Addvantage 2006 September by RSPA

contents departments

the total professional – enhancing your career 19

2 USPTA mailbox

Baiting your opponent in singles – by Alan Cutler, USPTA, and Feisal Hassan, USPTA Master Professional – Teaching your students to create risky shots and situations for their opponents will increase the chances for them to win more matches.

3 President’s message 5 CEO’s message 7 Cardio Tennis tips

22 John Huber – by Al Rogers, USPTA Master Professional

16 USPTA drills

23 Texas coach named to elite group of tennis trailblazers – by Jill Phipps, USPTA staff writer

25 Question of the month 28 Career development

29 Classifieds

news

30 Industry action

10 What’s in a name? What’s in a brand? Branding and positioning must go hand in hand to develop a positive image 11 Public relations tool – Sample calendar listing 13 USPTA embarks on a new public relations campaign 14

Find-a-Pro makeover makes it easier for people to find YOU

GET

on i t c A

E N TH IN O

USPTA

on Tenn rence Confe 06 World -23, 20 Sept. 18 gas Las Ve

It’s not too late to “Get in on the Action” at the World Conference on Tennis, set for Sept. 18-23 at the Flamingo Las Vegas. Register online at uspta.com or at the door. See ya in Vegas!

On the cover … Clarence Mabry enters USPTA Hall of Fame this fall. Photo by Michael Hart.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com ADDvantage magazine editorial offices USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone – (713) 978-7782 (800) USPTA-4U Fax – (713) 978-7780 e-mail – magazine@uspta.org www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Editor Managing editor Circulation Advertising

volume 30 • issue 9 Shawna Riley Kimberly Forrester Kathy Buchanan John Dettor

Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time ADDvantage is published monthly by the United States Professional Tennis Association.

The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the USPTA.

Copyright© United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2006. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA. ADDvantage/September 2006

USPTA mailbox Find-a-Pro Dear USPTA, I just hired a USPTA Professional from the Web site posting. From the minute that you posted our job vacancy, I received resumes. It is an excellent tool in finding a pro. Thanks for providing this service. I would and will use it again. Sincerely, Jim Elwing, USPTA The Cleveland Racquet Club, director of tennis Dear USPTA, Thanks for your support. The service is great, and the response has been very good. We have had a number of very qualified candidates submit qualifications. We interviewed many, made one hire and are looking to make another. The person we hired knew of our posting and “networked” her way to us – a pretty effective strategy. We have had a number of resumes from overseas, and a couple from the Gulf States, but relocation and visa issues popped up. I have already recommended the USPTA posting service to a couple of other clubs, and many seem likely to use it. Thanks for your support. John Waugh, USPTA Beverly, Mass. Dear USPTA, Thanks for your interest in our quest for a new junior development director. We received about 16 USPTA resumes and just last Thursday we came to an agreement with a pro. Thanks for all your help! We wouldn’t have ever known about this pro or he would not have ever known about the Five Seasons position being available without the USPTA brokering the information. Thanks again. Mike Mattingly, USPTA Indianapolis, Ind.

ADDvantage/September 2006

Competitive Player Development Dear USPTA, I am a Developmental Coach with about 25 students in the Katy Cinco Ranch area. As a ‘working stiff,’ I am unable to attend the conference this week. Thanks so much for letting me know about the Competitive Player Development DVDs. I picked up a set from the World Headquarters, watched the first four discs and have already gotten my money’s worth. Sincerely, Dennis McCollum, USPTA Katy, Texas USPTA poster Dear USPTA, Please find attached a photograph that I have selected for poster No. 2. I am hoping that I can actually send more than one photo, as I am Australian and run nine clubs here in Australia. I constantly praise the virtues of the USPTA as an organization and I am most pleased you are offering this service. I am in a partnership here in Australia, running “Get-A-Grip Professional Tennis Coaching” at nine clubs. Each week, we teach approximately 650 children and 50 adults. Of course, we also provide “Tennis Aerobics,” which has actually metamorphosed into a pre-match workout for a lot of the participants the day before they play. Finally, we have eight parttime and one full-time staff professionals, also USPTA-qualified. I think the personalized poster idea is a great way to promote ourselves and our USPTA certification. Thanks again. Paul Sykes, USPTA Pro 1 Albury, Australia

Pro Penn Dear USPTA, Playing tennis is a lot of fun, great exercise and offers camaraderie. That is why it is the “game of a lifetime.” Remember, tennis is a “ball.” It was called Le Jeu De Paume, “game of the palm,” when played in 13th century France, with the players using their hands to strike the ball. For years I would fill my basket with a variety of balls, different brands. In the last several years, being a specialist in competitive player development, I have always seen a preference for USPTA Pro Penn balls when doing live-ball drills or playing points with my students. When I asked why, they replied, “The ball feels better.” Well, I knew then that USPTA Pro Penn is more durable. Now, I am always learning something new from my students, every day! So, the ball really matters. Pro Penn Encore is the best-playing ball on the market today. And that is why I use Pro Penn. Sincerely, Lance House, USPTA Orlando Gene Scott Dear USPTA, I did not know Gene or his wife, Polly, on a personal basis, but over the years I watched this true “Tennis Legend” from afar. As an African-American male growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, our tennis hero was Arthur Ashe. Going through the same training and discipline that Arthur Ashe did under the watchful eye of Robert “Whirlwind” Johnson, Doc J for short, we were told of certain players on the tour during those days that stood out from the crowd in terms of their perspective on race relations and being just plain good old folk. I

remember hearing talks about and later meeting Butch Buchholtz and Dennis Ralston. But there was always the name Gene Scott. We, the American Tennis Association junior development members, were the pride and joy of our association and were expected to act and follow certain rules on and off the tennis court. I think Doc J was more impressed with Gene than any of the other touring members because of not only his tennis play, but also his love of education. In my eyes, Doc J explained Gene Scott as an educated tennis player who was not only talented on the court of tennis, but just as talented in the court of law. Gene was much older than I, so I got to see him as my skills were developing and he had reached a stage in his career where he no longer had the foot speed and stamina to keep up with the younger player. But he still played very tough and smart tennis. The tennis world is going to miss Gene Scott! And in the words of the late Whirlwind Johnson, he played very well on both courts (tennis and law). Sincerely, Paul E. Farrow, USPTA Ellenwood, Ga.

Send your letters to the editor, along with a daytime phone number or e-mail address, to ADDvantage, USPTA, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, TX 77042; fax to (713) 978-7780; or via e-mail to kim.forrester@uspta.org. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

President’s message

One year later

n September of 2005 I took over the reins as industry relations, and publicity that is involved with president of the United States Professional Ten- our Association on a day-to-day basis. nis Association and in this editorial want to look I can proudly say that your Association is finanback on the past year. cially sound and the future looks bright. We have I am proud to be a member of the only ten- always had membership growth in our Association, nis-teaching organization that has the divisional but not at the rate we would like to have. Your board structure and leadership elected by the membership, is looking at ways to increase benefits and promote extensive benefits and services, as well as USPTA the image of the USPTA to grow the membership grassroots programs run by the divisions and in 2007. This will make our Association more vismembers to benefit tennis players and the tennis ible within the entire tennis industry and hopefully industry. entice more tennis teachers to join our group. First of all, I want to take this Our image within the tennis intime to thank all of you for your support of the Association, knowdustry is very good at this time. We ing that you all realize the benefits enjoy great partnerships with many and services that come with your groups, we attend industry meetings, membership. I particularly want to and we’re working cooperatively on thank and recognize all of the elected several projects for the benefit of members of the Executive Committennis. tee, which represents the 17 divisions Our relationship with the USTA of your Association. This dedicated is at a high point in the history of our group of leaders works diligently, not Association. I feel that this is due to Ron Woods only at the national level, but also at the fact that our importance as a dethe divisional level to provide you with communica- livery force for tennis programs is recognized by the tion and educational events. USTA. Dave Porter, Tim Heckler and I attended the Another group to thank is your hard-working USTA annual meeting in Orlando earlier this year national board of directors: Dave Porter, Harry Gil- and participated in many committee meetings and bert, Randy Mattingley, Tom Daglis, Paula Scheb, events associated with the meeting. USTA President Mark Fairchilds and Tom McGraw. These people are Franklin Johnson has been very friendly toward the elected to their positions through the nominating or USPTA and is very good about continuing open general election process to manage the Association communications between our two associations. At his between Executive Committee meetings and inter- invitation, I was also honored to attend the Davis Cup pret the bylaws. All of your national board members tiebreaker between the United States and Chile. bring to the table years of experience and a multitude We are also very fortunate to have many USPTA of talents that are very valuable to the Association. members who are former leaders in our Association I am proud to be a member of this team that meets and now work on USTA staff at the national and several times a year to oversee the current, short-term sectional level. Kurt Kamperman, former USPTA and long-range direction of our Association. and TIA president, has been a great asset to bridging The last, but not least, group to thank is our able the gap between our two associations by forging a national staff at the USPTA World Headquarters great working relationship between us. It is because under the direction of CEO Tim Heckler. You can of this relationship and other top staff members that be proud of the work that this group has done for the USPTA has worked closely with the USTA on our Association in a first- class manner. It is a huge Hispanic initiatives, High Performance Coaching, undertaking to manage all the accounting, education, Recreational Coaches Workshops, UC Piloting the merchandising, Web site work, publications, multi- 30/60 Transition Training Program, and USTA media projects, meetings, building-related activities, membership drives.

National Board of Directors President

Ron Woods

First Vice President Vice Presidents

Harry Gilbert Tom Daglis Randy Mattingley Paula Scheb Mark Fairchilds

Secretary-treasurer

Tom McGraw

Past President David T. Porter, Ed.D.

WORLD HEADQUARTERS CEO

Tim Heckler

Director of Operations Executive Assistant

Rich Fanning Marty Bostrom

Director of Communications

Shawna Riley

Creative Services Director Publications Coordinator Public Relations Coordinator

Julie Myers Kimberly Forrester Poornima Rimm

Communications

Jill Phipps

Director of Marketing

John Dettor

Director of Research Tim Beyer and Statistical Marketing Sports Marketing Coordinator

Rick Bostrom

Video Production Manager

Joe Birkmire

Video Editor

Brad Wadsworth

Director of Fred Viancos Professional Development Corporate Janice Stollenwerck Services Administrator Director of Information Technology

Dan Wilson

Information Technology/ Scott Bucic Multimedia Computer Services/ Kathy Buchanan Club Relations Divisional Stephanie Shipman Executive Administrator Membership and Vicky Tristan Certification Coordinator Membership

Sylvia Ortiz

Membership/ Melony DeLoach Insurance Assistant Payroll/Benefits Controller

Renée Heckler Ellen Weatherford

Merchandise/ Shelina Harris Accounting Assistant

Legal Counsel Attorney-at-law

Paul Waldman

For information, write the USPTA World Headquarters 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One Houston, TX 77042 Phone (713) 97-USPTA (800) USPTA-4U Fax (713) 978-7780 e-mail – uspta@uspta.org Internet – www.uspta.com Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time

continued next page www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/September 2006

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Our relationship with the Tennis Industry Association is also very strong at this time with the promotion of Cardio Tennis. All of our divisions have participated in promoting this program with seminars and workshops across the nation. TIA president Jim Baugh is a firm believer in the USPTA as an asset to promote and sell tennis programs to the public. The TIA has been very benevolent in providing airfare for the winners of the divisional Cardio Tennis feeding contests to travel to the USPTA World Conference for a USPTA National Cardio Tennis Feeding Shootout. Your Association is also firmly behind the Tennis Welcome Centers, which were introduced a couple of years ago and are a great resource for those wanting information on local tennis programs. Your board of directors has traveled extensively over the past year visiting the various divisional conferences and other industry meetings. Below is a list of meetings and board members who represented you during their meetings. Club Managers Association of America – Tom Daglis IHRSA – Mark Fairchilds Tennis Industry Association – Ron Woods and Tim Heckler USTA – Ron Woods, Dave Porter and Tim Heckler Intercollegiate Tennis Association – Dave Porter American Sports Builders Association – Harry Gilbert It is with great pride that I can report our information technology capabilities have zoomed ahead with an updated Web site that offers member benefits such as online registration for events,

ADDvantage/September 2006

merchandising, educational offerings, “Find-a-Pro,” personal Web sites, online certification courses, timely e-mail blasts, reports for divisional leaders, and other benefits too numerous to mention. Also, our educational offerings are substantial with our ongoing “USPTA Player Development Program” inserts in ADDvantage magazine and online, The Tennis Channel’s “On Court with USPTA” and USPTA “Sweet Spots,” distant learning on our Web site with audio and video clips, USPTA Little Tennis®, and new instructional DVDs coming out almost monthly. I would also be remiss if I didn’t recognize all the members who were involved in our various USPTA programs and events around the nation: USPTA Tennis Across AmericaTM, USPTA Lessons for LifeTM, USPTA Adult Tennis LeagueSM, USPTA Junior CircuitTM events, USPTA National Surface Championships Series, USPTA divisional conferences and the USPTA World Conference on Tennis. Thanks to you all for promoting our Association through these USPTA offerings. As I look back at the issues that have faced us over the past few months of my term, I can honestly say that we are headed in the right direction and that all members of our Association can feel very comfortable with the leaders in place to continue to make decisions that benefit the majority and continue to move your association forward and make it the best it can be. I am looking forward to serving you as president for another year and working with you, your divisional leaders, national board and World Headquarters staff to take our Association to the next level of service for you and the tennis industry. 

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

CEO’s message Is the glass half empty or half full? It’s easy to spot the good in tennis

ecently I had reason to reflect on the last USTA Annual Meeting in Orlando and the many improvements made to programs of mutual interest to both USTA and USPTA. USPTA President Ron Woods, Immediate Past President Dave Porter and I spent several days attending our respective committee meetings and all the other meetings we could fit into our schedules. I know that no organization can be all things to all people. If someone wishes to point out the negative, there will always be something to pick on. However, I believe most people are reasonable and understand that people are always working behind the scenes to improve things.

its meetings during USTA functions. It also is very impressive to see the many other USPTA members serving on virtually every USTA committee. High Performance During the last USTA meeting, I had the pleasure of sitting in on the High Performance Committee headed by Chairwoman Billie Jean King and its vice chairman, USPTA’s very own Dave Porter. Billie Jean is a taskmaster and demands answers that are sure to get the most out of staff and volunteers. Dave is one of the foremost teachers of high performance tennis, so they make a great team. USPTA has also partnered with USTA’s High Performance Coaching Program to produce a USPTA Specialist degree in Competitive Player Development.

For example, there is a lot being written and said about the state of American tennis at the uppermost levels. Why did our players fare so Recreational coaches badly at Wimbledon? Or, why have On the opposite end of the scale, we not won the Davis Cup since USTA and USPTA have partnered Tim Heckler 1995 or the Fed Cup since 2000? The in promoting and presenting Recrebehind-the-scenes side of this is that the leaders of ational Coach Workshops, which cater to entry-level USTA are urgently searching for answers to these and part-time tennis teachers and coaches. This questions and solutions. And, they are reaching out category was designed for people who may already to other organizations for counsel. It is not uncom- be teaching tennis – as high school coaches, at recmon for USTA presidents, past and present, like reational facilities or in other part-time situations. Alan Schwartz and Franklin Johnson to pick up the These people are not immediate candidates for phone and discuss these and other matters with lead- careers as full-time teaching professionals. After they ers of other associations. And, with this open-door successfully complete a workshop, they are qualified policy, I’m sure advice is freely flowing. to assist career-path teachers during camps, group lessons and other grassroots programming. Shared committee posts Most importantly, in recent years USTA has ap- Growing tennis pointed more leaders from other groups to its most USTA and its industry partners have worked for important committees. For example, Ron Woods, years to grow tennis. Within the last few years, Dave Porter and I sit on seven committees collec- USTA has introduced Tennis Welcome Centers, tively, including the Davis Cup, Tennis Innovations which is a great concept for steering new players to (Ron), High Performance, Collegiate (Dave), and teaching pros and entry-level programs. Also, USTA the Parks Task Force (me). I also serve on the Tennis has been the largest source of funding for the CarIndustry Association Board of Directors, which holds dio Tennis initiative. Last year tennis gained more continued next page www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/September 2006

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than 1 million new players, which translated into better sales for manufacturers and more lesson sales for our pros. Virtually every indicator is showing continued growth.

year tennis gained more than 1 million new players, Tips fromLastwhich the pros translated into better sales for manufacturers

And, while we are on the subject of growth, one cannot possibly ignore the efforts of USTA senior executives. The USTA is headed by Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Lee Hamilton. Arlen Kantarian is chief executive of Professional Tennis, and Kurt Kamperman is chief executive of Community Tennis.

and more lesson sales for our pros. Speaking for avid tennis parents, I have to admit that TennisLink is as valuable to us as our cell phones – we can’t live without it! Tennis Service Representatives – When the Tennis Service Representative (TSR) initiative was first conceived by USTA in early 2005, many of us asked Kurt Kamperman what this “sales force” would actually do. He explained the TSRs “will focus on providing service and support for anyone who delivers tennis.” This means the TSRs serve as a network or sales force for tennis programs and pros in the grassroots who might like help or ideas for programming, marketing or networking with other pros. The services of a TSR are available to any facility and are provided without charge or obligation. These services can take many shapes and cover a wide variety of interests including: assistance for locating new funding resources, starting a new local league, marketing and PR templates and tools, facilitation of new community tennis associations, registration as a Tennis Welcome Center, development of a new on-campus recreational tennis program at colleges, support to increase activity with a targeted demographic, linking a facility’s junior instructional program with a local after-school agency, providing networking opportunities with other tennis providers in a local area, sharing information about successful programs or innovations, and connection to local or national experts within a specific expertise in a field or program area. n

Ever since Arlen took over the U.S. Open and started the U.S. Open Series of tournaments there has been a new interest in our sport and certainly more media coverage. Arlen is the consummate professional in event management and has certainly had an impact on the growth of our game. Four years ago there was considerable confusion and concern over the direction of the USTA’s Community Tennis division, but that all changed three and a half years ago with the arrival of Kurt Kamperman. Kurt, a former USPTA president, is possibly the finest tennis marketing and programming mind in the United States. His diplomacy also has allowed him to gather a once fragmented industry around one table – something some thought could never be done. Kurt’s community tennis division now works on many initiatives that influence the lives of tennis players and teachers. Since most of these projects require the participation and support of USPTA members, I thought we should list just a few of the many examples. Leagues and tournaments – For over 30 years the USTA has maintained the country’s largest recreational tennis league, allowing 600,000 total participants (including unique players) to enjoy great social and competitive tennis. For even more years, USTA has been sanctioning, organizing and holding national tournaments for juniors and adults. All too often these types of services are taken for granted unless you’re a player who needs a place to compete, or a parent looking for a way to move your child through the rankings and into a college scholarship or perhaps even more. n

And, one must remember that it is not as simple as the event itself. Leagues must be supported by the finest and most updated computer rating system, the NTRP, and, more recently, the DNTRP, for which USTA must maintain an administrative department. By the way, in case you didn’t know, USPTA was part of the team that developed NTRP and is a one-third copyright owner of the system. This was one of the earliest projects on which the two companies cooperated and still do. Tournaments, on the other hand, are administered with considerable assistance from TennisLink, an online tournament system that allows you to track a player from the moment of entry through the tournament results and player rankings.

ADDvantage/September 2006

For more information on the TSR program in your section you can go to www.usta.com, click “About Us” and then “Staff ” for a list of TSRs by area. In the near future we will announce the newest cooperative effort between USTA, manufacturers and teaching professionals. This will be a transitional program for kids involving a series of activities using transitional sized courts, racquets and balls. As you know, USPTA has long promoted the Pro Penn Stars transitional ball. We also have the largest and most active young children’s program in USPTA Little Tennis® (and a Web site at www.LittleTennis.com). We envision the value of the new program to be the activities that will enhance the teaching programs, lesson plans, drills and games already on our Web site and in USPTA’s Complete Guide to Little Tennis. Once again, I admit that it is easy to find things to complain about in our industry and its respective organizations. I simply wanted to focus on a few of the many positive things that are occurring and lend a little hope that tennis is on the rise in the United States. And, this positive news is in no small part due to the cooperative alliance USTA has developed with all of its industry partners over the last few years.  www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Tips from the pros

Cardio Tennis and heart rate monitors

Elevate the fitness profile of your cardio class! Part 2: How to position, market and sell the heart rate monitor in your Cardio Tennis program by Michele Krause, Cardio Tennis national program director, Tennis Industry Association

ast month I discussed how a heart rate monitor (HRM) benefits the pro and the player. This article offers ideas on how to market and sell it. If you really want to be successful in implementing HRMs in your cardio classes, I recommend taking the following steps: 1. Invest in your own HRM and educate yourself. 2. Wear your HRM when leading a cardio class. 3. Consider investing in the Polar Cardio Tennis loaner package. 4. Train your staff. 5. Be creative with marketing and pricing. 6. Have fun! To successfully sell the HRM, you (the pro) must believe in it and be proficient with it, so invest in your own personal HRM. For a limited time Polar is offering an individual first-time discounted purchase on an F6. Minimum retail price on this HRM is $99.95, but as a USPTA pro you can purchase it for $71.50. This offer is available until Nov. 15. If you are interested, please contact Donna Irwin at (800) 2906330, ext. 3035, and mention that you read this article. She will direct you to the appropriate Polar sales rep.

• You will maximize the efficiency of your workout because it tells you how long you were in your zone. • It is the only way to know how many calories you are burning on the tennis court. • It is the safe and healthy way to train. Once your students see it in action, I’ll bet you a majority will want their own. (By the way, if you are not burning at least 300 or more calories as the leader you might want to evaluate how you are running the class.) Once you are proficient with your own HRM and your cardio program has been running successfully, you might consider investing in the Polar Cardio Tennis HRM package, which enables you to have a set of 10 Polar F6 heart rate monitors that you can loan to each student during Cardio Tennis class. It comes with extra straps and a convenient nylon storage bag organizes the monitors to make it easy for you to manage and clean. To learn more about this special offer visit www.partners.cardiotennis.com and click on tools to use. I would like to address two objections I often hear about the Polar HRM package, the first one being, “It’s too expensive, I can’t afford it.” Yes, it is an investment, but the reality is it can pay for itself in as little as five sessions. You know the saying; you have to spend a little money to make money.

I won’t sugar coat it, it does take some time and practice to get proficient with the HRM. The good news is Polar has two great Web site resources to help you educate yourself. At www.polarusa.com click on product tutorials and demos, which will take you through a step-by-step process of how to program the HRM. At www. polaruniversity (password and ID are both cardiotennis) you will learn everything you ever wanted to know and more, plus take quizzes on your HRM knowledge and get immediate tips and feedback on HRM training.

The second challenge I hear is, “I’m a busy pro teaching back-to -back classes, I don’t have time to assist my students in programming the HRM.” This is a very true statement so here are some ways to work around it.

Now that you know how to use it, I encourage you to wear it while leading the Cardio Tennis class. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate to your students how to pull the file. The students see you using it and you begin educating them on the benefits:

• If you are in an environment with a service/front desk staff, keep the loaner kit there and train your staff how to program the HRM. This way, when a client comes in for class, they go to the desk to get their HRM and the service desk staff can assist them.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

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• Use your favorite/regular clients in an assistant role; once they know how to program it they will be happy to help others. • It is always helpful to use another staff pro or fitness personnel in your cardio class. They can help lead players through drills and assist with the HRM. • Encourage cardio participants to arrive 10 minutes early for HRM setup. I realize these suggestions will not work for every pro’s situation, but if you are patient and creative you can make it work. You have total flexibility in how you market and sell the HRM. First, ask yourself where you want to make your money – on the cardio class itself or the HRM? Some facilities really want their clients to use the HRM so they look at making money on the class itself and offer the HRM at a discount or even cost. They might position it like this: Buy “X” number of cardio classes and get a HRM for “X” dollars. For example, Midtown Tennis in Chicago was very creative with their approach: Join the Cardio Club and purchase a Polar HRM in the Midtown pro shop for $60 (retail value $90). Players attending 12 classes within a six-week period will receive two $25 Midtown gift cards toward future Cardio Tennis classes or other Midtown programs. This was a great promo as it encouraged people to participate and it sold HRMs, encouraged future class participation, and the clients received a great value! Polar HRM package. Now that’s a win/win situation! Here’s another creative example from Carolyn Lawver at Heritage Palms in Fort Myers, Fla. She charges $10 per person if you have your own HRM or $15 if you don’t. What a great way to encourage a customer to purchase a HRM in your pro shop. Selling HRMs in your pro shop is another great way to make money. It is easy to open an account with Polar (minimum order is six) and stock them in your pro shop. For more information on becoming a dealer, visit: http://www.polarusa.com/healthclubs/healthclubs/ dealer.asp. If you take the steps I have mentioned, those HRMs will sell themselves and you will be more profitable in the process. The beauty of the Cardio Tennis program is the flexibility it offers in both curriculum and pricing. It’s up to you to make it happen. And last but not least, have fun!  Michele Krause has been a USPTA Professional for more than 12 years and has taught “cardio style” throughout her career. She currently works for the TIA as the national Cardio Tennis program director and is responsible for all aspects of the program, including curriculum, promotion, events, organization of national Cardio Tennis speakers, training and education.

ADDvantage/September 2006

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

What’s in a name? What’s in a brand? Branding and positioning must go hand in hand to develop a positive image What is branding? Branding is an activity that not only develops a positive image for a company or product, but also helps set it apart from other companies or products. While branding often falls under the marketing and advertising umbrella, branding activity is a key component of public relations as well. The public relations efforts often inadvertently help to develop the company brand. Why does positioning matter? Positioning is equally as or more important than actual branding. Branding helps to set a company or organization apart from the rest, but positioning truly increases the value of the company to its target markets. Ideally, these two efforts should go hand in hand. In the case of the USPTA, there is no doubt that the value we bring to our target markets is raising the bar for tennis-teaching professionals. This has value in different ways to employers, employees, consumers, the industry, etc. The key for the USPTA, as for any organization, is to continue to build, establish and position that brand favorably. How can members help increase brand recognition of the USPTA? 1. We have now developed a new “That’s Who We Are” tag line as part of our public relations campaign. Combine the following messages with our logo and you are ready to go.

l Raising the bar for tennis-teaching professionals – That’s Who We Are.

The most sought-after tennis-teaching professionals – That’s Who We Are.

Teaching

modern tennis – That’s Who We Are.

Consistency is key. The key to developing and positioning a brand is consistency of the brand and message. Each and every day USPTA members help develop the consistency of the USPTA brand by striving to raise the level of tennis-teaching professionals to new heights. While the USPTA brand is something that we constantly develop and promote through campaigns at the national level, it is something that will only truly be successful with the contribution and participation of the divisions and individual members. As far as messaging, this again is addressed at the national level, but all of our members have the tools necessary in terms of our logo and tag line to utilize the necessary channels. We hope that all of you will participate in this effort and consistently promote the message through as many distribution points as possible. Developing a brand can take years and there are many branding activities, but we can offer a starting point and a few tools that the divisions and members can use to participate in this effort. While the USPTA name and brand is recognized in certain markets, our ultimate goal is to continue to expand the recognition of the USPTA and our brand in a favorable manner. This is the second part of a Public Relations Series that will be presented periodically over the next year. The focus will be on promotion and publicity. Each article will also feature a sample public relations tool and its benefits to gaining publicity. Any questions or comments regarding the series can be sent to pr@uspta.org.

Featured public relations tool – Calendar Listing

2. Where can the tag line be used? l l Court banners l l Business cards l l Stationery l l Voice mail l Brochures, newsletters, fliers

T-shirts Tennis bags Pro shop banners Ball carts

3. Promote and position the USPTA brand with your key market – your students. Your lessons and teaching environment are the easiest and best channels for reaching out to your students (USPTA consumers). Each and every member is a walking branding activity. How you teach and how you carry yourself not only represents the USPTA, but also constantly builds and helps establish the USPTA brand. And that is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. It is important to remember that branding goes far beyond just a logo. Branding and positioning are an embodiment of the value the organization brings to its target markets. 12 ADDvantage/September 2006

What is a calendar listing and why do I need to use it? The purpose of the newspaper or TV calendar listing is to inform the public of an upcoming event in their area. This is a useful tool that if timed correctly can lead to increased attendance and publicity for your event at virtually no cost to you. Who gets the calendar listing? Calendar listings can be sent out to your local daily and community newspapers, local and regional magazines, recreational publications and television stations. They can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to the calendar or events calendar editor. They are typically placed in the events or calendar section. If you are not familiar with the newspapers in your area, you can find most contacts online or by calling your local daily newspaper. What should a calendar listing look like? On the following page is a sample calendar listing. For the purposes of this sample, announcing a Tennis Across America clinic is the topic, but as mentioned before, it can be used for a variety of upcoming events. It is wise to put the calendar listing on professional letterhead whether it is your own or your club’s.  www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

CALENDAR LISTING UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL TENNIS ASSOCIATION, INC.

World Headquarters, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, TX 77042 (713) 97-USPTA (978-7782) • fax (713) 978-7780 toll free: (800) USPTA-4U (877-8248) e-mail: uspta@uspta.org • www.uspta.com

USPTA’s Tennis Across America™ offers free tennis clinic in Dallas -- National USPTA program in its 17th year --

WHAT: Tennis is a great way to get fit and the United States Professional Tennis Association continues to bring tennis to potential players through the Tennis Across America™ program. USPTA-certified tennis-teaching professionals offer free tennis clinics in more than 350 cities nationwide, including Dallas. (ALWAYS STATE AND DESCRIBE WHAT THE EVENT IS IN THIS FIRST SECTION.) WHO: More than 1,500 USPTA Professionals and Developmental Coaches, along with volunteers, offer free clinics to the public throughout the spring and summer months. Clinics can be directed toward adults, children or both, and may include new, current and former players. (PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT WHO IS HOSTING THE EVENT AND WHO THE EVENT IS OPEN TO.) WHEN: Saturday, April 8, 2006 WHERE: Dallas Tennis Center, Dallas, TX 75230 CLINIC CONTACT: John Doe, (123) 555-1234 Call for clinic time and to confirm attendance. (PROVIDE ALL SPECIFIC EVENT INFORMATION HERE, SUCH AS DATE, LOCATION, DIRECTIONS, AND ANY CONTACT INFORMATION.) WHY: Established in 1990 by the United States Professional Tennis Association, Tennis Across America is the original, free, grassroots lesson program. The goal of the program is to get people out on the court, playing tennis. The multicultural segment was added later with the goal of reaching various communities and potential players who have special needs. The program is supported by the following honorary co-chairs: the world’s No. 1-ranked men’s doubles team of Mike and Bob Bryan, and former touring professionals Peter Burwash, Cliff Drysdale, Pam Shriver, Billie Jean King, MaliVai Washington, Patrick McEnroe, Tony Trabert and Tom Gullikson. They also include the following USPTA members: former President George Bush, sports science expert Jack Groppel, Ph.D., touring coach Rick Macci, touring coach and former top-ranked ATP tour player Harold Solomon, and Wayne Bryan, father of Mike and Bob Bryan. (PROVIDE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT OR THE PROGRAM.) Founded in 1927, USPTA strives to raise the standards of the tennis profession while promoting greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers more than 30 professional benefits to its 14,000 members worldwide, including certification and professional development. With more than 300 days of educational opportunities throughout the year, USPTA offers the most comprehensive continuing education program in the tennis industry. For more information, call (800) 877-8248 or visit www.uspta.com. (THIS LAST PARAGRAPH IS A BOILERPLATE – IT IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY AND IT TYPICALLY DOES NOT CHANGE FROM CALENDAR LISTING TO CALENDAR LISTING.) CONTACT: John Doe (123) 555-1234 This public relations tool is available online for your use in the members only section in the Career Center under Public Relations Tools.

USPTA proud – That’s who we are You are a certified member of the world’s best tennisteaching association. Let ’em know it! From personalized ball cart name plates to business cards, the U.S. Pro Tennis Shop offers countless ways to promote your certification. To order or for more information, visit www.usprotennisshop.com or call (800) USPTA-4U.

Personalized ball cart name plate. Predrilled durable aluminum. 16" x 9". $28.95. Includes shipping. Personalized member banner. 5' x 3' vinyl banner. $106.95. Includes shipping.

Star plaque. Cherrywood finish with brass name plate. 9" x 12". $34.95. Includes shipping. Wreath logo plaque with matching name plaque. Logo plaque. 16" diameter x 1 1/4". $149. Includes shipping. Name plaque. 16" x 5 1/2" x 1 1/4". $99. Includes shipping.

Joseph Thompson

Director of Tennis Rolling Hills Country Club

15707 West 26th Ave., Golden, CO 80401 (303) 278-1130 • fax (303) 279-2165 josephthompson@usptapro.com www.josephthompson.usptapro.com

Color photo business cards. $104.75 for 1,000 cards. Includes shipping.

Star logo business cards. $59.95 for 250 cards. Includes shipping.

Wreath logo business cards. $75 for 250 cards. Includes shipping.

USPTA embarks on a new public relations campaign

he USPTA is excited to announce that we will be embarking on a new “Who We Are” public relations campaign in order to help make the USPTA name and brand recognizable to the public and all of our key target audiences. “Our goal is to sharpen the focus of our PR efforts and develop a consistent message. We think the “Who We Are” campaign will allow us to do that,” said Harry Gilbert, USPTA Public Relations chairman.

When will the campaign start and what can members do to help? This month officially kicks off the campaign. Look for items related to the campaign over the next year. Look for the “That’s Who We Are” tag line at our World Conference, on our Web site, and in our magazine, ads, press kits, etc., over the next several months. Members and divisions should feel free to incorporate the following tag lines with our logo in any promotional and published materials.

Why now? Now is definitely the time! Public relations is defined as “the methods and activities employed to promote a favorable relationship with the public” according to The American Heritage Dictionary. Public relations is essential to any organization, in any industry and it is no different for the USPTA. It helps build and maintain relationships with the public and the image of an organization overall, and especially during a time of crisis.

n Raising

In the case of the USPTA, with a membership of 14,000, now is definitely the time to promote who we are and why what we do is important not only as tennis-teaching professionals but also for the tennis industry as a whole. Why is this important for the membership? An enhanced and effective public relations campaign is something that all divisions and members will benefit from. It will help in terms of exposure and publicity. However, in order for the public relations campaign to be most effective, it must not only be stressed at the national level but it also must be stressed at the divisional level.

the bar for tennis-teaching professionals – That’s Who We Are.

Teaching modern tennis – That’s Who We Are.

n The

most sought-after tennis-teaching professionals – That’s Who We Are.

Members can look for e-mails from their divisions as well as information in their division newsletters on ways they can participate in the public relations campaign. We hope that the divisions and members will jump on board to help make this an effective public relations campaign. Ultimately, we want to get the USPTA name out there and easily recognized. What better way to do that than from a national, divisional and individual level? “We are excited about the possible outcomes of this public relations plan and we look forward to the joint efforts of national, our divisions and members in helping to make this a successful campaign,” said Gilbert. 

USPTA’s Competitive Player Development Conference November 9-11, 2006 Come hear some of the industry’s leading experts speak on developing competitive players and see the legends in action at the Stanford Financial Champions Cup Houston. Act now!

Limited spaces available for this informative and entertaining tennis event.

Registration:

$250 registration fee includes all materials and access to the Stanford Financial Champions Cup.

Conference hotel:

The Marriott Westchase is the official hotel of the USPTA Competitive Player Development Conference. (2900 Briarpark Drive, Houston, TX 77042, (713) 978-7400)

Location:

USPTA World Headquarters, 3535 Briarpark Drive, Houston, TX 77042, (713) 978-7782

Hotel deadline: Oct. 25, 2006

For more information:

Contact the Education Department at education@uspta.org, 800-USPTA-4-U or (713) 978-7782. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/September 2006

Find-a-Pro makeover

makes it easier for people to find YOU

ince the Find-a-Pro Web site was first introduced in late 1999, it has become one of the most effective places to search for a teaching professional, look for a job, and for employers, to post jobs for free.

But it had its limitations. For example, when searching for a USPTA member, the ZIP code search only found the ZIP code entered. Entering the first three digits of a ZIP code would expand your search, but in a large city such as Houston, you would get results from all over the city, without knowing how far away they were. The new Find-a-Pro has expanded search features. Not only can you search by ZIP, you can now specify a number of miles from ZIP in your search to give you more results. You can also search by state or by a person’s last name by using the alphabet list. When searching by ZIP, the results are listed from closest to farthest. All other search results are in alphabetical order by member name. There is still a link to members’ USPTA Web sites, so that visitors can find out more about you. Find-a-Job’s search features have also been expanded. Pros looking for a job can now search for more than one type of position at a time. There is a ZIP code search feature here, as well.

ADDvantage/September 2006

One important addition to Find-a-Job is a link to the USPTA Career Center on uspta.com. This section of the Web site has sample resumes and interview tips specific to teaching professionals. It also has PR tools and USPTA personal Web site information (another free benefit to USPTA members). The Post-a-Job layout has been redesigned and is easier to navigate. There is a link to additional resources, which includes the significance of USPTA certification, what the different ratings mean and what the different specialist degrees are. It also has a hiring guide, sample work agreement and sample job description. Take a test drive on the new Find-a-Pro today! www.usptafindapro.com. 

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA drill

Intermediate-advanced

brought to you by

Wrong foot drill No. 5 Courtesy of The Strategy Zone by Nick Bollettieri with Lance Luciani

The Strategy Zone is divided into three separate sections: Control, Hurt and Finish. This drill is taken from the Hurt section of The Strategy Zone. Often players will skip the “hurt” portion and try to finish the point too early. This results in unforced errors. This section of the resource covers how to dominate the opponent and create the opportunities for a finish shot.

Purpose: To be able to disguise the placement of a shot to the opponent using an inside out forehand. This is a fed ball drill.

Explanation: In this drill the player is working on one shot of a two-shot combination. The objective is to “wrong foot” your opponent by disguising the placement of your forehand. This means you are hitting back to the same area of the court your opponent hit the shot from. When this is done successfully, the opponent begins to recover and go toward the open court, anticipating the next shot will go away from the previous placement. This is a great strategy against fast and quick players who over-anticipate. There are many additional points to help your player in this drill beginning with the proper “load, explode and land” for the open-stance forehand and the right amount of height and spin for the short target.

Description: 1. Pro feeds player from backhand corner to opposite backhand corner. 2. Player runs around and hits open-stance forehand back in the same direction of the feed to simulate “wrong footing” an opponent. 3. Use both short and deep target areas for this drill.

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Pro Player path Ball path Player Target

A 

All drills are illustrated for right-handed players.

ADDvantage/September 2006

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA drill

Intermediate-advanced

brought to you by

Wrong foot drill No. 6 Courtesy of The Strategy Zone by Nick Bollettieri with Lance Luciani

The Strategy Zone is divided into three separate sections: Control, Hurt and Finish. This game is taken from the Hurt section of The Strategy Zone. Often players will skip the Hurt step and try to finish the point too early. This results in unforced errors. The Hurt strategy explains how to dominate one’s opponent and create the opportunities for a finish shot.

Purpose: To be able to disguise the placement of a shot to the opponent using an inside in forehand. This is a fed ball drill.

Description: 1. Pro feeds player from forehand corner to backhand corner. 2. Player runs around and hits open-stance forehand back in the same direction of the feed to simulate “wrong footing” an opponent. 3. Use both short and deep target areas for this drill.



Pro

Player path Ball path Player Target



All drills are illustrated for right-handed players.

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/September 2006

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Baiting your opponent in singles by Alan Cutler, USPTA, and Feisal Hassan, USPTA Master Professional

s coaches, we know that there are risky shots and risky situations, but how do we teach our students to recognize them? Once this is understood by our students, it is then our job as coaches to show them how to create these risky shots and situations for their opponents. Baiting the opponent into taking these poor-percentage risks increases the chances for your student to win more matches. So how do we train our students to create these situations for their opponents? We do so by introducing the idea of baiting. The idea of getting your opponent to take unnecessary risks by baiting them into situations is a simple one. Teaching your students basic baiting methods can help them reduce their opponents’ overall shot percentages. It is often the difference between winning and losing points, games, and even, sometimes, sets.

One major factor to keep in mind and remind students of is that individual players develop weapons that may be risky for the majority, but, because of their unique skills, may still be high percentage for them. Students must be taught to create visual or mental situations to entice their

opponents to go for more risky shots or shots that decrease the success of their opponents. By doing this, more easy points will be won by your students. These basic ideas are easy for most players to understand and execute with simple and direct instruction. With all the changes in the game, the one thing in tennis that remains constant is the singles court dimensions. The singles court is 27 feet wide by 78 feet long (27 by 39 from net to baseline). The diagonal dimension measures 82.5 feet from the singles corner to the diagonal opposite corner. The net height is 36 inches in the middle going up to 42 inches at the net post or singles sticks. So the court is a basic rectangle. Identify some basic risk factors Changing the direction of rally (from crosscourt to down the line) – One of the biggest risk factors for recreational players is changing the direction of the rally. How many times have you seen a player change the direction of the rally and miss? Teach your students that unless the ball is hit short and there is adequate time to set up their shot, this is a major risk factor that should be avoided. Hitting over the highest part of the net (parallel to the sidelines) – By hitting down the line, where the net is higher, you increase the risk of either clipping the net or hitting long to avoid it.

Students must be taught to create visual or mental situations to entice their opponents to go for more risky shots or shots that decrease the success of their opponents. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Hitting the shortest distance within the court (parallel to the sidelines) – This is where court geometry comes into play. You should teach students to hit the ball crosscourt for the maximum distance and, therefore, give themselves an additional 5.5 feet to use and a larger margin of error. Remember to also explain to them that crosscourt does not mean a sharp angle, which again cuts down the distance, but corner to corner for maximum distance. Hitting the ball down continued next page ADDvantage/September 2006

from previous page the line, or along the shortest possible distance, is a much riskier shot, especially when it is done in combination with changing the direction of the rally, and over the highest part of the net. Depth of shot – When a ball is hit deep, teach students to hit for the maximum distance, which is typically crosscourt. Remember that everyone’s perception of what is a deep shot is different and will vary based on skill level. Visual appearances – Simply moving a few feet in either direction (one or two steps) can make your opponent feel like one side is much more open than the other. This often leads to the opponent going for a riskier shot or hitting to your student’s strength. Moving without the ball – Almost every sport has a provision for players moving as a diversionary tactic and trying to distract their opponents from what is important, which, in tennis, is hitting the ball. A great example of this is when you are standing on one half of the court and your opponent has committed to a shot direction. Move to the other half as he starts to swing. This has two effects: It encourages him to hit to the open court, and when you move, the target area appears smaller, making your opponent hit out wider and closer to the lines. Environmental – Wind, sun, shadows, and many other environmental issues can create problems for the opponent and should not be overlooked, even though they typically are. If you know that the sun is in a bad position for your opponent and you lob or hit high, this can affect his ability to see the ball. In windy conditions, raising the flight of the ball can allow the wind to move it in an unexpected way and can exploit the opponent’s poor footwork. Fatigue – Often when players are getting tired they will try to end the point quickly and take additional risks on shots, either in an attempt to conserve energy or due to poor shot selection. Each individual risk factor may work in isolation, but by baiting the opponent into a combination of risk factors, his chances of being successful are reduced and often 20 ADDvantage/September 2006

that is all it may take for your students to win a close match. Our students come to us for many reasons, but we have yet to find anyone who really enjoys losing. Our job as coaches is to help them become more successful, which often makes playing a lot more fun. Once you have taught your students about these risk factors, it is now time to

Baseline to baseline When in a point involving an extended crosscourt rally, you can bait your opponent to hit down the line by leaving the visual appearance that the down-the-line shot is open, often creating errors. This works better against players who hit flatter because their shots have less net clearance and are more dependent on hitting

Baiting the opponent into taking these poor-percentage risks increases the chances for your student to win more matches. show them how to bait their opponents into taking high-risk shots. These are simple examples and can be expanded based on the level of the players. When your opponent is serving Create a visual appearance that you are covering one part of the service box less than the other. Simply moving 18 inches to 3 feet (one step) can change the visual appearance enough to cause errors. 1. Moving slightly toward the wide serve creates the appearance of hitting up the middle, or the shortest distance. 2. Moving slightly toward the center creates the appearance of hitting out wide, or over a higher part of the net. 3. Moving forward makes most people get nervous and try to hit harder or do more than is necessary. 4. Move toward your weaker side and get the person to hit to your stronger side. When you are serving Create a visual appearance that you are covering one part of the court less than the other. Bait your opponent into changing direction by hitting the return down the line off a wide serve. Create three combined risk factors of direction change, highest part of the net and shortest distance. Serving up the middle makes the return down the line even tougher, and the court geometry is working against them. On slice serves, most returners will make contact toward the top of the racquet, making it harder to hit up the line. Move toward your weaker side in an effort to bait them into hitting to your strength.

crosscourt for maximum distance (82.5 feet). By baiting them to hit down the line, it reduces the distance to 78 feet, or 4.5 feet less. When hitting crosscourt you are over the lowest part of the net. By baiting the opponent to hit down the line you are forcing him to hit over the highest part of the net. Hit deep, creating a defensive shot selection and then bait them into an offensive shot by getting them to hit into the open court. Remember, many times when a player chooses to hit down the line all three risk factors (direction change, height of the net and distance) come into play. They may be inclined to do this on a slower, short ball, but, even then, this is risky. When you are at net Hit the volley down the middle, trying to bait your opponent to hit a sharp crosscourt angle, and use the court geometry against them. As they angle the ball, the line is straight, creating an even shorter distance for them to use. Hit wide to force a defensive shot and cover the line, creating the appearance of the crosscourt being open and using court geometry against them (this should be done only with a volley that can be played offensively). Adding in a simple movement without the ball as the opponent starts their forward swing creates the visual appearance that the target is closing and puts them under more pressure. Hit a low-bouncing ball, often a slice, to get them to hit up so you can hit down. Hit deep to create a defensive situation and cheat toward the crosscourt angle, making them hit for the shortest distance and over the highest part of the net. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Shadows – Hitting into shadows or along them creates a difference in light, making it harder to see the ball. Most people find that this affects their depth perception. This is most effective early in the morning or late in the afternoon, but also can be in cloudy conditions. Moving without the ball You can often create a visual effect by moving without the ball. If you know that your opponent’s highest percentage shot is crosscourt, move in that direction just as he is hitting. This may pressure him into hitting closer to the lines and making additional errors. You may expel some extra effort, but in the long run you may be rewarded. After all, most other sports run plays where direction distractions are part of the play; you can also use this method.

Simply moving a few feet in either direction can make your student’s opponent feel like one side is much more open than the other. This often leads to the opponent going for a riskier shot or hitting to your student’s strength.

Opponent at the net Hit low and crosscourt, trying to get them to change direction of the ball. This also forces most players to hit with the racquet, wrist and arm in a straight-line position, which is a weaker position to volley from rather than with the wrist cocked back. Hit closer to their body in an attempt to catch them flat-footed and bait them to go for more. Hit below the height of the net to force them to hit up or try even a riskier drop volley. Move to a location on the court to make them hit the hardest shot possible (i.e. short angle, drop volley) over the highest part of the net. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Environmental Wind – Take the downside or against the wind if you feel you are in the mood to gamble. If you want to play conservative, take the upwind side or with the wind. Similar considerations can be applied if you want to bait the opponent to take more chances. Remember that it is riskier to lob and try passing shots with the wind. Sun – Know where it is and how to use it. If your opponent cannot see, it makes it harder to hit the ball. If the sun is high in the sky, hit lobs. If it’s low on the horizon, make them run in the direction of the sun.

Conclusion By recognizing opportunities and baiting your opponent into taking risks, you can raise your percentage and cut his down. Simple ideas and strategy can easily create visual appearances that can get people to take unnecessary risks. It is our job as coaches to teach our students to increase their shot and winning percentage by understanding these risk factors and effectively using them against their opponents. By turning the game more physical, most players get tired and they become less precise in their directional control of the ball, which can increase many of the risk factors. By turning it into a more mental game, they are forced to focus and concentrate at a much higher level. This is not going to work every time, but by increasing their opponents’ risks, players can increase their percentages enough to allow themselves to win even those close matches.  Alan Cutler, USPTA Pro 1, is a Specialist in Competitive Player Development and has completed levels I and II of the USTA sport science certification. He is the founder of Playtennisforlife.info and has more than 25 years of teaching experience. Feisal Hassan, a USPTA Master Professional, is the director of tennis at the Regency Sport and Health Club in McLean, Va. He is the head tester for the USPTA Middle States Division and a USPTA Specialist in Competitive Player Development. ADDvantage/September 2006

John Huber

US Pro tennis shop.com

by Al Rogers, USPTA Master Professional

ohn Huber is a devout man. Whenever we traveled to tournaments, John would insist upon finding the closest Catholic church and have me drive him there. He is the kindest man I have ever met. John could broker a peace between the worst of enemies by his quiet demeanor and understanding of mankind. Born on Aug. 23 in 1906, John has been a staunch member of the USPTA for 35 years. On one of his USPTA junkets, he toured the Grand Canyon and was amazed at what he saw inside the Hoover Dam. In 2002, the same year he received the USPTA President’s Award for lifetime achievement, the USTA New England Section honored him with induction into its Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. What most do not know of John is that he began as a boxer and heeland-toe racer. Retired from Prudential in ’66, he devoted much of his leisure time to healthful pursuits. After all, he had been a middle weight boxing champion in New Jersey in 1928. When he retired to Lake Sunapee with his wife, who died shortly afterward, he got interested in tennis. He began teaching at the Lake Sunapee Yacht Club, after practicing his game and becoming a member of the USPTA in 1970. To improve his play and learn the skills involved, he competed whenever he could. In New England, John was ranked No. 1 in men’s singles at the age of 80 and twice reached that rank at the age of 85. Nationally, John ranked as high as

ADDvantage/September 2006

Where tennis pros shop John Huber, USPTA

No. 5 and 6 in men’s 85 singles and No. 2, with Dan Bushnell, in men’s 90 doubles. At the National Grass Court Championships just six years ago, the Boston Globe ran articles about John and took pictures of his resting position. He sat on the end of a racquet! Also, CBS paid tribute to John on its “CBS Sunday Morning” program when it featured Longwood’s grass tournament for players aged 90 and over. Nick Bollettieri was wowed with John Huber when I coached him at the Florida camp. John was showcased to his youngsters, like Tommy Haas. John always traveled with his No. 1 so-called son, Paul Crone, and his No. 2 “son” – me. We were known as the Three Amigos and attended many conventions and played in the convention tournaments. John won many awards; the latest was the USPTA New England Senior Player of the Year Award. Always willing to help others learn the game, he fostered tennis in the backwoods of New Hampshire. You could always get a pro bono lesson from John! He would gladly show up at a school tennis court, and help organize a team and coach it. Such dedication is seldom rewarded by the world, but John received his satisfaction from promoting the game and spreading the gospel of healthy activities. Not long ago he rolled to the court with a walker and a basket of balls. “Anyone want a feed?” John would feed a nice, soft ball, and then return a volley with a most devious cut shot! Such a shot made John smile. You could see the joy in his play! 

USProTennisShop.com

Editor’s Note: Al Rogers, a longtime friend and doubles partner of John Huber, shared these thoughts in honor of Huber’s 100th birthday. Huber, who has been an ardent World Conference attendee and tournament player, has the edge in age over the entire USPTA membership. He makes his home in an assistedliving center in New London, N.H.

for Apparel Educational Materials New Merchandise Little Tennis Closeouts Specials

(800) 877-8248 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Texas coach named to elite group of tennis trailblazers by Jill Phipps, USPTA staff writer

larence Mabry, who learned tennis as a self-motivated preteen, won Southwest Conference singles and doubles titles at the University of Texas in 1946. This player-turned-coach developed the tennis program at Trinity University in San Antonio in the mid-1950s. He took its team to a NCAA championship in 1972 with help from players the likes of Brian Gottfried, Dick Stockton and Paul Gerken. Some of those same players went on with Coach Mabry to the San Antonio Racquets, a professional team that he would lead to a national team championship in 1986. And as a groundbreaking teaching professional who helped establish the Texas Division of the USPTA, Mabry is about to cap his long and distinguished career with the Association’s highest honor. At the World Conference on Tennis in September, a few days after his 81st birthday, Mabry will become only the eighth person to be inducted into the USPTA

Clarence Mabry enters USPTA Hall of Fame this fall. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Hall of Fame. He is already an Honorary member. Not bad for a boy from a small Texas town who, at the age of 12, decided to learn how to use the tennis racquet that he was less than excited to acquire. “I wanted a bicycle, and sent in all the credits I got for selling the Saturday Evening Post, but I didn’t have enough coupons for a bicycle so I got a tennis racquet,” Mabry recalled. “The first thing I did was enter the local tournaments. I played about a year and started winning state and national championships.” And he did so by learning from other players. “They didn’t have tennis courts in Alice, Texas, so on the weekends I went over to Corpus Christi and joined the people at a little club that was part of the high school,” he said. “We spent the day playing tennis and pitching pennies. “It’s been fun. I definitely had other plans, but things kept falling in the direction of tennis so I kept following them,” said Mabry, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and was briefly involved in sports sales before playing the professional circuit for three years, then launching his career as a teaching pro. “I have no regrets whatsoever. I guess I’ve had a happy life going because I really enjoyed the teaching and the coaching, the fellowship and the relationship with the players.” Mabry retired from teaching and coaching as president of the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, in the Texas hill country. continued page 25 ADDvantage/September 2006

Texas coach from Page 23 “I was still going great guns, still playing and hacking around,” he said. Although he has slowed down considerably, this personable pro said he is going to try to attend the World Conference on Tennis in Las Vegas, where he will be honored during the awards breakfast. “I’m saving up energy and good health and am going to use it on that.” The USPTA Hall of Fame enshrines tennis professionals who have given a lifetime of exemplary service to the tennis industry. Mabry’s portrait will be displayed at USPTA’s Houston headquarters, in the company of Arthur Ashe, George Bacso, Allan Henry, Paul Xanthos, Tim Heckler, Tim Gullikson and Bernard “Tut” Bartzen. Mabry said he was “excited and definitely surprised” to receive this honor. “Things don’t happen to you every day at age 80. “Most of my life has been spent in tennis and to be honored by a tennis group is extremely important and fulfilling,” he said. “I helped run the seminars at the USPTA national convention for about 10 years (as a volunteer). I felt like I deserved to give back to tennis what they gave to me. They gave me a whole life.” Tim Heckler, USPTA CEO, said that Mabry “gave back to the game more than

anyone else I know. He was so passionate about tennis he participated in just about everything you could think of – teaching, tournament direction, facility management, ownership in a major tennis ranch, and volunteering at USTA’s and USPTA’s highest levels.” Mabry admits to being “in on the ground floor of the growth of Texas tennis.” However, “I don’t have anything to brag about,” he said in regard to his Hall of Fame induction. “I’ve been thinking about some of those who made it possible for me to get there – Tim (Heckler) and Ron Woods – just being there and sharing ideas for the promotion of tennis.” Woods, who is now the USPTA president, said his “first contact with Clarence was when he was the tennis pro at San Pedro Tennis Center (Now McFarlan Tennis Center) in San Antonio and I was playing junior tennis. “I also spent time with him and Tut Bartzen when they ran the Texas Junior Davis Cup Camp in Hunt, Texas, at Camp Vista and another year during Junior Davis Cup training at the San Antonio Country Club,” Woods said. “He was always cheerful and gave very succinct and understandable tips on tennis. I learned a lot from Clarence, not only as a student on the court, but as a student of the tennisteaching profession.

Q Q

“Clarence was one of the founding fathers of the Texas Professional Tennis Association and has affectionately been called ‘Coach’ for many, many years,” said Woods, who also is a charter member of the organization that was to become the USPTA Texas Division. The TPTA was conceived in 1965 when Mabry, Bartzen and George Richey invited the teaching pros of Texas to a weekend in San Antonio for a doubles tournament, a clinic, and a meeting of the pros’ minds, according to the division’s written history. “We wanted to get organized in Texas,” said Mabry, who was elected the first president of the TPTA. “Everybody wanted to join one big, happy family to work on improving the tennis games of so many people.” But the young and forward-looking leadership of the Texas Association, which would initially vote not to join what was then called the United States Professional Lawn Tennis Association, decided to help mold a more progressive national association. Woods said that he, “as well as other tennis-teaching professionals in Texas, owe a lot to people like Clarence Mabry who paved the way for those teaching tennis to attain a good livelihood and status as a professional.” 

uestion of the month ... If you have a question for USPTA, you may send it to the World Headquarters mailing address or the ADDvantage magazine e-mail address listed on Page 1 of this issue.

I tried to log in to the “members only” section and it is asking for a user name and password. How do I get one?

Any section that requires a user name and password is on the secure side and is not accessible to the membership. A problem can occur when the last name and member number required to access the “members only” section does not match membership database records. Make sure that you are typing only your last name and USPTA membership number (no letter designation).

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/September 2006

Career Development conventions (World Conference, 8 credits; divisional conventions, 5 credits) Sept. 18-23 USPTA World Conference Las Vegas

Action

GET IN ON THE

USPTA World Conference on Tennis Sept. 18-23, 2006 Las Vegas

Oct. 16-17

Hawaii/San Diego divisions Honolulu

Oct. 28-29

Southwest Division Scottsdale, Ariz.

specialist degrees Little Tennis®

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Facility Management

exams, upgrades & certification review courses (4 credits for CRC segment) Sept. 9-10 Sept. 9-10 Sept. 9-10 Sept. 10-11 Sept. 20-23 Sept. 23-24 Oct. 5-6 Oct. 7-8 Oct. 9-10 Oct. 14-15 Oct. 14-15 Oct. 14-15 Oct. 14-15 Oct. 21-22 Oct. 23-24 Oct. 23-24 Oct. 25-26

Greensboro, N.C. Hilton Head Island, S.C. Orlando, Fla. McLean, Va. Las Vegas Aurora, Ill. Bethpage, N.Y. Jackson, Miss. Industry Hills, Calif. St. Paul, Minn. Fort Worth, Texas Atlanta Conway, Ark. Bonita Springs, Fla. Los Angeles Houston* Mesa, Ariz.

Oct. 28-29 Oct. 28-29 Oct. 28-29 Nov. 3-4 Nov. 4-5 Nov. 4-5 Nov. 13-14 Nov. 18-19 Nov. 18-19 Nov. 19-20 Nov. 20-21 Nov. 24-25 Dec. 2-3 Dec. 3-4 Dec. 4-5 Dec. 7-8 Dec. 9-10

Sacramento, Calif. Brunswick, Maine Indian Wells, Calif. Minneapolis Mequon, Wis. Birmingham, Ala. Houston* Big Rapids, Mich. Boca Raton, Fla. Greenwood Village, Colo. Industry Hills, Calif. Honolulu St. Paul, Minn. McLean, Va. Houston* Flushing, N.Y. San Antonio

* 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 CRC unless noted. Exam cancellations must be received no later than 14 days before the exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly. Applicant: late cancellation fee – $75; failure to cancel – application fee is forfeited. Certified members: late cancellation fee – $25; failure to cancel – $25 plus the upgrade fee is forfeited. Registration for another exam will not be accepted until cancellation fees are paid.

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Computer Technology

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Sport Science

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Competitive Player Development

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Pro Shop Operations

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Wheelchair Tennis

specialty courses Sports medicine/biomechanics, Sept. 19, Las Vegas, TBA/ S. Riewald, Ph.D. Modern tennis, Sept. 19, Las Vegas, B. Hobden

CPD (Competitive Player Development) – Gained through the USA Tennis High Performance Coaching Program administered by the USA Tennis Coaching Education Department. For more information about USPTA’s specialist degrees, including applications, please visit our Web site at www.uspta.com or contact the USPTA Education Department at (800) USPTA-4U or education@ uspta.org.

Sports physiology/nutrition, Sept. 20, Las Vegas, S. Riewald/P. Love Tennis facility programming, Sept. 20, Las Vegas, J. Reffkin Sports psychology/motor learning, Sept. 21, Las Vegas, D. Gould, Ph.D./M. Kernodle, Ph.D. Creating a small business, Sept. 21, Las Vegas, D. Sunderlin

Earn education credits from World Conference DVDs (Seminar DVDs, ½ credit/specialty course DVDs, 2 credits)

Receive your education credit report card via e-mail by visiting the members-only section of uspta.com.

Dynamic total body tennis, Sept. 22, Las Vegas, Dr. M. Baroch Creating a total service tennis facility, Sept. 22, Las Vegas, J. Hawes/ P. Whitworth Strategy and tactics, Sept. 23, Las Vegas, H. Pfister Software specific, Sept. 23, Las Vegas, A. Cutler

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. Schedule is subject to change. Call the USPTA Education Department for more information or e-mail education@uspta.org.

ADDvantage/September 2006

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Classifieds Business Opportunities Tennis Specialty Store. Scottsdale, Ariz., upscale tennis shop looking for new owners. Great cash flow. Motivated sellers moving on to new venture. Call (480) 518-0823.

books and videos www.TennisExpress.com

holesale prices on strings, balls, W racquets, apparel, footwear, bags and accessories. Get baskets, carts, training equipment, books, videos and more. (800) 833-6615.

www.netprofittennis.com – Log on and see why NETPROFIT: The Business Program for Club Tennis Professionals by Dave Sivertson is a must for the career development of all tennis professionals or call (760) 360-0039.

Drills/programs w w w. j o b e a s i e r. c o m

300-plus drills and videoclips, 150plus lesson plans, 100-plus programs, tennis tips, templates for fliers and newsletters and marketing ideas. It’s like hiring an assistant, but you get all the credit!

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

EMPLOYMENT Reps Wanted: ITF-approved, highquality, long-lasting K3 tennis balls. Great part-time opportunity for tennis pros/enthusiasts. Positions available in many cities/regions nationwide. Minimal travel. Contact yshelar@K3tennis.com or call (205) 940-2474. Web site: K3tennis.com.

Tennis products SLINGHOPPER DRILL BAGS BY GAMMA, endorsed by Nick Bollettieri and Brad Gilbert. Offering a unique way to feed and play tennis. To order, visit www.slinghopper.com or call (800) 866-7071.

Tennis software iTennisLadder & iTennisRoundRobin. New ladder and round-robin software. Run and manage multiple tennis ladders and round robins simultaneously. If you are not running a ladder at your tennis facility, it’s time to get started. Let us show you how: www.interTennis.com. Automate your tennis events and save hours each week. Call (919) 740-1403 or e-mail sales@interTennis.com to order.

iTennisSystem – Download Free Drills. Tennis instruction software for tennis professionals. Organize your tennis knowledge. Illustrate tennis drills and lessons graphically. An advanced and easyto-use system for representing and organizing your tennis programs. Includes over 100 free drills. Visit us at www.interTennis.com for more information. Call (919) 7401403 or e-mail sales@interTennis. com to order.

Training Jay Hardman, USPTA Master Professional, is available for speaking engagements and training programs. He delivers proven concepts and methods honed from over 25 years in the “trenches” helping thousands improve. Visit www.tennisconcepts. com or call (330) 497-9408.

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 long-running and successful program that so many professionals have enjoyed. For information, contact Mark Burns at (850) 685-5430 or visit pcaholidays.com. Vacation opportunities for tennis professionals at the No. 1 all-inclusive Sandals and Beaches resorts in Jamaica and St. Lucia for you and your partner. Certification required. For information contact Mike Romisher at (847) 207-9475 or e-mail Vis10sPro@aol.com. 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 15th 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. The USPTA is committed to the policy that all people have equal access to its programs, facilities, employment and membership without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status. USPTA is an equal opportunity employer. USPTA reserves the right to reject any advertisement at its discretion, or to edit the advertisement to be certain that any employment requirements set forth in it conform with the law.

ADDvantage/September 2006

industry action Members Adam Thomson, USPTA, was recently selected as the USPTA North Carolina Professional of the Year. Thompson is director of tennis at Forsyth Country Club and is the current vice president of the NC Chapter of the USPTA. USPTA Professional Tyler Roberts is now serving as director of tennis at Westwood Tennis Club in Winston-Salem, N.C. He was previously employed at Green Valley Pool and Tennis Club in Greensboro, N.C., where he served as an assistant and junior development director for eight and a half years. USPTA Professional Tim Wilkison, founder of the Tim Wilkison Signature Sports Clubs, has been named co-director of The Championships at The Palisades. In his new role, Wilkison will be the local contact for the annual tournament, which will take place at The Palisades Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 20-24. The Championships at The Palisades is the third tournament on the Outback Champions Series, an annual championship pro tennis tour featuring legendary

Wilkison

ADDvantage/September 2006

players over the age of 30. Several of the sport’s greatest players have already signed on to play and compete, including Jim Courier, John McEnroe, Aaron Krickstein and Petr Korda. For ticket information go to www. thepalisades.info. Ron Ascher, USPTA, announces the grand opening of his tennis club, Benavista International Tennis Club in Spain. The club opened July 2006.

Benavista International Tennis Club At the annual board meeting of the National Public Parks Tennis Association, USPTA member Ken McAllister of Texas was re-elected president of NPPTA. Other USPTA members serving on the NPPTA board are Don Bly of California, Rick Ferman of New England, Gerry Perry of Missouri Valley and Bill Mountford of Eastern. This year’s 80th Annual National Public Parks Tennis Championships were held at the National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows, June 19-25. A record 1,000-plus entrants with more than 1,300 entries played this year. Next year the event will be held at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., July 30 to August 5.

During the only ATP grass court tournament in the United States in Newport, R.I., the USPTA New England Division provided free tennis clinics for adults and juniors. One day after Roger Federer won his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title, USPTA members provided this free service on the beautifully manicured grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. New England Division Treasurer Jacques Faulise made sure that well more than 150 people experienced playing on grass. He was assisted by board members, local USPTA pros and lots of sunshine. Jacques Faulise (far left) with board members and USPTA pros.

Member product showcase USPTA member Anne Smith, Ph.D., winner of 10 Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles titles, has recently published two Smith books designed to help athletes, parents, businesses, schools and others train their minds for success and winning. Grand Slam: Coach Your Mind to Win In Sports, Business and Life with a foreword by Billie Jean King, USPTA, and her handbook MACH 4 Mental Training System are now available for purchase. For more information, visit her Web site at www.annesmithtennis.com.

Club Cart” teaching cart that features a lifetime guarantee on its fourinch wheels, more backfriendly feeding height, water bottle and cell phone holder, ball basket hanger, double storage trays and more. Oncourt Offcourt now offers its own custom-designed ball pickup and storage product line, including three teaching carts, four ball baskets and two ball tubes. For wholesale and retail pricing and a free 84-page color catalog, contact Oncourt Offcourt at 1-88-TENNIS-11 or visit oncourtoffcourt.com.

USPTA Master Professional Joe Dinoffer has designed the new “Deluxe www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

industry action USPTA Professional Matt Potts has developed the first sandal with the patented ArchPortTM wallet compartment. The sandals have a wallet compartment in the soles, offering a convenient place to store small items like cash and keys. The athletic shoes are made to be comfortable and light and are suitable for the gym and lowimpact aerobic activity.

ArchPort™ Sandals

They have excellent stability and can be ordered at archportshoes.com.

Miscellany The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation announces that the popular “Little Mo” tennis tournament circuit is expanding to an international level with a new event called the Little Mo International Open. The tournament will be held at the Arlington Tennis Center in Arlington, Texas, from Dec. 7-10. The “Little Mo” International Open will be available to any player from

USTA to rename facility to honor USPTA member Billie Jean King The USTA announced that the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. – the world’s largest public tennis facility and home of the U.S. Open – will be renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The USTA decided to rename the facility to honor the tennis legend and trailblazer whose pioneering efforts helped change the sport of tennis and launch the drive for gender equality in sports and in society. The official renaming ceremony will take place on opening night of the 2006 U.S. Open. King has been a member of the USPTA for 15 years with a Pro 1 certification. She is one of the most illustrious and celebrated athletes in history and is recognized for leading the women’s movement in tennis by fighting for equal rights in the sport. King is among the most decorated champions in tennis with 39 Grand Slam titles, including 13 U.S. Open titles. Her historic defeat of Bobby Riggs in the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” is the mostwatched tennis match in history. King began playing tennis in the public parks of Long Beach, Calif. She has been a pioneer on and off the court. She founded the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973 and the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974. She is the co-founder of World TeamTennis. Her dedication to advancing women’s opportunities in sports helped lead to the passage of Title IX legislation. “This is obviously a great honor for me,” said Billie Jean King. “This outstanding facility is a public park, a place where everyone can come and enjoy our wonderful sport.” www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

The 2006 USPTA Pacific Northwest Divisional award recipients: USPTA PNW Coach of the Year – Barry Laing USPTA Star Award – Ted Sayrahder USPTA PNW Assistant Pro of the Year – Patricia Kirch USPTA PNW Facility Manager of the Year – Brian Leahy USTA/USPTA Partnership Award – Brian Loomis USPTA PNW Industry Excellence Award – Bob Reed USPTA PNW Professional of the Year – Ross Eaton USPTA PNW Senior Men’s Player of the Year – Craig Koessler USPTA PNW Senior Women’s Players of the Year – Kay Lorrain and Andrea Peltosalo

Contest winners: Seminar contest – Kathleen Goyette Feeding contest – Hans-Walter Seidel Drill contest – Hunter Lipscomb Oregon vs. Washington softball match – Washington Battle of the States – Oregon around the world who is 8 to 11 years of age. The tournament is a program of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, which furthers junior tennis development for boys and girls ages 8 to 11. For more information or for entry forms, contact Carol Weyman at (214) 352-7978, e-mail cartennis@aol.com, or visit www.mcbtennis.org. The ATP Masters Series are set to introduce streaming of live action via its online media service atpmastersseries.tv. The site is available directly or via ATPtennis.com. Subscribers in select markets will be able to watch a fully continuous program featuring the best live action from the televised courts with English language commentary direct on their desktops. The service will be introduced at the summer’s upcom-

ing two ATP Masters Series tournaments and will be available in the United States, Pan Asia, Germany and Austria – key markets for growing the sport, and also markets where existing broadcast agreements do not restrict the streaming of live action. Additionally, as part of the ATP’s “Doubles Revolution” initiative to promote the game of doubles, the doubles finals in Toronto and Cincinnati will be streamed live for all users globally and at no cost. The service also will broadcast all of the doubles competition from the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai for free and worldwide. Following the summer broadcasts, the online coverage will continue at the two final ATP Masters Series tournaments of the year in Madrid and Paris. ADDvantage/September 2006