SMASH Column, Pre-Wimbledon edition
My SMASH online column, which I wrote on Monday, was posted today. I don't know if they are trying a "name-that-player" game, but lately, they haven't identified who's in the main photo. Last week it was Martin Klizan, the French Open boys' champ, and this week it's Alexandre Sidorenko, the boys' winner at the Australian Open.
Yesterday's post elicited two great comments, and in that vein I wanted to make sure that everyone interested in the development issue had an opportunity to read Doug Robson's lengthy and comprehensive look at the topic in USA Today. He doesn't really address the excellent points about cost and parents that Jim and Andrew D made in their comments, but it does bring up the relatively recent phenomenon of constant travel in junior tennis, and my favorite subject--the lack of clay court training in the U.S. Robson is no "drive-by" shooter on this. It's a topic he's written about before and one that obviously matters to him. Good for him for convincing USA Today to give him the space for it.
6 comments:
Hi Colette,
You know that I love the opportunity to put in the two cents that I don't feel are appropriate on my site, so here goes...
My only major disagreement in Doug's article is the statement that the "lack of hunger or driving force among American girls vs. their foreign counterparts." I don't believe for one second that there aren't plenty of American girls (or boys) who don't have that "hunger." What's lacking is the opportunity and the money. Money in the sense that it costs so much more to travel here and become a top junior (then professional) player.
I think it has been a big step that the USTA has given local tournaments National Level 3,4 & 5 status so kids have the opportunity to get a decent start in points in their own neighborhoods, however, no one can make it to the top of the junior rankings without a lot of travel -- translation money. There needs to be a lot more funding for travel.
As far as the "claycourt" issue, even in the New York area, there are few clubs that have both hard and clay courts so that lack of training for everything is missing. We have the mix at the Port Washington Tennis Academy and they have finally decided to add claycourts to the National Tennis Center, but most players are learning on one or the other. And, in many parts of this country, it's hardcourts only.
Obviously, we are not going to re-invent American tennis overnight, but I'm hoping the small changes (the opportunity for more national points at home) will continue.
"I would say we took our eye off the ball," says Jean Nachand, director of the U.S. Tennis Association's high performance program, which is charged with helping the best young male and female prospects become top pros.
REALLY? How many times has that happened? The USTA has probably mishit more times than Pete Sampras did on the red clay with his backhand.
To address it, coaches with the USTA's high performance program have enlisted the help of more sports psychologists to boost mental toughness among their most promising juniors. They have devised more structured sessions to build discipline. It's an uphill battle.
Wow!!! What a benefit.
USTA high performance officials are scrambling to revamp programs, but they acknowledge it won't happen overnight.
Is this a recurring theme? They've been scrambling for years.
"There is a sense of entitlement," says Eliot Teltscher, a former top-10 player who oversees the high performance program for men and women. "Kids are a little spoiled in America."
Others worry some girls are playing in too many overseas events rather than focusing on regional and national tournaments. "Sometimes it's harder to play Suzie down the street than Suzie from Argentina," Teltscher says.
Scared to play Suzie down the street, spoiled and entitled? This may be true. I mean its coming from the Director of the USTA's High Performance program. Do you think the USTA might be able to locate some juniors who have a different attitude. Maybe they won't be the best or have the nicest strokes, but I think it might send a message to the rest of the field who actively seek the USTA's support. The USTA does not make or break a kids chance to play professionally, but they do have a lot of control over tournament structure, financial and training support so they are extremely important. There just a bureaucracy where beneficial ideas
for the US junior system don't always get through.
Elliot, Your job is to turn it around. Get to work. Try a paradigm shift
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