April 2005 Volume 33 Number 4 $5.00 10 WAYS TO FIRE UP ! Ideas that can reinvigorate the pro game and increase the sport’s popularity Corporate Tennis Leagues Can Help Your Business Peter Burwash International: Still Serving at 30 Years Old Player Equipment Log

Q Customer Relations Q Retail Signage Q String Playtest Q Ask the Experts Q Tips and Techniques Q Science

CCoonntteennttss RSI APRIL 2005

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 PTR Symposium honors members, facilities 7 buys Scottsdale ATP stop 8 USRSA announces 3 new certification testers 8 Tail collection shines with Swarovski crystal 9 “Grommets Network” started by USRSA 9 K-Swiss fortifies 7.0 footwear line FEATURES 10 Wheelchair documentary to debut in April 27 10 Ways to Fire Up Tennis Award-winning tennis writer Paul Fein says that when enthralling rivalries and charismatic 11 New tennis collectibles on sale characters are in short supply, the popularity of tennis doesn’t have to plummet. 13 Vantage Sport offers custom-built 30 Corporate Dividends racquets Starting company tennis leagues in your area can be lucrative for your business, fun for employees, and beneficial for the corporations. 13 Wilson adds five to Speaker’s 32 Customer Tennis Bureau For 30 years, Peter Burwash and Peter Burwash International have been providing unrivaled service to players, vacationers, facilities, and their own employees. 14 In •Tenn releases 2nd DVD 14 Prince debuts new T10 shoe 36 Get Down to Business! These two racquet sports facilities take different paths, but both lead to increased profits. 14 Atlanta CTA honored by USTA 38 Australian Open 2005 14 Letter to the Editor: Bring tennis Let your customers check out the equipment their favorite players were using Down Under. to PGA Show

DEPARTMENTS 24 Retailing Success 4 Our Serve 40 String Playtest: Volkl V-Rex 16 Customer Relations 42 Ask the Experts 18 Industry People 44 Tips and Techniques 20 Your Finances 46 Science 22 Marketing Success 48 Your Serve, by Scott Hanover

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3 Our Serve

(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry ) What's on Your Business Publishers David Bone Jeff Williams

Learning Calendar? Editor-in-Chief Crawford Lindsey hat did you learn last week that will accelerate the con - Editorial Director Peter Francesconi W tinuous reinvention of yourself and your business in Associate Editor order to survive, compete, and prosper in today's and Greg Raven tomorrow's business environment? Approximately 800 PTR Design/Art Director Kristine Thom pros spent the last week in February at the annual PTR Inter - Assistant to the Publisher national Symposium attending on- and off-court seminars, Cari Feliciano networking, comparing best practices, and intermingling Contributing Editors Cynthia Cantrell with the brightest minds in the tennis community. I was also Rod Cross Kristen Daley lucky enough to attend and got to sit in on these sessions: Joe Dinoffer Liza Horan Q Five 3-hour USTA Sport Science Courses: Sports Psychology, Biomechanics, Sports Andrew Lavallee Medicine, Motor Learning, Physiology James Martin Q Keys to Mastering the Volley—Nick Saviano Mark Mason Q To Carb or Not to Carb?—Page Love Chris Nicholson Q Managing a Tennis Complex—Fernando Velasco Mitch Rustad Q Great Games for Teaching Strategy and Tactics—Ken DeHart Drew Sunderlin Q Nutrition in Action—Dr. Sally Parsonage Jonathan Whitbourne Q Resistance Training for Racquet Speed and Court Speed—Dr. Jeff Chandler Q How to Develop Young Kids into Champions—Robert Lansdorp RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY Q Physiology of the Older Player—Dr. Ben Kibler, Dr. Peter Jokl, John Powless Corporate Offices Q Recruiting and Hiring Tennis Pros—Greg Snow 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084 Q Games Galore and More!—Lisa Duncan Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171 Q From Tanking to Top Performance—Linda LeClaire Email: [email protected] Q How to Grow Your Tennis Business—Doug Cash Website: www.racquetTECH.com Q Coaching Through Storytelling—Dr. Jim Loehr Offic e Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time Q Playing Smart: With Mind, Not Just Muscle—Dr. Allen Fox Q Is Your Tennis Business Service Driven—Mark McMahon Advertising Director Q CardioTennis Extravaganza—TIA John Hanna Q Strategies for Winning On Court and Off—Dr. Allen Fox 770-650-1102, x.125 Q Where on the Racquet to Hit for Maximum Power and Minimum Errors—Dr. [email protected] Howard Brody Q Modern Tennis: Technical Solution for Tactical Problems—Brett Hobden Apparel Advertising Q The Calorie Counting Game—Dr. Bonita Marks Cynthia Sherman 203-263-5243 And, I missed many, many others, not being able to be everywhere at once! [email protected] Racquet Sports Industry (USPS 347-8300. ISSN 0191- If I were a teaching pro, retailer, club owner, stringer, etc., you would have to 5851) is published 10 times per year: monthly January through August and combined issues in Septem - compete against me. Do you feel just an inkling of competitive disadvantage, ber/October and November/December by Tennis inadequacy, or insecurity? No? Well how do you feel up against all those who Industry and USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084. have gone to every PTR Symposium, USPTA Conference, and many other edu - Periodicals postage paid at Hurley, NY 12443 and addi - tional mailing offices. April 2005, Volume 33, Number cational conferences for the past 10 to 15 years? Have you ever wondered how 4 © 2005 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. All rights these folks can afford to take an entire week or more away from work every reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logo are year? Hmmm, do you think there is a connection? 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 Crawford Lindsey changes to Racquet Sports Industry , 330 Main St., Editor-in-Chief Vista, CA 92084.

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005

RSI APRIL 2005 IINNDDUUSSTTRRYY NNEEWWSS INFORMATION TO HELP YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS Tennis Channel PTR Presents Annual Honors at Symposium he Professional Tennis Registry honored several of its members and two tennis facilities Buys Scottsdale during the annual Awards Banquet in February at the Crowne Plaza Resort on Hilton Head ATP Tour Stop T Island, S.C. The banquet was part of the annual PTR International Tennis Symposium and $25,000 Championships (see page 9). Honorees were recognized for service, commitment, and The Tennis Channel has bought the dedication to the PTR, their communities, and the sport. ATP tennis tournament based in Q Professional of the Year—Angel Lopez, San Diego Scottsdale, Ariz., for an undisclosed Q Clinician of the Year—Daniel Leal, Pike Road, Ala. amount. The tournament, which this Q Tester of the Year—Jose Luis Castillo, Cayey, Puerto Rico year was held Feb. 21 to 27, was Q Coach Verdieck Award–College Coach of the Year—Patty Fendick McCain, University of Wash - renamed the “Tennis Channel ington, Seattle Open.” Q Coach Verdieck Award–High School Coach of the Year—Susan Minchau, Johnstown, Pa. TTC purchased the event from Q Coach Verdieck Award–Touring Pro Coach of the Year—Tony Huber, Cypress, Texas Scottsdale Tournament productions, Q Humanitarian Award—Enrique Ninente, Hagatna, Guam whose managing partner is IMG, the Q Volunteer of the Year—Diana Seggie, Bluffton, S.C. world’s largest sports marketing and Q Newcomer of the Year—Beverly Bourguet, Albuquerque, N.M. management agency. IMG managed Q Wheelchair Pro of the Year—John Johnston, Gainesville, Fla. and operated this year’s event for Q Male Player of the Year—Raj Bonifacius, Reykjavik, Iceland the TTC, but starting with the 2006 Q Female Player of the Year—Patricia Rogulski, Rankweil, tournament, the network will assume Q USTA Community Service Award—Lisa Duncan, Downingtown, Pa. Q TIA Commitment to the Industry Award—Wayne St. Peter, Westbrook, Maine all managerial and operational Q Public Facility of the Year—Plaza Tennis Center, Kansas City, Mo. responsibilities. Q Private Facility of the Year—Kiawah Island Resort, Charleston, S.C. “Owning the tournament will permit In addition, the following were honored as PTR state members of the year: Ken DeHart, Cal - the network to continue its aggres - ifornia; Luis Maria Brest, Florida; Pete Collins, Georgia; Enrique R. Ninete, Hawaii Pacific; Doug sive promotion of the sport by pre - Lintala, Illinois; Ajay Pant, Kansas; Alicia von Lossberg, Maryland; Wayne St. Peter, Maine; Henry senting it like no other,” says TTC Hostetler, North Carolina; Larry Dillon, New Jersey; Todd Miller, New York; Joey Eskridge, South President and Founder Steve Bellamy. Carolina; Curtis Holland, Tennessee; Dan Bonfigli, Vermont; John Raker, Virginia. The Tennis Channel has had pro - gramming rights to the tournament Sports InterActive Forms Online Tennis Mall since 2002, and this year telecast ports InterActive LLC, a new venture headed by former Prince executive Herb Sweren, has more than 40 hours of play, including established an internet “Tennis Shopping Mall” that consumers can access through par - singles and doubles quarterfinals, S ticipating tennis clubs, pro shops and specialty retailers. semifinals, and finals. “As part of the program, we will develop and implement a website for each club or retailer,” Founded in 1986, the Scottsdale ATP says Sweren. “The sites will be tailored for each client so that members/customers can schedule tour stop takes place at the Fairmont lessons, reserve court time, find matches, register for tennis camp and, of course, shop at the Scottsdale Princess hotel. The venue tennis mall.” Fromuth Tennis will provide inventory for the online tennis mall. has played host to a series of Grand According to Pat Shields, owner of Fromuth, shops must have an existing storefront and a Slam champions and tennis house - sales volume to justify the costs of going online. “An account needs to be actively marketing their hold names during the past 18 years. retail business and pushing product sales,” says Shields. “The website gives them a powerful new tool to generate additional sales and profits and grow their business.” Sweren says he saw the tennis site opportunity after years in the industry working with spe - cialty retailers. “Members and customers want their pro shop or specialty store to be fully stocked with the latest merchandise, but small shop owners can’t assume that inventory risk,” says Sweren. “This takes care of both concerns. It also allows our clients to market through their website and to compete with big merchandisers while offering members a level of personal serv - ice the big boys can’t match.” Launch is expected by April. For more information contact Herb Sweren at 410-484-3322 or [email protected].

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7 APRIL 2005 S W

E Tail Collection Shines With Swarovski Crystal

N USRSA Announces Three Y

R ail Inc. has developed a

T New Certification Testers

S collection of warm-ups U

D T he U.S. Racquet Stringers Associa - and tops beaded with N I tion has named three new certifica - Swarovski crystals. The com - T pany is offering two warm-ups, tion testers: Q Glenster Flint of West Perth, Australia, along with a tank top with is a Master Coach USPTA, “Love 30” in crystals, to cele - Level 2 TCA, MRT-USRSA, brate Tail’s 30th anniversary. and Company Director of “The response to the Stringing International, Swarovski crystal group has which services elite tour - been incredible,” says Bill ing pros and attends all Evans, Tail’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Both golf and tennis shops are and Master Series events. interested in offering them to their customers. We are re-introducing the dressy Flint is also privately contracted by warm-up from the past with up-to-date fashion trends.” players throughout the year at non- For more information, contact Amy Bentley at 800-678-8245, ext 2309. scheduled events and holds a Hopman Cup stringing contract, from 2004. He Prince Is Official Supplier At SAP; Plans New Ball Launch also coaches elite players. Flint has a retail shop in West Perth and a second rince Sports was named the official racquet, footwear, apparel, and ball sup - shop planned for Brisbane. Pplier to the SAP Open men’s pro tournament, which took place in Northern Q Al Klieber of Victoria, British Colum - California in February. bia, is originally from Ger - Prince originally had planned to launch its entry into the premium tennis ball many, where he worked category at the SAP Open, but the company said that due to the development as a tennis teaching pro. efforts of Prince’s new O3 racquet technology, the ball launch will be slightly Klieber played the highly delayed. Prince says that O3 technology increases a racquet’s sweetspot by 54 competitive regional team percent, enabling players to hit their best shots more often. tennis circuit in Germany For the SAP Open, Prince collaborated with Wilson Sporting Goods to private- for 12 years. He began stringing tennis label Wilson’s US Open Extra Duty ball for exclusive use at the California event. racquets as a teenager and has over Prince says it will launch its new premium Prince Tour ball later in 2005. For 28 years of racquet technical service more information, visit www.princetennis.com. experience, with nearly 14 years as a USRSA Certified Stringer/Master Rac - SGMA Has New President, Location quet Technician. He has also trained five stringers to be Certified Stringers/ om Cove is the new president and CEO of SGMA International, which owns The MRTs. He and his wife created Court - TSuper Show. Cove replaces retiring president John Riddle. The organization, which side Sports Ltd. in 1989 in Victoria, also will be moving its headquarters from Florida to Washington, D.C., by June, along with the online store www.court says Cove is expected to bring about a transformation of the 99-year old SGMA and sidesports.com. its role as the voice of the sporting goods industry. “SGMA is committed to our core missions of helping our member companies Q Geoffrey Jones of G. Jones Racquet Stringing in Rochester, improve their business and promoting the interests of the sporting goods industry N.Y., received a masters to the trade, media, government, and consumers,” says Cove. “Whether it be degree in computer sci - through a trade show, an education seminar, a research product or a lobbying event, ence in 1998, but he SGMA needs to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas, with the goal of always wanted to string improving our members’ ability to succeed.” his own racquets. He SGMA International is the global business trade association of manufacturers, bought an inexpensive stringing retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry. machine and learned to string by watching and talking with a certified Ferris State, Head/Penn Form Partnership USRSA stringer. Jones then joined the erris State University’s Professional Tennis Management program has formed USRSA, quit his job as software engi - a three-year partnership with Head/Penn. Head will be the official racquet and neer at Eastman Kodak, and went into F Penn the official ball of the PTM program. the stringing business. He has since Ferris State’s PTM program is the only four-year program that is fully accredited upgraded his stringing machine and by the USPTA. Graduates earn a bachelor’s degree in busi - became a Master Racquet Technician ness/marketing/professional tennis management and a USPTA professional certifi - in 2003.

8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 INDUSTRY NEWS

USRSA Starts “Grommet Network” PTR $25K Championship Winners he U.S. Racquet Stringers Association has started a T“Grommets Networking Program” so that members can irko Jovanovic of Hilton Head Island, S.C. won the find out-of-production grommets for older frames. Mmen’s open singles title at the 2005 PTR $25,000 The free program is handled via email. Members looking Championships in February during the PTR Interna - for a set of grommets send an email to grom - tional Tennis Symposium. He beat Carlos Bracho, also of [email protected], then that email is forwarded to all Hilton Head, 6-2, 6-1. members on the “grommets list.” A USRSA member who has The women’s open singles event was won by Jolene that particular grommet contacts the member directly to Watanabe of Bluffton, S.C., who beat Christine Damas of arrange payment and shipping. Hilton Head, 6-0, 6-1. In men’s doubles play, Jovanovic and “We will simply be trying to help put members who need Bracho teamed to take the open crown. grommets together with members who have the grommets,” The 2005 PTR event featured play in 23 different divisions. writes USRSA Executive Director David Bone in an email to the USRSA membership. The USRSA does not get involved in the transactions nor does it receive any portion of the sales. USTA Pro Circuit Hits 91 Locations he 2005 USTA Pro Circuit will include 91 events and nearly $3 K-Swiss Fortifies 7.0 Line Tmillion in prize money comprising the world’s largest devel - opmental tennis tour. The USTA Pro Circuit brings world-class -Swiss introduces the professional tennis to 26 different states in communities ranging Knew Defier RS and in size from Troy, Ala., to The Bronx, N.Y. Sixteen tournaments the Mid version of the will be held in the Top 10 markets across the country. Ultrascendor in its 7.0 Sys - This is the fifth straight year that the USTA Pro Circuit calen - tem footwear line. dar will feature more than 90 tournaments. The USTA increased The company says the the number of men’s Challengers and upgraded the prize money Defier RS is engineered to of three women’s events in order to provide young American stand up to intense play, players ranked in the No. 75 to 200 range the opportunity to with a TecTuff high-abra - earn more ATP and WTA Tour Ranking points. sion toe wrap to create a barrier between the court and the “One of our goals this year, along with that of our High Per - foot, and abrasion-resistant DragGuard in the toe and heel formance group, is to increase the opportunities for players at of the Aosta 7.0 rubber outsole. the Challenger level to earn more ranking points,” said Brian The Ultrascendor Mid features Secure-Fit Lacing System Earley, Director, USTA Pro Circuit. “The USTA Pro Circuit also to provide ankle support, says K-Swiss. The padded remains one of our most effective means of creating excitement Achilles Support with Heel-Grip Lining grips the sock to for the sport. The local tennis communities rally around these minimize heel slippage. For more information visit www.k- events and they are a great vehicle for generating new fans and swiss.com. recreational players.”

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9 INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2005 Wheelchair Tennis Documentary to Debut in April “ hampions on Wheels,” the first doc - at the Paralympic Games in Sydney and Cumentary on wheelchair tennis, will ends four years later at the Paralympic debut in April at the Palm Beach Games in Athens. International Film Festival. The film, from Footage also includes interviews and director/producer/journalist Grace Shafir, comments by such stars as , tells the stories of world-class wheelchair , Serena and Venus tennis athletes and their determination, Williams, , Chanda Rubin, athleticism, zest for life, and desire to be and Bob and . The film is nar - seen for their abilities, not disabilities. rated by actor Daryl Mitchell of TV’s Shafir shot more than 130 hours of “Veronica’s Closet” and “Ed.” video, following such athletes as Sharon The documentary was made for PBS. Clark, Beth Arnoult, Larry Quintero, Nick For screenings in your area, visit Taylor, and Steve Welch. The story opens www.wheelchairchampions.com. SHORT SETS > and > In February, The Tennis Channel and E! headlined a roster of present and former Entertainment Television aired the “Serving for athletes at Legacy Villas Desert Smash Pre - Tsunami Relief” player and celebrity tourna - sented by Jaguar and Land Rover benefit - ment, which took place in Houston Feb. 1 and ing the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation, raised over $500,000. held March 9 to 10 at La Quinta Resort & The US Open Series, a six-week summer Club in California. The event launched the > tennis season leading up to the US Open, has 10-year anniversary of the foundation, added the women’s Acura Classic in San Diego which was founded by Tim & Tom Gullikson to its roster, which will be played Aug. 1 to 7. and their families after Tim was diagnosed The Series now includes 11 tournaments. with brain tumors in 1995. The Australian Open women’s final in which “Right Angles for Tennis” is a new train - > > defeated ing aid designed to keep hand and wrist in in three sets was ESPN2’s highest rated and the correct position for various shots and to most-viewed tennis event ever, earning a 1.5 develop “muscle memory.” The original rating and viewed in an average 1.35 million design is available for license or sale to households. manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 03-CUT-255, ISC, > Andre Agassi joined the U.S. 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or team for the March 4 to 6 tie against Croatia call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368, or visit at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. He www.isc-online.com. joined teammates Andy Roddick and Bob and Mike Bryan. > The 8th edition of the SGMA Interna - tional Activewear Color Card has been pro - > Auto-Ref Inc. of Canada, owner of sophis - duced for Spring/Summer 2006 and ticated technology designed to provide Fall/Winter 2006/2007. The Color Card instant, animated video replay from various forecasts 24 directional colors for the angles to improve line-calling accuracy, activewear market. It’s available to SGMA received a U.S. patent recently, which covers members for $30; nonmembers for $50. technology relating to an optical line monitor Visit www.sgma.com. for tennis matches. > Munson Inc. of Glendale, Wis., will hold > Stanford beat Kentucky 4-0 to win its sec - a Tennis Court Seminar on April 5 at the ond straight and eighth overall title at the Manchester Suites Hotel East in Milwau - USTA/Intercollegiate Tennis Association kee. Nine court construction professionals National Women's Team Indoor Champi - will offer advice on how to build, maintain, onship at the University of Wisconsin's A.C. and reconstruct courts. Cost is $50 per per - Nielsen Tennis . At the National son and includes handouts, refreshments, Men’s Team Indoor held at the Mid-Town Ten - and lunch. Visit www.munsoninc.com or nis Club in Chicago, top-seeded Baylor beat call 414-351-0800. Virginia 4-1.

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 INDUSTRY NEWS Gullikson Foundation Unveils New Logo The Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation to help brain tumor patients and their families deal with the social, emotional, and physical challenges of the disease has unveiled its 10-year anniversary “Tenacious Teamwork” logo. The organization was founded by former tennis pros Tim and Tom Gullikson and their families after Tim was diag - nosed with brain tumors.

New Tennis Collectibles on Sale ce Authentic, a new sports market - Aing company in Tampa, Fla., is pro - ducing tennis trading cards, player posters, and signed framed photos, as well as selling game-worn apparel and merchandise. The 2005 Ace Trading Card Debut Edition Set hit the market at the end of last year with 99 cards, including the first officially licensed rookie cards of Maria Sharapova, - Hardenne, Tim Henman, David Nalban - dian, , , Tatiana Golovin and Marat Safin. The set also included cards for Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Paradorn Srichaphan and Anna Kournikova. “There is currently a great demand for tennis trading cards as well as tennis memorabilia,” says Ace President Todd Goldman, who also is the publisher of Tennis Life Magazine . “With the increased interest in tennis and its per - sonalities, these products will quickly find a niche.” To order, call 800-600-4364. Corrections  The suggested retail price for Pow - erAngle racquets is $179, and the website for more information is www.PowerAngle.net. Both were listed incorrectly on RSI’s Racquet Selection Map in the March issue. The toll-free number for PowerAn - gle is 877-769-3721.

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11 INDUSTRY NEWS APRIL 2005 P L E W A T E O C H P • Tom Russ is the new manager of sports promotions for Prince Sports, responsible for all player and event promotions in the U.S. including the recruitment and manage - ment of touring pros, junior, collegiate, and senior sponsored players. For the past four years, Russ was the competition team/promotions director at Babolat.

• Junior standout Donald Young, a Head Team Elite member, won the Australian Open junior boy’s singles event and, at 15 years, 6 months, became the youngest boy to win a Junior Grand Slam and the youngest to reach No. 1 in the history of the ITF junior rankings. Also, Head Team Elite member of Russia won the girl’s title at the Aussie Open.

• Pro Guillermo Coria debuted Prince’s new O3-engineered racquets at the Australian Open. Prince says O3 improves sweetspot and . For more info, visit www.princetennis.com.

• is the chair of the USTA’s USA Tennis High Performance Committee, which assists the High Performance professional staff in developing world-class American champions. Also on the committee is pro Michael Chang, who will serve a two-year term, and tennis legend Jack Kramer, who will serve as a special advisor.

• Rising tennis star Scott Oudsema has signed on with SFX Sports Group for marketing and representation.

• Jennifer Capriati and Fila have parted company, unable to agree on terms of a new contract. Capriati had been wearing Fila clothes since 1999.

• Bill Riddle, Cumberland University’s men’s and women’s head tennis coach, was named the 2004 USPTA Tennessee Tennis Professional of the Year. Riddle is the president of the USPTA Tennessee Chapter and director of tennis at the Bluegrass Yacht & Country Club.

• David Butterfield (at right) is the new director of tennis at Cheeca Lodge & Spa on Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

• The USTA has named Kathy Francis to the newly created position of Man - aging Director, Community Tennis Marketing and Development. Francis will be responsible for the development and implementation of the USTA’s Com - munity Tennis marketing initiatives, focusing on new advertising, promotion and pro - gramming to grow participation and frequency of play on a national and grassroots level.

• Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams will lead the U.S. Fed Cup team against Bel - gium April 23-24 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Fla.

• The International Tennis Hall of Fame promoted Linda M. Johnson, to the associate director of development from director of the annual fund.

• University of Florida Senior Hamid Mirzadeh won the USTA Sportsmanship Award recently at the USTA/ITA National Men’s Team Indoor Championship.

• Eiichi Kawatei of Tokyo, Japan, is the 2005 recipient of the Golden Achievement Award, which is presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame in recogni - tion of contributions to tennis in the fields of administration, promotion, or education.

• George Hovsepian of Acworth, Ga., is the 2004 Member of the Year for the Georgia Professional Tennis Association.

12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 INDUSTRY NEWS Vantage Sport Offers Wilson Adds Five to Speaker’s Bureau Custom-Built Racquets atrick McEnroe, Mary Joe Fernandez, , Luke Jensen, and Murphy antage Sport International of England PJensen have joined the Wilson Speaker’s Bureau program, sharing their pas - Vhas launched a custom-build racquet sion for the sport with the tennis community. The former touring pros cur - brand. According to the company, play - rently use Wilson’s nCode racquet technology and are also part of Wilson’s ers can order racquets built to their specifi - Advisory Staff. cations at prices competitive with “The Wilson Speaker’s Bureau is focused on educating the community about mass-market brands. the excitement, competitiveness, and ,” says Jon Muir, U.S. direc - “Previously, if you wanted to have a rac - tor of sales and marketing for Wilson Racquet Sports. “We are honored to have quet made to your requirements, you either such a distinguished group of ambassadors helping to share this important mes - had to be a highly ranked professional ten - sage and shape future generations of leaders, players, and fans.” nis player, or pay over $400 to a specialized Other members of the Speaker’s Bureau include Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, racquet technician,” says Paul Angell, Vic Braden, Peter Burwash, and Wayne Bryan. founder and CEO of Vantage Sports. Through its website, www.vantagetennis. com, Vantage allows players to select options to define a racquet that best suits their playing style and phys - ical ability. The options include technical specifications such as head size, string pat - tern, stiffness, racquet length, and weight/balance. Vantage also offers a selec - tion of handle shapes, grip types, grip sizes and two cosmetic options. Once they are personally configured, the frames can be ordered directly from Vantage online. In addition to custom racquets, Vantage also offers a range of “prebuilt” frames and a line of accessories including bags, strings, and grips. Purchasers also get their own code that can earn credits and discounts. For more information, or to find out how to add Vantage to your existing racquet shop offerings, visit the website or email list - [email protected]. PTR Names Anderson Master Professional irk Anderson of New Fairfield, Conn., Kwas named a PTR Master Profession - al at the annual awards banquet at the PTR International Tennis Symposium in February. Anderson joins an elite group of 21 others in the 11,000-member PTR to earn that designation. Also, Anderson, is one of only five in the world to hold Mas - ter Pro certifications from both the PTR and the USPTA. Anderson is the department director for recreational coaches and programs at the USTA, which provides services and resources to coaches and tennis leaders throughout the U.S. who are involved with recruiting new players and retaining them in local programs.

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13 APRIL 2005 S W

E In •Tenn Releases 2nd DVD Issue BYU-Hawaii Breaks Its Record N Y

R n•Tenn, the DVD tennis magazine, recently released its second he top-ranked Brigham Young University–Hawaii T S issue. This new edition contains more than two hours of tennis women’s tennis team broke its own NCAA record in U

D T I February by winning its 104th consecutive dual action, with 65 percent of the video devoted to improving the N I viewer’s tennis play. match, defeating University of Hawaii–Hilo, 8-1. The The issue features Jim and Linda McIngvale and their tennis pro - Seasiders, who began NCAA Division II play in the fall of gram for the Houston Independent School District, a feature on 1998 and won their first 103 matches, now have a 207- Andy Roddick’s Foundation, and a segment on two young players 1 record. and their tennis development. The DVD also features Computerized Tennis Lessons, Drills, Prince Debuts New T10 Shoe Tips, Conditioning, guidance on when to restring your racquet, and what kinds of strings to use to improve your play. Former Davis rince says its newest tennis shoe, the T10, is as aggres - Cup doctor George Fareed reports on preventing injuries, and Psive in appearance as it is in performance. The light sports psychologist Allen Fox reports on how to prepare for a gray performance shoe is part of match. Prince’s Agility Series, which the For more information about In-Tenn, visit ww.intennn.com. company says is designed to pro - vide a tailored, comfortable fit by hugging the foot from heel to toe and supplying support and stability. “The T10 provides unsurpassed support and comfort for serious players who are looking for fast-moving responsive foot-wear on a number of dif - ferent playing surfaces,” says James Lin, Prince’s product development manager. “This shoe gives them better stabil - LETTERS ity and gripping traction for quick starts and stops.” The T10 shoe will be featured on Competitive Edge, a Bring Tennis to the PGA Show? series running on ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, and The Tennis To The Editor: Channel. In addition, in-store POP and regional advertising will be a part of the launch campaign. For more informa - I'm writing to you with the hope that you will disseminate the tion, visit www.princetennis.com. proposition outlined below. What prompts me to do this is the current sad state of affairs of the tennis industry.

I walked the 2005 Super Show in Orlando in January, and for Atlanta CTA Honored by USTA the first time since the Super Show's Atlanta inception in 1985, he Atlanta Community Tennis Association (ACTA) my company was not an exhibitor. There were only seven small has been selected as the 2004 National Community companies representing tennis at this year's Super Show. T Tennis Association of the Year. ACTA was honored The PGA has a golf show in Orlando, and this show likewise is before more than 600 community tennis leaders at the not doing well. Quite a few facilities across the U.S. are golf annual USTA Community Tennis Development Work - and tennis. Wouldn't it make sense to collaborate with the PGA shop held at Sandestin Resort in Destin, Fla., Feb. 4 to 7. and become part of their show? Maybe the USTA and the TIA ACTA was founded in 1980 as a non-profit, volunteer- can be the combined tennis body to represent tennis manufac - run tennis league. Today it operates under the leadership turers at the PGA show. of a board of directors, an executive committee, Execu - tive Director Matt Olson, and a full-time staff of five peo - This can be a win-win for all. They have an experienced show ple who facilitate a diverse breadth of tennis programs management group, a good Orlando location, and would prob - and services that extend to over 35,000 adult members ably welcome the infusion into their lackluster show atten - and 45,000 participants. dance. “Through its exceptional tennis programs, dedicated Gene Niksich corps of volunteers, strategic community partnerships, President, Unique Sports Products effective planning, and pervasive marketing and public relations, the Atlanta Community Tennis Association has We welcome your letters and comments. Please email them to become a thriving organization,” says Lee Hamilton, the [email protected] or fax them to 760-536-1171. USTA’s executive director.

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005

customer RELATIONS Ten Easy Steps to a Customer-

Friendly Tennis Facility BY GLENN ARRINGTON

op retailers spend a considerable amount Tof time researching and analyzing what Q Website: If you have a website, create and manage a dedicated area on motivates the consumer to make a buy - your home page for new players or former players looking to get into ten - ing decision. Much of this research reveals nis. Provide easy-to-follow information about programs, events, and ser - that buying decisions are oftentimes emotion - vices for newcomers. ally based. We first want something, and then we rationalize the decision to buy it. Q Telephone: This is generally where the “first impression” comes from. Successful retailers capitalize on this aspect Think pleasantry, sincerity, and brevity. Work to train phone staff on all of buying by making their customers feel available programs and services. Remember, you are sending a visual comfortable and at home in their stores. And snapshot of your tennis operation through the telephone line. this same concept can hold true for tennis facilities looking to attract and keep new Q Facility Entryway: By creating an exciting and visually appealing entry - customers. way, you can create a secondary “first impression” with the customer. By tradition, some tennis facilities and their Consider window displays, creative landscaping, fresh flowers, and exteri - personnel can give off an intimidating appear - or signage to direct newcomers and visitors to the appropriate area. ance for newcomers. Perhaps it's putting forth the image that tennis is “stuffy” or for the Q Greet Customers Warmly and Genuinely: We’ve all been in stores “elite.” Perhaps it is a facility that is “dated” where we feel like intruders. Make every effort to approach the new cus - and just needs a renovation to keep pace with tomer as soon as possible and let them know you are there to help. the times. There could be a myriad of other reasons, but the result is that many new cus - Q Set the Tone With Music: Soft jazz or mood music can create a warm tomers never get up enough courage to come and relaxing environment for your facility and help put customers at ease. in. If they do, they feel uncomfortable and leave quickly—empty-handed. Q Create a New Player Area: Develop a special area within your facility A large part of customer service is creating to showcase information, photos, and special activities designed for new a seamless experience. When customer expec - players and new customers. tations are met or exceeded, the result is exponential growth in both revenue and cus - Q Create a New Player Guide: Have informative packets available for tomers. With the Tennis Welcome Center inquiring customers and new players to acquaint them with your facility campaign, the idea is for new and returning and the policies and procedures. Also include discount coupons for new players to have a fun, friendly, non-threaten - equipment and programs. ing first experience in tennis, so they’ll contin - ue to play the game. Q Display Prices and Programs: Consumer radar (suspicion) goes up if At right are some tips designed to make the customer has to inquire too much about the pricing structure. Have a your facility customer-friendly. list of available programs and pricing clearly displayed and available. It's what happens after the customer arrives that determines whether you'll keep Q Help Educate Your Customers: One of the most often overlooked them. Welcome customers with great people, and best ways to gain customers is to be the information provider. Con - great attitudes, and an inviting environment. sider providing complimentary information on health and wellness, nutri - Get them involved with your programs and tional tips, tennis vacations, tennis instruction, how to choose a tennis staff. Get to know them, not only as cus - racquet, etc. Once you are perceived as the trusted expert, you have a tomers, but also as people. customer for life. They'll buy, they'll come again, and they'll tell their friends and neighbors. Q Q Get Personal: Let your customers get to know the people behind the scenes. A simple biography and photo of staff members, including their Glenn Arrington is the USTA’s product man - hobbies and personal interests, can prove helpful to relationship-building. ager for Tennis Welcome Center, and is a PTR Also, work to arrange opportunities for staff to spend time on the tennis and USPTA pro. court with the customers they serve.

16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005

 INDUSTRY people In Chicago, a Courtless Tennis Program for Countless Kids BY CHRIS NICHOLSON

ee that man in Chicagoland? The a tennis entrepreneur—we need more A future part of the program is a col - S one with no tennis court but with a Marks out there,” says Jeff Giles, the oring book that will be handed out free legion of children who owe their director of community tennis develop - to participants. The book will cover not love of the game to him? That’s Mark ment for the USTA’s Midwest section. only tennis, but also nutrition, exercise Miller. He’s changed how tennis caters to “He works out arrangements with and self-esteem and will be paid for by a youngsters in the Chicago area, and he’s schools and, more importantly, day-care corporate sponsor. aiming to expand his catering business centers, and sets up short-court tennis, With everything going so grand, nationwide. takes balls and little nets, and takes the what’s next for the Munchin Program? Miller’s passion and business grew program right to the facility. And he’s Expansion. Miller wants to see the pro - from an epiphany he had in the fall of doing a great job. He’s energetic, he’s gram eventually go nationwide, through 1996. He was watching his then-3-year- passionate, and he understands the what he calls a “franchise with no fran - old daughter participate in a tennis clinic social and psycho - that used a shortened logical benefits court. “That’s when I that tennis can came up with an have to the youth idea,” Miller remem - in a community.” bers. “I said, ‘I’m going One of the to teach tennis to little kids, keys of Miller’s and I’m not going to use a ten - success is that he nis court.’ “ passes the respon - The tactic, Miller says, is that sibility of market - by not limiting clinics to schools and ing onto the neighborhoods with tennis facilities, ten - respective commu - nis reaches a broader audience. “So I can nities. This not expose literally thousands and thousands only allows him to of kids to tennis because I don’t use a focus on teaching tennis court,” he says. “I go to a gymnasi - the children, but um, classroom or recreation room and use also reduces his that facility.” overhead. Eight years later, Miller’s Munchkin “The beauty of Program is a hit in Chicago. It has spread my business is I don’t have to continually chise fee.” (Interested parties can get to 70 locations in 45 Chicagoland dis - market it because the park districts do,” more information by visiting tricts, and programs have opened in Indi - Miller says. “I never touch registration, I www.munchkinprogram.com.) ana and Wisconsin. Munchkin never advertise.” “What I look for in my staff is they Program—which also incorporates soccer, Despite the success of the whole just have to be great with kids and be Nerf football, T-ball and other sports—has Munchkin Program, there’s one aspect reliable, and I’ll teach them the rest,” seen plenty that’s particularly close to Miller’s heart. Miller says. “I’ll even take someone who of press, “I want to raise money to help under - doesn’t know how to play tennis, too, having privileged kids—kids with diabetes, with because I have a step-by-step manual been cov - cancer, with any kind of disability what - that tells them everything.” ered by ABC soever,” Miller says. “My big passion is The growth might take a while, but News, NBC, the Parents and Me program, where if Miller’s success in Chicago is any indi - CNN, the these parents spend quality time with cation, it will be steady and sure. “We’re Chicago Tri - their kids. I want to be in every park dis - just going step by step,” Miller says. bune and trict imaginable doing this. We’re trying “Go to one state, go into another state, national to fight kids’ obesity as well as promot - go into another state. We’re really trying magazines. ing family togetherness through the hard to grow the game of tennis “Mark is game of tennis.” through this.” Q

18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005

$ YOUR finances Choosing the Best Organization for

Your Business BY MARK E. BATTERSBY

hat is the best entity for operating from that applied to S corporations, part - general partners. Obviously, unless many Wyour tennis facility or shop? For tax nerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships. passive investors are involved, limited part - purposes, the predominant forms of These entities, often referred to as “pass- nerships are not the best structure to use. business enterprise are the regular, so- through” entities, do not pay an entity-level One of the major advantages of a called “C” corporation; its pass-through tax on their earnings. Only the owners of partnership is the tax treatment it enjoys. small-business cousin, the “S” corporation; these entities are taxed on their share of the A partnership does not pay tax on its a partnership; a limited-liability company business’s earnings. income but “passes through” all profits or (LLC); or a sole proprietorship. losses to the individual partners. Each To choose among those entities is to GOING IT ALONE partner is required to report profits from choose among significant differences in The easiest structure is the sole proprietor - the partnership on his or her individual tax federal income tax treatment. Although ship, which usually involves just one individ - return. Even though the partnership pays many of the tax law’s provisions apply to ual who owns and operates the retail no income tax, it must complete and file a all entities, some areas of the law are business or facility. The tax aspects of a sole parternship informational return, Form specifically targeted for each type of busi - proprietorship are especially appealing 1065. ness organization. because income and expenses from the Personal liability is a major concern for Unfortunately, there is more to choos - business are included on the sole propri - many facility owners, especially those ing the right structure for a tennis business etor’s personal income tax return. employing a general partnership. Similar than just tax considerations. Not only will Of course, as a sole proprietor, a retail to a sole proprietorship, general partners the decision have an impact on how much shop or facility owner must also file Sched - are personally liable for the partnership’s is paid in taxes, but also it will affect the ule SE with Form 1040, which is used to obligations and debt. Partnerships are also personal liability faced by the principals, calculate how much self-employment tax is more expensive to establish than sole pro - the operation’s ability to raise money, and owed. And don’t forget that quarterly pay - prietorships because they require more the amount of paperwork required. ments of estimated taxes are due from self- extensive legal and accounting services. employed tennis professionals and business THE TAX QUESTION owners. INCORPORATING Of all business entities, the C or regular Naturally, there are a few disadvantages. THE BUSINESS corporation is subject to the toughest tax Selecting the sole proprietorship structure Using the corporate structure for a tennis bite. The earnings of an incorporated ten - means that the owner or proprietor is solely operation is, as mentioned, more complex nis shop or facility are taxed twice. First a responsible for the operation’s liabilities. As and expensive than for other types of corporate income tax is imposed on the a result, a sole proprietor places his or her business entities. The resulting corpora - tennis operation’s net earnings and then, own assets at risk, subject to seizure to sat - tion, however, is an independent legal after the earnings are distributed to share - isfy a business debt or legal claim. entity, separate from its owners. As such, holders as dividends, each shareholder the corporation must comply with more must pay taxes separately on his or her PARTNERING UP regulations and tax requirements. share of the dividends. If the tennis business will be owned and The biggest benefit for the owner of Naturally, a corporation can reduce, or operated by several individuals, take a close an incorporated business is the liability even eliminate, its federal income tax liabil - look at partnerships. Partnerships come in protection he or she receives. Although ity by distributing its income as salary to two varieties: general and limited. In a gen - the courts are increasingly “reaching shareholder-employees who actually per - eral partnership, the partners manage the behind” the corporate structure, for the form valuable services for the corporation. business and assume responsibility for the most part, a corporation’s debt is not con - Although this can reduce taxation at the partnership’s debts and other obligations. A sidered to be that of its owners. corporate level, those who receive profits limited partnership has both general and Another plus is the ability of a corpo - from a corporation in exchange for services limited partners. ration to raise money. A corporation can must pay tax on the amount received, In a limited partnership, the general sell stock, either common or preferred, to which is treated as salary. Fortunately, partner owns and operates the business and raise funds. Corporations also continue there is some relief available to individual assumes liability for the partnership, while indefinitely, even if one of the sharehold - shareholders who currently benefit from the limited partners serve as investors only; ers dies, sells his or her shares, or the new, lower tax rate on dividends. they have no control over the operation and becomes disabled. This scheme of taxation differs radically are not subject to the same liabilities as the The corporate structure also comes

20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 with a number of downsides. A major one is higher costs. Corporations are formed under the laws of each state with their own set of regulations. A corporation must also follow a more complex set of rules and regulations than either a sole proprietorship or a partnership. And, don’t forget that other downside: the double tax paid at both federal and state levels.

S CORPORATIONS An S corporation is merely an incorporat - ed business that has chosen to be treated as a partnership for tax purposes. It offers some appealing tax benefits while still pro - viding its owners with the liability protec - tion of a corporation. With an S corporation, income and losses are passed through to shareholders and included on their individual tax returns. As a result there is just one level of federal tax to pay. On the downside, S corporations are subject to many of the same requirements corporations must follow resulting in high - er legal and accounting fees. They must also file articles of incorporation, hold directors and shareholder meetings, keep corporate minutes and allow shareholders to vote on major corporate decisions. Another major difference between a regular corporation and an S corporation is that S corporations can only issue one class of stock despite the limit of having up to 75 shareholders. Experts say this can hamper the tennis operation’s ability to raise capital. To set up an LLC, articles of organiza - rate status on the annual tax returns. Thus, NO LIMITS TO THE LLC tion must be filed with the secretary of an entity that is a partnership under state While the S corporation remains the most- state where the facility, retail shop or laws may elect to be taxed as a C or S corp used entity for small businesses, the limit - other tennis business will operate. Some for federal taxes by using Form 8832 (Entity ed-liability company or LLC introduced in states also require the filing of an operat - Classification Election). Unfortunately, under 1997 is a fairly recent phenomenon. An ing agreement, which is similar to a part - those so-called “check-the-box” regula - LLC is a hybrid entity, bringing together nership agreement. tions, entities formed under a corporation some of the best features of partnerships Like partnerships, LLCs do not have statute are automatically classified as corpo - and corporations. perpetual life. Some states stipulate that rations and may not elect to be treated as LLCs were created to provide business the business must dissolve after 30 or 40 any other kind of entity. owners with the liability protection that years. Technically, an LLC dissolves when Changing circumstances, changes in the corporations enjoy without the double a member dies, quits or retires. tax laws and even the success of the tennis taxation. Earnings and losses of an LLC Despite its popularity and the attrac - business might prompt a reassessment of pass through to the owners and are tions, LLCs also have disadvantages. Since the form your retail shop or facility operates included on their personal income tax an LLC is a relatively new entity, its tax under. It makes sense to ensure you are returns. treatment varies by state. using the best entity to provide your busi - Although it sounds similar to an S cor - ness—and you—with the most benefits and poration, the LLC has no limit on the FINDING THE RIGHT ENTITY consistently lowest tax bill. Q number of shareholders. In fact, any The annual tax return provides one incen - member or shareholder of the LLC are tive to reconsider the options for your Mark E. Battersby is a tax and financial allowed a full participatory role in the tennis business. Entities with more than advisor, lecturer, writer and author in business’s operation. one member are allowed to elect corpo - Ardmore, Pa.

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21 & marketing SUCCESS Ideas That Can Help You Sell More Racquets BY JOE DINOFFER

hen I managed pro shops and play - villain in Terminator 3. Or Babolat’s DEMO RACQUET RACK W ers wanted me to recommend a “Pure Drive,” which Andy Roddick uses. ON COURT racquet, I usually walked them over Who doesn’t want to hit their shots For under $50, you can purchase a profes - to the display area and asked them what “pure” like Roddick, whatever that sional-looking portable racquet center that color they liked. means? Or Prince’s “Shark,” reminding will hold a dozen or more racquets. Have This overly simplistic advice underscores us of that tenacious and sometimes the pros at your facility bring it out on the something far more important. People play deadly fish. court when they teach drill sessions and tennis largely for fun and for the satisfac - The point is that the racquet compa - clinics, or simply keep it on the court for tion of improvement. Their racquet is as nies are working for us. They conceive, back-to-back lessons. Players will be eager important to them as the clothes they design, and promote new racquets each to try new racquets, and you may just make wear, the car they drive, the cell phone year to tickle your players into trying a few quick sales. they use, and the house they live in. They them out and ultimately purchasing will select it largely because of an emotion - them. The question is, how can we take DEMO RACQUET al reaction. And, yes, color is important. advantage of the work that they are CENTER IN SHOP Each year racquet manufacturers come investing in our business? Get a second racquet rack for the shop up with higher performance, more sleek, Here are a few ideas to help you cash and, if you buy into this marketing concept, and more high-tech equipment. Even the in on the investments the racquet manu - have a double set of demo racquets as well. names of the frames are hot. For instance, facturers are making in the industry. Then, train your desk staff to ask all players Head’s “Liquid Metal Series.” It sounds like Someone will be selling racquets to play - going out to play if they would like to try a the nearly indestructible and ultra-cool she- ers. It may as well be you.

22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 demo racquet. They should already be ask - month will definitely help sell at least one ing the players if they need a can of balls, extra racquet. With an average profit so have them ask, “You’re on Court 6. margin of $75 to $100 per racquet, isn’t Have fun. Do you need a can of balls? it worth the effort? Would you like to try out a demo racquet free of charge?” PLAYER POSTERS OF FRAMES PAY ATTENTION TO THE Take advantage of pro player posters that DEMO DETAILS the racquet companies distribute. But Treat your demo racquets like you do your don’t just use scotch tape or masking car when you have it detailed. The racquets tape to hang them—that looks tacky. should always look and feel perfect. Frame them nicely. And ask your racquet Strings, stencils, grips, etc., should all be in manufacturer for an autographed copy of excellent shape. If they don’t look and feel the poster. Tell them that you are framing terrific, who will want to buy them? them in the shop, so it will last for years, and that some of the other racquet mak - LIST THE TOP PROS’ ers are helping you with this project. You EQUIPMENT may not get every player’s autographed Everyone loves a celebrity. Look in Tennis nice frame that makes it easy to slip the poster, but if you’re persistent, you’ll magazine or check on the internet for a poster in and out each month and hang most likely get a few. Q current list of the Top 10 ATP and WTA it in the middle of or next to your pro Joe Dinoffer is Master Professional for players or check out the Australian Open shop’s racquet display area. You’ll be sur - both the PTR and USPTA. He speaks log on pages 38-39. Type up their names prised at how much attention it gets. frequently at national and international along with the brand of racquet and frame This idea is also a great icebreaker or tennis teacher workshops as a member style that each player uses. Then, spend 30 conversation starter for your staff mem - of both the Head/Penn and Reebok minutes or so and take your computer bers who help customers with racquets. National Speaker's Bureaus. He is president of print-out of this list to a nearby copy center But, remember, the key is to update the Oncourt Offcourt Inc. and has written 16 books and and have it enlarged to poster size. Buy a list monthly. A little extra time each produced more than 30 instructional videos.

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23 G

retailing SUCCESS Signs of the Times

Use captivating graphics to capture more sales. BY CYNTHIA SHERMAN

s a retailer, do you know what Use technology as a means without changing the architecture,” A some of your best weapons are of communication: Don’t just says Nisch. To make this economically when the economy is weak? Sig - rely on the traditional, brief print signs feasible, see what a Kinko’s-type of nage and graphics. and large-format graphics, says Tesler. store can do for you. That’s according to Display and Design Consider using computer screens or Ideas magazine’s 2003 Signage and small kiosks to provide information from Put images on vinyl Graphics Industry Survey. If sales flatten the vendor directly to the shopper. and board stock: To capture out or decline and you have to cut retail Ken Nisch, president of JGA Services in consumers’ attention, Dean Henkel, staff, point-of-purchase signage can help Southfield, Mich., also emphasizes the creative director of Innovative Media in pump up your business. importance of digital imaging for in-store Madison, Wis., suggests what he calls But graphics and signage can do much graphic displays. “It’s all about creating an “grand-format imaging”—putting more for you. Today, consumers are look - environment and experience—not just a 3- images on flat-board stock or more ing for diverse, newer, more eclectic shop - by-5 graphic,” he says. Pro shops and flexible vinyl overlays. Adhesive-backed ping venues. Malls are losing consumer smaller tennis retailers should consider vinyls—which can adhere to walls, traffic yearly, says Mike Tesler, president of using computers and DVD players to floors, fixtures, windows, etc.—can be Retail Concepts in Norwell, Mass. “leverage the content in their environ - peeled off and changed frequently for Research has shown that people aren’t ment” and create high-energy, dynamic a new look, at a relatively low cost. responding to the homogenized look— graphics, Nisch says. stores that look like other stores, Tesler Incorporate graphics says. “This is where the pro shop and the into display space: Jeff Gill, sports specialty retailer has a real chance managing principal of design firm to stand out.” MCG Architecture in Irvine, Calif., sug - Graphic design gurus are pushing new gests incorporating graphics into the techniques that can make even small pro design of the display space. “You can shops and stand-alone tennis retailers use a repetitive band that wraps stand out, ensuring their graphics dollars around the periphery of the space, typ - make the biggest impact. Here are some ically above the merchandise,” Gill timely tips from retail industry pros. says. “It serves to highlight product and is very effective in small locations Signage needs where the graphics band acts as a to communicate: Tesler sug - strong element due to its repetitive gests using features and benefits, price nature.” This kind of graphic is more point, and short sentences in graphic stationary as it is generally silk- visuals throughout the store. A shop screened or painted on other types of needs to create its own interpretation of surfaces. why a consumer should buy a specific In a larger store, larger-than-life product or brand of equipment or graphics boards can be used as a back - apparel and be able to briefly communi - drop, drawing attention to a particular cate that visually. part of the store and highlighting the product. This draws attention to the dis - Signage needs plays themselves and enhances the prod - to coordinate: This is a good Try digital “slip covers”: uct’s appeal. place to establish a shop’s personality. Another use for digital imaging is “slip Store graphics need to be coordinated covering,” as Nisch calls it—creating Use your imagination: You so there’s a unity of branding and covers for tables or other fixtures should be seeing the trend by now. image that a shopper associates with through digital imaging. Digitally You need to capture the shopper’s that particular store. Don’t use signage enlarging and enhancing an image of a attention, and communicate your mes - solely to push sale items, says Tesler. racquet, ball, or other tennis-related sage. Nowadays, there are so many Graphics and signage can do so much element and using it as a slip cover for options available to customize your more for your business. a display “gives the store a new face look and brand your store. Q

24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005

THE PRO GAME 1100 WWAAYYSS TTOO FFIIRREE UUPP TTEENNNNIISS Enthralling rivalries and charismatic characters make tennis boom, but the sport doesn’t have to plummet in popularity when they are in short supply. Here are 10 ways to fire up

tennis, from an award-winning tennis writer. BY PAUL FEIN IP #1: BRING BACK SERVING IP #2 : CREATE INFORMATIVE TAND VOLLEYING. TAND CLEAR STANDINGS. Shockingly, the most exciting and athletic playing style exem - For the past 30 years newspapers have published a confus - plified by McEnroe, Becker, Sampras, Gonzalez and Navratilo - ing array of tennis rankings and lists that turn off, rather va and decades of Australian stars from Sedgman to Court to than enlighten, sports fans. Want to know who’s No. 1 Rafter—is almost extinct. Imagine football without the for - and who’s in the Top 10? It’s no easy task! The men’s ward pass or boxing without body punching and you get the game, for example, gives us the ATP Champions Race bleak picture. Tim Henman, now 30 and never a champion, which often conflicts with the ATP Entry Rankings (viz. the is the only Top 10 serve-volleyer, and less than a dozen top “real” rankings), which are different from the US Open 100 players frequently do it. Among the women, only Aussie Series rankings during the summer. We also are barraged and American , 31, serve and volley with not one but two doubles rankings: team and individ - even occasionally. What’s the remedy? Gradually reduce the ual. To bewilder us further, we get weekly prize money allowable overall width of the racquet head from the current lists, which are meaningless because they combine singles, 12 1/2” (31.75 cm) to 10” (25.4 cm). That will significantly doubles and mixed doubles earnings. Then, of course, the decrease the tremendous power and vicious spin that today’s ITF crowns its own annual men’s and women’s champi - high-tech racquets generate and help redress the imbalance ons—such as No. 3-ranked Anastasia Myskina in 2004— now favoring baseliners. Increase the importance of grass- which don’t always coincide with the year-end ATP and court play—where serving and volleying is most effective—by WTA No. 1 players. Enough already! Team sports, such as scheduling Wimbledon a week later to add another week of the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB, clearly and simply tell us who grass tournaments. And create some new grass-court events are the best teams and the order of the rest with standings. during the year. Get rid of slow, abrasive hard courts that No conflicts, debates, or confusion. Tennis, both an individ - unduly favor groundstrokers. Encourage talented youngsters ual and team sport, can and must create easy-to-under - to improve their volleying skills so they can develop their serv - stand and informative “standings,” too. These ing-and-volleying as juniors. Contrasting styles create sensa - ground-breaking, weekly Top 10 singles standings would tional match-ups, such as McEnroe-Borg, Sampras-Agassi and include the player’s last name, country, point average, most Navratilova-Evert, that feature diving volleys, leaping smashes, recent results (such as round reached in last tournament) scintillating passing shots and cunning lobs. Otherwise, ten - and next scheduled tournament. Doubles standings would nis fans suffer baseline blahs from a menu limited almost include the Top 5-ranked teams with a similar format. completely to forehands and backhands whacked by incom - These Monday-morning standings would provide aficiona - plete players. dos with all they need to know.

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27 IP # 3: IDENTIFY THE intently if you know them,” points out former doubles champion , TPLAYERS. now a TV analyst. “Tennis stars need to be accessible on game day before com - petition as well as after.” To strengthen the player-fan connection, tennis should Big-time tennis is blessed with so much depth copy golf and conduct Pro-Am events benefiting charities before Tennis Masters that unknowns and lesser lights test and upset Series and International Series tournaments. On the last weekend players could favorites regularly. Hardly anyone outside their also stage adult and junior camps and seminars when the courts have opened up. countries, though, had heard of Tomas Berdych, an 18-year-old Czech ranked No. 135, who shocked world No. 1 Roger Federer at the IP #6: NICKNAME PLAYERS. Athens Olympics, and No. 447 Chris Guccione, T an 18-year-old Aussie who ambushed No. 3 Whatever happened to the colorful and fun nicknames of yester - Juan Carlos Ferrero at the 2004 Sydney Interna - year? I remember when players got tagged with memorable tional. Who are these guys, and where do they monikers such as “Muscles” (Ken Rosewall), “Snake” (Ross come from? Inquiring fans want to know. Case), “Rocket” (), “Nails” (Bob Starting in 2005, doubles players, generally Carmichael), “Gentleman Jack” (Crawford), much less known by spectators, should be “Hacker” (Fred Stolle), “The Wizard” (Nor - required to wear their full names and countries man Brookes), and “Killer” (Darren Cahill). on the back of their shirts, dresses and warm-up And those are only Australian men, for suits. Singles players would follow suit in 2006. starters. Catchy sobriquets are rare today Then there’d be no more “Come on, whatshis - with the best being “The Beast” (Max name!” cries from the crowd. Mirnyi), “The Mosquito” (Ferrero) and “Scud” (Mark Philippoussis). No one IP # 4: REV UP TOUR - asked me, but how about “The Mad Russ - TNAMENT FINALS. ian” for Marat Safin and “Pocket Rocket” for Justine Henin-Hardenne? Tennis is often compared with boxing, another mano a mano fiercely competitive individual sport. Dramatic entrances and colorful IP #7: DRESS LIKE announcements magnify the already ear-shatter - TCHAMPS, NOT ing noise and exciting anticipation at title fights. CHUMPS. Renowned ring announcer Michael Buffer’s Sex sells and not just for tennis famous “Let’s get ready to rumble!” climaxes babes whose outfits range from his engaging introductions of the boxers and attractively classy to seductively whips fans into a frenzy. Boxing great Sugar skimpy. For the past 10 years, howev - Ray Leonard once said, “When I heard [those er, men’s attire has gone downhill fast five words], it made me want to fight. I could - with baggy shorts that look more like crum - n’t wait to get it on.” Tennis should copy that pled underwear and shirts with sleeves down to the format or create other dynamic pre-final formats elbow. Some dorks even wear baseball caps when at non-Grand Slam tournaments. Playing the playing indoors. What are they trying to hide, any - national anthems of both finalists would height - way? A survey a while back revealed men tour players en patriotic fervor and also rev up partisan boasted an awesome 6.9 body fat percent average. The onlookers. best sartorial innovation this century is the sleeveless shirt worn by German Tommy Haas, Spaniards Rafael Nadal IP #5: CONNECT PLAY - and Carlos Moya, and American James Blake. Hey, guys, TERS AND FANS. show those muscles. Chicks dig them! Sports like NASCAR are way ahead of the game because devotees feel they “know” the stars of IP #8: STOP THE STALLING. their sport. Fans chat with Jeff Gordon, Dale T Earnhardt Jr. and other drivers minutes before Sports fans crave action. But the disturbing truth is they risk their lives at breakneck speeds. “We that men’s singles matches, in particular, provide much all know you follow someone’s career more too little “action time.” Typically, the ball is in play only

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 10 to 15 percent of the total match time, compared to a far more entertain - events.” Here’s how doubles can reach its pro ing 30 to 50 percent in other leading sports, such as football, basketball and potential. soccer. To reduce the “dead time,” tennis should put a 20-second clock on Q Start doubles on Wednesday to encourage court, like the shot clock in basketball, and when the buzzer goes off, the first- and second-round singles losers to enter. player loses that point if he hasn’t served. The WTA Tour should get rid of Q Televise all doubles finals after the singles. the ridiculous two “bathroom breaks” rule and limit on-court visits by train - Q Assign an ATP and WTA communications ers—that typically last three to five minutes—to once in best-of-three-set director to doubles only, and publicize leading matches and twice in best-of-five-set matches. And neither tour should teams with a major promotional campaign. adopt a rule allowing players to challenge line calls. It’s yet Q Immediately follow the 7 p.m. singles match another boring and unnecessary time-waster. with a doubles match—or start the doubles at 6:30 p.m., followed by a singles at approxi - IP #9: RESUSCI - mately 8 or 8:30 p.m. TTATE DOUBLES. Q Require matching shirts and shorts for doubles Back in 1991 former doubles star teams. Frew McMillan rightly observed: Q Have doubles teams appear together in auto - “The way tournaments treat dou - graph sessions. bles reminds me of a grocer who Q Have doubles teams conduct “Kids Days” so has a good product but won’t that doubles is explained and showcased. put it out on the shelf. The Q Nearly double the measly 17 percent of people would buy the prod - Tennis Master Series total prize money (and uct if they saw it, but most 20 percent overall) that doubles receives to 30 of them aren’t even aware percent. it’s available because of the way it’s hidden from IP #10: FIX THE view.” Doubles is TSCHEDULE. the event that To help reverse the epidemic of injuries, exhaus - recreational tion and burnout, shorten the grueling season so players favor, that it ends in October with the Davis Cup and and as Aussie Fed Cup finals. Reduce the Davis Cup World great John Group from 16 to eight teams and from four to Newcombe three rounds and play the first round in April so once said, “A that the previous year’s champion will reign for good doubles at least six months. This 10-week “off-sea - match can be son”—still small compared to other sports—will one of the fastest benefit fans, too. We’ll actually start to miss the and most exciting sport and will eagerly look forward to its January of all sports return in Australia. Q

Award-winning tennis writer Paul Fein’s book, Tennis Con - fidential: Today’s Greatest Players, Matches, and Contro - versies , published by Brassey’s, Inc., was listed No. 1 among tennis books by Amazon.com and BN.com. Informa - tion about the book and how to order it can be found at: www.tennisconfidential.com. His second book, You Can Quote Me on That: Greatest Tennis Quips, Insights, and Zingers , will be published by Potomac Books, Inc. (formerly Brassey’s, Inc.) in March 2005. For more information, visit www.tennisquotes.com.

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29 GROWING THE GAME CCOORRPPOORRAATTEE DDIIVVIIDDEENNDDSS

Starting company tennis leagues in your area can be lucrative for your business, fun for employees, and beneficial

for the corporations. BY KRISTEN DALEY

n increasing focus on the growth of corporate tennis pro - uct manager for Adult Tennis, is that “these programs provide a really A grams not only stands to benefit companies across the nice platform for team-building within an organization.” country, but also tennis teaching pros, facilities and retail shops. Meanwhile, facilities that host such programs also see substantial And, in addition to promoting the healthful attributes of the benefits, most obviously in increased revenue from equipment and game, corporate tennis programs will bring new players into retail sales, league fees and court fees. Tennisport Incorporated, a pri - the game. vate facility in Long Island City, N.Y., is the home of “Corporate At least 30 corporate tennis leagues currently exist in the League Tennis,” a program that brings 26 companies U.S.—both intercompany leagues where different corporations together for tennis competition and camaraderie. According to manag - play each other, and intracompany leagues made up of teams er Doris Sterling, approximately 25 percent of league participants over within the same company. This year, the USTA and World the past 10 years have become club members. In particular, the facili - TeamTennis are joining forces to grow corporate tennis pro - ty’s pro shop has noticed that the number of racquets they’ve restrung grams, with a goal of finding 10 metropolitan markets this year has increased substantially as a result of the corporate program. to start leagues. The partnership has already proved fruitful—a Another benefit of corporate tennis for a community and/or tennis new league has begun in Atlanta, under the auspices of the facility is the potential for sponsorship opportunities. “When a business Georgia Tennis Association. participates in the corporate tennis program, and sees the benefits to “World TeamTennis is fun, exciting, quick and co-ed,” says its employees, it is more likely to support the cause of tennis,” says Delaine Mast, WTT national program coordinator for the recre - Julie Pek, executive director of the USTA Kentucky district. Kentucky ational leagues. “The USTA has a desire to grow the game. So Fried Chicken, headquartered in Louisville, has participated in a corpo - it’s a very good partnership.” rate tennis program for the last five years. “Because of this awareness As a teaching pro or facility manager, you should look for of tennis, and some very influential employees, KFC was a major spon - companies in your area that are ripe to start corporate tennis. It sor of the USA League Southern Sectional Championships in 2001 and could be a lucrative venture for your business, and there are a 2002,” says Pek. lot of advantages to everyone involved, including employees themselves and the companies they work for. IND THE RIGHT FORMAT FCorporate tennis play formats are flexible. Arrington suggests OOD FOR THE COMPANY that facilities interested in hosting a corporate tennis program look into GCorporations that offer employee-fitness programs benefit what the company wants from the program, and use that as a guide in a number of ways. The Health Partners Research Foundation to achieve a balance between the league’s needs and those of other has found that increasing physical activity to moderate levels can members and visitors. According to Sterling, the corporate league lower health care charges by $2,000 per employee. In addition, takes over the Tennisport courts between 8 and 10 p.m. on weekdays, physically fit employees are known to demonstrate better job and 6 and 8 p.m. on weekends, a time convenient for other members. performance. What’s more, adds Glenn Arrington, USTA prod - There are several ways to market a tennis program to a company

30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 How to Start a Corporate League In Your Area

Q Contact a company’s Human Resources department: Tell them of the benefits a cor - porate league can have to both the company and its employees. Most companies, especial - ly large firms, should find the health-care cost savings and increased productivity of workers quite appealing. See whether the company can subsidize all or part of the cost of the league for its employees.

Q Get the word out: Once you have the OK from H.R., use every resource available to get the word out to company employees. Try to find a “point person” in the company who can act as your liaison for the league; possibly

m someone in the personnel department or

o

h T maybe a tennis player from that company

e

n

i

t

s

i that you already teach or know from your

r

K

y facility. Then have him or her send email

b

s

n blasts to fellow employees and have notices

o

i

t

a

r

t posted on bulletin boards and in company

s

u

l

l

I newsletters and corporate-wide memos. Have your point person manage the sign-up list for and its employees. “We have 32 courts that the league. we need to fill, so we need to look at every Q Find out the best play format for the new avenue,” says Michael Woody, managing league: Contact your USTA section, district or director at Midland Community Tennis Cen - CTA or World TeamTennis to figure out which ter in Midland, Mich. To get companies format will work best for the league. Some interested, he appeals to their human formats are better for beginner players and resources or personnel representatives, pitch - may also include clinics and practices to help ing the center’s “Play Tennis Fast” program them improve their games. Make sure you as a healthy lifestyle program for employees. can carve out court time that is compatible Going straight to an existing tennis player with the employees’ schedules. is another way to start or grow a corporate league. One employee could bring in a Q Hold a welcome party: Pick a date and open group of colleagues to participate in a up the facility, or at least a few courts, for a league, or approach his or her employer party for the employees. Have snacks and about sponsoring a program or a team. beverages (see if the company can help fund Woody has found offering corporate ten - this), organize round-robins, drills and clinics. nis to be an effective tactic in growing the Make sure you address all the different levels game and his business—the program yields of play you may get, from rank beginners to about 200 new players and 100 new mem - advanced players. And above all, keep it fun bers a year. He considers it an “important and make sure that employees have a chance piece” in a collaboration of programs that to socialize with each other when not playing. help build the business’s bottom line. “If we Q Work the league season: Be in constant didn’t market to corporations, we’d lose touch with league members, through emails 1,000 hours” of court time, he explains, and notices on bulletin boards and in which equates to about $10,000 in revenue. company newsletters. List the league Arrington sees the promotion of corpo - standings each week. rate tennis as an efficient way to market to a group quickly and get a substantial return. Q Hold a season-ending party: Give awards, and “I think corporate tennis is an untapped encourage current players to bring new peo - market at this point,” he says. “It has ple into the league. Also take this opportunity enormous potential to reach the 25-to-45 to have them sign up for the next season. age group.” Q

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31 INDUSTRY SUCCESS CCUUSSTTOOMMEERR TTEENNNNIISS For 30 years, Peter Burwash and Peter Burwash International have

been providing unrivaled service “Second, living in Hawaii, I’d hear from people who said they had visited three or four different islands and would get to players, vacationers, facilities, different instruction from each pro, with no consistency from and their own employees. one to the next. “Third, I just had an incredible life on the tour and had a BY PETER FRANCESCONI chance to play in 74 countries. I thought, it would be nice if people could have this travel experience even if they weren’t eter Burwash gave me my first formal tennis lesson. able to play on the pro tour. It happened 17 years ago at Seabrook Island Resort in South Car - “I thought a tennis management company was a brilliant olina. And I was intrigued—by Burwash himself, by his pros, by his idea. I didn’t realize that by 1975, there were 16 others doing teaching methods, by his whole positive outlook toward life and tennis. the same thing,” he says. “Right now, of those original 17, I think Burwash would be happy to know that now, after having we’re the survivors. We’re the one still standing. And it’s been taken lessons from many different pros over the years, I still remember— very gratifying.” and more importantly, still use—at least two key Peter Burwash teaching points: On the serve, “hit up, snap down” (I remember him sitting cross- NTENSIVE TRAINING legged on the court at the baseline and “snapping” the ball over the net ICurrently, PBI manages the tennis at 69 sites around the and into the service court), and, in the ready position, hold the throat of world, and there are 101 tennis professionals in the company. your racquet with your non-racquet hand, with your index finger on the “I’ve personally interviewed 10,586 pros,” says Burwash. strings to help “set” the direction of the head for the next shot. “And these are long interviews—10 to 14 hours. I believe When everything else starts falling apart during a match, these two that the president of the company should do most of the simple tips help me regain my balance. Then I remember what a great interviews and take time with them, so you get it right. I’m time I had that long weekend 17 years ago and how much I learned stymied today with how many people do one- or two-hour about playing and enjoying the game. And I consider how lucky I was to interviews. You can’t really learn that much in that time.” have my introduction to tennis be from someone who has such a huge Pros who survive the interview process still have a long passion for the game. way to go, however—450 hours of training, crammed into one month of 15-hour days. Prospective PBI pros spend 130 OLE SURVIVOR of those training hours on court, learning about basic teach - SIt was 30 years ago this past February when Burwash started Peter ing methods, how to give private and group lessons, and vari - Burwash International, which manages the tennis operations at some of ous on-court programs. But, says Burwash, “We don’t teach the world’s most exclusive resorts and clubs. In 1975, Burwash, who systems; we teach individuals. We teach a setup concept and grew up in Canada and was living in Hawaii at the time, was fresh off terminology that will allow customers to go from one PBI the pro tour, having played professionally since 1967, winning 19 singles facility to another. That consistency and continuity of commu - and doubles titles. nication is very important and leads to very loyal customers.” “When I was on the tour, playing at clubs and resorts around the The other 320 hours of training are off the court and in world, I saw how a lot of tennis operations were set up,” says Burwash, the classroom, where PBI pros learn about the business. But “and three things struck me. First, in those days, there were a lot of they don’t just learn about their little area of tennis; PBI pros tourneys at resorts, and I’d interact with resort managers and they’d be are schooled in all aspects of the resort and club business. looking for a pro. So I thought, maybe there’s room for a management “We have courses about what a hotel manager does, company to supply pros to resorts. what convention bookers and meeting planners do, how each

32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 department in a hotel fits into the whole scheme of things, class - “We’ve turned down quite a few over the years,” says Burwash. es in writing, understanding the media, how to put together a “The No. 1 reason is for a lack of service mentality—the owner or press release, how to take photos, budgeting, court construction, manager doesn’t really see service as critical. No. 2 would be securi - lighting, court maintenance, computers, and much more,” says ty. We’ve had offers to go to different places that aren’t really safe. Burwash. “It’s very intensive.” No. 3 is that we’ve carved out a niche of being in five-star opera - tions, so our customers have come to expect that. We generate ECOMING PARTNERS customers who trust us.” BThe idea behind the training is to make the PBI tennis pro a And for 30 years, the customer is what PBI is all about. “We partner with the host facility, with an understanding about what have a strong corporate policy of never charging if the customer these resorts and clubs deal with daily and how they can become doesn’t get it,” says Burwash. “I expect all of our pros, if they don’t more profitable. succeed in a lesson, to give the lesson for free. Also, if we are one “We can put together a tournament to help generate room minute late, we give the lesson for free, and the pro pays a $50 business, and we help bring meetings to these facilities,” says fine to the [host] company. The customer is the winner. I wish Burwash, adding that it was his suggestion that brought the more service businesses would do that—if you don’t get the job USTA Annual Meeting to the Westin Rio Mar Resort & Casino done, don’t charge. last year, a PBI facility in Puerto Rico. “I would average 20 to 25 letters a week commending the “We train our guys to be proactive,” says Burwash. “Original - excellent service,” he adds. “I think we’ve had two negative letters ly, we were just service people. Now we’re service/management in the 30 years, and they were both our fault and we ended up people to help the fiscal health of the property along. While our covering the cost.” pros are not employees at these resorts, they are department Communication within the PBI organization is also key, both for heads. The resorts know that we’re in the business to help them serving the customer and serving the host facility. Burwash sends sell rooms.” out a message to all his pros two or three times a week, he says. PBI pros also go through a 150-item checklist regularly on Also, every PBI pro must send out a newsletter at least four times a how to take care of the tennis courts and equipment. “All these year to all the other pros, sharing information about their successes details ensure that we remain fiscally responsible” to the resort and failures. or club, says Burwash. “We’re very conscientious about sharing where we go wrong,” “But,” he adds, “no decision on our part is going to be says Burwash. “If you don’t communicate your mistakes, they con - based on dollars; it’s going to be on, can we deliver the service. tinue to happen.” The first day of training, we say to pros, ‘You’re coming into the service business, not the tennis business.’” MPLOYEE SATISFACTION EWith PBI pros, the rigorous interview process, the intensive RESSING FOR SUCCESS training, and the constant communication pay off big. Burwash D And that brings up another key distinction of PBI pros. says he’s never laid off anyone in his company over the 30 years. “We look at how we are being perceived,” says Burwash. “The Ten of his pros have been with him since day one, and the most image of the average tennis pro is extremely poor. If a pro comes junior person at PBI headquarters at The Woodlands in Texas has out with his shirt hanging out, looking like a slob, I’m not going been with him for 24 years. to have a lot of faith that this guy knows what he’s talking Pro Dan Aubuchon joined PBI 26 years ago, when he graduated about. from college, and now is the tennis director at the Bighorn Golf “I was doing a conference last year and the general manager Club in Palm Desert, Calif. “There are two things that Peter did at the resort said to me, ‘Why do tennis pros have to dress like that really keep people in the company,” he says. “One is that the such slobs? Look at the golf pros—they’re all dressed well and challenge is always changing and moving. Whatever you want to clean-shaven. What is it with you guys?’” says Burwash. “That’s get into, Peter will help you. I’ve gotten into consulting and design what I hear. Owners don’t want to put money into tennis because it’s perceived like such a slobbish sport. They can’t get past that perception to see that the purpose of the courts is to generate room revenue. “One of the major complaints is that pros either miss lessons or show up late to them,” he adds. “Tennis has it over golf in practically every segment, but what golf has over us is a much higher degree of professionalism. This lack of professionalism in tennis pros drives me crazy. “To me, it’s just common sense on how you dress, how you act, and how you present yourself,” says Burwash. “Most of our properties, they’d throw us out if we presented ourselves that way.” USTOMER SATISFACTION C While PBI is installed at 69 sites in 32 countries to date,

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33 world, addressing such companies as American Express, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Chemical Bank, the American Cancer Society, Cornell University, Pacific Asia Travel Association, the USPTA, and the USTA. His topics can range from leadership, to motivation, to health and fitness, to service, to tennis, and more. For nearly 25 years he spent more than 300 days a year on the road, averaging about 264,000 air-travel miles annually. But, he says, “I’m trying to get smarter.” For the last eight or nine years, he says he’s averaged about 150 days on the road, packing more into each trip so he’s able to spend less time away from his family—wife Lynn and adopted daughters Kimberly, 14, and Skyler, 9. Home for Burwash now is Carmel Valley, Calif., where the family moved from Hawaii in 1999. “We came to buy the Gardiner Tennis Ranch,” says Burwash. “When John Gardiner wanted to sell, he called me and said I was the only one he trusted the property to. I raised the money in 24 hours, then there was a zoning dispute and my lead investor panicked, then prices rose and it didn’t happen.” Now Burwash runs the 12-court (10 hard, two clay) Carmel Valley Ranch. The director of tennis at Carmel Valley Ranch is Bruce Haase, who has been a pillar of the PBI organization since its founding, says Burwash. work, coaching pro players, running clinics for new PBI coaches. Burwash also has written 10 books, including the still popular “The other thing is the people,” Aubuchon says. “The peo - “Tennis for Life.” But only two of his books are about tennis; the ple you spend time with are incredible. I’m as close to these others are on life and motivation. His latest book is “Dear Teenager,” people as I am to my family.” which deals with teen suicide and getting through the tough Adds Chris Dwyer, PBI’s executive vice president and COO, teenage years. “Peter’s enthusiasm is contagious. It keeps you going. He keeps Among his many successes on court, challenging and encouraging. He Burwash started wheelchair tennis. “In gives you a lot of freedom to take the February 1975 we founded the nonprof - initiative.” Dwyer, whose main job is it International Foundation of Wheelchair matching pros to resorts, has known Tennis,” he says. “We put down the first Burwash since his days living in Cana - rules and had the first tournaments. da. When Brad Parks formed the National Burwash’s respect for his pros also Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis, we runs deep. “I’ve never taken a penny felt he would be a better spokesman for from another pro; I’ve never received the sport.” one cent from the company,” Bur - Burwash also started a tennis pro - wash says. “I have no salary. I make gram for prisoners at the Hawaii State my money on speaking engagements, Prison. “In 18 years, of all the guys in books, articles. our program, only one returned to “For me, loyalty is a two-way prison after being let out,” says Bur - street,” he adds. “Today, employers wash. “They were absolutely my favorite are not loyal to their employees, yet group to teach; they were truly the most they want their employees to be loyal appreciative, and their deportment on to them. I’ve always felt that if your the court was impeccable. I still keep in employees are happy, that’s going to touch with some of them.” The program be truly reflected in how they treat ended in 1993 when the prison needed the customer. the court space to build more cells. “I speak to major corporations, But community service remains a key and I find that one of the reasons they’re struggling today is for PBI today. “I ask all of our pros to give two to four hours a week that the president is so focused on the bottom line that they of community service on behalf of the sport,” says Burwash. “If they spend all their time worrying about that instead of taking care can’t, then PBI isn’t for them.” of the employees,” says Burwash. “You’d better make it a neat For Burwash, though, and for the three-decades-long success environment to come to work in. Everyone has my direct line story of PBI, it comes down to one very simple business philosophy. and email and can contact me any time. I spend three to four “My No. 1 role is to take care of the employees,” he says. “The hours a day just talking to the pros individually.” employees’ No. 1 role is to take care of the customers. And, magical - ly, the customer takes care of the bottom line. OME AND AWAY “We’ve made money for 30 years with that philosophy.” Q H Burwash’s speaking engagements take him around the

34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005

INDUSTRY SUCCESS PPRROOMMOOTTIIOONNSS TTHHAATT WWOORRKK These two racquet sports facilities may be taking different paths, but both are leading to increased profits. BY MARTIN RINEHART

hat makes some racquet sports facili - The place is immense, with acres of park - W ties busier than beehives? That's the ing, and on the Thursday morning I question I put to some folks in the stopped by, the lot was nearly full. industry. I met co-owner and President Beth Beck “You've got to talk to Beth Beck at Club in the lobby, which was buzzing with activi - Fit,” said Denise Jordan, executive director ty. “We're having a party tonight to cele - of the USTA Eastern Section. brate our 30th birthday, so it's a bit more “You've got to talk to Richard Millman at hectic than usual,” she said. “We're expect - four of the original courts. That would be Westchester Squash,” said Simon Haysom, a ing over 800 people.” That, I later learned, about 24,000 square feet and, like the national-level amateur squash player. was only 10 percent of the membership! parking lot, it was nearly full. After that, we Well, they were both right. I found out Beck took me on a tour, starting at the went out to the new pool area. that Beth Beck and Richard Millman may nursery where a dozen or so little kids were “We used to have just one pool,” Beck have different ways of doing business, but noisily playing. We got a welcoming wave said, as I looked at the three-pool facility. both are amazingly successful. You, too, can from the room's supervisor, who kept right “Some people wanted to swim laps, some learn some valuable lessons from what Beck on playing with the kids. (The secret: Hire were there for water therapy, and the kids and Millman are doing at their facilities. someone who loves playing with kids and wanted to play. It just didn't work.” When I still has 360-degree vision.) Next door is the visited, there were lap swimmers in the lap playroom for the older kids, which was pool and a seniors class in the therapy pool. HE MULTIDIRECTIONAL empty since all the kids were in school. But The kids' pool will fill up after school. APPROACH the room looked like heaven for 10-year- I met Patty Irwin, the aquatics director, There are two Club Fits in upscale Westch - olds: dozens of things to climb, balls to who explained the different temperatures ester County, a northern suburb of New throw, games to play—and no hard edges. they keep their pools: cooler for the lap York City. I headed for the one in Briarcliff, We visited the two indoor hard tennis swimmers, warmer for therapy. I'm begin - N.Y. (the other facility is in Jefferson Valley). courts that are the survivors of the original ning to see a pattern: attention to every six. Later we detail. stopped by the When we visited the seven bubbled seven new, bub - courts, I realized that they were turned 90 bled Har-Tru out - degrees from the summer layout shown on door courts. the website. By switching from a north- Quick count: two south layout in summer to an east-west lay - empty, two play - out, Club Fit gained one extra court space ing singles, five under the bubble. Again, they don't miss a with pros teach - single detail. ing lessons. Not The six racquetball courts were upstairs, bad for midday, and they were empty. “Look . . .” Beck mid-week. said, with a note of real pain in her voice, Next, it was “they'll be full tonight with the leagues, but on to the gym still . . .” She takes the empty space person - facilities that have ally. taken over from The club was built by a group of doctors

36 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 during the 1970s tennis boom. Beck was asked to run a failing facility while the doc - tors decided what they would do with it. Eventually, Beck and a partner bought it. “We turned the corner when we stopped selling court time and started selling monthly EFT [electronic funds transfer] memberships,” she said. “That took a bit of courage, but it's really the key to the club because you don't get into the renewal process.” With EFT, dues are automatically squash. You can play squash, get squash the nationals.” Millman, himself an interna - deducted at the beginning of every month lessons, buy a squash racquet, or have tionally-ranked player, has coached many of from a member's checking or credit-card yours restrung, but that's all. If you want America's top squash players. account. That was in1982 when EFT was a to lift a weight or swim a lap, you'll have Listen to Millman for even a short time novel idea. Today, Club Fit in Jefferson Val - to go elsewhere. and you can add a fourth item to his list: a ley is undergoing a $10 million renovation. Despite not having other activities to love of squash that is contagious. “You've got to keep investing; you can't draw in members, Westchester Squash He even entertains pure sales thoughts. stand still,” said Beck. was a success from day one. Richard Mill - “Parents know that their kids have a better In return for that investment, you can man says it took three years for the word- chance of getting into an Ivy League school ask your customers to pay. “We raise rates of-mouth to make it the place to play if they're good squash players,” Millman about 4 percent every year, whatever the squash. Today it's a Mecca for squash said. This sort of thinking works well in an economy's doing,” she said. Today's cus - enthusiasts—the facility hosts internation - area like Westchester County. tomers pay $120 a month for a 12-month, al-level tournaments. Millman began to Millman is just as excited about pro - EFT commitment. expand as other owners of squash facili - grams that bring squash to inner-city kids. Finally, I asked about marketing. “We ties (usually near-empty facilities) sought Today, Westchester Squash is a partner in do a little of everything: mail, newspapers, out the Millman magic. Westchester programs that bring squash into urban www.clubfit.com. Our biggest advertising is Squash now manages three four-court areas in New York and three other cities. He cable television during the US Open,” Beck locations, keeping a dozen professionals wants to make squash a sport for everyone. said. “But basically it's all word-of-mouth. busy. Like Beth Beck, Millman says word-of- We offer $50 to anyone who brings in a “There are three things you need to mouth is his big seller. There's even a con - new member.” She added that members run a successful squash program,” Mill - ductor on the commuter rail line who prefer the money rather than getting, say, a man told me. “First, you have to have a announces, “Mamaroneck Station, where free month. “They really like to get that clean facility. I've seen private clubs where the world-class squash players play.” Mill - check.” they wash their walls once a year. I used man advertises in a squash magazine, at Over the years the Club Fits have to teach at a place where they washed the www.WestchesterSquash.com and in the become models of a modern racquet sports walls every other day and you could tell Yellow Pages. Also, he credits the tourna - and fitness facility. Tennis alone doesn't that the second day wasn't as good as the ments they host as promotional opportunities. work for them; tennis and a good variety of first.” Millman's walls are washed every For Millman, it's all about providing the other fitness activities work. Trying to sell morning. best squash experience possible. court time doesn't work; electronically paid “Second, you have to have good 'pro - memberships work. Having one swimming gram managers,'” he said. “Some people HE COMMON THREAD pool doesn't work for them; creating three call them teaching pros. Here, we have Look closely and you can see that what pools, while not realistic in most demo - program managers. They have to be good TBeck and Millman have in common is a pas - graphic areas, suits Club Fit members best. with squash, they have to be good with sion for what they are doing. And that It's all about what the members want people, and they have to organize and translates into an attention to details that and need. manage the squash businesses. make the Club Fits and Westchester Squash “Third, you have to have multiple prof - facilities some of the best in the business. SINGULAR FOCUS it centers,” he continued. “We have initia - Each of Beck's pools is at the right tempera - Pat and Richard Millman, both squash tion fees and our EFT memberships.” It's ture. Millman's walls are washed every Apros, created Westchester Squash in the same revenue model as the Club Fits. morning. Mamaroneck, N.Y., in 1998. It's a four-court But memberships are only a start. But also, their passion is contagious. It facility in a converted warehouse in an “Then we have leagues. Lessons are a shows in the way Patty Irwin takes care of industrial bit of southern Westchester Coun - major profit center. Our junior programs the pools. It's reflected in the way Millman's ty. It's not visible from any road likely to be are another. We have school programs program managers work. And you can bet driven by a potential customer. On the other where we give away court time but that all the members of Club Fit and hand, if you know where you're going, it's charge for the coaching. We have tourna - Westchester Squash feel that passion, too. convenient by highway and train. ments here. We have coaches available to That's why they keep coming back, and Westchester Squash is nothing but go with players to tournaments such as bringing their friends. Q

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 37 The U.S.’s Serena Wil PLAYER EQUIPMENT LOG with title wins at the using natural gut stri ful of male pros in th chart in your store, s

MEN Round Racquet Racquet String Rank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand

1SRoger Federer SUI Wilson N Six One Tour 90 Luxilon/Wilson 2FLleyton Hewitt AUS Yonex RDX-500 90 Babolat/Luxilon 3SAndy Roddick USA Babolat Pure Drive + 100 Babolat 4WMarat Safin RUS Head Liquidmetal Prestige Mid 93 Luxilon/Babolat 54Guillermo Coria ARG Prince O3 Tour 100 Luxilon 61Carlos Moya ESP Babolat Pure Drive 100 Luxilon 73Tim Henman GBR Slazenger Pro X-1 95 Babolat/Luxilon 83Gaston Gaudio ARG Wilson N PRO 95 Toalson 9QDavid Nalbandian ARG Yonex RDX-500 98 Luxilon 10 Q Andre Agassi USA Head New Coming Soon 107 Luxilon 11 4 Joachim Johansson SWE Yonex RDX 500 90 Luxilon/Babolat 12 4 Guillermo Canas ARG Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 95 Kirschbaum 13 4 Tommy Robredo ESP Dunlop 300G 98 Luxilon 14 3 Fernando Gonzalez CHI Babolat Pure Storm Plus 98 Luxilon 15 Q Nikolay Davydendo RUS Head LM Radical MP 98 Luxilon 16 2 Mikhail Youzhny RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Pacific 17 2 Tommy Haas GER Dunlop 200g 95 Babolat 18 2 Nicolas Massu CHI Babolat Pure Storm Plus 98 Luxilon 19 Q Dominik Hrbaty SVK Fischer Pro Extreme FT 95 Kirschbaum 20 3 Feliciano Lopez ESP Babolat Pure Drive plus 98 Luxilon

WOMEN Round Racquet Racquet String Rank Reached Player Name Country Brand Racquet Model Headsize Brand

1FLindsay Davenport USA Wilson N Tour 95 Babolat 2WSerena Williams USA Wilson N3 110 Wilson 3QAmelie Mauresmo FRA Dunlop 300G 98 Babolat 4SMaria Sharapova RUS Prince Turbo Shark MP 100 Babolat 54Anastasia Myskina RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Luxilon 6QSvetlana Kuznetsova RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Luxilon 74Elena Dementieva RUS Yonex RDX-500 MP 98 Luxilon 84Venus Williams USA Wilson New Racquet coming soon 110 Wilson 9 DNP Jennifer Capriati USA Prince Tour Diablo 95 Babolat/Luxilon 10 Q Alicia Molik AUS Dunlop 300G 98 Luxilon 11 2 RUS Fischer Pro No One FT 98 Luxilon 12 4 Nadia Petrova RUS Babolat Pure Drive Team 98 Luxilon 13 S FRA Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Babolat 14 Q Patty Schnyder SUI Head Liquidmetal Prestige MP 98 Kirschbaum 15 DNP Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL Wilson N Tour 95 BDE 16 DNP Elena Bovina RUS Head Liquidmetal Instinct 100 Luxilon 17 4 Karolina Sprem CRO Fischer Pro Tour FT 98 Tecnifibre 18 4 Silvia Farina Elia ITA Prince Triple Threat Graphite OS 110 Luxilon 19 3 Francesca Schiavone ITA Fischer Pro No. One 98 Luxilon 20 DNP Paola Suarez ARG Prince NXG Graphite 100 Prince

38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 lliams and Russia’s Marat Safin kicked off the 2005 Grand Slam season in style in January Australian Open. As the chart below shows, Williams is one of the few women pros still ings in her racquet. To further illustrate this march toward polyester strings, only a hand - e Top 20 are using natural gut, and all of them use it as part of a hybrid system. Post this so your customers can check out what their favorite players are using.

String String Footwear Clothing String Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model Brand

Big Banger Alu Power Rough/Natural Gut 16L 25/23.5 Nike VAPOR S2 Nike VS Team/Big Banger Alu Power 16L 56 Nike MAX Breathe FREE Nike Pro Hurricane/VS Team 16 16 73 Reebok Figjam DMX Reebok Big Banger Alu Power Rough/VS Touch 16 - Adidas Barricade III Adidas Big Banger Original 16 52 Adidas a3 Accelerate Adidas Big Banger Original 16 60 Nike MAX Breathe FREE Nike Big Banger Timo 18/ VS Team Natural Gut 18 51.6 Adidas Barricade III Adidas Cyber Blade Tour Thermaxe 127 1.27mm 59.5 Diadora Protech DA2 Diadora Big Banger Original 16 64 Yonex SHT-304 Yonex Big Banger Alu Power 16L 66 Nike MAX Breathe FREE Nike Big Banger Alu Power/VS Team Natural Gut 17 - Yonex SHT-304 Yonex Super Smash Honey 1.2 -- - KDY Big Banger Original 16L 23.5kg Sergio Tacchini - Sergio Tacchini Big Banger Alu Power 16L 25/27kg Adidas Barricade III Adidas Big Bangert Alu Power 16L -- - - 1 Polygut Blend 17 17 26kg Fila X-Point Fila VS Touch - Asics - Asics Big Banger Alu Power 16 53 Adidas Barricade III Adidas Super Smash 17 17 - Lotto ATP Machine speed Lotto Big Banger Original 16 - Nike - Nike

String String Footwear Clothing String Model Gauge Tension Brand Footwear Model Brand

VS Touch 15L 63/64 Nike Air Zoom Thrive Nike Natural 16 67 Nike - Nike VS Touch 16 57.2 Nike MAX Breathe FREE Nike Pro Hurricane 17/VS Touch 17 17 - Nike VAPOR S2 Nike Big Banger Timo 18 18 56/52 Nike - Nike Big Banger Alu Touch 16L - Fila X-Point Fila Big Banger Alu Power 16L 51/48.5 Yonex SHT-304 Yonex Natural 16 65 Reebok VESW DMX Reebok VS Touch 16/Big Banger Alu Power 16L - Fila X-Point Fila Big Banger Alu Power 16L - Adidas Barricade III W Adidas Big Banger Alu Power 16L - Adidas Barricade II W Adidas Monotec Supersense 16L 28 Adidas Barricade III W Adidas VS Touch Natural Gut 16 - ASICS Gel Enqvist ASICS Super Smash Spikey 17 - Adidas Barricade III W Adidas BDE Performance 16 - Adidas Barricade III W Adidas Big Banger Timo 17 -- - - 1 X-Tra Dynamic 1.33 16 57.3/55.1 --- 1 Big Banger Original 16 52/50 Sergio Tacchini - Sergio Tacchini Big Banger Alu Power 18 - Diadora Kynetech W DA2 Diadora Tournament Nylon 15L - Lotto ATP Supreme Lite Lotto

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39 string PLAYTEST Völkl V-REX

V-Rex is a new monofilament polyester ry is about what you would string from Völkl. According to Völkl, V- expect, but blocked holes are no problem. The string has enough Rex is a unique co-polyester developed texture to it so that it doesn’t specifically for today's serious aggres - slip through your fingers when sive player who demands precise control weaving the crosses. Thirteen of our playtesters rated it and reliable durability. Due to a patent - about the same or easier to ed manufacturing process, Völkl says install than their favorite that V-Rex maintains tension exception - string, while 18 rated it not as easy to install. ally well, which ensures its unique per - No playtester broke a sample during formance longer than conventional stringing, 13 reported problems with coil there, Völkl V-Rex might be just the string polyester strings. And where conven - memory, 5 reported problems tying knots, they need. and 3 reported friction burn. tional polyester strings can feel harsh, —Greg Raven Q

Völkl tells us that V-Rex offers a soft yet ON THE COURT EASE OF STRINGING elastic feel. According to our playtesters, Völkl V-Rex (compared to other strings) V-Rex is available in 16L in yellow only. really stands out in our Control, Resis - Number of testers who said it was: It is priced from $8 per set, and $120 for tance to Movement, and Durability cate - much easier 0 reels of 770 feet. For more information or gories. In the Control category, our somewhat easier 4 to order, contact Völkl at 800-264-4579, playtesters gave V-Rex second place of all about as easy 9 not quite as easy 18 or visit www.völkl.com. the strings we’ve tested to date. In Resis - tance to Movement, they gave V-Rex third not nearly as easy 0 IN THE LAB place of all the strings we’ve ever tested. OVERALL PLAYABILITY We tested the 16L (1.27 mm) gauge V- And for Durability, they gave V-Rex fourth (compared to string played most often) Rex. The coil measured 41’11”. The diam - place of all the strings we’ve ever tested, Number of testers who said it was: eter measured 1.27 mm prior to stringing, with 25 of our playtesters also saying that much better 0 and 1.23 mm after stringing. We recorded V-Rex has better or much better durability somewhat better 4 about as playable 7 a stringbed stiffness of 71 RDC units than other strings of similar gauge. not quite as playable 17 immediately after stringing at 60 pounds What’s more, our playtesters think V-Rex not nearly as playable 3 in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pat - is well above average in Spin Potential, tern) on a constant-pull machine. and Holding Tension, and above average OVERALL DURABILITY After 24 hours (no playing), stringbed in Power. These ratings were good (compared to other strings stiffness measured 66 RDC units, repre - enough to give Völkl V-Rex an overall of similar gauge) senting a 7 percent tension loss. Our con - above average score. Number of testers who said it was: much better 8 trol string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original Only two playtesters broke the test somewhat better 17 Gold 16, measured 78 RDC units immedi - sample, one at 18 hours, and one at 70 about as durable 6 hours. ately after stringing and 71 RDC units not quite as durable 0 after 24 hours, representing a 9 percent not nearly as durable 0 tension loss. V-Rex added 15 grams to the CONCLUSION weight of our unstrung frame. Völkl V-Rex is yet another solid option for RATING AVERAGES The string was tested for five weeks by players seeking the durability that comes From 1 to 5 (best) Playability 3.2 31 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP ratings from using a polyester string, as along Durability 4.5 from 3.0 to 6.0. These are blind tests, with that durability comes control, resis - Power 3.3 tance to movement, spin potential, and with playtesters receiving unmarked Control 3.9 power. This is a great combination for any strings in unmarked packages. The aver - Comfort 2.7 age number of hours playtested was 23.8. string, and more than a third even found Touch/Feel 2.8 Out of the package, V-Rex feels and the playability better than average. If you Spin Potential 3.5 strings up like other polyesters, with low have customers who take a full swing at Holding Tension 3.5 elongation during tensioning. Coil memo - the ball and need a string that can hang in Resistance to Movement 4.0

40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 TESTERS TALK I love this string. Coil memory is not a minus, for it strings up quick This string plays more like a synthetic gut than a poly. I am sur - “and clean. Tension is still near where I strung it, 25 hours of play and a “prised at the playability and power it has. It maintains tension very month later. Lots of pop, great power, but under control, even with my well and does not move at all in a 16x18 pattern. Depending on oversize frame. Still feels great. price, I would consider using this string. 3.0 male all-court player using V“ölkl Catapult VI OS strung at 58 5.0 male baseliner with heavy spin usin“g Wilson Pro Staff ROK pounds LO (Gamma XP Pro 17) strung at 68 pounds LO (Luxilon Ace / Babolat VS Tonic 18)

I like this string. It hits great. I will use it when I find out the This monofilament feels very stiff out of the package, but is both “name. “fast and easy to string, with little to no coil memory and very short 4.0 ma”le all-court player using Wilson H5 strung at 55 pounds CP pulls on the tension head. My first reaction on court was that it has (Wilson NXT Max 16) less “pop” than my current string, but I’d adjust the tension to com - pensate if I tried it again. It has significantly better ball grab than my This is a string I love to play with. Stiff stringbed, string doesn’t current string. I’m hitting my best slices and topspins ever—even “move. Great control. Lets me supply the better than with hybrids I’ve tried. There is power I need. Solid feel. Great. Let me absolutely no string movement for quite a know what it is! “Much better than while, and amazingly, the string has an 4.5 male all-cour”t player using Wilson H unexpectedly soft feel at impact. This Blaze strung at 70 pounds CP (Luxilon most other polys. string should sell well to young power hit - Alu Power 16L) Very responsive for a poly. I would ters who want a soft feel, great grab, spin, and durability. even recommend it over the present 3.5 male all-co”urt player using Gamma Overall pleased with the string. Really Diamond Fibre F-9.0 strung at 65 pounds “had good “pop” on flat serves and still leading poly strings.” LO (Gamma Live Wire XP 17) had plenty of kick on spin serves. 5.0 male all-court player using Babolat 3.5 male serve-and-volleyer using”Wilson Pro Staff 6.5 strung at 62 pounds CP (Wil - Pure Drive Zylon strung at 50 pounds CP This string has a great combination of d“urability (its strongest feature) with com - son Sensation 16) (Forten Kevlar / Gosen Polylon 17/16) fort and control. After 20 hours of play, the strings have yet to end up out of place. I like this string right from the start. I After stringing, I was expecting it would be hard on my arm, but I’m f“eel I can do anything. The only setback was tension loss after a while. pleasantly surprised. Some members used my racquet as well, and they liked it very much. 3.5 male all-court pl”ayer using Head Liquidmetal Radical OS strung This is a good string. No pain in the elbow as with many poly strings. at 60 pounds CP (Babolat VS Touch 16) 5.5 male all-court player using Head Liquidmetal Rave strung at 54 ” pounds CP (Head IntelliTour 17) I found nothing special about this string—a standard poly with g“ood durability and control, but no feel. There are plenty of other This string plays slightly better than most polyester strings I’ve tried polys I like more. Stringing was easy, no problems. “in the past, but still maintains most of the qualities of a poly. Excellent 4.0 male all-court player using Wilson Hyper Pro S”taff 6.0 strung at control, durability, and resistance to movement, but comfort and feel 60 pounds LO (Wilson Natural Gut 17) are below average. I would like to try this string in a hybrid with a soft - er synthetic gut in the crosses. Could be a winner in that setup. ” 4.0 male all-court player using Völkl V1 Classic strung at 58 pounds “ Relatively difficult to string, but this is a good choice for players LO (Babolat Tonic 16) who use huge amounts of spin, and for those who use control and feel. This string is not for recreational players, as power must be gen - erated by the player’s technique. This string could be reliably recom - This string has a very comfortable feel from the first hit. Tension mended to frequent string breakers. h“olds up nicely. Nice combination of power and feel. Stringing was 4.5 male serve-and-volleyer using W”ilson Hyper Hammer 2.3 strung slightly more problematic. It was stiff enough to make knots more diffi - at 66 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation 16) cult. Not a flexible string during installation. 5.0 male all-court player using Prince More”Control DB 800 strung at 63 pounds LO (Prince 16) For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com. (Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 41 ask the EXPERTS Your Equipment Hotline

RACQUET SPECS racquets. If I know that the manufacturers IS THERE A GENERAL GRIP SIZE are using a specific piece of equipment for used for stating specs on new rac - measuring swingweight then I can re-cali - Q quets? I'm starting to receive some brate my Rossignol Swingtest to match that new frames from Wilson and it appears as piece of equipment. That way, when I have though the specs quoted for unstrung rac - a customer come in with an older model quets were done for a 4-3/8” grip. My frame that's not in your database, I can do new nPro Surge was right on the money my own swingweight test and get a and it has a 4-3/8” grip. However, the numeric figure to plug into the search fea - nTour is a 4-1/2” grip and it differs. Are ture when I'm trying to find my customer a swingweight from our Babolat RDC. From the specs posted on your site taken direct - close match to their current racquet. what we can gather, some manufacturers ly from the manufacturer? When manu - do use the Babolat RDC, but others have facturers are giving swingweight ALL SPECS ARE TAKEN from actual made their own equipment, and typically measurements is each using the same A racquets, which are represented to these custom measuring devices are signifi - apparatus (such as the Babolat Racquet us as being samples of production rac - cantly different from the Babolat RDC. Diagnostic Center) for the measurement? quets. They are typically size 3 grips (4- Although superficially similar to the What do they use for measuring stiffness? 3/8”), and each racquet is measured swingweight portion of the Babolat RDC, There's a lot of confusion out here as strung. We virtually never publish manufac - the Rossignol swingweight tester produces to the consistency of information from var - turer specs. results that cannot easily be correlated to ious manufacturers. For instance, I'd like to We weigh each racquet on a calibrated those of the Babolat RDC because one be able to access the database at Racquet - scale, measure the balance on an Alpha reads low on the low end and high on the TECH.com and use comparison figures for Viper Balance Beam, and get the flex and high end, compared to the other. We have

42 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 tested swingweight using the pendulum from the standard Gamma quick-mount method, however, and the data points corre - system to their top-of-the-line suspen - late well with the RDC. (See our on-line tool sion-mount system, where one knob at http://www.racquettech.com/members/ moves two shoulder-support arms at the tools/swing_weight.html for all the details.) It same time. When I mount a racquet, the is also worth noting that we sporadically shoulder-support arms do not contact check the calibration of the swingweight the frame at the same time. When the portion of our RDC using a special set of rac - first one contacts the frame, the other quets having known measurements. one is still 1/8 inch away. By the time each arm is in contact with the frame, SAFE TENSION RANGE the racquet is pushed to one side. I have I NOTICED IN YOUR PRO equipment tried mounting different racquets, and I logs (http://www.racquettech.com always get that same result. Is this some - Q /members/prologs/pro_logs_toc.html) thing I should worry about? that the string tension indicated for several ing with a frame that is available to retail players is higher than the racquet manufac - customers, the primary concern is to get THERE ARE TWO THINGS YOU can turer's tension range on their racquets. Are the racquet to perform a certain way, A do before contacting Gamma. the pros playing with special made versions regardless of any reduction in frame First, check that the centerline of the of these racquets to handle higher string ten - longevity, because the sponsoring manu - tower is aligned with the centerline of sions? Is there a "safe" range over the man - facturer provides free or low-cost rac - the table (that is, not twisted 1/16 inch ufacturer's tension range that a racquet can quets to the player. to one side). If the tower is aligned prop - be strung? The published tension range is the erly, check that the shoulder support safe range. Increasing tension beyond assembly is also properly aligned with the SOME PROS DO PLAY SPECIAL frames the maximum listed tension will void the tower. A that are not available to the public, warranty. —Greg Raven Q even though the graphics on the pro's rac - We welcome your questions. Please send them quet are similar to those appearing on rac - RACQUET MOUNTING to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, quets that are available to the retail I HAVE A GAMMA PROGRESSION CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email: customer. In those cases where a pro is play - Q ST II stringer, and I have upgraded [email protected].

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 43 tips and TECHNIQUES Readers’ Know-How in Action

TIGHTER TIE-OFFS can be prevented by putting a small pendently, and have found a way to tight - In order to get as much slack out of the amount of clear fingernail polish on the en both at once. tie-off knot as possible, I insert the end my end of the trimmed string end to seal the I first lightly mount the racquet with the awl through the loop of the knot, and strands together before they can separate. 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock mounts. Then I while pulling on the end of the string with 5 sets of Prince Polygut 16 to: stand opposite the arms I am about to a pair of pliers, slowly ease the awl out. Bill Thompson, MRT, Farmville, VA tighten and use my forearms to squeeze This gets as much slack out of the string as both mounting arms up to the hoop. This possible before the knot tightens on itself. BEGINNERS puts my hands in position to tighten both 5 sets of Gamma Zo Power & a Gamma ALPHA MOUNTING mounting arm knobs simultaneously. I then T-Shirt & Hat to: ADJUSTMENTS repeat the procedure on the other side. Don Stull, Tucson, AZ 5 sets of Gosen Polylon Comfort 16 & a Gosen T-Shirt to: SEALING NATURAL GUT Peter Underwood, Whitewater, WI KNOT ENDS The free end of knots tied in natural gut MARKETING will unravel over time. This is unsightly and SELLING ATW STRINGING I include a sheet with each around-the- world (ATW) string job I do. This calls attention to something the customer may never have noticed, and helps establish me I have an Alpha Blu-DC Plus stringing as a stringing expert. machine that has individual tightening 5 sets Silent Partner Original Syn knobs for each side of the mounting arms. Gut to: I find it clumsy to tighten each knob inde - Justin Figel, MRT, Laurel, MD

44 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 Q An invoice template to generate and print a final invoice. Q An order form. This is set to print “two up” on a letter-size piece of paper. After printing, I cut each sheet down the middle lengthwise, producing two order forms. Each customer fills out a form when drop - ping off a racquet, which I attach around the grip of the racquet with a rubber band. Q An invoice record log. Q A logbook to record stringing information. This worksheet is set up so I can easily gen - erate reports on any column. For example, I I keep some simple notes about mainte - Editor’s note: Members who are interested can quickly look at all jobs for a particular nance and adjustments to my stringing in obtaining a copy of Justin’s sheet can customer, jobs for a single racquet frame, machine. find it on-line at: http://www.racquettech. jobs by string type, etc. 5 sets of Wilson Reaction 16 & a Wilson com/members/reference/Figel_ATW.zip. Q Racquet IDs. I give each frame a number, Tournament Bag to: However, while the sheet states explicitly which I track. In the logbook I can pull up Dan McManus, Auburn, WA that stringing a racquet ATW will not void any ID and know how many times I have the manufacturer’s warranty, this is not the strung the corresponding racquet, when I Editor’s Note: Members who are interested case with Head racquets that are specified have strung it, and with what string. in obtaining a copy of Dan’s spreadsheet can for two-piece stringing. For these racquets, Q String Inventory. I keep track of my string find it on-line at: http://www.racquettech. any one-piece stringing will void the warranty. inventory to make certain I have sufficient com/members/reference/McManus_Logbook. supplies of the strings I list on my order zip. —Greg Raven Q COMPUTERIZED form. And by keeping costs up to date, I Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA mem - STRINGING RECORDS also know how much money I have tied up bers, and appearing in this column, have all been gathered I have created a Microsoft Excel workbook in working capital. I do about 350 racquets into a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Ser - containing different spreadsheets to keep a year, and try to keep my string inventory vice Techniques which is a benefit of USRSA membership. track of various aspects of my stringing below $2,000. Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or email [email protected]. business. It features: Q Maintenance and calibration. This is where

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 45 science Racquet Acrobatics Amaze your friends with racquet tricks and the

explanations behind them. BY ROD CROSS SOMERSAULTING AND Southern Hemisphere when the bath plug is racquet are typically about 15, 120 and FLIPPING RACQUETS pulled out. But it is a fascinating occurrence, 135 kg •cm 2, when each of the three axes There are some things in life that are almost fun to watch, and apparently fun to do, passes through the balance point of the totally useless, like rock music, but which since so many players are constantly flipping racquet. More commonly, the middle some people find important. The "Tennis and spinning their racquets between and swingweight most associated with a tennis Racquet Theorem" is another good exam - after points or during simple idle moments stroke is measured about an axis near the ple. The theorem says that if you toss a ten - about the club. It is doubly fascinating since end of the handle, in which case the typi - nis racquet (starting with strings parallel to the flip does not occur when you toss the cal value that is quoted is around 330 2 the ground) into the air to perform a som - racquet to rotate in any other way. If you kg •cm . ersault before you catch it, it usually also begin the somersault by holding the racquet The easy axis of rotation is the one pass - flips over in a half-twist and lands upside face perpendicular to the ground, no twist ing along the handle up to the tip of the down in your hand. This can be good or bad occurs. If you spin it about the long axis, it racquet. It is easy to spin a racquet about depending on circumstances. doesn't also do a somersault, but if you toss this axis, and many players do just that If the racquet happens to be a cat falling it in a somersault, it will also spin. between points either as a nervous habit or several floors out a window, this flipping to distract their opponent. They can even over effect is good for the cat. If the racquet HOW IT FLIPS get the racquet rotating up to about 10 happens to be a fresh piece of buttered A tennis racquet, like any other solid object, revolutions per second or 600 rpm. Inter - toast with jam on top, then the flipping over has three different axes all at right angles to estingly, the racquet doesn't flip around effect is bad, especially for the carpet. If you each other. A racquet can be made to rotate and whack them in the back of their hand are an Olympic diver or gymnast, flipping about any of the three axes separately or it when they do this, even though it is a sim - over several times while doing a few somer - can rotate about all three axes simultane - ple spin around an axis just like the somer - saults can earn you extra points, perhaps ously, which is the usual situation in any ten - saulting racquet above. leading to fame and fortune. nis stroke. One can even measure the ease Similarly, players sometimes stick their As far as tennis players are concerned, or difficulty of rotation about each axis, and finger in the hole in the throat section and the Tennis Racquet Theorem is similar in sig - it can be given a number specified by the twirl (cartwheel) the racquet around the nificance to whether bath water rotates swingweight (moment of inertia) about that index finger. Again the racquet only rotates clockwise or counter-clockwise in the axis. The three swingweights for a tennis about one axis without any flips about the

46 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005 others. This cartwheel axis has the largest racquet. In that case the racquet rotates swingweight, and we can call it the "hard" only about two of the ground-based axes, axis since it is hardest to rotate at high doing a 360-degree somersault about one speed around this axis. Andy Roddick espe - axis, a 180-degree twist about another cially loves doing this. It is just as easy to toss axis and no rotation at all about the third the racquet in the air and spin it around the axis. But the racquet really does rotate "hard" axis, and the racquet doesn't flip edge-on during part of its journey, so it over. It is only when a racquet is rotated really does rotate about the hard axis just (somersaulted) about the third axis that it as fast as it does about the easy axis. tends to flip over. It is the same with a book or a box of cereal. Only one of the three WHY IT FLIPS axes causes flipping, and it is not the one It is possible to toss the racquet in a som - with the smallest or the largest swing - ersault without it flipping, but very diffi - weight, but the one with the medium size cult. More likely is that the racquet makes swingweight. it about 180 degrees without any visible Suppose you toss a racquet with the twist, and then it does its flip all in the last strings starting in a horizontal plane, paral - 180 degrees. That's because the influence lel to the ground, as shown in Figure 1. Toss of the initial twisting force of your hand it fast enough so that it rotates through a grows exponentially with time. For that complete circle and then catch the handle. reason, if you try to do a double somer - Most times, the racquet lands upside down sault, the racquet will flip several times, as shown in Figure 2, having completed half not just two half flips, one on each som - a twist around the easy spin axis. It doesn't ersault. The time to flip will depend on the always do that. If you are really careful to initial twist rate and the three swing - make sure the racquet has no twist when weights. During the entire acrobatic act, you toss it, then you might get it to rotate the energy gets channeled from one axis without flipping over. But any slight twist at (about the medium somersault axis) into the start will grow rapidly and cause the the other two axes. The rotation speed racquet to flip around the easy axis. Some - about these axes increases exponentially times it appears that there is no twist at all, with time. But, as noted before, this only and then it suddenly appears "all at once" happens when the rotation begins around at the very end of the somersault. the medium somersault axis. It might seem that the racquet flips only around the easy axis. However it also flips APPLICATION around the hard axis just as rapidly. Sup - So there you have it—interesting, odd, pose the racquet has reached its halfway probably not the focus of your next tennis point in mid-air, having completed 90 lesson, but, nonetheless, not totally frivo - degrees of its 180-degree twist or flip. The lous or irrelevant. You see, it helps to racquet is still rotating in somersault fashion explain how a player can twist a racquet in the direction it was tossed, so it arrives at around the long axis while it is simultane - a point where the racquet is rotating edge- ously rotating rapidly about the usual on, as shown in Figure 3. At this point the swing axis, especially during a kick serve. racquet is rotating in cartwheel mode, as Biomechanists like to use the word opposed to a somersault, and it is also in “pronation” to describe twisting of the the middle of its twist and is still twisting forearm. Obviously, arm muscles are around the easy axis. In between these two needed to twist the arm, but a racquet modes, the rotation is part somersault, part can twist around all by itself, even though cartwheel, and part twist. it doesn’t have any muscles of its own. The tricky part of all this is to visualize Just toss it in the air, and it will happily flip which axis is which. There are three axes at over in front of your very eyes. So the arm right angles that we can visualize as being doesn’t have to do very much pronation attached to the racquet. The problem is the work at all. The arm just needs to exert racquet is rotating so the axes are also some control over the process so the rac - rotating while the racquet itself rotates quet doesn’t twist in the wrong direction about each of the three axes. or at the wrong rate. Even if you threw a To prevent our heads spinning as well, it racquet at a ball, it would probably deliver is common to imagine that the three axes a pretty good kick serve with about the are attached to the ground rather than the right amount of slice and topspin. Q

April 2005 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 47 Your Serve Community Tennis Action! Unsure how a CTA can help your business? The head of the CTA Develop - ment Committee says you have a lot to gain by getting involved. BY SCOTT HANOVER s “CTA” in your vocabulary? Better yet, are gender, cultural or socioeconomic back - CTA, including: CTA start-up and expan - you doing all you can for community tennis? ground, physical ability or skill level. sion grants; CTA manuals for forming a IIt’s a tough question to ask yourself. Q A Coalition CTA represents the alliance of CTA and for fund raising; USTA adjunct As chair of the national USTA Com - diverse community organizations whose faculty from the USTA/SERV Department munity Tennis Association Development purpose is to facilitate the delivery of ten - able to conduct local training sessions; Committee, I am dedicated to this cause. nis programs and services. website advice and development; USTA It is our charge to advise and support Don’t be threatened by a CTA—embrace section and district staff liaisons; CTA staff and volunteers at all levels in creat - it. It will surely enhance you and your opera - insurance; on-line registration; and ing, developing, and strengthening a tion. It’s everybody’s tennis future. much more. To learn more, call your nationwide network of self-sufficient So what’s in it for you to get involved USTA section office or go to Community Tennis Associations to with one of these organizations? Plenty. www.usta.com. increase tennis participation at the local You’ll be able to: Additionally, over the next several level. months, the USTA staff and volunteers As a PTR certified pro, I see being “A CTA will surely will unroll an initiative to grow tennis involved in community tennis as a part of through the park and recreation system. my professional obligation to help pro - enhance you and your It truly does start in parks. With our mote and develop the growth of tennis. operation. It’s every - partner—the National Recreation and A CTA-based program, along with a Park Association—the $1 million Tennis strong park partnership, started my ten - body’s tennis future.” in the Park initiative will look at grants, nis-playing career. The good folks at the advocacy, infrastructure, technical assis - Greater Des Moines Tennis Association 1. Gain additional experience by offering tance, facility enhancement, and more. sponsored the local USA Tennis NJTL pro - a program outside of your normal com - And with continued promotion of gram, where I learned the basics. If not fort level, perhaps an inner-city or wheel - Tennis Welcome Centers and Cardio for this great introduction to tennis, who chair program. Tennis, the opportunity to grow our knows what I would be doing now? 2. Build potential future customers who sport is endless. What is a CTA? It is defined as “any might decide to take up the game and The USTA’s CTA Development Com - incorporated, geographically defined, not- join your facility. mittee is dedicated to its priorities: for-profit, volunteer-based tennis organi - 3. Work with your CTA to share revenue Q The Community Funding Program zation that supports or provides programs of select events . (formerly called Funded Markets). which promote and develop the growth 4. Gain additional exposure for you and/or Q Expanding benefits and education. of tennis.” CTAs fall into four categories: your club or facility. Q National and regional workshops. Q A Single-Purpose CTA is organized with 5. Feel good about what you’re doing in Q Awards and volunteer recognition. a single, narrow purpose that addresses the professional realm to give back to Q Communication flow to our section a specific community need, such as a the sport. representatives and other section group of senior citizens interested in 6. Take a leadership role in the CTA, such community development committees. starting a senior division of USA League as being an officer, and gain prestige CTA …You’ve got the definition, the Tennis. and further your education and knowl - big picture, how we can help, how it Q A Multi-Purpose CTA is similar to a sin - edge. helps you. Now it’s your turn to serve. Q gle-purpose CTA, except that the asso - 7. Offer CTA-based events that can lead to ciation offers more than one program great networking opportunities with or service. An example is a community connected folks in your community. Teaching pro and longtime USTA committed to offering a variety of USA You can also bring a wealth of people to volunteer Scott Hanover is the general manager of the Plaza Tennis programs for youth, but not for the CTA with your current club clients that Tennis Center in Kansas City, adults. are attorneys, bankers, media, or non-profit Mo. Q An Umbrella CTA represents the most experts. Any and all would be great to have comprehensive type, delivering a full on the board. We welcome your opinions. Please email menu of programs and services to the Plenty of free and low-cost resources are comments to [email protected] or fax entire community, regardless of age, available for you to begin or expand your them to 760-536-1171.

48 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTR Y April 2005