contents the total professional – enhancing your career
departments
9 Top 5 reasons every tennis coach needs a YouTube channel – by Peter freeman, USPTA
2 Executive Committee
11 My kids’ lessons with Tom – by Thomas Penner, USPTA
7 Cardio Tennis
15 The right fuel for optimum performance on and off court – by Roy Cosio, USPTA 21 Teaching tennis and changing lives – by Anthony J. DeCecco Jr., USPTA
5 CEO’s message
8 Classifieds 27 Staff spotlight 32 Career development 34 Industry Action
news 5 Getting to know your USPTA Foundation. How can you help? How can it help you? – by Nancy Cox, USPTA
23 Game. Set. Give. – by Mandy Johnson
24 USPTA Donates $5,000 to ThanksUSA Scholarship Fund 28
USPTA welcomes new members
On the cover – The Battle of the Divisions created an atmosphere of fun, team building and camaraderie that energized the beginning of this year’s World Conference.
volume 36 • issue 10
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 – 713-358-7794 email – magazine@uspta.org www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Managing editor Circulation
Kimberly Forrester Kathy Buchanan
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. 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA. ADDvantage/October 2013
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USPTA Executive Committee TM
Division presidents, regional vice presidents and past national presidents:
National Board of Directors: Tom McGraw
President 239-262-4701
Chuck Gill First vice president 561-624-8900 ext. 8932
Alan Cutler Vice president 562-908-3495
California Division Mike Gennette President 805-495-0111 Cari Buck Regional vice president 310-314-9492
Eastern Division Joe Roediger President 914-804-9699 Warren Lem Regional vice president 631-766-2318
Middle States Division Bill Kurtain President 609-731-0505 Wilson Pipkin Regional vice president 717-898-3102
Midwest Division Paul Marcum President 248-626-9880, ext. 4006 Mark Faber Regional vice president 419-381-9661
Pacific Northwest Division Bill Fletcher President 503-612-2411 Ross Eaton Regional vice president 206-949-7105
San Diego Division Dophie Poiset President 858-756-4459 Nelson Alapi Regional vice president 858-382-6571
Jack Michalko Vice president 602-740-0126
Dan Moster Vice president 260-249-9424
Diane Selke Vice president 303-693-1546
Gary Trost Vice president 405-848-2994
Tom Daglis
Immediate past president 910-630-7147
Past presidents Harry Gilbert 386-793-0084
Florida Division Brad Leu President 772-231-3102 Jeff Cohen Regional vice president 561-995-5213
Hawaii Division Bruce Nagel President 808-262-2057 Lee Couillard Regional vice president 808-944-5835
Intermountain Division Andrew Booth President 970-349-6127 Cary Hodges Regional vice president 303-771-0055
Ron Woods
(2005-2007) 361-991-7501
David T. Porter, Ed.D.
(2003-2005) 808-675-3755
Mid-Atlantic Division Joni Hannah President 703-938-5510 Jamie Peterson Regional vice president 410-987-0100
Missouri Valley Division Angela Koumaris President 405-848-2994 Richard Slivocka Regional vice president 620-662-1140
New England Division Christopher Stevens President 603-610-0183 Doug Eng, Ed.D., Ph.D. Regional vice president 617-281-8368
Northern Division John Schollmeier President 952-232-1334 Bruce Gullikson Regional vice president 952-830-7900
Northern California Division Andrea Barnes President 650-736-7272 Monty Basnyat Regional vice president 916-316-7577
Southern Division Todd Upchurch President 704-258-7220 William Phillips Regional vice president 337-849-5821
Southwest Division Vicki Foster President 602-930-8423 Christopher Brewer Regional vice president 623-215-6500
Texas Division David Webb President 817-427-6680 Jenny Gray Regional vice president 512-291-8846
CEO’s message What a World Conference!
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about, indicating that it should be considered for a future World Conference. The hotel staff was extremely accommodating and went overboard to do whatever we needed, even at the last minute. Considering that a portion of the parking lot and lobby were under construction while we were present, our membership overlooked those minor inconveniences and truly enjoyed t hemselves. The Education Committee, along with Director of Professional Development Fred Viancos, put together a line-up of presenters that was outstanding. Kudos to them. The quality of the l Paid attendance was up 13 percent content was exceptional and the concept of focusing each day on one core comvs. the previous year and was the petency was well-received, giving pros highest in the last five years. Total a framework for how the entire group attendance was up 8 percent vs. a of seminars in that arena would unfold. year ago. The fact that we kicked each morning l We had more than 115 pros who off with a general session helped set the John Embree took advantage of our daily rates – stage for the education that would ensue. 3.5 times more than in Monterey. The USTA set the table on day one with a panel presentation featuring Kurt Kamperman, Patrick l More than 85 pros came for the first time ever and McEnroe and Dr. Brian Hainline (Chief Medical took advantage of the incentive that was offered to Officer of the NCAA) that gave the audience some attract those who had never been previously. sobering statistics about the state of our game and youth tennis. After a terrific day of 10 and Under l Unfortunately, tournament entries continue to decline to the point where we have to determine Tennis, we concluded with a modified Battle of the a strategy for our surface and international cham- Divisions that had to be moved inside into the ball pionships in general. Of course, there won’t be a room because of the threat of inclement weather. While on the surface this adjustment was less than tournament in New York in 2014. desirable, it might have actually worked out better l We sold almost four times the number of DVDs because it created an atmosphere of fun, team building than 2012. and camaraderie that has not been seen in some time. Everyone had a blast! What an energizing beginning l Fromuth had record sales (had to open half a day to our convention. early because of pent-up demand). Another educational highlight was the panel discussion with three giants of the Club Managl Twelve more vendors exhibited at the Buying Show vs. the prior year and there was a lot of action on ers Association of America (CMAA) in Wednesday the floor, which pleased the exhibitors to no end. morning’s general session, along with Peter Burwash’s Revenue from our booth sales and promotion presentation later that day on customer service and leadership. The idea of providing our professionals packets was up 26 percent over last year. increased content on the business of our sport reso Of course, it helped that the Hyatt Regency nated well. It is an area to which we must continue Grand Cypress was a new venue that people raved to provide compelling content so that those members f you were fortunate to be with us in Orlando, you were able to participate in what turned out to be a terrific World Conference. Many commented to me as well as to members of my staff that this may well have been the best conference in a very long time, if not ever. High praise indeed, but don’t take my word for it. Ask a colleague who did attend to see if his/her reaction is similar. Let me give you some rough numbers (still not finalized) that will give you an indication of how this c onference compared to last year:
Thank you for taking the time away from your family and your work to improve your knowledge and to become a better tennis professional. New York is only 11 months away (August 22-25) ... We look forward to seeing everyone there.
continued next page www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
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from previous page who aspire to advance their careers into management are given that opportunity with education in this arena. Finally, the Award’s Luncheon on Friday was incredibly moving. Seeing Vic Braden, Nick Bollettieri and Steve Wilkinson being inducted into our USPTA Hall of Fame along with Avis Murray deservedly receiving recognition for her lifelong dedication to the game as the USPTA Professional of the Year, provided emotional theater. And then to hear the inspirational words from Pat Williams who outlined seven building blocks for passing leadership qualities on to the kids with whom you interact was the cap to a celebration of what is good about our association. Using this World Conference to announce three significant new benefits was important so that you could see the progress being made to give more value for your membership. The merger with RSI and ADDvantage to become the new Tennis Industry magazine as of January 1 will provide our pros better content than they have ever had while expanding the reach of our message to a broader audience. The establishment of the long-awaited health insurance program and the Retirement Gold+ program, both beginning as of January 1, is ground-breaking to say the least. Having our endorsees contributing a percentage of purchases of their products made by USPTA Professionals at their clubs and facilities into individual retirement savings vehicles will make a career in teaching tennis more attractive to young people who are considering career paths. For that reason, a shout out goes to the Florida division who
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got behind “30 under 30,” an initiative to bring 30 pros under the age of 30 to our conference. They have embraced Core Pillar No. 2 of growing our membership with younger professionals and every division ought to consider doing the same. What a creative way to embrace the leaders of the future and engage them with our association in such a positive environment. This being my first “rodeo” I could not have been more pleased. Personally, I was on a “high” all week, interacting with our membership, meeting new people, and reconnecting with colleagues that I have known or done business with over my entire career. I never could have imagined how uplifting this experience turned out to be. Of course, this event ran like a top because of the outstanding teamwork by the Houston staff. I am so proud to be working with such an exceptional group, which takes great pride in offering first-class customer service not only during a convention of this magnitude but throughout the year. It is a well-oiled machine that knows exactly what to do to make a World Conference successful. This one was no exception. Thank you for taking the time away from your family and your work to improve your knowledge and to become a better tennis professional. New York is only 11 months away (August 22-25) and the ink won’t have even dried on this World Conference before we have to ramp it up again for 2014. We look forward to seeing everyone there. Is there any way we can top what we just did? Come and find out!
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Getting to know your USPTA Foundation How can you help? How can it help you? by Nancy Cox, USPTA
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he USPTA Foundation was incorporated in the State of New Day and Veteran’s Day and donated a portion of their clinic or York in May of 1977 and many of you have donated generously lesson revenues to ThanksUSA. As part of “Tennis Thanks the over the years. Until now, some of you may not have known Troops,” the USPTA and ThanksUSA will continue to team up that the USPTA had a foundation, to encourage USPTA Professionals but the association wants to get to fund scholarships for the families you thinking about how you can of military men and women. support it. With these donations and others The foundation is a 501 (c) (3) under consideration, the Board incharitable foundation and was estabtends to demonstrate its new vision lished to serve as the charitable arm of and rededication to the Foundation. the USPTA. The mission statement These contributions are an expresof the foundation reads, “donations sion of how worthwhile and viable will be devoted to programs that USPTA’s charitable organization help economically disadvantaged can be. This is only the beginning people.” The USPTA Board of Direcof the positive impact the USPTA tors, along with CEO John Embree, Foundation can have on our tenlooked closely at the activity of the nis friends and neighbors in need. foundation and made it a priority, The Foundation is our vehicle to under Strategic Plan Pillar 5 – Diver- Nick Bollettieri and President Tom McGraw presented a check becoming recognized as a group that for $5,000 to Bob Okun, CEO of ThanksUSA during the World sity and Inclusion, to be pro-active in is committed to giving back to our Conference in Orlando. the allocation of foundation funds to sport financially. programs that fit the criterion of the mission statement. As a USPTA member, you are encouraged to identify local pros In that spirit of charitable giving and as part of our relationship or local programs and events that fit within the Foundation’s miswith the city of Orlando, location of the 2013 World Conference, sion statement and then encourage those involved to complete the and our appreciation of keynote speaker and Senior Vice President application to become grant recipients. Qualifiers are those who of the Orlando Magic, Pat Williams, the USPTA Foundation do- use tennis as an avenue to help those in need in their communities. nated $3,750 to the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. OMYF is Please click on the links below to access the grant checklist, grant committed to helping children in Central Florida realize their full application and narrative outline: potential, especially those most at risk, by supporting programs http://uspta.com/html/Grant-applicationandnarrativeoutlinereand partnerships that empower families and change lives. Additionally, newly inducted USPTA Hall of Famer and retired vised04-2011.pdf veteran Nick Bollettieri presented a check for $5,000 to Thanks- During the Executive Committee meeting in September, a task USA during the World Conference in Orlando. ThanksUSA’s force was selected from the division leadership. The members of mission is to provide college, technical and vocational school needthis task force are charged with overseeing Foundation decisions, based scholarships for the children and spouses of active-duty U.S. reviewing grant requests, allocating dollars, and creating membermilitary personnel. USPTA has partnered with ThanksUSA since based fundraising drives to replenish allocated funds and raise 2012. USPTA Pros have held events that coincide with Memorial additional proceeds. Contributions to the USPTA Foundation are tax deductible and can be made with your dues payment or at any time of year. Send check to:
TM
USPTA Foundation 3535 Briarpark Drive Suite One Houston, TX 77042
Capital in the Foundation to date has been derived from two sources. Each year at the World Conference, tennis memorabilia and other items are donated to a Silent Auction held as part of the World Conference buying show. All proceeds from this entertaining and competitive annual event go into the Foundation. Additionally, each year when members are invoiced for their annual dues, there is a separate line item that requests donations to the Foundation. Donations to the USPTA Foundation are tax deductible. Contributions can be made with your dues payment continued next page
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from previous page or at any time of year by check made out to the USPTA Foundation, and mailed to USPTA at 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One, Houston, TX 77042. Currently, USPTA has more than $70,000 in the Foundation account. The funds are there to be dispersed to qualifying programs. It is the intention of the Board, with help from the task force and membership, to do so. Please consider any of the following in support of your USPTA Foundation:
All proceeds from USPTA’s annual Silent Auction go into the USPTA Foundation.
1. Make a donation of cash or appreciated securities. 2. Submit a list of qualifying programs and the pros associated with them. 3. Provide ideas for improving the work of the USPTA Foundation. 4. Complete the grants application. 5. Donate an item to the 2014 World Conference silent auction. 6. Offer ideas for other formal fundraising campaigns. 7. Volunteer to serve on the task force or help with fundraising events. I would be remiss to end this article without thanking Warren Lem, Regional Vice President of the Eastern Division, for his tire-
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less research. He has educated me about foundations, how they operate, the rules and regulations associated with them and how we can apply for grants that will support our mission. Your USPTA Foundation is the charitable arm of the USPTA. Please consider submitting an application for a grant or making a contribution to the Foundation as you determine your yearly giving. Thank you! ď ¨
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Tips from the pros
Training staff, modifying programs increase Cardio Tennis participation As the general manager of the Yonkers Tennis Center in Westchester County, N.Y., USPTA Professional Simon Gale talks about the benefits of Cardio Tennis classes at his club. Why were you attracted to starting a Cardio Tennis program at your club? Cardio Tennis was attractive to us for a number of reasons. First, it offers an alternative to going to the gym for your traditional cardio workout. We have a very busy club and wanted to be able to offer that alternative as another tennis playing option. “Cardio Tennis” was a new name, but I think most tennis pros had experimented with it using different names over the years. The fact that it has a brand and is marketed to tennis players made the decision easy for us. Why did you decide to send professionals to training courses? We had been doing Cardio Tennis for years and it was popular but not booming the way we wanted it to be. The training course was a way to brush up on new ideas and ensure our teaching pros were up to date with the latest cardio drills and techniques. We believe in ongoing training and keeping our staff up to date so the customer has the best possible experience. How did taking the course benefit them? They all walked away with new drills and a clear idea on how to structure a class. The importance of the warm up and cool down were key takeaways; while we all know that they should be done, sometimes the customer’s desire to keep hitting more tennis balls makes you overlook them. Managing large groups and how to use the surrounding court space were other key takeaways. How did you launch your Cardio Tennis program? We relaunched in January after the training and sent mass emails out to our current database. We also had to inform our current cardio customers that we were making some changes to the way we ran the classes. Further, we offered anyone who had not done it before a free first time class to encourage them to try it. Our front desk staff has direct contact with the customers all day so we made sure they knew about the changes and made mention of it during their shifts. What is the price structure for classes and how was it determined? We offer a variety of drop-in clinics for different levels and charge $30 for all of them. We take up to six players maximum and will www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Yonkers Tennis Club Director of Tennis Mark Santucci with all of his materials from Cardio Tennis training.
not start a class unless there are three signed up. We wanted to offer a less expensive option that gave people some flexibility on commitment – our adult clinics are 18 weeks so being able to do something at the last minute or when you can was important for our customers to have. What programming ideas did you try, and what lessons did you learn (e.g., types, numbers, and scheduling of classes)? We have always taken up to six people per cardio class. We used to schedule them at times when we needed court fillers – that was a mistake! We try to place them during great times so our customers can get in at times that work for them – I think this is key! Finding the right pro is a must – someone who is high energy and who does not want to make it a technical analysis session. We continued next page 7
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from previous page experimented with cardio 101, regular cardio and extreme cardio, and have since revised it to cover levels 2.5-4.0, which seems to be the right formula for now. What equipment do you utilize? We have bags that we keep on the court that include Z balls, jump ropes and ladders for footwork. Using the orange and green balls to make sure rallies last longer has been a modification in recent times. We added heart rate monitors toward the end of last season and ran a competition to see who could burn the most calories in a month – the winner got a prize. Educating the customer on how to use the monitors and making sure they are wiped down and clean for the next customer is very important. What partnerships were created to help support growth of the program? We are in the process of talking with a local gym/training facility about having them bring clients in groups and from their own cardio class. We will have their staff do it first so they know what we are offering, then bring the clients next. They were looking for a cross-training option for their personal training customers. What results did you see from the program? l Number of attendees – We offer three to five classes per week and regularly get four to six players. So roughly 20-30 per week and that grows to more than 40 per week during the busier winter months. l Revenue estimates – $25-30K per season (eight to nine months), plus permanent courts $15K. l Impact on retention at club – We work on the idea that if we have a happy customer, they know all of their tennis-playing options. So it’s less about retention and more about making sure we get them on the court more! l Enthusiasm and relationships created by class – We have seen many groups convert to a seasonal court with a pro and reserve the court every week, keeping the pro all season. They have enjoyed the experience so much that they want to build their own group and buy it permanently. We still offer the first class for free if a customer has never done it before. We think we have it running the way we want to but want to see more growth. Looking at partnerships and ways to attract outsiders is a constant marketing challenge. Overall, Cardio Tennis is a great alternative to lessons and match play. Sometimes I think we talk too much during our lessons and people just want to hit and get a workout. Being able to clearly offer that to your customers gives them an alternative to going to another club to get what they want. It is important to be able to offer a well-rounded program that caters to all levels and types of tennis needs. Yonkers Tennis Center has been in operation for more than 40 years and is a family-owned business. It is a six-court indoor center in Westchester County, N.Y, and offers a full menu of programs including seasonal courts, adult clinics, junior clinics, USTA teams, summer camp, private lessons and drop-in clinics including match play, cardio and skills clinics. The center has a staff of 25, including 10 full time teaching professionals.
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CLASSIFIEDS Camps TENNIS CAMP INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL – Training tool and
resource for your summer staff. See sample at the Coach’s Store at www.jobeasier.com.
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Clay court maintenance
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Playmate Genie with 2 programmers. Remote, plus a Playmate ball sweeper. Pristine condition (in Ohio) $3,900. Pictures and more info: ghdredge@ctcn.net.
Club for sale
GRIP COACH is a practical product that has simple and easyto-follow guidelines, making it ideal for adults and kids to learn tennis grips. Players and coaches love the Grip Coach because it maximizes coaching time for everyone. Visit: www.gripcoach. com.au.
Charlotte Racquet Club North has a 4,400-square-foot clubhouse on 10.7 acres with a 4,000-squarefoot covered deck and patio. The clubhouse includes a fitness center, pro shop, restrooms, kitchen, offices, storage, and large club room. The clubhouse overlooks 12 lighted underground watered clay courts, and two lighted hard courts. The club also has a Junior Olympic pool with large slide and connected kiddie pool with water function machines. The club received national recognition as new club of the year in 2003 from the USTA and the club currently hosts five USTA sanctioned tournaments including the NC State Closed Clay Court Championships (8 yrs). Sale price 2.5M, loan assumption available. Email: crcnrs@bellsouth.net.
Drills NEED TENNIS DRILLS? USPTA Master Professional Jorge Capestany’s new website has more than 700 videos of tennis drills and tips. Log on to www. tennisdrills.tv to see (and print) more than 18 free samples.
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PRO/COACH PRICING on racquets, apparel, shoes, bags, balls, strings and accessories. Get baskets, carts, training equipment, books, videos and more. www.TennisExpress.com/800833-6615. QM-1 Portable Camera Support. Extendable pole, precalibrated system places on fence, from either side, quick and easy. MyTennisTools.com.
VACATION OpportuniTIes Five-Star Caribbean Resorts are Waiting for You! Working vacations available for certified tennis professionals. Family and couple resorts available. Contact: www.fitbodiesinc.com or call Denise Cox, 678-778-4673. Rates: $30 for 20 words, minimum per issue. 50 cents per word thereafter. Prepayment is required. Supply typed copy and include full name, telephone number, credit card number and expiration date. Email magazine@uspta.org or fax to 713-358-7794, 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.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Top 5 reasons every tennis coach needs a YouTube channel by Peter Freeman, USPTA
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ore than 1 billion unique visitors watch content on YouTube everyday. According to Nielsen, YouTube reaches more U.S. adults ages 18-34 than any cable network. It is hard to believe with statistics this mind blowing that YouTube has just been around since 2007. Companies of all sizes are achieving fantastic results promoting their goods and services on YouTube. Tennis is the perfect niche for YouTube. People worldwide are passionate about tennis and love to use YouTube to satisfy their tennis craving. Every coach needs to be taking advantage of this platform and here are my top five reasons why:
name out there in your local market or all over the world, YouTube is setup to help you achieve both. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. People in worldwide markets interested in tennis might type in something like, “how to hit a forehand.” People in local markets might type in something like “tennis lessons in Douglasville, Ga.”
5. Incredible branding opportunity: Whether you are looking to get your
When you have good content and provide keywords for your videos then they start showing up at the top of the search results. This equals more views to your videos. You will not believe the amount of exposure you can get from this. Ask yourself where else can you get this kind of exposure for free! 4. YouTube videos might be part of your next resume: Now we all would love to stay at the same facility and be happy teaching there the rest of our lives. However, we all know things happen and coaches tend to move around a lot. Now imagine you are applying for a new teaching position at a club and you are competing against someone who only has a paper resume. Then you come in and you show your potential employer video after video on YouTube showcasing your personality, teaching skills, playing skills, and how much all your students love you. Using this tool allows your employer to get a good feel for what he is going to get when he hires you – way more than any piece of paper can do. Check out one of my instructional videos: www.YouTube. com/user/atlantatennisfactory 3. YouTube is a great retention and referral tool: When you tell your kids you are making a video and putting it on YouTube, they get really excited. Smiles appear on their faces, eyes light up, and now all of sudden they magically start doing everything you have been begging them to do for months. Feet start moving, form looks like Federer, and every ball is hit in the middle of the strings. The kids go home and tell their parents they are on YouTube. The parents watch and then start showing the
Use YouTube to drive people to your program offers on your website. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
continued next page ADDvantage/October 2013
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from previous page YouTube video to their friends. Take a look at these kids having a blast: www.YouTube.com/ watch?v=31frDTJ-Q9U
(Be sure to get a permission slip signed by the parents first.)
2. Industry credibility: As coaches, we tend to get tied into our own little world at the club. We miss networking meetings we would like to go to and the list can go on and on of all the things we miss because we are too busy on Kids and parents love seeing themselves on YouTube. the court. By putting your videos online you can build and relevant is becoming increasingly your recognition in the industry. This important if you want to keep moving year I decided I wanted to be a speaker up the tennis ladder. at USPTA conventions, and I was able to book 10 speaking engagements. YouTube helped get me in the door several 1. YouTube makes you money: YouTube times. I was amazed when I started can help make you money. I am not talking to sectional USPTA Presidents talking about getting famous or gethow many of them had already seen ting paid by YouTube when your video some of my videos. Staying modern gets viewed. Instead you want to use
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YouTube to drive people to your program offers on your website. YouTube is the ultimate 24hour salesman. It allows you to embed videos on Facebook and other websites. I embed a video on my sales pages and then send it out to my list. After that step it is time to sit back and relax to watch the registrations start rolling it. Well there you have my top five reasons to use YouTube. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, check out crunchtimecoaching.com. ď ¨ Peter Freeman, USPTA, was a state champion two times as a top-ranked junior player. He coached two Division I college teams, worked with Tennis Legends Frank Brennan (Stanford University 10-time NCAA Champion) and Tony Palafox (John McEnroe’s former coach), and is the 2011 USTA Georgia Teaching Professional of the Year.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
My kids’ lessons with Tom by Thomas Penner, USPTA
Parenting and coaching (or teaching) are the same thing. And they are the two most important professions in the world. – John Wooden
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couple of summers ago on vacation at the La Quinta Resort, my wife Jenny and I booked lessons for our children with American tennis great and club head director, Tom Gorman. Sure, twist our arms.
I’d once had a fun, insightful lesson with Tom, and although it wouldn’t be cheap, especially in these hard times, we cracked open a piggy bank or two and surprise – found an extra 500 bucks! Tom greeted us genially outside the clubhouse, gave Lily, age 7, and James, 4, tanned “knucklebumps” and we journeyed over to the crisp, peerless Har-Tru courts. He put them to work immediately, and to his credit showed immense patience as our third child, Milo, 2, acquainted himself with the water dispensers. James is a scrappy, cock and bull of a kid. His chest puffs and he pumps his fists when he’s inspired. He hurled himself into Tom’s instruction, sliding over the clay with wild abandon, not unlike his tennis hero, Rafa, just minus the technique. Lily was equally engaged with a real
knack for constructing points as though in a former life she was once a clay court player. Tom honed right in on her slow recovery though. “Next ball, Lily!” he called, and quickly fed another. Jen and I have modest expectations; we know Tom doesn’t have a pocketful of tennis pixie dust. Our highest hopes are that somehow these tennis experiences will help increase our kids’ love for the game and give them positive feelings to associate with it. That’s my surface rationale. Beneath it all I want them to succeed as much as the next tennis parent. I am also their primary coach, and for some 40 years a certified “tennis bum.” (My last name, Penner, is German slang for “bum.”) In a variation of Mike Agassi’s highchair
According to a recent science journal, bad parenting and bad coaching can be attributed to a whopping 60 percent of would-be youth tennis stars dropping out by the age of 16. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Our highest hopes are that somehow our kids tennis experiences will help increase their love for the game and give them positive feelings to associate with it.
“balloon” training with little Andre, I’m the bum who strung a whiffleball to our living room ceiling fan, stuck racquet-shaped drink coasters in their hands and let them have it. We call this game “Boom” (Milo is current resident champ) and it’s not only great aggressive fun, it’s a positive experience; the ball always comes back. We’ve also played our fair share of QuickStart tennis, though unofficially, on the half-sized Bermuda “grass court” I pounded, rolled and weeded into existence in our small backyard. We played barefoot, sometimes in the rain, and often the tennis devolved into a raucous game of “Tiger,” which is essentially an updated form of “Snake In the Grass.” Maybe the creativity is working. Nowadays the kids enjoy their tennis and often show up to play on their own. I wonder when the magic will end. *
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from previous page I chat with Tom as we pick up balls. On the subject of his two daughters he explains that he’d taught them both tennis from a young age but couldn’t get them to compete at the highest level. “They were very competitive girls, just not in tennis” he said. “They played a little college ball.” I wondered aloud how veteran Australian doubles specialist, Phil Dent, got his son Taylor to follow so ardently in his dad’s footsteps. Tom exclaimed, “I’d like to know that too!” I’ve since read that Taylor credits taking up tennis to his father’s brief coaching stint with newly-crowned French Open champ, Michael Chang. That makes perfect sense, except the reality for most parent/coaches is there aren’t too many world-class players hanging around the house to inspire our kids. So if we want them to play – nay, to love our great game – we must thread together the days of their tennis-playing lives with a needle. We are bound to reading the signs every step of the way. That sounds overbearing, even fanatic, but as a parent/coach I find it quite natural, responsible even. Keep in mind it’s not as if I’m steering them blindly toward some illusory goal of becoming No. 1 in the world. There are many roads to tennis happiness. Moreover, the list of damaged parent/ coach-child relationships is long and heartbreaking. I have an old tennis buddy, Coaching also takes place in the household. If they can’t trust you there, forget the tennis court.
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We humans are all uniquely different. No one size fits all. And as parents, we just need to nurture our children’s interests. The rest is up to them.
a father of four, who these days exhorts me to use his story as a cautionary tale for the greater tennis good. He blew through his first three kids like a tennis assembly line. Each of them quit and moved onto other sports. The fourth child he brought to me. “Rebekah” was 8, and I never pushed her. She received unconditional acceptance, lots of laughs, and was weaned gradually off her frequent water breaks. Today she’s a top-ranked junior player. I’d like to think I could have the same success with my own kids if it’s in their hearts. But coaching also takes place in
the household. If they can’t trust you there, forget the tennis court. So we really do need to thread that needle; I worry I’ve lit their tennis fires too early. Will their flames burn out by the time they hit their teens? *
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Tom shows James how to start the racquet head just above his shoulder to serve. James has been trying to figure it out on his own and I’ve said precious little except to encourage him. Lily slumps exhausted on a courtside bench, mops her face with a wet towel as the desert sun climbs higher into the midday sky. We watch Tom give James a hearty high-five on what is absolutely the first well-hit serve the boy has ever hit. Truly wonderful. Even if I have struck the tennis matchstick too early, how and why would I ever keep this healthy, cherished “tennis life” from them? I used to watch Wimbledon or the French Open in the back bedroom so as not to bias them unduly. And I still cringe every time a friend or acquaintance cheerfully asks them, “So, Lily, so James, you’re going to be tennis stars?” But it’s all around them anyway. They happen to be part of a particularly large tennis family sphere, what with tennisplaying grandparents, racquet-swinging www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
aunts and uncles, and at least a dozen tennis-playing cousins. A tennis bum can only do what he can do. I tread gingerly around harsh facts such as these: For all U.S. sports there is a 70 percent dropout rate of youths aged 13 to 14. In youth tennis, a whopping 60 percent of would-be stars drop out by the age of 16. So what’s causing this mass thinning of the U.S. junior athletic ranks? A recent science journal attributed it to two basic causes: bad parenting and bad coaching. Do I propose to have an answer? I got this from Jack Kramer: “The best age for kids to start tennis is 12 or 13. There’s something about that time. Kids are looking for something to love.” Unmarried and childless at the time, I silently disagreed. I had other plans. Yet Kramer’s words tugged at my tennis pro’s conscience. I’ve since seen that sentiment echoed many times, most recently while reading the classic Bobby Riggs’ memoir, “Court Hustler.” Riggs’ tennis teacher and mentor, one Dr. Esther Bartosh, embraced the theory whole-heartedly. Riggs wrote, “She was a woman who was to have a great influence on my life.” He was right around 12 years old. So while these days so many kids drop out of sports during the middle school years, past wisdom tells us a different story. Jen and I simply hope our children’s desire for tennis comes from their own fascination. And let’s face it, tennis is a hard sport. It’s a lot to ask of a kid to fight and grind. Technique and footwork are best sewed up early, but that takes work. When does tennis “fun” become “work?” I broach this subject with my own, usually praying for patience, and Jen will casually ask if I’m following our golden rule: ‘To treat our own kids as I would my students.’ Yes, but still, but still. So I queried one of today’s top tennis gurus, Rick Macci, on the matter, framing my rather verbose question with my beloved Lily’s tennis future in mind. He listened very patiently then replied. “I can’t answer that,” he said. “I’ve never met your daughter, and I don’t know how much she likes the game, or whether she possesses true passion or even a work ethic.” www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Mercy. I kind of saw the answer coming. Yet in his own backhanded way, he gave a very honest, albeit stinging, reply: There is no formula! We humans are all uniquely different. No one size fits all. And as parents, we just need to nurture our children’s interests. The rest is up to them. This I understand. I do. Yet again I sink to the sea floor of my darkest coaching fears – that sooner or later the sparkle in my children’s eyes will dim and I’ll hear the most dreaded words a parent/coach can hear on court: “Daddy, what time is it?”
Let’s face it, tennis is a hard sport. It’s a lot to ask of a kid to fight and grind.
So I resolve to do the “smart” thing right away and delay their tennis lives at all costs. Get them into baseball, or gymnastics, or dance, or mime school. Whatever they fancy. Yep, with the absence of our great game in their lives, their hearts will grow fonder and they’ll come tearing back to the only real sport they ever loved. Doesn’t sound so devious. And isn’t that what all-time American tennis greats Bob and Mike Bryan joke openly about? How their parents had manipulated their childhood, even conned them into the joys of tennis? Of making history? Not such a bad pipe dream, except what are the odds your child – and parent-
ing machinations – will achieve anything remotely close to this storybook ending? A kindly tennis-playing niece recently reminded me, and very simply, that a lot of kids start tennis early and do keep playing. *
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Tom finishes up with the children and the parent in me wants to hear they have nothing less than golden promise. I stifle the impulse. It’s lunchtime and Jen bids Tom adieu, takes the kids to the pool while I accompany him to the clubhouse. We speak briefly of his daughters again. “Tom, do you think tennis was hard for them because they were walking in your long shadow?” He smiles. “Oh, sure, sure. And also the long periods of time away from them, the demands of the tour, but it’s all good. They like it now. They both play, and they’re really great players.” He shrugs as if to say, “What more can we ask for?” Or, he might’ve been saying, “Life can’t get much sweeter.” Then he added: “Just remember, your kids have their own journey. It’s really about their path, isn’t it now?” I must’ve nodded yes. I do get it. Theoretically, spiritually, I grasp the idea, even preach it. But still, but still. I can’t thank him enough, from the bottom of my heart. He rolls his ball cart back into the clubhouse and is gone. Thomas Penner is a screenwriter and USPTA teaching pro living in La Mirada, Calif., with wife Jenny and their three tennis-loving kids.
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Coming Soon...
HOLIDAY Collec�on
http://uspta.fromuthtennis.com
The right fuel for optimum performance on and off the court by Roy Cosio, USPTA
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ou’ve probably heard it all before: “Skip the fast food, Johnny.” “Carry your sports drink to the court, honey.” “Mike, don’t forget your bananas for the match.”
As a tennis player you must plan to eat healthy foods and avoid bad ones for top performance, so what kinds of foods should you choose before and after your training sessions, league matches or tournaments? What is optimum food for a tennis player and what is not? Food producers and consumers are changing rapidly. The level of awareness in the world is at a new high. People are realizing that for decades, we have been putting the wrong fuel in our bodies. We have unknowingly fed our bodies toxins by our food choices. Not too long ago the tennis industry promoted fast food, alcohol and cigarettes on the tour. These companies sponsored events and had the players wear their logos on their sleeves, but now they are disappearing little by little from the tennis courts. Our grandparents and great-grandparents were taught nutrition in the last century with very little scientific information. They then passed that information on
to our parents. The television era hit American homes in the ’50s with an enormous force, and we were bombarded with heavy advertising. Much of that for processed and fast food. The media became the biggest advertiser for the food industry. Our parents taught us that the Standard American Diet was actually good for us. The chain reaction continues today toward our children. The S.A.D. not only makes us perform poorly on the court, it makes us miss practice or play due to chronic pain or serious illness. What’s wrong? Hospitals are full. This should not be the case. If we had a healthy society our hospitals would have plenty of open rooms. Something is not right. I often see tennis events where players have a good time exercising for two or three hours, then follow it up with a barbecue full of toxic food. We were taught that meat (all colors), fish, eggs and dairy were products that supplied us with all of the protein
and calcium that we needed. No wonder we feel like tennis is not helping our health. These foods have a backlash, a hidden price you will pay with your poor tennis performance and overall degenerative health. Yes, you can get nutrients from all animal products, but it is not the only way to get them. In fact, there is a better way. We must change course and join what has already started in other fields. Playing tennis is a healthy activity and adding a plant-based diet can enhance our training plan and make us thrive; tennis and vegetarianism is a win-win combination. People often ask common questions and these are the simple answers: l
Yes, plants provide plenty of protein. Yes, plants provide plenty of calcium. l Yes, plants provide plenty of iron. l Yes, amino-acids and B-12 can be obtained without eating animal products. l
Carbohydrates mean energy Load up on carbohydrates before your practice. We need energy, and carbs will give it to you. continued next page www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
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from previous page Unprocessed carbs such as organic brown rice, quinoa, oats, and other grains are an excellent source of energy, along with lots of organic greens and fruit. The key is to eat the least amount of processed foods throughout the day; you will feel more energized and be able to practice at a higher intensity. A bowl of rice or grains (quinoa, oats, wheat, etc.) in the morning will supply you with healthy carbohydrates. Try topping with avocado and tomato. Avoid “dead food” (foods that are packaged or processed). When you eat wholesome and fresh “live food,” your body will receive all of their nutrients. Highly processed foods have little to no benefit for your body. Lunch and dinner should also be based on wholesome foods. Shop at farmers markets as often as you can, since they deliver the freshest organic fruits and vegetables. Read labels. Be aware of colorings, chemicals and preservatives that have been added to foods. If you are an athlete or care about your health, fast food is out of the question. A plant based-diet will fuel you just as well as an animal-based diet. Protein Great sources of protein (that aren’t linked to heart attacks, high cholesterol, diabetes, strokes or cancer) are plant-based proteins. Try protein sources such as legumes (beans, split peas, lentils), nuts (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds), quinoa (the highest protein content of any grain), seitan (wheat gluten), tofu and tempeh. These products provide you with plenty
of protein to build and repair muscles for competition. One of the many flaws of the SAD diet is the excessive intake of protein. Too much protein causes our bones to leach calcium, which in turn promotes osteoporosis. The United States has one of the highest dairy intakes in the world, yet also has one of the highest osteoporosis rates in the world. Dairy Milk is designed by Mother Nature to feed the young of the same species, cow to calf, goat to kid, human mother to baby, etc. It was never meant to cross species (from a lioness to a baby monkey, or from a cow to a baby human). Breast milk from our mothers
is essential when we are babies (only). Milk has been marketed in a very smart way since the end of the 19th century. We have been taught that we need to consume this unnatural food. We are the only species that consumes milk from another species. Milk has been linked to asthma, allergies, osteoporosis, high cholesterol and certain cancers. Milk also contains pus, antibiotics and bovine growth hormone, none of which are needed for a healthy diet. All other dairy products can cause health complications in humans as well. We eat cheese because we believe it is good for us. But in fact, cheese contains casomorphin. Casomorphin produces opiate like effects, and actually makes cheese addicting. Cheese contains more concentrated amounts of casomorphin, since most of the liquid is removed during processing. To avoid dairy products, you must read labels. It is hidden in every imaginable product on the supermarket or grocery store shelves. Products may contain dairy in the form of whey, casein, dry skim milk, milk powder, butterfat, etc. What about fish? We all should be concerned with the toxicity of mercury and other pollutants in our seafood. And the mercury becomes compounded. So when a fish with mercury eats another fish with mercury, that mercury is then compounded. The best food for you from the ocean is sea weed, since it is ranked much lower on the food chain. If you are worried about obtaining omega fatty acids, try a plant-based source (such as organic flax seed). In addition, fish (as well as other “white” meat such as chicken and pork) still delivers unwanted animal cholesterol to our bodies. The big “O” One thing that is becoming more mainstream is the demand for organic food. Organic food contains no pesticides, no hormones, and no genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Our bodies deserve fresh and organic whole foods. GMOs are linked to allergic and toxic reactions, as well as organ damage (to all organs) in laboratory animals, and are contained in approximately 75 percent of all processed foods. The only way to ensure that your food is GMO-free is to buy organic.
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Liquids It is important to constantly supply your body with the right fuel. Players sometimes wait to eat right before a match starts, but often that is too late. Eating correctly starts way before your day of performance. It starts now. Water is the first and only liquid that our bodies should have plenty of; it is the easiest for our body to assimilate and has zero calories. Drinking two glasses of water first thing in the morning will ensure that you will be hydrated for your first morning hours. I remember in my youth always having a pitcher of water on our dinner table for every meal. Soda, power drinks or artificial juices were nonexistent at home. Organic juices are excellent sources of natural sugars and vitamins, but they also contain plenty of calories, so be cautious. If you are an active person and plan to be on the court a long time, juices can supply great energy. Juices will definitely add a boost of energy in the morning. I notice that when I juice kale, carrots, apples, ginger and cucumbers, I feel more awake than when I have a cup of tea. Bottled juices stored on the shelves are not so good since they are “dead juices.” The concentration of vitamins is minimal, they usually come from concentrated fruit purée, and they have been sitting on the shelves for too long. Always pick fresh, organic juice. Many “power drinks” or “energy drinks” are made in a factory or laboratory and many are full of colorings, highly processed sugars, chemicals, colorings and caffeine. Make sure and read the labels. Many have little nutritional value and give you a “fake”
high. The electrolytes and minerals that they offer can be obtained from a more natural source, such as organic juiced vegetables and fruit. Vitamins and Minerals If you want to supplement your diet with multi-vitamins, make sure they are made from whole foods. Try to get a whole foods supplement from your natural food store. B-12 and all of the B vitamins are a very important group so make sure you have plenty of them. An excellent source of B-12 is nutritional yeast, which can be found in bulk at your natural foods store. It can be sprinkled on just about anything. Sodium is also crucial; as we sweat we easily eliminate sodium from our body. Make sure you replenish yourself with electrolyte water during exercise, and eat the right amount of sodium before and after your workout. My experience I used to consume animal products until 1999. I remember bringing a gallon of milk to practices for Futures tournaments in the 80s. I couldn’t explain why I felt sluggish and sleepy after consuming milk. It was too hard to digest. My body was using my energy for digestion, rather than for performance. When people ask me about my health and my performance on the court, the first thing that comes to mind is how quickly I recover during points. It takes a lot for me to get tired. If I play a long point, in a few seconds I am ready for the next one. Another benefit is that I always feel alert, and I’m never exhausted or gasping for breath.
As a coach, I feel that my mental energy has been boosted by being vegan. I am able to keep up with all of my tennis classes and the high energy of our junior development program. I also experienced an amazing adjustment of my taste buds, which were accustomed to processed food, sugars, dairy, meat, cold cereal, milk, soda and other junk food. I now completely enjoy fresh organic vegetables, legumes and fruit. My taste buds now enjoy the goodness of real food. My vegan wife continues to play winning singles at the open level and at the senior national level at the age of 49. Being vegan helps her stamina and strength on the court. My wife and I have strong immune systems, since our bodies don’t waste energy fighting toxins. Since my wife and I became vegan, we see a pattern: we get a cold every four or five years. We have not had the flu since we have been vegan (14 years at least). This translates to no more missed court time whether in training, teaching or competing. Roy Cosio, USPTA, is a tennis professional at La Madrona Athletic Club in Santa Cruz, Calif., and a native of Lima Peru. He has more than 40 years playing experience and has been teaching since 1982. Cosio has taught at Acuna-Victorero Tennis Academy and Las Terrazas Tennis Club, both in Lima, Peru. He worked at Clubsport of San Ramon, Calif., which twice honored him with a Quality Service Award; and Lifetime Tennis Inc. at Cupertino Sports Center in Cupertino, Calif., where he was elected “Pro of the Year” in 1999.
The bottom line This article is only a general overview of a plant-based diet. To read more about the benefits of a plant-based diet and how to avoid disease, the following books, films and websites can get you started: l “The
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Food Revolution” (by John Robbins) l “The China Study” (by T. Colin Campbell) l “Forks Over Knives” (Film) l Websites for more health and fitness information: m www.pcrm.org (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) m www.greatveganathletes.com m www.veganathlete.com m www.bestveganguide.com/vegan-athletes.html m http://www.veganhealthandfitnessmag.com/ m www.forksoverknives.com ADDvantage/October 2013
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LEARN THE SECRETS OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS TRAINING NOW! Developed by Dr. Jim Loehr
EVERY GOOD COACH CAN REFINE A PLAYER’S TECHNIQUE, BUT THE MENTAL EDGE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TO TEACH. World renowned performance psychologist Dr. Jim Loehr has proven time and time again that mental toughness skills can be taught and learned. Available for the first time, this highly acclaimed Mental Toughness Certification Program will allow you to learn the mental coaching skills vital to helping your players overcome adversity and succeed on and off the court. This practical, science-based program has contributed to the success of top ranked pros and countless junior and adult competitors. Using an easy-to-follow, step-by-step proven method, coaches will acquire specific training techniques that can be implemented into any existing program. Attendees will earn 5 USPTA Continuing Education credits.
To learn more about the Mental Toughness Certification Program, call 407.438.9911 x7269 or email info@hpinstitute.com.
mentallytough.com
Teaching tennis and changing lives by Anthony J. DeCecco Jr., USPTA
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here are many reasons why tennis pros might teach tennis. Maybe they want to make money, like the lifestyle, enjoy the exercise or the weather, or maybe they like meeting people. I’d like to suggest one other reason that moves to the top of the list and that is the idea of changing people’s lives. Of course in order to change lives you’d have to make a connection with the student who would have to improve. You’d have to personalize your lesson plan, and you’d have to touch on life lessons and how the tennis court is a metaphor for how things work in the real world, etc. Why not just consider it a privilege and responsibility and go from there? Putting all these ingredients into a single lesson and adding a little fun will guarantee success for the student ... If you do and are sincere about it, you have a great chance of changing lives through tennis.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at the qualities you might want to possess in order to make a difference in someone’s life. 1. Passion: Bringing it every day, even when you get up on the wrong side of the bed is mandatory. Teaching every student with the same level of commitment is essential. This idea speaks to respect for both teacher and student. Showing that you love teaching and learning is important!
with Plans A, and B and C and be ready to adapt. 5. Open-mindedness: Being flexible in your thinking might be the most important quality of all. Think about it. You make assumptions at times and you may be wrong. Do you try to make your
student fit into your fixed mindset or do you tear up the lesson plan and start from scratch with a new viewpoint? This is really what separates the great teachers. Humility! By the way, putting all these ingredients into a single lesson and adding a little fun will guarantee success for the student. If you want to give a quality product you need to add quality ingredients. If you do and are sincere about it, you have a great chance of changing lives through tennis. Anthony DeCecco has been teaching tennis in Chester County for more than 30 years. He is a USPTA Middle States Sectional Vice President, certified USPTA P-1, Professional by the PTR and a national NTRP verifier. He is president and founding member of Tennis Addiction and is dedicated to reaching as many individuals as possible through the lifetime sport of tennis.
2. Expertise: Being able to pick out the one or two things that will help your student the most is extremely important. You have an obligation to do your job, which is to share knowledge and instill confidence in your student. 3. Creativity: Students are different and you won’t be able to use the same method with each and every one. You’ll need to approach problems from different directions using different techniques. We use many methods: asking questions, silent mode and students teaching each other are all ways to introduce concepts and ideas. 4. Preparedness: All great teachers, or all successful people for that matter, are always the most prepared. Come in www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Anthony DeCecco with a few of his students. ADDvantage/October 2013
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Game. Set. Give. by Mandy Johnson, ThanksUSA
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ou can turn your love of the game into a college education for a military spouse or child. That is what Berkeley Hills Country Club did, and through tennis socials and silent auctions they were able to raise $3,700 for Tennis Thanks The Troops, making it the highest grossing fundraiser for this year’s Memorial Day Weekend Challenge. Tennis Thanks The Troops is a national fundraising campaign with the USPTA, USTA Mid-Atlantic and ThanksUSA to provide post-secondary scholarships to the spouses and children of our military men and women. On Memorial Day weekend, tennis players across the country are asked to take part by participating in events to raise money for scholarships.
Berkeley Hills Country Club members Susan Bryant and Coleen Matthews in the Big Apple to watch the US Open. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Berkeley Hills Country Club’s contribution will provide a scholarship in their name to Clemencia Niles, who is pursuing her degree in Art Education Studies at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga. “Not many individuals know and understand the hardships that military families endure during deployments and military careers. Fortu-
Berkeley Hills Country Club Scholarship Recipient, Clemencia Niles, Army spouse.
nately for me and many others, Berkeley Hills Country Club and ThanksUSA recognize not just the soldier’s efforts, but also the family members’ endeavors to succeed,” Niles said. “Thank you very much for this thoughtful scholarship. I consider myself fortunate to be able to continue my education.” Not only was a scholarship awarded in Berkeley Hills’ name, but the club also got to enjoy the perk of being the Tennis Thanks The Troops Memorial Day Weekend Challenge winner, which earned members Susan Bryant and Coleen Matthews a trip to the 2013 US Open in New York. We would like to thank all of the clubs and tennis professionals who participated, with a special thank you to the San Diego Tennis Association that for the second year in a row made Tennis Thanks The Troops a part of their annual “Tennis Fest.” Their fundraising efforts will also allow them to have a ThanksUSA scholarship awarded in their name. If you are interested in joining our mission to provide educational scholarships to the families of our military men and women, then please register to become a Tennis Thanks The Troops host facility or pro in 2014. To register, go to http://www.thanks usa.org/main/events/tennis-register.html. For questions call Mandy Johnson at 703-641-2407 or MandyJohnson@Thanks USA.org. ADDvantage/October 2013
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USPTA Donates $5,000 to ThanksUSA Scholarship Fund
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SPTA donated $5,000 to the ThanksUSA organization as Eric’s father served as an Air Force pilot for 20 years before he a part of the Tennis Thanks the Troops campaign. USPTA was killed in a tragic plane accident in 2008. During Operation presented the check to ThanksUSA CEO Bob Okun during Iraqi Freedom, LTC Witt received numerous awards, and though the USPTA World Conference on Sept. 27 at the Hyatt Regency his service record is extensive, his children remember him as a loving father, an avid distance runner, and a Grand Cypress in Orlando. ThanksUSA CEO Bob Okun fisherman who enjoyed grilling and cooking. ThanksUSA provides need-based, postWitt, who inherited his father’s athleticism, secondary scholarships to the children and began playing for the Otterbein University spouses of active-duty personnel across all men’s tennis team during his freshman year. the Armed Forces, the National Guard and Although Witt loves the sport, he is quick to Reserves, as well as to families of the fallen point out that he is a student first and athlete and wounded. second; he stepped down from the team to “Global combat operations are ending but focus on his studies this year. the mission of our troops – to protect our na“Playing tennis in college gave me a greater tion and our freedoms – persists, as does our appreciation for the skills and focus of timeresponsibility to continue supporting them,” Okun said. “We are proud to partner with the USPTA to thank our management,” Witt said. “I am truly honored by the financial armed forces and their families for their daily sacrifices through the assistance of the USPTA and ThanksUSA. Thank you for supporting military families and enabling me to have such a great gift of education.” ThanksUSA selected Eric Witt of Springfield, Ohio, to be this academic opportunity!” Witt said he plans to first earn his B.S. in biology and then year’s recipient of the USPTA/ThanksUSA Scholarship. Eric Witt persevered despite the loss of his father, Lieutenant pursue graduate studies with a concentration in marine biology. Colonel Daniel J. Witt. With the assistance of the scholarship, For more information on the Tennis Thanks the Troops Eric is able to continue his biology studies at Otterbein University campaign, visit the Tennis Thanks the Troops Web page at www. ThanksUSA.org. in Westerville, Ohio.
Game. Set. Give
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Tennis Thanks The Troops
Give the gift of education to the families of our U.S. Armed Services. Veterans Day Weekend November 9-11, 2013
www.ThanksUSA.org Call 703.855.4108 or email MandyJohnson@ThanksUSA.org
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• How long have you worked at USPTA and what do you do here? I’ve worked at USPTA for nearly a year and a half now. I am a videographer/editor and I assist in the recording and editing of “On Court with USPTA.” •
What’s your educational background? I graduated from Texas A&M University majoring in architecture and minoring in film studies; however, I also learned about videography and editing through my time as a member of a filmmaking student organization, SWAMP (Screen-Writing, Acting, and Movie Production). This organization allowed me to work on a number of student films as well as videos for other A&M organizations.
• What do you like best about your job? The people I work with. They’re fun, hilarious and diverse. In the Multimedia Department, I work with an American, a Briton and a Romanian tennis professional. I love every minute of working and hanging out with this group and with everyone else at USPTA HQ. It makes every day fun.
area, but after I graduated from Texas A&M and married my college sweetheart, we made our home in Katy, her hometown. • What would people be surprised to know about you? I am married to a lawyer. My wife recently graduated law school and took the bar exam, so that’s pretty cool! Also, I love to dance. I’m not good at it, but you put on the right beats and I’ll be on the dance floor. The right music just energizes me, and I love to feel the rhythm. • If you could go anywhere in the world or do anything, where/ what would it be? There’s definitely two places that are on my bucket list: Japan and Scotland. I’d just soak in all the fun and energy of Tokyo, and I’d fill up my camera with the gorgeous landscapes of the Japanese mountains and countryside. My last name (Robertson) is of Scottish heritage, and something about bagpipes and kilts and the Scottish accent just seems so cool. Whenever I think about going to Scotland, I feel “the call of the homeland” as it were. Also, Gerard Butler (from Scotland) is awesome and one of my favorite actors.
• Do you have a specific work ethic or personal Clockwise from top left: Andrew at Pier 39 near San Francisco, Big Sur in California, philosophy that you Waimea Canyon in Kauai, Hawaii, and Hawaii. live by? I guess there’s two phrases that determine my work ethic. The first is “work • What are your hobbies? What do you like to do outside of work? I love anything to do with video. I make videos on trips, as unto the Lord,” Colossians 3:23. I strive to remind myself at weddings, even at home. I love the thrill of storytelling with that everything I do, even the smallest task, is to be my best moving pictures, and I’m incredibly blessed to make a living work. doing that here at USPTA. The other phrase is “don’t do anything halfway,” which means never leave something incomplete or without giving it 110 Other than that, I enjoy occasional reading, watching movies, and hanging out with my family and friends. I also visit the percent. I’m not perfect, but those two phrases float around in local gun range occasionally. my head the most when doing my work here at USPTA. • Where have you lived besides Houston? I was actually born in Frankfort, Ky., which is where my dad was born and raised. However, my family moved to Houston shortly thereafter. I may not be a pure-born Texan, but I got here as fast as I could. I do feel at home in both states though. I was raised in the Cypress www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
• What event in your life would you like to live over and why? My freshman year in college. I was pretty nervous for such a new step in my life, so I kept to myself a lot for that first year. I wish I could’ve been more social and enjoyed that time a bit more as much as I did my last three years. ADDvantage/October 2013
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USPTA welcomes new members Congratulations to the following new USPTA members who fulfilled requirements between May 16 and August 31. Certified members California Quinn Caldaron Gary Chamberlain Roy Encarnacion Bernard Ferrao Colin Francis Adrian Garza Mark Griep Chris Ko Vanessa McPadden Evan Parry Fabio Silva Eastern Kishan Alluri Michael Bratt Dominique Damian Alexander Davis Roxana Dragan Shuwen Hu Tomasz Kopczynski Terry Kuo Anton Mavrin Gerard Minges Terence Nugent Sajid Shaikh Marc Silva Fred Sperber Yevgeny Supeko Collin Torrence Amanda Wu Florida Jonathan Andrews Marc Atkinson Vincent Baudat Matthew Danziger Marc Dunn Michael Feldman Jarrod Goare Jeffrey Golden Dustin Goldenberg Ana Gonzalez Dorado Rob Hodges Ralph Knapp John Koldhoff Arick Lane Scott Lefteris Tyler Marengo Miguel Mariano David McNamara Blake Merrell Justin Miles Carlos Miramontes Robert Okuly Dustin Opalka Andrew Schuyler Joshua Simonetta-Lee Melissa Smith Jeremy Standiford Petr Svoboda Andrew Waye Hawaii Tricia Wilstead Intermountain Travis Cattron Joseph Grubb Alexandra Hefter Aaron Lapkin Cami Mathison Daria Matthews Jonathan Pfeifer Jason Swanson Devin Van Treeck Kira Woods Ronald Yeaton
Mid-Atlantic German Boryachinskiy Andre Ivarsson Louis Malfait Jerome Pajot Derek Sabedra Patrick Walker Houston Ward Middle States Matthew Crouse Matthew Fawcett Lauren Klotzbach Midwest Brandon Arradaza Anna Baronayte Mark Cunnington Luis Estrada-Ruiz Jaymes Haggerty Young Kim Travis King Nathan Kunnen Brandon Lenfert Razvan Mag Sonthana Thongsithavong Colton Westran Kevin Wickham Kacie Zuck Missouri Valley Philip Cook Richard Dickerson Michelle Hall Seth Harris Ronald Morrow Julie Westercamp Ryan Witham Mark Zolman New England Jaclyn Baldwin Wesley Ballentine Jake Cohen Christopher Fuderich Mathew Marion Patrick Montane Anthony Moschetto Michael Ricci Mark Tortolani Daria Tuzhikova Telly Zangas Northern Kyle Anderson Scott Larsen Michael Lunka Brian Ward Northern California Adam Blanford Loke Davis Frantz Glasz Stefan Stefanov Rick Trenner Jason Wilson Pacific Northwest Gerald Ellison Tim Hunt Walter James Matthew Jorgensen Curt Wheeler San Diego Matthew McCormick Lacey McGill Southern Kevin Asbell Paul Branning Wojtek Bratek Matt Brewer
Jeff Carpenter Margot Carter Ian Conchar Brandon Dixon Ernesto Farinas Timarie Fisk Robert Flowers Shanda Hedrick Allison Hodges Madeline Johnson Michael Johnson John Karle Justin Kelley Christian Lampe Donni Leaycraft Joseph Ley Marc Lilley Jerry Loel Steven Myers Darin Phelan Meagan Piroutek Antonio Ruiz Michael Sanford Jordan Smith Jourdan Smith Arnold Thompson Natalie van Blerk Matt Walters Bruno Weygandt Mitch Zenaty Southwest Darrah Blackwater Michael Jones Karen Li-Jensen Alex Mansfield Drew McDermott Texas Daniel Daly Jacob Dromey Renish Halani Michael Hatcher Cullen Holbrook Tyler Honeycutt Lauren Huse Andrew Huszar Forrest Jenkins Alfredo Krywacz Mark Mazique Marshal McClure Stefan McKinney Tammy Morris Garrett Pekar Suresh Ramakrishnan Joseph Rodgers Kristian Rodriguez Jose Salas Paxton Short Jake Williams U.S. Territories & Canada Alejandra Enderica China Ze Nan Chen Eddie Cheung Qian Guo Regan Lo Ching Pang Tsz Ming Tang Ying Kit Robin Tong Terry Tsang Dong Wei Yang Wei Seng Zhang International Ismael Aragon Manuel Aznar Iban Catalan Tomas Cottet Josep Fernandez
Jaume Hernandez Aduri Sri Krishna Daniel Serrano Natalia Volcova Jose Antonio Yanguas JPTA Yusuke Araki Kana Komatsu Shingo Koyama Haruki Machida Takuya Ogasawara Tarou Omori Yuki Saito Ryo Shimaura Yoshiyuki Shiono Chisato Sokai Recreational Coach California David Alden Devin Bowler Kenneth Brown Christian Doria Grzegorz Gorczyca David Hicks Sarah Karagianis Daniel Park Nicholas Park Aris Spirtos Eastern Kyle Bull Douglas Busch Karen Chis Bentley Gonzalez Jorge Gonzalez Rubio Najera Michael Kennelly Andreas Landgrebe Kobina Patterson Edmund Raheb Florida William Earnhart Claire Gray Jason Heironimus Howard Levine Charles Olden Whit Reutlinger Christian Rojas Intermountain Noah Benedict Diana Cordova Elliott James Flanigan Janet Larsh Sean Lettero Timothy Moller Tomi Winnig Mid-Atlantic Timothy Nissley Vyron Sacharidis Christina Shah Richard Williams Midwest Alexandra Bastock Andrew Carlos Terry Farrell Kyle Grubb Marcus McDorman Jason Pierce Anthony Pitt Dennis Seipel Middle States Kai Renee Boulware Stephen Calandrillo Noah Lee
New England George Crouse Xiao Li James Mauri Shawna Sarson Northern California Brian Brown Christopher Cheng Sadettin Cirit John Gerard Kevin Glenn Rick Hoppe Kyle Krug Aaron Morrill Cuong Nguyen Pacific Northwest Vivien Benjamin Norward Brooks Laura Geniuch Dakota Giddings San Diego Dean Hodsman Tamara Sarafijanovic Southern Jill Akiyama James Bond Anne Brandt Clifford Campbell Michael Clark Ivan Conchar George Demmas Tucker Fenske Herve Hicintuka Adam Moneypenny Kyle Sleem George Sowards Armand Steger Laszlo Szujo Southwest Mickey Mott Texas Nolan Carr Pam Koons Ryan Rasco Jerry Stilwell Jason Wright China Alex Cheong Wing Au Danny Chan Jacky Chan Ming Chiu Chan Kar Wing Ian Cheng Nelson Yam Yu Chiu Rondney Yiu Pong Choi Tak Wai Choi Yiu Tat Chow Ho Yin Lewis Fung Kwok Ping Keung Yuk Leong Koo Siu Ki Law Tak Wai Joey Lee Kimble Leung Siu Wun Leung Earnest Yeung Li Edmond Lo Ho Ming Martin Ng Kam Sin Larry Suen Raymond Tong Wing Kei Tse Mikael Wallman Wing Ming Wong Man Hon Tim Wu Wing Shing Ian Yiu
$13,000 USPTA Hard Court Championships
Oct. 18-20, 2013 – Tyler, Texas
Location:
Tyler, Texas, is located 90 miles southeast of Dallas and 80 miles west of Shreveport, La. American and United offer regional jet service into Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.
Events:
MOS, MOD, M35S, M45S, M55S, M65S, M75S, M40D, M50D, WOS, WOD, W40S, W50S, W40D, OPEN MXD, 40MXD
Eligibility:
Must be Professional-level USPTA-certified member in good standing at time of entry. Recreational Coaches and applicants are not eligible. USTA membership is not required.
Entry fees:
$80 for each singles event and $40 per player for each doubles event entered. Call 903-581-7788 to enter with credit card. It’s easy to set up a free USPTAPlayer.com account to enter online at no additional cost to you!
Entry includes:
Tournament T-shirt, Friday evening courtside pasta party and Saturday courtside breakfast and lunch. Consolation offered in all events with a minimum of $100 to winning teams.
Deadline:
Entries must be received through http://www.courtsideusa.com/club/uspta-championships by Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013.
Extras:
Limited free housing available. Please email housing requests to jsciarro@gmail.com. Players must be registered for tournament to request housing. Hotels: Holiday Inn South Broadway 903-5615800, USPTA rate $89; Country Inn & Suites 903-561-7459, USPTA rate $80; Hilton Garden Inn 903-509-1166; Comfort Suites 903-534-0999; Marriott Courtyard 903-509-4411; Quality Inn 903597-1301; Priceline options also available.
Prize money:
Prize money based on number of entries in each event. Men’s and women’s open singles winners are guaranteed a minimum of $1,900 with full 16 draws. We will offer first match loser consolation in all events and prize money to consolation winner.
Sponsors:
The Original Evans AC, Quality Investments, Texas Spine & Joint Hospital, Lago del Pino, Tyler Beverages, TCMC Inc., McMillin Holdings, Yvette Brunette State Farm Insurance
For more information, please contact Jim Sciarro at 903-581-7788 or at jsciarro@gmail.com.
Career Development
conventions ( Division conventions, 5 credits; World Conference 8 credits; dates subject to change) Nov. 1-2 New England Division Woodstock, Vt. Nov. 15-16 Middle States Division Princeton, N.J.
taut workshops Oct. 12
Pacific Northwest Division Portland, Ore.
Nov. 1
New England Division Woodstock, Vt.
Nov. 9
Northern California Division Larkspur, Calif.
Nov. 15
Middle States Division Princeton, N.J.
Nov. 15
Mid-Atlantic Division College Park, Md.
Dec. 6-7
Southern Division Atlanta
exams, upgrades & certification review courses
(4 credits for PTCA I segment) Oct. 6 Oct. 6 Oct. 6 Oct. 6 Oct. 11 Oct. 11-12 Oct. 12 Oct. 13 Oct. 14 Oct. 17-18 Oct. 18-19 Oct. 19-20 Oct. 26-27 Oct. 26-27
Hilton Head Island, S.C. Fort Worth, Texas West Bloomington, Mich. Richmond, Va. Oklahoma City Missoula, Mont. Paradise Valley, Ariz. Rockledge, Fla. San Diego Chatham, N.J. Houston* Baton Rouge, La. El Paso, Texas Mountlake Terrace, Wash.
Oct. 27-28 Nov. 2-3 Nov. 3 Nov. 3 Nov. 4 Nov. 8 Nov. 9 Nov. 15 Nov. 15-16 Nov. 16 Nov. 16-17 Nov. 16-17
Frederick, Md. Lafayette, La. Rancho Mirage, Calif. Winter Springs, Fla. Upland, Calif. Kansas City, Mo. San Francisco Wilmington, Del. (upgrades only) Houston* Mequon, Wisc. Boca Raton, Fla. Fayetteville, N.C.
* 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 PTCA I 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 – $95; 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 Creative drill design, Nov. 1, Jackson, Wis., J. Capestany 10 and Under Tennis, Nov. 9, Larkspur, Calif, A. Pant
cardio tennis Oct. 11 Oct. 20
Atlanta Fayetteville, N.C.
accredited professional coach Register your Accredited Professional Coach (APC) and specialty course credits earned with the USPTA SmartCode Education System. This uses your smartphone to instantly register your attendance to all seminars and specialty courses earning APC. To use the system at a seminar, general session or specialty course, you must scan two QR codes. One QR code is on your conference badge. The second QR code will be in your conference notebook and cannot be scanned until the end of the session or the beginning of the next session. If you do not have a smartphone, you may use someone else’s. Forms are available upon request.
Please visit www.cardiotennis.com to register online.
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www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
ADDvantage/October 2013
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Industry action Manufacturers
Hop-a-Razzi ball baskets, long used by teaching professionals, made their pro debut on the practice courts at the Western & Southern Open. The hoppers with built-in wheels offer faster ball retrieval so there’s more time for active play. Hop-a-Razzi is for sale at the Lindner Family Tennis Center through Midwest Sports, the tournament’s official retail partner. The Hop Junior model used on the tournament’s practice courts features built-in wheels, adjustableheight handles, snap-shut lids, and tubular comfort-grips. Visit www. hoparazzi.com for more information. Dynamic Tape, developed by Ryan Kendrick, a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist IMS Practitioner, can strongly assist or resist movement, facilitate or inhibit and offload tissue through full range of motion. It allows the wearer to move through full range of motion without limitation but with strong biomechanical assistance. This is only possible due to the highly elastic nature (no endpoint like kinesiotapes) and four-way stretch necessary when taping multi-joint muscles or movements and performing complex, three-dimensional skills. For more information, visit www.dynamictape.co.
HEAD Penn Racquet Sports USA posted a record year in 2012, recording its bestever sales results for a full year in company history, including a double-digit percentage increase for both HEAD and Penn brands. Much of the success of the company can be attributed to HEAD’s allstar cast of athletes as the company represents some of the world’s best tennis players including Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova, Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych. HEAD’s product categories continued to strengthen with the 2013 launch of the HEAD Graphene™ technology and two new racquet series. HEAD Graphene™ not only benefits toplevel players; this innovative technology offers tangible advantages to tennis players of all levels. HEAD has also come out this year as a leader in the industry within social media by combining players and marketing to maximize the impact. In August of 2012, HEAD had approximately 300,000 fans on their Facebook page. One year and the Facebook fans number more than 1 million. For more information on HEAD Racquet Sports USA please visit www.head.com/tennis.
Associations The Club Managers Association of America is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its 87th World Conference and Club Business Expo. The 2014 event will take place in Orlando, Fla., at the Orlando World Center Marriott, Feb. 4-8. The conference offers club management professionals from around the world the opportunity to participate in education sessions and peer networking events as well as preview the latest products and services available in the industry at the Club Business Expo. Most notably, this year’s event will include more than 70 education sessions addressing the myriad challenges facing today’s club management professionals. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend full-day workshops, as well as 90-minute sessions and round-table discussions. General Sessions will showcase Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic, Charles Hazlewood, British Conductor and founder of the British Paraorchestra, and Bo Jackson, retired All-Star baseball and football player. For more information or to register, visit www.cmaa.org/conf. Special rates for this not-to-miss event are available until Dec. 12, 2013.
Miscellany
Two tennis facilities built by Fast-Dry Courts were recognized as winners at the 32nd annual USTA Facility Awards Program. This USTA program recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country. The two 2013 USTA Facility Award winners built by Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. were: Boca West Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla., and Gulf Coast Tennis Club in Gulf Shores, Ala.
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ADDvantage/October 2013
Tennis Channel is looking to crown America’s hottest male and female tennis coach. It’s about more than just good looks. America’s Hottest Tennis Coach must also be physically fit and promote a healthy lifestyle, be someone who is motivational, inspirational and demonstrates a passion for the game. The nominee must be USPTA or PTR certified or have credentials coaching tennis at either a competitive academic level (i.e., high school, college or university) or at a public or private tennis facility. He or she must be currently working as a tennis coach/professional. For more information or to nominate someone, go to www.tennischannel.com/hottest. The winners receive a prize package including a trip (roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations for two nights) to Indian Wells, tickets to the 2014 BNP Paribas Open, and an appearance on Tennis Channel. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM PT on November 4, 2013. www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com