so what do you think about academies

[babolat15]

^^^even if you're that good are they worth it

[Brendan]

I would go to one in a heartbeat if my parents would let me...you improve alot more faster than you would being an after school and weekend player. And you also play with better people.

[BradBaughman]

if its saddlebrook im all for it!

[10isDad]

When you ask "are they worth it?" are you posing the question to juniors or to parents? Junior players will likely think academies are worth it, but they don't have to foot the bill.

As a parent, unless you're made of throw-away money, I think you would need to honestly appraise your child. Generally speaking, you can tell if they have "it", as long as it's an honest appraisal.

Personally, I think my child would improve at a decent academy, but I'm not sure it'd be enough improvement to warrant a payoff - which in our case would be an athletic scholarship at the school he's interested in most - that would make the initial expense 'worth it'.

In reading about some of the academies, there are definitely differences in them. If your parents are up to sending you, do some research so you know if you're going to get enough personalized attention instead of being lost in some 'factory' atmosphere.

[BradBaughman]

10's dad we were in florida and out of all the academies Saddlebrook was probably the best, solid coaches, solid players and the ratio was great 3 to 4 with a coach and they didn't put up with any attitudes,they excused one kid for the week! our next would probably be evert . Bolliteries was good lots of players almost to many sort of like a puppy mill,but depending on what your after long term or just a week it would be Saddle for us!

[baseline08thrasher]

If you really want to get into one of those try going to a national tournament or something, and then if there are coaches there from the academies you might get spotted.
Or write a letter or something to the head people.
Or try to go to the academies in the summer and if you are good they will see it. And if they see it they might ask you to stay.
Because my friend was #1 in the nation for girls 14's and she got to go to weil tennis academy any time she wanted to.

[Katlion]

If you really want to get into one of those try going to a national tournament or something, and then if there are coaches there from the academies you might get spotted.
Or write a letter or something to the head people.
Or try to go to the academies in the summer and if you are good they will see it. And if they see it they might ask you to stay.
Because my friend was #1 in the nation for girls 14's and she got to go to weil tennis academy any time she wanted to.
Hey, what's your friend's name? The one that was number 1?

[2ndserve642]

theyre not worth the money

[Barca tennis]

theyre not worth the money

try telling that to the many stars that come out of Barcelona tennis academies!
:)

[baseline08thrasher]

Here name is Dana, and she's from bakersfield.
She got injured so she wasn't number 1 anymore

[bab pure drive roddick]

academies are the way to go. i have stepped up my abilities so much

[xtremerunnerars]

I'd give up a lot to go to one. I see top ranked juniors at the club I play at (and I mean TOP!) and I know that I have more than enough speed and stuff to hang with them...but I just haven't played enough.

I can't stand to see the really good kids throwing it away by being out of shape and slow.


If you have a chance, I think you should go for it. That way, you'll know in the end whether or not you were meant to play tennis at a really high level.

[SoCal10s]

academies are the way to go if you wan to get hurt or burnt out... yeah the kids improve and why not?... if you play enough hours of tennis everyday your bound to get better,but anyone can do that anywhere. A SoCal tennis academy have their kids hit balls for 6 hours a day.... com-on if you don't improve playing 6 hours a day then you're an idiot... I just feel that it's way too much play and when growing kids do something like that,they are looking for long term injuries and burn out...I've been noticing a great young player,his name is Lawrence F from SoCal,last year,he was winning everything in sight. He won the Easter Bowl 16s and went to an academy in Florida and ????check out his progress... He can't win,he has hard times getting out of the first round... 5 summer tournaments all over the country,he won 1 round... What was it,?injury?,burnt out ? home-sick? This guy is not the first and won't be the last.. They give these champion kids a full ride to the academy and then try to change their winning game and now he's a washout... If you are considering about a tennis academy, my word is BE CAREFUL for what you ask for... If you have tons of money and want to play endless hours of non-quality tennis and like being in a crowd, then you may like academy tennis... You'll come out of there acting like a cry-baby spoiled brat who questions every call but you will hit a better ball ..

[#1fan]

academies are the way to go if you wan to get hurt or burnt out... yeah the kids improve and why not?... if you play enough hours of tennis everyday your bound to get better,but anyone can do that anywhere. A SoCal tennis academy have their kids hit balls for 6 hours a day.... com-on if you don't improve playing 6 hours a day then you're an idiot... I just feel that it's way too much play and when growing kids do something like that,they are looking for long term injuries and burn out...I've been noticing a great young player,his name is Lawrence F from SoCal,last year,he was winning everything in sight. He won the Easter Bowl 16s and went to an academy in Florida and ????check out his progress... He can't win,he has hard times getting out of the first round... 5 summer tournaments all over the country,he won 1 round... What was it,?injury?,burnt out ? home-sick? This guy is not the first and won't be the last.. They give these champion kids a full ride to the academy and then try to change their winning game and now he's a washout... If you are considering about a tennis academy, my word is BE CAREFUL for what you ask for... If you have tons of money and want to play endless hours of non-quality tennis and like being in a crowd, then you may like academy tennis... You'll come out of there acting like a cry-baby spoiled brat who questions every call but you will hit a better ball ..

Yep, could not agree with you more. My son is finishing a year at an "academy"...he is totally burned out and says he is "not enjoying" tennis anymore. He did get much better but I don't really think it was worth the time or money. Plus, his education suffered by missing so much school...his grades dropped and now he has got to work to get his GPA up to even get into college...rather than a scholorship!