THERE'S this guy down Paisley way who thinks he's Nick Bollettieri.
In fact, to hear Donald Watt talk tennis, you would be tempted to
believe Bollettieri must have learned his trade at the Scot's feet. Watt
talks a tremendous game, no doubt about it. Verbal volleys, cute put
downs dinked just over the net cord of conversations. Yup, he's good all
right.
Watt is a vociferous critic of the Scottish Lawn Tennis Association
and has gone on telly to do them down. There is truth in some of what he
says, Scottish tennis is not particularly strong, but life on a
shoe-string budget in a tennis outpost -- which is how the Lawn Tennis
Association who control the sport's real finances regard Scotland -- is
tough.
Organisations like the SLTA do try and have to rely on those working
for the cause putting in more hours than are reasonable. Yet, they do it
because they care for their sport which would be in a much more wretched
state without their contributions.
Of course, this doesn't exempt them from criticism, provided those
carping are putting forward reasonable solutions to the problems. In
this respect Watt's words have a hollow sound, although why should he be
listened to as though he is some kind of guru is beyond me.
What would Watt -- a former British under-21 champion -- do to improve
Scottish tennis? Have everyone who wants to hold a racket enrol in the
David Lloyd Centre, where he is employed? He has a way of coming across
as the only coach in the country worth an audience, but then he was once
personal coach to someone who reached No.1 several times. Now, who was
that? Ah yes, I remember, Watt's pupil was Elton John. I suppose that
puts Watt up there among the greats who refined the games of Graf,
Sampras, Becker et al.
I wonder if they learned their tennis in a David Lloyd Centre. Nah,
probably not, but Watt seems to be suggesting these centres are the
places to go. Problem is most people have more to do with their money,
like buying food and clothes for the children. Tennis to these families
is a luxury which is never considered.
So, if you don't have the cash you don't get to hit on Watt's courts.
Fortunately, though, he isn't the only coach in town.
How about Whitecraigs' John Howie who has done more than Watt by
coaching a Scottish youngster to a position as No.3 in Britain. Howie
has been responsible for the development of Alan Mackin, a 13-year-old
Paisley boy whose father, also Alan, is a former professional footballer
and now successful businessman.
Master Mackin is the only Scot in the LTA's Rover Junior Tennis
Initiative and recently became the under-18 and men's champion of
Whitecraigs.
Alan, who will be training at Queen's Club this week, lives virtually
on the doorstep of Watt's facility yet has to leave the country to take
the next steps in his career. On Saturday Alan will pack up and head for
the Majorca Tennis Club in Palma to be coached by former Spanish Davis
Cup player Bob Rubio for six months.
Alan, a Glasgow Academy pupil, is to be coached full-time and will
attend a private tutor in the afternoons for schoolwork. It is an
expensive exercise, especially since Alan will have to fly back to
Britain every few weeks to play for Britain and attend LTA training.
Why the SLTA have not retaliated to Watt's criticisms of their
stewardship by referring their attacker to Howie's prodigy is a mystery,
but the association obviously require a champion instead of the stuffed
shirts who like to pontificate on committees. Somebody ought to be
standing up to people like Watt, who has never offered any assistance to
Alan even though his father has spent hundreds of pounds in court time
and memberships of the David Lloyd Centre for his son and players
against whom he could hit during the winters.
It has often been said that if only minority sports like tennis could
get into the housing schemes like Castlemilk and Easterhouse and
encourage the children there to play tennis, a champion might be
unearthed.
Although the Mackins are fortunate in that they have money to fund a
blossoming career the importance of young Alan's mentality should not be
underestimated. Is it merely coincidence that the only other Scot, Barry
McColl, to win a Rover scholarship was also the son of a footballer,
former Clydebank and Ayr player Billy? I think not.
However, I digress. The point is that if Watt wishes to be taken
seriously, if he wants people to consider he has a significant part to
play in the future of tennis in this country, then let's see him open
his doors to more youngsters -- he has just started a squad for
hand-picked players -- and offer them facilities free.
That's the best way to help Scottiish tennis. There is a potential
champion out there somewhere who is probably the child of parents who
can't afford the outlay required to make it in a sport which still has
too much of the privileged classes about it.
If Watt can break that down, then I for one might start taking him
seriously. Until then, I don't think I'll bother.
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