USPTA Southern Standard March 2024

USPTA Southern Division: Where Excellence is Standard

March 2024

Volume 25 Issue 2

Convention 2024 May 16-18

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President’s Message Hello Fellow USPTA Professionals,

By Ken Andriano ons. We all are coming to find new ideas and techniques that can be brought back to your club or facility. This can be either the on-court as well as off-court presenta ons that teach us programing and management.

As spring is ge ng into full swing, I hope you all are enjoying some nicer weather and are busy teaching and running programs. We have had some excellent state workshops Networking opportuni es: This is one of my favorite reasons to since the start of 2024. Don’t worry if you a end our conven ons. I have been very fortunate to make missed them, we have many more opportuni es scheduled throughso many contacts at these conferences that I keep in touch out the year. Our next and biggest event of the year will be our with professionally and socially. You never know, you could Southern conference on May 16-18 at Bayou Bluff Tennis Club in be talking with your next employer or employee!

Gulfport, Mississippi! I know Allen Jensen, our conven on chair and Social: This is the most fun aspect of our conven ons. Our wel1st VP has some excellent presenta ons, networking opportuni es, come party is a great way to relax and have fun with fellow and social events scheduled for this year’s event. professionals. One thing that a racted me to be a tennis I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about all the benefits of professional was that I could share the game that I love and a ending our conferences and workshops throughout the year. I have a blast doing it. know it can be a sacrifice for most professionals to take me away from making money with their clients to a end a conference, but the Virtual conferences are excellent, and it allows us more flexibility in benefits can be so impac ul for your career. Here are some of those our con nuing educa on, but there is nothing be er than a ending a benefits: conference in person. I hope you have a great spring, and we’ll see Presenta ons: One obvious benefit would be the presentayou all in Mississippi this May!

Zoom-i-NARS Catch the latest offering from USPTA Southern in this sharing Zoom-i-NAR. Each month, the plan is to have a discussion and share best prac ces on an area that has an impact on many of us in our jobs.

These will be held on Tuesday’s at 2:00pm et. These will be on Zoom mee ngs, which will allow everyone to be ac ve on the discussion, as opposed to a Webinar which is only ac ve to the moderators. Replays will be available later, but will not offer the 1 educa on credit.

March 26 - Summer Camp Ideas Future discussions will include: 

Se ng and raising lessons rates

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Fun social events

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Building a great team/staff

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Best kids games

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And much more

The video version is available exclusively via TennisResources.com, and can be watched for half an educa on credit. You can access that version by clicking here!

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Fun Things to do In Gulfport

Featured Speakers Edgar Giffenig has been a Na-

Casinos obviously. Gamble and have dinner/drinks.

They have great restaurants and bars inside. Hard Rock, Beau Rivage are the best on the Coast.

Beaches about 20miles of them. Parasail, jet ski rentals available.

Ship Island day ferry day trips. Fort of Massachuse s is an historic a rac on on Ship Island Bay Saint Louis and Ocean Springs are li le artsy towns where you can walk, shop, and they have nice marinas.

Charter boat rentals. You can rent boats and go fishing.

Golf. There are about 10 golf course within 30 min drive. Grand Bear, the Oaks, Shell Landing, Fallen Oak. A new Aquarium that opened a couple of years ago.

Dining. Plenty of local restaurants on the beach where you can enjoy seafood and cold drinks.

Craig Jones is Senior Director, onal Coach for the USA, Ger- Coach Educa on at USTA. In many and Mexico as well as a this role, he is responsible for partner in two Major Acadedeveloping coaching resources, mies: Interna onal Tennis workshops and overseeAcademy in Florida and Centro ing accredita on.

MexTenis in Mexico. He has Before joining the USTA, Craig been a speaker at many Na on- spent over 25 years as a Club al and Interna onal Coaches Owner, Director of Tennis and Conven ons and is the Interna- junior developer, working with onal Consultant for Tennisplayers from novice, to na onGate, a company specializing in al and interna onal champitennis coaches' educa on. ons. He is a cer fied PTR ProEdgar played for the University fessional, USPTA of Texas where he completed Elite Professional and USTA an Undergraduate Degree in High Performance Coach Business and a Graduate Degree in Exercise Physiology.

Thursday, May 16

11:30-12:30 Brian Dillman/Jason Gilbert - USPTA Q&A (class)

12:00-3:00 USPTA Southern Board Mee ng

11:30-2:30 Trade Show & Lunch

2:00-7:00

Registra on

2:30-4:00

Craig Jones - Prac ce Like You Play (court)

3:00-4:00

Blind & Visually Impaired (court)

4:00-5:00

Blind & Visually Impaired Pt 2 (court)

4:15-5:15

Bill Phillips - 50 Years of Industry Insights & Lessons Learned

5:156:30

Edgar Giffenig - (court)

6:30-8:30

Welcome Party/Dinner

Friday, May 17 8:30-9:00

Jason Gilbert - USPTA Na onal Update (class)

9:00-10:00 Tom Daglis Compensa on Packages & Nego a ons (class) Chris Hoshour - The 4 Most Important Shots to Play High Level Tennis (court) 10:10-11:30 Edgar Giffenig - (court)

Saturday, May 18 7:45-8:30

Faith Fellowship Mee ng (class)

8:30-9:30

Geoff Browne - Increasing Stringing Profits

9:45-10:45 Craig Jones - Controlling Chaos (court) 10:55-11:55 Devin Crotzer /William Foreman/Dan Beedle Elevate Presents (court) 12:00-2:30 Awards/Hall of Fame Lunch (ballroom) 2:30-3:30

TBD

3:30-4:30

TBD

Watch usptasouthern.com for the latest info

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Convention May 16-18 At Bayou Bluff, Gulfport MS

•Don’t miss out on this amazing event this year at at great loca on at the newly remodeled facility •Featuring Edgar Giffening & Craig Jones •Meet our new CEO Brian Dillman •Trade show on Friday, awards on Saturday •Neat a endee gi s •3 meals included •USPTA Pickleball cer fica on on Sunday morning (separate registra on – limited spaces)

Host Hotel:

Conven on Price:

Holiday Inn Gulfport Airport, 9515 Highway 49

• $135 Early Registra on by May 7th, $150 Full Registra on • New Cer fied Member since May 2022 - $25



$114-$128. Only 5 miles from Bayou Bluff

• Non USPTA Member $160



CLICK HERE to book online to receive the group rate.

• One day only $90 

Spouse $75 by 5/7, Full price $90 (no gi or ed credit)



Or call the hotel at 228-679-1700



Register at uspta.com (you need to login or create an ac-



Room block released a er 4/26

count if non member)



Watch usptasouthern.com for up to date informa on.

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By Lee Cockerell - former Execu ve VP of Disney World Opera ons 1) Your employees will not be commi ed to  A end training and seminars to eduyour language does not mean they you unless they are 100% sure you are don't understand a cordial hello with a cate yourself so you do not become a commi ed to them. Be careful what cheery good morning. Don't ignore dinosaur. you say and do, because they are people because they don't speak your  There are many more. Make your own watching you and judging you every language. A smile is a universal lanlist and get with it so you don't have a second of every day. What they see you guage. long list of regrets later on in your life, say and do causes them to either trust 9) The most important me to bond with a saying things like I wish I had quit you or not trust you. Trust is everynew baby is the first few months. The smoking, I wish I had spent more me thing. If you don't have trust, your rebest me to bond with a new employee with my son, I wish I had go en my sults will fall well below their poten al. is the first few months. Funny how a annual physical, I wish I had exercised 2) A Leader's job is to do what has to be li le common sense can make a big more, and on and on and on. done, when it has to be done, in the difference.

4) Be the same person 24 hours a day. Don't way it should be done, whether he or change when you come to work. Some- 10) Leadership is not about a salary grade she likes it or not. This applies at work or a tle. It's about responsibility and mes leaders act unnatural at work. with your employees and at home with making things happen for the organizaTreat everyone with respect. Be humyour children. You have to develop on and for the people in the organizable. You are there to help support and your children - you can't fire them. If on. It's also about personal responsiinspire your team, not to tell them you focused more on developing your bility. As a leader you impact the lives what to do. Tell them the outcome you employees, you would not have to fire of the people you work with more than want and they will figure out how to them. you will ever know. YOU have a direct deliver the results.

3) What should you do today that will not impact on the quality of their lives, ca5) Leadership is hard. It is full of paradoxes. pay off for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, reers and future.

You o en have to do two opposing or even 50 years?

11) You can't fire your children, You have to things like cut costs and keep the cusdevelop them; so let's do the same for  Exercise daily. tomer happy; or some mes you have our employees.  Don't smoke. three different things which don't 12) The quickest way to destroy an organisound like they are possible. Great  Have a clear re rement plan. za on's culture is to not do a great job leaders do the impossible.  Find out from your boss what you need se ng up the organiza onal structure. to do now to be a candidate for that big 6) Being excellent is hard. So when you have When people no longer understand or something hard to do, remember you job 10 years from now. believe in the way an organiza on is are being excellent. Do you want to be  Make sure your children have a love of structured they lose faith in the vision remembered for being good or great? reading by the me they are 6 (which and in the top leadership. The best way means you have to limit TV, computers 7) When you are in a senior leadership posito avoid this pi all is to involve those on you must be an inspira onal leader and Game Boys). further down in the design of responsiand not just an administrator if you  Get your annual physical. bility, authority and accountability. want to get the results which are possi Tell your loved ones you love them 

ble with a team of inspired followers. every day.

So many top leaders today are just adKeep current by reading the paper eveministrators who focus on doing things ry day, watching the news, reading instead of inspiring people.

Time or Newsweek, and reading indus8) Just because someone does not speak try publica ons.

Excerpted from a list of 144 leadership ps by Lee Cockerell

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By Heidi Ramaekers and Chris ne Michaels Possessing a ‘growth mindset’ is a concept that is ge ng a lot of a en on lately, and for good reason. Psychologist Carol Dweck wrote about growth and fixed mindsets back in 2006 in her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success; but perform a simple google search of “growth mindset” today and you’ll find it referenced in a lot of different places, from the corporate world to the academic arena and now, the wide world of sports.

A mindset revolves around how our thoughts beliefs, percep ons and values shape how we interpret and respond to the world around us. On a tennis court, it will determine how we view opportuni es and setbacks, how much we believe we can learn and grow from both wins AND losses and even how we respond to pressure.

Our mindset will also affect how much risk we are willing to take on the court. Someone with a fixed mindset might believe failures, mistakes and losses define their abilies. On the other hand, someone with a growth mindset believes there is great learning and growth from those very same things, and will likely be less afraid of risk.

Athletes who adopt growth mindsets also focus on the process itself: what am I learning and taking away each me I step on the court in a lesson and match whereas the fixed mindset will focus solely on the outcome.

It might be easy to see then how problema c it can be to use the win-loss column as THE measurement of growth and success.

Of course we all want to win, and you might even ask yourself, “if I win more, doesn’t that mean I’m improving?”

And our philosophy as coaches is “not al-

ways!” A growth mindset says losses also book to make mental notes for lessons and mean growth and improvement. And, not matches and track progress. What a great only is winning every match unrealis c, but place to remind yourself about the mindset ge ng caught up in a win or loss usually you’d like to adopt as well as the specific produces a posi ve or nega ve feeling; goals you are working on. Logging what you rarely does it give you specific insight into are taking away from each lesson and how to con nue growing and improving. match will also help you stay focused on what you’re doing really well and what A BETTER QUESTION you’d like to con nue focusing on; and So how do we start to adopt more of a what a great way to see how far you’ve growth mindset on the court? One of the ways is to use a completely different meas- come over me.

We have also seen a funny thing happen uring s ck when it comes to our abili es when we take the focus away from wins and success. Instead of focusing on the and losses - confidence and mo va on also win / loss record, we must ask ourselves grow. Instead of staying stuck in the uncom"what did I do well in my match today?” and “what can I improve upon for the next fortable, nega ve feelings that usually accompany a loss, we’ve heard people say match?” Both ques ons can be answered “but I feel great about the way I played bewith specific ideas for con nued learning cause I stayed aggressive and moving…and and success … whether we won or lost!

We then encourage you to take the answers I’m going to do that again in my next match!” to those ques ons and set specific future goals that help you focus on what is in your So what kind of mindset do you have on the court? What would it look like for you to control ... and minimize the “noise” that is adopt more of a growth mindset to improve completely out of your control (our oppoyour game? Asking yourself these simple nents win/loss record for example!) ques ons is just as important as improving Our match goals can be as simple as “I’m going to stay aggressive and play my game your groundstrokes and tac cal strategy.

And for the players we have helped adopt no ma er the score” or “I’m going to use posi ve communica on and body language more of a growth mindset, it has been a true game changer. with my partner in between each point so we both stay posi ve and focused”.

This type of specific goal se ng gives us an actual roadmap for execu ng in a match vs. the vague goal of “I am going out there to win” … which gives us ZERO informa on on how to work toward growth and success!

When it comes to adop ng a growth mindset, we are also huge fans of using a note-

Heidi Ramaekers and Chris ne Michaels are the founders of Elevaon Ladies Tennis Academy in Alphare a, GA, the area’s first and only tennis academy dedicated to women’s club level tennis.

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A er a few minutes of prac ce and possibly shi ing the target from down the line to crosscourt, have all players at the Non

By Darryl Lewis Volley Zone line with the dot in the same posi on in front of One of the biggest challenges them as before. Rally again either crosscourt or down the line for novice and intermediate with the same goal of “hi ng” or “protec ng” the dot. Emphasis players in pickleball is finding can now be made that the ball can be hit higher over the net as long as the arc of the shot gets the ball to the target. Height is an appropriate depth to hit the ball. If your shot is too short it not the problem at the Non Volley Zone as the allows your opponent to move toward receiver cannot close and volley the ball up the Non Volley Zone if they are deep, or high. Players learn to control height and powworse yet get a higher bouncing ball er in order to achieve the appropriate depth. that they can drive. If your ball is too This can be turned into a compe ve exercise deep, it gives your opponent a high ball using either a half court or playing as a pair. that they can crush or hit down to your Points are awarded to the hi ng player or feet. pair if they can hit a dot. Points are awarded Start all four players back in the transito the receiving player for balls that do not go on zone and place a “dot” 12-18 inchover or for balls that are beyond the Non Voles in front of them. Players rally coopley Zone line. era vely either crosscourt or down the Do you have a favorite drill you would be willline so two balls are being used. The ing to share with others. Please send it goal for the player hi ng is to get as d.lewis@aussie10s.com for publica on in fuclose as possible to the dot. The goal ture newsle ers. for the receiving player is to “protect the dot” by hi ng the ball out of the air.

Pickleball Points

Protect the Dot

Page 8

On February 23rd, we had an exci ng

Alabama and rewarding day trip down to

Millbrook, Alabama for the Blue Gray Na onal Tennis Classic. A huge thank you to Jeff Barrera and Stephanie Gifford for volunteering as we helped report live scores for matches.

Not only did we enhance the event for those who couldn't a end, but we were able to witness high quality tennis as well. We watched the following teams: the Middle Tennessee State men's team, the Boise State men's tennis team, the Arizona women's team, the Furman women's team, and the Tulsa women's team. We plan to have our workshop again in December of this year.

Georgia

The board is excited to be planning educa onal opportuni es this year. Our biggest event of the year will be our December 6th State workshop at Atlanta Athle c Club. We are planning on combining it with the Atlanta Open for one last summer workshop in July. Stay tuned for details on this unique educa onal opportunity at the event.

Our board for 2024 is Rick Wille -President, Carmen Garcia -1stVP, Liam Villante -2nd VP Rod Slack -Secretary and Michael Pereira -Treasurer. Please feel free to reach out to any of us for sugges ons for USPTA Georgia while we plan these events.

Louisiana Louisiana is up and running in 2024. We have grown the number of USTA tournaments for juniors in the last few years to get us back on track. Courtney Dugas and our USPTA pros have done a fantas c job of building back these opportuni es for kids. LSU Tennis is making a valiant effort to reach out to teaching pros and tennis players all over the state. It’s a great opportunity to bring members and players to watch the men and women compete at our beau ful $15 million complex. Coaches Danny Bryan and Taylor Fogleman are both products of LA. There is a free event on March 10 for the match against Mississippi State.

Lunch and a free clinic/play opportunity a er the match. Our coaches conference is tenta vely scheduled for April 26 and will be held at the LSU complex. We will have more informa on as we finalize our plans. Greaux Tennis!!!!

White has become the interim Kentucky David GM at the Lexington Tennis Club. Due to his expanded roles which also include the Director of Tennis, he has stepped down as the KY President and Chuck Brown is moving to AR. Kentucky is looking for members to serve on the USPTA Kentucky board for 2024-2025. If you are interested please contact Chuck Brown, USPTA President Kentucky. C 859-321-9970. Chuckb0489@msn.com

The USPTA MS Conference in January was a great success. Thank you to all of our pros who a ended. Paul Walker was impressed with how engaged and though ul all of the a endees were, and we were very apprecia ve of all the work that he put into making great presenta ons (all 4 rounds of them!). Bill Dopp and Dan Beedle rounded out what was a stellar day of learning and networking. We had over 60 pros in a endance at River Hills Club, who helped make everything 1st class all around. We are excited to be hos ng the USPTA Southern Conference at Bayou Bluff Tennis Club. The new clubhouse at Bayou Bluff is going to be enjoyed by everyone, not to men on the dining op ons in the area. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in May.

Mississippi

USPTA NC Workshop will North Carolina The be held August 17th in the a ernoon at The Winston Salem Open. The workshop will be three hours and will be held on court. The Winston Salem Open Kids Day will take place in the morning, and we would love any pros to join us to help. Congratula ons to Mic Wallace for winning the USTA NC Professional of the Year and to Dipesh Rao with his new posi on as Director of Racquet Sports at Green Valley in Greensboro. on USPTA South CaroliSouth Carolina Ana en members. We're excited to announce plans for several informa ve state workshops throughout the year, held in convenient loca ons across South Carolina. To help tailor these workshops to your needs, let us know what topics you'd find most beneficial!

Feel free to email your sugges ons to usptasouthcarolina@gmail.com. And stay tuned – we'll soon be revealing details on the return of our USPTA South Carolina state awards program, recognizing the outstanding contribu ons of our dedicated USPTA professionals.

Tennessee

There is a USPTA Level 2 cer fica on June 28-30 in Memphis at the Le wich Tennis Center. Welcome to Brian Anderson, the new Director of Racquet Sports at the University Club of Memphis. The new USPTA Tennessee Board is: Geoff Browne - President, Sarah Evans - Vice President, Daniel Shidler - 2nd Vice President, Brian Perry - Secretary, MJ Garne - Treasurer.

Page 9

Doubles “Triangle Training / 2 on 1s”

By Stewart Russell USPTA Elite Professional for Groups of three or Four - Intermediate and Advanced Level Players 1.0 or 1.5-hour session

angles.

-Individual side of the court understanding what types of shots to play to gain some me (lobs, chips, and loca on of shots all Round 1 – 5-10 Minutes Players warming up CROSS COURT discussed) when constantly being pressured by two opponents. only mini tennis to ensure players are seeing the ball they are *** Forces players to understand when and how to re-direct receiving as well as sending on the applicable ball being played balls that they would normally play cross-court. during a live ball point. *** please make sure players are star ng Round 4 – 20-30 Minutes (2 up and 1 back) from far enough behind the service line to be able to a empt a -Doubles Net players' understanding of keeping the ball on the comprehensive/full stroke. I like to call this shot a “touch/drive” same side of the court as the player they are trying to put in and “coopera ve warmup” with strokes that are more apt to be trouble. (discussion on when to use a short or deep volley plus a a empted than what is currently being a empted with the tra- possible drop volley as a level-appropriate skill. *** Also discuss di onal warmup. ie; Down the line and star ng at or inside the visual triggers to iden fy what you are looking for as far as service line a emp ng strokes that you very seldom see during a “pu ng an opponent in trouble” ie; lunging to a empt a stroke, doubles match. hi ng off back foot, hi ng up on a ball to recognize who closes Round 2 – 5-10 Minutes Volleys cross court and incorporate in, and who is responsible for a lob. “LOW and I Go” is o en “one ball all four’ with designated players going down the line overheard during this por on of the training. and cross court. No excuse for players not being ready as they -Individual (baseline) side of the court understanding what types know they will be receiving a ball from the same person each of shots to play to gain some me (lobs, chips, and loca on of me. ***(Level based Pro involvement to keep a controlled envi- shots all discussed), when constantly being pressured by two net ronment with feeding and perhaps even playing in) opponents (as me differen al and quicker decision making is Introduce the thoughts behind “Triangle Training or 2 on 1”s (5 needed during this por on of training) minutes) -*** helps players gain an understanding of when and how to reRound 3 – 20-30 Minutes – Introduce the thoughts bedirect balls that they would normally play cross-court. hind “Triangle Training or 2 on 1”s from a one up one back on ***Please Note: All Players should prac ce from each of the one side and a 1 back star ng on either the Add or Deuce side areas of a Doubles star ng posi on to gain an understanding of baseline what they do well as well as need to work on, as well as a level -Doubles players' understanding of keeping the ball on the same of awareness of what types of shots to look for from their opposide of the court as the player they are trying to put in trouble. nents.

-Both baseline players understand how and when to a empt

BONUS: How to Solve an Industry Problem, Advocate for the Industry, and Change Lives by Mark McMahon

longterm success and sustainability will start

Page 10

By John Joyce USPTA Elite Professional

Ladies Social - Barbie Theme the Boca West Country Club Racket Sports department hosted the annual Women’s Member Guest event. They had 108 women playing the tournament. The theme for the event was Barbie, and the women dressed beau fully for the event.

The atmosphere was extremely fun and everyone had a wonderful me.

The day started out with a con nental breakfast followed by approximately two hours of play. A recep on was held prior to lunch where the women enjoyed drinks and Hors D’oeuvres and then a fantas c plated lunch. The guest speaker was Lisa Pugliese who gave a wonderful talk on how her charity Love Serving Au sm has used tennis with au s c children.

This event uses plenty of pink, Barbie themes, and pink food and drinks. There is a lot of room to run with this, and the ladies will love it. Make sure to setup fun, photo ops even if you have to hire a professional decorator.

by Dan Beedle 1. Networking – USPTA conferences are a great way to network with other pros get ideas and best prac ces. Make new friends, meet poten al future employers and some simply great people.

2. Educa on – Our line up of speakers is top notch and will be sure to give you a lot of ideas to bring back to your club. Gaining more knowledge will help your athletes and show your commitment to helping them improve their game.

3. Fun - Apart from learning and joining in on presenta ons we will be having an Elevate social on Friday evening of the conference. Hang out and enjoy some fun mes with your fellow tennis professionals.

What is Elevate Elevate is a membership growth and retenon ini a ve that focuses on members who have been in the USPTA for five years or fewer.

What we do The specific goal is to connect, involve, and engage new and exis ng members. Elevate grows and retains membership by suppor ng our new and current members at both the na onal and divisional levels with consistent touchpoints and viable resources

Page 11

Key Points to Building Lasting Personal and Business Relationships

By Frank Fanning Chief Rela onship Officer, McMahon Careers

You hear it all the me that the racquet sports industry is a small world, and you never know when or where a connec on you made may come in handy. In my life and my career, I have made it a priority to build rela onships in order to grow both personally and professionally, and along the way, I have found that there are five key factors that are crucial to building las ng rela onships.

1. Communica on: Open and honest communica on is essen al for building las ng rela onships, fostering understanding, and resolving conflicts. The key to effec ve communica on is seeking to find points of connec on. Points of connec on can be anything from shared experiences and interests, to emo ons or stories. Finding points of connec on takes effort but it is worth it. Trying to get to know the people you are engaging with shows a respect for them, their views, their values, and their priori es.

2. Trust: Establishing trust is crucial. Consistently delivering on promises and being reliable helps build a founda on of trust in both personal and business rela onships.

When employees have confidence in their

Presented by McMahon Careers

colleagues and leaders, it promotes loyalty and engagement. Trust amongst colleagues allows people to feel empowered and to share opinions and ideas and leads to be er collabora on and teamwork.

When you priori ze trust you create a sense of belonging and connectedness where everyone feels valued.

emo ons–especially nega ve ones. When we are recognized by those who we share a connec on with, we feel a ghter e to them and have an easier me opening up.

In the workforce, employees who felt caring from colleagues had less emo onal exhaus on, less absenteeism, be er teamwork and higher sa sfac on.

5. Collabora on: Whether in personal or business rela onships, collabora on is key.

Working together towards common goals enhances the strength and longevity of the rela onship. Collabora on is easier than ever thanks to technology, but you should never discount the value of si ng side by side with someone to work together. Collabora on encourages problem solving, and allows people to learn from one another.

3. Mutual Respect: Treat others with respect, valuing their opinions and perspecves. Mutual respect forms the basis for healthy and enduring connec ons. A common misconcep on about mutual respect is that it means you always agree. However, this is not the case ,as mutual respect is the acknowledgement of another person’s opinions and feelings, even if you don’t agree with them. A simple way to show mutual respect is through ac ve listening– taking the me to focus on the opinions of It’s been said many mes that people who others and what they are sharing. have healthy rela onships are more likely to feel happier and sa sfied with their 4. Empathy: Show empathy by underlives. They are less likely to suffer from standing and acknowledging the feelings physical and mental health problems, and of others. This creates a deeper connecon and fosters a suppor ve environment. healthy rela onships can make you feel A simple and powerful way to connect and less alone. We can all benefit from a sense care for others is to recognize others’ of belonging.

Page 12

By Ken DeHart - Master Professional

Mix It Up Mixer

Running out of ideas for your social mixers? Use the same format but with: 1.

Tripod Dolly As the calendar flips to a new year, a familiar rou ne takes You can easily use your iPhone hold at our tennis club. No, it's not dus ng off rackets a er as a quick subs tute, but the a holiday break (although that happens too). It's me to large iPad screen is really nice capture our students' swings on video, a tradi on not just when providing video analysis for posterity, but for powerful progress tracking. This an- for your student. nual ritual isn't just about preserving a moment; it's about witnessing and celebra ng the remarkable transforFor years I had been using just ma ons that unfold on the court, from the six-month leaps a tripod for all of our video of eager youngsters to the jaw-dropping mul -year evolu- analysis. It's a great tool for ons that leave even seasoned adults speechless. Forget taking eye level video, but it USTA ra ngs – for us, video is the ul mate game changer, was cumbersome to move offering undeniable proof of improvement that fuels mo - around the court, and it's va on and sparks joy. quite top-heavy. Moun ng the tripod on a dolly has allowed We won't be addressing any video analysis so ware in this me to wheel the rig around review; that search took me months and I s ll haven't the court with ease as well as se led on an app that doesn't require a very high monthly anchor the tripod to the ground; elimina ng the risk of fee. This review will be focused on a very helpful product pping over with your expensive iPad on top. The dolly is that we use to help capture the video more easily, the tri- equipped with large, 3-inch rubber wheels that can handle pod dolly. We don't have a specific tripod dolly in mind, smooth surfaces and uneven terrain with ease. The wheels but the SmallRig Universal Photography Tripod Dolly from also have independent brakes, so you can lock the dolly in Amazon is the one we use. Our video setup is simple: an place when you're not shoo ng. The SmallRig dolly is comiPad mounted on a tripod, and the SmallRig Tripod Dolly. pa ble with most tripods, thanks to its adjustable clamps

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Excel Tips to Become a Spreadsheet Pro excerpt from PC Magazine - Eric Griffith

Paint Cells to a New Format

AutoFill Your Cells

Let's say you change not only the wrapping in a cell, but also the en re look—the font, the color, whatever. Now you want to apply that look to many, many other cells. The trick is the Format Painter tool, the one that is on the Home tab that looks like a paintbrush.

Select the sell you like, click the paintbrush icon, and then click on a different cell to paint in the format—they'll match in looks, not in content. Want to apply it to mul ple tabs? Double -click the paintbrush icon, then click away on mul ple cells.

This is a no-brainer, but so easily overlooked. You start typing a series of repe ve things like dates (1/1/23, 1/2/23, 1/3/23, etc.) and you know you're in for a long day. Instead, begin the series and move the cursor on the screen to the lower-right part of the last cell to get the AutoFill handle—it looks like a plus sign (+). Click and drag to select all the cells you want to fill. They'll magically fill using the pa ern you started. It can go up or down a column, or le or right on a row.

Even be er—try Auto Fill without much of a pa ern. Again, pick a cell or cells, move to the fill handle, right-click, and drag.

You'll get a menu of op ons. The more data you input at first, the be er the Fill Series op on will do crea ng your op ons

Add Line Breaks and Wrapping Text

Autofit All the Columns/Rows Instantly

Typing into spreadsheet cells can be frustra ng, as the default for text you type is to con nue on forever, without wrapping back down to a new line. You can change that. Create a new line by typing Alt+Enter (hi ng Enter alone takes you out of the cell). Or, click the Wrap Text op on under the Home tab, which means all text wraps right at the edge of the cell your in.

Resize the row/column and the text re-wraps to fit.

If you've got a sheet full of truncated cells (with no text wrap) that no one can read, manually clicking column and row headers one by one helps with readability but could take a while. Instead, do a Ctrl+A to select all then tap Alt+HOI (hit the le ers in that order). That will autofit all the columns. Then use Alt+HOA to autofit the rows. Every cell will be instantly readable, though you may need to use the scrollbar to see everything on the sheet. You can also find those commands using Home > Format > Autofit Row Height or AutoFit Column Width.

Say you've got a single column full of names, first next to last, but you want two columns that break them out.

Select the data, then on the Data tab (at the top) click Text to Columns. Choose to separate them by either delimiters (based on spaces or commas—great for CSV data values) or by a fixed width. Fixed width is u lized when all the data is crammed into the first column, but separated by a fixed number of spaces or period. The rest is like magic, with extra op ons for certain numbers.

Text to Columns

Paste Special to Transpose You've got a bunch of rows. You want them to be columns. Or vice versa. You would go nuts moving things cell by cell. Copy that data, select Paste Special, check the Transpose box, and click OK to paste it into a different orienta on. Columns become rows, rows become columns.

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The Written Word Tennis Beyond Lessons

by Kirk Anderson, USPTA Master Professional

If you do not know Kirk Anderson, then shame on you. He has been an industry leader for the last 30 years and has been at the forefront of coaches’ educa on in both curriculum and seminars for coaches. He also has to be one of the most genuine people that you will ever meet and liked (or loved) by everyone.

reviewed by Pat Whitworth

purpose”. It is clear that this informa on is along with shot-making and game situa ons. not proprietary, and much of it may be The later parts of the book include how to known, but this is a perfect collec on and prac ce properly, ideas for compe ng, and all reminder for playing winning tennis. This in- the situa ons both posi ve and nega ve, and forma on should be complimentary to the the last chapter offers ideas to keep improvplayer who is already working on their stroke ing with goals, journals, fitness, and more. I techniques but wants be er results. The play- really like the end of each of the 14 chapters er can also learn the right ques ons to ask where Key Points are reviewed. This is also a their pro as they con nue to improve their neat way to return to the book and review Kirk is a Master Professional in both organizagame. these key points. ons, one of only 12 that exist in the world.

He uses all of his exper se to share lessons Another quote in the Introduc on is about As a seasoned coach, I do not see this book about how to improve and play be er. Early the purpose of the book “This book will pro- for me, except as a reminder of areas that could be covered for my students. I loved on, the book makes it clear that this is not a vide new ways of looking at tennis and help technical guide, but a guide to help players determine who you are and how to play your reading the book though, and it is a great reminder of what is important to help our choose the correct shot, read situa ons, and best. You will learn how to play the ball rastudents succeed. Where I see a huge value is earn be er outcomes. The first sentence in ther than just hit the ball”. to get our students to read and study this the Introduc on sums it up quite well “Tennis book. There is no doubt that they will underThe meat of the book will help in learning Beyond Lessons – Coach Yourself to Be er stand their game be er, understand what it exactly what type of player you are, both Tennis, is about understanding yourself as a strengths and weaknesses. Then understand will take to improve, and understand how to compete and win. Great job Kirk. This is an player by recognizing your strengths, making the court areas, the Five Ball Controls, and excep onal effort. Thanks for sharing with all good decisions, and hi ng every shot with a the swing style. Decision-making is huge of us.

Page 15

Fast Facts

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3/22-24 Indian Land, SC 4/12-14 Cumming, GA 6/28-30 Memphis, TN

Southern Officers President Ken Andriano kandriano@atlantacountryclub.org 336-541-5876

Past President Tom Parkes tparkes@pinevalleycountryclub.com 910-233-4755

1st Vice President Allan Jensen Ajensen.tennis@gmail.com 404-483-6591

Executive Director Pat Whitworth pat.whitworth@uspta.org 800-438-7782

2nd Vice President Jason Hazley jasonh@noltc.com 225-247-3028

Directors at Large Dan Beedle dan.beedle10s@gmail.com 219-510-3608

Secretary/Treasurer Bill Riddle TENNISUN@aol.com 615-243-6698

Darryl Lewis d.lewis@aussie10s.com 678.595.2650 Marcus Rutsche promarcus@hotmail.com

Alabama JC Freeman

Mississippi William Foreman foremantennis@gmail.com 601-720-4539

Arkansas Chris Stuart stuart@sta.usta.com 479 831-8346

North Carolina Chris Hoshour chrishoshour@gmail.com

Georgia Rick Willett rickdwillett@gmail.com

South Carolina Mark Schminke usptasouthcarolina@gmail.com

Kentucky David White davidtennis55@gmail.com

Tennessee Geoff Browne geoffbrowne0609@gmail.com

Louisiana John Wahlborg jwahlborg1@gmail.com