RSPA Southern Fall Standard Newsletter

USPTA Southern Division: Where Excellence is Standard

October 2023

Volume 24 Issue 4

Inside Pg 5-7 Racquets Conference Highlights Pg 9 DI&I Ideas from the Racquets Conference Pg 11 Rainy Day Lesson Plans Pg 13 The Written Word - A Tennis Journey

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President’s Message Dear RSPA Southern Family,

By Ken Andriano

Director of Tennis has evolved into Director of Racquets.

Our leadership team is commi ed to expanding opportuni es for growth within It was wonderful to see many of you this our industry and empowering you to thrive past September at our in your chosen career path. With that in mind, we have some fantas c educa onal World Racquets Conference in California.

This event marked an exci ng new chapter and networking events coming up that you won't want to miss. As we look to the fufor us as the Racquet Sports Professional Associa on. Our new logo emphasizes that ture, please remember that your Southern board is here to support you. Don’t hesitate while tennis is at the core of our organizato reach out for guidance, mentorship, or on, many job pos ngs now include the any ques ons you may have. need for cer fica ons in Pickleball, Padel, and Pla orm. Consequently, the tle of

Please help your fellow RSPA members impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton by dona ng to the GoFundMe campaign below. Details can be seen below and are online. Thank you for considering a donaon: any amount helps!

Wishing you a wonderful fall and con nued success as we head into the winter season!

ABOUT THE RSPA

The Racquet Sports Professionals Associa on, formerly the USPTA, would like to support members whose homes and/or businesses were affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and invites those who can assist to join us.

Due to RSPA bylaws, the associa on cannot run a fundraiser, so RSPA Director of Finance Ellen Weatherford is hos ng this drive with the full support of RSPA President Trish Faulkner and RSPA CEO Brian Dillman.

The RSPA is star ng the fund with a $5,000 dona on. Please contribute what you can to help our friends and fellow professionals recover from disaster and return to doing what they love—inspiring people in every racquet sport on every court.

Dona ons are not tax-deduc ble.

The Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA), formerly known as the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), is the gold standard for racquet sports professionals.

Founded in 1927, RSPA has evolved to meet the diverse needs of the racquet sports industry, supporting professionals in tennis, pickleball, padel, squash, platform tennis, and more.

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8 Pitfalls of Tennis & Pickleball Club Management

By Ashley & Tim Owens - Court Reserve A er years of building CourtReserve to serve over 1,500 clubs (and launching our own club), we’ve seen these challenges firsthand. Managing a successful club requires more than just keeping the courts busy. From understanding your members to inves ng in the right tools and strategies, every decision can impact your club’s long-term success.

In this ar cle, we’re diving deep into the most common mistakes we’ve encountered, offering insights to help you navigate the complexi es of club management and build a thriving, engaged community.

Let’s begin…

1. Poor Member Persona & Journey Defini on Understanding who your ideal member is and mapping out their journey within your club is crucial. Without a clear picture of your target member, you’ll end up a rac ng people who may not be the best fit for your club.

This can lead to poor reten on and wasted resources as you struggle to meet the needs of a diverse but unfocused member base. Instead, invest me in defining your member personas—age, interests, skill levels—and tailor your offerings to match their needs.

This clarity will help you focus your marke ng efforts and create a more cohesive club environment.

2. Over-relying on Outdated Tools Many clubs s ll rely on outdated management tools—or worse, pen and paper.

While these tools can offer some insights, they rarely provide a full picture of your club’s needs and opera ons. The real insights o en come from engaging directly with your members. Talk to them, understand their pain points, and use this informa on to refine your strategies.

Not even the best court reserva on so ware can replace the value of direct, human interac on.

3. Champagne Ideas, Beer Budgets

Presented by McMahon Careers

We all have grand visions for our clubs, but without the necessary budget, those dreams can quickly turn into nightmares.

Running a successful club requires substan al investment, par cularly in facilies, coaching staff, and technology.

If your budget is limited, priori ze spending in areas that directly impact member experience.

High-quality courts, experienced coaches, and user-friendly technology (like a Mobile app) are non-nego ables if you want to provide a top- er experience that keeps members coming back.

4. Cu ng Corners on Quality There’s an old saying, “You get what you pay for,” and it rings especially true in club management. Whether it’s hiring coaches, maintaining facili es, or inves ng in marke ng, cu ng corners on quality will almost always backfire.

Poor investments can lead to subpar member experiences, which in turn can damage your club’s reputa on and hurt reten on rates. Remember, quality is an investment in your club’s future.

5. No Dedicated Management Team Managing a club isn’t just about basic administra on—it requires exper se in member engagement, marke ng, and facili es management. Relying solely on a general manager or a volunteer board without specialized support can lead to inefficiencies and missed opportuni es for growth.

Consider hiring a dedicated director or management team who can bring professional exper se to the table. The right leadership can make all the difference in your club’s success.

Use technology to streamline processes, such as booking courts or managing memberships, but make sure your team is s ll focused on building strong, personal connec ons with your members. A er all, it’s these rela onships that will keep them loyal to your club.

7. Neglec ng Member Experience Many clubs fail to fully op mize the member experience, whether through facility design, communica on, or events.

The member experience starts the moment someone walks through your doors—or lands on your website—and con nues through every interac on they have with your club.

Consider everything from the layout of your club to how you communicate with members online. Small improvements can lead to significant boosts in member sa sfac on and reten on.

It’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of quick wins, like rapid membership growth or immediate financial returns. However, focusing too much on the short term can lead to neglec ng the long-term sustainability of your club.

Building a thriving club culture and a loyal member base takes me. It’s important to balance your goals, ensuring that while you’re working towards short-term successes, you’re also laying the founda on for long-term stability.

The Takeaway Don’t get caught up in the flashy tac cs that might work for mega clubs—focus on understanding what makes YOUR club unique and build your strategies around that.

Clear member personas, proper budgets, Technology can enhance your club’s oper- and a dedicated management team are key to success. Invest in quality where it a ons, but it can’t replace the human touch that members crave. It’s easy to fall ma ers most, and don’t underes mate the power of direct engagement with your into the trap of thinking that technology will solve all your problems, but the reality members. is that it should be used to complement, not replace, personal rela onships. .

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Stewart Russell

Master Professional

Claire Spencer 1st Annual John Embree Scholarship former USPTA CEO John Embree and the USPTA announced the crea on of the John Embree World Racquets Conference Scholarship program. Two $1,000 scholarships will be granted, preferably one to a female and one to a male . These scholarships will create greater opportuni es for underresourced tennis-teaching professionals and help defray the costs of travel, room charges and some monies for meals. Registra on is waived for the

Division of the Year Large Division

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F r o m t h e C o n f e r e n c e

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and cooler weather is finally here!

Mississippi Fall Our state chapter had great representaArkansas Conference Date Set! Arkansas USPTA Save the Date! Friday, Jan. 24th from 9:00am – 4:00pm. The loca on: Burns Park Tennis Center. More informa on to come soon regarding guest speakers/presenters

Georgia

The 2024 GA. RSPA Winter Workshop will be Friday, December 6 from 8:00-4:00 at the Atlanta Athle c Club. We have an outstanding lineup of speakers with our theme being Always Room for Improvement.

The lineup includes Marcus Rutsche, Tim Smith, and Paul Bartholomai. The keynote speaker is Bruce Lipka, tennis coach at Penn State. He just received the Alex Gordon USPTA Coach of the Year Award at the 2024 World Racquets Conference. He currently coaches the #1 WTA doubles player in the world Erin Routliffe but he also has major club experience in his background. He will speak on progressions from a 2.5 doubles women's tennis player to a professional women's doubles tennis player. Bruce will also speak on strategies and preparaons for women's college matches.

fall!! And I do say that si ng in Louisiana Welcome Baton Rouge with my windows open for our first true cold front of the year. I hope everyone is well into their fall programs and impac ng lives. Our Louisiana board is excited to announce a small sponsorship for the Tennis Haus symposium on Saturday, Nov 2nd, to allow free entry for the first 15 of our cer fied pros to sign up. This will be a great educa on day and your networking ability will be intensive with other pros in a endance as well as the speakers. There will be a party at the end of the day to give everyone an opportunity to connect with people in our industry. To sign up email Davor at Davor.dekaris@gmail.com.

Just remember, as a sports professional, you are adding to the quality of life of a tremendous amount of people in your community. Keep it up.

The 2024 TN RSPA Winter Workshop will be held Saturday, December 7 at the Sequoia Swim & Tennis Club in Nashville. Check-in begins at 8:30am with speaker presenta ons, 9:00am to 4:00pm. We are very excited about our lineup of speakers. The keynote speaker is Bruce Lipka, tennis coach at Penn State. He just received the Alex Gordon USPTA Coach of the Year Award at the 2024 World Racquets Conference. He currently coaches the #1 WTA doubles player in the world Erin Routliffe but he also has major club experience in his background. Other speakers for the day include Jeff Chandley, the Director of Racquet Sports at Atlanta Athle c Club and Jim Carella, the Director of Pickleball at TPC Sugarloaf. There will also be an update from USTA Tennessee.

Pickleball cer fica on is scheduled for Saturday, October 26 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. The RSPA Pickleball Cer fica on is being held indoors at TPI in Bowling Green, KY. Register at h ps:// nyurl.com/ev4ebzuc (you must login first)

Tennessee

on at the World Racquets Conference in Rancho Mirage, CA. 6 of our pro's a ended the event where we first hand heard about the rebranding of our organiza on as the RSPA from CEO Brian Dillman. One of our own experts, Walker Sahag, was included in the keynote line-up and did an excellent presentaon as usual.

Speaking about conferences, mark the date on your calendar for the Mississippi Workshop. We are back at River Hills Club on January 24th, 2025. If you a end the workshop on Friday, a end the USTA MS annual mee ng on Saturday, and the tournament directors workshop on Saturday, you will be eligible for reimbursement for one hotel night and mileage. Nomina ons for our chapter awards will be emailed out shortly. These awards are presented during the USTA Annual Awards Luncheon on Saturday January 25th, 2025.

Racket Sports Professional South Carolina The Associa on of South Carolina is excited to announce that we are currently planning our upcoming state workshop, which will be held in Myrtle Beach this winter. Stay tuned for more details on the specific dates, loca on, and agenda. Addi onally, we are nearing the comple on of our state award selec on process. The winners of these pres gious awards will be announced within the month. We look forward to recognizing the outstanding contribu ons of our members to the sport of racket sports in South Carolina.

Carolina held our State North Carolina North Workshop in conjunc on with the Winston Salem Open. Jorge Andrews and Chris Hoshour presented at the workshop and all of the par cipants received ckets to the Winston Salem Open. North Carolina has already scheduled our next State Workshop for December 14th in Charlo e NC at The Blakeney Racquet Club. Our featured speaker will be Mike Barrell. The workshop will be a full day of on court and classroom sessions. Stay tuned for full details complimentary workshop on Saturday, Alabama The December 7th is star ng to fill out nicely. It will be at Samford University’s indoor facility from 9 AM - 3:30 PM. Thank you again to Coach Oliver Reynolds for the indoor facility. Lunch will be provided and there will be a happy hour at 3:30 PM. This workshop will be worth 9.75 educa onal credits. While this is directed towards educa ng and helping our current USPTA members grow professionally, a significant number of these presenta ons will be directed towards high school/ college players and coaches. Our goal is to a ract a significant number of new teaching professionals from these groups. Topics include pickleball, on court, and business ideas to increase revenues. Registra on info coming soon. Please help in spreading the word to anyone who would poten ally be interested. All are welcome. Thanks again and we hope to see all of you there.

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Management 13 years ago - Present Stewart Russell Partner Universal When did you start playing tennis? Age Tennis Management Oversee James 10 Creek TC and Legacy Park, Cumming/ What other sports did you play? Was actually recruited to play Basketball in Kennesaw GA

Are you reading anything right now? The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle and Champion Minded Allistair Mccaw What is your favorite sports team? New York Mets, New York Giants, New York college before suffering an ankle injury, Rangers, New York Knicks Baseball, Soccer Who is your favorite player of all me?

Give a brief descrip on of your tennis/other What moved you to teach tennis? My Lawrence Taylor (Daughter named a er career: A er gradua ng from Roanoke Colprevious coaches from all sports drove him) lege I became the Men’s Tennis Coach. me to wan ng to do this as a profession.

What person would you most like to have Moved to AtWhat is something people will be surlunch with? Nick Saban lanta to become a Direc- prised to learn about you? I enjoy team What would you be doing if you were not tor with the sports more then individual sports. Both in tennis? Coaching a team sport or offiRalston/ of my children Taylor 31, and Jus n 28 cia ng Gorman Tennis were very accomplished college athletes If you had a "do over", what one thing Academy, be- in Soccer and Baseball, respec vely. I would you have done differently in your fore becoming have never formally tried to instruct eiteaching career? Convinced USTA to host the Director of ther of them in Tennis more Junior “Team” Events. Seen too Tennis @ What are your hobbies?

Golf and s ll many young children pu ng too much Brookstone CC. enjoy watching Team sports pressure on themselves individually.

Became a PartWhat is your favorite movie? Remember ner with Unithe Titans versal Tennis

Olivia (Claire) Spencer Outer Banks a er. Always making new friends on the Tennis Associa on Kill Devil Hills, NC court keeps me out there to this day.

What is something people will be surprised to learn about you? Don't know, Give a brief descrip on of your tennis/ just ask :) other career: I am the head pro for the What are your hobbies? My friend and I CTA, as well as a board member. take po ery class When did you start playing tennis? When What is your favorite movie? Mamma I was about 12 Mia (1 & 2) What other sports did you play? I was a Are you reading anything right now? No gymnast throughout my earlier years un- What is your favorite sports team? Don't l injuries cut that short at 11. I also pole really have one vaulted on a club team while in school Who is your favorite player of all me?

What moved you to teach tennis? My Marat Safin, or maybe Nick Kyrgios, Fermentor at the me, Fred Pfuhl, was so nando Verdasco or Fabio Fognini helpful ge ng me involved in teaching What person would you most like to have tennis. He convinced me to get USPTAlunch with? ? cer fied and I started teaching shortly

If you had a "do over", what one thing would you have done differently in your teaching career? Nothing

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Allan Jensen Elite Professional I a ended a remarkable World Racquets Conference in September at Rancho Mirage in California that brought together industry leaders from various backgrounds, including the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). It was my honor to be part of a dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Jason Gilbert, on the topic of "Diversity of Thought and Why DEI is Essen al to Our Industry."

community. Together, we shared our personal experiences, challenges, and triumphs in naviga ng our respec ve industries, and we emphasized how essen al diversity is to fostering innova on and growth.

One of the key takeaways from our discussion was that diversity is no longer a distant ideal—it is now a reality within many organiza ons. This shi is reflected in our membership data, as illustrated by the graph below. Out of 10,878 members, many diverse coaches are part of our The panel featured Vania King, represen ng the Asian Pacommunity. While this is remarkable progress, there are cific community; Marc S ngley, represen ng the African s ll 3,500 members who need to update their profiles, alAmerican community; Greg DeMoustes, represen ng the lowing us to capture the full scope of diversity within our LGBTQ+ community; and myself, represen ng the Hispanic organiza on.

Ethnicity

Count

Black/African-American/African

301

Caucasian/White

5049

Central Asian/Indian/Pakistani

112

East Asian/Chinese/Japanese/Korean

953

Hispanic/La no

635

Iden fy as two or more races

63

Na ve American/Alaskan

44

Na ve Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

25

Not Specified

3449

Other

225

Par cipa ng, Not Iden fied

22

Total Members/Applicants in Good Standing

10878

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By Dan Beedle RSPA Elite Professional With all the rain lately, throughout the another but help the player understand Southern Region, it can be very frustra ng what is happening with poten al breakfor us pros and our students, poten ally downs in their approach to the ball, recovcrea ng inconsistency with scheduling. ery, or strokes and what they could do to Whether our students have a tournament improve. coming up or are ge ng ready for USTA Analyze pro players and discuss technical league season, the weather can throw a commonali es vs stylis c differences – wrench in the prepara on. Below are some when comparing the forehand from Novak ideas highlighted on how to be produc ve and Tiafoe you would probably say that when players cannot be on court due to they are completely different. If you and weather complica ons. your players take me to look you may find Does your facility have a fitness center? If that there is more in common than you the courts are wet but there is a fitness cen- think. ter or workout space available, it can be a A big off-court teaching tool for me over the great opportunity to enhance some footyears has been pro-match analysis and work skills and get some prehab work done char ng. What shot selec on does your on the shoulders, hips, etc. player think the pro is going to choose vs The good news is - there doesn’t need to be where the ball goes. Topics to discuss with a lot of space- typically it can be done inside match analysis include: Why would the pro of 10 feet. If there is space to do a lateral hit it there? What is the tac cal advantage? push off the ground and land in single-leg What shot pa erns are being used? No ng balance, then there is enough space. One of the serve plus one loca on as well. How the most undertrained movements in tennis does the serve set the player up for their is first-step quickness. There are many reac- next shot? Char ng can help the players on drills one can do that only require a understand how the pros set up opportunismall amount of space that will help develes to win points and ul mately the match. op that quickness.

Some examples of different categories to If there are elas c bands or lighter dumbchart may include where the pros miss bells then that is a great opportunity to shots (long, wide, net), what stances are strengthen and help stabilize the shoulder. used in certain situa ons, winner-to-error Internal and external shoulder rota on ra o, net points won, etc. along with lateral raises are a good start to No TV and no Fitness center? If you have strengthen and stabilize the shoulder any area that is indoors it can be a great through sport-specific planes of mo on. If a me to work on technical work. Breaking player is able, use a close to ninety-degree stroke technic down, even for more adrange of mo on in each plane. More exam- vanced players, can be a good refresher. ples of exercises that are beneficial for ten- Going back to the basics occasionally can be nis-specific prehab can be found online at a great thing for your players.

Kovacs Ins tute.

Shadow swings can be a great way to get Is there a lounge with a TV? One of the students to slow down and “feel” their most important areas of coaching and an swing more. Does the swing feel similar or area that could be u lized more is video different to what they are producing on the analysis. Below are a few ways to be procourt? Are the players aware of their racduc ve with video. quet posi on at different phases of the Analyzing individual players from your swing? groups – Try not to compare one student to The BJK Eye Coach, a personal favorite of

mine, is one of the best tools to use for swing and movement technique. The Eye Coach helps make players more aware of balance, spacing, and head movement during their swings. Depending on the size of the space you can incorporate movement with the swings or keep the swing sta onary.

Using foam balls to lightly hit against a wall, foam balls are wonderful tools for a player’s development. If there is space to hit lightly against the wall this could be a great me to work on con nental grip skills or any grip adjustments that a player may be working on. Ge ng touches on the ball but also being more aware of the alignment of the racquet face can help a player become more confident with the newer grip.

Rain days can also be a great me to teach younger players how to regrip their racquet.

At a certain age or level of experience, players should be able to regrip their own racquets. With a younger group maybe age nine or ten this could be a great me to teach them how to regrip their racquet.

Crea ng independence and autonomy for their game and development will con nue to be important as they con nue to develop.

For a slightly older group maybe twelve or older showing them what it looks like to string a racquet can be beneficial. Helping them understand the me and details involved can give them a greater respect for the person who s ngs their racquet and educa ng them about string can increase their interest in tennis. How many mes has a player broken a string and when you ask what they would like to put in it they say, “I don’t know whatever.”

Depending on what ameni es your club has there may be no need to cancel junior or adult groups. There are many ways to be produc ve and educate your players without needing to be on the court.

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The Written Word

By Geoff Browne - Elite Professional

You Can Get There From Here by Barry Buss

drugs controlled his life and he talks in detail about how he wanted help and the difficul es he faced in staying soautobiographical journey of his life’s journey from his days as a Na onally ranked junior player through his col- ber. You will find yourself going through the full array of emo ons with his roller-coaster life that he led. Barry’s lege days and struggles along the way with alcohol and story is truly inspira onal, and it is impossible not to drugs. Barry resides in Franklin, TN now and is a local cheer for him. This book is a great read for any tennis fan USPTA pro. His book is hard to put down in his vivid deor anyone who has been touched by someone who has scrip ons of how he went through his junior career and came up the ranks to being a member of the UCLA Bruins ba led a struggle with alcohol or drugs, You Can Get where he rose to playing #1. His ba les with alcohol and There From Here on Amazon.

The book has a forward by Patrick McEnroe, and is an

Tourna All-Ball Tourna Tube: A Revised and Improved Design As a long- me tennis player and coach, I've tried countless If you're looking for a ball tube that will ball tubes over the years. But the Tourna All-Ball Tourna last, perform well, and make your tennis Tube has quickly become my go-to choice. It's not just a life easier, I highly recommend the Tourna All-Ball Tourna Tube. piece of equipment; it's a reliable partner on the court.

It's a personal favorite of mine, The recent upgrade to the bo om piece is a gamechanger. I used to struggle with other tubes that once they and I'm confident it will become yours too. were full would leak. The Tourna Tube's sturdy rubber pieces have solved that problem, ensuring the tube stays full with no leaks.

I especially appreciate the tube's versa lity. Whether I'm working with junior red ball players or coaching advanced adults, the Tourna Tube can handle it all. And the fact that it's so easy to carry around makes it a convenient companion for prac ces, matches, and tournaments.

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FAST FACTS on CHANGE 

It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change. --Charles Darwin



Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adap ng to cope and adap ng to win. --Max McKeown



The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings. --Kakuzo Okakaura



The price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change. --Bill Clinton



If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your a tude. -- Maya Angelou

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