Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

I still don't know what I was waiting for...And my time was running wild...A million dead-end streets...Every time I thought I'd got it made...It seemed the taste was not so sweet...
So I turned myself to face me, but I've never caught a glimpse...Of how the others must see the faker...I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes...(Turn and face the strain)...
Ch-ch-Changes...Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes...(Turn and face the strain)...
Ch-ch-Changes...Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me...But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size...But never leave the stream of warm impermanence and...So the days float through my eyes...But still the days seem the same...
And these children that you spit on...As they try to change their worlds....Are immune to your consultations...They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes...(Turn and face the strain)...
Ch-ch-Changes...Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes...(Turn and face the strain)...
Ch-ch-Changes...Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it...Time may change me...But you can't trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me...Changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes...(Turn and face the strain)...
Ch-ch-Changes...Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes...(Turn and face the strain)...
Ch-ch-Changes...Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me...But I can't trace time...
I said that time may change me...But I can't trace time.

I've got NO idea if David Bowie is a tennis fan, but what a clever video someone put together in honor of a hardcore Bowie fan. Actually, I never realized the message in that song was so profound---I think I liked it more than I thought I did!

ANYWAY, as you probably know, the USTA just approved some massive changes to the format and structure of junior tennis competition that will take effect in 2013 and 2014. As you probably also know, I've been following this VERY, VERY closely, which is not that surprising, considering this has DIRECT EFFECT on our ability to pay our mortgage. You see, HIGH-TECH TENNIS is fun, but it is a J-O-B and it's the only one Danny and I have got.

While in Mobile for the USTA National Spring Championships recently, we met Tom Walker. Tom describes himself as a high-performance coach from MI with decades of experience with junior tennis. Tom asked us to help forward his Call to Action (alerting people to the proposed changes and encouraging them to stand up and be counted by contacting their sectional office - he even gave numbers for each!) so we did. We forwarded that Call to Action via email blast to approx. 3000 tennis enthusiasts on March 14th and several people responded to thank us for the heads-up and tell us they tried to contact their section. The vote took place over the following weekend and we learned on March 19th that the changes were approved 16-1 (Southern was the only "NO" vote) so I sent a follow-up email to let everyone know the results. We received responses from many, many, many people responded: WHAT? CHANGES? HUH??? WHAT???

So in the interest of keeping folks informed, we distributed a list of 8 major changes that I discovered at ZooTennis (thanks, Colette) and here they are:

1. 18s Spring Championships will be eliminated
2. The Easter Bowl, now including the 12s, will be reduced to 32 draws except for the ITF, which will remain 64
3. The clay and hard courts will be 128 draws (starting in 2013) for the 14s, 16s and 18s,; the 12s will be 64 draws.
4. The Winter Nationals will now be team events for the 14s, 16s and 18s, with the 12s competition eliminated.
5. There will be a National Doubles tournaments for the 16s and 14s age divisions.
6. Two new "Sweet 16" events for 14s and 16s and a new "Grand Masters" event, with small compass draws in 14s, 16s, and 18s have be introduced.
7. Quotas have been changed to emphasize strength of competition in the section, not simply membership, which is the case now.
8. Regional tournaments are restricted geographically.

Since that time, we've received MANY, MANY, MANY responses from people and I'll list some of them here so you get a feel for the reaction:

• Thank you. I am glad you sent this out as I did not know anything about any changes. Again, Thank You. Thank You!
• USTA Development should now be called "Destroyment".
• This is so frustrating, especially for the player who isn't top 20 material but is a solid player. The regional tournaments are now harder to get in (with 32 draws instead of 64 due to 'time constraints') and then you can't play in the Nationals because the draws are smaller and it looks as if you won't get in if you aren't top 20 in your region. Ugh.
• So glad that we age out of the juniors for all practical purposes this year when Ama goes away to college. So bad for tennis in general :(
• You can add many tournament directors and officials not in favor of these changes!
• I am sorry for all the kids, but I’m also sorry for you and so many other businesses that will be hurt. I tried hard… I sent out an email describing the issues to dozens of tennis parents more than a month ago… I forwarded your email with Tom Walker’s letter and got a bunch of Florida families to email the USTA (we all got form letter responses)…
• Thank you very much for sharing this important information. It is too bad that they do not pay attention to the majority of people's opinions. Please keep us updated.
• I think they have bigger issues with the magically disappearing draw sizes. First with the 8s then the 10a and now the 12s. There won't be enough kids for these national events if the Usta doesn't stop with quick start in the tournaments. Don't get me wrong, the equipment is fantastic, but is better suites for developing beginners. Once they are ready for tournaments green dot ball on full court maybe for 10s. 12s in tournaments should always be yellow. If you are not ready for yellow ball, you are not ready for tournaments!
• I really didn't think they'd go through with this but it never surprises me what the USTA does. Well, this will surely stop the discovery of unknown breakout players. They have always spent too much money on staff and it is showing. Parents better wake up. I say play ITF and leave USTA juniors alone. If your child doesn't start playing before the age of 7, they can't get into this system.
• One problem is a clear lack of concern with what the membership thinks. Why not poll us? They have our emails. Another problem is that they truly believe this is the way to go, that they know better than the rest of us, and that this gives them a chance to achieve their goal: the creation of a new US champion. My son’s coach, a member of the Florida USTA Junior Competitive Council has drunk the Kool Aid and there is simply no give in their position. Very sad.

Then a customer asked me if I knew what the strategy behind all these changes might be. I'm sure I don't know a thing, but here's what I told him:

As far as strategy, your guess is as good as mine, but there are soooo many things going on--it makes my head hurt! Think about it...I know there are more than this but even I can see they're DESPERATE to find the next American champion, while also trying to:

• Grow the game via QuickStart (aka 10U tennis) - HUGE pushback regarding mandatory rules vs. coaches/parents/players deciding for themselves when they're ready to advance to "big" court and compete with "regular" racquets/balls
• Reduce expenses/missed school days for junior tennis players via reduced draw sizes - HUGE pushback because players can't get into tournaments since 32 draw (with who knows how many wild cards) means only the very top, top (read: ELITE) players can play
• Justify outrageous salaries of Player Development staff - HUGE pushback from parents/coaches who resent USTA for stepping in and taking over over when a player shows real promise, without any recognition for the hard work being done on the local level
• And do not get me started on HUGE pushback from American parents regarding inability of players to obtain scholarships (and prevalence of foreign players playing tennis in American schools, which American parents pay for through taxes)

As for me, my offer still stands to kiss Wayne Bryan ON THE LIPS for using his big voice to speak out on behalf of junior tennis players. I've talked about this topic with dozens and dozens of parents and coaches and I have not met a SINGLE person in favor of a SINGLE one of these changes...NOT A SINGLE ONE. I hope I'm wrong and this will be tremendously successful for all of us, but my OPINION is that this is very bad news...and it's an absolute FACT is that this is very bad news for HIGH-TECH TENNIS. Not trying to be dramatic, but this changes everything... We'll still help tennis players where it makes sense but starting TODAY, our priority will be other sports via our newest "division" - HIGH-TECH SPORTS VIDEO. Soo sorry for young tennis players... :(