Addvantage 2018 May

MAY 2018

USPTA Master Professional Jorge Capestany and students take a team photo during the filming of a TennisResources.com training video.

41 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

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42 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

FROM THE CEO

Is your pro USPTA certified?

by John R. Embree, USPTA Chief Executive Officer

I

f you watched any of the Delray Beach Open in February, you may have seen several USPTA produced commercials that promoted our association. At the end of each spot, we served up a question that was targeted for consumers: is your pro USPTA certified? The intent was to encourage those who seek instruction or who work with a tennis instructor to find a qualified USPTA professional.

Considering that this section of Tennis Industry Magazine is dedicated to messaging USPTA professionals, you might think it is silly of me to be posing this question again. Yet, there are likely a lot of tennis professionals who are not certified who read this monthly magazine. A similar question should be asked of them: why are you not certified by the USPTA? Then of course, there are general managers of country clubs who might take a glance at this, the only industry publication for our sport, and read my message. To them, I offer this hypothesis: if your club has a golf program, would you ever consider hiring a golf professional that was not PGA certified?

Clearly the answer is “no way!” Why should tennis be any different? Don’t the tennis members at your club deserve the same topflight instruction that your golf members receive?

For commercial club owners, municipal facilities, HOA’s, or schools, the question remains consistent with the others above: are you serving your clientele to their level of expectation by not having qualified, USPTA certified professionals staffing your complex? By just hiring “ballfeeders” or friends of influential clients who do not have the training or the knowledge to conduct programs, or do not aspire to learn more about their trade through continuing education, etc., you are doing a disservice to those duesgenerating members or to the customers who pay your bills to keep the lights on.

As a reminder, here are the reasons why only USPTA professionals should be considered when hiring choices are being made: they are subject to the most rigorous certification standards in the market today. Prospective members must possess prior teaching experience before applying. They must also complete numerous hours of online education followed by a written and grip exam.

Applicants are then evaluated while conducting a live private lesson and group lesson. They must demonstrate proper stroke technique and feeding skills, as well as possess an ability to communicate with their students and have a likable on-court presence. Finally, they must also have extensive knowledge about all aspects of the business, not just be a specialist in one limited segment of tennis-teaching.

After certification, USPTA professionals are required to amass continuing education credits to ensure they are providing the most up to date information to their clients. Once certified, USPTA professionals are part of an extensive network of like-minded colleagues which enables them to easily share resources and information to elevate their teaching and strengthen your program.

Maybe most important of all, USPTA professionals are held to a strict code of ethics that requires them to conduct themselves in the most professional manner possible. And to safe guard children who are learning the game or advancing their skills, USPTA professionals are strongly encouraged to get a background check to ease the minds of parents of the next generation of players.

The USPTA offers its professionals in good standing a host of wide ranging benefits to help them throughout their careers.

On-court liability insurance to protect your club or facility in case of an unforeseen accident is foremost. Why would any facility not want to have this protection? Discounted equipment packages from Wilson and Nike (through Fromuth Tennis) and other court suppliers, a Supplemental Savings program to assist with retirement planning, free access to US Open series events in the summer, travel discounts with hotels and rental cars, the ability to purchase auto, home and life insurance products, a prescription drug card that provides 35-70 percent discount at any major pharmacy across the country, and many other benefits that are the most extensive offerings in the industry.

USPTA professionals also have access to TennisResources. com, the largest collection of online tips, drills and educational content available. And, they are encouraged to attend any number of educational workshops or seminars conducted throughout the year, either locally or nationally to elevate their teaching standards.

In total, USPTA professionals expect value for their membership and it is our job to deliver it!

So next time your tennis department has an opening, don’t hire someone off the street or who may be the friend of a member. Make sure you fill that position with a qualified teaching professional who is USPTA certified. Believe me, your members will thank you.

Thus, the question at hand is not just rhetorical but rather fundamental to any tennis facility in the country: is your professional USPTA certified? If not, they should be. Ask the questions. *

43 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

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Vice President Message

Moving Forward

by Trish Faulkner, USPTA Vice President

H

i Everyone! I hope you are all having a great spring season from some incredible pros, that it is an wherever you are located. I am very excited that I was arduous process to select winners in selected to be a new national board member for the USPTA. As a each category former president of the Florida Division, I have a strong feeling For our Diversity Committee, our for what the organization needs in the future and I also knew we goals are fairly simple but sometimes already had a very strong, experienced and diverse board that is hard to achieve very quickly. We feel going to lead us through some interesting yet challenging times. the USPTA has come a long way with regards to diversity, but we are still Gary Trost, our new president, has assigned all of the board members different committees and tasks for 2018. I have been very low in our number of women members at 20 percent. put in charge of heading up both the Awards and the Diversity The number of women who participate in our national tournaments and who attend conventions and division and Inclusion Committees. Having served on both of these conferences is even smaller. We encourage each division to committees previously, I understand the importance of hold a Women’s Meeting or picking strong and dedicated social get together so that they committee members as well have a platform to discuss their as those professionals with issues. We also encourage all diverse ethnic backgrounds divisions to ensure that our and more importantly, from presenters at all conferences are different divisions in the a diverse group. organization.

Our goal for the Awards All our national committees Committee is to first increase must have at least one U30 the number of professionals member participating. John nominated in each category.

Embree, Gary Trost, Fred Second, with the help of Viancos and I are also reaching staff in the national office, out to the other women’s we have streamlined the coaching organizations so that nominating procedures and they know we support them the committee selection and their commitment to process. We have also tennis. Each division has a D&I 2017 George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Fernando Velasco. highlighted the fact that liaison and I want to make sure the Alex Gordan Professional of the Year Award starting with they are checking their membership to ensure that they are the 2017 nominations was to be selected for only his or her doing as much as they can to create a welcoming environment activities and achievement during that previous calendar year. for all new applicants, many of whom are women and of This then elevates the status of the George Bacso Lifetime diverse cultures.

Achievement Award to the standard it deserved which was to The other part of our D&I goal is to make sure our salute a professional who has contributed greatly to the USPTA professionals are reaching out in their own communities to and tennis throughout their career. We are also happy that we bring tennis to various multicultural groups and lower income can acknowledge the U30 group, as we on the board feel very families who may not have access to the sport. We currently strongly that these professionals will be our future leaders. We are doing a good job in many divisions with the Special are encouraging them to participate in various USPTA activities Olympics, Aces for Autism, First Serve- Pal and many other both nationally and in their divisions. special needs programs.

The Awards Committee members meet on conference calls I welcome any comments and suggestions for both to review all the nominations for each award. Then, we meet committees and our goals for the upcoming year. I look for two days to make our final decisions in each category. I wish forward to meeting all of you at division conferences and the to thank all the previous Awards Committee members as this Tennis Teachers Conference in New York which is our World is not an easy task. We receive so many bios and nominations Conference for 2018.*

45 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

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Master Pro Corner

What does 120 MPH really mean?

by USPTA Master Professional Alan Cutler and USPTA Elite Professional Jose Pastrello

A

s tennis players watch matches on TV, most commentators tell us how fast balls are hit -- serves going 120 mph, backhands going 100 mph. We can even see the ball speed display on TV and use it to judge the quality of the hit. But is speed the only good way of describing a shot, or is the duration of time between shots that the ball is in the air a more useful piece of information?

Everyone talks about how fast a tennis ball is moving and 120 mph sounds fast. But what does that mean to the average player and how do we explain that importance to our students?

Even our least skilled students talk about how fast the pros hit and make it their goal to hit hard and fast. Speed is only part of the story and sometimes we miss the opportunity to continue with an explanation. Most mph numbers are just that -- a descriptive number, but what does it really relate to? As coaches, it is our job to find different ways to communicate information that may be more practical for our students.

Our lower level students, our serious recreational, and even the high-performance tennis athletes all want to hit the ball hard like the pros, but have we, as coaches, explored and explained to them the reasons why we ought to pay attention to speed?

With the new racket designs being developed to allow players to hit the ball harder & faster and strings are becoming better designed to match power, more recreational players are now able to hit the ball at substantially faster speeds than in past generations of players. We all have students who are 3.5 – 4.0 that can hit 100 mph on their serve.

Consumers are demanding that racquets allow for more powerful and faster strokes, and it does not seem that this trend will change in the near future.

The following chart is ball speed; distance traveled over one second. This is assuming no extra factors that will be

addressed later in this article. But just moving in the air without a bounce and assuming speed is constant.

So, what do all these numbers really mean? At 55 mph, the speed for a common recreational ground stroke, the ball travels 78 feet in just under one second. That simply means that from one contact to the next, the player has just under a second to get ready and hit the ball. If we look at a ball that is hit at 105 mph, the player has just over half a second to hit the ball. This time between the opposing player’s initial contact of the ball and the returning player’s contact with the ball, is what we refer to as duration.

There are many things that affect duration, and the following is just a short list: Depth of shot, or where the ball bounces The farther from the baseline or service line the ball bounces, the more speed is lost and the duration increases.

Court surface The friction of the ball contacting the court surface affects how much speed is lost. Grass courts are the fastest; hard courts lose more speed; and clay really slows down the speed and increases duration.

Trajectory of shot The arc of the ball also can affect duration.

High trajectory takes the longest; mid-trajectory is slightly less; low line drive is the quickest.

Spin A flat spin tends to have a flatter trajectory; topspin tends to arc taking slightly longer; and a slice can be hit at many trajectories.

Temperature and humidity Dry and hot conditions allow the ball to move faster in the air; high humidity might slow down the speed.

47 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

MASTER PRO corner Reducing the distance can also affect the duration. This is probably the most overlooked way to affect duration. If your student moves off the baseline (78 feet) and hits near the service line (61 feet), this cuts the distance that ball needs to travel by 20 percent. Moving forward while the ball is coming to you shortens the duration quicker because of the combined effect. It takes time away from both players, but the double effect is controlled by the player hitting the ball.

Forward movement combined with shortened distance is a killer.

Explain to your student that if they’re able to affect duration, shot selection can be altered. If a shot requires more footwork but the duration does not allow for it, this may cause issues. Taking a tenth of a second away from the player can cause all kinds of issues, including making it harder to properly prepare and making good contact with the ball.

Using the example of a 55-mph groundstroke having about one second to prepare, if you can take 2 tenths of a second (.20) off the duration that a player has, this is a huge advantage. This equates to a 20 percent reduction in time, meaning 20 percent less time for the player to react. If the goal is to make the opponent feel rushed or pressured, taking 20 percent off their prep time is a great way to do it. If one player is at the net, shortening the distance, the ability of the opponent to move quick enough is reduced by just short of 50 percent. Placement is all that it would take to terminate a point.

It is also important to explain how far a player can move in the amount of time given. A world class sprinter runs 100 meters in just under 10 seconds. Very few of our students will have that kind of speed. Most of our students are recreational players who will move at a lesser pace. How far can an average recreational player move in a half a second or even in one second? From my experience, not very far. In a second, maybe an average player can run five steps or less. In a half a second, less than three steps for sure. One of the things that

most recreational players try to do is use a boundary such as the sideline or baseline as a target. When they understand duration, it becomes clear the baseline or sideline target do not have as much to do with the ball. Even if the opponent gets to the first ball, they are unlikely to get to a second one.

Another very important factor with regards to ball speed and duration is the time between shots. Assuming that a player has hit a tennis ball at 55 mph or higher, and the opponent returns the ball back at a similar speed, there will be very little time (only two seconds total) in between shots that a single player can hit. Coaches must explain to the players why recovery after a shot is important. With a maximum time of two seconds in between shots, the player must realize that time is not on their side, and every fraction of a second is important.

Whether playing singles or doubles, a player must understand how to recover after a shot to minimize the number of steps to be taken in the next shot. As previously mentioned, a player can take just a few steps in one second.

If the player is off position when his opponent hits the ball because he was not able to return to the neutral position, now the player will be forced to run more steps which will effect his shot. Recovery is a huge part of tennis that has a direct relation with balance. In a club level, how a player uses the first second after he or she hits a ball becomes even more important because as bodies age, the response time of the feet become a little slower.

As coaches, we maybe need to look for clearer ways to explain mph, why it is useful and why it is important. It is our job to find ways to get people to understand tennis and being a good coach means being a good communicator.

Looking at mph, explaining and relating that information to duration between shots is another way to communicate what the speed of the ball really translates to and how we can use that information. Most tennis athletes know that their performance declines when they are rushed. It’s always better when it is the opponent who feels rushed.*

Alan Cutler is the general manager for Playtennisforlife.info. He is one of the only dual master professionals (USPTA and RPT) that holds two specialist degrees in computer and competitive player.

He taught tennis in municipalities, leased facilities, resorts, and HOA’s and has held many levels of positions from teaching professional to general manager.

Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Jose Pastrello attended Florida Gulf Coast University, where he was part of the tennis team and graduated with a degree in Business Management. After college, Jose worked in the software business as a data analyst. A USPTA elite professional, he is the director of sports at Collier’s Reserve Country Club where he is responsible for tennis, fitness, pickleball, bocce, and aquatics.

48 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

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inside coaching

Why A Lesson Plan Is Needed!

by Denny Schackter, USPTA Elite Professional

5

R

ecently one of my good buds was hired as a part-time tennis-teaching professional at a nearby facility. His first assignment was to team teach with one other pro with a class of beginning adults. He arrived a half hour early and waited for his fellow pro to arrive. Two minutes before the class was to begin, his partner arrived, introduced himself, and out on the court they went.

The senior pro did not introduce my bud to the class, but instead started to chat about the first segment of the lesson. My friend did his best to follow the leader’s steps, but was very lost and looked foolish to the students. What a bad way to start a new gig!

What should the process be?

1 2

If you are a director or a head pro, you should have a “best practices” protocol in a “Pro’s Manual” to be followed by your staff when working with others.

Again, if you are the director or head pro, you should introduce(with resume and/or qualifications) all new staff to existing staff, preferably in person, but for sure via email or inter-club communications. If the club has a newsletter, announcing that person is always a good practice.

Based on a previous match or tournament, the content of high level drill and play classes are pretty much spelled out. However, having game situations and drills ready in the event the students do not provide the input, or the pro does not know what happened in the previous competitive situations is always a good practice.

6

During the lesson or drill, be sure the lead pro is asking for input from the second pro on points being made. I have been the lead and neglected to ask the associate pro for his or her opinion and I am sure I have been the recipient of neglect as well. This is a definite no-no.

7

Another good practice is for the director or head pro to periodically visit the courts being taught by their staff.

The director is not there to intimidate, but to observe or maybe join in for a bit, and offer support for the younger pro or pros as they conduct their session. There is a business axiom, “management by walking around” which addresses bosses who never leave their offices and rarely interact with employees while working. The director who stays away from his staff’s work is not a good leader.

3

8

4

9

A core curriculum for beginners and advanced beginners should be given to each pro. A sub or an additional pro required is now in the loop on what has been done up to that point, what is to be done presently and perhaps, what will be done in subsequent lessons.

It’s best when discussing a drill to actually demonstrate it. By doing so, you emphasize key aspects of what’s to be accomplished. It’s a great exercise for the second pro because they see the flow of the drill that’s to be conducted. Be sure the class is gathered together and shouting instructions over several courts is eliminated.

After each class, I like to pull the class together for one minute to review the day’s work. I ask what the students thought of the time spent and ask them what would be a good thing to work on in the future. One of my good tennis buds, Don Paitrick of Charlottesville, Virginia, likes to bring the group together to have coaches discuss two positive reminders that can be taken by the students for their next match.

Finally, it would be ideal if the lead or more experienced pro would take the time to meet once a week or so and review the progress of the classes taught and the progress of the new staff. Having a type of “buddy” or mentoring system is always another good habit to develop.*

Denny Schackter is a veteran tennis pro residing in Palatine, Illinois. He has been a college coach, industry rep, avid USTA volunteer and currently owns a business, Tennis Priorities, which attempts to recruit young people to the tennis-teaching industry. Understanding the need for promoting the profession of teaching tennis, Denny places the best tennis coaches at tennis clubs in Chicago, Indiana, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and the Greater Wisconsin region. While also serving as an ambassador in support of tennis careers, Denny remains active in tennis associations at the local, regional, and national level.

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inside coaching

Seven Takeaways from Halep’s Ascension to World No. 1

by Ramona Husaru, USPTA Education and Multimedia Manager

S

imona Halep’s rise to the WTA world No. 1 ranking

(March 2018) has been a long journey that saw the

Romanian constantly improve her game as she climbed her way up the rankings. The long road to the top is no easy mission considering the amount of hard work, commitment and mental toughness it takes to achieve those heights. As a result of her continuous efforts and determination, Halep has had a consistent and steady climb over the past few years. She first broke into the world’s top 50 at the end of 2011. Later, in August 2013, she broke into the top 20 before she cracked the top 10 in January 2014. She then went on to capture the No. 1 spot in October 2017 and held that position until her loss to Caroline Wozniacki in the final of the 2018 Australian Open.

However, Halep regained the world No. 1 ranking in February 2018. For anyone following her for the past six years, there are several key aspects in her game that have improved significantly over time and brought her where she is today.

#1

Fitness and movement

For someone who is only 5-foot-6, Halep does an excellent job covering the court both laterally as well as up and back, making the opponent feel like there is no weaker side. Being one of the smaller players on the tour, she competes against opponents who surpass her in size and power, but what she lacks in size she compensates with speed and overall athleticism. She is fit, flexible, fast and able to easily handle extended powerful rallies. She gets to most balls in good balance and her recovery skills are efficient as well. She is able to play both defense and offense solidly and has an answer to almost every question her opponents send across the net.

#2

Placement and ability to open up the court

Halep plays an intelligent game where she keeps the opponent on the run, pulling them out of their comfort zone. She has excellent shot placement, maximizing her strengths by using deep and wide shots to move her opponent, open up the court and finish the point inside the baseline. Although she has a solid backhand, she covers over 60 percent of the baseline with the forehand and tends to finish points with it.

#3

Changing the direction of the ball

Although changing the direction of the ball is the cause of many unforced errors, Halep is one of those players who makes it look so easy. She can change from crosscourt to down the line and vice versa so easily and accurately that many of her opponents are wrong-footed and easily deceived. Because she is such an excellent mover, she gets to the ball on balance, which increases her percentage of success when changing the direction of the ball.

#4

Variety

Halep has good shot versatility, which enables her to build points and adjust her game plan according to the opponent. She mixes up her groundstrokes, especially on the forehand side where she draws the opponent off the court either deep or wide, but she can easily drive the ball for a winner as well. Her backhand is consistent

52 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

inside coaching

and surprises opponents with short cross angles or winners.

Halep uses effective slice on both forehand and backhand, especially when running wide on defense, and she is not hesitant to come in to the net and finish with a volley when the balls are short. She has a well-rounded set of tools which allow her to customize her patterns depending on the opponent.

#5

Turning defense into offense

Although Halep is an effective counterpuncher with an excellent defense, she has become more and more aggressive over the years. Being such a solid athlete, she is able to retrieve and respond with high quality shots from impossible positions, such as far wide or deep behind the baseline to neutralize the point or put the opponent on the defense. She then works her way up close to or inside the baseline to control and dictate the points. The mindset and confidence of staying closer to the baseline and trying to dictate the points has been a huge addition to her game in the past year or so, making her much more aggressive.

#6

The use of an open stance backhand

While the open stance is very common on the forehand side, we’re seeing it used more and more on the backhand side as well. With the speed of the game constantly increasing, players are benefiting from the open stance, as they are able to disguise their shots as well as shorten the recovery distance and time. The open stance backhand has been an important addition to Halep’s game.

#7

Mental toughness

The last but most important piece of the puzzle in Halep’s game has been the mental aspect. Halep’s biggest and most challenging fight has been against herself and the habit of allowing her emotions to negatively impact her performance.

Nerves have hampered her success in numerous key matches, including each of her two Roland Garros finals against Maria

Sharapova in 2014 and against Jelena Ostapenko in 2017, as well as the 2017 Wimbledon quarterfinal loss to Johanna Konta, to name a few. These losses have been rough lessons for Halep to learn, but in recent months we have seen a significant improvement in the way she handles the pressure of big matches. At the 2018 Australian Open tournament, she showed a mature approach that saw her displaying a more positive attitude in terms of composure, getting over unforced errors, fighting for every point regardless of the score, and simply having a “leaving it all out” attitude as she battled through the long matches. She saved three match points against American player Lauren Davis and managed to win 15-13 in an epic third set after a 3-hour and 44-minute match. She then saved another two match points against Germany’s Angelique Kerber and won 9-7 in the third to reach the final. Although she lost the final against Wozniacki after a dramatic 2-hour and 49-minute battle, Halep put up a good fight and showed a driven positive attitude throughout the match. Her coach, Australian Darren Cahill, played a huge role in this aspect, working with Halep to eliminate the negative self talk, have more confidence, play in the moment without the fear of the outcome and simply enjoy the high level of tennis in which she was competing. This new approach allows her to play more relaxed and bring out the quality game she is capable of producing when she is positive and focused. The mental side has been Halep’s most challenging opponent over the years, and she seems to be on the right track of overcoming this hurdle.

Halep is the first Romanian female player in history to reach No. 1 in the world, and while this is an unbelievable achievement already, her journey toward winning a Grand Slam title continues. The first Romanian player to win a Grand Slam title was Virginia Ruzici in 1978 when she defeated Mima Jaušovec of former Yugoslavia. With continuous hard work, discipline and a positive mindset, it could be a just a matter of time until Halep follows Ruzici’s steps and becomes the second Romanian female to win a Grand Slam.*

Ramona Husaru is USPTA’s education and multimedia manager. In her role, Ramona is in charge of overseeing the continuing education program and expanding its resources, including: online education via TennisResources.com, conferences and other education events. She is a USPTA tester and part of the USPTA Under 30 initiative, developing opportunities through education and leadership for fellow young professionals. Ramona is a former WTA-ranked player and a two-time NCAA Division II National Team Champion with BYU-Hawaii. She is a native of Romania.

53 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine

USPTA NEWS

USPTA Receives Provisional Accreditation from USTA T he United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) received provisional accreditation from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) making the association the first tennisteaching certification organization to be accepted into the program.

According to the USTA, the goal of the new accreditation program is to set uniform standards for the development of those new to the profession and it will also include on-going coaching education for all certified professionals who are members of accredited organizations.

“We are pleased that USPTA has been awarded Provisional Accreditation and look forward to working collaboratively to deliver a certification program that will elevate and enhance coaching standards in the U.S.,” said Scott Schultz, Managing Director, USTA-U. “The aim is to develop a best-in-class program

is a great development for our certified that will attract a new generation of professionals.” tennis professionals and further support With the association’s online education current professionals in our industry.” system, the USPTA’s ability to track In 2017, the USPTA conducted over and manage participation in events and 170 education events and activities, activities, track the amount along with 126 “Our mission is to of time a user spends in an certifications exams elevate the standards online course or video, and throughout the U.S. of tennis-teaching utilize current technology to With the provisional professionals and tracks attendance at seminars accreditation, the coaches” and courses electronically was USTA has recognized instrumental in the application process. the extent of the certification and “We are excited to receive provisional education programs the USPTA has to accreditation from the USTA offer tennis-teaching professionals and Accreditation,” said Fred Viancos, coaches.

USPTA Chief Operating Officer. “As the “Our mission is to elevate the premier tennis-teaching certification standards of tennis-teaching organization, this accreditation professionals and coaches,” said John from USTA reaffirms our unique and Embree, USPTA CEO. “Working unparalleled ability to deliver and hand in hand with the USTA on track the education to tennis-teaching coaching education can only make our professionals better at what they do. This professionals and coaches.”*

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Beyond the court

My Five fantastic phrases as a tennis coach

by Doug Kegerreis, USPTA Professional

W

hat are your “go to” phrases as a tennis teacher?

Everyone can reflect and come up with phrases they call out frequently to their students when they are on the court teaching; those important reinforcing words that trigger the successful execution of a tennis stroke, or strategy. I’ve enjoyed reflecting on my 34 year career, and determining mine. It was also interesting for me to determine the criteria for my choices. I’ve included what I’ve used most often & included what, upon reflection, has been most helpful. As I put my list together; I also recognized that I had phrases that were used more often for lower level players, and others for more advanced players. Since most of my teaching has been more grassroots through the years, I limited my phrases to that level.

Phrase #1: “Tip Down”

This phrase refers to the backswing of the forehand and backhand. I swear by this phrase, but have never heard it used by anyone else.

I certainly did not use it when I first began teaching. I believe “tip down” reinforces several very important fundamentals.

First, it keeps the backswing short. Big backswings, in my opinion, are a part of many stroke production problems. It is going to encourage a lifting racket path. I have found lifting to be a critical fundamental in teaching the forehand and backhand. It helps control the swing speed and it creates a building block for adding topspin at some point, as well as a loop backswing. (Tip down representing the bottom of your loop).

Phrase #2: “Show me your back”

This has been my “get sideways” phrase for the last 20 years.

“Get sideways” never got the results I was looking for. My students just never seemed to get sideways enough. If you “show me your back”, you are sideways! Once students get

familiar with this cue, I often shorten it to just “show me”.

Specifically, what I really want to see is your shoulder blade.

For a right handed player, this would be your left shoulder blade for a forehand, serve, and overhead.

Then, your right shoulder blade for a backhand.The concept of coiling your body, and uncoiling as you hit is a critical concept in stroke production.

“Show me your back” has been integral in teaching this concept to my students.

Phrase #3: “Let it Drop”

With this phrase, I move on from stroke production to forehand and backhand ball judgement. I have always been intrigued by how my students would try to judge the ball in the early stages of learning. If my students had little “ball-tracking” experience, generally they would run directly to the ball. They had no understanding of the concept of moving “in relationship to the ball.” Usually running directly to the ball would lead to contact significantly above their “strike zone” which is approximately waist level. Consequently, getting my students to wait on the ball, and “let it drop” to waist level for my beginning students was an important phrase to impart. On a side-note, practicing hitting balls on the second bounce; I’ve found to be an effective activity to promote the skill of “letting it drop”.

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Beyond the court Phrase #4: “Step, step, step, hold”

This continues with the ball judgement theme, but also adds the concept of balance. I teach that the skill of reacting with your feet, regardless of where the ball is hit, is essential, in learning proper footwork, ball judgement, and consequently, balance. “Step-step-step” is my reminder to react with your feet. It specifically refers to footwork as you get close to the ball, and small steps are required.

The multiple little steps allow you to judge the ball properly and help time the hit by not planting your feet to early. The “hold” cue refers to being still and balanced on contact. “Hold” replaces the cue “step”, which I probably (along with many of you) started out using when I first started teaching. In regards to forehands and backhands, I currently never reinforce the concept of stepping into the shot. I’m not saying it is wrong, I just believe that stressing being relatively still and balanced and twisting (uncoiling) your body is more important!

Phrase #5: “Follow the Ball”

I finish my fantastic five with a doubles strategy phrase.

After my students are introduced to the four starting positions on the doubles court, my next step is to teach the net players how to “follow the ball”. This is a phrase that I can honestly say has been one of my “go to’s” throughout my career. Yes, it is part of teaching doubles to beginners.

However, I have been a high school coach for many years, and I am amazed how few high school players understand the concept of “following the ball”. Following the ball

refers specifically to the serving partner and receivers partner in a one-up, one-back position, the prevailing position in most doubles play these days. When the ball is on the receivers side of the net, the servers partner should move up and either to the left or right, depending on the position of the ball. This places the player in the best position to cover the angles of returns. If the player remembers to “follow the direction of the ball”, this will also take them to this position. On this same play, when

the servers partner moves up, the receiving partner will follow the ball by moving back and either to the left or to the right depending on the path of the ball. Both net players will continue to “follow the ball” whenever it is hit adjusting both up-and-back, and left-to-right, always stopping movements whenever the ball is about to be hit. I have spent many hours on the court leading doubles teams through one-up, one-back rallies calling out “follow the ball”, “follow the ball”.

And those are my fantastic five phrases based on 34 years of teaching. My initial brainstorming list was 10.

Those that made the list but not the final five included, “highest point” (volley), “turn on it”, “high net clearance, back it up” (ball judgement), “arms-up, step, step, step” (overhead), and “tap the dog.” (bottom of your loop on forehands and backhands.) I suggest you try to write down your “fantastic five”. I’m sure you’ll find it an interesting reflection activity.*

Doug Kegerreis has been a USPTA professional for 35 years, and lives in Fairfax, Virginia. He owns and manages a tennis management company, Chantilly International Tennis, which provides tennis programs and services in Northern Virginia. He is also an elementary physical education teacher at Oakton Elementary School in Oakton, Virginia. He can be reached at www.cittennis.com.

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Sid’s Corner

A Culture of Collaboration

by Sid Newcomb, USPTA National Head Tester

R

ecently, I received a text message from my friend USPTA Professional Jose Rincon, who is a director of tennis in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He says, “hey I’m here at the USTA National Campus”. So, I head over to see Jose at the campus and after 25 years we get together and laugh about our days as rookie coaches at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Our memories take us to an era long gone and we reflect together how amazing it is that we are still in the game.

After our walk down memory lane, I ask him what’s up, what’s he doing in Lake Nona on campus? He explains that he’s attending a USTA National Jr Team Camp with his 13-year-old student Violeta Martinez who is ranked in the top 5 among the 14 and unders in the state of Florida.

What? Why are you here? Jose explained that they invited him, funded his trip and that he is working with them to help his student.

If you have worked in the private sector for any amount of time that sounds a bit implausible. Collaboration between USTA Player Development and USPTA coaches from the private sector? I had heard, with a certain amount of personal historical skepticism, Martin Blackman (General Manager of USTA Player Development) talk about this a few months ago in some form or another. Now my buddy is here so I decided to check it out first hand and see what’s going on.

Sid: What is your impression of the camp?

JR: I absolutely love the camp. I give it an 11 out of 10 points. For me, the camp is the equivalent of being a kid at Toys R Us. Sharing ideas with all the coaches and learning from the strongest minds in the business. I am learning so much and just love it. I’m very happy to be here.

Sid: How is the interaction with the USTA national coaches been with you as the primary coach of your player?

JR: The interaction has been fantastic. I just love the way they reach out and ask for my help. It’s a whole new culture here. It’s my first camp and they make me feel like I belong here. I have nothing but the utmost respect for these coaches here.

They are extremely receptive to listening to my input. A prime example is that I had a question about Violeta’s grip and I explained what I was looking for and they helped me come up with a solution.

USPTA Professional Jose Rincon.

Sid: While waiting to speak with you, I did take note that Coach Richard (Richard Ashby USTA National Coach) was working individually with Violeta. He often would look over to you and say, “Jose, is that what you’re looking for?” He appeared very cooperative.

JR: Absolutely. It was complete cooperation in every aspect.

After hearing the positive things about the USTA National Jr Team Camp and the cooperation between Jose and USTA national coaches, I decided to reach out to Richard Ashby and Jean Desdunes, who both work for USTA Player Development and get their insight about the collaboration between USPTA coaches and USTA Player Development.

Sid: Could you discuss the coaching culture both now and in your past experiences and have you seen a shift or a change?

JD: I know that we have done a lot to try and change the coaching culture. When Kent Kinnear, Director of Player Identification and Development first started, he wanted to make sure he reached out to the private sector, our former players and welcomed them into the fold. He started with the RTC’s (Regional Training Centers) with the idea in mind as far as reaching out to existing programs and coaches and working with them, along with having the

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Sid’s Corner

USTA National Coach Richard Ashby with Violeta Martinez and USPTA Professional Jose Rincon.

camps there and of course national camps to invite the players. But I believe that’s where we have lived the last few years and we feel that it’s probably the most important thing we do. Their success is our success and that’s the way we look at it. I know Martin always talks about us being a resource which we are. I’m passionate about them understanding that we are a resource and nothing more.

Sid: Now along that line, let me ask you this Richard. I noticed when you were working with Violeta, you would ask Jose questions and the dialogue I saw… it seemed like you were inviting him in on the process and asking for feedback both from the player and the coach?

RA: Yes, that is correct. Our number one goal is for the player to get better.

Whatever people may feel about the USTA, all we want is for players to improve and to be successful. Whoever gets the credit doesn’t really matter as long as the player is getting better.

As Jean also mentioned, the person that is doing the most work with the players (especially when they’re young) are the private coaches. So, our interaction with them is how do we together get the player better? Maybe we can provide something that the private coach can’t do? When a player gets older, the private coach…unless they are willing to coach that player full time, can’t travel three weeks at a time. And so, as they get older,

the USTA can provide services and assitance if we know what they were working on.

There is great energy and as I talk with all these coaches, I see it in action.

I feel it when I speak with my fellow coaches. The collaboration is real and tangible, not just words. Professionals are honest and open, both about current challenges and past mistakes.

This cultural shift has been a work in progress for over a decade and the fruits are coming to fruition now and in the near future. The mission statements of “grow the game” and “elevating the standards of tennisteaching professionals and coaches’ will continue to live on.*

Sid Newcomb is the national head tester for the USPTA. Before joining USPTA’s national staff, Newcomb was the director of tennis at Peninsula Community Center (PCC) in Redwood City, California since 1996.

After a year and a half stint on the ATP Satellite Tour, he joined the coaching ranks at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy where he was the european academy director for seven years. He launched Bollettieri Academies in Belgium, Germany, France and England before leaving Europe for Northern California.

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Member News

USPTA Member News Peg Connor was named the executive director of USTA Wyoming in the USTA Intermountain Section. Connor, a former collegiate player and coach, has been an event manager for ATP/WTA/WTT professional events, managed player promotions and marketing at Prince Global Sports and has most recently been working with the Tennis Industry Association, Tennis Industry Magazine, USTA Middle States School Tennis Development and the International POP Tennis Association.

Todd Rubinstein reached his 400th career high school victory as a head tennis coach at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High in Miami, Florida. His team defeated Miami Central High Boy’s and Girl’s Teams both in a 7-0 sweep. Over the past 20+ years, Todd has worked on and off-court with diverse players of all levels and abilities, including numerous ATP, WTA, ITF, USTA, NCAA and FHSAA players.

Bill Tym was inducted into the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Hall of Fame. This marks the seventh Hall of Fame to honor Bill with induction. A former USPTA president, Tym was named International Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Educational Merit Award in 1981 along with the USPTA Professional of the Year in 1982, College Coach of the Year in 1989 and Touring Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2002. He also earned the George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

Mike Woody received the 2018 USPTA Missouri Valley Facility Manager of the Year Award. He became a full-time tennis pro in 1985 because he wanted to make tennis a career and make a difference in people’s lives. Mike was a Class B singles champion in 1982 and played for Western Michigan University, where he received a student-planned bachelor’s degree. He is No. 3 on WMU’s all-time career winners list and a four-time MidAmerican Conference Champion.

Ron Woods and Gerry Maingot were given the USPTA Texas Lifetime Achievement Award and USPTA Texas Facility Manager of the Year Award. Woods worked as the director of tennis for the Corpus Christi Country Club for more than 30 years and served on various tennis boards and associations across Texas. Maingot has served as the director of tennis and swim at Corpus Christi Country Club for 17 years and is a board member of the Corpus Christi Tennis Association and helps coordinate local adult leagues.

USPTA Testers visit the National Headquarters to get acquainted with their brand new tablets and learn more about the new USPTA on-court digital testing platform.

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President.....................................................................Gary Trost First Vice President................................................Feisal Hassan Vice Presidents................Cari Buck, Mark Faber, Trish Faulkner Bill Mountford, Richard Slivocka Immediate Past President...........................................Chuck Gill CEO.........................................................................John Embree Legal Counsel......................................................George Parnell

ADDVANTAGE MAGAZINE Managing Editor ...........................................................John Cornell Editor......................................................................DeVonte’ Martin Layout/Design........................................................... Gustavo Reyes Editorial Assistance.......................... Risa Epstein, Ramona Husaru, Ashley Walker, Ellen Weatherford Circulation................................................................ Trevor Trudelle USPTA World Headquarters 11961 Performance Dr. Orlando, FL 32827

ADDvantage is published monthly by the USPTA The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the United States Professional Tennis Association.

Copyright© United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc. 2018. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not permitted without written permission from USPTA.

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USPTA CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Exams, Upgrades & PTCA Wheelchair Certification 4 Credits for PTCA I Segment Exams, Upgrades & PTCA

May 5-6................................. New York, NY

May 4 ....................................Flushing, NY May 5 – 6 ........................... Baltimore, MD May 5 – 6 .............................Las Vegas, NV May 6 .....................................Conway, AR May 11 – 12 .............................. Austin, TX May 12 – 13 ........................Big Rapids, MI May 12 ............................. Chula Vista, CA May 17 – 18 ........................ Scottsdale, AZ May 18 ............................Nichols Hills, OK May 19 ..............................Des Moines, IA May 19 ............................... Eau Claire, WI May 19 – 20 ........................Columbus, GA May 20 ............................. Brentwood, TN May 20 ................................ St. Louis, MO May 25 ............................ Kansas City, MO May 31 -June 1 ...................... Yakima, WA June 2 - 3 ...................................Aurora, IL June 2 - 3 ......................... San Antonio, TX June 3 ...............................Hilton Head, SC June 4 ................................... Carlsbad, CA June 9 ............................... Portsmouth, RI June 9 – 10 ............................. Atlanta, GA June 11 – 12 ................... San Francisco, CA June 14 ................................ St. Louis, MO June 15 – 16 ............................ Raleigh, NC June 18 - 19................... Fleming Island, FL June 22 – 23 ...........................Wexford, PA June 23 – 24 .............................. Rome, GA June 25 – 26 ........................ Fairmont, WV

June 28-29.................................. Salem, OR

Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam, upgrade. PTCA I is included in the two day exam. 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.

USPTA

USPTA Eastern/ New England Conference USPTA Certification in conjunction with USTA “Train the Trainer”

August 23-24............................. Lincoln, NE

Division Conferences - 6 Credits

May 5-6...................... Eastern/New England

National Tennis Center, Flushing, NY

USPTA Certification in conjunction with USTA “Train the Trainer”

May 17-19......................................Southern

October 18-19.......................... Orlando, FL

May 18-20................................... Southwest La Camarilla Racquet, Swim & Fitness Club, Phoenix, AZ

USPTA Certification in conjunction with USTA “Train the Trainer”

November 7-8.........................Lafayette, IN USPTA Certification in conjunction with USTA “Train the Trainer”

Online education

Watch webinars, seminars, On Court with USPTA episodes, specialty courses and much more on TennisResources.com to earn your education credits.

Atlanta Athletic Club, Johns Creek, GA

May 30-June 3................................... Florida

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress , Orlando, FL

June 1-2.............................Pacific Northwest

Yakima Tennis Club, Yakima, WA

Grand Hyatt, New York, NY

August 22-23 ........ USPTA World Conference

November........................Middle States TBD

Spanish Tennis Teaching System At Academia Sanchez-Casal USPTA professionals can earn 10 Education Credits by participating in the Level 1 or Level 2 course of the Spanish Tennis Teaching System hosted by the International Coaches Institute.

May. 25 – 27.............................. Naples, FL

Competitive Coaching Course - Level 1

May. 27 – 29.............................. Naples, FL

Pro Coaching Course Level 2

Oct. 24 – 26............................... Naples, FL

Competitive Coaching Course Level 1

Oct. 26 – 28............................... Naples, FL

Pro Coaching Course Level 2

requires all certified members to earn 6 credits of continuing education in a three-year period. (International members, recreational coaches and those 65 or older are exempt.) The time period coincides with the date you completed the certification exam or reinstated your membership. Please login to My USPTA to check your Professional Development Program end date.

If the requirement is not met, you will have your membership suspended. To help you meet that goal, USPTA provides hundreds of hours of education every year in the form of conferences, workshops, webinars, DVDs and more. TennisResources.com is an excellent resource for free education opportunities. In addition, the Coach Youth Tennis website offers six free online courses that earn a 1/2 education credit each.

Upon completion of the sixth course, you will receive 3 bonus credits (one-time only), bringing the total to 6 credits and completing the continuing education requirement. (you do not need to complete the online workshop unless you are completing your USPTA certification) Go to coachyouthtennis.com for more information.

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2018 USPTA Division Conference Schedule

Cardio Tennis

May 11 .................... Level 1 Training Course ACAC-Midlothian; Midlothian, VA May 18 .................... Level 1 Training Course Life Time Athletic; St. Louis Park, MN May 19 .................... Level 1 Training Course Four Seasons Racquet Club; Wilton, CT June 3 ...................... Level 1 Training Course Mercy Health; Cincinnati, OH June 3 ...................... Level 1 Training Course Wakonda Club; Des Moines, IA Aug 19 ..................... Level 1 Training Course Meadow Creek Tennis Club; Lakewood, CO Sep 8 ....................... Level 1 Training Course Preakness Hills Country Club; Wayne, NJ