Training a young professional

[Tom C]

A friends student, who is 18 years old, is down in Fla. training at a big time academy for free and hitting with professionals. Could the USTA do something like this... have Buchanan, Jenkins, Cox, King train with Roddick, Blake, ect...?
Would US professionals get involved? Does the USTA believe that the 91's should hit only with the 91's? Would it be helpful to both parties?

[10isDad]

Would US professionals get what? Not sure what you're asking. I also don't know the answer other than the USTA doesn't have a very good track record so far. My guess is there are lots of other great players out there who are just as deserving but haven't been recognized.

Some people can't afford to send their kid around the country to play big national events. Hell, it's hard enough paying the darned entry fees for the big events.

[Tom C]

Sorry, had to do a lil editing... Would US professional player's (Roddick, Blake, Querry, ect...) train with young amateur and professionals player's (Harrison, Buchanan, King, ect...) on a regular basis? Would this be helpful in developing world class tennis player's? Could the USTA put something like this together?

[OleNole]

A friends student, who is 18 years old, is down in Fla. training at a big time academy for free and hitting with professionals. Could the USTA do something like this... have Buchanan, Jenkins, Cox, King train with Roddick, Blake, ect...?
Would US professionals get involved? Does the USTA believe that the 91's should hit only with the 91's? Would it be helpful to both parties?

This a particularly interesting question considering the selection of Pat McEnroe as head of the junior development program. I would guess the plan is to have the Davis Cup guys and other American pros hit with the developing juniors as often as possible. I wouldn't expect to see too much of Blake, Fish (Saddlebrook) or Levine (Bolletieri's), but the other guys, including Roddick, will probably at least practice with the juniors from time to time.

Also, I'm curious what John Roddick and Brad Gilbert are doing now. Both would be great additions to the junior program, in my opinion.

[SoCal10s]

tennis has always what I call "Tennis Mentality" ... everyone is so protective of all their little secrets and don't want to share it to anyone.. both golf and tennis are individual sports but in golf people are more to open up and share... if you see a tennis friend doing something that needs to be corrected I can say that not too many competitors will tell that person what to fix... golf is not like that..this is the reasons why the international players are winning more.. because they share and they stick together.. it was like that a long time ago with the Aussie team and then with the Swedish team and now with Spain and China and everywhere else,except USA...until USA can start to be more open and encouraging instead of selfish,I don't see the future in what the USTA does.. players from camps and/or from the same coach pulls together and give advises and encouragements when they see each other.. that's why there are so many winners from one place like all the champions from Robert Lansdords or from Nick B.. or Macci ... if the USTA can form a teamlike concept and pull everyone in, where everyone can benefit from one another, USA may find a way to the top of the tennis world again,but I really don't see that happening ....

[10isDad]

Also, I'm curious what John Roddick and Brad Gilbert are doing now. Both would be great additions to the junior program, in my opinion.

Good Lord, these guys ain't doing this for free. By adding JR and BG along w/ PMAC and Higueras, you're talking about a salary structure so high they could hardly afford to train any players.

[10isDad]

IMO - What would really be "great additions to the junior program" would be more juniors...

[BradBaughman]

Sorry, had to do a lil editing... Would US professional player's (Roddick, Blake, Querry, ect...) train with young amateur and professionals player's (Harrison, Buchanan, King, ect...) on a regular basis? Would this be helpful in developing world class tennis player's? Could the USTA put something like this together?

i had talked to a coach at the high performance center in carson about my son warming up with one of the young pros kinda a mentor deal a 15 min hit 2x a week then they both go off and do there training my sons a 96 he was a pro they didnt see the benefit.

[flat]

i had talked to a coach at the high performance center in carson about my son warming up with one of the young pros kinda a mentor deal a 15 min hit 2x a week then they both go off and do there training my sons a 96 he was a pro they didnt see the benefit.

Sorry for the terminology question. what is a 91 & a 96?

It's sad they didn't want to do this to help out younger players. I found a nice college bound player to hit with my son once a week for an hour. Both of them enjoyed the experience (though of course I think my son benefited way more). The college player enjoyed it because it's a way for him to give something back, and help other players by sharing all the things they've learned through the juniors over the years (same message, different messenger, big difference). My son benefited to have someone highlevel to aim for. But more than that, the confidence it brought to him to be able to hang with someone at that level is invaluable.

[10isDad]

^^^Born in 1991 vs. 1996

[Jimmyt]

interesting reference.. so I guess my 01 lost to a 99 this past weekend 6-3, 6-4 but he played well

[BradBaughman]

yah it works great for both, they both want to impress each other and in a way become responsible to not letting the other down, they did this with this young kid on and island they asked this guy named Moya to hit with this kid and i heard he turned out pretty good if anyone can think of his name or how hes doing i would like to know LOL

[tenniscrazed]

yah it works great for both, they both want to impress each other and in a way become responsible to not letting the other down, they did this with this young kid on and island they asked this guy named Moya to hit with this kid and i heard he turned out pretty good if anyone can think of his name or how hes doing i would like to know LOL

BB; Moya, Ferrer, Nalbandian, Jokovich, Hewitt, (fyi in case you didn't know Federer offered to hit with Young. Youngs family turned him down) Typical American intelligence. DUH (FYI that is a known fact)

[tenniscrazed]

BB; Moya, Ferrer, Nalbandian, Jokovich, Hewitt, (fyi in case you didn't know Nadal offered to hit with Young. Youngs family turned him down) Typical American intelligence. DUH (FYI that is a known fact)


edited it was Nadal not the fed (same difference typical american indifference)

[BradBaughman]

BB; Moya, Ferrer, Nalbandian, Jokovich, Hewitt, (fyi in case you didn't know Federer offered to hit with Young. Youngs family turned him down) Typical American intelligence. DUH (FYI that is a known fact)

there seems to be a cluelessness there im blown away by

[BradBaughman]

edited it was Nadal not the fed (same difference typical american indifference)

i heard that first hand when young was playing blake ,deiton looked at me and said "what and idiot" train with Nadal for a week im there and as his parents we "may" have let him go alone on that one. what and experiance be on court with one of the best of all time for a week.do i hear stupid management

[tenniscrazed]

i heard that first hand when young was playing blake ,deiton looked at me and said "what and idiot" train with Nadal for a week im there and as his parents we "may" have let him go alone on that one. what and experiance be on court with one of the best of all time for a week.do i hear stupid management

I think it's paranoya. I really think that they think Donald Young is the name of the game in the coming years, allowing him to train with Nadal gives Nadal an early "look" at Young. They figure they can train him just as well without the "early look".

They maybe right, but at Youngs age, any early look won't mean a bit of difference in a year.

Thats just one take on it.

[Julieta]

I think it's paranoya. I really think that they think Donald Young is the name of the game in the coming years, allowing him to train with Nadal gives Nadal an early "look" at Young. They figure they can train him just as well without the "early look".

They maybe right, but at Youngs age, any early look won't mean a bit of difference in a year.

Thats just one take on it.

If that's the reason, that is crazy!!! I hope for Donald's sake that isnt the kind of advice he is getting.

[BradBaughman]

I think it's paranoya. I really think that they think Donald Young is the name of the game in the coming years, allowing him to train with Nadal gives Nadal an early "look" at Young. They figure they can train him just as well without the "early look".

They maybe right, but at Youngs age, any early look won't mean a bit of difference in a year.

Thats just one take on it.

your giving them way to much credit lol

[SoCal10s]

I think it's paranoya. I really think that they think Donald Young is the name of the game in the coming years, allowing him to train with Nadal gives Nadal an early "look" at Young. They figure they can train him just as well without the "early look".

They maybe right, but at Youngs age, any early look won't mean a bit of difference in a year.

Thats just one take on it.

D.Young out again ,this guy can't get out of the first round... how great is he going to be when he can't win a match ...

[tenniscrazed]

D.Young out again ,this guy can't get out of the first round... how great is he going to be when he can't win a match ...

I never thought or said he was going to be great. I've seen the kid play. He can't win a match because he's a perfect example of an overhyped, over hormonal, over parented 17 or 18 year old. He's a juiced up version of a lot of the kids hyped on these forums, they're just not over hormonal (yet).

Del Potro, legit.
Dimitrov, legit.
Isner (maybe but way too tall for tennis)
Querrey (see above)

Donald Young, never happen.

[Julieta]

I never thought or said he was going to be great. I've seen the kid play. He can't win a match because he's a perfect example of an overhyped, over hormonal, over parented 17 or 18 year old. He's a juiced up version of a lot of the kids hyped on these forums, they're just not over hormonal (yet).

Del Potro, legit.
Dimitrov, legit.
Isner (maybe but way too tall for tennis)
Querrey (see above)

Donald Young, never happen.

do you mean what I think you mean, lol

[SoCal10s]

I never thought or said he was going to be great. I've seen the kid play. He can't win a match because he's a perfect example of an overhyped, over hormonal, over parented 17 or 18 year old. He's a juiced up version of a lot of the kids hyped on these forums, they're just not over hormonal (yet).

Del Potro, legit.
Dimitrov, legit.
Isner (maybe but way too tall for tennis)
Querrey (see above)

Donald Young, never happen.

uh-oh... now you've done it ... you're gonna get all those Donald Young admiring fan jumping all over on this... I can here it now....
"he's won 2 kalamazoo" and the youngest to reach top??? whatever
here they all come.... don't say anything bad about D.Young

[BradBaughman]

So many times ive clutched my fist and then said enough Deit your done pack your bags! ,,alot of you may not agree but let me tell you something im seeing in the kid now, he's changed his serve motion recently and has looked for "my approval"(shocker) on it!! also he wants to make some more improvements to his other shots and after his victory up north (he got 1 warning)but kept it together now he seems to be on a mission of improving his intencity and mental toughness on court hopefully it will continue ,,, something alot of these parents were afraid to do (pull and punish) is hurting their players now!!!

[tenniscrazed]

uh-oh... now you've done it ... you're gonna get all those Donald Young admiring fan jumping all over on this... I can here it now....
"he's won 2 kalamazoo" and the youngest to reach top??? whatever
here they all come.... don't say anything bad about D.Young

I didn't say that he was a bad guy, or a bad kid. I'm sure he's a great kid, certainly worthy of the scholarship he was ill advised to give up. He needed to go to Stanford, or Georgia, or other large institution (Isner, Somdev Devarman, Benjamin Becker, you know the guy that sent Agassi home at his last match).

IMHO, in Donald Youngs case, the two most obvious of human traits, fear and greed both reared their ugly heads and he, and his parents bit the bait oh well they can alway pay for school. Too bad he can't play now though.

[tenniscrazed]

With all due respect here are his rolling four months prize money earnings, not including his first round loss to Blake at the US open is a whopping.

$39,000 + $18,00 for a first round loss at the US open, less his managment fees my guess he got to keep 10K maybe 20K. Hardly worthy of the "greatness" that he's been touted.

Del Potro on the other hand $500,000 +/- after the euro conversion. Now we're talking. Money always talks, and *.*. always walks.

Del Potro can talk, Donald Young (I've got a trail for you to walk)

[SoCal10s]

I didn't say that he was a bad guy, or a bad kid. I'm sure he's a great kid, certainly worthy of the scholarship he was ill advised to give up. He needed to go to Stanford, or Georgia, or other large institution (Isner, Somdev Devarman, Benjamin Becker, you know the guy that sent Agassi home at his last match).

IMHO, in Donald Youngs case, the two most obvious of human traits, fear and greed both reared their ugly heads and he, and his parents bit the bait oh well they can alway pay for school. Too bad he can't play now though.

I like what you're saying, for boys,they need those 2 years in a top notch D1 school and just prove to themselves that they belong at the next level... heck it was good enough for Tiger Woods why not? most boys I see,have a lot of maturing to do,physically and mentally ... boys just ned more time to become men,I guess...
girls I feel is a bit diffeerent.. I think they need to go out there ASAP and get it done before they get to 20 years old.. I haven't seen any woman come out from college and make successful run in the WTA...

[SoCal10s]

With all due respect here are his rolling four months prize money earnings, not including his first round loss to Blake at the US open is a whopping.

$39,000 + $18,00 for a first round loss at the US open, less his managment fees my guess he got to keep 10K maybe 20K. Hardly worthy of the "greatness" that he's been touted.

Del Potro on the other hand $500,000 +/- after the euro conversion. Now we're talking. Money always talks, and *.*. always walks.

Del Potro can talk, Donald Young (I've got a trail for you to walk)

but what about his Nike deal? he's another Michelle Wie ... big hope and hype and nothing but disappointment in return... again same story.. crazy parents(dad)

[tenniscrazed]

but what about his Nike deal? he's another Michelle Wie ... big hope and hype and nothing but disappointment in return... again same story.. crazy parents(dad)

Rest assured that the Nike deal has fine print, ranking requirements, injury provisions etc. Nike is a very smart marketing company. They want their product at the biggest stages on the biggest names in the world.

If he or others don't perform, the deal, I'm sure has provisions for that. These people can draft deals in any form or fashion they want. They're Nike, as they have always said they "just do it" no hype nada.

[Julieta]

girls I feel is a bit diffeerent.. I think they need to go out there ASAP and get it done before they get to 20 years old.. I haven't seen any woman come out from college and make successful run in the WTA...

I totally agree with this. If a girl is winning $10Ks or higher and/or pushing the top girls, they need to be out there on the tour. They can always go back to college. Four years of college tennis on hard courts for a top girl who is going to be played in every match as well as go deep in the regionals and nationals is a lot of wear and tear. Women can have knee problems and other joint issues, why risk it.