Playing Up

[Keysmickey]

Originally Posted by seminoleG

Not to hurt OUR feelings but overall I've seen in three years of Junior Tennis "maybe" 3 truly gifted athletes. Let's not confuse playing up with superior talent. Playing up is a mechanism to get better competition than their peer group can provide.

In the US it seems the average kid in this peer group is just not that physically, or technically sound..

My daughter competed from 12's to 18's and I saw "0" truly gifted players. Danielle Collins, Gabby Andrews, Caroline Price, Lauren Davis, Kyle McPhillips, Krista Hardabeck, Taylor Townsend and on and on. Good? Yes. Great? Maybe. Hard workers? Certainly. Gifted? No.

Gifted doesn't come around everyday and will not be a product. Parents, coaches and the usta need to get a grip on reality.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by Keysmickey

My daughter competed from 12's to 18's and I saw "0" truly gifted players. Danielle Collins, Gabby Andrews, Caroline Price, Lauren Davis, Kyle McPhillips, Krista Hardabeck, Taylor Townsend and on and on. Good? Yes. Great? Maybe. Hard workers? Certainly. Gifted? No.

Gifted doesn't come around everyday and will not be a product. Parents, coaches and the usta need to get a grip on reality.

Who do you consider truly gifted?