HomeThe future of American tennisHow to Build Fruitful Cooperation Between Tennis Coaches and USTA Player Development

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How to Build Fruitful Cooperation Between Tennis Coaches and USTA Player Development — 4 Comments

  1. That is so true. USTA acts as the all knowing tennis god; if you don’t fall under their guidelines you’re automatically eliminated. They do not like individuals that bucks the system. USTA really do not reach out to identify those kids that actually have potential; kids that have the extra special talents and natural abilities. The best way to get in with USTA is probably knowing someone high up in the system. USTA is not training kids that actually have the best abilities but of better then average players. That is why they have no success in their development program.

  2. So very true! If only the all-knowing USTA leadership would take heed. Not
    Likely…

  3. America as the country of the rugged individualist is a complete myth. That’s certainly part of the American catechism whether it be the “rugged cowboy” or the Horatio Algier myth of America or today’s version of the soaring entrepreneur. However it’s all a lie but that’s for another discussion I suppose.

    In any case the central point that the USTA bureaucracy inhibits growth of tennis in this country is spot on and it’s not just nice, polite folks cluttering the USTA it’s the consistently incompetent.

    Of course with all dysfunctional bureaucracies you have to look first at the top. And there we see….well we know whose running this thing into the ground. And sycophants? Is there any organization out there that has more per capita? And why are they all so damn bumbling?

    It is in fact not a mystery as to what makes champions. There are intangibles but there is always a constant. Here’s a recent quote by Federer that sums it up nicely.

    “I feel most important is the work ethic and making sure that the kids you are training with understand that it’s not just the coach’s job to motivate them or that if you win a junior tournament you’re actually great. You’re far away from it. You have to keep working hard. … [Y]ou can’t have the parents and the coaches make you feel good all the time. You have to make sacrifices. I left home at 14 years old, stopped school at 16 and went on tour. I had a hard time understanding what hard work was, but eventually I figured it out, thankfully, early enough. If the kids don’t understand and don’t want to put in the hard work — I’m not talking about just hanging around the courts and playing for four hours a day; it’s about working well and quality — they will never get anywhere. It’s just very simple.”

    – Roger Federer, when asked about youth tennis and how the U.S. men can re-establish their dominance.

  4. That is so true. As a player, they must possess incredible work ethics. The desire to make themselves better. It is not just the coaches job. The coach can only do so much. For most part, it is up to the individual. My question to the American players is ” DO YOU WANT IT BAD ENOUGH “. USTA now needs to rethink their selection and training of the US players, otherwise we will have a short fall of great players for a long time.