Autumn Workshops

The next series of workshops is planned for the autumn as follows;

Monday 25 October (testing on Monday 29 November)

Wednesday 27 October (testing on Wednesday 1 December)

Costs and payment

The Workshops will cost £125 per person and include a year's membership of the ERSA and the TIA UK (see Membership Details on this page). The TIA UK can now accept credit card payments - please call 020 8249 3366.

Workshops cover the following topics:

• Introduction to the TRS Scheme
• Racquet & String History
• Stringing Demonstration
• Restringing a racquet
• Racquet Technology
• String Technology
• Machines & Tools
• Gripping, Grommeting & Tubing Demonstration
• Re Gripping & Re Grommeting a racquet
• Sales and Marketing
• Racquet Tuning Demonstration

Attendance of a workshop currently counts for 6 credits towards an LTA Licensed Coach's credit requirements.

Participants are invited to take the appropriate written test a month later, after which successful graduates may promote themselves as TRS Certified Stringers and to display the distinctive sticker.

Benefits include one year's electronic membership of ERSA providing access to on-going technical information and entry on the TRS Directory on the TIA UK website at www.tiauk.org.

Each workshop participant will receive one year's membership of the TIA UK as a non-voting Associate TRS Member that will be upgraded to Affiliated TRS Member status on qualification as a Certified Stringer.

Affiliated Members appear in the TRS Directory to promote their skills as a Tennis Racquet Specialist.

One Universally Accepted Scheme

The Tennis Racket Specialist Scheme is an education and certification programme for retailers and associated teaching pros benefitting the buying public.

TRS Certified Stringers will become the recognised experts in this field and a real asset to British tennis.

As more retailers become accredited to the scheme, consumers will be able to seek out TRS Certified Stringers on the TIA UK website designating their nearest accredited racket specialist.

The workshops and testing afford specialist sports retailers the opportunity to become fully accredited and recognised.

TRS Board and Certification

The scheme is administered under the auspices of the TIA UK by an independent group called the TRS Board.

This group represents racket manufacturers and stringing companies who along with the European Racquet Stringers

Association have combined their expertise to provide a universally recognised and credible system of training and certification for sports shops and associated teaching professionals throughout the UK.

Stringers attending the workshops will learn the best methods of racket stringing and servicing and are subsequently tested by Master Racquet Technicians from the European Racquet Stringers Association, whose certification system is used to measure standards around the world.

This results in better advice and service for the consumer and ensures grater knowledge in tennis equipment and on-going maintenance costs

In all, a better deal for the British tennis enthusiast and the sports retailers.

Members of the TRS Board include representatives from Apollo Leisure, Bow Brand, W & D Strings, ERSA, the Lawn Tennis Association, tenniscoachesUK and the TIA UK.

The Chairman of the TRS Board is co-opted to the Board of Directors of the TIA UK.