Issuu

WINTER 2025

BASELINES HAPPENINGS INFLORIDA

INSIDETHISISSUE

VICEPRESIDENT

PASTPRESIDENT

EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR

PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE

WELCOME 2026-2027 PRESIDENT, JOSEPASTRELLO

As we close out the year, I want to begin by recognizing the outstanding leadership of our outgoing President, Mike Curran Mike’s term will officially conclude on December 31st, and on behalf of RSPA Florida, I want to express our deepest appreciation for his dedication, vision, and impact Under Mike’s guidance, our division strengthened its identity, elevated its conferences, and brought our leadership team closer than ever His commitment to excellence has left a meaningful and lasting legacy, and I am truly grateful to have worked so closely with him

Stepping into the role of President is both an honor and a responsibility I embrace wholeheartedly Our board is strong, unified, and deeply committed to the values that define RSPA Florida As we look ahead, our goals remain ambitious and focused:

Delivering organizational excellence

Increasing brand awareness across the state and beyond

Growing and diversifying our membership

Expanding educational programming and elevating networking opportunities

Supporting national initiatives, including career services and professional development

Florida continues to be one of the most influential and engaged divisions in the country, and it is a privilege to serve a region with such energy and passion Our recent national conference in Kona, Hawaii was a testament to that spirit With over 500 attendees, Florida once again showed exceptional support, representing the strongest delegation of professionals in attendance The conference offered impactful education, innovative networking, and thoughtful discussions that reflect the evolving landscape of our industry

As we move into this next chapter, I look forward to building on the foundation that Mike and our leadership team have created Together, we will continue elevating the RSPA Florida experience, strengthening our community, and advancing our mission with purpose and enthusiasm Thank you for the privilege of serving as your President I am excited for what we will accomplish together in the years ahead

Jose Pastrello Director of Court Sports

Quail Creek Country Club

SAVE THE DATE

MAY 28 - MAY 30

JOIN US IN PALM BEACH GARDENS AT PGA NATIONAL RESORT FOR 3 ACTION PACKED DAYS OF LEARNING AND NETWORKING

Mark your calendars and get excited because the RSPA Florida Division is setting the stage for a remarkable gathering in 2-26 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens! Here’s why you won’t ant to miss it and how to make the most of this opportunity.

Premium Venue: Hosting the event at PGA National Resort means you’ll be networking, learning and innovating in a setting that radiates energy and prestige With worldclass amenities, golf, spa and meeting spaces

allunderoneroof,thisisanalltogetherexperience

Incredible Networking & Growth: Whether you’re an established professional, facility owner, vendor, or up-and-coming leader in industry, this event gives you the chance to make meaningful connections, learn from experts, and bring fresh ideasbacktoyourbusiness.

Dynamic Content: Expect a mix of education sessions, breakout workshops, vendor exhibitions andmoreatthe2026FloridaDivisionConference

WecantwaittoseeyouinMayof2026!

PGA NATIONAL RESORT PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL

World Racquets Conference 2025 was one for the books! With the beautiful backdrop of Kona, HI, we saw sessions led by dynamic speakers, a new innovative approach to the awards ceremony, a once in a lifetime opportunity for a true Hawaiian luau RSPA CEO Brian Dillman kicked things off with a general session on Rebranding You This was the general theme of the week and members were able to take home their own personal action plans Top pickleball professionals, Andrei Daescu and Megan Fudge, led a certification and sessions that brought useful knowledge to our members Craig O’Shannesey’s Ask

CONFERENCE 2025 RECAP

The Expert session was one of the most highly rated sessions of the entire conference National will look to include more of this style setting for WRC26 Mats Wilander was the star of the show with his session on Winning with Your Brain A few of our members were able to hop on the court and help him out during his session RSPA Members were able to attend every session or follow certain paths like leadership, operations, or coaching Morale was high for this conference and we finished on Wednesday night with a fun round of Karaoke where the SoCal division took home the title!

CONGRATULATIONSTOOUR WRC25FLORIDAAWARD WINNERS

The Florida Division was well represented at this years WRC25 Awards Ceremony Many awards were given out and Dave Porter became the latest Hall of Fame Inductee. But we want to honor our 3 Florida Award Winners!

Kyle LaCroix took home the George Bacso Tennis Coach Developer of the Year Award Michael-Ray Pallares won the Bob Ryland Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award and Rita Dotson took home the Star Award

10 REGION UPDATES

REGION6-DISTRICT9

VEROBEACH

District President, Tim Brueggeman brought together professionals for a night of educational speakers and networking at the beautiful The Moorings Yacht & Country Club Florida Board Member Jim Morton, gave an update on everything that happened at WRC25 Executive Director, Cary Tidmus, then walked everyone through how to update their profiles and went over what is included in the WRC25 Virtual Package

After that Curtis Carpenter from Vero Beach Social Media spoke with the pro’s about utilizing social media more in their every days lives both off and on the court 19 RSPA members were in attendance and 10 non-members also joined! It was a great night with many younger professionals joining us to help further their careers

REGION4-DISTRICT4 CENTRALFLORIDA

Marco Herrera, District 4 President landed on a virtual meeting for the Central Florida pro’s with Speakers Lauren Roeder, a private club design professional and one of our very own Master Professionals, Len Simard They both discussed personal branding which ties in to what we learned at WRC25 this year.

Discussion led by Marco Herrera, dove into how professionals need to leverage social media, resume’s and their network to continue to improve their career paths This session was recorded and is available to any member who is interested

11 REGION UPDATES

REGION7-DISTRICT12 NAPLES

District 12 President, Matt Kuk, in Naples Florida recently hosted a local meeting at The Club at Kalea Bay on Friday, October 24, 2025 The event was attended by 50 local pros who listened and participated in discussions on the recent World Racquets Conference, RSPA Florida updates, local tennis and pickleball pro leagues, as well as team leagues for pickleball Incoming RSPA Florida President Jose Pastrello gave an update on the division and what to expect in the new year While enjoying lunch, the pros discussed local court sport events, padel, and local job opportunities RSPA Pro and former #6 ranked player in the world, Emilio Sanchez, provided further insight about the racquet sports industry and community involvement

REGION6-DISTRICT10 WESTPALM

District President Mario Cobo and Vice President Kristine Mendivil put together an action packed night with speakers and networking at The Club at Mirasol Jeremy Barker, Director of Sports at The Country Club at Mirasol spoke to the members about navigating facility renovations and the importance of growth in racquet sports Hercilio Cabieses, Founder of World Cup Pickleball gave everyone an update on the event happening at The Fort in Fort Lauderdale at the end of October We rounded out the event by hearing from Dr Marty Miller, Chief Movement Officer at Kinotek, about the new instant 3D motion capture and performance analytics that pros can take back to their places of work

REGION7-DISTRICT14

LEECOUNTY

Lee County members were treated to an informational session led by Ed McKinney from Edward Jones about options for retirement accounts if those are not offered through their workplaces Ed did a great job at covering new, established, and borderline retired professionals and what they need to be looking for out of their retirements Members also heard from Rick Calton and Paula Scheb about upcoming leagues in the area District President John Ramsey then opened up the meeting to questions and brainstorming with a lot of good feedback 14 members were in attendance from around the area

FITPICKLE

As pickleball continues to grow, more new players are headed to the courts This is great! Many of these players have been inactive before playing pickleball, so this creates a big opportunity for Racquets and Wellness Professionals to offer Fit Pickle exercise programs For any exercise routine start slow, learn correct form then progressions Also, find routines you like for adherence Here are some ways to play well!

Warm-up with dynamic movements then static stretching after play. Walk fast, jog slowly or do lateral shuffles to elevate your body temperature Follow with some movement stretches, like butt kicks or Frankenstein walks where you lift straight legs high toward hands in front with palms down You can stretch quadriceps by holding onto something, like a bench, stand on one leg and pull the other foot toward your glutes To stretch hamstring keep legs straight then slowly bend down as far as you can toward your toes Also, you can lay on your back (supine), bend one knee and keep that foot on the floor, then slowly raise the other straight leg Stretch forearms by showing stop sign with hand then pull back on fingers Make a fist then push down on the hand

Do exercises for ankle flexibility and strength

Examples include ankle circles both clockwise and counterclockwise Sit with one leg bent, extend the other leg and do ankle flexion and extension Do the other leg, and use a band for resistance Also, stand on outside of feet and lift soles inside (inversion) and then reverse (eversion) A progression is doing this while standing on one leg Take some steps walking on the inside then outside of your feet Do heel and toe raises Try walking like this

Improve your leg strength. You can accomplish this with warrior one, squats and clock lunges Also, stand on one leg then abduct (away from midline) the other leg then swing back across your body Change legs Stand on one leg then swing the other leg forward and backward in sagittal plane Switch legs Also, lay on your stomach (prone) then flex your legs with resistance for hamstring exercises Also, for resistance a partner can push down on feet Riding bikes and elliptical trainers are great for leg strength too

Do balance exercises like tightrope walking forward then backwards; rock the boat by standing on one leg, raising the other then doing the same on other side Do tree then extend arm(s), other leg or close your eyes to challenge balance For progression add instability like standing on soft mat or Bosu ball I highly recommend yoga and/or Pilates routines for those playing pickleball and racquet sports These formats serve breathing, strength and balance

Play on regulation size courts and wear protective eyewear. As safety is paramount for all sports, play on pickleball courts that have enough exterior space Per the American Sports Builders Association, the minimum size for a recreational pickleball court is 30’ by 60’ That means there needs to be at least 5 feet beyond each sideline and 8 feet behind each baseline To prevent eye injuries wear impact resistant glasses or sports goggles Also, if the ball is over your head and bounces let it go It is not worth running back and risking a wrist injury

atlantic recreation which provides professionals programs and consulting in racquet sports and wellness. You can contact him at 404-3007-4893 or chris@altrec.net

All RSPA members in good standing are required to be Safe Play trained and background screened It is important that our teaching professionals and coaches create a safe environment for all of their students.

Safe Play Compliance is:

FREE (plus you earn education credits Quick & Easy

Important The right thing to do!

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