Speaker:

(upbeat music)

Speaker:

Welcome to the GoTennis Podcast.

Speaker:

Our conversations are uniquely engaging

Speaker:

and our tips will help you to win more matches.

Speaker:

Our mission is to keep you well informed,

Speaker:

give you what you need to improve your game

Speaker:

and help you save money.

Speaker:

We invite you to become a GoTennis Premium member

Speaker:

and join our community today.

Speaker:

(upbeat music)

Speaker:

Hey, this is Shaun with the GoTennis Podcast,

Speaker:

powered by signature tennis.

Speaker:

Check out our calendar of Metro Atlanta tennis events

Speaker:

at LetsGoTennis.com.

Speaker:

And as you're listening to this,

Speaker:

please look in your podcast app,

Speaker:

where to leave a review and do that for us.

Speaker:

We would love to earn your five star reviews.

Speaker:

Today we have a special guest,

Speaker:

RSPA Southern President Ken Andriano.

Speaker:

We ask Ken why RSPA members should attend

Speaker:

the upcoming conference.

Speaker:

We talk about the power of networking,

Speaker:

the long-lasting friendships that can be created,

Speaker:

and that you can come see us,

Speaker:

each morning at the breakfast networking sessions,

Speaker:

since we will be there representing

Speaker:

the American Racket Sports Association.

Speaker:

Have a listen and let us know what you think.

Speaker:

(upbeat music)

Speaker:

- Ken Andriano, you were our very first podcast guest.

Speaker:

- Yes.

Speaker:

- Episode 001.

Speaker:

(laughing)

Speaker:

- Yeah, great, I was.

Speaker:

- And you started low and built off.

Speaker:

It was really good.

Speaker:

- All of it.

Speaker:

- Up to you again.

Speaker:

So that, it comes full soon.

Speaker:

But today I went about the RSPA formerly USPTA.

Speaker:

I can't wait to stop saying that.

Speaker:

Like, formerly Twitter, I like that to go with.

Speaker:

- Oh gosh.

Speaker:

- We've RSPA Southern Convention,

Speaker:

which you directly involved in.

Speaker:

We have confirmed recently

Speaker:

that the American Racket Sports Association

Speaker:

will be there and will be handing out coffee and donuts.

Speaker:

The mornings of Friday and Saturday morning at eight o'clock.

Speaker:

So everybody comes to see us of course.

Speaker:

And I'm sure I'll over-mentioned that

Speaker:

'cause that's what you got to come to these things.

Speaker:

But I wanna ask you, tell us about the conference.

Speaker:

Tell us to all the coach types and the industry types.

Speaker:

I wanna convince everybody as to why they should be there.

Speaker:

- Absolutely.

Speaker:

Well, we're super excited about it this year.

Speaker:

We have a great location in Greenville, South Carolina.

Speaker:

So there's a lot to do there.

Speaker:

We're gonna be at the, let me just make sure, right,

Speaker:

the Embassy Suites Resort.

Speaker:

So we again, change.

Speaker:

A lot of years what we've done has been at clubs

Speaker:

and they're great venues.

Speaker:

But what we love about the world conference

Speaker:

is a lot of times it's right there on site.

Speaker:

We could do everything.

Speaker:

So at the Embassy, great.

Speaker:

It's, we got everything we need there.

Speaker:

And including a golf course.

Speaker:

So, one thing, we were talking about,

Speaker:

before we started this, we're always excited about the Southern.

Speaker:

Everyone we get to see.

Speaker:

But we really found out a couple things.

Speaker:

Location is something that's key.

Speaker:

And we wanted to change with the times.

Speaker:

I think education is always gonna be the point

Speaker:

of what we do for a conference, right?

Speaker:

People go there for education.

Speaker:

But honestly, is it just for education?

Speaker:

'Cause you can go online and get educated.

Speaker:

So for me, the biggest part for me isn't the education,

Speaker:

which I love the education to get me wrong.

Speaker:

But it's a social aspect.

Speaker:

It's a networking.

Speaker:

And I said, I don't think we did a good enough job

Speaker:

letting people know, why do we do this?

Speaker:

Why am I going to take a day off of work to come

Speaker:

and just see some drills and see some other things like that?

Speaker:

It's not that.

Speaker:

It's a lot about you and I sitting here

Speaker:

in between sessions talking about something.

Speaker:

Hey, what do you do in this situation?

Speaker:

Right?

Speaker:

And yeah, I'm in Georgia.

Speaker:

You might be in Tennessee, right?

Speaker:

And then how do you do it in your club?

Speaker:

Well, I can bring that to my club.

Speaker:

I can do this.

Speaker:

Oh, hey, let's hang out.

Speaker:

Let's go to this next one.

Speaker:

Yeah, so we're doing a lot of different things.

Speaker:

Like you said, with the breakfast,

Speaker:

we're doing a breakfast every day.

Speaker:

And it's kind of like a round table discussion.

Speaker:

So get up and do it.

Speaker:

It's a lot of networking.

Speaker:

Marcus Fretchi, the new director of Racket Sports

Speaker:

in Atlanta, I thought a club, I signed them on

Speaker:

for our social chair.

Speaker:

I said, so we have Alan Jensen who's done a fantastic job

Speaker:

getting the lineup.

Speaker:

We have some really top-notch speakers.

Speaker:

But I also wanted, we needed a form kind of a committee.

Speaker:

So Marcus is heading up all of our social aspects.

Speaker:

So on Thursday, golf with the legends.

Speaker:

So what we're doing is any of our hall,

Speaker:

a famous or past presidents, I'm taking care of them

Speaker:

going to golf.

Speaker:

If anybody wants to golf, they get paired with them

Speaker:

in a forcing.

Speaker:

And you got a great opportunity for aching holes

Speaker:

to golf to talk to people who have the most knowledge

Speaker:

in this country about our industry, right?

Speaker:

So we're doing that.

Speaker:

And then we have my board meeting.

Speaker:

So you guys get the fun.

Speaker:

I'll be running that.

Speaker:

But when we're done, usually we take the board out to dinner.

Speaker:

So I said, hey, let's change things up.

Speaker:

So Thursday night, instead of the board,

Speaker:

we're having a happy hour with the Southern board.

Speaker:

So anyone who comes in earlier, instead of asking

Speaker:

on to dinner, we'll buy you a couple drinks.

Speaker:

We'll hang out.

Speaker:

Maybe we'll go to dinner afterwards.

Speaker:

And we get to interact with those people that are coming.

Speaker:

So those are just a few of the changes

Speaker:

that we're doing.

Speaker:

And again, I think networking, social aspects

Speaker:

cannot be understated when you go to a convention.

Speaker:

Because just meeting a new friend, most

Speaker:

of my best friends now are in this organization, right?

Speaker:

So those are just a small little peek

Speaker:

of what we're doing in the schedule.

Speaker:

We've also added-- we have a rocket sports.

Speaker:

What does it-- I want to make sure it is a--

Speaker:

we got it set up-- a master rocket technician, Jeff Browns,

Speaker:

going to be running a certification on Saturday.

Speaker:

That's something totally new.

Speaker:

And then on Sunday, we're doing our pickleball certification

Speaker:

for people who want to get involved in pickleball.

Speaker:

And as you mentioned, formerly USPTA--

Speaker:

they were not.

Speaker:

I went to the next time meeting, and there

Speaker:

were people that said USPTA a few times.

Speaker:

So that'd be corrected.

Speaker:

So RSPA-- but I'm super excited about it

Speaker:

because we are involved in these.

Speaker:

Why don't we change some things, right?

Speaker:

I'm excited.

Speaker:

We're going to have presentations on tennis,

Speaker:

on pickleball, and pedale.

Speaker:

So it's not just for one thing.

Speaker:

So, hey, I don't know anything about pickleball.

Speaker:

Why would I do pickleball?

Speaker:

Well, here's how you can generate lesson revenue.

Speaker:

Here's how you can add it into a program, right?

Speaker:

And people have asked me, well, how do you build a program?

Speaker:

How do you have a program?

Speaker:

And no.

Speaker:

As if for me, it's three simple steps.

Speaker:

You need three components to have a program.

Speaker:

You need to have a social aspect.

Speaker:

You need to have a competition or leagues,

Speaker:

and you have to have lessons.

Speaker:

If you have those three things, you have a program.

Speaker:

You have lessons to get better, leagues to compete,

Speaker:

and then a social aspect to get people introduced.

Speaker:

So those are some things that I think the RSPA now

Speaker:

is really doing an excellent job of.

Speaker:

I like it now.

Speaker:

You've got somebody like me there,

Speaker:

because I've got invested interest

Speaker:

because of the American Ragnaracti Sports Association.

Speaker:

How do you get Bobby to show up?

Speaker:

So that's-- when you go, OK, we're going to poll our members

Speaker:

and say, OK, everybody's busy.

Speaker:

We're going to do it in mid-May, which is right in the middle

Speaker:

of everything.

Speaker:

And everybody's got a kid graduating from high school

Speaker:

or college, and all these things happening, right?

Speaker:

So Bobby, I'm going to switch this stuff on you, Ken.

Speaker:

So how does Ken get you to go to a conference that's in--

Speaker:

in this example, it's not this coming weekend or next.

Speaker:

It's two weekends from now.

Speaker:

As we record this, it's first couple of days in May.

Speaker:

It's $150 for a member.

Speaker:

Plus you've got to get a hotel room,

Speaker:

and you've got to drive up there.

Speaker:

We drive people from Atlanta.

Speaker:

It's a couple hours.

Speaker:

Bobby, what gets you to something like that?

Speaker:

Ken fails to realize is if he wants me to go those things,

Speaker:

he's got to not come to have lunch with me at Johnny's

Speaker:

and he's calm, because I have access to Ken unfairly

Speaker:

than most people do.

Speaker:

So that's probably number one.

Speaker:

Is that-- oh, Ken and I have-- we have these conversations.

Speaker:

We just do it at a different venue.

Speaker:

I love what he said.

Speaker:

I think Greenville-- you got me.

Speaker:

I mean, that's an interest.

Speaker:

I love Greenville.

Speaker:

I mean, that's a great little city.

Speaker:

They have a Jack in the Box.

Speaker:

And it's always Taco Tuesday at Jack in the Box.

Speaker:

You get four of the worst tacos that tastes great.

Speaker:

So that's intriguing right away.

Speaker:

So you know, that is right or inconvenient factor, absolutely.

Speaker:

And I think this is the energy level, too.

Speaker:

Obviously, I know Ken, I'm a big fan.

Speaker:

And I know that the energy he's going to put into it

Speaker:

to make sure it's successful is also something that's

Speaker:

going to get me to listen longer than most times.

Speaker:

And the fact he's doing it early may and not affecting

Speaker:

my Disney trip, which Ken also can relate to.

Speaker:

He's smart scheduling, too, because enough

Speaker:

for me got begun.

Speaker:

So there's a chance I can get to this one.

Speaker:

It's all about you, Bobby.

Speaker:

You know I'm a big fan of Disney as well.

Speaker:

I bet you're taking it.

Speaker:

I know kids.

Speaker:

I took my adult kids last year.

Speaker:

We're into that.

Speaker:

But I appreciate that.

Speaker:

No, we appreciate that.

Speaker:

True.

Speaker:

No, our next Johnny's is canceled if you don't go.

Speaker:

Oh, no.

Speaker:

There you go.

Speaker:

All right.

Speaker:

I can't even know what to do it.

Speaker:

So Ken, I bring up Bobby specifically,

Speaker:

because there are just so many different--

Speaker:

eight or three types, right?

Speaker:

Sure.

Speaker:

Club types.

Speaker:

Marcus has probably got his--

Speaker:

he's got it paid for because his club can--

Speaker:

Sure.

Speaker:

--if we use him as an example.

Speaker:

Plenty of people work for clubs.

Speaker:

And they might actually have a budget for these things

Speaker:

and send their coaches.

Speaker:

The national one is tough because, OK, we tried to budget for that.

Speaker:

We're going to Hawaii.

Speaker:

Well, you know, that's a bigger ticket item.

Speaker:

I think it sounds fantastic.

Speaker:

But not everybody can afford it.

Speaker:

So what's the draw as well?

Speaker:

I love the fact that we've got racket technician certification.

Speaker:

I can learn more about that.

Speaker:

Love people.

Speaker:

I think we've got quite a few people in Atlanta

Speaker:

that have already done the pickle ball.

Speaker:

If they're already going to do it.

Speaker:

And Pedal doesn't have quite the draw here yet,

Speaker:

because we just don't have enough courts

Speaker:

really to say everybody needs to go get Pedal certified

Speaker:

in the car area.

Speaker:

So how do we hit all the different types of people,

Speaker:

all the different types of industry coaches and directors

Speaker:

to be able to get everybody there?

Speaker:

That's a great question.

Speaker:

For the years I've been part of the board,

Speaker:

they were one of my biggest focuses has been--

Speaker:

there are so many different pathways.

Speaker:

You can go in the RSPA, formerly USPTA.

Speaker:

It doesn't matter.

Speaker:

And here in Bobby will tell you, you

Speaker:

have an independent pro.

Speaker:

And they can make a living here,

Speaker:

because everyone wants to know tennis.

Speaker:

You can have a Country Club Pro.

Speaker:

You can have someone's at a public facility or a corporate.

Speaker:

And then you have management companies who do bids

Speaker:

and work there and can do things like that.

Speaker:

There are people that are here, and we're working on all of them.

Speaker:

I've been very careful not to go, OK,

Speaker:

we're going to focus on the Country Club Pro.

Speaker:

But that's not all.

Speaker:

That's path I chose.

Speaker:

And it took me a little bit to go,

Speaker:

because I went from Academy route to that.

Speaker:

But my skill sets fit best there.

Speaker:

So what I like to do when I'm doing a conference

Speaker:

is really try to find out what is your pathway, what's your skill

Speaker:

set.

Speaker:

So if anyone asks me, hey, where should I go?

Speaker:

What should I do?

Speaker:

Because usually people who want to be an Academy pro

Speaker:

are going to struggle in a Country Club setting.

Speaker:

People who are in a Country Club setting

Speaker:

are going to struggle maybe being an independent contractor

Speaker:

or run a management company.

Speaker:

There's certain things that you get to do.

Speaker:

And so you have to figure out, what does your skill set fit?

Speaker:

I always say to my tennis players,

Speaker:

I go, your skill set and your mindset

Speaker:

need to match in order for you to reach your full potential.

Speaker:

If your skill set is a serve and volunteer,

Speaker:

but yet your mindset is a counter-puncture,

Speaker:

you're not going to succeed.

Speaker:

So if my skill set is an Academy pro,

Speaker:

and that's what I want to work on, but yet,

Speaker:

my mindset says I want to be in a Country Club Pro.

Speaker:

I will not succeed in that.

Speaker:

And I think we can help with that.

Speaker:

We have enough people on our board.

Speaker:

We have enough people around.

Speaker:

So if I don't know the person, I know someone who does.

Speaker:

And we can help you succeed and reach your potential.

Speaker:

And that sounds more like networking

Speaker:

and maybe some career advice, which I think is good.

Speaker:

Because when I was a young pro, and I will probably

Speaker:

see Darryl Lewis at this thing, to have him--

Speaker:

That's true.

Speaker:

--all of the stories.

Speaker:

When I was a young pro, I didn't get it.

Speaker:

I didn't understand.

Speaker:

Now, maybe I was like many.

Speaker:

I know a couple right now.

Speaker:

They're like, yeah, I'm teaching tennis right now,

Speaker:

but I don't think I'm going to stay long.

Speaker:

I don't think this is going to be my career.

Speaker:

I think that happens more than we want to admit.

Speaker:

I certainly was planning on getting out.

Speaker:

So I was like, well, why am I going to go have somebody else

Speaker:

tell me where I should do with my career.

Speaker:

And this is a little reason I'm excited to have

Speaker:

the American Racket Sports Association involved

Speaker:

is because that is what we do.

Speaker:

That is the working side that says, OK, let's figure out

Speaker:

who here knows about skill sets combined with mindset.

Speaker:

I like how you go to two things together,

Speaker:

because Bobby talks a lot.

Speaker:

His phrase is, a head pro does not a good director make.

Speaker:

I think it may not be-- that's probably terrible

Speaker:

with saying if Bobby-- I'm sorry.

Speaker:

Bobby uses more articles and pronouns than that.

Speaker:

Just use a color now.

Speaker:

Use a color that you want.

Speaker:

You're your best sales guy to manage your all of a sudden.

Speaker:

It may not work.

Speaker:

So in this case, I'm trying to get to the point

Speaker:

where we can convince the younger coaches and the independence.

Speaker:

I think those might be the ones that are making people say,

Speaker:

how do we get the guys in our-- in the Go Tennis Orbit?

Speaker:

Let's take the association out of it.

Speaker:

In the Go Tennis Orbit, it says, you guys are independent.

Speaker:

You're on your own.

Speaker:

You're looking for support.

Speaker:

You're not necessarily climbing any corporate ladder,

Speaker:

but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get some career

Speaker:

advice and some education.

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

No, I absolutely agree with you.

Speaker:

I just hired a young pro, who's 28 years old, Luke Blackman.

Speaker:

And I'm super excited to have him here.

Speaker:

He was doing some independent work.

Speaker:

He has a lot of entrepreneurial side

Speaker:

where he's really go getter and doing things.

Speaker:

Now he's learning how to fit into a team.

Speaker:

So there's three of us that I teach.

Speaker:

And the great thing about him is he's open.

Speaker:

I want to know, what do I need to do?

Speaker:

Oh, yeah, I see what you're saying there.

Speaker:

I see what you're saying here.

Speaker:

And I think a lot with the younger generation

Speaker:

is, what am I getting now?

Speaker:

What can I have right the second?

Speaker:

And not thinking as much in long-term.

Speaker:

Now, again, that's a generalization that is not for everybody.

Speaker:

I know some other pros that are really

Speaker:

wanting to build their pathway.

Speaker:

But I think we got to figure out,

Speaker:

can you make this a profession?

Speaker:

Because I'm a tennis professional.

Speaker:

I'm not just a coach.

Speaker:

There's a big difference to me.

Speaker:

I take pride in that.

Speaker:

I've done a lot of education.

Speaker:

I learn.

Speaker:

And the one thing I learn is I don't know it all.

Speaker:

I got to learn from other people.

Speaker:

I can always learn more from anyone.

Speaker:

I can learn from the pro I just hired.

Speaker:

And I already have.

Speaker:

And if I'm not open to say that, if I'm not open to learn that,

Speaker:

then I'm never going to reach anything.

Speaker:

So I think the other thing-- we talked about it.

Speaker:

We had our annual meeting with the USTA Southern Board.

Speaker:

And Brian Dumman was able to come as well.

Speaker:

And we were kind of talking about that.

Speaker:

What do you do for numbers?

Speaker:

What are you doing this?

Speaker:

It said, you know what?

Speaker:

We need to get into colleges.

Speaker:

And not only college, we need to get into high schools.

Speaker:

We need to let high schoolers know, hey, you know what?

Speaker:

You can have fun.

Speaker:

You can be outside.

Speaker:

And you can make a living.

Speaker:

You can make money.

Speaker:

But I think a lot of people, like you said, get out of college.

Speaker:

You go, hey, you know, I can wear a short story.

Speaker:

Don't get me wrong.

Speaker:

Love that.

Speaker:

Love that.

Speaker:

I can wear a short story.

Speaker:

I can make a quick buck.

Speaker:

But this is just something to type me

Speaker:

over until I find a real job.

Speaker:

And my thing is, this is a real job.

Speaker:

If you make it a career, you can make it a career.

Speaker:

But you have to find your pathway.

Speaker:

We said mindset, skill set.

Speaker:

You can be very successful.

Speaker:

I had a conversation on a men's night, pick up all.

Speaker:

And I had a member who brought a friend to his who

Speaker:

just happens to be someone who does part time with Yola.

Speaker:

You know, it does a few things, maybe a little bit of sales.

Speaker:

Coaches just a little bit, doubles, and that.

Speaker:

And that has a real job.

Speaker:

And my member just kind of joking.

Speaker:

It's like, yeah, like most of you.

Speaker:

And I said, please don't come to life that when I'm here 55 hours

Speaker:

a week, since he's a week.

Speaker:

I say, he goes, oh, because most people on our profession,

Speaker:

and I know Bobby will say the same thing,

Speaker:

is there's two responses.

Speaker:

What else do you do?

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

Or do you ever see your family?

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

There's really not a thing between it.

Speaker:

It's hard to find that work-life balance.

Speaker:

And I think that is something over the last five years.

Speaker:

And Bobby, correct me if I'm wrong, that's changing.

Speaker:

I worked six days a week my whole life.

Speaker:

And I still do.

Speaker:

My pros do not.

Speaker:

I don't want them to have to work six days.

Speaker:

I want to give them two days off in a row.

Speaker:

Yeah.

Speaker:

It's a hey, if you want to come in and make a little extra money

Speaker:

to do that, do it.

Speaker:

But there's got to be a work-life balance.

Speaker:

I've missed a lot of things in my life with my children.

Speaker:

Part of that was because I had to work

Speaker:

and had to pay my bills.

Speaker:

Other parts of what I thought I had to do.

Speaker:

So we need to do a better job.

Speaker:

I think our regime of changing a little bit the way we're

Speaker:

thinking, but also bringing the new wave up

Speaker:

and saying it's OK to do this.

Speaker:

And I agree.

Speaker:

I mean, I think that to me, that's one of the big differences

Speaker:

from when we started.

Speaker:

And even though we're older than Sean,

Speaker:

I know when Sean started because we were in the same certification

Speaker:

class is that you weren't supposed to run in to get

Speaker:

certified.

Speaker:

It was spend five years being independent.

Speaker:

You go work for somebody to side whether or not

Speaker:

you saw yourself as this being a career.

Speaker:

Explore more options.

Speaker:

See the whole picture.

Speaker:

See where you fit.

Speaker:

Again, and I think that's huge.

Speaker:

And then you would go on today.

Speaker:

And I will say this.

Speaker:

I come from a different background.

Speaker:

I say this about tennis where my trepidation is across the board.

Speaker:

I was a poor kid.

Speaker:

So I never felt like I was overly welcomed playing tennis.

Speaker:

I was poor.

Speaker:

I didn't look like everybody else.

Speaker:

I didn't have Editas.

Speaker:

I get excited about the three strides.

Speaker:

Because as a kid, I couldn't afford the three strides.

Speaker:

I played other sports.

Speaker:

So I came from-- and I was athletic.

Speaker:

So I look at tennis players and say, Jesus, any other sport,

Speaker:

I beat these guys in my hands tied and kick in my butt,

Speaker:

because I just don't have the reps.

Speaker:

So I come from it as an outsider position, never feeling

Speaker:

like tennis.

Speaker:

I love, absolutely, love the game.

Speaker:

I think it's an amazing game that can be sold because it

Speaker:

encompasses-- and then you get into this organization,

Speaker:

as you said, when you're getting into it,

Speaker:

and you don't know where you're fit to begin with,

Speaker:

those conferences are intimidating

Speaker:

because you're getting the elite of the elite.

Speaker:

Where I think what you just said should be standard viewing

Speaker:

for new people who come in.

Speaker:

I said, Tom Douglas a couple of years ago,

Speaker:

did an amazing presentation at a GPTA.

Speaker:

Just a meeting.

Speaker:

It was at Fieldstone.

Speaker:

I'll never forget it.

Speaker:

And I walked up to Tom after I said, Tom,

Speaker:

I know you're involved.

Speaker:

Why don't you go to the USPTA and say, this has to be--

Speaker:

whatever we do, when we welcome new members,

Speaker:

they have to sit here and listen to this 45 minute presentation

Speaker:

you just made to get a feel for, like you said,

Speaker:

this is not something that you're always

Speaker:

looking for a door.

Speaker:

I mean, my mentor, who I loved at that,

Speaker:

was always the same way.

Speaker:

He was like, if you don't get out by 35, you're not getting out.

Speaker:

So there was a time clock.

Speaker:

And you know, Big Greg, you know, Casha.

Speaker:

He had Greg convinced.

Speaker:

And Greg got out for 15 years.

Speaker:

He sees back now.

Speaker:

And we laughed.

Speaker:

But at 35, he was absolutely convinced.

Speaker:

I got to get out of tennis because if I don't,

Speaker:

nobody's going to take me seriously.

Speaker:

So I-- you know, that's kind of what we're trying to do here.

Speaker:

And as we're listening, I think,

Speaker:

showing that something that we really can do

Speaker:

as far as organization is really push

Speaker:

to get the people to go.

Speaker:

Because I, like I said, I felt like an outsider.

Speaker:

One of the best things I did, I went to a Southern conference

Speaker:

years ago that was held in Atlanta.

Speaker:

For whatever reason, I sat next to Howard Her.

Speaker:

Now Howard Her was one of the best players in Atlanta, South

Speaker:

African.

Speaker:

Here I am thinking, OK, I'm going to have nothing in common with him.

Speaker:

But I just-- and I made some wise-ass comment

Speaker:

at Howard, under my breath at Howard Her, Herd, and started laughing.

Speaker:

And he just became my best friend.

Speaker:

He was like, I like this wise-ass.

Speaker:

You know, who's this guy?

Speaker:

And I felt like, through an impromptu meeting,

Speaker:

here I am, I had a contact that I would have never had,

Speaker:

because I would have never approached him otherwise.

Speaker:

So how do we make it where it doesn't feel so formal

Speaker:

that I can get access to Ken and go to Johnny's as well?

Speaker:

Yes.

Speaker:

Ken, if I can take that one, because I

Speaker:

think of the thing-- one of the things I'm

Speaker:

trying to do now and why I send messages to people,

Speaker:

sometimes I use the phrase skipping the line.

Speaker:

Now we're all of an age that we've been networking for 20,

Speaker:

30 years.

Speaker:

And maybe we can just go ahead and make that phone call and say,

Speaker:

oh, I know the guy we need to talk to, right?

Speaker:

But the young guys in the organization don't necessarily

Speaker:

have that.

Speaker:

So this is a way you can potentially skip the line,

Speaker:

because you're the young person in the industry.

Speaker:

And you start going to these things.

Speaker:

If it costs you $150, so you can get your boss to pay for it

Speaker:

even better.

Speaker:

But you can go and start meeting these people

Speaker:

that are really well connected, one that

Speaker:

mean a lot for your next job.

Speaker:

But also, even from the independent types,

Speaker:

it's networking of somebody else to help you

Speaker:

when you want to go big on an event.

Speaker:

But you could just skip the line a little bit,

Speaker:

rather than doing what I did, which is wait in the years,

Speaker:

and then start going to these things.

Speaker:

I mean, you've hit the nail in the head.

Speaker:

I mean, that's the thing.

Speaker:

I mean, two of my best friends are--

Speaker:

I met through this.

Speaker:

One person that I was going to--

Speaker:

do you remember this?

Speaker:

When the World Conference in Diplomat Hotel

Speaker:

in Hollywood, Florida, it was when liquid metal was popping out

Speaker:

with the head, because head was our main sponsor.

Speaker:

And liquid metal man was there.

Speaker:

And one of my best brands from high school,

Speaker:

Chris Stevens, who's in Maine, he's

Speaker:

in New Hampshire there.

Speaker:

He had the rental car.

Speaker:

Where I'm going, he goes, you know,

Speaker:

I'm going to be late.

Speaker:

I can't make it.

Speaker:

You're going to have to meet with Frank.

Speaker:

I'm like, well, who's Frank?

Speaker:

Frank Morris it, right?

Speaker:

I'm like, OK, who's Frank?

Speaker:

He goes, well, you meet him at the airport.

Speaker:

You'll see me.

Speaker:

He's got a done-luck bag, a little pronounce chin.

Speaker:

I'm like, OK, I'm not going to--

Speaker:

I'm going to airport in Florida.

Speaker:

I'm never going to find this guy.

Speaker:

I walked around.

Speaker:

I picked him out of like 50 people.

Speaker:

I walked up, I go, Frank.

Speaker:

He's like, can?

Speaker:

I'm like, yeah.

Speaker:

We had to wait for about an hour and a half

Speaker:

before Chris got there.

Speaker:

Well, Chris got there, finally.

Speaker:

Frank and I, I felt like we had known each other for 15 years.

Speaker:

Literally, I was supposed to room with Chris.

Speaker:

I ended up rooming with Frank.

Speaker:

Because he had another-- because Chris had someone else

Speaker:

that would come in it.

Speaker:

And we've been friends ever since.

Speaker:

And Frank was supposed to go to a conference

Speaker:

he couldn't make it and his buddy Tom went.

Speaker:

Well, Tom Parks is the past Southern president.

Speaker:

And again, one of my dearest friends.

Speaker:

The thing about this is we're all heading

Speaker:

in a similar direction.

Speaker:

Not the same exact club or independent pro or management

Speaker:

company.

Speaker:

But we all have a similar view.

Speaker:

We all love the game of tennis.

Speaker:

Now, whether you love the game of pickleball,

Speaker:

whether you love the game of pedel, whether it's the best thing

Speaker:

for you, I don't judge that.

Speaker:

I said, it's just part of what our society is now.

Speaker:

But who do you tend to have as good friends?

Speaker:

People who have mutual interest in.

Speaker:

What better place to find your best friends in here?

Speaker:

I said, I'm going to date myself.

Speaker:

I love through this.

Speaker:

I have a great Rolex.

Speaker:

And then I want to head back on an oil.

Speaker:

I can pick up my phone.

Speaker:

And if I need something, I can scroll down

Speaker:

to figure out who I need to call.

Speaker:

I know I got.

Speaker:

Bobby, I know I can give you a call.

Speaker:

Say, I'm struggling with something.

Speaker:

Would you help me?

Speaker:

And I know you'd help me in heartbeat.

Speaker:

Would me question you?

Speaker:

You'd still call me.

Speaker:

And I would do the same thing.

Speaker:

It's just the more those people you have,

Speaker:

the better off you're going to be in life in general.

Speaker:

And so much of that is lucky.

Speaker:

But so much of it is just who you are, too, Ken.

Speaker:

And I mean, and I think there's a degree of,

Speaker:

especially when you're young and coming up, don't fight it.

Speaker:

Be humble.

Speaker:

Take it like I was very lucky to meet Howard.

Speaker:

I was very lucky to be Dennis Horde,

Speaker:

who was just brought down here by two Davis Cup captains.

Speaker:

I was very lucky to be John Hanna and, you know, have Tom.

Speaker:

Anyway.

Speaker:

So, you know, you sit there and go.

Speaker:

So through all this, you know, very lucky to go to graduate school

Speaker:

with Billy Payt, who introduces me to the Atlanta Thunder,

Speaker:

who just happens to have Jeff Benton sitting there working

Speaker:

at Wendy Hill Athletic Club, because he doesn't want to follow

Speaker:

in his dad's co-tales until the next year when he decides

Speaker:

to follow through it.

Speaker:

But now I know Jeff.

Speaker:

So now I'm involved with the senior tour.

Speaker:

So I, you know, extraordinarily lucky in so many ways

Speaker:

to have the cat, you know, South East and Cadillac rep

Speaker:

as a member of Windom Year.

Speaker:

So we go, you know, we sponsor tournaments unbelievably lucky.

Speaker:

So, you know, and I'll never get, so that's why, you know,

Speaker:

I feel the need to give back somewhat,

Speaker:

but so much of it is just the ability to sit down

Speaker:

and have an iced tea with us, have a piece of pizza with us

Speaker:

and see us, like you said, without the same hat on.

Speaker:

You know, we have a country club hat,

Speaker:

but we also have a hat that we're going to see.

Speaker:

And it's fun to talk about the business side of it

Speaker:

when we're alone because we have shared experiences.

Speaker:

A lot of things don't need to be said, you know.

Speaker:

- Oh man.

Speaker:

- And we just have to, we get a pick-a-ball event

Speaker:

at Windom Year this past weekend

Speaker:

and there was a young pick-a-ball pro

Speaker:

and the kid was just infectious.

Speaker:

And I'm like, wow, this kid is good.

Speaker:

Now he's a puppy.

Speaker:

So you're going to go through some,

Speaker:

he's going to wet the car for the couple of times.

Speaker:

- Yeah.

Speaker:

- And in your heart and heart, you sit there looking at this kid

Speaker:

and say, there's not a mean bone in this body.

Speaker:

So if he screws up, it's not malicious, it's too excitement.

Speaker:

But you know, that's, you got to get excited about that

Speaker:

'cause we had that passion.

Speaker:

We had that passion.

Speaker:

- I want that energy.

Speaker:

- You want the energy.

Speaker:

I want it around me.

Speaker:

Hey, I'm getting older.

Speaker:

That kid can bring me some energy.

Speaker:

I'm all about it.

Speaker:

And you know, that's why, again, come back to the events,

Speaker:

making a more friendly user-friendly in an environment

Speaker:

that you don't feel like, oh, I'm a, you know, I'm norming nobody.

Speaker:

Thank you Patricia Chenson for that line.

Speaker:

You know, and why am I here?

Speaker:

You don't have to be somebody.

Speaker:

Just listen, listen and get some,

Speaker:

and if something strikes and nerve-rhythm,

Speaker:

you have something to say, stay in.

Speaker:

Because if you hit home, you'll probably say it well.

Speaker:

So don't be afraid.

Speaker:

So, you know, again, I think the Greenville location,

Speaker:

and great obviously leadership in creating that environment

Speaker:

is so important.

Speaker:

And good time of year.

Speaker:

Good time of year to do it.

Speaker:

- Absolutely.

Speaker:

And we normally do have it a few weeks later,

Speaker:

but that was the one thing.

Speaker:

We really love the location.

Speaker:

We did scout it out a few times.

Speaker:

And you know, Marcus was big on that.

Speaker:

Did a lot of legwork and then Pat drove out there to check it out.

Speaker:

But, you know, it's like the reason we didn't have it on the week

Speaker:

was really just because, you know,

Speaker:

we couldn't have certain venues.

Speaker:

So we were in an off to look at some other areas.

Speaker:

And we were looking at another club that was local,

Speaker:

but we just couldn't use a lot of the amenities.

Speaker:

And it's like, well, we're gonna go here and there.

Speaker:

And my this is a one-stop shop.

Speaker:

I mean, literally, if you're flying in,

Speaker:

there's shuttle service to the embassy suite.

Speaker:

I don't know if people know that.

Speaker:

It's also, it's walking distance to downtown, right?

Speaker:

It's not a short, it's a nice little weapon, not that much.

Speaker:

There's also shuttle service there.

Speaker:

We're gonna do that, you know, from the happy hour.

Speaker:

Like if we go downtown, we're gonna take care of that.

Speaker:

You know, so I think there's just a lot of different things

Speaker:

that we're trying to do, but the mentorship, I think,

Speaker:

is good.

Speaker:

And Sean, great point, skip the line, right?

Speaker:

I want our younger pros to be able to skip the line

Speaker:

and some of the things.

Speaker:

I tell people all the time, I know what I know

Speaker:

'cause I messed up a lot and I learned from it.

Speaker:

I don't know what I want.

Speaker:

I don't know what I know 'cause I'm perfect.

Speaker:

I had a lot of people that I was willing to learn from

Speaker:

that were willing to teach me.

Speaker:

And I was willing to fail forward.

Speaker:

And then I think that's a hard thing.

Speaker:

You gotta be, I spent some part of my career

Speaker:

not getting much done because I was so scared to fail.

Speaker:

And I had one of my bosses, I'll never forget it.

Speaker:

He goes, you're so worried about doing something wrong

Speaker:

that you're not doing anything.

Speaker:

I'd rather you do something to fail and get something done

Speaker:

and we could fix it than just being worried

Speaker:

about making it perfect.

Speaker:

Some of the best advice I ever got.

Speaker:

- Take some chances, I don't like it, Bob.

Speaker:

- You got anything else for Ken?

Speaker:

- No, I'll see him next Thursday.

Speaker:

(laughing)

Speaker:

- All right, brother, you will, I want to see you.

Speaker:

I want to see you.

Speaker:

- He's not even getting in line, he's just,

Speaker:

no, he's driving the dang bus.

Speaker:

I said, Bob, he's there, it's like, whoa, whoa.

Speaker:

- Exactly, I'm a big Hamilton fan.

Speaker:

I just want to be in the room where it happened.

Speaker:

I don't have to be George Washington.

Speaker:

I just want to be where in the room where it happened.

Speaker:

That's it.

Speaker:

- I'm gonna try to make you agree, Bob.

Speaker:

- I don't know.

Speaker:

- Ken, I appreciate your time, thank you so much

Speaker:

and we will get this out as quickly as possible

Speaker:

and I will at least my wife and I and our son

Speaker:

will be in South Carolina in a couple of weeks

Speaker:

and I'll try to talk Bobby into it,

Speaker:

but like you said, you got everything he needs.

Speaker:

- You know, we got happy hours,

Speaker:

you get a couple drinks each day.

Speaker:

I know you get your Coca-Cola's there, Bob.

Speaker:

- That guy's your Michael.

Speaker:

- You got my co-op.

Speaker:

- You getcha, you can getcha, yeah,

Speaker:

but here's the thing, that's what I love about this place

Speaker:

that has a few little different things that we can do

Speaker:

that are helping people get together

Speaker:

and want to be together.

Speaker:

- Well, there you have it.

Speaker:

We want to thank reGeovinate.com for use of the studio

Speaker:

and Signature Tennis for their support

Speaker:

and be sure to hit that follow button.

Speaker:

For more Racket Sports content,

Speaker:

you can go to LetsGoTennis.com

Speaker:

and while you're there,

Speaker:

check out our calendar of events,

Speaker:

great deals on Racket Sports products, apparel, and more.

Speaker:

If you're a coach, director of any Racket Sports

Speaker:

or just someone who wants to utilize our online shop,

Speaker:

contact us about setting up your own shop collection

Speaker:

to offer your branded merchandise

Speaker:

to the Racket Sports world.

Speaker:

And with that, we're out.

Speaker:

See you next time.

Speaker:

(upbeat music)

Speaker:

(upbeat music)