Making the Most of Your Career:
Navigating Your USPTA Membership! Page 47
Departments 53 Beyond the Court 46 CEO’s Message 47 Vice President’s Message 57 Career Development 59 Member news 49 USPTA Benefits Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com On the cover: Good presenters who can share valuable information with the rest of the membership are always in demand at division conferences. USPTA Professional Ikaika Jobe was a featured speaker at the Hawaii Division Convention in February.
CEO’s Message
A Terrific Partner ...
by John Embree
O
ne of the many positive unintended consequences of being in the industry as long as I have are the relationships that been developed and nurtured over the past 35-plus years. We all talk about how small our sport really is. Those of us who have been around for so long like I have often comment that “it’s the people” that make this great game so special. Clearly, there is no more shining example of how our tennis world goes ‘round than the relationship that I have had with the wonderful team at Fromuth Tennis. I have had the good fortune of dealing with the folks in Reading, Pa., throughout my professional life in a variety of professional capacities. To be working with them now as our provider for Nike footwear and apparel is indeed a treat. I don’t know of another company so committed to servicing the grassroots than Fromuth. Since the Fromuth family founded the company decades ago, the overarching priority has always been to take care of the small pro shop with exceptional customer service, same-day shipping, expansive product selection and quality merchandise. And, they manage their ever-growing business with a smile on their faces, an appreciation for their customers and a genuine willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Thus, the endorsement agreement between the USPTA and Fromuth Tennis that began several years ago was born out of a sincere desire to help our USPTA members have access to the No. 1 brand in apparel and footwear (Nike) that would not be available to them
46 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
otherwise. Over the course of the last They also know that USPTA Profesfive-plus years, USPTA Professionals sionals will alter their purchasing decihave come to trust Fromuth Tennis for sions based on which companies are their own personal product needs and supporting their long-term financial also that of their pro shops. health. Why wouldn’t you want to back Thus, it gives me great pleasure to these companies? announce an extension of our existThe momentum for the Retireing agreement for an additional five ment Gold+ program continues to years once the current term expires in build. My commitment going forward 2016. To ensure that our association to the membership at large is to create will be affiliated with the clear market endorsement agreements with those leader in footwear and apparel for the enterprises that share the same desire foreseeable future, this agreement soto provide security to our professionlidifies a benefit that our membership als. Not only do we want an affiliation fully appreciates. with products that our My commitment going But, the better membership desires, forward to the membership but every brand that news about extendat large is to create endorse- joins our endorsement ing this partnership ment agreements with those portfolio in the years at this point in time is enterprises that share the the commitment that to come has to make Fromuth Tennis is go- same desire to provide the commitment to ing to make to support security to our professionals. helping our pros and the Retirement Gold+ their families. program starting April 1. They will now I extend my sincerest thanks to be the fourth company in our family of Owner and President Pat Shields and endorsees that will be making a conthe entire crew at Fromuth Tennis for tribution to the long-term security of their vigorous support of the USPTA. USPTA members who have ownership They have been outstanding partners or financial/management responsibilin the past and have stepped up big time ity of their pro shops on site at their with this new aspect to our endorsefacility. The deal is simple: for any ment. I look forward to growing our USPTA Professional who purchases Nike business with them in the years to from Fromuth Tennis more than $750 come. And, our members should show per year of Nike footwear and apparel their appreciation by making Fromuth/ for their pro shop (not personal prodNike their first choice when considering uct for personal use), Fromuth Tennis what apparel and footwear to buy. This will contribute 5 percent of those puragreement is a “win-win” for both Frochases to that professional’s Retiremuth and USPTA. ment Gold+ plan. Stay tuned as we develop other rePrince, Hop-a-Razzi, NetKnacks lationships with companies who value and now Fromuth recognize the imwhat the USPTA Pro can bring to the portance that the Retirement Gold+ table. Thanks, Fromuth, for all that you program is to participating members. do on behalf of USPTA members. h
Vice President’s Message
Make the Most of Your Career: Navigating Your USPTA Membership!
by Jack Michalko
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now your association As a member of the USPTA, you should become familiar with the association. The best tool to use is our brand new USPTA. com website! It’s very user friendly and there is a smorgasbord of information at your fingertips. Get involved We all know that you get out of your membership what you are prepared to put into it. However, we all have significant time constraints that can make getting involved challenging. To tailorsuit your involvement, I’ve listed some ideas on how you can get involved: • Attend a workshop/division conference/World Conference – These are some of the most important tools available to you as a member. They are great ways to meet new pros and collect education credits while you’re learning new teaching techniques, drills and business skills. • Volunteer/Make a difference – Volunteering is the best way to discover the rewards of getting involved. Divisions are always looking for professionals to help with their conventions. This could be something as simple as helping with registration, introducing speakers, or handing out name badges. Call your division’s president and volunteer to serve on one of the many committees that may be of interest. • Speak at an event – If you are an engaging speaker with an interesting story to tell, let your division know. Good presenters who can share valuable information with the rest of the membership are always in demand.
• Recruit new members – You can make a powerful difference by sharing your experience and encouraging others to join. • Recognize a colleague – The USPTA Awards Program recognizes teaching professionals on a national and a divisional level. If you know a colleague who has made a significant contribution to tennis, take the time to submit his/her name for consideration. Your professional development • Write an article – This is a great way to raise your profile, particularly if you’ve been involved with a successful project or activity that you can showcase. The USPTA and your division are always interested in articles, court studies, drills and commentary for publication on the website and in their publications. • Connect to us on social media – Connect to USPTA via:
• Send USPTA/Division news – If you have news about yourself, your club, or if you hear of any news that you would like to ensure other teaching professionals are aware of please let the USPTA and/or your division know. They really will appreciate the heads up! Networking USPTA Professionals should start networking as soon as possible. Networking can help raise a professional’s level of
awareness within the association. It can open many doors both in and outside the tennis profession. It also goes a long way toward building many meaningful relationships throughout the country that will benefit you in the future. Build your networking platform now so that when you need help finding that new job, etc., you will have a strong networking base in place. All too often professionals wait until they need to change jobs or need to relocate before they begin networking and by then it is way too late. Don’t let this happen to you. Start planning your networking strategy immediately. • Increase your visibility – As mentioned before you can attend your division conference, the World Conference, serve on a committee, or attend your division’s area meetings and workshops. • Communicate – Communication is so much easier today than it ever has been before with emailing, texting and the entire social media scene. Take advantage of all of it. • Promote yourself – USPTA offers you so many ways to market yourself. For instance, USPTAplayer. com, newsletters, personal USPTA websites, personalized USPTA logo, conferences, ADDvantage magazine and the list goes on and on. • Join or start a special interest group – If you have a special interest (e.g., under 30 initiative) and would like to form a group in your area, let your division president know so he or she can help. USPTA is glad to have you as a member, and we hope you find your membership both enjoyable and valuable! h
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
NIKE PREMIER RF POLO
Move More. Move Better.
h t t p : / / u s p t a. fr omut ht ennis . com
The official distributor of Nike footwear and apparel to the USPTA.
USPTA Benefits
USPTA, Fromuth Extend Partnership to 2021 Fromuth Tennis becomes fourth endorsee to participate in USPTA’s Retirement Gold+ Program
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he United States Professional Tennis Association extended its partnership with Fromuth Tennis an additional five years through August 2021 to be the exclusive provider of Nike footwear and apparel. The agreement links the No. 1 global athletic brand with the most influential group of teaching professionals in the world. In addition to the extended agreement, Fromuth Tennis will participate in the USPTA’s Retirement Gold+ program beginning April 1, 2014. For any USPTA Professionals who purchase more than $750 per year of Nike footwear and apparel for their pro shops (not for personal use), Fromuth will
contribute 5 percent into those particiFromuth is now the fourth compating professionals’ Retirement Gold+ pany to participate in USPTAs Retireaccounts. ment Gold+ program along with Prince “I don’t know of another company Global Sports, Hop-a-Razzi, and Netso committed to Knacks. The program servicing the grass- “I don’t know of another company provides a vendorso committed to servicing the roots than Frosupported retirement muth,” USPTA CEO grassroots than Fromuth.” plan that allows for John Embree said. ~ USPTA CEO John Embree tax-deferred growth “Along with ensuruntil funds are withing that our association will be affiliatdrawn at retirement. ed with the clear market leader in footSince 2006, Fromuth has been wear and apparel in Nike, Fromuth’s the official distributor of Nike footcommitment to the tennis-teaching wear and apparel to the USPTA, professional by contributing to the providing USPTA members a 30 Retirement Gold+ program solidifies percent discount off retail prices a benefit that our membership fully when purchasing Nike goods appreciates.” through Fromuth. h
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 49
USPTA Benefits
Access Great Content Anywhere, Anytime with USPTA TV
U
SPTA and Dartfish are very proud to announce the launch of the USPTA TV app for both iOS and Android devices. This free app, available in Apple’s App Store and Google Play, is a direct portal to educational content and teaching resources posted to the USPTA’s channel on Dartfish.tv. Members can subscribe to content by logging onto www.dartfish.tv/USPTA, and thereafter access directly from the app. In addition to educational content, the channel will also feature new reference clip libraries that are a fantastic resource for use out on the court. Age-appropriate stroke reference clips with key positions, drawing tools and comments are available for Red Ball, Orange Ball and Green Dot strokes, with more to follow. Strokes include serves, groundstrokes (all stances), volleys and overheads for both boys and girls.
Besides being able to view this content directly from the USPTA TV, members who have Dartfish Express video teaching app (available for iOS, $4.99 at App Store) are able to down-
load reference clips directly to their device. This enables a full teaching solution: show players great reference clips, film and annotate players’ strokes, and then share online! h Get started now by subscribing at www.dartfish.tv/USPTA
Download Dartfish Express: n bit.ly/RDwICl n or use the QR code above Download USPTA TV app: n iOS – bit.ly/1mt9lL0, n Android – bit.ly/1mt6XDY Video analysis solutions – from simple analysis using apps to advanced match tagging and cloud sharing – are available for all budgets. For more information or to arrange a private online demonstration, contact Warren.Pretorius@dartfish.com.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 51
GAME, SET,
NEVER MATCHED! 10-S.com • 800-247-3907
Official Court Equipment Supplier of the
Beyond the Court New Testing and Education Requirements, Opportunities for USPTA Pros
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he year has gotten off to a fast start and there are lots of new initiatives for 2014. We have finally caught our breaths from the furious pace we set in testing and certification at the end of 2013. With the new category structure beginning in January, we conducted more tests in November and December than ever before, and now we’re busy implementing the changes involved with the new member categories along with the new education requirement. The new measures, which stem from the combined efforts of the Education, Membership, and Testing and Certification committees with the approval from the National Board and Executive Committee, were put in place to streamline our membership categories and enhance the knowledge of both applicants and certified tennis professionals. Streamlining the categories makes them easier to understand and, more importantly, promote. By adding education on 10 and Under Tennis to an applicant’s curriculum and a continuing education requirement to certified professionals, we are elevating the standards of teaching professionals. These last two efforts are part of our collaboration with the PTR. So what does this all mean? All new applicants will be tested at the new Professional Level. This level incorporates the following requirements: • Written Exam • Grip Exam • Feeding Exam • Stroke Production • Private Lesson • Group Lesson • Coach Youth Tennis Program – Online education (6 courses) and a face-to-face workshop USPTA Professionals who are interested in upgrading to the new Elite Professional category will need to successfully complete the following requirements: • Written Elite exam (online) – based on four subject areas (Business, Programming, Sport Science and
• •
•
•
Tennis Operations). There are specialty courses available that are associated with each topic. Feeding Exam (Elite level) Stroke Analysis Exam (online) – The preparation course is completed; the exam is pending Education Component – Upgrade requires earning 16 specialty course credits and 24 APC credits (once this has been met, it doesn’t have to be repeated) Pay $100 upgrade fee (includes specialty courses for written exam)
Professionals will also need to have scored Elite Professional (or previous Professional 1 level) on stroke production, private and group lessons. To assist members in preparing for the new Elite Professional written exam and fulfill the specialty course requirement, USPTA will provide pros the specialty course videos within the upgrade package. The specialty course DVDs that will be included are listed below. Questions for the Elite written exam are taken from the content in the courses. At the end of each DVD, members can submit the codes to earn education credits. Each specialty course is worth 2 credits. The Education Requirement Beginning this year, all certified members are required to earn six (6) credits within a three-year period. This can be accomplished in a vast number of ways.
Attending a division conference will earn you the credits you need. You can also earn credits from many of our industry partners. Attending USTA conferences, the USPTA World Conference, watching specialty courses on DVDs, webinars, workshops and trainings is a great way to earn the credits. Also, you can earn three credits by completing the six online courses for Coach Youth Tennis. The online courses are free to all members and each are approximately 40 minutes in length. For more information, register for courses at coach youthtennis.com. Remember that any education or training you do will count for credits. You will need to submit the date and duration of the training to get your credits. You can email the information to education@ uspta.org. Check the website or ADDvantage magazine for upcoming division conference dates. To register for the Elite Professional upgrade, contact the Membership Department at 800-877-8248. h
Specialty course DVDs: “Tennis business management”– Mark McMahon “Using your coaching skills in a manager’s role” – Jill Fonte “Managing a tennis complex” – Drew Sunderlin “A system for supervision” – Barbara Fackel “Making your pro shop a profitable venture” – Drew Sunderlin “Management: A learned skill” – A.J. Pant “Sports physiology/nutrition” – Mike Bergeron, Ph.D. “Biomechanics/sports medicine” – Scott Riewald, Ph.D., and Todd Ellenbecker “Sports psychology/motor learning” – Dan Gould, Ph.D., and Michael Kernodle, Ph.D.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 53
Beyond the Court
Q & A with ThanksUSA Founders Rachel and Kelsi Okun By Mandy Johnson, ThanksUSA
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wo teenage girls from McLean, Va., have vowed never to forget our Armed Forces and their families by saying thank you through one of life’s most precious gifts – education. Nine years ago, at ages 8 and 10, Rachel and Kelsi Okun launched ThanksUSA, a non-profit organization that provides need-based postsecondary educational scholarships to the children and spouses of U.S. military personnel. Since its launch, ThanksUSA has awarded more than 3,000 scholarships totaling nearly $10 million. In 2012, the USPTA partnered with ThanksUSA to form Tennis Thanks the Troops (TTTT), a national fundraising campaign that encourages tennis professionals to thank our troops by raising funds for the ThanksUSA scholarship program. Who inspired you to found ThanksUSA? We are not a military family, but Army Lt. Col. Lanier Ward and his family lived next to us when we were in elementary school. Col. Ward was injured badly in Iraq and we saw the hardships he and his family faced during his recovery at home. Seeing the Wards overcome so many obstacles inspired us to find a way to say thanks to them and other military families for their service and sacrifices, thus, ThanksUSA was born.
At ages 8 and 10 Kelsi and Rachel Okun started ThanksUSA with the help of their teacher Carolyn Ferek.
Why did you decide the best way to give back was through education? Education is very important to our family and we wanted to help the spouses and children of our military reach their full potential through educational scholarships. How did you start ThanksUSA? When we first hatched the idea, we rushed over to one of our former teachers who helped us begin to mobilize family and friends to start the legal process, fundraise through lemonade stands and pitching foundations, and helped by supporting the idea. ThanksUSA originated as a virtual natural history treasure hunt that would raise money for the scholarship program. The treasure hunt is going on its ninth year now! How did tennis come into the picture? Our dad has been a competitive tennis player since he was a kid and during family visits to the Tennis Hall
The inspiration for ThanksUSA, Lt. Col. Lanier Ward and his family attend the ThanksUSA 2013 Treasure Our Troops Gala with Kelsi and Rachel.
of Fame and US Open we saw that tennis has had a long association with the military. Once we heard of a successful fundraiser that golf pros were able to mobilize to raise money for military scholarships, we thought, why can’t tennis pros do the same? This is how Tennis Thanks the Troops was formed and we are so grateful to the USPTA, the Bryan Brothers, Lisa Raymond and so many others who have embraced this idea. You’ve met nearly 100 families through ThanksUSA. What do they mean to you? The thousands of students helped by ThanksUSA scholarships each have an incredible story of sacrifice and gratitude. Without exception, each one repays their community by doing well. To read more of the Q&A, visit www. ADDvantageUSPTA.com. h
To learn more about Tennis Thanks the Troops please email TTTT@ThanksUSA.org, call 703-641-2407 or visit ThanksUSA.org.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 55
Official Racquet, String and Ball of the USPTA
TM
Career Development Conventions
Exams, Upgrades & PTCA I
(Division conventions, 5 credits; World Conference 8 credits; dates subject to change) May 15-17 Mary 27-June 1 June 6-7
Southern Division Florida Division Pacific Northwest Division
Johns Creek, Ga. Port St. Lucie, Fla. Seattle
(4 credits for PTCA I segment) Hilton Head Island, S.C. San Diego San Francisco Atlanta Aurora, Ill. Des Moines, Iowa Orlando, Fla. Upland, Calif. Tyler, Texas Chatham, N.J. Boca Raton, Fla.
* 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 May 29
From tennis professional to business manager Port St. Lucia, Fla.; T. Daglis
TAUT workshop April 1 April 5 April 5 April 5 May 3 May 17 May 28 May 31 May 31 June 1 June 1 June 1 June 1 June 7 June 8 June 8
Chicago North Little Rock, Ark. Palmetto Bay, Fla. McKinney, Texas Charlottesville, Va. Fort Collins, Colo. Port St. Lucie, Fla. Sussex, Wis. Fremont, Calif. Antelope, Calif. Holland, Mich. Albuquerque, N.M. Mill Valley, Calif San Andreas, Calif. Los Gatos, Calif. Lexington Park, Md.
Register at www.coachyouthtennis.com
Cardio Tennis April 17 April 19 April 27 May 5 May 16 May 17 May 17 May 18 May 18 June 14 Oct. 9 Nov. 8 Nov. 9
CT CT CT CT CT TRX CT CT TRX CT TRX CT CT CT CT TRX CT
Darien, Conn. Birmingham, Ala. Cleveland Philadelphia Denver Denver Austin, Texas Austin, Texas Cleveland New York Fayetteville, N.C. New York New York
Please visit www.cardiotennis.com to register online.
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.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 57
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
April 6 April 6 April 7-8 April 12-13 April 12-13 April 13 April 13 April 13-14 April 16-17 April 17-18 April 19-20
NIKE ADVANTAGE PRINTED TANK
Move More. Move Better.
ht t p:/ / us pt a. fr omut ht ennis . c o m
Member News • Riverhill Tennis Director Garry Nadebaum, USPTA, returned to Australia to play the Australian National Tennis Championships. This year was a very strong tournament with four of the top 20 players entered from not only Australia but also Finland and the Netherlands. Nadebaum teamed up with Dubler Cup teammate Chris O’Mara (Qld, Aus) to win the doubles title. Nadebaum and O’Mara won the doubles final defeating D. Evans (Qld, Aus) and G. Schouteten (Qld, Aus), 6-0, 5-7, 6-3. In singles, Nadebaum was the No. 3 seed and won two rounds before losing in the semifinals to Geoff Rafter, 5-7, 4-6. Nadebaum’s ITF world singles ranking stays at No.17 and his ITF World doubles ranking climbs to No. 6. Pictured: Garry Nadebaum with parents Ruth and Brian Nadebaum. • Celebrated tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, USPTA Master Professional, has led life with the intensity of a fifth-set tiebreaker. In his autobiography, “Bollettieri: Changing the Game,” he tells all, from his humble beginnings in a New York City suburb to his triumphs on the center courts at Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open and the US Open. Mincing no words, he discusses his 10 world champions, nine lives, eight wives, seven children, and all the successes and failures between. His advice based on five decades of dominance in sports training is inspirational, motivational and reaches far beyond the tennis court. Bollettieri is offering a special discount along with autographing the book for USPTA members. To order copies go to www.bollettierithebook.com and enter promo code USPTA25. 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
• Umang Chadda, USPTA, took over as the director of tennis operations at Renaissance Family Fitness in Houma, La. He has big plans to grow local tennis while recruiting new players to the facility. He coaches both kids (as young as 6) and adults, and is anxious to bring his skills to his new community. “I go into [health] clubs and help revive the [tennis program],” Umang says. “I look for a place that wants to build a program, then I look at the demographics and set up a structure. I saw that there was potential in Houma.” As director of tennis operations at Renaissance, Chadda plans to offer his student athletes what most health clubs don’t—progress reports. This is especially helpful for those parents interested in keeping up with a child’s development. “I plan to provide a report every eight weeks,” he said. “Parents tend to drop off their kids and go home. This way, they can see progress. I want the kids to progress and like the game and want to continue playing.” Chadda hosted his first tennis tournament at Renaissance in December. Through his involvement with the USTA, nine tournaments have already been sanctioned for the club in 2014. Before coming to Houma, the India native worked as director of tennis operations at Bellefonte Country Club in Ashland, Ky. At 35, he has already traveled the globe to train and compete with athletes like Pete Sampras, Jennifer Capriati, Andrew Kratzmann and Anastasia Myskina. • The Boston Lobsters announced that USPTA Elite Professional Robert Greene will be the team’s new head coach for the 2014 Mylan World Team Tennis season. Greene has coached several highly ranked players over a 37-year career and held a career-high No. 3 national ranking in USPTA men’s doubles. As 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 former Chairman of USTA Olympic Tennis, he took “Team USA” to Beijing in 2008 and the Pan-Am games in Brazil in 2007. Greene is a past President of USTA New England and is a 35-year USTA volunteer having served on 20 sectional and national committees. He was instrumental in producing three Fed Cup events in New England and in 2009, Greene was honored as the USPTA National Pro of the Year. In 2003, Greene received the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award. Greene is currently the General Manager and Head Professional at the Historic 1907 Worcester Tennis Club in Massachusetts. • The USTA presented the Centercourt Athletic Club in Chatham, N.J., with the USTA Organization Member of the Year Award. The award is given annually to an organization that provides outstanding service to its members and to the local community. The Centercourt Athletic Club is run by its founder and managing partner, Clay Bibbee, USPTA. “The club’s mission is to help every student-athlete we train realize his or her full potential – athletically and academically,” Bibbee said. “We believe that their tennis experiences will help our young athletes become leaders on and off the court. Our players respect the game, their peers, parents, environment, and coaches. Enrolled players are coached to not only become great players, but hard-working, self-sufficient individuals.” “The Centercourt Athletic Club epitomizes ‘Tennis Everyone’ as they offer ample play opportunities for players of all ages and abilities,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “It’s a model tennis facility that epitomizes community engagement through grassroots programming.” 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. 2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 59
Your Serve Why Do You Love This Game?
Our original “40 Under 40” from 14 years ago explain what they (still) find appealing about the tennis business.
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.A. Abrams, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, USTA: “Making a living doing something you love is incredible. I am charged with making tennis look like America. This is the ultimate give-back to the sport that has given so much to me.” Jennifer (Kenas) Arianas, Executive Director–Tennis Industry Relations, Tennis Channel: “I’ve always had a passion for our sport. Our industry is a group of unusually passionate and interesting people.” Steve Bellamy, Founder and former President, Tennis Channel: “The reason that I love tennis is really because of the benefits associated with the sport. It's fitness for life. It's gender neutral. It is so reasonably priced. Tennis is the best sport and an incredibly easy product to sell.” Larry Dillon, Manager–10 and Under Tennis, USTA Eastern: “Tennis is like a lifestyle and not a job. I can positively impact the lives of others. I can work in a field that is inherently healthy physically, mentally and emotionally.” Rodney Harmon, Head Coach, Women’s Tennis Team at Georgia Tech: “I love working with my team and seeing the players develop as people and as players.” David Higdon, former Senior Editor at Tennis magazine and former VP–Corporate Communications at ATP: “Whether playing it or promoting it, tennis has helped define who I am as a professional, father, competitor, teacher… you name it. ” Liza Horan, Head of Brand Strategy & Engagement, Hop-a-Razzi: “People
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April 2014
are working in tennis because they are passionate about it. Tennis is unique because it’s a global industry that feels local. It’s a small community with little churn… that affords us the institutional knowledge and earned trust necessary to work together to move the sport forward.” Timothy Liptrap, formerly with USTA New England, USTA National and WTT: “Tennis has created lifelong friends. I have appreciated the health benefits, along with the sportsmanship and camaraderie which the game teaches.” Todd Martin, CEO-Designate, International Tennis Hall of Fame: “To be able to work in the sport that I have loved since childhood is a true privilege. Helping kids with aspirations in tennis is gratifying.” Drew Munster, CEO, Tennis Warehouse: “The most satisfying thing to me is that tennis is still fun to play and fun to watch.” Tracy Nickerson Schaefer, formerly with the Georgia Tennis Association: “My family has moved several times and I am always delighted by how many people I meet who have a passion for the sport; it instantly connects us.” Larry Scott, Commissioner, Pac-12 Conference: “[It was most satisfying] working with great people who are very passionate, creative and collaborative.” Pat Shields, Owner & CEO, Fromuth Tennis: “I am lucky that my business helps coaches and clubs. The best part of being in tennis are the tournaments and conferences. I know it’s for work, but it sure feels like a party.”
Pam Shriver, Tennis Broadcaster, former pro: “Working in tennis means I try to promote the greatest lifetime family sport on the planet! I love the great workout and fun you can have on the court. At the end of my days, if I have given more back to tennis than I received, I will consider myself a better person.” David Sparrow, former Deputy Editor, Tennis magazine: “Getting to watch and play tennis (two things I'd be doing anyway), and to call that my job, was a remarkable experience.” Kathleen Stroia, Senior VP–Sport Sciences & Medicine and Transitions, WTA: “It has been inspirational to watch the world unite through common passion and love for the game, providing great entertainment, exciting competition, and creating lifelong friendships.” Fred Viancos, Director of Professional Development, USPTA: “It's a small community of people and companies, so you can establish long-term relationships. This means companies work as a group much better than in other industries. It seems we push in the same direction more often than not.” Anne Worcester, Tournament Director, New Haven Open at Yale: “Tennis embodies so many great attributes— hard work, creativity, competitiveness, sportsmanship, kindness, friendship and loyalty—that I have seen impact my life. [Most satisfying is] the chance to make a difference in the lives of inner-city youth.” ! We welcome your opinions. Please email comments to TI@racquetTECH.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com