200405 racquet sports industry

POINTING THE WAYNew participation studypoints to challenges and

opportunities

Retailer Incentives CanWork for Your Business

Make Any Racquet PlayBetter—Guaranteed!

Mid-Season Frames HopeTo Weigh-In Big� Help Us Find the 2004

Champions of Tennis

� String Playtests

� Dress Up Your Dressing Room

May 2004Volume 1 Number 4 $5.00

DEPARTMENTS

R S I M A Y 2 0 0 4

May 2004 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 3

4 Our Serve

18 RSI’s Champions of Tennis 2004

20 Ask the Experts

22 Your Finances

24 Marketing Success

26 Retailing Success

28 Court Construction

44 String Playtest: Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter

46 String Playtest: Gamma Zo Plus

48 Tips and Techniques

50 New USRSA Members and MRTs

52 Calendar

56 Your Serve

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 TIA to produce major tennisevent at Super Show

8 Head/Penn names 2003Elite Retailer

8 US Open Series is likelyfor this year

8 New USTA tools available forlocal promotion

9 Schwartz “comes outswinging” at annual meeting

10 TIA reports $1.2 millionreserve

10 Able-bodied, wheelchairplayers share training camp

12 Mac joins CNBC withprimetime talk show

13 Heller named Samuel HardyAward winner

13 Three win Hall of Fameeducational merit awards

14 Prince launches NFS Freakperformance shoe

16 Tennis Mag picks “Editor’sChoice” frames, shoes

ContentsFEATURES

30 Pointing the WayThe second annual tennisparticipation study sheds more

light on some of the obstacles toincreasing play.

34 Let’s Make a Deal!In today’s competitive climate,manufacturers may be more willingthan ever to offer incentives

to retailers.

36 Make Any Racquet Play Better—Guaranteed!Use this guide to help you modify an existingframe to play at its best.

40 Mid-Season Replacements?New entries from some top racquetmanufacturers are hoping to weigh in bigwith consumers.

42 Level the FieldFor a different take on learning and

enjoying the game, take a lookat Bankshot Tennis.

page 30

page 36page 8

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY May 2004

ports stars often stun us with their skill andsometimes make us laugh at their TVcommercials, yet rarely do they inspire us or

provide something to think about.

One notable exception was Arthur Ashe, both a consummate champion

and a quiet-spoken man of insight. I mention this because he once said

something that helps me collect my wits when I wake up worrying about

the day’s immediate problems and the ones that lie ahead. “Start where

you are, use what you have, do what you can,” he said, and these 12

deceptively simple words contain much wisdom.

“Start where you are.” In order to start where I am, I first need to

know where I am. In business terms this means I can’t begin to deal with

a problem until I determine its true nature and my position in relation

to it. Only when I know where I am can I begin to see possible solutions

(often there are several) and select the one with the highest

probability of success.

“Use what you have.” Maybe my toolbox doesn’t contain the ideal

implements for the job, but instead of throwing up my hands and giving

up because nothing can be done, I can employ what’s available. For

example, let’s say my operation could use additional personnel but it’s

not in the cards for the time being. However, it’s conceivable that I

could improve the performance of the folks I do have by instituting a

system of tangible rewards. Simply insisting that they work harder isn’t

the answer; they need a reason to work harder other than holding onto

their jobs. By doing so, I increase productivity (not to mention morale)

without substantially increasing my costs.

“Do what you can.” Maybe the interior of my store or club is in need of

a makeover, but I can’t afford it. However, I can probably find the

money to improve the lighting so that it makes both the sales area and

the products themselves look more attractive, and this in itself might

improve revenue.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that Arthur Ashe provided

a formula for not only solving problems but also making dreams come

true. Regardless of whether you’re a tennis professional, a retailer or

a sales manager, I believe the Ashe wisdom applies, yet don’t take my

word for it because I don’t purport to be an expert or guru on any

subject whatsoever. I’m merely suggesting you try it for yourself and

see if it makes a difference. It won’t cost a penny.

On a broader scale, sometimes the tennis industry’s difficulties may

seem to be insurmountable, but I really don’t think Mr. Ashe would see

it that way.

Our Serve

SStart Where You Are

(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

PublishersDavid Bone Jeff Williams

Editor-in-ChiefCrawford Lindsey

Editorial DirectorPeter Francesconi

Associate EditorGreg Raven

Design/Art DirectorKristine Thom

Design ConsultantAmy Berger

Assistant to the PublisherCari Feliciano

Contributing EditorsCynthia Cantrell

Rod CrossJoe DinofferLiza Horan

Andrew LavalleeJames MartinMark Mason

Chris NicholsonMitch RustadDrew Sunderlin

Jonathan Whitbourne

RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCorporate Offices

330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171

Email: [email protected]: www.racquetTECH.com

Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time

Advertising DirectorJohn Hanna

770-650-1102, [email protected]

Apparel AdvertisingCynthia Sherman203-263-5243

[email protected]

Racquet Sports Industry (application to mail at Period-icals Postage Rates is pending at Vista, CA, and at addi-tional offices) is published 10 times yearly by USRSA,330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084. May 2004, Volume 1,Number 4 © 2004 by USRSA and Tennis Industry. Allrights reserved. Racquet Sports Industry, RSI and logoare trademarks of USRSA. Printed in the U.S.A. Phoneadvertising: 770-650-1102 x.125. Phone circulation andeditorial: 760-536-1177. Yearly subscriptions $55 in theU.S., $65 elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St.,Vista, CA 92084.

Publisher


he Tennis Industry Association announced that it isplanning to launch an industry-wide “event” in con-junction with the 2005 Super Show in Orlando, Fla.,

in January. The event, which will combine a number ofaspects, including seminars, a tennis forum, awards presen-tations and a trade show, will serve as a rallying point for theindustry, the TIA says.

A specific name for the event had not been finalized at presstime, but it will be held Jan. 17 to 19, 2005, at the Super Show,which moved to Orlando from Las Vegas in 2004. The trade showpart of the event will be at the Super Show’s venue, the OrangeCounty Convention Center. However, the TIA says there will bemany activities for the tennis event that will be outside of thetrade show.

“The TIA and many of its largest members want to have anevent that rallies our industry and provides an opportunity tolearn and to do business in an efficient way,” says Jim Baugh,president of the TIA. “We’ve studied many venues and conclud-ed we can make the TIA event in Orlando a winner.”

Baugh initially made public the plan to hold an industry eventduring the Super Show at the TIA’s March board meeting, heldduring the USTA’s Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico. Many in theindustry had expressed dismay at the low attendance and otherdifficulties encountered at August’s Tennis Show at the US Open.“A New York or US Open show is not going to work,” Baughconcluded, adding that other sites, such as during pro tourna-ments at Indian Wells, Calif., or Key Biscayne, Fla., had beenconsidered.

Some at the TIA meeting questioned the need for a tennistrade show at all, but most agreed that the industry needed, asBaugh puts it, “a rallying event,” similar to the large gatheringsthat would assemble each February in the mid-1990s to attendthe Tennis Forum at the Super Show when it was held in Atlanta.

Among the problems that TheTennis Show at the US Open faced wasthe difficulty in getting soft-goodsmanufacturers to exhibit there. Howev-er, Baugh says the Super Show inOrlando already has a “good soft-goods foundation.”

“Now, major racquet and otherhard-goods companies have commit-ted to be part of this event,” saysBaugh. “We have preliminary eventplans which will be announced at alater date, but we are excited to be ableto launch programs, products, andother plans…at one time—at thisevent.”

Reportedly, Baugh and the TIA havebeen in talks with Super Show man-agement to try to work out deals tomake it easier for manufacturers toexhibit in Orlando.

“Our sport has to have a venue to be together,” says TIAChairman Dave Haggerty, CEO of Head USA. “We are seeing thebenefits of this with our Tennis Welcome Center campaign. Plus,we are planning other initiatives. The TIA event in Orlando willallow us to come together, roll out plans, learn from each other,and sell some products.”

Longtime industry watchdog Gene Scott, publisher of TennisWeek magazine, says that he can see the value of having such anindustry event. “When I visited the Super Show in Orlando thispast year, I said, ‘The tennis industry can build on this…andmake it so much more,’” he says. “Recent problems with theShow have been lack of visitors and expense. I believe there is away to deal with both issues, and our sport would be crazy notto help make this work.”

Adds Baugh: “My goals are to make this industry bigger [and]stronger. It will not happen with a fragmented approach. The TIAwill make this event work. Plus, we will continue to have smallermeetings, such as a TIA Forum at the US Open. We learned fromour experiences in New York, and while we will not have a showat the US Open, we know what works and what doesn’t.” w

TIA Sets Plans for Major Tennis “Event”At Super Show; Scraps Show at US Open

INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSR S I M A Y 2 0 0 4

I N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S

T

“The TIA and many of itslargest members want to havean event that rallies ourindustry,” says Baugh.

Baugh

Haggerty

Lejay Debuts ‘WhiteOut’ Line

New from Lejay is the White Out collection,made with Meryl nylon, a high-perform-ance branded yarn “known for its beau-

tiful hand and silky texture,” says Trish Levin,vice president of merchandising for Lejay Inc.

The lightweight fabric is a white-on-whitedotted texture, which provides surface inter-est. In addition to its quick-drying properties,the fabric also has high UV protection, saysLevin. Lejay chose 12 of its most popular sil-houettes for the White Out collection.

The collection is shipping in May. Formore information, visit www.lejay.com or call800-932-7535.

M A Y 2 0 0 4IN

DU

ST

RY

NE

WS

Head/Penn AnnouncesElite Retailer for 2003

Head/Penn Racquet Sports hasawarded Westwood SportingGoods in Los Angeles with its

2003 Elite Retailer of the Yearaward. Westwood owner Rick Hart-man (at left) was presented with theaward at Head/Penn headquartersin Phoenix in March.Hartman supports the Southern California Tennis Associa-

tion by donating pre-owned frames, string, grips and bags tothe organization. The racquets are restrung and recondi-tioned before they are used by underprivileged children whootherwise might not get the opportunity to learn and playtennis.“I appreciate the recognition from Head/Penn that is

allowing me to further support my community,” Hartmansaid.The Elite Retailer of the Year award is one component of

Head/Penn’s Elite Retailer Program. Introduced in January2002, the program was created to reward the strongest pro-fessional and specialty tennis retailers in the U.S. as theyfocus on growing the sport.The award is presented to the retailer judged to be the

strongest in the country by virtue of retail excellence, passionfor tennis and commitment to supporting their tennis com-munity during a calendar year. The recipient receives a$10,000 check to be donated to the grassroots tennis pro-gram of the retailer’s choice. Hartman has chosen to donatethe money to the Southern California Tennis Association.“It is important that we recognize the hard work Rick and

his team do to support the tennis community and theHead/Penn brand,” said Kevin Kempin, Head’s vice presidentof sales and marketing.


US Open Series of Pro EventsLooking Likely for This YearIt appears that the US Open Series, a breakthrough proposal tobring together summer hard-court tennis tournaments under theUS Open umbrella, will become a reality this year. The Series,which will begin in July right after Wimbledon and lead into theUS Open at the end of August, will be made up of at least eightNorth American hard-court tournaments.

Key to this series of men’s and women’s pro events will be aconsistent television schedule, and reports indicate that CBSSports and ESPN have committed to possibly more than 100 hoursof live coverage of the action at the US Open Series tournaments.It is hoped that having regularly scheduled telecasts of pro tenniseventswill help to elevate the stature and exposure of the sport in theU.S.

The US Open Series has been promoted by Arlen Kantarian,the USTA’s chief executive of Professional Tennis. At the USTA’sAnnual Meeting in March in Puerto Rico, Kantarian laid out plansfor the Series to a large and enthusiastic crowd. The Series wouldrepresent an unprecedented collaboration among television net-works, the two pro tours, tournament owners, and the USTA andits other business partners.

Final plans for the Series were expected to be officiallyannounced at the end of April. At press time in early April, sourcesindicated that the eight tournaments that will comprise the Seriesfor this year will be:w Mercedes-Benz Cup (men) in Los Angeles, July 12 to 18w Bank of the West Classic (women) in Stanford, Calif., July 12 to 18w RCA Championships in Indianapolis (men), July 19 to 25w Tennis Masters Toronto (men), July 26 to Aug. 1w Western & Southern Financial Group Masters (men) in Cincin-nati, Aug. 2 to 8w Rogers AT&T Cup in Canada (women), Aug. 2 to 8w Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. (men), Aug. 16 to22w Pilot Pen Tennis in New Haven, Conn., (women) Aug. 23 to 29.

The US Open begins on Aug. 30 and runs through Sept. 12.

NEW USTA TOOLS TO HELP YOUPROMOTE YOUR PROGRAMS

o help in the continuing effort to grow thesport, the USTA has come out with a coupleof nifty new tools that provide all you need

to help you market your programs.The 2004 Marketing Creative Kit contains

customizable flyers, ad slicks and posters thatare designed to attract new players to your local program. Thematerials are perfect for Tennis Welcome Centers looking toattract new players to the game. All executions are available onan easy-to-use CD.

The 2004 Workplace & Residential Tool Kit will help youcreate, market and promote a tennis program for corporations,business and residential neighborhoods. This kit also includescustomizable flyers, ad slicks and posters, all on a CD.

Both marketing kits are $20 each and available throughNetKnacks at 800-374-6153 or at www.tennisawards.com.

T

I N D U S T R Y N E W S


‘MINUS ION’ RINGS, WRISTBANDSre your members looking for something to help relieve pain in the hand,wrist, arm, back or shoulders? Have them try “Minus Ion” wristbands,bracelets, necklaces and finger rings. Importer/distributor Titan Rules says

Minus Ion products “help the body achieve enhanced ion bal-ance” by attracting negative (or “beneficial”) ions.

The result of “advanced Japanese technology,”Minus Ion products are made of specially processedtitanium, tourmaline and silicone rubber and comein a variety of colors for men and women. “The sci-entific community has been actively pursuing neg-ative ion benefits,” says Titan Rules President Troy

David. “Published reports indicate that negative ionsare helpful to us all.”

Suggested retail price for the Minus Ion wristband is$15.95. For more information, contact www.titanrules.com.

A

Schwartz “Comes Out Swinging”At the USTA Annual Meeting

USTA President Alan Schwartz says it’s time to “come out swing-ing” when it comes to promoting the sport of tennis.

Speaking at the opening session of the 2004 USTA AnnualMeeting in March, held at the Westin Rio Mar Resort in PuertoRico, Schwartz said that the USTA and the other entitiesinvolved in tennis are “ready to adopt a marketing mentality”for the good of the sport.

He added that the marketing campaign that is now gettingunder way for tennis is the “biggest and boldest initiative inwhich this organization and its affiliated partners have everbeen involved. We are ready to grow the game without focusing

on who gets the credit.“What is the state of our association?” Schwartz asked. “Simple—we are strong and

we are ready.”He ran down a list of some of the key changes to the USTA over the past 15 months,

covering three areas: financial, strategic and emotional. Financially, the USTA in 2003had a record operating surplus of more than $12 million. The organization realized a $5million bump from the US Open, and Schwartz said the USTA’s investment portfolioearned $21 million, outperforming the benchmark by 26 percent vs. 21 percent.

Strategically, Schwartz praised the “talented national staff” that has been assembled,along with the support of key partners, key media support and alliances, and what hecalled “fusion marketing,” such as partnerships with the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins,and the National Institutes of Health.On the emotional side, trust was at the top of the list. “As an association, we’ve made

great strides” in this area, said Schwartz. He also praised the USTA’s efforts in multicul-turalism and diversity, and in the organization’s ability to be flexible. He said the groupis making a clear commitment to “accepting responsibility and making changes.”

Schwartz, whose term as USTA president ends at the end of this year, said that thecurrent Tennis Welcome Center campaign and the new US Open Series of pro tourna-ments will help the sport with players and fans alike. “Each becomes a catalyst for theother,” he said. “Both initiatives are industry-wide, and industry-wise.”

As people registered for the Annual Meeting, they each were given a racquet donat-ed by manufacturers. But, said Schwartz, the racquet came “with strings attached.” Thecatch was that each person had to help build the sport by giving the racquet to someoneelse who is not yet involved in tennis, then shepherding that person to a beginner program.


M A Y 2 0 0 4IN

DU

ST

RY

NE

WS

Synergy SportsAdds Kenas

Synergy Sports, anOcean, N.J., eventmarketing and pro-

motions managementagency, has hired JenniferKenas as its account oper-

ations director. Kenas, a graduate ofCornell University, previously workedfor Head/Penn Racquet Sports and TheTennis Channel, and in 2000 wasnamed one of Tennis Industry maga-zine’s “40 Under 40,” recognizing themost influential professionals in thetennis business.

Baugh Says TIA in “Good Shape”Financially, Has $1.2M Reserve

he Tennis Industry Association has a reserve of approximately $1.2 million,TIA President Jim Baugh reported at the organization’s board meeting heldin March in Puerto Rico during the USTA Annual Meeting.The TIA reported total income from 1995 through 2003 was about $19.4 mil-

lion, while total expenses for the same nine-year period were about $18.2 mil-lion. Nearly 56 percent of the income was derived from assessments onmembers, while 32 percent were from contributions to the TIA.Just over 77 percent of the expenses in that time period went to grassroots

programs, while nearly 16 percent was for administrative costs. For 2003, theTIA took in about $1.04 million, with expenses of about $1.15 million.“We’re in good shape financially,” Baugh told the board, adding that the $1.2

million reserve represents a year’s worth of operating expenses.Baugh said the TIA is trying to “capture new categories, such as facilities and

dealers, to be a part of this organization. We have to provide services andresources for the rest of our members to be involved.”He added, “Overall, I think we have a plan that’s aggressive and achievable.”The meeting in Puerto Rico also included key findings from the 2003 USA Par-

ticipation Study (see page 30), commissioned by the TIA and the USTA, alongwith plans for new research; an update on the Tennis Welcome Center initiative,which as of late March had more than 3,300 facilities signed up and was aver-aging about 100 additions a week; and updates on the TIA business site, Ten-nisWire.org, and possible plans for a trade show/tennis industry event (see page 7).

T

Able-Bodied,Wheelchair JuniorsShare Camp

he USTA held the first official USATennis High Performance TrainingCamp to combine both able-bod-

ied and wheelchair players at the sametime. The camp was held March 27 and28 in Charlotte, N.C., and includedsome of the top junior able-bodied andwheelchair tennis players in the USTASouthern Section. All past camps hadbeen conducted separately for wheel-chair and able-bodied players.The camp, held at the Providence

Day School, was directed by North Car-olina native and former touring pro TimWilkison, assisted by a staff that includ-ed Dan James, the USTA paralympiccoach and product manager of USATennis High Performance Wheelchair.Also on the faculty was David Hatsek,2003 USTA Southern wheelchair playerof the year, along with USTA nationaland Southern Section staff. The campfeatured 16 able-bodied and fourwheelchair players.“Having both able-bodied and

wheelchair players at the same campbrings a new level of respect for bothgroups,” says Hartsek. “As a wheelchairplayer, I’ve found that working closelywith able-bodied coaches has beeninvaluable.”

T


Kuerten, Srichaphan Among PlayersHonored With 2003 ATP Awards

ustavo “Guga” Kuerten was recognizedfor his humanitarian efforts whileParadorn Srichaphan earned his secondconsecutive Stefan Edberg Sportsman-

ship Award when the ATP announced the win-ners of the 2003 ATP Awards Presented byWaterford Crystal recently at the NASDAQ-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Fla., the 2003 ATPMasters Series Tournament of the Year.Kuerten (near right), the popular Brazilian,

was named Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year for his work on behalf of theneedy. Underprivileged children are among the 8,500 people who have benefitedfrom the efforts of the Guga Kuerten Institute.Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan (far right) was acknowledged for his outstanding

sportsmanship by his fellow players, who voted on the ATP Awards at their annualATP Player Meeting in Melbourne, Australia, in January.The winners of the 2003 ATP Awards Presented by Waterford Crystal will be fea-

tured in an upcoming episode of the ATP Television Show (check ATPtennis.com forbroadcasters and times). Additionally, The Tennis Channel is producing a specialseries of vignettes honoring each of the recipients and acknowledging their accom-plishments. Other ATP award winners are:

w Andy Roddick became the youngest American to end the year at No. 1 in theINDESIT ATP Race, earning the 2003 Player of the Year Award.

w California twins Bob and Mike Bryan were named 2003 Doubles Team of theYear after becoming the first set of brothers to finish No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Racewith five titles in eight finals.

w Rainer Schuettler was voted 2003 Most Improved Player by his peers. The Ger-man improved his year-end ranking for an ATP-best ninth consecutive season, jump-ing from No. 33 to No. 6 in the INDESIT ATP Race

w Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who turned 17 last June, was voted 2003 Newcomer ofthe Year. He finished his first full ATP season inside the Top 50 with a 14-11 matchrecord and had wins over Roland Garros champion Albert Costa and Carlos Moya.

w Mark Philippoussis was voted 2003 Comeback Player of the Year by surging tohis first year-end Top 10 finish in 2003 after suffering a serious knee injury at the2002 US Open.

w Roger Federer, the reigning Wimbledon, Tennis Masters Cup and AustralianOpen champion, won the ATPtennis.com Fan Favorite Award.

w Veteran British journalist John Parsons received the Ron Bookman Award forMedia Excellence for his more than 40 years of service to the sport.

w The NASDAQ-100 Open won the ATP Masters Series Tournament of the Year forthe second consecutive year. The Dubai Tennis Championships was named Interna-tional Series Gold Tournament of the Year.

w Players chose the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston and theSynsam Swedish Open in Bastad as joint winners of the International Series Tourna-ment of the Year Award.The ATP Awards Presented by Waterford Crystal also acknowledged milestones

achieved by players in 2003:w First Title: Nikolay Davydenko, Hyung-Taik Lee, Martin Verkerk, David Sanchez,

Max Mirnyi, Agustin Calleri, Julien Boutter, Robby Ginepri, Mardy Fish.w Fifth Title: Roger Federer, Guillermo Coria, Jiri Novak.w Tenth Title: Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Tim Henman,

Felix Mantilla, Mark Philippoussis.


G


John McEnroe Joins CNBC With Primetime Talk Show

Freer WinsClubCorp?s ?Starof Stars? AwardClubCorp has named Billy Freer, thedirector of tennis at Brookhaven

Country Club near Dallas, as the recipientof its 2003 Star of Stars Award. The awardis the company’s most prestigious employ-ee recognition and this year has been givento only one of ClubCorp’s nearly 23,000employees.

Freer played a major role inBrookhaven Racquet Club being named bythe USTA as the 2003 USTA MemberOrganization of the Year. In addition to thenational honor for the club, it was alsonamed 2003 Member Organization of theYear by the USTA Texas Section.

“It is through Billy’s superb leadership,year after year, that Brookhaven tennis hasbecome such a recognized facility in thetennis industry,” said ClubCorp Chairmanand CEO Bob Dedman. “His dedication,exceptional work ethic, and initiative toachieve top-level standards make him avital part of Brookhaven and thecompany.”

Beginning Wednesday, July 7, John McEnroe will join the CNBC primetime lineup in a new talk show, bring-ing his passion for news, music, entertainment and sports to viewers weeknights at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Thetalk show, titled "McEnroe," will air original installments Monday through Thursday, with repeats on Fridays.

McEnroe will be joined by an ensemble cast of contributors that will serve up insight and information aboutthe stories and headlines of the day, in all areas of news, sports and entertainment. Joining McEnroe will beJohn Fugelsang, most recently of the broadcast series "America's Funniest Home Videos," which he co-hostedfor two seasons with Daisy Fuentes. In addition, Fugelsang had been a recurring guest on "Politically Incorrectwith Bill Maher," and has hosted a variety of specials for music network VH1."John McEnroe is a rebel and he's sharp, both on and off the court,” says Pamela Thomas-Graham, president and CEO of CNBC.

"Throughout his career, as a player, broadcaster and author, John has been known for his unique perspective, outspokenness, blunthonesty and unpredictability. His dynamic and bold personality makes him the perfect fit for CNBC's new primetime lineup."

Said McEnroe: "I'm very excited aboutmy new show with CNBC. We've designedit to be the antidote to the typical prime-time talk show. We'll be thoughtful andinsightful when it is appropriate, and wreakhavoc when necessary. Above all, we'll beunpredictable, and fun to watch."McEnroe will continue as an analyst on

NBC Sports' tennis telecasts, including theFrench Open and Wimbledon, as well as ananalyst for CBS and USA Network's cover-age of the U.S. Open.

M A Y 2 0 0 4IN

DU

ST

RY

NE

WS



he International Tennis Hall of Fame announced that former USTAPresident Mervin A. Heller Jr. of Wyomissing, Pa., is the recipientof the 2003 Samuel Hardy Award, which is given annually to aUSTA volunteer in recognition of long and outstanding service to

the sport. The award was presented at a special luncheon held duringthe USTA Annual Meeting at the Westin Rio Mar Resort in Puerto Ricoin March.Heller is the immediate past-president of the USTA, having completed his two-year

term in December 2002. Heller's affiliation with the USTA began in 1974 as presidentof the Lehigh Valley District Tennis Association. He was first elected to the USTA boardof directors in 1991, serving as its secretary/treasurer in 1993-1994. In 1999, hebecame first vice president.During his tenure, Heller has served on numerous USTA committees, and he

remains a USTA board member and serves on the Multicultural Participation Commit-tee and the board's Audit Committee. He is currently vice president of the Internation-al Tennis Federation, is a member of the board of directors for the International TennisHall of Fame and is a member of the USA Tennis Foundation. Heller, a former presi-dent of the USTA Middle States section, was inducted into that section’s Hall of Famein 1998.A graduate of East Stroudsburg State University, where he went undefeated in all

conference matches all four years, Heller held the school record for career wins in sin-gles and doubles. He went on to receive his law degree from the University ofPittsburgh and currently is partner in the law firm of Leisawitz Heller AbramowitchPhillips, P.C.

Heller Named Samuel Hardy Award Winner

T

Three Win Hall of Fame 2003 TennisEducational Merit Awards

Kirk Anderson of New Fairfield, Conn., Pam Austin of Industry, Calif., and BobGreene of Rangeley, Maine, are the recipients of the 2003 Tennis EducationalMerit Awards, which are presented annually by the International Tennis Hall of

Fame to individuals who have made notable contributions in the tennis educationfield at the national level.Award winners have repeatedly demonstrated leadership and creative skills in ten-

nis instruction, writing, organization and promotion of the game. Anderson, Austinand Greene were honored at a luncheon held during the USTA Annual Meeting in Puer-to Rico.

w Anderson is the USTA’s national director of community play, responsible for edu-cating and overseeing USTA sectional staff in the philosophy, methods and imple-mentation of attracting new players to tennis through programming in localcommunities. Anderson has spent 35 years coaching and teaching tennis.

w Austin has been a teaching pro for 30 years and has been devoted to the sportin promoting its growth in her community and around the world. A former pro andsister to Tracy, John, Jeff and Doug, Austin has dedicated herself to her fellow teach-ing pros through developing educational programs. For the past 10 years, Austin hasserved on the board of the Southern California division of the USPTA. She is also amember of the board of directors for the Southern California Tennis Association.

w Greene concluded his second term as president of USA Tennis New England atthe end of 2003. He’s spent over 10 years working with both the USTA and the USPTAand has been an active part of the development of general education and profession-al certification standards for the USPTA. He is also currently in his 14th season asdirector of tennis at The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in New Hampshire.

M A Y 2 0 0 4IN

DU

ST

RY

NE

WS


DecoSystems to Provide FirstDecoTurf Courts in Australia

ecoSystems of Andover, Mass., recently announcedthat an agreement with the Hampton Tennis Club inMelbourne, Australia, means the company will provide

four Pro DecoTurf full cushioned courts, the first Deco courtsin Australia.“This is great for Hampton Tennis Club,” says the club’s

coach, Frank Tamboriello. “I will be able to coach on thebest courts for junior development available in the countryand our court maintenance costs will go down, allowing usto put more into our training programs. Our members arealso very excited at not having to sweep the courtsanymore.”

All Deco surfaces have been classified by the Interna-tional Tennis Federation in each of three speed categories,slow, medium and fast. DecoTurf, which is the court sur-face of the US Open, has also been selected as the surfacefor the 2004 Olympic Games tennis competition, to beplayed in August in Athens, Greece.For more information,

visit www.decoturf.com orcall 800-DECO-1ST.

D

PRINCE LAUNCHES NFS FREAKPERFORMANCE SHOE

Prince Tennis recently launched its latest performance tennisshoe, the NFS Freak, which hit retailers in early March. Builton Natural Foot Shape (NFS) technology and featuring a black

and electric blue color scheme, the NFS Freak was designed forthe player seeking comfort and style, says Stacey Walstrum,Prince’s director of footwear.

“In developing the NFS Freak, we wanted to create a shoe fea-turing our Natural Foot Shape fit that also had an eye-catchingdesign,” says Walstrum. “As a result, we’ve created a great fittingshoe that will certainly turn heads. More importantly, the NFSFreak will give players a tennis shoe offering increased traction,comfort and responsiveness.”

Prince says the shoe is made for all-around play-ers and features a dual-density endurance plus out-sole for stability and responsiveness, as well as aPU midsole with ShockEraser2 heel insert forincreased support. The molded midfootshank provides contoured support whilethe removable PU sockliner adds cush-ioning, the company says.

The black/electric blue NFS Freak isavailable in men’s models and has a sug-gested retail price of $65. For more informa-tion visit www.princetennis.com or call 800-283-6647.



> Longtime USPTA members Jack Groppel, Ph.D., and Jim

Loehr, Ed.D., each signed a two-year agreement to endorse and

wear the Lotto clothing and shoe lines. Loehr and Groppel work

together at LGE Performance Systems Inc., where Loehr is chair-

man and CEO and Groppel is a co-founder of the company.

Groppel and Loehr's endorsement of the Lotto brand follows

the USPTA's announcement of its six-year endorsement agree-

ment with the sportswear company, which began in January.

> Prince Sports Inc. has teamed up with the Sagemont Virtual

School to offer its student-athletes scholarship assistance for

their high school education. SVS offers high-school curriculum

online.

> Serious Tennis of Atlanta invited its top 100 consumers to

lunch and play at the Atlanta Athletic Club in March, where

they also saw a fashion show of Nike apparel, hit with the lat-

est Völkl V-Engine frames, and watched an exhibition match.

> Ashaway Racket Strings has introduced its 2004 Racket

Strings catalog, highlighting the company’s line of more than 40

squash, badminton, racquetball and tennis strings. The catalog

includes diagrams of string construction and other information

and charts to match the right string to your customers. For a

copy of the catalog or for more info, visit www.ashawayusa.com

or call 800-556-7260.

> Gamma Sports sponsored a Racquet Repair workshop for

first-year Professional Tennis Management students at Ferris

State University in Michigan recently. The workshop was pre-

sented by USRSA Executive Director David Bone.

> Penn was named the official ball for the following 2004 tour-naments and events: ATP Franklin Templeton Classic, Pacific Life

Open, Nasdaq-100 Open, WTA Bausch & Lomb Championships,

WTA Family Circle Cup and the USPTA Divisional Conventions.

> The USTA and U.S. Fed Cup Captain Zina Garrison picked

Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Martina Navratilova and Lisa

Raymond to play the April 24-25 Fed Cup tie in Portoroz, Slovenia.

SHORT SETS

orld No. 2 pro Andy Roddick has signed a multi-yearagreement to endorse Rolex watches, Roddick’s man-agement company, SFX Sports Group, announced

recently. Roddick will participate in media campaigns world-wide on behalf of the brand, and will exclusively wear Rolexwatches. Financial terms were not released.“We are extremely pleased to have Andy Roddick join an

exceptional group of Rolex athletes who represent the best intheir various fields,” said Walter Fischer, president and CEO ofRolex Watch USA.“I am honored to be affiliated with such a quality company that

has a strong history within the tennis community,” said Roddick.

Roddick Signs With Rolex

W



Among the products in Tennismagazine’s Spring RacquetGuide (April issue) and Spring

Shoe Guide (May) are threeframes and two tennis shoes thatthe magazine’s testers chose forthe “Editor’s Choice” designation.For racquets, the picks are:w Head Liquidmetal Instinct,which the magazine said is “oneof the most stable racquets everoffered for aggressive all-courters.”w Prince Tour NXG Graphite,lauded for its “incredible feel”and its three head sizes thatmake the frame suitable for“good-to-great players looking fordifferent blends of power andcontrol.”w Völkl Catapult 3, for intermedi-ates, which the magazine saidwill “hit your sweetspot with itscontrollable power and outstand-ing comfort.”

Also, the magazine listed theWilson H Cosmo as an honorablemention for a racquet that is“powerful and light, yet stable.”

For shoes, Tennis magazinechose:w Adidas Barricade III, whichearned top honors “because of itsexceptional stability and durabili-ty for serious players.”w Nike Vapor S2, praised as “awell-rounded shoe with no weak-nesses,” and “the season’s bestoverall performer.”

Tennis MagazineDesignatesFrames, Shoes as“Editor’s Choice”



Technology ExpandsUSPTA Continuing EdOpportunities

SPTA-certified pros can now earn continuing educationcredit by reviewing seminars presented on DVDs, theorganization announced recently. While USPTA members

have always been able to earn credits by attending seminarsand courses at conferences and other events, this distance-learning option allows members to review the material any-where, at any time.

The USPTA has encod-ed DVDs of some of thebest seminars and coursesgiven during the USPTAWorld Conference on Ten-nis. The encoding allowsthose who want to earncredit for reviewing the course to follow a special menu, ensur-ing that the course is reviewed completely. Then, members fol-low up with USPTA's Career Development Department.

Education credit is available for those who review seminarsand four-hour specialty courses. Members may apply theircredits toward achieving a specialist degree, Master Profession-al rating or other membership incentives.

"The World Conference has always been the premier eventfor tennis-teaching education," says USPTA President David T.Porter. "When members can't attend the conference, or wantto experience the courses they missed there, they can stillattain the education they want with this new technology.

"We also believe that members who take advantage of thisopportunity will recognize the high quality of the seminarsoffered at the World Conference and USPTA division events andbe inspired to attend more often."DVDs are available by calling the USPTA at 800-877-8248 or

online at www.usprotennisshop.com.USPTA members receive education credit for attending the

World Conference on Tennis (this year scheduled for Sept. 18to 25 at the La Quinta Resort & Spa), and workshops and con-ventions organized by USPTA's 17 domestic regional divisions.Members may also receive credit for a variety of other educa-tional events, such as those offered by groups including theClub Managers Association of America, the InternationalHealth, Racquet & Sportsclub Association and the USTA.

Almost 100 audiotapes and outlines of World Conferenceseminars are available free, but not for credit, in the "Educa-tion" section of uspta.com. Also online is information aboutUSPTA specialist degrees and other membership benefits.

U

Corrections8 Retail prices for the Volkl Tour 8 S.E. and V1 Classicreported on page 30 of the March 2004 RSI should be $150and $200 respectively.


Once again, we’d like to honor the championsof our sport—the many, often unheraldedheroes who work tirelessly to develop tennisin the U.S. But once again, we need your helpin identifying these men and women and

how their accomplishments have helped the game,whether in their local areas or nationally.Please take a few minutes to fill in the nomination

form below, in as many categories as you can. Or bet-ter yet, drop us an e-mail ([email protected]). Inour November/December issue, we’ll include a specialsection acknowledging the dedication of those whowork to keep tennis vital in the U.S.Include your nominees’ name, where they work

and phone (if possible), along with a brief descriptionof why you believe they are the champions in theirareas. We’d also appreciate your name and contactinformation, for confirmation purposes only. All nom-inations will be confidential. Please send us your picksby Aug. 2, 2004.MAIL the form to: Racquet Sports Industry, 330

Main St., Vista, CA 92084;or FAX it to: 760-536-1171or E-MAIL your nominations to:

[email protected] (put “Awards” in the subjectline). w

CHAMPIONS OF TENNIS HONOR ROLL

Persons of the Year2003: Jim Baugh & Kurt Kamperman2002: Alan Schwartz

Mass Merchant/Chain of the Year2003: Sport Chalet2002: Dick’s Sporting Goods2001: Galyan’s

Municipal Facility of the Year2003: MidlandCommunity Tennis Center2002: Cooper Tennis Complex2001: George E. Barnes Tennis Center

Pro/Specialty Retailer2003: Advantage Yours2002: Chicago Tennis & Golf2001: Dale Queen

Private Facility of the Year2003: New Albany Country Club2002: Woodfield Country Club

Builder of the Year2003: General Acrylics2002: Cape & Island Tennis and Track2001: Welch Tennis Courts

Sales Rep of the Year2003: Bob Strimel2002: Bob Pfaender2001: Sheri Norris & David Blakeley

Grassroots Champion2003: Scott Biron2002: Mark Platt2001: Donna Owens

Junior Development Champion2003: Phyllis Greene2002: LaMont Bryant2001: Ned Eames

Wheelchair Tennis Champion2003: Dan James2002: Tina Dale2001: Nancy Olson

USTA Section of Year2003: Southern2002: Northern2001: New England

CTA of the Year2003:Milwaukee Tennis & Ed. Found2002: Macon Tennis Association2001: Homewood-Flossmoor

PTR Division of the Year2002: Eastern2001: New England

USPTA Division of the Year2002: Midwest2001: Texas

We’d like your help in recognizing the people who aremaking a difference in the business of tennis.We’d like your help in recognizing the people who aremaking a difference in the business of tennis.

Championsof Tennis2004

Championsof Tennis2004


Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Chain Retailer/Mass Merchant of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Builder/Contractor of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Municipal Facility of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Private Facility of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Sales Rep of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Stringer of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Grassroots Champion of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Junior Development Champion of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Wheelchair Tennis Champion of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

USTA Section of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

Community Tennis Association of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

PTR Division of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

USPTA Division of the Year:

Reason:

Contact Info:

2004 CHAMPIONS OF TENNIS NOMINATION FORM

(Optional)Your name and phone or email:

MAIL this form to: Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084; or FAX it to: 760-536-1171

or E-MAIL your nominations to: [email protected] (put “Awards” in the subject line).


THE EXPERTSask?

Your Equipment & Business HotlineSTRING MOVEMENT

WHY DO SOME STRINGS movemore than others on impact withthe ball?

FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL, it isnot that some strings move and

others do not, it is that some strings moveback into position after moving, whileothers do not. You can easily check thisout for yourself. Play with a set of stringsuntil they get good and grimy. At thispoint, the mains and crosses will have somuch friction between them that it isdifficult to straighten them.

Now, rub down the strings with car wax.This cleans and lubricates the strings,permitting the mains and crosses to moveacross each other more easily … maybeeven more easily than when they werenew.

There are two observations to be madefrom this experiment. First, even when thestrings were so stuck that they weredifficult to straighten, they still gotknocked out of whack during play. Thisimplies that it is difficult to prevent stringmovement in the first place, short ofphysically bonding the strings to eachother at the intersections.

Second, clean and lubricated strings, whichslide across each other easily, must bemoving a lot during play, even though theylook as though they have not moved at all,by virtue of having returned to their

original positions by themselves. It mightbe said that strings that need to bestraightened after every shot are actuallymoving less than strings that don’t.

DISCONTINUEDGROMMET STRIPS

DOES ANYONE PUBLISH A LIST ofdiscontinued or hard-to-findgrommet strips, and who sells

them? Does the USRSA have a grommet-strip database that shows when grommetstrips are going out of stock at varioussuppliers, so we can buy them before it’stoo late? Do you have a database thattells which grommet strips fit otherracquets besides the ones for which theyare designed?

ALTHOUGH WE RECEIVE A LOT ofcalls about grommet strips,

keeping track of them in the manner yousuggest would be ruinously expensive,and of value to a relatively small numberof stringers. Your best bet is going to beto contact suppliers who sell grommetstrips, as they might know fromexperience which grommet stripsinterchange with others.

FIRST-TIME CUSTOMIZERI’VE BEEN STRINGING FOR decadesbut I’ve never tried customizing aracquet, until now. I want my

Prince Triple Threat Grande OS to hitmore like my old Wilson Sledge Hammer2.8 Stretch. How much lead tape should Iadd?

THE EASY ANSWER IS, YOU can’tget there from here. Your old

Wilson weighs less than your Prince, butthe swing weight is much higher. See thetable below for our measurements ofeach racquet.

Racquet Wt. Bal. Swing wt. Len.Wilson 2.8 258 40 365 28.5Prince Grande 262 37 318 27.5

Even so, the on-line tools available on ourwebsite for USRSA members can help youget your Prince the way you want it.Plugging the specifications for the TTGrande into the Racquet Optimizer, forexample, you’ll find that to get the swingweight of the Prince up to that of theSledge Hammer 2.8, you will need to add44 grams of lead tape to the tip of yourracquet—which is a lot of lead tape.Instead, because this is your first time, youshould start out with 8 inches of tapecentered at the tip (that is, two pieces of1/4-inch tape, 4 inches long, on each side ofthe stringbed) and work your way up. If onelayer is not enough, you can then layerother 4-inch strips atop your existing stripsuntil you get as much weight as you need—or can stand.

ATTITUDE TENSIONI HAVE A RACQUETBALL customerwho uses the Ektelon More Perfor-mance Attitude. According to the

USRSA, the tension range in this frame is 26to 34 pounds. However, he says he heardfrom someone at Ektelon that this frameshould be strung at 40 pounds for themains, and 44 pounds for the top fivecrosses. Have you ever heard of this?

Sort of. When the Power Ring framesfirst became available, some of the

bigger hitters found that the top crosseswould loosen up and saw through themains, resulting in premature breakage.Ektelon sent advisory notices to their dealersof an alternate tension recommendation forplayers breaking strings on Power Ringframes (which includes the Attitude). Forthese players, Ektelon recommends stringingthe mains at 34 pounds, the top threecrosses at 40 pounds, and the remainder ofthe crosses at 34 pounds.

RACQUET POWERFORMULA

I FIND IT INTERESTING to read andponder the tension-versus-power

Q

Q

A

A

QA

Q

A

Q


debate in your magazine and website. It all seems to makesense regarding energy in versus out, less than 1 percentvelocity change with various string tension, etc. It makes forgreat conversation at the tennis club trying to explain topeople.However, there is one thing I don’t understand that you

could help me with. If string tension doesn’t affect powersignificantly, then string stiffness doesn’t affect powersignificantly. Therefore, a small head racquet and a largehead racquet should produce the same amount of power.The steel ball would bounce the same height whether thehead size is small or large.In the racquet selection maps you have printed in the

past, you have a power formula that takes into account thelength, head size, flex, and swingweight to come up withyour figure. Why is head size part of the formula, it doesn’tseem to make any more sense than including the stringtension. Am I missing something?

IF YOU HIT IN THE CENTER of the oversized racquet,you will get the small increase in power associated

with lower string tension. This is due to the softer oversizestringbed. But there is an additional power benefit to over-sized racquets. The key to oversize racquets is that thesweetspot feels bigger both because you have less energyloss in the ball due to the softer stringbed, but also becausethere is less loss in twist around the long axis on off-centerhits. The larger head has a greater twistweight so lessenergy goes into racquet rotation around that axis. All elsebeing equal except the head size (head width, really), theACOR (ratio of the outgoing speed to the incoming speed ona stationary hand-held racquet) at every point on thestringbed should be higher for the larger racquet. So, as mostplayers using racquets with bigger heads don’t hit in thecenter of the racquet, they are indeed getting more power(though it is difficult to know how much) and also control.There is another aspect to this. ACOR is the real indicator

of power, as the May 2003 issue of Racquet Tech magazineexplained. The power formula that we have used in the pastis an admittedly flawed indicator. You can’t take it tooliterally. It is just a starting point for racquet selection and isnot meant to be a scientific calculation by any stretch of theimagination. It is simply a proxy for ACOR, which requiressophisticated equipment to measure. If we could measureACOR of every racquet, then there would be no question asto which racquets are more powerful. Even knowing ACOR,there is a caveat: Weight and swingweight are a couple ofthe factors that influence ACOR, so if you increase the massof your racquet to create more power potential, you have tobe able to swing the now-heavier racquet as fast as you didyour lighter racquet in order to realize that additional power.

—Greg Raven w

We welcome your questions. Please send them to Racquet SportsIndustry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email:[email protected].

A

YOUR finances


Cheap, Overlooked FinancingTo Expand Your Business

For the second time in two years, ourlawmakers have created federal taxcuts designed to spur business invest-

ment. However, despite record-lowinterest rates, affording the funds manywithin the tennis industry require in orderto acquire the property and equipment totake advantage of those tax cuts hasnever been harder. Into the breach hasstepped the U.S. Small BusinessAdministration.

Yes, the SBA, long known as thelender of last resort, has an underusedprogram that gives many retailers,distributors and manufacturers the meansto expand, modernize and compete intoday's economy—as well as acquire thebusiness property needed to truly benefitfrom recent tax cuts. Under the SBA's"504 Certified Development Company

Program," a tennis oper-ation can purchaseland and landimprovements,including exist-ing buildings,construct newfacilities,modernize,renovate orconvertexistingfacilities,purchaseequipmentand makeleaseholdimprove-ments topropertyunder a long-term lease.According

to the SBA, the504 program

enables a tennisbusiness to borrow up

to 90 percent of the

conventional commercial funding.Second, the terms of repayments are

generally more favorable than thoseoffered with conventional commercialfinancing. For real estate loans, the termcan go up to 25 years. This might be justthe ticket for a tennis business ownerneeding additional capacity, but whocan't work a loan payment into existingcash flow on the 15-year payback of aconventional commercial real estate loan.

Third, most SBA programs are inclu-sive. While there are some restrictions interms of how a small business is defined,the SBA estimates that more than 90percent of all businesses in the U.S. quali-fy for SBA financing. And, there is nominimum loan amount, with a maximumguaranty amount of $750,000. In otherwords, a loan could be as high as $1million with a 75 percent SBA guaranty—and even larger under the 504 program.

The fourth key advantage is therelatively low cost of financing. The SBAcharges a guaranty fee for term loansbased on a sliding scale of 3 percent onthe first $250,000; 3.5 percent on thenext $250,000, and 3.875 percent on theremaining guaranty amount.

THE SBA WANTSYOUR BUSINESSSurprisingly, less than half of the $2.5billion approved by Congress for 504loans in 2002 was actually used. In 2003,more businesses seemed to be takingadvantage of the program, applying forthe $4.5 billion available. This may, inpart, be due to the economy: Banks use504 loans to minimize risk during arecession, but when the economy ishealthy, they have less need for subsidizedlending.

Many critics fault the program's heavybureaucracy and localized processing,saying that can drag out the approvalprocess for weeks or months. The SBAhas acknowledged that processing times

money needed for covered expansionneeds. This way, the owner must come upwith only 10 percent of the project's costinstead of the 20 percent usually requiredby lenders. This frees additional cash forworking capital needs. Unfortunately, the504 program cannot be used for workingcapital or inventory—or for consolidating,repaying existing debt or refinancing.

WHAT IS A CDC?The key to the SBA's 504 loan is a Certi-fied Development Company (CDC), a non-profit organization sponsored by privateinterests or by state or local government.These local community experts haveaccess to SBA loan programs throughcertification from the Office of RuralAffairs and Economic Development at theSBA. There are more than 400 CDCsacross the nation.

The CDC organizes the financialpackage, completes all SBA paperwork,processes, closes and services loans, andbrings new business and long-termcustomers to the participating bank orother financial institution. The tennisoperation's banker or the local office ofthe SBA usually maintain lists of CDCs.

A typical 504 financial package hasthree separate components. The SBA-guaranteed 504 loan, the bank orfinancial institution's loan and the owner'sequity injection. Since the 504 program ispermanent financing, the private lendertypically provides interim financing on aconventional basis during any constructionperiod.

WHY SBA FINANCING?The SBA offers four key advantages. First,because the SBA assumes most of thecredit risk, commercial banks are generallymore willing to consider riskier deals thatmight normally not be considered "bank-able." About 25 percent of all SBA loans,for example, are extended to start-upentities, which are rarely eligible for

B Y M A R K E . B A T T E R S B Y

are too varied, and it is now conducting apilot program to see whether centralizedloan processing will improve service.

Many experts blame poor educationfor the low volume of loan requests underthe 504 program. Not enough lenders andborrowers understand the benefits. Fewwithin the tennis industry, for example,understand the SBA's loan programs,often dismissing them as strictly forindependent businesses—or for smallbusinesses—failing to realize how broadthe definitions actually are.

To be eligible for the 504 loans, atennis-related business must be operatedfor profit and fall within the program'ssize standards. A business qualifies as"small" if it does not have a tangible networth of $7 million and does not have anaverage net income in excess of $2.5million after taxes for the preceding twoyears. Any business engaged in specula-tion or involved with rental real estate isnot eligible.

OTHER RESTRICTIONSFor every $35,000 in 504 funding fromthe CDC, manufacturers, distributors andretailer/borrowers must be able to showthat they have created one job or retainedone that would have been lost withoutthe project. Often it can be enough toshow that the project will have analternate impact on the local economy.

If, for instance, the loan enables atennis operation to update facilities andincrease its ability to compete in theindustry—but that modernization makes itnecessary to let some employees go—thebusiness may still get credit for the jobsretained, since those jobs would havebeen lost if the tennis operation had goneout of business.

Businesses where the facilities are notowner-occupied (such as real estateinvestment in rental housing) are noteligible for 504 funding, although a tennisbusiness can lease out a portion of thebuilding during the expansion period. Ifthe funds are to be used to build a newbuilding, the operation must occupy 75percent of it; if the tennis business is usingthe funds to purchase an existing building,the operation must occupy 51 percent ofit to start.

It should be noted that while a 504loan can be used to purchase a new build-


ing, it is not a construction loan. Thetennis business must get a regularconstruction loan and the 504 loan isfunded after the project is completed.And remember, if you are planning to payyour 504 loan back early, be aware thatthere is a sliding-scale repayment penaltyfor the first half of the loan period.

If you plan to sell your tennis businessduring the term of the loan, the loan isassumable—but only if the personassuming the loan qualifies and isapproved by the SBA. This keeps ownersfrom selling their businesses to peoplewith little or no experience who are notlikely to be successful.

GETTING THE MONEYFifty percent of the 504 financing comesfrom the participating financial institution.That lender's investment is generallysecured by a first security interest (a lien)on the facility or equipment. The remain-ing 40 percent comes from the CDCs.CDC loans are typically fixed-rate loanssecured by a second lien and guaranteedby the SBA. The remaining 10-percent, ofcourse, is the tennis business owner'sresponsibility.

There are a few basic financial require-ments every lender must meet. For exist-ing operations, the SBA generally looks fora debt-worth ratio (total liabilities/totalassets) of not more than three to onesubsequent to the loan being made. Astart-up must have at least 30 percent inequity invested by the owners under mostSBA guaranty loan programs.

In addition to the capital requirements,the SBA looks closely at cash flow (bothhistorical and projected) and the back-ground and competence of management.With 504, as with most SBA programs,the tennis business owner or managerworks with his or her banker in filling outthe paperwork to apply for the loan.

Finding a bank that has some experi-ence in SBA lending is essential, as well asan excellent first step towards tappinginto this underused SBA financingprogram. w

Mark E. Battersby is a tax and financial

advisor, lecturer, writer and author in

Ardmore, Pa.

SUCCESSmarketing&


etention of members is the key tosuccess in the club industry. That’scommon knowledge. And one of

the keys to retention is to keep yourselfon the same page as your members interms of expectations. Identify and estab-lish those expectations and you can clearlyquantify your success, page by page.

This process of establishing memberexpectations can be broken down intocategories such as tennis, golf, fitness, proshop, even food and beverage, and withineach of those categories, you can identifysmaller areas of focus as well. In thisarticle, we’re going to zoom in on tennis,and more specifically, your on-court pro-gramming, both social and instructional.

One of the best ways to set expecta-

tions is to develop a mission statement foryour facility and your programs. Publishinga mission statement and broadcasting itclearly and widely tells your members that:

w You have thought deeply about yourstandards and are committed to maintain-ing them.

w Your members will know what toexpect—no surprises, fewer complaints.

w You are committed to training andmaintaining standards among your staff.

Also, the mission statement sends aclear message to your staff and helps themfeel part of a strong and vibrant team thatis committed to excellence. But rememberthat it is critical—make that “mission-criti-cal”—to get your staff on board and towholeheartedly agree to the standards you

publish. You need to get your staff on thesame page first to help ensure yoursuccess.

I suggest starting your mission state-ment with a brief introductory paragraph.As an example, here’s a mission statementbased on one that I helped develop for anindoor club in the Midwest:

“The entire tennis staff at [Your Club]is committed to meeting and exceedingyour expectations. To help us reach thesegoals and to help you know what toexpect, we want to describe our commit-ment. We hope you will agree that this listof standards meets or exceeds thequalities of any tennis program in thecountry.”

Next, you can go into a list of stan-

Your Mission: Get on the Same PageAs Your Members B Y J O E D I N O F F E R

R

dards for your facility, such as:Continuity—We are dedicated to

maintaining consistency among ourstaff through extensive and ongoingtraining, based on the newest researchand current playing trends.

Confidence—We believe yourconfidence and self-esteem is critical toimproving as a player and enjoying yourtennis. We are here to help you feelgood about the time you spend at yourclub.

Accelerated learning—Throughactive use of visual and kinesthetic aids,we believe your tennis improvement isaccelerated. We are committed to usingthe best tools available.

Guarantee—All lessons are guaran-teed. If you participate in a private orgroup lesson that does not meet yourexpectations, that session will be free ofcharge.

Safety and Facilities—We arecommitted to providing a safe, cleanand well-maintained environment at alltimes and welcome suggestions to

maintain those standards.Recognition—We will make every

effort to equally recognize and appreciateplayer participation as well as successthrough our bulletin boards and clubnewsletters.

Fun—Enjoyment is a key element toall private and group classes. After all,tennis is a game. We believe that smilesand laughter must be present in allon-court experiences with our staff.

Exercise—One of the benefits of anactive sport like tennis is that there is ahealthy exercise component. We arededicated to making certain that theexercise is appropriate to your needs anddesires. Not too much and not too little.

Friends—We all know that the socialelement of tennis is one of the magicalelements of this great sport. We will doeverything possible to help you make andmeet friends you can play with.

Family—Whenever possible we wantto arrange programs that encouragefamily members to learn together andplay together.

Then, you can close with a statementlike this: “Thank you for being a part ofthe [Your Club] family!”

In a time and environment wheremore than 5 million players are tryingtennis for the first time each year, it isimperative that we all take steps to keepthose players playing. I hope this articlehelps identify one more aspect of playerretention that will help ensure the stabilityand growth of this wonderful sport ofours. w


Joe Dinoffer is a MasterProfessional in both the PTRand USPTA. He is the authorand editor of 16 books and29 videotapes, and has 15

shows airing on The Tennis Channel with 11more due to be released by 2005. Dinofferis a frequent speaker at national and inter-national tennis conferences and has con-ducted over 250 workshops in the last 10years. For more, visit his website,www.oncourtoffcourt.com.

SUCCESSretailing


any retail designers, consumerbehavior experts, and cus-tomers believe that the fitting

room has far more power to influencea consumer's decision to buy thanretailers believe.

“More sales get lost in the dressingroom than on the sales floor," says retailconsultant Paco Underhill, whosecompany Envirosell in New York studiesshoppers' habits.

For women especially, a fitting roomis part of the shopping experience. Withmore money being spent on high-endtenniswear—and with clothing that,despite being tagged with the same“size” designation, fits differently fromone manufacturer to the next—con-sumers increasingly are demanding totry on their choices.

Dress Up Your Fitting RoomAnd you’ll help your apparel sales, too!

Keep it clean.This means no ripped-off clothing

tags laying around on the floor or onchairs, no “dust bunnies” or lint in thecorners, no dirt dragged in from outsideon the floors, no empty hangers on thehooks, and a space that’s free of previ-ously tried-on garments. Have your staffcheck—and clean—the space regularly,maybe even several times a day.

Not only do you want the dressingareas clean for shoppers, but you don’twant your new clothes actually gettingdirty in the fitting room, then goingback out onto the retail floor to possiblydiscourage other apparel shoppers.

Keep it bright.Ensure that the room is well-lit. No

one likes to go into a dark area to try onnew clothes. Side lighting or wallsconces, rather than overhead lightingonly, offer flattering light to apparelshoppers.

Have a full-length mirror.An apparel shopper needs to see

how the whole picture looks. Even bet-ter, if space allows, is a three-angle mir-ror, which would allow views of thesides and back of a garment.

Make it convenient.Make sure there are hooks and/or

a small bench for clothing and personaleffects. No matter how clean the flooris, people don’t like to leave their cloth-ing and other personal items there.

Make it private.There should be either a door or

curtain that closes securely and com-pletely. Placing the dressing area in apart of the shop that does not have alot of people milling around outside itmay be helpful, too.

B Y C Y N T H I A S H E R M A N

G

MIf you have a fitting room in your

shop, its condition can easily make thedifference between customer indiffer-ence and enthusiastic purchases.

James Adams of Fifth Floor, aleading retail design firm in Bellevue,Washington, draws an analogy to foodordered in a restaurant. "The samemeal served in a poorly lit atmospheresporting poor presentation will notseem as good to a customer as foodserved in an atmosphere of good light-ing and presentation,” Adams says.“In the latter, the same meal will'taste' better."

This is true of the fitting room,which Adams defines as the "secondmost important part of the store,”

behind the retail floor itself."The sale is made inthe dressing room,where the promiseshould come tolife,” says Adams.“A properlyoutfitteddressing roomconnects thecustomer to thestore, wherethey then feel a

strong connectionto the store and the

brand."Though floor space

sometimes limits the size of the dress-ing room, the box at right offers sometips to help you ensure that your dress-ing area is doing all it can to help, nothinder, your apparel sales.

Without spending an arm and aleg, a properly appointed fitting roomcan be just as inviting as an attractivemerchandise display. By followingsome simple guidelines, your fittingroom can help to make consumersshop more, and ultimately, to buymore. w

"The

sale is made

in the dressing

room, where the

promise should

come to life,”

says Adams.

COURT construction


hoosing the right court surface isone of the most challengingdecisions faced by tennis facility

owners and managers. As a designprofessional, I am frequently asked what isthe best tennis court surface to build. I getthe sense that people have an expectationthat there is one type of surface that ispreferable to all others.My response to this question, often to

people’s surprise, is thatthere is no one rightsurface to build. Thechoice of tennis courtsurface depends on whattheir vision of the facilityis. One surface type can’tmeet everyone’s needs,and often, a facility’sneeds are best met byhaving more than onetype of surface. While itis true that tennisfacilities in the past haveusually featured just onetype of surface, there isan emerging trend innew facilities towardproviding multiple surfacetypes to meet a variety ofchallenges in the tennismarketplace.Here are some things

to consider about which surface or surfacesmight be right for your facility.

PLAYER COMFORT ANDPREFERENCESOf course, tennis surface choices are allabout what players like. Surface optionsare usually divided into hard courts, such asasphalt or concrete either cushioned ornot, and soft courts, such as clay, fast dry,natural turf and synthetic turf. The basicconsideration between hard and soft courtsis that they play very differently and there-fore appeal to different types of players.Hard courts generally play faster than

soft courts and have higher ball bounce. Ifyou have a power serve, this is the court foryou. The speed of a hard court can beadjusted somewhat by varying the surfacetexture, but as the courts wear, they willtend to play faster. Many players find hardcourts difficult to play on for long periodsof time due to the constant pounding oftheir feet and joints over an unforgivingsurface. There are both liquid-applied and

roll-out cushion surfaces that can substan-tially mitigate foot impact on the surfacewithout significantly effecting the speed ofplay or ball bounce, making prolonged playmore comfortable.Soft courts generally play slower than

hard courts and have a lower ball bounce.Soft courts allow for foot slide over thesurface, alleviating the stress of the shortstop and twisting that accompanies play onhard courts. Soft courts are generallyconsidered more body friendly and areusually preferred by older players. If youprefer a volley-based game, soft courts arefor you.

On the SurfaceThere’s a lot to consider before you can choose the best court surface—or surfaces—for your facility.

COST CONSIDERATIONSWhen considering the cost of differentsurface types, it is important to rememberboth the initial cost of construction and thecost to maintain the court surface over thelong term. Hard courts, whether asphalt orconcrete, often cost significantly more tobuild than fast dry or grass courts. Thereason for this is that a hard court requiresboth a costly pavement structure and a

liquid-applied or roll-outplaying surface on top.Fast-dry courts are builtfrom less costly and moreeasily installed materials.Hard courts, however,

require very little regularmaintenance beyondcleaning and resurfacingevery three to five years.Fast-dry courts requirecostly irrigation, rolling,raking, and seasonal start-up and shut down in coldwinter climates. Subsurfaceirrigation systems cansubstantially reduce waterusage and dailymaintenance regimens,but they still requireconsiderably more expensethan a hard court.Synthetic-turf courts

are often more expensive than hard courtsdue to the high cost of the in-filled carpetsystem, but they require little more thanweekly or monthly sweeping as part of theirupkeep. Natural grass courts, like fast-drycourts, require irrigation and rolling and arenot recommended unless you have anexperienced turf specialist on staff such asyou might find at your local golf club.

FLEXIBILITY INPROGRAMMINGTennis facility owners don’t talk about thismuch, but there is often economic pressureto use their courts for things other than the

B Y A N D R E W R . L A V A L L E E , A S L A

�

C

traditional tennis match. It is no secretthat many indoor facilities are used duringthe summer months for children’s summercamps. Hard court surfaces are best suitedto take the greater abuse generated byyouth programs.With temporary markings and

stanchions, hard courts can readily accom-modate volleyball and basketball games,though these uses need to be carefullyundertaken on certain types of cushionedsurfaces. Synthetic-turf courts make excel-lent venues for soccer, especially ifmultiple banks of courts are converted toa large field by removing divider fencesand net posts.Often clubs will on occasion use a

court or two for special events likeweddings, fund-raisers, special exhibitsand the like. Again, hard courts, withprotection put down over the surface,easily allow for these types of activities.Fast-dry courts, with some temporarymeasures, can work for these types ofevents, but some consideration should begiven to the problems posed by themoisture within the surface itself. Fast-dry

courts can also be used for bocce tourna-ments. Don’t forget that natural grasscourts can easily be converted for use ascroquet pitches.With a little bit of creative thinking,

tennis court surface choices can offerincreased programming options to afacility on either a temporary or recurringbasis without detracting from their regularuse as tennis courts.

MARKETABILITYOne last point about tennis-court surfacechoices: Image is everything. There is noquestion that people associate surfacetypes with certain types of tennis venues.Painted hard courts often remind players ofpoorly used municipal facilities, while hardcourts cushioned with premier surfacesystems can evoke the thrill of the USOpen or Australian Open. Natural grasscourts conjure up images of the NewportCasino or Wimbledon. Red fast-dry courtsrecall the French or Italian Open.Why not build a natural grass “center”

court with a nearby clubhouse that canserve as a novelty that sets your club apart

from others in your area, creating anostalgic sense of what tennis used to be?When was the last time you played on agrass court? There is no reason that therest of your courts have to be naturalgrass.Choosing a court surface is as much

about providing local players with whatthey want as with providing them withwhat they don’t have at other facilities.And this can translate into potentialmarket share.With today’s competitive economic

climate, decision-makers are acutely awarethat the success of their facility is depen-dent on making the right choices. Byconsidering your players needs anddesires, your budget, what you want todo with the facility and how you want toposition your facility within your localmarket, you can more easily make theright surface choices. w


Andrew Lavallee is a senior associate atMathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, PC,located in New York City, where he special-izes in sports and recreational facility design.

RESEARCH


The second

annual tennis

participation study

sheds more light

on some of the

obstacles to

increasing play.

B Y P E T E R F R A N C E S C O N I

ondering whether the sport of tennis, with its multi-million-dollar marketing

campaign and Tennis Welcome Center initiative, is headed in the right

direction? Well, data from the second annual U.S. tennis participation study does

seem to confirm that the current initiatives are indeed targeting problem areas within

the sport. And the survey also is pointing up other potential trouble spots that will

need to be addressed.

W

PointingPointingthethe

WayWay


In 2002, the Tennis Industry Asso-ciation and the USTA commissioned agroundbreaking survey designed toinitiate annual measurements oftennis participation in the U.S. Thehope was that through yearly studiesof who is playing and how much theyplay, the industry can develop a“roadmap” that can be used to

improve all aspects of the sport:products, programs, partic-

ipation, and plans forthe future.

That first survey,conducted by Taylor

Research & ConsultingGroup and Sports Market-

ing Surveys USA andreleased in early 2003, was

hailed by many throughout thetennis industry—and the sports

industry as a whole—as a ground-breaking effort.

This year’s version was conductedin exactly the same manner as last

year’s: 25,500 households, chosen atrandom from across the U.S. and in the

Caribbean and British Columbia, weresurveyed by telephone in a 30-day periodthis past fall. The data gathered from thefive-minute surveys represent observa-tions from more than 66,000 individu-als. Extended interviews also wereconducted with current and formerplayers, and with non-players.

Industry sources caution thatwhile it is still too early to seeany marked changes in partici-pation from last year’s initial

survey, this year’s data doesseem to support the direc-

tion that the industry ismoving with regard to

the Tennis WelcomeCenter program and

the new tennismarketing cam-paign. And thenew data doespoint out somemajor challengesand opportunitiesthat the industryneeds to addressto increase tennisparticipation.

“I think the

latest TIA/USTA survey reaffirms our challenges in that wehave to make that new-player experience better by makingsure players get in a program and have the benefits oflearning from a teaching professional,” says Kurt Kamper-man, the USTA’s chief executive of Community Tennis andformer president of the TIA. “It also makes it clear that wehave to continue to provide more and better playing oppor-tunities for our existing player base, because the continueddecline in frequent players is alarming.”

Says TIA President Jim Baugh, “We don’t have a trialproblem; 5.9 million new players each year isprobably bigger than any other sport. It’s the way thesenew players are trying tennis that is the issue. We need tomake sure we spread the word that you can ‘learn to playtennis . . . fast!’ at a Tennis Welcome Center. We must allwork together to build consumer awareness of our brand,TennisWelcomeCenter.com.”

As of mid-March, 3,300 tennis clubs, parks and otherfacilities were signed on as TWCs, exceeding the originalgoal of 3,000. And more facilities continue to sign on to theprogram, the TIA says.

RSI was provided with a copy of an executive summaryof the massive 2003 U.S. Tennis Participation Study. Here’sa look at some of the challenges and opportunities thislatest study revealed.

Overall tennis participation is still flat. For the last fouryears, the total number of tennis players in the U.S. hashovered around 24 million, which is about 8.7 percent ofthe overall population. The current survey puts that numberat 24.03 million.

Play by “frequent” players has steadily declined. Thisfour-year downturn may be even more disturbing than theflat participation. Frequent players, defined as those whoplayed 21 or more times in the past year, are the folks whobuy more equipment and court time. They’re the heart ofyour business.

There is, however, an increase in the number of playersplaying one to three times a year, from 6.3 million in 2000to 8.62 million today. But the mix has changed, withfrequent players declining and less-frequent playersincreasing. Key to your business, of course, is runningprograms designed to get people to play more frequently—to move them up to frequent-player status (Figure 1.)

And the research supports this. Current players are threetimes more likely to have taken a lesson in the last year (44percent) than those who used to be frequent players butnow play less than 21 times a year (15 percent). Anotherfactor in increasing frequency is the availability oforganized play and league play.

The bucket is leaking—still. You’ve heard this before, butthe data clearly shows the number of existing players hasdropped, and the number of new players has increased.The research makes clear that tennis still has a retentionproblem, but the good news is that the sport is attractingnew players.

As a matter of fact, first-time trial is not an issue withtennis, as 5.9 million people, or 25 percent of all tennis

players, had their first taste of tennis in 2003, up from 5.1million the year before. Again, the trick here is to provideprograms that move these “newbies” along the path to jointhe frequent-player ranks (Figure 2).

Another positive sign is that the new players are continu-ing to bring much-needed youth into the game. About 63percent of all new players to tennis are 6 to 17 years old,which is about the same percentage as in 2002. That sameyouth age bracket also represents 35 percent of all playersin the sport, and 21 percent of the total U.S. population.Also, 22 percent of all new players are Hispanic, wellahead of the Hispanic portion of the overall U.S. popula-tion, which is 14 percent.

New and rejoining players play less tennis. On average,continuing players (those who have played for more thana year) average about 27 times a year on court. New play-ers and rejoiners (those taking up the game after havingstopped playing for at least a year) play tennis on average11 and nine times, respectively.

The research finds that, especially for new players,instruction contributes heavily to interest in playing more,and that “having a great teacher” introduce them to thegame also helps create frequent players. That is why, withregard to the TWC initiative, one requirement is that therebe a certified teaching pro at all the facilities (Figure 3).

Many don’t play more because they “don’t enjoy it.” Ofnew players, 11 percent say they don’t enjoy tennis,hence they play less. And of these tennis “samplers,” only17 percent say they had an enjoyable first experience.

The research indicates that most samplers tend to playwhere there is little or no instruction available. About 80

percent of samplers play at either a public court or aschool or college court, but two-thirds of all teachingpros are at private or commercial facilities. That, ofcourse, is something the Tennis Welcome Centerprogram is designed to combat. If you’re a teachingpro at mainly private facilities, consider expandingyour horizons to the public parks and schools in yourarea. It can certainly broaden your base of customers.

Another very specific stat in support of the TWCinitiative is that new players who played the game 21or more times in the past year were more likely to saythey had a positive first experience with tennis thannew players who played less often. About 67 percentof beginning players who now play frequently saidtheir first experience was “very enjoyable,” comparedto 46 percent who played four to 10 times.

The tennis-playing population is aging. Fully 20percent of frequent players are age 50 or over,compared with 11 percent of frequent players over 50in 1995. The 50-and-over set also accounts for 13 per-cent of all players today, vs. 8 percent in 1995. Clear-ly, while this is an area of concern for the sport, it maypoint up certain business strategies you need toemploy to cater to an older clientele.

For instance, the fitness aspect of tennis is huge,and one that will only become more important as aging baby-boomers look at the options available for staying fit. Considerpartnering with a doctor’s office as a way to gain customers,and provide them with a valuable service. Pro shops shouldconsider adding products that would appeal to older players.And for court construction companies, adding tennis courts to


The Bucket is LeakingTennis was successful at attracting brand new players,but needs to do a better job retaining existing players.

Figure 2

Base: Tennis Players age 6+

% = percent of U.S. population

The Make-UpThere are just as many people playing tennis as in past years,

but the mix has changed.

Figure 1


RESEARCH

an over-50 housing development is a natural fit.Many of the 5.9 million new players aren’t being welcomed

to tennis. This is a two-prongedproblem, since new players tendto play in schools or public parks,where pros and programs aremore limited, and most teachingpros work in private facilities,where they are less likely to reachnew players. Among new playersages 12 and up, only 32 percenthave taken a lesson in the pastyear.

Again, this is exactly what the Tennis Welcome Center ini-tiative is supposed to help turn around. The TIA and USTAhave achieved the goalof signing on 3,000TWCs; the trick nowis to make sure theTWCs deliver thegoods to new andreturning players,making them feelwelcome, and thenleading them to pro-grams that makethem “frequent”players. “We need tofocus on quality,”says Kamperman.

The “tennis infra-structure” in schoolsis limited. This is aproblem becausehalf of the 4 millionnew players in the6-to-17 age bracketeach year are intro-

duced to tennis at school. Yet this can also be an opportunityfor your business to partner with local school districts to bring

tennis to these kids, or at least to help supply gym classeswith equipment. Students in school also need to be “wel-comed” to the sport, even if it is a gym-class requirement.

Finding playingpartners is a problem.Over a quarter of all“lapsed” players saythey left the gamebecause they had“no one to playwith.” Retaining cus-tomers is, obviously,key to your business.At your facility orshop, make surethere is a bulletinboard, sign-up sheet,website or othervehicle that allowsplayers to quicklyand easily findpartners. You needto make it easy forgroups of friendsto play together(Figure 4). w


Obstacles to PlayingMany “lapsed players” left the game because they had no one to play with.

Base: Lapsed players age 12+

% saying each had “a lot” of

influence on why they stopped

playing

Figure 4

Instruction vs. Frequency of PlayInstruction contributes heavily to actual frequency of play.


Figure 3

The Tennis Industry Association has been conducting tennis

participation research since 1988, including spearheading the massive

U.S. Tennis Participation studies in 2002 and 2003. For more

information on the research available at the TIA, visit

www.tennisindustry.org or contact the TIA office at 843-686-3036.

% who have taken tennis lessons

Let’s Make ADEAL!

RETA I L ING


Let’s Make A

In today’s competitive climate, manufacturers may bemore willing than ever to offer incentives to retailers.

B Y M I T C H R U S T A D

uantity discounts. Sell-in programs. Buy-inprograms. Depending on whom you talk to, the actu-al terms may change, but virtually all specialty retail-ers—though some manufacturers refuse to or are

hesitant to admit it—are regularly (and often aggressively)offered special incentives to increase a manufacturer’s over-all brand presence in their stores.

But what, exactly, will encourage a wary retailer to add anextra dozen racquets to an order? And just how much prod-uct is a manufacturer willing to give away to secure preciousshelf space in a leading specialty store? Most manufacturers,and many retailers, declined to discuss specifics of any dealsthat have been offered. The fact is, these deals have so manyvariables that manufacturers need to tailor them to specificretailers.

But in today’s ultra-competitive retail climate, thepressure is greater than ever on the sales reps to push biggerand bigger orders, while many specialty retailers—inclined tokeep a close eye on their cash reserves—lean towards asteady stream of safer, smaller orders.

The resulting dance—or tug of war, in some cases—isgreatly affected by a kaleidoscope of dealer incentives, whichvary greatly in size and scope and transcend the boundariesof traditional volume discounts. This fancy footworkresounds from shop to shop and season to season, and whileshops and manufacturers may not always move in sync, bothultimately move to the same tune.

In the end, they each have the same goal: to get productinto the customers’ hands. But in the short term, each has adefinite agenda as well.

For now, industry leaders say the incentive scales areclearly tipped in the retailer’s favor.

“It’s a buyer’s market,” says Sam Cook, general managerof Völkl Tennis USA. “There are simply too many racquets in

the marketplace chasing too few racquet consumers. Since[the racquet brands] are all competing for a shrinking pieceof the pie, it’s not surprising that incentive programs becomemore aggressive and buyers find themselves in a strongerposition to dictate terms.”

That mood is echoed by retailers like Peg Cashman, co-owner of Advantage Yours in Clearwater, Fla., who says thatbargaining with her sales reps for incentives beyond normaldiscounts is just a normal part of doing business, in both hardand soft goods.

“There are many, many things you can ask manufacturersfor, so we negotiate with that in mind,” says Cashman, whoisn’t shy to ask for additional discounts, free demos andstring, and extras like point-of-purchase displays, often withsuccessful results.

Often, retailers with proven track records can literallywrite their own ticket these days, though keeping manufac-turing partners happy is just as important as ever.

“We have carved out some deals with manufacturers thatI’m sure nobody else gets,” says Deana Mitchell, who withpartner Scott Jones runs the highly successful Serious Tennisshops in Atlanta. “They try and go that extra mile with us, sowe in turn have loyalty to them. It has to be a win-winsituation.”

Ideally, manufacturer incentives should guarantee a satis-fying payoff for both sides, the only wildcard being theconsumer’s ultimate decision to buy.

For example, most string manufacturers have some formof a Frequent Stringers Program, which lets retailersexchange accumulated sales “points” for prizes such as ballhoppers, DVD players, or even a new stringing machine.

“It’s a bottom-line motivator,” says Chuck Vietmeier,product manager for Gamma Racquet Sports. “There’s anoth-er return for a retailer other than just the profit. They have an

Q


More than ever, retailers are being offeredincentive programs specifically suited totheir store or because of a solid relation-ship with their local reps. Such instancescan allow retailers free reign to barter,above and beyond the norm, for thingssuch as credit for unsold merchandise,extra demos, free string or more POP dis-plays.

“You have nothing to lose,” says PegCashman, co-owner of Advantage Yours inClearwater, Fla. “I’ve found that like 90percent of our manufacturers aggressivelywant to please. They will bend over back-wards as much as they can to help youwhen you ask for things. Of course, theycan always say no, but you can ask.”

In the current buyer’s market, looking for acarrot (or two) from a manufacturer is thenorm for many retailers.

“They’re more willing to make deals andbe creative than ever before,” says DeanaMitchell of Serious Tennis in Atlanta. “Ithink the companies are willing to givewhen they’re asked, but I don’t know if alot of companies are really challenged bythe retailers. If you don’t ask for it, you’renot going to get it.”

Cashman encourages retailers to ask theirlocal reps for any kind of help—extrademos, rebates or credit on unsold mer-chandise, free string with racquet orders,buy so many and get one free, etc.—aslong as their common sense is along forthe ride. “You can’t be stupid and ask forfour free racquets if you buy four,” saysCashman. “But if I buy 30 racquets, it’sonly fair to ask, ‘What can you do forme?’”

To that point, Cashman suggests asking forincentives that can ultimately help both ofyou. For example, having extra demos inthe store helps both parties. “If your lonedemo is out and someone comes in andwants to test that frame, then you’vepotentially lost a sale,” says Cashman.

But in the end, deal making should reflectand respect the ultimate partnershipbetween manufacturer and retailer.“You’ve got to show them that you’regoing to do your part, too,” says Cashman.

—M.R.

added incentive to push a certain brand of string,because there’s another goal to reach.”

Ultimately, however, the simplest incentives—such as a ‘buy nine of a certain product, get onefree’ scenario—tend to also be the most popularwith budget-conscious retailers.

“Everyone likes the free product, because it’simmediate gratification,” says Vietmeier. “They know

what they’re getting right then and there, there’s no waitingfor rebates. And in this retail climate, all we ever hear is, ‘They’re

doing this, so what are you going to do for me?’”There is a flip side here, of course. The tide can turn quickly ifa manufacturer comes out with one very hot product, whichleaves retailers salivating—and perhaps even willing to com-promise—to get the product in the shop.“Manufacturers keep introducing new products that you

hope will take off, so you can build the whole brand aroundit,” says Vietmeier. “Certain incentive programs can ensurethat gets done.”For example, if a manufacturer has a very hot racquet that’s

flying off the shelves, but wants to push a new line of string, a repmight insist that a racquet order also include a requisite amount ofthe new string, even if it’s free.“It’s like leveraging one product for another,” says Vietmeier. “The

retailers don’t really want the string, but they will take it becausethey’re making pure profit on it, so they’re gonna push it and it may

eventually catch on. Ultimately, the racquets get on the wall and they get thechance to grow their string business. It’s like a win-win.”

However, such strategies or incentives won’t always guarantee that aretailer will stock a less-desirable brand or product line.

“I judge the products on how they are and whether they will sell or not,” saysChris Gaudreau, owner of Racquet Koop in New Haven, Conn. “I don’t care howmuch they offer me. If I don’t think it will sell, I won’t bring it in my shop.”

But not all of the incentives out there are product-driven. Some manufactur-ers will offer employee incentives virtually guaranteed to entice them intopitching their products on the sales floor.

For example, one manufacturer offers shop salespeople a scratch-cardprogram, which lets employees draw pseudo instant-cash lottery tickets (worth$5 to $15 each) from a hat with each sale. Another sales incentive program thatwas held nationwide upped the ante even further: the winner earned a year’slease on a brand-new BMW.

“With this kind of incentive, why would that employee try to sell a differentbrand?” says Mitchell, who makes sure her sales staff knows where their breadis buttered when it comes to pushing product on the floor.

“You have to back it up with your own salesmanship,” says Mitchell. “But ourrecommendation holds a lot of weight with customers, so it’s really in the retail-er’s hands what the consumer is going to buy.”

To be sure, this only scratches the surface of a very complex—and touchy—subject in the tennis industry. Understandably, some manufacturers were waryto even discuss specific incentive programs. But no matter how juicy the dealsget, retailers would be wise to keep a close eye on their bottom line.

“I’m just hopeful that the better specialty stores recognize that incentiveprograms are only as good as their ability to sell in a timely fashion,” says Cook.“Too often, because of a particular incentive, they buy more than they need,and at the end of the day, they’re choking on the product just to get the carrot.We need to caution dealers to make sure the programs are in line with theirbottom-line needs. Otherwise, the incentive is eroded.” w

You Only Need to Ask

FRAME

R A C Q U E T S E R V I C E


Use this guide to help you modify an existing frame to play at its best.B Y D R E W S U N D E R L I N

es, you can make any racquet play better—guaranteed! Sounds like a pretty bold statement, butin actuality, it is an everyday quest in many shopsand specialty stores throughout the world. Which

racquet should I recommend? Which string and tension?What would be the proper weight and balance for thisparticular customer? Deriving the answer is not ascomplicated as you might believe. Performing the workprofessionally is another matter.

In this article, we’re going to help you identify the keyareas of concern in modifying an existing frame to make itplay at its maximum potential. Once the process is complet-ed, only a qualified racquet technician with the properequipment should be employed to match additional framesto the “ideal” frame of a particular customer.

Let’s start by examining the three key areas of a tennisracquet—frame, string, and grip. Please note that an “ideal”frame modification may require one, two, or all three ofthese key areas. However, you should never modify morethan one area at a time. Otherwise, you may not knowwhich modification is really working.

A player’s frame has fourareas of concern: flex, weight,balance, and swing weight.FLEXA stiff frame has a weak deflection when the string face isimpacted by a ball. This weak deflection allows thestringbed to now interact more with the ball. Since stringsare more resilient than the frame, they work harder whensupported by a stiff hoop than with a flexible hoop. Sincethey are working harder, they also will experience a shorterstring life (both durability and playability), but yield more

power and, in many cases, more accuracy. However, theyare not as forgiving on the arm, since the initial shock froman off-center hit is not absorbed in the frame as well as witha flexible model. Think of yourself in an egg-catchingcontest. You have been assigned to stand perfectly still andnot move your hand backward with the impact of the egg inyour hand while your opponent is allowed to move his handwith the impact of the egg to gradually slow it down. Whichone of you wins this contest?

This brings us to the next point . . .

WEIGHTThe more mass an object has, the more energy it canabsorb. Imagine yourself driving a light compact car into anembankment at 30 mph, and then doing the same collisionwith a Sherman tank. Which vehicle folds up more? If yourefer to Rod Cross’s article “Racquet Power and the IdealRacquet Weight” in the February 2004 issue of RSI, you willnote how he calculates the ideal racquet weight by examin-ing the weight of the player’s hitting arm. It is well knownthat you don’t need to work as hard with a heavier racquetto obtain ball speed, provided you can maneuver the frameinto position for the ideal point of contact. In essence, youshould use the heaviest racquet you can “comfortably”swing. Not only will it yield more power, it will also absorbmore energy on impact.

However, you can’t just wield a heavier racquet withoutregard to . . .

BALANCEStatic balance, or “pick-up weight,” allows you to either han-dle added weight or not. Three racquets all have 300 gramsof weight. The first has 150 grams toward the handle, 75grams in the throat area and 75 grams in the head. Thesecond has 100 grams in the handle, 100 grams in thethroat area and 100 grams in the head. The third has 75grams in the handle, 75 grams in the throat area and 150

Make Any RacquetPlay Better—Guaranteed!

Make Any RacquetPlay Better—Guaranteed!Y

STRING


grams in the head. To put it simply, the first is headlight, thesecond is evenly balanced and the third is headheavy. Themost powerful of these frames is the headheavy model andthe least powerful is the headlight model. Think of theweighting of a hammer. The handle is light, the head isheavy and it packs a pretty good punch. Turn the hammeraround, putting the head of the hammer in your hand, andtry nailing with the handle. Tennis frames react in a similarfashion when weight (lead tape) is added.

The positioning of any added weight is critical to theperformance of the racquet because it may severely affectthe . . .

SWINGWEIGHTSwingweight, in simple terms, is what the racquet feels likein motion. A combination of too much gram weight and toomuch weight concentrated toward the head of a racquet willyield a non-maneuverable frame. Baseline players tend toprefer higher swingweights, while serve-and-volleyers enjoylower swingweights. Players with elbow problems are morecomfortable with lower swingweights. Weight positioned at6 and 12 o’clock will yield more power, but less stability,than weight at 3 and 9 o’clock. Racquets with too high aswingweight, although they will yield a powerful punch uponimpact with the ball, take too much energy to maneuver intoposition, causing late contact and possible arm discomfort.Swingweights that are too low find the player consistently

early on contact and prone to mis-hits, which may causearm discomfort as well.

Know your player!Ask questions like, do you suffer from any kind of tendinitisor bursitis? Do you like to hit excessive topspin or under-spin? Do you consider yourself a “touch” player or do youjust like to hit the ball hard? Do you play on mostly hard orsoft courts? Do you break strings in your current racquet,and if so, where?

Your No. 1 concern for your customer should be comfort.Without getting into a whole article on string selection,suffice it to say that:w For players with elbow, wrist, or shoulder concerns,recommend natural gut, hybrids of coreless multifilamentsand gut, or just a coreless multifilament—in that order.w For serve-and-volley players, start with natural gut, certainhybrids, coreless multifilaments or some center-core strings.w For hard-hitters, but normal string breakers, recommendnatural gut (only in dense string patterns), certain hybrids orcenter core strings.w For players with excessive spin, suggest certain hybrids,polyester or some textured strings.w For hard-hitters who break strings frequently, recommendcertain hybrids or polyester.

String tension should depend on the following criteria:

GRIPS


Type of frame, open or dense string pattern, frame flex,physical concerns of the player, type of string, gauge andstyle of play.

For stringing frequency, use the following guidelines:w Polyester after 15 to 25 hours of play.w Nylon 30 to 40 hours.w Hybrid combinations 30 to 45 hours (dependent onmixture).w Gut 40 to 60 hours.

The type of grip yourcustomer chooses for his orher racquet can have animpact on how the racquetfeels and performs in theirhand.You need to have a variety of types and styles from which tochoose.

The size of the grip is also very important. It is not rec-ommended that you reduce grip sizes on the newer frames,but technicians with the right tools can perform some

minor reduction surgery on grips. Grip build-up is mostcommon, with heat sleeves being the method of choice,and your customer should play with the largest grip theycan “comfortably” hold.

If your customer has arm problems do not go down insize. Try the following: Make a fist. Feel your forearmmuscles tighten? Now relax your grip. Your muscles relax aswell. If your grip is too small, you unconsciously grip tightlywhen you see a fast-moving ball coming toward you. Hityour shot out of center and the racquet will try to torque inyour hand. This jarring sensation is very hard on yourmuscles and can lead to discomfort. When your hand isdisplaced over a greater surface area, the vibrations aredissipated more rapidly throughout the body with little orno discomfort.

Remember, building up a grip a half size (1/16 of aninch) adds 9 grams of weight; a full grip size (1/8 of an inch)adds 18 grams. This is significant and shouldn’t be donehaphazardly.

The shape of the grip also can have an influence onhow the racquet feels and performs. Different manufactur-ers have different shapes to their molded grips. Altering theshape of the bevels can have drastic effects on how the rac-quet feels and performs. If your customer insists on a par-ticular shape and you don’t have remolding capabilities,contact your dealer. If your dealer can’t perform the work,he can put you in touch with some private contractorswho can.

PUTTING IT TOGETHERStart with the basic premise that in most cases the frame istoo light for them. Look at the wear pattern on the strings(string discoloration, ball fuzz, fraying). Are they hitting themajority of their balls in the center, low or high on the face ofthe racquet? Look at the design (shape) of their frame. Whereis the center of percussion or “sweetspot” supposed to be? Justbecause they bought the latest model doesn’t mean theybought the “right” racquet for their style of play and physicalneeds.

Count the number of cross strings where the “majority”of the wear is situated. Find the center of “their” sweetspot.Start with 6 grams of lead tape and put 3 grams on eachside of the string face adjacent to “their” center of percus-sion. Remember, the sweetspot moves toward the mass ofthe frame. Have the player test this modification. If they feelthey can handle it with no problem and see an improve-ment, add 3 grams more (not 6 grams).

Gradually build up the gram weight until they no longerlike the way it is performing. Go back to the last “good” test.If they like the way their frame is playing, but feel their serveand volley have suffered a little, remove their grip and place8 to 10 grams of lead tape just above the butt cap. Put theirgrip back on and have them retest. Modify the amount oflead tape accordingly.

You need to listen to your customer. Everything they tellyou about how the racquet is playing is important and canbe modified to some degree by what you do in the placementof weight. Once the “ideal” frame has been identified, all specsshould be recorded (weight, static balance and swingweight).

Do not try to duplicate their other frames by simply applyingthe same amount of lead tape in the same places. It is rare thattwo frames of the same make, model and grip size everhave the same weight, static balance and swingweightcoming from the factory. Let a Master Racquet Technician orCertified Stringer with the proper equipment custom-matchtheir frames so that they are all equal. If your customerwants to experiment with different strings and tension orgrips and shapes, do them after you have determined theideal frame setup.

Remember, don’t try and alter more than one area ofconcern at a time. A fine-tuned racquet is like having aprecision instrument in your hand.

You can make any racquet play better—guaranteed! w


Drew Sunderlin is a USRSA Master RacquetTechnician, a USPTA Master Pro and the rac-quet technician for the U.S. Fed Cup Team. Heis also the owner of the Fort Washington Swim& Tennis Club, the Strings 'n Things Pro Shopand the Strings 'n Things Competition String-ing Service in Ambler, Pa.

Okay, so how do I know whatwould be best for my customer?


Mid-SeasonReplacements?

RACQUETS

Mid-SeasonReplacements?

swe enter the heart of the outdoorseason, many racquet manufacturers areintroducing new frames—hoping, ofcourse, to catch consumers in the grips

of “swing fever.”A Yonex

RDX 500 HD

YonexTake Yonex. The company had been silent for the first part of the year—it did not, for example,

submit any racquets to TENNIS magazine for evaluation—but now it has three new sticks.

First up is the Yonex RDX 500 for advanced players. In fact, the racquet comes in three mod-

els. Endorsed by Lleyton Hewitt, the RDX 500 is the most demanding of the lot, with a small, 90-

square-inch head and weighing 11.8 ounces. The RDX 500 HD, which is being used by Jelena Dokic,

weighs the same but has the benefit of a slightly bigger head (98 square inches), while the RDX 500

Mid-plus, also 98 square inches, is a tad lighter (11.5 ounces). Suffice to say, players below NTRP 4.0

should look elsewhere.

Yonex also serves up a racquet for strong intermediates to low-

level advanced players with the Yonex RDX 300 Mid-plus and

Yonex RDX 300 Super Mid-plus. The 300 is 10.9 ounces,

has a 98-square-inch head and is 27.25 inches long,

while the Super Mid-plus has a 103-square-inch

head, weighs 10.4 ounces, and is 27.5 inches long

(for even more leverage and power).

Yonex also has released the V-Con 30+.

Using an elastic material in the throat to reduce

shock, the V-Con 30+ is designed for players who

want a racquet that’s easy on the arm. By the looks

of the specifications, it’s also pretty easy to use, as it’s

available in two fairly big head sizes (107 and 117

square inches) that weigh a little more than 9 ounces.

New entries from some top racquet manufacturersare hoping to weigh in big with consumers.New entries from some top racquet manufacturersare hoping to weigh in big with consumers.B Y J A M E S M A R T I N

Yonex V-Con 30+


BabolatVS NCT Tour

Dunlop800G I.C.E.

BabolatThe NCT (Nano Carbon Technology) line just got bigger,

with the new VS NCT Power and VS NCT Tour. Babolat

says that its NCT racquets integrate state-of-the-art

materials (carbon nanotubes) with a special beam

design for power, control and comfort. The racquets

use nanotechnology (manipulating materials on the

scale of the atom) to provide strength and lightness,

according to the company. Indeed, these two frames

are light, coming in at 10.1 ounces for the 100-

square-inch VS NCT Tour and 8.6 ounces for the 118-

square-inch NCT Power. The racquets are designed for

short-swing players.

DunlopWhat’s going on at Dunlop? I.C.E., or Internally Cooled

Engineering. With the company’s new 800G and 600G,

Dunlop is no longer cooling racquets at room tempera-

ture, but blowing cool air through the hoop to cool the

racquet 25 percent faster. The benefit: Dunlop says it

improves the frame’s stiffness and strength, while at

the same time allows for better touch and feel by the

player. The 800G is designed for 2.0 to 4.0 players, and

the 600G is more appropriate for 3.0 to 4.5.

Contact the ManufacturersBabolat—877-316-9435 or www.babolat.comDunlop—800-768-4727; www.dunlopsports.comYonex—310-793-3800; www.yonex.com

FIELD


Level the

P R O M O T I N G T H E S P O R T

For a different take on learning and enjoyingtennis, take a look at Bankshot Tennis.

fter his cousin was confined to a wheelchair following an automobileaccident in the late 1960s, Dr. Reeve Robert Brenner was startled todiscover the scarcity of sports they could play together. Since thattime, he has developed several modified games—including BankshotTennis—so able-bodied and physically challenged participants canplay together with neither at a disadvantage.

Bankshot Tennis is played with standard tennis racquets, balls and strokeson a series of stations that gradually increase in difficulty. The goal is to “bank”balls off angled fiberglass backboards so they pass through vertical hoops andinto netted ball catchers. Participants play against the course rather than oneanother, with a different stroke required to score at each station. The playerwith the most points wins.

“The traditional game of tennis is wonderful, but there is a need for a non-aggressive sport for people of different ages, where speed, size and strengthdon’t apply,” says Brenner, of Rockville, Md. “Bankshot levels the playing field,

whether the participants aretwo friends, a family, oreven a whole camp.”

Bankshot Tennis canaccommodate any playingsurface or space size,indoors or outdoors. Stationscan be portable or perma-nent. For more information,call 800-933-0140, [email protected], or visitwww.bankshot.com.

—Cynthia Cantrell.

A

Level the

Reeve Brenner, whoserves as the Jewishchaplain of the pres-tigious NationalInstitutes of Healthin Bethesda, Md.,sought to develop asport to bridge ableand disabled populations. Brenner, theauthor of The Faith and Doubt ofHolocaust Survivors, set aboutreinventing his favorite sports, tennis andbasketball.

“Name the three ball-playing sports thatparticipants play alongside each other, notagainst each other, that require no offenseor defense, and your opponent can showup the next day,” Brenner says. The firsttwo are golf and bowling; Bankshot is thethird, and Brenner has created bothBankshot Tennis and Bankshot Basketball.

Brenner also serves as the commissioner ofthe National Association of BankshotOperators (NABO), an organization ofBankshot facility owners around the world.Their mantra is, “Welcome to theNABO–hood.”

For a different take on learning and enjoyingtennis, take a look at Bankshot Tennis.

string PLAYTEST

Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter is a

monofilament “poly” string of the type

that is becoming increasingly popular

both on the pro circuit and with hard-hit-

ting juniors and even with club

players. Unique tells us that its poly is

actually a very soft poly-poly ether with

aluminum fibers added, which gives the

string the durability you expect from a

poly, with more playability, power,

comfort, and control. Unique thinks that

Tourna Poly will be welcomed by

players with fast swing speeds, and by

those who tend to break strings.

Unique Tourna Poly Big Hitter is available in16 and 17 gauges in silver only. It is pricedfrom $5.50 for sets of 40 feet, and $49 forreels of 660 feet. For more information orto order, contact Unique at(800) 554-3707, or visit them atwww.uniquesports.us.

IN THE LABWe tested the 16-gauge Tourna Poly BigHitter. The coil measured 41 feet, 1 inch.The diameter measured 1.25 mm to 1.29mm prior to stringing, and 1.20 mm to1.26 mm after stringing. We recorded astringbed stiffness of 69 RDC units immedi-ately after stringing at 60 pounds in aWilson Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) ona constant-pull machine. After 24 hours (noplaying), stringbed stiffness measured 65RDC units, representing a 6 percent tensionloss. Our control string, Prince Synthetic GutOriginal Gold 16, measured 78 RDC unitsimmediately after stringing and 71 RDCunits after 24 hours, representing a 9percent tension loss. Unique Tourna PolyBig Hitter added 14.8 grams to the weight

of our unstrung frame.The string was tested for five weeks by

39 USRSA playtesters, with NTRPratings from 3.5 to 6.5. These are blindtests, with playtesters receiving unmarkedstrings in unmarked packages. Averagenumber of hours playtested was 22.7.

Tourna Poly Big Hitter strings up moreor less like a typical poly, although it

certain-ly isn’t as stiff as some polyesterstrings available. Stringing speed was onpar with some nylon strings, but it washelped by the fact that Tourna Poly seemsto elongate very little, so you don’t have towait forever for the tension head to cometo rest before clamping off. Another nicetouch is that the ends are pre-cut at anangle so you don’t need to trim thembefore starting. We pre-stretched our coiljust enough to reduce coil memory.Whether or not that made a difference,installing Tourna Poly was relatively easy.

The variation of the diameter of thestring suggests that Tourna Poly is purpose-ly made oval. This seemingly insignificantout-of-roundness is important, however, asthe International Tennis Federation (ITF) isinvestigating whether oval strings give theplayer an unfair advantage in producingspin, as lab tests indicate.

Four of our playtesters broke the sampleduring stringing, 17 reported problemswith coil memory, seven reported problemstying knots, and two reported frictionburn. Three reported breaking the stringduring play, one at four hours, one at 30hours, and one at 39 hours.

ON THE COURTIt is not unusual for our playtesters to bedivided about the merits of any givenstring, especially when that string is a poly.What is surprising, therefore, is not thatsome playtesters loved Tourna Poly whilesome hated it, but that those who loved itreally loved it. In fact, they rated it No. 1 ofthe 80-some strings we’ve playtested inresistance to movement, and second over-all in durability (first place went to a Kevlarstring). You will also note that all but oneof our playtesters rated Tourna Poly’s dura-bility as being as good as or better thanother 16-gauge strings.

Unique Tourna PolyBig Hitter

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)No. of testers who said it was:much easier 2somewhat easier 3about as easy 11not quite as easy 19not nearly as easy 3

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)No. of testers who said it was:much better 0somewhat better 6about as playable 7not quite as playable 15not nearly as playable 8

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other stringsof similar gauge)No. of testers who said it was:much better 17somewhat better 10about as durable 8not quite as durable 1not nearly as durable 0

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)Playability 3.0Durability 4.6Power 3.4Control 3.3Comfort 2.7Touch/Feel 2.6Spin Potential 3.0Holding Tension 3.5Resistance to Movement 4.2



Control ratings were above average, whilepower, tension retention, and overallratings were all well above average.

CONCLUSIONFor a string that sells for under $6 per setto rate this highly is extremely impressive,and if you want more, check out the priceof the reel. Tourna Poly out-rated many

“ This string had the typical coil memory and friction burn of other

polys. On court, not a bad-feeling polyester-type string. Above-average

control and spin capability. Held tension very well and didn’t move or

appear to notch. Again, one of the better polyester strings with which

I’ve played. ”6.5 male all-court player using Wilson H Tour strung at 54 pounds LO

(Head FiberGel 16)

“ This is a nice poly string. It felt a lot like Luxilon Alu Power, but not

quite as stiff. Dropping the tension 5 percent is key. I liked this string and

would recommend it to advanced players looking to switch to a polyester

string.”5.5 male all-court player using Wilson Hyper Pro

Staff 6.1 strung at 60 pounds LO (Wilson Sensa-

tion 16)

“ While stringing my racquet I thought I would

hate this string. It had excessive coil memory and

it just did not have the ‘feel’ of a string that I

would like. When I took it out to play, all I could

think about where all the negative things I would

encounter. After about five minutes of playing,

though, I realized I was no longer thinking bad

things about this string. The touch, feel, control,

and power were there, and I was really enjoying

playing with it. One set had me hooked on it. I

traded off with my other racquet and string, and

kept coming back to this one as the more

playable. After 20 hours of playing, it’s the racquet I pull out of my bag

first when I play. This one is a big surprise.”4.5 male all-court player using Wilson Pro Staff Torch strung at 63

pounds LO (Babolat Conquest 16)

“ Easier to string than most polys. Nice bounce from the stringbed,

with no dampener needed, it’s so quiet. Enjoyed its feel. It’s close to

the durability of the Kevlar I normally use, but with the comfort of a

nylon.”5.0 male all-court player using Dunlop 400G strung at 55 pounds CP

(Tenex Hy-Kevlar 16)

“ Although I rated this string as having excessive coil memory and

some friction burn during stringing, these are normal in my experience

with poly strings. This string reminded me of Luxilon Big Banger Alu

Power. It is simple to work with, has average ability to hold tension,

and nice power at first, although it lost feel as the string relaxed.”5.0 male all-court player using Wilson H Tour strung at 55 pounds CP

(Wilson Stamina Spin 16)

“ This test string would definitely be okay for a big-time string-

breaker. I like a more playable, softer string in my racquet. I had

difficulty getting spin on the ball. The power was good. The resistance

to movement and holding tension aspects of the string were awesome!

I would consider using it as the mains in a

hybrid string job.”5.5 male touch player using Head i.X3 MP strung

at 57 pounds CP (Wilson Stamina / Sensation 17)

“ Although I don’t hit regularly with a lot of

topspin, this string does respond satisfactorily

when topspin is needed.”3.5 male baseliner with moderate spin using Wil-

son Hammer 5.2 strung at 56 pounds CP

(Gamma synthetic 17)

“ This string feels a little stiff to me. I lost com-

fort and touch/feel. Control was pretty good.

Durability was good, and the strings did not shift

much, which I like. Overall, though, I would not play again with this

string.”5.0 male all-court player using Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 strung at 62

pounds LO (Luxilon Alu Power 16L)

“ This is one of the most difficult strings to install in a racquet. I per-

sonally would not play with it for that factor alone. The benefits of the

durability are not high enough.”5.5 male all-court player using Head Ti.Classic strung at 57 pounds CP

(Synthetic gut 16)

For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com.

“Plays and feelsexactly like theLuxilon Alu PowerI use. Identical in every

way. Excellent string.

Highly recommended!”3.5 male baseliner with heavy

spin using Head Trysis 300

strung at 62 pounds CP

(Luxilon Alu Power 16L)

TESTERS TALK

(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

higher-priced strings, including some thatcould be considered its directcompetition. For those looking for adurable string at a reasonable price, withcomfort and playability far exceedingthat of Kevlar, Unique’s Tourna Poly BigHitter is an obvious candidate.

If you think that Tourna Poly Big Hittermight be for you or your customers,

Unique is making USRSA members inthe U.S. a special offer: Buy three setsof Tourna Poly at $5.50 each, andreceive a fourth set free, for a 25percent discount off of the dealerprice. To take advantage of this offer,contact Unique at 840 McFarland Rd.,Alpharetta, GA, 30004, or phone toll-free at 800-554-3707. —Greg Raven w

string PLAYTEST


Gamma Zo Plus is a co-extrusion fiber,

which means it is a monofilament

comprised of two materials, one in the

center and a second that encases or

coats the center filament. In Zo Plus, the

center is a high elasticity core, which is

encased in a wear-resistant surface. This

co-polymer alloy is further processed

using Gamma’s TNT2 technology.

According to Gamma, this combination

provides an ultra-playable string for

players currently using polyester strings,

who want more control and fewer arm

problems.

Gamma Zo Plus is available in 16L inwhite only. It is priced from $18 for setsof 40 feet, and $284 for reels of 660 feet.For more information or to order, contactGamma at 800-333-0337, or visitwww.gammasports.com.

IN THE LABThe coil measured 40 feet, 9 inches. Thediameter measured 1.33 mm prior tostringing, and 1.27 mm after stringing.We recorded a stringbed stiffness of 83RDC units immediately after stringing at60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95(16 x 18 pattern) on a constant-pullmachine. After 24 hours (no playing),stringbed stiffness measured 70 RDCunits, representing a 16 percent tensionloss. Our control string, Prince SyntheticGut Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDCunits immediately after stringing and 71RDC units after 24 hours, representing a 9percent tension loss. Gamma Zo Plusadded 13.9 grams to the weight of ourunstrung frame.This string was tested for five weeks by

35 USRSA playtesters, with NTRPratings from 3.5 to 6. These are blindtests, with playtesters receiving unmarkedstrings in unmarked packages. Averagenumber of hours playtested was 20.

Gamma recommends reducing tensionby 10 percent compared to typical nylonswhen installing Zo Plus. Zo Plus is fairlyeasily to install, with little coil memoryand a nice supple feel. The supplenessdoes not, however, impair its ability tonegotiate blocked holes. The string alsofeels clean, with no oily or greasy feeling,but on denser string patterns it can bedifficult to pull the crosses through. Oneplaytester had a problem with the tensionhead scarring or tearing the thin wear-resistant coating, leaving the stringbed

looking worneven when the string is brand new.No playtester broke his sample during

stringing, three reported problems with coilmemory, one reported problems tyingknots, and five reported friction burn.

ON THE COURTAs expected, Zo Plus received above aver-age scores for durability, and 24 out of 29of our playtesters rated it as being at leastas durable as other strings of similar gauge.But our playtesters’ ratings also were wellabove average for holding tension, which isevery bit as important if you want a stringthat does more than resist breaking. Zo Plusalso received ratings well above average forpower, and above average for control andresistance to movement. These are alsothree important categories for a polyesterstring to score well in. Players are alwayslooking for more power, but they are evenmore excited when they get both extrapower and extra control. Finally, theresistance to movement probably helps ZoPlus to be more durable. Eight playtestershad Zo Plus break during play, four at threehours or less, three at around 15 hours,and one at 24 hours.

CONCLUSIONPolyester strings are continuing to gainpopularity, in large part because of theirdurability. But not everyone likes usingpolyester strings, and some players whocurrently use polys would like to have astring with the benefits of a poly but withmore comfort. Gamma’s Zo Plus is durableand powerful, holds tension well, offersgood control, and resists movement.If you are a USRSA member, Gamma issending you a free set of Zo Plus to tryfor yourself. If you haven’t alreadyreceived it, it should be appearing inyour mailbox soon.

—Greg Raven w

Gamma Zo Plus

EASE OF STRINGING(compared to other strings)No. of testers who said it was:much easier 0somewhat easier 5about as easy 20not quite as easy 5not nearly as easy 1

OVERALL PLAYABILITY(compared to string played most often)No. of testers who said it was:much better 1somewhat better 4about as playable 7not quite as playable 15not nearly as playable 3

OVERALL DURABILITY(compared to other stringsof similar gauge)No. of testers who said it was:much better 1somewhat better 14about as durable 9not quite as durable 4not nearly as durable 1

RATING AVERAGESFrom 1 to 5 (best)Playability 3.1Durability 3.6Power 3.5Control 3.3Comfort 2.9Touch/Feel 2.7Spin Potential 3.1Holding Tension 3.5Resistance to Movement 3.3


“ This string played very well. It was very easy on my shoulder and

arm. I would feel comfortable offering this string to players who have

arm trouble but also are string breakers.”5.0 male serve-and-volleyer using Head Liquidmetal Radical MP strung

at 66 pounds LO (Wilson Sensation NXT 17)

“ This string performed better than I thought it would. While stringing

I thought it would be a very stiff string, but was pleasantly surprised

that the string softened and was much more playable than I anticipated.

I would recommend this string to string breakers instead of the new

polyesters.”4.0 male serve-and-volleyer using Völkl Catapult 7 strung at 52

pounds CP (Natural gut 16)

“ Great playing control string. Very little

movement and I saw almost no tension loss.

Really enjoyed playing with it.”4.5 male all-court player using Völkl Tour 10 MP

strung at 59 pounds CP (Head Intellitour 17)

“ Nice balance between durability and

playability.”3.5 male all-court player using Wilson H Tour

strung at 53 pounds LO (Wilson NXT Max 15L)

“ This is a stiffer string than I am used to, but I

liked it. This seems like a durable string that

holds tension well. It did string at least 10 percent tighter than normal

string.”5.5 male all-court player using Wilson 5.1 Surge strung at 56 pounds

CP (Wilson NXT 16 61)

“ Initially, the string felt stiff, but after playing with it for about five

hours, it became more enjoyable. I would recommend it to my clients

who are looking for a durable string.”3.5 male baseliner with heavy spin using Gosen Carbon Plus strung at

59 pounds LO (Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16)

“ This is a decent string. It installs easily and plays well after break-

in (about two hours in my case). The recommended tension drop of 10

percent makes the stringbed a bit too trampoline-like. Durability is

only fair, and string movement contributes to early notching and

breakage. Playability was not much different from other durable nylon

strings. This string is fairly kind to my aging arm, and I felt good

about the feel and directional control until it broke. This might be

good for heavier ‘tweener’ racquets.”4.0 male all-court player using Prince TT Bandit OS strung at 60

pounds LO (Topspin Poly Polar / Prince Syn Gut 16)

“ The first hour after stringing the string felt stiff, but it then became

more comfortable. The first six hours of play were enjoyable and I had

a lot of confidence in the string. It is extremely durable. I noticed

notching after seven hours, and at 11 hours I had excessive string

movement and loss of tension.”3.5 male baseliner with heavy spin using Head i.radical OS strung at

65 pounds LO (Forten Aramid Gear 16)

“ This string feels good and seems

responsive. I do not think it had the touch

and feel of a premium string. However, it

seems quite durable for the amount of

feel it did provide. I would recommend it

to someone who breaks strings, but does

not want to sacrifice feel.”5.0 male all-court player using Wilson

Triad Hammer 6.0 strung at 55 pounds LO

(Wilson NXT Tour 17)

“ I broke the string after three hours of

play, a first for me, but the string seemed

competent until then. Lowering the

tension did create a little too much dwell

time on the stringbed for my volleys.”3.5 male serve-and-volleyer using Fischer Pro No. 1 strung at 58

pounds CP (BDE Rallye 16)

“ This string seems to have good spring but it is difficult to control

the direction of the ball, possibly because the string doesn’t have

much feel. The outer wrapping came off at the intersections fairly

quickly.”5.0 male all-court player using Wilson Hyper Pro Staff Tour 90 strung

at 54 pounds CP (Wilson Stamina 16)

“ I played one hour and taught one hour with this string, and then it

broke in the bag afterward. I would not recommend this string.”5.0 male all-court player using Babolat Pure Drive strung at 53 pounds

CP (Babolat X-Cel 16)

For the rest of the tester comments, USRSA members can visit RacquetTECH.com.

“This is one of thebest test strings Ihave received. Power is

great, comfort is superb, and it

has good touch. I would

definitely use this string to play

and teach with. Got to get some.

Great string.” ”4.5 male all-court player using

Wilson H5 strung at 57 pounds LO

(Wilson Stamina 16)

TESTERS TALK

(Strings normally used by testers are indicated in parentheses.)

and TECHNIQUES


tips

SLAMMING THETRAP DOORTo keep a loosened butt cap “trap door”from vibrating, apply small drops of clearnail polish to a couple of spots on theinside ridge before snapping it back on.5 sets of Volkl Power-Fiber 18 to:Roger Hansen, Orange, CA

SECURINGBUILD-UP SLEEVESAfter installing build-up sleeves, I noticedthat they will sometimes move duringplay. I have used glue beneath the grip,but it takes time and can be messy. I stillhave to glue some grips, but whereverpossible I install the build-up grip and addfour staples—two at the top and two atthe bottom. It is quick and clean, and ismuch easier if the grip needs to beremoved.5 sets of Wilson Stamina 16 to:Dan Kerr, Wiarton, Ontario, Canada

TRAVELING WORKBENCHESAt home I have a permanent station formy stringing machine, but at my club andon the road I have two great ways tomount and stabilize my portable stringers.

At the club I use a sturdy audio-visual cartwith shelves and locking wheels. It moveseasily, but when locked stays still. WhenI’m on the road I use a bus-boy stand. Itsets up in seconds and is pretty stable. Iuse a stringer’s apron for my tools andthe combination works great.5 Prince Air Cushion Grips to:Glenn Brewer, Marietta, GA

BEGINNER TIPSREPLACING BUMPER ANDGROMMET STRIPSSome strips have flared grommets thatmake it very difficult to remove the stripeasily from the frame. A short cut is touse a grommet grinder from the inside ofthe frame to “break” the grommets fromthe strip. You could do it from the outsideof the frame, but you risk damaging thehole. Going from inside, the grommet stillbreaks from the strip on the outside ofthe racquet and the flare on the insideensures no damage.Bow Brand string pack(including 1 set of natural gut) to:Thorburn FrostKent, England

SPACE-SAVING STORAGEIf you want to keep your back issues ofthe magazine but have little storagespace, cut out the articles that youwant to save and discard the rest of themagazine. Separate your clippings intocategories so later you’ll be able to findthem quickly.5 sets of Head IntelliString 16 to:Steve DeGrenier, Old Greenwich, CT

Editor’s note: While we believethat all articles in RSI are importantto you and your business, wecertainly understand that somestories will apply more directly toyour specific business. As a matterof fact, we perform this sameprocedure here at the office. Itmakes it easier to find specificarticles. For example, if we arelooking for a review about aspecific stringing machine, insteadof having to look through all thepast issues, we just look throughthe stringing machine file. Keep inmind that RacquetTECH.com alsohas a large and growing archive ofback articles and tips.

HOLD THEGROMMET STRIPSometimes when I am tensioning an

“outside” main string, the grommet

wants to move out of position,

exposing the string to the frame. The

string could break on the sharp edge of

the frame, or the frame could become

damaged if the string cuts into it.

To avoid this, simply hold the

grommet strip in position after you

have fed the string through the tension

head, while you are applying tension.

Klip bonus pack (including 5 setsof string, hat, wrist bands, anddecal) to:Lloyd Pearson, Glassboro, NJ

The ideas, suggestions and techniquesfound in “Tips and Techniques” haveall been submitted by USRSAmembers. This department has runalmost every month since its inceptionin 1993, recounting stringers tricksand tales of the trade garnered fromeveryday, real-life stringing andbusiness experiences. All these tipshave been gathered into a singlevolume of the Stringer’s Digest—Racquet Service Techniques—that isa benefit of USRSA membership.Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA,330 Main St., Vista, CA 92804;or email: [email protected].

Readers’ Know-How in Action

one of my business cards with thecaption “Custom strung for [cus-tomer].” I cover the business card withself-laminating sheets, and punch ahole in one corner. When the customerpicks up his racquet, I give him thepunched card with a miniaturecarabiner (I bought 100 of them for 25cents apiece on Ebay), so he can attachthe card to his racquet cover or bag.Each customer has a constant reminderabout when to restring, along with myname and contact information.Gosen padded equipment bagand T-shirt to:Rick Schumann, Rockledge, FL

STENCIL-LESSSTENCILINGIf you don't have your stencil inkhandy, use a permanent-ink marker tostencil in your strings. Permanent mark-ers are also good for touching up your


Editor’s note: You should beprepared to apply quite a bit ofpressure, in case there is a lot offriction between the string and thegrommet. This is especially truewhen you are using an electronicstringing machine, as the tensionhead will keep pulling tension nomatter what is happening with thegrommet.

MARKETING TIPSUSE TAGS INSTEADOF LABELSThe labels that come with sets of stringdon’t work well for me. The stringtype, gauge, and tension informationeither fades or rubs off, and mycustomers don’t like them on theirracquets in the first place. Fortunately,I’ve found an inexpensive alternative. Iwrite the information on the back of

strings after the ink begins to rub off.You don't even have to worry aboutthe excess dripping ink.Alpha 5-string pack to:A.J. Apple, West Baden, IN

ALTERNATING MAINSWhen starting the mains, I do three onone side and then three on the other tobalance the stress on the frame. Tomake it faster to find the end of theside on which I start, after clamping offthe third main on the starting side, Iloosely install the fourth main, leavingthe end of the string hanging out ofthe frame by about a foot. That way,when I come back to that side, the endof the string is easy to pick up.Ashaway 5-string pack (including 1set of Dynamite WB) to:David Mindell, Cathedral City, CA

—Greg Raven w

Limit one string special order per customer

50 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2004

ADVERTISERS INDEXFor more information on products and services inthis issue of Racquet Sports Industry, please contactthe manufacturers directly.

Company Page

Advantage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Ashaway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBCATS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Balle de Match . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Bow Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Classic Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Douglas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Fischer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Forten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Gamma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 11, 13, 39Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFCICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 29Lee Tennis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Lejay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Novagrass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 21Nova Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6On Court Off Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Pacific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Penn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Silent Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Tecnifibre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2TIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Titan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12TWC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Unique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14USPTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53USRSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51USTC&TBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Völkl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BCWise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

NEW MEMBER CITY STATE/COUNTRY

Mike Cobb Kingman AZ

Nancy Carman Scottsdale AZ

David Wiener Palo Alto CA

Alan McKay Placentia CA

Kendra Susan Blewitt San Francisco CA

Glenn Leach San Francisco CA

Grant Watkins San Rafael CA

Bob Mitchell Shingle Springs CA

David Lauritz Soquel CA

Noah Dela Rosa Union City CA

Barb Kissick Colorado Springs CO

Terry Boyle Columbine Valley CO

MIKE MESSERSMITH Altamonte Springs FL

Gene Born Jupiter FL

Steven Miller Plantation FL

Raymond Kurey Alpharetta GA

Stephan Vodegel Atlanta GA

John McKinney Kennesaw GA

Lynn Foneca Lawrenceville GA

Linda Guentert Lilburn GA

Tom Hinzman Macon GA

Peter Snyder Marietta GA

Gerald Lau Pearl City HI

Galyan's #76 Algonquin IL

Katrin Gerdts Lake Zurich IL

Mike Drey Palos Heights IL

Highland High School Highland IN

Galyan's #75 Indianapolis IN

Wylee Cosar South Bend IN

Bill Fraley Manhattan KS

Chris Fortin Richmond KY

Feng Jung Wu Baton Rouge LA

Tony James Arnold MD

Thomas Chau Gaithersburg MD

Barry Rittberg White Bear Lake MI

Karl Lambert Excelsior MN

Michael Rady O Fallon MO

Rob Davis Sedalia MO

Nick Barone Grenada MS

Galyan's #71 Charlotte NC

NEW MEMBER CITY STATE/COUNTRY

Dejon Bivens III Charlotte NC

Lou Gerstle Deptford NJ

Thomas Heffernan Iselin NJ

Frank Koe Newark NJDavid Paldino Wayne NJThomas Ogawa Las Vegas NVMatej Toman Brewster NYAllen Van Nostrand Brightwaters NYDon Eckhoff Plattsburg NYTodd Smith Queensbury NYJonathan Chimene Roosevelt Island NYRick Batchelder Rouses Point NYGalyan's #68 Olmstead OHRick Farris The Dalles ORSports Authority #446 King of Prussia PABobby Johnson Philadelphia PAWm. Brad Bjorksten Prospect Park PAJohn Mathis Middletown RIMichael Williams Mount Pleasant SCKenny Crossman Cookeville TNBenny Jones Nashville TNBuddy Albro Seguin TXAnthony Crawford Alexandria VAMarshall Forbes Midlothian VAHuntington Park Tennis Newport News VAEd Hamlett Ephrata WACary Pallin Kenosha WICory Frieberg Madison WIChris Logan AUSTRALIAAdrian Au HONG KONGJoel Jimenez KUWAITMavis Lai TAIWANPeter Lee WEST MALAYSIA

CERTIFIED STRINGERSCongratulations to the following members who

recently became CS’sRebecca Beckett Canton, GA

MRT’s: 382 CS’s: 2426

NEW MEMBERS

USRSA MEMBERSHIP INFORMATIONUSRSA membership dues: $99 annually. (CA resi-dents add 7.75% sales tax. $106.67 total.) CanadianMembers add $20 (US) for postage costs. US Total:$119. Mexican Members add $25 (US) for postagecosts. US Total: $124. All other International Mem-bers add $36 (US) for airmail postage costs. US Total:$135. Membership includes: 10 issues of RacquetSports Industry, the five-volume Stringer’s Digest, freeconsultation, free classified advertising and access tothe member's-only website.

April 2004U S R S A

330 Main St., Vista CA 92084 Tel: 760 • 536 • 1177

President Patrick CurryPartner/Business Development Steve Schein

Executive Director David Bone, MRTManaging Editor/Webmaster Crawford Lindsey

Advertising Director John HannaProduction Manager Kristine Thom

Technical SupportDot Hogen, MRT; Greg Raven, MRT

Membership ServicesNancy Crowley, Barbara Smith

Shipping/Receiving Pat Regan

USRSA TECHNICAL ADVISORSWarren Bosworth Professional stringer,racquet designer and industry advisor

Dr. Howard Brody Professor Emeritus of Physics,Univ. of Pennsylvania; Science Advisor, PTR

Ron Carr R&D Manager, Gamma Sports

Rod Cross Associate Professor of Physics,Univ. of Sydney, Australia

Bill Severa Director of Technology, Innovation andDesign Group,Wilson Racquet Sports

Steve Davis VP of Next Generation, Prince Sports

Dr. Simon Goodwill Research Assistant,University of Sheffield, UK

Dr. Carl Love Professor Emeritus, Metallurgy;President, Love Sports Enterprises

Bill Mitchell Director R&D, Powers Court

Tom Parry Product Development Manager/Pro Tour Services Manager; Volkl Tennis GmbH

Roger Petersman Business Manager-Accessories,Head/Penn Racquet Sports

21-22 USPTA Certification Pittsburgh, PA

21-22 USPTA Certification Joplin, MO

21-22 USPTA Certification Eugene, OR

21-22 PTR Certification Overland Park, KS

21-22 PTR Certification Huntingdon Valley, PA

23-24 USPTA Certification Houston, TX

24-25 USPTA Certification Reno, NV

30-31 USPTA Cerfification Torrance, CA

SeptemberDate Event Location

2-3 USPTA Certification Freeport, NY

4-5 USPTA Certification Atlanta, GA

5-6 USPTA Certification Hilton Head, SC

10-11 USPTA Certification Minneapolis, MN

11-12 PTR Certification Wilmington, DE

11-12 USPTA Certification Rome, GA

11-12 USPTA Certification Valencia, CA

11-12 USPTA Certification Aurora, IL

25-26 PTR Certification St. Louis, MO

25-26 PTR Certification Manasquan, NJ

52 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY June 2004

E V E N T C A L E N D A R

JulyDate Event Location

10-11 USPTA Certification Industry Hills, CA

17-18 USPTA Certification Flushing, NY

17-18 USPTA Certification Indianapolis, IN

17-18 USPTA Certification Mandeville, LA

19-20 USPTA Certification Houston, TX

24-25 USPTA Certification Santa Rosa, CA

24-25 USPTA Certification Atlanta, GA

August6-7 USPTA Certification Gastonia, NC

7-8 USPTA Certification Lexington, KY

7-8 USPTA Certification Buena Park, CA

7-8 USPTA Certification Cincinnati, OH

7-8 USPTA Certification Hamden, CN

12-13 USPTA Certification Banksville, NY

14-15 USPTA Certification Nashville, TN

20-21 USPTA Certification Rochester, NY

20-22 PTR Certification San Jose, CA

21-22 PTR Certification Philadelphia, PA

USRSA CERTIFICA-TION LOCATIONSCALL FOR DATES

Birmingham, AL 205-985-4989

Anchorage, AK 907-244-9810

or 225-767-1379

Scottsdale, AZ 480-483-5560

Mountain View, CA 650-968-8952

Ojai, CA 805-640-2109

San Diego, CA 858-272-9063

Boulder, CO 303-442-1412

Boca Raton, FL 561-997-0881

Clearwater, FL 727-442-7923

Ft. Walton Beach, FL 850-862-2023

Palm Coast, FL 386-446-6360

Winter Park, FL 407-673-9200

Snellville, GA 770-982-8989

Honolulu, HI 808-373-1212

Boise, ID 208-794-6236

or 208-345-4140

Northbrook, IL 847-480-7841

Overland Park, KS 913-491-4116

Baton Rouge, LA 907-244-9810

or 225-767-1379

East Lansing, MI 517-337-0002

St. Louis Park, MN 952-920-1603

Lincoln, NE 402-474-5050

Mountainside, NJ 908-233-6650

or 201-679-7535

Albuquerque, NM 505-299-8052

Commack, NY 631-543-7077

Flushing Meadows, NY 718-760-6227

Rochester, NY 585-427-2747

Cary, NC 919-859-6788

Cincinnati, OH 513-791-4636

Mentor, OH 440-357-6147

Lakeside, OR 907-244-9810

or 225-767-1379

Bryn Mawr, PA 610-525-2504

Pittsburgh, PA 412-323-0335 ext 256

West Lawn, PA 610-288-5030

Hilton Head Island, SC 843-341-8647

Myrtle Beach, SC 978-343-4944

Antioch, TN 615-731-3700

Dallas, TX 214-821-8440

Sugarland, TX 281-980-4286

Arlington, VA 703-522-2700

Farmville, VA 434-392-6081

Seattle, WA 206-812-6002

Victoria, Canada 604-418-4842

Tokyo, Japan 03-5603-1168

Ontario, CAN 519-534-3745

Tasmania, Australia 03 62348627

or 04 19 523226

Victoria, Australia 061-03-9890-3011

For additional dates and locations,

contact the USRSA, 760-536-1177.

For more information or for additional dates and locations, contact the organization directly:PTR: 800-421-6289 • USPTA: 713-978-7782


TENNIS PROS Want to change jobs andlet everyone know you are available? Placea Tennis Position Wanted classified here -everyone gets RSI magazine. See details atthe bottom of this page.

TENNIS CLUBS Want to add to staff?Place an ad in RSI; everyone reads it. Allinformation is at bottom of this page. Wecan help.

SUMMER CAMPS Are you looking forstaff for this summer? All college coachesget RSI 10 times a year. They can tell theirplayers or they can come and work for you.Place a classified here at RSI. See details atbottom of this page.

DO YOU WANT TO BUY OR SELL ARACQUET BUSINESS?If you don’t wantto keep it a secret, place a classified ad here.If you want confidentiality, let us advise you.For details, see bottom of this page.

DO YOU SELL A PRODUCT OR SER-VICE TO TENNIS CLUBS OR RETAIL-ERS? Why not contact them with aclassified ad here in RSI? It’s easy, just seedetails at bottom of this page.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TENNIS CELEBSis a new weekly publica-tion with stories and pictures of the rich andfamous tennis people. TENNIS CELEBS getsits news from reporters around the worldsending it the latest news about the stars.For a free sample, [email protected].

FREE SAMPLE TENNIS NEWSPAPER.Get a free one-month subscription to DailyTennis, the world’s only daily tennis news-paper. Get the latest news about the play-ers, tournaments, companies, college tennisand even job availability. For free samplewrite [email protected].

HOW TO HIRE A TENNIS PROGetthis free booklet that tells how to hire a pro,step by step and avoid making a mistake.For free copy, Call Bob Larson at 952 9208947 or by e-mail at [email protected].

MERCHANDISE TO BUY/SELL

BOOKS FOR SALE We have a smallnumber of Vic Braden's book "Laugh andWin at Doubles" at a closeout price of$9.77US vs. regular price of $19.95. Postageand handling in US $6.50. If you buy beforeMarch 31, we will waive the postage andhandling. To order, [email protected].

WE BUY TENNIS BOOKS —952 9208947

WE BUY TENNIS RACKETS—952 9208947

POSITION WANTED

Highly successful Tennis Director/Head ten-nis professional, seeks a position in the

Southern California area. This professionalhas extensive experience in all aspectsincluding world class instructional programs,national junior development, and all dutiesconcerning operating, maintaining, andtransforming a facility into an elite classorganization. Professional is currentlyemployed, but will consider any position inSouthern Calif. Inquries [email protected] or 952 920 8947.

HELP WANTED

TENNIS PROFESSION -ALS/CHAPERONES - EUROPEAND NORTH AMERICAMales and females are invited to coachjuniors on tournament circuits in Europe orNorth America this summer. You must be 21years old and have experience working withteenage tennis players.

We conduct serious-minded tournamentcircuits designed to give juniors match expe-rience and mental toughness. Each of ourteams consists of a maximum of 15 players(ages 14-18). Two coaches travel with eachteam. We provide you with training and sup-port to make the summer successful for youand your players. The ability level rangesfrom high school varsity players to national-ly ranked players with trips from 16 to 31days. We have 15 teams with our first teamleaving on June 21st and the team departingon July 24th.

This will be TENNIS: EUROPE's 32nd sum-mer. Deadline for application is March 30,2004 or whenever positions are filled. Pleasesend resume and cover letter and write fordetailed job description to: TENNIS:EUROPE, 73 Rockridge Lane, Stamford CT06903 or telephone 203 322 9803 or e-mailto [email protected].

CAMP STAFF MAINEThe Laurel Camps represent the finest inMaine’s co-ed residential summer camping.Both camps are currently seeking talentedTennis Instructors and Professionals whohave strong tennis backgrounds and whohave experience as instructors or coaches.Both camps boast superb tennis facilities, aswell as a strong commitment to our pro-grams. We offer top instruction, as well asintercamp and tournament. Each campoffers state-of-the-art facilities, a profession-al atmosphere and excellent salary. We alsowelcome internships. Please visit our exten-sive website at www.TheLaurelCamps.comto submit an online application, or call ustoll-free at 800-327-3509 for a staff infor-mation packet and application.

TENNIS COACHES CONNECTICUTIndoor Tennis Clubs in Connecticut is seek-ing hardworking, enthusiastic and dedicatedinstructors. Minimum two-years experienceand commensurate salary. US Visa sponsor-ship will be considered for qualified appli-cants, if required. Contact Jeff Gocke at 203655 2852 X 308, or via fax 203 656 1091.

SALES REP NEW JERSEY ANDPENNSYLVANIALeading tennis manufacturer seeking a sales

representative in New Jersey and Pennsylva-nia. This is a commission only position, butsome expenses are covered. Candidatesmust be 4.0 rated tennis player. To apply forthis position fax resume to 800 801 3904.

TENNIS ADVISORY STAFF SALESBancroft Sports, America's Oldest RacquetBrand, is seeking qualified tennis profession-als for part-time area sales positions of ournew racquet line. A successful candidatewill receive commissions from all sales intheir area. There are a limited number of ter-ritories available. Phone 1-800-779-0807 ore-mail [email protected].

SALES REPS Join the fastest growingstring company with a new fresh approachto the tennis industry. We are seeking estab-lished and motivated sales reps that arelooking to add a string and accessory line totheir current products. We offer a full rangeof strings including synthetics, polyesters,natural gut an gut hybrids. Sales reps areneeded across the US, Mexico and Canada.Positions are commission-based only. Pleasee-mail all resumes and/or questions to [email protected] or fax us at 720 5593253.

TEACHING PROS AND COACHESBook your dream trip NOW! Enjoy sevendays and six nights at an “all inclusive”SuperClubs resort—the most exclusivevacation destination in the Caribbean (13locations) for you and a companion (or withyour family). Small fee and limited teachingobligation required. Visit our websites atwww.superclubs.com andwww.sportsinternationaltennis.com. Tobook or for more information, call 978 4669393 or e-mail to [email protected].

VACATION OPPORTUNITIESFOR TENNIS PROFESSIONALS

For only $250 plus airfare, your guest andyou could be vacationing at the #1 ultra all-inclusive Sandals and Beaches Resorts inJamaica and St. Lucia. Your food, drinks andaccommodations are included as well as allthe amenities of the resort. These workingvacations run from Sunday to Sunday. Formore information, contact Mike Romisher at847 207 9475. E-mail [email protected].

BUSINESSES FOR SALE

TENNIS TOUR BUSINESS FOR SALEThis is a rare opportunity to own a tennistour company. Travel the world escortingyour clients to the most prestigious tennisevents—Wimbledon, Roland Garros, Aus-tralian Open and the USOpen, MastersSeries events, plus Davis Cup and Fed Cupevents. Business can be re-located to wher-

ever you choose! 12 successful years in busi-ness—hundreds of repeat clients. Call DailyTennis for information 952 920 8947 or e-mail [email protected].

TENNIS SERVICES

At no cost for clubs, ProMatch Tennis Servicefinds qualified tennis teaching professionals.We interview, check references and criminalbackground, and train. Professionals are cer-tified either with the USPTA or thePTR. ProMatch Tennis Service can be con-tacted by calling 770-817-0559. You canemail us for more information at [email protected].

COURT CONSTRUCTIONIs it time to resurface or repair your tenniscourt? Sport-Master’s nationwide andworldwide network of professional sportsurfacing contractors are available to pro-vide free on-site assessment and recommen-dations. Phone 1 800 395 7325, [email protected]. www.sealmaster.net.

TENNIS EQUIPMENTFOR SALE

RALLY MASTER BACKBOARDSLowest price, 20 year warranty. Punctureand crack proof. Quiet performance.www.Rallymasterbackboards.com. 800-725-5916

TENNIS SHADE GAZEBO’SUnique seating/ shade gazebos for betweencourts or against fences. No painting ormaintenance with Eco - Board, hunter greenplastic extruded cover over structural wood.Special designs for units around light poles,fences, etc.

Easy to assemble, free standing gazebo's,do not require footings or anchors intocourts. Call (800) 928 - 7331 or visitwww.tennisgazebos.com

BUBBLE FOR SALEAir supported structure “bubble” for a twotennis court enclosure, translucent, availableimmediately. Used only for one season, 118‚by 108‚ by 40‚ high. Complete with newheater/inflation system, doors and lighting.Contact Walter Ptaszek at MSS Inc. 908 8760146. Cell phone 908 693 6232. [email protected].

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

INCREASE YOUR NET INCOMEWITH NO INVESTMENT!Promote the new tennis publication, TENNISCELEBS to your members or customers andreceive $10 for every sale. With little effortand no investment or risk it is possible toearn thousands of dollars annually. Forinformation, contact Bob Larson [email protected].

R S I C L A S S I F I E D SB Y B O B L A R S O N

TO PLACE AN AD IN RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRYCLASSIFIEDSClassified ads are $100 for up to 50 words. Additional words are $1 each. To place an ador for help in writing the ad, call Bob Larson, 952 920 8947. Deadline for the June issueis May 8. E-mail [email protected].


Your ServeIncreasing Class SizeThrough a concerted effort, college-age players whoused to get lost in the system are now finding a tennis home.

Over the past several years, much hasbeenmade of the growing number oftennis players who have left the sport.

Meanwhile, much work has been done to tryand bring these players back, as well as to cre-ate new ones.

You are probably well aware of theoverall tennis participation numbers. Someare good, while some are not so good. Butone success story that is steadily on the riseis that of the college recreational playerand the 18- to 24-year-old demographic.Three associations have been workingtogether over the past six years to increaseinterest and participation in this age group:the USTA, Intercollegiate Tennis Associa-tion (ITA) and National Intramural-Recre-ational Sports Association (NIRSA). Allthree have brought their differentstrengths to this partnership, with themain goal of getting the college crowdback on the court.

A quick look at the numbers tells youthat many young players have been callingit quits after their high school tenniscareers end. There are more than 300,000high school tennis players in a given year,compared to about 20,000 spots onvarsity collegiate rosters. Annually, therecould be as many as 280,000 former highschool players who may be losing interestin the sport because they can no longerplay in fun competition. If this group isignored, over time the result will be mil-lions of players leaving the game.

Some of the success stories from theUSTA-ITA-NIRSA partnership include thedevelopment of sectional and nationaltournaments and the significant jumps inparticipation at schools from around thecountry. The key to all this has been bring-ing organization to something that hadlacked this in the past, all the whilebalancing competition with the fun andsocial aspects of tennis.

The fifth annual USA Team TennisNational Campus Championships tookplace in March at the Florida Tennis Center

in Daytona Beach. This co-ed event is thenational championship for club and intra-mural teams and exemplifies the steadygrowth of recreational tennis at the campuslevel. Participation at this event has grownfrom 10 teams from 10 schools at theinaugural tournament in 2000 to a record40 teams from 33 schools in 2004. Thesuccess from this national event has led toUSTA sections beginning to administersectional championships. The SouthernCalifornia, Northern California and Midwestsections held events in 2003-04 and moreare scheduled for this upcoming academicyear.

Coinciding with the growth of the USATeam Tennis National Campus Champi-onships has been the growth of club andintramural programs. Penn State, TexasA&M, Florida, Central Florida and UCLA allparticipated in Daytona Beach and have allhad non-varsity participation jump to wellover 100 active players in recent years.Students like Justin DePietropaolo of PennState and Brent Boostrom at Central Floridacan be considered poster boys forrecreational tennis on college campuses.Thanks to DePietropaolo, Penn State’s clubgrew from 30 members to more than 150in just a two-year span and was actuallynamed USTA Middle States Organization of

the Year for 2003. Boostrom led the way inUCF intramural tennis, growing from 50 to250 players in less than a year.

According to recent studies, tennisparticipation for the 18-to-24 age group,after several years in decline, has begun toshow signs of stabilizing over the pastcouple of years. However, according to theTIA’s latest numbers, this group currentlymakes up just 7 percent of tennis players inthis country. The USTA-ITA-NIRSA partner-ship is looking to not just curb the decline inparticipation for this demographic, but toincrease it through an organized anddynamic approach.

When interest and participation rises atthis key level, everyone in the tennis industrywins. From the clubs these players willbecome members at, to the varsity teamsthese players will fill the stands for, to theUSTA sections they will become volunteersin, and to the equipment manufacturersthey will buy from.

Of course, the players themselves serveto benefit the most, continuing to play thegame they love. w

“According to recent

studies, tennis

participation for the

18-to-24 age group,

after several years in

decline, has begun

to show signs of

stabilizing.”

We welcome your opinions. Please email

comments to [email protected] or

fax them to 760-536-1171.

Casey Angle has served asdirector of communicationsfor the Intercollegiate TennisAssociation since 1997. Asthe governing body of colle-giate tennis, the ITApromotes both the athletic

and academic achievements of the collegiatetennis community. The ITA, which is based inSkillman, N.J., administers annually a numberof national and regional championship events,the ITA Collegiate Summer Circuit, presented bythe USTA, and the ITA Rankings for men's andwomen's tennis at the NCAA Divisions I, II andIII, NAIA and Junior College levels. The ITA alsohas a comprehensive awards program for play-ers and coaches to honor excellence inacademics, leadership and sportsmanship. Theofficial ITA website is www.itatennis.com.

B Y C A S E Y A N G L E

200405 racquet sports industry

Documents