I’m Back . . .
I’m not sure anyone even noticed, but I’ve been out of town all week on a Girls Trip with my daughters. My middle daughter and I were visiting her big sister in Los Angeles. Yes, the Indian Wells...
View ArticleApproved Changes Still Need Board Okay
The following is the official announcement I received just a few minutes ago from LetUsKnow.com. Given that I’m going on the air in less than 15 minutes, I haven’t had a chance to read through...
View ArticleThe Tournament that Almost Was
Finally, after months of being on alternate lists and finding out last minute whether or not he was going to play that weekend, my son got direct entry into one of our Southern Level 3 tournaments...
View ArticleAnother Giant Step
This past weekend was another giant step in my Tennis Parent Journey. My son drove himself to a tournament. Out of town. About 2 hours from home. While my husband and I were at a family reunion...
View ArticleNow What?
The 2014 changes to the junior competition calendar are all but a done deal. The Powers That Be at USTA, despite our best efforts, have decided they (not parents, not coaches, not the players...
View ArticleNew Rules in GA for U10s & U12s
Why, you might ask, is there a French magazine cover pictured at the top of this post? Well, 2 reasons . . . first of all, because I want everyone to notice that it features French pro, Richard...
View ArticleUpdate on 2014 Junior Comp Structure
I know I said you probably wouldn’t be hearing from me this week – I’m still at the beach on Spring Break, luckily – but I wanted to pass along the latest news from USTA’s Board of Directors meeting. I...
View Article“If You Don’t Like Us, Find A Way To Get Rid Of Us!”
“If you don’t like us, find a way to get rid of us!” That was Patrick McEnroe’s response to a parent’s question regarding the 2014 Junior Competition Changes at last summer’s Girls 12 Nationals in...
View ArticleHigh School Tennis Revisited
Last year, about this time, I was writing regularly about my son’s experience on his high school tennis team – the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, due to some ridiculous eligibility rule...
View ArticleMore Slashing of Opportunities
In case you haven’t heard (!), USTA changed the national junior competition schedule, effective January 1, 2014. A big reason for the change, according to USTA, is to drive competition back to the...
View ArticleSummer 2013 Version: The Ins & Outs of TennisRecruiting.Net
Below is a re-print of my June 13, 2012, article on TennisRecruiting.net. Twice a year, TennisRecruiting.net updates its Top Prospect ratings – sometimes known as “The Stars”. The next update to the...
View ArticleExplanation of 2014 Schedule from USTA
A parent just sent me the document below that was distributed during Zonals last week. Maybe it will help clarify the 2014 junior competition calendar? As I mentioned before, there may be some...
View ArticleInfo from Sections for 2014
Below is a link to the information that each USTA section has posted regarding the 2014 junior competition calendar. Those sections that haven’t posted information online yet are indicated below – I...
View ArticleBonus Points Update
After all the confusion over the Bonus Points awarded during the first new 2014 L3 event in January, I contacted the TennisLink division of Active.com to try to find out what was going on. USTA told us...
View ArticleBeing Parent-Advocate Again
I’ve already written about the importance of advocating for our kids (click here and here to read my prior posts), but this past weekend’s events have prompted me to address this topic yet again. My...
View ArticleAs Messy As We Predicted
The player selections have been posted for the upcoming national hardcourt Level 1 tournaments, and, as predicted, it’s another big mess. (See ZooTennis.com for more details) Like the clay court...
View ArticleGetting USA Juniors Back On Track
By Tom Walker Parallel tracks of development in competitive youth tennis must be reestablished. The USTA must not be the gate keepers in this process. Players must be unfettered to advance and...
View ArticleWinter Nats So Far
What an amazing couple of days it has been so far in Scottsdale! My son flew from Atlanta to Phoenix by himself on Christmas day (the rest of us were still celebrating with our extended family down in...
View ArticleUSTA Florida Taking the Lead
Somehow, even though I live in the Southern Section, I got on an email list for USTA Florida. I’m glad I did! The section sends out great information each week on the various tournaments going on...
View ArticleA New Way to Get Into B&G18s National Hardcourts
USTA recently announced it is holding a Wildcard Playoff tournament for a spot in the Boys (Kalamazoo) and Girls (San Diego) 18s Hardcourt Championships. When I first heard about the event, I thought...
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