I wrote the following chapter one day when I was reliving a memory from my early days on court and one that will stick with me forever I believe. It involves 'that' group of kids that many of us were either intimidated by or just plain disappointed with due to their ways of intimidating others. A fact of life at junior tennis yet many turn a blind eye to it through either ignorance or fear of upsetting someone. A shame as someone should let them know that being a 'boofhead' at a junior tennis tournament is un cool.
'POSSE' (A group of people who are together for a particular purpose)
My most vivid memories of junior tennis both here in Albany , Western Australia, Perth and then Queensland was in fact the 'posse' type nature of the sport. There were kids who waltzed around the grounds of the venue as though they were 'God's gift' to the game of tennis and they did back then what they still do now, they form the 'peanut gallery'.
My most vivid memories of junior tennis both here in Albany , Western Australia, Perth and then Queensland was in fact the 'posse' type nature of the sport. There were kids who waltzed around the grounds of the venue as though they were 'God's gift' to the game of tennis and they did back then what they still do now, they form the 'peanut gallery'.
I have literally seen kids hanging off fences , like monkeys in a zoo , doing their best to put the spotlight on themselves, letting the rest of the Tournament's competitors know that they are 'in the house'. Groups of kids hang at the back of the courts and continually ask their buddy for the score and they do their best to put their mate's opponent's off their game's by offering words of 'advice' as to what they should be doing next or asking them ' why did you call that out mate? It was on the line', among other things.
I once had a parent phone me in disgust at the behaviour of a 'posse' in a tournament played at a small country venue. Her son had come off the court in tears after a loss that should never have happened, he lead comfortably by a set and a break , then the posse turned up , put him off his game. He lost the second and third sets with barely a whimper, his game went to pieces, totally put off by the intimidating nature of the group of kids behind his court.
A kid who is of a timid nature will go to water in this situation, a tough kid will use the situation to fire themselves up but it should never really be put on the table in the first place. As I have gotten much older in the game I have used this type of thing to get myself pumped up. The 'posse' is still a part of the game of tennis at my age in tournaments , but obviously not as pronounced as it is at a junior level. There are always pockets of the audience that are either from the same club or town or group of friends that sit and watch your every move, but luckily they don't hang off the fence anymore, that would look just plain silly.
I recently played a local tournament and had around 5 or so kids watching my match , two of them I used to teach. One asked me the score, I told him what it was ,I even told him I wished I had 'his younger legs' as I struggled with a kid less than half my age. As you get older it's sometimes fun to talk with some spectators, it can change the intense mood of the match and loosen up the tight joints, not so in juniors, it's a 'life or death' situation.
When I was 13 I played in the Albany Junior Open , it was my first tournament and perhaps only a year since I had taken up the game of tennis, I had high aspirations, just not ability to match. I got hammered by a kid who was twice my strength and ability, I didn't win a game, then came the ultimate insult.
I walked up to the Scoreboard to see when my next match was and there he was, 'Mr Tennis' the kid who had just belted me 6-0, complete with his 'posse'. One of his 'henchmen' mentioned my name ,I think he was playing me in a doubles match. 'Mr Tennis' came back with 'you will be right, he's weak'.
I once had a parent phone me in disgust at the behaviour of a 'posse' in a tournament played at a small country venue. Her son had come off the court in tears after a loss that should never have happened, he lead comfortably by a set and a break , then the posse turned up , put him off his game. He lost the second and third sets with barely a whimper, his game went to pieces, totally put off by the intimidating nature of the group of kids behind his court.
A kid who is of a timid nature will go to water in this situation, a tough kid will use the situation to fire themselves up but it should never really be put on the table in the first place. As I have gotten much older in the game I have used this type of thing to get myself pumped up. The 'posse' is still a part of the game of tennis at my age in tournaments , but obviously not as pronounced as it is at a junior level. There are always pockets of the audience that are either from the same club or town or group of friends that sit and watch your every move, but luckily they don't hang off the fence anymore, that would look just plain silly.
I recently played a local tournament and had around 5 or so kids watching my match , two of them I used to teach. One asked me the score, I told him what it was ,I even told him I wished I had 'his younger legs' as I struggled with a kid less than half my age. As you get older it's sometimes fun to talk with some spectators, it can change the intense mood of the match and loosen up the tight joints, not so in juniors, it's a 'life or death' situation.
When I was 13 I played in the Albany Junior Open , it was my first tournament and perhaps only a year since I had taken up the game of tennis, I had high aspirations, just not ability to match. I got hammered by a kid who was twice my strength and ability, I didn't win a game, then came the ultimate insult.
I walked up to the Scoreboard to see when my next match was and there he was, 'Mr Tennis' the kid who had just belted me 6-0, complete with his 'posse'. One of his 'henchmen' mentioned my name ,I think he was playing me in a doubles match. 'Mr Tennis' came back with 'you will be right, he's weak'.
That shattered my confidence, I not only got hammered but I was known to the 'posse' as weak, it was a tournament and lesson in life that I will never forget. I vowed to get better, promised myself that I would never be called 'weak' again, it drove my improvement.
The next year I still remember to this day as possibly the most satisfying moment of my junior playing days, I got my revenge. 'Mr Tennis' came to the tournament but played in a higher age bracket, I didn't have to face him but who did I meet first round in my age group ? His brother. This was my match, it's what I had hit for on the garage wall for 3-4 hours some days in the lead up to the Albany Junior Open of 1983. I didn't miss many balls that match in a 6-3 win, and I made a point of following my opponent to the area where his brother was . 'Did you win'? No. 'You lost to Thompson'? Yes.
Hey 'Mr Tennis' you are an egotistical prick, and I didn't think much of either the way you conducted yourself or the way you thought your 'posse' owned the tournament 12 months earlier. If I ever get really good at this game I will use you as an example of how not to act at a tennis tournament, have a nice day'. No I didn't say it out loud but I wanted to. From an early age I was out to gain respect and in a sport as tough as tennis that's a big thing.
The next year I still remember to this day as possibly the most satisfying moment of my junior playing days, I got my revenge. 'Mr Tennis' came to the tournament but played in a higher age bracket, I didn't have to face him but who did I meet first round in my age group ? His brother. This was my match, it's what I had hit for on the garage wall for 3-4 hours some days in the lead up to the Albany Junior Open of 1983. I didn't miss many balls that match in a 6-3 win, and I made a point of following my opponent to the area where his brother was . 'Did you win'? No. 'You lost to Thompson'? Yes.
Hey 'Mr Tennis' you are an egotistical prick, and I didn't think much of either the way you conducted yourself or the way you thought your 'posse' owned the tournament 12 months earlier. If I ever get really good at this game I will use you as an example of how not to act at a tennis tournament, have a nice day'. No I didn't say it out loud but I wanted to. From an early age I was out to gain respect and in a sport as tough as tennis that's a big thing.
I went on to win the 14's age group that particular year and I learnt a lot about the game. I told myself never to get too big for my boots , a vanquished opponent one year could quite easily be your conqueror the next, nature of the sport.
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