July 2010

Volume 38 Number 7 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Facility Management
Tennis facility operators face
challenging times

2010 Guide to Ball Machines

Running Tennis Camps
 Contents FEATURES
R S I

INDUSTRY NEWS
J U L Y 2 0 1 0

7 USTA Tennis Teachers

20 Happy Campers Conference celebrates
A tennis camp at your facility can be a valuable
source of revenue in tough economic times.
40 years
23 Guide to Ball Machines 7 ASBA certifies five
Three new machines have been added to our court builders
exclusive ball machine guide for 2010.
32 Private Enterprise 8 PTR to deliver Etcheberry
The six RSI/ASBA residential court winners show Experience Certification
style and substance.
8 Illinois facility installs
bubbled ClayTech courts
8 Tennis Depot to distribute
Poly Star strings
9 USTA to build 4 clay
SPECIAL REPORT: courts at NTC
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 9 ITA allows QuickStart
26 Facility Management lines on match courts
Whether large or small, public or private, ten-
nis facility owners and managers face many
9 John McEnroe opens
common challenges. academy in NYC
10 Short Sets
11 TennisResortsOnline
names top resorts, camps
12 Peoplewatch
12 TIA releases key
measures for tennis facilities
13 College Tennis Roundup

Private residence, Jupiter, FL

14 Gamma launches new
TNT2 Touch string
On the cover: Balboa Tennis Club, San Diego, CA
by Kristine Thom

DEPARTMENTS 19 Pioneers in Tennis: Gene Scott

4 Our Serve 34 String Playtest: Solinco Tour Bite
7 Industry News 36 Tips and Techniques
14 Letter 38 Ask the Experts
16 TIA News 40 Your Serve, by Kalindi Dinoffer

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Our Serve

L
Keep the Debate a Healthy One (Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Publishers
ately, a few things have crossed my screen that have made
David Bone Jeff Williams
me a bit concerned about the health of some relationships
in this industry. This regards a little dust-up about a (soon- Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
to-be) proposed rule change for 10-and-under tennis.
Some quick background: The QuickStart Tennis format has been well accepted by Associate Editor
most in this industry. The reasoning is pretty solid: When starting kids out, they should Greg Raven

play on appropriately sized, shorter courts, with shorter racquets and lower-pressure Design/Art Director
balls, and with modified scoring, eventually moving up to bigger courts and equipment. Kristine Thom
In fact, many teaching pros are finding QST to be a huge moneymaker because Contributing Editors
they can use a normal 78-foot court, divide it into four 36-foot courts, and have a large Robin Bateman
number of kids playing in that space. Not only are the court sizes appropriate for the Cynthia Cantrell
kids, but also the balls they use allow them to actually sustain rallies and learn proper Joe Dinoffer
Liza Horan
technique right from the start. They have fun and learn at the same time. Now, many
Greg Moran
facilities are permanently lining regular courts with 36- and 60-foot lines, and an Bob Patterson
increasing number of facilities are going beyond that and building shorter courts. Cynthia Sherman
Many people, including USTA officials, feel that for 10-and-under tennis to really Mary Helen Sprecher
grow there needs to be more tournament competition on 36- and 60-foot courts. The
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
USTA’s Kurt Kamperman isn’t shy about saying the lack of current 10-and-under tour-
Corporate Offices
nament play isn’t just discouraging, it’s embarrassing, and for many, many years,
330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
junior programs have simply failed to create an appropriate competitive pathway for Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
10-and-under kids. It’s time, he says, to try something different. Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
And here’s where this little “dust-up” comes into play. The ITF and USTA believe Website: www.racquetTECH.com
most tournaments for 10-and-under players should take place on 60-foot courts with Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time

an orange ball. Better skilled 10-year-olds could play on a 78-foot court with a green
Advertising Director
(slightly lower pressure) ball, either limited in the 10s or playing up in the 12s. How- John Hanna
ever, some feel there should be an option to allow these better 10s to play on a regu- 770-650-1102, x.125
lar 78-foot court, with a regular yellow ball. All of a sudden, it seems the debate has hanna@knowatlanta.com
started to escalate.
Apparel Advertising
Although, as of early June, nothing has yet been formally proposed by the USTA,
Cynthia Sherman
there already are strong feelings on all sides, including parents, teaching pros and
203-263-5243
USTA Sections, which in some cases have already made rulings for their own sections cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
regarding this matter. This “back and forth” has at times been rather heated. At one
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
point, I was seeing letters and emails for and against certain aspects of this “unpro- year: monthly January through August and com-
posed” change that seemed to take the opportunity to slam opposing parties on many bined issues in September/October and Novem-
unrelated issues. ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330

Here’s the thing—there’s no room for bad blood in this industry. Heck, the econo-
my has battered all of us around enough; we don’t need to do it to ourselves. On this
particular issue, we’re all after the same thing: Let’s get more 10-and-unders playing
tennis. These letters and emails I’ve been seeing—and yes, some are rather incendi-
ary—are all premature and mis-timed, and all leading to bad feelings.
Differences of opinion, especially regarding a rule change, are absolutely fine. But
let’s keep the debate healthy and productive. And let’s keep in mind the ultimate goal:
We all want more kids to play tennis.
Main St., Vista, CA 92084. Application to Mail at
Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Vista, CA and
additional mailing offices. July 2010, Volume 38,
Number 7 © 2010 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.

Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

R S I J U L Y 2 0 1 0
INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU
ASBA Certifies
Five Court Builders
Five tennis court builders have
earned the Certified Tennis
Court Builder designation from
the American Sports Builders
Association, the national organi-
zation for builders, designers
and suppliers of materials for
tennis courts, running tracks,
synthetic turf fields and indoor
and outdoor synthetic sports
surfaces.
The certification program, which
was developed by the ASBA in
order to help raise professional
standards and improve the
practice of athletic facility con-
struction, shows that an individ-
ual has demonstrated or
exceeded a specific level of pro-
fessional experience. To achieve
Certified Builder status, an indi-
vidual is required to show docu-
mented evidence of professional
experience, and is required to
pass a comprehensive examina-
tion on construction and main-
tenance of the specific type of
facility in which he or she is
seeking certification. (Visit
sportsbuilders.org for more on
the ASBA and certification.)
The new Certified Tennis Court
Builders are Adam Fryor (Court
One Inc., Youngsville, N.C.),
Matt Graft (Talbot Tennis, Mari-
etta, Ga.), Kevin Healion (Centu-
ry Tennis Inc., Deer Park, N.Y.),
Steve Horner (Advantage Courts
Company, Amarillo, Texas), and
Fred Volpacchio (North Salem,
N.Y.).
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
RUN YOUR BUSINESS
USTA Tennis Teachers Conference
Celebrates its 40th Year
he USTA's 40th Tennis Teachers Conference will be in New
T York City from Aug. 28 to 31. The event is a leading resource for
teaching professionals, organizers and coaches. It will be held at the
Grand Hyatt New York and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Headlining the event is eight-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander; former top 10 play-
er and popular TV broadcaster Cliff Drysdale; and junior tennis coach Judy Murray, who is the
mother of two-time Grand Slam finalist Andy Murray and 2007 Wimbledon mixed-doubles
champ Jamie Murray.
Attendees at the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference have the opportunity to network with col-
leagues and attend conference seminars, gather information and resources on the latest offerings
from a variety of tennis organizations and companies, and attend a "Night at the US Open" on
Monday, Aug. 30, the opening evening of the tournament at the USTA BJK National Tennis
Center.
Additionally, the TIA will hold its 3rd annual Tennis Forum on Tuesday morning, Aug. 31, high-
lighting the latest trends in the tennis industry and the industry's efforts to grow the game.
For registration information for the Tennis Teachers Conference, visit www.usta.com/ttc. Reg-
ister before July 16 and save 10 percent.
Nominate Now for USTA Outstanding Facility Awards
o you know an outstand-
D ing tennis facility in your
area? If so, nominate it for
a 2010 USTA Outstanding Tennis
Facility award. Award nomina-
tions must be received in the
USTA office by July 19.
Criteria for the awards and
nomination forms are available
at usta.com/facilityawards.
Recognition will be given to out-
standing tennis facilities under 2009 USTA award-winner Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, Ga.
these jurisdictions: Parks &
Recreation Departments, Educational Institutions, Non-Profit Corporations, and Private and/or
Commercially Owned and Operated Facilities.
Award winners will receive a wood and marble wall plaque and a large sign to display at the
facility. In addition, certificates will be available for various agencies and companies recognizing
the honor. Winners also receive a one-year complimentary USTA Organizational Membership,
and may choose to attend the USTA Technical Committee meeting in New York in early Sep-
tember for a presentation.
This is the 29th year for the prestigious USTA Outstanding Facility Awards. This year, an
optional “Green Facility” section has been added to the nomination form. For questions, email
facilityawards@usta.com or call Jeremiah Yolkut at 914-696-7154.
July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7
 J U L Y 2 0 1 0

Prince Celebrates 40th Anniversary

INDUSTRYNEWS

PTR to Deliver Etcheberry

A ugust 2010 is the 40th anniversary of Prince Sports, headquartered in Borden-
town, N.J. The company was started by Bob McClure in 1970, who invented the Experience Certification
T
“Little Prince” ball machine in his garage in Princeton, N.J.—the first commercially he PTR has a three-year
viable electric ball machine, according to Prince. deal with strength and
In 1976, the company developed the first oversize racquet, invented by conditioning guru Pat
Howard Head, then developed “long- Etcheberry to conduct the
body” frames. It also came out with the Etcheberry Experience Certification Pro-
first multifilament tennis strings. One gram internationally. PTR Master Pro Dr.
of the latest developments is “O-Tech,” Louie Cap (left in photo) and PTR Interna-
which are air holes in the hoop of the tional Director Iñaki Balzola (right) were
racquet. The O technology has been named as Etcheberry’s sole authorized
exported to other sports equipment, program presenters after completing
too. extensive training with Etcheberry at Jus-
Current Prince players include tine Henin’s training facility in Florida.
Maria Sharapova, Bob and Mike Bryan, The certification program passes along
Sam Querrey, John Isner, Vera Zvonare- Etcheberry’s fitness, strength and condi-
va, Nikolay Davydenko and Gael Mon- tioning philosophy and techniques to a
fils. Past player include Jimmy new generation of coaches and trainers.
Connors, Stan Smith, Andre Agassi, Etcheberry has trained professional ath-
Michael Chang, Martina Navratilova, letes in sports from the PGA to the NBA. In
Pam Shriver, Monica Seles, Jennifer tennis, he’s worked with Agassi, Capriati,
Capriati and Gabriela Sabatini. For info, Courier, Henin, Hingis, Sampras, Seles and
visit princetennis.com. more.
PTR members receive discounts on all
Etcheberry products and services, includ-
Wheaton Installs Bubbled ClayTech Courts ing Strength & Conditioning courses with

L ee Tennis Court Products recently installed the first bubbled ClayTech courts Etcheberry himself.
at the Wheaton Sports Center, outside of Chicago. Compared to other clay
court surfaces, ClayTech is easier to maintain and thus more playable indoors,
says Lee Tennis.
“Converting our Har-Tru courts to ClayTech bubbled courts has been one of
our best decisions,” says Dawn Szumski, general manager at Wheaton Sports
Center. According to Szumski, converting the three courts to ClayTech was a
result of their passion for continued innovation and exceptional indoor clay
court playability with minimal required maintenance.
“Sentiment from our players is that the bubbled ClayTech courts are more
consistent and play significantly better and all we have to do is sweep and line
them once a day and occasionally spray them with water to keep the dust
LSI Offers New HiDef Lighting
down,” she says.
“ClayTech cleverly blends slide comfort, extreme playability with minimal L SI Industries’ new HiDef indoor court light-
ing system uses high-output T5 fluorescent
lamps with a combination of direct/indirect
body injuries and maintenance,” says Pat Hanssen, Lee’s director of sales.
“If you currently have Har-Tru courts, this is a very simple change,” adds Paul light distribution. LSI says benefits of the sys-
Tulacka, owner of Midwest Tennis of Westmont, Ill., which installed the courts. tem include energy savings, enhanced light
“The existing courts serve as the base for an asphalt pad and once this is com- quality, considerable reduction in light depre-
plete the ClayTech glues down in as little as three days.” ciation over the life of the system, long lamp
For more information, visit leetennis.com. life, and instant-on operation. For informa-
tion, contact Bruce Frasure at 800-436-7800
or bruce.frasure@lsi-industries.com.
Tennis Depot to Distribute Poly Star
P oly Star strings will now be distributed by The Tennis Depot (thetennisdepot.com).
Poly Star first introduced polyester strings to the tennis market, says the compa-
ny, and has 29 years of experience investing in research and development. Tour
player Nikolay Davydenko is among current pros who use Poly Star.
Poly Star Classic, Energy, Turbo and Strike will be available in the
U.S. in 12-meter sets and 200- and 400-meter reels. For questions or
information, contact 866-787-4644 or info@thetennisdepot.com.

8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 INDUSTRY NEWS

New Ashaway ZyMax 67 ITA to Allow QuickStart Lines on Competition Courts

Badminton String
Ashaway Racket Strings has intro-
duced ZyMax 67, a tournament-gauge
T he Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the governing body of college tennis, has
approved a rule change that will allow its competition courts to have permanent
USTA-approved 36-foot and 60-foot tennis lines. The rule change will allow collegiate
badminton string with increased dura-
bility and strength. The company says facilities to be used for tournaments and training sessions geared toward children ages
the 22-gauge (.67 mm) ZyMax 67 10 and under using the QuickStart Tennis play format, which utilizes lower bouncing
offers the lowest tension loss of any balls, smaller racquets and shorter courts, all tailored to a child’s age and size.
badminton string. Key to the perform- “The rule change to allow USTA approved 36- and 60-foot lines on competition
ance of the ZyMax line is a combina- courts was unanimously approved by the ITA Operating Committee at its meetings dur-
tion of high-tech core and braid ing the NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga.,” says ITA Executive Director David A. Ben-
materials, and Ashaway's proprietary jamin. “The ITA is excited and proud to lead the way with this endorsement of the
ZyWeaVe core process technology, QuickStart play format.”
which allows the production of lighter, “USTA Player Development is thrilled that the ITA and its member coaches have
stronger badminton strings. taken the lead in embracing 36-foot and 60-foot tennis,” says Patrick McEnroe, gener-
Available in sets of 10m and 200m al manager of USTA Player Development. “Comprised of some of the top player devel-
reels, ZyMax 67 strings up tighter and opment coaches in the nation, the ITA recognizes the importance of appropriate
plays firmer with maximum tension training and competition for the 10-and-under population.”
stability, says Ashaway, and it main-
tains string tension longer and dis-
plays consistent performance. Visit
www.ashawayusa.com.
Mac Opens Academy in New York City
J ohn McEnroe will open and direct the John McEnroe Tennis academy at the $18 million
Sportime at Randall’s Island Tennis Center in New York City. The Hall-of-Famer and for-
mer world No. 1 player, who is a native New Yorker, says the full-year programs will begin
right after the 2010 US Open. Sportime, which owns 13 tennis and fitness clubs in New York
State, will partner with Mac in the operation of the academy.

USTA to Install
4 Clay Courts at NTC
I n its effort to develop American
champions, the USTA is installing
four clay tennis courts at the USTA
Billie Jean King National Tennis
Center in New York, home of the
hard-court US Open.
“Now, every player who
comes through the USTA
system will have a very
strong grounding in clay-court
tennis,” USTA CEO Gordon Smith
told Bloomberg news service.
According to playtheclay.com, a
website developed by Lee Tennis,
of the 103 men who have reached
the top 10 since the ATP rankings
were created, 91 of them grew up
on clay.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

 J U L Y 2 0 1 0
SHORT SETS
INDUSTRYNEWS
>WorldTheGroup
U.S. Davis Cup team will play its
Playoff in Colombia Sept. 17-
19. The U.S. needs to defeat Colombia to
retain its position within the 2011 World
Group. The loser will be relegated to the
Americas Zone I for 2011 and not be able
to win the Davis Cup title next year. It’s the
first time since 2005 that the U.S. has had
to play in the World Group Playoffs.
>emailed
The digital edition of RSI will now be
free to all PTR members.
>knows“When it comes to kids, tennis clearly
>Championships, the WTA Tour event that a recent Wall StreetthatJournal
Tournament officials for The MPS Group
recently completed its second year in 2010
in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., after a long run
as The Bausch & Lomb Championships at
Amelia Island, say the event will not con-
tinue in 2011 due to the WTA Tour realign-
ment of its tournament calendar.
>formMercedes-Benz entered a multi-plat-
global marketing partnership with
16-time Grand Slam Champion and world
No. 1 Roger Federer. The agreement coin-
cides with the start of the Mercedes-Benz
sponsorship of the US Open, beginning in
August.
> World TeamTennis and Solfire today
announced a multi-year agreement mak-
ing Solfire the official apparel provider of
World TeamTennis and an official sponsor
of the WTT Professional and Recreational
Leagues, and WTT Smash Hits.
> The USTA is awarding more than
$315,000 in Recreational Tennis Grants to
38 non-profit organizations across the
country. The USTA’s Recreational Tennis
Division has pooled financial resources to
create a series of Program/Project Support
grants and Community Partnership Invest-
ment awards. These will be distributed on
a bi-annual basis to non-profits that are
committed to increasing tennis participa-
tion, are well-established in their commu-
nities, support tennis programming and
foster diversity among participants. In
total, the USTA awarded over $1 million in
Recreational Tennis Grants to qualified
applicants in 2009.
> “Let’s Play Tennis! A Guide for Parents
and Kids by Andy Ace” is a new book
about getting parents and their children
started playing tennis together. The author
and illustrator, Patricia Egart, has coached
10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010
youth and high school tennis for 15 years.
The book is geared to children between
ages 5 and 10. For info, call 763-438-8466
or visit andyacetennis.com.
>giumTheasU.S. Fed Cup team has drawn Bel-
its opponent for the first round of
the 2011 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World
Group competition. The second–seeded
U.S. team will travel to Belgium for the
match.
something golf does not,” says
article. While
the golf industry worries it has lost nearly a
million kids ages 6 to 17 (a 24% drop, to
2.9 million), the tennis industry, concludes
the article, is an example of how to do
things right. Tennis play for that age group
has jumped from 6.8 million to 9.5 million
in five years.
>instruction
Recently fifteen PBI pros provided
for the 3-day Columbus Celebri-
ty Classic Tennis Invitational in Columbus,
Ga. It was the 12th consecutive year PBI
pros have been involved with the event,
which this year raised $345,000 for the
John B. Amos Cancer Research Center.
> Looking for something unique for your
kid’s bedroom wall? Fathead (fathead.com)
offers life-size wall graphics of tennis play-
ers Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas and Alek-
sandra Wozniak (among other sports
celebs).
>residence.
Wimbledon now has an official poet-in-
Matt Harvey was named the first
“Championships Poet” and will write a
poem each day on “all things Wimbledon,”
attempting to capture the flavor of the
event. Verses will be published online and in
podcasts and can be about anything and
everything—play on the grass courts, rain,
the roof, queuing spectators, strawberries
and cream, tantrums on the court.
>International
The Legends Ball, which benefits the
Tennis Hall of Fame & Muse-
um, returns to Cipriani 42nd Street in New
York City on Friday, Sept. 10. Contact 212-
843-1740 or legendsball@hgnyc.com.
>openErictitleHechtman of Miami won the men’s
and Marina McCollom of West
Des Moines, Iowa, won the women’s open
title at the $10,000 USPTA Clay Court
Championships in May.
Alpha Back to Present
at GSS Symposium
A lpha Racquet Sports
announces their plans
to return for a fourth
straight year as a sponsor
of the 2010 GSS Racquet
Stringers Symposium in
Orlando, Fla., Oct. 9-13. Alpha
National Sales Manager Mark Gonza-
lez will be co-presenting a four-hour
seminar titled “Machine Repair &
Maintenance” with J.C. Carpentier of
Tennis Machines.
“This is a must-attend event for
any stringer looking to increase their
knowledge, learn new techniques,
and improve their skills” says Gonza-
lez, who developed the presentation.
The goal is to provide hands-on learn-
ing to assist stringers in the proper
care of their expensive stringing
machines and diagnostic equipment.
“Mark has done a tremendous job
in putting together a very useful pres-
entation for stringers who really want
to know more about taking care of
their equipment,” says symposium
director Tim Strawn. “And J.C. Car-
pentier of Tennis Machines is consid-
ered to be one of the premier
technicians in the world when it
comes to maintaining and repairing
the equipment we use, so we’re lucky
to have him on board.”
For details and to register for the
symposium, visit grandslam-
stringers.com.
U.S. Men Claim Sixth
Invacare World Team
Cup Title
T he U.S. Quad Team of Nick Taylor of
Wichita, Kan., David Wagner of Hills-
boro, Ore., and Bryan Barten of Tucson,
Ariz., led Team USA to the 2010
Invacare World Team Cup title in May,
defeating Israel 2-0 in the final, held in
Antalya, Turkey.
The U.S. women’s team—Emmy
Kaiser of Fort Mitchell, Ky., Dana Math-
ewson of San Diego and Hope Lewellen
of Chicago—finished in sixth place in
the women’s division.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 USRSA NEWS

Congratulations To the Following

For Achieving MRT & CS Status

New MRTs
Colton Westran Big Rapids, MI
Evan Valerie Big Rapids, MI
Stefano Prete Victoria, Australia
Jeff Doty Sheridan, OR
Daniel Howard East Lansing, MI
James Thompson Austin, TX
Craig Carter Asheville, NC
U • S • R • S • A
CERTIFIED
STRINGER New CSs
Kendra Blewitt San Francisco, CA
Steven Summers New Haven IN

TRO Names Top

Resorts, Camps
T ennis Resorts Online recently
released its annual rankings of
the Top 100 Tennis Resorts and
Camps worldwide. Rankings, avail-
able at tennisresortsonline.com,
are based on reviews submitted by
vacationers over the last year. This
year they were asked to rate their
experience in each of 17 cate-
gories.
Kiawah Island Golf Resort in
South Carolina repeated as the No.
1 Resort while the Roy Emerson
Tennis Weeks at the Gstaad Palace
in Switzerland once again snared
No. 1 Camp honors. Rankings are
also broken out into the best in sev-
eral categories, including game
matching, tennis staff, instruction,
lodging, cuisine and more.
The top 5 resorts are:
1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort, S.C.
2. Wild Dunes, S.C.
3. Topnotch Resort and Spa, Vt.
4. Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Austria
5. Rancho Valencia, Calif.
The top camps are:
1. Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks, Switzer-
land
2. Vic Braden Tennis College, Utah
3. New England Tennis Holidays, N.H.
(recently moved to Sugarbush, Vt.)
4. Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Vt.
5. Saddlebrook Tennis, Fla.

www.racquetsportsindustry.com July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 J U L Y 2 0 1 0

P E O P L E W AT C H
INDUSTRYNEWS

• Former USTA President Randy Gregson of New Orleans died May
23 in New Orleans. He was 91. Gregson was USTA president from
1985-86, and a past president of the USTA Southern Section and
the Louisiana Tennis Association. After Hurricane Katrina, Gregson
was instrumental in procuring grants from the USTA to help
revamp the city’s tennis courts.
• Serena and Venus Williams, both playing with Wilson K Blade
Team racquets, won the French Open doubles title, their 12th
Grand Slam women’s doubles championships. The sisters are now
the No. 1 doubles team in the world for the first time in their
careers and one of only five teams to complete a career doubles
Grand Slam.
• Bob and Mike Bryan tied the all-time record for doubles titles on
the men’s tour, scoring their 61st win in mid-May. The twins are
now tied with the Australian doubles team of Mark Woodforde
and Todd Woodbridge. Ironically, by the time the Woodies are
inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July, the
American twins may very well have eclipsed their record.
• Gael Monfils has signed a multi-year deal with K-Swiss footwear
and apparel. The world No. 20 player will be the highest ranked
men's singles player on the K-Swiss team.
• The Association of Private Clubs and Directors, along with The
BoardRoom magazine, recently honored Chuck Gill, USPTA vice
president and tennis director at Ibis Golf & Country Club in West
Palm Beach, Fla., with its Distinguished Club Award.
• Tennis Channel has extended its French Open relationship with
John McEnroe through 2013. It has also re-signed French Open
and US Open announcer Ted Robinson, extending his role with the
network through 2013.
• Jeanne G. Austin, the mother of Pam, Jeff, Doug, John and Tracy
Austin, and wife for 64 years of George Austin, passed away May
25. She was 84 years old and lived in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.
• In May, the ITF suspended Wayne Odesnik for two years for
importing human growth hormone into Australia, an anti-doping
violation. The ban is backdated to December and will end on Dec.
28, 2011. All his results from this year will be wiped out. Odesnik
pleaded guilty in March and was fined more than $7,000, and he
agreed to a voluntary suspension.
• USA Racquetball’s Winter Issue of “Racquetball” Magazine was
devoted to the women of the sport, honoring 11 of racquetball’s
most influential women in 2009. Among those named was
renowned clinician and coach Fran Davis, Head/Penn Racquet
Sports National Promotions Coordinator.
• Two American sophomores, Bradley Klahn of Stanford and
Chelsey Gullickson of Georgia, took the NCAA Division I Men’s and
Women’ singles titles in Athens, Ga. This is the second consecutive
year that Americans have won the NCAA singles titles. Americans
also swept the doubles titles, as Virginia’s Drew Courtney and
Michael Shabaz won the men’s title while Stanford’s Hilary Barte
and Lindsay Burdette took the women’s.

• Wimbledon and French Open champion Jan Kodes of the Czech
Republic has partnered with New Chapter Press for the U.S. release
of the book “Jan Kodes: A Journey to Glory from Behind the Iron
Curtain.” The coffee table book, originally published in Czech, pro-
vides a narrative and illustrated history of Czech tennis through the
eyes of Kodes and author Peter Kolar.
• Former USTA Eastern Section President Dan Dwyer died May 25.
He had also served as tournament director of the New York City
Mayor’s Cup, and he founded the National Tennis Association for
the Disabled and the International Lichtenberg Buick-Mazda
Wheelchair Tennis Tournament. He was the USTA’s first Wheelchair
Committee chair, and he was a member of the ITF Wheelchair
Committee.

Key Measures for Tennis Facilities Released

T ennis facility owners and operators, along with others in the industry, can now get the latest trends and data for operating
a tennis facility in the “Cost of Doing Business: Tennis Facilities” report from the TIA. The bi-annual report provides a method
for facilities to measure their performance against industry averages.
The data in the CoDB report is weighted by facility size and type to match the profile of tennis facilities in the U.S. The
report contains general trends as well as data pertaining to tennis programming and facility operational costs. Also included is
data on facility membership, dues, court usage fees and more.
“As a facility operator, you can see where your tennis facility may be outperforming the industry and where you may have
challenges or can improve,” says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. “Comparing your operations to industry-wide averages
will help you identify opportunities to maximize growth and profitability.”
For tennis facilities in 2009, the cost of doing business analysis indicates many positive results, mixed with some outcomes
that reflect the nature of operating a business in a down economy. The good news for tennis facilities, though, is that average
revenue per court is up 18% since 2005 and the retention rate of introductory programs for new players/beginners is high, at
65%.
For more information or to obtain a copy of the CoDB report, email research@TennisIndustry.org or call the TIA at 866-
686-3036. For more on research available from the TIA, visit www.tennisindustry.org.

12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 INDUSTRY NEWS

COLLEGE TENNIS ROUNDUP - ITA Inducts 10 Into Men’s Hall of Fame

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) inducted 10 members into the ITA
Men's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame during the NCAA Division I Men's Tennis
Championships in May. The ITA HoF is located on the University of Georgia campus
in Athens.
The Class of 2010 consists of five players, one player/coach, three coaches and
one contributor. Players are Mahesh Bhupathi (Ole Miss), Daniel Courcol (Mississip-
pi State), Zan Guerry (Rice), Rodney Harmon (Tennessee/SMU) and Leif Shiras
(Princeton). The player/coach inductee is Jay Lapidus (Princeton/Duke). The coaches
are Kent DeMars (South Carolina), Craig Tiley (Illinois) and Steve Wilkinson (Gus-
tavus Adolphus). The contributor inductee Gordon Smith (Georgia).
In other ITA news, Lauren Lui of Northwestern University and Daniel Canellas of
the University of Alabama-Huntsville have been selected as the 2010 Wilson/ITA
National Promoter of the Year Award winners. The award recognizes individuals
who promote the game at the collegiate level. Both student-athletes have been
selected to receive a paid summer internship at Wilson's global headquarters in
Chicago.

ITA NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS

Division I
Men
National Assistant Coach of the Year - Will Glenn,
Georgia
ITA/Farnsworth National Senior Player of the Year -
Robert Farah, USC
National Rookie of the Year - Henrique Cunha, Duke
National Player to Watch - Austin Krajicek, Texas
A&M
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sports-
manship - Jason Jung, Michigan
ITA/Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award - John-
Patrick Smith, Tennessee
Women
National Assistant Coach of the Year - Dave Balogh,
Florida
National Senior Player of the Year - Caitlin Who-
riskey, Tennessee
National Rookie of the Year - Lauren Embree, Florida
National Player to Watch - Hilary Barte, Stanford
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sports-
manship - Catherine Newman, Vanderbilt
ITA/Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship - Cameron
Ellis, Georgia
Division III (cont.)
Washington Univ.-St. Louis
National Rookie of the Year - Mark Kahan, Amherst College
National Player to Watch - Austin Chafetz, Amherst College
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship -
Matt De Vlieger, Calvin College
Women
Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year - Marty Perry, Univ.of
Chicago
National Assistant Coach of the Year - Jason Box, Bates Col-
lege
Co-National Senior Player of the Year - Grace Baljon, Williams
College, and Siobhan Finicane, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges
National Rookie of the Year - Kate Klein, Washington Univ.-
St. Louis
National Player to Watch - Ellen Yeatman, Washington and
Lee
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship -
Julia Browne, Tufts Univ.
NAIA
Men
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year - Kris Miller, Oklahoma Christian
Univ.
Assistant Coach of the Year - David Goodman, Azusa Pacific Univ.
Player of the Year - Matthijs Bolsius, Azusa Pacific Univ.
Rookie Player of the Year - Martin Poboril, Oklahoma Christian
Univ.
Player to Watch - Joel Myers, Point Loma Nazarene Univ.
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship - Oliv-
er Sindayigaya, Lewis-Clark State College
Women
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year - Rich Hills, Point Loma Nazarene
Univ.
Assistant Coach of the Year - Viviana Yrureta, Oklahoma Chrisitian
Player of the Year - Natasa Zoricic, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ.
Rookie Player of the Year - Caroline Nilsson, Embry-Riddle Aero-
nautical Univ.
Player to Watch - Gabriela Bergmanova, Vanguard Univ.
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship -
Sheryl Bon, Azusa Pacific Univ.

Division II
Men
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year - John Hansen, Valdos-
ta State Univ.
Assistant Coach of the Year - Daniel Rockhill, Con-
cordia College NY
Player of the Year - Alex Grubin, Concordia College
NY
Rookie Player of the Year - Leandro Ferreira, Univ. of
West Florida
Player to Watch - Dilshod Sharifi, Francis Marion
Univ.
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sports-
manship - Lorenzo Cava, Bentley Univ.
Women
Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year - Pablo Montana, Cali-
fornia Univ. of PA
Assistant Coach of the Year - David Secker, Arm-
strong Atlantic State Univ.
Player of the Year - Jenny Chin, BYU-Hawaii
Rookie Player of the Year - Barbi Pocza, Barry Univ.
Player to Watch - Alida Muller-Wehlau, Armstrong
Atlantic State Univ.
ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sports-
manship - Natalia Ramos, Florida Institute of
Technology

Division III
Men
Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year - Andrew
Girard, Carnegie Mellon Univ.
National Assistant Coach of the Year - Brendan Kin-
caid, Salisbury Univ.
National Senior Player of the Year - John Watts,

www.racquetsportsindustry.com July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

 J U L Y 2 0 1 0

Gamma Launches New TNT2 Touch String

INDUSTRYNEWS

G amma Sports has launched its newest addition to the TNT2 string line, the Touch. The TNT2 Touch is the
first multifilament string with the Gamma patented TNT process.
"Many players spend hundreds of dollars to buy a new racquet every few years looking for a competitive
edge,” says Chuck Vietmeier, national sales manager for Gamma. “Little do they know that they can get a
significant boost in their play simply by using quality strings. Players will really see a difference in their
game when they start playing with the new TNT Touch.”
As part of the product roll-out, Gamma wants to hear what players have to say about TNT2 Touch. Until
July 31, Gamma will run the “Feel the Touch Difference” contest. Registrants will get the chance to win

Letters
$500 in Gamma Sports products. For contest information, visit gammasports.com/tnt2touch.

One Teaching Pro Group or Two?
Great job on the “Teaching Assistance” article in the
June RSI. It was very well written and brought to
light all of the opinions, facts and views of both
organizations and industry leaders. You were very
diplomatic and skillful in not taking sides or leading
to any conclusions before action is taken.
Kirk Anderson
New Fairfield, Conn.
Compliments on your "State Of The Industry" arti-
cles. Very well done. As a teaching pro, the story in
the June issue is of particular interest. But I do think
a comparison between golf and tennis is not as sig-
nificant as it sometimes is made out to be.
The whole "access" issue separates the two
sports. What do I mean? I can print business cards,
go to a public tennis facility and advertise myself as
a “tennis teaching pro." How many golf courses can
one just show up and start teaching or advertise that
they are a "golf pro?" Not many, if any at all. Right
or wrong, anyone can call themselves a tennis pro.
Furthermore, I do not see the PGA trying to pro-
mote one standard teaching method for the sport.
Should the USPTA and PTR decide to join forces, they
should take a similar approach. Focus on ways to
grow the sport, make it more fun, etc. Minimize or
eliminate a "teaching method" as a point of
emphasis.
[Name Withheld]
Southern California
Your recent efforts to candidly discuss tennis partici-
pation challenges are much appreciated. In particular,
I really liked your piece concerning a possible merger
of the USPTA and PTR. Great work!
Kevin Theos
Tennis Service Representative-Alabama
Teaching Pros: Plan for the Future
In March, I attended the USTA Semi-Annual meet-
ing in Dallas, where USTA Executive Director Gor-
don Smith shared some interesting statistics. Did
you know that by the year 2040, 50% of the U.S.
population, under 18, will be 50% white and 50%
non-white? In the year 2010, babies born in the
U.S. will be 50% white and 50% non-white.
My point in sharing those stats has nothing to
do with our population makeup. It has to do with
the next generation of industry leaders being
proactive to their surroundings. I’ve been spend-
ing a great deal of time recruiting young people
to teaching tennis. The average age of a tennis
teaching pro is 46. That’s a depressing statistic
since our game is growing in participation, but
soon we will not have anyone to teach it.
As I speak to groups of teaching pros, I empha-
size to them the need to be current. Generally, I
find most teachers are on the court 30 to 35 hours
a week and for the most part, totally disengaged
from the operations of their clubs and also their
members. If a teacher is 35 now, I believe he or
she can teach 30 to 35 hours for maybe 10 years
before burnout, injuries and boredom set in.
To avoid this, I recommend teachers take time
to learn a second language (Spanish would be a
good bet) and take some accounting and comput-
er classes. Learning a bit about other cultures also
could be your ticket to longevity in the business.
Survey your club today and envision what the cul-
tural makeup will be in 10 years.
Change is inevitable, and if our game is to con-
tinue its growth curve, then we as an industry
must embrace change and not fight it.
Denny Schackter
Tennis Priorities Company
(www.tennispriorities.com)

We welcome your letters and comments. Please limit letters to 300 words maximum. Email them to rsi@racquetTECH.com or fax them to 760-536-1171.

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

 J U L Y 2 0 1 0

TIA TENNIS FORUM

‘Roadmap for a Healthy Sport’
The fourth annual TIA Tennis Forum, with the theme, “Roadmap for a Healthy Sport,” will
be Tuesday, Aug. 31, at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. The Tennis Forum, presented by
Tennis Magazine, will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the Manhattan Ballroom and is free and
open to all in the industry.
While the TIA Tennis Forum is Held in conjunction with the 40th Annual USTA Tennis
free for all, please register at Teachers Conference, the Forum will present the latest news
TennisIndustry.org/Forum, or about the state of the tennis industry, including participation
email info@tennisindustry.org. growth, equipment sales data, grassroots initiatives and more.
Importantly, the Forum will outline pathways to increasing
the number of frequent players in the U.S., ways to better define and boost the economic
growth and impact of the tennis industry, and effective ways to distribute clear, consistent
messaging of health, fitness and the reasons to play tennis.
The USTA Tennis Teachers Conference runs from Aug. 28 to 31 and is a leading resource
for teaching professionals, organizers and coaches and includes presentations and semi-
nars, an exhibitor area, and opportunities for tennis teachers to network.
For more information about the TIA Tennis Forum, visit TennisIndustry.org/Forum.

The first TI Hall of Fame inductees were Dennis Van
der Meer and Howard Head; 2009’s sole inductee
was Alan Schwartz. Plaques of Tennis Industry Hall
of Fame inductees are on display at the Interna-
tional Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
Van der Meer Head Schwartz
2010 Tennis Industry Hall of Fame
to be Announced at Forum
Also at this year’s Tennis Forum, the 2010 inductees into the Tennis Industry
Hall of Fame will be announced. The TI Hall of Fame was created in 2008 to
recognize individuals who have
made a significant impact on the
sport, from the 1960s to the present.
Nominations are made in four cate-
gories: inventors, founders, innova-
tors and contributors. For more
information about the Tennis Indus-
try Hall of Fame, visit TennisIndus-
try.org/hof.

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT First-Quarter Shipments Rebound

Tennis Welcome Centers: 2,742
Cardio Tennis: 1,776
QuickStart Tennis: 1,602
Consumer Queries: 4 million monthly
Searchable Events: 100,000
Online Court Reservations: 2 million
While first-quarter TIA racquet census reports showed racquet shipments flat (1.1%
increase over same period ’09), wholesale dollars for the quarter were up 19%, reflect-
ing a growing trend in performance racquet demand and increasing price points. TIA
Census reports also showed unit shipments of balls (6.2%) and strings (8.0%) up for the
same quarter. At pro/specialty, racquets have been increasing monthly from 4% in Janu-
ary to a high of 18% in April compared to sales in 2009.

16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
 TOOLS & RESOURCES
TennisConnect: ‘Components’
Provide Just What You Need
TennisConnect provides access to affordable, reliable customer-service
functions such as online player matching, event enrollment, court reser-
vations, group email and more. While you can still purchase TennisCon-
nect in its “bundled” form, it has
now been broken out into “compo-
nents” that are far more cost-effec-
tive than “going it alone.” TC
works with any existing website
and allows tennis providers the
choice to purchase and use just
what they need.
Available components include: Contact Manager and Find-A-Game,
Group Email, eCalendar, Tennis Court Scheduler, Web Page Builder, String
Center, Demo Racquet Center, TennisCollect, and Web Site Builder, with
future plans for a league/ladder component as well as a Quickbooks-inte-
grated POS software and hardware system. TennisConnect currently has
more than 200,000 registered users.
You can connect with your players through technology starting at
about a dollar a day. To learn more, visit TennisConnect.com.
Download the PlayTennis Widget
Put the PlayTennis widget on your website now,
and consumers will quickly be able to find pro-
grams, places to play, retailers, demo racquets,
game-matching, coaching and more. To down-
load the widget, visit TennisIndustry.org.
Facility Manager and
Retailer Business Manuals
Business resources on GrowingTennis.com include
a “Facility Manager’s Manual” and a “Retailer’s
Manual”—both free and available to download in
whole or part. The Facility Manager’s Manual, writ-
ten by longtime club manager Rod Heckelman,
covers all the topics that a manager or tennis
director needs to know about to effectively, efficiently and profitably run
a tennis facility. The Retailer’s Manual organizes the experiences of many
retailers to cover topics critical to running an effective and profitable ten-
nis retail operation.
TennisInsure: Safeguarding Your Business
TennisInsure is a comprehensive insurance program created specifically
for the tennis industry. Tennis facilities and clubs, employees, manufac-
turers, retailers, and court contractors can now receive industry-specific
business insurance solutions with great rates through NetQuotes.com
and Aflac. The TennisInsure™ Program will give you the opportunity to
compare competitive rates and coverage from some of the most rep-
utable insurance companies in the industry. Visit TennisInsure.com for a
free quote.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
GrowingTennis.com:
Programs, Information and Resources
Registration, administration and fulfillment for Tennis Welcome Centers,
Cardio Tennis, QuickStart Tennis and the GrowingTennis 50/50 Co-op
Funding program are easy through the Growing Tennis System. With 4
million consumer queries monthly, more and more facilities are posting
programs and information for free so customers can
find them. Meanwhile, managers, owners and teach-
ing pros are using the free tools and resources to
help their businesses. Update your information, or
register in the 20,000-facility database now, at
GrowingTennis.com.
CareersInTennis.com:
For Job-Seekers & Employers
Attracting more young talent into this industry is a key goal, and the free
Careers In Tennis website does just that. Employers—in all areas of the
tennis industry—can post positions they’re looking
to fill, including internships, and job-seekers can post
resumes and letters. The CareersInTennis.com site
includes information and descriptions of jobs and
career paths in the tennis industry, tennis teaching certifications and ten-
nis management degree programs. The site is designed to promote more
financially attractive and stable job opportunities and to create greater
awareness of the importance of hiring only certified teaching pros.
Cost of Doing Business–Facilities:
Latest Trends, Data & Performance
Among the 80+ research reports available from
the TIA is the bi-annual “Cost of Doing Business:
Tennis Facilities” report, which provides a method
for facilities to measure their performance
against industry averages, identifying opportuni-
ties to maximize growth and profitability. Among
recent data is the fact that average revenue per
court is up 18% since 2005 and the retention
rate of introductory programs for new play-
ers/beginners is high, at 65%. Other findings include average member-
ship prices, both for tennis-only and all-inclusive memberships, have
decreased since 2007, down 15% and 25% respectively. For info or to
obtain a copy of the CoDB report, email research@TennisIndustry.org,
call 866-686-3036 or visit www.TennisIndustry.org.
Stay Informed About YOUR Industry!
To receive the TIA’s monthly newsletter,
sign up at TennisIndustry.org/Contact.
July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17
Pioneers In Tennis
Gene Scott
W
A dynamic figure for the sport.
ho was Gene Scott? Ask
any number of people and
you'll get any number of
answers. He was an outstanding play-
er, an outspoken publisher, a mentor
to young athletes, a tournament direc-
tor, a prolific writer and a passionate
advocate for what he considered the
purity of the game. He was a devoted
family man. And he was more.
"Tennis insiders thought of Gene
as a dynamic figure, a cataclysmic fig-
ure," says his longtime friend Donald
Dell. "And I think, honestly, that there
were lots and lots of people who
knew about Gene Scott but not a lot
of people who really knew him."
In the 1960s, Scott was a world-
ranked tennis player, a fierce com-
petitor with a strong serve-and-volley
game who reached the quarterfinals
of the French championships and the
semis of the U.S. Championships. He
was rated in the U.S. top 10 a total of
five times, and at one point was No.
11 in the world.
Dell, whose experiences with Scott
date back to their three years together
on the Yale varsity tennis team, to the
pro tour, and to their enrollment at
the University of Virginia law school,
may have a more comprehensive
view of Scott's athletic prowess than
most people.
"Gene was maybe the best athlete
who ever went to Yale, and I say that
very knowledgeably," says Dell. “We
would play tennis, then after each
match, Gene would run across the
street and high-jump with the track
team, and he would win. Finally, the
track coach said, 'Gene, you're mak-
ing a mockery of this. You're not even
practicing, and you're winning. You
have to choose what you want to do.'
He chose tennis, but if he hadn't, he
would have graduated easily with 12
letters in three years."
By 1969, Scott was still playing,
"Pioneers in Tennis," an occasional column in RSI, draws attention to trailblazers in the sport. Have someone to suggest?
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
but had turned his attentions to the
future of the game. He was a co-founder
of the National Junior Tennis League,
where he mentored young players
including John McEnroe.
In the 1970s, he was the face and
voice that the public associated with ten-
nis. In 1973, he served as a television
commentator for the Billie Jean
King-Bobby Riggs match. In 1974,
he founded Tennis Week magazine,
and gained great notoriety as a
columnist who became in the
words of Dell, "the conscience of
the game." He wrote 20 books and
innumerable magazine articles, and
produced TV documentaries, on the
sport. Between 1973 and 1977,
Scott won five consecutive U.S.
Open Championships in “court ten-
nis,” the original game upon which
the modern sport of tennis is built,
and in 2000, he was elected to the
Court Tennis Hall of Fame.
Scott's outspoken approach and
bombastic attitude could keep peo-
ple at a distance, says Bobbie Faig,
who worked with him for 29 years
both on the magazine and in the
development and administration of pro
tournaments. "He was difficult, no ques-
tion," laughs Faig, "but working with
him was an unbelievable experience. He
was always challenging you to learn
more, and to be better."
Scott spent two years on the USTA's
board of directors, she added, "but I felt
like he was too outspoken and too
strong for them. I think he actually
scared people."
By the 1990s, Scott had married
Polly Eastbrook. "He was 57 when we
had our first child and 59 when we had
our second," says Polly Scott, "and I
have to say I don't think he was quite
prepared for it in terms of what he felt,
and in terms of how much he felt. At
that point, he had devoted the first 57
years of his life to tennis. But when he
E-mail rsi@racquettech.com.
had his first child, it was a game-chang-
er. He loved every minute of being a
husband and a father."
In 2006, at age 68, Scott died sud-
denly of previously undiagnosed amyloi-
dosis, a rare illness in which protein
fiber deposits impair the heart.
“I miss so much the lively discus-
sions we used to have about issues in
tennis and how to perpetuate the
game,” says Ray Benton, former presi-
dent of Pro-Serv who is now the CEO of
the Tennis Center at College Park in
Maryland. “Things still come up, and I
think, 'I'd like to talk about that with
Gene.’”
"The children were so young when
he died," says Polly, "and I know they
remember him as a father, and I know
that tennis is very much interwoven into
our family life. I hope that one day, Sam
and Lucy go to the International Tennis
Hall of Fame and see the plaque there
[Scott was inducted in 2008], and to
Yale and see the court that is dedicated
to their father."
Her voice catches. "If I've done an
inadequate job of telling them the story,
they will know about their father's
important and significant contributions,
about how much he had given to tennis,
and how much the sport gave back to
them. That was the cycle of it, and we
are all the very proud beneficiaries of
that special process."
—Mary Helen Sprecher Q
July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19
 HAPPY
REVENUE GENERATION
CAMPERS
A tennis camp at your facility can be a valuable source of revenue
I
in tough economic times. BY BRUCE KNITTLE
n today’s chaotic economic environment, we’re all looking to
increase revenues and keep our businesses healthy. If you own
or direct a tennis facility, you might be worried about declining
membership, decreasing pro shop sales, and the loss of league or
clinic proceeds. But one valuable source of revenue—which fre-
quently is overlooked—are tennis and sports camps.
If organized properly, camps can provide a reliable basis for
improving your profitability. Whether you already run camps at
your facility, and especially if you don’t, these suggestions can
improve your overall bottom line and, in the process, help you
establish quality camps at your site.
Even when a family’s budget is tight, parents will spend
money on their children. When it comes to camps, parents want
their kids to go to the best, just as they want them to be at quality
schools. Yes, cost usually is a factor, but parents often will make
necessary sacrifices to locate the appropriate camp for their
children.
A tennis facility can accommodate these parents by being flex-
ible in the fees charged, weeks when camps are offered, and types
of camps available. This makes it easier to attend the programs at
convenient times, and for the right price. For instance, offer
camps in different sessions, with weekend and nightly programs.
You can run adult and kids camps, with different price ranges.
This flexibility gives potential customers choices to find what
would fit their budgets, and it gives you numerous avenues to
increase capital.
In today’s economy, many people aren’t taking expensive
vacations. Instead, they’ll attend an affordable camp where they
will enjoy great fitness and fun. Facilities need to market their
camps as a wonderful, enjoyable option to save money.
To maximize revenues, try to have more than one camp. If
20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2009
your facility has space, bringing other camps into your venue is
an excellent way to increase revenue. College athletic facilities are
prime examples of this. Frequently, these sports venues will
attract numerous camps over the summer, and the schools are
able to generate considerable income. As a tennis facility, you can
emulate this concept, but on a smaller scale. The camps you bring
in can be charged rent, or you can have a profit-sharing
arrangement.
With these additional camps, new people will visit your club,
increasing the likelihood of potential customers for other pro-
grams. You should have an arrangement with these outside
groups to be able to market what your facility offers.
ESTABLISHING A TENNIS CAMP
Q Make a commitment: Whether you house a camp already or
are thinking of starting one, form a business plan, get a mission
statement and determine how viable it is. If it looks good, then
you’ll need to commit your full energy going forward.
Q Treat camps as a separate business: Even though camps will
often be part of a tennis facility, and directed by similar individ-
uals, there needs to be differentiation. These points will be
addressed further, but suffice it to say that the camp and facili-
ty need to be treated as two distinct entities; to make a camp
successful, it needs to be a business unto itself. If you simply
think of the camp as something on the side—an addendum to
the other business—you’ll fail. If you can’t put your full energies
into it, put someone else in charge who has the time and
knowledge.
Q Licensing and accreditation: All camps need to be licensed and
need to have a permit to operate. Each state is responsible for
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 camp licensing, and usually it is the state’s Department of Health,
or a similar agency, that takes care of this. The process of licens-
ing should be started early on, because often it involves a good
deal of paperwork. But with a licensed camp, you put yourself
out there as a professional operation and gain in credibility. You
should also get your camp accredited with a professional camp
organization, such as the American Camp Association. This will
further your camp’s reputation.
Q Get insurance: Take care of this early on. Liability insurance is
imperative, and you want it separate from the insurance that cov-
ers your facility. Property coverage, and transportation insur-
ance, may also need to be explored. There are insurance brokers
who specialize in camps, and I would recommend dealing with
them. Workers compensation and disability insurance will also
be required. Each state has its own regulations with regard to
these two types of insurance.
Q Employees, not independent contractors: Your instructors and
counselors should be treated as employees, not independent
contractors. You are in control of their hours and are directing
MARKETING YOUR CAMP
them on how to perform their duties.
Once the basics of setting up are completed, then the task of mar-
keting your camp begins. At the outset, when you were formulat-
ing the business plan, a marketing plan should also be
incorporated in the process. This is a strategy to help guide you for-
ward with the business of finding campers.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Some elements that work best when marketing a camp include
direct mailing, advertising, internet marketing, and referrals from
clients. Having a website that is simple to navigate and highlights
your camp’s features is essential. Increasingly, people seek camps
through the internet and want the ease of online registration.
To gain enrollment, make sure you contact everyone who is a
participant at your club, involved in any of the programs, or is a
staff member. This can be by brochure or letter highlighting the
camp, and through email and email newsletters. These will often
be your first customers, and they frequently bring their friends and
relatives with them.
One vehicle that has worked well is local and regional maga-
zines for parents, which often have camp guides. Newspapers also
may have a bulletin section where you can advertise your camp for
free. When I ran my camp, I was amazed at how many individu-
als responded from this section.
The best way to increase enrollment is to be professional in
everything you do at your facility. People see how trustworthy you
are, and they will want to send their children to your programs.
Having an excellent reputation for integrity will do more to estab-
lish your camp in years to come than anything else. Isn’t this how
we all want to be perceived when building a business? Q
Bruce Knittle is president of the sports consulting firm Knittle Sports
Solutions (www.knittlesportssolutions.com). A former sports camp
owner, he also was a college head coach and directed sports pro-
grams for many years. He can be reached at bknittle@optonline.net.
July 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21
FIND YOUR
2010 GUIDE TO BALL MACHINES

BALL MACHINE
For 2010, new machines from Lobster
and Silent Partner and Sports Tutor

A
join the list. Lobster Elite Grandslam V Limited Edition
nyone who's been thinking about buying a ball machine will be excited
to hear that the USRSA has updated its Ball Machine Selection Guide for
2010. This is the only source anywhere that allows ball machine buy-
ers to compare the features from all the different brands in one easy-to-use
guide.
Three new machines have been added to the 2010 guide - one
each from Lobster, Silent Partner, and Sports Tutor. To see how they
compare to all the other ball machines available, check out the chart
on pages 24 and 25. You'll see the specs for the 3 new machines
printed in red.
Remember, many machines offer options that can be added at the
time of purchase. We list all the features that come standard with
each machine, but we also list all the options available, along with the
cost of adding each. —David Bone Q

Sports Tutor Tennis Cube

Silent Partner Sport (Edge Series)

July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23

 2010 GUIDE TO BALL MACHINES PROPULSION

nderspin
ic
trol - Electron
el Propulsion

l
)

trol - Manua
rval (seconds

Topspin & U
Propulsion

Sidespin
Lobs
PH)
Spinning Whe

Top Speed (M
Elevation Con
Elevation Con
Ball Capacity

Able to Feed
Air Pressure

Feeding Inte

Able to Feed
Able to Feed
Weight (lbs)
Price Warranty Dimensions
Manufacturer Model (MSRP) (years) (Storage inches)
Lobster Elite Freedom $799 2 24” x 16” x 19” 150 30 X 2 - 12 70 X X
Elite Grandslam IV $1,899 2 24” x 16” x 19” 150 44 X 2-9 80 X X X
lobstersports.com
Elite 1 $1,049 2 24” x 16” x 19” 150 42 X 2 - 12 80 X X X
800-526-4041
Elite 2 $1,299 2 24” x 16” x 19” 150 44 X 2 - 12 80 X X X
Elite 3 $1,549 2 24” x 16” x 19” 150 44 X 2 - 12 80 X X X
Elite Grandslam V $2,199 2 24” x 16” x 19” 150 44 X 2-9 80 X X X
Elite Grandslam V Limited Edition $2,799 2 24” x 16” x 19” 150 44 X 2-9 80 X X X

Playmate Half-Volley $1,195 2 19” x 21” x 25” 200 42 X 1 - 10 80 X X X

playmatetennis.com Volley $1,695 2 19” x 21” x 25” 200 46 X 1 - 10 80 X X X
800-776-6770 Ace $3,495 3 35” x 21” x 38” 200 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
Smash $4,395 3 35” x 21” x 38” 300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
Deuce $5,195 3 35” x 21” x 38” 300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
Genie $5,995 3 35” x 21” x 38” 300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
Genie PC $7,820 3 35” x 21” x 38” 300 85 X 1 - 10 95 X X X
Grand Slam $7,495 3 35” x 21” x 38” 300 110 X 1 - 10 120 X X X X
Grand Slam PC $8,995 3 35” x 21” x 38” 300 110 X 1 - 10 120 X X X X

SAM I-SAM $684 1 19” x 17.5” x 18” 250 34 X 2-8 65 X X

mastersports.com Professional Portable 1 $1,073 1 19.5” x 16” x 21.5” 300 48 X 2-8 75 X X X
800-837-1002 Professional Portable 4 $1,749 1 19.5” x 16” x 21.5” 300 48 X 2-8 75 X X X
Sport $3,595 3 35” x 25” x 50” 250 87 X 1.5 - 8 85 X X X
Coach $3,975 3 35” x 25” x 50” 250 87 X 1.5 - 8 85 X X X

Robot Optimizers
tennisrobot.com Boomer $14,450 2 38.5” x 31” x 21.5” 300 124 X 1.0 - 10 100 X X X
888-8BOOMER

Silent Partner Lite (Edge Series) $799 1 24” x 22” x 16” 200 35 X 1.5 - 10 95 X X X
sptennis.com Sport (Edge Series) $949 1 24” x 22” x 16” 200 46 X 1.5 - 10 95 X X X
800-662-1809 Star (Edge Series) $1,099 1 24” x 22” x 16” 200 46 X 1.5 - 10 95 X X X
Rival (Scoop Series) $1,399 1 28” x 22” x 18” 300 48 X 1.5 - 10 95 X X X

Sports Attack Ace Attack $5,999 1 34” x 53” x 127” 200 150 X 1.5 - 12 110 X X X X
sportsattack.com
800-717-4251
Tennis Twist $229 1 10” x 11” x 23” 28 11 5 15 X
Sports Tutor
Tennis Tutor ProLite - Basic $649 1 12” x 19.5” x 18” 125 22 X 1.5 - 10 60 X X
sportstutor.com
Tennis Tutor ProLite $749 1 12” x 19.5” x 18” 125 29 X 1.5 - 10 60 X X
800-448-8867
Tennis Tutor $1,049 1 12” x 19.5” x 20” 150 42 X 1.5 - 12 85 X X
Tennis Tutor - Plus $1,249 1 20” x 19.5” x 20” 150 46 X 1.5 - 12 85 X X X
Tennis Tutor - Plus Player $1,649 1 20” x 19.5” x 20” 150 46 X 1.5 - 12 85 X X X
Tennis Tower $1,275 1 44” x 23” x 22” 225 60 X 1.5 - 8 85 X X $270
Tennis Tower - Pro Player $2,195 1 44” x 23” x 22” 225 60 X 1.5 - 8 85 X X X
Shot Maker - Standard $3,100 2 38.5” x 31” x 21.5” 300 96 X 1-6 95 X X X
Shot Maker - Deluxe $4,200 2 38.5” x 31” x 21.5” 300 96 X 1-6 95 X X X
Wilson Portable $1,095 1 22” x 14” x 20” 110 38 X 1.5 - 10 75 X X X
Tennis Cube $499 1 15” x 12” x 13” 70 24 X 2 - 10 50 X X

Super Coach
tennismachine.com SuperCoach $11,465 1 36” x 27” x 22” 200/300 121 X 1.4 - 5.6 65 X X X
408-660-1173
*Other Optional Accessories 5 - 6 Pre-Programmed Court Drills + 6 Custom Programmable Court
1a - Horizontal Oscillation / 1b - Horizontal Oscillation + Spin Control / 1c - Drills (with 18 possible locations) + 2 Line Narrow, Medium, Wide
* Amp 2-4 hrs Triple-Oscillation / 1d - Triple-Osciillation + 2-Line Narrow, Wide 6 - Oscillation Upgrade $199, Remote Control Upgrade $275
** Amp 4-8 Hours of Court Time 2 - Fast charger $99 7 - 6-Hour Non-Memory Battery Upgrade $149, 3-Hour Rapid
New Machines in Red 3 - 3 Pre-Programmed Court Drills (6 ball sequence per drill) 3 Positional Recharger $219.70
Settings of 2-Line (Narrow, Medium, Wide) 8 - Smash Conversion Box $325
24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 4 - 6 Pre-Programmed Court Drills + 6 Custom Programmable Court Drills 9 - Deuce Conversion Box $1125
(with 6 possible locations) + 2 Line Narrow, Medium, Wide 10 - Genie Conversion Box $1925
 OSCILLATION POWER REMOTE CONTROL MISC.

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Adjustable D

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X X 8.5* X X X $49 X 1a, 2
X X X X X X 18** X X $300 X X X $49 X 3
X X 18** X X $169 X X $49 X 1b, 2
X X X X 18** X X $169 X X $49 X 1c, 2
X X X X 18** X X $169 X X $49 X 1d, 2
X X 6 6 X X X X X X 18** X X $300 X X X $49 X 4
X X 6 6 X X X X X X 18** X X X X X X $49 X 5

X X 7 X X X X $85.15 X 6, 7
X X 2 X 15 X X X X X $85.15 X 7
X 3 X X X X X X $4,395 $85.15 X
X X 7 X X X X X X $4,395 $85.15 X 9, 10, 11
X X 7 X X X X X X X X X X X $4,395 $85.15 X 8, 10, 11
X X 7 X X X X X X X X X X X $4,395 $85.15 X 8, 9, 11
X X 8 ∞ X X X X X X X X X X X $4,395 $85.15 X 8, 9, 10
X X 7 X X X X X X X X X X X $4,395 $85.15 X 8, 9, 10, 12
X X 8 ∞ X X X X X X X X X X X $4,395 $85.15 X

X $112 X X 12 X X X X X 13, 14
X $112 X X 15 X X X X X X 14, 15
X X 2 $112 X X 15 X X X X X X X X 14, 15
X X 3 X X X X 16
X X 6 X X X X X 16

X X 30 1000 X X X X X X X X X X $3,895 X X 17

X X 9 X $40 X
X X 21 X $40 X
X $249 $100 X 21 X X X X $40 X
X 3 $249 $100 X 21 X X X X X X $60 X 23

X 4 X $300 X X $200 X

X X 6 D Cells

X X X $50 9 X X $70 X $35

X X X $50 9 X X $70 X $35 18
X 4 X $50 X 18 X X $200 X X $35 X 18, 19
X 4 X $50 X 18 X X $200 X X $35 X 18, 19, 20a
X 5 X X X X $50 X 18 X X $200 X X X $35 X 19, 19, 20b, 22a
X 4 X $200 X X X X
X 5 X X X X X X X X X
X X 3 X $200 X X X X
X X 6 X X X X X X X X 22b
X $200 2 $50 X 12 X X $200 X X $35 X 18
X $100 X 6 X X 18

X X 30 32 X X X X X X X X X X 21
11 - Genie PC Conversion Box $3750 18 - External Battery Pack $130, External AC Power Supply $125
12 - Grand Slam PC Conversion Box $3750 19 - Smart Fast Battery Upgrade $75
13 - Extra Heavy Duty Battery $35, Wireless Remote $100 20 - Player Simulation (20a - $200, 20b - included)
14 - 110/220 Volt AC converter $112, Water Resistant Cloth Storage Cover $68 21 - Can deliver any type of ball (topspin, underspin, flat, lob) to any place
15 - Lob Enhancer $30, adjustable oscillation width on court in any sequence, all ball parameters and timing customizable.
16 - Ships via FedEx Gnd, Feeds Balls from 30" above ground 22 - Multi-Function Remote (22a - $200, 22b - $300)
17 - Plays Games, Rates Shots, Uses a Camera, Talks to Players, Cordless Headphone System ($500 or July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 25
$50/month), Wireless Printer for Analysis ($2000 or $100/month) Radar Gun, iPod input and speakers
 FACILITY MANAGEMENT
SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
Whether large or small, public or private, tennis facility owners and
managers face many common challenges.
I
BY MARY HELEN SPRECHER
Additional reporting by Peter Francesconi
n terms of tennis facilities, there are no terms—or at least none
that seem to apply in every situation. Across the U.S., facilities
vary widely in player demographics, staff size and budget. They
may be public or municipal, commercial or private, with courts
that are hard or soft (or both), indoor or outdoor, bare bones or
well-appointed and receiving extensive daily maintenance. They
may be tennis-only, or they may be part of larger complexes that
include everything from exercise rooms to golf to squash to swim-
ming pools to day spas.
Just about the only common denominator is that in tennis
facilities, managers and owners have multiple responsibilities.
The same person who is on the court giving a lesson at 2 p.m.
may be cloistered in his or her office by 4 p.m., sweating over a
balance sheet and keeping
This is the fourth in a series of articles one eye on the clock because
about the tennis industry's changing at 5 p.m., a potential teach-
landscape. Future topics will deal with
participation, court construction, pro
ing pro is going to present
tennis and more. We'd like to hear herself for a job interview.
your comments and concerns too. E- For them, the state of the
mail them to rsi@racquettech.com. industry is all about being
Please put “state of the industry” in the ready for the next challenge,
subject line. To view past “State of the
Industry” stories, visit www.racquet-
and their days are full of
sportsindustry.com. those.
This constant need to
diversify, says Dan Santorum, executive director of the Profes-
sional Tennis Registry, has resulted in club owners and managers
becoming almost a breed unto themselves. They are isolated,
despite having constant interactions with staff, players and their
board of directors. It leads to inertia, to frustration and some-
times, to burnout. IHRSA (the International Health, Racquet and
Sportsclub Association), he adds, has shifted its focus from strict-
ly racquet sports to fitness facilities in general, and the USTA has
'THE CONFLICT NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT'
been emphasizing community tennis.
Among many facility owners and managers, there are varying
degrees of unease and resentment toward the USTA.
"Most club owners and managers feel a little bit disenfran-
chised by the USTA," says Santorum. "Their complaint is that the
USTA's main focus is on the public sector, people playing in the
parks, and that less attention is being paid to clubs. The volume
of tennis is in the clubs, but most of the people play in public
parks. It's important to reach the masses, but the majority of fre-
quent players and teaching pros are going to be in the clubs."
26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010
Rod Heckelman, general manager and tennis pro at the
Mount Tam Racquet Club in Marin County, Calif., calls the fric-
tion with the USTA "the conflict no one wants to talk about,"
since it touches on sensitive issues on both sides. And while sta-
tistics touting the growth of beginner players are good news,
facility owners and managers have ongoing worries.
"From the standpoint of the clubs and tennis players, the
numbers being up are great: good news and increased income,"
Heckelman notes. "The competition being down impacts the
USTA directly; in fact, competition is their main source of
income, especially adult leagues. For clubs, it is the reverse: We
need more participation and less competition, more recreational
tennis and more activities, less league play that steers players
away from needing a club. This puts the USTA at odds with the
club industry."
The USTA is aware of the complaints, says Kurt Kamperman,
the USTA’s chief executive of Community Tennis. Kamperman,
who recently spoke at the PTR's second annual Tennis Club
Owners and Facility Managers Conference, also was able to lis-
ten to the questions and concerns of participants, and to address
some of the issues.
"A lot of things came up informally at the conference," says
Kamperman, "about clubs and the USTA and the different prior-
ities each has. For instance with league tennis, club owners were
saying it doesn't really make them money so it wasn't a big pri-
ority for them." Still, he notes, "I know a lot of commercial clubs
where league tennis is their huge driver. There are some clubs
that are clinging to the contract court time, but that's a model
that is changing."
He fully acknowledges the USTA's recent focus on the public
sector, but says it is a strategy that should ultimately work in the
favor of private and commercial facilities, since, "If you're hav-
ing a booming tennis section at the parks, it shouldn't be a dis-
traction; it should act as a feeder system."
The focus on public tennis was well under way when the
recession hit. But in at least one way, Kamperman adds, the
downturn in the economy may have unexpectedly contributed to
getting some more of those new players onto courts, since park
and school programs are available free or for a low cost—some-
thing that would appeal to anyone affected by job loss or other
setbacks. As the economy improves, those new players will seek
better facilities, more enhanced learning opportunities and more
competition, and will begin joining clubs.
"Now the focus is on growing a stronger frequent-player
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 base," he says. "That's next: Let's now do whatever we can to cre-
SURVEY SAYS...
ate that base. I think that bodes well for clubs."
In a survey conducted by the Tennis Industry Association in the
fourth quarter of 2009, 76 percent of facility owners and man-
agers reported that their outlook for the industry was "good" or
"very good," a 7 percent increase since 2005. In addition, they
noted, the average number of participants in introductory or
beginner programs was up 16 percent since 2005 and 50 percent
since 2007, and that the retention rate for those new players had
remained high.
But there are worrisome signs too. Average all-inclusive dues
are 25 percent lower now than they were in 2005 as more facili-
“ As 2010 hits, the attrition rate has become better,”
ties struggle to compete
says Doug Cash. “ Clubs are growing their membership
with not only other fitness
programs and opportuni-
again. New membership sales are about 70 percent of
ties, but against an econo-
my that has many families
what they were in 2007.”
and individuals cutting back
on discretionary spending.
Among those facilities indi-
cating their court usage was down, most blamed membership
shortfalls, with less league play and lowered demand for group
lessons and clinics (two things normally counted on as the big
money-makers) also being cited.
According to Doug Cash, a business consultant with CashFlow
Tennis, the drop-off can be attributed to two types of cutbacks on
the part of players. "Probably the peak year for membership was
2007," he notes, "and then there was a reaction to the economy.
People who belonged to a club and who were low users down-
graded; that is, they went to a less expensive membership, and
those who weren't using the club as much dropped their mem-
bership. As a result, there was an increase in attrition rates at that
point. Normal attrition is 20 percent, and it probably jumped to 30
percent during 2008-2009, which also included the number of
downgrades.
“As 2010 hits, the attrition rate has become better,“ Cash adds.
“There aren't as many fringe people, meaning the people who are
there are really into tennis. Clubs are growing their membership
again. New membership sales are about 70 percent of what they
were in 2007."
Even at a time when statistics say tennis has never been
stronger, managers remain concerned about the economy and
are trying to be as conservative as possible in their own spending.
Only 20 percent of facilities planned for capital improvements in
2009; less than half of those improvements will be made to ten-
nis courts, while the remaining percentages include equipment,
interior building, exterior building and landscaping (in descending
amount of funding allocated).
Facility managers and owners want to capitalize on the growth
of tennis and translate it into a better bottom line for their orga-
nization. But unlike the retailers and the manufacturers who want
to capture the business of the frequent tennis players, many facil-
ity managers are concerned about the next generation of frequent
players. They want to know, where are the kids?
"The key to any successful tennis club is the tennis-playing
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
family," says Hunter Gallaway of the Lafayette Tennis Club in
Lafayette, Calif. "That's who we're catering to. You're always look-
ing to bring new blood in, and we want to keep growing our other
programs, including our super seniors, but the family is the mar-
ket we're trying to bring in."
The problem, say managers, is that families have changed.
More children have scheduled activities during what used to be
free time, and children who once would be enrolled in tennis
lessons are going into other sports such as soccer or basketball.
Juniors who play at the high school level are often seduced by
lacrosse, which plays in the fall and spring, and are choosing that
over tennis. And, managers add, parents seem to be driving their
children into popular sports in the hope of excelling and scoring a
college scholarship, rather than finding a sport that is enjoyable
and healthy.
"When it comes to kids
who could be playing as
juniors, I think other activi-
ties are the main competi-
tion," says Allison
McLendon, retail manager
at Bentwater Country Club
in Montgomery, Texas. "We have a lot of kids who tell me, 'I have
gymnastics on Monday, soccer on Tuesday and tennis on
Wednesday.'"
"Tennis and the whole country-club lifestyle has changed
because families are putting their kids into other sports," says
George Kustas of the Poughkeepsie Tennis Club in Poughkeepsie,
N.Y. "They're not only putting these kids into these sports, but
they're putting them in full force. They join travel teams and they
play all year round. They're on the field from Saturday morning to
Sunday afternoon. The family isn't going to the club and hanging
around the pool. And the kids aren't picking up their racquets and
heading down to the park to play tennis with their friends on the
public courts. They see the court from the minivan as they drive
MEMBERS ONLY?
by on their way to soccer practice, but that's it."
As the economy has tightened, facility managers have become
more creative in the options they offer potential members—and
the ways they get them in the door.
"People have several options here," says Dr. Sophie Woorons-
Johnston of Performance Meadows at Brookstone Tennis in
Anderson, N.C. "Our initiation fee is very low, but having it pre-
vents people from coming in and out. We also have a beginner
discount right now so that people can join without paying initia-
tion fees. For returning players, people who were members but
who left for a while, we will also waive the initiation fee one time."
Some facilities offer reduced dues or a “price-match” with dues
advertised at nearby facilities. Other incentives include the first
month (or first several months) free, discounts to friends who join
at the same time, and free months to members who refer new
members.
At the same time, some organizations are finding ways to get
individuals in the door by using a seasonal aspect of the facility,
such as just the pool in the summer months. Many of these peo-
ple can be persuaded to trade up once cool weather hits, they add,
July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27
 SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

particularly if they're given a taste of the other amenities. Greg
Moran, director of tennis at the Four Seasons Racquet Club in
Wilton, Conn., gives individuals with pool-only memberships an
invitation to a free tennis clinic. "Once we get them on the tennis
courts, we're confident we can hook them," he notes.
"I think tennis is a try and buy sport," says Cash, "which means
you have to get people in the door of your club. You can give peo-
ple a trial membership whether they're beginner or advanced. If
events such as mixers, match play nights, and drop-in format pro-
grams such as Matinee Tennis, Early Bird Tennis and Cardio Ten-
nis. New members receive a dozen coupons either discounting the
fee or offering the activity free altogether for trial participation."
At the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex in Surprise, Ariz.,
director John Austin has implemented the “Tennis University”
learning program. "The concept is that we'll have you playing on
a 2.5 league by the time we're done," he says. "We don't want les-

WHO'S MINDING THE STORE?

they like it, they'll get involved. I don't know if more people are
trying that, but more people should be."
According to the TIA's survey, a decreasing number of clubs is
offering “tennis-only” memberships. In 2005, 57 percent of all
facilities offered dedicated tennis privileges, as compared to 50
percent in 2007 and 46 percent in 2009. The average dues for ten-
nis-only memberships has also dropped 15 percent since 2005.
"The best thing we’ve done is make things more inclusive,"
says Sean McQuillan, director of tennis at Norton Pines in Spring
Lake, Mich. He notes that by creating a program in which players
try two organized activities offered at the club, they receive enroll-
ment in a third activity free.
"We put the incentives out there for people to play more often
and try more things," McQuillan adds. "We didn’t have a lot of
competitive juniors playing, so we started a challenge ladder. If
you win, you get a racquet, if you come in second, you get a bag.
son-takers, we want players."
One point of discussion among facility owners and managers is
the need for a pro shop—or, to be more accurate, the lack of need
for one. While there are a few facilities that still have flourishing
shops, most owners and managers we surveyed say that keeping
a fully stocked (and fully staffed) store is no longer a profitable
venture.
"We have two pro shops, one at our athletic club over the ten-
nis courts and one at our golf course," says Rob Goldman, chief
operating officer of the Columbia Association in Columbia, Md.
“But we’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that with the
major e-commerce opportunities out there for people, we should
just stick with providing necessity items. We've been trying to
reduce our inventory. We still carry some racquets, and the pros

KEEPING PLAYERS IN THE FOLD

Now, we have juniors playing again." can still sell racquets, but we don't sell shoes or clothing at all any
longer."
Racquet stringing remains profitable for many clubs. The TIA
Member retention is another concern for facility owners and man- survey found that in a typical month during 2009, the average
agers. Keeping a member happy is easier than facility expected to sell 10 racquets, but to

QUICK FACTS
spending the money and energy to find a new restring 30. Grips and balls are always in
one. And at a time when there are multiple demand, say managers, and some facilities
options for exercise (including walking or run- The TIA survey of facilities revealed the stock clothing with their logo on it, but very
ning, which are free), keeping players in the following trends few keep tennis skirts, tops or dresses in
fold takes more work than it used to. stock.
Owners and managers agree that it is
• Group lessons and private clinics "Really, with clothing, the only time we
essential to get new players involved immedi-
combined accounted for about 60% did well was when it was on sale," says
ately, and to make them feel welcome.
of expected tennis revenue. Goodman of the Club at Rawls Creek. "I had
Woorons-Johnston stresses upon her staff the • A typical facility will have two to to discontinue it."
need to foster a family atmosphere in the club, three staff members affiliated with More and more facilities report having
and to make sure new members do not feel USPTA and/or PTR. their front desk personnel handle the sale of
that a cliquish atmosphere exists. merchandise, and pros taking orders for
"The most important thing you can do to
• There was an 18% reported increase restringing. The rise of online court reserva-
keep the person in the club is to get them into
in the annual tennis revenue per tion systems, say owners and managers,
a group of peers and friends," says Freddy
court. has freed up those individuals to perform
Goodman, director of tennis at the Club at more in-person customer-service functions
Rawls Creek in Irmo, S.C. "Whenever we get a new member, we and allowed court bookings to operate more efficiently.
try to get them on league teams. They need to be in a social group Ray Major, tennis director of the Fretz Tennis Center in Dallas,
and you need them to participate. If we don't get them involved, is an enthusiastic proponent of technology in tennis. Upon arriving
if we don't get them to come to the mixers, they don't stay at Fretz a little less than a decade ago, Major found himself faced
around. I found that out a long time ago." with a system "where everything was done on paper and there
According to Michael Mahoney, general manager of Midtown was an old-fashioned cash register." Major wasted no time in tak-
Tennis Club in Chicago, participation is the key to retention efforts. ing the program online. Today, he uses TennisConnect, which he
"Upon joining the club, our objective is to get a new member says "streamlines everything and makes it a lot easier."
involved in club activities by introducing them to group program- The ability of players to log in, make court reservations, and
ming with an emphasis on introducing them to other members at sign up for leagues and lessons on their own time is a benefit to
the same playing level and with similar availability," says facilities as well as a convenience to players. "It significantly
Mahoney. "We invite new members to participate in special reduces costs and manpower, and it allows me to go out and clean

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

courts, knowing that I don't have to be there in case someone
wants to book a lesson," says Tim Jachymowski, owner of the
Spring Lake Park, Minn.-based PublicIndoorTennis.com. "I get
court reservations that come in at midnight, 1 a.m., and people
have used their credit card, so it's all paid for. If that person does-
NET GAME
n't show up, I already have my money."
While all facilities interviewed had websites, the complexity and
amount of use varied widely. Some were strictly informational,
listing only the basics: facility features, operating hours, address,
directions and so forth, while others were more interactive, includ-
ing links to online court reservation systems and the ability to sign
up for notification of future events.
According to the TIA, 53 percent more of the facilities that have
a tennis-specific website now have their programming listed on
their website as well. A total of 27 percent use online registration,
and 35 percent indicated an interest in offering online registration
directly from program listings on the Tennis Welcome Center
website or the Cardio Tennis website. (Cardio Tennis program-
ming was popular in 2009, offered by 61 percent of all respon-
dents, and outpacing even the popularity of swimming pools,
fitness centers and group exercise classes.)
Communication with players and members has gone electron-
ic as well: E-mail is the preferred method of notification of new
programs, upcoming events and breaking news on rainouts or
cancellations. Very few facilities still use a printed newsletter as
their primary means of communication. Jachymowski says that
he, like most, has an e-mail list, and "we do quite a few mass e-
mails, but we're careful not to get to the point of overwhelming
people."
And the TIA, says Executive Director Jolyn de Boer, has long
been a proponent of using technology to increase business for
clubs and facilities. “The TIA’s TennisConnect has recently come
out with modifications that make it even easier for facilities to use
just the features they need,” she says. “Our websites, including
GrowingTennis.com, include easy links for facilities to post their
programs and information for free into a national database search-
able by consumers everywhere.”
Some facility owners and managers have ventured into social
media. Mahoney reports that Midtown is on Facebook and has
nearly 1,000 fans. Through Facebook, he adds, Midtown "can pro-
mote club events and social connections between members, such
as arranging a game. A subscriber can also watch Midtown-specif-
THE BOTTOM LINE
ic video clips."
While no club owner or manager likes the actual work of it, keep-
ing a balanced budget is key to long-term success. Statistics that
show tennis participation is on the uptick aren't much help if
you're running in the red. The TIA survey found that the annual
profit/loss ratio was down 50 percent since 2005. Owners and
managers are turning to creative ways to cut costs, and are meet-
ing with varying levels of success.
When the Columbia Association announced that it would be
discontinuing the free towel service at its three health clubs, mem-
bers' complaints forced them to reverse the decision, according to
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Rob Goldman. But when members at the Courtside Athletic Club
in Greenville, S.C., were given the choice of losing the towels or
taking a dues increase, says Randy Bailey, the director of tennis,
"They said get rid of the towels. It wasn't really a big deal to
them."
When budget cuts at the Dunes West Golf & River Club in
Mount Pleasant, S.C., resulted in having fewer staff available to
care for the facility's three soft courts, management instituted a
do-it-yourself policy among members, requiring players to drag
the courts after playing. "We got a little resistance in the begin-
ning," says Jack Miller, director of tennis. “But once people saw
how well the courts were playing, they were fine with it."
"The key to keeping members is always their perception," says
Cash. "The perception of, 'Am I getting enough value for what I'm
paying?' People have started looking at every dollar they are pay-
ing, so you have to be careful when you're cutting."
Overall, the bottom line is at the top of everyone's list of con-
cerns, forcing managers to get, in their words, “lean and mean.”
Phil Feidelseit of Brattleboro Racquet Sports in Brattleboro, Vt.,
reports that his operation and two affiliated clubs employ a core
group of volunteers to help do maintenance and open courts for
the year. Virtually all facilities have slashed their marketing and
advertising budgets, doing most of their external promotions
RANGE OF COST-SAVINGS MEASURES
through e-mail and word of mouth.
Cost-saving measures employed by facility owners and managers
ranged from barely noticeable to drastic. Conservative measures
included using energy-efficient light fixtures, having court lights on
timers and going with less expensive soap or paper towels. More
severe cutbacks involved the elimination of full-time positions and
increased reliance on part-time help. Cutting staff hours, while
always an unpopular decision, was unavoidable in many cases.
The TIA survey found that in comparing wages and independent
contractors in 2009 to wages in previous survey periods, wages
consistently accounted for approximately 40 percent of tennis-
related business expenses.
At Norton Pines, McQuillan was one of those who made the
choice to go with less expensive help. "It’s changed my staff a lit-
tle, but for the better, I think. I have some pros who are young,
right out of college. They're really hungry to work, and they're
always recruiting more private lessons."
Private clubs are not the only ones feeling the economic pinch.
According to Austin, municipal facilities like his are no different.
"Our city is having its problems like all cities are. We've reduced
our part-time staff. The squeeze is on and we're watching every
nickel."
"You really worry when you have a facility," says Gallaway at
Lafayette Tennis Club. "You do worry about that one major disas-
ter—a roof collapse, things like that—but mostly you worry that
the little things will start piling up at once: You need a new pool
pump, you need two new windscreens, you need a new bench,
your lights need to be replaced, and all of a sudden it's $25,000
later. That kind of thing can put a small club out of business. You
have to plan for things to go wrong. You have to stay current on
maintaining equipment."
Virgil Christian, USTA's director of community tennis develop-
July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29
 SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
ment, says that his organization's message to pay attention to
detail at the beginning of a project can pay dividends in the
future. Unfortunately, he adds, people don't always listen.
"We advise people to build it right, and to get a profession-
al involved, too. Don't go investing money and then come back
because something failed. Get it right the first time and do the
maintenance. It's amazing how much it will save you in the
long run."
All facilities surveyed carry liability insurance. Many carry
an umbrella policy, while other managers and owners have on-
court pros who carry additional insurance. All try to keep
unnecessary risks at bay by doing daily walk-throughs of their
courts.
"We're in an area where the land shifts a lot, so there are
always going to be cracks in our courts," says Gallaway, whose
facility is in Northern California. "I know that cracks can
become a danger situation. If I have one major crack and it's a
hazard and one person could trip on it, I'll have someone go
down and fix it. If I wait until my members tell me it's time to
resurface, it's too late."
The need to ensure member safety, the need to balance the
budget, and the need to keep courts busy are all topics familiar
to facility managers, although it's not often they get the chance
to have a dialogue on those subjects. In 2009, the PTR offered
its first Tennis Club Owners and Facility Managers Conference.
According to Santorum, the conference was a revelation to the
PTR as well as to the participants.
“The most important part to them was the networking they
30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010
did," he notes. "We found they really enjoyed meeting other
club owners and sharing best practices."
For a number of years, the TIA has been increasing the
resources and tools available for tennis facility owners and
managers when it comes to networking and running their busi-
nesses, says de Boer. “We offer online technology webinars,
and we’re working on setting up expert panels for facility and
retail advisory councils. We started taking these steps last year,
STAYING HUNGRY
along with our efforts to help jumpstart the market at retail.”
No matter whether a facility serves families in the suburbs or is
situated in the middle of a retirement community, no matter
whether it's a high-end club in a gated community or a public
facility in the middle of a major city, owners and managers say
that the key to survival is staying fresh and ready for whatever
shot the economy puts over the net next.
Ray Major says that at the Fretz Tennis Center, "We're con-
stantly trying to think of new ways to reach our customers, to
give them good service and give them things they'll enjoy. We
offer specials and ways to help them stretch their dollars a little
further. We want them to know that we understand the econo-
my's bad too, and that we're with them on this."
"I'm always trying to stay involved and keep myself fresh,"
says Miller. "We're always trying to get better and not sit back
and enjoy having the clients; that's not the way we operate. I'm
just a tennis nerd through and through, I guess, but our mem-
bers seem to like that and they keep coming back." Q
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 PRIVATE
DISTINGUISHED FACILITY-OF-THE-YEAR AWARDS

ENTERPRISE
These six residential court winners show style
and substance.

rivate courts really show off style and creativity—both of bottom of a severely Campion Residence, Carlton, Ore.

P the owners and of the court contractors. These six winners

of the Racquet Sports Industry/American Sports Builders
Association 2009 Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards
sloped yard. (Nominated by Atlas Track & Tennis, Tualatin, Ore.)
The hard court at General Contactor: Atlas Track & Tennis
the Keating Resi- Surface: California Products-Plexipave
show some wonderful details, in both the finished product and dence in Gladwyne, Fencing: Atlas Track & Tennis
in the construction. Pa., was built on a Net, Center Strap: Douglas Industries
Five of these courts are new construction, including an steep hill and
amazing “sports complex” at a private residence in Jupiter, required retaining
Fla., that has two courts—hard and clay—along with a bocce walls on three sides. The township required a storm-water
ball court and half-court basketball court. The owner has kids management system under the court with 2 inches of sub-base
who are nationally ranked, traveling and playing tournaments materials separating the system from the stone base of the
on different surfaces. The family decid- court. Limited access meant that large-wheeled loaders had to
For details on the 2010 Outstand- ed, after years of having the kids train be used to transport stone and asphalt to the construction site.
ing Facility-of-the-Year Awards, at other facilities and camps between The new court at the Ienner Residence in Greenwich,
contact the ASBA at 866-501-
events, that it would be better for them Conn., is adjacent to the existing pool house, which itself posed
ASBA or info@sportsbuilders.org,
or visit www.sportsbuilders.org. to train at home, so they needed tour- some challenges. The contractor needed to remove and redi-
nament-quality courts. The clay court rect all the pool filter lines, including HVAC and gas lines, under
has sub-surface irrigation, and both courts have tournament- the court. He also needed to put in electrical lines for the lights
quality lighting for play at all hours. under the pool house foundation. The driveway didn’t allow
The other five winners are all hard courts, including the only large dump trucks, so material had to be delivered in six-wheel
upgrade in the group, the Anderson Residence in Beach Lake, vehicles. The court was designed as it was being built, with
Pa. The contractor widened the existing, undersized court area, decisions made by the owner as the project unfolded.
installed new fencing and lighting, along with a post-tensioned The Campion Residence in Carleton, Ore., was built adja-
concrete slab. The court now has a cushioned surface and a hit- cent to an outdoor patio, allowing for player seating and shade.
ting wall. Time was spent on a perimeter drainage system But the area had soft soil, from the many trees and decayed
because the original court was built close to a river and at the vegetation that had built up over many years, which required
extensive excavation of the site. The new court in Parkland,
Fla., also had to contend with nature. The customer wanted
the court close to the
property line, but
Anderson Residence, Beach Lake, Pa.
there was a line of
(Nominated by Pro-Sport Construction Inc., Berwyn, Pa.)
General Contractor: Pro-Sport Construction pine trees in the
Surface: California Products-DecoTurf area that had a
Lights: LSI shallow root sys-
Net, Center Strap: J.A. Cissell tem that would
Posts: Lee Tennis destroy concrete
and asphalt. The
contractor had to
cut out roots and built up the site. —Peter Francesconi
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
 Ienner Residence, Greenwich, Conn.
(Nominated by DeRosa Tennis Contractors Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y.)
Architect/Engineer: Sasaki Associates Inc.
General Contractor: DeRosa Tennis Contractors Inc.
Surface: California Products-Pro DecoTurf
Lighting: LSI Courtsider XL
Windscreens, Net, Posts, Center Strap: J.A. Cissel

Private Residence, Jupiter, Fla.

(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)
Architect/Engineer: Fast-Dry Courts
General Contractor: Fast-Dry Courts
No. of Courts: 2
Hard Court: Nova Sports Combination with Deco Cushion
Clay Court: Lee Tennis Hydroblend
Sub-Surface Irrigation: Lee Tennis
Net Posts: J.A. Cissel
Windscreens: Putterman
Lighting: RLS TE 2000EC
Nets: Superior Court Supplies

Keating Residence, Gladwyne, Pa.

(Nominated by Pro-Sport Construction Inc., Berwyn, Pa.)
Surface: Laykold
Lights: LSI
Net, Posts, Windscreen: J.A. Cissel

Private Residence, Parkland, Fla.

(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts, Pompano Beach, Fla.)
Architect/Engineer: Fast-Dry Courts
General Contractor: Fast-Dry Courts
Surface: Nova Sports Combination with Deco Cushion
Net Posts: J.A. Cissel
Windscreens: Putterman
Lighting: RLS TE1000EC
Net: Superior Court Supplies

www.racquetsportsindustry.com July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33

 String Playtest
Solinco Tour Bite
IN THE LAB
Solinco tells us that Tour Bite is a
newly developed, high-performance,
and versatile monofilament co-poly- We tested both the 17 and 18 gauges of
ester string designed to generate Tour Bite. The coils measured 40 feet.
extreme power, and intense spin and We recorded stringbed stiffness imme-
diately after stringing at 60 pounds in a
bite. According to Solinco, Tour Bite
Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern)
uses an innovative, proprietary com-
on a constant-pull machine. We remea- sured after 24 hours (no playing) for ten-
posite formula of high-tech polyester sion loss, as shown in the table. Our
resin compounded with new, perfor- Solinco Tour Bite 17 gauge 18 gauge
control string, Prince Synthetic Gut
mance enhancing additives. The dis- Diameter unstrung (mm) 1.22-1.25 1.18-1.20
Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDC
Diameter strung (mm) 1.18-1.22 1.15-1.16
tinct composition and make-up of units immediately after stringing and
String weight (grams) 14 13
Solinco’s co-polyester strings provide 71 RDC units after 24 hours, repre-
RDC stringbed stiffness new 74 72
the basis for their unique feel and senting a 9 percent tension loss.
RDC stringbed stiffness after 24 hours 68 66
playing characteristics. The string was tested for five
Tension loss percentage after 24 hours 9 8 weeks by USRSA playtesters with
Solinco says its co-polyester strings
Number of playtesters 36 39 NTRP ratings from 3.5 to 6.0. These
use the most innovative and cutting-
edge engineering procedures that are blind tests, with playtesters receiv-
involve the mastering of three or more EASE OF STRINGING 17gauge 18 gauge ing unmarked strings in unmarked pack-
separate heating and cooling stages. (compared to other strings) ages. We did advise playtesters to reduce
Each distinct stage is carefully executed Number of testers who said it was: tension by 7-12 percent compared to
at specifically designed temperatures, much easier 0 1 nylon, as recommended by Solinco.
somewhat easier 3 2 Tour Bite seems more ornery to han-
durations, and with specialized extru-
about as easy 16 24 dle than other polys, but only a little. We
sion techniques and molds to improve
not quite as easy 16 11
specific playing characteristics of each had more problems weaving the last
not nearly as easy 1 1
string. Solinco even matches the materi- crosses than we did with coil memory.
al with the shape of the string for maxi- OVERALL PLAYABILITY
Solinco Tour Bite 17 gauge 18 gauge
mum performance. (compared to string played most often)
Number of testers who said it was: Broke during stringing 0 0
Solinco tells us its strings are quickly
much better 3 1 Excess coil memory 12 9
gaining popularity. Solinco is the official
somewhat better 5 7 Difficulty tying knots 2 4
string of the 2005 NCAA Champion
about as playable 16 8 Friction burn 3 2
UCLA Men’s Tennis Team, the 2006
not quite as playable 8 20

ON THE COURT
NCAA Champion Pepperdine Men’s not nearly as playable 4 3
Tennis Team, Virginia Tech Men’s Ten-
nis Team, and East Tennessee State OVERALL DURABILITY Solinco made it a good day to be a
(compared to other strings USRSA string tester. Tour Bite 17 finished
University. Touring pros such as Kevin
of similar gauge) with an incredible seven ratings of well
Kim, Lester Cook, Cecil Mamiit, and Number of testers who said it was:
Leonardo Tavares have also adopted above average in Playability, Durability,
much better 8 7
Solinco. somewhat better 8 15
Power, Control, Spin Potential, Tension
It is recommended for competitive about as durable 18 14 Retention, and Resistance to Movement.
and performance-focused players not quite as durable 2 3 Of these, the results for Spin Potential
demanding the absolute highest levels not nearly as durable 0 0 make Tour Bite 17 the best string we’ve
of spin, bite, power, and control. ever tested for Spin Potential. To back
RATING AVERAGES
Tour Bite is available in 16, 16L, 17, that up, Tour Bite 17 also came in 13th
From 1 to 5 (best)
and 18 gauges in silver only. It is priced best in the Power category and 15th best
Playability 3.4 3.5
from $11.50 for 40-foot sets, $155 for Durability 4.2 4.2
for Resistance to Movement. The overall
656-foot reels. For more information or Power 3.6 (13th) 3.6 score for Tour Bite 17 was well above
to order, contact Solinco at 310-922- Control 3.7 3.5 average.
7775, email sales at Comfort 2.8 3.2 Not to be outdone, Tour Bite 18 also
sales@solincosports.com, or visit solin- Touch/Feel 2.9 3.0 received ratings that were well above
cosports.com. Be sure to read the con- Spin Potential 4.1 (1st) 3.7 average for those same seven categories
clusion for more information about Holding Tension 3.4 3.7 (14th) of Playability, Durability, Power, Control,
Resistance to Movement 4.0 (15th) 4.0 (12th) Spin Potential, Tension Retention, and
getting a free set to try for yourself.

34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

TESTERS TALK
FREE PLAYTEST STRING
Tour Bite 17 Tour Bite 18 PROGRAM
“ Spin! Power! Control! I have found
“ Bottom line: I love these strings! It is hard Solinco will send a free set of Tour Bite to

”
my new string. 4.0 male all-court
player using Babolat Pure Drive Roddick
strung at 56 pounds LO (Luxilon Alu
Power Fluoro 17)
“ This string has the bite of a Great
White Shark! It’s just as comfortable as
”
my typical hybrid set up. 4.5 male all-
court player using Babolat Pure Drive
Roddick strung at 54 pounds CP (Luxilon
Alu Power Rough/Babolat Xcel 16L/17)
“ This is a control string with a large,
comfortable sweet spot. The interesting
shape definitely promotes spin. Big spin.
I’m not quick to jump on any bandwag-
on, but this is just a darn good string.
” tion is impressive. This is a really nice surprise
3.5 male all-court player using Prince O3
Citron OS strung at 58 pounds CP (Lux-
ilon Timo/Tecnifibre NRG2 17/17)
For the rest of the tester comments, visit www.racquetsportsindustry.com.
to find a string that has this combination of
power, control, comfort, and feel without also
the first 500 USRSA members who cuts
out (or copies) this coupon:
possessing some negative qualities. Perhaps
”
it’s time to switch from natural gut. 5.5
male all-court player using Head Liquidmetal
USRSA Attn: Solinco String Offer
330 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084
Radical OS strung at 57 pounds CP (Babolat
VS Touch 16)
or fax to 760-536-1171, or email the
info below to
“ Amazing bite! Outstanding control! Players
stringsample@racquettech.com
who hit with heavy spin will love this string.
5.0 male all-court player using Wilson BLX ” Offer expires 15 July 2010
Offer only available to USRSA members
Tour strung at 63 pounds LO (Wilson Hollow
Core 16) in the US.
Name:
“ Sign me up! This string would make a great
hybrid main. Spin is phenomenal. Shock absorp- USRSA Member number:
Phone:
for a poly.”
” 4.0 male baseliner with moder-
ate spin using Head Youtek Prestige Mid strung Email:
at 57 pounds CP (Signum Poly Plasma 16) If you print your email clearly, we will notify
you when your sample will be sent.

Resistance to Movement. Of these, the

rating for Resistance to Movement was
our 12th best result, and the rating for
Tension Retention was our 14th best
result. Tour Bite 18’s overall score was
also 14th best of all the strings we’ve
playtested for publication.

Solinco Tour Bite 17 gauge 18 gauge

Average playtest duration 20.2 26.5
Broke during play 2 2
Breakage at (hours) 8, 15 5, 11

CONCLUSION
After looking at all the data and reading
each of the comments, you’ll probably
wish that we’d tested these strings one
at a time, so you wouldn’t have to
choose between them. Sorry. Not only is
there little to separate these strings from
each other, there’s little if anything to
separate them from the top of the heap.
Not bad for a string company that has
been doing business in the U.S. for just
over a year.
If you think that Solinco Tour Bite
might be for you, fill out the coupon to
get a free set to try.
—Greg Raven Q

www.racquetsportsindustry.com July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 35

Tips & Techniques
Readers’ Know-How in Action
TWIST AND SHOUT
The best way to ease any string through
a blocked hole is to hold the string with
your needle nose pliers and push it into
the hole repeatedly using gentle pres-
sure. Poly strings are stiff enough that
there’s not usually a problem getting
through a blocked hole, but when there
is a problem, the stiffness can help you
another way. Again holding the string
with your needle nose pliers twist the
string from back and forth, clockwise
and counter-clockwise, while gently
pushing. If you’ve cut the tip of the
string to a point, as you should, that
point will find a way around the block
lickety-split.
5 sets of Unique Big Hitter Blue 17 to:
L. Hodges, Apple Valley, CA
MAGNETS
If you have any small ferrous items you
need to have around your stringing
36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010
machine, you can
use stick-on mag-
net strips to hold
them. I paid about
a buck for a huge
package of these
magnets at Walmart. I use one to hold
one of the billiard adaptors for my Babo-
lat Star 4 to the shell of my machine
beneath the turntable. It’s always avail-
able, and always out of the way.
5 sets of HEAD FXP Control 16 to:
James Sly, Carpinteria, CA
COOL CLIPPERS
My flush cutters had gotten so old they
were barely cutting any longer, but my
local Lowe’s home improvement store
didn’t seem to carry anything even
remotely compa-
rable in the tool
section. Fortu-
nately, I hap-
pened to wander
down the elec-
tronics aisle,
because that’s
where I found
the Kobalt Assorted Precision Pliers and
Snip Set (Item number 294654, model
number PI2448).
The clippers are a nice size, have cush-
ioned handles and spring loading, and
feature an extra thing that grabs the end
of string you’re cutting off, so it doesn’t
go flying around the room. The needle-
nose pliers seem custom-built for remov-
www.racquetsportsindustry.com

ing the old strings from Head racquets
with the CAP system grommets:
Between the spring loading, the plier
teeth and the cushioned handles, you
should be able to pull out the strings in
under a minute. I paid less than $15 for
the set.
5 sets of Babolat Revenge 16 to:
Jeff Officer, Del Mar, CA
COOL
STRINGBED CUTTERS
Even though my heavy-duty shears were
perfectly capable of cutting out old
stringbeds, I’d been envious of my fellow
stringers’ Babolat stringbed cutters
because of the offset handle. I couldn’t
find anything like them outside of Babo-
lat, but I was trying to avoid spending
that much dough on a pair of scissors.
Fortunately, I saw a short video on
YouTube showing the Black and Decker
SZ360 3.6-Volt Ni-Cad Cordless Power
Scissors cutting out a stringbed. Perfect!
The handle is offset from the cutters,
and the cutters themselves are so small
that they easily get into the stringbed to
get you started. On top of this, the
Power Scissors are incredibly fast: It
takes about three seconds to cut out
both the mains and the crosses, once
you get the technique. I paid less than
$20 for mine.
5 sets of Wilson K-Gut Pro 16 to:
Rob Hartmann, Jess Ranch, CA
CUT THE CROSSES FIRST
I like to cut the string for both the mains
and the crosses before starting stringing,
so I don’t have to interrupt the flow of
stringing between the mains and the
crosses. I found that it saves a few sec-
onds to cut the string for the crosses
first. This way, you have the section for
the mains in your hands when you finish
cutting, ready for stringing, and the sec-
tion for the crosses is already set aside,
waiting for you.
5 sets of Gamma Zo Pro Spin 16 to:
Ted Ruthling, Santa Fe, NM
STRING SAVER
If you need a handy place to store
unused pieces of string, your old Babolat
string packages are perfect for this task.
Peel the stickers off both sides, close the
case fully, and feed the string through
the big hole on the side. The string
won’t get loose, and there’s plenty of
room on the outside to write what’s
inside. I use them to store sets I cut
from reels so I’ll have them in my bag,
as well as for returning leftovers to
clients.
5 sets of Tecnifibre Multi Feel 15L to:
Dimas Mendez, MRT
Ponce, Puerto Rico
—Greg Raven Q
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA mem-
bers, and appearing in this column, have all been gathered
into a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Ser-
vice Techniques which is a benefit of USRSA membership.
Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA
92804; or email greg@racquettech.com.
July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
? Ask the Experts
Your Equipment Hotline
Q Q
POWER DIFFERENCES
IT IS SAID THAT THE HEAVIER A
racquet the more powerful it is
because of the mass. Please
explain how a racquet that weighs 280
grams with a flex of 72 is more powerful
A
(2218 power rating) than another racquet
that weighs 337 grams with a flex of 70
(2209 power rating)?
MASS IS AN IMPORTANT factor
in racquet performance, but it is
not part of our power formula, which is:
Power formula = (length index × head-
size × flex × swingweight) ÷ 1000
The second racquet in your example
comes off as more powerful because it is
slightly stiffer with a slightly larger head
size.
It is important to keep in mind that
overall racquet mass alone is far less
important for power than the
distribution of that mass on Racquet
the frame. If most of the “Heavy”
“Light
mass is in the handle, even a
38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010
“heavy” racquet will not have much of
its mass in the hoop. Conversely, you
can have a “light” racquet with a hollow
handle and a high percentage of its mass
in the hoop. For the “heavy” racquet, the
balance point will be low on the frame,
and for the “light” racquet, the balance
point will be high on the frame. As a
result, the “heavy” frame will not have
has much mass in the hitting zone as the
“light” frame.
USRSA members can experiment to
see the relationships among the various
racquet characteristics using the on-line
Hitting Weight Calculator at USRSA.com.
Our Racquet Selection Maps (which
usually appear in RSI magazine in April
each year) have more information about
the Power formula.
By the way, the difference in power
between 2218 and 2209 is negligible.
Mass Balance Hitting wt. Impact point
350 grams 29 cm 135 grams 54 cm
272 grams 38 cm 180 grams 54 cm
POLY VS.
NYLON TENSIONS
RECENTLY ONE OF MY USTA
League teammates asked me to
re-string his racquet. He said that
he normally has it strung with a nylon
string at 63-64 pounds (1-2 pounds above
the recommended tension range). This
time we are going to use a poly in the
mains and nylon in the crosses (17 gauge
in both cases). I rarely string with poly,
but I've always heard that you should
A
drop the tension by some percentage
when using it, compared to a nylon
string. What is your recommendation?
FIRST, CHECK WITH THE string
manufacturer to see if it recom-
mends dropping tension on its poly, as
some do not. Because you’re not doing
the whole stringbed in poly, it won’t be
as important to drop tension on the poly,
as the nylon is going to provide a mitigat-
ing effect.
Our lab tests show that although poly
www.racquetsportsindustry.com
strings typically lose tension faster know normally don’t do it. Some of this really soft string that refuses to go through
than nylon strings, they are still depends on how easily your turntable the grommet. In each of these instances,
much stiffer in play. Reducing the rotates, as some turntables have just having one thing that’s the way you want it
reference tension doesn’t really enough drag to keep them where you want (the locked turntable) can reduce your frus-
compensate for the difference in them to be while you are tying off. If your tration level. Otherwise, if the turntable is
installed tension. However, your turntable spins more freely, you might feel staying put on its own, there’s no sense in
customer seems to be attempting to that you need to use the turntable brake so locking it unnecessarily. Simpler is better.
gain a stiffer stringbed through the you don’t have to chase the racquet around —Greg Raven Q
use of over-tensions, so the move to in circles.
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Racquet
a poly (or, in this case, a poly Another case where you might want to
Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-
hybrid) might give him what he’s lock the turntable would be when you’re 536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
seeking — with or without reducing dealing with a difficult tie-off hole, and/or a
the tension on the poly mains.
If you do go with a different ten-
sions for the mains and crosses,
keep an eye on the frame deforma-
tion. If the hoop isn’t holding its
shape with the tensions you’re
using, you need to inform the cus-
tomer that each stringing is dramati-
cally reducing the life expectancy of
his frame.
Aside from that, your best
approach (with this and other
strings) is to remind the customer
that you're dealing with a string job,
not open-heart surgery. If you don’t
guess right the first time (on the ten-
sion or the string), no one is going
to die. He can always try something
else next time.

Q
LOCKING THE
TURNTABLE
I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH
a fellow stringer about the
use of the turntable brake to
tie-off the knots while stringing. He
tells me that there is no advantage
in locking the turntable brake to tie-
off the knots. My position is that it is
much easier and takes less arm
strength to tie off the knots with the
table locked. I also told him that
tying off a moving object is more
difficult than tying off one that is sit-
ting still.
I have searched the Internet for
information regarding the turntable
brake’s usage for tying knots and

A
found nothing. Do you have any
information I can use to convince
my friend?

LOCKING THE TURNTABLE

while tying off is a personal
preference, and most stringers we

www.racquetsportsindustry.com July 2010 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39

 Your Serve
Student-Athlete, or Athlete-Student?
After being sidelined by injury, a teenage player considers her
I
path—and tennis’s appeal.
caught the tennis bug when I was 10
years old, and like so many competitive
juniors, I dreamed of playing college
tennis. I’ve lost count of the number of
times I’ve cheered on my local college ten-
nis team, the SMU Mustangs, envisioning
myself closing out the decisive third-set tie-
breaker.
When I was 15, I was right on track to
accomplishing my dream—perhaps even
on an athletic scholarship. That summer I
got a taste of team competition when I
qualified for the National 16’s Zonals, a
team competition held in Waco, Texas. It
was so much fun that I couldn’t wait to play
on a college team!
Like many teenage athletes, I fancied
myself invulnerable to injuries; “other”
players got injured, not the well-muscled
athlete I had trained to become. But fate
had other ideas. In practice one steamy
August morning following the 16’s Zonals,
I sprinted in for a drop-shot only to pull up
with a gasp of pain.
Now, a year and a half, one hip surgery,
and numerous physical therapy sessions
later, I hover at the tail end of a slow recov-
ery. Junior tennis and college athletic schol-
arship opportunities have expired for this
soon-to-be high school senior.
While many of my junior tennis match-
es are now just a hazy blur, one tennis
event jumps to mind when I think about
college tennis. It was February 2007, and I
was participating in a weeklong tennis
camp at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy
in Hilton Head Island, S.C. In addition to
belting balls from dawn until dusk, I attend-
ed lectures by a sports psychologist, a nutri-
tionist . . . and a college tennis coach.
Dede Allen, women’s coach at Wake
Forest University, discussed not only the
nuances of NCAA rules but also the criteria
on which athletes should evaluate their
prospective colleges. Most junior tennis
players consider only the athletics—the
ability of the team, the qualifications of the
40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY July 2010
BY KALINDI
coach and the value of the scholarship—
without also considering the location,
academics or social scene of the place
they will be spending the next four years
of their lives.
Coach Allen highlighted the impor-
tance of evaluating a school holistically
because injury can strike an athlete at
any time. “What happens if you get
injured in your freshman year on the
team and then find yourself stuck at a
school that, aside from the athletics, you
don’t really like?” she asked the group of
teens. “It’s vital that you judge a school
from all standpoints. You are a prospec-
tive student-athlete, not a prospective
athlete-student.”
'Injury has opened my
eyes to the sport of a life-
time that tennis truly is.'
Right now, I can hear my peers: “You
may have a point, but I won’t get injured
… I’m too fit … I’ve never gotten injured
before.” And who wouldn’t scorn the
lone voice of one injured player?
Well, optimists, here’s something to
consider: A few years ago, I attended a
home match of my beloved SMU Mus-
tangs. Eager not to miss a minute of the
action, I arrived at the 11:30 a.m. start-
time. But something was wrong—there
were only four Mustangs on the courts.
“Hi,” said a voice behind me. I
turned around to find two Mustang-clad
athletes, one sporting an ankle brace
and crutches and the other nursing a
heavily taped right wrist. “What hap-
pened?” I asked. “Well,” the tall
brunette on crutches responded, “I
rolled my ankle pretty badly a couple of
weeks ago, and she (gesturing to her
teammate) sprained her wrist. Unfortu-
nately, our two reserves are out with
injuries as well. We have to forfeit one
DINOFFER
doubles match and two singles matches!”
At the time, I never thought injury
would ever apply to me. Now, though, I am
struck by the sheer statistics on that day—
half the team’s players injured at once!
While that drastic number might be an
uncommon occurrence, when I think back
over the years, most of the time I remem-
ber seeing at least one SMU player on the
sidelines, icing a knee or taping an ankle.
Injuries really can strike anyone at any-
time.
Toughing out long, grueling deuce
games with my injury, I have been able to
expand my attitude toward tennis.
Although pre-injury me was blind to the
multitudes of adults enjoying the sport at
recreational, national and even interna-
tional levels, I now realize that tennis does
not reach its zenith in college. For fear of
sounding trite, injury has opened my eyes
to the sport of a lifetime that tennis truly is.
As a 12-and-under player, I imagined
the top group of 14-and-unders to be the
pinnacle of achievement. Well, the 14s
have come and gone, and now the 16s are
waving their goodbyes. Today, the 18s and
college tennis dominate my thoughts—or
at least they would be if my injury had not
broadened my perspective on tennis and
on life.
I hope to play this sport—at whatever
level—for many years to come. But this
summer, like so many high school juniors,
I will start exploring potential colleges.
Thanks to Coach Allen’s advice, academics
and athletics as well as social and geo-
graphical intangibles will weigh equally in
my decision. Q
Kalindi Dinoffer, 17, of Dallas
will be a high school senior this
fall. In addition to tennis, she
enjoys playing guitar, reading
and writing poetry.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com or fax
them to 760-536-1171.
www.racquetsportsindustry.com