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Forget spending $100 to outfit your little slugger
with a bat, ball and glove. These days, parents are spending big
bucks on private coaching and individualized training, opportunities
once reserved for elite athletes entering the professional arena.
Clinics and camps, individualized training programs
and athletic training centers offering private coaching are popping
up all over the country and cashing in on parents' desire to groom
young players into the best baseball players they can be.
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| Ways to help slugger improve |
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"What we've seen with the Ripken Baseball organization
is a trend where many parents want their children to become very,
very proficient at this sport at age 7, 8, 9, 10 years old,"
says Rob Weinhold, general manager of Ripken
Baseball Camps and Clinics. "The fact of the matter is
that they're just kids."
Edward Gjertsen, certified financial planner and vice
president of Mack Investment Securities Inc., advises his clients
to keep both their spending and expectations realistic. "If
you're spending a lot of money on your child, do it because you
want to give your child a chance to develop baseball skills and
have some fun, but don't think of it as an investment," Gjertsen
says.
There are no guarantees of college scholarships, major
league contracts or endorsement checks, no matter how much money
you spend helping your child build his or her athletic prowess.
Still, many parents and children alike feel peer pressure
to follow suit. When it seems like everyone else's child is getting
private lessons and participating on travel teams, it's hard to
deny your child the same opportunity.
With so many training opportunities out there today,
what is the best use of your money, time and energy? Check out these
options to help you decide what's best for your family.
Private coaching
"A lot of parents are shelling out a tremendous amount of money
for private, pure one-on-one coaching," says Gjertsen, who
is also a member of the Financial Planning Association.
The cost of private coaching varies, but the average
sports center charges $30 to $60 per half-hour session. Discounted
rates are available if you purchase multiple sessions at a time.
Does private coaching really help? Weinhold believes
so. "Whether it's batting or pitching or fielding or some other
form of instruction, you can learn from someone who is more proficient
than you and that will, No. 1, improve your skill set and, No. 2,
give you a sense of confidence that you may otherwise not have had,"
says Weinhold.
Whether to get private coaching is a family decision
based on the desires of the child and his or her parent, as well
as the family finances.
"If instruction is handled properly and productively,
and the young person remains invigorated about the game, then it
can be a very important instructional tool in the development of
a young player," says Weinhold.
Travel teams
Families who have youngsters playing on travel teams know just how
expensive weekend games can be. Expenses range from mileage on the
family car to hotel rooms and meals.
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