WB Comments on Ltr to US Tennis Industry-PART I

[Alohajrtennis]

Originally Posted by sureshs

And many of the successful pros live and train outside their countries, I also know that. So comparison is very difficult.

Like those kids from all over norhern sections(and other parts of the world world) who go live and train in boca, bradenton, carson, ojai. its easy to compare actually. that doesn't mean they are identical, but comparing means finding similarities and differences. There are many parallels, and many points of variation.

[HIGH-TECH TENNIS]

"The reason Europe is developing more pros is simply because our best young athletes are not playing tennis. In Europe tennis is the 2nd or 3rd most popular sport. In the US it is around #10. Basketball and football are getting the superior athletes."

This is so absolutely true. The question is how to change this undeniable fact. And, in my opinion, the worst idea is the one being forced onto junior players by the association that's supposed to promote the growth of the game.

[TCF]

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[Soianka]

Originally Posted by HIGH-TECH TENNIS

"The reason Europe is developing more pros is simply because our best young athletes are not playing tennis. In Europe tennis is the 2nd or 3rd most popular sport. In the US it is around #10. Basketball and football are getting the superior athletes."

This is so absolutely true. The question is how to change this undeniable fact. And, in my opinion, the worst idea is the one being forced onto junior players by the association that's supposed to promote the growth of the game.

I think part of the reason is that training to be an elite tennis player is so expensive.

Another part of the reason is that tennis is an individual sport and can be more stressful and less fun (at times) than a team sport.

[TCF]

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[valsmokes]

Originally Posted by cmb

because nobody understands why there are so many players in europe playing tennis! everyone comes up with these lame excuses and whatever they "think" is the difference....but fail to mention the tournament systems.

another thing in france and spain.........the training is much cheaper.


I have been coaching/playing in europe for 10 years now. including the 4 years i was in college here and went to europe in the summers. One thing is certain, when I move back to the states, my kids will not be playing tennis.

Yes for sure the training is overpriced in USA and that is one of the biggest issues. We need to find a way to have tennis affordable and accessible to kids. That will require sacrifices on part of many coaches. This is hard to do because money is tight for lots of people at this point.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by valsmokes

Yes for sure the training is overpriced in USA and that is one of the biggest issues. We need to find a way to have tennis affordable and accessible to kids. That will require sacrifices on part of many coaches. This is hard to do because money is tight for lots of people at this point.

Overpriced compared to what? In each country, people have to live in that country, so you cannot compare on basis of currency differences.

[valsmokes]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Overpriced compared to what? In each country, people have to live in that country, so you cannot compare on basis of currency differences.

I know from my experience in Germany. A pro lesson is about 24 Euro an hour. Compare to lessons at our club here at $85 an hour.

[TCF]

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[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by valsmokes

I know from my experience in Germany. A pro lesson is about 24 Euro an hour. Compare to lessons at our club here at $85 an hour.

Holy cow that's cheap, do they have public courts Germany?

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by TCF

Yup, the cost thing is a total crutch used by Americans. Kids who show talent even in the first free clinic have opportunities to get training.

Vicky Duval's parents are both doctors, so I don't think they fall into the category of many other parents.

And yes, I know of some people who have gotten free training because their children showed promise at a young age.

I know of some others who are very good athletes but never made it that far and it was because of money. One girl made it to 4 star level and is playing DI tennis but I know her parents struggled with providing shoes, strings, lessons, etc. She is a tremendous athlete and excelled in track and field and did well in tennis, but I think college will be as far as her tennis gets because her parents did not have the money to go further early in her tennis life.

There must be hundreds of similar stories.

I would venture to guess that kids who get "gobbled up" and get free training and equipment are a fraction of the talented athletes whose parents simply cannot afford training and were not in the right place/right time to be offered such things.

I've also noticed that a lot of the people who get such offers have boisterous parents who are good at marketing their children. Good example - the Parks Sisters.

Those parents are over the top with their proclamations, starting a website when the girls were very young, boisterious, obnoxious, etc -- and the girls got free training, equipment sponsors, and are very good players who may have a shot at the pros.

But when I knew them as little girls, they did not seem more remarkable than many other little girls with normal parents.

[Soianka]

I say all of that to say, cost is a prohibiting factor for American juniors.

I don't think all of the players with talent and potential find sponsors early on.

[tennis5]

Originally Posted by Soianka

I think part of the reason is that training to be an elite tennis player is so expensive.

Another part of the reason is that tennis is an individual sport and can be more stressful and less fun (at times) than a team sport.

I think those two really hit it on the head.

1) Cost - astronomical if you play indoors.

TCF says if you are talented, some academy will pick you up....
But, let's be honest, not every academy is the same.

So, the gold standard would be for me Bolliteri, if they would pick you up for free.........

But, for the 99% of the other kids, most are going to have to pay for it.

And to get to the Bolliteri level, unless your dad or uncle is a pro, you have to pay for the beginning.

2) At the high school level, tennis is not cool.
Football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, ice hockey - so much cooler and fun as it is a team sport....
Friday night football - big deal with the social aspects.

[valsmokes]

Originally Posted by Tennishacker

Holy cow that's cheap, do they have public courts Germany?

Yeah it was cheap and many kids play there compare to here in USA. I am not sure about public courts. These were semi public they belong to the city and if you want to be a member of these courts there is anominal city fee per month.

[coaching32yrs]

You need a good frame of reference to see the athleticism on the high school football and basketball teams vs. the athleticism of the top 25 ranked sectional players. You had to play or coach football or basketball. The top 25 sectional players are good tennis players but are not, as a whole, elite athletes. There may be 1 or 2 exceptions. Conversely, the athletes at the skill positions in football and virtually all the basketball players are elite athletes- much better than the tennis players. For tennis players to get to the pro level they must be blessed with superior one in a million athleticism.
80% of the top American junior boys just don't have it. It doesn't matter how hard they train.

[TCF]

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[Number1Coach]

Originally Posted by coaching32yrs

You need a good frame of reference to see the athleticism on the high school football and basketball teams vs. the athleticism of the top 25 ranked sectional players. You had to play or coach football or basketball. The top 25 sectional players are good tennis players but are not, as a whole, elite athletes. There may be 1 or 2 exceptions. Conversely, the athletes at the skill positions in football and virtually all the basketball players are elite athletes- much better than the tennis players. For tennis players to get to the pro level they must be blessed with superior one in a million athleticism.
80% of the top American junior boys just don't have it. It doesn't matter how hard they train.

You reallly believe that ? Most people thought when they were voting for obama they were getting Kobe , we got a guy that is way underqualified because he has never put a day of work in in his life .

Do yourself a favor get out a dictionary and look up the definition of what and athlete is not your made up version .

Our problem in the USA any kid with talent for tennis we tell him to go to college where it is set up to make you fail at going pro .

BTW I have been to skid-roe and have seen a lot of these so called athletes living out of shopping carts and none of them can run the 40 in a sub 5 second time , because they dont fir the definition of and athlete.

[TCF]

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[sureshs]

Originally Posted by valsmokes

I know from my experience in Germany. A pro lesson is about 24 Euro an hour. Compare to lessons at our club here at $85 an hour.

85? I paid 85 once in Maui at a resort because that was the only way I could get on the courts.

Over here, club pros start at 50 and go up to 75. The elite ones in other clubs are more expensive.

[Soianka]

Total myth. There are no truly talented and hard working American tennis players that fail because of cost. Not one.

Of course money is a factor in success in tennis.

You have repeatedly said Deiton should go to college because his father does not have enough money to support him in the futures and challengers.

Do you really think if we chose 2 or 3 guys from the futures circuit and paid their travel, coaching and tournament expenses that we would not greatly increase their chances of success on tour?

I challenge anyone to name me 5 players who had amazing world class potential but failed because no coach, academy, sponsor, businessman or other would help them.

I am talking about juniors whose names most of us would never know because their parents never put them in a position to be able to get to elite status because they could not afford top coaching, tournament fees, travel fees, and equipment.

Sachia Vickery's mother worked 2 jobs in order to keep her daughter in high level tennis. The girl travelled by Greyhound to tournaments instead of flying.

Sachia is a big talent but obviously money was an issue for them. There was no one throwing money at them to pay for her training and travel expenses. Her mom had to sacrifice time with her daughter and work in a dangerous environment just to give the girl the bare minimum so she could train at an elite level.

Obviously, there are some families not even in a position to do that...so money matters.

Either way, this is an empty challenge because as soon as we name someone...you are going to say that that person sucks and your 8 year old daughter could beat them.