[tennisbiz] High School Tennis

Dear Coaches
I have been reading the e-mails with interest regarding high school
matches. I coach a high school team although I am a full time
professional. I have been disturbed with the treatment of high school
tennis. Tennis is an individual sport but making it a team sport would
greatly increase support as well as participation. One of the problems
addressed is court availability and this is a major problem. The USTA is
always trying to get involved in our business to get more participation but
they never address the availability of courts and our situations in our
schools. I am at a school that has zero courts and must use a public
facility that has seven terrible courts. It has to share practice time with
another high school who has no facility to play at and it makes it really
tough to schedule matches. The USTA should put some energy in getting into
the school districts and building facilities. More courts means more
opportunity. I grew up playing at courts that are now unplayable. We went
on a massive court building frenzy in the 70's but lets face it. There just
aren't too many new facilities being built. We need the USTA. We need the
USPTA. We need people willing to get courts into playing condition and
build new ones. Andre Aggassi is a great fund raiser but how much money has
he raised for the sport that has made him worth a quarter of a billion
dollars. Come on USTA, USPTA, and pro players, lets make a place for these
kids to play!
Jimbo Hobson
Director of Tennis, HSARC
Coach, Hot Springs High School


 
Received on Mon Oct 29 2001 - 16:08:11 CST