Ultimately Consumers drive the Market: USTA Alternate for Jrs

[seminoleG]

Several conversations taking place about an alternative for Juniors. Deep pocket folks, who see the decreasing draws around US.

USTA I'm feeling is missing a major point "Tennis is not free"

That means consumers will go where the value for $ is best. Imagine a city, state, nationwide series of events with sponsorship and a guarantee if you do well to continue at reduced rates to play year round.

Soccer, Basketball have similar systems and college showcase events and do very well. Some SoFla folks think about applying the same model.

Jamboree style round robin events, Team events, etc....

As a non-tennis player I see this USTA system as RIDICULOUS considering its a pay to play format. TDs depend on YOUR investment and are beholden to the USTA.

So I asked howd you get kids play "Offer Scholarships" to those that play the circuit and do well. No different than Soccer and Basketball.

Interesting, could work but Tennis Parents are conditioned and would have to see real value. Yes if i could recoup 50% of fees Id consider it.

[OneTennisParent]

The lure must also be recognition by TennisRecruiting.net. I can only speak for myself, but my primary goal is a scholarship. if any new organization is not accepted by the rating system college coaches look to, it becomes just another practice session.

That being said, I would participate just to stick it in the eye of the USTA.

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by OneTennisParent

The lure must also be recognition by TennisRecruiting.net. I can only speak for myself, but my primary goal is a scholarship. if any new organization is not accepted by the rating system college coaches look to, it becomes just another practice session.

That being said, I would participate just to stick it in the eye of the USTA.

Setting scholarship as the "primary goal" is a slippery slope that parents should avoid at all costs.

My primary objective with respect to tennis is for my kid to enjoy playing the sport. The life lessons, memories, and friendships just happen if you play the sport for the love of the game. And if your child has success, he/she will have the opportunity to earn a scholarship. If not, there are still great tennis programs available in college for kids that aren't quite good enough but still love the game.

Respect the game and play the sport for the right reasons. Participating in an event just so you can "stick it to the USTA" is a destructive mindset. You'll catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

[andfor]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

Setting scholarship as the "primary goal" is a slippery slope that parents should avoid at all costs.

My primary objective with respect to tennis is for my kid to enjoy playing the sport. The life lessons, memories, and friendships just happen if you play the sport for the love of the game. And if your child has success, he/she will have the opportunity to earn a scholarship. If not, there are still great tennis programs available in college for kids that aren't quite good enough but still love the game.

Respect the game and play the sport for the right reasons. Participating in an event just so you can "stick it to the USTA" is a destructive mindset. You'll catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

Agreed. Trying to set up another tennis governing body in the U.S. is equivalent to a state trying to succeed from the Union. The sounds from the ground swell on the surface may make it seem possible but making it happen as a money making venture is another story. Those with "deep pockets" may fund a good business plan, but if return on their investment appears questionable they won't do it or if the new organizations faulters will bail out.

Take many other non-USTA ventures for example. Although the following on some levels have a great degree of success, some have never really taken off in a big way or expanded. Little Mo, ALTA, Slimfast Mixed Doubles, WTT Team Tennis (rec level). I know there has to be more examples of failed non-USTA programs. My point here is no one can point to a non-USTA organization that has grown to a national and remotely comparable level to the USTA.

Heck, if ITF Juniors are so great why are their not more in the US?

[BSPE84]

Around here, club volleyball can cost the same if not more than tennis on average.

Anybody looking at kids sports as a "value" proposition with some kind of financial return will more than likely be very disappointed.

[Chemist]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

My primary objective with respect to tennis is for my kid to enjoy playing the sport. The life lessons, memories, and friendships just happen if you play the sport for the love of the game. And if your child has success, he/she will have the opportunity to earn a scholarship. If not, there are still great tennis programs available in college for kids that aren't quite good enough but still love the game.

Agree. I am sure this is the primary objective for most parents as well. Tennis allows my son to meet some of his best friends, boys or girls. His older brother, who made high school varsity team in his freshman year, loved the game of tennis, but had little interest in tough competition, still has his tennis rackets and his tennis shoes in his college dorm and still watches grandslams on TV. On the other hand, setting a secondary goal, such as, obtaining a tennis scholarship (particularly for girls) or helping get into a top college (for my son), which obviously must be realistic, can be a motivating factor to our kids.

[Chemist]

I have just found out there are so many ITF tournaments for juniors in other parts of the world.
http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/tou...x?date=01-2013
I narrowed it down to Europe for January - one can play ITF every week.
http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/tou...ate=31-01-2013
Traveling in EU is probably similar to the continental US. Thus, the elite junior players with pro tour ambition would get better competition playing ITF. New national Grand Master and Sweet 16 or Winter Teams would benefit only the younger players who are not quite ready for ITF. Forget about ITF if our kids are attending regular schools.

[sundaypunch]

Originally Posted by OneTennisParent

The lure must also be recognition by TennisRecruiting.net. I can only speak for myself, but my primary goal is a scholarship. if any new organization is not accepted by the rating system college coaches look to, it becomes just another practice session......

I think that this would be a pretty common viewpoint for many of the people that are unhappy with USTA. For a "competitor" to be successful, the results will have to be recognized by Tennis.Recruiting.net.

[tball2day]

Originally Posted by andfor

Agreed. Trying to set up another tennis governing body in the U.S. is equivalent to a state trying to succeed from the Union. The sounds from the ground swell on the surface may make it seem possible but making it happen as a money making venture is another story. Those with "deep pockets" may fund a good business plan, but if return on their investment appears questionable they won't do it or if the new organizations faulters will bail out.

Take many other non-USTA ventures for example. Although the following on some levels have a great degree of success, some have never really taken off in a big way or expanded. Little Mo, ALTA, Slimfast Mixed Doubles, WTT Team Tennis (rec level). I know there has to be more examples of failed non-USTA programs. My point here is no one can point to a non-USTA organization that has grown to a national and remotely comparable level to the USTA.

Heck, if ITF Juniors are so great why are their not more in the US?

Because the USTA eliminated them all by not agreeing to meet housing requirements (funding) the ITF sets for G3, G2 and above. The US had a fabulous fall ITF series up to 3 years ago that the USTA destroyed along with a lot of kids plans/dreams to play the slams. No notice, the Aug-December events just disappeared off the schedule in July after some already had their travel plans booked and certainly their tournament plans for the year made. This was actually the first step of the restructuring of USTA that is going on now. Those were eliminated so they would not be options for US players and interfere with the 2012-2014 tournament changes. Their elimination was part of the overall long term plan. So now players just travel farther to do ITFs if they can.

Generally speaking, they are better and run better, and the level of play is certainly higher for the boys btw. The girls side is a little odd. Take a high level ITF event this week, boys rankings range from 7-300 for main draw, where the girls will go to beyond 1400 and even some unranked in main draw.

[t135]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

Setting scholarship as the "primary goal" is a slippery slope that parents should avoid at all costs.

My primary objective with respect to tennis is for my kid to enjoy playing the sport. The life lessons, memories, and friendships just happen if you play the sport for the love of the game. And if your child has success, he/she will have the opportunity to earn a scholarship. If not, there are still great tennis programs available in college for kids that aren't quite good enough but still love the game.

Respect the game and play the sport for the right reasons. Participating in an event just so you can "stick it to the USTA" is a destructive mindset. You'll catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

You said it. Scholarship is a lucky side effect of the game if I happens at all.

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by BSPE84

Around here, club volleyball can cost the same if not more than tennis on average.

Anybody looking at kids sports as a "value" proposition with some kind of financial return will more than likely be very disappointed.

Depends on the sport. Basketball, for instance, can be learned and played for next to nothing from a young age, with tons of built-on competition, high-level coaching and college scouts looking to high schools - not all private club. Same goes for football, many kids get full rides without shelling out big bucks for club programs and private coaching/training. I got a partial scholarship and my brother got a full ride to a prestigious D1 school for track and field... again, no big money spent for development and coaches scouted us through high school results.

But in tennis, forget it. Tons of money to develop a D1 level player (more than you'd probably pay in tuition) and no one cares about high school results.

[andfor]

Originally Posted by tball2day

Because the USTA eliminated them all by not agreeing to meet housing requirements (funding) the ITF sets for G3, G2 and above. The US had a fabulous fall ITF series up to 3 years ago that the USTA destroyed along with a lot of kids plans/dreams to play the slams. No notice, the Aug-December events just disappeared off the schedule in July after some already had their travel plans booked and certainly their tournament plans for the year made. This was actually the first step of the restructuring of USTA that is going on now. Those were eliminated so they would not be options for US players and interfere with the 2012-2014 tournament changes. Their elimination was part of the overall long term plan. So now players just travel farther to do ITFs if they can.

Generally speaking, they are better and run better, and the level of play is certainly higher for the boys btw. The girls side is a little odd. Take a high level ITF event this week, boys rankings range from 7-300 for main draw, where the girls will go to beyond 1400 and even some unranked in main draw.

Thanks for the refresher. Now I remember. It all figures.