FEATURE 1 Are Junior Structure Changes the Answer? FEATURE 2 High School Tennis Don't Get No Respect NEW APP Tour NEW 2019 Awards NEW: Husband/Wife Pro Teams

NOVEMBER 2019   Interview with Ken Herrmann, Founder APP Tour x

THIS ISSUE Publisher's Notes - Letters - 2019 Awards - Spotlight Pickleball - Make Tennis Great Again Interview: Bill Burke (NGI) - Trending - Rod Heckelman: Tradition May Have To Take Back Seat - APP New Pickleball Tour Feature 1: Are Junior Structure Changes The Answer? Feature 2: High School Tennis Don't Get No Respect Bill Patton: Moving Past 4.0 With Visual Skills - Husband/Wife Teams - Where Are They Now?

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The company, United Pickleball Management, serves as the chief operating organization which governs the individual tournaments associated within The APP Tour. The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) also has an Advisory Committee setup to assist UPM, and handlings of the Tour. The APP Tour runs from March to late October throughout the United States.

QUESTIONS FOR KEN HERRMANN

TCB: Ken, where are you from?
KH: I'm from Helena in Montana.

TCB: How old were you when you started to play tennis and who introduced you to the sport?
KH: I was seven and my parents exposed me to tennis. In the juniors, it was Andrea Jaeger's father who tutored me a little.

TCB: What is your professional tennis background?
KH: After junior tennis and college I began working at clubs and became a Tennis Director. In the 90ies I was part of the USTA Player Development Program under Nick Saviano. That was an exciting time because we had such talented players as the Bryan Brothers, Jan-Michael Gambill, Justin Gimelstob, Michael Russell in the program. Later I joined Lynne Rolley's women's program.

In 2000 I bought the Glenbrook Racquet Club in Northbrook, Illinois. Had the club for ten years. In 2010 I developed a new club in the Chicago area and that's where I added pickleball.

TCB: You were bitten by the pickleball bug?
KH: Yes. I started playing at senior pro-level and began teaching it. Very soon I realized there was not pickleball association in Chicago. I formed the non-profit Chicago Metro Pickleball and reached out to all those groups playing in the area to join and start city leagues etc.
In order to drive exposure, I needed a big tournament here and so I created the Chicago Pickleball Open. The first one was held for four days in July this year in Naperville. On 20 courts with 425 players who competed for $25,000 in prize money.

The Chicago Open was so successful I decided to create the first professional pickleball tour. Organized by United Pickleball Management (UPM), my partners and I created the APP Tour for professionals, senior pros, and amateurs. It consists of ten tournaments and players can accumulate points. The best are being invited to the season-ending APP Masters in Punto Gorda, Florida.

TCB: What inspired you to create the APP Tour?
KH: First, I wanted to make sure there is a consistent number of tournaments at a high level. Second, the two ladies that run the US Pickleball Open in Naples, Florida, did a great job. The way they run it and their philosophy is truly inspirational. And third, it was Billie Jean King, my greatest inspiration. She formed the women's tour with 8 others. the way she did it, how she broke away from the men's tour. Truly inspirational.

TCB: How is your relationship with the USAPA?
KH: Excellent. I met with their leadership and they're looking at sanctioning the entire APP Tour.

TCB: Who are your partners in UPM?
KH: Rick Witsken out of Indianapolis, a top pickleball pro. He was involved in running the Indianapolis RCA Championships and brings a lot of experience in tournament organization. His wife Bridget is our computer specialist. Then there is Dana Joseph who ran pickleball tournaments in Chicago for years.

TCB: What are your future plans for APP?
KH: We definitely want to expand like organizing cross-intersectional events with a Canadian series. And then, of course, expanding internationally.

TCB: Thank you, Ken Herrmann.