What"s Wrong With USTA???

[airforce1]

"But the point is the USTA cannot produce champions just by spending money."

John, that may well be your point,

but don't you think a better point is how can the USTA spend, what they are going to spend, in the most effective manner?

[johnyandell]

I believe that is actually what I said.

[uspta146749877]

Patrick McEnroe

"But the point is the USTA cannot produce champions just by spending money."

John, that may well be your point,

but don't you think a better point is how can the USTA spend, what they are going to spend, in the most effective manner?

Loosely related:
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Patrick McEnroe took on a new job Wednesday: saving U.S. tennis.

The Davis Cup captain and former top-30 player was hired to oversee player development for the U.S. Tennis Association. The goal is to reverse the recent decline in American fortunes on the men's and women's tours.

"The world has caught up in some ways. But that's OK," McEnroe said. "My job is really going to be to work within the tennis community, to find those elite players that we think can become champions, to give them that pathway, to give them the opportunities to become great players."

McEnroe also received a three-year contract extension as Davis Cup coach. Last year, he led the Americans to their first title since 1995.

While Europe, Asia and South America have had increasing success in developing top-100 players, the grooming of talent in the United States has stalled. In 2007, for the only the second time in 20 years, no American made the singles finals at the U.S. Open.

There are nine U.S. women and eight men in the top 100.

The situation is especially bleak on the women's side, where only one American younger than 26 -- Ashley Harkleroad -- is in the top 100 compared to five American men.

"It's a new world," said Arlen Kantarian, the USTA's CEO for professional tennis. "We recognize the reality, and we're committed to change."

The USTA will increase spending on player development by 50 percent next year, Kantarian said. The association is creating a champions advisory board and coaches commission to help with talent identification, program development and coaching.

McEnroe's title in his newly created position is general manager of elite player development for the U.S. Tennis Association. He'll report to Kantarian.

McEnroe will oversee the USTA's national coaches and the USTA Training Centers in Boca Raton, Fla., and Carson, Calif.

"There are great academies out there, there are great parents out there, there are great coaches out there," he said. "My goal with this role with the USTA is to bring everybody together to try to do this as a team. We're going to give our top prospects the best that we can in coaching, training facilities, environment and resources."

[kmoranon]

P/ Mac

Well we'll see what happens... I went to the Home Depot center the site of the west coast players development ... and the facilities are nice but they do not open it up to everyone... they have it saved up for the elite group that they hand picked from the 10 and 12 and under winners and they stay in the system until when-ever.. now we all know only a few numbers of 12 yrs boy who were winners really stay winners when they get into the 16 and 18 yrs group ... I guess USTA doesn't realize that yet...

[CraigC]

Pointed arguments

Airforce-
That rant shows off your oratorical skills, albeit it on the page. Well said!! I also agree with coaching at the younger ages.

USPTA147....The reason I believe winning in the 10's can be detrimental to winning in the 18's is simple. If one focuses on winning in the 10's, it can be done with high looping balls hit deep, playing deep behind the baseline, never attacking, and making it a war of attrition. The kids who are mentally strong enough to maintain a rally without pulling the trigger and risking a miss, can dominate the younger age divisions. Because they achieve great success with this strategy early on, they tend to fall back on this game plan when advancing up the age groups. This often leads to a lack of a complete skill set, and a failure to learn the transition and net game. If you go through the rankings over the years, you will see many champions in the 10's who disappear from the top by age 16. Conversely, you will see many lower ranked 10 year olds blossom in the 16's and 18's because they were focused on mastering a complete skill set at the cost of losing some matches early on in their careers.
I have discussions with parents, about this issue, on a regular basis. I ask them to tell me what Sampras, Courier, Todd Martin, Federer, Graf, were ranked in the 10 year old division. They all say that they don't know. Well, that is my point. Who cares!! Use the younger age groups to develop a complete game and to provide the player with the tools for success in the long term. If a parent won't stick with you for the long term, that is their choice. Do your best with players while you have them and if they choice to move on, so be it.
It takes a very disciplined coach to make sure a player is learning the game as well as winning at every level.

Alas, this topic did exactly what I had hoped. It brought a few folks out of the walls to discuss the future of tennis in the country. I wish we could hear more--hint hint!!

-CC

[uspta146749877]

silly explanation

Airforce-
That rant shows off your oratorical skills, albeit it on the page. Well said!! I also agree with coaching at the younger ages.

USPTA147....The reason I believe winning in the 10's can be detrimental to winning in the 18's is simple. If one focuses on winning in the 10's, it can be done with high looping balls hit deep, playing deep behind the baseline, never attacking, and making it a war of attrition. The kids who are mentally strong enough to maintain a rally without pulling the trigger and risking a miss, can dominate the younger age divisions. Because they achieve great success with this strategy early on, they tend to fall back on this game plan when advancing up the age groups. This often leads to a lack of a complete skill set, and a failure to learn the transition and net game. If you go through the rankings over the years, you will see many champions in the 10's who disappear from the top by age 16. Conversely, you will see many lower ranked 10 year olds blossom in the 16's and 18's because they were focused on mastering a complete skill set at the cost of losing some matches early on in their careers.
I have discussions with parents, about this issue, on a regular basis. I ask them to tell me what Sampras, Courier, Todd Martin, Federer, Graf, were ranked in the 10 year old division. They all say that they don't know. Well, that is my point. Who cares!! Use the younger age groups to develop a complete game and to provide the player with the tools for success in the long term. If a parent won't stick with you for the long term, that is their choice. Do your best with players while you have them and if they choice to move on, so be it.
It takes a very disciplined coach to make sure a player is learning the game as well as winning at every level.

Alas, this topic did exactly what I had hoped. It brought a few folks out of the walls to discuss the future of tennis in the country. I wish we could hear more--hint hint!!

-CC

As you probably know my real name is julian
USPTA147....

[uspta146749877]

it gets worse

Airforce-
That rant shows off your oratorical skills, albeit it on the page. Well said!! I also agree with coaching at the younger ages.

USPTA147....The reason I believe winning in the 10's can be detrimental to winning in the 18's is simple. If one focuses on winning in the 10's, it can be done with high looping balls hit deep, playing deep behind the baseline, never attacking, and making it a war of attrition. The kids who are mentally strong enough to maintain a rally without pulling the trigger and risking a miss, can dominate the younger age divisions. Because they achieve great success with this strategy early on, they tend to fall back on this game plan when advancing up the age groups. This often leads to a lack of a complete skill set, and a failure to learn the transition and net game. If you go through the rankings over the years, you will see many champions in the 10's who disappear from the top by age 16. Conversely, you will see many lower ranked 10 year olds blossom in the 16's and 18's because they were focused on mastering a complete skill set at the cost of losing some matches early on in their careers.
I have discussions with parents, about this issue, on a regular basis. I ask them to tell me what Sampras, Courier, Todd Martin, Federer, Graf, were ranked in the 10 year old division. They all say that they don't know. Well, that is my point. Who cares!! Use the younger age groups to develop a complete game and to provide the player with the tools for success in the long term. If a parent won't stick with you for the long term, that is their choice. Do your best with players while you have them and if they choice to move on, so be it.
It takes a very disciplined coach to make sure a player is learning the game as well as winning at every level.

Alas, this topic did exactly what I had hoped. It brought a few folks out of the walls to discuss the future of tennis in the country. I wish we could hear more--hint hint!!

-CC

CraigC,
high school coaches ( me included) have more problems
or it is better to say different problems.
Example:
I coach a decent player,a member of my high school
team.
I am NOT her private coach
(she has another private coach).
My capability to change/influence strokes is
very small.She will be on the team
this spring and next spring.
I am limited timewise as well-
I have 13 players to coach.
In this case I understand that we are on opposite side
of a proverbial fence,aren"t we?
So I should NOT expect any advice from you,should I?
julian

[CraigC]

Suggestions are all I ever have

Julian,

I'll answer from two sides on this one.

If the kid has a private coach, it is probably best to let that one voice make the technical changes, or perhaps you and that coach can get together so you are on the same page. A player with more than one coach often has trouble deciphering differing theories of player development.

As for coaching a team, my personal view is to set practical and tangible goals for all of the players. A rising tide lifts all boats as it were. Setting drills that require players to control depth, consistency, accuracy, and a greater variety of shots will benefit the entire team, regardless of level. Too often we see high school coaches make the top player attend practice and then use that player to help the others get better, to the detriment of the top player. In fact, if the top player is focusing on a depth drill, or a consistency drill at the net, that player must take responsibility for his/her technique and work to master the drill. Regardless of who they are competing against/with, they can focus on their own development.

Without an assistant to help you manage your players' individual skills, your emphasis should be on structuring practices that develop the skill sets required for your team to win (or even better for the player to all get better).

There are many drill books out there to help, but there are a few programs with decent structure that might prove most useful. Paul Wardlaw wrote Pressure Tennis and it includes competitive workouts and drills to help run team practices.

Not to toot my own horn, but if you take a glance at gripsprogram.com, you'll see what we have created to enhance player development at my own club, and now 80 other clubs around the region.

I'd also add Chuck Kriese's (former Clemson coach) book although I've forgotten the name of it.

Finally, I'd also check out the USTA website under high school coaches (God help me for promoting this stuff!!!) if you have no prior knowledge for running practices.

Hopefully that helps a little. I'll be checking out your team results this year, so good luck!!!

-CC

[uspta146749877]

thanx

Julian,

I'll answer from two sides on this one.

If the kid has a private coach, it is probably best to let that one voice make the technical changes, or perhaps you and that coach can get together so you are on the same page. A player with more than one coach often has trouble deciphering differing theories of player development.

As for coaching a team, my personal view is to set practical and tangible goals for all of the players. A rising tide lifts all boats as it were. Setting drills that require players to control depth, consistency, accuracy, and a greater variety of shots will benefit the entire team, regardless of level. Too often we see high school coaches make the top player attend practice and then use that player to help the others get better, to the detriment of the top player. In fact, if the top player is focusing on a depth drill, or a consistency drill at the net, that player must take responsibility for his/her technique and work to master the drill. Regardless of who they are competing against/with, they can focus on their own development.

Without an assistant to help you manage your players' individual skills, your emphasis should be on structuring practices that develop the skill sets required for your team to win (or even better for the player to all get better).

There are many drill books out there to help, but there are a few programs with decent structure that might prove most useful. Paul Wardlaw wrote Pressure Tennis and it includes competitive workouts and drills to help run team practices.

Not to toot my own horn, but if you take a glance at gripsprogram.com, you'll see what we have created to enhance player development at my own club, and now 80 other clubs around the region.

I'd also add Chuck Kriese's (former Clemson coach) book although I've forgotten the name of it.

Finally, I'd also check out the USTA website under high school coaches (God help me for promoting this stuff!!!) if you have no prior knowledge for running practices.

Hopefully that helps a little. I'll be checking out your team results this year, so good luck!!!

-CC

Craigc,
thank you for hints and optimism.
More about reality coming in couple of hours.
Minor points:

By the way,God is NOT going to help you
I have been at the USTA Web site couple of times
and USPTA has a Web site for high school coaches as well.
By the way:it is good to discover your last name-
it did NOT click in me three weeks ago.Very sorry.
I read your articles at this forum.

Basic issues:
Let us address another issue:
---->your quote:
As for coaching a team, my personal view is to set practical and tangible goals for all of the players
----> the end of the quote

It is interesting that you say that.
I do NOT want to be
negative but in the particular case of the #1 slot player
I have to play her #1 according to miaa rules
( miaa stands for Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic
Association).
She is NOT ready for it in terms of stress.
Additionally she has to play 18 matches in the span of
40 days.
I know that it is a mistake.But except of benching her
for a match or so I canot do anything else.
Rules do NOT allow for rotating/juggling a line-up
It is a weakness of a system which is practically uncorrectable.
Just to be on the same page it is NOT my first year
of coaching at a high school.
your quote:
----->
A player with more than one coach often has trouble deciphering differing theories of player development.

-----> end of the quote

I did NOT get very far on this one.

Once more thank you for your help.

regards,
julian usptapro 27873

PS I did NOT know you have a horn
I have TWO

[10isDad]

I wholeheartedly agree that the player development program hasn't produced.

In my opinion, where the USTA can help is to throw some money at developing grassroots programs. The US has a HUGE untapped resource because, like it or not, it generally takes money (and lots of it) to get "good" these days*. If the USTA could provide free or low-cost training to inner-city youth, to rural youth (like in the middle of nowhere rural), etc. and get these kids interested in tennis, I think you would see an increase in the number of very talented juniors.

*Yes, there are exceptions but I don't think it's like the "old days" when kids just went out and hit all day long at the local park and actually became players good enough for college ball, etc. These days, my guess is most regular tournament players families are spending several hundred dollars every month, and sometimes more.

Another issue is the availability of tournaments + the cost of these tournaments. For those people blessed to live in a big city that's a tennis mecca, it's pretty easy to play a tournament nearly every month. However, look at USTA sections in the midwest and those with sprawling rural areas and few major cities. Take, for example Iowa. A couple years ago I checked and found there were a total of 6 tournaments somebody in the Boys 14s could play and probably 4 of these would involve travel and overnight stays. In Phoenix, there are probably 3 dozen annual tournaments in town.

It's interesting if you look at the tournament info sheets for Tennis Europe events. Often time, free lodging is provided to players at the cost of the federation hosting the event. Many times meals are provided, and not just a sack lunch.

So, for me the USTA should bear some responsibility in the development of juniors. Do this my ceasing the subsidization of training for already wealthy 12/14 year olds. Instead develop grassroots tennis programs, provide quality coaching at free or low-cost rates for inner city youth, help subsidize the cost of tournaments for people in areas where they have to travel to get to virtually any tournaments, increase the number of tournaments in these areas, hold more "novice" tournaments to get people interested in the competition aspect (or non-elimination round robin single set events).

Finally, one thing we can all do: donate your old, unused racquets to appropriate charitable foundations that will get these racquets into the hands of those not normally able to purchase racquets. There are several national organizations and likely many local ones.

[tennis_chiro]

reply to various on USTA

Boy, what a thread you have started, Kal.
A few shotgun thoughts...
I sure agree a lot with most of Craig's points It's so tough to get the young kids to develop the right habits. You want them to play correctly, but you don't want them to learn to lose either!
Classic exchange,"How did you do?" Answer: I won 6-x, 6-x or I lost 6-x, x-6, 6-x. Or maybe I choked. Or he tree'd. Or maybe, my forehand broke down.
But we rarely hear, "Thay drill we have been working on is starting to work for me. I'm starting to feel the shot developing."
It's all about the result. And the win. And the points. But rarely the technique. Or even the strategy.
We need to be able to coach these young kids as they are developing. This is a major missed opportunity.

The article in the Times about Sparkasse(I have a top 10-year-old who visited last summet and the article is accurate with its description) and myelin comes down to reps. To develop a player today takes a lot of reps and they better be good reps or you will only develop useless, bad habits. To get those reps, you have to play with someone better than you are (or partly with someone like me who has two robots on the court that create a superior practice experience.) I had a player win an 18's National Open today without dropping a set. We've been working on her strokes for 2 years, but couldn't get the results we wanted because we couldn't get quality practice matches. Everything started to come together when she started to play with one of Kal's students couple of times a week under Kal's supervision. A top 16 and under boy, he is stronger and faster than almost any girl she will face in junior tennis. So congrats to Kal, today. Her success is Kal's success as well!

In Southern California we have hundreds of good players, and yet I am repeatedly told a ggod practice or practice match can't be arranged. We need to create some kind of challenge ladder that our players can use or simply some kind of internet network that they can use to arrange good practice. And there are tons of satellite players coming through our area who would love to make a few bucks to practice with some up and coming junior who needs to play up. Great if you can get it done for free, but this is better than paying the assistant pro for a playing lesson.

I have heard that for about 3 years when Serena and Venus were somewhere between 9 and 13, 4 pros showed up every morning, male satellite players. These 4 pros would play with the girls one on one taking turns or two on one in drills 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Do you think that might have developed a little myelin for the two so extraordinarily gifted Williamses? Not bad to have the input of Rick Macci while these sessions were taking place either. And don't think for a minute that Richard was picking up the tab. It was Rick and probably some sponsors. Serena and Venus had the motivation, but how many of your students would make it maybe not like Serena and Venus, but definitely somewhere in the top 50 if they had that kind of practice in those developmental years from 9 to13!

Is it true in France, they have 4 academies around the country with about 50 kids each and the tab picked up by the French association (read French Open)? Or that Germany picks up the coaching expenses for its promising juniors periodically bringing them to a central location,but mostly relying on the local pros?

Kids in Europe develop complete games and good strokes by starting with Quickstart tennis. I've heard they even make adults pass the quickstart proficiency test before they allow members to play with real balls. ADULTS!!! (And I love the Quickstart program.) But I can't get kids here to practice even on a full-sized court with the Quickstart balls.

High school tennis is almost irrelevant to developing tennis champions. Any ranked player is lucky to have one other player on their high school team that they can practice with. That's the reality in California. High school tennis is a great activity, like debate, or chess club, or writing for the school newspaper. It's a wonderful experience that everyone should experience, but it doesn't count as part of the 10,000 hours you have to put in to become a champion. And if you can't afford the extra time for another activity besides your tennis, you should not undertake it if you are serious about developing into a tennis champion. Just look at what the kids are doing at Bolletieri's in the June issue of Tennis magazine (Tsonga on the cover, page 46). 5 hours a day on the court and another 2 hours a day of off court work. 5 1/2 to 6 days a week. (My National Open winner is a full-time student with a 4.0 plus GPA in a prep school. She's lucky to practice a couple of hours a day.) You are not competing with the kid across the street. You are competing with the kid in Russia/China/Serbia who thinks tennis is his/her only way to a better life. It's hard for a kid that has everything to have the necessary drive.

[uspta146749877]

NY Times

Boy, what a thread you have started, Kal.
A few shotgun thoughts...
I sure agree a lot with most of Craig's points It's so tough to get the young kids to develop the right habits. You want them to play correctly, but you don't want them to learn to lose either!
Classic exchange,"How did you do?" Answer: I won 6-x, 6-x or I lost 6-x, x-6, 6-x. Or maybe I choked. Or he tree'd. Or maybe, my forehand broke down.
But we rarely hear, "Thay drill we have been working on is starting to work for me. I'm starting to feel the shot developing."
It's all about the result. And the win. And the points. But rarely the technique. Or even the strategy.
We need to be able to coach these young kids as they are developing. This is a major missed opportunity.

The article in the Times about Sparkasse(I have a top 10-year-old who visited last summet and the article is accurate with its description) and myelin comes down to reps. To develop a player today takes a lot of reps and they better be good reps or you will only develop useless, bad habits. To get those reps, you have to play with someone better than you are (or partly with someone like me who has two robots on the court that create a superior practice experience.) I had a player win an 18's National Open today without dropping a set. We've been working on her strokes for 2 years, but couldn't get the results we wanted because we couldn't get quality practice matches. Everything started to come together when she started to play with one of Kal's students couple of times a week under Kal's supervision. A top 16 and under boy, he is stronger and faster than almost any girl she will face in junior tennis. So congrats to Kal, today. Her success is Kal's success as well!

In Southern California we have hundreds of good players, and yet I am repeatedly told a ggod practice or practice match can't be arranged. We need to create some kind of challenge ladder that our players can use or simply some kind of internet network that they can use to arrange good practice. And there are tons of satellite players coming through our area who would love to make a few bucks to practice with some up and coming junior who needs to play up. Great if you can get it done for free, but this is better than paying the assistant pro for a playing lesson.

I have heard that for about 3 years when Serena and Venus were somewhere between 9 and 13, 4 pros showed up every morning, male satellite players. These 4 pros would play with the girls one on one taking turns or two on one in drills 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Do you think that might have developed a little myelin for the two so extraordinarily gifted Williamses? Not bad to have the input of Rick Macci while these sessions were taking place either. And don't think for a minute that Richard was picking up the tab. It was Rick and probably some sponsors. Serena and Venus had the motivation, but how many of your students would make it maybe not like Serena and Venus, but definitely somewhere in the top 50 if they had that kind of practice in those developmental years from 9 to13!

Is it true in France, they have 4 academies around the country with about 50 kids each and the tab picked up by the French association (read French Open)? Or that Germany picks up the coaching expenses for its promising juniors periodically bringing them to a central location,but mostly relying on the local pros?

Kids in Europe develop complete games and good strokes by starting with Quickstart tennis. I've heard they even make adults pass the quickstart proficiency test before they allow members to play with real balls. ADULTS!!! (And I love the Quickstart program.) But I can't get kids here to practice even on a full-sized court with the Quickstart balls.

High school tennis is almost irrelevant to developing tennis champions. Any ranked player is lucky to have one other player on their high school team that they can practice with. That's the reality in California. High school tennis is a great activity, like debate, or chess club, or writing for the school newspaper. It's a wonderful experience that everyone should experience, but it doesn't count as part of the 10,000 hours you have to put in to become a champion. And if you can't afford the extra time for another activity besides your tennis, you should not undertake it if you are serious about developing into a tennis champion. Just look at what the kids are doing at Bolletieri's in the June issue of Tennis magazine (Tsonga on the cover, page 46). 5 hours a day on the court and another 2 hours a day of off court work. 5 1/2 to 6 days a week. (My National Open winner is a full-time student with a 4.0 plus GPA in a prep school. She's lucky to practice a couple of hours a day.) You are not competing with the kid across the street. You are competing with the kid in Russia/China/Serbia who thinks tennis is his/her only way to a better life. It's hard for a kid that has everything to have the necessary drive.

Do you have a date for a NY Times issue mentined above?

[10isDad]

Do you have a date for a NY Times issue mentined above?

Check post #14 in this thread. There's a direct link to the article. Looks like March 4th, 2007...

[uspta146749877]

Post #14

Check post #14 in this thread. There's a direct link to the article. Looks like March 4th, 2007...

Post #14 is by me.
Are you talking about?
I think chiro_tennis is talking about a different article?
I could be wrong?
---->
CraigC,
read it,please
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/04/sp...=1&oref=slogin -

[tennis_chiro]

How to Grow a SuperAthlete, 3/4/2007

I might have read some other stuff that day, but that is the article. It rambles along from Sparkasse to myelin and more, but it is a very good read.
don