FIT Enough to WIN JR Davis Cup!

[Number1Coach]

Originally Posted by tennis5

I know some will hate me for saying this, but part of the "thing" is an intangible, G-d given, born with it greatness.

You can't play harder or longer or more and get "it".

Apparently, she has it.

There was this poor kid who played basketball and with his own words and his friends,they said he would practise as much as 8 hrs a day till night time , what a waiste he spent all that time trying to "get it " poor poor Mike Jordan of the Bull wonder with all those hrs did he ever "get it"??????

So if he had "it" why practise so much ,I believe by his own stupidity he got himself in great shape not knowing it . It is was seperates the best from the rest the "work ethic" that's "it"

[sureshs]

As a side note, I had posted on a Townsend thread in the main section saying she should lose her tummy, and people turned on me and got the post deleted.

But even if she is ugly and fat, it is none of anybody's business if she competes and wins. Social engineering without judicial oversight can go haywire. Schools can refuse to graduate students if they are fat, colleges can refuse to admit them, and the criteria can be ever expanding, to include parental height and weight, genetic fingerprint, etc. It is only when you are personally affected that you realize you had been watching while others lost their rights. Then it will be too late.

[Soianka]

She isn't ugly or fat.

I have to think some of this is sexism. If she were a guy who was a bit bigger, would there have been such a big deal made about this?

[Alohajrtennis]

Originally Posted by Number1Coach

There was this poor kid who played basketball and with his own words and his friends,they said he would practise as much as 8 hrs a day till night time , what a waiste he spent all that time trying to "get it " poor poor Mike Jordan of the Bull wonder with all those hrs did he ever "get it"??????

So if he had "it" why practise so much ,I believe by his own stupidity he got himself in great shape not knpowing it . It is was separates the best from the rest the "work ethic" that's "it"

It wasn't all those hours on the court that made him 6'-6" tall. I guess he just chose good parents.

sorry, it's nature and nurture. You have to have won the gene pool lottery and work hard, no doubt about the second part. And while plenty of 6-9 guys don't make it, maybe cause they don't work hard enough, 10,000 hours of me practicing on a basketball court and I'm still not going to be in the NBA. Same with tennis. Got have it and work hard. Just having "it" or Just working hard is not enough.

[Number1Coach]

Originally Posted by Soianka

She isn't ugly or fat.

I have to think some of this is sexism. If she were a guy who was a bit bigger, would there have been such a big deal made about this?

no she is not ugly ,dont think that was implied , I just for myself think Taylor is sitting in a perfect cycle of players and with the right preperation could do some damage on the pro ranks.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by Number1Coach

no she is not ugly ,dont think that was implied , I just for myself think Taylor is sitting in a perfect cycle of players and with the right preperation could do some damage on the pro ranks.

Yes, I agree she is.

I think you just have to be very careful when dealing with girls and body image issues.

[HIGH-TECH TENNIS]

So good to see that so many of you GET IT: Taylor is a CHILD who happens to be the #1 junior girl in the world! To have been treated that way (with comments about her "FITNESS" from none other than PMAC, which were correctly picked up and plastered on headlines of newspapers and TV shows across the nation) was just OUTRAGEOUS.

To those who feel that her work ethic is lacking and she is not sufficiently dedicated to tennis, I wonder how in the world you feel qualified to make that judgement??? I have personally known Taylor since she was 8 or 9 and I can promise you she never has and she never will have a body like Maria Sharapova---AND THAT IS O.K.- but what she has is clearly working for her in the juniors - WHICH IS WHERE SHE IS. Who can say what will or won't work for her in the pros???? Oh yah, probably PMAC, since he claims to know such things.

I take Taylor at her word (wish everyone else would do the same) because I believe her when she said this: "I have always done everything that's ever been asked of me...and more."

I say GO TAYLOR - and I completely agree with whoever it was who said here (or it could have been somewhere else) that if PMAC worked in private industry, he would have been FIRED within 24 hours of such horrendous treatment of a sensitive young girl who happens to be #1 in the entire world. Like Martina and Lindsay and Serena and sooooo many others, I am BEYOND UPSET at the way they treated my friend.

I don't know if/when it'll ever happen, but I for one will be so very glad when she has the opportunity to move on and leave the USTA in the DUST.

[jgmellor]

Originally Posted by HIGH-TECH TENNIS

I don't know if/when it'll ever happen, but I for one will be so very glad when she has the opportunity to move on and leave the USTA in the DUST.

Why doesn't she have the opportunity right now? Last week? A month ago? She can leave any time, can't she?

[ClarkC]

Originally Posted by sureshs

He has to congratulate her. A lawsuit would have found unconstitutional discrimination based on appearance, but that would have been just the tip of the iceberg - the finances would be out in the open during the discovery process. How much did her USO travel expenses cost compared to how much the executives are paid? How was the decision made to bench her? All memos and emails will be subpoenaed and then all the hidden baggage over the years might have come out, possibly causing a flood of lawsuits. The organization might have come under judicial oversight and then bye-bye to giving each other awards and harassing top juniors. I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of executives would have been sent to jail.

Thanks for your expert legal opinion, which is the biggest bunch of baloney I have read in a while on these boards (and that is pretty bad). Fitness is not the same as appearance. If a basketball coach tells a player he must get leaner in order to make the starting lineup, the player can protest that Charles Barkley was not lean and he did just fine. But the coach has no contractual obligation to start anyone.

Does the USTA have a contractual obligation to pay the expenses of any particular player? When they offer someone a spot in Player Development, do you suppose the USTA signs something that backs them into a corner legally? This whole discussion has been ridiculous, from the original thread to this one.

[ClarkC]

Originally Posted by sureshs

But even if she is ugly and fat, it is none of anybody's business if she competes and wins. Social engineering without judicial oversight can go haywire. Schools can refuse to graduate students if they are fat, colleges can refuse to admit them, and the criteria can be ever expanding, to include parental height and weight, genetic fingerprint, etc. It is only when you are personally affected that you realize you had been watching while others lost their rights. Then it will be too late.

And here is the second biggest bunch of baloney ever posted on these boards. A sports organization insisting on fitness is just the beginning of a slippery slope that leads to schools not graduating students if they are fat? Seriously? Maybe soon we will have electric companies that refuse to provide electricity to fat customers? Get a grip on reality. In one case, fitness is related directly to the activity, in the others it is not. Not to mention that the USTA is providing GIFTS of free training, travel expenses, etc. They are under no obligation to provide gifts to anyone, and no one is entitled to receive their gifts.

Under public accommodation legal precedent, the USTA could not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or religion, etc., in providing training. "Appearance" and fitness are not protected categories.

[Number1Coach]

Originally Posted by Soianka

Yes, I agree she is.

I think you just have to be very careful when dealing with girls and body image issues.

I disagree ,that has been our problem here in the USA we have babie'd our kids for so long we have a nation of wimps , kids that are afraid of being successful or don't know how, heck we have TCF on here saying go to college get the "free"ride or as I see it another 4 years to hopefully get responsible and mature because mom and dad were not honest about making them disciplined ,responsible, set goals and hold you to them, afraid to tell their kids they have to be honest and if they are not well "No consequences"
Also being honest with your kids "hey your to slow you need to get faster" , your out of shape need to diet , your grades are low do you want to grow up stupid ?

we dare not talk to our beloved children this way cause we might hurt their beloved feelings!

Sitting down and telling Taylor here great chances that sit in front of her even if it hurts her feelings is worth it.

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend then the deceitful kisses of and enemy" !! King Solomon

[HIGH-TECH TENNIS]

Originally Posted by jgmellor

Why doesn't she have the opportunity right now? Last week? A month ago? She can leave any time, can't she?

Oh for pete's sake, man. Would you please be serious? Comments such as yours turn this forum into such a waste of time.

[jgmellor]

Originally Posted by HIGH-TECH TENNIS

Oh for pete's sake, man. Would you please be serious? Comments such as yours turn this forum into such a waste of time.

I am completely serious. The USTA did not forbid her from competing in tournaments. They said they wouldn't pay her expenses. If she and her family are unhappy with the direction of her training they can explore other options.

Taylor Townsend is the number one junior tennis player in the world. Are you saying training with the USTA is her only option?

I would think many tennis academy/high performance development programs would fight for the chance to pick up the tab just to say they were training Taylor Townsend.

You're close to the family, ask them.

[andfor]

Originally Posted by HIGH-TECH TENNIS

I don't know if/when it'll ever happen, but I for one will be so very glad when she has the opportunity to move on and leave the USTA in the DUST.

Originally Posted by jgmellor

Why doesn't she have the opportunity right now? Last week? A month ago? She can leave any time, can't she?

Originally Posted by HIGH-TECH TENNIS

Oh for pete's sake, man. Would you please be serious? Comments such as yours turn this forum into such a waste of time.

You made the statement and so what's wrong with the question? She's the number 1 junior in the world. She must have some options available to her. You started this cheerleading session. Did you really think this would be a one sided rah rah session when you posted this?

I am glad to see she's doing well.

[HIGH-TECH TENNIS]

I shared information about the recent success of the world's #1 junior girl. I also shared the subsequent comments made by PMAC. And I implied there's a certain irony compared with his heartless, insensitive comments from the past month.

I didn't realize I was starting a "cheerleading session" and you're right - I am close to the family but I wouldn't dream of sharing any private plans that they may or may not have.

I have made my feelings clear. I feel she was singled out unfairly and treated in an unforgivable way. Can she walk away from the USTA? Of course. Will she? I can only hope for the best for my friend. Thanks for understanding my position on this outrageous situation.

[ga tennis]

If the USTA is paying the bill then she should do as they ask and work harder on her fitness.I think they want her to be able to compete for grand slams and if her fitness isnt top notch then she doesnt have a chance. I think people have taken this situation and made it something that its not. If a football player for the university of georgia comes back to school over weight im 100% sure coach is gonna address the problem. I dont feel sorry for her she is training there for free and if pmac thinks she needs to drop some lbs and they are paying the bills then she needs to do what is asked of her. I really think the usta is only trying to do whats best for her. I agree i think she needs to work on her fitness it means nothing to be the number one junior in the world in the grand scheme of things.GOOD LUCK TAYLOR!!!! If they pay the bills you need to do what they ask bottom line.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

If the USTA is paying the bill then she should do as they ask and work harder on her fitness.I think they want her to be able to compete for grand slams and if her fitness isnt top notch then she doesnt have a chance. I think people have taken this situation and made it something that its not. If a football player for the university of georgia comes back to school over weight im 100% sure coach is gonna address the problem. I dont feel sorry for her she is training there for free and if pmac thinks she needs to drop some lbs and they are paying the bills then she needs to do what is asked of her. I really think the usta is only trying to do whats best for her. I agree i think she needs to work on her fitness it means nothing to be the number one junior in the world in the grand scheme of things.GOOD LUCK TAYLOR!!!! If they pay the bills you need to do what they ask bottom line.

Except it appears that they didn't have her working harder on her fitness, but instead working less on fitness and working less on tennis as well.

It also seems they were trying to punish her rather than help her.

How does it help her game or fitness to miss the national HC's and the US Open? Will this somehow make her more fit?

Sorry, it's not as simple as "they are paying the bills"

Just because they are paying the bills does not mean they get to make decisions that are unfair, humiliate a teenage girl, or make no sense without anyone questioning them.

[andfor]

Originally Posted by Soianka

Except it appears that they didn't have her working harder on her fitness, but instead working less on fitness and working less on tennis as well.

It also seems they were trying to punish her rather than help her.

How does it help her game or fitness to miss the national HC's and the US Open?

Sorry, it's not as simple as "they are paying the bills"

I thought they increased her fitness time and decreased her court time. It's easier to work on fitness when not preparing for or playing a tournament. Not saying that's right. The lack of real detailed information has been and issue for me. I will say the USTA mis-handled this in the worst way. I do believe the USTA wants to help her develop for the pro game. How they chose to go about it has been poor to say the least.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by andfor

I thought they increased her fitness time and decreased her court time. It's easier to work on fitness when not preparing for or playing a tournament. Not saying that's right. The lack of real detailed information has been and issue for me. I will say the USTA mis-handled this in the worst way. I do believe the USTA wants to help her develop for the pro game. How they chose to go about it has been poor to say the least.

The last article I read quoting Taylor's mom was they decreased her fitness time and her court time, which is very strange.

The other thing is, I agree with Lindsay and Martina about how they arrived at the process of knowing they had to get more fit and taking ownership of doing that when they were ready to do so.

I agree the USTA handled it badly and it really makes little sense to me how having her miss the US Open would be anything other than a way to punish Taylor.

Doesn't really seem like a great way to help her get fit or be mentally strong. Just a way to break her down.

It seems to me like a power play, pure and simple, aimed at showing the family that they are the ones in charge.

I agree with HTT, I hope Taylor finds training elsewhere.

[Tom C]

Who was responsible for/supervising her fitness?