This is a significant new paper from USTA development. October 2010. It says some of the things people on this forum talk about, and it could be a good discussion starter.
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Patrick McEnroe, General Manager of USTA Player Development, has said that “Ninety-nine percent of junior players should aspire to play collegiate varsity tennis. Only the truly exceptional should be planning to proceed directly from the ranks of junior tennis to the world of professional tennis.”
The USTA’s player development pathway now proceeds from junior tennis, to collegiate tennis, and beyond.
Re: Going to College or Turning Pro? Making and informed Decision!
(1) The Monetary Value of a College Tennis Scholarship
• The average yearly total = approximately $90,000*
• The four-year total = approximately $360,000*
The average annual costs for playing the pro tennis tours = c. $143,000
In 2009, you would have to have been ranked 119 in the world on the WTA Tour (Pauline Parmentier, who made $142,034) to simply break even from prize money alone playing women’s professional tennis at the highest, most competitive, level.
In 2009, the number 250th ranked player was an amateur (so she had no prize money); No. 249 was Natalia Orlova, who earned $16,202. The 500th ranked player was Sara Del Barrio Aragon, who earned $9,333. These are the figures for what they earned, not accounting for what they spent in expenses while competing.
Re: Going to College or Turning Pro? Making and informed Decision!
a) Studies have shown that an average professional tennis lifespan is approximately seven (7) years regardless of the starting age; for example, while many young girls are interested in turning pro, they might wish to note the amazing success that Samantha Stosur is having at the age of 29 years old.
c) Studies have shown that it takes an average of three (3) to four (4) years to break in to the Top 100 once joining the professional tour for those players who do reach that level.
Given that the average age of top tour professionals is 25-26 years old for men and 23-24 for women and that it takes three to four (3-4) years to break into the Top 100, from a developmental tennis perspective one conclusion may be that an optimum timeline calculus may be to go to college and then turn pro at age c. 21-22; if you are a top player, you can spend three to four (3-4) years cracking into the Top 100 after completing college and still have approximately an additional three to four (3-4) more years to perform at your highest levels as a touring professional (most capable of playing at the highest levels of a game that has become and is continuing to become much more physical, faster, and more powerful) and earning the most possible money while playing at your peak.
Re: Going to College or Turning Pro? Making and informed Decision!
Accepting an NCAA or NAIA tennis scholarship can add four years, on average, to your tennis life; as the average age of top tour professionals is c. 24 -26 years of age some might argue that the potential for ultimate success at the highest levels of the professional game is between the ages of 22-29 instead of 18-25 (as others might believe).
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Your college experience gives you an opportunity to develop your game (with lots of top competition, paid coaching, strength training, nutritionists, mental training/peak performance trainers, travel, expenses, etc.) while developing physically, mentally, personally, emotionally, and educationally.
Re: Going to College or Turning Pro? Making and informed Decision!
You will be receiving an average value of approximate $90,000 instead of spending c. $140,000 – for a NET GAIN of c. $230,000 per year (an approximate $920,000 net benefit to you over four years – using the present values).
Re: Going to College or Turning Pro? Making and informed Decision!
SUMMARY
(1)
The average annual costs of attending college = c. $42,000
(2)
The average annual total educational + tennis developmental value of accepting a college scholarship = c. $90,000
(3)
The average total educational + tennis developmental value of accepting college scholarship for four years = c. $360,000
(4)
The average annual costs for playing the pro tennis tours = c. $143,000
(5)
To break even playing professional tennis you must be ranked c.119 on WTA Tour and c. 164 on ATP tour (based on 2009 end-of-year rankings)
(6)
The average age for a top male tour professional = 25-26 years old; the average age for a top female tour professional = c. 23-24
(7)
The average number of years it takes to enter the Top 100 = 3-4
(8)
The average life expectancy on tour = c. 7 years
You will be the recipient of a valuable college education (a degree that you can carry proudly with you the rest of your life). Education is among the highest values in American life; a wonderful type of personal socialization will take place in an “educational” environment, different from that which transpires in the “professional” world. Studies have shown that, on average, possessing a college degree versus a high school degree is valued at over one million dollars across the lifetime of a wage earner; and, this does not take into account those who continue their education and gain a graduate or additional professional degree.
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