Tennis Hits the Books
I have been reading Warren F. Kimball’s book The United States Tennis Association: Raising the Game almost all year. It has been an invaluable resource for me as I have explored the purpose and culture of the USTA. This book has frequently been listed in my resources/citations section of my posts. It is a fabulous account of the early history of the USTA and the development of tennis in the United States.
In my 30+ year corporate career, I have been exposed to a multitude of cultural transformation initiatives at the companies that I have worked for. I have a stack of books on my shelf that I maintain as a monument to those past efforts. Frequently, the cultural revolutions would prescribe a book for everyone to read. I have… a hard time discarding books.
In June of this year, the USTA announced a sweeping plan to reorganize and prioritize it’s structure to better serve the mission of the organization. To be clear, what is currently happening within the USTA is a large scale cultural transformation. It is also a big hairy challenging problem. I appreciate the magnitude of the undertaking.
My stack of books from my corporate cultural transformation initiatives of yore are augmented with history books about the organizations and industries relevant to my work. I have encountered two basic philosophies about the importance of understanding the history when attempting to transform the culture of a large organization. One approach can basically be summed up as “it doesn’t matter where you have been, it only matters where you are going.” The other perspective is that understanding the history is integral to any successful cultural change.
I have always found the “history doesn’t matter” school of thought to be very short-sighted. The history of the organization is typically what forged the culture in the first place. I would profess that it is impossible to change something that is not understood, and that culture cannot be fully understood without a grasp of the organizational history.
Warren F. Kimball’s book The United States Tennis Association: Raising the Game is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most comprehensive account of the history of the USTA ever assembled. Kimball was uniquely positioned to write this account. He is a retired Navy Captain who followed up his service with a second career as a history professor where he garnered many academic accolades. He has authored several other books on topics that are a little more serious than tennis.
Additionally, Kimball has extensive knowledge of the USTA as he was a volunteer in the organization for many years. He has extensive first hand knowledge of the organization and spent a term on the USTA board of directors. I have come across his late wife’s name as I have combed through old USTA yearbooks. He brings an insider perspective of the development and the evolution of the USTA.
When Kimball took on the project that culminated in this book, he found that the USTA records and archives were in complete disarray. The fact that he was able to get that situation somewhat rectified is a testament to his commitment to preservation of history as well as influence within the organization.
I have mentioned this book before, and I have little doubt that it will come back up again on a recurring basis. For now I will offer the observation that anyone who really wants to understand the USTA, this book is required reading. The history of the USTA is the essence of what forged the cultural habits which the current leadership is trying to change.
I genuinely hope this book is on the corner of the desk of everyone involved in this transformation.
 | The United States Tennis Association: Raising the Game , Warren F. Kimball |
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- USTA Announces Sweeping Plan to Reorganize and Prioritize Its Structure, Events, and Activities to Grow the Game and Service the Broader Tennis Industry, USTA Official Press Release, hosted on Open Court website, viewed 11/17/2020.
