You choose this child's sport.

Ralph Wiggum · #1 06-02-2007, 01:36 PM

I've actually had something like this happen to a good friend of mine recently.

Say you have a child under the age of 5. You're asked to make the child a professional athlete.

Which sport do you pick, if your goal is the following.
1) You want the child to receive a full college scholarship from playing his sport.
2) You want the child to become a professional athlete. The child should be able to make enough money playing that sport to take care of his expenses for most of life, given he's decent to good with his personal finance.

How about for a girl?

Artdogg · #2 06-02-2007, 01:42 PM

If no one cares about being entertained by the sport id say baseball for men and tennis for women. I think it's close between baseball and basketball for men because of both money and wear and tear. Tennis for women because I think that's the only women's sport where you can make monster money (other than golf sometimes.)

MrFeelNothin · #3 06-02-2007, 01:57 PM

So the question is what sport would be the best selection if a kid's sole purpose in life is to become a professional athlete?

I think basketball would be the worst choice, because if the kid doesn't end up being 6'5"+ he has basically no chance to make it.

If we are assuming the kid will make it to the pros, then football would be worse obviously, incredibly short career, damage to body.

Either way, I think golf would be the best choice, a lot more room to mold your game even if you aren't the greatest athlete, dedication goes a lot further than most team sports. Plus the life of a professional golfer would be pretty sweet and you don't have to worry about being disabled in old age.

mo42nyy · #4 06-02-2007, 01:58 PM

Also depends on your bod type. Im tall and lefthanded and have pitched since i was 6 or 7. The problem is when you're little either nobody knows proper mechanics or noone cares about them if you keep pitching good.

IggyWH · #5 06-02-2007, 04:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If no one cares about being entertained by the sport id say baseball for men and tennis for women. I think it's close between baseball and basketball for men because of both money and wear and tear. Tennis for women because I think that's the only women's sport where you can make monster money (other than golf sometimes.)

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, you're thinking too big. I say tennis for both. It is easy to get scholarships for tennis as I have many friends who went to school on full rides for tennis who weren't all that good. They just were better than a lot of other people because they played it for so long.

Chances are if you go to college playing tennis, you're not good enough to be a "pro". However, it doesn't mean you can't be a "tennis pro" at some country club.resort/whatever.

I have a friend who was ok in tennis in college. She was a little better than .500 but I think she was a 3 playing. She now works at a resort and makes a good living off of it.

VarlosZ · #6 06-02-2007, 04:46 PM

Without knowing whether the kid is going to have a pro-type athletic body -- 6' 3", 200, muscular -- I'd train him to be the best NFL kicker and/or punter ever. It matters even for baseball players; next time you go to a ballgame, keep track of how many players of average height come to the plate.

polkaface · #7 06-04-2007, 03:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Without knowing whether the kid is going to have a pro-type athletic body -- 6' 3", 200, muscular -- I'd train him to be the best NFL kicker and/or punter ever. It matters even for baseball players; next time you go to a ballgame, keep track of how many players of average height come to the plate.

[/ QUOTE ]

Baseball players aren't THAT tall. Looking at 5 teams in MLB the batters are between 5-9 and 6-5. The average baseball non-pitcher seems to be 6-0 or 6-1 (according to this sample of 5 teams).

Artdogg · #8 06-02-2007, 06:10 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If no one cares about being entertained by the sport id say baseball for men and tennis for women. I think it's close between baseball and basketball for men because of both money and wear and tear. Tennis for women because I think that's the only women's sport where you can make monster money (other than golf sometimes.)

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, you're thinking too big. I say tennis for both. It is easy to get scholarships for tennis as I have many friends who went to school on full rides for tennis who weren't all that good. They just were better than a lot of other people because they played it for so long.

Chances are if you go to college playing tennis, you're not good enough to be a "pro". However, it doesn't mean you can't be a "tennis pro" at some country club.resort/whatever.

I have a friend who was ok in tennis in college. She was a little better than .500 but I think she was a 3 playing. She now works at a resort and makes a good living off of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess I didn't fully understand the question. I was operating under the assumption that they were going to make the pros. But it looks like I misinterpreted it and you are probably right.

bluef0x · #9 06-03-2007, 12:33 AM

Saying basketball is ridiculous. That is probably the hardest sport to make the show.

If it was just about a scholarship, I'd say rowing/soccer. I've had friends of both genders get full rides to schools in rowing/soccer. Going pro, I'd say golf/tennis.

Assani Fisher · #10 06-03-2007, 01:11 AM

football kicker or punter. How many kids do you think start practicing young for that? I think that if you started a 5 year old with good lessons from an instructor and he liked it and practiced often, he'd have a very good shot at making the pros.