The balls in your court Tennis New Zealand and Regions and its time to come out and support The Junior National Teams event ..in other words put your money where your mouth is and financially back this event

Great support from all over New Zealand for this event after Tennis Northern decided not to send junior teams to the National Junior Teams event along with Waikato who could not field a 16 girls team.

Now some Regional CEO'S would like us to believe that a revamped teams event that may just include North Island teams was supported by all regions and put to TNZ , this is just not true!

Waikato CEO Leslie Wilkinson along with David Franks Northern CEO are in favor of a upper North Island Tri Series, remember the last one you tried two years ago?Northern and Waikato pulled out of the event it ended with disaster , Central was the other region involved in the series.

Get this the Waikato 16 girls team probably would have been seeded 1 for the event and the excuse was not to send a team was the number 5 would be pushed into the number 1 position as Waikato had players picked for overseas events.Hang the experience the others would receive Leslie, hang the next tier below being given an opportunity Leslie ,Hang the rest of the regional teams having less matches Leslie. Shame Leslie your attitude along with David Franks from Northern is not needed.Who appoints regional CEO'S such as these?

As readers of this Blog may be aware of there has been a petition circulating. It is still open so you can still sign at this LINK. The lack of support from TNZ is disappointing , not even considered an event worthy to be in their High Performance strategy.Comments have been left on TNZ's Facebook page from angry parents for their apathy in responding to the paper articles.

 Another Article also appeared in the North Shore Times.

The Teams event is a great event and the petition page has had some great comments left by supporters!

The national teams event was almost the epitome of junior tennis for me growing up, a chance to not only compete against the rest of NZ, but to play with close mates in a team environment. I was lucky enough to be part of the winning 16's boys teams event back in 1989. It is without doubt one of the finest tennis memories I have. To discard this event is a complete disgrace and I would hope this crazy nonsensical decision will be overturned!

*For some players in Southern this is the only time they are able to play the best in NZ. Our juniors strive to make these teams and take great pride in representing their region. For this event to be seen as non important is ridiculous - I know 30 current Southern players who would disagree!

*Tennis in general is an individual sport with very few junior representative opportunities. It is sad that junior players living overseas, that don’t even play regularly in NZ, be given funding to further their tennis careers when the children who actually live and play week after week in NZ getting little or no funding towards tournaments like the National Junior Team Event. Each region should be made to consider the top 12 players in each age group for the Team Event and not rely solely on selection due to their ranking points. Unless you can afford to travel around the country, juniors don’t get that many opportunities to play a variety of other children. The Junior Team Event is important and there should be a set of guidelines to ensure all regions participate without players having to withdraw due to the cost involved. We are a small country and there are ways to make it affordable for everyone. The only people who lose out at the end of the day are the children. 

Simply Tennis New Zealand you should be funding and helping the regions attend this event! Is it true Tennis New Zealand you are funding one of the Targeted athletes $50,000 a year who does not reside here , does not participate in local events such as the Nationals .Readers  in the know will no doubt work out who I am talking about but to spend this amount if  true on someone so young is ridiculous!?You cannot find $0.01c for the National teams event? I am also wondering what club this player is registered to in NZ?I am sure all Team's event juniors are in fact registered members of clubs affiliated with TNZ. Bigger threat is a defection to Australia later in the players career,may not happen however precedent has been set by Sasha Jones AU and Cameron Norrie GB.

Just a word on posts I allow all comments and if you do not agree I will also post , however I have allowed Anonymous posts in the past but if you are leaving one please add you name.

Thank you to some of the coaches that have signed the petition but come on coaches there should be more adding their names after all you are coaching kids that are striving to make events such as these and taking their money! Are you scared of repercussions from the powers that be? 

Finally this slogan

MORE PEOPLE PLAYING MORE TENNIS MORE OFTEN(Tennis Northern's Letterhead Slogan)

Perhaps it should be changed to

MORE PEOPLE PLAYING MORE TENNIS MORE OFTEN UNLESS YOU ARE A JUNIOR WHO WANTS TO PLAY AT THE NATIONAL TEAMS EVENT

NZ Tennis Junior National Teams Fiasco!

Continuing from from my last article I again must bring to your attention events around the National Junior Teams events.My last blog revealed that Tennis Northern was not sending any teams in any age group and Waikato could not send a 16 girls team. I read with interest an article sent to me from a local Northern Newspaper you can Read here 

For those that have problem opening the link below is the article.

Click on the above and it will open a new window and this will be bigger for reading.What disturbs me is that Local juniors have been let down by administrators at regional level and even at National Level by TNZ.Not only Local juniors but also the Juniors and regions that have supported and fielded teams!

I noticed that parents were unwilling to give their name as repercussions on their children could occur by the powers that be.It has been reported to me that a local Administrator from Northern has used their position to threaten outspoken parents before.

A major concern of mine is the new Strategy papers 

LINK 1

LINK 2

LINK 3

All papers have been signed off by regional body's but with very little consultation with their regions. I am led to believe that emails had been sent by TNZ and informed that they were available for reading on the tnz WEBSITE.

So was this just one person signing off without out good discussion with local representatives? Surely someone would of picked up on that the Teams event was not even worth mentioning and did not rate in their competition pathways or Hp strategy.

I have read all papers and will make a special blog re these, but let me say I am dissapointed and on the surface appears little substance.

Ok moving on if you feel strongly re the JUNIOR TEAMS EVENT please sign this petition!

Hello!
I've started the petition "Tennis New Zealand and Regional Bodies: Provide the support and funding that the National Junior teams events deserve.To make sure this competition is placed in their junior and HP programs pathways." and need your help to get it off the ground.

Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:

You can comment on this article by using the comments section on this particular post.

Rest In Peace NZ National Junior Teams Events.

In March 2013 I wrote an article in regards to the National Junior Teams events , you can read this here titled by clicking on the title.

National Junior Teams Event a Positive but receives little support from TNZ.

I have always had the view that Tennis New Zealand never valued this event and does not understand why it should be one of the events to receive financial support and backing by the governing body.I know that many juniors play tennis,go to tournaments seek extra coaching to make their regional team to play at Nationals its a great goal for most junior players wanting to take their tennis to the next level.

For an isolated region such as the Southern Region ,Juniors making teams for Nationals are inspired by this event to keep playing tennis , take events such as this out of the pathway then you will lose juniors to other sports.

This year Tennis Northern one of the 6 regions has indicated they are not sending any Junior teams to this event in any age groups. Waikato another one of the 6 regions are not sending a 16 girls team to this event in April.

First of all I have read the excuses and all I can say is SHAME!  your feeble excuses do not add up. I can remember when they condensed the regions from 8 to 6 for the better of the game, a move that has not worked especially when two main players cannot field teams.

What Tennis New Zealand fail to realize  this event encompasses all players the elite (nationally ranked) and the juniors not so high on National rankings and rest assure that the Local Tennis communities will be benefiting from the later as Parents and Juniors of ranked players chase unrealistic dreams.The 3 4s and 5s of a regional team are the heart and sole of tennis.. the players that do not want to travel on the pro circuit and are  vital to clubs and associations for local competitions and local events and local tournaments.

OK! I was critical of the regions earlier in my article but it is Tennis New Zealand that needs the biggest serve in devaluing this event.A few years ago they stopped funding regions to help cover costs to send teams. The powers then decided to change the event from January to April ...the reason because all the top ranked Juniors would be available every one knows this has not been the case and just added costs to families to play this event in April.

It always followed a National tournament in January it made sense..more players play the national title event and then follow up by the teams events.Common SENSE for most.

Take a look on the TNZ website and their new Strategy papers that has just as many spelling mistakes as I have on my blog.NOT ONE MENTION IN THEIR PLANS OF THE NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAMS EVENT!. Below is areas of their tennis competitions focus.

The national secondary school Competition is for 

boys, girls and mixed teams across the country. The 

competition gives players the chance to compete 

against some of the best players in the country. 

Teams first play in a Region-wide competition with 

the top two teams in each Region progressing 

through to the national finals. The finals are held 

in different location each year but are always run 

during Easter weekend. The national competition 

and local Inter school competitions will be reviewed 

and revamped if necessary with the singular goal of 

getting more teenagers playing tennis. 

Yes to some extent however Schools competition are just that School competitions you need the next level which are National Teams events built by you regions clubs and associations.

The current state of tennis participation and 

competition in tertiary institutions will be reviewed 

with a view to building a stronger tennis presence 

at universities and polytechnics. The establishment 

of tennis clubs and creating more opportunities 

for regular casual play at both universities and 

polytechnics will be explored to better engage with 

the 450,000 people enrolled in tertiary institutions 

throughout new Zealand.

Good luck with this one! New Zealand Culture shows that this age group has other things on their mind than tennis! You will not break this culture!

The possibility of reviving the once fiercely 

competitive national Tennis League will be 

explored. This national competition once served 

to keep the more competitive adult players in the 

game and inspired people to represent their area. 

A national adult competition will inspire people to 

start or continue playing to compete against each 

other in a bid to become national champions in a 

similar way to the national competitions of other 

sporting codes.

Yep propping up old players and paying them ridiculous amounts to represent a region.I have highlighted a ridiculous statement , get your head out of the sand TNZ you have this with the Junior Teams event and you are instilling what you say at this junior event!.Get rid of the National Junior Teams event! continue not to fund these event !, continue to overlook them in your Junior pathways! then WHY on earth would you have players to play at Adult level!

When I first arrived in New Zealand I was very impressed with the National Junior Teams event, I went on to Win Gold, Silver and Bronze as coach with junior Southern Teams over a 10 year period.I urge the tennis community to value  this event and place more emphasis and create more funding to what is a great event and a highlight of most Junior tennis players sporting goals!

*The Junior National Teams events bring all of New Zealand's regional juniors together playing in 12s 14s 16s boys and girls age group. This year Auckland ,Hamilton and Christchurch are hosting age groups.

For those that Care - Bernard Tomic Update!

'For having had bilateral hip surgery, he's doing very well, a little bit better than I thought he would at this time,'' said Gutierrez, the Australian Open's head physio, who also has extensive AFL experience.

''All the time that we've been working together he's been committed to the treatment, and he knows the importance of it because all his career is just going to hinge on that, and hopefully he will be back soon and be able to play without pain, and regain more flexibility than he used to have.

''He's been very restricted, because tennis being a flexion, or bent-over type of a sport, and him being so tall, his limitations were significant, especially playing on grass and hard courts. It forced him to bend a little bit more than he had to, hence irritating the hip joints a little bit more than you normally would.

''Now he has much more rotation both ways - internal and external - so he'll be able to displace and change direction a little bit better, so I think he'll be much more comfortable with his movement on court … I'm expecting between 20 to 30 per cent on what he had. We're hoping for 30, but 20 would be great.''

Tomic has been swimming and cycling, and recently resumed hitting balls from a largely stationary position. A Monte Carlo comeback suits the time frame, 12 weeks post-operative, and clay the most suitably benign surface.''

Clay is Tomic's worst surface GOOD LUCK

Hope it improves his below form!