tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824345661289105799.post1593867042870195668..comments2023-11-03T08:36:09.683-05:00Comments on Brooks Wilson's Economics Blog: Wheelan and the Little League Arms RaceBrooks M. Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17097849558228531431noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824345661289105799.post-57073759758681177832011-03-21T21:30:41.522-05:002011-03-21T21:30:41.522-05:00Part 2
On the flip side, there are children in the...Part 2<br />On the flip side, there are children in the world that may live in the projects. They dream just as big, but when it comes to reality, the sport really is the only way out of poverty. Back to the tennis example, why is it that there are very few Americans in the top 100 of the pros? Why is it that it is so hard to get a good scholarship and play DI tennis in America? And that at the collegiate and professional level is filled with Europeans? It's simple. Americans are spoiled. Although there are few Americans that do succeed, Europeans have more to fight for it seems. Not just to be the best at tennis, but to live. They need to support a family, get an education, make money to get out of poverty. It is that kind of determination and will that will get one to succeed. Although they have no money, their playing ability, work ethic, and talent begins grab attention of coaches, sponsors, and recruits. Jalen Rose and Chris Webber of Michigan's "Fab 5" didn't come from rich families. They constantly played basketball in the streets of Detroit. They worked hard to become great players in that competitive area.They never gave up. What sets them apart from others is they didn't stop at good. They tried being better than great. They spent even more of their time to do things like aau basketball. Jalen Rose, who played at a competitive public high school with 9 players that had DI scholarships. He worked hard not only to play, but he led the team to win a state championship (maybe more than one, not exactly sure). That hard work resulted in getting an education and a scholarship to attend The University of Michigan. In baseball, Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees didn't have the easy life. His mother left him when he was a child, they were not financially stable, and his dad had polio. Luckily for him, his dad still supported him. Chamberlain practiced by helping his dad sit on a bucket on the street and gave him a glove. Chamberlain would repeatedly pitch to him for hours until he felt he accomplished something. For the balls that were badly thrown, he would have to run town the street to retrieve the ball before pitching again. But it was the never being satisfied with good that led him to become great.<br />So yes, there are the advantages to being rich and having everything you need to help you. As a father you sure as heck better be 110% positive that your child wants to make it big time as much, if not more than you. And with your money, continue being a dad and giving moral support. Let the professional know-it-all coaches push your child harder than you do. You never know, there are many children out there that are practicing 24\7 365 not only because they genuinely love the sport, but because they need it to survive.Kevin Honoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824345661289105799.post-44042944773178189982011-03-21T21:29:55.631-05:002011-03-21T21:29:55.631-05:00Part 1
To me, I believe that the income of a famil...Part 1<br />To me, I believe that the income of a family makes a difference, but rarely is an advantage. Of course having a lot of money will be able to help one afford the necessities of becoming a big time athlete. For instance, if one was to play tennis, the parents would have to pay for lessons (group of private depending on which is more affordable), equipment(rackets, strings, grips, shoes, bags), tournament fees, the expense of travel,and constantly buying new balls. But families that happen to have all this money makes me wonder how far that will truly get you. A family with a high income will most likely buy their child the most recent equipment or clothing to encourage their child to continue pursuing a higher level in their sport. This brings up the question: Whose dream is it really? The child or the parent? At many sporting events for children you often see parents yelling, complaining, and even heckling. The intensity in the atmosphere created by parents turns a suppose to be fun sporting event teaching teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship into a hostile environment. The parents then have ridiculously high expectations for their child and force them to constantly practice and become better every day until the point the child can't take it anymore and eventually quits. Now if the dream really belongs to the child, that is fantastic. He or she happens to be incredibly blessed that his or her parent(s) have the ability to support the child reach their dream with money. Unfortunately not every child with money makes it. Why is that? They have everything they need right? I think that the child then becomes too spoiled and takes everything for granted. He or she will always assume mom and dad will be there to help them get what they want. And sadly it can get to the point where mom and dad have to pay the college to get you there. You probably won't get much playing time, but I guess you get the "experience" of being on the team as the bench warmer.Kevin Honoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824345661289105799.post-34724151020948714822010-11-22T00:11:44.261-06:002010-11-22T00:11:44.261-06:00Money helps largely in sports such as tennis and g...Money helps largely in sports such as tennis and golf when more technique is involved. In baseball, money helps with private lessons and such to improve batting stance, pitching, etc.., but to get great at baseball you have just got to hit the practice fields every single day. A good work ethic, an ability to listen to what elders say who have gone through the game before, along with a great attitude goes a long way. Sure a high income is nice to have to learn the game, but it is definitely not necessary.Andy Salinasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824345661289105799.post-32944843686888184582010-09-04T23:32:34.994-05:002010-09-04T23:32:34.994-05:00To me most of the time the richer you are, the mor...To me most of the time the richer you are, the more "burnt out" you are. When you put a kid through lessons and year around teams then most likely (unless he's truely commited) the kid will get tired of it because it'll become something the parents want, not the kid. The people who do great and wind up in the Bigs are the ones that care and work the hardest (or they take steroids) ,and sometimes they come from wealthy families and also lower class families. Money can provide all of the resources you need, however the ones who have the most heart and the ones who work the hardest are the ones that go further because in baseball (or in anything you do) you have to care and put forth effort yourself! Money doesn't get you there (although it helps). The only thing that will get you to the top is YOU!<br /><br />Zach JohniganAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824345661289105799.post-36598123244300978682010-04-04T16:21:43.424-05:002010-04-04T16:21:43.424-05:00Money doesn't make a big impact when it comes ...Money doesn't make a big impact when it comes to how well a child plays baseball. How well a child plays baseball is all due to the talent the child is blessed to have and how coachable they are. No matter what kind of bat a kid has if he or she can hit the ball they will hit it a more expensive bat isn't going to help them become an excellent batter, however it may make the ball go a little further but that is about it. The market for professional and collegiate athletes is at a max so no matter how hard parents try to make their children world class athletes only the few with extraordinary talent will excel, and only if they work hard.<br /><br />Kaydi PerryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824345661289105799.post-58649394794809279812009-11-04T23:55:53.170-06:002009-11-04T23:55:53.170-06:00Judging by my experience in baseball, money defina...Judging by my experience in baseball, money definately has a role however i dont know if it makes a big enough difference on improving the skill of the play. After leaving my career as a little league player for 6 years, i played 4 years of select baseball. During my time playing select, i noticed that where the player came from, wealthy or poor, didn't say a whole lot about their skill. We would play teams with private instructures and always found a way to put up a fight. Baseball is a game of hard work and patience. Those are things money can't buy.<br /><br />Aaron Rogers - J. HoeffnerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com