Tennis Lessons and Instruction

Revolutionary Full Court Tennis App Connects Players With World-Class WTA & ATP Coaches

Posted by Admin on October 10, 2022

Posted in: ATP, Tennis Lessons and Instruction, WTA. Tagged: atp, Brian Teacher, Full Court Tennis, john mcenroe, Tennis Apps, Tennis Instruction, wta. Leave a comment

Renowned Southern California Tennis Coach and Former Australian Open Winner Brian Teacher Unveils Groundbreaking New Instructional Platform Available NOW!

For More Check Out: www.fullcourttennis.com

PASADENA, Calif. (October 3, 2022) – A groundbreaking new tennis instructional platform may revolutionize the way tennis players learn, and coaches serve athletes. Full Court Tennis, a collaborator of the WTA & ATP Coach Organizations, has launched its new training app, now available through the app store, to all coaches, athletes, and tennis players of all skill levels. The new app allows tennis players to instantly access the worlds’ best coaches for in-app virtual lessons.

Developed by Australian Open Winner, Brian Teacher, with Advisory Board Members John McEnroe, Katrina Adams, and AI scientist Dr. David Fogle, the app provides numerous options for tennis training, including hiring a coach for stroke analysis and a live video consult lesson. Coaches can set their own rates and availability for in-app lessons. Players can also compare their strokes side-by-side to the pros through the app’s stroke library.

“Growing up playing tennis at a public park, I found it challenging to learn the game without access to world-class coaches,” said Teacher, Founder and CEO of Full Court Tennis. “After winning the Australian Open and becoming an ATP and WTA Coach working with Andre Agassi, Greg Rusedski, and other top pros, I was looking for ways to make world-coaching instantly accessible around the globe – even for children who would not otherwise have access to top coaching talent. After many years of work to streamline the experience, we are excited to make this technology available to all coaches and to all levels of tennis players.”

The app offers its users access to a global community with free tips, drills, and analysis on the Full Court Feed where players can follow, learn, and interact with coaches and players.

Established in January of 2017, the WTA Coach Program has been designed to professionalize, standardize, and recognize the important role of coaching on the WTA Tour. The official collaboration between Full Court Tennis, WTA, and ATP Coach Programs looks to bring even more accessible training opportunities to both coaches and players in the future.

The Full Court Tennis App is a free download on the Full Court Tennis website or the App Store.

—S. Pratt

Players Can Now Learn To Slice, Volley and Serve Like the Pros With New Grip MD

Posted by Admin on July 23, 2021

Posted in: ATP, Tennis Lessons and Instruction, WTA. Tagged: Grip MD, james blake, Mark Marklein, Matt Daly, Tennis Training. Leave a comment

Players Can Now Learn To Slice, Volley and Serve Like the Pros With New Grip MD

The best training tool to improve your game…fast!

Delray Beach, Fla. – July 23, 2021 – Grip MD is a revolutionary new unique training device developed by two former collegiate tennis stars with the goal to aid players of all levels how to perfect the proper volley, serve, and slice grip.

Grip MD is the creation of former ATP World Tour doubles No. 38 and NCAA Champion Mark Merklein and former Notre Dame No. 1 Matt Daly. The device simply slips on to the handle of the racket, allowing the player to feel the perfect Continental grip. The Continental grip is used for the slice, serve and volleys in tennis and is vital to a player’s development.

“Having worked with players of all levels from beginners to pros, I have found that teaching the correct grip is the most important part of any player’s technical development,” said Daly, Co-Founder of GripMD. “It is also extremely hard to teach and commonly misunderstood. This device greatly simplifies the process, allowing players to find the perfect grip in a short period of time.”

Merklein appears in several information YouTube videos demonstrating how to master the slice, volley and second serve using Grip MD.

“Learning the Continental grip is an important piece in player development,” said Merklein, who won the NCAA singles title in 1994 and the doubles crown in 1993 playing for the University of Florida. “With the proper foundation you will have the opportunity to be the best player you can be! Don’t let your grips limit your level!”

Several high-level professionals have come out and endorsed Grip MD.

“Having the correct grips for your strokes is one of the starting blocks for a successful career in tennis,” said James Blake, the former ATP World Tour No. 4 in singles. “Whatever your goal is, starting at the right spot and making sure the basics are taken care of is so important. The Grip MD will start you on a path that makes it easy to learn and improve quickly.”

“Mastering the serve and the volley requires the perfect grip,” said John Isner, the former No. 1 American who reached a career-high No. 8 on the ATP World Tour. “The Grip MD makes that infinitely easier for you.”

Take advantage of a special offer now. Get three Grip MD products for the low price of $99. Or buy one for $39.95. To purchase and for more information or to purchase GripMD, visit at: https://www.thegripmd.com/

—S. Pratt

Exciting New Racquet Sport Spec Tennis Revolutionizing How Game Of Tennis Is Taught

Posted by Admin on July 12, 2021

Posted in: Tennis Lessons and Instruction. Tagged: Nate Gross, spec tennis, Tennis at Home, Tennis club. Leave a comment

Played on a pickleball court, all that is needed is a paddle and orange-dot low-compression tennis ball for hours of enjoyment using same strokes & strategies as tennis

Carson City, Nev. – July 1, 2021 – Intrigued by the size of a pickleball court and recalling the paddle tennis he played as a youth in Southern California, tennis teaching professional Nate Gross had an idea.

What if there was a way to use a paddle and low compression orange-dot tennis ball and take advantage of the pickleball craze and the hundreds of courts being built each month across the country. Putting those two components together, the game of Spec Tennis was created by Gross in 2016 and is quickly revolutionizing the way the game of tennis is being taught to beginners young and old.

Spec Tennis was originally created by Gross as a fun social experience and an alternative use of pickleball courts. Since then, it has evolved into a bridge into tennis, giving players success, confidence, and fun a lot sooner than they would have with regular tennis.

“Spec Tennis can dramatically improve your tennis game,” said Gross, currently the Director of Racquet Sports at Clear Creek Tahoe. “The paddle is less powerful than a tennis racquet, yet a similar weight. This promotes better biomechanics, forcing players to turn their shoulders and use their legs in order to generate power. Spec Tennis helps players develop control. Any new shot or tactic you want to learn in tennis can be learned first in the more favorable environment that Spec creates, and then directly translated to tennis.”

Gross said Spec Tennis has a three-fold mission:

To improve one’s tennis game.
To skyrocket a tennis teaching pro’s coaching business.
To provide a healthy and social sport to be played with family and friends.

Gross said beginners in tennis are oftentimes intimidated that they are not successful keeping the ball in the court when they first start out. “With Spec Tennis, many players are able to rally even on Day 1,” Gross said. “This leads to higher player retention, enjoyment, and faster improvement.”

Because four Spec courts fit on one tennis court, tennis directors are able to generate more revenue because more people fit on a regular-size tennis court, for both lessons and clinics.

The word is quickly getting out there: Spec Tennis is about to take off.

“When I was first starting out learning how to hit a topspin backhand I learned on a Spec court, and it dramatically improved my game,” said former Twitter COO Adam Bain. “I honed that technique on the Spec court, then brought that over to the tennis court. It immediately translated for me. In fact, it allowed me to advance faster because of the work I did on the Spec court. No matter what skill level you are, starting with Spec should dramatically improve your tennis game.”

Longtime retired men’s tennis coach at Harvard University Dave Fish likes all aspects of Spec Tennis and thinks that tennis needs something like this especially at the entry level.

“I haven’t liked how the ROGY (Red, Orange, Green, Yellow) pathway has played out—because the racquets are too lively and kids just poke at the ball,” Fish said. “With Spec Tennis, you use a paddle which teaches kids to hit through the ball, and you use the pickleball court, so real estate has already been created and is growing exponentially.”

Gross has created the United States Spec Tennis Association (https://www.usspta.com/index.html) and a unique ambassador program where tennis and racquet directors, as well as Spec Tennis enthusiasts, can grow the sport while receiving commission on paddle sales, and a discount on additional paddles. (https://www.usspta.com/ambassador.html).

Follow along on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spectennis

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SpecTennis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spectennis/

For questions and interview requests, please contact nate@spectennis.com

For more information or to purchase a Spec Tennis kit including paddles, balls and net, visit the website at: https://www.spectennis.com/

—S. Pratt

The Future in Time for the Holidays: @NeuroTennis Smart Tennis Wristbands Coach You While You Play

Posted by Admin on November 30, 2020

Posted in: ATP, Tennis Lessons and Instruction, WTA. Tagged: 2020 Holiday Tennis Gifts, Neuro Tennis, Smart Tennis Wristband. Leave a comment

Arlington, Va., November 18, 2020 — NeuroTennis, Inc. today announced the release of its smart tennis wristbands. Two key differences make this wearable technology so different from other smart tennis devices on the market.

“One major difference is that NeuroTennis coaches you while you play,” said NeuroTennis CEO, Alain Cohen. “Other tennis trackers just report statistics on speed, spin, and stroke counts, without much actionable information. NeuroTennis, on the other hand, provides coaching instructions that are synchronized with the rhythm of your hitting, as you play.

Cohen stated the second revolutionary aspect of the technology is that it wirelessly connects the wristbands of two players across the court, in order to pinpoint the timing of audible coaching instructions, precisely when your opponent hits the ball.

Former world No. 1 Mats Wilander was an integral part of designing NeuroTennis. “To reach the next level, I believe in modifying your game and not just measuring it,” Wilander said. “I believe that to reach your full potential, you need to train your brain just as hard as your skills and fitness.”

Features and benefits of NeuroTennis include:

Two player or solo mode – NeuroTennis is most typically used in a two-player mode, meaning that the sensors in each device communicate with each other, across the court.
NeuroTennnis App – The feature-rich app allows you to select lessons and drills from an extensive library designed by world-class coaches, including Mats Wilander. Taking it to the next level, you or your coach can easily customize content to specifically address your goals. Available for iPhone and Android.
Game Modifying Technology™ – While other wearable tennis products just measure physical results, like speed and spin, NeuroTennis is about ingraining better habits and accessing your tennis skills consistently so you can raise your game while you practice. Training at higher levels leads to playing at higher levels.

NeuroTennis is available now at NeuroTennis.com and sells as a pair for $269. For more information on how to train your brain and raise your game, visit NeuroTennis.com.

About NeuroTennis: NeuroTennis has been recently featured on https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2020/07/30/neurotennis/ and https://www.myhealthyapple.com/neurotennis-a-must-have-wristband-for-serious-tennis-players/

West Coast Tennis Tour Debuts This Summer With 13 Tournament Dates

Former USC Assistant Women’s Coach West Nott And Coaches Taking ‘Road Trip Of a Lifetime’

West Nott with former USC Trojan Kaitlyn Christian

Former USC women’s assistant coach West Nott is rolling out West Coast Tennis Tours this summer for high performance juniors and college players looking to take their game to the next level.

Nott and his coaches will host the West Coast Tennis Tour this summer and will travel to 13 open prize money tournaments from May 15 to Aug. 12. The tour will begin in San Diego and make stops in places like Santa Cruz, Calif., Salem, Ore., and in Seattle for one of the oldest tournaments in the country, the Washington State Open which has been played every year for 128 years.

“We want to get young players to compete more,” said Nott, who severed as the Trojans’ women’s assistant coach for 10 seasons. “The tour is geared toward high school and college players who are seeking more pressure-filled match play. All levels are welcome. This is one giant road trip and we are connecting all the dots A to Z for a memorable life experience and seeing sights along the way.”

West Coast Tennis Tour

The tour is something Nott experienced himself last summer as a player. Now he wants to share what he learned and saw to others. He added that all results from the tournaments will go toward a player’s Universal Tennis Rating.

“It was a road trip of a lifetime,” said Nott, who grew up in Midland, Mich., and played his college tennis at Georgia Tech.

“This is for college players who are looking to makes some leaps in the lineup,” he said. “We will learn life lessons while competing. There’s more to tennis than just hitting cross courts.”

Nott’s coaching staff includes some of his former players who made the NCAA Final Four twice, won four Pac-12 championships and reached an NCAA national No. 1 team ranking in 2015.

A second project Nott is working on is College Tennis Tours where he will be hosting a trip to the NCAA Team Men’s and Women’s Championships May 17-22 at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, N.C. Nott said more information on the tours will be released shortly, but the trip provides the “ultimate college viewing experience for all junior players aged 13-18,” he said.

Tennis instructions and seminars will take place during the trip, as well as catching all the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four matches and NCAA Team Championships in men’s and women’s tennis. For more information, check out: info@collegetennistours.com.

“The whole idea behind these business projects is to get young players fired up about college tennis and competing,” Nott said.

For more information on West Coast Tennis Tour, go to: http://www.westcoasttennistour.com or call Nott at 858.322.3171 or email him: info@westcoasttennistour.com.

—S. Pratt

.@USTA_Foundation Awards $2.3 Million in Grants and Scholarships in 2014

Posted by Admin on February 10, 2015

Posted in: Junior Tennis, Tennis Lessons and Instruction, USTA. Tagged: 2015, Foundation, Grants, Scholarships, tennis, usta.

@USTA_FOUNDATION AWARDS MORE THAN $2.3 MILLION IN GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS IN 2014

Year-End Grants Awarded to 44 Organizations Totaling $741,500

Foundation Establishes the Capacity Building Grant to Support Program Infrastructure

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., January 29, 2015 – USTA Foundation, the national charitable organization of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), today announced that it has completed its 2014 funding cycle by awarding $741,500 in grants – both program grants and capacity building grants – to 44 organizations nationwide. Those rewarded organizations were recognized for their efforts in providing tennis and education to under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, as well those organizations with a need for program infrastructure support.

Combined with previously awarded grants and scholarships, this latest grant funding brings the total awarded by the USTA Foundation in 2014 to more than $2.3 million.

The USTA Foundation program grant is a biannual national initiative that was established to award organizations that successfully combine tennis and education to give under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities the opportunity to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured setting. These programs also strive to help combat childhood obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles.

The capacity building grant is a newly established grant that helps strengthen the management infrastructure of small- to medium-sized National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapters, helping them to grow, thrive and, ultimately, to impact more kids in need. Last year, the USTA Foundation combined with USTA NJTL, a nationwide network of 500 community-based tennis and education programs serving more than 225,000 youth, to become a fully operational foundation.

“The USTA Foundation is honored to recognize such outstanding organizations around this country, which greatly impact so many deserving students, children in need and the communities in which they live,” said Dan Faber, Executive Director, USTA Foundation. “Their amazing work makes a difference in thousands of lives across the country and truly inspires us all.”

To date, USTA Foundation has awarded more than $19 million in grants and scholarships to hundreds of programs, benefitting thousands of children and adults through tennis, education and health programming, primarily through the NJTL network, and also through efforts to military personnel, veterans and individuals with disabilities. That total includes more than $15 million to fund hundreds of programs across the country, as well as more than $4.5 million in college scholarships and player incentive awards.

The following programs were awarded 2014 year-end grants by USTA Foundation:

1. Aceing Autism Inc. – West Hollywood, CA
2. A’s & Aces, Inc. – New Orleans, LA
3. Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation – Atlanta, GA
4. Boys Club of Wake County Inc. – Raleigh, NC
5. Buddy Up Tennis – New Albany, OH
6. Capital Region Youth Tennis Foundation Inc. – Albany, NY
7. Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro/Alamance Junior Tennis Foundation – Greensboro, NC
8. District 50 Education Foundation – Westminster, CO
9. Embrace Your Dreams – Bethlehem, PA
10. First Missionary Baptist Church-Wilson’s Mills/Next Level – Wilson’s Mills, NC
11. Flywheel Sports Based Youth Development – New Castle, PA
12. Gainesville Area Community Tennis Association – Gainesville, FL
13. Genesis School Inc. – Kansas City, MO
14. Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc. – Orlando, FL
15. Innercity Tennis Foundation – Minneapolis, MN
16. Lancaster Tennis Patrons Association, Inc. – Lancaster, PA
17. Mcadams NJTL of Wichita Foundation – Wichita, KS
18. National Junior Tennis League of Indianapolis Inc. – Indianapolis, IN
19. National Junior Tennis & Learning of Trenton, Inc. – Trenton, NJ
20. Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA – Newport News, VA
21. Portland After-School Tennis & Education – Portland, OR
22. Prospect Park Alliance – Brooklyn, NY
23. Providence Community Housing – New Orleans, LA
24. Recreation Wish List Committee of Washington D.C. – Washington, DC
25. Richmond Community Tennis Association – Richmond, CA
26. Sacramento Area Tennis Association – Sacramento, CA
27. San Francisco Recreation and Park Department/San Francisco Parks Alliance – San Francisco, CA
28. Sandy Springs Tennis Association Inc. – Sandy Springs, GA
29. Sloane Stephens Foundation Inc. – Fresno, CA
30. Sportsmens Tennis Club Inc. – Dorchester, MA
31. St. Paul Urban Tennis – St. Paul, MN
32. Stephanie Waterman Tennis Foundation – Lenexa, KS
33. TEAM First PAL (Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons) – Palm Beach, FL
34. Tennis & Education Inc. – St. Paul, MN
35. Tennis For Charity Inc. – Cincinnati, OH
36. Tennis Memphis, Inc. – Memphis, TN
37. Tennis Success, Inc. – Corpus Christi, TX
38. United Neighbors Inc. – Davenport, IA
39. VT-Marty Hennessey Junior Tennis Foundation – Las Vegas, NV
40. Washington Tennis & Education Foundation – Washington, DC
41. XS Tennis And Education Foundation – Chicago, IL
42. Youth At Heart – Tulsa, OK
43. Youth Tennis Advantage – San Francisco, CA
44. Zina Garrison All Court Tennis Academy – Houston, TX

—S. Pratt, USTA

2014 NJTL @USTA_Foundation Arthur Ashe Essay Contest Winners Head to @USOpen

Posted by Admin on August 18, 2014

Posted in: Tennis Lessons and Instruction, US Open, USTA. Tagged: 2014, Contest, Essay, junior, National Junior Tennis League, NJTL, tennis, us open, usta, Winners.

2014 NJTL @USTA_Foundation Arthur Ashe Essay Contest Winners Head to @USOpen

Contest Exclusive to Students 18 and Younger Who Participate
In National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) Network Chapters Nationwide

Winners to Receive New York City Travel Package

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – USTA Foundation, the national charitable organization of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), announced the 10 winners of the 16th annual NJTL Arthur Ashe Essay Contest. The 10 winners, ranging in ages from 10 to 18, were selected out of close to 2,600 entries submitted last month. Each winner has received a New York City travel package from Aug. 22 to Aug. 24.

To enter the contest, children were asked to write an essay of 350 words or less, responding to a specific question about Arthur Ashe and his great accomplishments. This year’s question asked: “Arthur Ashe used his time and skills to impact others – how have you used your time and skills learned through tennis and educational programming to impact the lives of those around you?” A USTA sub-committee selected the winning essays based on knowledge of Arthur Ashe, message clarity and writing style.

Each winner won round-trip airfare to New York City for themselves and a parent/legal guardian; a two-night stay at the Grand Hyatt 42nd Street; tickets to New York’s critically acclaimed theatrical show “THE RIDE”; a Circle Line Liberty Cruise sightseeing tour; and VIP status in the President’s Box during the 2014 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day presented by Hess on Aug. 23 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The weekend will wrap up with an awards luncheon on Aug. 24, hosted by former New York City Mayor and USTA board member David Dinkins, where the winners will receive an honorary plaque.

The 10 winners of the 2014 Arthur Ashe Essay Contest were selected in the following categories:

Category:

Boys/Girls 10 and Under
Srinath Mahankali, 10, Bayside Hills, N.Y. – New York Junior Tennis and Learning (NYJTL)
Makda Dawit, 10, Oakland, Calif. – Youth Tennis Advantage

Boys/Girls 11-12
Torianh Blakes, 11, Norwalk, Conn. – Norwalk Grassroots Tennis
Marion Rye, 12, Minneapolis, Minn. – InnerCity Tennis

Boys/Girls 13-14
Daud Gantt-Bey, 13, Washington, D.C. – Leadership Council for Healthy Communities
Ana-Lei Kalawe, 13, Charleston, S.C. – Lowcountry Youth Tennis Association

Boys/Girls 15-16
Roby White, 16, Capital Heights, Md. – Prince George’s Tennis and Education Foundation
Lea Bergman, 15, Laramie, Wy., – University of Wyoming

Boys/Girls 17-18
Andreas Nolan, 17, New York – Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program
Jasmine Rivers, 17, Eight Mile, Ala. – New Lyons Park Tennis Association

“The USTA Foundation is proud of this year’s Arthur Ashe Essay contest winners,” said Dan Faber, Executive Director, USTA Foundation. “This is a particularly exciting year for the foundation, as we have joined with the NJTL network. It’s a unique opportunity for us to continue supporting students who are truly deserving of this recognition. Their response to this year’s question is truly profound, and reflects the ideals and inspiration behind Arthur Ashe’s leadership and legacy. Congratulations!”

In January 2014, the USTA Foundation, formally USTA Serves, combined with USTA NJTL, a national network of 630 community-based tennis and education programs serving more than 330,000 youth, to become a fully operational foundation. This marks the 20th anniversary of the USTA Foundation and the 45th anniversary of NJTL, which was founded by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder.

—S. Pratt

USTA MID-ATLANTIC SECTION NAMES TARA FITZPATRICK-NAVARRO AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro

Reston, Va., May 16, 2014 – The United States Tennis Association Mid-Atlantic Section (USTA/MAS) announced today that it has appointed Tara Fitzpatrick-Navarro as its Executive Director.

USTA/MAS is one of 17 sections of the United States Tennis Association and is committed to promoting tennis by offering quality recreational and competitive programs for people of all ages and abilities. USTA/MAS has been part of America’s official governing body for tennis since 1923 and serves nearly 40,000 members in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia as well as eastern and southern West Virginia. Tennis players are involved in leagues, tournaments and diverse programs sanctioned by the Section.

In her new role as Executive Director, Fitzpatrick-Navarro will be responsible for leading USTA/MAS’s dedicated team of professionals while guiding the organization to new levels of operating success, progressive visibility and prominence. She will also be responsible for promoting and growing the game of tennis in the region and building sustainable partnerships between the association and the constituency it serves.

“Joining USTA/MAS as Executive Director enables me to marry my dual passions for the recreation industry and association management into one ideal position,” said Fitzpatrick-Navarro. “USTA/MAS’s commitment to its membership and the sport of tennis provide a strong base of success and accomplishment that I look forward to building upon in my new role.”

Fitzpatrick-Navarro brings extensive experience in association management, including leadership in the areas of membership, education, research and professional development. Fitzpatrick-Navarro served for 10 years in positions of increasing responsibility at the National Recreation and Park Association, where most recently she was Vice president, Membership, Research and Professional Development. In this position, she oversaw a department of 18 full-time professional staff that was responsible for the organization’s education, certification, publications, accreditation, research, and membership engagement and development.

Prior to that, she held several other key positions in NRPA’s education and professional development divisions, including Director of Certification and Accreditation, Director of Education and Research and Chief of Knowledge and Learning. She also served as Director of Education and Training at Splash Aquatic Management and Therapeutic Recreation Manager and Director of Senior Centers for the Fairfax, Va. County Government.

“Tara’s deep experience in association management, coupled with her long and distinguished career in the field of recreation make her the perfect choice to lead USTA/MAS and help it advance its mission of promoting tennis through quality recreational and competitive programs for people of all ages and abilities,” said John Raker, USTA/MAS executive director search committee chair. “We’re thrilled to welcome Tara aboard.”

The search was conducted by association and non-profit search experts Vetted Solutions.

—C. Miller, USTA/Mid-Atlantic

At @TheJTCC, A Local Search For Future Tennis Champions

Posted by Admin on May 4, 2014

Posted in: Junior Tennis, Junior Tennis Champions Center, Maryland, Tennis Center at College Park, Tennis Lessons and Instruction, USTA. Tagged: 2014, Camp, Center, champions, college park, Day, dc, denis kudla, Facility, frances tiafoe, junior tennis, kid's, Maryland, md, Summer, usta, Usue Arconoada.

Award-winning Junior Tennis Champions Center Fitting Backdrop For Young Talent Search
Steve Fogleman, Tennis East Coast

Yesterday, the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland hosted its 15th annual Tennis Day to evaluate local children for summer camp scholarships at their USTA award-winning facility.

I’ve been to dozens of kids tennis events, but this one is so different. Kids are always sizing up adults, but the tables turn in this tennis fun house.

This is the time JTCC coaches take a look at the local crop of kids, some of whom might possess that obvious gift. It may be speed, coordination, strength or a combination thereof, but if they like what they see, the child is invited to the Center’s summer camp program at no cost to parents.

It’s like an old Yakov Smirnoff joke. In my country, people watch tennis. At Junior Tennis Champions Center, tennis watch you.

The younger kids are completely oblivious that they are being judged on their performances at the various drills set up on court at the College Park Tennis Center.

As a parent, it’s great to get a free assessment on your kids potential abilities in tennis. It’s easy to gauge results, too.

I saw a tiny 4-year-old run faster than most 5-year-olds, including my daughter, yesterday.

And that’s probably the best part of an event like this one. You’re almost certain one of these cute, little kids will be an NCAA champion someday or play at the professional level.

And you just don’t know which one yet, but you’re excited for that kid. And you’re excited for the ones who will attend the JTCC camps.

To get trained at a place like this, with coaches like these, is such an enormous blessing.

And keep your eye out for participant #202. She will probably never play pro tennis, but she might ‘commentate’ on it someday. Likely on ESPN9, when that channel is launched in 2028.

Curvstar: The Future Is In Your Hands

Posted by Admin on April 5, 2014

Posted in: ATP, Tennis Lessons and Instruction, WTA. Tagged: 2014, curved, curvstar, New, preview, racket, racquet, tennis.

Curvstar: The Future Is In Your Hands
Steen Kirby, Tennis East Coast

A few days ago, I received an email from someone at a company called Curvstar, advising me to check out a new tennis racquet called the Curvstar EPIC, a curved handle tennis racquet recently approved by the ITF as sanctioned for official tournament play. This intriguing product certainly has a different look as every other tennis racquet product on the market today, and hopefully, Curvstar will be sending me a demo so I can try out the racquet myself soon and let everyone know what I personally think.

In the meantime, I had the opportunity to interview company founder and former NCAA tennis champion Manuela Emmrich, who along with her father Thomas Emmrich, an accomplished former East German tennis player, helped design the concept for the racquet and are working to bring it to the market. Manuela’s brother, Martin Emmrich is an accomplished ATP doubles player, still on tour today, who I had the pleasure of meeting at one of the tournaments I attended a couple of years ago. The Emmrich family has certainly contributed a lot to the sport of tennis, and perhaps Curvstar will be their greatest contribution, as it looks to be an exciting innovation to the market for players of all levels. The interview I did with Manuela can be read below, and I appreciate Curvstar reaching out to me.

Tell me more about yourself and your background. I know you played college Tennis and your father is an accomplished player himself, along with your brother Martin, who I have met before during my coverage of the professional circuit.

Manuela: As you know, I was born into a family of tennis players and started playing tennis at age 6. My mom and dad were still playing tournaments when I was a baby, so I probably held my first tennis racket at age 3. My dad was my coach and it wasn’t always easy to separate the coach and father relationship. I learned everything from him and I am very thankful for his dedication to tennis. I wanted to turn pro but wanted to finish high school first. Unfortunately, I had a motor bike accident after high school and could not play tennis for a while. After my recovery I got an offer to play college tennis in the US and I was excited about this opportunity to continue my passion for tennis. My team at Armstrong Atlantic won the NCAA Championship in 2005 and I must say that this was my most memorable accomplishment. I continued to stay in the US and eventually got my MBA at Thunderbird School of Global Management. That is where the business plans for the Curvstar racket became concrete and I even won the business plan competition with it. I continue to play in USTA leagues and my team was the runner-up at the 5.0 Women’s National Championship.

How did you develop the idea for the Curvstar racquet and it’s unique curved design?

Manuela: A family friend of ours approached us several years ago about an idea he had for a tennis racket after witnessing the establishment of the parabolic skis. These curved skis were first ridiculed about their shape and are now industry standard. There had to be an analogy for tennis that combines ergonomics with enhanced performance. We analyzed the body position for volleys, serve, ground strokes, etc. and realized that a angled racket head would also provide more slice and spin. That gave us the perfect combination of a natural curved grip with a game enhancing racket head position while keeping the sweet spot pretty much at the same position.

After all these years of playing tennis, I also suffered from major wrist problems and had to get several cortisol shots in college. After playing with the first prototype, I felt quite some relief on my wrist due to the natural grip shape.

Besides its unique curved designed, how does the Curvstar compare to other top of the line frames sold today by major tennis equipment companies such as Babolat and Head, in terms of material construction, racquet head size, & weight?

Manuela: The material of the Curvstar racket is industry standard. We had the frame tested at one of the major tennis companies and it was deemed very good. We are still a start-up company and hope to hire a team after successful Kickstarter funding that can help to further enhance the material and continue developing more Curvstar rackets. The racket details are as follows:

length: 27 inches
head size 107 square inches
weight 9.7 ounces

The racket is on the lighter side to be easier on the arm and the wider frame generates enough power for the lighter weight. One can always add lead to the current model if needed.

If the product is successful, do you have plans to make more models of the Curvstar, ie different head sizes, weight and balance for different types and levels of players?

Manuela: Yes, we already developed prototypes for other racket weights as well as a thinner/stiffer tournament frame and a kids racket. Successful funding and sales will allow as to produce this broader product range. Due to limited resources we are currently only focusing on the EPIC model.

Where would you like to see the racquet distributed, online via direct order, through tennis retail stores, online retailers such as Tennis Warehouse?

Manuela: Players will want to test this unique racket so we would like to provide it to retail stores for local demos as well as to the major online retailers. Until we have these distribution channels secured, we will offer direct online sales on our website.

Do you intend to keep the product at the $150-$199 dollar price point?

Manuela: Actually, the retail price is $249, but we are offering it at a discounted price via the Kickstarter campaign right now.

http://kck.st/1kC3e6z

Is their a recommended type of string/string tension weight for the racquet? or is stringing and string preference the same as any other traditional racquet

Manuela: The recommended tension is 51lbs but I am stringing it at 60lbs for myself and anyone can string it at their preference as any other traditional racket. The racket fits in a standard stringing machine and the pattern is traditional 16/20. Only the grip will stick out on the side of the machine instead of in front.

What do you think about the state of the tennis equipment and apparel industry today? Have you looked at new companies like Athetic DNA (a new apparel company worn by the likes of Lleyton Hewitt and Brian Baker) as examples of success to learn from for your company?

Manuela: I think the tennis racket industry has not been very revolutionary as of late. The shape of the racket pretty much stayed the same since Prince launched an overhead and longbody size. All other new launches have mainly focused on material improvement. I think it is time for more excitement on the tennis court. Since I’ve been playing with the Curvstar racket, I am enjoying the sport so much more. It is just so much fun to play with the Curvstar. Babolat’s Play racket is a fun idea to get players more engaged into the sport and I think it is the good move to get more excitement into tennis.

The clothing industry has had some new brands break into the market which shows that players are ready to change it up and that they want to try new things and be unique. I hope Curvstar will get the same acceptance as many of the new exciting clothing brands. That’s why we made the racket a bright green – it is bold and different on purpose so players can display their individuality and engage more with tennis.

Is the most intended audience for the Curvstar product the recreational player, higher level players (college, professional, competitive league play), seniors or juniors?

Manuela: The Curvstar racket is suitable for all levels of play and the appeal will vary by player. Players at every level would want to improve their volleys, slice and serve, though professional players are probably fairly proficient with their technique. The ergonomic benefits will appeal most to juniors who want to avoid injuries early on as well as for seniors who might be feeling the pain right now and are looking for a relief.

As Manuela mentioned, Curvstar is currently doing a kickstarter campaign to help get their product off the ground and you can check that out here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1618025269/curvstar-innovative-ergonomic-tennis-racket.