Message to Parents of Junior Tennis Players in North Carolina

Hello Parents!

You have a difficult job of navigating the sometimes deep waters of junior tennis. You want what is best for your child, but sometimes you are not sure what choices to make. Junior tennis is an ocean of choices and what might be right for one child, just might not be right for another. You, along with your child and your child’s coach, should be working as a team.

In this section, we attempt to give you a few items that may help in your quest for an enjoyable tennis experience for your child. That is what it is all about. We encourage you (whether it is required for you or not) to watch the Parent Education Forum. In this presentation, we have tried to lay out some basic behavioral “do’s and don’ts” based on a survey from our now present day stars and how they and their parents interacted. What behaviors were good and what behaviors were bad from the players’ experience.

Many of the problems that come to us in the USTA North Carolina office on Monday morning could have been handled at the tournament during the weekend. Ultimately your child is responsible for calling officials and dealing with the problems on court. The experiences, good and bad, that your child will encounter make up the character building that tennis can provide. If you ask most all adults who competed in junior tennis they will tell you that the lessons learned then have served them well in life. But, in order for you to guide your child off court, you should be aware of the rules of tennis and how officials can help you. Please get a copy of the “Friend At Court” (available from the USTA North Carolina office) and the "Know Your Officials" page on nctennis.com.

In recent years, the rise of parental misbehavior has caused tournament officials and tennis administrators grave concern. Because this problem is getting so serious, the USTA Southern Section and USTA North Carolina have required all parents to sign the "Medical Release Form". You will be held responsible for your behavior. As well as your child can be penalized by your behavior.

Here are some other links that can help you navigate through these waters. Remember, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call either Jane Scott or Kelly Gaines with USTA North Carolina. We can be reached via email at jane@nctennis.com; Kelly@nctennis.com or by phone at (336) 852-8577.

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