For Tennis Parents by a Tennis Parent

I am working on compiling a list of speaking points that we can all use when attending the USTA listening meetings.  As you know, the next meeting is this Saturday, November 24th, in Rocky Hill, CT – for those of you in the area, please try to make it and, if you’re so inclined, give the rest of us a de-briefing afterward.

What I am hearing from USTA is that we need to present clear, detailed alternatives to the proposed junior competition changes.  These meetings were created as an opportunity for those in attendance to voice well-thought-out ideas that will improve junior tennis for our kids.  My hope is that those of us in the proverbial trenches can come together and show USTA a better way of doing business on behalf of our young players.

I have started compiling a list of speaking points based on the information I’m getting via your comments, emails, posts on other tennis blogs, etc.  But, I need your help!  Please email me ASAP at [email protected] if you have thoughts on what should be included and/or if you’d like to see my initial draft.  I will continue working on this and tweaking it as needed until we have something concise and easy to understand that we can all use.  In the meantime, please keep spreading the word about the meeting dates – I have re-posted them below – so we are well represented.

Tennis parents rock!

The proposed dates for the remaining “listening” meetings are as follows:

November 24: Boys & Girls 14s National Open, Rocky Hill, CT
December 16: ITA Convention (for convention attendees only), Naples FL
December 26: 16s & 18s Winter Nationals, Scottsdale, AZ
December 27: 12s & 14s Winter Nationals, Tucson, AZ
Jan. 10-13: Southern Section annual meeting, Atlanta, GA
Feb. 15-17: Texas Section annual meeting, Grapevine, TX