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YANKEE PROSE Winter 2011 New England Division Another banner year for USPTA Free Lesson Days held during the Campbell’s Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in July in Newport, R.I.
YANKEE PROSEWinter 2011New England Division
Another banner year for USPTA Free Lesson Days held during the Campbell’s Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in July in Newport, R.I.
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WelcomeNew Members
Dai Edwardes-Evans................. Nantucket, Mass.Roxana Enica.................................... Weston, Conn.Tommie George ................... Northborough, Mass.Shane O’Reilly ........................... Bridgeport, Conn. Daeyou Choi .................................. Arlington Mass.Paul Sullivan ....................................... Dover, Mass.
Recreational Coach
Scott Donovan .............................. Lynnfield, Mass. Robert Hurley, Jr. ...................... Marshfield, Mass.David Newton ................................ Hamden, Conn.Jason Pressber .................................. Boston, Mass.Dennis Scarpa .............................. Plainville, Conn.Paul Sullivan ....................................... Dover, Mass.Todd Toler ................................................. Bow, N.H.Mathew Vaughan ............................. Dalton, Mass.Michael Van Gogt ..................... South Bristol, ME
EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR Jerri DiCamillo
P.O. Box 126West Kingston, RI 02892
W 401-789-8927Cell 401-742-2075
VICE PRESIDENTTBA
VICE PRESIDENTConnie McHugh P.O. Box 1823
Edgartown, MA 02539H 508-627-9200W 508-696-8000
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENTAvis R. Murray
30 Cleveland StreetGloucester, MA 01930
H (978) 283-0809Cell 978-609-0750 Fax 978 282-7725
W 978-283-1866 Ext. 3 (Summer)[email protected]
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENTJacques A. P. Faulise
13 Loop DriveNorth Kingstown, RI 02852
Cell [email protected]
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTChristopher Stevens
502 Springbrook Circle Portsmouth, NH 03801
H 603-373-8035W 603-610-0183
Cell [email protected]
TREASURERMarcy Rubinstein
76 Greenbrier RoadTrumbull, CT 06611 H/W 203-268-5357Cell 203-521-2663
SECRETARYDoug Eng, Ed.D, Ph.D.
30 Revere Beach Pkwy. #302Medford, MA 02155Cell/H 617-281-8368
VICE PRESIDENTMichael L. Mercier
108 Lovett StreetBeverly, MA 01915Cell 978-273-6500
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President’s Message
Fellow Professionals,
As the last lessons of the summer season are given on your outdoor courts, it’s time again to move your talents indoors for the 2011-2012 indoor tennis season. It’s a quick transition from outdoor to indoor; Labor day, the US Open, high school and college seasons, the World Conference On Tennis, and then its contract time. I hope all of you have the opportunity to have a little rest, or down time, just for you to recharge, refresh, and renew your strength and enthusiasm before starting all over again. Be sure to take a little time for yourself.
Our New England division again was well represented at all of the professional tennis events this past summer. Thanks to Avis Murray and all of the pros who volunteered their time and efforts at the Boston Lobsters. Thanks to Steve O’Connell and all his Conn. pros for the New Haven Open TAA Free Lesson and great 1 day conference. The International Tennis Hall of Fame Championships now features 2 full days of free tennis lessons. Thanks to Anne Schwartz and all of the pros who put in over 8 hours per day in some very hot weather. Our division is known nationally for all of its efforts in hosting these TAA events at the major professional events. Throughout all of New England many of you held your own free lesson days. Thanks to all of you for giving back and promoting our great sport.
The national convention at Saddlebrook was well represented by our members, who enjoyed all of the seminars, relaxing, and playing that a national convention can offer. Keep in mind that next September’s World Conference On Tennis will be at the Monterey Bay Racquet Club in Monterey California, and the host pro is a former New England board member, Hans Romer. Your new USPTA board has settled into their positions and has a commitment to lead our membership forward during the next 2 years. We had the pleasure of having USPTA President Tom Daglis at our annual convention last may in Newport, and the New England board appreciates his hard work, and vision for the future of the USPTA.
Our next conference will be on January 14, 2012 at Wentworth By The Sea Country Club, hosted by regional Regional Vice President Chris Stevens. Wentworth seems to be the spot that is most attractive to our membership, as far as a centrally located venue. We always have our greatest number of attendees there. Chris is putting together another great speaking list for this 1-day event. Please put it on your calendar.
Congratulations are in order to our head tester, Dave Fleury, and Harvard site director Mike Mercier, for bringing a proposal forward that has been accepted by the national testing committee, to have a testing hub in New England. This is really huge. The hub will be nationally recognized and offer many testing dates every year.
Thanks also to Lance Anderson, and Mike Mercier and his staff for putting together a great website. It looks terrific and will be constantly updated with all the information you need to know about USPTA New England. If you have anything to add to this site, or to pass on to our membership in general, please contact Jerri DiCamillo, our EA. She is always in need of information about what our membership is doing. You can also contact your state rep at any time, if you have any concerns. Doug Eng has put together a member from each state to help coordinate each state’s activities.
The nominating committee, headed by Past President Avis Murray, has brought forth the slate for 2012. She and her committee worked very hard to chose a board of hard working, knowledgeable professionals to serve our membership for the next 2 years. Thanks, Avis.
We continue to have a good working relationship with the USTA. Our treasurer, Marcy Rubinstein, is on the New England board of the USTA. The USPTA fully supports the Quick Start programs, and our members are teaching and promoting it at their clubs.
Connie McHugh, as membership chair, has worked in trying to promote the university program, an opportunity for college age students to become involved in the USPTA for a reasonable dues fee. New England has also had its first member tested in the ADD program.
Thank you and have a great winter season.
Jacques A. P. Faulise
The 2011 New England Wheelchair Tennis Camp, held at Harvard University in August, was not only a great time for wheelchair tennis players, but for teaching professionals as well. A half dozen professionals successfully completed a USPTA Wheelchair Certification session during the course of the camp, and came away with new teaching skills and a deeper connection to tennis. Over the course of many years of directing Wheelchair Certification sessions, I’ve seen that certification can help professionals improve their teaching skills, inspire more passion and commitment to teaching tennis, and help them to better connect their students with some of the core principles of successful tennis.
Some of the key areas of focus for wheelchair tennis instruction include:
• Balance. All pros know that keeping your weight balanced and centered under your feet is key to producing a strong and effective stroke. It’s also essential to stay upright, in order to quickly move around the court. Wheelchair players are no exception to this—hitting a good shot while seated requires a balanced and upright position, with weight centered above the wheels.
• Preparation. To successfully move your wheelchair so that you’re always in position to hit the ball, you need to pay careful attention to good preparation. Able-bodied players can often make up for a lack of readiness in ways that a wheelchair player cannot—it’s a good way to unlearn bad habits on the court.
• Point construction. Anticipation and planning are even more crucial for the wheelchair player than the able-bodied player, given the added challenge of maneuvering the chair into position. So it becomes even more important to think about not just the shot you’re trying to hit, but the shots you plan on hitting for the entire point.
• Closing to the net. Moving forward is crucial for winning points in tennis, and wheelchair tennis in particular emphasizes this strategy. A player moving to the net is in control of the point, something that is true whether you’re playing for fun in a park or on the ATP tour.
• A different perspective. Pros who spend time teaching and practicing wheelchair tennis have the opportunity to see the court from a new angle, which can only improve your ability to reach your students. It’s a reminder of what is important to know in order to play and teach tennis well.
In my opinion, every teaching professional should consider Wheelchair Certification. Wheelchair tennis is a fantastic sport played by people with courage and passion, and is inspiring to be a part of. But beyond that, being certified to teach wheelchair tennis can help bring a tennis professional’s entire game to a new level.
Wheelchair Tennis is Fundamental Tennis
Tell us about your charitable events!Lessons for Life is officially celebrated in October. However, that does not mean that Lessons
for Life events can only be run in October. Members can participate in a charity event any time of year by organizing tournaments, auctions, pro-ams, black-tie events, free lessons and clinics. These events can benefit large, small or even local organizations. The important message is that our members are making a difference. That is why the USPTA urges its members to report all of their charitable events and the money raised so that we can recognize them and their divisions for their generosity.
From 1999-2010, USPTA members have raised more than $45 million in donations for charities like the American Cancer Society, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Tim and Tom Gullikson Foundation, churches, schools, retirement communities, inner-city youth programs, scholarships and many more. USPTA promotes these good deeds with articles in industry magazines and press releases sent to owner/manager magazines and newspapers nationwide.
We ask you to submit details about your fundraising activities online by visiting www.uspta.com and selecting Lessons for Life in our Quick Links pull-down menu. This will take you to the Lessons for Life section, where a link at the top of the page directs you to “Click here to register your event.” You may also submit your event information via e-mail at [email protected]. Thanks for all you do!
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact Shelina Harris at [email protected] or at 800-877-8248, ext. 104.
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To view YANKEE PROse go to www.uspta.com or www.usptanewengland.com
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Doug Eng, Ed.D., Ph.D.,USPTA New England \
Sport Science ChairmanUSTA National Sport Science
Committee
STATE REPRESENTATIVES
EASY ON THE CUTTING EDGE
Sport science always has a cutting edge as we develop smarter ways to train, use high speed video for analysis and play with the latest racquets. Sometimes being on the cutting edge might complicate learning when really we need to simplify concepts so students can understand. After all, teaching or coaching is not about how much you know but how effective you can make learning for your students. A couple of recent books out there are quite on the cutting edge. A few years ago, the publishing company, Human Kinetics came out with Strength Training Anatomy which showed beautiful cut-away drawings of muscles and human beings in exercises. It was followed by Stretching Anatomy and then an avalanche of titles, the latest one being Tennis Anatomy by Paul Roetert and Mark Kovacs, two of the most respected sport scientists working with USTA in recent years. The book was unveiled at the US Open Bookstore in August 2011 if you had a chance to drop by and peruse it. Tennis Anatomy is a wonderful book, not quite in depth with stunning drawings as Strength Training Anatomy, but it well illustrates which muscles are used in tennis and tennis-specific exercises. As a serious teaching pro or coach, it’s well worth having such a book to help answer some of your students’ questions about what exercises to do or what muscles are used or are hurt. Tennis Anatomy might just grab the attention of the trainer at your club. And for under $17 at amazon.com, it’s inexpensive training information.
Then there’s a book only readable by MIT graduates, Complex Sports Biodynamics: With Practical Applications in Tennis published by the famed German scientific publishing house, Springer-Verlag in 2009 (soft cover version in 2010). It’s written by five Serbian sport scientists and coaches, two working in Australia. We know the Serbians are quite amazing on the court today and it looks like they can be amazing in the books, too. The book uncovers a complex mathematical modeling of tennis and sport science. The authors argue that CSB (complex sports biodynamics) is a interdisciplinary science specifically aiming at making champions. So maybe if you are trying to be the next Nick Bollettieri, this book might come in handy if you bring along an MIT grad to translate. You can check out the free pages on Amazon.com where it sells for $149.00.
One could argue how complex it is making champions in tennis but sometimes we need to take small steps for success. So here, to conclude, I will present six fun and simple exercises utilizing sport science principles.
1) Medicine Ball Tennis Exercises teach us how to use the legs and core in loading and developing power. Practice tossing the ball to each other using an open stance and full shoulder turn imitating real strokes. A fun game is to play for points at the net in mini-tennis doubles. Balls weighing 4-8 pounds are great for 12 years and older.
2) Beach Ball Spin Exercises are great for 10 and Under kids to learn spin. A beach ball is quite visible and they can add underspin or topspin with their hands and pass the ball back and forth. They can also play group tennis games.
3) Multiple hops are great for improving footwork and introducing the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) in plyometrics. Easy exercises include split steps with a 180º turn (turn away from the net and then jump around), alley hops, hopscotch for volleys. In all the drills, make sure the contact time (landing on the feet) is short. Research now shows that a short contact time (not faster turnover of feet and steps) is a primary difference between quicker and slower athletes.
4) Torso Twists or Helicopters are perhaps the best dynamic stretches that imitates strokes. Stand with the feet shoulder width apart and hands out and start turning your core either way. As you turn, get down a bit and load up on the legs. Helicopters are an alternative name for 10 and Under kids who might just love to fly and take off the ground. Students can learn loading and angular momentum.
5) Throwing (Baseball) Practice is simple. Two basic exercises are outfield and pitching practice. Have students stand behind the baseline, run and throw hard as if they were throwing a ball from outfield to home plate. They learn how to loosen up and throw upwards as in the tennis serve. The second is pretending to pitch. In this exercise, students wind up (like a pitcher on the back leg), cock the elbow, and release the throwing shoulder. A student should land on the front leg with the back leg off the ground (kicking backwards). Often we think of these exercises as learning the arm motion in throwing to serve better, but students are also learning how to load, use the kinetic chain, and balance on one leg after serving.
6) Counting, as simple as it is, helps a) breathing/exhaling, b) staying in the present, c) focusing attention on the task and d) setting goals (e.g., get to 50). Such a simple sport psychology exercise should be done every day. Some of my beginner students say it distracts them from trying to learn the stroke. Often they are trying to verbalize their learning experience and self-criticizing. So it’s actually great for them since they forget self-consciousness and stroke automatically. So from stretching to developing power to developing focus, there are simple exercises that help students get better. Often simplest is best.
VERMONTBill Simmers802-297-4230
EASTERN MASS.Dan McCormick978-944-0166
RHODE ISLANDWayne Turner401-862-6801
CONNECTICUTDiane Sullivan203-306-7935
WESTERNMASS.Mike Kolendo413-374-0738
NEWHAMPSHIREWhitey Joslin603-526-9293
MAINELuke Korzekwa207-729-8433
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MANCHESTER, MA—October 18, 2011. Tennis royalty visited players at Manchester Athletic Club’s MAC Tennis Academy for a weekend of instruction and motivation from one of the sport’s most prolific coaches. Nick Bollettieri, coach to Andre Agassi, Monica Seles and, more recently, Maria Sharapova, among many others, visited the North Shore club where he gave private lessons, group drills and immeasurable motivation to hundreds of adult and standout junior players from over 14 surrounding cities. This marks the ninth year of collaboration between the club and the influential tennis coach and the 38th year of tennis at Manchester Athletic Club.
Manchester Athletic Club is one of only 18 USTA regional training centers in the country and is home to the MAC Tennis Academy, which includes the biggest pool of highly ranked tennis players in New England, including five #1-ranked players in New England and more than 15 players in the top 10 of their age group.
Avis and MAC Director of Tennis Todd Carpenterr
Legendary Tennis Coach, Nick Bollettieri, energizes MAC Tennis.
The club took this opportunity to unveil its newly renovated tennis facility at an event where new championship banners were raised and several teams were recognized for taking the number one spots in the North Shore League, as well as at the National Level. A banner was also hung to commemorate the 2009 induction of Manchester Athletic Club’s own teaching pro, Avis Murray, into the United States Tennis Association’s New England Hall of Fame.
Brookline, Mass. resident Al Rogers, USPTA Master Professional and recent member of USTA New England Hall of Fame has been selected for induction into the Maynard High School Athletic Hall of Fame in Maynard, Mass. The ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 19. The Hall of Fame honors oustanding athletes, coaches, teams and administrators from Maynard High School. Rogers’ career as an amateur player, coach and author spans more than 50 years.
Lynn Miller, longtime Wheaton College women’s and men’s head tennis coach has bee selected for induction into the USTA New England Hall of Fame. The Cereony will be helld on Saturday evening, June 9 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I..
Nick Bollettierir
Waterfall Takes Bronze inNational Grasscourts
Sheila Weinstock - World Champion!
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Congratulations!
State University women’s tennis coach, Joe Dunn, Sr., was named Little East Conference coach of the Year after guiding the Vikings to their first conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division 3 Tournament. Salem State went 12 -2 overall and 7-1 in Little East Competition. Lauren Turenne of Reading and Carly Muniz of Gloucester earned first team All-Conference honors in singles. Turenne also gained All Conference in doubles, teaming with Michelle McEwen of Billerica to go 12 – 0.
Many of Dunn’s team players have volunteered on various occasions to help with the Tennis Across America event held by the Boston Lobsters in July
The 2011 ITF Seniors and Super Seniors World Team Championships were held October 10 -15 in Anatalya, Turkey. Sheila Weinstock, Framingham Mass., Althea Gibson Cup 70s captain and her teannates took first place in the competition. She was one of nine USPTA Pros selected for this premier event on the ITF Seniors Circuit.
Inadvertently omitted in the July issue of YANKEE PROse was Ernie Uthgenannt from Ellington, Conn. who along with his partner William Schmid, Westport, Conn. earned the rank of No.1 in the 75 and over category in USTA New England
Dick Waterfall of Marlboro, MA put together a string of excellent tennis and came away with a bronze ball at the USTA 45s Grass Court National Championships at Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia, PA. Waterfall, a tennis pro and director of tennis at several clubs hadn’t played in a tournament setting as competitive as a National in a long time. After winning his opening match, he began to feel more comfortable and gained a measure of confidence. Waterfall’s success will likely lead to more tournament participation this winter when he is hoping to take part in the Fiesta Bowl.
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Murray Receives Ned Weld Award
On Saturday, October 22, in honor of their 15th Anniversary, The Vineyard Tennis Center, Workout and Spa hosted special guest speaker Dr. Stephan Esser. Dr. Esser, a USPTA certified teaching professional is presently completing advanced training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard in Boston, Mass. He conducted on court drills for doubles with the tennis pro, followed by a lecture on keeping the adult body joints injury free for tennis.
Dr. Stephan Esser (center) leading the participants in a warm-up.
Whatever happened to Hans Römer? He moved from California to Maine in 2005 and
everyone was questioning him why on earth would you make that move? Hans and his wife Kristin had a “good run” in New England, but tennis has its limitations in seasonal States. After coaching the Fryeburg Academy, Colby College and USM, Hans became Director of Tennis at the Portland Country Club and joined the Board of Directors for USPTA New England. While enjoying New England, snowboarding and supporting the Celtics, they both realized that with the new economy a seasonal job
wouldn’t quite cut it. After one year as Director of Tennis Operations at the prestigious BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens - yes, same club where Venus and Serena play - Kristin received a promotion/transfer with her company Herman Miller sooner than they had anticipated. West again! Next stop the beautiful town of Monterey. After 8 months teaching at a municipal facility, doing a few presentations for USPTA NorCal, coaching USTA NorCal teams at National events, including winning the Gold for USTA NorCal at the 14’s Zonals in Colorado Springs, CO Hans finally found his purpose. Since October 15th he is the proud Owner/Director of Tennis of the Monterey Bay Racquet Club, adjacent to the Del Monte golf course, the oldest in the West, located on the splendid property of the Hyatt Monterey, where he will host the USPTA 2012 World Conference! Living only 0.4 miles from his facility, Hans isexcited to start implementing creative programming, hosting USPTA events, running tournaments, becoming a USTA CTC and hopefully see a lot of USPTA friends in September 2012. Congrats Hans, good luck from NE. Please visit sites:
http://montereybayracquetclub.com/ http://www.facebook.com/montereybayracquetclub
USPTA New England Division President Jacques Faulise recently accepted the position of Court Tennis Professional at the Tennis and Racquet Club in Boston, Mass. He had served as the court tennis professional at the national tennis club in Newport, R.I. from 1984-2002. During the fall, he coached the North Kingstown Girl’s Varsity Team to 4th Place out of 10 teams in Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) Division I. Senior Hannah Zingari, the team’s #1 Singles player, won the RIIL State Singles Championship on October 30 at Slater Memorial Park in Pawtucket, R.I., the first state champion, boy or girl from North Kingstown.
The Martha’s Vineyard Girls Tennis Team, coached by Connie McHugh, won their first Conference Championship in the history of the school this past spring. They are members of the Eastern Athletic Conference. The girls’ record was 7-1. The tennis courts at their High School were resurfaced this summer in their school colors. They are now purple and green. The team christened the courts in August with their first championship banner in hand.
NEWPORT, RI - It seemed fitting that an honor presented to a person who has contributed so much to the sport of tennis was celebrated at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Just after John Isner wrapped up a victory at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, the Ned Weld award was presented on-court by Youth Tennis Foundation President Mike Lewitt to Gloucester, MA resident Avis Murray.
The Ned Weld award, named for the longtime Youth Tennis Foundation supporter and USTA New England Hall of Famer, was created in 2008 to honor an individual who embodies the spirit of competition and gives back to tennis – characteristics that Ned Weld personified throughout his career.
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Writing Awards Meet Paul FeinPaul Fein leads a fascinating life. One thing is for sure, there is no grass growing under
his feet. About his teaching: He has been a USPTA Certified Teaching Pro for 40 years and since 1996 has served as the head pro for the Chicopee, Mass. Park and Recreation Department. In addition he teaches at Szot Park in Chicopee from May through September taking time off during the US Open. When time allows he gives private and semi-private lessons in Springfield and Longmeadow.
Paul Fein’s main profession is tennis writing. However, he also does copyediting and proofreading. He is the editor of Tennis India Magazine. His articles have appeared in more than 25 countries, and these days they appear mostly in China, Australia, Germany, India, Japan and the USA. He writes human interest features, Q&A interviews, instruction articles, Grand Slam analysis articles, essays and columns about controversial issues, straight reportage, history pieces, book reviews, a monthly “Tennis Index,” and an annual “The Year That Was” retrospective. He has written three books: Tennis Confidential (foreword by Bud Collins), Tennis Confidential II (foreword by Billie Jean King) and You Can Quote Me on That (foreword by Mary Carillo). All the books were ranked No. 1 among tennis books by Amazon.com for more than six months.
Paul Fein (right) interviewing Martina Hingis, 5-time singles and 9-time doubles Grand Slam winner, at the Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Massachusetts, in July, 2004. (Photo credit: Tim Balestri)
His diverse tennis background includes being founder/director of the Springfield (Massachusetts) Satellite Tournament, a top-10 singles and top-5 doubles ranked men’s open tournament player in New England, a starting varsity tennis player at Cornell University under renowned coach Eddie Moylan, a commentator for Continental Cablevision, president of the Springfield Tennis Club and Springfield Tennis Council, a USPTA teaching pro, NELTA tournament consultant, college tennis referee and NEPTA ranking committee chairperson. Paul lives in Agawam, Massachusetts.
Read more on Paul Fein’s two websites: www.tennisconfidential.com and www.tennisquotes.com
As a tournament player, Fein peaked at No. 7 in men’s singles and No. 4 in men’s doubles in New England about 40 years ago. He returned to competition in 2007. In 2008, he ranked No. 2 in the 60s, in 2009 and 2010, he ranked No. 1 in the 65s. This year he was dethroned by Rick Klaffky in the New England sectional 65 singles final.
In the 2010 United States Tennis Writers’ Association Writing Contest, Paul won 1st Place in the “Service” category for his article, “The Importance of Momentum in Tennis.” It was his ninth 1st Place award in the annual USTWA writing contest in the past 11 years. Paul also won 2nd Place in the Service category for his article, “Defend and Conquer.” In the 2009 United States Tennis Writers’ Association Writing Contest, Paul won 1st Place in the “Service” category for his article, “Lessons from the French Open.” It was his eighth 1st Place award in the annual USTWA writing contest in the past ten years. Paul also won 2nd Place in the “Column/Commentary” category for his article, “The Foot Fault that Freaked out Serena.” In the 2008 United States Tennis Writers’ Association Writing Contest, Paul won 1st Prize in the “Service Story” Category for his article, “Ten Reasons Why Topspin Is Essential on Clay.” It was his seventh 1st Prize award in the annual USTWA writing contest in the past nine years. In the same category, Paul also won 2nd Prize for his article, “The Art of Anticipation.” Paul won 1st Prize in the 2007 United States Tennis Writers’ Association Writing Contest in the “Service Story” Category for his story, “Playing Drop Shots.” It was his sixth 1st Prize award in the annual USTWA writing contest in the past eight years. Paul also won 2nd Prize in the 2007 USTWA Writing Contest in the “Hard News/Enterprise” Category for his story, “How Successful Is the U.S. Open Series?” and 2nd Prize in the “Feature Story (Pro Tennis)” Category for his story, “Tennis for the Bloody Fun of It.”
In 2011 United States Tennis Writers’ Association Writing Contest Paul won 2nd Place in the Previously Published Nonfiction Article/Essay/Book Chapter category for his article – “Rafael Nadal: International Sports Star of the Year,” Sports Illustrated (South Africa). Paul also won 1st HM for - “Agassi vs. Sampras: The Rivalry That Never Ends,” Tennis Life.
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2012 Testing Dates January 7-8 March 17-18 May 5-6 July 7-8 September 8-9
November 17-18Site Harvard University 65 North Harvard Street Boston, Mass. 02134Site Contact Person Dave Fleury, Head Tester 207-831-4772International Airport Boston Logan Airport Distance from facility - 8 miles/15 minutesCurrent Testers Dave Fleury Bob Greene Wayne TurtnerHotelsNote: Depending on the time of year, different hotels are availabe
*Doubletree Suites By Hilton Boston 400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, Mass. 02134 617-783-0090 - 1 mile
*Courtyard by Marriott
777 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, Mass. 02139 617-492-7777 - 1 mile
*Charles Hotel Harvard Square 1 Bennett Street., Cambridge Mass. 02138 617-864-1200
New applicants may register for any of these exams by selecting the date when completing the application. You can also register by calling the Membership Department at 800-USPTA-4U or 1-800-877-8248.
Harvard University, approved asUSPTA Regional Testing Center
The United States Professional Tennis Association, the world’s leader in tennis-teaching certification, has created a system of regional testing centers. These regional testing centers offer the Certification Exam, including the review course, PTCAI, written exam, grip exam, private lesson, group lesson, feeding exam and stroke production tests.
USPTA selected major metropolitan areas with populations of at least 3 million people, strategically placed geographically around the United States, allowing USPTA regional testing centers to be available to the greatest number of potential applicants. The USPTA national testing committee recently approved Harvard University’s application proposal by Mike Mercier, the head tennis professional at the site.
Back to Coaching Part IIby Connie McHugh
Last I wrote, my team’s season had just gotten underway. We had met at the opening of the season to get to know each other and set our goals as a team. Once we made sure that everyone had the proper shoes and racquets with strings that were not too old, we hit the courts.
As we all know with High School tennis, it is only a matter of days of practice before you are in your competitive season. And then it is fast and furious….20 matches in two months not to mention the individual and team tournaments.
Opening the Season One of the first things I did was reread the rules of tennis start to finish.
Nice to think you know it all but there are lots of unusual situations in tennis and specific rules apply. Our team had a season opener dinner together with some entertainment afterwards. I spilled a box of poker chips on the coffee table and proceeded to ask them all kinds of questions around the rules and history of the game. Any girl that got the answer right took a chip from the table. There were prizes for the girls with the most chips. Meanwhile, we got a chance to discuss all the ‘weird’ things that can happen in a match. It also gave me a chance to let them know how to advocate for themselves on court and when to call upon me to be helpful.
I remember one of the questions was “Why do you say the score out loud before you serve? I reminded them that one of the most important reasons is to remind yourself as to where you stand in the game i.e. I am down 15 - 40 so it may not be the best time to try the drop shot I just learned this week.
During MatchesWatching and coaching five matches running simultaneously is a bit of
a run around. I found myself chasing to a court sometimes so that I could speak with my doubles team before they finished changing ends.
I took notes during the matches. I wanted to have at my fingertips the ideas that I wanted to tell my players during the match that I thought would be helpful…especially anything that I thought they were missing that would turn a match around or secure a tight battle.
You can’t give a player too much feedback. Often it’s best to have one focal point to share at a change of ends. Many times after watching for awhile and jotting down some things I would look at my notes and convey the one idea that was most applicable to the most recent points. Or I simply made a picture on paper of the play or target area that I wanted them to focus on. That seemed to be enough for any player.
Many times I only had to deal with players being nervous. I had a couple of strategies. I tried to be funny to cut the tension they felt. Or I would remind them of the great match they just played and share the confidence with them that they could do it again. Other times it was much more important to point out their opponent’s weaknesses and help portray them as the better skilled and more determined player. And more than not I reminded them to take deep breaths and continue breathing.
I kept notes on the things that would be valuable to work on in practice and the strategies I wanted to share with them. I also kept notes on complements for individual players that I wanted to share with the entire team. “Allison was fabulous at capitalizing on the short ball and following it to net. Her movement forward was very intimidating for her opponents.”
The notes from the matches made it even easier to prepare for matches. If I saw several notes on the volley, I could assemble drills to work on that skill for the next practice.
Next time I’ll write about how I tried to protect the team’s energy so that we would remain strong and injury free through the season with enough fire power left for the post season matches in the state tournament.
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AWARDS
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USPTA NE Summer Conference ExploresA Woman’s Point of View
The USPTA/NE division held its 2nd annual Summer Conference of tennis professionals in conjunction with its 21st Annual TAA lesson event on Thursday, August 25 at the Smilow Athletic Tennis Center on the campus of Yale University from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Regional Pros and tennis industry ambassadors attended the educational seminars. Edgar Giffenig of Giffenig conducted a compelling seminar on the differences and similarities of training male and female tennis players. Then, Yale Women’s Tennis Coach, Danielle McNamara, gave an exhilarating talk on her experiences working with female tennis players. Finally, there was some lively discussion on women’s tennis and related topics during a round table discussion with fellow professionals. Following the seminars a cocktail reception was held in the Smilow lobby. Pros enjoyed each other’s company and shared ideas.
Those who attended were awarded 3 USPTA continuing education points and the opportunity to accrue the USPTA’s new APC elite credits. Also, each attendee received seats to the night matches in the tennis stadium and grounds passes for the Friday matches. Everyone went away with a raffle prize graciously donated by USPTA endorsees and event sponsors. Many thanks go to Head-Penn Racquet Sports, Fromuth Tennis, On-Court-Off-Court, and Prince Sports.
Pros and friends in attendance were Steve O’Connell, Matt Fraenza, Skip South, Bruce Angeli, Ken Alrutz, Ed Dancsak, Ray Konchalski, Nestor Bernabe, Mark Sanderson, along with event speakers Edgar Giffenig and Danielle McNamara.
In a spectacular setting at a US Open series Professional Tennis event, this event will continue to grow as an annual convocation of the tennis industry’s finest. Make plans to attend next year.
21st Annual TAA FREE Lesson a Big HitThe 21st Annual Tennis Across America free public tennis lesson took
place on August 26, 2011. The venue for the event was the New Haven Open WTA Championships on the courts of the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale University in New Haven Conn. The lesson programs were held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Aetna Fit Zone courts of the historic Connecticut Tennis Center.
USPTA NE professionals who helped make the event a success were Steve O’Connell, Skip South, Tom Quigliano and Ed Dancsak. 30 members of the general public participated in this year’s free lesson. Over 1500 players have participated in this USPTA NE annual event in the past 21 years. Programs such as USTA Quick Start Tennis, Cardio Tennis and Pros vs Joes competitions were held. Once again celebrity pro Wayne Bryan came by for a photo and conducted his popular skill games like “sudden death” and “moon ball racquet catch.” Crowds gathered outside the gates looking on with curiosity at the challenges this popular tournament emcee was putting the pros and participants through.
This event is part of the fabric of the US Open Greatest Road Trip and one of New England’s largest annual sporting events. It’s FREE and it’s for everyone.
The USPTA New England Division and Boston Lobsters teamed up for the fourth year to promote tennis as a part of a healthy life-style. Another successful Family Day, a Tennis Across America (TAA) event took place prior to the WTT July 16 match against The New York Sportimes at the Ferncroft Country Club in Middleton, Mass., site of seven home matches played in July.
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This drill serves as an excellent warm-up for 6 or 8 intermediate to advanced players and is a great substitute for the generic “Two forehands across the baseline” drill. Half the participants form a line at the baseline directly behind the Ad side alley. The other half forms a line on the opposite side of the court at the net inside the Ad alley. The pro will feed two forehands to each baseliner as they move
from one end of the baseline to the other. The baseliner will hit the first feed from the Ad side and the next from the Deuce side. They will hit both balls crosscourt to their partner who is moving in conjunction with them along the net. The volleyer will attempt to angle away both of these crosscourt shots. After the two shots, regardless of their success, both the volleyer and baseliner run around to the end of their respective lines. The volleyer must run behind the pro so not to interfere with feeds. The volleyers count how many balls they successfully get in and the first one to get 10 ends the drill. The baseliners and volleyers then switch sides of the court and reverse roles. The same drill can be done with backhands.
Mark Centrella is a Past President and current Head Tester for Middle States. He is the Director of Racquet Sports at the Greenville Country Club in Wilmington, DE.
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FOR SALEUsed Brutus Tennis Rollers
Reid Tennis Courts, Inc.Tim Reid
P.O. Box 1551Avon, CT 06001860-678-0479
Avis Murray........Education Merit Award for 10 years of continuing education participation
55 yrs ................... Neil Chase, Rockport, MA
40 Years ............... Paul Fein, Agawam, MA David Fowler, Milford, CT Avis Murray, Gloucester, MA
35 Years .............. Phyllis Roach, Cranston, RCT Tim Smith, Southborough, MA. 30 Years .............. Jim Cole, New Haven, CT BenBishop,MansfieldCenter,CT Mike Lewitt, Brookline, MA
Years of Service
USPTA Honorees
Tennis ball grants available in 2012You can get a Pro Penn tennis ball grant (up to two cases) for
grassroots tennis events. Submit a written request describing your program details, the location and dates of the event. Also, what pros are involved and the type of people that your program will serve (preferably novices and beginners). Programs that qualify are any type of free or low-cost programs or an event of your own creation. The grants are sponsored by USPTA New England Division. E-mail your request to President Jacques Faulise at [email protected] for processing. Apply early as there are a limited number of cases of Pro Penn balls for this program.
SAVE THIS DATE
2012CONFERENCE
January 14Wentworth By The Sea CC
Rye, New HampshireHost Pro Chris Stevens
New England
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Michael GerskyDistrict Sales ManagerMass., Maine, Vermont
New Hampshire30 Gillette Road
New Hartford, CT 06057860-496-9735 Phone860-489-2443 Fax
Joe HajduckyDistrict Sales ManagerConn., Rhode IslandWestchester County
166 North StreetTrumbull, CT 06611203-375-4653 Phone203-375-4653 Fax
HEAD PENN RACQUET SPORTSImportant Contacts
The New England website www.usptanewengland.com
is up and running with a new look. Check it out!
ustanewengland.com110 Turnpike RoadWestborough, MA 01581Tel: 508-366-3450 Fax 508-365-5805
Publication Deadlines
Jerri DiCamillo, Executive Administrator Editor/Photographer/Layout and Design of Yankee PROse USPTA New England Division P.O. Box 126, West Kingston, RI 02892 Telephone: 401-789-8927 or Cell: 401-742-2075 e-mail: [email protected]
Publication Dates Deadlines July (Summer) newsletter June 1 (Including USPTA NE Fall Conference Brochure)
November (Winter) newsletter Oct. 1 (Including USPTA NE Winter Conference Brochure) Nov. 2 March (Spring) newsletter Feb. 1 (Including USPTA NE Annual Convention brochure)
The following is the rate schedule for ads placed in our newsletter.
Size One Time 2 Issues 3 Issues Bus. Card $35 $30 ($60) $25 ($75) 1/4 page $60 $55 ($110) $50 ($150) 1/2 Page $85 $80 ($160) $75 ($225) 3/4 Page $100 $90 ($180) $80 ($240) Full Page $,110 $100 ($200) $90 ($270) Full page insert - flat rate $100 As of 11/5/2011 there are 681 tennis professionals in New England. The newsletter YANKEE PROse can be viewed online at www.uspta.com by all USPTA members, the presidents and vice presidents of the 16 other divisions of the USPTA, as well as USPTA national Board of Directors.
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It’s time for our division to hold its biannual election of officers. The USPTA New England Division bylaws are very specific about how this will be accomplished. What follows is the actual bylaw language concerning the nomination and election of the Board of Officers.
ARTICLE IV - BOARD OF OFFICERSSection 4. Nomination and election of Board of Officers.
The Board of Officers will be elected biannually by the division membership. The election will be held as follows: nominations will be made before November 1 during an election year by the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will propose a complete slate of officers and forward this slate to the division secretary by November 5. By November 15, the division secretary will mail to the membership the Nominating Committee’s slate of officers and call for further nominations. By December 1, the nominations from the membership must be received by the division secretary who will thereupon add to the ballot the names of those persons who receive the greatest number of nominations from the membership. Only one nominee per office will be added to those persons nominated by the Nominating Committee and the one name added will have received the greatest number of nominations from the membership. The nominee, in order to be added to the ballot, must receive nominations from at least 20 members. In case of a tie, the nominee who has the highest number of nominations deposited with the division secretary on December 1 will be added to the ballot. Thereafter, by December 10, the division secretary will send out ballots to the members to be returned no later than January 10. Each ballot must be numbered and printed in such a manner as to not be able to be reproduced. The ballots will be returned to a counting committee that will be appointed by the Board of Officers and comprised of two or more division members none of whom may be members of the Board of Officers or the Nominating Committee. The newly elected Board of Officers will take office at the next regularly scheduled division membership meeting or February 15, whichever comes first. The Chairman of the Select Presidential Advisory Committee, who is also a member of the Board of Officers, will be the immediate past president. If the immediate past president is unwilling or unable to serve, then the Board of Officers shall by majority vote, elect the chairman of the Select Presidential Committee.
The Nominating Committee has completed its deliberations, and is pleased to nominate the following slate for the Board of Officers of USPTA New England Division for the 2012-2013 term.
President ............................................... Chris Stevens. Regional Vice President ....................... Marcy Rubinstein Vice President ....................................... Phil Parrish Vice President ....................................... Steve Thuot Vice President ....................................... Lance Andersen Secretary ............................................... Connie McHugh Treasurer ............................................... Doug Eng Immediate Past President ..................... Jacques A. P. Faulise
USPTA New England Division ElectionofBoardofOfficers
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New England DivisionP. O. Box 126West Kingston, RI 02892
United States Professional Tennis Association
**********************Happy Holidays!
