Racquet Sports Industry

August 2012
Volume 40 Number 8 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Racquet Wizard
Roman Prokes
2012 Guide to
Stringing Machines
Fighting Counterfeit
Tennis Products
Going After New Members
Racquet Wizard
Roman Prokes
2012 Guide to
Stringing Machines
Fighting Counterfeit
Tennis Products
Going After New Members
CQUET
BLACKRA LABS
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B . .
[!]
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2
DEPARTMENTS
R S I A U G 2 0 1 2
INDUSTRY NEWS
7 USTA unveils strategic
vision for NTC
7 PTR to host new Directors
of Tennis Conference
8 Industry loses former
USTA ED Lee Hamilton
8 Licensing deal reached with
new Prince Americas
8 TIA, Rocchi, Crandall to
be at GSS Symposium
9 USPTA World Conference
set for September
9 12 named to
U.S. Olympic tennis team
10 Peoplewatch
10 Ashaway renames
Zyex MonoGut string
11 Dunlop updates classic
Max 200G racquet
11 Outdoor Industry group
releases new report
12 Short Sets
12 16 named to USTA
Collegiate Team
13 Hybrid court is half
clay, half hard
4 Our Serve
7 Industry News
15 Letters
18 TIA News
20 Retailing Tip
22 Apparel Retailing
40 Ask the Experts
42 Tips and Techniques
44 Your Serve, by Parry Desmond
2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY August 2012 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Cover photo by David Kenas
Contents
Contents
FEATURES
25 Racquet Wizard
For top pros and recreational players
alike, racquet customizer Roman Prokes
is the unseen champion.
28 Membership Drive
A more aggressive sales approach
may be what you need to bring more
members to your facility.
31 Knocking It Off
The sports industry is taking steps
to combat counterfeit products,
which harm manufacturers, retailers
and consumers.
2012 GUIDE TO
STRINGING MACHINES
35 Stringing It Up!
How do you increase your business?
1) Find the right machine. 2) Re-edu-
cate your players on when to restring.
36 2012 Stringing Machine Selector
Use our exclusive guide, which lists the
features of dozens of models, so you
can find the right machine for your
business.
Our Serve
(Incorporating Racquet Tech and Tennis Industry)
Publishers
David Bone Jeff Williams
Editorial Director
Peter Francesconi
peter@racquettech.com
Associate Editor
Greg Raven
Design/Art Director
Kristine Thom
Contributing Editors
Robin Bateman
Cynthia Cantrell
Joe Dinoffer
Kent Oswald
Bob Patterson
Cynthia Sherman
Mary Helen Sprecher
Tim Strawn
RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY
Corporate Offices
PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096
Phone: 760-536-1177 Fax: 760-536-1171
Email: RSI@racquetTECH.com
Website: www.racquetTECH.com
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri.,8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time
Advertising Director
John Hanna
770-650-1102, x.125
hanna@knowatlanta.com
Apparel Advertising
Cynthia Sherman
203-263-5243
cstennisindustry@earthlink.net
Racquet Sports Industry is published 10 times per
year: monthly January through August and combined
issues in September/October and November/
December by Tennis Industry and USRSA, PO Box 3392,
Duluth, GA 30096. Periodcal postage paid at
Duluth, GA and at additional mailing offices (USPS
#004-354). August 2012, Volume 40, Number 8
2012 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, PO Box
3392, Duluth, GA 3009.
RSI is the official magazine of the USRSA, TIA,and ASBA
Leveling the Field
4 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY August 2012
T
here are 45 states that charge a sales tax, ranging from 2.9% in
Colorado to 7.3% in Arizona. If you purchase something at a
retailer in those states, that cost gets added to the price you pay.
But in most instances, the same isnt true for purchases made online,
by mail or by phone. Only a few states (including Arkansas, California,
Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Ten-
nessee, Texas and Vermont) have made moves to try to collect sales
taxes from retailers that dont have a physical presence in their
borders.
This situation came about from a Supreme Court ruling in 1992 that a catalog
company, and by extension an internet vendor, only owed and had to collect
taxes on sales if it had a presence in a state. The decision did not say it was
unconstitutional for out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes, just that federal
law at the time didnt authorize it. (And, something most people dont know, if a
consumer buys something that would be subject to sales tax in a brick-and-mor-
tar store, technically its also taxable if they buy it online or by phone from out
of state. The difference is the consumer is supposed to report and pay a use tax.
In reality, though, other than big-ticket items, this isnt enforced.)
Why is all this important? Brick-and-mortar stores find themselves competing
with retailers that can offer merchandise at a lower cost. Meanwhile, states are
seeing sales tax revenues shrink, and in some instances, businesses and jobs are
disappearing. Think of your own buying habitssaving $10 to $15 on a $200
purchase can make a difference in where you buy.
Whats the answer? Having individual states enact sales tax legislation for out-
of-state purchases isnt a simple issuethere are dozens of different state sales
tax rates and hundreds of other sales tax jurisdictions. Under current laws, it
would be amazingly burdensome for an internet site, for example, to collect sales
taxes.
But there are moves to simplify all this. The Streamlined Sales Tax Project, set
up in 1999 by the National Governors Association, has the goal of simplifying
sales tax laws to make it easier for non-traditional vendors to collect them. So far,
about 25 states have joined this group. The SSTP depends on Congress changing
federal laws, and bills introduced in both houses have been gaining support,
including among some large internet retailers and groups such as the Consumer
Electronics Association, who apparently figure paying sales tax is only a matter
of time, so they may as well be in on structuring the legislation.
If federal sales tax legislation goes through, consumers may end up paying
slightly higher prices for out-of-state online and catalog purchases. But that slight
boost may help level the field a bit more for struggling brick-and-mortar retailers,
and maybe help to keep a local tennis presence in your community.
Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director
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BALL AND STRINGER OF TH E FRENCH OPEN
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I NDUSTRY NEWS
I NDUSTRY NEWS
I N F O R M A T I O N T O H E L P Y O U R U N Y O U R B U S I N E S S
PTR to Host
NewDirectors of
Tennis Conference
The PTR will hold its inaugural
Directors of Tennis Conference Oct.
16-18 on Hilton Head Island, S.C.
The conference, limited to 75 atten-
dees from the U.S., its territories
and Canada, will be the first in
North America targeted
specifically to direc-
tors of tennis.
The format will
include
experts presenting for one hour at a
time on a variety of topics relevant
to directors at all types of tennis
facilities. Each day will close with
roundtable discussions, so atten-
dees can share their best practices.
The faculty will include directors of
tennis and consultants Doug Cash,
Jorge Andrew, Roy Barth, David
Brouwer, Michael Mahoney, Mark
McMahon and others.
We spoke with representatives in
the tennis industry about the need
to offer more of a business track
dedicated to helping directors of
tennis, said Dan Santorum, CEO of
PTR. We believe this will strength-
en our profession, tennis facilities
and our sport.
The TIA is looking forward to
being involved and to providing an
update of where our industry is
right now and where we believe it
is headed, said Jolyn de Boer, TIA
Executive Director. We applaud
PTR for its ongoing effort to offer
continuing education and training.
In addition, the USTA will host a
luncheon and Kurt Kamperman,
USTA Chief Executive of Community
Tennis, will be one of the keynote
speakers.
To register, call the PTR at 843-785-
7244.
R S I A U G U S T 2 0 1 2
USTA Unveils Strategic Vision for NTC
O
n June 14, the USTA, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Queens borough
officials released details of a proposed strategic vision for future development at the
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the site
of the US Open.
The strategic visiona series of interconnected construction projects that include building
developments, infrastructure upgrades and improvements to site circulationaims to enhance
the current conditions at the NTC and preserve its stature as a world-class venue, the USTA said
in a statement. The project, expected to develop throughout a multi-year period and cost hun-
dreds of millions of dollars, will be undertaken by the USTA, which will investigate a multitude
of potential financing options. The strategic vision does not include plans for a roof over the
main tennis venue, Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The project will primarily entail the replacement and renovation of aging facilities and infra-
structures and will enable the facility to accommodate an extra 10,000 people each day during
the US Open. Since 1978, the USTA has invested more than $500 million of its own funds into
the NTC.
The US Open is one of the citys greatest sporting events, and it generates more than $750
million a year in economic activity, said Mayor Bloomberg. The city recognizes the crucial
need to improve the USTA facility and supports this vision, so that the center remains a top-
ranked tennis venue capable of hosting the US Open, and thereby allowing the tournament to
remain in New York City for many decades.
Our goal remains to ensure that the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center remains
a world-class facility for the top professional tennis players, for the hundreds of thousands of
fans who annually attend the US Open, and, as importantly, the near hundred thousand recre-
ational tennis players who use this facility all year round, said Jon Vegosen, Chairman of the
Board and President of the USTA.
Most notably, the project calls for the construction of two new stadiums, one to replace the
aging Louis Armstrong Stadium in its current location at the northeast corner of the site, and
the other a new Grandstand Stadium, built in a different location at the southwest corner.
Seven tournament courts on the southern section of the site will be relocated between 30-
50 feet, and a new
walkway will be
built. Two parking
garages will be con-
structed over exist-
ing parking lots, and
seven courts on the
northwest section
five practice and
two tournament
will be replaced and
linked by a new, ele-
vated viewing plat-
form. For more
information, visit
usta.com.
August 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7 www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Licensing Deal Reached with New Prince Americas
T
he operating assets of Prince Sports, including exclusive rights to the Prince, Ektelon
and Viking brands in North America, have been acquired by the newly formed
Active Brands Co. and its new wholly owned subsidiary, Prince Americas.
Prince Americas will exclusively operate and manage the production and distribu-
tion of all products and services associated with Prince, Ektelon and Viking in North
America, Latin America and South America through the existing Prince Sports facility
in Bordentown, N.J. The term of the agreement is for 10 years with three renewal
options. A statement from Prince Sports says the company anticipates entering into
license agreements covering Europe, Asia, Australia and other areas in the near future.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved the license agree-
ment with Prince Americas on June 19, then followed that with
approval of the Disclosure Statement for the companys Plan of
Reorganization. The Courts rulings were a result of an agreement
reached between Prince Sports, its secured lender ABG Prince
(which is owned by Authentic Brands Group) and the Official Committee of Unsecured
Creditors.
The agreement with our major creditors on the key terms of a Plan of Reorganiza-
tion and their joint support for the license agreement with Prince Americas is a major
step toward Princes emergence from Chapter 11, said Prince Sports CEO Gordon
Boggis. Given the support of our major creditors, we are confident that with Prince
Americas we will return to normal order levels with our suppliers and our customers,
getting our business and our world-class brands back on track.
Active Brands Co. was formed by the principals of two Omaha-based companies,
Battle Sports Science and Waitt Co. Battle Sports Science was formed in 2009 and pre-
viously had focused on safety equipment for sports such as football, baseball, basket-
ball, soccer and hockey. Waitt Co. is a diversified investment company that is now a
majority owner. Active Brands is now the umbrella company for both Prince Americas
and Battle Sports Science. The co-founder of Battle Sports, Chris Circo, is the CEO of
Active Brands.
This is a very significant event in the growth of our company, as the Prince,
Ektelon, and Viking brands are prominent and highly regarded properties with
tremendous potential for growth, said Circo. We are excited to grow our relation-
ships with our retail and manufacturing partners as we look to deepen and expand the
Prince, Ektelon and Viking brands through delivering quality products, accessories and
service.
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TIA, Rocchi, Crandall To
Be at GSS Symposium
T
he Tennis Industry Association
will have a presence at the 2012
GSS Sympo-
sium, offering
information
about the state
of the tennis
industry and an
overview of
where the indus-
try is headed.
The TIA also will provide attendees
with information about TIA benefits
and services that can help their
businesses.
The sixth annual GSS Sympo-
sium, aimed at those who work in
the racquet service side of the busi-
ness, will be held Sept. 22-26 at
Saddlebrook Resort near Tampa. In
addition to presentations over the
course of the five days, GSS founder
and owner Tim Strawn says he will
set aside time Saturday, Sept. 22,
late afternoon/early evening, for a
roundtable discussion with atten-
dees and manufacturers about how
to increase business overall in the
stringing segment of the industry.
Also set to deliver presentations
at this years GSS Symposium is
Ron Rocchi of Wilson and Steve
Crandall of Ashaway Line & Twine.
Rocchi, a principal designer at Wil-
son, will offer an insiders look into
the racquet manufacturing process.
Crandall will offer a presentation on
one of the most popular yet misun-
derstood strings in tennis: polyester.
"Steve has a unique approach
when it comes to explaining strings
and application in layman's terms,
which fits well with the overall con-
cept of the symposium, Strawn
says. "Polyester strings present
some big challenges for technicians
with regard to selection, hybrid con-
figurations and installation, and
Crandall will be addressing all of
these issues.
For more information and to reg-
ister, visit grandslamstringers.com,
or email Strawn at crazydia-
mond23@cox.net.
Industry Loses Former USTA ED Lee Hamilton
F
ormer USTA Executive Director Lee Hamilton of Dallas passed away on June 15. Hamil-
ton served a variety of roles at the community, section and national levels, and was a
former president of the USTA Texas Section. He was executive director of the USTA from
2003 to 2007.
Lee was a passionate advocate for our sport, and his
great vision, remarkable consensus-building skills, and good
humor played a large role in guiding the growth of our asso-
ciation and of the sport we all love, said USTA President and
Chairman of the Board Jon Vegosen.
Following a successful career in the oil industry, Hamilton
brought his talents to tennis. He served as president of Com-
munity Tennis Associations in both Houston and Dallas
before serving on the board of the USTA Texas Section. As
USTA executive director, Hamilton played a leading role in the
growth of the game and the health and vitality of the USTA.
He was inducted into the USTA Texas Hall of Fame in 2009.
USPTA World Conference Sept. 16-21 in Calif.
T
he 2012 USPTA World Conference on Tennis will be Sept. 16-21 at the Hyatt
Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa in Monterey, Calif. More than 1,500 tennis-
teaching professionals, industry leaders and representatives, media and manufac-
turer representatives are expected to attend.
In addition to presentations, seminars and other educational offerings, the
World Conference will feature a Tennis Buying Show on Sept. 19.
Exhibitors include tennis equipment, apparel and footwear
companies, marketers and wholesalers of hard and soft goods,
video analysis, Web-based programs and software, teaching
aids, court surfacing and lighting, awards, educational materi-
als, nutrition bars and vitamins, and more. There also will be a
USPTA Silent Auction during the Buying Show, which benefits
the USPTA Foundation.
The World Conference also will offer Cardio Tennis and TennisCize sessions, the
USPTA International Championships and the annual Awards Breakfast. For more
information, including to register, visit www.usptaworldconference.com or call
800-877-8248.
I N D U S T R Y N E W S
12 Named to U.S. Olympic Tennis Team
T
welve tennis players were nominated to play for the U.S. in the 2012 Olympic
Games, to be held on grass courts July 28 to Aug. 5 in London. U.S. womens ten-
nis coach Mary Joe Fernandez nominated Serena Williams, Christina McHale, Var-
vara Lepchenko and Venus Williams for singles and Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond
for doubles. Mens coach Jay Berger nominated Andy Roddick, John Isner, Ryan
Harrison and Donald Young, and doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan.
The U.S. will also nominate two teams in mixed doubles, which will be contested
at the Olympics for the first time since tennis returned to the Games in 1988, com-
prised from among the 12 players and named once all players are on site.
Also, USTA and U.S. National Wheelchair Tennis Team Coach Dan James
announced nine players who will represent the U.S. in the 2012 Paralympic Games
in London, Sept. 1-8. The mens team will be Stephen Welch, Jon Rydberg, Steve
Baldwin and Noah Yablong. The womens team will be Emmy Kaiser and Macken-
zie Soldan. The quad team, led by two-time doubles gold medalists David Wagner
and Nick Taylor, will also include Bryan Barten.
Congratulations To the Following
For Achieving MRT and CS Status
New MRTs
Scott Switzer Toronto, Canada
Bradley Kirkham Toronto, Canada
Kane Elkind Toronto, Canada
Karly Hoffman San Luis Obispo, CA
Michelle Ewing San Luis Obispo, CA
Evan Mehischau San Luis Obispo, CA
Matt Tuskan San Luis Obispo, CA
Tim Smith San Luis Obispo, CA
Reyn Sugiyama Honolulu, HI
Hilary Wighton San Luis Obispo, CA
New CSs
Alvin Macasinag Brandon, FL
Michael Sims Lilburn, GA
Correction
The phone number for Sports
Attack in the 2012 Guide to Ball
Machines in our July issue (page
30) was incorrectly listed. The cor-
rect phone number is 800-717-
4251.
MEMBER CLASSIFIEDS
FOR SALE: True Tension
Stringing Machine..Lock
Out..can set specific pre-
stretch and exact tension.
Strings 2 point- 4 point- or 6
point hold downs. Very stur-
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ther information please con-
tact jcmomarm@comcast.net
New 10U Products from Oncourt Offcourt
P
TR and USPTA Master Pro Joe Dinoffer announced the release of a new, patented
18-foot portable net system for 10
and Under Tennis. The MultiNet fea-
tures a built-in scorekeeper, quick set-
up hinged legs, a built-in Airzone with
telescoping end poles and more.
Dinoffer says Oncourt Offcourt is
also launching other new products this
year for 10 and Under Tennis, such as
numbered, colored balls in cans, a line
of color-coded junior racquets, red and
orange boundary lines for red and
orange level courts, and a new cart with
removable color-coded baskets. For
information, visit oncourtoffcourt.com
or call 888-366-4711.
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Florida resident and former world No. 4-ranked ATP pro Todd Martin will
serve as the USTA Florida Section's first spokesperson for 10 and Under Ten-
nis. Martin and his wife Amy have two sons and a daughter under the age
of 10.
Browder McGill is the new Southeast territory manager for Dunlop. He
will handle racquet sports accounts throughout inland Georgia, South Car-
olina (excluding Charleston and Hilton Head), Alabama, Tennessee and North
Carolina. McGill, who will be based in Atlanta, will be responsible for man-
aging the sales and promotion of the Dunlop brand throughout the territory,
including Dunlop's Advisory Staff program.
The Hon. Robert J. Kelleher, who was president of the USLTA in 1967-68
and a driving force in ushering in the Open era of tennis, died in June at age
99. Judge Kelleher, a U.S. District Court judge in Los Angeles, was inducted
into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2000.
French Open finalist Sara Errani reportedly paid $30,000 to buy out her
Wilson contract and switch over to a longer Babolat frame. Despite her final-
round loss to Maria Sharapova, Errani debuted in the WTA top 10 after
Roland Garros.
The wild-card team of Britains Jonathan Marray and Danish partner Fred-
erick Nielsen won the Wimbledon mens doubles title. Marray, the first British
man to win a title at Wimbledon since 1936, plays with a Dunlop Biomimet-
ic 500 Tour frame.
Wilson players Roger Federer and Serena Williams took the singles titles
at Wimbledon. Federer, playing with a Pro Staff Six.One 90, won his seventh
Wimbledon crown and 17th Grand Slam title, defeating Andy Murray.
Williams, with a Blade Team racquet, defeated Agnieszka Radwanska en
route to her fifth Wimbledon and 14th career Grand Slam title. Williams
teamed with sister Venus to win the doubles crown.
Barry MacKay, a world-class tennis player in the 1960s and a longtime
sports broadcaster, died June 15 in San Francisco after a long illness. MacKay
competed on five U.S. Davis Cup teams from 1956-60 and reached the 1959
Wimbledon semis. He was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in 1960.
Stanford's Nicole Gibbs and USC's Steve Johnson have been named the
2012 Campbell/ITA National College Players of the Year. Additionally, Gibbs
and doubles partner Mallory Burdette were named the Campbell/ITA Nation-
al Women's Doubles Team of the Year, while Chase Buchanan and Blaz Rola
of Ohio State were honored on the men's side.
USTA Middle States will induct four into the 2012 section Hall of Fame in
October: Laura Canfield, Lisa Duncan, Bill Humes and Bruce Kisthardt.
Pro player David Nalbandian was fined $12,500 and docked 150 ranking
points after he kicked an advertising sign in frustration at the Queens Club
tournament in June, which accidentally cut the shin of a linesman.
The ATP announced several promotions. Mark Young continues as CEO
ATP Americas and Chief Legal Officer, and also becomes the ATPs Chief
Media Officer. Laurent Delanney assumes the role of ATP Commercial Direc-
tor, in addition to his existing role as CEO ATP Europe. Andre Silva becomes
Tournament Director of the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
and continues in his role as Chief Player Officer. Alison Lee takes the interim
position as head of the International Group region.
Cheryl Jones and Mark Winters, both from Los Angeles, received the Inter-
national Tennis Writers Award at the annual Press Dinner held during the
Gerry Weber Open in Germany in June.
USTA Middle States announced that George Parnell, currently Board of
Directors Senior Vice President, will take over as President and will serve the
Section for the remainder of 2012.
Gary Lang is the new vice president, production, for the Tennis Channel.
Certified USTA Official and longtime volunteer Jim Russell of Belton, S.C.,
passed away June 26. He was a former president of the South Carolina Ten-
nis Association.
Longtime Corpus Christi Tennis Association Board member and tennis ref-
eree Billy Fuls died June 7. Fuls received the distinguished Texas Tennis Asso-
ciations Umpire of the Year Award in 2011-2012.
PEOPLEWATCH
Ashaway Renames Zyex MonoGut to MonoGut ZX
A
shaway Racket Strings has renamed the recently introduced Zyex MonoGut ten-
nis string as MonoGut ZX. The early version of the string has gained popularity
for its dynamic stiffness and gut-like playability, says the company. In addition to its
resilience, the newly dubbed 1.27 mm MonoGut ZX has improved abrasion resist-
ance and a surface design that minimizes string movement for better ball control,
according to Ashaway.
"Like natural gut, MonoGut ZX string provides exceptional energy return," said
Steve Crandall, vice president of Ashaway Racket Strings, "This means more power.
Also like gut, MonoGut ZX remains soft at higher tensions, reducing impact shock.
This results in more comfortable performancewhat we call 'soft power.' MonoGut
ZX contains no polyester, and its 100% Zyex monofilament construction maximizes
abrasion resistance and enhances string life."
A natural gut-like tan in appearance, MonoGut ZX is available in 40-foot sets and
in both 360- and 720-foot reels. Recommended stringing tension is up to 60 lbs. Visit www.ashawayusa.com.
August 2012 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11
Outdoor Industry Group Releases New Report
T
he Outdoor Recreation Economy report says more than 140 million Americans
engage in outdoor activities each year, delivering $646 billion to the economy and
supporting 6.1 million domestic jobs. The report was released in June by the Outdoor
Industry Association.
During a time when some American industries are struggling, we are seeing solid
growth, said Will Manzer, CEO of Eastern Mountain Sports and chair of the OIA
board of directors. Since 2005, the outdoor recreation economy has grown approx-
imately 5 percent annually.
In a statement, the OIA said the new study reinforces what the outdoor industry
has known for a long time: Outdoor recreation is a larger and more critical sector of
the American economy than most people realize. For a full copy of the report, visit
outdoorindustry.org/recreationeconomy.
Dunlop Updates
Classic Max 200G
With Biomimetics
D
unlop has updated its classic Max
200G racquet, taking advantage
of its current Biomimetic technolo-
gies.
The original Max 200G, named
one of Tennis magazine's Top Ten
Racquets of All Time, shook up the
tennis world in the early '80sand it
didnt hurt that it was the frame of
choice for John McEnroe and Steffi
Graf. The original frame, the first
injection-molded racquet ever, had
an 85-square-inch head and was
among first racquets with a wider
beam (22mm).
Todays version combines some
of the classic feel of the original with
the advantages of Biomimetic tech-
nologies like Aeroskin and HM6 car-
bon, says Dunlop. The Aeroskin
coating helps improve aerodynam-
ics, increasing swing speeds up to 25
percent, according to the company,
and giving players more power on
groundstrokes and serves. The rac-
quet throat is of HM6 carbon, which
helps with feel and reduces vibration
by up to 10 percent, says Dunlop.
The handle has the distinctive tan
leather grip, and just above is a nod
to the original 200Gtwo chevrons
in green and gold. The updated rac-
quet also features McEnroes auto-
graph. McEnroe is helping to launch
the new Biomimetic Max 200G,
using the frame in exhibitions and
Masters Tour events.
The Max 200G is 98 square inch-
es, with a beam of 21 mm, length of
27 inches, unstrung weight of 11.02
ounces, 16 x 19 string pattern. Sug-
gested retail is $210. Visit dunlop-
sports.com.

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USTA Serves Awards $410,000 in Scholarships
U
STA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the USTA, will
grant 59 high school students a variety of college scholarships,
totaling $410,000. Each year, USTA Serves awards scholarships to
deserving students who have participated in USTA and other organ-
ized youth tennis programs, have demonstrated high academic
achievement, and require financial assistance for college matricula-
tion.
w Kaitlyn Devine of Bethalto, Ill., received the $15,000 Marian Wood
Baird Scholarship Award.
w Han-Chi Fung of Bellevue, Wash., and Yolanda Pham of San Diego
will each receive the $10,000 Dwight F. Davis Memorial Scholar-
ship.
w Christine Crawford of Louisville, Ky., and Nicolas Montoya of
Scottsdale, Ariz., will each receive the $10,000 Dwight Mosley
Scholarship Award.
w Brette Machiorlette of Houston and Robert Rasmussen of Hutchin-
son, Minn., will each receive the $10,000 Rosalind Walter Scholar-
ship Award.
w Shelby Baron of Honolulu and Tanner Berkabile of Las Vegas will
each receive the $2,500 Eve Kraft Education & College Scholar-
ship.
w 40 students each received $8,000 USTA Serves College Education
Scholarships.
w 10 students each received $1,000 USTA Serves College Textbook
Scholarships.
>
The U.S. Fed Cup team will open the 2013
Fed Cup campaign Feb. 9-10 on the road
against Italy.
>
The USPTA Nominating Committee is
searching for candidates interested in serving
on the USPTA National Board of Directors for
the term running from the 2013 World Confer-
ence to the 2015 World Conference. Contact
the USTPTA for details.
>
Pacific strings and stringers received a nod
in the June 19 ATP World Tour Uncovered
video, which looked at the importance of
strings in a players racquet. To find the video,
go to atpworldtour.com and under the video
tab, search for strings.
>
Adidas has instituted a global policy ban-
ning dealers from listing Adidas and Reebok
products on the eBay and Amazon.com mar-
ketplaces, according to EcommerceBytes.com.
>
The non-profit group Good Sports has part-
nered with the SGMA to provide sporting
goods equipment, athletic footwear, and
sports apparel to disadvantaged youth nation-
SHORT SETS
wide. Good Sports, a solution provider for many
sporting goods companies looking to donate
inventory for operational, marketing or charitable
reasons, will be connected with SGMAs member
companies, which will be able to reach Good
Sports through www.sgma.com/gsdonations.
>
The USPTA-Florida Division and the USTA
Florida Section signed a formal partnership
agreement on June 2 during the USPTA Florida
Annual Convention & USTA Florida Semi-Annual
Meeting, held jointly at the Club Med-Sandpiper
resort in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
>
New Chapter Press has released The Great-
est Tennis Matches of All Time, written by noted
tennis journalist and historian Steve Flink. Flink
breaks down, analyzes and puts into historical
context the sports most memorable matches,
from the 1920s up through todays stars. He also
includes a "greatest strokes of all time" section
and ranks and describes the players who best
executed all the important shots in the game.
Visit NewChapterMedia.com.
>
The new Montgomery TennisPlex in Boyds,
Md., scheduled to open its eight indoor and four
lighted outdoor hard courts in the fall, com-
bined with specialty retailer Tennis Topia
recently with a unique offer. Tennis Topia
customers who signed up and paid for win-
ter court time saved $50 for early payment
and also received a $50 Tennis Topia gift
card, plus received two TennisPlex T-shirts.
>
Peter Burwash International (PBI) will
run the tennis program on the eight courts
of the Hanalei Bay Resort in Kauai.
>
The National Athletic Trainers Associa-
tion has released its online Sports Safety for
Youth Coaches course, which offers youth
sports coaches a comprehensive review of
the latest information on health and safety
issues facing young athletes. For informa-
tion, visit www.nata.org.
>
Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King are
bringing their annual charity night of tennis,
Mylan World TeamTennis Smash Hits, to
Pittsburgh for the first time in the event's
20-year history. Andre Agassi, Stefanie Graf
and Andy Roddick will join other top players
for the event, to be held Oct. 16 at the
Petersen Events Center.
16 Named to USTA Collegiate Team
S
ixteen of the nation's top men's and women's colle-
giate tennis players have been named to the 2012
USTA Collegiate Team, administered by the USTA and the
Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The Collegiate Team is
an elite training program designed to provide college
players with exposure to the USTA Pro Circuit in a team-
oriented environment.
Mens Team
Chase Buchanan, Ohio State (SR, New Albany, Ohio)
Mitchell Frank, Virginia (FR, Annandale, Va.)
Jarmere Jenkins, Virginia (JR, College Park, Ga.)
Steve Johnson, USC (SR, Orange, Calif.)
Evan King, Michigan (JR, Chicago)
Bradley Klahn, Stanford (SR, Poway, Calif.)
Dennis Nevolo, Illinois (SR, Gurnee, Ill.)
Eric Quigley, Kentucky (SR, Pewee Valley, Ky.)
Ray Sarmiento, USC (SO, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
Womens Team
Mallory Burdette, Stanford (JR, Jackson, Ga.)
Jacqueline Cako, Arizona State (SO, Brier, Wash.)
Beatrice Capra, Duke (FR, Ellicott City, Md.)
Lauren Embree, Florida (JR, Marco Island, Fla.)
Nicole Gibbs, Stanford (SO, Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Zoe Scandalis, USC (FR, San Diego)
Allie Will, Florida (JR, Boca Raton, Fla.)
HJTEP Celebrates 40 Years
T
he Harlem Junior Tennis & Education
Program (HJTEP) celebrated its 40th
anniversary in May with an all-star lineup
at an event held at the USTA Billie Jean
King National Tennis Center in New York.
The daylong event featured a celebrity pro-
am with stars that included tennis players
Mary Joe Fernandez, Zina Garrison, Gigi
Fernandez, Chanda Rubin, James Blake,
Thomas Blake and Patrick McEnroe, along
with George Martin of the New York Giants
and former NBA stars Allan Houston and
John Starks of the New York Knicks. Katri-
na Adams is the executive director of
HJTEP.
S.C. Pro Teaches on Dual-Surface Court
T
eaching pro and former WTA Tour player Renata Marcinkowska has
invented and has been teaching on a Hybrid Tennis Court in Myrtle
Beach, SC. The court is half clay, half hard, and Marcinkowska says the
Hybrid helps develop complete players faster.
Hybrid can make an immediate impact on U.S. players, she says.
Im a concerned coach who would like to see our players better than
athletes from other countries.
Playing on a Hybrid not only helps with developing great hands, bet-
ter concentration, better points building, better footwork, and mental
toughness, but also develops complete athletes, who are not just "sur-
face specialists, Marcinkowska adds. Just by hopping the net, players
see the difference between strategy on both surfaces and learn to make
intelligent choices naturally. As one of my students said, Training on a Hybrid is the best-
kept secret.
Marcinkowska says Carolina Asphalt Maintenance did most of the work for the Myrtle
Beach court, which is the first permanent Hybrid installation, with clay-court advice from
David Schniebbe. The dual-surface court also can be lined for 10 and Under Tennis.
For more information, visit www.hybridtennis.com, email info@hybridtennis.com or call 803-524-3308.
PEP Funding Passes Senate Appropriations Committee
T
he U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee took a stand for physical education in
schools and approved $78.693 million for the Carol M. White Physical Education
(PEP) Program in the U.S. Department of Educations fiscal year 2013 budget on June
14.
The PEP Bill, founded by SGMA, funds a competitive grant program to give school
districts and community-based organizations, including tennis organizations,
resources to provide students with quality, innovative physical education, including
tennis. The bill now awaits full consideration by the U.S. Senate.
We have been working closely with many leaders in the Senate. By supporting
PEP funding, the Senate sends a strong message about the value of PEP as an impor-
tant solution in the fight against obesity," said SGMA President Tom Cove. PEP is the
only Federal funding dedicated to physical education. To date, nearly $800 million in
PEP grants have been distributed across the country by the U.S. Department of Edu-
cation since 2001.
RSI Editorial Director Peter Francesconi (left) presents the latest edi-
tion of Tennis Courts: A Construction and Maintenance Manual to
David Meharg, owner of Putnam Tennis Courts of Harwinton, Conn.
Francesconi edited and updated the new manual with a team of ten-
nis court construction experts from the American Sports Builders
Association and U.S. Tennis Association. Mehargs company recently
renovated the four clay
courts at the Country
Club of Waterbury
(Conn.) and has been
assisting CCW head pro
Michael Stedronsky
(right) with court mainte-
nance. The new court
construction manual is
available at sports-
builders.org.
Racquet Art Introduces
Water-Based Stencil Ink
R
acquet Arts newest product is an envi-
ronmentally friendly, water-based sten-
cil ink, available in black, red and white.
The ink is sold in 1- and 8-ounce contain-
ers with a specially designed applicator.
We want to do our part to help the
environment as well as the users of our
products. We have been working for the
past few years to come up with a formula
that we can put our name on, says
Michael Waroff of Racquet Art LLC. Unlike
solvent-based inks, the water-based ink
can be shipped throughout the world with-
out any of the additional costs.
Visit www.racquetart.com or email
mwaroff@racquetart.com.
A U G U S T 2 0 1 2
I
N
D
U
S
T
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Y
N
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W
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44 Organizations Awarded
USTA Serves Grants
U
STA Serves, the National Charitable Foun-
dation of the USTA, has awarded more
than $400,000 in grants to 44 community
tennis and education organizations during its
2012 spring funding cycle. The bi-annual
grant process was developed to provide disad-
vantaged, at-risk children with the opportuni-
ty to learn to play tennis and improve their
academic skills, and to help combat childhood
obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles. To
date, USTA Serves has disbursed $11 million to
a variety of programs that support its mission.
USTA Serves is proud to continue to pro-
vide financial resources to organizations
impacting the future of thousands of children
throughout the nation, helping them to devel-
op life skills through tennis and education,
says Deborah Slaner Larkin, Executive Direc-
tor, USTA Serves. Grants are awarded to pro-
grams that successfully combine tennis and
education and help children pursue their goals
and highest dreams by leading healthier lives,
succeeding in school and becoming healthier
citizens.
Register Your Free Play Day Event
S
eptember is National Childhood Obesity Awareness
Month, and to help combat this growing epidemic,
and to get kids active and involved in tennis, the USTA is
hosting USTA Free Tennis Play Days nationwide in cele-
bration of Nickelodeons Worldwide Day of Play. The
USTA Free Tennis Play Days, which take place Sept. 1 through Oct. 6, are
a unique and fun way for tennis facilities, parks and municipalities to intro-
duce tennis to a new generation of kids and their parents.
The Play Days are open to the public and emphasis is placed on family
participation, effort and sportsmanship. Participants take part in tennis
skills and game challenges that can be done individually or in teams, giv-
ing them a chance to experience success and get active.
The first 2,000 registered events will receive special giveaways for their
attendees. Organizers will receive branded materials and national expo-
sure for hosting an event. The promotion will drive consumers to
www.youthtennis.com, where they can find a local event through a search-
able database, providing additional exposure. To host a USTA Free Tennis
Play Day, register on www.youthtennis.com.
Cardio Tennis on Agenda at ACSM
M
embers of the Cardio Tennis National Speaker's Team traveled to
the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting in San
Francisco in June to deliver Cardio Tennis workouts. The ACSM annual
meeting is one of the most comprehensive sports medicine and exer-
cise science conferences in the world. Two Cardio Tennis classes were
offered to attendees.
Letters
Readers Weigh In on the Need
For a Restringing Campaign
Thank you for the Our Serve in the July issue about an industry-wide
restringing campaign. One of the first things I learned when I became
a certified stringer was strings begin to lose tension the moment they
are installed, but more importantly, players compensate for that by mak-
ing minute unconscious adjustments to their game. The result is that
nothing seems to work, and players become frustrated, not understand-
ing that had they only restrung their racquet, all of that could have been
avoided.
I have spent the last four years educating my clients about the impor-
tance of restringing. Talking with them, educating them, and fitting
them into strings based on their game has been the most successful. But
still the majority of my clients dont restring nearly often enough.
Diane Hamm-Vida, MRT
Shallotte, NC
Our national philosophy seems to be, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it, so
players wait until their strings break before they restring. Players do not
want to spend any more than they have to without receiving maximum
value for their dollar. Here are some things I have tried in the past:
* Offer an increasing discount scale for each racquet strung in a year,
10% off on the second string job, 15% off for the third, 20% for the
fourth, etc.
* Offer a "string club" similar to the ball machine club where a player
pays a fixed up-front charge, say $100, and receives a set number of
restrings in a year where they would realize a savings from the indi-
vidual costs.
* Offer a punch card where they get credit for each string job up to four
and receive the fifth free.
* Install a reminder sticker on their racquet stating that their next
restring is recommended for one month, or two, or three, depending
on the player and type of string used.
Philip Blackwelder
USPTA Professional, Myrtle Beach, SC
I couldn't agree more with your "Our Serve, especially to organize this
as an industry-wide effort. Those of us on the front lines are keenly
aware of the importance of frequent restringing. However, we often feel
there's an important piece of the puzzle missing, and that's the organ-
ized support of the industry.
Im the founder of the Grand Slam Stringers (GSS) Symposium
(www.grandslamstringers.com), which begins on Sept. 22 in Florida, and
Id like to set aside a block of time at the Symposium for a roundtable
discussion on a restring campaign for all attendees. This will provide
the perfect setting to open up a dialogue between the technicians in
attendance and the industry manufacturers who are supporting the GSS
Symposium.
Tim Strawn, MRT
Roanoke, VA
Thank you for your Our Serve. The old implica-
tion that you only need to restring per year the
amount of times you play per week always
seemed odd and ambiguous, but many recreation-
al players seem to live by this. I feel that recre-
ational players think with poly, since it doesnt
break for them, they don't get their frames
restrung as much. We in the industry, however,
know that poly loses tension faster and actually
needs to be restrung more! I definitely find that
by educating the consumer, rethinking the idea of
stringing frequency, and perhaps holding a con-
test to come up with the perfect campaign might
bring some buzz.
Patrick Markey, MRT
Kihei, HI
The Our Serve in the July issue is 50 percent
good, 50 percent wrong. Yes, we need a unified
campaign to get players to restring their racquets
more often. But no, as research shows, strings
dont lose resiliency and elasticity, as stated in
the column. Read Technical Tennis by Rod Cross
and Crawford Lindsey, page 77.
In my area, each string job we do has a note to
the player that says, in part: "Your old string bed
had a stiffness value of xx, and your new string
job now has a reading of xx, that is a difference
of xx%.... Tension loss is a part of all tennis string
... and causes loss of control.... Your tennis playing
level will now increase by a noticeable amount.
Dr. L. Carl Love
Albany, OR
A Restring Campaign brings to mind a new take
on an old proverb:
For the want of good strings, a point was lost,
For the want of a point, a set was lost,
For the want of a set, a match was lost,
For want of that match, the team did not go to
playoffs,
And all because the strings of one racquet need-
ed to be replaced.
I live in Atlanta where league play is huge.
Would it be feasible for organizations like ALTA
and USTA to join forces with pro shops and offer
some type of discount or incentive for a team to
have their racquets restrung before each season?
This would have many players playing better
tennis.
Ed Matheson, MRT
Atlanta, GA
We welcome your opinions. Please email comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com.
Letters
Readers Weigh In on the Need
For a Restringing Campaign
Strings are consumables, but we need to do our part in educating
the consumer, and the "Restring Campaign is a great idea!
A parent recently referred to polyester as a "super string" and
raved about its durability and the need to not restring as often.
This type of thinking can create a domino effect where the pur-
chase of grips, balls, accessories, etc. becomes less and less.
Mark Gonzalez
Alpha Racquet Sports
How do we as racquet technicians convince players to restring
more often? The way an announcer at the US Open several years
ago made a statement about a new string that has impacted
the market. We need to make a statement, through a respected
player, that stringing more often is important to the overall per-
formance of the racquet. I string my racquet every match, the
pro should say to consumers. You string your racquet every few
months, or less frequently. The message must be in front of the
consumer as often as possible.
John Gugel, MRT
Orlando, Fla.
We at TennezSport completely agree that we need a Restring
Campaign. With so many different strings on the market, with
varying stiffness indexes coupled with racquet patterns, cus-
tomers are frequently confused about proper tensions and string
life.
We have helped a number of high school and college players
save their arms by correcting their mistakes with poly string. The
biggest culprit is leaving the string in the racquet too long. One
comment we hear consistently is that we are just trying to sell
more string, but if we had a consistent campaign to educate play-
ers, we could solve a multitude of issues and keep a lot of play-
ers happy.
Larry Hackney, MRT
Union City, N.J.
When I first read your "Our Serve," I didn't have a very good
feeling about it. If you want a new "saying," you can pick what-
ever is catchy. But if you want to build your reputation and busi-
ness as Lucien Nogues comments on page 23 of the same issue,
you have to present data that support your recommendations.
You must be credible.
Your example of servicing your car is just what I don't want.
Oil change businesses recommend that your oil be changed every
3,000 miles, yet automobiles on the road today have a recom-
mended service frequency of 7,500 miles. I don't want racquet
stringing to go in that direction.
Please understand I'm all-in, if there is good support for the
upped frequency. We can all use more business.
Dave Heilig, MRT
Chapel Hill, NC
For years, I've advised my customers to restring more
often. Once players get on a good stringing schedule,
they really notice the difference with fresh strings. I
advise my non-string-breaking clients to base their
stringing frequency on the length of their league sea-
sons. Around here, our men's leagues last three to four
months. I advise them to restring at the start of each
season, and once for the summer. Our ladies' leagues
are twice as long, and I ask them to string at the begin-
ning of the season, at the mid-point and for the sum-
mer.
If they use a quality synthetic, they're only spending
$90 to $120 on stringing for the year which, once the
improvement in play is seen, they agree is a small
investment. It's been a good strategy for me and, best
of all, it helps my customers to play better, and healthi-
er, tennis.
Matt Steverson
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Its a great idea to try and get players to restring more
often, but the cost of good string is what keeps most
players from doing so. Most players that I string for
want strings that last. Still, the few that decide to play
with better performing strings don't compare to those
that go back to the lower cost strings.
Richard R. Ellis
Port Orchard, Wash.
Epitome of a Sales Rep
In response to your Our Serve in the May issue about
sales reps, Id like to say that Bob Pfaender, a longtime
sales rep currently with Wilson in Florida, is the epitome
of what a successful sales rep should be. Its not just
about sales that makes Bob a success. Its what he rep-
resents as a person that makes him the kind of guy you
cant say no to when he visits your facility, club or, in my
case, our USTA Florida offices and association.
Bob doesnt sell equipment; he sells himself. He gets
to know his customers on a personal level, which makes
doing business so much easier and fun. Ive known and
worked with Bob for over 17 years and I consider him a
friend for life. Hes been involved with USTA Florida and
the national USTA as a hardworking and tirelessly giv-
ing volunteer, and in fact, in December he will become
the next president of USTA Florida.
Bob is truly a great sales rep, but more importantly
he is a great human being with amazing characterand
a whiplash forehand!
Andy McFarland
Associate Executive Director
USTA Florida
We welcome your opinions. Please email comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com.
National Youth Tennis Retail
Program Under Way
Plans are under way for more t han 1 mill ion racquet
hang-cards displaying youth tennis equipment
educat ional messaging to hit t he shelves of mass
merchants, chain sporting goods stores, and pro/
specialty t ennis retailers starting later t his year and
into 2013. The hang-cards, which clearly define age-
appropriate equipment, are a part of t he National
Youth Tennis Retai l Program being coordinated by
the TIA and manufact urers, with support f rom the USTA.
In addit ion to t he hang-cards, the TIA will conti nue to distribute youth tennis
" Retai l Kits" to authorized pro/specialty retail ers. The kits include a Parents' Guide to
Tennis, Growth Chart Wall Poster, Authorized 10 and Under Tenni s Equipment Dealer
door sticker, and 10 and Under Tennis Postcards. Pro/specialty tennis retailers who
would li ke to become "authorized dealers" and be listed on the 1 OandUnderTennis.com
Retail Locator should register at TennisRetailers.org.
"To increase the industry's chances of converting kids into lifelong tennis players,
we need to have a consumer base that is aware of t he right youth tennis equipment. and
then actually buys t he proper equipment for t heir young players," says TIA President
Jon Muir.
"The goal of t he National Youth Tennis Retail Program is to create a consistent retail
branding strategy that educates both retail ers and consumers, helping to streamline the
equipment merchandising and purchasing process and helping drive awareness of t he
program overall," says TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
To help provide consistent messaging to a broad consumer base. the TIA is working
closely with the USTA and manufacturers to develop recommended guidel ines for t he
display of youth tennis equipment at mass merchant and chain sport ing goods stores.
Recommended guidelines for online tennis retailers and pro/specialty tennis retailers,
along with artwork, can be downloaded at TennisRetailers.org.
For more information about t he National Youth Tennis Retail Program, contact Marty
Mohar, TIA Retail Development. (843) 686-3036 x227 or marty@tennisindust ry.org.
Printed copies of the 2012 edition of the State of the Industry,
which analyzes the more than 70 reports produced by the TIA
each year and identifies key trends, are now avai lable. Contact
the TIA at research@Tennislndustry.org.
Attent ion tennis businesses! Post your open jobs for free and
find dozens of qualified appli cants. Visit CareerslnTennis.com.
Visit the "TIA Industry Dashboard" at Tennislndustry.org for the most recent stat istics,
figures and economic information about t he industry.
See the latest "Tennis Industry Event Calendar," complete wit h li nks, at
Tennislndust ry.org/calendar.
Tennis Show 2012
in NYC on Aug. 24
Join your industry at The Tennis
Show 2012-a collaborative, one-day
celebration of tennis that will run from
3 to 9 p.m. on Friday, August 24, on
the ball room level of the Grand Hyatt
New York.
The Tennis Show
will feature an
Exhibitor Show, t he
TIA Tennis Forum,
USTA Yout h Tennis
presentation, Tennis
Industry Hall of
Fame induction of
Nick Boll ettieri (above). demo court
to try out products, and more.
The Exhibitor Show, with more
than 35 tennis manufacturers, organi-
zations and businesses showcasing
their latest products and services, will
start at 3 p.m. The TIA Tennis Forum
begins at 6 p.m. with an introduction
by USTA President and Chairman of
the Board Jon Vegosen. TI A President
Jon Mui r wi ll present key industry
data and initiatives, and USTA Chief
Executive of Community Tennis Kurt
Kamperman wi ll update attendees on
the Youth Tennis initiat ive. After t he
Hall of Fame induction, the Exhibitor
Show will reopen at 7 p.m. and include
a cocktail recept ion and pri ze drawi ngs.
The Tennis Show, which is f ree to
industry attendees, offers a prime
networking opportunity f or all involved
in t he industry. (The Show will be
followed t he next morning by the
opening session of t he 42nd Annual
USTA Tennis Teachers Conference.)
For more information, including t he
current schedule and li st of exhibitors,
visit TennisShow.com.
18 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY August 2012 Join the TIA .. . Increase Your Profits . .. Grow the Game ... www.Tennislndustry.org
Former WTA Players Participate
in Cardio Tennis Training
Cardio Tennis is one of the fastest growing fitness trends in the U.S.-since its
introduction in 2005, it now has more than 1.3 million participants. Now, former WTA
players are taking notice of the great health benefits the program provides, as well
as the revenue it can generate.
The TIA, which manages Cardio Tennis, has presented more than 20 Traimng
Courses throughout the country so far in 2012, so tennis professionals can learn
more about the program, participate in on-court sessions, and bring Cardio Tennis
to their members and players. So far this year, four former WTA players. who now
are coaching or directing tennis programs, have taken part in these training courses:
Gigi Fernandez: International Tennis Hall of Fame Member and former World No.
1 in doubles and No. 17 in singles, Fernandez currently is the Director of Tennis at
the new Chelsea Piers facility in Stamford, CT.
leslie Allen: Former World No. 17 in singles who currently coaches varsity tennis
in Riverdale, NY.
Kyle Copeland-Muse: Former World No. 10 in doubles (with longtime partner Lori
McNeil) who currently is the women's tennis coach at St. John's University.
Roberta "Berta" Mccallum Russo: Who reached as high as No. 26 in the world
in singles.
" In my new position. it's important that I understand every program we are
offering our members," said Fernandez. who attended a Training Course at a club
in Darien. CT. in May. "I had no idea that I could have so much fun on a tennis court
playing against players that were not at my level. I got an amazing workout. I would
recommend Cardio Tennis to anyone who wants to get a great workout while still
playing and working on different aspects of their games."
" The Cardio Tennis Training Course was fantastic," added Allen. " I particularly
liked the new delivery system, which focuses on the client having fun. I can attract
a much broader client base across all age and skill levels. Cardio Tennis is truly
for everyone!"
For information on upcoming Training Courses and more,
visit CardoTenmsTraimng.com.
Joi n the TIA, , , Increase Your Profits ... Grow the Game . .. www.Tennislndustry.org
The GrowingTennis System is
the industry's largest database of
tennis provider information-a mass
"storage center" of data from tennis
businesses, facilities, retailers and
teaching pros. Each month, tennis
consumers search the GrowingTennis
System more than 4 million times,
fi nding such vital tennis information as
where to play, where to find programs,
where to buy equipment, and where
to fi nd tennis partners. The searches
start at popular tennis websites
such as playtennis.com, Tennis.
com, TennisChannel.com, USTA.com
and more.
As a tennis provider, your
information on the GrowingTennis
System- which you can easily
access to add or update for free at
GrowTennis.com-can immediately
give you exposure to tennis players,
as well as to those who are learning
about the game for the first time.
playu 1nrs. orr
::>-
-
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ -
"'------
---------------
__ ..... _. __
The GrowingTennis System
recently was revamped to make it
easier than ever for facility managers/
owners, teaching pros and tennis
retailers to input or update their
information. A numbered, step-by-
step guide takes you through the
whole process quickly.
lfyou'renewtotheGrowingTennis
System-welcome! For returning
users, thank you for your continued
support. The few minutes that it takes
to input and update your information
does a tremendous amount in helping
grow the game- and in growing your
busi ness!
Retailing
transactions with your storeand
what their tennis wants, needs, likes
and dislikes are. This additional
knowledge will allow you and your
staff to craft individual tennis lifestyle
solutions for customersand com-
pletely differentiate your store from
competitors, including online retailers.
Consumer-centric knowledge
about customers is the difference
between the information you have
before each individual retail shopping
experience and after each individual
retail shopping experience.
Capturing Information
The first step to becoming more con-
sumer-centric is to change your
stores operating system, through
acquisition or upgrading. No matter
how small your business may be, you
need a point-of-sale (POS) system
capable of capturing
consumer informa-
tion and transaction-
al data. Investigate
affordable solutions
from providers that
offer hosted POS as
a service on the
cloud.
Becoming multichannel means you
will need to position your website and
your related use of social media to be
on the same level as your brick-and-
mortar store. For most specialty ten-
nis retailers, this means redefining the
role of both your store and your web-
site. Whether or not your website is
commerce-enabled is a strategic deci-
sion, but it is essential over the next
five to six years that you transform
your specialty tennis store into a
seamless multichannel retail business
where customers can get what they
your marketing dollars are spent, how
you communicate with customers and
consumers, and how you and your staff
are measured and rewarded.
KnowledgeDriven
Significantly, the consumer-centric retail
store operating model is knowledge-dri-
ven and multichannelmeaning knowl-
edge about your customers, the
generations you serve, and the con-
sumers you want to attract to your spe-
cialty tennis retail business and your
community.
What does it mean to be consumer-
centric? If you are measuring your suc-
cess by the sales gain generated from
individual customers, youre consumer-
centric!
Being product-centric no longer
works in a marketplace where con-
sumers are in total charge, because
they have instant access to all the
knowledge they will probably ever need
about a product. Digital technology also
empowers them by making it possible
to order what they want, when they
want it. If you remain product-centric,
youre simply inviting price compar-
isons and show-rooming right into your
store.
To offset the knowledge-based
advantage of consumers, you need to
develop more knowledge about your
customers wants and needs and their
likes and dislikes than they have about
you and the products you sell. Youll
continue to need basic data, such as
customers addresses, phone numbers
and e-mails, to facilitate communica-
tions and ongoing relationships.
However, what you need to focus on
is the development over the next five to
six years of a more detailed and total
knowledge about individual customers
pecialty tennis retailers general-
ly do an excellent job of estab-
lishing themselves as the
product experts in their communi-
ties. However, the consumer has
changedAmericans are aging, the
economic recession and slow recov-
ery have hit hard, and technology is
changing how we buy. The result is
that there are newly empowered con-
sumers across three generations,
with evolving and different buying
habits.
Still, the reality today is that many
tennis specialty retailers are product-
centric, and product-focused stores
are less effective in differentiating
themselves from their competition.
Also, a product-focused store in a
highly competitive market invites
price comparison and competitive
shopping.
For a specialty tennis retailer,
becoming consumer-centric means
catching up to change that is already
happening. According to Retail
2020, a joint project between IBM
and New York University Stern
School of Business, In order to suc-
ceed, retailers will have to rethink
their strategies and their points of dif-
ferentiation; the customers of 2020
will require it.
The good news is that all retail-
erslarge, small, brick-and-mortar,
onlinewill have to rethink their
strategies and points of differentia-
tion. If specialty tennis retailers
embrace change now, it will become
your best friend!
Being consumer-centric requires
changing everythingfrom your go-
to-market strategy to your stores sys-
tems and organizational structure. It
requires changing where and how
S
Playing Customer Tennis
In specialty retailing, its no longer about being product
expertsyou need to be focused on the consumer.
Sign up for the TIA
Retail Webinar Best
Practices: Digital &
Email Marketing, on
Tuesday, Aug. 14. Visit
www.tennisindustry
.org/webinars.
This is part of a
series of retail
tips presented by
the Tennis
Industry Association and written by
the Gluskin Townley Group
(www.gluskintownleygroup.com).
want from you when they want
it.
The cost of a top-quality web-
site has come down dramatically
over the last decade. Consult with
your web service or local web
providers to map out your plan
for becoming a multichannel spe-
cialty retailer within your budget
before 2020.
Transition Plan
Here are other tips you should
include in your transition plan to
becoming a consumer-centric
specialty tennis retailer:
w Find ways to appeal to the three
most important generations to
your business: 1) You want to
hang on to all the Baby Boomer
customers, ages 48 to 67, you
can, 2) while appealing to 28- to
47-year-old Generation Xers,
and 3) finding ways to appeal to
Generation Ythe 8- to 27-
year-olds that are your future.
w Develop and maintain a strong
and compelling store brand.
w Make it easy to shop your spe-
cialty retail tennis business any-
time, 24-7.
w Use your store and technology
to create an extraordinary retail
shopping experience.
w Use lifestyle bundles of prod-
ucts and services, for instance
packaging a racquet and bag
with lessons all under one store-
generated bar code and pricing
to differentiate and deflect price
comparisons.
w Invest in you and your staff
becoming tennis lifestyle prob-
lem-solvers and the source of
individual customer solutions
and part of the reason your cus-
tomers shop your multichannel
store. w
Apparel Retailing
bulky or restrictive they like their shorts
and skirts. Also, especially for men, stock
shorts with front pockets that hold tennis
balls, and importantly, pockets that are
easy for a player to take a ball from.
For skirts and dresses, make sure they
fit your buyers frame. What looks good
on one person may not look good on
another. And this brings up another
importantand sometimes touchy
point: If necessary, you may need to try
to re-orient your customers mind-set
from finding something they think makes
them look like a rock star to something
that truly does look nice and is comfort-
able, so they can enjoy
the game and play with
confidence.
Keep It Personal
Personal service also
makes a huge differ-
ence. Familiarizing
yourself with sizing
charts for each compa-
ny is not only smart,
but it will make shop-
ping time more effi-
cient for your
customers, who will
appreciate not only the
personal attention, but
also the fact that their time wont be
wasted.
Have your customers try things on
and encourage them to move around in
the outfit to make sure they can move
freely. Suggest that they swing a rac-
quet, trying a variety of strokes while try-
ing on the clothes.
The more comfortable your customers
feel and the better they look, then the
more confidence theyll display on the
court. You want that positive take-away
when you can help your customers look
good and feel good, youll help ensure
that theyll come back to your store. w
ith the proliferation of appar-
el manufacturers, clothing
styles, and fabrications for
court sports, its important for retailers
to outfit their customers with the right
style and fit for their fashion preferences
and body type.
Heres where knowing your customer
base comes in handy. If your customers
are a genuine cross-section of ages and
body types, you have to stock a variety
of styles and sizes, including plus sizes if
you have a segment of shoppers who fit
that category. Manufacturers that make
tighter fitting apparel will appeal to the
more fit and trim seg-
ment of your cus-
tomers, and the youth
segment. (Keep in
mind, tighter fitting
clothing may run
small.)
For those women
who want and need a
more classic fit,
youll also want to
keep longer dresses,
skirts and looser fit-
ting tops in stock. For
men, the fit choices
are more clear-cut,
though traditionally
minded players may
prefer shorts that are slightly shorter and
shirts that are looser and less fitted.
Ease of Movement
Remember that when players are look-
ing for tennis tops, ease of movement is
a key; fashion is one thing, but players
shouldnt feel their movement is being
restricted. Fabrication also is impor-
tantpick fabrications that are light-
weight, wick moisture away, and are
breathable.
Find out if your customers run a lot
on the courtthis may indicate how
W
Fit for the Court
What should you consider when helping your
customers find the right tennis clothes?
BY CYNT HI A S HE RMAN
www.racquetsportsindustry.com www.racquetsportsindustry.com
Tips for Fitting Apparel
w Know your customer base and
stock the apparel that will best
appeal to what they like, want
and need.
w Stock a variety of sizes and
stylesif you have space limita-
tions, stick to this within your best
selling brand.
w Always encourage customers to
try things on.
w Personal service and attention is
essential to help your customer
find the best fit and style for their
body type and playing style.
BRING MORE KIDS
TO YOUR COURTS!
nlc eon_
worldwide
DAY oF PLAY
THE STRI NGER S FI LE
RACQUET
WIZARD
RACQUET
WIZARD
BY KE NT OS WAL D
For top pros and recreational players alike, racquet
customizer Roman Prokes is the unseen champion.
R
oman Prokes, the Czech-born stringer to the stars, is
famed for his racquet sorcery. Bold-faced tennis names
trusting him with their sticks (and thus careers) have
included Andre Agassi, Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Guga
Kuerten, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Gabriela Sabatini, Maria
Sharapova, and Caroline Wozniacki.
Still, the most amazing aspect of his rsum is that, for much
less than the greats will pay, he provides
the same craftsmanship and eye for
detail in figuring out how to select, string
and customize a racquet for anyone who
walks in off the street into one of his three
metropolitan New York RPNY stores or
wherever else an average or extraordi-
nary player may catch up with him.
The nuts and bolts of Prokes
approach is a holistic vision of an individ-
uals needs and a racquets adaptability to
game improvement. No two players have
the same strokes and no racquet plays
the same in different hands.
You learn what to look for, Prokes says about his consulta-
tions for top pros, rank amateurs and players in between. Asking
someone to describe their game or reading manufacturing specs
is only a first step to selecting a racquet, string and tension or mak-
ing refinements to weight, balance and grip size that will increase
what a player receives back from his or her game.
For the Love of Tennis
When you love tennis you like everything about it, says Prokes
about how he got his start in the game, and stringing is one part.
Prokes emigrated from Czechoslovakia
in 1981 in reaction to the continuing
oppression by the ruling communist
National Front Party. Eventually I worked
my way to [Tennisport], where I started
working with a gentleman who used to
string there. Im good with my hands, he
says. I find [stringing] very detail-oriented
[and] very important. You can spend a cou-
ple hundred dollars [on a frame], but you
string it incorrectly and youve wasted your
money.
A one-time player himselfnow often
working seven days and 70 hours a week
he struggles to fit in a few quick 45-minute squash sessions for
exerciseProkes was inquisitive and curious about technologies
and styles of play, finding himself getting deeper and deeper
When you love
tennis you like
everything about
it, and stringing is
one part.
BY KE NT OS WAL D
For top pros and recreational players alike, racquet
customizer Roman Prokes is the unseen champion.
Photo by David Kenas
into what makes players and their racquets click. Discounting his
years consulting with top players, manufacturers and the experi-
ence gained by stringing and customizing thousands of different
racquets for different situations, Prokeswho is usually thought
to sit at the top of the stringers pyramid with Jay Bosworth and
Nate Fergusonboils down his expertise to one ingredient: An
open mind is the most important thing for a stringer.
From a players perspective, howev-
er, it is all about the trust created
through listening, observing and
responding. As Andre Agassi wrote in
his autobiography, Open:
So vital is Roman to my game that
I take him on the road. He's officially a
resident of New York, but when I'm
playing in Wimbledon, he lives in Lon-
don, and when I'm playing in the
French Open, he's a Parisian. Occasion-
ally, feeling lost and lonely in some for-
eign city, I'll sit with Roman and watch
him string a few racquets. It's not that I don't trust him. Just the
opposite: I'm calmed, grounded, inspired by watching a crafts-
man. It reminds me of the singular importance in this world of a
job well done.
Tournament Stringing
Prokes also has the trust of manufacturers. Wilson, in addition to
asking Prokes advice on strings and stringing machines, con-
tracted with RPNY for the last eight years to lead the stringing
team they put together for the Australian Open, Sony Ericsson
Open and US Open. (Prokes would be there in any case support-
ing the dozen or so top
pros with whom he has
contracts.) According to
Ron Rocchi, Wilsons global
tour equipment manager,
The Wilson Stringing
Team was created to high-
light our expertise in tour
service [as well as the string
line and Baiardo stringing
machine] ...Roman has
been a big part of our suc-
cess from the beginning,
his knowledge and exper-
tise are well known in the
industry.
To complement the
RPNY staff, Prokes con-
tracts with accomplished
stringers willing to put their
own preferences aside as
part of a team that top pros
can rely on for complete
consistency from tourna-
ment to tournament. You
can get a great cup of coffee
in all places around the
world, he says, but it is
hard to find the same great cup of coffee everywhere. Thats what
we are trying to build
In addition to everyone calibrating on the same machines to
the exact same tensions, tying off knots at the same length, criss-
crossing strings in the same pattern, stenciling with the same
amount of ink, etc. for a few thousand racquets a tournament, the
team also prides itself on consistent player interactions. The front
desk to the stringers lair is digitally
enabled, carrying institutional memory in a
database from event to event. Again, the
key is trust. Players likes, dislikes,
demands and even seeming whimsies will
be honored the same way each time they
entrust the team with their racquet.
Always Learning
As for Prokes, even after all he has seen
and the stringing/customizing/retailing
empire he has created, there seems no end
in sight to his desire to keep putting in the
hours. To this day I dont think it is boring. There is always some-
thing new to learn, he insists.
He can fascinate, lecturing like a colleges most popular pro-
fessor, about how the racquet and string technology runs parallel
to players physical development; and how, paradoxically, while
the new poly strings with their softer feels and bite on the ball
allow for play that would have been impossible 30 years ago, on
the racquets and with the players of even the recent past the
same strings would have been considered dead, unplayable.
He can excite, as when explaining that while there hasnt been
anything revolutionary in racquet technology since graphite took
over, there is incredible
promise with the solid bodies.
And, poetlike, he can wax
rhapsodic on how stringing
machines are much better
night and daycompared
to those of even the recent
past although, of course,
You have to know what to
do with them to really take
advantage of the technolo-
gy.
The RPNY franchise is
expanding to other clubs in
the New York metropolitan
area. And the work from
manufacturers keeps arriving
in a steady stream. Most of
all, players who want to bet-
ter their game keep coming
through the doors.
What we do for the pros,
we can do for anyone as
well, Prokes says. We can
help pretty much everybody
to love the game of tennis,
and then you do with it what
you want to do with it. w
We can help
pretty much every-
body to love the
game of tennis.
I ~ I ~ .
. .
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FACI LI TY MANAGEMENT
MEMBERSHIP
DRIVE
MEMBERSHIP
DRIVE
BY ROD HE CKE L MAN
A more aggressive sales approach may be what you
need to bring more members to your facility.
T
he standard approach for most every club or facility is to
provide a tour for a prospective member. You know the
routine: Your front desk gets a call or a member refers
someone and the first step to selling that new membership is to
show them your facility, introduce them to your programs and
explain to them how they are going to enjoy using your club.
Some clubs have salespeople to conduct this task so that a
more professional approach can be guaranteed. Not only does this
ensure a complete introduction, but also it often provides an
opportunity to negotiate the transaction on a case-by-case situa-
tion. If all goes as planned, you have a new member.
Unfortunately, with these more challenging economic times,
that technique may need to be shelved and a new, more aggres-
sive approach may need to be employed.
In years past, giving a tour to a prospective member would
have seemed appropriate and welcoming, but would you give a
tour to someone who is attending a party youre hosting?
Wouldnt you just invite them in and have them become part of
the festivities? If they are inquiring about your club, they are
already interested in becoming a member. Arent most of the
questions and answers that are provided during a tour also provid-
ed through usage?
No Negotiating
Today, prospective members, and for that matter most con-
sumers, will probably make the decision to join in a matter of min-
utes. These are minutes you cant waste or misuse. Today, you
want those prospective members to feel like members as soon as
they walk in the door.
You see this happen today with car sales. Often the car sales-
person will just toss you the keys, do a little paperwork and tell
you the car is yours to enjoy. The idea is aggressive and effective;
you go on the lot and if you like a car, you own it.
Clubs need to do the same thing; you walk into a club to
inquire about a new membership and bingo, youre a member.
No tours, no negotiating, you just begin to use the club in the
fashion you had hoped to use it.
If they are hoping to become a tennis member, you line
them up with a current member, get them court time and have
them hitting balls right away. With swimming or fitness, they
should not only be introduced to the facility and able to use it,
but also be introduced to one of your staff who works that area
of the facility. Let that staff person show them how to best use
the pool or fitness center and maybe even help them take part
in a swim or fitness class.
In sales you hear a lot about closing the deal. With this new
approach, the deal should be considered closed when they walk
in the front door. Dont waste their and your time trying to find
out how they ended up inquiring about your facility. You will
have plenty of time to gather that information once they are a
member. Your first and foremost task is to get them to use and
enjoy your clubany way possible. If that can happen, you are
on your way to having a new member.
Following Up
It should be in your program to always follow up with a new
member a few weeks after they have joined. Hopefully you have
in place an intro that they receive free
from a staff person in each department.
Tennis facilities in particular should
always have the tennis pro review the
players game and show them how to
properly use the facility and meet others.
Eventually you will find out how they
discovered your facility and you will be
able to use that information to help you
when locating your advertisement. With
most clubs it is referrals, and putting in
place a system to recognize and maybe
reward those referrals is a smart plan.
If by chance you were not able to sell
that membership during that initial con-
tact, you can always take a second shot at
them. When doing so, avoid e-mails that look like they are mass-
produced. Also avoid any threatening end to some special sales
program. If for some reason they cannot meet that deadline,
that threat results in sending them elsewhere.
To this day, a call or personal contact is still the best method
of following up with a prospective member. It is during this sec-
ond time around that you hope to discover what might have
been missed on their initial visit. For this to happen, avoid pro-
viding them with more information about what you have to
offer or what your competition cant offer, but rather simply ask
questions as to what they want. Its the salesperson that needs
information, not the prospective buyer, and although they may
have been visiting other clubs, putting down the competition
brings a negative context to the conversation. Stay focused on
what their goals and desires are and, hopefully, you can recruit
them.
Another common mistake in the follow-through with a
prospective member is the use of a numerical survey. You get
these a lot from large corporations that are trying to manage
from the top down. The service industry, which is what we are
in, is about developing relationships and discovering what mem-
bers want and look for in a club. I doubt very much that in a per-
sonal relationship you would ask your partner, On a scale of 1
to 10, how do you feel our relationship is going? Would you
judge art at a museum on a scale of 1 to 10? Surveys should ask
questions that allow feedback that is more thorough and insight-
ful. Most facilities have sufficient staff to review answers and
respond to input. Take advantage of that and listen, react and
change to better your sales program.
Eliminating Hurdles
Many clubs are also moving away from prospective members
having to make an appointment to see the facility or meet the
salesperson. The problem with this model is that it creates a hur-
dle for the buyer to have to take on. Even if your facility provides
commissions for sales, consider creating a program that trains
every front-desk person on how to conduct a sale. Packaging a
commission program for that model can be done and the results
can be very lucrative and productive. The club gains members
and the front-desk staff are more motivated to take part in sales.
This can also provide extra income for the front-desk staff,
allowing you to adjust salaries.
The fact is, if you have hired the
right type of person to work your front
desk, they are probably perfect for
sales. Selling in our industry is all
about liking people and wanting to
help them, and isnt that one of the
most important qualities you want in a
front-desk person?
Not just the front-desk staff, but
your entire staff, can sell member-
ships. The tennis pros, swim instruc-
tors, trainers, massage therapists, all
of them can have great influence on
prospective members. More and more
clubs are rewarding these key people
and even creating programs that provide extra income when
they take part in member retention.
Imagine a tennis pro getting a small commission at the close
of a sale, and then at the end of the year receiving another com-
mission because that member is still active. Now imagine that
reward process taking place every year as long as that member
is active. The results are twofold, both improving membership
and staff retention. The bond between the member and that
staff person is an important association that impacts the experi-
ence both will have at your club. It will always remain a healthy
experience and contribute to member retention if you reward it.
This aggressive sales program is not for everyone. If youre
afraid of losing your exclusive image or you have a waiting list
to join your club, then this approach might not be suited for you.
But if youre trying to survive these tough times and are looking
to increase your membership, give this approach a try. Just toss
the prospective member a membership card and tell them to
take a drive. w
A call or personal
contact is still the
best method of
following up with
prospective
members
EQUI PMENT
KNOCKING
IT OFF
KNOCKING
IT OFF
BY KE NT OS WAL D
The sports industry, including tennis, is taking
steps to combat counterfeit products, which harm
manufacturers, retailers and consumers.
F
ake sports products, including tennis racquets, shoes,
apparel, strings and accessories, are a disease that too often
we all try to ignore.
Manufacturers worry that highlighting knock-offs of their prod-
ucts may tar their brands. Authorized retailers can never be sure
how much money they may be losing to sales of fake products
since it is often only when a racquet gets on a machine for
restringing that they are face to face with a deception. And cus-
tomers often are reticent to admit they were taken in by the too-
good-to-be-true deal they nabbed on the internet or on a street
corner.
No matter how many eyes are averted from the threat (see
Faked Out in the January 2011 issue of RSI), the problem does
exist for tennis and the sporting goods industry as a wholeeven
as specific incidents of loss for individuals or companies within the
industry are hard to pin down. The tennis industry itself estimates,
conservatively, that legitimate dealers are losing $30 million a
year to fake racquets.
Examples of recent enforcement success hint at the overall
scope of the problem and efforts to drive counterfeiters out of
business. In May, the U.S. Department of Justice seized more than
$1.5 million in proceeds as part of a crackdown on counterfeit
sports merchandise codenamed Operation in Our Sites, begun in
2010 to fight intellectual property piracy. Last November, the DOJ
celebrated Cyber Monday (the peak day for online sales in the
run-up to Christmas) by taking down 127 domains selling counter-
feit sporting goods. In both cases, tennis merchandise was part of
the scam.
And, in a critical development, apparel brands UGGs and Her-
mes recently won millions of dollars against websites selling coun-
terfeit productsand they were awarded the money from the
defendants PayPal accounts. Previously, it was nearly impossible
to recover money from defendants, but the initiative (by the U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement) puts some teeth into
anti-counterfeiting efforts and allows the DOJ to recover funds col-
lected via PayPal as well as money transferred from PayPal
accounts to bank accounts in China.
Surprisingly, the response from one large manufacturers
spokesperson to a query regarding this problems scope was that
they do not have counterfeit issues with their merchandise. This
despite a documented and fairly extensive trail of mentions in arti-
cles and chat on tennis bulletin boards to the contrary.
Bruce Levine, a member of the Tennis Industry Associations
Retail Panel and general manager of Courtside Racquet in
Lebanon, N.J., suggests that, If its a minute problem, [companies]
are going to try and hide it. If its under control a company may not
want to talk about it so the consumer doesnt hear about it.
We saw some of this for a while, mainly [of two well-known
brands], says Steve Vorhaus, owner of Rocky Mountain Racquet
Specialists in Boulder, Colo. We haven't seen one in about a year.
My recommendation to consumers is not to shop on auction
sites.
The TIA, in fact, has taken steps to bring this problem to the
forefront with a Counterfeit Racquet Alert campaign that
includes the website www.keeptennisreal.com to help consumers,
and to have retailers become verified dealers. The free service
for verified dealers allows retailers to be listed on consumer
searches and provides dealers with materials they can useboth
in their stores and on their websitesto alert consumers to the
problem of counterfeit product.
Weve been talking with the Sporting Goods Manufacturers
Association and other groups to help fight this problem, says TIA
Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. There is a proliferation of inter-
net shopping sites popping up, with the majority from China, that
offer discounts and amazing deals, and these sites are illegal. They
hurt the industry, the manufacturers, retailers and the unknowing
consumers who buy counterfeit equipment and product.
Consumers initially may think they are getting a good deal,
but when they use the counterfeit product and realize perfor-
mance and feel is well below the expected quality and perfor-
mance standard, they will end up
spending more money overallto pur-
chase the authentic product plus the
money wasted on the counterfeit, says
TIA President Jon Muir, who is also the
worldwide general manager of Wilson
Racquet Sports. This is as much a
brand issue as consumer issue, and Wil-
son is very active monthly in identifying
and shutting down illegal sites and auc-
tions, and we actively pursue any coun-
terfeit racquets we find in the market.
The TIA also is making consumers
aware in conjunction with friendly rival
golf, whose efforts to combat piracy are
outlined at www.keepgolfreal.com. Suc-
cess for one is good for both, and to that
end is good to note that in the last 18
months the golf folks have worked with
Chinese law enforcement to execute 18
raids resulting in the seizure of nearly
110,000 counterfeit golf products.
Golf group spokesperson Jason
Rocker describes the mutual enemy, 90
percent of which he estimates is manu-
facturing their counterfeit wares in
China (home also of most legitimate
manufacturing) as, just an evil group.
The industry fear is that golfers who
thought they were getting a deal are
more likely to wonder why their club
underperforms in distance or control
assuming that the shaft doesnt shatter
upon contact or the head fly off mid-
swing. You are dealing with a criminal
element, Rocker says. Sometimes the
lack of organization of that is the chal-
lenge that were facing in terms of we
have to work extra hard to identify them
and shut them down.
Federal Intervention
Fighting, even finding, such malefactors
requires more than just tennis and golf
cooperation. Bill Sells, the vice president
of governmental relations for the SGMA,
explains that the umbrella organization
of the sporting goods industry has
aligned under an even larger political
lobbying group, the Coalition Against
Counterfeiting and Piracy. That group is working with Congress
and the Federal Government to help address the problem of
online sales of counterfeit products. We also support efforts by
the Custom and Border Patrols (CBP) Immigration and Customs
Enforcement division targeting imports of counterfeit products.
There are positives and neutrals to report. SMGAs spring
2012 state of the industry report includes the summary of
action: With no legislative fix currently available, the industry
had some notable successes working with the federal govern-
ments Intellectual Property Rights Cen-
ter. The IPR Center has successfully shut
down rogue websites trafficking in coun-
terfeit goods."
The SGMA estimates the retail value of
counterfeit products seized by Immigra-
tions and Customs Enforcement in 2011
at $1.1 billionwith footwear and appar-
el the largest sports-related categories,
making up about 23 percent of that total.
SGMA ominously notes an increase in the
number of counterfeit seizures as more
shipments are made directly to con-
sumers.
Guilt By Association?
While the successes are newsworthy,
there does seem to be a sort of melan-
choly in the air about solving the prob-
lem of counterfeitingkind of like
cleaning up a Jell-O mess using a ham-
mer. One companys sales manager (who
preferred anonymity) explained that,
We do our best to provide customers
with high quality, premium products that
provide them with a positive perfor-
mance experience. When consumers
purchase a fake product and have a poor
experience with it, we dont want them
to associate that negative experience
with our brand. Counterfeit racquets are
quite easy to find on the web, and getting
across the message, If it looks too good
to be true, it probably is, can be difficult
to get out to uninformed consumers. We
take a very proactive approach against
websites that sell counterfeit products by
going after the hosting companies, who
want nothing to do with trademark
infringement issues. The challenge here
can be that new sites pop up as quickly as
you shut them down.
Mostly unspoken, although certainly
one of the largest concerns in a difficult
economic environment, is that every
effort to fight the bad guys adds to the
cost of a legitimate sale.
We have implemented policies and
procedures to prevent counterfeiting of
our racquets and strings on the front
end, offered another companys sales manager. It does come
with additional costs, but it is better to implement these policies
and procedures to protect the products of the brand while pro-
tecting the consumer and retailer.
And since those costs reverberate, it is incumbent on every-
one at every level of the sales chainmanufacturer to con-
sumerto do what they can to buy legit, speak up when they
suspect something is amiss, and always keep in mind the basic
mantra: If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.w
What to Look For
Counterfeiters are becoming increas-
ingly sophisticated. While we cant
emphasize enough the importance of
purchasing from an authorized, veri-
fied dealer, if you get a product that
looks suspect, here are some things
you can check.
Racquets:
w Check graphics carefully for mis-
spellings, questionable paint jobs
and other cosmetic miscues.
w Compare published racquet specs
such as the weight and balance.
w Listen for any rattles or loose parts
inside the frame.
Clothing and shoes:
w Consider hand feel of the garment,
or the interior construction and
comfort of the shoe.
w Look for shoddy stitching or missing,
poorly designed labels.
Strings:
w Look for the manufacturers stamp
on the string and make sure of cor-
rect brand name, model name and
gauge.
w If there is a question, check for indus-
try updates or file a report at
www.keeptennisreal.com.
Our International
Connection
A few months ago, we received an
email from Petros Biris of Greece, a
USRSA Master Racquet Technician
and the head coach and tennis
manager at Nea Ionia Tennis Club.
Biris (www.racketspecialist.gr) is a
longtime stringer for recreational
and professional players, and has
strung at top pro tournaments
since 1997.
Attached to his email was a photo-
graphic journey comparing a real
Head YouTek IG Speed 300 frame,
the kind of racquet used by world
No. 1 Novak Djokovic, with a coun-
terfeit version of the same frame.
The results of our research proved
that factories are a step closer in
producing widely deceiving frames,
at least at first look, Biris wrote.
His document included 16 photos
showing side-by-side instances of
where the fake frame differed from
the originalbut in some instances,
the differences were incredibly
hard to distinguish, if at all. Then he
and his staff hit with the frame.
Our on-court tests showed that
the fake stick falls short in perfor-
mance, being unable to quickly
recover from its bend position fol-
lowing impact, he wrote. A dead
feel was present in almost every
shot due to the lack of proper stiff-
ness at multiple points along the
frame and to the cheap material
used. The complete absence of on-
court performance makes it enough
to distinguish the original from the
fake. The common flaw of the fakes
is always present and it is no other
than the so-called dead feel.
Weve reproduced some of his
photo comparisons here, but you
can see the whole document, with
photos, on our website, www.rac-
quetsportsindustry.com.
As Biris concludes: Shouldnt you
think twice next time you buy from
non-trusted sites?
This is one of the more obvious differences between the fake racquet and
the original. The counterfeit frame has less distance between the brand
name and the model name on the throat.
The grip of the counterfeit racquet is of very poor quality, both in materi-
als and in application, and while it has Head on it, its not in black. Also,
the black rubber band at the top of the grip doesnt have the manufactur-
ers name on it.
Removing the trap door on the butt of the handle shows that the coun-
terfeit frame handle is filled with foam, something not in the original. The
inside of the lid of the butt cap also shows differences, and the fake rac-
quet doesnt have the production code TK219.
Ask about our GAMMA Care
5 Year Service Plans,
available for all GAMMA
stringing machine models!
I
GAMMA 5800 Els
w/6-PT SC Suspension Mounting System
As Shown Includes:
6-Pt Self Centering
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Quick Action String Clamp Bases
Multifunction Digital Control Panel
Electronic String Length Meter
GUI DE TO STRI NGI NG MACHI NES
STRINGING
IT UP!
STRINGING
IT UP!
How do you increase your stringing business?
1) Find the right machine for you.
2) Re-educate your players on when to restring.
R
estringing. Heres a subject that needs some serious
rethinking. Theres an old axiom within our industry that
says however many times you play in one week, you
should string your racquet that many times each year. In my opin-
ion, this is so outdated that the industry as a whole could benefit
from a new approach.
With RSIs annual Guide to Stringing Machines on the following
pages, which lists dozens of models from 13 different manufactur-
ers, now is a good time to consider your stringing business and
how you can step it up. One major wayand probably the best
wayto give your stringing machine even more of a workout is to
educate players on when they need to restring. Heres some food
for thought.
Frequency of Play
Not every player plays the same amount of time each time they
go to the court. I had a client who played twice a week, and he was
blowing through a set of 15L nylon in four weeks. This is a string
that typically is quite durable but, as it turns out, his twice a week
was once on Wednesday for 1-1/2 hours and all day Saturday for
eight hours, with a short break for lunch. In one day, he was play-
ing nearly as much as the average player was playing in a month!
Strings Are Different
All strings are different, beginning with the basic construction all
the way down to the materials used and the coatings applied.
Some strings move more than others, for a variety of reasons,
such as the coating, the string pattern of the racquet, the reference
tension used to install the strings, and the way the player hits the
ball. All of these factors need to be considered on an individual
basis, not by some axiom that dictates a carte blanche policy.
Another example is that strings will typically move more on a rac-
quet with a more open pattern, like 16x19, than on one with a
more closed pattern, such as an 18x20.
Players Hit the Ball Differently
String movement causes notching, which in turn can cause pre-
mature breakage. If your player has a flat stroke, the strings on the
frame are going to move far less than a player that hits with severe
topspin or slice. Likewise, some players knock the cover off the
ball while others hit with finesse that can lull you and the ball to
sleep. Theres going to be a huge difference in the life of the string
depending on how a player strikes the ball.
Racquet Care
Strings, with the exception of natural gut, are made of synthetic
material. Most tennis racquets are strung between 40 and 70
pounds, which puts the string under tremendous stress. Leaving
the racquet in a car or trunk in mid-August when the ambient tem-
perature is high means the temperature in the car is going to be
super hot. Records show that an outside temperature of 104
degrees was then measured in the trunk of a car, and the mercury
reached 160 degrees. Strings are going to be screaming as they
stretch at that temperature; a player may as well be prepared to
cut them out and restring.
Individual Results
So where does this leave us? Do we still tell our clients to string as
many times in a year as they play in a week?
My vote is a resounding NO! We need to take a different
approach on this subject and look at players on an individual
basis.
Consider this: I use a software package that records every piece
of data imaginable when I service a racquet. It allows me to track
time between restringing, program time frames for restringing for
that player (180 days, etc.), and run daily reports that will send an
email notification to the player when its time to restring based on
the time frame I programmed in for them. This is all done by the
players history and it usually takes about three to four times of
restringing their racquet to nail the time frame down.
This is the 21st century. Its time we start using the technology
available to us, instead of relying on outdated axioms. Your play-
ers will appreciate your professional approach, and Im betting
youll see an increase in restringing revenue. Who wouldnt like
that? w
USRSA Master Racquet Technician and tour stringer Tim Strawn owns and
operates www.grandslamstringers.com and www.gssalliance.com and is the
founder and owner of the GSS Symposium, set this year for Sept. 22-26 in
Tampa. Contact him at Tim@gssalliance.com.
BY T I M S T RAWN
Alpha
info@alphatennis.com
800-922-9024
Babolat
www.babolat.com
877-316-9435
AG
www.gutermanintl.com
800-343-6096
Gamma
www.gammasports.com
800-333-0337
Klipper USA
www.klipperusa.com
800-522-5547
Price Warranty
Brand Model (MSRP) (years)
2012 GUI DE TO STRI NGI NG MACHI NES
Sport Height Mounting Tensioning
Pacific North America LLC
www.pacific.com or
usainfo@pacific.com
941-795-1789
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2 - Flying clamp starting pins
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x x x x x x
6 x x x x x x
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P x x x x x x x x x x x
R x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
A x x x x x x x x x $15 x x x x x x x
A x x x x x x x x x x $15 x x x x x x x
G x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
P x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
S x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
S x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 1
S x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
X x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x
P x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x
P x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x
X x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x
P x x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x
X x x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x
P x x x x x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x x x
X x x x x x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x x x
P x x x x $35 x x x x x x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x x x
X x x x x $35 x x x x x x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x x x
5 x x x x x x x x x x x $29 x x x x x x x x x
6 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
6 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
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8 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
K x x x x x x x x x x x x 2
K x x x x x x x x x x x x 2
2 x x x x x x x x x x x x 2
4 x x x x x x x x x x x 2,3
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x $895 x x x x
D x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x $45 x x x $395 x x x x
T x x x x x x x x x x x x x x $795 x x x x
Mutual Power
www.mutualpower.net
832-878-8866
Prince
www.princetennis.com
800-283-6647
Stringway
www.alphatennis.com
800-922-9024
Tecnifibre
www.tecnifibre.com
888-838-3664
Wilson
www.wilson.com
800-272-6060
Wise USA
www.tennishead.com
888-836-7466
Yonex
www.yonexusa.com
800-449-6639
Price Warranty
Brand Model (MSRP) (years)
2012 GUI DE TO STRI NGI NG MACHI NES
Sport Height Mounting Tensioning
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4 - Accessory Drawer
5 - Note 1: Electric Stand $850, Customizable Machine Color $500, Customizable Stand Color $150.
Note 2: Pro Becomes Pro Select if one or more of the following upgrades are added (Dual Swivel Single
Action Fixed Clamps $500, String Measurer $300, Multilingual Touchscreen Display $650, Electric
Turntable Lock $500)
6 - Electric Turntable Lock - Upgrades Available (Electric Stand $850, Customizable Machine Color
$500, Customizable Stand Color $150)
Hercules 680 $339 5 x x x x $110 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Hercules 690 $389 5 x x x x $110 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Titan 7700 $599 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Atlas 8600 $829 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Atlas 9600 $999 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Neos 1000 $1,099 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Neos 1500 $1,299 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Prince 5000 $3,499 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 4
Prince 6000 $3,799 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 4
ML90 - O92 - TH $708 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
ML90 - O92 - T98 $903 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
ML90 - 092 - T92 $999 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
M100 - O92 - TH $767 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
M100 - O92 - T98 $962 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
M100 - O92 - T92 $1,058 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
ML100con - O92 - TH $787 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
ML100con - O92 - T98 $1,121 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
ML100con-O92 - T92 $1,244 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
ML120con - O92 - T98 $1,179 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
ML120con - O92 - T92 $1,299 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
MS 200con T98 $1,394 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
MS 200con T92 $1,518 10 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
TF-6000 $6,500 2 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Ergo Pro (Pro Select) $7,500 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 5
Ergo Touch $10,000 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 6
Baiardo $6,000 3 or 5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 7
2086 Professional $495 2 x x x x x x x x x x x x $
Electronic Tension Head
ES5 Pro Tech $6,999 3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 9
Tensioning Clamping Extra
Features
Weight Tools Included
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x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
H x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
T x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
A x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
A x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
N x x x x x x x x x x x x
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P x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 4
P x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 4
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T x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
E x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 5
E x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 6
B x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 7
2 x x x x x x $40 x x x x x x x 8
E
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 9
7 - Multilingual touchscreen display, Dual roller ergonomic clamps, Automated motorized height adjust-
ment, Adjustable turntable tilt, Motorized height adjustment for mounting/mains/crosses, Customizable
with memory for up to six stringers, Angled stand for more leg room, Manager's security settings, Self
guiding puller head, Logs string pulls by user, tension jaw plate limiting screw, Visual tension notification,
Cross tension +/- by percentage, Ability to recalibrate to factory settings, Mobile phone well, Pop out plug
for quick clamp base removal, modular construction, 3-D Turntable Rotation, now ships with tool tray
extenders to increase storage capacity 2.5 times, racquetball billiard adapters available upon request
8 - Adapter available for drop weight machines ($25), Adapter available for
Gamma machines ($25)
9 - Peripheral Acccessory Platform, Lighting, Mobility System with Wheel Lock, 3-
D Turntable Rotation
$
5
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0
$
6
5
0
$
3
0
0
?
Ask the Experts
STUCK ON BABOLAT
I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH
racquets getting stuck in my Babo-
lat stringing machine after string-
ing. Obviously, I have to get used to how
much tension to give the mounting arms.
Can you give me any advice as to how to
unlock it? Do I have to cut the strings out
to release some tension?
NO, YOU DONT HAVE TO CUT
out the strings, and whatever you
do, do not use any kind of tool to help turn
the knobs. You are correct in identifying
improper frame mounting as the reason
the shoulder supports (outside of the
frame) are jamming.
Heres what you do to free the racquet:
1. Determine which end is stuck.
2. Release the shoulder (outside) sup-
ports at the other end of the racquet. That
is, if the shoulder supports are stuck at the
head of the racquet, loosen the shoulder
supports at the throat.
3. Release the tension on the billiard at
the stuck end.
4. Increase the tension on the billiard at
the free end.
This should pull the frame away from the
stuck shoulder supports. You will then be able
to release the previously stuck shoulder sup-
ports and dismount the frame.
In the future, trying mounting your frames
using this technique:
1. Hold the racquet by its handle with one
hand, and with the other hand adjust the bil-
liard on the tip end of the racquet to center
the racquet on the turntable.
2. Adjust all four shoulder supports in until
they contact the frame, and then tighten
them only slightly beyond that point.
3. Adjust the billiard at the handle end
until it just contacts the frame.
The thing to remember when mounting a
racquet on any Babolat machine is that Babo-
lat designed the mounting system to accom-
modate the changes in hoop dimension that
occur as a normal part of the restringing
process. Over-tightening the supports will
not stop these changes from happening,
but it can and will cause the frame to get
stuck in the mounting system.
Your Equipment Hotline
Q
A
Releasing the opposite side supports
Releasing the stuck billiard
SHORT SIDE
WHAT IS THE SHORT SIDE and
why is it important?
THE SHORT SIDE IS important
because it determines how you
start stringing the racquet. If you
make a mistake when dealing with the
short side, you will create a host of prob-
lems to be dealt with later.
There are actually two short sides to
observe: One for string and one for
directional racquets.
Lets start with short side for string.
Although some racquets specify that
you must restring using two pieces of
string one for the mains, one for the
crosses others allow the use of one
piece of string to do both the mains and
the crosses.
When starting a two-piece string job,
you center the mains string in the rac-
quet, so that there are two equal lengths
of string on either side of the starting
mains. This procedure will not work
when starting a one-piece string job,
even though you still start with the
mains in the center of the racquet,
because that one piece must be used for
the crosses, too. The best way of allow-
ing for this is to envision the string as
having two sections: One longer section
to do half of the mains and all the cross-
es, and one shorter section to do the
other half of the mains. The shorter sec-
tion is called the short side.
For example, one-piece string jobs
typically take between 36 and 44 feet of
string. Of this, the short side will typical-
ly be 8 to 10 feet.
Because of the asymmetrical nature
of one-piece stringing, it is important to
measure the short side accurately. If the
short side is too short, you wont have
enough string to complete the mains on
that side of the racquet. If you allow too
much string for the short side, you may
run out of string on the long side, but
you wont know for certain until you get
almost to the end of the crosses. By then, of
course, its much too late to do anything but
start over with a new piece of string, which is a
waste of time and money.
The other short side appears on some
directional racquets. A directional racquet is
one that requires that you start the crosses a
certain way. Examples of directional racquets
include wooden racquets that have string chan-
nels outside the frame, Wilson Rollers racquets,
and Prince racquets that employ O3 technolo-
gy. Because the crosses must start on a prede-
termined side of these racquets, you must also
start the mains correctly. Fortunately, mod-
ern directional racquets often have mark-
ings to denote the short side.
Thus, when performing one-piece string-
ing on directional racquets, you still have
to measure the string accurately, but addi-
tionally you have to position the short side
of the string on the short side of the racquet.
Greg Raven w
We welcome your questions. Please send them to Racquet
Sports Industry, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096; fax:
760-536-1171; email: greg@racquettech.com.
Tightening the opposite billiard
Q
A
the hole where the final knot will be,
while the anchor string is still loose.
Allow enough slack to grab the string
with the tensioning gripper or use a
starting clamp. As you tension these last
crosses, the tie-off string will already be
in position. This even works with thick,
textured or soft strings.
5 sets of Luxilon Savage White 127 to:
Luis de Santis, Valencia, Venezuela
marKing the center
Whenever I string a racquet that doesnt
have a center indicator I use a Sharpie
Weaving the final
cross in o3 frames
The final crosses on some Prince O3
frames do not have plastic grommets.
The grommet holes are directly made
from the frame material making it dif-
ficult to install the final cross. That last
cross grommet is already occupied by
another string, and sometimes the hole is
blocked by another string. On other rac-
quets you can get around this, but on the
Prince frames you cant enlarge the hole
without damaging the frame.
First, when cutting the string for the
crosses, add one or two more feet to the
total length. If using a string from an indi-
vidual set this may be unnecessary
because many times there is more mater-
ial than you need anyway.
Second, perform the normal stringing
operation until approaching the three
final crosses. Pre-weave those three last
crosses and insert the string end through
tips & techniques
to put a little mark there so the next
time the frame is restrung it can be
mounted quickly and without error.
5 sets of Dunlop Comfort Synthetic 16 to:
Terry Boyle, Denver, CO
Keeping the lead on
With the heat wave we are experienc-
ing, I thought others might benefit from
my technique for applying lead tape, as
my business is in the desert, so Ive
seen lots of heat-related lead tape fail-
ures, where the heat gets to the lead
tape and one good mis-hit dislodges the
tape from the frame.
First, everyone tells you to wash up
after handling lead tape, but I do it
beforehand, too, to remove any oils and
other contaminants from my skin. This
becomes more important as the temper-
ature goes up.
Second, I cut the tape longer than Ill
need it, so theres room on the ends of
Readers Know-How in Action
the tape where I can handle it. When it
comes time to apply the tape, I trim it to
the needed length.
Third, as much as possible, I handle
the tape by the excess tape at the ends,
or by the edges of the tape. I try to keep
my hands off of the sticky part of the
tape as much as possible.
Fourth, after measuring out the lead
tape Im going to be using, I clean both
the mounting locations on the frame and
the lead tape with alcohol, so everything
has a nice, clean surface to stick to.
Fifth, when stacking layers of tape, I
use a towel dampened with alcohol to
wipe down the mounting surfaces that
Ive touched.
Obviously, if you can put the tape
underneath the bumperguard or grip, or
inside the handle, this is even more
secure.
5 sets of Head Hydrosorb Overgrip to:
L. Hodges, Lucerne Valley, CA
pre-grooved poWer
pads
When using power pads, often the string
wont sit across the center of the pad. To
avoid this, I use pliers to press a scrap
piece of thick polyester string into the
center of the pad to form a grove. That
way, each pad has the groove exactly
where I want it when I go to use it.
5 sets of Gosen NanoSilver 17 to:
Sam Chan, Victoria, Australia
stringers aprons
In the July "Ask The Experts," someone
was looking for a stringer's apron.
Although they were looking for a USRSA
apron, non-USRSA blue canvas stringer's
aprons with the "Victor" logo on the
front and sewn-in tool pockets are avail-
able from Victor Sports. They were the
people back in the day that sold Tad
Davis wooden rackets and Victor Imperi-
al gut string. I recently purchased an
apron from them for $5.00. Those who
are interested can contact Glenn Bjork-
man at glenn@bjorkman.org. As with
any other cloth apron, you could always
embroider your USRSA affiliation your-
self, as you suggested.
5 sets of Pro Supex P.F Blend to:
Philip Blackwelder, Myrtle Beach, SC
Greg Raven
Tips and Techniques submitted since 1992
by USRSA members and appearing in this
column, have all ben gathered into a
searchable database on www.racquet-
tech.com the official member-only website
of the USRSA. Submit tips to: Greg Raven,
USRSA, PO Box 3392, Duluth, GA 30096; or
email greg@racquettech.com
S
everal people are crowded around
a table in the ballroom of the
Viking Hotel in Newport, RI.
Wooden, time-worn tennis racquets
possibly purchased at a yard sale or
saved from a dumpsterare neatly
spread across the table. Some of the rac-
quets have torn strings, but the onlook-
ers arent concerned with that; they
know the condition of a frame is more
important. Instead, they discuss the var-
ious racquets unique designs, their vin-
tage, and who may have manufactured
the ones without a company name on
them.
There are, in fact, a number of tables
around the ballrooms periphery, many
stacked with vintage racquets. Others
have books, magazines, photos and
other printed materials, plus tennis-relat-
ed artifacts such as trophies and medals.
Its a typical scene at the Buy/Sell Show,
which is one of the highlights of the
annual meeting of the Tennis Collectors
of America (TCA) organization.
Before the TCA was formed, many of
the organizations founders were mem-
bers of The Tennis Collectors Society, a
British group established in 1988,
because there was no tennis collector
organization based in the U.S. That situ-
ation changed after many American col-
lectors read Tennis Antiques and
Collectibles, a break-through book writ-
ten by Jeanne Cherry of Santa Monica,
Calif., in 1995. Thats when they realized
there were lots of people in the U.S. who
enjoyed spending weekends at garage
sales and antique shows, in search of
vintage racquets and other tennis mem-
orabilia.
So, shortly after her book was pub-
lished, Cherry and several American
friends created a U.S. branch of the
public, is held on Friday afternoons. On
Saturday mornings, members and special
guest speakers talk about tennis history
and collecting experiences at educational
seminars. The meeting concludes with a
dinner on Saturday evening, highlighted by
a highly competitive, but fun, tennis trivia
history quiz. For many members, the
annual meetings arent just a time to dis-
cuss flathead racquets or find a first-edition
of a beautifully illustrated tennis instruction
book, but also to see old friends.
However, the TCAs activities and ben-
efits arent limited to its annual meeting. In
fact, many of its
147 members have
never attended an
annual meeting.
But members stay
connected through
the website and
through The Jour-
nal of Tennis Collectors of America, pub-
lished three times a year and edited since
its inception in 2004 by Clark Bensen, an
attorney and author of a book on wood ten-
nis racquets. Articles in a typical issue con-
cern various aspects of tennis history,
details on many types of racquets and their
manufacturers, profiles on TCA members,
suggestions on how to display and care for
their collections, reports on meetings and
more.
Tennis has a rich history, and TCA is
determined to bring the sports history to
life.w
Your Serve
For more information about
the TCA, and its events and
activities, email info@ten-
niscollectors.org, or visit
www.tenniscollectors.org.
Collective Memory
The sports rich history stays alive with the
Tennis Collectors of America.
We welcome your opinions. Please email
comments to RSI@racquetTECH.com.
BY PARRY DE S MOND
Parry Desmond, a retired jour-
nalist and editor, is one of the
founding members of the TCA.
He and his wife, Becky, a TCA
vice president, collect tennis-
related memorabilia.
British tennis collectors group. The first
meeting was held in Newport in 1996.
As the American branch continued
to meet in Newport over the years,
there were many discussions about
forming an organization, based in the
United States, which focused on the his-
tory of American tennis and col-
lectibles, recalled Mike Eden, a
physician in Lexington, Ky. Eden spear-
headed the effort to establish the inde-
pendent, non-profit TCA in 2003 and
served as its first president. Currently in
his second term as president, Eden is
focusing much of his attention on
improving TCAs website, www.tennis-
collectors.org. The organizations Face-
book page was created recently.
Most of the TCAs meetings have
been held in Newport in July, during the
pro tournament and induction weekend
at the International Tennis Hall of
Fame, although the group also has meet
in recent years in Cincinnati and St.
Louis. Meetings are always held at a site
where a top-flight professional tourna-
ment is scheduled at the same time.
There also have been several regional
meetings.
The meetings in Newport, for exam-
ple, get rolling with a reception at the
Hall of Fame on Thursday, which are
often attended by a celebrity guest. The
Buy/Sell Show, which is open to the
'Meetings are always
held at a site where
a top-flight profes-
sional tournament is
scheduled.'
SPIN
CONTROL
COMFORT
Zo Dart
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GAmmA. GAmmA.
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August 2012

Volume 40 Number 8 $5.00

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