From the Trenches at Junior Tennis Tournaments

[HIGH-TECH TENNIS]

Lots of parents at the Regional Segment in Mobile talking about Wayne Bryan's letter to the USTA (if you haven't read it, google it) Found not a single person who didn't agree wholeheartedly. Consensus is that NO ONE is listening to them and that all the changes are ruining junior tennis..

Sad sad sad.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by HIGH-TECH TENNIS

Lots of parents at the Regional Segment in Mobile talking about Wayne Bryan's letter to the USTA (if you haven't read it, google it) Found not a single person who didn't agree wholeheartedly. Consensus is that NO ONE is listening to them and that all the changes are ruining junior tennis..

Sad sad sad.

Consumers drive the Market. I had a casual conversation with a MFG Rep from one of the BIG Companies They are concerned about the Junior System ($$$$). Less kids in big events, less kids buying 12 Racket Bags, 10+ Raquets etc..


Asked would MFG Companies Sponsor events, his answer is several are considering it given the lack of Uniformity Thru the US and lack of consensous in the USTA about what to do.

[tennis5]

I am looking at the Opens for Feb, and there is a staggering amount of really good kids who will not make the 32 cut.

Really sad.

[SoCal10s]

I was looking at some of last week results at the regional segment tournament in Palm Desert .. some of the USTA kids played in the B18S and got spanked by the local SoCal kids.. USTA are spending tons of time and money on these kids and they can't even win like they used to .. USTA is a joke..

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by tennis5

I am looking at the Opens for Feb, and there is a staggering amount of really good kids who will not make the 32 cut.

Really sad.

Well I guess we will see if the Parents have what it takes to force change. From the parents I have met (I hate to generalize) don't think so.

Most seem to talk a big game, and are so scared of the TD's and USTA folks.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by SoCal10s

I was looking at some of last week results at the regional segment tournament in Palm Desert .. some of the USTA kids played in the B18S and got spanked by the local SoCal kids.. USTA are spending tons of time and money on these kids and they can't even win like they used to .. USTA is a joke..

Girl that won our Regional 18s couldn't even get WC into Major Events. Has ITF Ranking and points but stopped playing USTA. USTA hasn't given her much support BUT now I guess they will listen.

[SoCal10s]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Girl that won our Regional 18s couldn't even get WC into Major Events. Has ITF Ranking and points but stopped playing USTA. USTA hasn't given her much support BUT now I guess they will listen.

don't hold your breath on that one.. USTA won't admit their mistakes or oversite.. if this girl makes the pros .. USTA will take credit though ...

[TennisMaverick]

Originally Posted by tennis5

I am looking at the Opens for Feb, and there is a staggering amount of really good kids who will not make the 32 cut.

Really sad.

No choice but to play more sectional events and get results.

[tennis5]

Originally Posted by TennisMaverick

No choice but to play more sectional events and get results.

Tennis Maverick,

The sectionals in some areas are really strong.
Socal, Florida, and even Eastern is really strong.
( they have many boys in the top 50 on TRN for sophomore year).

The points are miniscule.

SF at a sectional - 9 points.
SF at a level 1 - 600 points.

The kids who get the wild cards are set.

[tennis5]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Well I guess we will see if the Parents have what it takes to force change. From the parents I have met (I hate to generalize) don't think so.

Most seem to talk a big game, and are so scared of the TD's and USTA folks.

All we can do is write letters to our sectional heads and the USTA.

If you have a relationship with the press, please feel free to tell them about the demise of junior tennis right now.

And warn younger parents ( I only do this for the boys' parents) that tennis in this country is very difficult right now if the ultimate goal is college tennis.

[TennisMaverick]

Originally Posted by tennis5

Tennis Maverick,

The sectionals in some areas are really strong.
Socal, Florida, and even Eastern is really strong.
( they have many boys in the top 50 on TRN for sophomore year).

The points are miniscule.

SF at a sectional - 9 points.
SF at a level 1 - 600 points.

The kids who get the wild cards are set.

I know...unfortunately. But, you do know that it was the college coaches who pushed for cutting the draws down, and I assume that PD wanted as well, just as they do with Pro Circuit events. It gives PD players a leg-up. And WCs? That has been an issue for decades. If P. Mac didn't have WCs, he'd be nobody but John's little brother. Everyone else had to play locally but him, and Gimelstob never had to play the endorsement tournaments either, but Taino did, and they played 1&2 at UCLA together.

[Pro_Tour_630]

The new changes for 10 and under are in full swing here in NE participation levels are very high, over 30 kids in one weekend signed up, green ball in U12 are record high over 15 in one weekend in one tournament. The new changes means less tournaments using green for U12 which is why the participation level is so high.

Overall the participation level for the month of january for 10 and under and green ball in U12 in year 2012 has been excellent.

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

The new changes for 10 and under are in full swing here in NE participation levels are very high, over 30 kids in one weekend signed up, green ball in U12 are record high over 15 in one weekend in one tournament. The new changes means less tournaments using green for U12 which is why the participation level is so high.

Overall the participation level for the month of january for 10 and under and green ball in U12 in year 2012 has been excellent.

Not the case in Georgia.Only kids who are just getting started play quickstart.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

The new changes for 10 and under are in full swing here in NE participation levels are very high, over 30 kids in one weekend signed up, green ball in U12 are record high over 15 in one weekend in one tournament. The new changes means less tournaments using green for U12 which is why the participation level is so high.

Overall the participation level for the month of january for 10 and under and green ball in U12 in year 2012 has been excellent.

Glad its working some where.

I'm a bit disheartened that the U11 Green Ball is not taking hold. As for the 10U I asked the TD @ Regional about the lack of entrants and he expected it to get worse. Really why I asked: "As it gets Hotter the kids just don't want to play 10U." The kids he is getting for 10U aren't "Tennis Players" they are recreational type campers.

The best part of this is Tennislink will have all the data the various Sections will need to evaluate where the program is succeding and where it needs a boost.

[TennisFan2Day]

The truth is that they don't care at all. I brought this up last year explaining that in years prior when our son won his National Open that he wouldn't even get into the draw now under the new rules. There is a player who is in the top 30 in the country that is not going to get in a National Open of the next age group up. Now he is going to have to stay in his age group and destroy most, if not all, of the competition. At the top levels they are telling players that they should move up as soon as possible which is shown by their actions of WC their boys into the ITF tournaments.

These new changes are nothing more than a way for their players down there to look like they are doing well and to make it look like USTA Boca is the right thing.

I was asked by the person who gave me the information before to not bring stuff up on here any longer because the USTA sent them emails telling them to keep quiet. Nice system they have there.

Needless to say, wait until you hear what they have planned for the 2013 Regionals. I would suggest you call your Sectional office and ask them about it. The head of every Jr Sectional committee knows about this so if they say they don't then they are lying.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Darien/Greenwich/Stanford CT has the largest little league BB groups in the nation. These surrounding areas are competing against the largest Little league groups in the nation yet the tennis tournaments participation level in 10 and under and green ball U12 in these areas are very high. It is called the gold coast where neighborhoods are very affluent and they like to compete. Which is why there are high level of participation. Another high level of participation are the affluent areas of Boston.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

Darien/Greenwich/Stanford CT has the largest little league BB groups in the nation. These surrounding areas are competing against the largest Little league groups in the nation yet the tennis tournaments participation level in 10 and under and green ball U12 in these areas are very high. It is called the gold coast where neighborhoods are very affluent and they like to compete. Which is why there are high level of participation. Another high level of participation are the affluent areas of Boston.

Pro - You mention high levels of participation with 30 Kids, and 15 kids. If you look at our regions the B10 was rarley below 25+ kids and the G10s below 16 at some of the smallest events. If I compared this years 10s it would be a compete disaster. BUT that would not be fair. I'll give it until the Spring compile the numbers and then we will see.

I'm more of an optomist than a nasayer at this point, BUT the results are just not very good. I'm talking about ALL of Florida.

[gully]

Originally Posted by TennisMaverick

IBut, you do know that it was the college coaches who pushed for cutting the draws down....

I think that's the first I've heard this to be the case. Can I ask for details or evidence that this is the case?

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Pro - You mention high levels of participation with 30 Kids, and 15 kids. If you look at our regions the B10 was rarley below 25+ kids and the G10s below 16 at some of the smallest events. If I compared this years 10s it would be a compete disaster. BUT that would not be fair. I'll give it until the Spring compile the numbers and then we will see.

I'm more of an optomist than a nasayer at this point, BUT the results are just not very good. I'm talking about ALL of Florida.

again FL is bigger than NE at least the tennis is big down there, here we have snow and long travel yet we still have the same participation levels as before. all quiet of the western front

agreed we should give this new rule at least 6 to 8 months for a better assessment.

[HIGH-TECH TENNIS]

I was asked by the person who gave me the information before to not bring stuff up on here any longer because the USTA sent them emails telling them to keep quiet. Nice system they have there. Needless to say, wait until you hear what they have planned for the 2013 Regionals. I would suggest you call your Sectional office and ask them about it. The head of every Jr Sectional committee knows about this so if they say they don't then they are lying.

TennisFan2Day: It is a free country-no need to "keep quiet" about anything that will help us ALL make better decisions regarding junior tennis.

What have you heard regarding 2013 changes?