Usta League Administration

NetMaster70 · 02-26-2009, 04:16 PM

If you were "USTA league commissioner" what would you change about league administration?

NetMaster70 · 02-27-2009, 12:13 PM

How about this: I think Senior 50s should play 1 singles and 2 doubles lines _ not 3 doubles lines.

Advantages:
a) A lot of age 50 players still enjoy singles more than doubles. This makes league more attactive for those guys
b) Fewer players would be needed so maybe it would be easier to form teams
c) 80% of all senior players would still be playing doubles
d) This would make for more interesting line-up strategy

What do you think?

JavierLW · 02-27-2009, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetMaster70

How about this: I think Senior 50s should play 1 singles and 2 doubles lines _ not 3 doubles lines.

Advantages:
a) A lot of age 50 players still enjoy singles more than doubles. This makes league more attactive for those guys
b) Fewer players would be needed so maybe it would be easier to form teams
c) 80% of all senior players would still be playing doubles
d) This would make for more interesting line-up strategy

What do you think?

I think that could vary greatly from location to location depending on the players involved.

It probably depends on the level as well. At 3.0 and 3.5 a lot of the players in their 50's who love to play singles are still kicking butt in the regular non-senior league. So that's where they get their singles.

cak · 02-27-2009, 12:56 PM

I certainly wouldn't add singles. We have enough trouble coming up with singles in adult league. And there we tend to dump singles on the younger players, saying they have young legs. I can't imagine trying to come up with a singles player for our senior teams.

cak · 02-27-2009, 01:00 PM

If I were the league administrator I'd look and see what exactly the charter of USTA league tennis is supposed to be. If it is to get more people playing tennis I would drop Nationals from the leagues. I've found the combo leagues and leagues that don't go to Nationals tend to draw more new players than the adult and senior leagues. The carrot of Nationals seems to build more ultra serious teams that don't look at local leagues as fun, but as a way to whack their way through the weeds on their way to playoffs. These teams aren't fun to play, and turn off too many players.

NetMaster70 · 02-27-2009, 03:43 PM

cak,
I certainly think the USTA is trying to get more people to play tennis _ because that puts money in their pockets. Maybe I'm cynical but I think it is MOSTLY about $ with the USTA.

That's a good point about eliminating Nationals since most players/teams dont ever make Nationals anyway.

Still, the possibility of playing in a National event is a drawing card for some players and teams. I'm not sure if it is a net plus or net minus. as you suggest.

Jim A · 02-27-2009, 04:17 PM

I'm surprised that they don't open up the National stage to more teams and charge an entry fee. Most events do it the reverse where they have a wider regional process and/or multiple levels. Why not have 64 or 96 3.5 teams at an event with draws and such, with the winners of the Sectionals each leading a flight and the goal being to play a wide variety of people across different areas. Even just a 2nd level that is 'open' and not for the sectional winners.

Many of us could play 2matches/day for a couple days in a row, you could do it with teams of 5, you are guaranteed 3 matches each with 1 singles/2 doubles

Also surprised there aren't more large scale regional events that offer unique options not found nearby for the typical NTRP player, when I was in Palm Springs there was a Grand Slam program where you played on hard/red/grass, each match could be a different surface, lodging at the event etc..

NetMaster70 · 02-28-2009, 04:42 AM

Jim A,
I like the idea of more teams competing and also more national events for teams. It would be great to give more teams and players the opportunity to play in a national team event.

A related thought: Currently there are 17 USTA Sections and each sends 1 rep to Nationals at various levels. They split the teams into 4 flights but one flight has 5 teams and three flights have 4 teams. At a minimum the USTA should invite 20 teams and have 4 flights with 5 teams each. That way every team would play at least 4 matches. The Southern Section should send THREE teams because they are so large. And perhaps one "at large" team from the Section with the 2nd most participants.

Jim A · 02-28-2009, 06:55 AM

It's highly doable, I managed an even series in a different sport that grew from 138 teams to 400+ teams over a 6 year span, all of sudden we had cities bidding for our $12M impact for the economy through hotels, meals, entertainment

Even if its not "Nationals" per se, they could have quite a few large weekends that combine certain sections, that bring teams together, travel wouldn't be as expensive and you'd expand your network of tennis people, plus get people used to booking trips each year and putting tennis #1 on the list when it comes to vacations...there can be clinics, competitions and socials..

NetMaster70 · 02-28-2009, 08:23 AM

Jim,
Wow, you are the kind of guy that the USTA should hire to run the USTA League program.

It seems to me that the folks running the league tend to be very old, set in their ways and they lack creavity ideas. Maybe we should have TERM LIMITS on folks running the leagues.

cak · 02-28-2009, 08:30 AM

I think Jim A has a great idea for the large weekend team tournaments. The fun thing about sectionals here is traveling and playing together as a team. You have a built in bunch of folks to hang with between matches and party with at night. And you get to meet other tennis maniacs.

I think if they offered "team tournaments" that teams could sign up for, whether they are cleaning up in their local leagues or not, it would be a money maker for the USTA.

Another idea would be to have a second nationals, made up of teams voted by their peers. Captains vote for the team with the best sportsmanship in their league. That would be the nationals I want to go to. The one where people are playing friendly, fun tennis. Not the one where the people are cursing, hooking, throwing rackets and playing head games.

NetMaster70 · 02-28-2009, 09:45 AM

cak,
Sounds like a winner to me!

Jim A · 02-28-2009, 10:37 AM

I appreciate the thoughts Netmaster but couldn't even get in recently to talk about a league position, maybe they'll read this

NetMaster70 · 02-28-2009, 03:37 PM

Changing gears . . .what about a new rule: League players must play a full season before they are eligible to play in the post season. League players must play TWO full seasons before they are eligible to play at Nats.

This approach would encourage people to play at a level where they could enjoy their local league. Rahter than some guys self-rating way below level in order to make Nationals.

What do you think?

JavierLW · 02-28-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetMaster70

Changing gears . . .what about a new rule: League players must play a full season before they are eligible to play in the post season. League players must play TWO full seasons before they are eligible to play at Nats.

This approach would encourage people to play at a level where they could enjoy their local league. Rahter than some guys self-rating way below level in order to make Nationals.

What do you think?

I think that is a little drastic just because there are some cheaters out there who improperly self rate themselves.

The league just needs to continue to improve the self rating process, and they need to enforce there own rules when transgressions are found rather than look the other way.

Topaz · 02-28-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetMaster70

Changing gears . . .what about a new rule: League players must play a full season before they are eligible to play in the post season. League players must play TWO full seasons before they are eligible to play at Nats.

This approach would encourage people to play at a level where they could enjoy their local league. Rahter than some guys self-rating way below level in order to make Nationals.

What do you think?

I think that's crap. Players earn their trip to post season play one way and one way only...by winning matches. Shouldn't matter if you've been playing one season or 40 seasons.

Not all new, self-rated players are sandbaggers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JavierLW

I think that is a little drastic just because there are some cheaters out there who improperly self rate themselves.

The league just needs to continue to improve the self rating process, and they need to enforce there own rules when transgressions are found rather than look the other way.

Well said.

cak · 02-28-2009, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NetMaster70

Changing gears . . .what about a new rule: League players must play a full season before they are eligible to play in the post season. League players must play TWO full seasons before they are eligible to play at Nats.

I think self rating could easily be fixed by calling it a provisional rating. At the point they want to play in playoffs, they send a note off to the district (or, the district could just looks at all the teams in playoffs) run the DNTRP, if they are still within appealable range, change their rating to an ESR and they are set to play in playoffs. If their regular season play showed they are obviously out of range, then they get an ESR that would make them ineligible for perhaps that team, but if they were also playing up, they would be eligible for the higher team.

Topaz · 03-01-2009, 02:48 AM

^^^Cak, those are some great ideas! How would you suppose that would work in an area that doesn't have ESR? Have you ever considered emailing this idea to the USTA?

NetMaster70 · 03-01-2009, 03:26 AM

Javier,
What specifically are you referring to when you say the USTA "needs to enforce its own rules"?

NetMaster70 · 03-01-2009, 03:30 AM

Topaz,
True, not all new self-rated players are cheaters. But also true, it seems like most of the teams making Nats are loaded with self-rated players who rated too low. Do you have any suggestion or prefer no change any all?

03-01-2009, 02:48 AM	#18
Topaz Legend Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,648	^^^Cak, those are some great ideas! How would you suppose that would work in an area that doesn't have ESR? Have you ever considered emailing this idea to the USTA? __________________ What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

02-28-2009, 09:45 AM	#12
NetMaster70 New User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 46	cak, Sounds like a winner to me!