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February 2008Volume 36 Number 2 $5.00

OUTLOOK 2008The latest in racquets,

shoes and apparelHow OnlineEnrollment Will

Boost Your Business

OUTLOOK 2008The latest in racquets,

shoes and apparelHow OnlineEnrollment Will

Boost Your Business


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DEPARTMENTS

R S I F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8ContentsContentsINDUSTRY NEWS 7 Luxilon launches new

Alu Power Spin string

7 Prince website receives honors8 Split Step apparel line debuts8 Wilson, USTA extend US Ope

stringing contract

8 Prince Pro Shop opens atAAYTE facility

9 Longwood indoor courts useHinding Cushion Extreme

9 NGI Sports adds newAussie Clay surface

10PBI picks Prince as officialequipment provider

10TennisWorks offers solutionsfor clubs, retailers

11 Ashaway offers new AMPScourt shoe

12Navratilova to cover GrandSlams for Tennis Channel

13Sharapova debuts Goldbag collection

13National Cardio Tennisworkshops scheduled

4 Our Serve 7 Industry News15 TIA News & Updates16 Your Business: Liability Insurance

19 Facility Managers Manual

22 Community Programs42 String Playtest: Wilson Champions Choice44 Ask the Experts46 Tips and Techniques

48 Your Serve, by Greg Raven

OUTLOOK 200825Whats in Store for the New Year?

New racquets, shoes and apparel will help makeyour customers playing experience the bestpossible.

26Newand Improved!Racquet manufacturers are both building on thesuccesses of past models and adding hot newframes to their lines.

30Functional FunWith game-winning fabrications and plenty of color, new tennis apparel offers something forplayers of every stripe.

34Foot NotesFrom fine-tuning successful lines to adding newmodels, footwear companies areproviding players with plenty of options.

February 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

FEATURES

36Business That ClicksBy offering online program enrollment, youllhave greater participation, reduced costs andbetter customer retention.

40Make the ConnectionThe relationships you cultivate are essential toyour success in this business.


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emember when the internet was new, when sim-ply sending and receiving email or visiting a web-site was a wonder of technology?

Now, just about anything you do has some sort of internet compo-nent to it. And consumers have come to expect this, because it makestheir lives easier. But as a retailer or tennis facility manager, the inter-net also should be making your life easier, too.

In the tennis business, there are a number of groups committed tousing technology to help this sport growand to help your businessgrow. One of the ways this is happening is by providing tools that makeit easier for customers to find your shop or facility online, to figure outwhat products you carry or programs you run, and to learn more about

how to get involved in tennis.For tennis facilities, one key to using the internet to help your busi-

ness grow is giving consumers the ability to sign up online for courts,leagues, lessons, clinics and other programs. Online program enroll-ment is the future of the tennis business. If you arent offering it at yourfacility, you arent catering to your increasing computer-savvy cus-tomers.

Nowadays, if I cant sign up for or order something online, I actuallyfeel its an inconvenience for me. For your customers, online enroll-ment is a 24/7 convenience. They can go online anytime to book courtsor lessons. And heres the kicker: Theyre not only doing your work foryou (and saving time for you and your staff), but theyre also enjoyinghaving that kind of control.

So not only does online enrollment reduce your costs, it also makesit easy for customers to play more frequentlyand to play more fre-quently at your facility.

Is there a downside to offering online program enrollment? Not real-ly. Sure, there might be fees depending on what you want to offer (suchas adding fee collection or other web-based conveniences), but youllquickly make up those fees and much more through increased partici-pation.

Various companies offer products for online enrollment, and the Ten-nis Industry Association has a number of online enrollment options thatyou can offer your customers (see page 39). Visitwww.GrowingTennis.com to see what will work for your business.

Then, just let the reservations roll in on their own. If youre like otherfacilities that already offer this, youll probably notice court reservationsincreasing, more people playing, lessons and clinics that are full, andless time your staff needs to spend on the phone.

Peter FrancesconiEditorial Director

Our Serve

Get Your Customers Online(IncorporatingRacquet TechandTennis Industry )

PublishersDavid Bone Jeff Williams

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate EditorGreg Raven

Design/Art DirectorKristine Thom

Contributing EditorsRobin BatemanCynthia Cantrell

Rod CrossKristen DaleyJoe DinofferLiza Horan

James Martin

Greg MoranChris NicholsonBob Patterson

Cynthia ShermanMary Helen Sprecher

RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCorporate Offices

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171

Email: [email protected]: www.racquetTECH.com

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

Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna

770-650-1102, [email protected]

Apparel AdvertisingCynthia Sherman

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191-5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly Janu-ary through August and combined issues inSeptember/October and November/December by

Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA92084. Periodicals postagepaid at Hurley,NY 12443and additional mailing offices. February 2008, Vol-ume 36, Number 2 2008 by USRSA and TennisIndustry. All rights reserved. Racquet Sports Indus-try, RSI and logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printedin the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125.Phone circulation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Year-ly subscriptions $ 25 in theU.S., $40elsewhere. POST-MASTER: Send address changes to Racquet SportsIndustry , 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084.

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY February 2008

R

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


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INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSR S I F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

I N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S

The newest addition to the Luxilon Alu Power string line is the AluPower 127 Spin, which is available now. Alu Power Spin is a pen-tagon-shaped version of Alu Power 125, which Luxilon says is

the most used string on the pro tour.Luxilon says the new string provides a lot of bite, which will

help to add spin for players of all levels. Alu Power 127 Spin ismade with the same poly-ether-ether material found in all Big

Banger strings. The new string can be used either as a full set orin a hybrid.Alu Power 127 Spin is the fourth version in the Alu Power

family, which includes the original Alu Power 125, created forplayers who want a combination of power and control; AluPower 125 Rough, for players who want a textured surface; andAlu Power 123 Fluoro, with fluorocarbon added for comfortand control.

Luxilon says its Alu Power family is used by more than 60percent of players on the ATP Tour and 35 percent of players on the SonyEricsson WTA Tour. For more information, visit www.luxilon.com.

Records Point to Momentumfor 2008The USTA says 2007 was oneof the strongest years in near-ly two decades, as tennis inthe U.S. set records in eventattendance, television viewer-ship and recreational partici-pation. From the gamesgrassroots to the professionallevel, we have tremendousmomentum heading into2008, says Jane BrownGrimes, the USTAs presidentand chairman of the board.

QSince 2000, tennis has hadthe fastest growing partici-pation of any major sport.More than 25 millionAmeri-

cans are now playing tennis.This increase in participationhas fueled the four bestconsecutive years of growthfor industry sales since the1970s.

QUS Open total attendancewas a record 715,587, sur-passing the previous high of 659,538 set in 2005. USOpen attendance has grownby more than 100,000 since2000.Total attendance of all

pro tennis events in NorthAmerica topped 2.8 million.

QUS Open SeriesTV viewer-ship topped 46 million forthe first time, more thandoubling in the four yearssince the Series launch.

Q USTA membership hit750,000 for the first time.

Q The U.S. won the Davis Cuptitle for the first time in 12years.


Prince Website Receives Two Awards

Luxilon Launches New Alu Power Spin String

The Prince website, www.princetennis.com, which was redesigned in early 2007, won two websiteawards, a Gold W3 award in the sports category and a Sports Standard of Excellence WebAward.Prince partnered with Dallas-based EmediaEFX to redesign the site. The W3 Awards honor cre-

ative excellence online and recognize the creative and marketing professionals behind these award-winning websites, while the WebAwards name the be st websites in 96 industries.

At Prince, we are completely into tennis. It is not part of a larger business for us, it is our onlybusiness and our web-site reflects that, saysLinda Glassel, Princesvice president of mar-keting. We are con-stantly engaged inconversations with play-ers, coaches and dealersand created this site tomeet their specificneeds. As a tennisleader we are deter-mined to deliver thebest products availableand our website, whichis the online face of thisresurging brand, is noexception.


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


Wilson, USTA ExtendOpen Stringing Contract

The USTA has extended Wilsons contract asthe Official Racquet Stringer of the US Open.The contract extension has given Wilson theexclusive on-site stringing rights through the2009 tournament.

The Wilson Stringing Team assembles everyyear in New York to string for the worlds besttennis players during the three-week event inFlushing Meadows. The stringing team is com-prised of 14 world-class stringers who fly in fromseven countries to string for the Wilson team. In2007, Wilson had a 15 percent increase in rac-quets strung (2,726 racquets) over the previousyear.

For more information, visit www.wilson.com.

Split StepApparel Debuts

Billed as Tennis Clothes for EveryBODY, newcomer Split StepApparel was founded by Iris New-some around her vision of havingclothes for women who struggle withsize and comfort while seeking highfashion. Newsome says Split Stepclothes are high-quality, fun, andsophisticated in high-performance,breathable Dry Flex fabric in great colorsand prints.

The apparel is designed to appeal to awide age range and address the needs of an older demographic with accommo-dating fits grouped according to Freshand Flirty, Classics, and Sassy Sen-

iors, says Newsome. The skirts get ahalf-inch longer with each size andarrange from XS to XL. There are anumber of go-with skirts (with pockets)and tops to choose from. For mo re infor-mation, visit www.splitstepapparel.comor contact Newsome at 720-200-0930 [email protected].

Prince Pro Shop Opens at AAYTEDoug Fonte (left), president of Prince Americas, explains the

qualities of Princes latest tennis racquet to participants inArthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education in Philadelphia, at theopening of the AAYTE Prince Pro Shop.

AAYTE teenagers operate the new retail venture, with netprofits going back to AAYTE for scholarships and programs. Inaddition to racquets, Prince accessories and tennis apparel areon sale.

Thanks to Doug Fonte and Prince, our youngsters areadding entrepreneurship to our other programs of tennisinstruction, academics and life skills, says Tina Tharp, AAYTEexecutive director. AAYTE was recently named RSIs 2007Municipal Facility of the Year.

3 Tapped forHall of Fame Board

The International Tennis Hall of Fame in New-port, R.I., recently elected Ron L. Fowler of

San Diego, Peter Palandjian of Boston, andMary Ann Saleski of Media, Penn., to serve on itsboard of directors. In addition, current Hall of Fame board members Constantine DenoMacricostas and Peter Hurley have been appoint-ed to the Hall of Fames Executive Committee.

Returning to the Hall of Fames board to startnew three-year terms are Bruce Schilling andWilliam H. Webb. The Hall of Fame also extend-ed honors to Billie Jean King, inducted into theHall of Fame in 1987 and winner of 39 GrandSlam titles. King was appointed as a Life Trustee

of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Garrison, FernandezLead Fed Cup Campaign

Former pro doubles partners Zina Garrison andMary Joe Fernandez will serve as captain andcoach of the U.S. Fed Cup Team, respectively,for 2008. In addition, Fernandez will become theU.S. Fed Cup captain in 2009.

Fernandez will work closely with Garrison andthe team for the 2008 Fed Cup campaign as shetransitions from coach to captain. The La Jolla

Beach & Tennis Club in La Jolla, Calif., will host the2008 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinal betweenthe U.S. and Germany on Feb. 2 to 3. The U.S. teamwill include player Lindsay Davenport, making herfirst singles appearance in the U.S. since the 2006US Open.


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NGI Sports Adds Aussie Clay Surface

NGI Sports has introduced NovaProAussieClay as part of its NovaPro series of tennis court surfaces. The manufacturer says the new surface provides playerswith a high performance, cost-effective, low maintenance synthetic court sur-face with play similar to clay, and that its well-suited for areas that have severe waterrestrictions.

AussieClay is similar to a clay court in which sliding is possible, bounce is high,play is slow and it is easy on the players body, says NGI. It consists of a clay-typesurface using a carpet base. The surface canbe installed over concrete, asphalt, or acrushed rock base and is available in terra-cotta and green with a durable colored in-fill.

The worlds top players are training fortennis on clay, says Rick Burke, presidentof NGI Sports. Since roughly half of theworlds ITF Futures and one third of theWTA and ATP tournaments are on clay today there is a definite need for more play-ers to play and train on clay. NovaProAussieClay is a great option for tennis clubs toprovide such a surface.

NovaProAussieClay uses recycled and sustainable elements, and installation doesnot require the use of heavy construction equipment, says NGI. For more informa-tion, call 800-835-0033 or visit www.ngisports.com.

Tennis Channel Opens New Operations Facility

Tennis Channel moved its production and operations activity to a new, state-of-the-art facility near its Los Angeles-area headquarters. The move comes inconjunction with the networks high-definition launch on DIRECTV at the endof 2007.

The new building, located in Culver City, Calif., enables Tennis Channel to cre-ate original programming in its own studio environment and with a master con-trol that will accommodate HD simulcast in 2008. The network has utilized thefacilities and operations services of FOX Sports since its launch in 2003. The oper-ations infrastructure at Tennis Channels new facility also allows for future media

platform development and international broadcast growth.

Longwood Chooses Hindings Cushion Extreme

Hinding Tennis Courts of Guilford,Conn., recently completed reno-vation of the indoor courts at thehistoric Longwood Cricket Club inChestnut Hill, Mass. The Longwoodcovered courts are said to be the oldest

indoor courts in the country.The original surface was a cork

floor and played extremely fast. Long-wood members were looking to keepthe fast surface, but they wanted toadd some cushion to the courts. Afterextensive res earch and playtesting,

Longwood board members chose Hindings Cushion Extreme, a poured-in-place rub-ber system that can be installed both indoors and out.

"We couldn't be more pleased with our new surface, says board member DickSabin. Our membership is up and the players love the cushion and speed of playthat this surface offers. For more information about Cushion Extreme, contact Hind-

ing Tennis at 203-453-4117 or visit www.hindingtennis.com.


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New TennisWorks OffersBusiness Solutions for Clubs, Retailers

Sports InterActive haslaunched TennisWorks, a line of business solutions thathelps tennis clubs, pro shops and specialty dealers

increase their revenue and enhance customer service.Solutions range from court reservation software and

online program enrollment to browsable online product cat-alogs and string business management. The web-basedsoftware can be purchased a la carte or bundled in a pack-age for even more savings.

"Club managers, store owners, and tennis professionalsare looking for easy and affordable ways to promote all theirproducts and services," says Herb Sweren, owner and pres-ident of Sports InterActive LLC. "These applications areaffordable, easy to use, and help managers accomplishmore."

The individual TennisWorks products include String-Works, Nike Online Catalog, Online Store, Online Catalog,ContactWorks, PromoWorks, DesignWo rks and more.

The all-in-one package for playing facilities, called Club-Works, is $89 a month (plus a set-up fee). With ClubWorks,tennis directors can manage their facility and increase par-ticipation. The package also includes StringWorks, Contact-Works, PromoWorks, DesignWorks and a variety of ways topromote your pro shop.

The package for authorized dealers, called RetailWorksSuite, is $79 a month (plus a set-up fee) and is designed so

shop managers can boost sales in-store and/or online.Browsing tools allow website visitors to compile a "Shop-ping List" for in-store or online purchasewhichever thedealer prefers. The package also includes StringWorks, Con-tactWorks, PromoWorks and DesignWorks.

Several of the products previously were marketed underthe name Tennis Commerce Suite, which TennisWorks hasreplaced with a fuller product line and more flexible financ-ing. For more information, visit www.Sports-InterActive.net.

Former Star OBrien OpensPremium Steak Business

Alex OBrien, former No.1-ranked doubles player and win-ner of the US Open mens doubles title in 1999, hasmade the transition from the green grass of Wimbledonto the tall grasses of the Texas plains. His new company, Lit-tlefield Ranch, offers USDA-Prime Texas steaks to individualsand corporations on the web at www.littlefieldranch.com.

In 1927, Will OBrien, Alexs great-grandfather brought10,000 cattle to Amari llo, Texas, Alexs hometown and head-quarters for Littlefield Ranch. Alexs father, Bill, continues thetradition, running Texas Beef, the familys ranching, farmingand cattle-feeding company, which raises more than 200,000cattle a year.

Alex, a 37-year-old Stanford University graduate and pres-ident of Littlefield Ranch, is bringing some of Texas Beefsquality prime steaks directly to the consumer. All cuts areaged for at least 14 days.

OBriens customers include tennis legend Pete Samprasand sportscaster Rich Eisen. Sampras says that after eating attop restaurants around the globe, Never have I had a tastier

steak than Littlefield Ranch.

Wilson Promotes 2, Hires 1

Wilson has promoted Cy Dofitas to promotions coordina-tor, where he will manage logistics for Wilsons promo-tional projects. He most recently served as a serviceaccount specialist at Wilson.

Dan Davis has been promoted to marketing manager forWilson tennis balls. Davis most recently served as territorysales manager in the Southwest region.

Adam Schaechterle is the new junior and college tennismanager at Wilson. Hes a recent graduate of NorthwesternUniversity, where he was a member of Northwestern's varsitytennis team. Hell be responsible for Wilson's junior spon-sored players and college partnerships, including the NCAA

and ITA.

PBI, Prince Form Agreement

Peter Burwash International has announced that Prince willbe the official equipment provider of PBI, to be carried at allinternational PBI locations and used exclusively by its glob-al staff of teaching professionals.

The decision to switch and make Prince the official equip-ment of PBI [after more than 20 years with its former equipmentprovider] is the result of what we have seen from the resurgingPrince brand over the last couple of years," says Peter Burwash,founder and president of PBI (at right, with Princes Doug Fonte).Like Prince, PBI is tennis obsessed, focused on taking playersgames to the next level and we are most comfortable having ourteaching professionals use and recommend Prince products."

PBI, which was founded in 1975, has more than 85 teachingpros and manages the tennis at more than 50 elite resortsaround the world.




Ashaway Offers New AMPS Court Shoe

Anew line of racquetball shoes from Ashaway will bear the signature of worldchampion Jack Huczek. The AMPS (Anatomic Multi-Performance System) line isanatomically molded to the natural shape of the human foot, says Ashaway, andsupports the whole foot, not just the ball and heel, increasing comfort and stability,and reducing foot fatigue.

"The new Ashaway AMPS line is an evolutionary design," says Huczek, who hasbeen wearing Ashaway footwear for some time and was actively involved in thedesign of the new line. "After I played with them, I was totally convinced they are theright shoe for my aggressive style of play."

Ashaway AMPS 311M shoes are designed for serious and recreational racquetball,squash and tennis players who want a dynamic look, ultra com-

fort, and enhanced performance. Built for speed and traction,the AMPS design incorporates wet-grip rubber outsoles,

which provide durability and grip, even on wetsurfaces, says the company.

The key to the new AshawayAMPS Series whole foot supportsystem is the combination of theanatomic mid-sole high reboundinsert, the ASD (Anatomic Stability

Device) inserted into the heel of theshoe, the specially designed dual layer inboard, and the triple layer removable insole,says Ashaway. For more information, contact 800-556-7260, [email protected], or visit www.ashawayusa.com.

Tennis Magazine Lauds Federer, Henin

Roger Federer and Justine Henin were named the 2007 Male and Female Play-ers of the Year by Tennis Magazine in its January/February issue. Federer

earned the honor from Tennis for the fifth consecutive year by capturingthree more Grand Slams, including his record-tying fifth consecutive Wimbledontitle. Despite starting the year with personal issues that forced her to withdrawfrom the Australian Open, Henin posted a 63-4 record an d captured 10 titles,including her third consecutive French Open title, the US Open and the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championship. In the magazine, Pete Sampras wrote aboutFederer and Billie Jean King wrote about Henin.

The Tennis issue also wrapped up last year in tennis, with a look at memorableAces and Faults, including:Q Best mens match: Federer def. Nadal Wimbledon Final.Q Best womens match: Henin def. Sharapova at the season-ending Sony Ericsson

Champio nships in Madrid.

Q Best Point: Henin vs V. Williams at 5-all in the first set of the US Open, where theplayers traded 16 hard-hit ground strokes. Williams won the point but Heninwon the match.

Q Best shot: Nadal vs Federer at 7-6, 4-5 15-all at Wimbledon backhand passingshot.

Q Most improved: Novak Djokovic, who won five titles including two Masters Seriesevents in Miami and Canada, and reached his first Grand Slam final at the USOpen.

Q Biggest disappointment: Maria Sharapovawas expected to take the next stepin 2007 but did not.

Q Fashion police: FashionistasSharapova and Federer; Dull DuoHenin andRoddick; Wrong DirectionS.Williams and Nadal.


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> Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Educationhas received an unexpected $10,000 grantfrom the Claire Giannini Fund. The late ClaireGiannini Hoffman was the daughter of A.P.Giannini, founder of the Bank of America.The San Francisco-based Fund does notaccept donation requests; administrators dotheir own research and make awards accord-ingly. The grant will be used for the Love toServe program, which focuses on reducingthe dropout rate among Philadelphia schoolchildren by rallying the community aroundneighborhood tennis courts. In November,AAYTE was named RSIs 2007 Municipal Facil-ity of the Year.

> Tennis Talk, a new radio show on WLAC1510 AM in Nashville, recently won the Ten-nessee Tennis Associations Media ExcellenceAward. The show is co-hosted by USPTA andPTR pro Bill Riddle, who is the head coach atCumberland University and the tennis directorat the Bluegrass Yacht and Country Club, andRichard Falken, a longtime recreational playerand head of a production and entertainmentcompany.

> The 2008 World TeamTennis regular sea-son will be July 3-23. The WTT ChampionshipWeekend presented by Advanta will be July24-27 on the home court of the defendingWTT Champions, the Sacramento Capitals.Now in its 33rd season, the WTT Pro Leaguehas teams in 10 markets. For the 2008 sea-

son, five teams will advance to the WTTChampionship Weekend to battle for theKing Trophy. Team lineups will be finalizedat the WTT Player Draft on April 1 inMiami. Visit www.WTT.com.

> On Court with USPTA, the cable TVshow produced by the USPTA, received theGold Award in the Ava Awards 2007 com-petition. The award-winning episode, Askthe ProfessorEpisode 1, which aired onthe Tennis Channel, won in the category ofvideo/film/sports. On Court is a 20-minute instructional show featuringUSPTA-certified professionals as guestinstructors.

> The six-court Windstar on Naples Bayresort in Florida will feature a program runby Peter Burwash International. PBI pro TimBustle will be the tennis director.

> The International Tennis Hall of Fameannounced eight ballot nominees for pos-sible induction in July 2008. Recent Playernominees are Michael Chang, SergiBruguera and Michael Stich. In the MasterPlayer category are Owen Davidson andAndres Gimeno. Contributor nominees areDonald Dell, the late Mark McCormackand the late Eugene Scott. The 2008induction class will be announced in Janu-ary. The ceremony will be July 12 at the Hallof Fame in Newport, R.I.

SHORT SETS> Beyond Tennis is a new group onwww.XING.com where visitors can discusshow to achieve technical, tactical andphysical peak performance, as well asexplore how the game can be a businessnetworking tool in the global marketplace.There is no fee to join. The moderators areCarlos and Robert Salum.

> The USTA Middle States Eastern Penn-sylvania District recently selected WinningTouch Tennis of Lehigh Valley as its TennisClub of the Year. The indoor complex usesUniversal Fabric Structures Sporthallstructure. For information about UniversalFabric Structures, visit www.ufsinc.com orcall 800-634-8368.

> MyTennisWorld.net is a new tennissocial network by tennis industry veteranDr. Martin G. Baroch. Visit the site to findout how to create your own tennis profile, join groups with others of similar interests,learn more about the pro and recreationalgame, create blogs, and more.

> Instructional DVDs produced by theUSPTA are now available at all Atlanta PGATour Superstores, which carry golf and ten-nis equipment and supplies. The USPTADVDs, which retail for just under $20, fea-ture instruction and drills by top USPTA-certified tennis-teaching professionals, aswell as interviews with them.

Martina Navratilova to CoverGrand Slams For Tennis Channel

Tennis Channel has signed tennis legend Martina Navratilo-va as primary commentator during all Grand Slam tourna-

ments on the network in 20 08. The Hall of Famer andwinner of more singles titles than any other tennis player inhistory, male or female, was scheduled to cover the AustralianOpen in January and then the French and Wimbledon for thechannel.

In May 2007, Navratilova (in photo, surrounded by TennisChannel personnel Ken Solomon, David Egdes, Bill Macateeand John McEnroe) made her Tennis Channel debut during thechannels French Open coverage.

Our approach is what U.S. television audiences have want-ed for so long: round-the-clock coverage and the best actionfrom court to court as it happens, says Navratilova. Im real-

ly proud of what we accomplished and to be associated withthe advances were bringing to televised tennis.




Sharapova Debuts GoldCollection In Australia

Maria Sharapova debuted a new line of on-court bags atthe Australian Open, the Sharapova Gold Collection.The bags are designed by Sharapova and produced inpartnership with Prince Sports.

I had the best time taking this collection from initialdrawings to final product, says Sharapova. They aresupreme quality tennis bags and totes designed specificallyto meet the needs of players.

The bag line is available in a six-pa ck, triple, tote, mini toteand backpack. Made primarily of heavy-duty gold nylon, the outside of the bags alsofeature accents of black in the strap and quilted black patent leather for the Princelogo. Suggested retail prices range from $50 to $120. Visit www.princetennis.com.

2-Day Workshops Slated for Cardio Tennis

In 2008, there will be four National Cardio Tennis Workshops, scheduled forAtlanta, Houston, Southern California and the USTA Mid-Atlantic section. The

workshops are designed for all Cardio Tennis sites, whether new or experiencedin the program.

The two-day workshops cover all topics regarding Cardio, including the standardcurriculum, music, heart-rate monitors, games, marketing and special segmentssuch as kids, seniors and starter players. The Atlanta workshop will be April 13-14at the Midtown Athletic Club at Windy Hill; the Houston event will be May 3-4 at theHouston Racquet Club. Schedules for the other two workshops have not yet beenfinalized. For more information or to register for these workshops, visitwww.GrowingTennis.com and click on training/workshops.


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Steve Schultz isthe new Western region-al manager for DunlopRacquet Sports. The

appointment is part of an

overall plan to increase thecompanys coverage and service

to the pro and specialty sales channel.Other recent appointments by Dunlop

include naming Chris Merrill the SouthernCalifornia territory manager and Mike Wilsonthe territory manager in New England.

Imperial Headwear, a manufacturer of cus-tomized active sports headwear, has namedGary Machholz as its new national salesmanager for tennis. In his new role, Mach-

holz will be responsible for establishing andbuilding a tennis division. Prior to his newpost, Machholz was at Rocky MountainSports, where he initiated and managed theadiPlayer Preferred Player Program for Adi-das. He is a teaching professional and mem-

ber of the USPTA. For information aboutImperial Headwear, visitwww.ImperialHeadwear.com, or call 800-950-1916.

Babolat has hired DavidDwelle as regional salesmanager, responsible forthe Southern region ofthe U.S. Dwelle has beenin the tennis industry formore than 13 years and comes to Babolat

fromAdidas, where hespecialized in tennis appar-el, shoes and accessories for thepast five years. Prior to that, hewas national sales manager for Balle

de Match.

American John Isner and world No. 3Jelena Jankovic of Serbia both switched tothe new Prince O3 Speedport White racquetthe week before playing in the AustralianOpen in January. The frame is available intwo string patterns. Isner will use the 16 x 19pattern, while Jankovic will use the denser18 x 19 O3 Speedport Pro White. For moreinformation, visit www.princetennis.com.

Tennis Channel has promoted executives inboth its programming and productiondepartments. The programming depart-ments David Scott advances from director ofacquisitions and program planning to execu-tive director of acquisitions and programplanning. Productions Bob Whyley rises fromdirector of production to coordinating pro-ducer.

Fila has signed an endorsement agreementwith WTA Top-20 player Agnes Szavay. In

2008, Szavay will debut Filas tennis perform-ance collection, which was inspired by Filastennis fashions from the 1970s, in a strikingred, black and white color palette. Fila willincorporate Szavay and other sponsored ath-letes in a womens product and marketingcampaign in 2008.

Wilson Racquet Sports has signed anendorsement deal with 17-year-old ATP proKei Nishikori, who will be playing with the[K] Tour 95 racquet in 2008 events. Nishiko-ris agreement includes racquets, tennis bags,strings, grips and other Wilson accessories.

Todd Martin will join the field of tennischampions at The Oliver Group ChampionsCup, the first event on the 2008 OutbackChampions Series, held March 12-16 atThe Players Club & Spa at Lely Resort.Martin, a finalist at the 1994 Aus-tralian Open and the 1999 USOpen, will be making hisChampions Seriesdebut.

P E O P L E W A T C H

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8



2008 GSS SymposiumString Symposium FeaturesNatural Gut Seminar

Unless you string with natural gut regularly, the process can beintimidating, even for an experienced racquet technician. The2008 Grand Slam Stringers Symposium, to be held in Octoberin Orlando, Fla., will feature a natural gut seminar that promises tohelp stringers at every level of experience.

At the 2007 GSS Symposium, the Art of Stringing with Natural Gut seminarwas led by Tim Strawn, Richard Parnell and Roger Dalton, each of whom havestrung at several Wimbledon tournaments. The three provided interesting insightsto working comfortably with natural gut. Dalton of Bow Brand provided an inform-ative behind-the-scenes look at the labor-intensive manufacturing process.

For the 2008 Symposium, the three will be joined by Francis Davies, who hasheaded up the Bow Brand stringing team at Wimbledon for 13 years. The seminarwill include tips, techniques and demonstrations on how to handle natural gut dur-ing the stringing process, including weaving techniques to maintain string integrityand tips to make installing gut easy.

This year, the USRSA joins the GSS Symposium as title sponsor. For more infor-mation about the Symposium, visit www.grandslamstringers.com.

FREE ADMISSION TO THE 2008 GSS STRINGERS SYMPOSIUMGSS is waving the $495 symposium fee for one lucky winner.

Just cut out this coupon and mail it to:

Baselines Racquet Sports LLC4710 Norwood St SW, Roanoke, Va 24018

One entry per month, per person please. Drawing will be held July 15th, 2008.Offer good for symposium admission only. Travel, lodging, and food not included.

Name ___________________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________

Phone ___________________________________________________________

Email ____________________________________________________________

winner will be notified by phone and email - please write legibly!

2008 GSS Symposium


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T I A N E W S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

Tennis Participation Tops 25 Million PlayersNews You Can Use!

As we moveinto 2008, newsof tennis as thefastest growingtraditional sportshould make

everyone in this industry takenotice. The synergies from allsectors of the industry, playersand pros project a bright newyear.

We have the interest from themainstream, now we need toanswer that demand.Technolo-gy is helping us give consumersonline access to programs,other players and places toplay.Through the GrowingTen-nis system facilities and retail-ers can publicize theirinformation, plus, new onlineenrollment tools (see page 36)create an even greater returnfor participation and revenue.

QuickStartTennis will get morekids engaged;Tennis WelcomeCenters and Cardio Tennis siteskeep the sport fun and healthy;and teaching pros are our first-line offensive team to keepnew players committed.

With consumer queries dou-bling, now is the time to takeadvantage of these f ree tools

and services at GrowingTennis.com to grow your businessand our sport!

NEWS & UPDATESNEWS & UPDATES

Participation & PlayersTennis is theonly traditional sport tohave a positive participation changesince 2000, according to the 2006SGMA SuperStudy. The sport has had a12.2% increase, while other participa-tion sports, including baseball, basket-

ball, swimming, and soccer, areshowing declines.QIn 2006, frequent playerswhich are the

heart of your marketincreased to 5.2million, a 10% rise since 2003.

Q6.1 million new players began playingtennis in 2006.

Jolyn de Boer

February 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

The number of tennis players in 2007 grewto 25.1 million, according to the USTA/TIAannual Tennis Participation Study. Its the

first time since 1999 that participation has topped25 million players.

The 2007 Tennis Participation Study is onecomponent of the new Tennis Health Index.Although final numbers on tennis industry growthwont be in for a few more months, year-in-reviewfiguresbased on data from the TIA, USTA, Taylor

Research, and Sports Marketing Surveysa relooking strong. Other highlights include:Q Adult league programming jumped from 11.6

hours per week in 2005 to 13.3 hours perweek in 2007.

Q Racquet shipments to retailers are up 37 per-cent and ball shipments are up 14 percentsince 2003.

Q Sales of youth racquets show the biggest gains,with a 50 percent increase since 2003.

Growing the Sport at Every LevelT ennis has been gaining momentum on many fronts over the last few years. Here are just a few of the Fast Facts about the sport that you should know about, compiled from TIA and USTA data.

Industry SalesRacquet sales have been booming,up 29.7% since 2003.QRacquet sales continue to increase in

2007, up 12.2% over 2006 for thefirst three quarters.

QYear-end total ball shipments in 2006increased 8.1% (in units) over 2005and are up 11.5% since 2003.

QBall shipments in the first three quar-ters of 2007 have increased 3.4% vs.2006 figures.

QConsumer purchases over the inter-net have increased in all categoriesapart from tennis balls.

US OpenFor the first time in the history of theevent, US Open attendance topped715,587, surpassing the previous all-time high of 659,538. The US Openremains the highest attended annualsporting event in the world.

QUSOpen.org website traffic increased11%, with more than 30 million visits and7.3 million unique visitors.

QOver 75 million people watched all orsome of the 2007 US Open on television,which was broadcast to more than 180countries.

(US Open data from the USTA)

Grassroots InitiativesWith Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis,and now the new QuickStart Tennis format,the sport has plenty of new ways to growlocally and nationally.QJames Blake has joined Maria Sharapova in pro-

motingTennisWelcome Centers and CardioTennis.QThe average TWC reported 39 new players and 34

returning players.Q82% of TWCs report increased lesson revenue.QCardio Tennis received 200 million media impres-

sions last year, including major magazines andnewspapers.

QDenise andTracy Austin continue as CardioTennisspokespeople, and a CT demo was held atWimble-don during the Davis Cup in September.

QUSTA will launch QuickStart Tennis, a new formatto help kids 10 and under play the game.

CurrentResearchResearch from the TIAs

Cost of Doing Busi-nessFacilities Reportshows some excitingnew stats:QAverage annual dues for

a tennis-only membershipis $768; for all-inclusivemembership its $2,509.

QPeak court fees were upfrom an average of $21to $23 in 2007.

QMore facilities had addedcourts than had removed

courts.

TechnologyTheGrowingTennis system is one of thebest tools for increasing your business.QIn December, 1.45 million queries were

made to the information postcards thatappear on consumer sites in the Grow-ingTennis system, such as USTA.com,Ten-nis.com, TennisChannel.com, etc., whichmore than doubled the number of inquiriesmade in October.

Q20,000 facilities are listed in the freenational database2,100+ are Tennis Wel-come Centers, 1,800+ are Cardio Tennissites

QOnline enrollment tools are now featured inthe GrowingTennis system and allow for

consumer signups and fee collection.

Dont miss the TIA Special Sec-tion in the March issue of RSI. Itwill contain stories on howindustry initiatives are helpingto increase participation acrossthe country, how the TIA isleading the way in using tech-nology to connect with yourbusiness,TIA research, and

special benefits for members.


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o you need or carry general liabilityinsurance in order to teach or coach,or do you require your teaching pro-

fessionals or coaches to carry this type ofinsurance? If so, you might be surprised toknow that liability insurance for tennisteachers and coaches is not a one-size-fits-all purchase, and that smart shopping cansave you hundreds of dollars on yourannual premium, and still provide youwith the coverage you need.

Organizations like the USTA, USPTA,PTR and U.S. High School Tennis CoachesAssociation offer liability insurance policiesto their members with programs varying inbenefits and costs. These insurance poli-cies can cost an organization as little as $3or $4 per member because the associationbuys in bulk. Associations can then bundleliability insurance coverage into the cost oftheir membership or sell it separately.

Liability insurance policies come with avariety of coverages. Check before youbuy to find out what your policy covers.Here are seven things you should you lookfor in a general liability insurance policy.

1 Amount of CoverageMost tennis teachers and coaches are onlyrequired by an employer to carry $1 mil-lion in general liability insurance. While thevarious policies being sold to tennis prosadvertise anywhere from $1 million to$5 million inaggregate coverage, thesepolicies generally offer $1 million in cover-age per occurrence. That means a $5 mil-lion policy offers you $1 million ininsurance each time you are sued, up to amaximum of $5 million (you'd need to besued successfully five times in order to forthe insurance company to pay out the$5 million).

2 On-Court vs. Off-CourtDoes rain require you to move indoors to

watch videos or hit balls in a gymnasium?Some policies may only offer coverage if

you are actually on a tennis court. Checkto see if your policy covers you indoors, onthe road at tournaments, etc.

While some policies cover off-court,tennis-related activities, weight trainingmay not be covered, due to its specific,non-tennis applications and lack ofstrength-training certification by most ten-nis pros and coaches. Similarly, auto acci-dents are most likely not covered becausethey are non-tennis relatedeven if youare driving to a tournament. However,your car insurance should cover you whendriving students or team members.

3Certificates

Do you need a certificate of insurance?Check to see if theres a fee for providingyou with a copy of your insurance certifi-cate. Some groups charge; others provideit for free.

4 Additional InsuredIf you carry liability insurance, youremployer may require that you namethem as an additional insured on the poli-cy. Depending on where you get yourinsurance, this can cost extra.

5 Excess MedicalGeneral liability insurance policies coverthe teaching pro or coach, not the stu-dents. If a student is injured during a les-son or practice, he or she must sue youand prove negligence in order to collect.Your insurance policy provides you with

your legal defense and pays any damagesawarded, up to the terms of your policy

(generally $1 million per occurrence).Some policies, however, come with

excess medical coverage that covers yourstudents. In the event of an injury to one ofyour participants, the insurance companywill pay medical expenses, up to the termsof your policy (usually $10,000 to$25,000). This allows the participant to geta sprained or broken ankle treated and canalso help avoid a costly lawsuit. Check tosee if your policy comes with excess med-ical.

6 Abuse and MolestationMany policies exclude abuse and molesta-tion claims because they are so expensiveto defend. The good news is that therehave been few claims made against teach-ing pros when it comes to abuse andmolestation, and in general, pros are really just looking for a standard $1 million gen-eral liability policy with few bells and whis-tles. However, if you feel you need thistype of insurance, make sure you ask aboutit when youre shopping around.

7Deductible

Check to see if your policy requires you topay a deductible in the event of a suit orclaim covered under your excess medicalcoverage. Q

Y O U R Business


7 Things to Look for WhenBuying Liability InsuranceD B Y S T E V E M I L A N O

Steve Milano is the executivedirector of the U.S. High School Tennis Coaches Association and former executive director of theUSPTR Foundation. He has both purchased liability insurance for

himself as a former teaching pro and negoti-ated group policies for coaches and teachers.


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The psychology behind how private orhow public you make your facility requiressome insight and research. In some higherincome areas, you may discover, the more pri-vate you make your facility, the more demandyou can create. Give it away free, and it maynot seem to have as much value.

What will your operating hours be? Themore rural the location of a club, the morelikely early morning openings will be valuedand late nights less important. Will many of your members have to deal with a commute?That will play a role in your decisions when to

f youre a new manager at a new club,you are both lucky and challenged. Heresyour chance to mold the club into the

facility of your dreams. At the same time, youcould be saddled with quite an uphill battle. Inthis rapidly growing industry, clubs often arelaunched with hopes that the expansion of theindustry will provide the momentum for suc-cess. Eventually the club may do well, butthose beginning years can be a struggle thatcan make or break a new manager. You needto attack those first few years with a plan thatwill give you direction and purpose.

Where do you start? As the saying goes,its always best to start at the beginning, andthe beginning of any club is the membership.This is the time to structure the membership tomeet both the needs of the consumer and theclub.

What types of memberships do you wantto offer? This may be largely determined byyour ability to monitor usage. You could havelimited usage memberships based on whichfacilities the member may or may not use, ormemberships based on the times they use theclub. Being able to fill in the slow times atyour facility with a discounted membershipwill require a system than can monitor usage.You can offer single and family memberships,and even scale the family membership basedupon the number of people in that family. Cor-porate memberships are also an option, along

with senior memberships. Again the types of membership you create depend on the market; just make sure that your contractual agree-ment with your members gives you thisflexibility.

FEE STRUCTUREOnce you have structured choices for buyers,what are your initiation fees and dues going tobe? Usually, the initiation fees are used as anegotiable number during sales and promo-tions. The dues are standard for everyone, andshould be the income factor that can be

adjusted down the road to meet increasedoverhead. Again, make sure that your con-tract with the members allows these futureadjustments to take place.

Most facilities have non-transferablememberships. Transferable memberships areusually associated with member-owned clubs.Whatever type of membership you have, youwill need a system to control the termination,selling or transferring of memberships. Studyother clubs that are similar to how your clubis structured and research what systems theyuse so that you can model after a successfulprogram.

Whats most important is to establishearly on an understanding of how a memberis going to join or eventually leave your club.Will you have transfer fees, and how muchwill they be? Will you be able to alter thesefees down the road? Once the club has estab-

lished a system, it will be difficult to change,so get it right from the get-go.You should also address the functionality

of the membership. Can a member deactivateor freeze their membership? If so, how muchnotification must they give and for how longcan they deactivate? What if someone istransferred through their work to anotherareado they still have to pay dues? What if they get sick and cant use the club? Shouldthey only be allowed to deactivate if that ill-ness affects their income? These are all good

questions you need to answer right away,and many new clubs are not prepared forthese issues.

POLICIES FOR GUESTSHow about your guest policy? If you are hop-ing to get greater exposure to the club, youmay want a more liberal policy that will allowmore guests to frequent your facility. Will youhave free guest privileges for your members?If so, how many? This may depend on theamount of nonmember traffic you are hopingto create.

Starting From ScratchFor new club managers, you need to attack the first fewyears with a comprehensive plan of action.

BY ROD HECKELMAN

I


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Rod Heckelman is the general manager and tennis pro at the Mount Tam Racquet Club in Marin County, Calif., where he has been for the last 31 years.His career in the industry start- ed in 1967 at the famed John

Gardiners Tennis Ranch. In 1970, when Gar- diner opened his resort on Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Ariz., Heckelman, at age 20,became one of the youngest head pros in the country. He created the Facility Managers Manual based on his years of experience in the

tenni s business.

open and when to close.Usually you will need to be prepared to

alter your hours as the club expands anddemand changes. Extending your hours isan easy answer to produce more facilityavailability. Dont forget to publish your hol-iday hours well enough in advance so thatyour members dont get caught off guard.

EMPLOYEE ISSUESAs you put together your staff, you will dis-cover that there will be quite a few part-time employees. There will also be anumber of those who will want to qualify asindependent contractors. Read your localstate laws to find out what the criteria is forsomeone to be considered an independentcontractor. You dont want to pay fines forpaying someone illegally.

Its always a wise move to put togetheran employment agreement that helps definetheir requirements and privileges. The clubbusiness attracts a lot of employees becauseof the benefits that a club can provide. Howmany hours does an employee need to workto qualify for use of the club? Will thatusage include their friends and family? Howmuch vacation time and sick leave are yougoing to allow? Will you provide healthbenefits? On what holidays do you payovertime? How will you handle a leave of

absence due to pregnancy, jury duty, familycare or military requirements? This can allbe established in the employees agreement.

To make sure that these issues areaddressed, create a calendar for your annualor semi-annual reviews. Remember thatmost states will require the posting of statelaws concerning employment. That postingmust be visible to all the employees. Thereare also many states now that will requirethe managers of a club to have yearly test-ing concerning sexual harassment and train-

ing for CPR for many of the employees. Thattraining will likely include the use of a defib-rillator.

After the employees agreement is put inplace, take the time to establish a trainingmanual for every department of the facility.Every question, every situation, and all per-tinent information should be part of thatmanual. A brief review of what a manualshould include would be:

1. An Overview of the Club (mission andpurpose of the club, the clubs membershipstructure, hours, directions to the club)


2. Employee Rules and Requirements(dress codes, usage, payroll info, conduct)

3. Contacts (phone numbers/email for theentire staff, phone numbers/email for ser-vices used, addresses that are important)

4. Procedures (where things are in theclub, graphs showing plumbing, electrical,etc., how to respond to situations)

5. Emergency Response (location of firstaid kits, emergency phone numbers, fire andsprinkler alarms, how to properly exit thebuilding)

6. General Information (how to answerquestions, who to forward questions to ordepartment heads, how to use the computeror phone system, how to open or close theclub)

SPECIALIZED SERVICESIf your club is providing many specialized ser-vices, such as a pro shop, salon, massageand therapy center, or food service, you willwant to consider what would work best forthose who will be responsible for that serviceand the club. Some clubs will contract these

services out and eliminate a certain amountof micro-management.

There are several advantages to rentingout or leasing these services, besides thereduction of management. You will not haveto worry about inventory overhead or lossdue to theft. You will also reduce your pay-roll and all of the expenses that go alongwith that liability. If one operation fails, youcan simply replace it with a new tenant,although frequent turnover is not good. Asfar as the income goes, if the contractor issuccessful, thats usually good for everyone.

Perhaps your contract should tie their perfor-mance to the rent or commission.

With so many departments and employ-ees, you may need to establish a chain of command. Your policies that have beenestablished should guide the club, but in yourabsence, who makes the call? And after thatperson, who makes the call? You cut down

on a tremendous amount of bickering andconfusion when the entire staff knows whosin charge at any one time. Because the hoursof clubs are so long, it may be best to set upa group of managers. This will provide cover-age 24/7. Some clubs are open more than100 hours a week, and you cant expect toalways be available to answer questions oraddress problems.

FUTURE GROWTHWith your complete program in place, look atits ability to adapt and grow. Have youestablished programs that can handle growthand expansion? Maybe down the road youwill need to have interaction with city orcounty people and your changes may needapproval to fit into the general plan of thecommunity. Someday, you may open upother facilities. Can your system facilitatethat expansion?

The manager oversees operations, butalso guides the club through the future. He or

she has to see the potential and limitationsof every decision they make. Short of using acrystal ball, take the time to study and inter-act with other managers that have gonedown this road. Absorb their experience andtry to use it to help map your clubs direction.

It doesnt matter if you have been in thebusiness for a year or 50 years, there isalways a great deal to learn about an indus-try that is growing and in transition. Whatmay work today may not work tomorrow.Q

Have youestablishedprograms thatcan handlegrowth and

expansion?


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aced with a limited budget and staff,non-profit organizations often strug-gle to promote their good deeds

while conducting the fundraising requiredto keep them in business. One way toaccomplish both missions is through part-nering with a local event.

Ned Eames, president and founder ofBoston-based Tenacity, has seen dramatic

results since aligning his tennis and educa-tion foundation for at-risk youth with theOutback Champions Series senior tour.Produced by Jim Couriers InsideOutSports & Entertainment, the OutbackChampions Series links each of its eventsto an official charity partner.

All Outback Champions Series eventsfeature an eight-man round-robin matchformat with the winner of each four-play-er division meeting in the title match. Sec-ond-place finishers in each division playthe third-place match. To be eligible tocompete, players must have reached atleast a Grand Slam singles final, achieveda Top 5 singles ranking or played singleson a championship Davis Cup team.

We heard they were coming to theBoston market two years ago and immedi-ately reached out to explore the possibilityof a partnership, Eames says. Its madea big difference for us.

Additionally, the partnership andopportunity to interact with disadvantagedyoungsters forged a lasting impact onmany of the eight legends of tennis

who participated in last springs Champi-ons Cup Boston tournament: Courier ,John McEnroe, Todd Martin, Pat Cash,Petr Korda, Tim Mayotte, Wayne Ferreiraand Pete Sampras, who celebrated hisreturn to competitive tennis by edgingMartin in a third-set match tiebreak toclaim the title.

In fact, Martin consulted with Eames

about the USTA/National Junior TennisLeague (NJTL) program he assists in Lans-ing, Mich., through the Todd MartinDevelopment Fund when the ChampionsCup Boston event was being developed.Tenacity is an incredible organization ofpeople who do an incredible job, Martinsays.

Ferreira calls the organizations com-mitment to improving youngsters literacyalong with tennis and general life skillsfantastic, very commendable. He adds,Its always great playing tennis here, butraising money for such a good cause

makes it even more special.The decision to partner with Tenacity

was an easy pick, says Courier, whonotes that his own Raymond JamesCouriers Kids Foundation mirrors Tenac-itys mission. Couriers Kids sponsors theFirst Serve program, which promotespositive values, healthy habits and edu-cation through tennis at the St. Peters-

burg Tennis Center in Florida.Middle school kids are at a fragileage, when they determine the paththeyre going to take, Courier says.We want to put them on a good one.

The kick-off event for the last twoChampions Cup Boston tournamentshas been a gala and live auction to ben-efit Tenacity. In 2007, about 1,000 peo-ple attended the event, with ticketsranging from $275 per individual up to$50,000 for corporate sponsorship pack-ages that included participation in acelebrity pro-am with the eight tourna-ment players and former pros RosieCasals, Mel Purcell, Bud Schultz, andBob Green.

Eames estimates the organizationsnet income from the 2007 ChampionsCup Boston at $600,000, up from$485,000 in 2006. The goal, he says, isfor the event to cover 20 percent ofTenacitys annual operating budget,which also receives government fundingand contributions from individuals, cor-porations, and foundations. We want

P R O G R A M S


Court CollaborationFor non-profit tennis organizations like Tenacity in Boston,

partnering with a big event in your area could be a key to succ

FB Y C Y N T H IA C A N T R EL L

Community

L e s V e i l l e u x P h o t o g r a p h y


Court CollaborationFor non-profit tennis organizations like Tenacity in Boston,

partnering with a big event in your area could be a key to suc


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Fifteen-year-old Tutu Ekpebor ofDorchester, Mass., who attends a privateprep school, says her mother suggestedfour years ago that she join Tenacity soshed have something to do after school.I didnt want to go. I didnt know any-body and I didnt play tennis. I wasnthappy, says Tutu, noting that Couriercalmed her nerves during the pro-am by


to increase our number of kids and whatwe do to serve them, says Eames (atright).

Tenacity Summer Program DirectorAndy Crane says even though Tenacity stu-dents are too young to have appreciatedthe pros at the peak of their careers, it wasa tremendous opportunity for them to

observe their professionalism, work ethic,and unassuming manner.They had the time of their lives, says

Crane, noting that the students served asball kids and additionally interacted withthe players during the gala and pro-am. Itwas unlike anything they had experiencedbefore.

In its ninth year, Tenacity offers anAfter-School Excellence Program that pro-vides 180 students at eight middle schoolswith tennis instruction and academic tutor-ing. Its Summer Tennis & Reading Programsupports 4,000 youngsters between theages of 7 and 15 at 28 neighborhoodsites. According to Eames, Tenacity is alsodeveloping an alumni services department,whereby progra m graduates can continueto access services in high school includingSAT preparation, college tours, and a socialnetwork of mentors and fellow graduates.


good-naturedly joking about her mistakesinstead of becoming impatient, as she hadfeared. I didnt used to have goals, butnow I want to play tennis in high school,study Japanese, and travel around theworld.

Saquan Gual of Allston, Mass., also 15,has been participating in Tenacity since his

sixth-grade teacher told him about theorganization four years ago. I didnt liketo read when I came here, but now itsone of my favorite things, he says of theacademic support he has received throughTenacity. Now Im working on going tocollege.

Courier, who responded to Saquanschallenge by rallying with him during thepre-tournament press conference, says heis continually looking for ways to improvethe Outback Champions Series. Possibleadditions, he notes, include doubles and awomens division. One aspect that willremain constant, however, is his companyssupport of charity partners like Tenacity.

I respect the business-like manner inwhich they conduct their programs,Courier says. Theyre here for the long-term, and were pleased to be theirpartner. Q


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OK, its time. Its time for yourbusiness to take that giant leap for-ward that many of us in this industryhave been hoping for, andpredicting, for the last few years.

Retailers, facility managers and courtbuilders are optimistic about the future.Programs are in place that can helpincrease your customer base. The variousgroups and constituencies in tennis allseem to be on board and workingtogether. Industry data shows that equip-ment sales continue to increase, thatparticipation is holding steady, and that

total play occasions has increased.And, importantly, tennis has grownfaster than any other participationsport over the last six years.

And manufacturers areresponding, with some of thebest products theyve evermade, designed to give play-

ers what they want andneed in equipment and

tenniswear. As youll seeon the following pages,

the new racquets,shoes and apparel

will help makeyour customers

playing experi-ence the bestpossible.

OUTLOOK2008

O U T L O O K 2 0 0 8

OUTLOOK2008



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Racquet manufacturers are both building on the successes of pmodels and adding hot new frames to their lines.B Y J A M E S M A R T I N

O U T L O O K 2 0 0 8 R A C Q U E T S

NEW- AND IMPROVED!NEW- AND IMPROVED!

BABOLATWWW.BABOLAT.COM 877-316-9435

The big push at Babolat this season will be in oversize racquets,a category where the company has yet to have the samesmashing success as its had in advanced-level sticks (see thePure Drive and Aero Drive). One new model is the Aero 112,

an oversized version of Rafael Nadals racquet with anergonomically shaped grip to provide maximum contactbetween the entire palm and the handle. Its also the lightestAero racquet, and it has the vibration-dampening Cortextechnology.

The new Babolat Drive Z 110 is designed for club players withshort swings who covet a powerful and ultra-light racquet. The

Drive Z also has the egronomic grip as well as Zylon fibers in the he

and throat to give the frame extra stability without weighing it down.The Drive Z comes in a super oversize 118-square-inch head as well.

BabolatAero 112

Drive Z 110


PRINCEWWW.PRINCETENNIS.COM 800-283-6647No surprise at Princethe company is going to continue to expand its successful O3 racquetswith the launch of the Speedport White and the Ozone Tour, both of which are designedwith advanced players in mind.

The Ozone Tour has a 100-square-inch head and weighs 10.9 ounces,while the Ozone Pro Tour version is heavier (11.6 ounces) and has adenser string pattern (18 x 20 vs. 16 x 18) for more control. The O3Speedport White also comes in two models, a head-heavy, 10.6-ounce frame that will appeal to baseliners and one with a stringpattern designed to give the user maximum bite on the ball.

Prince is also introducing two game-improvement frames, theO3 Speedport Platinum and the O3 Speedport Gold. These racquetswill definitely catch players attention. They feature the new Strung-Thru-Stringing System, which extends the main strings through the open yoke abovethe handle. The purpose of this eye-catching design, Prince says,it to significantly expand the sweetspot.

The O3 Speedport Platinum is geared toward players withshort strokes who want a huge head sizethis sucker is 125square inches. The Gold, on the other hand, is for those withmoderate stroke speeds who demand a balance between powerand control.

PrinceO3 Speedport WhiteO3 OZone TourO3 Speedport PlatinumO3 Speedport Gold

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BORIS BECKER/VOLKLWWW.BORISBECKER.COM 866-554-7872

While there were rumors last year that the Vlkl brandmight take a backseat, or altogether disappear, behind

the newly launched Boris Becker line, both brands willhave a prominent place on retail walls this spring.

Becker, the six-time Grand Slam champion who hasbeen a co-owner of Vlkl since 1999, will put hisimprimatur on two frames, the Becker Pro mid-plusand the Becker 11 Mid. With a 100-square-inch headand medium weight of 10.4 ounces, the Becker Pro isgeared toward tweenersplayers between the

intermediate and advanced levelswho need some-thing a little easier to swing than tour-level frames. But

if you want something that would fit right into the handsof Becker himself, the Becker 11 Mid is worth a look. Its 11.6

ounces and has a small 93-square-inch head, which makes itideal for tournament-tough NTRP 5.0 and higher players.

Over at Vlkl, youve got the C 10 Pro, another advanced play-ers racquet. But compared to the Becker 11 Mid, this one has aslightly larger head (98 square inches) for a bit more power andmargin of error. The Volkl 5 Scorcher, by contrast, is gearedtoward beginners and intermediates who want an ultra-light,head-light racquet thats a snap to swing from all corners of thecourt.

Boris Becker11 MidPro MP

VolklC10 Pro5 Scorcher

HEADWWW.HEAD.COM 800-289-7366Fans of Head racquets will notice that the company is updatingthree of its signature modelsthe Prestige, Radical, andInstinctwith MicroGel, which helps distribute the impact of theball for, as Head puts it, a rock-solid feel.

The MicroGel Prestige will be available in three models: the11.6-ounce Prestige Mid, which has a 93-square-inch head anddense string pattern; the Prestige Pro, with a 98-square-inch headand more open string pattern, for spin production; and the PrestigeMidplus, which has a tighter string pattern for extra control and, at11.3 ounces, weighs slightly less than the 11.5-ounce Pro. The Instinct?Its just 10.4 ounces, and given the flashy cosmetics it appears to be theracquet Head will aggressively market to strong juniors.

Some new, unfamiliar racquet names in the Head line this spring includethe MicroGel Mojo. Its light (10.1 ounces) and head light, so you know itll bemaneuverable. It also has the popular Head Anti-Torsion stability bar in thethroat. The MicroGel Monster also has the stability bar, and delivers a littlemore pop than the Mojo.

Finally, theres the MicroGel Raptor in anoversize 110-square-inch frame and 102-square-inch midplus option. Think of the Raptor as a tra-ditional frame for players going from a beginnerstick to something a little more demanding.

Head

MicroGel Prestige ProMicroGel InstinctMicroGel Mojo

MicroGel MonsterMicroGel Raptor

:


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O U T L O O K 2 0 0 8 R A C Q U E T S

WILSONWWW.WILSONSPORTS.COM

773-714-6400Clearly, Wilson believes there is power in numbers. TheBig W is offering 11 new [K] Factor racquets in 08.

On the game improvement front, theres the [K]

Zero, a behemoth that has a 118-square-inch headbut weighs a mere 9.2 ounces (the lightest in the[K] Factor line). Players with short swings who needmaximum power should like this racquet. Mean-while the lightweight [K] Five, which comes in anoversize and midplus, combines the comfort-orient-ed Triad technology and the [K]onnector system for

a forgiving feel.Serious players will have plenty to like from Wilson,

such as the [K] Blade. Its designed for aggressive play-ers who want an old-school flexible frame with lots of

feel. Whats more, Wilson offers the Blade in three different

head sizes: 93, 98, and a not-quite-oversize 104 square inch-es. The mid is the most demanding of the lot, of course, tip-ping the scales at 12 ounces. Themid-plus is also hefty, at 11.3 ounces,but more user-friendly, while the 104-square-inch version, called the [K] BladeTeam, will be the racquet of choice forVenus and Serena Williams in 2008.

Other player frames from Wilsoninclude the [K] Pro Tour, [K] Pro Open,and [K] Tour, plus all-around tweenerframes like the [K] Six Two and the[K] Sting.

Wilson[K] Zero[K] Five[K] Blade Team[K] Pro Tour[K] Pro Open[K] Tour[K] Six Two[K] Sting

YONEXWWW.YONEX.COM310-793-3800While at press time Yonex was light ondetails, the company did share some tid-bits about its 2008 plans. For starters, the

company will give facelifts (that is, newpaint jobs) to the RDS-001 mid and mid-plus, as well as the RDS-003 and RQS-22.

Yonex plans to launch two game-improvement racquets that will feature anew technology in the shaft. The new RQis5 Power will replace the current RQS-55and the RQis 3 Power will replace theRQS-33. Q

YonexRQS-22

RDS-003RDS-001


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O U T L O O K 2 0 0 8 A P PA R E L

easonal tennis fashionagain emphasizes the tech-nical side, as companies

continue to improve their moisturewicking, feel-good, breathable fab-rics, some boasting sun protection.Whatever the fabrication, though,bold block-pattern colors andbright trims, pastels, and whimsicalprints come alive to make on-courtand off-court passions functional

and fun.

With game-winningfabrications and

plenty of color,new tenniswearoffers somethingfor players of every stripe.

B Y C Y N T H I A S H E R M A N

LEJAYWWW.LEJAY.COM 800-932-7535

Lejay features looks that go from edgy toclassic, while utilizing the moisture-

wicking high performance ofthe LeDri fabric in all pieces.LeDri fabric mesh in the redand white Maze line is perfo-

rated for ventilation and com-fort. An athletic tank andflouncy skort are highlights ofthis group.

Pink and white, andprints, dominate the Domino

line, which features skirts,skorts, a variety of tops, and jackets. Lavender, soft limegreen, and white are fea-tured in the Flower Powerseries, and the springy, flir-ty mod 60s style is revivedin the baby-doll dress.Trendy prints are big forLejay and reflect fashionsof the moment. Colorblocking and solidpieces mix and matchfor a complete look,and all lines carrycoordinating jackets.

S


FUNCTIONALFUNFUNCTIONAL

FUN



BOLLEWWW.BOLLETENNISWEAR.COM888-977-7272Bolle makes a Fall splash with a variety of

colorways: red and black in a wave design;a navy line with purple accents that includesa nifty box-pleated skirt; the Ocean Viewline, which features turquoise with whitepolka dots and stripes with black ingeometric patterns; tops and skirtsin multi swirls of pink with white;and Color Therapy, which fea-tures black and white floralwith red, pink, green andblue accents.

Fabricated in poly-span-

dex blends, Bolle coverseverything from cap-sleeves,polos, racer backs andspaghetti strap tanks toshorts, capris, skorts and jackets. The PerformanceGroup boasts a fabric withan applied finish that fea-tures wicking, UV protec-tion, and anti-static andanti-bacterial proper-ties.

Bright fun colorsmake a statement intangerine, black andwhite; electric pink,black and white;and citrus greenwith navy andwhite. All groupscome in a range ofcoordinating piecesincluding skirts andfashion skorts, plusshorts, long-sleeve andthree-quarter-length-sleeve jackets. Mens tenniswear comeson board in a big way, too.


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O U T L O O K 2 0 0 8 A P PA R E L

PRINCEWWW.PRINCESPORTS.COM 800-2-TENNISIts solid gold at Prince, with its athletic-fitting Gold line, whichtouring pros will be wearing starting with the Pacific Life Openin March. Expect February/March delivery for retailers. This

high-tech, high-performance line is both athletic in feel andfit, with vibrant, fun colors that reflect a youthful feel.

Technical fabrics work fluidly as the body moves on thecourt for optimal comfort, feel and fit, says Prince. Moisturewicking, anti-bacterial, and UV protection are woven intothe fabric. Tank tops, V-necks, racer backs, skorts, skirts,polos, shorts, sleeveless scoops, long-sleeved tops, warm-upand separate jackets complete the line. The Gold line forwomen comes in black and deep pink; for men, white,black and silvery blue.

FILAWWW.FILA.COM 800-787-FILAColleczione, as seen on Filas touring pros at the Australian Open, is the companys signaturecollection for spring 08 and is shipping now. The mens and womens linea white or blackbase, coupled with Chinese red coloring the contrasting details and stripeswas inspired byItalian fashion from a bygone era. Diagonal stripes represent Filas tennis timeline piece fromBjorn Borg from the 70sbut the company has given it a sparkling updated twist.

Colleczione features feminine pieces such as a cami topped dress with contrasting stitch-ing, a cami tank and skirts all in a performance poly blend spandex jersey that is lightweightand breathable. Skorts, skirts, jackets, camis, long sleeves, and polos are great mix and matchpieces and pair with Filas Essenza woven short.

The mens Colleczione features a white shirt with navy and lime detailing; conversely, a navybase is coupled with lime and white and there are complimentary shorts and polos and a sleeve-less top in the mens Essenza line. Fila says its mens and womens Essenza collection is a universalline in performance fabric that goes from tennis to gym.



HEADWWW.GCOOLTECH.COM 866-998-9192The new Fall 08 line of Head tennis clothes featuresa proprietary fabrication called GCool InFiber Tech-nology, which, according to Nex-Lvl Inc., the NorthAmerican licensee for the new Head apparel, pro-vides superior moisture-management, UV andantibacterial protection, and more. The apparel fea-tures bright, high-contrast colors for men, womenand children. White and black are featured promi-nently in all lines, accented with bold flashes ofcolor.

For women, black and white is infused with coolmedium blue accents, while gun-metal gray com-bines with cherry red and lime. Pleated skirts, circleskirts, screen print tops, tanks, warm-up pieces andflirty ruffled dresses represent mix-and-match com-ponents. An innovative warm-up jacket featuringzip-off sleeves affords practical and fashion versatili-ty. Color blocking and body mapping (a technolo-gy where different textures are knitted into thehigh sweat zones without the use of uncomfort-able seams) are dominant.

On the mens side, Heads signature orange pairswith black and white, along with gun-metal gray,which is accented with royal blue and lime. Menswarm-ups, tees, polos, tanks and shorts cover allbases.

DIADORAWWW.DIADORAAMERICA.COM 253-520-8868For women, the Gianna collection has plenty of options: a sport tank,sleeveless zip polo, sleeveless scoop tank paired with various skirt/skortcombinations, and more. A pretty, light sky-blue and black debut in thisFall line, along with navy and red. The line also features a long-sleeveshirt with UV protection.

The mens Gino collection sports bold navy and red in shorts,polos, crew-neck and long-sleeve shirts, also with UV protection.Mens and womens apparel is made of 100 percent DiaDry polyesterand is moisture-wicking and anti-microbial. Q


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PrinceT-10

PrinceT-20


O U T L O O K 2 0 0 8 S H O E S

From fine-tuning successfullines to adding new models,footwear manufacturers areproviding players with plentof options. B Y J A M E S M A R T I N

FOOTNOTES

K-SWISSWWW.KSWISS.COM 800-291-8103K-Swiss is going low-tech this springand proud of it. Instead of using a

whiz-bang gizmo (what, no computer in the midsole to clock yourspeed?), the company is introducing the Ultra-Natural Tennis shoe.It has an anatomically designed midsole and outsole with large sur-

face area and an external heel counter to help facilitate your footsmovement. Available for men and women, the Ultra-Natural Tennis also

includes an Aosta II rubber outsole and toe-drag protection, plus a k-EVA 45 midsole compound for cushioning.

New to the K-Swiss 7.0 System premium line is theStabilor SLS. As its name suggests, this model delivers themost lateral stability of any K-Swiss tennis shoe, thanks to

a skeletal support cage and midfoot shank. Theres also adurable rubber outsole and plenty of toe-drag protection for

hardcore hard-court players. And for those who want morebreathability, K-Swiss will offer the Stabilor SLS Mesh.

PRINCEWWW.PRINCETENNIS.COM 800-283-6647Last year, Prince put out an innovative shoe line called theM Series, whereby each model had a particular emphasis.The MC delivered extra cushioning; the MV focused onventilation; and the MS was all about stability. This season,Prince is fine-tuning the M Series. For starters, the line willfeature a redesigned Precision tube in the midsoleinsteadof being oval in shape, they will now be round. Prince saysthis will help to better distribute weight and cushion the blow.

Another change: The MV will have significantly more ventila-tion than last years model which, Prince concedes, wasnt dra-matically different from the MC. The new MV will have extramesh in the upper to enhance breathability, plus a protectivescreen over the mesh to keep clay particles from gettingstuck in the tiny holes and dirtying up the shoe.

Prince will have a training shoe, called the T-Series, aswell as continue with its lightweight QT, or Quicktrac,footwear and the NFS (Natural Foot Shape) which, while notthe prettiest of shoes, is a big hit at the highest levels of thegame for its anatomically snug fit. And for bargain hunters,Prince will introduce the S Series, an entry-level shoe thatll bepriced as low as $39.

FOOTNOTES

K-SwissUltra-Natural

Stabilor SLS

PrinceMV

PrinceMC



NIKEWWW.NIKE.COM 503-671-6453You can bet that the Nike Air Max Breathe Cage II will be a popular choice this spring,because itll be the footwear of choice for Rafael Nadal and James Blake. Designed foradvanced players who put their shoes through their paces, the Cage II has a flexible yetsturdy support cage in the upper along with mesh for breathability. Low to the groundZoom Air in the forefoot provides a soft ride while enhancing stability on sharp turns, whilea thicker Air-Sole unit in the heel really cushions the blow. Footnote: The Cage comes witha six-month outsole guarantee.

The pro player endorsements dont stop with Nadal and Blake. Federer will be wearingthe Nike Air Zoom Vapor 5, which is designed to be light yet sturdy. Serena Williams willtrust her feet to the stability and durability-oriented Nike Air Max Smash. And if you doubt-ed that Lindsay Davenport was going to make a bonafide return to the tour, Nike has ashoe all ready for herthe Air Max Breathe Cage II womens version.

ADIDASWWW.ADIDAS.COM 800-448-1796If it aint broke, just tweak it. Thats the philosophy at Adidas, which is buildingon the success of the Barricade line with the mens Barricade V. While the Bar-ricade II remains the most popular iteration among serious players (especiallythose who tend to populate gear message boardsyou know who you are)the Barricade V may prove to be a smashing success, too, as Adidas is trying tokeep the weight down (an issue with some other Barricade versions) withlighter support features.

NikeCage II

NikeVapor 5

NikeAirMax Smash

AdidasBarricade V

WilsonOpen II

WilsonTrance II

WILSONWWW.WILSONSPORTS.COM 773-714-6400Remember these numbers: 9, 8 and 3. Thats howmany new mens models, womens models, and juniormodels, respectively, Wilson is introducing in 2008.Just like with its racquets, Wilson is pursuing astrength-in-numbers campaign that will provide playerswith multiple options in fit, comfort, stability, and

durability. Some highlights:Q The mens Open II. Price at $130, its Wilsons pre-

mier shoe with maximum cushioning and stabilityand a snazzy look to boot.

Q The mens and womens Tour II, which has breath-able mesh quarters and a mesh tongue, and comeswith a six-month outsole guarantee.

Q And, for clay-court specialists, theres the mens andwomens Trance II, which has a low-profile outsolewith herringbone design to give you the rightamount of grip, yet still allow you to slide.Q

WilsonWomens Tour II

WilsonMens Tour II


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B Y K R I S T E N D A L E Y

C U S T O M E R S E R V I C E

By offering online program enrollment, youll hagreater participation, reduced costs and bettercustomer retention.


The TIA and USTA continue to move tennis further into thedigital age by offering solutions from companies like theActive Network and TennisConnect that increase conve-

nience for facilities and improve service for tennis consumers.Facility operators cannot overlook the power of the internet

and the opportunity it provides to grow their business, says TIAExecutive Director Jolyn de Boer. The goal now is for everyone tobe able to offer their players the convenience of online enroll-ment.

Online enrollment also means increased convenience foradministrative staff, including the ability to accept sign-ups andprogram registrations after normal operating hours.

24 hours a day, 365 days per year, customers can register forprograms they want instead of waiting until normal business hours

to call, or perhaps forgetting to call altogether, says Scott Schultz,USTA managing director of Recreational Tennis. Thats good cus-tomer service.

Online registration also guarantees timely and consistent infor-mation dissemination, and players can receive confirmationemails regarding their registration. Confirmation emails andreminders add commitment, and online payment strengthens theplayers ties to your programs, says de Boer. By offering onlineregistration, adds de Boer, youll most likely see more players inyour programs, reduced costs to administer those programs, andbetter customer retention.

Moving such administrative operations online, however, is nota one-size-fits-all business, de Boer explains. To cater to facilitiesdifferent needs, the USTA and TIA offer a number of choices so



facilities and program organiz-ers can identify their particularcircumstances and choose theappropriate online solution.And the USTAs Tennis ServiceRepresentatives will be amongthose spreading the wordabout the online options avail-able and helping to assessfacilities needs.

By providing better ser-vice to both providers andcustomers, says Schultz,the bottom line is there willbe more people playing ten-nis.

Right now, the online reg-istration solutions offered bythe USTA and TIA include:

1. InformationalPostcardsFor a basic web presence,through the Growing Tennissystem, facilities can promoteand market their programsthrough free, informatio

200802 racquet sports industry

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