Hewitt offer rejected
25nov04
TENNIS Australia rejected an offer from Lleyton Hewitt to help revive stalled
junior development programs.
Hewitt, then ranked No. 1 in the world, approached TA in 2002 with $45,000 to
help expand an under-12 circuit that the world champion viewed as integral to
the health of the Australian game.
But after making a request for changes to the proposed contract, Hewitt's move
was rebuffed.
"We were all very disappointed at the time it didn't proceed," Hewitt's father
Glynn said. "A lot of hard work had gone on through Lleyton, (management
company) Octagon and ourselves.
"We were all very keen to build on Lleyton's popularity in primary schools
to try and get more kids involved in tennis at a young age."
The proposal was intended to increase the size of the Australian junior
circuit, with the best performers then being invited to take part in Hewitt's
training camp for the Australian summer.
Under the proposal, there would have been three tournaments each year for
three years -- in Yarrawonga, Melbourne Park and the Sydney International
tennis centre.
Two of the events were to be played as 64-player draws -- girls and boys --
with the final competition based on Davis Cup and Fed Cup formats.
The Hewitt training camp would have provided the youngsters with invaluable
first-hand exposure to the best player in the world.
It is understood Hewitt and his management had organised for his sponsors
Nike and Yonex to back the concept, which ultimately stymied the proposal.
Hewitt already had a training camp in Sydney, where the interest was
overwhelming to the point where aspiring champions were being turned away.
Hewitt had wanted to build a circuit that would have uncovered the new wave
of Australian talent by offering rankings points, with the best-performed
competitors earning the right to attend his camp.
Hewitt believes most world-class players need to be training with coaches
before they turn 12, hence his desire to find the best young players as
early as possible.
Hewitt's management wanted to call the competition the Lleyton Hewitt Cup.
It is understood TA had concerns it might compromise Uncle Toby's sponsorship
of under-14 and under-16 age groups.
Uncle Toby's has been a strong supporter of the Australian game, but is now
rumoured to be reviewing -- and possibly withdrawing -- its tennis
sponsorship.
The Australian Sports Commission has hammered TA over its dysfunctional
junior development.
The ASC is reviewing its funding of TA, which runs to almost $1 million a
year.
TA president Geoff Pollard last week stepped down as chief executive officer
of the embattled organisation.
休伊特少年網球計畫受阻 “萊頓”杯夢想破滅
失戀後的休伊特在球場上的出色表現已差不多令他重新振作，他已經確定以家鄉的阿
德萊德公開賽作為05賽季的開始，並很有可能繼美網後再度碰到可能的“小舅子”喬‧約
翰森。
然而，澳大利亞網球協會近日否決了他的一項有關復興已停滯的澳洲青少年網球的發
展計畫，似乎讓他又嘗到了深深的挫折感。
早在兩年前，當時排名世界第一的休伊特便開始致力於發展澳洲青少年的網球事業，
他提供了4萬5千美元用來投資12歲以下的少年巡迴賽，而目前，他希望能更進一步，建立
一個完全屬於自己的管理團體，包括完整的賽事，訓練營等等。這一舉動遭到了澳洲網協
的疑議。
“我們都對這項計畫未能實施而感到失望，”休伊特的父親吉林恩說，“萊頓以及我
們都為這個計畫做了很多工作。我們非常希望在小學裏擴大萊頓的影響力，讓更多的孩子
在他們年輕的時候去球場打球。”在休伊特被否決的計畫中，擴大澳洲少年巡迴賽的規模
，並從中選拔最為出色的選手參加在夏季的休伊特訓練營是一個重點。計畫書中，有三項
被命名為“萊頓‧休伊特”杯的賽事將在接下去的三年中展開，地點分別是Yarrawonga、
墨爾本公園以及悉尼國際網球中心。其中兩項賽事均有64位男女選手參加，並以大衛斯杯
和聯合會杯的競賽方式進行。最終有幸參加訓練營的選手可以有機會接受世界頂尖球員的
指導。此舉的目的是在於發掘澳洲新一代的天才選手，休伊特認為想要成為世界級的選手
必須在他們12歲以前就應該有一位正式的教練。
澳洲網球協會的波拉德上周剛剛辭去了其首席執行官的職務，對於現今境況不佳的澳
洲網球協會來說，拒絕這項提議的理由看起來也比較簡單，那就是一旦這個賽事被付諸于
現實，它很可能影響到澳洲網球協會所舉辦的14與16歲以下少年巡迴賽的“托比叔叔”杯
，波及其贊助商的地位，事實上，澳大利亞運動協會已經開始注意到這項賽事出現的經營
上的紊亂，而他們對澳洲網球協會的管理也相當不滿。
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◆ From: 220.142.3.83
※ 編輯: LleyHewitt 來自: 220.142.3.83 (11/28 10:45)