Is Tennis (in the U.S.) in Trouble?
I’m a tennis lifer—a product of the tennis boom in the U.S. in the 1970s. It may sound crazy, but from the first time I picked up a racquet as a 15-year-old in 1971, I knew I would be in tennis for the rest of my life. I’m not kidding. In the 43 years that followed, I have played on the high school, collegiate, satellite and senior levels. I have been a teaching professional, country club pro, camp director, college coach, national speaker/clinician, program director, tennis director and club owner. The reason I tell you this is that I want you to know that I’ve been around the block. The opinions I am going to express come from years of teaching, dealing with players and families, and being involved in pretty much every facet of the business. The main thing I want to convey to you is this: I am really concerned about the future of tennis in the United States. I say this for a variety of reasons. Some are political, some economic, and some are the result of living in an “American Idol\Reality Show” world where everyone wants to be a star—qualified or not. And finally, an idea that I’d love the USTA to consider. At first glance, you may think these issues aren’t necessarily related. But, trust me, each one plays a role in jeopardizing the future of the sport we all love.
Lack of the American champion
Presently, tennis is dominated by foreign players, particularly in men’s tennis. I hope I’m wrong, but I think it is entirely possible that we may not see another American champion in my lifetime. What does having a great player do for tennis across the country? It makes us care. It makes us pay a little more attention. It makes the possibility of becoming a great player a little more tangible. If that kid from Florida or California can do it, maybe you can, too. Better yet, that kid from Douglaston or Howard Beach. Why aren’t we producing any great champions? In my opinion, it’s pretty simple. In our country, unlike more successful tennis nations, there is not one singular tennis federation that players must pass through. There has never really been one. The closest thing we had was the Bollettieri Academy in the 1980s, back in the days of Agassi, Courier and Wheaton. You see, the process of making a champion doesn’t have to be that complicated. Take the best players in the country and put them in one place. Have them live together , train together, compete and basically beat the hell out of each other. They will make each other better. Eventually, one or two will rise to the top and will be stronger and tougher for having gone through the process. Unfortunately, after people saw the economic success Nick Bollettieri was having, everyone and their brother started their own academy and each one was predicting similar results.
The problem is that the talent pool is now fractured into these smaller groups that have their own individual interests and agendas. Players are separated and protected from each other, instead of being forced to compete and push each other to greater heights. It’s way too much about who your coach is and what academy you are attending. Management groups are giving big checks to kids who haven’t won anything with the hope that one day they might. And the whole time, other countries that have real, effective tennis federations, are looking at us and smiling. The problem is, the genie is out of the bottle, and it will be nearly impossible to go back. We have confused the process of building a champion with the prospect of making money in the tennis business. They are two very different pursuits. But because we live in a free capitalistic country, there is no way to get everyone on the same page. As long as there are people out there proclaiming that they can manufacture champions, some parent is going to have their kid on the other side of the net and pay for it. So we remain a nation of little tennis tribes that are trying (albeit unsuccessfully) to create a champion for their own personal gain, not for that of their country.
“Going pro”
If I hear one more kid ranked in the Top 50 or 60 in the East say that he or she may “Go pro” some day, I’m going to scream. No … they’re not. Let’s get a few things straight.
Currently, less than 40 men on planet Earth make more that $500,000 a year playing professional tennis. The number 100 player in the world probably doesn’t make as much money as the head pro or director at your local club. Crazy, but true. Think about it … if you were the 100th best doctor or lawyer or businessman in the world, you’d be rich and you probably be famous. If you are the 100th best tennis player in the world, you can barely make a go of it. And you’re only going to have the gig for a short time because there are hundreds of more players, just like you, who are dying to take it. If you really think you have a future as a playing professional, just do this: The next time a major tournament is on TV (one where the draw is made up of the top 125 to 150 players in the world), ask yourself if you can beat any of the players you’re watching. If the answer is no, you just figured it out.
Going back to what I was saying before in regard to building a champion, this is something that is relevant to only the top one percent of one percent. We’re talking about 20 or 25 kids in the country in a few age groups. Everybody else should be thinking in terms of collegiate tennis, high school tennis, or even, God forbid, playing just because you truly love to play. Why is everybody, from coaches, to parents, to kids, so insistent on creating the illusion that they are on this path to the U.S. Open? The chances are really good that you are not going to “go pro.” My question is: Why is there anything wrong with that?
High school tennis
I feel like it is my job to help each kid figure out where tennis fits into their life, and guide them down the appropriate road—kind of like a tennis guidance counselor. As you can see, the problem I am talking about starts at the top and works its way down. Since there is not one sole federation to deal with the small number of players that could potentially play professionally, it’s the Wild West out there. Not only are sleep away academies claiming to be the answer, but even junior programs at local clubs are promoting themselves as breeding grounds for future champions. Kids who play only a handful of tournaments each year are turning down the opportunity to play high school tennis, saying that it is a waste of their time and talent. Is everybody going crazy?
My philosophy is to help kids try to regain some perspective and create a healthy tennis atmosphere for them. I feel like it is my job to help each kid figure out where tennis fits into their life, and guide them down the appropriate road. I work with a bunch of great kids who love to play. They play two or three days a week, and they either currently play or are preparing to play on their high school team. They may also enter the occasional junior tournament. In many cases, because they’re pretty darn good players, kids like this are thrown into typical tournament training programs because their goals aren’t exactly the same as a kid that, lets say, is trying to become top 20 in the east, they can get a little lost in the shuffle and feel disenfranchised. I think it is important for them to find a program where they can stand out. It makes them feel like they belong, and their enjoyment of the game and subsequent improvement is obvious. Again, the goal is to put each kid in the right program based on their true intentions in the game.
One final thought high school tennis … my club is truly fortunate to have St. Francis Prep Boys and Girls Coach John Brennan at the head of our Varsity Prep Program. John has been coaching for 22 years and has won 29 league championships. But more important, you are simply not going to find a coach more dedicated to tennis on the high school level. Unfortunately, coaches like John are in the vast minority.
Most times, high school teams are coached by teachers or faculty members that have played a little bit, and could use a few extra bucks. The reason that more qualified tennis professionals don’t get involved is that they either cannot get away from their clubs, or they cannot afford the pay cut they would have to take in order to coach.
Here’s an idea. Since the USTA is always looking for ways to grow the game, let them help. Let them take a portion of the millions of dollars they make each year during the U.S. Open and subsidize a program that will help high schools afford to hire better, more qualified coaches. The structure of leagues and teams is already in place all across the country. If the quality of school programs could be raised, more kids would look at it as a viable option. Many would find it a compliment, if not a substitute, for tournament tennis. They would also have the positive experience of playing on a team, one of the benefits sports like lacrosse and soccer offer.
In the end, I want to see tennis get healthy again—structurally, mentally and emotionally. I’d love to see our country come together, pool its considerable resources, and create some great players. Although, I have to say, I’m not holding my breath on that one. I’d like to see everyone else get their head on straight. Players, coaches and parents. Think in terms of playing in college. Think in terms of playing for your high school. Set realistic, accomplishable goals for yourself and go about the truly engaging and rewarding process of attaining them. It’s about the journey. It’s about the process. It’s about the love of the game. If we can all get back to that, the future of tennis will look much brighter.
