Industry News

Information to help you run your business.

Men’s Event Added to Pilot Pen Tourney

The USTA purchased the ATP tournament formerly known as the TD Waterhouse and combined it with the women’s event in New Haven, Conn., to create the first combined men’s and women’s summer tournament leading into the US Open. The new men’s tournament will be added to the existing Pilot Pen Tennis tournament, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event already owned by the USTA, and played in New Haven.

As a result of this acquisition, the 2005 US Open Series — the six-week summer tennis season that links all major ATP and WTA Tour tournaments in North America to the US Open — will culminate Aug. 21-28 at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale University. The men’s and women’s winners of the US Open Series will compete for double prize money at the 2005 US Open. In addition, the newly enhanced Pilot Pen Tennis now will offer more than $1.2 million in prize money.

ESPN2 and CBS Sports will televise 18 hours of the new Pilot Pen Tennis event as part of the 100-plus hours of live television coverage for the US Open Series. The women’s event will conclude with its traditional Saturday final on Aug. 27 while the men’s final will take place Aug. 28. The US Open begins Monday, August 29, in Flushing, N.Y.

USTA Develops New Court Color For Open Series

The USTA has come up with a new court color scheme for all courts at the US Open and US Open Series of tournaments. Starting this year, the colors will be a blue inner court surrounded by a green outer court.

The new color is designed to heighten the visibility of the ball for players, fans attending the events, and television viewers, in addition to providing a “signature look” and identifiable link between the US Open Series and the US Open, the USTA says.

It’s the first change of court colors for the US Open since the event moved to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., in 1978 from Forest Hills. All courts at the NTC will continue with a DecoTurf II hardcourt surface.

“The new court colors have been tested and proven to enhance visibility of the ball for both players and fans,” says Arlen Kantarian, the USTA’s chief executive of Professional Tennis. “In addition, it provides an instant visual link between the US Open Series tournaments and the US Open, helping to create a unified ‘regular season’ for tennis leading up to the US Open.” The new color debuted in April at the Fed Cup match in Florida (above).

The US Open Series is the six-week summer tennis season of 10 major North American tournaments that precede the US Open fortnight.

Bälle de Mätch Reports Strong March, Adds Staff

Bälle de Mätch reports that sales in March were the best for the Southern California-based apparel manufacturer in over three years. The company recently added three to its staff.

Bob Shafer joins the company as national promotions advisor. Shafer has 33 years of experience in the industry and is a member of the executive board of the Southern California Tennis Association. He also volunteers his time to the Tennis Industry Association. Currently he is a new business development consultant for Active Network Inc., a provider of application and marketing services for participatory activities and nonprofit events.

Shafer resides in Orange Country, Calif., and will concentrate on the West Coast at the start. Then, he will turn his attention to programs in other sections of the country. He can be reached at bob@balledematch.com.

Also, two new sales reps join Bälle de Mätch. Bruce Hamlin, an industry veteran who spent 11 years with Wilson, eight years with HEAD Penn, and is currently representing Dunlop, will cover the state of New York. Hamlin has been working the New York metropolitan area for over 25 years in this industry. Wolfgang Jaeger will now add Northern New Jersey and Pennsylvania to his territory of south New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“I’ve known Bruce for a long time. He’s an excellent apparel salesman with great relationships in the industry. I’m excited to have someone who really understands grassroots and knows the key influencers in the area,” said Bälle de Mätch co-owner and partner John Embree.

Also joining joining the company is Mark Wigley, a sales rep for Tail and Gear for Sports. He will cover Arkansas and Mississippi from his home base in Ridgeland, Miss. Wigley has been in sport sales for eight years.

Ashaway Introduces Line of Four Squash Racquets

Ashaway Racket Strings has recently introduced a line of squash racquets, designed to work with Ashaway’s line of squash strings. The racquets feature three strategic stringing nodes for enhanced string performance and maximum kinetic advantage, says the company. The frames also feature Full Motion string holes, which Ashaway says allow the strings to pivot against the outside of the frame, rather than the inside, adding up to 2 cm of active string length.

The racquets are available in four models — Rad 475, Liberty 495, Destiny 490 and Hornet 495 — each with a frame composed of Carbon 4 and high or extreme modulus graphite. Unlike traditional racquets with uniform or tapered frame cross-sections, the new Ashaway squash racquets employ strategically positioned nodes to boost string performance for optimum results, says the company.

For more information, contact Ashaway at 800-556-7260 or 401-377-2221, or visit Ashaway on the web.

National Public Parks Championships In July

The 79th Annual National Public Parks Tennis Championships will be July 25 to 31 at Scalzi Park in Stamford, Conn. “There is something for everyone,” says Tim Curry, president of the Greater Stamford Tennis Association (GSTA). “It’s the people’s national championship.”

This year, for the first time, NPPTC adult division players will be able to earn points toward a USTA national ranking. The event is a Category II tournament in the Adult Divisions and Level 7 in Juniors, and it represents the only National Championship for NTRP players in singles and doubles.

In addition to the adult division (35-and-over to 95-and-over), competition will include Men’s and Women’s Open, Juniors (10-and-under to 18-and-under), NTRP (3.5 to 4.5 singles and doubles, 7.0 to 9.0 mixed doubles), Wheelchair (including up-down doubles) and Family Doubles (Father-Son and Parent-Child).

Entry deadline for the tournament is Friday, July 15. Entry fees for Adult, Wheelchair and Family divisions are $40 for singles and $50 per doubles team; junior competition is $25 for singles and $30 per doubles team. Proceeds will benefit the GSTA’s Junior Tennis Outreach Program. USTA members may register online at TennisLink, on USTA.com. The tournament I.D. number is 450704005. A printable entry form is available at Stamford Tennis on the web.

News from the TIA

Cardio Tennis — The first Cardio Tennis Workshop took place at the USPTA Southern Convention on Hilton Head Island, S.C., in May and had more than 50 participants. Nationally, nearly 2,000 DVDs have been distributed to teaching pros and facilities in the initial phase to get 1,000 quality Cardio Tennis sites ready for this fall’s launch to consumers. For more information, visit Cardio Tennis on the web.
Tennis Welcome Centers — The initiative, launched last year, is alive and well for 2005 with a revamped website that gives facilities the opportunity to include programming information and receive feedback, and sets a standard for quality control. Also, there’s a new toll-free customer service line. More than 7 million national magazine ads and newspaper inserts hit the streets this spring, along a special tennis insert (1.5 million copies) in USA Today. Hits on the website — TennisWelcomeCenter.com — have doubled from the same period last year.
TennisConnect.org — With the goal of connecting players to facilities, programs and each other, TennisConnect.org is designed to get more people playing tennis. In one recent seven-week period, more than 100,000 online court bookings took place, and the testimonials are continuing to roll in on how the player-match engine, court scheduler, program calendar and online registration system have been successful additions for both members and facility operators.
Growing Tennis 50/50 — This co-op funding program has been opened up to entrepreneurs promoting new player programs to adults as well as juniors. The website, GrowingTennis.com, has also been upgraded to include USTA Section news and events.
TennisWire.org — Featuring industry news from TIA members and affiliates, TennisWire.org is expanding its frequency and will be electronically distributed to more than 12,000 industry contacts, in addition to tennis writers and publications.

Classic Turf Expands Factory, Warehouse

Classic Turf, a manufacturer and supplier of cushioned sports surfaces, including tennis courts, has expanded its facility in Woodbury, Conn., in response to a significant increase in interest in softer surfaces for sports and recreation, says Classic Turf Founder and President Tumer Eren.

The expansion, which added a 4,000-square-foot structure to the existing 9-year-old 11,000-square-foot facility, adds storage capacity for more than 600 rolls of Classic Turf prefabricated rubber products, Eren says. “With our new warehouse, now we can fill and ship orders immediately, which means new or renovated courts using Classic Turf surfaces will be back in service and ready for play fast — in many cases in less than a week,” he adds.

For more information, contact 800-246-7951 or 203-263-0800 or visit Classic Turf on the web.

PTR Schedules Professional Development Weekend

The Professional Tennis Registry’s annual Professional Development Weekend will be held in conjunction with the ROHO/PTR $15,000 Wheelchair Tennis Championships on Hilton Head Island, S.C., Sept. 22 to 25. The development weekend is open to all tennis teachers and coaches, and will be conducted at the PTR Headquarters.

Courses during the weekend include Beginner/Intermediate Racquet Stringing with Fred Romanus of Gamma Sports and Tennis Club Programming by Larry Karageanes, Club and Resort Services. PTR Director of Development Geoff Norton will conduct Team Coaching Successful Singles and Doubles. Competitive/Situational Games workshop will be led by PTR International Director Iñaki Balzola. Dr. Bryce Young and Linda LeClaire will present a psychology course titled Mastering the Mental Side. Norton will also conduct Instructing Wheelchair Tennis 102, which is designed for tennis professionals who wish to earn a wheelchair tennis teaching certification. A Cardio Tennis Workshop will also be held during the weekend.

For specific dates, times, and prices, or to register, contact 800-421-6289 or 843-785-7244 or register online at PTR Tennis, or e-mail ptr@ptrtennis.org for more information.

Slinghopper Launches ‘Rally’ Bag

Slinghopper has introduced a smaller “Rally” bag designed to hold 15 balls. Company President Paul Tobin says the smaller bag will allow pros greater mobility while feeding and playing. The larger version, the Slinghopper Pro, holds 40 balls and is designed for ball feeding. For more information, call 866-434-1600 or visit Slinghopper on the web.

Gamma Offers Tennis Against Breast Cancer Products

Gamma Sports has formed a partnership with Tennis Against Breast Cancer and is offering a TABC line consisting of a matching Pink Revelation String, Pink Shockbuster, and Pink Supreme Overgrip. Gamma Sports will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each of the TABC products to Tennis Against Breast Cancer.

The Gamma Pink Live Wire Revelation String features multifilaments that are fused rather than bonded together for a firmer yet more forgiving feel, says Gamma. Revelation String features a hard pearl coating on the outer surface to prevent notching and provide longer string life.

The Gamma Pink Shockbuster is the original “worm”-shaped vibration dampener that contacts the critical main strings and dampens vibration with its patented Zorbicon gel-filled design. And the Pink Supreme Overgrip is Gamma’s best-selling overgrip, featuring a balance of tackiness and absorbency, yet is soft and durable, says the company.

To inquire about becoming a Gamma Sports dealer and distributing Gamma’s TABC Products, contact Gamma Sports directly, contact 800-333-0337, 412-323-0335, or e-mail tsr@gamma sports.com. For more information on Gamma products, visit GammaSports.com.

Deco Installs Its First Courts Down Under

The Hampton Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia, recently installed the first DecoTurf courts in that country. Club management opted for the four cushioned acrylic courts to replace the previous clay-like courts.

“The membership response to Hampton has been tremendous, a 150 percent increase,” says club manager Craig James. DecoTurf, based in Andover, Mass., is the most widely used acrylic court surface for professional ATP and WTA tournaments and was recently the playing surface of the 2004 Olympics.

DecoTurf says the Hampton Tennis Club was attracted to the low maintenance of the Deco surface and the product’s playability and comfort. DecoTurf can be fine-tuned to provide the precise speed of play desired, says the company. DecoTurf has been selected for use at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, the USTA National Tennis Center, site of the US Open since 1978, and the 10 US Open Series tournaments.

For more information, visit decoturf.com or contact John Graham, director of sales & marketing, at j.graham@decoturf.com or 800-DECO-1ST.

Short Sets

Amer Sports Corp., which owns Wilson Racquet Sports, has made an agreement with Adidas-Salomon AG to acquire Salomon, including the brands Salomon, Mavic, Bonfire, Arc’Teryx, and Cliché. The new businesses supply products and apparel in the winter sports, bicycle, skateboard, and technical outerwear areas.
At the winter meeting of the American Sports Builders Association, the board of directors agreed to establish a separate “Turf Division,” which will encompass both synthetic and natural turf installers. Bylaws and other documentation were being prepared for possible approval in July.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., is looking for volunteers to assist with all aspects of Newport Tennis Week July 4-10, which includes the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships and 2005 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Volunteers are needed starting July 1 through July 11. Apply online at tennisfame.com/Championship/volunteer_form.html or call 401-849-6053.
The U.S. drew an away tie against Belgium in the Davis Cup Play-Off Round Sept. 23-25. The winner will qualify for the 16-nation World Group in 2006; the loser will be relegated to zonal competition.
“On Court with USPTA,” a cable TV show produced by the USPTA, received an award of excellence in The Videographer Awards 2005 competition. The award-winning episode, “Fun & Fitness,” aired last April on The Tennis Channel. “On Court” is a 30-minute instructional show featuring USPTA-certified pros as guest professionals. The shows provide instruction about technique, strategy and other facets of the game, such as fun and fitness.
The 2005 USPTA Southwest Texas Buying Show will be Aug. 26-27 at the Dallas Marriott Quorum Hotel. For more information, contact Ron Woods at 888-445-0505 or ronwoods@davlin.net.
The Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, which helps improve the lives of lower income Washington, D.C., youth through tennis, education, and life skills activities, celebrated its 50th anniversary in May.
The USTA sponsored “Tennis Block Parties” throughout the month of May in 16 markets across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. The series of tennis festivals, hosted at public parks facilities, were designed to help increase tennis participation and featured instruction, interactive games and attractions. Tennis champions such as Monica Seles, Tracy Austin, Patrick McEnroe, Luke Jensen, and Todd Martin joined in, as did other celebrities and personalities.
The Anguilla Tennis Academy is presenting the 2005 Caribbean Cup, an international junior team tennis event held July 27-30 on the island of Anguilla. Junior teams from around the world are invited to play in the round-robin format event. This year’s event will coincide with the 10th annual ATA Guest Coaches Junior Tennis Camp. For more information, contact Bill Riddle at 615-243-6698 or e-mail Tennisun@aol.com.

Roddick Selects Babolat Shoes

Andy Roddick will be wearing Babolat shoes starting in early 2006. The former world No. 1, who has been playing with Babolat racquets and strings since the age of 17, made the announcement recently with Babolat President and CEO Eric Babolat (left). Launched in Europe in 2003, Babolat’s line of shoes, equipped with Michelin soles, was developed to meet the specific needs of tennis players, says the company.

Prince O3 Website Wins Award

Prince’s O3 mini site took home the 2005 Internet Advertising Competition Award from the Web Marketing Association for the “Best Sports Micro Site” — representing its second victory in the online arena. Prince began improving its online offerings with the revamp and relaunch of its principal site in 2003. That same year, the Prince Sports was recognized with an award for the “Best Sports Web Site” by the Web Marketing Association.

Six Inducted Into Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association inducted six new members into its ITA Men’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame on May 25 during the NCAA Championships at Texas A&M University.

The Class of 2005 consists of: players Mike Estep (Rice), Sammy Giammalva (Texas), Paul Haarhuis (Florida State and Armstrong Atlantic), Jim Osborne (Utah) and John Sadri (North Carolina State), and contributor Frank Phelps (Hamilton College).

WTT, Advanta Provide Free Racquets for Kids

Advanta’s “Ready, Set, Racquet!” program, established in 2003, plans to provide a free tennis racquet to each child under the age of 16 that attends a WTT match this season, July 4 to 24.

The brightly colored racquets, adorned with the WTT and Advanta logos, come in three sizes. The racquets will include a tennis ball and will be presented in a customized cover displaying WTT team logos.

The goal of this program is to encourage youth fitness through an association with tennis. Advanta is the presenting sponsor of the WTT Pro League and the official business credit card of WTT.

Letters

Readers Think It’s Time

To the Editor:

I have never heard anyone talk as much sense and hit the nail on the head as Bill Mountford did in “Time for a Radical Change?” in the May 2005 issue [“Your Serve”]. I have been teaching tennis for more than 25 years in the fashion you describe. Finally, there is someone out there who agrees and can put the message across to the tennis world. Here in Australia, I see and hear of children regularly not returning to tennis because they are completely and utterly bored. It is so obvious — but not many can see. Keep up the fight for the better way.

Phil Hevron Director of Tennis, Natural Tennis, Attadale, Australia

To The Editor:

I am a teaching pro in Tucson, and Mountford’s article is right on target. In the fall of 2004, I sent an e-mail to the USTA Southern Arizona president concerning the loss of tennis players in the state. I see that the old way of teaching is not working. “Fun” should be the goal of many teaching pros. The problem as I see it is that many teaching pros teach the same way they were taught. There must be changes. Let’s put the word “fun” back into tennis.

Don Turner Gallery Sports Club, Marana, Ariz.

We welcome your letters and comments. Please e-mail them to rsi@usrsa.com or fax them to 760-536-1171.

Methodist College Offers Professional MBA at Pinehurst

Methodist College in Fayetteville, N.C., will offer a Master of Business Administration degree this fall at Pinehurst Resort for professionals in the tennis, golf, and resort industries. The accredited Professional MBA at Pinehurst program is designed to allow students to continue their full-time careers while earning their degree in 24 months.

Classes will be held one weekend a month at Pinehurst, with supplemental coursework completed online between residency sessions. In addition to core courses in each of the recognized business disciplines, students will take electives focused on developing the skills required to lead organizations. Other components include an executive speaker series and the Capstone Experience, a final project tailored to the student’s experience and career goals.

For more information, contact 800-488-7110 x.7493, 910-630-7493 or visit Methodist College on the web.

The Real Venus and Serena

A six-episode reality TV series about sisters Venus and Serena Williams, titled “Venus and Serena: For Real,” airs on ABC Family beginning July 21. The show comes just a few months after the release of their book, Venus & Serena, Serving from the Hip: 10 Rules for Living, Loving and Winning, with co-author Hilary Beard. The 144-page book offers advice to kids and is published by Houghton Mifflin Books, ($14). Visit Houghton Mifflin Books on the web.

Armstrong Atlantic Ends BYU-Hawaii Win Streak at 130

Armstrong Atlantic State (Ga.) shocked No. 1 BYU-Hawaii, beating the Seasiders 5-3 in the NCAA Division II women’s tennis final in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The loss ended BYU-Hawaii’s win streak at 130 matches and its bid for a fourth straight national title. West Florida captured its second straight men’s championship, beating North Florida 5-0.

BYU-Hawaii’s 130-match win streak, a Division II tennis record, was the longest current win streak in any NCAA sport. The Trinity (Conn.) men’s squash team reclaims that distinction with its 125 victories in a row. The all-time collegiate tennis record for consecutive wins is 137 and owned by the Division I Miami (Fla.) men’s team (1957-64).

Also, the ITA’s national award winners in NCAA Division II men’s and women’s tennis for the 2004-2005 season are:

Men

Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year: Derrick Racine, West Florida
ITA National Senior Player of the Year: Dante Cipulli, Southwest Baptist (Mo.)
ITA National Rookie of the Year: Eduardo Pereira, North Florida
ITA National Player to Watch: Matias Oddone, Drury (Mo.)
ITA/Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership & Sportsmanship: Josh Berman, Florida Southern

Women

ITA National Senior Player of the Year: Adrienn Hegedus, BYU-Hawaii
ITA National Rookie of the Year: Julia Gandia, Clayton (Ga.) College & State
ITA National Player to Watch: Dziyana Nazaruk, Armstrong Atlantic (Ga.) State
ITA/Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership & Sportsmanship: Jessica Broadus, Indianapolis

NCAA Division I Winners

Stanford beat Texas 4-0 to claim the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships. The title is Stanford’s second in a row, fourth in the last five years and 14th overall. Today’s win also completes Stanford’s (27-0) ninth perfect season and is its 56th straight victory.

The ITA also announced national award winners for NCAA Division I women’s tennis:

Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year: Mark Guilbeau, Kentucky
ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year: Carlos Drada, Kentucky
ITA Senior Player of the Year: Megan Bradley, Miami (Fla.)
ITA Rookie of the Year: Audra Cohen, Northwestern
National Player to Watch: Suzi Babos, California
ITA/Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award: Kendall Cline, North Carolina
ITA/Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship: Aniela Mojzis, North Carolina

NJCAA Division I Winners

In the Junior College Division, Tyler (Texas) captured the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I women’s tennis title in May at the NJCAA Championships. It’s the 13th championship for Tyler.

The ITA also announced its national award winners for NJCAA women’s tennis:

Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year: Glen Moser, Johnson County (Kan.) Comm. College
ITA Player of the Year: Loli Gomez, Lee (Texas) College
ITA Rookie of the Year: Marta Simic, Broward (Fla.) Comm. College
ITA Player to Watch: Giang Vu, Independence (Kan.) Comm. College
ITA/Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership & Sportsmanship: Natasa Rapo, Rock Valley (Ill.) College

Peoplewatch

Maria Sharapova was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” in the May 9 issue of the magazine. Other sports superstars to make the list include English soccer star David Beckham and Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame honored its president, Tony Trabert, in New York City on May 3 with “A Salute to Tony Trabert” at the 21 Club. John McEnroe emceed the event, with featured speakers including Billie Jean King, Dick Savitt, and former doubles partner Vic Seixas. It was a 50th anniversary celebration of sorts for Trabert, a 1970 Hall of Fame inductee who served up one of the best years in tennis by an American in 1955, winning the men’s singles championships in France, Wimbledon and the U.S. That year, Trabert captured 35 titles and racked up a singles match record of 104-5.
Butch Buchholz, Jim Courier, Yannick Noah and Jana Novotna will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 9 in Newport, R.I.
Amelie Mauresmo of the Dunlop M-Fil 300 Tour Team successfully defended her Italian Masters title in May to claim her second WTA Tour win of the season and 17th title of her career.
Fifth-year Ferris State University women’s tennis head coach Dave Ramos has relinquished his women’s coaching duties and will become the school’s men’s tennis head coach. Ramos, who was a member of the 1995 FSU men’s tennis team, will continue to serve as a head tennis professional for Ferris’s Racquet and Fitness Center, the school’s Professional Tennis Management program and direct summer camps. A search is under way to fill the vacant women’s tennis head coaching post.

Lander Coach Retires After 31 Years

Joe Cabri of Lander University in Greenwood, S.C., is ending his remarkable 31-year career as coach of the men’s tennis team. Cabri, a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, led his team to a record 12 national championships and 23 consecutive league championships.

“Why am I retiring now?” asks Cabri, who is also a mathematics professor. “It’s for the good of the program. As I look around the nation, I see more top-ranked schools with young coaches who only coach. There are still a few coaches who teach, but our numbers are falling. With women’s tennis on the way [in the fall of 2006], it is important to have the best possible coach, and that can only happen by attracting someone who will coach both sports and make a living just by coaching.”

SGMA Lobbies Legislators For PEP Bill

Members of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, celebrity athletes, retailers, phys ed teachers and others went to Washington, D.C., on May 4 to lobby for the PEP Bill.

The Physical Education for Progress (PEP) Bill is the only federal program that supports the development and growth of physical education classes in U.S. schools and community-based organizations. Since its inception in 2001, nearly 500 grants have been given to communities totaling more than $250 million. The money has been spent to train P.E. teachers and purchase more equipment for P.E. classes.

Now, though, the President wants to reduce funding for the bill by $19 million — from $74 million in 2005 to $55 million in 2006 — then to eliminate the bill by 2008.

On May 4, the delegation of celebrity athletes included basketball legend Bill Russell, NFL Hall of Fame inductee Steve Young, ex-Heisman Trophy winners Herschel Walker and Tim Brown, father-son NFL quarterbacks Archie and Peyton Manning, Kentucky men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith, tennis champion Stan Smith, U.S. women’s soccer player Heather Mitts, and boxing trainer Teddy Atlas. Two of the key meetings were held with the Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt.

More information is at SGMA on the web.

‘Avenue of Aces’ Paver Project Launches

The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation, the charitable and philanthropic entity of the USTA, has launched the “Avenue of Aces” — a series of personalized pavers that will be built into a special walkway at the USTA National Tennis Center, home of the US Open. The USTA T&EF will distribute all proceeds from the sale of the pavers to after-school tennis programs that include mentoring and other educational assistance.

“The Avenue of Aces is a tangible way to link the US Open to the benefit of at-risk children,” says Franklin R. Johnson, USTA chairman of the board and president. “Using tennis to enhance the lives of children is one of the key objectives of the USTA and the USTA Tennis & Education Foundation.”

“This donor recognition program provides an enduring presence for Foundation supporters at the National Tennis Center,” says Karen Martin-Eliezer, executive director of the USTA T&EF. “Through their generous support, Foundation donors can help build lives through tennis and education.”

Founder’s Court Pavers will be located at the start of the Avenue of Aces near the East Gate along Louis Armstrong Stadium and anchored by a dedication plaque. Pavers of various sizes can be purchased for a tax-deductible donation starting at $1,000. USTA members can purchase pavers for a special price of $750 before June 30. Pavers purchased before July 1 will be in place for the 2005 US Open.

For more information on purchasing part of the Avenue of Aces, visit USTA on the web or call 914-696-7223.

Tennis in Music City

The 32nd Annual Music City Tennis Invitational, presented by Mercedes-Benz of Nashville, Tenn., brought out recording artists, songwriters, music executives and tennis players of all abilities to raise money for the Center for Child Development at Vanderbilt University’s Children’s Hospital in April. Taking a break of the on-court action are (from left) country music star Shannon Brown, award-winning composer Bobby Etoll, and MCTI co-chairs Patsy Bradley and Bill Riddle. (Photo by Teddie St. John)

USPTA, USTA Partner to Educate Grassroots Coaches

In 2001, the USPTA created a special membership category for part-time, grassroots tennis teachers. Now part-time tennis teachers have a new mode of entry into the association — through USTA Recreational Coach Workshops.

USPTA offers the Developmental Coach membership category for people who may already be teaching tennis — as high school coaches, at recreational facilities or in other part-time situations — but who are not immediate candidates for careers as full-time teaching professionals. By attending a USTA Recreational Coach Workshop, these teachers may prove their commitment to tennis teaching and their understanding of basic teaching standards. With completion of the workshop, they are eligible to become USPTA Developmental Coaches without attending another workshop.

USPTA Developmental Coach benefits include on-court liability insurance, four publications, member discounts on educational materials and events, and membership in the national association and a regional division.

“We are happy to be a partner with USTA as both our organizations seek to provide education to grassroots tennis teachers,” says USPTA President David T. Porter, Ed.D.

Bahamian ‘Fast Grand Slam’

Guests at The Westin and Sheraton at Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort on Grand Bahama Island can now play the “Fast Grand Slam of Tennis.” The resort offers Rebound Ace, red clay, grass, and DecoTurf, mimicking the surfaces at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

To celebrate the new Fast Grand Slam, Our Lucaya is offering an Unlimited Tennis Package through Dec. 31, with nightly rates that start at $519 at the Westin and $479 at the Sheraton and include accommodations, breakfast, up to three hours of play, a tennis lesson, tennis balls, and beverages. Visit Starwood Hotels on the web for more information, or call 8777-OUR-LUCAYA.