USPTA gives world conference fresh format

Choose from a large number of education sessions that will address current issues and future challenges.

The USPTA is planning to serve up a little magic this year as the 2013 USPTA World Conference heads to the East Coast. From Sept. 23-27, the largest gathering of tennis professionals, industry leaders and representatives, manufacturers, wholesalers and media will descend on the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress resort in Orlando, Fla. This is the premier gathering for the tennis industry, designed to put professionals at the top of their game with insight from the world’s leading experts.

This year, the USPTA is livening things up with a new format, new speakers and new events.

Beginning on Tuesday, each day the main education portion of the conference will be themed based on four core competencies within the industry: 10 and Under Tennis, Club Operations/Business, Teaching and Sports Science, and High Performance/Player Development.

Conference attendees will have a large selection of educational sessions to choose from that address current trends and future opportunities for all tennis teachers. Courses are not only informative, but allow USPTA members to earn educational credits toward their Accredited Professional Coach classification, specialist degrees or Master Professional. APC credits are available for all presentations and verification must be established at the conclusion of the presentation in order to receive credit.

Senior VP of the Orlando Magic Pat Williams is the featured keynote speaker at the Awards Luncheon.

One of several key features getting an upgrade this year is the awards presentation. Conference attendees will get to sleep a little longer on Friday with an all new Awards Luncheon featuring keynote speaker Pat Williams, sponsored by new USPTA partner Rezilient Direct. The senior vice president of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, Williams is one of America’s top motivational, inspirational, and humorous speakers. He has addressed employees from many of the Fortune 500 companies and is also the author of more than 80 books, his most recent being “Leadership Excellence: The Seven Sides of Leadership for the 21st Century.”

USPTA’s highest awards will be presented to honorees during the luncheon, including Alex Gordon USPTA Professional of the Year, USTA/USPTA Community Service Award and USPTA Master Professionals. The new class of Hall of Fame inductees will be introduced as well. Additional awards will be presented throughout the conference.

In addition to the educational offerings, USPTA hosts its International Tennis Championships, Board and Executive Committee meetings, nighttime parties, industry meetings, the nation’s largest tennis-only buying show, silent auction, awards presentation and more.

The USPTA World Conference is an excellent way to connect with industry leaders and fellow tennis professionals. On Tuesday evening, USPTA will host a social event as a great central get-together. Catch up with old friends, network and make new acquaintances in a casual atmosphere while enjoying pizza and beer. Compete against your fellow colleagues and friends in the 10 and Under Tennis Battle of the Divisions competition.   The USPTA buying show is the largest national tennis-only trade show. Exhibitors include tennis equipment, apparel and footwear companies, marketers and wholesalers of hard and soft goods, video analysis, Web-based programs and software, teaching aids, court surfacing and lighting, awards, educational materials, nutrition bars and vitamins, and more.

In conjunction with the buying show, the USPTA will host a silent auction benefiting the USPTA Foundation. Items will be displayed during the buying show and the winning bids will be announced Thursday night. Conference participants will have the opportunity to bid on items such as autographed racquets from some of the top tennis stars in the world, high-quality tennis equipment, gift certificates and more.

For conference attendees, the USPTA is offering several travel deals and discounts. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is offering discounted room rates for participants, and USPTA members can take advantage of their membership benefits and receive discounted rates from Avis and Enterprise for car rentals. In addition, education expenses incurred to maintain or improve skills required by a person in his or her employment are generally tax-deductible.

And don’t forget to include the family: USPTA World Conference attendees have the opportunity to receive discounted tickets to Disney World theme parks. Spouses and other guests who want to get involved with the game will have the chance to take a free private and/or group tennis lesson as well.

For more information on the 2013 USPTA World Conference and to register for this premier event, visit usptaworldconference.com.

Conference tips

• Attire for all conference events is resort casual (Please wear a collared shirt for Awards Luncheon on Sept. 27).
• Education expenses are generally tax deductible. Consult your tax preparer for details.
• Resort check-in is after 4 p.m. EST. Check out time is noon. Plan accordingly!
• Wear your badge every day to all events, and bring tickets to all functions.
• Safeguard your ticket packets. They contain tickets for food, drinks and free merchandise.
• Looking to share a room? We can help! Contact Janice Stollenwerck at the USPTA World Headquarters at 800-USPTA-4U, ext. 113 or janice.stollenwerck@uspta.org.

For these tips and more, check the USPTA World Conference website as additional information becomes available: www.usptaworldconference.com

Come to Orlando

by John Embree, USPTA CEO

I want to give you a sneak preview of what will be happening in Orlando in order to entice you to come and see for yourself. It is going to be a totally different experience than previous World Conferences, I promise. And, this issue is dedicated to providing an overview of what you can expect at this convention on Sept 23-27.

The World Conference format for many has become stale over the years. It has been the same old, same old year after year. Because of this fact, our registrations have deteriorated steadily since its highpoint in 2006 when we were in Las Vegas. In order to attract a broader audience and keep things fresh, it is time that we overhauled the format and offered new and different seminars with speakers who have not graced us with their talents previously. Many of the changes that you will see have come directly from the input of your World Conference Committee, who took a look at what has worked in the past and what hasn’t, as well as the recommendations/suggestions of various members.

So, let me give you a quick overview of some of the changes that we are making:

1. The main educational portion of the convention is only going to be four days, from Tuesday morning, Sept. 24 through Friday, Sept 27. However, we will have a specialty course available on Monday for those who would be interested. You will want to arrive Monday night so you can be ready to go first thing Tuesday morning and stay through Friday night or Saturday morning.
2. Beginning Tuesday at 8 a.m., we will start each day with a General Session highlighted by a fantastic speaker or panel discussion that will set the stage for what will happen throughout that day. Each day will be themed with one core competency taught throughout the day. Once the General Session ends, you will be able to select from a diverse menu of seminars and speakers who are experts in that particular field. The four themes are as follows:
   

   a. 10 and Under Tennis

   b. Club Operations/Business

   c. High Performance

   d. Sports Science/Teaching

3. We will wrap up each day with a social function that will be fun for all. We may even bring back a modified “Battle of Divisions,” so get your teams ready to compete!
4. The entire conference is going to build to a crescendo on Friday at noon when we will host an improved awards event. This lunch is not going to look anything like the Awards Breakfasts of the past. Not only will we be inducting new members to the USPTA Hall of Fame and announcing the Association’s top awards, but we are going to be treated to a special keynote speech from one of our nation’s top motivational speakers and a true leader in sports management: Mr. Pat Williams, Senior Vice President of the Orlando Magic. Look for his bio further back in this issue, but this event is one you are not going to want to miss!
5. We will have a General Membership Meeting where other awards will be given along with an open Q&A session with your board. During last year’s General Membership meeting in Monterey, we heard a genuine desire to have more sessions about the business of tennis as more and more members aspire to get off the court and learn how to become directors of tennis, directors of sport and even general managers. Thus, you will be treated to hearing from some of the finest General Managers within the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) on Wednesday during our Club Operations Day.
6. Naturally, the attraction of Disney World cannot be underestimated. Bring your family and make a vacation out of it. The beauty of the REVISED format is that you can pick and choose the days you want to attend, allowing you plenty of freedom to take advantage of all that Disney has to offer.

What could be better than the opportunity to elevate your professional standards as a teacher or coach while also able to enjoy the spoils of one of the world’s greatest attractions? There will be discounts available to go to Disney World along with other financial incentives to bring your staff professionals so that they too can experience the benefits of being with the best tennis professionals in the USA. Please read through all of the new and innovative plans in this issue that will make this USPTA World Conference one for the memory books. BRING IT! We look forward to seeing you in Orlando. Have a great summer.

Great times, lots of memories after 42 years of USPTA World Conferences

Great memories, fun times, wonderful venues, tennis legends, old friends, new acquaintances, tennis competition and crazy division battles – just a few of the exceptional ways I can describe my World Conference experiences during the 42 years I’ve been a USPTA member. If you’ve been a member for very long yourself, you might be surprised that I didn’t use the word “education” in the first paragraph of my annual invitation to one of the best events in the tennis industry. That’s because while it’s certainly a huge component of our World Conference, consuming most of the schedule, the real value in receiving the great education is the fact that you can enjoy it with legendary tennis experts, your friends, a few parties, a tennis tournament and more all set in some of the best resort locations in the world!

This year’s World Conference – at a new location – is sure to create many more memories for you and me. The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa in beautiful Monterey, Calif., will be home to the conference Sept. 16-21. I’ll forgo my usual rundown here about seminars, speakers, and special activities at this year’s event and just send you to our conference website – at www.usptaworldconference.comfor everything you need to know.

Instead, I want to regale you with a few personal musings from past conventions:

Honolulu – 1981 – this conference is notable because it marked the first offshore convention for USPTA and my first full conference as USPTA president. Although the attendance was small, the atmosphere was amazing and the Hawaii Division was most hospitable, including its first vice president Rich Fanning. He sure looked good with a tan and in his short shorts.

Tucson, Ariz. – 1984 – I remember this convention well because my old friend Jim Reffkin assured the board that we’d have rain-free weather in Tucson. So, we booked the Doubletree Hotel across from Jim’s tennis facility. We had a great turnout, but were surprised by heavy rains that hit the area. The rains were so heavy that the Doubletree was forced to sandbag its doors to keep the water out! Despite the wet welcome, we enjoyed the highest convention attendance to date.

Rancho Las Palmas, Calif. – We held several conventions at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort, which was a wonderful facility. During one event, a cold front passed through the desert and our merchandise department sold out of every jacket, sweatshirt and long-sleeved shirt we had. We had to move some outdoor activities inside, but our pro shop budget looked great that year.

Marco Island, Fla. – 2001 – The attacks on 9/11 forced us to cancel the World Conference. While the country was reeling from the events, air travel was halted for several days, and we notified members of the cancelation by email and answered hundreds of member calls. What many people may not realize is that we already had staff on the ground in Florida, and they were stranded! The truck full of our materials was reloaded and headed back to Houston with two staff members. The four remaining staff members drove a rental car all night to return to Houston. In the meantime, a tropical storm forced the evacuation of the hotel a day later.

Las Vegas – 2002 – The Vegas strip and a large attendance was worthy of celebration after 9/11. Thanks to HEAD Penn Racquet Sports, Andre Agassi made a surprise appearance at the welcoming party and stayed for nearly an hour speaking to the members and answering questions.

I’ve truly had a lot of fun over the years at our annual World Conferences. While there are many more stories to be told about past events, there are some better left out of the public domain!

I hope you’ll begin to build USPTA memories at this year’s conference in Monterey, Calif. It promises to be a great one.

~Tim Heckler

Tim Heckler, USPTA Master Professional, has served as the association’s CEO since 1982.

World Conference – invaluable even to industry veteran

I have attended the USPTA Conferences since 1978.  I look forward to connecting with long-time friends and making new ones.  I am often asked, “With all your experience, why do you continue to attend the World Conferences?”

My answer, “How can I not afford to?” Not only will I learn a few nuggets that fit into what I already do but I am often reminded of a few that I had forgotten – that makes it all worthwhile.

I often blog back to my manager and members about what I am doing or tips I have learned in my time at the World Conference.  Management knows I am improving my company’s worth and members are looking forward to some new drills or games when I come home.

Ken DeHart
AVAC Director of Tennis
PTR & USPTA Master Professional
USA High Performance Coach
Wilson Premier Advisory Staff
408-892-3806 cell

USPTA World Conference – the total tennis experience

When it was announced that this year’s World Conference was being held at a new location in Monterey, Calif., I immediately blocked off my schedule from September 14-21. Although this will be my ninth World Conference, I consider each one an opportunity to take advantage of some new experiences.

I am excited about the new location for our conference and the opportunity for myself and my wife to visit this part of California for the first time. Although I have not been to Monterey before, everyone I have spoken with raves about it. We will be arriving a few days before the conference begins in order to enjoy everything the area has to offer.

The educational opportunities available at the World Conference are unmatched in our industry.  Seminars are presented on wide-ranging topics such as business skills, sports psychology, biomechanics, technology, programming, and facility management, just to name a few!  Take some time out to plan your educational schedule ahead of time and be sure to include a new subject that you may not have been exposed to before.

Of course I always look forward to meeting new people, exchanging ideas and philosophies, and networking in general.  Where else would you have the opportunity to speak with world-renowned coaches, former touring professionals, club managers, and many other industry leaders?  The networking opportunities alone are reason enough for me to want to attend the World Conference each year.  This, coupled with all of the other educational events and activities our conference has to offer makes it an event well worth attending.

So be sure to have fun, learn something new, meet new people, and enjoy the total experience in Monterey this year!

John Cleary

John Cleary is the Director of Tennis and Fitness at Lakewood Country Club in Rockville, Md., and is currently the president of the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division.