FROM THE TRENCHES: WB vs. PM

It you've been following the battle between Wayne Bryan (representing players, parents, and coaches) vs. Patrick McEnroe (representing USTA PD) concerning a variety of issues related to junior tennis, you know things are really heating up. But from what I can see, it's not even close...In fact, it's WB-4, PM-0.

Over this past weekend, we traveled to Daniel Island, SC for a junior tournament. The weather forecast was 100% accurate (for once) and Sunday's 100% chance of rain did just what it was supposed to do (which was completely wash out the day and the tournament, unfortunately for all) but Saturday was beautiful and we saw lots of smiles and lots of good tennis. Danny and I were extraordinarily busy (our customers requested matches at the the main site AND at the three alternate sites), but I had the opportunity to speak briefly with 4 parents of junior players in the Southern Section. These parents know we not only care about their videos but we care about their juniors... So, here's a report FROM THE TRENCHES:

1. We've known this mother of two juniors (older daughter, younger son) from Hilton Head for at least five years. We'd barely finished greeting each other before she said she just COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE USTA!!! She told me she was thrilled with Wayne Bryan's letter and that she herself has written a long letter to the USTA because she is so upset about the reductions in draw sizes and other changes to tournament schedules. Thankfully, her daughter is on her way to college but her son still has a few years to go...

2. We've known this father of two juniors (both girls) from Hilton Head for at least five years. He was having a friendly chat with another set of parents from Columbia (we've known their 15 year old since she was just 10) and when I greeted them and asked what they thought about the battle, I learned that they had no idea it was even happening. As I briefly explained it to them, the father from Hilton Head shared that he LOVES Wayne Bryan!!! He also told me he'd spent time recently in south Florida and that a high-level coach at the USTA told him there was NO WAY they were going to develop any top players anytime soon.

3. Next, I chatted with a mother of three (14 year old girl, 10 year old boy, and 18 month baby) from Cary. She was VERY frustrated by the changes that she felt they were forcing her son to play quickstart even though he practiced with his older sister using regular tennis balls on regular sized courts. She was VERY interested to know about the Wayne Bryan letter (she said she was so thankful that someone was speaking out) and she planned to google it as soon as she could. Along with her extreme frustration at not having any choice when it came to her 10 year old son, she expressed the opinion that tennis was almost too expensive for them, even though she and her husband both work.

4. Last, I chatted with a mother of four (three girls and one 8 year old boy) from Alabama. A busy mother of 4, she told me she'd barely had time to follow the situation, but admitted she was a little confused because though she saw the benefit of quickstart for her son, she was very glad that 2 of her 3 daughters didn't have to play quickstart because she felt it would have been bad for them. She said it was her strong opinion that all kids are different and what works for some does not work for others...in fact, it's a waste of time for others.

So that's all I had time to gather from the trenches at a junior tournament on Saturday. I have said before and I will say again that I could kiss Wayne Bryan ON THE LIPS to thank him for using his big voice to speak out on behalf of junior tennis players. I certainly don't claim to have any answers to the many, many issues surrounding junior tennis...but we attend 30+ junior tennis tournaments each year and I can assure you that we hear this stuff constantly from 99% of the people we know. Obviously, there is a significant problem somewhere and I should hope someone is paying attention. I hope that, yes, but I don't really expect anything to change anytime soon.

What's Up? LOTS!

As you probably already know, Danny is the camera and the tennis BRAIN behind HIGH-TECH TENNIS. Sure, I'll hang a camera IF I HAVE TO--but I'd much rather not--and OH I DO ADORE ROGER, who's having a tough weekend at the office, for sure...but otherwise, I think tennis is just o.k. (certainly waaaay better than baseball....zzzzzzz).

We each have our strengths---
and CAMERAS and TENNIS are not mine.

I'll admit it...I'm still a little confused about all the buttons on the cameras and I've made so many mistakes that I still get a little freaked out when I have to deal with them.
No, the cameras are definitely NOT my thing.

And when it comes to tennis, I've always liked it but I've never played it and don't intend to start now, lol. I'm NOT coordinated, I'm not athletic, and I don't normally even notice (or give two hoots about) which players are left- or right-handed, have one- or two-handed backhands,
use Babolat or Prince or whatever, etc., etc., etc.
No, the tennis part is definitely NOT my thing either.

But in case you're thinking I just sit around all the time and watch Danny work, I am here to tell you (like I always tell him):
There is much more to HIGH-TECH TENNIS
than just pressing the RECORD button!!!

FOR INSTANCE, keeping up with reduction in draw sizes and other schedule changes that just magically APPEAR with no notice whatsoever has become practically a full-time job. If you think that's frustrating to you, just imagine what it would be like if you depended on this income to pay your mortgage!!! But nobody ever said it would be easy - and nobody was right.

Of course, we've worked way too hard to just let our business self-destruct...So we're making some changes, which is not easy and is not fun...but it's necessary. BIG THANKS to those who are sticking with us and following our ongoing dramas...

HIGH-TECH SPORTS VIDEO: We are definitely branching out... We're not just for tennis anymore because ALL athletes in ALL sports deserve the chance to use video to their advantage. Meantime, we didn't work our brains out for 6+ years to just walk away from all that we've got going...so it's gonna take some time but we're definitely expanding.

HIGH-TECH TENNIS CLUB: We are definitely launching this... I've been excited about this and planning for it since early November. The BIGGEST reason you should care about being a club member is because it is exclusive and it gives you lots of fun benefits---including DISCOUNTED VIDEOS. They told me it would be ready to go DEC 1st but then the holidays came so I thought maybe JAN 1st but again I was wrong. Then FEB 1st...sigh. If you've ever had someone host or help you with your website, you understand. :(
It's coming---just don't know when.

HIGH-TECH TENNIS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: We are absolutely doing this... In fact, our inaugural event is scheduled for April 14-15 at Top Gun Academy in Louisville, KY. Take a look at our website for complete details but we're really excited about this! We've developed this concept to offer junior tennis players the ultimate experience to improve their game, compete on a high level, and have FUN with their peers in a safe environment. Players play and coaches coach-HOW COOL IS THAT? Best of all, this is based on YEARS of feedback from players, parents, and coaches...
THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT!!!

HIGH-TECH TENNIS CALENDAR FOR 2012: It's kind of unreal to sit back in the comfort of paradise and put our calendar together. I mean, just IMAGINE scheduling 30+ tournaments on YOUR calendar!!! :) And don't forget that 25+ of them are played within about 9 months out of the year!!! It's kind of fun, though because every year, we keep the GOOD tournaments, drop some of the DUDS, and add some NEW ones. Keep in mind that the events listed are just targeted - they're not confirmed at this point because anything and everything can change. Still, it's pretty overwhelming. Oh, and don't you dare forget that it'll be 100 degrees for much of the summer!!!

HIGH-TECH TENNIS "KISS MY @&% CARDS": We are soooo sick of those who would accuse us of doing something illegal or immoral. We have never attended a tournament without first obtaining approval from the tournament director, we have researched this topic to death, and we will now post or distribute these cards as needed:

ANY AND ALL MATCHES 

are subject to being videotaped.

We provide a valuable service to

help tennis players play better tennis

by recording videos for

INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

Our services are very popular

with the overwhelming majority of

players, parents, and coaches.

Due to privacy issues, we do not
identify the players in our videos
and it is perfectly legal to
videotape or photograph
anyone or anything
while on public property.

Have a nice day!

HIGH-TECH TENNIS

Danny and Julie Thiets

GREAT THANKS to you for your amazing support. We clearly couldn't live this dreamy life without you...and we hope you know that we truly do appreciate the privilege of playing a small part in the development of your junior tennis player. We think of you as our friends, not just customers, and we hope you know how much your support means to us.

Tennis is a GAME, not brain surgery, and junior players are CHILDREN, not mini-professionals.
Junior tennis is a JOURNEY, not a DESTINATION...
YOU MIGHT AS WELL ENJOY IT!!!

CHEERS!

Are All Tournaments Terrific? um, well, not really

 

Have you ever wondered how we select which tournaments to go to? Props to the late Andy Rooney-RIP...

I remember 6+ years ago when I discovered the Tennis Link website for the first time. WOWOW! There were tournaments EVERYWHERE. Quite literally...here a tournament, there a tournament, everywhere a tournament!!! If we'd wanted to, we could have gone to a tournament in my home state of MN, in Danny's home state of NC, and in pretty much every state in between. But how would we ever decide WHICH ones to go to?

Hmmm. Now that was the million dollar question! It was also the question for which we had absolutely NO answer!!! As in every other aspect of our business, we couldn't exactly google it...we had to LIVE IT to LEARN IT. We went through many trials and made more errors than we'd ever care to admit.

Back then, we knew almost zero about junior tennis...Sections? Levels? Open? Closed? Uh-uh..We really didn't know anyone or anything except this: we saw athletes in almost every other sport reviewing game film and using video technology to improve their performance...and we saw that no one was doing it for tennis...and we knew we were on to something.

A Brief Look Back

We went to our first tournament in January 2006 ONLY so we could get acquainted with the tennis community. We never in a million years expected to be going to even one more tournament (not to mention 25+ a year). Oh, but we thought "Just wait until they see what we can do for them!!!" We really thought coaches would be lining up to take advantage of our technology. What a great idea! We'd buy and learn this expensive, time-consuming stuff so they didn't have to. They could hire us once a week, once a month, or once a year and we'd help them become better coaches because they could concentrate on the coaching and we'd concentrate on the technology. Working with HIGH-TECH TENNIS, these coaches could SHOW their students instead of just TELLING them how to improve! What a great way to demonstrate the value of their instruction!

Except things didn't exactly work out as we'd planned. Not even close. In fact, we were almost out of business before we were even in it. So we had to regroup - and fast. Fortunately, a mother at that very first tournament really wasn't that interested in the fancy-schmancy Dartfish video analysis we were so excited about...but she was VERY interested in having us record her daughter's match. VOILA! We were so busy trying to sell cadillacs and all they wanted was volkswagons!

Tournaments-R-Us

As I mentioned, we discovered the wonderful world of Tennis Link and we didn't know which tournaments to go to...so we tried to go to them ALL. SERIOUSLY. We went to a tournament almost every single weekend for almost one whole year. Can you imagine?!? We went to tournaments in Belton, SC and St. Augustine, FL and many, many places in between. The only thing we were REALLY successful at in those days was in identifying the tournaments to avoid!!! Oh my...There were many, many times when we didn't even earn enough money to cover our gas.

YIKES...We learned some really hard lessons the really hard way --- but fortunately, we don't have to repeat those lessons because we've learned from our mistakes and today, we have a pretty good understanding of what we're doing and where we're doing it, LOL. We are very proud of our excellent repuation and we work to protect it in every way on every day. We know that one of THE most precious things we have is amazing relationships with amazing people. This is truly INVALUABLE to us. I'm talking about people who understand what we do...AND WHY. We are committed to making video technology available to help EVERY athlete improve his or her performance.

"All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talents."
John F. Kennedy

We ask for absolutely nothing but access to an electrical outlet and the opportunity to enhance these tournaments by adding value AND fun for players, parents, and coaches alike....but our customers are often stunned to realize that we sometimes have to PAY A FEE for the opportunity to provide our services to you at tournaments. All tournament directors are different - some want $750 up front, some want 25%, some want something in between - and we always stress that we're responsible for all expenses but we have to control our costs in order to keep our prices as low as possible. As I shared with a tournament director just yesterday, we are comfortable with any of the following arrangements:

• Many TDs charge us nothing (and some even comp our hotel room) because they recognize we are an amenity that makes a good tournament better.
• Many TDs ask us to provide complimentary video recording for certain players (either from their academy or for those players who might not have financial resources to take advantage of video).
• Some TDs ask us to provide a complimentary tournament video they can later use to promote the tournament on their website.
• Some TDs ask us to contribute 10% to the county.

So...just in case you ever wondered, which I doubt you ever have...Now you know how we choose which tournaments to go to: We avoid TDs who are more interested in what's in it for them than in what's in it for the players.

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."
Arthur Ashe

YOU TELL ME: Got Ideas for the New Year?

 WHEW!!!

Since this was our 4th consecutive Kentucky in December, it seems a tradition has been born:) and now that we've had time to catch our breath, it's time to digest what just happened. For one thing, the back-to-back tournaments (formerly known as the Winter Southern Closed + New Year's Classic) will forevermore be referred to as

THE KENTUCKY MARATHON!!!

We celebrated a quiet Christmas (the very best kind) and left early the next morning for our 26th TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR...coincidentally the longest trip on our schedule - 7+ hours to Louisville - and we arrived just in time to set up and greet excited players as they checked in. SO FAR, SO GOOD - lots of "Happy Holidays!" - "Was Santa good to you?" - and like that.
The Christmas spirit in full force...You knew that wouldn't last.

And it certainly didn't. The tournament director got an earful DURING CHECK-IN from an angry mother who was very upset about scheduling issues that she felt gave her daughter's opponent an unfair advantage..mind you, she was referring to a potential match-up that MIGHT have occurred three days later (and of course it didn't even happen). What the...oh geeez! Then the tournament kicked off and things went downhill pretty fast...An all-time low was when a furious father yelled at Danny for a full HOUR!!! He was angry because his son was not playing well and he insisted that he needed to protect his privacy rights...blah blah blah. He argued with the tournament director, threatened to call the USTA (go ahead), and told Danny he appreciated our video service (really? this from a former customer, believe it or not) but he insisted we needed permission from BOTH parents before we recorded any match. Since he clearly had no intention of purchasing the video (and he already knew his son's opponent was not going to buy it - he'd approached them too, unbelievably), he DEMANDED that the camera come down...and he finally got his way. We have certainly researched this topic many, many times and we are NOT doing anything wrong...but just try convincing ballistic parents of that. 

I was in tears - Danny wasn't crying of course but you better believe he was very upset. It was about much more than the $55...The man was essentially questioning our integrity and implying we were doing something illegal or immoral. WOULD YOU BE SERIOUS, MAN - nothing could be further from the truth!!! I can't tell you how hurtful and disheartening it was to be repeatedly insulted in that way. Of course this man wasn't the first and unfortunately he won't be the last.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS?!

YOU TELL ME!

Next, a father approached us to ask if we'd object to him recording his son's match (what were we supposed to say?!? Can you bring your own steak to Ruth Chris steakhouse and sit in their booths and use their silverware while you eat?!?) and we watched as a parade of parents strolled by with video cameras (to hang their cameras beside ours, though they were not permitted to do so) - one father even went so far as to angrily shove me out of his way as he went to hang his camera (which he was not permitted to do)...

I understand it's a free country (hey, I'm all for freedom) but....well, when you factor in 7 straight 16+ hour days for 2 people covering 4 separate sites and recording 250 matches (while selling 50% of them), well, it's easy to see why we're reconsidering what the @#@#% we're doing and why.

So as we begin our SEVENTH YEAR of this crazy business, we're asking for YOUR help.
Just pretend you could tell us what to do.
You can't, of course:) but if you could, what would YOU do???
You would think that we wouldn't have to deal with this CRAP anymore---but you'd be wrong.

:(

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Please keep in mind that we get virtually NO support from the coaches, NO support from the tennis association, NO support from academies, NO support from anyone.

I can't imagine giving up (and I'd hate it if the 99% who love what we do lose out to the 1% who make our lives miserable) but in spite of our best efforts, there may just be a reason nobody else is doing this...and unfortunately, TENNIS may just be the only sport on earth that isn't ready for technology.

Oh, yes, of course the best players with the best bank accounts are ready and they're already doing this and more...but the average tennis player?

YOU TELL ME!

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - August 23

THERE'S MORE TO LIFE THAN TENNIS---
JUST ASK THIS BUTTERFLY BOY (LOL)

HI and thanks for reading!!! Another month has passed - bet you thought we melted - and you'd be ALMOST right. :-) WOWOW! This summer has been the hottest in recorded history...and it has reinforced something I already knew: We simply MUST find a way to work smarter, not harder. I don't know about you (LOL) but we are not getting any younger. And 12+ hour days with triple-digit temps and/or extreme triple-digit heat-index with NO break? They are NO JOKE.

Sorry about that :( but no more whining...Time to get a grip and tell you all about the exciting details of our exciting lives, LOL!!! This month is AWESOME because YAY-we're on BREAK!!! This is not the kind of break where we're just kicking back, eating bon-bons (have never even seen a bon-bon, have you?), but we're on a FIVE-WEEK BREAK from the constant tournament trail and oh, how sweet it is!!!! Still, we know how important it is to recognize the people who help to make our lives to wonderful so we're ready for some SHOUTOUTS! Ready? :)

We kicked off the month with a trip to - where else - NORTH CAROLINA. It seems like we spent practically the entire summer in North Carolina (first Cary, then Winston-Salem, and this time Charlotte) but there are worse places to go, right? :) Besides, there were a few extra-special things about this trip: 1) we were invited to be there (ahem---so much more than I could say about most tournaments in Georgia), 2) we got to see/spend time with Danny's sister in the Charlotte area, and 3) we got to meet lots of nice people at the beautiful Olde Providence Racquet Club. GREAT THANKS to TD Randy Chamberlain and everyone at OPRC for being so nice to us but this tournament fell between two supernational tournaments and we were quite exhausted before the fun even began in Charlotte. Not sure we'll do it again next year, but we'll see how things go...
  
The more things change at the G12 National Hard Court Championships at the wonderful Windward Lake Club, the more they stay the same---which is to say YAY-THEY ARE ALWAYS AWESOME!!! This was our 4th consecutive year there and each year has been better than the previous...We miss Cannon, and we miss Patrick, but the one and only Greg Grover did a perfectly FINE job as tournament director this year. There is a reason why Windward Lake Club is THE MOST BEAUTIFUL tennis facility with THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS tennis academy in Atlanta. So GREAT THANKS to TD Greg Grover and Club Manager Amy Riley, as well as the whole cast of characters at Windward! We are very proud to be part of all the cool stuff that goes on out there and we LOVE being treated like part of the family. They recognize that we are an AMENITY to make their great tournaments BETTER...It means more than we can say.

While reading the bathroom wall (more accurately, while reading an announcement that was posted on the bathroom wall, LOL), I saw that HIGH-TECH TENNIS was offering video services at the 18 & Under tournament at Windward within hours after the G12 Hard Court tournament finished. WHAT?!?!?!?!? OH NOOOOOOO. But soon after I read it, I took a call from a father who was thrilled at the opportunity to purchase a video for his son---WOW. So after all Windward does for us, how could we possibly say no?!? GREAT THANKS to our great friend and one of our all-time, all-time favorite coaches: TD Torrey Hawkins for supporting HIGH-TECH TENNIS in every way on every day.

Wow - for a short month, this was a long list of thanks...and we're very thankful to one more person who recently brought us a GRRRRRRREAT new opportunity that we think the junior tennis community is gonna LOVE but we can't reveal it just yet. STAY TUNED-it's gonna be good! 

SORRY THIS WAS SO LONG, but as always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. We couldn't possibly do what we do without your ongoing kindness and we always appreciate your amazing support. We recognize that is a real privilege to be involved in the development of your junior tennis player --- and living this dreamy life ain't so bad either! :) For example, for the 2nd year in a row, I'M GOING TO NYC TO SEE ROGER!!! YAHOOOOOOO for that!!! Oh and after that, our video cameras will be looking for YOU on the tournament trail! :)

Another Satisfied Parent! :)

"Our college recruit video looks sooooo good!
Thank you for all your work on this!
We will certainly do our best to spread the word about
HIGH-TECH TENNIS!!!"

Mother of 17 Yr Old Junior from Mableton, GA (and Repeat Customer Since 2006, when we prepared College Recruit Video for her other son - who plays baseball!)

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - July 23

EXTREME HIGH-TECH TENNIS HUSTLE (LOL)
HI and thanks for reading!!! WOW---Once again, it's been almost a MONTH since I posted what used to be a weekly update filled with exciting details about our exciting lives, lol!!! Wait--I did share some observations about some awesome directors at some awesome tennis camps...That's because no matter how busy we are (and WOW O WOW-are we busy!!!), we know how important it is to recognize the people who do so much for us. We're shouting out some big names this week...Ready? :)

 

GREAT THANKS to Dave Power and the entire staff at the wonderful Windward Lake Club. One of the best things about being self-employed is choosing the people with whom we spend our time---and we choose Windward! :) We spent 3 fun days at the US Open Southern Qualifier over the 4th of July weekend! We saw some great tennis and we had a great time...GOOD LUCK to the players who earn wild card entries into the US OPEN!!! Oh, almost forgot-we even caught up with our friend Luke Jensen, one of our earliest supporters! It sems like just yesterday when he enthusiastically said "YES!!! WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS FANTASTIC AND I LOVE IT!!!" GREAT THANKS, Luke--You should listen to him--he knows a thing or two about tennis! :-)

Mobile is always a home run for us..and we were surprised that the Regional Segment the following weekend fell somewhat flat but GREAT THANKS to TD Scott Novak for the warm welcome. I guess we had to save our energy for the following weekend because we hit it OUT OF THE PARK at the National Clay Court Championships in Winston-Salem (what's with all the baseball references? you tell me, lol!) This was our 4th consecutive year and it just keeps getting better...so GREAT THANKS to TD Chris Cagle for recognizing the value of what we do....We sold an unbelievable 102 videos over 6 days at the tournament so we know we're making a difference and we LOVE that...which brings me to another point...

While chatting with parents in NC, I shared our excitement about being invited to a tournament next weekend in Charlotte. People are shocked (I'm talking S-H-O-C-K-E-D) to learn that some tournament directors actually expect us to PAY for the opportunity to enhance their tournament. Oh, if they only knew!!!
Why do you think we spend so VERY LITTLE TIME in Atlanta???
"I thought it was such a big tennis town???" "Well, lots of people play tennis, but ..." Trust me - nobody and I mean NOBODY - wants to spend time at home more than me (we live in paradise, remember?) - but we have VERY GOOD REASONS for avoiding most of the tournaments in Atlanta.
A mother from NJ summed it up perfectly:
"Any tournament that would charge you two for providing services that are so POPULAR would be a tournament I wouldn't want to go to!" We're slowly but surely making better choices--ENOUGH SAID.

Also, GREAT THANKS to the growing number of college recruits who contact us for help with their recruit videos---LOVE THAT! Oh and don't forget it's been about 400 degrees almost every day for the past month or more!!! UGH.

SORRY THIS IS SO LONG :( But as always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. We couldn't possibly do what we do without your ongoing kindness and we always appreciate your amazing support. We recognize that is a real privilege to be involved in the development of your junior tennis player --- and living this dreamy life ain't so bad either! :) Our video cameras will be looking for YOU on the tournament trail! :)

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - June 26

LONG LIVE THE MIGHTY FED

HI and thanks for reading!!! WOW---It's already been more than a MONTH since I updated this "weekly" blog...Where does the time go? Let me tell you---it just GOES---but we know how important it is to recognize the people who make our lives wonderful (and they surely do). We're shouting out SEVEN names this week...Ready? :)

GREAT THANKS to the other half of HIGH-TECH TENNIS, without whom nothing else would be possible, nor would it matter. It is common knowledge that Danny is the tennis brain behind HIGH-TECH TENNIS---but he's sooo much more than that. Most of all, he's MY BUDDY and for that I will always be grateful.
YOU ARE THE BEST. 

GREAT THANKS to the awesome Summer Tennis Camp directors who know how lame it is to send campers home with another t-shirt they just don't need. Sure, it takes a little extra effort on their part to coordinate our video services for their campers, but these directors know it's worth it. They GET IT and they've been doing it for the past 3-4 years. Way to go the extra mile! Coach Amy Bryant (Emory), Coach Manny Diaz (UGA), Coach Craig Jones (Idle Hour), and Coach Bryan Shepherd (Gwinnett)...YOU ARE AWESOME!

GREAT THANKS to Chris Mather for believing in us from the beginning and for helping us to see that there might just be a better way. The days of D and Me going to endless tournaments and dealing with constant drama may be numbered...We've got big expansion plans in mind and please STAY TUNED for details that could change everything...but here's a hint: COLLEGE SPORTS SHOWCASE.

GREAT THANKS to TD Sean Ferreira for standing up for us and explaining the reality of a public tennis center in a free country to a pushy parent who 'didn't want her son videotaped'. Some people just don't get the message, though---she didn't accept his response and came to us. She got her way because we didn't want to create waves...but she won't get it again. What we are doing is PERFECTLY legal and it's permitted - no, it's appreciated...even loved - by 99.99% of parents throughout the Southern section. Florida is its own section for good reason, lol. Let's just say that one of the greatest parts about being self-employed is the ability to choose the people with whom you spend your time. We are slowly but surely making better choices--ENOUGH SAID.

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. We couldn't possibly do what we do without your ongoing kindness and we always appreciate your amazing support. We recognize that is a real privilege to be involved in the development of your junior tennis player --- and living this dreamy life ain't so bad either! :) Our video cameras will be looking for YOU on the tournament trail! :)

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - May 24

Hi there and thanks for reading! It's been a wonderful SIX weeks (WOW) in our world but the amazing things that happen just wouldn't "happen" without the help of some great people.
As always, it's time to shout out some names and give credit where it's due --- Ready? :)

GREAT THANKS to all who have contributed to our VIDEO DOES GOOD program in honor of the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research. Inspired by the vision of Arthur Ashe, we are "starting where we are, using what we have, and doing what we can" to make a difference-thank you for caring about something that means soo much to us.

We are exhausted but excited about EIGHTEEN straight days of fun in THREE different states (maybe the most exciting part is that it's over, LOL). First up was the Hilton Head BullFrog, which was terrific, even though five sites proved to be a logistical nightmare for us and also prevented too many players from having the opportunity to use video to their advantage. We are working to remedy this even as i type-STAY TUNED. Next up was our favorite spot on the planet where we set two new ALL-TIME records: Best Single Day (May 7) and Best Southern Tourney (Southern Spring Closed). GREAT THANKS to Scott and Lorraine Novak for taking a big chance on us back in 2007, which they will never regret. The last stop on our 18-day extravaganza was Macon. While fun, it wasn't fantastic and we're still struggling to understand how/if we can support National Open players going forward...STAY TUNED.

GREAT THANKS to our favorite CEO (Victor Bergonzoli) for sharing our belief in the HIGH-TECH TENNIS + Dartfish equation, even when we're not sure what it all means. The path to success is not always clear but we're enjoying the ride - and choosing the people with whom you share your time is one of the best parts about being self-employed.

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. It is truly a privilege to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and living this dreamy life is tough to beat! :) Thank you for your ongoing support and our video camcorders will be looking for YOU!

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - April 15

Our Favorite Women's Tennis Coach

Hi there and thanks for reading! It's been a wonderful week and a half in our world and it's time to reflect on all the amazing things that have happened. As always, we know how important it is to give credit where it's due --- so we're gonna name some names...Ready? :)

GREAT THANKS to our favorite women's coach: Coach Amy Bryant has been a longtime friend of and believer in HIGH-TECH TENNIS. Not only have we we provided video services to her annual summer camp at Emory University for the past 5(?) years (how sweet to send those sweet little campers home with sweet little video souvenirs that will be precious treasures for years to come) but this year, Coach Amy got serious about using video: she contacted us ahead of time and reserved time on our calendar for us to record doubles and singles matches throughout the spring tennis season. YAHOO! Coach Amy's team finished second last year and they're gunning for first this year. They can do it too because our videos provided the missing link-so GOOD LUCK EMORY EAGLES...Win your 6th natl championship (Coach Amy's 5th) and we'll be cheering for you!!! :)

GREAT THANKS to a great friend, great coach, and longtime supporter of HIGH-TECH TENNIS: Coach Pete Townes knows VIDEO WORKS and it was just a matter of time before we were able to bring it to his students...This pic was at the YMCA in Buckhead---a first but definitely not a last for us---cuz the players DUG it and we DUG that, lol. Most of all, we love being around people who GET IT. What is wrong with these other academies??????? YOU TELL ME. I think that many of these academies are more concerned with getting paid than with getting the message across to the players. SAD BUT TRUE - That's only my opinion but it's based on 5+ years of begging these guys to wake up. :(



GREAT THANKS to THE UNIVERSE for enabling us to be home for a very important event. "Don't Pass Me By" - A Third Annual Celebration of Sean Costello. Sean was a good friend of ours and he passed away 3 years ago tonight (Friday)-just one day before his 29th birthday. :( We have formed the "Video Does Good" program in his honor and we will donate $1 for every video sold to support the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research. We hope you will consider matching our contribution. Visit our website for more information about Sean...or ask us about him when you see us. We miss him sooo much---May he rest in peace forever.

But as always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. It is truly a privilege to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and living this dreamy life is tough to beat! :) Thank you for your ongoing support - and our video camcorders will be looking for YOU! Finally, it's been a few tough days at the office for Rog, but LONG LIVE THE MIGHTY FED-FOREVER, and our video cameras will be looking for YOU at a tournament real soon! :)

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - March 26

Four Weeks Just Flew By

Helloooo and thanks for reading! It's been another wonderful FOUR WEEKS in our world (including FOUR tourneys in THREE states) but it wouldn't have been half as nice if we didn't have great support from great people. We're all about giving credit where it's due --- so let's name some names...Ready? :)

GREAT THANKS to our new friend TD Aline Trussel at the Cooper Creek Tennis Center in Columbus, GA. Many, many moons ago, we had a VERY bad experience in Columbus and swore we'd never return...Never say never, LOL! We had a great time at the National Open-B12s (even though the 32 Draw did NOT make anyone smile). :( But we know we'll have an even BETTER time at the BullFrog in Columbus next weekend because thank goodness the 32 Draw doesn't apply and TD Aline goes above and beyond...What a pleasure to discover such a helpful, kind person - best of all, she even lives in our state! Speaking of our state, we remained in our state for a soggy BullFrog in Macon...YIKES-Those tournaments make it tough to stay positive, for sure. Thank goodness my extreeeeme negativity didn't last long...because we were soon on to back2back tourneys - 10 straight days of HIGH-TECH TENNIS HUSTLE! :)

GREAT THANKS to the entire Tournament Staff at the Mobile Tennis Center for the privilege of offering video services at their awesome events---We had a big time (and set a new record!) at our 4th consecutive Spring Natl Chps-BG18s. Then it was straight to our 5th consecutive Topspin Annual Junior Classic. GREAT THANKS to TD Carlos Lozano for taking a chance on us and inviting us to be part of his awesome South Carolina tourney! Sooo much fun - and setting another record made it all the sweeter! :) 

Let's see...GREAT THANKS to some awesome college recruits for allowing us to help launch them on their college path-one of the biggest, life-changing decisions they will make. They're gonna LOVE their recruit videos-that's a promise. And GREAT THANKS to Coach Amy Bryant for counting on us for video services in support of Emory Women's Tennis, summer camps, and more. If I left anyone out, sooo sorry-it's hard to be perfect when you're exhausted! :)

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. It is truly a privilege to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and living this dreamy life is tough to beat! :) Thank you for your ongoing support - and our video camcorders will be looking for YOU! Finally, LONG LIVE THE FED, good luck in the Sony Ericsson, and I will be watching you whenever and wherever possible!!!

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - February 21

Danny Makes Me LOL

HI and thanks for reading! It's been another wonderful week in our world but it wouldn't have been half as nice if we didn't have great support from great people. We're all about giving credit where it's due and it's time once again to name names...Ready? :)

We stopped in at the GA Tech/UGA match recently and it was so nice to chat with two of our friends. GREAT THANKS to Coach Manny Diaz and Asst Coach Will Glenn for inviting us to return to the Bulldog Tennis Camp at UGA this summer. So sorry we will miss out on John Isner's 2nd annual camp but we can only be in one place at a time and we've already committed to the Clay Court Chps in Winston Salem, NC.

We don't exactly have our own courts (since we're a mobile business) but we do have some great friends who come through whenever we ask for a favor. GREAT THANKS to Will Wright and Torrey Hawkins (Windward Tennis Academy) for making easy for us to impress our friends from TN. GREAT THANKS to Mary Nunaley for bringing her son Amadeus to GA so we could capture content for his College Recruit Video. :)

When we met a great TD last fall, he invited us to return for his very next tournament, so we did (LOL). GREAT THANKS to Cole Donley (Athens Country Club) for the warm welcome and the great suport at the Athens Winter Classic Chps. We know that Level 4 players need video love too and we made lots of new friends. See you in August! :)

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. It is truly a privilege to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and living this dreamy life is tough to beat! :) Thank you for your ongoing support - and our cameras will be looking for YOU! Finally, LONG LIVE THE FED - gooood luck in Dubai!!!




 

Customer Feedback

"We got our college recruiting video made by the best tennis video people in the Southern area. Thanks High-tech Tennis! My son felt very comfortable working with you and I know the quality will be awesome."

Mother of Junior Player from Nashville, TN
and Repeat Customer Since 2007

Customer Feedback

"Given all the rain-outs we've had lately, thank goodness for HIGH-TECH TENNIS! My son's coach is using rain days to watch his match videos and offer running commentary on how he can improve - INVALUABLE!!!!"

Mother of 14 Year Old Junior in Marietta, GA

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - January 26

Love the artwork, love the artists!

 

HI and thanks for reading! It's time to hit the highlights of our week and, as always, we think it's important to SHOUT-OUT the names of specific people who made our lives wonderful over the past week...Ready? :)

We just got home from the 1st EVER National Regional Tourney and GREAT THANKS to Scott Novak and the Marvelous Mobile Tennis Center because Saturday, January 22 was THE BUSIEST DAY EVER in the 5+ year history of HIGH-TECH TENNIS!!! How wonderful that so many people are using video to their advantage------IT'S ABOUT TIME (LOL).

We also just got home from a meeting where board members discussed proposed ideas regarding the Stone Mountain Tennis Center (former tennis facility for 1996 Olympic Games). Very exciting - but not cheap - ideas for preserving that legacy, not to mention the important restoration of a virtually new/gently used site that includes a stadium court and 16 outer courts. Sports is one of the few economic drivers in a recession and if we are unable to reach agreement, this beautiful facility will be demolished in the near future---perish that HORRIBLE thought. GREAT THANKS to anyone who can make the proposed ideas a reality and STAY TUNED.

GREAT THANKS to our customers for extreme patience after the ice-a-thon in Atlanta caused extreme delays in the postal service... Two of our customers waited 2+ weeks to receive their videos (a highly unusual and very unhappy situation).

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. We fully recognize what a privilege it is to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and we love living this dreamy dream of a life! Thank you for your ongoing support - and our cameras will be looking for YOU! GOOOOOOOD LUCK to my champion in the semi-finals of the Australian Open and LONG LIVE THE FED!

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - January 19

"Hopefully I don't play him anymore."

FED After 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 Victory over Gilles Simon (Aussie Open 2010)

HI and thanks for reading! January is not typically our busiest month so we try to accomplish a big project of some sort at home. This year, we tackled CLOSETS that were just the right size when our house was built in 1952 but are a little small by today's standards. They may still may be tiny but they are now SPARKLING CLEAN---yay! Time to give shout-outs to people who made our lives wonderful over the past week...Ready? :)

GREAT THANKS to Decatur Preservation Alliance for coordinating the efforts of over 1200 volunteers as we provided free house maintenance and repair to Decatur's needy senior homeowners. Meeting and helping 90-yr-old Mr. Green to live safely, comfortably, and affordably in his home was a true joy...What an amazing way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We will definitely SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

GREAT THANKS to Kevin Klabunde (Southeastern Babolat Rep) for treating us like absolute G-O-L-D (wait til you see our new clothes) and forwarding our fun BABOLAT/HIGH-TECH TENNIS video to upper management at Babolat. Can't wait to share it with other members of the Team Babolat Annual Meeting, which has been rescheduled for this Friday due to Atlanta's snow/ice-athon.

GREAT THANKS to Scott and Lorraine Novak for welcoming us back to the marvelous Mobile Tennis Center for the 4th consecutive year. They realize that we just make a good tournament BETTER and Scott and Lorraine are the best at what they do. If only all tournament directors treated us so well!!! WOW - AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH...GA TDs - are you listening? Can't wait to kick off another great year in Mobile this weekend at the 1st EVER Regional Tourney!!!

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. As we begin the SIXTH YEAR of our existence, we are so very aware of what a privilege it is to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and we love living this dreamy dream of a life! Thank you for your ongoing support - and our cameras will be looking for YOU in this new year!

Customer Feedback

‎"Thanks a lot for the college recruit video!
We are very pleased with it.
It is very good and my son looks awesome!!!
Thanks again!"

Mother of Recruit from Louisville, KY

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - January 10

A Snowy Day In Georgia

HI and thanks for reading! This is our FIRST blog update for the new year and we are SO EXCITED about all the exciting things to come in 2011. The more things change, though, the more they stay the same. We remain COMMITTED to improving the game of tennis through technology...and helping tennis players play better tennis. Another thing that has not (and will not) change: our reputation means the world to us and we work to protect it in every way on every day. So let's get started by hitting the highlights and giving shout-outs to people who made our lives wonderful over the past TWO WEEKS...Ready?

For the 3rd consecutive year, we were proud to offer our video services at the back-to-back Winter Southern Closed/New Year's Classic events - if you haven't been to Kentucky in December, you haven't lived! GREAT THANKS to our friend TD Chris Mather for making us feel welcome and appreciated at The Tennis Club at Springhurst in Louisville, KY. KNOW THIS: All tournament directors are NOT created equal...and Chris could show many of them a thing or two about running a tournament for the right reasons. We hate that Kentucky is sooo far but we just can't imagine a better spot to celebrate New Year's Eve (LOL)-guess where we'll be next year? :)

The work goes on and my dream will never die, LOL...I am determined to share "What Could Go Wrong? Observations from FIVE YEARS in the Trenches with Competitive Junior Tennis Players" with eager tennis enthusiasts everywhere! HA! :) GREAT THANKS to Jason Lampione (Publishing Director for Tennis World USA Digital Magazine) for encouraging me to submit the first in a series of articles. STAY TUNED! :)

We've been part of TEAM BABOLAT for the past 4+ years...We haven't always realized how important Babolat is to junior tennis players...BUT NOW WE DO. GREAT THANKS to Kevin Klabunde (Southeastern Babolat Rep) for supplying great Babolat prizes and for adding us to the agenda for the Annual Meeting. As a small way to repay this kindness, we created a fun video to promote the BABOLAT/HIGH-TECH TENNIS partnership (thanks to the Babolat players for supplying fantastic content) and we're having lots of fun forwarding and sharing that video wherever and however we can!

We've had the support of Tennis Recruiting Network for the past 4+ years...and we just didn't fully understand what that could mean to us...BUT NOW WE DO. GREAT THANKS to Julie Wrege (Editor) for endorsing us and for being willing to pursue ways that we might work together to support competitive tennis players through the recruiting process.

This is quite long because, as you can see, things are changing - FOR THE BETTER - but as always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. As we begin the SIXTH YEAR of our existence, we are so very aware of what a privilege it is to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and we love living this dreamy dream of a life! Thank you for your ongoing support - and our cameras will be looking for YOU in this new year! :)

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - December 22

Merry Christmas To You!

HI and thanks for reading! As you well know, all weeks are wonderful in our world but as you might imagine, December is not exactly the BUSIEST month of the year when it comes to junior tennis. That means our interaction with the outside world has been fairly limited :) but we're still happy to hit the highlights of our past week for you...Here they come:

GREAT THANKS to our friend Daniel Furman for his interest in and his amazing support of the work in progress affectionately known as 'My Book' aka "What Could Go Wrong? Observations from FIVE YEARS in the Trenches at Junior Tennis Tournaments." Way to step up with some very helpful feedback, Daniel! :) IF (or maybe I should I say WHEN) this document actually makes it to publication and I become a hugely successful author, I will remember you....LOL.

GREAT THANKS to our friends Eric Burke (Hardcore Tennis) and Beth McCaskill (Tennis Players Network) for sharing a hysterically funny evening filled with hilarious holiday stories. We don't get to see you as often as we'd like but last night was great. Thanks for always believing in HIGH-TECH TENNIS... It really means a lot to us.

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. It's a privilege to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and we love living this dreamy dream of a life! May your holiday season be peaceful and we can't wait to see YOU next week in Louisville... WE LOVE KENTUCKY IN DECEMBER! :)

As HIGH-TECH TENNIS Turns - December 16

VANNA WHITE 

HI and thanks for reading! As you might imagine, December is not exactly the BUSIEST month of the year when it comes to junior tennis so our interaction with the outside world has been fairly limited :) but we're still happy to hit the highlights of our past week for you...Here they come:

We've known Coach Greg Amerson since almost the beginning of our existence (5+ years) and we know a good guy when we see one! :) Greg recently took the big leap of faith and opened his own academy: Greg Amerson Tennis International. YAY for him! He's got a really wonderful facility at Clayton County Tennis Center and he's got a wonderful group of kids. GREAT THANKS to our good friend Greg Amerson for allowing us to be part of Match Play and Video Day on December 11th. We had so much fun-what a great coach and even better person! It was our pleasure (and such an easy choice) to include him on our list of Favorite Coaches. We wish him ONLY the best!!!

The work goes on and my dream will never die, LOL...I am determined to share "What Could Go Wrong? Observations from FIVE YEARS in the Trenches at Junior Tennis Tournaments" with eager tennis enthusiasts everywhere! :) GREAT THANKS to Jason Lampione, our newest tennis friend in New York, for reigniting my interest in this huge but potentially troublesome topic and for inviting me to contribute to an exciting online publication. STAY TUNED! :)

As always, the greatest GREAT THANKS goes to YOU, our wonderful customer friends. It's a privilege to play a small part in the development of your junior tennis player - and we love living this dreamy dream of a life! May your holiday season be peaceful and we can't wait to see YOU in Louisville...Kentucky in December?!? There is NO place we'd rather be!!!