Filed under: Golf & Tennis
But putting all jokes aside, there is one important question that neither the Williams family, nor Tiger has been able or willing to answer: With all of the success they've experienced, where are the other black athletic superstars coming behind them in tennis and golf? Let's be real: Did you ever really think that Venus and Serena were the only two little black girls in "the hood" with Michael Jordan-like athletic ability? You probably know two or three kids like that on your own block. Even the great John McEnroe was criticized for admitting that if black kids played tennis the way we play basketball and football, we'd take over the sport. I'd hate to admit that I agree, but.......
William C. Rhoden, the respected writer for the New York Times, put together an outstanding piece on this issue. Both Rhoden and Richard Williams make the important point that for African Americans to establish reliable pipelines to professional tennis, they must own the institutions that create tennis players. Williams mentions that tennis is not inviting to African Americans in general, which is why we haven't yet seen the next Venus and Serena. If Tennis is an exclusive club, golf is that much worse.
One of the other challenges of bringing African American youth into tennis and golf is the cost. The cost of joining a country club to play golf can be quite high. I personally don't like playing golf primarily because of the time and money involved. But when I can get out there, I enjoy myself. Tennis, on the other hand, is a sport that doesn't require the expensive country club membership, as there are tennis courts in quite a few communities. Additionally, the running and jumping skills of black athletes might be well-suited for tennis. That doesn't mean, however, that we don't also possess the brilliance, focus, strength and accuracy of talented golfers.
One key here is that if we are going to play sports, we might as well play all of them. The tune of football and basketball is played out like a 1980s hit record, and it's time that we try something new. In fact, I wish I'd been exposed to either tennis or golf as a teenager instead of signing up for the same old pee-wee football and basketball leagues in my neighborhood. Being one of the shortest kids on the team is never fun when you're standing next to yet another LeBron James wannabe. Perhaps tennis and golf can be something for us short kids, as well as everybody else. Let's start thinking outside the box.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.