Youth Is Neglected

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 551, 2 January 1929, Page 8

Youth Is Neglected

Tennis Retains Its Selfishness

ALTHOUGH Xew Zealand has produced some noted tennis players, there is a feeling that the promising future of the Dominion in international games will fade if more attention is not given to the encouragement of the young idea. Many of those who have reached championship standard in this country are the products of individual coaching, but systematic training of youth is still absent, and the stigma of selfishness is placed on the best players by those who watch the game’s progress.

It is a popular misconception that the rudiments of tennis may be absorbed by .an hour's study of a good text book and a few hours of practice on the courts. Nothing is more fallacious, nor more disappointing to the beginner. On the contrary, tennis possesses all the technical difficulties, and requires all the minute accuracies, which are embraced by other games in New Zealand's field of sport—games which would not sur-

vive for a season were they not kept at a high standard by qualified professionals. In the main, the young New Zealand tennis player has to struggle for himself. He watches the good per-

formers in action and wears himself weary in attempted emulation of their style and strokes. Later, if he wins through, to high achievement by sheer tenacity and practice, those who previously neglected him are pleased to engage him in a hard game. Auckland’s larger tennis clubs are thus afflicted in marked degree, though in one or two there is a pleasing esprit de corps which enables the promising youth to reap the fruits of his elders’ efficiency. As an organisation the ’Varsity Club is doing more in coaching than any other in the city. Frequent inter-club fixtures are held to keep the game keen, and the club _ captain is responsible for the training of young players on certain evenings in the week. This practice is but one manifestation of the teamspirit which characterises life at Auckland’s University College. Perhaps the greatest move toward ensuring a development of tennis aptitude was taken by Mr. F. J. Olsen, a retired schoolmaster, of Auckland, who was instrumental in founding the Primary Schools Tennis Association not much more than a year ago. This

organisation placed on a definite basis the efforts of school children to learn the game, and ensured for them a certain amount of facility for getting the right idea at the start. Now the various schools have a championship tournament open to all those who show a penchant for tennis. FRUITS OF TRAINING

Some splendid individual efforts have been recorded in New Zealand. In Christchurch Mr. F, J. Murray, the founder and ex-president of the Avonside Tennis Club, performed a creditable amount of work in guiding the youngsters on the right path when a racket was firgt placed in their hands. His idea was that it was not essential to be a crack player to be an efficient coach, and his training was imparted through an intense academic study of the art. Incidentally, Chas. Angas, top player of the Canterbury ladder, and holder of the New Zealand Plate, and Miss May Speirs. now defending at Auckland her right to retention of the New Zealand championship, passed through Mr. Murray’s hands. Another Christchurch man, Mr. "William Goss, perhaps the oldest tennis player in New Zealand and twice joint holder of the New Zealand doubles, has done much for the encouragement of young tennis hopefuls. A. W. Sims. New Zealand singles champion in 1923, a Hamilton boy, acquired his prowess by persistent association and practice with the top-notchers on the courts. AMERICA'S ACHIEVEMENT Geoff Ollivier, of Christchurch, exNew Zealand champion, has now turned professional, and his services shortly will be available to clubs throughout the country. But that is not enough. Intensive interest in the ivs and girls who display an inclinaon for tennis is recognised to be essential if the Dominion is to produce a class of player capable of challenging with any success international stars. In America, and In some European countries, there is a noticeable unselfishness among the champions, who devote part of their time to giving friendly advice and practical demonstrations to developing material. Bill Johnston —the great Johnston—is the product of such interest. Maurice McLoughlin, the hard-hitting American, displayed a lively enthusiasm for young players, and was frequently seen in his own State of California putting Young America through his tennis paces—not only on the courts, but with chalk and blackboard in detailed illustration of the finer points. This interest was responsible for producing well-known cracks like I .inicy Murray, Johnnie Strachan, the Strauss Brothers and many other figures on the sporting calendar, and incidentally in gaining for America world premiership. Those who watch the game carefully in New Zealand express the fervent hope that the Dominion will intensify its efforts to train its young men and women in the higher lights of tennis, and that, as the present wide popularity of the sport brings its successes and its failures, this country will fall into line and remove the stigma of selfishness with which its better players are now branded.