"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."-Oprah
It's Monday evening at HIGH-TECH TENNIS and it seems like we just got home (cuz we DID-just 24 hours ago) from an amazingly amazing trip to SC. Our heads are spinning with excitement about the unexpected new doors that are opening to unexpected new opportunities and we'll have much, much more to share later -- want two clues? O.K...LTP Tennis and Wild Dunes Resort.
But first, we had to deal with a little reality (clothes needed washing and timing belts needed replacing-two crucial items that demanded attention) before we take off again in the morning for KY.
For the first time in 5 years, we'll miss our home-away-from-home: Thanksgiving at the Mobile Tennis Center was special in lots of ways. First, it was the holiday banquet that every single parent, player, and video person :) was invited to at the Mobile Marriott; then it was a few years of Johnny's home-cooked meal (with all the fixins) prepared onsite-right at the tennis center! Then the USTA cut the draw in half but combined the BG14s and the BG18s...Then they moved the entire event to Pensacola. JOY!!! If you think it's hard to plan your tennis calendars, just try to imagine the stress of paying your mortgage-YIKES!!!
Oh well...We were thankful for a rare holiday of NOT working. Maybe we (or should I say DANNY, lol) would prepare a special dinner for ourselves. I have trouble boiling water - but Danny's a great cook (out of necessity, he says)! But then the tournament referree for the Fall Southern Closed contacted us and invited us to participate (for a fee, mind you). Only a few, great tournament directors are smart enough to recognize that we're an amenity and we make tournaments better. Alas, too many see only the opportunity to make a few extra bucks...sigh. This might be the first and the last year but we're off to Louisville and we're hoping for the best. Then, about four weeks later, we'll be back in Louisville for the Winter Southern Closed. See why we can't afford to neglect our car?!?!?
Meantime---While we try to figure this stuff out, we know that we couldn't possibly do what we do without the wonderful customer friends who do what they do and we think it's important to thank all the really wonderful people who make our really wonderful lives possible.
So to all those special people, we have just TWO WORDS to say:
Everyone knows it's tough for ANY business to succeed...Not to mention a business that's based on a brand new concept that's never been tried before!
We realized almost right off the bat that we weren't going to receive the support we naively expected would be automatic from tennis coaches and academies and tournament directors...Actually, we've had basically ZERO support whatsoever and every single bit of success we've had has been 1000% due to the hard work and sheer determination of DANNY AND ME. NOBODYELSE.
Wow, I don't have to tell you it's been tough and it's been challenging and it's been INCREDIBLY $TRE$$FUL (considering we have NO other source of income)...but we knew we were on to something and we're determined to make a difference. Fast forward to today...
Our College Recruit Videos have become so incredibly popular and I clearly remember the very first one we did...A father from Duluth contacted us in May of 2006...then a mother from Duluth...then a mother from Maitland, FL...and on and on it went. Just as we never expected to prepare Match Play Videos, we never, ever expected to prepare College Recruit Videos either. We didn't expect to, that is, UNTIL A PARENT ASKED US TO!
"Our college video had a tremendous impact on the college recruiting process for our daughter. One college coach even used her video to show other college recruits the type of high-level player they were recruiting! Thanks, HIGH-TECH TENNIS!"
Father of High School Senior in Duluth, GA
"After all the time and money you've invested on behalf of your child, this is the BEST money you'll ever spend to get them well-deserved exposure!! This is truly a great product and your satisfaction is guaranteed! We highly recommend HIGH-TECH TENNIS!"
Very Satisfied Parents of Junior in Duluth, GA
"Great, great, GREAT...Awesome, awesome, AWESOME!!! The online college you prepared for my daughter is WONDERFUL, Danny! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!"
Mother of High School Senior in Maitland, FL
It's fun to revisit some of the many wonderful moments we've experienced over the past seven years... I included three positive testimonials but I probably could have included three dozen or more. Just today I received two wonderful, supportive comments from two wonderful, supportive customers who have been "with" us since 2007 and 2008:
"The college video you did for me a few years ago really helped me a lot and I'm so glad you're helping my brother too!"(from older brother) ... "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR MY SONS! WE LOVE HIGH-TECH TENNIS!"
Father of Two Juniors in Canton, GA
"Thanks so much for your assistance with my daughter's video and now with all that you've done to help my son. We've recommended you guys many, many times and we'll continue to do so. In fact, we just sent you another client. I really admire you guys for having the guts to step out ther and pursue something on your own and stick with it to make it work. I saw that you are branching out... WOW-Awesome!"
Mother of Two Juniors in Goodlettville, TN
IMAGINE MY SURPRISE
to glance up and look at the very first dollar bill we ever made (framed & hanging on the wall above my desk) and realize something quite remarkable:
THIS IS YEAR #8
We've been inspired by Arthur Ashe to "start where we are, use what we have, and do what we can" ... by Elizabeth Edwards, who put forth a "daily effort to have a positive impact in the world"... and by Andre Agassi, who understands that "life is messy and unpredictable but our choices define our future." Simply stated, our goal is to make a difference!
We always said that our goal was to make a difference... and I think we're doing just that!
Our future looks bright and it certainly looks busy!
HIGH-TECH TENNIS & SPORTS VIDEO = WOWOWOW "Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else."~Mr. Rogers
We know that couldn't possibly do what we do without the great support of so many great people...you know who you are... THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!
When it comes to tennis in general (not to mention junior tennis, specifically), it seems there's an endless list of problems that must be solved. It's kind of like my TO DO LIST - I may cross off an item here or there but mostly I just add to it! We are not listing the problems here because #1 - we are not experts and #2 - we may run out of ink, LOL but what we are doing is sharing our observations from 7+ years in the trenches with competitive junior tennis players.
By reflecting on what we see, we are shining a light of awareness on areas that may not get the attention they deserve. Sometimes things need to be said so that positive change can occur...at least that's our hope. Please remember the very last thing we want to do is generate any controversy whatsoever... After all, if junior tennis players win, we ALL win!
As you may have guessed, first I gotta SHOUT OUT some great news about our friend Miss Taylor Townsend and her most recent opportunity-of-a-lifetime: She was invited to participate on Team Elton John for the WTT Smash Hit event in Pittsburgh, which meant that Taylor got to team up and play doubles with one of her IDOLS: fellow-lefty Martina Navratilova!!! What an amazing experience for an amazing kid!!! You will surely remember that I was and still am OUTRAGED at the treatment of this CHILD by Patrick McEnroe and the USTA. This is my opinion and my blog so I'm entitled to write whatever I want to write but if you don't think racism had anything to do with that horrible situation, I think it's time for you to wake up...
Back to the positive: I could go on and on about the reasons I'm crazy about this girl but let me just share a comment that she made at the event: "If it weren't for my sister, I may not be here today!" I'm telling you - this Taylor T is something special...and I'm not just talking tennis. She has a very special soul and we saw it when she was just 9 YEARS OLD! :) So hats off to you, Taylor T and to you too, Big Sister Symone---another very special person! But the BIGGEST shout out goes to Momma Townsend---Shelia, your daughters are beautiful girls AND the world certainly needs more of the beautiful people they are becoming! :)
We recently went to the Raleigh Bullfrog and, as you may have heard, it was a really, really rainy experience :( which meant hours and hours of waiting for dry courts on Sunday-the one and only day that wasn't 100% washed out. This left me with a ton of time to talk with customers (big surprise-that's one of my specialties-and I love talking to people) but I didn't love what I heard that day. In fact, it was very disturbing to me and I just haven't had a chance to share it until now. I'd share observations in this blog pretty much every day if I could - but there's this little thing called the mortgage, LOL. Anyway, without revealing any names (which I never have and will never do), I'll repeat the story as I understood it and please keep in mind that I wasn't there to witness or hear any of this personally:
This happened at the airlines on the way home after a BullFrog Southern Designated tournament in the Southern Section. When our customer attempted to board the plane with her tennis bag, she was prevented from doing so and told that she had to check the bag and pay a fee for doing so. When she (and her parents) pointed out that there were several other players who had boarded the plane ahead of her with the same bag, she was told that those were not tennis bags - they were car seats. What??? Car seats??? You cannot be serious!!! She told the airline personnel that those were not car seats - they were tennis bags - and she had the SAME EXACT ONE!!! Faced with such an obvious mistake, you'd think the airline personnel would have backed down and apologized for their error...
but you'd be WRONG.
Our customer was the ONLY ONE on that plane who had to check her tennis bag (AND PAY A FEE) to do so and hope you're ready for the big shockeroo: she was also the ONLY ONE on that plane who was African-American.
Her parents (particularly her father) were understandably LIVID and they demanded a refund and a letter of apology from the airline personnel when they arrived at their destination... I'm happy to say that their demands were met but of course THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE.
Try to imagine how YOU'd have felt if you'd been treated the way this young lady was treated!!! THIS HAPPENED IN 2012!!! Yes, racism is alive & well in junior tennis today. This is just one of many examples out there and we really hate that...We really, really do. :(
"Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
I was recently sitting outside, enjoying our glorious weather while stuffing hundreds of envelopes. Since that didn't require a huge amount of concentration, lol, I started thinking about the upcoming changes to junior competition and then my mind drifted to random memories about parents and priorities and players...By the way, the cute girl in the picture above has NOTHING whatsoever to do with these observations. We've known her for about 6 years...she's one of our favorite juniors on the planet...and she's growing up right before our eyes. I love this picture..and I love this player. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
One thing I remembered was the GA mother of a daughter (14-ish) who wanted to travel to play tournaments a few years ago. The mother put it very succinctly and I thought it was amusing: "Here is the way I explained it to my daughter: Until you consistently beat the kids in our neighborhood, the neighborhood is where we will stay. As you get better, the same will apply for our city...and then for our state. We just don't have the money for you to travel the country like a professional tennis player!" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Then I started thinking about just a few weeks ago when we saw an AL father and his 13-yr-old son for the first time in a long, long time. In fact, it had been years since we'd seen them (and we used to see them ALL THE TIME)...In fact, I kinda fell in love with this boy when he was about 9 at one of my favorite tournaments-which has now been eliminated from our schedule due to QuickStart :(. So I hugged the kid like a long-lost friend and asked the father where they'd been??? He just shrugged and said they kinda took a break for a while. I asked Danny to record the kid's match for old times sake and then the boy asked his father for that match as well as his next two. The father shared with me that his son doesn't win very often, but he (the son) is still convinced that he's A GREAT PLAYER...so much so that he's gonna to stay in school for two more years and then he's decided that he's going pro. HAHA-The father said he better try to win a southern level 3 match first, LOL. :)
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In case you haven't followed the latest turn in the unbelievably tiresome drama known as junior tennis, we got notice last week that the USTA basically agreed to hit the "PAUSE" button with respect to the upcoming changes-WOW O WOW! Never, ever saw that coming!! Check the news HERE! But before you get your hopes up, it turns out that PAUSE doesn't really mean what you think it means...and they quickly followed up with this clarification...sigh. Raise your hand if you're surprised...
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So anyway - back to random thoughts...I remember when Patrick McEnroe began his "LET'S TALK TO THE PARENTS" tour at the G12 National Championships at Windward this past August and a longtime customer/friend of ours was the very first person to stand up and let him have it. To paraphrase our friend's reaction to the upcoming changes, he adamantly told PMAC that it was not his business where and how he spent his money. He emphasized repeatedly that it was HIS MONEY to spend on HIS CHILD according to HIS PRIORITIES. Unfortunately, as I recall, PMAC virtually blew him off. :(
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nothing makes me angrier than when a parent says "We can't pay full price for your videos because tennis is such an expensive sport. We are spending too much money and we really need a discount." I wonder if their child's coach gives discounts on lessons...or the store where they buy their child's racquets or shoes or clothing gives discounts...or the hotel where they stay while their child competes gives discounts...or the restaurant where they eat during the tournament gives discounts. DOUBTFUL THAT THEY EVEN HAVE THE NERVE TO ASK. A very common misconception is that just because our customers are spending their leisure time at tournaments, they think we are too...but that's just not so. We work very hard to provide a valuable service and we're happy to do so...but please don't ask us for discounts that we can't afford to give. It just happens that this is our only source of income (aka this is how we keep the lights on-or not).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SORRY---didn't mean to digress...Where did that come from? Told you my mind was drifting aimlessly. Now back to the topic at hand: One of many things we've learned over the past 7 years is that WE are not the customers. What I mean is this: Neither of us had parents who were in a position to afford the things most tennis kids seem to take for granted these days - I'm sure we can all agree that tennis is an affluent sport, for the most part - and it's definitely not fair that some can afford to do so and some can't but then life isn't fair, is it? But, as a father of twin boys from FL told me in Mobile several years ago, "It takes all kinds of people to make a world." I never forgot that...Actually, I find myself thinking about it a lot (and not always in reference to tennis). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I clearly remember a time when I got a wake-up call, TENNIS-STYLE: At the Peach State many years ago-before it got eliminated from our schedule and maybe from the face of the earth, two young boys (12-ish) were playing and one kid (from MS) broke a string. Turns out it was his ONLY RACQUET but fortunately, his opponent (from GA) opened his bag (which had about TEN RACQUETS inside!!!), took one out, and handed it to the MS player to use...which he did - to quickly beat the player from GA! We became quite close to the player from MS and his family over the next 5 years...They had virtually NO money but the boy had a ton of talent---and a super sweet spirit. The boy from GA? We never really got to know him - but his father is 'difficult' to be around. Life is not always fair...and parent's priorities don't always make sense to us - but then our priorities might not make sense to others - and that's what makes the world go 'round. But we do our very best to meet and exceed ALL customer expectations.
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As you can imagine, we didn't start HIGH-TECH TENNIS to become rich... Not even close! We started HIGH-TECH TENNIS to help tennis players play better tennis. To us, that includes players of ALL ages, abilities, and financial situations. We realized that nearly every other sport used technology to help athletes improve their performance and we wondered WHY isn't anyone doing this for tennis??? Our next thoughts were: If not us, THEN WHO? And if not now, THEN WHEN? :) Simply stated, our goal is to MAKE A DIFFERENCE. We are so grateful that our customers really appreciate our videos. Just please remember that every single parent of every single player is in just as much of a hurry to receive their video... THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! :)
We've known Taylor Townsend and her entire family since about 2006 - or it may have been earlier than that. Sure, we knew she was a pretty awesome tennis player but the reason we love her? She's a GREAT GIRL with a BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT!!! I hope this experience doesn't damage that spirit - but it's hard to say...
I don't claim to be an expert on developing tennis players or much of anything else, for that matter...but I immediately knew something was wrong when I heard that Taylor had been "benched" this summer after USTA officials decided she wasn't fit enough to compete??? BENCHED??? The #1 junior girl in the WORLD was being benched? Something had to be horribly wrong... and it was. :( As reported in the Wall Street Journal on 9/6/12:
"Unbeknownst to everyone outside her inner circle, the USTA wasn't happy to see Townsend in New York. Her coaches declined to pay her travel expenses to attend the Open and told her this summer that they wouldn't finance any tournament appearances until she makes sufficient progress in one area: slimming down and getting into better shape. "Our concern is her long-term health, number one, and her long-term development as a player," said Patrick McEnroe, the general manager of the USTA's player development program. "We have one goal in mind: For her to be playing in [Arthur Ashe Stadium] in the main draw and competing for major titles when it's time.
That's how we make every decision, based on that."
So after the USTA decided she wasn't fit enough to compete and they declined to pay travel expenses, her mom (Shelia) paid for TT to go to New York...AND GUESS WHAT??? She won her 3rd junior Grand Slam doubles title of the year!!!
But before she won on Saturday, Patrick McEnroe clarified his position in the Wall Street Journal on 9/7/12:
“It was a miscommunication,” said Patrick McEnroe, the general manager of the USTA’s player development program. “I apologize that they feel that way, it’s not right.” McEnroe said Townsend’s weight was not the cause of the USTA’s decision. “This has nothing to do with weight,” he said. “We never talked about that. We talked about her being in shape, working on her fitness. It’s not about how you look, it’s about how fit you are.”
Umm......right. A simple miscommunication? I DOUBT IT.
Remember - we are talking about a CHILD here. A CHILD who (forgive me, Taylor) has NEVER been small but a CHILD who presumably tries her best. But o.k., none of us were there so we can't truly know the entire story and maybe, just maybe, she doesn't try her hardest to follow whatever guidelines are given to her...but SURELY there was a more appropriate way to handle this very, very sensitive issue.
Instead, they instructed this CHILD to withdraw from the USTA Girls' National Championships in San Diego in August (if she'd won, she'd have received an automatic wild card into the U.S. Open's main draw and with it a rare chance to be seen by agents and sponsors - she currently has no agent)... they prevented this CHILD from competing in our country's Grand Slam, and they generally caused a CHILD to feel horribly about herself.
And if that "miscommunication" excuse doesn't do it for you, this quickly surfaced on Tennis.com, 9/8/12:
Townsend required a doctor's approval to play due to "low iron." Townsend was recently diagnosed with low iron, and the USTA did not feel it was safe for her to play until her doctors gave her the go-ahead. After she returned to Florida, Townsend was diagnosed with low iron during a routine checkup. Shelia Townsend said her daughter is taking iron pills and that the problem is "totally manageable."
Can you begin to imagine how she must feel??? Has the USTA ever heard of eating disorders??? Just think - the topic of this CHILD's body and weight is being discussed in very hurtful words in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, the entire Twitter-verse, and more blogs than I can count??? I am sooo very offended by this treatment - and I'm not the only one who feels this way. Consider the words of former #1 players and Grand Slam champions from The Daily Fix - WSJ Blog - 9/7/12:
"You cannot punish someone for their body type,” Davenport said. "Bringing out their best isn’t making them feel bad about themselves and having a horrible self-image. You get it out of them by getting them happy, by getting them excited to play, not by tearing them down." .. "I was not svelte at 15, and I was not fit at 15. If they had told me I could not play, I mean, that could have ruined my career." .. "[Taylor] is a baby to me. I couldn’t imagine, if someone did that to one of my kids, that would be the end of it.
It’s horrible to put that kind of pressure on someone.
I can’t imagine at 16 what my parents would have done."
“I’m livid about it. Livid,” Navratilova said. She added: “It speaks of horrible ignorance.”
Over the weekend, I reached out to Taylor and mom Shelia to let them know we're thinking about them, to remind them that we support them ALL THE WAY, and to be sure they're managing in this unmanageable situation. Taylor assures me she's "Doing good! It's tough but I'm handling it well and just trying to keep working hard?" and Shelia says "Taylor has handled herself with grace and dignity and to top it off, walked away with a championship..."
Taylor's style of play and extreme talent has been compared with that of Serena Williams. And there may well be issues of race and weight at play here...I just don't know. But at a minimum, I think we can ALL agree that - no matter what HE SAYS or what SHE SAYS - this situation was handled very, very, VERY poorly. Professional adults who are trusted to CARE about and for children are supposed to know better...and I say SHAME ON THE USTA. This is the very last thing that Taylor needed - and the same goes for TENNIS in general!!! My heart hurts for my friend's sweet spirit and how potentially damaging this is... It is so much bigger than whether she does or does not become the next American Tennis Champion!!! She is a CHILD ... who just happens to have amazing tennis talent ... but still aCHILDwho's doing her best to grow up in the world the same as the rest of us. This CHILD is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She's the #1 Junior Girl in the World and she certainly showed us all that she's FIT ENOUGH TO WIN!!!
Article Published in the Racquet Sports Industry Magazine (Sep/Oct 2012)
Serving the Tennis Public?
A longtime sports journalist says the conflicts of interest in tennis breed a lack of accountability and stunt the sport's growth.
By L. Jon Wertheim
Andy Roddick's foot smudged the baseline as he served and, to his misfortune, the official stationed at the baseline saw it clearly. "Footfault!" she yelled, her voice echoing through the National Tennis Center this night at the 2010 US Open. With that, Roddick snapped, serving up a petty and prolonged tantrum, playing to the crowd and humiliating the lineswoman - all over a correct call.
Rodick's explosion begged for condemntation. But in the ESPN booth there was an awkward silence. The notion of John McEnroe offering credible analysis of a player-official conflict is, of course, comical. His brother, Patrick, was not only the U.S. Davis Cup captain at the time - the success of his team dependent largely on Roddick's willingness to play - but had recently served as Roddick's informal coach. Meanwhile, Brad Gilbert was in a conflicted position, too. Having once coached Roddick, Gilbert has long been reluctant to say anything disparaging about his former charge.
The scene was a familiar one. A year earlier Serena Williams also launched an ugly eruption after a foot-fault call. It was memorably ugly, but who was there to call her out? Not John McEnroe. Not Patrick McEnroe, also the head of USTA Player Development. Not Mary Joe Fernandez, who moonlights as the USTA's Fed Cup captain, a job that consists mostly of beseeching Serena to commit to playing every now and then. Not Pam Shriver, who shares an agent with Serena.
Welcome to tennis. The sport may be perceived by so many as prudish and chaste, but truth is, everyone is in bed with everyone else. The Tours represent both labor (players) and management (tournaments). The USTA has a stake in tournaments and the media entities. Management agencies represent players, own and operate tournaments, and negotiate broadcast rights.
In the media, it's conflicts galore. Though only occasionally disclosed, ESPN's Darren Cahill is on the Adidas payroll. Justin Gimelstob of the Tennis Chanel is also on the ATP Board. In addition to her USTA dueis, Mary Joe Fernandez is married to Roger Federer's agent. I don't exempt myself here: While my day job entails writing for Sports Illustrated, I also work for Tennis Channel at the Majors.
The justification for these tangled webs goes something like this: The same relationships that might compromise integrity also help grease the skids for access. (It stands to reason, for instance, that an ATP player might be more inclined to accept a Tennis Channel interview request when one of his representatives on the ATP board makes the request.) What's more, these conflicts have always been in tennis's DNA. Decades ago, it was Donald Dell who, memorably, offered television commentary on the match of a player he represented at an event he was running. As Gimelstob recently put it to me, "Tennis is an incestuous, conflicted sport. If you are going to allow that, you can't blame someone for taking advantage of it the best he can."
Yet when tennis alows these cozy relationships, it has the effect of stunting the sport's growth. For one, in the eyes of recreational players and casual fans, tennis comes across as clubbish and niche, a sport that is not big enough to trigger the usual rules. The overarching message: It's "just tennis." (Ask yourself: Would ESPN ever allow an active NFL league executive to serve as a Monday Night Football commentator?) More passionate players and fans are ill-served too. Lord knows what questions aren't being asked and what information isn't being imparted, given the relationships and the financial ties.
Worse, the cliquishness breeds a lack of accountability, stifling serious discourse and examination and the kind of difficult discussion and inquiry that ultimately help businesses grow. So long as Patrick McEnroe is on the payroll, ESPN is unlikely to undertake an expose of the USTA's difficulty in harvesting top junior talent or the controversy surrounding the 10-and-under program. And so long as he draws a check from the USTA, Patrick McEnroe is unlikely to speak critically on-air about the lack of a roof at the National Tennis Center or address players seeking a greater share of revenues from events like the US Open.
Like a team in a three-legged race, tennis stumbles and moves clumsily when all the major parties are tied together. To Gimelstob's point, yes, tennis is an incestuous, conflicted sport. But maybe we shouldn't be so cavalier about allowing it.
L. John Wertheim is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. Full disclosure: He also works for Tennis Channel.
SPECIAL NOTE #1: Please be aware that Patrick McEnroe will conduct PARENTS/COACHES meeting at the site of the G12 National Championships - Windward Lake Club in Alpharetta, GA - on Monday, August 6 from 1-2PM.
SPECIAL NOTE #2: We (HIGH-TECH TENNIS) met Antonio Mora (sr?) and his son Antonio Mora (jr?) approximately 3-4 years ago and we absolutely, completely agree with points 12, 13, and 15 but we can't discount the other points (just don't understand them clearly right now). HOW ABOUT YOU??? We are sharing this information SO YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.
Antonio Mora responds to Hannity/Russell USTA debate
Hannity fans may remember Sean's stern rebuke (read Sean's letter here) to the USTA's Tim Russell over rule changes the tennis association put in place in a failed attempt to increase "competition." The debate has escalated with both sides trading letters, emails and tweets about the subject. Over the past few weeks hundreds of coaches, parents and fans have come out in support of Sean flooding the Hannity Inbox with emails. Below is one such letter from news anchor Antonio Mora. Additionally, you can read Tom Walker, Director of Tennis for the Kalamazoo YMCA's, letter of support for Sean by clicking here.
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The following is an attempt to focus on the main issues discussed in the exchange between Sean Hannity and Tim Russell. It is less than two pages long and an addresses what I see as the most substantive issues raised by the USTA’s changes in the junior competitive schedule. While I believe those changes are well-intentioned, I am afraid there are a series of unintended consequences that will do precisely the opposite of what the USTA hopes to achieve.
1) “Meaningful Competition,” Best Playing the Best,” “Earned Advancement.” These phrases are used repeatedly in Tim Russell’s response to Sean Hannity and are the main philosophical reasons for the changes. Ironically, the quota system at the heart of the USTA’s changes directly contradicts that philosophy. If you want the best to play the best, then why is the USTA allowing for a “size component” when it comes to determining a section’s quota? Size should be irrelevant, if you want to be intellectually consistent and fair. Only a section’s strength should be considered if we are being honest about only rewarding kids who have earned it with the ability to play nationally. If, as Dr. Russell repeatedly says, we want all national matches to be competitive, for the best to play the best, quality should trump size. The size of a section should be irrelevant (see point #2).
2) Section Strength. Making matters worse, the USTA is using its own rankings to determine the strength of a section. Instead, it should use a head-to-head ranking system such as Tennis Information that more fairly determines the ability of a player (a player is not penalized if injuries didn’t allow him or her to enter major tournaments and it does not reward players who have the financial wherewithal to play every national and regional tournament). Let’s use Florida as an example. The quota Florida will get for supernationals, based on the size/strength equation, is only 10 (it would have more if “size” were not considered). When I looked on July 10th, there were 13 Florida boys in the top 150 on the USTA 14s rankings and 13 in the 12s. But, if you look at the Tennisinformation rankings, there are 24 in the top 150 in the 14s (plus Stefan Kozlov, so it’s really 25) and there are 26 in the 12s, fully double the strength Florida is getting credit for in its quota by using the USTA rankings as the gauge. How can it possibly be fair to limit Florida kids to ten spots at supernationals? The injustice is such that the #61, 62, 63, 67 and 73 boys in the country on Tennis Information in the 14s (on July 10th) would not be ranked highly enough in Florida to get in under the quota. One of those boys who would miss out is part of USTA Player Development.
3) Wild Cards. Doesn’t increasing the number of wild cards also directly contradict the earned advancement that’s being preached?
4) Chasing Points. A lot of time has been wasted focusing on kids who chase points by traveling long distances as if this were an epidemic that somehow invalidates the ranking structure. That overlooks the reality that only a small number of kids do so and that none of those kids gets ranked very highly unless they win a lot of matches. The new 2012 point structure makes it even harder for “chasing points” to have any kind of significant effect because kids don’t earn many points unless they get deep into a tournament. Can anyone show me a kid in the top 50 in the country who hasn’t earned his or her way to that ranking?
5) “Increase” in Opportunities. I’m mystified by Mr. Russell’s argument here. There is no doubt that there are more opportunities for the super-elite players (top 20 in the country), but some of the added Level 1 tournaments only take between four and 16 applicants per category. The “majors,” the supernationals, will only take place twice a year instead of four. Level 2 tournaments are cut from four concurrent tournaments four times a year to only three concurrent tournaments only twice a year. Level 3 regional tournaments are slashed from eight tournaments four times a year to four tournaments three times a year. Again, I’m mystified at how that’s an “increase.”
6) Aging Up Decrease in Opportunities. An important point that is not addressed is that the new system will greatly delay the ability for even super-elite kids to play nationally in the years they age up, especially in the country’s most competitive regions. That can’t be good for their tennis.
7) Travel “Reduction.” By my count, a 14 year-old kid who plays a full national and sectional schedule currently plays 17 level 1-to-4 tournaments (four supernats, four national opens, four regionals, zonals and four sectionals). Under the new system (as I interpret the convoluted 2014 schedule), a kid who plays a full schedule (the super-elite) will play a similar number of level 1-to-4 tournaments, but they will have to play a far greater number of tournaments in their section in order to make sure to make their section’s quota. Home school anyone? The kids who are just below the super-elite will also play about the same number of level 1-to-4 tournaments they play today XXXXXXX (but they will be playing mostly level 3 and 4s)XXXXXXXX. For the super-elite and the next layer of top kids, the proposal does NOTHING to decrease travel. But the big issue is the flip side: even top kids who don’t make it into their section’s quota will have a travel elimination, with almost no opportunity to play outside their section, nationally OR regionally (see examples in #2 above).
8) Travel Costs and Distances. The truth is that the new system will not help much. It is sometimes far more time consuming and expensive to travel within a section than to go to a national open or regional elsewhere. Try to get from the Tri-Cities in Washington State to Oklahoma City (kids in region 2 will have to do that) or even from Miami to Augusta, Georgia… it’s cheaper and much quicker to fly to Dallas, Chicago or New York!
9) Missing School. I find it ironic that after years where the USTA seemed not to care about this (January regionals not scheduled over MLK Birthday weekend, February National Opens not scheduled over President’s Day weekend, the Easter Bowl scheduled when virtually nobody has spring break, May National Opens not scheduled over Memorial Day weekend; I can go on with more examples), the Russell letter argues that the new system will be better on that score. It is, slightly. But it would have been awfully easy to make the old schedule work better.
10) Playing Styles and Surfaces. The Russell letter mostly skirts the issue of how the new changes will limit exposure to different surfaces and playing styles. As he says, the new system will provide opportunities for the super-elite to have that kind of exposure, but the reality is the enormous majority of our top kids will be hurt. When will top Florida kids compete indoors? When will most top kids in the country compete on clay?
11) Birth Year. Why in the world would Dr. Russell even raise the possibility of returning to the much-discredited (by “Outliers” and other subsequent research) calendar-year system? Is he actually arguing that, somehow, two wrongs (calendar-year system and only two supernationals) would suddenly make a right? I’ve heard the ITF is considering following the much fairer rolling-birthday system we have here. The USTA should exert its efforts to change the ITF, not to go back to a silly, discriminatory system.
12) “Lower Ranked Players.” Dr. Russell jumps all over Mr. Hannity for saying that “lower-ranked players will not get to play national events,” asking why “low-ranked players should play national events.” I can’t speak for Mr. Hannity, but he said “lower” not “low.” That’s an important distinction. Very, very good kids will not be able to play national events under a whole series of circumstances. While there is a certain inertia that keeps top players near the top from the 10s on, some kids do make progress over time and manage to soar to the top. Some kids do come out of seemingly nowhere to do very well in tournaments. The next Andre Agassi could be a kid who didn’t do well in the 12s and 14s but then grows a foot in the 18s. By discouraging that player by limiting his opportunities early on, we may lose him to lacrosse or baseball.
13) Psychology. Here again, I agree with Mr. Hannity and disagree with Dr. Russell, especially when he calls Mr. Hannity’s point “preposterous.” Kids getting the chance to play nationally, even if it’s only every once in a while, is powerful validation. Few things are more inspiring to young players than playing at the highest levels with the country’s best players. Limiting those opportunities will give far fewer players the chance to get that inspiration. Traveling around the country often leads to the kinds of friendships that are catalysts that encourage a lifetime of tennis. Again, fewer kids will have that chance. They and the sport will suffer for it.
14) Kids Playing Adults. I’m not sure what it’s like where Dr. Russell lives in, but I’m with Mr. Hannity in saying that that kids playing with adults just doesn’t happen. Maybe if a new rating system gets implemented that mixes everybody into the same tournaments, but spontaneous play with adults who aren’t their parents is uncommon in today’s world. Please don’t take away opportunities for kids to play with a wide variety of good kids, no matter what form of transportation they need to get to that competition.
15) “Consultation.” Even though I wanted to keep this email focused on substance, this is one non-substantive point that needs to be addressed. Dr. Russell talks about the legions of people who were consulted, but the process was anything but transparent, open and public as he claims. When the proposed changes were unveiled at the post-Christmas meeting in Texas, people there were told NOT to disseminate the proposals. When I sent a detailed analysis of the proposals to dozens of parents of highly-competitive kids across the country two months later in early March, NONE of them were aware any of this was being considered. Tom Walker recently addressed the lack of consultation this in a letter published on Zoo Tennis. I hope the USTA accepts Mr. Hannity’s offer to poll parents. It wouldn’t have to be unwieldy: if you poll parents of the top two hundred kids in each age group, you’re talking about less than 1600 people (some will be duplicates with multiple kids). I think the USTA will be surprised at the extent of the opposition to the changes.
Finally, there are many positives in the changes approved, but there are an awful lot of negatives. I would hope the USTA could find an intelligent middle ground that would not slash the opportunities for kids to play nationally while still taking steps to help create new great tennis generations.
In the interest of full disclosure, assuming all things remain equal, my son is not likely to suffer much from the changes and is highly ranked enough that some may benefit him. Dr. Russell gave his background, so I will too. I am a Harvard Law School graduate, with a lot of training and experience analyzing complex documents (both the approved changes and Dr. Russell’s letter certainly qualify as such). After practicing law in New York, I switched careers and became a broadcast journalist, earning a dozen national and local Emmy Awards. I am also a lifelong tennis player from a tennis-playing family that includes a brother who played on the ATP tour for years and two generations of Davis Cup players.
I would urge everyone to be forthcoming with their names in whatever discussion ensues. It’s disappointing to see so many anonymous attacks from all sides in this important conversation and I would hope the USTA would not be vindictive against the children of those who express opinions the organization does not like. Sadly, many people are afraid to speak out because they believe that will happen.
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 careabout 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 firstlove 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! :)
We were in Mobile in March when we first became aware of the massive changes that are coming to junior tennis. We were and are against these changes and it's not because this is our job. It's because we really do care about junior tennis players and we feel they will be hurt by these changes.
We did our very best to inform players and parents so they could voice their opinions and they wouldn't be blindsided. We personally have talked with players, parents, coaches, and directors all over the south and we have YET to meet a person who supports the proposed changes. But as luck would have it, our efforts were pretty much a waste of time and energy because the changes were approved and that's that. :(
Since then, many of you are probably aware that we've begun our efforts to move in many different directions going forward - hope at least one of them will be successful and we're able 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 alone won't pay our bills! Keep your fingers crossed for the hardest-working couple that you've ever known! :)
It's been an interesting two weeks since the public slam of the "Sean Hannity vs. USTA" article...He may not be able to change anything (remember - I told you they are not in the mood to listen, much less revise their plans) and we know that many of you can't even get a response from them, but Sean Hannity's LOUD voice and BIG platform warranted him this 17-page-response from the Chair of the USTA National Junior Competition Committee. Cheers and hope to see YOU on video real soon!
I was hard at work this afternoon - preparing Performance Analysis video clips for basketball campers since we've now shifted our focus to include other sports via our new "division" (HIGH-TECH SPORTS VIDEO).
What a pleasant surprise to pick up the ringing phone and find Julie from Tennis Recruiting Network on the other end! She quickly asked whether I was near a computer - I said no, but I could be - so she said to pull up Sean Hannity's website. Sean Hannity? EWWWW! Each of us has a right to our views but I know for sure that he and I don't share ANY. She said this isn't about politics...It's about something much more important. Turns out, she was right and, as was pointed out to me today by a FB friend and tennis enthusiast, "somewhere on some level we all have common ground."
This is quite lengthy but if it sounds familiar, it's because WE'VE ALL SAID THE SAME THING...MANY TIMES. I know for sure that HIGH-TECH TENNIS has said it, that WAYNE BRYAN has said it, that TOM WALKER (high performance pro in Kalamazoo) has said it via his Call to Action that he wrote and we distributed to 3000 tennis enthusiasts in our database back in March of this year-remember when he was and we were literally begging folks to contact their sections??? I have not met one person - not a single one - who supports these changes. Not a player, parent, coach, tournament director, NO ONE. And I can promise you that the masses are ANGRY. When 2013-14 rolls around, I think it's gonna get really ugly out there. Maybe I'm wrong - but I doubt it.
Remember that the Southern Section cast the ONLY "no" vote when these massive changes were voted on by the USTA. For whatever the reason, all the remaining sections just went along with it. It certainly doesn't appear that anyone in authority is in the mood to listen - so I doubt the addition of Sean Hannity's voice to the choir will have any significant effect...but I'll copy the first part of his lengthy article here for your info (and I'll include a link so you can read the rest, if you haven't gone insane yet). Will it change anything? We can only hope...but nothing else has. :( Cheers!
As many people know, my main passion in life is politics. I basically eat, breathe and sleep politics. In my private life, one of my main passions is sports. As a kid, I played ice hockey and roller hockey. I was a pitcher in baseball. I played basketball and stickball, both for endless hours. I also developed a love for tennis, which I have to this day.
After a stint as a hockey and snow-skiing dad, I have now become a full-time tennis dad. I have two junior tennis players and I, like so many other sports parents, spend all of my free time watching practices, matches, and driving around to different tournaments.
Tennis mirrors life in so many ways. I love the lessons in sportsmanship that tennis teaches my kids every day. They learn about winning and losing. They learn that the harder you work, the more likely you are to succeed. They learn to play fair. They also learn that sometimes life is not fair and there are those who do not "play by the rules." They are put in situations like being down 2-5, 15-40 in the 3rd set and then find out they can fight their way back. You can’t get that kind of education in a classroom. All of these are GREAT lessons for life.
I am intrigued with every aspect of the game, whether it involves tactics, strategy, conditioning, or technique. My great escape in life is entering the "tennis world” on weekends. My wife and children and I have developed great friendships. We have also had to deal with those few “insane” tennis parents we come across, which, frankly, is rather amusing.
With all of this as backdrop, let me now state up front that my reason for writing this letter is NOT about me or my kids. My top priority for my children is their education. They will not likely be professional tennis players. Our main goal is to keep them busy with tennis (by competing, exercising and having fun) as they develop. If they work hard enough, they will be able to choose whether they want to play tennis in college.
In fact, my reason for writing this letter is as follows: The deeper I have gotten into the tennis world over the last several years, I have come to see that there appears to be a destructive bureaucratic/political elite within the USTA that, frankly, is in the process of hurting junior tennis and, consequently, the future of American tennis.
As a parent of two junior players, I had been hearing rumors for months that the USTA was planning changes in its National Junior Competitive Schedule. Because the USTA had already reduced national opens by 50 percent and eliminated some of the Level 3 events in 2011, I couldn't imagine it would ever reduce opportunities to play national level events even more. But how wrong I was!
As you may or may not know, the USTA Board of Directors approved a proposal at its annual meeting in March to radically change the competitive structure for American junior players, beginning in 2014. Compared to the 2011 schedule, this new structure will reduce the total number of competitive opportunities for junior players at the national level by about 50 percent. The reduction in opportunities for national play outside of one’s region will be over 75 percent. These changes will most radically adversely affect those players ranked below the top 30 or so nationally.
If you are as frustrated as I am that American tennis has been on a steady decline, both professionally and at the college level, with more and more colleges giving scholarships to foreign students because American players are falling behind, as well as, the loss of college teams, the loss of high school teams, and the significant loss of tennis courts in major metropolitan areas, then I hope you will join me in urging the immediate reversal of the USTA’s "new rules" for juniors competition.
Time is short. These “new rules” have been approved by the USTA but not yet implemented. Therefore, this letter is a direct appeal to the members of all USTA sections to work to reverse these changes before it is too late. Using the specifics of the USTA’s own proposal I would now like to discuss how these changes will negatively affect junior tennis.
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... :(
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