Industry News

UVA’s Brian Boland Named USTA Head of Men’s Tennis

University of Virginia men’s head coach Brian Boland has been named the next Head of Men’s Tennis for USTA Player Development. Boland will report directly to USTA Player Development General Manager Martin Blackman out of the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.

As Head of Men’s Tennis, Boland will oversee all training and coaching of male juniors, collegians and pros by USTA Player Development, and will manage all men’s USTA National Coaches, in the Team USA-Pro, Collegiate and Junior brands.

Boland replaces Jay Berger, who chose to step down after nine years in the position. Berger will remain in the role through June to assist with the transition, as Boland finishes the collegiate season with the reigning NCAA champion Virginia Cavaliers.

“Brian brings a unique skill set, a combination of management and coaching expertise, which enabled him to build a championship culture at the University of Virginia,” said Blackman. “He’s long been an innovative leader in the world of college athletics.”

Boland has been the head men’s tennis coach at Virginia since 2002 and has guided the Cavaliers to a 419-57 record and three NCAA team championships, in 2013, 2015 and 2016. He has been named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Coach of the Year twice, in 2008 and 2016.

Boland’s Virginia teams have reached the NCAA title match five out of the last six years. From April 2006 to February 2016, Boland’s Cavaliers won 140 straight matches against ACC opponents, the longest winning streak by any team in any sport in ACC history.

USTA League, Head Penn Renew 30-Year Partnership

The USTA and Head Penn Racquet Sports have announced a five-year renewal of their 30-year partnership for the USTA League program. As part of the agreement, Head Penn will provide performance Penn tennis balls for all USTA League sectional and national championship events.

Since 1987, Penn has donated more than two million balls during its sponsorship of the USTA League program, in addition to providing gifts for league captains and door prizes at sectional and national championships.

Established in 1980, the USTA League program has grown from 13,000 participants in a few parts of the country in its first year to more than 325,000 players across the nation today. Players compete in an average of three leagues each, which brings annual; total player registration to more than 900,000, making USTA League the world’s largest recreational tennis league.

“Our partnership with Head Penn is one of the longest and most successful relationships in the industry,” says Jeff Waters, the USTA’s managing director of Adult Tennis & Association Services. “We look forward to working together to continue increasing participation in the USTA League program.”

“Supporting players of all levels as they reach for their goal to be the best is exactly what Penn stands for,” adds Greg Mason, president of Head Penn Racquet Sports.

Sportsmen’s Tennis Holds ‘Big Sister, Little Sister’ Event

In late March, Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center in Dorchester, Mass., welcomed 28 women and 28 excited girls, prospective Big and Little Sisters, for an evening of tennis as they got to know each other a little better.

“Opening our doors to organizations such as the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston enables us to expand on our mission of building leaders on the court, in the classroom and in the greater community,” says Sportsmen’s Executive Director Toni Wiley.

“Our combined efforts made for a fun night, and we hope it leads to a few new relationships,” added Gayna Sealy, Sportsmen’s program coordinator.

Founded in 1961, Sportsmen’s is the first indoor, non-profit tennis club in the United States built by and for the African-American community. Today, Sportsmen’s develops the academic and tennis skills for more than 5,000 children and young adults annually. Visit sportsmenstennis.org for more.

Dalton Enterprises Launches 1-800-TENNISCOURT

Dalton Enterprises Inc. of Cheshire, Conn., is launching the 1-800-TENNISCOURT network. Contractors in the U.S. and Canada can lease their local area code so that when a customer from that area code calls the 800 number, the call goes to that contractor’s office.

“Contractors are extremely busy, and helping them make their marketing easier was a no-brainer,” says Dalton Enterprises President John Dalton. “We’ve had a fantastic reception and have enrolled many area codes to date.”

Dalton says contractors can brand their trucks and equipment with 1-800-TENNISCOURT. For more information, visit 800tenniscourt.com or email info@800tenniscourt.com.

USTA Enlists Aramark To Manage US Open Retail

In a multi-year agreement with the USTA, Aramark will manage all aspects of US Open retail sales and merchandising operations throughout the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Aramark serves millions of guests at live events every year around the world.

As part of their effort to elevate and grow the US Open retail program, the USTA and Aramark will work together to renovate existing stores, design more vibrant and accessible shopping destinations, integrate leading-edge technology and introduce greater customization and personalization.

Aramark will also collaborate with the USTA’s licensed merchandise partners to market and carry an extensive assortment of distinctive, official tournament apparel, souvenirs and keepsakes.

TitanTrax Shield Repairs City Courts in Wisconsin

NGI Sports’ TitanTrax Shield crack repair system has been the system of choice to renovate courts at locations throughout the city of Watertown, Wis.

The renovation projects started in 2014, when the city’s Park & Rec Department hired Certified Tennis Court Builder Fred Kolkmann to evaluate the 10 courts in Brandt Quirk Park, adjacent to the Watertown High School. After the evaluation, the city chose TitanTrax Shield to fix five of the courts. The next year, they did the remaining five using TitanTrax.

In 2016, the city renovated four courts at Clark Park with the TitanTrax system, and another bank of courts in Watertown is scheduled to receive the treatment this year. Contact info@ngisports.com or visit ngisports.com for more info.

USTA Player Development Names Annual Coaching Awards

Mike Gennette, coach of top juniors Claire Liu and Austen Huang, and Henner Nehles, coach of 17-year old rising star Kayla Day, were named the 2016 Team USA Developmental Coaches of the Year as part of USTA Player Development’s annual Team USA Coaching Awards.

Smith Tennis in Indianapolis was recognized as the 2016 Team USA Developmental Program of the Year, while USTA Northern California was named the 2016 Team USA Player Development Section of the Year.

Tennis icon Billie Jean King, renowned coach Rick Macci and University of Georgia legend Dan Magill also were honored with Team USA Legendary Coaching Awards. All honorees were recognized at an awards reception on March 26 at the Easter Bowl junior tournament in Indian Wells, Calif.

Mast, Andrew Win HoF Educational Merit Awards

The International Tennis Hall of Fame presented its prestigious Tennis Educational Merit Awards to Delaine Mast of Lancaster, Pa., and Jorge Andrew of Lexington, S.C. The presentation took place at the end of March at the USTA Annual Meeting and Conference in Orlando, Fla.

The award is for “notable contributions in the tennis education field at the national level.” Recipients will have demonstrated leadership and creative skills in such areas as instruction, writing, organization and promotion of the game.

Mast is a longtime coach and works for World TeamTennis, overseeing recreational tennis programs throughout the U.S. She received the USTA Eve F. Kraft Community Service Award in 2016. Andrew is the longtime director of tennis for the Lexington County (S.C.) Recreation & Aging Commission and a former president of the PTR. He also is both a PTR and USPTA Master Professional.

Sports Interiors, ITA Sign 3-Year Partnership

In a three-year partnership agreement, Sports Interiors is now the official LED lighting solution for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. In addition to the endorsement, the ITA will offer its member programs special pricing for Sports Interiors products and services.

“We strive to work alongside companies that share a vision for the betterment of our sport,” says ITA CEO Timothy Russell. “I believe the products and services offered by Sports Interiors will have a positive effect on indoor tennis facilities.”

Sports Interiors has been in the tennis lighting and ceiling system business for more than 23 years and has installed systems in hundreds of tennis clubs.

USTA Honors Recipients of Annual Awards

The USTA honored the winners of its Annual Awards recently at the USTA Annual Meeting and Conference, held at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, Fla, March 24-27. The honorees were recognized for their dedication to growing the game.

• Gene Orlando of Lansing, Mich., received the Brad Parks Award, established in 2002 to honor an individual or organization that has been instrumental in the development of wheelchair tennis.

• Barbara Wynne of Indianapolis received the USTA NJTL Founders’ Service Award, which recognizes an individual NJTL chapter founder committed to positive youth development through tennis and education and provides free or low-cost tennis, education and life-skills programming to thousands of underserved children each year.

• San Antonio Tennis Association of Texas was named the USTA Member Organization of the Year, which recognizes the outstanding services of a USTA member organization through its commitment to the tennis community, the organization’s members and the game of tennis.

• The Charles Norman family of Aurora, Ohio, is the recipient of the Ralph W. Westcott USTA Family of the Year Award, created in 1965 to emphasize the theme that “tennis is a family game.” The award is given annually to the family that has done the most to promote amateur tennis, primarily on a volunteer basis.

• Steve Solomon of Palm Springs, Calif., received the Seniors’ Service Award, established in 1958 and given annually to the person most deserving of the respect and honor of all senior players.

Two Student-Athletes Win Wilson/ITA Internships

Kelli Woodman of Seattle University and Milton “Neto” Cacace of Harding University will receive paid internships to work at Wilson’s global headquarters in Chicago in the Grassroots Marketing department this summer.

Both Woodman and Cacace are the winners of the annual Wilson/ITA National Promoter of the Year Award, which recognizes two student-athletes who advance the game of tennis by devoting consistent time and effort to promotional activities, and by supporting and bringing awareness to their school program and to college tennis in general.

Woodman and Cacace will assist with day-to-day projects and have an opportunity to experience all facets of Wilson Racquet Sports, from tennis balls, racquets (performance and recreational), promotions/marketing, U.S. tour, indoor (racquetball, squash, badminton and paddle), accessories and apparel/footwear.

USPTA Publishes Book Celebrating 90 Years

The USPTA has created a coffee-table book to celebrate its 90th anniversary and commemorate the tennis association’s rich and diverse history.

United States Professional Tennis Association — Our History, Our Members and Our Contribution to the Sport features hundreds of biographical portraits and member photos, and includes a roster of all USPTA members. Julie Myers, the USPTA’s director of communications, coordinated the project.

The books were pre-sold to the membership, although the publisher, Acclaim Press, did print extra copies that they plan to sell.

USRSA Announces New Master Racquet Technicians

Kenneth Long, Clover, S.C.
Timothy Ou, Tucson, Ariz.
Stan Pope, Clinton, Miss.
Jonathan Fried, Toronto, Canada

People Watch

Rocky Carson, currently the No. 2- ranked racquetball player in the world, won the International Racquetball Tour event near Dayton, Ohio, for his 25th career professional tournament victory.
Award-winning tennis writer Joel Drucker recently published his second book, Don’t Bet On It, about life, love and tennis, which is available on Amazon. Drucker’s first book, Jimmy Connors Saved My Life, was published in 2004.
USTA New England will enshrine Lisa Albano-Fu, Chris Holmes, Paul Shaw and Jerry Albrikes into the section’s Hall of Fame on June 10 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
Marita Edrosa has been named USTA Southern manager of Adult Tennis. She had served as USTA Georgia ranking and rating coordinator since 2013. A native of Guam who grew up in Tacoma, Wash., Edrosa earned a degree in sociology from the University of Washington and masters in Education from Antioch University Seattle.
Frank Giampaolo will be the keynote educator speaking at the PTR GB Conference, an annual one-day event held on the middle Sunday of Wimbledon (July 9) at London’s Olympic Park. Other speakers at the conference include Andy Dowsett and Phil Vivian. For information, visit PTRGB.org.
Ana Ivanovic was named the “Beauty Idol” of the year recently at the 21st Annual Gala Spa Awards, which took place in Baden-Baden, Germany. Gala Magazine, which sponsors and presents the awards, said of the Serb, “She combines natural beauty with athleticism and elegance.”
Octagon is now managing the tennis affairs of the recently retired Ana Ivanovic, a former world No. 1.
Former Zaino Tennis Courts office manager Patricia May Hanson passed away on March 5.

Bryan Brothers Sign Deal To Endorse Solinco Strings

Sixteen-time Grand Slam doubles champions Bob and Mike Bryan have signed with Solinco Sports and will endorse the company’s strings.

“We are thrilled to have the most successful doubles team of all time, as well as two of the most well-respected and liked players on the ATP Tour, join the Solinco family,” says Solinco Director KT Kim. “They are true ambassadors of the sport, and we’re extremely excited to have them continue playing with our strings and now officially represent our brand.”

“We’ve been using Solinco for the past two years and we love the feel and performance of the strings,” says Mike Bryan. “Players are very sensitive about their strings and we believe [Solinco has] the best product out there.”

The Bryans will have Solinco’s “O” on their strings to represent the brand.

Memphis Open Moves To N.Y. After 41-Year Run

The ATP’s Memphis Open is moving to Long Island, N.Y., in 2018, after 41 years in Tennessee. The Memphis Open was one of the longest-running tournaments in the United States and was the country’s only indoor ATP event.

GF Sports, which bought the tournament in 2015, announced in April that the men’s tournament will be played at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in New York. The company has partnered with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment.

The tournament started in 1976 and its champions include Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Kei Nishikori. In 2018, it will be played at the renovated Nassau Coliseum on Feb. 10-18.

Short Sets

The U.S. Fed Cup team defeated the Czech Republic, 3-2, in the World Group semifinals in April at Saddlebrook Resort in Florida. The U.S. squad will now face Belarus in the Fed Cup final, to be held in Belarus Nov. 11-12. Belarus defeated Switzerland, 3-2, in the semis.
Australia defeated the United States, 3-2, in the Davis Cup World Group Quarterfinal in April, ending the U.S. campaign for 2017. In September, Australia will face Belgium in one semifinal, while France will meet Serbia in the other.
Grand Slam Tennis Tours will host a pro exhibition event in Stowe, Vt., Aug. 22-24, featuring top ATP Players. The event, to be held the week before the US Open begins, will be at the Stowe Mountain Lodge, at the base of Stowe Resort. The organizers plan to build a temporary, 3,000-seat stadium to host matches.
String manufacturer Ashaway has added four new players to its 2017 Professional Sponsorship Team for racquetball: Felipe Camacho, Alejandro Herrera, Daniel Rojas, and Gabriela Martinez. The Ashaway Sponsorship Team is designed to support rising professional racquetball players. Ashaway has also been the Official String of USA Racquetball for over 15 years and supports more than 100 top amateur players across the country with string sponsorships. Visit ashawayusa.com for more info.
Dalton Enterprises of Cheshire, Conn., is the newest Supporting Member of the Tennis Industry Association. The family-owned business is the manufacturer of the Latex-Ite brand of recreational coatings and recently launched the 1-800-TENNISCOURT network in the U.S. and Canada.
Snodgrass Partners Inc., an executive search, sports recruiting and management consulting firm, has added four new allied partners: Alliance of Women Coaches, Forward Progress Athletics Consulting, Moore Leadership and True North Sports. Visit SnodgrassPartners.com for more information.
A three-alarm fire on March 1 caused about $2 million in damage and destroyed about a quarter of the Cedardale Health and Fitness Center in Haverhill, Mass. The blaze started at 2 a.m., and no one was injured. The club remains closed for repairs.

Topspin Sports Introduces 2-Sided Digital Scoreboard

Topspin Sports LLC has introduced TopScore, a digital, two-sided, net-post-mounted tennis scoreboard. TopScore features “tennis intelligence,” with intuitive buttons that change the game and set numbers, switch numbers from black to white, swap numbers on changeovers and reset the numbers after a set or match.

“We developed TopScore because players weren’t satisfied with the current on-court scorekeepers being used in tournament and recreational play,” says Paul Kincaid, the president and co-founder of Topspin Sports.

After six years in development, the patented TopScore is designed for indoor and outdoor courts and uses highly readable E-paper technology, controlled by Topspin Sports’ proprietary circuitry. It is powered by two AA-batteries that can last six months to two years, depending on daily usage. The panels are an anti-glare outdoor-grade polycarbonate, while the outer shell is aluminum powder-coated, to resist fading or rusting.

TopScore, which has a one-year warranty, comes in two colors: white panels with dark green text and outer trim, or dark green panels with white text and dark green outer trim. Suggested retail is $999. Visit topspinsportsllc.com for more information, or call 949-510-4819.