Interesting Read - Straw Dogs

[tennis5]

A friend sent me a bunch of articles ( blogs) and I thought I would share.. Makes an interesting read.

Straw Dogs
Blog | November 14, 2011 | By Steven Kaplan


At what age or level, if any, does home-schooling become necessary for a serious tennis player?
I summarized by stating "While the tennis rewards of home schooling are undeniable, the educational compromise and risk engendered by this road make it all too often a well-intended but misguided decision for families at any age."

I e-mailed the full text of my answer to Jose Higueras, head of USTA High Performance.
He responded several hours later by saying "In general, I agree with you,
but I believe it can be the right move for "some" kids.
I find this a curious answer since the USTA High Performance Program at Flushing,
as well as all other High Performance facilities recommends Home Schooling to most,
if not all its participants.

I e-mailed Mr.Higueras back twice, each time asking him for a more detailed answer.
First I asked, "Specifically, which children do you believe benefit educationally and vocationally from home schooling? I think the word choice "some" is broad. I then added, "The USTA offers a tennis training program that engenders home schooling and you agree that home schooling is right for 'some,' but not all kids. I think the ramifications of this decision are profound. Do you think it would be a worthwhile idea for the USTA to recommend or perhaps even to provide an educational counselor or consultant to parents as part of the High Performance Program?"

I have not received a response.

While we consult Zagat's before choosing a restaurant, and Trip Advisor before reserving a hotel room, one of the most important educational decisions in our children's lives may be made without seeking extensive expert advice. Since the USTA dispenses institutional recommendations about education from a position of great authority to eager parents, engaging an expert to help recommend the best decision would be the responsible thing to do. As a result, the appropriate candidates for home schooling can be identified from a broader perspective then simply, "tennis ability."

Some ancient cultures built Straw Dogs and worshiped them as idols in elaborate ceremonies.
When this ritual was over, these Straw Dogs were discarded, and burned like trash.
I listened to a great deal of spin during this year's U.S. Open broadcast from Pat McEnroe about the successes and promising future of the shining stars of U.S. Player development.
However, these players represent less than one percent of the program.
I heard nothing about the Straw Dogs of tennis who, with the blessing of the USTA,
comprised their academic, social and career potential to drop out of school to play tennis.

Arthur Ashe, who championed the ideal that tennis can be the means to providing education
and implored kids to stay in school, must be turning over in his grave.



Older one ( same subject):


USTA Says Skip School, Play Tennis
Blog | August 10, 2010 | By Steven Kaplan

With the back to school season fast approaching, Long Islanders should be proud that they have a collective ideal which emphasizes the value of education, and as a result, some of the finest schools in the world.
So it's back to school in September, EXCEPT for a select few of the best young players in the area that is,
if the USTA has it's say.

That's right, the USTA is suggesting that the players in their winter program might be better off receiving education by "home schooling," rather than by staying in school.
How could this be?
Maybe it's business expediency.
Those in the Junior Development business know what impedes their business.
Tournaments limit attendance at programs, so it's not surprising that the USTA conveniently suggested that players in the Flushing Program are better served by temporarily forgoing tournaments to attend the program.

This is a radical departure from there previous initiative of encouraging tournament play by developing a system of gathering points by playing as many tournaments as possible. This system saw tournament attendance (as well as tournament-generated income) skyrocket.
Does anyone see a pattern developing here since school gets in the way of Junior Development attendance too?

The USTA in their new role as High Performance educators do not choose to send the message "stay in school," as Arthur Ashe once so strongly advocated. Rather, they have set up their own "school" because they believe they can provide a better education or maybe they simply don't care about the consequences if they can't.

I have nothing against home schooling as a family decision mind you.
I take strong exception, however, if it is an agenda-driven institutional recommendation.
Ironically, Patrick McEnroe, the head of USTA Player Development, went to the best schools,
Buckley, Trinity and Stanford, and improved slowly in a balanced environment on his way to the top.
Sadly, times have changed.

I hope all of the sixth grade dropouts created by this program make it on the professional tennis tour.
If not, then I can think of at least one organization whose conduct indicates that they have high level jobs for those with questionable educational standards.

[TennisCoachFLA]

The USTA would benefit from American top players so if parents are willing to homeschool and slightly increase the odds of producing a better player, all good for the USTA. So they are probably not the best source for an unbiased opinion on the best course for any specific kid.

[tennis5]

Originally Posted by TennisCoachFLA

The USTA would benefit from American top players so if parents are willing to homeschool and slightly increase the odds of producing a better player, all good for the USTA. So they are probably not the best source for an unbiased opinion on the best course for any specific kid.

I think the blogger was trying to point out the hypocrisy of the top USTA guy who went to the best schools in the country, and now the same person is promoting homeschooling...

And that if you choose the USTA regional center, there is no wiggle room for school.
You must drop out of school if you wish to be in their program.

Who knows, maybe the good old boy system will work, and they will end up all working at the USTA in the future.

[Tennishacker]

It's funny that the USTA has created this "American" culture of home schooling tennis kids.

If you think about all the other sports played in high school, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, where they can move onto the professional level, none are home schooled.

[donnymac10s]

Originally Posted by Tennishacker

It's funny that the USTA has created this "American" culture of home schooling tennis kids.

If you think about all the other sports played in high school, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, where they can move onto the professional level, none are home schooled.

just to play devil's advocate, I think that tennis is a more complex sport. In addition to developing athletic ability, the player must also grasp the technical and tactical concepts. I think that it'd be best if every major community had a school designed to assist athletes...a year around program but classes would be limited to about noon each day. this would allow athletes with the ample opportunity to get a well-rounded education and also sufficient time to practice their craft.

[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by donnymac10s

just to play devil's advocate, I think that tennis is a more complex sport. In addition to developing athletic ability, the player must also grasp the technical and tactical concepts. I think that it'd be best if every major community had a school designed to assist athletes...a year around program but classes would be limited to about noon each day. this would allow athletes with the ample opportunity to get a well-rounded education and also sufficient time to practice their craft.

My daughter's high school has what's called "block scheduling" which essentially means classes started at 7am and ended at 12 noon. This was perfect for her tennis.

[TennisNola]

Originally Posted by tennis5

I think the blogger was trying to point out the hypocrisy of the top USTA guy who went to the best schools in the country, and now the same person is promoting homeschooling...

And that if you choose the USTA regional center, there is no wiggle room for school.
You must drop out of school if you wish to be in their program.

Who knows, maybe the good old boy system will work, and they will end up all working at the USTA in the future.

Right now, there are a few students at the USTA Training Center East (the site that the blogger is referring to) who attend regular school... one of which I know for a fact is a student of Steven Kaplan on the days he does not attend the USTA program. Just a piece of information to shed light on the personal nature of the blog post.

[donnymac10s]

Originally Posted by Tennishacker

My daughter's high school has what's called "block scheduling" which essentially means classes started at 7am and ended at 12 noon. This was perfect for her tennis.

yes, some schools have that. some do it 2 days a week only. How is your daughter's school set up? Also, I'm referring to a year-around program with shorter breaks between the quarters (maybe 2 weeks) so the players don't get "mushy" over the long summer and also they don't sacrifice education.

[klu375]

What is happening with homeschooling in the Eastern section looks like epidemic and USTA leads by example. Only on the girls side there are over 10 girls of HS age homeschooling and a few more of middle-school age. Most of them probably do not plan to become a professional tennis player, some have understandable reasons to do it but some are just not that academically inclined and do not want to go to school and parents let them. And there is no proof that they will become more successfull players if they spend more hours on court and do more far-away tournaments.
It seems the prolifiration of full-time tennis academies and RTCs in the NYC Metro area found their victims.

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by tennis5

I think the blogger was trying to point out the hypocrisy of the top USTA guy who went to the best schools in the country, and now the same person is promoting homeschooling...

And that if you choose the USTA regional center, there is no wiggle room for school.
You must drop out of school if you wish to be in their program.

Who knows, maybe the good old boy system will work, and they will end up all working at the USTA in the future.

In the right situation and with proper parental support, homeschooling is an excellent alternative to traditional school.

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

In the right situation and with proper parental support, homeschooling is an excellent alternative to traditional school.

Yup. We volunteer in soup kitchens, talk to folks pan handling on the corners, run inner city tennis programs, read news coverage of people doing bad things all over the country, watch the show Intervention.....as yet I have not met or seen a one who was home schooled.

Not sure how some get this false notion homeschooling leads to anything but good....with exceptions of course like with anything.

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by donnymac10s

just to play devil's advocate, I think that tennis is a more complex sport. In addition to developing athletic ability, the player must also grasp the technical and tactical concepts. I think that it'd be best if every major community had a school designed to assist athletes...a year around program but classes would be limited to about noon each day. this would allow athletes with the ample opportunity to get a well-rounded education and also sufficient time to practice their craft.

Two different dynamics. No matter what high school you go to you can play your football and basketball schedule a bus ride away. The better teams can then travel within the section if they are that good, within the state for championships if super good teams.

Tennis kids must travel farther once they get to a certain point. So of course more tennis kids would homeschool than football kids. Tennis is unique in many ways, no coach, call own lines, more travel at higher levels. Impossible to compare junior tennis with most other kids sports.

[donnymac10s]

Originally Posted by TennisCoachFLA

Two different dynamics. No matter what high school you go to you can play your football and basketball schedule a bus ride away. The better teams can then travel within the section if they are that good, within the state for championships if super good teams.

Tennis kids must travel farther once they get to a certain point. So of course more tennis kids would homeschool than football kids. Tennis is unique in many ways, no coach, call own lines, more travel at higher levels. Impossible to compare junior tennis with most other kids sports.

And let's remember that football and basketball aren't exactly high-priority sports in other countries.. we dominate because so few other countries play it at a high level. In many ways, this is how tennis used to be in 70s and 80s when a great deal of the world was shut off by the Iron Curtain.

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by donnymac10s

And let's remember that football and basketball aren't exactly high-priority sports in other countries.. we dominate because so few other countries play it at a high level. In many ways, this is how tennis used to be in 70s and 80s when a great deal of the world was shut off by the Iron Curtain.

Bingo! You know why we used to rule tennis with Mac and Connors and Agassi and Sampras and Courier and on and on? You know why Nick B. had a hotbed of champions? Easy, the rest of the world was sleeping on tennis compared to the last 10 years.

Mike Agassi says that he would put Andre into baseball today because tennis has become so global that it is almost impossible to make it worth even attempting to produce a top player.

[donnymac10s]

Originally Posted by TennisCoachFLA

Bingo! You know why we used to rule tennis with Mac and Connors and Agassi and Sampras and Courier and on and on? You know why Nick B. had a hotbed of champions? Easy, the rest of the world was sleeping on tennis compared to the last 10 years.

Mike Agassi says that he would put Andre into baseball today because tennis has become so global that it is almost impossible to make it worth even attempting to produce a top player.

Glad that you agree. A graphite racket would cost a year's salary in the Eastern Europe in the 80s. Not many people could afford more than one. Balls, strings and indoor court time are still super expensive comparatively speaking...limiting even more players. Not to say that Sampras, Courier and Agassi wouldn't have been great anyway, but you never know how the system would've have shaped their careers had the make up of the competition been entirely different.

[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by TennisCoachFLA

Two different dynamics. No matter what high school you go to you can play your football and basketball schedule a bus ride away. The better teams can then travel within the section if they are that good, within the state for championships if super good teams.

Tennis kids must travel farther once they get to a certain point. So of course more tennis kids would homeschool than football kids. Tennis is unique in many ways, no coach, call own lines, more travel at higher levels. Impossible to compare junior tennis with most other kids sports.

Not true, high school sports are now year round. With club teams and specialized coaching, (QB, place kicking, linebacker, pitching, catching, etc. coaching) plus summer camps, these high school sports are just like tennis, an "industry".

[andfor]

Originally Posted by Tennishacker

Not true, high school sports are now year round. With club teams and specialized coaching, (QB, place kicking, linebacker, pitching, catching, etc. coaching) plus summer camps, these high school sports are just like tennis, an "industry".

Agreed. It's not like the old days 60s, 70s and 80s in the states when kids played the sport during the season which it was played. The majority of kids could go out for their H.S. sport of choice make the team and play up to 3 sports or so during the year.

Now schools are bigger making tryouts a much more widely attended deal. More kids playing sports starting at a young age. This now means many H.S. coaches in traditional sports like volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball are cutting way more kids than back in the old days. To your point, most kids now have to specialize before getting to H.S. if they hope to have a shot at making the team.

[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by andfor

Agreed. It's not like the old days 60s, 70s and 80s in the states when kids played the sport during the season which it was played. The majority of kids could go out for their H.S. sport of choice make the team and play up to 3 sports or so during the year.

Now schools are bigger making tryouts a much more widely attended deal. More kids playing sports starting at a young age. This now means many H.S. coaches in traditional sports like volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball are cutting way more kids than back in the old days. To your point, most kids now have to specialize before getting to H.S. if they hope to have a shot at making the team.

Here in Socal, there are "Football" and "Basketball" high schools. Many messy issues about kids transferring high schools to play at those school's, also the trend is these coaches earn big salaries, often more than principles.

[chalkflewup]

Happens all over the place. Kids find "relatives" in the same town as the basketball powerhouse and they end up with the magical transfer.

[TennisCoachFLA]

Originally Posted by Tennishacker

Not true, high school sports are now year round. With club teams and specialized coaching, (QB, place kicking, linebacker, pitching, catching, etc. coaching) plus summer camps, these high school sports are just like tennis, an "industry".

Not even close to being relevant to my point. I made no reference to training year round or the amount of training for any sport, so your post is completely off the mark.

My point is that a high school football/basketball player, and I know lots of them as we train our kids in some of the same programs, can compete locally, regionally, and in the state and go very far in the sport and attract college attention. Thus homeschooling is not as important or prevalent.

Tennis kids HAVE to travel once they reach a certain level. I personally know many football kids who never traveled past their school districts and have full rides to D-1 schools. Almost impossible for a tennis kid to never travel more than 20 miles and be a D-1 scholarship kid.

The posts were discussing homeschooling and why it may be more prevalent in tennis than in other sports. Its quite obvious that a football kid can and most times do, compete and attract attention without playing nationally...a tennis kid usually can't.

Common sense...the several day set up and travel of an elite level junior tennis tournament schedule would make home schooling more attractive than for a kid playing a high school football schedule.