Raquel Giscafre is the tournament director of the professional women’s tennis event being held at the La Costa Resort and Spa beginning July 30th. Raquel a former player brings a wealth of experience as a player and tournament director to this event. During her playing career was the number one player in Argentina for six years, number 13 in the world in 1975, semifinalist in the U.S. Open in doubles and mixed doubles. The Mercury Insurance Open runs, July 30th-August 7th is headlined by Kim Clijsters, the world’s No. 2 ranked player and Wimbledon Champion, Petra Kvitova.
SZ: Raquel you were one of the founding members with Billie Jean King of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). What are the significant shifts you’ve seen on the business side of women’s tennis, besides larger prize money purses that benefit tour players?
RG: I was not one of the original nine players that you see in the pictures with the one dollar bill that started the tour. But I was the first Latin American on the board of the WTA. The changes that I see in the WTA are gigantic. It has evolved into a very strong tour, it is the most important tour in women’s professional sports. I don’t have the numbers in front of me but I think the tour offers over 60 million dollars in total prize money a year. It’s amazing. Players can make a very nice living and can travel with family, coaches and trainers. At the beginning of the tour we didn’t even have a bathroom in the hotel room.
SZ: Beyond the money what are the benefits you see? Are the players able to create businesses or participate in businesses after leaving the tour?
RG: Absolutely. The WTA has a division that is in charge of educating the players and helping players in their transition from being a tour pro to being able to move on beyond being a player. The tour offers courses and other tools to players and seminars at several tournaments. As a player I enjoyed the social part mingling with sponsors and tournament directors. When I retired I started promoting tennis because I liked the social part. So I began to learn by doing and a lot of players still do that but everything is more organized. There are more tools today for players to make that transition that is so difficult.
Now there are sport psychologists like yourself, (sport psychology consultant), and that is huge. I wish we had sport psychologists traveling with us when we were playing. That’s huge for a players self-esteem. In tennis you lose a lot. Everyday you’re proving that you can be better than your opponent and that you can win. Money has brought the evolution of the sport. Todays tour is strong and has very good people working on it, from the president of the WTA, to tour supervisors, to player relations, and the medical department is very sophisticated.
SZ: The days you played on the tour a player needed to be in the top 15-20 to bring home good money to make a living. How much deeper in the rankings is the range of making a living on the women’s tour?
RG: I personally made enough money to cover my expenses while I played. When I retired I probably had 20k in savings. But I wasn’t a player that played a lot of tournaments. In 1973 the first Virginia Slims tournament was a 10k purse, distributed to 54 players. There wasn’t much money to be made.
SZ: Would the top 50 today make a healthy living?
RG: They can make a lot of money and the players that are only playing doubles can make a great living.
SZ: You participated on the tour at a time players didn’t make enough prize money to hire traveling coaches and trainers. Now that prize money enables players to travel with more resources what are the travel essentials for today’s players?
RG: Most of todays players bring along a coach. In many cases they bring along either their own trainers or their own physical therapist if the player has been struggling with injuries or potential injuries. It’s not unusual for a player to come with two or three people, family, partner, coach.
SZ: Today’s audiences like to feel close to the players and part of the tournament experience. How does the Mercury Insurance tournament provided these opportunities?
RG: The venue of the La Costa Resort tournament is great because it provides a very intimate setting for the tournament. It’s not a large venue like Indian Wells, or Miami where you have a large stadiums. Tennis has been played here for decades. It’s a great venue. The players stay on the property. They love being about to get out of bed and roll onto the courts and walk around the grounds. They have all the amenities provided for them here.There is plenty of security but there is a sense of freedom. It is a favorite tournament for the players.
SZ: What are some of the biggest challenges to putting on this event?
RG: The biggest challenge is raising the money to produce the event and make it profitable. It’s necessary to find sponsors and provide a lot of different events within the events like a fashion show, wine tasting, and music. It’s a different economy. We promoted the tournament at La Costa from 1991 then in 2007 it went away. Two years later the tournament returned. The difference in the economy is interesting. Having operated a tournament in a booming economy and operating this tournament now is different. You rethink how to do everything and you have to be creative to create include everyone in the tennis community.
SZ: What type of events are put on within the tournament to draw community interest?
RG: We work closely with coaches in the community and tennis directors at various clubs and community centers like the YMCA. We put on a kids day, this year it will be held August 1st in the morning and all the kids get in for a free tennis clinic.
SZ: Do the tournament players participate in this or is it mainly local teaching pros?
RG: Some of the tournament players participate in the clinic. Last year Victoria Azarenka who won the 2010 Bank of the West tournament at Stanford came here and did a clinic. That’s how we get the kids involved.
SZ: Are there programs in place to give back to local community organizations from the proceeds of the tournament?
RG: Yes, through the years the tournament has raised over 3 million dollars and given to local charities such as the TriCity Medical Foundation. TriCity Medical Foundation is a sponsor of this years tournament. We put on a big dinner and the tournament donates tickets to the foundation. The tournament also benefits Youth Tennis San Diego.
SZ: As tournament director besides running a smooth tournament what do you most look forward to?
RG: I look forward to the great matches, fantastic atmosphere and seeing people having fun at the event.
Raquel thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk about the upcoming Mercury Insurance Tournament at La Costa.
The Mercury Insurance Open is a participating tournament in the Olympus U.S. Open Series. The U.S. Open Series now in it’s eighth year, is a six week summer tennis season that links the ATP World Tour and WTA tournaments together. The series leads into the U.S. Open. The Mercury Insurance Open is the second women’s event within the series.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Emily Miller - Off Road Racing
Emily Miller is a team driver for Rod Hall Racing. Trained by off-road racing legend, Rod Hall, Miller debuted as a team driver at the 2006 Baja 1000. She has been racing for eight years and has multiple podium finishes and wins as both driver and navigator. She holds the distinction of being the only woman to “ironman” the longest off-road race in the US taking third in the Stock Full Class.
SZ: You are a team driver for Rod Hall, off road racing. What’s it like to be a female race car driver. Are there many females in your sport division?
EM: There are not many women. In fact, in one race last year, I was the only female out of well over 100 racers. It is great to be a woman race driver. I feel very fortunate and from a personal perspective it just doesn’t matter whether you are male or female when you put your helmet on.
SZ: What are the challenges and joys of racing cars?
EM: Challenges – money, time, lack of interest and understanding of off-road racing and its forms in the US. Joys - Working as a team, personal satisfaction, the terrain/race courses are incredibly beautiful, the challenge of keeping focused for such long periods of time, the competition itself
SZ: In what ways if any does gender influence decision making behind the wheel? In what ways is it an advantage being a female driver? What are the disadvantages?
EM: I believe it can be an advantage being a woman for the type of racing I do. I do longer endurance type racing, so being able to make smart decisions over a long period is very important. Finishing often means leaving the ego and testosterone at the door. I also believe women listen and don’t think they have all the answers. Being able to be coached and listening to your coach is key.
In driving, men and women compete directly against each other, which is fairly unique. As a woman, you are under the microscope in ways men just aren’t. And you are dissected in a way that men just aren’t. Driving and any sport can be a real poker game. The challenges of being a woman means that you often have to take all the speculation and talk behind your back and let it roll off of you. If you let it get to you, it will bite you and you will make mistakes by not having your head where you need it to be.
SZ: George Phillips who writes a blog titled “Oil Pressure” recently blogged about Switzerland’s Simona de Silvestro, who was named the 2010 Indy 500 rookie of the year. De Silvestro, has been written about recently for three crashes she has had this year. What are some of the mental challenges de Silvestro faces not only her own as a race car driver but in satisfying sponsors, other drivers and fans that she is back on track?
EM: I really liked that article and it was very well written and fair. I thought Phillips summary didn’t take a subconscious or conscious approach about where she is mentally because she is female. He gave a lot of credit to her drive and talent and really brought up how important the entire team is in performance and the head space of the driver.
Every driver understands the risk when getting into the car. Since I don’t know de Silvestro, personally I can’t speak to what she faces mentally because I don’t know how she processes her racing experiences – positives and negatives. Plus, the racing she does is different and a lot more high-speed than what I do.
However, I can say there is a fine dance between patience and the short term. Drivers can be impatient, wanting results immediately. This year is part of her track record and moving beyond the frustration, the concern, the wrecks could take time. But the good thing about the old cliché is true – “time heals.” The tough thing is the sponsorship and funding game. She has a track record for results, is a great rising star and seems to have what it takes to move beyond the accidents.
SZ: In your experience when a female race car driver of any of the types of racing has a dramatic crash does the media tend to focus the coverage angle on the driver’s level of confidence and whether she belongs in the sport? Does the media approach this angle if it’s a male driver?
EM: Well, we don’t have a lot of women racing let alone having big dramatic crashes for the world to respond to. However, when drivers’ abilities and confidence are questioned, it is tough to hear speculation by people who have never taken the responsibility of sitting in the driver’s seat and make comments as an armchair race driver. But that is just part of the program.
In terms of the question regarding women, I don’t hear “confidence” levels in male drivers questioned.
SZ: Is the sport of car racing in it’s different formats experiencing an increase of female drivers?
EM: From what I can tell, yes. When I was growing up, women only did certain sports. Today, girls get to try many sports (at least in the US and other various countries) and have plenty of female athlete roll models. I also think parents and fathers are doing great jobs giving their daughters opportunities. I think women in car racing will continue to see great growth over coming years and it’s very exciting.
SZ: What are the roads to entry into this sport for female drivers? Once a female driver establishes herself as a capable competitor what are the perks of involvement in this profession?
EM: There are so many forms of racing that it is tough to say. Each discipline is so different. There are some fundamentals though – money, time, practice, great coaching, well-prepped equipment. From a physical and mental perspective, sheer mental toughness and solid physical fitness. I can speak from the off-road racing side. You can start when you are older, and it helps to have general life experience. I think life experience translates directly to decision making in off-road racing. We don’t get to learn courses, practice and memorize corners. It isn’t glamorous, it is hard work just to reach the finish line. If a woman wants to get into off-road racing, the best thing is to first go to the races and volunteer for a team to ensure this is what she wants to do.
The perks of involvement for me are being part of a team, personal satisfaction out of sheer love of driving off-road, but very importantly, getting to see parts of the world from a very unique perspective.
SZ: What is up next on your racing calendar? How can fans follow you?
24 Hours of Paris (first week of September)
Baja 1000 (November)
www.emilysmiller.com
Emily thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedule for this interview.
*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro.
SZ: You are a team driver for Rod Hall, off road racing. What’s it like to be a female race car driver. Are there many females in your sport division?
EM: There are not many women. In fact, in one race last year, I was the only female out of well over 100 racers. It is great to be a woman race driver. I feel very fortunate and from a personal perspective it just doesn’t matter whether you are male or female when you put your helmet on.
SZ: What are the challenges and joys of racing cars?
EM: Challenges – money, time, lack of interest and understanding of off-road racing and its forms in the US. Joys - Working as a team, personal satisfaction, the terrain/race courses are incredibly beautiful, the challenge of keeping focused for such long periods of time, the competition itself
SZ: In what ways if any does gender influence decision making behind the wheel? In what ways is it an advantage being a female driver? What are the disadvantages?
EM: I believe it can be an advantage being a woman for the type of racing I do. I do longer endurance type racing, so being able to make smart decisions over a long period is very important. Finishing often means leaving the ego and testosterone at the door. I also believe women listen and don’t think they have all the answers. Being able to be coached and listening to your coach is key.
In driving, men and women compete directly against each other, which is fairly unique. As a woman, you are under the microscope in ways men just aren’t. And you are dissected in a way that men just aren’t. Driving and any sport can be a real poker game. The challenges of being a woman means that you often have to take all the speculation and talk behind your back and let it roll off of you. If you let it get to you, it will bite you and you will make mistakes by not having your head where you need it to be.
SZ: George Phillips who writes a blog titled “Oil Pressure” recently blogged about Switzerland’s Simona de Silvestro, who was named the 2010 Indy 500 rookie of the year. De Silvestro, has been written about recently for three crashes she has had this year. What are some of the mental challenges de Silvestro faces not only her own as a race car driver but in satisfying sponsors, other drivers and fans that she is back on track?
EM: I really liked that article and it was very well written and fair. I thought Phillips summary didn’t take a subconscious or conscious approach about where she is mentally because she is female. He gave a lot of credit to her drive and talent and really brought up how important the entire team is in performance and the head space of the driver.
Every driver understands the risk when getting into the car. Since I don’t know de Silvestro, personally I can’t speak to what she faces mentally because I don’t know how she processes her racing experiences – positives and negatives. Plus, the racing she does is different and a lot more high-speed than what I do.
However, I can say there is a fine dance between patience and the short term. Drivers can be impatient, wanting results immediately. This year is part of her track record and moving beyond the frustration, the concern, the wrecks could take time. But the good thing about the old cliché is true – “time heals.” The tough thing is the sponsorship and funding game. She has a track record for results, is a great rising star and seems to have what it takes to move beyond the accidents.
SZ: In your experience when a female race car driver of any of the types of racing has a dramatic crash does the media tend to focus the coverage angle on the driver’s level of confidence and whether she belongs in the sport? Does the media approach this angle if it’s a male driver?
EM: Well, we don’t have a lot of women racing let alone having big dramatic crashes for the world to respond to. However, when drivers’ abilities and confidence are questioned, it is tough to hear speculation by people who have never taken the responsibility of sitting in the driver’s seat and make comments as an armchair race driver. But that is just part of the program.
In terms of the question regarding women, I don’t hear “confidence” levels in male drivers questioned.
SZ: Is the sport of car racing in it’s different formats experiencing an increase of female drivers?
EM: From what I can tell, yes. When I was growing up, women only did certain sports. Today, girls get to try many sports (at least in the US and other various countries) and have plenty of female athlete roll models. I also think parents and fathers are doing great jobs giving their daughters opportunities. I think women in car racing will continue to see great growth over coming years and it’s very exciting.
SZ: What are the roads to entry into this sport for female drivers? Once a female driver establishes herself as a capable competitor what are the perks of involvement in this profession?
EM: There are so many forms of racing that it is tough to say. Each discipline is so different. There are some fundamentals though – money, time, practice, great coaching, well-prepped equipment. From a physical and mental perspective, sheer mental toughness and solid physical fitness. I can speak from the off-road racing side. You can start when you are older, and it helps to have general life experience. I think life experience translates directly to decision making in off-road racing. We don’t get to learn courses, practice and memorize corners. It isn’t glamorous, it is hard work just to reach the finish line. If a woman wants to get into off-road racing, the best thing is to first go to the races and volunteer for a team to ensure this is what she wants to do.
The perks of involvement for me are being part of a team, personal satisfaction out of sheer love of driving off-road, but very importantly, getting to see parts of the world from a very unique perspective.
SZ: What is up next on your racing calendar? How can fans follow you?
24 Hours of Paris (first week of September)
Baja 1000 (November)
www.emilysmiller.com
Emily thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedule for this interview.
*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro.
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