Q - USPTA divisions - United States Professional Tennis Association

A publication of the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division
SERVICE L NES
INSIDE
Save the Date!
Mid-Atlantic Division Convention
President’s
2 message
Member
3 spotlight
March 2-4
Boar's Head Inn
Charlottesville, VA
Creating a code
6 of ethics
Division news, jobs,
10 new members
Running a successful
12 event
Winter 2012
What would
16 you do?

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Mid-Atlantic Division
Board of Directors
President
John Cleary 301-340-6185
First/regional vice president
Carl Clark 804-287-1300
Vice president
Joni Hannah 703-938-5510
Treasurer
Craig Hardenbergh 703-449-3432
Secretary
Terence Killen 703-938-5510
Past president
Pat Hanssen 434-295-6167
District presidents
Virginia
TBD
John Cleary
President
Mid-Atlantic Division
West Virginia
TBA
District of Columbia
TBA
Maryland
Ron Shelton
443-629-4562
Head tester
Ted Meyer 301-865-2701
Women's liaison
Sue E. Nidzgorski 703-803-8483
Convention coordinator
Tim Beyer 434-327-1529
Executive administrator
Jill Phipps 888-877-8232
message from your
President
Fellow USPTA Pros,
I hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season and even though winter is in
full swing, I hope that things are heating up at your facilities. The past year has certainly
been an exciting and eventful time for the USPTA and tennis in general.
We had a hotly contested National Election and I am confident that the newly elected
board will work together to unite our association and make it stronger than ever. I urge
all of you to get involved on the local level by working with one of our various committees,
helping out at the board level, or by simply submitting an article for publication in
this newsletter.
If you were not able to attend the World Conference at Saddlebrook Resort this year,
you certainly missed out on some great educational and networking opportunities. I was
fortunate to attend seminars presented by some of our industry’s most knowledgeable
people such as Patrick McEnroe, Jose Higueras, Kurt Kamperman, Martin Blackman,
Emilio Sanchez Vicario, and Mid-Atlantic’s own Harvey Ratner. One of the most valuable
sessions I attended was the General Membership update hosted by our national
president Tom Daglis. There, members from around the country were able to interact
with our national board by asking questions and making suggestions to those who are
the decision makers for our organization. A lot of great ideas were exchanged and we
hope to incorporate a similar session into our spring convention which will be held
March 2-4 at the Boar’s Head Inn in Charlottesville, Va.
Two of the most important issues that were discussed at our annual meeting were our
association’s declining membership numbers and our current endorsement contracts. It
is incumbent upon all of us to keep our memberships active and to encourage our fellow
professionals who are not members to take advantage of all the USPTA has to offer. Our
association needs a steady stream of membership dollars in order to provide the quality
service we are accustomed to. Among the most valuable benefits the USPTA offers to its
members are free or discounted products provided by companies such as HEAD Penn,
Fromuth, Dartfish, CourtsideUSA, Aer-Flo and SportMaster. It is important that we
support all of our endorsees and continue to spread the word about their products so in
turn, they will be there for us in the future. Contact your local sales representative today
and let them know you appreciate their support. This will go a long way in making our
professional relationships stronger and continuing them for years to come.
Finally, I would like to extend congratulations to USPTA Mid-Atlantic member Feisal
Hassan for earning the prestigious Alex Gordon Award for the USPTA Professional of
the Year. Feisal is a fixture at conventions nationwide and anyone that has heard him
speak has undoubtedly come away with some valuable information. Some of Feisal’s
previous accolades include the USPTA Industry Excellence Award in 1999, the Tennis
Industry’s 40 Under 40 in 2000, five-time Division Tester of the Year, 10-time USPTA
Division/State Pro of the Year, and seven-time national Top-10 point holder in the
USPTA’s Career Development Program. Way to go Feisal, we’re fortunate to have you
as part of our division!
Regards in tennis,
John Cleary, USPTA
Mid-Atlantic Division President

Member Spotlight:
Brian Fankhauser
Brian Fankhauser is the Director of Tennis at the Quince
Orchard Swim and Tennis Club in Gaithersburg, Md.
Q: Where do you teach?
A: Quince Orchard Swim and Tennis Club – 18 years
Q: Where did you play college tennis? What are
some highlights?
A: Emporia St. University in Emporia, Kan. Won
the District 10 NAIA team, singles, and doubles
championships in 1992.
Q: Where did you learn to play tennis?
A: I am a self-taught player who learned on the public
courts in Kansas.
Q: Why do you enjoy being a teaching pro?
A: I really enjoy seeing the progress my students
make from week to week and having a positive
impact on their lives.
Q: Why would you recommend that others join the
USPTA?
A: The opportunity to network
with other professionals and
people in the industry as well
as the sharing of ideas.
Q: What is unique about your teaching style/philosophy?
A: I am a very high-energy person and keep myself
well organized both on and off the court.
Q: What is your greatest contribution to the tennis
industry?
A: Getting the younger players involved and keeping
them involved in tennis for life.
Q: Do you have any off-court hobbies or interests?
A: Any time I have away from work I enjoy spending
with my family.
Q: What is an interesting fact about yourself?
A: I follow the stock market closely and enjoy investing.
Personal facts
Brian lives in Clarksburg, Md., with his wife Kristian,
daughter Lexi (10), and son Alex (5).
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Mid-Atlantic Division
Meet the board members
John Cleary – President
John Cleary is the Director of Tennis
and Fitness at Lakewood Country Club
in Rockville, Md. He lives in Rockville
with his wife Kelly and their two sons
Sean (4), and Daniel (6 months). He
is a four-time recipient of the USPTA
Maryland Professional of the Year
Award and also earned 35s Player of
the Year honors in 2005. At Marist College, John was captain
of the Division I men’s tennis team while earning a degree
in communications. John worked at Norbeck Country
Club in Rockville from 1996-2011, serving as the Director
of Tennis from 2001. In his spare time John enjoys spending
time with his family, playing golf, piano, and attending
live sporting events and concerts.
Carl Clark – First Vice President
Carl is the Head Tennis Professional
at the Country Club of Virginia in
Richmond, where he has worked for
the past 14 years. He is a former world-
ranked doubles player and played
college tennis at the University of
Virginia. He currently holds 12 USTA
National titles and over 50 Virginia
State titles. He was the USPTA National
player of the year in 2002. Carl has been married to wife
Lyn for the past 20 years and they have 3 children, Kelsey
18, Hunter 16 and Harper 8.
Joni Hannah – Second Vice
President
Joni Hannah is the Director of Tennis
at Westwood Country Club where
she is responsible for the oversight of
the tennis professionals, support staff,
facilities and the development and
implementation of the club’s various
tennis programs and activities. She
played four years of collegiate tennis
at Rollins College and has won several national titles at the
senior level. Joni also works with USTA to promote tennis
and is currently the Vice Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Senior
Competition Committee.
Craig Hardenbergh – Treasurer
Craig is currently the Director of
Tennis for the International Country
Club in Fairfax, Va. He has served on
the Mid-Atlantic Professional Tennis
Association’s advisory staff and was
the MAPTA 35-and-over player of
the year. As a competitor, Craig spent
four years on the men’s varsity tennis
team at the University of Maryland, where he was an allconference
player his senior year and the runner-up for the
university’s athlete of the year. He held national rankings of
No. 5 in singles and No. 3 in doubles in men’s 35s. He also
competed in the Nuveen Champions tournament when it
was held in the Washington, D.C., area. In 2010, Craig and
his daughter Lindsey won their first gold ball at the National
Father/Daughter grass courts.
Terence Killen – Secretary
Terence is currently the Head Tennis
Professional at Westwood Country
Club in Vienna, Va., where he has been
since 2005. He is a USPTA P1 and also
holds a specialist degree in Competitive
Player Development and Sport
Science Level 1. Terence has been a
HEAD Advisory Staff member since
2003, Liaison for Tennis Across America
and Lessons for Life (Mid-Atlantic Division) since 2009,
and Mid-Atlantic Division District President (Maryland)
since 2009. Killen graduated from Frostburg State University
in 2002 with a Bachelors of Science in Recreation and
Parks Management. While attending college, he played
varsity tennis all four years and upon graduation held the
conference record in career wins, singles wins and doubles
wins. Terence lives in Gaithersburg with his wife Randi and
son TJ.
Pat Hanssen – Past President
Pat Hanssen is the Immediate Past
President of USPTA Mid-Atlantic. He
is currently working as the Director of
Sales & Marketing for Har-Tru Sports,
based in Charlottesville, Va. Pat taught
for 12 years at several clubs and resorts
before transitioning into the tennis
court business. Pat is a longtime USTA
volunteer and is a past President of USTA Virginia. He has
two daughters ages 14 and 13 and enjoys playing tennis and
basketball in his spare time.

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Mid-Atlantic Division
Creating a Code of Ethics
Code of Ethics is a must for a business of any size
and that includes a tennis club or facility. While
there is no legal requirement for a Code of Ethics
it should be considered as an integral part of any business.
It demonstrates to the community that you are a professional
organization.
There are practical reasons for having a Code of Ethics.
First, it informs all employees and patrons alike what
you stand for, what behavior is expected of employees,
and indicates that you endorse best business practices. It
distinguishes you from other like businesses who don’t
understand the responsibilities of running a business and
supervising a staff.
Writing a Code of Ethics will help clarify what you
think is important and the message you want to send to
patrons and employees. In today’s climate, with varying
interpretations of honesty and loyalty, having a Code of
Ethics posted and discussed with employees is imperative.
Reinforcing expected behavior and listing how infractions
will be handled is essential. You might have an employee
handbook, but by including the “Code” it becomes a
stronger statement. I will share a few examples of ethical
situations that I have encountered over the years.
I started teaching tennis in 1954 and have wrestled
with more than one ethical challenge. I don’t believe I’m
alone in being unsure of how to handle them. Here is an
example. A pro on the next court is teaching a student
a stroke that, from your experience, is sure to injure the
student if used repeatedly over time. What should one do?
Interrupt and yell “Stop;” talk to the pro later (when it is
too late); talk to the student; or do nothing since the person
is not your student. Another example is, you have advertised
a drop-in clinic for $25. The flier states that the clinic
"My only good result in 1997 was
marrying Brooke Shields."
~ Slump-ridden Andre Agassi, whose marriage
to actress Shields ended in divorce in 1999
Bob Anderman, USPTA Master Professional
will last for 1 ½ hours, needs a minimum of three students,
and it further states that you must register in advance before
coming. One student shows up. That person drove a half
hour to get to the court. What should ethically be done? A
third example would be when another pro contacts your
students and offers less expensive lessons. Is this a matter
of ethics or good old American capitalism? How much
should an experienced pro make compared to a new hire?
The argument that I have heard is that if a new pro does not
make enough he or she will leave. This seems to be a reasonable
idea. But if the experienced pro has been teaching
for 20 years is the difference only a few dollars? How much
is experience worth? Is this fair to the student who is paying
almost the same for the new pro as for the experienced
pro? Is this fair to the experienced pro? These are just a few
of the situations that I have come across. My guess is that
you can add a lot more situations.
Here are some items to include if you are interested in
posting a code of ethics:
1. A title could be something simple like “[Club Name]
Code of Ethics” or UPS’s “Leading with Integrity.”
2. Simple statement of the purpose of the “Code.”
3. What issues it covers, such as sexual harassment,
diversity or employee rules.
4. How are you going to ensure that employees follow
the Code of Ethics? Are you providing education and
training, holding meetings, or have a suggestion box?
5. List the way that employees or others can report poor
conduct.
6. It is always professional to indicate who put the
“Code” together.
"The serve was invented so the
net can play."
~ Bill Cosby

Step up and nominate yourself or a
fellow pro for a 2011 MAPTA award!
There are many of you out there who are qualified or know someone
who is qualified to receive an award. It takes very little time to send
in a nomination and it could go a long way. The awards are earned
based on a point system and are available in the following categories:
• Virginia Professional of the Year
• Maryland Professional of the Year
• West Virginia Professional of the Year
• D.C. Professional of the Year
• Collegiate Coach of the Year
• High School Coach of the Year
• Ranked Player/Tour Coach of the Year
• Open Player of the Year
• 35 and Over Player of the Year
• 45 and Over Player of the Year
• Assistant Pro of the Year
Please submit all nominations to Jason Grigg at jasongr@acac.com, by
Feb. 19. The nominees will then be contacted in order to provide their
documentation.
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Mid-Atlantic Division
USPTA Mid-Atlantic
Division Hall Of Fame
This year we will be inducting the inaugural class of
the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Hall of Fame at our annual
convention in March. If you have a candidate you
feel is worthy of induction based on the guidelines below,
please fill out the nomination form and return it to our HOF
committee chair Terence Killen at TKillen@westwoodcc.
com. The nomination will then be reviewed by our HOF
committee.
USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division Hall of Fame Bylaws
The USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division Hall of Fame recognizes
current and past USPTA Division members who have at
least 20 years of service as a certified USPTA professional.
Each candidate for the Hall of Fame has lived and worked
in the Mid-Atlantic Division, and they hold a record of
service to the tennis industry that is deemed outstanding
by their fellow professionals. Through this service, these
professionals have made a significant contribution to the
advancement of the game of tennis and the professionals
who teach it.
Section I: Housing of the Hall of Fame award winners
Award winners will be listed on the USPTA Mid-Atlantic
Division website.
Section II: Eligibility
1. A current or past member of the USPTA who has recorded
20 years or more of service.
2. A candidate must have lived and worked within the
Mid-Atlantic Division for no less than 15 years of
membership to the USPTA to be considered for nomination.
3. A record of service to the tennis industry that would be
deemed outstanding enough to be selected by the Hall
of Fame Committee. Contributions made while living
in the Mid-Atlantic Division are weighed more heavily
than contributions made while living outside of the
Division. Criteria includes: Master Professional, President
of Division, National Executive Board Member,
or made a dramatic impact in the teaching profession
through articles, videos, or community service.
4. Candidates must have adhered to the USPTA Code of
Ethics.
Section III: Selection and Induction
1. The Committee is made up of the immediate past president
of the Mid-Atlantic Division, the Hall of Fame
inductees, a Hall of Fame Committee Chair (selected by
the president, and two USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division
members at large.
2. The Hall of Fame committee chair will hold at least two
annual meetings (via phone or otherwise) so that all
committee members may discuss and review the list of
candidates.
3. A committee member must attend at least two meetings
in order to have voting privileges
4. The candidate(s) selected will be inducted at the Annual
Mid-Atlantic Divisional Convention.

USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division Hall Of Fame
Nomination Form
*Please submit to Terence Killen at: TKillen@westwoodcc.com by Feb. 24.
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone #: ________________Office #_________________Cell # _______________
USPTA #: _______________Year Joined: _____________Years Member: _______
Please use the additional space to complete the following:
Tennis Employment History: _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Service to the USPTA (State, Division & National): _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Teaching/Coaching Accomplishments: __________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Skills/Rankings: _____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Service to Allied Associations: ________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Publications/Presentations/Innovations: _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Awards and Honors: ________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Additional Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nominated by: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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Mid-Atlantic Division
DIVISIONAL AND DISTRICT NEWS
Maryland
John Cleary has been named the Director of Tennis and Fitness at Lakewood Country Club in Rockville,
Md. Lakewood is a private, member-owned club with a membership of over 700 families. The tennis/fitness
facility includes six outdoor clay courts and four hard courts in an indoor, permanent structure. John was
previously employed at Norbeck Country Club from 1996-2011.
Congratulations to USPTA Master Professional Bob Anderman who had quite a 2011 out on the courts.
Bob’s accomplishments include:
Champion USTA National Men’s 70 Indoor Championships – Texas
Champion Morristown Category II Super Senior Singles Championships (70s) – N.J.
Champion Westwood Senior Category II Doubles Championships (70s) – Texas
Champion Westwood Senior Category II Singles Championships (70s) – Texas
Finalist USTA/MAS Men’s 65 Outdoor Clay Court Championships – Md.
Champion USTA National Men’s 70 Doubles Grass Court Championships – Pa.
Champion USTA National Men’s 70 Doubles Clay Court Championships – N.C.
Bob attained a No. 1 national ranking in the men’s 70s doubles division while playing primarily with his
partner Tom Brunkow, along with a national singles ranking of No. 7 in the men’s 70s division as well. Way
to go Bob!
Bill Moldoch earned a No. 1 Mid-Atlantic ranking for 2011, in the men’s 55 singles age division. Bill is the
Director of Tennis at the Big Vanilla Athletic Club in Arnold, Md.
Welcome to new members:
Bradley Chase and Wendy Heger of Ellicott City, Mitchell Duque of North Potomac, Alton Ellzy of Clinton,
James Engles of Glen Burnie, Doug Ferguson and Eric Minor of Baltimore, Mary Gardiner and Sandor Orban
of Chevy Chase, Jiang Hong, Ph.D., and Ilan Shvartz of Rockville, Andrew Majett III of Olney, Andrew Orban
of Brooklandville, Jack Riley of Oakland, and Richard Zeng of Potomac
Welcome back reinstatements:
Chuck Willenborg of Fork and Austin Yick of Beltsville
Virginia
Welcome to new members:
John Alexander of Arlington, Johanna Bradford of Danville, Dai Edwardes-Evans and Thanh Nguyen of
Alexandria, Agnes De Weerd of Abingdon, Brad DeWitt of Waynesboro, Gregory Forster of Falls Church,
Christopher Fu of Herndon, Frederick McNair of Leesburg, Jerome Rider of Suffolk, Landon Schaefer of
Reston, and Phillip Taylor of Earlysville
Welcome back reinstatements:
Richard Broadwell of Williamsburg, John Scrivani of Spotsylvania, and Amy Sheetz of Arlington
Washington, D.C.
Welcome to new member:
Daniel Peabody

HEAD Penn
For more information,
check with your local pro
shop or tennis specialty
store in the Mid-Atlantic
area. You can also
contact HEAD Penn
district sales manager
Ray Stewart at 410-
757-7222.
Testing Dates
March 2 Charlottesville, Va.
Boar’s Head Inn
April 8 Richmond, Va.
ACAC Fitness & Wellness
May 4 Frederick, Md.
The West Winds Tennis & Fitness
Center
June 3 Richmond, Va.
The Dominion Club
July 9 Frederick, Md.
The West Winds Tennis & Fitness
Center
Aug. 4-5 Frederick, Md.
The West Winds Tennis & Fitness
Center
Sept. 9 Richmond, Va.
ACAC Fitness & Wellness
Oct. 27-28 Frederick, Md.
The West Winds Tennis & Fitness
Center
Dec. 2 Richmond, Va.
ACAC Fitness & Wellness
http://www.facebook.com/USPTAMidAtlantic
Employment Opportunities
Facility: Hermitage Country Club - VA
Job title: Tennis Professional
Contact: Mark Bernstine
Contact Info: markb@hermitagecountryclub.com
Facility: Ashburn Village Sports Pavilion - VA
Job title: Racquet Sports Director
Contact: Marco Chavez
Contact Info: mchavez@ashburnvillage.org
Facility: Wintergreen Resort - VA
Job title: Tennis Professional
Contact: Dave Hardy
Contact Info: dhardy@wintergreenresort.com
Facility: Town of Leesburg - VA
Job title: Head Professional
Contact: Katey Jackson
Contact Info: kjackson@leesburgva.gov
Facility: Community Tennis Association –
Richmond, VA
Job title: Program Coordinator, USTA 10 and
Under Tennis
Contact: Joe Grover
Contact Info: RTA.10U10S@gmail.com
Facility: The Dominion Club - VA
Job title: Head Professional
Contact: Joe Cappellino
Contact Info: jcappellino@tdcva.com
Facility: Bethesda Country Club - MD
Job title: Tennis Professional
Contact: Frank Hatten
Contact Info: bcctennis@comcast.net
Facility: The Elkridge Club - MD
Job title: Head Professional, Assistant Professional
Contact: Kent Chalmers
Contact Info: kentchalmers@elkridgeclub.org
Facility: River Falls Tennis Club - MD
Job title: Assistant Professional
Contact: Paul Bress
Contact Info: Paul.Bress@gmail.com
Facility: Green Spring Racquet Club
Job title: Head Professional
Contact: Janet Paulsen
Contact Info: janet@greenspringrc.com
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tennis facility has a wide demographic range of
adult warriors. The 3.0-3.5 ladies love to play team
tennis and follow it up with a meal. The 4.0-4.5
12Each
men enjoy competitive evening tennis followed by beer.
Couples like to play social doubles while seniors are happy
to be among their peers and enjoying the nice weather. A
common challenge for all tennis facilities has been finding
a way to motivate the players in each of these demographics
to want to come out at the same time and play with
each other. Directors and pros should know that they need
not fear – there are ways to bridge the gap. By creating
an event with the right theme, the proper promotion and a
solid format, all players will want to come, time and time
again!
Start by asking yourself “what other types of functions
attract folks from all demographics?” The number one answer?
You guessed it – a PARTY! Market your event as if
it were a party. Give it a fun name with a theme like “Margarita
Mixer” or “Jimmy Buffett Night.” Buy decorations
to fit the theme, and make food and drink part of the event
(if your club has a dining department, they will appreciate
this).
The next question is, “How do I market this to everyone?”
The answer is – you don’t have to. All you need to
do is target one key person from each demographic and sell
them on the idea. Then they can promote for you. These
key people are called “hosts” and they can be relied upon to
encourage their friends to go. You can also use their name
on any advertising literature that goes out to promote the
event.
Of course the most important part is to create a format
that will ensure a fun time for everyone. This is what will
ultimately motivate people to come back. This is where you
need to use your expertise by hand-picking who plays who
in each round and making sure to pair people of similar
ability levels with and against each other for most rounds,
while mixing in a round or two for some intermingling of
demographics. The number one reason why folks don’t
enjoy social tennis events is because they were not happy
with who they played with that day. Hand-picking each
round requires more effort, but provides a much more
enjoyable event. It’s also always best to rotate rounds for a
social event according to time and not by number of games
played. You do not want players finishing their rounds
earlier than others and then waiting around for the others to
finish.
Once the players at your facility get a taste of the fun
you have provided for them, they will want to keep coming
back to your events; and this time, with more friends!
Mid-Atlantic Division
Running a successful event
Learn to anticipate
Tip by Mark Centrella, USPTA
A typical thought shared by tennis fans when referring
to the play of touring pros is that “they make it look
so easy.” Independent of their shot making ability, the
reality is that it truly is easier for them because of their
special ability to anticipate where and how the next ball is
coming back to them. No, this is not some sort of strange
sixth sense. There are logical reasons why pros are able to
do this. The good news is that, with practice, you can do
this too. It starts with realizing some basic on-court trends,
such as angled shots tend to come back at similar angles;
lobs are usually lobbed back; and low drives are typically
driven back. Next, you will want to figure out the trends
that are specific to your opponents by taking notes in a
match. Perhaps they have no backhand and always lob on
that side. Maybe they choose to drive their forehand from
everywhere on the court. Learning to anticipate what type
of ball is coming from your opponent will result in easier
shots and more victories for you.
Slice when serving into the sun
Tip by Mark Centrella, USPTA
Direct sunlight to a server is as repulsive as garlic is to
a vampire. There aren’t many things in tennis more bothersome
than getting blinded by the sun just as you are about
to strike the ball on a serve. Servers fear not, as there is
indeed an answer to this terrible epidemic. Rather than toss
the ball high and have to reach up while looking directly
into the sun to hit a booming flat serve, switch to plan B
which is to hit a slice serve. The contact point on a slice
serve is lower and more to the right (or left for lefties). This
means that instead of looking directly up into the sun when
serving, you can look off to the side. It may not be as powerful
as your flat serve, but the sidespin will keep the ball
lower so your opponent can’t tee off on the return and you
won’t be temporarily blinded and unprepared for your next
shot. Slicing your serve when looking into the sun is sure to
provide brighter results.
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,
Del.
By Mark Centrella, USPTA

Cut or not? By Terence Killen, USPTA
Should tennis directors receive a percentage of their
assistant’s lessons? This is a topic that I have
discussed with many in our industry. Professionals
that are against directors taking a percentage from their
assistants would argue that the assistants do all the work on
court and they should not have to share the revenue. On the
other hand those in favor of the revenue split would argue
that the directors are taking all the risk. They are hired by
the membership or general manager and ultimately if something
goes wrong it falls directly on their shoulders. Arguments
can be made for both sides.
My stand on this topic is that directors deserve a percentage
of lesson revenue but with their percentage, they
have a responsibility to their assistants to give them on- and
off-court training to make them a better professional. I am
currently a head tennis professional at a country club and
report directly to the director of tennis. There is a split for
my lessons, but I look at the revenue sharing as a price
I pay to get a daily education in the field. I am in a great
position where my director involves me in all aspects of our
club’s operations. I get experience in running mixers, team
practices, and clinics, as well as working on off-court is-
sues such as event advertising, hiring,
disciplinary procedures, maintenance,
etc. If you think about it, these are
ideas and topics that we attend conventions and conferences
to learn. It is in the hand of the directors to provide
this knowledge and wisdom for the price of their “cut” of
the lesson.
I recently attended a seminar presented by USPTA
Professional Alan Cutler entitled “Where do you want to be
in 5 years?” In the discussion he stated, “Directors need to
work with and teach their assistants how to do their job.” I
absolutely agree with this statement. Directors have the responsibly
to help us improve as professionals and get us to
the next stages of our careers. This to me is worth the cost
of sharing a percentage of my lesson revenue. If you are a
director who is not among those providing this service, how
can you justify taking a percentage?
This is just one tennis professional’s personal opinion.
As I stated before, it is a topic that I have discussed with
others and there are strong opinions for both sides. This
article is not intended to offend or start controversy, but
merely to address the issue.
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Mid-Atlantic Division
Mid-Atlantic Pros at the
USPTA World Conference
The USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division was well-represented at the
World Conference at Saddlebrook Resort in Florida. Here are
some pictures from the week.
Feisal gives one of his popular seminars Sinikka and Annette
Pat gets a little excited John and Carl at Executive Committee meeting

Relaxing at division party Fromuth gang at MAPTA party
John Cleary and family Tim must have said SOMETHING to Pat
Kris, Stuart and Karim
John leaves the silent auction with his loot
Service Lines Mid-Atlantic Division
15

Service Lines
of us got into the tennis industry because
we enjoy teaching, playing, or being around the
16Many
game of tennis. In reality, we are in the service
industry and must deal with uncomfortable or unusual circumstances
both on and off the court. Most of us can teach
a topspin forehand to our students, but how you handle
difficult situations in a club setting or otherwise can often
make or break your career.
In a previous article I presented some situations and
asked for feedback on how you would handle them. I also
asked you to share some difficult situations that you have
encountered and how they were dealt with. The response
was not overwhelming, but hopefully I will get some interesting
examples this time around.
I have an “On Court with USPTA” video for the person
who offers the best solution to any of my examples and another
one to someone who provides an interesting situation
that they have encountered. Please send your feedback to
me at john.cleary@lakewoodcc.org.
Mid-Atlantic Division
What would you do?
How would you handle the following:
1. A club member has his nephew in town from Idaho
and has scheduled a semi-private lesson with the boy and
his son. Before going out on court another club member
notices that he is wearing a shirt that does not adhere to the
club’s dress code and therefore he is not allowed out on
court. What do you do?
"I bend down
because I can."
~ Ken Beers, men’s national
champion at age 92, when
asked why he bends down
to pick up the ball instead of
using his racquet.
By John Cleary, USPTA
2. While playing in a mixed doubles social event a male
club member hits a female player with an overhead. The
member has done this on multiple occasions recently
and the other women tell you they will not play with this
individual for the remainder of the event. You have an even
number of players participating. What do you do?
3. A club member, Andre, has been bringing a guest to
play with, Boris, three times a week for the past month and
he will only play with Boris and no other club members.
This has just recently been brought to your attention. Club
policy states that a guest can only play once per week.
What do you do?
4. On multiple occasions, you have seen one of your club
members providing what you perceive to be instruction
to three of the club’s better junior players. After the third
instance you politely let her know that this is against club
policy and she answers, “Oh it’s not a lesson, we’re just hitting.”
You know otherwise. What do you do?
5. Your club’s board of directors is trying to increase the
traffic at the tennis facility, especially during the winter
months. Without consulting you, they are instituting a
policy where any golf member who has never played tennis
at your club is entitled to one free 30-minute lesson. This
could amount to over 200 people if everyone took advantage
of this. What would you do?
"Last year, I lost to his brother [John],
this year I lose to him, next year,
maybe I can win against his sister."
~ Goran Ivanisevic, after losing to Patrick McEnroe
at the Lipton Championships. (1993)
"Pressure is the ultimate lie detector. That's when
strokes speak the truth."
~ Brad Gilbert

Give thanks
As part of “Tennis Thanks the Troops,” the United
States Professional Tennis Association and
ThanksUSA have teamed up to encourage USPTA
professionals to fund scholarships for the families of
military men and women.
ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable effort to mobilize
Americans of all ages to “thank” the men and women
of the United States armed forces. This is accomplished
by providing need-based college, technical and vocational
school scholarships for their children and spouses. Thanks-
USA offers two interconnected programs: The national treasure
hunt and the military family scholarship program. The
treasure hunt raises awareness, excitement and funds for the
scholarship program in an educational, family-friendly way.
And the scholarships are an invaluable way to “thank” our
troops with the gift of education.
All USPTA pros are encouraged to host an event,
tournament, or instructional program, over Memorial Day
weekend or another convenient time and donate a portion
of the proceeds to this worthy cause. I hosted some events
for the first time in 2011 and was overwhelmed by the
response. I not only received donations from event participants,
but also from others who never even played tennis
and felt that it was a worthy cause. This enabled me to raise
over $2,000 and I hope to have an even bigger event this
year.
ThanksUSA was started by two girls, Rachel and Kelsi,
who were 10 and 8 at the time. If you’ve ever heard them
speak about their passion, it would certainly have a lasting
effect on you; it certainly has for me. For more information
please visit www.thanksusa.org or www.uspta.com.
John Cleary, USPTA
The official distributor of Nike
footwear and apparel to the USPTA.
http://uspta.fromuthtennis.com
Service Lines Mid-Atlantic Division
17

A publication of the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division
SERVICE L NES
3535 Briarpark Drive • Suite One • Houston, TX 77042
713-978-7782 • fax 713-978-7780 • divisionea@uspta.org
Editor Julie Myers
Contributors John Cleary, Mark Centrella, Bob
Anderman, Terence Killen
Service Lines is published quarterly by the Mid-Atlantic Division of
the United States Professional Tennis Association, Inc.
The opinions expressed in Service Lines are those of the authors
and not necessarily those of Service Lines or the USPTA
Mid-Atlantic Division.
Copyright© Mid-Atlantic Division/United States Professional
Tennis Association, Inc. 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction
of any portion of the newsletter is not permitted without written
permission from the USPTA Mid-Atlantic Division.
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