EVERYONE vs. USTA...And the Beat Goes On!
EVERYONE vs. USTA...
AND THE BEAT GOES ON!
AND THE BEAT GOES ON!
Tennis is a GAME, not brain surgery, and junior players are CHILDREN, not mini-professionals. How is it possible that the future of this amazing sport has exploded into a full-fledged WAR??????
It's getting pretty tiresome (or maybe it's even BEYOND tiresome) to keep track of all the back and forth between passionate advocates (Wayne Bryan, Tom Walker, Sean Hannity) who are trying desperately to use their sizable voices to speak UP on behalf of junior tennis players...and the USTA. Players, parents, coaches, directors, and even the host of a conservative radio/tv show have all joined to form a UNITED FRONT but clearly, the USTA is not in the mood to listen, much less revise their plans. In the interest of keeping customers informed, we've included a few links here for you. As you might imagine, this topic and specifically Sean Hannity's response has generated many, many comments.
Consider just one example:
The point here is that by eliminating such possibilities, you (USTA) are severely handicapping the ability of every player, parent and coach to judge and decide what is in the player's best developmental interests, both in the short term and the long term. Instead, the USTA has taken upon itself to determine what that competitive "pathway" is going to be. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. I see the same flawed thinking in other areas of junior player development; namely, the USTA's banning of players younger than eleven using proper equipment with which to compete in sanctioned tournament play. Why? Because the "we know best" mentalities have, with the stroke of a bureaucratic pen, made it impossible for someone like me, with a lifetime of tennis knowledge and experience at every level of the game to, as I've written elsewhere, act on my own observations, evaluations and conclusions and instead replace them with something that, in my view, is more conducive to anti-junior-development. The USTA has forced me into a position whereby to tell a precocious nine year old that in order to play tournaments he's going to have to play a dumbed down version of the game, for me, with his or her best interests at heart, would not only be absurd, it would be dishonest.
Tom Walker Letter to Sean Hannity
We were in Mobile in March when we met Tom Walker and first became aware of the massive changes that are coming to junior tennis. He was 1000% opposed to the changes then (and clearly he's moreso now - please take a moment to read his letter - in which he basically pleads with Sean Hannity to remain involved and help to save junior tennis in America).
We were and are against these changes and not because this is our J-O-B. It's because we really do care about junior tennis players and we feel they will be hurt by these changes. We forwarded Tom Walker's CALL TO ACTION to approximately 3000 tennis enthusiasts in the southeast and we did our very best to inform players and parents so they could voice their opinions and they wouldn't be blindsided. When Tom asked us to quickly put together a video about the Spring National Championships (which has now been ELIMINATED from the face of the earth), we were happy to do so. We've personally talked with players, parents, coaches, and directors all over the south and we have YET to meet a person who supports the proposed changes.
NOT A SINGLE ONE. :(
Here are a few comments in response to Tom Walker's letter:
Tom Walker has a friend here. We have his back. How does shortening tournaments and eliminating competition help them to what is their only true goal of developing the next great American player?
Tom Walker's letter is a passionate and thoughtful understanding of what actually happened . Do I think the USTA is going to give an inch , not a chance. As Tom states in his letter , the rabbit hole goes very deep. Too many top level USTA execs and their minions have to protect their personal interests to ever let things be debated and decided fairly.
The USTA claims they want to set up the system to make it less expensive, shorten tournaments, and make more "local" play WHEN it actuality it all comes down to the USTA thinking they are in the player development business.
It's getting pretty tiresome (or maybe it's even BEYOND tiresome) to keep track of all the back and forth between passionate advocates (Wayne Bryan, Tom Walker, Sean Hannity) who are trying desperately to use their sizable voices to speak UP on behalf of junior tennis players...and the USTA. Players, parents, coaches, directors, and even the host of a conservative radio/tv show have all joined to form a UNITED FRONT but clearly, the USTA is not in the mood to listen, much less revise their plans. In the interest of keeping customers informed, we've included a few links here for you. As you might imagine, this topic and specifically Sean Hannity's response has generated many, many comments.
Consider just one example:
The point here is that by eliminating such possibilities, you (USTA) are severely handicapping the ability of every player, parent and coach to judge and decide what is in the player's best developmental interests, both in the short term and the long term. Instead, the USTA has taken upon itself to determine what that competitive "pathway" is going to be. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. I see the same flawed thinking in other areas of junior player development; namely, the USTA's banning of players younger than eleven using proper equipment with which to compete in sanctioned tournament play. Why? Because the "we know best" mentalities have, with the stroke of a bureaucratic pen, made it impossible for someone like me, with a lifetime of tennis knowledge and experience at every level of the game to, as I've written elsewhere, act on my own observations, evaluations and conclusions and instead replace them with something that, in my view, is more conducive to anti-junior-development. The USTA has forced me into a position whereby to tell a precocious nine year old that in order to play tournaments he's going to have to play a dumbed down version of the game, for me, with his or her best interests at heart, would not only be absurd, it would be dishonest.
Tom Walker Letter to Sean Hannity
We were in Mobile in March when we met Tom Walker and first became aware of the massive changes that are coming to junior tennis. He was 1000% opposed to the changes then (and clearly he's moreso now - please take a moment to read his letter - in which he basically pleads with Sean Hannity to remain involved and help to save junior tennis in America).
We were and are against these changes and not because this is our J-O-B. It's because we really do care about junior tennis players and we feel they will be hurt by these changes. We forwarded Tom Walker's CALL TO ACTION to approximately 3000 tennis enthusiasts in the southeast and we did our very best to inform players and parents so they could voice their opinions and they wouldn't be blindsided. When Tom asked us to quickly put together a video about the Spring National Championships (which has now been ELIMINATED from the face of the earth), we were happy to do so. We've personally talked with players, parents, coaches, and directors all over the south and we have YET to meet a person who supports the proposed changes.
NOT A SINGLE ONE. :(
Here are a few comments in response to Tom Walker's letter:
Tom Walker has a friend here. We have his back. How does shortening tournaments and eliminating competition help them to what is their only true goal of developing the next great American player?
Tom Walker's letter is a passionate and thoughtful understanding of what actually happened . Do I think the USTA is going to give an inch , not a chance. As Tom states in his letter , the rabbit hole goes very deep. Too many top level USTA execs and their minions have to protect their personal interests to ever let things be debated and decided fairly.
The USTA claims they want to set up the system to make it less expensive, shorten tournaments, and make more "local" play WHEN it actuality it all comes down to the USTA thinking they are in the player development business.
I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the firestorm that spread last February when the awesome WAYNE BRYAN spoke UP on behalf of junior tennis players. If you're interested, HERE YOU GO. My offer to kiss Wayne Bryan ON THE LIPS still stands, LOL, and I'll gladly add Tom Walker to that list but Sean Hannity - I guess I'd just have to shake his hand!!!
As you are probably aware, we've begun our efforts to move in many different directions - hope at least one of them will be successful and we can continue to help junior athletes use technology to their advantage. Tennis will always be our first love and we have a very special bond with loads of the players and parents we've met over the past 7 years - but tennis tournaments alone won't keep the lights on at HIGH-TECH TENNIS...especially tournaments that are limited to just SIXTEEN players!!! Keep your fingers crossed for the hardest-working couple you have ever known! :)
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ROUND 1: Sean Hannity vs. USTA
Labels: Change Is In The Air
posted by Julie @ 7:04 PM
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