In case you haven't heard we changed our name from Lee Tennis Court Products to Har-Tru Sports. While Lee Tennis has had a reputation for expertise in clay court surfacing dating back to the early 1960’s, the Har-Tru brand has been around for 80 years and has considerably more equity amongst tennis players worldwide. We are excited to lead with Har-Tru for now on and think it will help us connect with tennis players across the globe.
In conjunction with the name change we launched the new Hartru.com. It has never been more evident that clay courts help tennis players develop the core skills required to become champions. This site helps you understand why. It features cool videos of how to master clay court shots and become a champion in your own right. It also shows off the innovative products we have brought to market that improve the playing experience and make clay court ownership simpler.
We'd love to hear what you think of our new website and how you feel about the name change.
Showing posts with label tennis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tennis. Show all posts
Friday, July 1, 2011
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
World Cup Soccer - Can Tennis Take a Cue?
While I would not call myself a soccer fan I cannot help but be captivated by the World Cup. I am swept up in the media coverage and ride the wave of the infectious, international enthusiasm. I am compelled to watch and find myself looking forward to seeing teams and learning about players that I know absolutely nothing about. There are definitely parts of soccer games that I find unappealing. The games can be downright boring at times with teams playing more defense than offense. The games can end in a tie! Talk about a letdown. And the flopping and generally whiny attitude drives me crazy, as well as the “I am the greatest”, individual celebrations after a goal is scored. But I am willing to accept that as the nature of the sport and watch none the less. I particularly admire the incredible physical shape these athletes are in and the support and camaraderie amongst teammates.
What can tennis learn from this? I would like to hear what you have to say. Here are my observations:
1 – Team events appeal to sports fans. Tennis needs to reconsider team concepts, perhaps including men and women on the same teams.
2 – Every 4 years works for soccer and I think it could work for tennis. There is plenty of tennis going on in the interim and clearing schedules, much as soccer does, to allow a centrally located team competition every 4 years would attract new fans and broaden support for the sport.
3 – Bring all the teams to one location and complete play over one month. The international pageantry around the World Cup, and similarly the Olympics, is a major factor in the contagious enthusiasm. This allows countries to roll out their brand of the sport and allows fans from all around the world to congregate around a common interest. And I have to believe there would be non tennis fans, similar to this non soccer fan, who would tune in.
What are your thoughts?
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Har-Tru Australia?
If you happen to read the Sidney Morning Herald you have probably noticed that Australia is making a major commitment to training players on clay. Take Robert Grant’s April 28 article for instance, titled, “Aussie Tennis Aims to Dominate on Clay”
In this article the author reports that, “the move to encourage Australia's best players to devote as much time to the clay court circuit as the hard court events is the key to breaking back into the men's top 10.” The trick for the folks down under is that the climate is quite arid, water is a very scarce commodity, and managing real clay has so far proved impractical. Now however, Tennis Australia has officially approved the Har-Tru surface with the HydroCourt sub-surface irrigation system as an accepted product for facilities interested in installing clay. This mean that facilities that choose to install HydroCourt will be eligible for funding from Tennis Australia. No courts have been installed yet but there is considerable interest at facilities in Sydney, Tasmania and Perth.
How about a clay court circuit in the US played on Har-Tru in February? It's time.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tennis & Fashion
Seen Venus’ latest outfit? She is wearing it in Key Biscayne. Self-designed of course. Thought it was interesting to read that although she won a good match, the first 8 question in the post match press conference were about her dress. Venus said, “"The motif is really about sporty sexy, and kind of that whole attitude of bringing that to my game," she said. I usually don't wear red. This is kind of new for me.” Her and everyone else!
I must say though, one of the great things about tennis is how much it has ventured into the fashion world. I guess we have to thank Ted Tinling for recognizing the opportunity to design great outfits for women. The greatest impressions have always been made by women. Here are a few of my favorites:
Gussie Moran – first to show her knickers, and at Wimbledon to boot!
The Anne White Pony body suit at Wimbledon
Kournikova practice outfits
Serena’s cat suit
What are your favorites?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Coming Clean or Selling Books???
When tennis player Andre Agassi admitted all of his personal demons was he seeking peace or was it a means of trying to sell books? I can remember watching a young Agassi and thinking that he was hungry for attention. The punk rock hair style and the flashy headbands in my opinion were just Andre saying look at me! I believe Ivan Lendl described a young 17-year-old Agassi best in a scouting report at the Stratton Mountain Tournament in 1987 when he described him as “a haircut and a forehand”.
We all know that people change. The change that we witnessed in Andre may be the best change that has ever happened to tennis. We witnessed a young, attention hungry kid grow up and become the guy that played with more heart than any other player on tour. He changed from the guy who you wanted to see lose to the guy you wanted to watch win. I can remember Agassi’s last US Open and being fortunate enough to watch his last match in person. The guy could barely walk due to his bad back, yet he played every point with everything he had. He chased down every ball and then would hobble his way to the chair during crossovers. It was one of the most incredible performances I have ever witnessed. I remember leaving the Open and walking outside and as I was doing so I actually witnessed Agassi laying on the hot concrete sidewalk waiting for the shuttle back to his hotel because his back wouldn’t allow him to stand up. It was an effort like this that made me forget about that attention craved 17-year-old kid and made me think that Agassi was the poster child, role model for all young tennis players!
Now comes Open, the autobiography where Andre comes roaring back into the spotlight and shocking the world with his recreational drug use confessions. What was he trying to do? Did that 17-year-old attention hungry kid resurface in a means of selling books or was it the gutsiest performance of his career? I tend to believe that it was his gutsiest performance ever. Andre has found peace in the truth and I’m not sure how many of us out there can stand up and face our personal demons in the way Andre has. What do you think?
Tracy Lynch
Wholesale Accounts Manager
Lee Tennis Court Products
We all know that people change. The change that we witnessed in Andre may be the best change that has ever happened to tennis. We witnessed a young, attention hungry kid grow up and become the guy that played with more heart than any other player on tour. He changed from the guy who you wanted to see lose to the guy you wanted to watch win. I can remember Agassi’s last US Open and being fortunate enough to watch his last match in person. The guy could barely walk due to his bad back, yet he played every point with everything he had. He chased down every ball and then would hobble his way to the chair during crossovers. It was one of the most incredible performances I have ever witnessed. I remember leaving the Open and walking outside and as I was doing so I actually witnessed Agassi laying on the hot concrete sidewalk waiting for the shuttle back to his hotel because his back wouldn’t allow him to stand up. It was an effort like this that made me forget about that attention craved 17-year-old kid and made me think that Agassi was the poster child, role model for all young tennis players!
Now comes Open, the autobiography where Andre comes roaring back into the spotlight and shocking the world with his recreational drug use confessions. What was he trying to do? Did that 17-year-old attention hungry kid resurface in a means of selling books or was it the gutsiest performance of his career? I tend to believe that it was his gutsiest performance ever. Andre has found peace in the truth and I’m not sure how many of us out there can stand up and face our personal demons in the way Andre has. What do you think?
Tracy Lynch
Wholesale Accounts Manager
Lee Tennis Court Products
Monday, January 25, 2010
World Class Standards
Our last trip to Beijing included meeting the head of a government committee charged to write construction specifications for the Peoples Republic of China. The committee requested assistance in writing a “standard” for clay tennis court construction for their country. What an opportunity! In an emerging market where GDP has increased by nearly 9% in the past year, clay tennis is just beginning to grow. Introducing standards now will help ensure the success of tennis long before projects get off the drawing board, into the ground and beyond.
I’ll bet you know the specifications and standards for your racquets and string. Did you know the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) has construction standards available for your tennis court? If not, request a copy from your builder, the ASBA (www.sportsbuilders.org) or the manufacturer of your tennis surface today. Understanding basic construction is the first stop on the “road map” to success for your facility. Long-term success of the court begins with a foundation and build from there, just like your game. And making the most of any opportunity to help ensure the success of the game is another standard worth aspiring to.
Ed Montecalvo
Director of Consulting Services
Lee Tennis Court Products
I’ll bet you know the specifications and standards for your racquets and string. Did you know the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) has construction standards available for your tennis court? If not, request a copy from your builder, the ASBA (www.sportsbuilders.org) or the manufacturer of your tennis surface today. Understanding basic construction is the first stop on the “road map” to success for your facility. Long-term success of the court begins with a foundation and build from there, just like your game. And making the most of any opportunity to help ensure the success of the game is another standard worth aspiring to.
Ed Montecalvo
Director of Consulting Services
Lee Tennis Court Products
Monday, December 28, 2009
A Short History of the US Clay Court Championships
Found this short history of the US Clay Court Championships on the Supernetters blog - http://supernetters-teejohn.blogspot.com/2009/12/14us-mens-clay-court-championships.html. Its amazing to me that this is the only men's ATP clay event in the US. If the governing body of our sport is truly committed to bringing clay into the mix and inspiring our young players to spend time on this surface that will have to change.
It seems to me that there is a clear opportunity in the schedule. After the Australian we have a mini hard court season in the US with San Jose, Memphis, Delray Beach, Indian Wells and Miami. Meanwhile the clay court players are getting entrenched on their favorite surface in places like Vina del Mar, Costa do Sauipe, Buenos Aires and Acapulco. Why not transition one or two more US events to clay and give our guys a chance to play at home? I can't believe Federer or Nadal or any of the Europeans or South Americans would complain if Miami went to clay. A few might even stay to play in Houston.
It seems to me that there is a clear opportunity in the schedule. After the Australian we have a mini hard court season in the US with San Jose, Memphis, Delray Beach, Indian Wells and Miami. Meanwhile the clay court players are getting entrenched on their favorite surface in places like Vina del Mar, Costa do Sauipe, Buenos Aires and Acapulco. Why not transition one or two more US events to clay and give our guys a chance to play at home? I can't believe Federer or Nadal or any of the Europeans or South Americans would complain if Miami went to clay. A few might even stay to play in Houston.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
China
During the last three years I have been traveling in China quite a bit trying to set up a network and create demand for our Courts in China. When I tell people about being over there they ask about lots of the usual things like food, language barriers, getting around and etc. One of the most interesting things to me however is how the culture works from a business perspective and how they get things done. As you would imagine it is a double edge sword, no pun intended, those were the old days. Things are for the most part dominated by the government and the government agencies you deal with on the front end. Most of us who have had experience with our own government associate that process with delays, paperwork, unreasonable red tape and crazy demands. Well China has all that as well except the process is quite different when you are dealing with the decision makers. One of my first experiences was to have dinner with the head man in charge of building the highway system in the Beijing area. During dinner I asked him a question that points out quite a difference, I asked him how long was it before they began construction on the 4th ring road (which he was in charge of) once the decision was made to build it. My question was prompted by the fact, that 39 years ago when I came to Charlottesville word was that a connector road or bypass was going to begin right away connecting downtown to route 29 north of town. As you might guess from this example it is just now getting started and I still have my doubts whether it will be finished based on all the special interest groups that have fought it for at least the last 39 years. Anyway, my friends answer may not surprise you based on this long set up, but he looked at me like I had three heads and very matter of fact said “We started construction the next day”. They displaced several million people and basically gave them notice to vacate the next day. Neither of these systems seems quite fair but in a Communist World that’s the way it works.
The good news is when they make decisions it happens quickly as you can see from the two photos below. The first one shows the building just beginning in the last of August this year while I was there. The second photo shows them playing tennis in a finished facility basically 90 days later. Business happens fast in China and you win or lose quickly when you are selling to them. The good news is they are extremely loyal and friendly people and they do like Americans, unlike what you may have heard. The total experience of introducing them to Clay courts has been a joy and a great overall experience. If you ever get a chance to go there, take it; China is a fascinating place to go and the best news is we now have our courts scattered around the countryside and Tennis is alive and well in China.
The pictures below show Construction in late August ’09 and Playing in late November ‘09
Progress happens fast in China and they love American Red Clay.
John Welborn, Lee Tennis Court Products
During the last three years I have been traveling in China quite a bit trying to set up a network and create demand for our Courts in China. When I tell people about being over there they ask about lots of the usual things like food, language barriers, getting around and etc. One of the most interesting things to me however is how the culture works from a business perspective and how they get things done. As you would imagine it is a double edge sword, no pun intended, those were the old days. Things are for the most part dominated by the government and the government agencies you deal with on the front end. Most of us who have had experience with our own government associate that process with delays, paperwork, unreasonable red tape and crazy demands. Well China has all that as well except the process is quite different when you are dealing with the decision makers. One of my first experiences was to have dinner with the head man in charge of building the highway system in the Beijing area. During dinner I asked him a question that points out quite a difference, I asked him how long was it before they began construction on the 4th ring road (which he was in charge of) once the decision was made to build it. My question was prompted by the fact, that 39 years ago when I came to Charlottesville word was that a connector road or bypass was going to begin right away connecting downtown to route 29 north of town. As you might guess from this example it is just now getting started and I still have my doubts whether it will be finished based on all the special interest groups that have fought it for at least the last 39 years. Anyway, my friends answer may not surprise you based on this long set up, but he looked at me like I had three heads and very matter of fact said “We started construction the next day”. They displaced several million people and basically gave them notice to vacate the next day. Neither of these systems seems quite fair but in a Communist World that’s the way it works.
The good news is when they make decisions it happens quickly as you can see from the two photos below. The first one shows the building just beginning in the last of August this year while I was there. The second photo shows them playing tennis in a finished facility basically 90 days later. Business happens fast in China and you win or lose quickly when you are selling to them. The good news is they are extremely loyal and friendly people and they do like Americans, unlike what you may have heard. The total experience of introducing them to Clay courts has been a joy and a great overall experience. If you ever get a chance to go there, take it; China is a fascinating place to go and the best news is we now have our courts scattered around the countryside and Tennis is alive and well in China.
The pictures below show Construction in late August ’09 and Playing in late November ‘09
Progress happens fast in China and they love American Red Clay.
John Welborn, Lee Tennis Court Products
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tennis Players Are Not Athletes!!! Are You Kidding Me?
Here I am sitting in a sports bar last night watching a football game and next to me were two men who were deep into a conversation about which are the better athletes, football, basketball, or baseball players? After about fifteen minutes of eavesdropping on their conversation and hearing the same old arguments… NBA players can’t take the contact that is associated with the NFL and no NFL player can play 60+ nights a season like the NBA does… Enough was enough, I had to throw out the comment for argument sake, what about professional tennis players? Shouldn't they be considered?
One guy looked at me like I was a freak and the other guy started to laugh. I saw this reaction as an invitation to get my point across. My first comment, tell me what your NBA and NFL players are doing in the off-season. Instantly they went into weight training, and endurance training, and hill work. As I started to laugh, the two men said what are tennis players doing in the off season? My point exactly, there isn't an off season for tennis players! At this point I had the two guys quiet and listening. Unlike football and basketball, the pro tennis player is playing in four major slams and starting in February and wrapping up in September. Not to mention the indoor season that follows the US Open and the other tournaments leading up to the slams so that they can stay on top of their games. I went on to talk about the 5+ hour match between Roger and Andy this past year at Wimbledon and made reference that most players in a NFL game are only seeing on average about 60-70 plays per game which might translates into roughly 10 minutes of actual playing time. Let’s go back and visit that endurance comment again please!
After about 30 minutes of conversation back and fourth, I had convinced the two guys of my point of view. I’m not saying that professional tennis players are better athletes than those players in the NBA and NFL, but I’m saying that they are world class athletes and should be given the recognition that they deserve. Too often I believe that tennis players are over looked as world class athletes when in fact they are some of the best!
Tracy Lynch
Wholesale Accounts Manager
Lee Tennis Court Products
One guy looked at me like I was a freak and the other guy started to laugh. I saw this reaction as an invitation to get my point across. My first comment, tell me what your NBA and NFL players are doing in the off-season. Instantly they went into weight training, and endurance training, and hill work. As I started to laugh, the two men said what are tennis players doing in the off season? My point exactly, there isn't an off season for tennis players! At this point I had the two guys quiet and listening. Unlike football and basketball, the pro tennis player is playing in four major slams and starting in February and wrapping up in September. Not to mention the indoor season that follows the US Open and the other tournaments leading up to the slams so that they can stay on top of their games. I went on to talk about the 5+ hour match between Roger and Andy this past year at Wimbledon and made reference that most players in a NFL game are only seeing on average about 60-70 plays per game which might translates into roughly 10 minutes of actual playing time. Let’s go back and visit that endurance comment again please!
After about 30 minutes of conversation back and fourth, I had convinced the two guys of my point of view. I’m not saying that professional tennis players are better athletes than those players in the NBA and NFL, but I’m saying that they are world class athletes and should be given the recognition that they deserve. Too often I believe that tennis players are over looked as world class athletes when in fact they are some of the best!
Tracy Lynch
Wholesale Accounts Manager
Lee Tennis Court Products
Monday, November 16, 2009
Musings on Andre Agassi's Admissions
I was wondering at first if Agassi’s admissions were just to sell his book but after watching the interview I feel differently. It can’t be easy for him to deal with his demons. I admire the fact the he admitted to many of the things in his past. It takes a lot of courage and strength especially when you are in the public eye. It was very interesting for me personally to hear the story of the drug use as well as him wearing a wig. If his intentions were to sell his book…. It worked for me!! I am curious to learn more about his life. I fully intend on purchasing a copy.
Rebecca Thompson
Inside Sales Rep
Lee Tennis Court Products
Rebecca Thompson
Inside Sales Rep
Lee Tennis Court Products
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)