New Direction in USTA High Performance?
This story by the Sun-Sentinel's Charlie Bricker has been out for over a week, and the direction of the current Player Development model was a topic of discussion in several conversations I had with coaches and players in Tulsa.
If Kantarian is taking control, and hiring an "elite" Player Development head to report to him, and not the USTA board, it does indeed represent a change in the USTA's thinking, which has been steadily moving toward hands-on development and away from facilitation.
Bricker mentions Jim Courier as his first choice, but when he declines, Bricker throws out the names of Pat McEnroe, Todd Martin, Billie Jean King and Paul Annacone, saying:
Whoever it is will have a pro tennis playing background and be dynamic enough to make some tough decisions without worrying about offending anyone, because the future of U.S. tennis does not look good after a year in which not one American man reached the final of any of the four Grand Slams.
I'm not sure why having a pro tennis playing background is necessary, and as far as making tough decisions without worrying about offending anyone, well, Craig Tiley has certainly done that in his first two-plus years in Australia. And although I would support Patrick McEnroe for the job with no reservations, I am not exactly sure why there needs to be a straight line between the Davis Cup and development, as Butch Buchholz says and Bricker seconds.
Speaking of Australia, (or maybe it's just on my mind because my credential application is due next week), here's a link to a story on the "other" Australian junior, Mark Verryth. Linda Pearce of The Age is one of my favorite reporters and this profile of Verryth illustrates why. She can ask tough questions and get answers that reveal her subjects, but she never seems mean-spirited and she resists the urge to pile on the expectations. (For the metrically challenged Americans among us, 198 centimeters is about 6-foot-6).
I've received the names of the eight boys who the USTA has accepted into the Residency Program at Boca Raton; I'm waiting for the list of girls, but if I don't receive them tomorrow, I'll just post the boys.
7 comments:
Paul Annacone set Junior Tennis back 10 years. It was his brain child to illiminate the 12 & unders when he was head of the High Performance.
The USTA was impressed that he coached Sampras and incorretly thought he would be a visionary.
Sampras needed coaching like Roger F needs coaching-- oh that's right-Roger doesn't need a coach.
Annacone did absolutely nothing to help the juniors and frankly hurt the USA JUNIORS beyond belief!!
The USTA made it's biggest mistake when they fired Tom Gullikson and Doug McCurdy. Those guys had the vision and the plan and got shot down by the higher USTA powers that be before it ever got off the ground!
Anon.
I agree with you 100% the problem is the USTA works on politics not talent.
They should have hired Craig Tilley (sp) who now has gone to Australia.
"Paul Annacone set Junior Tennis back 10 years. It was his brain child to eliminate (I took the liberty of correcting your spelling) the 12 & unders when he was head of the High Performance."
Actually IMHO, Annacone was CORRECT! 12 years old should be developing an all court game rather than focusing on winning. Having a 12s National only creates moonball pushers because that style wins in the 12s. All the travel for 12s nationals and the focus on winning early has seriously hurt the development of junior tennis in the USA. And to compound the insanity of it all, USTA High Performance picks future pros from those who dominate the 12s! They can be tall for their age, slow and moonballers and they will be annointed by High Performance.
looks like those growth shots might pay off. Too bad my insurance doesn't cover them. Maybe we should just shave a couple of years off. Worked for nalbandian. And a couple of US players if anyone cares to investigate.
The person who thinks the 12's should be eliminated is nuts. When the U.S. actually dominated tennis they actually ranked the 10 and unders as well. The vast majority of great Americans were in fact very highly ranked in the 12 and unders.
which usa players are u suggesting did that?.
Post a Comment