Budgets, Bottom Line and the Baseline

Need to vent about something today. I spent some time in another part of the valley yesterday and got the chance to make the rounds at a couple schools. As a lot of you know, spring tennis season is about to get underway at many schools. The middle school I visited informed me that their district has instituted a new $25 per player travel expense for their spring sports this year to offset transportation costs. To be honest this was heartbreaking to hear. Tennis already struggles at many schools and this could crush participation. I coached at the middle school level for a few years and we routinely had 110-120 kids at tryouts. Since it was No-Cut, that meant 22 kids on A team and around 70-80 on B team when it was all said and done. That's tough to coach but is fantastic for tennis! The school I was at yesterday had maybe 35 kids on their signup sheet.

I understand the need to offset the busing costs, but this could kill tennis in some of these schools. If the prevailing thought is that the kids who participate in tennis are going to be able to afford the fee for the most part, that thinking is incorrect. I had many kids who were just good athletes that needed something to do in the spring. They were not necessarily big into tennis and having to pay $25 would have been something that many were unwilling/unable to do. It shouldn't be discounted that many kids discover a love of tennis by "accident." I started playing tennis because it was the only school sport offered for 7th graders when I was in middle school. It started as something to occupy my time and became a lifelong passion. We should do everything we can make to make this possible for kids, not put more obstacles in their way! By high school, yes it probably does filter down to kids who have families that can afford it. That is not the case at the middle school level!!!

Middle school is a pipeline. Kill those programs and high school tennis will die with it. Tennis is already probably at the top of the list for "expendable" sports at schools. Instituting policies that hamper participation does nothing but ensure the steady decline and removal of tennis from the slate of offerings over time.

I encourage all of you that read this to find a way to give back. Donate to your middle school and high school booster clubs. Donate to our foundation that sponsors junior tennis participation. Donate your time. I am more motivated than ever to do everything possible to keep racquets in kids hands and provide the opportunity for as many kids as possible to find their passion!

"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give however, makes a life."
                       -Arthur Ashe

Happy Black History Month!!

My Cup Has a Name and It Is Davis

Well after a weekend spent anxiously watching the US Davis Cup opening round match with Brazil, it is official. The Davis Cup is coming to Boise in April! We knew we had a shot at getting it if they won, but after the Bryans lost and then Isner lost in 5 sets, I was sweating bullets. Props to Sam Querrey for dropping the first set, but holding his composure and closing it out when we needed it. And what is the reward for all their hard work? Why a date with the world #1 and Serbia of course! I am so excited to be a part of bringing the Davis Cup here and to build the excitement for it. This truly is a milestone and historic opportunity for tennis in Idaho. On top of all that, I have so many new friends since the news came out! I imagine that this is the tennis equivalent of what it is like when you win the lottery or become a famous musician all of a sudden. Friends you never knew you had come out and I am waiting to hear from a supposed long lost sibling or something like that. All jokes aside, I urge everybody to get excited and help spread the word. Let's turn Boise into tennis central come April!

Tennis is Why We Have the Mute Button

The Australian Open is now in the books. Congratulations to Novak Djokovic and Victoria AzaSHRIEKA Azarenka for their hard earned victories. Now that the tournament is over, I can reflect on the value of my TV remote's mute button. Eugene Polley and Robert Adler are widely credited with the first remote control to have a mute button in 1956. They must have been tennis fans and knew what was coming for the rest of us! I love watching tennis, but my ears want to remove themselves from my head and run away during most matches. The decibel level and rapid fire nature of the game's worst offenders is just too much for my delicate sensibilities. Sharapova and Azarenka are the worst in my book on the women's side. The men's tour is not off the hook either. When I watched the semis, I found myself thinking "What the hell is that noise" every time Ferrer struck a ball. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I am only one button push away from pure, silent, bliss. I become free to watch the drama of the point unfold without wondering which linesperson is running a dingo through a blender off court.

The mute button is doubly effective as it eliminates the drone of commentators as well. Andy Roddick made a nice point the other day as he observed that a commentator encouraged a player to "be more aggressive" then barely a few points later, chastised the player for not being "more patient." The mute button lets me add my own commentary, which is always insightful and spot on :).

On an interesting side note, one of the men credited with the remote control, Robert Adler, passed away right here in Boise, ID in 2007.

On ANOTHER interesting note, I did some research today and found a technology that will solve the WTA's current "grunting" issue. Right here right now, I am calling for Hawk Eye on every court and the new "SHUT IT BOX" on every court. Here are the details on what could change the future of tennis:

SHUT UP GUN INVENTED IN JAPAN!! 

"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed." - Martina Navratilova