Stringing Tuition

Racket Sport Services is a founder member of the UKRSA, is currently the UK manager for the UKRSA and is a tutor for all the UKRSA courses below. We also offer two levels of certified training for the USRSA and am the examiner for the USRSA’s CS & MRT stringing certifications in the UK.

David is also an Ambassador for the International Alliance of Racquet Technicians (IART)

UKRSA                                

Professional Stringer 

Course Details 

This is a Two-Day practical course covering all racket servicing skills across all racket sports.

Topics will include racket construction, string types/properties, effects of varying tensions, relationship between string and ball/shuttle, string-bed stiffness and string durability.

Frame examination prior to restringing, grommet repairs, string selection, tension considerations, weaving techniques and correct use of machine turntable and pulling mechanism.

Information offered on how to set up a successful stringing business. Certification awarded at end of course if sufficient skills and knowledge have been demonstrated. All materials, rackets, strings and machines will be provided.

Pre-course technical information will be sent. Each course member will receive a string & grip package.

Cost:  £349

Book: To book this course, please visit the upcoming courses page on the UKRSA website www.ukrsa.com

 

Customisation Course

Course Details           

 

This One-Day hands-on course will provide you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to modify any rackets weight, balance or swing weight.

Usually aimed at professional players who need their rackets all matched up but other customers with conditions such as Tennis Elbow, wrist weaknesses or shoulder issues will benefit enormously.

This is an exacting science and we will be using a variety of equipment. To achieve the certification you will need to demonstrate understanding and competence. Each course member will receive a string & grip package.

Cost: £249

Book: To book this course, please visit the upcoming courses page on the UKRSA website www.ukrsa.com

Tournament Stringer

Course Details

This one-day course helps prepares you for the very hectic world of stringing rackets for the professionals.

You will already be an experienced and qualified stringer. We cover all the skills and organisational work involved in catering for tournament players. Stringing three rackets in an hour and to a high standard is required. This is achieved through streamlining your existing skills and working within a team setting.

All racket sports covered. Advanced stringing patterns, basic customising, attention to detail and efficient stringing techniques are core skills that will be enhanced.

Successful course members will be offered places on tournaments if they become available. Each course member will receive a string & grip package

Cost: £249

Book: To book this course, please visit the upcoming courses page on the UKRSA website www.ukrsa.com 

Tennis Stringer

Course Details

This is a One-Day practical course covering all racket servicing skills.

Topics will include racket constructions, string types/properties, effects of varying tensions, relationship between string and ball, string-bed stiffness and string durability.

Frame examination prior to restringing, grommet repairs, string selection, tension considerations, weaving techniques and correct use of machine turntable and pulling mechanism.

Information offered on how to set up a successful stringing business. Certification awarded at end of course if sufficient skills and knowledge have been demonstrated. All materials, rackets, strings and machines will be provided. Pre-course technical information will be sent. Each course member will receive a string & grip package.

Cost: £249

Book: To book this course, please visit the upcoming courses page on the UKRSA website www.ukrsa.com

Squash Stringer

Course Details

This is a One-Day practical course covering all racket servicing skills.

Topics will include racket constructions, string types/properties, effects of varying tensions, relationship between string and ball, string bed stiffness and string durability.

Frame examination prior to restringing, grommet repairs, string selection, tension considerations, weaving techniques and correct use of machine turntable and pulling mechanism.

Information offered on how to set up a successful stringing business. Certification awarded at end of course if sufficient skills and knowledge have been demonstrated. All materials, rackets, strings and machines will be provided. Pre-course technical information will be sent. Each course member will receive a string & grip package.

Cost: £249

Book: To book this course, please visit the upcoming courses page on the UKRSA website www.ukrsa.com

Badminton Stringer

Course Details

This is a One-Day practical course covering all racket servicing skills.

Topics will include racket constructions, string types/properties, effects of varying tensions, relationship between string and shuttle, string bed stiffness and string durability.

Frame examination prior to restringing, grommet repairs, string selection, tension considerations, weaving techniques and correct use of machine turntable and pulling mechanism.

How to set up a successful stringing business. Certification awarded at end of course if sufficient skills and knowledge have been demonstrated. All materials, rackets, strings and machines will be provided. Pre-course technical information will be sent. Each course member will receive a string & grip package.

Cost: £249

Book: To book this course, please visit the upcoming courses page on the UKRSA website www.ukrsa.com 

 

What to bring to any course– Pen/paper is always handy. You will be given a CD of the essential stringing skills and other course information. Rackets to work on are welcome, always good to do the work for real.

Stringing Machines – If you already have a machine, then it’s sometimes handy to bring it along as you are then learning on the same machine and it can be checked for accuracy. Quite often we will have new stringing machines available for purchase after the course. These can be luxurious electronic machines or standard manual machines. The cost of machines will depend on what machines are available at the time of the course. We only use machines that are best value and top quality.

Beware of cheap machines that LOOK good but break down a few months later. It’s good to test a machine out on the course and then take it home, satisfied that it suits your needs and you don’t have to unpack a very large box later on and build a strange machine.

Certification – Names need to be confirmed in advance for the printing of the certificate.

Free UKRSA membership for 12 months, worth £36 – We create a username and password for the UKRSA member’s forum to ensure you are technically supported afterwards. At the end of the twelve months you will be able to extend your membership by paying a membership fee either monthly or on an annual basis.

Contact Racket Sport Services or go to the UKRSA for further details and course locations close to you.

UKRSA WORKSHOPS

In addition to the above course Racket Sport Services together with the UKRSA often runs one day workshops aimed at updating members with specific areas of stringing for example badminton stringing, business marketing, or any other topic suggested by members.


 

International Alliance of Racquet Technicians (IART)

IART member badge 

David is also an Ambassador for the IART. He has attended a number of stringing symposiums with stringers from across the world in both Tampa Florida, and at Wilson Sport’s HQ in Chicago. 

About the IART

The International Alliance of Racquet Technicians™ is an independent organization that seeks to support those with an interest and passion in the art of racquet service, with a primary focus on tennis. The IART was created when the original group, GSS (Grand Slam Stringers) was reorganized to encompass an International audience and as a result, was rebranded with a new name, the International Alliance of Racquet Technicians™. Bypassing the workshop format that other organizations were offering, the IART was the first organization to offer the industry a complete and comprehensive training “symposium” for racquet technicians. We introduced a new and unique format for training with the goal of transforming racquet stringers into bonified racquet technicians. The new training event was introduced in April of 2007 in New Braunfels, Texas and with each consecutive year, it was refined and improved to be the very best in the industry. Successfully presented for 10 consecutive years, the IART symposium earned industry-wide respect and recognition for its impeccable presentation and organization. The GSS symposium, as it was originally called back then, combined the elements of classroom seminars and comprehensive hands-on training on stringing and racquet customization, all led by professional racquet technicians and industry professionals.

The IART is dedicated to its members and so we ask the question; How can we help? That’s why this group exists and to that end, the IART strives to support and lift up its members in their endeavour to be the very best they can be. Call us, ask questions, respond to posts and place your own posts on the site and share them with the group. Community involvement is key and we encourage all members to get involved.

The methods we endorse are tried and tested over a long period of time by some of the most experienced professionals in the industry and they’re easy to learn and apply. Our website is beautifully designed in such a way to encourage our members to interact with one another as a cohesive community of like-minded individuals. We also happen to have some of the most knowledgeable people within the racquet sports industry in our corner and that’s a huge benefit to our members. If you’re looking for a community of racquet technicians to learn from and share ideas this is the place for you so why not give us a try? You can join HERE 

Mission Statement

Our goal is to offer a comprehensive website for those in the service side of the racquet sports industry.  To that end, our goal is designed to help make every racquet technician the very best he/she can be.

How can we help?

This is the mantra of the IART? We exist to continually help and support the global community of racquet technicians.

DEDICATION 

We are dedicated to the racquet technician who is on the front lines servicing racquets for players of all ages and levels of play. Our goal is to provide consistent and accurate information that will enable them to be the very best they can be. Our website provides the tools and valuable resources that racquet technicians can use on an everyday basis when servicing racquets for their clients. When you seek out and trust an IART member to service your racquet you know you’re working with the very best in the industry!

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

When it comes to racquet technicians the primary goal is unification with an International focus. The IART is “all-inclusive” without confusing geographical borders and thus, the “International” designation. Prior to the IART, all other organizations involved in racquet stringing and racquet customization were (and still are) identified by the term “Association”. In recent years, some have copied the IART by simply attaching the term “International” to their existing name but make no mistake about it, the IART was the first organization to erase confusing geographical boundaries for these types of organizations and we continue our unique approach in the 21st Century.

We are always looking for the best possible resources that will enable the racquet stringer to refine, update and improve their skills and to present that information in such a way that it has true value and meaning. While our primary focus is tennis, we strive to provide assistance with other racquet sports whenever possible. We encourage feedback and input from our members and invite them to play an active role in the development and implementation of the Alliance web site. At IART we realize that the racquet stringer is at the very core of what we’re all about and the organization pledges its support and dedication to our members.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Community-a word often used to refer to a group that is organized around common goals and values. This is precisely the intent and purpose of the IART. Our focus is on the International tennis community and our goal is to provide an atmosphere within that community whereby the racquet technician is given the priority and attention they deserve. The focus for our community is education as it relates to:

  • Training the racquet stringer to be the very best they can be
  • Assisting parents and juniors in navigating the difficult process of racquet selection, string selection and tension to ensure maximum performance at any level of play
  • To advise and assist players in an ongoing effort to minimize injury and to insure the players’ longevity in the game of tennis. Too many injuries are occurring due to misinformation and bad advice for racquets, string & tension and IART believes that by providing the proper education and advice for all involved our members can help will prevent potential injury to our customers

We seek to build, grow, and nurture a community that shares a common goal of strength through member participation. A global tennis community coming together in a unified effort to share information, network and grow as a community, and learn from one another. That is at the heart of our very core. Through that effort, we can truly seek meaningful change in our sport as it relates to educating our clients.