The Tigers Eye

*after a hiatus in blogging I decided I would not write as regular and give tennis a chance to lift its game especially in New Zealand, sadly in a lot of areas it has declined further ...so I am back to call it as it is. These are my own personal views *

My first article back is named the Impossible dream. It's good to have goals and dreams however your dreams may differ from a realistic goal you can achieve, Unfortunately, young juniors are influenced by charlatan tennis coaches, giving juniors the Impossible Dream!

Here are some of the most recent unethical statements from supposed high-performance coaches who in my point of view have a gift of the gab, large ego and see dollar signs in pupil and parents eyeballs. I mean what coach would tell a pupil they will win the French Open Junior Title!. I will swim back to Australia if that happens in the next ten years by a Kiwi Junior tennis player.

I saw a segment on the News ..a great story until the tennis coach opened his mouth predicting top one 100 for this player. "Sorry, this won't happen". New Zealand has good tennis players just no one of that calibre in Men's Tennis. We have doubles players someone is shouting out in cyberspace...I politely return banter WHO CARES! Marina Erakovic is a fantastic role model however, I boldly state that no kiwi junior girl player currently has her work ethics or ability. The pick of the bunch is Ivanov who trains and lives in Australia and no doubt with Australia having grand slam wild cards to offer the temptation of turning Australian is a more attractive offer if she continues to improve.

Coaches in this country are the worst for poaching other coaches pupils,,, a short whisper into a parent's ear praising their child and then gives them THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM scenario.
Well done coach another pupil paying $500 a week at a beaut academy.

Which brings me to the money part in that IMPOSSIBLE DREAM, which is fueled by rich parents who play the game through their child's eye. Tennis is and always will be an elitist sport. We have a lot of talented athletes in New Zealand. Tennis does not attract them and the answer to the equation WHY is affordability.

Most New Zealand older juniors opt for a USA College Scholarship ..great goal any handy junior player can achieve one. What I don't get many who have graduated come back to tennis coaching in NZ. My advice get a real job.

The Impossible dream driven by over the top parent is alive and well! They refuse to look outside the box or are not given the appropriate advice by the coach...in some cases, they are. Guess what they swap coaches until they get to hear that pathetic soothsayer prediction ..you will win the French Open! Sorry for being cynical ..or just delivering the truth.

I hope you do get your dream but it has to be realistic ..my advice stay away from coaches "with the gift of the gab"

BELOW IS ANOTHER ARTICLE RE THE COST OF TENNIS

http://steve1959.blogspot.co.nz/2010/07/dollars-and-sense-for-tennis-players.html