Could have I made it?

[Tmano]

Who thinks here on the board that with a early start as kid and adeguate training would have made to become a pro?

Also who was almost there but for some reasons (injury, money, family issue, personal issue) could not make it

[Sumo]

No, and neither could you.

[krz]

G and Q are no where near each other

[r2473]

I could have.

But I much prefer offering advice to the pros via the TT message board.

[Tmano]

Originally Posted by Sumo

No, and neither could you.

How do you know that? sure not........too tough

[hollywood9826]

If I had lessons frmo a compentant pro from a young age then no doubt I could have.

Also if I any intiative at all I could have played in the major leagues. But Im lazy and never worked at anything hard. Cal Ripken Sr. told me when I was 18 that I needed somebody to kick me in the @SS. I just moped around dropped out of college after a semester and jooined the Air Force.

I dont have the height to be a modern day NFL tight but I could have easily been a Fullback that can catch passes out of the backfield.

[BlueB]

I guess, I could have...
I'm on naturally athletic side of things. I started competitively with one sport at age 19 and got to semi-pro level and national team member, with practicaly no formal coaching. I picked another sport (from scratch) at "young" age of 33, non-competitively, and by 36 I was already a teaching pro and member of national association. Now at 43, I'm about to be in the upper ranks...

[PrimeChoice]

to do that you need a ball machine that hits 110 mph
You need to use it , A LOT
Need great coaches
You need to be genetical gifted
and you need to play up in the Juniors

[Sumo]

Originally Posted by Tmano

How do you know that? sure not........too tough

Were you the single best athlete in your area growing up?

Originally Posted by BlueB

I guess, I could have...
I'm on naturally athletic side of things. I started competitively with one sport at age 19 and got to semi-pro level and national team member, with practicaly no formal coaching. I picked another sport (from scratch) at "young" age of 33, non-competitively, and by 36 I was already a teaching pro and member of national association. Now at 43, I'm about to be in the upper ranks...

That's impressive. I'd love to know what sports.

[LeeD]

I think any athlete who played junior high sports at the highest levels of his school, had good coaching, was interested in the game, AVOIDED injuries, could make the top 200 in ATP.
Unfortunately, 90% of rising sports athletes get injured, sets them back a few months, which works out to be TRIPLE the setback of someone not injured.
Coaching is easy to find. Athletes are easy to find. Interest is much tougher, but very few can overcome the injuries during the formulative years.

[LeeD]

In other words, are you amongst the best 10 athletes of your junior high, were you interested in the commitment, were you willing to accept coaching, did you have the support from parents, and did you avoid injuries?

[T1000]

I never took a lesson or got coaching until I was 18. Got to top 50 in my section in the 18s and made my college DI team (middle of the A10, don't play anymore). I played basketball, baseball (pitcher), football (QB), skiing and soccer since I was 5 and started MMA/boxing a year ago and already competed in them (won 2 boxing and 2 mma fights). Had two rotator cuff surgeries and tore my distal bicep tendon last summer and needed surgery. Also have had 7 concussions so I'm legally brain damaged.

Either I am athletically gifted or I am a freak athlete now because of all these sports. I was always naturally good at sports and pick them up quick. If I could go back in time, only focus on tennis, and receive top quality coaching then I might have a chance. Most of my game is based on using my athletic abilities to outrun, outlast, and outhit (overpower) my opponents. My serve would probably be weaker because I wouldn't be playing baseball and football. I might even be worse off.

Also I have never been focused on tennis. It's not my favorite sport and I may perform worse when I don't have other competitive sports to distract me. I might even quit.

So basically I have no clue if I'd even be better than I am now.

[LeeD]

So, poster 12 certainly qualifies.
I think I do also, but my first set of broken legs happenned when I was 16.
Parents wanted me in academics.
Tennis was sissy. I played football and basketball for my high school.
No biggie. I got to try tennis for 4 years, windsurfing for 10, surfing for 10, waterski jumping for 8 tournaments, and snowboard and ski racing, besides kiteboard racing and fencing competitions.

[r2473]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNzBgR0UoYo

[LeeD]

Well, if you plan to go on with your life, you have to believe you are a capable person, at least as good as the better ones in life.
I'd hate to go on in life knowing I was only as quick as a parapeligic, as smart as an idiot, as strong as the kid who get's sand kicked in his face, and as good looking as Yoda of StarWars....

[Tmano]

[quote=Sumo;7044830]Were you the single best athlete in your area growing up?


I was a pretty good well respected soccer player when 17....but who is not in Italy?

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

No, not me, and I had every opportunity, early start, solid athleticism, good coaching, training squads, the whole deal.

What I learned is that I had the talent to be an excellent hitting partner for anyone, a decent coach and a competitive open tournament player at a local and state level. I'm still a strong 5.0 at 46.

In other words, a million miles from successful pro tennis on the tour!

I was fortunate to train with a player who made the top 100 (high of 87, I think), won a couple of 250 tournaments and made the fourth round at Wimbledon, and he was just so much better at everything than I was it was comical.

It was a blessing, really, because I had no illusions. Had I been in a different area, I might have persisted in ignorance and blown a few years tilting at the windmill, but fortunately I had a handy-dandy reality check across the net 3 nights a week.

If I had any doubts at all, they would have been dashed when I lost to a 12 year old in the semi final of an 18s event. (6 -1 6 - 0)

He went on to the top 20, but that's another story...

[Fugazi]

Originally Posted by Timbo's hopeless slice

No, not me, and I had every opportunity, early start, solid athleticism, good coaching, training squads, the whole deal.

What I learned is that I had the talent to be an excellent hitting partner for anyone, a decent coach and a competitive open tournament player at a local and state level. I'm still a strong 5.0 at 46.

In other words, a million miles from successful pro tennis on the tour!

I was fortunate to train with a player who made the top 100 (high of 87, I think), won a couple of 250 tournaments and made the fourth round at Wimbledon, and he was just so much better at everything than I was it was comical.

It was a blessing, really, because I had no illusions. Had I been in a different area, I might have persisted in ignorance and blown a few years tilting at the windmill, but fortunately I had a handy-dandy reality check across the net 3 nights a week.

If I had any doubts at all, they would have been dashed when I lost to a 12 year old in the semi final of an 18s event. (6 -1 6 - 0)

He went on to the top 20, but that's another story...

Who exactly? (especially curious about the 12 year old)

[chrischris]

I could have but my love for the ladies and food were greater than my work ethic.

[ramos77]

If I could have somehow avoided puberty, girls, booze, cars and had rich parents

Yes, why not.