Spring 2026 (1)

YYANKEE ANKEE PPROSE ROSE

The Newsletter of the RSPA New England Division

SPRING 2026

May 2-3, 2026

SPEAKERS

RSPA

New England Board of Directors

Division President: Milan Kubala stowemiles@gmail.com

Regional Vice President:

Wilbur Shardlow shardlowtennis@roadrunner com

Treasurer: Stu Lehr stuartklehr@gmail.com

Secretary: Nestor Bernabe nestortennis@gmail.com

Vice President: Glenny Hay glennychay@gmail.com

Vice President: Dan McCormick danmccormick1@comcast.net

Past President: Lisa Wilcott metennis@comcast.net

NE Executive Director: Pam Dodman pam.dodman@rspa.net

A Message from New England President, Milan Kubala

Dear RSPA Community,

As president of RSPA New England, I am pleased to personally invite you to join us for the 2026 RSPA New England Conference, taking place May 2–3 at the brand-new Hatfield Rally House.

This two-day gathering is designed specifically for racquet sports professionals across New England, bringing together teaching pros, club leaders, coaches, and industry partners for meaningful education, collaboration, and connection.

The Summit will feature a mix of on-court and off-court workshops, practical learning sessions, and ample time to connect with fellow professionals who share a passion for growing the game. Whether you are looking to sharpen your coaching skills, exchange ideas with peers, or expand your professional network, the Summit offers a valuable and energizing experience.

Highlights include:

Educational workshops led by experienced racquet sports professionals

On-court sessions and demonstrations focused on coaching, programming, and player development

Networking opportunities with peers from across the New England racquet sports community

The opportunity to experience the new Hatfield Rally House, an exciting new facility for racquet sports programming

Our goal is to create a collaborative environment where professionals can learn from one another, share best practices, and strengthen the racquet sports community throughout New England.

I hope you will join us for what promises to be an inspiring and engaging weekend.

Please save the date: May 2–3. Click here to register.

I look forward to seeing you in Hatfield.

Warm regards, Milan Kubala President, RSPA New England Racquet Sports Professionals Association Elite Professional

Connecticut: Kent Chalmers

chalmerstennis@gmail.com

Maine: Dan Granholm daniel.granholm@mdirss.org

Massachusetts: TBD Contact: Stu Lehr

New Hampshire: TBD Contact: Milan Kubala

Rhode Island: Mike Michaud mike.mmtennis@gmail.com & Barbara Delmondes barbara.delmondes@gmail.com

Vermont: Joyce Doud jdoud@edgevt.com

2026 RSPA New England Division Conference

May 2-3

SPEAKERS

Michele Krause

Bharat Karunakaran

Greg Moran

Lex Carrington

Tracy Almeda Singian

Darius Greenbacher

2026 RSPA New England Division Conference May 2-3

Schedule

Saturday, May 2

7:30 a.m. – Registration

8:30–9:15 a.m. – Women’s Roundtable (open to all)

9:30–10:30 a.m. – Tracy Almeida Singian: Lessons From My Coaches—Drills That Still Deliver

10:45–11:15 a.m. – RSPA Membership Meeting

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. – Michele Krause: Cardio Tennis—Signature Games

12:45–2:15 p.m. – AWARDS LUNCH

2:30–3:30 p.m. – Lex Carrington: Privates, Parents, and Programs

3:45–4:45 p.m. – Greg Moran: Beyond Hours and Dollars

5–6:00 p.m. – Bharat Karunakaran: The Impact of Paddle Technology

6–7:30 p.m. – Cardio Feeding Contest, Happy Hour, Networking, and Raffle

7:30 p.m. – RSPA After Hours

Sunday, May 3

7:30 a.m. – Registration

8:30–9:30 a.m. – Michele Krause: Cardio Tennis—The Triples Experience

9:45–10:45 a.m. – Bharat Karunakaran: Pickleball Trends in Strategy and Shot Selection

11 a.m.–12 p.m. – Session to Be Announced

12:15–1:15 p.m. – Darius Greenbacher: Career Longevity in Our Physically Demanding Role

1:30 p.m. – Closing Remarks

2–6 p.m. – Pickleball Certification (separate registration required)

Hotel Information: Must be booked by April 4 for the discounted rates. th

TownePlace Suites by Marriott Hadley Amherst, 237 Russell Street, Hadley (800-445-2661)

Reservation-Link

$175/night + tax

Hampton Inn Hadley-Amherst, 24 Bay Road, Hadley (800-426-7866)

Available Rooms link

$174/night + tax

2026 Olympic SkiMo Coach 4th Place 2026

USTA New England Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Maine Tennis Association Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Paul Fein

2025 Sports Media Award Longlist Recognition

Giving Back

Barbados Trip 2026

by Lisa Wilcott; RSPA Elite Professional, immediate RSPA NE Board Past President

For the past 25 years, I have returned to Barbados each February to teach tennis to hotel guests and local students as a visiting professional. It is always a unique winter experience and a welcome break from Maine’s cold

Years ago, I volunteered with Alexine Marshall, a top female tennis professional in Barbados who ran weekly lessons for local schoolchildren on rough park courts Escorted by their gym teacher, the students arrived in uniform and lined up for structured classes Over time, I learned that Alexine was certified, had a daughter who played college tennis in the United States, and officiated at Davis Cup matches We became friends, and I supported her efforts whenever possible

Sadly, after battling breast cancer for several years, Alexine passed away, bringing an end to her tennis program and the weekly classes for the children.

To honor her memory and her love of the game, I have continued supporting youth tennis in Barbados. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I donated supplies when in-person classes were not possible. In recent years, we have held tennis clinics on the school’s grass field, an experience the children truly enjoy. This year, students eagerly asked if they could participate again, and I recognized many familiar faces still smiling.

I have developed a strong relationship with the Team FAME program at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, where I worked as a tennis instructor for two years after spending three decades as tennis director at York Golf & Tennis in Maine

Lisa in 2014 in Barbados!

Giving Back Barbados Trip 2026

CONTINUED

In recent years, each new Team FAME class has participated in a pen pal exchange with students in Barbados While exchanging letters can occasionally be challenging, the dedication of teachers and supporters in both countries keeps the program going. I assure the Barbados students that I will personally deliver their letters, and that the Team FAME students will respond

This year, we had over 30 eight- and nine-yearolds playing relays and practicing ball skills under the hot sun, introducing tennis to another group of students. I explained the pen pal project, shared information about tennis and the Team Fame program, and responded to many questions. Additionally, I brought valentines and candy boxes for each Team Fame student, which they thoroughly enjoyed. To further support tennis at their school, I donated more than a dozen racquets, targets, cones, balls, and a teaching bag this year

Four days after returning home, I gave the letters to Team Fame class and watched the kids enjoy messages from their new friends in Barbados I'm sure they'll write back, and I look forward to repeating this next year

Certification Workshops

Level 1 Tennis & Pickleball Certification Workshops

Once again, the RSPA New England is fortunate to have passionate and knowledgeable professionals wanting to join our organization! We continue to offer certification workshops in a variety of racquet sports You can find upcoming certification workshops on the next page.

Encourage friends or colleagues, that are net yet certified, to look into all the benefits the RSPA has to offer!

Certification Workshops

Racquet Sport Analytics What Serve Stats Actually Win Matches?

by Chris Nordenson; RSPA Elite Professional

With the growing availability of match statistics and more recently, AI analytics it has become increasingly important for players and coaches to understand how to interpret and apply data effectively. Understanding which serve metrics actually impact winning can help players train more efficiently and make better in match decisions. Among the many performance indicators in tennis, serve statistics remain one of the most influential.

Over a 16 month period, match data was collected from more than 200 singles sets of Bates Men’s and Women’s Tennis, with player UTRs ranging from 5 to 12. The dataset included both men’s and women’s matches and was analyzed at the set level rather than by full match Analyzing by set allowed for more detailed understanding as performance can vary significantly within a match. The findings point to a clear performance profile associated with winning. Players were significantly more likely to win sets when they:

Had over 60% of first serves in

Won at least 65% of first serve points

Won at least 50% of second serve points

In practical terms, players who consistently met these benchmarks - first serve percentage, first serve points won, second serve points wonoperated within a “winning zone” for serve performance. Rather than relying on one dominant statistic, success was most often tied to being solid across all three benchmark areas.

Among these benchmarks, second serve performance emerged as the most influential When players won approximately 55% or more of their second serve points, their likelihood of winning increased substantially. Conversely, when that number fell below 45%, losses became far more common This made second serve points won the single strongest separator between winning and losing in this dataset.

The analysis also challenges a common assumption about first serve percentage. While often emphasized, first serve percentage alone showed limited correlation with winning. Players were able to win sets with first serve percentages near 50%, while others lost despite landing 70–80% of their first serves. The data suggests that effectiveness measured by points won matters far more than simply putting the serve in play.

Racquet Technology/Analyses

What Serve Stats Actually Win Matches?

CONTINUED

Further supporting this, first serve points won showed a much stronger relationship with outcomes. Players who won around 70% of first serve points were consistently in a strong position to win, while those dropping below 60% saw a noticeable decline in success. In other words, higher serve performance (winning first serve points) directly translated to an increased likelihood of winning sets.

A practical example reinforces this point. In one tracked match, a player landed over 85% of first serves but won less than 40% of those points Despite the high first serve percentage, the lack of effectiveness made it difficult to win points. This highlights the gap between consistency and effectiveness.

Overall, the findings reinforce a key takeaway: serve effectiveness is more important than serve consistency alone. This is especially true on the second serve, where performance appears to have the greatest impact on match results. The data also suggests the existence of a performance “floor” approximately 60% on first serve points won and 40% on second serve points won below which winning becomes significantly less likely.

While this dataset is limited to one college and a specific UTR range, the trends align with broader patterns seen across competitive tennis. These results highlight the need for players and coaches to move beyond the “just get it in” mentality and instead focus on developing serves that consistently win points.

Chris Nordenson is an RSPA Elite Pro with nearly 15 years of coaching experience across club, high school, and collegiate levels, working with players ranging from beginners to advanced competitors. In addition to his coaching background, he brings over 25 years of experience as a competitive player, actively participating in leagues and tournaments Since Fall 2024, Chris has served as the assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s tennis programs at Bates College, where he specializes in video analysis and performance analytics

Member Benefits

Are You Aware of ALL the Benefits

Available

to You?

In addition to the ability to get certified in 5 racquet sports for one membership fee, in addition to the “nonstop professional development” from industry leaders, in addition to being part of a connected community of colleagues, in addition to the liability insurance and health insurance options, there are over 24 endorsees that provide you discounts in a wide range of products and services.

IT’S A TON OF STUFF and the RSPA continually looks for more ways to increase the value of your membership!!

Click here to see all the benefits, and click on these press releases to see some of the newest benefits!

Hightlights Include: