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Tóm tắt nội dung (trích từ tài liệu gốc): Inside this issue USPTA Offers Health and Life Insurance Options for Members � 47 National Board Applications to be Available Soon � 48 Wilson to Launch New USPTA Tennis Ball � 51 Departments: 42 CEO's Message 52 Inside Coaching 44 President's Message 56 Master Pro Corner 47 USPTA News 58 Career Development 51 Endorsee News 60 Member News Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com On the cover: January 2017 is the deadline for the professional development requirement of 6 credits in a three-year period for certified members in good standing and under the age of 65. For more details,
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Nội Dung Gốc (Tiếng Anh)¶
Inside this issue
USPTA Offers Health and Life
Insurance Options for Members � 47
National Board Applications to
be Available Soon � 48
Wilson to Launch New USPTA
Tennis Ball � 51
Departments:
42 CEO's Message 52 Inside Coaching
44 President's Message 56 Master Pro Corner
47 USPTA News 58 Career Development
51 Endorsee News 60 Member News
Read more articles online at www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
On the cover: January 2017 is the deadline for the professional development
requirement of 6 credits in a three-year period for certified members in
good standing and under the age of 65. For more details, see Page 42.
CEO's Message
A New Day for USPTA
By John Embree
Jan. 2, 2017, will go down in the his- that continuing education is necessary * Submit to our education department
tory of the USPTA as a milestone. since they have been successful in their a syllabus of training or education
For the first time in our history, all jobs for many years: why should they that you may have received outside
U.S.-based certified members in have to learn anything new? Some even of tennis that can count toward this
good standing and under the age of 65 suggest that we, as a non-profit trade requirement.
will have had to complete the profes- association, cannot mandate anything If you accomplish this goal, your
sional development requirement of 6 to anyone; that this is outside our
credits in a three-year period by that charter. Many are content and satisfied membership status will change from
day. For those of you who completed with their knowledge, thinking that suspended to active (as long as you
the required 12 hours of education and passing a test decades ago is enough to pay your dues for 2017) but you will
development, CONGRATULATIONS! keep them on the cutting edge today. only have 2 � years to complete an-
Your commitment to following our other 12 hours or 6 credits by the end
mission of "elevating the standards" of We are excited about the possibilities of 2019.
our profession will make us stronger of an engaged group of tennis-teaching
and more credible in the industry. professionals who all truly care about In this, the last year of this three-
raising the bar and being better year cycle, we will have sent out an
Back in mid to late 2013, the at what we do. email at the end of each quarter to
USPTA Board, along with the USTA those who have not complied. In ad-
and PTR, agreed to a common goal of For those of you who subscribe to dition, there have been postcards and
elevating the standards of the tennis- any of these notions, I can promise you letters sent by regular mail as well as
teaching community in general. These that the Board and Executive Com- phone blasts advising every person of
three organizations were universally mittee are absolutely steadfast in their their status and encouraging them to
in sync with the concept of requiring a resolve to go forward with this vision, complete this endeavor. Suffice it to
minimal level of education to further even with the prospect of a projected say, no one who is an active USPTA
raise the abilities of professionals so loss of members and subsequent rev- member can say that they were not
that the consumer experience would enue. Yet, there is no equivocation aware of this requirement. The com-
be more positive. When every other from the leadership of the USPTA. As munication has been constant.
industry requires continuous training President Chuck Gill has stated often,
in order to stay employed or to keep "we cannot let the financial impact of If June 30 rolls around and a mem-
their certification, we in tennis mutu- this action deter us from doing what is ber has yet to fulfill his/her obligation,
ally believed that we had to make a right in the long run." their membership will be dropped
statement to the industry: we would altogether. Once that happens, they
work to make each and every member On January 2, if you happen to be will need to go through the process of
better at what they do. one of those individuals who have no re-instating and paying the requisite
credits or some credits but not all 6, penalties in order to get back in along
At the same time, we knew that the your membership will be suspended with proof of the professional develop-
implementation of this requirement and you will no longer be eligible for any ment compliance.
would not come without its challenges. USPTA benefits, period. If you procras-
Many people did not believe that we tinated or were unable to complete this Moving forward, we are excited
would stick to our guns, remembering in the required time, you still have an about the possibilities of an engaged
what occurred back in the 1990s when opportunity to complete your profes- group of tennis-teaching professionals
the USPTA folded under the pressure sional development. Between January 2 who all truly care about raising the bar
of only having 60 percent compliance and June 30, 2017, you have six months and being better at what we do. Again,
for continuing education. At that time, to do any combination of the following: thanks and congratulations to the vast
the USPTA feared the revenue loss it majority of our members who share
would experience while also fearing that * Attend a division conference. our vision. We are stronger and more
members would leave and join another * Go to coachyouthtennis.com or credible in the tennis industry as a
competitive organization that did not group of professionals who do not sim-
subscribe to the same requirements. tennisresources.com to watch the ply pay "lip service" on the importance
online courses of being better professionals ... but
There are others who do not believe truly "walk the walk!" h
42 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
President's Message
Happy New Year!
By Chuck Gill the previous 30-plus years, which is help USTA, CMAA and other asso-
teaching tennis! I am excited about ciations. It gives me a much better
H appy New Year to all! I getting back into the swing of team perspective on my own sport, as
wish a happy and prosper- practices and lessons ... and I realize well as the overall club business and
ous 2017 to each of you in that my drills and techniques need business in general. As I get older,
our USPTA family. First, to be current for my students. I have I find that when I step outside my
congratulations to all of you who a personal goal of "Get 6 Every 6," normal realm of expertise, it gives
fulfilled your professional devel- meaning that I am going to try to me a totally new look at issues and
opment requirements for the past dedicate at least 12 hours every six challenges. The sports landscape
three-year cycle. By engaging in our months learning something new. is rapidly changing so learn to "get
education, you have demonstrated While it may seem like a lot of edu- comfortable being uncomfortable."
a commitment to raising the bar,
and have shown why USPTA is again It is always wise to take stock in your personal and business life on a frequent
leading the way in providing relevant basis, but, it should be done at least yearly. The key is following through on some
ways for our pros to be better at of the commitments that you set out to accomplish.
what we do! As of press time, more
than 85 percent of our membership cation (and certainly more than is � Balance work and play � Most of
had fulfilled or were on their way to currently required), it is only two us have busy lives and mine is no
completing this requirement, our hours a month, or roughly a half exception. I love to volunteer, but
remaining division workshops were hour a week on tennisresources. I need to balance everything bet-
showing great sign-ups, and courses com. Who says an old dog can't learn ter. In 2016, I made some progress.
online were being utilized at a record new tricks? I found some "down time" for a
pace. In the event that you have not � Play more tennis � Last year in my few trips with the family. I spent
completed your professional devel- travels, I tried to carve out an hour more afternoons playing tennis or
opment requirements, please visit or so at each conference to play golf with some buddies, and was
coachyouthtennis.com or log into tennis when I could ... and always (for the most part) able to commit
tennisresources.com for free online found willing hitting partners like one day a week to spend some time
courses. By watching these courses John Embree, Lane Evans and Bill away from the busy work schedule.
for credit you will remain a member Mountford! I'm constantly remind- We simply are not made or "wired"
in good standing and maintain your ed of why I started in this business to run at fast speeds forever. 2017
benefits. � I really like to play TENNIS! This will be the year that I keep better
year I resolve to stretch more, take balance between work, volunteer-
Each New Year gives us an oppor- better care of myself, and find a ing, friends and family.
tunity to reflect on the past, and op- way to improve my own game as I It is always wise to take stock in
timistically look ahead to the future. turn 60. A very smart friend told
For the coming year, I would like to me that senior tennis is the only your personal and business life on a
share a few of my "tennis resolutions" sport where every five years you frequent basis, but it should be done
for 2017: move a bit better and your serve at least yearly. The key is following
gets a bit bigger! through on some of the commit-
� Be a better professional � Much of � Diversify my education � While I ments that you set out to accomplish.
the last three to four years, my "club love USPTA, I look forward to more I certainly intend to do so.
job" at The Club at Ibis has required conferences and volunteering to
me to spend more hours off court Again, I wish everyone the best for
as a part of our $36 million renova- 2017, and hope that this year is great
tion project. Having completed this both on and off court! h
project, I can now turn my attention
back to being on court more, and do-
ing more of what I have loved doing
44 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
USPTA News
USPTA Offers Health and Life
Insurance Options for Members
The USPTA has partnered with said SelectQuote Vice President Paul derful to affiliate with one of the leaders
SelectQuote to provide exclu- Gregory. in its space," said USPTA CEO John
sive healthcare, Medicare and Embree. "The fact that SelectQuote will
life insurance resources for SelectQuote has a strong ability also provide our members life insurance
USPTA-certified Professional members. to meet customer needs for an insur- programs as well, we are fortunate to
As a strong and well-respected brand, ance product that is complementary have an affiliation with this company."
SelectQuote has provided coverage to the USPTA's core values. "With the
for more than 1 million customers and complexities of ACA and the changes With a projected 10,000 people
more than 1.5 million policies. to come, as well as the need to provide turning 65 every day from 2011 through
quality health care options for those 2030, SelectQuote can help individu-
The company represents more than members who seek medical coverage for als find the best plan for the best price.
60 of A.M. Best's "A" rated insurance themselves and their families, it's won- Healthcare expenses can consume 12 to
carriers, and has offered consumers an 15 percent of elder Americans' income.
unbiased comparison shopping expe- With SelectQuote, USPTA members 65
rience to purchase life and Medicare and older can compare Medicare plans
supplement insurance at competitive and save up to $840 per year.
rates since they were founded in 1985.
As the demand for health and life
"Our partnership with USPTA will insurance continues to rapidly grow,
give members an opportunity to save the USPTA and SelectQuote will work
time and money shopping the Select- together to inform and provide you with
Quote insurance exchanges for their the best options, prices and coverage
pre-65 health care, Medicare and life that meets your needs.
insurance. SelectQuote looks forward
to assisting the membership with For more information, go to uspta.
these important financial decisions," com/benefits and click on the Insurance,
Healthcare and Retirement tabs. h
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
USPTA News
National Board Applications
to be Available Soon
The USPTA Nominating Committee will 2016-2017 National Board
be seeking candidates who are inter-
ested in serving on the USPTA Nation-
al Board of Directors for the 2018-2019
term. Information and the application will be
emailed to eligible members in January.
The application deadline is March 1, and
phone interviews will be conducted with
qualified nominees. The top candidates will
then be offered a live interview during the
Executive Committee in late April.
A nominating slate will be presented to
the membership by June 15, and any chal-
lenges to the slate must be submitted by Aug.
1. If an election is needed, it will be held in
late August so that results can be announced
at the World Conference in October.
Please note that only members in good
standing with a certification level of Elite
Pro or higher are eligible to apply. Any candi-
dates failing to meet these criteria will not be
considered. h
Endorsee News
Wilson to Launch New USPTA
Tennis Ball
Wilson Racquet Sports, "We at Wilson are absolutely To order the new Wilson Ultra
the Official Equipment thrilled to once again be the Official USPTA All Court ball, contact your
Sponsor for the USPTA, Equipment Sponsor of the USPTA," territory manager. A list of territory
is releasing a new ten- said Tim Buwick, Wilson's U.S. Promo- managers and regions can be found at
nis ball, the Wilson Ultra USPTA All tions Director for Racquet Sports. "Our uspta.com/wilson. h
Court. relationship with the USPTA and John
Embree spans several decades. It feels
Scheduled to be launched Feb. 1, like we are back home again."
2017, the new Wilson Ultra USPTA
ball has three major technological ad- "We at Wilson are absolutely thrilled to
vancements: once again be The Official Equipment
Sponsor of the USPTA."
1. A thicker, tighter-weave felt for Buwick continued, "Wilson is also
enhanced durability, engineered for excited to launch a new ball that has
all court surfaces been in development for many months.
We are confident that USPTA pros are
2. A new Hi-Visibility felt for better really going to love the new Wilson Ultra
ball tracking USPTA ball, with its greater durability
on all court surfaces. It also has a new
3. New logo application for longer Hi-Visibility felt, which you will begin to
wear see when we begin shipping this product
to you in February (pun intended)."
USPTA CEO John Embree play test-
ed the new ball. "I played with the new
Wilson Ultra USPTA All Court ball on a
damp clay court on a very hot and humid
day," he said. "After one hour of play, the
felt wear was very consistent and there
was no fluffing. It still looked new!
"I was very impressed with this ball
and have no concerns about how it will
play on a hard court considering how
well it played under extreme conditions
on clay."
The following tennis ball booking program is available through March 31, 2017.
� All USPTA Pros are pre-approved for BASE pricing
� USPTA Pros purchasing $5,000 or more annually in Wilson products are approved for 17TB Pricing
Item Number 2017 Description BASE Pricing 17TB Pricing CAN MAP CASE MAP
$79.99
WRT109500 Wilson Ultra USPTA All Court $65.28 $60.00 $3.99
Who is eligible to participate? Details:
� Must be a current USPTA member � Normal account terms apply
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 51
Inside Coaching
Coaching Nine Valuable
Life Lessons from Tennis
By David F. Berens, USPTA
Coaching. What exactly is or if they are at a disadvantage? In The mental and psychological
coaching? Patterns on a tennis, I like to point to the score of pieces of the game of tennis ...
chalkboard? The X's and O's deuce and ask, "How do you feel about are just as important as the X's
of plays and formations run that score?" Most tennis players will and O's, the patterns of play, and
ad nauseam in practice until they be- report that it is a fairly neutral situa- the techniques of your athletes.
come second nature to the athletes on tion � an even score. Then I ask them, Teaching them is essential.
a team? Recruiting of individuals to what if you were up 40-love and your
your team? It is all of these and more. opponent had come back to tie the ites, "Come on, Dave, you've got this."
game at deuce. Or what if you were These things are unactionable. I can-
I have been practicing my own down love-40 and you came back to not take either of those and do any-
coaching art for more than 16 years tie it up. Both very different percep- thing with them ... thus I will be even
and have boiled down my technique to tions of the same score. It is still deuce more anxious and very likely blow it!
practicing five basic strategies � that's it, and it is important that athletes are The alternative is to actually come up
just five. However, during those years, able to deal with that situation in a with a strategy, and don't get compli-
I came to realize that I was missing a way that allows them to forget the cated. To make it complex makes it
gigantic portion of what my students negative aspects, accentuate the posi- harder to pull off under pressure.
needed. The mental and psychological tive, and use the patterns and strate- 3) Be Consistent: When I learned tennis,
pieces of the game of tennis became a gies that they've been coached to use my coach was a backboard. I quickly
monumental presence, overshadow- in that situation. taught myself the control it would
ing everything else I was teaching. The 2) Make a Plan: Once you recognize your take to keep the shots rebounding
great baseball coaching legend, Yogi situation for what it truly is, you need off the wall at the right pace so that I
Berra, is credited as saying, "Baseball is a road map. Playing a game without could return them. Again and again
90 percent mental and the other half is one is essentially playing a game of and again. Many of the players I work
physical." I began to make notes and ad- chance. You're hoping to get lucky. with have never hit against a wall ...
dress the overlying arc of the mind and This is commonly expressed during and it's readily apparent when they
how it affected my students. Nine themes a game in phrases like, "We have to aren't able to rally more than three
began to reoccur in such strong ways that win this point." Or one of my favor- balls in a row. So, what does con-
I knew these themes were universal. Dur- sistency on the tennis court mean?
ing my lessons, I would not only address Simply, you are better than the aver-
how and when certain strategies and age player if you can make three shots
techniques should be used, but how each with the same speed, trajectory and
strategy and technique would affect my target. Three shots ... that's all it takes.
players and their opponents. This is true of any sport. The things it
takes to win are often boring and DO
These themes are simple. However,
you might think them so universal that
you don't give them much attention
when coaching your players. I would
argue that these are just as important as
the X's and O's, the patterns of play, and
the techniques of your athletes. Teach-
ing them is essential.
1) Recognize Your Situation: It is very
easy for an athlete or team to per-
ceive a situation during a game in a
negative or positive light. But is that
perception accurate? Are recent or
past events clouding their notion of
whether they have the advantage
52 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 47
NOT win every point. Often, athletes you are repeating mistakes over and turns to gold. I once watched Michael
will execute a strategy or technique over again, even though on court, Jordan make free throws with his
until it fails once and then they aban- they only happened once. We see eyes closed! But how do we achieve
don it. It is important to help them evidence of this when a player loses this? Can we make this happen on
understand that consistency works a big point with a poor shot or poor purpose? The answer is yes, but the
over time, is never flashy, and wins strategy and then loses the next actions to take are quite boring.
a higher percentage of the points three points still reliving the point The lessons we all learn in our bike
played. they lost in their mind. riding years are that you push the
4) Support System: Putting a player on I encourage players who've made an pedals to move and on a hill, if you
an island is a bad idea. The athlete error to turn their negative emotion stop, it's really hard to get moving
needs to understand you are there for from replaying the poor shot in their again! It's pretty easy to ride up a hill
them. Champions often have a long minds to picturing and even saying if you just keep pushing the pedals
list of people who have helped them out loud, "Next time I will do this." It one at a time and don't ever stop. But
and you always hear about it when forces us to see the shot we want to that's difficult if you look up at the
they win. If you've ever seen a pro- make and hear ourselves confirm it. top of that hill and see how far up it
fessional tennis player win a Grand Instead of several negative replays is. Many long and arduous tasks are
Slam tournament, the first thing they of the error in our mind, we get a few often failed before they begin be-
do after they shake their opponent's positive pictures of how we do want cause the end seems too far away.
hand is head up into the crowd to his to play the point. Though we must focus on where we
box. All of their support system is 7) Dealing With Setbacks: Athletes see are going, achieving success often
represented there, from parents to setbacks in every single match they comes from breaking down our plan
coaches to friends. And that athlete play. In tennis we may get up in the into small, actionable pieces that
knows how important they were to set a few games and suddenly the move us closer to our goals. In a ten-
his journey. Letting a player know other team manages to fight back. nis match, it might look something
that you are a part of their system We win the first set, only to lose the like this: I want to win the Austra-
will make them indebted to you when second set. Coaching an athlete to lian Open. A daunting task indeed!
they are playing their game deal with these is again an examina- Simplified, it might look more like
5) Just Deal With It: As a coach, and tion of perception. this: I must win seven matches. To
probably a current or former player, Most journeys that are worth taking do that, I must win my first match.
you know that there are things that have ups and downs. The best roller To do that, I must win the first set.
happen in a game that are com- coasters have lots of hills and twists To do that, I must win the first game.
pletely unexpected. If players have and turns. We love summer, but with- To do that, I must win the first point.
practiced these situations, they will out winter, would the warmer season To do that, I must hit a better first
easily deal with it and then move be as nice? Athletes must understand shot. We've boiled down winning a
on. If, on the other hand, they have that a setback is part of a larger pic- Grand Slam to hitting a better first
not, you will hear excuses. "I can't ture; part of the journey, not the end. shot � over and over and over again.
hit a shot from there." "That guy is If you're not ok with the unexpected, 9) Learning: A champion must be will-
faster than me." "She has a killer you probably won't like sports in gen- ing to learn. Andre Agassi learned
slice backhand." Ok, I know that, you eral. Often, the unexpected is what that image wasn't everything.
know that, we all know that. Buckle makes our sport so enjoyable. Take a Federer learned that outdated tech-
up and deal with it. See No. 2 � make step back from this bump in the road, nology wasn't helping him win. Tiger
a plan and Just Deal With It. Play- examine where you are going, and Woods changed his swing at the
ers need to know that you have put find a way around it. Circle back to height of his career to better himself.
them into every possible situation your plan and move on. Learning is the process you need
so that they will be able to respond 8) Momentum: There's a very interest- to keep your momentum going, to
when the bizarre, unexplainable and ing phenomenon at work in every bounce back from rock bottom, to ex-
difficult arise in their matches. winner's life called momentum. It has perience a fuller, more rewarding life
6) No Looking Back: On the tennis been referred to as different things, and have success for ourselves and
court, I like to tell my students that from being in the zone to the Midas our athletes. The mind is a powerful
it does absolutely no good to say, touch. Everything this winner touches tool that requires sharpening. h
"That shot stunk," or "I should've
done this," or worse, "I can't even David F. Berens has been a certified USPTA Elite Tennis Professional since 2001. His experience
make a forehand today." This is all in tennis has taken him from city parks to exclusive resorts and island getaways. Today he calls
negative, past-looking visualization Knoxville, Tenn., home. He has also been a writer most of his life and went to Carson-Newman
that reinforces the poor result. Our College and East Tennessee State University to obtain his English Literature degree. Berens has
minds are very interesting in that authored two books, "Dragon Reign: Book 1 of The One Prophecy," and "BREAK POINT: 9 Life
they see those actual errors and the Lessons from the Tennis Court � Taking You from your own Break Point to a New Beginning with
visualized errors as the same. Thus, Specific Life Hacks from a Tennis Coach's Perspective." You can follow him at www.BecomingAChampion.info.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 53
Inside Coaching
Getting Philosophical
By Bert Poole, USPTA
Ihave been coaching college tennis Molding a group of individuals into a "team" and
for the past three years and it has inspiring them to do their best is a wonderful calling.
been the most rewarding and joy-
ful endeavor of my professional
life. Working with college age student-
athletes has been a great challenge
and I truly love it. More importantly,
my coaching experience has been very
meaningful to me as I strive to instill
the values in our players that will serve
them well throughout their collegiate
careers and for the rest of their lives.
It's quite a responsibility and it is the
primary reason that I have decided to
clearly define my personal coaching
philosophy that will help guide me
through the challenges ahead.
My Coaching Philosophy they see it, and are attracted to something � See the Good in People � The rewards
Academics First they can be proud of ... a team whose of developing this habit are too nu-
players excel in the classroom and have a merous to list and profoundly affect
It cannot be overstated that the most "healthy attitude toward competition." the coach/player relationship ... both
important aspect of a student-athlete's in the short term and down the road.
career is academics. Putting academ- Coaching Tenets
ics first may seem obvious, but given a � Be Patient, Be Fair, Be Respectful and Summing Up
coach's day-to-day responsibilities and This coaching philosophy has been
the competitive environment in which Be Consistent � By demonstrating
we work, it can be very easy to lose sight these qualities, trust develops as shaped by my experiences as a lifelong
of this. I try very hard to put this idea at lines of communication open and teacher and college coach. Molding
the forefront of my thinking each day. misunderstandings are minimized. a group of individuals into a "team"
That said, prioritizing academics should � Create a Vision � Players need a vision of and inspiring them to do their best is a
not diminish the players' commitment to what they can become and this, in turn, wonderful calling, and even with all its
their team and it is my responsibility to becomes a source of motivation for challenges there is nothing I'd rather do.
clearly communicate what is expected of them. Taking the longer view enables I do my best to stay true to my coaching
them both academically and athletically. our players to keep things in their philosophy ideals every day, and hope-
proper perspective, and not get too fully our players will benefit from it to
Establish a "Culture of Excellence" high or too low during their journey. some degree. John Wooden, the great
I don't consider the phrase "a culture � Communicate Optimism � A good UCLA basketball coach once said, "It's
coach believes in his players and his what you learn after you know it all that
of excellence" some fancy slogan. I believe players believe in him. "Belief" can counts." Yep, I can relate to that ... but
that it is essential to the long-term success move mountains. it's sure good to know that I'm not the
of a program and I work hard to continu- � Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome � only one! h
ally develop and define it. Elements of this I go to great efforts to explain the dis-
culture are excellence in the classroom, tinction between the two to our play- Bert Poole is the Assistant Men's &
giving your best effort in practice, and ers. As a coach, my primary efforts Women's Tennis Coach for the Uni-
having an on-court mental toughness are focused on player development versity of Mount Olive. He was named
that emphasizes winning "the right way," and team building, and experience the ITA Southeast Regional Assistant
which is displaying an intense fighting has taught me that a fierce devotion Coach of the Year for 2015. He is a
spirit while being respectful of your oppo- to a process will produce the desired USPTA Certified Elite Professional,
nents, officials and opposing coaches. This outcome over time. USPTA Specialist in Competitive Player Develop-
culture also applies to me and anyone un- ment, USTA Certified High Performance Coach, and
der my supervision. I believe that people USTA Certified Sport Science Coach.
recognize a culture of excellence when
54 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Inside Coaching
Handicapping Makes all Your
Players Better
By Gerry Berkheimer, USPTA
Handicapping in tennis drills they are all good starter handicapping and he had to read the ball direction
and games is to give the options. extremely quickly to retrieve the ball,
lesser player one or more then make such a good shot back to the
advantages in order to try Several other player handicaps lesser player's singles court. Often, I
and equalize his chances of success that I have found to be as effective are: would use the above handicaps for the
with the better player. Conversely, allowing one player to hit the ball in advanced player during this drill so
handicapping creates a more difficult the backcourt only; hitting the right that he would have to hit the ball back
but doable challenge to the higher or left side of the entire singles court; into the backcourt area only, the right
player. It is a more level playing field and stroking every ball to the back or left side of the singles court, or the
and handicapping gives the lesser quarter of the court on the deuce or back quarter deuce or ad quadrant. I
player a chance to win that he would ad side � this is dividing the backcourt found pinpointing a difficult target
not have otherwise. This makes the in half and only hitting one side. This area under scoring pressure in a game
better player focus more on his mis- one will test your best players; it makes like this had the kids improving much
sion of accuracy on the court and gives them focus on their spin, speed, height, faster when locating their targets in
inspiration to the underdog that he and finding the designated target area tournament match play.
truly has the opportunity to win the quickly in order to win the game.
drill or game with a little effort. Additionally, I use the handicapping
In one game for the kids where I system for equally-talented players
I'm sure many of you may already include all levels at the end of the les- to push them harder to focus and find
use the scoring handicaps of giving one son, I gave the youngest or least expe- their normal target areas; then, when
player an up or down 15-0, 30-0, or even rienced players the entire court to hit they do have to play equals again, it is
40-0 every game, giving one player 1-4 to on the other side against the most much easier as the handicaps have been
games up when starting the set, having advanced players; that's inside or out- lifted and they feel more relaxed in hit-
one serve to balance the competition, side the lines of the court as long as the ting their designated spots.
opening up the alleys for the lesser ball did not hit the side or back fences
player, or a combination of these, and in the air first. This is a vast amount of Finally, one of my favorite handi-
court to cover for the advanced player capping techniques is to give the higher
player a different racquet for several
Handicapping is one of the best sets. Whether a player breaks strings
tools a teaching professional has during the match or simply doesn't
to push both the stronger and have enough racquets, there will come a
weaker players to new heights time when they have to use an unfamil-
in their games. iar one. Hitting with different racquets
in practice will mentally prepare them
for that situation when it occurs and
they will concentrate more on the im-
mediate match than the replacement
racquet.
I consider handicapping one of the
best tools a teaching professional has to
push both the stronger and weaker play-
ers to new heights in their games. h
Gerry Berkheimer has been a USPTA
member for more than 30 years. As
a coach, he worked with more than
15 top 300 players in the world and
one top 30 player. Berkheimer is in
his 21st year as the tennis director
at The Jungle Club in Vero Beach, Fla. To contact
Berkheimer regarding the article, call 772-321-7800.
www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com 55
Master Pro Corner
Prolong Your Career
By Ian Griffin, USPTA Master Professional
The USPTA is working hard to Pursue an Outside Interest/ shared interests. And after 10 more
make tennis a sustainable life- Develop an Extra Source of Income years, you'll be seeking out those same
long profession. The U30 initia- people because you want to enjoy them
tive along with the partnerships Some work lends itself to part-time. in the present.
in insurance and retirement address There's the old standby of stringing
both ends of the career ladder timeline. racquets at home; maybe you're able to Most of All, Stay on the Court � A Little
As a lifer, I've at one time or another work as a DJ; or my personal favorite, "I've been a tennis-teaching profes-
practiced every one of the following: investing in real estate. You need an out-
side interest to relax the mind, and an sional for almost 20 years and intend to be
Take Time Off investment provides the security that a known as such for the rest of my life. An
There are huge demands on a pro- depleting asset � the body � cannot. But important question I always ask in select-
mostly these can help to define you as ing tennis pros with long-term potential
fessional's time and body. Perhaps even something besides being "just a tennis is, `Do you want to be punching balls at
greater are the demands on that profes- professional." If you are your job, and age 45?' ... To me the best answer is `I hope
sional's self: the demands of people if then something goes wrong, then you to always keep my hand in it.' This person
you're coaching or even if you're not. are nothing. There will be the inevitable believes in the product and probably gets
Those people can never be overlooked � low time, low not only for your bank ac- energized and nourished from enhancing
they're your clientele, your supporters, count, but for your spirit. Your "friends" people's lifestyles. This person is probably
your fans. They may not be as important on the committee already have spent X a good teacher and people developer. His
as they think they are, but that's exactly years telling you how high to jump; now or her answer reveals a satisfaction de-
the point: everyone has to be made to they think it's time for a change. Having rived from being a successful teacher."
feel number one. something extra can buoy your spirits
and prevent you from compounding a ~ Spike Gonzales, From "Tennis Pro to
But you need to replenish, too, to help low time with making a wrong decision Manager," ADDvantage, December 1989
you to stay "up." Most of us can afford about what to do next.
two to four weeks. You may love to travel Spike's remarks are a reminder that
or sit and do nothing. Fishing is ideal Remember Your Roots most of us came into the tennis business
because it poses a different challenge If your college or high school is as on-court teachers for the sheer joy of
and it can relax you at the same time. You showing someone how to do something.
might like something tennis-related, as close by, volunteer your time as a fun- It can be almost better than doing it
long as you're not working, such as a trip draiser, assistant coach or supervisor. ourselves. The most successful people
to Wimbledon or the Open if you can It doesn't even need to be for tennis; carry this enthusiasm over into their
swing it. Or maybe even better, to a River there likely is a committee that can use other pursuits in the industry.
Oaks or Newport-type event where the your help. Its members will appreciate
tennis is as important as "The Show." your perspective; the other graduates Without a doubt, you have your own
The low-key atmosphere and proximity probably are not athletic professionals. devices to keep your work fresh and sus-
to the players may remind you of tourna- For your part, there's ample evidence tainable. All these suggestions aren't to
ments the way they used to be. that pro bono work is good for the replace tennis, they're to supplement it,
soul. Even more, you'll profit just by not ways to get out, but to stay in longer.
Take Care of Your Body being in touch with the people who
One of the most frustrating things were there then, helping to make you If you began teaching during the
the person you are now. boom, you may remember that you
about standing all day as a teaching pro- couldn't believe that people actually
fessional is how you end your day feeling Attend Conferences: USPTA/USTA/etc. would pay you to do something that you
exhausted � when you've done nothing They all include some mix of semi- love. Tennis, and teaching tennis, were
that actually counts as physical condi- our passion before they became our
tioning! But even if you're restricted to nars, food and playing; but most of all, profession; we'll last longer at the latter
hardcourts, you can do little things that they include friends. More than your if we never lose the former. h
make it easier on the body: thick socks clients or even a player you're close to,
and orthotics, liberal uses of massages/ the conference attendees are your peers Ian Griffin graduated from the University
saunas/muscle creams, and avoiding and your real friends, people who've of Toronto Law School in 1974, where he
stop-start impact running when you can. experienced the same ups and downs. played varsity tennis and squash. He has
By all means, watch your weight and diet, After 20 years, you'll be talking with operated his own Beaumont-based academy
and run or bicycle for cardio training, people you once wouldn't have given for more than 35 years, and wrote the chap-
but take preventative measures, too. the time of day, because there were no ter "Negotiating a Contract for Yourself" for
the "USPTA Guide to Municipal Operations." He is USTA
Sport Science Level II certified; directed the City of Beau-
mont's pre-NJTL parks program, 1980-94; and was active in
the USTA Player Development Program from its inception.
56 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Career Development
Exams, Upgrades Cardio Tennis Conferences/
& PTCA I Activities
Feb. 11 Cardio Tennis Training Course
Level 1
(4 credits for PTCA I segment) (Division Conferences � 6 credits)
Griffin Club, Los Angeles
Jan. 13-14 Houston* Feb. 19 Cardio Tennis Training Course Jan. 20 Southern California Convention
Jan. 14-15 Boca Raton, Fla. Level 1 & 2 Jan. 27 Los Angeles
Jan. 16 Jan. 27
Jan. 20-21 Vienna, Va. Van Der Meer Shipyard Resort, Feb. 3 Southwest Division Convention
Feb. 9-10 Viora, Ill. Hilton Head Island, S.C. Feb. 11 Phoenix
Feb. 12 Feb. 17
Feb. 13-14 Centennial, Colo. Feb. 19 Cardio Tennis Training Course Feb. 23 Northern Division Convention
Feb. 17 Hilton Head Island, S.C. Fridley, Minn.
Feb. 17-18 Level 1
Feb. 20 Orlando, Fla. Midwest Division Convention
Feb. 23 Palo Alto, Calif. Windyke Country Club, Memphis, Tenn. Troy, Mich.
Feb. 25-26
Houston* Feb. 20 Cardio Tennis Training Course Intermountain Division Convention
Vienna, Va. Level 2 Centennial, Colo.
Prairie Village, Kan.
Horseshoe Bay, Texas Van Der Meer Shipyard Resort, Northern California Convention
Hilton Head Island, S.C. Stanford, Calif.
* This course is held at the USPTA World Headquarters. March 17 Cardio Tennis Training Course Texas Division Convention
Level 1 Horseshoe Bay, Texas
Exam reservations must be made at least 21 days
prior to the dates listed. Each date includes an exam, Crooked Creek Country Club, Alpharetta, Ga.
upgrade and PTCA I unless noted. Exam cancellations
must be received no later than 14 days before the April 2 Cardio Tennis Training Course
exam, or a cancellation fee will be charged accordingly.
Level 1 Webinars
Applicant: late cancellation fee � $95; failure to cancel
� application fee is forfeited. Certified members: late Wayside Athletic Club, Marlborough, Mass. (.5 credits)
cancellation fee � $25; failure to cancel � $25 plus the
upgrade fee is forfeited. Registration for another exam Watch all recorded webinars
will not be accepted until cancellation fees are paid. at tennisresources.com.
Coach Youth For more information visit uspta.com/Education.
Tennis Workshop
Please visit www.cardiotennistraining.com to register.
(2 credits)
Jan. 28 Nogales, Ariz.
For more workshops, visit coachyouthtennis.com. Education requirements
Accredited All USPTA-certified Professionals must earn 6 education credits in a three-year period
Professional Coach to remain current. Go to USPTA.com/Education for a partial list of eligible activi-
ties. Please send verification (email, letter, certificate, receipt, etc.) that shows you
Register your Accredited Professional Coach (APC) attended the event/activity and submit it along with the date and agenda to educa-
and specialty course credits earned with the USPTA tion@uspta.org to receive your credit. (International members, Recreational Coaches
SmartCode Education System. This uses your and those over the age of 65 are exempt.) Questions? Write to education@uspta.org
or call 800-877-8248, ext. 147.
smartphone to instantly register
your attendance to all seminars
and specialty courses earning APC.
To use the system at a seminar,
general session or specialty course,
you must scan two QR codes. One
QR code is on your conference badge. The second
QR code will be in your conference notebook and
cannot be scanned until the end of the session or
the beginning of the next session. If you do not have
a smartphone, you may use someone else's. Forms
are available upon request.
58 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
Member News
� Bob Love, USPTA Master Professional, celebrated the week of his 76th birthday by sharing his � Derek Sabedra , USPTA, was named the
tennis knowledge in two different places. Oct. 10-11, Bob directed a workshop for 23 coaches at Maryland State High School Tennis District
the El Sawy Tennis Academy in Alexandria, Egypt, and then returned to host a USTA Tennis Block IV Representative for the 2016-2017 aca-
Party in Munfordville, Ky., on Saturday, Oct. 15. demic school year. The District IV region en-
compasses all high schools in the Southern
Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC).
� On Oct. 1, 2016, a fundraiser was held for the "Friends of � The Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades,
Vicki Dangelmayer," a tennis member of the Bass Rocks Calif., welcomed Mary Pat Faley as their new
Golf Club and the Manchester Athletic Club. Dangelmayer director of tennis last August. Faley is a suc-
had a fall last November and suffered a broken neck. She cessful tennis teacher, entrepreneur, keynote
had surgery, was in two rehab and therapy facilities, and is speaker and published author. Her energy
now home improving slowly. Avis Murray, USPTA and PTR and programming for a diverse group of
member, organized a fundraising committee consisting of members is recognized throughout Southern
Ruth Liebermann, Joanne Hobbs, Chicki Hollett, Trish Francis California. In addition to her 25-year USPTA
and General Manager of Bass Rocks Golf Club, Peter Hood. Ruth Liebermann, Vicki Dangelmayer membership, she
The event, which comprised of a tennis round robin, social and Vicki's granddaughter. is the winner of the
cocktail party, raffle Southern California
and a silent auction as 2011 USPTA Tennis
well as one live auction Pro of the Year, 2010
item donated at the last USPTA California Pro
minute, raised $27,000. of the Year, and the
Dangelmayer attended 2009 USPTA Califor-
the event that evening nia District 2 Pro of
and was overwhelmed by the Year.
the support and caring
and generous contribu- NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
tions made in her behalf.
President Chuck Gill
Gary Trost
First Vice
President
Vice Presidents Alan Cutler
Feisal Hassan
TM Ken McAllister
Jack Michalko
Diane Selke
Past President Tom McGraw
CEO John Embree
Legal Counsel George Parnell
ADDvantage magazine editorial offices Managing editor Kimberly Forrester The opinions expressed in ADDvantage are those of the
Circulation Kathy Buchanan authors and not necessarily those of ADDvantage or the
USPTA World Headquarters USPTA.
3535 Briarpark Drive, Suite 202 Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central time
Houston, TX 77042 Copyright� United States Professional Tennis
Phone � 713-978-7782 / 800-USPTA-4U ADDvantage is published monthly by the Association, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.
Fax � 713-358-7794 United States Professional Tennis Association. Reproduction of any portion of the magazine is not
email � magazine@uspta.org permitted without written permission from USPTA.
60 www.ADDvantageUSPTA.com
bepnaoiirte (FRA) TEAM BABOLAT PRO PLAYERS MAY PLAY WITH A CUSTOMIZED OR DIFFERENT MODEL THAN THE EQUIPMENT DEPICTED.
BABOLAT - OFFICIAL TENNIS RACKETS, SHOES*, PERFORMANCE APPAREL, *Except in Japan
BAGS AND ACCESSORIES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON