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January 2012

Volume 40 Number 1 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com

CHAMPIONS

OF TENNIS2011Our annual awardshonor those whocontinue to make

this sport a winnerWestern Racquet Club Todd Mobley Leslie Coatings Lee Sponaugle

All About Tennis Mike Woody

Jeff Rothstein Brenda Gilmore

Roger Scott Tennis Center Tualatin

Hills Park & Rec Jeremiah Yolkut

Hinding Tennis Cadwalader Park

Bucks County T.A. Jorge Capestany

Feisal Hassan Jim Neal & Jim

Solomon USTA Middle States PGA Tour Superstores

CHAMPIONS

OF TENNIS2011Our annual awardshonor those whocontinue to make

this sport a winnerWestern Racquet Club Todd Mobley Leslie Coatings Lee Sponaugle

All About Tennis Mike Woody

Jeff Rothstein Brenda Gilmore

Roger Scott Tennis Center Tualatin

Hills Park & Rec Jeremiah Yolkut

Hinding Tennis Cadwalader Park

Bucks County T.A. Jorge Capestany

Feisal Hassan Jim Neal & Jim

Solomon USTA Middle States PGA Tour Superstores


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FEATURE

DEPARTMENTS

R S I J A N 2 0 1 2

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 3,000th youth-size courtdedicated in Atlanta

7 CTDW in New Orleans7 PTR Symposium set for

Orlando

8 Ashaway offers soft powersquash string

8 Adidas launches Barricade7.0 tennis shoe

8 Indoor event chooses sun-glasses to cut glare

8 Dunlop adds Biomimetic 600Tour frame

9 Cardio Tennis AuthorizedProviders coming in 2012

10 Peoplewatch

11 USTA offers funding for 10Ulines on clay

11 New nomination proceduresfor USTA awards

12 Short Sets13 Schedule changes coming to

US Open?

4 Our Serve7 Industry News15 Court Equipment16 Retailing Tip

18 TIA News44 Ask the Experts46 String Playtest: Wilson NXT Control48 Your Serve, by Mary Helen Sprecher

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

CoverphotobyBobKenas

29Wheelchair TennisChampion of the YearJeremiah Yolkut

29 10 and Under Tennis FacilityDeveloper of the YearHinding Tennis

30 Public Park of the YearCadwalader Park

30 Community Tennis Associationof the YearBucks County Tennis Association

31 PTR Member of the YearJorge Capestany

31 USPTA Member of the YearFeisal Hassan

32 High School Coaches of the YearJim Neal and Jim Solomon

32 USTA Section of the YearMiddle States

33 Chain Retailer/Mass Merchantof the YearPGA Tour Superstores

ContentsContents

21Person of the YearPat Freebody

24 Private Facility of the YearWestern Racquet Club

24 Stringer of the YearTodd Mobley

25 Builder/Contractor of the YearLeslie Coatings Inc.

25 Sales Rep of the YearLee Sponaugle

26 Pro/Specialty Retailer of the YearAll About Tennis

26 Tennis Advocate of the YearMike Woody

27 Junior Tennis Champion of the YearJeff Rothstein

27 Grassroots Champion of the YearBrenda Gilmore

28 Municipal Facility of the YearRoger Scott Tennis Club

28 Park & Recreation Agency of the YearTualatin Hills Park & Rec District

Our annual awards honorthe people, businessesand organizations thatare making a differencein the tennis industry.

35 String SelectorUse our exclusive charts to find the perfect strings for your customers


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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

Technical Editor

Jonathan Wolfe

Contributing Editors

Robin Bateman

Cynthia Cantrell

Joe Dinoffer

Greg Moran

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: [email protected]

Website: www.racquetTECH.com

Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time

Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna

770-650-1102, x.125

[email protected]

Apparel Advertising

Cynthia Sherman

203-263-5243

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per

year: monthly January through August and com-

bined issues in September/October and Novem-

ber/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). January 2012, Volume 40, Number 1

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


The Champions Around Us

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2012

I

had an unusual pleasure on a recent trip to FloridaI met up

with two tennis industry friends and spent a wonderful few

hours talking about tennis history, the business of tennis,

and where things seem to be headed. Carlos Goffi has coached

for nearly 40 years, mostly junior players, including John and

Patrick McEnroe, Mary Carillo and Peter Fleming, among many

others; he and Fleming developed a resort in South Carolina into

a top tennis destination; and he wrote the tennis bestseller

Tournament Tough with McEnroe. Marketing and p.r. expert

and tennis insider Randy Walker, who is with New Chapter

Media, is, well, one of the most knowledgeable people about the

sport Ive ever had the pleasure to meet.

Over dinner at an excellent Brazilian restaurant in Orlando, Carlos told us

about growing up in Sao Paulo, his time on the pro tour, meeting and working

with the legendary Harry Hopman (who introduced him into coaching), the time

when the students he coached were turning pro (Carlos was the pro at South

Orange where Fleming-McEnroe began their dominant career as a doubles team),

and the business of coaching and running tennis camps. Carlos clearly loves this

sport, and he is extremely proud that his son Josh is in this business as the mens

tennis head coach at the University of South Carolina.

One theme that seemed to run through our conversation is how, in the tennis

business, you often keep running back into people you had met years before.

Those of us who have been in this industry for a while, like Carlos, Randy and

me, see that all the time. Its one of the nice things about the tennis industrythe good people who keep rotating back into your life.

And that got me thinking about this issue of RSI and our Champions of Ten-

nis award winners, and how great it is to recognize those in the tennis business

who have been doing some amazing things.

Were now into our 11th year of these awards, which have grown to 20 cate-

gories, and theres a good chance that you know someone who has won one of

our awards over the years. Maybe its someone you worked with years ago at a

tennis facility, retail store or manufacturer, or someone you currently deal with

in a national or local tennis organization.

But sitting with Carlos and Randy, I realized that our Champions of Tennis

awards are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the great people who

champion this sport in one way or another. On a practical level for RSI, that can

be an overwhelming thoughtthere are so many great people out there, how do

we know who to choose for our awards?

On the other hand, Im certain well never run out of great people who are

truly Champions of Tennis.

Peter Francesconi

Editorial Director


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Indoor Event Chooses Sunglasses

Maui Jim was the official sunglass supplier of the ATPWorld Tour Valencia Open 500 in Spain in November.All line judges for the indoor tournament wore Maui Jim

sunglasses, which the company says cut glare from the

indoor lights and enhanced depth perception and con-

trast on the court."This is a first for any sunglasses manufacturer," said

Linda Glassel, vice president of marketing for Maui Jim.

"Our customers who play indoor tennis have known for

a long time that

wearing our HCL

Bronze or Maui HT

lenses for indoor

play makes your

vision more clear

and improves defi-

nition." For more

information, visit

MauiJim.com.

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Dunlop Adds Biomimetic 600 Tour

Dunlop has added the 600 Tour to its Biomimetic 600Series. The Tour is heavier and stiffer than its two siblings(the 600 and 600 Lite) and features the three core Biomimetic

technologies: HM6 Carbon, which enhances feel; Aeroskin,

which reduces aerodynamic drag; and the Gecko-Tac grip,

says the company.

"With Tommy Robredo playing the 600 and Dominika

Cibulkova playing the 600 Lite, the 600 series has exceeded

our expectations since its introduction last November. Theone request we've had, though, is for a heavier version,"

says Hunter Hines, tennis product manager for Dunlop

Sports Group Ameri-

cas. "It is designed

for players looking

for tremendous

power with added

control and forgive-

ness."

The 600 Tour is

102 square inches

and 11.11 ounces strung, with a 16 x 19 string pattern. Sug-

gested retail is $210. Visit dunlopsport.com.

Clarification

The Ask the Experts col-umn in RSI November/December 2011 (page 37)

listed the suggested retail

price for Uniques Tourna

StringMeter rather than the

wholesale price, which is

$19.

Ashaway Offers Soft Power Squash String

Ashaway Racket Strings says recent advances in Zyex materialtechnology have allowed it to offer squash players a new per-formance characteristic for their string: "soft power." According

to Ashaway's Steve Crandall, soft power stems from the combi-

nation of new Zyex multifilament cores and the textured, high

tenacity monofilament nylon jackets available in the company'srecently introduced UltraNick 17- and 18-gauge squash strings.

For more information, visit ashawayusa.com.

Adidas Tennis Launches Barricade 7.0

For the first time, Adidas Tennis has launched two versions of itsBarricade shoe. The mens version of the Barricade 7.0 weighs anounce less than its predecessor without sacrificing stability, durability

and comfort, says the company, and the new womens version fea-

tures a subtle design and weighs 10.4 ounces.

The shoe is worn by tour players Andy Murray and Andrea

Petkovic, and Adidas says it collaborated with

elite players in the development of the

shoe. Over a period of more than 18

months we tested the shoe with

more than 30 professional

and semi-professional play-

ers. Our product testing

department spent roughly

2,500 hours with athletes to

make sure the shoe is the

best Barricade ever, says

Graham Williamson, Adi-

das vice president of business unittennis.

Adidas says the hallmark Barri-

cade claws and a specially

constructed chassis add stabil-

ity, and SprintWeb and

adiPrene+ technologies add

flexibility, cushioning and com-

fort in the forefoot area. The

womens 7.0 has a more ele-

gant design, a softer forefoot

flex and reduced weight. The Barri-

cade 7.0 will retail for $140 (mens) and $130 (womens).


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Cardio Tennis Authorized Providers Coming in 2012

CardioTennis.com has been revamped and improved, and with the new website comesa newly developed platform for tennis professionals and facilitiesthat want to become Cardio Tennis Authorized Providers.

Coming in early 2012, Authorized Providers will have instant

access to the new Cardio Tennis Invitation System, allowing them to

easily create Cardio Tennis class information and post it for consumers onCardioTennis.com, or mark it as private to only invite players at your facility. The invita-

tion system allows you to prioritize: Send to your primary group first and if you don't fill

your class, the system will automatically invite your secondary list, then a tertiary list,

making it easy to fill all your classes. Another time-saving feature is the class administra-

tion tools: You can require payment as soon as customers sign up online, and they pay

right through the system.

To become an Authorized Provider, complete the application at CardioTennis.com and

sign up and pay online. For questions, contact the TIA at (843) 686-3036 x223 or email

[email protected].

I N D U S T R Y N E W S

January 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9www.racquetsportsindustry.com

USPTA Player Develop-ment Conference Set

The USPTA Competitive PlayerDevelopment Conference will be Jan. 20-22 at Club Med Sandpiper

Bay in Florida. The conference will

allow attendees to learn the Spanishmethod for developing players. Fea-

tured speakers include

Emilio Sanchez Vicario,

Luis Mediero and Gabe

Jaramillo.

Sanchez Vicario, who is

a USPTA Master Professional, is the

former captain of the 2008 champi-

onship Davis Cup team for Spain

and a former tour player ranked No.

7 in singles and No. 1 in doubles.

Mediero is a USPTA Master Pro-

fessional and the founder of Reg-

istro Profesional de Tenis (RPT) in

Madrid, Spain. Mediero, who is also

the president of the International

Coaches Institute, has a lifetime of

coaching experience that he has

shared through courses, clinics and

conferences in 80 countries.

Jaramillo is a renowned internation-

al tennis coach. He was the director

of the Bollettieri junior tennis pro-

gram for 26 years and trained such

tennis greats as Andre Agassi andMonica Seles. Jaramillo, who is a

USPTA-certified P-1 member and an

RPT International Master Pro, is

now the tennis director for Club

Med Academies.

Early registration, through Dec.

31, is $300 for USPTA members and

includes all materials. Visit

uspta.com, or contact florida@

sanchez-casal.com or 239-641-

0010.

Aussie One-Ups OtherSlams in Prize Money

The 2012 Australian Open willhave the richest purse in protennis, at $24.7 million (US) and

the mens and womens singles

champs will take home $2.3 mil-

lion each. Singles champs at the

2011 US Open took home $1.8 mil-

lion, at Wimbledon $1.7 million,

and at the French, $1.6 million.

CardioTennis.com now has more detailed information for both providers

and consumers about the expanding Cardio Tennis program. The

enhanced functionality and technology features of the new site are cru-

cial components to growing the base of Cardio Tennis providers and play-

ers, says the TIA. For consumers, CardioTennis.com makes it easier to find

providers, as well as learn more about the program. In early 2012, con-

sumers will be able to not only search for a Cardio Tennis session online,

but also will be able to sign up and pay for their sessiona seamless

transition from learning about Cardio Tennis to hitting the courts.

Visit the New CardioTennis.com


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10RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2012

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Brian Barth is the new territory manager forDunlop Sports in Northern California and North-

ern Nevada, including the San Francisco and

San Jose markets. He'll be based out of Mill

Valley, Calif.

Wilson Tour player and Wimbledon champPetra Kvitova of the Czech Republic won her first WTA

Championships in Istanbul recently, beating Victoria Azarenka of

Belarus 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Kvitova, the world No. 2, plays with the Wil-

son Tour BLX racquet.

The Grand Prize winner of Heads Use Your Instinct to Play withMaria Sharapova essay contest is 15-year-old Nadia Hilton-Adams

from Greenville, S.C. Her essay was chosen from among over 750

entrants. She and two friends will have a hitting session with

Maria Sharapova and will take home three YouTek IG Instinct Rac-

quets, Head tennis bags, and Head shoes and shirts. Nadia is the

No. 1 varsity player at Southside High School.

The U.S. womens tennis team collected the gold medal and thebronze medal in singles at the Pan American Games in Guadala-

jara, Mexico. No. 2 seed Irina Falconi, 21, of Atlanta, captured the

gold, and No. 1 seed Christina McHale, 19, of Englewood Cliffs,

N.J., won the bronze.

Larry J. Franklin, president of Franklin Sports Inc., has been re-elected as the chairman of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers

Association for a one-year term.

Dillon Pottish, a senior from Emory University, and Annie Hwang,a junior at BYU-Hawaii, received the 2011 James O'Hara SargentSportsmanship Awards, presented by Rolex Watch USA.

At the 2011 Pan Am Games held recently in Guadalajara, Mexi-co, Head racquetball players Rocky Carson won the gold medal in

mens singles, Samantha Salas brought home a gold in womens

doubles, and Shane Vanderson won bronze in mens doubles.

Ivan Rojas has joined Adidas America in the tennis specialty salesforce managing the Florida territory. For the last seven years, Rojas

worked for Prince Sports, where he was recognized as the Region-

al Rep of the Year in 2009.

Anastasia Myskina of Russia is the recipient of the 2011 Fed CupAward of Excellence, presented by the International Tennis Hall of

Fame and the ITF.

The WTA has extended for five years the contract of CEO StaceyAllaster.

Ken Meyerson, agent to players including Andy Roddick, MardyFish and Agnieszka Radwanska, died Oct. 19 in his sleep, appar-

ently due to a heart attack. He was 47. Meyerson was president of

Lagardere Unlimiteds tennis division.

Brian Earl Bauer, 67, a partner and owner in Agile Courts Con-struction Co. of Miami, died Oct. 15 following a long battle with

cancer. Donations may be made to a memorial fund that will be

forwarded to Brian's surgeon. Email [email protected] or call

305-667-1228 for details.

The Pro Squash Tour has signed Australia's No.1 squash playerand two-time PSA World Champion David Palmer. Also, Georgetta

Morque joint PST as director of media relations.

Christine Frost has been named to the new posi-tion of chief development officer at the Internation-

al Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. Frost comes to

the Hall of Fame with 20 years of experience in

fundraising, strategic planning and marketing.

New York Junior Tennis League presented its annual LeadershipAwards to Cantor Fitzgerald Chairman and CEO Howard Lutnick

and to tennis legend John McEnroe in November.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and the ITFhave presented the 2012 Golden Achievement Award to

Shamil Tarpischev, president of the Russian Tennis

Federation. The award is presented annually to an

individual who has made important contributions

internationally to tennis in the fields of administra-

tion, promotion or education.

Dunlop Squash Tour Team member Nick Matthewclaimed the World Open squash title for the second consecutive

year when he defeated fellow Dunlop Tour Team member Greg

Gaultier in Rotterdam. USTA Executive Director Gordon Smith is the recipient of the2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Darlington School in

Rome, Ga.

Mitchell Frank of the University of Virginia and Marta Lesniak ofSMU won the mens and womens singles titles at the USTA/ITA

National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in November, held

at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. In addition,

three-time ITA All-Americans Denise Dy of the University of Wash-

ington and Eric Quigley of University of Kentucky were named the

2011 USTA/ITA Sportsmanship Award winners.

IMG owner Ted Forstmann, 71, died of brain cancer in New YorkCity on Nov. 21. He bought the sports agency in 2004.

Inductees into the 2011 Texas Tennis Hall of Fame are: Jim Chaf-fin of Dallas, Ron Woods of Corpus Christi, Dick Landenberger of

Dallas, and the late Quinn Connelley.

Diane Fishburne Barker of Charleston, S.C.; Emmett Par of NewOrleans, and Dr. Don Varga of Louisville, Ky., will be inducted into

the 2012 USTA Southern Tennis Hall of Fame.

PEOPLEWATCH


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12RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

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> The USTA has donated two tenniscourts to the Charlie Norwood Veterans

Administration Medical Center in Augus-

ta, Ga., for its tennis therapy training pro-

grams. The donation of the courts is part

of the USTAs ongoing outreach to sup-port U.S. military service members and

their families. The two courts, designed

and installed by Sport Court, were built

last year to help kick-off First Lady

Michelle Obamas Let Move! program

on the White House Lawn.

> The USTA has sold the U.S. Mens ClayCourt Championships in Houston to an

investor group led by billionaire Fayez

Sarofim. Terms were not released. The

tournament, to be played in April, will

remain at the prestigious River Oaks

Country Club.

> USPTA members who want to partici-pate in the 2012 Head equipment pro-

gram must submit their contracts by Jan.

31. For more information, call 800-237-

5497 or e-mail [email protected].

> Tennis Channel and the WTA haveextended their programming agreement

through 2016, keeping at least a dozen

Premier-level tournaments on the net-work each season, as well as the WTA's

year-end Championships, which will take

place in Istanbul through 2013.

> The U.S. wheelchair tennis team cap-tured three gold, one silver and one

bronze medal at the Parapan Am Games

in Guadalajara, Mexico, Nov. 13-18.

Mackenzie Soldan, 19, of Louisville, Ky.,

won the gold in singles, defeating silver

medalist, and her doubles partner, Emmy

Kaiser, 21, of Fort Mitchell, Ky. The pair

then captured the gold in doubles. The

mens team of Jon Rydberg, 34, of St.

Paul, and Steve Welch, 34, of Arlington,

Texas, also won gold, and Welch won the

bronze in singles.

> The health club chain Sports Club/LAannounced a partnership with Fila. The

partnership will launch at five Sports

Club/LA locations in Boston, Miami, New

York-Upper East Side, San Francisco and

Washington D.C., and include Fila cloth-

ing in the clubs retail shops, creation of new

and exclusive staff uniforms, and promo-

tional events.

> The USTA has agreed to a new three-year

contract to host its annual Australian OpenWild Card Playoffs at the Racquet Club of

the South (RCS), a USTA Certified Regional

Training Center in Atlanta.

> The latest DVD by Kultur is 2011 USOpen Men's Final: Nadal vs Djokovic. Run

time is 200 minutes, price is $24.99. Visit kul-

tur.com.

> Recreational tennis teams from Califor-nia, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri and New

Jersey captured national championship titles

at the World TeamTennis Rec League

National Finals in November, held at the Indi-

an Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells,

Calif. A field of 54 recreational tennis teams

representing 15 states competed in 12 divi-

sions during the three-day tournament. Visit

WTT.com/recleagues.

> The Womens Tennis Association hasdonated $25,000 to USANA Health Sci-

ences Ace Out Hunger program, a chari-

ty that raises money for some of the worlds

neediest children. During Wimbledon,USANA Health Sciences, the official health

supplement supplier and official partner of

the WTA, donated $10 for every ace served

at a WTA event. To date, more than 3,500

aces have been hit by WTA players at tour-

naments.

> The 19th annual WTT Smash Hits, held inCleveland in October, raised more than

$500,000 for the Elton John AIDS Founda-

tion and the AIDS Taskforce of Greater

Cleveland. Team Elton rallied to win the

match over Team Billie Jean 19-18. In its 19-

year history, WTT Smash Hits has raised

more than $10.5 million.

> Luxury Italian Tours will offer a specialtravel tour of Rome in conjunction with the

2012 Italian Open tennis championships.

The tour will be May 13-20 and will include

tickets to the historic tennis championships

where Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova

will be defending their titles, as well as spe-

cial VIP and private cultural and culinary

activities. Visit LuxuryItalianTours.com.

> The Department of Veterans Affairsawarded $7.5 million to the U.S. Olympic

Committee for recreation and sport activ-

ities for disabled Veterans and disabledmembers of the Armed Forces. Funds are

provided to the USOCs member organi-

zations, Paralympic Sports Clubs and Vet-

eran and military organizations to start

community-based, physical activity pro-

grams. Disabled members of the Armed

Forces can locate adaptive sporting events

at www.usparalympics.org.

> The BBCs current contract as the hostbroadcaster and UK rights holder for

Wimbledon has been extended three

years from 2015 to 2017.

> Organic yogurt maker Stonyfield hasentered into a two-year sponsorship

agreement to support USTA League play-

ers through online health and fitness con-

tent, sampling for members at USTA

League National Championships, and

ongoing promotions and programs.

> The USPTA raised $6,587 from itssilent auction held at the USPTAs Tennis

Buying Show during the World Confer-ence on Tennis in September. The auction

benefits the USPTA foundation, which

through grants supports various pro-

grams in the community that help to

grow tennis.

> Peter Burwash International will directthe tennis program at Hayman, a private,

five-star island resort on the Great Barrier

Reef in Australia.

> Racquet Depot has been selected forthe 2011 San Diego Award in the Sport-

ing Goods category by the U.S. Com-

merce Association. The USCA "Best of

Local Business" Award Program recog-

nizes outstanding local businesses.

> Tennis Channel and Wimbledon haveagreed to a multi-year extension of

Wimbledon Primetime through 2023.

Also, the French Tennis Federation has

extended Tennis Channels French Open

rights agreement through 2022.

SHORT SETS


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January 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13www.racquetsportsindustry.com

I N D U S T R Y N E W S

Schedule Changes Coming to US Open?

The USTA apparently is considering moving the US Open mens championship final toMonday, following the fourth year in a row rain pushed the Open to a 15th dayandcaused players to complain about scheduling. The potential move is one option the USTA

board of directors is exploring, says a spokesman.

Considerations include shortening the first two

rounds of the men's competition from three to two

days, moving the men's semifinals from Saturday to

Friday, or keeping the semis on Saturday and moving

the final to Monday. The Open is the only Grand Slam

that does not have an off-day between the semifinals

and finals, for both men and women. Thats drawn

criticism from players, but has been favored by CBS,

which has televised the Open since 1968 and has the

contract through 2014.

The Australian Open and Wimbledon both have

retractable roofs over their main stadiums and are able to avoid the rain-delay problems the

US Open has experienced. Without the roof, I just don't think Saturday-Sunday is feasible

any longer, said five-time US Open champ Roger Federer. "Might as well just make it a Mon-

day final, right?

Penn Launches New Pro Penn Marathon Ball

Penn recently introduced its new Pro Penn Marathon tennis ball, which the company saysoffers greater longevity, durability and visibility for all tennis players. Pro Penn Marathon

has Encore Technology for a 22% longer lasting core and high-tenacity LongPlay felt for

extended play, according to Penn.

The company also says the Smart Optik treatment in the felt keeps the balls

cleaner on the court, picking up less dirt particles and making the felt highly visible

for longer periods of time.

Our ultimate goal is to offer all tennis players, regardless of their playing style,

a ball that will help them play their best tennis, says Jeff Ratkovich, Senior Business

Manager for Penn Tennis Balls. Pro Penn has been the official ball of the USPTA for

over 37 yearsthe longest running endorsement in tennis history. The Pro

Penn Marathon will be offered in Extra-Duty (for hard courts), Regular-Duty

(for soft courts) and Extra-Duty High Altitude.

Top-Selling Tennis Stringsat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date units,

January - September, 2011

1. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex

2. Babolat RPM Blast

3. Wilson NXT

4. Wilson Sensation

5. Prince Lightning XX

Top-Selling Racquetsat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars,

January September, 2011

Best Sellers

1. Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT (MP)

2. Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP)

3. Babolat Aero Pro Team GT (MP)

4. Babolat Aero Pro Drive+ GT (MP)

5. Babolat Pure Drive Lite GT (MP)

Hot New Racquets

(introduced in the past 12 months)

1. Wilson BLX Blade (MP)

2. Prince EXO3 Red (2011) (OS)

3. Head YouTek IG Speed 18x20 (MP)

4. Prince EXO3 Blue (2011) (OS)

5. Head YouTek IG Speed 16x19 (MP)

Tennis Racquet PerformanceSpecialty Stores

January - September, 2011 vs. 2010

Units 2011 558,662

2010 561,825

% change v. 10 -1%

Dollars 2011 $79,563,0002010 $79,573,000

% change v. 10 -0%

Price 2011 $142.42

2010 $141.63

% change v. 10 1%

Top-Selling Tennis Shoesat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars,

January September, 2011

1. Prince T22

2. Adidas Barricade 6.0

3. Nike Air Breathe 2K10

4. Babolat Propulse 3

5. Nike Court Ballistec 3.3

(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)

Bob Larson LaunchesTiered Tennis Jobs Service

Bob Larson, owner of Bob Larson Tennis, isexpanding his tennis employment coveragewith a three-tiered tennis jobs news service. The

expanded service will be called Bob Larsons

Tennis Jobs and consist of a good, better,best approach to viewing available employ-

ment in the tennis industry.

Tier 1 will list every known job available in

the U.S., at all levels, published five days a week

for $17/month or $177/year. Tier 2, published

weekly, is designed for people in the tennis

industry looking for a better job and excludes

entry-level positions; cost is $10/month or

$100/year. Tier 3 will be jobs that are six-figures

and will be emailed to subscribers when

announced; price is $100/month or

$1,000/year. Contact [email protected].

TIA Court ActivityMonitor Shows Gains

In all four categoriesNew Players, TotalCourts Used/Booked, League Play and Tour-nament Playmore tennis facilities noted

an increase than a decrease during the late

season of 2011 (July to end of September),

according to the 2011 TIA Court Activity

Monitor, which surveys 500 facilities across

the country.

Some 54% of facilities reported New

Players increased, vs. 9% noting a decrease.

In Total Courts Used/Booked, 51% of facili-

ties reported an increase vs. an 11%

decrease. League Play showed 43% of facili-

ties reporting an increase vs. 14% reporting

a decrease, and 22% reported Tournament

Play increased vs. a 19% decrease.


16/52


J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2

IND

USTRYNEW

S

Congratulations To the FollowingFor Achieving MRT and CS Status

New MRTs

Allison Wood Prescott, AZBrendon Travis Elicott City, MDEdward Visaya Honolulu, HIJose Miletti New Market, MDNicholas Bergman New Canaan, CT

Philippe Azar Davie, FLXunlong Zhang Queens, NY

New CSs

Matt McDonald Rock Hill, SCJacob Kobzi San Diego, CATom Paris San Diego, CATamara Zubatiy San Diego, CA

USPTA and ThanksUSA JoinForces to Thank the Troops

As part of Tennis Thanks the Troops,the USPTA and ThanksUSA haveteamed up to encourage USPTA profes-

sionals to fund scholarships for the fami-

lies of military men and women.How will USPTA members be able to

help? By donating a portion of their les-

sons or clinic fees taught during Memori-

al Day Weekend 2012 (or any other

weekend/date). USPTA Professionals can

provide the opportunity for their stu-

dents and club members to donate $5

for the cause; or they can run a simple

round robin or other event with all or a

portion of the proceeds being donated to

ThanksUSA. For more information visit

uspta.com or ThanksUSA.org.

We encourage our teaching pros to

give to important causes through tennis

and Lessons for Life and I cant think of

a better way to show the troops how

much we appreciate their sacrifice than

providing them with the gift of education

for their families, says USPTA CEO Tim

Heckler.

Sanchez Honored with Davis Cup Award

Spains Emilio Sanchez received the 2011 Davis Cup Award of Excellence, presentedby the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the ITF. ITF President Francesco RicciBitti and 1984 Hall of Famer Manolo Santana, a previous recipient of the Davis Cup

Award of Excellence, presented the award to Sanchez in Seville, Spain, during the 2011

Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Final, in which Spain defeated Argentinaa

re-match reminiscent of 2008, when Sanchez captained the Spanish team to victory."Emilio Sanchez was a great contributor to the Davis Cup for nearly two decades,

as a player, captain, and dedicated supporter of the event," said Ricci Bitti. "In recog-

nition of his achievements and in appreciation for his contributions to the sport and to

Davis Cup, we are proud to present him with the Davis Cup Award of Excellence."


17/52

January 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15

Court Equipment


of Tennessees tennis program in early

2011 and is on all 12 courts at the uni-

versity. Tennessee has been fortunate

to use the TNT Gauge all season, said

Vols Head Coach Sam Winterbotham. I

believe it is the first time we have been

able to say confidently that the nets are

all the same tension. In men's tennis we

play let cords, so knowing that the

bounce off the net will be uniform really

helps. It is a fantastic product.

Studies by the USTA and Interna-tional Tennis Federation suggest that

400 to 550 pounds of tension is a good

playable range, says Glass. The TNT

Gauge has a green-colored area on the

unit that covers that range. Its not dic-

tating a tension; its a tool to let officials

set the tension.

Glass, a longtime recreational 4.0

player who has an engineering degree

from the University of Tennessee, says,

I was always the guy who had the cres-

cent wrench in my bag. I just couldntstand loose nets.

The TNT Gauge (www.tightcable.net)

is manufactured in Knoxville and avail-

able with club or team logos imprinted.

There are two models, which ensure

compatibility with all net posts with

external anchors. Price for seven or

more units is $139 each, but contact

Glass for details at [email protected]

or 865-307-0474. Were trying to make

it fit club and school budgets too, not

just pro events, he says. w

The TNT Gauge

also was used at five

2011 US Open

Series events,

including on all eight

competition and

eight practice courts

at the Linder Family

Tennis Center in Cincin-nati, home of the combined mens and

womens Western + Southern Open. It

was also used at the Winston-Salem,

Los Angeles, Atlanta and New Haven

events.

During the 2011 season, World

TeamTennis used the TNT Gauge in four

cities, and its been used at NCAA

regionals in Knoxville and for Division 1

dual matches. In addition, the gauge has

been installed at the Malaysian Open in

Kuala Lumpur, a mens pro tour event,

and is being evaluated at Asian andEuropean ATP events.

Glass says the TNT Gauge was devel-

oped in cooperation with the University

hen it comes to the tennis

court, everything is stan-

dardized and consistent

except in one area: net tension. While

there are recommended tension ranges,

there never has been an effective, easy

way to measure the tension of the net,

and thats important when a ball strikes

the net cord. If a tournaments net ten-sions are all over the map, players will

have no idea from court to court how a

ball may react.

For facilities, too, its a practical mat-

ter. If the net cable is pulled too tightly,

it can ruin the net, net posts and foot-

ings, causing cracks in the courts and

causing the net posts to lean inrepairs

that can cost thousands of dollars and

result in down court time.

Now, though, David Glass (above) of

Knoxville, Tenn., may have hit on an

affordable solution to the inconsistentnet-tension problem. Glass is the CEO

of Cable Tension LLC and has invented

the TNT Gauge (which stands for Ten-

nis Netcord Tension), a device that

installs on the anchor hook on the out-

side of a net post and measures the ten-

sion of the net.

We believe we are removing the

last variable from the tennis court,

says Glass. The TNT Gauge is proving

to be the first inexpensive, practical and

user-friendly method of measuring net-cord tension before and during play, an

especially useful factor when the rules

include playing all lets.

Glass obtained a patent for the TNT

Gauge in November 2010, and so far he

has been adding to a list of impressive

credentials. In fact, after testing the TNT

Gauge on two outer competition courts

at the 2011 US Open, the USTA has

decided to buy 18 more, equipping all

20 competition courts at the 2012

Open with the device.

W

Removing the Tennis

Courts Last Variable?B Y P E T E R F R A N C E S C O N I


18/52

16RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2012

Retailing 106


This is part of a series of

retail tips presented by

the Tennis Industry

Association and writtenby the Gluskin Townley

Group (www.gluskintownleygroup.com).

available from the TIA to assist with devel-

oping the required consistency, but it

comes down to looking at every aspect of

your business as marketing your store

brand to consumers, and focusing on con-

sistently delivering a good to great retail

shopping experience.

The keys to making sure everything

you do is marketing, and helps build posi-

tive collective consumer memories of your

store brand, are:

w Make everyone who walks into your

store feel truly welcome, and comfort-

able!

w You have to ask if your customers had a

great shopping experience, or not. If not,

find out why and do everything you can

to make it right. If they were satisfied,

ask them if they will recommend your

store to friends, family and co-workers.

w Present one consistent face of your

business to the public. Use your logo

and graphics consistently acrosseverything that touches your cus-

tomers in any way!

w Your website is the hub of your mar-

keting and promotion, and use Face-

book, Twitter and other social media

to amplify your marketing message

and image and your direct response

outreach.

w And last, but not least, be proactive in

generating positive word-of-mouth

about your store brand.

For more details, contact the TIA and

ask for the podcast of the recent Every-thing You And Your Staff Dois Market-

ing webinar.

Coming Up:Manufacturers representativesa tennis

retailers best resource. w

Back in the time before the New Nor-

mal, a specialty retailer could almost get

away with some not so good shopping

experiences, but not in todays market-

place. Shoppers have too many choices,

including the internet, and they will no

longer tolerate simply adequate!

A satisfied shopper wont volun-

tarily tell you he or she is satisfied

unless you ask them. Likewise,

an unhappy shopper wont tellyou eitherbut dissatisfied

customers will tell 11

to 13 other people

about the unsatis-

factory or bad

experience

they had at

your store.

Keep in mind that we all tend to be

passive in person, yet aggressive online.

We are reluctant to tell store staff or amanager about a bad experience, but we

will aggressively tell everyone we know on

Facebook, which can make social media

either a minefield or our best word-of-

mouth marketing tool.

Its About ConsistencySpecialty tennis retailers need to focus

on the consistency of their overall market-

ing, which translates to the consistency of

the experience they provide to shoppers.

There is a whole toolbox of services

arketing is not a task, and

its not a job function!

Many specialty retailers

dont completely understand what

marketing is. Peter Drucker is no

longer with us, but in addition to

being remembered as the father of

modern management, he offered

this definition of marketing:

Marketing is so basic that it

cannot be considered a separate

functionit is the whole business

seen from the point of view of its

final result, that is, from the cus-

tomers point of view.

Powerful words, but what it boils

down to is the simple fact

that everything you and

your employees do

today is marketing.

Research has discov-

ered that consumers

perceive retailers andretail brands as the

sum total of all their

experiences with that

retail brand over time.

If you are in the

specialty tennis retail

business, you already have

a brandand consumers

remember your store brand

as the sum total of everything they

have seen, read, heard or otherwise

experienced about your store

everything!

Not Good EnoughOne of the changes that came along

with the New Normal consumer

economy and marketplace is a shop-

per that is no longer satisfied with

adequate service from retailers. The

end result is that there are no neu-

tral retail experiences todaya

shopper will either have a good, or

hopefully, great experienceor a

bad experience.

M

Everything You Do Is Marketing!Consumers remember your brand as the sum total of everything they

have seen, read, heard or experienced about your store.


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23/52

Sometimes, early jobs are enjoyable, but just not thatmemorable compared to what happened next. A long

time ago, Pat Freebody had a position in Chicago.

"It was with a manufacturer," she says vaguely, then her

voice brightens, becomes sharper. "But tennis took over."

It's probably more accurate to say Pat Freebody'spassion

for tennis took over. It was the passion that she brought to all

aspects of tennisfrom competitive play, to the business side

of the sport, to helping to guide its future through her work

at the USTAthat has helped shape her life and shape the

game. And its that continuing passion that has helped to

make her RSIs Person of the Year for 2011.

During her tenure in the sport, Freebody has been in-volved on all levels: athlete, club manager, coach, section ex-

ecutive director, World TeamTennis exec, and finally the

position from which she most recently retired: a managing

director of the USTA. Throughout it all, she has never lost sight

of the sport's most important and basic need: bringing in new

players.

"Pat loves tennis and her impact on the sport during her

career is pretty remarkable," says Kurt Kamperman, USTA's

chief executive for Community Tennis. "She is someone who

has definitely made a difference in growing tennis participa-

tion in the U.S."

www.racquetsportsindustry.com RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2012 21


24/52


Motivated and InvolvedFreebody was born in Melbourne, Australia, and traces of the

accent still cling to her voice. She tends to recall the years in

tennis by what she learned from them, and what she classifies

as the most important developments during those times.

As general manager at Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago

from 1980 to 1988, for example, she became acutely aware of

the essential role indoor facilities could play in keeping players

engaged and active throughout the year.

The community activist, with her absolute dedication to

growing the sport, shows for a minute. "Some clubs were very

fancy and expensive, but some were affordable, and they were

the ones who were willing to work things out so that people

could play."

And that sentiment, says Kirk Anderson, director of recre-

ational coaches and programs

at USTA, is one of the mosttelling. "Pat has always been

great at encouraging and sup-

porting the absolute beginner

and has always found fun

ways to keep them moti-

vated, happy and involved."

The implementation of the

National Tennis Rating Pro-

gram (NTRP) in the early

1980s was another develop-

ment Freebody advocated.

"In the beginning, there were

no levels, so this was a won-

derful thing, a huge thing for

adults. You could find some-

one at your level and play and

have fun, and actually have

competition. From that came

the adult leagues."

The first national league

championships were held at

Midtown, and Freebody re-

calls having to buy court timeback from regular players in

order to host the tournament.

"We had 18 courts," she

notes, "and that was enough back then. Now you could never

do that. You'd need at least 25 to 30 courts just to host the di-

visions."

In 1989, Freebody became executive director of World

TeamTennis, where she would stay until 1992. "Pat shared Bil-

lie Jean Kings vision and passion for tennis as a team sport

where men and women could work together, compete equally

and have fun," recalls WTT national director Delaine Mast,

whom Freebody originally hired in the 1980s to help build rec

leagues. "Today, over 500,000 players have played in the WTT

Recreational Leagues, and Pat helped it all begin."

Recalling her years at WTT, Freebody laughs. "I remember

what it was like getting players to accept the tiebreaker. We re-

ally worked with that, and it was a big breakthrough. Of course,

I didn't say people understood it, I just said they accepted it."

The fact that Freebody could get people behind what

seemed to be a radical new rule, says Karen Ford of USTA

Serves, was indicative one of her greatest strengths. "She knew

how to manage people, and she was the one who could always

get a group to work together toward a common goal."

Technology AdvocateFreebody worked as executive director of the USTA's Midwest

Section from 1993 to 1996, then moved to the USTA's national

office in White Plains, N.Y.

There, says Kamperman, shewas instrumental in "just about

everything on the Community

Tennis side of the house." As

managing director, she was

charged with overseeing meet-

ings and with managing USTA

Leagues, Junior Team Tennis

and Flex Leagues, wheelchair

tennis and adult tournaments.

Implementing technology

on every level became a per-

sonal goal since she saw it as

the doorway through which

more players could enter the

game. An initial program

known as Touch Tone Tennis

allowed players to register for

events and programs over the

phone. Today, TennisLink en-

ables online tournament regis-

trations. Freebody was also

instrumental in helping USTA

launch mobile applications al-lowing players to sign up for

leagues and tournaments using

Smartphones, her final accom-

plishment before retiring.

"I know we used to live in a simpler time, but we've come

a long way, and this makes things so much easier," she says.

"Before, if someone had two or three kids, and the kids wanted

to be involved in different tournaments, the parents would

have to drive them all over and register them for things. Now

you get can online and use your credit card."

Throughout her career in the industry, Freebody has been


25/52


honored for everything from

her skill as an athlete (she and

doubles partner Billie Jean King

won two USTA Gold Balls in

1986 and 1987, and she re-

ceived district, section and na-

tional rankings in the U.S. and

national rankings in Australia),

to her dedication to the sport

itself. She won the USTA Merit

Award in 1976 for her work

with junior players, and in

1978 became the first woman

president of the Chicago Dis-

trict.

In 1986, Freebody won the

USTA Midwest's Stanley Mal-

less Award and coached theU.S. Tennis Team at the Tokyo

World Games. In 1989, she

was honored with Midwest's

Mel Bergman Award in recog-

nition of more than 10 years of

continuous and distinguished

service. She was also pre-

sented the Western Tennis As-

sociation's 20-year Service

Award and in 2003, was in-

ducted into the Midwest Sec-

tion's Hall of Fame.

Pat always did a great job,

no matter what her role in ten-

nis, and she always managed

to have a good time in the

process, says PTR CEO Dan

Santorum. Shes made a dif-

ference in our industry.

Bringing inNew Players

But throughout her journey,Freebody never forgot the im-

portance of ushering in the

next generation. Early on, she

coached the Chicago District

Tennis Association girls teams

to 10 national titles, and these days, she is a strong advocate

of 10 and Under Tennis and the QuickStart Tennis play

format.

"Its time has come and everyone should be getting behind

it, she says. There is nothing better, nothing, nothing nicer

than to see people learning to play, and with this, a grandparent

go out and play tennis with a

grandchild."

Programs that keep players

in the game, she adds, are as

important as the ones that

bring them in. Tennis On Cam-

pus, with its WTT format, is a

personal favorite and, in her

opinion, "is going to bring kids

back to tennis and turn them

into future league players."

Freebody, says Kirk Ander-

son, is focused on "making

sure everyone has an opportu-

nity to play tennis. No ques-

tion about that. Isn't that what

we are all about?"

One of her greatest con-cerns about the future of the

game is that it continue to

have quality instruction. "We

need to do so much more to

attract people to look at being

a teaching professional as a ca-

reer. The problem now is that

a lot of young people are look-

ing at it as a summer job, but

we want them to be asking

how they can get into tennis

and stay there."

Sort of like Pat Freebody

herself?

"I don't know that I ever re-

ally intended that to happen,"

she says, laughing again. "Ten-

nis became a habit for me.

Eventually, I knew the only

way out of it would be to re-

tire."

Colleagues say for Free-

body, there's really no wayout.

"She's never going to be

able to walk away," says Ford.

"That would be too hard for

her to do. She's part of the

sport. I hear people are already trying to pull her back in as a

volunteer."

"I'm still playing," says Freebody, sounding content. "I'm

still volunteering, too. I really should get started doing more of

that now."

Mary Helen Sprecher

Pat Freebody's Advice For... the USTA: Stay focused. "I would say not to have too

many new ideas. Concentrate on three or four things at a

time like leagues, keeping the US Open the top tournament

in the world for fans and players, staying with QuickStartand Tennis On Campus. Keep those things moving along."

CTAs and Sections: Get people involved. "There are a

lot of people who are interested, but they think they need

more expertise before they're welcome, and that's wrong.

Everyone can do something. They may be busy, so just ask

them for one thing: I need help with this tournament, I need

a lawyer for this problem, whatever it is. You don't need to

be asking for 20 years from them, unless they're willing to

give that. Of course, you can always not let them out of the

room until they say yes."

anyone who wants to volunteer: Don't wait to be

asked. "Call up your local CTA or whatever tennis group is

around and say, 'I'd like to help.' It won't be too long until

someone has a job for you to do."


26/52


T

imon Corwin gets excited when he talks about Western

Racquet Clubs future. We have an active adult league

program, a lot of opportunity in 10 and Under, and

plenty of room for more

social tennis events, in

addition to growing the

competitive side. Plus, we

have one of the finest

teaching staffs in the Mid-

west, he says of the pri-

vate club in Elm Grove,

Wis.

Corwin, the general

manager, COO and managing director of tennis, came to the

facility in early 2010, bringing with him his long and successfulexperience in the tennis business. By and large, were a family

club, but we serve all demographics, he says. Its a tennis-

crazy membership. Add to that the depth of programming and

staff, active competitive and recreational teams and leagues,

10 and Under Tennis programs, and more, and Western Rac-

quet Club is RSIs 2011 Private Facility of the Year.

In July, in an event that fea-

tured Patrick McEnroe, WRC

dedicated four 36-foot courts.

Western is a leader in Wiscon-

sin with its 36-foot courts and

how it adopted 10 and Under

Tennis, says Andrea Calvert-

Sanders, USTA Midwest Section

director of junior & adult com-

petition. Its a great example

for other facilities. The club

also has more than 50 juniors who hold state and sectional

rankings.

Established in 1960, WRC has 14 outdoor courts (including

three clay) and four indoor, and it owns nearby Moorland Park,which has eight indoor courts. It also offers a state-of-the-art

fitness center, dining and banquet facilities, swimming and

more. In addition, WRC works with outside groups to provide

tennis to kids in the community.

Were really proud of whats happened here, Corwin says.

Peter Francesconi

Tips for Successw Get everyone rowing in the

same direction. Corwin says

the growth of WRCs tennis

program recently reflects the

fact that members and staff

all understand, and are sup-

portive of, the importance of

initiatives such as 10 and

Under Tennis.

w Surround yourself with se-

cure, talented, hard-working

and motivated individuals,

and support and assist them

as needed.

When you think about an expert racquet stringer and

customizer, consistent, service-oriented, de-

pendable, knowledgeable and solid come to

mindwords that describe Todd Mobley perfectly.

Todd understands the value of customer service, says Ron

Rocchi, Wilsons global tour equipment manager, who also runs

the Wilson/Luxilon tournament stringing

team. Hes excellent at matching up players

with the right strings, and the right racquets.When hes not stringing at a pro event, hes very

much in demand with recreational players.

Mobleywho owns and operates the com-

pany Stadium Tennis, located within James

Creek Tennis Center in Cumming, Ga.

strings at professional tournaments about 14

weeks a year, including being a co-captain of

the Wilson team at the US Open. He doesnt make mistakes,

is extremely consistent, and is always on schedule, says Rocchi.

But Mobley, who is RSIs 2011 Stringer of the Year, also has

a very successful business among rec players. I use the same

methods in my shop locally as

I do on the pro tour, and I

think a lot of my customers

appreciate that, he says.

A USRSA Master Racquet

Technician, Mobley has been

stringing for about 25 years;

he started out teaching tennis

full-time but got burned out,then started offering stringing

services to different compa-

nies. He estimates hes strung

over 40,000 frames in his ca-

reer. Locally, he strings 150 to

250 racquets per month (the

most strung in one day is 52);

on the pro tour, hes strung 406 at one tournament alone.

Todds not about the bravado, says Rocchi. Hes just a

rock-solid fantastic stringer who wants to do well for his

clients. Peter Francesconi

Tips for Successw It helps to be an avid player. I

love to play tennis, Mobley

says, so I try different stringcombinations myself.

w With recreational players, be

prepared to make changes and

adjustments in strings and ten-

sions as their games improve.

By contrast, tour players gen-

erally have been using the

same strings and tensions for

years and dont need to make

major changes.

w The customer knows best. Rec

players are always looking to

gain an edge, and they want

to experiment. You may know

that something isnt right for

them, but often you have to let

them try it for themselves.

GinaBowerPhotography


27/52


A

lot happened in 1954. RCA made its first color TV. Bill

Haley and the Comets recorded "Rock Around the

Clock." And Leslie Coatings Inc. built its first asphalttennis court.

Color TV is still the standard, rock and roll is here to stay,

and so is Leslie Coatings, of Indianapolis. The company is still

making tennis courts, along with running tracks and other

sports facilities. So

what's the secret?

Being a pioneer, in

part. The Leslie brothers

(Jack, Richard and

Robert) started out as

home builders, but

quickly moved into as-phalt emulsion applica-

tions. When tennis

started booming in the early 1970s, the company began serv-

ing the burgeoning sports construction industry.

Something else pivotal happened in the 70s: Jerry Gray and

David Nielsen came on board. Since that time, they have be-

come co-owners, and both have served on the board of the

American Sports Builders Association and become Certified

Tennis Court Builders. The com-pany has won numerous honors

in ASBA's awards program, and

Gray received the Industry Merit

Award, ASBA's highest honor, in

1997.

"When you look at companies

that have a real history in the in-

dustry, and have contributed so

much in so many ways, one of the

first that comes to mind is Leslie

Coatings," says Mark Brogan,

ASBA's Tennis Division president.While there's no doubting the

company's standing in the indus-

try, its principals are also known for their friendliness and sense

of humor. As Nielsen likes to say, "I love this industry. I came

into it 36 years ago, and I've spent the last 35 trying to figure

out how to get back out." Mary Helen Sprecher

Tips for Successw Set a standard: Have a high

level of ethics and live up

to it.

w Serve the industry itself:

Sponsor local tennis events,

serve on boards and stay

involved.

w Stay updated with educa-

tional associations and manu-

facturers in order to stay on

the front edge of emergingtechnologies.

Lee Sponaugle appears to have a tough sell. Hes the di-

rector of corporate accounts for Connor Sport Court In-

ternational, which manufactures a modular sports

surface. In tennis, modular tile surfaces have not mounted a

substantial challenge to hard, clay and grass courts.

But Sponaugle is hoping to change that, and hes linked up

with one of this sports most visible cam-

paigns: 10 and Under Tennis. Sport Court,

headquartered in Salt Lake City, is the Of-ficial Modular Court for the USTA and 10

and Under Tennis, and Sponaugle has

been traveling the country selling the idea

of a modular tile surface for tennis. For all

his efforts, and along the way promoting

10 and Under Tennis, Sponaugle is RSIs

choice for 2011 Sales Rep of the Year.

The ability of the USTA to use our sur-

faces to bring tennis to places where it typically isnt seen

makes it a win-win, says Sponaugle, who has placed courts in

nearly every USTA section. Were really gaining acceptability

of modular as a playing surface

for tennis. Sport Court tiles also

are portable, which makes it

ideal for the USTAs national

SmashZone tour.

Lee Sponaugle and Sport

Court have really embraced ten-

nis and shorter courts, says Vir-

gil Christian, the USTAs directorof Community Tennis Develop-

ment. Hes helped convinced

Sport Court dealers that tennis is

a priority.

Its not just a piece of plastic

you throw downits how its

engineered, Sponaugle says.

What I see next for Sport Court

is getting more involved in resur-

facing.

Peter Francesconi

Tips for Successw Sell all the angles. Sponau-

gle says Sport Courts prod-

uct reduces stress on the

bodyimportant not just

for kids, but also for seniors

and teaching pros, who

spend hours on court.w See the possibilities.

Theres a consistent need

to resurface courtsits a

built-in market. The worst

thing for tennis is to have

unplayable courts.

w Dont make it just about

selling product. We feel re-

ally strongly that we can

help people, Sponaugle

says.


28/52


P

am and Jesse Ponwith have been outfitting tennis play-

ers for nearly 20 years, and their Scottsdale, Ariz., shop,

All About Tennis, is a direct reflection of their lives. Bothare tennis teaching pros and top players, and their sons are top-

ranked juniors. As Pam says, We promote tennis all the time

were tennis junkies.

Their 5,500-square-foot

store can easily accommo-

date a vast inventory. They

carry every major brand,

and also stock racquetball

and squash. An extensive

demo program keeps

more than 700 racquets circulating. Their five-person staff is

made up of longtime employees who know their products andcustomers thoroughly, which Pam says makes for superior serv-

ice and trust. That, coupled with competitive pricing, even in

tough times, has kept their customers coming backand it all

makes the store RSIs Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year.

Jesse and Pam have one of the best-looking shops in the

country; its merchandised and presented exceptionally well,

says Greg Mason, Heads VP of

sales and marketing. Plus they

understand retailing and how tobuild business with key people

in the community. The store

also recently improved its web-

site design and content.

All About Tennis is involved

in every corner of the Phoenix

tennis marketfrom retailing

and offering stringing services

in-store and at tournaments, to

grassroots efforts, fundraising

for community groups, teaching

tennis in schools, and sponsor-ship of events.

Theyve done a wonderful

job in the community as a tennis family and as a business,

says Jeffery Adams, the national sales manager for Wilson Rac-

quet Sports. They are very committed to the greater Scottsdale

area. Cynthia Sherman

Tips for Success

w Hire knowledgeable staffand treat them well. It will

pay off with continued sales

and loyal customers.

w Maintain a large and varied

inventory, and carry a large

racquet demo selection, so

players can choose the best

racquet for their game.

w Know your customers

wants, provide superior cus-

tomer service and prices,

and provide incentives forloyal customers.

Kirk Anderson, director of recreational coaches and pro-

grams for the USTA, describes Mike Woody of Mid-

land, Mich., as one of those special lifelong learners

who seems to have a knack for identifying what is important

and rallying his staff and volunteers around his vision.

The beneficiary of this vision is his com-

munity and its tennis players. For his efforts,

Woody is RSIs Tennis Advocate of the Year.

As executive director of the Midland Com-munity Tennis Center, Woody leads a 35-

member staff in delivering creative tennis

programs to players of all ability levels. He is

a USPTA- and PTR-certified teaching pro, as

well as a USTA Master Trainer for QuickStart

and Recreational Coach Workshops.

In fact, he was an early adopter of the QuickStart Tennis

play format, with the innovative programming and events at

his club attracting hundreds of young players. He also is a club

consultant for 10 and Under Tennis, working with club owners,

managers and teaching pros to involve and retain youngsters.

Woody, who manages the

annual Dow Corning Tennis

Classic (a USTA Pro Circuit

event), was instrumental in

leading the drive that resulted

in Midland being named the

USTAs Best Tennis Town in

2009. The $100,000 award

funded a free wheelchair ten-nis program, sponsored free

summer lessons and organ-

ized play for adults, trained

gym teachers in tennis in-

struction and provided equip-

ment for 8,000 students.

We celebrate the suc-

cesses, but we dont rest,

Woody says. We have a great

opportunity to do even better.

Thats what gets me up in the morning. Cindy Cantrell

Tips for Successw Eliminate barriers. If costs are

keeping players away, offer

free introductory programs. Ifits lack of equipment, provide

loaner or donated racquets.

Once players are hooked, they

will find their own solutions.

w Teach players about life along

with the game. Like life itself,

tennis is an individual sport in

which you must take responsi-

bility for your performance. You

cant just want to win; you

have to fight to win.

w Build it and they will comedoesnt work. If you dont have

the programs to attract and re-

tain players, youll have empty

tennis courts.

w Embrace the big picture. Learn

from best practices and try

new things. Risk-taking re-

quires more work, but it often

produces more highlights.


29/52


D

avid Abrams, executive director for the USTA Eastern

Section, is succinct when he talks about Jeff Rothstein:

Hes one of our all-stars.Rothstein is the director of junior development and Quick-

Start Tennis at Centercourt Ath-

letic Club in Chatham, N.J. If

Abrams praise isnt endorsement

enough, Larry Dillon, manager

for 10 and Under Tennis for USTA

Eastern, says, Jeff dramatically

changed the participation of 10

and Under Tennis in his region.

Dillon, who trained Rothstein and

the Centercourt team, believes the site is one of the most solid

in terms of junior programming in the Eastern section, if notthe country. Jeff developed the programs, helped with the mar-

ketinghe organized the whole operation.

Rothstein is no stranger to the industry. He found himself

on court coaching in 1977 and never looked back. And he par-

ticularly enjoys working with juniors, which is why he is RSIs

2011 Junior Tennis Champion of the Year.

Jeff is my resource for

QuickStart programming, says

Katrina Adams, executive direc-tor of the Harlem Junior Tennis

Education Program. When-

ever I have a question regard-

ing 10 and Under Tennis, I can

always rely on Jeff.

In addition to his position at

Centercourt, Rothstein is a

USTA high performance coach,

national QuickStart trainer, cur-

rent head coach for USTA East-

ern summer National Zonal

boys & girls 16s team, andchair of USTA Easterns Junior

Competition QuickStart Committee.

And he is a firm believer in 10 and Under Tennis. We take

every parameter seriously, Rothstein says. As a result, players

progress faster and gain a stronger technical base for their fu-

ture development. Robin Bateman

Tips for Successw Get total club buy-in, so every-

one works together to achieve

a common goal. At Center-

court, everyonefrom man-

aging partners to teaching

prossupports 10 and Under

Tennis.

w Get instant parental buy-inthrough personal entrance

evaluations. New kids at Cen-

tercourt undergo an on-court

evaluation with three direc-

tors, so parents immediately

understand the significance of

using correct equipment.

w Assess each childs motor and

tennis skills, enthusiasm and

aptitude, so you can place

them in programs best suited

for their ability.

Growing tennis from the ground up is something

Brenda Gilmore not only knows, but lives every day.

She started the Prince Georges Tennis and Education

Foundation in 1993 to provide tennis and life skills to the chil-

dren of Prince George's County, Maryland. Nearly two decades

later, the organization offers tennis and edu-

cational programs for every skill and ability

level, and has benefited more than 30,000

children.One thing she wants to make clear: The

road to success has been a winding journey.

Those getting their own programs off the

ground need to hold fast to their goals and

not give up, adds Gilmore, who won the

prestigious Eve Kraft USTA Community Service Award in 2011.

"Sometimes people think that, 'If we start it, they will come.

But its not always that easy," says Gilmore, who is the PGTEFs

executive director. "Thats where patience, tenacity, the willing-

ness to serve and love for the game come into play. You need

to just buckle up and get ready for a ride you never expected,

but one of the most rewarding

you have ever experienced."

Gilmore has been a tireless

advocate to students with an

array of challenges. She has

worked with her local Para-

Olympic Academy to offer

weekly tennis and life skills les-

sons to wheelchair students, andwith the Maryland-National Cap-

ital Park and Planning Commis-

sion to facilitate the training of

tennis professionals and offer

Junior Team Tennis and Wheel-

chair Tennis across the county.

Her message that "tennis is

one of the coolest sports out

there" obviously resonates. Many graduates of her program

have returned as instructors, teaching her lessons to the next

generation. Mary Helen Sprecher

Tips for Successw Join the USTA and take ad-

vantage of the volunteer, ed-

ucational and training

opportunities offered.

w Get your instructors certified

(if they arent already).

w

If you are a non-profit, makesure you have a strong

board, and reliable, trained

volunteers.

w Build partnerships in the

community with the schools,

parks, businesses and local

government.


30/52


To say the Roger Scott Tennis Center has a lot going on is

like saying Novak Djokovic had just an OK year on the

pro tour. The largest tennis facility in Pensacola, Fla.,

with 18 hard courts and 10 clay courts (all lighted), RSTC is a

hotbed of tennis programming

for players of all ages and abili-

ties. Bruce Caton is the director

of tennis, and he and his tal-

ented staff of seven pros admin-

ister adult and junior clinics,

leagues (24 USTA league teams),

10 and Under Tennis programming (12 of the hard courts have

permanent 10U lines), private lessons, a junior academy and

much more. A free junior clinic every summer attracts 200 to300 kids.

The facility has numerous tournaments for players of all

ages and hosts many charity events, including, in January, the

10th Annual Pink Ribbon Tennis Tournament to help fight

breast cancer. RSTC, which was the 2007 USTA Florida Facility

of the Year, also hosts the Pensacola Futures Championships,

National Open tourneys for

juniors, and the large Pen-

sacola Open Wheelchair tennis

tournament, among other

events. The tennis center also

has two backboards and a pro

shop that offers stringing.

With its vast array of pro-

gramming and events, youd

think the Roger Scott Tennis

Center has enough going on.

But Catons motto is, Sur-

round yourself with good peo-

ple and then get out of theway. So the improvements

just keep on comingyet an-

other reason the center is RSIs

2011 Municipal Facility of the

Year.

Cynthia Sherman

Tips for Successw For seamless integration of

programs and support, work

with community liaisons.

Caton says Pensacolas di-

rector of Neighborhood

Services was instrumental in

helping the facility build its

clay courts.

w Surround yourself with great

people and acknowledge

their contributions. Caton is

quick to thank the hard-

working staff that makes it

all happen.

w Its all about giving back to

the community and its

residents.

When it comes to developing grassroots tennis pro-

grams and cultivating relationships with tennis or-

ganizations, its hard to beat the Tualatin Hills Park

and Recreation District. THPRD covers 111 tennis courts at 36

sites and serves 220,000 people within a 55-mile radius in the

Beaverton, Ore., area.

Tualatin is our go-to organization for all our programs, says

Ruth Turner, director of community tennis for the USTA Pacific

Northwest Section. And its this devotion to tennis that hasmade THPRD the inaugural winner of RSIs Park & Rec Agency

of the Year Award.

THPRDs general manager,

Doug Menke, has a history

rooted in tennis. He has served

on numerous local, district and

section USTA committees, and

currently he is on the USTAs na-

tional Tennis in the Parks Com-

mittee. He also encourages all his employees to develop

relationships in the community. There is no better way to un-

derstanding community needs

than by being active in the

community, he says.

Since THPRD is a stand-

alone agency, free from the

pull of other municipal serv-

ices, it can concentrate all its

energy and resources on parks

and recreation. In addition, theagency has received awards

six years in a row for its finan-

cial management.

As far as promoting and

growing tennis, THPRDs connections are what its all

aboutthe agency is hooked up with USTA staff, local tennis

associations, players, facility owners and managers, teaching

pros and more.

We are one of many thriving arms of the parks district,

says THPRD tennis supervisor Brian Leahy, but tennis doesnt

get lost in the shuffle. Robin Bateman

Tips for Successw As a park agency, reach out to

everyone. Many facilities see

adult programming as vital,

but for THPRD, that meant

also embracing 10 and Under

Tennis.

w Open your doors to other ten-

nis organizations. THPRD

wants everyone to play, and

Leahy, a Tennis in the Parks

Peer Advisor for Oregon, will

work with organizations look-

ing to run programs.

w Get out of the office, see whatyour peers are doing, and get

involved in your community

and other tennis organizations.


31/52


If Jeremiah Yolkut has a specialty, its getting things to run

smoothly. Thats what I love doingmaking things go off

without a hitch, he says. One of the things he helps to a

smooth ride is wheelchair tennis.

Yolkut, the USTAs manager of competitive play and techni-

cal programs, has been working with the USTAs wheelchair

program for the last four years.

Hes had a hand in helping

wheelchair events from the

grassroots to the highest levels

of international competition.

Jeremiah has a passion for

wheelchair tennis at all levels

that rivals anyone, says Dan

James, the USTAs national manager for wheelchair tennis.

Yolkut (at left above) has been instrumental in pushing

grassroots grants for local wheelchair programs. The grants pro-

gram started about three years ago and continues to grow; the

USTA in 2011 increased to $50,000 the amount available for

wheelchair tennis grants, which go to organizations such as

CTAs, hospitals, businesses, etc.

The grants deal with either

coaching, court time, equipment

or events, says Yokut. Its one

of the best things we do to spur

growth in the community. You

make a lot of connections when

youre giving out grants like this.

But he also specializes in lo-

gistics. What is it going to take

for U.S. teams to go to interna-

tional events and be successful?

he says. He deals with it all:

travel, food, clothing the players

will need, security, anticipating

health issues, hotel relationships

and more.

Jeremiah makes it so we dont have to worry about any-

thing other than the tennis, James says. He always goes far

beyond the job. Peter Francesconi

Tips for Successw Anticipate everything. Yolkut

takes care of everything off

the court, so players and

coaches can focus on the

court.

w Take the time to make con-

nections. You learn about

local programs and what

works and what doesnt.

w Always follow up. Yolkut

makes sure grant recipients

have what they need to

make the most out of their

award.

Sarah Boone, club manager at the Guilford (Conn.) Rac-

quet & Swim Club, was skeptical at first. Weve had a

strong junior program for years and have used tempo-

rary 10 and Under lines and nets, she says. But now, we re-

alize adding permanent blended lines is the next step in

building the ability and confidence of our

youngest players.

Tom Hinding of Hinding Tennis in West

Haven, Conn., helped convince Boone thatpermanent lines were the way to go, and he

helped her shepherd a funding request

through to the USTA. With the grant

process, the USTA is paying for 50 percent of

the project [and most USTA sections also pay

a portion of the lining fee], so its really a no-

brainer for a club, he says.

But Hinding has gone well beyond simply suggesting fa-

cilities add either blended lines or permanent 36- and 60-foot

courts. Tom has really taken the initiative on developing courts

for 10 and Under Tennis, says Virgil Christian, the USTAs di-

rector of Community Tennis De-

velopment.

In New England, Hinding ac-

tively campaigns for 10 and

Under Tennis. For his total in-

volvement in the process of bring-

ing tennis to youngsters, Hinding

Tennis is the winner of RSIs inau-

gural 10 and Under Tennis FacilityDeveloper of the Year Award.

We started educating facility

owners a few years ago, Hinding

says. There were a lot of skeptics,

but today theyre putting 10 and

Under lines on multiple courts. I

dont know of a single club we did

this year that we didnt do either

36- or 60-foot lines or courts. Im

really excited for the next year.

Peter Francesconi

Tips for Successw While there may not be a

huge profit margin in lining

10 and Under courts, it

gets you in the door for fu-

ture surfacing work at a

tennis facility, says Hinding.

w

A key selling point to clubowners with 10U is theyll

get more kids on one court

at a time, and make more

money.

w Maintain a good relation-

ship with the USTA at the

district, section and na-

tional levels and know

what resources they can

provide to tennis facilities.


32/52


I

n Septemberafter three years and some $800,000Cad-

walader Park in Trenton, N.J., celebrated a grand re-open-

ing. Hundreds of families came out to play on the new

public courts. The park now has dibs on the title of largest

short-court facility in the nation.

Cadwalader opened its courts in the early 1930s. But the

original 18 tennis courts be-

came victims of weather, wear,

budget constraints and a de-

cline in interest; 12 of the courts

were converted into basketball

courts. When the tennis courts

showed aggressive cracks in re-

cent years, NJTL-Trenton became concerned for player safety

and spearheaded the project to bring Cadwalader back to life.We now have 14 36-foot, seven 60-foot and seven regular-

sized courts, says Dan Faber, executive director of NJTL-Tren-

ton, which serves about 2,500 young players. The community

came out and embraced what we are trying to do.

And theyre not done yet. Lights, bleachers, a learning pavil-

ion and landscaping are still to come. The project tapped sev-

eral funding sources, including

local and state governments,

USTA and the private sector.

Its great for the city, says

Dave Haggerty, the USTAs first

vice president, whose father

managed the Cadwalader courts

when Dave was a junior. Now,

Trenton has one of the finest jun-

ior centers in the world. The

NJTL has a place to run its pro-

grams and the high school can

play matches on home courts.

The facility also provides a

blueprint for other tennis cen-ters. Its a combination of sev-

eral things, says Haggerty, the

number of permanent short

courts, how they are used and

how the project raised its

money. Robin Bateman

Tips for Successw Have the local non

201201 racquet sports industry

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