HomeThe future of American tennisThe data in American tennis tell the story

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The data in American tennis tell the story — 11 Comments

  1. This article is so spot on. It is what we have been watching for years! We are parents of a D1 tennis player who spent the last 15 years working hard to become a professional player. The USTA grind with its failed tournament system and player development system is just a road to failure. Save your money! Our son didn’t have parents who were players and he didn’t have good coaches early enough (it took a lot of time and money to learn how to even find the right coach) and then too much time is lost. It was nothing but sheer determination and a willingness (on our son’s part) to live away from home to get enough instruction to even become a D1 player. There is just no path to the professional level for a player if he/she isn’t part of a tennis family/coach or if he doesn’t have massive physical gifts and good early technical Instruction. I say, players and parents stay off the run-away USTA train! Make no mistake, it’s a failed system and it’s running US tennis to a grinding halt!
    Thank you for writing this article, but sadly the USTA leadership doesn’t want feedback.

    • ….,good early technical Instruction.” Excellent point and that is the key. Dave Smith, one of my tennis mentors, emphasizes correct technical emulation from the first strokes. I never teach anything that is not in alignment with the desired end result. Coaches like Oscar Wegner prove there is a way to emulate the pros even if in slower motion from their first strokes. Yet the USTA refuses to let Oscar prove it on the Tennis Channel, where he is literally banned from appearing on.

      Yesterday I watched a certified coach in Peachtree City, GA teach a ten and under class with two kid, one 7 and one 8, both at with at least average coordination. Out of fifty balls, turned sideways per the 10 and under format, they hit THREE BALLS total in the court. Susan Nardi would have had them rallying back and forth successfully in ten minutes. She should be in charge of the ten and under program in the USA.

      Those two children know they did poorly despite the coaches smiles and passions. I wanted to run my car through the fence to stop two more potential players being driven from the game eventually. They will spend the rest of their lives trying to overcome their first horrible instruction as required by the USTA. I challened the USTA years ago to let a team of modern coaches coach beginners side by side on the Tennis Channel using their 10 and under techniques. They ignored the challenge of course. I call for it again in my upcoming book. The USTA 10 and under starting technique is horrible. I now because I was a horrible coach for two decades until I quit listening to the experts.

      In 2008 I published excepts showing what Spartak Academy with one indoor court in Moscow was teaching with pictures and translations of what the coaches were emphasizing. Those excerpts from “The REal History of USA Tennis Instruction” caused a lot of coaches and parents to come forth and tell me their stories. A former USA Grand Slam player quote: “When I came up in the early 1980s, no one knew how to teach the modern forehand.” By the way, he was at Bollettieri’s first class.
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      • apologize for no spell check but my fingers were steaming as Javier is exactly right as are these parrents which explains why in 1984 Gallup Poll found that 1 in five men listed tennis as a favorite sport and in 2004 one in twenty men did. I must have ruined more than my fair share until 2003 when I realized that I could suddenly get ANYONE to feel like they could hit a tennis ball easily and rally back and forth.

    • I wish no one had to go through this the wrong way. Maybe Lisa we can request a conference and ask what we can do to help. Speaking to the USTA is like speaking to a postal worker. They collectively from the top down from the highest person down. Fail to understand two things that are so key to tennis: 1) time (they waste ours and our kids) 2) Who is their customer (us parents). Being these two things so elementary but what can we do other than help. I am willing to help as I love tennis for all American kids, including my own.

      • So true and There IS SO much truth to this article!!

        My rant!!! Shame on the USTA for building “Lake Nona” yet another exclusive tennis center that doesn’t reach players, just excludes, uses outdated models that are proven failures for developing players, while spending massive amounts of money that could otherwise be used to bring affordable tennis to every community in the country. If only the USTA would listen to the players, parents and coaches who have actually lived the USTA GRIND and it’s “burn out” system of player development. They/we know first hand that it just doesn’t work!!!

        And it’s so painful to watch yet another waste of massive resources on yet another failed strategy and “gamble” like “lake Nona”. Ugh.

        The Solution: The GreatBase tennis program (Tennissmith model currently being used in Memphis TN) is a model that could bring affordable, developmental tennis to every community in the country and bring tennis to the under-served and under-privileged. Just the opposite of the USTA’s strategy. AND this program has some of the most highly skilled tennis coaches in the country. (because the GreatBase programs only allow coaches who have gone through a rigorous training program). Therefore, all the players are getting consistent training and skill development with the best in the business! Check out Tennissmith.com.

        If only the USTA would get their heads out of the sand and check their egos! But no, they will just keep spending money (sadly, b/c they have so much) and will keep doing the same thing over and over to the detriment of USA tennis development. Insanity!!! 😬😬😬

  2. Javier, one of the most important articles ever written in terms of timing and it’s insightful observations. It mirrors a lot of my research the past 12 years. I’m readying an e-book “The Real History of USA Tennis Instruction: How the Eyes Couldn’t See What the Mind Didn’t Know” for US Open timeframe publication. Sent you an email so please look for it. Will publish first two chapters free next week for anyone to preview and contribute it to as it’s time this mess be offered real solutions. History is a great teacher as my book proves.

  3. Early proper instruction is key, localized competitions are key. The whole system is upside down, it basically charges for everything and delivers nothing. It is truly in need of a change of vision.

  4. Hi Javier
    I wish to command you on a great Article you put up I hope that a lot of parents and tennis coaches with dignity will read this and back you up. I’ll creat a 2 part answer to this.
    The tennis in America and Canada may I add has been in trouble for a long time, because the Education system in America is old. Not just in tennis, the only good system is when you reach your higher education levels that America is the top.
    That is why kids from other countries come here to get free education through their tennis abilities
    This is the land of honey.
    As far the USTA goes they need to become the driving force behaind our sport, the leaders in our sport education.The USPTA and the USPTR all together under one umbrella. We vote them there we can make the change if we get together with no egos. We are the facilitators let’s work together.
    Look at the top Europian tennis countries, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, etc.. they are supported by their governament.In order to become a tennis license coach , instructor, teacher you must go to school and take 2 yrs of elective courses and pass the playing test written educational exam, and they must have a vertiente amount of continual education through out the year in order to keep their teaching license.
    In France the FFT has special police checking in on the city parks and clubs for coaches without liecenses if not they fine you.
    COACHING IS AN ART. You do require some years of experience to be a coach.
    It’s years of studying the game and the people we work with and playing or have played at a good level of tennis to be able to feel and understand what it’s all about, instead of an over a weekend or 2 and you’re a tennis coach. We need to think about a good mentorship system in order to become and produce better tennis teachers/ coaches.There is more it’s a good star.
    Modern forehand
    Oh my god, I’m going to vent a little.a I’m sick and tired of hearing this Sh……T alredy about the new modern forehand, the reason we think it’s a new forehand is because thanks to the technology we have today what we did not have 20-40 years ago is high speed cameras to breakdown the stroke so well. Look at other sports baseball, football, swimming (new) underwater cameras now wow. Tennis started about 10-15 yrs only,
    look at Jimmy Aries. Little guy from Buffalo NY his father thought him to do that not N B he copied it from him. if you guys do a little recone on YouTube and check out old tennis tapes and look closely at some of that you’ll get my drift. Thank you.
    A lesson I learned a long time ago we are not all build equal, we have students with different bodies teach them from that instead off a fixed model, be flexible they will become better.
    PARENTS
    When you wish for your child to become the best that they can be find out what do they want, instead of what you want they are human beings after all, not little robots that you can program.
    As a beginner find the best tennis teacher for that age group and take them there, just remember
    They only last 10 min out 1 full hr so 1/2 hr 1×2 a week is good enough the rest is for fun with other kids or yourself but just hit no instruction. This site has some of the best article in the business
    For coaches to take their own time to write ans express their feeling is Hugggge
    Read evaluate then make the best or worst choice for you and your child.
    Don’t be afraid to make mistakes we are all humans as long s we learn from our mistakes
    Javier thank you for sharing hope to chat soon🎾🙏

    • Dear Marc
      Thank you for reading the article and for your comments. The problem if not addressed will compound as there will not be a younger generation of coaches. So then the dilemma will get only worse. I really think we need to help , if they only allowed people a forum to speak and listen. They need strong new leadership and act as a business with customers and not a utility service.

  5. Poor coaching and a lot of misinformation lead players out of the sport. make colleges abide by a 50% rule for foreign players and scholarships! Get rid of the USTA!!
    make the certification to become a teaching pro more difficult instead of it being a front for liability insurance company!!

    • Dear Darin
      Thank you for your comment. I think college scholarships to foreigners should be capped at 20% average is 30%. USTA does a lot of good, but it needs vision and plan, it has neither. New leadership is in order.