Get your racquets restrung by Steve Bloomfield – now one of the World’s master stringers

Steve Bloomfield has passed the examination and satisfied the experience requirements to be named a Master Racquet Technician (MRT) by the United States Racquet Stringers Association (USRSA) based in Birmingham, Alabama. The MRT designation is the highest Certification a racquet sports stringer / retailer can receive and Steve is one of only eleven people in the UK to have this qualification currently.

To be eligible for the Master Racquet Technician designation, Steve had to pass an exhaustive exam that tests knowledge of all facets of racquet service. “The exam measures understanding of how to install string, how to select the optimum racquet for every player and how to re-size handles, regrip racquets and customise weight and balance,” says Bob Patterson, USRSA executive director. “An MRT must also demonstrate advanced knowledge of current frame and string technology and how that technology translates to player satisfaction.”

“The MRT offers consumers the best assurance of superior racquet service,” Patterson says. “And this certification provides a competitive advantage for a stringer / retailer who wants to attract knowledgeable, quality conscious consumers. In other words, the MRT benefits both the professionals who earn the designation and those they serve.”

The United States Racquet Stringers Association is a professional organisation of 7,000 racquet service technicians and has been in business for over 40 years.

Steve can be contacted on 07711-230486. Restrings start from £13.50. Current recommendations are that racquets should be restrung at least twice a year – strings lose tension over time and equally as importantly they also lose their ability to absorb shock / vibrations each time a ball is hit. This can lead to sore arms, elbows, shoulders etc as the shock is passed through the frame and in to the players arm rather than being absorbed by the string. With a simple device Steve is able to test the tension of racquet strings to within an accuracy of 1lb and is more than happy to receive calls from any players who might be interested – he has helped a number of players over the years to resolve injury problems relating to old / poor strings. It only takes a few seconds and the price of a restring is rather less than seeking medical help or advice!