Teaching ProsThe TENNIS DIRECTORof the futureTennis PioneerTennis Industry Hall of Fame celebrates PETER BURWASHEquipment New RACQUETS& STRINGS for ayear-end boostIncorporating USPTASEP/OCT2015 / VOLUME 43/ NUMBER 9 / $5.00State OfThe IndustryLatest research shows gainsand challengesCourt Construction Fencing Certied Builders Court Manualpg. 45DEPARTMENTS4Our Serve7Industry News13Letters14TIA News16Racquet Tech18Retailing Tip20Tennis Industry Hall of Fame22US Open24Teaching Pros, by John Embree26Grassroots Tennis27The Passionate Player42Ask the Experts40 Your Serve, by Peg ConnorPLUS46CEOs Message48Vice PresidentsMessage50Endorsee News52 Master Pro Corner56 USPTA World Conference62 Career Development64Member NewsINDUSTRY NEWS7 Register your September Play Event at YouthTennis.com7PTR to host Directors ofTennis Conference7TIA Tennis Forum set forAug. 31 in NYC 7Babolat introducesPure Aero frame 8New Orleans is site forUSPTA Conference8Florida debuts 10UTournament Tennis Pathway8 Industry loses Bob Caldwell, Peggy Beard9 Emirates Airline partnerswith USTA Foundation10US Open prize money hits$42.3 million11 Gamma offers pickleball line11 U.S. players picked forCollegiate InvitationalSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015TennisIndustry28Base of OperationsThey may not be the glamorous partof tennis, but socks and orthotics can makeor break a players game.30State of the IndustryWhile the latest TIA research shows some gains, the 2015 report also points out a number of challenges we must address. 34Year-End BoostThere are plenty of new racquets andstrings coming out this fall to help yoursales right through the holidays. 38Quality AssuranceA CTCB can ensure your courts are designed, built and maintained properly. 39Construction ManualThe latest, updated Tennis Courts: Construction & Maintenance Manual is out. 40On the FenceGood fences make good facilities, and often, the best fence is one that is barely noticed.46 (Platform) Tennis, Anyone?52Simple Customer ServiceThat Goes a Long Way 56 (Net)work that Conference60 USPTA Launches Mobile App for World Conference p.30p.342 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015p.45FEATURESp.28www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comRead more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.comwww.tennisindustrymag.comp.39COURT CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCEp.40Our Serve Publishers David Bone Jeff WilliamsEditorial Director Peter Francesconi peter@tennisindustrymag.comAssociate Editor Greg RavenDesign/Art Director Kristine ThomSpecial Projects Manager Bob PattersonContributing Editors Robin Bateman Cynthia Cantrell Kent Oswald Cynthia Sherman Mary Helen SprecherContributing Photographers Bob Kenas David Kenas TENNIS INDUSTRY Corporate Ofces PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096 Phone: 760-536-1177Fax: 760-536-1171 Email: TI@racquetTECH.com Website: www.TennisIndustryMag.com Ofce Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Advertising Director John Hanna 770-650-1102, x.125 hanna@knowatlanta.com Apparel Advertising Cynthia Sherman 203-263-5243 cstennisindustry@gmail.comTennis Industry is published 10 times per year: monthly January through August and combined issues in September/October and November/ December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096. Periodcal postage paid at Duluth, GA and at additional mailing ofces (USPS #004-354). Sep/Oct2015, Volume 43, Number 9 2015 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rights reserved. Tennis Industry, TI and logo are trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-650-1102 x 125. Phone circulation and editorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tennis Industry, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096.TI is the ofcial magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA.Looking for back issues of Tennis Industry/Racquet Sports Industry? Visit the archives at our website at TennisIndustrymag.com for free digital versions back to 2004. The US Open is a time to celebrate this sport. The worlds best players converg-ing on New York City for two weeks of amazing tenniswhat could be more exciting!But now, more than ever, this needs to be a time to look at the future of this sport, and we need to view it from the recreational tennis side. While Ive always felt the pro game will generally be able to take care of itself, its really recreational tennis that needs constant atten-tionfrom all of us.Heres the thing: Weve taken our eye off the ball. The hard facts are that equipment sales, and in par-ticular youth racquet sales, are not good, participation isnt growing like it should, core players have actually declined slightly, and while youth tennis participation may have bumped up a little, wheres the huge growth? Im a fairly patient guy, but weve had six years of heavy invest-ment and focus on getting more kids in the gameshouldnt we be much further along?My business, as does yours, depends on this sport growing. But somehow, for all the money and marketing efforts, were not driving home the right points about tennis to grow this game effectively. Where are the results that count, that truly grow participation, increase equip-ment sales, and get people to play more frequently?Were really good at congratulat-ing ourselves and making ourselves feel good about tennis. We celebrate whats going on in Lake Nona, or the renovations at the National Tennis Center, and its great, its necessary. But we all, including this magazine, have taken our eye off the ball. For our industry to thrive, we need to be about more tennis shoes on the court. As I wrote about last issue, we need to be collaborat-ing to grow this sport. And amaz-ingly, after all these years, we still need to convince people that tennis is a fun way to stay healthy and t.The US Open generates a ton of money, and, with all kudos to the USTA, the vast majority of it goes exactly where it needs to goto grassroots programs and initia-tives. But, as the USTA itself has said, all that money masks a lot of issuesactually, problems. It has bred complacency at many levels. It keeps people from questioning what weve been doing or spend-ing. Nobody cares, one industry insider said to me recently, because nobody has to care.As it is, we continue to cede ground to other sports and activi-ties. Yes, all traditional sports are struggling, and inactivity especially among youth is at alarming, and increasing, rates. But we continue to watch as more tennis courts go over to pickleball, more kids (and adults) spend time online rather than on the courts, and more tennis specialty shops and facilitiesour critical local touch pointsstrug-gle to stay aoat. We must focus on getting more people to play this sport, and play it more frequently. Its time we, collec-tively, got our eye back on the ball. Peter Francesconi, Editorial Directorpeter@tennisindustrymag.comEye on the Ball 4 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com Tennis providers can use the power of Nickelode-on, the No. 1 media brand for kids and parents, to help grow their youth tennis programs in September. The USTAs partnership with Nickelodeon means the media giant is helping to drive trafc to YouthTennis.com, where parents and kids can nd pro-grams and places to play tennis.As a part of Nickelodeons Worldwide Day of Play, hold a youth or family event or ofer a Play Day this Septem-ber, and make sure you register that event at YouthTen-nis.com/Host (or register by calling 800-990-8782), and youll receive visibility, training and resources. Once your event is registered, you can take advan-tage of the increased trafc that Nickelodeon pushes to YouthTennis.com in the month of September. Youll also be able to attend a complimentary Coach Youth Tennis workshop, to guarantee that youngsters at your event will want to keep coming back. Also, youll gain access to marketing and publicity materials to help your programs grow.Upon registration, youll also be entered into a contest and eligible to win one of four prizes: a $1,000 Amazon.com gift card, local advertising to attract new business, a tennis personality appearance at select events, or on-the-ground support and volunteers for your next big event. For information, visit YouthTennis.com.September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 7Industry NewsInformation to help you run your businessTIA Tennis ForumSet for Aug. 31 in NYCIndustry leaders will gather on Monday, Aug. 31, for the TIA Tennis Forum, held at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. At the 8th annual Fo-rum, attendees will be brought up to date on the latest research in the ten-nis industry, including participation, equipment, and retail data. (Forum at-tendees also will receive a copy of the 2015 State of the Industry research report.) In addition, a major new focus will be announced, designed to create more core tennis players.The Forum also will include the induction of Peter Burwash into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame. Peter Burwash International, which was founded 40 years ago, is the worlds largest tennis management company.The Forum is free to attend, but space is limited, so registration is required. To register, visit tennisindus-try.org.Babolat Introduces Pure Aero Frame Babolat has introduced the new Babolat Pure Aero racquet, which the company calls a spin machine and says it will allow players to take advantage of the spin the racquet offers. In developing the Pure Aero range, Babolat says it zeroed in on the player strokes and movements needed for optimal topspin. The company says its Aeromodular technology improves aerodynam-ics for faster racquet speed, while the FSI Spin technology improves movement of the strings, helping to generate spin.Babolat says the Pure Aero Play www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comRegister Your September Play Events at YouthTennis.com The PTR will hold the 4th Annual Directors of Tennis Conference, Oct. 20-22, at the Shipyard Beach Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C.We recognize the tennis industry needs to ofer more business development opportunities for tennis directors, says Dan Santorum, CEO of PTR. After the success and positive feedback from our past Directors of Tennis Conferences, we know PTR is on the right track to strengthening our profession, tennis facilities and our sport.Experts will present on a wide spectrum of topics that will facilitate a broad-based learning experience. Each day will close with peer-to-peer roundtable discussions so attendees can brainstorm and share their best practices. A variety of topics relevant to directors of indoor, resort, country club, public and private facilities will be addressed by a faculty that includes directors of tennis and consultants, including Doug Cash, formerly of Tennis Corporation of America, and Greg Lappin, for-merly of Life Time Fitness.The conference is limited to the rst 75 attendees who are tennis directors. For more information or to register, visit ptrtennis.org. PTR to Host Annual Directorsof Tennis Conference on HHIPHOTO BY ANDY MCFARLAND/USTA FLORIDAis for punchers and those looking for power and topspin. The new Pure Aero Play has the same weight and balance as the previous Aeropro Drive Play, with a 100-square-inch head, 10.6 ounces, and 16 x 19 string pattern. Suggested retail is $350. Visit babolat.com.USPTA World ConferenceSet for New OrleansThe Hilton New Orleans Riverside will play host to the USPTA World Conference Industry NewsSept. 21-25. The event will bring together leading tennis-teaching professionals and coaches for seminars, specialty courses, presentations and on-court sessions. To register, visit uspta.com/conference.Keynote speakers will include ESPN broadcaster and former ATP pro Darren Ca-hill. Other featured presenters include Rick Macci, Mark Kovacs, Michele Krause, Craig OShannessy, and Kirk Anderson, among many others. The Conference also will in-clude a tennis-only buying show, awards presentation and more.Mauresmo Leads InducteesInto Hall of Fame Former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo, six-time Paralympic champion David Hall, and longtime tennis industry leader Nancy Jeffett were inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., in July. Mauresmo, who was not present at the ceremony because she was pregnant and unable to travel, was recognized by Stan Smith, the HoF president and chairman of the Enshrinee Nominating Committee.David Hall, of Sydney, Australia, is one of the world's most decorated wheelchair athletes. He was ranked world No. 1 in singles and doubles and won every major title in the sport, including the Australian Open for Wheelchair Tennis nine times and the US Open eight tmes. He also is a six-time Paralympic medalist.Jeffett, who dedicated her life to grow-ing the sport, was inducted in the Con-tributor Category. She was instrumental in advancing professional women's tennis and in developing opportunities for junior tennis development. She is a co-founder of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation and was an early leader in the promotion of women's pro tennis through the Virginia Slims of Dallas. Industry Loses Caldwell, BeardThe court construction eld, and the tennis industry in general, lost two giants recently. Bob Caldwell, one of the ASBAs founders, died on July 3 at age 102. And Peggy Beard, one of the rst women to run a court construction business, the rst woman to become a Certied Tennis Court Builder, and the rst woman to lead the ASBA as chairman, died of cancer on July 9 at age 75. Both Caldwell and Beard were trailblazers in the court construction business and were, in fact, featured in this magazine as Pioneers in Tennis.Caldwell was the rst to move into acrylic tennis court surfacing and founded the 8 TennisIndustrySeptember/October2015Florida Debuts 10 and Under Tournament Tennis Pathway In July, USTA Florida introduced its 10 and Under Tennis Youth Tournament Pathway, a graduated development path with established benchmarks at each level to guide parents and coaches through junior tennis. From beginning red ball play on 36-foot courts, youngsters progress through orange ball and green ball at various tournament levels before graduating to full-court yellow ball tennis. Each level contains appropriate-sized racquets, balls and court sizes, along with participation or achievement benchmarks to progress between age groups or tournament levels. The Pathway was developed in partnership with the USPTA-Florida Division and the PTR, in addition to input from coaches and parents throughout Florida. It includes a Grandfather Clause for players that turn age 11 during 2015 who cur-rently have the skill set to play full-court yellow ball tournaments.We are condent the pathway will not only increase unique 10 and under play-ers, but will also provide a system that ultimately looks after the technical, tactical, physical and mental well-being of the child, says USPTA Florida President Trish Faulkner.PTR highly recommends the USTA Florida 10 and Under Tennis Youth Tourna-ment Pathway, adds PTR Director of Education Steve Keller. These young players will greatly benet having a pathway that will teach them technique in a tactical environment.For more information, visit USTAFlorida.com/10UPathway. www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comPHOTOS COURTESY USTA FLORIDAIndustry NewsSeptember/October2015 TennisIndustry 9www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comproduct that became known as Plexipave. In 1965, to help market his product, he worked with a group of others in the indus-try to found the U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builders Association, which later became the American Sports Builders Association.Beard, along with her husband, Burnham, and her father, founded Welch Tennis Courts, and her involvement in the industry grew. She was a member, and later chairman, of the USTAs Technical Committee, and through 2014, she served six years on the ITF Technical Commis-sion. She also remained active in the USTA Florida Section. In 2001, she received the Industry Merit Award, the ASBAs highest honor.Emirates PartnersWith USTA Foundation Emirates Airline has again partnered with the USTA Foundation, the national charitable foundation of the USTA, to bring tennis and education to children across North America as part of Emir-ates Returns. The program, a grass-roots charitable initiative connected to the Emirates Airline US Open Series, provides underserved youth in the vari-ous Series markets access to tennis and opens up educational opportunities in their local market.In each US Open Series market, Emir-ates provides charitable donations in the form of grants for educational pro-gramming, new tennis equipment and facility improvements. In the programs third year, the total contribution across all Series tournaments and the US Open will eclipse $400,000.New this year, Emirates will recognize mentors that have made a difference within their respective charitable orga-nization and community by awarding the individual with a VIP weekend at the 2015 US Open.New Online Prot Centerfor Local RetailersThe retail and market research consult-ing rm Gluskin Townley Group, which contributes Retail Tips to Tennis Industry magazine through its involvement with the TIA, has partnered with Rix Quinn Communications to form BBJ Prot Center, PeopleWatchCalifornia Sports Surfaces, which is based in Andover, Mass., and supplies surfaces including DecoTurf, Plexi-pave, Rebound Ace, Premier Court and Guardian Crack Re-pair, has named Steven Lock to the position of managing director for Australia and New Zealand. He was previously manager of Events, Partner-ships and Strategy for CSS. Prior to joining CSS Steven was with Tennis Australia where he was responsible for National Infrastructure Strategy, Melbourne Park Redevelopment, and tennis court requirements for the Australian Open and Austra-lian Open Series.Dan Johnson has been appointed as director of com-munications of the Intercol-legiate Tennis Association. He joins the ITA from the Mountain West Conference, where he served as the as-sistant director of communi-cations for three years. Also, Laura Schuessler has been appointed coordinator of new media for the ITA.UCLA's Robin Anderson and Oklahoma's Axel Alvarez Llamas were honored as the 2015 ITA National College Players of the Year as part of the Rolex Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., in July. Harvard men's tennis coach Dave Fish was also honored for winning the 2014 ITA Meritorious Service Award.Former world No. 7 Mardy Fish will retire after the 2015 US Open.World No. 62 Denis Istomin won his rst ATP World Tour title in June at the Aegon Open in England. The 28-year-old Uzbek uses a Tecnibre T-Fight 325 racquet and the companys Black Code string.After 22 years, Mike Woody is leaving the Greater Midland (Mich.) Community Tennis Center, where he has been the executive director. He will become the national tennis director for Genesis Health Clubs in Wichita, Kan.The International Tennis Hall of Fame has named Martina Hingis as the organization's rst Global Ambassador, in which shell play an active part in the Hall of Fame's effort to preserve and promote the history of tennis, and to educate and engage the global tennis community. A former world No. 1, Hingis was inducted into the HOF in 2013.Wimbledon junior champion Reilly Opelka has signed a deal with New Balance.WTA world No. 7 Ana Ivanovic is a co-owner of sports platform Train-ers4Me.com, which gives consumers access to thou-sands of sports trainers across the globe.U.S. Army General Ann E. Dunwoody, the rst woman to achieve a four-star of-cer rank, joins the board of directors of ThanksUSA. Dunwoody, who retired in 2012 after 38 years in uniform, was a ranked college tennis player and is involved in promoting ThanksUSAs Tennis Thanks the Troops campaign in as-sociation with the USPTA.Head Penn racquet-ballers Paola Longoria and Rocky Carson both captured gold medals in July at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. Longo-ria won gold in womens singles, doubles and the team competition. Carson won gold in mens singles and a silver in mens team. Another Head player, Maria Jose Var-gas, won silver in womens singles and doubles.Head/Penn racquetball player Rocky Carson won his 11th mens singles title at the 2015 World Outdoor Racquetball Championships in July in California.Williams College senior Rebecca Curran and Bryant University freshman Matt Kuhar have received the inaugural USTA Rhode Island College Tennis Player of the Year Awards, for the 2014-15 school year. Curran, from Rumford, R.I., received the rst Jill Craybas Award, while Kuhar, from Smitheld, R.I., received the rst Andy Chase/Gordie Ernst Award. The awards are presented by USTA Rhode Island to the male and the female college players of the year who are from the Ocean State, but not necessarily playing at a Rhode Island school. Industry News10 TennisIndustrySeptember/October2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.coma new online consulting service designed to bring local independent retail shop owners and managers useful business news, statisti-cal and data nuggets, commentary, and business tips.BBJ Prot Center is all about providing additional information you need to discover new prot centers, says Jay Townley. For example, specialty retailers might nd theres a market in their area for selling multi-sports clothing, or getting involved in event or travel planning. Rix Quinn is the former editor of Bicycle Business Journal, which was founded by his father in 1946.To sign up for the BBJ Prot Center email newsletter, contact elliot@gluskintownley-group.com.US Open Prize MoneyHits $42.3 Million The total prize money for the 2015 US Open is a record $42.3 million, a 10.5 per-cent increase over last years total purse, says the USTA. Both mens and womens singles champions will earn $3.3 million, the largest payout in US Open history. In the last three years, US Open main draw prize money has increased by 67 percent, and the USTA has committed to reach-ing $50 million in prize money by 2017.Each round of the singles competi-tion will see double-digit percentage increases over last years record pay-outs, with the minimum increase of 10 percent for the champions and up to a 14.4 percent increase in the round of 32. Both the mens and womens dou-bles champions will earn $570,000, the highest in US Open history, and overall doubles prize money has been increased by 8.4 percent. In addition, the US Open Qualifying Tournament www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comIndustry NewsSeptember/October2015 TennisIndustry 11will now offer more than $1.7 million in prize money, a 12 percent increase over 2014.Gamma Offers Pickleball LineGamma has entered the pickleball market with ve new p-ball paddles that range in re-tail price from $59.95 to $109.95 and feature many patent-pending innovations.The ve paddles are the Micron, Fusion Widebody, Atomic, Ion and Voltage. Among the features, says Gamma, are the Live Periphery Frame, which eliminates dead spots and increases durabil-ity at the edge of the paddle; the Flush Fit Bumper Handle, to pro-tect the paddle without the risk of edge-guard mis-hits, increasing the hitting area by 30 per-cent; and the Unibody Handle, a one-piece handle molded into the paddle for durability and a stable feel. The full line is at gammapickleball.com. Dealers interested in carrying Gamma p-ball products should call 800-333-0337.U.S. Players Picked for Second Collegiate Invitational NCAA 2015 champions Jamie Loeb of the University of North Carolina and Ryan Shane of the University of Virginia will lead the group of top American collegiate players selected to play in the second annual American Collegiate Invitational at the US Open, Sept. 10-12. The event, open only to American college players, is designed to spotlight college tennis. Eight men and eight women play single-elimination singles tournaments, with the winners receiving a wild card into the 2016 US Open, main draw or qualifying, depending on their ranking next summer.Seven men and women have been cho-sen so far, with a wild card issued closer to the tournament. The mens eld in-cludes: Gonzales Austin (Sr., Vanderbilt), Mitchell Frank (Sr., Virginia), Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (Soph., Virginia), Winston Lin (Sr., Columbia), Mackenzie McDonald (Soph., UCLA), Quentin Monaghan (Jr., Notre Dame), Ryan Shane (Jr., Virginia). Womens eld: Robin Anderson (Sr., UCLA), Brooke Austin (Fr., Florida), Julia Elbaba (Jr., Virginia), Lauren Herring (Sr., Georgia), Josie Kuhlman (Fr., Florida), Jamie Loeb (Soph., North Carolina), Mae-gan Manasse (Soph., Cal). JP Morgan Chase Gives$110K to USTA FoundationThe USTA Foundation, the national charitable organization of the USTA, has partnered with longtime US Open sponsor JPMorgan Chase to award 10 National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapters with $10,000 each. This is the second consecutive year of the partnership, with the donated money to go toward year-round tennis and education programming. JPMorgan Chase also launched a Twitter campaign that ended Aug. 14 to award one of the 10 NJTL chapters an additional $10,000.The 10 NJTL chapters receiving $10,000 grants are: A's and Aces, New Orleans; Youth Tennis Advantage, San Francisco; Dallas Tennis Association, Addison, Texas; Rodney Street Tennis & Tutoring, Wilmington, Del.; MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, Jack-sonville, Fla.; New York Junior Tennis & Learn-ing, Woodside, N.Y.; Portland After-School Tennis & Education, Portland, Ore.; LA 84 Southern California Tennis Association NJTL, Los Angeles; XS Tennis Academy, Chicago; Houston Tennis Association, Houston.New Pickleball TutorBall Machine Sports Tutor has introduced the Pick-leball Tutor ball machine. The new unit, which shares the same basic design as Sports Tutors tennis ball machines, can shoot dinks, lobs, serves, drives and groundstrokes. Ball speed is adjustable up to 50 m.p.h. and an adjustable arc allows the user to tailor the shots. Also available as an option is a side-to-side oscillation feature.Pickleball Tutor is available in the U.S. through exclusive distributor Oncourt Offcourt, or direct from Sports Tutor. Battery 12 TennisIndustrySeptember/October2015Industry Newswww.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comShortSetsThe U.S. Davis Cup team will travel to Uzbekistan for the 2015 World Group Play-Off Sept. 18-20. If the U.S. wins the match, it will qualify for the World Group and be able to compete for the Davis Cup in 2016; if it loses, it will compete in Zonal competition in 2016. In the 2015 World Group seminals, also to be held the same weekend, Great Britain will host Australia and Belgium will host Argentina.In a ve-year deal, Penn has been named Ofcial Tennis Ball of the Califor-nia Interscholastic Federa-tion. Also, Head will be the exclusive tennis racquet partner of the CIF.The media room at the US Open will be named in honor of longtime tennis journalist Bud Collins.Four former world No. 1sAndre Agassi, Stefanie Graf, Martina Navratilova and Andy Roddickwill headline Mylan World TeamTen-nis Smash Hits on Mon-day, Oct. 12, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The annual charity event is co-hosted by Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John, who is perform-ing his hit show, The Million Dollar Piano, at Caesars Palace. Visit WTTSmashHits.com.Rolex, in an agree-ment with the ITF, will continue as an interna-tional sponsor of Davis Cup. The company will be the Ofcial Time-keeper of Davis Cup through 2018.The USTA Tennis On Campus Fall Invitation-al will be Oct. 9-11 at Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center on Hilton Head Island, S.C. The tourna-ment is open for up to 48 teams from around the country.Bostons bid for the 2024 Olympics is dead. With a lack of public support, and Mayor Martin Walsh not willing to assure taxpayer funds in the event of cost overruns, the USOC pulled its endorse-ment of the city. The potential tennis venue, though, may well have been one of the better organized pieces of the puzzle. A task force led by USTA New England volunteers had selected Sportsmens Tennis & Enrichment Center to host the tennis competition if Boston was selected for the Olympics.The USPTA has extended its partner-ship with 10-S Tennis Supply through June 2018 for the company to continue as the ofcial tennis court equipment supplier of the USPTA. As part of the partner-ship agreement, 10-S Tennis Supply's Six Star II tennis net will remain the ofcial net of the USPTA. In addition, the Aer-Flo Tuffy Windscreen will also remain the ofcial wind-screen of the USPTA.The eighth edition of Tennis Courts: A Construction and Maintenance Manual is now available from the American Sports Builders Association. The comprehensive, updated manual is $44.95 and can be ordered at 866-501-ASBA (2722), or by going to the sportsbuilders.org. The publication also is available in digital format at the website.Pickleball, played with an oversize ping-pong paddle on a short court, is 50 years old this year. It was invented in 1965 as a backyard game played mostly in the Seattle area. According to the USA Pickleball Association, p-ball now is played in more than 3,200 locations in the U.S.Escalade Sports has acquired Onix Sports, maker of paddles, balls, sportswear and acces-sories for pickleball.Tennis Warehouse has renewed its partnership with the ATP World Tour as the Ofcial Online Tennis Store of the ATP through 2017. Tennis Warehouse has pow-ered the online tennis store for the ATP World Tour via the ATPs web-site, ATPWorld-Tour.com, since 2000.Voya Financial is a new presenting spon-sor of ESPNs US Open coverage.and AC models with the oscillator sell for $899 and the Basic (no oscillator) sells for $799. Visit oncourtoffcourt.com orsportstutor.com.Tourna Partners with Pospisil Tournas latest partnership is with rising star Vasek Pospi-sil. The Canadian standout has risen in the rankings to a career-high World No. 25 singles ranking and No. 4 in doubles. Most notably, he won the Wimbledon doubles title with partner Jack Sock in 2014 and Indian Wells in 2015. Vasek has used Light Blue Tourna Grip for his entire pro career. Con-nect with Tourna Tennis at facebook.com/TournaTennis and instagram.com/tourna_tennis.Ashaway Offers TwoMonoGut ZX StringsAshaway's popular MonoGut ZX and MonoGut ZX Pro offer players versatil-ity and a range of playing characteristics. Used alone or as part of a hybrid combina-tion, both strings are of 100 percent Zyex monolament construction, which Ashaway says provides exceptional dynamic stiffness and arm-friendly gut-like playability. At 17 gauge (1.22 mm), MonoGut ZX Pro is a thinner lighter string, designed to provide bet-ter elongation, snap-back and playability, while the heavier 16L (1.27 mm) gauge MonoGut ZX string offers added durability while still provid-ing excellent elongation and gut-like playability, says the company. Visit ashawayusa.com.USRSA AnnouncesNew MRTs and CSsMRTsGeno Bisceglia - Melbourne, FLJoseph Carney - Colleyville, TXConrad Klank - West Chester, PACSsAnna Bebin - Ottawa, ON, CanadaMatt Drummond - Ottawa, ON, CanadaSonia Hildesheim - Ottawa, ON, CanadaSean Vallejos Sevilla - Ottawa, ON, Canadawww.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comAEDs Should be MandatoryAs a follow-up to the Emergency Procedures letter in the August issue, our club experienced a scary situation just this past June when one of our members collapsed on court during a match. With the help of CPR-certied staf members, we were able to quickly use our AED to apply an electric shock to help save our members life. Our club has been fortunatethis was the rst time weve had to use the AED to issue a shock in over seven years. The AED also has capability to take and store an EKG reading that can be downloaded. In this case, doctors were able to review the EKG of our member and discuss options to help prevent future heart attacks.Weve had an AED at Fore Court Racquet & Fitness since 1999six years before Rhode Island made it mandatory for all health clubs. More people should be trained and an AED should be mandatory at all health clubs and athletic clubs across the country. Most people know someone who has sufered a heart attack and we have numer-ous community members who take comfort in the fact that our club is prepared.Saving just one life is worth the expense of purchasing an AED and training staf members.Jared Vadenais, Assistant ManagerFore Court Racquet & Fitness ClubCumberland, R.I. Creating CollaborationJust a quick thank you for the won-derful Our Serve in the August issue on Creating That Collabora-tive Spirit. I know Im biased, but your words were spot on!Paul Lubbers, Ph.D.Senior Director of Coaching Education & PerformanceUSTA Player DevelopmentLettersSeptember/October2015 TennisIndustry 13Industry News14 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Prots . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.orgThe 8th Annual TIA Tennis Forum will be Monday, Aug. 31, at the Grand Hyatt New York City from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.AttheForum,industryexecutiveswillpresentthelatestnews aboutthestateofthetennisindustry,includingparticipation research,equipmentsalesdata,YouthTennis,updatesfrom theUSTA,andannouncementofamajorfocusdesignedtobring more new players into the sport and create more core tennis players. The Forum also will outline ways to better dene and boost the economic growth and impact of the tennis industry, and effective ways to distribute clear, consistent messaging of health, tness and the reasons to play tennis. Attendees also will receive a copy of the 2015 State of the Tennis Industry report.Plus, in a ceremony at the conclusion of the Forum, industry pioneer Peter Burwash will become the 10th inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame. Fortyyearsago,BurwashfoundedPeterBurwashInternational,theworlds largest tennis management company, currently operating in 32 countries.WhiletheForumisfree,registrationisrequired,asspaceislimited. To register, visit tennisindustry.org.TIA Tennis ForumSet for Aug. 31in New York City2016 T.O.M. Conference Set for March in MiamiPlansareintheworksforthe2016TennisOwners&Managers(T.O.M.) Conference, to be held March 23-25 in Miami, during the Miami Open pro tournament.ThisthirdannualT.O.M.Conferencebuildsonthesuccessful event held this past spring in Indian Wells, Calif.While the complete schedule of speakers, presentations and interactive sessionsarestillbeingnalized,plansfortheT.O.M.Conferenceinclude focusingonhowtoreachtodaysnewconsumersandtheneedtooffera tennis+ experience to families and millennials, and also how to make over ortransformtennisfacilitiesforthefuturewithsimple,cost-effective measuresthatprovidean instant ROI.Additionally,the T.O.M.Conferencewill featureaTechFairand ResourceCenter,to provide knowledge on the latestsmarttechnology toolsfortennisclubsand facilitiesaswellastheir members and players.The2016T.O.M. Conferenceisexpected tostartintheafternoon onWednesday,March 23.Attendeesalsowill haveachancetoattend theMiamiOpen.More detailswillbepostedat TheTomConference.com.New TIA Tech Partner MembershipHelps Connect Tennis-Playing CommunityTheTIAhascreatedanewTechPartnerlevelofmembership designed for companies that provide consumer-based software andproductstohelpconnectthetennis-playingcommunity. NewTIATechPartnerscreatesoftwareandproductsthat players, facilities, coaches and other groups in tennis can use to enhance and expand the tennis-playing experience.TIATechPartnerswillbecomepartoftheTIAsfamily ofRecommendedSoftwareandBusinessSolutions.Among otherservices,TIATechPartnermembersreceivebenets tailored to help them reach tennis facilities, retailers, providers and consumers.FormoreinformationaboutTIAmembership,including thenewTechPartnerlevel,contactBrianODonnellat brian@tennisindustry.org or 843-473-4504.TIA State of the Industry Report Now AvailableTheannualStateoftheIndustryreportisnowavailableat allTIAmembershiplevels.TheStateoftheIndustryanalyzes andreportsondatafromthemorethan 70annualresearchreportstheTIA producesthataredesignedtohelp tennisbusinessesofalltypes,helping todeterminewherethisindustryhas been,whereitisnow,andwhereit isgoing.Foranexecutivesummary withtop-linedatafromthisyears StateoftheIndustry,seethestory starting on page 30. Photo by Chris Nicholson!"#$ !"#&"'$(You are Invited to Join the !"##$% '#()%*+, -%%./$0*$.#!"#$% '()'*+ ',-.at the Hilton Miami In conjunction withMiami Open!"#$ &'(')' *(+,-.-+*-!"#$%&"! &()*+, !"#$%&"! &()*+,!"##$% '(#")% * +,#,-")%/01/2!3245161431732!8T e n n i s O wn e r s & Ma n a g e r sCONFERENCET.O.M. CONFERENCE, MARCH 23-25, 2016, MIAMI, FL TOTAL TENNIS ECONOMYMeasuring the value of the tennis marketplace$5.73 BTOTAL PARTICIPATION 17.9 MTENNIS EQUIPMENT INDEX Wholesale performance of racquets, balls and stringsMonitoring growth and tennis demographics 115TIA STATE OF THE INDUSTRYTENNIS INDUSTRY KEY INDICATORS2 0 1 5 E D I T I O NJoin the TIA . . . Increase Your Prots . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 15By Bob PattersonRacquet Tech16 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com G rommets and bumper guards wear out. It is what they are designed to do. They protect the frame and the string, but in doing so, they will wear out and need to be replaced. Just like stringing racquets, some grommet strips and bumper guards are easier to replace than others. Practice and patience go a long way in being able to install them successfully.For full grommet strips and bumper guards, use a strong awl to gently guide the barrel of the grommet through the holes in both walls of the racquet. Often, you are guiding a straight barrel through two holes that are not aligned since the racquet frame is curved. This is where the awl is necessary to guide it and get it aligned before applying pressure to push it through. If you apply pressure before it is aligned, the barrel will deform and you will never get it throughand the strip will be ruined.Every racquet is unique, so one For Easy Grommet Installation, Its About Finesse, Not Forcemethod doesnt apply to all, but youll never win the battle with force! Explore different methods and find one that works best for you. The goal is to get the grommet strip placed properly so that neither the strip nor the racquet is damaged.If only one or two grommets are broken and the bumper is in decent shape, you can replace just the broken grommet barrels, but you will need a tool and supplies. RAB replacement grommets are available in a variety of diameters and lengths. Use the Grommet Grinder tool to remove the damaged grommet and then slide in the replacement. Again, an awl helps ease the installation, espe-cially in curved areas of the racquet, which is where the grommets are under the most stress. Once the new grommet is installed, trim the length to match adjacent grommets.The replacement grommets have a shoulder to secure the grommet with the loop of string outside the frame. Make sure you have this in the proper position to be covered by the string.Nylon or Teflon tubing can also be used in worn grommets to protect the strings if you cant replace the grommet.For more details on grommet in-stallation and repairs, USRSA mem-bers can access the Racquet Service Techniques section of the USRSA website at racquettech.com. In retail, product conversion rate is the percentage of shoppers who enter your store and actually buy something. The product conversion rate is an important measure for retail performance, but unfortunately, many specialty retailers do not capture this important metric. (See below for a simple, non-techy method for measur-ing the overall product conversion rate for your store.)Current estimates show that in-store conversion rates are typically below 30 percent, and droppingmeaning that at least 70 percent of your stores visi-tors leave without buying something. Its hard to say what an ideal product conversion rate isthere are a number of variables specific to your store and location that need to be taken into ac-count. But its probably safe to say you want that conversion rate as high as possible. We talk about this a lot because its extremely important: Getting custom-ers to increase their spend is directly related to their shopping experience. There are literally hundreds of little things that can occur along the path-to-purchase that can make or break a sale. In order to improve conversion rates, retailers must evaluate all areas of their store that contribute to and affect the shopping experience, then identify and act on opportunities to improve.For the majority of specialty retailers, the most critical areas are staff, inven-tory and merchandising. Staff-related issues have the greatest impact on conversionand are the most personal because you as the owner are often the front-line store staff! Conversion rate will be impacted by:How you greet customers. Were not just talking about simply saying hi when shoppers enter. Show an interest in the customer and help get them quickly to their desired product or destination. Staff effectiveness. You and your staff need to be adequately trained on systems and products so you can assist in a professional, competent and courteous manner.Product availability. You may be able to attract prospects to your store, but if you dont have enough stock to meet shopper demand, conversion rates will be negatively impacted. Make sure you maintain sufficient inventory levels. Also ensure that you have the right mix of SKUs (your product portfolio) for the prospects visiting your store.Effective merchandising. Its all about making products easy to find and buy. Compelling displays can help increase conversion rates. The more effective your merchandising, including your in-store sign strategy, the more easily prospects will find what theyre looking for. If they cant find it, or if products are displayed in an unappealing way, your conver-sion rate will drop. Get In the GameHeres a simple way to measure conver-sion rate for your store. Its called the Poker-Chip method.1.Get 50 to 60 red poker chips, 50 to 60 white poker chips, and a large fishbowl or other clear container.2.Place the container and the poker chips at or near your cash wrap. Start the day with it empty.This is part of a series of retail tips presented by the Tennis IndustryAssociation and written by the Gluskin Townley Group (www.gluskintownley-group.com).3.For each shopper who enters your store and is waited on and served, make sure you and your staff place a white poker chip in the container.4.For every sale that is processed and keyed into your cash register or point-of-sale system, put a red poker chip in the container.5.At the end of each day, count the number of white poker chips and the number of red chips, record each number, then calculate the conver-sion rate by dividing the number of red chips by the number of white chips.For example, if you end the day with 50 white poker chips and 10 red chips in the fishbowl, your conversion rate is 20 percent (10/50 x 100), which means 80 percent of the people who entered your store (40 shoppers) left without buying something.Use this simple method to measure your stores current conversion rate, and then to continue to track your conversion rate as you strive to increase your stores revenue and profitability.Understanding and Measuring ConversionBy Jay TownleyRetailing 140www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com 18 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015 B ringing tennis to the world is the legacy of Peter Burwashas a player, coach, author, moti-vational speaker and founder of Peter Burwash International (PBI), the largest tennis management company in the world. Burwash, through his many activities, has reached millions of play-ers over his career.And on Aug. 31, Burwash will be be-come the 10th inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame, in a ceremony during the TIA Tennis Forum at the Grand Hyatt in New York City, just before the first ball is struck at the 2015 US Open.For Burwash, tennis has been a great metaphor for life. Tennis teaches you all the important things, all the things you need to know, he says. It teaches you to stand on your own, to be patient, to know that there are going to be losses, and to learn from those losses. From tennis, you learn that you're not going to have a good day every day. It also teaches you to change directions because life is not a straight path. It teaches you to ask yourself, What can I try next because this isn't working?Burwash grew up in Canada and competed on the ATP Tour from 1967 to 1974, winning 19 international singles and doubles titles. He is a formerNo. 1-ranked player for Canada and was a member of Canadas Davis Cup team. In 1975, he founded PBI, which manages tennis operations at some of the finest resorts and private clubs in 32 countries. Throughout his career, Burwash has stressed to tennis profes-sionals the importance of customer service, commitment to excellence and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.The work of teaching tennis, he adds, becomes something of a calling. We're not just in the tennis business; we're in the service profession. Whatever it takes, we have to be of service. That's really become my guiding philosophy. Because of his commitment to the sport, PBI teaching pros come to their posts with intensive training (450 hours worth to start, then dozens of hours of retraining). PBI pros learn not just teaching methods, but facility man-agement, resort operations, financial management and more. Its that depth of background that can make all the difference between a worker at a facil-ity and a partner in the success of the operation, Burwash says.A certified sports physiologist and nutritionist and a sought-after speaker for Fortune 500 companies, Burwash wrote the popular book Tennis for Life, which has sold over 1 million copies. In total, hes written 11 books on topics that include service, leadership, health, fitness and personal develop-ment. He has also been a tennis televi-sion commentator. In 1995, he received the International Tennis Hall of Fames Educational Merit Award. Were thrilled to have Peter as our 2015 inductee into the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame, says Jeff Williams, chair of the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame Committee and a member of the TIA board of directors. The title of Peters book, Tennis for Life, perfectly sums up his philosophy about our sport. His vision has always been about bringing tennis and good service to the world and using tennis as a vehicle for im-proving peoples lives.Ive loved tennis ever since I first picked up a racquet at age 12, says Bur-wash, who now resides in Carmel Val-ley, Calif. Our business for the last 40 years has been all about helping people to play tennis and enjoy the game. Its wonderful to receive this recognition for doing something you love. Although this is an individual honor, it would not have happened without the dedication and loyalty of so many PBI profession-als. Peter FrancesconiPeter Burwash HonoredAs Industry HOF InducteeTennis IndustryHall of Famewww.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com 20 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015 Things are definitely looking up at the home of the US Open, as the construction work winds down at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC) so the facility can get ready for the start of this years tournament on Aug. 31. Since the first steel column for the retractable roof above Arthur Ashe Sta-dium was put in place last November, work has progressed steadily in the face of snow, sleet, rain and high winds. The last major piece of steel was installed in late May, and the final piece of steel was installed in the roofs superstructure in mid-June. All told, the superstructure has required 6,000 tons of steel.By late June, the three giant cranes that were employed to raise the steel were dismantled and removed from the site so the final preparations of the grounds for the 2015 tournament could begin.For the 2015 US Open, says Danny Zausner, COO of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, fans will see the entire fixed portion of the roofnearly everything but the two retract-able portions. The other two portions of the roofon the south and west ends of the stadiumwill be covered by a rigid fabric made with polytetrafluoro-ethylene (PTFE)best known as Tef-lonto prevent the roofs underlying steel frame from casting shadows onto the court and hindering play.Inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, four new state-of-the-art video screens have been installed, with each screen stand-ing 19 feet high and 35 feet wide. The stadium will also feature a new sound system and LED lightingthe same energy-efficient lighting that was in-troduced last year at the West Stadium Courts and resulted in a 31 percent reduction in energy use.Adjacent to Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Practice Gallerywhich debuted at last years US Open along with the West Sta-dium Courtshas also been prepared for this years tournament. Protective pads that had been covering the area for the practice courts have been removed, and the courts have been restored and made ready for play.Another sight sure to impress fans at the NTC is the construction of the new Grandstand at the southwest corner. As of late June, excavation work was about 75 percent finished, and a third of the steel frame for the new Grandstand may be in place by the start of the 2015 US Open. A construction fence will border the surrounding work zone during the tournament.Both the roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium and the new Grandstand will be complet-ed and operational in time for the 2016 US Open.For me, the incredibly satisfying part about this transformation going on all over the grounds is when people come see it, its the same sort of wow factor as when they come to the US Open for the first time, says Zausner. The fact that people are so blown away by the look already is pretty encouraging, knowing theres much more to be done.Raising the Roof!US Openwww.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com 22 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015As the largest retractable roof for a tennis stadium takes shape, the 2015 US Open sets the stage for the next phase in the transformation of the NTC.By Rick RennertArthur Ashe Stadium RoofBy the Numbers4 - Catenary trusses, which span 460 feet and support the roof and the secondary framing5 - Minutes approximately to open or close the roof15 - Feet between the highest seat and the roof, allowing for ventila-tion180 - Feet below the surface reached by each steel and con-crete-lled piling400 - Tons of each of the two gliding panels, which will come to-gether from the east and west sides of Arthur Ashe Stadium to form the retractable roof500 - Kilowatts required to move the roofs gliding panels6,000 - Tons of steel used for the roofs superstructure62,500 -Square feet in size for the roofs opening200,000 - Square feet of steel-and-Teon covering for the entire roof As CEO for the USPTA, I am concerned about the aging of our association (average age is now 48). I am also worried about the wear and tear that our professionals experi-ence in their respective jobs because of the amount of time spent on the court. Even as tennis professionals mature, there remains this addiction to contin-ue to grind it out. While they may love banging balls, is this really the best path to ensure a long and healthy career? Is there an alternative? At most clubs today, the business model of a Director of Tennis or Head Professional consists of the following:a base salary that is generally small, forcing the professional to teach lots of hours (in some cases 30 to 50 hours per week) in order to earn the income they desire. They may also receive a percent-age of their staff professionals lessons, may own or manage the pro shop, likely have the stringing concession and are responsible for programming. Often, they answer to a GM but have to also satisfy the tennis committee or even a board of directors. That is a lot of balls to juggle, which is why most profession-als work six days a week or even more.If a Head Pro or Director is doing all of the above-mentioned tasks, does he/she have the time to: Manage the staff? Interact with the entire membership, not just his/her lesson clientele? Drive revenue for the club? Develop program-ming that increases activities? Bring in new members? Give back to the com-munity? More importantly, how is his/her physical well-being going to be after years of toiling away in the trenches? As a result, many professionals come to a crossroads in their careers and have to decide whether they want to keep going down this path or think about a career change: teaching or manage-ment? Worse yet, they may wonder if they should leave the industry. Can they keep their jobs if they are not offering any added value to their facility? Do they have the skills to transition into management? Can they afford to take a step back knowing that it might be better off in the long run? If they did, could they provide for their families?Changes in CompensationIn order to offer a solid career path that will keep our professionals engaged and in the sport that they love, I believe there has to be a fundamental change in how professionals are compensated, especially once they become Directors of Tennis. Our best professionals should be paid much higher salaries to offset their usual lesson revenue and be encour-aged to minimize their time instructing. More time can therefore be dedicated to running the tennis department, truly mentoring the staff, being more visible with the membership, understanding all aspects of the club and the role that they play, delivering exceptional customer service, and having greater emphasis on programming. As Peter Burwash often says, We are in the service business. As tennis professionals, we have an awesome responsibility to serve our clientele to the absolute best of our ability. But, if all of your time is spent on court with a limited few and you are not paying attention to the general mem-bership at large, are you doing your club a disservice?What Do Clubs Want?In a recent survey, club GMs in Florida were asked: What are the current strengths that you require in a Sports Director? Director of Tennis?Answer: Business skills, knowledge of all areas of the club, be able to grow revenue and manage costs (budgeting), manage staff, create programming, outstanding customer service, highly visible with the membership, etc. (Its interesting that playing ability and teaching ability were not high on the priority list for potential managers.)What qualities do you seek when hir-ing a person for each of thesepositions? Answer: Proven track record of success, leadership, professionalism, business acumen, outstanding communication skills, follow-up, delegation of duties, highest level of integrity, infectious personality, management skills (both up and down), attention to detail, moti-vational/enthusiastic, lead by example, hard worker, creativity.What skill sets would you liketo see most improved withinTennis DirectorOf the FutureTennis Teaching Proswww.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com 24 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015From compensation, to health and well-being, to educational opportunities, the CEO of the USPTA helps to define how the tennis teaching profession needs to change. By John R. EmbreeJohn Embree is the CEO and executive director of the USPTA, a position he has held since Janu-ary 2013. He has been in a wide variety of tennis industry roles for more than 30 years.www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comthe tennis teaching profession? Answer: Gain a holistic perspective of all club departments, including fitness (in most cases now a larger category than tennis), understand how tennis fits into the strategic plan of the club, become a team builder, ability to say no and do so politely, able to supervise and motivate subordinates/staff, sense of urgency, run tennis department like a business, understand P+L.Enhancing Pros AppealIf these are the skill sets needed to pur-sue upper-management responsibilities in the club environment, it is up to pro-fessional tennis teaching organizations to provide them access to education that will enhance their appeal. As Mi-chael Leemhuis, now the COO/GM at Ocean Reef Resort in the Florida Keys, says, The more arrows that are in your quiver, the more you will distinguish yourself from the pack. Thus, we must start to educate teach-ing professionals on what their careers September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 25will look like after age 45 or 50 by providing more training on the busi-ness affairs of a club, develop career pathways for young professionals who want to stay in the club industry and want to be compensated for off-court skills, and teach how fitness and wellness should be incorporated into their regular regimens, both personally and professionally.Being a tennis teaching professional is a laudable career choice. Unfortu-nately, the need to stay on court in order to make a living over the course of many years can really take a physical toll on the body. I ask club owners and facility man-agers, restructure how our leading professionals are compensated, and provide them opportunities to get off the court. It is then incumbent on each professional to acquire the knowledge and skills to prove they are worthy of taking on management responsibili-ties while maintaining their desired lifestyle. Grassroots Tennis26 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015 www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comJust Ace It!Getting tennis off the ground in rural and socio-economically challenged areas can be tough. But despite the challenges, Just Ace It has taken an approach that turned out to be a game-changerwith amazing turnouts. Work-ing in close collaboration with the USTA and taking advantage of USTA grants for programs, equipment and blended lines, Just Ace It Tennis & Education, a CTA and NJTL, served after-school tennis fun, for free, to about a hundred kids at three elementary schools in Nor-Cals Tuolumne County last spring. In April, Dr. Ron Jacobs, founder of Just Ace It, launched the Just Ace It Tennis Mobile to increase the aware-ness of what is happening with tennis Play It Forward!CTAs and public parks are on the front lines when it comes to growing this sport in communities.in this rural area. The car is not only cool-looking, but is filled with tennis gear, including a custom-built insert with a pull-out mechanism thats loaded with racquets on one side and a 42-inch TV screen on the other side. The car, the wrap, and the custom insert were all donated by local companies. This innovative concept is infectious, and its getting a community together and excited about tennis. This fall, the Just Ace It Tennis Mobile will serve six schools, and plans are in the works to develop a Tennis Center to serve the regiona place for kids to go and grow tennis and education. Diane BrooksPlay Day on Grass CourtsOn July 16, the Washington, D.C., Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) hosted a huge Play Day at the Deanwood Recreation Center in North-east Washington, bringing together kids from about a dozen different recreation centers in the city. In honor of Wimble-don, and unique to pretty much any park and rec program in the U.S., the event included grass tennis courts.More than 100 kids participated in match play. The event showcased the 10 and Under Tennis play format, which allows youngsters the chance to achieve immediate success by playing tennis on smaller courts, with smaller and lighter racquets, and using slower moving and lower bouncing red, orange and green balls.In addition to Deanwood Rec Center staff, personnel from 11 other DPR rec-reation sites and partner organizations took part in the Play Day, including Barry Farm, Takoma, Southeast Tennis & Learning Center, Fort Stanton, Marie Reed, Kennedy, Bald Eagle, Benning Stoddert, Washington Tennis & Educa-tion Foundation, Actives Aces and Fort Lincoln.As part of its ongoing effort to encourage more young people to stay active and to play tennis, this Sum-mer Camp Extravaganza also included other fun and healthy activities such as a moon bounce, Frisbees, inflatable horse racing, obstacle courses, nutrition tips, healthy snacks, and free gifts and prizes. The kids had a great time playing on the grass, and they all talked about play-ing on the same type of courts that are at Wimbledon, which was fresh on their minds from the week before, says Jeri Ingram, tennis manager for DC DPR. And of course, the kids wanted the Play Day to last much longer! They wanted to know when were going to have the next one. Ronnie GoodallUSTA Northern CaliforniaUSTA Mid-AtlanticBy Rod HeckelmanThePassionate PlayerThe Tennis Congress CureAn innovative event for those passionate about tennisis appealing to both players and teaching pros.www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 27 With very little promotionin fact, with mostly word of mouthThe Tennis Con-gress has become a premier event for the serious tennis athlete looking to foster and develop their game.Founder P.J. Simmons came up with the idea because he had always been looking for input from multiple top pros that respected his inner love for the game and his desire to be coached as a serious athlete with high expectations. The whole idea grew from passion for the game, and its something the indus-try should take a close look at.Picture this: Three days of custom-ized on-court classes supplemented with off-court elective sessions. You get up in the morning and take a lesson from a top pro. Later you may attend a discussion on strategy or tactics, then its off to an organized lunch break. In the afternoon, another lesson with a certified pro, followed by a practice session. That evening you join others to talk tennis, enjoy a great meal and interact with the many tennis pros participating. In addition there is enter-tainment that is an offshoot of the great sport of tennis. Unlike many adult tennis camps, The Tennis Congress ramps up the experi-ence. The focus is on more complete learning under the guidance of top professionals. At most resorts and adult camps, there is usually a head pro or director and they determine the style of teaching, and in turn, the style of learning. The Tennis Congress provides a bombardment of tennis ideas and approaches that expose participants to most every approach to learning, mak-ing this program unique and innovative for both students and teachers.To better illustrate the success of The Tennis Congress, on the day sign-ups opened earlier this year, 80 percent of the 212 spots were booked. Two days later, there were 50 people on a waiting list. Its no wonder The Tennis Congress was named Tennis Industry magazines Innovative Tennis Event of the Year for 2014.This years Tennis Congress will be Oct. 8-11 at the Hilton El Conquistador in Tucson. The gathering includes more than 70 teaching prossome of the finest and most well-respected in the world. And they are donating their time. How does that happen?Feisal Hassan, who oversees this department, has that answer: Its the unique environment where we, as coaches, are working with players who are hungry to learn and improve. Coaches are inspired by this and love taking part in it.The fact is, this might be a great new format for tennis pro conventions. Think about it. Pros expenses are paid, they get a chance to see their style and concepts of teaching side-by-side with other top pros, they see the impact and feedback from the students, and they have time to sit and compare notes with colleagues. Compare that to paying a fee to go to a convention, where you listen and watch other teaching pros present their ideas and you take notes. At the end of the day you may have new information, but little opportunity to try it out or see how it can apply to students. (On top of that, you have a substantial bill for travel and hotel.) All Im saying is, there may be alternatives we should explore. The fact that there are no official tennis organizations involved with The Tennis Congress means there are no agendas to complicate things. In fact, The Tennis Congress has been able to round up a tremendous group of spon-sors that gladly donate to the event. Its a unique twist: The event isnt seeking out sponsors, the sponsor want to be-come involved because of the programs success.As the tennis world struggles to find answers to how to grow the game, maybe The Tennis Congress is teaching us theres a pretty simple concept we all should embrace: Make tennis your passion. Rod Heckelman is the general manager at Mount Tam Racquet Club in Lark-spur, Calif., and has been on the faculty for The Tennis Congress.Foot CareBase ofOperations They may not be the glamorous part of tennis, but socks and orthotics can makeor break a players game.By Kent Oswald www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com28 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015 When it comes to gear to help your game, its not just about the racquet or the shoes. While they may not be glamorous, socks play a role in player comfort, which will affect a players game. Performance socks go beyond the basics of minimizing moisture around the foot and reducing blister-causing move-ment within the shoe. They dissipate pressure from foot and shoe contact points, as well as absorb shock and minimize stress on the legs and upper body from quick, heavy move-ments. Their enhanced ability to wick away moisture also creates a healthier environment. An improved physical environment is also the reason more players should consider orthotic inserts. While manufactur-ers improve shoe technology, support and cushioning almost every season, the inserts provide an extra level of customiza-tion that can quickly more than pay for themselves through improved endurance and reduced muscle and ligament discomfort. These product categories may not provide much glitz in a store, but they offer strong customer relationship opportuni-ties. Socks can be sold as an impulse purchase right before a customer is rung up, or as a high markup, but relatively low cost, part of a cross-category store promotion. Orthotics sales, on the other hand, are a way for a specialty retailer to carve out a special service niche as well as make customers feel well-looked-out-for, from head to toe. AdidasFor fall Adidas introduces the Mens Climacool X II and Climalite II. Both are low-cut and sold in two-packs ($12), in white, black, blue and gray and are built with acrylic, polyester, spandex and latex. The Clima-cool features a cushioned heel and toe, while the Climalite has a textured arch compression for support and meshed upper to improve ventilation.adidas.com 971-234-2300SOCKSAsicsThe Athlete Crew socks ($18) Asics introduces this fall ofer a retro look and are con-structed using a variety of yarns with robust wicking properties that are complemented by channels created to quickly move moisture from around the foot. Traction pads structured with anti-friction yarns are found at the sole and heel for extra comfort. The line will see additional bright color updates in the spring. The Rally Crew ($16) line, ofering sun protec-tion, soft sole, lace pad, and Achilles cushioning, also receives new color options.asicsamerica.com 800-678-9435SuperfeetThe recently introduced Carbon Insole ($54.95) provides low-prole sup-port and cushion. It takes advantage of a carbon ber blend under the heel for stability, a durable foam and ventilation perforations underfoot that embrace the foot, reduce the weight and improve heat reduction while also stabilizing the foot within the shoe.superfeet.com 800-634-6618www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.com September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 29ThorlosThe North Carolina sock-only manufacturer will introduce its Experia Nantucket Collection ($14.99) to the brands oferings in October. In hues suggestive of New England summers, the padded (on ball of foot and heel) socks are manufactured to ofer lightweight foot protection, strong wick-ing capabilities, and include an Achilles tendon pad as a bufer to rubbing and chang. During the holiday season the company will promote a buy 3, get 1 free in-store promotion.thorlo.com 888-846-7567LyncoThe L400 ($59.95) is introduced to the line for players looking to sup-port medium or high arches. They are constructed of polyester bers, feature superior wicking and a friction-free, stay-cool surface. The rear-foot has cupping to cushion and stabilize, while the forefoot is neutral. They are designed specically to support rapid weight redistribution and absorb shock. aetrex.com 800-526-2739NikeThe Elite Tennis Crew ($9) and No Show (6-pack for $18) socks from Nike are created in conjunction with the companys footwear designers in order to incorporate a holistic perspective into the functionality. The Elites have arch compression; textured, anti-slip knit soles for traction; an anatomically left/right t; and reinforced heels and toes; and lightweight ankle support. The No Shows utilize combed cotton blends, arch support and mesh weaves for enhanced comfort and superior wicking.nike.com 800-344-6453ORTHOTICSShock DoctorThe Court Insole ($19.95) is engineered to reduce foot and ankle fatigue, specically from play on hard courts. The high-rebound foam dissipates shock and the heel and mid-foot shockdome cradles the foot and resists lateral torque. A full-foot control bar aligns the front and back of the foot, and the insole will mold itself to t any arch structure.shockdoctor.com 800-233-6956mong the bright spots in the Tennis Industry Associations 2015 State of the Industry report are a slight rise in overall tennis participation, growth in the number of youth tennis players, and 14.6 million Americans who, while not tennis players currently, express an interest in playing the sport.But the annual report also indicates the industry faces a number of challenges, including declining levels of consumer spending on equipment, a lower core player participation level, and an aging base of core players.The TIAs 2015 annual report, based on year-end 2014 research and data, puts the overall tennis economy at $5.73 billion, up 3.2% from a year earlier, and giving the sport a 104 on the TIA Economic Index scale, which is determined by factors such as expenditures for participation, facilities, programs, equipment, ad revenue, sponsorships, etc.2015 State of the Industrywww.tennisindustrymag.com 30 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015Tennis ResearchWhile the latest TIA research shows some gains, the State of the Industry report points out a number of challenges we must address.By Peter FrancesconiA100101 10198101 10110495969798991001011021031041052008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014TIA Economic Index 2008-2014TOTAL TENNIS ECONOMYMeasuring the value of the tennis marketplace$5.73 BTOTAL PARTICIPATION 17.9 MTENNIS EQUIPMENT INDEXWholesale performance of racquets, balls and stringsMonitoring growth and tennis demographics 115TIA STATE OF THE INDUSTRYTENNIS INDUSTRY KEY INDICATORS2 0 1 5 E D I T I O NTe full, 16-page2015 State of the Industry reportis available to all TIA members.For membership information, visitTennisIndustry.org/Membership.ParticipationOverall U.S. tennis participation is at 17.9 million players, up 1% from 2013, according to data from the Physical Activity Council (PAC) 2015 Participation Study, the largest single-source independent sports participation project in the U.S. However, core tennis players, who play 10 or more times a year, dipped 1% to 9.91 million in 2014. Core tennis players account for an estimated 90% of total expenditures in the sport. Also, the percentage of adult core players in the 18-to-24 age segment dropped nearly 3%, while core players ages 55-plus increased 1%. A signicant opportunity exists for the industry to convert a latent demand by 14.6 million Americans who indicate they are interested in playing tennis. Plus, another 12 million consider themselves tennis players, but havent played in the last year. As we move ahead with our collaborative eforts to grow this sport, were looking www.tennisindustrymag.com September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 31Total Play Occasions (Millions) PAC Study 21+ times 4-20 times1-3 times Total355.8356.3372.7352.5 89.3 79.6 84.6 83.0 7.3 6.6 6.6 7.5 45244346444301002003004005002011 2012 2013 2014Total Tennis Economy ......................................... $5.73 BillionTotal Participation ................................................ 17.9 MillionYouth Tennis Participation Ages 6-12 ................................................................ 2.14 Million Ages 13-17 .............................................................. 2.23 MillionCore Tennis Players (10+ times a year) .......... 9.91 MillionCardio Tennis ......................................................... 1.62 MillionManufacturer Year-End Wholesale Shipments (units)Tennis Racquets .................................................... 2.96 MillionTennis Balls ............................................................. 124 MillionRed, Orange, Green Balls .................................... 5.54 MillionTennis Strings ........................................................ 3.16 MillionTop Reasons People Played MORE Tennis in Previous Year:1. Had more time.2.Found someone/new peopleto play with.3. Joined a tennis league.4. Took tennis lessons.Top Reasons People Played LESS Tennis in Previous Year:1. Injury/health problem.2. Not enough time.3. No one to play with at my skill level.4.Moved where courts/players were less accessible.U.S. Tennis Participation Physical Activity Council (PAC) Study (2007-2014) 15.75 17.75 18.55 18.72 17.77 17.02 17.68 17.90024681012141618202007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Millions of Players The Industry at a Glance (2014 data)2014 Tennis Players and Latent Demand PAC Study 17.90 M12.04 M14.62 MLatent Demand (number of non-playerswho are interested in tennis)Intermittent (consider themselves players)Total Active Tennis Playersat efective ways to capture these consumers to create more playersand more core players, says TIA PresidentGreg Mason. The collaborative industry efort to increase youth tennis players, led by the USTA, has helped to increase the number of players in the 6- to 12-year-old age bracket 4% to 2.14 million in 2014, while 13- to 17-year-old players grew 9% to 2.23 million.EquipmentShipments of ROG tennis balls to retailers remains a positive, up 4% to 5.54 million units in 2014. However, while ROG ball shipments have risen 393% from 2008 to 2014, the rate of growth is slowing, as retailers, facilities and teaching professionals better understand their ROG tennis ball needs. Overall, the wholesale tennis equipment market in the U.S. has been at. The TIAs Tennis Industry Equipment Index (going back to data from 2003, where the base index is 100) gauges the performance of the wholesale distribution of racquets, balls and strings. The 2014 Equipment Index Tennis Research18.2%23.7%20.7%18.5%18.9%2014Adult Core Players(10+ times) - PAC Study55+45-5435-4425-3418-24Core Players at a Glance (PAC Study) Female 52%Average Age (6+) 33.9Average Age (18+) 40.5Ethnicity White - 66% Hispanic - 9% Asian - 11% Black - 11% (adults)$78,749 Core Player Play Occasions413M Average Times Played in 201441.72 Est. Annual TennisExpenditure/Player$448 Median Household Income Total # of Players9.91MMale 48%0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 67891011121314151617 % of Age Group Participating Age Participation Rates by Age-Under 18s Baseball Basketball Soccer (Outdoor) Tennis Football (Tackle) Volleyball (Court) 0.00 M0.50 M1.00 M1.50 M2.00 M2.50 MAll Players6~12All Players13~17New Players6~12New Players13~17Youth Tennis Participation 2012-2014 - PAC Study2012 2013 20142.14 M2.23 M0.63 M0.26 MWholesale Equipment Market at a Glance - Millions Category Units % ChangeUnitsDollars % ChangeDollarsRacquets2.96 -4.1% 97.54 1.9%Youth Racquets 0.81 -11.9% 10.27 -7.6%Strings3.16 -10.3% 24.16 -4.2%Balls* 124.0-3.1% 86.3 -0.8%Red, Orange, GreenBalls5.54 4.2% 4.72 5.0%*One Unit = 1 BallRacquets, Balls, and StringsWholesale Shipments - Millions of Units (2007-2014)608010012014023452007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Millions of Ball Units ShippedMillions of Racquets & String Units ShippedTotal Racquet Shipment Units Total String Shipment UnitsTotal Ball Shipment UnitsWholesale Red, Orange, Green Ball Shipment Units (2008-2014)Millions of Units Wholesale Youth Racquet Shipment Units (2007-2014)1.12 1.53 2.03 3.29 4.55 5.32 5.54 - 1 2 3 4 5 62008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Full Year 1.34 1.40 1.22 1.06 0.95 0.99 0.92 0.81 - 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.21.4 1.62007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Millions of UnitsYear to Datewww.tennisindustrymag.com 32 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015Teaching Pros, Facilitiesand Court BuildersIn 2014, about 52% of teaching pros rated their business as strong or very strong, the highest since the survey began ve years ago. Teaching professionals reported a 10% increase in the cost of private lessons, while the average group lesson and clinic charges increased 25% and 24%, respectively. Overall, the average number of private lessons taught each week rose 4% in 2014, while the number of weekly group lessons surged 34%. For 2015, more than half of all tennis-teaching pros project their business to increase. The TIAs Court Activity Monitor (CAM) surveys 500 bellwether facilities across the country, and from late-season 2014 results, nearly 60% of facilities saw an increase in new 10U players. All other CAM componentsincluding total courts used/book, new rst-time adult players, rejoining adults, youth and adult tournament play and league playalso showed net gains.Court builders also are optimistic about the current and future states of their business, with 44% rating it strong or very strong, and 65% expecting business to increase in 2015. For 2014, 65% of court contractors reported increased business, vs. 57% in 2013.Pro/Specialty RetailersPro shop and specialty tennis retailers saw a drop in overall racquet unit sales of 1.9% in 2014, after a particularly tough 7% drop in the third quarter, which in part can be attributed to a work slowdown in West Coast ports that resulted in major delays in about 70% of U.S. imports from Asia.While specialty retailers continue to express concerns over competition from online-only retailers, there is optimism over new smart technology which uses sensors in the racquet. Players, coaches and teaching professionals can use this data to facilitate tennis instruction and improvement, says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. It can make tennis more enjoyable for players at all levels.is unchanged from 2013 in nominal dollars, at 115, and dropped to 90 in real dollars, from 91 in 2013. For year-end 2014, wholesale tennis racquets were down 4.1% to 2.96 million units, youth tennis racquets dropped 11.9% to 810,000 units, total tennis balls (which include ROG balls) were down 3.1% to 124 million, and tennis strings declined 10.3% to 3.16 million. Long-term, the decline is more pronounced: from 2008 to 2014, total wholesale racquet shipments have dropped 35%, with the largest drop in mass merchants and chain stores, and in racquets at the low end of the price scale.Pro/Specialty Retail Racquet Unit Sales - 2007-2014 (Thousands)143 143115126 121 139120 118209 207188194188198185 182282 280253242249238230215188 164 169 158 161157156163822795 724720719 731 690 677 01002003004005006007008009002007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Thousands Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total1. Very weak 2. Weak 3. Average 4. Strong 5. Very strong MeanCurrent State of the Tennis Teaching Business 1%1%2%1%2%1% 13%13%10% 13% 16% 8% 48%47% 47% 45%39% 39% 35%37% 37% 34%39% 44% 3% 3%4% 7% 4% 8% 1.01.52.02.53.03.54.04.55.00%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%ES 2010 LS 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014Mean Rating% of Teacher respondents 3.503.27 3.283.31 3.323.27 1.01.52.02.53.03.54.04.55.00%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%ES 2010 LS 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014% of contractor respondents1. Very weak 2. Weak 3. Average 4. Strong 5. Very strong Mean13%11%9% 3%2%53%36%29%30%2% 6%20%39%49%35%50%50%13% 14% 14%30%44%32%3% 2%12%2.32.62.73.03.43.5Rate the Current State of the Tennis Court Construction BusinessMeanwww.tennisindustrymag.com September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 33Racquet and String IntrosBabolatbabolat.com 877-316-9435After a successful revamp of the Pure Drive line earlier this year, Babo-lat is doing the same with the Aero line, including a new name and a new racquet. The Pure Aero line (an evolution of the Aeropro Drive) will debut this fall and for the rst time include a Tour model. Pure Aero Drive, Pure Aero Drive +, Pure Aero Drive Team, and Pure Aero Drive Lite will replace the Aeropro models. The Pure Aero Tour and Tour+ are new to the line. It should be noted that these are new racquets, not just cosmetic updates, as the string patterns have changed slightly.Three other new racquets being introduced in early 2016 include the Flow Tour, Flow Lite and Flow 105.Dunlopdunlop.com 800-768-4727Dunlop is introducing four new tennis racquets and four new squash racquets. The new traditional racquets complement Dunlops iDapt line introduced earlier this year. The M2.1 has a 95-square-inch head. The M3.1 and F3.1 Tour both feature a 98-square-inch head and S8.1 Lite has a 115-square-inch head.New squash frames include the Force Revelation 125 and 135 and the Force Evolution 120 and 130.By Bob PattersonYear-End Boost34 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015There are plenty of new racquets and strings coming out this fall to help your sales right through the holidays.Although most new product is introduced in the spring, there are plenty of things coming this fall to boost your sales, from the buzz surrounding the US Open right through the holiday shopping season.www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comwww.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comGammagammasports.com 800-333-0337Although Gamma is not introducing any new racquets for fall, it does have new strings: iO Soft and Moto Soft, both polyester monolament. Designed as a more forgiving version of its popular iO and Moto strings, both ofer less shock on impact than stifer polyesters, says Gamma. iO Soft is available in 17, 16 and 15L gauges. Moto Soft is avail-able in 17 and 16 gauges.Genesisgenesis-tennis.com 888-750-1011Genesis introduces Trionic, a co-polyester string. Available in 16 and 18 gauges, Tri-onic features a triangular prole for increased spin, control and feel. Also new is Black Magic 18 gauge, a monolament co-polyester. According to the manufacturer, Black Magic is softer than most co-polys and ofers comfortable play with a serious punch.Headhead.com 800-289-7366Head continues to expand the Graphene XT line with the introduction of six new tennis racquets: GrapheneXT Instinct PWR, GrapheneXT Prestige PWR, GrapheneXT Speed PWR, GrapheneXT Extreme Lite, GrapheneXT Extreme Pro and the GrapheneXT MP. The frames feature the Head Adaptive String Pattern (ASP), allowing the frame to be strung either as a 16x16 or 16x19 pattern by swapping out the side grommet strips.The company also is adding ve new GrapheneXT squash racquets: GrapheneXT Xenon SB 120 and 135, and GrapheneXT Cyano 110, 120 and 135. The ASP technology is also introduced into the racquetball line with four new racquets that can be strung as either a 12x16 or 16x16 pattern by swapping out the top grommet strip. New racquetball models include the Extreme 155 and 165, Extreme Edge and Extreme Pro.Head is also introducing two new strings: Reex MLT and Velocity MLT. Both are multilaments and are ofered in 16 and 17 gauges. According to the manufacturer, Velocity provides a perfect combination of power and touch thanks to a special con-struction featuring over 1,000 laments and an outer wrap of 30 laments. Reex MLT provides excellent touch and power thanks to over 1,300 laments and a soft PU resin. Both strings feature a low friction coating, providing faster snap-back and less stress on the arm, says Head.Pacicpacic.com 941-795-1789Pacic introduces four new racquets: X Force Lite, X Force Pro No. 1, X Tour 97 and the X Fast Team 1.45. All the frames feature Pacics unique Basalt 2 technology, which the company says has 30 percent more basalt bers within the same material, 20 percent lighter weight, is 28 percent stronger and provides 20 percent more dampening.Princeprincetennis.com 800-2TENNISPrince rolls out Textreme technology with four new tennis frames for fall: The Tour 100P, Tour 100T, Tour 100L and the Warrior 107L. The 100P features an 18x20 pattern, while the rest are 16x18 patterns. Textreme is an advanced super-thin material that allows for a tighter weave pattern, packing more carbon bers per square inch, which Prince says delivers greater control.September/October 2015 TennisIndustry 3536 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015Racquet and String IntrosTecnibretecnibre.com 888-504-7878Tecnibre continues to expand its Dynacore line with the introduction of the new racquets: T Flash 285, T Flash 300 and T Flash 315. Accord-ing to the manufacturer, Dynacore provides an unmatched combina-tion of exibility and torsion stability. The new T Flash line features Velocity Shaft Design: 11 percent less beam size on the shaft for more speed and spin versus a standard elliptical beam.Volklvolkltennis.com 866-554-7872Volkl introduces four new frames in its Super G line: Super G 3, Super G V-1 Pro and the Super G 10 Mid, which is available in 320- and 330-gram versions. Super G racquets feature Speedgrommets + V-Sponse material for more control, increased sweetspot and more speed with the best energy return, says Volkl. Wilsonwilson.com 800-272-6060Wilson brings out five new tennis frames: Ultra XP 110 S, Ultra XP 100 S, Ultra XP 100 LS, Pro Staff 97 S and the Pro Staff 97 ULS. The Ultra lineup feature Spin Effect, Power Profile and Ultra High Performance Carbon Fiber Technologies. Both of the new Pro Staffs feature Spin Effect Technology and all five are Smart Tennis Sensor Ready.Tennis isnt all that is new for fall as Wilson also introduces two new racquetball racquets, the Drone and Drone Lite, and one new squash racquet, the Ripper 135 BLX.

www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comwww.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comCourt Construction & Maintenance Guide38 TennisIndustrySeptember/October 2015The Certied Tennis Court Builder (CTCB) Program was developed by the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) to help raise professional standards and to improve the practice of tennis court construction and maintenance.To become a CTCB, a court builder must pass a compre-hensive exam on tennis court construction and mainte-nance. He or she must also fulll prescribed standards of experience and have demonstrated a high level of expertise in tennis court construction. To maintain their CTCB designation, builders must re-certify every three years, so they are constantly in the know on the latest construction and maintenance techniques.As of early July, there were 61 current CTCBs in North America. Weve arranged them here by region, but keep in mind, many court builders travel and are not bound by geographical or state lines.If you are a sports builder, consider becoming a CTCB and providing your customers, and potential customers, with that extra level of knowledge and experience. (In fact, in some instances, bids for jobs may require that a CTCB work on a project.) Visit the ASBAs website, sportsbuilders.org, for more information, including applications, resources and CTCB test dates and locations. Peter Francesconi

Quality Assurance www.tennisindustrymag.com www.tennisindustrymag.comThe Certified Tennis Court Builder program offered by the ASBA can help ensure your courts and facility are designed, built and maintained to exacting standards.NORTHEAST !"# %&'(!"#$ &'(()* +(,-./0'1*2 345/06/"#$5'(()*-,/0)*+, %+"-*'71/8.9/15 :/(*51;,5)/( +(,-#?//-,/0!."#*/ 0&1"/* HH:I//CE;1>2 :&*#$'*6,$#**),5;1G-/1F)53.*&: ;"+82'*=,' &'(()* D;)$C'1*I//CE;1>2 :&0),?#'$G/15;(#6?/50#)$-,/0

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