Addvantage 1999 December

contents the total professional - enhancing your caree.r 9

Are all errors the same?

by Eduardo S. Garcia, USPTA Master Professional- Considering the benefits of some errors over others helps improve our percentage tennis and reveals the positive sides of those errors.

news 6 Bacso, Heckler honored

by Czech PTA 12 USPTA seeks nominations for national board

13 Be aware of the warning signs of credit card fraud

28 Mortgage burning marks USPTA ownership ofWorld Headquarters

16 Employee or independent contractor

31 Tennis industry contacts

by Paul R. Waldman, USPTA General Counsel- The IRS considers the facts of employment relationships.

24 Pro shops vs. national chains: How manufacturers. court small retailers

departments 3 CEO's message

by john R. Embree, Vice President/General Manager, Wilson Racquet Sports Embree provid~s explanation of how manufacturers view retailers and how they support the teaching professional.

4 USPTA mailbox 5 Vice president's message 19 Little Tennis tips

35 The adventures of Captain Bob and a one-eyed alligator

20 USPTA drill

l'i~lltt!

30 Career development

Mark Troutman, USPTA - Venture beyond th~ tall grass and discover a new adventure.

33 Industry action 34 Classifieds

36 Pro Penn Quarterly Discount

feature Deaf tennis pro finds the best of both worlds by jill H Phipps -This actor, model, personal trainer, body builder and tennis champion makes his mark.

volume 23 • issue 11 ADDvantage magazine editorial offices USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone - (713) 978-7782 (800) USPTA-4U Fox - (713) 978-7780 e-mai l - magazine@uspta .org

Editor Managing ed itor

Shawna Riley Julie Myers

Circulation

Kathy Buchanan

Advertising

Diane Richbourg

Office hours: 8 :30a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time

ADDvantage is published monthly by the United States Professional Tennis Association.

The opin ions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the USPTA. CopyrightŠ United States Professiona l Tennis Association, Inc. 1999. Al l rights reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from US PTA ADDvantage/ December 1g99

~E8's

message ----~--------~~--~----~-------------

Readers happy vvith ADDvantage, offer input for member magazine

I

f you're reading this message, you more than • Little Tennis tips and talk- 65 percent of the relikely responded to a readership survey we inspondents said they read this resource cluded in the August issue ofADDvantage. Survey results indicate that 83 percent of you read this One of the main reasons we initiated the survey column, so I thought it would be an appropriate was to get your input on what you wanted to see place to summarize your feelings about your memmore of in the magazine. ber magazine.

Some of your suggestions for the magazine inWe placed the small survey card in the magazine clude: in an effort to get a feeling for how you like the pub• Providing more drills and ideas for adult games lication, what you enjoy reading and what sugges• Publishing articles from a wider variety of tions you have for improving it. Remember,ADDvanmembers tage is your publication. Unlik~ the larger circulation • Including more teaching analysis and lesson magazines Tennis and Tennis 11/eek, we provide you planning with specialized information that can About 74 percent of you asked for benefit you in your day-to-day job. more drills. So, starting with this isWe also want to entertain you with' sue, we've included a US PTA drill page the latest in graphics and other artthat can be cut out and flied or placed work that will make the publication in a notebook for your on-court use. fresh and inviting. for anyone who This month's drill is on Page 20. The reads it. drills will cover activities for teaching Nothing invites readers more than specialty shots, doubles, all-court play, an attractive cover or interesting headlarge groups and children. They will lines. Approximately 87 percent of the also be identified for use with various survey respondents said they are hapage groups and playing levels. py with the magazine's appearance, You also asked us to include artiTim Heckler which may account for the fact that cles from more members, but we need 61 percent said they read the publiyour help to do this. We are always cation from cover to cover. About 80 percent of you looking for new writers for the magazine who can either "love it" or feel the content is "professional offer tennis-teaching professionals new or innovative and purposeful." ideas for their programs. We especially need articles Our survey also indicates that you value and use that cover sport science issues, coaching, drills, pro the information in ADDvantage. As many as 71 shop operations or any other topics that assist you percent of the-respondents said they keep back isand your peers with your daily job responsibilities. sues as reference material.

We work to give you a magazine that will help The survey reveal~d that your favorite features you, and we strive to present this information in the include: . most efficient manne_r. Not only do we mail our • Member and other articles- 79 percent read these magazine to USPTA members and important ineducational and entertaining pieces dustry representatives each month, but we also fea• Career Development information - 7ts percent of ture the main articles from each month's issue on you review educational opportunities here the World Wide Web on USPTA's main web site • Editorials- 71 percent read editorials by USPTA's www. uspta.org. elected officials ADDvantage is your magazine. We depend on you for the feedback ana information to maintain its mem• Ask the professor- 66 percent said they read Jack bership value. With your input, we can continue to Groppel's bimonthly column make ADDvantage what you want it to be. ~

We are always looking for new writers for the magazine who can offer tennisteaching professionals new-or innovative ideas for their programs.

ADDvantage/ December 1999

3

USPTA mailbox Dear USPTA, Dear USPTA, I would like to thank the Having recently returned from the USPTA World ConUSPTA for providing this excelference in Miami, I had an inlent service. I am getting a late start on this web site service teresting thought.

(USPTA Personal Websites 5M), For the past 16 years, I have but am happy that I am now part been a part of the tennis busiof the web world. What a great ness. It has been an interesting service for our membership. Keep ride. Our industry has seen some up the great work in creating new wonderful times and has also and innovative ideas. faced some serious challenges.

Chad O xendine, USPTA One segment of my experience has continually been positive Vicksburg, Miss. and steadfast.

Without a doubt, the most Dear USPTA, important step in my career was It is nice to see the ordinary my decision to join the US PTA. hard-working pro gcrt access in What a positive experience it has ADDvantage magazine. Most of been for me. I simply want to · the time it is not abo ut the men say thanks. and women in the trenches, but Bill A. Rapp, OSPTA about the officers of the organiSan Jose, Calif zatiqn. T here are thousands of

good things going on by US PTA pros who get little recognition for · tl}e groundwork they do. If yo u could see the surge of new tennis players in the New England region, you would realize the enormous amount of free lessons donated to the youngsters.

Albert Rogers, USPTA Brookline, Mass.

Dear USPTA, I wanted to take a few minutes to say that as one of the tennis-teaching professionals in the United States, I believe the USPTA is a big step ahead of the rest.

One new example is the web site for Little Tennis. Everyone in the teaching business knows it starts with the little kids, and then the

whole family will get involved.

This site has so much information for pros and the general tennis population. I believe if any members have not seen this site, they should take 10 minutes to spend just viewing what the great staff in Houston is doing to set the US PTA pro ahead of all other teaching pros in the business.

The information from the USPTA web sites is a value worth the yearly membership dues. Check it out.

Michael D. Shires, USPTA West Columbia, Texas

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Building foundations, providing Qptions

Education is your chOice NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph Thompson

President

W

hether building a house, learning a trade or developing a young player's game, a solid foundation must first be put in place. The philosophical theory of foundationalism decrees that knowledge have a foundation . In other words, if we are to advance our study in any field, there must first be some things that we can know confidently, firmly and thoroughly; things that are so basic it is impossible - or perhaps does not even make sense - for us to be mistaken about them .

All successful educational programs use a form of this theory. High schools demand a certain number of courses from basic (foundation) or' core subjects. Undergraduate universities require "general education" as a preparation for specialization in any field of study (major). Even graduate and professional schools base admission, in part, on successfully complet- David T. ing specific undergraduate (foundation for that profession or field of study) courses.

The tennis profession should be no different.

There must be certain foundational skills and knowledge without which certification or advancement would be inappropriate.

The USPTA Career Development Program is divided into two separate categories. First is the Certification and Testing Program. In this program's basic or foundation level, information is given during an eight-hour Certification Training Course (CTC). This course is part of the testing process and is included to help applicants prepare for the Certification Exam.

Applicants who do not have three-years teaching experience or have not graduated from an approved Professional Tennis Management program must take the Instructor level exam and remain at,..that level for at least one year. If applicants have the required experience or have graduated from an approved PTM program, they can then test at the professional level.

With time and effort this preparation may' culminate in a certification rating of "Professional!." Upgrades are available for those professionals who test

at "Professional 2" or "Professional 3" and need additional time to develop a full range of skills.

The second component of USPTNs education program is the Professional Development Program, recently placed under the administration of former ATP Tour player and new Director of Professional Development Fred Viancos. The USPTA Education Committee - comprised of Paul Roetert (coaching), Scott Schultz (PTM programs), Rod Workman (country clubs) , Lee Ann Reed (commercial clubs) , Kevin McCarthy (municipal facilities), Eric Warnmock (resorts) and myself (chairman)- directs the program. All Education Committee decisions are approved by the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, and the director of professional development works under the supervision of CEO Tim Heckler.

The Professional Development Porter segment is designed for those tennis-teaching professionals who wish to make tennis a-career option with opportunities not limited to personal on-court instruction.

The general education or "core" courses are those that the Executive Committee believes are essential components of a career professional's foundation.

Information relating to these courses will be the first to become available over the Internet, placed on videotape and designed to be regionally and even locally taught. Members who currently have these skills, or more recently qualified members may then branch out to areas of specialization that relate specifically to their current or prospective employment.

Specialist categories include courses and competencies relating to one specific skill or employment area, such as computers, Little TennisÂŽ, development of competitive players, event and activity planning, lesson programming, facility management, municipal management, pro shop, sales and marketing, tour coach, college coach, sport science and wheelchair tennis.

See Porter, Page 8

Mark McMahon

First Vice President ~ce Presidents

Tom Daglis Harry Gilbert David 1 Porter, Ed .D .

Ron Woods

Secretary-treasurer Randy Mattingley Past President

Will Hoag

WORLD HEADQUARTERS CEO

Tim Heckler

Director of Operations

Ric'fl Fanning

Executive Assistant

Marty Bostrom

Director of Communications

Shawna Riley

Publications Coordinator

Public Relations Coordinator

Julie Myers

Diane Richbourg

Shannon Kopp

Communications

Director of Fred Viancos Professional Development Educational

Thelma Holmes

Adm inistrator

Webmaster/ Corporate

Christl Call

Services Manager C orporate Secretary

Janice Stollenwerck

Computer Services/ Club Relations

Kathy Buchanan

Computer Systems Administrator

Quincy Kwok

Divisional Executive Administrator

Yvonne Hung

Director of Certification

Jim Peavy

Membership and Vicky Tristan Certification Coordinator Membership/ Education Assis tant Payrol l/Benefits Controller

Joyce Saberola Renee Heckler

Theresa Weatherford

Insurance/ Ellen Weatherford Merchandise Services Insurance/Accounting

Diana Pena

LEGAL COUNSEL Attorney-at-law

Pa ul Waldman

For information, write the

USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briorpork Drive, Suite One

Houston, TX 77042 Phone (713) 97-USPTA (800) USPTA-4U Fax (713) 978-7780 e-mail - uspta@uspta.org Internet - www.uspto.org Office hours: 8:30a .m. - 5 p.m.

Central time

A DDva ntage/ December 1999

5

Bacso, Heckler honored by Czech PTA

Martin Baroch, founder of the Czech Professional Tennis Association, presents Tim Heckler with a certificate of honorary membership in the Czech association.

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T he Czech Professional Tennis Association Board of Directors elected George Bacso and Tim Heckler honorary members of the CPTA. Bacso, the former USPTA director of certification and academies, was selected for the honor shortly before his death in Novem ber 1998. Heckler, USPTA CEO, received a commemorative plaque from CPTA founder Martin Barach at the 1999 USPTA World Conference on Tennis in M iami.

Only three others have been elected to honorary membership in the organization .

"This is a great honor given to George and me by the Czech Professional Tennis Association," Heckler said. "I am proud to receive an award that also was given to George, who was the heart of the Association for so many years. This also is significant to our overall organization as we contin ue the work George started by offering training and certification alongside international partners."

The CPTA award is reserved for "exceptional individuals who have and/or have had an enormous global impact on the tennis-teaching profession and thus on tennis development in the world, and whose activity also infl uenced the development of the CPTA," said letters from CPTA President Karel Jandus announcing the award to Bacso and H eckler.

Both men were recognized for their roles in building the relationship between CPTA and USPTA, Jandus wrote. In particular, Bacso was honored as a dominant influence on the resting and education system ofUSPTA and, therefore, tennis teachers and coaches around the world. Bacso traveled to the Czech Republic in 1997, when he and Baroch offered advanced education courses followed by the USPTA Certification Training Course and Certification Exam.

Heckler was honored for his leadership as CEO of USPTA, which Jandus called the premier tennis-teaching organization in the world. ':?-

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TENCAP makes every match a challenge. + Events are more competitive. With TENCAP everyone has a chance to win. + TENCAP generates revenue. Leagues and tournaments will be better attended. Plus, earn income from TENCAP fees. + TEN(:APhelps manage your players. A built-in database keeps track of players and their scores.

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Porter USPTA Career Development

from Page 5

Members of the Education Committee are currently working to establish competencies in the areas they represent and to determine which areas of specialization listed above should be included in gaining the skills to become a Master Specialist in their respective areas.

The Executive and Education committees believe that education is an ongoing process that is best initiated from within. This Professional Development program and its offerings are designed to give direction and substance to what is hopefully an atti tude of learning and skill enhancement on the part of our members. It is also believed that this will assist in finding and maintaining desirable employment.

John W Gardner said, "The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to the individual the burden of pursuing his education. " Beyond the Specialist and Master Specialist required courses and competencies, there will be a range of elective courses to meet the individual needs and interests of career-path professionals.

The pursuit of education and knowledge will become more and more a responsibility of the professional, and USPTA's role will continue to be one of gathering information, preparing learning modules and keeping its membership on the cutting edge of a constantly growing and changiJ!g profession.

We must continue to learn, to seek and to study. A5 Henry L. Doherty said, "It is the studying that you do after your school days that really counts. Otherwise you know only that which everyone else knows. " 'ยง>o

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Are all errors the same?

by Eduardo S. Garcia USPTA Master Professional

ADDvantage/ December 1999

9

2.5 to 3.0 players

From Page 9 Both evaluations are correct.

However, errors occur for different reasons and, for all practical purposes, may be classified into three broad categories: physical, mechanical (technical) and mental (psychological) - the most basic ingredients of a player's solid tennis foundation. Closely related, each plays an important role in the development of a player's potential, but they seldom come in a neat single package. Players must work extremely hard to acquire them, and then keep them finetuned. When all three come together at a given time, the player experiences his true potential.

These three types of errors occur at all levels of play, from . beginners to world-class players.

However, certain types of errors are more commonly associated with different skill levels at a given stage of development.

Clearly, physical errors for beginners and intermediate players are quite different in nature to those of more skillful and advanced players. The latter need to be in the best possible physical condition in order to deal with the demanding rigors of match play in tournaments, if they are to compete on similar terms.

On the other hand, beginners and intermediate players must focus on early "read" of the flight of the oncoming ball to develop footwork and position themselves properly if they are to hit the ball squarely. Recovery for the next shot is not usually an automatic response.

As a result, they are frequently caught out of position, or on the wrong side of the court. Being physically fit will be helpful, but not mandatory for them, as it is for higher skill-level players.

10

ADDvantage/ December 1999

At this entry level, the most common errors result from physical-related actions. Late preparation, weak court coverage, poor judgment of proper distance between the body and the ball, and not watching the ball closely enough produce offcenter hits and off-balance strokes. Consequently, in attempting to keep the ball in play and control the height, depth and direction of their shots, consistency suffers. As teaching pros, our main objective with this level of player should be to increase the length of the rallies by turning those errors into positive ones. Emphasizing early preparation and footwork, getting to the ball and setting up properly will enhance their contact point and help them gain more consistency.

3.5 to 4.0 players

Hitting the ball deep is key to putting opponents on the deftnsive. That's why hitting the ball long is a more positive error than hitting it in the net.

Basically, the same criteria can be applied for mechaflical (technical) and mental (psychological) errors for players at different stages of development.

Beginners and intermediate players are still working on muscle memory to groove their strokes and hit the ball in a similar fashion time after time. To the more advanced player, this has already become a natural routine, and only under severe match pressure will his strokes break down.

The appropriate mental (psychological) approach to competition becomes more crucial as players improve their skills. Knowing how to play points, developing a sound game plan or changing tactics

at the proper time is more familiar to advanced players due to greater court experience against opponents of more diverse styles, court surfaces, playing conditions and unexpected match variables.

Most teaching professionals work more frequently with beginners and intermediate players, than with advanced pupils, and seldom with world-class players. By using the NTRP Verification Guidelines as a yardstick to assess a player's skill level, we can pinpoint the origins of the most common errors in tennis. In doing so, we help our students to recognize them and, hopefully, deal with them.

Errors at this more competitive level generally result from mechanical mistakes in executing the proper stroke and in shot selection. Attempting to obtain greater accuracy, depth and placement without tempering power is an easy trap for these players to fall into. Introducing spin to their repertoire adds another variable to their game. The tendency to be impatient and finish poirrts quickly leads to hasty strokes and improper follow-through. We all know too well the ultimate price we pay for this unsound attitude. A clear and thorough understanding of the mechanics and execution of the stroke, and when to use it, will improve the shot selection at the appropriate time. Knowing his court position as he executes the shot determines its selection in formulating a game plan- a valuable tool to have as he moves up the ladder.

See Errors, Page 12

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Errors from Page 10

4.5 to 5.0 players These higher skilled players characteristically err in fully comprehending and applying the vital concept of"percentage tennis" more than anything else. The mental aspect of the game becomes quite complex in the heat of the battle and can quickly turn a winning game into a losing game.

Constructing, developing and finishing points with a higher margin of success define the essence of percentage tennis. At this level, players are attempting to develop "weapons," and have the ability to hit outright winners, but at the same time, they need to play within their capabilities and understand their limitations. For example, going for outright winners on passing shots from a weaker side is a negative approach to the problem. Introducing the lob turns a weakness into a virtl!e, a positive indication of higher percentage ten-

Errors will always be present. No perfect, error-free match has ever been played, and likely never will. As you attempt to add more tools to your student's game, errors inevitably occur. Don't let them detract your pupil from his devel- ¡ opment as a player. If they are P'?sitive ones, improvement will result. ~ By teaching our students to play the proper shot at the right time, regardless of its final outcome, we are encouraging them to become the best they can be, and enjoy the status of being more complete players. <f><Eduardo S. Garcia, a USPTA Master Professional, has ~, -..,'!'1 traveled throughout the country to sectional and national championships for the USTA tennis leagues, and is a member ofthe USTA Clinician Service Program. He is a USPTA tester and USTA verifier for leagues at the local, sectional and national levels.

USPTA seeks nominations for national board The National Nominating Committee is accepting applications from members who are interested and available to serve on the national USPTA Board of Directors for 2000-2001. Applicants must submit a resume and a 250- to 500-word essay outlining their opinions on the goals and directions of US PTA. These materials should be postmarked no later than Feb. 15, and sent to: Greg Aten 361 Lake of the Woods Akron, Ohio 44333

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ADDva ntage/ December 1999

In the October/November iss ue of ADDvantage, James Russell Warner's name was inadvertently misspelled in the listing of USPTA's top 10 credit achievers for 1998. ADDvantage regrets the error.

Be aware of the warning signs of credit card fraud

A

lthough pro and specialty shops may not seem as likely to be struck by credit or bank card fraud as, say, a mass merchant, it can happen anywhere. It makes sense for all shop employees to be aware of the warning signs and standard procedures.

Certain customer behavior could point to credit/bank card fraud. But remember, it doesn't

necessarily indicate criminal activity. You know your customers, so let your instincts steer you in the right direction.

Watch out for customers who: • Purchase a lot of merchandise without regard to size, style, color or price • Ask no questions on major purchases •

Try to distract or rush you during the sale •

Make purchases, leave the store and return to purchase more

•

Make purchases right at opening or at the last minute when the store is closing

your terminal is working.

Proceed with your company's manual processing procedure.

Follow this course with each transaction.

3. Hold the card.

1. Check the back of the card for the customer's signature If the card has not been signed, ask the customer to sign the card and inform him that you are not allowed to process a transaction on an unsigned card. Ask for additional verification, such as a driver's license to verifY identity.

4. Match numbers Compare the preprinted four-digit number with the embossed four-digit number just above or below it.

2. Obtain authorization Swipe the card through the terminal. The terminal may prompt you to key in the last four digits of the account number. If the card won't swipe, the magnetic strip probably isn't functioning. Be sure

If you suspect fraud, hold onto the card if you think you can do so safely. Never risk your own safety.

5. Compare the signature Always compare the signature of the sales draft with the one on the back of the card before returning the card to the customer.

This article is courtesy of Special Service Systems, Inc., USPTA's bank card processing company of choice. SSS may be reached at (918) 582-1117 'f?'v

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ADDvantage/ December 1999

13

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Houston (MTA) residents add 8.25% tax Other Texas residents add 7.25% tax

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Employee Or independent contractor

W

hy is there so much confusion surrounding the subject of independent contractor and employee? Mainly because you have to make your own analysis, based upon a number of factors laid down by your friends at the IRS. And, unfortunately, one of the factors is not what you and your employer have agreed upon. Your intent is immaterial to the IRS. The IRS will only look at the facts of the employment relationship to make a decision.

Compounding the problem is that the parties often have a different rooting interest. The tennis professional will, more times than not, wish to be an employee. As such, your employer must pay one-half of your social security ana, under some circumstances, overtime. And, if you work sufficient hours in a week, you might be entitled to medical and pension benefits. One downside is that, as an employee, you will not be able to pay your taxes quarterly (they will be subject to withholding) and therefore you will not be able to take some business deductions you might otherwise plan on.

Conversely, the employer will generally want you to be an independent contractor. The reasons, of course, are just the opposite of those listed above. In theory, the employer will not be able to control you as closely and, perhaps not be able to count on your services as much. This is the beginning of the confusion, because the employer will often try to have it both ways. He or she will try to exercise some control over how you do your job, and will try to regulate your hours and vacation time. But, because you might be available for other employment, or have your own office, or have your own business cards, you will be called an ~dependent contractor by the employer. In fact, you might even have a contract spelling out that the two of you have agreed that you are an independent contractor, setting forth the extent of control you might have retained. The IRS will still look at the underlying relationship to make its determination.

What about the IRS and its interests? The answer is that the IRS definitely leans toward calling you an employee. The reason is that if you are an employee, the IRS has a better chance of collect-

16

ADDvantage/December 1999

ing all of the payments, including income taxes, to which it is entitled. In addition, it is ensuring that the employee is receiving benefits, such as overtime.

So we see that the tennis professional would usually prefer to be an employee, the employer would prefer him or her to be an independent contractor, while maintaining control of performance, and the IRS would prefer everyone to bâ&#x20AC;˘e an employee. And a determination will be based on about 20 separate factors, none of which are the intent of the parties. This is a lawyer's or an accountant's dream come true.

Can we find any certainty in this uncertain world? I would do it by analogy, taking the clearest examples of independent contractors, as opposed to employees, and work from there. For me, the most obvious example of a true independent contractor is a lawyer. He or she is available to all clients, is expected to get the legal job done, but is not told how to do it, hours are not set by the client, vacations may be taken at any time, the lawyer's office is not on the premises of the client and office expenses are born by the lawyer.

The typical employee, on the other hand, might be the office worker who must work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.rn., has a lunch hour and vacation time determined by the employer, and is supervised at every step in job performance by the employer.

With a tennis professional, it is usually not as simple. What if you are given certain hours, but are free to obtain other work?

What if you can take a vacation whenever you wish, except during July and August? What if you retain your lesson fees, but only pay for the court and a small fee for club services? What if you are trained by the head pro, but only for the fust two days?

There are many other "what ifs" and they are not all given equal weight. For one, "supervision and control" is supposed to be one major factor. The ability to work for others is another, but remember that you can be an employee at two different jobs on the same day.

Generally, because of the importance of this question as to taxes and benefits, I would advise that you consult with a lawyer or an accountant to obtain an opinion as to your status. '{)8

com~ TO lU~

CLU.D ffi~H~GU~ ~~mCI~TIOH 0+ ~ffiUIC~¡~ 7~~D ~HHU~l WO~LD COH+U~HC~

OH CLU.D m~H~G~ffi~HT ~HD 2~~D ~HHU~l ~XPO~ITIOH IH ~Tl~HT~ February 20-24, 2000 Atlanta Marriott Marquis Atlanta, Georgia Club managers from around the world will gather for a week of intense learning and sharing of management techniques, philosophies and experience during this Conference.

Pre- and Post-Conference Workshops, Education Sessions, Roundtables and Field Trips will provide you with leading-edge education to ensure your success in club management. More than 100 varied educational sessions will be offered throughout the week, each specifically developed to provide you with the latest in industry-related information. From culinary to sports management programs and from accounting to technology sessions, the 2000 World Conference on Club Management is your destination for valuable hands-on education!

In addition to great speakers, such as Coca-Cola's Douglas Ivester and Marriott International's Roger Dow, industry professionals will get the .chance to discuss the latest club management issues.

Complete this form and FAX it to Bridget Gorman Wendling at (703) 739-0124 if you are interested in receiving complete registration information.

~ Please send me more information on the 2000 World Conference on Club ~ Management.

Name: ____ - __________________________________________________________ Address: -----=-----------.....,_-= ------------------------------------------City, State, Zip: ---------------------------------------------------------Phone: ______________-r~----~----------~-------------------------FAX: _____________________________________________________________ E-mail: -----------------------------------------------------------

USING ANY OTHER STRINGING MACHINE WOULD BE LIKE MICHELANGELO WORKING WITH PAINT-BY-NUMBER. Welcome, serious stringers. You are entering the realm of Babolat.

Amateurs, turn back now. This is no hobby corner. These are the tools that turn a task into an art. These are the machines thai transform a stringer into a craftsman. You're looking at the Babolat Star 3 and Babolat Star 4 (smaller).

e

Take note

of the support stand. It's adjustable to your height. Easy on your back.

Quick and simple, huh? We're just getting started.

e These machines

have a breakthrough turntable support system that turns 360 degrees.

You don't have to walk around the racquet. Worried about frame pressure and distortion? We are, too. You ruin frames, you lose money. That's why

e See the arm support posts and the two adjustment knobs? They let you mount any type of frame fast, whatever its thickness or head surface area. No tools necessary. e Ready there's a 10 point free-floating support system. (Don't get us going on how few points most of the competition has.)

to talk damps? Get this. They're diamond dust coated so there's less pressure needed to hold tension, and less stress during stringing.

Okay, a

tennis string is supposed to be round, right? Right. That's why the self-damping pulling head is equipped with a diabolo drum that redistributes the pressure to prevent string distortion. e Now take a look at the housing on the Star 3. There's an easy-to-read dial that lets you adjust the tension in pounds or kilos, according to customer request. It has a range of 10 to 90 pounds, and it automatically sets the pulling speed depending on the tension you set.

e The Star 4 has several added features including a digital readout, three adjustable pulling speeds, a more accurate sensor and a

knot function key that raises the tension on the last string before the knot by five pounds for only one pull. That way, you won't forget to reset it. By the way, these are all" constant pull" tensioners. They take the initial stretch out of the string for a more accurate, truer tension. And they always pull at the same speed for consistent tension on every string. How sure are we of our superiority over other machines? Our five year limited warrantee covers even the electronics. Inspired? Find out more about Babolat stringing machines by contacting your Penn/Babolat sales representative, or call 1-800-BUY-PENN. Beq1vse why settle with a velvet Elvis when you can have the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

WINNER OF MORE THAN 50 GRAND SLAMS

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Make a save Students in the 5- to 7-year-old group will sometimes miss striking the ball entirely. One way that I have found to reduce the frustration of these young students when they swing and miss a ball is to play the "make a save" game. To play the game, the student scores a point any time ~e hits the ball over the net and into the court. The instructor scores a point any time the ball touches the fence behind the student. When a youngster misses a ball that has been fed to him by the instructor, he must turn and run after the ball and attempt to stop it with his racquet before it touches the fence. If he stops it, he has made a save (keepiri.g the instructor from scoring). The student is able to keep the instructor from scoring by either stroking the ball (and possibly scoring himself) or by "making a save" when he misses the ball. This fun game encourages the student by giving him a sense of accomplishment even when he has missed hitting the ball.

Barry Brady, USPTA Conway, Ark.

All aboard!

Imagination is a great learning tool for motivating kids to pick up after themselves.

After seeing a bike horn sitting in my garage for six months not being used, I took it to class with me. I attached it to my teaching cart and made a game we play at the club when picking up balls much more exciting. The game is called Trolley.

Kids hop on the cart and the pro moves it around the court until it comes to a halt.

The kids then jump off and run to pick up a certain number of balls that the pro calls out.

The first child back is the conductor and gets to squeeze the horn and yell out, "All aboard." The kids stop picking up and scamper to the cart to continue moving on the trolley. The conductor gets to honk the horn until the trolley comes to a stop again.

To make the gam~ safe, the teaching pre should always keep rwo hands on the cart. I put rwo medicine balls and a 5-pound weight on the bottom of the cart to .ensure their safety. Also make sure the kids understand that they don't jump off a moving trolley or else they might get left behind.

We pretend the cart is other imaginative things, such as a ferryboat, race cir, train, plane or even a school bus. Make sure all the kids get the opportunity to honk the horn. I usually make the conductor pick up rwo more balls than the other kids to add a variety of winners.

Matt Springer, USPTA Richland, Wash.

G

5 ADDvantage/ December 1999

19

I I I

intermediate

Crosscourt and volley

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3. Play to 21 points, then A switches with C, and B switches with D.

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20

ADDvantage/ December 1999

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

1JeaftenniJ' pro (inc{s the 6eJ't of6oth workls

rad Minns could have retreated into solitary silence after he lost his hearing to a deadly fever at the age of3. Or, he could have chosen to live his adult life solely among the hearing, as he managed to do throughout his youth.

But this USPTA pro has made his place in both worlds, and the sport of a lifetime is the bridge between them.

At the age of 6, his brother would take him out on the tennis court and make him play until he won a game. Minns remembers dashing off, trying to run home. But his big brother, in the interest of teaching him discipline and determination, would chase him down and put him back on the court.

His parents also helped steer him in the right direction. Rather than send him to "special"

22

ADDvantage/ December 1999

schools, they placed him in a hearing environment. They made sure he learned to lip read and had him fitted with hearing aids. He also took speech therapy classes and learned to speak fluently.

Today this 34-year-old resident of Apopka, Fla., is the No. 1 deaf tennis player in the United States and a world-class competitor. He also is a body builder, personal trainer, model and actor. This tanned and finely sculpted athlete has appeared in print and television ads.

On the day of a recent telephone interview, he was preparing to shoot a music video for the deaf- with sign language and vocals- at MGM Studios.

A relay operator assisted in the interview by typing the questions on a telephone device for the deaf and Minns answered verbally.

"''ve had a lot of challenges and obstacles," he said. "I think overcoming all those hardships made me a more confident, more outgoing person - molded me into the person I am," he said.

"I believe anybody, regardless of their background or handicaps, is capable of doing whatever it is they want to do, "

Minns asserted.

Growing up, Minns formed a mental picture of how he wanted to look and be.

"You know, from that picture I developed a love for body building and weight lifting, and I always strived to be that person I visualized being/ ' he said.

"I wasn't really happy with myself way back in school, with a hearing aid. I wanted to be a better person."

Participating in sports as a youngster, Minns found that he liked tennis and played in high school. He went on to lead his team to the Mid-American conference championships at the University ofToledo, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in sports administration and consumer relations.

It was not until his college years, in 1985, that Minns played tennis with other deaf in-

dividuals.

"I never had any intention of representing a deaf team because I didn't know anything about deaf tennis," he said.

He made no small debut, winning a gold medal at the 1985 World Games for the Deaf, held every four years like the Olympics.

In 1997, Minns won gold, silver and bronze medals (for doubles, singles and mixed doubles, respectively) at the World Garnes for the Deaf in Copenhagen, Denmark. He also was the United States Deaf Tennis Association's No. 1-ranked member of the 1997 U.S. men's Dresse Cup team, which won for the first time in 35 years.

The Dresse Cup is deaf tennis' counterpart to the Davis Cup. This summer, the USPTA pro traveled to Italy to defend the Dresse Cup tide, but ended up surrendering the cup to the German team.

"My goal now is to try to promote the United States Deaf Tennis Association arid get some more younger guys out there," Minns said. "Not a lot has been written about the game and there's not much involvement from younger deaf kids.

"The deaf culture is really different from the hearing culture, more isolated," he said.

"But as for me, I grew up in the

hearing world, exposed to regular tennis and USTA tournaments. When I got involved with deaf tennis, I realized this is ¡ a unique group of people; they rely on sign language and lip reading to communicate. ''As far as competition, the deaf do just about everything hearing players do except hear the score," Minns continued. "I learned a long time ago that in learning to play tennis, especially in lessons, I had to rely a lot more on visual learning instead of hearing. When the coach was demonstrating I had to watch very carefully to try to find out what to do."

Tennis is still his top priority, Minns said. ''I've been teaching quite a bit at San Lando Park in Orlando over the past year, and built up quite a clientele for group and private lessons.

"I guess one reason I got involved with the US PTA (in late 1998) is because I still love to play tennis," Minns said. "Tournaments are a great way to network with other pros."

In addition, Minns would

SfilWIS

BRINGING TENNIS COURT TECHNOLOGY TO THE WORW

www.xsports.com

p R E S EN T S

internette to [where

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Court Surface www.Decoturf.com Sources ofDail Tennis News on the WorldWide Web CNN/SI Tennis: www.omsi .com/tennis ESPN Sportszone Tennis News: ESPN.SportsZone.com/ten Nando's Sportserver: www.sportserver.com Reuters Tennis News: www.sportsweb.com/Tennis/index.shtml Sportsline USA: www.sportsline.com/u/tennis/index.html Tennis Information Services Bob Larson's Tennis News: www.tennisnews.com The Tennis Server: www.tennisserver.com Tennis Week: www.tennisweek.com Professional Tour News ATP Tour: www.atptour.com Nuveen Tour: www.nuveentour.com World TeamTermis: www.worldteamtennis.com WTA Tour: www.corelwtatour.com Tennis Or anizations ITA: www. tennisonline.com/ita ITF: www.itften11is.com International Tennis Hall of Fame: www. tennisfame.org TlA: www.sportlink.com/individualsports/market/tennis/index.html USPTA: www.uspta.org USPTR: www.usptr.org USTA: www.usta.com Van der Meer: www.vandermeerteimis.com Tennis Product Manufacturers Gan101a: www.gammasports.com/index.html Head USA: www.headusa.com Nike: www.nike.com Penn: www.pennracquet.com Prince: www.princetemus.com Wtlson: www.wilsonsports.com/wilson/Tennisjtennismain.html Tennis Shopping Holabird Sports: www.holabirdsports.com Tennis Direct: www.tennisdirect.com Hotel The Roger Smith Hotel: www.rogersmith.com

like to become more involved with the , USTA Schools Program. "I still want to get out there and visit schools and travel," he said. His mission is "to motivate people and tell them anything is possible." '8'<>

Tournament Sites Australian Open: www.ausopen .org French Open: www.frenchopen.org U.S.Open: www.usopen .org Wimbledon: www.wimbledon.org USA Network: www.usanetwork.com (French & US. Opens) Fan Pages Hingis: www.stack.n.lj-geertt/martina.html Sampras: www.sportsline.com/u/sampras

- For ad rates on website listing, please call (212) 808-4750.

www.tennisweell.com

Pro shops vs. national chains

How manufacturers court small retailers '

by John R. Embree Vice President/General Manager Wilson Racquet Sports

24

ADDvantage/ December 1999

Editor's note: It isn't unusual for USPTA to ask a company to write an article for AD Ovan rage when we believe that members wiLL benefit from the information. We asked john Embree to write the foLLowing article about a common topic of debate. It represents the author's perspective and we believe it wiLL be ofinterest to you.

F

rom rime ro rime , I catch wind of criticism from teaching pros with pro shops. They say that tennis manufacturers don't care about the small retailer at the grassroots level, or that manufacturers are much more interested in supporting the big sporting goods chains and mass merchants because of their buying power and numbers of outlets.

Well, I can categorically state that this is the farthest thing from the truth. Hopefully, I will be able to provide a clearer understanding of how most manufacturers view the retailing community and what we do to support you, the teaching professional.

Let me begin by stating a few points of which you should be aware.

1. Fact: Mass merchants are shrinking their wall space dedicated to racquet sports. Why? Because they don't view tennis as a growth category and would rather dedicate the space to products or markets that are growing and profitable.

Case in point: In 1992, WalMart carried 25 different SKUs of tennis racquets. Seven years later, they have only 10. Their actual wall space has shrunk 66 percent! What does that mean for you? The opportunity to sell racquets at all price points to your customers.

2. Fact: Mass merchants don't carry any racquet over $39 retail, and they are all prestrung. Why? Because their customer base is generally the beginner or infrequent and very recreational player who is not aware of how technology can help their game.

What does this mean for yo u? The opportunity to sell your expertise and knowledge to your customers who want a better product and are willing to pay a little more for it.

3. Fact: Big chain sporting goods stores are driven by profit margins. On in-line racquet models, the big chains generally price them at the advertised policy price. Why? Because they honor what the manufacturers stipulate in their respective advertising policies and set their computer systems accordingly.

Just because they sell tennis balls as "loss leaders" and drive advertising with close-outs and specials does not mean that their in-line models are also at low prices. In faci:, they often are the highest priced within the respective markets.

However, mass merchants do turn over their inventory faster than the typical pro shop and discount older models in order to make room for new inventory. This is something that many pros are reluctant to do, but pros easily can compete with these stores at advertised policy prices and make decent gross profit margins.

4. Fact: Big chain stores have a difficillt time selling racquets over $150. Why? Because they have little or no expertise on the flo,o..r to help the customer, often don't have stringing services available and rarely have demo programs.

What does that mean for you, the small retailer? You can out-service them any day of the

Teaching professionals offir customers their expertise and knowledge.

week through demo availability, immediate stringing and technical knowledge to custom fit the right racquet for the customer.

Unfortunately, many pros feel compelled to offer lower prices as a service to members or because they don't want customers driving down the street to a big box sporting goods store.

While this approach may achieve short-term sales, it is not a sustainable long-ter;m policy because it threatens profitability.

5. Fact: Many pros are hesitant to become full-scale retailers because they think they can't compete or don't want to invest in the required inventory. So, they bring in a few demos and special order product on a onesy-twosy basis. But, the pro ends up paying the highest price for the product, as well as premium shipping costs, to receive merchandise in one or two days.

Both factors cut potential profit on the sale.

Another problem with this practice is that the consumer does not view this shop as a serious retailer. Consumers want more of a total shopping experience - selection of product, variety of choices, accessories to add on to their purchases, etc.

6. Fact: Big box sporting goods srores have a difficult time handling customer service issues, warranty claims, etc., because their systems are cumbersome and they generally don't have staff to handle these concerns.

What does that mean ro you? You are small and nimble enough to satisfY any customer problems, which means you will likely retain that customer forever!

7. Fact: Wilson sales through pro and specialty shops are actually higher as a percentage today than they were 10 years See Pro shop, Page 27 ADDvantage/ December 1999

25

Pro shop from Page25

ago, despite the proliferation of big chains and the downsizing of our industry. Our sales through sporting goods stores are down. If your sales are also off, it is probably a reflection of the participation decline as much as anything, not where product is actually sold. For that reason, the industry initiative to "Grow the Game" is so critical.

Having answered some of the doubts about manufacturers that exist in the minds of many teaching pro retailers, let me now set the record straight as to how manufacturers support the "little guy" more than big national accounts.

Discounts Believe it or not, a teaching pro can purchase most products at a discount that is almost identical to the pricing offered the national accounts. Don't think that the quantity needed to hit these prices are so unpalatable that a small shop cannot reach those thresholds. This is a myth that your local territory rep will gladly disprove. In fact, many shops over the course of a year probably buy enough onesy-

rwosy items via special order to actually hit the necessary targets to maximize discounts and improve profitability.

Terms The terms offered to the teaching pro are much more flexible than those offered the big chains. Generally, national accounts must pay in 30 days.

You almost always have at least 90 days to pay. That is a considerable financial advantage often overlooked.

Take advantage of dating The enticement to small business proprietors to pay bills early likely nets down the price of the product below that paid by national accounts. However, most small retailers do not take advantage of this opportunity. If you don't, take a closer look at your payment schedule to see how you could improve your profits.

Promotional help Most sales reps have promotional budgets to assist you with sales programs, demo days, tennis fests , tournament support, etc. Those dollars are designed to help drive traffic and sell product in your shop. No such support exists at national chains.

Demos

Sales and service

How often do you get seed samples or demos at no charge well in advance of a new product being shipped? What does that mean for you? It is a way to get demo and trial of t hat racquet. by your membership before it i available to the general public. This is a huge advantage that the small dealer has at the grassroots.

Ever wondered what the value is every time a local rep provides support to that special junior, helps with prizes or sportsmanship awards for a tournament or provides a mr. peeWee product to help your children's program at your facility? There is no way you can quantifY what the cost is for the service you have come to expect from your local sales representative.

Teaching staff support Everyone takes for granted the complimentary product given by manufacturers to its respective advisory staff or US PTA pros. Ever put pencil to paper and total up what that support means to you and your assistants, as well as shop help, over the course of a year? It should also be noted that it is not uncommon for a manufacturer to provide equipment for rwo or more pros at the same facility. In many cases, the total spent on this free product exceeds 10 percent to 20 percent of the total sales of that facility's shop, which is not an insignificant investment. Chain sporting goods stores and mass merchants don't get this personal support.

Our friends at the national accounts don't get anywhere near this type of hands-on attention.

If you had any doubts about the commitment manufacturers have m ade and will continue to make to teaching pros who are small retailers, I hope this article has swayed your opinion. If not, call me at (773) 7 14-6750.

I'd be happy to talk with you about your particular situation.

You should be proud to be a part of this industry and proud to be associated with manufacturers who want to see you succeed in business. We are all in this crazy business because we have a passion for the game.

Our interest in growing the game mirrors yours - the more people who play tennis, the better off we all are in securing our long-term future. 'f)a

USPTA endorsees

Vice president/general manager: John Embree

• Penn Racquet Sports

Headquarters: Chicago

Liaison to USPTA: Tim Beyer

• Wilson Racquet Sports • Bolle America Inc. • National Life of Vermont • Ten Cap, Inc.

Additional supporting companies: • American Airlines - official airline • MBNA America - USPTA Ma sterCard • Special Service Systems Bank card processing • Tennis magazine .. Tennis Week magazine

A closer look at Wilson Racquet Sports Endorsee since 1994 Endorsed products: Racquets, racquet accessories, shoes,

apparel, mr. peeWee and Wilson Tennis Carnival

Contact at (800) 272-6060 and info@racquet.wilsonsports .com Represented by Wilson territory managers History: The racquets and accessories agreement began in

1994 and the clothing and shoe agreement followed in 1995.

Both contracts were renewed in 1998.

How USPTA benefits:

• Members eligible to apply for complimentary equipment, preferred player pricing • Support of World Conference through Wilson Welcoming Party, speakers and tournament sponsorship • Support of division events with speakers, special promotions, etc.

• Support of division activities fund • General support of USPTA benefit programs ADDvantage/ December 1999

27

Mortgage burning marks USPTA ownership of World Headquarters!

U

SPTA took advantage of its reent World Conference to stage ceremonial mortgage burning to celebrate the payoff of its 70,000-square-foot World Headquarters building in Houston.

Past presidents Rod Dulany, Jack Justice, Kathy Woods, Kurt Karnperman, Will Hoag and past president and CEO Tim Heckler cheered as President Joe Thompson put a lighter to the mortgage document and watched it burn. .

Purchased just nine years ago, the building provides a permanent horne for USPTA, which prior to 1974 did not have a designated headquarters or paid executive director. The national president, who doubled as the Association's "executive secretary," previously handled USPTA business. One of the more resourceful presidents, Tex Schwab, began a filing system of membership data that was recorded on note cards and kept in small cardboard boxes. It was relatively manageable since the membership numbered less than 1,000.

The tennis boom would soon push US PTA to designate a headquarters and hire

full-time staff to manage the Association business. Coincidentally, the first national office was opened in Houston in 1974, and the first full-time executive director was Ray Bovett. Bovett died unexpectedly just a few months after opening the office, so it was moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., and placed under the direction of Bill Tyrn.

USPTA membership was a little more

USPTA past presidents jack justice, Will Hoag, Kurt Kamperman, Kathy WOodr and Rod Dulany, along with current president joseph Thompson and CEO Tim Heckler watch the mortgage burn.

28

ADDvantage/ December 1999

than 1,000 when Tyrn took over in late 1975. The 1,500-square-foot office housed Tyrn, two assistants, two typewriters, a calculator and a copy machine. After three years, the number of members had more than doubled and the Association started concentrating on expanding its presence in tennis industry.

In 1978, USPTA moved its headquarters after signing an endorsement agreement with The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort near Sarasota, Fla. Tyrn was unable to move, so Michael Fryer was hired as the next executive director.

Tim Heckler assumed the duties of chief administrator in 1982. At the time, USPTA had just over 2,000 members. The Association soon grew out of its space at The Colony when membership surpassed 3,800. In 1983, USPTA relocated its headquarters to Saddlebrook Golf and Tennis Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla. At Saddlebrook, US PTA offices were initially housed in two condominiums or about 3,000 square feet.

When membership swelled to 9,000 in seven years, USPTA began a search for a horne in 1990. Houston offered bargain prices with a real estate market on the rebound, and the rest is history. The building, in one of Houston's prime IJ'usiness districts, was purchased for one-third of its construction price.

Only 40 percent occupied when USPTA moved in, the property has been 90 percent to 100 percent occupied for the last five years. Rental income pays for a substantial portion of building expenses, and with the building paid off, some of the income can now be allocated to member services. Property improvements include two lighted tennis courts and covered parking.

USPTA currently occupies about 16,000 square feet of office space and services 12,000 members from around the world.

Now mortgage free, USPTA owns its headquarters for the first time in its history. '{)<>

Career en

Conventions

Cl

Jan . 14-16

New England Division

exalll路S, upgrades & certification training courses

Haverhill, Mass.

(4 credits for CTC segment)

Jan. 28-30

Eastern Division

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路-路-> -=

(5 credits)

Tarrytown, N .Y. Feb. 17-20

Texas Division

Feb. 18-20

Northern California Division

Feb. 25-26

Midwest Division

Feb. 25-27

Middle States Division

Grapevine, Texas Napa, Calif.

Indianapolis Hershey, Pa.

Missouri Valley Division

Feb. 25-27

Prairie Village, Kan .

Activities/meetings (1 / 2 credit al')d up) Texas Division

Jan. 14-16

Houston

Midwest Division

Feb. 19-20

Grand Rapids , Mich.

Midwest Division

Feb. 15-16

Big Rapids, Mich.

Texas Division

Feb. 19-20

Grapevine, Texas

Midwest Division

Feb. 26

Chicago (2 credits) Jan. 15

Hawaii Division

Jan . 21 -22

Midwest Division Lincolnshire, Ill.

Kahuku , Hawaii

Feb. 4-5

Midwest Division Troy, Mich.

Feb. 25-26

Midwest Division

Dec. 3-4 Dec. 3-4 Dec. 3-4 Dec. 4-5 Dec. 4-5 Dec. 10-11 Dec. 11-12 Dec. 11-12 Dec. 11-12 Dec. 11-12 Dec. 13-14 Dec. 16-17 Dec. 18-19 Dec. 30-31 Jan . 8-9 Jan . 8-9 Jan. 8-9 Jan. 14-15 Jan. 15-16 Jan. 15-16 Jan . 17 -1 8 Jan . 22-23

St. Louis, Mo. Bloomington , Minn .

Gastonia , N.C .

Baton Rouge , La .

Bonita Springs, Fla. Nashville, Tenn.

Burbank, Calif.

Belton, S.C. Mandeville, La .

Austin , Texas Houston* Flushing , N .Y. Boca Raton, Fla .

Coto de Caza, Calif.

Tampa , Fla .

Charleston , S.C. Jackson , Miss.

Haverhill , Mass.

Danville, Ill. San Francisco Houston* Florence, S.C .

Jan . 22-23 Jan . 22-23 J an. 23-24 Jan. 27-28 Jan . 29-30 Feb. 2-3 Feb. 3-5 Feb. 5-6 Feb. 5-6 Feb. 12-13 Feb. 18-20 Feb. 19-20 Feb. 20 Feb. 21-22 Feb. 25 Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb.

25-26 26-27 26-27 26-27

Industry Hills, Calif.

Bonita Springs, Fla. Atlanta Banksville, N.Y. Midlothian, Va .

Lynbrook, N .Y. Mesa , Ariz.

Kansas City, Mo. Mobile, Ala. Pleasanton, Calif.

Rochester, N.Y. Bonita Springs, Fla. Grapevine, Texas (upgrades only) Houston* Indianapolis (upgrades only) Gastonia, N.C .

Burbank, Calif.

Hilton Head Island, S.C. Dalla s

* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.

Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam. upgrade and CTC unless noted. Exam cancellations must be received no later than 14 days before the exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly. Affiliate members: late cancellation fee - $75; failure to cancel - application fee is forfeited . Certified members: late cancellation fee - $25; failure to ca ncel - $25 plus the upgrade fee is forfeited . Registration for another exam wi ll not be accepted until cancellation fees are paid.

specialty courses (2 credits per four-hour course; 4 credits per eight-hour course)

Indianapolis Feb. 27 -28

Midwest Division Columbus, Ohio

Sport safety training, Feb. 17, Grapevine, Texas (4 hours), American Red Cross Doubles strategy: phases and situations, Feb. 20, Grapevine, Texas (4 hours), F. Hassan

Certification testing

I bought a ball machine. Now what do I do?, Feb. 25, Hershey, Pa.

(1 / 2 credit and up)

(4 hours), S. 0/ey

Dec. 6

Dallas/ Fort Worth , Texas

Dec. 12

Kansas City, Kan.

For more information, call Phyllis Zarro at USRSA at (619) 481-3545.

30

ADDvantage/December 1999

The deadline to register and/ or cancel a course is 15 working days before the event.

Anyone canceling late or failing to cancel will forfeit one-half the course fee. This schedule is subject to change. Call the USPTA Membership Department for additional information or write via e-mail to membership@uspta.org.

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Tennis industry contacts

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AAHPERD

CMAA

NAIA

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Ronald S. Feingold, President 1900 Association Drive Reston, Va. 20191 (703) 476-3400 (703) 476-9527 fax webmaster@aa hperd .org www.aahperd.org

Club Managers Association of .America James B. Singerling, Executive Vice President, CEO 1733 King St. Alexandria, Va. 22314 (703) 739-9500 (703) 739-0124 fax cmaa @ cmaa.org www.cmaa .org

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics William R. Patterson, CEO 6120 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1450 Tulsa, Okla. 74136 (918) 494-8828 (918) 494-8841 fax jbeeman@naia .org www.naia.org

ASEP

French Open

NCA

American Sport Education Program Paul Roetert, National Director 1607 N. Market St. Champaign, Ill. 61820 (217) 351-5076 (217) 351-2674 fax asep@ hkusa.com www.asep.com

Patrice Clerc, Tournament Director 2 Avenue Gordon Bennett 75016 Paris, France 33-1-47-43-4800 33-1-465 -16724 fax www .frenchopen .org

National Club Association Susanne Wegrzyn, Executive Vice President One Lafayette Centre 1120 20th St., N.W., Suite 725 Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 822-9822 (202) 822-9808 fax natlclub@ natlclub.org www.natlclub.org

IHRSA

American Ten.nis Association Bernard Chavis, Executive Director 634 Kennebec Ave. Tacoma Park, Md . 20912 (301) 585-4522 info@ americantennisassn.org www.americantennisassn.org

International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association John McCarthy, Executive Director 263 Summer St. Boston, Mass. 02210 (617) 951-0055 (617) 951-0056 fax info@ ihrsa.org www.ihrsa.org

ATP Tour

ITA

Men's professional tour Mark Miles, CEO 201 ATP Tour Blvd.

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla . 32082 (904) 285-8000 (904) 285-5966 fax www.atptour.com

Intercollegiate Tennis Association David Benjamin, Executive Director P.O. Box 71 Princeton, N.J. 08544 (609) 258-6332 (609) 258-2935 fax dab@ princeton.edu www.tennisonline.com/ita

ATA

Australian Open Paul McNamee, Tournament Director Private Bag 6060 Richmond South 3121 Victoria Australia 61-39-286-1177 61-3?-650-2743fax mab@ ibm.net www.ausopen .org

CCA Club Corporation of America Robert H. Dedman Sr., CEO P.O. Box 819012 Dallas, Texas 75381-9012 (972) 243-6191 (972) 888-9856 fax contactus @ clubcorp.com www .clubcorp.com

NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association Cedric Dempsey, Executive Director 700 W. Washington St., P.O. Box 6222 Indianapolis, Ind. 46206-6222 (317) 917-6222 (317) 917-6888 fax www.ncaa.org

NFWT

ITF

National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis Susan Edelstein , National Coordinator USTA 70 W. Red Oak Lane White Plains, N.Y. 10604 (914) 696-7000 (914) 696-7234 info@ usta.com www.usta.com

International Tennis Federation Francesco Ricci Bitti, President Bank Lane Roehampton, London SW15 5XZ England 44-181-878-6464 44-181-392-4745 fax itf@ itftennis.com www.itftennis.com

National High School Tennis Coaches Federation Scott M. Enge, President 8130 Bell Road Lenexa , Kan. 66219 (913) 541-0531 maenge@ smsd.k12 .ks.us

NHSTCF

ITHF

NJCAA

International Tennis Hall of Fame Mark Stenning , Executive Director 194 Bellevue Ave. Newport, R.I. 02840 (401) 849-3990 (401) 849-8780 fax __ ithf@ aol.com www.tennisfame.org

National Junior College Athletic Association George Killian, Executive Director P.O. Box 7305 Colorado Springs, Colo. 80933-7305 (719) 590-9788 (719) 590-7324 fax info@ njcaa .org www.njcaa.org

NRPA-WTT

Tennis industry contacts NRPA

TIA

USTA

National Recreation and Park Association R. Dean Tice, Executive Director 22377 Belmont Ridge Road Ashburn, Va. 20148 (703) 858-0784 (703) 858-0794 fax info@ nrpa .org www .nrpa .org

Tennis Industry Association Kurt Kamperman, President 19 Pope Ave.-Executive Park Road, Suite 107 Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928 (843) 686-3036 (843) 686-3078 fax kurt@tenn isindustry .org www.te nnisindustry.org

United States Tennis Association Rick Ferman, Executive Director 70 W. Red Oak Lane White Plains, N.Y. 10604 (914) 696-7000 (914) 696-7167 fax info@usta.com www. usta .com

PBI

usoc

USTC&TBA

Peter Burwash International Peter Burwash , President 2203 Timberloch Place, Suite 126 The Woodlands, Texas 77380 (281) 363-4707 (281) 292-7783 fax pbi@ infohwy.com

United States Olympic Committee Dick Schultz, Executive Director One Olympic Plaza Colorado Springs, Colo. 80909 (719) 632-5551 (719) 578-4654 fax www. usoc.org

United States Tennis Court and Track Builders Association Peggy Beard, Chairman 3525 Ellicott Mills Drive, Suite N Ellicott City, Md. 21043 (410) 418-4875 (410) 418-4805 fax info@ ustctba .com www. ustctba.com

PCPFS

U.S. Open

President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports â&#x20AC;¢ Sandra Perlmutter, Executive Director Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg: 200 Independence Ave., S.W. , Room 738-H Washington, D.C. 20201-0004 (202) 690-9000 (202) 504-2064 fax www .surgeongeneral .gov I ophs/ pcpfs.htm

Joseph A. Snyder, Tournament Director USTA 70 W. Red Oak Lane White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3602 (914) 696-7000 (914) 696-7167 fax info@ usta .com www.usopen .org

Special Olympics Special Olympics International International Headquarters Timothy Shriver, CEO 1325 G. St. N.W., Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20005-4709 (202) 628-3630 (202) 824-0200 fax specialolympics@ msn .com www.specialolympics .org

United States Professional Tennis Association Tim Heckler, CEO 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, Texas 77042 (800) 877-8248 (713) 978-7782 (713) 978-7780 fax uspta @ uspta.org www.uspta.org

SGMA

USRSA

Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association John Riddle, President 200 Castlewood Drive North Palm Beach, Fla. 33408-5696 (561) 842-4100 (561) 863-8984 fax sgma@ix.netcom.com www.sportlink.com

United States Racquet Stringers Association Jill Fonte, Executive Director P.O. Box 40 Del Mar, Calif. 92014 ( 619) 481-3545 (619) 481-0624 fax usrsa@ aol.com www.usrsa.com

TCA Tennis Corporation of America Alan Schwartz, Chairman 3611 N. Kedzie Ave. Chicago, Ill. 60618 (773) 463-1234 (773) 463-0999 fax

US PTA

Wimbledon Christopher Gorringe, Tournament Director All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Church Road Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE England 44-0-208-944-1066 44-0-208-947-8752 fax www.wim bledon.com

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Women's professional tour Bart McGuire, CEO 1266 E. Main St. Stamford , Conn. 06902 (203) 978-1740 (203) 978-1702 fax www .wtatour.com

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WTS Washington Tennis Service Gary Henkin, President and CEO 12501 Prosperity Drive, Suite 460 Silver Springs, Md. 20904 (301) 622-7800 (301) 622-3373 fax wtsint@aol.com

WTT World TeamTennis !lana Kloss, Ex~cutive Director 445 N. Wells, Suite 404 Chicago, Ill. 60610 (312) 245-5300 (312) 245-5321 fax www.worldteamtennis.com

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Saviano

Lubbers

USPTA Master Professional Nick Saviano and Paul Lubbers , USPTA, will head USTA:s new Coaching Education Department.

Saviano is the director of coaching education and Lubbers is the administra tor of education.

T.J. Miller, USPTA. has in vented a new game to combine two of America's favorite sports. It's called Tennis Baseball . The " bat " is an oversized tennis racquet with an extended handle. The ball is a used ten nis ball and the catching device is a mug.

Susan Zaro, USPTA. will be a one-on -one consu ltant on Sports Health Counseling's new web site at www.sports healthcounsel ing .com. She will provide onZaro line help in addressing ath letes' specific peak performance needs .

Pinehurst Country Club in Denver hosted the first USPTA Intermountain La dies Doubles Championships . Women representing Colorado Springs, Texas and the Denver metro area played a round-robin format . Judy Courtney, regional vice president of the Intermountain Division, organized the event.

The USPTA Tennis Exhibition Tour and the Make-A-Wish

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Foundation of Sarasota/ Tampa Bay Inc., teamed up for a tennis exhibition series that took place at top tennis facilities throughout the Sarasota, Bradenton and Venice (Florida) areas this fall . The tour heads to Laurel Oaks Country Club in Sarasota on Dec. 4, and The Oaks Country Club on Dec. 18.

USPTA Professionals Clark Corey and Jim McGarry, along with The Disney Institute and Peter Burwash International, recently played host to the first quarterly Ladies Tennis Invitational. The full day program consisted of a three-hour clinic, lunch at Seasons restaurant at the Disney Institute and a twohour round robin .

USPTA mem bers Nick Bollettieri and Angel Lopez recently were honored as finalists for Bollettieri the United States Olympic Committee's 1999 Coaches of the Year.

Bollettieri was among five finalists for the National Coach Lopez of the Year, and Lopez was among five finalists for the Developmental Coach of the Year.

A number of USPTA professionals attended the U.S. Cellular Pro-Invitational at Belmont Farms Racquet & Swim Club in Rocky Mount, N.C. The event was held to introduce the brand new North Carolina Westland College tennis program and bring some

3_1 ~~-Jj ¡~ _f J exciting pr o tennis to Rocky Mount. USPTA participants included Pat Serret , Will Bull, Ken Whitaker, Chris Cagle and Albie Brice .

Member product showcase USPTA member and president of Oncourt Offcourt Inc., Joe Dinoffer has produced a series of videos to go with the company 's new patent-pending product, the Z-Ball . The Z-Ball is multi -colored, 40 percent larger than earlier rubber agility balls, and has a seven -knob design that still retains the unpredictable bounces that made the original Z-Ball famous .

Manufacturers Yonex Corporation announced it will use Ultimum Tiâ&#x201E;˘, a nickel/ titanium alloy first developed for use in the aerospace industry, to create the RD Ti-70 players ' racquet. Yonex is the first in the industry to utilize this material and will feature it in the shaft of the racquet.

Yonex has recently added three racquets to its titanium line, the SRQ Ti-400 Long, SRQ Ti-350 Long and RD Ti-30 Long .

Har-Tru recently announced its 12'h Annual Clay Court Seminar and Conference to be held at the Port Royal Racquet Club in Hilton Head Island, S.C ., Jan. 2425 , 2000. The seminar and conference provide information about the care and maintenance of clay tennis courts .

Head USA recently announced it is relocati ng its U.S.

headquarters from Colum bia, Md ., to Phoeni x and Boston at the end of December. The announcement stems mainly from the company's purchase of Penn Racquet Sports earli er this year and is part of its efforts to continue to operate efficiently and effectively.

Pro tour Andre Agassi defeated his fu ture Davis Cup coach John McEnroe, 5-1 , before a crowd of nearly 5,800 at the DuPont World TeamTennis All-Star Smash Hits charity event at Mu nicipal Auditorium in Kan sas City, Mo., Sept. 22 .

The event raised nearly $500,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and two Kansas City area AIDS charities.

Cara Black of Zimbabwe topped Anna Smashnova of Israel to win the singles championship at the Citibank/ USTA Women's Challenger of Santa Clara, Calif., held Sept. 27 through Oct. 3.

USTA First -round competition of the 2000 Davis Cup by NEC drew an away tie between the United States and Zimbabwe. The first round of the 2000 Davis Cup will be held Feb. 4-6, 2000 .

Miscellany Hall of Famers Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe will play in the 1O'h Annual Chris Evert/Tyco Interna tional Pro-Celebrity Clas sic at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Delray

Continued next page ADDvantage/ December 1999

33

Beach, Fla., Dec. 10-12.

The event raises money to fight drug abuse and assists neglected and abused children in South Florida .

Odessalemi Publishing announced a second edition to its popular guidebook

Rules, Rules, Rules! NCAA Eligibility Rules for College Athletes. This guidebook sorts out the requirements for NCAA eligibility and explains them in a language that readers find easy to understand.

Peter Burwash International has teamed up with the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to provide professional tennis services for the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita in Mexico, northwest of Puerto Vallarta. Peter Burwash is a USPTA Master Pro and president of Peter Burwash International.

Texas A&M University beat Duke University 27-23 at the inaugural Wingspan bank.com National Collegiate Tennis Championships, held at Stanford University's Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

A new book, Sport Psychology

Library: Tennis Serves Up A Better Game by Judy Van Raalte, sport psychologist, and Carrie SilverBernstein, head coach at the University of Hartford, is an interactive manual loaded with detailed chap ters full of interactive tips and drills. It is designed to help a player identify his or her talents and then take advantage of those skills to win more matches. The book is available for $12.95 directly from the publisher online at www.fitinfotech.com, or by calling 800-477-4348, or from major paperback chains.

34 ADDvantage/ December 1999

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BOOKS AND VIDEOS www.TennisExpress.com: bio-mechanics, mental tennis, movement/foorwork videos.

Drill books, training products, ball machines, coaching manuals. FREE catalog. (800) 833-6615.

BUSINESS SOFTWARE USPTA Master Professional Mark McMahon announces CTS-ClubSolutions, exclusive distributors of a new Coaching & Business Management Software Suite for tennis professionals. The "Coaches Business Partner" offers a complete on-court and off-court software solution for tennis professionals.

Call (800) 605-4652 to request a demo version and information. www.GoCTS.com.

EMPLOYMENT Five Seasons Country Clubs, the fastest growing, most prestigious chain of year-round country clubs in the nation, is looking for talented tennis directors for multiple facilities.

Currently we are actively recruiting for Dayton, Ohio; rwo clubs in the Chicago area; and Cincinnati, Ohio.

USPTNUSPTR certification required. Resumes may be mailed to: Human Resources, Five Seasons Country Clubs Inc., 625 Eden Park Drive, Suite 320, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, or faxed to (606) 2925501. EOE.

FREE On-Line Job Bank: www.TennisExpress.com. Review current job postings. Advertise job openings. Post seeking-employment ads. It's all FREE. Go on-line or call (713) 781-4848.

TENNIS EMPLOYMENT and tennis news is now available daily from Bob Larson.

For a FREE rwo-month trial, send your name and "Free USPTA trial" to tennisnews@aol.com.

USPTA Master Professional Mark Mahon announces CTS-TennisSearch, an executive search firm for the tennis industry. CTS-TennisSearch discreetly conducts searches on behalf of its clients (club managers, tennis committees and owners) who need a new director of tennis. Call (800) 605-4652 and be added to our confidential database of potential candidates. www.GoCTS.com .

www. tennisjobs.com The Tennis Job Line is a tennis professional's employment service. It advertises tennis openings at country clubs, tennis clubs, resorts, public facilities, colleges and summer camps.

TENNIS GIFTS Looking for gift ideas for the upcoming holidays? Check out the USPTA pro shop online at www.LittleTennis.com, or call roll free at (800) U.$PTA-4U. Gift ideas in-

CLASSIFIEDS elude men's and ladies' logo watches, caps, clothing and much more. Happy Holidays!

TRAINING WARNING: Coaches and athletes only. Free newsletter.

For serious tennis players.

Enroll online. www.RealAthlete.com.

VACATION OPPORTUNITIES WANTED! Tennis professionals and tennis coaches.

The Professional Coaches Association offers numerous opportunities for tennis pros and coaches to participate in PCA Working Vacation Programs at exclusive resorts throughout the Caribbean. Join this longrunning and successful program that so many professionals have enjoyed. For information, contact Mark Burns at (617) 552-3171.

Rates : $30 for 20 words, minimum per issue. 50 cents per word thereafter. Pay- by check, money order, Visa or MasterCard. Prepayment is required. Supply typed copy and include full name, telephone number, credit card number and expiration date.

(No agency or cash discounts.)

Issue closes l 5th of month, two months preceding cover date. Fax to (713) 978-7780, attn: ADDvantage classifieds .

No classifieds will be accepted by telephone . No exceptions are made.

USPTA cannot verify nor be responsible for the contents of any advertisement. It reserves the right to reiect any advertisement at its discretion.

The adventures of Captain Bob and a one-eyed alligator

by Mark Troutman, USPTA am on the plane returning from the 72"d US PTA World Conference on Tennis held in Miami and I had to hare a story and some observations.

On a free afternoon Larry Karageanes, Jenni Goodling and I decided to go on an Everglades airboat ride. A friend recommended one run by the National Wildlife Group. It had knowledgeable guides who led them on an exciting expedition of the region's wildlife and vegetation. He said it was the highlight of his family's trip.

My crew and I tried in vain to find this "ride of a lifetime" that had been recommended. After driving 30 miles too far we turned around more determined than ever to see this incredible natural phenomenon. We stopped at the first place we saw. It was advertised as an Indian-owned-and-operated business that provided an airboat ride and included a step at an authentic Indian village out in the swampland. Ready to be amazed, we entered the boat.

When Bob, our captain, came aboard, he appeared no more native Indian than my great-great grandp~ents who came to America from Germany. He fired up the propeller engines and we were off We followed a well-worn path through the water, rarely deviating into the unknown space beyond the tall weeds. Bob steered the boat the same way I have mindlessly driven to work on the same roads for nearly 10 years now. But the best was yet to come.

In no time at all, we were docked at the "Indian village" - no more than 300 yards from our starting point. With some sense of trepidation, Jenni asked, "What should we be looking for?" Bob quickly pointed and said, "There is an alligator right there. " At first, I thought it might be wooden, but when Bob grabbed some bread, he quickly coaxed it from the edge of the water to dry land. As we noticed this green beast struggle to move on land, it quickly was apparent he was missing one of his back legs. Despite his disability, he seemed fairly content. Bob talked to him and touched the side of his nose encouraging him to "open wide" for the bread. When asked his name, Bob responded indignantly, "Gators don't have names."

The Indian village consisted of a few thatched roofs and a wooden walking deck. -Under the roofs were trash, bread and two caged baby alligators. As we walked down the deck, eagle-eye Bob spotted another gator. It also came to land for some bread. When someone noticed a problem with its eye, Bob confided that it had only one eye. Bob quickly reassured us that these "were wild animals- free to come and go as they please. They just seem to like this cove."

Walking ahead of the group, we saw a white crane nature at last! I jokingly said he probably only has one eye. Much to our disbelief, Bob confirmed my joke to the people walking with him.

On the trip back we asked Bob what to look for and he said, "There really isn't much to see this time of year."

1

It was only that night as I contemplated my return to work that this all began to make some sense to me. Who among us has not occasionally fallen victim to complacency like Captain Bob? How often have we chosen the familiar, well-worn path over a newer, more creative one when teaching or programming? Fears of something new or different are genuine emotions. But are they worth the alternative of taking away the zest for what we do?

Complacency is not unique to the tennis profession, but it does seem to be more out of place when often we have a captive audience ready with zeal for an adventure of a lifetime. How often do we communicate through our actions that "there isn't much to see here"?

And who among us hasn't taken the path of least resistadce, casually waiting for our "show" to earn our "bread" and then slithering back into the cozy lagoon. We could branch out a little bit into the unknown but we "seem to like this cove."

Like these animals, we all have limitations. We may have a small clientele or an uncooperative tennis committee. We might feel fairly "content" and don't want to rock the boat. We might need more training or the latest innovative ideas. We might just be a little lazy.

I assume that a 13-foot one-eyed gator could survive in the open waters of the Everglades. It would take more energy. He would have to endure more hardships. But his life beyond the cove would be more rewarding. It is what our Maker had in mind when he created alligators and human beings.

I am glad I went to this convention. I am renewed and refreshed.

I admire the enthusiasm and creativity of many of my peers. They offered interesting and practical ideas to enhance and liven up anyone's job. With no offense to them, however, on this trip I learned the most from a one-eyed alligator.

"Welcome Ladies and gentleman. Tm glad you chose our tennis ride today. I am Captain Mark. Ifyou have ridden this before you may notice that we are going through the high grass and going out a Little further than we ever have before. The ride might be a Little bumpier but the experience will be Like nothing you have ever had before. Sit back and enjoy. This is going to be the adventure ofa Lifitime!''

Mark Troutman resides in High Point, N C He has been a USPTA pro since 1986 and the director oftennis for High Point Country Club since 1990.

ADDvantage/ December 1999

35

Regular, Extra Duty or High Altitude

Regu lar Price

6-114 Dz

120+ Dz

(24-456 Cans)

(480+ Cans)

$10.36/Dz $1 0.28/Dz ($2. 59/Can)

USPTA Discount Price

($2.57/Can)

$ 10. I6/Dz $ 10.08/Dz ($2. 54/Can)

($2. 52/Can)

Freight prepaid on 96 dozen tennis balls (384 cans) shipped at one time to one location. Terms: 3% 30 days, 2% 60 ·days, net 90 days.

Pricing subject to change without notice. All orders shipped and invoiced during the months of March, june, September and December.

FOR EVERY DOlEN PRO PENN TENNIS BALLS PURCHASED: • 20¢ discount directly to the USPTA Pro • 10¢ cash rebate to Pro's Division • 10¢ cash rebate to USPTA Headquarters T hese funds are used to he lp support programs for your association.

For more information or to place an order. call your HEAD/Penn sales representative or:

1-800-BUY-PENN From our family to yours.-·

~t. ~"

Happy Holidays .pro_penn.

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA, FL PERMIT NO. 602