For the vast majority of families, tennis is an expensive sport. Equipment, travel, coaching etc all take a toll on a family’s budget. In many cases a lack of money results in the player having reduced tournament exposure and in a worst case scenario, requiring the player to leave the sport.
There are different phases of a player’s development. In order to maximise your improvement in return you need to know how much, when to spend your money and at what time.
When - Ages 6 to 10
Primarily this phase of development would see motor skills, athletic skills, character development and technical skills being focussed on. If your child shows legitimate potential I would also consider taking private lessons to ensure his technical foundation is solid and clean. Allowing your child to play other sports (really helps in motor skill and athletic development) is suggested. Most sports are less expensive than tennis and are primarily team sports which will also see interaction with peers and therefore character development.
How much
During this phase your biggest expense will be coaching. Private lessons will be your biggest cost. Each coach will have their own philosophy regarding the frequency of private lessons required however as a general rule I would suggest 3 to 4 privates per month. Tournament travel will be minimal and your child does not need 3 to 4 racquets at the age of 8. Suggesting a dollar amount is not viable but if I have 100% my budget would be -
Coaching 70%
Equipment 10%
Tournaments – 20%
When - Ages 11 to 14
The transition phase of development is where players will decide to try their luck at higher level tennis. Training volumes will increase, budget will need to be enlarged and tournament participation will become more frequent. More regular private lessons will take place. Fitness will become a daily aspect of training along with the possible introduction of specialists (psychologist, nutritionist, physiotherapist etc).The additional cost of working with these specialists will be shown as misc. in our how much section.
How much
Coaching 40%
Equipment 10%
Misc. 10%
Tournaments 40%
When Ages 15 to 18
Most players at this age will be in their competitive stage of development. This means tournaments, travel and money, money, money. At this age players should play around 15 to 20 tournaments per year assuming that the tournaments are appropriate. Remember the number of matches a player has is more important than the number of tournaments played. Equipment costs such as restrings, frequent replacement of footwear and having 2 to 3 racquets all increase the equipment budget. Coaching will occur around 30 weeks of the year so this in turn should see a reduction in coaching costs. If you are a parent of a highly ranked junior, private lessons and hitting sessions will probably make up the bulk of your coaching expenses.
How much
Coaching 25%
Equipment 10%
Misc. 10%
Tournaments / travel – 55%
by- Todd Clark
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