As we head into the summer national travel season, here is a great article with a unique perspective from Susan Sloane, “6 Tips for Traveling with Your Child”. The dynamic of the rigorous travel and competition is challenging for anyone but can be especially difficult for mothers and daughters during the teenage years. Susan and her mother, Pat Sloane, traveled all over the world together as Susan reached a career-high WTA Tour ranking of #18 in the world as a teenager. The two of them moved to Bradenton, Florida for her to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy…
There is no way to make the costs go away, but it doesn’t always have to be “What you put in is what you get out.” On the court yes, on the expenses, no. We all know youth sports are expensive and we have seen how the tennis costs add up. So how can we manage these costs and try to keep them under control? Here are some tips from our veteran focus families and coaches. 1. Credit Cards and Loyalty Programs Which credit card to use? Check out “The Points Guy” website. He has an in-depth analysis…
Let’s continue analyzing the cost of junior tennis. In the first article of the “Let’s Break It Down” series, I focused on court and equipment costs. In this article, I will focus on coaching and tournament costs along with fitness training, injuries, and school options. Coaching and tournaments are the two biggest budget categories and where parents feel the most pressure to keep up in the rankings. The balance of funds used for coaching and tournaments is critical and is the biggest challenge junior tennis families face. You must have a coach who you trust to guide…
So, your child wants to play competitive junior tennis, and now you are in the thick of it. HELP! These costs are insane! We all marvel at the astounding costs of youth sports. Most team sports don’t compare to the costs of junior tennis and other individual sports like golf, figure skating, and gymnastics. With that being said, I am going to break down the cost of competitive junior tennis for you, so you can see why the costs add up pretty quickly. How much does it cost to play competitive junior tennis? Well, that depends. Let’s…
I often get the question from tennis parents, “Is the craziness of competitive junior tennis really worth it?” Competitive junior tennis isn’t an easy path, and it certainly isn’t for everyone, but for those of us who have come out the other side, the answer is a resounding “YES!” “Junior Tennis Survivors”: That is what we have named our Facebook Group. Some have said that sounds negative, but we wear it with pride as a badge of honor. We have a unique bond. We understand each other without having seen each other…