SINGLES STICKS NOW REQUIRED AT SUPER-CHAMPS TOURNAMENTS
Sometimes there are decisions that are made in our tennis world that correspond in an eerie sort of way with the federal government. That should be a thought that gets your juices flowing on this Monday morning...
Seems that the Texas Section Junior Council has mandated that all junior tournaments at the super-champ level must have singles sticks for all matches beginning in 2014. While this is an admirable thought and most definitely prepares our young charges for Wimbledon, let's stop and consider the issue a bit more fully.
As a tournament director considers this directive and how to implement it, he/she must first decide if they want the homemade version from Home Depot made out of wood and in their garage on a Saturday afternon. Average cost would be about $1.50 to $2.00 per stick. (Labor not included.) If they wish to get the good and durable metal versions the cheapest price around is about $15 per set.
Since the average tournament has at least 300-400 entries, and large associations like Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin use numerous sites and tons of courts, the cost is going to be prohibitive whichever way you go. In Austin alone they will need 100 sets of sticks and that probably means an expenditure of about $1,500. Even to a prosperous tournament director that is a lot of money!
Since Obamacare and this recent mandate share the same concept of someone else paying for it and using someone else's money, here are some solutions:
SOLUTION ONE
Have the junior tennis council allocate enough money in their budget to pay for all the singles sticks throughout Texas. Each tournament director would be able to submit the number of sticks they would need and then receive a check by January 1, 2014. They would also need an additional 25% to cover lost and broken sticks since they will be used at sites all over the state and probably never returned. Only tennis/country clubs can adequately oversee a bunch of singles sticks.
SOLUTION TWO
Require each junior singles player purchase a set of high quality metal singles sticks and bring them to their matches. If both players failed to bring their sticks then they both would be defaulted and the tournament would keep their entry fees. This would make for fewer matches and tournaments that finish more quickly. Of course the junior council would need to allocate some budget money to pay for counseling for the irate parents of said children.
SOLUTION THREE
Require the tennis officials to pick up the sticks for their locations and then have them return the sticks at the end of the day. The official would also have to leave a $100 deposit when they picked up their sticks for the day. The official would be responsible for paying for any broken or lost sticks and that amount would be deducted from their pay or their cash deposit.
SOLUTION FOUR
Designate a specific person for each tournament to be in charge of singles sticks. Give them a $500 cash allowance to purchase new sticks to replace the broken and bent ones and the lost ones. They will be permitted to keep any monies they do not spend but must be sure that the tournament has singles sticks that are in good condition. Give them full authority to default any player who does damage to their sticks or to code any parent who bends or breaks a stick in a fit of anger. They would also be responsible for returning all the sticks to the tournament director's office at the end of the tournament. Their title would be: "Most Honored Singles Stick Person"
SOLUTION FIVE
Chunk the whole mandate and give it a little more thought before making it a mandate. There are a whole lot of gaps that need to be filled in before something like this is required.
SPECIAL NOTE: Please remember that these solutions are made in jest so don't get all bent out of shape. It is, however, time to give a little more seasoned thought to this issue so the tournament directors are protected financially.
14 comments:
Oh wise and honorable one,
I see the "tennis gods" have spoken, and they ask too much, for so little wisedom. When is the last time the Texas section run a tournament, to gain such insight???
Do what some of the more astute professional tournaments do, use singles sticks for doubles. It saves time having the on-court chief umpire actually spend her valuable time properly getting the court ready for follow-on matches.
You forgot Solution 6. Get rid of everybody on the Junior Council and start over. Therein lies the real problem. That council has the biggest ego of all councils within the Texas Section, to the point they won't allow outside observers to sit in on their meetings. Not sure how legal that is...
A couple of points:
What's the rationale behind requiring sticks? Surely they just didn't wake up one morning and say, "Let's require sticks!"
Can you imagine the number of controversies the use of sticks will engender? And since the averge official is assigned 15 courts, can you imagine the amount of time that'll be wasted handling those controversies? Won't adding sticks just provide certain parents with something to hit the opposing parents with? But seriously, I must compliment you Randy on your new found concern for the financial well being of the TDs. This new position seems in direct contradiction to previous postings concerning the money the TDs make. What changed your mind? You haven't become a TD have you?
Better Yet - WHAT ARE YOU SAYING - "Save the TD's MONEY"??? Aren't you the one that supports the MANDATORY LUNCH PROGRAM...?
However - your right on this one - single sticks at each court - what's next - a mandatory trainer at each tournament? Water on each court? WORSE YET - an Officials for MATCH?
Concerning the single sticks issue; even if the tournaments did obtain enough singles sticks, would the Texas trained officials be compentent enough to even know how to install them?
I thought this was only for Supers.
Please note that I have new found love and sensitivity toward tournament directors... I have been one numerous times in the past and have no problems with how much money they make--as long as they provide lunch for officials!
Another solution would be to increase entry fees for the junior tournaments. Look at what the parents already pay for rackets and the pros who travel with their little darlings.
Maybe sometime soon we will do a blog post on raising tournament entry fees...
Have heard from someone that this is only for the super champs; however, my source is on the committee and that's what I was told.
Does anyone know for sure one way or another? I sure don't want to offend anyone on the Junior Council...
guess being in Southern not sure what big deal is on singles sticks. Has just been common to see at all tournaments regardless of level. Level 5's all the way to Bullfrogs, just common to have sticks. Always figured Texas used them by now especially for MZ's.
Should not be a big deal as most clubs and facilities have them or can allow them to be used for tournaments being played at their sites.
That would be true except in major cities such as Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio where they have to use public courts and sometimes over 10-12 different sites. That's at least 100 courts that require singles sticks and someone to keep track of them and turn them in after the tournament.
Good luck on doing that! Its hard enough to keep track of them with an ITA match where you only use 6 courts.
How about another option - tell the Texas Section to stick their sticks up their anal cavities! If all cities banded together, the Section would back down in a heartbeat, as long as they continue to reap the monetary awards from tournament entry fees.
Are their no marketing people out there? Pitch this to Babolat, or Prince, or Wilson and let them purchase them. Then stick their logo's all over them. Free advertising....
That last comment is the best suggestion I have heard. Hopefully someone will do just that.
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