IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE THE USTA! By Javier Palenque

(This fictional ?short story is inspired by the recent trial and press of the actual sexual abuse cases that the USTA hides from the public, names and locations are changed by the author for illustration purposes)

In a small southern California serene town called Temecula, tennis was more than just a sport—it was a way of life. Children grew up idolizing the players, dreaming of one day playing under the banner of the prestigious USTA. But behind the facade of tennis excellence lurked a dark and sinister reality.

Young Christy and Paul were rising stars in the town's tennis academy, their talent apparent from a young age. They practiced relentlessly, having dreams fueled by stories of legendary matches and the promise of fame and being part someday of Player Development in Lake Nona at the USTA.

The head coach, Mr. Aranda, was a respected figure at the USTA site and was seen as a mentor and a gatekeeper to the world of professional tennis. What none of the kids knew was that Mr. Aranda harbored dark secrets, protected by the very institution meant to foster young talent.

One evening, after a grueling practice session in Lake Nona, Orlando, Mr. Aranda asked Paul to stay behind for extra training. Paul, eager to impress and improve, agreed without hesitation. But instead of drills and strategies, the evening took a horrifying turn. In the dimly lit office, Mr. Aranda’s facade of a benevolent mentor crumbled, revealing a predator lurking beneath.

The abuse was swift and brutal, leaving Paul in shock and confusion. Mr. Aranda, sensing Paul's fear, threatened him with dire consequences if he ever spoke out. "No one will believe you," he whispered, his voice dripping with menace. "They'll think you're just trying to ruin my reputation. You'd be out of the academy in a heartbeat, and your dreams of playing for the USTA and the USA would be over."

Terrified and traumatized, Paul kept silent, burying the horror deep within. But as the days passed, he noticed other boys in the academy behaving strangely, their eyes hollow and filled with the same fear he felt. It became clear that he wasn't the only victim. Determined to protect others from the same fate, Paul mustered the courage to speak up.

He confided in his parents, who were initially shocked. They approached the academy's management, expecting justice and protection for their son. But the USTA officials, eager to protect their pristine image, dismissed the allegations. "Boys will be boys," they said with a condescending smile. "Mr. Aranda is a respected coach. This is just a misunderstanding." Later the coach was reported to the police and only then did the USTA fire him. Now rather than finding other victims and helping them, the USTA leadership kept the matter under wraps. This is what the courts discovered.

Feeling betrayed and desperate, Paul turned to the media, hoping that public scrutiny would force the USTA to act. But the powerful institution wielded its influence, painting Paul as a troublemaker and a liar. Articles were published discrediting his story, and soon, whispers of "the boy who cried wolf" began circulating. The power of corruption and lack of morals from the USTA leadership was evident.

Despite the mounting evidence and testimonies from other victims, the USTA's iron-clad grip on the sport and its narrative remained unshaken. The town, once proud of its tennis prodigy, turned against Paul, ostracizing him and his family. The other victims, too scared to face similar backlash, retreated into silence, their voices stifled by the weight of corruption and fear.

However, another kid that the USTA ignored was Christy who was also abused and who was lucky and had well-to-do parents able to stand up to the false not-for-profit organization. She had no idea what happened to Paul and now was coached by Coach Aranda, the same thing happened.

Years later, the truth began to surface in a public lawsuit in Orlando that resulted in a $9M verdict against the USTA. The leadership of the USTA and board vowed to appeal the verdict, revealing their greed, incompetence, and culpability. This is the same group of leaders who settled out of court with Paul's family to keep the issue out of public scrutiny.

It is disturbing how famous people like BJK kept quiet, as do the handful of tennis reporters who work tennis, who pretend to look the other way and ignore their profession and the American kids. A sad state of morality in the tennis press. Today it is so puny that it is the only job they have left and it is disappearing in front of their eyes. Yet when the time comes to side with what is right, they look the other way.

The worst part was that no one at the USTA was fired. The USTA leadership quickly hired a respected DC law firm and claimed to be open to any investigation, of course, they made sure they publicized this so everyone knew they were doing what appeared to be right, just as they do all kinds of diversity days, to pretend to care, but when it comes to funding, it shows they do not.

The respected law firm, na?ve in dealing with this level of lies and deceit, probably expects people to come out and speak to some suits, not realizing that they are being used to clean up the image of the USTA. If the firm were serious about it, they would publicize the report and recommend firings before reporting to the USTA. But they will report nothing of value while protecting the status quo. This is the status quo at work with the kid's money not used to grow the game.

The real story has led to a congressional petition to have the USTA leadership removed. But the USTA board does not care, nothing will change. No one will be fired, and the show will go on. This is why tennis is on its deathbed, regardless of what the CEO claims.

NO! The USTA board, the CEO, the attorneys, the head of PD, and everyone who knew about the many sexual abuse claims and said nothing, needed to be fired. But since the Ol' Boys are accountable to no one, they are figuring out ways to not do that and that is where the report of the respected law firm comes in handy. I hope those lawyers realize they are being used to also pretend to care.

No one will care about the report. This is deplorable for all.

Now you know why the status quo must cease to exist. They are a living threat to decency, our kids, and the future of the sport.

I SAY NO TO INEPTITUDE AND YES TO GROWING THE GAME.

Here is the link to:

The investigation of abuse was rejected by the USTA.

The video of the victim.

The Congressional Investigation

The articles on the $9M verdict against the USTA.

I can be reached at [email protected]

PS. Let me be clear I want everyone involved in this mess FIRED and so should you. Now with the help of the law firm (that thinks they are preparing a dutiful report) in DC, everything will be sealed and again nothing will change. There is nothing to celebrate, we would if we get rid of the klan of incapables that have the sport hijacked by their incompetence for too long.