Wayne Bryan must be reading this forum.....

[HIGH-TECH TENNIS]

As far as I can tell, it's shoot the messenger or concentrate on the message. As far as I'm concerned, I could kiss Wayne Bryan ON THE LIPS to thank him for using his voice to step UP for junior tennis and having the courage to say OUT LOUD what we in the trenches hear CONSTANTLY. I've referred many, many, many people to his letter and will continue to do so. Tennis is a GAME, not rocket science, and junior players are CHILDREN, not mini-professionals. Junior tennis is a journey, not a destination...You might as well ENJOY IT!!!

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by Rabbit

With regard to a couple of previous posts about the Bryan twins being failed singles players, this is not 100% accurate. Bob Bryan was a competent singles player with the potential to be a successful journeyman.

A successful journeyman? That sounds like an oxymoron!

No doubt about it, the Bryan's are great ambassadors for the sport. As doubles players they have had tremendous success, however; IMPO neither player would've made it singles. Playing a few competitive matches against the likes of Kevin Kim ain't gonna bring home the bacon.

Bob Bryan Singles Record
1998: 2-4
1999: 2-5
2000: 4-7
2001: 4-11
2002: 1-3
2003: 4-5
2004: 0-1
2005: 1-0

[Pro_Tour_630]

I have much more to say but I do not have time to write more maybe later

The USTA is trying to build a bridge across the whole river. It takes time to build a bridge over several years of planning executing etc.. It seems Coach Brayan wants results in one year. He wants kids to play with yellow balls at age 6. This is possible if the coach has proper training but most coaches do not have the training to teach 6 year olds the progressions on mini tennis using yellow balls. He went one to say that Champions are not made by slick ads it is grown from main street local parents. Well that is what the USTA is trying to do. Local parents will have easier tools with these colored balls to each their kids. He wants us to plant trees and grow the game. With these new balls you are getting more kids and parents involved. The USTA has done research and was modeled after the play and stay program which has been in Europe since 2005 which has a proven record. If the Japanese. Koreans and germans are producing great cars it is wise to look at their model and see what has been so successful and the US auto market have been doing just that recently. Most 10’ ‘s dink the ball The 10’s were not created for the elite few, they were created for the majority of kids. With the new 10 and under rule they are hoping to get kids more passionate about the sport with and early success. Players have always been playing up since the age of time. Sampras always played up and did not dominate his age group? Also there is no reason to play up since many of the 10 year old kids who do not want to play 10 and under are playing 12’s so the level is the same only now it is called U12. If they are still not comfortable with regulation there are always U12 using green. Again most of them are low level 12 year olds or average 10 year olds.

Coach Wayne has outdated material saying that all U10 are mandated using green. They are mandated using orange. Green can be played at the U12 level. He wants a dual approach where U10 is played with regulation as well. Well the USTA can not make everyone happy. They are not in the business to make everyone happy. They want to grow the game and make it fun for everyone. They do not want kids under 10 playing with Regulation balls in tournaments period. And I am full agreement to this rule only I would prefer they included green in the U10’s. There has been large # of participation level using these colored balls and it has only been one month. So I suggest that coach bryan give the rule some time to take into affect before casting judgment on a system that has not bloomed.

The data shows that ATP and WTA players have grown up using softer balls. Heck his own sons have played/trained with old yellow balls ( same as green) and yellow balls that have been punctured using a nail by Mr Bryan so why not use the same ball you practice with in competition? Is that a crime? To use the same balls that you practice with in competition? As for the bribes, the only bribes I have seen is the resurfacing some of the courts using QS lines to be able to get a grant. The USTA is giving the grant they can set any qualification they see fit. It is their money.

One does not have to keep kids on orange until 11, kids can go through this suppose mandate as quick as they want. If the kid is an elite player at 9 sure heck he can handle regulation with low level U12 players. The green ball tournaments have not been small in many areas across this nation. Again it has only been a month. I suggest coach Bryan to have a little more patience.

[Pro_Tour_630]

When I spoke to Wayne Bryan about this he was not that critical and was in support of QS. He wants a dual approach which is ironic and contradictory. You can not go to a doctor and have him say you need brain surgery and lets operate on your feet as well

We can not have U10 kids playing regulation with ranking ( pressure) and have a parallel system with kids just having fun with no ranking and multiple winners. Those two are totally opposite.

[seminoleG]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

We can not have U10 kids playing regulation with ranking ( pressure) and have a parallel system with kids just having fun with no ranking and multiple winners. Those two are totally opposite.

No you can have a Competitive Path, and a Developmental Path.
Competitive Path can be seperated by age, Developmental Path by ability.

The Paths cross and meet at various Ages/Abilities.

Example High School sports vs. AAU/Babe Ruth League competition. Same ages and varying skill levels both produce Top performers.

[TennisMaverick]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

No you can have a Competitive Path, and a Developmental Path.
Competitive Path can be seperated by age, Developmental Path by ability.

The Paths cross and meet at various Ages/Abilities.

Example High School sports vs. AAU/Babe Ruth League competition. Same ages and varying skill levels both produce Top performers.

Exactly what should be done. I predict that it will happen institutionally in the near future.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

No you can have a Competitive Path, and a Developmental Path.
Competitive Path can be seperated by age, Developmental Path by ability.

The Paths cross and meet at various Ages/Abilities.

Example High School sports vs. AAU/Babe Ruth League competition. Same ages and varying skill levels both produce Top performers.

We do not have little league and full pitch using wood bats only at the same time, we don't have U10 kid playing soccer with full size ball on full size feild at the same time using smaller ball and smaller feild, sorry

If you want competition using regulation at U10 form your own group, the USTA and play and stay ( the rest of the world ) are not going for it. If Spain had $ and were organized they would do the same, apparently they don't

[Tcbtennis]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

We can not have U10 kids playing regulation with ranking ( pressure) and have a parallel system with kids just having fun with no ranking and multiple winners. Those two are totally opposite.

Yes you can. In Florida in 2011 we had U10 rookie tournaments that were quickstart and and at the same time all other higher level U10 were regulation yellow ball/racquet length/court size. It was not confusing. It just made parents upset because they knew that in 2012 this option of regulation U10 would be gone because of the mandate. Most of the parents who are upset do not dislike QS. Most believe that if done correctly it can be great for the development of young children (ages 8 and under). But to mandate that all U10 be QS is just too much.

With all the recent changes I have come to believe that the USTA has it's hidden agenda and it's not to reduce travel or limit the number of missed school days. They are under the gun to produce the next American champion and it will try any idea to see if anything works. Limit draw sizes, increase wild cards, if any junior shows promise latch onto him/her and proclaim your greatness.

The USTA is the governing body of American tennis. It is a highly profitable monolith. What it says, goes. If you don't like it, too bad. Hopefully, after a few years it will see the errors of it's ways. But unfortunately a good number of juniors will have been screwed in the meantime.

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

Yes you can. In Florida in 2011 we had U10 rookie tournaments that were quickstart and and at the same time all other higher level U10 were regulation yellow ball/racquet length/court size. It was not confusing. It just made parents upset because they knew that in 2012 this option of regulation U10 would be gone because of the mandate. Most of the parents who are upset do not dislike QS. Most believe that if done correctly it can be great for the development of young children (ages 8 and under). But to mandate that all U10 be QS is just too much.

With all the recent changes I have come to believe that the USTA has it's hidden agenda and it's not to reduce travel or limit the number of missed school days. They are under the gun to produce the next American champion and it will try any idea to see if anything works. Limit draw sizes, increase wild cards, if any junior shows promise latch onto him/her and proclaim your greatness.

The USTA is the governing body of American tennis. It is a highly profitable monolith. What it says, goes. If you don't like it, too bad. Hopefully, after a few years it will see the errors of it's ways. But unfortunately a good number of juniors will have been screwed in the meantime.

GREAT POST!!!!!!!!

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

Yes you can. In Florida in 2011 we had U10 rookie tournaments that were quickstart and and at the same time all other higher level U10 were regulation yellow ball/racquet length/court size. It was not confusing. It just made parents upset because they knew that in 2012 this option of regulation U10 would be gone because of the mandate. Most of the parents who are upset do not dislike QS. Most believe that if done correctly it can be great for the development of young children (ages 8 and under). But to mandate that all U10 be QS is just too much.

With all the recent changes I have come to believe that the USTA has it's hidden agenda and it's not to reduce travel or limit the number of missed school days. They are under the gun to produce the next American champion and it will try any idea to see if anything works. Limit draw sizes, increase wild cards, if any junior shows promise latch onto him/her and proclaim your greatness.

The USTA is the governing body of American tennis. It is a highly profitable monolith. What it says, goes. If you don't like it, too bad. Hopefully, after a few years it will see the errors of it's ways. But unfortunately a good number of juniors will have been screwed in the meantime.

I believe it was a transition, a temporary transition and a transition is to make some folks happy, they can not make everyone happy. The only folks that are unhappy are the elitist parents that want to see Jr getting to #1 in U10, sorry it is not going to happen anymore. There are going to be no ranking in U10 anymore, bye bye good riddance.

The idea is not just any idea, it was a proven idea called play and stay in Europe since 2005. I could care less about producing champions right now, I want to grow the game, and by growing the game we might have something in 5-10 years. The next idea is to give $ to centers/coaches to teach the proper way and combine it with the teaching ways of mini tennis.

[tennis5]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

Yes you can. In Florida in 2011 we had U10 rookie tournaments that were quickstart and and at the same time all other higher level U10 were regulation yellow ball/racquet length/court size. It was not confusing. It just made parents upset because they knew that in 2012 this option of regulation U10 would be gone because of the mandate. Most of the parents who are upset do not dislike QS. Most believe that if done correctly it can be great for the development of young children (ages 8 and under). But to mandate that all U10 be QS is just too much.

With all the recent changes I have come to believe that the USTA has it's hidden agenda and it's not to reduce travel or limit the number of missed school days. They are under the gun to produce the next American champion and it will try any idea to see if anything works. Limit draw sizes, increase wild cards, if any junior shows promise latch onto him/her and proclaim your greatness.

The USTA is the governing body of American tennis. It is a highly profitable monolith. What it says, goes. If you don't like it, too bad. Hopefully, after a few years it will see the errors of it's ways. But unfortunately a good number of juniors will have been screwed in the meantime.

They don't care who they mess up..... This is so sad.

[arche3]

If the goal is to reduce travel and make kids WIN their area then move on to bigger tourneys it makes sense. the wild card thing is weird though because the numbers are high. Make it 2 WC entries (not 6) and everyone else has to fight for the spots. seems fair.

[Pro_Tour_630]

to the complainers, why don't you start your own OPEN grand slam tournament and make over 200 million a year and start your own organization and get on the board, maybe someone will listen to you.

In the meantime, the spanish have produced how many top female players ( females do compete you know not only men) not a whole lot. Check out the top 250 ITF Jr female players where they are coming from? you guessed it right here in the US. Who are the top 100 ATP male players after the latest generation around the 1990 birth year how many spaniards?!?! Riba

the french are producing the best talent out there, all the coaches from all over are saying the same thing. They have the $ from RG, a supportive french federation that promote the same teaching methods and (play and stay) which has been installed since 2005.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by arche3

If the goal is to reduce travel and make kids WIN their area then move on to bigger tourneys it makes sense. the wild card thing is weird though because the numbers are high. Make it 2 WC entries (not 6) and everyone else has to fight for the spots. seems fair.

that is the idea, in Europe the travel time is small compared to the US

Heck hope on a train and you can play ITF Jrs and challengers anywhere

[tennis5]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

to the complainers, why don't you start your own OPEN grand slam tournament and make over 200 million a year and start your own organization and get on the board, maybe someone will listen to you.

In the meantime, the spanish have produced how many top female players ( females do compete you know not only men) not a whole lot. Check out the top 250 ITF Jr female players where they are coming from? you guessed it right here in the US. Who are the top 100 ATP male players after the latest generation around the 1990 birth year how many spaniards?!?! Riba

the french are producing the best talent out there, all the coaches from all over are saying the same thing. They have the $ from RG, a supportive french federation that promote the same teaching methods and (play and stay) which has been installed since 2005.

Let's see..... that would mean operating a not for profit company, pay no company taxes, yet have advertising on the web site, pay myself millions of dollars ( for a not for profit???) and not disclose my salary, give 40% of the wild cards to my players, bring in all my friends for jobs, even though there are better people out there, hire the cheapest coaches for the player development sites, fire them, fire the head coaches that disagree with me and have the audacity to go on a public record and say what is going on, fire the kids, injure the kids, change everything around, screw a thousand kids -
YES, IT IS GOOD TO BE KING.

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

I believe it was a transition, a temporary transition and a transition is to make some folks happy, they can not make everyone happy. The only folks that are unhappy are the elitist parents that want to see Jr getting to #1 in U10, sorry it is not going to happen anymore. There are going to be no ranking in U10 anymore, bye bye good riddance.

The idea is not just any idea, it was a proven idea called play and stay in Europe since 2005. I could care less about producing champions right now, I want to grow the game, and by growing the game we might have something in 5-10 years. The next idea is to give $ to centers/coaches to teach the proper way and combine it with the teaching ways of mini tennis.

Elitest parents???? In N.E. you guys might need your 10s to play quickstart.In GA our tens dont need to go backwards.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Elitest parents???? In N.E. you guys might need your 10s to play quickstart.In GA our tens dont need to go backwards.

thank for proving my point

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

thank for proving my point

Your welcome.You guys keep playing nerf tennis and continue to keep all those great players coming out of N.E.

[tennis5]

Wow Pro Tour,

Way to communicate on a board in a respectful way.

If anyone has an objection, they are a "complainer".

I am from the NE and calling someone from the South, an elitist even rubs me the wrong way.

Southerners are the politest, nicest, down to earth group of people.

Elitist sounds like it would be cast towards the Northerners.

[TennisMaverick]

Originally Posted by Pro_Tour_630

to the complainers, why don't you

Since '84, the USTA has made changes every few years in something, and the complainers come-out like cockroaches. That is why these kids don't win. If the tennis gods give commandments, then you better figure-out how to manipulate them to your advantage, just as you deal with your opponent and anything which occurs on-court. Or just lose as you complain your way down the ranking list.