Homeschool for competitive tennis player in a non academy environment

[ac10splyr]

Seeing the experiences, negative or positive, while coaching high levels juniors at a typical club with no other kids who are homeschooled...

[hhollines]

My wife and I discussed this in-depth. Several of the top juniors in our section are home schooled. It's obviously a personal decision. We opted against it because we believe the social growth you get in school is so important to your development as a young kid and ultimately as an adult. Plus, my daughter loves school and the social piece is a key piece (John McEnroe is also a big fan of school and against home schooling, for what it's worth).

I never want tennis to take over her life. It's her choice but I see her going to parties, dances, dating (yes, I'm a dad that accepts his daughter will date one day , etc. Tennis is isolating enough. You learn life lessons in school (the good, bad, tough, etc.). Even if you become the #1 ranked pro in the world, tennis will only comprise a fraction of your life . . . As a parent, I just pray my kids have happy, fulfilling and long lives. Hopefully tennis helps my daughter develop into a strong, independent and self thinking woman.

[Chemist]

Originally Posted by hhollines

My wife and I discussed this in-depth. Several of the top juniors in our section are home schooled. It's obviously a personal decision. We opted against it because we believe the social growth you get in school is so important to your development as a young kid and ultimately as an adult. Plus, my daughter loves school and the social piece is a key piece (John McEnroe is also a big fan of school and against home schooling, for what it's worth).

I never want tennis to take over her life. It's her choice but I see her going to parties, dances, dating (yes, I'm a dad that accepts his daughter will date one day , etc. Tennis is isolating enough. You learn life lessons in school (the good, bad, tough, etc.). Even if you become the #1 ranked pro in the world, tennis will only comprise a fraction of your life . . . As a parent, I just pray my kids have happy, fulfilling and long lives. Hopefully tennis helps my daughter develop into a strong, independent and self thinking woman.

Home schooling was never an option for my son, as we wanted him to have the best education and be a normal high school kid. He hangs out with his friends, goes to parties and dances when he is not playing tournament. I actually encouraged him to date a girl that has yet to happen. As for tennis training, he practices two hours in clinics after school Monday to Thursday; takes an hour lesson Tuesday; and when not playing tournament in the weekend, he does match play, take another private lesson, practice with me or does fitness. He has to do his home work after we come back home; a few weeks ago, he stayed until around 2 AM to finish his assay.

In our section (sophomores, juniors, and seniors), two blue chips are training in academies. All other top kids (1 blue chip, 5 5-stars and a few 4-stars ranked above 150) are attending regular schools. I know a few home schooling boys, but they are not among the best players.

[ac10splyr]

I was more looking for any experience with a kid not at an academy doing homeschool, lets say in a small town, or a club that is very adult based...Just seeing any success stories or troubles...
Again, it could be motivation because no other kid from club or area doing it...

Curious

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by ac10splyr

I was more looking for any experience with a kid not at an academy doing homeschool, lets say in a small town, or a club that is very adult based...Just seeing any success stories or troubles...
Again, it could be motivation because no other kid from club or area doing it...

Curious

I know several home school kids at our club that I would rather not share what I really know in a public forum. sorry

[ac10splyr]

Pro-tour 630, if you dont mind my asking, would you be able to speak off the forum?
In that situation with a student....

[Mitch Bridge]

Originally Posted by hhollines

My wife and I discussed this in-depth. Several of the top juniors in our section are home schooled. It's obviously a personal decision. We opted against it because we believe the social growth you get in school is so important to your development as a young kid and ultimately as an adult. Plus, my daughter loves school and the social piece is a key piece (John McEnroe is also a big fan of school and against home schooling, for what it's worth).

I never want tennis to take over her life. It's her choice but I see her going to parties, dances, dating (yes, I'm a dad that accepts his daughter will date one day , etc. Tennis is isolating enough. You learn life lessons in school (the good, bad, tough, etc.). Even if you become the #1 ranked pro in the world, tennis will only comprise a fraction of your life . . . As a parent, I just pray my kids have happy, fulfilling and long lives. Hopefully tennis helps my daughter develop into a strong, independent and self thinking woman.

McEnroe grew up in an excellent tennis area with a prestigious after-school academy (Port Washington TA) nearby. He was also wealthy. It is easier for certain players to express what they feel is best when it was all at their disposal locally. Things are more complicated when you don't have top-notch training nearby or the proper funds to travel and train.

[hhollines]

"McEnroe grew up in an excellent tennis area with a prestigious after-school academy (Port Washington TA) nearby. He was also wealthy. It is easier for certain players to express what they feel is best when it was all at their disposal locally. Things are more complicated when you don't have top-notch training nearby or the proper funds to travel and train."

Not sure I follow. How does this differ from anyone else? Tennis is insanely expensive, for everyone. Sure, some have more money than others but I don't know many poor families that can afford the hourly costs for a coach, clinics, hitting groups and/or travel for tournaments.

As for the "excellent tennis area," I've been saying that for a long time. The better tennis environment you live in, the better your chances (back to Malcolm Gladwell's point). In fact, if you are in a weaker section, you likely spend more money constantly having to travel outside your state.

I'm not judging anyone regarding whether or not to home school, attend an academy or not, as it's a personal decision. However, for our family, we just think there's tremendous benefits to attending school and I have no illusions that my daughter is going to make a living at tennis (if it happens, god bless her) but our primary focus is always education and trying to equip our daughter with the tools to be a productive and happy member of society and I think the daily interaction at school (the good, the bad, and the ugly) is all part of the development skills required for the real world (again, just our perspective).

[db10s]

I'm have 3/4 school and 1/4 virtual, I get the social interaction, but still have enough time for tennis.

[tball2day]

The social connections in tennis can be amazing and thorough, and depending on the high school environment, preferred to the ones made there. Usually the high end tennis kids aren't that connected to their high school anyway, just like any overachiever in any activity that does it outside versus through the school, but they find ways to still go to dances, etc., if they want. A lot of times they are doing social things that are preferred by them, like traveling to great places and connecting with their tennis buds along the way. They tend to go to school just to get it done. We didn't consider social into our decisions, you can get social anywhere.

[MarTennis]

Originally Posted by db10s

I'm have 3/4 school and 1/4 virtual, I get the social interaction, but still have enough time for tennis.

How does that work with the school district? How do determine what classes and where? Cost?

[db10s]

Originally Posted by MarTennis

How does that work with the school district? How do determine what classes and where? Cost?

No additional cost, I get out of school early, and take 2 FLVS (Florida virtual school) classes. Where normally I would have 2 electives, I only have my core (math, history, etc...) classes, and do the 2 electives online. It's pretty common in S. Florida, so the school district had an idea of what to do.

[MarTennis]

Originally Posted by db10s

No additional cost, I get out of school early, and take 2 FLVS (Florida virtual school) classes. Where normally I would have 2 electives, I only have my core (math, history, etc...) classes, and do the 2 electives online. It's pretty common in S. Florida, so the school district had an idea of what to do.

thank you very much.

[Chemist]

If the education and social needs are met with home schooling, then I believe that home schooled kids should have an advantage over regular schooled kids in tennis training. The indoor courts should be more available and/or cheaper before 3:00 PM. It would be a lot easier to book privates with a good coach. You may bargain for a lower rate as well, as coaches are usually not so busy when kids are in the school. However, you would need to find him/her a good practice partner, another good homeschooling kid or have private everyday or work with a parent. Hitting with a ball machine may be another option.

[ga tennis]

I wish my wife and i could afford to homeschool my daughter. It is such an advantage because my daughter is at school from 7;30 till 4;00 and by the time she gets home she is tired mentally. The other advantage is when we get back from a tournament late sunday night she has to get right back up early monday morning to go to school. This makes her tired while the homeschool girls have the option of sleeping in monday morning. I think my daughter would not really like homeschool because she is sooooo social and loves being at school around all of her friends. I know that the education she gets at her school is light years ahead of what i could do for her at home. I can only imagine when she gets into high school how in the world would i be able to help her with trig and calculus????? I know that she has a very slim chance of being a money making pro so imma make sure her education is top notch so she will be able to get a good job one day. Im not saying that a homeschool education isnt great i just know that we could not afford to do it and i dont think that is what she really wants. Maybe one day she will say daddy i need to be training more and being at a traditional school is hurting her tennis. If thats ever the case we will find a way to make it work. It would be nice to be rich and my wife not have to work so she could stay home and homeschool the kids. My new way of thinking is one day at a time and to not stress about the things i cant control.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

I can only imagine when she gets into high school how in the world would i be able to help her with trig and calculus?????

Math can be managed. It is the science courses with labs (regular and AP) which are very difficult/impossible to duplicate at home. For the regular courses, I guess the labs can be done with one of the home-schooling science kits. But for an AP science course, teacher's guidance in the lab becomes very important and the lab itself is subject to College Board guidelines for it to be accredited.

My son is doing AP Biology this year and the content and labs are way, way above what I studied a generation ago. I have no clue what is going on.

[Chemist]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Math can be managed. It is the science courses with labs (regular and AP) which are very difficult/impossible to duplicate at home. For the regular courses, I guess the labs can be done with one of the home-schooling science kits. But for an AP science course, teacher's guidance in the lab becomes very important and the lab itself is subject to College Board guidelines for it to be accredited.

My son is doing AP Biology this year and the content and labs are way, way above what I studied a generation ago. I have no clue what is going on.

Agree! The labs are not easy to do at home. My son takes AP Chemistry this year. His teacher is doing such a great job that she requires kids to enter the data and results on a lab notebook and have the content witnessed on the same day that an experiment is run. My son is doing a better job than what I did in my graduate school!

I wanted to add one more point - kids may feel more pressured (mostly from parents) to perform well if home schooled or attending a full time academy. A few kids in our section actually did worse in tournament after attending academy or home schooled. Two went back to a regular school after home schooled for one year and saw ranking go up. Well they also changed their coach.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by Chemist

Agree! The labs are not easy to do at home. My son takes AP Chemistry this year. His teacher is doing such a great job that she requires kids to enter the data and results on a lab notebook and have the content witnessed on the same day that an experiment is run. My son is doing a better job than what I did in my graduate school!

I wanted to add one more point - kids may feel more pressured (mostly from parents) to perform well if home schooled or attending a full time academy. A few kids in our section actually did worse in tournament after attending academy or home schooled. Two went back to a regular school after home schooled for one year and saw ranking go up. Well they also changed their coach.

Interesting you mentioned AP Chem. My son took Honors Chem last year, the school will not let him to AP Chem again because they don't want him to hog two science slots a year (AP Bio this year, AP Phy next year). So I am going to have him do AP Chem in a private special school (it is basically one office suite with the kitchen as a lab) next summer. It is one block from where we live. He will get a transcript but cannot write the AP exam, because it is not offered in summer. I don't care about that because he will already have 2 APs going into the senior year. I might be shelling out $4000 for this summer AP course. It is a 1 one 1 setting and flexible timings.

Something along these lines should make home schooling easier for labs. Or of course the charter schools which offer some days of regular schooling a week - labs can be squeezed in there. Though I don't know how many have the infrastructure for an AP science course.

[maggmaster]

You can sit the AP exam the following year, you don't even need to take a class to sit those exams. I took 4 exams that my school didn't offer classes for and got credit for all 4 with self study.

[Chemist]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Interesting you mentioned AP Chem. My son took Honors Chem last year, the school will not let him to AP Chem again because they don't want him to hog two science slots a year (AP Bio this year, AP Phy next year). So I am going to have him do AP Chem in a private special school (it is basically one office suite with the kitchen as a lab) next summer. It is one block from where we live. He will get a transcript but cannot write the AP exam, because it is not offered in summer. I don't care about that because he will already have 2 APs going into the senior year. I might be shelling out $4000 for this summer AP course. It is a 1 one 1 setting and flexible timings.

Something along these lines should make home schooling easier for labs. Or of course the charter schools which offer some days of regular schooling a week - labs can be squeezed in there. Though I don't know how many have the infrastructure for an AP science course.

My son also took Honor Chem last year. His school allows him to double up sciences, AP Chem and AP Phys this year, because he took BYU's US History on-line in the summer. We paid a few hundreds for this course. I never asked if a home schooled kid is allowed to take labs in a regular school - I would think its likely.