Money matters

The cost of players in the European football leagues and the NBA seem to be mind boggling in these tough times of the economy, but why do these teams put so much premium for these talents?

Sports is basically a business and these players form part of the necessary expenses that the teams incur to get the fans to watch the games and pay a lot of money for tickets and buy those merchandise that they don’t really need, but strive to own.

These multi-million dollar or euro trades also give the young athletes, who are hoping to make it big, something to look forward to.

This is also one reason why many parents are eager to get their kids into sports at a much younger age so they’ll have more time to work on their game and be among the best at a much younger age.

Not everyone who invests here however really gets something back in terms of monetary rewards. But getting your kids into sports is an investment that pays back in many other ways.

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For the eighth time, sisters Venus and Serena Williams will face off in the final of a Grand Slam event. This will be the fourth time in the Wimbledon, one of the most hallowed grounds of tennis that they will clash for the title.

Venus has won seven Grand Slam events while Serena has ten. 

In their seven previous matches, Serena has won five against only two by elder sister Venus.

These girls picked up tennis at a very young age under the tutelage of their father Richard.

They saw tennis as the way out of poverty and truly the Williams sisters have made that dream a reality.

This will definitely not be their last meeting in a Grand Slam final and I hope this will further inspire parents to find ways to get their kids into sports.

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The role of their parents in the athletic careers of many of the world’s top stars is an open secret like in the case of Tiger Woods, whose late father Earl, was his most ardent supporter when he was young.

Martina Hingis, the former tennis superstar from Switzerland, had her mother while Lewis Hamilton, last year’s formula-1 world champion, had his father.

Here in Cebu, Tom Ramos, the young football star of Don Bosco Technology Center has his father Glen, a former member of the national team and now one of Cebu’s foremost coaches.

Success in sports needs teamwork involving not only the athlete and his coach, but also members of the family and the school community.

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MILESTONES: Not only the United States of America is turning a year older today, some of my friends are too. Birthday greetings go to Cay Villanueva-de Quiros, photographer/baker Benjie Ordoñez, Rico Carbonell, and Ira Joy Velasquez.

Greetings for tomorrow go to Eladio Jude ‘Junie’ Cimafranca, Jay Aldeguer, and basketball coach Alex de la Torre, father of The Freeman’s AJ.

More power to all of you! – THE FREEMAN