The Future of the Ski Industry

[jimk]

Originally Posted by mister moose
Kid focused parents. My grandparents were of the "seen and not heard" approach to kids. Now the program sports drive the parents' schedule all year long. Schools are more rigid on days out of school, some schools fine parents for too many missed days.

Originally Posted by goldsbar
This one. I have a 6 and 9 y/o. Many parents are already deep into the whole "travel" sport thing at these ages. Worst part is many of the kids are just mediocre, but the parents wrap their lives around driving them town-to-town to sit on the bench. This trend needs to change for skiing to become more popular - good luck!

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I'm 20+ years ahead of you guys. This mindset of "fill every spare minute of your kid's lives with activities" was hitting stride back then too. It was the start of helicopter parenting. My parents were from the greatest generation, which followed the "fire and forget" school of parenting I never got into micro-managing my kids extracurricular activities and I used to feel a little guilty about that. I had three dainty daughters and a wife that weren't into sports. My son was fairly athletic, but not into competition. Skiing was the unifier in our leisure time that all in the family could do across the spectrum of mellow to intense. Since I've always been into participatory sports and exercise I was definitely not going to switch to primarily a spectator role if I could help it when it came to spending my time outside my work (cube dwelling pencil pusher).

 

[AdironRider]

Well then, the tennis demographic is different down by you than what it is here. I can only report what I see on the courts on the NH seacoast. Hacks like me with cheap equipment getting a little exercise. That's 90% of what you see. People looking for cheap affordable exercise / entertainment.

And I guess my high school was different than where you play. Not a single player on the varsity tennis team had more than one racket. I played JV one year, but we all practiced together. The coach had a spare if someone broke a string at a match. And there were some really impressive players on the varsity squad, one got a scholarship for his game.

You really don't have to go pro like you say and get a bunch of rackets and fancy Agassi clothing.

You can do it cheap and have fun. That is what I was questioning. With how affordable it is, why don't more people participate.

Dude, sports for kids these days is way different.

I know for a fact in Seacoast NH if you want to play soccer at a high level you are expected to play year round, travel etc.

Same for baseball, swimming, etc.

The kids you are talking about back in your day wouldn't even make a tryout cut these days. Sad fact.

 

[deadheadskier]

Dude, sports for kids these days is way different.

I know for a fact in Seacoast NH if you want to play soccer at a high level you are expected to play year round, travel etc.

Same for baseball, swimming, etc.

The kids you are talking about back in your day wouldn't even make a tryout cut these days. Sad fact.

The only reason I even mentioned high school is because he brought up how all the kids have to have 2-3 rackets. Well, they didn't 20 years ago and at least one kid on the team was good enough to get a college scholarship.

and again, you and BG are both taking things to the extreme

I'm talking recreational tennis for adults. What I've seen everyday this week. In your town. It's cheap fun. More people should do it. That was my initial point.

Yes, you can go crazy and buy a suitcase worth of Novak rackets and Murray shoes. You don't have to. 90% of the people I see on the courts, none of that gear is going to help their game. But, they're having fun for short money.

 

[BenedictGomez]

'enjoyable vertical', (whatever that Gomezerism means)

Enjoyable vertical - Vertical that's actually plausible, and that a skier would seek out and intentionally ski, and have fun while doing so.

Well, they didn't 20 years ago and at least one kid on the team was good enough to get a college scholarship.

They most certainly did 20 years ago, and if a kid made his way through the age of 18 with ONE tennis racquet and was good enough to get a college scholarship (for tennis), that's pretty amazing. Possible I guess, but almost implausible really, unless he/she was from a small, poor Bolivian village, but did nothing but play tennis is his/her freetime. Even then, HTH did they not break it? I broke (unintentionally, not in anger) probably 1 racquet every 1.5 years I'd say.

 

[deadheadskier]

Enjoyable vertical - Vertical that's actually plausible, and that a skier would seek out and intentionally ski, and have fun while doing so.



They most certainly did 20 years ago, and if a kid made his way through the age of 18 with ONE tennis racquet and was good enough to get a college scholarship (for tennis), that's pretty amazing. Possible I guess, but almost implausible really, unless he/she was from a small, poor Bolivian village, but did nothing but play tennis is his/her freetime. Even then, HTH did they not break it? I broke (unintentionally, not in anger) probably 1 racquet every 1.5 years I'd say.

I didn't say they made it through the age of 18 having only owned ONE racket. If they broke one, they bought a new one. These kids certainly didn't have a 2-3 racket quiver. And mind you, this was a boarding school. Primarily kids who came from money. They didn't have multiple rackets. The kid who got a scholarship grew up in Menlo California and came from lots of money, so I assume he had a ton of lessons growing up. He only brought 1 racket to school in Vermont with him.

But, either way. Like I said, the game can and is played by many people for cheap. It doesn't have to even remotely approach the costs of skiing or golf. I think it's great fun. More people should play.

 

[VTKilarney]

I was the number one player on my high school tennis team with a T-2000 racquet that I bought for $4 at a yard sale.

 

[deadheadskier]

still play?

 

[Puck it]

I was the number one player on my high school tennis team with a T-2000 racquet that I bought for $4 at a yard sale.

I loved that racquet when it came out. I think upgrade to the t3000.

 

[skiNEwhere]

I prefer the T-1000. It's aluminum construction allows for a solid backhand.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I was the number one player on my high school tennis team with a T-2000 racquet that I bought for $4 at a yard sale.

I loved that racquet when it came out. I think upgrade to the t3000.

Wow, you guys are older than me!

 

[Edd]

I prefer the T-1000. It's aluminum construction allows for a solid backhand.

Possibly the best action movie of all time.

 

[Smellytele]

Ski industry thread morphing into a tennis thread hmmm...

 

[Highway Star]

Got your future of skiing right here........

 

[VTKilarney]

still play?

Sadly, no. I moved away from my tennis-playing friends and have yet to find someone local who is interested. Tennis is not at all popular here with the under 60 crowd. The couple of times I have played, I've been really frustrated. I used to be able to pick exactly where I wanted to hit the ball. Now I'm just happy to get it over the net. I was also self-taught, except for the occasional recreational department program. I used a two-hand backhand when people who did so were in the minority (at least if they had a penis).

I replaced the racquet with a fancier follow-up model as well. It was the T-5000. I thought it was aluminum, but apparently it was steel. I used the racquet well into the over-sized Prince racquet era. I looked like a dinosaur, but I still held my own on the court.

Here is the "fancier" racquet:

 

[Nick]

I've had this same conversation before here about skiing.

So, I golf 2 - 3 times per year. I'm not hanging out on golfzone.com and chatting with golfers etc. etc.

This is how skiing is for MOST people. They ski a few times a year.

I still think people are getting fatter, lazier, and making more excuses for themselves year after year about why they can or can't do something. No denying having kids has made it harder for me to go skiing (especially last year when my daughter was born on new years) but I will be getting out there this year for sure.

My wife is life only happens once. Sometimes it's easier to sit on the couch than pack up a family with ski gear and head to the mountain. But when you put your head back on that pillow at night, which path will you have felt really good about? Which path gives your family memories that last?

 

[Nick]

I would like to get back into tennis.

I have too many things i like to do, haha.

 

[deadheadskier]

Sadly, no. I moved away from my tennis-playing friends and have yet to find someone local who is interested. Tennis is not at all popular here with the under 60 crowd. The couple of times I have played, I've been really frustrated. I used to be able to pick exactly where I wanted to hit the ball. Now I'm just happy to get it over the net. I was also self-taught, except for the occasional recreational department program. I used a two-hand backhand when people who did so were in the minority (at least if they had a penis).

I hear you. I'm fortunate that my wife likes to play, but not nearly as much as me. I'd play everyday the weather allowed as a means of exercise over running or any gym related activities.

I was never very good. Couple of town rec department lessons as a kid, the year of JV in HS. So, getting back into the game 15 years later without instruction has been a challenge. The biggest of which was converting on my own from a two handed backhand, to a one hander. Loved Connors and Agassi as a kid, so I had the two hander. As an adult, I prefer the one hand players on tour. I can hit a pretty good flat or slice one hand, but am weak with topspin on it. However, I've progressed each of the 5 years I've been back playing, so that's what makes me want to keep getting out there.

Maybe I should join a tennis forum to find people to play with. It worked for skiing. :lol:

 

[Domeskier]

I've been using this racket since 1983 and it hasn't failed me yet. Thanks, sis:

 

[C-Rex]

I would like to get back into tennis.

I have too many things i like to do, haha.

I hear that. Generally, I snowboard in the winter and mountain bike in the summer. In the past two years I've added golf to summer and bowling to winter. It all gets expensive pretty quick.

 

[dlague]

I look at this way - I came from a non skiing family but had an interest in it. After my first job and getting my drivers license, I bought new skis, boots, poles etc.. Winter was never a bother since i snowmobiled a lot. But my feeder hill was ..... Jay Peak. In my third year of skiing, I actually made snow for them so I could ski everyday. I went into the military and continued skiing in Europe whicle stationed in Germany.

Eventually got married, to a non skier and tried to get her to learn but was too scared of falling. I ended up taking a 12 year hiatus (skied a few time in that time frame) and hated it. We had a child and once he was three I got back into it using him as an excuse. Eventually got divorced and started skiing more with my son.

Got remarried to a woman that did not ski - she knew it was a strong interest for me so opted to learn and she did and she developed the same passion. Combined we had 4 kids, her, mine and ours! The whole family skied and ramped up to 25+ days and eventually to 30+ days. That is a lot of skier visits (30*6). The kids have grown up with the exception of one that is still in school. We will be shooting for an even higher number of skier visits (my wife and I) but will now only be three of us. Will our kids continue the passion? My son stationed in Germany has already skied several time in Europe last season - so that is one.

The point is - I am on the border of the Baby Boomer and X Gen groups. The largest population segment is aging and their kids are know fending for themselves. Cost does matter to them. Will they be interested in spending the $$$ or wil they opt for something else like Winter surfing as one of our friends decided to do (does not snowboard anymore).

The sport is expensive and that trend is not slowing down. Baby Boomers are aging and getting out of the sport and their kids are not all getting back into it. It is also known that the Digital Age group seems to be migrating away for sports like golf and skiing and identifying with more urban focused activities that do not have recurring cost each and every day they want to do something.