spring 2018 - setteo...1) time 2) work ethics 3) effort 4) body language 5) energy 6) be coachable...
TRANSCRIPT
Spring 2018
Midwest Connection Spring 2018 | 3 2 | Midwest Connection • Spring 2018
The Midwest Connection,the official newsletter
of the USPTA Midwest Division is published four times a year.
Submit items to the editor.
2018 OfficersPresident
Scott Ansay • [email protected]
Regional Vice PresidentMike Graff • [email protected]
Second Vice PresidentMatt Davis • 224-854-2483
Third Vice PresidentJohn Frausto • 920-860-0751
Treasurer-SecretaryCathy Thomas • 513-218-0782
State PresidentsOhio President
David [email protected]
WisconsinDan Oliver • 920-227-7005
IllinoisLindsay L. Geiger
MichiganChip Fazio • 313-670-3277
Head TesterMike Lange • [email protected]
EditorCarol L. Anderson
USPTA Midwest Division503-941-5137
USPTA World Headquarters800-USPTA-4U
from the president
USPTA Product Discounts - see BENEFITS tab on USPTA.com
2018 Professional Tests and Upgrades
contact USPTA to schedule: 800-877-8248April 8 & 9 Aurora, Ill. Rush-Copley HealthplexApril 29 & 30 Big Rapids, Mich. Ferris State UniversityMay 20 Eau Claire, Wis. Eau Claire YMCA Tennis CenterJune 3 & 4 Aurora, Ill. Rush-Copley HealthplexJuly 7 Indianapolis, Ind. Indianapolis Racquet Club Dean July 28 Columbus, Ohio The Racquet Club of Columbus
Aug. 15 & 16 Cincinnati, Ohio. The Club at Harpers PointAug. 25 Eau Claire, Wis. Eau Claire YMCA Tennis CenterSept. 8 & 9 Aurora, Ill. Rush-Copley HealthplexSept. 30 West Bloomfield, Mich. The Sports Club of West BloomfieldNov. 10 Mequon, Wis. Elite Sports Club MequonNov. 17 & 18 Big Rapids, Mich. Ferris State University
Hello Midwest Professionals-
I hope this newsletter finds you well and everyone had an enjoyable winter. Thanks to all those professionals who attended our USPTA Midwest Winter Forum in February. It was great to see some familiar faces as well as connect with new professionals.
As we leave winter behind and turn our attention to summer, we hope to see you in Ohio for our next education event. Join us for our Midwest Hall of Fame induction and awards dinner on Thursday, August 16th. In addition to our Hall of Fame inductions and awards, we will hold our annual Summer Symposium on Friday, August 17thon the grounds of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Be on the lookout for future information on this event.
I hope everyone had a chance to read the March issue of Tennis Industry magazine. It was great to see us highlight the U30 movement. We all know the statistics of our teaching professionals getting older and older. It is imperative to start recruiting and engaging the younger generation to see teaching tennis as a viable career. We have increased the number of PTM programs nationwide and even produced a commercial that will be aired on the Tennis Channel to highlight the U30’s. This is a great start but we need more help. If any professional can see potential in younger player who has a passion for tennis, help them understand the benefits of becoming a teaching professional. As John Embree states, “U30’s are the lifeblood of the USPTA going forward. They are the future. We cannot wait to take the right steps to bring new people in. It is now or never...”
Finally, the USPTA and your Midwest board continue to look for new ideas and programs to engage our members. The USPTA and industry partners are working together to promote May as “Play Tennis Month” to help showcase the sport of tennis and its associated health benefits. We ask any Midwest professional interested in running one of these events, to please register your facility at RallytheIndustry.org. The website has suggested formats for your programs to emphasize how tennis can be fun and social while getting a great workout. “Play Tennis Month” will also help support the USPTA Foundation and PHIT America. Get registered and get moving!
Enjoy the spring/summer and have a great day!
Sincerely,
Scott Ansay
USPTA Midwest PresidentWestern & Southern Open, Cincinnati, OhioThursday, August 16 Midwest Awards Dinner and Hall of Fame induction
Friday, August 17 Summer Symposium
August 24-272018 USPTA World Conference
Grand Hyatt, New York
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4 | Midwest Connection • Spring 2018
Leah F. Barnes, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Richard Curtis, Plainwell, Mich.
Brian G. DeVirgilio, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Patrick W. Downs, Fort Wayne, Ind
Andre Dupret, Southfield, Mich.
Brian M. Eckert, Dearborn, Mich.
Barbara Ann Fisher, East Liverpool, Ohio
Cindy M. Forth, Sterling Heights, Mich.
Ross W. Gelina, Chicago, Ill.
Nikolas O. Gonzalez, Menomonee Falls, Wis.
Jared M. Guy, Portland, Mich.
Christian M. Hamilton, Meadville, Penn.
Timothy J. Hartwick, Oconomowoc, Wis.
Nate Helmkamp, Big Rapids, Mich.
James R. Joyce, Okemos, Mich.
Tristan T. Kaye, Columbus, Ohio
Arien P. Kissinger, Eau Claire, Wis.
Genevieve LaCrosse, Rochester Hills, Mich.
Michael S. Manning, Grafton, Wis.
Dylan Merle, Lewis Center, Ohio
Jonathan A. Pugh, Big Rapids, Mich.
Caitlin M. Rutledge, Lawrence, Mich.
Clayton T. Schneider, Fishers, Ind.
Marko Selak, Franklin, Wis.
Richard L. Snodgrass, La Grange, Ill.
Gladiator Tennis, LLC, Aurora, Ill.
Bryant W. Wei, Lake Villa, Ill.
Sydney E. Whitfield, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Annie M. Wise, Royal Oak, Mich.
Welcome to the USPTA Midwest Division!
is now
Register your event https://www.rallytheindustry.org/uspta-register
USPTA Midwest Division Award Winners AnnouncedAwards dinner is held at the Western & Southern Open, Aug. 16. Please contact the USPTA Midwest Division office for dinner reservations, [email protected] or 503.941.5137.
Midwest Pro of the Year - Mark Faber, Toledo, Ohio
State Pro of the Year
Wisconsin - Chip Liefert, Milwaukee
Illinois - Jon Betts, McHenry
Michigan - Kevin McGuffie, Warren
Indiana - Andrea Calvert-Sanders, Indianapolis
Ohio - Walt Oden, Aurora
Nancy Mickler - Erika Wentz-Russell, Waukesha, Wis.
Fay Tooley - Kim Perna, Green Bay, Wis.
U30 award - Rachael White, Chicago, Ill.
Coach of the Year
Individual - Dural Morris, Hortonville, Wis.
High School - Greg Aten, Akron, Ohio
Small Facility Manager of the Year - Matt Boughton, Eau Claire, Wis.
Large Facility Manager of the Year – Erik Anderson, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Charity Event $10,000 plus - Jeff Long, Oak Park, Ill.
Western & Southern OpenAugust 11-19, 2018
Your Open for AnythingGet ready for tennis at its best: the world’s top stars AND off-court action that’s an event all its own. With the best local music, cuisine from the area’s top chefs/restaurants, select libations and deluxe shopping, this is one of the most anticipated celebrations of the summer.
Get the rest of the story and your tickets today.
WSOpen.com
Midwest Connection Spring 2018 | 7 6 | Midwest Connection • Spring 2018
Developmental Drills for Developing PlayersSpeaker: Bryan Nibert, USPTA Elite Professional
Dan Oliver, USPTA Elite Professional; Greenleaf, Wis.
Bryan‘s topic was developing drills to develop players. Brian has years of experience in tennis teaching and coaching and has some great drills he used to develop top-level players. Bryan demonstrated a series of drills that he uses in his teaching to help players develop and reach their potential. I especially like the Four Corners drill and lot of his drills had a lot of movement and shifting. Overall the seminar was fun, informative and everyone seemed to enjoy his presentation.
Every high school tennis program has a unique set of circumstances. What works well at one high school will not necessarily work well in your school. However, there are certain fundamental principles and building blocks that are typical of building successful programs. It’s up to you, high school coaches to devise the best system for selecting the high school team from many aspiring players who show up at tryouts.
In order to run a successful program fundraising is so critical. One of the most successful high school tennis fundraising events was a car wash. Approximately $4,500 was collected by bringing your car and get a car wash for a donation.
Important for Coach Schaffer:
1) Time
2) Work ethics
3) Effort
4) Body language
5) Energy
6) Be coachable
7) Do Extra
8) Be prepared
9) Competitiveness
10) Flexibility
11) Deal with adversity
Thanks to Ryan for showing us drills that focus on specific match-play situations and specific shots. Some of the specifics were consistency, high-pressure points, footwork, conditioning and defensive shots.
Here are a few of the drills Ryan shared.
Every Shot Counts: Works on consistency and pressure points. The value of each point is the number of shots in that particular rally. A 5 shot rally is worth 5 points. A 2 shot rally is worth 2 points and so on.
Pressure Points: In tennis, all points are worth one. But some points feel a lot more important than others! This drill is designed
to work on pressure points. Players play a tiebreak to 15. If a player has 7 points and loses the point, the player goes back to zero. If a player has 13 points and loses the point, the player goes back to 8.
Forced Recovery: After every shot a player must run to and touch a spot on the court. This forces a player to put more air under a ball, similar to a match situation where they are pulled off the court, also, great for footwork and conditioning.
Using drills that address specific situations and shots will help get our students to “practice with a purpose.”
Building a Successful High School Program Speaker: Ryan Schaffer, USPTA Professional and Mike Teets, High School Coach
Umang Chadda, USPTA Elite Professional; Tinley Park, Ill.
Addressing Specifics in Live Ball DrillsSpeaker: Ryan McDaniel, USPTA Elite Professional
Chip Fazio, USPTA Elite Professional, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.
Speakers Bryan Nibert and Mark Faver
Midwest Board: David Brooks (Ohio President), Mike Graff (Regional Vice President), Matt Davis (Second Vice President), Scott Ansay (President), John Frausto (Third Vice President), Cathy Thomas (Secretary/Treasurer). Umang Chadda (Illinois Vice President), Dan Oliver (Wisconsin President)
Alvin Jogasuria (L) and Kevin Vaughn (R) with Craig Jones, speaker
USTA Net Generation Certified Coaches WorkshopSpeaker: Craig Jones, USPTA Elite Professional
Scott Ansay, USPTA Elite Professional; Bayside, Wis.
Opening night of the 2018 Midwest Winter Forum, Craig Jones, USPTA Elite Professional, started the event by running a Net Generation specialty course. As always, Craig brings unmatched passion and energy for the game of tennis. This Net Generation workshop is fantastic since it gives teaching professionals a pathway to assess our players with various competencies. Craig had all in attendance active and running the classes and we got to access the professionals how they ran their specified drill. As Craig stated many times, coaching programs under Net Generation focus on skills, challenge, local play, and social development. It has been designed to expand your programs, make your job easier, and provide recognition for your efforts.
If you have not registered with Net Generation yet, please do so soon. This new initiative has so many wonderful resources and lesson plans that all your lessons will be greatly improved.
Drills that Fix Common ProblemsSpeaker: Jorge Capestany, USPTA Master Professional
Mike Graff, USPTA Elite Professional; West Bloomfield, Mich.
Beyond his excellent drills Coach Capestany shared a few thoughtful nuggets that can be utilized throughout your lesson planning and execution.
1. Maximize touches on the ball – Every drill should have a featured shot that gets lots of repetitions.
2. All players should try to develop at least two gears. One is to be a “grinder”, willing to extend points and stay in the rally. The second is “first strike”, looking for, and exploiting opportunities early in the point.
3. Every shot in tennis should be judged by its effect on the opponent.
4. When evaluating play, separate judgment of strategy and tactics (decision making) from the judgment of stroke execution. First, did you have a good plan; second, were you able to execute that plan.
Various Levels ... No problem (Creating a productive practice environment)Speaker: Mark Faber, USPTA Elite Professional
John Frausto, USPTA Elite Professional; Plymouth, Wis.
Mark’s presentation on how to handle different skill levels at the high school JV and Varsity levels was informative and insightful. A high school tennis coach has to wear many hats, having to deal with different skills levels, abilities, court availability and the number of coaches/assistants adds to the excitement. Mark’s implementation of the low compression tennis balls and unique drills were just two ways a coach could help blend different skill levels into a high school practice.
Paddle Tennis it’s here to stay! Jump on the Paddle Tennis Train!Dan Oliver USPTA Elite Professional,
USPTA Vice President Trish Faulkner presenting at the general membership meeting and lunch.
Recently I attended a seminar with Matt Davis speaking. The subject was paddle tennis is here to stay. As well as explaining how the game is played, the equipment, and the cost to get started, he also explained how much fun the game is and how well the members have responded to it. The room was full of people who had played paddle tennis so everybody had a chance to tell how the game affected them and why they liked it so much. What I took away from the
conversation was the fact that paddle tennis is getting popular. People seem to like the format and it can be played all year long even in the winter when it can be played outside on heated courts. One of the builders of paddle tennis courts, Dave Dodge, gave out some great information on how busy he was and on the steady demand for courts. He said he could not build them fast enough. From Matt’s seminar, it looks like paddle tennis is here to stay
Midwest Connection Spring 2018 | 9 8 | Midwest Connection • Spring 2018
Lets face it, motivating students to play outside of group drills or private lessons can be a tricky proposition at best. Motivating players who are new to the sport can be even more challenging when you consider the level discrepancy amongst beginners, and lack of interest from “higher” level players at your club who don’t want to “play down” with these greenhorns. Although these obstacles do exist, I believe getting beginners motivated to play outside of drills and private lessons is vital to the tennis clubs ecosystem. As a USPTA pro, I feel it is our role to serve as a social network hub to connect beginners with other players to ensure growth in our sport. Here are a few strategies I use to help motivate beginners to play our great sport of tennis.
#1: Teach them to love the game; the rally
When I meet people who are new to the sport (young or old) in group drills or private lessons, my main focus is teaching them to love the game! I start by introducing the rally, as this is the heart of fun in tennis. I use various tools to aid the student in sustaining a rally such as low compression balls, no-net rallies, or even a no bounce rally where the ball is exchanged along the ground. However you accomplish a rally, the end goal is the same; exchanging a ball back and forth using a tennis racquet. Rallying the ball back and forth under control (whether competitive or cooperative) is the primary objective in our sport; if you can emphasize and teach this skill, you will teach that player to love the game.
#2 Teach them basic skills
When I teach new players to our sport, I do my best to keep techniques and strategies simple so I don’t bog them down with too much information. Teaching skills like “pushing” or “blocking” the ball can be very effective for a beginner to consistently hit the ball over the net and in the lines. I like to practice this skill in my mini-tennis warm-up from the service line and stress that the player push the racquet and not swing it around their body. For the serve I teach my students the “emergency” serve so they can get the ball over the net and in the proper service box. Does this use improper technique and grips? Yes, but that is why I call it an “emergency” serve; it is used when making the serve with more traditional techniques and grips is not working. I also might add that EVERYONE who has ever played tennis at one point in their development used improper grips and techniques to make the serve in the correct box; let your students do the same! I see too many instructors overwhelm their students with too many teaching cues that cause their students frustration and eventually lead to disinterest in continuing to play. For beginners, make the game as accessible as possible by teaching them basic skills that will help them hit the ball over the net and in the lines more!
#3 Network, network, network!
I say network three times because this is vital to keeping beginners motivated in playing. I find this last subject the most neglected by tennis professionals, as it requires going that extra mile. As a beginner in our sport, many players are a bit apprehensive to go out and take charge of their game, and that is where the tennis professional can step in and encourage them to go out and play. I make considerable effort to connect beginners with other players at my club so they feel apart of the fabric of our tennis clubs offerings. This means sending emails, making calls or even text messaging to connect players. I also help reserve court time, and even introduce players for their first face-to-face meeting. This may not be directly reflected in your next paycheck, but it will certainly help to create a stronger bond with these players that will feed your group drills and private lessons.
Motivating beginners to play has its obstacles, but can be overcome when you equip these players with a few simple tools that will keep them on the court. Teach them to love the game with a simple rally, instruct them on basic skills such as the “push” style of hit, and help them connect with other players by being their social network hub. If we can keep these new players motivated to play, it opens the door for the next wave of players to start playing our great sport of tennis!
Getting Beginners Motivated to PlayDustin Blackburn, USPTA Professional: Wauwatosa, Wis.
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Midwest Connection Spring 2018 | 11 10 | Midwest Connection • Spring 2018
Are you the Head Pro or Director in a seasonal position? If so, you understand the challenge of hiring and training seasonal staff for the tennis office and for assistance on the court. Here are some ideas for you.
First, it is important to take a look at your membership and programming to determine your staffing needs. Will your shop personnel need to be able to perform racquet stringing and repairs? Court maintenance? What level of expertise with technology will be required?
After examining the programming unique to your club, you will be able to determine the type and number of assistant professionals you will need on the court. Will you need a USPTA certified professional at the Elite level that will be able to coordinate, lesson planning and direct programs for adults, juniors, and/or 10 and under? How many instructors will be full time, part time, etc.?
It will be helpful to have a thorough understanding of the membership at your club. What are the populations that you will be instructing? How will you structure groups, privates, social events, etc. Within your groups, will you have a “lead” instructor with assistants, or will each pro lead their own groups?
When you have an understanding of the caliber of assistant that you need, then you can begin your search. Depending on the level you require, here are some places to start:
• USPTA Find-a-Pro• Local indoor club• Local college or university team• Local high school team• Former students• Retired or semi retired pro• Referrals from colleagues
Most clubs have an application process that is consistent across all departments. Select candidates from the applications received for interviews. Hopefully, you will already know the background of the applicants. Nevertheless, it is very important to be as comprehensive as possible. Make sure the candidate has a complete understanding of what will be expected.
After a candidate is selected and recommended for hiring, the club will usually require a background check, drug screen, and a lot of paperwork that will include contact information, direct deposit, tax withholding, proof of citizenship, etc.
When the staff is in place, it is time for the staff meeting. I always recommend, as part of this meeting, that the General Manager of the club be scheduled to stop in for a “meet and greet”.
There is so much that can be included in the staff meeting. You will want to be careful not to overload the new employees. Priority should be club policies and procedures. This can include, but is not limited to:
• Club mission statement• Safety and first aid procedures• Inclement weather (lightning, etc.)
procedures• Timecards• Tour of facility• Proper use of club phone• Employee meals• Club usage by employees (Mondays at
our club)• Expected work hours• Expectations in the pro shop and
responsibilities off-court
It is important to review these policies and procedures annually, even with returning staff. Policies and procedures have to be detailed and specific. I like to say that one of the responsibilities of the staff is to make me (Director of Tennis) look good; and my job is to make the General Manager look good!
The next step would be to educate the staff on the overall program philosophy and methods. It may be too much to include at the initial staff meeting. This part of the introductory process could occur at a second staff meeting. Timon Corwin, Managing Director at the Western Racquet Club in Elm Grove, Wis., prefers when seasonal assistants are former participants within the program. Corwin explained, “They know our expectations, drills, and terminology.”
It is important to share your lesson planning procedures, progressions, common drills, terminology, etc. For teaching common drills and techniques (hand feeding, for example), the staff members can practice with each other, or the Director can run the common drills with the staff members as the students.
Additionally, I require our staff to attend a USTA 10 and under training that is hosted each year in our area by the Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation (MTEF). Rick Vetter, Tennis Director at the Milwaukee Town Club in Fox Point, Wis., additionally requires his seasonal assistants to complete the online 10 and Under Workshop Course at www.coachyouthtennis.com
With some work on the front end, you can recruit and put a staff in place that will be the key to a successful seasonal tennis program. Best of luck this summer!
Recruiting and Training Seasonal StaffBill Kirsch, USPTA Elite Professional; Westmoor Country Club, Brookfield, Wis.
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I was fortunate because I just fell into a tennis career, and I’m so grateful that I did. As a junior player I was passionate about the sport and that carried through college and to what has been a diversified 38-year (and counting) career in the tennis business. Sure, some days were better than others, but I cannot honestly think of one day in which I dreaded going to work and I don’t know of many people who can say that. I have done so many different things that it has always been challenging, interesting, and rewarding.
I’ve always worked very hard and early in my career I said yes to every opportunity offered to me. Some things were mundane and boring, others challenging, and many were even pro bono, but I kept learning about different aspects of the business. Tennis, like every profession, tends to be very specialized these days, but my advice to anyone just getting started is to learn as much as you can about all aspects of the profession. Eventually, you will find your niche, but it might not be what you initially thought it was, and you may find yourself specializing in different aspects of the business as your career matures.
The prerequisites are a love for teaching and coaching (I see them as two slightly different things), a positive, optimistic attitude, and above all else, a willingness to work hard and keep learning. Everyone will come into the sport (profession) on a different path but remember that careers are not built in a month or even a year, they’re constructed day-by-day over time.
If I could give my younger self a piece of advice it would have been to be more patient and not be in such a hurry to see instant results. Doing the right thing is always the right thing, except that you have to have the confidence and maturity to know that it’s right. Find a mentor and ask questions about the business, the great majority would be honored to help. Asking questions is the first step in learning, something as teachers we all know, but something many of us don’t do enough of.
If there is a better profession, I haven’t come across it. There is nothing that I would rather be doing and God willing I’ll still be coaching for years to come. Good luck, and keep learning.
Master Professional Reflection
Jay Massart
Thiensville, Wis.
Midwest Connection Spring 2018 | 13 12 | Midwest Connection • Spring 2018
A closer in baseball is a pitcher who comes into the game in the 9th inning with the purpose of and the
responsibility for ending it and getting the win. In tennis, there is no closer for you to call upon to finish the match. YOU ARE THE CLOSER! All players, no matter their level, struggle at some point with closing out a match.
Sports psychologist Dr. James Loehr writes that “closing out a match is difficult because it is human nature to get more nervous the nearer you get to an important goal that you don’t have complete control over. The pressure builds and you begin playing tight and conservatively, and an opportunity to close, slips away. At the same time, the opponent is farther from his goal so feels less pressure and often decides to just go for it.”
Here are some tips when you get to this critical point in a match, and you have to be The CLOSER.
• Stay with your game plan. Continue to plan your play and play your plan. A successful game plan got you to the point where you can close out the match. Do not change it at this point. Sometimes thoughts go through your head like “you’ve got this, don’t choke,” “two more points and I win,” “this will be the best win of my life,” “don’t make mistakes,” “ just keep the ball in play.” Many players get conservative when they are about to win, hoping that their opponent will make errors. That is a mistake, as an opponent without pressure will play better. Sometimes the thoughts are “be aggressive and get it done now” or “go for it.” Then players get overly aggressive when in a position to win and instead of quick winners, get quick errors. But do note that it is better to be more aggressive at this point than too cautious.
• Stay in the present. Maybe you were up 5-2 and now it is 5-5. Maybe you missed an easy volley on set point. Dwelling on past mistakes does no good. In fact it interferes with what is important …
The CLOSERFinishing a MatchWendy Whitlinger, USPTA Professional; Appleton, Wis.
April 12-14Overland Park Racquet Club Overland Park, Kansas
concentrating on the point you are about to play which is the only point you can control. Also thinking about the future, “I only need one more point,” creates a problem as it puts pressure on you and often makes you change the way you have been playing. You may underplay being careful not to make a mistake and inadvertently let your opponent back in the match. You may overplay and being too aggressive and make quick errors.
• Play one point at a time. That is the only point you have control over. Decide what shot you want to hit, how you want to hit it, and where you want to hit it. Let that be your focus. Keep your attention on your intention. You can never replay a bad point. If you make a mistake, look at it, learn from it and let it go. If you hit a great shot, be happy but no excessive celebration. The point you are about to play is the only thing you should be thinking about.
• Keep your feet moving. If you feel pressure, your foot quickness could be impacted. You need to move and continue to get into good position to hit the ball. You also need to keep running shots down. The more balls you give our opponent to hit, the more chance you have of winning the point.
• Concentrate on execution. You must make your shots. Consistency of performance
is always important, especially in closing out the match. Stay relaxed so you can play your best at this point. Remember your relaxation techniques and use them.
• Do not panic if your opponent starts playing better. At the point when you are in a position to end the match, your opponent may all of a sudden raise the level of his game. He feels less pressure than you because he has nothing to lose. He does not have a lead to protect. If he hits a couple of good shots, don’t let that bother you. Hang in there.
• Stay positive. No ‘stinkin thinkin’ at this point or any point in a match. Avoid thoughts like, “What if I lose?’ “I always blow a lead.” “I am such a choker.” Do not get down on yourself. If you’re up 5-2 and your opponent holds serve for 5-3, and then you lose serve so it is 5-4, be thinking about returning well and breaking back. Understand that the chances of breaking back are good because your opponent may begin to feel a pressure now that he is back in the match. Back-to-back service breaks are somewhat common.
• Project a powerful, positive image. Look strong and confident. Do not give the opponent confidence by letting him see any signs of anger, frustration, or disappointment.
Be the CLOSER. Get the job done.
May 18-20Academia Sanchez-CasalNaples, Florida
June 7-10International Tennis Hall of Fame
Newport, Rhode Island
Oct. 26-28Onion Creek Country Club
Austin, Texas
Wisconsin Mini-ConferenceDan Oliver USPTA Wisconsin President
I happily got to be a part of the USPTA Wisconsin Mini Convention, March 10, at Lake Geneva Tennis Club. It was Saturday game day; the speakers, the prizes, and the host site all came into play. The speakers delivered constructive content. The timing, the raffle, the lunch, and the closing all worked out according to plan. John Frausto started out the morning with a great volley doubles closing clinic, followed by Nick Kavelaris with pressure sports psychology in high-level athletes. Then Ericka Wentz-Russell and Rick Vetter spoke about USTA’s Net Generation and displayed its material and equipment. During lunch, Jason Frausto presented a data information clinic regarding percentages in players, which was fantastically informative. Paul Lauterbach closed out the show by presenting on the effects of high school practices. Every speaker brought their A Game.
Nobody was on their phone. No one was fidgeting. Everybody was locked in with the speakers. Overall, it was a great day for Wisconsin tennis. I’m so glad I got to be a part of it. Additionally, I would like to thank all the speakers, and give a shout out to Paul Lauterbach and his Lake Geneva Tennis Club staff for hosting the event. I can’t wait till the next one!
14 | Midwest Connection • Spring 2018
A combination of efforts by the Chicago District Tennis Association, Illinois USPTA led by Lindsay Geiger, PTR, Homewood Flossmoor (IL) Tennis & Fitness led by Umang Chadda, collegiate men’s and women’s team from Chicago State University and University of Illinois at Chicago, Love to Serve, and others resulted in over 50 young tennis players participating in a “Family Tennis Clinic’ prior to the match between Chicago State and UIC. In addition, a court was set aside for everyone to work with Adaptive students. This was a rewarding day for all. Mitch Granger, a former UIC player, donated his recent novel “Jack Stryder of Alexandria” to a deserving student in attendance. This event’s purpose was to expose college tennis to folks in the HF footprint. We did a great job doing that and hope to continue this process with other college tennis teams in the Chicagoland area.
Teaching Seniors at a 55+ year old community in Florida has it’s own set of challenges. The areas that need to be
worked on in movement, stroke production, and strategies, while based on the same principles, have a more specific purpose in mind. In junior and regular adult tennis, the physical part of the game stays constant or even improves when players get stronger, and work on improving movement.
In senior tennis, physical abilities are on a steady decline. Dealing with that and the often-heard complaint, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, can be daunting. However, the concepts that I use regularly, work with anyone of any age. I never try to fix old, or bad habits. I never dwell on the negative, and only focus on the positive. You want to give your students images and tips that focus on what to do, not, on what not to
do. I only introduce new, more efficient, easier to produce movements, and strokes that use the kinetic chain properly.
Less is always more in tennis. Sometimes you have to cut something out entirely, in order to be efficient. If my seniors find it difficult to do a unit turn in preparing for a shot, I have them stay loose, face the net and go right for the wiper swing path without a back swing. It cures the late one-two timing of, (taking the racquet back when the ball bounces in front of them at the last moment), making them perpetually late on every shot. With the current powerful racquets, accuracy is more important than the extra power that they get from a unit turn and lag acceleration that we teach the younger players. Even with younger players, the unit turn and lag can and should be skipped in situations where fast timing and little self –generated power is called for,
such as approach shots and service returns. The other major area of concern is movement. A balanced, relaxed first step is critical for good stroke production. Most people take a big lunging first step, instead of keeping the back straight, and moving with small steps. If you have good eye focus, seeing the ball come off of the opponent’s strings, and take a balanced first step, most people will be able to cover much more ground. For seniors this is extremely important as they age and reflexes become slower. I have an 81-year-old student who is still steadily improving as he becomes more efficient with his movement and strokes.
Teaching your students proper contact points, proper movement, and efficient strokes using the kinetic chain will produce steady improvement in all ages. We can all play into our 90’s if we eat right, and stay healthy!
Senior Tennis Tim Brielmaier, USPTA Elite Tennis Professional; Buena Vida Fla., formerly Oak Creek, Wis.
Teamwork in Chicago Results in a Great Clinic!Denny Schackter, USPTA Elite Professional; Palatine, Ill.
Umang Chadda, USPTA Elite Professional, (red shirt) Racquet Sports Manager with Homewood Flossmoore Tennis & Fitness