Just Two Words

"Be thankful for what you have;
you'll end up having more.
If you concentrate on what you don't have,
you will never, ever have enough."-Oprah

It's Monday evening at HIGH-TECH TENNIS and it seems like we just got home (cuz we DID-just 24 hours ago) from an amazingly amazing trip to SC. Our heads are spinning with excitement about the unexpected new doors that are opening to unexpected new opportunities and we'll have much, much more to share later -- want two clues?
O.K...LTP Tennis and Wild Dunes Resort. 

But first, we had to deal with a little reality (clothes needed washing and timing belts needed replacing-two crucial items that demanded attention) before we take off again in the morning for KY.

For the first time in 5 years, we'll miss our home-away-from-home: Thanksgiving at the Mobile Tennis Center was special in lots of ways. First, it was the holiday banquet that every single parent, player, and video person :) was invited to at the Mobile Marriott; then it was a few years of Johnny's home-cooked meal (with all the fixins) prepared onsite-right at the tennis center! Then the USTA cut the draw in half but combined the BG14s and the BG18s...Then they moved the entire event to Pensacola. JOY!!! If you think it's hard to plan your tennis calendars, just try to imagine the stress of paying your mortgage-YIKES!!! 

Oh well...We were thankful for a rare holiday of NOT working. Maybe we (or should I say DANNY, lol) would prepare a special dinner for ourselves. I have trouble boiling water - but Danny's a great cook (out of necessity, he says)! But then the tournament referree for the Fall Southern Closed contacted us and invited us to participate (for a fee, mind you). Only a few, great tournament directors are smart enough to recognize that we're an amenity and we make tournaments better. Alas, too many see only the opportunity to make a few extra bucks...sigh. This might be the first and the last year but we're off to Louisville and we're hoping for the best. Then, about four weeks later, we'll be back in Louisville for the Winter Southern Closed.
See why we can't afford to neglect our car?!?!?

Meantime---While we try to figure this stuff out, we know that we couldn't possibly do what we do without the wonderful customer friends who do what they do and we think it's important to thank all the really wonderful people who make our really wonderful lives possible.

So to all those special people, we have just TWO WORDS to say:

Tennis Goes High-Tech for Juniors

Tennis Goes High-Tech for JuniorsMobile Press-Register, Mobile, AL, March 20, 2012

Julie Thiets and her husband Danny are firm believers that everyone can improve their tennis game, even the world’s best players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

To drive their point home, the couple created HIGH-TECH TENNIS, a video service which travels to tennis tournaments throughout the Southeast. Danny is a former Florida tennis pro, who works with the players while Julie films the sessions.

The couple is in Mobile for the USTA National Spring Championships at the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center. The tournament features the top 256 boys and girls (128 each) from across the United States.

“We’re here at least six times a year, for the major tournaments such as this one and the Bullfrog,” Julie Thiets said. “We also made a trip to town last year for the Gulf Coast Tennis Challenge back in September featuring Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick.”

Even though most of the players in the tournament already have college scholarships, they welcome the video service’s help.

“When you get to this level, these are competitive planers,” she said. “They’re looking for any edge they can get and these videos give them that edge. They study them, take them back to their coaches, and use them for their next match to help them improve.

“Our videos have helped kids get into qualifier matches and into major evens such as the Orange Bowl. We do recruitment videos for colleges, too.”

Read the Fine Print

Reading the fine print seems a bit cliche, but it helps to avoid misunderstandings so from time to time, we print it on our website or on our materials or other places where people can read it so that IT IS CLEAR.

We are not in the business of producing wedding videos. We're simply trying to help tennis players play better tennis --- because we realize they don't know what they're missing if they can't see what they're missing. Not only that...you better believe that all the top players are using video - WHY? Because they know something you should know: VIDEO WORKS.

We'll make every effort to mount the camera so we capture the best possible angle but we cannot be responsible for sun, rain, wind, cameras that shift out of position due to players who run into the fence, bugs or other debris that lands on the camera lens while the match is being played, or any of a multitude of factors that are beyond our control!

We format our DVDs to play in your DVD player so you can watch it on your TV. Every single customer has a different computer configuration and many have different needs. We frequently receive requests for help from customers who want to upload, download, or edit their video. Sorry, but we are just not qualified to help!

If you are dissatisfied with the quality of your DVD playing in your DVD player connected to your TV, please contact us within 30 days. We'll promptly send you a replacement DVD that should correct the problem. If you are still dissatisfied, we will refund your money in full. Can't get more fair than that!

OUR PROMISE

We will ALWAYS do our very best to make sure you are delighted with your video. If, for whatever reason, this is NOT the case, just contact us and
let us make it right.

A promise is a promise. Our reputation means everything to us and
we work to protect it in every way on every day!
This goes without saying to those who have known us over the years!
:)

The Curse Is Broken!



We've been in business---and going to Macon several times a year---for 6+ years...I wish I could explain why but we almost never have a positive experience there...The only explanation is that we're cursed when it comes to junior tournaments in Macon.

We arrived on Friday (after watching FED come back from 0-5 in the 2nd set tiebreaker against Del Potro in the Dubai semi-finals OMG-LONG LIVE THE FED!!!) We'd planned to leave by noon but I have my priorities and FED is my obsession so we didn't leave until after 2PM. No matter - we arrived and set up, determined to break the curse this year. Alas, mother nature had other plans, she was was causing heartbreaking destruction throughout the midwest, and she had her eye on the south. :(

Fortunately, the storms we faced on Saturday in Macon didn't even come close to the devastation that they dealt with in the midwest - THANK GOD! The only thing we had to deal with was a huge rain delay that prevented things from starting as scheduled (we finally got started at 2PM) and then the day got rained out for good at 6PM...So far, we'd been in Macon for more than 24 hours and players played for 4 hours...not good for anyone, including video companies that are trying to make money to pay their mortgage. Then a former customer asked if we were randomly recording matches - YES - and he said he might randomly buy the match for his son if we randomly recorded it. Of course we did but at the end of the day, the score was 1-0 (the rain was the winner). :(

Determined to make up for lost time, we kicked the HIGH-TECH TENNIS HUSTLE into high gear (even had an awesome teenager from Macon helping us) on Sunday... We had sunny skies and totally DRY conditions (not even a tiny threat of rain) - but we had another element to deal with: W-I-N-D!! We're here to tell you that the number of people who want to purchase a match during which the players are constantly battling ferocious winds is VERY, VERY low. :( We fought that wind all day long as it blew tents, tables, and paperwork all over the tennis center...and when Mr. Random Customer requested that we make a special trip to an alternate site to record a 2nd match for his son (and he promised to buy one of the two), we sent our teenaged helper to accommodate, even though we thought that was a bit much. But when he later asked us to make yet ANOTHER special trip to the alternate site to record a 3rd match, we had to ask: "how many matches were you planning to purchase anyway?" He said he was going to purchase the best of the three...Seriously??? You want us to drive all over Macon all weekend for a mere $59??? Get real, DUDE!!! You better make it the best of the two we already recorded. :( Score was 3-0...The rain + wind + mr. random customer had 3, we had NADA.

Monday was the best weather day of all, but unfortunately, by that time the damage to our numbers and to my frame of mind was so DONE. Please realize that we have to PAY good money for the sheer opportunity to present our video services at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center...Now I'm sure you can understand why we eliminated the Qualifier from our schedule several years ago, we eliminated the National Open in May (due to 32 draw), and we are now breaking the curse by eliminating the spring bullfrog. :(

Some of our best friends (players and parents) live in Macon, but in 6+ years, we just don't have anything positive to say about Macon tournaments...with the notable exception of those run by Craig Jones at the Idle Hour Country Club, which are AWESOME and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

What's Up? LOTS!

As you probably already know, Danny is the camera and the tennis BRAIN behind HIGH-TECH TENNIS. Sure, I'll hang a camera IF I HAVE TO--but I'd much rather not--and OH I DO ADORE ROGER, who's having a tough weekend at the office, for sure...but otherwise, I think tennis is just o.k. (certainly waaaay better than baseball....zzzzzzz).

We each have our strengths---
and CAMERAS and TENNIS are not mine.

I'll admit it...I'm still a little confused about all the buttons on the cameras and I've made so many mistakes that I still get a little freaked out when I have to deal with them.
No, the cameras are definitely NOT my thing.

And when it comes to tennis, I've always liked it but I've never played it and don't intend to start now, lol. I'm NOT coordinated, I'm not athletic, and I don't normally even notice (or give two hoots about) which players are left- or right-handed, have one- or two-handed backhands,
use Babolat or Prince or whatever, etc., etc., etc.
No, the tennis part is definitely NOT my thing either.

But in case you're thinking I just sit around all the time and watch Danny work, I am here to tell you (like I always tell him):
There is much more to HIGH-TECH TENNIS
than just pressing the RECORD button!!!

FOR INSTANCE, keeping up with reduction in draw sizes and other schedule changes that just magically APPEAR with no notice whatsoever has become practically a full-time job. If you think that's frustrating to you, just imagine what it would be like if you depended on this income to pay your mortgage!!! But nobody ever said it would be easy - and nobody was right.

Of course, we've worked way too hard to just let our business self-destruct...So we're making some changes, which is not easy and is not fun...but it's necessary. BIG THANKS to those who are sticking with us and following our ongoing dramas...

HIGH-TECH SPORTS VIDEO: We are definitely branching out... We're not just for tennis anymore because ALL athletes in ALL sports deserve the chance to use video to their advantage. Meantime, we didn't work our brains out for 6+ years to just walk away from all that we've got going...so it's gonna take some time but we're definitely expanding.

HIGH-TECH TENNIS CLUB: We are definitely launching this... I've been excited about this and planning for it since early November. The BIGGEST reason you should care about being a club member is because it is exclusive and it gives you lots of fun benefits---including DISCOUNTED VIDEOS. They told me it would be ready to go DEC 1st but then the holidays came so I thought maybe JAN 1st but again I was wrong. Then FEB 1st...sigh. If you've ever had someone host or help you with your website, you understand. :(
It's coming---just don't know when.

HIGH-TECH TENNIS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: We are absolutely doing this... In fact, our inaugural event is scheduled for April 14-15 at Top Gun Academy in Louisville, KY. Take a look at our website for complete details but we're really excited about this! We've developed this concept to offer junior tennis players the ultimate experience to improve their game, compete on a high level, and have FUN with their peers in a safe environment. Players play and coaches coach-HOW COOL IS THAT? Best of all, this is based on YEARS of feedback from players, parents, and coaches...
THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT!!!

HIGH-TECH TENNIS CALENDAR FOR 2012: It's kind of unreal to sit back in the comfort of paradise and put our calendar together. I mean, just IMAGINE scheduling 30+ tournaments on YOUR calendar!!! :) And don't forget that 25+ of them are played within about 9 months out of the year!!! It's kind of fun, though because every year, we keep the GOOD tournaments, drop some of the DUDS, and add some NEW ones. Keep in mind that the events listed are just targeted - they're not confirmed at this point because anything and everything can change. Still, it's pretty overwhelming. Oh, and don't you dare forget that it'll be 100 degrees for much of the summer!!!

HIGH-TECH TENNIS "KISS MY @&% CARDS": We are soooo sick of those who would accuse us of doing something illegal or immoral. We have never attended a tournament without first obtaining approval from the tournament director, we have researched this topic to death, and we will now post or distribute these cards as needed:

ANY AND ALL MATCHES 

are subject to being videotaped.

We provide a valuable service to

help tennis players play better tennis

by recording videos for

INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

Our services are very popular

with the overwhelming majority of

players, parents, and coaches.

Due to privacy issues, we do not
identify the players in our videos
and it is perfectly legal to
videotape or photograph
anyone or anything
while on public property.

Have a nice day!

HIGH-TECH TENNIS

Danny and Julie Thiets

GREAT THANKS to you for your amazing support. We clearly couldn't live this dreamy life without you...and we hope you know that we truly do appreciate the privilege of playing a small part in the development of your junior tennis player. We think of you as our friends, not just customers, and we hope you know how much your support means to us.

Tennis is a GAME, not brain surgery, and junior players are CHILDREN, not mini-professionals.
Junior tennis is a JOURNEY, not a DESTINATION...YOU MIGHT AS WELL ENJOY IT!!!

CHEERS!

Are All Tournaments Terrific? um, well, not really

 

Have you ever wondered how we select which tournaments to go to? Props to the late Andy Rooney-RIP...

I remember 6+ years ago when I discovered the Tennis Link website for the first time. WOWOW! There were tournaments EVERYWHERE. Quite literally...here a tournament, there a tournament, everywhere a tournament!!! If we'd wanted to, we could have gone to a tournament in my home state of MN, in Danny's home state of NC, and in pretty much every state in between. But how would we ever decide WHICH ones to go to?

Hmmm. Now that was the million dollar question! It was also the question for which we had absolutely NO answer!!! As in every other aspect of our business, we couldn't exactly google it...we had to LIVE IT to LEARN IT. We went through many trials and made more errors than we'd ever care to admit.

Back then, we knew almost zero about junior tennis...Sections? Levels? Open? Closed? Uh-uh..We really didn't know anyone or anything except this: we saw athletes in almost every other sport reviewing game film and using video technology to improve their performance...and we saw that no one was doing it for tennis...and we knew we were on to something.

A Brief Look Back

We went to our first tournament in January 2006 ONLY so we could get acquainted with the tennis community. We never in a million years expected to be going to even one more tournament (not to mention 25+ a year). Oh, but we thought "Just wait until they see what we can do for them!!!" We really thought coaches would be lining up to take advantage of our technology. What a great idea! We'd buy and learn this expensive, time-consuming stuff so they didn't have to. They could hire us once a week, once a month, or once a year and we'd help them become better coaches because they could concentrate on the coaching and we'd concentrate on the technology. Working with HIGH-TECH TENNIS, these coaches could SHOW their students instead of just TELLING them how to improve! What a great way to demonstrate the value of their instruction!

Except things didn't exactly work out as we'd planned. Not even close. In fact, we were almost out of business before we were even in it. So we had to regroup - and fast. Fortunately, a mother at that very first tournament really wasn't that interested in the fancy-schmancy Dartfish video analysis we were so excited about...but she was VERY interested in having us record her daughter's match. VOILA! We were so busy trying to sell cadillacs and all they wanted was volkswagons!

Tournaments-R-Us

As I mentioned, we discovered the wonderful world of Tennis Link and we didn't know which tournaments to go to...so we tried to go to them ALL. SERIOUSLY. We went to a tournament almost every single weekend for almost one whole year. Can you imagine?!? We went to tournaments in Belton, SC and St. Augustine, FL and many, many places in between. The only thing we were REALLY successful at in those days was in identifying the tournaments to avoid!!! Oh my...There were many, many times when we didn't even earn enough money to cover our gas.

YIKES...We learned some really hard lessons the really hard way --- but fortunately, we don't have to repeat those lessons because we've learned from our mistakes and today, we have a pretty good understanding of what we're doing and where we're doing it, LOL. We are very proud of our excellent repuation and we work to protect it in every way on every day. We know that one of THE most precious things we have is amazing relationships with amazing people. This is truly INVALUABLE to us. I'm talking about people who understand what we do...AND WHY. We are committed to making video technology available to help EVERY athlete improve his or her performance.

"All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talents."
John F. Kennedy

We ask for absolutely nothing but access to an electrical outlet and the opportunity to enhance these tournaments by adding value AND fun for players, parents, and coaches alike....but our customers are often stunned to realize that we sometimes have to PAY A FEE for the opportunity to provide our services to you at tournaments. All tournament directors are different - some want $750 up front, some want 25%, some want something in between - and we always stress that we're responsible for all expenses but we have to control our costs in order to keep our prices as low as possible. As I shared with a tournament director just yesterday, we are comfortable with any of the following arrangements:

• Many TDs charge us nothing (and some even comp our hotel room) because they recognize we are an amenity that makes a good tournament better.
• Many TDs ask us to provide complimentary video recording for certain players (either from their academy or for those players who might not have financial resources to take advantage of video).
• Some TDs ask us to provide a complimentary tournament video they can later use to promote the tournament on their website.
• Some TDs ask us to contribute 10% to the county.

So...just in case you ever wondered, which I doubt you ever have...Now you know how we choose which tournaments to go to: We avoid TDs who are more interested in what's in it for them than in what's in it for the players.

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."
Arthur Ashe

No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care!

 

After getting pushed around by two customers (one from CT and one from CA) after the ATP Gator Bowl, I just can't tell you how much it means to receive this unsolicited customer feedback this week:

* * * * *

Yea!!! Thank you J and D. Yall are da best! 

Father of 14 Yr Old Junior in Hot Springs, AR

* * * * *

Thanks so much for creating this tool for Jonathan and for sending Jordan a nice surprise. They both play for the high school team and won their region. They are playing for the lower state championship tomorrow and prayerfully the state championship on Sat.
We appreciate all your support over the years...

God Bless!
Mother of 17 Yr and 14 Yr Old Juniors in Aiken, SC

* * * * *

The customers who gave me grief earlier this week did not and do not know us at all...but the feedback above comes from customers we have known for 1 and 3 years, respectively. Their opinion matters more...just saying. "No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." And we certainly do care. GOOD TIMES!

HIGH-TECH TENNIS 'N GOLF

What started out as an April Fool's Day joke (about bringing the video to GOLFERS instead of TENNIS PLAYERS - since everyone knows that golfers spend more $$$ than tennis players, lol) has developed into an exciting new marketing revenue stream...Things have been happening that have gently nudged us toward the golf side (and slightly away from tennis) and we've resisted it because we're sooo loyal to tennis - but when the universe knocks on your door with a golden opportunity, the least we can do is open the door and see what it's all about!!!

Golf is just another sport that's played with a ball - but you'd think it was another language(!) - so there's lots to learn and interesting people to meet as we learn it. One of the many appealing aspects of golf is that we can pursue this aspect of our business IN THE CITY WHERE WE LIVE. What a novel concept! As you may know, we've been 'bringing the video to the players' but it's been five years and unfortunately, some (too many) just don't get it. :(

So stay tuned...Exciting stuff is happening for what might soon become HIGH-TECH TENNIS 'N GOLF - and if you have any thoughts to share, we'd love to hear from you. As always, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!