... here many parents will take the kid's side.
I think it truly is the lack of proper instruction. From all I've observed US coaches are not correcting kids enough at all, and if they are correcting they do it once in a while and talk about it after. That is not how you do it imo. My son has trained in Europe and in any small club the coach will stand in the middle during match play and direct them constantly, demands corrections, power, even gets a bit angry if they seem to be losing attention or hitting poorly. During drills you need to be constantly correcting the technique, "elbow, up, elbow up, if you don't want to hit the net get that elbow up!" I know you shouldn't think all the time while training, but this becomes a reflex after a while with kids, and they no longer think about it, they do it. Here in the States, my son will play an hour without a coach saying anything(at a very good academy), likely not even watching. Why is this? Coddling the children(customer), afraid of confrontation, lazy, different teaching styles? I believe that complete difference in parenting is the reason, parents in Europe are not upset with the coach doing his job and usually will ask the kid, well what did you do wrong and here many parents will take the kid's side.
I think it truly is the lack of proper instruction. From all I've observed US coaches are not correcting kids enough at all, and if they are correcting they do it once in a while and talk about it after. That is not how you do it imo. My son has trained in Europe and in any small club the coach will stand in the middle during match play and direct them constantly, demands corrections, power, even gets a bit angry if they seem to be losing attention or hitting poorly. During drills you need to be constantly correcting the technique, "elbow, up, elbow up, if you don't want to hit the net get that elbow up!" I know you shouldn't think all the time while training, but this becomes a reflex after a while with kids, and they no longer think about it, they do it. Here in the States, my son will play an hour without a coach saying anything(at a very good academy), likely not even watching. Why is this? Coddling the children(customer), afraid of confrontation, lazy, different teaching styles? I believe that complete difference in parenting is the reason, parents in Europe are not upset with the coach doing his job and usually will ask the kid, well what did you do wrong and here many parents will take the kid's side.
So political correctness destroyed american tennis now - deluded, in the extreme!
With all that great coaching, there are tons of Europeans who are desperate to get into a US college to play tennis and get an education. Obviously, the European system is good for producing a few great pros (and that may be a cyclic thing too) but the rest of them don't seem to be able to balance education and sports.
Maybe the European kids can bear all the criticism because the serious ones like Fed and Nadal drop out of school at 16 years. If you had to go home and do homework and compete academically, you would also not take kindly to a harsh coach. If you have nothing else to do and plan to send your video to a US college, sure you will tolerate it.
The only exception will be the US military, which is so far ahead of everyone else that no one is ever going to catch up.
Your points are all true, but this one is the best^
Lame American parenting. Weak kids. Wuss coaches. The strong kids gravitate toward other sports, sadly.
Like everyone else right now, I blame Lance. Oh, and Oprah, too.
I'm watching the Aussie Open and seeing Frenchies everywhere... what is the French Tennis federation doing so right ? can the USTA copy ? it looks like France and Spain even to some extent Australia are putting up some decent players for the near future..
American coaches have no passion for the game anymore, they are more concerned about the, "ALMIGHTY DOLLAR".
Who would be a group of people who are not concerned about the almighty dollar?
Who would be a group of people who are not concerned about the almighty dollar?
It is a global sport now and much more affordable. Martina was discussing this exact same topic last night. She attributed it to globalization and affordability. It is naive to think that a country with a population of China cannot top the US in sports once affordability and exposure increase even further. She mentioned Africa as a continent which has much latent potential (apart from S. Africa). Once they get into the swing of things, it will be even more global. The days when only one country was good at a particular thing are gone. The only exception will be the US military, which is so far ahead of everyone else that no one is ever going to catch up.
France has more serious tennis players than America. They take the game more seriously.
France's centralized national sports school/program identifies promising juniors early.
Spain, slowing of all courts, (hard, grass) suites their "grinding" style of play.
American style is and should always be the "attacking" game, slow courts work against us.
American coaches have no passion for the game anymore, they are more concerned about the, "ALMIGHTY DOLLAR".
crazy freeking artist who works towards their passion and those who already have .. instead of those who feel that it's never enough ...
Pope, BB, teachers and those trying to improve the life of the less fortunate.
GLOBAL NOW ? Martina a Chek I believe 70's and 80's player right ? or was it Boris Becker a German 80's player ? or Natase 70's or Borg Sweeden 70's and 80's ?
Don't believe me, ask Martina. She gave many examples, including reading off a list of different countries. She said her name was exotic when she played, today she is the norm. I would say she knows something about yesterday's and today's game.
I have looked at old ranking list and all the way back to the 60's there were players from all over the globe meaning "global" ,what has happened is simple population has exploded countries have better economy's and there are more kids from different country's that are "striving" and tend to be all business ,
we on the other hand have become less of a manufacturing powerhouse and it has now trickled down to our children ,, TRY this go find 10 college graduates give them a car vacuum and watch how many can do and even decent job at this simple task ,trust me I have seen 3 different grads attempt this and its pretty sad the results I watched .
So should they pay somebody to play tennis in their name? I think your point of view is valid. Academics is where kids should spend their time and effort on, it is the lack of effort that is the problem. In tennis it relates to lack of effort from the kids and often from the coach as well.
You have hit the Nail on the head here...so very very true..I am a coach reasonable success and tells it how it is...parents shop around for a coach to hear what they want to here not that little Jonny is slack on technique! Elbow Up Elbow Up!!!!!!!
... TRY this go find 10 college graduates give them a car vacuum and watch how many can do and even decent job at this simple task ,trust me I have seen 3 different grads attempt this and its pretty sad the results I watched .
They also don't know how to use slide rules or typewriters. Very sad.
There was a time when a person could get a job after learning "typing and shorthand."