California - United States Professional Tennis Association

Summer 2011 

California 

Line Calls 

California Division to Host USPTA 

Summer Workshop at Farmers Classic 

Where can you get educated by renowned tennis 

professionals, network with your fellow pros and 

watch some of the best ATP men’s tennis matches 

up close and personal, all at the same time in 

southern California? Wonder no more—at the 

USPTA Summer Workshop at the Farmers Classic! 

The USPTA California Division is excited to 

announce that it will be hosting a Summer 

Workshop at the Farmers Classic, presented by 

Mercedes-Benz. Educational seminars will be 

offered on Saturday and Sunday mornings, July 30- 

31, at the tournament site. Renowned speakers and 

professionals including Ken DeHart, Wayne Bryan, 

Hank Pfister, Peter Smith, Chris Ojakian and more 

will be presenting to attendees. 

After the seminars, participants will grab lunch and 

gear up for the Saturday day session semifinal and 

Sunday final matches (Saturday evening match not 

included). 

Tickets to 

the matches 

are included 

in the 

registration 

package. 

Sam Querrey, 2010 Farmers Classic 

champion 

So what does this unique opportunity cost a USPTA 

member, you ask? The entire weekend of events— 

that’s seminars, lunches, and matches—costs only 

$135. To attend one day only, the cost is still just 

$95. 

There will also be volunteer opportunities during 

the week of the tournament. We need USPTA pros 

to help SCTA and the tournament staff run the high 

school coaches clinic, Kids’ Day, and corporate 

clinics. Contact Yvonne at socal.uspta@verizon.net 

for more information. 

Watch for more details and registration information 

to come in your mailbox and e-mail inbox soon. 

Details on group sales and packages for your club 

or school are on Page 9. 

Inside 

President’s Message • District News • Farmers Classic Opportunities • Pro Income Replacement 

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2011 Division 

Board of Officers 

President 

Pierre Mareschal 

(626) 744-1650 

pmareschal@valleyhuntclub.com 

Regional vice president 

Mike Gennette 

(805) 495-0111 

totaltns@aol.com 

CCenter 

ourt 

District 

Representatives 

District 1 

President 

Tom Rohrbacher 

(805) 640-2109 

ojaitennis@sbcglobal.net 

Vice president 

Dave McKinney 

(805) 236-1626 

dmckinney@nfpsi.com 

First vice president 

Stan Carter 

(213) 321-8699 

stan@stanthetennisman.com 

Second vice president 

Gabriel Jacob 

(909) 534-9839 

tennislesson4u@hotmail.com 

Treasurer 

Cari Buck 

(310) 314-9492 

cbuck@tennischannel.com 

Secretary 

Karl Akkerman 

(805) 676-7372 

ka10s@verizon.net 

Past president 

Eric Stephens 

(562) 496-3530 

kid6@ca.rr.com 

California Division 

Office 

Executive administrator 

Yvonne Kingman 

P.O. Box 2264 

Seal Beach, CA 90740 

(310) 367-0364 

socal.uspta@verizon.net 

Head tester 

Lee DeYoung (310) 283-6131 

Dear fellow USPTA professionals: 

Summer is right around the corner and summer 

camps will soon be in full swing. 

By now, you’re probably all wondering why the 

USPTA national office sent you a new slate of 

officers for 2011-2013 after they had published a 

slate twice already. 

Here’s a recap of what’s happened so far: 

During the past few months, USPTA—on a national 

level—has been in turmoil. The politics around the 

Nominating Committee’s decision to cast President 

Tom Daglis for a second term (2011-2013) have been 

intense. 

This unprecedented decision from the Nominating 

Committee prompted a strong opposition from a 

majority of the Board of Directors. Pressure was then 

put on Tom Daglis, for multiple reasons, to refuse his 

second nomination, which he did. The Nominating 

Committee then proposed a slate with current 

First Vice President Randy Mattingley as our next 

president. 

But after the Executive Committee meeting in 

Houston in April, the Executive Committee voted on 

a motion to reinstate the “original slate” (the one with 

Tom as president). The results of this vote, in which 

weighted votes based on number of members in each 

division were used, were in favor of the “original 

slate.” This decision prompted the resignation of 

two giants in our organization, Jim Loehr and Jack 

Groppel. 

To be continued… 

In the meantime, the California Division Board of 

Officers has decided to stay focused on California 

Continued on Page 3 

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District 2 

President 

Jeff Richards 

(818) 222-2782 

REESHCO@aol.com 


Ron Hightower 

(818) 687-4870 

hightowertennis@gmail.com 

District 3 

President 

Chuck Melkent 

(310) 276-6104 

melkent@thelacc.org 


Craig Cignarelli 

(818) 317-2876 

renaissanceboy@aol.com 

District 4 

President 

Chuck Kingman 

(562) 598-8624 

ckingman10s@yahoo.com 


George Sulc 

(310) 530-0630 

geogesulc@yahoo.com 

District 5 

President 

Stephen Vorhees 

(951) 274-7907 

stephen.vorhees@ourclub.com 


Mandy Gamble 

(626) 319-2787 

gamblegrrl@gmail.com 


Scott Harris 

(951) 743-2132 

andulkascott@gmail.com 

District 6 

President 

Tom Brennan 

(714) 323-5145 

irishace@cox.net 


TBD

Center Court 

Continued from Page 2 

members first and keep pushing forward a full 

educational agenda for summer 2011. 

We have also expanded the board by adding a vice 

president for every district in order to organize more 

activities and reach more members. Make sure to 

contact your district representatives today and get 

involved. 

To be noted… 

City of Irvine’s Professional Growth Weekend 

for Teachers and Coaches of Tennis (May 28-30): 

Steve Riggs from the city of Irvine and Don Henson 

put together a great event this past Memorial Day 

weekend. It was the first time in recent southern 

California history that USPTA and PTR mutually 

supported an event. The quality of the presenters was 

phenomenal and everyone in attendance got a lot out 

of those three days. 

USPTA California Division’s Summer Workshop 

at the Farmers Classic (July 25-31 at UCLA): We 

are coordinating with the SCTA to offer you a 

workshop in conjunction with the Farmers Classic 

tournament this summer. USPTA, the premiere 

teaching organization in California will be showcased 

during the biggest tournament in L.A.! This is a great 

opportunity to come and watch the top ATP players, 

learn from great speakers, network, and get career 

education credits all at the same time…and more! 

Stay tuned for more updates on upcoming activities 

for you to get involved in. The Board of Officers of 

this division is striving to bring you the best possible 

opportunities to improve your teaching career and 

is always looking for feedback. You can contact 

any of us at any time at socal.uspta@verizon.net, 

or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ 

USPTACalifornia. 

Have a great summer! 

Pierre Mareschal 

President, USPTA California Division 

USPTA Pro Helps Kids Ace Autism 

USPTA professional Richard Spurling and his team have been putting 

smiles on the faces of kids and parents alike through ACEing Autism, 

his non-profit program that provides tennis clinics to children with 

autism. The mission of the group is to make the sport of tennis available 

to children with autism and to use tennis as a means to enhance health 

and fitness, hand-eye coordination and motor development, as well as 

improve the social skills of kids with autism. And, of course, to make sure kids have fun in the process. Richard 

and his wife first started the program in Boston and expanded to Los Angeles last year. The program meets each 

week at UCLA on the Sunset Canyon Courts, and is gearing up for its 10-week summer session, which begins 

in late June. For more information about ACEing LineCalls Autism, visit www.aceingautism.com. 

3 

LineCalls 3

districtnews 

District 1 


District 2 

Jeff Richards 

District 3 

Chuck Melkent 

District 4 

Chuck Kingman 

District 5 


District 6 

Tom Brennan 

District 1: Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties 

By Alan Richter, USPTA 

On Friday, March 4 in Santa Barbara, 

the Los Positas tennis courts, formerly 

operated by Santa Barbara City Parks 

and Recreation Department, changed 

management to the Elings Park 

Foundation. Now called the Elings Park 

Tennis Center, the “change of sides” 

occurred with a ribbon-cutting ceremony 

at the courts with Santa Barbara City 

Mayor Helene Schneider and Parks 

and Recreation Director Nancy Rapp handing over the courts to 

Executive Director Steen Hudson. The afternoon included on-court 

skills events for the public with prizes and awards. USTA representative 

Gina Havelka was there to hand out awards and meet with me, the 

new director of tennis. The facility will offer a full range of tennis 

instruction, and court usage will be available by membership and day 

pass. We’re not wasting any time; two full months of summer camps for 

kids ages 5-18 have already been scheduled. More information can be 

found at ElingsPark.org. 

District 2: San Fernando Valley & Kern County 

By Jeff Richards, USPTA 

Around the district... The Summit condominium complex and tennis 

club awarded USPTA District 2 Vice President Ron Hightower the 

contract to manage the five-court facility in Woodland Hills. Good luck 

to Ron and his staff. The San Fernando Valley was sad to see Tennis Ace 

close for business in Woodland Hills; however, the Tennis Ace pro shop 

is still going strong in Studio City. Parsa, at Net Results in Calabasas, is 

ready to take up the slack for our West Valley tennis players. Braemar 

Country Club is saying goodbye to Dave Sivertson, USPTA, after his 

tenure as tennis director there; Dave is moving on to manage the tennis 

program at Mission Hills Country Club in the Coachella Valley. USPTA 

pro Doug Doss included many D2 pros in his annual Mountain Gate Pro- 

Am, which is always a fun event for his members and visiting pros. It 

was the 20 th anniversary of this event and is one of the best run pro-ams in 

southern California. Calabasas Swim & Tennis hosted “Lunch with Allen 

Fox” on June 11. Participants heard Allen speak and were able to get his 

new book, among other amenities included in the event. This summer, 

look for your club to host a “Weakest Dink – the world’s first tennis 

reality game” clinic in conjunction with the Farmer’s Classic tournament 

this July at the UCLA Tennis Center. With so much tennis activity going 

on in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys, Bakersfield area and the 

Lancaster/Palmdale vicinity, we encourage all of our USPTA pros from 

District 2 to let us know of any newsworthy activities at your facility, in 

your program, or with your tennis organization. Contact me at 

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Alan (right) shakes hands with 

Parks & Rec. Director Nancy Rapp 

as Mayor Schneider looks on.

jeff.richards@racquetproductions.com with any news 

items. Have a great summer! 

District 3: Los Angeles (Malibu to Marina del Rey) 

District 3 pros: Save the date! On the Tuesday evening 

of the Farmer’s Classic this summer, USPTA District 

3 will host a meet-and-greet for pros, so you may all 

get to know the other pros near you. Look for more 

information in your e-mail this summer. 

District 4: South Bay to N. Orange Cty. 

By Chuck Kingman, USPTA 

(l-r) Bill Roberti and Mike 

Letcher, two of the seminar 

participants, with Desmond 

I’d like to personally thank 

USPTA Master Professional 

Dr. Desmond Oon, whose 

three-part “mind-body-spirit 

connection” series was very 

well-done and well-received. 

Dr. Oon is a true professional 

and always willing to share 

his vast tennis knowledge 

with fellow USPTA pros. 

The California Division board 

is very excited about our 

upcoming educational workshop, which will be taking 

place during the Farmers Classic tennis tournament 

on the campus of UCLA the week of July 25-31. Stay 

tuned for more information on what promises to be 

the highlight of the summer for USPTA professionals. 

Enjoy your summer, and I look forward to seeing 

many of you at the Farmers Classic. 

By Stan Carter, USPTA 

USPTA Master Professional Don Henson presented 

his last monthly pro get-together on June 13 before 

the summer hiatus. Tennis pros from all around 

southern California came out to discuss technique, 

focus, rhythm, parents, natural motion, tracking, 

injury prevention and more. Join Don again on the 

second Monday of each month starting in September, 

from 10 a.m. to noon, at Los Coyotes Country Club 

(8888 Los Coyotes Drive) in Buena Park. USPTA 

members receive one educational/APC credit for each 

two-hour pro get-together that they attend. For more 

information on the pro get-togethers, please contact 

Scott Harris at scott@fundamentaltennis.com or Stan 

Carter at stan@stanthetennisman.com. 

District 5: E. LA County & Inland Empire 

By Stephen Vorhees, USPTA 

A big hello to all District 5 pros. Save the date for 

“Sneaks-and-Cleats” Day on August 29 for all District 

5 pros, our golf and tennis get-together to network and 

have fun with your fellow pros. More information will 

be coming this summer. 

Also, I know you’re coming into your busy time of 

year with summer camps, summer tournaments and 

all, and I would like to hear from you if you have a 

special event that you would like to share with USPTA 

and me. It could be a tennis social, tournament, 

special clinic, or something unique. Please e-mail me 

anything, anytime at stephen.vorhees@ourclub.com. 

Thanks for all the great ideas. 

District 6: South Orange County 

By Jason Harnett, USPTA 

The City of Mission Viejo is in its fifth year with the 

USTA/ITF Junior Wheelchair Tennis Camp - Americas. 

This summer’s camp will be held from July 17-22. We 

will kick off the program with a fundraising tournament 

on Sunday, June 26, in which four UC Irvine Anteaters 

are expected to put on a doubles exhibition at lunch 

time for the participants. 

We are excited to have the 

UCI men’s tennis team 

involved. Later that night, we 

will follow the fundraising 

tournament with a nice dinner 

at our beautiful community 

center. Should be a great day! 

The Junior Wheelchair Tennis Camp has doubled in 

size to 25 campers from 13 states and 5 countries! 

Last year, Univision did a five-part live interview on 

its popular morning show, involving the kids from 

Mexico, El Salvador and Brazil in action at the Felipe 

Tennis Center. This year, we hope to get the Tennis 

Channel involved as well. If any coaches have some 

young, disabled athletes who might be interested in 

joining the action this summer, please contact me at 

(949) 294-0300. 

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MEET OUR NEWEST CERTIFIED MEMBERS 

Tested April 10-11 at Braemar Country 

Club: (front row, left to right) Lorene 

Whitehouse, Kristina Burleson, Yelena 

Olshanskaya and Wilton Atkins; (back 

row, left to right) Oliver Andrzejczuk, 

Brett Woodmansee, Michael White, Jed 

Weaver and Tester Chris Dundas 

Tested May 2 at Seal 

Beach Tennis Center: 

David Mayr 

Tested June 6 at Braemar Country Club: (left 

to right) Jorge Garcia, Amy Garrity, Keith 

Coleman, Tom Veach, Stacy Schrader, 

Nicholas Nguyen, Linda Park, Tester 

Chris Dundas and Nick Provenza 

Get to know: Wilton Atkins 

Where you teach: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand 

College where you played: Western New Mexico 

University 

Where you learned to play the game: Primary 

school in New Zealand 

Favorite tennis quote: "For respect to the winner and 

to a friend, I prefer to talk about the match. I think he 

played at a very high level. I just congratulate him and 

wish him all the best for the semifinal." An injured 

Nadal after losing to Ferrer, Melbourne 2011. 

Why you are a teaching pro: I enjoy the sport and 

want to promote the game in New Zealand. 

Why you joined USPTA: A fellow coach from 

New Zealand joined and was very impressed with 

the testing experience and the information that is 

available. 

Your greatest contribution to the game: Captaining 

college team to NCAA finals. Slice forehand. 

Get to know: Yelena Olshanskaya 

Where you teach: Toluca Lake 

Tennis Club and Rose Bowl Tennis 

Center (i-tennis) 

College where you played: 

University of Missouri (Division 

1), 2003-2007 

Highest ranking: SoCal – Top 10 every age division, 

Nationally – Top 5 Girls’ 14s and top 20 Girls’ 16s 

Where you learned to play the game: West 

Hollywood, Calif. 

Favorite tennis quote: “I play each point like my life 

depends on it.” Rafael Nadal 

Why you are a teaching pro: I truly enjoy coaching 

and tennis is my passion. 

Why you joined USPTA: Insurance, credentials, 

support, additional way to continue growing my tennis 

knowledge, higher lesson fees 

Your greatest contribution to the game: Passing on 

my love and knowledge of the game to others 

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WELCOME 

to USPTA! 

New Members: 

Oliver Andrzejczuk (Buena Park), Kristina 

Burleson (Glendale), Jerome Moukouanga 

(Irvine), Yelena Olshanskaya (Los Angeles), 

Christopher Rapaj (Victorville), Kenneth 

Reveteriano Jr. (Victorville), Jed Weaver 

(Arcadia), Michael White (Santa Barbara), 

Lorene Whitehouse (Westlake Village), Brett 

Woodmansee (Calabasas) 

Reinstatements: 

Nicholas Carless (Santa Monica), David 

Gallardo (Trabuco Canyon) 

Get to know: Kenny Puvogel 

Where you teach: Top Seed Tennis Academy at the 

Paseo Club in Valencia 

Where you learned to play the game: Uniondale 

High School, Long Island, NY 

Favorite tennis quote: “Winning isn’t everything, but 

wanting to win is.” 

Why you are a teaching pro: I love getting people 

involved in the “sport of a lifetime.” 

Why you joined USPTA: To become certified at the 

highest recognizable professional level teaching the 

sport I love 

Your greatest contribution to the game: My energy 

and passion for tennis 

Get to know: Mike White 

Where you teach: Have my own private practice 

teaching in Santa Barbara 

Get to know: Nick Provenza 

Where you teach: Junction Indoor Tennis Center 

College where you played: Mesa State College 

Highest ranking: National ITA ranking doubles Fall 

2009 – 23rd 

Where you learned to play the game: Elliott Tennis 

Center in Grand Junction, CO 

Favorite tennis quote: “I hate to lose more than I like 

to win.” Jimmy Connors 

Why you are a teaching pro: I enjoy teaching and 

helping others reach their goals. 

Why you joined USPTA: So I can continue my 

teaching pro career 

Your greatest contribution to the game: Extending 

my knowledge and experiences to others in order to 

help them progress and enjoy the game of tennis 

College where you played: Four years for Pepperdine 

under Head Coach Allen Fox 

Highest ranking: No. 22 nationally for Boys’ 18s; 

No. 1 in Colorado for Men’s Open Singles 

Where you learned to play the game: Started taking 

lessons at age five at the Montecito Country Club in 

Santa Barbara 

Favorite tennis quote: “From what we get, we can 

make a living. What we give, however, makes a life.” 

Arthur Ashe 

Why you are a teaching pro: I enjoy psychology, 

human behavior, and the game of tennis. What a 

perfect way to make a living. 

Why you joined USPTA: I want that certification 

next to my name. It will benefit both my clients and 

me to have the backing and support of USPTA. 

Your greatest contribution to the game: Without a 

doubt, 25 years of promoting the game through my 

teaching and the joy of watching a client/friend hitting 

that perfect shot, the enjoyment, the smiles - priceless! 

Continued on Page 8 

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Get to know: Nicholas Nguyen 

Where you teach: Peak Performance Tennis (Rancho 

Santa Margarita) 

Where you learned to play the game: La Quinta 

High School (Westminster) 

Favorite tennis quote: “It’s nice to be important, but 

it’s more important to be nice” Roger Federer 

Why you are a teaching pro: An undying love for 

the game that I wish for everyone to feel! 

Why you joined USPTA: To better my own teaching 

skills from those already established in the tennisteaching 

industry 

Your greatest contribution to the game: An 

extremely social and approachable demeanor by 

which I can relate to tennis players of all ages and 

backgrounds 

Get to know: Keith Coleman 

Where you teach: Los Angeles 

College where you played: College Intramurals/ 

Stanford University 

Where you learned to play the game: Southern 

California. My junior coach was Oscar Johnson. 

Favorite tennis quote: “When the student is ready, 

the teacher appears.” Bill Tym 

Why you are a teaching pro: Tennis is in my heart 

and I want to give back to young and old players. 

Why you joined USPTA: Continuous improvement 

and learning 

Your greatest contribution to the game: My love 

for the game focuses on mental discipline, study, hard 

work and respect for the sport. 

Get to know: Linda Park 

Where you teach: Occidental College 2006-2011, 

private courts 

College where you played: UC Berkeley 

Highest ranking: #10 Southern California section 

singles, #1 Southern California section doubles, #40 in 

U.S. singles, #4 in U.S. doubles 

Where you learned to play the game: San Marino, 

Calif., home court 

Favorite tennis quote: “Start where you are. Use 

what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe 

Why you are a teaching pro: I love tennis and being 

part of the tennis community. 

Why you joined USPTA: Initially, I joined USPTA 

because I coached the Occidental College women’s 

team. I will continue in the organization to stay 

connected with the tennis-teaching community. 

Your greatest contribution to the game: As director 

of a summer tennis camp for children, I have provided 

a fun learning environment for over 250 children in 

the last four years. 

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Sales, 

@ 

Travel, VIP Opportunities for USPTA Professionals 

Outside of the USPTA Summer Workshop weekend 

seminar and tournament match package on July 30- 

31 (described on Page 1) for USPTA professionals, 

Farmers Classic is offering group sales and bus 

package opportunities for USPTA pros to take your 

own groups to the tournament earlier in the week. 

The group sales package allows USPTA pros to 

generate income, and the bus package provides for a 

no-hassle total trip experience for everyone. Read on 

for more details... 

Group sales 

Sell tickets for your own profit or as a fund-raiser 

for your team, club, cause, etc., with a minimum of 

40 tickets for the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday 

“super session” matches (July 25-27). The face value 

of the tickets is $30 for each day, which includes both 

daytime and evening matches; however, Farmers 

Classic will sell you the tickets for $20 each, allowing 

you to make a $10 profit on each ticket. Normally, 

these group deals require that all tickets be for the 

same session, but for this deal, you can mix up the 

sessions any way you want (example: 10 Monday, 15 

Tuesday, 15 Wednesday). Just put $100 down with 

a credit card, and the sessions can be arranged when 

you’re ready. Contact the Farmers Classic ticket sales 

line at (310) 824-1010 ext. 251 or ticketinfo@farme 

rsclassic.com to place your discounted group ticket 

order with your deposit. 

The group organizer gets the following rewards: 

• 2 complimentary tickets to the Friday night session 

• 2 complimentary dinners Friday night 

• 1 parking pass for Friday 

• Group name recognition on the video board 

• Reserved loge seating (unless other seats purchased) 

• VIP experience when available (e.g. coin toss, highfive 

kids tunnel, national anthem by group member) 

Bus package (Deadline to reserve: June 25) 

For USPTA pros taking a large group to a single 

session, you can choose to book a bus package to take 

your group to and from the tournament for a hasslefree 

and enjoyable experience for everyone. 

The package costs below, which vary by location, are 

for one of the three “super session” days (Monday- 

Wednesday). Prices include a boxed lunch on the way 

to UCLA, gratuities and taxes. These prices do not 

include the ticket price into the tournament. If you 

want to BYOB, please let the travel agency know, 

as there may be rules and deposit requirements. All 

participants in bus package groups will also receive 

two entries in the Club Med raffle for a chance to win 

an all-expense paid, four-days/three- nights vacation 

at Club Med’s Sandpiper Bay, Fla., tennis resort. Pickup 

for your group will be between 11 a.m. and noon, 

with the return trip starting after the last night session 

ends or otherwise agreed upon with the driver. 

Irvine/S. Orange County (capacity 47): $46 per person 

Long Beach area (capacity 56): $35 per person 

Ventura/Oxnard area (capacity 42): $52 per person 

Pasadena/Glendale area (capacity 47): $47 per person 

Bakersfield area (capacity 47): $46 per person 

San Bernardino area (capacity 47): $48 per person 

Riverside area (capacity 47): $47 per person 

Bus packages must be paid at time of booking. 

Packages may be available on other days but would 

need to be custom-quoted by Northridge Travel, the 

agency handling the bus packages. 

If you reserve a bus package, as soon as your group is 

complete, contact Nelson Tseng at Northridge Travel 

at 818-886-2000 or nelson@northridgetravel.com. 

Give Nelson your date and number of participants. 

Then, send him a check or pay by credit card for the 

travel portion of the package. Please note that these 

prices are calculated assuming a capacity load for the 

buses. If you have fewer people traveling, the cost 

would need to be recalculated. Nelson is more than 

happy to help you with this. 

Once transportation is taken care of, call the Farmers 

Classic ticket sales line at (310) 824-1010 ext. 251 to 

place your discounted group sales ticket order (same 

$20 ticket cost to USPTA pros) with just the deposit 

for the session your group is planning on attending. 

You can also e-mail ticketinfo@farmersclassic.com. 

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USPTA and Healthy Weight 

Commitment Foundation Join 

Forces for “Together Counts” 

USPTA, in association with the Healthy Weight 

Commitment Foundation, is on board for Together 

Counts, a nationwide program to inspire active 

and healthy living. The idea is to get families and 

community members to take a simple pledge. Eat at 

least one meal and do at least one activity together 

every week. Together, we can make a difference – in 

the country, in our communities and in every family. 

The USPTA’s Tennis – for the health of it! initiative, 

which started in 2008, promotes the great health 

benefits of playing tennis, and fits well with the goals 

of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to 

provide resources to encourage energy balance and 

reduce obesity, especially childhood obesity, which 

is carried one step further with Together Counts. The 

sport of tennis and its tremendous health benefits 

(both physical and psychological) make it a key 

activity to help all age groups achieve energy balance. 

The ways to fulfill the Together Counts pledge 

are endless. They can be as creative as organizing 

breakfast with neighbors or family followed by a 

round robin tennis tournament or as simple as sharing 

a meal, then going for a walk. The important thing is 

that you do them together. 

If you take the pledge as a family, involve your kids: 

Let them choose activities they enjoy and give them a 

say about what’s on the menu. This way they will gain 

a sense of ownership and look forward to together time. 

The overall goal is to find a balance between the 

calories we consume and those we burn, to strike 

this balance regularly and have some fun. This way, 

getting more active and healthy becomes easy. 

2011 

Upcoming 

EVENTS 

June 20 

Wimbledon begins 

July 25-31 

Farmers Classic 

July 26 

District 3 meet-and-greet 

Los Angeles Country Club, Los Angeles, Calif. 

July 30-31 

USPTA summer workshop @ the Farmers Classic 

UCLA, Los Angeles, Calif. 

August 7-8 

USPTA Certification exam 

Braemar Country Club, Tarzana, Calif. 

August 29 

District 5 sneaks-n-cleats 

Canyon Crest Country Club, Riverside, Calif. 

August 29 

U.S. Open begins 

September 19-24 

USPTA World Conference on Tennis 

Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel, Fla. 

October 2-3 



November 7 


Claremont Tennis Club, Claremont, Calif. 

Search for jobs nationwide at www.uspta.com. 

To submit information for Line Calls Classifieds, 

contact Yvonne at socal.uspta@verizon.net. 

December 4-5 



LineCalls 11

USPTA Pros Participate in Tennis Across America 

By Dee Henry, USPTA 

Since the Biola University tennis season ended, we 

have been staying busy and in the community by 

hosting three USPTA Tennis Across America events. 

a great job with them. College players gave tips on 

other courts, one of which used the 60-foot court 

lines and orange balls. 

On May 9, we had a unified doubles for challenged 

athletes. Biola students partnered with individuals 

with intellectual disabilities for one hour and novice 

wheelchair players the next. I’m not sure who 

benefited the most, the challenged athlete or the 

college student. They all 

had a great time using the 

36-foot court and foam 

balls for their matches with 

modified scoring. 

On May 14, Jim Emerson, 

USPTA pro and Biola 

men’s coach, and I joined 

forces for the 17th time to 

present an opportunity to 

those in our community 

to receive a couple hours 

of free instruction at our 

community-wide Tennis 

Across America event. 

We were well-staffed, but 

due to a communication 

issue, our group was way smaller this year. We had 

34 registered participants plus the 22 individuals 

who helped us and at least 30 spectators, bringing 

to our courts a total of more than 80 people for the 

day. There was a college student at each of the nine 

learning stations for the 5-and-under age group. They 

also had relays, learned about their racquet faces and 

gained experience with catching and tracking skills. 

Our largest group was 10-and-under beginners. Our 

NJTL staff, who had been trained in QuickStart, did 

A 16-month-old girl is ready to crack a forehand, as 

other youngsters play through the stations. 

Finally, on June 5, Biola hosted a SCTA 10-andunder 

play day. There were 41 children who checked 

in, and all had at least one parent present. These 

kids were introduced to movement patterns, ballhandling 

skills and tracking skills, and they learned 

the boundary lines and 

saw and participated 

in point play. They had 

longest rally contests, 

played team singles, and 

played out doubles points. 

Parents saw the value 

of their children playing 

with appropriately sized 

racquets, balls and court 

size. The kids’ technique 

improved, and they were 

having fun in the process. 

Some parents realized that 

their child needs to play 

on a 60-foot court with 

the orange ball and how 

much it will help their games and strokes develop. 

Since we have installed the new blended lines on 

three of our courts, I’m sure we will see many of 

them playing tennis at Biola on a regular basis. 

Let me know, and I will be glad to have you stop 

by and check out the new blended lines. Bring your 

racquet and we’ll hit a few, and you can make your 

own evaluation! 

LineCalls 12 

LineCalls 12

World Conference on Tennis 

to Take Place in September 

at Saddlebrook Resort 

Join your fellow southern California tennis 

professionals and represent the California Division at 

the United States Professional Tennis Association’s 

World Conference on Tennis, to be held Sept. 19 - 24 

at the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Fla. 

The conference, which is the premier educational 

event for the tennis industry, will feature more than 

40 general sessions, seminars and specialty courses. 

It also offers all things tennis, from the International 

Tennis Championships to the nation’s largest tennisonly 

buying show, to industry meetings, awards 

presentation, parties and more. It is the country’s 

largest tennis gathering with approximately 1,500 

attendees expected, including tennis professionals, 

industry leaders and representatives, manufacturers, 

wholesalers and media. 

USPTA members, their friends and family, 

nonmember tennis-teaching professionals, 

industry leaders and media are invited to attend the 

conference. Sign up early for special pricing and 

discounts. 

More details about the conference, including 

registration information, are available at 

www.usptaworldconference.com or by calling 

USPTA at 800-877-8248. 

USPTA’s 

Jones 

Takes Top 

Honors at 

HEAD/ 

Penn Racquet 

Sports 

Former Pepperdine NCAA national doubles 

champion, retired ATP player and USPTA 

Professional Jerome Jones was awarded “2010 

District Sales Manager of the Year,” HEAD/ 

Penn’s most coveted business award, on May 11. 

Jerome has represented HEAD/Penn for the past 

seven years. 

“Jerome is a clear leader on our No. 1- 

ranked sales force. As the DSM of the Year 

for 2010, he was truly the ‘best of the best,’” 

said Kevin Kempin, President and CEO of 

HEAD USA. “His quantitative results were 

amazing – incredible performance. But, 

what separates Jerome are the qualitative 

measurements – integrity, honesty, work ethic, 

and professionalism… the entire package. 

While a great achievement this year, Jerome has 

exhibited these outstanding attributes for many 

years.” 

Jerome, who was named by Tennis Industry 

magazine as one of the industry’s top 40 under 

40 in 2000, has made an enduring impact on 

the tennis industry. He says, “The way I see it, 

it’s taken many years to build positive equity in 

who I am and how I work. I see my relationships 

with my accounts as a partnership, and with my 

diverse background, I try to not only sell them 

product but be a resource to help grow their 

business.” 

Congratulations, Jerome! 

Photo: Jerome accepts his award from Greg Mason 

(left), vice president of sales and marketing, and 

Kevin Kempin. 

LineCalls 13

LineCalls 14

Teaching Pro Income Replacement for Disabilities 

By Dave McKinney, USPTA 

When you think of insurance coverage, the two most 

common types—home and car insurance—are often 

the first that spring to mind. Because the mortgage 

company requires the former, and the law requires the 

latter, you don’t have much of a choice when it comes 

to deciding whether to be insured. However, it’s your 

ability to earn an income that allows you to afford 

these items. In fact, without earning potential, it would 

be difficult for many of us to maintain our homes 

and automobiles while still providing for ourselves 

as well as the family. The solution for supplementing 

this missing income in the event of a permanent or 

temporary disability is known as disability insurance. 

Disability insurance, along with life insurance, should 

be an integral part of your financial plan and what 

you’ll need to consider when choosing a policy to 

protect your income. 

Physical Abilities of Teaching Pros 

As tennis teaching professionals, our physical ability 

to teach tennis lessons and coach is a large part—if not 

all—of our earning potential. What happens if we are 

physically unable to teach for a longer period of time, 

such as three months or more, due to a major accident 

or illness? How will we pay for our mortgages, cars, 

utilities and other necessities that we depend on? For 

you and your family, it’s very important to have life 

insurance in place. When considering the importance 

of disability insurance, keep in mind that individuals 

are three times more likely to become permanently 

disabled than die from a major accident. 

Don Gomsi, executive director of the USPTA San 

Diego Division, once told me that at a period of time 

when USPTA offered optional disability insurance, he 

signed up for it. Shortly after that, he was in a major 

automobile accident that injured his knee and required 

two surgeries. He was off the tennis courts for over 

six months. However, his disability insurance kicked 

in after one month and covered his loss of income. 

Good for Don at that time for signing up for disability 

insurance. Unfortunately, USPTA does not offer that 

insurance option anymore. 

Social Security and Disability 

Many U.S. workers take disability risk management 

for granted because they assume that Social Security 

will take care of everything should they become 

disabled. Contrary to popular belief, qualifying 

for Social Security disability benefits can be quite 

difficult, and it can take a long time for benefits 

to start. To qualify, you must prove that you are 

incapable of performing any job, not just your 

primary occupation. As long as you can be gainfully 

employed, even if it’s at minimum wage, you won’t be 

able to collect Social Security disability payments. 

Protecting Your Income and Your Family 

When reviewing your risk management objectives, 

take a close look at your emergency reserves 

and liquidity capabilities. According to the U.S. 

Census Bureau, the average median monthly 

household income was $4,200 in 2010. This 

data strongly suggests that a supplemental income 

source would be a necessity for many Americans if 

they were to become disabled. It’s important that you 

understand the benefits provided, if any at all, by your 

company, as you may be covered under a short-term 

or long-term disability policy through your employer 

benefits plan. When it comes to disability insurance, 

“short-term” refers to periods of 90 days or less, while 

“long-term” refers to periods of more than 90 days. 

The Bottom Line 

What would happen to your household income if you 

became disabled for a long time? Hopefully, you and 

your family would be taken care of, but if you’re not 

sure that’s the case, now might be the time to cover 

that risk. Once you’ve determined what disability risk 

management you have in place, you can then make an 

educated decision as to whether you are fully insured 

or underinsured. If you lack the appropriate income 

replacement, you may want to consider buying a 

personal disability policy. 

Dave McKinney is the tennis director at 

Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo, 

Calif. He is an also an advisor with Heritage 

Capital Strategies, a consulting firm 

specializing in planning strategies to help 

clients create and preserve wealth. Dave can 

be reached at dmckinney@nfpsi.com. 

LineCalls 15

USPTA Participates in City of Irvine’s 

Weekend of Professional Growth 

By Stan Carter, USPTA 

Over 

Memorial 

Day 

weekend, 

Steve Riggs, from Bill Barber Park in the City 

of Irvine, gathered some of the world’s best 

tennis educators for two days of world-class 

presentations, information and entertainment. 

The audience of tennis-teaching professionals 

was attentive and enthusiastic. Pros asked 

sophisticated questions, taking full advantage of 

the opportunity to hear the opinions and methods 

of the speakers. The talent impressed the audience 

with their information, history of personal stories, 

passion for the game, and especially for their 

desire to help tennis professionals teach. 

Bill Tym, USPTA, from Tennessee, demonstrated 

“Getting to the net” and then “What to do when 

you get there.” Ken DeHart, USPTA, gave his “50 

best tennis tips” and then introduced “Unusual 

doubles formations.” Don Henson, 

USPTA, spoke on “Giving our students 

skills that have a future” and “Leading 

one-dimensional players to wholeness.” 

USPTA’s Hans Romer explained 

“Depth, the No. 1 weapon.” 

Rounding out the education included Javier Djeu, 

“Stringing 101;” Steve Riggs, “How to run a city 

tennis program;” Steve Paredes, “Stretches to change 

your life;” and Sonja Anderson-Struzzo, “Warm-up 

stretches for lessons and matches.” 

The first tournament between professional tennis 

teachers from the USPTA and PTR was also played. 

The competition was high-quality and fun, with 

USPTA as the decided winner. 

After the workshop wrapped up, USPTA finished off 

the weekend by hosting a specialty course with Bill 

Tym on “Creating the perfect practice.” More than 

20 USPTA pros returned to the Irvine courts to learn 

more from the USPTA Master Professional. 

For more information about future events, contact 

Stan Carter at stan@StanTheTennisMan.com. 

Photo credit: Harvey Rubin, USPTA 

LineCalls 16

USPTA Tennisresources.com 

is World’s Premier Search 

Engine for All Things Tennis 

Tennisresources.com offers thousands of educational 

tennis materials, including technical, tactical and 

strategic instruction, tips on physical and mental 

development of players and information on business 

and facility management. It’s for tennis-teaching 

professionals, coaches and players of all levels. 

The site provides teaching pros with all the tools they 

need to enhance their lessons and programs from the 

convenience of their own homes/offices, whether they 

teach competitive juniors and adults or Little Tennis 

players. It allows pros to stay on top of teaching 

methods, drills and techniques. Players will find the 

site useful with numerous instructional videos and 

drills to help improve their game. 

“Tennisresources.com is iPhone, iPad and Androidcompatible 

so that tennis-teaching professionals have 

instant access to it on court,” said USPTA CEO Tim 

Heckler. “Tennisresources.com was created to provide 

tennis-teaching pros with a comprehensive tennis 

resource that would meet any and all of their needs.” 

Below is just a sampling of materials you will find... 

Thousands of on-court teaching clips of the world’s 

leading professional tennis coaches, plus thousands of 

additional videos and more, including: 

• Slow-motion video of professional players’ strokes 

• One-minute video tips by USPTA Professionals and 

Master Professionals 

• Interviews with the world’s top professional coaches 

• Hundreds of teaching articles and audio seminars 

• Ready-to-use drill diagrams 

• Templates for draws, match charts, drills and more 

• Easy lesson planner for teachers and coaches 

• Access to Tennis Resource Forum to exchange ideas, 

post questions about tennis 

Tennisresources.com is a subscription-based site and 

paid subscribers have unlimited access to the highest 

quality educational tennis material available in the 

industry. USPTA members receive a complimentary 

basic subscription. There are several subscription rates 

available to fit any budget. 

Visit tennisresources.com for more information and to 

view sample clips. 

USPTA’s APC Competency 

Exam Now Available 

Earlier this year, USPTA announced its Accredited 

Professional Coach classification, a new membership 

classification that includes mandatory education. 

The competency exam to become eligible for this 

classification is now available to members through the 

USPTA’s Learning Management System. 

To apply for this new membership classification, in 

addition to being certified at the USPTA professional 

level, members must also take the Professional Tennis 

Coaches Academy I and pass a competency exam at 

the 80 th percentile or higher. 

The competency exam is made up of 20 questions, and 

the cost to take it is $50. E-mail education@uspta.org 

for more information on signing up. 

The APC is earned by accumulating 20 APC 

continuing education credits within a two-year period. 

Two hours of qualifying education will constitute one 

CEU. The designation is maintained by continuing to 

earn 20 APC credits over every two-year period. APC 

credits can be earned in a variety of ways including 

attending USPTA conventions, USPTA specialty 

courses, USTA High Performance education, viewing 

DVD seminars, and more. 

Once members achieve this distinction, they will 

be issued a special certificate with an expiration 

date and the designation will be added after their 

professional rating. The certificate will be available 

online to print from the member management area of 

www.uspta.com. 

USTA’s First Year Free Can 

Lead to a Lifetime of Tennis 

Give your students 10 and under a FREE one-year 

USTA membership! As a member, they’ll be able 

to participate in USTA tournaments and Junior 

Team Tennis and receive Bounce magazine. This 

will help them better engage in the sport, develop 

as players and stay in the game. Visit usta.com for 

more details. 

LineCalls 17

Where am I? 

Don’t know what district or region you belong to? Just check 

the following breakdown of districts (1-6). Your district 

president is listed, so feel free to give him or her a call if you 

ever have questions or would like to get involved. 

South Bay to 

North Orange County 

(including Fullerton & 

Huntington Beach) 

DISTRICT 

4 

District President: 

Chuck Kingman 

(562) 598-8624 

Santa Barbara & 

Ventura Counties 

Agoura Hills 

Arroyo Grande 

Atascadero 

Camarillo 

Carpinteria 

Goleta 

Isla Vista 

Los Alamos 

Los Olivos 

Los Osos 

DISTRICT 

1 

Montecito 

Moorpark 

Newbury Park 

Oak Park 

Ojai 

Orcutt 

Oxnard 

Paso Robles 

Pismo Beach 

Port Hueneme 

DISTRICT 



(805) 640-2109 

San Luis Obispo 

Santa Barbara 

Santa Maria 

San Paula 

Santa Ynez 

Simi Valley 

Summerland 

Thousand Oaks 

Ventura 

Westlake Village 

Bellflower 

Buena Park 

Carson 

Cerritos 

Cypress 

Downey 

El Segundo 

Fountain Valley 

Fullerton 

Garden Grove 

Gardena 

East L.A. County & 

North Orange County 

(from Yorba Linda); 

San Bernadino & 

Riverside Counties 

(minus Coachella Valley) 

Hawthorne 

Hermosa Beach 

Huntington Beach 

La Mirada 

Lakewood 

Lomita 

Long Beach 

Los Alamitos 

Manhattan Beach 

Norwalk 

Palos Verdes 

DISTRICT 

5 

Palos Verdes Estates 

Rancho Palos Verdes 

Redondo Beach 

Rolling Hills 

Rolling Hills Estates 

San Pedro 

Santa Fe Springs 

Seal Beach 

Torrance 

Westminster 



(951) 274-7907 

San Fernando 

Valley & 

Kern County 

Arleta 

Bakersfield 

Burbank 

Calabasas 

Canoga Park 

Chatsworth 

Encino 

Fair Oaks Ranch 

Glendale 

Granada Hills 

Hanford 

La Canada 

La Crescenta 

Lancaster 

2 

Lemoore 

Mission Hills 

North Hills 

North Hollywood 

Northridge 

Palmdale 

Porterville 

Reseda 

Santa Clarita 

Sherman Oaks 

Springville 

Stevenson Ranch 

Studio City 

Sun Valley 


Jeff Richards 

(818) 388-1696 

Sunland 

Sylmar 

Tarzana 

Tehachapi 

Toluca Lake 

Topanga 

Tujunga 

Valencia 

Valley Village 

Van Nuys 

West Hills 

Winnetka 

Woodland Hills 

Alhambra 

Apple Valley 

Arcadia 

Baldwin Park 

Brea 

Canyon Lake 

Chino 

Chino Hills 

Claremont 

Colton 

Corona 

Covina 

Diamond Bar 

Fontana 

Glendora 

Hacienda Heights 

Helendale 

Hemet 

Hesperia 

Highland 

Idyllwild 

La Habra 

La Verne 

Monrovia 

Monterey Park 

Murrieta 

Nuevo 

Ontario 

Pasadena 

Pomona 

Redlands 

Riverside 

DISTRICT 

Rowland Heights 

South Pasadena 

San Dimas 

San Gabriel 

Sun City 

Temecula 

Upland 

Victorville 

West Covina 

Walnut 

Whittier 

Wildomar 

Wrightwood 

Yorba Linda 

Yucaipa 

Los Angeles & 

Immediate Suburbs; 

Beach Cities 

(from Malibu to Marina del Rey) 

Beverly Hills 

Brentwood 

Culver City 

Hollywood 

DISTRICT 

3 

Landera Heights 

Los Angeles 

Malibu 

Marina del Ray 


Chuck Melkent 

(310) 276-6104 

Pacific Palisades 

Santa Monica 

West Hollywood 

South Orange 

County 

(from Anaheim & 

Newport Beach) 

Aliso Viejo 

Anaheim 

Anaheim Hills 

Balboa Island 

Corona Del Mar 

Costa Mesa 

Coto De Caza 

Dana Point 

Foothills Ranch 

Irvine 

6 

Ladera Ranch 

Laguna Beach 

Laguna Hills 

Laguna Niguel 

Laguna Woods 

Lake Forest 

Las Flores 

Mission Viejo 

Monarch Beach 

Newport Beach 


Tom Brennan 

(714) 323-5145 

Newport Coast 

Orange 

Rancho Santa Margarita 

San Clemente 

San Juan 

Capistrano 

Santa Ana 

Silverado 

Tustin 

Tustin Ranch 

LineCalls 18

You have news, 

and we want it! 

The California Division encourages all members 

to submit articles and photos for the newsletter. 

Contact any of your California board members 

(see Page 2) with news, or you can e-mail it to 

Yvonne at socal.uspta@verizon.net. Remember, 

this newsletter is created for you, so take 

advantage of the opportunity and share your 

ideas with the entire division. 

Start Thinking Now 

for 2011 Award Winners 

Miss out on nominating a deserving USPTA 

pro for this year’s awards? Maybe it was even 

yourself. Don’t miss the opportunity again 

next year; you can start thinking now about 

honors for 2011. Award nominations will 

open with the fall newsletter publication and 

be announced at the 2012 California Division 

convention. Consider... 

High School Coach of the Year and 

College Coach of the Year – Considerations 

include: coach’s win-loss record, team 

accomplishments and activities within the 

calendar year. Tie-breaker will be the coach’s 

contributions to the USPTA. 

Rookie of the Year – Considerations include: 

contributions to USPTA in his or her first year 

of active service (based on calendar year); 

contributions to local tennis organizations; 

teaching accomplishments for juniors, 

adults and grassroots programs; continuing 

education; and activities to grow the game 

beyond current position. 

Upgrades 

If you’re a Professional 2 or 3 and want to 

upgrade on the written, grips or stroke analysis 

exam, you now need to retake the entire section, 

not just the missed portions. To schedule an 

exam or for more information, please call the 

World Headquarters Membership Department at 

(800) USPTA-4U. 

*** 

Have you moved? 

If you change your address, phone or club, please 

give USPTA World Headquarters a call at (800) 

USPTA-4U (877-8248) and ask for the Computer 

Services Department. Let them know, so you won’t 

miss out on any important national or division news! 

Deadline 

*** 

All submittals for the spring issue of California 

Line Calls must be received by September 1, 2011. 

Please send your photos or news to Yvonne at 

socal.uspta@verizon.net. Hard copies can mailed 

to: USPTA California Division, P.O. Box 2264, Seal 

Beach, CA 90740. 

Ads will be in full color. Prices are per issue. 

Follow us on 

Facebook! 

www.facebook.com/ 

USPTACalifornia 

advertisingrates 

Full page..........................$320 1/3 page...........................$125 

2/3 page...........................$230 1/4 page.............................$95 

Half page.........................$175 Business card.....................$40 

Discounts will be given for ads whose frequency rate is two or more. 

Contact Yvonne at socal.uspta@verizon.net for details and circulation 

information. 

LineCalls 19

PRSRT-STD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

PERMIT NO. 234 

TORRANCE, CA 

California 

Line Calls 

the official newsletter of the USPTA California DIvision 

P.O. Box 2264 • Seal Beach, CA 90740 

Editor 

Contributors 

Yvonne Kingman 

Wilton Atkins, Tom Brennan, Stan Carter, 

Keith Coleman, Lee DeYoung, Mike Gennette, 

Jason Harnett, Dee Henry, Jerome Jones, Chuck 

Kingman, Pierre Mareschal, Dave McKinney, 

Nicholas Nguyen, Yelena Olshanskaya, Linda 

Park, Nick Provenza, Kenny Puvogel, Jeff 

Richards, Alan Richter, Richard Spurling, Stephen 

Vorhees, Mike White 

Line Calls is published quarterly by the California Division of 

the United States Professional Tennis Association. The opinions 

expressed in Line Calls are those of the authors and not necessarily 

those of Line Calls or the California Division of USPTA. 

Copyright© California Division/United States Professional 

Tennis Association, Inc. 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction 

of any portion of the newsletter is not permitted without written 

permission from the USPTA California Division. 

LineCalls 20

California - United States Professional Tennis Association

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