Spin Doctor Is In The page 2

WWW.CVTATENNIS.ORG Volume 16, Issue 1

Jan. 4, 2010 USTA Shakes Up Ratings, Moves 90,000

CVTA Urges League Players to Forge New Bonds

By Paige Hayes please get in touch with me (303 percentage of players will move CVTA League -442-2153 or howdy- upward this year. This reflects Coordinator [email protected]). I will do all the concerns of the National that I can to help you find a new Oversight Group, the Observ- The big buzz home or fill your team. And as ers (Verifiers), charged with among league- always, if you have any questions protecting the integrity of our playing tennis related to this issue (even if you NTRP levels as defined below. It folks lately has didn’t get a new rating), then I was also the clear consensus of been the release welcome your inquiries. many others including staff, vol- of NTRP ratings unteers, team captains and play- for 2010. Unusu- Nationally, almost a third of ers that the system is in need of ally high numbers players saw movement in their adjustment as too many players of people earned ratings for 2010. It turns out were above the NTRP level they a new rating for that the USTA actually made an were playing at. Additionally, the the coming year, adjustment in the way ratings same issue was noted through which has left a were calculated. And while they player concerns raised in survey great many peo- haven’t divulged those specifics, work. A growing disconnect was ple confused about where they here’s what they’ve posted on seen between the standards will play next year. the matter: used in the Self Rating guidelines and the actual characteristics of But don't panic. If you are sud- ”The year-end 2009 NTRP rat- players on court at various lev- Inside this issue: denly a player without a team or ings will reflect a nationwide els, along with players who had with a team lacking players, movement in which a higher (Please see pg. 5, Change) Tennis Tip 2 New Nets for Monarch, Thanks to CVTA Casino Night 2 In keeping with its mis- come frayed and torn, would be an ideal con- courts, and a few CVTA Board Election Results sion to foster tennis in and like other schools, tribution to support teams use them for 3 the community, the Monarch is facing a tennis in the local com- weekly practices. Centennial Valley Ten- budget crunch that munity. A few years “The CVTA looks for Member Renewal Info 3 nis Association has makes the resources for ago, the CVTA had ways to support tennis donated $645 to Mon- the purchase of new helped to secure fund- in the community, and Caulk Talk arch High School for nets a huge unknown. ing for the lights on the this contribution made 4 the purchase of four When the CVTA be- Monarch tennis courts. good sense on several new tennis court nets came aware of the Some of the CVTA’s fronts,” said outgoing Contact Information for the Monarch courts. situation, the board of league matches are CVTA President Eric 5 directors decided this The old nets have be- played on the Monarch Witte.

Tennis Tip: Add Spin to Your Game, Dazzle Opponents

By Jim Pagano ing in a post-bounce flight that is racket. For a topspin serve, the higher than the pre-bounce same concept applies but the tip Your mastery and understanding flight. On a spin serve, the effect of the racket is even with the grip of shot-making is based on the is less pronounced and is proba- at contact, resulting in the right ability to utilize spin advanta- bly more accurately described as side of the frame passing over the geously. A study was conducted a “sliding” bounce that stays on the most effective servers in hitting zone before the left side. lower after the bounce than be- the world (Sampras, Roddick, and When you first try hitting with Federer) to determine the pre- fore. spin, the results can be extreme - cise difference between one 130- So, how do we apply this knowl- - a good sign that you are hitting plus mph serve and another. The edge? First, we need to under- spin correctly. The first sidespin difference – rpm’s. It was found stand the effect of ball tracking serve will probably hit the side that the best serves are certainly on the returner’s brain. Ball fence, and that’s okay. You sim- measured in tracking takes up a lot of our ply need to readjust your aim to mph, but the brain’s computing power. The compensate for the changing real kicker more dynamic the flight path of flight path. If your serve is land- (pun intended) the serve, the greater the diffi- ing 10 feet wide, make a 10-foot is spin. The culty of tracking the ball. This adjustment in your target. The more a serve essentially means that a curving curve will bring the serve into the spins, the ball is less likely to be struck box and out of your opponent’s more “action” cleanly by the returner. So, in hitting zone. Good luck. comes from higher pressure situations, don’t the flight and be tempted to blast the serve by [email protected] the the returner, rather spin it out of 720 273 2752 bounce. To his or her strike zone. As spin become a better player, maybe also increases accuracy, you CVTA’s Casino Night we should understand the physics should be able to place a greater of spin. percentage of serves in the box if you utilize spin, thus, reducing Spin affects the flight of the Good Off-Season Fun double faults during high pressure ball. It does so through the inter- “How do we hit with situations. action of the fuzz with the air Casino Night is back. The Cen- particles the ball travels How do we hit with more tennial Valley Tennis Associa- through. On a topspin serve, the spin? The answer is deceptively more spin? Simple— ball is spinning forward to the simple – swing faster. Increased tion’s annual event for members receiver. The effect of this spin racket head speed results in and their spouses has become a causes the ball to dive. This ef- greater force applied to the great, off-season opportunity for swing faster.” fect comes from the increased ball. This force is transferred members to reconnect with pressure that occurs because the into either rpm’s or mph’s. If you teammates, meet new members fuzz is traveling at a greater speed want to hit with greater spin, you and swap stories about ways they on the top of the ball than on the have to increase the force applied bottom of the ball relative to the to the ball. The key is to under- are preparing for the oncoming air particles, thus “pushing” the stand that the racket should not season. ball downward. The same effect be square to the ball at con- This year’s event, free to mem- is seen in slice serves, where (for tact. If you consider the ball as bers, will be 7-10 p.m., Feb. 20, at a right-handed server) the fuzz the face of a clock, a purely flat on the right side of the ball is serve results when you strike the the Arapahoe Ridge Club House, colliding more forcefully with center of the clock with the 1750 Powell St., in Erie. As usual, those air particles on that side of string surface, much like striking there will be four or five card the ball than the opposite side, the center of the cue ball with tables, each with separate dealers causing the ball to travel from the the cue stick. If you want to hit managing of Black Jack or server’s right to left. with sidespin (as a right-hander), Texas Hold ‘Em. The CVTA’s you must strike the ball at the 3 Spin also affects the bounce of of the clock face. In order to board of directors is due to pre- the ball. The seams and fuzz of make contact on a round surface, sent its annual report. the ball grip the rough surface of the angle of the racket must be the court; and when the ball is CVTA members can reserve their skewed. Thus, when you make spinning forward (i.e. a topspin spaces at the Casino Night by contact with the ball for a side- serve) the contact with the spin serve, the right edge of the contacting Steve Caulk: court’s surface causes the ball to racket enters the hitting zone [email protected] or Page 2 accelerate off the bounce, result- before the left side of the (303) 410-4971.

Hoepfinger Joins Group Volume 16, Issue 1 CVTA Election Results In Two New Officers

In a November vote of Centennial Caulk has served on the board Any CVTA members interested in Valley Tennis Association mem- since 2007 (as vice president since serving on the board should con- bers, the CVTA’s board of direc- 2008), and has been a CVTA tact Caulk at 303-410-4971. tors ended up with a new mem- member since 2002. Kennedy ber and two new officers. Sarah joined the board last year. Hoepfinger joins the board for Incoming board members at the first time; and Steve Caulk large who were elected to and John Kennedy were elected serve Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, president and secretary, respec- 2011 include Carey Beneke, tively. Trim Bromell and Hoepfinger. The previous board of directors Serving out the remaining half recruited and nominated the slate of their terms are board mem- of candidates for the upcoming bers Kim Christopherson board and officer positions. (board treasurer) and Katy "I feel grateful for the opportunity Howe. to take the reins of this fine or- The board will select a vice ganization at a time of its greatest president in January to serve vibrancy,” Caulk said. “I am also the remaining year of the term “I feel grateful for the fortunate to have a talented left vacant by Caulk’s move to board of directors at my side to his new role. opportunity to take the keep me pointed in the right di- rection." reins of this fine Membership Renewals in the Mail organization at a time of its greatest vibrancy.” save costs, make the process Discounts Available for Early Response more efficient, and address some bookkeeping complications that Steve Caulk Members of the Centennial Valley istration option this year by going the CVTA’s volunteer workers Tennis Association will receive to www.cvtatennis.org. The sign- encounter every year. their annual membership renewal up form is under the membership forms in the mail in the coming tab on the left-side column. Of days, and the document repre- course, you may also renew via The CVTA’s ranks have grown sents a milestone of sorts. It the membership form received in consistently for the last three marks the last time that members the mail – and there is a $5 dis- years, and membership is at its will receive their notices via tradi- count for renewing early (via mail highest levels (more than 200). tional U.S. Mail. The CVTA will or on-line) if the form and pay- The board determined that the make the leap to an all-electronic ment are received by Feb. 27, growth made it imperative to registration process beginning 2010. provide volunteer workers with as January 2011. much relief as possible in their responsibilities. If you have any The CVTA’s board of directors questions, please contact Carey Members who prefer not to wait voted to make the switch to the Beneke, membership coordinator, until 2011 can try the on-line reg- all-electronic format next year to at [email protected].

Hurry, Sign Up for Indoor Social at Ranch

The CVTA is offering its fourth annual indoor social doubles court position, and other tennis skills and event at the Ranch Country Club Jan. 9, 7-9 p.m. strategies. Sign up by email to CVTA board member This tennis event is open to players rated 2.5 and Katy Howe at [email protected] with the 3.0. Cost is $5 for CVTA members, and each CVTA subject, “tennis social.” Email your name and your member can invite one non-member as a guest at no guest’s name. Mail your check Katy Howe, 730 W. charge. Tamarisk St., Louisville, Colo. 80027; and make it payable in the amount of $5 (for each CVTA mem- Professional tennis instruction by Sue Burke on one of the four courts will emphasize serving, net play, ber who will attend). Page 3

Caulk Talk Herding CVTA Teams No Easy Task

With Hayes at Reins, wouldn’t be so Centennial Valley bad if that’s all Tennis Association League Participation she had to do. But she also helps In Louisville Mounts put captains in touch with each By Steve Caulk other, attends

You know how horse-people are. meetings, helps Horse-theme decorations all over find players to the house. Even the kitchen towels complete teams, have horses on them. Always keep updates the that third weekend in January open CVTA on league for the Stock Show. And photos! issues and helps Photos of horses in horsey frames interpret league League Coordinator Paige Hayes, with PK with little horsey horseshoes, on rules when dis- every spare inch of open shelf space. putes arise. them on. The 2.5 level is so crucial to the growth of tennis. I wanted to Paige Hayes is a horse person. Loves She is also captain of a women’s 3.5 help foster a good feeling about the her 8-year-old mare, PK. So now team – which is good, because that sport – about the socializing and W E’ RE ON THE W EB ! when I tell you what I’m about to tell makes one less whiny captain she has to deal with as league coordinator. networking that is involved.” W WW . CVTATENNIS . ORG you, you will have a pretty good perspective on it: When Paige the captain starts com- She made countless phone calls try- plaining to Paige the league coordina- ing to help find a “home” for the 2.5 Paige loves you as much as her tor about court conditions and team, but nothing worked. It is a rare horse. league fees, then we will know she example of a dilemma that she has Don’t let the horse hear about this. has reached her limit. Until then, the NOT been able to solve over the But Paige Hayes considers her tennis CVTA happily takes advantage of her years. As you might have guessed, in activities – including her job as the good nature. real life, she is a project manager, Centennial Valley Tennis Associa- “I like it, because it increases my working for a company called ESRI, a tion’s league coordinator – just as involvement with the leagues and geographic information systems soft- enjoyable as an afternoon in the stall gives me additional chances to inter- ware company. The job as league with a shovel. Hard to believe. act with some great folks,” she said. coordinator is similar, she says, in Paige has been the CVTA’s league “When I volunteered for the job, I that it is a lot of “juggling and logistics coordinator for five years, and I had a vague idea that it was a sched- and doing new things.” doubt there is a league coordinator uling thing; but it was way bigger than Her goal every year as league coordi- in the state who does her job with I ever imagined.” nator is to make her job easier. Or- such enthusiasm, such self-sacrificing I became fully aware of her deep ganization is key. involvement. The CVTA pays her sense of commitment to the job “It’s all about spreadsheets,” she said. $1,450 per year, which is about when she called the CVTA board of And now here is my pitch to make enough to keep her other hobby well directors last spring with an alert the job even easier. All whiny cap- fed for about one week. Trust me, about a women’s 2.5 team that she doesn’t coordinate those leagues tains out there (and you know who wanted court time to play in a league. you are), if you are reading this, for the money. Put it this way – The CVTA was maxed out on the please make a pledge to yourself to when you consider that she managed limited number of courts it con- keep the whininess to a minimum in the schedules for 31 teams last year trolled, and Paige had nowhere to 2010. The CVTA would hate to see (a CVTA record), it means she was put the team. its league coordinator ride off into responsible for 480 individual the sunset. matches. That’s $3 per match, which “That was painful,” she said. “It was Page 4 disappointing that I couldn’t take

Change in Rating Could Lead to Greater Competition

(Cont. from pg. 1) national adjustments, “playing up” ‘We believe rating adjustments are been allowed for many years to will be discouraged, and exceptions appeal their year-end ratings down- necessary to protect the integrity of will not include the following: ward. the NTRP and ensure that the vast “My teammates moved up and I want “Of the 300,000-plus league players to continue playing with them … My nationally, more than 90,000 will be majority of all league players will doubles partner moved up and we seeing movement in their NTRP want to stay together … I moved have competitive matches.’ rating that should coincide with their down but I want to continue playing appropriate skills. ... We recognize with my old teammates … I’ve been that there may be initial concerns one of those special cases playing up and questions, but we believe rating The CVTA as an organization has and I’d like to continue…: adjustments are necessary to protect always felt strongly about upholding the integrity of the NTRP and ensure the integrity of the NTRP system, Please keep in mind that individuals that the vast majority of all league allowing people to “play up” only in move up, not teams. Moving down in players will have competitive situations where strict adherence to rating can be disappointing, but you matches.” the rating system will prevent signifi- should experience more competitive cant numbers of people from playing matches. Moving up is an exciting So what does this mean to you? If tennis. The CVTA’s philosophy on accomplishment but can also be dis- you maintained your rating from last this issue is posted on the CVTA appointing because you have to find a year, you should experience more website, and the CVTA board of new team (or, as in my team’s case, competitive matches. If you moved directors reviews the policy regu- you lose some of your best players). I up or down, you will have the oppor- larly. This year we believe the USTA hope you will work through these tunity to make new friends on a new adjustments have addressed instances disappointments and discover that team and should also experience where players may believe their skills the ultimately increase your more competitive matches. exceed their rating. Because of the enjoyment of the game.

League Coordinator: Paige Hayes – [email protected] Webmaster: Yeida Chang – [email protected] Membership Info: Carey Beneke – member- [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Steve Caulk – [email protected]

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Comments, announcements, information, advertisements, and articles can be sent to: CVTA – Baseline Banter, P.O. Box 574, Louisville Colo. 80027 Or emailed to: [email protected]