. Utah in par cular recorded the most pickleball workouts per capita.
“The Apple Heart and Movement Study offers us remarkable opportuni es to follow par cipants’ behavior changes and the consequences of these changes on health,” said Calum MacRae, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and principal inves gator of the Ap-
ple Heart and Movement Study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Following the growth of pickleball using Apple Watch data allows us to explore emerging trends and the effects of ac vity on mul ple metrics of health and wellness that were not accessible before.”
As for who is playing, the study found that both sports are popular across different ages and both tended to be slightly more popular with men rather than women. On average, the players who logged at least 10 pickleball workouts also tend to be a bit older than their tennis-playing counterparts. The average pick-
leball player is 51 versus the average tennis player who is 45.
The Apple Heart and Movement Study is a collabora on between Apple and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the American Heart Associa on. The study explores the links between physical ac vity and heart health and collects data from more than 200,000 par cipants across the US who give their consent to share data from their Apple Watch as part of the study.
Applying Pressure in Drills with Different Scoring
By Dan Beedle - USPTA Elite Professional
A drill that we all have done is a basic make ten, fi een or twenty balls cross court. Whether we are feeding this drill or its a live ball situa on it puts li le pressure on the opponent. Do you con nue to feed un l they get to the specified number regardless of how many they miss? You could but it is good to put some pressure on the opponent. Here are some varia ons in scoring to put the pressure on.
1) make a total of twenty shots cross court.
2) adding to twenty, if the player makes the shot +1 to the total score and if they miss -1 from their score. The nega ve scoring could be used only if they miss into the net so a wide ball would not count against them.
3) Make twenty shots with a three strike rule. If the player misses three shots they go back to zero.
4) The player has three chances to make twenty in a row.
An alterna ve format which has become a favorite of mine is to use tennis scoring during the drill. Con nuing with the same example of controlling the ball cross court (or any direc on that your player is working on). If the player makes the shot the score is zero for the coach and fi een for the player. The player makes the next ball the score is zero - thirty. The next ball is missed long and the score becomes fi een - thirty ect. Use that scoring to play a set, the set can be played using Ad or No-ad scoring. This can be done with a fed ball or live ball and can be used for a specific shot or pa ern of shots such as serve plus one or a two - one rally pa ern.
The players I have used this with have responded posi vely with increased focus especially during advantage points. This scoring varia on creates a sense of realism and pressure more so than simply rallying cross court or feeding countless balls.
