Racquet Sports Industry

May 2012
Volume 40 Number 5 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Are Your
Juniors
Prepped
To Play?
Selling Points:
Tips to Boost
Your Sales
Tennis Bags
Arent Just
For Racquets
Anymore
Are Your
Juniors
Prepped
To Play?
Selling Points:
Tips to Boost
Your Sales
Tennis Bags
Arent Just
For Racquets
Anymore

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DEPARTMENTS
R S I M A Y 2 0 1 2
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 USTA teams with TGA
for youth franchises
7 Garvin, 3 others
honored by Hall of Fame
7 New icon system
for 10U providers
8 Changes announced
to National Junior
Tourney Schedule
8 Kovacs to lead PTR Sport
Science Committee
9 GSS sets 2012 Stringers
Symposium for Florida
9 Denver to host Public
Parks Championships
9 Head introduces
Speed Pro Lite shoe
10 Peoplewatch
10 Ashaway introduces
2 new tennis strings
11 Kuerten to go into
Tennis Hall of Fame
11 USTA awards $900K
in youth tennis grants
12 Short Sets
4 Our Serve
7 Industry News
13 USTA Annual Meeting
14 Pioneers in Tennis
16 TIA News
18 Retailing Tip
20 Court Construction
34 Tips & Techniques
36 Ask the Experts
38 String Playtest: Tourna Big Hitter Black 7
40 Your Serve, by Denny Schackter
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Cover photo courtesy USTA
Contents
Contents
FEATURES
23 Get Them Ready to Play
Properly preparing juniors for tourna-
ments isnt just about strokes and
strategy; they need to know the rules
and regs, too.
26 In the Bag
Tennis bags have gone from simply
holding racquets to carry-alls that
cross over to life off the courts.
30 Nifty Nine
The nine outdoor ASBA facility win-
ners are excellent examples of hard-
court construction.
34 Selling Points
These ideas can help boost your sales
and provide your customers with
excellent service.
Our Serve
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
Associate Editor
Greg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Contributing Editors
Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
Joe Dinoffer
Kent Oswald
Bob Patterson
Cynthia Sherman
Mary Helen Sprecher
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Advertising Director
John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
Racquet Sports 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, 330
Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Periodcal postage paid at
Vista, CA and at additional mailing offices (USPS
#004-354). May 2012, Volume 40, Number 5
2012 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rights
reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI 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 Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main
St., Vista, CA 92084.
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA
Demand More From Your Reps
4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2012
I
n our March issue, we ran a Retailing tip on how man-
ufacturers sales reps should be one of the best
resources for tennis retailers. (If you dont have the
March issue handy, go to racquetsportsindustry.com to see
the digital edition.) The tip, written by the TIAs retailing
consultants, described some of the things manufacturer
reps can provide to tennis shops to help build sales with
consumers, including helping stores with merchandise and
budget planning, conducting clinics on products they sell to
you, working with your staff to understand product fea-
tures, and much more.
But it occurs to me, how many sales reps actually do all they can to
help a retail stores sales? Their success depends on your success. Yes,
we hear about a lot of excellent sales reps out therein fact, every year
we have a number of great reps to choose from in picking our Sales Rep
of the Year award winner. But we also hear a lot of complaints about
sales reps, too.
Are your sales reps truly serving you the way you think they should?
We want to hear about itthe good, the bad, the ugly. Tell us what you
think of your sales reps. What do they do that you like? What do they not
do? Do you get the feeling that they care about your business? Do they
come up with creative ways to help your business? And if you feel your
sales rep hasnt been working up to par, what have you done about it?
Let us know, at peter@racquettech.com.
Now, lets go a step further: Are your sales reps helping not just your
store, but do they go beyond and help this sport? Do they care about ten-
nis overall? Are they involved in their USTA section or district? Do they
get involved in the community? A good friend who managed a tennis and
sports retail shop for many years and who now works in the tennis indus-
try says the best sales reps he ever had were those who were committed
to and passionate about the sport beyond simply pushing product.
I realize manufacturers are in business to sell product, and that their
sales reps make a living depending on how much product they sell. But
sales repsjust like teaching pros, retailers and facility managersare in
key positions to truly make an impact on tennis in the U.S. They, like the
rest of us, need to think beyond being a sales force for one company or
organization; effective sales reps need to be a sales force for tennis.
Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
It
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THE NEW F.A.S.T.
FULL ACCELERATION SHAFT
TECHNOLOGY

HAR
TRU
I NDUSTRY NEWS
I NDUSTRY NEWS
I N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S
Garvin, Staples,
Bender, Kovacs
Honored by ITHOF
The Interna-
tional Tennis
Hall of Fame
presented the
2011 Samuel
Hardy and
Tennis Educa-
tional Merit
Awards on
March during
its annual
Awards Luncheon, held in conjunc-
tion with the USTAs Annual Meeting
in Carlsbad, Calif.
Longtime USTA and tennis industry
leader Lucy S. Garvin (above) of
Greer, S.C. received the Samuel
Hardy Award, which is presented
annually to a USTA volunteer in
recognition of long and outstanding
service to the sport.
The Tennis Educational Merit Award
was presented to tennis coach,
trainer and educator Butch Staples
of Bluffton, S.C.; wheelchair tennis
trainer and expert Lynn Bender of
Zeeland, Mich.; and strength and
conditioning expert Dr. Mark Kovacs
of Atlanta. The award is given annu-
ally to individuals who have made
notable contributions in the tennis
education field at the national level.
Award winners have repeatedly
demonstrated leadership and cre-
ative skills in tennis instruction, writ-
ing, organization and promotion of
the game.
"We are very pleased to recognize
these individuals, and we are grate-
ful for the tremendous contributions
they have made to tennis over the
years," said Christopher E. Clouser,
chairman of the International Tennis
Hall of Fame & Museum.
R S I M A Y 2 0 1 2
May 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
USTA Teams With TGA for Youth Tennis Franchises
T
he USTA has teamed with the newly launched TGA Premier Youth Tennis (TGA), a youth
sports franchise firm, to help introduce tennis to kindergarten through eighth-graders
across the country. The partnership supports USTAs 10 and Under Tennis initiative.
The USTA says it recognized the success TGA has had with its golf business, with thousands of
schools nationwide participating in TGAs after-school enrichment
programs. Using its current business philosophy of enriching kids
lives through physical fitness, health and nutrition, education, and
character building, along with its scalable business model, the USTA
and TGA have worked together to develop curriculum for K-3rd
grade and 4th-8th grade.
The partnership is a great fit and will build a pathway for ele-
mentary and middle school kids to enjoy tennis through after-
school programs, says Kurt Kamperman, the USTAs chief executive of Community Tennis.
TGA is expected to introduce tennis to boys and girls in elementary and middle schools, child
care centers and community-based organizations. Children who participate in the programs will
have the opportunity to transition from at-school programs to junior camps, clinics, and USTA pro-
grams at facilities nationwide.
In addition, says the USTA, the franchise company will create jobs and business ownership
opportunities within the industry. In March, TGA began selling tennis franchises to the public,
which is expected to attract tennis professionals as well as business professionals.
10 And Under Tennis Has New Icons for Providers
T
he USTA has unveiled a new "icon system" for its growing 10andUnderTennis.com website,
allowing tennis facilities and providers to enhance their consumer search profiles. The new
icon system makes it easier for parents and consumers to see what programs and services tennis
providers are employing in their 10 and Under Tennis programming.
For facilities and providers, whether registering on the system for the first time or updating
your existing listing, its easy to get
the icons on your profilejust go to
10andundertennis.com/organizers
and click on Register your Facili-
ty. Once you fill out the question-
naire, the proper icons will
appear automatically on your pro-
file for consumers to see. In addi-
tion, facilities and organizers with
icons on their profiles will be
included at the top of the list
when parents search for program-
ming.
For more details on the icon
system or to get listed on the site,
visit 10andunder-tennis.com/orga-
nizers or download the Icon Sys-
tem flier.
Kovacs to Lead PTR Sport
Science Committee
D
r. Mark Kovacs has been chosen by
PTR President Jorge Andrew to chair
the organizations new Sport Science
Committee. Kovacs has been a presenter
at the PTR International Tennis Sympo-
sium for five years, and in 2012 he was the highest rated
speaker with his presentation, Teaching the ServeAn 8
Stage Model to Improve Power, Spin and Placement.
Kovacs was a collegiate All-American tennis player and
NCAA doubles champion at Auburn University. After play-
ing professionally, he earned a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiolo-
gy from the University of Alabama. Hes a Fellow of the
American College of Sports Medicine, a certified specialist
through the National Strength and Conditioning Associa-
tion, and a tennis coach. This past March, Kovacs, who has
published five books, received the Educational Merit
Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
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USTA Changes National Junior
Tournament Schedule
T
he USTA has announced a series of reforms to
the National Junior Tournament Schedule
designed to make the system more efficient, effective and
affordable for current players and those who will enter the
pipeline through the10 and Under Tennis initiative. The new sys-
tem also aims to foster more local and sectional competition as
well as fortify two elite national championships in the sum-
merthe USTA National Clay Court Championships and USTA
National Championships. The majority of changes will take
effect in two years.
The changes were proposed by the USTA National Junior
Competition Committee after more than a year of research. The
amendments received overwhelming support from the USTA
Executive Committee at the USTA Annual Meeting in March.
Changes to the schedule include:
w Converting the USTA National Winter Championships to a
team event in 2014.
w Eliminating the USTA National Spring Championships in 2014
to avoid a major national championship being contested dur-
ing the school year.
w Create more local player opportunities and enhance the stand-
ing of the current flagship national events.
w Change in draw size to 128 singles players and 64 doubles
teams for the USTA National Clay Court and USTA National
Championships for the 18s, 16s and 14s age groups and to 64
singles and 32 doubles for the 12s.
w Creation of new tournaments including the USTA National
Grand Masters (a progressive event that will feature the top fin-
ishers in younger divisions advancing to compete with the
best older players), the USTA National Winter Team Champi-
onships and starting in 2013 the USTA National Doubles
Championships.
w Creation of more local competitive match-play opportunities
while reducing the expense and time of travel through new
regional events.
The changes to the Junior Tournament Schedule were not
taken lightly; they were heavily researched and well-vetted,
ensuring we proceed down the right path to develop future
world-class players as well as lifelong players and fans, said Jon
Vegosen, the USTA chairman of the board and president. These
changes are part of our overall long-term strategy to grow tennis
in the United States. With more kids coming into the sport
through 10 and Under tennis, this new calendar will make sure
there are more opportunities for kids to compete locally.
The USTA says the new structure aligns the Junior Tourna-
ment Schedule with the current USTA Player Development phi-
losophy and goals for training and competition.
Our goal is more competitive matches at the right levels
along with more opportunities to train, and this new approach
works well on both counts, said Patrick McEnroe, general man-
ager of USTA Player Development.
For more information about the changes, visit
USTA.com/juniorcompetition.
Nominate by May 1
For Prestigious Awards
D
ont forget to submit nominations by May 1 for two
important and prestigious community tennis awards. The
CTA of the Year Award honors a Community Tennis Associa-
tion for outstanding service in growing and developing the
sport of tennis in its community, and the Eve Kraft Commu-
nity Service Award is given to individuals who bring the
game of tennis to everyone who wants to play.
We want to see nominations for both awards from all
USTA sections, says Jane Morrill, leader of the Awards Proj-
ect Team for the USTAs CTA Committee. We would especial-
ly encourage those who submitted strong nominations in the
past that did not win to re-submit.
While nominations for both awards are accepted year-
round, May 1 is the deadline for applications to be consid-
ered for the current years awards, which will be presented
early in 2013 at the USTA Community Tennis Development
Workshop. To submit a nomination, visit usta.com/cta and
click on CTA of the Year or Eve Kraft Award.
Teen Contest Winner Hits with Sharapova
I
n March, 16-year-old Nadia Hilton-
Adams and two friends hit with Maria
Sharapova at their local tennis club in
Greenville, S.C. Hilton-Adams won the
experience after writing the grand
prize essay in Heads Use Your
Instinct to Play with Maria Sharapova
contest. Hilton-Adams also surprised
Sharapova by locally fundraising nearly
$5,900 to support the Maria Sharapova
Foundation. Head then matched
Hilton-Adams donation.
I N D U S T R Y N E W S
Denver to Host Public
Parks Championships
T
he 86th Annual National Public Parks
Tennis Championships will be July 21-29
in Denver. The eventwith competition
for adult, junior, wheelchair and adaptive
playerswill be at the Gates Tennis Center
and Denver City Park.
Competition will include singles and
doubles events for all categories and NTRP
divisions for 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5. There
also will be family (husband/wife,
father/son, father/daughter, mother/son,
mother/daughter) competition.
For more information and to register,
visit denvergov.org/recreation.
GSS Sets 2012 Symposium
at Saddlebrook
T
he Sixth Annual Grand
Slam Stringers Symposium
will be Sept. 22-26 at Saddle-
brook Resort in Wesley
Chapel, Fla.
GSS Symposium founder
Tim Strawn says this years event will
bring back the Wilson tour simulation
stringing room. If anyone has a desire
to string at the pro tour level, this is a
must seminar to attend, he says. The
class will be conducted by Ron Rocchi,
Wilsons global tour equipment manager
and RSIs Stringer of the Year in 2009.
Ron pulls no punches and really puts
the stringers to the test.
New classes have been added to the
lineup for 2012, says Strawn, plus, the
event is a great networking opportunity,
where you get to reconnect with old
friends from previous years and make
new ones as well. We also hand out great
gift bags at the meet and greet on Sept.
22.
Strawn says last year, each attendee
received a triple racquet thermal bag, 12
sets of string, a premium racquet, and
more. All totaled, last years bags had an
estimated retail value of over $500so
essentially, our sponsors are covering
the cost of registration through the value
of the handouts, says Strawn. For
schedules and information, visit grand-
slamstringers.com or gsalliance.com and
click the training link, or call Strawn at
540-632-1148.
Head Introduces Speed Pro Lite Tennis Shoe
H
ead has come out with its lightest tennis shoe ever, the Speed Pro Lite at 14 ounces,
which is 10 percent lighter than the original Speed Pro.
Head says the shoe features Trinergy, which unites
three innovations so the shoe absorbs the energy on
impact, transfers it from the heel to the forefoot, and
releases it again to maximize upward motion and pro-
vide full energy for the next step. The company says the
shoes half-sock construction gives it a slipper-like feeling.
The shoe, available in two color options (black/white/orange and white/black), has a
six-month durability guarantee on the outsole and toe guard. For info, visit
head.com/tennis.
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Vesa Ponkka, the senior director of tennis at the Junior Tennis Champi-
ons Center in College Park, Md., has been named 2011 USOC National
Development Coach of the Year for tennis by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Its the second time in four years that a JTCC coach has earned that honor;
Senior Director of High Performance Frank Salazar was the 2008 recipient.
Scott Colebourne is the new director of the Cliff Drysdale-managed ten-
nis program at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation resort in Florida.
Julian Illingworth, the highest ranked American squash player ever, won
his eighth consecutive U.S. Men's Championship, extending a streak that
began in 2005. The Portland, Ore., native, who recently renewed his long-
term agreement with Dunlop, plays with a Biomimetic Pro GT-X 130.
The USTA Eastern Section inducted four into its Hall of Fame recently:
Nancy Gill McShea, an award-winning tennis writer and co-author of the
book Tennis in New York; Ron Rebhuhn, a longtime adult tournament
director and USPTA Master Pro; Molly Van Nostrand Rice, a three-time
Wimbledon quarterfinalist; and Peter Rennert, a former Australian Open
quarterfinalist.
Former USTA Northern California President Mark Manning passed away
in March. A former Oakland fireman, Manning was the first African-Ameri-
can to be elected as president of the board of a USTA section.
Paulo Barros of Orlando, Fla., won the mens open title and Marina
McCollom of West Des Moines, Iowa, defended her womens open title at
the $10,000 USPTA Clay Court Championships in March at BallenIsles
Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Head/Penn team racquetball player Lexi York, playing
with a YouTek Submission racquet, won the girls singles
title at the 2012 USA Racquetball National High School
Championships in early March. York is the first freshman
girl in the history of the high school racquetball tourna-
ment to win the title.
PEOPLEWATCH
Ashaway Introduces New Crossfire Plus
And Dynamite 18 Soft Strings for Tennis
A
shaway Racket Strings has introduced a new member of the Crossfire family of
hybrid strings for tennis players. New Crossfire Plus combines a 1.25 mm (17
gauge) blend of braided Aramid and PTFE fibers for the mains with Synthetic Gut with
an abrasion-resistant wear layer for the crosses.
The result, says the company, is a tough, durable hybrid combination with a softer
feel, superior resilience, and maximum ability to impart spin. Crossfire Plus is
designed for chronic string breakers and top-spin players looking for a hybrid string
combination that plays better than a heavier gauge Aramid, but wears just as well.
Bright yellow in color, Crossfire Plus is avail-
able in 7/6 meter sets (23/20 ft.). Ashaway rec-
ommends stringing the Aramid/PTFE mains
with 10% to 15% less tension than the Syn-
thetic Gut crosses, or up to 60 and 65 lbs.
(27/30 kgs), respectively.
Ashway also has added Dynamite 18 Soft to
its growing line of Zyex-based tennis strings.
Built on a new multifilament core, Dynamite
18 Soft is 1.15 mm in diameter (18 gauge) and
designed to provide a softer feel, and optimum
ability to spin the ball, says the company.
The Zyex multifilament core in Dynamite
18 is designed to increase power and
resilience, while reducing tension loss over the
life of the string. The ultra-thin construction
and braided surface softens impact to provide
better feel, while improving ball control and
the ability to impart spin.
Bright blue in color, Dynamite 18 Soft is
available for all players in 40 ft. sets and 360
ft. reels. Recommended stringing tension is up
to 55 lbs. (25 kgs). Ashaway suggests using
10% to15% less tension than normally used
for standard tennis strings. For info, visit ash-
awayusa.com.
Average Shoe Price
Increased 12% in 2011
I
n its first-ever Annual Footwear
Sourcing Forecast, the Footwear
Distributors and Retailers of America
(FDRA) found that the average price
of shoes increased more than 12 per-
cent in 2011.
The combined volatility of con-
sumer demand and raw material
costs has created enormous chal-
lenges for footwear sourcing in
recent years, said the FDRA in a
statement. After nearly a decade of
relying on a China-first, and often
China-only, model, U.S. footwear
companies are faced with a changing
reality of higher prices, shortages in
labor, increased compliance costs
and unstable consumer demand.
According to the Forecast, U.S.
footwear imports from China
accounted for 85.3 percent of all U.S.
footwear imports in 2011, the lowest
percentage in seven years. Vietnam,
as the No.2 supplier of footwear to
the U.S., provides just over 7 percent
of footwear imports by volume, but it
is anticipated that Vietnam will move
closer to 13 percent of U.S. imports
by volume. Also, the Forecast says
Cambodia, Bangladesh and
Nicaragua have the potential to
increase market share in the U.S.
May 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11
I N D U S T R Y N E W S
USTA Awards $900,000 in Grants for Youth Tennis
T
he USTA announced 18 communities across the country will receive $50,000 grants as
part of its effort to get more kids playing tennis. The contribution will be distributed
over a three-year period to build new and adapt current tennis courts to accommodate 10
and Under Tennis, as well as support new programs. In total, the USTA will disperse
$900,000 in grants to support its youth initiative and fund tennis programs.
Community officials will work with the USTA to ensure that local organizers have the
proper techniques and skills to implement this new method of teaching
tennis to kids. The USTA and its USTA Sections will be working with part-
ners such as schools, public parks, youth organizations, tennis facilities,
and pros to incorporate tennis into physical education classes, after-
school programs and other youth programs.
The 18 communities are: Atlanta, GA (east); Atlanta, GA (west); Birming-
ham, AL; Bayamon/San Juan, PR; Honolulu, HI; Jacksonville, FL; Jackson, MS; Lee County,
FL; metro Phoenix East Valley, AZ; Mobile, AL; Northern Albany, NY; Northern Colorado;
Pensacola, FL; Richmond, VA; San Francisco, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; Seattle, WA; and
Springfield, MA.
Last year, the USTA awarded grants and provided support to 26 communities. To date,
the USTA has invested over $2 million in grants to support its youth
initiative.
USPTA Seeks Award
Nominations
T
he USPTA is
seeking nominations
for its 2012 National
Awards Program. The
deadline for nominations is July 2.
Recipients will be honored during the
annual awards breakfast at the USPTA
World Conference, Sept. 16-21 at the
Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa
in Monterey, Calif.
All Professional-level USPTA mem-
bers are eligible. Award nomination
forms and guidelines are available at
uspta.com, by calling 800-877-8248
or by sending a request to
pr@uspta.org.
Kuerten to Go Into International Tennis Hall of Fame
G
ustavo Guga Kuerten of Brazil, who won the French Open in 1997, 2000 and
2001 and held the No. 1 ranking for 43 non-consecutive weeks, will be inducted
into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July. Hes the second Brazilian to receive
the honor; Maria Bueno was inducted in 1978.
Kuerten, 35, was elected in the Recent Player Category. Additional members of the
Class of 2012 include Spanish tennis great Manuel Orantes, in the Master Player Cat-
egory; tennis administrator and promoter Mike Davies in the Contributor Category;
and Randy Snow, who has been elected posthumously in the Recent Player Category
for his accomplishments as a wheelchair tennis player.
The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be July 14 at the International Tennis
Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
Correction
In our Racquet Selector
in April, we printed the
incorrect contact infor-
mation for Tecnifibre.
The companys toll-free
number is 888-TFTen-
nis, and the website is
TFTennis.com.
WTT Pro League Releases
2012 Season Schedule
T
he 37th season of the World TeamTen-
nis Pro League kicks off on Monday,
July 9, with the defending champion
Washington Kastles vying to continue
their 16-match winning streak that start-
ed last summer, as they face off against
the Orange County Breakers in Irvine,
Calif.
The 59-match WTT Pro League regu-
lar season schedule runs for three weeks.
The WT Finals will be played in
Charleston, S.C., Sept. 14-16.
The Kastles, who won their second
WTT championship last summer with
the first undefeated season in WTT histo-
ry, open the 2012 season on the road
against the newly rebranded Orange
County Breakers led by former world No.
1 Lindsay Davenport. Visit WTT.com.
M A Y 2 0 1 2
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>
Roger Federer was named the greatest ten-
nis player by Tennis Channel in its 100 Great-
est of All Time. The Top 10are: 1. Federer, 2.
Rod Laver, 3. Steffi Graf, 4. Martina Navratilo-
va, 5. Pete Sampras, 6. Rafael Nadal, 7. Bjorn
Borg, 8. Margaret Court, 9. Chris Evert, 10. Bil-
lie Jean King.
>
The USTA is accepting nominations through
June 29 for its 31st Annual Outstanding Facility
Awards program, designed to recognize tennis
facilities by encouraging high standards for
construction and renovation. Winners are rec-
ognized at the USTA Semiannual Meeting in
September in New York City. Visit
usta.com/facilityawards for more information
and to nominate.
>
The USTAs Tennis On Campus program
recently relaunched its website, tennisoncam-
pus.com. Since its inception in 2000, participa-
tion in Tennis On Campus has grown to more
than 35,000 students who compete at more
than 575 colleges and universities. Many TOC
alumni stay active in the game as players and
become volunteers for their USTA Districts and
Sections or work in the tennis industry.
>
Since Lessons for Life became USPTAs national
charitable program in 1999, USPTA pros have
raised more than $47 million in support of various
charities. Through Lessons for Life, the USPTA
encourages its members to use tennis as a vehicle
to help others through fundraisers and other activ-
ities in their communities.
>
Tennis News honored BNP Paribas as its 2011
Persons of the Year during the tournament in Indi-
an Wells, Calif., in March. Steve Bellamy, the inau-
gural Person of the Year in 2005, presented the
award to Michele Sicard, head of corporate com-
munications at BNP Paribas Americas.
>
The USPTA has released five instructional DVDs
from its show On Court. The new releases are:
Forehand Movement Patterns and Exercises,
Serve and Volley, Get to the Net, Improved
Forehand Technique, and Change Up Your
Serve. Visit usprotennisshop.com or call 800-877-
8248.
>
According to Ray Benton, the CEO of the Junior
Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., the
JTCCs 16 high school graduates in 2011 earned
more than $1.6 million in college scholarships over
four years. Students in the JTCC class of 2012
have already received commitments from Har-
vard, University of Michigan, Notre Dame and
Loyola University Maryland, he says.
>
The City of Irvine, Calif., is hosting its Sec-
ond Annual Professional Growth Weekend for
Teachers and Coaches of Tennis. The conference
will feature leading coaches and teachers from
the USPTA and PTR at the Bill Barber Commu-
nity Park Tennis Center on May 5 and 6. For
info, call 949-724-6617 or email tennis@city-
ofirvine.org.
>
The Granite Club in Canada recently won
the Facility of the Year Award by the Tennis
Canada Tennis Professional Association. Also,
head tennis pro Timm Fisher was recognized as
club Pro of the Year for 2011.
>
The UKs Tennis Industry Association has
signed a partnership agreement with the
national governing body for British tennis, the
Lawn Tennis Association, in which the UK TIA's
administrative offices will relocate to the
National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, Eng-
land.
SHORT SETS
USTA
Annual Meeting
much in fiefdoms. There cant be
limits on who works on what and
who they work with.
The what is to promote and
develop the growth of tennis, the
why is because tennis changes
lives, Smith said.
Kurt Kamperman, the USTAs
chief executive of Community Tennis,
keyed on bringing more kids into the
game. 10 and Under Tennis is our
silver bullet, he said. It will have a
huge effect, with long-term conse-
quences. Well be talking about 10
and Under Tennis for years to come.
About 38,000 local providers have
gone through 10 and Under Tennis
training in the last five years, Kam-
perman said. To date, the USTA has
given 50,000 first-year free mem-
berships to kids. The USTA also is
promoting different types of events to
bring kids into tennis, including Kids
Tennis Clubs and Tennis PlayDays.
We have the infrastructure, the
key right now is local delivery. Are we
ready at the grassroots? said Kam-
perman.
Our biggest challenge is that we
have a lot of facilities and programs
that are only halfway in, he added.
Is your facility, section, CTA going to
offer the very best experience possi-
ble?
Kamperman outlined steps for a
successful 10U program: 1) promote
using the right equipment, 2) promote
36- and 60-foot lines for courts, 3)
promote training opportunities, and
4) register programs on 10andun-
dertennis.com.w
STA leaders talked about the
importance of change at the
Annual Meeting in mid-March,
held at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad,
Calif.
All of us need to realize that
things dont get better by chance, but
by change, said USTA Chairman of
the Board and President Jon Vegosen
(above right) at the opening session.
More than 800 volunteers and staff
attended the meeting. The impor-
tance of change in our sport cannot be
overstated. We work to change and
enhance peoples lives.
Vegosen outlined a few changes on
the horizon, including the construction
of a new Grandstand Stadium at the
US Open and a new roof-ready Louis
Armstrong Stadium. The USTA also
has created national volunteer com-
petencies, which add a framework
for selection to national committees
and other positions. Another change is
the National Junior Tournament struc-
ture and schedule, helping to make it
more cost-effective and time-effective
for parents and student tennis players.
The 10 and Under Tennis initiative
has been another major change in ten-
nis. Weve change our approach, and
thats made our sport much more
approachable, Vegosen said of the
10U initiative.
USTA CEO Gordon Smith described
how weve changed things in White
Plains to respond more quickly. Every-
one on the White Plains staff has to be
mission-driven. If youre not about the
mission, its not good enough.
Smith said the staff was very
U
Change a Big Topic
at Gathering of USTA
Volunteers, Staff
Volunteers Rod Laver Honored
During an awards lunch at the Annual Meet-
ing in California in March, the USTA honored
top volunteers and others. Sports broadcast-
er Ted Robinson emceed the event, and after
the awards he interviewed tennis legend Rod
Laver on stage, in recognition of the 50th
Anniversary of Lavers first Grand Slam.
Award winners recognized at the meeting
are:
w Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Award (in
partnership with the International Tennis
Hall of Fame): Josh Hagar, Austin, Texas;
Sierra Halverson, Minneapolis; Andrew Ball,
Palo Alto, Calif.; Whitney Kay, Alpharetta,
Ga.
w Seniors Service Award (for excellence in
service to senior tennis): Alice Lee, Capitol
Heights, Md.
w Brad Parks Award (for outstanding contribu-
tions to wheelchair tennis): Dean Oba, Salt
Lake City, Utah.
w NJTL Founders Service Award (for out-
standing contributions to the NJTL net-
work): David N. Dinkins, New York, N.Y.
w Barbara Williams Leadership Award (for a
female volunteer who encourages and
inspires others to volunteer): Sue Gregor,
Wayzata, Minn.
w USTA Organization Member of the Year
Award: Fred Wells Tennis and Education
Center, St. Paul, Minn.
w Ralph W. Westcott USTA Family of the Year
Award: Huether Family, Sioux Falls, S.D.
U
S
T
A
/
C
a
m
e
r
a
w
o
r
k

U
S
A
Pioneers In Tennis
"Pioneers in Tennis," an occasional column in RSI, draws attention to trailblazers in the sport. Have someone to suggest?
E-mail rsi@racquettech.com.
Jim Baugh: Passion, Creativity
and Recreational Players
decline for several straight years. Jim
decided he was tired of fighting for mar-
ket share in a shrinking market, and that
the best way to grow was to grow the
brand of TENNIS by working together
to grow the sport.
Jim is a compelling force. Hes tena-
cious and focused and has always been
very intuitive about the tennis market,
says Jolyn de Boer, the TIA's executive
director. Jim is a true pioneer who
championed many successful initiatives
to grow the game. While I feel he will
always have a soft-spot for the TIA, Im
very pleased to see his talent serving the
greater good through national health and
fitness initiatives he is spearheading to
get Americans active.
Although Baugh has retired from Wil-
son, he continues his involvement in the
sports industry as a board member of
the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Asso-
ciation (SGMA). He also runs Jim Baugh
Consulting, serving the sports and
leisure industries.
And he continues to press for pro-
grams that keep Americans of all ages
active. He spearheaded PE4LIFE, a
grassroots industry-wide initiative to
increase sports and fitness programs in
America. He also worked with SGMA to
raise $800 million from the Federal Bud-
get for phys ed programs (through the
PEP program).
Getting the country's population
more active as a whole is essential, he
notes. And so is continuing to reach out
to people who don't play tennis ... yet.
The potential player base is out there,
and Baugh says he looks forward to a
day when it finds the game. And he is
confident the way to do that is to hone-
in on recreational play.
Jim is a unique individual, says de
Boer, and we are fortunate to continue
to benefit from his focus, dedication and
passion for sports.
Mary Helen Sprecher
company-wide, implementing new strate-
gies for global marketing, branding, sales,
product development and more for the
tennis, golf, team and licensing divisions.
Jim combined passion, creativity and
vision with principled leadership, says for-
mer USTA President Alan Schwartz, who
worked closely with Baugh in 2003 and
2004. Jim also understood and anticipat-
ed the fitness craze. To increase tenniss
relevancy, he created Cardio Tennis, a pro-
gram in which we have over 1,000 partici-
pants a month here at Midtown Tennis
Club in Chicago.
Ask Baugh about Cardio Tennis and
he'll be glad to give the statistics: more
than 1.5 million participants. But, he adds,
there's plenty of room for more growth.
"Cardio Tennis brings in a whole new
audience because it has fun and fitness.
But it needs to be fueled to explode."
As a member of the Tennis Industry
Association and a board member of the
USTA, Baugh strove to unite the industry
and to grow tennis on the recreational
level, which, in turn, resulted in a more
profitable industry.
Without Jim, the TIA as we know it
wouldnt exist, says Kurt Kamperman,
the USTAs chief executive of Community
Tennis, who worked closely with Baugh for
10 years. In the mid-90s when Jim was
running Wilson, industry sales were in
he name is synonymous with a
passion for tennis and for grow-
ing this sport at the grassroots.
Jim Baugha former phys ed teacher,
tennis and sports equipment manufac-
turing executive, USTA board member
and TIA presidenthas, for decades,
had such an intense feeling for tennis
that many of his ideas and concepts are
still helping to grow this sport.
Baugh has always said its not about
one brand or organization. "Everyone
needs to be focused on tennisthe
brand, the concept of T-E-N-N-I-S," he
says. "We have to be thinking of the
sport itself." And the closest part of that
focus, he adds, needs to be where it all
beginswith beginners: people who
want to learn to play for fun and fitness.
"Trial isn't the issue for this sport;
retention is. It's the retention of those 4
to 5 million people who try the sport.
You have to engage them, and you have
to find them people to play with. You
have to be doing things in the trenches."
10 and Under Tennis? Baugh is all in
favor of those numbers, but he'd also
like to see them inch up a bit. Like, oh,
maybe 15 years or so. "Having pro-
grams for kids is a great idea, but the
entire industry needs to come together
with a concrete entry-level adult pro-
gram, too," he notes. "Its the low-hang-
ing fruit and it's being overlooked."
Strong words, but this is a guy who
has a strong history in this industry. As
vice president of sales and marketing,
he helped Prince launch and market the
first oversized racquet. Under his guid-
ance, Prince grew from a $6 million to a
$60 million company and moved to the
top of the racquet world.
Next, as the general manager of Wil-
son Racquet Sports, he was responsible
for explosive growthfrom a racquet
share of 14 percent to more than 50
percent. As president of Wilson Sporting
Goods, he would take that trajectory
T
Tennis Leads Traditional Sports
In Participation Growth Rate
Tennis
Gymnastics
Racquetball
Any soccer
Basketball
Golf (9/18 Hole Course)
Fishing (Freshwater/Other)
Ice Hockey
Baseball
Badminton
Football (Tackle)
37%
Softball (Slow-Pitch) 1-42%
__________________ _L ________________ __
Source: 2012 Physical Activity Council
Tennis still holds a commanding lead among traditional sports in the percentage growth in
participation since 2000, according to data from the Physical Activity Council. In fact, tennis is
the only traditional sport to have a positive growth rate overall from 2000 to 2011 , despite a
slight decline last year. The PAC report is at physicalactivitycouncil.com. (The Physical Activity
Council is made up of the SGMA, Tennis Industry Association, U.S. Tennis Association, National
Golf Foundation, Snowsports Industries America, Outdoor Foundation, and International Health,
Racquet and Sportsclub Association.)
Attention Tennis Providers:
I I I
GrowTennis.com!
2011 State of the
Industry Report
The TIA will soon
release the second
edition of the "State
of the Industry"
report, designed to
analyze industry
data from the
past year that
the TIA has
collected
through
various
surveys and
research
studies. The
annual State of the Industry
report takes a top-level view of trends
and other information to show how
interconnected the tennis industry is.
The State of the Industry will analyze
four segments: the Economy and Tennis;
Demand; Supply; and Competitive Tennis.
The report is available to Industry Level
members of the TIA and above. If you would
like more information on how to obtain a
copy of the report when it is released, contact
the TIA at research@tennisindustry.org or
866-686-3036.
..... ,_
. -
With the soft launch of the PlayTennis.com consumer site, all tennis
providers-teaching pros, facilities, retailers, tennis organizations and
more-should go to GruTI!nl'lis.cnm now to update or add their
information, so consumers can find them. It's a free and easy way to help
.................... .. --..--...... --...... --...... t.'ll--
....,.._. .... _._.,. ....
drive traffic to your business-and to help consumers get into the game
and play more tennis.
Teaching Pros: click the link to update or add your profile, and list your
programs.
Facilities, Club Owners, Tennis Organizations: click the appropriate
buUon to list programs, create or modify your facility profile and more.
.._.._ .... _. _ _.._ .... - - ~ - - ...... - ........
..... - - - ~ ......
. __.,-- ' /
~ PTR ~ - . ~
' ' 1 'I , -
Retailers: Create or update your profile, Including location, store website, brands and products carried and more.
When you update your provider information at GrQwi enn s.cJm, that same information will be available to consumers searching on
PlayTennis.com for places to play, retailers, lessons, clinics, programs, etc.
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2012
Join the TIA .. . Increase Your Profits ... Grow the Game ... www.Tennislndustry.org
Retailers: Stock Up On
10 and Under Tennis Balls
Retailers. like coaches and teaching professionals, are important in leading the way in
assuring that the "right" ball s are being used by the "right" players for 1 0 and Under
Tennis. As the spring and summer seasons approach, make sure you stock the right
inventory of foam and lower compressi on felt bal ls for your customers.
Red ioam and red felt balls should be
UiSed for boy.s and girts 8 and under
playing on 36-fBOl oourl,s.
Orlinge felt b.aUs are tor
those 9 lo 10 playlng on
60-loot c:ourls.
Green-dot felt balls are best for those 1 OU
players competing on regulation 78-foot courts.
Yellow balls are
tor players,
typically 11 &
over, playing on
781out courts.
If your shop is affiliated with a tennis facility, chances are you already
see first-hand how these foam and lower compression balls are helping
youngsters learn tennis in way that's fun and allows for immediate
success-in addition to learning proper technique from the start.
'Dashboard' Tracks Progress for 10 and Under Tennis
To monitor and report on the progress of 10 and Under Tennis. the USTA has created a
dashboard. which sets 2012 goals and tracks the initiative in certa1n categories The
dashboard has national goals and metrics that go into detail for each section and each market.
National goals for 2012. along w1th year-to-date ligures after the f1rst quarter. 1nclude
Category
Oual1fied reg1stered organizers/facilities on
1 Oandundertennls.com .
Permanent 36' or 60' courts or l1nes
Number of USTA Kids Tennis Clubs
Number of 1 OU Play Davs ...
Unique Participants 1n USTA Tournaments.
Un1que Part1C1pants 1n JTT
2012 Goal
2.500
...... 3,200 .. .
600 .
1.500
13.500 .
21.300 .
1/1/12 3/31/12
.631
..... 1,396
514
.999
3.180
3.759
SGJH'A.
Tennis Industry Joins National
Health Through Fitness Day
1 NATIONAL HEALTH
THROUGH FITNESS OAY More than 125 leaders in the sports and fitness industry-
includi ng the TI A and other tennis industry executives- met
on Capitol Hill on March 7 to talk with members of Congress
and their staffs about physical fitness. The event was the
Sporting Goods Manufacturer's Association 13th Annual
.,.,,,
Nati onal Health Through Fitness Day.
In all, there were more than 130 Congressional
meetings to ask for support of two pieces
of legislation: 1) the Carol M. White
Physical Education Program (PEP)
Bill, which funds a grant program to
provide physical education; to date,
nearly $800 million in PEP grants
have been distributed; 2) the Personal
Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act,
which would encourage health and
physical activity by maki ng it more
affordable to engage in sports, fitness
and recreati on through the use of tax
incentives.
Join the TIA ... Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.Tennislndustry.org
Tenn:is Retail
A, :Key Focus At
Industry Meetings
During Tennis Night in America and the BNP
Pari bas Showdown in New York City on
March 5, the TIA held two key meetings
organized to update groups on various
initiatives, programs and objectives. The
following day, the TIA's retail consulting
specialists, the Gluskin Townley Group, met
to discuss challenges affecting the retail
sector and ways for greater involvement with
the industry.
On March 18 in California, the TIA held
its board meeting during the USTA Annual
Meeting. At both the New York and California
meetings, Sports Marketing Surveys
presented the latest participation research,
reviewed the 10 and Under Tennis marketplace
and analyzed tennis consumer trends.
The groups at both meetings also
reviewed initiatives under way with 10 and
Under Tennis at retail, heard about a planned
national consumer promotion that would tie
in with the launch of PlayTennis.com, and
explored the concept of a TIA Road Show
with advocacy and support for retailers. At
the board meeting, TIA President Jon Mui r
noted that for 10 and Under Tennis there's
sti ll a need to "connect the dots" for tennis
retailers and create broad-based awareness
of the free tools and resources avai lable
from the TIA.
For an overview of the TIA's efforts and
resources to support retail growth in the
industry, visit https://tennisretailers.org or
email marty@tennisindustry.org.
M ay 201 2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17
Retailing 110
This is part of a series of
retail tips presented by
the Tennis Industry
Association and written
by the Gluskin Townley
Group (www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
newsletters and 40 percent fliers, with 28
percent e-mailing or mailing reminders for
stringing and 28 percent advertising in local
publications. All of these can be converted
to vehicles for Direct Response Marketing.
According to the data, 23 percent of ten-
nis retailers report using direct mail, which
can be as simple as a postcard turned into a
DRM tool by including a special offer that a
customer can redeem by bring the postcard
into your store.
This leads to the last big point of differ-
ence between Direct Response Marketing
and all other forms of marketing: You can
measure the results. How often have you
asked: Did my investment in this ad actu-
ally bring me business?
But put a coupon, promotional code, or
offer in the ad along with a call to action,
and you will be able to find out how effec-
tive your DRM effort was by simply collect-
ing the responses brought to your store and
attaching them to the resulting transac-
tionthen adding up the transactions to fig-
ure out your ROI on the ad, newsletter or
flier. E-mails are a low-cost way of reaching
your consumer base, but the reason you
want to measure the response you get is to
find out what marketing message works,
and what marketing message doesnt work.
If youre already doing some form of
Direct Response Marketing, then you proba-
bly know how effective it can be. If youre
not yet into DRM, take notice of what other
retailersincluding big stores and super-
marketsare doing in this area. You, too,
can reap the benefitsdirectly!
Coming Up:
Special event marketing. w
ly. All of the businesses associated with these
crossover activities represent potential
sources for your future DRM contact lists.
A Call to Action
By adding a call to action, like a coupon, pro-
motional code or simply bringing the e-mail
or ad to your store, you can turn all of your
marketing into a form of DRM. According to
the latest Tennis Industry Association Cost of
Doing Business Tennis Retailers report, 70
percent of tennis retailers prefer to utilize e-
mail more than any other marketing media
or technique. About 50 percent utilize
irect Response Marketing often
is misunderstood by indepen-
dent specialty retailers, and as
a result, this effective marketing tool is
underutilizedor unfortunately not
used at all.
There are three distinct and impor-
tant differences between Direct
Response Marketing (DRM) and all
other forms of marketing.
w First, DRM is, for the most part, tar-
geted and utilizes your list of existing
customers, and can be used to actual-
ly build your list of potential cus-
tomers.
w Second, DRM includes a call to
action, and solicits a response from
the customers or potential customers
receiving your marketing piece or
message. They are asked to take
some action to respond to your
stores marketing message.
w Third, DRM provides a means of
measuring its effectiveness and
return on your investment.
Your list of existing customers, par-
ticularly if it is in electronic form, is
more valuable than you may think. It
represents the means for you to con-
tinue to build your relationships and to
market your specialty tennis retail
store and the tennis lifestyle products
to those people who have already
spent money with you, and are the
most likely group to continue to spend
money with you.
Acquiring lists of potential cus-
tomers can be done by cross-market-
ing partnerships with other sporting
goods and outdoor retailers and orga-
nizations in your community.
Research shows that frequent tennis
players also snow ski, run/jog, bicycle,
golf, hike, fish, walk for health, use
equipment to exercise, belong to
health clubs and boat or sail frequent-
D
Direct Appeal
If you havent yet used Direct Response Marketing
for your retail business, youre missing a simple
and effective way to bring in customers.
Making the Sale
Directly
For tennis retailers, Direct Response
Marketing can take many forms. For
example, in newspapers and maga-
zines, the ad itself can be the call to
actionclip this coupon and receive
20% off
Direct mail includes coupons, cata-
logs, postcards, letters, fliers and
newsletters. Send a postcard to your
list, for instance, to invite customers
to new product or apparel introduc-
tions: RSVP by May 15 and get a
free
Using the internet for DRM opens
up a whole range of opportunities.
Click-through banner ads, identifiable
discount codes and downloadable
coupons are just a few measurable
ways to advertise and to get the word
out about special events you may
have, such as a pro exhibition or
demo day. For instance, many shops
e-mail racquet restringing reminders,
and thats a great opportunity to add
something like: Print out and bring
this reminder into the store and get
10% off your next restringing
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and beauty, while containing
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the surfaces playability.
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Court Construction
or rebuild courts may still be con-
cerned about keeping costs down, but
some consideration most likely will be
given to the impact their project may
have on the environment, and Sport-
Base could be an alternative they may
want to consider.
The tiles are made of 100 percent
recycled material, Sponaugle says.
But as a green alternative, SportBase
offers other advantages, too. For
instance, it reduces the need for heavy
equipment to come in, as youd have
with a concrete installation. We had
SWCA Environmental Consultants, an
independent lab, run tests comparing
a SportBase installation to a typical
concrete installation. The results show
that installing a SportBase sub-floor
requires less energy and water, creates
fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and
requires fewer overall materials.
Another advantage some may find
appealing: A full court using SportBase
can be installed in a matter of hours;
theres no additional time needed for
any mixing, curing or drying. The
material also is suitable for freeze-
thaw locations.
In addition, says Sponaugle, Sport-
Base has excellent shock absorption
properties. It not only provides out-
standing ball-bounce, but its also a
very safe surface and helps protect
players from injuries, he says.
Sponaugle also points to ease of
maintenance. In areas with high sedi-
ment buildup, SportBase tiles can be
independently removed for cleaning,
then put back in place. Also, if erosion
or other factors affect the sub-base,
the tile can be easily removed then
replaced once the sub-base is
repaired.w
ant to put in a tennis court,
but dont have the room
you may need to install a
concrete base? Or maybe you dont
want the court to be permanent? Or
maybe youre looking for a green
alternative? A new product, SportBase
by Connor Sport Court, may be worth
considering for your court project.
SportBase is a high-performance
support base that can take the place
of concrete, says Lee Sponaugle,
director of corporate accounts for
Connor Sport Court International,
which makes modular sports surfaces.
(Sport Court, headquartered in Salt
Lake City, is the Official Modular
Court for the USTA and 10 and
Under Tennis.)
This is a breakthrough product
that has revolutionized court building
for those areas that want to be green,
have hardscape restrictions, or want
the option of moving the court at
some point, Sponaugle says. Nation-
ally, the cost is similar to that of pervi-
ous concrete, but the benefits of using
SportBase go beyond what concrete
can provide.
After the subsurface is leveled,
then a compacted sub-base is added,
the interlocking SportBase tiles are
laid down, which provides the base
for installing the Sport Court playing
surface. The 18 x 18 x 2-inch, 6.4-
pound SportBase squares snap togeth-
er and have holes to promote
drainage.
With proper preparation of the
sub-base, SportBase tiles will easily
meet any required drainage specifica-
tion, Sponaugle says. Water drains
directly through them, so there are no
environmental runoff issues.
The tiles also are a green alterna-
tive to concrete, he adds. Facility
owners and managers looking to build
W
New Modular, Sustainable
Court Base Provides
Installation Flexibility
For more on SportBase, call 800-421-8112 or visit
sportcourt.com.
Build tennis in your community through the
United States Tennis Association's
Facility Assistance Program
Better Courts are Better for Tennis
Whether you're attempting to build a new tennis facility, renovate and upgrade an existing one or
get your courts ready for 10 and Under Tennis, the USTA can provide the tools you need to make it
happen-from guidance on advocacy efforts to technical and financial assistance.
The USTA is committed to providing access to safe, appealing and functional tennis environments
and is deeply invested in local communities across the country.
For more information about the USTA Facility Assistance Program visit:
usta.com/facilities or email facilities@usta.com
2012 USTA.
~
10ANb
UNDER
TEHMS
COMPETI TI VE PLAYERS
BY ROBI N BAT E MAN
A
s tennis teachers, coaches and programmers, not many
things (besides inclement weather postponing our pro-
grams) fill us with more dread than a player putting down
his racquet and walking away from the game due to a misunder-
standing or incorrect assumption regarding competitive play.
Think about it: You, or a facility employee, recruited a junior,
encouraged him to enroll in beginner classes, followed by private
lessons and maybe a season of USTA Jr. Team Tennis, etc. Then,
he registers for his first USTA sanctioned event. During the tour-
nament, hes uncertain about how to handle some things: the
proper check-in process, incorrect line calls, the length of event,
the 15-minute default rule, etc. He ends up forfeiting a match after
arriving 16 minutes late. His score, Default No Show was posted
on the Internet for everyone to see. How embarrassing is that?
Now, he says, he hates tennis.
Tennis competition, especially USTA sanctioned events, come
with a truckload of rules and regs. Its a lot for a beginner com-
petitor to take in. So, whos responsible for ensuring junior players
are prepared?
Ultimately, the player himself bears the brunt of accountabili-
ty. However, as a facility manager, program coordinator, tourna-
ment director or teaching professional, you have the power to
cultivate the passion for tennis competition in the hearts of your
junior playersand you can help ensure theyre prepared for
competition.
After all, moving kids from on-court lessons to competitive
play benefits you and your facility through increased program par-
ticipation, more lessons for your coaches, traffic for recreational
play and purchases from your pro shop. However, if novice play-
ers sign up for events unprepared, all that hard work you spent on
recruiting and retention can go straight out the window. An
unpleasant first tournament experience can result in player
injury, low self-esteem, or worse, leaving tennis altogether.
So, what can we do to help our junior players? Plenty.
Know your players:
Some juniors have tougher skin and can handle the baptism by
fire approach when it comes to tournament competition. How-
ever, many children may be too sensitive to deal with these sit-
uations early on. You need to be able to gauge player toughness.
Or better yet, let parents know some of the expected pitfalls.
Ask them, You know your child; how do you anticipate your
child will react when confronted with these hurdles?
Get your entire facility involved:
Embrace the it takes a village philosophy to tournament
preparation. Each staff member should be familiar with basic
questions that both parents of novice competitors and the kids
themselves will typically ask. When part-time employees dont
know an answer, they should (at least) know where to direct
specific questions. Recruiting your entire facility to help out
means youll score points for customer service and youll hit the
jackpot when it comes to retention and referrals.
Encourage your coaches
to become more involved:
Parents and players appreciate when I teach more than the
strokes, says Sarah Witherspoon, a PTR certified teaching pro-
fessional at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center in Macon, Ga. I
tell all my students, Stay hydrated, watch what you eat, get
plenty of rest. I let them know tournament formats may
GET THEM READY TO
PLAY
GET THEM READY TO
PLAY
Properly preparing juniors for
sanctioned tournaments isnt just
about strokes and strategy. To
stay interested and involved, they
need to know the rules, regs and
procedures, too.
Properly preparing juniors for
sanctioned tournaments isnt just
about strokes and strategy. To
stay interested and involved, they
need to know the rules, regs and
procedures, too.
BY ROBI N BAT E MAN
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COMPETI TI VE PLAYERS
require three matches in one daymore if
they sign up for doubles. When I warn
them in advance, there are no surprises.
Post FAQs:
For better results, post frequently asked
questions on your website for parents and
players, behind the front desk for all
employees and on the bulletin board for
everyone. If you provide literature for your
brand-new players, include a Tournament
Preparation sheet along with your welcome
packet.
Talk to the experts:
Its not just novice players who have ques-
tions; juniors climbing the ranking ladder
need help, too. For this group, Rick Davi-
son, USTA Georgias Director of Adult and
Junior Competition, says, Remind parents
to utilize their district offices as resource
centers for qualifying tournaments and
ranking points. Many parents receive mis-
information through other parents. Never
assume a parent of a competing child has
all the answers.
Host a forum:
Educating new parents and players is on
ongoing process. Why not hold several
forums on a seasonal basis? Paul Tobin,
head mens and womens tennis coach for
Saint Francis University and ITA northeast-
ern rep in Loretto, Pa., says, Invite a guest
speaker along with local area coaches.
Hosting forums provides parents with an
opportunity to become tournament savvy.
Have one for novice players, suggests
Tobin, and another for advanced players
where college coaches are invited. Who
better than a college tennis coach can paint
a clear picture of NCAA tennis expecta-
tions?
The competition prep forum not only
boasts faculty exposure, it gives parents an
opportunity to fully understand the tourna-
ment structure while providing a chance to
ask questions pertinent to them and their
situations.
When you help prepare your newbies
for tournaments, you not only develop
stronger loyalties between them and their
families, you keep them in the game and
coming back to your courts for lessons and
leagues, and into your pro shop for racquet
stringing and tennis apparel. w
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TOURNAMENT PREPARATION SHEET
Tournament directors sanction events through the USTA, so contact your USTA Section or District if you have questions. There
are tournaments for novice players through experienced, competitive players. Learning the ins and outs of tournament play
will help your junior move from novice to competitive levels.
To cover the rules of competitive tennis, the USTA uses Friend At Court: The USTA Handbook of Tennis rules and Regula-
tions. (You can find it at usta.com under Improve Your Game then Rules.) Friend At Court also has rules for 10 and Under
Tennis sanctioned events.
All players, even beginners, are held to these rules. Learning them takes time. Here are a few key rules, regulations and com-
mon practices to help you get started. Make sure your junior players and their parents are familiar with them. (Post or copy
and distribute this list.)
Before You Play
w Arrive at your match site 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled time.
w Once there, ask for the tournament desk (often, the tournament operates separately from the host facility; asking for the
tournament desk will get you where you need to go.)
w Once at the tournament desk, check in for the event. This lets the tournament staff know you have arrived. Depending on
the event, youll receive player information and may get a T-shirt, bag tag, or some other player gift. You only check in for the
tournament once.
w Match check-in, not to be confused with tournament check-in, is done prior to the start of each of your matches. At match
check-in, you are letting the tournament staff know you are ready to play. If you need to get water, use the restroom, stretch,
or warm-up, do these things prior to your match check-in.
w Check in for your match 15 to 20 minutes prior to the scheduled match time.
w Make sure to ask about the match format: For instance, if you split sets, do you play a full third set, or a match tie-break? Do
you know how to play a match tie-break? If not, make sure its clarified now! Most match tie-breaks are the first to 10 points
by a 2-point margin. But make sure. Note: Before you begin playing a match tie-break, you are allowed to get an official to
assist you.
w Once you check in for your match, you must remain within earshot of the tournament deskyour match could be called at
any moment.
On the Court
w You are entitled to a five-minute warm up, which includes your serves.
w The server calls the score prior to serving the point. Call out your score loud enough so your opponent can hear you.
w Change ends after you complete odd games; 1, 3, 5, etc.
w If disputes arise, put down your racquet and go get an official.
w Never ask a spectator to call lines or settle disputes unless the tournament staff has appointed a designated person. (In 10
and Under Tennis, parents may be allowed on court. Clarify with the desk before entering the court.)
w Once the match is over, walk to the net to shake hands with your opponent.
w The winner is responsible for reporting the score and turning in the tournament tennis balls.
w Both players are responsible for knowing when their next match times are.
Miscellaneous
w If the format calls for a third-set tie-break, then the schedule may call for you to play three matches in one day.
w If the tournament offers doubles, and if you are winning in singles, be prepared to play three singles matches and one doubles
match in one day.
w Never leave your cell phone on. If it goes off during a match, you lose a point.
What to Bring on Court
w A tennis bag with at least one or more tennis racquets.
w A cooler with ice, sports drinks and water.
w A small first aid kit, allowable medications, adhesive bandages.
w A spare pair of shoes, socks, hat or visor, T-shirt.
w Individually wrapped power or granola barsonly food you know wont upset your stomach. Dont eat if you arent hungry.
w Individually wrapped skittles or soft mints or some type of candy that wont melt. Some players find this helpful when playing
long matches.
ACCESSORI ES
T
ennis bags and sports bags, like tennis apparel, con-
tinue to evolve. Tennis bags have gone from simply
holding racquets to carry-alls that have insulated cli-
mate-control compartments, storage areas and multi-uses
that cross over from court to life around town or on the
road. Bags have become a symbol of preferred racquet
brand, identity and personal style.
Racquet manufacturers, of course, continue to produce
their own bags of various sizes, and with increasingly more
features and improvements. Meanwhile, other, smaller
companies also are finding a nice niche in producing stylish
bags for the fashion-conscious or for players who just prefer
a unique look.
26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com
IN
THE BAG
BY CYNT HI A S HE RMAN
Court Couture
Its no wonder that more and more companies are devoting designs to the majority of
tennis shoppers: women. Stephanie Sumarsono, owner of Court Couture, designs
unique bags in polyurethane or synthetic leather, which are substantially padded to
hold two racquets, and have multi-pockets of varying sizes, including one for water.
They also can be used for laptops, shopping and travel. Styles include Cassanova,
Barcelona and the latest line, Karisa, based on the vintage styles of 1950s, 60s and
70s. 408-621-5073; www.courtcouturetennis.com
Cinda B
Cinda B is another fashionable bag choice for women. American-made by one
of the most experienced quilted bag manufacturers, Cinda B bags and acces-
sories are made of highly durable poly/nylon, are water- and stain-resistant and
are machine washable. The tennis tote shown here retails for $153. 877-692-
4632; www.cindab.com.
Babolat
Babolats Aero, Club and Team lines cover every need
for every range of playerfrom a one-racquet back-
pack to a wheeled Team travel bag with an adjustable
handle that can serve as a practical piece of luggage if
youre a tennis road warrior. Smack in the middle is
the Team Line Racquet Bag X6 (suggested retail
$59.95). Two main compartments, one of which is
thermal-lined, hold up to six racquets. A small window
on the bag allows a player to insert a name tag, and a
detachable shoe bag, accessory pockets and adjustable
straps convert the bag to a backpack, making it a ver-
satile accessory for any competitor. 877-316-9435;
www.babolat.com
IN
THE BAG
May 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27 www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Dunlop
Dunlops Biomimetic Bags come in sizes suited for three racquets (shown;
retail $60), six racquets and 10 racquets, plus a backpack ($40) and Wheelie
Holdall ($100). The bags, available in green or red, have three separate com-
partments and the middle compartment is lined with a thermal insulation
to protect racquets in all kinds of climates. Rip-stop nylon material is not
only stylish, but long-wearing, and the bags have been ergonomically
designed for added comfort. 888-215-1530; www.dunlopsport.com
Prince
Princes popular Tour Team Bags are joined by the new Rebel and
Carbon line. The Rebel sports the bold black and yellow of the
new Rebel racquets and come in a triple, six-pack, 12-pack with
adjustable, removable, padded backpack straps (shown; $69) and
backpack styles; the Carbon line boasts a triple, six-pack and
backpack. Each has areas for accessories, footwear and water
bottles. The Rebel 12-pack also has thermal lining to keep rac-
quets safe during extreme temperatures. 800-283-6647;
www.princetennis.com
Gamma
Among the bags Gamma features, a Pro Team six-racquet bag
($74.99) and Tour Team 12-racquet bag ($89.99) offer lots of room
for the serious player. Thermal and moisture protection ensure rac-
quets are protected from extreme climate changes. Accessory pock-
ets, lined compartments for shoes and clothing, and padded and
adjustable backpack straps make these bags serious contenders. 800-
333-0337; www.gammasports.com
Head
In addition to its Tour, Elite and ATP bags, Head has teamed with
Maria Sharapova to create a new line for women. These black bags
are more fashion-forward, but the overall feel is practical and func-
tional. The Maria Sharapova Tennis Racquet BagCourt ($115) has
more of a luggage look, made of Oxford Nylon with blue printed inte-
rior. A back compartment and separate thermal compartment holds
six racquets. Leather tassel details, gold zippers and Head nameplate,
detachable and adjustable padded shoulder straps, front and side
pockets, and detachable toiletry and extra shoe sack takes this
beyond the court. While the Sharapova Combi ($100) looks like a
more traditional bag, it offers the same type of detail, climate protec-
tion compartment and storage for eight racquets. 800-289-7366;
www.head.com
Life is Tennis
One of the first non-racquet companies to make bags designed for a womans busy lifestyle was
Jetpac under Life is Tennis. Coming up on 13 years, its extensive line includes totes, large and small
sling bags, large double-strapped backpacks and a new seriesthe Cooljet, which accommodates
two racquets, has a thermal pocket to keep your beverage cool, and is armed with a ton of storage
and accessory pockets. As with all its bags, Cooljet ($75-$77) comes in a variety of smart patterns
and colors. Strategically placed zippers allow it to be worn as a sling or backpack. 877-682-7888;
www.lifeistennis.com
Maggie Mather
Most of Maggie Mathers stylish totes and racquets bags are made of tough ballistic fabric, with
the exception of one, Poly 600. There are two styles: the traditional two-strap racquet bag
($129), which holds three racquets and is great for traveling since it offers total coverage and
protection of your sticks; and the adjustable-strap two-racquet tote ($96), where the tennis diva
can go from the court to a weekend getaway. Each type has a variety of pockets, with two side
pockets on the tote for a water bottle or can of balls. The colorful zebra-print linings are water
repellent. 206-940-4055; www.maggiemather.com
Wilson
In addition to its full line of bags and backpacks for their racquet lines, Wilson has come
out with two new designer bags glammed out in luxe materials that are functional as
well as stylish. Each can hold two racquets, has accompanying cosmetic bag, additional
storage pockets, and is available in backpack or tote style. The Milan and Trento bags
retail for $95 for both backpack and tote. 800-272-6060; www.wilson.com w
40 Love Couture
Another couture choice among tennis bags is 40 Love Couture, made in Colorado. Styled
along the lines of designer handbags, cross-over multi-function designs include small (Chloe
Hobo, which retails for $250) and large totes with adjustable shoulder straps and embellished
with Swarovski crystals. These hold two racquets and a slew of personal belongings. Slim
sacks (Paris Sack, $225) allow room for one racquet and pockets for clothing and acces-
sories. And there also are carry-alls (Ellie Carry-All, $149). The bags are available in a wide
array of fabrics and faux leathers. 719-930-8150; www.40lovecourture.com
DI STI NGUI SHED FACI LI TY- OF- THE- YEAR AWARDS
T
he nine outdoor hard-court winners of the 2011 Rac-
quet Sports Industry/American Sports Builders Asso-
ciation Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
range in size from the three courts at a public park in Mass-
achusetts to a huge 24-court complex in South Carolina.
Five of these projectsmostly the larger oneswere new
construction; the others were upgrades, but in many cases
total rebuilds. And many had to overcome some challeng-
ing situations during construction to reach an excellent con-
clusion.
At the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass., a soccer practice
field was converted into a 12-court asphalt tennis facility
and included drainage, sidewalks, sitting areas and storm-
water retention areas. The site was extremely rocky and dif-
ficult to work with, and all fence posts, net posts and center
anchor footingsmore than 250 in allused Bigfoot Sys-
tems concrete footing forms.
The Blackhawk School District in Beaver Falls, Pa., demol-
ished its existing three courts and built five courtsin a
two-court battery and three-court battery. The project
required cutting and filling, installing an underground
storm-water detention system, and installing trench drains.
The underground detention system called for removing a
large amount of soil to install 480 linear feet of 60-inch
diameter pipe. During construction, an old building founda-
tion and abandoned well were uncovered and had to be
dealt with.
The new 12-court facility at Colorado State University
includes lights on eight courts, with provisions for future
lighting on the remaining four. Each court was designed to
be accessible to players without impacting other courts. The
biggest issue was the facility had to be sloped to avoid
draining into an adjacent irrigation canal, so water has to
drain across three courts and the 24-foot-wide central walk-
way.
Rebuilding the municipal complex in Elkin, N.C., meant
removing the fencing and pulverizing the old asphalt to re-
use as a base for the eight new courts. The contractor had
to deal with poor soil conditions (requiring a 12-inch full-
depth reclamation with lime stabilization) and poor
drainage from a hillside and parking lot (building new
boxes, re-grading swales, and installing about 450 linear
feet of French drain between the courts and a hillside and
parking lot).
Record rainfall and wet conditions made the construction
of the new 24-court Florence Tennis Center a challenge. The
contractor had to bring in several tons of stone to create
temporary roads to help the heavy equipment get around in
the soft areas of the construction site, a former cotton field
donated by a local businessman. But once the rain sub-
sided, the project proceeded smoothly. There are 10 two-
court batteries, a three-court battery, and a single court,
which eventually will be surrounded by stadium seating.
Also under construction is a multi-million-dollar building to
include locker rooms, a pro shop, eating areas and a deck.
To build the eight new post-tensioned concrete courts in
Goddard, Kan., in four pairs, the contractor had to contend
with windy conditions that blew around a lot of dust. After
the concrete was poured, some areas required grinding to
even off the high spots.
Redoing the three tennis courts in West Boylston, Mass.,
was part of a major park renovation project that had over-
whelming public support and involvement. The existing
courts, on a sloping site, had major erosion problems and
became unsafe to use. To fix the problem, the contractor
built two terraces using retaining walls to maximize court
space and protect existing amenities.
We honored the New Orleans City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center in
our April issue for its 10 clay courts; now were honoring
the facility for the 17 post-tensioned concrete courts, which
include a practice court and a stadium court. The practice
court has backboards on both
ends, including a 12-foot concave
backboard. The site chosen for
the facility had a history of flood-
ing, poor drainage and soil stabil-
ity issues; construction involved
installing drainage and sub-
drainage systems and adding corrugated drainpipe and
concrete catch basins to direct water to the city storm
sewer system.
The four courts at Polo Park in Miami Beach had prob-
lemsthey had been sloped incorrectly (from the net line
to the ends) and had severe cracking below grade and on
the surface. Due to budget constraints, the old courts were
not demolished and removed, but the new courts were built
on top, first installing a reinforced rebar curb around the
existing fencing, then patching all the structural cracks and
installing various layers and systems over that to reduce the
possibility of future cracks. Peter Francesconi w
These outdoor winners are excellent
examples of hard-court construction
and in overcoming obstacles.
For details on the 2012 Outstand-
ing Facility-of-the-Year Awards,
contact the ASBA at 866-501-
ASBA or info@sportsbuilders.org,
or visit www.sportsbuilders.org.
NIFTY NINE
NIFTY NINE
Blackhawk School District
Beaver Falls, Pa.
(Nominated by Vasco Sports Contractors, Massillon, Ohio)
General Contractor: Vasco Sports Contractors
No. of Courts: 5
Surface: Deco ColorCalifornia Products
Net Posts, Nets, Tie Downs: J.A. Cissel
Drain: ACO Polymer Products trench drain
New Orleans City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center
New Orleans, La.
(Nominated by American Tennis Courts Inc., Mobile, Ala.)
Specialty Contractor: American Tennis Courts Inc.
No. of Courts: 17 hard (10 clay)
SurfaceS: World Class Athletic Surfaces (hard); Har-Tru Sports HydroBlend (soft)
Net Posts: Edwards Classic Round
Center Straps: Edwards
Backboards: Bakko Backboards
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colo.
(Nominated by Renner Sports Surfaces, Denver)
Specialty Contractor: Renner Sports Surfaces
No. of Courts: 12
Lighting: LSI Courtsider XL Sports Lighting
Acrylic Resurfacer, Color and Line Paint: World Class Athletic Surfaces
Net Posts, Nets, Windscreens: Douglas Industries
Elkin Municipal Tom Gwyn Tennis Complex
Elkin, N.C.
(Nominated by Court OneDiv. of Recreational Ventures, Granite
Quarry, N.C.)
General Contractor: Court One
No. of Courts: 8
Surface: Laykold
Net Posts: J.A. Cissel
Nets: Pro-1 Sports
Florence Tennis Center
Florence, S.C.
(Nominated by Talbot Tennis, Marietta, Ga.)
Specialty Contractor: Talbot Tennis, Musco
No. of Courts: 24
Surface: Laykold
Net Posts, Nets, Windscreens: J.A. Cissell
Lighting: Musco
Berkshire School
Sheffield, Mass.
(Nominated by Cape & Island Tennis & Track, Pocasset, Mass.)
Specialty Contractor: Cape & Island Tennis & Track
No. of Courts: 12
Surface: DecoTurf
Net Posts, Sleeves: Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Subsurface Irrigation: Welch Tennis HydroGrid
Net, Windscreen: J.A. Cissel
Center Straps, Anchors: J.A. Cissel
Goddard USD 265 Sports Complex
Goddard, Kan.
(Nominated by Mid-American Courtworks, Wichita, Kan.)
Specialty Contractor: Mid-American Courtworks
No. of Courts: 8
Color Surface System: Advantage Sports Surface Systems (Vance Bros.)
Net Posts, Nets: Douglas industries
Goodale Park
West Boylston, Mass.
(Nominated by Warner Larson Inc., Boston)
Architect/Engineer: Warner Larson Inc.
No. of Courts: 3
Tennis Facility at Polo Park
Miami Beach, Fla.
(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)
Architect/Engineer/Contractor: Fast-Dry Courts
No. of Courts: 4
Surface: Nova Sports
Nets, Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts
GENERAL TIPS
w Keep in contact with your sales rep and ask for specific product, pro-
grams or line support. Dont assume the answer is no or that
companies know what your needs are.
w Keep up-to-date on internet and local competitor pricing, as
well as when a product has been taken off MAP (minimum
advertised price), and price accordingly, particularly with slow-
moving or soon-to-be-outdated inventory that you are better
off selling for less profit than tying up money and shelf space.
w Allocate display space based on a categorys contribution to net
profit, not on its physical size or impact on gross sales.
w Use track lighting to highlight a particular item; neon or other special lighting will draw attention to an area.
w Compete on service, knowledge and in your areas of strength. In other words, dont try to out-inventory a big-
box store or undersell fly-by-night websites.
w Enhance, or immediately start to build, your customer databasethe more detailed, the better. With a solid
database, you can contact a specific customer when a new version of their racquet or shoes comes in, or you
can let a spouse know when someone with a birthday coming up has spent a lot of time recently looking at a
particular outfit or racquet.
w Build tennis community relationships by participating in and supporting local events. Find room in your store to
display information of interest to your customers and offer special deals to specific groups, such as senior play-
ers, high school teams or teaching pros.
RETAI L TI PS
F
or most tennis retailers, its devotion to the sport
that drives them. They put in untold hours, and what
little time they may have left over is spent with fam-
ily, friends or possibly squeezing in a quick set or twonot
studying retail theories or reading consultant reports on
best practices.
But even the most experienced tennis retailer can still
benefit from a few tips now and then on how to squeeze
sales from customers and provide top-notch service. And
learning from the experience of others is more efficient
than fighting through ones own experiments gone wrong.
Consider the ideas below a sort of SparkNotes of best
practices for selling racquets, shoes, string, apparel and
accessories, having been gathered from years of RSI inter-
views and stories. Not every idea is guaranteed to work for
every store, but each has proved valuable more than once
as a way to get the most money out of retail square
footage.
BY KE NT OS WAL D
SELLING
POINTS
SELLING
POINTS
These ideas can help boost your sales and provide your customers
with excellent service.
APPAREL
w Make sure fitting rooms are attractive, private, convenient and inviting, with full-length mirrors and enough hangers
and shelves for customers trying on clothes.
w If space permits, put mens clothing up front (since they dont generally shop);
womens farther back to get them through the store with a sales rack even
farther back to guide them through all racks; and kids in their own sec-
tion on the side to avoid store disruption.
w Move or re-pair clothing (with new accessories and sometimes in
the same family, sometimes with a different manufacturers
offering) every couple of weeks for a fresh look.
w Schedule orders so new merchandise is hitting your floor every
three to four weeks
w Stay abreast of manufacturer ads and the outfits star players will be wearing
at the Grand Slam events and other televised tournaments. Display according-
ly and dont be afraid to let customers know that you have a particular players
outfit.
w Offer a custom-embroidery program for individuals and local teams.
w Provide team coaches, local teaching pros and other influencers with
samples of clothing and accessories in exchange for recommending your
store.
RACQUETS
w Stock multiple demo models for lines you will support through sales to maximize manufacturer support. Also, offer
different grip sizes, particularly smaller sizes for women and juniors and keep demos fresh with new strings and
grips. Use a new, premium string on at least one of the most often requested demo models.
w Charge a fee-applied-to-purchase of demo racquets to help with cost of restringing and regripping
your demos and to encourage customers to not demo with you and then start a price
search that might take them elsewhere.
w Restring your most loyal customers demos to their preferred tension.
w Maintain contact with customers while they have your demo racquets; dont
let too many days go by without interaction to avoid their shopping around.
w Create a hitting space in or near your store. Theres a better chance players
will purchase a racquet after they have actually hit balls with it.
w Consider displaying racquets by player type rather than manufacturer family to
give customers a better guide to the racquet for their game.
w Pair a string upgrade or discounted first stringing with each new racquet sale.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com
STRINGS
w Dont just copy the tension of previous string jobs; engage customers in a discussion of how their strings played so
you can better fit them.
w Offer to string racquets while the customer waits. Its a service the internet and big-box stores cant compete with
and it keeps customers in the store and shopping.
w Offer to make changes and adjustments in strings, tensions, lead taping and grip as amateur games improve.
w Show off your stringers and stringing machines on the selling floor rather than hide them
in a back room to advertise business and engage customers in the craft of a well-strung
racquet.
w Explain to customers how premium strings can help improve their game and why the
extra few dollars may be worth it to them.
w Offer to inspect strings and test tension for free when a player drops by on his way to or
from a court. Strings do not have to break to go bad.
w Use this high-margin product to increase sales of other lines and/or enhance customer relationships. Conversely,
give away a commodity (for instance, a free can of balls) with every stringing.
w Volunteer to work with a manufacturers string team at tournaments to keep up to date on new techniques and
industry innovations.
w Offer special pricing for teams or on birthdays or through other creative promotions to build business beyond the
once-a-year norm for many customers.
SHOES
w Shoes are a repeat-sale business. Even with
completely new customers, consider each
(potential) sale a hub for improving customer
relationships and building loyalty.
w Have staff try on every shoe and compare them
as part of training in shoe technology (which is
often needed to support questions of price).
w Be strategic in your shoe display. Dont let the
sales floor display spread beyond the catego-
rys monetary value to the store.
w Display shoes from waist to head height when
possible, then merchandise around the area
with socks, insoles and hats. Putting them on
the floor actually discourages customers from
trying them on.
w Promote durabil-
ity warranties,
particularly to
parents, when
selling high-
priced shoes for
juniors.
ACCESSORIES
w Track sales of accessories as aggressively as you do main mer-
chandisetrack both how much is sold and with what other
products they are sold in order to get ideas about stocking and
display, as well as what might work in cross-promotional sales.
w Stock and display your accessory inventory keeping in mind
that women traditionally are drawn to fashion items while
men have a greater interest in
technological items promising
game improvements.
w In addition to having grips, damp-
eners, wristbands, colored
shoelaces, visors, etc. in areas
where they match with main mer-
chandise (e.g., dampeners near
racquets, laces by shoes, visors
near dresses), test different products around the register to
see what works as an impulse buy.
w Accessories have a high margin, so try providing a free sam-
ple to an opinion shaper, for example, slipping a free set of
wristbands to the league team captain after she checks out.
w Consider adding energy bars, mints, and other sports-themed
snacks to the area around the register. Generally, items under
$15 will do best there.
I am really pleased with this modifi-
cation, even though sometimes the
ends of the string get caught between
the wheels and the floor.
5 sets of Wilson K-Gut Pro 16 to:
Lance Carstensen, Ft. Myers Beach, FL
DETERMINING THE
HIDDEN WEAVE
When I get down to the final cross, I
often tension and clamp off the next-to-
the-last cross without pre-weaving the
last cross, and then loop weave the
last cross. The only problem is that
with the clamp holding the previous
string, it can sometimes be difficult to
see the over/under pattern of the cross-
es on the mains, and because of skips
at the throat, you cant simply follow
the pattern youve been using for the
rest of the string bed.
To ensure that I dont misweave the
cross in this scenario, I look at the
over/under pattern of the cross immedi-
ately above the string clamp. Even
when I cant easily see the pattern of
the previous cross because of the clamp
teeth, the cross that lies above the pre-
vious cross is always clearly visible.
5 sets of Head FXP Control 17 to:
L. Hodges, Lucerne Valley, CA
REMEMBERING THE
POWER PADS
When a racquet comes in with power
pads, they usually fall off as you cut out
the old string bed, so you set them
aside. The problem is that its then easy
to forget to put them back in.
BUMPER GUARD
TAPE PREP
Before I place bumper guard tape on a
client's racquet, I first use an old, clean
towel and rubbing alcohol to clean the
entire hoop. The removal of dirt, sweat,
and other contaminants from the racquet
makes the application of the bumper
guard tape last longer, and my clients
notice. They appreciate the extra care I
take with their racquet.
5 sets of Babolat Revenge 16 to:
Eduardo Ramirez, North Halden, NJ
MOUNTING WHEELS ON
A STRINGING MACHINE
As a home stringer, I store my stringing
machine out of the way when I am not
using it. Carrying it out and back was
always a hassle, but I could never figure
out a satisfactory way to put my Babolat
Star 3 on wheels.
Then I found some three-wheel dollies
at Harbor Freight. They already have a
hole on the center, so that all I needed was
four fender washers and metric bolts.
Tips & Techniques
I solved this problem by applying some
double-sided tape to the top of my
stringing machine. The tape gives me a
place to put the power pads each and
every time, keeps them handy, and
makes them highly visible.
5 sets of Tecnifibre MultiFeel 16 to:
Sam Chan, MRT, Berwick VIC Australia
RENEWING
USED RACQUETS
I like to take a couple of minutes to
clean each racquet thoroughly before I
restring it. I use a toothbrush, a small
spray bottle, two clean small rags, rub-
bing alcohol, and water (you may want
to substitute glass cleaner, as it is espe-
cially good for smudges).
First, cut your strings, but leave
them in to prevent dirt and grit from
entering the grommets. Second, damp-
en one of the rags with the spray bottle
using a mixture of 50/50 water and
rubbing alcohol (or straight glass clean-
er) and clean the entire racquet. It's
important that you spray the rag with
the mixture, rather than spraying
Readers Know-How in Action
Tips and Techniques submitted since 1992
by USRSA members and appearing in this
column, have all ben gathered into a
searchable database on
www.racquettech.com the official member-
only website of the USRSA. Submit tips to:
Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main Street, Vista,
CA 92084; or email greg@racquettech.com
directly onto the racquet. Even with
baked on clay, just allow the mixture a
couple minutes to loosen the dirt. Third,
spray the toothbrush and scrub in-
between the grommet holes, with the
strings still intact, to get into all the
crevices. With the other clean rag, clean
and wipe the entire racquet. Finally,
remove the old strings and wipe down
the racquet one last time. Then its time
to restring the racquet.
I have had clients exclaim that their
tennis buddies asked about their "new"
racquet after this treatment.
5 sets of Tourna Big Hitter Blue 17 to:
Brendon J Travis, MRT, Baltimore, MD
LABELING TIP
Instead of placing the restring label in
the throat of the racquet I like to put it
under the handles finishing rubber
piece. It keeps the label from peeling or
falling off and provides a nice clean look
to the racquet.
5 sets of Gosen Nanosilver 17 to:
Terry Boyle, Denver, Colorado
Greg Raven
?
Ask the Experts
POLY FOR JUNIORS?
WHAT'RE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
polyester for juniors? More juniors
and parents are looking to use
what the pros use. My concern is on the
stiffness of the string on a young arm.
Should age be a factor or just swing
speed? Any thoughts on tension for
juniors (poly and others) would also be
appreciated.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT question,
now that most if not all of the
durable 15-gauge nylon strings have virtu-
ally disappeared off of the market. We
contacted several sources of poly strings to
get their input. Here are the responses we
received:
From Mike Niksich at Tourna:
The question of poly and juniors is a
bit complicated in that there aren't any
long-term scientific studies we can point
to saying that this group of juniors played
polys for X amount of time and now suffers
Y amount of damage because of it. There
also doesn't seem to be much consensus on
the topic with stringing experts or on tennis-
related Internet forums.
First question: Should juniors avoid
using poly until they're breaking strings, to
minimize potential damage to young arms?
As you know poly and co-poly are by
nature stiffer than multifilament strings, so
more shock is going to be transferred
through the racquet to young arms. Howev-
er, you can mitigate this shock by observing
a few guidelines. One is to restring poly
often, as once it loses its elasticity it will
transfer more shock. Of course it depends
on the player, but 10 to 15 hours max
seems to be a consensus. Another is not to
string poly at a reference tension of more
than 55 pounds. Even 55 pounds is stiff for
any poly, including third-generation soft co-
polys. Another is for the junior to use the
heaviest racquet that is comfortable for the
junior who decides to use a poly. Heavier
frames will help to absorb the shock. We
would also recommend that juniors try
hybrids of poly/multi or poly/gut first
before going to a full bed of poly.
Second question: Should the racquets
be full-size only?
We don't have any specific recom-
mendations on this. However, the main
reason a player should use poly is to gain
an increase in control, directional control,
spin, and durability. Poly will help a player
with full swings control the ball while still
providing enough power, but natural gut
and most multifilaments will have a better
energy return than poly. If the player is
using a junior-size racquet, we doubt the
main reason they want to move to a poly
is for more control, but if that's the case
then they can certainly try it.
Third question: Are there any tension
recommendations?
We do not recommend stringing any
poly over 55 pounds. Stringing with a con-
stant pull machine on its slowest pulling
speed possible is also recommended. A
stringer should try and preserve as much
of the elasticity of a poly as possible.
Your Equipment Hotline
Q
A
From Chuck Vietmeier at Gamma:
Because kids tend to follow what
the pros use, we have found it tough to
keep them from adopting polys, which
are used by the pros. That is why we
have been trying to develop soft polys
such as Zo Verve and now our newest
poly, Zo Dart.
In my opinion juniors should wait
as long as possible before using a full
poly stringbed in their racquet. They
certainly should not put a poly in a rac-
quet that is not at least 27 inches long.
Not long ago I had a conversation with
Jay Berger at the USTA Training Center,
and he expressed a lot of concern about
the effects poly strings are having on
the kids in his program. He reported
seeing lots of sore arms every week.
That is what shifted our efforts to the
development of more forgiving polys.
At the very least we recommend
that the younger kids try to hybrid their
strings with a poly main and a soft
cross string.
From Nathan Price at Prince:
Because of the advancement of
polyester string technology in recent
years, I believe it is fine for juniors who
are already competing at a higher level
(national and sectional tournaments) to
use and reap the benefits from poly
strings. A general minimum age I would
recommend for boys is 11 and for girls
is 13 (very dependent on size, strength,
swing speed, playing style), and I would
highly encourage them to play with a
hybrid at this age for at least 2 years
before switching to all poly.
I would recommend polys and
hybrids only be used for juniors who
are big enough to use full size racquets
and regular full compression balls.
Also, I would recommend the tran-
sition to a hybrid occur after juniors are
already breaking multifilament strings.
Polys provide maximum benefit to
those players who have fast swing
speeds, hit the ball hard, or who hit
with spin. These benefits are produced
whether a player is a string-breaker or
not. For all players, polys should be
strung 10% looser than multifilaments
to maximize their playability. For
juniors trying polys for the first time, I
would recommend a 15% tension
reduction to start.
I would recommend Prince's new
Beast Attack Hybrid as the intermediate
step from a nylon before transitioning to full
poly set-up though.
Prince is excited about the future of
polyester technology as we continue to
innovate to help all players take their game
to the next level.
GRIP BANDS
DO THE BIG MANUFACTURERS sell
grip bands, and if so, where can
you buy them?
THE ONLY RACQUET manufacturer
grip bands weve ever seen available
separately as an aftermarket item came
from Gamma. They used to be available
through ATS Sports, although their
current catalog does not list them.
Of course, it is still possible to pur-
chase packaged replacement
grips that include a grip band as
a part of the kit that also
includes a section of grip tape.
The only separate aftermarket grip
band we could find is Tourna Grip Bands,
which come two to a package, and are avail-
able through Fromuth Tennis, Holabird
Sports, Tennis Warehouse, and others.
Greg Raven w
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Racquet
Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-
536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
Q
A
String Playtest
EASE OF STRINGING
(compared to other strings)
Number of testers who said it was:
much easier 1
somewhat easier 2
about as easy 22
not quite as easy 8
not nearly as easy 0
OVERALL PLAYABILITY
(compared to string played most often)
much better 2
somewhat better 4
about as playable 12
not quite as playable 13
not nearly as playable 2
OVERALL DURABILITY
(compared to other strings
of similar gauge)
much better 1
somewhat better 6
about as durable 19
not quite as durable 6
not nearly as durable 1
RATING AVERAGES
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability 3.6
Durability 3.8
Power 3.6
Control 3.7
Comfort 3.2
Touch/Feel 3.2
Spin Potential (1st place) 4.4
Holding Tension 3.5
Resistance to Movement 4.0

T
ourna Big Hitter Black 7 is a seven-
sided geometric monofilament
polyester (in this case, a co-poly-
ester). According to Tourna, Big Hitter
Black 7 is an ultra-playable string that
bridges the gap between co-polys and
multi-filaments. Designed to be extremely
elastic, Big Hitter Black 7s sharp edges
grab the ball while the heat-treated hyper-
elastic materials hold it until ready for
launch. The increased dwell time and spin
allow advanced players to hit a heavy
ball with accuracy, without sacrificing
comfort or durability. Tourna rates Big
Hitter Black 7 as having a midrange
power response. Tourna says that tension
will remain stable until its time to
restring, after some initial loss immediate-
ly after stringing, a characteristic of its Big
Hitter line.
Big Hitter Black 7 is aimed at
advanced big hitters looking for a softer
poly that can generate spin and control,
yet is durable enough for hard training
and tournament play.
Big Hitter Black is available in gauges
16 (1.25-1.27mm) and 17 (1.20mm-
1.22mm) in black only. It is priced from
$8.95 for sets of 40 feet, and $84 for 660-
foot reels. For more information or to
order, contact Tourna at 800-554-3707, or
visit uniquesports.us. Be certain to read
the conclusion for a special offer on Big
Hitter Black from Tourna.
IN THE LAB
We tested the 17-gauge Big Hitter Black.
The coil measured 40 feet. The diameter
measured 1.21-1.24 mm prior to string-
ing, and 1.16-1.18 mm after stringing. We
recorded a stringbed stiffness of 74 RDC
units immediately after stringing at 60
pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x
18 pattern) on a constant-pull machine.
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed
stiffness measured 68 RDC units, repre-
senting an 8 percent tension loss. Our
control string, Prince Synthetic Gut Origi-
nal Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units
immediately after stringing and 71 RDC
units after 24 hours, representing a 9 per-
cent tension loss. In lab testing, Prince
Synthetic Gut Original has a stiffness of
217 and a tension loss of 11.67 pounds,
while Tourna Big Hitter Black 7 has a stiff-
ness of 196 and a tension loss of 21.66
pounds. Big Hitter Black added 16 grams
to the weight of our unstrung frame.
The string was tested for five weeks
by 33 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-
ings from 3.5 to 6.0. These are blind tests,
with playtesters receiving unmarked
strings in unmarked packages. Average
number of hours playtested was 23.2.
Tourna recommends stringing 5%
lower than with nylon, so thats what we
recommended to the members of our
playtest team.
There is no doubt that Big Hitter Black
7 is a geometric string from the moment
you take it out of the package. The edges
feel to be the sharpest weve ever felt.
Because of this, your fingers catch on the
mains when weaving the crosses, and
pulling the crosses actually shaves tiny
parts of the edges off the mains.
No playtester broke his sample during
stringing, six reported problems with coil
memory, three reported problems tying
knots, and six reported friction burn.
ON THE COURT
Tourna Big Hitter Black 7 certainly looks to
be a spin string, considering its edges, its
gauge, and its composition, and its perfor-
mance impressed our playtest team. They
rated Tourna Big Hitter Black 7 the best
string for Spin Potential of the 163 strings
weve playtested to date for publication.
But thats just the frosting on the cake: Our
playtesters also rated Big Hitter Black 7 as
having excellent Power and Resistance to
Movement. Rounding things out, our
playtest team members rated Big Hitter
Black 7 well above average in Durability,
Control, Playability, Tension Retention, and
Touch/Feel.
Two members of the playtest team
broke the sample during the playtest peri-
od, one each at five hours and 12 hours.
CONCLUSION
With our playtesters rating Big Hitter Black
7 well above average or better in eight out
of nine categories, its fitting that Big Hitter
Black 7s overall average score is the tenth
highest of all time. If you recommend Big
Hitter Black 7 to customers looking for
more spin, the combination of the geomet-
ric cross-section and the on-court perfor-
mance will convince them that you know
your stuff.
If you think that Big Hitter Black 7
might be for you, dont miss Tournas buy-
one-get-one-free offer for USRSA members
in the U.S.
Tourna Big Hitter Black 7
Greg Raven
Good feel, outstanding spin. This

could be my new string.
4.0 male all-court player using Volkl V1

Classic strung at 56 pounds CP (Wilson
Hyperlast Spin 19)
Nasty bite! Hitting heavy spin is effort-

less.

4.5 male all-court player using
Wilson BLX Tour strung at 52 pounds CP
(Luxilon Alu Power 16L)
Great combination of power and dura-

bility!
4.5 male all-court player using

Wilson K Blade strung at 57 pounds LO
(Luxilon Adrenaline 16L)
This poly has a rare blend of spin and

comfort.
5.0 male serve-and-volley

player using Babolat Pure Drive + Cortex
GT strung at 60 pounds CP (Luxilon Sav-
age 17)
Great bite! Holds tension well. Defi-

For the rest of the tester comments, visit www.racquet-
sportsindustry.com.
TESTERS
TALK
nitely not as stiff as most polys.
4.0 male serve-and-volley player using Wilson

BLX Six One (16x18) strung at 52 pounds LO
(Wilson NXT 16)
This string makes a sharp knife seem dull.

Its a great baseline tool for heavy spin.
5.0
male all-court player using Head Youtek Pres-
tige Pro strung at 57 pounds CP (Luxilon Alu
Power 16)
This is definitely a high-end copoly. It has

tons of control. Power is high, but the feel gets
worse after ten hours.
4.5 male all-court

player using Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT strung
at 55 pounds CP (Babolat RPM Blast 16)
This string has no shortage of bite. It is

friendlier than other polys.
4.0 male baselin-

er with heavy spin using Babolat Pure Drive
Roddick strung at 60 pounds LO (Luxilon Alu
Fluoro 17)
T
ennis teaching is hard work. It
can entail long and difficult
hours, challenging students and,
many times, a job with limited or no
health and retirement benefits. While
the industry is trying to correct some of
these shortcomings, those who teach
tennis do it more for the love of the
game and the lifelong relationships that
teaching can bring.
The reality is, the average age of a
tennis professional is 46, and rising
each year. Clearly, there is a need to
bring more and younger men and
women into the tennis teaching pro
ranks.
But, as a facility director or manag-
er, you are now faced with a chal-
lengeyou need to hire a new teaching
pro or tennis director for your facility.
What are you going to look for in your
candidate?
Most club directors or managers
would agree that a candidate only gets
one shot at making a first impression,
and its often that initial meeting that is
most critical. A more traditional facility
director might make assumptions
based on a candidates personal
appearance, clothing, tattoos or pierc-
ings, type of vehicle, etc. A more up-to-
date manager might tolerate some
things others would notbut in any
case, first impressions play a key role in
a candidates ultimate viability in fulfill-
ing a particular job opening, and a
savvy job candidate needs to be con-
scious of the impression he or she
makes.
Facility directors should do an
extensive background search on the
candidate, noting previous jobs, length
of service at each, and the reasons for
leaving. Is the candidate certified by the
and does he have the ability to relate to stu-
dents, parents and families and provide
lifes lessons within the club environ-
ment?
I love working with people people
and I think most tennis club members do
as well. Folks who can conduct a conversa-
tion about other things besides tennis and
have a nice balance between work and
personal life add to a teaching staff.
A friend mentioned another trait I
found interesting. I like employees who
are open to motivation, he said. Im sure
weve all been in staff meetings where a
need occurs, but no one, or only one per-
son, volunteers for the task. I realize I just
talked about balance and well-rounded-
ness, but an employee I want to work
with is someone who does volunteer often,
is willing to take the lead and attempt the
job, and is willing to learn a new skill.
One of my favorite questions to ask
goes back to my coaching days. When
recruiting a prospective student-athlete, I
would consider, Is this kid a good team-
mate? Another way to look at a candidate
is to ask, Is this person a me person or a
we person?
I love we people. Those folks look at
a challenge that a facility may have and
they say, We can do this. Too many
times, the response is, I dont think this
will work, or, Count me out. I say, let
those candidates take a job at the club
down the road. I dont want them as part
of my staff.w
Your Serve
Hiring a Tennis Pro?
An industry veteran who helps match
teaching pros to jobs has some advice on
what to look for.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com.
BY DE NNY S CHACKT E R
Tennis industry veteran Denny Schackter owns
Tennis Priorities (tennispriorities.com), a
placement firm for tennis professionals. He
can be reached at chibadger@aol.com.
USPTA or PTR, or both? Has the candi-
date taken advantage of educational
opportunities to increase working knowl-
edge? Has the candidate been a good
teammate in previous jobs? Does the
candidate have an engaging personality,
good communication skills with all age
groups, a good handshake and eye con-
tact? Does the on-court lesson encom-
pass a private and/or group strength?
Does he or she show compassion and
empathy? Is he reliable and on time, pas-
sionate about tennis and a lifelong learn-
er? Does the candidate have a sense of
humor?
One director I talked to mentioned
good writing skills as an attribute, impor-
tant in communicating with parents and
members, as well as interacting in the
community.
As Ive found in my tennis consulting
business and in placing teaching pros
with various clubs, I believe one of the
soundest ways to judge a tennis profes-
sional is to investigate the candidates
past. Patterns generally appear at each
stop, and those patterns, good and bad,
are the product you are buying.
I asked friends and family who work
in a variety of professions, What do you
think are the ingredients for the perfect
employee? After all, hiring a tennis pro
is no different than hiring a sales rep or a
nurse or any other professional. One of
the responses I received that intrigued
me was someone who said he works
with folks who lack well-roundedness.
They would rather finish a task at work
than go home to loved ones or attend a
scheduled family event.
Now, most managers probably would
say, I love it. What a great work ethic!
Looking further, though, you could ask,
Is this potential employee well-rounded,
, TENNIS BALL AND STRINGER OF THE FRENCH OPEN

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May 2012

Volume 40 Number 5 $5.00

Good feel, outstanding spin. This

4.0 male all-court player using Volkl V1

Nasty bite! Hitting heavy spin is effort-

Great combination of power and dura-

4.5 male all-court player using

This poly has a rare blend of spin and

5.0 male serve-and-volley

Great bite! Holds tension well. Defi-

4.0 male serve-and-volley player using Wilson

This string makes a sharp knife seem dull.

This is definitely a high-end copoly. It has

4.5 male all-court

This string has no shortage of bite. It is

4.0 male baselin-

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