USTA Florida "New Modified 11 & under division"

[seminoleG]

Letter given @ checkin I missed the Q&A but was told it will be green ball, raquet size restriction option of playing up for those who want regulation.

So QS to 10 Under to Modified 11. WHATS NEXT?

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Letter given @ checkin I missed the Q&A but was told it will be green ball, raquet size restriction option of playing up for those who want regulation.

So QS to 10 Under to Modified 11. WHATS NEXT?

Wonder what the racquet restriction will be? 26"?

[seminoleG]

Yes 26". Talked to several 10s. All say they are just going to 12s.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Yes 26". Talked to several 10s. All say they are just going to 12s.

Again with the mandates. It's full court, why limit the racket size? With all the choice on the market today, many 9, 10, 11 YO are perfectly comfortable with a 27" racket.

I've always moved my son up in size and weight so he's comfortable with technique, but on the upper end of his abilities with the racket. He is 9 YO and 5' tall and just moved to a 27", 10.5 Oz (strung) racket and it's perfect. So, imagine him at 11 and playing with a 26". Why?

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

Again with the mandates. It's full court, why limit the racket size? With all the choice on the market today, many 9, 10, 11 YO are perfectly comfortable with a 27" racket.

I've always moved my son up in size and weight so he's comfortable with technique, but on the upper end of his abilities with the racket. He is 9 YO and 5' tall and just moved to a 27", 10.5 Oz (strung) racket and it's perfect. So, imagine him at 11 and playing with a 26". Why?

It sounds to me the USTA has a group of folks that need power, need to feel they are responsible for junior development. So the mandates, the high performance huge spending, etc. Instead of just growing the game they need to feel they are the reason American tennis succeeds. To justify their existence they must make rules and mandates.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by TennisCoachFLA

It sounds to me the USTA has a group of folks that need power, need to feel they are responsible for junior development. So the mandates, the high performance huge spending, etc. Instead of just growing the game they need to feel they are the reason American tennis succeeds. To justify their existence they must make rules and mandates.

Yeah, great. Adding Quickstart to get more kids started I can see, but restricting the @ell out of them once they are in isn't good for retention or development. It's just common sense: people flourish when given choices, not restrictions.

A note on the pro level that's analogous: Li Na and the other two top Chinese WTA players credit the Federation with LOOSENING their restrictions and allowing them to choose their own coaches and training regimen. Choice = success.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Yes 26". Talked to several 10s. All say they are just going to 12s.

Originally Posted by BMC9670

Again with the mandates. It's full court, why limit the racket size? With all the choice on the market today, many 9, 10, 11 YO are perfectly comfortable with a 27" racket.

I've always moved my son up in size and weight so he's comfortable with technique, but on the upper end of his abilities with the racket. He is 9 YO and 5' tall and just moved to a 27", 10.5 Oz (strung) racket and it's perfect. So, imagine him at 11 and playing with a 26". Why?

Come to think of it, I had a discussion with the pro who ran the Orange ball event we went to recently. He wouldn't let my son use his 26" racket (as I said, he's now on 27", but since it was Orange, we broke out the old 26"). He justified the 25" racket rule by saying that per the USTA, the geometry of the court matched up to a 25" racket. By that argument (and it's not a good one), a racket size restriction on a full court doesn't make sense.

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

Come to think of it, I had a discussion with the pro who ran the Orange ball event we went to recently. He wouldn't let my son use his 26" racket (as I said, he's now on 27", but since it was Orange, we broke out the old 26"). He justified the 25" racket rule by saying that per the USTA, the geometry of the court matched up to a 25" racket. By that argument (and it's not a good one), a racket size restriction on a full court doesn't make sense.

Paralysis by analysis. Court geometry and racquet size, racquet size and kid's age, court dimensions and kid's age, red balls, orange balls, green balls, orange ball U10s, green ball U11s....

Makes your head spin. Wonder how so many great pro and college and league players developed without all these guidelines to follow?

[mojojojo]

........................

[BSPE84]

Originally Posted by TennisCoachFLA

Paralysis by analysis. Court geometry and racquet size, racquet size and kid's age, court dimensions and kid's age, red balls, orange balls, green balls, orange ball U10s, green ball U11s....

Makes your head spin. Wonder how so many great pro and college and league players developed without all these guidelines to follow?

Why does Pat Mac still have a job?

[seminoleG]

Well just got back from Fla State closed. Daughter had a Great experience. 2 hr matches was the norm 100 deg today!!! The 12s and 10s was something to see. Hard to make argument for new system. Saw the top 5 players in the US @12s and 10s and great tennis. All the shots, power, touch etc. All suggest 8s, 9s practice enter 12s @ 10s. Not one RM, or IMG parent buys the 10 n under system.
USTA has a long road to sell this.

Happen to be @ wet n wild. Met the parents of #2 G12 in Dominican Republic. In line for one of those slides and asked why I was in Orlando! Small world. Talked about 10 Under tennis. The International folks jus not get what USTA is doing!!

Last point daughter lost to a local girl whose dad is a nice guy. We discussed setting up website for match play for 10s. Small fee for parents with blog, calendar, message board. This U11 thing convinced many USTA just doesn't get it. They are concerned with REC tennis.

[dirkpitt38]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Letter given @ checkin I missed the Q&A but was told it will be green ball, raquet size restriction option of playing up for those who want regulation.

So QS to 10 Under to Modified 11. WHATS NEXT?

Please this has to be a rumor!!!!

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by dirkpitt38

Please this has to be a rumor!!!!

I'll never post a rumor. But I understand your disbelief as the shock @ seeing the letter in our welcome packet. All of this at the Florida.USTA.com

http://assets.usta.com/assets/651/15/2012%20Changes.pdf

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Well just got back from Fla State closed. Daughter had a Great experience. 2 hr matches was the norm 100 deg today!!! The 12s and 10s was something to see. Hard to make argument for new system. Saw the top 5 players in the US @12s and 10s and great tennis. All the shots, power, touch etc. All suggest 8s, 9s practice enter 12s @ 10s. Not one RM, or IMG parent buys the 10 n under system.
USTA has a long road to sell this.

Happen to be @ wet n wild. Met the parents of #2 G12 in Dominican Republic. In line for one of those slides and asked why I was in Orlando! Small world. Talked about 10 Under tennis. The International folks jus not get what USTA is doing!!

Last point daughter lost to a local girl whose dad is a nice guy. We discussed setting up website for match play for 10s. Small fee for parents with blog, calendar, message board. This U11 thing convinced many USTA just doesn't get it. They are concerned with REC tennis.

Glad she played in the tournament. It's a great event. I'm in Daytona Beach at the 14, 16, and 18s site. Great facility and some great tennis too.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

Glad she played in the tournament. It's a great event. I'm in Daytona Beach at the 14, 16, and 18s site. Great facility and some great tennis too.

Yea I took all you guys advice. Played #1 seed and was in awe, but was not out hit. Had to use Drop shots, Slice, Lobs to run my little one around. Best thing was for my daughter to see how you move a player side to side AND up/back. We got a Consolation win and best went to Seaworld, Wet n Wild and had the best BBQ of my life @ 4Rivers. BBQ.

$1,000,000 couldn't satisfy me more than the last 4 days!!!!

[dirkpitt38]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Letter given @ checkin I missed the Q&A but was told it will be green ball, raquet size restriction option of playing up for those who want regulation.

So QS to 10 Under to Modified 11. WHATS NEXT?

What's next is they should just cut to the chase and make the US Open play a QS format. Starting my 6 year old son playing tennis and will be sending him to a coach that does not do QS. Here in SWFL mainly the public court programs do QS. I do find low compression balls good for him but he wants to use a full court. We will continue to do that and from leasons I learned from my 11 year old son I will hold off on putting him in any tourneys until he can play in the 12s, unless the 12's become the 10 and under with the old format, then it will be later.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by dirkpitt38

unless the 12's become the 10 and under with the old format, then it will be later.

Data already out (other Regions) and USTA Florida folks "See the 12s populated with 10s, they knew top perfomring 10s were playing up already. Now they are getting new 10s starting in 12s seeking regulation tennis. Avoiding the 10 and Under format."


We'll what do you expect. Unless the 10 and Under events are free or very, very cheap they'd rather pay ~$30-$40 for reguation. Loacal they get 2 matches.

[seminoleG]

Tournament schedule for 2012 released. U11 cost $45 I will save my money.

Messages
Starting in 2012 there will be 11 and under age division for players making the transition from the orange ball 60 foot court to the yellow ball 78 foot court. The 11 and under tournaments use the 78 foot court and the 25% less pressure green dot ball. We are very excited to offer this to the players that want to play on the full court, but may not be ready for the yellow ball.
There are no ranking points for the 11 and under division