200911 racquet sports industry

8/8/2019 200911 Racquet Sports Industry

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November/December 2009

Volume 37 Number 10 $5.00

www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Expand Your RacketQ RacquetballQ SquashQ BadmintonQ Table Tennis

Hybrid Stringing: AWinning Combination

Expand Your RacketQ RacquetballQ SquashQ BadmintonQ Table Tennis

Hybrid Stringing: AWinning Combination


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DEPARTMENTS

R S I N O V / D E C 2 0 0 9

INDUSTRY NEWS

7 Head appoints newCEO and president

7 Midland, Mich., namedBest Tennis Town

7 ASBA TechnicalMeeting in Savannah

8 Deco extendscontract with US Open

8 Half-racquet ideapromotes Open sponsor

8 New Ashaway technologyfor badminton strings

8 12 tennis facilitieshonored by USTA

9 USPTA announces newnational board, and more

10 Short Sets11 Nine earn USPTA

Master Pro designation

12 Peoplewatch12 PTR offers Adidas

with Rocky Mountain

13 Hinding installsrooftop court in N.Y.

14 Babolat enhancesPure Storm line

4 Our Serve7 Industry News14 Letters

16 Sportsmanship Quiz

26 String Playtest: Head Sonic Pro 17/FXP Power 1728 Tips and Techniques30 Ask the Experts

32 Your Serve, by Jeff Williams

2 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009www.racquetsportsindustry.com

FEATURES

ContentsContents

18 Mixing It UpMore and more players are usinghybrid strings, and for your business, itcould be a winning combination.

22 Expand Your RacketTennis isnt the only racquet sportthats growing. See how racquetball,squash, badminton and even tabletennis can help your business grow.


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

Head announced that Jeremy Sherwood, Executive Director Global Sales &

Marketing, has been appointed as CEO of Head USA, with responsibility for

Racquet Sport, Winter Sport and Diving Divisions. He succeeds Dave Hag-

gerty, who has held the position for the past 11 years.

Haggerty will become chairman of Head USA and take on a more limited oper-

ational role in order to devote more time toward his volunteer tennis efforts, rep-

resent Head on the Tennis Industry Association board of directors, his pursuit of

guest lecturing at the university level and spending more time with his family, thecompany said in a statement released in August. Haggerty is on the TIAs execu-

tive committee and also is a member of the USTAs board of directors.

Sherwood has been based in the United Kingdom since joining Head in 2001

as the UK Managing Director. In January 2008, Sherwood took over managing

Heads global network of subsidiaries and distributors. In his new role as CEO of

Head USA, he will relocate to Phoenix, where he will combine his duties as exec-

utive director of Global Sales & Marketing with the day-to-day running of Heads

U.S. operations.

Prior to joining Head, he held positions with Benetton Sportsystems, Wilson

Sporting Goods, Adidas and also owned his own sports distribution business in the

U.K. Sherwood played professional squash for a number of years in the mid-

1970s.

Head also announced the promotion of Kevin Kempin to president of

Head/Penn Racquet Sports. Kempin has over 16 years of experience in the Head

USA Racquet Division, most recently as VP of Sales and Marketing. He will con-

tinue to manage Head USAs Racquet Sports and assist with Heads global Racquet

Sports efforts. Kempin has been in the racquet sports industry for more than 25 years.

Im confident that Jeremy and Kevin will show continued success in their new roles, said

Johan Eliasch, chairman and CEO of Head N.V. Their dedication will help in the development

and growth of the Head and Penn brands in the US.

Midland, Mich.,Named AmericasBest Tennis TownThe town of Midland, Mich., wasnamed the winner of the USTAsBest Tennis Town search, thefirst-ever initiative designed toidentify and reward American

communities that best exemplifythe passion, excitement, spiritand impact that tennis brings tothe local level.

The announcement was madeduring a special ceremony inArthur Ashe Stadium during theUS Open.As AmericasBestTen-nis Town, Midlandwhich gar-nered the most votes during thenationwide,online balloting peri-od in Julywill receive a$100,000 grant from the USTA to

be used for community-wide ten-nis programming or facilityenhancements.

The city of Ojai, Calif., the firstrunner-up, received a $50,000community tennis grant for theirlocal tennis programs, and sec-ond runner-up Independence,Mo., will receive a $25,000grant.

We do our best to exemplify thecommunity spirit that is at the

heart of the USTAs mission,said Mike Woody, executivedirector of the Midland TennisCenter, who received the trophyand $100,000 grant check onbehalf of Midland.

Midland, with a population of41,685, beat out a total of 56cities in the competition. Wewere overwhelmed by the enthu-siasm of all of the entrants, saidKurt Kamperman, the USTAschief executive of Community

Tennis.

Head USA Appoints New CEO and New President

R S I N O V / D E C 2 0 0 9

November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 7www.racquetsportsindustry.com

T

he American Sports Builders Associations annual Technical

Meeting will be Dec. 5 to 7 at the Hyatt Regency in Savannah,

Ga. The meeting will include state-of-the-art sessions on advanced

technique in sports facility design, construction and materials, as well as

other how to programs directed at those who want a more hands-on approach.

The agenda includes presentations on keeping overhead and labor costs down, tennis court

lighting, clay courts, media and marketing, crossover business opportunities, moisture problems

and more. The complete program is at www.sportsbuilders.org.

There also will be an exhibit hall to showcase the newest products and services, social events

to facilitate networking, golf and tennis tournaments, presentations of industry awards, exams

for those interested in the ASBAs professional certification program, and more.

The Technical Meeting is one of our most popular gatherings, and this year, its more valu-

able and important than ever, said George Todd, CTCB, chairman of ASBA. It can be useful to

everyone from designers to builders to suppliers. For more information, contact the ASBA at

866-501-ASBA (2722) or 410-730-9595, or e-mail [email protected].

ASBA Tech Meeting in Savannah Dec. 5-7

Kempin

Haggerty

Sherwood


10/368 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

New Ashaway Technologyfor Badminton StringsZyWeaVe technology allows Ashaway to produce astring that is 25 percent lighter than standard0.70mm badminton strings. The company plans tointroduce a new line of strings using the new technol-ogy under the brand name ZyMax. For more informa-

tion, call 800-556-7260, [email protected] or visitwww.ashawayusa.com.

INDUSTRYNEW

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Deco Extends Contract With US Open

DecoTurf and the USTA have extended their 31-year contract, makingDeco the official surface of the US Open through December 2014.DecoTurfs partnership with the US Open has included the multi-layer

cushioned surface that is on all 34 outdoor courts at the USTA Billie Jean

King National Tennis Center, including Arthur Ashe Stadium. DecoTurf

also covers the 12 indoor courts in the new 245,000-square-foot USTA

Indoor Training Center, which opened in November 2008. The surface is

also constructed on courts that host the Olympus US Open Series leading

up to the US Open.

"We are thrilled to extend our contract with DecoTurf for six years,

said Jim Curley, Chief Professional Tournaments Officer, USTA. "The US

Open and DecoTurf are a natural partnership, providing the most recog-

nized court surface at one of the worlds most prestigious tournaments.

Half-Racquet Idea Promotes US Open Sponsor

One of the US Opens largest sponsors, Mass Mutual, used half a tennis

racquet to call attention to one of its insurance programs. The insur-

ance companys premise is that you cant live on half a paycheck, and you

cant successfully play tennis with half a racquet.

Visitors to the Mass Mutual booth on the grounds of the Open got the

opportunity to hit with

the half racquet to try

and make contact with

balls lobbed to them on

a mini-court.

The half racquet

itself is the product of

Master Racquet Techni-

cian Tony Taverna, who

owns Perfect Racquet,

the largest tennis retail-

ing shop in New Eng-

land. It was challenging and exciting coming up with the prototype and

stringing for half a racquet, he says. Cynthia Sherman

USTA ReportsRecord-Setting Open

The USTA says the 2009 US Open

was experienced by more fans on-site,

on television and online than ever before.

Q A new all-time attendance record of 721,059

fans topped last years record of 720,227.Q The first week of the tournament set five sepa-

rate attendance records including top attended

Opening Day session, top single session record,

and a record first-week attendance of 423,427.

Q Unique visitors to USOpen.org, from more than

200 countries, exceeded 13.5 million, a 47%

increase over last years previous record.

Q Total visits to USOpen.org topped 63 million,

far surpassing last years record of 39 million

visits.

Q Total page views increased from 222 million in

2008 to more than 392 million in 2009.

Q On-Demand Video, which includes match high-

lights, press conferences and feature program-

ming, was accessed more than 5.6 million

times, a 58% increase over last year.

Q There were nearly 14 million activated live

streams on USOpen.org.

Q More than 2.5 million hours of live streaming

were viewed.

Q 157 matches were streamed live.

Q With three domestic TV broadcasters (CBS,

ESPN2, Tennis Channel), total television hours

of the US Open were the most in history.

12 Tennis Facilities Honored By USTA

Twelve tennis facilities were honored recently with 2009 Outstanding

Facility Awards, which were presented at the USTA Semi-Annual

Meeting held in New York City during the US Open. USTA President LucyGarvin, along with USTA Technical Committee chairwoman Peggy Beard

and awards co-chair Alex Levitsky, presented the honors.

The winning facilities are:Q Educational InstitutionsBlythe Calfee Tennis Center, Willis, Texas; Cullman-Heyman Indoor

Tennis Center, Yale Univ., New Haven, Conn.; Oshkosh North High School, Oshkosh, Wis.;

Washington State University Outdoor Tennis Facility, Pullman, Wash.

Q Private FacilityCourtside Raquet Club, Lebanon, N.J.; Green Spring Racquet Club, Lutherville,

Md.; Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, Calif.; Reynolds Plantation Lake Club Tennis

Center, Greensboro, Ga.; The Tennis Gardens at Longboat Key Club & Resort, Longboat Key,

Fla.

Q Public Courts, Small Tennis Center (2-10 courts)Glenview Tennis Club, Glenview, Ill.; Rancho

Penasquitos Tennis Center, San Diego, Calif.; Seaview Park Tennis Facility, Palm Beach, Fla.

Recipients were selected based on criteria that includes overall lay-

out and adaptation to the site, ease of maintenance, aesthetics, ameni-ties, and programs supporting the USTA and the growth of tennis

overall. To nominate a facility for the 2010 awards, email the USTA Tech-

nical Department at [email protected].


11/36November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 9www.racquetsportsindustry.com

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

NEWS FROM THE USPTA

has also served as president of the USTA New England Section and

served on several committees.

USPTA Recognizes Standouts in the Tennis Profession

The USPTA honored outstanding tennis coaches, players,

managers and volunteers during its annual national

awards ceremony at the World Conference on Tennis.Q USPTA Star: Shelly Susman of San Diego and Brian Egelhoff of

Mequon, Wis. The award recognizes teaching pros who make an

indelible mark on their communities.

Q USTA/USPTA Community Service Award: Tom Fey of Indian

Wells, Calif.

Q USPTA Industry Excellence Award: Angelo Rossetti of Hamden,

Conn., and Ettore Rossetti of Huntington, Conn. The award, spon-

sored by the TIA and supported by Tennis Tutor ball machines, rec-

ognizes business acumen and a charitable attitude.

Q Lessons for Life Individual Award: David Altshuler of Peabody,

Mass.

Q Tennis Across America Individual Award: Jacques Faulise of North

Kingstown, R.I.Q Facility Manager of the Year Award: Michael Mahoney of River-

side, Ill., of Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago.

Other honorees are:

Q Touring Coach of the Year: Adrian Chirici, Roslyn, N.Y.

Q College Coach of the Year: Billy Chadwick, Oxford, Miss.

Q High School Coach of the Year: Lawrence Eyre, Fairfield, Iowa

Q Georgo Bacso Tester of the Year: Glen Howe, Tallahassee, Fla.

The following have been named Player of the Year in their respective

divisions:

Q Cory Ross, Denver, Colo.Mens Open

Q Jeff F. Cohen, Longwood, Fla.Mens 35-and-over

Q Pat Serret, Alexandria, La.Mens 45-and-over

Q Cliff Price, Tulsa, Okla.Mens 55-and-overQ Marina McCollom, West Des Moines, IowaWomens Open

Q Robin Keener, Melbourne, Fla.Womens 35-and-over

Q Sheila Chiricosta, Avon Lake, OhioWomens 45-and-over

Q Laura Thomson, Centennial, Colo.Womens 55-and-over

USPTA divisions receiving awards are:

Q USPTA Texas DivisionLarge Division of the Year

Q USPTA Southwest DivisionSmall Division of the Year

Q USPTA Southern DivisionNewsletter of the Year

Q USPTA New England DivisionMost Improved Division of the Year

USPTA Honors Top Education Participants

T

he USPTA honored Alan Cutler from Whittier,

Calif., as the top credit-earner in USPTAsCareer Development Program. Cutler earned the

most continuing education creditsan incredible

172in the 2008 program. He is a USPTA Master

Pro and the director of tennis for Playtennisfor-

life.info. He also is a member of the National

Advisory staff for Head/Penn.

Other top education participants for 2008

include: Ken DeHart, Doug Eng, Paul Garron,

Mark Fairchilds, Jack Foster, Feisal Hassan, Skip

Johnson, Stan Oley and Jeff Rothstein.

Education merit awards for 10 years of continuing-education par-

ticipation went to Mark Faber and John Yandell.

USPTA Announces New National Board

The USPTA installed its new national board of

directors in September at the USPTA World

Conference on Tennis, held at the Marco Island

Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa on Marco

Island, Fla. The new board will serve until Sep-tember 2011. Officers include a new president,

vice presidents and secretary-treasurer.Q President: Tom Daglis, director of tennis and fitness

operations at the Lakewood Country Club in

Rockville, Md.

Q First Vice President: Randy Mattingley, director of

tennis at The Clubs of Kingwood in Kingwood, Texas.

Q Vice Presidents: Jack Groppel, Ph.D., vice chairman

and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute

in Orlando, Fla.; Mark Fairchilds, director of tennis at

Modesto Fitness and Racket Club in Modesto, Calif.;

Jim Loehr (new), Ed.D., chairman, CEO and co-

founder of the Human Performance Institute inOrlando, Fla.; Bunny Bruning (new), tennis director

of Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa, and teaching

professional at 7 Flags Fitness & Racquet Club in

Clive, Iowa.

Q Secretary-Treasurer: Chuck Gill (new), director of

tennis at the Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm

Beach, Fla.

Q Immediate Past President: Harry Gilbert, director of

tennis at Ginn Hammock Beach Resort in Palm

Coast, Fla.

The USPTA board manages the associations

affairs between meetings of the larger USPTA

Executive Committee, which includes the board,three past national presidents, and elected lead-

ers from each of the USPTAs 17 domestic divi-

sions. Board members are nominated by a

committee composed of Executive Committee

members.

Maines GreeneNamed USPTA Pro of the Year

Robert Greene Jr. of Rangeley,

Maine, the director of tennis at the

Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in

Dixville Notch, N.H., received theUSPTAs Alex Gordon Award for the

Professional of the Year. Greene has

been a USPTA Professional 1 for more

than 30 years.

Greene is a former USPTA New

England Division president and

served on the National Executive

Committee from 1998 to 2001. He is

also currently on the USPTA New Eng-

land Division Testing Committee. In addition, he has been

highly involved with the USTA. He has served as the chair

of the USTA Olympic Tennis Committee since 2006. He

Daglis

Mattingly

Greene

Egelhoff Susman


12/3610 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009

INDUSTRYNEW

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SHORTS E T S

> The USTA joined Newark, N.J., MayorCorey Booker in September to reopen the

renovated Jesse Allen Park, which now

features tennis courts of three sizes,

including full size courts (78), and perma-nent 36 and 60 QuickStart Tennis courts.

Jesse Allen Park becomes the first public

park in the country to house permanent

tennis courts of all three sizes, and the

first park in New Jersey to utilize the

QuickStart courts.

> Reel Sticks, a self-measuring and self-storing singles stick system, recently

launched a National Sponsorship Program

designed to put Reel Sticks in top tennis

facilities. Facilities will receive Reel Stickswith the sponsor brand free of charge as

part of this program. For more informa-

tion, visit www.reelsticks.com.

> The Bijou Tennis Show, performedby Henri Elkins and Fer-

nando Velasco, was

invited to perform clinics

and several performanc-

es during the 2009

China Open Tennis Tour-

nament in Beijing, which

was held in October.

> TIA National Cardio Tennis ProgramManager Michele Krause recently was in

Vancouver, Canada, for a video shoot for

the reality TV show Bulging Brides.

Krause ran the bride to be and her brides-

maids through Cardio Tennis, in an effort

to get the bride to fit back into her wed-

ding dress.

> The USTAs 2010 Community Tennis

Development Workshop will be Jan. 22-24 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel &

Marina in San Diego. The workshop is for

community tennis leaders, tennis teach-

ers, and many others involved in tennis.

For more information, visit www.usta.com

/ctdw.

> Campbell Soup Company has extend-ed its agreement as the title sponsor of

the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

played for the Van Alen Cup through

2012. The event is held in Newport, R.I.

> The Intercollegiate Tennis Associationannounced 10 recipients of the 2009

ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Leadership and Sports-

manship Award. The winners received a

weekend in New York City just before the

US Open. The 2009 recipients are: Div. 1

Blake Strode, Univ of Ark., and DunjaAntunovic, DePaul Univ.; Div. 2Vincent

Nguyen, Univ. of Calif.-San Diego, and Ina

Dan, Univ. of Calf.-San Diego; Div. 3

Dustin Phillips, Univ. of Texas-Tyler, and Kari-

na Pikhart, MIT; NAIAJonatan Berhane,

Lewis & Clark State, and Sara Allison Win-

ters, Martin Methodist; JuCoElliott Clark,

Meridian CC, and Kelly Elizabeth Sterling,

Meridian CC.

> Longtime friends Sir Elton John and Bil-lie Jean King are bringing their annual

Advanta WTT Smash Hits charity night of

tennis to Louisiana for the first time in the

event's 17-year history. Andy Roddick and

other top players will compete on Dec. 8 at

the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on the

LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

> Arthur Ashe, the first African-AmericanUS Open mens singles champion and one

of tennis greatest ambassadors, was the

2009 inductee into the US Open Court of

Champions. Former President Bill Clinton

participated in the tribute to Ashe on Sept.

10.

> The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort inLongboat Key, Fla., has suspended hotel

operations indefinitely following a dispute

between the condominium owners associ-

ation and the resorts management.

> Are kids at your facility spending toomuch time in front of a computer screen?

Try the US Open Tennis Coloring and Activ-

ity Book, with realistic images of pro players

to color, crossword puzzles, word searches,

trivia and more. The 64-page book is

$11.95 and available at USOpen.org, ama-

zon.com, and other retailers.

> The Ultimate Experience Platform TennisInstructional DVD is available for sale. The

DVD was created by eight-time National

Champion Dave Ohlmuller along with his

wife Marina, Ray J Murphy and Matt Warn-

er. It can be purchased onl ine at

www.theuedvd.com for $19.95 plus $5.05

for shipping and handling. Or call 847-513-

3057 or email [email protected].

> The USTA and Cincinnatis Tennis forCharity will finance a $10 million dollar

upgrade to the Lindner Family Tennis Cen-

ter, site of Cincinnatis Western & Southern

Financial Group Masters and Womens. Theproject calls for the construction of a

52,000 square-feet building to add space

for players, media and fans.

> The USTA is partnering with T&S Eventsto host its 2010 Australian Open wild card

playoffs during the 2009 Infinite Energy

Atlanta Challenge held at the Racquet Club

of the South in Norcross, Ga., Dec. 4-7. The

event will feature an exhibition match on

December 4, with the wild card playoffs

commencing the next day. Through a recip-rocal agreement with Tennis Australia, the

two national tennis federations exchange

wild cards for the 2010 Australian Open

and 2009 US Open.

> Tom Fey, director oftennis at Indian Wells Ten-

nis Garden, has been

named USTA Recreational

Coaches Workshop Train-

er of the Year, and the

Southern Arizona Tennis

Association is the Recre-

ational Coaches Workshop Host Site of the

Year award. Both recipients were recog-

nized at the USTA Tennis Teachers Confer-

ence during the 2009 US Open.

> John Craig of Santa Ana, Calif., is thegrand-prize winner of the USPTAs personal

website contest. Craigs site is at,

http://johnscraig.usptapro.com.

> Fetch Clothing is a new

line of tenniswear byChristopher Louis, which

crosses lifestyle with fit-

ness. Fetch was inspired

by the link between dogs

and their owners, and

their affinity for tennis

balls and recreation. Louis

created a line of polos and tops, terry track-

suits and mini pleated skirts in a variety of

fabrications, colors and styles. Visit Fetch-

sport.com or call 310-980-4120.


13/36November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 11



Nine Earn USPTA Master Pro Designation

Nine tennis professionals recently earned recognition as USPTA Master Profes-

sionals. Only about 1 percent of USPTAs more than 15,000 members world-

wide have achieved the Master Pro designation.

Members must hold USPTAs highest certification rating (Professional 1) for

more than 10 years before becoming eligible for the Master Professional designa-

tion. Then, each must fulfill a broad spectrum of requirements, including making

significant achievements in areas such as tennis teaching and coaching, business,

education and volunteer work. The new Master Pros are:

Becoming a Master Professional requires meeting a variety of personal and

professional challenges, said USPTA CEO Tim Heckler. Those who accomplish it

acquire a set of skills that can set them apart in tennis operations and programming.

Q Lorenzo Beltrame, Windermere, Fla.

Q Holly Chomyn, Naples, Fla.

Q Jim Davies, Nairobi, Kenya

Q Todd Ellenbecker, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Q Doug Eng, Medford, Mass.

Q Skip Johnson, Douglasville, Ga.

Q Ajay Pant, Overland Park, Kan.

Q Hans Romer, Yarmouth, Maine

Q Tommy Wade, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Congratulations To theFollowing For Achieving CS & MRT Status

Kevin Cornwell Hilo, HIMatt Greaves Toronto CANADARobert W hitsitt Memphis, TN


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November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 13



Hinding Installs RooftopCourt in New YorkThe New York Sports Club in Brooklyn,N.Y., recently installed Hinding TennisCushion Extreme surface on the build-ings roof. I couldnt believe the feeland comfort, said tennis pro MichaelPhillips, who researched court surfacesfor the club. For information on CushionExtreme, contact 203-410-6090 or visitwww.hindingtennis.com.

Make MoneyWith Custom Stencils

RacquetArt manufactures and sells

stock and custom tennis racquet

stencils, so your customers can have

their own distinctive stencil on their

strings. In addition, the companysells a large selection of colored sten-

cil ink. RacquetArt also can produce

your customers initials as a stencil.

A special offer for racquet string-

ing professionals includes two sten-

cils and two bottles of ink for $19.95

plus shipping and handling. Stencils

are made from high-quality plastic

that wont wear out and can be used

repeatedly. Each ink bottle can sten-

cil up to 10 racquets.

Other offers are available. Visitwww.racquetart.com or email

[email protected].


16/36

INDUSTRYNEW

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Babolat Enhances Pure Storm Line,Extends Pure Drive Line

Babolat says its Pure Storm line has been enhanced withGT Technology, which the company says gives framesmore responsiveness and power.

GT technology, says Babolat, is a customized perform-

ance booster with a hybrid material that combines braid-

ed carbon fibers and tungsten filaments, which is

integrated throughout the racquet. This strengthens the

frame to reduce torque, aiding in precision. Also, adding

tungsten provides 10 percent more energy recovery for

even more power, according to Babolat.

GT Technology can be found in all new Pure Storm

models. Babolat is also launching a new co-polymer poly-

ester monofilament string, called Revenge, for the Pure

Storm frame.

Q Pure Storm Tour and Pure Storm Tour + are for expert

players with a full swing and have a 98-sq.-in. head and

weigh 11.3 ounces. Suggested retail price is $179.

Q Pure Storm, for expert players with a medium to full

swing is 98 sq. in., 10.4 ounces and retails for $179.

Q Pure Storm Limited, for expert players with a full swing

is 95 sq. in. and 11.3 ounces for $179.

Babolat also has extended the Pure Drive line of rac-

quets with a new Pure Drive Lite and enhanced Pure Drive

107. Both have the new GT Technology with graphit tung-

sten.

Q Pure Drive Lite, for expert and advanced players with a

medium to full swing, is 100 sq. in. and weighs 9.7

ounces. Suggested retail is $185.

Q Pure Drive 107, for the advanced player with a medium

to full swing, is 107 sq. in., 9.9 ounces and also $185.Visit www.babolat.com or call 877-316-9435.

P U R E S T O R M T O U RP U R E S T O R M T O U R +P U R E S T O R M

P U R E S T O R M L I M I T E DP U R E D R I V E L I T EP U R E D R I V E 1 0 7

14 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Letters

With all due respect to Rod Cross's knowledge, accomplishments,and contributions to tennis, I think his "Technology Smoke-screen?" article does a disservice to racquet designers and manu-facturers. I'm not saying that most of his points aren't valid, but Ido believe that he has discounted some issues that are just asimportant as mass, swing weight, frame flex, and stringbed stiff-ness.

First, it's important that racquet designers experiment with dif-ferent materials, geometries, and features in their quest for bet-ter racquets. Without that willingness to try something new anddifferent, we might still be using lop-sided wooden racquets.

Second, some of the changes that come about due to differentmaterials, geometries, etc., bring with them changes in mass,swing weight, frame, flex, and stringbed stiffness, too. I, forexample, tend to try a lot of different racquets. Sometimes I likethe new version of a racquet, sometimes I prefer the old. If therewasn't an easy way to differentiate between them, I might nottry the new version at all, no matter what benefits there mightbe. In fact, one of the things that really bugs me is when a manu-facturer makes "in line" changes to a product line that can bedetected only using a Babolat RDC machine. For me and mostother people, racquets that look identical should be at least close

in terms of characteristics.Third, changes in the way the game is played should be reflect-ed in changes in the equipment. One example of this is the higher

swing speeds that go hand-in-hand with the lighter racquets.Another is the stiffer racquets that better complement "poly"strings.

Fourth, I'll bet the marketing departments of the various rac-quet manufacturers enjoy having something new to promoteeach season. If changes in marketing bring more people into thegame, or get current players to buy more equipment, we shouldbe celebrating, not denigrating.

Fifth, in tennis the relationship between the player and hisequipment is highly personal. What Mr. Cross calls the "mostimportant physical properties of the racquet" may be only part ofwhy a player chooses one racquet over another. Racquets withvirtually identical "important physical properties" can and dohave distinct differences, to the point that one racquet mightseem perfect while the other seems too irritating to justify itscontinued use, equal shot outcomes notwithstanding.

Last but not least, my take-away from the article was that itwas aimed at the retailer who might be confronted with a poten-tial customer demanding to know why the shop did not sell thenew racquets with unobtainium in them. By at least knowingwhat unobtainium is, and which competing racquet claims touse it, the retailer can respond substantively to the potential cus-tomer, perhaps even recommending racquets from his stock withsimilar mass, swing weight, and frame flex.

Brian Laumeyer

I was glad to read Rod Crosss article, Technology Smokescreen?in RSI (September/October). As a tennis pro and an avid golfer, Iam always put off by all the claims about the new, generally"repainted racquets" from year to year and the promises of "10yards farther" for each new driver that comes along twice a yearin the golf world.

Yeah, these companies have to make money, but the publicshould get a little smarter and take the money and put it towardsolid lessons from [certified] pros.

Steve MulliganUSPTA Pro

Twin Isles CC, Punta Gorda, Fla.

Mixed Reaction to Technology Smokescreen

We welcome your letters and comments. Please limit letters to 300 words

maximum. Email them to [email protected] or fax them to 760-536-1171.


17/36


18/36

Are Your Players Good Sports?A new quiz for players is designed to help put sportsmanship back into the sport.

Weve all seen articles in

newspapers and maga-

zines bemoaning the ever-

decreasing level of sportsmanship by

tennis players. Yet no one really

knows to what extent poor sports-

manship existsor even what the cri-

teria is to judge it.

While good sportsmanship isrecognized at recreational, competi-

tive and professional levels, the crite-

ria for such honors tends to be rather

general (integrity, honesty, sports-

manship). The Rules of Tennis and

The Code of Conduct that governs

unofficiated matches might serve as

the basis for basic education and

should be considered required read-

ing for players, coaches and parents

of younger players.

The knowledge of and teaching ofsportsmanship has not been a formal

part of tennis teacher certification.

Many teaching pros may need some

tools and guidance in order to incor-

porate assessment and training into

their lessons and coaching.

With this in mind, Ive developed

The Tennis Sportsmanship Quiz,

based on criteria (outlined by the

USTAs Middle States Section) that

seem reasonable, objective and readi-

ly observable. A number of uses for

the quiz come to mind:

Q SELFASSESSMENT Players can

take the quiz to be more aware of

their behaviors and serve as a guide

to help them change and improve.

Q OUTSIDEASSESSMENT To pro-

vide more objective feedback, oth-

ers can observe and chart the

players behaviors using the items

on the quiz.

Q COACHING Once identified, unde-

sirable behavior can be targeted

for change by the player, coach,

parent or sports psychology consul-

tant.

Q EDUCATION The quiz can serve as

the basis for educational talks or as

a part of a seminar or workshop on

sportsmanship.

Q NORMS Over time, widespread

use of the quiz can provide a mea-

sure of sportsmanship across thesport and serve as a way to help

evaluate the effectiveness of inter-

ventions designed to enhance

sportsmanship in tennis.

The values of sportsmanship can-

not be left to chance or to those who

advocate winning at any cost. The

pressure to win, attain rankings,

scholarships and a chance to obtain

wealth and fame is enormous. As

tennis teaching pros, we have an

important role to play in instilling theright values to those we teach and

coach.

I hope The Tennis Sportsmanship

Quiz will provide you with a tool you

can use as part of an overall

approach in incorporating sportsman-

ship training in your work. I welcome

your feedback for its use, improve-

ment and/ or adaptations for different

user groups. Q

B Y D R . R O B E R T F . H E L L E R

16 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009 www.racquetsportsindustry.com

Your Players

Dr. Robert Heller is a

licensed psychologist, sports psychology con-

sultant and tennis teach-

ing professional based is

Boca Raton, Fla. He is

the author of Managing

Your Stress and the TENNISMIND

mental conditioning program. For infor-

mation on personal mental coaching,

clinics and publications, and to provide

feedback and suggestions on The Tennis

Sportsmanship Quiz, contact him at

561-451-2731, e-mail

[email protected], or visit

www.robertheller.net.


19/36

THE TENNIS SPORTSMANSHIP QUIZ(Scale based on USTA Middle States Section Sportsmanship Criteria)

Score: 5 points for each statement that is TRUE for you.

___ 1. I dont throw my racquet.

___ 2. I dont slam a racquet on the court, net, or backdrop.

___ 3. I dont hit balls around.

___ 4. I dont scream, cry, whine or carry on with obnoxious behavior.

___ 5. I dont tank, not even one point.

___ 6. I dont cheat.

___ 7. I dont question calls within one foot of the line.

___ 8. I return balls directly to the server for the start of the next point.

___ 9. During the 10 minute warm-up, I hit balls with reasonable pace and variety

to allow my opponent to warm-up and practice.___ 10. I dont walk at a snails pace between points to stall or anger my

opponent.

___ 11. I dont glare or stare whenever I am in trouble.

___ 12. I compliment my opponent on good shots.

___ 13. I return the ball to the server when the server has turned around and is

ready.

___ 14. If the serve is out and is accidentally returned into the net, I clear it rapidly

so the servers rhythm is not disturbed.

___ 15. If unsure of a call, I call it good, unless the opponent reverses it.

___ 16. I dont ask spectators to make a call.

___ 17. When playing a much weaker opponent, I act courteously and try not to

overtly embarrass or demean my opponent.

___ 18. I shake hands after the match and congratulate my opponent.

___ 19. I am friendly and polite off the court and do not bad-mouth other players.

___ 20. I treat officials, umpires, linespeople and ball boys with respect, even when

they make mistakes.

_______ Enter your score hereMaximum total score is 100.

SCORING KEY:90-100 Model Sportsman

75-85 Adequate Sportsman65-70 Fair Sportsman

60 or less Poor Sportsman

Dr. Robert Heller The Winning Edge 561-451-2731

[email protected] www.robertheller.net




STR ING ING

MIXING IT UPMore and more players are using hybrid strings, and for yourbusiness, its a winning combination. B Y B O B P A T T E R S O N

Most likely, your local players, especially frequent players,

know about hybrid stringing. And chances are requests for

hybrid string jobs have increased greatly over the last couple

of years.

You can hardly watch a professional match on television with-

out hearing the commentators talk about the strings the players

are using. Although their comments frequently are filled with mis-

information, at least they are talking about our industry and pro-

voking questions from players.

This presents a great opportunity for you to educate your cus-

tomers about new strings and possible combinations for hybrids.

It also provides a subtle chance to flaunt your expertise and knowl-

edge about strings and stringing.

PRE-PACKAGED SETS ONLY?If you are sticking with only pre-packaged sets from manufactur-

ers, you may be both missing out on some business and short-

changing your customers. While the pre-packed sets are

convenient and may make sense for some applications such as at

big-box stores, they are limiting and dont usually make sense for

specialty shops.

If you are stocking pre-packs and you have the same strings in

full sets or reels in your inventory, youre probably carrying extra

inventory that you dont really need. Instead, invest a couple of

dollars in a box of zip-lock sandwich bags and you can make your

entire string inventory available to use with hybrid string jobs.

For packaged string, simply halve the set and place the other

half in the sandwich bag. Label it and store it to be used for anoth-

er hybrid job down the road. If you work from reels, obviously you

can pull off only the length you need.

By using your entire inventory, the hybrid possibilities become

virtually endless.

ADDRESSING SPECIFIC NEEDSOther than their popularity and novelty, why should you promote

hybrid stringing in your shop? With your current inventory of

string, you can expand your offering to your customers tenfold

without investing in additional inventory. You can also address

each customers specific needs better than before. It also provides

an opportunity to promote your craftsmanship by engaging the

customer in a conversation about their game, their style of play,

and their needs.

Of course, the most popular hybrids are a durable poly-based

string in the mains and a softer synthetic or natural gut in the

crosses, but dont let your hybrid options end there. Many pro

players have followed Roger Federers lead and use gut in the

mains and poly in the crosses. The key is to use your expertise

and experience to ascertain what may work best for your cus-

tomer and get them to experiment.

You may have a customer who loves the feel and playability of

natural gut but cannot justify the expense. Get them to try a

hybrid using natural gut and a soft multifilament synthetic.

Chances are they will love it and you will have a customer for life.

For this approach to be successful, you need to make sure you

have a well-rounded inventory of strings. You will need to cover

all the bases in material and construction as well as thickness.

Make sure you carry a wide variety of gauges in several of your

most popular strings.

You will also need to educate your customers and promote the

service. In-store signage is a great way to bring attention to hybridstringing. Your expertise and willingness to talk to your customer

about their game and specific needs will be the closer. If you can

enhance their experience on the court by fitting them with the

right string setup, theyll be thrilled, and you will reap the

rewards. Not only will they continue to use your services, but also,

theyll tell everyone they know about their experience. Q

MIXING IT UP

Bob Patterson is a Master Racquet Technician and the

owner of RacquetMaxx (www.racquetmaxx.com), a cus-

tomization and stringing service. You can reach him at

[email protected].


21/36



Are we in a

tennis

boom? That

question

seems to be

circulating,

and when you

look at the positive news in

participation, the excitement

of the US Open and the

resulting osmosis that fil-ters to all sectors of this

industry, maybe a boom

isnt that farfetched

The TIA, however, with our

industry partners, remains

focused on building a

healthy roadmap for the

futureand we encourage

you to get involved with the

initiatives at GrowingTennis.

com that will support the

ultimate consumer portal:

PlayTennis.com.

Congratulation to industry

pioneers like Alan Schwartz,

whom we will continue to

call on to help guide our

future. Many thanks also to

ALL who supported Racket

Up,Americait proved to

be a great exercise in work-

ing together to promote ten-

nis awareness.

Jolyn de Boer

Alan Schwartz Inducted into Tennis Industry Hall of Fame

Alan G. Schwartz of Highland Park, Ill., was honored during the Tennis Forum as the sole 2009 inductee

of the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame. Schwartz, who continues to serve the sport in various capaci-

ties, founded Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago and the Tennis Corporation of America. Among his

many positions in the industry, he was the USTA president and chairman of the board for two years. He

also penned the USTAs mission: To promote and develop the growth of tennis.

Schwartz joins Dennis Van der Meer and Howard Head in the Tennis Industry Hall of Fame, who were

the inaugural inductees last year. Plaques recognizing all three are on display in space donated by the

International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.

I love tennis. I love the sport. I love this industry and I love being a contributor, said Schwartz. You

have my promise that I will continue with undiminished pas sion to give back to this game I cherish.

Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

News You Can Use!

NEWS & UPDATESNEWS & UPDATES

T I A N E W S N O V / D E C 2 0 0 9

The third annual TIA Tennis Forum, presented by Tennis

Magazine, took place in New York City during the US

Open. Industry leaders and many others interested in the

future of the tennis business heard about the state of the indus-

try, various TIA and Growing Tennis initiatives, and plans for

moving the sport and industry forward.

TIA President Jon Muir said the sport still faces many eco-

nomic challenges. The general feeling is that we kind of bot-

tomed out in the third quarter [2009] in terms of racquet

shipments, he said. Tennis ball sales, he added, are now

trending relatively flat. However, sales of transition balls are up

63 percent over a year ago. Were starting to see the impact

in sales and distribution of QuickStart Tennis products.

Muir referred to recent, continued increases in tennis par-

ticipation: What else can we do to build on the momentum

from a participation standpoint? he said. Frequent players

are the ones that fuel the majority of the economic drivers of this industry. If we could get 1 million

peoplea 20 percent increase in frequent playersto become frequent players,

it will have a huge impact.

Addressing frequent-player growth is the subject of one of the three ongoing

Task Forces that came out of two TIA Tennis Summits held earlier this year, he

said. Other Task Forces deal with communication/positioning and economic

benchmarks.

Key in the communication/positioning area is the promotion of the websitePlayTennis.com, a new consumer site still under development (and soft-

launched through the recent Racket Up, America! promotion). The website is

designed to be a simple portal that will serve as a central clearing house for the

mainstream audience to learn more about tennis, to join the sport, and to get on

the pathway to becoming frequent players.

Kurt Kamperman, the USTAs chief executive of Community Tennis, gave an

update on QuickStart Tennis, designed for kids 10 and under. We have to be

training 20,000 parents a year in QST, he said, emphasizing that the training is not designed to take

over from certified teaching pros.

The biggest challenge, he added, is that theres not enough organized play and competition on

QuickStart courts. He said there needs to be a sound progression that will lead to Jr. Team Tennis and

tournaments on the shorter QST courts.

Tennis Forum Sets Path for Future

Key initiatives to

increasing and sus-

taining growth in the

industry include

increasing the num-

ber of frequent play-ers, promoting

QuickStart Tennis,

and developing a

single tennis web-

site portal for con-

sumers.

TIAPhoto/FredMullane


23/36

T I A N E W S

Growing Tennis News

Players of theMonth:

Ned Manning andArmistead MauckCardio Tennis has become afavorite family pastime fortwo families in Kinston, N.C.,thanks to two fathers andtennis buddies who are dedi-cated to the program. NedManning (left) and Armistead

Mauck are known as regulars at the nightly Cardio Tennisclasses at Kinston Country Club, but they also bring outtheir entire familiesand friends of the family.

Whoever is in the house an hour before Cardio Tennisclass starts will be coming with these men to burn some

calories, says Troy Robinson, director of tennis at KCC.Manning a 4.5-level player, has 15-year-old twin daugh-

ters who play recreationally but are not at his same level.For him, this is a way they can all be on the court togetherand have a good time. Cardio Tennis is fun for everyone,he says. Its great to see them having fun and with a smileon their face. Its good bonding time for us.

Mauck, who has 15- and 17-year-old daughters, agrees,and sometimes turns the Cardio Tennis evening into a fam-ily night out. A lot of times we will all go out to eat after-ward and we really feel like we deserve it after theworkout, says Mauck.

Both men used to hit the gym to lift weights and run onthe treadmill before they began playing Cardio Tennis. Icouldnt think of a better way to work out for an hour than

with Cardio Tennis, says Manning.

TWC Spotlight: Surprise Tennisand Racquet Complex, Surprise, AZ

Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex has created

a buzz in Surprise, Ariz., a suburb of

Phoenix. The 25-court public facility

opened its doors in September 2007,

thanks to supportive city funding.

This place is like the Taj Mahal of tennis, says

John Austin, the facilitys tennis director. Weve been very fortu-

nate to host a Fed Cup match last February,

a pro circuit event, the USTA Nationals and

an Outback Champions Series event.

There are no memberships at the facili-

ty, but Austin says nearly 500 players cur-

rently call it their tennis home. And its

easy to attract new players, he says,

because Surprise offers several different

beginner-level programs. In the future, the

Complex is hoping to start a CTA that will allow them reach more

into schools and bring tennis to as many people in the commu-

nity as possible.

November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 21Join the TIA . . . Increase Your Profits . . . Grow the Game . . . www.TennisIndustry.org

If you would like to

be highlighted as a

Tennis Welcome

Center of the Month,

contact Amanda@

tennisindustry.org

and tell us how your

club is leading the

charge in the growth

of the sport.

Tennis Health Index Shows Growth

As announced at the TIA Tennis Forum during the US Open,

since 2003 the Tennis Health Index has risen 18.1 percent.

Published by the TIA and USTA, the index uses five differ-

ent elements to measure the health ofthe sport, and each of those elements

has shown growth in the past year.

In the USTA/TIA Tennis Participa-

tion Phone Survey, total players rose

from 25.23 million in 2007 to 26.88

million, and frequent players rose

from 5.2 million to 5.62 million. A

mail survey by the National Sporting

Goods Association rose from 12.3 million to 12.8 million players.

And the Sports Participation Partnership Survey shows an

increase in the past year from 16.9 million to 18.6 million

players.

The other two measures are the Court Activity Monitor, which

shows that more than 152 million court-hours were booked or

used in 2008 vs. 137 million in 2007, and Tennis Ball Shipments,

which rose 16 percent since 2003 to 131.9 million.

GrowingTennis.com AddsTools for Facility Managers

T

wo key resources have been added to the Grow-

ingTennis System: a Facility Managers Manual,

which is available for download, and a Go Greensection, to educate facilities on how they can be more

environmentally friendly while saving money. Both tools

can be found for free at GrowingTennis.com/Resources.

The comprehensive Facility Managers Manual is

result of the efforts of longtime tennis director and

manager Rod Heckelman. Rod has been a regular

speaker at USPTA Conferences and written several ten-

nis management articles for the USPTA and RSI. This

section will make avail-

able the most current

facility management

information.The first company

added to the Go Green

section is new TIA part-

ner Cleantech Solutions,

a national energy-serv-

ices company that specializes in designing and

installing high-efficiency lighting and control systems.

Upcoming ScheduleQ Dec. 5-7: ASBA Technical

Meeting, Savannah, GA

Q Dec. 16-19: ITA Conven-

tion, Naples, FLSpecial Request Work-shops: email us [email protected].



R A C Q U E T S P O R T S

B Y M A R Y H E L E N S P R E C H E R

Steady, Realistic GrowthA funny thing happened to racquetball at the height of its popu-

larity. People forgot about it. The baby-boomers (the most enthu-

siastic players in the 1970s and 80s) drifted away from the sport.

Okay, not so funny. But look at whats happening now. The

prodigal players have returned. The boomers have turned into

boomerangers, and theyre looking for courts, partners and equip-

ment. Even better news? Theyre not the only ones. Racquetball

is on the rise. The bounce-back, say industry insiders, is because

of two playing demographics.

Youre seeing college-age players, says Jim Hiser, executive

director of USA Racquetball, the sports national governing body,

and youre seeing those people who used to play, who are now

saying, You know, I really enjoyed racquetball. The return of the

older player is a boon for clubs. Once a player joins the club, he or

she usually finds not just the courts, but also other amenities,

including exercise equipment and personal trainers.

Well, you know what they say, says Ron Grimes, president of

E-Force. 65 is the new 45. People want to keep playing.

Courts: New and UsedTerri Graham, business director of indoor racquet sports and pad-

dle tennis at Wilson Racquet Sports, links the growth of racquetball

to the colleges and universities that are building multi-million-dol-

lar wellness facilities to help recruit students. Those centers have

beautiful racquetball courts. Most of those colleges offer racquet-

ball as a credit course. You can take it for an easy credit, but peo-

ple are learning its fun, so they keep playing through college.

As a result of returning players, clubs are seeing a demand for

racquetball courts again. When the sport fell out of favor during the

1990s, many courts were used for aerobics and weight training.

Now, some facilities are getting requests to bring back the courts.

EXPAND YOUR

R A C K E TH

ey, remember us? Were those other racquet sports. You

know, racquetball, squash, badmintoneven ping-pong.

Sure, tennis has been getting all the attention lately, but were

growing, too. In fact, in the same SGMA report that showed ten-

nis as the fastest growing traditional participation sport in the

country in the last eight years (up 43 percent), guess what sport

came in second? Racquetball, up 11.6 percent in participation

since 2000.

Even more significant, the SGMA reports that in the last year,

total r-ball participation is up 18.1 percent, squash is up 15.5 per-

cent, and table tennis is up 7.8 percent. The SGMA says this is

statistically significant growth, by the way. Even badminton par-

ticipation is up 2.6 percent in the last year. And badminton and

table tennis are already Olympic sports. (Squash was unsuccessful

in its most recent bid to the IOC, but its only a matter of time.)

You may not have on-site pros in these sports, so heres what

to do: Form a relationship with one of the manufacturers, and ask

them to send one of their team members to hold a demo day or

a clinic. Keep some loaner equipment around for people to use.

And by all means, keep encouraging them. Why? Because its

good for your bottom line. If you get enough interest, your pro

shop will be making more because players will need racquets,

stringing services, shoes, clothesyou name it. Doesnt that

sound like a win-win situation?

RACQUETBALL

EXPAND YOUR

R A C K E T

RACQUETBALL


25/36

SQUASHSQUASH


The demand for racquetball is also resulting in new construc-

tion. Two corporations in particular (Lifetime Fitness and L.A. Fit-

ness) put racquetball courts in each new

facility constructed. And that, says Doug

Gamin, indoor promotions manager of

Head/Penn and director of the U.S. Open

Racquetball Championships, is a recipe for

success: Its an amenity the club can add,

and it requires very little upkeep and costs

relatively little per square foot. There arealso proven statistics showing that clubs

offering racquetball have better member

retention.

Boxed InThe enthusiasm of manufacturers and offi-

cials, however, is guarded. There are obsta-

cles to growth, including a lack of public

facilities. Accessibility to courts is a big

challenge, says Ben Simons, senior busi-

ness manager for racquetball and acces-

sories at Head/Penn. You have to be amember of a club to be able to play.

Graham also cites a lack of full-time (or

even part-time) racquetball pros in clubs.

That, she notes, translates into inertia.

Some clubs have this idea of If we build it,

they will come. Well, no, they won't. They expect players to

show up without instruction. If you can ask a club manager, Do

you have spinning? Do you have aerobics? They'll say they do.

Then you ask if they have an instructor for those, and they'll say

Of course. Bingo: You can't expect any program to grow with-

out someone there to get it started.

Another problem is keeping players after college. Recentgraduates often do not make enough money to afford athletic

club memberships, and they stop playing. A lack of racquetball

professionals with celebrity status (think Venus and Serena) has

also hindered visibility.

Women and Children NextManufacturers agree that there are two markets in particular that

are not being addressed: youth (the pre-college age group) and

women. Racquetball remains a predominantly adult sport (few

public schools have courts, and many clubs do not allow children

to play because of insurance regulations or

safety concerns). It is also a predominantly

male culture. Grimes estimates that 85 per-

cent of players are men.

Why the lack of women? Pick a theory,

any theory: Racquetball is an aggressive

game, whereas tennis (particularly doubles)

tends to be more strategy-oriented andsocial. Many women who are returning to fit-

ness after raising children are seeking lower-

impact workouts. Other fitness concepts

have been marketed more effectively to

women, including aerobics, yoga, Pilates and

spinning.

Graham says Wilson has worked to

address the two neglected markets with new

product lines. For the youth market, it intro-

duced a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed

starter set, containing a racquet, balls and

eye guard. The line did not do well commer-cially, she notes. However, the company also

unveiled its Hope line of racquetball equip-

ment, designed for women, with a portion of

the proceeds going to the Breast Cancer

Research Foundation. That line has had wide-

spread acceptance among recreational players.

Bouncing Back UpDespite the threats, however, the sport is making gains. It may

never reach the near-obsessive craze it enjoyed in its heyday, but

in its place has come steady growth that manufacturers believe is

more realistic.Scott Winters, vice president of indoor court and paddle sports

for Prince, says Ektelon (Princes racquetball division) has seen a

spike in sales of beginner equipment packages, an indicator of new

players taking up the sport.

The period where courts and clubs were being overbuilt, and

where you had racquetball-only clubs, thats gone, says E-Forces

Grimes. But racquetball itself has staying power.

USA Racquetball: www.usra.org

GROWING THE GAMES

Want to grow interest in racquetball,squash, badminton, even ping-pong?

Make contacts: Get in touch with manu-facturers and ask them to send a pro or

team member out for a clinic or demo day.Put up posters. Talk it up to your players.

Make it a challenge: Organize a trysomething new night, with different sportsor activities. Those who try at least threenew things can win a prize and be enteredto win a nice piece of sporting equipment(in one of the racquet sports youre trying togrow, of course).

Get schools involved: Would an ele-mentary school, middle school or highschool like to start a badminton team? Asquash team? Extend the invitation.

Play up the benefits: List the ways newsports can help the body; (for example,according to some estimates, squash canburn between 700-1,000 calories per hourwhile providing a total body workout).

Outreach and Increased PlayWith all the talk about tennis and its upward swing, clubs may be

overlooking another racquet sport that has been quietly growing in

popularity. Thanks to new urban outreach programs for middle

school children and other initiatives aimed at bringing in the new

generation, squash is poised for a comeback and defying its old

stereotype of an upper-crust prep-school pastime.

To Kevin Klipstein, CEO of U.S. Squash, the national governing

body for the sport, youth enrichment programs like SquashBusters

in Boston and SquashWise in Baltimore are an idea whose time has

come. The programs, which recruit disadvantaged or at-risk chil-

dren from public elementary and middle schools and teach them

the basics of the game using donated courts and equipment, also

teach good sportsmanship, social learning and the value of hard

work, academics and community service.

And surprise they grow good students, not just good ath-

letes. The SquashBusters website notes that 24 students began their

program in September 1996, and that first team graduated from

high school with an 84% matriculation rate to four-year colleges.


26/36

In Baltimore, the Meadow Mill Athletic Club began its own out-

reach program in 2007, working with students from a local public

school. I want to help kids get an opening they never had, says

Peter Heffernan, director of squash at Meadow Mill. Other cities with

urban squash programs include Philadelphia, New York, Minneapo-

lis, New Haven, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and San Diego. The

National Urban Squash and Education Association (NUSEA), formed

in 2005 to promote outreach efforts, offers grants to new and devel-

oping programs.

Getting people interested in playing squash means physically get-ting them onto the court. Many clubs offer free clinics for adults. If

people just have the chance to play, they get addicted, says Steve

Hall, who manages Dunlops squash division.

Hall uses squash ball sales as a barometer for the growth of the

sport, and says that those sales have increased. Dunlop, he adds, is

evolving to meet the needs of the outreach market. From a product

side, were looking at things that will play down to a more beginning

level of player. The market is growing for cheaper racquets, so were

putting more emphasis on introductory and junior products.

Hitting the WallOne of the problems facing squash in the U.S is the lack of munici-pal courts. Another is a lack of clout. Squash has yet to be named an

Olympic sport, although it came close in 2005, and despite a con-

certed effort this time around.

Then theres everyones favorite villain, the economy. The 2008

U.S. Squash Open couldnt be held, says Klipstein. We were run-

ning into real problems from a sponsorship perspective. U.S.

Squash is now planning the next U.S. Open, which will include both

mens and womens championships.

24 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009

The lack of money being put into squash programs trickles

down to a shortage of space in clubs. I think some private clubs

do not focus on squash because they can generate more rev-

enue with other fitness programs, says Philip Laird, president

of the Massachusetts-based Architectural Resources Cambridge,

which has designed a number of squash facilities. (After all, a

squash court can accommodate two players. A spinning studio?

A lot more.)

Having fewer courts has led to many clubs reluctance to

hire a full-time (or even part-time) squash pro. No formal pro-gramming means no way to bring in new players. In addition,

essential aspects of squash have changed over the years, caus-

ing rifts in the sports community. The ball itself, and the dimen-

sions of the court changed. Singles squash has been

emphasized and taught more than doubles; as a result, limited

doubles facilities remain.

There are, however, things that havent changed at all,

according to Doug Whittaker, head squash pro at the German-

town Cricket Club in Philadelphia. The sport, he notes, has the

best workout known to humans and its very social. Some

would call it legalized warfare: you against the opponent.

It is those things that are unique to squash, according toKlipstein, that make the sport strong enough to survive its chal-

lenges. Anecdotally, you get a feeling that once people try

squash, theyll stick with it. I expect us to catapult in the next

year.

U.S. Squash: www.ussquash.com

National Urban Squash and Education Association:

www.nationalurbansquash.org

Growing on the Competitive LevelIf your only image of badminton is the backyard game you last

played as a kid, brace yourself for a paradigm shift. After all, this is

an Olympic sport were talking about, and in that arena, the shut-

tlecock can move at speeds in excess of 200 mph. Sure, its still

played on a recreational level (with plenty of picnic pick-up match-

es still taking place), but on a competitive level, its also growing in

popularity. Quietly and steadily, its growing.

If you're not in the sport, it doesn't feel like it's there, but real-

ly, there's this whole competitive nature out there that people don't

know about, says Terri Graham of Wilson Racquet Sports.

Officials at USA Badminton, the sports national governing body,

BADMINTONBADMINTON

say that interest in the game tends to be concentrated in pock-

ets around the country. Im always finding these little pock-ets, says Cecil Bleiker, media services director. Its popular in

certain areas: Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco. In some

places, its huge. There are old established clubs dating back to

the 1930s.

Competitive badminton enthusiasts enjoy their sport either

at designated clubs, or in local organizations that regularly set

up courts in school gymnasiums or rec centers. They describe

the agility, speed and strength players develop, and wax poetic

about the sports aerobic benefits.

Two recent television commercials have showcased the

sport as well. In one, a woman remarks that thanks to Aleve,

shell never have to give up badminton. The other commercial?

Well, thats more tongue-in-cheek, showing David Ortiz and

Brian Urlacher sucking down Vitamin Water, then winning a

badminton doubles match with a smash that lodges the shuttle

in an opposing players leg.

While mainstream publicity tends to elude badminton in the

U.S., the sport enjoys international popularity. In China, for

example, badminton is played by all ages and at all levels.

(China has also dominated the Olympic badminton scene in

recent years.)

Threats to the GameWith the exception of the Olympics, there are few widely tele-

vised badminton matches and as a result, fewer opportunities



for aspiring players to see competitive badminton. Unfortunately, say USA Badminton

officials, there are other setbacks. Those who want to learn the game, for example, may

have difficulty finding lessons or pros if they do not live in one of those pockets.

The most important thing is to get good coaching, says Dan Cloppas, CEO of USA

Badminton. For example, if you have your footwork wrong, if youre not trained cor-

rectly, you can have a lot of talent, but you wont move beyond a certain level. And find-

ing someone at the local level can be difficult.

Worse, they say, where the sport really needs to grow, in high schools and health

clubs, gymnasium space (where courts can be set up) is used instead for basketball or vol-

leyball.The good news, though, is that bringing the sport onboard at the club level is easy.

One of badmintons charms is that the courts are not very large (44 long x 20 wide for

doubles, 44 x 17 for singles), and that the nets can be set up quickly. A try badminton

event could be held on indoor or outdoor tennis courts, with each tennis court able to host

two badminton games simultaneously. (On hard courts, painters tape can be used to

mark lines, much the same way as when using the QuickStart Tennis format). If theres

enough interest, regular badminton play can be implemented.

Plus, says Roger Petersman, senior business manager for tennis and badminton at

Head, Its easy to learn and its inexpensive to take up. He believes the sport is poised

for growth.

And Graham agrees. Someday, someone's going to open their eyes and say, Where

did this come from? But really, it's been there all along.USA Badminton: www.usabadminton.org

TABLE TENNISTABLE TENNIS

Out of the BasementYou know a sport has scored a comeback when People magazine takes a page away from

its coverage of reality TV, red-carpet blunders and high-profile hookups and breakups, to

talk about it as the newest fitness trend. Ping-pong has re-emerged into the spotlight,

thanks in part to Susan Sarandon, who has opened the Manhattan club SPiN NYC, known

as the table tennis Taj Mahal. Facilities include standard tables, pro courts and a stadi-

um court, pro shop, robotic ball machines and more.

According to Michael D. Cavanaugh, CEO of USA Table Tennis, the national govern-

ing body, its about time people started paying attention to the merits of what he calls

the ultimate basement sport.

Given the effects of the economy, there are several intrinsic family values to the

sport. Children can play with adults, teenagers can play with senior citizens. But I think

that its just recreation for many families until they see it played professionally. When you

see that, its just jaw-dropping. Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988.

According to Cavanaugh, the U.S. dominated the sport in earlier decades, but since that

time, Chinese athletes have moved to the forefront.

The USATT has about 9,000 registered members, but according to Cavanaugh, there

are an estimated 23 million tables in homes. And, he adds, theres room for growth. A

health or racquet sports club can put a ping-pong table in an unused area and create a

social hub for members. Plus, he says, the sports benefits go beyond simple fitness: We

now have evidence that playing ping-pong mitigates the effects of Alzheimers.

USA Table Tennis: www.usatt.org Q



String Playtest

EASE OF STRINGING

(compared to other strings)

Number of testers who said it was:

much easier 2

somewhat easier 15

about as easy 18

not quite as easy 3

not nearly as easy 0

OVERALL PLAYABILITY

(compared to string played most often)


much better 1

somewhat better 5

about as playable 11

not quite as playable 18

not nearly as playable 3

OVERALL DURABILITY

(compared to other strings

of similar gauge)


much better 4

somewhat better 12

about as durable 15

not quite as durable 6

not nearly as durable 1

RATING AVERAGES

From 1 to 5 (best)

Playability 3.4

Durability 3.7

Power 3.4

Control 3.7

Comfort 3.3

Touch/Feel 3.0

Spin Potential (11th overall) 3.6

Holding Tension 3.4

Resistance to Movement 3.8

Head Sonic Pro/FXP Power is another

of Heads pre-selected Perfect Match

hybrids. Perfect Match is a system

developed by Head that allows each

player easily to select a hybrid combi-

nation based on desired primary and

secondary string properties. (See the

August 2009 issue of RSI for more

information.) This particular combina-

tion aims for durability as the primary

benefit and power as the secondarybenefit.

According to Head, Sonic Pro is made

of uniquely refined co-polymer polyester

and an extra combination of resins and

fibers, offering superior durability and

control for extra pop and spin. The 2008

USRSA members Choice Awards String

Survey ranked Sonic Pro the most

durable 17-gauge string. For more about

Sonic Pro 17, see our playtest report in

the July 2007 RSI magazine.

FXP Power is a multifilament contain-ing a high-tech microfiber core wrapped

with tri-cluster FiberGEL filaments.

According to Head, this combination pro-

vides ultimate elasticity unleashing

unprecedented power. The 2008 USRSA

members Choice Awards String Survey

ranked FXP Power the fifth best nylon

string overall. For more about FXP

Power, see our playtest report of the 16-

gauge version in the July 2006 RSI maga-

zine.

Head tells us that by using Sonic Pro

in the mains, the player gains durability

and control, while FXP Power in the

crosses adds power to the string bed.

For the Perfect Match program, Sonic

Pro 17 and FXP Power 17 are available

as half sets in orange/natural only,

although Sonic Pro is also available in full

sets in black and white. It is priced from

$13 ($6.75 for a half-set of Sonic Pro,

$6.25 for a half-set of FXP Power). For

more information or to order, contact

Head at 800-289-7366, or visit

www.head.com. Be sure to read the con-

clusion for more informa-

tion about getting a free

set to try for yourself.

IN THE LABWe tested the 17 gauge versions of both

Sonic Pro FXP Power. The coils mea-

sured 20 and 20. The diameters mea-

sured 1.23-1.24 mm (Sonic Pro) and

1.24-1.26 mm (FXP Power) before string-

ing, and 1.20-1.21 mm and 1.21-1.22

mm after stringing. We recorded astringbed stiffness of 74 RDC units

imme-

diately after stringing at

60 pounds in a Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 95

(16 x 18 pattern) on a constant-pull

machine.After 24 hours (no playing),

stringbed stiffness measured 68 RDC

units, representing an 8 percent tension

loss. Our control string, Prince Synthetic

Gut Original Gold 16, measured 78 RDC

units immediately after stringing and 71

RDC units after 24 hours, representing a

9 percent tension loss. Sonic Pro 17/FXP

Power 17 added 15 grams to the weight

of our unstrung frame.

The string was tested for five weeks

by 38 USRSA playtesters, with NTRP rat-ings from 3.5 to 6. These are blind tests,

with playtesters receiving unmarked

strings in unmarked packages. Average

number of hours playtested was 20.2.

As noted by our playtest team, this

combination is easy to install, especially

because both strings can be installed at

the same tension. Our only requirement

for this playtest was that the Sonic Pro

be installed as the main string.

No playtesters broke his sample dur-

ing stringing, two reported problemswith coil memory, four reported prob-

lems tying knots, and one reported fric-

tion burn.

ON THE COURTThe Perfect Match hybrid impressed our

playtest team most with its Spin Poten-

tial, giving it a score good enough to be

11th out of the 136 strings that weve

playtested to date for publication. How-

ever, our playtesters also rated Sonic

Pro/FXP Power well above average in

Durability, Power, Control, Comfort,

Head Sonic Pro 17/

FXP Power 17




High playability for a hybrid. Great feel, con-trol, and power.

6.0 male all-court player

using Wilson K Tour strung at 56.5 pounds CP

(Wilson NXT 17)

This combination works. The control is therefrom the very first hit. The nylon cross is not only

durable, but it adds power and feel.

4.0 male

baseliner with heavy spin using Babolat Pure

Drive Roddick strung at 63 pounds LO (Babolat

Pro Hurricane Tour 16)

This string has great feel and very high playa-bility.

3.5 male all-court player using Prince

O3 Blue strung at 60 pounds CP (Luxilon Big

Banger TIMO/Tecnifibre NRG2 18/17)

Great feel and control. The mains and crossesare well matched. Power holds up for about 15

hours.

4.5 male baseliner with moderate spin

using Volkl Power Bridge 10 (295g) strung at 58

pounds CP (Gamma Zo Tour 17)

Noticeable pop on serves. Though powergoes down after a few hours, control does not

suffer. The color scheme is a winner.

3.5 male

TESTERS TALKall-court player using Wilson K Blade strung at

55 pounds CP (Polyester/Nylon Multifilament

17/17)

This is a very comfortable, arm-friendlyhybrid with above average power. Spin poten-

tial is impressive.

3.5 male baseliner with

heavy spin using Prince Tour Diablo MP strung

at 58 pounds CP (Luxilon Big Banger Alu

Power/Gamma Natural Gut Tour 16L/16)

Nothing exceptional to note. I prefer stringswith higher levels of comfort and control.

4.5 male baseliner with moderate spin usingPrince OZone Seven strung at 60 pounds LO

(Babolat Conquest 16)

Very easy to string. The impact is very com-fortable. Great control and playability. Cross

strings broke a little too soon.

4.5 male all-

court player using Wilson K Tour strung at 50

pounds CP (Luxilon Big Banger Alu Power 16L)

Too stiff. Not enough power.4.0 male

all-court player using Volkl V1 Classic strung at

57 pounds CP (Wilson Super Spin 16)

FREE PLAYTEST

STRING PROGRAMHead will send a free set of

Sonic Pro 17/FXP Power 17 to the

first 500 USRSA members

who cut out (or copy) this coupon

and mail it to:

Offer expires 15 Nov 2009

Offer only available to USRSA

members in the US.

Name:

USRSA Member number:

Phone:

Email:

If you print your email clearly,

we will notify you when your sample

will be sent.

USRSAAttn: Head String Offer,

330 Main Street,Vista, CA 92084

or fax to 760-536-1171,or email the info below to

[email protected]


For the rest of the tester comments, visit

www.racquetsportsindustry.com.

Tension Retention, and Resistance to

Movement. With high scores in each ofthese seven categories, its no surprise

that the combination of Sonic Pro and

FXP Power also came in with a well-

above-average overall score.

Six members of the playtest team

broke the sample during play, one each

at 1.5, 2, 4.5, 6, 8, and 12 hours.

CONCLUSIONAccording to our playtest team, the com-

bination of Head Sonic Pro 17/FXP

Power 17 does deliver durability and

power. As we noted in the last playtest

of one of Heads Perfect Match hybrids,

this program really facilitates experimen-

tation with -- and selection of -- hybrids

that work well together. Once you try

one Perfect Match hybrid, it should be

no problem figuring out your next move,

whether its staying with what youve

got or going for something different.

If you think that Head Sonic Pro

17/FXP Power 17 might be for you, fill

out the coupon to get a free set to try.

Greg Raven Q


30/36

care aisle) to cover the outside of the

starting clamp. You can do it with one

piece of the material cut as shown andwrapped around the head of the clamp.

After applying the moleskin, use a new

single edge razor blade to cut it so the

jaws open. To do this, squeeze the

clamp enough to open the jaws slightly

enough to get the razor in and

work it back and forth until it hits the

bottom. You need to clean the starting

clamp thoroughly with something like

denatured alcohol before applying the

moleskin. I scrub mine well with a tooth-

brush.10 packs of Tourna Grip (packs of 3) to:

Vince Chiarelli, MRT, Largo, FL

PADDING YOURSTARTING CLAMPUK STYLEWhen using a starter clamp, often we put

either a loose piece of leather pad or syn-

PADDING YOURSTARTING CLAMP

USA STYLE

Starting clamps used on the outside of

the frame can cause scratches. I use

moleskin (a product found in the foot

28 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY November/December 2009

Tips & Techniques

thetic grip between the clamp and the

frame to prevent marking the frame.

Unfortunately, this small piece of

padding is easily lost in a busy tool tray.

I solved this by attaching thepadding to the clamp.

If you have a smooth piece of

leather, you can use double-sided sticky

tape to help hold it in place. Scraps of

synthetic grip usually have this sticky

tape on them already. I then pin the

padding to the clamp using a 2.6 mm

diameter replacement badminton

Readers Know-How in Action



31/36November/December 2009 RACQUET SPORTS INDUSTRY 29www.racquetsportsindustry.com

grommet, and finish off by wrapping a

rubber band around the body of the

clamp.

5 sets of Pro Supex PF Blend 17/16 to:

Sam Chan, MRT, London England

CLEAN THEHOLE RACQUETMy normal restringing service includes a

thorough cleaning of the racquet, but I

always found it a bit challenging toclean the O-Ports and Speedports on

Prince racquets (especially clay-court

players racquets!). The openings were

too small for efficient use of rags and

too big for Q-tips.

It occurred to me to try a rifle bore

mop, and it works perfectly. I like the

.30-.32 caliber (8 mm) the best, but

Tips and Techniques submitted since 2000

by USRSA members, and appearing in this

column, have all been gathered into a sin-

gle volume of the Stringers DigestRac-

quet Service Techniques which is a benefit

of USRSA membership. Submit tips to:

Greg Raven, USRSA, 330 Main St., Vista, CA

92804; or email [email protected].

even the 12-gauge shotgun mop will

work. These mops thread onto a han-

dle if you need a better grip. I buy

them for around $2 each at Wal-Mart

and sporting goods stores that sell

gun supplies.

I figure that if Prince cares

enough to paint inside the ports I

should care enough to clean them.

5 sets of Gamma Synthetic Gut with

WearGuard 16 to:

Greg Christopherson, Oceanside, CA

CORRECTIONThe 'Bumperguard tool' tip that

appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2009 issue

of RSI was submitted by Ronald Con-

dio of Ashville, NY. We apologize for

the mix-up.

Greg Raven Q


32/36

Ask the Experts

SLACKSTRING SYNDROME

IN THE MAY ISSUE OF RSI, YOU

mentioned a special stringing pat-

tern used by Michael Chang and

popularized by Andre Agassi. What you

didn't mention is the purpose of this string-

ing technique, which I suppose was done

to avoid the famous "Slack Outside String

Syndrome" that frequently plagues

stringers: With traditional one-piece string-

ing method, the tied-off string can have a

bit more slack. According to the USRSA,

this is not a problem, but there are always

players who complain about it. With any

two-piece stringing method, there is the

possibility for twice as many slack strings,

as there are twice as many knots. This

leads me to wonder why one would go to

so much trouble to use this technique?

YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND that

were not comparing one- and two-

piece techniques, because clearly Chang

and Agassi wanted hybrid stringing. One-

piece stringing methods were not even

under consideration.

With that said, we dont know the

original purpose of the Chang/Agassi

stringing technique, but it probably wasnt

to avoid having slack in the outside string,

not only for the reason you mention but

also because there are other ways of elim-

inating the slack in outside strings. One

thing this stringing technique does do,

though, is place a more pliab

200911 racquet sports industry

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