ADDvantage 2019 May

May 2019

USPTA applicant Logan Allen (left) with his mentor, USPTA Elite Professional Andy Durham.

USPTA FROM THE CEO

WHO WAS YOUR

MENTOR? John R. Embree USPTA CEO

T

here is a lot of talk today about mentoring the next wave of tennisteaching professionals. All of us who have been blessed to pursue a career in tennis were impacted at some point in our young lives by someone who introduced us to our great game. Or, we fondly remember the person who honed our skills while providing the sanctuary for us to achieve success, both on and off the courts.

I am no different than so many industry colleagues who benefited from the tutelage of a parent or coach or tennis-teaching professional who brought us under their wing and nurtured a passion that we did not know we had for this wonderful sport. By nature, I tend to be modest and purposely not talk about myself, especially in this space. But I do think there can be a message taught from my humble origins with the hope that everyone who reads this piece will be able to identify with my story. Maybe it

will stimulate pleasant thoughts of days gone by when hanging with kids at a park or club and spending enjoyable hours banging balls and playing games.

My start came in the 60’s. My father was an accomplished junior player from Chicago who went on to play both soccer and tennis at Dartmouth College.

Naturally, he introduced me to the game at six-years-old but was by no means my coach. He knew better. Growing up in my home town in suburban Chicago, the local high school tennis coach spent his summers running a model junior program out of a six-court park facility.

Even though Burns Field was two miles away (seemed much farther back then), I would ride my bike there and spend endless hours watching the high school players from his teams develop their games while us younger tykes drooled with envy, hoping that we too could become like them one day. It was an idyllic environment for certain. I could not have asked for a better training ground.

Unfortunately, I did not find out how lucky I was to have been guided so deftly by one of the great high school coaches in the state of Illinois, and maybe nationally, until well into my professional life.

Jay Kramer coached Hinsdale Central High School for 50 years, won 13 state high school championships, finished as runners up 13 other times, had eight consecutive seasons when his teams were undefeated from 1972-1979 and coached

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Jay Kramer was a member of the USPTA for 46 years until he retired. countless players who went on to play college tennis. It was not until later on in my career at Wilson that I learned that Jay was a member of the USPTA for 46 years until he retired. Not only that, he was named Illinois High School Coach of the Year several times, 1988 National High School Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Federation and was named USPTA High School Coach of the Year in 1994. His induction into the Chicago Tennis Patrons Hall of Fame in 2006 was a foregone conclusion.

I never knew how lucky I was to have had his guidance at an early age.

He sold me my first Jack Kramer autograph at a cost of $17.95 including the blue spiral imperial gut.

Remember that string?

When the Wilson T2000 came out in 1966 or 1967, I was one of the first to embrace this first “game improvement product.”

Man-o-man, that was the cat’s meow! As you surmised, my

USPTA loyalty to Wilson started at a young age and remains today.

I also learned two tough life lessons while toiling away at this mecca of tennis. During an under 12 event, I lost to someone whom I felt I should have beaten and acted like a complete jerk.

I threw my racquet, cussed so loud it could be heard by the spectators and violently kicked open the gate with my foot as I exited the court. Little did I know that a sports writer from the local paper was there to witness my tirade and he wrote about it in the Hinsdale Doings. My parents were less than impressed: they made sure that this behavior would never happen again. Ever since then, my oncourt comportment has been exemplary.

The other memorable occasion involved my father. As I progressed in developing my game and had some success in state tournaments between nine and 12-years-old, my head got a little too big for my britches. I kept egging my dad on to play a true singles

John Embree (left) in the 14-and-under doubles division match of the Chicago district tennis tournament. match against me, thinking that I was going to kick his behind. Finally, he acquiesced and agreed to play. He thrashed me in one set, 6-0, and that was it. While we would play doubles together in the years ahead, that was the last time he stepped on a court with me to compete in singles. It was a lesson in humility that I will never forget.

It is not surprising that my father was such a strong influence on me from my earliest days. Like so many other life stories of other tennis players, a high school coach in a public park served as my mentor. It was more than 55 years ago that these experiences occurred, yet I remember them like it was yesterday.

What is your story? *

May 2019 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 43

USPTA

CLASH IS CONFIDENCE ON-COURT CONFIDENCE IS ABOVE ALL ELSE. CLASH INSTILLS THAT CONFIDENCE WITH A PLAYING EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER. THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT? TRY IT.

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USPTA VICE PRESIDENT MESSAGE

CAN YOU PIVOT?

by Rich Slivocka, USPTA Vice President

A

popular business buzzword over the past few years is “pivot,” which in basic business terms occurs when a company makes a fundamental change to their business after determining that their product isn’t meeting the needs of the intended market. I believe that we in the racquet industry are going through some pivoting on many different levels whether that be through the USPTA, USTA accreditation or our own clubs.

USPTA Business

When you take a look back on how the business of the USPTA has changed over the years, you can see how many of our past leaders had the foresight to recognize trends within our industry.

A recent example of an important pivot that I believe helped shape our association is the thought of past CEO Tim Heckler and the board to purchase the building in Houston. Many people at the time thought that this was a risky idea and that it spread our association too thin financially. However, as it turned out, this was a great idea and provided us with a tremendous amount of financial security that allowed us to grow our platform of education, testing and member services. The last example I am going to use is the decision to

Sometimes pivoting can be difficult but we must try and stay ahead of the curve regarding innovation and how we can continue to grow as tennis professionals. move to Orlando, Florida. With the USTA building the National Campus and the huge opportunity with the Tavistock Group, it seemed like a very good move, but uncertainty existed.

I believe that this move has set our association apart from anyone else in the tennis industry and has positioned us for continued success. The national offices are outstanding and have given our association the opportunity to grow and flourish for the next generation of USPTA professionals.

USTA Accreditation

With the USPTA deciding to move forward with accreditation, we were setting ourselves up for the biggest pivot we’ve seen within our association.

Once we became fully accredited, we distinguished ourselves as the clear leader in teaching and certification in the industry and we are changing the face of teaching in the game. The accreditation is going to affect every aspect of how we deliver tennis and also how our profession will be viewed within the job market. It’s going to make our club members more aware of the importance of taking a lesson from a USPTA certified professional. The partnership we are forming with the USTA is an unprecedented relationship that will forge our association forward but also help grow the game of tennis within our country.

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Club Pivoting

Some of the biggest pivoting that many of us as tennis professionals have had to do is related to the growing addition of paddle sports (or the Four P’s) to our programs. With the continued growth of pickleball, pop tennis, platform tennis and padel we’ve all had to “pivot” on how we grow and conduct business at our clubs. I am a tennis purist and I will be the first to admit that I fought against these sports. I had to ask myself the most important question: what’s best for my members and what can I provide them that will enhance their experience? Once I removed my reservations, I realized I was doing a disservice to my members.

Sometimes pivoting can be difficult but we must try and stay ahead of the curve regarding innovation and how we can continue to grow as tennis professionals.

In closing, I know that pivoting can be difficult whether it’s at our own club or within the USPTA. If we are going to continue to be leaders in our industry, then we must continue to innovate and try to recognize trends before they happen. Whether that means servicing our club members or providing increased value for our fellow USPTA members, we need to continue to provide our members with cuttingedge programming and educational benefits. *

Unlimited Perseverance.

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MASTER PRO CORNER

Becoming a Master Professional careers and an important milestone in their lives. Let’s hear from a few in their own words:

Howard Chodak

USPTA Master Pro

T

he road to becoming a Master Professional is not an easy one, but for those of you who are so motivated, it can be an extremely rewarding and beneficial journey.

It can be the culmination of a career well spent in service to the industry and our profession, or it can be used specifically as a tool to enhance one’s career and give you an advantage when going after your dream job. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to become a Master Pro, it will take years of planning and accomplishment to make it happen, so you should start as soon as possible. The complete requirements can be found on the USPTA website under the certification tab.

On a recent conference call with over 40 Master Professionals, I was extremely humbled to see the names of the people on that call. It was an impressive list of many of the most accomplished and well-respected leaders in our field. I think if we spoke to each one of them, they would say it was almost a calling that made them take the necessary steps to achieve this rating, and I’m sure all of them would say that it was one of the proudest accomplishments of their

“In 1994, I was honored with the USPTA Master Professional certification. It has been a very satisfying career achievement. And, for me personally, having the honor of being evaluated and approved by one of the most dedicated of all tennis professionals, the late (and still great) George Bacso, has been and continues to be icing on the cake!” Joe Dinoffer, USPTA Master Professional – President and Founder, Oncourt Offcourt Ltd “My Master Professional designation has always been something I’ve been very proud to have achieved. More importantly, I think it’s an achievement that is respected by my fellow professionals and recognized by club managers. As a search consultant and career coach for tennis professionals, I strongly encourage every professional to become the very best they can be, and to do everything possible to stand out and differentiate themselves in the eyes of a club manager or search committee.

USPTA Master Professional is a designation that is very highly regarded by the club managers and search committees that I work with when considering who to

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interview for their open positions.”

Mark McMahon, USPTA Master Professional – Tennis Professional Career Coach and Search Consultant, McMahon & Associates “As a USPTA Master Professional, I wear the badge with honor. To me, it is a unique professional distinction that recognizes years of accomplishments and contributions to our game, profession and industry.” Steve Contardi, USPTA

Master Professional – Operating Partner, The Club at Harper’s Point

“Becoming a USPTA Master Professional was a great honor for me. There is no question it has helped my career with job applications and tennis industry involvement. Although the process was a comprehensive one, it was absolutely worthwhile documenting each requirement and procedure.

You don’t realize how much you do in the industry until you attempt to record your activities and contributions. If you are a career tennis professional, I recommend each USPTA Elite Professional spend the time and energy to achieve USPTA Master Professional designation!” Tom Daglis, USPTA

Master Professional – Executive Director, Rome Tennis Center at Berry College

MASTER PRO CORNER “When I was a young P-1, I looked at some older Master Pros and thought, mistakenly, that I was already that good. So, I looked into the requirements for Master Pro. Wow! That was an eye opener. The process of fulfilling the requirements became a distant dream. Then, little by little, habits formed and humility developed from the realization that tons of actual service to the tennis community, not knowledge or playing experience, was the key. The process of becoming a Master Pro forced me to try to be more unselfish and more productive. I still look up to the Master Pros around me who have contributed so much to the game.” James Shaughnessy, USPTA

Master Professional – Director of 3D Motion Analysis and Computerized Exercise Systems at Tucker Tennis Academy, USTA Regional Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma “I am 100 percent certain that being a Master Professional gave me the edge in getting my current dream job, at Bonita Bay Club. How do I know? My boss told me it was a major factor in his decision. In addition, I am thrilled to be a part of this group of professionals, most of them are my tennis professional heroes. They are people I look up to and admire.

It never fails, when new Master Professionals are certified, they are the professionals and people from whom I most learn from. That is a huge statement as we have so many

qualified USPTA professionals. I have been humbled to learn from so many. But… the MP has an extra amount of fortitude and grit. They are a talented and grateful bunch!”

Paula Scheb, USPTA Master Professional – Director of Sports, Bonita Bay Club “Becoming a Master Professional is truly a career highlight. We are in a time where our sport needs to see bright and talented individuals come to the forefront. This distinction establishes you as a leader in the tennis industry; a trait that employers seek most. If you’re looking to master your craft while opening doors in parallel fields and bolster your personal brand in an ever-changing industry, the Master Professional process is a worthwhile journey.” Len Simard, USPTA

Master Professional – General Manager, New Canaan Racquet Club

“Tim Heckler was constantly on me to become a USPTA Master Professional. I would always tell him that it was too much trouble and that I didn’t need that moniker

to get a better job. Tim said that the Master Pro designation wasn’t something that would guarantee anyone a better job, but it was affirmation that one had contributed to the betterment of the game and the tennis industry. One who not only profits from the profession we all love, but who gives back to the game that has given so much to us. In his mind that was what it meant to be a true Master Professional.” Ron Woods, USPTA Master Professional – Former Director of Tennis, Corpus Christi Country Club

“The road to becoming a Master Professional is not an easy one, but for those of you who are so motivated, it can be an extremely rewarding and beneficial journey.”

Becoming a Master Professional is not for everyone, but it is a journey well worth taking for those who are motivated to do so. If you have questions about the process or would like to be put in touch with a Master Pro mentor who can help guide you through the process, please contact Mark Centrella - Chairperson of the Master Pro committee at centrella4@aol.com.*

Howard Chodak is a USPTA Master Professional with 40 years of experience. He has served as both a USPTA tester and a Vice President on the USPTA Florida Board and is the author of The Seven Deadly Sins of Doubles, a primer on recreational doubles play. From 2014 – 2017 he was the director of tennis development for Special Olympics Florida where he transformed competitions throughout the state by introducing red, orange and green balls as well as new formats to allow many more athletes the opportunity to compete.

May 2019 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 49

INSIDE COACHING A Game Changer for Tennis

By Nicholas A. DiNubile M.D., USPTA Professional

T

he impact of technology on sports is unquestioned. From baseball and football to golf and the Olympics, it has changed how we train athletes, manage and prevent their injuries, gather and interpret statistics and even how we watch sports. And tennis is no exception.

Recently, tennis has ventured further into the high-tech world of sports with RacquetFit. I recently had the opportunity to complete RacquetFit’s “Level 1: The Body-Serve Connection” certification.

It was outstanding, and something I highly recommend to all tennis, medical and fitness professionals working with tennis players. I am an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, and a USPTA member with a passion for tennis. I am also the Chief Medical Advisor for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). I attend many medical and fitness related conferences, but RacquetFit was unique. The two-day course was both highly informative and entertaining. There was no shortage of hands-on, practical information. The level of interaction between RacquetFit’s stellar faculty and the participants was tremendous. Attendees came from a variety of backgrounds, with equal numbers of tennis professionals, healthcare professionals (physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers, etc.) and fitness professionals. Interaction between fellow participants was a highlight, and I met many new friends and colleagues from all over the country.

RacquetFit is based on the highly successful Titleist Performance Institute golf program which is one of the world’s leading educational endeavors dedicated

to the study of how the human body functions (and malfunctions) in relation to the golf swing and golf biomechanics.

TPI was founded in 2003 and has studied and collected data on thousands of golfers ranging from top professional tour players to weekend enthusiasts. There are over 19,000 TPI-certified professionals in 63 countries assisting players of all levels. Recently, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) approved RacquetFit for continuing education credits.

RacquetFit has used technology to study how the body moves optimally in tennis, and has collected data on all types of athletes ranging from top ATP and WTA professionals to recreational players. The resultant RacquetFit screen, obtained from this data and developed in conjunction with its extensive advisory board of tennis industry experts, is simple, quick and highly reproducible.

It combines brief video clips with an orthopedic-based physical exam assessment and can be used to both uncover and document issues and flaws, both technical and/or anatomic, that will affect tennis strokes and movement, ones that could be easily missed even by the most skilled tennis instructors.

RacquetFit screening is good for evaluation at all levels of tennis from beginner to advanced, from youth to mature athletes. With younger players,

it is especially good to help avoid developing bad technical habits. With more mature athletes, like myself, it can easily uncover musculoskeletal issues and limitations that may require orthopedic evaluation and treatment, or just some preventive exercises to improve or resolve the issue. In both young and old, this will lead to not only improved, more efficient performance on the court but also lower risk of injury.

Proper documented assessment takes the guesswork out of tennis stroke and movement pattern analysis. Also, once technical issues and/or physical imbalances are addressed, a repeat screen can be performed and visual feedback easily given.

RacquetFit offers a Level I seminar which covers the 13 tennis serve characteristics and teaches 15 tennisspecific screens. The Level II seminar which focuses on the 16 characteristics related to groundstrokes is expected to be released in the summer of 2019.

To learn more, please visit racquetfit. com or reach out to Dr. Sean Drake at sean.drake@racquetfit.com* RacquetFit Certification Courses: May 24 - 25 Rutherford (Newark), NJ July 18 - 19 Austin (Georgetown) TX September 28-29 Las Vegas November 15-16 Atlanta

Dr. Nicholas A. DiNubile is in private practice in Havertown, Pennsylvania with Premier Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. DiNubile has been chosen in “Best Doctors in America” as well as “Guide to America’s Top Surgeons.”

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NIKECOURT Mens and Womens

Performance Favorites

The Official Distributor of Nike Footwear & Apparel to the USPTA.

Shop online at uspta.fromuthtennis.com for all your Nike Apparel and Footwear with Preferred USPTA MEMBER Pricing.

P{l}ay It Forward A Charity Challenge to Support Military Families PLAY your favorite sport and PAY it forward by making a donation of thanks to our military.

Proceeds help to strengthen military families by supporting ThanksUSA’s mission of providing need-based scholarships and pathways to employment for military spouses and kids.

Text GAMEON to 41444 Sign on as an Official Host Facility: ThanksUSA.org/GameOn

Game On

C L T

for the

s p o Tr o

OS R P R FO E G N LLE A H C ON S S E L S TENNI Get involved!

Donate proceeds from a lesson to purposefully thank our troops by providing educational scholarships for their spouses and kids. � Give a lesson starting in May for Military Appreciation Month

May include racquet and paddle sports or fitness classes

� Donate the lesson fee to ThanksUSA Text LESSON to 41444 or visit ThanksUSA.org/TLC

� Post a photo or video online and challenge three additional pros Tag @ThanksUSA @USPTA and #TLCfortheTroops on social media

Mission accomplished.

Visit ThanksUSA.org/TLC to download a media tool kit.

ThanksUSA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has awarded more than $14 million in need-based scholarships to military families from all 50 states and representing every branch of the Armed Forces.

USPTA REMEMBERING SPIKE \ TGA PREMIER TENNIS

Remembering Spike Gurney K

enneth W. (Spike) Gurney Jr., former USPTA Florida Division President and National Board Member, passed peacefully on February 27, 2019 at the age of 71 years. A resident of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Spike fought a courageous battle for three years with Multiple Myeloma. He is survived by Peggy Gurney, his loving wife of 43 years.

Spike served the USPTA for 45 years. His contribution to the USPTA included being a Master Professional, Division and National volunteer with roles as Division President, National Board Member, National Convention Chairman and multiple national committees. A highlight of Spike’s career

was being named national USPTA Professional of the Year in 1988.

Spike was born in Winchester, Mass and raised in Arlington, Mass.

He went to Bentley USPTA Florida Past Division Presidents gathered to remember and celebrate the life of Spike Gurney.

College in 1969 and Former Florida President Mark played on the tennis McMahon recalls being invited to team. His passion for tennis carried on attend a USPTA District meeting by for over 50 years.

Spike. McMahon said “Spike Gurney Former USPTA President Will Hoag was a leader. He wasn’t always the observed that Spike was a mentor to loudest, but when Spike spoke, people him and many tennis professionals listened –and wanted to follow him. He across Florida. Will said “Spike took the was the epitome of an inspirational and USPTA Florida Division from a group charismatic leader”. of Pros to an organization of Tennis Spike loved Peggy, his family and his Professionals”, a sentiment echoed from friends, and lived life to the fullest. He many previous and subsequent Division will be missed by all who knew him.* leaders to this day.

Honors Black Level Students TGA Premier Tennis and the USPTA would like to congratulate the Class of 2018 students who achieved Black Level in TGA’s afterschool enrichment program. These students climbed to the top of TGA’s 5-level program that combines tennis skill development, rules and etiquette, and academic and life lessons. Keep Playing!

Howard County, MD Ryan Cui Joseph Drissel Emmanual King Divya Pavuluri Sai Shete Richmond, VA Youssef Gad Anne Arundel, MD Logan Brock Loudoun County, VA Solomon Crawford Aniketh Lokesh Wake County, NC Stiles Arion Kayda Arion Madhubalan Ayyar Esha Bireddy Willow Blaze Evan Chadwick Max Corcoran Parth Deopura Juliette Diaz Helen Ford Isabelle Ford Jackson Ford

Sara Forte David Freels Jacob Freeman Max Goldstein Winston Hadfield Hailey Hudspeth Mia Igleheart Julia Jones Sankalp Katti Daniel Keiller Sylvie Knott Layla Lawson Mia Leszczak Lily Mahoney Alice Medoff Zoe Miller Delaney Mize Gwyneth Overton Ansh Patel Aashi Patel Rishima Patel Wyatt Price Shehzad Riaz Natalie Sapienza Dillon Smith Elizabeth Stocum Emersyn Townsend Ethan Yeshua Vicuna T’Aira Wallace Brysen Wright

Dalton Zervas Central Hennipin County, MN Saikat Chakrabarty Charlotte Erickson Doni Hassan Trayi Kopparapu Aniya Mehta Umar Parpia Leah Quintero Amogh Singh Ashley Zheng Loudoun County, VA Aiden Bennett Solomon Crawford Liam Hanley Aniketh Lokesh Bryce Powell Sayal Shetty West Virginia Nayan Dominguez Garrett Fisher Julianne Haderer Luke Musacchio Carter Neff Sebastian Rodriguez Tylee Ross

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Matthew Snyder Gillian Sykes Addison Sykes Mercer County, NJ Sophia Araos Shriya Bhattacharya Karthik Chimalakonda Nicholas Negoita Aanya Sabharwal Leon Sato Rohil Sharma Ashton Snyder Noah Sorenson-Bowen Sandra Vandermeer Shirley Xu Southern Oregon, OR Benjamin Ayala Jill Chihorek Jackson Cornelius Ryleigh Estrada Finley Harper Nihal Khalsa Berkeley Kim Graham Reesor Cash Roberts Catie Wheeler Los Angeles, CA Rupal Patel

Gwinnett County, GA Aditya Lakshman Abigail Perez Johnathan Zhan San Fernando Valley, CA Maxwell Blacker-Goldstone Hazel Carpenter Raef Deguzman Luca Diaz Luca Epps Elinor Berg Gavy Yitong Lian Alex McRiley Micholas Medina Natalie Medina Cole Moranwille Matias Oliva Ismael Santiago Kai Schaid Doreen Shabtai Maleeha Siddique Jackson Thayer Patrick Thayer Sklyer Valderama Ysmin Yadegari

UNIVERSAL TENNIS ACADEMY

USPTA

Universal Tennis Academy aims to certify all full-time employees with USPTA

by Tommy Cardinal, USPTA Communications

T

he Universal Tennis Academy, which manages 10 facilities across Atlanta, has decided to certify all their full-time tennis-teaching professionals with the United States Professional Tennis Association.

“Some of our staff was already USPTA certified, but it was far less than I desired as far as full-time employees. So, 23 of our staff were tested and certified so far this year,” UTA partner Stewart Russell said.

“Our goal is to have all full-time tennis-teaching professionals USPTA certified” National Head Tester Sid Newcomb visited James Creek Tennis Center in March to certify 13 teaching professionals employed by the UTA. “It will help them keep consistency across each site,” Newcomb said.

“It’s such a large operation that having a base requirement of USPTA certification can only help with organization.”

The UTA manages more than 120 courts across 10 facilities in and around Atlanta and is a staple in the Atlanta tennis community. Russell said that the UTA is unique in its junior development because of the broad skill set of their members.

“It’s really the only program that offers the pathway all the way from beginner to nationally ranked and college tennis programs,” Russell said.

“Basically, it’s really word of mouth as

UTA employees attended a certification test at James Creek Tennis Center on March 15 and 16 with Head Tester Sid Newcomb and Education and Multimedia Manger Ramona Husaru. far as how many members. Altogether, we have as many as 1,000 juniors across our facilities that train weekly.”

The Universal Tennis Academy’s rapid growth began when partners at Chattahoochee Plantation decided to sell the private tennis facility. Instead, UTA shifted to management of facilities rather than ownership. This allowed them to spread across Atlanta, saving public facilities in the process.

“There were five City of Atlanta tennis sites that were gonna get shut down. So, the commissioner actually approached us about seeing if we were interested in taking over the city of Atlanta sites,” Russell said. “So, to make a long story short, we sold the property that we had at the private club and we began managing the City of Atlanta sites.”

The resurrection of these public facilities hasn’t gone unnoticed. UTAmanaged Bitsy Grant Tennis Center won the USTA Outstanding Facility Award in 2017 in the large public courts category.

UTA doesn’t only manage public facilities, though. They also partner with private clubs to oversee programs and staffing. The year after the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center won the USTA award, James Creek Tennis Center won another outstanding facility award, this time for a private facility.

Russell also commented on USTA’s full accreditation of the USPTA which was announced earlier this year.

“I think it’s really good for both sides. It sends more of a consistent message that these people are interested in partnering with the right people,” Russell said. “Whether it’s USTA or USPTA. I think the USPTA and USTA partnering makes more sense for me.”*

For more information on certifying the tennis-teaching professionals at your club, please contact the USPTA Membership team at 407-634-3050 ext. 145 or email membership@uspta.org.

May 2019 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 55

USPTA UTR + USPTA

Universal Tennis and USPTA: Bring Level-Based Play to Your Local Community

by Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman & CEO

T

ennis players tell us they would play more if they could find and connect with more players at their level. Now there is a real, proven solution: Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) rates all tennis players and enables true level-based play that increases engagement and participation.

UTR Powered by Oracle is the foundation of level-based play and truly democratizes tennis. Every single tennis player, from recreational to junior to pro, is rated on the same 16-point scale.

It breaks down the barriers and silos in tennis by structuring tennis based on skill level rather than by age or gender.

Facilitating play based on skill level means you can find more players in your local community/club and have more competition at your level.

Universal Tennis is focused on increasing participation in tennis by both providing much needed tools and technology to support professionals/ coaches and making the sport more affordable, accessible and fun for players

of all levels worldwide. We have been at the forefront driving the level-based play revolution embraced by players, professionals and tennis leaders including Novak Djokovic, Tennis Australia, Tennis Channel and, of course, USPTA. Recently, we have introduced the UTR Engagement Platform to organizers, professionals and coaches to help drive tennis engagement and revenue in their clubs and communities.

Clubs and academies worldwide, including Rafa Nadal Academy, Kim Clijsters Academy, John McEnroe Tennis Academy, IMG, Saddlebook, Courtsense, Midtown Tennis and Cliff Drysdale Management are experiencing the benefits of the level-based play revolution.

Kim Clijsters Academy has experienced a 90 percent increase in new member conversion since adopting the UTR Engagement Platform. “UTR has turned out to be an unexpected sales tool.

UTR measures all players across the same 16.50 scale and is the only purely results based tennis rating system in the world.

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UTR Events are bringing new players into the club, and we are converting them into new members.” - Yasemin Ostrevsky, Kim Clijsters Academy

Clubs and academies use the UTR Engagement Platform to: • Get All Players Rated and Join the Global UTR Community: UTR Powered by Oracle is the premier global tennis rating system that measures all genders, ages and geographies across the same 1 – 16 scale. Every tennis player can get rated, so they can understand their true skill level, track their progress and find play at their level everywhere.

• Create More Local Opportunities to Play & Increase Participation: Give all members more opportunities to play and improve their tennis with events based on level, rather than age or gender. Create events, take registration and payment, set draws and post scores all via UTR’s easy to use TMS / EMS platform. When UTR is used to pair players, matches are 2-3.5x more competitive and players have a much more positive experience.

• Use the UTR Digital Club as the One-Stop Shop: The UTR Digital Club is the one-stop shop for all member communications, score posting, play activity and tournament creation. Your digital ladder helps you track player skill & improvement and to engage members.

USPTA • Drive Revenue: Optimize court activity through level-based play and leverage targeted data and analytics to understand opportunities to improve your club programming. Bring in prospective new members by running open UTR Events to allow them to experience your tennis program.

• Develop Local Opportunities for High-Performance Players: UTR counts all player results rather than results from select tournaments and events. Players can play more locally to develop their game rather than incur time and monetary expenses traveling long distances.

• Access Always-On Support: Access UTR training materials, webinars, case studies and ongoing support for integrating UTR into your program. If you have any questions, the team at UTR is here to help.

Case Study: Centercourt Tennis Club & Sports

• $200,000 annual revenue increase using 10-15 courts • 218 percent increase in participation • 56 percent of weekend players are new • Six UTR Events per weekend with 200 players

Club Benefits: • Increased revenue: Programs generate $4,000 per weekend and over 200 percent from previous year • Guaranteed revenue: Courts that were empty now generate revenue

Your UTR Digital Club seamlessly organizes your tennis world in one place.

• More new players: 56 percent of weekend players are new

• More people to play with: New players of all levels are joining

• Potential new members: More members in the Digital Club than actual club members

• Know level and track growth: Can set goals and quantify progress from level-based play

• Additional revenue for coaches: Coaches get extra hours and revenue

• Increased engagement: Players are constantly checking their ratings and interacting with their peers

• Increased member engagement: Juniors are playing more: 218 percent increase in participation

• Introduction to competitive tennis: 20 percent of juniors who had not played competitive matches and tournaments are getting rated & enjoying level-based play

Member Benefits: • Time and money savings: No longer need to travel long distances to play • More opportunities to play: Players have more options to play several times per week

We’re excited to offer USPTA members exclusive discounted pricing for Premium access to the UTR Engagement Platform.

Visit www.myutr/USPTA.com to get your special discounted offer! *

May 2019 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 57

USPTA USPTA INTERMOUNTAIN DIVISION HIGHLIGHT

What USTA Accreditation Means to Me as a USPTA Professional

by Hassan Humayun, USPTA Elite Professional

W

hat does USPTA accreditation mean to me? It brings great value and assures my commitment to excellence in my field. Accreditation will help my reputation as a tennis professional that we were provided the best education and training to be the best possible coaches not only in the United States but in the world.

When I was 20-years-old, I got my USPTA certification and if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t be where I am today.

The USPTA certification led my general manager to make me the director of tennis when I was only 21-years-old.

I realized that the USPTA was always striving to be the best in providing resources to their members. They helped tennis professionals succeed both on and off-court. I had opportunities to attend specialty courses, conferences, and a built in was a natural mentorship with tennis coaches. I knew I had a lot to learn and the programs, courses, and the USPTA professionals that held these events had a huge impact on our industry.

As a young professional, I would have never thought I could have an organization provide so many amazing opportunities. I attended conferences that made me learn from the best tennis professionals such as Jose Higueras, Emilio Sanchez, Hank Pfister, Feisal Hassan, Ajay Pant, and Dave Porter just to name a few. After growing my education through the USPTA events I attended over the years, I developed players that achieved tennis scholarships to Division I universities, ran professional tournaments, and many social events over the years.

I was able to use the resources from the USPTA website to tackle any challenges I ever faced at my club. If I could not find something specific, I was able to pick up the phone and get help from any one of my

Humayun (left) with USPTA Elite Professionals, Jeff Salzenstein and Andy Zodin at the 2016 USPTA World Conference in Indian Wells. fellow USPTA colleagues.

What does the USTA accreditation mean for the USPTA? First it would assurance to employers that USPTA professionals have gone through rigorous training and background checks. This is important for us to show this to general managers that USPTA professionals are the best in the industry.

It will ensure that employers will value tennis professionals knowing they have gone through a certain level of training.

Accreditation will make more jobs available for USPTA professionals as they will be looked at first for recruitment opportunities. This is important as our industry is in a constantly changing environment.

What is exciting is that the accreditation through the USTA is going to support the USPTA and its core values. The USPTA is now not only being

just tennis-teaching professionals but industry leaders. Working together is going to raise the level and keep things uniform across the nation.

Also, by joining forces both organizations can pool their resources to provide the best environment to give tennis coaches a chance to succeed.

It will also elevate tennis coaching across the United States which will raise the number of players and level of play.

I have been very fortunate through the USPTA education system to be able to make a difference by testing over 150 applicants. It has been amazing to reach out to future coaches to make a difference that tennis brings into everyday life no matter what their goals are.

I look forward to the USPTA getting their accreditation from the USTA as this will elevate the game and the industry for years to come! *

Hassan Humayun is a USPTA Elite Professional and is the head tennis professional at the Anthem Country Club in Henderson, Nevada. He brings more than 15 years’ experience in managing a wide range of tennis programs. Hassan was elected USPTA Intermountain President for the 2016-2018 term. Hassan is also the Head Tester for USPTA Intermountain where he certifies pros in Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and Montana.

58 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — May 2019

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Exams, Upgrades & PTCA 4 Credits for PTCA I Segment Exams, Upgrades & PTCA May 3..................................Rye Brook, NY May 3.................................. Falmouth, ME May 4................................ Des Moines, IA May 4.............................. Birmingham, AL May 4 – 5................ Huntington Beach, CA May 8 – 9................................Boulder, CO May 10..........................Clarks Summit, PA May 11.............................. Chula Vista, CA May 11 – 12....................... Boca Raton, FL May 13 – 14.................... San Francisco, CA May 14 – 15......................... Las Vegas, NV May 16 – 17............................ Phoenix, AZ May 17......................... Overland Park, KS May 17......................... King of Prussia, PA May 17 – 18..................... Montgomery, TX May 18............................... Big Rapids, MI May 18 .............................. Eau Claire, WI May 18 – 19............................ Raleigh, NC May 19................................ St. Louis, MO May 19.............................. Brentwood, TN May 25 – 26........................ Columbus, GA May 26 – 27........................... Burbank, CA May 31................. Palm Beach Gardens, FL May 31 – June 1.................... Kirkland, WA June 1 – 2...................................Aurora, IL June 1 – 2......................... San Antonio, TX June 1 – 2................Hilton Head Island, SC June 3.................................... Carlsbad, CA June 3 – 4................................ Orlando, FL June 7 ........................... Sinking Spring, PA June 7 – 8..................................... Lehi, UT June 7 – 8...................... Albuquerque, NM June 8 ............................... Portsmouth, RI June 8 ................................Des Moines, IA June 8 – 9......................... Johns Creek, GA June 14........................... Minneapolis, MN June 15 – 16 ...............................Destin, FL June 17 – 18 ................... San Francisco, CA June 21 – 22 ............................. Tucson, AZ June 22 – 23 ...................Mission Viejo, CA June 22 – 23 .............................. Rome, GA June 22 – 23 ..................... Coral Gables, FL 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.

USPTA

2019 USPTA Division Conference Schedule

Online education

Division Conferences - 6 Credits May 3 – 5............................... Eastern Division Doral Arrowhead; Rye Brook, NY

May 3 – 5...................... New England Division Foreside Fitness and Tennis Center; Falmouth, ME

May 16 - 18......................... Southern Division North Hill Country Club; Raleigh, NC

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

May 17 - 19 ....................... Southwest Division Grand Canyon University; Phoenix , AZ

May 30 - June 2.......................Florida Division PGA National; Palm Beach Gardens, FL

May 31 - June 1...... Pacific Northwest Division Central Park Tennis Club; Kirkland , WA

May 24 - 25 ................. Certification Course Renaissance Meadowlands Hotel; Newark, NJ

Aug. 15 - 16..........................Midwest Division Western Southern Open; Cincinnati, OH

Sept. 23 – 27 ...........USPTA World Conference

Westgate Las Vegas; Las Vegas, NV

July. 18 – 19 ................ Certification Course Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel; Austin, TX

WHEELCHAIR Tennis

Sept. 28 – 29 ............... Certification Course

USPTA World Conference; Las Vegas, NV

Nov. 15 – 16 ................ Certification Course

Atlanta, GA

Cardio Tennis

May 30 – 31 .................................. Orlando, FL June 26 ......................................... Wichita, KS Oct. 24 – 25 .................................. Orlando, FL

IPTPA Pickleball Certification Workshop

Oct. 12....................Level 1 Training Course Midtown Athletic Club; Palatine, IL Nov. 9......................Level 1 Training Course Methodist University; Fayetteville, NC

Padel

May 7...........................................Valencia, CA May 19.......................................... Raleigh, NC May 25.......................... Yorktown Heights, NY June 2 ........................Palm Beach Gardens, FL Sept. 22......................................Las Vegas, NV

2019 Level 1 Certification Dates

Spanish Tennis Teaching System

May 30 – 31...............................Lowell, AK June 15 – 16............................ Orlando, FL July 18 – 19 ..............................Central, PA September 19 – 20 ....................Lowell, AK

2019 USPTA HARD COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS Onion Creek Club - Austin, Texas

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.

November 8 - 10 Entry Fee $90

For More Information: Visit uspta.com or contact tournament director Jenny Gray JGRAY@OnionCreekClub.com For online registration please visit bit.ly/usptatournaments

Onion Creek Club

May. 31 – June 2........................ Naples, FL

Competitive Coaching Course Level 1

June 2 – 4.................................. Naples, FL

Pro Coaching Course Level 2

May 2019 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 59

MEMBER NEWS

Leslie Allen

Harshul Patel

Sally Frame

Jeff Salzenstein

Leslie Allen was featured in the CBS Sports Network special “Althea and Arthur.”

A 10-year WTA Tour competitor she achieved a singles world ranking of #17.

By claiming the singles title at the Avon Championships of Detroit, Allen made history in 1981 as the first African American woman to win a major pro tournament since Althea Gibson’s 1957 US Open victory. Allen founded the Leslie Allen Foundation, which gives young people insights into the 100+ careers behind the scenes in pro tennis, and teaches them how to be winners.

Harshul Patel was featured in the news article “Fountain Valley boys tennis developing winners on and off the court.” Patel’s coaching experience spans a 16-year period during which he has developed an excellent reputation as a tennis professional. He started his coaching career in Australia at the Roche Racquet Resort where he worked and trained as an assistant coach under the direction of Tony Roche. He currently coaches the boys tennis team at Fountain Valley High School in Fountain Valley, California.

Sally Frame from Richardson, Texas has been awarded the Lloyd Sessions Educational Merit Award by the USTA Texas Section. Frame was selected to receive the lifetime achievement award based on her outstanding ability to build stronger junior tennis at all levels of skill and her dedication to promoting the game of tennis with an emphasis on “education.” Frame is the president and director of tennis at Ace Tennis Services where she coaches all ages and levels, directs tournaments, and takes tennis lovers on fun trips to tournaments like the BNP Paribas Open.

Jeff Salzenstein has released a new series of videos teaching the all-important slice, kick and ‘slick‘ serves for “SportsEdTV”. The fivevideo series covers the fundamentals of each serve and basic serving placement strategy for each.

Salzenstein broke top 100 in the world for the first time at age 30, the oldest American to do so for the first time. He achieved this feat after coming back from two major surgeries and played 11 years on the ATP Tour before retiring in 2007.

On the Cover: Cindy Hummel Tennis Center (Auburndale, Florida) Head Professional, USPTA applicant Logan Allen (left) with his mentor, Cindy Hummel Tennis Center Director of Tennis, USPTA Elite Professional Andy Durham.

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 Editor.............................................................................John Cornell Managing Editor ................................................... DeVonte’ Martin Layout/Design........................................................... Gustavo Reyes Editorial Assistance.......................... Tommy Cardinal, Risa Epstein, Ramona Husaru, Sid Newcomb, Fred Viancos, Circulation................................................................ Trevor Trudelle USPTA World Headquarters 11961 Performance Dr. Orlando, FL 32827

60 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — May 2019

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. 2019. All rights reserved.

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