Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Tennis Industry Magazine
Tennis Industry Magazine
Recreational Play
Facility Managers
Simple secrets
Shorter courts and Changing CLIENTS
to superior SALES ROG BALLS
BEHAVIOR is a
AND SERVICE
not just for kids!
tricky situation
OUTLOOK
2015
Racquets
Shoes
Strings
Outstanding Tennis
Facility Awards
TA
SP
U
g
tin
a
r
o
orp
c
In
1
.4
pg
TennisIndustry
www.tennisindustrymag.com
FEBRUARY 2015
DEPARTMENTS
4
Our Serve
Industry News
13 Customer Service
15 TIA News
18 Retailing Tip
20 Executive Point: Steve Simon
22 Recreational Play
p.33
FEATURES
38
String Playtest: Head Gravity
24 B
ehavior Modification?
INDUSTRY NEWS
7
Calif. Products buys
three companies
33 Triple Threat
7
PTR Week, Symposium
set for Feb. 17-23
7
Under Armour signs
Andy Murray
8
8
PowerShares Series sets
2015 dates, venues
9
p.24
OUTLOOK
p.26
BI pros to become
P
USPTA certified
10
Peoplewatch
10
ASBA elects new officers
and directors
p.28
12 Short Sets
12 I TA coaches support
shortened format
p.31
PLUS
42
CEOs Message
p.41
46 P
rince & USPTA A
Partnership of Innovation
53 P
eter Burwash International
Joins USPTA Family
52 U
SPTA Foundation Awards
Record 31 Grants in 2014
54 C
ompression Apparel
Enhances Performance,
Recovery On and Off the Court
February 2015
44
First Vice Presidents
Message
46
Endorsee News
48
Beyond the Court
52
USPTA News
54
New USPTA Endorsee
56
Master Pro Corner
58
Career Development
60 Member News
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Our Serve
Publishers
4 TennisIndustry
February 2015
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
Corporate Offices
PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: TI@racquetTECH.com
Website: www.TennisIndustryMag.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Advertising Director
John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
cstennisindustry@gmail.com
Tennis Industry is published 10 times per year:
monthly January through August and combined
issues in September/October and November/
December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, PO
Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096. Periodcal postage
paid at Duluth, GA and at additional mailing
offices (USPS #004-354). Feb 2015, Volume 43,
Number 2 2015 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.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
IndustryNews
Information to help you run your business
eading sports surface manufacturer California Products Corp. has acquired three
companies that officials say will expand and strengthen the products and services
provided by California Sports Surfaces (CSS). Latexite International Inc., Premier
Concepts Inc., and Guardian Crack Repair Products LLC will now fall under the California Products umbrella.
Latexite International is a manufacturer of Latex-ite, a sports surface coating system
used for tennis, basketball, volleyball, badminton, and other multi-sport systems. Premier
Concepts, incorporated in 1989, produces Premier Court, a patented manufactured composite that provides impact-absorbing cushion, which minimizes repetitive shock and
reduces body stress.
Guardian Crack Repair, originated in 2003, is designed to repair tennis court cracks and
cracked sport surfaces. Innovators of peel and seal crack-repair technology, Guardian
is a patented system used on thousands of asphalt
and concrete surfaces.
This transaction offers a strategic fit that will
add new products, brands, geographies and distribution channels to our existing footprint, says California Products Chairman and CEO Peter Longo. Current CSS brands include Plexipave,
the surface of the Australian Open since 2008; DecoTurf, the surface of the US Open since
1978; Rebound Ace, the surface of the Asian Games; and Plexitrac, a track surface system
for full-performance athletic facilities.
CSS Managing Director John Graham says several individuals, including Premier Concepts President Chris Rossi, will join the CSS team in the areas of sales, customer service,
distribution and technical support.
We are very pleased to be joining CSS, says Rossi. Our brands are the perfect
complement to Plexipave, DecoTurf and Rebound Ace.
Products from Latexite, Premier and Guardian can be found in a variety of markets:
national stadiums, international tennis venues, resorts, clubs, schools, colleges, and private residences. The surfaces have been selected at some of the worlds most prestigious
events and facilities, including Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties.
All of the products will be manufactured by California Products at its 160,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Andover, Mass. Visit calprocorp.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 7
IndustryNews
of Coaching Education. The NCACE standards, at different levels, are used by many
other sports and education bodies in the
U.S. and are recognized and endorsed by the
United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
The Master of Tennis program, a first in
coach education in the U.S., is open to PTR
members who hold a Professional rating,
and develops the coachs ability to plan
comprehensive club programs for all ages of
junior players, and to use competence-based
coaching skills.
The Master of Tennis program debuted
last year, says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. It
is based on a number of courses in a unique
mixture of online learning and home study,
as well as practical on-court learning in small
groups of fellow professionals. The program
can be completed in as few as nine months
or can take as long as two years, and the
schedule takes into consideration that most
participants work full time. Visit ptrtennis.
org for more information.
8 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Williams, Djokovic,
Bryans Honored by ITF
Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic
are the 2014 ITF World Champions. Williams is the Womens World Champion
for the fifth time, while this is the fourth
occasion that Djokovic has received the
honor. Bob and Mike Bryan are the Mens
Doubles World Champions for the 11th
time in 12 years, while Sara Errani and
Roberta Vinci of Italy become Womens
Doubles World Champions for the third
successive year.
Catherine CiCi Bellis of the U.S. and
Russias Andrey Rublev are the ITF Junior
World Champions, while the ITF Wheelchair World Champions are the Japanese
duo Yui Kamiji and Shingo Kunieda, who
becomes mens champion for the sixth
time.
The ITF World Champions will receive
their awards at the 2015 ITF World Champions Dinner on June 2 in Paris, during
the French Open.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
IndustryNews
PBI Pros to Become
USPTA Certified
April 2: Chicago
April 16: Austin, Texas
April 17: Little Rock, Ark.
April 18: Dallas
April 22: Boston
April 23: Richmond, Va.
April 29: Minneapolis
April 30: Cincinnati
May 2: Vancouver, Canada
Hourglass Performance
Joins PTR
Hourglass Performance Institute has
joined the PTR as a Corporate Member.
HPI specializes in assessment, training
and education in mental performance,
using state of the art equipment with
objective and reliable measures of
mental performance (i.e., focus, stress
management, relaxation/activation) on
and off the court, on site or at distance.
HPIs Dr. Domagoj Lausic will conduct
a presentation in February at the PTR
International Tennis Symposium titled
Mental Skills and Biofeedback in
Tennis: Evaluate and Train with Measurable Results. PTR members receive a
discount on HPI services. Visit hpi-us.
com, or contact mentalperformance@
hpi-us.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 9
IndustryNews
People
Watch
the determining board were
Hall of Famers and Tennis
Channel analysts Martina
Navratilova and Jim Courier,
and USA Today tennis writer
Doug Robson.
Stefan Kozlov
(right) and Sofia
Kenin, both
from Pembroke
Pines, Fla.,
won the Boys
and Girls 18s
singles titles at
the Metropolia Orange
10 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Professional Racquetball
Tour (LPRT) Christmas Classic event. Ranked as the No.
2 player in the world, Vargas
was the top seed in the
Virginia event.
John McEnroe and Jim
Courier kicked off the new
tennis offerings at the Casa
de Campo Resort in the
Dominican Republic by competing in a special exhibition
match in November. The
appearance by the two tennis Hall of Famers was part of
the resort's effort to raise the
profile of its tennis offerings
at its 16-court tennis center.
For the fourth consecutive year, Adrians Zguns
of Orlando, Fla., won the
mens open singles championship at the USPTA Hard
Court Championships, Oct.
24-25, in Tyler, Texas. Carrie
Kalapala of Bloomington,
Ind., won the womens open
singles crown.
R O N A N G L E / U S TA
www.tennisindustrymag.com
IndustryNews
Tennis Summit, TOM Conference
Slated for March in Indian Wells
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 11
IndustryNews
Short
Sets
The U.S. Tennis
Congress will go back
to Tucson for the 2015
event, to be held Oct.
9-13. Registration will
open in March. Visit
tenniscongress.com.
The San Diego
Aviators of Mylan
World TeamTennis
has moved its 2015
season venue to the
Omni La Costa Resort
& Spa in Carlsbad,
Calif. In addition, San
Diego businessman
Fred Luddy, along
with Jack McGrory, are
The Thanyapura
Phuket property in
Thailand has been
recognized by Peter
Burwash International
with the 2014 Site of
the Year award. The
award recognizes a
Junior Tennis
Champions Center
of College Park, Md.,
has a new partnership
with tennis legend and
coach Brian Gottfried
and the internationally renowned Bolles
School in Jacksonville,
Fla. Bolles Tennis featuring Brian Gottfried
and JTCC is a new
comprehensive tennis
program in Northeast
Florida. The schools
flagship tennis program is the College
Prep Program, which
combines high-performance development
under Brian Gottfried
and JTCC and college
prep education.
In December, the
Mylan WTT Smash Hits
raised more than $1
uring its December meeting, the ITA Division 1 Operating Committee voted
to re-submit its dual match format proposal to the NCAA Division 1 Tennis
Committee for the 2015 NCAA Division I Team Championships. This decisive vote (25 yes, 0 no, 9 abstentions) was supported by the USTA and the USTA's
Athletic Directors Advisory Council.
In addition, the ITA Operating Committee voted 26-8 in favor of playing the
shortened format during the 2015 ITA Kick-Off Weekend and 2015 ITA Division 1
National Men's and Women's Team Indoor Championships. Also, the Committee
voted to adopt (30 yes, 0 no, 4 abstentions) the shortened format for all non-conference dual match competition with all singles matches being played to completion
(doubles will remain "clinch"). NCAA conference rules, however, supersede ITA
rules, so any conference can decide to not play the ITA format.
The ITA shortened format, for both Division 1 mens and womens tennis, includes:
No-ad scoring in singles and doubles.
Three doubles matches played, each match one set to 6, with a tie-break at 6-all.
Followed (after a brief intermission; time TBD) by six singles matches, each
match 2 out of 3 sets, with tie-breaks at 6-all.
No warm-up with opponents (in doubles and in singles).
"Over the past several years the ITA Division I member coaches have engaged in
a vigorous and dynamic dialogue about format and best ways to grow and promote
the sport of college tennis," said ITA Executive Director David Benjamin. "We are
very proud of the way in which all of our coaches of men's and women's tennis
programsfrom widely diverse institutionshave managed to work together and
present a unified front on such a complicated and critical issue."
If the ITA shortened format is endorsed by the NCAA Division 1 Tennis Committee, it will be put forward to the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet.
12 TennisIndustry
February 2015
USRSA Announces
New MRTs
Master Racquet Technicians
Jeff Cutler - Victoria, BC Canada
William Thomas - Victoria, BC Canada
Eric Lim Ong Soo - Singapore
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Customer Service
Simplify The Selection
Of A New Racquet
By Denny Schackter
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 13
Facility Operations
Simple Secrets To Superior
Service and Sales
By Holly Chomyn
14 TennisIndustry
February 2015
On-Court Benefits
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
TennisIndustry 15
Febr
11
12
13
19
20
January
12
18
19
26
25
10
13
14
15
16
17
20
21
22
23
24
27
29
31
28
30
5
12
19
26
10
11
17
18
24
25
13
14
15
16
22
23
20
21
27
28
29
30
12
13
19
20
20
16
18
19
15
17
22
23
24
27
28
26
25
10
15
16
17
22
23
24
29
30
31
10
11
16
17
18
14
15
16
23
30
10
11
12
13
21
18
20
17
19
22
29
24
26
28
25
27
August
W
30
27
26
25
10
11
16
17
18
14
15
12
13
21
22
28
29
19
20
10
11
14
16
17
18
15
21
22
23
28
29
30
31
31
26
27
24
25
Septem
be
13
14
15
16
21
22
23
20
28
29
30
27
14
25
25NOW to sign up!
24
Go
to
PlayTennis.com
24
23
2
23
2
21
15
18
31
21
June
July
12
11
14
10
13
May
April
Decem
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
ADVISORY PANEL
AND MODERATORS
Doug Cash, Founder, CashFlowTennis
Rod Heckelman, General Manager, Mt. Tam Racquet Club
Greg Lappin, Former National Tennis Director, Life Time Fitness
Mark McMahon, Tennis Consultant, McMahon & Associates
KNOWLEDGEABLE SPEAKERS & PANELISTS
Industry experts continue to express interest in the T.O.M. Conference, including
top tennis facility/club operators, owners and managers; management and
business consultants; youth tennis, adult tennis, league tennis and Cardio Tennis
experts; and former pro tennis players/current tennis broadcasters. Here are
speakers and panelists confirmed to date:
Kirk Anderson, USTA
David LaSota, Facility Designer
Nick Bollettieri, Teacher and Coach
Dr. Jim Loehr, HPI
Virgil Christian, USTA
Krista Lowery, PAI
John Embree, USPTA
Greg Mason, TIA
Jeff Gocke, Fairfield Indoor Tennis
Dan Santorum, PTR
Gerry Faust, Faust Mgmt. Corp.
P.J. Simmons, Tennis Congress
Will Hamilton, Fuzzy Yellow Ball
Alan Schwartz, TCA Holdings/
Charlie Hoeveler, Nike Tennis Camps
Midtown Tennis Club
Kurt Kamperman, USTA
Keith Storey, SMS
Michele Krause, Cardio Tennis
Jeff Waters, USTA
ENGAGED & INFLUENTIAL AUDIENCE
Like last springs T.O.M. Conference, we expect the 2015 T.O.M. to be wellattended with facility and club owners/managers/operators and their key staff.
Enjoy professional mens and womens tennis at the 2015 BNP Paribas Open.
Tournament Ticket Packages will be made available.
The T.O.M. Conference immediately follows the TIA Tennis Summit (March 17-18),
which also will be at the world-class Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa.
March 18-19
For More Information and to Register, Visit TheTOMConference.com
Contact the TIA at meetings@tennisindustry.org or 866-686-3036
February 2015
TennisIndustry 17
Retailing 135
Back to Basics!
18 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Executive Point
Steve Simon, Tournament
Director, BNP Paribas Open
Interview By Cindy Cantrell
20 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Recreational Play
ROG Balls and Shorter Courts
Arent Just for Kids!
By Ellen Miller
22 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Cardio Tennis has also jumped on the ROG bandwagon, adopting the orange ball for
intermediate-level classes and the green dot ball for more experienced Cardio classes. When
I became a Licensed Cardio Tennis Professional last year, our group included several former
collegiate players. Nobody balked at the orange ball. In fact, we had a terrific time slugging
it out. The point play, especially at the net, involved some very skillful play and it was more
than challenging!
Oddly, Cardio Tennis is receiving some pushback on ROG balls, and that needs to stop.
Pros need to be willing to adjust! Look at your audiencethe key is to adapt the ball to the
level of play. Let the players engage in solid rallies and be successful; if they cant do it with
the ball you have, you need to find a slower ball. E.M.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
and have them play World TeamTennis format. Look to play other clubs
if they have similar leagues. As the
players improve and feel comfortable
to move up to the next ball, let them.
Maybe new colored ball leagues will
pop up soon.
Actually its happening already.
Possessing a healthy dose of senior
citizens, USTA Florida needed a way
to prolong play for this valuable group
of lifelong hitters. Much the same way
the regulation 78-foot court is too
large for the typical 7- or 8-year-old,
that same court becomes increasingly unmanageable for senior players
losing movement skills, especially
speed. What did they do? They put the
seniors on some of the newly lined 60foot courts across the state. Now these
senior orange ball clinics, leagues
and tournaments are prolonging the
lifespan of a valuable part of the tennis
population.
Kids with disabilities? Wounded
service men and women? The
February 2015
TennisIndustry 24
Behavior
Modification?
Changing members
behavior is a tricky
situation for any facility
manager.
By Rod Heckelman
ing some control over members behavior. Articles in newsletters or other forms of media are also used to spread the gospel
of club etiquette and proper protocols. But, once again, the
experienced manager knows most people will not read these
signs or pay attention to the reminders. So if traditional
methods of enforcing rules are not working, what will work?
The answer may lie in a three-pronged approach: education, application and repetition.
Education
The complete Facility Managers Manual is available for download at the TIA Associate Member level and above.
Visit TennisIndustry.org for more information.
24 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Application
www.tennisindustrymag.com
first example. If you were to chase down that member to remind him to check in and that happened to take place in front
of others, it would result in that member feeling compromised
and embarrassed. Sometimes its best to let the moment go and
process the information via e-mail or letter. Other times its
best to approach the member in a more relaxed situation.
Lastly, when it comes to application, provide all the information and not just the rule itself. For example, you have a
member who brings in a personal trainer recommended by
a doctor to help him recover from an injury. If you were to
approach that member and simply state that outside contractors are forbidden to operate at your club, the member would
feel compromised and like they are being kept from meeting
personal goals or medical needs. By simply providing the rules,
you are perceived as an obstruction. If, on the other hand, if
you showed sympathy and asked what they were trying to
accomplish, you could begin the process of informing that
member of what services the club could provide and possibly
sway them toward using your staff.
Repetition
February 2015
TennisIndustry 25
By Bob Patterson
f you sell tennis racquets, there is one question you
probably get on a daily basis: What is the best racquet? Of course, that depends on many factors. It is
really all about fitting the player with the right racquet for his or her game. Otherwise, you wouldnt
need that entire inventory!
Manufacturers have always known this and have offered a
range of racquets to fit a variety of needs. It is up to the dealer
and the player to decide which model best suits their needs.
And while that is still true today, we now have so many more
options.
In recent years we have seen manufacturers offer several
versions of their most popular racquets. Variations of weight,
length and string patterns of the same model have become
commonplace. And the options continue to grow. Last fall,
Dunlop launched its iDapt line that can be built to the players
specs with interchangeable parts. This year Head introduces
BABOLAT
babolat.com 877-316-9435
26 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Pure Drive
www.tennisindustrymag.com
DUNLOP
dunlop.com 800-768-4727
iDapt was launched a bit earlier (see Tennis Industry, September/October 2014) and has certainly
upped the ante on customizable racquets. There are
four iDapt models, and with interchangeable parts,
they can create 432 different racquets.
iDapt
HEAD
head.com 800-289-7366
Speed MP
PRINCE
princetennis.com 800-2TENNIS
TECNIFIBRE
tecnifibre.com 888-504-7878
VOLKL
volkltennis.com 866-554-7872
SuperG MP
WILSON
wilson.com 800-272-6060
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Blade 98
February 2015
TennisIndustry 27
Stepping Up
The Game
The new shoe showcase features vehicles that
perform and look good, too.
By Kent Oswald
The German company ended 2014 excited with how well established its Adizero line had become. While awaiting the introduction of the light and flexible shoes next incarnation in July,
the home of Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki, among others, brings to market the next
generation of its Barricades. On the mens side, there is a renewed emphasis on comfort and
responsiveness with a focus on a shoe well regarded for its support, stability and durability.
Highlighting the introductions is the new, dramatically patterned Saksaywaman Wall edition
(shown, $150), which draws inspiration and name from the formidable and mysterious Incan
stonewalled city. It will provide more mid-foot stability and greater freedom in the forefoot
than in the past, similar to the new, redesigned Barricade 2015 ($140). Also new for men will be
the Barricade Team 4 ($90), re-crafted to support the games of more aggressive players.
Stella McCartney-designed shoes continue to headline the distaff side of the line. The newest
version of the Stella McCartney Barricade (shown, $125) expands on the tradition of support,
comfort and style. Like the mens version, the womens Barricade Team 4 ($90) with its engineered mesh, features comfort and supports quick movements.
Sales support will include a continuation of the Smash the Silence campaign, enhanced
digital and social media outreach, and in-store programs.
28 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
The seven-decade-old performance shoe, apparel and accessory company surges into 2015
still riding high from an increase in total market share as well as placing its Gel Resolution
into the top-selling slot in the tennis specialty channel, according to Sports Marketing Surveys and the Tennis Industry Association. The newest version, the Gel-Resolution 6 (shown,
$140) offers a lighter platform and improved upper fit available in both mens and womens
versions. Three new colorways are being introduced at the beginning of the year, with two
more to be added June 1.
The company is also updating its Challenger series, with the Gel-Challenger 10 (shown,
$100) on shelves beginning in January. Performance has been enhanced via an improved
upper fit system and more advanced mid- and outsole materials. The shoe debuts in two new
color combinations, with another to come in June.
In addition to increased visibility through a growing rank of endorsers, retail support will
be built around the Grand Slam tournaments, with both in-store and digital programs.
BABOLAT
babolat.com 877-316-9435
Frances tennis-only company improves its top-of-the-line Propulse BPM All Court (shown,
$120) for both men and women, with enhancements inside and out including a new insert,
more advanced cushioning and durability and traction tweaks to the outsole in tandem with
partner Michelin, as well as new colorways. Similar tweaks have been made to the mens and
womens Propulse Team BPM All Court ($99), which also rolls out for 2015 in new colors.
In addition to the Propulse shoes, the company will be promoting its Babolat SFX All
Court shoes ($105) in new colors for men and women by continuing its mix of television,
print and digital ads, sponsorships, in-store efforts and through ongoing and aggressive
social media outreach.
DIADORA
diadora.com 800-768-4727
Following up the (re)introduction of the brand through its distribution deal with Dunlop, the
Italian sporting goods manufacturer expands its offerings with new, vibrantly-hued S.Pro
Evo AGs (shown, $119) in mens and womens versions featuring air mesh uppers, removable
insoles, and durable outsoles, as well as the S.Star K VI for men (shown) and S.Star K III for
women ($139) built with kangaroo leather uppers, and the removable insoles and robust
outsoles.
The company has plans to promote through social media and digital outreachwhile also
relying heavily on what it terms grassroots marketingand will be introducing even more
expanded color offerings as the year goes by. Marketing efforts are likely to rely on reminding
consumers of the brands history as well as playing up the brands fashion-forward aesthetic.
FILA
fila.com 800-845-FILA
Fila will add new color combos to both its mens and womens Sentinels ($100). Expectations
are to continue the positive sales trends of the last few years with marketing efforts for the
lightweight and stable shoe continuing to emphasize style and comfort. Efforts across all
platforms will play up the connections between the companys apparel and footwear collections, as well as the links among its tennis past, present and future.
HEAD
head.com 800-289-7366
The rollout of the new Revolt Pro shoes ($140 for men and women; $80 for juniors) begun in
late 2014 continues through the first months of the new year. Highlights of the technology
include an extra stable feel achieved by borrowing from advances made on the companys
ski boot side. New colorways are planned for the mens, womens and junior lines. In-store
POP, digital and print advertising campaigns coalescing under the #gameraiser theme will
continue.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 29
While the California company recently changed the direction of the stripes on their logo as
a symbol of how they are moving forward, they do so building on their d-rings, five stripes
and a tradition of focusing on comfort and style, as well as the popularity of their brand
ambassadors, the Bryan brothers.
The new Hypercourt (shown, $130) line will be thematically related on the outside to the
iconic shoe from years ago, but has performance-based insides. New colorways are being
added for the Hypercourt Express ($110), a lightweight shoe introduced last year as the
"Ultra Express;" with a line extension to the Hypercourt Express LTR ($110), an all-leather
version. The Bigshot line, including the Bigshot ($130), the Bigshot Light 2.5 ($90; and the
companys best-selling shoe) and Bigshot Light 2.5 ($65; a junior version), will also see new
color offerings in the new year.
NEW BALANCE
newbalance.com 800-253-7463
The Boston-based company updates its premiere lightweight shoe, the 996v2
(shown, $150) for men and women, and introduces its first clay-court specific
shoe, the 60v1 ($99.95). The 996, to be featured on the feet of Milos Raonic among
others, will be available in numerous colorways and has been engineered for
stability and durability while supporting quick cuts. The 60, in various stylings for
men and women, finds its inspiration in the companys Minimus line, but has the
enhancements of interior technology and external elements to support play on
the dirt.
NIKE
nike.com 800-344-6453
Unlike companies that issue shoes by season, the Oregon-based sporting goods
behemoth pulses out new footwear in wave after wave. First up for the home
of Serena, Maria, Roger, and Rafa will be two new mens styles scheduled to hit
shelves as balls first start flying back and forth at Melbourne Park. The lightweight, low-profile Nike Zoom Cage 2 ($135) also features a durable outsole and
arrives in solid colors; the Lunar Ballistec 1.5 ($165) is built with extra support
for its extremes of lightweight and comfort. Sales support will, of course, rely on
the ubiquity of the iconic swoosh, but specific programs will also be run through
social media and in-store programs.
PRINCE
princetennis.com 800-2TENNIS
Prince begins the new year rolling out new stylings for its rugged Prince Warrior ($109) for men and women, and readily available in both hard- and claycourt constructions, as well as for the industry-leading stalwart of its line, the
T22 (shown, $110). The company will be supporting sales with print and digital
advertising, in-store merchandising, its tour team and an aggressive social media
presence.
WILSON
wilson.com 773-714-6400
30 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
In Search of
Perfection
Technology in strings continues to get better, while
marketing is getting more focused.
By Bob Patterson
ust like racquets, string manufacturers are constantly tweaking their lines seeking perfection.
Although the number strings being introduced
has slowed this year, manufacturers are continuing to push the envelope with new technology
and a variety of material combinations to produce a broad
selection of strings to suit every player type.
We are seeing new materials, new combinations of materials and a variety of gauges and shapes being introduced. As
a matter of fact, we recently made the decision at the USRSA
to drop our label of string type in our database. Once upon a
time, most every string fit into one of four categoriesNatural Gut, Kevlar, Polyester and Nylonbut that is no longer the
case.
The lines are blurred as manufacturers combine materials
and discover new materials, so pigeon-holing strings into one
category is really impossible. In our lab tests we are seeing
co-polyester strings that originally were among the stiffest
strings tested, but have now become softer than some nylons. So, rather than divide strings based antiquated labels,
we will let each strings specs speak for themselves.
USRSA members can take advantage of our string selector tool to get the specs of each string on the market and do
your own comparisons. We still feel that the most telling
stat is that of stiffness. That number tells a lot about the
playability of the string, and just like with racquets, no one
size fits all. Some players prefer a stiff string, while others like a soft feel, and still others will like something in
between.
Ultimately, it is up to the stringer and the player to decide
what will work best in their racquet for their particular type
of game. This provides the stringer with a great opportunity
to use their expertise to determine what the player likes
and guide them through the process. Be sure to look into
the newer introductions as a replacement for some older
stagnant inventory or just a fresh infusion to your mix.
As an innovator of technical advances in string material, Ashaway has done it again with two
new racquetball strings, PowerKill Pro and PowerKill 17. Both strings utilize the companys
new Power Filament Technology (PFT), which creates a new surface of Zyex fibers, increasing
durability and tension-holding capabilities.
Even the company that invented tennis string continues to develop new and innovative strings.
M7 is the newest to the Babolat lineup. The string is composed of seven 100 percent polyamide
monofilaments and an innovative PA + PU matrix to provide a long lifespan and a high level
of comfort, according the company. Another addition is a 15-gauge (1.35 mm) version of the
popular RPM Blast.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 31
A new company, Diadem Sports has spent two years developing the patent-pending Star Core
Technology that is the foundation of its line. The company offers two co-poly strings: Solstice
Power, available in 16 (1.30 mm) and 17 (1.25 mm) and designed with increased elasticity for easy
power generation and excellent feel, and Solstice Pro, available in 15L (1.33 mm) and 16L (1.27
mm) and designed for the heavy-hitting player demanding ultimate precision and performance.
Gravity is a new, unique hybrid string designed to maximize spin potential. Both strings are
poly but have different shape profiles. The triangular-shaped main string increases the friction
between the ball and string bed, while the thin, round cross string allows for a faster snap-back.
Head also adds Hawk Touch to the lineup in 16, 17 and 18 gauges. Hawk Touch utilizes a
unique string manufacturing processCrystal Core Technologythat utilizes a complex, multistep heat treatment that allows Head to control the molecular crystal structure within the
string, setting it apart from conventional polyester strings.
Luxilon has new additions to two of its most popular stringsALU Power Soft and 4G Soft.
For comparison, the Soft version of ALU Power 125 measures 185 on our stiffness test, vs.
242 for the regular version. 4G soft is 214 compared to 249 for the regular 4G 125.
Solinco adds two new strings to its formidable line. Tour Bite Diamond Rough is new to the
companys flagship line. Instead of the edged design of previous Tour Bite strings, as its name
implies, Diamond Rough features a rough texture. This allows for superior spin/bite, but also
the modified composition allows for better ball pocketing, according to Solinco. Also new to the
lineup is a very soft, arm-friendly multifilamentX-Natural. The string utilizes a thermoplastic
polyurethane resin for bonding the high-modulus fibers, as well as TPU-Silicone coating for
superior playability and maintenance, says the company.
XR3 is latest introduction from the French company and is marketed as an all-around string
hitting that middle ground between the companys softer multifilaments and the co-polyesters. The string features a hybrid construction with a mixture of three monofilaments and
multifilament impregnated polyurethane heart. XR3 is available in both 17 (1.25 mm) and 16
(1.30 mm) gauges.
Alpha is now the official U.S. distributor for Topspin strings. The company is launching several
new strings: Sensus Rotation (1.27 & 1.31 mm), Cyber Delta (1.25 mm) and Ferox RoundString
(1.25 mm).
Volkl adds two new gauges to the popular Cyclone string introduced last year. The string is
now also available in a 19 gauge (1.15 mm) and a 20 gauge (1.10 mm).
Revolve is the latest introduction from Wilson and is available in 15 (1.35 mm), 16 (1.30 mm)
and 17 (1.25 mm) gauges. Its a co-polymer with two unique features. First it contains an additive (UHMW) to create a low-friction surface throughout the string. According to the company,
this means that even when the strings become notched, they will still have ample snap-back.
Second, a cross-linked polymer has been added, which allows the string to play more lively
while increasing ball pocketing.
32 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Triple Threat
Tennis Industry and the ASBA bring you the best
in tennis court construction and design.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 33
In addition to the Springfield CollegeAppleton Tennis Courts in Springfield, Mass., the Newton Residence in Newton, Mass.,
and the Montgomery TennisPlex in Boyds, Md., these 19 locations were chosen by the 2014 panel of judges for the ASBA as
excellent examples of court construction, receiving Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards. Youll read more about them in
upcoming issues of TI. (The nominating company is in parentheses.)
Belmont Recreational Center, Henrico County, Va. (Tennis Bishop Feehan High School Tennis Facility, Attleboro, Mass. (Boston Tennis court Construction Co. Inc.)
Carmel Country Club, Charlotte, N.C. (Global Sports &
Tennis Design Group)
City of Miami BeachFlamingo Park, Miami Beach, Fla.
(Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)
Fort Lauderdale Residence, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (FastDry Courts Inc.)
Gene Clayton Tennis Center at Methodist University,
Fayetteville, N.C. (Court One)
Mino Park, Boca Raton, Fla. (Welch Tennis Courts Inc.)
Mission Bay Tennis Club, Boca Raton, Fla. (Welch Tennis Courts Inc.)
Palm Beach County Residence, Palm Beach County, Fla.
(Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)
Parkland Golf & Country Club, Parkland, Fla. (Welch
Tennis Courts Inc.)
For details on the 2015 Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or info@sportsbuilders.org, or
visit www.sportsbuilders.org.
34 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February 2015
TennisIndustry 35
Double pulling
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Tennis Industry, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096; fax: 760-536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
36 TennisIndustry
February 2015
www.tennisindustrymag.com
www.tennisindustrymag.com
February2015
TennisIndustry 37
String Playtest
By Greg Raven
In the Lab
Head Gravity
38 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Playtester Ratings
Ease of Stringing
(compared to other strings)
much easier
somewhat easier
about as easy
not quite as easy
not nearly as easy
0
1
18
13
6
Overall Playability
(compared to the string played most often)
much better
somewhat better
about as playable
not quite as playable
not nearly as playable
1
10
10
13
3
Overall Durability
(compared to other strings of similar gauge)
much better
somewhat better
about as durable
not quite as durable
not nearly as durable
7
10
14
3
3
Rating Averages
From 1 to 5 (best)
Playability
Durability
Power
Control
Comfort
Touch/Feel
Spin Potential (9th overall)
Holding Tension
Resistance to Movement
3.4
3.9
3.5
3.5
3.1
3.1
4.0
3.6
3.8
www.tennisindustrymag.com
On the Court
www.tennisindustrymag.com
Playtester
Comments
The string hit really
well! The shape really
bit into the ball and the
thicker main should
last longer than other
shaped polys. Definitely worth a try!
4.0 male baseliner with
heavy spin using Babolat
Pure Drive Roddick strung
at 60 pounds LO (Solinco
Tour Bite 16L)
Good, soft feel with
good power and satisfactory spin. A top-tier
string. I would use it,
recommend it, and
sell it.
4.0 male baseliner with
moderate spin using
Wilson Steam S strung at
60 pounds CP (Tourna Big
Hitter Blue 17)
Really liked this
string. Loaned my
racquet to some of
my younger, weaker
students and they didnt
want to give it back!
4.0 male all-court player
using Babolat Pure Drive
strung at 60 pounds CP
(Luxilon ALU Power 16)
A stiff durability string.
Great for banging balls
with not a lot of power.
Good spin and control.
String looser for elbow
ease.
4.5 male all-court player
using Wilson Steam S strung
at 45 pounds CP (Wilson
Optimus 16)
This string was stiff but
I had good control and
good bite on the ball.
Overall, I would say it
is a good to very good
string.
5.5 male all-court player
using Babolat Pure Drive
strung at 60 pounds CP
(Babolat VS Gut 16)
Definitely more spin
produced when hitting
Conclusion
February 2015
TennisIndustry 39
Your Serve
Mind and Body
Personality Types
40 TennisIndustry
February 2015
Motor Skills
matching your young athletes preferred brain type and body type design
with the right sport, style of play and/
or position. Here's one example, using
two students of mine. Evan and Jarred
are 14-year-old twins. They take the
same number of private lessons and
clinics but their training regimen is
polar opposite. Evan is ENFP and
fine-motor-skill dominant; Jarred is
ISTJ and gross-motor-skill dominant.
Evan, being an extrovert, prefers
to make things happen on the court.
He often charges the net and ends the
point with his volleys (good hands).
Jarred is more comfortable assessing and then retaliatingthe classic
counterpuncher. Being gross-motorskilled dominant helps Jarred uncoil
the larger muscle groups of the
kinetic chainenhancing his textbook
groundstrokes.
Teaching each student within their
genetic guideline will maximize their
potential at the quickest rate. Knowing your students genetic makeup
and natural strengths and weaknesses helps to avoid the needless
frustrations in their development and
will better prepare you to assist and
encourage them.
Frank Giampaolo is a 30-year sports
education veteran, author, speaker and
instructional writer for national and international publications. He is the author of
Championship Tennis (Human Kinetics
Publishing), The Tennis Parents Bible
and The Mental Emotional Workbook
Series. His book Raising Athletic Royalty is set to be released in January 2015.
Visit MaximizingTennisPotential.com.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to TI@racquetTECH.com.
www.tennisindustrymag.com
CEOs Message
42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
by John Embree
tional items) also came to the table as
well as the addition of new endorsees,
2XU (compression apparel) and Power
Plate (whole body vibration wellness).
All six companies made a commitment to contribute to the newly established Retirement Gold+ program that
also began in January. I know the numbers will increase as the months and
years progress and as more companies
seek to be affiliated with the USPTA.
We also saw the creation of a health
care program through our provider,
Woodruff Sawyer and Digital Insurance,
the largest online health care provider
in the country. With so many of our independent professionals not currently
covered with family medical insurance,
they now have more options.
There were also a host of other
benefits such as gap insurance with
Rezilientdirect.com. Our prescription
drug discount card offers significant
savings (up to 85 percent) with a $1 donation made on every transaction to the
USPTA Foundation and $0.50 donated to
the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
One other significant development
was the creation of the new Tennis
Industry magazine with ADDvantage
being a part of it, providing a better
product while also getting USPTA messaging out to the entire industry.
The U30 endeavor has been embraced
by 10 of our divisions thus far and is really starting to take hold. And because
we know that paying dues up front is a
challenge for this audience, we are testing
a quarterly dues process with this group
this year to ease the financial burden.
Core Pillar No. 3 Elevating the
Educational Standards: This is our
stated mission and the steps taken to
achieve this Professional Imperative
have been dramatic. Even though it
is not a huge requirement, every new
member must now have seven hours
of pre-education prior to certification.
And we are requiring 12 hours or 6 credits of continuing education post-certifi-
GAME, SET,
NEVER MATCHED!
Shop Online Anytime at10-S.com
800-247-3907
by Chuck Gill
44 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
family, running a busy club and volunteering my time, my game has suffered.
Tennis remains my favorite activity and
a game that I still enjoy playing for the
same reasons as when I started: fun with
friends, good competition and great exReach out to some old friends! I
ercise. Time to get busy with some me
would not be where I am personally
time, schedule a few games a week, and
or professionally if not for the menstick to them. Every time I leave the
torship of other pros that were much
court with my buddies, often sweaty and
wiser than me. Their
tired, I always say I need
ability to run programs Heres to all of you having a
to do this more often.
and knowledge of ladies healthy and successful 2015, The Florida Grand Prix
and being successful with
teams, running events,
needs to look out this
bringing in new players, whatever resolutions you
year I am going to train
have in the coming year!
etc., is STILL relevant
for that first year that I
to everyone. This year
age into the 60s! Plus, my
I plan to reach out to at least three to
youngest son just started playing for his
four old USPTA friends and see if I can
middle school team, and I vowed that he
syphon off some more wisdom.
will NEVER beat me!
Better support my endorsees. In
Heres to all of you having a healthy
2014 I was pleasantly surprised by the
and successful 2015, and being sucreception that my club had to the new
cessful with whatever resolutions you
Prince ball with the USPTA logo, as
have in the coming year! If you see me
well as the new line of racquets. Prince
throughout the year, ask how Im doing
and Fromuth are among our many enwith mine. h
dorsees who support USPTA pros with
product, endorsement dollars, and
NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
via the Retirement Gold+ investment
President
Tom McGraw
program. They have invested in the
First Vice
Chuck Gill
USPTA and our hope is that they will
President
see a return on that investment. With
15,000 USPTA pros, we hope that many
Vice Presidents Alan Cutler
Jack Michalko
will find value and benefits in support
Dan Moster
ing these companies. Visit www.uspta
Diane Selke
retirement.com to get more informa
Gary Trost
tion on this program.
TM
Past President
CEO
Legal Counsel
Tom Daglis
John Embree
George Parnell
Endorsee News
46 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
TM
48 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Tim Irwin is the Coatesville High School Girls Tennis Coach, Health and Physical Education Teacher, and Educational Consultant for Franklin Covey, Inc. He
presented a specialty course on The Habits of Highly Successful People at the
2014 Middle States Convention.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 49
USPTA News
The mission of the USPTA Foundation is to help economically disadvantaged people learn tennis. Through collecting donations and the annual silent
auction at the USPTA World Conference,
the USPTA Foundation aims to spread
the sport to various segments of the population that have never played the game.
Several recipients shared how the
grants have made an impact on their
community.
Since 1990, Quality Life Center in Fort
Myers, Fla., has provided structured youth
development programs that focus on arts,
character and education in order to cultivate confidence, discipline and build selfsufficiency. Thanks to funding from the
USPTA Foundation, Quality Life Center
was able to order its own tennis equip-
52 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
USPTA News
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 53
54 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Master Professional
56 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
TM
Career Development
Exams,
Upgrades
& PTCA I
Conventions
Feb. 5-7
Feb. 6-8
Feb. 7-8
Feb. 7-8
Centennial, Colo.
Feb. 12-14
Memphis, Tenn.
Feb. 15
Feb. 19-21
Feb. 7 Indianapolis
Feb. 19-22
Feb. 7-8
Centennial, Colo.
Feb. 21-22
Stanford, Calif.
Feb. 27-28
Vienna, Va.
Jan. 19
Jan. 24-25
Feb. 8
Brunswick, Maine
Feb. 12-13
Feb. 14-15
Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 14-15
Los Angeles
TAUT
Workshops
(2 credits)
Feb. 6
Centennial, Colo.
Feb. 6
Indianapolis
Feb. 20
Specialty
courses
(2 credits)
Feb. 5
58 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
2. Attend other department staff meetings to learn what they do. Offer
suggestions as to how you can help
promote what they do. Report back
to your staff about what is happening
in the rest of the club.
3. Each department touches members
that I may never see in my tennis department. If each department in the
3% contributioo
account.
3%
contributioo
account.
Member News
60 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
a cure. You can order your copy at www.manningupforcancer.com. "Being able to handle a
doctor telling you have cancer is one thing. Being told that you have a finite number of weeks
to live takes that feeling to an entirely different
level," Manning said. "Little did I know how
important my experiences in tennis would be
in contributing to my survival. I relied on those
experiences daily."
Learning wheelchair tennis has just become
a lot easier! Six-time World Champion David
Hall, together with his long-time coach, USPTA
Professional Rich Berman, have put together
a comprehensive video tutorial of all the basics
of playing wheelchair tennis. Check it out at
letsrollwheelchairtennis.com.
USPTA U30 Professionals in Florida attended a one-day workshop put together by USTA Player Development. The workshop covered everything from 10 and Under Tennis to coaching at the pro level.
Managing editor
Circulation
Kimberly Forrester
Kathy Buchanan