We have all heard stories about how the tennis industry gets involved in the careers of child prodigies when they are still at a very tender age. This once again hit home when I saw an item on Canadian television about the next great Canadian tennis hope, Erica Konert.

Canadians anxious to see whether young Erica will become the next Carling Bassett or Helen Kelesi will have to wait for a while: she is just seven years old. But seven is old enough to have her own coach (former Canadian Davis Cup coach Pierre Lamarche), her own personal trainer, and deals with Adidas and Wilson, who are supplying the child with gear and equipment. Erica has already won 12-and-under tournaments, and has also played at the 14-and-under level.

Somewhat scarily, Erica's father Mark, a former professional soccer player from the Netherlands, told Sportsnet that he had received a glowing review of Erica's potential from Nick Bollettieri's tennis academy? when Erica was just five years old!

It's hard to get too morally outraged about this. The phenomenon of pushing children hard to develop skills at a precocious age is not unique to tennis. After all, at age seven future concert pianists are spending hours each day on their scales. Budding Olympic gymnasts are working overtime at their beams, horses and rings. A few will grow up to be leaders in their chosen fields. Others will realize they don't have the talent to be more than a Satellite tennis player, a sought-after piano accompanist or teacher, or an also-ran at the Olympic gymnastic trials. Sadly, still others will probably give up their pursuits while still in their childhood, rebelling against being forced to spend endless hours at something they never really liked much anyway.

The entourage of young Erica Konert, tennis prodigy, seemed refreshingly level-headed. Both her coach and her trainer said that if Erica tells them she's had enough, they will back off. Coach Lamarche affirmed he is sensitive to not overworking the youngster and keeping it fun. And father Mark said it didn't matter to him if she never became a star in the pros, and that they will stop the intensive tennis practice if it looks like it is no longer fun for the girl.

The tricky part about this type of story is that these children are highly vulnerable, dependent as they are on the good will and common sense of the adults who guide their lives. Sadly, these qualities are often noticeably lacking in adults?.

I just have one request: if we must develop child prodigies, teach them to serve and volley, dammit!