USTA choices

[Tom C]

What are the goals of The USTA National Training Center site in Boca? I asked this because Evan King recently made an announcement that he will be attending The University of Michigan. Congrats to Evan and he will get a great education. He can turn pro after college but he always had that option. He seems to have gotten better and is quite a good player but he will no longer be trained by USTA coaches. The USTA spent a decent amount of money so that Evan could go to college? He was on his way to college beforehand so what did his time at Boca accomplish? I thought the National Training Center was there to produce professionals. If I am mistaken forget all my comments. Next year will we be mentioning Sarmiento and Fowler going to college (not that there is anything wrong with that).

P.S. Hopefully all of you who "know" me will realize that I start a thread or make a comment to learn, get other views, and/or get new ideas.

 

[SoCal10s]

Evan King

What are the goals of The USTA National Training Center site in Boca? I asked this because Evan King recently made an announcement that he will be attending The University of Michigan. Congrats to Evan and he will get a great education. He can turn pro after college but he always had that option. He seems to have gotten better and is quite a good player but he will no longer be trained by USTA coaches. The USTA spent a decent amount of money so that Evan could go to college? He was on his way to college beforehand so what did his time at Boca accomplish? I thought the National Training Center was there to produce professionals. Next year will we be mentioning Sarmiento and Fowler going to college (not that there is anything wrong with that).

I feel Evan King is making the right choice... he's a young graduating senior(played Kalamazoo 16s in '08 in which he didn't win)and still has a long way to go.. he seems to have a good head on his shoulder and most likely will become s well rounded adult ... a guy like this does not need tennis to fill his life... if he gets bigger and does mature a bit more physically he still will be young enough to try a pro tennis career.. the same goes to Sarmiento,he's just too small physically to endure a pro schedule,plus he needs to grow up a bit with his tennis,,, he has a lot of shots but too much of a showboating character ... there are a lot of top notch players that USTA overlooks because they bloom late and some of these prospects they endorse are already maxing out their potential... it's all a crap shoot and to say who will make it and not make it, it's really hard guess unless you are there with them all the time and see their work ethics and desires...

 

[tenniscrazed]

What are the goals of The USTA National Training Center site in Boca? I asked this because Evan King recently made an announcement that he will be attending The University of Michigan. Congrats to Evan and he will get a great education. He can turn pro after college but he always had that option. He seems to have gotten better and is quite a good player but he will no longer be trained by USTA coaches. The USTA spent a decent amount of money so that Evan could go to college? He was on his way to college beforehand so what did his time at Boca accomplish? I thought the National Training Center was there to produce professionals. If I am mistaken forget all my comments. Next year will we be mentioning Sarmiento and Fowler going to college (not that there is anything wrong with that).

P.S. Hopefully all of you who "know" me will realize that I start a thread or make a comment to learn, get other views, and/or get new ideas.

You make a great point, if he was in fact headed for college anyway (which he clearly was) why spend all of that money. There should be a condition to the Center that these kids must play X number of pro events per year, unfortunately that would likely hurt their NCAA status.

The way I see it is similar to you albeit you didn't say it. What Boca accomplished was to give him free training, a free homeschooled education, free housing and free food, and this came from which pocketbook? And at who else's expense in otherwords who isn't there that should or could be, but didn't have the chance.

 

[SoCal10s]

You make a great point, if he was in fact headed for college anyway (which he clearly was) why spend all of that money. There should be a condition to the Center that these kids must play X number of pro events per year, unfortunately that would likely hurt their NCAA status.

The way I see it is similar to you albeit you didn't say it. What Boca accomplished was to give him free training, a free homeschooled education, free housing and free food, and this came from which pocketbook? And at who else's expense in otherwords who isn't there that should or could be, but didn't have the chance.

Evan King must know his own abilities more than us armchair posters ... he must see what he's up against and may feel that he's not 100% ready to jump to the pros yet... same way Tiger Woods did.. this doesn't mean he will not someday make it.. he's just playing out some other options..

""There should be a condition to the Center that these kids must play X number of pro events per year, unfortunately that would likely hurt their NCAA status. ""[/QUOTE]

yes a good point taken ,but it would hardly effect their NCAA status because they would not win enough to make all that much money ...if he can go to college and win the NCAA championship or at least have a good showing then he might be ready,until then,he's just a good junior player.. I don't want to see another Donald Young... DY entered the ATP too soon and has not lived up to the expectations,and he was a JR. winner already(2 Kalamazoo titles in the 18s) Evan King still hasn't reached the status yet ,how can be go pro?

 

[OleNole]

SoCal is right. Evan is young for his grade, and his game has made strides recently. I can see him using a year or two of college to bulk up then going pro a la Blake. He'll still be under 20.

 

[tenniscrazed]

Evan King must know his own abilities more than us armchair posters ... he must see what he's up against and may feel that he's not 100% ready to jump to the pros yet... same way Tiger Woods did.. this doesn't mean he will not someday make it.. he's just playing out some other options..

""There should be a condition to the Center that these kids must play X number of pro events per year, unfortunately that would likely hurt their NCAA status. ""

Jokingly, can we be at least educated armchair QB's . Firstly, anyone can be a professional tennis player and as you aptly put it that is a far cry from making any money playing pro events much less a regular living at it.

I just believe that if someone is going to get something for nothing they should have some type of obligation to "give back" if you will. In otherwords, be required to play a certain number of pro events. On his dime as well.

Very similar to a parent who sends his or her child out in the real world. Time to earn their keep as they say.

Sure, if he is very focused, determined on doing well in college and going deep in the NCAA singles draw he has a good shot at a pro career. McEnroe, Bryan Bros., Blake, Becker, Isner among others. But it should be payback time. After all we all paid for him to be there, we helped make him a better player by endowing the USTA with that power. We did it with our membership dues, tournament fees among other revenue points.

 

[SoCal10s]

I just believe that if someone is going to get something for nothing they should have some type of obligation to "give back" if you will. In otherwords, be required to play a certain number of pro events. On his dime as well.

Sure, if he is very focused, determined on doing well in college and going deep in the NCAA singles draw he has a good shot at a pro career. McEnroe, Bryan Bros., Blake, Becker, Isner among others. But it should be payback time. After all we all paid for him to be there, we helped make him a better player by endowing the USTA with that power. We did it with our membership dues, tournament fees among other revenue points.

well that's not quite true,these kids who got the offer from the USTA were already established champions in one form or another or else they would not have been 'THE CHOSEN ONES",just like those who gets a free ride in those Florida academies ... USTA and all Nick B.. tennis farms do not create anything ... the kids who went there and became pros were already good..

but the reason you gave is absolutely correct and workable if we were in a different country ,say China... they can force a kid who has taken to give something back,but here in the USA it ain't gonna happen and this is why USTA cannot come up with any real answers in how to develop the next American tennis champion...I don't see any ways to change this system that is clearly broken... because the laws here does not allow a minor to enter into any contract,so the kid cannot sign anything that will be forceable in the legal terms,there is no accountability here in the USA..
do you remember this year a Chinese girl got into the semi-finals round and she said that she wants to or has to donate most of her earnings to the Chinese tennis federation,if not she wanted to give all to the earthquake victims fund? do you see that happening here? I think not...

if you have any answers to that then we all got something...

 

[tenniscrazed]

if you have any answers to that then we all got something...

Create an alternative association. A competitor to the USTA with a mission to identify, support and develop only Jr., talent.


I know "good luck". But it is a thought nevertheless!!!