YANKEE PROSE The Newsletter of the RSPA New England Division
WINTER 2025
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT: RSPA LISA WILCOTT New England Board of Directors REFLECTIONS & FORWARD MOMENTUM Division President: Lisa Wilcott metennis@comcast.net Regional Vice President: Milan Kubala stowemiles@gmail.com Treasurer: Christy Bennett bennett@newengland.usta.com
Secretary: Wilbur Shardlow shardlowtennis@roadrunner.com
Vice President: Kristen Gerety kdgerety@icloud.com Vice President: Mike Hill michael_hill@alumni.brown.edu
Past President: Mike Kolendo mkolendo46@gmail.com
NE Executive Director: Pam Dodman pam.dodman@rspa.net
Celebrating Our Community, Achievements, and Future Together Hello to all RSPA members, As the year draws to a close, it is both a privilege and a pleasure to reflect on the journey we've shared as a racquet sports community. The Racquet Sports Professional Association (RSPA) New England region has witnessed remarkable growth, fellowship, and resilience, these past 2 years. My term as President is ending at the end of December, and I want to express my gratitude to the current RSPA New England Board, State Presidents, and Pam Dodman, our Executive Director, for making these 2 years very productive, rewarding, and fulfilling. It is thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of this New England Board and Racquet Sports Professionals like you that our association continues to thrive. Highlights of 2025 Renewed Energy in Events: This year we had many outstanding inperson networking experiences, our division conference, and certification clinics across New England. Our members gathered to exchange ideas, sharpen skills, and foster the spirit of friendly competition and camaraderie. There was an outstanding contingency among New England members at the World Conference in Hawaii. Meeting many new regional members and connecting with hundreds across the US was a highlight.· Professional Development: RSPA New England hosted several training sessions in both tennis and pickleball and we just started platform tennis certifications. The enthusiastic participation with our new members and our new mentorship program has been especially inspiring.
Member Achievements: We are proud to have many members who have earned professional & elite certifications in different racquet sports and have been recognized for their contributions by local clubs and schools. Their accomplishments set a high standard for all of us. Receiving Small Division of the Year was a big surprise and an honor for all of us in Hawaii. We now have received this special award in 2024, 2023, & 2021. Looking Ahead to 2026 As we set our sights on the coming year, we are excited to build on our momentum and continue expanding opportunities for professional growth and community engagement. In 2026, RSPA New England will introduce new workshops, enhanced certification pathways, and more inclusive social events to bring members together both on and off the court. Your feedback and participation will help shape the future of our association, and we encourage all members to get involved and share their ideas. Please let us know if you would like to serve on any committees or be a state president. Milan Kubala, of Vermont, will serve as the next President, and together with the new board, aims to further expand the membership. Thank You for Your Commitment None of our accomplishments would be possible without your passion, professionalism, and generous spirit. Thank you for making the RSPA New England region a vibrant and welcoming home for racquet sports. We hope you enjoy the holidays with your loved ones and wish you happiness both on and off the courts, good health, and a wonderful beginning to the new year. We look forward to seeing you on the courts, at our events, and in our community in 2026! With gratitude and best wishes, Lisa Wilcott Outgoing New England RSPA President RSPA Elite Professional
RSPA New England State Presidents: Connecticut: Kent Chalmers chalmerstennis@gmail.com Maine: Chris Nordenson chrisnordenson@gmail.com Massachusetts: Stu Lehr stuartklehr@gmail.com & Vi Nguyen vnguyen734@gmail.com New Hampshire: TBD Rhode Island: Mike Michaud mike.mmtennis@gmail.com Vermont: Joyce Doud jdoud@edgevt.com
Happy Holidays Wilbur Shardlow
Kristen Gerety
Mike Hill
Wishing you and your family a joyful and healthy holiday, and best wishes for a wonderful New Year! From Your RSPA New England Board
Mike Kolendo
Lisa Wilcott
Milan Kubala
Christy Bennett
Pam Dodman
A MESSAGE FROM THE INCOMING PRESIDENT: MILAN KUBALA
Refer & Earn
Message from the Incoming President of RSPA New England Greetings Coaches, I want to extend my sincere thanks to each of you for being part of this incredible community. I am truly grateful for the opportunity you have given me to continue the important initiatives set forth by the previous RSPA New England Board in 2026. As our current board wraps up its work, I am already collaborating with our incoming board members to outline the next phase of growth for our region. Our focus will be guided by four key pillars: Communication, Inclusion, Engagement & Networking, and Recognition. These pillars will help us strengthen our community, enhance member support, and elevate the presence of RSPA throughout New England.
Refer a new applicant, earn a $50 Tennis Warehous e Gift Card
With these goals in mind, we will soon be seeking to fill several open committee positions related to these initiatives. Each role will support clear objectives aligned with our organizational mission. If you are interested in becoming more involved and further strengthening your leadership, visibility, and professional value within the racket sports industry, please reach out to me at stowemiles@gmail.com. I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season, and I look forward to working closely with you in 2026. Warm regards, Milan Kubala, Incoming President RSPA New England RSPA Elite Professional
Division Conference, Save the Date!
2026 RSPA NE Conference May 2 & 3
2026-2027 NE Board of Directors
Milan Kubala President
Stu Lehr Treasurer
Nestor Bernabe Secretary
Christy Bennett Vice President
Dan McCormick Vice President
Glenny Hay Vice President
Lisa Wilcott Immediate Past President
Year in Review 2025 Mentoring Committee Report
2025 Membership Committee Report
The 2025 Mentoring Committee was composed of Wilbur Shardlow (Chair), Lisa Gilbride, and Chris Nordenson. Additional input was provided by Lisa Wilcott, Pam Dodman, Mike Kolendo, and Ken Boykin.
RSPA New England hosted several local events to give members the chance to network, strengthen professional relationships, and promote a sense of supportive, collaborative spirit among our members. The events also welcomed prospective members as a way for them to be exposed to the camaraderie of our pros and the value of RSPA membership. Each event was chaired by our state president.
Goal: To provide new members with the opportunity for mentoring and support as they pursue their new careers. The following mentoring plan was developed and implemented: 1. Initial Welcome: An initial welcome was sent by the Executive Director via email, text, or phone call, including the contact information of the local state president. 2. Follow-Up by Local State President: Within two weeks, the local state president followed up with new members to offer mentoring or any additional support. 3. Follow-Up by Mentoring Committee Chair: Within four weeks, the mentoring committee chair followed up with state presidents to ensure the process was on track. Suggestions: 1. Additional follow-up with new members is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the mentoring process. 2. Greater coordination with National is required to streamline and standardize the mentoring process.
Photos were submitted for publication in our New England newsletter as well as social media posts. The events were: Meet and Greet - Hosted by Mike Michaud, RI Sensa Padel – Hosted by Stu Lehr, MA Brook Bound Inn Racquets Club – Hosted by Joyce Doud, VT
2025 Certification Committee Report RSPA New England was active in certification workshops again this year. The division held three Level 1 tennis certification workshops, and two Level 2 tennis certification workshops. Tennis also added another coach developer, Kent Chalmers, who is in training. In pickleball, 6 certification workshops were held. Another pickleball coach developer is in the process of getting approved. Whitney Kraft will be our Platform Tennis Coach Developer, so we will be offering more certification workshops this coming year. Currently, Marcos Pilar, from national, will hold padel certification workshops.
Welcome New & Returning Members New Instructor & Professional Applicants Marc Jacobs Vuk Vuksanovic Lindsay Hung Max Biedermann Orsi Golovics Yuzhen Zhou Haley Gurski Gomes Paulo Brandon Howard Michael Garcia Bruno Voysest Ana Murray Jacob Laclair Adele Huffman Ben Shannon Barry O’Neil Tim McMahon Larry Sack Kate Dunlop Michael Reidbord Samuel Ross-Lee Yulia Kapitanova Elease Colcord James Garaventi Greg McCarty Ryan McDonnell Louis Desmarteaux Daniel Tevez Lorne Teeter Carolyn Tremblay Lina Michell Kelly Klaren Patrick Wyeth Sven Hjalte Ian Kirk Doug Lowenstein Guillermo Rincon Katharine Castelli
New Instructors George Danes Patrick Roche Jason Weeks Kenneth Scott Jon Crim Daphne Eade-Rowe Doug Lowenstein Alanna Grady Ben Lewis Matthew Petrescu Risto Juntunen
New Professionals Kathy Fritz Lester Boykin Pavel Nikolayev Mihajlo Drobnjakovic Steve Scharff Felipe Charry Ermal Dido Henry Frawley Mauricio Miranda Srinivas Yellayi Wayne Schwaeber Christian Daquilema Danielle Sparks
WELCOME BACK! Patrick Noelke Phillip Whiteley Nicholas Bergman Ignacio Berasain John Reeves Xin Jia Patricio Misitrano Robert Hailer Dennis Van Poortvilet Robert Ronstadt David Colby Michael Dolph Greg Coache Daniel Granholm Todd Hiscox Erin White
Certification Workshops Level 1 & Level 2 In-Person Tennis Certification Workshops
Back middle, Kent Chalmers; next row l-r, George Danes, Jason Weeks, Patrick Roche, Daniel Tevez, Goncalo Ferreira; front row l-r, Elise Parisi, Jennifer Gandel, Pam Dodman
These wonderful individuals attended our Level 1 Workshop at the East Hartford Racquet Club in East Hartford, CT. They all did very well, and will hopefully consider getting their Certified Professional certification!! The next Level 1 Tennis Workshop will be held at Tennis Rhode Island: West Bay in Warwick, RI on March 13th and 14th. Please click on the image below to register!
l-r: Glenny Hay, Christy Bennett, Alexander Hui
These outstanding individuals attended the Level 2 Tennis Certification workshop held at Wentworth By The Sea Country Club in Rye, NH. A couple of them were attending to try and earn their elite certification! A HUGE thank you to Chris Stevens, the Director of Racquet Sports at Wentworth, who donated the courts for the workshop, and found students for the instructors to teach! Another Level 2 will be scheduled within the first quarter of 2026. We are working on a location and date.
Racquet/Paddle Sports Career So....You Want to be a Tennis Pro? by Mike Kolendo; RSPA Elite Professional, former RSPA NE Board President Maybe you love tennis... Maybe it sounds like a fun career... Maybe you’re a great player... and maybe you just don’t know what else to do for a living... I’ve heard various pros admit to all of these as the reason they chose to become a teaching professional. But are any of these very real reasons actually good reasons? Can they translate to a successful career? Personally, I didn’t set out to be a tennis pro. Quite the opposite. For years, I did everything I could to avoid that path; to get a “real career.” I studied business and economics in college. I became a banker, put a suit on everyday and went to the office. I went to graduate school; got an MBA with concentrations in both Finance and Human Resources. So... how did I end up teaching tennis for a living. I had the misfortune of re-entering the job market at the worst possible time. There was a recession. In addition, interstate banking restrictions had just been lifted and banks were buying up other banks, laying off entire workforces and flooding the job market with talented, experienced folks that hadn’t just taken a two year hiatus from the industry. I turned to tennis as a way of paying the bills while continuing to search for that still elusive “real job.”
My journey in tennis as a profession started when I had the good fortune to be hired by Keith Perron, the Head Pro at an indoor tennis facility outside of Hartford, CT. It’s not only where I began to learn my craft, it’s where I learned that a career in tennis was much more than hitting balls on a court from one hour to the next. It’s a business; with risks and rewards, opportunities and threats, inventory, equipment, staff, customers, competitors, management, owners, suppliers, product and program development, pricing, margins, buying, marketing, sales, accounting, policy development, taxes, required continuing education, and — oh right — tennis.
Racquet/Paddle Sports Career So....You Want to be a Tennis Pro? continued Keith was a great role model. In very short order, he had me involved in almost every aspect of his operation. I’d like to think my business training was an asset to him. We planned and marketed programs together. He put me in charge of filling programs as well as collecting and accounting for registration fees. At times, I met with industry reps and helped decide what racquets and string we sold. While I enjoyed my time working for Keith, it became clear to me that, to really make a living in tennis, I needed to get my own Head Pro or Director of Tennis position — in effect, to run a business. A club owner once said to me, “If you can’t figure out how to make a buck when you’re not standing on a tennis court, you’ll never be successful.” I firmly believe those words. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to teach enough lessons to do better than “just get by.” Six-figure salaried tennis positions are very rare and very hard to get; and they can be even harder to keep. Add to that the fact that everyone gets injured, sick, or has circumstances that keep them off of the court for extended periods. What then? My personal reality is that, other than a oneyear stint as an interim college coach, I’ve never had a salaried position in the tennis industry. And I’ve been a full-time Tennis Professional for over 30 years. I make a living as a self-employed sole proprietor that teaches private lessons and offers programs at public outdoor facilities from May through September and at a small non-profit indoor facility October through April.
I manage staff at all locations and bear all of the financial risk for our programs. It can be very lucrative. At times, I’ve made between $200 and $300 per hour at programs where I’m not even present. But, I can easily lose money too. Managing cash flow can be tricky at times. Staff expects to be paid regularly even though public facilities can take up to 30 days to pay you after a program ends. If I’m running a six week program, it’ll be ten weeks before I see any of the revenue. How do you feel about long hours? My first lesson is often at 9am. My last lesson typically ends around 8pm. One of my pros was over for dinner recently and, while he was there, I answered the phone eight times — booking lessons and courts, or answering questions. He asked me: “Is it always like this?” My response was: “Yup, and it won’t be a good sign if it stops.” I can’t count the number of times someone has said to me: “I’d love to work for myself like you do!” I always come back with the same line. “Are you sure? It can be pretty great. But if you’re any good at it, you’ll be the worst boss you’ve ever had.” MY KEYS TO SUCCESS • Be Great at Your Craft • Be a Problem Solver • Cultivate Relationships • Differentiate Yourself • Say “YES” • Take Responsibility For Everything
Racquet/Paddle Sports Career So....You Want to be a Tennis Pro? continued Be Great at Your Craft: Learning to communicate in different ways for kids and adults, honing the ability to manage small and large groups of students, managing you’re own time, mentoring and developing staff, and developing/promoting programs are all at least as important as knowing how to hit a tennis ball. In fact, being able to strike a ball really well can often make it difficult to teach to less physically talented players. After all, it comes so naturally to the pro that they often aren’t even aware of how their own technique works. I worked hard at this for years — traveling to conferences, meeting and collaborating with other tennis professionals, conducting workshops and mini-camps, and volunteering with the USTA to help with trainings. These networking experiences were instrumental in not only my tennis teaching education, but they gave me the fire-power to confidently stand up in front of all kinds of groups. Be a Problem Solver: One of the most helpful things I’ve learned is to become a problem solver, even if I don’t always profit from the transaction associated with helping someone. Why? Because being the first phone call, text, or email when someone needs something has value; and when their friends ask them, “How did that happen,” or “Who solved your problem?” they’ll tell them about you. You’ll often be that friend’s first phone call next time they need something too.
Cultivate Relationships: You are not a commodity. You don’t just sell tennis lessons and compete on price alone. If that’s all you do, then you’re just another tennis pro. Build relationships. Invest in your students and they’ll invest in you. Understand that creating a profitable tennis community extends well past your students. It also includes your colleagues and industry partners and it happens as much away from the tennis court as it does on the court. We should all get to know our students. Talk with them while picking up balls. Ask about their lives, interests, travels… not just their tennis goals. We can even help build our community at dinner and graduation parties, plays and performances, baseball games, local tennis events, and at places like the grocery store. In other words… you need to be always “on” and engaging, whenever you’re in public. Building these relationships will take time, because relationships are built on trust. Developing trust takes time, effort, and energy. Differentiate Yourself: When I worked with Keith, I did some of everything but my main responsibility was the high-performance junior program. When I moved to my new position, another professional in the area had that market sewn up. I had to reinvent myself, find an underserved niche that made sense. The first thing I did was get USPTA (RSPA now) certified. No one else in the area was.
Racquet/Paddle Sports Career So....You Want to be a Tennis Pro? continued Further, as the Tennis Director for a municipality and a public indoor facility, I turned to the recreational side of the business, working with students of all ages and abilities. Then, my networking from working with the USTA paid off and I was asked to become a member of USTA’s National Workshop Faculty, which trained tennis pros, instructors, and PE teachers all over the country to deliver recreational and schools tennis effectively. As a result, I’ve trained thousands of tennis instructors to deliver our sport. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of and something that really helped me gain the “street cred” in the local area to build my brand. Say “YES”: When someone offers you an opportunity, say “Yes.” It sounds so basic. But I see people say “No” all the time: “No, I don’t want to drive in to teach just one lesson.” “No, I don’t want to interview for that job.” “No, that lesson is too early or too late.” Why is it so important to say “YES”? Because you never know what may come from it. A good example is one of my first lessons in my first Tennis Director position. It happened at 9am on a Monday morning soon after I’d started. That woman became my first lesson every week for 16 years. Another example was after I’d won a 1st round match in a local small town tournament, a stranger who’d watched the match approached me and asked if I’d ever taught tennis in South America.
A few months later, my wife and I were flown to Quito Ecuador to teach at a private club for two weeks at 10,000’ in the Andes! Not only were all of our expenses paid, but I was paid very well for my time and it’s an experience I’ll never forget. Take Responsibility For Everything: It’s your business. If things go well… that’s what people expect. If things go poorly, and they sometimes do, people will almost always understand if you assure them it wasn’t their fault and that you’ll do everything you can to make things right. How do you make things right? Ask them: “What can I do to make this right?” And then I do it, as long as it’s not too ridiculous, even at your expense. After all, we really only own two things: our time and our reputation. And our reputation is THE KEY to building a thriving business, which is exactly what you are — a business.
Mike is an RSPA Elite Professional, a certified wheelchair tennis pro, and was a member of USTA’s National Workshop faculty for 15 years. Presently, Mike is the Director of Tennis at the Northampton and South Hadley Recreation Departments and at Tennis at Maple Ridge – a small indoor facility in western MA. Past honors include: RSPA NE Board President 2021-2024, 2016 USTA WMA Volunteer of the Year, 2012 Joseph Dietz Bowl, 2011 NE Pro of the Year, and the 2010 Dan Bonfigli Award. Ranked #1 in New England eleven times in Doubles and once in Singles.