Tennismastery, I know you are changing to a new health club to develop a tennis program there, and I wondered if you might fill everyone in on how your “dream” tennis academy might differ from the others out there. Also, what would be the benefits of someone attending an “academy” that they wouldn’t have access to through private lessons or coached workouts and clinics?
It seems America’s current approach to tennis development is a few years behind the rest of the world. Though it’s easy to point the finger at the rampant escalation of fast and easy distractions available in an upscale society, there must be more to it than that. In a perfect TM-orchestrated world, what would tennis development in America look like? Do you support the formation of junior high and middle school tennis teams, or leagues? Do you think college recruitment rules prevent younger players from having access to higher level competition that could benefit them?
Also, on picking a pro . . . I know it’s a touchy political subject, but as an academy director who has to hire, how many USPTA or PTR pros do you think are worth their weight in salt?
To everyone else . . . what do YOU think are the problems and/or solutions to tennis development in America?
MG
MG, Great topic, one that I have been passionate about for a number of years and wrote a three-part series on TennisOne about American Tennis.
I don't want to write one of my long-winded responses (as I tend to do!), but I will say this: the problem with American Tennis is certainly a multi-faceted dilemma.
1. American children in general, don't view tennis as "Cool" as we did in the 70's...thus, we get so very few really great athletes out for tennis. (Compared to the big three sports, football, basketball and baseball.)
2. American training has followed that of American Public Education: Less and less challenging in fear of losing players because it is "too tough".
3. The overall limited cooperation of the USTA with American high schools. (They have gotten a little better in terms of helping the schools...but I still see mostly a hands-off mentality.) The USTA basically does not look at any player as having potential...only those who have reached certain levels (ranked players) gain the USTA's attention. I know from personal experience that there are thousands of players who have all the potential, who are exploring tennis, but have not played the right tournaments or live in an area which does not promote tennis to the point that these players can get noticed.
4. The "good ol boys" syndrome at the USTA and the certification institutes. (Namely, very few new speakers addressing tennis...I can't tell you how many times I have heard all the up-coming speakers at the next National USPTA convention!)
My new academy will focus on this motto: Pride, Performance, and the Pursuit of Personal Perfection...with emphasis on the three "D's": Desire, Dedication and Determination. We will feature colored wrist bands to designate certain levels of achievement within a ladder program, much like we see in Karate with colored belts to represent skills achieved. My idea of a training facility that mass produces not just world-ranked players, but players of all ages reaching their personal levels of potential. That is, giving each player both the optimal methodology (what I call my Advanced Foundation), and the optimal learning tools, (a diversity of tools that get players using the Advanced Foundation elements as early and as masterfully as each player is capable of doing.)
As far as USPTA and PTR Pros...I hate to say it, but there are many who are certified who are simply inadequate pros. (To say it nicely.) Go to any conference and you will find fewer than 10% of the certified pros attending such learning opportunities. But, beyond that, the teaching profession, in my opinion, is full of pros who wear blinders and basically DON'T want to attend any learning program because in their mind, they know all they need to know. On top of that, you will find pros who brag about players they have trained, (ranked players) yet, they had absolutely nothing to do with that player's development.
Well, that is more than I intended to write. There is a lot more to discuss, for sure. Check out my three newsletters at TennisOne (they are free and found in the Newsletter archives at TennisOne) and read more of my thoughts on this subject.
Thanks for bringing up a great topic which I'm sure will generate a lot of discussion. I just hope people will write thoughts and opinions and not bash others for theirs. (I have avoided the forum because of some of the flaming threads that have turned me off, of late!)
Sorry for such a long response!
