College Education or Pro Athlete career?
 

I had a discussion with my wife the other night. Supposed one or both my boys are gifted athletes and pro scouts are after them. In the meantime they have applied and been accepted by colleges/universities of their choices.

I said to let them decide first, but I'd lean toward an athletic career since it normally only has a 10, 15 year span. They always have the option of finishing their education after the athletic career. Besides, if they really are good enough to be draft picks, with the right investment knowledge, they can be set for life (with or without going back for the 4 yr degree).

In my wife's book, it's education first, anything else is second - that's none negotiable.

What's your take on this? I'm curious to see if more dads or moms would take my side?

Education first...

Plus if they are that gifted athletically - then why not play a few years in college where he can learn more and become better. Athletics as a way to get an education so that when when their athletic career is over, they will have something to go back to.

Do you honestly think that a 17 or 18 year old being given a few million dollars will actually be responsible with money? Investing it wisely and saving for the future?

Completely agree. I know too many kids (not really athletes) that have too much money. It doesn't really matter how much money you have, if you use $50 as toilet paper, it's going to run out.

Also, like Maleficent said, they can easily play on a college team right?

Well. If your kid gets an 80million dollar contract from nike, along with a players salary, etc, he WILL be set for life. What are the chances of this happening to somebody? About 1 in a bajillionzillion. Although if this does happen, I say do it.

Am I the only one who realizes that by the time they leave for college, you'll have no authority over what they do?

*looks to see if something's flying over my head*

Why wouldn't the parents have authority over the child once they leave highschool? I was only 17 when i graduated......

I tend to think men need more time to grow up (sexist, I admit) before going to college. If he can make a million while growing up -- awesome.

I'm assuming you turned 18 later in the year (November, December, etc.) Regardless, you did not remain a minor for an extended period of time after graduating, and I doubt their child will be either.

Letting this be anyone elses choice but the son's is just a recipe for disaster.

I think everyone's got a good point. No doubt a good eduction will always give you something to fall back on but I don't think it guarantees anything either. Unless you graduate from an Ivy League school, MIT, Stanford, to name a few. Then again, does it?

If your kid is every bit of the next Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Roger Federer, Mia Hamm, Michelle Wie, Dontrelle Willis, the talent is just too great to have him/her sit through the normal school system. Tennis in particular, most players out of college are just too "old" to compete with someone who has turned pro at age 16 or even younger.

Unfortunately talent often translates into $ signs in today's world. That, more often than not, causes disputes, not the lack of money but too much of it. I'm no financial wizard but I'm not going to go out a buy a fleet of new sports car, or some 20,000 sq ft mansion. I grew up earning my keeps, my kids will grow up the same way, too.

If your kid is talented enough to land an endorsement deal, let's just say $5 mil, can you HONESTLY say NO and insist on a higher education? I don't think Nike, Coke, McD's will want to wait around while their gem stays in the rough. If you can't say no to $5 mil., would $50 mil. make you lose sleep? And that's only from one or two endorsements.

Sorry if I sound like a money pig.....but the reality is, we all need / want it.

pick the money, if they're going to pay out now; education is far from a guarantee. at least if your kid has some cash, and he has you and your wife around to help guide him, there is a glimmer of hope that he'll invest it wisely.

"if it's not an investment, it's not worth having"

Education can come at any time, but sports opportunities don't. Play ball.

It's been said but I'll add too it...

Education first. They'll thank themselves when they're hurt and can't play anymore. Simple as that.

I suppose it depends on the sport, and the kids.

If the NBA wanted to draft them right out of school and the kids were smart enough to know they didn't know how to handle the money (aka take your advice, invest etc) I'd let them go.

If on the other hand they were being drafted into the minor leagues in baseball, go to college first.

Another thing to consider is that if s/he played sports professionally for a few years and didn't end up anywhere, they may be reluctant to go back to school again after all the freedom that they had before.

Without a doubt, sports first...

And if you've done your job as a parent, they'll finish school on their own...I would, however, advise at least 2 years of college...

if my child was gifted enough to become a pro, then thats what i'd hope they would do.
remember that professional sports players are extremely dedicated to what they do.
they practice like there's no tomorrow to become one of the best in the nation.
its a skill, just like using your brain. you've got to train hard to play at their level.

i would prefer my child to play sports because a few years of work will set them, and their children, and childrens children up for possibly life.

well... that's my take on it.

Except, professional sports can only take place during a VERY limited time period. Educating ones self isn't thus limited. Assuming the parents are willing to back him whenever he goes to school, why not give him the opportunity to make a great deal of money for something that comes naturally. Then if he does get hurt and needs something to fall back on, college will still be there. You can attend classes with at 30 with a blown knee.

To the best of my knowledge however, professional sports is far from a sure thing, just scouts looking isn't much. Make the plans for school and follow through on everything you need to do until you have a contract in front of you. Don't put all your eggs in that basket until its a sure thing.

i'd also like to add that a college degree <i>guarantees</i> you exactly 100% jack shit. i have two of them that i never use. i make my living because of a natural talent that i started developing at a young age. it's not athletics, but i didn't learn it in college either. i know that when i've been in positions to hire other artists, i don't care when/how long/where/or even if they went to college. i care what they've done professionally or what they are capable of doing. now i'm not saying quit school and go be a waiter. unless that's what you want your career to be. if the child (almost an adult) knows what he or she wants to do, let them give it their best shot. almost everyone changes careers a few times throughout life. let your child do the same. one can always go back to school.

Well, I'm not going to force my boys to lace up their tennis shoes or start learning cross dribbe. It'd be great if they love playing sports as much as I do. But, if they are only interested in books (like their mom) then that's fine, too.

What if someone offered your child some other high-paying, but non-sports job right out of high school. Would you tell them to turn it down because they hadn't gone to college first?

I are a communication major. Actually heard that one time during a post-college game. If (and it's a big if) your child is that gifted, let him play the sport. Look at Ali - 8 sons named George, but he turned out okay. (?)
Bottom line - he may play 1 season and blow out a knee. Game over. He may not, but he might. Is it worth it? It's not always about the money. College offers so much more for mind expansion.

I wouldn't knock minor league baseball too much. There is a huge difference between the goals of a minor league team and a college team. College teams focus on winning first and development second. The sole purpose of a minor league team is player development. Furthermore, minor league teams are much more conservative in the way they monitor the health of their players. A college coach may push his ace pitcher to get him to the college world series but if the minor league team even suspects that the pitcher is injured they shut him down.

Due the the massiveness of the minor league system there is a much better maching of talent levels than there is in college. Each MLB team has more than 8 talent levels ranging from elite high school talent level up to just below MLB. They will put you on the team that best matches your ability and as you develop, you move up.

I also think that a kid is more likely to 'grow up' in the minor leagues than in school. They are out in the real life and they will have much more adult experience than if they stay in the fantasy land of college.

Bottom line is that school will always be there.

Another thing, it really isn't about the money. The big signing bonuses are gone after the first round (and really the upper first round). It's about a once in a lifetime chance to do something that few people get to experience. Everyone can experience college.

I second the 'you can't make him' post. I moved out of my mum's place at 17. We get along better than most parent/children do and my family's big on education, I just did what I thought was best at the time. I'll probably go to college at some point and it'll be harder than it was for my sisters who did it while still living at home, but given the choice I wouldn't do any of it different. At that age you sort of have to find your own way.

If I had a say in my child's decision (when I have children) in that sort of matter though, I'd lean towards the sports career. It's a great experience, even minor league players make a decent living and college can always come later.

I'd say it depends highly upon his talent level and what's being offered. If he's being offered a multi-million dollar contract out of high school, I'd say go for the athletic career. However, if it's something like what the oldest son on Home Improvement got (an offer to play professional soccer for a club team in Europe for diddly with the possibility of more money if he did really well) education would be the better investment.

It's not an either/or thing with college. He would be getting paid, in the form of scholarship money, to go to college, and that investment is much more likely to pay off in terms of long term financial stability than a sports career. The exception being if he's one of those .01 of a percent of elite athletes, the one in ten thousand, or one in a hundred thousand who make it big.

Most of the biggest successes go to college and have a big pro career afterwards. It isn't just the years that wear on an athlete, it's the physical stress, and there's a lot more of that in the pros than in college.

Gilda

I'd encourage my kid to concentrate on the education and then he'd make up his own mind.

Personally I would leave it up to your child. If he feels that he can have a career as an athlete then let him go. If he can go to school while being an athlete at that school even better. But let him make his own choices. But encourage him in anything that he does.