Jan Silva back in USA
- Thread starter sureshs
- Start date
PimpMyGame
Hall of Fame
Sounds like a real mess. I feel bad for those kids.
tennisdad65
Hall of Fame
poor kid 
. Train daily at 7 years?!
living his parents dream and losing his own childhood.
. Train daily at 7 years?! living his parents dream and losing his own childhood.
BradBaughman
Banned
poor kid
living his parents dream and losing his own childhood.
Not True! have been able to get to know Scott a little over the phone and the whole experience has been for the childs benefit and talking with him ive never perceived it was for him or his wife ,As for his parents wanting the best and dreaming he will accomplish great things nothing wrong with that , some parents wants doctors, dentist, business men, ect. their wanting tennis and gave up everything for their kid not bad!!
I am curious whether Scott's only source of income was the funding from M-glou? In other words, he was dependent on his son for his livelihood? Was he in a better position before he moved to France (i.e., earning by himself)? If so, it is OK as he would have given up his job for the experiment and now trying to find one again. But I don't like it if Jan starts thinking that he must support his dad from now on.
I also find the divorce disturbing. For a family which claimed tennis for their son was so important that they had to uproot themselves and move abroad, the divorce kind of contradicts it.
I also find the divorce disturbing. For a family which claimed tennis for their son was so important that they had to uproot themselves and move abroad, the divorce kind of contradicts it.
PimpMyGame
Hall of Fame
So it's ok to give up everything for one kid, even if you have 3?
Like it or not the boy will blame himself if his parents divorce, I think they put way too much pressure on him doing what they did. Even if that pressure is only perceived in Jan's mind.
IMO there was always something a little fishy about this whole gig, I'm not exactly sure why they would want to make this move when Jan was so young. I know that moving potentially world class kids on is nothing new but consider Andy Murray. He left for Spain at about age 14 and until then was playing in Scotland and (I think) England, which are the two of the worst places in Europe to be incubating young talent.
Given the news about the split I wonder how much was for the kid and how much was to fulfil his parent's dreams (or even how much was to breathe life into a flagging relationship).
MIGHTY MANFRED THE WONDER
Semi-Pro
This has been hashed over time and again, with head waggers outnumbering the head nodders 10 to 1.
Turning around and driving by the squashed remains two or three times is about what I expect from the posters here.
There are numerous life lessons to be found, but only in silent introspection-
not USA Today.
What a fiasco and circus this has turned out to be- Anyone STILL supporting the motives or the sad outcome would have to be French.
Turning around and driving by the squashed remains two or three times is about what I expect from the posters here.
There are numerous life lessons to be found, but only in silent introspection-
not USA Today.
What a fiasco and circus this has turned out to be- Anyone STILL supporting the motives or the sad outcome would have to be French.
That was my point too. I hope the whole gig was not a paid international romantic vacation for Mom and Dad to rekindle the old fire in their relationship.
PimpMyGame
Hall of Fame
Yeah I noticed you posted whilst I was posting so we kind of crossed. Whatever anyone's take on this is, whe whole thing was a huge gamble and the major losers will be the kids.
By the way, I love the sig.
BradBaughman
Banned
i would be the first to say something if i knew or sensed there were wrong motives ,, one thing ive learned is getting the whole story ,hopefully from the source itself then you can come up with a sound judgement of the situation , i will personally try and help out if i can with advise cause when i talked to the man he was all about his kids and how they were gonna make it , .
When i first read the USA today story i thought ill ,but after talking on the phone i have a different view of them, I just hope they reunite although most on here will show that American attitude of hoping they fail so we can say "told you so" I wont be that guy
^^^ You have a point. When Gloria Connors used to tell her son that he should view his junior opponent as someone who is stealing his dinner, or when the struggling Mike Agassi put a racquet over his son's crib, people would have made fun of them. Same for Richard Williams when he decided not to have his daughters play juniors. etc etc. Those who win at the end will be remembered, the losers will be criticized as child abusers. Happens in academics, gymnastics, ballet, whatever. A doctor forcing his daughter to think about practising medicine since she is a kid is no different, only we don't usually scrutinize these cases.
BradBaughman
Banned
i have the same case my son is so driven and we have been criticized about him yet there are those who have spent time with us and were amazed at him getting up on his own to workout while i was still sleeping or at work , but from the outside it looks like the kid has to do these things or else ,not the case, anyways these kids are different and special and must be allowed to flourish.
eeytennis
Semi-Pro
poor kid
living his parents dream and losing his own childhood.
Living his parents dream? Perhaps, but that kid is very fortunate. Tennis is so competitive nowaday and if he is able to train daily then that's great, especially if he loves the game. My only concern would be him burning out, but if he is dedicated and really loves the game then that probably won't happen.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Won't burnout? Sounds like the entire family has burnt out.
3 years ago Jan was a happy little kid dancing around the court, living in sunny CA, mom was the tennis pro, dad had a job, mom and dad together, older brother enjoying his friends.
Now he is throwing tantrums, mom and dad are split, dad has no job, they are back in CA during the worst economy in 70 years, and his older brother most likely has a ton of resentment for having to leave in the first place.
Not sure how that experiment does not go down as a total disaster.
wilsondude
Banned
does he have any recent videos?
I wanna see this kid play now
I wanna see this kid play now
eeytennis
Semi-Pro
i wasn't aware that he was already throwing tantrums...where do you get this information. i guess my main point was that, he is very fortunate to have people who are willing to work with him as much as they do. Many young tennis players don't have the resources to train everyday, and it's that much harder for them to go pro. Jan, is very lucky. Although, kind of like you said, his family's issues could really affect things for him negatively.
TsongaEatingAPineappleLol
Banned
Silva's going to suck when he's older.
tacoben
Semi-Pro
I sincerely wish the whole family well and hope things work out for the young man. Now that Jan is back in Norcal, he'll be playing tournaments again up here again and I'd like to see what the whole hoopla is about.
But it leaves me to wonder if the family were taken for a ride by the French Tennis Academy?...now doing a two step, after some reflection, wanting out of this relationship/partership without looking bad? From a momentary point of view, I wonder how much they (the Academy) were investing?
But it leaves me to wonder if the family were taken for a ride by the French Tennis Academy?...now doing a two step, after some reflection, wanting out of this relationship/partership without looking bad? From a momentary point of view, I wonder how much they (the Academy) were investing?
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
I never trusted that french academy. In every news story the owner said over and over "we are investing $140,000 US per year in Jan".
The family was housed in a tiny villa onsite and Jan trained along all the other kids.....ain't where near $140,000 in costs. I don't trust people that inflate things like that for effect.
I think the academy thought they would get tons of free American press and maybe have lots of rich American tennis kids going over there and paying big bucks. When it didn't happen they started pulling the deal back.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Nah. I saw the video of the little villa they were living in. It was onsite and already there, maybe would rent for $800/month. The meals were part of the cafeteria. The program and facilities is not near an IMG...perhaps worth $25,000/year.
The entire package is more like half of what the owner kept touting. People who do that are running a con game.
LeftyServe
Semi-Pro
Have you seen the well-done documentary "Tie Break" about the Mortaglou Academy shown in the U.S. on Tennis Channel? The Silvas were prominently featured, but not glamourized. With my only source being that film, I think Mortaglou comes off very well and seems sincere in his recruitment of Silva, even though the move could be seen as exploitative and doomed.
BradBaughman
Banned
IF they are doing private daily lessons, 2 a day 80hr 160x5=800 a week x4 weeks =3200x12months=$38,400.00 So you can possibly be spending that much alone on the privates , Then you have clinics all week, the housing, the food ,the travel they were spending on them and from what i was told the they were paying for the older boys travel to and from the US also, but the worth of that type of package for a whole family to live there and travel to and from the US and pay for there travel cost 140 ,000 doesn't seem that far fetched at all .
BradBaughman
Banned
lefty they are being doomed in France and Im doing a horrible job with my son in the USA ,this guy seeths with envy and hate
WARPWOODIE
Rookie
If your calculations is right...then that is not a cost effective investment on a 7 year old unproven talent. Sounds like the Academy saw the light and bailed out. There is something more to this story that they (both parties) are not letting out.
BradBaughman
Banned
I agree i was giving and estimation on cost , it wasn't to the exact but a ballpark of the "worth" It might cost them $60,000 yet if you broke it down its a $140,000. I talk to Scott last night and all is not well with his wife and him they are working on it , but the guy is still "nuts" about his boys and to that i give him credit. As for the paticulars i wont get into but they are still working with the academy.
HipHerring
New User
holy crap, why didn't I know about this? Practically in my backyard!
BradBaughman
Banned
when i look at Jan all i see is a child who is more advanced then those of his age group , therefore you have a great foundation to start with ,dopes that mean he's the next great thing "NO" but you have someone that has some things that will allow him to advance for that goal and have a better chance at it .
I pull for him big time as do i for Madison Keyes ,and other kids i beleive have a chance ,they are American and iwant them to sucseeed ! the rest of the so-called coaches and parents on here who are hoping they will fail are real winners.
I hope Jan is playing my son one day at the French Open or Ausi or Us in the finals showing how great our nation is through our children who weve raised!!
goober
Legend
Interesting- you can judge how great a nation is by what athletes they have in the finals of one of their major events? I guess by that measure China, the old East Germany, USSR are/were great nations.
I really don't have a feeling one way or the other about the kid as a tennis fan. Wake me up when (and if )he does something major in about 10 years. Then I will take notice. Until then I can't figure out why we are spending so much time on him.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Exactly....several of us said the same thing 3 years ago. Simply that Jan hit very well....but so do lots of tennis kids. And some have quicker feet than Jan does. You just never see posted videos or news stories on the vast majority of them and they remain totally anonymous.
Honestly...if one dad seeks out press coverage and others do not, does that mean the kid on TV is the most talented??
But somehow tennis dads translate that to mean you are a hater who hopes their kid fails. Not sure how they get to that conclusion....but I have learned never to try and reason with a rabid tennis dad!
Last edited:
johnathan smith
Rookie
Scott is a good man and had his kids best interest at heart.
It's not like they were living hand to mouth in France. That was an experiance that those kids can use for the rest of the their lives.
It's not like their childhood is over at 7 and 13...
There is plenty of time left to "continue" to enjoy their youth.
I wish them nothing but the best.
It's not like they were living hand to mouth in France. That was an experiance that those kids can use for the rest of the their lives.
It's not like their childhood is over at 7 and 13...
There is plenty of time left to "continue" to enjoy their youth.
I wish them nothing but the best.
BradBaughman
Banned
Obviously im speeking within the context of sports ,great nations should be measured by morale and by that, the USA stands alone compared to all other country's.
As for Jan i hope the best for him, as do i all kids here and abroad that play this sport,
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Somehow I think the fact that mom and dad split up might be a little more important to the kids than their "experiance" in France.
It has nothing to do with wishing them the best or not. It was a supremely dumb decision to uproot 3 kids, sell their house and cars, quit their jobs, and move to a country they had never been before....because a 5 year old hit a tennis ball that was fed to him very well.
The PC on this board cracks me up.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Brad, you are entertaining. I love the USA and almost every male member of our family served in the armed forces. But the US ranks below many other countries in lifespan, reported happiness, and a lot of other measures.
And France and Spain have a MUCH higher percentage of top tennis players than we do. (I know, you are still living off the past).
Recognizing other countries strengths does not mean you love America any less.
BradBaughman
Banned
are you kidding us on here!! your the same one who has said in the past you can not determine a kids future in tennis , then said my son Deiton was at best a D2 player if that, and he was not athletic all by looking at a video and hear-say , then he's sluuging it out with a guy top 400 atp and loses 6 4 6 1,,does not mean hes going to the top of the atp but i highly dout D2 tennis
And you been nothing but venom towards Jan and His dad and their dreams and goals, My warning "what goes around comes around"
BradBaughman
Banned
and they all could have been J. Mccains or J. Kerry's who will do anythinng for there own and not the peoples.
But i was speaking of disaster relief and other humanitain causes we are the first to help not France or Spain.
As for the past what happen 10 yrs ago is not that far away .
BradBaughman
Banned
Good attitude Jon ,, you know how many break-ups happen every year in the USA , it have happen there or here ,but im sure they will work it out .
35ft6
Legend
That's sounds about right. Without youtube I woudn't know about any of these 5 yo kids.
35ft6
Legend
US Ranked Low in Humanitarian Aid. We rank 23rd in the world in happiness. And we have the second highest infant death rate in the modern world, and rank around 29th overall in countries with lowest infant mortality.
Still, America is cool. But lots of angry unhappy people here. Don't blame them. Our economy is terrible and good jobs are disappearing.
BradBaughman
Banned
In the 4Th paragraph of your article it points out exactly what i was saying that the USA is great in disaster relief 2nd only to the EU "OK 2ND" and as for a constant support of other nations we score low ,BUT i dont think they count us supporting all the Illegals from south of our border or they would have to put us at NO.1
The reason were angry here is we have trashed our foundations of what made this country great and that was "God Blessed America" we've trashed the thought of God and were being trashed our own fault.
almost every developed country has a problem with illegal immigrants except maybe for China.
and I think your right about GOD... too many liberals go crazy when they see the word GOD,they rather see schools and TV shows talk about gays and homosexuals than GOD..
goober
Legend
China does have a problem illegal immigration from North Korea.
WARPWOODIE
Rookie
The documentary, "Tie Break", is being shown right now on the Tennis Channel which features Jan Silva and the French Academy. Look for it in your area's air time.
Contrary to what Time magazine's headline writer thinks, the United States federal government is not synonymous with "the US." Individuals in the USA spend far more or charity than individual citizens in any other developed nation. When there is a disaster somewhere, aid starts flowing from countless charities in the USA to the spot that needs it. In most countries, the people figure it is the job of the government, not of private citizens, to render overseas aid.
BradBaughman
Banned
so true, and every university we have was started by those Christians check out Harvards history, for missionarys
Similar threads
