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November/December 2009
Volume 37 Number 10 $5.00
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Expand Your RacketQ RacquetballQ SquashQ BadmintonQ Table Tennis
Hybrid Stringing: AWinning Combination
Expand Your RacketQ RacquetballQ SquashQ BadmintonQ Table Tennis
Hybrid Stringing: AWinning Combination
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DEPARTMENTS
R S I N O V / D E C 2 0 0 9
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 Head appoints newCEO and president
7 Midland, Mich., namedBest Tennis Town
7 ASBA TechnicalMeeting in Savannah
8 Deco extendscontract with US Open
8 Half-racquet ideapromotes Open sponsor
8 New Ashaway technologyfor badminton strings
8 12 tennis facilitieshonored by USTA
9 USPTA announces newnational board, and more
10 Short Sets11 Nine earn USPTA
Master Pro designation
12 Peoplewatch12 PTR offers Adidas
with Rocky Mountain
13 Hinding installsrooftop court in N.Y.
14 Babolat enhancesPure Storm line
4 Our Serve7 Industry News14 Letters
16 Sportsmanship Quiz
26 String Playtest: Head Sonic Pro 17/FXP Power 1728 Tips and Techniques30 Ask the Experts
32 Your Serve, by Jeff Williams
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009www.racquetsportsindustry.com
FEATURES
ContentsContents
18 Mixing It UpMore and more players are usinghybrid strings, and for your business, itcould be a winning combination.
22 Expand Your RacketTennis isnt the only racquet sportthats growing. See how racquetball,squash, badminton and even tabletennis can help your business grow.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W SI N D U S T R Y N E W SI N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S
Head announced that Jeremy Sherwood, Executive Director Global Sales &
Marketing, has been appointed as CEO of Head USA, with responsibility for
Racquet Sport, Winter Sport and Diving Divisions. He succeeds Dave Hag-
gerty, who has held the position for the past 11 years.
Haggerty will become chairman of Head USA and take on a more limited oper-
ational role in order to devote more time toward his volunteer tennis efforts, rep-
resent Head on the Tennis Industry Association board of directors, his pursuit of
guest lecturing at the university level and spending more time with his family, thecompany said in a statement released in August. Haggerty is on the TIAs execu-
tive committee and also is a member of the USTAs board of directors.
Sherwood has been based in the United Kingdom since joining Head in 2001
as the UK Managing Director. In January 2008, Sherwood took over managing
Heads global network of subsidiaries and distributors. In his new role as CEO of
Head USA, he will relocate to Phoenix, where he will combine his duties as exec-
utive director of Global Sales & Marketing with the day-to-day running of Heads
U.S. operations.
Prior to joining Head, he held positions with Benetton Sportsystems, Wilson
Sporting Goods, Adidas and also owned his own sports distribution business in the
U.K. Sherwood played professional squash for a number of years in the mid-
1970s.
Head also announced the promotion of Kevin Kempin to president of
Head/Penn Racquet Sports. Kempin has over 16 years of experience in the Head
USA Racquet Division, most recently as VP of Sales and Marketing. He will con-
tinue to manage Head USAs Racquet Sports and assist with Heads global Racquet
Sports efforts. Kempin has been in the racquet sports industry for more than 25 years.
Im confident that Jeremy and Kevin will show continued success in their new roles, said
Johan Eliasch, chairman and CEO of Head N.V. Their dedication will help in the development
and growth of the Head and Penn brands in the US.
Midland, Mich.,Named AmericasBest Tennis TownThe town of Midland, Mich., wasnamed the winner of the USTAsBest Tennis Town search, thefirst-ever initiative designed toidentify and reward American
communities that best exemplifythe passion, excitement, spiritand impact that tennis brings tothe local level.
The announcement was madeduring a special ceremony inArthur Ashe Stadium during theUS Open.As AmericasBestTen-nis Town, Midlandwhich gar-nered the most votes during thenationwide,online balloting peri-od in Julywill receive a$100,000 grant from the USTA to
be used for community-wide ten-nis programming or facilityenhancements.
The city of Ojai, Calif., the firstrunner-up, received a $50,000community tennis grant for theirlocal tennis programs, and sec-ond runner-up Independence,Mo., will receive a $25,000grant.
We do our best to exemplify thecommunity spirit that is at the
heart of the USTAs mission,said Mike Woody, executivedirector of the Midland TennisCenter, who received the trophyand $100,000 grant check onbehalf of Midland.
Midland, with a population of41,685, beat out a total of 56cities in the competition. Wewere overwhelmed by the enthu-siasm of all of the entrants, saidKurt Kamperman, the USTAschief executive of Community
Tennis.
Head USA Appoints New CEO and New President
R S I N O V / D E C 2 0 0 9
November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7www.racquetsportsindustry.com
T
he American Sports Builders Associations annual Technical
Meeting will be Dec. 5 to 7 at the Hyatt Regency in Savannah,
Ga. The meeting will include state-of-the-art sessions on advanced
technique in sports facility design, construction and materials, as well as
other how to programs directed at those who want a more hands-on approach.
The agenda includes presentations on keeping overhead and labor costs down, tennis court
lighting, clay courts, media and marketing, crossover business opportunities, moisture problems
and more. The complete program is at www.sportsbuilders.org.
There also will be an exhibit hall to showcase the newest products and services, social events
to facilitate networking, golf and tennis tournaments, presentations of industry awards, exams
for those interested in the ASBAs professional certification program, and more.
The Technical Meeting is one of our most popular gatherings, and this year, its more valu-
able and important than ever, said George Todd, CTCB, chairman of ASBA. It can be useful to
everyone from designers to builders to suppliers. For more information, contact the ASBA at
866-501-ASBA (2722) or 410-730-9595, or e-mail [email protected].
ASBA Tech Meeting in Savannah Dec. 5-7
Kempin
Haggerty
Sherwood
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New Ashaway Technologyfor Badminton StringsZyWeaVe technology allows Ashaway to produce astring that is 25 percent lighter than standard0.70mm badminton strings. The company plans tointroduce a new line of strings using the new technol-ogy under the brand name ZyMax. For more informa-
tion, call 800-556-7260, [email protected] or visitwww.ashawayusa.com.
INDUSTRYNEW
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Deco Extends Contract With US Open
DecoTurf and the USTA have extended their 31-year contract, makingDeco the official surface of the US Open through December 2014.DecoTurfs partnership with the US Open has included the multi-layer
cushioned surface that is on all 34 outdoor courts at the USTA Billie Jean
King National Tennis Center, including Arthur Ashe Stadium. DecoTurf
also covers the 12 indoor courts in the new 245,000-square-foot USTA
Indoor Training Center, which opened in November 2008. The surface is
also constructed on courts that host the Olympus US Open Series leading
up to the US Open.
"We are thrilled to extend our contract with DecoTurf for six years,
said Jim Curley, Chief Professional Tournaments Officer, USTA. "The US
Open and DecoTurf are a natural partnership, providing the most recog-
nized court surface at one of the worlds most prestigious tournaments.
Half-Racquet Idea Promotes US Open Sponsor
One of the US Opens largest sponsors, Mass Mutual, used half a tennis
racquet to call attention to one of its insurance programs. The insur-
ance companys premise is that you cant live on half a paycheck, and you
cant successfully play tennis with half a racquet.
Visitors to the Mass Mutual booth on the grounds of the Open got the
opportunity to hit with
the half racquet to try
and make contact with
balls lobbed to them on
a mini-court.
The half racquet
itself is the product of
Master Racquet Techni-
cian Tony Taverna, who
owns Perfect Racquet,
the largest tennis retail-
ing shop in New Eng-
land. It was challenging and exciting coming up with the prototype and
stringing for half a racquet, he says. Cynthia Sherman
USTA ReportsRecord-Setting Open
The USTA says the 2009 US Open
was experienced by more fans on-site,
on television and online than ever before.
Q A new all-time attendance record of 721,059
fans topped last years record of 720,227.Q The first week of the tournament set five sepa-
rate attendance records including top attended
Opening Day session, top single session record,
and a record first-week attendance of 423,427.
Q Unique visitors to USOpen.org, from more than
200 countries, exceeded 13.5 million, a 47%
increase over last years previous record.
Q Total visits to USOpen.org topped 63 million,
far surpassing last years record of 39 million
visits.
Q Total page views increased from 222 million in
2008 to more than 392 million in 2009.
Q On-Demand Video, which includes match high-
lights, press conferences and feature program-
ming, was accessed more than 5.6 million
times, a 58% increase over last year.
Q There were nearly 14 million activated live
streams on USOpen.org.
Q More than 2.5 million hours of live streaming
were viewed.
Q 157 matches were streamed live.
Q With three domestic TV broadcasters (CBS,
ESPN2, Tennis Channel), total television hours
of the US Open were the most in history.
12 Tennis Facilities Honored By USTA
Twelve tennis facilities were honored recently with 2009 Outstanding
Facility Awards, which were presented at the USTA Semi-Annual
Meeting held in New York City during the US Open. USTA President LucyGarvin, along with USTA Technical Committee chairwoman Peggy Beard
and awards co-chair Alex Levitsky, presented the honors.
The winning facilities are:Q Educational InstitutionsBlythe Calfee Tennis Center, Willis, Texas; Cullman-Heyman Indoor
Tennis Center, Yale Univ., New Haven, Conn.; Oshkosh North High School, Oshkosh, Wis.;
Washington State University Outdoor Tennis Facility, Pullman, Wash.
Q Private FacilityCourtside Raquet Club, Lebanon, N.J.; Green Spring Racquet Club, Lutherville,
Md.; Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, Calif.; Reynolds Plantation Lake Club Tennis
Center, Greensboro, Ga.; The Tennis Gardens at Longboat Key Club & Resort, Longboat Key,
Fla.
Q Public Courts, Small Tennis Center (2-10 courts)Glenview Tennis Club, Glenview, Ill.; Rancho
Penasquitos Tennis Center, San Diego, Calif.; Seaview Park Tennis Facility, Palm Beach, Fla.
Recipients were selected based on criteria that includes overall lay-
out and adaptation to the site, ease of maintenance, aesthetics, ameni-ties, and programs supporting the USTA and the growth of tennis
overall. To nominate a facility for the 2010 awards, email the USTA Tech-
nical Department at [email protected].
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
NEWS FROM THE USPTA
has also served as president of the USTA New England Section and
served on several committees.
USPTA Recognizes Standouts in the Tennis Profession
The USPTA honored outstanding tennis coaches, players,
managers and volunteers during its annual national
awards ceremony at the World Conference on Tennis.Q USPTA Star: Shelly Susman of San Diego and Brian Egelhoff of
Mequon, Wis. The award recognizes teaching pros who make an
indelible mark on their communities.
Q USTA/USPTA Community Service Award: Tom Fey of Indian
Wells, Calif.
Q USPTA Industry Excellence Award: Angelo Rossetti of Hamden,
Conn., and Ettore Rossetti of Huntington, Conn. The award, spon-
sored by the TIA and supported by Tennis Tutor ball machines, rec-
ognizes business acumen and a charitable attitude.
Q Lessons for Life Individual Award: David Altshuler of Peabody,
Mass.
Q Tennis Across America Individual Award: Jacques Faulise of North
Kingstown, R.I.Q Facility Manager of the Year Award: Michael Mahoney of River-
side, Ill., of Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago.
Other honorees are:
Q Touring Coach of the Year: Adrian Chirici, Roslyn, N.Y.
Q College Coach of the Year: Billy Chadwick, Oxford, Miss.
Q High School Coach of the Year: Lawrence Eyre, Fairfield, Iowa
Q Georgo Bacso Tester of the Year: Glen Howe, Tallahassee, Fla.
The following have been named Player of the Year in their respective
divisions:
Q Cory Ross, Denver, Colo.Mens Open
Q Jeff F. Cohen, Longwood, Fla.Mens 35-and-over
Q Pat Serret, Alexandria, La.Mens 45-and-over
Q Cliff Price, Tulsa, Okla.Mens 55-and-overQ Marina McCollom, West Des Moines, IowaWomens Open
Q Robin Keener, Melbourne, Fla.Womens 35-and-over
Q Sheila Chiricosta, Avon Lake, OhioWomens 45-and-over
Q Laura Thomson, Centennial, Colo.Womens 55-and-over
USPTA divisions receiving awards are:
Q USPTA Texas DivisionLarge Division of the Year
Q USPTA Southwest DivisionSmall Division of the Year
Q USPTA Southern DivisionNewsletter of the Year
Q USPTA New England DivisionMost Improved Division of the Year
USPTA Honors Top Education Participants
T
he USPTA honored Alan Cutler from Whittier,
Calif., as the top credit-earner in USPTAsCareer Development Program. Cutler earned the
most continuing education creditsan incredible
172in the 2008 program. He is a USPTA Master
Pro and the director of tennis for Playtennisfor-
life.info. He also is a member of the National
Advisory staff for Head/Penn.
Other top education participants for 2008
include: Ken DeHart, Doug Eng, Paul Garron,
Mark Fairchilds, Jack Foster, Feisal Hassan, Skip
Johnson, Stan Oley and Jeff Rothstein.
Education merit awards for 10 years of continuing-education par-
ticipation went to Mark Faber and John Yandell.
USPTA Announces New National Board
The USPTA installed its new national board of
directors in September at the USPTA World
Conference on Tennis, held at the Marco Island
Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa on Marco
Island, Fla. The new board will serve until Sep-tember 2011. Officers include a new president,
vice presidents and secretary-treasurer.Q President: Tom Daglis, director of tennis and fitness
operations at the Lakewood Country Club in
Rockville, Md.
Q First Vice President: Randy Mattingley, director of
tennis at The Clubs of Kingwood in Kingwood, Texas.
Q Vice Presidents: Jack Groppel, Ph.D., vice chairman
and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute
in Orlando, Fla.; Mark Fairchilds, director of tennis at
Modesto Fitness and Racket Club in Modesto, Calif.;
Jim Loehr (new), Ed.D., chairman, CEO and co-
founder of the Human Performance Institute inOrlando, Fla.; Bunny Bruning (new), tennis director
of Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa, and teaching
professional at 7 Flags Fitness & Racquet Club in
Clive, Iowa.
Q Secretary-Treasurer: Chuck Gill (new), director of
tennis at the Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm
Beach, Fla.
Q Immediate Past President: Harry Gilbert, director of
tennis at Ginn Hammock Beach Resort in Palm
Coast, Fla.
The USPTA board manages the associations
affairs between meetings of the larger USPTA
Executive Committee, which includes the board,three past national presidents, and elected lead-
ers from each of the USPTAs 17 domestic divi-
sions. Board members are nominated by a
committee composed of Executive Committee
members.
Maines GreeneNamed USPTA Pro of the Year
Robert Greene Jr. of Rangeley,
Maine, the director of tennis at the
Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in
Dixville Notch, N.H., received theUSPTAs Alex Gordon Award for the
Professional of the Year. Greene has
been a USPTA Professional 1 for more
than 30 years.
Greene is a former USPTA New
England Division president and
served on the National Executive
Committee from 1998 to 2001. He is
also currently on the USPTA New Eng-
land Division Testing Committee. In addition, he has been
highly involved with the USTA. He has served as the chair
of the USTA Olympic Tennis Committee since 2006. He
Daglis
Mattingly
Greene
Egelhoff Susman
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INDUSTRYNEW
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SHORTS E T S
> The USTA joined Newark, N.J., MayorCorey Booker in September to reopen the
renovated Jesse Allen Park, which now
features tennis courts of three sizes,
including full size courts (78), and perma-nent 36 and 60 QuickStart Tennis courts.
Jesse Allen Park becomes the first public
park in the country to house permanent
tennis courts of all three sizes, and the
first park in New Jersey to utilize the
QuickStart courts.
> Reel Sticks, a self-measuring and self-storing singles stick system, recently
launched a National Sponsorship Program
designed to put Reel Sticks in top tennis
facilities. Facilities will receive Reel Stickswith the sponsor brand free of charge as
part of this program. For more informa-
tion, visit www.reelsticks.com.
> The Bijou Tennis Show, performedby Henri Elkins and Fer-
nando Velasco, was
invited to perform clinics
and several performanc-
es during the 2009
China Open Tennis Tour-
nament in Beijing, which
was held in October.
> TIA National Cardio Tennis ProgramManager Michele Krause recently was in
Vancouver, Canada, for a video shoot for
the reality TV show Bulging Brides.
Krause ran the bride to be and her brides-
maids through Cardio Tennis, in an effort
to get the bride to fit back into her wed-
ding dress.
> The USTAs 2010 Community Tennis
Development Workshop will be Jan. 22-24 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel &
Marina in San Diego. The workshop is for
community tennis leaders, tennis teach-
ers, and many others involved in tennis.
For more information, visit www.usta.com
/ctdw.
> Campbell Soup Company has extend-ed its agreement as the title sponsor of
the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships
played for the Van Alen Cup through
2012. The event is held in Newport, R.I.
> The Intercollegiate Tennis Associationannounced 10 recipients of the 2009
ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Leadership and Sports-
manship Award. The winners received a
weekend in New York City just before the
US Open. The 2009 recipients are: Div. 1
Blake Strode, Univ of Ark., and DunjaAntunovic, DePaul Univ.; Div. 2Vincent
Nguyen, Univ. of Calif.-San Diego, and Ina
Dan, Univ. of Calf.-San Diego; Div. 3
Dustin Phillips, Univ. of Texas-Tyler, and Kari-
na Pikhart, MIT; NAIAJonatan Berhane,
Lewis & Clark State, and Sara Allison Win-
ters, Martin Methodist; JuCoElliott Clark,
Meridian CC, and Kelly Elizabeth Sterling,
Meridian CC.
> Longtime friends Sir Elton John and Bil-lie Jean King are bringing their annual
Advanta WTT Smash Hits charity night of
tennis to Louisiana for the first time in the
event's 17-year history. Andy Roddick and
other top players will compete on Dec. 8 at
the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on the
LSU campus in Baton Rouge.
> Arthur Ashe, the first African-AmericanUS Open mens singles champion and one
of tennis greatest ambassadors, was the
2009 inductee into the US Open Court of
Champions. Former President Bill Clinton
participated in the tribute to Ashe on Sept.
10.
> The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort inLongboat Key, Fla., has suspended hotel
operations indefinitely following a dispute
between the condominium owners associ-
ation and the resorts management.
> Are kids at your facility spending toomuch time in front of a computer screen?
Try the US Open Tennis Coloring and Activ-
ity Book, with realistic images of pro players
to color, crossword puzzles, word searches,
trivia and more. The 64-page book is
$11.95 and available at USOpen.org, ama-
zon.com, and other retailers.
> The Ultimate Experience Platform TennisInstructional DVD is available for sale. The
DVD was created by eight-time National
Champion Dave Ohlmuller along with his
wife Marina, Ray J Murphy and Matt Warn-
er. It can be purchased onl ine at
www.theuedvd.com for $19.95 plus $5.05
for shipping and handling. Or call 847-513-
3057 or email [email protected].
> The USTA and Cincinnatis Tennis forCharity will finance a $10 million dollar
upgrade to the Lindner Family Tennis Cen-
ter, site of Cincinnatis Western & Southern
Financial Group Masters and Womens. Theproject calls for the construction of a
52,000 square-feet building to add space
for players, media and fans.
> The USTA is partnering with T&S Eventsto host its 2010 Australian Open wild card
playoffs during the 2009 Infinite Energy
Atlanta Challenge held at the Racquet Club
of the South in Norcross, Ga., Dec. 4-7. The
event will feature an exhibition match on
December 4, with the wild card playoffs
commencing the next day. Through a recip-rocal agreement with Tennis Australia, the
two national tennis federations exchange
wild cards for the 2010 Australian Open
and 2009 US Open.
> Tom Fey, director oftennis at Indian Wells Ten-
nis Garden, has been
named USTA Recreational
Coaches Workshop Train-
er of the Year, and the
Southern Arizona Tennis
Association is the Recre-
ational Coaches Workshop Host Site of the
Year award. Both recipients were recog-
nized at the USTA Tennis Teachers Confer-
ence during the 2009 US Open.
> John Craig of Santa Ana, Calif., is thegrand-prize winner of the USPTAs personal
website contest. Craigs site is at,
http://johnscraig.usptapro.com.
> Fetch Clothing is a new
line of tenniswear byChristopher Louis, which
crosses lifestyle with fit-
ness. Fetch was inspired
by the link between dogs
and their owners, and
their affinity for tennis
balls and recreation. Louis
created a line of polos and tops, terry track-
suits and mini pleated skirts in a variety of
fabrications, colors and styles. Visit Fetch-
sport.com or call 310-980-4120.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Nine Earn USPTA Master Pro Designation
Nine tennis professionals recently earned recognition as USPTA Master Profes-
sionals. Only about 1 percent of USPTAs more than 15,000 members world-
wide have achieved the Master Pro designation.
Members must hold USPTAs highest certification rating (Professional 1) for
more than 10 years before becoming eligible for the Master Professional designa-
tion. Then, each must fulfill a broad spectrum of requirements, including making
significant achievements in areas such as tennis teaching and coaching, business,
education and volunteer work. The new Master Pros are:
Becoming a Master Professional requires meeting a variety of personal and
professional challenges, said USPTA CEO Tim Heckler. Those who accomplish it
acquire a set of skills that can set them apart in tennis operations and programming.
Q Lorenzo Beltrame, Windermere, Fla.
Q Holly Chomyn, Naples, Fla.
Q Jim Davies, Nairobi, Kenya
Q Todd Ellenbecker, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Q Doug Eng, Medford, Mass.
Q Skip Johnson, Douglasville, Ga.
Q Ajay Pant, Overland Park, Kan.
Q Hans Romer, Yarmouth, Maine
Q Tommy Wade, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Congratulations To theFollowing For Achieving CS & MRT Status
Kevin Cornwell Hilo, HIMatt Greaves Toronto CANADARobert W hitsitt Memphis, TN
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Hinding Installs RooftopCourt in New YorkThe New York Sports Club in Brooklyn,N.Y., recently installed Hinding TennisCushion Extreme surface on the build-ings roof. I couldnt believe the feeland comfort, said tennis pro MichaelPhillips, who researched court surfacesfor the club. For information on CushionExtreme, contact 203-410-6090 or visitwww.hindingtennis.com.
Make MoneyWith Custom Stencils
RacquetArt manufactures and sells
stock and custom tennis racquet
stencils, so your customers can have
their own distinctive stencil on their
strings. In addition, the companysells a large selection of colored sten-
cil ink. RacquetArt also can produce
your customers initials as a stencil.
A special offer for racquet string-
ing professionals includes two sten-
cils and two bottles of ink for $19.95
plus shipping and handling. Stencils
are made from high-quality plastic
that wont wear out and can be used
repeatedly. Each ink bottle can sten-
cil up to 10 racquets.
Other offers are available. Visitwww.racquetart.com or email
8/8/2019 200911 Racquet Sports Industry
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INDUSTRYNEW
S
N O V / D E C 2 0 0 9
Babolat Enhances Pure Storm Line,Extends Pure Drive Line
Babolat says its Pure Storm line has been enhanced withGT Technology, which the company says gives framesmore responsiveness and power.
GT technology, says Babolat, is a customized perform-
ance booster with a hybrid material that combines braid-
ed carbon fibers and tungsten filaments, which is
integrated throughout the racquet. This strengthens the
frame to reduce torque, aiding in precision. Also, adding
tungsten provides 10 percent more energy recovery for
even more power, according to Babolat.
GT Technology can be found in all new Pure Storm
models. Babolat is also launching a new co-polymer poly-
ester monofilament string, called Revenge, for the Pure
Storm frame.
Q Pure Storm Tour and Pure Storm Tour + are for expert
players with a full swing and have a 98-sq.-in. head and
weigh 11.3 ounces. Suggested retail price is $179.
Q Pure Storm, for expert players with a medium to full
swing is 98 sq. in., 10.4 ounces and retails for $179.
Q Pure Storm Limited, for expert players with a full swing
is 95 sq. in. and 11.3 ounces for $179.
Babolat also has extended the Pure Drive line of rac-
quets with a new Pure Drive Lite and enhanced Pure Drive
107. Both have the new GT Technology with graphit tung-
sten.
Q Pure Drive Lite, for expert and advanced players with a
medium to full swing, is 100 sq. in. and weighs 9.7
ounces. Suggested retail is $185.
Q Pure Drive 107, for the advanced player with a medium
to full swing, is 107 sq. in., 9.9 ounces and also $185.Visit www.babolat.com or call 877-316-9435.
P U R E S T O R M T O U RP U R E S T O R M T O U R +P U R E S T O R M
P U R E S T O R M L I M I T E DP U R E D R I V E L I T EP U R E D R I V E 1 0 7
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Letters
With all due respect to Rod Cross's knowledge, accomplishments,and contributions to tennis, I think his "Technology Smoke-screen?" article does a disservice to racquet designers and manu-facturers. I'm not saying that most of his points aren't valid, but Ido believe that he has discounted some issues that are just asimportant as mass, swing weight, frame flex, and stringbed stiff-ness.
First, it's important that racquet designers experiment with dif-ferent materials, geometries, and features in their quest for bet-ter racquets. Without that willingness to try something new anddifferent, we might still be using lop-sided wooden racquets.
Second, some of the changes that come about due to differentmaterials, geometries, etc., bring with them changes in mass,swing weight, frame, flex, and stringbed stiffness, too. I, forexample, tend to try a lot of different racquets. Sometimes I likethe new version of a racquet, sometimes I prefer the old. If therewasn't an easy way to differentiate between them, I might nottry the new version at all, no matter what benefits there mightbe. In fact, one of the things that really bugs me is when a manu-facturer makes "in line" changes to a product line that can bedetected only using a Babolat RDC machine. For me and mostother people, racquets that look identical should be at least close
in terms of characteristics.Third, changes in the way the game is played should be reflect-ed in changes in the equipment. One example of this is the higher
swing speeds that go hand-in-hand with the lighter racquets.Another is the stiffer racquets that better complement "poly"strings.
Fourth, I'll bet the marketing departments of the various rac-quet manufacturers enjoy having something new to promoteeach season. If changes in marketing bring more people into thegame, or get current players to buy more equipment, we shouldbe celebrating, not denigrating.
Fifth, in tennis the relationship between the player and hisequipment is highly personal. What Mr. Cross calls the "mostimportant physical properties of the racquet" may be only part ofwhy a player chooses one racquet over another. Racquets withvirtually identical "important physical properties" can and dohave distinct differences, to the point that one racquet mightseem perfect while the other seems too irritating to justify itscontinued use, equal shot outcomes notwithstanding.
Last but not least, my take-away from the article was that itwas aimed at the retailer who might be confronted with a poten-tial customer demanding to know why the shop did not sell thenew racquets with unobtainium in them. By at least knowingwhat unobtainium is, and which competing racquet claims touse it, the retailer can respond substantively to the potential cus-tomer, perhaps even recommending racquets from his stock withsimilar mass, swing weight, and frame flex.
Brian Laumeyer
I was glad to read Rod Crosss article, Technology Smokescreen?in RSI (September/October). As a tennis pro and an avid golfer, Iam always put off by all the claims about the new, generally"repainted racquets" from year to year and the promises of "10yards farther" for each new driver that comes along twice a yearin the golf world.
Yeah, these companies have to make money, but the publicshould get a little smarter and take the money and put it towardsolid lessons from [certified] pros.
Steve MulliganUSPTA Pro
Twin Isles CC, Punta Gorda, Fla.
Mixed Reaction to Technology Smokescreen
We welcome your letters and comments. Please limit letters to 300 words
maximum. Email them to [email protected] or fax them to 760-536-1171.
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Are Your Players Good Sports?A new quiz for players is designed to help put sportsmanship back into the sport.
Weve all seen articles in
newspapers and maga-
zines bemoaning the ever-
decreasing level of sportsmanship by
tennis players. Yet no one really
knows to what extent poor sports-
manship existsor even what the cri-
teria is to judge it.
While good sportsmanship isrecognized at recreational, competi-
tive and professional levels, the crite-
ria for such honors tends to be rather
general (integrity, honesty, sports-
manship). The Rules of Tennis and
The Code of Conduct that governs
unofficiated matches might serve as
the basis for basic education and
should be considered required read-
ing for players, coaches and parents
of younger players.
The knowledge of and teaching ofsportsmanship has not been a formal
part of tennis teacher certification.
Many teaching pros may need some
tools and guidance in order to incor-
porate assessment and training into
their lessons and coaching.
With this in mind, Ive developed
The Tennis Sportsmanship Quiz,
based on criteria (outlined by the
USTAs Middle States Section) that
seem reasonable, objective and readi-
ly observable. A number of uses for
the quiz come to mind:
Q SELFASSESSMENT Players can
take the quiz to be more aware of
their behaviors and serve as a guide
to help them change and improve.
Q OUTSIDEASSESSMENT To pro-
vide more objective feedback, oth-
ers can observe and chart the
players behaviors using the items
on the quiz.
Q COACHING Once identified, unde-
sirable behavior can be targeted
for change by the player, coach,
parent or sports psychology consul-
tant.
Q EDUCATION The quiz can serve as
the basis for educational talks or as
a part of a seminar or workshop on
sportsmanship.
Q NORMS Over time, widespread
use of the quiz can provide a mea-
sure of sportsmanship across thesport and serve as a way to help
evaluate the effectiveness of inter-
ventions designed to enhance
sportsmanship in tennis.
The values of sportsmanship can-
not be left to chance or to those who
advocate winning at any cost. The
pressure to win, attain rankings,
scholarships and a chance to obtain
wealth and fame is enormous. As
tennis teaching pros, we have an
important role to play in instilling theright values to those we teach and
coach.
I hope The Tennis Sportsmanship
Quiz will provide you with a tool you
can use as part of an overall
approach in incorporating sportsman-
ship training in your work. I welcome
your feedback for its use, improve-
ment and/ or adaptations for different
user groups. Q
B Y D R . R O B E R T F . H E L L E R
16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Your Players
Dr. Robert Heller is a
licensed psychologist, sports psychology con-
sultant and tennis teach-
ing professional based is
Boca Raton, Fla. He is
the author of Managing
Your Stress and the TENNISMIND
mental conditioning program. For infor-
mation on personal mental coaching,
clinics and publications, and to provide
feedback and suggestions on The Tennis
Sportsmanship Quiz, contact him at
561-451-2731, e-mail
[email protected], or visit
www.robertheller.net.
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THE TENNIS SPORTSMANSHIP QUIZ(Scale based on USTA Middle States Section Sportsmanship Criteria)
Score: 5 points for each statement that is TRUE for you.
___ 1. I dont throw my racquet.
___ 2. I dont slam a racquet on the court, net, or backdrop.
___ 3. I dont hit balls around.
___ 4. I dont scream, cry, whine or carry on with obnoxious behavior.
___ 5. I dont tank, not even one point.
___ 6. I dont cheat.
___ 7. I dont question calls within one foot of the line.
___ 8. I return balls directly to the server for the start of the next point.
___ 9. During the 10 minute warm-up, I hit balls with reasonable pace and variety
to allow my opponent to warm-up and practice.___ 10. I dont walk at a snails pace between points to stall or anger my
opponent.
___ 11. I dont glare or stare whenever I am in trouble.
___ 12. I compliment my opponent on good shots.
___ 13. I return the ball to the server when the server has turned around and is
ready.
___ 14. If the serve is out and is accidentally returned into the net, I clear it rapidly
so the servers rhythm is not disturbed.
___ 15. If unsure of a call, I call it good, unless the opponent reverses it.
___ 16. I dont ask spectators to make a call.
___ 17. When playing a much weaker opponent, I act courteously and try not to
overtly embarrass or demean my opponent.
___ 18. I shake hands after the match and congratulate my opponent.
___ 19. I am friendly and polite off the court and do not bad-mouth other players.
___ 20. I treat officials, umpires, linespeople and ball boys with respect, even when
they make mistakes.
_______ Enter your score hereMaximum total score is 100.
SCORING KEY:90-100 Model Sportsman
75-85 Adequate Sportsman65-70 Fair Sportsman
60 or less Poor Sportsman
Dr. Robert Heller The Winning Edge 561-451-2731
[email protected] www.robertheller.net
November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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STR ING ING
MIXING IT UPMore and more players are using hybrid strings, and for yourbusiness, its a winning combination. B Y B O B P A T T E R S O N
Most likely, your local players, especially frequent players,
know about hybrid stringing. And chances are requests for
hybrid string jobs have increased greatly over the last couple
of years.
You can hardly watch a professional match on television with-
out hearing the commentators talk about the strings the players
are using. Although their comments frequently are filled with mis-
information, at least they are talking about our industry and pro-
voking questions from players.
This presents a great opportunity for you to educate your cus-
tomers about new strings and possible combinations for hybrids.
It also provides a subtle chance to flaunt your expertise and knowl-
edge about strings and stringing.
PRE-PACKAGED SETS ONLY?If you are sticking with only pre-packaged sets from manufactur-
ers, you may be both missing out on some business and short-
changing your customers. While the pre-packed sets are
convenient and may make sense for some applications such as at
big-box stores, they are limiting and dont usually make sense for
specialty shops.
If you are stocking pre-packs and you have the same strings in
full sets or reels in your inventory, youre probably carrying extra
inventory that you dont really need. Instead, invest a couple of
dollars in a box of zip-lock sandwich bags and you can make your
entire string inventory available to use with hybrid string jobs.
For packaged string, simply halve the set and place the other
half in the sandwich bag. Label it and store it to be used for anoth-
er hybrid job down the road. If you work from reels, obviously you
can pull off only the length you need.
By using your entire inventory, the hybrid possibilities become
virtually endless.
ADDRESSING SPECIFIC NEEDSOther than their popularity and novelty, why should you promote
hybrid stringing in your shop? With your current inventory of
string, you can expand your offering to your customers tenfold
without investing in additional inventory. You can also address
each customers specific needs better than before. It also provides
an opportunity to promote your craftsmanship by engaging the
customer in a conversation about their game, their style of play,
and their needs.
Of course, the most popular hybrids are a durable poly-based
string in the mains and a softer synthetic or natural gut in the
crosses, but dont let your hybrid options end there. Many pro
players have followed Roger Federers lead and use gut in the
mains and poly in the crosses. The key is to use your expertise
and experience to ascertain what may work best for your cus-
tomer and get them to experiment.
You may have a customer who loves the feel and playability of
natural gut but cannot justify the expense. Get them to try a
hybrid using natural gut and a soft multifilament synthetic.
Chances are they will love it and you will have a customer for life.
For this approach to be successful, you need to make sure you
have a well-rounded inventory of strings. You will need to cover
all the bases in material and construction as well as thickness.
Make sure you carry a wide variety of gauges in several of your
most popular strings.
You will also need to educate your customers and promote the
service. In-store signage is a great way to bring attention to hybridstringing. Your expertise and willingness to talk to your customer
about their game and specific needs will be the closer. If you can
enhance their experience on the court by fitting them with the
right string setup, theyll be thrilled, and you will reap the
rewards. Not only will they continue to use your services, but also,
theyll tell everyone they know about their experience. Q
MIXING IT UP
Bob Patterson is a Master Racquet Technician and the
owner of RacquetMaxx (www.racquetmaxx.com), a cus-
tomization and stringing service. You can reach him at
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22/3620 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009
Are we in a
tennis
boom? That
question
seems to be
circulating,
and when you
look at the positive news in
participation, the excitement
of the US Open and the
resulting osmosis that fil-ters to all sectors of this
industry, maybe a boom
isnt that farfetched
The TIA, however, with our
industry partners, remains
focused on building a
healthy roadmap for the
futureand we encourage
you to get involved with the
initiatives at GrowingTennis.
com that will support the
ultimate consumer portal:
PlayTennis.com.
Congratulation to industry
pioneers like Alan Schwartz,
whom we will continue to
call on to help guide our
future. Many thanks also to
ALL who supported Racket
Up,Americait proved to
be a great exercise in work-
ing together to promote ten-
nis awareness.
Jolyn de Boer
Alan Schwartz Inducted into Tennis Industry Hall of Fame
Alan G. Schwartz of Highland Park, Ill., was honored during the Tennis Forum as the sole 2009 inductee
of the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame. Schwartz, who continues to serve the sport in various capaci-
ties, founded Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago and the Tennis Corporation of America. Among his
many positions in the industry, he was the USTA president and chairman of the board for two years. He
also penned the USTAs mission: To promote and develop the growth of tennis.
Schwartz joins Dennis Van der Meer and Howard Head in the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame, who were
the inaugural inductees last year. Plaques recognizing all three are on display in space donated by the
International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
I love tennis. I love the sport. I love this industry and I love being a contributor, said Schwartz. You
have my promise that I will continue with undiminished pas sion to give back to this game I cherish.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
News You Can Use!
NEWS & UPDATESNEWS & UPDATES
T I A N E W S N O V / D E C 2 0 0 9
The third annual TIA Tennis Forum, presented by Tennis
Magazine, took place in New York City during the US
Open. Industry leaders and many others interested in the
future of the tennis business heard about the state of the indus-
try, various TIA and Growing Tennis initiatives, and plans for
moving the sport and industry forward.
TIA President Jon Muir said the sport still faces many eco-
nomic challenges. The general feeling is that we kind of bot-
tomed out in the third quarter [2009] in terms of racquet
shipments, he said. Tennis ball sales, he added, are now
trending relatively flat. However, sales of transition balls are up
63 percent over a year ago. Were starting to see the impact
in sales and distribution of QuickStart Tennis products.
Muir referred to recent, continued increases in tennis par-
ticipation: What else can we do to build on the momentum
from a participation standpoint? he said. Frequent players
are the ones that fuel the majority of the economic drivers of this industry. If we could get 1 million
peoplea 20 percent increase in frequent playersto become frequent players,
it will have a huge impact.
Addressing frequent-player growth is the subject of one of the three ongoing
Task Forces that came out of two TIA Tennis Summits held earlier this year, he
said. Other Task Forces deal with communication/positioning and economic
benchmarks.
Key in the communication/positioning area is the promotion of the websitePlayTennis.com, a new consumer site still under development (and soft-
launched through the recent Racket Up, America! promotion). The website is
designed to be a simple portal that will serve as a central clearing house for the
mainstream audience to learn more about tennis, to join the sport, and to get on
the pathway to becoming frequent players.
Kurt Kamperman, the USTAs chief executive of Community Tennis, gave an
update on QuickStart Tennis, designed for kids 10 and under. We have to be
training 20,000 parents a year in QST, he said, emphasizing that the training is not designed to take
over from certified teaching pros.
The biggest challenge, he added, is that theres not enough organized play and competition on
QuickStart courts. He said there needs to be a sound progression that will lead to Jr. Team Tennis and
tournaments on the shorter QST courts.
Tennis Forum Sets Path for Future
Key initiatives to
increasing and sus-
taining growth in the
industry include
increasing the num-
ber of frequent play-ers, promoting
QuickStart Tennis,
and developing a
single tennis web-
site portal for con-
sumers.
TIAPhoto/FredMullane
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T I A N E W S
Growing Tennis News
Players of theMonth:
Ned Manning andArmistead MauckCardio Tennis has become afavorite family pastime fortwo families in Kinston, N.C.,thanks to two fathers andtennis buddies who are dedi-cated to the program. NedManning (left) and Armistead
Mauck are known as regulars at the nightly Cardio Tennisclasses at Kinston Country Club, but they also bring outtheir entire familiesand friends of the family.
Whoever is in the house an hour before Cardio Tennisclass starts will be coming with these men to burn some
calories, says Troy Robinson, director of tennis at KCC.Manning a 4.5-level player, has 15-year-old twin daugh-
ters who play recreationally but are not at his same level.For him, this is a way they can all be on the court togetherand have a good time. Cardio Tennis is fun for everyone,he says. Its great to see them having fun and with a smileon their face. Its good bonding time for us.
Mauck, who has 15- and 17-year-old daughters, agrees,and sometimes turns the Cardio Tennis evening into a fam-ily night out. A lot of times we will all go out to eat after-ward and we really feel like we deserve it after theworkout, says Mauck.
Both men used to hit the gym to lift weights and run onthe treadmill before they began playing Cardio Tennis. Icouldnt think of a better way to work out for an hour than
with Cardio Tennis, says Manning.
TWC Spotlight: Surprise Tennisand Racquet Complex, Surprise, AZ
Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex has created
a buzz in Surprise, Ariz., a suburb of
Phoenix. The 25-court public facility
opened its doors in September 2007,
thanks to supportive city funding.
This place is like the Taj Mahal of tennis, says
John Austin, the facilitys tennis director. Weve been very fortu-
nate to host a Fed Cup match last February,
a pro circuit event, the USTA Nationals and
an Outback Champions Series event.
There are no memberships at the facili-
ty, but Austin says nearly 500 players cur-
rently call it their tennis home. And its
easy to attract new players, he says,
because Surprise offers several different
beginner-level programs. In the future, the
Complex is hoping to start a CTA that will allow them reach more
into schools and bring tennis to as many people in the commu-
nity as possible.
November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
If you would like to
be highlighted as a
Tennis Welcome
Center of the Month,
contact Amanda@
tennisindustry.org
and tell us how your
club is leading the
charge in the growth
of the sport.
Tennis Health Index Shows Growth
As announced at the TIA Tennis Forum during the US Open,
since 2003 the Tennis Health Index has risen 18.1 percent.
Published by the TIA and USTA, the index uses five differ-
ent elements to measure the health ofthe sport, and each of those elements
has shown growth in the past year.
In the USTA/TIA Tennis Participa-
tion Phone Survey, total players rose
from 25.23 million in 2007 to 26.88
million, and frequent players rose
from 5.2 million to 5.62 million. A
mail survey by the National Sporting
Goods Association rose from 12.3 million to 12.8 million players.
And the Sports Participation Partnership Survey shows an
increase in the past year from 16.9 million to 18.6 million
players.
The other two measures are the Court Activity Monitor, which
shows that more than 152 million court-hours were booked or
used in 2008 vs. 137 million in 2007, and Tennis Ball Shipments,
which rose 16 percent since 2003 to 131.9 million.
GrowingTennis.com AddsTools for Facility Managers
T
wo key resources have been added to the Grow-
ingTennis System: a Facility Managers Manual,
which is available for download, and a Go Greensection, to educate facilities on how they can be more
environmentally friendly while saving money. Both tools
can be found for free at GrowingTennis.com/Resources.
The comprehensive Facility Managers Manual is
result of the efforts of longtime tennis director and
manager Rod Heckelman. Rod has been a regular
speaker at USPTA Conferences and written several ten-
nis management articles for the USPTA and RSI. This
section will make avail-
able the most current
facility management
information.The first company
added to the Go Green
section is new TIA part-
ner Cleantech Solutions,
a national energy-serv-
ices company that specializes in designing and
installing high-efficiency lighting and control systems.
Upcoming ScheduleQ Dec. 5-7: ASBA Technical
Meeting, Savannah, GA
Q Dec. 16-19: ITA Conven-
tion, Naples, FLSpecial Request Work-shops: email us [email protected].
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R A C Q U E T S P O R T S
B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R
Steady, Realistic GrowthA funny thing happened to racquetball at the height of its popu-
larity. People forgot about it. The baby-boomers (the most enthu-
siastic players in the 1970s and 80s) drifted away from the sport.
Okay, not so funny. But look at whats happening now. The
prodigal players have returned. The boomers have turned into
boomerangers, and theyre looking for courts, partners and equip-
ment. Even better news? Theyre not the only ones. Racquetball
is on the rise. The bounce-back, say industry insiders, is because
of two playing demographics.
Youre seeing college-age players, says Jim Hiser, executive
director of USA Racquetball, the sports national governing body,
and youre seeing those people who used to play, who are now
saying, You know, I really enjoyed racquetball. The return of the
older player is a boon for clubs. Once a player joins the club, he or
she usually finds not just the courts, but also other amenities,
including exercise equipment and personal trainers.
Well, you know what they say, says Ron Grimes, president of
E-Force. 65 is the new 45. People want to keep playing.
Courts: New and UsedTerri Graham, business director of indoor racquet sports and pad-
dle tennis at Wilson Racquet Sports, links the growth of racquetball
to the colleges and universities that are building multi-million-dol-
lar wellness facilities to help recruit students. Those centers have
beautiful racquetball courts. Most of those colleges offer racquet-
ball as a credit course. You can take it for an easy credit, but peo-
ple are learning its fun, so they keep playing through college.
As a result of returning players, clubs are seeing a demand for
racquetball courts again. When the sport fell out of favor during the
1990s, many courts were used for aerobics and weight training.
Now, some facilities are getting requests to bring back the courts.
EXPAND YOUR
R A C K E TH
ey, remember us? Were those other racquet sports. You
know, racquetball, squash, badmintoneven ping-pong.
Sure, tennis has been getting all the attention lately, but were
growing, too. In fact, in the same SGMA report that showed ten-
nis as the fastest growing traditional participation sport in the
country in the last eight years (up 43 percent), guess what sport
came in second? Racquetball, up 11.6 percent in participation
since 2000.
Even more significant, the SGMA reports that in the last year,
total r-ball participation is up 18.1 percent, squash is up 15.5 per-
cent, and table tennis is up 7.8 percent. The SGMA says this is
statistically significant growth, by the way. Even badminton par-
ticipation is up 2.6 percent in the last year. And badminton and
table tennis are already Olympic sports. (Squash was unsuccessful
in its most recent bid to the IOC, but its only a matter of time.)
You may not have on-site pros in these sports, so heres what
to do: Form a relationship with one of the manufacturers, and ask
them to send one of their team members to hold a demo day or
a clinic. Keep some loaner equipment around for people to use.
And by all means, keep encouraging them. Why? Because its
good for your bottom line. If you get enough interest, your pro
shop will be making more because players will need racquets,
stringing services, shoes, clothesyou name it. Doesnt that
sound like a win-win situation?
RACQUETBALL
EXPAND YOUR
R A C K E T
RACQUETBALL
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SQUASHSQUASH
November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23www.racquetsportsindustry.com
The demand for racquetball is also resulting in new construc-
tion. Two corporations in particular (Lifetime Fitness and L.A. Fit-
ness) put racquetball courts in each new
facility constructed. And that, says Doug
Gamin, indoor promotions manager of
Head/Penn and director of the U.S. Open
Racquetball Championships, is a recipe for
success: Its an amenity the club can add,
and it requires very little upkeep and costs
relatively little per square foot. There arealso proven statistics showing that clubs
offering racquetball have better member
retention.
Boxed InThe enthusiasm of manufacturers and offi-
cials, however, is guarded. There are obsta-
cles to growth, including a lack of public
facilities. Accessibility to courts is a big
challenge, says Ben Simons, senior busi-
ness manager for racquetball and acces-
sories at Head/Penn. You have to be amember of a club to be able to play.
Graham also cites a lack of full-time (or
even part-time) racquetball pros in clubs.
That, she notes, translates into inertia.
Some clubs have this idea of If we build it,
they will come. Well, no, they won't. They expect players to
show up without instruction. If you can ask a club manager, Do
you have spinning? Do you have aerobics? They'll say they do.
Then you ask if they have an instructor for those, and they'll say
Of course. Bingo: You can't expect any program to grow with-
out someone there to get it started.
Another problem is keeping players after college. Recentgraduates often do not make enough money to afford athletic
club memberships, and they stop playing. A lack of racquetball
professionals with celebrity status (think Venus and Serena) has
also hindered visibility.
Women and Children NextManufacturers agree that there are two markets in particular that
are not being addressed: youth (the pre-college age group) and
women. Racquetball remains a predominantly adult sport (few
public schools have courts, and many clubs do not allow children
to play because of insurance regulations or
safety concerns). It is also a predominantly
male culture. Grimes estimates that 85 per-
cent of players are men.
Why the lack of women? Pick a theory,
any theory: Racquetball is an aggressive
game, whereas tennis (particularly doubles)
tends to be more strategy-oriented andsocial. Many women who are returning to fit-
ness after raising children are seeking lower-
impact workouts. Other fitness concepts
have been marketed more effectively to
women, including aerobics, yoga, Pilates and
spinning.
Graham says Wilson has worked to
address the two neglected markets with new
product lines. For the youth market, it intro-
duced a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed
starter set, containing a racquet, balls and
eye guard. The line did not do well commer-cially, she notes. However, the company also
unveiled its Hope line of racquetball equip-
ment, designed for women, with a portion of
the proceeds going to the Breast Cancer
Research Foundation. That line has had wide-
spread acceptance among recreational players.
Bouncing Back UpDespite the threats, however, the sport is making gains. It may
never reach the near-obsessive craze it enjoyed in its heyday, but
in its place has come steady growth that manufacturers believe is
more realistic.Scott Winters, vice president of indoor court and paddle sports
for Prince, says Ektelon (Princes racquetball division) has seen a
spike in sales of beginner equipment packages, an indicator of new
players taking up the sport.
The period where courts and clubs were being overbuilt, and
where you had racquetball-only clubs, thats gone, says E-Forces
Grimes. But racquetball itself has staying power.
USA Racquetball: www.usra.org
GROWING THE GAMES
Want to grow interest in racquetball,squash, badminton, even ping-pong?
Make contacts: Get in touch with manu-facturers and ask them to send a pro or
team member out for a clinic or demo day.Put up posters. Talk it up to your players.
Make it a challenge: Organize a trysomething new night, with different sportsor activities. Those who try at least threenew things can win a prize and be enteredto win a nice piece of sporting equipment(in one of the racquet sports youre trying togrow, of course).
Get schools involved: Would an ele-mentary school, middle school or highschool like to start a badminton team? Asquash team? Extend the invitation.
Play up the benefits: List the ways newsports can help the body; (for example,according to some estimates, squash canburn between 700-1,000 calories per hourwhile providing a total body workout).
Outreach and Increased PlayWith all the talk about tennis and its upward swing, clubs may be
overlooking another racquet sport that has been quietly growing in
popularity. Thanks to new urban outreach programs for middle
school children and other initiatives aimed at bringing in the new
generation, squash is poised for a comeback and defying its old
stereotype of an upper-crust prep-school pastime.
To Kevin Klipstein, CEO of U.S. Squash, the national governing
body for the sport, youth enrichment programs like SquashBusters
in Boston and SquashWise in Baltimore are an idea whose time has
come. The programs, which recruit disadvantaged or at-risk chil-
dren from public elementary and middle schools and teach them
the basics of the game using donated courts and equipment, also
teach good sportsmanship, social learning and the value of hard
work, academics and community service.
And surprise they grow good students, not just good ath-
letes. The SquashBusters website notes that 24 students began their
program in September 1996, and that first team graduated from
high school with an 84% matriculation rate to four-year colleges.
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In Baltimore, the Meadow Mill Athletic Club began its own out-
reach program in 2007, working with students from a local public
school. I want to help kids get an opening they never had, says
Peter Heffernan, director of squash at Meadow Mill. Other cities with
urban squash programs include Philadelphia, New York, Minneapo-
lis, New Haven, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and San Diego. The
National Urban Squash and Education Association (NUSEA), formed
in 2005 to promote outreach efforts, offers grants to new and devel-
oping programs.
Getting people interested in playing squash means physically get-ting them onto the court. Many clubs offer free clinics for adults. If
people just have the chance to play, they get addicted, says Steve
Hall, who manages Dunlops squash division.
Hall uses squash ball sales as a barometer for the growth of the
sport, and says that those sales have increased. Dunlop, he adds, is
evolving to meet the needs of the outreach market. From a product
side, were looking at things that will play down to a more beginning
level of player. The market is growing for cheaper racquets, so were
putting more emphasis on introductory and junior products.
Hitting the WallOne of the problems facing squash in the U.S is the lack of munici-pal courts. Another is a lack of clout. Squash has yet to be named an
Olympic sport, although it came close in 2005, and despite a con-
certed effort this time around.
Then theres everyones favorite villain, the economy. The 2008
U.S. Squash Open couldnt be held, says Klipstein. We were run-
ning into real problems from a sponsorship perspective. U.S.
Squash is now planning the next U.S. Open, which will include both
mens and womens championships.
24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009
The lack of money being put into squash programs trickles
down to a shortage of space in clubs. I think some private clubs
do not focus on squash because they can generate more rev-
enue with other fitness programs, says Philip Laird, president
of the Massachusetts-based Architectural Resources Cambridge,
which has designed a number of squash facilities. (After all, a
squash court can accommodate two players. A spinning studio?
A lot more.)
Having fewer courts has led to many clubs reluctance to
hire a full-time (or even part-time) squash pro. No formal pro-gramming means no way to bring in new players. In addition,
essential aspects of squash have changed over the years, caus-
ing rifts in the sports community. The ball itself, and the dimen-
sions of the court changed. Singles squash has been
emphasized and taught more than doubles; as a result, limited
doubles facilities remain.
There are, however, things that havent changed at all,
according to Doug Whittaker, head squash pro at the German-
town Cricket Club in Philadelphia. The sport, he notes, has the
best workout known to humans and its very social. Some
would call it legalized warfare: you against the opponent.
It is those things that are unique to squash, according toKlipstein, that make the sport strong enough to survive its chal-
lenges. Anecdotally, you get a feeling that once people try
squash, theyll stick with it. I expect us to catapult in the next
year.
U.S. Squash: www.ussquash.com
National Urban Squash and Education Association:
www.nationalurbansquash.org
Growing on the Competitive LevelIf your only image of badminton is the backyard game you last
played as a kid, brace yourself for a paradigm shift. After all, this is
an Olympic sport were talking about, and in that arena, the shut-
tlecock can move at speeds in excess of 200 mph. Sure, its still
played on a recreational level (with plenty of picnic pick-up match-
es still taking place), but on a competitive level, its also growing in
popularity. Quietly and steadily, its growing.
If you're not in the sport, it doesn't feel like it's there, but real-
ly, there's this whole competitive nature out there that people don't
know about, says Terri Graham of Wilson Racquet Sports.
Officials at USA Badminton, the sports national governing body,
BADMINTONBADMINTON
say that interest in the game tends to be concentrated in pock-
ets around the country. Im always finding these little pock-ets, says Cecil Bleiker, media services director. Its popular in
certain areas: Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco. In some
places, its huge. There are old established clubs dating back to
the 1930s.
Competitive badminton enthusiasts enjoy their sport either
at designated clubs, or in local organizations that regularly set
up courts in school gymnasiums or rec centers. They describe
the agility, speed and strength players develop, and wax poetic
about the sports aerobic benefits.
Two recent television commercials have showcased the
sport as well. In one, a woman remarks that thanks to Aleve,
shell never have to give up badminton. The other commercial?
Well, thats more tongue-in-cheek, showing David Ortiz and
Brian Urlacher sucking down Vitamin Water, then winning a
badminton doubles match with a smash that lodges the shuttle
in an opposing players leg.
While mainstream publicity tends to elude badminton in the
U.S., the sport enjoys international popularity. In China, for
example, badminton is played by all ages and at all levels.
(China has also dominated the Olympic badminton scene in
recent years.)
Threats to the GameWith the exception of the Olympics, there are few widely tele-
vised badminton matches and as a result, fewer opportunities
8/8/2019 200911 Racquet Sports Industry
27/36November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25
for aspiring players to see competitive badminton. Unfortunately, say USA Badminton
officials, there are other setbacks. Those who want to learn the game, for example, may
have difficulty finding lessons or pros if they do not live in one of those pockets.
The most important thing is to get good coaching, says Dan Cloppas, CEO of USA
Badminton. For example, if you have your footwork wrong, if youre not trained cor-
rectly, you can have a lot of talent, but you wont move beyond a certain level. And find-
ing someone at the local level can be difficult.
Worse, they say, where the sport really needs to grow, in high schools and health
clubs, gymnasium space (where courts can be set up) is used instead for basketball or vol-
leyball.The good news, though, is that bringing the sport onboard at the club level is easy.
One of badmintons charms is that the courts are not very large (44 long x 20 wide for
doubles, 44 x 17 for singles), and that the nets can be set up quickly. A try badminton
event could be held on indoor or outdoor tennis courts, with each tennis court able to host
two badminton games simultaneously. (On hard courts, painters tape can be used to
mark lines, much the same way as when using the QuickStart Tennis format). If theres
enough interest, regular badminton play can be implemented.
Plus, says Roger Petersman, senior business manager for tennis and badminton at
Head, Its easy to learn and its inexpensive to take up. He believes the sport is poised
for growth.
And Graham agrees. Someday, someone's going to open their eyes and say, Where
did this come from? But really, it's been there all along.USA Badminton: www.usabadminton.org
TABLE TENNISTABLE TENNIS
Out of the BasementYou know a sport has scored a comeback when People magazine takes a page away from
its coverage of reality TV, red-carpet blunders and high-profile hookups and breakups, to
talk about it as the newest fitness trend. Ping-pong has re-emerged into the spotlight,
thanks in part to Susan Sarandon, who has opened the Manhattan club SPiN NYC, known
as the table tennis Taj Mahal. Facilities include standard tables, pro courts and a stadi-
um court, pro shop, robotic ball machines and more.
According to Michael D. Cavanaugh, CEO of USA Table Tennis, the national govern-
ing body, its about time people started paying attention to the merits of what he calls
the ultimate basement sport.
Given the effects of the economy, there are several intrinsic family values to the
sport. Children can play with adults, teenagers can play with senior citizens. But I think
that its just recreation for many families until they see it played professionally. When you
see that, its just jaw-dropping. Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988.
According to Cavanaugh, the U.S. dominated the sport in earlier decades, but since that
time, Chinese athletes have moved to the forefront.
The USATT has about 9,000 registered members, but according to Cavanaugh, there
are an estimated 23 million tables in homes. And, he adds, theres room for growth. A
health or racquet sports club can put a ping-pong table in an unused area and create a
social hub for members. Plus, he says, the sports benefits go beyond simple fitness: We
now have evidence that playing ping-pong mitigates the effects of Alzheimers.
USA Table Tennis: www.usatt.org Q
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28/3626 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009
String Playtest
EASE OF STRINGING
(compared to other strings)
Number of testers who said it was:
much easier 2
somewhat easier 15
about as easy 18
not quite as easy 3
not nearly as easy 0
OVERALL PLAYABILITY
(compared to string played most often)
Number of testers who said it was:
much better 1
somewhat better 5
about as playable 11
not quite as playable 18
not nearly as playable 3
OVERALL DURABILITY
(compared to other strings
of similar gauge)
Number of testers who said it was:
much better 4
somewhat better 12
about as durable 15
not quite as durable 6
not nearly as durable 1
RATING AVERAGES
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability 3.4
Durability 3.7
Power 3.4
Control 3.7
Comfort 3.3
Touch/Feel 3.0
Spin Potential (11th overall) 3.6
Holding Tension 3.4
Resistance to Movement 3.8
Head Sonic Pro/FXP Power is another
of Heads pre-selected Perfect Match
hybrids. Perfect Match is a system
developed by Head that allows each
player easily to select a hybrid combi-
nation based on desired primary and
secondary string properties. (See the
August 2009 issue of RSI for more
information.) This particular combina-
tion aims for durability as the primary
benefit and power as the secondarybenefit.
According to Head, Sonic Pro is made
of uniquely refined co-polymer polyester
and an extra combination of resins and
fibers, offering superior durability and
control for extra pop and spin. The 2008
USRSA members Choice Awards String
Survey ranked Sonic Pro the most
durable 17-gauge string. For more about
Sonic Pro 17, see our playtest report in
the July 2007 RSI magazine.
FXP Power is a multifilament contain-ing a high-tech microfiber core wrapped
with tri-cluster FiberGEL filaments.
According to Head, this combination pro-
vides ultimate elasticity unleashing
unprecedented power. The 2008 USRSA
members Choice Awards String Survey
ranked FXP Power the fifth best nylon
string overall. For more about FXP
Power, see our playtest report of the 16-
gauge version in the July 2006 RSI maga-
zine.
Head tells us that by using Sonic Pro
in the mains, the player gains durability
and control, while FXP Power in the
crosses adds power to the string bed.
For the Perfect Match program, Sonic
Pro 17 and FXP Power 17 are available
as half sets in orange/natural only,
although Sonic Pro is also available in full
sets in black and white. It is priced from
$13 ($6.75 for a half-set of Sonic Pro,
$6.25 for a half-set of FXP Power). For
more information or to order, contact
Head at 800-289-7366, or visit
www.head.com. Be sure to read the con-
clusion for more informa-
tion about getting a free
set to try for yourself.
IN THE LABWe tested the 17 gauge versions of both
Sonic Pro FXP Power. The coils mea-
sured 20 and 20. The diameters mea-
sured 1.23-1.24 mm (Sonic Pro) and
1.24-1.26 mm (FXP Power) before string-
ing, and 1.20-1.21 mm and 1.21-1.22
mm after stringing. We recorded astringbed stiffness of 74 RDC units
imme-
diately after stringing at
60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95
(16 x 18 pattern) on a constant-pull
machine.After 24 hours (no playing),
stringbed stiffness measured 68 RDC
units, representing an 8 percent tension
loss. Our control string, Prince Synthetic
Gut Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDC
units immediately after stringing and 71
RDC units after 24 hours, representing a
9 percent tension loss. Sonic Pro 17/FXP
Power 17 added 15 grams to the weight
of our unstrung frame.
The string was tested for five weeks
by 38 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-ings from 3.5 to 6. These are blind tests,
with playtesters receiving unmarked
strings in unmarked packages. Average
number of hours playtested was 20.2.
As noted by our playtest team, this
combination is easy to install, especially
because both strings can be installed at
the same tension. Our only requirement
for this playtest was that the Sonic Pro
be installed as the main string.
No playtesters broke his sample dur-
ing stringing, two reported problemswith coil memory, four reported prob-
lems tying knots, and one reported fric-
tion burn.
ON THE COURTThe Perfect Match hybrid impressed our
playtest team most with its Spin Poten-
tial, giving it a score good enough to be
11th out of the 136 strings that weve
playtested to date for publication. How-
ever, our playtesters also rated Sonic
Pro/FXP Power well above average in
Durability, Power, Control, Comfort,
Head Sonic Pro 17/
FXP Power 17
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
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29/36November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27
High playability for a hybrid. Great feel, con-trol, and power.
6.0 male all-court player
using Wilson K Tour strung at 56.5 pounds CP
(Wilson NXT 17)
This combination works. The control is therefrom the very first hit. The nylon cross is not only
durable, but it adds power and feel.
4.0 male
baseliner with heavy spin using Babolat Pure
Drive Roddick strung at 63 pounds LO (Babolat
Pro Hurricane Tour 16)
This string has great feel and very high playa-bility.
3.5 male all-court player using Prince
O3 Blue strung at 60 pounds CP (Luxilon Big
Banger TIMO/Tecnifibre NRG2 18/17)
Great feel and control. The mains and crossesare well matched. Power holds up for about 15
hours.
4.5 male baseliner with moderate spin
using Volkl Power Bridge 10 (295g) strung at 58
pounds CP (Gamma Zo Tour 17)
Noticeable pop on serves. Though powergoes down after a few hours, control does not
suffer. The color scheme is a winner.
3.5 male
TESTERS TALKall-court player using Wilson K Blade strung at
55 pounds CP (Polyester/Nylon Multifilament
17/17)
This is a very comfortable, arm-friendlyhybrid with above average power. Spin poten-
tial is impressive.
3.5 male baseliner with
heavy spin using Prince Tour Diablo MP strung
at 58 pounds CP (Luxilon Big Banger Alu
Power/Gamma Natural Gut Tour 16L/16)
Nothing exceptional to note. I prefer stringswith higher levels of comfort and control.
4.5 male baseliner with moderate spin usingPrince OZone Seven strung at 60 pounds LO
(Babolat Conquest 16)
Very easy to string. The impact is very com-fortable. Great control and playability. Cross
strings broke a little too soon.
4.5 male all-
court player using Wilson K Tour strung at 50
pounds CP (Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 16L)
Too stiff. Not enough power.4.0 male
all-court player using Volkl V1 Classic strung at
57 pounds CP (Wilson Super Spin 16)
FREE PLAYTEST
STRING PROGRAMHead will send a free set of
Sonic Pro 17/FXP Power 17 to the
first 500 USRSA members
who cut out (or copy) this coupon
and mail it to:
Offer expires 15 Nov 2009
Offer only available to USRSA
members in the US.
Name:
USRSA Member number:
Phone:
Email:
If you print your email clearly,
we will notify you when your sample
will be sent.
USRSAAttn: Head String Offer,
330 Main Street,Vista, CA 92084
or fax to 760-536-1171,or email the info below to
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
For the rest of the tester comments, visit
www.racquetsportsindustry.com.
Tension Retention, and Resistance to
Movement. With high scores in each ofthese seven categories, its no surprise
that the combination of Sonic Pro and
FXP Power also came in with a well-
above-average overall score.
Six members of the playtest team
broke the sample during play, one each
at 1.5, 2, 4.5, 6, 8, and 12 hours.
CONCLUSIONAccording to our playtest team, the com-
bination of Head Sonic Pro 17/FXP
Power 17 does deliver durability and
power. As we noted in the last playtest
of one of Heads Perfect Match hybrids,
this program really facilitates experimen-
tation with -- and selection of -- hybrids
that work well together. Once you try
one Perfect Match hybrid, it should be
no problem figuring out your next move,
whether its staying with what youve
got or going for something different.
If you think that Head Sonic Pro
17/FXP Power 17 might be for you, fill
out the coupon to get a free set to try.
Greg Raven Q
8/8/2019 200911 Racquet Sports Industry
30/36
care aisle) to cover the outside of the
starting clamp. You can do it with one
piece of the material cut as shown andwrapped around the head of the clamp.
After applying the moleskin, use a new
single edge razor blade to cut it so the
jaws open. To do this, squeeze the
clamp enough to open the jaws slightly
enough to get the razor in and
work it back and forth until it hits the
bottom. You need to clean the starting
clamp thoroughly with something like
denatured alcohol before applying the
moleskin. I scrub mine well with a tooth-
brush.10 packs of Tourna Grip (packs of 3) to:
Vince Chiarelli, MRT, Largo, FL
PADDING YOURSTARTING CLAMPUK STYLEWhen using a starter clamp, often we put
either a loose piece of leather pad or syn-
PADDING YOURSTARTING CLAMP
USA STYLE
Starting clamps used on the outside of
the frame can cause scratches. I use
moleskin (a product found in the foot
28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009
Tips & Techniques
thetic grip between the clamp and the
frame to prevent marking the frame.
Unfortunately, this small piece of
padding is easily lost in a busy tool tray.
I solved this by attaching thepadding to the clamp.
If you have a smooth piece of
leather, you can use double-sided sticky
tape to help hold it in place. Scraps of
synthetic grip usually have this sticky
tape on them already. I then pin the
padding to the clamp using a 2.6 mm
diameter replacement badminton
Readers Know-How in Action
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
8/8/2019 200911 Racquet Sports Industry
31/36November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29www.racquetsportsindustry.com
grommet, and finish off by wrapping a
rubber band around the body of the
clamp.
5 sets of Pro Supex PF Blend 17/16 to:
Sam Chan, MRT, London England
CLEAN THEHOLE RACQUETMy normal restringing service includes a
thorough cleaning of the racquet, but I
always found it a bit challenging toclean the O-Ports and Speedports on
Prince racquets (especially clay-court
players racquets!). The openings were
too small for efficient use of rags and
too big for Q-tips.
It occurred to me to try a rifle bore
mop, and it works perfectly. I like the
.30-.32 caliber (8 mm) the best, but
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000
by USRSA members, and appearing in this
column, have all been gathered into a sin-
gle volume of the Stringers DigestRac-
quet Service Techniques which is a benefit
of USRSA membership. Submit tips to:
Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA
92804; or email [email protected].
even the 12-gauge shotgun mop will
work. These mops thread onto a han-
dle if you need a better grip. I buy
them for around $2 each at Wal-Mart
and sporting goods stores that sell
gun supplies.
I figure that if Prince cares
enough to paint inside the ports I
should care enough to clean them.
5 sets of Gamma Synthetic Gut with
WearGuard 16 to:
Greg Christopherson, Oceanside, CA
CORRECTIONThe 'Bumperguard tool' tip that
appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2009 issue
of RSI was submitted by Ronald Con-
dio of Ashville, NY. We apologize for
the mix-up.
Greg Raven Q
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32/36
Ask the Experts
SLACKSTRING SYNDROME
IN THE MAY ISSUE OF RSI, YOU
mentioned a special stringing pat-
tern used by Michael Chang and
popularized by Andre Agassi. What you
didn't mention is the purpose of this string-
ing technique, which I suppose was done
to avoid the famous "Slack Outside String
Syndrome" that frequently plagues
stringers: With traditional one-piece string-
ing method, the tied-off string can have a
bit more slack. According to the USRSA,
this is not a problem, but there are always
players who complain about it. With any
two-piece stringing method, there is the
possibility for twice as many slack strings,
as there are twice as many knots. This
leads me to wonder why one would go to
so much trouble to use this technique?
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND that
were not comparing one- and two-
piece techniques, because clearly Chang
and Agassi wanted hybrid stringing. One-
piece stringing methods were not even
under consideration.
With that said, we dont know the
original purpose of the Chang/Agassi
stringing technique, but it probably wasnt
to avoid having slack in the outside string,
not only for the reason you mention but
also because there are other ways of elim-
inating the slack in outside strings. One
thing this stringing technique does do,
though, is place a more pliab
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