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They're Certifiable!

Looking for someone to build or refurbish your courts? Try a builder who is certified by the USTC&TBA.

By Peter Francesconi

Most facility owners probably have lost at least a little sleep wondering whether they were getting the best quality possible out of the person they hired to build or refurbish their courts. When you’re investing a lot into your business, you want to be assured that the work will be top quality, and that you can trust the person who’s taking your money.

One way to help ensure the quality of court construction is to seek out a Certified Tennis Court Builder (CTCB), someone who is “credentialed” by the U.S. Tennis Court & Track Builder’s Association.

Carol Shaner, executive vice president of the USTC&TBA, says that her organization has certified 42 individual court builders across the U.S. (including builders who have since retired). All have gone through a certification program designed to ensure sufficient practical experience in the court construction business along with technical knowledge, says Shaner.

“This is a process that’s really focused on the public,” she says. “It’s designed to give the public one defensible way to choose a court builder.” Individuals, not companies, are eligible to attain CTCB status, she says. Companies may then employ those certified builders, but only the certified builder can use the CTCB logo.

The certification procedure was implemented in 2000, after a few years were spent designing the test, with the help of outside consultants. David Clapp, chairman of the USTC&TBA’s Certified Tennis Court Builders Committee and vice president of Baseline Sports Construction of Knoxville, Tenn., says the test is offered twice a year — at the USTC&TBA Technical Meeting, generally in early December, and at the group’s Winter Meeting, usually in February. However, individuals can take the exam at any time at the USTC&TBA headquarters in Baltimore.

The eligibility requirements to become a CTCB “are designed to ensure that the person has sufficient real-world experience,” says Shaner. The exam itself consists of 100 technical, multiple-choice questions, which are updated regularly.

Individuals who pass the test are then certified for three years. To maintain their CTCB status, they need to be re-certified every three years, which is achieved by maintaining a certain amount of ongoing work combined with either retaking the exam or through a points program in which builders amass credits for various seminars and courses on the more technical aspects of the business, says Shaner.

For USTC&TBA members, it costs $250 for the initial exam and $150 to re-certify. For nonmembers, it’s $350 and $250.

“As much as I think this is a very valid criteria to consider,” says Shaner, “I wouldn’t want people to think it’s the only thing to consider when hiring a builder. Clearly, some people put in their bidding documents that they only want certified builders. But there are very experienced, very high-quality builders who for whatever reason haven’t chosen to sit for certification.”

But still, it doesn’t hurt to go with someone who has taken the time to invest in their technical knowledge of the business. And it may just lead to some very restful nights of sleep. w

Finding a CTCB Near You

David Baird, CTCB
Industrial Surface Sealer, Inc.
4000 E. 86th Street
Cleveland, OH 44105
216-341-2662

Burnham Beard, CTCB (Ret.)

Peggy Beard, CTCB (Ret.)

Michael Beard, CTCB
Vintage Constractors, Inc.
2367 Ocean Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94127
415-282-1602

Richard Benson, CTCB
Tenni-Trac Sport Surfaces,
A Div. of Louisville Paving Co.
1801 Payne Street
Louisville, KY 40206
502-815-4121

John Camburn, CTCB
Goddard Coatings Co.
2280 Auburn Road
Auburn Hills, MI 48326
248-338-0332

David Clapp, CTB, CTCB
Baseline Sports Construction
10319 Cogdill Road
Knoxville, TN 37932
865-966-7311

Jonnie Deremo, CTCB
General Acrylics, Inc.
22222 North 22nd Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
602-569-9377

Thomas DeRosa, CTCB
DeRosa Tennis Contractors, Inc.
P.O. Box 430
438 Center Avenue
Mamaroneck, NY 10543
914-698-2404

Tony Edwards, CTCB
Fraser Edwards Co, LLC
2367 Ocean Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94127
415-826-9595

Will Ferguson, CTCB
Baseline Sports Construction
10319 Cogdill Road
Knoxville, TN 37932
865-966-7311

Jerry Gray, CTCB
Leslie Coatings, Inc.
1101 East 30th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46205
317-926-3411

Tom Josephs, CTCB
Renner Sports Surfaces
775 Canosa Court
Denver, CO 80204
303-825-3435

Matthew Lanin, CTCB
Specialty Surfacing Co.,
Hawaii, Inc.
91-087 Hanua Street
Kapolei, HI 96707
808-682-2021

Nat Lee, CTB, CTCB
Lee Sports Surfacing, LLC
3027 Edgerton Street
Little Canada, MN 55117
612-597-0544

Robert Logan, Jr., CTCB
Evergreen Tennis Services
P.O. Box 2717
49 Jonathan Street
Hagerstown, MD 21741
800-511-7272

Linn Lower, CTCB
Lower Bros. Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 43026
Birmingham, AL 35243
205-967-3901

L. Bruce Mahler, CTCB
Boston Tennis Court
Construction Co., Inc.
24 Rockland Street
Hanover, MA 02339
781-826-2303

Fred Manchester, CTCB
Howard B. Jones & Son, Inc.
210 Glassmaster Road
Lexington, SC 29072
803-359-1990

David Marsden, CTCB
Boston Tennis Court
Construction Co., Inc.
24 Rockland Street
Hanover, MA 02339
781-826-2303

Joseph Matoskey, CTCB
General Acrylics, Inc.
22222 North 22nd Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
602-569-9377

David Moore, CTCB
Cape & Island Tennis & Track
P.O. Box 1100
28 Commerce Park Road
Pocasset, MA 02559-1100
508-759-5636

Paul Fritz Myers, CTCB (Ret.)

Herb Osburn, CTCB
Tennis Courts, Inc.
P.O. Box 297
Aylett, VA 23009-0297
804-769-3030

Carl Paylor, CTCB (Ret.)

Gerald Perry, CTCB
Gerald Perry Tennis Courts
1843 E. Cherry Street
Springfield, MO 65802
417-865-1217

Gordy Pierce, CTCB
Cape & Island Tennis & Track
P.O. Box 1100
28 Commerce Park Road
Pocasset, MA 02559
508-759-5636

Bob Pratsch, CTCB
American Surfaces Corp. of MN
P.O. Drawer 40
3135 Deerfield West
Suamico, WI 54173
920-434-8272

Ben Rennolds, CTCB
Tennis Courts, Inc.
P.O. Box 297
Aylett, VA 23009
804-769-3030

Dennis Rossi, CTCB
Latex-ite International, Inc.
4051 North Point Road
Baltimore, MD 21222-3699
410-477-5432

Donna Siercks, CTB, CTCB
SRI Sports
P.O. Box 589
701 Leander Drive
Leander, TX 78641
512-259-0080

Kevin Smith, CTCB (Ret.)

Al Stultz, CTCB
Mid Pac Sport Surfaces, Inc.
10817 N. Glen Abbey Drive
Tucson, AZ 85737
520-575-8909

George Todd, Jr., CTCB
Welch Tennis Courts, Inc.
P.O. Box 7770
4501 Old US Hwy 41
Sun City, FL 33586
813-641-7787

Mike Vinton, CTCB
Vasco Group
P.O. Box 754
Massillon, OH 44648
330-832-5151

Gerry Wright, CTCB
Court One
5810 Hillsborough Road
Raleigh, NC 27606
919-859-4300

Steve Wright, CTCB
Trans Texas Tennis, Inc.
5212 Werner
Houston, TX 77022
713-691-1006

Richard Zaino, CTCB
Zaino Tennis Courts, Inc.
982-A North Batavia
Orange, CA 92867
714-744-1885

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.

From the March 2004 issue
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