by Tim Heckler, USPTA CEO
I attended my first USPTA national convention in 1970. It was at the T Bar M Resort near New Braunfels, Texas. I had just re-entered the tennis business after working in medical research. While I didn’t really know what to expect of the USPTA event, I was very excited about who I might meet, including a few teaching heroes I’d only heard and read about – George Bacso, Jack Barnaby and Paul Xanthos, to name just a few. You’d have to say I was star struck and considered myself beyond lucky to be attending an event that featured such big names. Jack Barnaby was the tennis and squash coach at Harvard for seven decades and was wrapping up his term as USPTA’s national president when I met him. George Bacso, a career educator, was USPTA’s resident “teacher of teachers,” and Paul Xanthos was a tennis-teaching pioneer and college coach.
Tim Heckler (left) greets John Newcombe at the 1981 National Convention in Hawaii.
Not only did I get to meet these and many other people at the first convention, but I was asked to sit in on a meeting where these wonderful volunteers would begin to formulate the first USPTA national certification test. What an honor!
The 1970 convention marked some important shifts in USPTA’s future and its potential for growth. I knew then that the organization was dedicated to education and a strong national image. And, we haven’t looked back since.
Thinking back now, there were probably only 175 people at the convention. The event lasted only a few days, and I don’t recall a trade show, but if there was one, it was small. The awards program was rather low key and took place during an evening dinner. The education schedule was easy to manage. Just one seminar at a time drew almost everyone in attendance, and each event was held either in a large room, (which also doubled as the dining room during meal times) or on a tennis court.
Of course, the national convention has been turned into a “World Conference” that draws more than 1,000 annually, including many international members and speakers. It features the largest tennis-only trade show in the country, which is highlighted by a very entertaining silent auction. Also, it’s now one of the biggest tennis gatherings in our industry, hosting fellow tennis teachers, world-renowned tennis experts, manufacturers and their reps, allied association leaders, wholesalers and more.
Wow. Times have changed, but the most valuable benefit of the greatest annual gathering of tennis teachers on earth continues to be – networking!
While the marquee names are different these days – Patrick McEnroe, Tracy Almeda-Singian, Jose Higuerras, Rick Macci, Dr. Martin Baroch, Emilio Sanchez Vacario and many, many more – I know your main goal for attending our World Conference continues to be your ability to associate with as many speakers and fellow professionals as possible.
Not only are you able to gather invaluable resources for teaching and selling the game of tennis to consumers, but you’re also able to hear about the latest research on the game, view and even try out the latest sports products and services, and trade stories with people who also have a vested interest in making sure tennis and our profession remain successful.
Networking was the single most important thing to me when I attended the convention for the first time back in 1970, and it’s the reason most of you will attend in 2011. I look forward to meeting you at Saddlebrook!
