November 2005 Monthly Archive

Getting Things In Shape!

A longtime tennis director says Cardio Tennis will revolutionize the sport, and your business. (Click here to read more...)

Karin Korb -- Wheelchair Tennis Champ of the Year

Karin Korb didn't pick up a tennis racquet until she was 27 years old. Yet, a year later, she was among the top four women wheelchair tennis players in the world and playing in the World Team Cup, the... (Click here to read more...)

USA Tennis Florida -- USTA Section of the Year

Each of the 17 USTA sections strives to stand out. But being the best comes about through a combination of creativity, ingenuity, and originality, among other attributes. "With us, it's been a building process," says USA Tennis Florida Executive... (Click here to read more...)

Bob Reed -- USPTA Member of the Year

Bob Reed of Eugene, Ore., was enjoying a comfortable career as tennis director of the Eugene Family YMCA about a year and a half ago when he was inspired by the movie "The Pianist" to make changes in his... (Click here to read more...)

Pro Equipment: 2005 U.S. Open Men Players

What a tournament! The 2005 U.S. Open provided some of the most exciting tennis ever, especially for champion Kim Clijsters. Despite the fact that Andy Roddick bombed out in the first round, the men's draw got a big push... (Click here to read more...)

2005 Stringer of the Year: Bob Patterson

Talk to Bob Patterson about stringing and one thing is immediately clear. "Everything we do is built on consistency," he says. That word — "consistency" — sneaks in everywhere. Patterson, of Birmingham, Ala., even has his customers using it.... (Click here to read more...)

Kay Barney -- Sales Rep of the Year

With a mix of more than 100 specialty retailers and seasonal accounts across Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, HEAD Penn Racquet Sports district sales manager Kay Barney says compulsive responsiveness is the key to staying organized. Barney, of Littleton, Colo.,... (Click here to read more...)

Scalzi Park -- Public Park of the Year

With the National Public Parks Tennis Championships coming into town in July 2005, the Greater Stamford Tennis Association in Stamford, Conn., wanted to put its best foot forward for the tournament and the host city. And in doing so,... (Click here to read more...)

Lisa Duncan -- PTR Member of the Year

By Barbara Long As early as kindergarten, Lisa Duncan had decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and go into education. Then, at age 12, standing outside the tennis courts unable to afford lessons, she added another goal: making tennis... (Click here to read more...)

Racquet World -- Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year

When it comes to operating a small business, conventional wisdom says success is all about location. But you don't have to convince specialty retailer Leon Echevarria of Racquet World in Miami. A decision to relocate his shop has turned... (Click here to read more...)

Brookhaven Country Club -- Private Facility of the Year

In 2007, Brookhaven Country Club will be 50 years old. In that time, the Dallas facility — the largest and oldest in the ClubCorp organization (which currently consists of about 200 clubs) — has certainly learned how to do... (Click here to read more...)

2005 Person of the Year: Max Brownlee

Talk to Tennis Retailers and others in this business about Babolat North America's general manager, Max Brownlee, and the same phrases keep popping up: "professional," "honest," "high standards," "great products," "man of his word," "industry leader." Brownlee is not... (Click here to read more...)

The Champion's Pursuit

The Champion's Pursuit What does it take to be a champion? No matter the field of endeavor, it takes drive, determination, sacrifice, hard work, practice, knowledge, experience, and more. Man, that sounds like a tough row to hoe. Is it... (Click here to read more...)

2005 Online Retailer of the Year: Tennis Warehouse

Passions run high when talking about online retailing in the tennis business. Many traditional brick-and-mortar store owners who are not also selling on the internet obviously feel it cuts into their business, while those successfully selling online see internet... (Click here to read more...)

John Drew Smith Tennis Center -- Municipal Facility of the Year

In 1980, the John Drew Smith Tennis Center was dedicated in honor of a legendary Macon, Ga., instructor who had recently passed away and had been instrumental in the development of the 24-court facility. Smith would be proud to... (Click here to read more...)

Wayne St. Peter -- Junior Development Champ of the Year

When it comes to junior tennis players, there's no doubt that Wayne St. Peter knows what he's doing. Over the past 11 years, he has worked with about 8,000 young tennis players. And it's due to his dedication to... (Click here to read more...)

Industry News

Information to help you run your business. (Click here to read more...)

Shirley Ruane -- Grassroots Champion of the Year

In parts of the Navajo Reservation in the Southwestern U.S., tennis is an esteemed sport to the area's characteristically athletic population. Shirley Ruane, a Page, Ariz., tennis teaching pro and coach who has worked with many Navajo youngsters, sees... (Click here to read more...)

Gamma Zo Sweet 17

Gamma Zo Sweet is a 17-gauge hybrid that combines Gamma's Zo Power coated monofilament polyester in the mains and its TNT² nylon in the crosses. According to Gamma, Zo Power is an ultra-playable polymer alloy, manufactured as a co-extrusion... (Click here to read more...)

Baltimore Tennis Patrons -- Community Tennis Association of the Year

As director of programs for the Greater Baltimore Tennis Patrons Association Inc. (BTP), Lynn Morrell (right) says the key to growing the game is twofold: making it affordable and accessible for kids and adults. The BTP — based in... (Click here to read more...)

Golfsmith -- Chain Retailer/Mass Merchant of the Year

Salt & pepper. Ben & Jerry. Golf & tennis? Though often still linked by their country-club reputations, golf and tennis aren't exactly the yin and yang items they once were. More often, they seem at odds with one another... (Click here to read more...)

2005 Builder/Contractor of the Year: Fast-Dry Companies

For the Fast-Dry Companies of Pompano Beach, Fla., it's not just about family values, it's about valuing the family. Steven Dettor started the business in 1981, and now, with three of his five sons involved in the company —... (Click here to read more...)

Squash tension listings

Q: I've been given a Prince TT Warrior Squash frame to string. The frame specifies a tension range between 20 and 35 lbs; the Stringer's Digest has the following entry: "20-28 (S) 28-35 (H)". What do the (S) and (H)... (Click here to read more...)

Double pulling

Q: We string both tennis and racquetball frames in my shop. For tennis frames, we always pull each string individually, and we never have a complaint. For racquetball frames, we sometimes have to double-pull — pull two strings at once... (Click here to read more...)

Free String Samples

After stringing a racquet, I normally have two or more feet of string left over. Instead of throwing the string away, I cut the string into six-inch sections. I then place these samples into containers labeled by string brand. When... (Click here to read more...)

Easier cross starting

Weave your first cross string before you tie off your main string(s). It's easier to start the crosses this way, because oftentimes the first cross string hole becomes blocked as you tie off the mains. 5 sets of HEAD FiberGEL... (Click here to read more...)

Bigger Build-ups with Bevels

Building up grips one full size is no problem, as the grip maintains its shape, and the player can still feel the edges between the flats and the bevels. But sometimes I have to build up a grip two sizes.... (Click here to read more...)

Bumperguard Savers

For years I've recommended to my customers that they use head tape on their racquets, as it would save them a lot of bumperguard replacements. Typically, however, they never get around to buying the head tape, let alone putting it... (Click here to read more...)

Heavy-duty Stencils

If you're like me, you want heavy-duty stencils that can be tossed around without worrying about breaking or tearing. I use the plastic covers from old three-ring binders. The material lies flat, and can be cut with a razor knife.... (Click here to read more...)

Finger Protection

If you string a lot with poly, your fingers can really take a beating. Rather than using tape or bandages, I now use Nike Finger Sleeves. Developed for football linemen, the sleeves are lightweight yet offer great protection. They are... (Click here to read more...)