It was near freezing. We were geared up and anxious to move around, Bluetooth musical arrangements were made. The tennis court was popping, Bob Schneider was singing about the stars over your house. I was stretching. Keck and Joe were listening intently to an old bar fight story from Coach Bill. He really was one of the best back in his fighting 20s, an underdog with hidden fury, willing to be provoked. A finisher. This story featured a demonstrative re-creation of his final battle cry before his fists ended another brawl. "You got blood in my brother's shirt!" Fashion and blood, the Vita bond. But it was too cold for stories and we quickly got started on the first round robin of the new year.
Fresh resolution possibilities of tennis basics consumed my thoughts. 'Watch the tennis ball all the way to the strings in 2019' emerged as the one. The pros always do, but the rest of us tend to get wild eyed. And it was working during the quick warm up. Nice and easy, keeping the eyes locked on the fuzzy yellow sphere, beginning with the shoulder turn, deliberate with the footwork, spaghetti loose with the forearm muscles, breathing out on impact, finishing with a high follow through, and immediately getting on the toes to anticipate the next shot. Bending knees, leaning in. All the while, the mind is thinking of the big picture, the strategy, the pattern, the opponent. There is a lot going on in tennis. All at once. How to slow it down, how to make it easy, how to make it flow. Keep the eyes on the tennis ball all the way to the strings was my mantra, the rest would have to be automatic.
We played the matches tight, all of us struggling with our same tennis vices, our known bad habits, but all of us having some level of success. We finished with a rigorous drilling session, honing our forms, maintaining long rallies, grooving. Music filled the cold morning air, we gathered up our gear and headed out to our holiday plans. Talk turned to year two of the Vantaggio Tennis Apparel Company. Coach Bill had already left, but Keck realized the importance of the discussion, the opportunity to finalize company goals for the near year. He called the moment, "Let's get this down now, we have to simplify, streamline " I suggested bandanas with the iconic Vantaggio logo, a cheap and effective way to elevate the brand. Joe agreed. Fewer T-shirt styles seemed important to Keck, the simplification strategy seemed to prevail. Creating a podcast was an intriging discussion and could be used to develop the the Vantaggio brand through the digital soundwaves. Tasteful, respectful, legitimate tennis talk. In addition, all agreed a King Of The Court in November to close year 2 could be a tremendous celebration. Eventually, the cold wind prevailed and we all took off. I agreed to develop a follow up memorandum capturing the strategic priorities for year 2 of the Vantaggio Tennis Apparel Company. Begin with the end in mind. Hopefully, this will suffice:
Dated: Jan. 3, 2019
To: The worldwide tennis culture.
From: Vantaggio Tennis Apparel Company Steering Committee
Re: 2019 Strategic Initiatives of the Vantaggio Tennis Apparel Company.
1. Brand.
Load up on bandanas with the iconic logo. Cheaper to sell/give away, functional. Focus on website content, continue to develop key relationships, transition to general active wear, change the name of the company to simply Vantaggio. Streamline.
2. Expand Reach.
Introduce a podcast, one that aligns with the values of Vantaggio. Develop strategic relationships with collegiate teams. Deliberate social media presence, active and encouraging international players specifically. U.S. Clay Court in Houston.
3. King Of The Court 11 Tournament.
Add additional sponsors. Attract a star-studded field for KOtC11, our return after a year hiatus. Vantaggio giveaways, raffles, an after party with live music and plenty of spirit. The crowning of royalty. 3rd party media coverage. Mahut!
**I am merely an unpaid interested observer and scribe, unaffiliated with any financial interests of the company. To my knowledge Joe and Keck maintain a 50/50 ownership agreement.
**I am merely an unpaid interested observer and scribe, unaffiliated with any financial interests of the company. To my knowledge Joe and Keck maintain a 50/50 ownership agreement.