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Redone Magazine is ‘A Winner’

Great job with the new Tennis Industry! I was always a big fan of the original Tennis Industry. The new publication is well laid out and very informative. Also, the ADDvantage section will be a big improvement. You definitely hit a winner with this new and improved magazine.

Philip Blackwelder

USPTA, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Congratulations on the “new” Tennis Industry magazine. I like the new look and hope this proves to be a very successful move on the part of TI and USPTA.

Don Crusius

National Sales Manager, VITALSOX

I read the new, combined Tennis Industry and ADDvantage magazine. Thank you for being innovative and producing such a nice product for our industry.

Greg Lappin

National Tennis Director
Life Time Fitness

I just received the new magazine and the new format and love it. I like the combined aspect with the USPTA news also.

B. Scott Smith

Executive Director

Vineyard Youth Tennis

Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

Over-50 Players Are a Key to Participation Goals

In the January 2014 issue of Tennis Industry, Kevin Theos’ “Your Serve” did an excellent job outlining some of the key steps toward achieving the Tennis Industry Association’s goal of reaching 10 million frequent players by 2020. I would like to add two more important considerations.

First, we need to pay more attention to population (player) demographics. By 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that roughly 35 percent of our overall population will be 50 and over. While Kevin rightly emphasizes creating new generations of frequent players, we must also pay particular attention to nurturing, motivating, and supporting those players who are “maturing gracefully.” And, I am not only referring to 50 and over players who are relatively new to our sport; we need to take care of existing frequent players, particularly that growing group of Baby Boomers who may well play frequently into their 80s or 90s.

Second, what can be done to really help frequent players ages 50 and over continue to play? Most simply, making court surfaces more user-friendly and less traumatic on our bodies. Out west where I play and teach, the vast majority of courts are asphalt or concrete; the few clay courts we do have are woefully inadequate. We need to carefully examine what will happen to the numbers of frequent 50 and over players when their bodies start breaking down because of the over-abundance of and reliance on hard courts.

I am afraid that many of us competitive senior players will be forced to give up the game because our bodies can no longer take the constant pounding presented by asphalt and concrete. The technology of clay courts, including the maintenance needed to keep them in good shape, has improved dramatically over the years. Many clubs and facilities that only offer hard courts and that avoid making the investments needed for more player-friendly soft courts will lose frequent players as physical maladies take their cumulative tolls.

While the focus on bringing new frequent players into our sport is important, let’s not forget that retaining frequent players in the fastest growing segment of our population will also play a critical role in achieving the 10 million frequent player goal.

Gene Siegel

USPTA Professional, Tucson, Ariz.

It’s About the Mission

“Living Up to the Mission” (Our Serve, February 2014) — great editorial! Build participation — that’s the name of the game. Think long term. Thank you, Peter.

Alan G. Schwartz

Chairman, TCA Holdings LLC

We welcome your comments. Please email them to info@tennisindustrymag.com.

From the March 2014 issue
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