A Division of the USPTA
September 2020
INSIDE: President’s Message - 2 Testing News - 3 Virtual World Conference - 4-5 Free Dues For 2021 - 6 Palm Creek Tennis Club - 7 District News - 8-15
Inside: Presidents Message - Page 2 2010 Southwest Board - Pages 4 World Conference Photos - Page 5 Awards Information - Page 6-7 Area News - Pages 8-15 USTA News Pages 16-17
President’s Message Dave Moyer - USPTA Southwest President
Dear USPTA Southwest Tennis Professionals, I hope everyone is doing well and not only staying safe and healthy but also enjoying our great game of tennis. One thing I have been encouraged by during this tough time is the fact that tennis is one of the safest activities that you can participate in and it has been fun seeing all the stories of record numbers of players at facilities. For those of you that have been open and continuing to grow the game, I want to say thank you. It doesn’t quite sound right to say that a tennis program is an essential business when healthcare workers are on the frontline putting themselves at risk, but I do think that tennis is important at this time in history. Putting safety first, people need to be active for not only their physical well-being but their mental and social wellbeing. There is no question that contracting Covid-19 can be extremely problematic for some resulting in hospitalization and in some cases death, but there are also health ramifications that result in isolation. I am so thankful that as an industry, we have been able to provide a safe outlet for individuals and families to stay connected, get exercise and maintain emotional and mental health. Keep up the good work everyone and let’s keep growing the game! Now on to some business. As you all should know by now the World Conference in New Orleans was canceled as an in-person event. This was a popular destination a few years ago and I know that it was going to be a popular destination again this year. The good news is that we will be going back to New Orleans in two years (2022) so you have that to look forward to. In the meantime, the World Conference will be happening this year in a virtual format September 21-23. There will be five sessions each day with an incredible lineup of speakers including former profes-
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sional tour players and industry leaders. There will also be a virtual trade show where attendees can shop and support our endorsees and other trade show participants and the first 1000 to register will get a $75 swag box so make sure to sign up early. Unable to watch during the day because you are on court? No problem as you will be able to access later and watch on your own time. This is going to be a great conference and opportunity to learn and earn education credits. Finally, the deadline to get your Safe Play certification done is fast approaching. If you want to get free dues in 2021 (and who doesn’t?) then you need to get this done. It doesn’t take long and is the right thing to do regardless of whether it is required or not. Being able to give your clients parents the peace of mind that you are a verified safe tennis professional is important. You will also need to make sure you are up to date on your education requirements as well so the conference would be a great way to get that done if you haven’t already. Thank you all for everything that you do. If you have anything that you would like to promote on social media (pictures of events, accomplishments, etc.), please send it my way at dmoyer@ccdcranch.com. I would love to hear from you.
Congratulations to Jonathan Davis (USPTA Southwest Past President) and his wife Amanda who just brought their second child, Avery, into the family on August 21st, she weigted in at 8lbs 1 oz. As you can see, Jensen, who will be 2 in Decoember is a very proud big brother.
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USPTA Southwest Tester Update By Southwest Head Tester, Dr. Gregory Prudhomme
I hope everyone is staying healthy and you’re able to take part as tennis is inching back into swing. The USPTA national testing office lifted the cancellation of testing at the beginning of the summer to allow each division to determine when they would restart testing. Fortunately, testing has resumed around the country. In the Southwest, we successfully returned to testing in June with Bryan Dirk in Tucson, and again in August with Larry Lineberry in Cottonwood. Both certification dates had one new applicant and one upgrade applicant participate. As you know, this year is the final full year of the current USPTA certification process. However, because there are over 800 applicants waiting to test nationwide, certification dates will extend through March of 2021. If anyone is interested in upgrading their current level of certification or becoming certified under the current process, they still must apply by October 31st, 2020. Beginning in November 2020, all new applications will follow the new certification pathway, which includes six to nine months of hands-on work experience with guidance from a USPTA-approved mentor, 300 hours of online and/or in-person education and the completion of USTA Safe Play training and a background check. Pass the word on to prospective USPTA applicants that now is a great time to become certified. As always, let me know if you have any questions or you can reach out to your local tester: Larry Lineberry (Northern Arizona), Bryan Dirks (Tucson), Dick Johnson (Albuquerque), and Jonathan Davis (Phoenix). Let us know if you have any questions. You can reach me at 602-301-1394 or at gmprudhomme@yahoo.com.
2020 USPTA Southwest Certification Dates: * September 18-19; Tucson, AZ @ Tucson Country Club * October 16-17; Albuquerque, NM @ Tanoan Country Club * November 20-21; Glendale, AZ @ Paseo Racquet Center * December 4-5; Glendale, AZ @ Paseo Racquet Center *January through March 2021 – To Be Announced
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Free USPTA Dues in 2021 Make sure this requirement does not cost you $300! A big thank you to both the USPTA and the USTA for the grant subsidy providing the opportunity for certified professionals to qualify for free 2021 USPTA dues. There are a few requirements that must be completed by October 1 to qualify for free dues. Please closely review the Continuing Education Requirement and USTA Safe Play training, as these are the most important. Education Credit Cycle You must complete the following education credits by October 1 to qualify for free 2021 dues. 2020 Education Cycle – 6 education credits (12 hours) 2021 Education Cycle – 4 education credits (8 hours) 2022 Education Cycle – 2 education credits (4 hours) 65+ Member or Member turning 65 before the end of their current education cycle – no education credits are necessary. The 2020 USPTA World Conference Virtual Event, being held September 21, 22 & 23, is an opportunity to earn 7.5 educational credits (15 hours). To learn more about #WC20 or to register, click here. If you are not able to attend the conference, it is easy to get the credits at tennisresources.com. View the free educational videos receive credit for watching. USTA Safe Play The USTA is covering the cost for USPTA members to complete USTA Safe Play training before October 1. USTA Safe Play is not difficult, but it is the most time-consuming requirement to earn free 2021 membership dues. You should plan approximately 2.5 hours to complete Safe Play, which shows the USTA’s commitment to the safety of every individual participating in an event or program through the use of screening, education and reporting tools. If you have not completed Safe Play visit USTA Safe Play training and click on the “Get Safe Play Approve” button. Safe Play consists of online training (approximately 2 hours), review and acceptance of the USTA Safe Play Policies (10 minutes) and completing and submitting the application for your background screening (20 minutes). It is important that you input your USPTA Membership Number in your Safe Play profile. For more on that, see “check your status” below. Already Safe Play Approved? Check
Your Status Just To Make Sure!
This next step is very important for those of you who have already completed Safe Play. You need to check your status and confirm that your USPTA Member Number has been added to your USTA Safe Play Profile. Why? Without your Member Number, the USPTA will not know if you have completed Safe Play or not, and without checking your status, you will not know if you completed all of the Safe Play requirements and if you are current with your Safe Play compliance.
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To check your Safe Play status, visit USTA Safe Play training and click on the Check Your Status button. Then, login to your USTA Safe Play account. Once logged in, you should see four green circles similar to what is shown below. Additionally, you will see the expiration date for each of the three Safe Play components: SafeSport Training, Safe Play Policy acceptance and NCSI Background Check. It is important that you note these dates so that they do not expire. If they expire before October 1, you will not qualify for free 2021 dues.
Equally important is making sure your USPTA Member Number has been added to your Safe Play profile. Access your profile section on Safe Play highlighted by the red box shown in the image below and enter your USPTA number. In the profile, there are two tabs. You must select the COACH tab, enter your USPTA number in the USPTA box. This will allow USTA to forward your Safe Play status to the USPTA World Headquarters. Failing to complete that one simple task can cost $300. Again, this needs to be completed by October 1, so don’t wait. Thank you!
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2020 USPTA World Conference Virtual Event Registration Welcome to the WC20 registration page. Please read the following information carefully before registering. We are looking forward to seeing you at the conference! Conference Details The 2020 World Conference Virtual Event will be held live Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, September 21, 22 & 23. Each day there will be 5 sessions from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. ET. In between sessions, we will have breaks for a chance to explore the virtual venue, including our trade show. We will have networking opportunities in our virtual lounge and opportunities to win great prizes. Sessions will be recorded and available to conference attendees to view at a later time.
Incredible Speaker Lineup & Topics Expect to enjoy a variety of pertinent topics from renowned tennis industry professionals, such as Sven Groeneveld, Mats Wilander, Gigi Fernandez, Emilo Sánchez Vicario, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Craig O’Shannessy, Chanda Rubin, Sarah Stone, Ann Grossman-Wunderlich, Zina Garrison, Todd Ellenbecker, Rita Gladstone, Ellen Miller, Johnny Parks, Dr. Karl Davies, Lori Riffice, Jon Glover, Mark McMahon, Tracy Almeda Singian, John Embree and the USPTA Board! Click to view speaker lineup.
Get Some Swag! The first 1,000 to register will receive a WC20 Swag Box valued at $75 dollars. The WC20 Swag Box will be shipped to the address that we have on file. If you need to update your address, you will receive instructions with your registration confirmation. Note: Swag Box can only be mailed to a U.S. postal address.
USPTA Member Safe Play Discount USPTA Members with Safe Play completed at the time of registration will receive a $20 discount. Please note that no Safe Play “in progress” will be accepted. No registration discounts will be refunded to those who complete Safe Play after registering for the conference. If you do not see the Safe Play discount being applied do not register for the conference. Instead visit www.usta.com/safeplay and select “Check Your Status”. You will need to login using your USTA login credentials. Once logged in, click the button labeled “Personal Information”. That page will reveal a form to input your USPTA membership number. Make sure to click “Next” at the bottom of the page to save your submission. Wait one week to make sure that your Safe Play is now registed in the USPTA website and then regis-
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ter for the conference. You should now see the $20 discount applied to your conference registration, proceed to check out.
WC20 Virtual Trade Show Booth Does your company want exposure in front of the world’s largest gathering of tennis-teaching professionals? Secure your virtual trade show booth today! The cost is $399 for all three days of the conference. Each day we will have a block of time to allow conference attendees the opportunity to explore the virtual trade show. For details, contact Jim Burke at (407) 634-3071 or email james.burke@uspta.org.
Registration Instructions 1 - You must log in to register. 2 - Click “Register Myself”. 3 - Click “Proceed to Checkout” on the bottom of your screen. This will take you to your cart. 4 - You must select “Submit” on the bottom right of the shopping cart to complete your registration. **Note** Once registered, you will receive TWO email confirmations, one for payment and one for registration. If you do not receive one or both emails in your Inbox, please check your Spam/Junk folder.
Registration Fees USPTA Member - $99* *USPTA Member with Safe Play - $79 Please carefully read the USPTA Member Safe Play Discount paragraph above. Non-Member Attendee - $125 Virtual Trade Show Booth - $399
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New USTA Organizational Member Palm Creek Tennis Club – Tennis Alive and Growing - Casa Grande, AZ by: Dan Hopkins – USPTA Master Professional
The Palm Creek Tennis Club of Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort, Casa Grande, Arizona is making news locally with its various club activities. Palm Creek is a retirement community forty-five miles south the Phoenix airport, just off Interstate 10, eight miles north of Interstate 8, and one hour from downtown Tucson. The community is seasonal and has upward four thousand residents during the height of the winter season. Palm Creek is best known for its Pickleball, the USAPA Nationals, courts, and club. The tennis club is alive, well, and growing. In fact many of our members play both tennis and pickle. Now a new member organization of the USTA, the club has been active for as many as 20 years, but not as well known, and not involved with the USTA. Times are a changing for the positive. We are encouraging new membership, bringing back former established tennis players, introducing the game to new players, and trying to encourage avid tennis players from around the country to come here. We want people to be aware of us, and our fantastic club. Just to highlight our community, we are 120 active playing over 50 senior tennis members, and over 150 strong, with family, friends, and supporters. Our first year as a new USTA organizational member, you can see our group attending local college matches wearing the team colors with our Palm Creek logo. We love tennis and look to ally ourselves with other clubs, colleges, players, and coaches. Our weekly activities involve Drop-In tennis, Monday thru Friday, men/women/coed league doubles and mixed doubles competitions, invitational competitions with Cottonwood Tennis Club and Sunbird Tennis Club, Club Hat Draw tournaments, three levels of Live Ball drill sessions, and a Saturday Upper Level competitive doubles match which involves combined men and women. The club provides free group tennis lessons, instructional clinics, a practice board, ball machines, and carts full of good practice balls for feeds and September 2020
serving. The club also took two trips to watch college tennis matches at Grand Canyon University vs. Duke (Women), and Arizona State vs. Baylor (Men). As a combined club activity, the members raised $4500 for cancer research, the top fund raiser of over 120 clubs in the park. Palm Creek has eight steel tensioned concrete tennis courts, practice board, balls, carts, ball tubes, ball machines, windscreens on all courts. We have shaded rest areas between courts and a shaded pavilion for group gatherings and our weekly tennis social hour. There are restrooms on site, and newly completed LED lighting on all eight courts. Our yearly general membership meeting involves what we call the Souper Supper in which twenty-five of our members, men and women, cook various types of soups for the pleasure of our members. We also have and annual team competition called the Super bowl of Tennis. The competition lasts for two days, culminated by a highlights show and awards dinner for all the participants and guests. We have survived the downturn with zero casualties and we are planning for next season. We are having some exhibition tennis in November just as our season gets real active. Looking for those that might consider our club for the fall, winter, and spring. Our management team, Team Leaders, Club Membership and Court Utilization (Randy Jones), Courts and Equipment (Glenn Arnold and Hank Olson), Finance (Gerrie Dey), Tournament Planning and Coordination (Jim Prevost), Club Marketing and Ball Management (Dan Hopkins), Management Coordinator (Glenn Carter), Special Events (Jalene Carter, Jim Prevost, Don and Helen Baggett, Lee Metcalfe, Doris Grayson, Jean Prevost, Doreen Hyet, Roberta Gill), Web Site Management (Jean Prevost), Social Media (Lynn Reiter), Club Clinics (Mark Costello), League Coordinators (Hugh Hammond, Connie Emerson, Len Dombrowski), Tennis Instructors/ Professionals are (Carol Lindow, Randy Jones, Dieter Daly, Jim Prevost, and Dan Hopkins). Contact – Dan Hopkins jdh@ma.rr.com / 812-239-5061 cell for more information.
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Northern Arizona by Andrea Meyer
Northern AZ pros in the Verde Valley, Prescott, and Sedona areas have been hindered but not stopped in finding venues and opportunities to continue teaching – and even adding—to the sport they love. In July, NAZ benefited from California’s loss to welcome 14- year USPTA Professional Jake Worseldine back to Cottonwood. Jake will be taking the reins of the Mingus Union HS boys’ team from Master Professional Larry Lineberry who resigned from the coaching position when he saw his former student, Jake, was back in the Verde Valley. He feels confident and pleased in handing the much- improved boys’ program over to Jake, who has been on teaching staff at the Newport, Jake Worseldine RI, International Tennis Hall of Fame and directed the junior program at San Diego’s Barnes Tennis Center. Larry took on the MUHS boys’ team five years ago with a 1-13 record in his first season to winning records most recently and an undefeated start to the 2020 shortened season. Larry will continue to volunteer his time to help the team and plans “to continue giving lessons to whom he wants and when he wants.” With his wife, Elizabeth, Larry has more travel on the horizon and hopes to make up for Covidpostponed trips to The Laver Cup, a round of tennis at The All-England Club, and a bike tour of Croatia. Now that Larry’s son, USAF Capt. Alexander Lineberry, has moved with his family from FL to NM, Larry and Elizabeth will enjoy much more frequent visits with them. Larry conducted a USPTA Certification Test at Mingus Union on Aug. 22 with 3 applicants. Mingus girls’ coach and USPTA Pro Andrea Meyer has
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been playing a little USTA Flex League at Prescott’s Yavapai College courts (but since closed again on Aug. 4). The Covid outbreak has brought new families to her Tanya Sanchez and her son, Rodrigo, youth tennis programs hit with the Jingleball at Andrea Meyer’s red ball parent-child group at Mingus Union HS.
who are searching for a sport that can be played safely. “Parents began asking for tennis for the younger siblings of my orange and green ball kids, so I’m teaching a new red ball group that uses parents as teaching partners. I prep the Four year old twins parents for 5 minutes before we Linijo and Rodrigo Sanchez practice with start so they know what gross streamer & Jingleballs motor skills I’m teaching and at Andrea Meyer’s Red how they tie in to tennis and Hots in Cottenwood. other sports. Then the parents are their child’s partner on court as we go through the activities.” Prescott Pro and Prescott HS coach Sterling Fetty hosted a junior tournament and Team Challenge play day Aug. 15 at Mingus Union with the help of Jake and Andrea. To maintain safe play, start times were staggered and other safety standards were adhered to. Over 35 juniors from the Prescott and Verde Valley earned trophies, ate cookies, and enjoyed the singles- only play. Chris Howard, Elite Pro and tennis manager of the Yavapai College tennis facility, received disheartening news that the YC courts must close again August 4 because of insurance concerns during the Covid epidemic. (This is the courts’ second closure during the outbreak.)No date has yet been announced for reopening. Chris and crew had looked forward to hosting the first sanctioned Southwest tournament since the viral shutdown, The Mike High Senior Tournament. “Hopefully, this will all be short-lived. Tennis is certainly one of the games for which we can provide decent assurance of staying well, getting good exercise, and our social needs met,” Chris said. September 2020
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Phoenix, Arizona by Ryan Johnson
Capitalizing on Tennis – A Tremendous Growth Opportunity Since March, many of us have experienced some form of change and hardship. Through shutdowns and closures, we have been forced to innovate amid such uncertainty. Despite these circumstances, one thing remains constant; tennis is an inherently physical distancing activity that serves as a safe-active outlet and opportunity to socialize. As tennis professionals and providers, it’s incumbent on us to continue to spread the word and provide opportunities for growth. In support of this endeavor, versions of a chart have been circulating that rank various activities by COVID19 risk levels. Across several states, public health experts and medical associations have ranked tennis as a low risk activity, and in many cases, as the lowest risk among any activity. Information that corroborates what we already knew as tennis providers. With such a strong endorsement from public health experts and many looking for a safe activity to plug in to, the time has never been better for us to grow the sport. page 18
While the current climate has undoubtedly forced change, there are innovative ways to provide programming and events that comply with local, state and national guidelines. I’m sharing a few programs that I’ve found to be helpful in growing participation. It is by no means an exhaustive list, but should assist in setting the course for growth while complying with safety guidelines. Cardio tennis is designed to introduce new players to the game and provides all players with a fun way to get back in shape. It appeals to all levels and serves as a catalyst to introduce participants to other tennis members and programs. With the current pandemic, you can create stations and limit class sizes to ensure safety measures are maintained. You should consider offering this as a complimentary program if you’re part of a dues based facility or at least offer a free introductory class. Try tennis programs are great for new players and those that are coming back from a long hiatus. They provide a safe and social environment with similar level participants. These classes can go a long way in building confidence as they create a solid foundation for players and opportunity to plug in to the tennis community. Consider pairing these with your junior development classes. This is a great way to provide an activity for families at the same time. If your facility provides other sports, crossover opportunities are a fantastic way to build interest. “Mixed Sticks” events are always fun and popular. With golf and tennis listed as low risk activities, the time is perfect to find ways to build an event around both sports. Get creative with your scoring and marketing to attract golf members to tennis and vice versa. Finally, lean on your influencers. Nothing has a bigger impact than leveraging the enthusiasm of passionate members, especially when it comes from a trusted source. These influential members can play a vital role in growing programs and events. Just make sure their influence matches the particular needs for the facility or event. While these are just a few examples, the key is to provide a safe and welcoming environment. Let your participants know the measures you’re taking to keep them safe. We are truly blessed to be part of an industry that is uniquely positioned to provide a safe and social outlet. The time has never been better for us to innovate and share this sport with those new to the game and re-energize those who are ready to return.
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Southeastern Arizona by John Perry
Greetings from Southern Arizona, Well, summer in Tucson for tennis professionals is always a challenging time due to the extreme heat and sometimes it seems only true creatures of the desert are seen on the courts! Summer 2020 however, has set a new standard for difficulty. At Reffkin Tennis Center with USPTA pros including myself, Ronnie Smith, and Jay Hitchcock, we would have spent the early summer preparing junior players for the Cactus Cup and the Southwest Junior Closed. We also would have been hosting those events and many others along with the Tucson City Championships. Sadly, not only were those events cancelled, but Reffkin Tennis Center remains closed as of August 10, and has been closed for over 4 months. In a typical summer, our facility would see hundreds of players throughout the summer. These players would be seen braving the heat for summer camps and tournament for players of all ages and levels including many scholarship players who would be attending their first tennis camps through the help of our facility, the USTA, or the Tucson Community Tennis Program. Despite the USTA events being cancelled around the country, we still have a number of high performance junior players who have been trying to maintain their games and continue to train under these difficult circumstances. I am admittedly spoiled with having a September 2020
25 court facility to run daily practices for many years but have been reduced to 1-2 private courts for the summer. As a coach who values full court live ball tactical and mental toughness practices, it has really forced me to be creative with drills and activities to service as many players as possible while still allowing them to improve their games. In conjunction with the USTA I have been helping with the plan of action for the return to tournament play and the protocols associated with Fall schedule. Some of the rules being implemented for the Southwest for the remainder of 2020 include: * All spectators and players wear masks except for those playing matches on court * Player may only bring one person on-site (player plus a coach is acceptable, but only if a parent is not present) * Players and spectators leave the site once the match is complete * If a player would like to play matches with 2 cans of balls, they must bring their own can of the same ball type * Players and spectators should bring their own water and seating * No doubles will be played at these events
The tournament experience will be quite a change for players, parents, and coaches alike. One of the most enjoyable aspects of tournament play aside from the competition is the social side and the camaraderie between the players. It may be a bit of a lonely experience for the time being until “normal� tournament conditions resume. Changing tournament rules and conditions has a long history in Tucson thanks to longtime USPTA professional and former USPTA National President Jim Reffkin. Randolph Tennis Center was renamed the Jim Reffkin Tennis Center in 2011 and Jim spent over forty years growing and innovating the sport. The match tiebreak (played in major tournaments around the world), one-day tournaments, short sets, and 10 and under courts and balls can all be traced to Jim and his legacy of trying to keep our sport moving forward. Jim is quietly retired at home with his wife Lu and he enjoys spending time with his grandchildren. Many of
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you have asked how he is doing these days and I am pleased to report I had a nice conversation with him recently where he sounded great and we talked about the tennis center and we reminisced about his history there. Some days are better than others but it was wonderful to hear him speak and converse about the past. I have heard from some coaches that have had great success over the past months and I do believe the sport of tennis has an opportunity over the next few months to grow the game and bring in many new players. We all have a chance to promote tennis as a sport that can be played safely and it appears many parents are looking for activities for their children as many other sports are unable to do so. If we as coaches can get these new players in the door we have the responsibility to do our absolute best to introduce and teach our sport to an audience we might not normally have seen. The USPTA coaches in our sections could be poised to really get this influx of players to not only try out tennis but to become tennis players! I certainly look forward to this and can’t wait to get the next generation of players started!
Northern New Mexico by Dick Johnson
Hi! Everybody! Wow what a crazy and scary last few months! Our high school tennis season lasted a whopping 2 weeks. It was very sad for my 4 seniors. We are hoping that when things calm down we can have a banquet in their honor. In the meantime, the Corley Cup has been organized by Ivana Corley who has a D-1 scholarship at the University of Oklahoma. Amy Badger and I are on the Steering Committee to hopefully have this tournament with strict health and safety protocols take place on October 9th-11th. We already page 20
have over 100 entries from throughout the state. $30,000 has been raised for the juniors and seniors to help with their college expenses. Mr. Corley, a loyal Volvo, Lincoln car dealer, is a huge tennis fan in our community. I really hope our Northern New Mexico pros will take advantage of the upcoming USPTA Virtual World Conference September 21-23. This is a great way to get your CEU credits. You can earn up to 7.5 CEU’s! The full registration is $99 but if you complete USTA SafePlay prior to registering you get $20 off! I’m hoping to get my camp going again in October. Miss those kids and even though I had about 10 kids during the summer certainly was not the same. Right now, be safe everyone. Wear those masks, wash those hands, and social distance. I sure do miss everyone and hope to see you soon. Sincerely, DJ
Amy Badger - Albuquerque: Keeping our State’s COVID protocols at the forefront, the thrill of being able to simply work again, including part time at The Club at Las Campanas in Santa Fe, has been wonderful. The time has also allowed me to zoom, zoom, and zoom, with high school coaches, my various USTA regional and national committees and subcommittee, as well as taking continuing education to a new level with virtual tennis conferences abounding. I was a panelist for a USTA weekly Tennis Industry United zoom event, speaking on the state of school tennis here in the Southwest. At this time there is no word on whether we will have mid school tennis which has been a terrific environment for our young juniors to be introduced to the sport and competition. However, despite a “no junior competition” rule in effect, I am still plugging away with the hopeful continuation of the NM High School Tennis Showcase Series, bringing high school players together using varied scoring and playing formats, as they ready themselves for varsity and junior varsity competition. Our season has been pushed and condensed to April-June which we also hope will be a go. I’ve been asked to be the Interim Tournament Director for the Corley Cup (while Director Ivana Corley heads back to school playing tennis for Oklahoma). This is a fantastic effort by the Corley
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family to honor graduating seniors and all varsity level players with an opportunity to have a “state championship experience”. While this had to be postponed due to “no competition” orders, it was rescheduled for October 9-11. Our tennis community is hoping with every breath this will be a go as they have raised close to $30,000 in sponsorship, much of which will be directed to three local charities. I’m looking forward to the WC20 and continuing to stay safe and healthy. Hope you all are doing well.
Christine Paulsen - Lobo Club - Albuquerque: Since the last few months of Covid I have spent a lot of time on the court coaching like in the past, but I have a beautiful garden and have spent a lot of quality time with my husband at home. He writes for outdoor magazines, does podcasts and is pretty much an inspiration not only to me but to many! So I thought why not let you all read an article about something I think you all will relate to, as tennis players, and pull something out that you can build on. Just an FYI, my husband was a division 1 director of athletic performance for 33 years all over the United States. He retired from the University of New Mexico, after serving 25 years in 2012. Enjoy!!
GRINDERS “The opening line of Teddy Roosevelt’s most famous speech states that “the credit belongs to the man/ woman who is actually in the arena”! The majority of my life, like most people, I have been impressed by gifted achievers in any discipline. Whether it is in the area of Academics, Arts, Business, Athletics, Entrepreneurship, Written word, etc. I admire greatly the highly talented people that occupy the rarefied air of excellence in any profession. Unfortunately, during my lifetime I generally failed to recognize those folks, while certainly sacrificing in working very hard at their craft, we’re giving some gifts that the majority of us did not get. In a sense they won the Intellectual or physical lottery and, kudos to them, put forth the effort to capitalize on those talents. They say the great ones make it look easy. You know why? Because for them it’s easy! I now view things quite differently. These days, the GRINDERS are my heroes. Grinders are those folks for whom everything is difficult but hang tough anyway. They may not have the ability to play a concerto, to work out problems in quantum physics or post pictures
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of their eyes on Instagram, but they have a burning desire to better themselves and come hell or high water they stay focused. Case in point, I give you the UGLY RUNNER! You know this scene. The folks you see out in public, jogging, attempting to put one foot in front of the other, faces beet red, packed into spandex three sizes too small, accepting the torture that voluntarily is easier to meet the objectives. Nothing about the way they run is efficient, knees turned in, feet out, arms swung side to side. Face it, it’s painful to watch. But.... They are in the ARENA. And they don’t give one rip about what other people think. What I used to ridicule as an immature perfectionist I now respect immensely. My admiration for ANYONE willing to step into ANY arena that is outside their comfort zone is off the charts. So today, using the ugly runner metaphor, and projecting it on whatever your challenges might be, I tip my hat to all the Grinders of the WA community who stay in the arena. Stay wild” I know you all can relate to the “Grinders” the player with grit! They may not look too pretty on the court because they are tough to beat. They make you question why they are playing tennis and possibly can make you want to quit. But as a teacher and coach please recognize this player and give credit where credit is due. They may never have the perfect strokes, have the most expensive racquet or shoes, but they find a way to win (only God knows how). This player is special and needs to be recognized for their gift of “Grind”. So just like my husband mentioned, the grinders are his hero today. I must agree with him that the player that can just go out there and find a way to win with wherever gifts they have is an inspiration to us all!!
Doug MacCurdy - Albuquerque: The pandemic has certainly curtailed all of my travel plans since March. The last time I was on an airplane was coming back from Korea at the end of February. I think this is the longest stretch I have ever had without flying. On the plus side, it has been great to be spending time at home Tennis wise, I have been doing numerous web based interviews and presentations in Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina. It has been an excellent opportu-
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nity to keep up my Spanish and connect with many old friends. In my experience, coaches in Mexico, Central America and South America have always shown a great interest in their education and great enthusiasm for learning.
John DaGaard - Santa Fe: The Train Park (Salvador Perez Park Tennis Courts) public courts are kept clean by Eloy Mantano who has bought new nets, put them up, measures the net straps and has made singles sticks for each court. The general public has been very receptive to Eloy and has each given him $20 to help pay for his efforts. Eloy is the “Captain of the Ship” - the “Keeper of the Courts” arranging who plays where and when and keeps them running smoothly from dawn to dusk. Eloy will walk to Trader Joe’s and come back with fruit (especially bananas) to share with each player on the courts. The Alto Men have now come over to The Train Park and play from 9 AM - 11 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Because of the Pandemic, the pros bring their adult lessons in the late morning and then go into their youth groups in the afternoon - even parents will bring their children to the courts and have them go toe to toe while watching from their lawn chairs. It is really nice to see adults and kids enjoying the public courts; as the local clubs have been closed Santa Fe Tennis and Swim Club does take reservations with a member paying on-line for the court and the players going from their car to the court and then right back to their car. The pros from STC, EG and Santa Fe Tennis and Swim have been bringing their adults and youth to The Train Park - it is nice to watch them as they go from their warm-ups and then through their drills After the regular early morning adult group of tennis players the STC 4.0 men come at 11 AM and then at 11:30 the STC 3.5 Men come over for their Saturday session of play on two of the four courts At Alto, Monica McLin has players sign up to come to her drill sessions of four players per court on two courts for her drills. The Me-Too Movement (ladies) come to Alto during the weekday mornings. A women officer comes by now and then and encourpage 22
ages mask wearing. We all wear masks at Park Plaza Tennis Courts for social tennis on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 AM.
Dave Shambach - Rio Rancho: Like everyone, I saw the suspension of the recreational program lessons and the high school teams which I had volunteered for, on Friday the 13th in March. Since then, I have been fortunate to have picked up some semi-private lessons from my long-term recreational program students hungering for the chance to stay active. I has also been able to learn new skills in teaching a wheelchair student and have also been able hit and play frequently, despite the cancellation of a USTA 18-over league. I briefly coached a JTT team until the District suspended play due to COVID concerns. I and Parks leaders have put together a tentative fall recreational schedule, but that is also on hold, awaiting further COVID developments, as well as the Middle School Program through Northern New Mexico USTA. I’m benefiting greatly from learning opportunities from USPTA Southwest (and some webinars from his first USPTA Division, Eastern); Tennis Resources.com; TIA; USTA; and several nationallyknown teaching pros on-line. I view this time as a chance to “go back to school” and update my teaching, coaching, and playing skills.
Kurt Edelbrock - Taos: Wow! Trying to open for the summer season during a pandemic is tough Thanks to the USTA for distributing guidelines on safe play at this time. High altitude tennis in our cool New Mexico Sangre de Cristos has been a joy. Just this week all five tennis clinics were maxed out with nine players and two coaches per session, keeping social distance with no more than five players per court. The summer kicked off in May with a special event featuring a clinic followed by an exhibition match with two nationally ranked juniors. Gavriella Smith is currently ranked in the top 20 Girls 16 and her older brother Zac Smith is playing #6 at Penn. Jeffrey Smith, USPTA professional from Louisiana joined forces with Taos professional Bob Clawson, USPTA Professional Kurt Edelbrock, and our assistant September 2020
Quinn Hatch.
SOUTHWEST OFFICERS We host five drop-in events each week for members to simply show up and play. The courts have truly been filling up. Our junior program has been emphasizing social distancing and COVID health guidelines, keeping no more than five on a court with instruction four days a week for two and a half hours daily. It seems to have really been a thrill for the kids (and their parents!). The State mandates have allowed us to open the pool for lap swimming only, which has been a total success. COVID related disappointments include the statewide cancellation of the High School tennis season and the cancellation of our Taos Open, mid-July. It is my responsibility to keep the Taos community safe by keeping our program fundamentally local this year. It is my hope that with this local action and the cooperation of all USPTA members, we can keep the game thriving during these challenging times.
David Pitts Albuquerque: No tournaments, no leagues, no socials, how is it possible to be busier than we have been in years? Here at Tanoan we have seen a serious uptick in court usage as well as seeing lots of new players. It is the perfect opportunity to promote this game that we all love. We have a captive audience, people are not traveling, they are working from home and they are bored. Tennis is the perfect outlet for our unfortunate situation. It is not only easy to maintain social distance it is a perfect way to get a great workout. We are encouraging our members to take advantage of these times and work on their games. Why not pick some of your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Why not take a step away from the constant competition and change your approach to the game for a while. Our players are practicing a lot more and really enjoying the change. I have heard many people say that they have never had so much fun playing tennis before. No pressure to win, no expectations. Just fun working on your game, hitting lots of balls and enjoying the people that you have an opportunity to practice and play with. I hope that all of our players can make the best of these unfortunate times.
September 2020
President Dave Moyer 480-342-7240 dmoyer@ccdranch.com Regional VP Laurie Martin 480-213-2083 lmartin@ppiarizona.com Vice President Amy Badger 505-379-6728 badgers3@me.com Secretary Suk Ong 602-881-0467 suk_ong@tempe.gov Treasurer Greg Prudhomme 602-301-1394 gmprudhomme@yahoo.com Past President Jonathan Davis 520-360-0182 jdavisuspta@gmail.com Pro Emeritus Britt Feldhausen 520-886-1885 brittfeldhausen@mac.comesident Executive Director Jack Michalko 602-740-0126 usptasw@cox.com
SOUTHWEST COORDINATORS Northern New Mexico Dick Johnson 505-507-6795 richarddjtennis@aol.com Phoenix Ryan Johnson 480-267-0725 rjohnson@dmbclubs.com Southeastern Arizona John Perry 520-403-8290 jptennis25@yahoo.com Northern Arizona Andrea Meyer 928-300-4352 andreajmeyer@yahoo.com Southern New Mexico & l Paso TBD Head Tester Greg Prudhomme 602-301-1394 gmprudhomme@yahoo.com
The Southwest Magazine is the official Publication of the USPTA Southwest Division of the United States Professional Tennis Association.
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September 2020
A Publication of the USPTA Southwest Division Jack Michalko / editor 77 East Missouri Avenue, Suite 62, Phoenix, AZ 85012 602-740-0126 / e-mail: jack.michalko@uspta.org The Southwest Magazine is published quarterly by the Southwest Division of the United States Professional Tennis Association. The opinions expressed in the Southwest Magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Southwest Magazine or the USPTA Southwest Division. CopyrightŠ Southwest Division/United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this newsletter is not permitted without written permission from the USPTA Southwest Division. Advertising information: All ads must be camera ready and in color if possible. Prices are per issue. Full Page.............$150 Half Page............$100 1/4 Page..............$70
September 2020
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