INSIDE - USTA.com

“
JUNIOR PLAYER DEVELOPMENT By Valerie Weaks
Although you
may feel angry
and frustrated,
remember how
important it is
to keep your
cool.
“
”
Sportsmanship is defined by Merriam-Webster as, “A person who
exhibits sportsmanlike conduct such as fairness, courtesy, good
temper, being a cheerful loser, etc.” It may seem like a simple
concept but sportsmanship can sometimes be a tough rule to live by.
Today’s youth finds many of their role models in professional athletes.
Unfortunately athletes today are not
always the best examples for our youth
to follow. Who can forget the incident
with Serena Williams in the semifinals
of this year’s US Open, or University
of Oregon football player LeGarrette
Blount in the team’s season opener
against Boise State?
In the heat of the moment, in the
throes of competition, even the most
skilled athletes can allow their emotions
to take over; good judgment
falters, poor decisions are made and
accomplishments on the court/field
lose their legitimacy. When juniors
observe this type of behavior and especially
when they idolize the athlete in question, they may think its okay or
even trendy to get angry and act disrespectful towards officials, coaches,
teammates and opponents. This is where the parents and coaches must
step in. It is imperative that good examples of sportsmanship are being set
in the home and on court during routine practices as well as match play.
Sportsmanship begins with the basics. It is important to encourage
your kids to play fair, have fun and make connections with their peers.
Players should finish a tournament not only feeling good about what they
HOT SHOTS By Lilly Higgins
Going green
means taking
the time to
be conscious
of how our
daily routine
affects the
environment.
”
Sportsmanship extends to player, parent, coach and beyond
Go “Green”! Put a new bounce in old tennis balls
T
he world is following this wonderful new trend: GREEN. Treating
the environment with respect and acting in ways to protect it
started as a trend but has fast emerged as a way of life. Celebrities
and public figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Phil Knight and Al Gore have
helped perpetuate a culture where being “Green” does not mean you have
to be a hippie tree-hugger. Being environmentally friendly is not only
crucial to the health and future of our planet but I’ve also found it to be
really fun exploring new products. Even the USTA Shop (www.ustashop.
com) has really cute recycled bags and totes!
Aside from being conscious of the materials used to make the items
we purchase, what else can tennis players do to help the environment? In
making observations at my local tennis club and even in my own room
at home, I became curious about the destiny of an essential piece of a
tennis player’s equipment. What happens to tennis balls after they take
their last bounce?
People have told me I can use flat balls to practice serving. I have done
that but don’t have the time or space to create and organize a separate
place to hold the flat balls versus the new ones. So I began to think of
other ways to make use of expired tennis balls. One option was to donate
them to the local Humane Society. Most dogs love tennis balls so they
would be appreciated by the organization’s staff and their budget. While
Attention Juniors:
Apply for a USTA College Scholarship
accomplished on court but also feeling positive about their interaction
with opponents, coach and tournament staff. Parents should do the same.
Take a moment to introduce yourself to other parents and spectators, and
engage yourself in the matches you watch. Appreciate the tennis and cheer
for good points no matter which player wins.
Recently becoming a mom myself,
I know many of you may be thinking,
“Cheer for my child’s opponent? That
is crazy!” We all want the best for our
kids and want them to enjoy success
but it’s important to remember that life
is more than a junior tennis match or a
number on the standing list. We need
to instill respect and a sense of dignity
in our children. They need to know
that there is more to life than winning.
Tennis is an important part of their
lives but they should understand that
their involvement in the sport can have
a positive influence on all that they do.
As a player, parent, spectator, or
coach who is invested in a match, there will be times when things don’t
go your way. Although you may feel angry and frustrated, remember how
important it is to keep your cool. There are always people watching and
learning from your example; it might be your sibling, son, daughter or a
beginner getting their first taste of tournament play. It is the responsibility
of everyone on court and off to exemplify sportsmanship and to make
competitive tennis a positive experience. Sports breed competition and we
need to ensure that it is enjoyable and healthy for all who participate. �
this is a good option for individuals, it may be cumbersome for tennis
clubs and facilities.
To find a recycling solution for large quantities of tennis balls, I decided
to use the powerful Internet search engine known as Google and found
the website of a company called “Rebounces”. Rebounces is behind an
innovative idea to recycle and reuse old tennis balls. You can send them
to the company and they will restore them to their original bounce. After
recharging the used tennis balls, Rebounces sells them to the public for
a fraction of the cost of a brand new can. Further, they make it easy for
you to be environmentally friendly. If you would like to have Rebounces
recycle your old tennis balls, the company will send you a prepaid shipping
label free of charge! To learn more about Rebounces, visit them on
the web at www.rebounces.com.
Going green means taking the time to be conscious of how our daily
routine affects the environment. It takes a bit of extra thought and effort
but little else. I challenge every one of you to go and get green today. Talk
to the owner of your local club and start a recycling program. All it takes
is a box to store the old tennis balls and boxes to send them in! I guarantee
that you will feel better just thinking about taking action and you will feel
extraordinary if you get out there and make a difference. �
The applications for the 2010 USTA Pacifi c Northwest Glenn Lovett College Scholarships and USTA
Serves College Scholarships will be available on the section website soon. Visit www.pwn.usta.com
in the coming weeks for complete details regarding the different types of scholarships available and
application guidelines. For more information please email info@pnw.usta.com
info@pnw.usta.com.
10 TENNIS TIMES WINTER 2009/10 � www.pnw.usta.com