ADDvantage magazine

Teaching red ball, orange ball and green ball tennis to beginners
by Greg Grover, USPTA Master Professional

Why do so many 10 and under American youngsters play soccer and/or baseball or softball as opposed to tennis? The answer is simple: they play the game sooner rather than later (younger), on shorter rather than longer playing fields, with smaller and lighter equipment in time-friendly, non-elimination formats (nobody wins and nobody loses) with adult involvement (parental guidance and encouragement and adult supervision).

At the youngest ages (4, 5 and 6), these children are taught to play "just for the fun of it." Goals and runs are not counted! more

FBT60: Building a strong mind, body and game
by Stan Oley, USPTA

Have you ever gone in to get a routine physical from your doctor and thought everything was going to be fine? I did. And I was wrong.

Prior to this physical I had been experiencing more injuries, was tiring quickly, snoring during sleep, and had acquired an ongoing bout with acid reflux. In my mind, I was attributing these things as just part of getting old.

After the testing and lab work, I always have a review appointment to discuss the findings and results of the tests. When the doctor turned his laptop around and explained all of the bad results to me (cholesterol over 300, glucose off the charts, blood pressure 145/98), I was in shock. more

Keeping it real in the high-tech world
by Rod Heckelman, USPTA

Today’s technology provides us with all the tools we could ever need for communicating. It seems that almost every few months we are given another great high-tech tool that will help us reach our customer base. But these new powers of communicating may be creating a dependency that is not always productive when it comes to reaching our goals. With this enhanced communication platform, we can often be deceived into believing that we are communicating more effectively. But are we really helping our customers achieve their goals? Is it just wishful thinking and expectations to believe that the more tools we have to work with the more likely we will create better results? Too often teaching pros are disappointed when their ... more

Certification Exam Preparation – Stroke Production
by Ryan Thompson, USPTA

I had been working as a full-time professional for a year and a half when I decided it was time to join the USPTA and obtain my tennis-teacher certification. My coworker at the time had recently completed his certification and communicated the importance and benefits of becoming a certified teaching professional. It had been several years since I had taken any kind of exam, and I knew that I would have to be well prepared if I wanted a positive result.

What follows is a compilation of my preparation strategies and what I learned while going through the USPTA certification process. more

Social networking now: Online networks offer advantages & benefits for keeping members in the loop
by Marcia Layton Turner

When Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast of the U.S. in October, thousands of residents were without power, water and heat for weeks. The day after Sandy hit Long Island, Randall Ruder, CCM, CCE, general manager of the Beach Point Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., had video taken of the club’s condition for insurance purposes, as he had following previous storms. But because of the magnitude of that storm, Ruder decided to post the video to YouTube and email the link to Beach Point’s 650 club families to reassure them the club was still standing. more