Ranking of tennis academies

[dannythomas]

.... But I think Nick Saviano's Academy checks most of the boxes

[tennisconsultcom]

I know him, he is a great coach. I hope he will develop more champions.

[2ndtimearound]

I'll be interested in your research and findings with IMG. Back when my kids were playing junior tennis, IMG / Bolletierri Tennis was actively seeking players to support and take into the pros. That is non-existent now days. They are going in a totally different direction - football.

They are huge on football right now. In fact, tore down some courts to make more room for the pro football program. They are also building a huge facility in the back.

They are not putting any money on tennis. In fact, if a tennis player enrolls there, they immediately begin pushing them in to college thinking. I'm sure they are getting a kick back from the schools that they work with.

Just an interesting thought for you.

[tennisconsultcom]

Originally Posted by 2ndtimearound

I'll be interested in your research and findings with IMG. Back when my kids were playing junior tennis, IMG / Bolletierri Tennis was actively seeking players to support and take into the pros. That is non-existent now days. They are going in a totally different direction - football.

They are huge on football right now. In fact, tore down some courts to make more room for the pro football program. They are also building a huge facility in the back.

They are not putting any money on tennis. In fact, if a tennis player enrolls there, they immediately begin pushing them in to college thinking. I'm sure they are getting a kick back from the schools that they work with.

Just an interesting thought for you.

Yes, thank you. I will use your thought in my articles.

Actually, 90% of academies are not interested in producing pro players. Their business to develop kids for college level and make good money. Now, almost all academies offer "college placement program".

Most kids are sent there for getting experience living outside home and prepare to college. For me, it looks very overpriced experience.

[nightfire700]

Yesterday night I started on Andre Agassi autobiography "Open" and he having trained at NBTA, his account of his stay there scared the **** out of me. He has a good 20-25 pages dedicated to his stay there and every second line has stuff like "glorified prison", "we eat gruel", "sleep in rickety bunks", "racial slur" and his developing that rebellious attitude is all attributed to Nick and his ways of running NBTA. Not sure if it is all there in the book to create controversy and rack up sale numbers on the book or if its all true.

[tennisconsultcom]

Yes, I have read this book. Probably, he wrote a true. Nevertheless, NBTA has a great record.

[nightfire700]

Originally Posted by tennisconsultcom

Yes, I have read this book. Probably, he wrote a true. Nevertheless, NBTA has a great record.

Yes, I agree on the results. So is it fair to conclude that during the developmental years, strict military style coaching is required. NBTA and Toni Nadal's style points to that. Are there exceptions out there to counter this.

[schang70]

Originally Posted by nightfire700

Yes, I agree on the results. So is it fair to conclude that during the developmental years, strict military style coaching is required. NBTA and Toni Nadal's style points to that. Are there exceptions out there to counter this.

I read Agassi's Open and also Pete Sampras and Michael Chang's book too. Neither Chang nor Sampras were forced into Tennis. It seems they both genuinely loved the game of tennis, and wanted to be on court all day, every day. I read McEnroe's book too, it seems like he knew he had talent from the very beginning, and kept on playing because he was good. He did not mention any kind of strict or military type coaching from any of his coaches.

[tennisconsultcom]

Everybody is different.

[gavna]

Originally Posted by schang70

I read Agassi's Open and also Pete Sampras and Michael Chang's book too. Neither Chang nor Sampras were forced into Tennis. It seems they both genuinely loved the game of tennis, and wanted to be on court all day, every day. I read McEnroe's book too, it seems like he knew he had talent from the very beginning, and kept on playing because he was good. He did not mention any kind of strict or military type coaching from any of his coaches.

McEnroe spent much of his developing Jr time at the Port Washington Tennis Academy.......it's in effect a "free" program based on the North Shore of Queens.....players like McEnroe, Peter Fleming, Peter Rennert, Mary Carrillo, Vitas Gerulaitis all went thru the system. Vitas's dad was a coach there for some time as was Harry Hopman and Tony Palafox so you had some amazing coaching.