We originally wanted to ask key industry personalities for their New Year's resolutions. But then we learned from writer Jessie Wood in her article New Year’s resolutions at work, can work "New Year’s resolutions get a lot of flack, much of it deserved. After all, what’s more “breakable” than a New Year’s resolution?" So we decided just to ask what they would like to see happen in tennis next year. Enjo
Contributors
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Rich Neher
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Delaine Mast
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Johan Kriek
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Michele Krause
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Pierre Lamarche
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Mark Leschly
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Joe Keenan
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Rick Macci
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Cliff Drysdale
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Joe Dinoffer
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Ken DeHart
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John Embree
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Dave Miley
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Mickey Maule
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John Callen
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Walid Fattah
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Ashley Owens
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Rod Heckelman
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Gary Horvath
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Dave Fish
Let's do it in 2022!
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I wish for all our readers and friends of Tennis Club Business to have a Happy New Year and a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2022. We were able to overcome Covid-19 and I hope we will also be able to deal with the new strains. Let's capitalize on the current boom in tennis, do our best to keep players in the sport, and find new ways to attract even more newcomers.
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Cheers,
Rich Neher, Publisher
TENNIS CLUB BUSINESS
Studio City, California, USA
As we ring in 2022, I am excited to see more collaborative, transformational partnerships in TENNIS, as I am a firm believer that we are better together! Also, that we spread the message that TENNIS truly is the healthiest sport for anyone at any age!
Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you tennis aficionados out there. What a year it has been for us and the world! At least tennis saw a nice “bump” from this Covid-19 virus over the last 18 months due to the officials calling our sport a “safe distance” sport.
Dust the tennis shoes off, book a court and get that racket out of the closet! If it is metal or wood-based, hang it on the wall! Go to your local tennis pro shop and get that latest technology! It will help your game all around!
See you on the courts!
Johan Kriek
Owner/Operator at Johan Kriek Tennis Academy
Jupiter Bay Tennis Club
Jupiter, Florida, USA
johankriektennis.com
Wishing all stakeholders in the industry an acceptance and understanding of the massive benefits of using red, orange, and green balls with ADULT clients. It is the key to the survival of tennis:)
Michele Krause
Cardio Tennis Consultant at the USTA
North Port-Sarasota Area, Florida, USA
www.cardiotennis.com
For 2022, I wish all one agenda: Growing the Game and secondly, more players from Africa like Ons Jabeur, come on up in the ITF.
Pierre Lamarche
CEO & CFO at All-Canadian Sports Management, Inc.
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
www.acsminc.ca​
Happy holidays and all the best for 2022 from the team at Universal Tennis! We are the largest event tennis operator in the US and in 2022 we will continue our expansion with innovative ways to connect players looking for fun, level-based play.
Get ready for our new Junior Circuits and Adult League Weekend Battles.
Happy New Year from your friends at HEAD Penn Racquet Sports.
We are diligently working to ensure a regular supply of record-setting bookings. Thanks to increased participation, exciting new product offerings, marketing efforts, pro tour players, and stellar retail partnerships, we are primed for a great start to 2022.
Get out there and play your racquet or paddle sport of choice to help bring a healthy “You” to 2022. With gratitude, we look forward to both playing and servicing your needs in the coming year.
Joe Keenan, VP of Sales
HEAD Penn Racquet Sports
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
For 2022 I would like to see an American male and female win a Grand Slam. It is coming. The guys are starting to really feel they belong!
Also, I want Serena to dive in and break the record! She can! Never underestimate the heart of a champion!
LET'S GO! BANG!
My wishes for New Year 202
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That our tennis leaders recognize that the readers of this newsletter are the most important avenue for accomplishing what we all strive for…more players.
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That an American man and woman take this opportunity, with the aging of the brand name players, to get to and stay at the top of the pro game…
Dear fellow lovers of tennis,
Prayers that 2022 moves us to increasingly maintain our inner balance and peace. Tennis, meditation, and increasing the depths of our friendships can assist us individually and collectively to not only survive, but to thrive and uplift others.
Prayers that each of you and your families see more and more light in your lives every day of the New Year.
Focus on growing the game from the base up, getting kids and beginner adults easy access to play while making friends. Making tennis social and fun the priority, the performance players will be developed by the everyday pros in the field.
Ken DeHart, Director of Racquets
Alpine Hills Tennis and Swimming Club
Portola Valley, California, USA
I wish to attract more people to the tennis teaching profession and to the USPTA so that we can service the tremendous demand that exists at facilities across the country created by the pandemic. That includes more females as well as coaches of color.
In 2022 I want to see the big seven organisations (ITF, ATP,WTA and the 4 slams) genuinely working together for the good of the game especially to ensure that lower level male and female players ranked above 300 can make a good living.
I’m super optimistic about 2022 and beyond for our sport. I expect to see tennis continue to thrive in this resurgence along with continued support from key industry leaders collaborating together for tennis like never before! We need to seize this great opportunity and ensure sustainable growth for future tennis generations.
Mickey Maule
Managing Director, Engagement and Serices
USTA
Orlando, Florida, USA
I wish to thank everyone that I have come in contact with over the decades in our wonderful sport of TENNIS. Hopefully 2022 will continue to see this great sport pick up millions of new players like it has the last two years. Best wishes to all.
John Callen, Executive Director (until 12/31/2021)
USTA Southern Section
Norcross, Georgia, USA
US tennis, for 2022 we wish you all the best and hope everyone comes together to help you grow. We need to attract the younger generation to take the lead to grow the sport, they have done it in other sports and industries, instead of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all tennis friends and their families.
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Here is a link to a 3 1/2 minute video showing the CourtReserve Year 2021 in Review.
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We are not stopping anytime soon! In Q1 of 2022 CourtReserve is coming out with even more ways to keep TENNIS players PLAYING!
In 2022 I'd like more of what you see in the background of my photo. Diversification in all areas…teaching, input, exposure, and participation. A true open dialogue that comes from many voices from many different areas of tennis. Time to appreciate that contribution and influence is more global and not filtered by only a few organizations. All of this could mean a truly happy New Year.
The tennis industry is at a crossroads, similar to the boom and bust period following the Battle of the Sexes. COVID-19 policies created a level of interest in tennis that exceeded the supply of courts and the number of qualified teaching professionals. A shortlist of lessons learned from 40+ years ago could prevent a similar downturn in participation in the years ahead. The industry must:
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Promote tennis!
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Create unity! Building silos and creating ineffective partnerships have not added value.
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Motivate the teaching associations and their members to be more effective leaders in the industry.
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Encourage the construction and maintenance of courts and programs for all market segments, specifically recreation and high school tennis.
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Raise the standards for certification and upgrades.
Will it be boom or bust in 2022?
Gary Horvath, Principal
Gary Horvath and Associates
Boulder, Colorado, USA
OUR WISH FOR THE NEW YEAR…THAT WE HARNESS THE MOMENTUM OF THE COVID TENNIS BOOM TO RECONNECT THE FABRIC OF "THE TENNIS VILLAGE” - ONCE THE LIFEBLOOD OF AMERICAN TENNIS (COMMUNITIES, COLLEGES, COACHES, MENTORS, PUBLIC PARKS AND MUNICIPAL FACILITIES, AND CLUBS WORKING TOGETHER) - TO WELCOME PLAYERS INTO THE GAME, AND RENEW A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT ONCE PROVIDED THE TOPSOIL FOR AMERICAN PLAYERS TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLY CLOSER TO HOME.
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