Newsletter 2023 Staff

Hi,

As we approach the 1st week of camp, there are several things that you need to know. 

Required meeting on Thursday June 22nd 4:30pm

The City requires us to learn the procedures regarding the pool, please take a few moments to fill out the form below and let me know if you can attend this unpaid meeting. It will take place on Thursday June 22nd at 4:30pm. If you CANNOT make it, let me know i.e text me that you cannot make it.

Thank you to all those who have completed the required steps in creating a working relationship with TSPA. We have changed the name of the TSPA annual survey to the REQUIRED Employment Questionnaire or REQ. The REQ is an essential guide for me in providing a job offer, finding out your availability, and informing you of some of the changes this year. There are essential tips that will also help you become better at what you do. The link to the REQ is below and please do it if you have not done so already. It is also a very good idea to actually do and review the questions and videos in these questions. This helps in the preparation of the camp. Many people say yes when answering the questions but don’t actually do it which is concerning. Make sure if you said yes, you actually do it!  The link is below and serves as a great refresher. 

Https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bLzvnUpN_vw3LDL_pb3c8tzVe_TlLrRFAj4jeNxcUr4/edit 

You will notice that there is a highlight that I ask you to do once a year. This year it is on goal setting. I also ask my staff to complete one course in sports psychology. I believe the whole task should take 1-2 hours to complete. You can see more information on our playbook (search for sports psychology courses) and the link to enroll is available at www.tspa.ca/dt. You will notice some of the documents are in green which feature new content. For example, we have uploaded a video on how to sell an item in the online store or how to sell a client the VIP. You really should take a few moments to go over our staff meeting or our pro in trainer meeting. It will give you vital information on how things work. I believe working for TSPA should require some knowledge in sports psychology and be part of the culture. Asking for approximately 2 hours per year in “extra work” is reasonable in my opinion. I have to admit, I am also disappointed that many do not do it, is late (I am talking about years late) and takes me extra tiuestions or 6-7:30 by text message or phone. You should also have your immediate supervisor which can most likely answer most if not all of your concerns. 

Camp News

As you may be aware, our registration numbers are at an all time low. In addition to this and more importantly, we no longer have access to the English Montreal School Board. They wanted an outrageous amount of a fee to use their facility in which we never had to pay this extra fee (over $50,000) and therefore we cannot afford this rental increase. As a result, it is best that we: 

1. MERGE all our locations into one! We will be operating from the Cote Saint-Luc Tennis Club located at 8215 Guelph and will call the camp the Cote Saint-Luc Tennis Club Recreational Program. It will be different than the other program that was already there called tennis max. This set-up is the original set-up we had many years ago when TSPA first started. However, we now have two adjacent parks in which we can play basketball and use the playground. When the weather is uncooperative i.e. rainy, we may all meet at the West End Gym located at 6585 Mackle H4W 2Y4. We will post this information by 6:45am the same morning or in the case an afternoon location has changed, we woud post it by 12:30pm for an afternoon shift so you can check on the www.tspa.ca home page (preferably) or ask your immediate supervisor your work location.

2.  have reduced hours for staff which may mean start times for some at 9am instead of 8 or 8:30am; start times of 9:30am instead of 9am or not having a full week for those who are available every day. We will have to cancel the Parc Safari outing since not enough campers have registered. Finally, the outings will offer a 6 or 7 hour cap or maximum in hours. For Pro in trainers it will be 7 or 6 for PIT3’s on their third week or more or PIT 4’s on their second week or more. Some of you might see this as losing an hour or so while others may still see this as still getting paid to go to the water slides, park Safari or the tennis tournament. It always depends on your perspective but understand that I am asking you to make some sacrifices as TSPA has been severely restrained with all these factors mentioned already. 

3. must have tennis shoes to teach on the courts. This means your soles of your shoes should be FLAT. Take a picture of them and send it to me if you have any doubt. I also recommend tennis giant as they have tons of shoes and can equip  you to look good. Image is everything. We will NOT have any uniforms this year but certainly look like you are going to a tennis club i.e. shorts, tennis shirt (small log and nothing written all over the shirt) and be prepared to go inside the pool EVERY DAY. Tell your immediate supervisor at least one day in advance if you cannot go into the pool. 

Oliver and Eli will be the co-camp directors. They have and will work hard to make sure the day-to-day operation works smooth. Mike Jabbour is still the Assistant Academy director and will help with complaints escalations and logistics. I am still in charge of the schedule, pay, and sports psychology. You can see everyone contact information on the staff page although I prefer to be reached on my personal number (514-963-3569 and listed below) unless it’s client’s who are seeking help for tennis in which case it can be the academy’s number (514-886-9929). Keep these numbers handy! 

If you have any questions or do not want to go on the outing, please let me know by Monday June 26th.I understand that there are many changes and given the circumstances, we must also adapt. I am also disappointed by the lack of registration so far. Week 1 we have 17 campers in our recreational program and therefore only need a few pros. The week after, however, we have 25 so then we would need a few more. We have always turned a negative into a positive and am confident this can be done here as well. We may even consider having campers use the various courts within the city by driving them to the various sites. Campers will be able to fully enjoy the various facilities; the Caldwell courts, the indoor and outdoor ACC pool, the Rembrand courts. The possibilities are endless. In many ways this set-up can be even better! We have to turn a negative into a positive. 

How many hours will I get? 

Many of you will certainly ask me how many hours can I expect? The process is complex but please understand that I must now choose who can work given that we have more staff who want hours then we actually need. Last year it was the opposite and we had to adapt. Priority will go to the camp directors who have committed their time and have agreed to take this leadership role. Much appreciation to Eli and Oliver who have met with me several times during the off season. Other factors that will be given is 1) seniority (number of years at TSPA and number of years of experience teaching tennis); 2) current potential evaluation (how are you doing now with regards to the job); 3) past evaluation score; 4) ability to commit for the week during the survey and or contract; 5) sports psychology work such as the yearly highlight (this year it is on goal setting and you can read what others have written but it is quite discouraging to see only 5/20 staff doing it which is really 25%. My expectations is 90%. We should get 90% or more in anything we do and the staff should complete 90% or more and we are only at 25%. On top of that I reminded several of you to do the highlight, it is written in the the REQ and yet still, it is not done. You are supposed to complete such as year 1 the optimism course, year 2 the confidence course and year 3 the goal setting course. A particular congratulations to Radu who always stays up-to-date. completed and their results 6) contribution this season to clinics, round robins and our family hour.  To be clear, for the most part, pros in trainers will not have to worry too much as the number of hours may change. Exceptionally, perhaps those who are committed for the entire summer may not get the full summer of hours. Unfortunately, everyone is affected in some way. 

Want more Hours? You can be in control!

Many opportunities still exist. 

1. We are looking for someone - for the month of July -  to take the round robins (free play) on Sundays from 4-5:30. We also need to have someone to run the round robins on MOndays and Thursdays from 4-5pm. In addition, there is the team teaching concept in which you can offer your services to teach a clinic for example on weekend during some time from 12-6pm and earn a % of sales as shown to you in your job offer.  If you want to lower your private rate, you are authorized to do it up to three times per season per account especially if this will make or break a lesson. This would apply to junior and senior pros only. You can lower the rate by either $5, 10, or $15 and the assumption is that you would sacrifice 50% of this reduction and TSPA would meet you halfway and also reduce it’s share. We have the possibility to send a text message or a robo call to a client list. Do you have friends and family that you can either text message, call, email or all three. We can do it for you if you send us an excel sheet with the person’s name,  phone number and email. If you choose the robo call send us the recording of your message (in English and french).  Let us know if you want to text, call or both with the precise message to send. A call can be 30 seconds ie Hi, this is your name and I just wanted to let you know that I am teaching tennis this summer. You can read more information about it at www.tspa.ca and contact me directly if you want to find out more. Tennis is a lifelong sport and so get involved! You can also send a text message up to 170 characters (very short) ie I just want to let you know that I am teaching tennis this summer. Contact me at 514-xxx-xxxx for more info. There may also be an option whereby you can have private lessons at Caldwell on weekdays from 9-12 or 12-5pm or other times. We have four courts there from 8-5pm, generally two courts at the Club (except we cannot teach on Mondays from 5:45-7:45PM), one court at Rembrant and four “courts” at the West End Gym. A more precise break down is available in the playbook if you search for court allocation. 

2. Are you on the staff page? Is your availability accurate? This is why the REQ was important: to allow us to put your availability to clients. If there are any changes, please let me know as soon as possible. 

3. We are also adding another incentive to private lessons until the end of July. You can earn another $10 per private! In the extra person column in your invoice, your 1st private lesson, you will earn $1 more, the 2nd $2 more and the third $3 more etc. This is valid for lessons that must take place from now until the end of July. 

4. We can get more campers  if you can help us refer some in which you get normally $20, but we’ll offer you $100 until July 1st. Just get your new referral to fill out this referral form and you can let them know that they’ll also save $100 in camp fees.

5. We have also offered our clients $5, $10 and $15 saving for their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd lesson and while this does not affect your earnings, only adjust this if they mention this promotion to you as we sent them an “aggressive newsletter”. Help share the newsletter by sending it to your contacts that are not TSPA clients. You can simply copy / paste and while I know it’s a long newsletter, you can simply pick-up the phone and invite potential clients to use our services and specifically you! 

Remember, we are selling a great service at a great location. Help us help your services and grow tennis within the community. 

What to do next?

It is very important that you 

1. Update your availability in your contract if things change. There is a question in the playbook as to “how can I update my availability). Search for it by using the CTRL F feature. I will ask you to do this by Tuesday the week before camp starts at the very latest as on Wednesday I work on the schedule and by Thursday it is out and available. Look carefully at the TSPA Dream Team sheet and look at the sheet called Schedule week 1 (which is the week of June 26, 2023 or week 2 (week of July 3rd)  or week 3 etc. by Thursday of every week.  I know it is very disappointing for many of you to have reduced hours or even no hours on some weeks but we do have an opportunity to sell tennis within our community and we have many courts to do so. You can build your own hours with your own clientele. It is not an easy process but you can contact some of your clients and solicit your services. I know I never joined many activities until someone actually called me and invited me personally. Sometimes the old fashion way of getting people involved although it is a long process can be the most effective. You can also make sure your sports psychology work is up-to-date. Every year you have been working with TSPA should mean you have done one course. The 1st one is optimism, then confidence, and then goal setting. 

2. Look in the playbook for sports psychology courses. Then, make sure your highlight is done. This is explained in our staff meeting which you should review once again. You will notice at the 15 min mark, I discuss highlights and again, I will remind you this year’s topic is goal setting. What are your goals this year? 

3. Let me know if you can do some clinics or round robins. We still have an opening for 5-7pm clinics for 5-17 years old and Sunday round robin 4-5:30pm. We also have round robins at camp for 10-17 years old from 4-5pm. Preparation is the key to success. 

A win for the Little Ones

Throughout my career, I always felt that growing TSPA it was David vs Gialith. TSPA vs the City, TSPA Vs. Covid. TSPA vs so many people who do NOT want us to succeed. Truth be told, it can also be TSPA vs our own staff especially when team members are not fully engaged and committed in our philosophy and mission. As an important side note, I want to thank Oliver and Junior for their work in their latest Tik tok videos. Next time you see them, compliment them on going above and beyond. This is the kind of initiative we should be doing and celebrating. I also want to thank Michael Sidawi who has made himself available and sacrificed many of his afternoons even though registration was not existent. He has also sacrificed his pay and as they say it hurt where it can hurt the most which is his wallet! This is a testament of truly loving your job. honourable mention goes to Radu who again this year is leading the way for the most private lessons. In fact, we are going to name a new award after him which is called the TSPA Radu Gruia most private lesson award. Last year he did 139! Beat that! Or try to get 50% of that :) Another big thank you goes to Junior Bitare who also is making himself very available and has started to get more hours. Sacrifice pays off! We hope David Gabay has a speedy recovery as he hurt his ankle recently but has also chipped in nicely. A big welcome and thank you to Nathan Benchimol who had his first clinic for 5-6 years old and did quite well. Let the TSPA Dream Team continue to shine! 

Hey, if you are still reading this, tell me you have read this long newsletter when I see you in person (before July 1st) and I’ll give you a coupon! When I first started camp 25 years ago, not many people believed the concept would work in Cote Saint-Luc. Almost every year TSPA not only survived but thrived. Many will jump ship and for the most part, I do understand. There is a lot of uncertainty. Staff want hours. Others will try and make it work. They will contribute even more and if they have done a lot already, they will push the limits even more. We are selling the concept of memories. We are selling an enjoyable experience. We are here so that others enjoy their experience even more. You should be aware of our general schedule which is shown on our clinics page. I am still available (I prefer text messages) if you are stuck with regards to the sports psychology component or if you ever have issues with your pay or just want to ask me a question and do not know who to ask. As you can see, all I  want is to properly prepare you to work at TSPA so that WE can be better at what you do. Do not make this process more difficult than it already is. I do recognize it is work but it WILL PAY OFF if you TRUST THE PROCESS. I am always available generally speaking (please avoid contacting me on Wednesdays during the summer as this is my day off) although Sundays between 4-5:30pm is a generally good time to meet in person (at the Club) for help. As always, start your communication with a hello and I certainly appreciate a good-bye. Let us not only be 100% positive with each other but also 100% professional. Perhaps this will then spread to our valued clients who will want to spend more and more time with us. Thank you for being on this journey once again this year. As always, if you have any questions, your plans change, or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Lior Doron 

Academy Director

TSPA

514-963-3569 (you can text me here as well :)