Parents and guardians all over America from the lowest to the highest class standings and everything in between, share the same idea when their son and or daughter is born, how is my child going to make it in life and what is it going to take to make that real. Many turn to sports.
The parents see and read the stories of famous athletes parents like the mothers of Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglass, LeBron James, and many others and try to relate with them in many ways. After that point, they expose their kids images and videos of these athletes and try to convince them they can be that one day. The parents then shell out thousands of dollars in private lessons, personal trainer sessions, and travel league fees. In return, the parents expect acceptance for them and their child in society.
In the sport of tennis, I see it first hand. The better players were those that paid for not only winter clinics, but memberships into the best local tennis clubs, and went to the best private coaches in the area. For a player to have a chance at becoming a professional, they must go through a good tennis academy somewhere in Florida which may cost up to $30,000 a year to attend and train at. During the process, the parents are sacrificing everything that their children can continue.
I think that you make a good point. Parental pressure is something that has increased dramatically over the last couple years, especially with tuition for college rising. It will be interesting to see who the next upcoming athletes are and how they become great athletes.
ReplyDeleteA lot of good facts and a very interesting read. I find it astounding that a tennis academy is approximately $30,000 a year to attend. Thats one heck of a financial and time commitment to a sport.
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