LTA Funding and Participation

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: LTA Funding and Participation

EddietheEagle · County player

Don't forget the free use of those infamous NTC Power Pods, Coup. Draper said they'd help produce a pipeline of world beaters - all suitably relaxed of course. Seems our lads have been taking the relaxation more seriously than the tennis.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1009361/Business-giants-install-power-nap-pods-boost-productivity-workforce.html

I expect a few to be turning up on ebay any day from now.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

This is general funding for youngsters, not LTA funding (because the LTA don't believe in that any more) but has anyone else seen the ITF travel funds and wild cards to be given to the top 8 juniors as part of the junior Masters?

"The ITF announced today that it would be distributing $160,000 of travel grants in conjunction with the first annual ITF Junior Masters this April in China. The Masters tournament, modeled on the year-end finales on the WTA and ATP tours, will feature the top eight boys and the top eight girls in the 2014 final rankings. Unlike the ATP and WTA however, the tournament will not use a round robin format, but everyone will play three matches to determine their place--and their travel grants. All players will receive a minimum of $7000, and champions will receive $15,000. These grants should not affect their college eligibility however, as they are awarded by a federation and are not prize money per se. According to this ITF article, wild cards to pro events will also be included, although at what level is currently undetermined."

from zoo tennis

Full ITF article : http://www.itftennis.com/news/189976.aspx

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Sunday 16th of November 2014 11:32:17 PM

paulisi · Tennis legend

Would any of our boys and girls qualify? I'm not sure we have any u-14/u-16/u-18 in the top 8 in the world.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

It was posted somewhere else that the LTA (Downey) is considering bringing the wimbly WC threshold down to 200 and limiting the bonus top-up to 21 years-olds (as well as focusing on our new youngsters).

Here's Dave Sammel's response:

www.lockerroompower.com/ds-blog/tennis-importance-lta-bonus-scheme-wimbledon-wildcard/

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
It was posted somewhere else that the LTA (Downey) is considering bringing the wimbly WC threshold down to 200 and limiting the bonus top-up to 21 years-olds (as well as focusing on our new youngsters).

Here's Dave Sammel's response:

www.lockerroompower.com/ds-blog/tennis-importance-lta-bonus-scheme-wimbledon-wildcard/

Good to see someone talking sense for once.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, certainly very well said re the bonus system, which is his main issue here. Some excellent points.

In isolation, I still don't like so many MD WCs and particularly to players outside the top 200, But I accept there is the problem that the other Grand Slam nations also dish them out to their home players by various systems.

But good stuff re the bulk of what Mr Sammel is saying.

Shhh · Challenger level

He really does talk a lot of common sense there in my opinion, a good read.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Yes, he talks a lot of sense. But does he have any influence? Will the powers-that-be take any notice?

EddietheEagle · County player

Well he was an LTA national coach so he obviously knows his way around. But has he ever produced?

philwrig · Hall of fame

Looks like the LTA are going to scrap matrix funding for Juniors, says it puts too much emphasis on results when game development should be more important at a young age.

Spectator · All-time great

EddietheEagle wrote:
Well he was an LTA national coach so he obviously knows his way around. But has he ever produced?

His recent work with Mr Broady may help his voice to be heard. And I hope it is. Seems exceptionally sensible.

-- Edited by Spectator on Monday 24th of November 2014 05:28:23 PM

paulisi · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
Looks like the LTA are going to scrap matrix funding for Juniors, says it puts too much emphasis on results when game development should be more important at a young age.

There is a policy I agree with.

Not all players develop at the same pace and some prefer schooling rather than taking weeks off school playing tournaments, which may hamper education further down the line

It's a very risky process to identify the elite players and hope they progress 4/5/6 years later. Further to that the pressure on the athlete is huge.

philwrig · Hall of fame

I agree as well, I suppose the only tricky area is that they are going to back the players who they think will make it, which is subjective, and we know how many problems that causes at junior level.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
I agree as well, I suppose the only tricky area is that they are going to back the players who they think will make it, which is subjective, and we know how many problems that causes at junior level.

Yes, exactly. It is most certainly (IMHO) the best policy IF AND ONLY IF the powers-that-be are unbiased and open-minded and 100% genuinely committed to furthering British tennis, and not to pushing the favoured few and trying to make their early choices become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The jury's out . . .