Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Adult Tennis
Tennis Business
The NEWEST
Bring em back
Key INDUSTRY
SHOES have strong with Floridas
CONFERENCES
stories to share
MASTERS TENNIS set for Miami
COURT
CONSTRUCTION
& MAINTENANCE
GUIDE
ITF Court Recognition Program
LED Lighting
Annual Maintenance Planner
Red Clay or Green Clay?
String Selector
Find the right string
for your customers
TA
SP
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TennisIndustry
www.tennisindustrymag.com
MARCH 2016
DEPARTMENTS
Industry News
Letters
28 P
ositive Recognition
ITF Recognition provides an independent
assessment of the quality of a court for builders,
suppliers and court owners.
16 TIA News
19 Retailing tip
20 Recreational Game
22 Executive Point: Pete Smith
24 Grassroots Tennis
p.30
46 String Playtest:
Tecnifibre Multifeel 16
48
Your Serve, by Dr. Alex Kor
INDUSTRY NEWS
5
T.O.M. Conference slated for
March 23-25 in Miami
38 Red or Green?
Har-Tru introduces
6
CourtPac electric roller
8
P
eople Watch
p.34
FEATURES
p.38
10 Short Sets
10 Mark Stingley joins PTR
headquarters staff
p.28
PLUS
50
CEOs Message
p.49
52 Making Professional
Development Easier
56 P
rince Provides the Largest
Sweet Spot in Tennis
67 2
016 USPTA Surface
Championships Begin
52 Vice Presidents
Message
56 Endorsee News
59 USPTA Benefits
60 Beyond the Court
64
Inside Coaching
66 Career Development
67 USPTA News
March 2016
68
Member News
www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
IndustryNews
Information to help you run your business
ennis club and facility owners and managers should reserve their spot for the Third
Annual Tennis Owners & Managers (T.O.M.) Conference, which will be March 2325 at the Hilton Miami Downtown during the Miami Open pro tennis tournament.
The conference will bring together leading experts in facility management, programming
and other key areas to provide vital information to grow tennis businesses.
The T.O.M. Conference also will feature a Tennis
Tech Fair & Resource Center, which will give owners
and managers an opportunity to learn more about and
try out the latest products that can engage members
and players and help them manage and run their
businesses more effectively. In addition, there will
be an Idea Fair workshop that will include expert
panelists, along with suggestions from the wealth of
Held in conjunction with the T.O.M.
knowledge among T.O.M. Conference attendees.
Conference will be the State of the
Key speakers to date include Dr. Jack Groppel, Cliff
Industry Forum, from 10 to 11:45
Drysdale, Gigi Fernandez, Emilio Sanchez, Jim Baugh
a.m. on Wednesday, March 23
and Dr. Gerald Faust, among other management
at the Hilton Miami Downtown.
and business consultants. Tennis industry speakers
The Forum is free to attend (but
include Craig Jones, Dan Santorum, John Embree,
space is limited, so register at
Randy Futty, Pat Hanssen, Lee Sponaugle, Virgil
TheTOMConference.com) and
Christian and Scott Schultz.
will present the latest news and
Among facility owners and managers sharing their
data about the state of the tennis
knowledge will be: Greg Lappin, Simon Gale, Mike
industry, including research, trends
Woody, Fernando Velasco, Jorge Capestany, Tom
and more.
Sweitzer and Doug Cash.
The conference will be a very interactive, handson exchange of ideas, information and best practices that attendees will find very useful
for their businesses, says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. To register, go to
TheTOMConference.com.
State of Industry
Forum in Miami
PlaySight Partners
With Tennis Media Co.
PlaysSight Interactive, with its allin-one video analytics SmartCourt
technology, has partnered with the
Tennis Media Co., owner of Tennis
magazine, Tennis.com and Tennis
Tuesday. PlaySight also has added new
investors, which now includes Novak
Djokovic, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert,
Pete Sampras, Paul Annacone, Mark
Ein, Gordon Uehling III, Dr. Jim Loehr
and others.
n a $350 million deal, the Sinclair Broadcast Group of Baltimore has agreed to
purchase the Tennis Channel. In a statement on the acquisition, Sinclair says it has
already negotiated deals on Tennis Channels behalf that will increase distribution
from 30 million subscribers to 50 million.
Tennis Channel comes with a net operating loss of more than $200 million, which Sinclair says it will carry forward to reduce future tax payments. Because of the net operating
loss, Sinclair puts the current value of the Tennis Channel at approximately
$65 million.
But Tennis Channels CEO, Ken Solomon, says the channel has been profitable for
the last few years. Solomon says hell remain with Tennis Channel after the sale and the
channel will remain based in Santa Monica, Calif. Launched in 2003, Tennis Channel is
owned by five private equity firms. DirecTV and Dish Network also have small stakes in
the channel.
Sinclair is the nation's largest owner of local TV outlets with 164 stations and has been
seeking ways to control more of the content it broadcasts. In Sinclair weve found the
perfect owner-partner to accelerate scaling the Tennis Channel brand and our sports
expanding fan-base to the next level, Solomon says.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
TennisIndustry 5
IndustryNews
To reduce cheating in the sportparticularly at the junior levelthrough
the PlaySight PlayFair initiative. These
tournaments offer a challenge system
utilizing video replay review, as well as
line calling, analytics, and live streaming capabilities.
To build a coalition of tennis associations, private investors and corporate
sponsors to boost the profile of college
tennis along with Futures and Challengers tournaments.
TennisBookings.com
Books 10 Millionth Court
TennisBookings.com recently processed
its 10 millionth online tennis reservation on
behalf of its client facilities. The online system is designed to simplify and streamline
front-desk operations, improve customer
service, and save time and money for tennis facilities. With this recent landmark, the
system has now been used to reserve the
equivalent of over 1,400 years of court-time.
TennisBookings.com features online court
Williams is
New President
of Tennis Industry
Association
6 TennisIndustry
March 2016
and teaching pro scheduling, online payments, online bookings for court time, event
registrations, membership list management,
club news web pages, and more. The system is used by all types of venues, including
commercial clubs, universities, tennis associations, country clubs, resorts and community organizations. TennisBookings is highly
configurable to accommodate each facilitys
specific configurations and policies.
For more information, visit www.tennisbookings.com.
Har-Tru Introduces
CourtPac Electric Roller
The CourtPac Electric is the latest addition
to Har-Trus line of tennis court rollers, and is
available now from the company.
Customers have indicated they want a
roller that doesnt make noise, doesnt make
a mess, and is easy to use and effective, says
Terry Aasland, Har-Trus design engineer.
Thats why we designed the CourtPac
Electric.
The unit has zero emissions, and can be
IndustryNews
People
Watch
Former USTA Northern
President and former national USTA board member
Steve Champlin of Wayzata,
Minn., has been named to
serve on the prestigious
Court of Arbitration for Sport
8 TennisIndustry
March 2016
www.tennisindustrymag.com
IndustryNews
Letters
Tyler Junior College PTM
Your article Class Acts in the January issue outlined an important new
foundation to the growth of professional tennis instruction. Proper,
modern and thorough education is
essential for the industry to maintain
respect and admiration of the people
and institutions willing to pay for top
class instruction. The schools that
are creating PTM curriculum deserve praise for their commitment.
However, there was one PTM program overlooked. The PTM program
at Tyler Junior College (known as
"Tennis Tech") has operated since
1974. Led by Kimm Ketelson, USPTA
Elite Professional, there are two
programs in this department, both of
operated indoors or in covered areas. Its
single AC motor is powered by four 12-volt
deep-cycle batteries, and the CourtPac
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Publishers
Associate Editor
Greg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Special Projects Manager
Bob Patterson
Contributing Editors
Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
Peg Connor
Kent Oswald
Cynthia Sherman
Mary Helen Sprecher
Contributing Photographers
Bob Kenas
David Kenas
TENNIS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: TI@racquetTECH.com
Website: www.TennisIndustryMag.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Advertising Director
John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
cstennisindustry@gmail.com
Tennis Industry is published 10 times per year:
monthly January through August and combined
issues in September/October and November/
December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 310
Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Suite 400,
Birmingham, AL 35203. Periodcal postage paid
at Duluth, GA and at additional mailing offices
(USPS #004-354). Mar 2016, Volume 44, Number
3 2016 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
rights reserved. Tennis Industry, TI and logo
are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone
circulation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly
subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis
Industry, 310 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North,
Suite 400, Birmingham, AL 35203. TI is the official
magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA.
Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/
Racquet Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our
website at TennisIndustrymag.com for free digital
versions back to 2004.
March 2016
TennisIndustry 9
IndustryNews
Short
Sets
The American Sports
Builders Associations annual Technical Meeting
will be Dec. 2-6 in Amelia
Island, Fla. The meeting
includes technical programming for industry
members along with a
trade show, and more. It
will also provide an opportunity for individuals
to take the ASBAs certification exams to become
a Certified Tennis Court
Builder. Visit sportsbuilders.org.
The PTR $18,000
Wheelchair Championships, an ITF Series II
Event and a USTA Fall
Southern Championship
SuperKill strings.
Today, the SuperKill family of strings
SuperKill II, SuperKill 17, and SuperKill
XLoffers an array of playing characteristics
optimized to meet the needs of both recreational and competitive players.
10 TennisIndustry
March 2016
McEnroe to Play
With Head Racquets
Head and tennis legend John McEnroe have announced a multi-year
partnership in which the former
World No 1. will
play with Head
tennis racquets
while competing in the senior
events on the
ATP Champions
Tour.
During his career, McEnroe,
who was inducted into the International Tennis
Hall of Fame in
1999, set several long-standing
records, won
seven Grand
Slam singles titles, and a record
eight year-end championships. He
achieved the No. 1 ranking in the
world for four years.
After his retirement from the ATP
Tour, McEnroe joined the ATP Champions Tour in 1998.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
IndustryNews
PowerShares Series
Announces Players, Dates
laymate introduces the new iSmash, which is the next generation of Smash
ball machine. iSmash combines the same rugged design with a more userfriendly interface that is intelligent, interchangeable and intuitive, says
Playmate.
The intelligent design allows a player or
coach to select where the balls will be fed
by just pressing on a picture of a tennis
court. Or, a player can just choose from
three simple patterns: all balls straight
ahead, feeding balls left and right narrow,
or feeding balls left and right wide. It remains upgradeable and interchangeable
with all previous Smash, Deuce and Genie
Playmate ball machines.
The iSmash is upgradeable to iPlaymate Tennis to create drills on an iPhone
or iPad, track workouts, and to allow
players to compare results with others.
Visit playmatetennis.com or contact 800776-6770.
12 TennisIndustry
March 2016
Salem, N.C.
Aug. 25, 26, New
Haven, Conn.
Nov. 4, Portland,
Ore.
Nov. 5, Denver
Dec. 1, Orlando, Fla.
Dec. 3, New York
www.tennisindustrymag.com
March 2016
TennisIndustry 13
FORUM
March 2016
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
Registration Includes:
Breakfast and lunch three days.
Admission to State of the Industry Forum
on March 23.
Cocktail receptions Wednesday and
Thursday afternoons.
Welcome packet with program booklet.
Tech Fair & Resource Center with
Conference special offers.
Discounted hotel rate at Hilton Miami
Downtown.
Discounted tickets available for 2016
Miami Open.
Like previous years, we expect the third annual T.O.M. Conference to be well-attended with
facility and club owners/managers/operators and their key staff. Enjoy professional mens and
womens tennis at the 2016 Miami Open. Discounted Ticket Packages will be made available.
The T.O.M. Conference immediately follows the TIA State of the Industry Forum (March 23),
which also will be at the Hilton Miami Downtown.
Dr. Jack
Groppel
Craig
Jones
Kurt
Kamperman
Michele
Krause
Greg
Lappin
Knowledgeable Speakers
& Panelists
Industry experts continue to express
interest in the T.O.M. Conference,
including top tennis facility/club operators,
owners and managers; management and
business consultants; youth tennis, adult
tennis, league tennis and Cardio Tennis
experts; and former pro tennis players/
current tennis broadcasters. Speakers and
panelists confirmed to date include:
Jim Bates, Financial Planner
Jim Baugh, PHIT America
Kevin Brandt, Retail Expert
Jorge Capestany, Facility Manager
Doug Cash, CashFlow Tennis
Virgil Christian, USTA
Casey Conrad, Health & Fitness Consultant
Cliff Drysdale, TV Commentator
John Embree, USPTA CEO
Dr. Gerry Faust, Faust Mgmt. Corp.
Gigi Fernandez, Former Pro
Randy Futty, Calif. Sports Surfaces
Simon Gale, General Manager
Dr. Jack Groppel, Human Performance Inst.
Pat Hanssen, Har-Tru
Craig Jones, USTA
Kurt Kamperman, USTA
Bill Konstand, Digital Marketing Consultant
Michele Krause, Cardio Tennis
Greg Lappin, Facility Consultant
Emilio Sanchez, Former Pro/Facility Owner
Dan Santorum, PTR CEO
Scott Schultz, USTA
Marilyn Sherman, USTA
P.J. Simmons, Tennis Congress
Lee Sponaugle, Sport Court
Butch Staples, Midtown Tennis
Gary Stewart, Virgin Active
Keith Storey, Sports Marketing Surveys
Tom Sweitzer, Orlando Tennis Manager
Fernando Velasco, Club Owner
Mike Woody, Genesis Health Clubs
Jim Baugh
Doug Cash
Cliff
Drysdale
John
Embree
Dr. Gerry
Faust
Gigi
Fernandez
Emilio
Sanchez
Dan
Santorum
Butch
Staples
Gary
Stewart
Tom
Sweitzer
Mike
Woody
How do you
get involved?
Sign up to participate at
RallyTheFamily.com and
get listed so consumers
can find you, your
programs and events.
Agree to offer introductory
and multi-week entry level
programs for all ages.
36'
Why should my facility participate in the Rally The Family campaign?
1) Attract more people and more
business to your club, tennis center
or public park facility.
60'
Retailing 142
A Group Retailers
Cant Afford to Ignore
www.tennisindustrymag.com
TennisIndustry 19
Recreational Game
Master-ing the Game
USTA Floridas Masters Tennis, with orange balls
on 60-foot courts, is bringing adults back to the sport.
20 TennisIndustry
March 2016
Executive Point
Pete Smith, Chairman, ASBA
Interview By Mary Helen Sprecher
Merit Award in 2000 because of his passion for promoting the game of tennis
and the quality of the facilities built by
the contractors. I was very lucky to have
him as a mentor and I do believe we
share the same ideals and goals. But I
am very humbled to follow his lead.
he American Sports Builders Association, the national organization for builders and suppliers
for athletic facilities, including tennis
courts and facilities, celebrated its
50th anniversary in 2015. With that
milestone, the organization chose as
its chairman for the 2016-2017 term
a Certified Tennis Court Builder who
has been both building award-winning
courts and volunteering his time to help
improve the court-building business.
Pete Smith of the CourtSMITHS of Toledo, Ohio, previously served as president of the ASBAs Tennis Division.
TI: What goals do you have as chairman
of the ASBA?
Smith: Two areas where I would like
to concentrate our efforts during my
term are continuing the growth of the
Certified Builder Program and focusing
on educating the owners of facilities
on choosing the best option for their
construction/repair needs.
The Tennis Division is in the process of partnering the Certified Tennis
Court Builder designation with the
ITFs Recognized Court/Installer program, which will provide facility owners
with assurances of the quality of the
contractor they have chosen, as well as
a testing mechanism to ensure the final
product meets our high standards.
TI: You grew up in a family of tennis
court builders. Was there a time when
you made the decision to join the family
business, or did you have other ideas
about what you wanted to do earlier in
your life?
Smith: My summers during high school
and college were spent working for our
family business. Upon graduation, I was
planning on a career that was a little
less intense during the nicer seasons of
the year. But the advantages of being an
independent business owner and not
working in a corporate setting became
apparent as I began the process of
22 TennisIndustry
March 2016
Grassroots Tennis
Play It Forward!
CTAs, public parks and NJTLs are on the front lines
when it comes to growing this sport in communities.
USTA Missouri Valley
Rural JTT Squad Starts With Basics
For members of the Panhandle Gold Junior Team Tennis squad from
Bridgeport, Neb., the teams experience at the USTA Missouri Valley
JTT Championships in Topeka, Kan., earlier this year was a result of
enthusiasm, determination and falling in love with the game of tennis
after very simple beginnings.
Five of the six team members first learned about tennis during play
events at the Prairie Winds Community Center in Bridgeport (pop.
1,500), one of the westernmost towns in the section. The nets in the
community center were comprised of caution tape tied between two
chairs on a gym floor, and only the most basic fundamentals of the
game were taught.
One of the biggest reasons for the success is the emphasis we put
on fun and sportsmanship, says Darren Emerick, program director at
the community center and youth tennis specialist for USTA Nebraska.
Emerick hopes this squad of kids ages 14 and under will now become lifelong tennis players who can go on to play more junior
tournaments, then Tennis on Campus in college and eventually USTA Leagues.
They simply play for the enjoyment of the game, he adds. Theyre happy in Junior Team Tennis and not really interested in
tournaments for ranking points.Andrew Robinson
USTA Midwest
New Association Helps Organize Queen City Open
The Queen City Tennis Association, founded in early 2015, was initially started in order to organize the first annual Queen City Open, a
Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA) sponsored world tennis tour
event.
Our organization is new to the city of Cincinnati, says Jeffrey
Morgeson, founder of the association. I have been a member of the
GLTA since 2012, playing GLTA-sponsored tournaments all around
the U.S. The GLTA has had such a profound effect on my life that I felt
a strong desire to bring something here to Cincinnati.
The Queen City Open was held last spring at the Lindner Family
Tennis Center, home to the Western & Southern Open, an ATP and
WTA Tour Masters series event. According to the Queen City Tennis
Association, 98 players participated, both LGBT and non-LGBT, from
all over the U.S. and Canada. The second Queen City Open is scheduled for this May.
I felt the need to share my city and its world-class tennis facility with the amazing friends and acquaintances Ive met, as
well as welcome new players to enjoy a GLTA event, Morgeson says. The GLTA provides a safe and welcoming environment
for LGBT players, and readily welcomes non-LGBT friends and allies as well.
Morgeson says the GLTA helped bring him back to the game after many years. The GLTA helped me find that love for tennis
again and along with it, introduced a new international social environment that has been life-changing, he says. The support
of the GLTA and the USTA has been amazing and vital to our efforts to grow tennis in the small LGBT community of Cincinnati. Tracy Maymon
24 TennisIndustry
March 2016
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Footwear
Success Stories?
With new marketing strategies and
products, shoe manufacturers have some
strong stories to share.
W
By Kent Oswald
26 TennisIndustry
March 2016
Tennis Aspirations
Despite the different trails companies take with their marketing of shoes, what each is ultimately trying to do is connect
the customer and their wants and needs in tennis footwear
to their aspirations regarding their game. Those
who take the most direct route, like Babolat and
K-Swiss, are selling themselves as tennis-only,
or at least tennis-primary.
The French company adds new colorways to
its shoe lines this spring, and has not scheduled
any sort of big announcement regarding its next
technological leap for footwear. It has, however,
offered hints that there is shoe research and
development that might provide personalization (if not fuller customization) for the feet,
just as its recently introduced smart technologies have
allowed players to change their approach to racquets.
As for K-Swiss, the California companys shoes (including
the Hypercourt Express with 2016s new colorways) will continue to be the foundation of its marketing. For the year, the
major promotion theme is that even now, in its 50th year of
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Strong Stories
March 2016
TennisIndustry 27
Positive Recogni
ITF Recognition provides an independent
assessment of the quality of a court for builders,
suppliers, and court owners.
By Dr. Stuart Miller, ITF Senior Executive Director
28 TennisIndustry
March 2016
www.tennisindustrymag.com
ition
www.tennisindustrymag.com
March 2016
TennisIndustry 29
30 TennisIndustry
March 2016
www.tennisindustrymag.com
C O U RT E S Y E AT O N S E P H E S U S L I G H T I N G
LED on the
Leading Edge
As the technology comes down in price, expect more facilities
to take advantage of this eco-friendly alternative.
By Mary Helen Sprecher
32 TennisIndustry
March 2016
Power Savings
C O U RT E S Y E P H E S U S
March 2016
TennisIndustry 33
Annual
Maintenance
Planner
Use this yearly court maintenance schedule, reprinted
from the latest edition of the Tennis Courts manual,
to protect your investment.
well-constructed and well-maintained tennis court will offer years of play. But to maximize the useful life of any type
of court, the owner needs to implement a regular schedule
of maintenance (see chart on following pages, reprinted
with permission from Tennis Courts: A Construction & Maintenance Manual, published by the ASBA and USTA).
Regular inspection of the court and repair of minor irregularities is
more cost-effective than allowing the court
to deteriorate to the point where it requires
major repair or reconstruction. (Even with
regular maintenance, however, all courts
will need some repair over time.)
The most important step in maintaining
all types of court surfaces is to keep them
clean by removing debris immediately
and by spot-cleaning spills as soon as they
occur. Dont allow food and beveragesexcept for wateron your courts, and dont
allow smoking in the area. Provide wastebaskets to encourage players and spectators to keep the surface clean. Pick up stray
The chart on the following
balls, ball cans and ball-can lids, which can
pages is from the 2015
damage the court surface, be a tripping hazedition of Tennis Courts:
ard, and make the court area unsightly.
A Construction & MainteAt the end of the playing season, inspect
nance Manual, published
all court equipment and order any replaceby the American Sports
ment parts so that the equipment can be
Builders Association and
repaired during the off-season.
USTA and available from
The amount of maintenance required
the ASBA at sportsbuildby a particular tennis facility will vary
depending on the geographic location, the
ers.org.
amount and type of use, player conduct and
alternative use, if any. In any case, the owner should develop an appropriate maintenance plan, ensure that maintenance is performed
at timely intervals, and keep records of maintenance procedures and
conditions or problems. The need for excessive maintenance may be
an indicator of more serious problems.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
March 2016
TennisIndustry 35
36 TennisIndustry
March 2016
www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
March 2016
TennisIndustry 37
C O U RT E S Y H A R -T R U S P O RT S
Red or
Green?
Since the 1930s, green clay has been the predominant claycourt color in the U.S. But whats driving color choices now?
By Pat Hanssen, General Manager, Har-Tru Sports
38 TennisIndustry
March 2016
TennisIndustry 39
Guide to Strings
String
Selector
2016
If youd like to see the specs for all the current strings on the market, visit our website, www.tennisindustrymag.com. To find the whole list, just click
on the latest issues cover, then choose the March 2016 option under the text-only versions.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
March 2016
TennisIndustry 41
String
Pacific
Pacific
Head
Gamma
Head
Yonex
Gamma
Mauve Sports
Gamma
Yonex
Mauve Sports
Head
Tecnifibre
Yonex
Head
Pacific
Wilson
Yonex
Pacific
Pacific
Pacific
Genesis
Tier One Sports
Genesis
Gamma
Gamma
Mauve Sports
Gamma
Diadem
Yonex
Tourna
Pacific
Gamma
Pacific
Yonex
42 TennisIndustry
Material
March 2016
Gauge
Stiffness
(lbs.)
Tension
Loss
(lbs.)
Company
String
Material
75
82
131
137
137
138
138
139
139
139
140
142
149
152
153
154
154
155
157
157
158
167
171
171
172
174
175
175
175
176
177
177
177
178
181
8.44
9.24
15.73
14.84
15.50
13.90
15.55
11.55
14.97
17.42
13.19
16.27
13.05
19.12
14.89
15.17
17.55
10.59
14.66
14.80
13.60
21.75
19.31
19.75
23.10
21.52
15.52
15.92
19.34
19.78
19.20
20.90
24.23
21.65
18.92
Diadem
Mauve Sports
Mauve Sports
Mauve Sports
Gamma
Tier One Sports
Pacific
Genesis
Diadem
Pacific
Gosen
Mauve Sports
Diadem
Tecnifibre
Tourna
Luxilon
Mauve Sports
Tecnifibre
Mauve Sports
Wilson
Tier One Sports
Mauve Sports
Gamma
Luxilon
Babolat
Mauve Sports
Asics
Yonex
Genesis
Gosen
Babolat
Tecnifibre
Mauve Sports
Genesis
Gamma
Solstice Power 17
MSV Hepta-Twist 1.20
MSV Hepta-Twist 1.20
MSV Go Max 1.25
iO Soft 16
Strike Force Rip 123
ChampTour 1.30
Trionic 16
Solstice Pro 15L
Xcite 18
Polylon Premium 1.27
MSV Go Max 1.20
Solstice Power 16
Black Code 4S 18
Big Red 16
Element 125
MSV Focus-Hex 1.23
Black Code 4S 17
MSV Hepta-Twist 1.25
Spin Effect Hybrid (Mono)
Strike Force Rip 128
MSV Focus-Hex 1.18
iO Soft 15L
Element 130
Pro Xtreme 1.25 (MAIN)
MSV Focus-Hex 1.23
Polyzone
PolyTour Spin G 125
Pro Advantage 17
Polylon Premium 1.32
RPM Blast 15L
Black Code 4S 16
MSV Focus-Hex 1.27
Pro Advantage 16
Ocho 16
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Hybrid
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Polyester
Gauge
Stiffness
(lbs.)
Tension
Loss
(lbs.)
1.19
182
16.14
1.17
182
17.15
1.19
182
17.68
1.21
182
18.81
1.26
182
23.09
1.23
183
21.94
1.28
183
24.98
1.33
185
21.24
1.27
187
15.37
1.22
189
17.09
1.26
189
19.21
1.19
190
21.34
1.29
194
15.09
1.18
194
15.86
1.27
194
16.32
1.24
194
19.74
1.23
198
15.37
1.22
199
16.69
1.22
199
17.42
1.24
199
19.94
1.29
199
20.49
1.15
200
15.17
1.39
200
23.28
1.30
201
17.09
1.24
204
21.94
1.22
208
15.87
1.28 208 17.00
1.26
212
15.41
1.22
213
13.83
1.31
213
16.71
1.35
218
19.19
1.31
219
17.37
1.33
220
16.45
1.29
223
14.33
1.29
236
11.53
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Guide to Strings
The Geography
of Feel
Finding Your Feel
Good Location
Tension Loss
(total loss lbs for 200 seconds and 5 impacts)
Stiffness (lbs/in)
March 2016
TennisIndustry 43
Starting knot, or
starting clamp?
I encountered someone
today who said, Starting knots are
seriously frowned upon. I asked him
to produce his source of this information, and he cited The Pro Shop:
Open Secret, which appeared on
Tennis.com Sept. 4, 2015. According
to the article, not that any of these
stringers would ever attempt one, but
a starting knot is completely forbidden.
Ive been using a starting knot for
years. In fact, I strung all of my college teams racquets using a starting
knot for four years, and I was never
aware of such opposition and never
had one problem out of over 500
racquets.
What is the basis of this objection?
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Tennis Industry, 310 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, Suite 400, Birmingham, AL 35203;
fax: 760-536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
44 TennisIndustry
March 2016
www.tennisindustrymag.com
TennisIndustry 45
String Playtest
By Greg Raven
Tecnifibre Multifeel 16
We tested the 16-gauge Multifeel. The coil measured 41 feet, 2 inches. The diameter measured 1.29 mm prior to stringing, and 1.24 mm after stringing. We re-
46 TennisIndustry
March 2016
Playtester Ratings
Ease of Stringing
(compared to other strings)
much easier
somewhat easier
about as easy
not quite as easy
not nearly as easy
6
11
19
0
0
Overall Playability
(compared to the string played most often)
much better
somewhat better
about as playable
not quite as playable
not nearly as playable
0
11
9
13
3
Overall Durability
(compared to other strings of similar gauge)
much better
somewhat better
about as durable
not quite as durable
not nearly as durable
3
8
13
5
7
Rating Averages
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability (10th overall)
Durability
Power
Control
Comfort (15th overall)
Touch/Feel
Spin Potential
Holding Tension
Resistance to Movement
3.9
3.1
3.3
3.6
3.9
3.5
3.2
3.4
3.4
www.tennisindustrymag.com
On the Court
Playtester
Comments
"Nice touch and feel,
especially around the net.
Easy to string and easy on
the arm.
5.0 male serve-and-volley
player using Prince Tour
strung at 60 pounds LO
(Gamma TNT 17)
This is a very comfortable, excellent playing
string. It is very easy on
the arm.
4.5 male all-court player
using Babolat Pure Aero
strung at 58 pounds CP
(Babolat Origin 17)
It was easy to find
poly-like power from the
string when necessary,
but also versatile enough
to hit with touch (i.e.
from a multifilament) as
needed.
4.7 male baseliner with
control.
4.5 male all-court player
using Prince Tour T ESP
strung at 60 pounds CP
(Prince Premiere Power 17)
Was an average string
to me.
5.0 male all-court player
using Head Prestige strung
at 55 pounds LO (Prince
Synthetic Gut 16)
The string broke
after about two weeks
of heavy hitting and
started fraying early.
5.0 male baseliner with
heavy spin using Pure
Storm Limited strung at
53/50 pounds LO (Forten
Gut 16)
(Strings normally used by
testers are indicated in
parentheses. For the rest
of the tester comments,
visit www.tennisindustrymag.com.)
Conclusion
www.tennisindustrymag.com
March 2016
TennisIndustry 47
Your Serve
Club Concerns
48 TennisIndustry
March 2016
60
64
66
67
68
CEOs Message
Miscellaneous Musings
by John Embree
There are only 10 months left for everyone to get 6 in 2016, which is our theme
to encourage 100 percent compliance of our continuing education requirement.
Without question, this is the top priority both nationally and at the division level.
50 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Making Professional
Development Easier
by Alan Cutler
52 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
drill. sweat. roll. repeat.
Alpha 90 Series
To learn about our entire line of high performance hoppers call 800.931.1561
or visit hoparazzi.com New customers, ask us about a free trial.
Endorsee News
Princes 2016
TeXtreme Premier collection provides two
options for todays
player the Premier
120 and the Premier
105. The Premier
120 is the Cadillac of
racquets this is our
largest, lightest and
longest racquet that
delivers the ultimate
in power and comfort, said Herring.
For the player whos
looking for more versatility, the Premier 105
is like the Swiss Army
Knife of the tennis world.
It offers top-of-the-line,
game-improving technologies in a super versatile 105inch head size with specs that
will fit a wide variety of player
types and playing styles. With
the addition of the new Premier family to our TeXtreme
collection, there is absolutely
a Prince racquet for every
player.
For the ultimate sweet spot
experience, Prince recommends any one of their Premier Strings to pair with the
TeXtreme Premier collection of
racquets. With the TeXtreme Premier
105 and 120, Prince rounds out its en eXtreme line of 12 racquets. h
tire T
For more information on how you
can bring the Prince collection
to your shop, contact your local
Prince Brand Manager.
The Premier racquet collection is the epitome of true game improvement, designed to help tennis players play
better tennis. For the players looking for the most help to improve their game, all they need is a Premier racquet
and a certified USPTA teaching pro to take them to the next level.
56 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Endorsee News
REIMAGINE TENNIS
PLAY ANYWHERE
SM
SM
Official 36 & 60
Court Surface of
sportcourt.com
reimaginetennis.com
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 57
Endorsee News
Lack of innovation
on the practice court
With all of these changes and innovations in the tennis industry, Turdo as a
player, instructor, club director and owner
58 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Turdo thought this lack of innovation
was absurd. Weve moved from wooden
racquets and short shorts to high-end
graphite and performance-enhancing
textile clothing. Why then are we satisfied with heavy, poorly-constructed
hoppers that tear up your very expensive
court? she asked. Turdo is very adamant
about the need for better hoppers.
Her solution? She started Hoparazzi,
the brand behind the brightly colored
baskets that fit the vibrant personality
of the players and pros. And the attributes dont stop at color. Hoparazzi
hoppers are designed specifically for the
players with integrated wheels that glide
across the court and telescoping handles
that can be customized to the height of
the player. The patented technology is
USPTA Benefits
The search features have been improved to help busy tennis coaches and
players find what theyre looking for
quicker and more easily. Users type in
a search term and then can check boxes
to narrow down the results. For example, a user can type in forehand and
then narrow down results by general
performance components (technical,
tactical, physical, etc.), drill or lesson,
demographics, type of media, etc.
Content is divided into three categories: Free, Tennis Resources Members-only and Pay Per Video. Content
marked with a green, open lock icon
denotes the content is free and accessible to anyone; a red lock icon designates the content is available to USPTA
members and subscribers only; and a
shopping cart icon lets the user know
the content is available to purchase.
For the first time, Tennis Resources
will have On Court with USPTA episodes, seminars and specialty courses
available for streaming with special
pricing for subscribers and USPTA
members. Once the video is purchased,
it becomes a part of the users personal
library and is available for unlimited
views. On Court with USPTA episodes
are $2.99 per video ($4.99 for new releases) for USPTA members and $9.99
for non-USPTA members. Seminars
are $4.99 per video for USPTA members and $12.99 for non-USPTA members. Specialty courses are $14.99 per
video for USPTA members and $24.99
for non-USPTA members.
Subscriptions for non-USPTA
members can be purchased quarterly
($29.99 per quarter) or on an annual
basis ($69.99 per year). Subscribers will
be able to purchase pay-per-video content at USPTA member pricing. h
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 59
USPTA Pro Bunny Bruning and Wakonda Tennis Club celebrated our freedom with a Fourth of July event
to support military families.
USPTA Pros at the USPTA Southern U30 Conference showed their support for ThanksUSA.
60 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
USPTA Pro Frank Swope and BallenIsles Country Club hosted an event on Veterans Day. A round-robin tournament and member donations
resulted in a generous contribution to support ThanksUSA scholarships.
USPTA Pro Tanda Bianco and Port Royal Racquet Club hosted a Fast Action Drill Clinic followed by a Doubles
Exhibition featuring top Hilton Head Island tennis professionals to raise funds for Tennis Thanks the Troops.
Above: USPTA Pro Mani Barajas-Alexander and TopNotch Tennis teamed up with USTA Mid-Atlantic to host
an entry-level tennis tournament at Tuckahoe Recreation Club in McLean, Va., with entry fees donated
to TTTT. Above, right: ThanksUSA scholar Jinah Kim
and her family joined TTTT at the CopperWynd Pro
Challenge on Veterans Appreciation Day, which is
under the direction of USPTA Pro Scott McCulloch,
Cliff Drysdale Tennis. Right: Karla Orozco and stepfather Reuben are recognized by members of the San
Diego District Tennis Associations Military Outreach
Committee for her educational scholarship made
possible through funds raised during the Districts
annual Tennis Fest. Photo includes members of SDDTA Military Outreach Committee, including USPTA
Pros Steve Kappes, Josh Jorgensen and Geoff Griffin.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 61
Inside Coaching
We can teach the student to receive the ball by allowing her to attempt to catch it.
64 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
A coach needs to teach both receiving the ball and sending the ball from the
very beginning. The student must understand that moving to the ball, getting
set up and in the proper position to send the ball is the name of the game.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 65
Career Development
Division Activities
Exams, Upgrades Coach Youth
Tennis Workshop
& PTCA I
(6 credits)
April 24-25
(2 credits)
April 2
May 1
May 14
Gainesville, Fla.
Pensacola, Fla.
Palmetto Bay, Fla.
May 21
May 22
Albuquerque, N.M.
Cardio Tennis
March 18
April 9
Webinars
(.5 credits)
April 13
TBD
Emilio Sanchez
Accredited
Professional
Coach
Register your Accredited Professional Coach (APC)
and specialty course credits earned with the USPTA
SmartCode Education System. This uses your
smartphone to instantly register your attendance
to all seminars and specialty
courses earning APC.
To use the system at a
seminar, general session or
specialty course, you must
scan two QR codes. One QR
code is on your conference badge. The second
QR code will be in your conference notebook and
cannot be scanned until the end of the session or
the beginning of the next session.
If you do not have a smartphone, you may use
someone elses. Forms are available upon request.
66 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Education requirements
All USPTA-certified Professionals must earn 6 education credits in a three-year period
to remain current. Go to USPTA.com/Education for a partial list of eligible activities. Please send verification (email, letter, certificate, receipt, etc.) that shows you
attended the event/activity and submit it along with the date and agenda to education@uspta.org to receive your credit. (International members, Recreational Coaches
and those over the age of 65 are exempt.) Questions? Write to education@uspta.org
or call 800-877-8248, ext. 147.
USPTA News
Tuffy WINDSCREEN
Chroma-Bond IMPRINTING
800-247-3907
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 67
Member News
On Nov. 21, 2015, Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club in Orange County, Calif., held their 13th Annual
Charity Pro-Am benefiting Boys Town of Orange County. USPTA Professionals, David Page (director
of tennis) and Michael Olds (head professional) along with the Coto For a Cure Committee presented
a check for $32,000 to Boys
Town Executive Director
Lawren Ramos and Development Director Christina
Garkovich just in time for
the holidays. Coto member
Val Lagutan and Former
ATP Professional Rick Leach
won the event. Picture: Chat
Leonard, Bob Morris, Michael
Olds, David Page, Christina
Garkovich, Jay Carballo,
Lawren Ramos, Bob Lazaro &
Randy Riley.
USPTA Professional Kim Dillard, director of tennis at the Colonial Country Club in Thomasville,
N.C., conducted a doubles workshop at the East Coburg Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia.
Dillard focused on drills that
helped players improve their
skills to become better doubles
partners, including positioning,
communication and giving a
high five after every point. Helping Dillard with the clinic was
Australian tennis professional
Lynton Joseph, director of tennis
at the East Coburg Tennis Club.
Arizona Special Olympians took to the courts at Troon Country Club in the 6th annual Tennis
Fun Day on Saturday, Jan. 23. USPTA Professional Mark Pachtner, director of tennis at Troon
Country Club, coordinated the event that attracted more than 200 participants. Prior to his
tenure at Troon Country Club, Pachtner has developed Fun Day events with the local chapters
of the Special Olympics in Georgia, Florida and California since 1999. The Tennis Fun Day is also
a well-established fundraiser for the Special Olympics Arizona, raising nearly $14,000 at this
years event. Since inception, a total amount of over $100,000 has been donated so far with
800 athletes and 2,000 volunteers participating.
The Riviera Country Club recently announced that USPTA Professional Austin
Soliz has been promoted
to director of junior
tennis. Soliz has been
employed at The Riviera
Tennis Club as a tennis
professional and fitness
coach since 2014. Prior
to joining The Riviera, Soliz was the director of tennis at the Bay Area Racquet Club
in Clearlake, Texas, and later the director
of fitness/tennis professional at Ojakian
Tennis in Marina Del Rey, Calif. He holds
Crossfit L1 and Crossfit Endurance Certifications as well as a National Gym Association Athletic Performance Certification.
His promotion to director of junior tennis
at the Rivera Tennis Club will give him the
opportunity to combine his fitness and
athletic training experience with tennis
fundamentals for juniors of all ages and
abilities.
USPTA Professional Tom Daglis (center)
attended the JPTA
conference in
Tokyo in
November 2015
and made a presentation. Pictured
with Mohammed
Jannif (left), Davis
Cup Player, PBI
Tennis Professional
and USPTA
Ambassador.
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
First Vice
President
Chuck Gill
Gary Trost
Vice Presidents
Past President
CEO
Legal Counsel
Alan Cutler
Feisal Hassan
Ken McAllister
Jack Michalko
Diane Selke
TM
68 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Managing editor
Circulation
Kimberly Forrester
Kathy Buchanan
Tom McGraw
John Embree
George Parnell