JUNIOR LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 289, 6 September 1928, Page 8

JUNIOR LAWN TENNIS

HOW TO RAISE THE STANDARD SKILLED COACHING A NECESSITY ALSO PLAY UNDER TOURNAMENT CONDITIONS A COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME , OUTLINED

(By

W. J. M.)

The question of how best to raise the standard of junior tenuis in this Dominion is by no means a new one; but although many discussions have been held on the subject during the past twenty years, and very generous encouragement has at all times b n eu given by the Press, it is a lamentable fact that, up to the present moment, no practicable scheme of national dimensions has been evolved. It is true that the N.Z.L. I.A. listened to the clamouring of a small but persistent minority, and Instituted national championships for boys and girls in IJI9. It is a matter for regret that, tor. reasons that are not far to seek, these events hate not met with the success that they deserved. . ~ , , The Gaine in the Schools. Schools' tennis continues to flourish in several of the centres; but genuine enthusiasts of the calibre of K J. Murray, of Christchurch, and the late Ben Couston, of Dunedin, are rarely encountered nowadays, and the curve of progress in this branch of the game is a very undulaThat °wonderful results can be obtained from the playing of organised inter-school teams’ matches has been amply demonstrated in the primary schools ot the Hut, Valley, where junior and intermediate tennis is in a flourishing condition, and wiiat has been done there is possible ot achievement in every other district in New Zealand. V glance at the New Zealand championship roll reveals the interesting and signiiicant fact that J. C. Peacock, this year's captain of our Davis Cup team, first won the singles twenty-seven years ago; that our present national champion, G. Ollivier, was successful for the first time in the singles seventeen years ago; that those two famous doubles combinations, Peacock and Kishcr, and Dickie and Wallace, who are still in the first flight, won the doubles for the first time in 1901 and 1907 respectively; that Miss Eva Travers, who is still the finest lady driver on cither hand in New Zealand to-day, and a power to be reckoned with in any tournament, won the singles in 1910. Other champions have come to the fore, e.g., E. D. Andrews, at a comparatively early age, in the face of conditions anything but favourable to progress in their junior years. The body responsible for this woeful lack of organised effort is the N.Z.L.T.A. In the light of the above he would Indeed lie a reckless person who contended that the standard of tennis in this country to-day is satisfactory, particularly when it is taken into account that the membership of ulilllated associations has increased from 10,53-1 in 1913, to 20,831 in 1028, an increase of 250 per cent. How to Assist Promising Youth. There are two methods by which our promising youngsters may be assisted in improving their game: (i) By means of skilled coaching. (ii) By their being afforded an opportunity of competing in suitable events under tournament conditions. The former is not possible at this juncture, owing to the lack of professional coaches in this country; the latter Is immediately possible, and indirectly can be made the means of securing a tremendous amount of skilled amateur coaching throughout the whole of the Dominion. The bodies that must actively co-operate in order successfully to carry out any scheme for developing the latent talent that may be within the boy and girl tennis players of this country are: (i) The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association.

(ii) The twenty associations affiliated to the N.Z.L.T.A., aud their various subassociations, clubs, and schools. Briefly the proposed scheme, which should be carried out under the aegis of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, is as follows: 1. In every tournament authorised each year by tho N.Z.L.T.A., provision to be made for at least one junior event for eaeh sex. (Of 30 recorded tournaments held in 1928, 13 only catered for juniors.)

2. That a tournament, to be known as the junior lawn tennis championships of New Zealand, be held in Wellington during tlie May school holidays in 1929, and thenceforth once every two years. (This tourney would follow soon after the Easter events, and the competitors could travel at excursion rates. Too much travelling would be involved if the tournament were held annually.) 3. That the entries for this tournament bo limited to 32 boys and 32 girls, who will compete in singles, doubles, and combined. 4. That tho number of entries of each sex be as nearly as possible proportionate to the percentage of votes on the council that each alliliated association has, with a maximum of four entries in each sex. (Vide summary published at the end of this article.) 5. That where an odd number of entries is received from any association doubles partners bo drawn for. 6. (a) That associations which are entitled to only one nominee be permitted to forward also tho name of a reserve nominee. (By this arrangement the Juniors Committee will be able to fill blanks in tlie draw caused by the failure of associations to nominate their full quo f a. At the same time it will materially Help those associations which have difficulty in deciding on one of two nominees almost equal in merit.) (b) In cases where the number of reserves exceeds the number of the mimes will bo drawn for.

7. That the singles be played for on the two-life principle, to produce a winner of the winners, and a winner of the losers. (The idea is to give each competitor as much play as possible, not only for the purpose of gaining experience, but also to justify the amount of travelling done by tiuito a number of the competitors.) 8. That all games be the best of three sets, with third set only advantage. !l. That the games commence on the first Monday of the school holidays, and the finals be played off on the following Thursday. 10. That a North Island versus South Island match be played on the Friday, each team to- comprise S boys and 8 girls who will play in singles, doubles, and combined , 11. That each competitor in the tournament be awarded a certificate which will be specially endorsed in the case of the inter-island representatives, and that each winner of an event receive a medal. 12. That competitors be billeted whilst they are in Wellington, and that each group of association delegates be responsible for arranging the billeting for their own representatives, also for meeting trains, boats, etc. 13. That competitors assemble in Wellington on the Saturday after the school break up. and that arrangements be made for their entertainment during the weekend by the A.A.A., Rotary Club, and kindred bodies. , , 14. That competitors be encouraged to wear their association blazers. 15. That competitor be under 18 years of age at the date of the closing of entries. .Finance. 1. That the N.Z.L.T.A. grant a subsidy of Cl per player. (This will cost the parent body on the average £32 per annum.) 2 That each afiiliated association be levied at the rate of £2 per player as per quota, irrespective of whether it enters its quota of competitors or not. 3. That each nominee, other than the local competitor be charged £l, as part payment of expenses. •1. That all competitors pay an entrance foe of 2s. (id. each to cover all events. (This should provide enough to pay for tlie balls used.) , , ~ 5 That all receipts from subsidies, levies, and charges, be pooled, and that out of tlie proceeds the fares of all competitors (at excursion rates) be paid from the headquarters of their respective associations to Wellington. Constitution. 1 That provision lie made for the setting up of a “juniors' committee’ of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association. 2. That the chairman of tlie Juniors committee lie entitled to hold cilice us u vice-president of the N.Z.L.T.A. (Both 1 and 2 arc in accord with the practice of the L.T.A.) 1 3. That tlie Juniors’ committee have direct representation on toe Management Committee of the New Zealand Council. 4. That the present junior singles events ou the New Zealand programme bo held

once every two years, alternating with the junior championships of New Zealand.

Suggestions. 1. Banking List.—That alliliated associations be asked to draw up junior ranking lists al the end of each season, and prior to the closing of entries tor the Junior championships. 2. Free Club Membership for Promising Juniors.—That alliliated associations be asked to draw the attention of eaeh of their alliliated clubs to the advisability of extending free membership for one year to any promising boy and for girl player who lives near the club's courts. (There are now over GOO alliliated clubs in New Zealand.) 3. Father and Son Tournaments.—That the Botary Club’s idea of holding “father and son’’ and "father and daughter" gatherings might well be extended to the tennis courts, and invitation tournaments run on the American principle, wherein, say, 1G senior players pair up with 10 promising juniors, and play a series of matches. Events of tills kind must be productive u£ incalculable benetit to the juniors, expert imitators, all of them, not only on account of the immense amount of intensive coaching that they will receive under ideal conditions, in stroking, conrtcraft, etc., but also on account of the added confidence gained. 4. Films. —As it is now possible to obtain lilms showing the production of the various strokes used in the game, a supply of these lilms should lie obtained by the N.Z.L.T.A. These could be shown during the tournament, and also lent to associations which apply for same. 5. Pamphlets.—The N.Z.L.T.A. might well issue a small pamphlet containing suggestions for juniors, and associations and approved schools should be encouraged to arrange courses of lectures on the subject by experienced players. In this connection special attention should be paid to umpiring. s - G. The importance of umpiring and coaching, and the necessity for having ellicient umpires and honorary coaches, should be stressed at all times, and the issue of special badges entitling the holders to free entry to all tennis tournaments might well be considered in the cases of all those who have given freely over a sufficient period of their time and skill in furthering the cause of tennis amongst the rauk and file. This practice is followed by the various Rugby unions in regard to their referees. General Notes. The scheme outlined above, along with the various suggestions, should, if allowed to be got into thorough working order, do much to remove any complaint that the boys and girls in this country have not a fair chance of developing any latent tennis talent they may possess. 2. Everything, of course, will depend on the enthusiasm of those responsible for the management of the various alliliated associations —the scheme is essentially on an association basis —and the work they put in, if this progressive scheme is to prove a success. 3. In England, in connection with Hie L.T.A. official coaching scheme, launched in 1926, to quote an official correspondent, “The Lawn Tennis Association are providing the means and pointing the way; it is for the county associations to use the former and follow the latter.” Note. —(a) The lueans provided are grants made from funds set aside for this purpose by the Lawn Tennis Council, (b) There is no fund of a similar nature set aside by the N.Z.L.T.A., but it is never too late to mend. 4. The above scheme is, as it must be if it is to lie a success, Dominion-wide in its ramifications.

5. The essence of the scheme is. of course, distribution —distribution of effort; distribution of responsibility; distribution of sacrifice; distribution of expenditure. From Dargaville to the Bluff, from the primary school player to the Dominion champion, from tile waybacks secretary to tlie secretary of tho Dominion-executive, from the president ot the humblest club to tlie president of the New Zealand Council, all are involved; ail must, (and should) unselfishly co-operate if this great cause is to be advanced; and at every stage no stone must be left unturned to impress upon our youth all that is being done for them, and tlie great debts of gratitude under which they are progressing. Any quickening of interest in Interschool, intermediate, and interclub tennis will undoubtedly at once react on interassociation, interprovincial and inter-Island competitions, and give a fillip to, and appreciably raise, the standard of our intercolonial and international tennis. Anthony Wilding and E. D. Andrews won through, why not other young New Zealanders also ?

SUMMARY. Association. S3 ft a O_' 02 O o g uota of ntrics 2 *s . a £ d w > o CS foil Boys. Girls. 1. Auck. .. 4,002 15 4 4 A nek. 2. Cantby. 4,830 18 4 4 Click. 3. H. Bay . Man'w’tu 1,413 6 0 o Napier 4. 900 1 i Palm. N Marlbgh. 423 3 1 i Blenh’m 6. Nelson . 44S 3 1 1 Nelson N.Z. Maori 38S 3 1 1 Talhapc s. N. Auck. 1,132 *> 1 1 Whargarei 0. N. Otago 618 4 1 1 Oamaru 10. Otago . 1,719 7 2 Dunedin 11. Poverty Gisb’ne. & E. C’st. 389 3 1 1 12. S’thland 941 4 1 1 Invercargill 13. S. Cantby . 729 4 1 1 Timaru 14. Taranaki 1,191 5 1 1 New Ply mouth 15. Thames Valley . 371 3 1 1 Paeroa 16. Waikato 2,649 10 3 3 Hamilton 17. Wairarana 920 o 1 1 Mast’ton 18. Wang’nul 1,012 V 1 1 M anga19. Well’gton 2,261 9 3 O 20. W. Coast ; 485 3 1 1 Greymouth — Excur26.881 120 32 : 32 sion rates