indiana wrote:

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Andy Murray does it often too, which I think is great, clearly very genuine interest and I have seen positively commented on by a range of players.

I see he has been recently very unfairly IMO taken to task by that mouthpiece David Lloyd. Andy is though not a natural orrator or publicist, though becoming more comfortable as he matures. But that constant, though undemonstatively done, interest, encouragement and support must keep up the motivation levels of many players.

Compare to at least some LTA coaches not acknowleging the existence of other players not in 'their group', and yes there are many ways of helping and supporting.

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Yes. Good point. Andy is excellent (in my opinion) at noting and highlighting the achievements of others.

The ONLY point I found half-way interesting in David Lloyd's ridiculous self-congratulatory piece was when he says that the NTC should have cost £10m, and actually cost £40m, and where did the rest go? As he says, the one thing he does know about is the commercial cost of building a tennis centre. I don't know whether he was being disingenuous as the NTC is compeltely different in scale to his things but it's true that it's his area of expertise so that, and that alone, was worthy of printing.

Coup Droit wrote:

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 The ONLY point I found half-way interesting in David Lloyd's ridiculous self-congratulatory piece was when he says that the NTC should have cost £10m, and actually cost £40m, and where did the rest go? As he says, the one thing he does know about is the commercial cost of building a tennis centre. I don't know whether he was being disingenuous as the NTC is compeltely different in scale to his things but it's true that it's his area of expertise so that, and that alone, was worthy of printing.

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Interesting comment. He would have been the obvious go-to person to oversee the development as he's built dozens of these places. The problem is the two don't speak. A large David Lloyd facility at 5-6 acres is about half the size of the NTC site but the enclosed, building space will be broadly comparable.

On the NTC thread are brief details of the new 53 acre, 100 plus courts USTA facility in Orlando, Florida which is costing $60 million. 

The Optimist wrote:

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Coup Droit wrote:

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And this just about takes the biscuit !

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/tennis/6778214/Former-LTA-chief-Roger-Draper-slammed-for-accepting-charity-money-to-fund-his-sons-career.htm

Well said, Baroness Billingham !

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 He needs it no more than the other recipient, Miss Swan, needs it.  But I can't blame them for taking the grant if they fit the criteria.  Clearly the qualifying goal posts need moving.

The other charity which allocates charitable grants to tennis players, Tennis First, is no more discerning, although the amounts it dishes out are a bit smaller.  Plenty on their list who really don't require any charitable support (along with some who do).  Again, can't blame families for taking what is going but you would think these kind of organisations would have some kind of means testing for their grants.

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I can, and do, blame the Drapers for taking the grant. And the Swans if they are in the same position (I don't know about their situation well enough to say).

I've no problem with taking a paid for coach, say, as part of the LTA programme which the child is 'entitled' to as being best for his/her age or whatever the (secret) criteria is.

But to take charity money when "The charity says the money is intended to help young sports people overcome the financial challenges they face.", well I think that is immoral and disgraceful for someone in the Drapers' financial position - just as Lady Billingham says.

However, I also agree with Indy that the main blame lies at the LTA's door (and SportsAid's too).

As I posted before (on one of the Mexican junior sites), the SportsAid grant is a major point of contention for some of the top players' parents. 

Because the charity has basically come to an agreement with the LTA that any tennis grants will only be made on the LTA's say-so.

So the LTA do their list and SPortsAid just accepts it.

Thus, anyone outside of the LTA favoured few cannot claim, even if they have a legitimate claim under the charity's guidelines.

So, as one parent said, it's just a vicious cycle, if you're 'in', you're in.

And thus also when the LTA says they don't give out money, it's not really true - their rubber stamp gets the money for the kids they like (although it's true that £1000 won't go that far), it's just by the back door.  

(NB and as to means-testing, lots of grants I am obliquely involved with are means tested - and are not governmental - I don't think it's that tricky to do).