An open letter from LTA CEO Scott Lloyd: "Tennis in Britain should be open to anyone" "I want tennis to be a sport which appeals to anyone, is reaches everyone and in inclusive" "my commitment to this is absolute" "we've made progress"
Not a fan of the LTA, too privileged etc, etc BUT wouldn't it be amazing if thing did actually change.......getting rid of the LTA in its current format could be a step in the right direction
would be possible if they scrap their "producing tennis talent" ideology, focus solely on organizing tournaments etc and grassroots/disability scheme involvement (working accordingly with the ITF being in London)
Well said Heather re the focus on a select group of players from a young age and how later developing hard working non chosen ones can miss out. Though it is something that many have said on this forum and elsewhere for a long time and little changes - and money is thrown at little Jonny and Elsie who have been playing since 4 yo.
Beyond say Jack Draper and Emma Radacanu, and they are still developing, as even more so is Matilda Mutavdzic, there seem very few potential top 100 players on the horizon. We must hope additionally that such as the bit older Jay Clarke, Katie Boulter and Fran Jones can stay fit and push on but it is such a small pool. The men's side younger than Kyle and Cam ( both now 25 yo ) looks especially dire. The women's side more stands up with a pool of decent still relatively young players but as to Slam level we continue to not have more than 2 or 3 top 100 women at a time.
The LTA has always been focused on short term results. If a young player chucks up a few good results ,they support the player - and if for some reason or another the player doesn't bring in those results , they get dumped. This is very demotivating for young players who feel rejected. Some players have a 'dip' in performance which could be due to a number of reasons - growth, injury ,change in coaching arrangements, late development, family circumstances - but just discarding players because they aren't winning titles isn't the way to go. That's why so many so many young tennis players end up quitting the sport, especially when you consider how expensive the sport is.
It is understandable that the LTA would want to see some return on investment, but they need to get the balance right.
-- Edited by cya on Tuesday 29th of September 2020 09:56:51 PM
On the broader scale, the problem is that the LTA has not created a tennis industry that allows people to thrive in tennis outside of the LTA (except for a few very well-off people).
So the LTA is narrow-minded and heavily invested in supporting itself, each coach wanting his few protégés to be selected for extra training, european tours etc, in order to re-affirm his/her position as coach of one of the top players.
BUT, worse, there is no club system or extensive tournament system, or serious level tennis sports university system that allows players to take an alternative path.
Completely agree with many of the points made above, I also think many of the LTA's issues start right at the bottom
Including; - introduces competition too early, I am definitely not a fan of mini tennis tournaments (sure in Spain they don't have the red/orange/green balls or compete at such a young age?) - lack of parental education and support, many know nothing about tennis ie.'how to be a good tennis parent' - many young children aren't mentally ready for the level of competition end up being put off(more club and team events needed) - selecting 'talent' too early and labelling under 7's "performance players" Seriously??
- lack of infrastructure including opportunities/competitions as children progress from mini right up to college tennis
- and as for the LTAs two full time tennis academies, much of it has already been said in other posts
- high cost compared to other sports
Its not just the LTA, many top players haven't been developed by their countries tennis federation, but by massive input from their families eg Murray, Henman, Nadal, Gasket etc
Interesting article from 2005 (sure I've posted before) comparing British, US and German tennis systems https://www.heron-tennis.co.uk/ace-academy/coaching-tips/explaining-the-lack-of-international-success-in-british-tennis
Although I largely agree with EP's last post, I take issue with the suggestion that we introduce competition too early. Kids see matches on TV and local courts and want to play. I believe most countries now have an element of mini-tennis, but I think few are as strict about it as the UK. Children of any particular age group come in different sizes and have differing levels of tennis experience. As long as they don't play in a group younger than their own, they should be allowed to play in higher categories as and when they want. Also, the whole 'talent pathway', ratings etc make early age group tennis way too serious in this country. The kids are not learning to enjoy the challenge of a match but to fear losing.
Heather talked about cherry picking youngsters and that for me is the key thing wrong with the LTA search for potential professionals. What they don't appear to notice is that focussing on a few is demotivating and a slap in the face to everyone else. As she says, the hard-workers, the late developers are excluded from extra help before they really get going. I would also add the category of the overall sporty child who gradually gravitates towards tennis. Often they are terrifically co-ordinated, competitive and motivated but struggle, like the hard-workers and late developers, to get off the ground as they have not been building their rating since year dot. The number of times I have been present at junior competition in this country and overseas and seen an LTA employee monitoring the matches and performance of their 'talented charge' whilst completely ignoring other British competitors, even if they have trounced their own player. Yes, there can be a lot of dull junior matches but also plenty of great performances, the kid with great power, even if they can't keep it in court; the one who is really creative and imaginative on the court but lacks the maturity to always pick the right option. Being paid to attend only to those identified as talented, these people are so blinkered they miss so many that have potential. And being ignored like this makes the youngsters believe that pro tennis certainly isn't attainable or even worth trying for.
There is also a lack of club tennis for juniors in this country. Contrary to popular belief, many tennis clubs now welcome juniors. The old guard who fainted at the sight of someone under 16 are fading away. However, show any talent or interest and you will be channelled towards a performance centre where tennis is by the hour. There is no just turning up with your racquet and joining in with a social session or challenge ladders or subbing into one of the adult teams when they are short. IMO all of these things are important for the overall development of a player. The performance centres have their place but to really enjoy their sport the youngsters need more. And enjoyment IS important. I have seen so many really competent players get really dispirited and move away from the sport due to a constant diet of 'performance tennis' and its focus on results above all else.
Is the Optimist still optimistic though? I just posted on the french open women's thread in a similar vein and I agree with pretty much all you say. I've been at quite a few junior nationals and the lta coaches do exactly what you say, they watch 'their' players, chat to their mates, but they have a lot of spare time when they could make a point of talking to some or all of the other players to find out about them, and of course watch them. I think of tennis attributes like one of those old graphic equaliser systems .....there are loads of slider switches and players can be very good in five areas but let down by one weakness, a good coach could look to remove the weakness, even turn it into a strength, and the player could be at a much higher level in terms of results. Players are written off far too soon.
Haha....still hoping for the best!!! I love tennis at all levels but the way the LTA goes about trying to build a professional pathway (in their jargon) has always totally wound me up! They do absolutely everything in their power to reinforce the image of tennis as an elitist, exclusive sport where only those who start early and are from families who can pay for extensive private coaching at the beginning are worth selecting and helping further. By concentrating on such a small pool of possible professionals from a really young age, they shoot themselves in the foot. Apart from all the potential that they miss, those they pick often struggle in the goldfish bowl and in the end are desperate to stop. Result...a 'pipeline' that never delivers.