The 2009 US Open has made substantial strides toward a healthier and more productive environment by sponsoring new green initiatives at the world’s largest annual sporting event.
You can also help tennis go green by choosing to recycle your used balls through a revolutionary new company, Rebounces.
Since 2007, Rebounces’ goal has been to keep tennis balls in play and out of landfills, while growing the game by making affordable practice balls available to players. As part of its Replay, Reuse, Recycle initiative, Rebounces collects tennis balls, re-pressurize them, and sell them in bulk as practice balls.
I spoke with Rebounces’ CFO Cannon Fletcher earlier this summer about the mission behind their company and how tennis fans can help promote a more productive environment.
Can you share about the history behind Rebounces?
The “ah-ha” moment took place more than 12 years ago when Bill Dirst, Rebounces CEO, was coaching high school tennis and began exploring different methods of recharging lifeless tennis balls. Wanting to develop a way to reuse tennis balls and save money, the idea germinated and he began working on one of the crucial stages of what is now the Rebounces process.
In 2004 and 2005 during grad school, Bill and Cannon discussed the concept/idea of what is now Rebounces.
From there it was a lot of late night conversations and the development of a business model we thought had a chance of working. Then it was a commitment from all of us (Bill, Grant and Cannon) to lay it all on the line and invest the resources to make it happen. The technology has been further refined and Rebounces introduced itself to the tennis industry in 2008.
One of the first questions that came to my mind after seeing your tennis balls was how Rebounces manages to recharge the worn balls. Can you tell us a little bit about the technology behind your product?
The technology process perfected by the Rebounces team is a proprietary process that took nearly a decade to develop. While the process can’t be disclosed to the public, what can be noted is that it has multi-stages and includes a bit of both science and magic.
What is the average “life-expectancy” of a Rebounces charged ball?
As with new, an out-of-the-can ball, the life of a Rebounced ball depends on a variety of play factors. With normal game play, a ball that has gone through the Rebounces process will last approximately the same as a new ball out of the can. As with any new ball, the life span can be shortened with hard play, or lengthened with little use.
Apart from recycling used balls, how else does Rebounces promote a greener environment?
While global and intra-continental shipping has been making strides to reduce the carbon they emit into the atmosphere, Rebounces has made the proactive step of purchasing carbon credits for 100% of its shipping and all other aspects of its business. In fact, Rebounces has been carbon negative since its formation. Rebounces pays for the credits out of its own profits and does not pass the buck to the customers.
Rebounces reuses shipping boxes until they are unfit for use. At that point, the boxes are recycled through the appropriate channels. Rebounces sponsors several green local, community events. This allows us to further discuss how to green tennis and lifestyles on a more personal level. Examples would include, Sponsoring a ‘Go Green’ event with the St Louis Aces of World Team Tennis, sponsoring the Women’s $50k USTA Challenger at Grapevine (TX), and partnering with BNP Paribas for a tennis ball recycling event during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells (CA).
There are several additional aspects of our long-term plans that further promote ‘green’ in tennis.
How can our readers partner with Rebounces to help the game of tennis go green?
This can be done quite easily: Tell all your friends about this great new company you read about on OTB – Rebounces.com!!
A reader can begin to collect tennis balls, cans, plastic bottles, etc in any box or bins. Most communities have recycling programs that would address the ball cans and bottles; however they should contact Rebounces to recycle the tennis balls. When the individual has collected at least 100 balls (100+ fit in the box a case of balls, 24 cans, are sold) email Rebounces (info@rebounces.com). Rebounces will send a prepaid FedEx shipping label to the individual.
Additionally, working with a club, tennis facility or teaching pro should make it easier to collect 100 dead balls – most have hundreds already lying around or stuffed in a closet and don’t know what to do with them.
To learn more about Rebounces or to start recycling your used tennis balls today, please visit www.rebounces.com.
Is there such a thing as the tennis ball is too worn to be recycled?