The Futures Of Our Children

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  • cabinetman
    Gone but not Forgotten RIP
    • Jun 2006
    • 15216
    • So. Florida
    • Delta
    #1

    The Futures Of Our Children

    As children growing up we might have had big plans that would make our parents happy. But, this is about my step son, and my step grandson.

    My step son was a high school basketball star. He had a 20 point per game average. For a while I thought for sure he would get a basketball scholarship to college, go pro, and take care of his parents. That's not what happened. He turned down a scholarship because he thought he was too short (6'-3"). I tried to reason with him to go out and try. If he can make half court shots all day long how tall does he have to be? Anyway, we wound up helping to paying for college.

    Next, is my step grandson, who just graduated from high school. He is a bowling nut. At 15, he bowled a 300 game on a league. He has since bowled another 300 game. He loves bowling and wants to go pro. He also wants his own bowling alley. No, I'm not scrounging up all the Maple I can find. Time will tell on this guy. I have my hopes up.
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    Tags: None
    • crokett
      The Full Monte
      • Jan 2003
      • 10627
      • Mebane, NC, USA.
      • Ryobi BT3000
      #2
      Encourage him as much as you can. When I was 12 a neighbor gave us his old minibike that had been sitting for several years. My older brother and I got it started but smoke was pouring from the engine. We replaced some gaskets and the piston rings at considerable expense to a 12yr old. My dad helped some with the money part. After we repaired the engine, it never ran again despite our best efforts. At the time my dad said he wasn't surprised that it didn't work. Recently I asked him why he helped pay for the parts for something he knew probably wouldn't work. His answer was '"because it might have". I wish I'd asked him that before I became a parent.
      David

      The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.

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        • Uncle Cracker
          The Full Monte
          • May 2007
          • 7091
          • Sunshine State
          • BT3000
          #3
          Of interest to you might be that many fine colleges offer full and partial bowling scholarships. Wichita State University is renowned for its bowling program. A little closer to home (for you, I don't know where he lives) is Vanderbilt. This may be a way to further his bowling career ambitions, while getting an education to fall back on, while saving parents and/or grandparents some cash. Win, win, win...

          One word of caution: There are numerous unscrupulous companies brokering bogus scholarship offers. Do not do business with any company or individual that offers their "help", particularly those that want you to pay a fee. It's a scam. Contact the athletic departments of the schools yourself (himself).

            Comment

            • cabinetman
              Gone but not Forgotten RIP
              • Jun 2006
              • 15216
              • So. Florida
              • Delta
              #4
              Originally posted by Uncle Cracker
              Of interest to you might be that many fine colleges offer full and partial bowling scholarships. Wichita State University is renowned for its bowling program. A little closer to home (for you, I don't know where he lives) is Vanderbilt. This may be a way to further his bowling career ambitions, while getting an education to fall back on, while saving parents and/or grandparents some cash. Win, win, win...

              Right now he and his family are living outside the US. His father (my step son in law) is in the AF and will be re-assigned and stationed in Idaho in October. His GPA wasn't all that great in HS and may start in a community college near the AFB. Hopefully bigger and better opportunities will be available to him. Got any leads in Idaho?
              .

                Comment

                • Uncle Cracker
                  The Full Monte
                  • May 2007
                  • 7091
                  • Sunshine State
                  • BT3000
                  #5
                  Originally posted by cabinetman
                  Got any leads in Idaho?
                  Hmm... That's a toughie. Boise State, Idaho and Idaho State have all fielded bowling teams until recently, but no more. I'll do some research and see if anything turns up.

                  One item of note: Only the creme-de-la-creme of touring pros (the ones with endorsement deals) can survive without an individual sponsor. Even they had to pull through many years of tough times early in their careers. Owning a bowling center can be profitable, but many are not. The initial investment for facilities and machinery is staggering, and the only ones who can get a bank behind them are the ones who don't need one. It ain't a pretty world out there, and your step-grandson's ambition sounds more like an an adolescent fantasy than a viable business plan... I hope he smarts up.

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