Long-awaited announcement on USTA training center released
It's been unofficial for months, but the USTA has finally inked an agreement with the Evert Tennis Academy to serve as the replacement for the Key Biscayne traiing facility and High Performance National Headquarters. The press release on usta.com features upbeat quotes from Chris Evert, Franklin Johnson and Paul Roetert, and some numbers that tout the 2005 success of U.S. juniors, but the need for a new approach is emphasized by the recent Wimbledon results. Not only did no U.S. professionals make the second week of singles, but it was the third consecutive Grand Slam without a U.S. junior making the quarterfinals.
I think onsite housing and the predominance of clay courts are reasons to be encouraged by the move but with no dollar amounts being revealed it is difficult to assess the cost/benefit equation. No one will complain if there are tangible, quantifiable results, but that's a big if.
On Tennis Week's website there's a different perspective on this announcement and their story features some very interesting comments from Billie Jean King. One quote however, puzzled me. "Our kids do not want to practice or even play against each other. That is ludicrous," King said. "I don't know where that started. It must be the coaches and the parents. But get over it. You've got to compete. And if you don't like it, tough, then you shouldn't want to be a professional player."
I'm not sure what kids she's talking about. Obviously, the players I know and see at tournaments (and their parents) do want to compete, or they wouldn't go to the considerable expense of travelling all over the country (and world) to do so. And I also hear of plenty of juniors who want desperately to be invited to train and practice with other nationally ranked players at the USTA training centers. Do any of you know who these juniors are that refuse to play or train with others?
11 comments:
Billy Jean is way off base in thinking our junior players do not want to compete with each other. They leave home and go to academies to compete. The top players travel all over the world to earn points to be able to compete with the best players in the world. And we parents spend tens of thousands of dollars to make this possible.
Several years ago, when rankings were based on head-to-head matches, some juniors would jump in the rankings by beating someone then they would avoid playing anyone ranked lower who might beat them.
That changed when the rankings became based on points and playing often gave one more points and losing to a lesser-ranked player didn't hurt you.
Billie Jean may have been thinking back to the earlier head-to-head ranking time, but I agree with the parent above, that kids do indeed want to compete.
Is Billie Jean that off base?
Let's be honest. I seem to have heard the same comments from USTA's Director of Player Development Eliot Teltscher too. Top juniors are not competing against each other in the US. They are running around the world trying to get ITF points. I have an idea for those parents who are spending "tens of thousands of dollars to make this possible". Save your money, because if your kid is that good he or she is going to need it when trying for ATP or WTA points.
JUNIOR TENNIS IN A CRISES
US junior tennis is in crisis because of USTA high performance and unless they change their philosophy a multi million training center won't make a difference. Fact: the most promising junior today Sam Querry was never asked to be on Team USA. The USTA picks 4 or 5 kids at an early age, and many get early results because they are big for their age, or are the kids of coaches who have hitting thousands of balls before age 8. USTA high performance throws thousands of dollars into developing their little primadonas and ignore the rest of their top kids, at least for the boys. The 4 or 5 Team USA kids that comprise each group for their age-year travel all the time with food, top hotels, coaching picked up by USTA high performance. That's really wrong when many juniors in the top ten of their age group have never received a penny of support from high performance, or invited to any one of their camps, and some are kids who crush their counterparts on Team USA for their age groups. Look the crop they have been sending to the grand slams for the past two years. Most cant get beyond the first round and that is the future of US tennis we are real trouble. I can't tell you how many parents of top players I know would NOT do tennis again because of the expense and lack of support from USTA high performance. Before they invest millions in a "long awaited training center" they need to revamp their approach to developing juniors. Right now 4 kids from team 92 are in Europe for several meaningless 14 and under tournaments where there is no real competition because all the good 14 year olds are playing up. Rather then make that sort of investment in 4 kids, when it's too soon to tell if any will be really good, why not have several camps where the top 15 1992 boys are invited to play each other. It is extraordinary what they are spending on team 91, weeks and weeks of non stop travel since the beginning of their year. I would estimate an easy $50,000 per kid so far. They put all their dollars in a few. This is a big country and until high performance broadens their reach they will continue to get burned and alienate everyone else. Would welcome comments....
I don't remeber the USTA ever receiving credit or being that involved with the making of a top 20 men's or women's professional player. So why do they get all the blame for the current state of American tennis?? Could it be something outside of the USTA player development?? They don't fund all the up and coming junior players or do they??
For connie,
I was appalled when I researched how many tournaments team 1991 is taken to by high performance. How can USTA high performance justify spending thousands and thousands on players like Devin Britton and blake Davis when thier talents and results are not better than many of thier peers and tety do zip for others. how can USTA high performance justify sending four 14 year olds to europe for two weeks and do nothing for so many other top kids in their age group . I looked up all the tournaments the 91 coach has taken Chase Buchanan and Rhyne Williams to since January and its obscene. Is there a way to complain as many top palyers dont have the resources and so much is being spent on a handful of kids that the jury is out on how good they are. Who approves these budgets?
Does anyone think that the USTA puts way too much emphasis on wins/points in the younger age groups (12's 14's). If you are really good at that age, dont they play "up" anyway. I know players in High Performance that are looked at very highly..top ten in their age groups, but very defensive minded players. They have quick feet, they are sharp in the mind, and they can handle any pace thrown their way. But geez..they take hardly any risk themselves, and they are not at all "adventerous" with any shots of their own! Is Nick Bolletteri the best coach of all time? Not hardly! Probably thousands in the US alone that have more to offer than him. But he knows, and see's talent. Michelle Larcher De Britto just another example. Nothing against some of the USTA's favorites, but I do not think he would look twice at them as PRO Prospects. I use "him" as just an example..and I say "Pro Prospects" because that is the only goal of USTA High Peformance. What about some of the younger kids who are languishing in the middle to lower portion of the rankings...perhaps they cannot sustain anything more than a three ball rally, but can whip a forehand like Agassi, and serve like Roscoe Tanner? Maybe they dont have fathers (or mothers) pushing them and making them hit thousands of balls a day, but they have talent? Talent that doesnt translate to winning..YET. IMO..talent scouts of High Peformance should not put so much into how much a younger kid can draw errors. Though YES..the game of tennis is a game of mistakes, how many Martina Hingis's or Fabrice Santoro's do you see in the top ten..which is what USTA HIgh Performance goals are? If their goals were to make division 1 college players, then I would say they are doing a great job! And Billie Jean, I bet some naturally talented kids are out there in this country, with a great attitude/motivation to match. We need to find these kids. Maybe we should ask Nick some pointers?
Ms. King is stuck in the past. Fast forward to 2006, Billie.
Yes Ms. King is stuck in the past. Where kids and their parents were not looking for a hand out from the USTA. I've never heard so much garbage spouted as I've heard here. Tennis is no different from team sports when things are going well its the players and when things are bad it must be the coach's fault. How fortunate are the kids training with the USTA? They get to practice and travel with the so called former journeymen pros, get their expenses paid, play against the top competition the world has to offer, etc. As far as the coaching is concerned maybe the USTA coaches are not the best, but I'm sure they have a lot to offer. How many players would jump at the chance to train with them if it was paid for? It sounds like there are a lot of sour grapes out there. Keep complaining its doing a lot of good.
I think most players/families would jump at the chance to train with other top players.(the periodic USTA camps) Not sure about the coaching, and their talent evaluation skills though. Just ask yourself this: Would Robert Lansdorp, whose track record speaks for itself, look twice at the majority of these kids? Would he care if they never miss balls, and take zero risk?
Billie Jean is correct. Try setting up friendly matches for your child if idiotic ranking points are not involved. Can't be done. Kids and parents want ranking points, not competition, experimentation or true improvement.
Also, the problem in U.S. is specialization in one sport at too early an age. This leads to the wrong players being chosen early, for the wrong reasons, and limited long-term physical and emotional development. Just compare to European, South American, Austrailian and Asian athletes, almost all of whom begin and stick with soccer (futbal).
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