As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - June 9

Welcome to your weekly installment of tales from our exciting life! Not sure how many people actually read this (LOLOL) but it's been a wonderful week and we want the whole world to know it! :)

We kicked off the month of June with some fun, FUN stuff last week, which was wonderful. Great thanks to Coach Bryan Shepherd (Mountain Park), Coach Fred Myles (Sugar Creek), and Coach Craig Jones (Idle Hour) who GET IT. What a pleasure it is to be around people like that. Best of all, it was (mostly) all in town so we did not have to travel and we got to spend time in this wonderful place called HOME SWEEEEET HOME. Be it ever so humble - you know what they say about it - and it's TRUE.

The weather caused the cancellation of our planned Tennis Block Party event on Sunday, which meant we had no choice but to take the day OFF. Might have been just what we needed. :) Now we've been prepping for summer tennis camp events this week and then we leave on Friday AM for about 10+ days on the road...yay yayy. The FL State Closed BG10-12s in Altamonte Springs, FL was a little different but nice last year so we thought we'd give it another try. At 7 plus hours, it definitely won't be our favorite tournament spot on this earth but let's give it another try before we make a final decision. After we FINALLY got there, they were certainly very nice to us - we'll see what happens this weekend. WISH US LUCK and please - keep the psycho tennis parent activity to an absolute minimum or we might have to drop this event from our schedule for good.

Have a wonderful week and don't forget to check back NEXT Wednesday to see what new and interesting things we've got to say...AS IF, LOLOLOL. :) THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - June 2

Welcome to your weekly installment of tales from our exciting life! It's been a wonderful week and we've had MUCHO to keep us busy as we wrapped up the BUSIEST month in the history of HIGH-TECH TENNIS! :)

We prepared and distributed each of the 30+ Match Play DVDs from the National Open 14s on May 27th (keep in mind that the tournament ended on May 26th!!!) and then we hit the road again on May 28th since we'd been INVITED (ahem) to bring our amazing video services to a tournament in a very new and very exciting place: SAVANNAH!!!

And let me just say WOW - what a pleasure that was! We were brand new to 95% of the players/parents, they were sooo appreciative that we'd made the effort to be there, and they treated us just like gold. What a great vibe and a great experience...one that we hope to repeat as early as August. A special SHOUT-OUT to Tournament Director Miss Zambia - thank you for all that you did for us. :) In addition to the tournament vibe being sooo overwhelmingly positive, Savannah is an amazing location (Mobile, Dothan, Macon...not so much). We had a marvelous time and returned mid-afternoon on May 31st for some serious R&R (D to the recliner, me to my heavenly hammock) for instant zzzzzzz

On June 1st, we recorded some video for our friend JAMIE HAMPTON to give her the edge she's looking for as she prepares for the Pro Circuit event in El Paso, TX this weekend (GOOD LUCK, JAMIE) - and oh, yeah, we celebrated my birthday. GEMINIS RULE HIGH-TECH TENNIS. Then we kicked off the summer camp/clinic season by recording stroke analysis videos for every single camper at Bryan Shepherd's Swing Into Summer Tennis Camp in Lilburn, GA this morning. NICE!!! The only non-wonderful thing that happened this week is that my champion didn't win...Love the FED - long live the FED. THANKS for great support everybody and CHEERS 2 U.

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - May 26

Welcome to your weekly installment of tales from our exciting life! It's been a wonderful week and we've had MUCHO to keep us busy. Like what, you say?

Well, like how about our third USTA National Junior Championship (the first was the National Open 14s in Dothan in Freeeeeezing February, the second was the National Spring BG18s in Magnificent Mobile). As you may know, we live in Atlanta so compared to the other two, the National Open BG14s in Macon was just a short drive away for us...or should I say for DANNY, since Danny is the official driver for HIGH-TECH TENNIS (yaaaay for him! He's a wonderful driver and I'm a wonderful passenger, lolol).

Danny's birthday was Sunday (MAY 23) and some of our artist friends made him a beautiful card (above). Speaking of birthdays, mine is coming next Tuesday (JUNE 1) so obviously GEMINIS RULE HIGH-TECH TENNIS!!!

No idea why it is but five day national tournaments seem like they last MUCH longer than five days! :) Still, we had lots of fun, recorded lots of videos, and now we're home for tooo-short-a-visit and then we'll wrap up this busiest month of the YEAR with our first-ever trip to SAVANNAH, GA for a tennis tournament Friday-Sunday. It's not a national tournament but definitely a huge improvement in terms of location (sorry, Macon). We've got much to do before we leave... However, Roger's competing at the French Open and I will always stop whatever I am doing to watch my champion...If you don't already know, I ADORE ROGER FEDERER - always have, always will - and I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit it. You go, FED!!! :) Have a good week---CHEERS 2 U!

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - May 20

Welcome to your weekly installment of the tale of our exciting life! It's been a wonderful week and we've had MUCHO to keep us busy - you don't seriously think those 100+ match play dvds and 10+ college recruit videos that we've prepared SO FAR THIS MONTH (OMG) magically travel from our camera to your mail/email by themselves, do you?!?!? What you see is only the FUN half of our job...You don't see the NOT QUITE AS MUCH FUN half when we get home - and please know that working with your spouse is a very special kind of joy, lololol. Enough said. This busiest month of the YEAR continues...

On the very POSITIVE side, we finally had the chance to get down to the Geranium Festival Wheelchair Tournament in McDonough, GA and our friend Harlon Matthews put together a beautiful event. If you have never seen wheelchair tennis, please check it out. There's an international wheelchair tournament coming to the Dunwoody Country Club next month - please make time to check it out...you will not be sorry! If you are forgetful, no worries - I will remind you. :) BTW, according to my unscientific poll, Roger was the favorite to win the final in Madrid by almost 2-1 (44-23)....sigh... :(((

Yesterday was a really fun day in the life of HIGH-TECH TENNIS...We spent the AM preparing wheelchair tennis match play dvds, the afternoon capturing college recruit video content, and the evening conducting an academy video session in Dacula. WHEW...NEVER A DULL MOMENT IS RIGHT.

We are splitting up tomorrow (only TEMPORARILY, of course!!!) so that Danny can conduct an academy video session in Kennesaw and I can attend the check-in/player meeting at the National Open 14s in Macon. We're both looking forward to a great tournament in Macon and hope you'll remember to stop and wish Danny a happy birthday on SUNDAY-5/23....Please check back next week for another exciting installment...and wherever you go, go with your whole heart, o.k. :) CHEERS!

We LOVE to Hear from YOU!

 

After getting pushed around by two customers (one from CT and one from CA) after the ATP Gator Bowl, I just can't tell you how much it means to receive this unsolicited customer feedback this week:

Yea!!! Thank you J and D. Yall are da best! 
Father of 14 Yr Old Junior in Hot Springs, AR

Thanks so much for creating this tool for Jonathan and for sending Jordan a nice surprise. They both play for the high school team and won their region. They are playing for the lower state championship tomorrow and prayerfully the state championship on Sat.
We appreciate all your support over the years...
God Bless!
Mother of 17 Yr and 14 Yr Old Juniors in Aiken, SC

The customers who gave me grief earlier this week did not and do not know us at all...but the feedback above comes from customers we have known for 1 and 3 years, respectively. Their opinion matters more...just saying. "No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." And we certainly do care. GOOD TIMES!

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - May 12

We work most/all weekends (while the rest of the world is relaxing) so we normally celebrate our weekends in the middle of the week...That's when we have a little more time on our hands to update this friendly, happening blog (LOL) so how about the first Wonderful Wednesday Update? WHY NOT.

So....May is the busiest month of our entire year and we're already feeling it!!! :) We started the month with a RECORD-SETTING trip to the ATP Gator Bowl in Ponte Vedra for the 3rd consecutive year...We were extraordinarily busy and tired when we got home Monday night...Prepared videos all day Tuesday...Then we were fortunate enough to spend time with AMAZING COACHES at two of our FAVORITE ACADEMIES on the planet: Craig A. Jones Academy at Idle Hour Country Club in Macon (Wednesday night) and Greg Amerson/James Harrell at First Serve Academy at Sugar Creek in Atlanta (Thursday night)...Do yourself a favor: check out those coaches - they are FOR REAL.

On to Mobile for our 3rd consecutive Southern Spring Closed on Friday, our busiest day in the HISTORY of HIGH-TECH TENNIS on Saturday, our average busy day on Sunday, and a so-so finish on Monday...WOW, you cannot imagine how glad I was to get home Monday night. Danny always says we've got the hardest working Lexus SUV in the southeast and our odometer just rolled past 200,000--GOOD TIMES. Danny stayed up until the weeee hours last night (I passed out - may even have been snoring) while he produced visualization videos for the Women's Tennis Team at Emory University. NEVER A DULL MOMENT.

Today I learned that you just can't please everybody - even when you try your absolute best. 99% of our customers LOVE us - but when 1% doesn't, it hurts. Here's what else I learned: "No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." Ain't it the truth!!! In the words of Conan, "if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." We hope you do - and they do - for you. Cheers and our cameras can't wait to see YOU!

Directors Who GET It

After 5 years of attending 25+ junior tennis tournaments each year (WOW - shocking but true), we have met looooooads of tournament directors and we're here to tell you there is HUUUUGE difference between those who GET it - and everybody else. In no particular order, these are the directors who GET it (and we APPRECIATE them because they make our lives wonderful):

- Scott Novak - Mobile Tennis Center, Mobile, AL
- Chris Mather - The Club at Springhurst, Louisville, KY
- Eric Voges - Champions Club, Chattanooga, TN
- Carlos Lozano - Topspin Swim & Racquet Club, Lexington, SC
- Mike Bellagia - Spencer Love Tennis Center, Greensboro, NC
- Don Bryan - Westgate Tennis Center, Dothan, AL
- Jorge Andrews - Lexington Co. Tennis Center, Columbia, SC
- Craig Jones - Idle Hour Country Club, Macon, GA

More later if/when I think of them but big props to these guys - they're smart enough to recognize the extraordinary value AND the extraordinary fun that we bring. These guys GET it because they realize that we're an amenity that makes their great tournament even better...Players love us, parents, love us, coaches love us...and we ask for absolutely nothing but the opportunity to offer our services. Is this a no-brainer or WHAT?!?

Oh how I wish I could name more tournament directors who GET it - but I call 'em like I see 'em. You would not believe some of the experiences we have had. :( Suffice it to say - we have a fun job but that's just it - it's our JOB...it's also the means by which we are (or are not) able to pay our mortgage. So it MATTERS to us - enough said. As always, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.