Scarpa's invention makes it to Big Apple

Skip Scarpa's ReelSticks have hit the big time. The U.S. Open's National Tennis Center is showcasing ReelSticks these days.

If you're not familiar with Scarpa's invention, ReelSticks have the capability to end the need for switching singles sticks out and in between singles and doubles. New York today, the world tomorrow.

That's the thinking of Scarpa, a former College of Charleston player whose Carolina Sports Surfaces company builds tennis courts all over the state.

Installing the gadget on 16 courts at Flushing Meadows is significant. "If you have a tennis product, you want to have it at the U.S. Open if you are an American. It is a big deal for us and a validation of the device at the highest level of the sport," Scarpa said.

"We are very thankful of everyone who has helped us get to this point in the process of introducing ReelSticks to the tennis marketplace."

Scarpa has been pushing ReelSticks for a couple of years now, but the turning point came when he installed them on courts this past spring for a $50,000 men's challenger in Savannah. "People there had never seen them (ReelSticks). It generated two calls, New York (USTA) and they said, 'Yeah, great product' and Savannah could use it; and also to the ATP Tour since that was an ATP event."

Eventually, that led to the the National Tennis Center. "It's a big deal for us. I don't think we can underestimate the value of that. They said they get five or 10 calls a week from people wanting to put up something. Everyone wants to put up something there."

That's one reason Scarpa feels so fortunate to have his gadget on 16 courts (12 indoor and four outdoor) at Flushing Meadows, even if he replaced the ReelSticks logo on the product with the USTA emblem. He plans to put ReelSticks on the rest of the courts at the complex in the spring.

Instead of club pros or officials having to lug singles sticks around and use a tape measure to make sure the sticks are in the correct location and the right height, the permanently attached ReelSticks easily can be pulled out from the net posts until the precisely measured retractable steel cable comes to a halt. For doubles, ReelSticks can be reeled back into place. An added advantage of ReelSticks is that a storage facility isn't needed for the singles sticks.

"Why are millions of dollars spent every year with tennis teaching pros who train kids on a court that does not meet the first rule of tennis? It is hard to imagine any sport played on the scale that tennis is played globally that would blatantly ignore its own first rule. Tennis ignores its own first rule every day," Scarpa said.

"Club managers and teaching pros are the ones who must implement the installation of singles sticks and because of the work involved they simply pretend that it is not important. The end result is that people play singles on doubles courts every day and parents are spending up to $20,000 a year per child for coaching which is being done on courts that are not dimensionally correct.

"If their child actually gets to a USTA event where singles sticks are in use it will be the biggest match of their life and the first time they ever have seen a singles stick. The elevated net will provide a practical and even more psychological performance barrier. Would a basketball coach play kids on a hoop that is three inches too low or high?"

Prickett state runner-up

Wando junior Alexis Prickett was runner-up in the recent High School League's Class AAAA state individual tournament, losing to Mauldin freshman Ansley Speaks in the final. In a span of 24 hours, Prickett defeated Lexington's Erin Green, Dutch Fork's Mareli Sanchez, Wando teammate Corin Hallman and Hilton Head's Lindsay Burke all in straight sets before running into Speaks.

Speaks had defeated Hallman a week earlier at No. 1 singles during Wando's state championship victory over Mauldin. Prickett, the Warriors' No. 3 player, edged Hallman, 6-4, 6-4, in the third round of the state singles competition.

Clair Larkin, Wando's No. 2 player, lost in the second round to Ivey Wellborn of T.L. Hanna High, but won two matches in the backdraw.

High school honors

Wando coach Becky Williamson reported that Prickett, Hallman and Larkin all made the Class AAA-AAAA all-state team.

Hallman also played in the North-South all-star tournament last weekend at the Prestwick Country Club at Surfside Beach, along with fellow senior Kelly Engle from Academic Magnet. Williamson served as an assistant coach for the South team that scored a 7-2 victory. The South's success was aided by victories by Hallman at No. 1 singles and doubles, and a win by Engle at No. 5 singles.

Tennis popularity up

The USTA and Tennis Industry Association have announced that tennis participation in the United States has surpassed 30 million players for the first time in more than two decades. The annual phone survey of 6,000 Americans showed that tennis participation grew in all age groups under the age of 50 and within all ethnicities. With 30.1 million players, tennis participation has grown 12 percent over 2008 and climbed 25 percent since 2003.

New players comprised 7.1 million of the total, and 14.8 million tennis players consider themselves "regular players." Total play occasions surpassed 560 million for only the second time in more than 20 years. The greatest percentage growth in participation was in players 12-17 which grew from 15.7 percent of the total participants in 2008 to 20.5 percent of the participants in 2009.

Upcoming events

--The Turkey Day Mixed Doubles Tournament at Charleston Tennis Center was postponed until next Sunday. The entry deadline is Friday. Contact Charleston Tennis Center (766-7401 or mccrackend@ci.charleston.sc.us).

--Today is the entry deadline for Family Circle Tennis Center's second Holiday Tennis Classic that will be held next weekend with NTRP-rated competition in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Register through TennisLink at the USTA.com Web site, using the tournament number (704126709). The event will benefit children at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Trident Area. The Daniel Island Holiday Festival will occur at Family Circle Tennis Center during the tournament from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. next Saturday. Visit familycirclecup.com or call the Family Circle Tennis Center pro shop (849-5300).

--Today is the deadline to enter the SC State Open Junior Championships. The tournament is being held at the Citadel December 4-7. This is a USTA-SC Level 2 and USTA-Southern Level 4 tournament. If there are any questions, contact Jonathan Barth at barth_jonathan@yahoo.com

Reach James Beck at jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.