Following the next generation of tennis industry insiders

It's Who You Know: Networking in the Tennis Industry

Assistant Editor — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:33:00 GMT

By Ryan Bauman

People want to get jobs based on their credentials and skills, but often it's who you know that lands you the job.

I've been told this for as long as I can remember, and it's reinforced here at Ferris' PTM program more than anywhere else I've heard. Networking is a big part of the tennis industry and it's something that PTM prides itself on. It was one of the benefits that made me decide to attend PTM so when I arrived I said, "Okay, I'm ready to start networking!" But it really takes a lot more effort and a lot more patience than I had anticipated.

I've been in the PTM program for six months now and looking back on it I've been given several opportunities to build my tennis network. In the first semester PTM invited a total of six speakers to come talk to students and interview for internships. This semester PTM has brought in four speakers so far and plans on bringing in several more. (Stay tuned for coverage in April!) These are great opportunities to practice interviews, build networks for post-graduation, and find internships for the summer months.

Our largest annual event, the PTM Banquet, is the best opportunity to network with some of the bigwigs in the industry. It gathers speakers from all over the world and in the highest tiers of the tennis industry. This year's theme is "An Evening with the Masters" and PTM is bringing in five Master Professionals, including two who hold that highest rank from both United States Professional Tennis Association and Professional Tennis Registry. Only six people worldwide hold this title, and we'll meet two of them in April. It's a huge opportunitiy for all of us students to gain knowledge of the industry and to build that network.

This is great for PTM students, but if you're not a PTM student, where do you start networking or continue networking? The best option I've been told is to network at the regional, national, and international tennis conventions, such as the USPTA World Conference. A tip for starting a relationship with some of the tennis greats may be to listen to a speech or presentation, remember some key points that piqued your interest, and approach the speaker after his or her presentation is over. This is a great way to introduce yourself and keep yourself in his or her memory.

Once the conference is over be sure to send the speaker an e-mail and a written thank-you letter or card. Something I learned very quickly at PTM was the importance of a thank-you letter. It can make or break a good-standing relationship with someone you may want to network with in the future.

Some dates for upcoming conferences and events include:

Midwest USPTA Conference, February 27 - March 1 2010
Ferris PTM Banquet, April 9 - 11 2010

Ferris PTM in the Classroom, Part 3: Running an Event

Assistant Editor — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:24:00 GMT

This is Part Three of a three-part series, Ferris PTM in the Classroom. Part One focused on the first half of the freshman curriculum, and Part Two focused on the second half of the freshman curriculum as well as the senior classes.

By Ryan Bauman

The final entry in this series on the Ferris State University Professional Tennis Management curriculum is about the final classes I'll have to take in order to graduate. Since I haven't taken them yet, I talked to my peers about what these required classes entail.

As the name suggests, Advanced Teaching Techniques provides sophomores with more sophisticated tools to provide excellent instruction overall, as well as abilities needed on the court. This class builds on the teaching foundation built in the last class, Beginning Teaching Techniques. A major part of teaching tennis is being able to diagnose problems in strokes, which is a major part of this course. Students also learn different teaching styles for different levels of players, such as ways to teach advanced juniors and beginning adults, instead of learning just basic teaching techniques. After finishing this course, students are prepared to participate in internships for any skill level of teaching, whether it's at a top junior academy or a prestigious country club.

The junior curriculum is focused on the management and marketing side of the tennis industry. Tournament Administration presents different aspects a Director of Tennis has to deal with on a daily or weekly basis. All students are assigned events to coordinate and administer, such as a tennis or racquetball tournament. Another interesting project involves advertising the Ferris State racquet club. Students must develop videos and online publications that showcase the facility, lessons, racquetball courts, as well as the variety of fitness classes offered. The students are basically in charge of running the facility during this time. This kind of hands-on experience prepares us for internships and our first jobs after graduation. It's good preparation because most students will be running events and be in charge of bringing new members into their facilities.

The following video is a quick tip by Ferris PTM student Bobby Brown done for his Advanced Teaching Techniques class. (0:56s)

The following video is a FSU Racquet and Fitness Center spot for Wallyball created by Tiffany Rheynard for the Tournament Administration class. (1:22s)

For more information on the Ferris Professional Tennis Management degree, click here.

Ferris PTM in the Classroom, Part 2: Developing your own coaching philosophy

Assistant Editor — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:33:00 GMT

This is Part Two of a three-part series, Ferris PTM in the Classroom. Part One focused on the first half of the freshman curriculum, and Part Three will introduce the sophomore and junior level portions of the program.

By Ryan Bauman

I am a transfer student in the Professional Tennis Management (PTM) program at Ferris State University. Because of this, I will be graduating in the middle of the standard college year. So this semester I have to take the freshmen spring class and senior spring class and next fall I'll take the sophomore and junior fall classes to round out the PTM curriculum. Here's a look at a couple of mandatory classes in the PTM program.

Beginning Teaching Techniques is the second semester class for all freshman and first-year transfers. What do you expect this class will be about? I expected exactly what it is called; the basics of teaching tennis: Feeding balls, setting up basic drill progressions, teaching basic stroke progressions, and similar fundamentals. This class went beyond my expectations.

Having already coached teams and taught tennis before coming to Ferris, I had already started to develop a coaching philosophy. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I had an idea of how I wanted to coach players and what values I wanted to instill in them through the game of tennis. This would have been one of the last things I thought would be an assignment for my first teaching techniques class. Sure enough this was our first assignment of the class and we are expected to continuously revise it as we see fit.

The importance of the coaching philosophy not only provides a fundamental to the structure of lessons, but also the structure for the learning process that continues through the time that the coach and student interact. Life lessons can be, and are, learned through sports and from the coaches who teach them. This is why it is important to develop the coaching philosophy and stick to it; providing good life lessons for juniors is essential for making them into good players on the court and good people off the court.

I'm also taking USPTA Certification. This course is for graduating seniors to get certified by the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), which is the oldest organization for teaching professionals in the game of tennis. All students must pass the exam at the Professional-1 or Professional-2 level in order to receive a degree. So far this class has strictly been about passing the exams, however the last class sessions of the semester are dedicated to business ethics, networking, and general ideas and planning for the post-graduation life of a tennis professional.

To learn more about Ferris State University's Professional Tennis Management program, click here.
To learn more about the United States Professional Tennis Association and certification as a professional, click here.

Saddlebrook internship offers glimpse of resort life

Assistant Editor — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:11:00 GMT

By Ryan Bauman

With the beginning of a new year an old year comes to an end. To finish off last year, myself and two peers from Professional Tennis Management spent two weeks in sunny Florida to accomplish an annual winter break tradition here at Ferris State: the Saddlebrook internship.

The Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Fla., is world-renowned for its tennis and golf programs as well as its five-star restaurants. The experience was definitely an interesting one and has helped to shape my future in the tennis industry. Myself and my peers spent most of our time on court, teaching lessons and helping with some of the academy and camp students staying at the resort. We were able to hit with some great young players as well as see some of the tour players out and about on the courts.

When we first arrived, we were given a tour of the resort, which is huge. A large lake in the middle of the resort is the divider between "Lakeside" and the "Walking Village." Both areas have courts. The walking village has 24 courts including green clay, red clay, and grass courts. Lakeside has 14 courts, six green clay and eight U.S. Open hard court surface. Lakeside is also home to the gym, a volleyball court, and one of the swimming pools. The "pros only" gym is located on this side of the resort, and it is not uncommon to see tour players practicing on court. John Isner's last day there training was our first day on the job so we missed seeing him practice, but Victoria Azarenka came to hit during our time there. The Walking Village is home to the main courts as well as the golf and tennis pro shops and four restaurants. I highly recommend the filet from the Tropics. I'm not a big golfer, but the golf courses were simply amazing. The landscapes and scenery flowed nicely, and the grass was well maintained.

My experience in the industry so far has been with country clubs. I've worked with small numbers of members who are regulars. There's almost a routine to it. Not so in a resort setting: The guests and our assigned courts would change almost every day, sometimes even shift-to-shift. Now that I've experienced the difference, I think I prefer the country club atmosphere where things are a little less different day-to-day.

All of the guests and employees were wonderful. Someone was always there to help us whenever we needed it. I can easily say that Howard Moore, the director of tennis at Saddlebrook, is one of the hardest working people I've ever seen. He was always there wide awake and ready to go. He was always there hours before any lessons started and always there well after the lessons ended. We got to work on court with Howard, Larry Peterson, Alvaro Betancur, and Nona Wagh. These pros, as well as the rest of the teaching staff at Saddlebrook, were very knowledgeable and helpful. We took lots of notes, learned lots of new drills, and got an overall tennis experience that cannot be beat.

Winter break for some means an internship at Saddlebrook

Assistant Editor — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:13:00 GMT

By Ryan Bauman

Finals are on this week at Ferris State University, which means that winter break is right around the corner. Most students spend the next three weeks taking a break from school and work and spending time with family and friends. That's not the case for some students in Professional Tennis Management, though.

A group from PTM is select for a mini-internship in sunny Florida right as winter gets started in Michigan. I am lucky enough to be one of those students.

Five of us are leaving on Dec. 22 to start a 10-day internship at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Fla., where players such as James Blake, Mardy Fish, John Isner and the Bryan Brothers have trained. We will be working under tennis director Howard Moore, who was trained by Australia's former Davis Cup coach Harry Hopman. He is a P-1 certified professional from the United States Professional Tennis Association and earned a B.A. in Hotel Management from Florida International University. Saddlebrook has 45 courts that include all Grand Slam surfaces--grass, red clay and hard courts. Saddlebrook is home to adult and junior programs as well as a tennis academy and prep school.

The internship includes both on-court and off-court time. As business students, it is important to learn both aspects of the job. We have to be professionals in both tennis and management, hence the name of the degree (B.S. Business in Professional Tennis Management). We'll run courts and lessons at the facility and take part in managing daily activities around the tennis facility.

Stay tuned for more coverage of this PTM internship.

Ferris PTM In the Classroom, Part I: Mastering the daily planner

Assistant Editor — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:49:00 GMT

This is Part One of three-part series on Ferris' PTM classes, Ferris PTM in the Classroom. Part Two will focus on the rest of the freshmen curriculum as well as the sophomore curriculum, and Part Three will introduce the junior and senior level portions of the program.

By Ryan Bauman

When I first heard about Ferris State University’s Professional Tennis Management program (PTM), I wasn’t exactly sure what to think. A degree in tennis? I was skeptical. I was given some more information and was told it was a bachelor’s degree in business from an accredited school. Then where does the tennis come in?

PTM’s curriculum includes Ferris State University’s bachelor's degree program with concentrations in either marketing or management. It also takes some of the basic electives and higher-level business choices and replaces them with tennis-based classes designed to train the next top-notch industry professionals. This series will cover the curriculum that develops The Next Generation of Tennis Industry Insiders and begins with a look at my first semester’s tennis-based PTM classes.

First on the list is PTMG 101, Orientation of PTM. Program director Derek Ameel teaches this class that gives freshmen and first-year transfer students an overview of what PTM is all about. It also gives some great tips and training to use throughout a student’s college career as well as in the professional environment after graduation. Several class periods were devoted toward long-term and backwards goal-planning, plus ways to organize and track progress.

Starting in this class and continuing through the program, every student is required to maintain a daily planner for activities as well as goals and projects. Not exactly the standard expectation of a “tennis-based” class, but PTM builds tennis professionals. Professionalism is one of the things this program prides itself on, so it is important that students learn responsibility and punctuality through the daily use of these tools.

PTMG172, Racquet Repair, is the first workshop that PTM students get to attend.This is definitely a class you'd expect in a tennis program. David Bone, executive director of the United States Racquet Stringer’s Association and PTM alumnus, came to Ferris State University to teach the workshop. He went over details of racquet repair including stringing, grommet replacement, and grip replacement. Students got hands-on training and learned the theory and math behind different types and builds of racquets. All students are required to string 15 tennis racquets and five racquetball racquets by the end of the semester to earn credit for this class.

Check out more on Ferris State University's Professional Tennis Management program here.
Visit the United States Racquet Stringer's Association's website for more information on racquet repair.

Video: A quick introduction to Professional Tennis Management

Assistant Editor — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:00:00 GMT

By Ryan Bauman

I've produced a short video blog to introduce you to the Professional Tennis Management program at Ferris State University, where I am pursuing my degree. It overviews a day in the life of a PTM student. Expect more episodes and articles about the experience of going "From Player to Teacher."

Video run-time: 00:01:29

Finding the line between persistence and pestering

Assistant Editor — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:08:26 GMT

By Ryan Borucki

One week from now I will be packing my bags to embark on my next adventure.

After 15 weeks at Royal Melbourne Country Club for my final internship, I am heading to my next destination, Denver. This has been a goal of mine since I enrolled in the Professional Tennis Management program in 2006.

During this summer I have come to understand a great deal about the tennis industry and life in general. I have developed a teaching style of my own and become more confident in my teaching as well as playing. I have learned the importance of budgeting, but still need to put it to use. And I have experienced the benefits of networking.

Now all of these things are wonderful and I will carry them with me into the future, but the most important thing I have learned this summer is that persistence pays off.

Up until this summer I had been too willing to accept rejection, even if it hadn’t happened yet. Whether I’m on the phone, face to face, or writing a letter, I’d rather not “bug” someone than go after what I want. Obviously, there is a point where you need to let off the gas, but I was as close to that point as a shy boy at the 8^th grade dance.

I told my boss at the beginning of the summer this was something I needed to work on. I felt bad asking members if they wanted another lesson. I didn’t want to badger them and figured they would call if they wanted another one. And yes, some of them did, but the ones you called were taking a lesson the next day or even the next hour if you were free.

As I pushed through the summer and my boss pushed me, I began to put myself out there a little bit more. I came to realize that until someone said 'absolutely not' there was always a chance of my persistence paying off.

It wasn’t until this past Saturday that I had this epiphany. During my job search I had called lots of clubs in Denver and had left plenty of messages. Some of these clubs had responded and asked for my resume. I sent them and believed that was sufficient. I didn’t want to pester them. I would come to realize that following up showsm my interest and exhibits a “persistent” attitude.

Following a talk with my boss about continuing to call these places either until they said 'no' or that the positions were filled, I decided to do just that. I even called one of the guys that was supposed to have called me, but since he didn’t I figured I might as well make the effort.

A couple days went by--nothing. Then came Saturday morning and my caller ID displayed a Denver area code. On the other line was one of the head pros from a club I had contacted.

Long story short: I've gotten my foot in the door to ultimately pursue my dream of teaching tennis in Colorado. Now I can’t give all the credit to my encouraged persistence because without help from some great guys in the industry I wouldn't have made these contacts in the first place. But in the end, it was that persistent attitude that got me the eventual call back.

I'm heading to Denver without a full-time job, but my search continues. I'm hopeful that my persistence will pay off.

Creative programming can cure a boring August

Assistant Editor — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:47:00 GMT

By Kyle Revall

As July came to a close and the August air blew in off the coast of Long Island, tennis programming came to a halt. Clinic revenues, private lessons, and stringing dollars simply are hard to come by as people clamor for a few vacation days before returning to school and work. What is a tennis professional to do?

Answer: Develop creative clinics and camps to get members frequenting the club again!

At the Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club (CSHBC) on Long Island, our major summer activity for kids is "Sports Group," which ended on Aug. 7. Director of Tennis Magnus Gustafsson knows that signals the end of summer play at the club. Families frequently leave Cold Spring Harbor looking for their hot vacation spot or a cool place further north to cool down until school starts back up. This year, Magnus' plan was to keep kids coming through the month by creating a new and exciting group called Kids Tennis Camp.

A simple flyer and a few words of encouragment to parents got the ball rolling. The info sheet contained a few lines stating that it is going to be a fun-filled daily camp for juniors, aged five to 10, with activities ranging from tennis to swimming, and that lunch would be served.

A camp like this can roll in some serious revenues--and it will keep your pros off their butts for a couple of weeks.

A great way to keep employees happy is to allow them to participate in the camp fun. At CSHBC the tennis pros can put on their swimsuits to join the kids for a quick swim in the afternoon. It's a win-win: By allowing the pros to join in, get a tan and have a break, they not only get paid, but they have a good last experience before they head off to school or their next teaching job.

These little clinics and lessons are a great way to keep everyone happy. Pros are happy for the perks, the club owner is thrilled to bring in more revenues, parents are happy because they have a way to keep their children busy for three hours in the afternoons, and most importantly, the tennis programmer is happy because all of those people are satisfied with his work.

This is one way to keep your summer from coming to a boring close.

Careful event planning minimizes (but doesn't eliminate) surprises

Assistant Editor — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 03:20:00 GMT

By Ryan Borucki

From the weekly morning mixer to the monthly twilight night, events play a key role at of country clubs.

I learned this throughout my summer internship at the Royal Melbourne Country Club, I have been part of events once or twice a week. Some are pretty standard and others take on a theme and get talked about for weeks. Either way, it's of the utmost importance that each and every detail is planned out. Luckily I had some preparation as part of the Professional Tennis Management program.

Students are required to take a tournament administration class that covers the components of running an event (before-during-after). At the end of the semester, students are required to run their own event from start to finish. This is wonderful practice and provides great experience, but it’s a different story when it's the real deal .

My co-worker and fellow PTM’er, Kasey Grohs and I were given this opportunity on Aug. 7. Similar to the required PTM class, this was a “final” test for our internships.

As we sat down to begin the event planning process, a million ideas ran through my head. But--first things first--we had to come up with a theme and a format. We came up with a theme, Dirty Doubles, for a daytime doubles mixer. After we picked the theme, we checked with the food and beverage department to arrange beverages and snacks for the event, running 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Then we had to get on the horn.

There's a lengthy checklist for planning and running an event. Between trips to the florist and constant phone calls it was a long week. But that’s not what stuck in my mind after finishing the event that Friday morning.

We arrived at 8:30 a.m. to set up for the 10 a.m. start time. As we walked in, our boss, Mike Lardino, let us know we had a voicemail from a lady wanting late entry for the event. We also had to prepare the vase of flowers we bought for the winners and to complete our board of rules; the latter task was delayed because the copier wasn’t working the night before.

Okay, no big deal, that’s why we came in early. The kicker was that Mike told us we had to sweep and line the courts because the grounds crew had forgotten. As we scrambled to make phone calls and get the courts swept, he stopped us, letting us in on his joke: The courts were fine and "the lady on the answering machine" was him!

It wasn’t that Mike wanted to see our heads explode or to watch us fail miserably. Ultimately, he wanted us to understand that we needed to plan for setbacks or even disasters when planning an event. Had the courts not been swept, or a water pipe had blown, or the flowers had died overnight, we would have been in a tough situation.

And that is the beauty of the internship. Kasey and I aren’t stuck with a tennis director or head pro looking to use us as money-makers. Mike, a PTM graduate himself,gave us daily lessons and experiences to help us improve our skills and further our careers.

Please share any similar experiences you have had, as well as the 'ins and outs' of putting together a tennis event.

Internships provide experience for a lifetime

Assistant Editor — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:48:00 GMT

By Ryan Borucki

Since graduating high school I have attended two universities, endured six years of college, earned a bachelor’s degree and worked three internships. All of this has been exciting, educational and costly. And now all are part of my resume as I apply for jobs this fall as a graduate of Ferris State University's Professional Tennis Management program.

Each class attended (or missed) and workshops completed have helped to prepare me for working in tennis, but classes and on-court simulations can only take you so far.

This is where internships come in.

My three summer internships have put me in everyday professional situations where I have been forced to make real-time decisions. From member relations to event organization, I have been given the opportunity to gain first-hand experience.

This summer, for example, my boss had to make an unexpected trip for two days during the week. On these days we had a ladies' team drill session, junior classes and private lessons. Between another Ferris student and myself we were expected to take care of the club. This is normally a job for three to four people and we often run four courts for the ladies each day. I had regularly looked up to my boss for positive reinforcement on decisions, but for these two days I was forced to trust my skills and decisions.

Although this may seem like a small thing, it gave me the confidence to go with my judgment and rely on the skills I gained through Ferris State PTM--something I could not have experienced through the classroom.

In fact, the summer internships, which run two or three months, pack a lot of valuable experience, including:

· Court maintenance

· Member relations

· Event organization

· Tournament administration

· Ladies/junior practices

· Club management

· Tennis camps

· Paddleball (never played until my internship!)

Internships are an extremely important part of the Ferris State PTM program. I've definitely benefited from my internships working at the Ferris State University Tennis Camps, Greenville Country Club in Wilmington, Del.; and Royal Melbourne Country Club in Long Grove, Ill.

If you are looking to join the tennis industry or need summer help, give internships a shot. The position may be temporary, but the experience gained will last your lifetime.

Not sure about 'what I want to be' (except the tennis part!)

Assistant Editor — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:49:00 GMT

By Kely Revall

When I was a typical “fish out of water” college student, I was at a loss for words when people asked me what I want to be when I grow up. Eventually, I just started making things up. That was until I was introduced to the Professional Tennis Management program at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich. I was playing a tournament at the Ferris State Racquet and Fitness Center when I sat down with then-director, Tom Daglis, to discuss the opportunity of playing tennis for the Ferris State team and beginning my undergraduate degree at the school.

When I had my chat with Mr. Daglis, I wasn't sure of anything I wanted to do with my career and life outside of high school. I knew I wanted to go to college and possibly play tennis. I started my tennis career by playing every year for one week, spring break. I would play only because my parents and grandparents asked. When I finally entered middle school and realized the idea of playing tennis for a team, it struck a chord. I was fascinated and I have played year-round ever since.

Even now that I've graduated college--after attending Ferris State and playing for the team--I’m still not sure what I want to do when I finish school, but the idea behind the PTM program is that there are a lot of options one can pursue, and a B.S. degree in business provides great preparation for anything. I have always been very fond of sales. Some people can’t stand sales. Others enjoy working on court with players and teaching the game that they love to anyone who will listen. Some want to own, operate or direct a club where tennis is the topic of discussion day-in and day-out. There are also "loners" out there who enjoy the sweet solitude of stringing in silence in pro shops, at tournaments, and anywhere else people wear out or break strings. PTM has the curriculum for all of them.

The curriculum, workshops, banquets, and internships set you up with the knowledge and connections to get you jobs in tennis anywhere in the world. There are opportunities with clay-court specialists and racquet stringing competitions as well as your regular tennis facilities or country clubs that need a professional to help teach Championship Carl (if you read my last article you’ll remember him) how to hit a two-handed backhand.

PTM is a great program for anyone who loves the game of tennis. It's at a cozy, Division II school in the midwest that offers a myriad of people and activities to participate in.

I am at the start of my tennis career. Not sure exactly where it will take me, but one thing's for sure: I am proud to be a Professional Tennis Management program at Ferris State University !

How technique and time contribute to a quality stringing job

Assistant Editor — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:34:00 GMT

By Kyle Revall

Every tennis club director wants a racquet stringer to do a quality job. Ideally that means doing a technically correct job quickly to meet or exceed your customer's expectation.

However, in the race to return a newly strung racquet to a player, the 'correct' factor can be compromised through sloppy shortcuts to beat the clock.

I learned the difference during my freshman year in Ferris State University's Professional Tennis Management program. I had never strung a racquet in my life, though I had watched a buddy string my racquet for me once. That changed when Ferris State alum David Bone , who is executive director of the U.S. Racquet Stringers Association, visited campus. Every fall, David takes time out of his busy schedule as head of the USRSA and co-publisher of Racquet Sports Industry magazine to go through every intricacy of stringing. His goal is to teach PTM students how to be proper, smart racquet stringers, and offer the USRSA certification test.

David gave each of us a DVD on stringing and presented a seminar that covered every detail on how to properly string a racquet. I was surprised to learn that there are so many different things a stringer can do to compromise the frame being strung. Pulling tension equally on both sides of the mains (vertical strings) and pulling one string at a time are considered to be the proper steps in creating tension. Starting the crosses (horizontal strings) from the top when stringing with two separate pieces of string is much easier on the frame and doesn’t exert unnecessary pressures on the frame that could cause it to crack.

These details are very tedious and make the process much longer than it should be, which creates an ethical challenge:
When your boss asks you to string a racquet for a player who broke a string mid-match and wants it for the second set, what do you do?

TAKE THE SPEED=MONEY ROUTE? It is very easy to double-pull the mains and string all of the mains on one side in order to increase your speed and get that racquet into the customer’s hands ASAP. But, the stringer must be very careful doing this. I was handed a racquet recently that had a substantial crack in the throat, just above the grip. In order to string the racquet, I made sure we had permission from the owner because it is very easy to shatter a racquet when it has a slight crack; however, I took my time and strung the racquet with as little unnecessary pressure as possible and kept the frame intact.

If the frame is in pristine condition, it may be okay to cut a couple of corners in order for Club Championship Carl to get his racquet in time before the match ends, but I wouldn’t do it. I took my time with this racquet and by the end of the match, Club Championship Carl wanted to purchase the demo he borrowed from the pro shop.

TAKE THE ETHICAL ROUTE? Take your time! Speed stringing only gets you in trouble. Being an "experienced mistake-maker," I’ve found that sprinting through a string job creates mistakes. I’ve strung a racquet to the machine carelessly, clipped a main when trimming extra string, and I’ve even mismounted a racquet that made stringing the stick impossible because I tried to hurry up and get it done.

By taking your time, you ensure that the racquet is strung properly without compromising the frame and that you didn’t misweave any crosses--or make any other careless errors that a club player may or may not pick up on.

Remember to take your time stringing racquets and don’t jeopardize someone else’s frame to save a little time or make an extra buck.

Welcome to the "real world": How to find that full-time teaching job

Assistant Editor — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:15:00 GMT

By Ryan Borucki

July is ending and August is knocking at the door. For most people that means the start of college football or the beginning of a new school year. But as a recent graduate who's in the midst of finishing up an internship, it means the search is on for a full-time position in the fall.

I have gone 25 years, 3 months, 1 week and 3 days without having to do such a thing. Now that the time is getting closer and the economy continues to plummet, I am beginning to worry. Not only about finding a job, but finding the right job.

Sure there are jobs out there if you need one, even ones in the tennis industry, but finding one that fits is important--almost as difficult as finding the right girl. One you live off and the other you live with. Finding either requires some luck.

I'm looking for a position as a teaching pro. As I edited my resume this past week, I thought about the important and not-so-important aspects of the "ideal job" I am looking for. At first, I thought the “ideal job” was to not have one, but I realized after phoning my dad, that was not an option.

With that in mind I made a short list of important aspects I want to include in my nationwide search.

1) Location
This is most important on the list. As a lifelong Michigander, I want nothing more than to escape from the midwest. I would like to head out west, specifically Denver. It seems like a nice place. There is nothing better than sunshine and snow-covered mountains in the background. Okay, so maybe this search is not so 'nationwide. '

2) Facility
Do I want to work at a commercial club, country club, municipal facility or a resort? As a member of a commercial club, I am positive that is off the list, and municipal just is not my thing. This leaves either a resort or country club. Fortunately, Denver and the surrounding areas are able to accommodate both.

3) Money
You may be surprised this isn’t further up the list, but with no wife and kids, I'm the only one who needs to survive on my salary.However, I wouldn’t complain if I could live like the rich and famous. I won’t get into specific figures, but Professional Tennis Management generally provides a $40,000 to $50,000 range for first-year graduates. A position at a resort or country club might be able to meet this objective.

4) Working environment
While every day won’t be full of smiles and rainbows, it would be nice to have an easy-going atmosphere with a pleasant boss. I have been spoiled for the past two summers by club directors who were wonderful to work for. However, I am now moving into the real world and as my mom says, Beggars can’t be choosers." This is why I put this at the bottom of the list. Give me Christmas off and show me where to sign.

These are just a few things that crossed my mind as I approach the deadline to find a place to call home. I’m sure there are many more things to take into consideration and my priorities will change like the seasons.

Please share your ideas for finding a great job by making a comment below.

World TeamTennis: A perfect draw for non-tennis fans

Assistant Editor — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:02:00 GMT

By Kyle Revall

My first NY Sportimes experience was this past Wednesday as the NY Sportimes faced the Boston Lobsters at Randall's Island Tennis Center in New York City. The match also featured a special event, the "Tennis Champions for Children" gala to raise money for the Randall's Island Sports Foundation, which enables kids to participate in healthy, fun activities.

I had a blast!

And I had a realization: Even though I've been working in the tennis industry for the last three years and I've been an avid tennis fan for close to 10 years, I was shocked that I’ve never even heard of this league before.

The matches are extremely exciting and it is very good tennis. Furthermore, the atmosphere is laid back and you don’t need to be primped up like you might for a match at Wimbledon.

There are so many cool factors in this league that aren’t publicized enough. Here are a few from the New York vs. Boston match.

Top Talent: Big names are invited to play. Jan-Michael Gambill and John McEnroe faced off in a singles match. Martina Navratilova partnered with James Auckland to compete against McEnroe and his partner, Abigail Spears, in mixed doubles for the deciding match. Both sides of the court were full of talent. The home team eventually won 21-20.

New Rules: The matches are extremely relaxed. Any ball hit into the stands can be kept. Music plays between points, the announcers get the crowd involved, coaches continuously chuck the challenge flag to argue calls, and an awesome mascot, Tennis the Menace, entertains the crowd and, most importantly, the children.

Play to the Crowd: McEnroe is a true entertainer. He was born to participate in this league. His antics keep the crowd glued to the matches. At one point, he missed an easy forehand into the net and proceeded to fire that ball, after one bounce, over the roof of the brand new Advanta World TeamTennis (WTT) Pro League . This really got the crowd going--and he received a warning from the umpire!

So why is World TeamTennis such a secret?

There just isn't enough publicity.

This particular event brought big names to the stadium and a lot of the seats were filled for the halftime award ceremony honoring Chris Lacopo, Eugene L. Scott, Ken Solomon, and the great Billie Jean King, but there were still a lot of empty rows. Something must be done to get this league more exposure.

Tennis fans will go to watch tennis whenever because we love the sport and enjoy watching great players. We need to get people who aren’t tennis enthusiasts to attend these kinds of events.

The WTT matches have all of the components that other sports are using to appeal to non-enthusiast fans:
- The score-keeping is much simpler with a “first to four points wins the game” system.
- There is a fun DJ and announcer to keep people involved and cheering.
- The warm-ups are kept short, the arena is intimate, and fans get to interact with the action!
- There is no “Wimbledon whites tennis code.”

Something must be done to gain viewership and boost tennis enthusiasts all over the country. I think a full-blown marketing research effort must be undertaken by the league to find what non-tennis fans look for in a tennis event and what would draw them to the stands. Any ideas?

How to get through rainy days on the job

Assistant Editor — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:28:00 GMT

By Ryan Borucki

Summer is the time tennis professionals make the majority of their money. The days are long and hot, but it’s all worth that extra buck. And we all know that when October arrives, we'll be wishing for that same summer day when lunch wasn’t an option and the ladies never left the courts.

With that in mind, the only thing worse than a slow day is a rainy day. I’m not talking about a day full of thunderstorms and monsoons when you stay in bed. I’m talking about the days it sprinkles and you’re stuck in the office, canceling lessons five minutes before they are scheduled and twiddling your thumbs.

These are the days that severely drain a pro, whether you are burnt out or ready and waiting to take the court. There is nothing like losing $200 worth of lessons while standing guard in a pro shop that has characteristics of a ghost town.

So how can you pass time while trapped in the office?

The obvious move is to bank your weekly phone calls and unstrung racquets until the rain shows. However, often the phone calls can’t wait that long and some of those eager members need their racquets on specific days.

The next option is to catch up on billing and inventory. Everyone loves to avoid these two chores, but, once again, they typically are only done on certain days.

A third option is to plan upcoming events. Even tournaments and mixers can use some tweaking as they creep closer on our schedule.

While these options are practical options to handle rainy days at the office, the most interesting and exciting way--that I have never ever done myself--is to add some wagers to the work day.

Play a couple of hands of Texas Hold’em to see who goes home early, while your co-workers stay at work making those rain-out calls. Or try a simple draw of the cards, leaving the staffer with the low card to do inventory or vacuum the pro shop while you check Weather.com, among other less strenuous tasks.

Whatever your pick, I hope if these choices could add a little flavor to those dreary days...because we all know work is more tolerable when a little play is involved.

Dear High School Tennis Players: PTM is your ticket to a tennis career

Assistant Editor — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:32:00 GMT

By Ryan Borucki

Sure, I'm biased. I graduated in May from Ferris State University's Professional Tennis Management program. After four years of studying on the court and in the classroom, I earned a bachelor of science degree in business, along with a USPTA-1 certification as as a teaching pro. So have hundreds of other men and women since the program was founded in 1986 by Scott Schultz, who now works as the USTA's managing director of recreational tennis.

This undergraduate major--often unrecognized and misunderstood--prepares tennis players for the business aspect of the industry as well as teaching on the court. It is currently offered at Ferris State's campus in Big Rapids, Mich., and it is the only such four-year degree accredited by the USPTA.

Graduates earn a bachelor’s degree with a major in marketing and a specialization in Professional Tennis Management. Students take classes in a variety of subjects including including business, advertising, marketing and retailing. A concentration in resort management is offered for those who are interested in the travel, recreation and leisure industries.

These off-court classes over four years help set PTM apart from its competition--two-year programs at other universities--but it is the on-court, hands-on experience that, I believe, really puts the program a step above the rest.

INTERNSHIPS
Students are required to complete three summer internships that develop proficiency in pro shop operations, on-court teaching and club management. Of course, most majors require internships these days, but how many have top-notch facilities and recognized professionals throughout the country requesting students each year? PTM does.

Students have had the opportunity to teach at facilities such as the Philadelphia Cricket Club, Midtown Clubs (multiple locations throughout the midwest), Baseline Tennis clubs (13 locations in Michigan), Saddlebrook Resort and many others. This is just one of the many things PTM can offer high school students who would like to work in the sport they love.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Each semester classes and workshops covering tennis management and teaching are taught by the program director, tennis team coach and alumni, students are able to gain a plethora of knowledge from industry insiders. Workshops in stringing, clay court construction and maintenance, QuickStart Tennis format for kids, Dartfish video analysis and other key practical skills are offered.

THE NEW & THE OLD
The education doesn’t stop with classes--every school year ends with a banquet. Current and former students meet for a weekend to share and demonstrate tennis knowledge and experiences they have gained. Not only does the banquet offer further education, but it creates a network for the "new" and the "experienced" tennis workforce. Photo at right shows Peter Burwash of PBI Tennis, which manages tennis operations at more than 60 worldwide resorts and vacation sites, speaking to students.

In fact, new graduates often are offered positions by the alumni or professionals that are somehow connected to the program. We aren’t talking about 50 percent or 60 percent or even 75 percent job security. Upon graduation, 99.9% of PTM students can find a job through this network.

Impressed yet? Still looking for more reasons PTM is a level above the rest?

The answer can be found on one of the 15 hard courts, four of them indoor, at Ferris State's tennis center. Every day students are playing tennis. Among the 50+ group currently working towards their bachelor of science degrees, there is always a fellow PTM’er looking to hit. From challenge ladders to doubles nights and the monthly mixer events, there are many opportunities to improve your game over four years.

Most students use every minute they have to do so because at the end of four years students are given a chance to prove what they’ve learned: Each student must pass the USPTA Certification with a Professional Level 2 or higher to graduate. It's another career advantage that many graduates have over others in the industry. Having earned a business degree is great preparation for any career in tennis and even one outside the sport.

High school tennis players: Grab your racquets, your bags and hitchhike your way up to Big Rapids, Mich. Take a look around. It's where you can take the first and best step to improve your tennis game and education. Be prepared for the experience of lifetime and connections that last a lifetime.

Federer over Roddick: Best player ever? Best match ever?

Assistant Editor — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:48:00 GMT

By Kyle Revall

With Roger Federer’s clutch 16-14 win in the fifth set over Andy Roddick, he became the record holder for the most Grand Slam victories of all time. Does that, officially, make Federer the best player ever?

Consider the evidence:

- He's consistent: Another record he holds is reaching 21 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals. He has been able to play at a high level consistently for over five years! Rafael Nadal, Roddick, Andy Murray, and many other players of the era have a fluke match every now and then where they exit in the first few rounds of a major tournament.
Even the great “Pistol” Pete Sampras struggled in some majors. For example, his BEST finish at Roland Garros was a semifinal loss to Yevgeny Kafelnikov in 1996. Not only has Federer been able to reach the semifinals, but he now has his hands on the ultimate red clay trophy. Because Federer has completed a career Grand Slam, I believe he is now the best player ever.

- He's solid as a rock: Federer doesn’t have any weaknesses in his game, no flaws in his strokes, and now, no major trophy that eludes him.

- He's a class act: Not only is Federer the GOAT (greatest player of all time), but he is the best ambassador that any sport has ever seen. He is humble when interviewed. He indulges fans who request autographs and photos. He dresses fashionably for any occasion
Federer is so likable, he even pulled fans who generally root for the underdog, such as myself, into his corner. Many people I interviewed here in Long Island said that they “always root American,” but many also said that, “I keep finding myself rooting for Roger to beat Pete’s record!”
You cannot help but cheer for this guy! He’s a class act, a phenomenal tennis player, and a great guy! What doesn’t he have?

Along the same lines of greatness, many people are saying that the Federer-Roddick final was the best match of all time. I think that it had all of the components. It had drama in that Federer was trying to make history by setting the record for the most Grand Slam championships. More drama ensued when the huge underdog, Roddick started up a set. The match had great points, putting on a show for the fans.

The match was the longest in Wimbledon history. Not only did it go 30 games in the final set, but there were two tiebreakers in the first four sets and a 7-5 victory in the first!

Finally, legends witnessed history been made from their seats in the Royal Box. The presence of Sampras, Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg and others created a great atmosphere. In my opinion, this was the greatest match that just happened to involve the greatest player of all time.

Wimbledon's slower courts, for better or for worse?

Assistant Editor — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:15:00 GMT

By Kyle Revall

Commentators and players agree that Wimbledon's All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club deliberately switched to a different type of grass than used historically in order to slow down the game. The reasoning, some say, was to ensure that it would last the two-week dredge of hardcore grinding that players tend to do in the modern game. This, coupled with an addition of heavier tennis balls, has made Wimbledon's grass the second slowest surface of the Grand Slams. Historically, the turf was the fastest and most difficult for which players to adjust their play.

The idea behind all of these changes was to enhance the fan experience, apparently: By slowing down the pace of the game and creating longer, more intense rallies, the sport would appeal to those who weren't already tennis enthusiasts.

What about the tennis purists?

My co-workers at the Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club on Long Island and I believe that this takes away from one of the greatest aspects of the four majors-different play styles. There is no longer the need to adjust your playing style to a serve-and-volley approach. Great baseliners like Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco are having success on the green lawns in recent years whereas in the past, the only players making the final rounds of the tournament were primarily serving and volleying.

The numbers show that since the early 1980s, tennis viewing has decreased dramatically. The last three years have shown a steady, but small increase in viewers. All of these statistics, according to the Nielsen TV Ratings (nielsenmedia.com), prove that tennis isn't the Super Bowl. Why are we taking away from such a pure aspect of the sport when it isn't really making a substantial difference in the long run?

Slower court play on the Wimbledon lawn favors Venus Williams

Assistant Editor — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:51:00 GMT

By Kyle Revall

After watching 10 days of brilliant tennis at Wimbledon, my prediction for Ladies Champion still stands for the women’s side, but I’m having some doubts. I'm confident a "Williams" will get crowned, but considering the style of play best suited for grass, it may be third-seeded Venus instead of my pick, second-seeded Serena.

While both Serena and Venus have performed well through the tournament, the court favors Venus.

Over the years, Wimbledon has bred the grass for slower play, more like a hard court. This creates longer rallies, better points, and a more enjoyable experience for viewers. However, it takes away from the true grass tennis experience.

My first time playing on grass was at the Saddlebrook Tennis Academy and Resort in Tampa, Fla. Those grass courts are your typical fast courts. When you hit a heavy topspin shot, the ball would not bounce much higher than your knees. Nearly every shot had to be sliced unless you had the quickness of Lleyton Hewitt. This would have been better suited to Serena, who is four inches closer to the ground than her big sister, but now that the courts have slowed and the ball bounces higher, Venus may be better off.

History shows that the slower grass has favored Venus, who already amassed five singles titles here. Serena won singles here twice and was runner-up (to Venus) twice. Together they've won the doubles title three times; it could be a fourth as the defending champs are now in the semifinals of the doubles draw.

I admire Serena’s low center of gravity and the excellent knee bend she executes with every shot. Her style would be suited to the early grass courts of the 1990s. Now that I have had time to add in factors of the new courts, I believe that Venus is more suited to be the 2009 Wimbledon Ladies Champion.

HOWEVER, I’m a man of my word and I’m sticking with Serena. There are other factors involved in winning this tournament such as physical fitness, mental state, injury status, and sibling rivalry that will determine which sister will hoist the trophy. If you check out the fans poll at http://espn.go.com/tennis/, you’ll see Serena has nearly 50 percent of the public’s vote for winner; Venus trails with 30 percent of the vote.

Whatever happens on Saturday, the sisters' head-to-head tie at 10-10 in championship singles finals will be broken. I can't wait!

To learn about Serena's and Venus' road to the singles final and the doubles semifinal, click here to view the Wimbledon ladies' single draw and click on each woman's name.