So we have a few folks angry about the DTA so as requested here is your own space to talk.
Please make some good bullet lists maybe even a pie chart or two and then we can all email Brian Modic and the crew about some changes and get them started soon.
Fall season is no that far away.
Beautiful - - Thanks Bazan.
ReplyDeleteI think I will hijack this thread and use it to post Weekend Results.
HP and Lakes won again. Playoff picture becomes more clear for the QT. Last week of season should prove interesting.
no problem I will use the area to talk about my team winning for the first time since mid April. 5-0 sweep with a default, Woo hoo!!!
ReplyDeleteTough season for Village-Warren.
ReplyDeleteDamn that DTA.
tough break for LTF losing to OC the way it went down.
ReplyDeleteHP 4.0 defeats TBar M 4-1. Great Job HP!!!
ReplyDeleteNice Job Bazaan on the win today. I think you are going to have to post more wins to recruit Marc though
Administrative Issues Inlcude:
ReplyDelete1) We are teams playing fewer matches this year?
2) Why do we not use a fair, random draw process for placing teams into flights?
3) Why is 4.0 City Championship no longer a round robin
4) Why do fall winners get a bye all the way to the City Championship?
- Death Volley
I would also know what method was used to determine 3rd setters vs 10 point tie breakers. This vote should be administered league by league.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about other places but in the 4.5 Austin league they play 14 matches before the city playoffs.
ReplyDeleteLEAGUE ADMINISTRATION
ReplyDeleteThe most important issue is the need to improve communication from DTA administrators to players. It would be appreciated if league administrators would make a better effort to tell players how our leagues are run and how & why key decisions are made.
Some people may hold a negative view of how leagues are run simply because they do not understand the reasons and logic behind what we do. Additional communication can only help.
We have nearly 4,000 players. The best way to communicate is to keep players informed by providing information on the DTA website. Most players do not want to attend meetings but they want to be kept informed and they want to understand what's happening.
For example, the DTA has never communicated to players how teams are placed into flights. There are a lot of suspicions that this is not done properly. And maybe players have a totally wrong view simply because this was never communicated. NOT KNOWING IS WORSE THAN KNOWING AND DISAGREEING.
There will always be players that disagree with something. But the DTA can minimize the areas of disagreeement and minimize negative feelings by improving communications.
4.0 City Championship
ReplyDeleteIn Men's 4.0 we have played a round robin format for many years. This was changed to what appears to be an inferior format in 2008. The new structure only provides two matches for most teams. Also a round robin format is a fairer approach when trying to select TWO teans to go to Sectionals.
Most players do not agree with the change and most do NOT see any valid reason for this type of change.
Can the DTA please shed some light on this decision?
PLACING TEAMS INTO FLIGHTS
ReplyDeleteThis is by far the most important issue.
> Players would like much more TRANSPARENCY. Currently this appears to be a secretive, closed-door process that has never been communicated to players. Secretive processes are ripe for abuse and bias. At a minimum, players are suspicious. Open, transparent processes foster understanding and a sense of fairness. Are teams seeded? If so how is this done? Seeded teams should be announced. How are unseeded teams put into flights? Some believe this is an arbitrary, subjective process _ not a random draw. It is NOT KNOWIMG that triggers feelings of unfairness.
> Most bloggers would favor this type of process:
A 3-person committe of knowledgable individuals performs seeding based on all available information. 1 or 2 teams are seeded per flight. Seeded teams are announced. Non-seeded teams are placed into flights by random draw and the draw is observed by captains. With this approach, suspicions and rumors are eliminated and everyone sees fairness in the process. Those teams which find themselves in a very strong flight at least know that it was bad luck, not the decision of a league administrator. Everyone knows that seeding is a subjective process and few people would argue about seeding. Tournaments place individuals and teams into brackets in this manner and everyone is comfortable with this approach.
We know there are other factors involved in putting teams into flights. (For example, some teams might not want to be placed in a flight with teams they played last season.) However, these other issues are not nearly as important as the PERCEPTION of fairness. Let's not over-think this. A few seeded teams with the rest put into flights by random draw is the best way to be fair to everyone.
While we are expressing concerns, let's also give the DTA credit for how they handled the match tiebreak decision. In this case the DTA solicited input from everyone and they allowed captains to vote on the issue. So even if you have a different opinion you must applaud the DTA for promoting good discussion and for letting captains/players decide. That is a perfect example of how we should resolve most league administrative issues.
ReplyDeleteHardcourt
We should re-consider the practice of giving the fall winner a free ride to the City Championship. The problem is that the fall winner has no incentive whatsoever to try to win any matches or even any lines. That has plenty of negative NTRP implications. A better approach would be to give the fall winner a guaranteed spot in the QT. That way they have an incentive to try to finish 1st place. But they have the security of knowing that they are at least in the playoffs. We do not think this would cause any decline in fall participation.
ReplyDeleteGranted this issue is not as emotional as say placing teams inot flights, but still it is worth consideration.
Silence breeds frustration and negative feelings. Communication improves understanding and builds trust.
ReplyDeleteI think almost all league players would appreciate additional comunication from the DTA on key processes and decisions.
We should revise the rule which allows additions to team rosters up until the last 2 matches of the season.
ReplyDeleteMost of the players added at the end of the season are ringers which teams have acquired late to help them win playoffs. They find a ringer and get him into the last two matches and he's good to play in the playoffs. This can change the competitive balance.
In 2009, why not no rosters additions after a team plays its 2nd match?
That has to be one of the most pathetic rule changes I've ever heard - don't add people late in the season because they will bring in ringers and mess up the balance of competition - ha ha ha.
ReplyDeleteI just can't believe that grown men bitch and complain so much about this one topic.
ReplyDeleteThis word means female dog. Meaning that everyone that is "bitching" about the DTA, is just expressing their female side way too much. C'mon people now is time to Man Up. Or is it the older you get, the more effeminate you get. Hmmmmmmm.
If you have problems with the DTA, stop blogging about it, find a way to be part of the solution instead of complaining about the problem.
As it relates to the playoffs. Win all of your matches and you're guaranteed to be in the playoffs. Win all of your matches in the playoffs, and you are guaranteed to make sectionals. There that is the formula for success.
I'll see everybody come July in the Playoffs.
I think bloggers have some valid concerns and it is good to bring them forward. All players would benefit from improved comunication and administrative processes.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to meet a 4.0 mens player in favor of the 10 point tie breaker (not saying there arent some people out there). My problem is when they took the vote they took 3.5 men, Senior Men and Senior Women players and put all their votes together. Most Seniors support the 10 point tie breaker. If the majority of 4.0 captains voted to play the 3rd set, then a 3rd set should be played for that league, thats is all I am saying. Seniors could continue with 10 pointer if that is how they voted.
ReplyDeleteI am on a weak team and we are near the bottom of our flight. So some of this does not matter to much to me. However, it does seem reasonable for players to want an open draw and more matches would also be a good thing. I don't agree with every suggestion but I don't see anything terribly unreasonable either. It's good to see people talk about issues. We all want our leagues to be the best.
ReplyDeleteProposed changes should be good for all teams, regardless of how good your team is. I would think even the weaker teams would have liked to play a few more matches for their $$.
ReplyDeletekeep the comments coming. I do think for me the biggest one is matches played. It wouldn't bother me if I don't see other areas playing many more matches, as one person noted about how many Austin plays. Even NETX plays more matches.
ReplyDeleteThe guy who wants to stop the late adding, puhleeeeeeeeeeese.
I have added players out of sheer need and rarely to add a late season ringer. also players that are new to area rarely plan their moves around the USTA calendar and many of them are eager to join a team even if it means missing the 1st half of the season, granted in Dallas missing half the season means there is only 2-3 matches left to go.
The email addresses are:
ReplyDeleteoffice@dta.org
Jane Gilpin janegilpin@sbcglobal.net
Brian Modic bmodic@cornelloilcompany.com
I encourage each of you to write directly to the DTA. Be respectful, but get your opinion directly to the people that count.
Leave the DTA alone! Unless you are going down there to volunteer or look to be elected into the system to help improve the operations then quit bitching and just stick to playing. Everywhere we go we will always encounter some forms of a "not so perfect world" learn to adapt and make it work for yourself and look for the positive rather than waste your energy bitching about the negative. I am amazed at the number of grown men crying like little boys about how things are so unfair. Man up!
ReplyDeleteRockjock,
ReplyDeleteMost of these comments seem like valid suggestions for improvements which would benefit everyone. And most suggestions were made in a respectful manner. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
- Hardcourt
I agree w/ Rock Jock. Unless you are volunteering up there.... I think they just randomly do it based upon approximate proximity to the courts. The vote for the 10 point tie breaker was put on by people who kept voting to get it passed. put a vote to change back. Not that hard. Less matches was B.S, but I don't think 1 time 1 season screw up means the system is broken.
ReplyDeleteI agree w/ Rock Jock. Unless you are volunteering up there.... I think they just randomly do it based upon approximate proximity to the courts. The vote for the 10 point tie breaker was put on by people who kept voting to get it passed. put a vote to change back. Not that hard. Less matches was B.S, but I don't think 1 time 1 season screw up means the system is broken.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point and I respect your opinion. Also I agree with you and RockJock that it is wrong to beat up on the DTA.
ReplyDeleteAll I'm saying is don't poke fun at guys trying to make things better. The "grown men crying" type comment by RockJock is not really needed.
I admit there was one screwy comment by someone regarding roster additions. But the other suggestions are really pretty mild.
> Open, random draw; round robin playoff; more matches. Nothing really radical there!
- Hardcourt
Damn them for also not making everyone perform on a level playing field. Next season everyone should HAVE to play right handed - no exceptions
ReplyDeleteThe knock against the DTA is not so much that they mess up once in a while _ but that when you call or email regarding an issue they just blow u off.
ReplyDeleteI think 90% of league players favor a round robin playoff, a few more matches, and an open, fair draw. One would have to be retarded not to agree.
ReplyDeletelay off the dta? i see no problem sending a note with your concerns. If the dta has a problem with the members asking questions then just maybe they are hiding something.
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether it's just me or if everybody else experiencing problems with your site.
ReplyDeleteIt appears as if some of the text on your posts are
running off the screen. Can somebody else please provide feedback and let
me know if this is happening to them too? This might be a issue
with my browser because I've had this happen previously. Thanks
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