Raising the bar
This site is all about connection and collaboration. I believe together we can collectively contribute to raising the bar across the industry. It is often forgotten just how massive the tennis industry is. No matter what you interest you have you could connect it to tennis and create your dream job.
Last week I had someone tell me they flunked their exams at school, had no further education options, had no aspirations or ambitions……. so they were going to go into tennis coaching!!
Now, those of you that know me well can picture my face when he said it. My response was a resounding ‘over my dead body’. There is no doubt things have moved on considerably in the 23 years I have been coaching but there is still a very long way to go before tennis has genuine and varied career paths. My thoughts are fairly simple, I don’t care what part of the tennis industry you get into just make sure you give it 100% and take pride in your work.
Over the coming months we will build up a number of other options where you could work within the tennis industry.
To start with we will explore how you could potentially become a stringer on the ATP/WTA tour as well as the slams.
It is often said the advancement of tennis strings have had the biggest impact in playability at the top end of the game. The reality is this could have an effect on players of all levels. With better education and awareness every tennis player could benefit from going to a professional stringer.
Just as with coaching, you will find people who go into stringing to make a little extra money. This is perfectly understandable but the problem with this is these people are often self taught. This leads to rackets being strung badly and in some cases incorrectly leading to frames being damaged and the playability being way off full potential.
Following on from Huw Philips of Racketspec article we have decided to join forces to raise the profile of ERSA and help raise the bar within the stringing industry within the UK.
“Our mission at ERSA is to educate our members and consumers to better understand, service, perform with and enjoy all the technological wonders of racquets, strings, balls, courts, shoes and stringing machines. ERSA accomplishes these goals through information technology products, Racquet Tech Europe magazine, ERSA Stringer’s Digest, ERSA e-Newsletter, workshops, certification and product testing.
ERSA was founded in the summer of 2001 as a partner corporation of the United States Racquet Stringers Association (USRSA).
We still have a cooperation with and offer the same Certification Tests as the USRSA. We now have over 3,000 members in over 30 countries including leaders of the racquet sports industry, racquet specialists, teaching professionals, sporting goods retailers, manufacturers, sales organisations and racquet sports enthusiasts. Our Racquet Tech Europe magazine is published in English and German; and our ERSA Stringer’s Digest, Study Guides and Tests are now available in English, French, Spanish and Italian.”
Huw Philips
If you would like to know about ERSA check out our website
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