Reasons to move to a tennis academy

[Danat]

Can you guys give me a lot of reasons why it is best for juniors to move full-time to a tennis academy? Almost every professional did it when they reached a certain age, but why? The more reasons and feedback, the better

Thankks in advance!!!!

 

[papatenis]

Save your parents money for a good college education!

 

[tennismom42]

Can you guys give me a lot of reasons why it is best for juniors to move full-time to a tennis academy? Almost every professional did it when they reached a certain age, but why? The more reasons and feedback, the better

Thankks in advance!!!!

You should be in the recruiting process your Junior year. You only have 7 weeks until signing day.

My son went to an academy in the fall of his senior year. It was quite problematic and "late in the game" for some things, but good for other things. When you're in the juniors, it's difficult to see beyond juniors' competition. He got a lot out of the academy experience. It was good for him, in many ways and it equipped him better for college.

Going to an academy as a junior is possible, depending on your goals.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

The pros who went there were very elite talents. They most likely had scholarships and the academies helped hone them for the pros and to make lots of money.

If you are a Ryan Harrison caliber kid, go for it. If not, your parents will simply pay the bills for the few kids that are that good.

The difference in the value of an academy for a kid good enough to go pro and all the other kids is like night and day.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

You should be in the recruiting process your Junior year. You only have 7 weeks until signing day.

My son went to an academy in the fall of his senior year. It was quite problematic and "late in the game" for some things, but good for other things. When you're in the juniors, it's difficult to see beyond juniors' competition. He got a lot out of the academy experience. It was good for him, in many ways and it equipped him better for college.

Going to an academy as a junior is possible, depending on your goals.

I pretty sure that he meant junior as in the broad term tennis juniors. I don't think he meant high school class junior.

 

[willshot]

if you are somewhat less than extremely good than don't waste your money. go buy a hot girl or a hot car. at least you'll get something out of it

 

[Lasgo]

"If you are a Ryan Harrison caliber kid, go for it. If not, your parents will simply pay the bills for the few kids that are that good."

- How does the Ryan Harrison's of the world become the Ryan Harrison of the world as a junior?

a] talent?
b] support?
c] infrastructure?
d] etc., etc..

I reckoned that his parents were former collegiate tennis players, but most kids don't have that luxury.

Inquiring mind wants to know. Thank you.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

"If you are a Ryan Harrison caliber kid, go for it. If not, your parents will simply pay the bills for the few kids that are that good."

- How does the Ryan Harrison's of the world become the Ryan Harrison of the world as a junior?

a] talent?
b] support?
c] infrastructure?
d] etc., etc..

I reckoned that his parents were former collegiate tennis players, but most kids don't have that luxury.

Inquiring mind wants to know. Thank you.

Ryan's dad played some pro tennis for a while, challengers and futures mostly. He coached Ryan from the age of 2. So obviously IMG had a nice product to work already with when he got there. Ryan's mom and dad are some of the coolest tennis parents you will ever meet. Willing to do anything for the kids yet also know when to back off and let other experts do their thing. The Harrison boys could not have asked for more perfect tennis parents. Also IMG hired Ryan's dad as a coach to allow him to keep working with them.

 

[ronjohn]

Fair question - IMHO it comes down to ability, competition, and focus.

First of all ability (to pay), if it is or isn't within your means, scholarship or not. Many people look at it as an investment towards a college scholarship.

Next is the competition factor. Most clubs do not have the ability to provide the level of consistently high competition that Academies do. This also succeeds is setting the bar higher - (a "flying with the eagles factor)

Focus - kids at Academies share a common and organized focus. Obviously there is a difference between a kid that plays for a couple of hours a day after school and more on weekends, and a kid who goes through an organized program including three hours of tennis every day, plus mental and physical conditioning, and video analysis, orgranized match play, tournaments, etc.

Best way to go is to try out the academy for a week or two and go from there.

Good luck!

 

[ronjohn]

"If you are a Ryan Harrison caliber kid, go for it. If not, your parents will simply pay the bills for the few kids that are that good."

- How does the Ryan Harrison's of the world become the Ryan Harrison of the world as a junior?

a] talent?
b] support?
c] infrastructure?
d] etc., etc..

I reckoned that his parents were former collegiate tennis players, but most kids don't have that luxury.

Inquiring mind wants to know. Thank you.

Talent meets training.

 

[Lasgo]

Then is it fair to say that.....

a) Regardless where you're at, find a good Pro to develop and hone in your skills then IF you make some noise as a teenager (16s) then go to an academy?

b) No matter what you do or where are you're at (Florida, Europe, So Cal, etc.), if you don't have the complete package (talent, money, support from parents, etc.), you're wasting your time?

Sorry to be brutually blunt and oblivious to all this....but thank you for all posts/opinions/insight...

 

[Miami83095]

Very interesting topic... never really thought about it

 

[The_Expert]

I assume by the original poster, that you want your son/daughter to be a pro and you want to know more about academies as a route to that goal?

IMOP, there are really only a few academies in the world. Everyone else that calls their after school program - some with a lot of success, are not really academies. I know for a fact, that there are a lot of kids that go to academies for a lot of different reasons:

1. To improve their english
2. To learn more about the different cultures
3. To assist with NCAA scholarship or college assistance
4. Their parents dont want them at home
5. the kids dont want to be with their parents
6. Belief of being a professional player
7. Parents believe their kids will be professional player
8. Coaches mis-lead parents and kids to believing un-realistic dreams

To answer the questions that was asked... Academies are great for a lot of reasons. Academies are bad for a lot of reasons. Mostly, the decision should be what the player/kid wants to do....afterall, it is merely a boarding school for sports. Not the "secret sauce" or the lottery...it is tennis training and school combined. Expect nothing else. But be surprised with something great at the end of the academy life. Awesome experience for most people.

 

[Miami83095]

I assume by the original poster, that you want your son/daughter to be a pro and you want to know more about academies as a route to that goal?

IMOP, there are really only a few academies in the world. Everyone else that calls their after school program - some with a lot of success, are not really academies. I know for a fact, that there are a lot of kids that go to academies for a lot of different reasons:

1. To improve their english
2. To learn more about the different cultures
3. To assist with NCAA scholarship or college assistance
4. Their parents dont want them at home
5. the kids dont want to be with their parents
6. Belief of being a professional player
7. Parents believe their kids will be professional player
8. Coaches mis-lead parents and kids to believing un-realistic dreams

To answer the questions that was asked... Academies are great for a lot of reasons. Academies are bad for a lot of reasons. Mostly, the decision should be what the player/kid wants to do....afterall, it is merely a boarding school for sports. Not the "secret sauce" or the lottery...it is tennis training and school combined. Expect nothing else. But be surprised with something great at the end of the academy life. Awesome experience for most people.

Wow, good post

 

[Pro_Tour_630]

I assume by the original poster, that you want your son/daughter to be a pro and you want to know more about academies as a route to that goal?

You assumed wrong,

danny is a 14 year old 5.0 kid from LI who believes in being a Professional player. Just give the kid the few academies in the world you think are best. While you are at it, give the kid the secret sauce on how to be successful.

 

[SoCal10s]

last night I posted some negative side of going to a "tennis academy" but it got deleted .. it was meant to be a direct warning but saying that kind of truths are not looked upon as a thing to do on these blogs...

 

[papatenis]

IMOP, there are really only a few academies in the world. Everyone else that calls their after school program - some with a lot of success, are not really academies.QUOTE]

That is a terrible statement to make considering you're in the tennis business.
Where do you think non full time academy kids go?

Reason I didn't send my kids to a full time academy are many, but the major reason is that they don't give the kids a good education.

 

[The_Expert]

IMOP, there are really only a few academies in the world. Everyone else that calls their after school program - some with a lot of success, are not really academies.QUOTE]

That is a terrible statement to make considering you're in the tennis business.
Where do you think non full time academy kids go?

Reason I didn't send my kids to a full time academy are many, but the major reason is that they don't give the kids a good education.

I am sorry you took that the wrong way. I am huge believer in "local" academies. They continue to produce great tennis players and great students. I was referring to full-time academies to the original post. I believe the local coach is the most important aspect of the development of a great tennis player and great person. I do not agree with Federations around the world, taking a player away from their local coach. But in most cases, money talks to un-educated parents. What parent would turn down, wildcards, training, and travel money from a federation to keep training with their local coach? I think the smart ones defer to the best development for their kids...they do not defer to the best offer from the federation or from the full-time academies.

My opinion says the best scenerio in order is:

1. the player to live with their parents while training
2. the player to live with a host family while training
and the least favorable is
3. the player to live at an academy without their parents

However, everyone is different and testing the waters is the best way to see how it goes. Sometimes the parents can't handle being away from their child or giving up control of the players tennis. And sometimes, the player can not handle being away from their parents...or not mature enough to be self disciplined.

I can tell you that a good academic student is always a good academic student...regardless of where they are going to school. An exceptional student requires exceptional education.... So it depends on what balance you want to achieve. Exceptional education and exceptional tennis training are hard to find in one location. It happens, but its difficult to find.

 

[Pro_Tour_630]

as predicted......and the only few academies in the world are

1.

2.

3.

 

[ronjohn]

as predicted......and the only few academies in the world are

1.

2.

3.

I have to agree 100% on this one - there are only a few full time tennis academies with unparalleled records of producing champions year after year. I'll take a stab at it.

1) IMG Bollettieri
2) Saddlebrook Hopman
3) Sanchez Spain

 

[notennis]

I have to agree 100% on this one - there are only a few full time tennis academies with unparalleled records of producing champions year after year. I'll take a stab at it.

1) IMG Bollettieri
2) Saddlebrook Hopman
3) Sanchez Spain

Unfortunenatly Saddlebrook is 2 years behind on there education at the Prep school the students attend at the Resort....IMG has good education and I'm not sure about Sanchez/Casal. You can have your cake and eat it too if you don't drop off your kids at an academy, and leave them and than return only to frind out they our on the wrong track hanging around the wrong crowd etc. Parents should be part of the process and thats the truth of the matter........

 

[Spanglish72]

Currently IMG only has 3 players in the top 100 junior ITF boys & girls world rankings respectively.

That means 97 kids didn't need to go to IMG to reach a high level.

At $60K - $80K a year to attend IMG, I would expect at least 10-15 kids in the top 100 ITF junior ranks to be from their academy.

My kid trains at our local club & has beaten both IMG & Weil Tennis Academy full time students in tourneys.

Save your money!

 

[jrtennisplayer]

I'm fourteen years old and where I live has no tennis opportunities for juniors to excel. For a while now, I've been thinking of moving to the Academia Sanhcez-Casal Barcelona, but Is it worth it?