201411 Tennis Industry magazine

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ndustry News

PAT MACto leave PlayerDevelopment

Customization

Offer and promoteyour RACQUETMATCH business

Pioneer

The college tennislegacy of GeorgiasDAN MAGILL

Incorp

oratin

gUSPTA

OVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 / VOLUME 42/ NUMBER 10 / $5.00

Spring Apparel:A New Level of Style

Asphalt or Concrete:Whats Best For

Your Courts?

pg.39

USPT

AProofth

eYear

Rand

yMatt

ingley


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DEPARTMENTS

4 Our Serve

7 Industry News

15 Retailing Tip

16 TIA news

18 Pioneers in Tennis:

32 Ask the Experts

34 String Playtest:

Luxilon Alu Power Feel 1.20

37 Your Serve, by Jim Baugh

PLUS

40 CEOs Message

42 VicePresidents

Message

44 USPTA News

56 2014 Honorees

60 Inside Coaching

62 Career Development

64 Member News

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Pat Mac to leave USTA

Player Development

7 NCAA group tables changesto D1 Championships

7 PTR hits 15,000 members

8 USTA board, officer

nominations announced

8 ITA names 2014 Collegiate

All-Star team

9 Net tension device

receives patent

9 Hall of Fame announces

nominations for 2015

10 Peoplewatch

10 Tecnifibre, JTCC announcepartnership

11 CareersInTennis.com

nears 50K job views

12 Short Sets

14 TIA, NSSA offer second

annual Tennis Media Award

14 Randy Mattingley named

USPTA Pro of the Year

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

TennisIndustry

22Match Play

Make sure you add racquet customizationto your menu of services for players.

24Wish List for the New YearWe asked last years Champions of Tennis

winners what theyre looking forward to

in the coming year.

28 New Styles for Spring

From vibrant, splashy stripes and details toshades of Mad Men, this Spring ushers in

variety, texture and style.

30 HardFactsAsphalt or post-tensioned concretewhich

is right for your facilitys tennis courts?

48 Deadly Doubles Behaviors

52 Tennis Teachers Conference

60 Coach Your Students inSport and in Life

61 Sins of Omission

p.28

p.30

2 TennisIndustry November/December 2014

p.39

FEATURES

p.22

p.24

www.tennisindustrymag.com

Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com



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OurServe PublishersDavid Bone Jeff Williams

Editorial Director

Peter Francesconi

[email protected]

Associate Editor

Greg Raven

Design/Art Director

Kristine Thom

Special Projects Manager

Bob Patterson

Contributing Editors

Robin Bateman

Cynthia Cantrell

Kent Oswald

Cynthia Sherman

Mary Helen Sprecher

Tim Strawn

Contributing Photographers

Bob Kenas

David Kenas

TENNIS INDUSTRY

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Advertising Director

John Hanna770-650-1102, x.125

[email protected]

Apparel Advertising

Cynthia Sherman

203-263-5243

[email protected]

Tennis Industry is published 10 times per year:

monthly January through August and combined

issues in September/October and November/

December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, PO Box

3392, Duluth, GA 30096. Periodcal postage paid

at Duluth, GA and at additional mailing offices

(USPS #004-354). Nov/Dec 2014, Volume 42,

Number 10 2014 by USRSA and Tennis Industry.

All rights reserved. Tennis Industry, TI and logo

are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.

Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone

circulation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly

subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis

Industry, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096. TI is the

official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA.

Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/

Racquet Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our

website at TennisIndustrymag.com for free digital

versions back to 2004.

For our last issue of the year, weasked last years Champions ofTennis winners what theyd like

to see in 2015, particularly in the ar-eas in which they were honored. Theiranswers (starting on page 24) cover alot of territory, and it got me thinkingof whatIdlike to see, too. So here aresome of my wishes for this industry.

I want PlayTennis.com to explode inusage, interest and support. Think ofit, one unbrandedsite where anyonecan find people to play with, courts,equipment, lessonsanything abouttennis, for free. What other sport hassomething as unique as this? Play-Tennis.com has no other agenda savegrowing this sport and sharing itsbenefits.

I wish industry organizations willstop duplicating efforts and re-inventing the wheel. We need to useand partner with groups that alreadyhave viable, workable solutions. Wewaste way too much time, effort andmoney because something is notinvented here. Lets stop overcompli-cating everything.

Related to this: Enough with thepolitics. Enough said.

Id like to see the USTA take a cuefrom Tennis Australia and the LTAand start using Cardio Tennis as partof a strategy to grow tennis. The ironyis Cardio Tennis was created in theU.S., yet other countries NGBs arefaster to recognize how the programcan grow participation, get their citi-zens healthy and boost businesses.

Related, I wish our industry overallwould better address how to usehealth and fitness as a key sellingpoint to grow this sport. We all knowtennis is healthy on many levels,but weve never been able to capturehow to use this to sellthis sport toconsumers and give them somethingtruly tangible and lasting.

I want National Tennis Monthback. The USTA used to push Mayas NTM, but then it disappeared. Itsa much-needed, natural platformfor tennis (and May is also NationalPhysical Fitness and Sports Monthwhat a perfect tie-in). This May, theTIA, with industry support, is againmaking a big push for Try TennisFree. Lets link that into a revitalizedNational Tennis Month!

I want more younger people in thetennis workforcein all segments ofthis industry. We should constantlyencourage new blood and new ideas.

Advocacy, advocacy, advocacy. We allneed to be advocates for tennis, at ev-ery level. Sadly, the USTA disbandedits advocacy staff last year and therestalk of ending the national AdvocacyCommittee. Thats a mistake. We needto revamp our strategies for tennis

advocacy. If theres one thing thatcrosses all lines in this industry, itsadvocacy.

Im incredibly optimistic about the fu-ture of this industry and feel were onthe right track in many respects. Wehave so many terrific opportunities athand. 2015 really can be ouryear!

Peter Francesconi, Editorial Director

[email protected]

P.S.: Wed like to hear from you, too. Please feel free to email

me and well try to put your wishes out there, also.

My Wish List

4 TennisIndustry November/December 2014 www.tennisindustrymag.com


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9/68November/December 2014 TennisIndustry 7

IndustryNewsInformation to help you run your business

T

he NCAA Division 1 Championships/Sports Management Cabinet tabled a

proposal that recommended several changes aimed at reducing the length ofmatches in the D1 Mens and Womens Tennis Championships. The cabinet

referred the proposal back to the D1 Mens and Womens Tennis Committee and asked

them to gather feedback from the sports student-athletes. Its the second time since

2012 the cabinet rejected changes to the D1 championships.Committee members were also asked to try to reach more consensus and understand-

ing in the coaching community, particularly among womens coaches. Cabinet members

also suggested another survey be sent to the membership and that it originate from the

NCAA Division I Mens and Womens Tennis Committee.

We put a lot of time and effort into this, so were disappointed, said D.J. Gurule,

former chair of the D1 Mens and Womens Tennis Committee and the head womenscoach at Gonzaga University. But we know weve got to reengage with the entire tennis

community of coaches and student-athletes to come up with a model that is in the best

interests of the sport and is more broadly supported.

NCAA Group Tables ChangesTo Division 1 Championships

PTR Hits 15,000 Members

In August, the PTR announced that

it added its 15,000th member, El-

lie Czura, who joined via the PTR on

Campus program. Czura is a junior

at Hilton Head Preparatory School,

where she is a member of the state

championship tennis team. Along

with several other local high school

tennis players, Czura will take part in

a PTR on Campus Certification Work-

shop after the girls tennis season in

October.

With PTRs effort to educate and

certify younger tennis coaches, we

are thrilled that Ellie is our 15,000th

member, says PTR CEO Dan Santo-

rum. Ellie is a very good competitive

player who loves tennis and hope-

fully will choose to have a rewarding

career coaching the game.

Czura will receive a free PTR Sym-

posium registration where she will

be recognized during the Parade of

Nations. She will also receive a com-

plimentary 2016 PTR membership,

plus a free PTR educational work-

shop of her choice.Ive been fortunate to train at

both the Van der Meer World Class

Training Center and the Smith-

Stearns Academy, so I know the

important role that coaches play in

the development of junior tennis

players, Czura says. I hope to one

day follow in their footsteps.

Trenton NJTL DedicatesHaggerty Pavilion

The National Junior Tennis & Learning

of Trenton (N.J.) has experienced many

From left, PTR CEO Dan Santorum, EllieCzura, and PTR Director of Development andHH Prep Tennis Coach Brian Parkkonen.

After 6-1/2 years as the USTAs general manager of Player Development, Patrick

McEnroe announced he is resigning from the position. The announcement came

during a news conference at the US Open.

McEnroe said he was leaving for personal and professional reasonsamong them, thatthe head of Player Development should be based at the $60 million tennis center being

built at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla., and that he did not want to be based there full time.

Finding his successor could take up to six months, said USTA Executive Director and

COO Gordon Smith. McEnroe will stay on to help with the

transition to a new head of Player Development.It's very difficult to create top-level players, said

McEnroe, who also is a tennis analyst for ESPN. I think I

have a newfound respect for what my parents did to create

two players, one who was really good and another who was

pretty good. Patrick, a former pro player and U.S. DavisCup captain, is the younger brother of seven-time Grand

Slam champion John McEnroe.

McEnroes resignation comes when results from American men appear to have hit

new lows, as no U.S. man made it into the second week of this years Open. A New York

Post story, which said McEnroe sat down with a handful of reporters before the Open,reported that, McEnroe called out the system that doesnt allow the USTA to sanction

coaches, saying America had lost ground in the world of coaching.

Smith said McEnroes departure was not prompted by recent declining pro results.If you look at where we are and where we have come from, we have a great foundation.

Frankly, I think we are going to see results of that, Smith said. Patrick realized that the

United States really needed a broad-based, organized regional and national program.Make no mistake, we're going to continue the course. This is not a change in direction.


Patrick McEnroe to LeaveUSTA Player Development


10/68

IndustryNews

memorable moments in its 39-year history,

but it will be difficult to top the dedication ofthe Daniel L. Haggerty Jr. Pavilion in August.

Numerous political and USTA dignitaries

attended, and it signified the final piece of

the Cadwalader Park tennis court renovation

project. The Pavilion is the centerpiece of the

Junior Champions Tennis Center, now one

of the

largest

outdoor

short-

court

facilities

in the

country,

with 14 smaller courts and a stadium court.

The complex is now used by the NJTL for its

extensive tennis and educational programs

that reach some 2,500 kids annually.

The project was co-chaired by Albert

Stark, Amy Smith, and Dave Haggerty, the

current USTA President and son of the Pavil-

ion's namesake. It was a unique partnership

between the City of Trenton, which provided

community development grant money andhelped with the bidding process; the NJTL of

Trenton, which managed the project; Friends

of Cadwalader Park Tennis, who led the fund-

raising effort; and the USTA, which provided

the design work.

Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson, Board Presi-

dent Beth Deitchman, Executive Director

Rob Howland, and Haggerty were among

those to make remarks. Jim Courier and Todd

Martin (photo) played a singles exhibition

and joined two star NJTL kids for some fun

doubles play.Ann LoPrinzi

USTA Foundation Receives$125K Grant from Coca-Cola

USTA Foundation, the USTAs national

charitable organization, has received

a $125,000 grant from the Coca-Cola

Foundation, the philanthropic arm for

The Coca-Cola Co. As part of the grant,

the USTA Foundation will fund $10,000

to 10 National Junior Tennis and Learning

(NJTL) programs nationwide that utilize

the ACE (Academic Creative Engage-ment) Curriculum.

The ACE curriculum provides hands-

on academic lessons in literacy and

math and includes additional lessons on

nutrition, all designed

to encourage academic

achievement, health and

wellness while develop-

ing social skills. In ad-

dition to the funds, the

following NJTL programs will also receive

professional development support and

materials:

15 Love, Albany, NY

Atlanta Youth Tennis and Education

Foundation, Atlanta

Houston Tennis Association, Hous-

ton

InnerCity Tennis (ICT), Minneapolis

LA 84 SCTA NJTL, Los Angeles

National Junior Tennis and Learning

of Trenton, Trenton, NJ

Richmond Police Athletic League,

Richmond, CA

Tennis For Charity, Cincinnati

The Sportsmens Tennis & Enrich-

ment Center, Dorchester, MA Youth Tennis Advantage, Berkley, CA

In January 2014, the USTA Foundation

combined with USTA NJTL, a national

network of 630 community-based tennis

and education programs serving more

than 330,000 youth, to become a fully

operational foundation.

We are extremely grateful to the

Coca-Cola Foundation for supporting

the ACE curriculum and our phenomenal

NJTL chapters, said Dan Faber, executive

director of the USTA Foundation. These

funds provide us with an opportunity tonot only support one of our greatest aca-

demic programs within the NJTL network,

but to continue to grow and expand our

outreach.

ITA Names 2014 CollegiateAll-Star Team

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has

named the best collegiate tennis players

from the 2013-2014 season. The ITA Colle-

giate All-Star Team consists of:

NCAA Div. 1 Singles: Jamie Loeb, Univ.

of North Carolina; Robin Anderson,


USTA Board, Officer

Nominations AnnouncedT

he USTA Nominating Committee has announced the following people havebeen nominated to serve as Officers and Directors on the national USTA

Board of Directors for the 2015-2016 term (section affiliation in parenthe-

ses):

Katrina M. Adams, President (Eastern)

Alexander Boyd Andy Andrews IV, First Vice President(Southern)

Thomas S. Ho, Vice President (Texas)

Donald L. Tisdel, Vice President (Pacific Northwest)

Patrick J. Galbraith, Secretary-Treasurer (Pacific North-

west)

Directors at Large: Fabrizio Alcobe-Fierro (Florida), Joan E. Baker (Northern),Mark D. Ein (Mid-Atlantic), Michael J. McNulty III (Southern), Andrew A.

Valdez (Intermountain), Kathleen J. Wu (Texas), Lauren B. Barnikow (Elite

AthleteNorthern California), Todd C. Martin (Elite AthleteFlorida), Chanda

R. Rubin (Elite AthleteSouthern)

Immediate Past President: David A. Haggerty (Middle States)In addition, the nominating committee has named its own successors for

the 2015-2016 term: Charlotte S. Johnson (ChairSouthwest), Frank A. Adams

(Intermountain), Kathleen T. Francis (Eastern), Eddie A. Gonzalez (Southern),

Robert Kramer (Southern California), Greg R. Lappin (Northern), Greg J. Mason

(Southwest), Rex A. Maynard (Southern), Roshan N. Rajkumar (Northern), NancyC. Rasgado (Florida), Christopher J. Reynolds (Mid-Atlantic), Alfredo Trevino

(Texas), Jill Craybas (Elite AthleteSouthern California), Jewel R. Peterson (Elite

AthleteSouthern), Jim Thomas (Elite AthleteMidwest)



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IndustryNews

November/December 2014 TennisIndustry 9www.tennisindustrymag.com

UCLA; Danielle Collins, Univ. of

Virginia; Marcos Giron, UCLA; Clay

Thompson, UCLA; Guillermo Alcorta,

Univ. of Oklahoma

NCAA Div. 1 Doubles: Erin Routliffe/

Maya Jansen, Univ. of Alabama; Lau-

ren Herring/Maho Kowase, Univ. of

Georgia; Kendal Woodard/Megan

Kurey, Georgia Tech; Mikelis Libietis/

Hunter Reese, Univ. of Tennessee;Ashok Narayana/Max Schnur, Colum-

bia Univ.; Peter Kobelt/Kevin Metka,

Ohio State Univ.

NCAA Div. 2: Valentine Confalonieri,

Lynn Univ.; Bruno Savi, Univ. of West

Florida

NCAA Div. 3: Gabrielle Clark, Emory

Univ.; Joey Fritz, Amherst

NAIA: Jade Curtis, Auburn Univ. at

Montgomery; Deni Zmak, Embry-

Riddle

NJCAA: Natalia Vavulina, ASA College;

Josh Page, Abraham Baldwin Agricul-

tural College

In addition, the 2014 ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr.

National Leadership and Sportsmanship

Award winners are:

Div. 1: Greg Andrews, Univ. of Notre

Dame, and Belinda Niu, Northwestern

Univ.

Div. 2: Robert Florence, Washburn

Univ., and Lauren Coggins, Slippery

Rock Univ. Div. 3: Nicolas Moreno, Trinity, and

Samantha Gann, Tufts

NAIA: Sonam Phuntsok, Lewis-Clark

State College, and Dominika Jasova,

Brenau Univ.

Junior/Community College: Richard

Catabona, LA Pearce College, and Mal-

lory Davis, Meridian CC.

Hall of Fame AnnouncesNominations for 2015

French tennis greats Amelie Mauresmo

and Mary Pierce, both two-time singles

champions at Grand Slam tournaments,

have been nominated to receive thehighest honor in tennisenshrinement

in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Two-time Roland Garros champion Sergi

Bruguera of Spain, and Russia's Yevg-

eny Kafelnikov, winner of two singles

titles and four doubles titles at Grand

Slams, join Mauresmo and Pierce in the

Recent Player Category of nominees.

David Hall of Australia, a six-time ITF

World Champion has been nominated in

the Recent Player Category for Wheel-

chair Tennis. Longtime tennis industry

leader Nancy Jeffett has been nominat-

ed in the Contributor Category in recog-

nition of her lifetime commitment to the

growth of the sport, particularly in the

areas of women's professional tennis

and junior tennis development.

Voting for the 2015 ballot will take

place over the next several months,

culminating with an announcement

early next year to reveal the Interna-

tional Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2015.

The 2015 Enshrinement Ceremony will

be July 18 in Newport, R.I., in conjunc-

tion with the annual Hall of Fame Tennis

Championships.

PTR, iTPA Announce GlobalPartnership Agreement

The PTR recently announced a global

partnership agreement with the Interna-

tional Tennis Performance Association

(iTPA).

Continuing education is key to being

a successful tennis coach, as well as to a

thriving tennis industry, says PTR CEO

Dan Santorum. By partnering with iTPA,

PTR has joined forces with a first-class

association that will provide excellenteducational opportunities for our tennis

coaches around the world. One of the

PHOTOB

YJ

UDITHG

LASS

Glass Receives PatentFor Net Tension Device

In the same week that the TNT Gauge was being installed for the third consecu-tive year on net posts for all the courts at the 2014 US Open, U.S. Patent No.

8,806,952 Measuring Sports Net Tension was issued to the gauges inventor,

David Glass of Knoxville, Tenn. The patent recognizes the uniqueness of the tennis

and volleyball net tension gauges that have removed the last variable from thosesports net setups, Glass says.

The TNT (Tennis Net Tension) Gauge was devel-

oped in 2011 with the cooperation of the University

of Tennessee program, and is becoming the standard

measuring device for equalizing the nets across a ten-nis facility. The gauges are in use at several pro events

and two NCAA Championships. Beginning with the

2015 publication ofFriend at Court, the USTA joins

the ITF in recommending a tension of 400 to 450

pounds on all competition nets, with all nets across afacility within 25 pounds of each other.

The TNT Gauge is the only instrument in produc-

tion that is certified to be accurate enough meet that

narrow tension range, Glass says. The new product

is on hundreds of courts and has been used for thou-sands of matches at pro, college, and club levels, and

has proven its durability without a single hardware

failure to date. The TNT Gauge has a two-year manufacturers warranty.

In 2013, volleyball adopted that sports version, called the Tight Right Gauge, and

is working toward similar standardization of volleyball net tension. The Tight Right

Gauge will be on the nets for the volleyball events at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.Manufactured in Knoxville, and available with club or team logos, the TNT Gauge

is made in models that ensure compatibility with nearly all tennis net posts. Visittightcable.net or contact Glass at 865-307-0474 or [email protected].


12/68

PeopleWatch

Jeff Williams is the new

managing partner of the Ten-

nis Media Company (TMC),owners and publishers of

Tennis Magazine, Tennis.

com and Tennis Tuesday.

Williams, who is also the co-

publisher of Tennis Industry

magazine, has been TMC

Group Publisher for the past

decade. Former Managing

Partners Bob Miller and

George Mackin will transition

to investor roles. Chris Evert

maintains her role as partner

and a contributor, and Billie

Jean King retains her role as

an investor in TMC.

Babolat recently honored

winners of its 2013-2014

sales awards: Retailer of the

YearThe Tennis Profes-

sionals, New York; Sales Rep

of the Year: Adrian Bolton,

Southern California; Tennis

Runs in Our Blood award:

Jonathan Albrecht.

Wilson Sporting GoodsCo. has added two to its

Racquet Sports division. Nick

Gonzales is global marketing

director and Tim Buwick is

U.S. promotions director for

Racquet Sports. Gonzales,

who spent the last eight

years at Unilever, will be

responsible for shaping the

consumer communication

and engagement strategy

spanning all Racquet Sport

product categories and keybusiness drivers. Buwick,

a longtime Wilson territory

manager, will lead, develop,

and execute grassroots strate-gies and promotional activities

to drive brand awareness and

consumer demand. Earlier this

summer, Wilson named Hans-

Martin Reh as its new General

Manager, Racquet Sports.

Marin Cilic, who endorses

the Head Graphene Prestige

racquet, claimed his 300th

career win when he

defeated Kei Nishi-

kori in three sets

in the US Open

final.

Former

world No. 4

and current U.S.

Fed Cup Captain Mary

Joe Fernandez was awarded

the 2014 USTA Presidents

Award during the US Open,

which honors an individual

who has given extraordinary

service to the sport of tennis

in the publics interest. Sinceits inception in 1999, award

recipients have included Billie

Jean King, Lindsay Davenport,

Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan,

and former New York City

Mayor David Dinkins.

The International Tennis Hall

of Fame has appointed long-

time tennis industry leader

Charlie Pasarell to be chairman

of the organization's Inter-

national Committee, whichfocuses on growing awareness

for the Hall of Fame's mission

in the international tennis

community, and fosteringknowledge of the rich history

of tennis around the world.

Roger Federer and Caroline

Wozniacki received the third

annual US Open Sports-

manship Awards for their

excellence in sportsmanship

throughout the Emirates

Airline US Open Series and the

US Open.

The International

Tennis Hall of Fame

& Museum Board of

Directors has named

Mark Stenning and Ed

Woolard as Life Trustees.

Stenning stepped down

as CEO of the Hall of Fame

earlier this month after 35

years with the organization.

Woolard has been a longtime

supporter of the Hall of Fame

in numerous capacities, most

recently serving as vice chair

of the organization's CapitalCampaign.

US Open runner-up Kei Ni-

shikori will appear in promo-

tions for Jaguar in Japan, his

first major deal since reaching

the US Open final.

Stanislas Wawrinka has re-

newed his contract with Yonex

for the companys racquets,

shoes and clothing. Sports-

Business Journalsays the $20million deal is the largest for

the Japanese company.

Australias Omar Jasika,playing with Tecnifibre rac-

quets and strings, defeated

French player Quentin

Halys, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, in the

US Open Junior Boys Final.

The 17-year-old also won the

US Open Junior Doubles title

with Japanese partner Naoki

Nakagawa. Jasika is the first

player in 28 years to win both

Boys Singles and Doubles

crowns at Flushing Meadows.

He has played with Tecnifibre

since age 3.

USTA Girls 18s National

Champion CiCi Bellis of Ather-

ton, Calif., and Aron Hiltzik of

Hinsdale, Ill., were honored

with the inaugural US Open

Junior Sportsmanship Awards,

presented to the junior boy

and girl who best demon-

strate excellent sportsman-

ship at this summers USTA

National Championships.

Tennis Channel has ap-

pointed Jeremy Langer as vice

president of programming.

Inducted recently into the

Southern California Tennis As-

sociations Senior Hall of Fame

were: Richard Doss, Robert

Isenberg, Patricia Fraser the

late Eleanor Harbula, Roz

King, the late Charles Lass,

Deborah McCormick, Charles

Nelson, James Perley, andBeverly Winans.


IndustryNews


benefits of this agreement is that members

of both organizations can take advantage of

special educational opportunities.

The iTPA is proud to partner with the PTR

to continue to grow the quality and breadth

of education offerings throughout the tennis

industry, adds Dr. Mark Kovacs, PTR, CTPS,

MTPS and iTPA executive director. The

iTPAs mission is closely aligned with that

of PTR and this partnership will benefit mem-

bers of both organizations with a focus on

providing high-quality education.

Tecnifibre, JTCC AnnouncePartnership

The Junior Tennis Champions Center

(JTCC), at College Park Tennis Club in

Maryland, has partnered with Tecnifibre

to become the premier training center

for Tecnifibres ATP World Tour On the

Road program in the U.S.

We at Tecnifibre are very pleased to be

partnering with one of the premier tennis

academies in the U.S., says Dave Dorsey,

national sales manager of Tecnifibre USA.

As a premier brand of competition-level

tennis products, Tecnifibre looks forward

to working alongside the Junior Tennis

Champions Center in the development

of the next generation of professional


13/68

IndustryNews


players. The On the Road to the ATP World

Tour is an exclusive program led by Tecnifi-

bre-sponsored ATP players, including Janko

Tipsarevic and Denis Istomin. The program

helps juniors discover what it takes to reach

and excel on the pro tour.We are looking forward to a new era of

innovation as we begin our partnership with

Tecnifibre, adds Ray Benton, CEO of the

JTCC. The JTCC was founded on the idea of

preparing all our players to reach their full

potentialas young adults and as athletes.

Working alongside Tecnifibre will allow us

to offer our students the best in technical

equipment as they train.

CareersInTennis.com Nears50,000 Job Views

With more than 2,600 registered job-seekers

and over 300 registered businesses, the free site

CareersInTennis.com has taken off in 2014.

Ryan Melton, the operations manager for the

Tennis Industry Association, which manages the

site, reports that from January to September of

this year, the website has received nearly 50,000

views, a 52 percent increase over all of 2013.

The site is one of the industry leading go-to

sources to connect employers and employees to

tennis career opportunities, he adds.

CareersInTennis.com is free to use for both

job-seekers and employers. Visit the site to

sign up.

Ashaway Squash StringAdds New Design

Ashaway Racket Strings has added new

flare to its popular 18-gauge SuperNick XL

Micro squash string by introducing a new

black and white pattern. The distinctive

new design adds variety and choice to what

has become Ashaway's fastest growing

squash string category.

Ashaway's other 1.15 mm

squash strings include Ul-

traNick 18 and PowerNick

18. Visit ashawayusa.com.

"The new black and white cross pattern

SuperNick XL Micro is very flashy and dis-

tinctive, says Ashaway VP Steve Crandall.

It will go very well with some of the new rac-

quet graphics, and will be very recognizable

as a member of the Ashaway SNXL family of

squash strings."

Giron, Loeb Win InauguralAmerican Collegiate Invitational

A little bit of rain didnt stop UCLAs Marcos

Giron from winning the inaugural American


14/68

ShortSets

The U.S. Davis Cup

team beat Slovakia, 5-0,in Chicago in September

to preserve its place in

the World Group for the

2015 competition. The

American squad will

next square off against

Great Britain in the first

round March 6-8 in

Great Britain, at a site

and court surface to be

determined. The United

States-Great Britain ri-

valry is the oldest rivalry

in Davis Cup history,

dating back to the first

competition in 1900.

The U.S. is 11-8 all-time

against Great Britain. For

the 2014 Davis Cup final,

France will host Switzer-

land November 21-23.

Wilson says it has

received a patent that

it claims covers racquet

stringing patters with

more main strings thancross strings. The patent,

mentioned in a Wall

Street Journal article

recently, is a result of the

companys Spin Effect

technology.

Citizen Watch

Company of America is

extending its long-

standing partnershipwith the USTA and

the US Open. Citizen

will also become the

Official Timekeeper of

the Emirates Airline

US Open Series and

will have a presence at

all U.S.-based Series

tournaments. In ad-

dition, the brand will

be integrated into the

USTAs future facility at

Lake Nona in Florida.

Facing Hewitt

($10.99, 274-pages,

available at Amazon.

com) is a new book

by veteran sports and

tennis journalist Mark

Scoop Malinowski

about one of the most

dynamic champions

in modern tennis, Aus-

tralian Leyton Hewitt,

the youngest player

every to be ranked No.1 on the ATP Tour. The

book is composed of

interviews with more

than 50 players who

discuss their memo-

ries and experiences

of what its like to com-

pete against the for-

mer Wimbledon, US

Open and Davis Cup

champion. Malinows-ki, who also authored

the book Facing

Federer: Symposium

of a Champion and

Marcelo Rios: The

Man We Barely Knew,

currently is working on

Facing McEnroe and

Facing Nadal.

Complete Tennis

Mastery is a tennis

lesson app that con-

sists of 57 lessons on

strokes, 34 on strate-

gies and 26 others that

include match play,

court surfaces, strings

and more. Longtime

USPTA pro and coach

Bill Longua, the tennis

director at Palm Island

resort in Florida and

author of the book

Winning Tennis

Strokes, created the

app, which is availablefor $4.99 for iPhone

and Android.

The Australian Open

and the ATP World

Tour Masters 1000

at Indian Wells have

again been voted the

most media-friendly

tournaments in the

sport by the worldsleading tennis

journalists. The two

tournaments received

their awards from the

International Tennis

Writers Association

(ITWA) at a reception

in New York prior to

the US Open.

USTA Foundation,

the national charita-

ble organization of the

USTA, announced that

it has partnered with

longtime US Open

sponsor JPMorgan

Chase & Co. to award

10 National Junior

Tennis and Learning

(NJTL) programs with

$10,000 each to go

toward tennis and

education program-

ming. In addition,

JPMorgan Chase ran

a nationwide Twit-ter campaign that

awarded $10,000 to

another NJTL.

RapidForce, a

muscle support and

pain relief adhesive

application, now has

a strategic partner-

ship with professional

player John Isner, whowears RapidForce

during tournaments

to help with knee sup-

port. The pre-cut com-

pression fabric shapes

aid in pain reduction

and improved stability

for the most frequent

musculoskeletal is-

sues and injuries, says

the company.

The USPTA recently

announced that Power

Plate is its most recent

supporter, and will

contribute to the

USPTAs Retirement

Gold+ program for

those members who

purchase a Power

Plate machine for their

club or facility. Owned

by Performance

Health Systems,

Power Plate is a leader

in whole-body vibra-tion equipment.

The newly opened

Four Seasons Resort

Orlando at Walt

Disney World Resort

will use Peter Burwash

International to direct

its tennis program.


IndustryNews


Collegiate Invitational tournament, played at

the US Open on Sept. 6 of the final weekend.The top-seeded Giron of Thousand Oaks, Calif.,

downed Ohio States Peter Kobelt, 6-1, 6-3, to

win the mens title, while North Carolinas Jamie

Loeb beat fellow New Yorker Julia Elbaba, 7-5,

6-1, of Virginia to capture the womens cham-

pionship in the eight-player event played at the

USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

If Giron is ranked No. 250 or higher and Loeb

No. 150 or higher in the world rankings next

summer, the pair will receive a main draw wild

card into next years US Open. Guaranteed at

least a qualifying wild card, Giron and Loeb will

also get wild cards into two USTA Pro Circuit

events, while Kobelt and Elbaba will each

get one wild-card spot.Ken Merritt to Head NewTeam Gamma Program

Gamma has hired an experienced group

of promotional scouts and recruiters

headed up by tennis industry veteran

and development expert Ken Merritt.

Merritt and his team will be responsible

for building Team Gamma, an elite

group of tennis players, teaching pros,

coaches and training centers.

I am excited to start this new venture

with Gamma, Merritt says. After meet-

ing the Gamma team, I knew this was the

perfect fit. These guys are really commit-ted to tennis. The knowledge and experi-

ence that sits in Gamma headquarters

blew me away.

We are very excited to be shaping Team

Gamma with Ken, who recently built one of

the most highly visible junior and acad-

emy programs in the tennis industry, says

Gamma President and CEO Matt Ferrari.

His teams ability to create passion and a

dedicated following for a brand coupled

with our commitment to support players,

teaching pros, coaches and academies are

a natural fit.


15/68


USPTA Pros Raise $22KFor Military Families

Since May, members of the USPTA have

donated more than $22,000 to ThanksUSA as

part of the Tennis Thanks The Troops cam-

paign, which included a $1,000 donation fromthe USPTA Foundation.

Through Tennis Thanks the Troops, USPTA

and ThanksUSA have teamed up to encour-

age USPTA Professionals to raise money for

scholarships given to the families of military

men and women. USPTA Professionals held

tournaments, festivals, auctions and lessons

to help raise funds, and the pro who raised the

most won a trip to the 2014 US Open.

This years winner was USPTA Elite Profes-

sional Todd Assini, tennis director of the

Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth, Ga. He

hosted a Memorial Day Tennis Mixer fundrais-

er, a Silent Auction fundraiser, a Wimbledon

viewing party, and a happy hour on June 28,

raising $6,335.25 for the charity.

Participation IncreasesFor High School Sports

The number of participants in high school

sports increased for the 25th consecu-

tive year in 2013-14, with a record total of

almost 7.8 million, according to the annual

High School Athletics Participation Survey

conducted by the National Federation of

State High School Associations (NFHS).

The one-year increase of more than 82,000athletes was the highest since 2009-10.

Girls participation increased for the

25th consecutive year with an additional

44,941 participants from 2012-13 and

set an all-time record of 3,267,664. Boys

participation eclipsed 4.5 million for the

first time (4,527,994), breaking the mark of

4,494,406 in 2010-11.

The top 10 boys sports remained un-

changed from last year: football, outdoor

track and field, basketball, baseball, soc-

cer, wrestling, cross country, tennis, golf,

and swimming and diving. Track and fieldremained the No. 1 sport for girls, followed

by basketball, volleyball, soccer, fast-pitch

softball, cross country, tennis, swimming

and diving, competitive spirit squads, and

lacrosse.

Worldwide SponsorshipExpected to Increase

Worldwide spending on amateur and

professional tennis tournaments, leagues and

sanctioning bodies is expected to total $739

million in 2014, up 4.4 percent from 2013,

according to projections by sponsorship con-

IndustryNewssulting company IEG. The increase exceeds

the projected 4.3 percent increase in overall

sponsorship spending, but lags behind the

4.9 percent increase in sports spending

overall.

Some of the top deals in tennis this yearincluded the ATP renewing FedEx Corp.

while the WTA re-upped BNP Paribas as title

of the season-ending WTA Finals Singapore.

The WTA also secured SC Global as present-

ing sponsor of the WTA Finals, and the Con-

necticut Open landed United Technolo-

gies Corp. as presenting sponsor.

According to IEG, sports apparel and

equipment companies are the most

prolific sponsors of tennis8.4 times

more likely to sponsor tennis than theaverage of all sponsors. Anheuser-Busch

is the most active sponsor of tennis with

34 percent of properties with a sponsor

in the malt beverage category reporting a

partnership with the company.


16/68

IndustryNews

14 TennisIndustry November/December 2014 www.tennisindustrymag.com

Clarification

In the Sept./Oct. issue of Tennis Indus-

try magazine, the State of the Industry

article (page 30) conveyed a stat thattennis TV viewership was down 22 per-

cent in 2013. Absent from this analysis

was a reference to the fact that the 2012

London Olympics had a significant

impact on the 2012 viewership figures,

resulting in the majority of the compara-

tive decline in tennis viewership for the

2013 year.

TIA & NSSA Offer 2nd AnnualTennis Media Award

The TIA and the National Sportscasters

and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) are

again working together to bring to light

the many great stories about tennisthose

who play, teach, organize, sponsor and

promote the game. The TIA will present the

Second Annual Tennis Media Award to an

NSSA member who produces a story (print,

web or broadcast) judged to be the most

informative, interesting, and compelling

about the sport of tennis or those involved

in the sport.

The story or broadcast can be about any

aspect of recreational play, for instance

Youth Tennis, Cardio Tennis, Adult Ten-

nis, league play, school tennis, Tennis onCampus, the PlayTennis.com website, etc.

The Tennis Media Award will be presented

June 6-8 at the 56th annual NSSA Awards

Weekend in Salisbury, N.C. The winner

will receive travel to the event and $1,000.

Runner-up and Honorable Mention winners

also will receive prize money.

To be eligible, stories must be published

or broadcast between Jan. 1, 2014, and

Dec. 31, 2014. The deadline for entries is

March 1. Only NSSA members are eligible,

and only one entry per member. (The

NSSA consists of more than 1,000 leading

sportscaster and sportswriters, the largest

and oldest such professional organization

in the U.S. To join the NSSA, visit nssafame.

com.) For print entries, send a web link

to the story or attach a low-res pdf. For

web entries, send a link to the story. For

broadcast entries, a web link is preferred.

All entries must be emailed to contest@ten-

nisindustry.org. For more information, visit

tennisindustry.org/media.

Tennis Racquet PerformanceSpecialty Stores

January-June, 2014 vs. 2013

Units 2014 299,767 2013 304,526

% change vs. 13 -2%

Dollars 2014 $44,391,000

2013 $44,175,000

% change vs. 13 0%

Price 2014 $148.08

2013 $145.06

% change vs. 13 2%

Top-Selling Racquets atSpecialty Stores

By year-to-date dollars

Jan.-June 2014 Best Sellers

1. Babolat Aero Pro Drive 2013 (MP)

2. Babolat Pure Drive GT 2012 (MP)

3. Babolat Pur Drive Lite 2012 (MP)

4. Head Graphene Radical MP (MP)

5. Babolat Aero Pro Team 2013 (MP)

Hot New Racquets

(introduced in the past 12 months)

1. Head Graphene Radical MP (MP)

2. Wilson Juice 100 S (MP)

3. Babolat Pure Strike 100 (MP)

4. Head Graphene Radical Pro (MP)

5. Babolat Pure Drive Play (MP)

Top-Selling Tennis Shoesat Specialty Stores

By year-to-date dollars, Jan.-June 2014

1. Prince T22

2. Asics Gel Resolution 5

3. Nike Air Max Cage 2013

4. Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour

5. Babolat Propulse 4

Top-Selling Strings at Specialty

By year-to-date units, Jan.-June 2014

1. Babolat RPM Blast

2. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex3. Wilson NXT

4. Wilson Sensation

5. Luxilon Alu Power

(Source: TIA)

USRSA Welcomes new MRT's

MRT's

David Dvorak - Dunwoody, GA

Terry Gratz - Stone Mountain, GA

Cody Hunter - Vero Beach, FL

Mark Lewis - Santa Clara, CA

Michael Na - Indonesia

Bill Vinh - Houston, TX

Mattingley Named 2014USPTA Professional of the Year

USPTA Master Pro Randy Mattingley (below) of Kingwood, Texas, was hon-

ored with the 2014 Alex Gordon Award for the Professional of the Year, the

USPTAs top annual member award. Mattingley and other industry leaderswere recognized by the USPTA at its annual awards ceremony, held in New York at

the Tennis Teachers Conference during the US Open. Other honorees are: USTA/USPTA Community Service Award: Tim and Peanut Harper

USPTA Industry Excellence Award: Jeff Rothstein

USPTA Star: Kevin Clark

Lessons for Life Individual Award: Bill Riddle Tennis Across America Individual Award: Jason Holland

USPTA Diversity Award: Christopher Tran

Facility Manager of the Year Award, Small Facility: Larry Savvides

Facility Manager of the Year Award, Large Facility: C.J. Bendy Jr.

Tim Gullikson Touring Coach of the Year: Nick Saviano

High School Coach of the Year: Clete Browder

Co-College Coach of the Year: Peter Smith

Co-College Coach of the Year: John-Paul Connell

George Basco Tester of the Year Kyle LaCroix

USPTA Presidents Paul Waldman Award: Paul Waldman

Small Division of the Year: USPTA Southwest

Large Division of the Year: USPTA Texas

Newsletter of the Year: USPTA Southern


17/68

When online retailing first

emerged as a real com-

petitor to brick-and-mortar

specialty tennis shops, the reaction

from shop owners was everything

from anger aimed at brands that soldto online retailers to outright fear of

online retailers.

What has emerged, however, is a

reality of American consumers buy-

ing habits and their ever-evolving pathto purchase that has allowed specialty

tennis shops to effectively compete

with online retailers by becoming

multi-channel (also omni-channel).

This has meant that specialty shopsneeded to develop their own websites

and embrace them as major mar-

keting, communication and mediavehicles to expand their market space

and retail reach so they would be avail-

able to their customers 24/7. Whetherindividual shops commerce-enabled

their website is an option that each

owner has to determine in the best

interest of their business.

That said, weve become convincedthat the typical specialty tennis

shop has to have an up-to-date and

commerce-enabled website to meet

and beat online competitors, and more

importantly keep up with the evolvingconsumer path to purchase, which is

not static or single-channel focused,

but dynamic and multi-channel.

Now, research has found BOPIS,

or buy online, pickup in store.This

isnt a new inventionit has been andstill is a feature of outdoor retailer

REI. But what is new is BOPIS becom-

ing the next evolutionary step in the

consumers path to purchaseand one

that brings with it a major advantagefor brick-and-mortar specialty stores.

As every specialty tennis shop own-

er and manager knows, the secret in-

gredient to meeting and beating online

retailers and all other forms of retail

competition is differentiationmaking

your specialty tennis shop stand out

as different and offering a better and

more enjoyable shopping experiencefrom every other retailer. To continue

to differentiate your business from all

competitors, including online retail-

ers, you should embrace BOPIS andextend your website customer service

to include buying online and picking

up in store.

For shops that already have com-

merce-enabled websites, this addedfeature will mean only minor changes.

For others, it may require changes to

both their websites and their inven-

tory management, including adding anin-store fulfillment function. Conver-sion remains the same for those shops

that already have commerce-enabled

websites, and the payment transaction

is completed online.

Your website will have to include an

option for pick-up at store, includ-ing what day and approximately what

time, and we also suggest the means

for contacting customers by email or

phone when their purchase is ready to

be picked up.

There are multiple advantages for

This is part of a series of retail tipspresented by the Tennis Industry As-

sociation and written by the Gluskin

Townley Group (www.gluskintown-

leygroup.com).

specialty shops in adopting BOPIS, in-

cluding immediate online conversion

and the customer satisfaction that is

attached. Buying online and pickingup in your store also may save the cus-

tomer the time and expense of waiting

for an online retailer to ship a product.Also, of course, BOPIS brings custom-

ers into your store, creating foot trafficand, importantly, an opportunity to

add on other sales.

Your staff needs to be educated

about BOPIS and what it means to

your tennis shop beyond a customersimply walking in to pick up a pur-

chase made on your website. If BOPIS

customers have to walk through your

store to the rear of the shop to pick up

merchandise, theyll walk past your

displays and sale and featured items.Make sure your staff is trained so that

they always mention sale and featured

items, and other services your store

offers such as stringing and racquet

customization, when customers comein to pick up merchandise.

Extending Your WebsiteWith buy online, pick up in store, you can hyper-differentiate your shop from other retailers.By Jay Townley

Retailing134


November/December 2014 TennisIndustry 15


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Tennis Show 2014 Celebratesthe Business of Tennis

Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org16 TennisIndustry November/December 2014

More than 1,000tennis industryleaders, executivesand professionalsgathered at TheTennis Show 2014in New York Cityto celebrate thebusiness of tennis.Held on Aug. 24 in

conjunction withthe Tennis TeachersConference andproduced by theTIA, The TennisShow included the TIA Tennis Forum, the Tennis IndustryHall of Fame Induction, and 54 companies displayingtheir latest products and services.

The afternoon began with the 7th Annual TIA TennisForum, at which a packed house of nearly 400 peopleheard the latest news about the state of the industry.TIA President Greg Mason outlined key research andfocus areas, including Try Tennis Free, which speaks toone of this industrys key research stats: that there are 30million tennis players in the U.S.17.7 million who played

in 2013 and another 13.3 who consider themselves players,but didnt get out on the courts last year due to varyingreasons. Additionally, another 15 million have indicated theyare interested in taking up the game. Then USTA President,CEO & Chairman of the Board Dave Haggerty spoke about theimportance of the collaborative relationship the TIA and USTAhave to grow tennis participation and the business overall.

Jeff Williams, TIA Board Member and Chairman of the Tennis IndustryHall of Fame Committee, introduced Jim Baugh as the ninth inductee intothe Tennis Industry Hall of Fame. Baugh gave an impassioned speech to thestanding-room-only audience, covering his career highlights, thankingthose who helped pave the path to move the tennis industryforward, and encouraging everyone to continue to work harderand with more passion to grow tennis.

Then The Tennis Show opened to teaching pros and coaches,retailers, facility owners/managers, manufacturers and players.Exhibitors included premier brands, companies displayingemerging technologies, and other tennis businesses andorganizations. New this year was a Virtual Event Bag,which allowed exhibitors and even companies who couldnot make it to the show to showcase exclusive discounts andoffers in an online digital format (visit TennisShow.com). Inaddition, attendees could win over $10,000 worth of prizesdonated by exhibitors.

Were very pleased with the interest and turnout,said TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. It was a greatnetworking opportunity and allowed tennis providers tosee some of the newest innovations, generating evenmore excitement for our collaborative efforts to grow the

business of tennis and the game overall.

PHOTOS BYCHRIS NICHOLSON


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Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

Todd MartinJoins TIA Board


While the industry-supportedTry Tennis Free campaignwill get a big push for May

2015, theres no reason tennisproviders need to wait sixmonths to reap the benefits ofbringing consumers to the game.Many providers already offera free introduction to tennis,but by signing up and offeringTry Tennis Free year-round,providers will always haveaccess to free industry marketingand advertising support.

Tennis providers whoparticipated in the inaugural TTFcampaign this past May reported

that on average, facilities saw 30new and returning players hittingtheir courts, says TIA ExecutiveDirector Jolyn de Boer. Whilewe plan on heavy promotion forTry Tennis Free in May 2015inpartnership with the USTA, PTRand USPTAproviders shouldntfeel they have to wait to offer thisto consumers. In fact, its a greatpromotion to have on your program menu year-round.

By visiting PlayTennis.com, consumers can find facilities andteaching pros in their areas offering TTF events. The free sessionscan vary depending on the location, as each facility or certified tennisprofessional can choose the best introductory session or program they

feel will encourage new and returning players to step onto the court.Free offers can include lessons, clinics, Cardio Tennis, Play Days, andmore. Providers can easily sign up at PlayTennis.com to participate inTTF and receive free customizable marketing material to download topromote the campaign locally.

Run Try Tennis Free Year-Round

Go to PlayTennis.com ormore information

Save the Dates!

Join Your Industry, March 17-20, 2015,in Indian Wells, Californiaat the Westin Mission HillsGolf Resort & SpaTIA Tennis Summit and the2nd Annual Tennis Owners &Managers ConferenceStay tuned for more details.

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Former world No. 4 mens tennis playerTodd Martin, the new CEO of the Inter-national Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum(ITHF), has joined the board of directors

of the TIA. Martin takes over the TIAboard role held for many years by MarkStenning, who stepped down recently asCEO of the ITHF after 35 years with theorganization.

The Hall of Fame is an important part-ner in helping to build awareness of thesport and monumental to preserving thehistory surrounding the game, says TIAExecutive Director Jolyn de Boer. Welook forward to working with Todd on themany efforts under way to ensure growthof the game and the business of tennis.

Im excited to join the TIA board asit works to promote this sport at every

level and to encourage more people ofall ages to play tennis, Martin says.

Since retiring from the ATP WorldTour in 2004, Martin has remainedhighly engaged in the industry. Herecently was nominated for a third termon the USTA board of directors and iscurrently the board liaison to the Youth

Tennis Council.In 2012, helaunched ToddMartin Tennis,which focuseson junior tennis

development.In 1994, Martinfounded theTodd MartinDevelopmentFund.


20/68

says, Dan was the single most important

influence in the growth of college tennis.

He was a strong proponent of havingteams play against teams. That was very

important in increasing the excitement

level at the NCAA Championships.

In 1983, Magill was instrumental in ar-

ranging a $200,000 donation for the ITA

Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame

in Athens from Kenny Rogers and his

then-wife, Marianne Gordon. In 1993,

the complex Magill built was named in

his honor.

John Isner, the highest-ranked Bull-

dog ever, fondly remembers his close

relationship with Magill: Coach Magillmeant everything to college tennis. You

ask any tennis coachnorth, south,

east and west. He made college tennis

what it is today. He brought the NCAA

tournament to Athens, which no one had

ever seen before. When it comes back to

Athens nowadays, its still the best atmo-

sphere in college tennis.

being inducted into

the UGA Circle of

Honor, the National

Collegiate Tennis

Hall of Fame, the

State of Georgia

Sports Hall of Fame

and the Southern

Tennis Hall of Fame.

He was the 1994

recipient of the pres-

tigious Bill Hartman

Award.

What I remember

most was his enthu-

siasm for college

tennis, Diaz says.

During the NCAA

Championships, he sold out our facility.

He created box seats. He drew in soror-

ity and fraternity students. He reallyengaged our crowd. All of a sudden, it

put Georgia on the map.

Other longtime friends and col-

leagues noted his sense of humor and

ability to connect one-to-one with

people. Still, his legacy may best be

remembered for something more con-

crete: a tennis facility. Having led the

movement to make the NCAA Champi-

onships a team tournament, Magill had

a keen sense that tennis would thrive

with team competition, and that a great

venue can build a great event.Relying on fundraising skills honed

in the 50s, Magill worked to build the

countrys most important tennis facility

in the 70s, a 17-court center that would

host the NCAA Championships for 13

straight years and a commanding 27 of

the last 38 years. In 1993, what had been

a small, insular college event drew over

34,000 fans, thanks in part to UGA's

large student population and proximity

to other Southern state schools.

Intercollegiate Tennis Association

Executive Director David Benjamin

Georgia's Dan Magill RaisedCollege Tennis to New HeightsBy Ron Cioffi

Pioneersin Tennis


In the crowded Georgia pro and col-

lege sports scene, one team reigns

supreme: the University of Georgia

Bulldogs. So, when the states domi-

nant newspaper, theAtlanta Journal-Constitution, declares someone the

greatest Bulldog of them all, it is time

to recognize a true legend of the Peach

State.

That man was Dan Magill, whose

fame came not from darting for touch-

downs between the hedges of Sanford

Stadium, but from building the most

important college tennis program out-

side of California as well as the most

impressive tennis center in the nation.

When the 93-year-old Magill died in

August, the story made page one, rare

indeed for a college tennis coach.

Born and raised in Athens, home of

UGA, Magill's Bulldog loyalty was un-wavering from the start. After serving

as the baseball teams batboy while in

high school, he soon became a Bulldog

himself, competing on the tennis and

swim teams. Years later, he returned

to Athens as UGA's sports information

director. As the university's football

team struggled in the 1950s, Magill

began criss-crossing the state and

developed a fundraising institution,

the Georgia Bulldog Club. As treasurer,

he built a strong financial foundation.

That wouldnt be the only thing hebuilt in Athens.

In 1954, Magill began a 34-year

coaching career that would set an in-

tercollegiate tennis record of 706 wins,

183 lossesthe most tennis victories in

NCAA history at the time. His Bulldogs

brought home two national titles along

with a record-setting 13 SEC titles.

Magills successor and current mens

tennis coach, Manny Diaz, contin-

ued the tradition and has hoisted the

championship banner five more times.

Magill's long list of honors include

Pioneers in Tennis, an occasional col-

umn in Tennis Industry, draws attention

to trailblazers in the sport. Have someone

to suggest? E-mail [email protected].



21/68


22/68

Racquet Customization

Most players participating in league ortournament play carry at least two

racquets in their bag. Having those rac-quets matched makes transitioning

from one to another during a match

much easier.

While most dealers and racquet technicians realize identi-cal models of racquets will have variances in weight, swing

weight and balance due to manufacturing tolerances, most

consumers do not. This is a perfect opportunity for techni-

cians to add this service to their offerings. You may need to

educate your clients about this service, but chances are theyhave a favorite racquet in their bag, which means they pre-

fer the specs of one over the other.

Some stringers may be a little intimidated to add custom-

ization to their offering. But its really not that difficult, andmatching frames is a great way to start offering this service.All you need is a basic knowledge and the right equipment.

With a scale, balance board, and swing-weight scale, you are

ready to tackle the job.

If you cant invest in a swing-weight scale, you can still

match the balance and weight, although two racquets with thesame weight and balance can have different swing weights.

Swing weight is usually considered the most crucial spec

because it is how the racquet feels during play.

Using the tools on racquettech.com, USRSA members can

really simplify the process. The Racquet Customizer Tool will

tell you how much and where to add weight to the racquet toachieve the match.

Racquet Customizer ToolTo use the USRSAs Racquet Customizer Tool, the first step

is to measure each racquet and decide what your target specswill be. Remember that you will have to go with the heavi-

est weight and swing weight, which may be two different

racquets.

Unless the racquet has had weight added, it is difficult toremove weight to decrease either the weight or swing weight.

Make sure you are comparing apples to apples and remove

any dampeners, overgrips and other add-ons prior to getting

your initial measurements. Simply enter the specs of the rac-

quet into the Customizer Tool and then the target specs andhit the click to customize button.

The results you receive can be overwhelming, as there may

be hundreds of options. Usually the best results will come

from adding weight in the hitting zone for the player. A quicklook at the players string bed will show where they are hittingthe majority of balls. Placing the added weight in this area will

provide more torsional stability (twist weight) while achiev-

ing your goal of matching. The list will have options marked

with a bullet to denote applications near the 3 and 9 oclock

positions, which is generally in the strike zone of most play-ers. From the list, choose the formula or recipe to use, keep-

ing in mind that weight applications at 3 and 9 oclock and

near the bottom of the handle will be the easiest to achieve.

You will want to adjust the swing weight first by applying

lead tape to the head as indicated by the recipe you chose

from the list. Lead tape comes in several widths. I prefer touse the widest that will easily fit on the frame between the

By Bob Patterson

MatchPlay


Make sure you add racquet

customization to your menuof services for players, thenpromote your racquetmatching business.



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grommets and the edge of the frame.Once you have the swing weight

matched, you can now add weight in

the handle to bring the weight up to

the target specs. Note that you can

add quite a bit of weight to the handlearea without affecting the swing weight.

Once you bring the weight to target,

recheck all three specs to make sure you are

still on target. Make any minor adjustments if

needed.

Applying Lead TapeLead tape comes in a variety of widths.

I keep 1/4-, 3/8- and 1/2-inch-wide

tape on hand.You will need to weigha length of each size to know what the

weight of each is per inch or centime-

ter. Once you have that information,

you can apply the tape according to the

Racquet Customizer Tool.It is important to keep the tape away

from the grommets and the edge to make

sure that it stays in place over time. If the tape

touches the grommets you wont get good adhe-

sion and the tape will come loose in time. The

same is true if it wraps over the edge of the

frame. The tape will be easily dislodged onmis-hits and scrapes on the court. Youll

also want to clean the racquet surface

before applying the lead tape, to make

certain it adheres.Make sure that you apply the tape

symmetrically on each side of the

racquet and on both sides of the string

face. A blunt-tip setting awl makes a

great burnishing tool to make sure thatthe lead tape lies flat and is well-adhered to

the frame.

If your application requires stacking layers of

tape, youll want to burnish each layer beforeapplying the next one. It is also a good

practice to stagger the lengths, plac-ing shorter pieces on top of the longer

pieces. This lessens the thickness on

the ends and decreases the chances of

the tape being dislodged during play.

Try to minimize the layers and neverexceed four. Wipe each layer lightly

with a rag dampened with alcohol

before applying the next layer, to remove

any contamination (such as oil from your

fingers).For the ultimate in protecting and hiding the

lead tape, put it under the bumper guard.This often means replacing the bumper

guard because you wont be able to re-

place the old one after removal. Theres

only so much room beneath the bumper

guard, though, so check that it still fitsflush to the frame even with a layer or two

of lead tape.

Adding Weight to the HandleWhile you can use lead tape to add weight to the

handle, silicone is the most commonly used

material for this application. Placing lead

tape under the grip will get the job done,

but will usually have to be reapplied each

time the grip is replaced. It can also alterthe shape and feel of the grip. For these

reasons, applying the weight inside the

hollow handle is usually preferred. Sili-

cone is dense and remains fairly pliable

so that it stays in place over time.

The simplest way to bring the weight upto spec is by removing the trap door from

the butt cap. Place cotton balls in each tube to

limit the space for the silicone. Place the racquet on

your scale along with the trap door and slowly

insert the silicone until your target weight is

achieved.Once achieved, replace the trap door. If

the racquet doesnt have a trap door, you

will have to remove the grip and the butt

cap to access the inside of the handle.Make sure the handle, tape and butt cap

are all included on the scale for your

weigh-in.

If you choose to use lead tape to add

weight to the handle, wrap it the oppositedirection than the grip, so that it wont peel

off as easily when replacing the grip.

Final Adjustments and CheckNow is the time to re-check your work andmake sure that your specs are spot-on.

Make any minor adjustments if neces-

sary. Also check to make sure that all

lead tape applications are uniform and

symmetrical.Adding this racquet-matching service

to your offerings not only provides

an additional revenue stream, but also

increases your clients confidence in your

abilitiesand sets you up as the go-to sourcefor frequent players when it comes to their

equipment.

Racquet Customization

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Jill FonteExecutive Director, USTA Eastern(2013 USTA Section of the Year)USTA Eastern was named Section of the Year because of

our emphasis on participation. We feel strongly that partici-

pation is the engine that will drive our sport forward, and

we do everything possible to strengthen participation. At

Eastern, we want tennis to boom. To us, a boom means courtsare in good repair and filled with players; pros lesson books

are filled; volunteers are enthusiastic and supportive; tennis

is in high demand. This can only happen if were building cha-

risma in our sport. When good sportsmanship is rewarded,

volunteers are all pulling in the same direction for the good ofthe sport, parents and kids respect tournament directors, all

players respect officials, and everyone involved puts the good

of the sport ahead of his/her own personal agenda, tennis can

truly thrive. Thats our wish list for 2015.

John PrattDirector, Baseline Tennis Center at Univ. ofMinnesota (2013 Municipal Facility of the Year)My wish for 2015 is that tennis continues to evolve and

make itself more attractive across the spectrum; it becomesmagnetic for more of the best junior athletes (feeding

high-performance), appealing and engaging to the 20- and30-somethings looking for fun and exercise, family-centered

and fun for new parents (keeping the circle of tennis life alive)

and remains a lifelong sport to those who have enjoyed it and

will continue to enjoy it for years. Transition balls and theappropriate pathway offer a never-seen-before opportunity

to keep all levels and ages hitting more tennis balls and enjoy-

ing the greatest sport in the world. Continued partnerships

between the USTA, USPTA, PTR and facilities can only make

the game continue to grow.

Chuck HakanssonMRT, Atlanta (2013 Stringer of the Year)

I would like to see the U.S. win the Davis Cup and Fed Cup,and that the U.S. men have more than one player in the top 10.Id also like to see racquet manufacturers not change racquet

models so frequently. I would also like to see the USTA con-

centrate on developing juniors in their home sections and not

worry so much about a national tennis training center. And,

Id like to have the general public be more educated on poly-ester strings. The fact is they should have polyester strings

strung a lot more often than they would a synthetic.

Nick TaylorAssistant Coach, Wichita State University(2013 Wheelchair Tennis Champion of the Year)I hope for a strong year in 2015 from all of the America

wheelchair players who will attempt to qualify for the 2016

Paralympics in Rio. For the sport overall, during the US Open,

we had a complete match on ESPN, live all over the world. Wehave to continue to build on the exposure and keep the mo-

mentum and excitement going. The sport continues to grow

and feed off these positive chances for exposure.

Kenneth GriffithHead Tennis Coach, Adm. Henry E. Lackey HighSchool (2013 High School Coach of the Year)

I would like to see parents becoming knowledgeable in the

Rules of Tennis and imparting this knowledge by example

to their juniors. I would like to see parents stop ostraciz-ing their players for losing a match, especially at the high

school and USTA Level 6/7 tournaments. These players are

not experts; they are relative beginners, learning the sport. I

would like to see high school-level coaches at a minimum be

required to take a basic tennis officiating course, 1) to furtherassist them in player development, and 2) to be a knowledge-

able coach and able to be a roving official during high school

and local USTA sanctioned tournaments. And, regarding

cheatingwhether matches are officiated or not, players need

to uphold the integrity of the sport and make the correct calls.

Be an example.

Jorge AndrewDirector of Tennis Operations, Lexington CountyRecreation & Aging Commission(2013 Park & Rec Agency of the Year)In 2015 I would like to see more kids playing tennis more

frequently. Not just 10 and under players but also 11 to 17

years old who play high school tennis for only six to eight

weeks a year during the season and then don't play tennis

until the next year. Even if they had a good experience duringthe tennis season, they don't know the many other alterna-

tives they have to make tennis a year-round sport. One of the

keys is a 'no-cut' high school coach, with a junior varsity team

for continuous development of the team, that motivates allkids and gives them the best possible experience during theseason. After the season, the coach guides the player for the

future, especially ones at an entry-level, to find a facility or

programs that offer other playing opportunities such as Play

Days, Jr. Team Tennis and Entry Level Tournaments.

Robert WalshNorthern California (2013 Tennis Advocate of the Year)The population of Napa in 1970 was 36,000, and today its

80,000. In that same time, public tennis courts declined

from 48 to 16. There are eight courts at the local college stillplayable but not maintained or protected. Eight others are on

school property and protected and maintained by a volunteer



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tennis association. My wish is that there is a turnaround inthe thinking about the importance of tennis facilities in Napa

and realize that tennis is a healthy game that can be played for

most of your life.

Vesa PonkkaSenior Director of Tennis, The Tennis Centerat College Park(2013 Junior Tennis Champion of the Year)We have to improve The Spirit of training and competing in

junior tennis here in the U.S. There is way too much whin-ing, moaning, crying, and complaining going around among

players, coaches, and parents nowadays. Everyone is pointing

fingers at each other ... it is wasted time and totally counter-

productive activity. The simple fact is that players need to

train/compete better, and we as coaches need to teach/coachbetter, with a long-term mentality. It is impossible to compete

with the rest of the world if and when our own training/com-

peting environment is way too negative, and mainly operates

with short-term mindset. Young talent needs a positive and

supportive training environment to blossom. A no-excuses

mentality is a must!

Robert CarlboPTR (2013 PTR Member of the Year)My wish for 2015 is that we continue to make positive stridesin coach education. I believe that if we raise the standard of

our coaching practices through education, we will produce

Grand Slam winners. I think this can be achieved by continu-

ing to improve coach education and encouraging new and

experienced pros to commit to improving their own tennis

education. The opportunities have never been more readilyavailable; the PTR, USPTA , iTPA ,USTA ,ITF and national

tennis federations all have tremendous information, work-

shops and conferences that can raise the standard of our

coaches and, as a result, our players. My wish is that expe-rienced coaches mentor younger and/or less experiencedcoaches.

Trimmer DettorFast-Dry Courts Inc. (2013 10 & Under Tennis FacilityDeveloper of the Year)We are excited about the 10 & Under Tennis USTA initia-

tive. We have experienced growth in retail sales of 10 & Under

products, as well as an increase in demand for the blended

lines on court resurfacing projects. In 2015 we hope to see

additional opportunities to build stand-alone courts with anincrease in the awareness of the availability of USTA grants.

The biggest obstacle we see is facilities finding the space and

funds to add 10 & Under courts without replacing any of theirexisting courts. We believe the main focus should be creat-

ing these new, dedicated spaces for our youth within existing

facilities to generate more concentrated learning.

Avis MurrayUSPTA (2013 USPTA Member of the Year)As Ive just passed another birthday, my wish is that I have

continued good health so that I may continue to teach, coach,

keep growing tennis, and be able to give back to this wonder-

ful sport that has given me a lifetime of pleasure and memo-ries all these years.

Fred KolkmannFred Kolkmann Tennis & Sport Surfaces(2013 Builder/Contractor of the Year)In recent years, many court and facility owners have put off

court repair or replacement due to funding issues, but thats

been turning around, and my wish for 2015 is for that to con-

tinue, so that business continues to increase for court con-

tractors. The private sector also has been more active latelywith new courts, and were looking for that to continue and

to increase through the new year. In this industry, weve hadchallenges with asphalt courts such as surface and structural

cracking, asphalt mix design issues, etc., forcing designers,

builders and owners to consider alternative playing surfaces,

which is good for this industry. I think well be seeing moreand better alternatives to asphalt courts.

Bo BowmanDirector of Tennis, BNA Bank Park(2013 Public Park of the Year)We have had a super busy year and continue to grow and ex-

pand! Our main wish list is to get at least two covered courts.

We had a tough winter last year and many players did not get

to play. Tennis is booming in northern Mississippi and theresa great need for us to play year-round.

Rich MennigBabolat (2013 Sales Rep of the Year)Id like to see us better connect the right coaches to the

students/clients, and we need better connections betweencoaches and retail stores. There are good coaches out there,

but we need more. And we need better training and educa-

tion for coaches, and also some kind of financial protection

for their future. I want to see professional tennis players

give back more to kids at these tennis events. We all need topromote tennis. The industry, me, you, everybody needs be a

contributor.

www.tennisindustrymag.com6 TennisIndustry November/December 2014

Future of Tennis


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Apparel

A New Level ofStyle for SpringFrom vibrant, splashy stripes and details to shades ofMad Men, Spring ushers in variety, texture and style.

By Cynthia Sherman

ADIDASAdidas never disappoints with Stella McCartneys blooming Bar-

ricade dress ($120). As Caroline Wozniackis outfit of choice, the

soft blue floral design flows with a flouncy volant toward the bottom

of the pleated skirt. The back cutout adds another fashion detail as

well as ventilation and breathability.

adidas.com/us; 800-982-9337

ANTIGUAAntiguas Chip dress ($65) sports Desert Dry moisture-wicking mate-

rial in a jumper with contrasting cover-stitch detail and a pleated skirt.

The built-in bra and poly/spandex contrast mesh side and back insets

make this a functional chic addition to your net game. Comes in black,navy, red and white combinations.

[email protected]; 800-555-8706

(All prices suggested retail.)

www.tennisindustrymag.com November/December 2014 TennisIndustry 27


30/688 TennisIndustry November/December 2014 www.tennisindustrymag.com

FILAThe sophisticated and suave shadows of Mad Men rule as Filas Suit Up

mens collection goes from the courts to a business lunch. Serving up a

herringbone and chevron pattern, the Suit Up jacket ($120) is a white and

black two-tone herringbone in a poly-sueded jersey with rib-striped cuffs,

collar and bottom and silver F-Box logo.

fila.com; 800-845-3452

JAMIE SADOCKJamie Sadock always makes a statement with her distinctive designs

and textural details. A soft pink skort with black trim comes together

with deco pattern tank in pinks, black and gray. Featured in mois-ture-wicking Cooltrex with a sun shield of UPF30, the pieces range

from $70 to $120.

jamiesadock.com; 212-463-0463

LUCKY IN LOVELucky in Loves print skirt collection reflects a striking mix of

engineered stripes overlaying landscapes of color. Here the Hori-

zon Scallop Skirt is paired with their versatile best-selling V-neck

racer-back tank with built-in shelf bra.

shopluckyinlove.com; 305.638.5484


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BOLLEBolle attacks the net with a youthful, edgy Performance group,

Shades of Grey, on a background of black underneath a

marled black and gray fabrication accented with citrus green.Reflective stripes make bold accents and statements through-

out the pieces. Tops: $60-68; skirts: $60-64; jacket: $90.

bolletenniswear.com; 301-362-0360

TAILTails drop-waist Talia dress ($75) is comfy and stylish in

bold blue with yellow adjustable straps. The slight V-neck

and ruching at the center chest offer up a nice twist for

match play. This poly/spandex blend is part of Tails core

performance jersey fabrication.

tailactivewear.com; 888-906-1341



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Court Construction & Maintenance Guide

Hard FactsAbout HardCourtsAsphalt or post-tensioned concretewhich is right for your facility'stennis courts?By Mary Helen Sprecher

If theres a hard court construc-tion (or reconstruction) project

in your facilitys future, youveundoubtedly been overwhelmed

by the well-meaning suggestions of yourmembers regarding everything from

court color to cutting-edge amenities.But mention that youre trying to decidebetween asphalt and post-tensioned

concrete for your surface, and thesilence is deafening.

Fact is, once the acrylic coating goesdown, players forget about that deci-

sion entirely and concentrate on theirgame. You, on the other hand, as owner

or manager of the facility, are in charge

of maintaining the courts, keeping aneye out for problems and heading any

problems off at the pass. Ultimately, theissue of asphalt vs. concretewhile in-

take into consideration a number of fac-

tor, including: Budget for installation

Budget for maintenance/repairs Weather

Whether the courts are indoors oroutdoors

Possibility of additional work being

done on the facility or immediatelyadjacent to the tennis courts

Some of these factors may not appearto be the type to influence your choice,

but they should be considered.Asphalt, properly installed and main-

tained, supplies dependable ball bounceand a fast game. So does post-tensioned

concrete. Both will make your players

happyat least initially.

The Hard Facts

Asphalt, as a pavement, is flexible. Asit ages, it dries and shrinks. In areas

where there is a freeze/thaw cycle, thisprocess will move more quickly. The

result is cracking of the surface. Allasphalt pavementswhether they are

on r

Documents

201411 Tennis Industry magazine