Addvantage 2018 November/December

NOV-DEC 2018

Alex Gordon Professional of the Year Mark Faber.

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 35

FROM THE CEO

A New Day

by John R. Embree, USPTA Chief Executive Officer

A

t the USPTA General Membership Meeting during the TTC in New York, President Gary Trost had an opportunity to update those in attendance to the latest developments on the accreditation process and where things stand. Not only were his remarks timely, they were relevant to our plans that relate to certification standards and continuing education.

Thus, I thought it would be appropriate to shine a light on the key elements of his speech. It is vital that our entire membership understand what is happening with this new partnership being forged with the USTA. This is an incredible opportunity to change the industry going forward.

The new USTA accreditation program is the most important topic facing our Association and the industry. You may be asking: how will this impact our Association?

Anytime a program of this magnitude is launched, there is a lot of concern for the unknown. But here is what we do know today: USPTA & USTA seek to attract new tennis professionals.

We want to support existing professionals to help grow their business and ultimately grow tennis in the US. The primary purpose of USTA accreditation and USPTA certification is to create the best on court experience possible for all types of players. In addition, we want to provide career pathways for USPTA members by giving them the competencies necessary to have a competitive advantage to advance their career.

USPTA wants to raise the standards for certification.

So, when the USTA came to us two years ago with the concept of improving the consumer experience on court and making our pros better, we wholeheartedly agreed. The only way we can grow our game is to enhance the competencies of tennis professionals through certification and continuing education requirements.

We have more great teaching pros in the United States than anywhere in the world. However, we need higher standards for all tennis professionals. This accreditation and certification program gives us the best chance to accomplish this.

The USPTA received provisional accreditation in March.

PTR also applied for provisional accreditation and as of this writing, they have not been accredited.

Certification requirements begin in 2020.

We have a lot of work to do to finalize the details with USTA. All Certified USPTA members as of December 31, 2019 will be exempt from the new certification standards. Starting in 2020 all new applicants will need to meet the new requirements.

36 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

I am pleased to announce that the USPTA and USTA are going to be partners in raising the standards for how tennis is delivered in the US. At our national board and Executive Committee meetings in New York, we had a very frank and engaging dialogue with USTA leadership about how we can collaborate on a whole host of matters. We left those meetings encouraged and positive about the direction we are headed.

The USTA realizes that these new higher standards need to mean something in the job market. This means promoting these higher standards to those that hire and seek out teaching pros. Higher standards ultimately should lead to better jobs and more business. That will take time, but we will develop a communication plan with USTA to educate those that hire tennis professionals and our consumers. USTA will be providing resources and leveraging their assets for this. Ex: PSA’s on televised events, marketing to club managers and owners, etc.

The USTA also recognizes that education for US tennisteaching professionals should be delivered by the certifying organization (USPTA). Therefore, we will work collaboratively with the USTA to develop unparalleled educational resources called USPTA-U (USPTA University).

There will be other exclusive benefits for USPTA pros like: Grounds passes and/or tickets to sessions at the US Open, US Open Series events, etc. as well as benefits for USPTA pros when visiting the USTA National Campus and the BJKNTC. USPTA Pros will also receive special recognition with NET GENERATION. Finally, the USTA will assure us in writing that they have no intention of getting into the certification business or the tennis professional association business. REPEAT: the USTA has no desire to be in the certification business. And no, the USTA is not taking over the USPTA! We along with the USTA, are committed to significantly raising the standards of how tennis is delivered and to make experiential learning a major part of pre-certification education.

Not only that, the USTA needs the USPTA to help deliver programs at the grassroots to truly grow our sport. We cannot do it separately.

We will provide regular updates on these initiatives in the weeks and months ahead. So, be patient as we forge ahead down this path. It is a new day for the tennis industry and for the USPTA. I am very enthusiastic about the potential that this partnership has for us and the sport in general. *

ULTIMATE CONTROL Nike Zoom Vapor 10 for Men and Women

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

Preferred USPTA MEMBER Pricing online at uspta.fromuthtennis.com.

SOUND ON. VOLUME UP. PLAY YOUR HEART OUT. If you want the tennis world to listen up, then make noise when it’s time to play by putting your whole heart into it. It’s how you go from good…to great…to rock-star status. And it doesn’t hurt to be armed with the most classic of instruments: Roger’s legendary new Pro Staff RF97.

WILSON.COM

38 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

Pros often customize the rackets they use, including string patterns. Consumer racket specifications may vary from models customized by Pros for match-play. © 2018 Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Trademarks advertised other than those of Wilson Sporting Goods Co. are properties of their respective owners. 17-2599

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 39

First vice President Message

What’s in it for me?

by Feisal Hassan , USPTA First Vice President

W

hat ‘s in it for me? That’s a question I hear a lot from our members at USPTA; and we understand. As a trade association, we are in the business of providing a benefit to our members. The reality is, without our members, we don’t have an Association. It is important to understand that the board members, the national staff, and the division leadership are not the USPTA. All of our members are the foundation of the USPTA, as well as our greatest resource. In order to take full advantage of our USPTA membership, we must learn from and share with each other.

Expanded Partnerships With the recent accreditation making us the only USTA accredited tennis-teaching association, our Association’s standing across the tennis community has been strengthened immeasurably.

We are the industry standard in tennis teaching and the USTA has affirmed that. As CEO John Embree states on page 36, more collaboration and expanded programming is on the way.

Opportunities for collaboration while retaining our autonomy is an integral step in the continued elevation of our Association.

But that question remains- “What’s in it for me?” How do we take full advantage of the Association’s collective knowledge and wisdom to better the sport we are so passionate about?

Conference Networking We implore you to consider attending a division or national conference. The ability to learn from your peers, engage in discourse, and offer your specific knowledge, background and experiences is critical in the growth of our professionals.

Most division conference dates and locations have been set for the upcoming year and can be found in the back of this issue on page 60. Of course, I look forward to seeing many USPTA professionals at the 2019 World Conference in Las Vegas next fall!

Career Development Opportunities Two additional opportunities afforded to our members are the USPTA Leadership Academy and the RacquetFit certification program. I had the good fortune to participate in the inaugural RacquetFit certification in Lake Nona. It was an eye-opening experience that has already made a significant impact on my teaching style and philosophy. Elite Professional Jeff Salzenstein along with Dr. Sean Drake and Dr. Greg Rose led the presentations and all in attendance left impressed.

As instructors at the USPTA Leadership Academy, Sara Morse, Ajay Pant, Jose Pastrello and I saw firsthand how our pros are eager to improve their careers and the exchange of information not only benefited them, but I can honestly say

40 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

I learned something from both the attendees and the other presenters. We had USPTA professionals from across the country, absorbing information from the presenters, and more importantly, learning from their colleagues. We will continue to offer these programs nationwide.

Another exciting initiative recently launched is the USPTA Career and Leadership Development Program. This mentor program connects veteran members with new members looking to navigate the career path of a tennis-teaching professional.

Southern Division President Kevin Theos is spearheading the program and it has seen a successful launch this past summer. For more information, visit the USPTA website at uspta.org/CLDP. Increased Membership To maximize our Association value, we all must strive to increase our membership, ensuring that young and seasoned professionals alike feel welcome and inspired to share their experiences and knowledge. We recently introduced a pathway for current and former PTR members to transition to USPTA certification.

As the only USTA accredited tennis-teaching association, we believed it important to offer an easily accessible road map for all qualified professionals. To our current members, this will widen the breadth of knowledge the Association possesses and offers an offer expanded opportunities for networking and learning.

Bringing new members into the Association also extends to our current members the chance to cover a significant portion of your annual membership dues. Led by current USPTA Vice President Mark Faber, The Admire, Invite, Mentor (AIM) Initiative rewards current members financially for bringing potential USPTA members within the fold.

Think about that, encouraging your colleagues to become part of the best tennis-teaching organization in the world, increase the collective voice of the Association, and have a significant portion of your membership dues paid for; it is a win-win.

The Takeaway If you want to get the most out of your USPTA membership, I encourage you to put the most in. Attend a conference or division meeting. Share your knowledge with our members. Take part in the mentor program. Attend a career development seminar.

Doing any of these things will enrich your membership benefits and empower us all to continue to lead the way as the world’s premier tennis-teaching association.*

Our Story A passionate company with unique history

Led by founder Jim Fromuth and CEO Pat Shields, we are a tennis wholesale distributor based in West Lawn, PA. We first opened our doors nearly 50 years ago. The Fromuth Family liked and played the game of tennis, so they bought a stringing machine and had a few tennis frames to sell in the shop. In the late 1970s, tennis began to be televised and business took a different direction. Fromuth Tennis was born. As the tennis industry grew, so did our selection of racquets, strings and apparel. We began helping small pro shops get the product they needed to boost their own business.

Then & Now CEO Pat Shields and Founder Jim Fromuth

Today, we have a 25,000 sq. ft. warehouse. On a busy day in August, UPS trucks are lined up outside waiting to load more than 800 packages. Although bigger, we are still a family-owned operation with more than 70 employees who share a passionate drive for tennis and helping our customers.

USTA National Campus Pro Shop

Since 2006

Fromuth is the Official Distributor of Nike Footwear and Apparel to the USPTA

We lead all operations including staffing, merchandising and stringing services at the USTA National Campus Pro Shop. This 2,800 sq. ft. store in the Welcome Center of USTA National Campus features the newest product releases from top tennis brands such as Nike, adidas, Babolat, HEAD and Wilson, as well as unique National Campus memorabilia.

For more then 10 years we have provided Nike product to USPTA members. We are proud of our relationship with an exclusive community of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches promoting excellence in the tennis industry. USPTA members receive a 30 percent discount off retail prices when purchasing Nike goods through Fromuth.

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

uspta.fromuthtennis.com

Master Pro Corner

Sport psychology for kids WHEN SHOULD IT BEGIN?

by USPTA Master Professional Ronald B. Woods Ph.D., and E. Paul Roetert Ph.D.

O

ne of the greatest baseball players of all time is Yogi Berra, Hall of Famer for the New York Yankees. He was an All-Star catcher 18 times and won 10 World Series titles as a player, more than anyone in history. He was also known for his frequent malapropisms and puzzling statements such as this one;

“The game of baseball is 90 percent mental, and the other half is physical.”

If you were asked about the importance of mental toughness in sports, what would be your response? Your response will probably reflect your personal experience as a player or spectator and likely be influenced by your own mental toughness as a competitor.

Most coaches consider sports to be at least 50 percent mental when competing against an opponent of equal ability, and certain sports (such as tennis, golf and figure skating) are viewed as 80 to 90 percent mental. (Weinberg and Gould, 2015) For elite athletes in professional sports or in the Olympic Games, what sets athletes apart is their mental toughness since virtually all competitors have talent, skill, training and fitness. When events are decided by tiny margins measured in hundreds of a second or centimeters, mental skills are often the deciding factor.

(Psychlopaedia, 2016) Many athletes and coaches believe that if physical skills and physical conditioning are relatively equal, then mental toughness will make the difference between two teams or individuals in competition. A majority will admit that at the highest levels of competition including professional sports an athletes’ mental toughness under the pressure to win is the deciding factor. At the same time, when quizzed about when athletes should be introduced to mental toughness skill, a majority indicate during middle school or high school when sports become more serious and athletes are more capable of learning mental skills.

But what about youth sports? Is mental toughness relevant, important or critical for young athletes? It is widely accepted that mental toughness is a learned trait or group of skills that enables athletes to perform under competitive stress and those skills are rooted in the broader science of sport psychology. We believe that sport psychology principles and fundamental skills should be introduced from the very beginning when kids start to participate in sports. That means from ages 5-6 to start and building on that those basic skills through ages 7-12.

42 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

The secret is to introduce the concepts in a kid friendly way that players see the benefit.

In our schools, we teach kids to begin to read and do mathematics by that age. The secret is to introduce the concepts in a kid friendly way so that players see the benefit, grasp and understand the idea and immediately apply the concept in practice or play.

Let’s take a look at some of the sport psychology principles that can apply to youth sports.

Intrinsic motivation is the key to capitalizing on kids’ natural interests and attraction to sports so that they have fun and enjoyment every time they play. Why else would they want to play tennis? Understanding what gets kids excited about playing a sport and sustaining their interest and enthusiasm is absolutely essential to reversing the recent trend of high dropout rates from youth sports.

We’ve tried to bribe kids with extrinsic motivators such as premium racquets, trendy clothing, trophies, titles, and rankings that all become ineffective in the long run. We’ve got to figure out what “fun” means to kids and then make sure that practices, training and competition are all fun for kids.

Effort and energy have to be invested by kids for them to learn, compete and develop in a sport. Trying as hard

Master Pro Corner as they can is really the only worthwhile goal because it is within their control. Rewarding kids only when they win sets them up for a lifetime of disappointment since at least half of all players lose every game or match. Encouragement and rewarding kids for exerting effort should occur every time they step on a court, regardless of the outcome. Of course, this assumes that our primary goal as coaches is to keep kids playing tennis.

Competence in any skill will build a young player’s selfconfidence and belief that strengthens intrinsic motivation and stimulates giving full effort to learning tennis skills, tactics and testing them in competition. Skills need to be introduced in a way that rewards effort, produces rapid learning, and creates self-satisfaction.

Positive coaching techniques help reinforce the key factors listed above. Catch players doing something well, and reward or reinforce it immediately. Resist the temptation to point out errors of execution lest that error becomes a mental block. Instead suggest or help players figure out what they could do to further improve their skills through better preparation, body balance, swing speed or adding more spin to the shot. Likewise, help young players develop faster and enjoy playing more by insisting only on positive self-talk such as “I can do better, I’ll get it next time, or smooth and easy does it.”

Communication and cooperation with friends and competitors should be expected, taught and rewarded from the start. Learning how to be a good friend, partner and even opponent is perhaps one of most enduring values of sports. Frequent changes of partners on court, team drills and activities, cooperative drills to achieve a goal and off-court activities to get to know each other outside of tennis are all worth staging and will help reinforce positive attitudes and treatment of other players.

Character, caring for others and citizenship should also be a building block to the overall development of young athletes. Tennis is somewhat unique among sports with its

emphasis on good sporting behavior both within the rules and the spirit of the game. Use those lessons to illustrate the principles of respecting the traditions of the game, respect for others including players, coaches, officials and parents who collectively make the tennis experience possible.

Kudos to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for its ambitious new program effort “Net Generation” that is designed to attract young players and keep them in the sport. The components of this program follow the best current scientific information that shows how kids can actually learn physical skills at a rapid pace, enjoy success, enhance their confidence, make friends and have fun. The C. Federer coaching curriculum is filled with tips for coaches to help deliver positive coaching, reward effort, acquire new skills rapidly and respect others and make good friends. Check it out at netgeneration.usta.com.

In the end, we see our goal as introducing kids to tennis and keeping them playing for a lifetime. To achieve those results, we believe kids need to develop mentally, emotionally and socially along with learning physical skills.

By laying the foundations of sound psychological skills and attitudes through positive coaching the odds are good they will have fun and enjoy tennis. And as they age and reach higher levels of skill and more intense competition, these principles will only increase in significance toward competitive mental toughness.* 1.

Knight, C., Harwood, C., and Gould, D. ed. 2018. Sport Psychology for Young Athletes. Routledge, London-New York

2.

Psychlopaedia. Australian Psychological Society, 2016. “Why mental toughness is the secret to success at the Olympics.”

Accessed; 07/24/2018 https://psychlopaedia.org/work-andperformance/mental-toughness-secret-success-olympics/

3.

Weinberg, R. and Gould, D. 2015 6th ed. Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Ill. P 248-249.

Ronald B. Woods, Ph.D. has been a USPTA member for over 40 years which includes serving as president of USPTA Middle States, member of the Executive Committee, and frequent speaker at both national and division conventions. He was honored as USPTA Coach of the Year in 1982 and as a Master Professional in 1984. Ron is the husband of Kathy Woods, who is now the director of tennis at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Florida.

He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Tampa in exercise science and human performance.

E. Paul Roetert, Ph.D., most recently served as the CEO of the Society of Health and Physical Educators - SHAPE America. Prior to that, he was the managing director of USTA Player Development. Roetert has published extensively in the fields of coaching education and sport science, including five books, more than 25 book chapters, and well over 100 articles. Currently, he is an educational consultant focused on coaching education and physical literacy. He is also an adjunct professor in the College of Health and Human Performance at the University of Florida.

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 43

Tuffy WINDSCREEN ®

Now available with CHROMA-BOND® DIGITAL IMPRINTING

Utilizing the latest, state-of-the-art, wide format digital printing equipment, your windscreen can display intricate, lifelike images not possible with other imprinting processes.

Chroma-Bond Digital Imprinting on Black Tuffy Windscreen

Add our exclusive Chroma-Bond® Digital Imprinting to make any court or facility look its best for many years. Simple or dramatic imprinting that is so durable, it lasts as long as the fabric.

Official Windscreen of the United States Professional Tennis Association

ACTUAL

AERFLO.COM

DEPICTION

SOLD BY THE BEST TENNIS & SPORTS EQUIPMENT DEALERS

inside coaching

The Magic of the Grip Jump

by Rod Heckelman, USPTA Professional

T

his quick maneuver has snuck under the radar as being the players master their grips early on, but the jump grip is a whole newest and most clever way to vary a player’s spin on the new animal fitting right into modern day tennis. ball. Many seasoned senior players have used this grip jump for Today’s game, at all levels, seems driven by either increased years, but now you’re seeing this tricky maneuver being used by power or spin. Power seems to have a finite limit, especially for many of the young big hitters. It is especially effective with those seniors, not so true with spin. What makes learning new spin using a western grip. In an instant, they can transition from so impactful is that it opens the door to a more diverse style of their regular forehand grip to a continental grip, allowing them playing. This especially impacts two groups of tennis players; to create a backspin shot that can be used for everything from the new modern-day big hitter that favors more western a slice approach shot to a drop shot, or even a wide defensive grips for topspin shots, and a tremendous number of senior forehand serve return. What makes this move so unique, is not players with a style of play that favors old standard eastern just the quickness of grips, common the execution, but for performing being able to change classic strokes. The the grip without the big hitters have help of the other fallen in love with hand. To pull this the grip jump by off, a player will use virtue of deception the momentum of and variety. For taking the racquet the older, more back along with a established players, loose grip to jump who are married into a continental to their traditional grip. This baton like grips, the grip jump To pull off a grip jump, use the momentum of taking the racquet back along with a loose movement takes is only a minor grip to jump into a continental grip. a while to master, adjustment. This but once achieved, produces one of the most deceptive and well move can be taught with a little patience and practice and the disguised shots in the game. Note the sequence of the pictures : result accommodates a whole new diverse style of play, that This experienced move demonstrates the importance of will open the door to physically achievable shots than can mastering all the possible grips a player can use during a match. enhance their tactics.

In fact, go back as far as you can in the history of coaching tennis, So essentially, no pun intended, the coach will have to and it’s a sure bet that the very first thing any student was taught come to grips with what works best for each player they are was the proper grip to use for each stroke. There’s a very good developing. So often we find, open one door and discover reason for this. How a player grips their racquet will have more several more, this is the wonderful expansion of learning. This impact on their stroke mechanics than any other factor they will is what a good coach hopes to develop in their students, new be taught. The grip essentially becomes just like any other joint opportunities to be a better player, not so much by doing what of your body…your knee, elbow, or shoulder, and as a result has a they do better, but by expanding their game and broadening major influence on your stroke mechanics. If, for instance, your their ability to have new tools, both offensively and defensively, knee was put together differently, it would completely impact so they can reach higher levels. The grip jump may end up being the way you walk, sit, or generally move. For this reason, most the gateway to this learning behavior.*

Rod Heckelman’s career started in 1966 when he began his five-year role as a teacher at John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch in Carmel Valley, California. In 1976, he made his way back California, where he became general manager/ tennis director at the Mt. Tam Racquet Club in Larkspur. In 2010 he was awarded “Manager of the Year” for the USPTA NorCal Division and later announced as the “Manager of the Year” at the USPTA World Conference. He recently came out with two more instructional books, Playing Into the Sunset, and 250 Ways to Play Tennis.

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 45

SEE MORE. SAVE MORE. PLAY MORE.

Vue Tennis: The Evolution of Tennis Court Lighting We know how challenging it is to light a tennis ball spinning fast above a court. That’s why Har-Tru has teamed up with NLS Lighting to introduce a cutting-edge LED system designed specifically for tennis.

We’ve come a long way

Typical Lighting

LED fixtures have caught up to and surpassed standard halide fixtures.

Modern LED fixtures cost less to own and less to operate. They are nearly maintenance free, last longer, save energy, and, when designed correctly, can evenly light a whole court.

20-FT TALL POLES PLAYING AREA

10-18 ft

TENNIS BALL GETS LOST IN SHADOW Average Height Service Area & Playing Zone

Designed specifically for tennis courts

Vue Tennis Lighting 20-FT TALL POLES PLAYING AREA

10-18 ft

TENNIS BALL BRIGHT & VISIBLE! Average Height Service Area & Playing Zone

10-year warranty 10-year warranty Financing Available Financing Available Ask about our free Ask about 30-day trialour to free test 30-day trial to test Vue Tennis at your Vue at your courtTennis or facility. court or facility.

LED

Designed by a nationally ranked tennis player and lighting engineer, Vue Tennis features a patented reflector that achieves strong, uniform light levels even at ten feet or more above the court surface — where the ball is traveling much of the time. Vue’s LED fixtures are recessed deeply into their housing, reducing glare on the court while delivering more light more evenly to more places on the court.

Saves time, money, and maintenance Installing Vue Tennis is easy. Just take down your existing fixture and put a new one in its place. There’s almost never a need to change arms or poles or your entire system; instead, you simply replace the light fixture head.

LEDs are extremely energy efficient. They come on instantly and are dimmable, so you determine how much light and energy is being used on a court at any time. Once installed, Vue Tennis can run for decades with virtually no light loss and no maintenance needed.

Vue Tennis is a low-profile and beautifully designed fixture that blends with any club or residential setting. This breakthrough system is designed to maximize light, minimize glare, reduce shadows, and create better performance — all with much lower energy and maintenance costs.

877-4-HAR-TRU 877-442-7878 hartru@hartru.com 22OO Old Ivy Road, Ste 1OO, Charlottesville, VA 229O3

hartru.com

beyond the court

3 Simple Tactics to Help Your Players Get More Aggressive And More Consistent

by Peter C. Scales, Ph.D., USPTA Professional

A

t the club or high school level, most players can get more aggressive, or more consistent, but not both. This is often because players at this level tend to confuse being more “aggressive” with hitting “harder,” which to them usually means muscling the ball instead of swinging faster and looser. In my lessons, I teach the following simple tactics that help our JV and Varsity players get more aggressive and more consistent at the same time, without them trying to hit “harder.” These tactics can work for most of your intermediate to advanced players too.

they miss those targets, the ball will still have a good chance of landing in and it will look like they’ve aimed for the line! So tell your players to go for the lanes and not the lines!

#1

Aim for big, safe targets. Don’t go for lines, Go for “lanes.”

I like what Jeff Salzenstein of TennisEvolution.com recommends: Train your players by using lanes as targets, not cones or pyramids of balls. Lanes are like runways at the airport. They’re big, wide, long targets, not pinpoint precision ones. Cones are ok as targets for variety, and add fun by giving players extra points if they knock one down during a drill game. But they are too small a target on a regular basis for all but the most advanced players.

Instead, use flat court markers or arrange cones to create lanes or big boxes that are several feet wide and long where you want them to aim. For groundstroke targets, set up a lane or a box from a few feet behind the service line to a few feet from the baseline, and a few feet inside the sideline. When

Aggressive consistency is using your best shot, your go-to shot more.

#2

Use your go-to shot as often as you can.

I like to ask players, what is the baseline shot you’d do for a million dollars? One ball. One chance at a million dollars.

What shot are you going to rely on? Most players will say, my forehand. So guess what? Part of being more aggressive but with consistency is using your best shot, your go-to shot, more. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are great examples of doing this. Their backhands are world-class excellent, but they are still trying to hit as many forehands as they can.

Club and high school level players don’t usually do this as systematically, but they can learn to. This means—for most of us, whose forehands are better than our backhands—run around the BH to hit forehands, often inside out ones (I/O).

The most important aspect of using this tactic is to help players recognize when to run around the BH and when not to.

Use a flat court marker to divide the ad side of the baseline into halves, and have the player ONLY hit an I/O FH on the 1/2 closest to the center hash mark, so they don’t leave so much court wide open to their opponent. Feed them a variety of balls so they have to decide quickly: Is it a definite FH, definite BH, or in the zone where I have a choice, where I can do an I/O? Then play points with them where you’re doing

Use court makers to create lanes where you want your student to aim.

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 47

beyond the court the same thing, giving them a variety of balls right in that grey area, the zone of choice. Their job is to develop the mindset that 3/4 of the baseline is their FH territory, and the muscle memory through many repetitions to make the I/O move an instinctive habit. This can work in the ad court for doubles too (or the deuce for lefties); where, if the ball is coming slow enough and their footwork is fast enough, they can train themselves to use their FHs everywhere up to the doubles alley. The key is, in singles, if the ball goes to the far left 1/2 of the ad baseline, you hit your BH. Period. Always. No thinking about it. The key is training their minds and muscles to divide the baseline into 3/4 FH and 1/4 BH.

#3

Use pre-set plays like Serve +1 and Return +1 to gain control within the 1st 4 shots.

ATP and WTA stats guru Craig O’Shannessy’s detailed analysis shows that at the pro level, at least 70 percent of singles points end in an average of four strokes—a serve, a return, and one more from each player. Not much different in doubles. Most club and high school players have far less consistency, so their points can be even shorter, on average.

So getting your players really clear about what to hit after their serve or return is crucial.

For singles, I have them make the +1 (the next shot after the serve or the return) deep and down the middle. In practice, we hit that no matter what has happened with the serve or return. Then we play out the point. (In doubles, we practice the +1 being cross-court mostly, but also throw in lob over the net person and drive at the net person’s inside hip.)

For most players, that +1 should be a FH if they can. Now they’re using their weapon, hitting over the lowest part of the net into the very middle of the court. It forces the opponent to pick a side to hit on (FH or BH), and making decisions of any kind like that will slow them down. With the pre-set +1, your player isn’t making a choice now, but their opponent is. Even a fraction of a second lost to thinking can make a big difference in their balance and point of contact, which raises the odds of them making an error. And it takes away their own angles to play, making it more likely that they’ll hit at best a neutral rally ball back to your player. On average, that should set your player up for an easier next shot. In the apt phrase from EssentialTennis.com’s Ian Westermann, it’s a way of “creating chaos.” My goal is to help players create chaos without them being chaotic!

Getting your players really clear about what to hit after their serve or return is crucial.

Have your players serve or return, and then after they execute the Serve or Return + 1 shot, you play out the point, with them always looking to hit that FH (see step #2 above), but abiding by the inside out FH rules and aiming for big, safe targets (step #1). Then talk with them about their tactics, shot selection, positioning, etc. Having the +1 play focus will sharpen their awareness of how to construct points.

So, to help your players be more aggressive AND be more consistent at the same time, train them to: aim for big targets, hit their go-to shot more often, and use the pre-set Serve and Return + 1 plays, especially going down the middle of the court. Then watch their confidence and point construction take off!*

Dr. Peter C. Scales, known as Coach Pete to his players, is a developmental psychologist and USPTA Professional who is the JV boys and girls tennis coach at Parkway South High in Manchester, Missouri. He led the 2017 and 2018 boys’ JV teams to back-to-back undefeated seasons, a feat never accomplished by any tennis team in the school’s 42-year history. A previous contributor to ADDvantage, Coach Pete’s book, Mental and Emotional Training for Tennis: Compete-Learn-Honor, will be published by Coaches Choice.

48 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

INTRODUCING

FROM

HOT NEW

ITEMS 10-S SUPER SCRAPER LUTE

10-S.COM

Check out our videos on these NEW items on 10-S.com!

10-S ANCHOR MATE

With no moving parts on the 10-S Anchor Mate, you'll never wrestle with your center strap clip again!

The 10-S Super Scraper Lute is a revolution in court maintenance - the most aggressive lute on the market!

CALL TO ORDER 800-247-3907

Official Court Equipment Supplier of the

Buddy Up Tennis

How to Fuel Your Passion: Become a Buddy Up Tennis Coach!

by Beth Gibson, President of Buddy Up Tennis

P

assion and enthusiasm are two necessary ingredients for a successful and sustainable tennis program. There is no better example of this than the athletes, coaches, and buddy volunteers at Buddy Up Tennis. Buddy Up Tennis is constantly looking for high-energy coaches with the same passion and enthusiasm to help it continue to grow.

Buddy Up Tennis is an adaptive tennis and fitness program for individuals with Down syndrome. Buddy Up Tennis was born 10 years ago in Columbus, Ohio as a result of the passion and enthusiasm of one tennis pro, one volunteer, and a threeyear old boy, Will Gibson, who has Down syndrome and wanted to play tennis like his big brother. What started as an informal tennis lesson for Will has now grown into Buddy Up Tennis, a nationwide non-profit organization that serves over 550 athletes with Down syndrome with the help of 75 coaches and 750 buddy volunteers in ten states and 21 cities.

The key ingredients that have made Buddy Up Tennis such a success include: Buddy Up Tennis is on-going rather than a one-time event.

• Weekly clinics are held on Saturdays, typically August through May, depending on location, weather, and court availability.

• Each clinic is 90 minutes; 30 minute fitness and 60 minute tennis.

The curriculum consists of seven star levels of progression.

• Athletes range in age from five to adulthood, with our oldest athlete approaching 50-years-old!

• Athletes are divided by age and ability.

• Different types of tennis balls (i.e., foam, red, orange, green dot, and yellow) are incorporated into each level of progression.

Our Travel and Training Team of coaches leads the launch of a new clinic location with a hands-on Boot Camp (training).

• Our curriculum and training videos shared at each launch.

• The Buddy Up Tennis program director maintains an open line of communication with coaches and provides ongoing support.

• Our Travel and Training Team periodically returns to each location for continued assistance and training to support ongoing growth

Community partnerships are needed for support.

• Buddy Up Tennis partners with local Down syndrome and other organizations to identify potential athletes and secure funding for coach, court, and equipment fees.

50 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

Buddy Up Tennis partners with local Down syndrome and other organizations to identify potential athletes and secure funding for coach, court, and equipment fees.

A team of three coaches is needed to start a new location • Coaches commit to and lead the program and clinics with the help of a local coordinator.

The curriculum consists of seven star levels of progression.

• Buddies must be at least 14-years-old and, although tennis experience is helpful, it is not a requirement.

• Buddies are expected to provide direct feedback and guidance, as well as be extremely energetic and enthusiastic.

There is an incredible demand for structured tennis and fitness programs for individuals with Down syndrome, and the Buddy Up Tennis athletes, coaches, and buddy volunteers are extremely passionate about the program. This is what has made Buddy Up Tennis such a success and enables it to continue to grow at a rapid pace.

Buddy Up Tennis has developed a turnkey program to create new locations, but it requires enthusiastic coaches throughout the United States.

If you want to fuel your passion and enthusiasm, work with incredible athletes, and help create a new Buddy Up Tennis location, or would like more information about participating at an existing Buddy Up Tennis location, please visit our website at www.BuddyUpTennis.com or contact us at: Beth Gibson, 614-579-8808, Beth@BuddyUpTennis.com About Beth Gibson Beth Gibson is the volunteer leader and visionary of Buddy Up Tennis, Inc. since it was formed over 10 years ago with the support of her husband, Rick, and sons, Keegan (20) and Will (13). The Gibson family resides in New Albany, Ohio and is committed to transforming the lives of everyone involved in Buddy Up Tennis and the Down syndrome communities.

TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE

2018 Tennis teachers conference

From Aug. 24 – 27, tennis-teaching professionals and coaches gathered in New York City at the Grand Hyatt New York for the 2018 Tennis Teachers Conference.

Throughout the week, attendees had the opportunity to network with colleagues and learn from more than 30 renowned speakers such as Kraig Kann, Allistair McCaw, the Nike Coaches Panel featuring Paul Annacone and Darren Cahill, and more.

Darren Cahill

Allistair McCaw

Nike Coaches Panel with Paul Annacone & Darren Cahill

Kraig Kann

Paul Annacone

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 51

TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE

2018 Tennis teachers conference

52 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE

2018 Tennis teachers conference

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 53

TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE

USPTA Award Winners Master Professional Trish Faulkner (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida) earned the Master Professional title which is the highest, most esteemed category in the Association. Members must hold USPTA’s highest certification rating (Elite Professional) for more than 10 years before becoming eligible for the Master Professional designation. Then each must fulfill a broad spectrum of requirements, including making significant achievements in areas such as tennis teaching and coaching, business, education and volunteer work.

Faulkner is currently Tennis Professional Emeritus at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

She has served as tournament chairperson for the 2014 ITF Senior World Championships in Palm Beach County.

Previously, she worked as head tour director and marketing director for the WTA, and formed a sports marketing and special event corporation operating four of the Virginia Slims Women’s Professional Tour events.

An author, she wrote The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tennis and produced a teaching manual for the ITF for the Middle East with an accompanying slide show. As a player, she won multiple titles on the Women’s Tour, including the British Indoor Doubles and Mixed Doubles. She has scored many victories as a high level senior player and was ranked No. 1 in three senior age divisions – 50s, 55s and 60s – and has won 36 U.S.A. national senior titles. Faulkner is an ITF World Singles Champion and a member of the US team winning four ITF World Team Championships.

USPTA Lessons for Life Award

USPTA Diversity Award

Brett Hall (Salem, Oregon) and Matthew Hanlin (McKinney, Texas) were both recipients of the USPTA Lessons for Life Award. Hall hosted The New Mexico Texas Shootout Team Tennis Tournament from 2013-2017, which was a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The event raised over $60,000 in five years with $17,000 being raised in 2017.

Hanlin created the Rally for Houston event after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, to help several families in the flood zone that might also be involved in tennis. In two short weeks he created, organized, and executed an amazing evening of tennis for the local community. The event raised $10,000 for Houston families, which was given to the USTA to distribute among the victims in the Houston area.

Angelica Flores LaGrange (Palmhurst, Texas) and Ryan Segelke (Denver) were named the recipients of the USPTA Diversity Award.

LaGrange introduced tennis to residents of Rio Grande Valley, Texas, in which the population is predominately Hispanic and also introduced tennis to the elementary schools of Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD and Sharyland ISD, and coordinated play days in conjunction with USTA. Segelke is the business development director for the HAT Fund in Denver, Colorado and the CEO of High Altitude Tennis. High Altitude Tennis partners with The HAT Fund to host summer camps, after-school programming, and provide tennis instruction to a partner program in Kampala, Uganda.

54 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE

USPTA Award Winners High School Coach of the Year Award

Alex Gordon Professional of the Year

Todd Rubinstein (Miami,) was named High School Coach of the Year for his efforts in leading the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams at Alonzo & Tracy Mourning High School in Miami to regionals. He led the boys’ team to a 16-4 overall record, including a third consecutive district championship and led the girls’ team to a 14-6 overall record, including a third consecutive district finalist and a doubles state semifinalist showing during the 2017 tennis season.

Mark Faber (Toledo, Ohio) received the Alex Gordon Professional of the Year Award. Faber has been a USPTA member for 25 years, is the director of tennis at Twos Athletic Club in Toledo, Ohio and is currently a vice president on the USPTA national board of directors. He has been a no-cut high school coach for 24 years, has spoken at USTA, USPTA and high school divisional and national education events and is involved locally, sectionally, divisionally and nationally on committees and boards.

Top Education Credit Earner for 2017

President’s Paul Waldman Award

Doug Eng (Medford, Massachusetts) was named the Top Education Credit Earner for 2017 after earning 147 education credits as part of the USPTA Career Development Program. He has taught tennis for 30 years, including 20 as a college coach. He has taught or coached tennis and academics at various universities including Tufts, Harvard and MIT.

Yue Wang (Beijing) was honored with the President’s Paul Waldman Award, making him the 12th recipient of this award. This award is given by the USPTA President for lifetime achievement as a member of the association. Wang was instrumental in creating the USPTA China Division, which currently boasts 328 USPTA professionals in good standing.

USTA/USPTA Community Service Award

George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Award

Tim Blenkiron (Las Vegas, ) was recognized as the USTA/USPTA Community Service Award Winner for his contributions to the USPTA, USTA, and the tennis community. The Community Service Award is a cooperative award presented annually by the United States Tennis Association as part of the USPTA’s awards program. The award recognizes exceptional community service through the game of tennis.

Ron Woods (Corpus Christi, Texas) received the George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Award.

Woods has been a member for 51 years along with being on the USPTA national board of directors for 13 years serving as president from 2005 - 2007. He was the director of tennis at the Corpus Christi Country Club from 1970 to 2001, and then went on to serve as the executive director for the USPTA Texas Division until 2008.

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 55

TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE

USPTA Award Winners Large Facility Manager of the Year Award

Small Facility Manager of the Year Award

Michael Mahoney (Chicago) received the Large Facility Manager of the Year Award.

The Large Facility Manager of the Year award is awarded to a general manager of a country club, commercial tennis facility, public tennis center, resort or similar facility that has more than 10 tennis courts and has a community size above 500,000.

Mahoney has been a part of the legacy that is Midtown Athletic Clubs for nearly 40 years. Serving as both senior vice president for the company and the general manager of the flagship Midtown Athletic Club in Chicago, Mahoney oversees the day-to-day business management at the Chicago location.

Jerod Becton (Lubbock, Texas) was named the Small Facility Manager of the Year. The USPTA Small Facility Manager of the Year Award is awarded to a general manager of a country club, commercial tennis facility, public tennis center, resort or similar facility that has fewer than 10 tennis courts and a community size under 500,000. Becton is the general manager of the Lubbock Country Club, a member-owned country club with an 18-hole golf course, pool, and eight tennis courts that boasts 985 members. He graduated from Texas Tech University and started his career in the private club industry and worked for Club Corp for 18 years before working for Arnold Palmer Golf Management for six years.

USPTA U30 Award

Steve Wilkinson College Coach of the Year Award

Rebekah Noll (Lynchburg, Virginia) received the USPTA U30 Award which honors a USPTA professional under the age of 30.

Noll become a director of tennis at the age of 23 and has been helping to grow the sport of tennis and make the city of Lynchburg, Virginia a more active area for tennis players to compete.

Gregory Prudhomme (Glendale, Arizona) was named the Steve Wilkinson College Coach of the Year for his efforts as the head mens’ and womens’ tennis coach at Grand Canyon University. He led the men’s team to 15-10 record while the girls posted a 11-6 record and captured the conference championship for the second time in three years.

USPTA Industry Excellence Award

Tim Gullkison Touring Coach of the Year Award

Dave Howell (Virginia Beach, Virginia) received the Industry Excellence Award for advancing the game of tennis throughout his community. With this award, the USPTA honors those professionals that develop unique special events, programs, equipment, services or an idea to promote tennis and thereby increase player participation in the sport. Howell is the creator of the Universal Tennis Rating.

Carlos Di Laura (Austin) received the Tim Gullkison Touring Coach of the Year award which recognizes a member that currently coaches a playing professional on the ATP World Tour or the WTA Tour and/or touring juniors and/or adult teams. Di Laura was the coach of Nevin Arimilli, who will play for the University of Texas at Austin in the fall. He also has coached ATP World Tour players such as Luis Horna, Ivan Miranda, and Rodolfo Rake.

Tester of the Year Award

USPTA Star Award

Patricio Misitrano (Wilton, Connecticut) received the Tester of the Year Award in recognition for his efforts in advancing USPTA certification opportunities throughout the community. Misitrano hosted three tests that included 31 new applicants and 13 upgrades helping increase the number of new applicants tested in the New England Division by 91 percent.

Lisa Pugliese (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida)

56 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

was named the USPTA Star Award of recipient for her work with her company, Love Serving Autism. For 14 years, she has specialized in the evaluation and treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Her organization has provided tennis classes to 250 children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Love serving autism

10 Reasons to Play Tennis For Individuals with Autism

by Lisa Pugliese, 2018 USPTA Star Awardee, Love Serving Autism, Founder

T

ennis is a social sport because an individual must play against an opponent in singles competition and share a team with a partner for doubles.

Many of our program participants would prefer to play tennis alone but they are taught the rules and format, for both at the beginning of each program. The more advanced players who learn to rally against an opponent quickly learn to enjoy the repetitive engagement and are less anxious each time they compete with others in the sport.

Receptive and expressive language skills are demonstrated through requesting and commenting while playing the sport.

For individuals on the autism spectrum who are non-verbal, the use of visuals and communication technology are essential components for communication success.

Approximately 30 percent of our tennis program participants are non-verbal and require a communication system to assist with expressing their wants and needs. For example, one of the tennis participants brings her classroom iPad to an afterschool tennis program. She opens the ProLoquo app and initiates communication and answers staff questions by selecting core vocabulary. When she needs a water break, this student selects “water” on her iPad, takes a water break for a few minutes, then returns to the class.

Tennis develops discipline for routines, which is typically a very strong trait for individuals with ASD. As a collegiate and professional player myself, I developed a strict routine before each tennis match to physically and mentally prepare for my

competition. The routine also decreased anxiety and increased my confidence before tournaments. Tennis provides a therapeutic outlet to reduce stress. If a program participant displays frustration or anxiety, we often teach the child or adult to take deep breaths or to run a few laps around the tennis court for self-regulation.

Once the participant is ready again to participate in the tennis program, he/she is invited to join the group.

Tennis is a sport full of life’s lessons.

It teaches individuals with ASD about valuable life skills. A few life skills we teach during the tennis program include integrity, sportsmanship, leadership, responsibility, perseverance and confidence. We teach one life skill per week for after-school and communitybased tennis programs. The goal is for the tennis program participants to learn new life skills and for these skills to generalize into the home, school and community environments which is essential for functional independence and overall well-being.

I truly encourage children and adults with autism to engage in the sport of tennis for it’s life-long therapeutic benefits, both on and off the tennis court. For additional information about the benefits of tennis for individuals with autism, please contact: Lisa@loveservingautism.org

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 57

TENNIS THANKS THE TROOPS

Learn from the Pros Tennis Thanks the Troops Events Support Military Families

by Amanda Folks, Program Manager - ThanksUSA

O

n tennis courts across the country, USPTA tennis professionals are uniting by honoring military families.

ThanksUSA’s Tennis Thanks the Troops (TTTT) program is a charitable beneficiary of events hosted at clubs and public facilities across many USPTA divisions. Featuring singles and doubles matches, along with many parent/child matchups, fun-filled competition and social time are paramount. It is the perfect way to enjoy a military holiday or special weekend with family and friends.

Founded by two young sisters Rachel and Kelsi Okun, ThanksUSA has been giving the gift of education to military families in need since 2006. Since then, the organization has awarded over 4,200 scholarships, a total of more than 13 million dollars. ThanksUSA also hosts a weekly adaptive tennis clinic in Washington, DC for disabled veterans. Taught by a wheelchair certified instructor, the clinic brings together veterans of different ages, eras and skill levels who have found a love of the game and camaraderie on the court that reflects the best of military culture.

Tennis Thanks the Troops unites the love of the game with the honor of giving back to our service members and their families. It is the perfect double play that allows tennis clubs and their members the opportunity to make a difference through a tax-deductible donation to an organization that they know and trust. As Joni Hannah, USPTA Pro at Westwood Country Club in Virginia shared following her fifth annual TTTT Memorial Day event, “My members really like the fact that 90 percent of the funds raised will actually be used by ThanksUSA to provide scholarship funding.”

USPTA Missouri Valley Division hosted a Tennis Thanks the Troops event at Milburn Country Club.

58 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018

USPTA’s Rhett Russell, director of tennis at Orange Beach Tennis Center with his students.

This is not the first time tennis professionals and veterans have joined forces on and off the court to honor military families, and it won’t be the last. Many of these USPTA sponsored events are annual community traditions. USPTA Pro Dave Brown of Florida said, “We are proud of USPTA’s support for ThanksUSA and we here at Plantation Bay look forward to hosting our 5th annual fundraiser again next year!” It’s a tradition that everyone can get on board with.” USPTA Pro, Rhett Russell, City of Orange Beach Tennis Center in Alabama said it perfectly, “Tennis Thanks the Troops is a very special fundraiser in which we can raise funds for military family scholarships. Our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line everyday deserve financial assistance. We want to be a ‘light of hope’ for some of these military families.”

This light of hope is spreading nationwide with the help of tennis professionals and enthusiasts. Registering your club as a Tennis Thanks the Troops host facility is simple and rewarding. By donating a lesson, hosting a clinic, or sponsoring a tournament or Pro-Am, you are thanking our military families in a tangible way. Helen Wilson, USPTA Missouri Valley shared her reason for giving back, “It is very rewarding to use our platform as tennis professionals to provide support to our military families that sacrifice for us every day. I encourage other USPTA Pros to take two hours of your day to make a difference in the lives of our military families.”

Please consider a Tennis Thanks the Troops event at your club or facility!

Member News

USPTA Member News Paulo Barros was hired as the new director of tennis at Bonita National Golf & Country Club in Bonita Springs, Florida. As a graduate of Hampton University with a degree in Business Management and a Masters in Business Administration, he brings many years of experience managing adults, juniors and club programs, and coaching competitive and recreational players. He was ranked #5 in Boys 18s in Brazil before playing NCAA Division I tennis at Hampton University. As a college player, he won three conference titles, MEAC All-Conference Team Player, and All Academic Honors Award in 2001.

Andrew Cobb was named the new head women’s tennis coach at SMSU. He heads to SMSU following three seasons as the head men’s and women’s tennis coach at NAIA Montreat College in Montreat, North Carolina. During just the second season of his tenure at Montreat, Cobb helped lead both the men’s and women’s team to their best record in more than a decade. He coached a pair of women’s players named to the conference All-Freshman team and had numerous student-athletes named to the All-Academic squad during his three seasons.

Ty Braswell was named USPTA Professional of the Year for Florida Region 8. He has been the director of tennis at Laurel Oak Country Club since June of 2005. Before coming to Laurel Oak, he was the Asst. Men’s Tennis Coach at FSU. During his time there, he was named the 2003 Regional ITA Asst. Coach of the Year and coached three-time ACC Player of the Year, Mat Cloer. He and Mike Wilson launched the Start to Finish Tennis Program at Laurel Oak in April of this year. Ty and his wife Anna have four children, Micah, Jonah, Jeremiah, and Rebekah.

Paul Kostin, who has coached tennis at VCU for almost 30 years, will become the Rams’ director of tennis. He has been VCU’s men’s tennis coach since 1991 and women’s tennis coach since 2002. In his new position, he will oversee both teams while continuing to coach the women’s team. He has compiled a 565-202 record with 22 NCAA appearances and 19 conference titles. VCU is coming off a second straight Atlantic 10 men’s title. He has a 321-111 record with the Rams’ women’s team, with 15 NCAA appearances and nine conference titles. The women’s team also won an A-10 title this past spring, its fifth in six years.

Brock Orlowski has been named the head coach of the Indiana Tech men’s and women’s tennis programs. He becomes the fourth head coach for both teams since the program was restarted in 2006. He comes to Tech after a two-year stint at Huntington University where he was an assistant coach for the women’s team and a five-year run as the head coach of the Blackhawk Christian School boys and girls tennis teams.

Gary Trost was featured in the Daily Liberal article “Gary Trost, South Dubbo High School student, leads United States Professional Tennis Association.” Trost was sponsored by Dubbo RSL as a teenager to travel to the United States as part of the Australian Combined High Schools Tennis Team, playing the best and brightest stars across the USA. Trost is the director of tennis and athletics at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club.

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..............................Risa Epstein, 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.

Nov/Dec 2018 — USPTA ADDvantage Magazine - 59

USPTA CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Exams, Upgrades & PTCA Wheelchair Certification 4 Credits for PTCA I Segment Exams, Upgrades & PTCA Nov. 2 ....................... Saratoga Springs, NY Nov. 2 – 3 ..................................Azusa, CA Nov. 2 – 3 .................................... Lehi, UT Nov. 3 – 4 .................... Albuquerque, NM Nov. 9..................................... Skillman, NJ Nov. 9 – 10 ...........................Las Vegas, NV Nov. 9 – 10 ...................... Westminster, CO Nov. 10 ................................. Mequon, WI Nov. 10 .........................................Rye, NH Nov. 10 ..................................Merriam, KS Nov. 10 – 11 .............................. Rome, GA Nov. 11................................ Covington, LA Nov. 12 ............................... San Diego, CA Nov. 12 – 13 ................... San Francisco, CA Nov. 12 – 13 ............................ Orlando, FL Nov. 16 – 17 ......................... Charlotte, NC Nov. 16 – 17 ........................... Houston, TX Nov. 17 – 18 ........................Big Rapids, MI Nov. 17 – 18 .......................... Portland, OR Nov. 18........................... Williamsburg, VA Nov. 24 – 25 ...........................Flushing, NY Dec 1 – 2 ................. Huntington Beach, CA Dec. 2 ............................... Brentwood, TN Dec. 3 ................................... Carlsbad, CA Dec. 7.......................................Vienna, VA Dec. 7 – 8 ...................................Dallas, TX Dec. 8 – 9 ........................... Boca Raton, FL Dec. 8 – 9 ................................ Atlanta, GA Dec. 9 ...............................Hilton Head, SC Dec. 13 ................................Lakeville, MN Dec. 20 ...................................Fairfield, CT Dec. 29 – 30 ...........................Flushing, NY Dec. 30 – 31 ...........................Burbank, CA

November 7 – 8 ......................Lafayette, IN

Platform Tennis Nov. 17 – 18 ................ Certification Course Wilmington, DE Dec. 11 – 12 ................ Certification Course Northfield, IL Dec. 18 – 19 ................ Certification Course Paoli, PA

2019 USPTA Division Conference Schedule Division Conferences - 6 Credits January 19-21........................ NorCal Division Stanford University; Stanford, CA

January 25-27.................... Northern Division Lifetime Fitness & Athletics; Fridley, MN

February 16-17.......... Intermountain Division Lifetime Fitness; Centennial, CO

February 21-23......... Missouri Valley Division Crestview Country Club; Wichita, KS

Nov. 16 – 17 ............................ Atlanta, GA

February 21-24........................ Texas Division Horseshoe Bay Resort; Horseshoe Bay, TX

Cardio Tennis Nov 10 ....................Level 1 Training Course Methodist University; Fayetteville, NC Nov 10 ....................Level 1 Training Course Sea Pines Racquet Club; Hilton Head Island,SC

March 2-3.........................San Diego Division La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club; La Jolla, CA

April 27-28.........Southern California Division SeaCliff Country Club; Huntington Beach, CA

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

May 17-19....................... Southwest Division La Camarilla Racquet, Swim & Fitness Club;Phoenix, AZ

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.

May 30-June 2....................... Florida Division

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.

August 15-16...................... Midwest Division

m

ADMIRE MENTOR

INVITE

PGA National; Palm Beach Gardens

May 31- June 1......Pacific Northwest Division TBD; Seattle, WA

Western Southern Open; Cincinnati, Ohio

September 24-27....USPTA World Conference Westgate Las Vegas; Las Vegas, NV

Admire Invite Mentor

Admire the reputation of the prospective member Invite them to join our respected organization Mentoring for those interested in professional guidance

USPTA members are asked to recommend admirable teaching professionals in their local area or region who are currently instructing but not USPTA certified. If the prospect decides to join, it is the referring member’s responsibility to be sure that the applicant includes his or her name on the application in the field labeled “Please provide the name of the person who recommended USPTA membership to you.”

Online education

New Member Referral Incentives & Eligibility: •$50 discount on USPTA annual dues up to $300. After that – a $50 credit for the USPTA Pro Tennis Shop •Only certified members in good standing will be eligible and they may only refer first-time potential members. Watch webinars, seminars, On Court with USPTA episodes, specialty courses and much more on TennisResources.com to earn your education credits.

For more information, contact the membership department at membership@uspta.org

60 - USPTA ADDvantage Magazine — Nov/Dec 2018