Another Shakeup @ USTA
- Thread starter Tom C
- Start date
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Figures, Rodney was pushing for more of the money to go into finding tennis talent and put smaller training centers in the cities and suburbs.
McEnroe instead wants to continue plowing huge amounts of money into a few big name coaches and a few highly rated juniors.
Personally, I think had they goven Rodney full control and inplemented his plans, along with the suggestions by Lansdorp, the USTA would be headed in the right direction.
I think McEnroe is going in the exact opposite direction of what would work. Neither he nor Higueras have ever identified a young kid talent in their lives.
McEnroe instead wants to continue plowing huge amounts of money into a few big name coaches and a few highly rated juniors.
Personally, I think had they goven Rodney full control and inplemented his plans, along with the suggestions by Lansdorp, the USTA would be headed in the right direction.
I think McEnroe is going in the exact opposite direction of what would work. Neither he nor Higueras have ever identified a young kid talent in their lives.
BradBaughman
Banned
hes had quite a few years there and plenty of bank roll and the results werent there and going to the cities and suburbs wont change the state of tennis hear either
poor Rodney
agreed
I'd called it affirmative action ,because the status quo wasn't going anywhere ...
agreed
I'd called it affirmative action ,because the status quo wasn't going anywhere ...BradBaughman
Banned
agreed
affirmative action has been the down fall of our country for many years and now that weve been trying to apply it to tennis for a while it hasn't work there either!
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Not true at all Brad. He was named "multicultural director' but given hardly any funds to implement anything in the cities and suburbs.
The "status quo" is the USTA plowing millions into a very few players and failing again and again.
Not sure what the "affirmative action" garbage you guys are trying to pull.
Last time I checked America had very few top pro players. Yet African Americans are a larger percentage of the American pros than they are of the general population. Just like in EVERY other action sport except ice hockey.
If the USTA implemented Rodney and Lansdorp's plans, America would be loaded with top prospects. The cities and the African American players are where the best athletes and the best future tennis players would come from.....if given the opportunities that the white kids get And that is stone, cold fact.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is either an idiot or a racist...or most likely both.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
More racist garbage Brad. A total bunch of crap.
The downfall of the country has been the super rich using wedge issues to get the rest of us to vote their way. All the while transferring all the money from the middle class to the top 1%. Welfare and other social programs are small compared to the military-industrial-oil welfare programs our government supports.
Take your head out of your ignorance and learn the truth.
well the more I think about this the more I say you are right,but at the same time,the stuff you are expressing cannot work in America... the reality of tennis in America is that tennis in US has been and from what I see, will always be for(majority)the more affluent, who can afford it... you cannot go into the inner city and find an great African/American athlete and sell tennis to him/her... no family will allow someone to come into their house and say "hey your son is an great athlete and he fits our genetic profile and we'll take him and train him to be the next king of US tennis" this can happen in China and in most part, the rest of the world,but it cannot and/or will not happen here in USA.. to become pro-level good, takes a long period of time to nurture.. you're talking about training,tournament experience,self-sacrifice,self-discipline,dedication,time and monetary investment,love ect..and all the above takes many many years until you can ever see a bud start to bloom... and that doesn't mean it will still happen...who's going to wait 10 years to see if an investment like that will pay off? in US==only parents .. in the rest of the world it's a different story..
your idealistic views are great,I know, I have them too, but the reality is, families here in the US aren't going to let a perfect thing happen... and that my friend is the "stone cold fact"
No one is talking about a Soviet-style system of forcing young children to become gymnasts or whatever. It is about taking tennis to lower-income neighborhood schools and trying to get some kids interested. There is enormous physical talent, which usually flows into basketball or football. Tennis needs to be made "cool" in these places. It is not just a coincidence that there are the Williams, the Washintons, or the Youngs, or Asia Muhammad's in the pipeline. As also the Coco Vanderweghes or Vania Kings. It is not elite academies vs inner city programs, but both.
PMac is getting way too many appointments. Would he be anybody without his brother? Where is he finding the time to devote to each of his contracts? Are there no other qualified people?
PMac is getting way too many appointments. Would he be anybody without his brother? Where is he finding the time to devote to each of his contracts? Are there no other qualified people?
BradBaughman
Banned
my son tried to get a grant a few years back and was told by one of the coaches that he was the wrong color, although i wanted to get pissed we just went another route as for affirmative action please explain the coaches comment,maybe i'm misunderstanding my son at the time putting in the work, putting up the results, yet the courts were full of kids that didnt have what he had yet had the grants!!!
BradBaughman
Banned
BTW i find this comment completely racist and ignorant!!
By TCF
If the USTA implemented Rodney and Lansdorp's plans, America would be loaded with top prospects. The cities and the "African American players are where the best athletes" and the best future tennis players would come from.....if given the opportunities that the white kids get And that is stone, cold fact. africans americans are the best athletes this is not racist??
By TCF
If the USTA implemented Rodney and Lansdorp's plans, America would be loaded with top prospects. The cities and the "African American players are where the best athletes" and the best future tennis players would come from.....if given the opportunities that the white kids get And that is stone, cold fact. africans americans are the best athletes this is not racist??
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If the coach said this, and he was one of the people recommending grants, you could have sued.
BradBaughman
Banned
no need to i don't pull race cards nor do we sue we educate our son and he's already a tremendous athlete in spite of him being of light skin , well let his racket do the talking backed with dicipline and drive
BradBaughman
Banned
BTw way it was said in confidence and frustration on the coaches part!!
But the decision to sue is not only about you, but also others who might benefit (and it might also benefit people who you think may not benefit from it). Of course, it should be done only after the regular process of complaints etc is exhausted. Once things are opened up for scrutiny, everyone gains transparency. A closed system fosters favoritism and dirty politics.
BradBaughman
Banned
ive dealt with it first hand but in the end it comes down to your work ethic your "intelligence" and your talent to make it in this sport, oh yah stay injury free that helps! thanx though
T
tenniscrazed
Guest
He won't sue the USTA. Here is the bottom line, the USTA controls United States Tennis, in same context that the CEO of GM controls GM maybe even moreso. It is a true monopoly and therefore it would be impossible for the child to have a furtherance in the sport here in the US if he sued.
Like it or not that is the reality. Now if you really want to get them. Start a competitor association with better benefits, a better business model, better distribution of member funds, a more transparent board of directors. Maybe even make it a stock company in which the association is owned by its' members. Now you've got something.
BradBaughman
Banned
a lot of truth to that!! but sue or not a winner cant be stopped!! plus it would be more headache then worth..
BradBaughman
Banned
tenniscraze what do you know about this hugeras? were suppose to sit down with him ive heard hes a nice guy and and a decent track record any thoughts!
T
tenniscrazed
Guest
Best clay court coach in tennis bar none. Google him.
GameSetNavritilova
New User
Regardless of whom they hire, they need to develop a program/philosophy that the entire coaching staff believes in and subscribes to -- everyone needs to be on the same page. P-Mac will surround himself with people that are more experienced than himself which shouldn't be difficult. I don't mean that in a disrespectful manner. USTA freed up some big cash with the recent cleanup including Carson. Higueras is a great start to getting things turned around. Stay tuned as I suspect more impressive resumes will follow. US Tennis will turn around. Tennis isn't dead in the US...remember our Boys and Girls 14s swept the 2008 World Junior Championships.
I agree with TCF's opinions. But I feel that's just 1/2 of the story. The other half is simply tennis economics...there isn't enough money in tennis for kids in the US to take the risk.
Unless you are a sure fire star, coming out of HS, should you take a scholarship or go pro? Scholarship is much safer path and you get a college education.
Coming out of college, should you take that $80K/year job and start your career, or go fight it out in the futures/challengers for (I think) ~$20K/year?
Read the latest Tennis magazine article on life in the challengers. Robert Kendrick, Scoville Jenkens, etc. You gotta really love tennis to take that chance, cause more than likely you will do better $ wise starting your career. Factor in risk of injuries and the numbers just don't add up.
Tennis popularity (on TV, not at the parks) must be raised and prize $ increased. If you can't make a decent living being amongst the 200 best in the world in what you do, then there is not much motivation, for kids in the US.
I'm pretty good at my job, and I make much more than the 200th ranked tennis player. If I'm even remotely amongst the best 1000 in the world in my craft, I would be surprised.
Unless you are a sure fire star, coming out of HS, should you take a scholarship or go pro? Scholarship is much safer path and you get a college education.
Coming out of college, should you take that $80K/year job and start your career, or go fight it out in the futures/challengers for (I think) ~$20K/year?
Read the latest Tennis magazine article on life in the challengers. Robert Kendrick, Scoville Jenkens, etc. You gotta really love tennis to take that chance, cause more than likely you will do better $ wise starting your career. Factor in risk of injuries and the numbers just don't add up.
Tennis popularity (on TV, not at the parks) must be raised and prize $ increased. If you can't make a decent living being amongst the 200 best in the world in what you do, then there is not much motivation, for kids in the US.
I'm pretty good at my job, and I make much more than the 200th ranked tennis player. If I'm even remotely amongst the best 1000 in the world in my craft, I would be surprised.
tacoben
Semi-Pro
Hi Brad,
Don't mean to go off topic but..
Please clarify for those of us who don't know...what is this "grant" you are talking about. I take it as some kind of subsidy from the USTA for high level junior players? or, acceptance to elite player development, such as in Carson?
Thanks!
tennisjunkie101
Banned
I'll answer this for Mr.Baughman. The grants are under a couple terms. You have the Multi-cultural , which means if anything but Caucasian you'll receive supplemental money, regardless of your skill level. The other grants I have seen handed out, have to do with the skill level of your child and your willingness to relinquish your child to the USTA guidance and coaching. Thats where Mr. Baughman butted heads with them about the direction of his son, so I am told.
