INSIDE - USTA.com

FROM THE PREZ By Gwen Ramras
NET NOTES
Thanks for being a USTA member and giving the gift of tennis
‘T
is the season to give thanks and we would like to say THANK
YOU to each and every one of you for your membership in the
USTA!
Not only do you enjoy benefits such as TENNIS magazine or SMASH
magazine for juniors and have the opportunity to participate in the many
tennis programs we offer such as USTA League and Jr. Team Tennis but
you support the sport in communities throughout Oregon, Washington,
Idaho, British Columbia and Alaska. A portion of every single USTA
membership comes back to our Pacific Northwest Section to help us build
and offer more tennis in our area.
Did you know there are one, three and five year USTA memberships
available? The longer the membership period, the more money you save.
If you join for five years, the fifth year is free! It’s easy to see all the special
USTA membership offers by going to www.pnw.usta.com and clicking on
Membership. Give the gift of membership and help introduce tennis to
your friends and family.
U.S. tennis participation tops 30 million for
fi rst time in two decades
he Tennis Industry Association (TIA) and USTA have announced that tennis participa-
T
tion in the United States topped 30 million players for the fi rst time in more than two
decades. Th e annual phone survey of 6000 Americans showed that tennis participation grew
in all age groups under the age of 50 and within all ethnicities. With 30.1 million people hitting
the courts, tennis participation has grown 12 percent over 2008 and climbed 25 percent
since 2003. Th e survey is conducted annually by the Taylor Research Group on behalf of the
TIA and USTA.
New players comprised 7.1 million of the total and the majority of tennis players consider
themselves “regular players” (14.8 million). Th ough 15 of the 17 USTA sections were aff ected
by record rainfall in the spring, total play occasions surpassed 560 million for only the second
time in more than 20 years. Th e greatest percentage growth in participation was in players
ages 12-17 which grew from 15.7 percent of the total participants in 2008 to 20.5 percent of
the participants in 2009.
“Th e USTA continues to work closely with the entire tennis industry to grow our game
and we are extremely gratifi ed that our collective eff orts have generated such strong growth,”
said Lucy S. Garvin, USTA President and Chairman of the Board. “We continue to strive to
make tennis easier to learn and more fun to play, and this commitment has led to millions
of more Americans playing the game. I am proud of our network of sections, states/districts
and community programs who have worked so hard to increase participation.”
“Over the past several years, we’ve strived to make the game more accessible, particularly
at parks and schools across the country,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive,
Community Tennis, USTA. “Combine this with the health benefits of tennis and you get
surging interest in the sport.”
“Th e TIA (industry) and the USTA have been focused on growing participation since the
4 TENNIS TIMES WINTER 2009/10 � www.pnw.usta.com
I would also like to say thanks to our staff at the USTA Pacific Northwest
(USTA/PNW). When you pose questions or have a need, they are there. We
have a terrific group of talented people who love the game and you can see
many of their happy faces next to their columns in Tennis Times. They are
led by our Executive Director, Bill Leong. Bill works diligently to maximize
our resources and provide the leadership for our USTA/PNW crew.
On behalf of your Board of Directors from all across our section, Ernie
Hartzog (Portland), Ron Tan (Spokane, Wash.), Tony Menke (Yakima,
Wash.), Richard Snyder (Gig Harbor, Wash.), Mike Temple (Portland),
Mike Naumes (Medford, Ore.), Karen Dunlop (Seattle), Peter Jackson
(Vancouver, British Columbia) and Allen Clendaniel (Anchorage, Alaska),
we send warm wishes for Happy Holidays to you and yours.
And if you are lucky enough to receive the gift of a new racquet for the
holidays, please consider donating your old one to your local Community
Tennis Association or neighborhood program. It will truly be a gift that
keeps on giving. �
mid 90s and this is the result of a consistent and sustained eff ort that is now paying
dividends,” said TIA President Jon Muir. “Our ongoing challenge is to continue to build
our frequent player base, the economic lifeline for the sport.”
Th e TIA/USTA survey results include:
� Total participation broke the 30 million mark
in 2009 (a 12 percent increase to 30.1 million as
compared to 26.9 million in 2008).
� New players reached 7.1 million (up 19.5
percent from 5.9 million in 2008).
� Regular players, those playing 4 to 20 times
per year, increased 26 percent to 14.8 million
players in 2009.
� Participation in 2009 is up in every major
ethnic group but especially among African Americans
(+19 percent) and Hispanics (+32 percent).
� Age groups comprising the greatest percentage of players are:
� 12-17 years at 20.5 percent of the total (more than 6 million players).
� 18-24 years at 18.4 percent of the total (more than 5.5 million players).
� 6-11 years at 16.25 percent of the total (4.9 million players).
� Tennis is doing a better job at retention with continuing players up 6.3 percent
to 16 million.
� Former players rejoining the game is up for the third year in a row with nearly 7
million coming back to tennis.
Th e TIA/USTA results compare favorably to other recent research released from
industry organizations over the past 12 months. In the 2009 Sports and Fitness Participation
Report conducted by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA),
results showed tennis was the only traditional sport to enjoy growth in grassroots
participation.
Section honors 2009 Hall of Fame
inductees and award winners
Th e USTA Pacifi c Northwest (USTA/PNW) recognized its 2009 Hall of Fame inductees
and award winners during a luncheon held in their honor at the Bellevue Club
in Bellevue, Wash., on December 5.
Th is year’s USTA/PNW Hall of Fame inductees include Trish Bostrom of Seattle,
Frank Inn of Medford, Ore., and the late Wayne Sabin. Th e award winners include
the following:
Outstanding Jr Event: 2009 ARBY’s NCW Jr. Champs & Challengers, Wenatchee RAC
Outstanding Sr Event: 2009 Salem Summer Classic, Salem Tennis & Swim Club
Tournament Director of the Year: Jim Rankin, Tualatin Hills Tennis Center
Media Excellence: Corey Voegele, Wenatchee World
Senior Women’s Service Award: Judy Aw, Bellevue
Senior Men’s Service Award: Jerry Crimins, Milwaukie, Ore.
USTA League Captain of the Year: Don Craig, Olympia, Wash.
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