Racquet Sports Industry

January 2007
Volume 35 Number 1 $5.00

Contents R S I J A N U A R Y
INDUSTRY NEWS
2 0 0 7
7 New “String Center” software

for clubs, retailers
7 Nitsche named GM of Dunlop
Racquet Sports
7 PTR schedules 2007 Symposium
8 Community Tennis Development
Workshop set for Atlanta
8 Head adds Metallix and Airflow
racquets
2007 USRSA STRING SURVEY 9 Dunlop introduces Aerogel
line of frames
30 Strings of Success
We provide expert guidance that can help you—and your customers—find the
right strings.
10 PTR, Playmate sign two-year
agreement
33 Members’ Choice Awards 10 TCA re-brands as Midtown
Our exclusive string rankings, and special poster, will help you pick the right
products for your shop. Athletic Clubs
11 PTR announces new director
FEATURES of education
34 A Tennis Wish List 12 College coaches honored by

As we begin the New Year, we asked people in the industry to tell us what USTA, ITA
they’d like to see.
13 Tecnifibre adds frames to
Elite Series
38 Mark of Distinction
RSI and the ASBA bring you the best in tennis court construction with the
Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards.
15 Tennis Channel adds,
shifts personnel
Cover photo: Stephen Whalen Photography 16 Prince offers new grips and strings
DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve 28 Continuing Education
18 Court Maintenance 40 Science
20 The Master Pros 42 String Playtest: Prince Synthetic Gut Multi 16
22 Marketing Success 44 Tips and Techniques
24 Teaching Pro 46 Ask the Experts
26 Junior Participation 48 Your Serve, by Jolyn de Boer
January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

Our Serve
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
A Solid Foundation Publishers

David Bone Jeff Williams
T here’s been a lot of good news in tennis lately. Par-

ticipation is rising, equipment sales are up, the
number of “play occasions” has increased. And, of
Editor-in-Chief
Crawford Lindsey
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
course, the big statistic that many people have quoted Associate Editor
over the last six months: Tennis is the only traditional Greg Raven
participation sport to have grown in the last five years, Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
up 10.3 percent, according to the Sporting Goods Man-
Contributing Editors
ufacturers Association. Cynthia Cantrell
Clearly, things are beginning to click in this industry. Rod Cross
Kristen Daley
But underneath all these participation increases is one solid, and Joe Dinoffer
very obvious, fact: Everyone who plays tennis in the U.S., whether Liza Horan
a recreational player or a pro, has to play on a court. Andrew Lavallee
And that’s why, in my opinion, the most important people in James Martin
Chris Nicholson
this sport are those who build and maintain tennis courts. They Bob Patterson
are, figuratively and quite literally, the foundation of tennis in this Cynthia Sherman
country.
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Your business—whether you are a tennis retailer, facility or club
Corporate Offices
manager, teaching pro, or manufacturer—depends on people play- 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
ing the game. And that, in turn, depends on having courts to begin Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
with. Tennis will not grow if courts in a community are in poor Email: [email protected]
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
shape, or worse yet, if there are no courts.
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Court builders, ably represented in the U.S. by the American
Sports Builders Association (ASBA), are in a remarkable position. Advertising Director
Their influence has been increasing throughout this industry, and John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
that’s great to see. Groups who have taken on the responsibility to
[email protected]
increase tennis participation in the U.S. are reaching out more and
more to those who make and refurbish our courts. We at RSI are Apparel Advertising
dedicated to helping the court-building business, because we know Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
how important it is to tennis overall.
[email protected]
If you’re a retailer or teaching pro or other industry person who
Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-
never thought much about the court-construction business, take 5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly January
the time to get to know those who build and repair the courts in through August and combined issues in Septem-
ber/October and November/December by Tennis
your area. They’re the foundation of your business, too.
Industry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.
Periodicals postage paid at Hurley, NY 12443 and
additional mailing offices. January 2007, Volume 35,
Number 1 © 2007 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logo
Peter Francesconi are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone
advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation
Editorial Director
and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25
in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to Racquet Sports Industry, 330
Main St., Vista, CA 92084.
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA
4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

R S I J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 7
INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS
Nitsche Named New “String Center” Software

GM of Dunlop
Racquet Sports Helps Clubs, Retailers
Dunlop
Sports Manage String Business
Group new web-based software program called “String Cen-
Americas
has
appointed
Kai Nitsche
A ter” promises to help clubs, pro shops, and specialty deal-
ers manage and grow their racquet stringing business.
String Center, which is part of Sports InterActive’s Tennis Commerce Suite, will simplify record-
keeping, increase productivity, and increase customers service for what typically is a tennis busi-
as general
ness’s highest-margin category, according to Herb Sweren, the owner/president of Sports InterActive.
manager of its racquet
sports division. Nitsche had “This is the very first system built for the string business to manage orders and the overall oper-
previously been with Dun- ation,” says Sweren. “Most dealers have been running the stringing operation by keeping track of
lop for eight years, rising to orders in a notebook. This product automates the process so they can generate more revenue more
director of marketing for efficiently.”
both the Racquet Sports With String Center, stringers and managers can create customer profiles to record preferences for
and Golf Divisions. Most string type and tension, print receipts and work orders, view and prioritize jobs, and automate the
recently, he was the south- process of customer reminders, says Sweren.
ern regional manager for “I’ve been able to expand my business and make my life easier,” says Ken DeHart, director of
Head/Penn Racquet Sports. tennis at the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club in San Jose, Calif., who uses String Center along with
the retail and playing facility components of Tennis Commerce Suite. “You can document things
“Everyone in the racquet
more easily, more professionally, and keep the human touch. String Center is a very efficient way to
sports industry has the
greatest respect for Kai and manage your string business in one place, and our online store carries more physical inventory than
his abilities,” says Neil Mor- I could carry in my shop.”
ton, CEO of Dunlop Sports String Center is a component of Tennis Commerce Suite, which is a full-service software package
Group Americas. “His hiring that creates an online store for tennis retailers and facilities and offers online solutions to increase
is a strategic move that revenue and customer service. For tennis pro shops signing up for the Tennis Commerce Suite, the
shows Dunlop’s commit- “Our Store Online” feature allows customers 24/7 access through a secure shopping cart with tailored
ment to the growth of the branding and messaging, along with a toll-free customer service phone. For clubs and facilities, the
racquet sports brand.” “Premium SI Package” provides tools to manage member communications and on-court activities,
including online court scheduling, program enrollment, and player matching.
In addition to growing Dun- For more information and pricing, contact 410-358-1304 or visit www.sports-interactive.net.
lop’s national sales teams
and customer services,
Nitsche will oversee this PTR Schedules 2007 Symposium
winter’s launch of the Dun- he 2007 PTR International Tennis Symposium and d
lop Aerogel line of racquets
and the continued develop-
ment of product lines.
T $25,000 Championships will be Feb. 17 to 23 at Ship--
yard Plantation on Hilton Head Island, S.C.
This year’s speakers include Jim Loehr, Tim Mayotte, Pat
“Dunlop is committed to its Etcheberry, Rodney Harmon, Lisa Duncan, Kirk Anderson,
dealers and partners in all Jorge Andrew, and more. Professional Development Cours-
racquet sports,” says
es also are offered during the symposium. There also is a
Nitsche. “We have already
trade show.
taken a number of steps to
ensure we are turning out Registration starts at $325 and includes presentations, Awards Banquet, Flag Ceremony, Head
the very best product in the Dinner Party, Gamma Dinner Party, Kaelin Dinner & Fashion Show, Trade Show admission, Silent
market.” Auction, USTA Recognition Breakfast, Closing Ceremony, and portfolio. For more information or to
register, visit www.ptrtennis.org and click on “Upcoming Events.”

INDUSTRYNEWS J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 7
Atlanta to Host CTDW in February USPTA Provides

Personal Websites
O
ne of the most useful
T
industry events for helping he USPTA is providing all
to increase tennis partici- of its members
pation takes place Feb. 9 to 11 with personal
in Atlanta—the USTA’s 2007 websites to help them
Community Tennis Develop- promote themselves and
ment Workshop. their services.
The educational weekend While personal web-
workshop, under the theme sites have been avail-
“Working Smart—Working able to all USPTA members since 1997,
Together,” will be at the Hilton previously members had to request a site and
Atlanta Hotel and will feature leading speakers and opportunities to network provide all the content to the USPTA, which
with peers across the country. Program sessions will consist of Development controlled the site. Now, however, the mem-
Area sessions, Professional Skill Development sessions, and On-Court Demon- ber will completely control the content, to
strations. add and update information as needed.
Development Area sessions include programs on organizational planning In this new program, an individual web-
and development, financial management for not-for-profit organizations, mar- site has already been created for every USPTA
keting/promotions/PR/communications, and participation and programming. member. Members just need to visit usp-
Each session will be a combination of instruction from a topic expert as well as tapro.com and log in, then they can start cre-
peer interaction and case study. The Professional Skill Development and On- ating and personalizing their own site. Each
Court Demonstration sessions include topics such as time management, proj- site has a home page that can be personal-
ect management, on-court drills, and teaching techniques. ized. There are also pages for a teaching pro
In addition, “pre-workshop” sessions are offered on Friday, Feb. 9, at no biography and information on his or her facil-
additional charge. These sessions are designed for specific program areas, ity. Other pages are available for events, les-
including NJTL chapters, Community Tennis Associations, and park and rec pro- son programs, news, tennis tips, and more.
grams. The weekend also includes the 2007 Awards Banquet, and an exhibit Members can also upload images and a com-
area. pany logo that can be placed on any page on
TDW conference registration starts at $251 for the weekend. The hotel rate the website.
for registered attendees is $145 per night. For more information, visit To find a USPTA pro and visit one of their
www.usta.com or email [email protected] or call 914-696-7205. websites, go to www.usptafindapro.com.
Head Adds to Metallix, Airflow Racquet Lines Ashaway Renews Deal
H
ead has added two new racquets to its Metallix power series line. Metal-
lix consists of a specially designed matrix of carbon fibers and a crys-
with R-Ball Champ
talline metal alloy that has a grain size 1,000 times smaller than that of a Huczek
typical metal, says Head, which translates into increased strength in a
lighter, powerful racquet. Ashaway Racket
The new Metallix 4 (left) blends power and control and is Strings has
designed to appeal to players with a medium swing style. The 4 announced the
features a 107-square-inch head size, and unstrung weight of renewal of its
9 ounces. The 115-square-inch, 8.8-ounce Metallix 6 is longstanding
a power racquet designed for players with a sponsorship
medium to short swing style. agreement with
Also new from Head is an addition to its World Champion
women’s Airflow line—the Airflow 1, racquetball play-
which is designed for players with a
er Jack Huczek.
medium to fast swing style. Head says
The deal will take Huczek, who has been
the Airflow 1 offers the most control in
using Ashaway string since early in his
the line and provides lightweight
career, into his second decade as an
power, maneuverability, and comfort.
The racquet is 99 square inches and
Ashaway Racket Strings sponsored play-
weighs 9 ounces. er. Terms of the agreement were not dis-
For more information, visit closed.
www.head.com.

INDUSTRY NEWS
Dunlop Introduces Southern Section Loses Marc Kaplan

Aerogel Line of Frames
M
arc Kaplan, the USTA Southern Section’s
D
unlop has introduced its Aerogel director of communications and publications,
line of racquets, which the compa- died Oct. 17, after a five-year battle with a
ny says is designed with “the light- brain tumor. Kaplan, who joined the section in
est solid on earth, with a strength 4,000 1999, worked tirelessly to generate media publicity
times its own weight.” and coverage for USTA Southern events. In honor of
“Dunlop has a reputation for produc- his work and contributions to tennis journalism, the
ing some of the finest racquets played by USTA Southern Section Media Excellence Award has
professionals,” says Kai Nitsche, general been renamed in his honor, and Kaplan himself is
manager of racquet sports. “Aerogel fur- the first recipient of the “Marc Kaplan USTA South-
ther enhances our position as a leader in ern Section Media Excellence” Award.
performance technology.” Frames “Marc’s courage and fortitude in both his job and
designed with Aerogel, says Dunlop, are his personal battle with cancer has provided inspi-
strong and stable, allowing for touch and ration to all of us here at USTA Southern that is
feel for control. impossible to measure,” says Southern Section
Aerogel, which is nicknamed “Frozen Executive Director John Callen. “We will miss Marc in so many ways.”
Smoke” because of its lightness and
hologram-like transparency, is three
times the weight of air, says Dunlop, and Kloss Elected Chair of Women’s Sports Foundation
is used by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labora-
I
lana Kloss, CEO of World TeamTennis, has been elected chair of the board of
tory in space missions.
trustees of the Women’s Sports Foundation. In her new role, Kloss will preside over
In Dunlop’s Aerogel line, the sub-
and provide guidance to the trustees and executive committee.
stance is combined with the company’s
“It’s an honor to be named chair of the board of an organization so important to
Multi Filament (M-Fil) technology to pro-
the lives of physically active girls and women,” says Kloss. “I started my career as a
vide stiffening at the top of the frame—
professional tennis player around the same time that the Women’s Sports Foundation
to minimize frame movement and create
was founded. During my career on and off the court, I have experienced firsthand the
power—and to provide stabilization at
impact the Foundation has had on the lives of millions of athletic and active women
the bottom of the racquet head—provid-
over the past 30 years.”
ing for more player control.
The Dunlop Aerogel 2Hundred is
designed for high-per-
formance players
California, Forida Teams Dominate
with long swings, WTT Rec League Championships
and it allows for
T
eams from California and Florida dominated the national championships at the
power and spin,
World TeamTennis Rec League National Finals in November, winning eight of 10
says Dunlop.
division titles. Missouri and New York teams each captured one title at the
The Aerogel
event, which was held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.
3Hundred is a
Forty-eight recreational and corporate tennis teams representing 19 states bat-
control-oriented
tled during the three-day event. Teams advanced to the national finals by either
racquet for high
qualifying from their respective divisions in six WTT Rec League national qualifying
performance/club
tournaments or by winning their local Corporate League. The weekend kicked off
players.
with a clinic hosted by WTT co-founder Billie Jean King. Division winners are:
Q 3.0: Braemar (Encino, Calif.)
The 5Hundred is
Q 3.5: Plash (Troy, N.Y.)
for serious players
Q 4.0: Game-Set-Match (Key Biscayne, Fla.)
looking for extra power
Q 4.5: Roamers (San Diego, Calif.)
and playability from a
Q Senior 3.5: Good Vibrations (Downey, Calif.)
lightweight frame. And the
Q Senior 4.0: Young at Heart (Kirkwood, Mo.)
5Hundred Tour (left) is
Q Corporate 3.5: NoWaitFreight Logistics (Boca Raton, Fla.)
slightly heavier and stiffer
Q Corporate 4.0: US Southcom (Miami, Fla.)
than the 5Hundred.
Q Corporate 4.5: Smith Barney (Miami, Fla.)
The line will be in stores in
Q Open: San Francisco Tennis Club (San Francisco, Calif.)
February. A new website
launches in January featuring
For more information on World TeamTennis or the WTT Recreational League,
the Aerogel line. Visit
visit www.WTT.com or call 866-PLAY-WTT.
www.dunlopsports.com.

PTR, Centre Court Tennis Offers

Playmate “The Tennis Court Hat”
Centre Court Tennis has introduced a line
Sign Agreement of hats that promotes the game of tennis.
T
he PTR and Playmate begin a two- The Tennis Court Hat features an embroi-
year sponsorship agreement in Jan- dered emerald green “centre court” that
uary that will provide PTR members forms a vivid design on a brushed-cotton
with 10 percent off the list price on all
twill cap. The hat is available in a variety
Playmate products, such as ball-throw-
of colors. To order, or for more informa-
ing machines and ball mowers.
tion, call 888-TENNHAT (836-6428) or
In addition, Playmate will conduct
email [email protected].
a new Professional Development
Course for the PTR titled “Teaching
Today’s Modern Game with a Ball
USTA staff took a
Machine.” The course will be taught by
Stan Oley, Playmate’s national sales tour of the Penn
manager, and will debut at the 2007 ball plant in
PTR International Tennis Symposium, Phoenix in early
held in February on Hilton Head November. USTA
Island. Playmate will give away a Play- national and sec-
mate Smash Ball Machine, a $4,000
tion staff were in
value, to one participant at the course.
For more information, visit
Phoenix for five
www.playmatetennismachines.com days for staff
or www.ptrtennis.org. training.
TCA Re-Brands as Midtown Athletic Clubs Delray Event to Test New

C
hicago-based TCA Holdings, a leader in upscale athletic club and sports
resort management, has renamed its largest division Midtown Athletic ATP Round-Robin Format
T
Clubs. The company currently operates 13 Midtown clubs throughout he Delray Beach International Tennis
the U.S. and Canada, including the Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago, which Championships, held Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 at
recently won RSI’s “Private Facility of the Year” Award. the Delray Beach (Fla.) Stadium and Tennis
“As the health club industry matures, it will continue to divide into various Center, will be the first of five U.S. ATP tourna-
segments based on price, facilities, and service,” says Steven Schwartz, pres- ments to test a new singles round-robin format
ident and CEO of TCA Holdings. “Our re-branding efforts reinforce our posi- for the 2007 season. The Delray event has been
tion as the leader of the upscale niche. Having one strong brand allows us to awarded a 32-player round-robin draw that the
better communicate our special attributes to our members, as well as devel- ATP says will be a new element of excitement
op new product standards that continue to redefine upscale athletic clubs to players and fans.
and sports resorts.” “It’s exciting for Delray Beach to open the
As part of the re-branding effort, Midtown Athletic Club will invest tens of 2007 tennis season in the U.S. by rolling out
millions of dollars to expand and renovate its facilities, as well as develop this new round-robin format,” says Mark Baron,
innovative health, fitness, and sports programming designed to keep mem- the tournament director. “We’ve been dis-
bers “fit for life.” For more information, visit www.tcaclubs.com. cussing creative ways to make our sport even
more exciting and this format delivers a chance
to test some of those ideas.”
The new format will extend the tournament
to eight days—and from 11 to 13 sessions. “This
system will ensure each player gets at least two
matches in a particular city, and will allow for
more scheduling to be done in advance,” says
Mark Young, ATP Americas CEO. “We’ve
enjoyed success with this format at the Tennis
Masters Cup, and we look forward to seeing it
in practice at other ATP events during 2007.

INDUSTRY NEWS
PTR Announces New Top-Selling Racquets at Specialty Stores

Director of Education By year-to-date dollars, January-September 2006
M
yles Williams is the new director of Best-Sellers
education for the PTR. Previously, 1. Prince O3 White (MP) $187
he was the PTR’s education advisor. 2. Babolat Pure Drive Team (MP) $161
Williams, a psychology instructor at 3. Wilson N Six-One (16x18) (MS) $161
Central Carolina Technical College in 4. Prince O3 Blue (OS) $220
Sumter, S.C., will oversee PTR’s education 5. Prince O3 Silver (OS) $236
programs on a part-time basis from his
home office. He will be responsible for the “Hot New Racquets”
content of new workshops and courses, as well as for educational (Introduced in the past 12 months)
materials published by PTR. 1. Prince O3 White (MP) $187
Among other things, Williams will oversee PTR’s new web-based 2. Prince O3 Hybrid Hornet (MP) $161
education, revise PTR educational materials, and serve as staff liai- 3. Prince O3 Hybrid Hornet (OS) $163
son between PTR and the Master Professional Committee. He is a 4. Wilson N Pro Open (MP) $167
PTR clinician and tester, and a former full-time staff member. 5. Babolat Pure Drive Roddick (MP) $170
(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)
Luxilon Selected as Stringer For WTA
Season-Ending Championships Tennis Racquet Performance
Specialty Stores, January-September, 2006 vs. 2005
L
uxilon, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty
monofilaments, was selected as the Official Stringer of the
Units 2006 613,684
Sony Ericsson Tour Championships in Madrid, Spain. At the
2005 552,445
season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships held from Nov. 7 to
% Change vs. ’05 11%
12, 2006, Luxilon offered on-site stringing services for all WTA
Tour players.
Dollars 2006 80,948
“The selection of Luxilon to provide stringing services to this
2005 76,643
prestigious event underscores the dominance of Luxilon strings in
% Change vs. ’05 6%
professional tennis, and we feel this is a tremendous opportunity
for both parties,” says John Lyons, Wilson’s Global Business Direc-
Price 2006 $132
tor of Accessories. Earlier in 2006, Luxilon and Wilson Sporting
2005 $139
Goods announced an agreement making Wilson the exclusive
% Change vs. ’05 -5%
worldwide distributor of Luxilon tennis strings.
(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)
ITA Names Small-College Winners Top-Selling Tennis Shoes

at Specialty Stores
E
mbry-Riddle's (Fla.) Mislav Hizak and Fresno Pacific's (Calif.)
Jelena Pandzic rolled to the singles titles at the 2006 Intercolle- By year-to-date dollars, January-September 2006
giate Tennis Association "Super Bowl" of Small College Tennis at 1. Adidas Barricade IV $102
the Florida Gulf Coast University Tennis Complex in Fort Myers, Fla. 2. Nike Air Max Breathe 2 $93
In addition, men's and women's doubles champions were 3. Prince T 10 $82
crowned in all four divisions at the 2006 ITA National Small College 4. Adidas Barricade II $82
Championships: 5. Nike Air Max Breathe 3 $97
Q NCAA Division II men: Julien Carsuzaa and Dennis Riegraf of Lynn (Fla.) (Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)
Q NCAA Division II women: Tammy Kevey and Mandy Septoe, West
Florida
Q NCAA Division III men: William Ellison and David Oehm of Claremont- Top-Selling Tennis Strings
Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) at Specialty Stores
Q NCAA Division III women: Liz Bondi and Amrita Padda of DePauw (Ind.) By year-to-date dollars, January-September 2006
Q NAIA men: Mislav Hizak and Konstantin Lazarov of Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 1. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex
Q NAIA women: Kamila Dadakhodjeava and Tereza Veverkova of Auburn- 2. Wilson NXT
Montgomery (Ala.) 3. Wilson Sensation
Q JC men: Nahom Serekeberhan and Jorge Vazquez of Tyler Junior College 4. Prince Lightning XX
(Texas) 5. Luxilon Alu Power
Q JC women: Hiroko Nishikawa and Mizuho Nishimura of Hillsborough (Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)
Comm. College (Fla.)

College Coaches USRSA MEMBER CLASSIFIEDS

Honored by USTA, ITA FOR SALE: Prince/Ektelon Neos 1000 with Wise USA 2086 tension head.
W
ichita State University Director of Tennis Four years old, home use only, and as new condition. Includes tools,
Chris Young (top, below) has been named manuals, and shipping cartons. Available for inspection and pickup in
the national winner of the USTA/ITA Commu- Southern California $1,350. Please contact Carl (760) 727-7455 or crl-
nity Service Award and Lehigh University men's [email protected]
and women's tennis coach Dave
Shook (bottom) is the national FOR SALE: Babolat Star 3 Stringing Machine. Completely reconditioned
winner of the USTA/ITA Campus by Tennis Machines Inc. Serial #10971/MFG. Date 8/9/89. Very Good
Recreation Award. They were Condition. $2800. Contact Russ Sheh 760-318-0580.
honored in December at the
Intercollegiate Tennis Associa- Texas Largest Tennis Store Seeking Additional Stringers – Large Daily Vol-
tion Coaches Convention in ume. We can keep you busy stringing full time or provide part-time sales
Florida. with part-time stringing. We have 2 Babolat Star 5 machines and a
The Service Award honors an Babolat RDC machine. Come grow with us. Join Our Team. Send resume
ITA coach for significant contri- to: [email protected] or fax to 713-781-1237.
butions in developing commu-
nity-based tennis programs
through community centers,
schools, parks, community ten-
USPTA Names Winners of Hard Court Chps.
O
nis associations, inner city, sub- ren Motevassel of Alpharetta, Ga., claimed the men’s open title and
urban or rural programs. The Julie Cass of Austin, Texas, won the women’s open title at the
Campus Recreation Award hon- $8,000 USPTA Hard Court Championships recently. Cass, who beat
ors an ITA coach who has done Michelle King of Austin in the singles final, then joined with King to win
an outstanding job implement- the open doubles title.
ing recreational tennis programs on campus in an The competition featured more than 30 of the top men and women
effort to grow tennis participation. tennis-teaching professionals in the country. Final-round results are:
"Dave and Chris are great examples of coaches Q Men's Open Singles: Oren Motevassel (1), Alpharetta, Ga., def. Guillaume Gau-
who give back to their communities and campuses thier (2), Tyler, Texas, 6-4, 6-3.
Q Women's Open Singles: Julie Cass (1), Austin, Texas, def. Michelle King (2),
and our hope is that their efforts continue to inspire
Austin, Texas, 6-2, 6-4.
Q Men's 45-and-over Singles: Vallis Wilder (2), Fort Worth, Texas, def. Patrick Ser-
other varsity coaches to emulate the great work
they are doing," says ITA Executive Director David ret (1), Alexandria, La., 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 .
A. Benjamin. The national winners were selected Q Men's Open Doubles: Jonas Lundblad, Cedar Park, Texas, and Brian Notis (1),
from a group of USTA sectional winners. Young is Austin, Texas, def. Lance Hagan, Dallas, and Stephen Gordon-Poorman (3),
from the Missouri Valley Section and Shook is from Southlake, Texas, 6-4, 6-2.
Middle States. Q Women’s Open Doubles: Julie Cass, Austin, Texas, and Michelle King, Austin,
Other sectional winners of the Community Service Award Texas, def. Shareen Lai, Morrisville, Pa., and Sarah Porter, Tempe, Ariz., 6-0, 6-1.
are: Eastern—Russell Crispell, Univ. at Buffalo; Florida— The tournament was the last for the year in a series of four national
Dwayne Hultquist, Florida State; Intermountain—Nicole Ken- tournaments on several court surfaces that the USPTA offered to its mem-
neally, Univ. of Colorado; Mid-Atlantic—Cinda Rankin,
bers as part of the USPTA National Surface Championship Series. USPTA
Washington & Lee Univ.; Middle States—Jim Holt, Gwynedd-
Mercy College; Midwest—Frank Barnes, Univ. of Wisconsin-
members are eligible to participate in any of the competitions and the
Whitewater; Missouri Valley—Chris Young, Wichita State International Championships. For information, contact 800-USPTA-4U or
Univ.; Northern—Scott Larsen, St. Benedict; New England— visit www.uspta.com.
Jeffrey T. Wyshner, Fairfield Univ./Univ. of Akron; Northern
California—Marc Weinstein, Mills College; Pacific Northwest—
Lisa Hart, Washington State Univ.; Southern—Billy Pate, Univ.
of Alabama; Southern California—Paul Settles, Claremont-
Head Brings Metallix to Squash
Mudd-Scripps Colleges; Southwest—Lancy Lan-Shi Carr, Gate- Head brings its Metallix technology of carbon
Way Community College; Texas—Cari Groce, Texas Tech. fibers and new crystalline metal alloy to
Other sectional winners of the Campus Recreation Award squash with the new Metallix 150 squash
are: Eastern—Ira Miller, Fairleigh Dickinson Univ.; Middle
frame. Designed for power, the ultra-
States—Lori Sabatose, Clarion Univ.; Midwest—Al Wermer,
Univ. of Toledo; Missouri Valley—Chase Hodges, Drake Univ.;
stiff racquet also features
New England—Chuck Kinyon, Dartmouth College; Pacific Head’s Flexpoint technol-
Northwest—Gail Patton, Southern Oregon Univ.; Southern— ogy. For more info,
James Cuthbertson, Johnson C. Smith Univ.; Southern Califor- visit www.head.com
nia—Paul Settles, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges.
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2 007

INDUSTRY NEWS
USRSA Adds New Salesperson

C
hristina Kaus has joined the U.S. Racquet Stringers
Association as the advertising and membership salesperson for both the
association and for Racquet Sports Industry magazine. Kaus joins the sales
team that includes John Hanna, advertising sales director, and Cynthia Sherman,
apparel advertising sales.
Kaus's sales responsibilities will include advertising in the Stringers Digest and
the Industry Resource Guide in RSI. Kaus will also be responsible for selling USRSA
memberships, Master Racquet Technician and Certified Stringer certification,
instructional tools, and all of the other publications and supplies that the USRSA
produces.
"We're excited to add Christina to our team. Her extensive experience in sales
and customer service as well as her passion for the game of tennis make her a
perfect fit for this new position," says David Bone, executive director of the USRSA
and co-publisher of RSI.
Tecnifibre Adds Frames to Elite Series
N
ew for January is Tecnifibre’s TFlash 310 and an upgraded TFeel305,
both part of the company’s Elite Series of frames. The new
racquets are offered in two string patterns, 18x20 and
16x19.
Current frames in the Elite Series are the TFight 335
and TFight 320, which both also are available in two
string patterns. “We’re targeting the fre-
quent/tournament player who has discerning
criteria for the racquet’s performance,”
says Paul Zalatoris, general manager
of Tecnifibre USA. “We are pro-
viding ‘customized’ options
with our line offering of rac-
quets.”
For more information, visit www.tecnifibre.com, email [email protected],
PE4life Announces Growth Plan
T
he new PE4life Board of Directors has announced its three-
year plans for PE4life to expand its PE4life Academies to 25
locations. These state-of-the-art PE training facilities will
educate and help establish almost 3,000 PE4life Programs or
schools through the U.S., which is expected to teach a new, con-
temporary PE program to over 7 million children by 2009.
"Our PE4life Academies are training hundreds of PE instruc-
tors, teachers, and community administrators on how to implement quality PE
programs,” says Chairman Tom Fox. “Research conducted at PE4life Programs has
shown we are improving the fitness levels in children, reducing disciplinary
actions in schools and, with new research, increasing academic results as well. It
is time to expand and let our PE4life Academies reach their potential."
PE4life Founder Jim Baugh (above), a longtime tennis industry veteran who
served as TIA president and USTA board member, says PE4life will look both with-
in the sports world and outside for future support and partnerships. “We will have
almost 3,000 sites or schools to promote partner products,” says Baugh. “And, we
can influence over 7 million children through these PE4life Programs."
For more information, contact 816-472-7345 or email [email protected].

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 7
SHORT SETS
INDUSTRYNEWS
>receive
The Professional Tennis Registry will > The U.S. Squash Racquets Association
the USTA’s 2006 Adaptive Tennis announced that it will move its headquarters
pendent film slated to be released in
2007. It stars Seann William Scott, best
National Community Service Award at the to New York City by late spring, from its cur- known for playing Steve Stifler in the
Community Tennis Development Workshop rent location in Bala Cynwyd, Pa. For more “American Pie” series, as a high-school
in Atlanta in February. The award recognizes information, visit www.us-squash.org. janitor who coaches a group of misfits to
an organization or individual that has the Nebraska state championship.
demonstrated continued excellence, dedica- >Audra
UCLA's Ben Kohlloeffel and Miami's (Fla.)
tion, and service in tennis for special popula-

Cohen captured singles titles at the
Intercollegiate Tennis Association National
>onship
The 2007 World TeamTennis Champi-
Weekend presented by Advanta
tions or persons with disabilities.
Indoor Championships. This event, the sec- will be July 27-29 at the home court of the
> Apparel maker Lejay Inc. has moved its
corporate headquarters. The new address is
ond of three national championships for sin-
gles and doubles during the 2006-07
Sacramento Capitals, Allstate Stadium at
Westfield Galleria at Roseville in Califor-
10728 NW 53rd St., Sunrise, FL 33351; collegiate tennis season, was hosted by Ohio nia.
phone 800-932-7535 or 954-741-8707; fax State at the Racquet Club of Columbus. In
954-741-8577; email [email protected]; doubles, Georgia's John Isner and Luis Flores
>earlyLookJanuary
for a revamped Prince website in
that will feature the newest
www.lejay.com. took the men’s title and William & Mary's generation O3 technology racquets, along
Megan Moulton-Levy and Katarina Zorcic
> Communications firm Keating & Co. of
Florham Park, N.J., is the new public relations won the women's final.
with unique 360-degree views of the new
frames for 2007.
firm for Dunlop Sports Group Americas. > Through January, the International Tennis
Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., will display
>theirHead/Penn and the ATP have extended
> New members beginning three-year terms
on the board of directors of the Internation- ¡Vive el Tenis!, a new exhibit that explores
partnership for Head/Penn to be the
official ball of the ATP Masters Series and
al Tennis Hall of Fame are: Girard Brownlow, the journey of tennis from its English and Tennis Masters Cup through 2009.
Jim Courier, Phil Gore, Sir James Harvie-Watt, European roots throughout North, South, Head/Penn, which earlier this year extend-
Joel Katz, Deno Macricostas, Greg Muth and and Central America and the Caribbean. For ed its agreement to become the official
Jon Vegosen. Harvie-Watt was also appoint- information, visit www.tennisfame.com or racquet and tennis bag of the ATP, has
ed to the Hall of Fame’s Executive Committee call 401-849-3990. served as the official ball of the ATP since
and will co-chair the International Council. > “Gary the Tennis Coach” is a new inde- 1993.
TSRs Visit For a Good Cause

9,000 Facilities At the recent Tennis Masters Cup in
M
ark McMahon, the USTA’s
Shanghai, about $40,000 was raised
manager of Tennis Service
for ACE (Assisting Children Every-
Representatives, reports that
where), the partnership between the
through the first nine months of
ATP and UNICEF, through donations
2006, the 90 TSRs made 9,302
made for aces served on court,
facility visits, an average of more
silent auctions, and sales of the
than 1,000 a month, and met more
Feder-bear Beanie Baby. Visit
than 33,000 personnel. Each TSR
www.atptennis.com.
averaged 16 visits per month, for
about 143 per TSR for the nine
months.
About 26 percent of all TSR vis- TennisTunes.com Launches With
its were at tennis clubs, 22 percent Federer, Roddick, Sharapova Songs
at schools, 21 percent at park and
S
inger and songwriter John Macom of the Hoboken, N.J.-based band “Binge” has
rec facilities, 10 percent at Commu- launched www.tennistunes.com, a website devoted to his music inspired by the
nity Tennis Associations, 7 percent world of tennis. Macom—noted for his musical contributions to TV shows such as
at program delivery or service “Dawson’s Creek,” “Party of Five,” “Felicity,” and “American Embassy”—has original
organizations, 3 percent at NJTLs, songs about Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, and other pros available for
and 12 percent to other tennis- download for $1.30 each.
related organizations. “International tennis is a fascinating and exciting sport full of personable and charismatic
The average customer service stars that have provided me with plenty of musical inspiration,” says Macom. “I’m excited that
rating for the visits, says McMahon, through the world-wide-web, I’m able to share my music with all who find it entertaining.”
is a 4.71 out of 5.00.

INDUSTRY NEWS
TTC Adds,
Shifts
Personnel
R
ecent personnel moves at The
Tennis Channel include two new
marketing execu-
tives and a number of
promotions.
Neil Roberts (right,
top) is the new director
of marketing and Lau-
ren Leder (middle) is
the director of on-air
creative. In addition,
Kate Varley (below) was
promoted to director of
short-form content and
special projects. All
three will report to Faye
Walker, the vice presi-
dent of marketing.
Also, the TTC pro-
moted four in its distri-
bution and production
departments: Eric
Turpin is the new vice
president of distribu-
tion, Eastern region;
Laura Hockridge, executive producer,
series and specials; Heath Woodlief,
producer; and Michelle Hanchaikul,
associate producer.
In other news, the TTC has part-
nered with Bellrock Media to market
and distribute the mobile game Turbo
Tennis, which is available for download
on major cell-phone carriers for $5.99
by sending the text message “TURBO”
to “TENIS” (83647).
Klip to Distribute
Völkl Racquets
E
ffective Jan. 1, Völkl Tennis
GmbH will use Klip America as
its distributor in the U.S.
Inquiries should go to Benny E. Neu-
mann, Klip America’s marketing and
sales coordinator, at 866-554-7872,
fax 720-559-
3253 or email

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 7
P L E W AT
INDUSTRYNEWS
O Prince Adds New Strings, Grips
P
rince Sports has come out with new strings and
E
• Stan Smith of Hilton
C
grips designed to satisfy all types of players, and
P
Head Island, S.C., and Kay
H
McDaniel of Cleveland, Tenn., will be with packaging that’s color-coded so customers
inducted into the USTA Southern Section find exactly what they’re looking for.
Tennis Hall of Fame on Jan. 20 in Atlanta. The new strings are the Synthetic Gut Multifilament
16 (see our playtest on page 42) and 17 gauge, part of
• Carla Simpson McKenzie is the new assistant the “playability series”; Tournament Poly in 16 and 17
director of the Professional Tennis Management gauge, part of the “durability series”; and Synthetic Gut
(PTM) program at Methodist College in Fayet- Poly Blend, with 17-gauge tournament poly mains and
teville, N.C. McKenzie, a PTR and USPTA pro, grad- 16-gauge synthetic gut duraflex crosses, in the “dura-
uated from the college and completed the PTM bility series.”
curriculum. She is currently enrolled in the Profes- According to Prince’s Dave Holland, more than
sional MBA program at Pinehurst. 10 million sets of Prince Synthetic Gut string has
• Pop singer Gwen Stefani bought two Head Air- been sold since its introduction in 1991.
flow 7 racquets recently at Tennis Ace in Los Ange- Prince has also segmented and color-coded its
les. Reports say she had demoed a number of grips into four categories: tacky, absorbent, traction,
frames before picking the Airflows. Stefani’s hus- and cushion. The new grips are the DuraPro+
band, singer and guitarist Gavin Rossdale, is an (tacky), DuraPerf+ (absorbent), DuraTred+ (traction),
avid player and regular customer at the shop. and DuraRib+ (traction). Currently in the line is the
Cushion Fit grip, which is in the “cushion” segment.
• West Florida sophomore Tammy Kevey and Packaging for the grips, which have photos of Prince
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) junior Mislav Hizak received the pros Maria Sharapova and James Blake, includes information
2006 James O' Hara Sargent Sportsmanship on the “triple-tier” construction, which Holland says will improve
Awards presented by Rolex Watch USA at the tack level and add life to the grips. There is also a sample of the actual grip
Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Small for customers to feel. Suggested retail prices for the grips are $8.99.
College Tennis Championships presented by the Also, Prince offers a new, modular grip display that can be hung off a
USTA. The award, given in memory of Jim Sargent, hook or attached to a slatwall, and it features the Dura grips, Cushion Fit
former media manager for Rolex Watch USA who grips, and No Sweat! overgrips.
died in a car accident in 2000, goes to players For more information, visit www.princetennis.com.
who display outstanding sportsmanship and exem-
plify the spirit of college tennis during the course
of the ITA National Small College Championships. ITA, USTA Honor College All-Stars
T
he Intercollegiate Tennis Association and the USTA honored the best
• New staff at the International Tennis Hall of
from the 2006 collegiate season at the USTA National Tennis Center.
Fame in Newport, R.I., include Gretchen W. North-
The ITA Collegiate All-Star team recognized the nation's top-ranked
ern as director of annual giving and donor rela-
tions, Leigh Persico as special projects manager, men's and women's tennis players from the season-ending Fila Collegiate
and Charles Kehres as special events manager. Tennis Rankings at the NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA levels,
as well as champions from the 2005 ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor
• For the third time in the last four years, Bob and Championships and 2006 NCAA Championships.
Mike Bryan have clinched victory in the Stanford This year's women's All-Stars are Miami's Audra Cohen, Florida's Diana
ATP Doubles Race. The Bryans previously finished Srebovic and California's Suzi Babos in D-I singles; Stanford's Alice Barnes
as the No. 1 team in 2003 and 2005 while finish- and Anne Yelsey, Miami's Melissa Applebaum and Cohen, and Northwest-
ing second in 2004. ern's Cristelle Grier Fox and Alexis Prousis in D-I doubles; Armstrong
• Jim Courier claimed the year-end No. 1 ranking Atlantic State's Luisa Cowper in D-II; Washington & Lee's Emily Applegate in
in the 2006 Outback Champions Series, a collec- D-III; Fresno Pacific's Jelena Pandzic in the NAIA; and Broward's Marta Simic
tion of tennis events in the U.S. for champion ten- in the NJCAA.
nis players over the age of 30. Second place went On the men's side, the All-Stars are UCLA's Benjamin Kohlloeffel, Geor-
to John McEnroe. Visit gia's John Isner and Miami's Luigi D'Agord in D-I singles; Illinois' Kevin
www.championsseriestennis.com. Anderson and Ryan Rowe, Pepperdine's Scott Doerner and Andre Bege-
mann, and Ohio State's Scott Green and Ross Wilson in D-I doubles; Drury's
• Dan Malasky has been named USTA Mattias Oddone in D-II; Bates' Will Boe-Wiegaard in D-III; Embry-Riddle's
counsel, Professional Tennis, supporting Mislav Hizak in the NAIA; and Temple's Damian Johnson in the NJCAA.
legal matters for the Professional Also honored were Megan Moulton-Levy of William & Mary and Jonathan
Tennis Division. Stokke of Duke, who were recognized with the ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership
and Sportsmanship Awards.

INDUSTRY NEWS
Fischer Tennis Has IBM, Heineken Renew

U.S. Distributorship US Open Sponsorships
F I
ischer Tennis is now distributing BM and Heineken have renewed
racquets from its Fischer Sports their partnership agreements for the
USA headquarters in New Hamp- US Open.
shire. IBM will continue as the “Official
Fischer, which is privately owned Information Technology Solution
and based in Austria, produces “tourna- Provider” of the US Open and also will
ment-player” frames, says Brian Hunter, continue as one of six USTA Corporate
the U.S. national sales manager for Fis- Champions. The multi-year deal con-
cher Tennis, who’s been with the com- tinues through 2009, and will make
pany for a year. Pros Marcos Baghdatis, IBM a 16-year sponsor of the US Open.
Dominik Hrbaty, and Meghann Shaugh- Heineken USA, the nation's largest
nessy use Fischer frames, as does about beer importer, extended its agreement
10 percent of ATP and WTA top 100 with the US Open through 2010.
players, says Hunter. “It puts us on the Heineken, the “Exclusive Beer Spon-
map as a player’s racquet.” sor,” is in its 15th year of sponsorship.
The company introduced three
frames at the end of the summer, the
Magnetic Tour (below) and the Magnet-
ic Vision and GDS Vision, both designed
for women players. “In 2007, we’re real-
ly looking to bring
the Magnetic
Speed series to
the forefront
in the U.S.
market,”
says
Hunter.
Fisch-
er Sports,
whose U.S.
division is
headed by
President Dave
Auer, is one of
the top ski manu-
facturers in the
world. Its Fischer
Advanced Composite
Components division
produces lightweight
components for the auto-
motive and aircraft indus-
tries. “It’s an innovation and
technology company,” says
Hunter.
Contact: Fischer Sports
USA, 60 Dartmouth Drive,
Auburn, NH 03032; 603-
314-7110 or 800-844-
7810; fax 603-314-7124;
email [email protected];
www.fischertennisusa.com.

court MAINTENANCE
Lee’s Facility Analysis Survey Offers

“Roadmap” for Court Owners
onfused about how to improve the options on converting hard courts. “Our job verting one of its six hard courts to a clay
C performance of your clay courts?

Looking for a long-range plan to
upgrade your facility, but don’t know
is to take the guesswork out of upgrading
your courts and to do it in a way that every
member can understand and ultimately sup-
court. MonteCalvo met with the board of
directors and others involved in the project.
“We had always talked about getting a
where to begin? Is your facility seeing the port,” says MonteCalvo. “We’ve surveyed Har-Tru court,” says Cam Watts, who
effects of age, and you’re not sure just over 800 clay courts in the last four years.” recently retired as the tennis director at
what it needs? The information gathered for the FAS is Elmcrest. “Ed guided us toward subsurface
When it comes to facility maintenance put into a bound, full-color, easy-to-read irrigation.”
and upkeep, it’s easy for tennis pros, gen- report, complete with photos, charts, and According to Lee Tennis, the FAS
eral managers, and other court owners to computer-generated drawings specific to the comes in handy in a number of instances:
feel overwhelmed and often confused by facility being analyzed. Lee Tennis personnel Q For construction and maintenance guid-
recommendations from players, builders, also will present the FAS information to a ance prior to facility renovations or new
and club personnel. That’s why Lee Tennis club’s board of directors, tennis committee, construction.
has stepped in, offering a “Facility Analy- members, park and rec departments, home- Q To evaluate existing court conditions and
sis Survey,” or FAS, that can be a guide to owners associations, resorts, or other offer improvements to court mainte-
improving and upgrading your tennis groups. nance.
facility. In fact, that’s what MonteCalvo did for Q To identify capital improvement needs for
But Lee Tennis, best known as the the Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids, long-term planning and budgeting.
makers of the Har-Tru surface, goes Iowa, when the club was investigating con- Q To investigate the possibility of convert-
beyond simply looking at the ing hard courts to Har-Tru.
court surface itself, although A few years ago, Jamie Peter-
that is a big part of the FAS. The son, the tennis director at the
survey, which is conducted by Chartwell Golf and Country Club
an experienced Lee Tennis staff in Severna Park, Md., had an FAS
member, includes gathering and done on his seven courts. Since
documentation of historical site then, he has redone two courts
data, geotechnical information, according to the survey results,
court orientation, computer- “but the FAS also plans for the
generated three-dimensional other five to be improved,
topographical surface maps, sur- which is in our capital plan in
For more on Lee Tennis’s
face thickness and base stone Facility Analysis Survey, call the future,” says Peterson.
measurements, analysis of the 877-4-HAR-TRU. The FAS also has been con-
irrigation systems, drainage, venient for Mark Finnerty, the
curbing, lighting, nets, net A Facility Analysis Survey at Desert Highlands in Scottsdale, Ariz., led grounds manager at the Merion
posts, fencing, and court and to a renovation of the courts. Cricket Club in Haverford, Pa.
player amenities. Merion had six Har-Tru courts
“Our goal is to create a rebuilt in 1989, and Finnerty
roadmap that will allow a court believed they were no longer play-
owner or club to offer the best ing consistently. “I thought it would
tennis court experience possi- be nice to have an actual report to
ble,” says Lee Facility Analysis back up what I wanted to have
and Consulting Services Manager done,” he says. “The FAS con-
Ed MonteCalvo. “The report we firmed what I needed to have con-
create includes short- and long- firmed.
term recommendations, as well “I generally know what needs to
as three-dimensional maps of be done,” says Finnerty. “But to
every court.” actually have an outside company
Lee’s FAS also offers recom- come in, then write up a nice,
mendations on irrigation, light- Typical three-dimensional court perspective included in an FAS report detailed report for you, that’s a real
ing, and, if the facility desires, indicates direction of water flow. nice service.” Q

THE master pros
A Team Effort
Jimmy Pitkanen says both players and coaches have a lot to gain
from the team experience. BY CYNTHIA CANTRELL
A
s both a participant and coach, Jimmy to extensive education programming. “and once you get involved in your com-
Pitkanen of Knoxville, Tenn., has USPTA CEO Tim Heckler adds, “The Master munity, you can’t sit still and not do more.”
enjoyed the camaraderie that comes Professional rating is highly respected by all Pitkanen, who coaches the girls’ and
from being part of a tennis team. For members of the tennis community due to boys’ high school tennis teams at the Webb
teenagers struggling against peer pressure, the objectivity and accountability required to School of Knoxville, teaches his players that
he says, there may be no greater refuge. earn it.” community service is just as important as a
“There isn’t a consistent serve by taking them to the local
better environ- boys’ club to hit and socialize with the kids.
ment to learn, Whenever possible, they take extra balls or
maybe even a new net to donate to the
This is the fifth of nine installments
facility.
on the teaching pros who hold Mas-
“Kids really enjoy helping each other,”
ter Pro certifications from both the
Pitkanen says. “It’s wonderful to see.”
PTR and the USPTA.
perform, and
compete than on Pitkanen’s Tips
a team,” says 53-
year-old Pitkanen,
for Success
a former director Stick with fundamentals. A lot of pros get
of tennis at clubs caught up in teaching the latest fad, but
who now coaches fundamentals—like “get into the ready
at the exclusive position” and “watch the ball as it comes
Webb School of off your opponent’s strings”—never go out
Knoxville. In fact, of style.
he says the only Give a kid a chance. Teaching pros who
trophies he kept from his “playing days” “Jimmy is very involved in everything favor teaching adults might want to recon-
were those he earned with his own high from school tennis to USTA programs, and sider. Kids stay kids for a short time, and
school and college teams. “It means more,” always has been,” says Geoffrey Norton, the lessons you impart about tennis and life
he adds, “when you’re not just in it for the PTR’s director of development. “He’s may have a powerful and lasting effect. Few
yourself.” very well known and respected in the occupations offer such opportunity for job
That attitude goes a long way in South. In our workshops, his name seems to satisfaction.
explaining why Pitkanen joined both the come up in every conversation as a good
PTR and the USPTA in the 1980s, and why source for information for this or that. He’s One day at a time. Many young players
he worked so hard to earn the prestigious a key guy who helps out in all aspects of want to become pros some day, Pitkanen
Master Professional rating from both orga- the industry.” notes, but the rest will become pros in
nizations in the 1990s—an accomplishment “I always say passionate teachers inspire another area of life. Focus on teaching play-
shared by only five others in the world. their students, and Jimmy has done that for ers how to get the best out of their
“It’s important to belong to the organi- years,” says PTR CEO Dan Santorum, who games—and themselves—so they’ll be pre-
zations,” Pitkanen says. “It’s not what they has known Pitkanen for 18 years. “Some pared for whatever career lies ahead.
can offer you, but how you can work people go through the motions of teaching, Team spirit. Pitkanen says students should
through them to service the industry. It’s an but some do it from the heart. Jimmy is one be encouraged to join competitive and intra-
important part of a pro’s makeup and of those people.” mural sport teams and leagues. Although
career development.” Pitkanen says he maintains dual mem- teenagers often have many competing inter-
According to Fred Viancos, the USPTA’s berships because the resources provided by ests, he believes being part of a team can
director of professional development, a both organizations help keep him on the be “one of the most joyous parts of high
Master Pro must put in court, organization, cutting edge of the industry. “They’re also school or college life.”
education, and business hours, in addition both service-oriented groups,” he notes,

Pitkanen was just a kid himself when he
learned tennis from his father at age 11. He
continued playing in high school and at the Uni-
versity of Tennessee. His decision to become a
teaching pro, he says, was natural.
“I love people and I love to teach. Com-
bined, there couldn’t be a better career for
me,” Pitkanen says. “There’s something special
about the immediate sense of satisfaction you
get from watching players improve not only
their strokes, but the mental aspect of their
games. I enjoy every single day.”
That sense of job fulfillment is enhanced by
calls, cards, and visits from former students.
Pitkanen says one of last year’s graduates called
recently so he could diagnose problems she was
having with her forehand. The captain of last
year’s boys’ team recently asked if he could join
a team practice when he came home from
college.
“I told him, ‘Bring your running shoes,’”
Pitkanen says, “‘because you’ll be running with
them, too.’”
That’s what teammates do.

& SUCCESS
marketing
New Members:
Your Key to Staying in Business
“R
ecruit or
perish.”
Many BY JOE DINOFFER
organizations
live by that say-
ing. So, too,
should your club
or facility. Since
some degree of
annual attrition
is unavoidable,
if you don’t
bring in new
members, your
business will grad-
ually whither away.
The tennis club
business is just that—a business.
Profit and loss is calculated like any other most successful clubs, on the other hand, clubs in your area. Some ideas are to offer
business. Although there are many sources use this tool religiously and reap the ben- terrific participation prizes, in addition to
of revenue, such as food and beverage, efits of long-term success in the process. quality food and beverages that they will
lessons, pro shop sales, racquet stringing, come back to experience.
and ball machine rentals, the primary rev- FREE GUEST DAYS
enue stream comes from membership. Marketing campaigns always differenti- MEMBER INCENTIVES
Rates of attrition in the club business ate between cold-calling and contacting I recently switched dentists at the recom-
vary from region to region, but all clubs “warm” leads, always preferring a warm mendation of a close friend. The new den-
have this challenge in common: namely, prospect to a cold one. For our purposes, tist, as a thank-you, sent my friend a $50
how to bring in more new members than a friend of an existing member definitely credit, and he also gave us the same
the number of members who leave. For a qualifies as a warm lead and is a good amount as a first-visit discount.
club manager, who budgets revenues in prospect for membership. Consider a coupon for the pro shop of
each category, finding ways to bring more Establish a regular “free” guest day $100 as a thank-you to the referring mem-
members to any club or facility is like print- and be sure to offer the guest a special ber. It’s a substantial amount of money, yet
ing your own money. packet that they will value. Consider the actual cost of goods to the club may
Before sharing ways to bring in new including a discount coupon for the pro only be $50. And, for the new member,
members, we need to note the importance shop or an introductory lesson. Keep I’ve always been a fan of a free 30-minute
of conducting interviews with both incom- them coming back to your facility and introductory lesson. Even if the new mem-
ing and departing members. For incoming your ultimate success is guaranteed. ber doesn’t invest regularly in lessons, this
members, it is most important to determine is a great way to help them feel welcome.
their expectations and reasons for joining. MEMBER–GUEST SOCIALS
Obviously, if those expectations are met, One of the primary reasons people join NON-MEMBER USAGE RATES
chances are they will remain as members. clubs is to be with friends. If you want to For many potential members, the amount it
For departing members, exit interviews entice new members into your facility, costs to join your club or facility will play a
are essential to keep any facility vibrant and the best way is to create opportunities major part in their decision. Ideally, you
healthy. Many will leave for reasons totally for potential members to make new want to capture their hearts and get them
beyond a club’s control. However, some friends who, coincidentally, happen to be to regularly use your facility.
useful feedback will inevitably be gained members at your club. However, chances are as non-members,
from exit interviews. Just be sure to act on Nearly every club schedules member- they’re paying for guest passes, or paying
it. Surprisingly enough, a high percentage guest social events. The trick is to plan higher non-member lesson rates, or are
of clubs do not conduct exit interviews. The your social so it stands out from other unable to take advantage of member sav-

ings on pro shop and
club snack bar pur-
chases. These
“member benefits”
should gradually
convince the non-
members to take
the plunge and
join your facility.
SERVE THE
KIDS, RECRUIT
THE PARENTS
It’s an established
fact that clubs with
prospering and
expanding junior
programs have
healthy bottom lines
as well. Why? When
the young children
are well-served and
happy at a particular
club, parents naturally
consider how the facility can
benefit their entire family.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES
Parents are always looking for creative
options when planning their children’s
birthday parties. What if you designed a
series of theme birthday parties and pro-
moted them in a brochure for your existing
members? Themes could include hiring
clowns, magicians, or jugglers to entertain
the children. Hire your own pros to run
games with prizes on your courts (not ten-
nis-specific).
Now, imagine weekly birthday parties
with an average of 20 young children and
their parents looking on. Since the vast
majority will be non-members, what a great
way to regularly expose your facility to a
large group of potential members in a
favorable environment, all at the same
time. Just remember to give the guests a
packet including discount coupons along
with a special offer to entice them to enroll
their children into one of your junior pro-
grams. Q
Joe Dinoffer is a Master Professional for
both the PTR and USPTA. He speaks fre-
quently at national and international ten-
nis teacher workshops as a member of
both the Head/Penn and Reebok National
Speaker’s Bureaus. He is president of Oncourt Offcourt
Inc. and has written 16 books and produced more than
30 instructional videos.

teaching PRO
PTR on Campus Program

Trains and Certifies
Full-Time Students
BY CYNTHIA CANTRELL
with college and graduate school,” Jones PTR on Campus was launched as a
says. “The free certification was incredible, pilot program for the University of Wash-
and I would certainly recommend it to other ington’s women’s tennis team in Novem-
students.” ber 2004, at which time about 15 current
PTR on Campus trains and certifies high and recently graduated team players
school and college tennis players for a became PTR-certified. Patty Fendick-
career as a tennis teaching professional. In McCain, a former Top 20 WTA Tour play-
exchange for a free, 10-hour certification er who was Washington’s head coach at
course, participants are asked to perform 10 that time, says she was especially attract-
hours of community service teaching tennis, ed to the program’s community-service
preferably in a multicultural community. component.
Designed for full-time students 16 to 23 “As a college coach, I always felt we
years old with at least a 4.0 rating, the free could do more [to benefit] inner-city ten-
“PTR Teaching Essentials Workshop” (nor- nis,” says Fendick-McCain, a two-time
mally $95) usually takes place over the NCAA Division I singles champion who is
course of a weekend. Students may also now head women’s tennis coach at the
purchase a PTR membership for the stan- University of Texas in Austin, “but I didn’t
dard $100 initiation fee plus $25 annual know how to connect the dots.”
W
ith a double major in marketing renewal dues instead of the regular $125 Since PTR on Campus was officially
and business management, Ondrej fee (until they finish their undergraduate announced at the 2005 US Open, col-
Vana plans to get a job in business program). Optional liability insurance is leges and universities that have hosted
after he graduates in 2008 from Ouachita offered for $20 for students, instead of $40. PTR on Campus have included Furman
Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. He’ll Dan Santorum, CEO of the PTR, says PTR University, Penn State, St. Mary’s Universi-
always have a second career option, how- on Campus was created as a proactive solu- ty, South Carolina State University, Texas
ever, since he became a certified teaching tion to the anticipated retirement in the next Tech University, and the University of
pro through the Professional Tennis Reg- five to 10 years of thousands of teaching South Alabama.
istry’s “PTR on Campus” program. professionals who began their careers dur- Emilien Rabin, who was one of eight
“I expected to learn a lot, but not as ing the 1970s tennis boom. By offering free Ouachita players who participated in PTR
much as I did,” says 23-year-old Vana, a education and special introductory prices on on Campus last fall, says he gained confi-
native of the Czech Republic. “I know membership, Santorum says the hope is for dence as well as teaching knowledge.
how to play tennis, but it was hard to program participants to ultimately fill tennis Originally from Beaupreau, France, 24-
explain it, especially because I’m an inter- teaching jobs at parks, camps, clubs, and year-old Rabin—who graduated in May
national student. But that’s not a problem resorts nationwide. Until they graduate, he 2006 from Ouachita Baptist—now works
at all now. I really appreciate the PTR tak- notes, students who are certified can teach at the Polo Tennis and Fitness Club in
ing the time to do this.” during summers and throughout the school Austin.
Vana’s teammate, 20-year-old senior year to earn money that may help pay for “It was good to be [among] only a
Chris Jones of Jonesboro, Ark., has been college. few people in order to be able to ask
using his new tennis teaching skills at a “We are graying as an organization and many questions. It is also fun because you
summer sports camp at the T Bar M facing a huge void of experience,” says San- get certified with people you know,”
Resort & Conference Center in New torum, noting that the average age of a PTR Rabin says. “Bringing the classes to cam-
Braunfels, Texas. “The PTR program was member (as of June 2006) is 45.74 years. pus made it really convenient and easy.” Q
great for me. I hadn’t considered teaching “Tennis is growing, and this program is the
tennis as a profession before, but it is PTR’s way of building a workforce of young For more information about PTR on Cam-
something I see myself doing until I finish teaching pros to meet that growth.” pus, visit www.ptrtennis.org.

<
Junior PARTICIPATION
Against the Wall

With Rapid Rally, beginning players
have a fun way to get into tennis.
BY ROBIN BATEMAN
“Yeah,” Karen told me in mid-February, Our local Rapid Rally season is over.
her voice filled with enthusiasm. “Paige However, don’t let that stop you from
Miller and I want to get 100 sites partici- adapting the game, to kick-start your path-
pating in Georgia.” Paige is the marketing way programs, or maybe incorporating the
director for USTA Georgia. Karen rattled activity into your Tennis Fun Day or Special
off the program’s advantages while show- Olympics programs. We’ve done all of
ing me a sample of the kit I’d get for each these.
site I registered. How did tennis stack up in its first year
Our junior programs include an after- as part of this USOC program? Among the
school tennis gig where instructors bring 5,600 sites that participated in one of the
traveling equipment into 21 existing after- four USOC events, 1,700 were tennis.
school programs to instruct and play ten- That’s 30 percent! Approximately, 400,000
nis-based games. Why not do Rapid Rally kids picked up racquets to hit against the
A
s a program coordinator for junior
with them? walls of gyms and city parks nationwide.
players, I’m constantly on the lookout
I brought In Georgia,
for new ways to entice players into
the idea up to close to 100 sites
the game (it takes a lot to pull a kid away
our tennis registered. In my
from his Xbox 360). So you can imagine my
manager/head area of Macon, we
surprise when I realized I didn’t need to
pro, Carl introduced after-
look any further than my own backboard.
Hodge, and it schoolers to Rapid
That’s right. The practice wall.
didn’t take me Rally at our 22
A new program for juniors, called Rapid
long to con- sites. About 15
Rally, uses low-compression balls and a
vince him, percent of all
wall. Players stand behind a 15-foot tape
either. Its no- those who
line to serve, then they hit the ball against
cost feature, wrapped their fin-
the wall as many times as they can in 30
combined with gers around a rac-
seconds.
the flexibility quet continued in
For Rapid Rally, the USTA partnered with
and conve- follow-up group
the U.S. Olympic Committee and Kellogg’s
nience the drills over the sum-
Frosted Flakes to incorporate tennis into its
program mer at our Parks
already existing junior skills competition
offered, were key factors. “And besides,” I and Rec tennis center. Of these, 35 young-
(other sports offered are soccer, basketball,
added for good measure, “it’s tennis! sters were invited to take our Fast Track
and track & field). I first heard about Rapid
Offered for the first time in a Junior classes, instruction geared toward prepar-
Rally during the USTA’s Community Tennis
Olympics program. We have to support it.” ing the novice player for USTA sanctioned
Development Workshop held in California
His comment was, “That’s how I tournaments.
in early February. The program caught my
learned to play tennis—against the wall.” Go ahead, kick start your pathway pro-
grams …against the wall. Q
immediate interest.
So great was his conviction that he pur-
Then, Rapid Rally came up during a
chased enough materials to construct four
meeting with Karen Zuidema, a former Robin Bateman is the site coordinator for
practice walls, which are now permanently the Tattnall Tennis Center in Macon, Ga.,
USTA Georgia Schools Program Coordinator
hung on the bottom courts at our tennis where she coordinates ten-
turned Tennis Service Representative.
center, thus adding a 22nd site for us to nis programs and leagues,
host Rapid Rally. We developed a program is a tournament director,
serves as a team captain,
For more on Rapid Rally, contact your local beginning with Rapid Rally practice ses-
and assists junior teams
Tennis Service Representative or visit sions, followed by the competition. Then competing at district,
www.usolympicteam.com/joskills. we provided other events and classes that regional, and section
players could enroll in. events.

CONTINUING education
Busy Making a Living?
College Courses
Are Just a
Mouse Click Away
BY DONALD LEAVY
leges and employers alike, is "regional" Q No loafing—online students need to be

accreditation. engaged or they don't make the grade.
Six regional accrediting bodies exist Q Heightened written communications
in the U.S. Because the standards and skills and a raised awareness of the
requirements associated with receiving importance of good written communica-
“regional accreditation” are so high, tions in business.
many colleges will only accept credit
“ASYNCHRONOUS”
T
ennis teaching professionals must be self- from other regionally accredited colleges
motivated and goal-driven to be success- or universities. Additional information CLASSROOM
ful. The organization that the pro works regarding the regional accrediting agen- One of the barriers prohibiting many busy
for has the responsibility to provide them with cies can be found at www.ed.gov/ working adults from going to college is
the necessary environment in which to perform offices/OPE/accreditation/regionalagencie the requirement to be in a particular place
their tasks, but the professional must be able s.html. at a particular time—a “synchronous”
to market his or her abilities to their customer Many students are curious to know if classroom in “real-time.” But online pro-
base. A club professional essentially runs his a degree online is different from an on- grams have been specifically designed to
own business, so having the skills and training campus degree. Keep in mind that the take advantage of technology, meaning
to perform his duties will provide the founda- development of online classes or degree that an online classroom or program can
tion for that success. programs must adhere to the same strin- easily be “asynchronous”—neither time-
But how does a pro acquire the necessary gent accrediting standards as the devel- nor place-dependent. You go online to
skills and training when he’s spending 35 opment of on-campus courses and read lectures, participate in discussion, and
hours a week on court teaching and hours off programs. The only difference is in the possibly complete exams. Many of the
the court trying to fill appointments for the fol- delivery. Online classrooms do a great assignments and exercises required in
lowing week? The answer may be distance job of maintaining all the value of class- online courses will still be completed off-
education. room interaction with classmates and the line using word processing software. This
The U.S. Distance Learning Association instructor, while maximizing the free system is open 24 hours a day, seven days
defines distance learning as the acquisition of time of individual students. a week.
knowledge and skills through mediated infor- In addition, graduates of online pro- If a tennis teaching pro is looking to
mation and instruction, encompassing all tech- grams tend to show a number of distinct attend college for the first time, complete
nologies and other forms of learning at a qualities of benefit to the employer, such or finish his or her undergraduate degree,
distance. Online distance-learning courses are as: or is looking into a graduate program, dis-
offered to students anytime, and online higher Q Proven comfort with integrated tech- tance education can provide the quality
education is part of a growing trend that is nologies. and flexibility to balance one’s professional
providing accessibility to a segment of the pop- Q Tendency to maximize resources to get and family life. Q
ulation that, for whatever reason, may not the most done in the least amount of
have the ability to attend traditional college time. Donald Leavy is a USPTA teaching
courses. Q Familiarity with the future of commerce professional in Grand Blanc,
Mich., and holds a BA in econom-
and business—the rise of internet- and
ics from the University of Michi-
REGIONAL ACCREDITATION intranet-based business practices are gan and an MBA from Baker
What should someone look for in a college or nothing new to online students. College. He is the development
university that offers distance education? The Q Broad exposure to students from differ- director for Baker College Online
Center for Graduate Studies. If you have questions
first concern should be accreditation. In gener- ent regions and around the globe—
regarding the benefits of distance education, you
al the most widely recognized and sought-after often more so than campus-based can reach him at [email protected].
form of accreditation in the U.S., by both col- peers.

STRINGS OF
2007 STRING SURVEY
SUCCESS
How do you know what to stock for your shop? We
provide expert guidance that can help you—and your
customers—find the right strings.
BY BOB PATTERSON, MRT
here are a ton of strings on the market today; the num- Even for a veteran stringer, choosing which string you need
T ber and variety available is mind-boggling, to say the

least. In our September/October 2006 issue, we reported
on testing (performed by the U.S. Racquet Stringers Associ-
for your inventory can be a daunting task. It seems that manufac-
turers constantly are introducing new strings made from new
materials or with new techniques. Should you stock the new or
ation) on 478 different strings from 31 manufacturers for stick with the tried and true? Since you can’t stock them all, how
stiffness and tension loss. In this issue, our annual String Sur- many is enough? How many is too many? How many different
vey points out that plenty of those strings meet the criteria gauges? How many colors?
as favorites for USRSA members. The questions seem endless, but making good decisions about
But regardless of the size and scope of your stringing opera- your string inventory, presentation, and your staff’s product
tion, chances are you can’t stock all the strings on the market knowledge can make a big difference in your bottom line.
today. So how do choose? And more importantly, how does According to the most recent dealer survey from the Tennis
your customer choose? Industry Association, stringing and racquet service is by far the

most profitable segment of the tennis strings should stay in your line-up and which are expendable to
retail industry. However, those great make room for new ones. As you add new strings, make sure
margins can be eroded by poor inven- you keep a good balance of the various categories making your
tory selections and not providing the overall selection complete.
consumer with the product they want
or need. That’s why we’re here to
help. PRESENTATION
Having a distinct, professionally appearing racquet service
area and a well-merchandised selection of string, grips, and
STRING SELECTION overgrips says a lot to customers who come into your shop
Superior racquet service begins with or store. If your stringing machine and selection of string is
your selection of string. While having a prominently displayed, there is no question that you service
vast assortment of strings available for racquets. Don’t make the assumption that everyone will
your customers to choose from may be know that you do. If your machine is tucked away in the
impressive, it can also be confusing. You back room and your string is kept in a drawer, the customer
need to walk the fine line between too much may assume that you don’t service racquets.
and not enough. Displaying your string selection can be impressive and infor-
Although there are plenty of new introductions, mative. Try displaying strings in a methodical manner. Group
many of the most popular strings have been on them according to brand, or better yet, by category. If your cus-
the market for years. To satisfy a variety of play- tomer is looking for durability, you can point out your selection.
ers, you will need to carry a good assortment of If it is comfort that is most important, then they are all grouped
string types, gauges, and colors. Exactly how together. It will make explaining the selection easier for the
many different SKUs depends on your vol- technicians and the customer can better differentiate their
ume, how much display/storage space, options.
and money you have to invest.
Once you determine the correct
size of your inventory, you’ll need to PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE
decide what strings make sense for your Know your string inventory. There is plenty of information
clientele. You need to carry at least a cou- available, starting with the manufacturer’s information, but
ple of choices in each category, along with a don’t rely solely on this. When considering a new string to
variety of gauges to meet the varying needs of bring into inventory, gather as much information as possi-
your customers. Try to offer as many brands as ble from a variety of sources.
possible. By having a wider selection, your customers The USRSA’s annual string test and member survey provide
will have more to choose from and won’t feel like a wealth of information, as do the monthly string playtest in
they are being steered to a certain brand because each issue of RSI. Probably the best evaluation is testing the
that is all you offer. But again, too many choices string yourself. Put a set in your own racquet, even if it is some-
can be confusing to the customer. thing you would not normally play with. You can determine for
You should be able to provide distinguishing yourself if it meets the marketing claims from the manufacturer
characteristics of each string. If you find yourself and whether or not it will fill a void in your inventory and be
explaining that “these three are basically the beneficial to your customers.
same,” then you can probably eliminate two of But knowing your inventory is only half the story. To take
them and free up room to bring in a couple of others full advantage of your product knowledge, you need to apply
that have something different to offer. that knowledge to the needs of your customers. Taking a few
If your competitors have four different strings to minutes to get to know your customer and his or her game will
choose from and you offer a choice of 20, that alone will allow you to make suggestions of string type and tension that
set you apart. But if you can explain a clear difference in may help them get the optimum performance from their rac-
each of the 20, along with the benefits of each one, that will quet. They will appreciate your expertise and willingness to
really separate you. help them rather than just selling them a string job.
Although you should certainly consider new introductions, A small investment of your time will earn a customer for
don’t be too hasty to drop a string just because something new life, and a happy customer will spread the word to many other
comes along. If a new string has something to offer, it should cer- players.
tainly be considered.
Some of your customers will be anxious to try the newest Master Racquet Technician Bob Patterson of
products, but many have found a perfect string and tension set-up Birmingham, Ala., owns Players Choice Ten-
that works for them and aren’t interested in changing. If suddenly nis and the racquet customization company
you no longer stock their string, they may look elsewhere rather Racquetmaxx. In 2005, he was named RSI’s
than switch. Stringer of the Year.
By constantly evaluating your sales you can determine which

2007 STRING SURVEY
hat string is best for your customer? It’s a tricky question to are included in the total sum and average for that string. We
W answer, since there are so many different strings out there added the scores from each respondent to obtain a sum for
that all have unique combinations of benefits. But once again, that string, then divided the sum by the number of respon-
we’ve gone right to the experts, the thousands of U.S. Racquet Stringers dents who rated it.
Association members, and asked them to rate strings in three categories: To ensure that strings with a reasonable breadth of distrib-
playability, durability, and com- ution are included, each string must be rated on at least 16
fort. questionnaires. We feel
Our 30th annual string sur- Most Responses by Gauge that having at least 16
vey, which is on the poster (percent) respondents allows us to
inserted into this issue of RSI, include enough strings by
is a compilation of survey Gauge 2007 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 2000 enough manufacturers,
questionnaires sent in Sep- 16 58.4 64.6 62.0 62.4 61.9 58.9 54.8 including smaller market
tember to 2,000 randomly 17 25.5 24.5 28.2 23.1 26.2 27.0 31.8 share companies. Too
selected U.S. members of the 16L 6.0 4.6 3.8 4.3 2.8 1.5 - high a number will mean
USRSA (no chain stores). 15L 5.5 3.8 4.3 5.7 5.9 7.8 11.1 the survey results will only
18 3.7 1.9 1.3 1.4 1.8 2.9 0.9 include the top two or
Recipients were given a list of
15 0.5 0.6 - 0.5 - 0.8 0.8
every string on the market three manufacturers.
17L 0.2 - 0.5 0.5 0.7 0.7 0.6
and asked to rate the ones Remember, the cate-
19 0.3 - - 1.7 0.4 0.4 -
they are familiar with from 1 18/17 - - - 0.5 0.4 - - gory scores for each string
to 10 in each of the three cat- are averages of all the
egories. Then an average respondents’ rankings for
score was calculated for each Most Responses by Brand a given string. Often,
string in each category. (percent) these averages are very
For a string to qualify for a close; the differences
rating, the respondent must Brand 2007 2006 2005 2004 2002/3 2001 2000 between rankings can be
have strung at least 20 sets of Wilson 21.6 23.2 22.0 21.9 23.8 21.6 30.5 mere hundredths of a
that string in the past year. Gamma 21.3 20.4 22.9 24.7 25.6 25.9 27.2 point. Though only one
This 20-set minimum ensures Prince 16.4 19.8 19.6 19.8 19.2 20.7 23.7 string can claim the top
that respondents are rating a Babolat 11.9 9.3 7.2 7.1 6.1 6.9 6.3 spot in a category, many
Head 8.6 9.4 7.7 7.4 7.3 4.0 7.0 of the strings close to
string they know something
Luxilon 5.7 3.6 3.4 3.0 - - - each other in ranking are
about and that has some
Tecnifibre 4.8 4.5 4.8 4.1 4.1 4.7 3.4
vitality in the marketplace. For of equal stature. In prac-
Ashaway 1.4 2.0 1.6 1.8 1.7 2.2 <1.0
some businesses, 20 sets may Gosen 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.9 1.9 3.2 1.4 tice, each of these strings
represent 20 percent of their Forten 1.1 1.2 2.3 2.6 2.6 3.5 0.5 is one of the best of its
total business, and for others, Alpha 0.8 0.9 1.0 - - - - niche.
1 percent. Some businesses Kirschbaum 0.7 0.8 0.8 - - - - Hang our String Survey
may only sell 20 sets of the TOA 0.6 0.8 0.4 - - - - poster in your shop and
string; others may sell 500. Dunlop 0.5 0.6 1.2 1.1 - - - let your customers deter-
Klip 0.5 0.6 0.9 - - - - mine which strings may
Each ranking, however, car-
Others 2.7 2.3 2.3 4.6 5.2 4.4 - best help their games.Q
ries the same weight, and all
A TENNIS
WISH
LIST
As we begin the New Year, we
asked people in the industry—
including teaching pros, pro shop and
facility managers, court builders,
manufacturers, and more—to tell us The current prac-
tice of special make-up rac-
what they’d like to see. C O M P I L E D B Y M I T C H R U S T A D quets for these dealers that are cheap
knock-offs of discontinued products may
I
wish more funds were available to do this, tennis will always be a healthy life- result in quick sales, but it hurts their
rebuild our public tennis courts. As a time sport. —Max Brownlee, brands and the tennis retail business in
lifetime public-park tennis player, I real- General Manager, Babolat USA general. —Bob Patterson,
ize the importance of having a nice facility Player’s Choice Tennis, Birmingham, AL
to bring the local tennis community My wish list for tennis in 2007 is: for ten-
together. —Chris Gaudreau, nis to become the sport of choice by chil- For 2007, I’d like to see tennis participa-
Racquet Koop, New Haven, CT dren 8 to 18. The USTA's revitalized tion continue to grow. And also, I wish for
Schools Program is introducing a new cur- good growth in business for our retail
I wish those who hire tennis professionals riculum at the elementary level, middle partners. —Kai Nitsche,
would realize a teacher’s importance, not school team tennis, and no-cut high school General Manager, Dunlop Sports U.S.
only to their facilities, but to the sport of tennis. We need to take tennis to where
tennis as a whole, and compensate teach- the kids are and that's schools. Also, I’d I’d like to see continued collaboration and
ing pros accordingly. The salaries and ben- like to see American women again domi- cooperation throughout the tennis indus-
efits of these valued teachers have not nate the world's top 10 and be in the final try. Working together, we can continue to
kept pace with other professions, especial- of the US Open. And I’d like the U.S. to grow the game of tennis, which benefits
ly at the entry level. With tennis beginning bring home the Davis Cup. us all. DecoTurf is committed to working
to grow again, the primary way to derail —Jane Brown Grimes, for an ongoing expansion of tennis with
this momentum is a lack of young, quali- USTA President, 2007-2008 our industry partners in 2007.
fied tennis teaching pros. Teaching pros —John Graham,
are the engine that drives the tennis train. I want to see the TIA, USTA, ITF, ATP and Managing Director, DecoTurf
It is in the best interest of the entire indus- WTA continue to work together to grow
try to work with PTR and USPTA to interest in the sport at the professional The thing that benefits all of us is the
engage those responsible for hiring teach- level and use their combined resources and growth of the game overall, and we want
ing professionals to ensure wages and influences to grow the game at the grass- continued growth in 2007. I think the
benefits are attractive enough to maintain roots. The success of the US Open Series is industry as a whole has to be very careful
the numbers needed, as well as a high- proof that marketing and cooperation can about selling itself down. We all exist bet-
level caliber. —Dan Santorum, CEO, PTR generate interest. Also, I wish manufactur- ter when our margins are strong, and
ers would consider the long-term effects when we sell ourselves down, we do a
My tennis wish for 2007 is that every ten- of their decisions on the entire market disservice to our consumer. There is some-
nis player tells a friend about the fun they rather than catering to the big-box and what of a trend if you look at the declin-
are having playing our great sport. If we online stores’ desire for discount racquets. ing prices of our products, and that’s not

necessarily a good trend. The tennis con- contractors, media, facilities and busi- tomorrow. Let’s use the legends of the
sumer is certainly price conscious, but not nesses—in recognizing the power of pos- game to help mentor a new generation.
discount-price conscious in every case. itive thinking and synergies that are Now more than ever, it’s critical that all
—Doug Fonte, President, Prince necessary for our sport’s health and of us who have a stake in the future of
growth. —Jolyn de Boer, tennis work together to energize our
I wish that all the entities in tennis contin- Executive Director, existing fan base and bring in new fans.
ue to put TENNIS first and continue to Tennis Industry Association Adopting exciting innovations such as on-
work collaboratively so the growth we’ve court coaching, no-ad scoring, more
seen in the past two years continues. We I hope that the USTA continues to lead a instant replay, and player names on the
absolutely have to step up our efforts in clearer path from junior tennis to college back of shirts would be a good start.
attracting and retaining more youth. We tennis and on to the tour. And, related to Finally, I want to see the top-ranked U.S.
need to make tennis the new team sport, that, my goal for 2007 is to increase the men and women supporting Fed Cup
and we have to enlist parents to play a amount of writing I do for tennis publica- and Davis Cup—in all ties—throughout
critical role in that. Participation in virtual- tions, which means that there is an the entire year. —Ilana Kloss,
ly every other youth sport is being driven increased interest in college and junior CEO/Commissioner,
by parents, and we need to capture par- tennis, which is the foundation of our World TeamTennis
ents as well. Parents are never going to sport. —Marcia Frost, Editor,
replace teaching pros, but especially at CollegeAndJuniorTennis.com I’d like to see an all-American final at the
the entry level, it’s absolutely critical that Australian Open, French Open, Wimble-
we engage them in the process of their Understanding the role that fitness plays don and US Open. Or, I’ll settle for an all-
kids’ learning. —Kurt Kamperman, in tennis will enable the market to grow American men’s final at the US Open, so I
Chief Executive of Community Tennis, and branch out to reach more people. can forget about work on that Sunday.
USTA With more tennis enthusiasts getting into My second wish? Tickets to the final!
Cardio Tennis and cross-training to stay —Richard Zaino,
My wish is for Cardio Tennis to really take fit, tennis apparel with a "fitness" spin Zaino Tennis Courts Inc., Orange, CA
off. It’s a fabulous way for people to get will become the apparel of choice for
fit and play tennis, and a great way to these customers. If the tennis industry I wish for James Blake to win a Grand
get them out on the court and eventually embraces this trend, our businesses will Slam title in 2007. American tennis needs
playing matches. Once we get people grow. —Brad Singer, its top players winning Slams to keep the
passionate about the game, then from a V.P. of Sales and Marketing, Tail sport visible. Blake is clearly a tennis play-
manufacturer’s standpoint, we’re all er that the public can get behind—he's
going to sell more product. My wish is that all entry-level players classy, he's cool, he's college educated. I
—Sarah Maynard, Director learn the game quickly through the use believe that his raising his game to yet
of Marketing and Promotions, of slower and lighter balls on smaller another level would provide a nice shot in
Völkl Tennis courts so they can enjoy this great game the arm for the game. And, I would hope
as quickly as possible. If this would hap- his winning a Slam shines a light on the
We’d like to see the prices of construc- pen, tennis would have a much higher level of player our collegiate coaches can
tion materials stabilize; we’ve experienced retention rate from the 6 million players help develop. —Casey Angle,
several years of rapidly increasing raw who try our sport for the first time every Director of Communications,
material costs. We would also like to see year. —Kirk Anderson, Intercollegiate Tennis Association
the price of fuel drop by about 50 cents a Director of Recreational Coaches
gallon. And it would be nice to see the and Programs, USTA I would like to see the frequent player
housing industry rebound after a tough base grow in 2007 and that new players
2006. —Stephen N. Dettor, Our main wish is for the game to have continue to develop a love for the sport.
President, Fast-Dry Courts Inc. an upsurge in popularity in the U.S. This I hope everyone in the tennis
can be done with the continued success community can continue
My wish is for tennis to be back among of upgrading the public courts through- to work
the Top 10 Most Popular Sports in the out the country. The programs within the
U.S., and to have Cardio Tennis listed as a USTA, like Adopt a Court, Tennis in the
separate category on that list. I’d also like Parks, and Multicultural Grant Program,
to see an increased network of quality continue to upgrade facilities.
Tennis Welcome Centers and Cardio Ten- —Michael Smith,
nis sites. And we need increased use and Courtsmiths, Toledo, OH
support of the current technologies avail-
able to connect consumers to our indus- At the top of my wish list is the
try. Finally, I wish for the continuing growth of U.S. tennis at all levels—
collaborative effort by all sectors—organi- from the recreational league player to
zations, manufacturers, retailers, court the development of American stars of

collaboratively. I would like to see Roger money to spend—all contributing factors of their strong leaders to the USTA Com-
Federer win the Grand Slam in 2007, to making it a banner year at retail! Final- munity Tennis Development Workshop
which would create terrific media buzz ly, I hope the price of oil continues its every year. There's no better way for
about tennis. We at Wilson will be doing steady, downward trend, so manufactur- grassroots leaders to get an overview of
everything we (K)an to support him, ing/product costs can flatten or even drop what the USTA challenges them with each
including, in 2007, what will be the from the significant increase we have seen year. Every time I have gone to this work-
largest global tennis racquet launch in the over the past six months. shop, my bond and devotion to tennis
tennis industry to date. —John R. Embree, becomes stronger, and I have come away
—Jon Muir, General Manager, Bälle de Mätch Tennis Wear motivated by more project ideas than I can
Wilson Racquet Sports implement. My enthusiasm to grow the
My wish is simple. I would like all the sport is refreshed and renewed—as it
My wish is that the USTA would spend inner-city parks that have tennis courts in should be for every community tennis
more money on Player Development and disrepair to have the funds to spruce them advocate. —Robin Jones,
recognize that all great players in this up and make them playable. Tennis Grassroots Tennis Advocate, Founder,
nation came from existing U.S. tennis should not be just for the well-heeled. It is Western Wake Tennis Association,
academies and local tennis programs, and such a great game and we are not attract- Cary, NC
that it is important for this funding to fil- ing our inner-city poor who cannot afford
ter through these same sources so we a private club. —Gene Niksich, I’d love to have ball sales double in 2007,
can truly build great players. The USTA Unique Sports Products, and I’d also like to see natural gut sales
has not yet succeeded for 25 years in Alpharetta, GA double, too. I want player participation to
producing top-level players at its own rise 25 percent, and I think a nationwide
centers. As a result of it continuing to For 2007, I wish that the stature and visi- USTA/USPTA/PTR/TIA initiative to offer free
attempt to control player development, it bility of tennis continue to increase so that introductory tennis clinics would help.
is stemming the growth of grassroots many more Americans are aware of our Also, it would be great for the USTA, ATP,
players who could be growing faster and sport and want to play and follow it. One and ITF to run a national TV advertising
better were the funding made available way this will be accomplished is with campaign for the sport. —Sean Frost,
for them to do so. In plain words, the greater national and local media coverage. Klip/Iso-speed/Völkl
USTA should stop trying to be responsible Also, I’d like to see Americans achieve
for primary coaching, but definitely more in professional tennis tournaments, My wish is to have a few more American
become involved with primary funding. particularly the Grand Slams, Davis Cup stars on the horizon who would re-ener-
Foreign players and foreign coaches and Fed Cup such that no other nation gize the sport in the U.S.—both men and
across the world recognize U.S. acade- does better. And that tennis participation women players who can take the sport to
mies and coaches as among the very best continues to grow as a result of the non-players and get them excited about
to learn from. It is time for our own lead- USTA’s efforts coordinated with all of our watching and participating. Also, I’d like to
ers to do the same. tennis partners, particularly the teaching see the finals of the US Open on a Mon-
—Tim Heckler, CEO, USPTA pro organizations and as a result of our day night, when a ton more people would
programs and activities in the public watch it. Television coverage has greatly
I wish the weather to be kind to the parks, working through the NRPA. improved over the years, but very few if
industry across the country so play is —Franklin R. Johnson, any doubles matches are shown. More
healthy. I hope that tennis pros are busier USTA President, 2005-2006 people play doubles than singles and
than they have been in the past few sea- would relate more to watching doubles.
sons, which would mean lots of players We need more tennis clubs in New York —Glen Agritelley, Owner,
actively involved in the sport. I hope that City. We have lost quite a few clubs in the TBarM Racquet Club, Dallas, TX
grassroots initiatives nationwide designed last few years, and this has affected
to increase player participation thrive, indoor play in NYC. Real estate values For 2007, I would hope the tennis indus-
thereby bringing in scores of new players. have gone up considerably these last few try, including the USTA, teaching pros,
I wish the economy to continue its years, and manufacturers, facilities, etc., continues to
growth so consumers have disposable tennis work together at all levels to build the key
is not initiatives to bring players into the game,
the opti- like Cardio Tennis, Tennis in the Parks, etc.
mum It is crucial that we all keep our eye on the
usage at this key goal—growing the game—which will
point. I would like to see clubs go up this benefit all of us in the long term. The
year and in the future. —Mark Mason, other hope is that a strong American play-
Mason’s Tennis Mart, er emerges to increase awareness among
New York City, NY the casual tennis fan and bring even more
players into the game. —Greg Mason,
I would wish for all Community Tennis Director of Sales and Marketing,
Associations to send at least one or two Head/Penn Racquet Sports

players of all ages and abilities—so that the industry fully capable to handle a
once again tennis is a leading sport in broad spectrum of areas within the busi-
America. —Paul Zalatoris, ness of tennis. When the number of
Tecnifibre USA qualified professionals increases, the
potential for growth in our industry also
I'd like to see tennis covered in the main- increases. Also, I wish that club owners
stream media, and outside of the and managers would seek out not just
sports section. While we do need all great tennis players to teach at their facil-
the coverage we can score in the ities, but also professionals with a diverse
sports pages, tennis is more business background as well.
than a pro game—it's a —Tom Daglis, Director,
lifestyle. There are endless Prof. Tennis Management Program,
angles for the business Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI
and health sections of
I’d like to see us maintain the real newspapers, and maga- My tennis wish for 2007 includes the
progress we’ve made in recent years by zines and TV shows ATP and WTA getting off their butts and
working more closely together as an allied devoted to them. All of marketing the sport properly in the U.S.
industry for the benefit of tennis overall. us have a hand in this by staying in touch Get tennis on major network and cable
The USTA, ITF, ATP and Sony Ericsson with trends in our game, and promoting stations (not counting the US Open
WTA Tour have made great strides this the game to our local media. Series, which was the brainchild of the
year in the evolution of how tennis pre- —Liza Horan, USTA, and the Slams). Have finals played
sents itself to television viewers, through TENNISWIRE.org and President, on Monday night, market more player
innovation and cross promotion across U.S. Tennis Writers Association merchandise, partner with other organi-
networks sharing rights packages. zations for ideas. Proper marketing of
Because television is such an important I’d like to see new programs to attract pro tennis would help the sport, and in
factor in driving any sport’s ultimate suc- new players to the game that keep the turn help grow all tennis-related busi-
cess, I’d hope to see all tennis broadcast- sport in the public focus. We also need ness.
ers deliver increased focus on storytelling to keep hammering the benefits of our —Richard Vach,
and the amazing personal journeys of all sport through advertising. And I wish the Co-Founder, Tennis-X.com
these great players. —Ken Solomon, entities in tennis would set aside differ-
Chairman and CEO, ences, stop worrying about themselves, I wish for the greater acceptance of
The Tennis Channel and really focus on making this game the wheelchair tennis as an integrated sport
best it can be, the ideal vehicle for kids in America. I truly believe that we in ten-
We need more players! It would do so and adults to learn, grow, stay healthy, nis can increase sport opportunities for
much good for everyone: all the coaches, and have fun. —Pat Hanssen, people with physically disabling condi-
all the programs, all the facilities, all the New Markets Manager, tions through tennis. This would include
stringers, and all the companies. For a Lee Tennis the current programs such as Run/Roll
long time now, we've all been working Tournaments (a Blaze Sports/USTA col-
hard to grow the game, trying to intro- I’d love to see the Tournament Data laboration), high school tennis, USTA
duce young players to a life-long passion Manager system + TennisLink offered to Leagues, and USTA tournaments. I would
for tennis. I think a payoff for this dedica- tournament directors when they host love to see growth in the number of peo-
tion would be my No. 1 wish. To simply nonsanctioned social fundraising events. ple playing wheelchair tennis and a simi-
see more Americans playing tennis, from Doing so increases the willingness of the lar growth in the number of people
the local city court to high in the ranks of tournament director to host such events, playing tennis with people in wheelchairs
the professionals. —Matt Ferrari, thus allowing players more opportunities in 2007.
Gamma Racquet Sports to play, and increasing the players enthu- —Dan James,
siasm and commitment to the game. As National Manager Wheelchair Tennis,
My wishes for the new year are that the a result, the industry as a whole benefits. USTA
pro game sees some new stars on tour, —Robin Bateman,
preferably Americans, and that our cus- Site Coordinator, To grow the sport in 2007, we must
tomers have as good a year in 2007 as Tattnall Tennis Center, Macon, GA think of the FAMILY. Get everyone
they did in 2006. —Pat Shields, involved! Once this happens, you create
Fromuth Tennis I wish each tennis academy and tennis a buzz that spreads like wildfire. We typi-
camp across the country would identify cally tend to focus on either juniors or
I’d like to see both the industry and our and send one student interested in pur- adults. This is not the complete picture.
company grow as it has for the past two suing a career in tennis to a professional Juniors and adults playing as a family are
years. I wish for good health of our indus- tennis management program, like that at the key to retention. —Ajay Pant,
try, with growth in participation and fre- Ferris State, which specializes in educat- National Tennis Director,
quency of play, and also for an increase in ing and training professionals to enter Tennis Corporation Of America

MARK OF
RSI/ASBA DISTINGUISHED FACILITY-OF-THE-YEAR AWARDS
DISTINCTION
RSI and the ASBA bring you the best in
tennis court construction.
nce again, we’re proud to have joined with the American
O Sports Builders Association to bring you examples of excel-

lence in tennis court construction.
Each year, based on entries submitted by an ASBA member—
Distinguishing Honors
In addition to the Boars Head Sports Club, Columbine
Country Club, Vanderbeek Residential Court, and Pen-
whether a contractor, designer, or supplier—the association nington-Ewing Athletic Club, these 21 locations were
selects outstanding tennis facilities that meet the standard of chosen by the 2006 panel of judges for the ASBA as
excellence determined by the judging committee. For 2006, there excellent examples of court construction, receiving
were 25 courts or tennis facilities that were deemed outstanding—
Distinguished Tennis Facility-of-the-Year Awards.
or “distinguished,” as the award now reads—by the panel of
judges. You’ll read more about them in upcoming issues of
Four of those entries, however, were chosen for special honors: Racquet Sports Industry. (The nominating company is
the Boars Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va., received the in parentheses.)
Q
Indoor Tennis Facility-of-the-Year Award; Columbine Country
Ace Insurance Co., Hamilton, Bermuda (Classic Turf Co.)
Q
Club in Littleton, Colo., received the Outdoor Tennis Facility-of-
Bath Club, Miami Beach, Fla. (Fast-Dry Cos.)
Q
the-Year Award; the Vanderbeek Residential Court in Warren,
Boulevard Club, Vero Beach, Fla. (Fast-Dry Cos.)
Q
N.J., received the Residential Tennis Facility-of-the-Year Award;
Center Court Ridge at Reunion Resort & Club, Kissimmee,
and the Pennington-Ewing Athletic Club in Ewing, N.J. received Fla. (Welch Tennis Courts)
the Indoor Multi-Purpose Facility-of-the-Year Award. Q Centre Court Racquet Club, Louisville, Tenn. (Baseline
The Boars Head Sports Club expanded its existing three indoor Sports Construction LLC)
courts by adding nine more cushioned hard courts, and now all 12 Q Clayton Residence, Carmel, Ind. (Leslie Coatings Inc.)
indoor courts feature ICA’s Elite indirect light fixtures. The award- Q Ellis Methvin Tennis Center, Plant City, Fla. (Welch Tennis
Courts)
Q
winning sports club, which is affiliated with the University of Vir-
ginia, also has 14 outdoor tennis courts. Fleckenstein Tennis Facility, Mukwonago, Wis. (Munson
Inc.)
Q
The Columbine Country Club upgraded its outdoor facility. Five
Gooch Residence, Rumson, N.J. (The Racquet Shop)
Q
existing asphalt courts were overlaid with post-tensioned con-
Hillsboro Club, Hillsboro, Fla. (Fast-Dry Cos.)
crete, and two new fast-dry courts with subsurface irrigation were Q Kenyon Athletic Center, Gambier, Ohio (DecoSystems)
also installed, along with fencing, windscreens, and bench seat- Q Lombard Street Reservoir/Alice Marble Tennis Center, San
ing. Also, 5-foot-wide sidewalks were installed leading to courts. Francisco (Vintage Contractors Inc.)
The new synthetic turf court at the Vanderbeek residence was Q Powell Residence, Gladwyne, Pa. (Pro-Sport Construction)
built into the side of a steep hill and required a retaining wall near- Q Robinson Residence, Radnor, Pa. (Pro-Sport Construction)
Q Seiderman Residence, Parkland, Fla. (Fast-Dry Cos.)
Q
ly 20 feet high. More than 60 truckloads of rock was removed
from the solid bedrock hillside, then 3,000 cubic yards of fill dirt The Club at Olde Stone, Alvaton, Ky. (Welch Tennis
Courts)
Q
was brought in, requiring five separate permits, to build up the
The Club at River Forest, Forsythe, Ga. (Welch Tennis
court area. After completion of an upper retaining wall, access to Courts)
the court was limited to foot traffic, so all remaining materials had Q Tivoli Lakes Tennis Center, Boynton Beach, Fla. (Welch
to be lowered by crane. Tennis Courts)
The multi-purpose Pennington-Ewing Athletic Center has two Q USPTA World Headquarters, Houston (Dobbs Tennis
indoor hard courts where members and their guests can play and Courts)
take lessons and clinics. The facility also includes three racquetball Q Vaughn Athletic Center-Fox Valley Park District, Aurora,
Ill. (Kiefer Specialty Flooring Inc.)
Q
courts, two international squash courts, an indoor track, basket-
ball court area, cardio area, and other workout rooms. Wilson Residence, Rixeyville, Va. (Lawn Tennis & Supply
Co. Inc.)
—Peter Francesconi

Outdoor Tennis
Facility-of-the-Year Award
Columbine Country Club
Littleton, Colo.
Architect/Engineer: Renner Sports Surfaces, Denver
General/Specialty Contractor: Renner Sports Surfaces
Surface: Lee Tennis
Nets, Net Posts, Windscreens: Douglas Industries
Residential Tennis
Vanderbeek Residence
Warren, N.J.
General Contractor: Pro-Sport Construction, Inc.
Lights: LSI Lighting
Nets, Net Posts, Windscreens: J.A. Cissel
Indoor Multi-Purpose
Pennington-Ewing Athletic Club
Ewing, N.J.
Specialty Contractor: Sportsline Inc.
Suppliers: M. Putterman, J.A. Cissel, Re-Tek
Surface: California Products
Indoor Tennis
Boars Head Sports Club
Charlottesville, Va.
Specialty Contractor: ICA Sports, Olathe, Kan.
For details on the 2007

Distinguished Facility-of-the-
Year Awards, contact the ASBA
at 866-501-ASBA or
[email protected].

science
Spin Off the Court and Strings BY ROD CROSS
I
noticed something interesting at the Aus- ation, the change in spin depends on the 2,000 rpm, assuming that the ball is hit from
tralian Open in January. That is, I could amount of friction between the ball and behind the baseline and lands about 6 feet
sometimes read the label on the ball as the court and on the vertical speed of the short of the other baseline. In other words, S2
the ball travelled over the net, even though ball. The spin will change typically by about = S1 + 1,500 on a fast court and S2 = S1 +
the players were hitting topspin ground- 1,500 rpm on a fast court and by about 2,000 on a slow court.
strokes. The ball was hardly spinning at all 2,000 rpm on a slow court. A ball hit high-
even though the players were trying to er over the net will tend to hit the court at SPIN OFF THE STRINGS
make it spin. The problem was, the players a higher vertical speed, in which case the When a player hits the ball, the direction of
weren't hitting the ball hard enough to change in spin will be proportionally high- spin off the court needs to be reversed in
make it spin. The ball bounced off the court er, but 1,500 or 2,000 rpm is typical. A ball order to return the ball with topspin. Depend-
spinning rapidly but it stopped spinning as hit with say 1,000 rpm of topspin will ing on how hard the player hits the ball and
soon as it came off the strings. Instead of therefore bounce off the court with about how steeply the racquet rises up the back of
reversing the direction of spin, as the players 2,500 rpm on a fast court or 3,000 rpm of the ball, a player can change the spin by any-
were trying to do, all they were doing by hit- topspin on a slow court. If the ball is hit thing between about 1,000 rpm and 6,000
ting the ball was bringing the spin to a stop. with 1,000 rpm of backspin then it will rpm. Suppose that the change in spin is X.
An interesting question is how the spin bounce off the court with 500 rpm of top- Then the spin off the strings is S1 = X - S2. For
off the court affects the spin that players get spin on a fast court or 1,000 rpm of top- example, if the spin off the court is S2 = 3,000
off the strings. Men tend to hit the ball spin on a slow court. Regardless of the spin rpm and the change X = 4,000 rpm then the
harder and can therefore generate more of the ball before it bounces, a fast court spin off the strings is S1 = 4,000 – 3,000 =
topspin than women. But if they hit the ball changes that spin by around 1,500 rpm 1,000 rpm. However, if S2 and X are both
with more topspin then the ball will come and a slow court changes it by around equal to to 3,000 rpm then S1 = 0 and the ball
off the court spinning even faster. That will come off the strings without any spin
means that men have to work harder to at all. That's what I was seeing in some of
reverse the direction of spin in order to the women's matches in January.
return the ball with topspin. Rearranging the above terms with a
Suppose that two players get into a little math shows the following handy
long topspin baseline rally where both relationships: S1 = (X – 1,500) ÷ 2 and S2
players are hitting the ball at the same = (X + 1,500) ÷ 2 for a fast court rally,
speed straight up and down the middle while S1 = (X – 2,000) ÷ 2 and S2 = (X +
of the court. A typical rally is shown in 2,000) ÷ 2 in a slow court rally. If we sub-
Fig. 1 where the ball travels over the net stitute X = 1,500 rpm for a fast court and
with spin S1, bounces off the court with X = 2,000 rpm for a slow court then S1
spin S2, and comes off the strings with = 0 in each case. The player therefore
spin S1. Provided both players keep hit- needs to change the spin by at least
ting the ball at the same speed and at 1,500 rpm on a fast court and 2,000 rpm
the same height over the net, the ball on a slow court to return the ball with
will get stuck in a groove where it spins topspin. Otherwise the ball will be
clockwise at S1 or S2 while it travels left returned without spin or with backspin.
to right and then spins counter-clock- Figure 2a shows a slow court rally when
wise at S1 or S2 as it travels back from X = 2,000 rpm, S1 = 0, and S2 = 2,000
right to left. The spin changes from S1 to rpm. Fig. 2b shows a slow court rally
S2 every time the ball hits the court and when X = 3,000 rpm, S1 = 500 rpm, and
it changes from S2 back to S1 every time S2 = 2,500 rpm. Figures 3a and 3b show
the player hits the ball. In reality the the corresponding situations on a fast
speeds and spins will change during the court: Fig. 3a when X = 2,000 rpm, S1 =
rally but it is easier to figure out what is 250 rpm, and S2 = 1,750 rpm; Fig. 3b
happening if we assume that the speeds when X = 3,000 rpm, S1 = 750 rpm, and
and spins remain constant for at least S2 = 2,250 rpm.
two consecutive hits. Note that the spin off a slow court is
faster, but that makes it harder, not eas-
SPIN OFF THE COURT ier, for the player to return the ball with
When a ball hits the court in a rally situ- topspin. Q

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We tested the 16-gauge Synthetic Gut ament scored well above average or better about as easy 22
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Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on a con- to date, in overall score. This is especially somewhat better 10
stant-pull machine. impressive considering its midrange price. about as playable 6
After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed Only one playtester broke his sample, not quite as playable 14
stiffness measured 67 RDC units, repre- after 11 hours of play, which in itself is not nearly as playable 1
senting an 8 percent tension loss. Our con- noteworthy.
OVERALL DURABILITY
trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original (compared to other strings
Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi- CONCLUSION of similar gauge)
ately after stringing and 71 RDC units after The overwhelmingly positive comments Number of testers who said it was:
24 hours, representing a 9 percent tension about Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament much better 2
loss. Synthetic Gut Multifilament added 13 are entirely consistent with the fact that— somewhat better 9
about as durable 19
grams to the weight of our unstrung on average—the members of our playtest
not quite as durable 3
frame. team played with the test sample almost
not nearly as durable 0
Synthetic Gut Multifilament is easy to as long as they normally use their favorite
install, as attested by our playtesters. It has string, which comes out to a full seven RATING AVERAGES
a nice feel to it, and is soft without being hours longer than the minimum require- From 1 to 5 (best)
problematic on blocked holes. ment for the playtest. This is underscored Playability (#10 overall to date) 3.8
No playtester broke his sample during by the fact that the lowest rating it Durability 3.7
Power 3.3
stringing, none reported problems with received is still well above average, making
Control (#5 overall to date) 3.8
coil memory, only one reported problems it a well-balanced string that doesn’t have
Comfort 3.7
tying knots, and only one reported friction to sacrifice in one area to excel in another.
Touch/Feel 3.5
burn. As the name implies, Prince Synthetic Spin Potential 3.3
Gut Multifilament builds on the heritage Holding Tension 3.5
ON THE COURT and credibility of Prince Synthetic Gut, Resistance to Movement 3.5
The string was tested for five weeks by adding even more playability. If you think

TESTERS TALK
level than many natural guts and the playabili-
“ I usually do not refer to synthetic strings as
gut-like, but in this case, it does apply. This
ty is amazing. Highly recommended if you like
string is comfortably firm and powerful. After

comfortable strings with controllable zip.
”
4.5 male all-court player using Volkl DNX 10 Mid
a short break-in period, this string became soft strung at 60 pounds LO (Natural Gut 16)
and even more powerful. Feel, comfort, and
playability were above average and possibly
better than any nylon I’ve used!
” “ This has all the playing characteristics of
natural gut without the fraying. This string is
4.0 male all-court player using Volkl V1 Classic
without question the best I’ve tried in a long
strung at 60 pounds CP (Natural Gut 16)
time. The comfort and playability are
“ Just when I thought nylon was out of

excellent.
”
4.5 male baseliner with heavy spin using Wilson
tricks, I discover a rare treat. This is one of Hyper Hammer 4.3 PH strung at 62 pounds LO
those strings that would play comfortable (Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 1.24 17)
across the tension range. It has wonderful
shock-absorbing qualities without sacrificing
feel. The tension maintenance is exceptional. “ This string has that elusive combination of
control and power. Its resistance to movement
Given its low trampoline effect (a common dis-
ease of multis), the stringbed plays with
is impressive.
”
5.0 male all-court player using Head Flexpoint Radi-
refreshing predictability and on-demand
cal MP strung at 60 pounds LO (Gamma ESP 17)
power, i.e., I didn’t have to adjust my strokes,
control and power were simply there. After a
while, I forgot I was testing. This is not a niche
string, it does everything well. It’s got loads of
“ This string produces good power, spin, and
control. It plays soft initially and settles after
several hours of play. There is little to no string
bite and dwell time for topspin, and excellent
movement. I would recommend this string to
depth and trajectory control for flat drives. This
string inspires confident tennis.
”
5.0 male all-court player using Wilson nPro strung
heavy hitters.
”
4.0 male all-court player using Head Flexpoint Pres-
tige MP strung at 62 pounds CP (Luxilon Big
at 62 pounds LO (Babolat Superfine Play 17)
Banger Original Rough 16)
“ This string is very easy to install and even

easier to play with. It has a higher comfort
For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members
can visit RacquetTECH.com.
(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)
FREE PLAYTEST STRING PROGRAM

Prince has generously offered to send a free set of Synthetic Gut
Multifilament to the first 500 USRSA members who request it.
To get your free set, just cut out (or copy) this coupon and mail it to:
USRSA, Attn: Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament String Offer,
330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084
or fax to 760-536-1171
Offer expires January 15th, 2007 One set of free string per USRSA
membership. Offer only available to USRSA members in the US.
FREE! Prince Synthetic Gut Multifilament!

Offer expires January 15th 2007
Name:
USRSA Member number:
Phone:
Email:
If you print your email clearly, we will notify you when your sample will be sent.

tips and TECHNIQUES
Readers’ Know-How in Action

FINDING FACTS FAST stringing machine, keep the bottle away them, they are pre-formed to follow the
from the machine! Bottles can tip over form and shape of the racquet. It makes
and spill, damaging your machine. My their installation a lot easier!
advice is to apply the alcohol to the cloth Forten Tournament Bag to:
and walk the cloth over to the machine. Terry Boyle, Columbine Valley, CO
This way, there is no chance for an acci-
dent to occur. TLC FOR THE RDC
5 sets of Wilson NXT OS 16L to: I was getting varied swingweight readings
Fred S. McWilliams, CS, Arlington, TX on my Babolat Racquet Diagnostic Center
(RDC). I took the cover off and found that
BUMPERGUARD STORAGE there is a ball bearing system on top that
Finding the stringing pattern for common I keep my bumper guards in a smallish is exposed to dust from outside the
frames in the Stringer’s Digest is a step box that forces them into the shape of a machine. I blew the dust out with com-
that can be made a little quicker. Instead mild arc. This way when I need to install pressed air and sprayed the ball bearings
of just putting plain tape on the page I with a silicone lubricant, and it works con-
want to mark, I use my own string labels, sistently again.
writing the racquet name in the "String" 5 sets of Gamma Flex Core Control 16
field. This allows me to flip to the right & Gamma Hat & Gamma T-Shirt to:
page in the book in about two seconds. Dan Kerr, Warton, ONT, Canada
5 sets of Ashaway MonoGut 17 to:
Greg Jastrzab, Kearney, NJ BETTER CLAMP CLEANER
Instead of using an alcohol-soaked cloth
CAREFUL CLEANING or a regular pipe cleaner, I've found using
When using rubbing alcohol to clean a decorative pipe cleaners packaged as

ment also seems to reduce the likelihood for the next stencil job.
that the string will slip, too. 5 sets of Volkl Power-Fiber 18 to:
5 sets of Klip Synthetic Gut 16 & a Klip Dan Kerr, Warton, ONT, Canada
Hat to:
Steve Huff, Mechanicsville, VA —Greg Raven Q
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by

CLEANER STENCILING
USRSA members, and appearing in this column,
I use my workbench to stencil. It can be
have all been gathered into a single volume of
messy but, before starting, I spread out
the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Service Tech-
Chenille Stems found in craft stores much pages from my local newspaper. When I niques which is a benefit of USRSA membership.
better. They are longer and have a sturdy am done, I discard the top sheet of the Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St.,
core wire with soft bristles. Bend into a U newspaper, and have a clean work surface Vista, CA 92804; or email [email protected].
shape, dip in alcohol and easily clean
clamps and gripper with one hand while
gently maintaining the gap between the
gripping surfaces with the other (never
clamp down on the wire). I do this often
and seldom have to disassemble for brush
cleaning.
5 sets of Head FiberGEL Power 16 to:
Eldon Whitlow, Pekin, IN
STARTING
WITHOUT SLIPPAGE
As others have pointed out, pulling ten-
sion on the first center main puts a lot of
stress on the clamp holding the other cen-
ter main. With no string tension behind it
to help, that first clamp can and will
move. To eliminate any clamp movement
when pulling that first center main, posi-
tion the clamp so that it is up against the
6 or 12 o'clock mounting post. Tightening
the first center main string will cause the
clamp to pull up against the mounting
post, at which point it’s not going to
move any farther. Preventing clamp move-

ask the EXPERTS
Your Equipment Hotline

RACQUETS GOING SOFT
DO RACQUETS GO SOFT WITH
process. Most defects are small, or not in
an area where they can be a problem. In A IN ADDITION TO FLIERS, YOU COULD
also do a website, on which you make
Q age, and if so, how do you mea-

sure it?
cold temperatures the material will grow
those defects quicker and tend to fail
more catastrophically. Most frames that
available information for customers and
potential customers. To draw customers to
visit your website, you could start an e-mail
A ALL RACQUETS DO “GO SOFT”

with age, partially due to tempera-
ture cycling and partially due to impact
have developed problems due to cold
will tend to crack on the inside of the
frame hoop, because the material in this
newsletter. It doesn’t have to be very long,
or contain earth-shattering information, and
you can even report on news of interest to
stress. With wood racquets, the typical fail- area is under tension, and carbon and your local tennis community. Tell your fellow
ure when subjected to temperature ceramics are not as strong under ten- players that you are starting an e-mail list for
extremes is either to warp (in the case of sion. local tennis news, and start collecting e-mail
heat) or crack/crush (in the case of cold). Modern composite racquets are addresses. Each time you send out a
The typical failure from impact is breakage. much more resilient to impact-related newsletter, include your website address.
According to materials engineer Tom damage than wooden racquets, but You are right not to approach shop own-
Kosinski, the carbon fiber and graphite in repeated impacts over time do promote ers or managers during tournaments—
modern racquets are subject to the same the propagation of microscopic cracks, unless the stringing team is clearly
stresses as wood frames, but they usually just as thermal cycling does. Also, the overwhelmed. It couldn’t hurt to approach
fail differently. When heated, the filler stress of re-stringing can speed the them during a slack time, to see if they have
material (resin in most cases) will tend to breakdown of the composite matrix. any need for an overflow stringer. It’s also
expand slightly, and will become more pli- Even so, softening happens very poor form to put up a flier for your services
able. The overall strength and modulus of slowly over time. Most players won’t be at the pro shop, and this extends to any
the carbon fiber are such that you do not able to feel it happening because they courts that are adjacent to the pro shop.
really notice the expansion, and the will adjust to the softening as it happens. One big boost you can give your market-
greater the ratio of pure fiber to resin, the The only way to measure the amount of ing efforts is to get USRSA certification. If
less expansion there will be. “softening” is to use diagnostic equip- there are other certified stringers or Master
Given enough temperature extremes ment such as the Babolat Racquet Diag- Racquet Technicians (MRTs) in your area,
and enough temperature cycles over time, nostic Center (RDC) or RA Test Machine. you’ll need to be certified, as well, to com-
however, even the best modern materials Most players cannot afford devices such pete, and if there are no certified stringers
will begin to develop microscopic cracks. It as these, so those who want to track this or MRTs in your area, certification will give
is common in composites for temperature softening will need to find a local shop you a tremendous advantage. Depending on
cycling to cause the materials to fail on a or club that has one. In order to mea- your area, players may have a lot of stringers
microscopic level, developing small cracks sure the change in flex of a racquet, you to whom they can turn. If you’re the only
in the material matrix. Over time, these have measure the flex when the racquet certified stringer or MRT, you have a great
cracks grow and cluster, and the material is new, using a calibrated device, so you selling point when talking with potential
starts to “soften.” This is the mechanism can continue to measure the flex over customers, and it will look good on your
that people experience when their carbon- time and compare current readings to website and e-mails.
fiber frames have seen a lot of use, and the initial readings. In addition to passing out fliers, you can
the frame doesn't seem to have the punch also put up fliers with tear-off tabs at the
anymore. The frame will not look any dif- MARKETING AVENUES bottom with your contact information. Post
ferent, but the material has lost the char- these at public courts where there is no pro
acteristics it had when new.
In the cold, especially with frames
strung at very high tensions, the frames
Q I'M WONDERING HOW I CAN
promote my stringing business
beyond handing out fliers. Clubs
have their pros doing stringing at local
shop. Public-court players are "fair game,"
although you still want to tread lightly
because they may string their own racquets,
tend to crack and snap. While the materi- events so I always feel uncomfortable or they may have their best friend in the
als are best under compression, microscop- marketing myself around there. Should I whole world stringing for them.
ic cracking will still occur, and the colder it ask the local pro shops if I can provide Finally, we have compiled many other
gets the more brittle the material backup when they get overwhelmed? I marketing tips from other USRSA members
becomes. Typical failures in extreme cold seem to be walking on eggshells wher- over the years. All of these tips can be
include the development of microscopic ever I market myself in the tennis com- found on our website at www.usrsa.com or
cracks and the enlargement of other munity. Short of opening up a retail in the Racquet Service Techniques book of
defects in the material matrix. Every frame store, how do stringers typically grow the Stringer’s Digest.
has some defects in it after the molding their business? —Greg Raven Q
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email: [email protected].
Your Serve
A Growing Tennis Village
The TIA’s executive director says collaborations within the industry are
what lead to the growth of the sport. BY JOLYN DE BOER
O
ver the last 10 years, I’ve come to think eating, and then meeting back up on amazing people in this industry. After eight
of the Tennis Industry Association as lighted courts later so we could play after years, I started my own marketing and
Switzerland—a neutral ground where dark. We had courts along the river, on advertising agency, working with the likes
ideas can be freely explored and developed, the mountain overlooking the city, under of Stan Smith, the Family Circle Cup, the
where all brands can live in harmony, and where the viaduct, at schools and parks—too South Carolina Tennis Association, the TIA,
there is a collective group of manufacturers, many to recall. and many other businesses. I realized, how-
organizations, retailers, teaching pros, court con- While my formal instruction was main- ever, that the TIA was where I belonged.
tractors, facilities, pro groups, and tennis media ly through the schools, my tennis game
who all are working for the good of the sport. wasn't about the competition as much as A BRIGHT FUTURE
All of these constituents have ownership in the the social aspect. It was great fun. I was The TIA is a group of positive people work-
TIA and its mission, which is to promote the an unofficial missionary for the game ing for a common good, who want only
growth and economic vitality of tennis. back then, convincing friends and family the best for tennis. That spirit of collabora-
In 1995 I started working directly for members to pick up a racquet. tion has been pervasive in the organization
then-TIA President Kurt Kamperman. That I converted my future husband, a for many years. Our board, our members,
year, we announced the Grow the Game and the participating partners—many who
Initiative at the Super Show in Atlanta—the give a percentage of their sales—enable the
start of numerous collaborative efforts
“Industry-wide collabora- TIA to “perform” to its fullest. The USTA is
among industry businesses and organizations in tennis make for a major partner in our success, too, and we
tions. When Kurt moved on to his current very much value our growing, positive rela-
position as USTA chief executive of Com- successful ventures. And tionship.
munity Tennis, I knew it would be great for Through our research partners Sports
tennis and a positive relationship-builder for that's what is truly unique Marketing Surveys, W&W Services Inc., and
the TIA. Taylor Research Group, the TIA produces
Jim Baugh succeeded Kurt as TIA presi-
about the TIA.” more than 80 market intelligence reports
dent, and during his three-year term I saw commercial airline pilot, to switch careers and surveys annually, including the annual
single-minded passion that resulted in suc- to tennis. Since 1990, he has been the Participation Study, plus consumer and cen-
cessful launches of the Tennis Welcome director of tennis at Sea Pines Resort on sus reports that monitor ball and racquet
Center and Cardio Tennis initiatives. Hilton Head Island, S.C. The majority of shipments.
It underscores a basic fact I've observed: my former tennis friends are still avid The TIA remains focused on improving
Industry-wide collaborations in tennis make players and many have made it their the health of the game for all constituents.
for successful ventures. And that's what is career, including me. Nearly 24 years ago Tennis is on the rise and all areas of the
truly unique about the TIA. This spirit carries my path was re-connected to tennis, the industry are working together to keep the
us into 2007, with new TIA President Dave last decade with the TIA. I feel very fortu- momentum going.
Haggerty of Head/Penn, and a fully commit- nate to work in this game I love. When I visit my hometown these days,
ted Board of Directors and Executive Com- Throughout my history in business, I’ve it’s good to see the tennis courts in Hamp-
mittee, which includes Jon Muir of Wilson, worked directly with—and learned den Park are full of tennis players, not
Doug Fonte of Prince, and Kurt Kamperman from—many great leaders and visionaries. skateboarders.
of the USTA. Our board members are lead- After college, I worked for retail legend And it makes me proud to be part of
ers in business who make up all areas of the Albert Boscov in the special events and this growing tennis village. Q
industry and give the TIA depth and direc- marketing department of Boscov’s
tion. The TIA is everyone’s vehicle to impact Department Stores. Then I was hired by
tennis. the president of Club Med to help estab- Avid player Jolyn de Boer is
lish their first retail sales office in Manhat-
the executive director of the
MY EARLY TENNIS TRIBE tan.
Growing up in Reading, Pa., tennis was a In the early 1980s, my “pilot-turned- Tennis Industry Association.
major part of my life. Every day after school, tennis-pro” husband and I moved to
anywhere from eight to 16 (or more) of us Hilton Head, and I became the marketing
We welcome your opinions. Please email
would be at various courts around the city. and advertising director for Dennis Van comments to [email protected] or fax
We’d take turns playing, doing homework, der Meer, where I met the first of many them to 760-536-1171.

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January 2007

Volume 35 Number 1 $5.00

7 New “String Center” software

34 A Tennis Wish List 12 College coaches honored by

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

A Solid Foundation Publishers

T here’s been a lot of good news in tennis lately. Par-

RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

Nitsche Named New “String Center” Software

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7

Atlanta to Host CTDW in February USPTA Provides

Head Adds to Metallix, Airflow Racquet Lines Ashaway Renews Deal

8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

Dunlop Introduces Southern Section Loses Marc Kaplan

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

PTR, Centre Court Tennis Offers

TCA Re-Brands as Midtown Athletic Clubs Delray Event to Test New

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

PTR Announces New Top-Selling Racquets at Specialty Stores

ITA Names Small-College Winners Top-Selling Tennis Shoes

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

College Coaches USRSA MEMBER CLASSIFIEDS

12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2 007

USRSA Adds New Salesperson

Tecnifibre Adds Frames to Elite Series

PE4life Announces Growth Plan

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

tion, and service in tennis for special popula-

TSRs Visit For a Good Cause

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15

O Prince Adds New Strings, Grips

Head Island, S.C., and Kay

16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

Fischer Tennis Has IBM, Heineken Renew

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17

Lee’s Facility Analysis Survey Offers

C performance of your clay courts?

18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21

22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23

PTR on Campus Program

24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

Against the Wall

26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

leges and employers alike, is "regional" Q No loafing—online students need to be

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

T ber and variety available is mind-boggling, to say the

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31

34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35

36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007

January 2007 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 37

O Sports Builders Association to bring you examples of excel-

38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY January 2007