December 2008 -- Question: I continue to see articles and other publicity for Tennis - for the health of it!??SM It seems that USPTA has created a winner with this new initiative. As we are at the end of 2008, would you provide a summary of what has been accomplished and where we see ourselves heading over the next few years?
Answer: Yes, 2008 has been a banner year for public relations for USPTA and its overall PR campaign, That's Who We Are. I first would like to tie together the concept of "That's Who We Are" with
Tennis - for the health of it! So, I begin by asking, "Who are we?"
USPTA is the largest and most widely recognized trade association in the world for certified tennis-teaching professionals. Our brand is recognized throughout the tennis industry and our goal, as your trade association, is to continue building the brand of USPTA and to serve you in education, improved certification practices, heightened technology, and career development. In essence, USPTA works to improve how the world values our certification and anyone who wears the brand of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA). How do we accomplish this?
We need to make sure that the USPTA is first clearly identified through our public relations efforts as the world's best organization of tennis teachers and all that entails in the general tennis realm. For example, we need to clearly explain to CMAA and IHRSA that USPTA's tennis-teaching certification is the best in the world and it's why they should hire USPTA professionals. We need to also clearly communicate to the public that if they want to take a tennis lesson they should look for the USPTA brand or someone who is a USPTA-certified professional to guarantee that they receive top-notch instruction, world-class professionalism and a tennis-teaching professional who is held to the highest standard of certification and education. As far as any health-related groups, we need to explain that our certified professionals meet the highest standards in our industry and that they are uniquely qualified to offer programs to help people get fit and maintain their health.
Tennis - for the health of it! was introduced in January 2008, in a continued effort to improve our brand and drive business to our members in their respective communities by making people aware of the tremendous health benefits of tennis and encouraging them to play the sport as part of their regular fitness regimen. In less than a year,
Tennis - for the Health of it! has become a leading initiative in the overall PR campaign of That's Who We Are.
Tennis - for the health of it! has really helped get the USPTA on the map and let people know who the USPTA is in the broadest sense. In fact,
Tennis - for the health of it! is more than a PR initiative; it is a call to action for the entire industry! Every USPTA member has access to newly created PR Tools on our member Web site to help publicize themselves, their programs and their organizations. We have made a "Call to Ambassadors" to help create regional momentum and to actually "test" how we effective we are being (NOTE: If you haven't signed up as an Ambassador, please do so at www.uspta.com). The response to the Call for Ambassadors has been tremendous and we are getting great feedback from our people in the field. We have also reached out to physicians who are members of USPTA and they are serving as a focus group and as a sounding board to USPTA about how we will effectively enter the medical community.
To that end, I am sure you are aware of our alliance with the American College of Sports Medicine. This programmatic partnership continues to grow with constant conversations about how we can enter the medical community and create a safe environment for them to recommend tennis through USPTA to their patients. For some of you, this might seem like a slow process, but we are convinced that this must be done right to ensure programmatic success.
To kick off the partnership with ACSM, a nationwide announcement and press conference took place in Houston in conjunction with a Tennis Across America™ clinic held with the Zina Garrison Tennis Academy. In attendance were Zina Garrison and Adrian Hutber, Ph.D., Vice President of ACSM's Exercise is Medicine initiative, which is being launched in conjunction with the American Medical Association. Hutber remarked that, "ACSM is thrilled to be partnering with the USPTA. The scientifically proven benefits of a correctly implemented tennis-based exercise program combined with the USPTA's strong network of highly qualified teaching professionals make this partnership a very natural fit for both organizations, and one that we are confident has the potential to make a significant contribution to the health of the American public." We are in discussions with IHRSA and several other groups to combine
Tennis - for the health of it! with their health initiatives and ultimately promote "That's Who We Are!" We are also working with individual advocates, such as Mick Cornett, the mayor of Oklahoma City, who has been promoting the concept of
Tennis - for the health of it! due to his own experiences losing weight playing tennis. He attended a Tennis Across America event in Oklahoma City, was featured in the August issue of
ADDvantage and is encouraging his city to get healthy and fit through a challenge to lose one million pounds.
My friend, the future is bright! There are numerous alliances being created, involvement in congressional bills/actions, and other plans in place to grow our brand and your business.
Yes, opportunities abound! But, USPTA needs you to play a role. USPTA can open doors, and USPTA can step through those open doors but YOU, USPTA's certified member, will be the one to really make it all happen. I ask you to stay excited and to bear with us as we slowly progress through some previously unopened portals. We are reaching out to groups, organizations, and markets that, before 2008, had no idea who USPTA was. And, now through
Tennis - for the health of it! we are creating alliances with these same organizations!
To me, this is one seriously exciting time for USPTA! By clearly and strategically defining That's Who We Are, we will further grow the game, clearly establish USPTA as the group to deliver all tennis programs in the most effective way, build our brand and get one step closer to becoming a household name. The hope is that you will jump in with both feet and get connected more than ever in your community. This initiative is not an exclusive club, it is a totally inclusive call to action! USPTA wants the industry and the world to truly realize that "That's Who We Are!"
Send questions to jgroppel@LGEPerformance.com.
