tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754747871012288058.post1071508185618652148..comments2023-10-04T01:28:33.727+13:00Comments on The Tigers Eye: Tennis Player Pathwaysteve1959http://www.blogger.com/profile/16870341028159345365noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754747871012288058.post-92020230657587300402013-03-24T19:36:58.499+13:002013-03-24T19:36:58.499+13:00Paul McNamee is 100 per cent correct. It should no...Paul McNamee is 100 per cent correct. It should not be the role of a national body to sever successful relationships between private coaches and their students; the proper role of a national body should be to support and nurture those relationships. There is no surer way to minimize a nation’s chances of producing champions than to alienate the entire private coaching community by effectively declaring war on them. Tennis Australia’s divisive and, as Paul points out, fatally flawed approach to junior development does, though, have one redeeming feature; namely, it provides a superb model for guaranteed future success as all one would have to do is implement the exact opposite of every one of its failed and failing policies.ChrisLewishttp://www.tennis-experts.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2754747871012288058.post-26641450309302770702013-03-06T11:36:06.040+13:002013-03-06T11:36:06.040+13:00Some time ago I said I would report some real SHOC...Some time ago I said I would report some real SHOCKING stories about the treatment of Tennis Coaches in NZ. I am currently researching material about several Coaches.We spent a weekend with Clem Apted the Piako Coach in Te Aroha, a beautiful little town between Morrinsville and Paeroa. Clem operates from the town and coaches as far away as Hamilton and Ohinewai. Clem has an interesting story that involves a Tennis Club, the Probation Department and NZ Tennis, more about that later!. Apted is still very positive about being a Tennis Coach, he has doubled the numbers of kids at Te Aroha Club, he has an excellent programme into Schools sponsored by Te Aroha Physiotherapy and is currently working with the Te Aroha Business Association to start a National Tennis Museum, the Association is keen to find premises, he has the support of Mike Erceg the Waikato Bays Chairman, Cliff Pett from Paeroa Tennis and Onny Parun has offered mementos from his great career. Apted says”every Tennis Club has valuable pieces of Tennis history just hanging around the Club, NZ has a rich history in Tennis, valuable artefacts need a home”. Another respected Tennis Coach that has been battling away is Michael Mooney who is a former National Coach, he was Coaching at the Marlborough Tennis Association in Blenheim. Michael’s story has been fairly well documented. It’s almost unbelievable what Michael and his family has had to endure, persecuted by a vindictive committee intent to destroy his reputation, they have even stooped so low as to get a Trespass Order against him at a National tournament just to embarrass him, Michael has had the illegal Trespass order over turned. Michael’s daughter has had her membership application rejected, no reason was given , he has been followed, harassed, and assaulted. What has NZ Tennis done to mediate the situation, Nothing! , to give you an idea how warped this Committee is, they employed John Gardiner who was thrown out of Nelson Bays, where he is no longer allowed to Coach, because of his dishonesty. MTC, were well aware of Gardiner’s dishonesty but still took him on. Mooney who is more qualified, more competent and more honest is not allowed to coach at MTC, Mooney now works as a house painter to support his family, and continues his battle with MTC, most of us would have just walked away, but with a supporting family he feels he has a moral obligation to continue his fight for justice. Where are other coaches with the ‘balls’ to support him? . I will continue to highlight the poor treatment of Coaches in this country and their battles with Committees, and the National Body, NZ Tennis, Regards Tony Osborne.Tonynoreply@blogger.com