201109 racquet sports industry
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Sept/Oct 2011
Volume 39 Number 9 $5.00
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Court MaintenanceQ How Often Should You Replace Q Keeping Players Safe Indoors
Q Adding 10U Blended Lines
Racquets, Shoes & US Open Timing
Stringing Red Flags
Court MaintenanceQ How Often Should You Replace Q Keeping Players Safe Indoors
Q Adding 10U Blended Lines
Racquets, Shoes & US Open Timing
Stringing Red Flags
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FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
R S I S E P T / O C T 2 0 1 1
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 USTA invests $1.3 millionfor 10U tennis
7 Get Your Game On atUSTPA Conference
7 TIA Board addsAdidas, ASBA
8 Amex, USTA partner forFresh Courts program
8 Har-Tru to hostMaintenance Seminarin NYC
9 Gamma debutsScor-Post Pro
9 Undefeated Kastleswin WTT title
9 PTR to host Professional
Development Weekend10 Peoplewatch10 Ashaway offers Dynamite 16
Tough tennis string
11 Sponsor package announcedfor GSS attendees
12 Short Sets14 Special 9/11 tributes before
US Open finals
4 Our Serve7 Industry News15 Junior Players17 TIA News
18 Retailing Tip
20 Pioneers In Tennis: Rick Pray & Carol Anderson22 Racquet Sports44 Tips & Techniques46 String Playtest: Gamma Zo Verve 17
48 Your Serve, by Denny Schackter
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Sept/Oct 2011 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Cover photo courtesy of FDC-The Fast-Dry Company,
Pompano Beach, FL
24 Timing GearThe US Open has always posed timingissues for new product. But if manufac-turers are not introducing racquets andshoes, theyre still raising awareness oftheir brands.
40 Stringing Red FlagsAmid the pressures of tournament string-ing, the Wilson team has identifiedandcome up with solutions forpotentialproblem areas.
27 How Often ShouldYou Replace . . .These tips from contractors can helpyou save your courts and equipment.
29 Safety MeasuresIndoor tennis facilities have uniquechallenges when it comes to keepingplayers safe.
32 Inside the LinesAdding blended lines for 10 andUnder Tennis is simple and cost-effective.
36 Court PermissionsMake sure you have help navigatingthe maze of building codes.
38 Court ProductsA sampling of new, interesting orattention-grabbing products for yourfacility.
COURT CONSTRUCTION
AND MAINTENANCE
ContentsContents
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Our Serve
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
Associate Editor
Greg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Technical Editor
Jonathan Wolfe
Contributing Editors
Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
Joe Dinoffer
Greg Moran
Kent Oswald
Bob Patterson
Cynthia Sherman
Mary Helen Sprecher
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
year: monthly January through August and com-
bined issues in September/October and Novem-
ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330
Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail at
Periodicals Postage Pricesis Pendingat Vista, CA and
additional mailing offices. Sep/Oct 2011, Volume 39,
Number 9 2011 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All
rights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and
logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A.
Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circu-
lation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscrip-
tions $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
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Tennis For America
4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Sept/Oct 2011
T
he US Open is a time for pro tennis to take center
stage, for the worlds best to come together at the
worlds biggest tournament, in front of the worldsbiggest tennis crowd, for the worlds biggest purse.
But the US Open isnt all about the pros. In fact, for all of us in the
tennis business, the US Open probably has more day-to-day relevance
not in how it influences and promotes pro tennis, but in how it influ-
ences recreational tennis in the U.S.
I think too few people realize what the US Open does for grassroots
tennis in this country, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars every
year. That money supports this entire industryit supports all of our
businesses.
Yes, the US Open is big business: Published estimates are that it gen-erates more than $200 million in revenue each year and around $100
million in profits. (Ticket revenue is estimated to be $80 million; spon-
sorships about $60 million. And lets not forget the $420 million boost
it gives to the New York economy over the two weeks.)
More than $48 million of USTA money is earmarked for grassroots
tennis this year, and most of that money, the USTA told me recently,
comes from the US Open. That money goes to build and expand public
tennis courts, provide equipment, support junior and adult program-
ming, fund scholarships and grants, promote this sport, and more. It fil-
ters to all levels of the industryCTAs, NJTLs, schools, teaching pros,
facilities, retailers, manufacturers, media, organizations, etc.and
importantly, is used to grow participation, including the 10 and Under
Tennis initiative.
The US Open also supports the grassroots by serving as a gathering
place for the industry. During the Open, the TIA holds its Tennis Forum
to talk about the state of the industry (this year, its on Saturday, Aug.
27, at 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt New York, as part of The Tennis
Show). It also is where the long-running USTA Tennis Teachers Confer-
ence is held (Aug. 27-30). And every year, the USTA Semi-Annual Meet-
ing takes place there (Sept. 3-7), bringing together hundreds of
volunteers to share ideas about growing this sport.So when all of us in the industry, and consumers, buy tickets to the
Open, buy merchandise, watch the action on TV, and encourage our
members and customers to do the same, were not just supporting the
pros who play the event, were helping to support grassroots tennis, too.
And that makes the US Open, indeed, Tennis For America.
Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
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I N D U S T R Y N E W SI N D U S T R Y N E W SI N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S
TIA Board Adds
Adidas, ASBA
The Tennis Industry Associationhas added David Malinowski(left), the tennis category managerfor Adidas, and Fred Stringfellow(right), the executive director ofthe American Sports BuildersAssociation (ASBA), to its board ofdirectors. Malinowski andStringfellow join Dave Miley ofthe ITF, who was named in April,as the newest members of the TIAboard.
Were pleased to have bothDavid and Fred join the TIA boardof directors, said TIA ExecutiveDirector Jolyn de Boer. David andFred, along with Dave Miley, havebroad and valuable experiencethat will help this industry and theTIA as we work toward our threekey areas of focus: frequent playergrowth, tennis economic growth,
and communications/positioningto broaden the TIAs reach withthe industry and consumers.
Malinowski joined Adidas lastyear and is responsible for all U.S.tennis products and sales. AsASBA executive director, Stringfel-low represents nearly 400 compa-nies in the sports facilityconstruction industry, includingbuilders, suppliers and designersof tennis courts, tracks, sports
fields and indoor facilities.
R S I S E P T / O C T 2 0 1 1
Sept/Oct 2011 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7www.racquetsportsindustry.com
The USTA will invest $1.3 million to introduce 10 and Under Ten-
nis in 26 communities. The USTAs goal over the next five years
is to bring 10 and Under Tennis to kids in more than 100 local
markets nationwide.
Each of the 26 communities will receive $50,000 in matching
grants from the USTA to be used to build new courts and adapt cur-
rent tennis courts to accommodate 10 and Under Tennis. In addition
to the national $50,000 grant, the markets will receive an additional$50,000 grant from their respective USTA sections, for a total of $2.6
million invested in the communities.
Communities also will work with the USTA national office to
ensure local organizers are taught the proper techniques and skills to
implement 10 and Under Tennis. The USTA and its 17 sections will
work with schools, public parks and youth organizations to add ten-
nis to PE classes and after-school programs.
As kids develop their skills, they also will be encouraged to partic-
ipate in Play Days, USTA Jr. Team Tennis and USTA tournaments. The
$50,000 will be provided over a three-year period for communities to
add new programs.
With this approach, tennis has become the newest pick-upsport, and we expect to see participation numbers increase dramati-
cally in the very near future, says Kurt Kamperman, the USTAs chief
executive of Community Tennis.
The USTA has created USTA.com/facilities for groups interested in
applying for court construction or renovation grants. As part of a pub-
lic-private partnership, the USTA will build courts in places where
local officials, public parks and schools commit to building tennis into
their core programming for kids.
For more info, visit 10andundertennis.com.
Get Your Game On at USPTA Conference in Sept.
The USPTAs World Conference on TennisGet Your Game Onwill beSept. 19-24 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla. More than
1,500 tennis-teaching pros, industry leaders, media and manufac-
turer representatives are expected to attend.
This years speakers include Tracy Almeda-Singian, Dr. Martin Baroch, Loren-
zo Beltrame, Martin Blackman, Craig Jones, Kurt Kamperman, Jose Higueras,
Page Love, Rick Macci, Patrick McEnroe, Luis Mediero, Emilio Sanchez Vicario,
Dave Kozlowski, Jorge Capestany and Kerri Whitehead.
The event also includes a Tennis Buying Show on Sept. 22. Exhibitors will include tennis
equipment, apparel and footwear companies, marketers and wholesalers of hard and soft goods,
video analysis, Web-based programs and software, teaching aids, court surfacing and lighting,
awards, educational materials, nutrition bars and vitamins, and more.
To register, or for more information, visit usptaworldconference.com.
USTA Invests $1.3 Million for 10U in 26 Markets
The 26marketsreceiving $50,000grants are:Amarillo, TXBay Area, CA
Boise, IDBridgeport, CTCary, NCCharlottesville,VAColumbus, OHCorpus Christi, TXGreenville/Spartanburg, SCHillsborough County, FLIndianapolis, INLexington, KYLouisville, KYMidland, MIMilwaukee, WIMontgomery County, MDNew Orleans, LAPortland, ORSan Diego, CASeminole County, FLShreveport, LASt. Paul, MNStockton, CATrenton, NJWellington, FLYonkers, NY
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Huczek To Advise Ashaway on Products
Ashaway Racket Strings has announced that recently retired racquetball
World Champion Jack Huczek has agreed to help the company steer the
development of UltraKill and other product lines.
"Jack has been an Ashaway sponsored player for most of his career,
and recently has been very instrumental in the development of Ashaway's
new UltraKill product family," says Steve Crandall, Ashaways VP of mar-keting.
"Certainly, there are few
people who understand more
about how string behaves in a
racquet than Jack. So despite
his decision to retire from
professional competition and
to pursue a new career with
Ericsson, we're pleased he is
keeping a finger in the rac-
quetba ll wor ld a w hil e
longer.""Working with and acting as an ambassador for my sponsors has
always been an enjoyable part of being a professional racquetball player,"
Huczek says. "I've worked with Ashaway on the UltraKill family since its
inception. Im very pleased with the opportunity to continue that work
with Ashaway, and perhaps help out with some other products as well."
Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co., based in Ashaway, R.I., is the only
U.S. manufacturer of string for squash, tennis, racquetball and bad-
minton. Visit ashawayusa.com.
S E P T / O C T 2 0 1 1
IN
DUSTRYNEW
S
8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Sept/Oct 2011 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Amex, USTA Partnerfor 2nd Annual Fresh Courts
American Express is again partnering with the
USTA for its second annual Fresh Courts pro-
gram, a community funding effort that invests
in the renovation of existing tennis facilities
across the U.S. Launched in 2010, this yearsprogram will support tennis facilities at La
Mesita Park in San Diego, Jefferson Recreation
Center in Washington D.C., North Avondale
Courts in Cincinnati and Astoria Park in
Queens, N.Y.
All work on the courts will be performed by
the USTAs Facility Assistance department and
will be funded by American Express. Work on
the facilities began in July, with the goal of hav-
ing all three sites completed by early fall. By
the end of 2011, the Fresh Courts program will
have successfully repaired 26 courts across thecountry.
American Express will join local officials and
youth tennis players in each of these commu-
nities to celebrate the new Fresh Courts and to
honor individuals in each city who have helped
to bring the game of tennis to members of their
community with the Fresh Courts Community
Leadership Award. All award recipients will
travel to the US Open in September as guests of
American Express to watch the Mens and
Womens Doubles finals.
Tennis FantasiesIsrael Schedules Camp
Tennis Fantasies Israel has scheduled its first Ten-
nis Fantasy Camp in Israel May 6-15, 2012. The
trip combines clinics, matches and sightseeing and
visits such places as Tel Aviv, Akko, Galilee and
Jerusalem, where participants will have the chance
to play at venues run by the Israel Tennis Center, in
addition to touring historic locations, museums and
other places of interest.
Tennis legends currently set to lead the groupinclude former U.S. Davis Cup players Brian Got-
tfried, Harold Solomon and Dick Stockton. For-
mer world No. 22 pro Shlomo Glickstein rounds
out the staff and will be the groups Israeli host.
The event costs $3,000, which includes all
transportation within Israel, breakfasts, two din-
ners, tennis, lodging tour guide and sightseeing
attractions. A portion of every registration fee will
benefit a new co-existence program for local Jew-
ish and Arab children involving tennis, families
and teachers.
For more information, contact program creator
Steve Contardi through tennisfantasiesisrael.net.
Sharapova, Wozniacki Top Forbes List
Maria Sharapova, who hasnt won a Grand Slam title since 2008,
remains the worlds highest paid woman in professional sports for the
seventh straight year. The annual list, from Forbes magazine, shows the
Russians earning, mostly from off-court endorsements, at an estimated
$25 million, twice as much as her nearest rival, Denmarks Caroline Woz-
niacki, currently the world No. 1. Race car driver Danica Patrick was third
with $12 million.
Seven of the top 9 female earners were tennis players: 1) Sharapova,
$25 million; 2) Wozniacki, $12.5 million; 4) Venus Williams, $11.5 mil-
lion; 5) Kim Clijsters, $11 million; 6) Serena Williams, $10.5 million; 8) Li
Na, $8 million; 9) Ana Ivanovic, $6 million.
Har-Tru to Host Maintenance SeminarH
ar-Tru Sports will host a Har-Tru Maintenance Certification Seminar on
Sept. 27-28 at Sportime at Randalls Island in New York City. The sem-
inar is designed for anyone managing, maintaining or considering
installing clay tennis courts, including club managers, teaching pros, court
builders and maintenance professionals.
The purpose of the seminar is to bring together leading experts on
indoor and outdoor clay courts to discuss the construction and mainte-
nance of clay. The seminar also will include information on the causes of
indoor and bubbled court surface compaction and what techniques are
being used to alleviate it.
For more information, contact Ed Montecalvo at 877-4HARTRU or
emontecalvo@hartru.com.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
Sept/Oct 2011 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Ashaway Adds to UltraKill Racquetball Line
A
shaway Racket Strings has introduced UltraKill
16 racquetball string, which utilizes the same
Zyex core polymer as other members of the Ultra-
Kill family, but in a special, multi-stranded monofil-
ament construction that increases power and
resilience, says the company. This Zyex construc-
tion allows UltraKill 16 to maintain tension through-
out the life of the string for consistent performance,
says Ashaway, while the 16-gauge (1.30 mm) thick-
ness maximizes durability. For more information
visit ashawayusa.com.
Gamma Debuts Scor-Post Pro
Gamma Sports has come out with the Scor-Post Pro, the next generation
scoring device which replaces the discontinued Scor-Post. The newly
designed Scor-Post Pro is more durable than its predecessor, but maintains
a similar appearance on court.
The Scor-Post Pro has an extruded center column, molded ball cups that
can be individually replaced, and top and bottom caps that secure the cen-
ter column and ball cups in place. The molded top cap has channels that sup-port Scor-Post Name Cards.
The Scor-Post Pro ($69.95 retail) uses tennis balls to score matches, with
standard scoring allowing for three traditional sets or an eight-game pro set.
The Scor-Post Pro ships with an all-metal support that attaches to the net
post with quick release hose clamps for easy court change over (no tools
needed). Scor-Post Name Cards, dry erase poly cards that identify players or
teams, are sold separately.
Top-Selling Tennis Stringsat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date units,
January - June, 2011
1. Prince Synthetic Gut Duraflex
2. Babolat RPM Blast
3. Wilson NXT
4. Wilson Sensation
5. Prince Lightning XX
Top-Selling Racquetsat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars,
January-March 2011
Best-Sellers
1. Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT (MP)2. Babolat Pure Drive GT (MP)
3. Babolat Aero Pro Drive+ GT (MP)
4. Babolat Pure Drive Lite GT (MP)
5. Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16 x 18 (MS)
Hot New Racquets
(Introduced in the past 12 months)
1. Wilson BLX Blade (MP)
2. Prince EXO3 Red (2011) (OS)
3. Prince EXO3 Blue (2011) (OS)
4. Wilson BLX Cierzo Two (OS)
5. Prince EXO3 Tour 16 x 19 (MP)
Tennis Racquet PerformanceSpecialty Stores
January - June, 2011 vs. 2010
Units 2011 310,717
2010 320,274
% change v. 10 -3%
Dollars 2011 $44,546,000
2010 $45,248,000% change v. 10 -2%
Price 2011 $143.37
2010 $141.28
% change v. 10 1%
Top-Selling Tennis Shoesat Specialty StoresBy year-to-date dollars,
January June, 2011
1. Prince T22
2. Adidas Barricade 6.0
3. Nike Air Breathe 2K10
4. Babolat Propulse 3
5. Nike Air Breathe Free 2
(Source: TIA/Sports Marketing Surveys)
PTR to Host Professional Development Weekend
The PTR will hold its Professional Development Weekend
Oct. 6-9 at PTR Headquarters and Van der Meer Ship-
yard Racquet Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C.Among the speakers are Iaki Balzola, Dr. Louie Cap,
Doug Cash, Colleen Cosgrove and Judy Vogt, Craig Jones,
Kurt Kamperman, Anne Pankhurst, Tito Perez, Dr. Bryce Young and Tim Dr. Dirt
Wilkison. On court and classroom topics include How to Make Money with Quick-
Start, Great Games & Drills for Your Not so Great Juniors, How to Play Better Doubles
without Hitting a Ball, Coaching Philosophy, 30 Unique Error Detections & Correc-
tions, How to Run Junior Camps, Social Media for Tennis Pros, Hard & Clay Court
Maintenance and more! The event is open to everyone; registration is $349.
The PTR also is hosting a club and Facility Managers Conference at PTR Head-
quarters on HHI Oct. 5-7, which is designed for club owners, club managers and ten-
nis directors.
For information or to register, visit Events at ptrtennis.org or call 800-421-6289.
Undefeated Kastles Win World TeamTennis Title
The Washington Kastles completed the first perfect season in the 36-year history ofWorld TeamTennis, defeating the St. Louis Aces 23-19 in the WTT Finals in late July
in Charleston, S.C. It was the Kastles second WTT title in the last three years, in only its
fourth season as a franchise.
Three Kastles players were singled out for season honors: Leander Paes won male
MVP, Arina Rodionova won female rookie of the year and Murphy Jensen won coach of
the year. Liezel Huber of the runner-up St. Louis Aces won female MVP honors.
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S E P T / O C T 2 0 1 1
IN
DUSTRYNEW
S
10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Sept/Oct 2011 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
The National Sporting Goods Association announced theappointment of Dale Donaldson, owner of Mallard's Source for
Sports in Castlegar, British Columbia, Canada, and the reappoint-
ment of Jeff Brusati, president of T&B Sports in San Rafael, CA to
the NSGA Board of Directors.
American pro Robert Kendrick says hell appeal his suspensionfor doping violations. The ITF banded the 31-year-old for a year
after he tested positive for the banned substance known as
methylhexanamine (MHA) at the French Open.
Gamma Sports has hired Chris Nauman as national sales man-ager for the tennis specialty sales channel in the U.S. He can be
reached at naumanc@gammasports.com.
Longtime USTA volunteer and contributor to tennis Mac Mac-Dougal passed away July 7 following a battle with cancer.
Skirt Sports, the women's fitness apparel company based inBoulder, Colo., has hired Leanne Hand as its vice president of mar-keting. She previously worked for Dunlop-Slazenger, Russell Ath-
letic and Moving Comfort.
Venus Williams is the newest spokesperson for Jamba Juice.Williams is also a Jamba Juice franchise store owner and plans to
open five stores in the Washington D.C. area over the next two
years.
Lindsay Davenport, expecting her third child, was forced towithdraw from the World TeamTennis Pro League season after
her doctor put her on travel and activity restrictions. In July, Dav-enport tweeted that things are better and looks like another
girl. She and her husband, Jonathan Leach, have a boy, 4, and
girl, 2.
James Blakes lawyers submitted a proposal to the Bridgeport,
Conn., Board of Parks Commissioners in July to build a $4 million,
private funded tennis facility with seven indoor courts. The hope is
to have the facility ready by September 2012.
USTA First Vice President Dave Haggerty will be inducted intothe USTA Middle States Section Hall of Fame in Octo-
ber. Former ATP CEO Mark Miles will be inductedinto the USTA Midwest Section Hall of Fame in
December.
Top badminton players Kyle Emerick (top) andSarun Vivatpatanakul (bottom) have joined the Wil-
son Badminton Team and have signed long-term
agreements with Wilson Sporting Goods.
George Acker, longtime mens tennis coach atKalamazoo College, died on July 20.
Former world No. 3 Elena Dementieva married her long-time boyfriend, hockey pro Maxim Afinogenov, in Moscow.
Gigi Rock is the new commissioner of the Womens ProfessionalRacquetball Tour.
Chris Walling of Atlanta has been named USTA Southern Direc-tor of Adult Tennis and Section League Coordinator. He has served
in his present position as the Local League Coordinator for USTA
Atlanta for three-and-a-half years.
Alexios Halebian of Glendale, Calif., and Luca Corinteli of
Alexandria, Va., who live together at the USTA Training Center-Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., captured the boys 18s and 16s
singles titles, respectively, at the 2011 USTA National Clay Court
Championships in Delray Beach in July. Gabrielle Andrews of
Pomona, Calif., won girls 18s singles title at the Racquet Club of
Memphis.
P E O P L E W A T C H
PTR Receives NCACE Accreditation
PTR announced that it has gained Level 5 accreditation from the
National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education
(NCACE) for its Master of Tennis Performance program.
We congratulate PTR for recognizing the value of having anaccredited coaching education program, wrote NCACE Executive
Director Christopher Hickey. PTR has shown that it is a leader
among leaders. Your Master of Tennis coaching education pro-
gram will serve as a prototype for other organizations seeking to
promote excellence in coaching preparation.
NCACE, a division of AAPHERD, promotes and facilitates
coaching competence within all levels of amateur sport by over-
seeing and evaluating the quality of coaching education programs.
In addition, NCACE endorses comprehensive standards for sport
practitioners, including: volunteer, interscholastic, collegiate, and
elite coaches. Through accreditation, NCACE provides leadership
and guidance to coaching education providers.
Ashaway Offers Dynamite 16 Tough
Ashaway Racket Strings' new Dynamite 16 Tough tennis
strings utilize Zyex core resin in a special, multi-strand-
ed monofilament
construction thatincreases power and
resilience, says the
company. Zyex con-
struction allows the
16-gauge Dynamite
16 Tough to maintain
tension throughout
the life of the string
for consistent per-
formance, according
to Ashaway. Visit ash-
awayusa.com forinfo.
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I N D U S T R Y N E W S
Sponsor Package Announced for GSS Attendees
The fifth annual GSS racquet stringers symposium, to be held Sept. 24-28 at Saddle-
brook Resort in Tampa, announces a new sponsorship, says symposium founder
and owner Tim Strawn. Babolat, Gamma, Prince and Wilson will be
involved in a joint effort to sponsor the event this year. Each symposium
attendee will receive a triple racquet thermal bag, 12 sets of premium
string, and a premium racquet from one of the four companies.Were fortunate to have such great support from these companies,
Strawn says. The retail value of this giveaway is between $350 to
$450 and this is just one part of the overall package attendees will
receive. This should go a long way in offsetting the registration
costs to attend this year.
GSS also welcomes Nathan Price, Princes global manager for
strings, grips, accessories, and stringing machines. Price will host an open round-
table session as well as conduct the popular Prince speed-stringing contest.
The symposium has added several new speakers as well as eight new seminars.
Visit grandslamstringers.com or call 540-632-1148.
Sept/Oct 2011 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11www.racquetsportsindustry.com
ASBA Sees Record Number of Award Applicants
The American Sports Builders Association, the national organization for builders
and suppliers of materials for athletic facilities, has announced an all-time high
number of entrants in its annual awards program. This year, members entered a
total of 126 projects to the awards program, an increase from the pre-
vious high of 87.
Awards are given for tennis courts, running
tracks, indoor multi-purpose facilities, and sports
fields. There were 40 tennis projects submitted for
awards: 21 outdoor facilities, 16 residential courts and 3
indoor tennis facilities. For info, visit sportsbuilders.org.
USTA Serves Grants $400K in Scholarships
USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the USTA,
will grant 78 high school students a variety of college schol-
arships totaling over $400,000. Each year, USTA Serves awards
scholarships to deserving youth who have participated in USTA
and other organized youth tennis programs, have demonstrated
high academic achievement, and require financial assistance for col-lege matriculation.
Among the awards are:
Q Marian Wood Baird Scholarship Award (one $15,000 award): Claire Hafner, sen-
ior, St. Charles East High School, St. Charles, IL.
Q Dwight Mosley Scholarship Award (two students each receive $10,000): Tyler
McGinnis, senior, home-schooled, Washington, D.C., and Christopher Hunter,
senior, Half Hollow Hills High School, Melville, NY.
Q Dwight F. Davis Memorial Scholarship (two students each receive $7,500): Grace
Trimble, senior, home-schooled, Winchester, KY, and Christopher Barnes, senior,
University of Detroit Jesuit High School, Royal Oak, MI.
Q Eve Kraft Education & College Scholarship (two students receive $2,500): Rachel
Knight, senior, Fife High School, Puyallup, WA, and Brandon Schlack, senior, LosAlamitos, Long Beach, CA.
Q USTA Serves College Education Scholarship (55 students each receive $6,000)
Q USTA Serves College Textbook Scholarship (16 students each receive $1,000)
Social Networking Making aMark on Fitness & Exercise
Social networking and Generation Ys
focus on technology might be having a
dramatically different impact on Americas
fitness patterns than many assume, accord-
ing to the 2011 Tracking the Fitness Move-ment, released recently by the SGMA.
Rather than locking young people into
an inactive lifestyle, social media may be
driving the younger generation into new
forms of fitness activities, the report says.
Highlighting Gen Ys (those born
between 1980 and 1999) physical fitness
trend is the growing interest in group exer-
cise. High-impact aerobics, step aerobics
and group stationary cycling activities
have all increased more than 20 percent in
participation within the past three years.
In tennis, the TIA-managed Cardio Ten-
nisan on-court group fitness program,
has seen rapid growth. The latest research
shows that more than 1.5 million people
have engaged in Cardio Tennis since its
inception in 2005 and that participation
has grown 81 percent from 2008 to 2010.
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S E P T / O C T 2 0 1 1
IN
DUSTRYNEW
S
> Defending US Open champs RafaelNadal and Kim Clijsters, world No. 1
Novak Djokovic, former US Open champi-
on Andy Roddick and 2010 US Open
Wheelchair champ David Wagner will
team up with actor Bradley Cooper, New
York Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony, and
pop star Cody Simpson at the 16th Annu-
al Arthur Ashe Kids Day on Aug. 27 at the
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Cen-
ter in Flushing, N.Y.
> The 2011 US Open prize money pursehit a record $23.7 million. Both the mens
and womens US Open singles champions
will earn a record $1.8 million.
> Fila Luxembourg, S.a.r.l entered into amulti-year licensing agreement with Berk-
shire Fashions Incorporated for the design,
manufacture and sale of Fila branded
accessories for the US market. The line will
launch in the fall and will feature mens,
womens, boys and girls styles.
> Through July, the USTA added 15,000new 10 and under members, through its
First Year Free Membership offer for
kids, which will run through the end of the
year.
> The U.S. will host Belarus in the firstround of the 2012 Fed Cup, Feb. 4-5. The
site is still to be determined.
> The 27th annual Wimbledon Racquet,Clothing & Equipment Census carried out
by Sports Marketing Survey Inc., which
measures the brands competitors use at
each event throughout the tournament,
placed Wilson as the overall No. 1 racquet
brand at Wimbledon 2011, with 191 play-
ers (32 percent) selecting this brandanincrease of six players since 2010.
> Canadian tennis star and current worldNo. 29 Milos Raonic unveiled the Lacoste
Tribute shoe collection in downtown
Toronto in July, which honors tennis leg-
end and company founder Rene Lacoste.
Raonic, who has reached as high as No. 25
on the ATP Tour, is Canadas highest ever
ranked player.
> The National Association of Tourna-
S H O R T S E T S
ment Directors (NATD), a new association
designed to bring together tournament
directors of all sports, has named sports
industry veterans Louise Waxler as Presi-
dent/CEO and Mike Chandler as Vice Presi-
dent of Sports Industry Relations. Visit
NATDweb.org.
> The USTA is teaming up with AndreAgassi and Stefanie Graf to encourage chil-
dren to get healthy, active and into the
game through the USTAs 10 and Under
Tennis program. The collaboration includes
a new 30-second commercial, titled Story
Time, airing during the US Open.
> The Southlake Tennis Center in Texaswon the 2011 USTA Facility of the Year
Award, which will be presented during the
US Open in New York. The award recog-
nizes outstanding efforts in tennis facility,
tennis programming and contribution to the
game of tennis.
> Former pro players Katrina Adams, LeslieAllen, Rodney Harmon and Ann Koger
coached and spoke to juniors at USTA East-
erns 13th annual Camp A.C.E. (Achieving
through Coaching and Education). The
camp, which ran from July 24 -30, is a
National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL)Regional Leadership camp, which provides
world-class tennis and fitness instruction,
and sessions on finance, careers, and col-
lege admissions.
> Nike is facing new claims of workerabuse in Indonesia. The report stemmed
from interviews in March and April by the
Associated Press of dozens of workers at
Pou Chen Group factory in Sukabumi,
about 60 miles from Jakarta that make
Converse shoes. Among the charges arethat supervisors throw shoes at workers,
slap and kick them, and call them dogs and
pigs.
> Auburn, Ala. has been selected to hostthe 2012 and 2013 USTA Southern Jr. Team
Tennis Championships.
> Pressureball is a resusable, flexible pres-surized tube that its creator, Barry Mulder,
says will maintain the bounce in new balls
and will restore the bounce in balls that
have lost their pressure. The tube, which
sells for $19.90, can hold up to eight ten-
nis balls and is inflated with any pump,
such as a bicycle pump. For info, visit
pressureball.com.
> K-Swiss Inc. reported that net loss forthe six months ended June 30 was $29.9
million, or 84 cents a share, compared
with a net loss of $19.2 million, or 55
cents per share, for the six months ended
June 30, 2010.
> USTA has been named one of theCIO 100. CIO is a magazine and web-
site for information technology execu-
tives, and it honors 100 organizations
that have distinguished themselves by
creating business value through the use
of IT.
> USTA Eastern says that 4all by jofitwomens tennis apparel brand will outfit
one of the sections Adult League teams
that will advance to the USTA National
Championships in the fall.
> Are you a tennis pro or facility directorlooking for an Apple iPad2 app for lesson
tracking, video, lesson history, a chalk-
board and other features? Check out10sPro, available at the iTunes store (or at
portland10s.com for more info), devel-
oped by longtime pro Mike Stone.
> Nike signed a five-year lease for26,000 square feet at a Beaverton prop-
erty adjacent to its world headquarters.
More than 100 employees will work in
administration and lab research at the
new office space.
> Under Armour Inc. reported revenuesincreased 42.2 percent in the second
quarter, to $291.3 million from $204.8
million in the prior year. Net income
increased 77.1 percent to $6.2 million, or
12 cents a share, from $3.5 million, or 7
cents, a year ago.
> Adidas AG raised its forecast for 2011after profit and sales came in better than
expected in the second quarter. The com-
pany says its sales are now expected to
increase 10 percent.
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S E P T / O C T 2 0 1 1
INDUSTRYNEW
S 2011 Stringers Digest
The 2011 edition of The Stringers Digest,
containing about 6,000 stringing patterns
for all types of racquets (including 113 pat-
terns added this year), is now available for
USRSA members. This indispensable tool for
all stringers and pro shops has detailedstringing instructions for virtually ever ten-
nis, racquetball, squash and badminton
frame in circula-
tion. It is the
only source in
this industry
for this infor-
mation, and
it includes
stringing
patterns for
frames that
have long
been dis-
continued
by t heir
manufac-
turers. For more
information on The Stringers Digest,
call the USRSA at 760-536-1177 or visit
www.racquettech.com.
Congratulations To the FollowingFor Achieving MRT Status
New MRTs
Karina Prieto Orlando, FLSebastian Toro Orlando, FLTim Goetz Fayetteville, NCBrandon Arradaza Big Rapids, MIDan Leyer Bryn Mawr, PAKaren Lavi Bryn Mawr, PABrett Snyder Houston, TXOliver Jones Newton Square, PA
New CSs
Phil Gaerlan Colorado Springs, COMichelle Tran San Diego, CAChris Capps Fort Myers, FL
Nattie Chan Oberlin, OH
Special 9/11 Tributes Before US Open Finals
The US Open and the USTA will remember those whose lives were lost on
Sept. 11, 2001, with a pair of pre-match ceremonies in Arthur Ashe Stadi-
um before both the mens and womens finals.
Prior to the start of the prime-time womens singles final on Saturday
night, Sept. 10, there will be a special performance by Grammy and Emmy
Award-winner Cyndi Lauper. On Sunday, Queen Latifahmusician, televi-
sion and film actress, label president and authorwill preside over a tribute
before the start of the mens singles final. Queen Latifah performed at the
US Opens first ever Opening Night Ceremony in 2002, which was 9/11
themed.
For both the womens and mens singles championships 9-11-01 will
be inscribed on Arthur Ashe Stadium court as part of this memorial tribute.
The USTA also will include on the upper ring encircling Arthur Ashe Stadi-
um the 9/11 memorial logo developed by the City of New York.
The USTAs goal is to mark this solemn occasion in a dignified and
respectful manner, said Jon Vegosen, USTA chairman of the board and
president. We are one of this nations global stages on the 10th anniversary
of 9/11, and we have a special responsibility to honor those fallen and those
who responded heroically on that fateful day.
Each ceremony will include a moment of silence and the unfurling of a
giant American flag over the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium by a U.S. Marines
Corps color guard. On Sunday, the 10th anniversary, the two mens players
competing in the final will enter the court through an honor guard com-
prised of members of the New York Police Department, the Fire Depart-
ment of New York and the Port Authority Police, and there also will be a
military flyover at the conclusion of the ceremony.
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Junior Players
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Dr.Robert Heller is a psychologist, sport
psychology consultant and certified tennis
teaching professional based in Boca Raton,
Florida and author of the mental training
program, TENNISMIND. He can be reached
at www.mentalskillstennis.com or
info@robertheller.net.
represent their product lines to the pub-
lic. With the potential to offer players
great rewards and financial incentives,
they have raised the bar and are seeking
not only great players, but great people. Q
Here are some of the
key questions Merritt asked
the young athletes and parents
to reflect on:
Q Do you carry yourself
proudly?
Q Do you hold your ten-
nis bag properly?
Q Do you control your-self physically and
mentally when things
arent going well?
Q Do you fight hard when
faced with adversity, or do you
check out?
Q Do you play independently or look at
your coach or parent after each point?
Q Are you fearless or do you push the
ball to win?
Q Are you mature or are you a whiner
and complainer?Q Are you respectful toward your oppo-
nent and yourself?
Q Do you demonstrate good sportsman-
ship on and off the court?
Q Do you have good pre-match prepara-
tion habits, whether it be relaxing in
solitude or jumping rope?
Q Finally, do you love to compete to win
a tough point at match point or are you
hoping your opponent double faults?
The areas that Merritt addressed are
many of the same ones I work on withmy clients in my role as a sports psy-
chology consultant. By focusing on devel-
oping these attitudes and behaviors,
young athletes will not only perform bet-
ter, theyll stand a far greater chance of
landing endorsements with sporting
good companies that can pay handsome
dividends for years to come.
If it sounds like sponsors are some-
thing of a big brother, thats probably
true. They have a lot of influence and
have decided to use it to encourage the
development of players who can best
ith the enormous finan-
cial costs associated with
pursuing a college tennis
scholarship, let alone a possible career
as a professional tennis player, most
tennis families are seeking avenues to
help defray the expenses. Getting a
sponsorship with a major sporting
goods company may be a worthwhilepath to pursue for your junior players.
But also, a lot of the qualities compa-
nies look for when deciding which
juniors to sponsor are qualities we
should be cultivating in all our young
players.
At the 2011 National Spring Clay
Court Boys and Girls 12 and Under
Championships held in Delray Beach
and Boca Raton, Fla., Ivan Baron, the
director/promoter of the tournament,
arranged a mandatory meeting forregistrants that included a talk by the
head talent scout for Prince Sports,
Ken Merritt.
I was delighted that Merritt started
his talk setting the tone for the tourna-
ment, Unsportsmanship behavior
wont get you a sponsorship, even if
you are the No. 2 junior in the coun-
try. The days of McEnroe and Con-
nors are gone.
He went on to say that rankings
accounted for less than 1 percent ofthe decision to offer players sponsor-
ships down the road. Prince, he said,
is looking for leaders and feels this
is true of many of the sporting goods
companies. Prince has a staff of six
full-time scouts along with numerous
part-time staffers who travel the junior
tennis circuit looking to develop long-
term relationships with promising
juniors. These scouts, often unnoticed
and anonymous, observe not only
matches but how players conduct
themselves off the court as well.
W
Cultivating a
Winning CharacterB Y D R . R O B E R T H E L L E R
Unsportsmanship behavior
wont get you asponsorship evenif you are the No junior in thecountry The daysof McEnroe andConnors are gone
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Retailing
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
This is part of a series of
retail tips presented by
the Tennis Industry
Association and written
by the Gluskin Townley
Group (www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
Q Start a conversation with your cus-
tomers that includes gathering infor-
mation about them so you can better
provide what they want and need.
Gather information at the point of sale
and continue to gather info as the relation-
ship grows. It will take some time, but ide-
ally youll want to know their preferences
for products and services, how they play,
what they want their tennis equipment to
do for them, their style of play, their pref-
erences with apparel. Also note other fam-
ily members, birthdays, whether they like
playing competitive tournaments, social
round-robins, where they like to play, typeof surface they play on most frequently,
etc. There is a ton of information you can
glean just by asking the right questions
and listening to your customers.
Many specialty retailers keep this type
of customer information on file. Your
point-of-sale system may be able to store
this kind of data. Make sure everyone
working at your store is trained and edu-
cated about fully utilizing your POS system
to support your consumer-centricity.
Your stores ongoing conversation withyour customers will build loyalty and
repeat business, and it is critical to enjoy-
ing increased revenue and profitability!
Coming Up:How to keep your product portfolio easy
to understand for consumers. Q
DeliverLifestyle SolutionsThe point here is that, if you are product-
centric, youre telling a shopper all about
the tennis racquet your staff person thinksthey should buy. But that simply doesnt
work nearly as well from a revenue growth
and net profit standpoint as being con-
sumer-centricand focusing your whole
store on listening, suggesting and delivering
individual tennis lifestyle solutions to your
customers.
So, what does it mean to be a con-
sumer-centric tennis specialty store?
Q The store and the organization are built
from the customer perspective in, not
the retail perspective out.
Have an ongoing, honest, and frank
conversation with your customers who did
buy and shoppers who didnt buy from you
about what they like or dont like about
your store operations and their shopping
experience. Dont be afraid to ask them,
What can we do to make your experience
here more enjoyable and useful?
Q The retail shopping process is easy to
understand, pleasant, and customers
have more control over the entire retail
experience.
This includes your website and use of
social media, your product portfolio, mer-
chandise planning and a comfortable and
clean store environment.
Q The shopping experience is tailored and
personalized to differentcustomer
needs and shopping occasions.
Staff your store with customer-service
naturalspeople who really want to be of
service, and who are trained to really listen
to tennis shoppers wants and needs and
who make suggestions about individual
tennis lifestyle solutions.
ur case studies show that
one of the keys to Opera-
tional Excellence for inde-
pendent specialty retailers is a
commitment to being truly con-sumer-centric. From our experience
most specialty tennis retailers would
argue they are consumer-centric, but
on this count, most would be wrong.
The difference between thinking
you are consumer-centric and actual-
ly being consumer-centric is putting
the customer first and really listening
to what their wants and needs are,
and focusing on providing tennis
lifestyle solutions, not just products.
A big part of this difference is gather-
ing as much information about your
customers as possible, and using that
information to the advantage of your
customers.
It doesnt matter if your store
business plan and target consumers
are fit, athletic tennis players, or fam-
ilies, or senior players, or junior play-
ersor any combination. To achieve
and sustain any reasonable growth in
todays marketa market that is
totally controlled by consumersyou
are going to have to change the way
you do business from being product-
centric to being totally consumer-
centric.
With a consumer-centric store
strategy, the product becomes the
tail, which you then are able to
wag to attract and retain cus-
tomers. But if the tail wags the
store, youre not servicing your cus-
tomers the way they want to be ser-
viced, and you end up chasing them
to your competition.
O
Is Your Store
Consumer-Centric?From a revenue growth and net profitstandpoint, you should focus on consumersfirst rather than product.
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Pioneers In Tennis
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
"Pioneers in Tennis," an occasional column in RSI, draws attention to trailblazers in the sport. Have someone to suggest?
E-mail rsi@racquettech.com.
Rick Pray & Carol Anderson:Connecting With Stringers
don't like this racquet; it doesn't play
well so I'm just going to get a different
brand.' It was very hard at first to get
people to understand that it wasn't the
dealers who needed instructions; it was
the small-business owners or indepen-
dent stringers."
It was an argument that finally
worked, and USRSA's annual Stringers
Digest was started. Each edition con-
tained the latest in racquet stringing
patterns for all racquets on the market.In 1974, Rick Pray suffered a cata-
strophic injury while hang-gliding,
which left him partially paralyzed. He
died in 1979, leaving Carol in charge of
ATS and USRSA.
It was shortly afterward, as Carol,
was struggling to manage both opera-
tions, that a woman named Jill Fonte
came into the office, seeking a job. Jill
and Carol had an instant rapport. "She
hired me to be kind of her right-hand
person," recalls Fonte. "She was run-ning the two companies and I was
young and energetic and a tennis
enthusiast."
Carol recognized Jill's innate ability
to move USRSA forward. "We were a
wonderful team together," says Fonte.
"I liked everything about working with
Carol; she was very much a mentor in
so many ways. I learned a lot from her
example."
Carol eventually left USRSA in Jill's
hands, and continued to work with ATS.
She is now fully retired, and spends her
time traveling. USRSA now has a world-
wide membership of more than 7,000.
In addition to publications, a website
and more, it offers workshops and a
certification program. ATS has contin-
ued as well, with a strong online pres-
ence.
"Carol is just amazing," says Fonte,
"and so was Rick."
Mary Helen Sprecher Q
mets and more to home-based stringers
and small pro shops. He also started the
U.S. Racquet Stringers Association
(USRSA). Carol took the lead role there,
but following conventional wisdom that
male executives got more respect, used
the masculine name of "Carroll" in all
her correspondence as executive director
of the association.
Both ATS and USRSA flourished. ATS
provided valuable monthly business
advice to customers along with putting
small personalized gifts in every outgo-
ing order. Catalogs were printed, first inblack-and-white, then in color. USRSA,
meanwhile, established itself as the key
source for stringing information. Monthly
member newsletters, "The Stringers
Assistant," contained information includ-
ing stringing information on new rac-
quets and strings, technical discussions,
tension information, stringing machines,
re-gripping, re-sizing, etc.
Rick and Carol would attend tennis
trade shows and lobby racquet compa-
nies to make stringing information avail-able to the USRSA. Carol remembers it
as a challenging time.
"I would go up to Wilson and say,
"Do you have stringing patterns for the
T2000 or the T3000?' They would just
look surprised and say, 'Well, all our
dealers have that.' I would say, 'Yes, I'm
aware of that but maybe you don't know
that a player who can't get a racquet
strung the right way is going to say, 'I
he old clichsworking together
can ruin a marriage, don't take
your work home with you, etc.
never seemed to apply to Richard Pray
and Carol Anderson. In fact, their at-
home partnership fueled their entrepre-
neurial style, leading them to new joint
discoveries.
When Rick Pray, who had a lifelong
interest in sportsfootball, hang-glid-
ing, body-building, surfingplayed ten-
nis, Carol played with him. Theyquickly discovered their hometown of
Chico, Calif., lacked a racquet stringer,
and that racquets had to be sent all the
way to Sacramento for stringing, usual-
ly by someone with a home-based busi-
ness. It caused needless delays and
yielded results that were uneven at
best.
"Well," says Anderson, "in business,
the rule is you find a need and you fill
it."
Pray couldn't resist the challenge, or
the inherent opportunity. He invested in
a tabletop stringing machine and began
experimenting. He strung his own rac-
quets, then Andersons, then those of
friends. Together, he and Carol uncov-
ered a disconnect in the industry.
Strings and grip material could be pur-
chased, but not in the small quantities a
small-business owner would use. Even
instructions for stringing patterns were
lacking.
As Anderson sat at home one night,
Pray watched her knit. She was using a
pattern, and as she followed those
instructions, he realized similarly easy-
to-follow material for stringers didn't
exist. The stringing industry, he decid-
ed, needed a voice, as well as a compa-
ny that catered to the many small
business owners that comprised it.
In the late 1960s, Rick started Asso-
ciated Tennis Suppliers (ATS), which
sold and shipped strings, grips, grom-
T
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Racquet Sports
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
partners first met and where Roberts first
began to coach Shortz.
Some area teens have already begun
to make the club part of their after-school
day and, as the club sits minutes fromthe train station, a few top amateurs had
already made the trip up from NYC in
the very first days after the doors
opened. Additional players are being
sought through school exhibitions and by
reaching out to local colleges with aspira-
tions to engage in the growing intercolle-
giate club play.
Roberts, who gained his international
stature despite a late start in the game at
13, says that one of his main goals is
that, I would like to get a lot of kidsinvolved in the sport. He also talks
about making the club a training center
for those in the area desiring to play
at the sports highest level. (To this
end, the club has hired Rawle
Alleyne, the former Barbados national
team coach.) Monday nights are
beginners nights, Tuesdays are for
kids, and there are current training
programs both for young players and
the elderly.
A four-star tournament featuring
international players and a $3,000
first prize purse is planned for early
fall, as is one for area high school and
college players. A key to success for both
the tournaments and the club will be cor-
porate sponsorships.
Despite the business requirements,
neither partner seems overwhelmed by
the money hunt. They are both in it for
love of the game, the people, and the
friendships. Says Shortz, I dont want to
lose the whole reason for starting the
club. Q
entire 40,000-square-foot building hous-
ing businesses ranging from a print shop
to a martial arts school before opening
the club. Its crazy as an investment, he
explains, [but] it works for me.In addition to more top-of-the-line
tables than any other American club, the
$750,000 investment prior to opening
included new air conditioning, splitting
the space into a main room and five-table
party room, mens and womens show-
ers, lockers, storage space for bleachers
to come out during tournament play, and
setting aside space for a pro shop to be
stocked with high-end equipment from all
the major manufacturers and a caf.
The club opens every day from earlyafternoon to late evening. The year-one
membership goalabout halfway
achieved within two months of opening
is 300, with adults paying $300 and
under-20s $200 for unlimited play. A
days play is also available for $10 ($7 for
students).
The base is expected to be the River-
towns Table Tennis Cluba nomadic
100-plus group who for years shifted
nightly through Westchester County, N.Y.,
venuesin whose membership the two
an you capture the intimacy that
makes a game special within a
cavernous 13,000 square feet of
commercial space? Thats the challenge
for the two partners in the recentlyopened Westchester Table Tennis Cen-
terNew York Times crossword puzzle
editor Will Shortz and former Caribbean
table tennis champion and Barbados
Olympian Robert Roberts.
Shortz (above, right) and Roberts
(left) are gambling on a shared passion
and the wave of interest in ping pong
that has seen 10-year participation
growth of 53 percent to about 19.5 mil-
lion core players and $46 million in rev-
enues, according to a 2011 SportingGoods Manufacturers Association Partici-
pation Study. Then theres the celebrity
attention table tennis is getting, for
instance, with actress Susan Saran-
don and partners rolling out their
SPiN parlors around the world, mix-
ing a bar scene and the thwack,
click, thwack, of a hollow, gas-filled
celluloid ball speeding and spinning
from rubber paddle to coated table
top to paddle and back.
The pleasure Shortz and Roberts
take in the sport is obvious as the
two friends set up catty-corner to
rally for a few minutes across one
of the 18 Double Happiness Rainbow
tables that help set their Pleasantville,
N.Y., parlor far apart from the games
clichd basement venues. Not as imme-
diately clear is whether the financial
gamble to create a table tennis empori-
um catering to everyone from novice to
international paddle master will pay off.
Shortz, star of the 2006 movie
Wordplay, bought a half interest in the
C
For These Friends, a New Table
Tennis Venue Solves the PuzzleB Y K E N T O S W A L D
For These Friends, a New Table
Tennis Venue Solves the Puzzle
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TIMING GEAR
R A C Q U E T S & S H O E S
B Y K E N T O S W A L D
Americas greatest tennis event
comes at practically the worst time
on the calendar for the tennis indus-
try: The fortnight when the sport takes
center stage in this country occurs as theselling season is in its dying ember
phase.
Imagine the sales and marketing tie-
ins missed with a late August, early Sep-
tember event coinciding with many
players stowing their tennis gear into
months-long hibernation. How many
more racquets could be sold if the US
Open took place earlier in the year,
around the time the tour touches down
in Indian Wells or Key Biscayne?
Its not that manufacturers are com-pletely ignoring opportunities to raise
awareness of their products at the Open.
Head, for example, counts on receiving the
promotional benefit of endorsees Novak
Djokovic playing with the YouTek IG Speed
Pro and Maria Sharapova and Tomas Berdych
playing with their YouTek IG Instincts as part of
the buzz emanating from Flushing Meadows.
Although the players have been hitting with the
new sticks since spring, the company only
began in early August to ship stores the YouTek
IG Instinct MP and YouTek IG Instinct S rac-
quets. Similarly, the company also stepped up
its promotion of the newly released Radical
Pro II shoe for men.
With more than 70,000 of its US Open
balls in use during the two weeks of play,
Wilson, too, is relying on a lot of free tele-
vision face time for the brand as a
key to its Open marketing. As for
the actual faces fans will see
reminding them of who is the
largest player in the tennis industry,
the tour team includes Roger Federer
playing with the Six.One Tour BLX; Sere-
na and Venus Williams hitting with the
Blade Team BLX; and Wimbledon champ
Petra Kvitova relying on the Tour BLX. Wil-
son also has produced a special edition NYC
shoe in its top-of-the-line Tour Vision line thatincorporates NYC 2011 embroidery and a new
colorway.
Rather than officially launching a new racquet
or shoe at the Open, Prince is looking to drive sales
with a consumer campaign. Purchases in August and
September from the companys EXO 3 racquet line
with its promise of edge-to-edge responsereceive an
automatic discount of $30 off. That promotion followed on
the heels of a global Facebook campaign encouraging peo-
ple to like the company for the chance to win a 3-day, 2-
night trip for two VIPs to New York.
Babolatfocused its Open-related promotional efforts onbuilding ties through its endorsees, inviting video posts of
kids 17 and younger hitting shots inspired by a Babolat pro.
The company scheduled weekly rounds of online voting for
fan favorites through the Open. Final votes will be cast in
the tournaments afterglow and one boy and one girl will
each win a trip to Indian Wells in the spring in recognition
of their ability to caricaturize a Babolat pro.
During last years Open, Dunlop used its outdoor voice
to launch its Biomimetic sticks. While the company will be
extending the line featuring benefits imitative of natures genius
further into the fall and claims sales have exceeded expectations,
they are using their indoor voice promoting the newest addi-
tions, the 100 and 200 Tour. Aimed at a niche player market,
the racquetsthe former with a smaller head and latter with
some added heftare scheduled for limited distribution through
specific speciality shops.
As much as any company, Yonex aligns its product rollouts
and promotions directly with the tennis calendar. Its new VCore
racquets and Power Cushion (three-layer) shoes were introduced
in the States during the spring. For the Japanese-based company,
the Open is all about star power at both ends of the age spectrum
as a marketing force. At one edge, the company stands to attract
attention if this turns out to be the first Major triumph for Caro-
line Wozniacki and her VCore 100S. At the other extreme, every
ball hit by Kimiko Date-Krumm, 40, with her S-Fit racquet will be
The US Open has always posed timing issues for new
product. But if manufacturers are not introducingracquets and shoes, theyre still raising awareness of
their brands.
TIMING GEAR
24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Sept/Oct 2011 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Wilson
Six.One Tour
BLX and
special
edition NYC
2011 shoe
Dunlop
Biomimetic 200 To
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one more clean winner in strengthening ties with players
who have left their school days far behind.
Similar to the racquet manufacturers, Adidas wont be
launching any new styles at the Open but will hope the
hoopla (and sales) come courtesy of its second-week war-
riors. Andy Murray will be wearing the Barricade 6.0; Fer-
nando Verdasco and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga the adiZero Feather;
and Ana Ivanovic and Daniela Hantuchova the adiZero Tem-
paia.By way of contrast, K-Swiss will launch a new shoe around
the US Open. Its goal will be to focus industry and consumer
attention on the use of its Tubes Technology cushioning for the
first time in this market with the launch of the Tubes Tennis 100.
Creating BuzzWhile some larger manufacturers have marquee player endorsements and big-
time (for tennis, at least) marketing budgets, more specialized manufacturers
count on the annual gathering of insiders and tennis specialists to create word-of-
mouth buzz that will ripple out into the tennis world through the fall and encourage spe-
cialty shops and teaching pros to consider making a bigger push in the new yearfor the companys racquets with their customers.
Pacific, for example, will be talking up its new X-Fast Pro 100,
released earlier this summer. Directly correlating to the companys
origins in string technology, the racquet was designed back-
wards from the interplay of ball and strings and then to the
frame, which in this case was created to complement aggres-
sive games heavy on power and spin.
Similarly, Tecnifibre rolled
out its new family of racquets
using VO2 Max (promising
exceptional control and
stability) and Tour Pre-pared technologies (a
layer of silicon in the
handle to minimize
polyester string-relat-
ed vibration) during the
US Open Series. As with
most smaller players,
hopes for marketing pop
from the Open itself will rely
on the individual success of dark
horses. In Tecnifibres case this
means strong second-week perfor-
mances by Janko Tipsarevic or Marcos
Baghdatis, or perhaps even Roland Garros
junior champ American Bjorn Fratangelo.
And Donnay, which relaunched the brand in the
U.S. earlier in the year with the thin-framed, relatively lighter
X-P Dual frames, will release its Dual Pro in conjunction with the
Open. Following the Open, the brand will ramp up its footprint with spon-
sorship of Jim Couriers Champions Series, the 12-city, September-October
senior tour featuring Courier, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Mats
Wilander, Bjorn Borg and Michael Chang.
With racquet, shoe and all other tennis technology improving, the US Open promises to be
a great fortnight for the game. Still, on behalf of the manufacturers, one cant help but regret that
a tennis extravaganza will never morph into a sales bonanza. Q
Yonex
VCore 100S and
Power Cushion shoe
Pacific
X-Fast Pro 100
Tecnifibre
VO2 Max
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29/52Sept/Oct 2011 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27www.racquetsportsindustry.com
These tips from contractors can help you save
your courts and equipment. B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R
You have your oil changed every three months or 3,000
miles. You see a doctor for an annual checkup. You restringyour racquet regularly.
So what is your routine for keeping your courts in good shape?
Sure, you're dragging your clay courts and blowing leaves off the
hard ones, and you know about seasonal maintenance and repairs.
But let's be honest: In a budget-conscious time, nobody goes
around looking for ways to spend money. How, then, do we know
a piece of equipment needs to be replaced?
Easy, say court builders. Look for a few unmistakable symp-
toms:
NETSIf a court net droops, is frayed or has holes or tears, or if the head-
band looks old, worn-out or dirty, it's obviously time to replace it.
The center strap, cable and other components should be struc-
turally sound at all times as well. Replacement parts such as
headbands and center straps are also available on the market.
"New nets should be purchased annually for your highest-pro-
file (most played-on) courts," says Tracy Lynch of Har-Tru Corp.
in Charlottesville, Va., "and then in year two, those nets should
be rotated to the courts that are not used as much. Its always a
good practice to store your nets inside during the winter months
if your courts are not being played on."
SURFACEHard courts will get play in every possible season. Look for bird-
baths (low spots on the surface where water collects after a rain)
or heaving. If lines look faded, a contractor can replace them
(which might be a good time to add those new 10 and Under
HOW OFTEN
SHOULD YOUREPLACE . . .
C O U R T C O N S T R U C T I O N & M A I N T E N A N C E
HOW OFTEN
SHOULD YOUREPLACE . . .These tips from contractors can help you save
your courts and equipment.
Ph
otocourtesyofFDC-TheFast-DryCom
pany,
PompanoBeach,
FL
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30/5228 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Sept/Oct 2011
Tennis lines you've been consider-
ingsee page 30 for details). Any
cracks should be addressed by a con-
tractor, since they can be a symptom
of any number of different problems,
both major and minor. The surface of
high-traffic areas such as the baseline
will show wear first, and a new coat
of acrylic surfacing can make thecourt look new again.
"How often you'll need to resur-
face will vary, depending upon the
amount of play the courts get," says
Lee Murray of Competition Athletic
Surfaces. "When players start men-
tioning that play is a bit too fast, that
is the first tip-off. Certainly, if you
start noticing loose sand on the courts
its time to make plans to resurface.
This condition will worsen quickly
and if not addressed, can get
dangerous."
Soft courts require mainte-
nance on a regular basis, says
Lynch, who recommends
annual top-dressing with 2
tons of surface for courts that
do not receive winter play.
"In year-round play climates,
courts should be top-dressed
twice a year to ensure the
court is playing consistent
and staying in top condition."
Slick spots in the court or
areas where the subsurface
material is showing through
are symptoms that work is
needed.
LIGHTSLights lose their power as
they age, and lamps burn out.
Use a light meter to take read-
ings around your courts and
find out where light loss has
occurred.
"Its recommended to
replace your lamps at 8,000
hours," says Lynch. "While
most lamps have an average
life of 12,000 hours, you start
to lose significant amount of
light output at the 6,000-hour
mark. Its also recommended
that you do group replacement of
lamps as opposed to individual
lamps as they burn out. Group
replacement ensures equal distri-
bution of light and helps eliminate
any potential hot/dark spots."
WINDSCREENWindscreens will break downover time, and rips and tears will
form, often around hems or
attachment points. Loose areas
that blow in the wind will result in
widespread damage.
Its a good idea to budget to
replace windscreen every four to
five years," says Lynch. "For bud-
get reasons, I would suggest rotat-
ing windscreens as you do your
nets. Replace the screen on your
high-profile courts androtate the old screens to the
lesser-played-on courts."
MAINTENANCEEQUIPMENTLook at all equipment,
checking for loose heads or
handles, cracking, rust
spots, sharp or broken
edges or splintering wood.
Repair any problems if pos-
sible, or replace when nec-essary. Check the rubber
edges of squeegees and the
condition of foam rollers to
make sure they are in good
shape. Trying to get one
more season out of a piece
of equipment rarely pays
dividends, and letting
something go too long can
result in damage to your
court or worse, injury to
someone using the equip-
ment.
Knowing what to look
for is half the battle, say
contractors. Actually look-
ing for it on a regular
basisand then addressing
itwill keep the courts
playing well for years to
come.Q
PhotocourtesyofFDC-TheFast-DryC
ompany,
PompanoBeach,
FL
Photocourte
syofHar-Tru,
Charlottesville,VA
PhotocourtesyofHar-Tru,
Note: The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) is a non-profit association helping designers, builders, owners, operators
and users understand quality sports facility construction. The ASBA offers informative meetings and publications on tennis courts
and running tracks. Available at no charge is a listing of all publications offered by the Association, as well as the ASBAs Mem-bership Directory. Info: 866-501-ASBA (2722) or www.sportsbuilders.org.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
The publication Tennis Courts: A Constructionand Maintenance Manual is an outstandingresource for court builders, facility ownersand managers, park & rec departments,and anyone else interested in learning the
latest about building and maintaining ten-nis courts and facilities. You can orderthe publication, which also containsinformation on 10 and Under Tenniscourts, for $44.95 through the Ameri-can Sports Builders Association(ASBA) at 866-501-ASBA (2722) oronline at www.sportsbuilders.org. The man-ual also is available for download from the website.
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Indoor tennis facilities have unique challenges when it comes to
keeping players safe.
SAFETY
MEASURES
C O U R T C O N S T R U C T I O N & M A I N T E N A N C E
SAFETY
MEASURESIndoor tennis facilities have unique challenges when it comes tokeeping players safe.
B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R
To rephrase what your mother told you, its all fun and games
until someone runs into a support column. The indoor ten-
nis facility can offer a lot of advantages. No rain can stop the
game, no oncoming wind can affect your serve, no sun can get in
your eyes. Its the perfect way to playas long as everyone stays
safe. By far, an indoor court managers greatest worry is having a
player, in the heat of the match, run for a shot and not see anobstacle in his or her path. The common-sense approach to pre-
venting this is threefold: (a) observe space requirements, (b) use
appropriate safety padding, and (c) use correct placement of court
furnishings.
SPACE REQUIREMENTSThe book Tennis Courts: A Construction and Maintenance Manual
notes that on a typical 60- by 120-foot court area, the sideline over-
run area (defined as the clear-playing space outside the lines) is 12
feet and the baseline overrun is 21 feet. Overruns are measured to
the nearest wall, column or other surface enclosing the court.
Many indoor facilities use backdrop curtains behind the base-
lines to minimize the distraction caused by players or staff walking
back and forth. The curtain should extend at least 10 feet above
the finished court surface, although they can be as high as the wall
itself. There should be at least 18 feet behind the baseline to the
backdrop curtain, although as mentioned, 21 feet is recommend-
ed. Between the wall of the building and the inside edge of the cur-
tain, there should be a passageway at least 3 feet wide.
Nothing should be stored behind the backdrop curtain. This
includes ball machines, maintenance equipment or anything else
that could cause tripping or injury to a player who backs into or
runs into the curtain while chasing a ball.
In addition, nothing should interfere with the overrun area
behind the baseline where it is likely to interfere with a player dur-
ing a gameno benches, racquet bags, jackets, etc. should be in
the space, and no spectators or personnel should be allowed to
stand there. Stray balls should be removed from this space as
quickly as possible without disrupting play. (Note: Indoor facilities
with courts for 10 and Under Tennis should also observe required
overrun distances.)
SAFETY PADDINGThe second aspect of keeping indoor facilities as safe as possible is
proper use of safety padding. Support columns, light posts and
other fixed objects should be wrapped in shock-absorbing materi-
al to lessen the possible damage or injury that can occur if a play-
er accidentally runs into them.
From a logistical standpoint, any structural member or mason-
ry wall within 2 feet of the backdrop curtain should be padded.
That padding should begin at the court surface and should extend
at least 7 feet up.
The Tennis Courts book recommends padding be made of
foam rubber and be at least 2 inches thick, although realistically,
use of thicker padding is always acceptable. Padding can be vinyl-
covered for appearance purposes, and for easier maintenance and
cleaning.
While some indoor tennis play is held in retrofitted buildings
with interior pillars, these are not recommended because of the
inherent safety risks. Generally, buildings designed for tennis do
not have supports that could obstruct play, or which anyone mov-
ing around the court could come in contact with.
COURT FURNISHINGSLocation, location, location: Its not just the real estate agents
mantra, its the third part of keeping your players safe on the court:
proper placement of court furnishings. The recommended mini-
Photo courtesy of ICASports, North Salem, NY
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mum clearance from the sideline of the court to a fixed object is 12
feet. Benches may be located slightly farther in (but no closer than
10 feet from the sideline) and should be within 12 feet of the net
line.
The book notes that portable equipment, such as cooler stands,
umpires chairs and players chairs, may be located within the rec-
ommended clearance; these items should be as close to the net line
as practical and no more than 12 feet from the net line.
Multi-court indoor facilities generally use divider nettingbetween courts to contain balls and create a visual boundary for
players. The Tennis Courts book says, Not less than 12 feet is
required from the sideline to a fixed obstruction (i.e. sidestop, light
pole, wall, etc.). Where courts are in a battery and where netting is
used between courts, the netting is considered to be a movable
obstruction, in which case 9 feet is considered a minimum
between sideline and netting. (Only where space limitations
become a factor and the 12-foot minimum cannot be provided
may the side space from sideline to a fixed obstruction be reduced
to a minimum of 10 feet). This dimension does not restrict obstruc-
tions at the net line; for example, the net post of the adjacent courtor light standards.
A good game inside means playing it safe, too. Q
30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Sept/Oct 2011
PhotocourtesyofLower
Bros.
Co.
Inc.,
Birmingham,
AL
P
hotocourtesyofSportsline
In
c.,
Exton,
PA
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Adding blended lines for 10 and Under Tennis is simple
and cost-effective.
INSIDE
THE LINES
C O U R T C O N S T R U C T I O N & M A I N T E N A N C E
INSIDE
THE LINESAdding blended lines for 10 and Under Tennis is simpleand cost-effective. B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R
Unless you've been living in a cave, you know about 10 and
Under Tennis and all the benefits it can offer. What you may
not know is how to bring it to your courts. One of the best
ways is to pick up the phone and call your local court builder. Tell him
or her you want courts lined for 10 and Under Tennis. It's that sim-
ple.
Maybe, though, you have a few questions. Is it going to be a bigexpense? Will 78-foot courts lined for 36- or 60-foot tennis look con-
fusing to players? Will members complain? Will it spoil the aesthet-
ics? No, no, no and no, say builders.
"It actually doesn't cost much to line a court for 10 and under
play," says Mark Brogan of Pro-Sport Construction Inc., Devon, Pa.
"On average, I think, people are charging less than $500. You have
to figure a club is going to make that up in the first set of group
lessons they book."
But even better, the national USTA will match dollar for dollar the
investment a facility makes toward the total cost of painting blend-
ed lines or converting tennis courts for 10 and Under Tennis, to a
maximum of $4,000. In many instances, between the national USTA
and the USTA section, a facility or organization adding blended lines
to 78-foot courts can have up to 75 percent of the total cost covered.
(Visit usta.com/facilities for more information on line and conversion
grants.)
Brogan, who serves on the board of the American Sports Builders
Association as the group's tennis division president, says he has yet
to hear complaints from any customer who has had the new lines put
on. In part, this is because lines for 10U play are generally a different
color from the existing lines and are unobtrusive and within the same
color family of the 78-foot court surface, for instance, light blue 10U
lines on a dark blue court surface. (If adding 10U lines to a 78-foot
court, the lines should never be white, or any color, such as gray, that
might be mistaken for white.)
"We have striped a lot of shared lines on various colored courts,"
says Lee Murray of Competition Athletic Surfaces in Chattanooga,
Tenn. "Using a color several shades darker than the playing area is
the best solution. Adult players arent as distracted when the 10 and
under lines are darker than the playing area and further from the
color of the white lines."
CROSSED LINESWhen 36- and 60-foot lines are superimposed on an existing regula-
tion court, some of the boundaries will be the same. Some of the
important points about shared lines:
Q Since a 78-foot court is 36 feet wide, the 78-foot court doubles side-
lines can be used as the baseline for a 36-foot court.
Q Since a 78-foot singles court is 27 feet wide, the 78-foot singles lines
can be used as the doubles sidelines for a 60-foot court.
To further differentiate 10 and Under playing lines from the lines
of the 78-foot court, 10U playing lines are terminated 3 inches from
the white 78-foot playing lines where the 10 and Under playing lines
intersect the 78-foot lines.
DIFFERENT FROM THE GROUND UPOne of the advantages of teaching 10 and Under Tennis is the abili-
ty to create courts anywhere, including gymnasiums, parking lots
and rec centers. Resourceful Tennis Service Representatives (TSRs),
top related