Teltscher Resigns From USTA High Performance
Scrolling through the TennisWeek website Sunday I discovered this surprising story announcing that Eliot Teltscher had resigned as Director of High Performance. The story is quite brief, and it suggests that he left several weeks ago, but there is no official press release that I can find on usta.com. It sounds as if he might not be replaced. If anyone comes across another article about this, please pass it along.
10 comments:
Unfortunate. Very unfortunate. The USTA will never have an employee with as good a one hand backhand as Eliot. Too bad he couldn't teach it to more up and coming US stars.
whose an example of someone he taught it to?
mcclune
I think he taught it to Roger Federer, but cannot be sure.
"Teltscher is most proud of beginning a change in high performance’s philosophy — to identify athletes at the youngest ages rather than wait as in years past for players to come to the USTA in their teens"...so he's the man behind this way of thinking?! Then I am glas to see him go as it's a waste of time and money to concentrate on the 12s and 14s. Obviously he was pushed out because during his watch High Performance produced no American pros. Let's get a real champion to step in and shake things up, the current system is not working.
They couldn't hand onto Saviano either, this doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in the HP program.
I think Jimmy Johnson gets alot of credit for McClune's backhand, maybe Teltscher had the idea. The news has been out for weeks, it was definitely a forced resignation...he was incredibly overpaid and an under-achiever at that. Time to go, wish him well...
I dont think he was responsible for finding talent at the young age groups. He was instrumental in the current USTA philosophy of throwing themselves at top 10 12 and unders, getting them to their camps, to play one another. After all, one of the big problems of American tennis is that nobody ever wants to play against one another. So lets haul in the top 12's, have them battle each other a few times per year, help fund their development, and ignore the rest. Oh yeah, forgot, they are looking for the next Michael Jordan, but even "ol" fantastic athlete will be dropped like a bad habit, unless they prove themselves fast in the rankings. Exactly what Rick Macci would not do. He cares about talent and potential, and developing weapons, taking the huge (in the USTA's eyes) risk of having them develop match toughness later on. If Teltscher helped develop the current USTA doctrine of success, then good riddance to him.
Agree. How can a child possibly develop a weapon? A blugeoning forehand, or a venture to net? Anything risky, "if" they are constantly under pressure to win? These skills must be started in the younger age groups. If parents, coaches, and yes, USTA puts too much emphasis on w's, you will have a great, mentally tough tennis player, but a PRO? The days of Chris Evert, and Eliot Teltscher in the juniors, dominating in the 10's and 12's, and then going on to PRO success are over. Now, being a rock mentally is not the only key to success at the next level. Yes, still a very important factor, perhaps, THE most important, but the younger age groups must begin risk, because weapons are harder to come by, perhaps impossible, later on. The USTA should change their way of thinking, and take some risk themselves. Lets wait till these kids "battle to the death", and "win at all costs" until the the 14's the earliest, and more so the 16's and 18's.
lol....hahaha...I am laughing so hard at the person who said eliot taught Mcclune the 1 handed backhand
Post a Comment