Happy Holidays, my fellow pros! It is my favorite time of the year; however, I have realized that it has come to the end of being the RSPA Southwest President. It has been a privilege and grateful to be able to serve you in the past two years. I will still be at the board meeting and helping the board members move forward for two more years. I would like to keep this a very simple and short message.
We have very strong and diversified incoming board members for 2026-27, led by Greg Prudhomme. Welcome to Nicole Chambers, our newer board member, as Treasurer. And along with others who will continue to serve on the board - Ryan Johnson, John Perry, and Leslie Banks.
The 2025 WRC in Kona Island was a great hit with the beautiful scenery and good weather. Many from our division, long-time members or new members, attended the conference for the first time. It was great to see many from our division and their family members and also be able to network with everyone.
One of the takeaways at the WRC was how would you “it’s You in Rebrand You” in the next five years? Back in my mind, I recalled that I started playing racket sports in badminton, ping pong, squash, and then tennis, which I found my love of the sport. I feel that tennis skills are an essential sport that enables you to use the skills in other sports like pickleball, padel, and touch tennis. Our industry is a service to customers that encourages them to be active and have a healthy lifestyle. The RSPA has provided members with a great opportunity to continue their career under one umbrella. So, how will you rebrand yourself for 2026?
We had a successful 2025 Division Conference this year at the Paradise Valley Country Club. The PVCC will be hosting us for the 2026 Division Conference in May. We look forward to working on the event.
Lastly, I would like to thank many of you, including the current board members, who helped the division ran smoothly and successfully. Special thanks to Amy Badger for her years of dedication to RSPA Southwest as she will be finishing up her term on the board. For the district coordinators: Dick Johnson, Eusebio Sarabia, Andrea Meyer, Alex Mouquin, Cameron Hamilton; USTA SW representative, Nicole Fintell, thank you all for providing the update in your areas. Also, thank you to Jack, our ED, who tirelessly and passionately cares and a team leader to the RSPA SW Division.
Enjoy your holidays with your friends and family! May your 2026 be filled with new opportunities, positive changes, and joyful surprises!
Presidents Message 2
2026 Southwest Conference 3
Tennis for Everyone 4-5
Physical Training Guidelines & Recommendations for young Junior Players 6-8
District News 9-13
Dear RSPA Southwest Professionals!
Please consider nominating someone for the 2026 Southwest Awards Program!
To nominate someone: * Click on the link below https://form.typeform.com/to/BFFrThkv
Self-nominations are welcome, but if you know of someone that would be a great candidate, please don’t hesitate to nominate him/her. It’s the ultimate compliment!
Division deadline for applications and nominations is Friday, April 24, 2026.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thank you all for thinking of your fellow RSPA certified teaching pros as we look for fantastic nominations!
Best
Wishes, Leslie Banks – Awards Chairperson
der called Mosaic Trisomy at 9, which causes a variety of issues with learning and speech. According to his mother, Jessica, Juan Pablo’s pediatrician recommended he try tennis for possible benefits to brain development. That recommendation led to a kid who absolutely fell in love with playing tennis and can’t get enough of it. I know a lot of tennis lovers, but I don’t think anyone loves to play tennis as much as Juan Pablo. As he became a stronger player, his family was looking for a coach. After a conversation with Jason, my wheelchair student, he recommended that she reach out to me. Once again, I was unsure whether this was something I could do. Would I be a good fit for him? How do I incorporate him into my program? It didn’t take long at all for Juan Pablo’s joy, energy, and spirit to win me over. Finding ways to connect with him has been endlessly fun and challenging. Though sometimes keeping the score and verbalizing it is a challenge, we have worked hard for him to be able to be on the court to play matches in regular USTA tournaments without help (when he played a match, he needed a scorekeeper for several years). This allowed me to slowly include him in my daily practices with the kids, and all of them benefited from his spirit. His sweetness and love of the game have permeated our program when he is around. As a coach, I like to go deep with tactical concepts, and I wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle more complex tennis ideas beyond basic technique. Once again, though, it’s up to the coach to find a way to get through to a student, and I regularly see how challenging it can be to understand and implement even for advanced players. So now, after much time together, it is common that when Juan Pablo struggles with a difficult tennis challenge, I tell his mother this is not a Juan Pablo problem, this is a tennis player problem! Many players struggle with these concepts, especially young players. It is fascinating to me that even though things like math and reading may be very challenging for him, we have found a way for tennis to make sense for him on a very high level.
Juan Pablo progressed to where he was able to play USTA junior tournaments alone for his last year of age eligibility, and now we are finding other avenues for him to continue his love of sport. He is even playing men’s open tournaments from time to time. For me, it has been an honor to get to play as Juan Pablo’s partner in the USTA National Unified Doubles Championships in Orlando. Unified doubles pairs a player having an intellectual disability with a partner without an intellectual disability. It was a thrill to represent Arizona and win a national championship in 2024 and even more so to come back in 2025 and defend our title. The most enjoyable part was playing alongside Juan Pablo, as it was invaluable to get more insight into his head, allowing me to connect with him better. A fascinating moment for me as a coach was the realization I came to as we were playing. Sometimes when we change sides, he would ask me the score, and I would tell him, for instance, 4-1. Amazingly, he would often ask, “How many do we have?” Now, instead of this being negative, as one might think, I realized that this was Juan Pablo’s tennis superpower! Instead of being nervous and playing tight like most players on big points, he was just playing free and loose. I changed my coaching advice for him midstream from the strategy of playing safer to bigger targets on certain key points (because he might be a little nervous or tight, and therefore erratic) to playing as aggressively as he wanted to, because for him it was the same! If you could transfer this joy and freedom to be able to just play the point without the fear of consequences, every player could unleash their best tennis. It’s not that Juan Pablo doesn’t understand winning or losing, but he’s much more interested in the play rather than the outcome, which should be inspiring to every tennis player! I saw this love for the game in many of the other adaptive athletes at the national championships. Certainly, it is nice to win the title and receive the recognition, but never have I played an event where winning seems secondary to the experience. Being satisfied by the joy of playing as much as winning or losing has stayed with me and Playing with Joy is a constant theme in my coaching now.
Adaptive Tennis has been an unexpected source of joy and inspiration. As RSPA Professionals, it’s natural to only want to work with the best players, but opening one’s mind and going outside a comfort zone sometimes can lead to unexpected and inspiring outcomes. I consider myself blessed to have crossed paths with Jason and Juan Pablo, as they have taught me as much as I have taught them. Tennis really is for everyone!
Physical Training Guidelines and Recommendations for Young Junior Tennis Players
by Doug MacCurdy
Phase 1
This is part 2 in a 15 article series by Doug MacCurdy! In my previous column on “Match and Training Loads for Junior Tennis Players” I put forward guidelines that included some recommendations for weekly physical training hours for very young juniors. In this article we will look at specific types of training exercises that are age appropriate for Phase 1 (Ages 6-8) and Phase 2 (Ages 9-10). In these phases there are no real differences in the physical training for boys or girls.
The overall objective during these ages it help the children to use this critical developmental time period to enhance the skills that are most necessary to play high level tennis. These physical skills of highest importance to work on between the ages of 6-10 are coordination, agility and speed. Tennis technique training is relatively unimportant for very young children, but becomes more of a prriority as children are nearing 10 years old.
Approximate Age of Players: 6-8
Name of Period: Initiation
Characteristic of Period: General all around and motor skill development
Total Training Time: Approximately 4 hours per week
Tennis Training Time: Approximately 1 ½ hours per week
Physical Training Time: Approximately 2 ½ hours per week
Listed below are the physical skills most favorable to work in this age An A, B or C indicates the relative importance of the skill for this age group. Note that flexibility should be improved or maintained throughout the tennis career:
* Coordination A
* Agility A
* Tennis Technique B
* Flexibility B
Methods to use:
* Introduce players to many different sports
* Use schoolyard type games
* Use different size, shapes and weights of balls for training
* Use team competitions without losers
* Use as much variety as possible
* Allow free play and creativity
* Introduce the idea of warm-up
Sample games and exercises:
* Games with balloons
* Games with American football
* Games with rugby ball
* Basketball games with dribbling
* Tag type games
* Obstacle courses
* Playground equipment
* Climbing and hanging exercises
* Games with tennis balls using hand and rackets
* “Invent” ways of throwing and catching the ball
* Football (Soccer)
* Games emphasizing balance
* Jump rope
* Dodge ball with soft balls
* Combinations of runs, jumps and/or throws
* Running and walking in straight lines, curves, zig-zags, changing direction
* Follow the leader
* High jump, long jump and running and jumping
* Crawling, crab-walking, rolling and somersaulting
* Throw and catch with one hand, two hands and different balls
* Games using Gym Balls
* Mobility to music
* Gymnastics
* Sit-ups
* Very short speed exercises <5 seconds
* Make flexibility training fun
Note that when initiating the game of tennis to young, beginning players, the common mistake to use specialized tennis training that is unilateral and one-dimensional.
Phase 2
Approximate Age of Players: 9-10
Name of Period: Instructional
Characteristic of Period: Versatile all around basic training
Total Training Time: Approximately 9 hours per week
Tennis Training Time: Approximately 4 ½ hours per week
Physical Training Time: Approximately 4 ½ hours per week
Listed below are the physical skills most favorable to work in this age group. Note that flexibility should be improved or maintained throughout the tennis career:
* Coordination A
* Agility A
* Speed A
* Tennis Technique A
* Flexibility B
Methods to use:
* Many can be similar to phase 1 but more complex and/or faster
* Instill concept of warm-up and cool-down
* Use variety and cross training
* More use of strength training exercises using light loads
* Take advantage of this period. It is one of the best times for motor skills acquisition due to lower growth rate.
Sample games and exercises:
* Throwing drills with American football
* Games with rugby ball
* Volleyball
* Table tennis and badminton
* Basketball games with dribbling
* Tag type games
* Crazy ball games
* Obstacle courses and climbing for balance
* Games with tennis balls
* Football (Soccer)
* Games emphasizing balance and recovery of balance
* Jump rope (various)
* Dodge ball with soft balls
* Combinations of runs, jumps and/or throws (increased difficulty)
* Running and walking in straight lines, curves, zig-zag, changing direction
* Follow the leader
* Wheelbarrow races
* High jump, long jump, vertical jumps and running and jumping
* Crawling, crab-walking, rolling and somersaulting
* Throw and catch with one hand, two hands and different balls
* Mobility to music
* Hopscotch
* Agility ladders and other agility runs
* Racket quickness drills
* Relays races of all kinds
* Pushing and pulling games like tug of war
* Frisbee
* Hopping drills using hoops and/or lines
* Push ups, sit ups and back exercises
* Exercises with light medicine balls
* Light dumbells can be inroduced
* Exercises with Swiss balls
* Introduce static and dynamic stretching techniques
In the next column we will look at physical training guidelines for players 11 years and older.
Northern Arizona
by Andrea Meyer
Some deuce games can last seemingly forever, but how about a 22-day 1,550-mile bike ride from International Falls, MN, to New Orleans?
Prescott Elite Pro Chris Howard undertook that challenge in late summer and had a spate of adventures and close calls: Riding roughly 70 miles a day, Chris still stopped to play tennis in every state, “usually in Walmart parking lots” as he followed the Mississippi River. He had a bike stolen north of St. Louis and was bitten by a swarm of ants near Memphis, went into shock, then was treated with IV infusions at a hospital before getting back in the saddle the next day.
players a respite between games. This year’s Oct. 26 event raised $6,168, a significant thousanddollar boost over last year’s proceeds.
Verde Valley pros Jake Worseldine and Andrea Meyer hosted two separate charity events this fall to benefit young people at home and abroad. As they did last year, Jake and player Nessa Scheu put together a Serve for Freedom event to fundraise for five anti- humantrafficking organizations in Arizona, Texas, Ethiopia, Nepal, and India. Twenty-five players gathered at Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona for doubles and improvised games of red ball (Hits off the fences count!), with raffles and snacks giving
A “Tennis Lollapalooza” got underway on November 22, also at Poco Diablo. The event was raininterrupted and will continue in early December. To date we have raised over $1,500. This fastpaced game day features games of Triples, Touch the Fence, and Live Ball to raise money for Andrea’s Mingus Union HS girls’ team and FirstServeMyanmar. The Myanmar group was founded by Sedona doctor and tennis player Jim Allen to benefit young tennis players in Myanmar (Burma). Burma is under the siege of civil war, and corruption is rampant. The kids in FSM play on the single court available to them. Proceeds from the Tennis Lollapalooza will provide shoes, racquets, strings, balls, coaching, and funds for schooling. (School attendance is mandatory to receive tennis coaching through FSM.) “Zach Hackerott (Prescott Pro) designed an outstanding publicity flyer with photos of my girls and the Myanmar kids, which really helped sell the event,” Andrea said. Andrea’s Mingus team helped at the event, received a portion of the day’s proceeds, and, as the spring season approaches, will correspond with the Burmese players via Facebook to share their tennis experiences. “Besides materially enhancing the kids’ programs, the lollapalooza shows these kids that tennis is played worldwide and leads to lifelong friendships. You don’t always appreciate that when you’re 15, but you do when you’re 65,” Andrea notes.
There are many sweet joys in tennis, and as Coach Grace Hakopian of Sedona knows, coaching her younger brother, George, 18, is one of those pleasures.
Northern New Mexico
by Dick Johnson
Hi! Everybody!
The recent “Rally in the Ally” recently finished its 19th year and raised over $40,000. Its founder, and my dear friend, Wendy Thomas, was pleased with the outcome.
I was so excited that Head/Penn provided complimentary hats for the participants. Thank you, Chuck Bahn, our Head/Penn representative, for all your generosity and help.
The UNM Women’s Team also provided drills and games for over 150 people that had donated for this event to fight cancer.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday. My birthday falls on Thanksgiving this year. Whoopee!!
John Damgaard: Northern New Mexico Tennis
“If you build it, they will come.”
Eleanor and Richard Brenner’s dream is now a reality in the gloriously beautiful Forked Lightning Racquet Club, which houses The First ServeNew Mexico Tennis Program
Kimberly and Scott Sheffield have donated millions to the construction, which is now open and nearing completion with workers putting in trees and making final touches.
Scott and Kimberly have amassed a tremendous
staff: TJ Middleton, General Manager
Brian Macphie, Director of Racquets, Joey Gorence, Associate Director of Racquets, Steve Burke, IT Systems | Club Concierge, Klaus Dlabik, Head Racquets Professional – Membership Coordinator. Teel Lawler-Flores, Director of Membership & Events, Rose Starsmeare, Operations Manager, and Lisa Cech, Pickleball Coach
Monthly Dues: $180/month per household
The facility includes:
6 Indoor Tennis Courts
4 Indoor Pickleball Courts
6 Outdoor Tennis Courts
8 Outdoor Pickleball Courts
3 Padel Courts
Amy Badger-Albuquerque Academy
This time of year always has us feeling a little more grateful wouldn't you say? Having supportive people in positions of leadership who encourage collaboration, open communication, creativity and teamwork...well, I can't tell you how much I look forward to coming to work every day. It's a joy and privilege to work for the Albuquerque Academy at our Racquet Center. Work is never work when you love what you do! We continue to work closely with the USTA Southwest and our regional council in bringing quality programming to our 10 and under, as well as our middle school and high school juniors, including numerous L7's (supersets). We hope to host more USTA league teams in 2026 and have a return of our adult red ball class! Our NJTL Beyond the Baseline continues to grow and develop into a unique collaboration with one the school's top STEM clubs, with kids teaching kids! On Nov 23 we will be host to a free community wide USTA Fall Festival with registrations expected to be around the one hundred mark.
As my time on the board has come to a close, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Suk, Greg, Ryan, John, Leslie, Dick, Eusebio, Cameron, Andrea, Alex and especially Jack Michalko for the collaboration, support and shared commitment to our mission and our industry. It has been a privilege to contribute alongside such dedicated individuals. Here's to a fantastic 2026!
Southern New Mexico & El Paso
by Alex Mouquin
Hello all from the “Sun City”, the beautiful El Paso, Texas. The fall season is progressing well, with the holidays approaching quickly. The El Paso/Southern New Mexico district has seen the end of the high school tennis season and the emergence of more pickleball instructional programs, especially on the junior side. Starting youth players in the sport earlier. Padel is heating up in El Paso with 2 new facilities coming up this season, soon providing lessons and clinics as well.
Our newest RSPA district member, Katarina Sasaroga has now completed her level 1 certification. Here is a bit more information about her:
Originally from Gothenburg, Sweden, Katarina combines a strong academic background with a lifelong dedication to tennis. In 2018, she earned a full athletic scholarship to compete at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Continuing to merge her passion for the sport with higher education, she pursued an MBA at Western New Mexico University while serving as the Graduate Assistant for both the men’s and women’s tennis teams. In this role, she contributed to player development, team management, and competitive success, gaining valuable experience in collegiate athletics.
Today, Katarina is a vital part of French Touch
Tennis, serving as both a coach and the Sports Programs and Events Manager. Her passion for tennis and commitment to helping others grow in the sport drive her work each day. Whether on the court, coaching, or planning impactful events, Katarina is dedicated to fostering a vibrant and engaging tennis community.
I asked her: What is your favorite part about coaching/teaching tennis?
“My favorite thing about coaching is watching growth happen not just in skills, but in confidence and teamwork. There’s something incredibly rewarding about seeing players believe in themselves, support one another, and realize what they’re capable of when they put in the effort. I love being part of that journey and creating an environment where everyone feels valued, challenged, and motivated to improve.”
The industry is lucky to have such a knowledgeable and dedicated professional join our organization.
I wish you all a happy holiday season and a great end to your year on and off the courts.
Phoenix, Arizona
by Eusebio Sarabia
Alejandro Serrano Clarke is a dynamic leader in racquet sports, known for uniting the worlds of tennis, padel, and pickleball with a strong passion for building community and a culture of high-performance play. Born in Barcelona, Spain, Alejandro grew up immersed in the country’s rich racquet sport tradition, where tennis and padel are part of everyday life. His lifelong enthusiasm for the game led him to pursue a degree in Business Administration and Sports Management from Arizona Christian University, blending his love for sport with a strong foundation in leadership and program development.
Today, Alejandro serves as Director of Racquet Sports at Paradise Valley Country Club in Arizona, where he oversees all facets of the club’s tennis, pickleball, and padel programs. Under his leadership, PVCC became the first private club in the region to introduce padel, integrating the fast-growing sport into its racquet offerings and inspiring members to experience the excitement of this global phenomenon.
A certified RSPA professional, Alejandro’s vision extends beyond daily operations. He’s dedicated to advancing the sport at both the club and community level, and most recently, he hosted the first-ever RSPA padel demonstration during the Southwest at PVCC, sharing his expertise and enthusiasm with racquet professionals across the region.
With his innovative mindset and commitment to excellence, Alejandro continues to shape the future of racquet sports in the Southwest.
SOUTHWESTOFFICERS
President SukOng602-881-0467
sukong.uspta@gmail.com
RegionalVP
GregPrudhomme602-301-1394
pruperformance@gmail.com
VicePresident
RyanJohnson704-281-1713
m.ryanjohnson@gmail.com
Secretary
JohnPerry520-403-8290
jptennis25@gmail.com
Treasurer
LeslieBanks419-302-7663
lesliealison16@gmail.com
PastPresident
AmyBadger 505-379-6728
badgertennis505@gmail.com
ExecutiveDirector
JackMichalko602-740-0126
jack.michalko@rspa.net
SOUTHWESTCOORDINATORS
NorthernNewMexico
DickJohnson505-507-6795
lctenniscamps@gmail.com
Phoenix
EusebioSarabia310-292-2788
eusebio.sarabia@gmail.com
SoutheasternArizona
CameronHamilton480-276-1123
chamilton8815@gmail.com
NorthernArizona
AndreaMeyer928-300-4352
andreameyertennis@gmail.com
SouthernNewMexico&lPaso
AlexMouquin575-571-0389
frenchtouchtennis@hotmail.com
TennisCoachDeveloper
MikeVanZutphen480-292-2159
mikevanzu@gmail.com
PickleballCoachDeveloper
RyanJohnson704-281-1713
m.ryanjohnson@gmail.com
APublicationof the RSPASouthwest Division
Jack Michalko / editor
77 East Missouri Avenue, Suite 62, Phoenix, AZ 85012
602-740-0126 / e-mail: jack.michalko@rspa.net
The Southwest Magazine is published quarterly by the Southwest Divisionof the Racquet Sports ProfessionalsAssociation. The opinions expressedinthe Southwest Magazine are those ofthe authorsandnotnecessarily those of Southwest Magazineorthe RSPASouthwest Division.
