mandates ruined a good thing

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Its sad how they did the 10s.And when clueless people say play up in the 12s there is the problem.In GA level 4 and 5 12s tournaments are green ball.The good kids dont need green ball!!!!Next problem is trying to get into level 3 tournaments when they only let 16 in the draw.My daughter is in a bad situation thanks to mandates.

GA you need to move to NE sorry that your kid is in a bad situation,

like i said what are her peers doing? do the same, if they are playing green go for it, if they are sitting on the sidelines for a year do the same thing, practice practice practice or organize your own tournaments. or come up here we have plenty of academies and competition.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by LMK5

Modifying the policy to allow green ball for lesser skilled players of all ages, while allowing better players to continue on their yellowball path is what's sorely needed.

that is what we have in NE section, yet again NE comes out as a trail blazer, we were in 2011, and now 2012

[LMK5]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Its sad how they did the 10s.And when clueless people say play up in the 12s there is the problem.In GA level 4 and 5 12s tournaments are green ball.The good kids dont need green ball!!!!Next problem is trying to get into level 3 tournaments when they only let 16 in the draw.My daughter is in a bad situation thanks to mandates.

My guess is that they felt that if they didn't force all 10s to play green ball, then no one would. They don't care that many advanced 10 year olds have been playing at an advanced level for years with the yellow ball.

When we taught our kids to ride a bike we put on training wheels. Once they gained balance and confidence, we took the training wheels off and never used them again. Not the USTA, their attitude is that all 10s shall use training wheels.

[LMK5]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

I didnt put her in but a couple of tournaments last year.Now her and her coach want her to play tournaments.He wants to see her compete this year.She is gonna play level 3 and up 12s and level 4 in the 14s.She played one green dot tournament and won it.That proved NOTHING because none of the good kids play green dot.Our top 10s are playin the 12s I just wished they could have played each other in the 10s.

Playing up to escape the green ball may be halted soon. Here's a story: My daughter had won a novice tournament early in 2011, so she got an invitation to play in a "novice master" event on 1/28/2012. The application clearly stated what age groups were available and what the birthday cutoffs were for eligibility.

My 10 year old, who will be 11 on 2/2/12, checked off the box for the 12s. She didn't want to play in the 10s because she has never played with the green ball and was also now playing satellite tournaments. After I sent in the registration form, I got an email from the SCTA saying they put her in the 10s. No explanation. When I emailed back that I wanted her in the 12s, the reply was that they wanted her to play in her "natural age division" or she couldn't enter. When I followed up with a phone call the representative wouldn't budge. She felt it was her right to change the rules of the event as she wished.

The fact that this rule wasn't on the application didn't matter to the SCTA representative. It didn't matter that my daughter would be playing up and no one would be harmed. It didn't matter that a 10 year old would be disappointed. It didn't matter that the tournament would get one less participant and one less entry fee. It only mattered that enough kids were artificially forced to play in a division that they didn't want to play in.

That's the residue of rigid mandates. If they don't get enough green ball entries, they will force you to play in your "natural age division" so they can later quote great participation statistics for the quickstart program.

[Pro_Tour_630]

this is all foreign to me. In NE things are different, any 8 9 10 year old can play 12 if they wish

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by LMK5

Playing up to escape the green ball may be halted soon. Here's a story: My daughter had won a novice tournament early in 2011, so she got an invitation to play in a "novice master" event on 1/28/2012. The application clearly stated what age groups were available and what the birthday cutoffs were for eligibility.

That's the residue of rigid mandates. If they don't get enough green ball entries, they will force you to play in your "natural age division" so they can later quote great participation statistics for the quickstart program.

USTA rules for Novice/Rookie is they must play their natural age group until they achieve a certain number of points. Now that they have no Points for 10s don't know how they enforce that.

[LMK5]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

this is all foreign to me. In NE things are different, any 8 9 10 year old can play 12 if they wish

That is also true here in SoCal, but based on my experience with this latest entry they may be cracking down. It will be a PR nightmare for the USTA if quickstart participation is weak.

[LMK5]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

USTA rules for Novice/Rookie is they must play their natural age group until they achieve a certain number of points. Now that they have no Points for 10s don't know how they enforce that.

That's not the case here in SoCal. There are no points for Novice level wins. In fact they don't even show Novice results in tennisLink. Kids could always play up if they want to. Quickstart may put an end to that for 10 year olds.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by LMK5

That's not the case here in SoCal. There are no points for Novice level wins. In fact they don't even show Novice results in tennisLink. Kids could always play up if they want to. Quickstart may put an end to that for 10 year olds.

Yea part of the lack in uniformity between sections. I was told that is a national rule rarely inforced in most sections.

http://www.florida.usta.com/Juniors-...cription-2010/


1.   Administration of the Tournament

a.    Rookie tournaments are designed for and specifically limited to new players, recreational players, and players with few if any standing points under the Florida point system. 

b.    The events are not open to non-residents, academy or other players with advanced skills, or any player ranked in ANY DIVISION in the top 200 of the Standings List in the    Boy’s and Girl’s 10s or top 400 in the Boy’s and Girl’s 12s, 14s, 16s, and 18s. 

c.    Playing up in an older age division will not be allowed as all players are required to play in their natural age division.

d.    Maximum two (2) day sanction with an emphasis on completing the event in one day when possible.

[INTO10s]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Its sad how they did the 10s.And when clueless people say play up in the 12s there is the problem.In GA level 4 and 5 12s tournaments are green ball.The good kids dont need green ball!!!!Next problem is trying to get into level 3 tournaments when they only let 16 in the draw.My daughter is in a bad situation thanks to mandates.

Level 3 are a 32 draw in the southern region for 2012, they are just split into 2 sets of 16 and played separately.

[itenispro]

Playing up for 10's and 12's is going to get banned. Official rules will come out after March conference. Learn to except the new ball.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by itenispro

Playing up for 10's and 12's is going to get banned. Official rules will come out after March conference. Learn to except the new ball.

Maybe by region because Florida has 11U, also what do you do with 10's that have National Points or Ranked Higher in 12s than 12s?

Either way - this is a fight for TD's unless its free (even if it is) the draws will continue to shrink. Loss of more $$$$$.

[dbordel]

Originally Posted by INTO10s

Level 3 are a 32 draw in the southern region for 2012, they are just split into 2 sets of 16 and played separately.

In Ga, the state level 3's are 16 draws. You are referring to southern level tournaments. I think gatennis was referring to state level 3's

[donnymac10s]

Here are some interesting thoughts along with amusing videos from UK coach: http://catennis.squarespace.com/most...mplicated.html

[Pro_Tour_630]

^^^ oh I love this guy bruce, I gave him an idea oh how to handle all these different colored balls in his first video. Now he supports these balls but not the mandates. I did not know the LTA was so strict about the ages. In the US, the rules are more relaxed. RULES ( foot fault exact size of racquet) should not be that enforced in U10 anyway, not sure why the folks in the UK are complicating this even more

[donnymac10s]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

^^^ oh I love this guy bruce, I gave him an idea oh how to handle all these different colored balls in his first video. Now he supports these balls but not the mandates. I did not know the LTA was so strict about the ages. In the US, the rules are more relaxed. RULES ( foot fault exact size of racquet) should not be that enforced in U10 anyway, not sure why the folks in the UK are complicating this even more

I wouldn't say that I'm a specialist in early tennis development but I believe that the fallacy lies in the fact that the mandate is viewed as the be-all, end-all cure. To me, it's just a tool. All the other factors (parenting, training, mental, attitude, etc) need to come together to produce champions. You can get 10,000 kids into tennis through ROG but if they are poisoned by poor attitude from parents, coaches and the powers-that-be, we'll be in the same boat as we are today...just more average (and disgruntled) parents, players and coaches.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by donnymac10s

I wouldn't say that I'm a specialist in early tennis development but I believe that the fallacy lies in the fact that the mandate is viewed as the be-all, end-all cure. To me, it's just a tool. All the other factors (parenting, training, mental, attitude, etc) need to come together to produce champions. You can get 10,000 kids into tennis through ROG but if they are poisoned by poor attitude from parents, coaches and the powers-that-be, we'll be in the same boat as we are today...just more average (and disgruntled) parents, players and coaches.

agree looking forward to your "well-researched views from outside contributors on this topic"

[donnymac10s]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

agree looking forward to your "well-researched views from outside contributors on this topic"

We are as well. If you would like to participate on either side, please feel free to contact us directly and we can put you in touch with the lead contributor. Thanks

[gplracer]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Its sad how they did the 10s.And when clueless people say play up in the 12s there is the problem.In GA level 4 and 5 12s tournaments are green ball.The good kids dont need green ball!!!!Next problem is trying to get into level 3 tournaments when they only let 16 in the draw.My daughter is in a bad situation thanks to mandates.

I live in Georgia and my 9 year boy can get in the southern level 3s because of his 10s ranking in the south. Like it or not you have to do what is needed. We anticipated this happening.

Southern level 3 tournaments in GA are 2 draws of 16. 28 spots for that age division and 4 from the younger division who are ranked in the top 40 in the south. GAtennis put your daughter in some GA level 3 tournaments like the Polar Bear in Macon on Feb 18th. She can play regular ball in those and get some points to help get in the southern level 3s.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by gplracer

I live in Georgia and my 9 year boy can get in the southern level 3s because of his 10s ranking in the south. Like it or not you have to do what is needed. We anticipated this happening.

Southern level 3 tournaments in GA are 2 draws of 16. 28 spots for that age division and 4 from the younger division who are ranked in the top 40 in the south. GAtennis put your daughter in some GA level 3 tournaments like the Polar Bear in Macon on Feb 18th. She can play regular ball in those and get some points to help get in the southern level 3s.

Well that clears things up, see we anticipated this move was going to happen. The folks who did not are not so fortunate, reminds of the three little pigs story. She can even enter level 3 if she likes to travel and waits on the waiting list and gets lucky break to get in.