Addvantage 2007 September

contents the total professional – enhancing your career 7 Ask the Professor – Recovery rituals essential to game plan – by Jack Groppel, Ph.D. 12 Managing your junior player – by David Minihan, USPTA

departments 2 USPTA mailbox 3 President’s message 5 CEO’s message 8 Classifieds

17 Season of pink – Wesleyan players show true colors –

by Jill Phipps, USPTA staff writer

10 USPTA drills

18 Don’t sell yourself short – Earn your P-1 certification and more! – by Mike Stone, USPTA

28 Career development

21 Question of the month

30 Industry action

news 9 USPTA offers an array of specialty courses at World Conference on Tennis 23 Don’t miss the September issue of Tennisplayer.net 24 Celebrating 80 years of excellence 25 ADDvantage magazine celebrates 30th birthday

On the cover … Andy Roddick autographs tennis balls for children who attend the unveiling of the first Quick Start Tennis courts in the United States. The courts are located at the Whitewater Tennis Center at Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, Texas.

volume 31 • issue 9

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

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. 2007. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA. ADDvantage/September 2007

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USPTA mailbox Good Samaritan Dear USPTA, Recently, our family had the opportunity to cross paths with USPTA coach Nick Saviano in a most unusual way.

Through a series of unforeseen circumstances, our family found ourselves in the situation of needing care for our 14-yearold son, Alex, after he finished competing in the National Clay Court Championships.

Learning of our situation, one of our local pros, Jeff Bearup, decided to call Saviano, a friend of his, who runs a well-known and respected academy in the Fort Lauderdale area to see if he could help. While I appreciated Jeff ’s efforts, I was doubtful that someone as busy as Nick could take time out to help a complete stranger. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Soon after receiving Jeff’s phone call, Nick arranged to personally pick Alex up and bring him back to his academy. Knowing that I must be worried, Nick also called to reassure me that Alex would be cared for in every way until we could arrive.

When my husband’s flight to Florida was delayed, Nick called to offer us the opportunity to have Alex join his students for the night at the academy, where he would be fed, entertained and fully chaperoned. Nick asked nothing in return for his kindness. In fact, he seemed to be acting not only from a place of caring but out of a sense of true professionalism that moved one member of the USPTA family to help another. In an age when going the extra mile for another seems all too rare, Nick Saviano is a shining ex-

ample of what it means to truly be a Good Samaritan. While I have always been impressed by the truly skilled coaches in the USPTA, Nick’s generous response to a family who he did not even know reminds me how fortunate we are to be a part of an organization that exemplifies the highest ideals of what a community can be. My family will always be grateful to Nick and to the network of USPTA coaches that was there for us when we most needed it.

Sincerely, Bonnie Steinroeder Concord, Mass.

Parent-child relationship Dear USPTA, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article by Doug Kegerreis in the July edition of your magazine.

It really struck a chord with me as I have a 16 year-old son of my own with whom I have spent many hours on the tennis court over the past several years.

In fact, after reading the article I had my son read it as well as I thought it might help our father-son dynamic (both tennis and otherwise), which has been somewhat rocky of late.

So many of Doug’s points are right on the mark such as: “I later figured out that the reason she wasn’t interested (in hitting a crosscourt backhand) was because she couldn’t hit a backhand crosscourt!” and “If I had to choose between having a championship tennis player or a healthy relationship with my daughter, I was going to choose

the latter.”

For the pros out there who are just getting started with their own kids on the tennis court, just remember that even though tennis is a “sport for a lifetime,” the relationship you have with your child will hopefully be for a lifetime and beyond.

Sincerely, Ken Sarnoff, USPTA Cary, N.C. Substitute teaching 101 Dear USPTA, First, the facts. Height: 5 feet 4 inches. Age: very, very, very close to 50. Weight: not applicable. Stats: on the pro tour for five years. Lost to all the greats: Evert, Navratilova, Court, Austin, Wade, Goolagong – you get the picture. Left the tour in 1980 … for love.

Fast forward from retirement to 2005: Having dropped my last child at college, I went home to New Jersey, had a couple hundred business cards made and declared myself a tennis pro. I had never given up my passion for the game and over the years my good friend, Steve Diamond, had persuaded me to take the USPTA certification test by extolling its virtues and telling me, “It’s a good thing to have.” And so it is, but, with all due respect, in no way did it prepare me for what lay ahead.

I called upon the head pros at the clubs I had been playing at over the last 25 years and while most were receptive to having me aboard, I quickly realized that tennis pros work

really lousy hours. The world of indoor tennis in the Northeast is a cutthroat business to say the least. The primetime hours of 3:30 to 7 p.m. were already filled with the pros who had seniority and mostly taught the same kids every year. Ditto for the coveted hours between 9 and 11 a.m. when most ladies were taking clinics or attending league practices. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the courts were reserved for the actual league matches, so as long as I could find people who wanted lessons between 1 and 3 p.m., I’d be fine!

Staring at my business cards collecting dust, I had an epiphany. I’d be a substitute pro! I figured with each club employing at least five pros, I would be working constantly. Surely they would have to go to the dentist, get an MRI, or go on vacation at some point. I pitched the idea and while some of the pros were hesitant, I finally got some calls and the substitute teacher was born.

I now pitch in at Copper Springs Tennis Club, where everyone is working hard and pulling together to make it a special place where all levels can find what they are looking for. I am subbing at Copper Springs this fall after having taught on a more regular basis – 20 or more hours a week – during a changeover in the staff.

I feel comfortable declaring myself an authority on subbing, and here’s some of what I’ve learned: continued Page 15

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.

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www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

President’s message Two-year term was time well spent

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President

Ron Woods

First Vice President

T

Harry Gilbert

Vice Presidents

his will be my last editorial as USPTA presi- services, not only for our members, but the entire dent. It has been a great honor to serve my tennis industry and the playing public. Directors of term during USPTA’s 80th birthday. As the tennis, owners and managers can post jobs online leader of the largest and most respected tennis- for free and players can look for USPTA-certified teaching organization in the world, I have been teaching pros in communities. This is a great tool very privileged to serve the membership in this for the new player and for accomplished players position the past two years. Much has happened looking for a game or practice site while travelin that period of time that has had a very positive ing. The USPTA personal Web site is a fantastic effect on our Association. Every organization deals product that is offered as a free member benefit with some touchy issues at times, but I can honestly and is a great way to promote oneself, facility and programs. Also, our members say that the USPTA is on the right have the advantage of using the track and the Association is in good USPTA Career Center for help in hands with the current elected Board promoting themselves with public of Directors. relations tools, teaching tools such I am most proud of the fact that our as draw sheets, court diagrams and information technology and multimedrills, and job-search tools includdia departments have been working ing sample resumes and interview very hard these past few years to offer tips. Look for even more perks to be more benefits for our membership. I added to that section of the USPTA created a new Technology CommitWeb site. tee chaired by Randy Mattingley to The High School Tennis Coaches address the constant changes that are Ron Woods Resource Center has received rave occurring in the world of the Internet and to keep our organization on the cutting edge reviews from coaches who have accessed the site of this technology. When I became president, this and are using it to create curriculum and organize was one of the areas that I wanted our Association practice sessions for their students. Look for more to excel in and the World Headquarters staff, under educational resources through new sites to be dethe direction of CEO Tim Heckler, has done an veloped in the future. outstanding job of expanding our Internet offerWith the push by the USTA to launch the Quick ings to the membership.

Start Tennis play format, we are revamping our Our Association has taken a giant leap forward already super USPTA Little Tennis® site as a great in the field of technology with the introduction of supplement for this program. USPTA Little Tennis an updated Web site that provides a multifunctional offers lesson plans, games and teaching techniques communication and education tool. Not only do the that will fit in nicely with Quick Start for youngsters members have more access to information and ease 10 years of age and under. of use, but also our divisions are better served with We have begun to vastly improve our distance“Divisions Online,” a site designed for divisional learning services. In fact, the USPTA has amassed presidents, treasurers and executive administrators. the largest file of educational content of any tenThe home page has been improved with video nis-teaching association. This includes years worth clips of tips from some of the greatest tennis of specialty courses, seminar presentations (both teachers in the USPTA, as well as user-friendly visual and audio), PowerPoint presentations, Tennavigation tools such as the “quick links” menu. nis Channel programs, educational DVDs, books, Our USPTA Find-A-Pro site offers all sorts of papers, and manuals.

Tom Daglis Randy Mattingley Paula Scheb Mark Fairchilds

Secretary-treasurer Past President

Tom McGraw

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

Julie Myers

Publications Coordinator Public Relations Coordinator

Kimberly Forrester Poornima Rimm

Communications

Jill Phipps

Director of Marketing

John Dettor

Sports Marketing Coordinator

Rick Bostrom

Video Production Manager

Joe Birkmire

Video Editor

Brad Wadsworth

Video Editor

H.R. Topham

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

Dan Wilson

Information Technology/ Multimedia

Scott Bucic

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 Financial Manager Payroll/Benefits Controller

Kathy Ladner 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

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So much can be accessed now through the USPTA Web site: the membership directory, ADDvantage magazine, member benefits such as discounted clothing and equipment, insurance offerings, calendar of events, divisional activities and newsletters, and areas where members may register for events, update personal information, and pay dues online.

Not only are our online resource centers going to be great benefits for our members, but much of our certification and testing will soon go online with the Certification Review Course and some testing questions. This will give applicants time, at their convenience, to take that portion of the test, and will also reduce the number of days and expense for the applicant and testers alike.

USPTA national board members Tom Daglis and David T. Porter, Ed.D., along with the head testers, have been working very hard to make this part of testing and certification a reality.

Our Public Relations Committee, under the direction of incoming president Harry Gilbert, is going great guns with our “That’s Who We Are” campaign. Your Association is being promoted through tennis magazines, regional periodicals, Web news sites and on Tennis Channel. Our PR department has ramped up our exposure through many publications and Web sites. Another product of our PR department is our USPTA “e-Newsletter,” designed to keep you current with the “goings-on” in your Association. We are working hard to promote our members in the industry, but the best promotion is when you use the PR tools and personal Web site offered by the USPTA as free benefits.

I am also extremely proud of the fact that during my presidency we had USPTA board member Mark Fairchilds come to the forefront to spearhead our surface championships. We have four surface championships: grass, clay, hard and indoor, plus our USPTA International Championships, which all offer prize money for members interested in tournament competition.

Our USPTA World Conferences are second to none in offering fun, education and resort-style accommodations at reasonable prices for our members. Thanks to Paula Scheb for working hard with the staff to make these events a real happening in the tennis industry. One of the highlights of the World Conferences is our USPTA Awards Breakfast. Many thanks to Tom McGraw and his committee for all their hard work and efforts these past two years in selecting the winners of these prestigious awards.

I hope that by the time you read this article you will also be taking advantage of the latest USPTA member benefit: your free subscription to John Yandell’s TennisPlayer Web site. This site has some great educational articles on stroke production and tactics.

It includes the best high-speed tennis videos around.

I would be remiss if I did not recognize the hard-working members of the USPTA board of directors, who have the best interests of the membership and Association at heart. It has been an honor to serve my term as president with Dave Porter, Harry Gilbert, Tom Daglis, Randy Mattingley, Paula Scheb, Mark Fairchilds and Tom McGraw. It has been a real pleasure to be a part of a hardworking team such as this.

I will be serving for two more years on the USPTA Board of Directors as past president. I want to take this time to welcome our new board member, Jack Groppel, who will be replacing Dave

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ADDvantage/September 2007

Joe Thompson, Jack Groppel and Ron Woods share a laugh at the 2006 USPTA World Conference awards breakfast.

Porter. Jack is well known in the tennis industry and will bring a vast array of knowledge and expertise to a leadership role for the USPTA. The entire board will greatly miss Dave. He has been a hardworking member of our Association for many years and I hope he continues to do so as a member of our Education Committee. Dave has been instrumental in the formation of our Player Development Program and upgrading our testing and certification process. I am personally deeply appreciative of all the hard work, time and effort he has put forth for our Association in a volunteer position. Thank you, Dave.

In closing, I need to mention the USPTA World Headquarters staff. During the past two years I have been very close to this group. I have almost daily conversations with them and have attended several staff meetings over the two years. I have seen them in action during our USPTA World Conferences, Competitive Player Development Conferences, board meetings, and Executive Committee meetings. This group of employees is very friendly, courteous, and hardworking. My hat goes off to our USPTA staff and our equally passionate and hardworking CEO. Tim Heckler is the longest-tenured CEO in the tennis industry and through his energy, intellect and passion has helped guide and grow the USPTA into the world’s foremost tennis-teaching Association. He is respected by all the leaders of the tennis industry throughout the United States and the world, and we are very lucky to have him in our employ.

I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to spend many years in the service of the USPTA as a member, divisional leader, Executive Committee member, USPTA national board member, and president of the greatest tennis-teaching organization on earth. You, the USPTA member, have made the ride a wonderful experience. K www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

CEO’s message USPTA repackages Little Tennis® to highlight Quick Start Tennis

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n 1994 we developed USPTA Little Tennis® to teaching the youngest players in our sport. Little draw a group of potential tennis players that at Tennis is designed to be led by a teaching profesthe time we felt had not been sufficiently tapped. sional, who directs the use of structured lesson plans, The teaching program was designed to engage young drills, league play and follow-up activities. These children – ages 3 to 10 – and their parents in tennis- resources are available in the program’s manual, related skills and activities with the hope that they USPTA’s Complete Guide to Little Tennis, and on the would stay with and grow the game. reorganized Web site – www.littletennis.com.

Now we’re excited to repackage Little Tennis, a Littletennis.com now separates its resources into teaching program, to support Quick Start Tennis, a three distinct areas for “Pros,” “Kids” and “Parents.” play format described by USTA as “tennis to scale.” Teaching professionals can access a wealth of inforIt focuses on the use of smaller courts, mation, the most important of which sponge and low-compression balls and is the Teachers Toolbox. This area graduated racquets, and was formerly contains information on creating a known as 36-60. program, lesson plans, drills, games, tips, how to start a program through If you attended last year’s Tennis schools, additional activities and Teachers Conference or some of USmore.

TA’s committee meetings, you know that the organization has been working The “Just 4 Kids” area provides on this program for more than a year. links to fun Internet sites, word games, Complete with a new name, Quick a coloring contest, tennis trivia, a picStart is being unveiled as a collaborature gallery and NetMagic magazine. tive effort between USTA’s community Parents are guided to various pages or Tim Heckler tennis and player development delinks that explain Little Tennis, games partments, and teaching professional organizations, parents can use with their children, a shopping area, industry leaders and equipment manufacturers.

NetMagic magazine and USPTA’s Find-a-Pro site.

With goals similar to that of Little Tennis, Quick The Find-a-Pro link is another very important part Start aims to increase the number of beginner of the site since it provides parents and others with a players between the ages of 5 and 10, increase this very efficient way to search for and locate tennis teachgroup’s retention rate, and improve the technical, ers for their children and family. It’s also important to tactical and physical development of these players. note that our Find-a-Pro site also provides potential USTA activities, such as its Junior Team Tennis and students with your personal Web site address. So, if tournaments, will utilize the courts and equipment, you teach Little Tennis – or any program that targets with 8-and-under players using the 36-foot courts young children, it’s important that you highlight and 10-and-under players using the larger 60-foot that as part of your biographical sketch or facility’s courts, according to Kurt Kamperman, USTA chief program offerings on your personalized site. executive, community tennis. While the play format Little Tennis teaching resources and play format was introduced to teaching professionals at the recent like Quick Start are great ways to market your services.

Tennis Teachers Conference prior to the U.S. Open, Conversely, we need your participation in them to Kamperman said more details about Quick Start meet our industry’s goals of recruiting young players Tennis will be announced in late September with and then retaining them as they grow into adults. the consumer launch set for spring 2008.

If you already teach children using Little Tennis Little Tennis and its resources represent the per- resources or those of your own making, that’s great! fect partner for Quick Start. Its teaching component If you don’t, we urge you to get online and explore stresses similar graduated courts and equipment. the Little Tennis Web site, and consider using Quick And, going a step further, it provides the most ex- Start to introduce tennis activities to an eager group tensive resources for planning, administering and of customers. K www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

With goals similar to that of Little Tennis, Quick Start aims to increase the number of beginner players between the ages of 5 and 10, increase this group’s retention rate, and improve the technical, tactical and physical development of these players.

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.

pel, Ph.D

p Jack Gro

r o s s e f o r Ask the p

Recovery rituals essential to game plan This is the second installment of a two-part article on recovery.

Part 1 ran in the July issue of ADDvantage.

Q

uestion: I continue to hear the word recovery discussed in seminars.

However, I hear it referred to in many ways. There seems to be recovery by taking days off from playing, recovery between matches, recovery on the changeover and even recovery between points. Can you clarify what recovery is during these various situations?

A

nswer: In my last column, I responded to this question with thoughts about macrocycles of recovery such as time off, sleep, etc. In this second part, I will address microcycles of recovery and will discuss the psychological as well as the physiological components.

By definition, microcycles are those very short time periods that we find in tennis, especially in between points, on changeovers, and even immediately after a match.

Psychologically, I believe we have to go back to the mid-1980s and the pioneering work of Jim Loehr, Ed.D., who

examined the between-point time of the world’s greatest players. In his work, Jim identified four distinctly separate, but interconnected, aspects of the between-point time: positive physical response, relaxation, mental preparation, and rituals.

He even observed that all four stages could occur in as little as 16 seconds, thus his project was called “The 16-second cure.” Let’s briefly break down what Jim found in his research, again remembering that all this occurs in extremely short time intervals.

The positive physical response serves to clear the player’s “computer” of anything negative (a missed shot for example), by replacing the image with one that is positive (imaging the correction of the missed shot). Once the brain is cleared, the player goes into relaxation, when the racquet is placed in the nonplaying hand and breathing is controlled. In this stage the athlete is taught to have the walk of a confident fighter, with head up, shoulders level, and arms loosely held at the side. The third stage is mental preparation, when the player images where he wants to hit the ball on his serve or return. The final stage of rituals, according

Jack Groppel, Ph.D., USPTA Master Professional, is cofounder of the Human Performance Institute. He is the author of The Corporate Athlete and co-author of World Class Tennis Technique. Information can be found at www.energyforperformance.com.

A player’s thirst is not always a sufficient stimulus for maintaining ample hydration. Adequate fluid consumption is necessary throughout a match.

to Jim’s research, is a process that helps the player shift into a state of readiness. This could include bouncing the ball a certain number of times before serving and making it a precise and structured action, thinking, “What I am preparing to do is important.” Numerous players have benefited from these findings, which have paved the way for further research in the area of psychological recovery.

As for the physical aspect, I consulted two people who are leaders in their fields of hydration and nutrition, Mike Bergeron, Ph.D., director of the Environmental Physiology Laboratory at the Medical College of Georgia, and Page Love, a registered dietitian and owner

of Nutrifit in Atlanta. Both of these experts have extensive experience in working with tennis players of all ability levels. I asked them the following questions and I follow with their answers. My first question might surprise you, but I ask it given the research on how quickly the body adapts after exercise.

Assuming that most of our competitive students are involved in weekend tournaments, what would you recommend immediately after a match? Both experts noted that the emphasis has to be on sufficient water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes (sodium and chloride). However, Dr. Bergeron was quick to point out that recent research indicates that a certain amount continued next page

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of protein should be ingested as well for more complete muscle recovery. He mentioned that an appropriate amount could be found in a liquid carbohydrate-protein recovery drink that has a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. This will also likely help to reduce the feeling of hunger that a simply carbohydrate solution may not achieve. Both Bergeron and Love noted that additional fluid and electrolyte intake might be necessary depending on how much the athlete lost through sweat. Going beyond nutrition, Dr. Bergeron explained that the athlete might need to promptly get out of the heat and take a cool shower (if playing in the heat).

The major train of thought over the last couple of decades in this area of study has been that athletes need to recover nutrients within the first two hours after a bout of intense exercise. The idea was that the active muscles could bind more glycogen and recover energy stores more effectively. The most recent work seems to suggest that the athlete should begin recovering nutrients even earlier (i.e., within one hour or sooner) to synthesize more glycogen. Based on this new evidence, Dr. Bergeron recommends that athletes begin ingesting nutrients right away (within 15 – 20 minutes), especially if the next match is very soon, in order to have less in the stomach and some measurable degree of nutrient recovery before returning to the court.

I then asked the two experts if they had any thoughts to add about recovery between points or on the changeover during a match. Before telling you what they said about hydration, etc., I am compelled to cite the obvious as Dr. Bergeron pointed out.

Many athletes play “fast,” and, in doing so, do not take the full time between points. From a physiological perspective, this can create a problem. Dr. Bergeron stated that if the athlete has played a long point and is feeling fatigued, hurrying to prepare for the next point (e.g., within 10 seconds), means there will not be nearly as much muscle energy recovery and metabolic byproduct removal as when the athlete takes the full 25 seconds allowed.

As for nutrition on the changeovers, Page Love immediately wants us to tell our players that thirst is not always a sufficient stimulus for maintaining ample hydration. Adequate fluid consumption is necessary throughout a match. She encourages athletes to drink fluids on every changeover and says that they should drink at least five to 10 ounces of liquid, depending on sweating rate, body size and tolerance. Both experts felt that energy (carbohydrate) drinks would be ideal during this time period. The sport drink should contain carbohydrates and electrolytes (primarily sodium and chloride), because consuming carbohydrates has been shown to help players maintain more power and accuracy with serving and groundstrokes during match play and the salt helps to retain the fluid. Dr. Bergeron does not feel that the energy drink consumed during a match should have very much (if any) protein, as this might delay energy and fluid absorption.

In summary, there are many ways we can teach our students about recovery. As each of us knows, teaching students about competition involves so much more than just hitting great strokes. A major key is to understand all the limiting factors that can prevent players from accessing all of their talent and skill, thus preventing them from being as good as they could be. That’s one challenge before us. K

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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.

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USPTA offers an array of specialty courses at World Conference on Tennis

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he United States Professional Tennis Association’s World Conference on Tennis, which will be held Sept. 17-22 at the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla., boasts an impressive offering of 10 specialty courses throughout the week.

The four-hour-long specialty courses allow all USPTA members attending to earn credit toward their continuing education in the Association.

price). In addition, USPTA members who sign up for the two-day certification will receive the specialty course credit along with the credits associated with the certification. (If you prefer to attend only the specialty course, then the regular specialty course fee will apply.) The specialty course is held in conjunction with the two-day Etcheberry Certification, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22-23. It will be held in a classroom with a short portion on court.

There are special offerings at two of the specialty courses this year that are particularly noteworthy. First, Pat Etcheberry’s specialty course on “Speed, agility and quickness,” which is sports specific and will focus on the information needed to train students to be healthier, stronger, faster and mentally tougher with far greater stamina, offers USPTA members a dual opportunity. Any members interested in gaining the Etcheberry Certification can register for it at www.etcheberryexperience.com for $495 ($100 off the regular

Second, all registered attendees for Stan Oley’s specialty course on “Advanced stroke production: teaching the game in a modern way” will be entered into a drawing to win a Playmate Smash ball machine. Don’t miss out!

For more details about the specialty courses, including registration information, visit www.uspta.com or call the USPTA at (800) 877-8248. K

Specialty courses Sept. 18 • Technical solutions to tactical problems: the how to’s of the forehand topspins by Brett Hobden • Motor learning/Sports psychology by Mike Kernodle, Ph.D., and Dan Gould, Ph.D. Sept. 19 • Advanced stroke production: teaching the game in a modern way by Stan Oley • The essentials of shot making by John Yandell Sept. 20 • Little Tennis® by Townsend Gilbert • Sports physiology/Nutrition by Scott Riewald, Ph. D., and Page Love Sept. 21 • A system for supervision by Barbara Fackel • Biomechanics/Sports medicine by Scott Riewald, Ph.D., and Cori Thompson Sept. 22 • Speed, agility and quickness by Pat Etcheberry • Cardio Tennis by Michele Krause

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Michele Krause gives a Cardio Tennis presentation at the 2006 World Conference in Las Vegas.

ADDvantage/September 2007

9

USPTA drills Baseline drill

prepared by Rick Macci, USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles Level: Beginner/int./adv.

Category: Conditioning, footwork Time/players: 8 minutes/1-4

Description and goals: This drill is designed to enhance and develop speed and quickness in moving to the ball.

Organization: Place player at the baseline. Hand feed short balls side to side and have player hit the ball down the line, focusing on a quick burst to the ball. Feed up to 20 balls, rest and start again. Variation would include mixing up the feeds.

Key points: Player should focus on speed and quickness in getting to the ball.

Faster hands

prepared by Rick Macci, USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles Levels: Intermediate/advanced

Category: Overhead, serve Time/players: 5 minutes/1-4

Description and goals: To increase a player’s hand speed and ability to generate racquet head speed.

Organization: Place player at the net. Rapid-fire feeds (either by hand or racquet) so that player must make adjustments with hands to simplify stroke. This will increase the hand speed for getting racquet in position for next overhead shot.

Key points: Feeds must be made in rapid-fire succession to be most effective.

Getaways

prepared by Rick Macci, USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles, doubles Levels: Beginner/int./adv.

Category: Footwork, volley Time/players: 8 minutes/1-4

Description and goals: Volley drill that requires players to react to the ball with their feet, not their hands.

Organization: Place player at the net along the left singles sideline. Player moves across the court, hitting backhand volleys while feeds are made at the side of the player’s forehand volley. When player reaches other sideline, have him go across the court again, this time hitting forehand volleys while feeds are made to the backhand volley side.

Key points: Feeds must be made to the opposite volley side to be effective. Players must react quickly with their feet to “get away” from the ball and execute shot.

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Generated by iTennisSystem – www.InterTennis.com ADDvantage/September 2007

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USPTA drills Japanese speed train prepared by Wayne Bryan, USPTA

Type: Singles, doubles Level: Intermediate/advanced

Category: Volley Time/players: 8 minutes/1-4

Description and goals: Improve reaction time and volley by hitting rapid-fire feeds at player(s) positioned at net.

Organization: Place players at net in volleying position. Feed balls in rapid-fire succession so players must improve reaction and simplify volley technique.

Key points: Feeds must be in rapid-fire succession and make sure players use short, abbreviated, punch volleys.

Pretzel drill

prepared by Rick Macci, USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles Level: Beginner/int./adv.

Category: Conditioning, movement Time/players: 8 minutes/1-4

Description and goals: This drill is designed to enhance and develop the motor skills associated with the hands, and work on conditioning and movement.

Organization: Place player at the net. Feed short balls side to side and have player stroke the ball down the line, focusing on a short, compact chip shot with underspin. Feed up to 20 balls, rest and start again. Variation would include mixing up the feeds.

Key points: Player should focus on short, compact, chip shot using a continental grip. Player must let ball bounce and feeds should be at net height or lower.

Reaction footwork

prepared by Rick Macci, USPTA Master Professional

Type: Singles Levels: Beginner/int./adv.

Category: Conditioning, footwork Time/players: 8 minutes/1-4

Description and goals: Improve footwork by having player move up, back and side to side.

Organization: Have player start at the baseline. Player must move and adjust to feeds accordingly. Feed balls to both forehand and backhand so that player must adjust up and back on shots.

Key point: Make player move and adjust for every shot.

Generated by iTennisSystem – www.InterTennis.com www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/September 2007

11

Managing your junior player

by David Minihan, USPTA

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s teaching professionals we have an obligation to make sure we manage our junior players properly. Sometimes in this profession, we can get in a rut and simply go through the motions. Admittedly, sometimes I get a little burned out while feeding balls and catch myself thinking about what my wife is cooking for dinner or how much I cannot wait to play with my daughter that evening. When this occurs, we have to make sure to take a step back, remember why we are here and focus on our student. We need to manage our player.

We attend USPTA conferences to learn and get new ideas from speakers and our colleagues. I wrote this article in the effort to give you new ideas that you can take and expand. Managing your junior players is extremely important in the development of their game. It is your responsibility to make sure your players not only have the proper mechanics, but also that they are playing the correct tournaments, keeping the correct practice schedule, and making sure their mental game is intact. Below are some tools that will help you manage your junior players.

Player-to-Watch Ladder I know what you’re thinking – “not another ladder.” This one is a little different and works great with junior players. This ladder was designed with developing a work ethic as the main focus. The players get rewarded with points for their on-court activities and performances. The box below contains a point breakdown.

Unlike a traditional ladder, players do not challenge other players. This ladder is based primarily on work ethic. All types of players, beginner through advanced, can

participate in the same ladder. The first step is to make postcards that list the point categories shown below. After players finish the training, they get the postcard from the pro shop and check off which activity they have completed and on which date.

In addition, players learn responsibility for turning in their cards. If they do not turn in the card, they do not get credit.

The professional updates the ladder every Monday morning and posts the ladder results on the bulletin board. Another bonus to this ladder is that the player’s personal coach can observe the ladder progress and note which areas his or her player is and is not working on. For example, if five weeks have passed and John only has 30 points (one match) in the practice match category, then the coach would be able to let John know that one practice match in five weeks is not enough. At the end of the season, the pro should award the winner who had the most points with a trophy or some type of prize. In addition, it is a good idea to turn in the results to the high school and/or college coaches to show how much work their players put in for that season.

This accountability to the other coaches encourages the players to work harder.

Point breakdown • • • • • • 12

Serves (30 minutes) Private lessons (30 minutes) Practice matches Clinics/Drills (one- and one-half hour) Ball machine (30 minutes) Tournament ADDvantage/September 2007

10 points 10 points 30 points (5 bonus points to winner) 20 points 10 points 60 points (5 bonus points for first or second)

Professional journal When a medical doctor comes in your patient room, he brings your personal file for reference. Often my doctors will come in and ask how the tennis business is going or about another aspect of my life.

Similarly, all teaching professionals at my facility have their own teaching cart with a clipboard and notebook attached to the basket. After each lesson, the professionals write down what they worked on and what their player’s assignment is before the next lesson, such as hitting three baskets of serves. They also make note of personal events, such as the player having a soccer game or going on vacation before the next lesson. When that lesson arrives, the professional can review the notes and remember to ask about the student’s soccer game or vacation. In addition, the professional can ask if the student fulfilled the lesson assignment and hit three baskets of serves.

By writing down notes, it shows your student that you care and it will impress parents as well. Another benefit to this is that it provides a way for the director to check the assistants’ notebooks and make sure the professionals are not just “going through the motions.”

Staff meetings It is important to have weekly meetings with your staff to make sure your assistants are managing their players as well. A couple of guidelines you might follow: • Professionals need to work together to ensure players are being directed correctly. For instance, when professionals are working the players out in drills/clinics, one pro might see something that the players’ personal coaches have not seen, such as hitting their forehand on their heels. That needs to be brought up in the staff meeting to the players’ personal coaches and then resolved on the court continued Page 14 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

Managing your junior player properly and giving 100 percent to that student will reap you rewards as an instructor.

Managing your junior player from page 12

in the next private lesson. Professionals need to work as a team and by doing this a player has a much better chance of succeeding in match play.

• This is the time when you can explain which programs the player needs to sign up for, whether it be group drills, team tennis or private lessons.

• Communicate with the college coaches and ask them about their tennis program and what type of player they are looking for.

• This is also a great time for the director to review the staff members’ journals (see Page 12) and make any suggestions for future assignments.

• It is also a great way to sit down with a player you are having discipline problems with and discuss your concerns with the player and his parents.

• Write a letter of recommendation for your student.

• Discuss the lesson plan for the week’s beginner, intermediate, and advanced drills.

• This is also the time to discuss future and past goals.

• This is the time to discuss “problem players.” Every club/tennis center will come across a player who is distracting to the rest of the juniors during drill sessions. This is the time to discuss as a staff how to handle this junior in the most effective way.

• You should discuss the player’s performance in the past weekend’s tournament. This is a good time to encourage the staff pros to recognize the players who finished well during group drills.

Parent-player conference A parent-player conference is always a good idea, whether you meet with them once a year or more often. A few points of interest: • Educate the players and parents on certain areas the players need to work on to get to the next level and what “homework” they need to do in order to address those issues.

• Inform the players and parents which tournaments to play or when the players are ready to play tournaments. This is very important. Parents and players rely on their teaching pro to give them guidance on when they should start playing tournaments. They also rely on us to guide them on the right path to receive a USTA district, sectional, or national ranking. While all tournaments are online, most sections are not sending out hard copies of the tournament schedule. Print off the season’s tournaments and guidelines on how to sign up for a tournament online. This is a great service for your junior development program and the parents will appreciate it as well. Make sure you are educated on the USTA rules and regulations.

14 ADDvantage/September 2007

Player’s packet A nice addition to your junior development curriculum and player management is providing the players with a packet that includes the following: • The season’s tournament schedule • Procedures on how to get a district, sectional, or national ranking • How to register for a tournament online • The programs offered at your club: Make sure you add fliers that might not apply to your target student, but might apply to a younger brother or sister.

• Include the tension and string your player plays with so he will know if he needs a racquet restrung at a tournament. Also, include how often the racquet should be restrung.

• Include a call list of all the players in your junior development program to aid them in scheduling practice matches.

Junior players and college tennis Teaching professionals who are working with students who want to play collegiate tennis should help them find the best school to fit them. The following are a few guidelines: • Have the players start looking for schools by the start of their sophomore year or before. They should compile a list of potential schools and give them to you.

• As the player gives you a list of schools, begin to do research on the schools. Is the school NCAA Division I, II, III, NJCAA or NAIA? Does your student fit into that level?

• Make a video of your player for college coaches.

Most college coaches are looking for what players achieve through their USTA rankings rather than high school accomplishments. While high school tennis is important, USTA tournament rankings give the coaches a better indication of where the player stands in relation to their team and their expectations. You want to stress the importance to your players of playing USTA tournaments and achieving the highest ranking possible. Most college coaches begin looking at players and their rankings by their sophomore year or sometimes sooner. They will begin research on players during this year because they can begin written communication with them after Sept. 1 of their junior year. However, sometimes you need to help a player get a college coach’s recognition. Don’t let a player get discouraged.

More times than not, there is a college out there for a student. Make sure that student stays persistent and on the right path.

Managing your junior player properly and giving 100 percent to that student will reap you rewards as an instructor. Not only will you feel good about yourself, but it shows that you truly care about your student and you will develop a friendship for years to come. Players and parents will see how much you care and will spread the word, resulting in more business for you. Remember, do not just go through the motions. The lesson does not end after that hour is up. K David Minihan, director of tennis, is in his 10th year operating Westwood Tennis Center in Norman, Okla. His junior programming reaches hundreds of students each year and has prepared several for collegiate play. Minihan has been recognized with many awards as a member of the Oklahoma District and Missouri Valley Division of USPTA. He is certified by USPTA at the P-1 level and is the author of the upcoming book “Coaching Your Tennis Champion” available November 2007. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

USPTA mailbox from Page 2

for Apparel Educational Materials New Merchandise Little Tennis Closeouts Specials

1. Make very sure the regular pro has notified the students that their usual 6foot-4-inch, gorgeous stud of a pro will not be there and will be replaced by, well, me.

This will prevent the kind of humiliation I endured when one woman stood inches from my face and screamed, “Where is he?

Who are you and don’t even think of giving my daughter a lesson! Oh, and by the way, can I borrow your bucket so she can at least serve for an hour?”

2. Ask questions. Or maybe I should say, ask unusual questions.

– One morning a statuesque, fit blonde showed up chomping at the bit. She informed me she had been a high school/college athlete. We warmed up, drilled with a basket full of balls and quickly progressed to points.

She was very competitive and the nasty in me surfaced. I ran this poor woman all over the court and she seemed to relish the punishment. Upon leaving she complimented me on the workout and said she would love to do it again, perhaps in the spring after the baby was born! She was six months pregnant!

– The very next hour I taught a ladies clinic. It’s very important to assess their individual levels quickly, to help decide which drills would be worthwhile. I noticed one of the four lagging behind a bit, but through her determination and my encouragement, she survived the hour. During pick-up she bombarded me with questions, “How can I get more pace on my serve? Do you think I need to try a one-handed backhand too?

How about a slice?” I finally said, “Look, you’re doing great. All these things take time.” Her punch line almost knocked me over, “Well I’m 80 ya know. I hope they don’t take too long to learn!”

3. Expect little, if anything from teenagers meeting you for the first time. In their minds you are the transistor radio instead of the iPod. Think back to how you reacted to the substitute teachers in high school and you’ll take pity on me. And, remember these following rules …

– Do not try to tell the child who has just gotten his driver’s license ANYTHING! Shut your mouth, feed balls, and watch them as they hit the backstop at one million miles an hour. Their adrenaline high

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and subsequent disappointment that their “cool” tennis pro isn’t going to see their “new wheels” makes for a combustible situation. Keep out of their way and try to get through the hour unscathed.

– I explained to a 14-year-old female that it would be beneficial if she changed her severe western serving grip given that she wants to make her J.V. team in the fall.

She looked through me, rolled her eyes and replied, “Whatever.” DON’T PANIC! Remember that you are lower than a gummy earthworm on her personal food chain and take the challenge. Simply change the subject to (and here’s why they pay me the big bucks) a popular TV show like “Grey’s Anatomy.” Make sure you have a working knowledge of the plot, and casually ask what she thinks about Dr. “McDreamy.”

Then sit back and watch as she morphs into a human being right in front of your eyes!

– Admittedly, this last situation posed a problem. Two 13-year-olds shared a lesson that I taught for consecutive weeks. One accepted me, the other did not. I ignored the postures, swagger and overall ‘tude’ of the alpha in question. It was harder to overlook the fact that this child shortchanged me by five dollars each week. It was not an oversight because I saw the money in the racquet cover and, the “good child” paid the proper amount.

The money was negligible and I knew I wouldn’t be teaching them again so …

As I write, my subbing days are in full swing (pun intended). I enjoy my unique position at the club, but I never lose sight of the fact that the students have their own pros. I work on creative ways to gain their respect and make it fun in the short time I spend with them. I subbed for a group of 4- and 5-year-olds this spring and let a shy little girl draw a moustache on me with a pen so she could think of me as her real coach!

If you have flexibility in your personal life, and don’t mind working on short notice, then being a substitute pro might work for you. It provides a valuable service to the club and hopefully, to the clients who look forward to their weekly tennis workouts.

Sincerely, Rayni Fox-Borinsky, USPTA Madison, N.J. ADDvantage/September 2007

15

Season of pink

Wesleyan players show true colors

A

by Jill Phipps, USPTA staff writer

nyone who thinks that college students tend to be wrapped up in their own lives might want to see some Wesleyan University athletes in action.

The men’s and women’s tennis teams at the 176-year-old institution in Middletown, Conn., choose a worthy cause to incorporate into their game plan at the beginning of each fall season. Over the years, they have partnered with nonprofit organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Community Chest.

USPTA Professional Ken Alrutz, head tennis coach and associate professor at Wesleyan University, inspired this tradition of caring.

“During my 20 years with USPTA as well as 15 years of college coaching, I have always believed that community service should be a significant part of every student-athlete’s education,” Alrutz said. “It provides an avenue to give back to the community while at the same time it promotes tennis!”

Both teams dedicated their 2006 fall seasons to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation in an effort to raise both awareness and funds. The teams worked closely with the Connecticut affiliate of the Komen foundation.

Nancy G. Brinker started the foundation in 1982 after promising her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to help find a cure for breast cancer. Today this Dallas-based organization is the world’s largest grassroots network dedicated to breast-cancer education, research and survivor support.

Alrutz said the Wesleyan players continued their awareness and fund-raising

Members of the 2006-2007 Wesleyan University men’s and women’s tennis teams show off their pink T-shirts in support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation. Standing left to right: Shona Kerr, Alexandra Sirois, Emily Fish, Rachael Ghorbani, Madalina Ursu, Tori Santoro, Graham Alrutz, Head Coach Ken Alrutz, Assistant Coach Rikki Alrutz, Anika Fischer, Ania Preneta, Casey Simchik, Lizzie Collector and Meredith Holmes. Seated left to right: Alejandro Alvarado, Michael Frank, Max Schenkein, Paul Gerdes, Vijay Chaudhuri and Jack Rooney. Photo by Brian Katten.

effort on behalf of the foundation over their summer break, and would vote on an organization to adopt during the 2007 fall season after returning to school in September.

During the women’s final home match of the fall, a breast-cancer survivor, who had been diagnosed at the age of 34, served as the guest of honor and introduced the starting lineup.

Last fall, the players dedicated each match to an individual breast-cancer victim or survivor. Some of the honorees were friends and loved ones of the players, while other names came from community members in response to an e-mail that Alrutz sent out.

The team held silent auctions of tennis merchandise, including racquets, bags, clothing, string and tennis balls, donated by companies such as Prince, Wilson, The Racquet Koop (New Britain, Conn.), Fromuth and HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports.

The tennis players – male and female alike – also presented their opponents throughout the entire season with pink breastcancer-awareness packages, containing pink wrist bands and information about preventing the disease.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure staffed a large information booth, and team members sold food and beverages to benefit the cause. Rikki Alrutz, assistant coach and Ken’s daughter, offered free tennis and Cardio Tennis clinics, as well as free yoga continued Page 21

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ADDvantage/September 2007

17

Don’t sell yourself short Earn your P-1 certification and more!

by Mike Stone, USPTA

R

esumes pour in weekly: “head tennis professional, three years’ experience”; “assistant tennis professional, three years’ experience”; or “directed summer camp tennis programs...”

Many resumes are similar, with specific dates or positions offering the only differences. Resumes that stand out have an important characteristic: additional certifications beyond the USPTA.

Aside from giving you another certificate to hang on your office wall, the certifications will provide knowledge applicable to our tennis business – and they’ll also make your resume rise to the top!

The USPTA certification always ranks No. 1 when I’m looking for professional teaching staff, and the Professional 1 designation is the benchmark (since Master Professionals are few and far between). In fact, the USPTA certification is a requirement.

The Professional 1 level tells me the applicant has put the time and effort into his or her profession. If someone applies with a Pro 2 or Pro 3 rating, I look at the length of time the professional has held that rating.

tion beyond teaching a topspin forehand.

Are you comfortable giving dietary advice, for example? Have you researched the correct physical training regimen for your players? The International Sports Sciences Association offers certifications in sports conditioning or a youth fitness trainer (www.issaonline.com). Are you working with wheelchair athletes? ISSA’s programs include a certification in adaptive fitness.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), considered by many to be among the top

Opportunities abound to continue your education and expand your teaching skills in addition to making yourself more marketable in a tight job market.

A newly certified Pro 2 or Pro 3 is worth considering, but a professional who has not upgraded in several years is suspect, and part of the preliminary screening process includes a question regarding this issue. USPTA Pros with specialist degrees from the Association also go to the top of my list.

I narrow the list down to Professional 1s (or strong Professional 2s or 3s with an indication of upgrading soon). The next criterion is a certification that is outside the tennis business but has a direct relationship to the game, such as fitness or sports science. Opportunities abound to continue your education and expand your teaching skills, in addition to making yourself more marketable in a tight job market.

Let’s assume many of your private and/or group lessons include older adults, perhaps 55 and above. Are you familiar with balance and mobility issues? How do the prescription drugs many older adults take for a variety of ailments affect their physical capabilities?

A senior fitness certification would give a professional the knowledge he needs to deal with these and many other situations, although some portions of the classes may not be applicable to tennis. So learn something new! A good place to start researching this topic would be the Senior Fitness Association (www.seniorfitness.com). As the country’s demographics change dramatically in the next several years you’ll be in demand!

Tennis professionals, especially those working with juniors, often dispense informawww.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

fitness certification organizations, provides numerous certifications including lifestyle and weight management (www.acefitness. org). “Coaching Healthy Behaviors” is one of many certification courses from the Cooper Institute (www.cooperinst.org).

Many private tennis facilities are incorporating a fitness center into their operations.

Would a personal trainer certification make you a more valuable employee, able to cross-train your tennis athletes as well as earn additional hourly fees for fitness training? Absolutely! Plan ahead.

What’s the cost of additional certifications? Obviously it depends on the level of certification but costs can be all over the board. For example, the fitness training certification from ACE runs from $300 to $400 and a six-month study period is recommended. Cooper Institute offers a “Fitness Specialist for Older Adults” in a four-day class for $445.

Aside from giving you another certificate to hang on your office wall, the certifications will provide knowledge applicable to our tennis business – and they’ll also make your resume rise to the top! K Mike Stone, USPTA Pro 1, is director of tennis for the city of Portland, Ore. He has been ranked in his age division for several years and is certified in senior fitness training by the Cooper Institute of Dallas and by the American Senior Fitness Association.

Lifelong learning Want to become a lifelong learner? A host of educational options is available to you. As a USPTA member, a good place to start is with the wide range of educational resources online at uspta.com. Other avenues to consider are: Continuing education: Offered by public and private schools, professional organizations as well as colleges, continuing education courses are usually much shorter than typical academic courses of study, and they’re usually focused on narrow areas of knowledge.

Convention: Don’t overlook this outstanding educational resource. Professional associations offer annual meetings packed with informative seminars, breakout sessions and an inspiring keynote address.

Corporate universities: One of the latest additions to the lifelong learning scene, “corporate universities” offer state-of-the-art training to employees within a particular business – and increasingly, to the general public.

Distance learning: More than 1,500 colleges and universities across North America offer some form of distance education – typically online instruction supplemented by print-based course materials and learning exercises.

Online discovery: The Internet can put you in touch with a wide range of individuals with similar learning interests, as well as individuals able to provide you with unique insight. Two resources in particular might help you: online discussion groups and blogs.

Public seminars: The seminar industry offers thousands of high-quality workshops on a wide range of subjects every year. They’re frequently short-term (often just a day), intense and packed with practical information you can use right away.

Self-study: This self-designed program of study and self-improvement offers you unlimited customization opportunities. You might begin your initial program of self-study to include a roster of books you and your public librarian suggest. Then you might add periodicals or journals in your field of interest.

Vendors: Ask yourself whether any of your vendors provide products or services in the subject you’re trying to master. If the answer is “yes,” chances are the vendor has informational booklets, online resources, specification sheets and perhaps even training courses.

Volunteer activity: When it comes to mastering new information or skills, nothing beats practice. If you’re trying to learn something related to your current job or occupation, ask if you can take on some new responsibilities in your area of interest. If you’re trying to master something entirely new, see if you can volunteer for a project in that field – with a regional or state chapter of your association.

ADDvantage/September 2007

19

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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.

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Unfortunately, at this time, you are not able to register online.

Please contact the Membership Department at (800) USPTA-4U (877-8248). We will be happy to register you.

Komen from Page 17 and Pilates for tennis. A local TV station covered that season-ending match and aired a story on the teams’ efforts. The teams’ Web site, www.cefale.com/Komen_Event/, features this broadcast.

Rikki Alrutz also designed and created the Web site. In fact, the entire family, including Ken’s wife, Kellylee, was involved in the effort. Even the couple’s 12-year-old son, Graham, a top junior player in New England, collected money at every Wesleyan home tennis match and home football game – raising more than $500 at homecoming alone.

These altruistic efforts have inspired other colleges and universities to start their own community-outreach programs. Many schools contacted Wesleyan University and the Komen foundation to find out how to implement an educational and fund-raising program.

Kellylee Alrutz said it was clear that the Wesleyan players are not the only college students who believe “there are some important causes out there.”

www.uspta.com

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It was “really neat,” she said, to see their teams’ opponents come up and donate to the Komen foundation after a match – even if they lost. K

ADDvantage/September 2007

21

Tennisplayer.net Founded by USPTA member John Yandell, Tennisplayer.net offers extensive online information and visual resources, which are now available to USPTA Professionals and Developmental Coaches at no cost.

The site has hundreds of instructional articles illustrated with digital photography and state-of-the-art video. The stroke archives, which contains more than 20,000 stroke clips, allows you to examine the complete technical game of more than 60 great players. The site also provides coaches and tennis-teaching professionals with the digital resources for cutting-edge video analysis.

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Don’t miss the September issue of Tennisplayer.net New features will include: Roger Federer’s forehand: swing shape and shot selection – John Yandell Strategy Zone: hurting your opponent – Nick Bollettieri and Lance Luciani A new approach to junior development – Joe Dinoffer Wrist injuries and the two-handed backhand – Scott Riewald, Ph.D. Your return game – Kerry Mitchell Contact moves: The two-foot pivot – David Bailey In the stroke archives: Anna Ivanovic

ADDvantage/September 2007

23

Celebrating 80 years of excellence Early USPTA broke new ground as group of playing, teaching professionals The following article includes excerpts from past ADDvantage articles and historical data from USPTA membership directories and USPTA members.

M

ost people probably don’t realize that before there was an ATP, a WTA Tour, or another U.S. tennis-teaching group, there was the USPTA. Founded on Sept. 23, 1927, in New York City by a group of 15 men, the organization grew out of a need to further the interests of professional players and instructors, most of whom served in these dual roles so they could play tennis and earn a living.

Initially called the Professional Lawn Tennis Association of the United States, the new organization charged members a $10 initiation fee and annual dues of $5. This group of mostly East Coast members held itself together through the Great Depression and World War II, holding regular annual meetings and a national tournament from 1927 to 1943.

Winners of USPTA’s early tournaments were some of the world’s best players. They include Vinnie Richards, Bill Tilden, Don Budge, Jack Kramer, Ellsworth Vines, Pancho Segura, Bobby Riggs and Fred Perry.

Other historic highlights include: • 1974 – Ray Bovett, first full-time executive director • 1974 – First national office in Houston • 1975 – Bill Tym becomes second full-time executive director after the death of Bovett. USPTA has 1,000 members.

• 1975 – National office moves with Tym to space outside of Chattanooga, Tenn.

• 1977 – USPTA celebrates 50th anniversary and launch of ADDvantage, USPTA’s own magazine, under president Sheldon Caldwell.

• 1978 – USPTA strikes endorsement agreement with Colony Beach & Tennis Resort near Sarasota, Fla., to move its headquarters there. Michael Fryer hired as executive director. Membership is up to 2,000.

• 1982 – Tim Heckler becomes executive director/CEO • 1982 – Japan Professional Tennis Association becomes first international division • 1983 – USPTA and Tim Heckler move headquarters to Saddlebrook Resort • 1983 – Computerization of USPTA begins • 1984 – Membership totals 4,000 • 1990 – USPTA begins original free grassroots lesson program • 1990 – USPTA moves its headquarters back to Houston and its own building

Pancho Segura (second from left), Jack Kramer (third from left) and Don Budge (second from right). Also pictured: Frank Sedgman (far left), Vic Hossack (third from right), and Pancho Gonzales (far right).

Following World War II, the PLTA was incorporated in the state of New York, and by 1956 membership totaled more than 200 people. The organization changed its name to the United States Professional Lawn Tennis Association in 1957.

• 1992 – Membership grows to 10,000 • 1993 – USPTA officially opens its Hall of Fame with induction of the late Arthur Ashe • 1994 – USPTA introduces Little Tennis®, a new program targeting young players from 3 to 10 • 1995 – USPTA launches www.uspta.com

John Barnaby served as USPTA president right after the open tennis era began in 1968. During his term, he promoted certification and membership more than doubled. George Bacso, longtime member and Director of Testing and Certification, continued Barnaby’s work to improve and expand the testing process until his death in 1998.

• 1997 – USPTA offers free personal Web sites to every member

It was under President David Muir that USPTA changed its moniker again to the current United States Professional Tennis Association – USPTA. K 24 ADDvantage/September 2007

• 2004 – USPTA introduces Player Development Program

• 1999 – USPTA launches Find-a-Pro service and Little Tennis Web site – www.littletennis.com • 2002 – USPTA celebrates 75th anniversary • 2007 – USPTA has 14,500 members www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage magazine celebrates 30th birthday

I

f you’ve been a USPTA member for more than 30 years, you remember life before ADDvantage magazine.

Regular member communication began simply in the early 1970s with a black-and-white typewritten and copied newsletter. It was improved later with a professionally typeset version and was called the USPTA National Newsletter and included four to eight pages.

When ADDvantage debuted in January 1977, it represented a huge improvement in substance, style and value. With 28 pages, it was the first glossy, four-color magazine created specifically for tennisteaching professionals. It not only featured news and editorials, but also articles written by members, which represented a forum for the exchange of ideas between teaching professionals.

In January 1989, the magazine began monthly publication, and its design and layout was brought in-house in the 1990s. Today, the magazine regularly includes 32 or more pages, and many issues contain special inserts that offer valuable programming and educational resources.

Beginning in 1999, parts of the magazine were featured online at its own Web address, addvantageuspta. com. In 2006, the magazine became fully accessible online in a PDF format, which provides online members with the same version that they later receive in the mail.

ADDvantage continues to improve its content and design, and it has been recognized for its efforts, winning 13 APEX awards for publication excellence. K

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

ADDvantage/September 2007

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Career Development conventions (division conventions, 5 credits; World Conference, 8 credits) Sept. 17-22 USPTA World Conference on Tennis Wesley Chapel, Fla. Oct. 8-9

Hawaii/San Diego divisions Honolulu

Oct. 26-27

Southwest Division Scottsdale, Ariz.

specialist degrees ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Little Tennis® Facility Management Computer Technology Sport Science Competitive Player Development Pro Shop Operations Wheelchair Tennis

exams, upgrades & certification review courses (4 credits for CRC segment) Sept. 29-30 Sept. 29-30 Oct. 6-7 Oct. 6-7 Oct. 10-11 Oct. 12-13 Oct. 13-14 Oct. 13-14 Oct. 13-14 Oct. 13-14 Oct. 13-14 Oct. 14-15 Oct. 20-21 Oct. 22-23

Augusta, Ga. Hilton Head Island, S.C. Industry Hills, Calif.

Rochester, Mich.

Flushing, N.Y. Oklahoma City St. Paul, Minn.

Hartsville, S.C. Hot Springs, Ark. Fort Worth, Texas Atlanta Frederick, Md. Tallahassee, Fla. Houston*

Oct. 24-25 Oct. 27-28 Oct. 27-28 Oct. 27-28 Nov. 3-4 Nov. 3-4

Mesa, Ariz.

Brunswick, Maine Fayetteville, N.C. College Park, Md. Charleston, S.C. Mequon, Wis.

* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters.

Exam reser vations 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.

specialty courses Technical solutions to tactical problems: The how to’s of the forehand topspins, Sept. 18, Wesley Chapel, Fla., B. Hobden

CPD (Competitive Player Development) – Gained through the USA Tennis High Performance Coaching Program administered by the USA Tennis Coaching Education Department.

Motor learning/sport psychology, Sept. 18, Wesley Chapel, Fla., M. Kernodle, Ph.D./D. Gould, Ph.D. Advanced stroke production, Sept. 19, Wesley Chapel, Fla., S. Oley

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.

The essentials of shot making, Sept. 19, Wesley Chapel, Fla., J. Yandell

cardio tennis

Sport physiology/nutrition, Sept. 20, Wesley Chapel, Fla., S. Riewald, Ph.D./ P. Love

Oct. 1

Midtown Tennis Club – Chicago

Little Tennis®, Sept. 20, Wesley Chapel, Fla., T. Gilbert

A system for supervision, Sept. 21, Wesley Chapel, Fla., B. Fackel Biomechanics/sports medicine, Sept. 21, Wesley Chapel, Fla., S. Riewald, Ph.D./C. Thompson Speed, agility and quickness, Sept. 22, Wesley Chapel, Fla., P. Etcheberry Cardio Tennis, Sept. 22, Wesley Chapel, Fla., M. Krause Club activity programming, Oct. 8, Honolulu, P. Scheb

Please visit www.growingtennis.com (workshops) to register online.

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.

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.

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ADDvantage/September 2007

www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

A B

C

A. Unisex windjacket – Water resistant, 100 percent micro polyester, poly mesh lining. Rib knit collar with white tipping, white panel contrast, drop tail, open bottom with elastic drawcord. Black, red, blue, green.

Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL. $42 B. Clubhouse microfiber jacket – 65% polyester, 35% cotton poplin, ergonomic metal zipper pull, comfortable elastic bottom and cuffs, self-locking pockets, inside zip pocket. S, M, L, XL, XXL. $52 C. Player microfiber jacket – Lightweight jacket with USPTA star logo. Shell 85% polyester, 15% nylon. Lining 65% polyester, 35% cotton. S, M, L, XL, XXL. $52

industry action Members USPTA Professionals Mike Curran, Milan Fiser, Scott Harrington, Jared Kalpin, Mike Lawver and Denny Rager competed in the first Pro-Am at the newly developed 800 Home Club at Rapallo in Estero, Fla. Ten area pros teamed up with 10 club amateurs to compete for $700 in total prize money for the pros and handsome silver platters for the amateurs. Each player was presented with a T-shirt commemorating the event. The entire $1,000 in amateur entry fees was donated to “Take stock in children.” Denny Rager, director of tennis at the players club at Lely Resort, and Bill Dueease won the event. The event was organized by Danny Mattes, director of tennis at Rapallo, a former tour coach and 30-year teaching veteran.

Tom Sweitzer will be inducted into the USTA Middle States Hall of Fame on Oct. 26. This USPTA Master Professional will Sweitzer be one of five inductees honored during a dinner and auction, benefiting junior tennis programs, in Ephrata, Pa. Sweitzer has been called “the tireless tennis promoter.” During his 30-year career, he has created and participated in tennis activities and programs that have produced more than $7.5 million in charitable contributions, in addition to creating interest in the sport. Sweitzer, the cur-

rent regional vice president of the USPTA Middle States Division, received the President’s Service Award from the division in 2006. He was named the USTA Middle States Pro of the Year, also in 2006.

Sweitzer has taught more than 48,000 hours of tennis lessons, and more than 200 of his former students now teach or coach tennis.

Since 1983 he has owned Central Penn Tennis Service, serving facilities such as the Hershey Racquet Club, and providing tennis ventures for consumers.

Peter Burwash, USPTA Master Professional, recently marked his 20th year of doing television commentary on The Sports Network. Burwash appeared on both TSN and the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. during the Rogers Cup, an ATP tournament held in Montreal in August. Burwash is president of Peter Burwash International, an international tennis management firm with a 30-year history.

As a player, he was ranked No. 1 in Canada and was a member of the Canadian Davis Cup team. He has coached numerous tour players and is a popular tennis-industry speaker.

Ken McAllister, USPTA Master Professional and executive director of the USTA Texas Division, pres-

ADDvantage/September 2007

ents USPTA Professional Fernando Velasco with the USTA Texas Section Senior Spirit Award. This award honors a player who, in addition to having a high sectional ranking, exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, enthusiasm, conditioning, resourcefulness, and a cooperative spirit. It also recognizes the player most respected for the betterment of seniors’ status, either in play or organizational work. Velasco is general manager and director of tennis at Circle T Tennis Club in Austin, Texas.

Manufacturers

McAllister and Velasco

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The USPTA Certification Exam on Aug. 12 and 13 at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, Calif., included eight new applicants and six upgrades. USPTA Master Professional Dave Sivertson, director of tennis at Braemar, hosted the exam. Braemar Country Club is one of the seven USPTA regional testing centers in the United States. Pictured: kneeling in the front row from left to right, Stephen Kim (upgrade), Matthew Jones, Mark Windes, Matthew Young, (back row) Anthony Nguyen, Kirk Schaaf, Craig Belinsky, Robert Bryant and Marshall (Kai) Gustafson. The testing was conducted by California Division head tester Lee DeYoung and tester Pam Austin.

After a summer of watching fans’ most “radical” videos, HEAD picked the winner of its “Are You Radical Enough?” promotion. Ca-

nadian John Du will spend an afternoon on the tennis court with Andre Agassi in Las Vegas on Nov. 13.

To celebrate the launch of HEAD’s new MicroGel Radical line, HEAD asked tennis fans around the world to submit one- to two-minute videos showing how their tennis game has evolved into an individual, spontaneous and adventurous sport. Du’s winning entry featured a rap video devoted to the game of tennis called “Our Game is Radical.” You can watch the winning video online at http://head. com/radical/?tag=videos.

Four runners-up – Nicholas Pison and Bodie Quirk from the United States, Paul Tiberiu of Romania, and David Jobert of France – will receive a Radical www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

industry action Supercombi bag from HEAD. Their videos are also online at head.com/ radical.

Miscellany The Rochester Athletic Club in Rochester, Minn., was awarded the 2007 USTA Outstanding Facility Award for large, private tennis clubs. A club must have more than 11 tennis courts to qualify. Several USPTA pros serve on staff, including Greg Lappin, general manager; Scott Boyer, tennis director; Brent Frueh, director of junior development; and

staff pros Kevin Rust, Mike Lipinski and Karl Monson.

Three world-class coaches will lead a five-day tennis “Fantasy Camp” this October at the award-winning Wailea Tennis Club on Maui, Hawaii. USPTA Professionals Tom Gullikson and Jonathan Stark, along with Mats Wilander, will host this camp for avid amateur tennis players October 24-28. The Wailea Fantasy Camp includes five days of instruction, accommodations at the spectacular Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa,

Two USRSA Master Racquet Technicians with Tennis Express, owned and operated by Brad Blume, USPTA, recently donated three days’ worth of racquet-stringing proceeds to the Houston Tennis Association’s National Junior Tennis League Chapter. The three-day fundraiser, Stringing for NJTL, was held in conjunction with a local HTA junior tournament. More than 500 players participated in the championship major-zone tennis tournament.

Blume matched the dollars raised by stringers Lindsay and Craig Willeford and presented a $1,500 check to Emily Schaefer, USPTA, tennis director for the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and Cheryl Hultquist Horvath, HTA’s executive director, for the HTA NJTL program. Tennis Express, one of the largest tennis stores in the country, has provided customers worldwide with quality tennis products and outstanding service since 1993. Legendary tennis pro Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder co-founded the NJTL program in 1969. The Houston Parks and Recreation Department and HTA sponsor the programs that introduce tennis to 5,000 youth each year.

During the summer months the NJTL provides free tennis to juniors at more than 40 neighborhood parks. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com

a Fantasy Camp welcome party, and an awards luau.

A special travel package includes five nights’ Terrace accommodations during the Fantasy Camp at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa. Prices are $2,495 per person for double occupancy or $2,695 for single occupancy (subject to availability). The package does not include gratuities, applicable taxes, food and beverage or other incidentals. USPTA Professionals can also take advantage of a special bonus.

Each pro who brings along six to 10 people will receive three to five nights of his or her accommodations for free. The pro bonus includes five nights’ Terrace accommodations at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa on October 24-28, a value of more than $2,500. The pro bonus does not include Wailea Fantasy Camp registration, welcome party or luau, gratuities, applicable taxes, food and beverage or other incidentals. The Wailea Tennis Club (www. waileatennis.com), with a team of USPTA-certified professionals, is one of the largest resort tennis facilities on Maui. Three of the 11 Plexipave courts are lighted for night play and other facilities include a picturesque stadium court.

For more information or to register for the Wailea Fantasy Camp, contact Cathy Nicoloff, USPTA member and director of tennis at the Wailea Tennis Club, at (808) 879-1958 or e-mail cnicoloff@waileagolf.com.

Tennis Channel has signed a multiyear, on-air deal with Bud Collins, veteran reporter, commentator, television personality, historian and

Bud Collins with Ken Solomon at the U.S. Open beloved tennis personality.

Collins will take on a variety of Tennis Channel roles both on television and the network’s Web site, www.

TennisChannel.com. Collins, whose unparalleled insight into the sport made him a staple on NBC and PBS television for more than four decades, will appear on the Tennis Channel original series, offer live commentary during the network’s coverage of top-caliber tournaments, and act as a representative of the network throughout the year. Also, ESPN recently announced that Collins would join its Grand Slam telecast team next year. Collins has been associated with tennis for more than 50 years. He has contributed to a variety of publications, including Tennis Week, Tennis magazine and Tennis Life. He has also scripted numerous books on tennis and tennis players.

Collins is a member of both the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. He has won a wide variety of journalism and sportscast honors as well, including, in 1999, the Red Smith Award, considered the highest accolade in sports writing.

ADDvantage/September 2007

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