November/December 2008

Volume 36 Number 10 $5.00

THE TENNIS
ECONOMY
What You Can
Expect For
Your Business
Attracting
Younger Talent To
The Industry
Contents R S I N O V / D E C

INDUSTRY NEWS
2 0 0 8

7 Adidas is back in the

THE TENNIS ECONOMY
26 Major Players
As overall economic uncertainty con-
tinues, increasing tennis participation
may be the bright spot that sees this
industry through.
28 Unstable Building?
Spiraling costs mean that suppliers,
contractors and clients can expect to
feel the pinch.
racquet market
7 Jon Muir to head TIA
7 ASBA to meet in New Orleans
8 Head debuts new
Crossbow frames
8 Gamma adds Zo Tour
Rough 16 string
8 USTA honors 13
Outstanding Facilities

30 Hitting the Numbers 9 Nova Sports chosen for

As costs to produce racquets continue Lithuanian facility
to rise, expect to see retail prices
head higher, too. 10 USPTA recognizes leaders
in tennis
32 Playing Ball
With materials, labor and shipping all
undergoing dramatic cost increases,
11 New Babolat Addiction
are we looking at rising tennis ball
string launched
prices?
13 Penn balls featured on
34 A Softening Market? two TV shows
While soft-goods dealers are
optimistic, uncertain times are forcing 15 Historic club converts
some changes in how they do to Nova’Pro Clay
business.
Note 15 Lee Tennis endorses
to readers: Wilson clay-court shoe
We’ve moved our CAREERS IN TENNIS
popular Champions
of Tennis Awards 22 Generation Next? 16 USTA launches Tennis
to the January With the “graying” of industry personnel, on Campus website
issue. leaders are worried that the tennis business
isn’t attracting enough young talent. 17 Babolat debuts XS line
of racquets

DEPARTMENTS
4 Our Serve 42 String Playtest: Pacific Power Hybrid
7 Industry News 44 Tips and Techniques
18 TIA News & Updates 46 Ask the Experts
37 Industry Resource Guide 48 Your Serve, by Gordon Smith

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008

Our Serve
Advocacy: The Biggest Issue of All?
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)

Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
mid all the excitement surrounding the US Open, I have

A to admit that I was a little disappointed about something.

What bothered me was just a tiny blip on tennis’s radar
screen—and that, I feel, is the problem.
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi

Associate Editor
Greg Raven
During the Open, the USTA holds its semi-annual meeting, where various com-
mittees get together and discuss plans, create strategies, and check on the progress Design/Art Director
of initiatives. I sat in when the Advocacy Task Force met, and what disappointed Kristine Thom
me was the lack of attendance at the meeting. Sure, the members of the task force Contributing Editors
(it’s not yet a full “committee”) were there, but the audience—presumably of those Robin Bateman
concerned with tennis in this country—was rather sparse. Cynthia Cantrell
This meeting, I felt, should have pulled in people from all other committees and Rod Cross
USTA departments. These are the people tasked with promoting and developing the Kristen Daley
growth of tennis in this country, and that, after all, is the USTA’s mission. For recre- Joe Dinoffer
ational tennis in the U.S.—and even for professional tennis—“advocacy” may well Liza Horan
be the most important thing that will keep this sport going, and growing. The room James Martin
Greg Moran
should have been overflowing.
Chris Nicholson
Afterward, I mentioned my concerns to Barry Ford, the USTA’s director of out-
Bob Patterson
reach and advocacy. I feel advocacy for tennis should be one of the most important
Cynthia Sherman
things this industry needs to get behind, because advocacy crosses every line in this Mary Helen Sprecher
business. And with the overall economy in the dumper right now, this industry
needs plenty of people to advocate for tennis in communities around the country. RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
What is advocacy? When the USTA started its initiative a few years ago, the Corporate Offices
focus was mainly on government relations, such as making sure tennis courts and 330 Main St., Vista, CA 92084
programs are included in plans for public parks, schools and colleges. Indeed, there Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
have been a number of success stories around the country, where courts were built Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
or saved by the efforts of a few who rallied government leaders and community Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
members.
But as Ford told me, advocacy now is much more than that. While people still
Advertising Director
need to engage the public sector and other nonprofits and companies in ways that
John Hanna
get facilities built and tennis programs in place, now advocacy, “is more around see- 770-650-1102, x.125
ing yourself as someone who’s helping to change the culture, whether as a tennis hanna@knowatlanta.com
professional, tennis parent or tennis player,” says Ford. “You should have the
power, tools and strategies for changing the culture.” Apparel Advertising
Ford and his staff and advisors have been creating these tools, and more, and Cynthia Sherman
offering them to anyone who is willing to help. Check out the advocacy website, 203-263-5243
http://thebigserve.usta.com. (Note: For some reason, unless it’s been changed since cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
late September, it’s impossible to find an “advocacy” link on usta.com.) Tennis Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
“should be as ubiquitous as soccer is for kids, or when I was young, Little League year: monthly January through August and com-
baseball,” says Ford, who is optimistic that tennis programming for youngsters will bined issues in September/October and Novem-
continue to grow. ber/December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, 330

I have to admit that I’m optimistic, too. But it concerns me that the advocacy
effort is not yet getting the attention it must have, both nationally and locally. For
the readers of RSI, advocacy is more than a “feel-good” community initiative. It can
easily determine the fate of tennis in your community—and the future of your busi-
ness.
Get involved, go to the website, contact your USTA section or district, or the
national advocacy folks. And for heaven’s
h sake, go to the meetings and participate.
Main St., Vista, CA 92084. November/December
2008, Volume 36, Number 10 © 2008 by USRSA and
Tennis Industry. All rights reserved. Racquet Sports
Industry, RSI and logo are trademarks of USRSA.
Printed in the U.S.A. Phone advertising: 770-650-
1102 x 125. Phone circulation and editorial: 760-536-
1177. Yearly subscriptions $25 in the U.S., $40
elsewhere. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista, CA
92084.

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

4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008


INDUSTRY NEWS
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU
Van Horn Inducted
Into USPTA Hall of
Fame
Welby
Van Horn
of Lake
Worth,
Fla., is a
grand
inductee
in the
USPTA
Hall of Fame. Van Horn has been
involved in many facets of tennis
as a player and coach. He was
officially recognized and inducted
at the USPTA’s annual awards
breakfast during the USPTA
World Conference on Tennis Sep-
tember.
Van Horn’s career as a coach has
spawned institutions such as the
Welby Van Horn Tennis Academy
in Boca Raton, Fla., and Welby
Van Horn tennis programs in a
number of locations. The teaching
system Van Horn developed is
still used today and it is featured
in his recent book, “The Secrets
of the Tennis Master.”
A star player and contemporary
of other world-class players and
USPTA members—including Fred
Perry, Bobby Riggs, Bill Tilden and
Bruce Barnes—Van Horn reached
the finals of the 1939 U.S.
National Championships when he
was 19 years old.
“Welby Van Horn’s knowledge,
commitment and success as a
tennis player and teacher are
why he is an exemplary member
of the USPTA. It is an honor to
induct him into the USPTA Hall of
Fame,” says USPTA CEO Tim
Heckler.
R S I N O V / D E C 2 0 0 8
RUN YOUR BUSINESS
Adidas Is Back In Racquet Market Muir to
didas has gotten back into the racquet market. Available
A Feb. 1 in the U.S. will be three Adidas performance lines Head TIA
that offer six frames. Each of the three racquet lines is on Muir, the
named for an Adidas shoe model—Barricade, Response and
Feather.
The four racquets in the Barricade line
J worldwide
general
manager of Wil-
feature Adidas “Power Structure Technolo- son Racquet
gy” that the company says provides tor- Sports, will begin a two-year
sional stability and adds power to shots term as president of the Ten-
while increasing the sweetspot. The Bar- nis Industry Association in
ricade racquets retail for $185. January. He takes over from
Adidas says the Barricade Tour, at 11.6 Dave Haggerty, the president
ounces, is designed for fast-swinging play- and CEO of Head USA, who
ers who can generate power and are look- became TIA president in
ing for additional control. It is the heaviest 2007.
and stiffest of the frames. The Barricade Tour “I look forward to contin-
Light is 10.6 ounces. Both have an 18/20 string uing the progress that our
bed. The third racquet in this range is the Barricade industry has made with all of
itself, a lighter version of the Tour with a 16/19 us working together," says
string pattern. The Barricade Junior is for young Muir. "Staying focused on ini-
players. tiatives that further support
The Response ($145) combines power and con- the on-going health of our
trol. The Feather ($165) is the lightest of the rac- industry will ensure both our
quets but features the thickest frame for extra sport and industry continue
power, says Adidas. All the racquets are manufac- to grow as we move for-
tured by Keentech. Visit www.adidas.com. ward.”
ASBA To Meet in New Orleans for Technical Meeting
he American Sports Builders Association’s annual Technical Meeting will be Dec. 6 to 9 at the
T Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans. The meeting will include presentations, sem-
inars and a trade show. The welcome reception will be on Sunday, Dec. 7,
starting at 5:30 p.m.
There will be about 30 different presentations and seminars, which run
throughout Monday and Tuesday. Topics will include renovating existing clay
courts, safety issues on the jobsite, fencing, surfacing concrete tennis courts,
job scheduling, marketing, communications and more, including sessions on
prepping for the Certified Tennis Court Builder exam and problem-solving round-
tables. A dinner on Tuesday will honor facilities of the year.
The Technical Meeting also will be the introduction of the ASBA’s new execu-
tive vice president, Fred Stringfellow (right), whose company, King Stringfellow
Group Inc. of Bel Air, Md., officially started with the ASBA in October. Stringfellow
takes over from longtime executive vice president Carol Hogan, who is retiring.
For more information on the ASBA Technical Meeting, including the agenda and links to reg-
ister, visit www.sportsbuilders.org.
November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7
 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8
INDUSTRYNEWS

Head Debuts 3 New CrossBow Frames Gamma Adds Zo Tour Rough 16

H
ead/Penn Racquet Sports has added three new “power-

G
amma is expanding its new Zo Tour line of strings with the
loaded” racquets to its CrossBow line. The company says Gamma Zo Tour Rough 16. Zo
the new Crossbow 8, 4 and 2 frames now provide a full Tour Rough uses Gamma’s new
range of power for players with different swing styles. The “Twist Technology,” which incorpo-
CrossBow 4 will hit stores in rates twisting of the polyester matrix
early November and the just after the extrusion process,
CrossBow 8 and 2 will be which the company says produces
shipped in February. a rough textured surface for maxi-
Head’s CrossBow mum spin and more control.
technology features the This textured surface com-
world’s first and only bined with the original Zo Tour
dynamic bridge racquet construction also produces a
construction, says the more comfortable polyester
company. Designed for string that is easier on the arm,
players with shorter, more says Gamma. Zo Tour Rough,
compact swings, the frames which comes in orange only, is available in 40-
feature a bridge suspended foot sets and 660-foot reels. For information, call 800-333-0337
from the frame that moves or visit www.gammasports.com.
independently, allowing the rac-
quet to store energy in both the
stringbed and the bridge, says USTA Honors 13 Facilities

Head. The two-piece design acts
like a spring or bow that is loaded
during ball impact and released
as the ball accelerates off the
stringbed.
CrossBow also uses 10 main strings though the bridge, offer-
ing a larger sweetspot than is found on conventional fixed-
bridge racquets, according to Head.
“We’ve had tremendous success with the CrossBow 10 and
CrossBow 6, and the Airflow line has been very popular for us
as well,” says Roger Petersman, senior business manager of
tennis racquets for Head. “We are really excited to bring in the
three new CrossBow Racquets which will now appeal to a full
range of players with various swing styles.”
The CrossBow 8 is designed for players with shorter, more
compact swings, the CrossBow 4 blends power and control for
players with a more moderate swing style, and the CrossBow 2
is a mid-plus frame suitable for power players with full swings.
Visit www.head.com or call 800-289-7366.
T
hirteen facilities received 2008 USTA Outstanding Facility
Awards and were honored recently at the USTA Semi-Annual
meeting in New York City during the US Open.
In the Large Tennis Center (11 or more courts) category, the
winners were: Arlington (Texas) Tennis Center; Copeland-Cox
Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.; Gates Tennis Center in Denver;
Huntsville (Ala.) Tennis Center; Mercer County Park Commission
Tennis Facility in West Windsor, N.J.; and Surprise (Ariz.) Tennis
& Racquet Complex.
In the Small center (2 to 10 courts) category: Fairview Park
Tennis Complex in Decatur, Ill., and Thunder Bay Recreation
Center in Alpena, Mich.
In the Private category: Ebensburg (Pa.) Tennis Center; Lake
Charles (La.) Racquet Club; Manker Patten Tennis Club in Chat-
tanooga; and Taos Tennis at Quail Ridge in El Prado, N.M.
In the Educational Institution category: Baseline Tennis Cen-
ter at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
To find out more about the awards program, email facil-
ityawards@usta.com or visit www.usta.com.

USTA Launches Phys Ed Tennis Curriculum

T
he USTA recently launched its new physical education curriculum, “The
Physical Educator’s Guide for Teaching Tennis in Schools,” developed by
renowned physical education and tennis experts including noted author Dr.
Robert Pangrazi, professor emeritus at Arizona State University. The new USTA
curriculum is designed to provide both elementary educators and students with
a fun, interactive means to develop motor skills while engaging students in phys-
ical activity.
The USTA curriculum, which does not require an actual tennis court, is
extremely versatile and can be used in any school setting for both large and
small groups. In addition to teaching students skills they can use throughout
their lives, each lesson includes group management techniques to ensure a
dynamic and engaged class. To learn more, visit www.USTA.com/schooltennis.

8 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008

 INDUSTRY NEWS

PTR Offers Tennis USTA Ball Testing Facility Honors Carlton Anderson
iCoach to Members
H
ave you ever wondered what it
means when you see “USTA

T
he PTR and the International Ten-
Approved” on a can of tennis
nis Federation will provide PTR
balls? Ball testing and approval is a
teachers and coaches with special
function of the USTA Technical Com-
pricing on Tennis iCoach, an educa-
mittee, and on Aug. 31 the ball testing
tional website that attracts more than
laboratory at the USTA’s national head-
10,000 tennis teach-
quarters in White Plains, N.Y., was ded-
ers from 140
icated posthumously to the man who
nations.
made the program a reality—Carleton
Produced by
Anderson Jr.
the ITF, Tennis
Carleton, who died in February at
iCoach allows teaching pros to keep
age 77, was an original member of the
up to date with tennis advice, tools,
USTA Ball Testing and Equipment
tips and educational tutorials, avail-
Committee (which later joined the
able in a variety of formats. Coaches
Facilities Committee to become the current Technical Committee) and served the USTA
can access information from tennis
as a volunteer for 41 years. He was instrumental in developing the first tennis-ball test-
experts around the world. Tennis
ing equipment for the USTA and continued to spearhead the ball-testing program for
iCoach covers coaching methodology
most of his years on the Technical Committee. Carleton performed the ball testing as a
and development, conditioning, sport
volunteer, assisted by his family and friends. Later, he trained the USTA staff and Tech-
sciences, video stroke analysis, edu-
nical Consultant to run the program.
cation and resources for teaching all
Sheldon Westervelt, past chairman of the USTA Facilities Committee and a longtime
levels of players.
member of the Technical Committee, spoke during the dedication ceremony, recalling
“Tennis iCoach resources are not
many of Carlton’s contributions. Carlton’s wife, Peggy Ann, and children and grand-
provided by just one association, but
children also attended the ceremony.
by many. It’s a great global resource,”
Today, the USTA continues to test and approve tennis balls, but with more advanced
said PTR CEO Dan Santorum.
technology and equipment. Balls are tested for mass, size, rebound height, and forward
“Although the regular cost of Tennis
deformation. The current program remains under the USTA Technical Committee and
iCoach is $100 a year, PTR members
is run by Suresh Ponnusamy and Jeremiah Yolkut. In 2008, about 80 ball types were
can get it for only $30.” Visit
submitted by eight manufacturers for approval testing and 93 ball types were tested as
www.ptrtennis.org for more informa-
part of the “off-the-shelf” program. —Peggy Beard
tion.

Nova Sports Chosen for Lithuanian Tennis Complex

T
he newly constructed Lithuanian National
Tennis Complex in Vilnius has chosen Mil-
ford, Mass.-based Nova Sports USA’s Novac-
ushion and Ultracushion surfacing systems for its
19 indoor and four outdoor courts. The complex
is intended to be the premiere tennis facility in
Eastern Europe and will be home to various
national and international tennis events including
the European Championships and future Davis
Cup tournaments.
The entire complex, which is expected to
service 300,000 guests annually, will contain
restaurants, shopping, fitness center and a 200-
room upscale hotel. Lithuanian Prime Minister
Gediminas Kirkilas and Tennis Europe President
Jacques Dupre took part in the Sept. 25 ribbon-
cutting ceremony alongside representatives
from the court builder, MS Sport & Design of
Riga, Latvia, and Nova Sports USA. For more
information, contact info@novasports.com.

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9

INDUSTRYNEWS N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8

USPTA Recognizes Leaders in Tennis Cutler Receives Top

USPTA Education Credits
T
he USPTA honored its top teachers, coaches, players, volunteers and managers

A
during its annual national awards ceremony at the USPTA World Conference on t the USPTA World Conference on
Tennis, which was held Sept. 15-20 at La Quinta Resort and Club in California. Tennis in September, the organiza-
USPTA CEO Tim Heckler (right) of Houston tion honored Alan Cutler from
received the George Bacso Lifetime Achievement Whittier, Calif., as the top credit earner
Award, one of the highest honors the USPTA in USPTA’s Career Development Pro-
can bestow. It recognizes members who pro- gram. Cutler, a USPTA Master Profes-
vide the USPTA with outstanding service and sional and the director of tennis for
who dedicate a lifetime to raising the stan- Playtennisforlife.info, earned 123 con-
dards of teaching. Heckler has served as the USPTA tinuing education credits, the most in
CEO for 26 years. the 2007 program.
Tom Sweitzer of Hershey, Pa., received the association’s top Other top education participants for
annual member award, the Alex Gordon Award for the USPTA 2007 include: Holly Chomyn, Ken
Professional of the Year. Sweitzer, owner of Central Penn Ten- DeHart, Feisal Hassan, Brett Hobden,
nis Service, has taught more than 50,000 hours of on-court lessons with more than Jeff Rothstein, Brian Ruffner, James
200 of his former students now coaching or teaching tennis. Shaughnessy, Keith Swindoll and John
The USPTA Star, recognizing teaching proos who make an indelible mark on their Yandell.
communities through tennis, was awarded to David Boon of Fort Collins, Colo. Boon Education merit awards for 10 years
has contributed to the growth of tennis in Fort Collins for over 20 years with his work of continuing-education participation
with at-risk youth and recently establishing the only First Serve Chapter in the Inter- went to: Tom McGraw, Patrick Kearns
mountain area. and Fred Burdick.
Jorge Andrew’s (right) commitment to bringing tennis to
his community of Lexington, S.C., and helping grow the game,
through his involvement in several committees including the Six Earn USPTA
USTA junior team tennis national committee and the USTA
Southern youth community tennis programs committee, is Master Pro Distinction

S
what earned him the USTA/USPTA Community Service Award. ix tennis pros recently earned
Stephen Tscherne of Sylmar, Calif., received the USPTA recognition as Master Profession-
Industry Excellence Award, recognizing business acumen and als in the USPTA, the organization’s
a charitable attitude. Tscherne is president of the Neighbor- highest rating. Only about 1 percent of
hood Junior Tennis Program, which just celebrated its 15th USPTA’s more than 15,000 members
anniversary, and has taught tennis to more than 1,500 children. The award is spon- worldwide have achieved the Master
sored by the TIA and supported by Tennis Tutor ball machines. Professional designation.
J.J. Sehlke of Boca Raton, Fla., received the Facility Manager of the Year Award. Honored in September at the USPTA
Sehlke is the managing partner of the Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, World Conference on Tennis were:
Fla.  Donnia Bondallian, Kailua Kona,
Other honorees are: Hawaii—founder of Tenniscize Inc.
 Meredith Geiger-Walton, Austin, Texas—Touring Coach of the Year and concessionaire at Holua Tennis
 Bill Macom, Melbourne, Fla.—College Coach of the Year Club.
 Laurie Martin, Tempe, Ariz.—High School Coach of the Year  Dave Dvorak, Marietta, Ga.—director
 Mike Lange, Geneva, Ill.—Georgo Bacso Tester of the Year of tennis at Dunwoody Country Club
The following have been named Player of the Year in their respective divisions: in Dunwoody, Ga.
 Adrians Zguns, Orlando, Fla.—Men’s Open  David Minihan, Norman, Okla.—
 Jeff F. Cohen, Longwood, Fla.—Men’s 35-and-over director of tennis at the Westwood
 Pat Serret, Alexandria, La.—Men’s 45-and-over Tennis Center in Norman, Okla.
 Gewan Maharaj, Tampa, Fla.—Men’s 55-and-over  Dave Gary, Peachtree City, Ga.—inde-
 Marina McCollom, Ames, Iowa—Women’s Open pendent teaching professional for
 Robin Keener, Melbourne, Fla.—Women’s 35-and-over Peachtree City.
 Kathy Vick, Lubbock, Texas—Women’s 45-and-over  Keith Swindoll, Tuscaloosa, Ala.—
 Sue Bramlette, Houston—Women’s 55-and-over director of tennis at Indian Hills Coun-
USPTA divisions receiving awards are: try Club in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
 Texas Division—Division of the Year  Tom McGraw, Louisville, Ky.—director
 Texas Division—Newsletter of the Year of tennis and head pro at Louisville
 Missouri Valley Division—Most Improved Division of the Year Country Club and head pro at
Louisville Tennis Club in Louisville, Ky.

10 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008

 INDUSTRY NEWS

Viking Expands Deal

With APTA

V
iking
has
been
named
Official Ball of all
American Platform
Tennis Association National Champi-
onships through 2013. The Viking ball
had already been in use at the Men’s and
Women’s Open APTA National Champi-
onships since 1999.
“We are pleased that the APTA has
expanded and extended our ball agree-
ment in terms of scope and length of
time and to be able to provide Viking
balls to these high-profile events,” says
Scott Winters, Vice President of Indoor
and Paddle Sports at Prince Sports,
which acquired the Viking brand in
March.
“With the recent Prince Sports part-
nership and added product develop-
ment and quality control practices put
into place, already great Viking products
are even better, so we decided to
expand the official partnership,” says
APTA President Mark Fischl.

Babolat Addiction
String Hits the Market
Babolat’s newest multifilament string,
Addiction, is for players looking for a
blend of comfort, power and durabili-
ty, says the compa-
ny. It’s made of
polyamide fibers
(PA) and
polyurethane
(PU) matrix,
with addi-
tional fibers
making up
a central core.
Polytetrafluorethylene
(PTFE) fibers provide an increased
durability due to the low coefficient of
friction, says Babolat. It comes in 16
and 17 gauge. Visit www.babolat.com
or call 877-316-9435.

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11

 N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8
P E O P L E W AT C H
INDUSTRYNEWS
• Wilson players Serena
Williams and Roger Federer
took the singles titles at the
2008 US Open. Williams played
with her [K] Blade Team for her third
Open crown, while Federer won his fifth
straight Open title with his [K] Six.One 95.
• Andy Murray, playing with a Head MicroGel
Radical MP, beat world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in
the US Open semifinals to reach his first
career Grand Slam final. He was defeated by
Roger Federer in the rain-delayed final.
• Jose Higueras has been named director of doach-
ing for USTA Elite Player Development. Higueras will oversee all of
the program’s men’s and women’s coaching efforts and will work
at the USTA Training Centers in Boca Raton, Fla., and Carson,
Calif., as well as Palm Springs, Calif., where Higueras lives. He
will report to Patrick McEnroe, general manager of Elite Player
Development.
• Five-time US Open singles champion Pete Sampras and eight-
time US Championships singles champion Molla Mallory were
named the 2008 inductees into the US Open Court of Champi-
ons, which honors the greatest singles champions in the history of
the U.S. Championships/US Open.
• Mark L. Stenning is the 2008 recipient of the International Ten-
nis Hall of Fame Chairman’s Award, which recognizes outstanding
service by a Hall of Fame board member. Stenning currently is the
Hall’s CEO.
• Just before the US Open, young Americans Jesse Levine and
Jamea Jackson each signed multi-year contracts to endorse Dun-
lop racquets, balls and court luggage. Levine played with the Dun-
lop Aerogel 2Hundred and Jackson used the Aerogel 5Hundred.
• Wilson player Juan Martin del Potro, with his [K] Six.One 95 rac-
quet, captured a fourth straight ATP title this summer at the Legg
Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C.
• A memoir by Serena Williams will be released in 2009 by Grand
Central Publishing, which beat out a handful of other publishers
bidding for the life story of the top-ranked player. Sources say bid-
ding apparently reached at least $1.3 million for the as-yet unti-
tled book.
• Head Team Elite's Grigor Dimitrov completed his
junior career with a second consecutive boys’
Grand Slam title, capturing the US Open
title and the No. 1 spot in the ITF world
rankings. Dimitrov, 17, from Bulgaria, won
the Wimbledon boys’ title in July. He uses a
Head MicroGel Prestige Mid.
12 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
• Miguel Margets, captain of the Span-
ish Fed Cup Team, is the recipient of the 2008
Fed Cup Award of Excellence, presented by the
International Tennis Hall of Fame and the ITF.
• Six-time Men’s Professional World Champion Cliff
Swain of Boston has signed a long-term contract to
exclusively use equipment from Head. The USA Rac-
quetball Hall of Famer plans to play in all International
Racquetball Tour’s Grand Slam events during the 2008-
2009 season, as well as most of the Tier 1 events.
• USTA Nevada has named Ryan Wolfington as executive director.
Wolfington is also the co-founder of VegasTennis.com and Marty
Hennessy's Junior Tennis Foundation, which has raised close to
$1 million for children in need.
• Sharon Jackson of Shelbyville, Ind., the reigning
USA Racquetball 18 & Under Junior Champion in
girls’ singles, girls’ doubles and mixed doubles
has signed a long-term contract with Head. Jack-
son has earned a spot on the USA Racquetball
Junior National Team.
• The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum has named
Christopher E. Clouser of Wellington, Fla., as the new chairman of
the board of directors. Clouser succeeds Hardwick Simmons, who
served as Chairman for the past four years. In addition, Douglas A.
Stark has been named museum director.
• Former Top 10 WTA tour player Chanda Rubin received the
Eugene L. Scott Renaissance Award at this year’s National Public
Parks Tennis Championships in New Orleans. The award is present-
ed in honor of Gene Scott, who supported the ideals of public
parks tennis.
• Billie Jean King received the Hollis Smith Lifetime
Achievement Award, presented annually by the National
Public Parks Tennis Association to an individual who has
been an outstanding advocate of the NPPTA and
National Public Parks Tennis Championships.
• Zbynek Mlynarik of Chatsworth, Calif., and Marina McCol-
lom of Ames, Iowa, claimed the men’s and women’s open division
titles at the $30,000 USPTA International Championships at the La
Quinta Resort and Club in September.
• Bob Pfaender of St. Cloud, Fla., who was RSI’s Sales Rep of
the Year in 2002, is the USTA Florida Section’s September
Volunteer of the Month.
• Asia Muhammad, the junior tennis star who start-
ed playing tennis on two courts in the inner city
at the Andre Agassi Boys and Girls Club in
Las Vegas, has turned pro.
 INDUSTRYNEWS

Retractable Roof Congratulations To the Following For

Achieving MRT and CS Status
for Ashe Stadium? New Master Racquet

W
hile the remnants of Hurricane
Technicians - MRTs
Hanna forced the US Open to sus- Francesco Mordasini Dallas, TX
pend play on Saturday, Sept. 6, New Certified Stringers - CSs
USTA officials said a retractable roof will Gregg McIntosh Gastonia, NC
be coming to Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Leandro Ramirez North Lauderdale, FL
USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Alex Iselin Boulder, CO
New York.
"At this point, it's a question of when USRSA MEMBER CLASSIFIEDS
as opposed to if," said Arlen Kantarian, FOR SALE: Recently retired from pro
the USTA's CEO of Professional Tennis. shop and have 45 pairs of Wilson and
"Clearly, it's in our sights." A retractable Prince tennis shoes. Men’s and
roof is projected to cost about $100 mil- Women’s, assorted sizes and models.
lion. Kantarian said there was no specific My cost $34.00 to $48.00 per pair.
timetable for the roof to be in place. Will sell all for $20 per pair, including
freight. Bob Tuttle, 2477 Park Ave.,
Penn Tennis Balls Baldwin, NY 11510. Call for more
info, (516) 867-4686.
Featured on TV Shows FOR SALE: Babolat Star 5. Recently

P
enn tennis balls were featured on purchased. New and still boxed. Paid
the Discovery Channel show “Some $3,000. Selling for $2,500 or best
Assembly Required” in September offer. Prefer Southern California buyer
and on National Geographic’s new “Fac- (Orange County). Contact Andy at
tory Floor” in October. (213) 321-9812.
On the Discovery Channel, host Brian
Unger took viewers through the Penn
plant in Phoenix. National Geographic
show host Marshall Brain also toured the
plant and talked with Penn’s Jay
Williams.
“It is great to showcase the quality
and effort that goes into the production
of each of our Penn balls,” says Jennifer
Parker, Penn business manager. To view
a clip, go to http://natgeotv.com
/factoryfloor and click on Episodes.

U.S. Juniors Sweep

International Team Titles

T
he U.S. made history in 2008 with
four prestigious international titles.
After both the boys and girls won at
the World Junior Tennis in the Czech
Republic this summer, the Americans also
took the Junior Fed Cup and Davis Cup by
BNP Paribas finals held in San Luis Potosi,
Mexico. It was the first time any nation
has swept all four junior events.
The winning teams were:
 World Junior Tennis (14 and under): Tyler Gardiner,
Alexios Halebian and Christian Harrison, Kyle
McPhillips, Grace Min and Sachia Vickery
 Junior Davis Cup (16 and under): Evan King, Dennis
Kudla and Raymond Sarmiento
 Junior Fed Cup (16 and under): Kristie Ahn, Christi-
na McHale and Sloane Stephens

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13

INDUSTRYNEWS N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8
SHORT SETS
>tionalWilson Racquet Sports and the Interna-
Tennis Federation have extended their
sponsorship agreement to include Wilson as
the Official Ball of Davis Cup, Fed Cup and
other ITF initiatives for a multi-year deal. In
addition, Wilson is the exclusive supplier of
racquets, shoes, clothing and accessories to
the ITF Development Coaching Team. Wilson
has been involved in Davis Cup since 2002.
> Athco Inc. has signed a long-term agree-
ment with Dunlop Sports Group Americas
Inc. and IBML to merchandise Dunlop-brand-
ed apparel in the U.S. market. The agree-
ment includes all activewear with the
exception of golf.
> US Open champion Serena Williams and
2008 Olympic tennis gold medalist Elena
Dementieva will square off at the PNC Tennis
Classic presented by The Baltimore Sun, says
Tournament Chairman and Founder Pam
Shriver. The charity event will be at the 1st
Mariner Arena on Nov. 21. Tickets are avail-
able through TicketMaster or at 410-547-SEAT
(7328), or visit www.pnctennisclassic.org.
> The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, ATP, Inter-
national Tennis Federation and the Grand
Slam Committee announced both the
appointment of Jeff Rees as director of the
sport’s newly formed Tennis Integrity Unit
and the landmark adoption of a uniform
Anti-Corruption Code across the sport.
>openTheboard
U.S. Tennis Writers Association filled
of director positions at its annu-
al meeting held during the US Open in Sep-
tember. Cynthia Cantrell (an RSI contributing
editor) and Cheryl Jones joined the board of
directors. Continuing on the board are Liza
Horan, Ann LoPrinzi, Jim Martz and Mark
Winters. Also, longtime members photogra-
pher Russ Adams and writer Bob Larson
were named Honorary Members for their
contributions to the USTWA and the sport.
And the organization honored writer Bud
Collins and photographer Art Seitz, who
have covered the US Open for 40 years.
>beenK3chosen
Tennis balls (www.k3tennis.com) have
as the Official Ball for the “Lit-
tle Mo” National Tennis Championships.
>www.samprasfanz.com,
A website devoted to Pete Sampras,
is asking visitors to
14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
sign a petition to be sent to the USTA > Thirty-six participants—18 women and
18 men—signed on for the inaugural Flex-
requesting that a statue of Sampras be
erected at the USTA Billie Jean King Time Tennis League in Bucks County, Pa.,
National Tennis Center, home of the US this past summer. Bucks County Tennis
Open. Association Inc. board member Laura Can-
field helped organize the league, which
> The International Tennis Hall of Fame
has named five nominees for its 2009
allowed players to schedule their matches at
their convenience—any day, any time—at a
induction class. Monica Seles is in the
mutually-agreed upon site. The BCTA
Recent Player category, Andres Gimeno
(www.buckscounty.usta.com), which recent-
in the Master Player category, and Don-
ald L. Dell, Dr. Robert Johnson and Eiichi
ly was recognized as a top 50 Tennis Wel-
come Center, plans to expand the league in
Kawatei in the Contributor category.
2009.
>as theWilsonofficialhas tennis
extended its partnership
ball, racquet and >tennisThe circuit
Outback Champions Series, a global
for champion tennis players
accessories of the National Association
age 30 and over, announced two new tour
of Intercollegiate Athletics. In the multi-
year deal, Wilson will continue providing
events: The Rio Champions Cup will be
March 12-15 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de
tennis balls for the NAIA men’s and
Janiero, Brazil, and the Del Mar Develop-
women’s tennis conference, independ-
ment Champions Cup will be March 18-22
ent and national championship events.
at the Palmilla Tennis Club in Los Cabos,
All tennis balls used at these events will
Mexico.
feature both the Wilson US Open and
NAIA logos. >“Legends
The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s
Ball” took place Sept. 5 at Cipri-
>of theTENNIS.com is the new title sponsor
ani 42nd Street in New York City, during the
October.
Zurich Open, which was played in
US Open. The event honored Billie Jean
King and the Hall of Fame Class of 2008:
>August
The USTA reached an agreement in
to buy a majority interest in the
Michael Chang, Mark McCormack and
Eugene L. Scott. TV journalist Barbara Wal-
Cincinnati Masters ATP hard-court tour- ters introduced King.
nament—the Western & Southern
Financial Group Masters—and hopes to >it’s During the US Open, the USTA opened
first-ever “pop-up” store in New York
turn it into a combined event for men
and women. The event is part of the
City, called US Open Soho, which offered
US Open branded apparel officially licensed
Olympus US Open Series of hard court
by the USTA. The temporary store was open
events leading up to the US Open. The
from Aug. 22 to Sept. 10.
USTA plans a multimillion-dollar renova-
tion to the tournament stadium in > Team Southern defeated Youth Tennis
San Diego to defend their title at the World
Mason, Ohio.
TeamTennis Junior Nationals presented by
> Tennis Life Magazine has been named
the official magazine of Tennis Ireland
Advanta at the George E. Barnes Tennis
Center in San Diego in August.
and will customize its publication for the
Irish tennis market. >mentTheConference
USPTA Competitive Player Develop-
will be Dec. 4-6 at the
> The Climb for Cancer Foundation has
teamed up with the USTA Florida Section
Academia Sanchez-Casal in Naples, Fla.
Both former tour players Emilio Sanchez-
Foundation for a charitable tennis event
at Bardmoor Golf & Tennis Club in Largo
Vicario and Sergio Casal will be featured
speakers. Registration is $250 for USPTA
and the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort
members and includes all materials. For
during USTA Florida’s 59th Annual Meet-
info, visit www.uspta.com or contact edu-
ing and Volunteer Appreciation Week-
end, Dec. 5-7.
cation@uspta.org or 800-877-8248.
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Historic Club Converts to Nova’Pro Clay Lee Tennis Endorses

T Wilson Clay Shoe

he Garneau Tennis Club, in a city park in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Cana-
da, converted its seven asphalt courts to Nova’Pro Clay. The reconstruction

L
began in October 2007 and was completed this summer. ee Tennis Court Products, the maker of
the Har-Tru surface, has endorsed the
Originally built in 1929, the Garneau Tennis and Beach Volleyball Club is listed on
Wilson Trance II shoe as the shoe best
the historical register for the City of Edmonton. The venue’s courts are the only red
suited for play on clay courts. The shoes will
clay tennis courts within the province. The executive committee chose to replace the
be tagged with Har-Tru labels to showcase
existing courts using a burgundy red clay topping with NGI Sports’ Nova’Pro Clay sys-
their compatibility and playability on clay,
tem. Upgrades were made to the court base structure, drainage and irrigation
says Lee.
systems.
“We are excited about offering players
“Nova’Pro Clay proved to be the most economical way to bring a strong base to with a love for the game yet another chance
the facility while avoiding major excavation,” says GTC President Derri Thomas. For to raise their game to new levels and to pro-
more information, contact 800-835-0033 or visit www.NGISports.com. vide them the safest and most comfortable
playing experience,” says Randy Futty, gen-
eral manager of Lee Tennis Court Products.
Pat Hanssen, Lee’s director of sales,
adds, “The Trance II is the best shoe at bal-
ancing comfort and control safely on clay as
well as all other court surfaces.” According
to Hanssen, the Wilson Trance II provides
superior traction with its full herringbone
tread that wraps up the sides of the shoe.
“We’re happy that the Wilson Trance II
received this breakthrough endorsement
from Har-Tru,” says Cory Springer, Wilson’s
marketing director for
USA Racquet Sports.

Prince Hires Squash Promotions Coordinator

T
he new promotions coordinator for Prince Squash is Damon Leedale-Brown.
Originally from England and now residing in the U.S., Leedale-Brown has a
long history in squash on the retail, coaching and promotions sides, most
recently managing a high-end fitness center and squash program in Wilmington,
Del.
In his new position, he will play an instrumental role in a variety of promo-
tional activities, including overseeing player and event management; working to
PTR Hires Chief
recruit, sign and retain players; executing player appearances and driving event Operating Officer

promotions efforts. He will also
assist in mobilizing a playtest
team.
Leedale-Brown has worked
extensively with England
Squash on its World Class Per-
formance Plan. He is an
accredited professional coach
through England Squash, a cer-
tified Strength & Conditioning
Specialist with the National
Strength & Conditioning Asso-
ciation, and serves as a Per-
formance Training Consultant
to the US Junior and Senior
National Teams.
P
at Decker has joined the
PTR in the newly created
position of chief operat-
ing officer. Decker, who has
extensive financial experi-
ence on Wall Street, has owned and managed
the Middlebury (Conn.) Racquet club since
1995. She also is on the board of directors of
USTA New England and is vice president of
the Connecticut Association of Tennis Club
Owners.
“We are excited to have the expertise
and knowledge that Pat brings to the staff,”
says PTR CEO Dan Santorum. “She will
allow us to reach out further to provide great
service, quality education and excellent ben-
efits to PTR members worldwide.”

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 15

INDUSTRYNEWS N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8
Tharp to Work With Rodney Street Assn.
T Dinkins in Flushing Meadows
ina Tharp is the new managing
director of the Rodney Street Tennis
and Tutoring Association in Wilm-
ington, Del., a USTA NJTL chapter that
provides innovative tennis and educa-
tional enrichment programs to more
than 1,300 inner-city youth.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,
particularly to work with Jane Brown
Grimes, who has committed to serve on
the RST&TA Board upon the completion
of her term as USTA president in
December,” says Tharp, who most
recently was the executive director at
Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education in Philadelphia. She also
recently accepted the head men’s and women’s tennis coach position
at West Chester (Pa.) University.
USTA Creates Tennis YouTube Channels
T T
he USTA is creating multiple USTA-branded channels that will be
dedicated to tennis on YouTube. The USTA will offer two chan-
nels, one for professional tennis and one for recreational tennis.
The USOpen Channel (www.youtube.com/usopen) launched in
August in time for the US Open and included daily updates, post-
match player interviews, an “Explore the Open” feature, and more.
The second channel (www.youtube.com/tennis) will be devoted to
recreational tennis and is scheduled to launch later this fall. The
recreational channel will feature instructional videos, footage from
local USTA events, and will allow users to upload their own tennis
clips.
Ashaway Adds
512 Model to AMPS Squash Line
Ashaway has expanded its line of anatomically molded squash
shoes with the new AMPS 512 model, which incorporates a new
Anatomic Stability and Cushioning System. Ashaway AMPS
(Anatomic Multi-Performance System) footwear is designed to
support the whole foot, increasing comfort, stability and cushion-
ing while reducing foot fatigue, says the company. Contact 800-
556-7260 or visit www.ashawayusa.com.
16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
NYC Honors Former Mayor David
T
he City of New York renamed the base of the
passerelle outside the USTA Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center’s East Gate the “David Dinkins Circle,”
in honor of the city’s former mayor and current USTA
board member, who was instrumental in keeping the US
Open in New York. "I love this tournament, I love this
sport and I love this city,” said Dinkins. “I am deeply
grateful that my name will forever be associated with this
tournament."
The circle, commemorating the 1964 World’s Fair,
serves as the gateway through which most of the
700,000 annual visitors pass to attend the Open. Dinkins
assisted the USTA’s relocation of the tournament in 1978
from the private club setting of Forest Hills to its current
home in Flushing Meadows.
USTA Launches Tennis
On Campus Website
he USTA launched a new website designed to serve as
a resource for the more than 450 college and univer-
sities and nearly 30,000 players who participate in a
Tennis On Campus program at their school. The official
website of the Tennis On Campus program,
www.tennisoncampus.com will provide an array of
resources, materials and information to help support the
rapidly expanding non-varsity side of college tennis.
The Tennis On Campus program, launched in 2000,
features co-ed teams participating in intramural and inter-
collegiate (club) play using the World TeamTennis format
on campuses nationwide. Tennis On Campus also pro-
vides college students with opportunities for leadership
development, social networking and competition.
In addition to servicing current college students,
www.tennisoncampus.com also offers an opportunity for
high school tennis players, junior players and their par-
ents to become more informed of the tennis “scene” on a
particular campus. The site features team profiles, links to
each team’s website and popular Facebook pages.
Some of the free downloadable resources available on
the site include customizable marketing materials,
fundraising resources, tips for tennis club leaders, and a
guidebook for starting a club tennis team. The site also
lists upcoming tournaments like the USTA Campus Cham-
pionship Sectional Events and a countdown to the USTA
National Campus Championship in Surprise, Ariz., in April
2009.
For more information, go to
www.tennisoncampus.com, or e-
mail tennisoncam-
pus@usta.com.
 INDUSTRY NEWS

Babolat Debuts XS Line of Racquets Prince Offers ‘Customyze It’

B
abolat has introduced a new range of high-performance rac-
quets–the XS line–featuring Babolat’s new Xtra Sweetspot Feature On Its Website

P
technology. rince has launched a new feature on its website that
Designed for intermediate players, the Babolat XS 102 allows players to create their own racquet cosmetic.
and Babolat XS 105 are lightweight and maneuverable, “Customyze It” on www.princetennis.com is now
says the company. The Xtra Sweetspot technology fea- available for the O3 Speedport Black racquet.
tures an exclusive grommet design that Babolat Players not only can customize the racquet’s feel by
says significantly increases the sweetspot while choosing either String Hole or String Port inserts, they
providing a dampening affect and a longer also can use the Customyze It tool to create their own
contact time between the ball and string. cosmetic in more than 2,400 color combinations. After
“Babolat’s new grommet design gives you they design their frame, they can email it to friends, print
a visible advantage over other mid-plus rac- it out, and find a local dealer to make the frame a reality.
quets because you get the benefit of a larger The Customyze It feature is helpful for leagues and
sweetspot without having to enlarge the rac- school and college teams looking to match their racquet
quet head,” says Folco Canonico, Babolat’s with team colors and apparel.
senior product manager of racquets. “You can
have the extra power with greater maneuver-
ability and control without having to go to an
oversize. You’ll produce more forgiving shots with
increased power.”
The XS 102 has a 102-square-inch head size and
weighs 9.3 ounces, with a 16 by 20 string pattern.
The XS 105 has a 105-square-inch head and the
same weight and string pattern. Both retail for $119.
Visit www.babolat.com or call 877-316-9435.

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 17


News You Can Use!
A recent meet-
ing at the
USPTA World
Conference
included a can-
Jolyn de Boer did discussion
on our “gray-
ing” tennis industry and the
need to attract younger talent
into the business, not only on
the teaching front, but in all
areas. Many groups have
recognized this need, and
many (including the USTA,
USPTA, PTR, ITA and others)
already are actively engaged
in these efforts.
To help get us all working col-
lectively to address this
issue—and over time bring
changes that will assure our
sport as a vital, attractive and
competitive career choice—
the TIA is spearheading an
awareness campaign and a
“Careers in Tennis” initiative.
The RSI story on page 22
helps to lay out this issue.
Other initial steps involve
fact-finding and research,
pulling together our existing
resources and identifying the
best pathways for this
progress to occur.
You can help in this industry-
wide initiative by going to
tennisindustrynews.org
and posting suggestions and
comments in the forum. The
site also will have progress
reports on the campaign.
We look forward to your
input and support as we work
together to attract and devel-
op future generations who
will carry our sport forward.
18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
T I A N E W S N O V / D E C 2 0 0 8
NEWS & UPDATES
Latest Research News Presented at the TIA Forum
T
he second annual TIA Tennis Forum, presented by Tennis Magazine,
was held in New York City at the end of August in conjunction with the
US Open and the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference. “We want to
share some of the good news in this sport,” Tennis Magazine Group Publish-
er Jeff Williams told the more than 250 attendees.
The group heard about racquet and ball shipments, the new “Tennis
Health Index,” new initiatives, the visibility of tennis in mainstream media,
and the inaugural inductees into the new Tennis Industry Hall of Fame.
Despite a down economy overall, said TIA President Dave Haggerty, tennis participation in the
U.S. has been increasing. He pointed to an SGMA survey of traditional sports that shows tennis has
had the largest participation increase, 30.6 percent over the last seven years, far ahead of its near-
est rival, golf, which saw a 2.4 percent increase over the same period. Also, according to TIA Census
data, total racquet shipments from 2003 through 2007 increased 42 percent and shipments of youth
racquets increased by 80 percent. Ball shipments have increased from 113.5 million units in 2003 to
130.6 million through last year.
If you missed the Forum, you
Key in the measure of tennis activity in the U.S. is the new Tennis
Health Index (THI), a composite of six measurements from different can view and download the
sources, including various participation studies, tennis ball data and the research and the full presen-
Court Activity Monitor, which tracks tennis courts booked. Using 2003 as tation for free at
www.TennisIndustryNews.org
the baseline (100), the THI is up 10.8 percent through 2007, to 110.8.
USTA Community Tennis Chief Executive Kurt Kamperman noted the
growth in participation in a number of USTA programs, including adult tennis leagues, up 28 percent
since 2003, and USTA Jr. Team Tennis, up 27 percent since 2004. The new QuickStart Tennis format
for kids aged 10 and under debuted this past spring and is generating a lot of interest and publicity,
said Kamperman.
S TAY
Dennis Van der Meer, Howard Head INFORMED!
Inducted Into Tennis Industry Hall of Fame Visit TennisIndus-
tryNews.org fre-
quently for all the
D
ennis Van der Meer and Howard Head are the first two
latest news and
information. The
inductees into the new “Tennis Industry Hall of Fame.”
site includes news
The two men and their contributions to the sport were
feeds from RSI,
honored at a special reception in New York City just before the
an industry calen-
US Open.
dar, GrowingTen-
nis newsletters
“We’ve set the bar very high with our inaugural
and archives, links
inductees,” said TIA President Dave Haggerty. “Dennis Van
to industry part-
der Meer and Howard Head are two titans of tennis, well-
ners, industry
deserving of this honor.” Van der Meer’s life work has con-
newsletters, and a
tennis media and
tributed to the betterment of tennis for those in the industry
manufacturer
as well as players worldwide, and Head, who died in 1991,
search. Also, you
was a true visionary who revolutionized both the tennis and
can submit your
ski industries.
own news to the
website, and weʼll
The Tennis Industry Hall of Fame recognizes those indi-
share it with other
viduals who have made a significant impact to the sport,
Industry News
from the 1960s to the present. Nominations are made in four
partners.
categories: inventors, founders, innovators and contributors.
For more information, or to submit nominations, visit
www.TennisIndustry.org/HOF.
Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
 TIA NEWS

Growing Tennis News

GrowingTennis.com—Generation 2 is Coming!

T
his one-stop site for providers to become involved with industry initiatives will soon
be upgraded, more streamlined and easier to use. Among other things, GrowingTen-
nis.com is where you can register as an official site for Tennis Welcome Center, Car-
dio Tennis and QuickStart Tennis. Also, you can list all your programs and they will appear
on consumer sites, including USTA.com, Tennis.com, TennisChannel.com and others.
Once registered, all administrators/providers can manage their facility and programs
through the Growing Tennis System. A new feature is the addition of online registra-
tion/administration for USTA’s No-Cut Tennis Coach and NRPA’s Tennis in the Parks pro-
grams, with information on resources, expertise and grants available from participating agencies. Also, the latest news and
information on initiatives from the TIA, USTA and industry partners is just a click away, and there are quick-links for easy
navigation.
Traffic from facilities/providers using the Growing Tennis System has increased 1000% over the last year, plus consumers
looking for places to play, programs to learn and player matching has jumped accordingly in the same time period. Free and
low-cost online registration and payment options also are available. For more information, call the TIA at 866-686-3036 or
email info@growingtennis.com.

SoCal’s Jauregui Wins Cardio Tennis Shootout

T
he two-day USPTA Cardio Tennis National Feeding Shootout Championships were
held at La Quinta during the USPTA World Conference. The final competition con-
sisted of 20 participants who earned their spots by winning their division convention or by qualifying at
La Quinta. In the semifinals, Southern California’s Daniel Jauregui (left) shot a 68, breaking the national record
of 66. Jauregui moved into the final, where he beat Southern’s Daniel Leal by one point to become the cham-
pion and take home $500 in prize money.

CT Player of the Month: Cardio Tennis Takes

Mike Woody Off at USPTA Conference

C
ardio Tennis received a huge boost at this

T
hree years ago, Mike
Woody, executive
director at the Midland
(Mich.) Community Tennis
Center, was pushing 232 pounds and was
frustrated with the way he looked. He
played tennis three hours a week but was
still gaining weight. A few months later
he attended the USPTA World Confer-
year’s USPTA World Conference on Ten-
nis. Michele Krause and the Cardio Ten-
nis team at the event—Samantha Ardenfriend,
Rosie Bareis, Mike Woody, Jorge Capestany,
David Schwartz, Feisal Hassan, Ajay Pant, Ken DeHart and Jorge Andrew—held
CT workouts on three mornings, and 178 pros attended. All wore heart-rate
monitors. “Our objective for the
New Cardio Tennis Sites
 Jonathanʼs Landing, Jupiter, FL
week was to burn 60,000 calories,

 Santa Clara Tennis Center, Guaynabo,

ence and tried a Cardio Tennis class. and we burned 84,700,” says

After an hour of fun drills and play, his
heart-rate monitor told him he burned
870 calories. “My first reaction was, ‘No
way!’” says Woody.
PR
Krause, the TIA’s national Cardio
 Cameron Park Lake, Cameron Park, CA
Tennis manager. “Many thanks to
 Doral Park, Doral, FL the USPTA for supporting the Car-
 Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex, dio Tennis program.”
Iowa City, IA

 Gardinerʼs Resort, Carmel Valley, CA

Now, he’s lost more than 50 pounds

 San Diego Jewish Academy, San Diego, CA

and burned 881,235 calories doing Car- Upcoming Schedule
 Nov. 23: Cardio Tennis Workshop,
Do you or someone you  Carmel Fitness & Racquet Club, Carmel,
dio Tennis. His goal
Rochester, N.Y.
know have what it takes NY
 Dec. 4-6: Athletic Business Confer-
is to burn a million
to be Cardio Tennis Play- calories by the end  Heritage Tennis Club, Arlington Heights, IL ence & Expo, San Antonio, Texas
er of the Month? E-mail  Bill Reynoldsʼ Sports Park Tennis Center,
your story to Amanda@  Dec. 7: USPTA Cardio Tennis Spe-
of the year.
Bainbridge, GA
tennisindustry.org. If your cialty Course, Rochester, N.Y.
 Nuestra Senora de La Merced, Cayey, PR
“My players

story is featured, you will  Dec. 12-15: Intercollegiate Tennis

 Marriott Marina Tennis Club, San Diego,CA
have been amazed
win a Cardio Tennis Sur- Association Coaches Convention,
 Complejo Recreativo Dr. Roque Nido, Naples, Fla.
at all the great
vival Kit.
Guayama, PR Special Request Workshops: email
health and game
 Quail Hollow Swim and Tennis, Raleigh,NC us at info@growingtennis.com
benefits Cardio
Tennis delivers,” says Woody.

Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 19
 TIA NEWS

Growing Tennis News

TWC of the Month: Homewood-Flossmoor Racquet and Fitness Club

T
he Homewood-Flossmoor Racquet and Fitness Club in Homewood, Ill., has a lot to be proud of. The club,
which is 30 miles from Chicago, celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. This Park District
Facility, which features 10 indoor courts and a fitness center, lap pool, wellness center, and
conference room, has won numerous awards
over the years. Named a Top
50 Tennis Welcome Center for
New Tennis Welcome Centers
 Racquet Club of Warren, Warren, NJ
the past two years, H-F also is
 Whitley Park, Bethesda, MD
a two-time National Park &
Recreation Association Gold  Woodland Park, Moreno Valley, CA
Medal winner, a USTA Facility  Complejo Recreativo Dr. Roque Nido,
Guayama, PR
 Quail Hollow Swim and Tennis, Raleigh, NC
of the Year, and USTA Member

 Mountain Home Athletic Club,

Organization of the Year.
If you would like to
Mountain Home, AR
Homewood-Flossmoor
be highlighted as a
 Highland Recreation Complex, Largo, FL
Tennis Welcome
has been a Tennis Welcome

Center of the
 Lake Oswego High School, Lake Oswego, OR
Center since the program started in 2004. “We’ve always been a
facility that has looked for something new to keep peoples’ inter-  Ebenezer Park, Florence, SC
Month, email Aman-
est or stimulate interest in the sport,” says Sylvia Gothard, H-F’s  Veterans Park, Palm Bay, FL
da@tennisindustry.
org and tell us how Sports Manager. “Having the TWC attached to our name  Ernie Sheldon Park, Folsom, CA
makes us feel we have to go that extra mile. We want to stay one  Hendrix College, Conway, AR
Racquet
your club is leading
the charge in the of the Top TWCs and we want to be a role model for the pro-  Mills Parole Elementary School, Annapolis, MD
growth of the sport. gram.”
With what seems like an unlimited number of programs and events that get people excited and involved
in the sport, it’s no wonder the facility has more then 3,800 family memberships. Their biggest event is the 10-day “Tenn-
isfest,” which attracts more than 2,500 people.

Setting up a Make QST Permanent at Your Facility!

QuickStart QuickStart Tennis courts are popping up all over the country, as pros and facilities realize that
permanently lined courts are helping to drive interest in this revenue-generating play format for
Court is Easy kids aged 10 and under. With permanently lined courts, youʼre not only able to put more stu-
heck out the new dents on a court at one time, but youʼll be creating—and growing—the next generation of ten-
part- nis players. So far, there are about 120 permanent QST courts in the U.S. Join this growing
C video at
ners.quickstartten-
nis.com about how easy and
trend.

 The Lexington County Tennis Complex in South Carolina recently added permanent
lines to some of its courts. The facility also is hosting its second QST tournament.
fast it is to set up both 36-

 American Legion Tennis Center in Elizabethtown, Ky., painted permanent QST lines on
and 60-foot QuickStart Tennis

their courts.
courts at your facility. Pro

 Cotton Creek Club in Fort Worth, Texas, hosted a Kickoff Celebration in August for its
Jorge Capestany offers helpful

12 QST mini courts.

tips and gets the young stu-

 Spellerberg Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., built eight permanent QST courts.
dents themselves involved,

 Harrison Tennis Center in Atlanta recently started construction of six permanent QST
making the process painless
and inexpensive for pros.

QuickStart Tennis Is a Hit in New York The QuickStart Tennis play for-
mat is now being used at near-
ly 1,000 official sites across the

T
he 2008 USTA Tennis Teachers Conference, held in August in New York in
country, bringing 10-and-under
kids into the game! Sign up now as an official
conjunction with the US Open, featured many of the worlds' best speak-

site at partners.quickstarttennis.com
ers on bringing kids ages 10 and under into tennis. The QuickStart Tennis
play format was featured at the TTC and at the USTA Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center on certain days during the US Open. Children and their parents
could stop by an outer court set up with QST lines and nets, and supervised by teaching pros who taught the play for-
mat to the kids, using shorter courts, shorter racquets, foam or low-pressure balls and modified scoring.
Five-year-old Evan was attracted to the activity at the QST courts. “The coaches showed him the ropes,” said his
mother, Cecilia, “and before we knew it, he was popping the ball over. We are definitely going to get him a racquet
and look into QuickStart programs in New Jersey.”
Also on hand at the QST courts during the Open were USTA Executive Director Gordon Smith and former pros Mary Joe
Fernandez and MaliVai Washington.

20 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008 Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org
 CAREERS IN TENNIS

GENERATION
NEXT?
With the “graying” of industry
personnel, leaders are worried that
the tennis business isn’t attracting
enough young talent.

S
BY PETER FRANCESCONI AND MARY HELEN SPRECHER

uccessful tennis players know how to anticipate what their
opponents will do. Will they move in to the net, hit down the
line, lift a lob, sneak a drop shot?
Successful tennis business people also need to anticipate: What
will be the next hot racquet, what will happen with recreational
participation, what tennis programs will yield the best returns,
what will the future in general hold?
Now, many in the tennis industry are beginning to voice a con-
cern about a potential problem ahead, one that could set back or
bring to a halt gains that this sport has made in recent years.
They’re worried that there aren’t enough younger people coming
into this business.
The most obvious clue is the so-called “graying” of tennis
teaching pros. Many pros started in the 1970s and ’80s when ten-
nis was booming and are now nearing retirement age. However,
there aren’t sufficient, qualified younger people ready to move into
these spots. And the potential problem stretches beyond teaching-
pro positions, to the many other jobs in this industry—such as club
and facility directors, sales reps, event managers, tennis organiza-
tional staff, etc.—that can benefit from an infusion of youth who
are passionate about the sport.
“While the industry has had positive momentum in both par-
ticipation and sales, we need to look at the overall picture if we’re
going to improve the health of this sport for the long term,” says
Jolyn de Boer, executive director of the TIA. “If you go to the vari-
ous industry conventions and conferences, a lot—most—of the
people involved are baby-boomers and older, not just in terms of
teaching pros, but in the industry itself. If we don’t prepare now
and recruit younger people into the business, it threatens our infra-
structure and our delivery systems.” And some in the industry
attribute a lack of adequate infrastructure to what contributed to
the slowdown in tennis following the boom years.
“We definitely are graying as an industry,” says Kurt Kamper-
man, the USTA’s chief executive of Community Tennis. “I haven’t
seen a lot of young professionals getting into the sport. We need
to have a collaborative approach to this issue and make sure we
create career paths in tennis for younger people and clearly com-
municate that to them.”

22 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008


A TRUE CAREER?
“When I started in the business in 1980, tennis was in favor, and
it was a really good profession to get into,” says Dave Haggerty,
president and CEO of Head USA, president of the TIA and a board
member with the USTA. “A lot of good pros got involved at that
time, and a lot of people got involved from a manufacturer per-
spective.”
Now, though, many people, both young adults and their par-
ents, think being a tennis pro is not a viable career; it’s a job—
something to do during college, or after graduation and before
getting a “real job.” Those in the industry say there is a lack of
understanding of all the different, and possibly lucrative, career
paths within the tennis industry itself.
“Is there an image of a teaching pro just being a tennis bum?”
asks Ajay Pant, national tennis director for Tennis Corporation of
America and the general manager of the Midtown Tennis Club in
Overland Park, Kan. “Oh, yes.”
The perception, adds Stephen J. “Pete” Petersen, director of the
Professional Tennis Management program at Methodist University
in Fayetteville, N.C., is that, “People who want to be tennis pros—
who just want to teach tennis—don’t have to have a college edu-
cation.”
“Part of the problem we had at Ferris State was convincing par-
ents that tennis was a real business,” says Tom Daglis, the former
director of the Ferris Professional Tennis Management program
who recently became director of tennis and fitness operations at
Lakewood Country Club in Rockville, Md. “They see you in your
tennis clothes and they aren’t convinced it’s a credible industry.
We needed to teach them that this is a way to make a very, very
good living. This is a career path, and you can be very successful.
“My last year at Ferris,” adds Daglis, “we had some students
who right out of college took jobs paying $55,000 a year. You com-
pare that to other graduates who take jobs in marketing and are
making $35,000 a year. We need to do a good job encouraging
THE MONEY QUESTION
parents, and do a better job of promoting the career path.”
Feeding into the perception of tennis as not a “real” career, partic-
ularly in the case of teaching pros, is the issue of pay. “If we go
back to the early 1980s and you look at the pay rate for on-court
teaching, and then you look at today’s rate, you find that it simply
has not kept pace with the cost of living,” says Pant.
Dan Santorum, CEO of the PTR, agrees: “Entry-level pay has
been fairly constant. What used to be a great job coming out of col-
lege in the ’70s and early ’80s is just an average job now. It used
to be good money; now it’s average money.”
“Tennis is such a great profession, but it’s
certainly not easy to make a buck,” adds
Doug Cash, former COO of Tennis Cor-
poration of America who now runs
CashFlow Tennis, a consulting busi-
ness. “The lower pay is not attractive.
First-year teaching pros probably will
make $35,000 to $40,000, if they are very
good.”
Santorum says he thinks entry-level teaching
pros should be making more like $45,000 to
$50,000 a year. But some in the industry note that
it’s often hard to approach the issue of pay without
accurate data. It’s been many years since an accurate
salary survey of the tennis profession has been performed—
or at least released within the industry. While industry insiders
were hesitant to be quoted on the matter, there is a feeling that
releasing general compensation information may unintentionally
hurt salaries, especially in a struggling economy, by giving clubs
and facilities data that they can point to as a reason to keep pay at
the same level or possibly lower it.
Kimm Ketelsen, program director of Tennis Tech, the profes-
sional tennis management program at Tyler Junior College in Tyler,
Texas, is direct about the problem: “The pay has to be better for
assistant pros. If they’re not making a living, they’re not going to
stay with it. We should not be paying assistants by the hour; we
should be paying them a percentage.”
“We need to set the pay up in such a way that a person under-
stands he or she can make money,” says Billy Freer, director of
tennis at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas and the chairperson
of Club Corp.’s National Tennis Committee. “The trend is toward
clubs fixing salaries for its pros; there are ceilings. That’s not some-
thing a college graduate wants to see. What we need to say to
someone coming in is, ‘Here’s what I’d like to pay you now, and
here’s what I’d like you to know you can make.’ It gives them an
incentive.”
“The range of what [clubs] charge today is all over the map,”
adds Cash. “I think it’s almost as much of a pricing problem than
a compensation problem. Clubs don’t charge enough, so they’re
afraid to increase their pay [to teaching pros]. To jump now to pay
the right amount is difficult. I really believe [facilities] should be
raising their prices more than they have in the past, and if you
have a quality product, people will pay for it. Money has to get up
there to be able to pay these people enough.”
“I think that what some clubs are saying is, ‘Why hire a good
director of tennis and pay all that? Why not just hire someone to
give lessons, and then we can hire someone to do accounting?’”
says Freer. “That does not make a tennis manager or a director of
tennis. You want to have a pro who stays at the club a long time,
but you’re not going to get that with a person who’s just there to
give lessons. You have this revolving door, and it sends absolutely
QUALITY CONTROL
the wrong message.”
Many say creating quality teaching pros is key to making the busi-
ness attractive to a younger crowd. “You’re not going to change the
minds of employers unless you’re able to present them with a
November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 23
 product—a tennis professional—who is the best and can demand a
better price,” says Tim Heckler, CEO of the USPTA.
Tennis pros need to be more than just on-court teachers. They
need a set of skills that allows them to be salespeople, business
managers, marketers and more. “If people are interested in moving
up, they have to have an understanding of how a club works and
how the business works,” says Ketelsen.
“I encourage my pros to get involved with everything, including
budgeting, maintenance, programming, scheduling, inventory, rac-
quet stringing—everything,” says Fernando Velasco, the general
manager and director of tennis at Circle C Tennis Club in Austin,
Texas. “And all of my pros have to become certified within six
months of getting here.”
Adds Collin Cadwell, interim director of the Ferris State PTM
program: “Our graduates are hired at entry-level positions, but with-
in about two to three years, they are going from there to head pro,
director of tennis. They’re able to move up because of the skills they
have.”
Getting more colleges to offer professional tennis management
programs is clearly on the radar for concerned industry insiders.
“Overall, the golf industry has done a much better job of creating a
career path and of the professional management approach,” says
Kamperman. “We’re not going to get colleges to offer PTM degrees
right away. But they should look at offering certificates and other
training.”
Kamperman says the tennis industry needs to have a presence
at job fairs and other career events, and to help with mentoring
young hopefuls. “There’s no reason that this winter and spring we
can’t get a message in front of thousands of students playing high
school and college tennis about the career opportunities in the ten-
nis industry,” he says. That will increase the pool not just for quali-
COLLEGE TENNIS PLAYERS
fied young teaching pros, but for all positions.
Appealing to college tennis players is important in bringing quality
young professionals with a passion for the sport into this industry.
Students playing on varsity tennis teams in the U.S. are highly
prized, but the pool has been somewhat limited by the 15,000 to
20,000 slots for players in this country. But helping to increase that
pool is the vastly successful USTA Tennis on Campus program.
Started eight years ago, Tennis on Campus allows thousands of
players to join college club and intramural teams. Currently, there
are more than 450 club teams with more than 30,000 student-ath-
letes involved.
The ToC program communicates frequently with its student
players throughout the country. And some of the student leaders
who started teams at their colleges are already going through the
USTA ranks in a volunteer capacity, says Glenn Arrington, the
USTA’s national manager for the program.
“They’re running these clubs and intramural teams them-
selves,” he says, “and learning the basic skills that any tennis pro
would want: event planning, sales and marketing, leadership,
administration. For our program, we’re all about providing leader-
ship opportunities for these students to move forward. We realize
that by positioning opportunities in front of them, the future might
look bright for this industry.”
Santorum points to the PTR on Campus program as helping to
bring younger people into the industry. The program offers dis-
24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
counted PTR memberships and free workshops for young players
who are good students and good players. The program also requires
that students give 10 hours back in community service.
The USPTA, too, is hoping to bring youth into the industry
through new programs and resources geared toward a younger gen-
eration. “We’ve recently released five new programs, including a
tennis resource center, built along the lines of YouTube,” says
ELEVATING THE PROFESSION
Heckler.
Whether due to low salaries, a “tennis bum” perception or the idea
that teaching tennis is a job, not a career, there is a need to raise the
status of teaching pros and others in this industry.
“To be taken seriously, young professionals need a sense of
pride in the business,” says Peter Burwash, founder and president
of Peter Burwash International, a tennis management company.
“Right now, our standards [in the industry] are so bad.”
Burwash, who since founding PBI in 1975 has personally inter-
viewed more than 10,500 pros to run tennis programs at high-end
resorts throughout the world, says many young people show up in
interviews “dressed like slobs,” which perpetuates a poor image of
the industry.
“For a long time, we’ve been trying to figure out how to help ele-
vate the tennis pro,” says the TIA’s de Boer. She adds that the TIA
has been working with a marketing group to help “put more focus
on the teaching pro in the media, to emphasize the attractiveness of
the tennis teaching profession and the important role pros play as
the first stop in the tennis delivery system.”
But beyond that, the TIA is hoping to coordinate an industry-
wide effort to both attract more young talent into the business and
to create more lucrative and stable job opportunities in the industry.
One tactic will be a new website, www.careersintennis.com, slated
for a “soft” launch in mid-December, in time for the Intercollegiate
Tennis Association convention. The site will allow companies, clubs,
resorts and others with positions available to post them for free.
Other strategies involve reaching out to high school and college
players through coaches and the Tennis on Campus program, and
educating executives in the club, resort and park industries on the
long-term benefits of hiring and retaining top tennis pros. Also
important is starting more professional tennis management pro-
grams at the college level to churn out qualified young industry
leaders.
“This will be one of the most important initiatives this industry
has launched,” says de Boer. “While the efforts will be far-reaching
and a permanent part of our core mission, it will take many years
before all of our collective resources see the first wave of change.”
“We have an opportunity to put in front of these students the
idea, and the reality, that tennis is a lucrative, fulfilling career that
has a lot of positive aspects, such as helping others, a healthy
lifestyle and more,” says Kamperman. “We have a great story to
tell.”
Adds Daglis: “There’s the old saying that if you enjoy what you
do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life, and I think that’s
really true about tennis. It’s a great opportunity to work with people
and to be around people, and to really enjoy your job.” Q
To monitor the progress of the “Careers in Tennis” initiative, and to
post comments in an open forum, visit www.tennisindustrynews.org.

B
y most measures, it’s pretty clear that the party’s over. High
oil, commodity and food prices, falling home prices, and
tighter credit are wreaking havoc. The shocking U.S. econom-
ic stumbles are the worst since the Great Depression.
And while average Americans are waiting to see if the massive
$700 billion bailout package passed in early October to help shore
up the country’s financial system will trickle down to the things
that are important—and essential—to them, in most sectors, peo-
ple are still cutting back.
But, strange as it may seem, in
The Tennis Economy the tennis business there is a bright
On the following pages, we examine spot. Tennis participation, which
what the economy will mean for: started turning upward a few years
Q Court Construction, page 28 ago, is continuing to rise. In fact,
Q Racquets, page 30 many in this industry are extremely
Q Tennis Balls, page 32 optimistic that while money and cred-
Q Apparel and Footwear, page 34 it may be tight for some time to
come, people will still be playing ten-
nis—and participation will continue to increase.
“I don’t see the economy [negatively] affecting participation at
all,” says Dan Santorum, CEO of the PTR. “Leagues are going crazy
26 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
MAJOR
PLAYERS
As overall economic
uncertainty continues,
increasing tennis
participation may be the
bright spot that sees this
industry through the
hard times.
BY PETER FRANCESCONI
right now. I’ve only had one phone call from someone who’s said
his business is down. I think tennis generally is one of those reces-
sion-proof sports.”
“The feedback is that facilities are pretty healthy,” adds Jolyn
de Boer, executive director of the TIA. “There’s no issue there with
people not playing.”
“In the past, recessions have generally helped the game,” says
Tim Heckler, CEO of the USPTA. “People take less vacations and
stay at home and play.”
And that seems to be what’s happening. “We’re rocking and
rolling,” says Pat Decker, owner of the Middlebury (Conn.) Racquet
Club. “A lot of people are looking at their budgets and wondering
where they want to spend their money. Thankfully, they’re choos-
ing health and fitness, and also staying close to home.”
Decker says memberships and season courts are up from last
year. “We have record numbers of kids involved in Junior Team
Tennis, and we’re struggling to fit them all in,” she adds.
“Our membership is at an all-time high,” says Robert Fisher,
director of tennis at the Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia.
“It’s up 20 percent. Our pro shop, everything, is strong. We’re fill-
ing courts every afternoon.”
 Likewise, Fernando Velasco, general manager and director of (“Almost every pro I’ve talked to says lessons are good,” says Doug
tennis at the Circle C Tennis Club in Austin, Texas, is seeing “a Cash, who runs the consulting business CashFlow Tennis), others
surge in membership.” He particularly points to the popularity of weren’t so sure how that would play out in coming months.
league play. “The USTA leagues are the greatest thing,” he says. Also unclear is what the job picture will look like. With partici-
“People love them.” pation increasing, the need for more personnel on court would
Club members, adds Velasco, already feel vested in their mem- seem to be a necessary part of making sure players, particularly
bership and are more likely to want to take advantage of it than to new participants, are receiving quality instruction and guidance.
drop it. They may cut back on big family vacations, he notes, but But will facilities, clubs and parks have the money to hire more

they’ll find activities they can participate in together, including teaching pros?
tennis.
“It’s a lot like war times when people were looking for family
entertainment and bowling alleys became very popular,” Velasco One thing that many industry insiders appear to agree on is that
says. “This was back in the ’40s and
’50s—it was a booming industry. Peo-
ple wanted something inexpensive for
the family to do, for young people to
do, so everyone went bowling. Tennis
is like that.”
The sport, adds Kurt Kamperman,
chief executive of Community Tennis
for the USTA, “is well-positioned to
hold up” in this economy. “It’s not an
expensive sport, and the time element
favors tennis. Compared to the compe-
tition, we’re positioned to fare pretty
well. There’s no question it will impact
some things, like racquet sales, but
while they’ve been great the last few
years, it’s not necessarily a direct link
PULLING TOGETHER
bringing together groups within the
industry—manufacturers, teaching
Memo to Clubs: pros, parks, facilities, clubs, the USTA,
Keep Those Members and more—will help tennis weather
the economic storm that faces the rest
In tough economic times, it’s easier to keep the mem-
of the country.
bers you have than to recruit new ones. Tips from
“The companies and all the key
those in the industry:
Q Good times: “We make it fun for people here, we
shareholders in the industry have been
working together for 10 years, putting
make them happy, make them laugh, make them
money into growing the sport,” says
feel good about their game and about themselves. If
Dave Haggerty, president and CEO of
you have a bad experience somewhere, you might
Head USA and the current TIA presi-
not go back and you might tell other people not to
dent. “There’s been lots of efforts to
go there. But we give them a reason to come back,”
keep tennis visible and in favor in the
says Fernando Velasco of Circle C Tennis Club.
Q Good facilities: “If you haven’t spent the money
U.S. market. I think now is when we
should outperform the market.”
to fix or improve your courts, members are turned
“More than ever, we need the man-
off. We’re seeing people trying everything to main-

THE DOWN SIDE

to how many people are playing.” ufacturers, TIA, and USTA to continue
tain what they have so that they don’t risk losing
to work closely together,” says Jon
members. In our area, if clubs want to keep mem-
Muir, general manager of Wilson Rac-
bers, they must keep everything up,” says Randy
As Kamperman suggests, not every- quet Sports and in January, the new
Futty of Lee Tennis.
Q Good memories: “We strive for diversity of pro-
thing is rosy. Many expect pro shop president of the TIA. “It's even more
sales to slide as money and credit con- critical now to be even more aligned in
gramming, personalization of programming, making
tinue to tighten up, and while many promoting the sport. When the storm
sure every member has a sense of identity. We want
court-building projects were put in hits, that's when we all need to be
to know what they’re trying to work for. We try to
motion during happier economic more open to helping each other to
make sure each member has a great experience,
times, the current financial slowdown ensure the next two to three years
relating that to a sense of community,” says Robert
will eventually catch up in construction. remain healthy.”
Fisher of Germantown Cricket Club.
“We didn’t know there was going to Thankfully, the sport appears to
be a recession back when we were buy- have solid programs that are helping to
ing our merchandise for the pro shop, maintain participation, including the
and I’m seeing a 10 percent drop over last year,” says Billy Freer, new QuickStart Tennis format for bringing kids into the game.
director of tennis at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas. QuickStart also can help teaching pros in these challenging eco-
“Heaven knows what will happen in the pro shop,” adds Deck- nomic times—while it’s a relatively inexpensive program for par-
er. “I’m trying to be guarded about loading up on stuff there.” ents, it can maximize revenue for pros by putting more kids on
“Folks are a little more cautious,” notes Velasco. “They might one court at one time.
be getting a racquet restrung instead of buying a new one, or they Other key programs spearheaded by the USTA include No-Cut
might be letting their shoes last a little longer.” School Tennis Teams and USTA Tennis on Campus—both of which
“What we’re seeing business in is maintenance,” says Freer, are bringing and keeping students in tennis by the thousands.
“things such as racquet stringing. If they break a string, they have Also, industry-wide programs such as Cardio Tennis and the Ten-
to get that racquet restrung if they want to keep playing. If their nis Welcome Center effort appear to be doing well.
shoes wear out, and they want to keep playing, they need to buy In the end, though, it may just be the intangibles that will help
new shoes. But the new shirt hanging on the wall of the shop? They see this sport through. When the economy is bad, when finances
might want it, but they don’t need it.” are uncertain, says Tom Daglis, director of tennis and fitness oper-
The jury is still out on lesson income, too. While some pros ations at Lakewood Country Club in Rockville, Md., “People need
mentioned that lessons at their facilities were going strong that happy place to go to.” Q

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 27

 UNSTABLE
BUILDING?
T
here are bull markets. There are bear markets. Then there’s the
tennis market, which is a different animal entirely. It would be
easy (and logical) to assume that a tough economy has a domi-
no effect, knocking down club memberships and participation in
camps, leagues and public recreation and parks programming, and
in turn leading to a decrease in tennis court contractors’ business-
es, and to decreased sales of materials.
But the equation isn’t necessarily working that way. Certainly,
the economy has caused a plethora of problems. Skyrocketing
costs for all things oil-based (fuel, asphalt and rubber, three key
components in the tennis-court construction and supply industry)
and metal-based (fencing, net posts, cabling, etc.) have led to an
unpredictable and perilous season for contractors and suppliers. In
many cases, it has caused even longtime members of the industry
to use guesswork in pricing out jobs.
“Asphalt, chain link fence and acrylic coating prices have been
rising at unusual rates all year,” says Lee Murray of Competition
Athletic Surfaces Inc. in Chattanooga, Tenn. “This poses a problem
for us when quoting prices to potential customers. For customers
who are planning work to be done in 2009 or 2010, we are forced
to anticipate rising prices and quote high numbers.”
But the things that might be directly affecting other indus-
tries—loss of jobs, budget cutbacks and general uncertainty—
haven’t as yet been much of a factor for those building tennis
courts, thanks in part to the nature of the industry. Because many
large jobs, such as those involving tennis courts belonging to
municipalities, come out of capital funding, and because that fund-
ing is already in place, the court construction industry has been
generally slow to respond to the economic climate.
All this, of course, could change dramatically. As financial hous-
28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
Spiraling costs mean that
suppliers, contractors
and clients can expect to
feel the pinch.
BY MARY HELEN SPRECHER
es have fallen on Wall Street and credit is uncertain at best, spend-
ing for tennis courts may well take a hit.
“In my 30-plus years in the business, we have always lagged
behind other industries in feeling the effects of a slowdown,” says
John Welborn of Charlottesville, Va.-based Lee Tennis, which
makes the Har-Tru surface. “The long sales and planning cycle of
new construction account for some of this, and based on history,
we are just now feeling what others felt several months back.”
“The recent Wall Street and credit crises have not yet been as
evident this year as we'd initially feared, as most projects were
scheduled months or years in advance,” says Tom Magner, East-
ern regional manager for DecoTurf. “But most contractors I speak
with are very concerned about the next couple of seasons and
COURT ACTIVITY
where we are headed as an industry.”
In fact, if anything, at least some types of clients seem immune to
the recession, according to George Todd Jr., whose company,
Welch Tennis Courts in Sun City, Fla., has not seen a downturn in
projects for municipalities and clubs.
“Sometimes in a down economy, people stay close to home
and actually spend more at their home club which can, at least in
the short term, make the club economy counter-cyclical,” says
Todd.
It’s a point of agreement among club officials. Both Robert
Fisher, director of tennis at Germantown Cricket Club in Philadel-
phia, and Fernando Velasco, general manager and director of ten-
nis at Circle C Tennis Club in Austin, Texas, say members are
coming in, rather than dropping out. The sport’s return to
popularity and its continued growth has led to a need to
maintain and improve existing tennis facilities. pricing,” says David R. Nielsen of Leslie Coatings in Indianapolis.
“In our business, when you want your clientele to stick around, “In some cases, we’ve had to order full truckloads of material early.
you make sure they have good courts. The greatest commitments Cash really does become an issue and fuel has been crazy, as every-
we have are to the courts themselves, and to keeping the staff avail- one knows. We knew prices were going to get higher last fall, but
able and attentive,” says Fisher. “If the courts and staff aren’t up to on things like latex, the increases have been really, really severe. All
par, then we’re not going to have the success we can do is put our heads down and go
we desire.” forward.”
“Folks are staying closer to home, that Memo to Builders: “I think it's going to become the norm
much we know,” says Virgil Christian, direc- Discourage for sport-court builders to insert ‘cost esca-
tor of community tennis development at the lation’ clauses in their contracts, so they
USTA. “What I hear from tennis providers I
‘Do-It-Yourselfers’ don't end up losing money on bids won
What you don’t want: Penny-wise and
have spoken with is their camp and lesson months earlier,” adds Deco’s Magner.
pound-foolish measures like a residential
business is strong. It will be a while until we Builders and suppliers have become
court owner who uses a tube of driveway
have the data on this, but my assessment is adaptive, not only to changing economic
crack-filler on his home court—then finds it
families are keeping it simple and that times, but to the sensitivities of their clients.
can ruin the surface. How to encourage pro-
includes participating in activities nearby. “We continue to recycle many raw
fessional repairs?
USTA membership is at an all-time high, materials for some of our products to pro-
which tells me players are playing in leagues Q Convince clients of the skill neces- vide green systems and to keep our costs in
and probably enjoying their tennis facilities sary: “Tennis courts are such a special- check,” says Rick Burke of NGI Sports in
and clubs.” ized business that most people have little Chattanooga, Tenn. “As many of our sur-
For Monica Christiansen, the superinten- experience,” says David Marsden of faces are replacement demolition, and for
dent of recreational facilities in the Newport Boston Tennis Court Construction, asphalt paving we consume less energy and
News, Va., Department of Parks, Recreation Hanover, Mass. oil-based materials, so we are seeing an
and Tourism, the economy has been a fac- Q Convince them to act quickly:

tor, but has not impacted the tennis courts
themselves.
“In our city, as far as resurfacing goes,
those projects are part of our capital
improvements, and we haven’t seen any
changes yet,” says Christiansen. “What we
have put in place this year are changes to our Q Convince park and rec depart-
operational hours and our staffing.
“We’ve scaled back—we’ve looked at
what programming we have in place and
how it can be changed,” she continues. “For
example, we used to be open 3 to 10 p.m. at
our main tennis facility for our classes and
leagues. Now, we’re open 4 to 9 p.m. Where
we typically would have two instructors, we
“Owners should understand that they are
preserving, protecting, and maintaining a
capital asset; much like roof repair—
putting off timely court resurfacing and
maintenance is very short-sighted,” says
George Todd Jr. of Welch Tennis Courts.
ments to use grants or special
funding for repairs, rather than to
go with an unskilled employee: “In
some cases, work is done by other divi-
sions of the city, and they don’t necessari-
ly do the best job; it’s just not skilled
labor,” says Tim Almaguer of Friends of
Patterson Park, a municipal facility in Bal-
THE FIX IS IN
increase in business during this time.”
Inevitably, there are going to be some mar-
kets, say builders, in which customers want
to save money by employing stopgap fixes.
It might be a residential court where a ner-
vous homeowner is trying some belt-tight-
ening, a club anticipating an off-season or a
municipality that hasn’t budgeted for major
tennis court work. In those cases, repairing
cracks on a court might appeal more.
Ellen Brattlof of Armor Crack Repair
System in Farmingdale, N.J., has seen
explosive growth of requests for her com-
pany’s product over the past year, and she

AVOIDING TRICKLE-DOWN
now have one person staffing the building.” timore, Md., which is trying to build on its says she expects that growth to continue.
current tennis program. “We’ll go straight “Faced with crack repair or ripping out
to a vetted contractor before we’ll call in a court, people prefer to repair cracks,”
Some aspects of the industry, however, are someone from the city.” says Brattlof. “It does save money, but
feeling the pinch. Suppliers of materials are there’s a breaking point, generally about
hurting, courtesy of those rising costs, and 500 feet of crack per court. Not every court
many are reluctant to pass on the problems, particularly to long- is eligible, but a majority of them are.”
time clients. But if there’s one thing that is certain, says Randy Futty of Lee
“Every raw material we use in our formulas to manufacture Tennis, it’s this: Uncertain times don’t last forever. Even for tennis
acrylic tennis coatings has increased in price over the last six court builders and suppliers.
months,” says Bill Righter of Nova Sports, USA in Milford, Mass. “We may be late going into the economic downturn and late
“Many ingredients have increased in price on a monthly basis. We coming into the economic recovery,” says Futty. “The last two to
have never seen anything like this before. Shipping costs have also three years have been a downturn, with the end of 2006 being the
increased substantially. We realize that many of our customers’ cur- time the downturn really started. So now we’re in year two. By
rent work is from jobs they priced out many months ago. It would 2010, I’m hoping it starts to loosen up, maybe by the middle of
not be fair to our customers to keep raising our prices, so we have 2010. Then we should have a nice five- to seven-year recovery run.
absorbed a lot of the increases.” “Really, from 1998 to 2006, we had an unprecedented bull of a
“I think some of the major suppliers are trying to work with us market. When you have such a run-up, you’re due for a correction.
by doing things like allowing us to order in advance and taking pur- This is a correction. And eventually, a nice sustained good period
chase orders in advance so that we can take advantage of current would be nice.” Q

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29

 HITTING
NUMBERS
T
he tumultuous economic situation has everybody worried. But
how is it affecting racquet manufacturers and equipment
retailers?
“We're trying to do more with less, and double- and triple-
checking that all our expenses are absolutely necessary,” says
Kevin Kempin, vice president of sales and marketing for
Head/Penn. “But there's only so much you can do. This economy
is something we’re going to be living with for a long time, but our
hope is that we won't be living with it at this level for too long.”
“From our perspective, the health of retailers is the No. 1 thing
when economic times are challenging,” says Jon Muir, general
manager of Wilson Racquet Sports. “We need to make sure our
retailer base—the specialty dealers, the shops, the grassroots—that
those people feel they can weather the storm and are in a position
to maintain their vitality. If we lose retailers, that has a big impact
not just for us, but for a community. If one goes down, you lose
some business in the area, and you also lose a touch point for peo-
ple playing the sport.”
“The bottom line is, the economy is obviously compacting all
of our margins,” says Kempin. “We’re all getting squeezed this
year and that squeeze comes from energy costs, a big one. But
beyond that, the basic costs of raw materials have skyrocketed
over the last 24 months.”
Many manufacturers echoed the fact that rising costs across
30 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
THE
As costs to produce
racquets continue to rise,
expect to see retail prices
head higher, too.
BY MITCH RUSTAD
the board will either cut into margins or prompt an increase in
prices. But, odd as it sounds, the up side is that recent racquet sales
figures are flat, not necessarily down, says John Embree, president
of Prince Americas.
“Almost all the pro shops have mentioned that their participa-
tion was up, that consumers are still paying for lessons and events,
but their pro shop sales were flat to down, hard goods were flat
and there was a softening on apparel, which makes sense,”
Embree says. “They may not be buying the next tennis outfit, but
buying a new racquet might be an easier sell.”
“Business itself has been up and down, with one really good
month and then a slower month,” says Chuck Vietmeier, product
manager at Gamma. “But it's also regional, especially areas that
have been hit hard by the real-estate market.”
Tightening belts is the reality for now, adds Kempin. “We mon-
itor the price of materials per pound daily, and if we notice a down-
THE CHINA SYNDROME
ward trend, we're out trying to buy futures,” he says.
As China steps into its role a major player in the global economy,
it's also appearing to be less and less appealing to manufacturers
facing a whole new business reality and burgeoning production
costs.
Sourcing products and raw materials in China is the norm for
many racquet manufacturers, but the devalued American dollar
due to Chinese government mandates is hurting the manufactur-
er's bottom line, says Kempin. “The U.S. dollar's devaluation ver-
sus Chinese currency means we're paying more and actually
getting less.”
Besides a shrinking dollar, Chinese labor laws have changed—
leading to increased wages, adding holiday pay, etc.—therefore it
affects the overall costs above and beyond freight increases,
Embree adds. “If China continues to escalate pricing, we have to
start looking at some other countries, build factories in other
countries where labor laws might be more favorable,” he says.
The rising cost of materials is not lost on the manufacturers,
either. Kempin notes that in the last 24 months, essential racquet
components such as carbon fiber have increased 120 percent,
while material such as aluminum tubing has gone up 50 percent.
“It's a shock,” he says, “and you're going to see higher prices
next year. We're not passing all those costs on to our dealers, but
the consumer is still going to see higher prices, that's the end
result, probably as early as the holiday season this year.”
But rising fuel prices hurt manufacturers well beyond the ris-
ing costs of importing product; any manufacturer with a sizable
sales force has seen travel expense go through the roof as well,
says Vietmeier.
“We have a sales rep force of 20, and they all have to travel,
and with gas near $4 a gallon, it makes it more difficult to go
around in person and get orders,” says Vietmeier. “That's been
the biggest problem for us all year, the rising cost of fuel. And that
also may inhibit the tennis-playing consumer—if it costs $70 to fill
their gas tank every week, they may not want to spend money on
a new tennis racquet.
“The possibility is that everyone will raise their prices next
year, depending on the price of fuel,” Vietmeier adds. We'll prob-
PASSING ON THE COST
ably have to raise our prices for next year.”
The reality of rising prices is settling in industry-wide, says
Embree. “All the people in the industry know that they're getting
price increases, so they've been expecting that from us. But the
challenge for the retailer becomes, do we have to take our prices
up? Some will agree to a price increase, and others won't.”
Deborah Standifer, owner of Player's Choice Tennis in Birm-
ingham, Ala., says while she's already seeing her prices rise, for
now she's standing firm on passing on those rising prices to her
customers.
“It's already started happening,” she says. “A few of the man-
ufacturers sent us nice letters, saying we've been absorbing costs
as long as we can, and some just raised their prices. Our prices
haven't changed yet. For now we're just absorbing costs. Shipping
costs have double and tripled, and we're not charging more. Not
yet.”
Mark Mason, owner of Mason's Tennis Mart in New York City,
cautioned manufacturers on a prospective rise in prices: “Every-
one has to make their margins and I don't think they will raise
their prices,” he says. “If you start raising prices on popular rac-
quets, that will create a real problem. In this environment, we
have to maintain our price points.”
According to Embree, it's not a matter of if prices will go up,
but judiciously deciding which products can best absorb an
increase. “We have to make some smart decisions about where
we can raise prices and where we can't,” he says. “If you're tra-
ditionally selling a frame for $19.99 at Wal-Mart or Target,
who love that price line, can you go up to $21.99? Probably not.
We've got genuine concerns because we're getting squeezed in
the middle.”
Adds Embree: “Going from $189 to $199 is not that much of
a jump, but you can't go to $209 because then it's lost. Those are
the things we're trying to wrestle with.”
But one retailer sees the prospect of a slight bump in prices in
perspective. “Nobody likes to see prices rise, and I don't want to
have to do that, but everything else in the world has gone up
except tennis products,” says Chris Gaudreau, owner of Racquet
Koop in New Haven, Conn. “Twenty years ago I was paying 99
cents for a gallon of gas, but I still paid $200 for a tennis racquet.
“So it goes up a little bit, that's the world right now.”
But just how high will racquet prices go? Kempin expects to
see mid-single-digits to double-digit price-percentage increases,
with long-established price points like $199 for a racquet or $1.99
for a can of balls a distant memory. “Those days will be gone next
LOOKING AHEAD
year,” he says.
It may be an overused term, but “cautious optimism” is the mood
as the manufacturer's look to a new year.
“I'm more optimistic than pessimistic,” says Kempin. “This is
the worst subject we can talk about, because tennis as a whole is
certainly bucking national trends as far as growth. We have a
tremendous infrastructure with the TIA, teaching pro associations,
USTA, and these grassroots programs have really paid off. We've
had four to five years of solid growth, and this year the industry
is flat, but that's a win right now. Virtually every other industry is
going in the wrong direction.”
What can racquet manufacturers do besides hunker down and
wait for a brighter economic picture? “One way to help retailers is
to make sure we continue to develop compelling product that will
get customers into the stores,” says Wilson’s Muir.
“The retailers so often say they want us to retain our technol-
ogy for longer periods of time,” Embree says, “but the consumer
wants new product—18 months is the lifecycle of new technolo-
gy, so to stimulate the marketplace you need new introductions,”
he says. “If we don't create that excitement our competition will.”
Jean Louis Boyre, president of Babolat VS North America, also
is looking to new technologies that could help keep bloating costs
under control, which is Babolat's focus in 2009. “We need to
make sure that we contain the manufacturing price increase as
much as we can,” he says. “This might help push R&D people to
look at some new technologies that could be more cost-effective.”
But even as the U.S. and much of the world face historically
challenging economic times, the industry can take heart in the
haven millions of avid players find between the boundaries of a
tennis court.
“I always thought tennis was a recession-proof sport, and peo-
ple won't ever stop playing tennis,” says Gaudreau. “In fact, they
may just skip that vacation or other purchases and play even
more tennis. My customers won't stop playing tennis.” Q
November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 31
 PLAYING
BALL
With materials, labor and shipping all undergoing
dramatic cost increases, are we looking at rising
tennis ball prices?
I
t took nearly 100 years for the ITF to authorize play with tennis
balls covered in yellow felt, departing from the long tradition of
white tennis balls.
Tradition, however, seems to be a part of consumer attitudes
toward ball pricing. Ask most players what they’d consider paying
for a can of balls, and the answers most likely will not go higher
than $3, and often much less.
From a ball manufacturer and retailer perspective, it seems
that ball prices will have to rise at some point, if nothing else just
to cover costs. The rubber core of tennis balls is petroleum derived,
the felt cover includes petro-based polyesters, and the packaging is
plastic and shipped on vehicles using gasoline. While petroleum
prices are most prominent in their rise, everything from man-
hours to materials to machines that go into making a tennis ball
has increased in price—often dramatically when compared to
three decades ago.
But ball prices for consumers have generally remained the
same. Has any other price gone nowhere for so long?
The biggest challenge, according to Jason Collins, Wilson’s
global business director of tennis balls, is one of perception. "[The
ball] is round and yellow,” he says. “Most people believe, ‘How
hard can it be to make?’ People are not aware how difficult it is to
produce a tennis ball."
"I wish every consumer who feels $2 a can is the right price for
a tennis ball could walk through one of these factories and see the
machinery and see the people and see what goes into making one
of these balls," says Hunter Hines, Dunlop's racquet sports region-
al manager. "It will blow your mind. You'll wonder why you're not
paying $15."
"You can try and squeak out the efficiencies [in manufactur-
ing]," adds Collins, "but at some point there are no efficiencies left
to be had. We don't want to have tennis balls as a loss leader—it’s
not a good business model now."
32 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
BY KENT OSWALD
PRICE BARRIERS
Clothing has its style as a price driver and with tennis racquets
players can feel technology in their swing. While golfers regularly
pay $50-plus for a dozen golf balls compared to $8, they do so for
game improvement—they can see their drives go farther or
straighter. In tennis the same balls are used by opposing players,
and since all have to meet the same ITF specifications, retailers
usually find themselves competing on the basis of price or risk cus-
tomer drift.
According to John Swetka, owner of Swetka’s Tennis Shop in
Mountain View, Calif., some people are attracted to premium balls,
but the majority view them as a commodity. They'll say, "Oh my
gosh, $2.77 for a can of [premium] balls. I'll just get the $1.99."
And that's the price at which chain sporting goods and big-box
retailers have been holding, an area of contention for many pro
and specialty shops. Manufacturers have been taking a number of
different approaches to salve their bottom line on balls, including
tweaking the terms of buying programs and reducing the opportu-
nities for free shipping. The result is often an effective increase in
the wholesale cost that does not hit all retailers equally.
As one specialty retailer requesting anonymity said, "How does
Sports Authority charge $2.19 for a can that I am being charged
$2.25 for?"
Interestingly, Swetka offered an experience that suggested that
perhaps some of the concern over price may be a bit overblown in
a world of $4 lattes and people driving alone in their SUVs. His
store ran a 10-day promotion selling balls at $1.89 a can that did
not produce the increase in traffic or sales one would expect if
players really were counting all their pennies when buying balls.
The concern of how much prices can rise remains. As Jennifer
Parker, business manager for Head/Penn Racquet Sports, puts it,
"We expect retail pricing to rise in the near future, but due to the
disposable nature and high volume of tennis balls, we also expect
[manufacturer and retailer] margins to remain relatively slim com-
pared to many other sporting goods products."
Not that there needs to be more uncertainty, but like Swetka's
pricing experiment, TIA research does not indicate a more or less
BALL SALES = PARTICIPATION
probable consumer reaction to the price increases.
The general consensus is that ball sales equate to participation. TIA
stats show a 15 percent increase in ball shipments between 2003
and 2007 to 130.6 million units, as well as a similar increase in fre-
quent player participation. (For the first part of 2008, sales seem
to have held steady compared to 2007.) In those same four years,
total participation is up only 4.6 percent—although the more than
25 million players is the highest count since 1999. Racquet sales
rose more than 42 percent and string sales 6 percent, again sug-
gesting that consumers respond to what they are more convinced
helps their game.
"Tennis ball sales are an ongoing struggle of margin versus raw
dollars—a commodity we have to carry," says Steve Vorhaus,
owner of Rocky Mountain Racquet Specialists in Boulder, Colo. He
once offered every high-end ball on the market, but found that a
certain cannibalization of sales occurred. He says he was able to
satisfy his different customer groups by representing the different
manufacturers, but not necessarily with their entire ball lines.
While certain customers are loyal to a particular ball or specif-
ic brand, most customers apparently do not perceive the differ-
ence. Vorhaus says he has been able to inch up pricing on
cans—and increased his sales volume by adding more institution-
al sales and selling cases at 10 percent off to individuals.
Head/Penn’s Parker says she’s seeing a trend in the last five
years “to larger configurations, packs of tennis balls. Consumers
have become more likely to buy in bulk rather than single cans, so
we have seen an increase in pack sales."
But Vorhaus is concerned about the industry's lack of effec-
tiveness in educating the consumer on the quality of the product:
"Since time immemorial, tennis balls have been a low-margin
item,” he says. “We have to be price competitive [but] the struggle
for those of us who have established a higher baseline is how much
higher can we push the baseline?"
"A few years back we saw tennis ball pricing start to increase,"
says Jay Simmons, now at Prince as the senior category manager
but a longtime veteran of Penn and its tennis ball operations.
"Then [prices] went down. Some large retailers out there specify
lowest pricing and they felt they needed to cut back."
While some products are able to maintain lower prices by
replacing materials with ones of similar quality, Simmons, among
others, does not see that as a possibility, saying he "can't imagine
any materials" that will replace the current felts or core materials
making up an ITF-approvable product.
So prices most likely will have to rise, and the industry, with no
proven way to explain the cost increase to the consumer, is pin-
ning its hopes for more sales on the current trends of increased
participation, as well as programs like the USTA's QuickStart Ten-
nis format and the ITF's "Play and Stay" to keep adding players
who need tennis balls.
And there is also always inertia (and the attraction of the game)
to base one's hopes on: "People will get used to spending more,"
says Swetka. "[They] didn't stop driving from the price increases
to gas. Tennis balls going to $2.29 or $2.45 isn't going to keep
them from playing tennis." Q
November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 33
 A SOFTENING
MARKET?
While soft-goods dealers are optimistic, uncertain
times are forcing some changes in how they do
business.
F
or apparel and footwear dealers, uncertain economic
times are challenging in many ways. Will your players start
cutting back on or delaying tennis apparel and tennis shoe
purchases? Will you have the credit you need to stock your
shop properly, or expand your storage area? What should your
strategy be when ordering product?
The good news for retailers, at least for now, is that tennis
participation still seems to be on the upswing, and players, for
the most part, still appear to be buying.
“If the influx of new people over the summer is an indica-
tion of what’s to come, then we’re expecting another great
year,” says Michael Lynne of Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop in
Minneapolis. Lynne says that while people are concerned
about what will happen next with the economy, “They don’t
seem concerned about buying tennis supplies.”
At Racquet World in Miami, owner Leon Echevarria
agrees, and while he’s wary of what may happen on Wall
Street, he remains optimistic. Business, he says, has been
increasing monthly, both at the retail store and on his website,
where sales have been brisk. But, he adds, “It doesn’t mean
that business will be good for everyone.”
34 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
BY CYNTHIA SHERMAN
For instance, in Atlanta, Coach Matt’s Tennis owner
Tiffany Grayson says the economy and fuel shortages in the
area are already impacting her business. And the suddenness
of it all took many by surprise, demanding quick action and
savvy decision-making. Grayson says she’s finding that, “Peo-
ple will replace worn-out shoes, but they are willing to forego
apparel purchases right now.”
Chris Miller, the marketing director for the Austin-based
Golfsmith retail chain, says the tennis business has not slowed
for his company, and in fact continues to grow more than the
golf business. Golfsmith will soon open its 73rd store (in Palm
Desert, Calif., which will include a full-size indoor tennis
court); 58 of their stores have a tennis department.
“While we maintain a conservative approach,” says Miller,
“we don’t plan on any major cuts, and so far we’ve been
pleasantly surprised.” He says despite the economic situation,
Golfsmith doesn’t foresee changing its strategy: “We don’t
carry superfluous lines in apparel, footwear or racquets in
order to rationalize merchandise.” But, he adds, “Managing
inventory is crucial to accommodating your apparel and
shoes.”
WHAT TO STOCK?
Echevarria suggests that for smaller retailers,
who really need to watch their inventory and
bottom line, “A safe bet is to stick to proven
brands—ones that have been around for a long
time. The smaller companies may have attrac-
tive product lines, but they might be seeing
more risk in the coming months.”
Bigger shoe and apparel manufacturers are
marketing their brands much more aggressive-
ly and are offering attractive sales incentives,
says Echevarria, and he thinks there could be
some fallout and consolidation with some of
the smaller makers in soft goods.
Grayson advises caution when ordering.
“I've cut back my ‘futures’ ordering even
though my discount may be greater when
ordering further out,” she says. “I would rather
pay a couple of extra percentage points and
have greater flexibility on ordering quantities
that suit my business at the time. So, placing a
smaller future order with companies that have
good fill-in programs has been helpful for me.”
This back-to-basics philosophy is something
she suggests to retailers in a similar predica-
ment. Rather than stocking masses of gift
items, eyewear and accessories, Grayson has
cut back on these categories and feels it’s bet-
ter to order these specialty items as demand
arises rather than, as she says, “spending lean
buying dollars on non-core items I would have
spent in the past.”
With the uncertain economic picture,
Lynne also advises paying extra attention to
reining in your inventory, bringing new looks
into the story, varying displays, and re-arrang-
ing your stock frequently. “Some things might
sell better in another part of the store,” he says,
and retailers need to be on top of what’s mov-
ing and what’s not. One area that he’s found is
doing well in his store is accessories, in all types
and colors that have a “go-with” attraction.
Lynne says smaller retailers need to
emphasize service. “We give amazing service,
which is invaluable to our customers,” he says.
“In tough times, you have to go that extra mile
and spend more time talking with customers,
being more personable—so that they’re buying
something besides the products—you have to
take the customer to the product and then sell
the product.”
Lynne mentions footwear as an area where
service is making a huge difference in his busi-
ness. He offers shoes at suggested retail price,
and they’re selling “like crazy,” Lynne notes,
even though the big chain stores are offering
discounts on the same items.
And regarding pricing, to help everyone
maintain margins, Lynne says manufacturers
should require all dealers to sell at MAP—mini-
mum advertised pricing—and be more protec-
tive of the smaller retailers. “After all, the ‘little
guys’ are the ones who initially put them in
RETAILER INPUT
business,” he says.
Lynne suggests manufacturers take cues from
their dealers to determine what kind of clothing
and footwear they should produce. “Dealers
know their customers’ wants and needs and
they can provide more accurate information
than a highly paid consultant who is far
removed from Main Street,” he says.
“If more manufacturers cut clothing geared
to ages 35 to 50, they’d make a killing because
that’s where the consistent buyers are,” he
says. Right now, “Everything looks alike, and
not everyone can wear Nike,” which is geared
to a younger fit.
From the manufacturer’s side, Bruce Fend-
ell, vice president of sales for Fila, says that
since his company is on the smaller side,
“We’re looking at growth regardless of where
our positioning is in the marketplace. Prices are
a little higher, but Fila has added a lot of value.
The important thing is we’re getting product
volume out there and retailers seem to be
happy to accommodate us with added shelf
space.”
For retailers to compete, says Fendell, “the
good ones are buying better, sharper. It’s also a
question of controlling inventory.” He suggests
saving money for off-price opportunities, and
consolidating vendors. “Most stores are buying
from fewer vendors now, and that makes you
more meaningful to the vendors you’re dealing
with. Consumers, in turn, are showing loyalty
to these stores.”
Giant Nike says business has not suffered,
possibly in large part due to exposure the brand
gained at the summer Olympics. In the most
recent quarter, Nike’s U.S. sales rose 8 percent,
and the company says future orders overall are
up 9 percent. Dealers, says one Nike official,
are “stocking up, and consumers desire to keep
up with the latest styles on the tennis court.”
It may be harder and harder to do, but
small retailers need to stay optimistic, says
Lynne. “Customers can sense your mood,” he
says. “If you think things will be bad, then it will
be. People don’t want to deal with complainers.
It’s all about attitude—you and your employees
always need to be upbeat.” Q
November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Tips for Competing
in Tough Times
Q To keep costs down, keep inventories
lean and get “back to basics.”
Q Emphasize and maximize one-on-one
personal relationships with customers,
especially if you’re a small retailer. This
will help you maintain a loyal customer
base.
Q Vary displays and reposition stock fre-
quently to make your store look
“fresh.”
Q Consider flexible hours of operation.
Opening later in the morning and
extending hours at night may allow you
to reach more customers without need-
ing to staff more hours.
Q Keep big brands prominent, even if
they’re the highest price in their cate-
gory. People perceive value and will
tend to pay for it.
Q If you do business online, cross-pro-
mote your website with your in-store
traffic, and vice versa.
Environmental Green
vs. Financial Green
While environmentally friendly trends
have been highly touted recently, retail-
ers indicated that in these tough econom-
ic times, they weren’t particularly
concerned about the issue.
In fact, Miami-based Retail Systems
Research identified the biggest concerns
for all types of retailers were higher
fuel/transportation costs and energy con-
sumption at the store level, despite the
move on manufacturers’ part to more
globally green initiatives.
In tennis, while some manufacturers have
introduced organic materials into their
apparel (including a line of official US
Open merchandise), at the store level,
retailers don’t appear to be hopping on
the bandwagon. In fact, some questioned
why manufacturers are spending so much
money in this area.
“I see no significant return on investment
for environmentally-friendly clothing and
footwear that may cost more,” says one
retailer. “And in these financially
strapped times, consumers aren’t that
interested, either.” —C.S.
35
 ADVERTISEMENT

LISTING BY COMPANY
10-S Tennis Supply email: mike@derosatennis.com Gosen America (Sportmode, Inc.) F 508-473-4077
1400 NW 13th Avenue web: www.derosatennis.com 5445 Oceanus Dr., Suite 113 email: info@novasports.com
Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Huntington Beach, CA 92649 web: www.novasports.com
P 800-247-3907 Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment P 800-538-0026
954-969-5440 3441 S. 11th Ave. 714-379-7400 Oncourt Offcourt
F 954-969-5451 Eldridge, IA 52748 F 714-379-7099 6301 Gaston Avenue, Suite 650
email: sales@10-s.com P 800-553-8907 email: sales@gosenamerica.com Dallas, TX 75214
web: www.10-s.com F 800-443-8907 web: www.gosenamerica.com P 88-TENNIS-11
email: sales@douglas-sports.com 214-823-3078
ASBA web: www.douglas-sports.com Har-Tru F 214-823-3082
(American Sports Builders Association) 2975 Ivy Road email: info@oncourtoffcourt.com
8480 Baltimore National Pike, No. 307 Dunlop Sports Charlottesville, VA 22903 web: www.oncourtoffcourt.com
Ellicott City, MD 21043 25 Draper Street P 877-4HARTRU
P 866-501-2722 Greenville, SC 29611 434-295-6167 Pacific North America
410-730-9595 P 800-768-4727 F 434-971-6995 8520 43rd Ave Dr West
F 410-730-8833 F 800-766-8379 email: hartru@leetennis.com Bradenton, Fl 34209
email: info@sportsbuilders.org email: cusomterservice@dunlopsports.com web: www.leetennis.com P 941-795-1789
web: www.sportsbuilders.org web: www.dunlopsport.com F 941-761-9172
HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports email: usainfo@pacific.com
Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co. Edwards/RolDri 306 S. 45th Ave. web: www.pacific.com
P.O. Box 549 / 24 Laurel Street 1901 Diplomat Drive, PO Box 7087 Phoenix, AZ 85043
Ashaway, RI 02804 Farmers Branch, TX 75234 P 800-289-7366 Prince Sports, Inc.
P 800-556-7260 P 800-527-0871 602-269-1492 One Advantage Court
401-377-2221 F 888-858-8337 F 602-484-0533 Bordentown, NJ 08505
F 401-377-9091 email: pwood@tacvpisports.com email: askus@us.head.com P 800-2 TENNIS
email: info@ashawayusa.com web: www.tacvpisports.com web: www.head.com 609-291-5800
web: www.ashawayusa.com F 609-291-5902
Ektelon Kirschbaum USA web: www.princetennis.com
ATS Sports One Advantage Court 401 93 St
200 Waterfront Drive Bordentown, NJ 08505 Surfside, FL 33154 PTR
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 P 800-283-6647 P 866-443-4428 (Professional Tennis Registry)
P 800-866-7071 609-291-5800 786-287-3998 P.O. Box 4739, 116 Shipyard Dr.
412-323-9612 F 609-291-5900 F 305-868-4629 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
F 412-323-1320 web: www.ektelon.com email: info@kirschbaumusa.com P 800-421-6289
email: tennis@corp.atssports.com web: www.kirschbaumusa.com 843-785-7244
web: www.atssports.com Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc. F 843-686-2033
109 E. Garfield St., PO Box 136 Lee Tennis Court Products email: info@ptrtennis.org
Babolat VS North America Chambersburg, PA 17201 650 Peter Jefferson Parkway web: www.ptrtennis.org
650 S. Taylor Ave. P 800-511-7272 Suite 300-B
Louisville, CO 80027 717-263-4950 Charlottesville, VA 22911 Rocky Mountain Sports
P 877-316-9435 F 717-263-2969 P 877-4HARTRU 650 South Taylor Ave.
720-542-6290 email: evgtennis@comcast.net 434-295-6167 Louisville, CO 80027
F 303-444-2088 F 434-971-6995 P 800-525-2852
email: info@babolatusa.com Fast Dry Companies email: hartru@leetennis.com 303-444-5340
web: www.babolat.com 1400 North West 13th Avenue web: www.leetennis.com F 303-444-7526
Pompano Beach, FL 33069 email: info@rmsboulder.com
Century Sports P 800-432-2994 Lobster Sports, Inc. web: www.rmsboulder.com
PO Box 2035, 1995 Rutgers Univ. Blvd F 954-979-1335 7340 Fulton Ave.
Lakewood, NJ 08701 email: info@fast-dry.com North Hollywood, CA 91605 Tecnifibre USA
P 800-526-7548 web: www.fast-dry.com P 800-210-5992 15721 Bernardo Heights Parkway
732-905-4422 818-764-6000 Suite B, PMB431
F 732-901-7766 Fromuth Tennis F 818-764-6061 San Diego, CA 92128
email: centurysportsinc@cs.com 1100 Rocky Drive email: info@lobsterinc.com P 877-332-0825
web: www.centurysportsinc.com West Lawn, PA 19609 web: www.lobsterinc.com 858-618-1246
P 800-523-8414 F 858-618-1246
DecoTurf 610-288-5024 NGI Sports (Novagrass) email: sales@tecnifibreusa.com
150 Dascomb Road F 610-288-5040 2807 Walker Road web: www.tecnifibre.com
Andover, MA 01810 email: sales@fromuthtennis.com Chattanooga, TN 37421
P 978-623-9980 web: www.fromuth.com P 800-835-0033 Tennis Machines, Inc.
F 978-623-9970 423-499-5546 14520 Manchester Road
email: info@decoturf.com Gamma Sports F 423-499-8882 Winchester, MO 63011
web: www.decoturf.com 200 Waterfront Dr. email: info@novagrass.com P 800-572-1055
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 web: www.novagrass.com 636-394-8811
DeRosa Tennis Contractors P 800-333-0337 F 636-394-3271
PO Box 430, 438 Center Ave. 412-323-0335 Nova Sports USA email: jhenry@tennismachines.com
Mamaroneck, NY 10543 F 800-274-0317 6 Industrial Road, Building #2 web: www.tennismachines.com
P 914-698-2404 email: tsr@gammasports.com Milford, MA 01757
F 914-698-2668 web: www.gammasports.com P 800-872-6682

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 37

 ADVERTISEMENT

The Racket Man Unique Sports Products USRSA Wilson Racquet Sports
11048 Olive Blvd. 840 McFarland Road (US Racquet Stringers Association) 8750 West Bryn Mawr Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63141 Alpharetta, GA 30004 330 Main Street Chicago, IL 60631
P 877-772-2538 P 800-554-3707 Vista, CA 92084 P 800-272-6060
F 314-567-1184 770-442-1977 P 760-536-1177 773-714-6400
email: jim@racketman.com F 770-475-2065 F 760-536-1171 F 773-714-4586
web: www.racketman.com email: sales@uniquesports.us email: usrsa@racquettech.com email: racquet@wilson.com
web: www.uniquesports.us web: www.racquettech.com web: www.wilson.com
TIA
(Tennis Industry Association) USPTA USTA Yonex Corporation USA
PO Box 7845 (US Professional Tennis Association) (US Tennis Association) 20140 S Western Ave
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite One 70 West Red Oak Lane Torrance, CA 90501
P 843-686-3036 Houston, TX 77042 White Plains, NY 10604 P 800-44-YONEX
F 843-686-3078 P 800-877-8248 P 800-990-8782 310-793-3800
email: info@tennisindustry.org 713-978-7781 914-696-7000 F 310-793-3899
web: www.tennisindustry.org F 713-978-7780 F 914-696-7167 email: support@yonexusa.com
email: uspta@uspta.org email: info@usta.com web: www.yonexusa.com
web: www.uspta.com web: www.usta.com

LISTING BY PRODUCT
EQUIPMENT Badminton Racquets Unique Sports Products Grips
Tennis Racquets Century Sports Wilson Racquet Sports 10-S Tennis Supply
10-S Tennis Supply Dunlop Sports Yonex Corporation USA ATS Sports
ATS Sports Fromuth Tennis Babolat VS North America
Babolat VS North America HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Strings-Hybrid Century Sports
Century Sports Rocky Mountain Sports 10-S Tennis Supply Dunlop Sports
Dunlop Sports The Racket Man Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co. Ektelon
Fromuth Tennis Wilson Racquet Sports ATS Sports Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports Yonex Corporation USA Babolat VS North America Gamma Sports
Gosen America (Sportmode, Inc.) Century Sports Gosen America (Sportmode, Inc.)
HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Strings-Gut Dunlop Sports HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports
Oncourt Offcourt 10-S Tennis Supply Fromuth Tennis Kirschbaum USA
Prince Sports, Inc. ATS Sports Gamma Sports Pacific North America
Rocky Mountain Sports Babolat VS North America Gosen America (Sportmode, Inc.) Prince Sports, Inc.
Tecnifibre USA Century Sports HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Rocky Mountain Sports
The Racket Man Fromuth Tennis Kirschbaum USA Tecnifibre USA
Wilson Racquet Sports Gamma Sports Pacific North America The Racket Man
Yonex Corporation USA Pacific North America Prince Sports, Inc. Unique Sports Products
Prince Sports, Inc. Rocky Mountain Sports Wilson Racquet Sports
Squash Racquets Rocky Mountain Sports The Racket Man Yonex Corporation USA
Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co. The Racket Man Unique Sports Products
Century Sports Unique Sports Products Wilson Racquet Sports Vibration Dampeners
Dunlop Sports Wilson Racquet Sports Yonex Corporation USA ATS Sports
Fromuth Tennis Babolat VS North America
HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Strings-Synthetic Accessories Century Sports
Prince Sports, Inc. 10-S Tennis Supply ATS Sports Dunlop Sports
Rocky Mountain Sports Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co. Babolat VS North America Ektelon
Tecnifibre USA ATS Sports Century Sports Fromuth Tennis
The Racket Man Babolat VS North America Dunlop Sports Gamma Sports
Wilson Racquet Sports Century Sports Ektelon HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports
Dunlop Sports Fromuth Tennis Kirschbaum USA
Racquetball Racquets Ektelon Gamma Sports Pacific North America
Century Sports Fromuth Tennis Kirschbaum USA Prince Sports, Inc.
Ektelon Gamma Sports Pacific North America Rocky Mountain Sports
Fromuth Tennis Gosen America (Sportmode, Inc.) Prince Sports, Inc. Tecnifibre USA
HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Rocky Mountain Sports The Racket Man
Prince Sports, Inc. Kirschbaum USA Tecnifibre USA Unique Sports Products
Rocky Mountain Sports Pacific North America The Racket Man Wilson Racquet Sports
The Racket Man Prince Sports, Inc. Unique Sports Products Yonex Corporation USA
Wilson Racquet Sports Rocky Mountain Sports Wilson Racquet Sports
Tecnifibre USA Yonex Corporation USA
The Racket Man

38 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008

 ADVERTISEMENT

Stringing Machines Wilson Racquet Sports Children’s Rocky Mountain Sports

ATS Sports Yonex Corporation USA Fromuth Tennis The Racket Man
Babolat VS North America Pacific North America Unique Sports Products
Century Sports Tennis Balls Rocky Mountain Sports Wilson Racquet Sports
Ektelon 10-S Tennis Supply The Racket Man Yonex Corporation USA
Fromuth Tennis ATS Sports Wilson Racquet Sports
Gamma Sports Century Sports Tennis Panties
Pacific North America Dunlop Sports T-shirts ATS Sports
Prince Sports, Inc. Fromuth Tennis ATS Sports Fromuth Tennis
Rocky Mountain Sports Gamma Sports Babolat VS North America Gamma Sports
Tecnifibre USA HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Fromuth Tennis The Racket Man
Tennis Machines, Inc. Oncourt Offcourt Gamma Sports
The Racket Man Pacific North America HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Custom Cresting
Yonex Corporation USA Prince Sports, Inc. Pacific North America Wilson Racquet Sports
Rocky Mountain Sports Rocky Mountain Sports
Stringing Tools Tecnifibre USA The Racket Man Embroidery
ATS Sports Tennis Machines, Inc. Wilson Racquet Sports Fromuth Tennis
Babolat VS North America The Racket Man Yonex Corporation USA Unique Sports Products
Century Sports Unique Sports Products Wilson Racquet Sports
Fromuth Tennis Wilson Racquet Sports Socks
Gamma Sports ATS Sports Team Business
Pacific North America Arm Bands Babolat VS North America ATS Sports
Rocky Mountain Sports ATS Sports Century Sports Century Sports
Tecnifibre USA Fromuth Tennis Fromuth Tennis Fromuth Tennis
Tennis Machines, Inc. Gamma Sports Gamma Sports Pacific North America
Yonex Corporation USA Pacific North America Pacific North America Prince Sports, Inc.
Rocky Mountain Sports Prince Sports, Inc. Rocky Mountain Sports
Stringing Accessories The Racket Man Rocky Mountain Sports The Racket Man
ATS Sports Unique Sports Products The Racket Man Unique Sports Products
Babolat VS North America Wilson Racquet Sports Wilson Racquet Sports
Century Sports Knee Bands Yonex Corporation USA
Fromuth Tennis ATS Sports FOOTWEAR
Gamma Sports Fromuth Tennis Sports Bras Tennis
Pacific North America Gamma Sports The Racket Man 10-S Tennis Supply
Rocky Mountain Sports Pacific North America ATS Sports
Tennis Machines, Inc. Rocky Mountain Sports Hats/Caps/Visors Babolat VS North America
Yonex Corporation USA The Racket Man ATS Sports Century Sports
Unique Sports Products Babolat VS North America Fromuth Tennis
Tension Testers Century Sports HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports
ATS Sports TENNIS APPAREL Dunlop Sports Prince Sports, Inc.
Century Sports Men’s Fromuth Tennis The Racket Man
Gamma Sports ATS Sports Gamma Sports Wilson Racquet Sports
Pacific North America Fromuth Tennis HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Yonex Corporation USA
Prince Sports, Inc. Gamma Sports Pacific North America
Rocky Mountain Sports Pacific North America Prince Sports, Inc. Other
Tennis Machines, Inc. Prince Sports, Inc. Rocky Mountain Sports Ashaway Line & Twine Mfg. Co.
The Racket Man Rocky Mountain Sports The Racket Man Ektelon
The Racket Man Unique Sports Products Fromuth Tennis
Sports Bags Wilson Racquet Sports Wilson Racquet Sports HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports
ATS Sports Yonex Corporation USA Yonex Corporation USA The Racket Man
Babolat VS North America Yonex Corporation USA
Dunlop Sports Women’s Wristbands
Ektelon ATS Sports ATS Sports Insoles
Fromuth Tennis Fromuth Tennis Babolat VS North America ATS Sports
Gamma Sports Gamma Sports Century Sports Fromuth Tennis
HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports Pacific North America Ektelon The Racket Man
Pacific North America Prince Sports, Inc. Fromuth Tennis
Prince Sports, Inc. Rocky Mountain Sports Gamma Sports Ankle Supports
Rocky Mountain Sports The Racket Man HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports ATS Sports
Tecnifibre USA Wilson Racquet Sports Pacific North America Fromuth Tennis
The Racket Man Yonex Corporation USA Prince Sports, Inc. Gamma Sports

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 39

 ADVERTISEMENT

Pacific North America Lee Tennis Court Products
Rocky Mountain Sports NGI Sports (Novagrass)
The Racket Man Nova Sports USA
Unique Sports Products Rocky Mountain Sports
TENNIS LIGHTING Fencing
Outdoor 10-S Tennis Supply
10-S Tennis Supply Century Sports
DeRosa Tennis Contractors DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc. Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Har-Tru Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products Lee Tennis Court Products
Rocky Mountain Sports Rocky Mountain Sports
Wilson Racquet Sports
Indoor
Rocky Mountain Sports Tennis Nets
10-S Tennis Supply
COURT EQUIPMENT ATS Sports
Court Surfaces Century Sports
10-S Tennis Supply DeRosa Tennis Contractors
ASBA (American Sports Builders Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Association) Edwards/RolDri
ATS Sports Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Century Sports Fromuth Tennis
DecoTurf Gamma Sports
DeRosa Tennis Contractors Har-Tru
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc. Lee Tennis Court Products
Gamma Sports NGI Sports (Novagrass)
Har-Tru Nova Sports USA
Lee Tennis Court Products Oncourt Offcourt
NGI Sports (Novagrass) Rocky Mountain Sports
Nova Sports USA Tennis Machines, Inc.
Rocky Mountain Sports The Racket Man
Wilson Racquet Sports
Maintenance Equipment
10-S Tennis Supply Tennis Posts
ATS Sports 10-S Tennis Supply
Century Sports ATS Sports
DeRosa Tennis Contractors Century Sports
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Edwards/RolDri Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc. Edwards/RolDri
Fromuth Tennis Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Gamma Sports Fromuth Tennis
Har-Tru Gamma Sports
Lee Tennis Court Products Har-Tru
NGI Sports (Novagrass) Lee Tennis Court Products
Nova Sports USA NGI Sports (Novagrass)
Rocky Mountain Sports Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
Surface Repair Products Tennis Machines, Inc.
10-S Tennis Supply Wilson Racquet Sports
ATS Sports
Century Sports Scorekeepers
DecoTurf 10-S Tennis Supply
DeRosa Tennis Contractors ATS Sports
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc. Century Sports
Gamma Sports Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Har-Tru Edwards/RolDri
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
Tennis Machines, Inc.
The Racket Man
Unique Sports Products
Wilson Racquet Sports
Water Cooler Stands
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Edwards/RolDri
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
The Racket Man
Wilson Racquet Sports
Windscreens
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports
DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Edwards/RolDri
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
NGI Sports (Novagrass)
Oncourt Offcourt
Pacific North America
Rocky Mountain Sports
Tennis Machines, Inc.
Wilson Racquet Sports
Backdrop Curtains
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Edwards/RolDri
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
NGI Sports (Novagrass)
Rocky Mountain Sports
Wilson Racquet Sports
Netting
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Edwards/RolDri
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
NGI Sports (Novagrass)
Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
Wilson Racquet Sports
Ball Retrieval Equipment
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Dunlop Sports
Edwards/RolDri
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
Lobster Sports, Inc.
Rocky Mountain Sports
Tennis Machines, Inc.
Unique Sports Products
Wilson Racquet Sports
Ball Machines
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports
DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
Lobster Sports, Inc.
Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
Tennis Machines, Inc.
The Racket Man
Wilson Racquet Sports
Backboards
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports

40 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008

 ADVERTISEMENT

DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
NGI Sports (Novagrass)
Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
Tennis Machines, Inc.
Teaching Aids
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Edwards/RolDri
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports
Lobster Sports, Inc.
Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
The Racket Man
Unique Sports Products
Wilson Racquet Sports
Water Removal Equipment
10-S Tennis Supply
ATS Sports
Century Sports
DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Douglas Sports Nets & Equipment
Edwards/RolDri
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fromuth Tennis
Gamma Sports
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
Lobster Sports, Inc.
Oncourt Offcourt
Rocky Mountain Sports
Tennis Machines, Inc.
The Racket Man
Wilson Racquet Sports
BUILDERS & DESIGNERS
Court Contractors
ASBA (American Sports Builders
Association)
DeRosa Tennis Contractors
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fast Dry Companies
Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
Facility Planners/Designers
ASBA (American Sports Builders
Association)
Evergreen Tennis Services, Inc.
Fast Dry Companies
MISCELLANEOUS
Books
ASBA (American Sports Builders
Association)
Oncourt Offcourt
USRSA (US Racquet Stringers
Association)
Computer Software
Oncourt Offcourt
Gifts/Trinkets Unique Sports Products
Kirschbaum USA Wilson Racquet Sports
Oncourt Offcourt
Unique Sports Products Videotapes
10-S Tennis Supply
Sports Eyewear ATS Sports
ATS Sports Oncourt Offcourt
Dunlop Sports USRSA (US Racquet Stringers
Ektelon Association)
Gamma Sports
Prince Sports, Inc. Water Bottles
Rocky Mountain Sports ATS Sports
Unique Sports Products Dunlop Sports
Wilson Racquet Sports Gamma Sports
Wilson Racquet Sports
Sun Protection
Rocky Mountain Sports Associations/Certifications
ASBA (American Sports Builders
Sunglasses Association)
ATS Sports PTR (Professional Tennis Registry)
Fromuth Tennis TIA (Tennis Industry Association)
Pacific North America USPTA (United States Professional
Rocky Mountain Sports Tennis Association)
The Racket Man USRSA (US Racquet Stringers
Unique Sports Products Association)
USTA (US Tennis Association)
Tournament Prizes
Dunlop Sports Educational Workshops
Unique Sports Products 10-S Tennis Supply
Wilson Racquet Sports Har-Tru
Lee Tennis Court Products
Towels PTR (Professional Tennis Registry)
ATS Sports
Gamma Sports
Rocky Mountain Sports
The Racket Man

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 41

string PLAYTEST

Pacific Power Hybrid

Pacific Power Hybrid 16L is a combina- frame: A little more with the Poly Force in
tion of two top-performing Pacific the mains, and about half a gram less
with the Power Line in the mains.
strings: Poly Force 17 (1.24 mm) and
The string was tested for five weeks
Power Line 16L (1.28 mm). by USRSA playtesters. We tested Power
According to Pacific, Poly Force is an
exclusive German-made high-modulus co- Poly Force Power Line
polyester string, and is Pacific’s number mains mains Hybrid “both ways:” One team used
one co-polyester. It is the most-requested Playtesters 35 34 Poly Force in the mains and Power Line in
Pacific string by ATP players. Poly Force NTRP ratings 3.5-6.0 3.0-6.0
the crosses, while another team used
has won numerous string tests around the RDC stringbed
stiffness new 74 74 Power Line in the mains and Poly Force in
world due to its tension maintenance, the crosses. These are blind tests, with
RDC stringbed stiffness
spin, and power. playtesters receiving unmarked strings in
after 24 hours 65 65
Pacific’s Power Line is a co-polymer Tension loss lbs. unmarked packages. We did advise our
(nylon) with a solid-core, double wraps, after 24 hours 9 9 playtesters to reduce tension by ten per-
and a special coating. Pacific tells us this is Tension loss % after cent when stringing the Poly Force, com-
a very “quick” string with outstanding 24 hours 12 12 pared to the Power Line, as
tension maintenance. recommended by Pacific.
Power Hybrid can be installed with EASE OF STRINGING Poly M’s Nylon M’s
Stringing Power Hybrid is easy, no
(compared to other strings)
either string as the mains, depending on matter which string you use for the
Number of testers who said it was:
player preference. According to Pacific, mains. The Poly Force is pleasantly
much easier 4 2
75% of ATP players prefer the Poly Force smooth, and almost feels soft during
somewhat easier 3 5
in the mains, while among older recre- about as easy 25 20 installation, but we didn’t have any trou-
ational players, about the same percent- not quite as easy 3 6 ble grabbing the string with the tips of
age prefers Power Line in the mains. not nearly as easy 0 1 our fingers when weaving crosses.
Power Hybrid is available in 17/16L in
orange/natural only. It is priced from $11. OVERALL PLAYABILITY Poly mains/ Nylon mains/
(compared to string played most often) nylon crosses poly crosses
To learn more about Pacific, please go to
Number of testers who said it was: Broke during stringing 1 0
www.pacific.com. Stringers and shops
much better 1 1 Excess coil memory 3 7
with a business license wanting to learn somewhat better 10 6 Difficulty tying knots 0 1
how to receive a free sample of Power about as playable 11 11 Friction burn 0 1
Hybrid should e-mail Pacific at not quite as playable 12 13
info@pacific.com, or call Pacific at 941- not nearly as playable 1 3
795-1789 (877-847-7727 toll-free fax). ON THE COURT
OVERALL DURABILITY
(compared to other strings Power Hybrid scored well with each
IN THE LAB of similar gauge) playtest team, supporting Pacific’s find-
We recorded stringbed stiffness immedi- Number of testers who said it was: ings, with the edge going to Power
ately after stringing at 60 pounds in a Wil- much better 5 3 Hybrid with Poly Force in the mains and
son Pro Staff 6.1 95 (16 x 18 pattern) on somewhat better 13 15 Power Line in the crosses. In this configu-
a constant pull machine. We re-measured about as durable 16 10
ration, our playtest team scored Power
after 24 hours (no playing) for tension not quite as durable 0 6
Hybrid 6th overall for Spin Potential, 7th
not nearly as durable 1 0
loss, as shown in the table. Our control overall for Control, 12th overall for Ten-
string, Prince Synthetic Gut Original Gold RATING AVERAGES sion Retention, 17th overall for Resis-
16, measured 78 RDC units immediately From 1 to 5 (best) tance to Movement, and 20th overall for
after stringing and 71 RDC units after 24 Playability 3.4 3.3 Durability. Power was also judged to be
hours, representing a 9 percent tension Durability (20th overall) 4.2 3.9 well above average. These scores were
loss. Power Hybrid added around 17 Power 3.4 3.4
grams to the weight of our unstrung Control (7th overall) 3.8 3.7 Poly mains/ Nylon mains/
Comfort 3.1 3.3 nylon crosses poly crosses
Poly Force Power Line Touch/Feel 3.1 3.1 Average playtest
Coil measurements 23’6” 21’8” Spin Potential (6th overall) 3.6 3.2 duration 20.7 23.5
Diameter unstrung 1.23-1.24 1.27-1.28 Holding Tension (12th overall) 3.7 3.3 Broke during play 4 5
Diameter strung 1.20-1.22 1.24-1.25 Resistance to Movement 3.9 3.7 Break hours 6, 9, 12, 13 6, 8, 16, 18, 26

42 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008

TESTERS TALK
“ This string breaks in nicely after two
hours of play. It has great pocketing, spin
and power. The feel is comfortably firm,
which contributes to the remarkable
”
control. 5.0 male all-court player using
Yonex RDS 002 Tour strung at 60 pounds CP
(Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 16)
“ This hybrid has a unique blend of control
and power. Topspin hitters will be able to hit
a very heavy ball with this string. It is defi-
nitely one of the most comfortable hybrids
I’ve ever used. This combination works.
” too! 50 hours on the same string. This is a
good enough to give this configuration
of Power Hybrid a 14th-place overall
average of the 126 strings we’ve
playtested to date.
Power Hybrid with Power Line in
the mains and Poly Force in the crosses
garnered well above average scores in
Durability, Power, Control, and Resis-
tance to Movement, for an overall
score that is also well above average.
This configuration also scored above
average in Playability, Comfort, Spin
Potential, and Tension Retention.
5.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using Fischer
M Comp strung at 57 pounds CP (Babolat Tonic
+ Ball Feel 16)
“ This combination is comparable to many of
the high end hybrids on the market. It plays a
lot like the Luxilon TIMO hybrid I’m currently
”
using. 3.5 male all-court player using Prince
O3 Citron OS strung at 58 pounds LO (Luxilon
TIMO/Nylon 18/16)
“ Finally, a poly hybrid I really like. Great
playability with a truly solid feel. And power
CONCLUSION
With six top-20 scores out of a possible 10,
Power Hybrid with Poly Force mains would
seem to be the clear choice. When you look
at how little separates these two configura-
tions in the scores, however, you see instead
how well Pacific has done in choosing the
two strings that make up Power Hybrid. This
match-up gives the stringer the flexibility to
satisfy a wide range of clients with one
string. If you have a stringing business and
are thinking about carrying Pacific strings,
—Greg Raven Q
give them a call.
November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
record for me. No noticeable tension loss.
”
4.0 male baseliner with heavy spin using Wilson
nPS strung at 62 pounds CP (Tecnifibre NRG2
17)
“ This string has a great combination of com-
fort and power. The cross strings hold up surpris-
ingly well over time. String movement is very
”
minimal. 5.0 male all-court player using
Prince Tour Diablo MP strung at 64 pounds CP
(Polyester 18)
“ This string has a wonderfully crisp feel. It has
very good control and spin. The comfort is above
average for the breed. Power is on the low side,
”
thus adding to the control. 5.0 male all-court
player using Head Liquidmetal Radical OS strung
at 55 pounds CP (Head FXP 16)
“ Overall this hybrid plays well. The softer
crosses add comfort and touch. This combination
does not have a lot of rebound energy, making
”
for a somewhat dead feel. 6.0 male all-court
player using Wilson nTour Two strung at 55
pounds CP (Wilson NXT 17)
For the rest of the tester comments, visit
www.racquetsportsindustry.com.
43
 tips and TECHNIQUES
Readers’ Know-How in Action
THE TROUBLE
WITH TIE-OFFS!
I recently took in a racquet for stringing
with a hybrid. After installing the mains
I noticed that this particular racquet did-
n't have anywhere to tie off the crosses
at the throat, despite the Digest listing
that showed two-piece instructions,
including tie-off holes. After pondering
my predicament for a moment, I used
my grommet-grinding tool to remove
the existing grommet where the tie-off
hole should have been, popped in a
larger individual tie-off grommet, and
saved my string job.
5 sets of Pro Supex P.F. Blend
1.25/1.30 to:
Fred S. McWilliams, CS, Arlington, TX
Editor’s note: This will work, but if
you’re thinking about grinding out a
perfectly good grommet, you might
want first to try enlarging the existing
44 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
grommet with a waxed awl. You just
need to stretch the grommet enough to
admit two strings (the cross and the tie-
off), and many times this technique
works fine. If the grommet barrel splits
or comes adrift, you’ve lost nothing
because you were going to remove it
anyway. If this does work, though, you
have left the grommet strip intact. As
with grinding out the existing grommet
barrel, you have to do the enlargement
before putting the cross string through.
THIS TIP IS A CROC
Some of you may already use an anti-
fatigue mat around your stringing
machine to save your legs and back.
Another way to get the same effect is to
invest in a pair of those trendy, colorful
slip-on shoes (e.g. Crocs, Sketchers, Cali
Gear, etc.): if your machine is in the mid-
dle of your shop's sales floor, not only
will people engage you in conversation
about stringing they might also approach
you because of your wacky choice of
footwear!
10 3-packs of TournaGrip to:
Lynn Khaing, Dallas, TX
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
When stringing at home or at tourna-
ments, I like to have a clock at hand to
know the time. This little clock has a self-
sticking back, allowing it to mount any-
where. The outer bezel can be set to
remind you either of a start time or a
deadline. It is sold in most motorbike
shops.
5 sets of Ashaway Crossfire II 16 to:
Sam Chan, MRT, London, England
SLIPPAGE CHECK
GRIP-WRAPPING
FOR LEFTIES
Normally when installing a replacement
grip, you use the existing tapered end to
start out, but when the racquet is for a
left-handed player, this leaves a sharper
angled beveled seam in the finished wrap.
It is much easier to take the untrimmed
end of the replacement grip and trim a
taper to match the reverse wrap for the
lefty. The finished wrap will then have a
more normal angled seam. The only thing
that remains is to take a black permanent
marker to touch up any white lining that
may show up on the finished grip.
5 sets of Gamma Asterisk 16 and
a hat to:
Albert Lee, MRT
Potomac, MD
—Greg Raven Q
Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000 by USRSA
members, and appearing in this column, have all been
gathered into a single volume of the Stringer’s Digest—
Racquet Service Techniques which is a benefit of USRSA
membership. Submit tips to: Greg Raven, USRSA, 330
Main St., Vista, CA 92804; or email
greg@racquettech.com.

To make sure my clamps are not slipping

during a string job I simply monitor the
string identification printed on the string
as it sits behind the clamp. As I tension
and then clamp the string I watch to see
if there is any movement to the words
printed on the string (they come up and
sit behind the clamp two or three times
during each string job). If there is, it is
easy to see and I can make adjustments
on the fly.
5 sets of Dunlop Tour Performance
16 to:
Terry Boyle,
Columbine Valley, CO

NO POKEY KNOT ENDS

After I tie a knot, and before I trim off the

excess, I adjust the string end and knot so
that when I trim it, the end will lay flat
and neat up against the frame.
5 sets of Wilson NXT OS 16L to:
Chuck Wright, Baton Rouge, LA

November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 45

 ask the EXPERTS
Your Equipment Hotline
DIGEST LEGIBILITY
SOMETIMES I HAVE DIFFICULTY
Q
tions?
reading the Stringer’s Digest, as
you can see below. Any sugges-
A ALL OF THE INFORMATION con-
tained in the Stringer’s Digest is
available on-line. Therefore, if you have a
computer you can set up in your stringing
area, your cat will almost certainly lay atop
the computer, keyboard, or monitor,
increasing the legibility of your Digest.
46 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
HOW OFTEN TO
CHANGE RACQUETS
Q
DO YOU HAVE A recommenda-
tion as to how often a 4.0-5.0
player who plays three or four
time a week should change racquets?
A OUR CONTACTS AT BABOLAT,
Dunlop, Fischer, Gamma, Head,
Prince, Tecnifibre, Volkl, Wilson, and
Yonex recommend changing racquets
each time a new model becomes avail-
able. If this approach is not feasible, your
best bet is to change racquets only when
you feel like it. For all intents and purpos-
es, modern tennis racquets don’t wear
out. At tennis facilities everywhere, there
are plenty of great players using well
maintained 5-to-20 year-old racquets
with no problem. Just make certain you
have a good supply of bumperguards. If
the bumperguards for your frame are no
longer available through normal channels,
USRSA members can contact the Grom-
mets Network (grommets@racquettech.com)
to enlist the aid of other USRSA members
who might have them in stock.
Of course, if you are wearing out rac-
quets, it’s a different matter. In this case, it
depends on how hard you are on them. The
more trips your racquets make to the fence,
net posts, court surface, and other hard
objects, the more often you’ll need to
replace them.
CONSTANT PULL VS. LOCKOUT
I AM IN THE MARKET FOR A string-
Q ing machine and am having difficulty
making sense of a couple of issues.
One of them is constant-pull versus lockout.
I have read on the web that lockout
machines do not offer the consistency of
constant pull machines because with the
lockout machine (1) the string loses tension
after you have tensioned it but before you
have clamped it, and (2) the tension
depends on how fast you move the crank.
On the other hand, you may lose a little ten-
sion before clamping with an electric con-
stant-pull machine if the tensioning sys-
tem is not sensitive enough to
compensate for small tension drops. Also,
with constant-pull machines, there may
be some inconsistency in tension if you
are not consistent with the amount of
time you let the string pull. The final issue
is that of 360-degree rotation. Does lack
of 360-degree rotation result in any lack
of consistency in pulling the first two
main strings or any other problem?
A UNLESS YOU BUY A REALLY POOR
quality or malfunctioning machine,
most of your problems with consistency
are going to be due to your stringing
technique, not the machine. That is to
say, even though the final stringbed stiff-
ness with a lockout machine is lower than
that of a comparable constant-pull
machine, this is not a consistency issue.
As your technique improves with a lock-
out machine, your pulling speed and
time-to-clamp will become more consis-
tent.
Also, in most cases you will find there
are larger consistency issues with the
clamps and mounting system than with
the tensioning system. Other than physi-
cal defect, the consistency of the tension-
ing system usually comes into play only if
you don’t properly maintain and calibrate
your lockout machine, as it typically will
need re-calibration more often than a
constant-pull machine.
In other words, for any reasonably
competent stringing machine, the
machine itself is almost certainly going to
be more consistent than the stringer.
As for 360-degree rotation, again, this
doesn’t affect consistency as much as it
does speed. In fact, you stand to gain a
bit of consistency by having the tension
head up at the level of the stringbed.
Whichever you choose, eventually that
system will seem “normal” to you, and as
your comfort grows with your machine,
your consistency will improve.
STRING STIFFNESS
Q
IS THERE A SPECIFIC STRING stiff-
ness that is considered as a limit?
For example, if the stiffness of the
string is above that number it is consid-
ered a stiff string, while if the stiffness is
below that number, it is considered soft?
According to USRSA lab tests, the stiff-
ness of natural gut usually is 110-120,
whereas some synthetics such as
Prince Synthetic Gut with Duraflex
have a measured stiffness of 210.
Does this make PSGD a stiff string?
Do I also need to factor in which rac-
quet the strings are going into? I’m
trying to figure out which strings will
cause arm problems.
A THE DYNAMIC STIFFNESS WE
measure in our lab tests is an
important characteristic of tennis
string, but it is still just one character-
istic. There are plenty of players using
stiffer strings, and doing just fine with
them.
If you are seeking a soft string to
help prevent arm problems, go with
gut. If you want to use nylon, start at
the “soft” end of the list of nylon
strings and try a few. If PSGD looks
attractive, you can buy sets all day
long for less than four bucks, so it
costs next to nothing to give it a try.
The racquet does matter, aside
from any arm issues that derive from
the racquet itself, due to size varia-
tions in the racquet head, and the
stringbed density. A more open pat-
tern — that is, one with fewer strings
per square inch — is naturally going
to be softer than one with a dense
string pattern, everything else being
equal.
LOOKING UP STRING
STIFFNESS
I READ YOUR "GUIDE TO
Q Strings" article on pages 38-39
in your September/October
2008 edition of Racquet Sports Indus-
try magazine. I want to look up the
"stiffness/tension loss" specs for the
remainder of the 600 more strings
your article refers to. I went to your
web site, www.RacquetTECH.com,
but could not find the link to click on
to view the complete string listing and
chart. Please direct me to the appro-
priate link.
A You can find the full listing
here: http://www.usrsa.com/
members/tools/string_specs.html
—Greg Raven Q
We welcome your questions. Please send them
to Racquet Sports Industry, 330 Main St., Vista,
CA, 92084; fax: 760-536-1171; email:
greg@racquettech.com.
November/December 2008 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 47
 Your Serve
Changing Our Game
With challenges and changes looming, the USTA’s executive
director says the organization must be disciplined, lean and in it
for the common good. BY GORDON SMITH
O
ne of the great things about being
involved in a traditional sport like ten-
nis is that it can be an oasis of conti-
nuity in a world of change. Sure, things do
change, such as racquet technology, tennis
fashions, even electronic line-calling. But a lot
of the time, getting together with friends to
have a hard-fought game of tennis is not all
that different than it was 25 or even 75 years
ago.
I like that sense of being part of some-
thing with such a great tradition. The
temptation, however, is to ignore the
more uncomfortable changes that are
being thrust upon us. As executive direc-
tor, it is my responsibility to ensure that
the USTA responds quickly and effectively
to the implications of that change so the
game can continue to grow.
The first change that has come upon
us is the double whammy of a plateauing
USTA income and a tight economy. With
declining resources, the national office
must be the model of leadership and
operational excellence. Toward that end, I
will aggressively lead an effort to become
leaner, more efficient and accountable
while retaining and recruiting the best
available talent.
We in the national office need to
decrease expenses. We must begin to
spend the USTA’s money as if it were
coming from our own checking accounts.
But that alone is not enough. We can’t
ask others to sacrifice until we’ve gotten
our act together. And I want to hear from
you about what you think we could do
better, more efficiently and with less cost.
As we continue to improve at national,
I’m committed to providing the 17 sec-
tions with the best training, financial
advice, and mentoring possible. I realize
that in many cases it works the other
way—we can learn best practices from
the bottom up. That’s why we need our
17 laboratories experimenting with new
48 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2008
league formats and new ways to find
young athletic talent.
The second change we face is the 75
million baby-boomers who are retiring and
being replaced by Generation X, and more
importantly, by Generation Y. Gen Y are
people born roughly between 1978 and
’94. They are racially and ethnically diverse,
technology savvy, impatient, skeptical, and
celebrity- and entertainment-driven. They
have no memory of Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean
King, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy
Connors, Chris Evert, Boris Becker or wood
racquets. What does this mean for tennis?
Their natural acceptance of diversity
means our programs and our very structure
must genuinely reflect diversity. Remember:
Diversity at its purest is not about the
underprivileged. It is not about programs
for diverse groups. It is about inclusion at
all levels. If Gen Y sees us as a group that
compartmentalizes diversity, they simply
won’t sign-on. For them diversity is organic
and natural.
The experts tell us the best way to reach
Generation Y is by Gen Y’s. That means we
must recruit Gen Y volunteers. And if we
want this generation as our next national
leaders, we must consider rethinking some
of our traditional practices.
For example, does traditional print mar-
keting move the dial to generations wired
into the internet as never before? This has
implications from planning our national
gatherings to creating a highly effective
Advanced Media operation, and by that I
mean how we’re using the power of the
web to our advantage.
With the help of our talented Advanced
Media group, we are conducting a soup to
nuts review of Advanced Media including a
complete assessment of our website. Sev-
enty-five percent of our web traffic is from
people who want to sign up for a program
or scout an opponent. Yet, our website is
not nearly robust enough in participation
opportunities and not well-linked to non-
USTA opportunities. That will change.
By the way, the Generation after Y,
those born after 1996, are sometimes
called Generation I, for the internet gen-
eration. They are also known as “digital
natives” because they will never remem-
ber a time when you couldn’t do every-
thing you wanted to do on a computer.
With Gen I, we’re in a battle for their
hearts and minds. We’ll never get them to
the tennis net unless we meet them first
on the internet.
I realize I’m asking us to do all of this
at the national and sectional level with
fewer resources, but I’ve rarely seen a
good tennis player who wasn’t also disci-
plined and lean. So must this organization
be, too.
When I am faced with a decision, I
find it helpful to go back to the basics.
Who are we? And, what are we? We are
a not-for-profit organization. We are in
this for the common good. The stock-in-
trade of a not-for-profit is a changed
human life. We are human change
agents.
Tennis is fast, healthy, entertaining
and doesn’t take all day or cost an arm
and a leg. It has an outstanding history
and an even greater future. And I hope
that you are as proud to be a part of it as
I am. Q
Gordon Smith joined the USTA
national office as the executive
director in November 2007. An
avid player, he is a longtime vol-
unteer, serving as president of the
USTA Southern Section, at-large
board member of the national USTA , and vice
president of the USTA.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to Gordon@racquetTECH.com
or fax them to 760-536-1171.