KEY POINTS:
Junior golf sensation Jack Green has the financial backing most adult athletes can only dream of.
After picking up his first club while still in nappies, the 7-year-old now plays with a set of custom-fitted Nike Frames.
Road trips with his family every eight to 10 weeks involve
massages, yoga sessions and a nutritionist.
His mother Pamela Leong estimates his passion costs between $150,000 and $200,000 a year.
"It's a battle but it's worthwhile while Jack's still enjoying himself and having fun. You do it when your child is so dedicated."
The investment is paying off. Jack was third at the junior world champs in San Diego last year and is set to represent his country again in July.
The cost of grooming the next Tiger Woods is high compared with other sports, but youngsters hoping to emulate Scott Dixon are burning holes in their parents' wallets, as well as burning up the track.
Owen Evans estimated it cost between $5000 and $10,000 a year to keep the sporting dreams of his karting champion sons Mitchell, 13, and Simon, 17, on track. But he said the equipment and travel costs were "worth every penny. The important thing is you're spending every weekend with your kid."
Anita Kinsman's sons Mathew, 16, and Daniel, 14, got their first kart to share nine years ago for $3500.
They liked the sport so much they were given another one the following Christmas.
Kinsman said the sport was expensive but children could get vital gear as presents, and parents could buy many items second-hand.
"We've probably been one of the more budget-conscious families in the sport," she said.
Not every sport is as expensive. Former Davis Cup player David Lewis said a child under 12 could play tennis for a reasonable price.
Good-quality racquets start at $100 and financial help is available from the Seed Foundation for those hoping to follow Marina Erakovic.
However, that changes when children approach their teens.
Some may train overseas. A year of fulltime coaching at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida costs US$61,000 ($78,000). And players who made it to the top must get used to almost constant international travel, said Lewis.
Registered psychologist Sara Chatwin said child stars, their parents and siblings could come under several pressures.
Some parents put too much pressure on their children, while others grappled with what to do with the talent.
Peter Snell Institute acting chief executive Ken Lynch said a development plan was vital for talented children, particularly those who were identified young. Funding could be vital but the institute had been forced to cut its grant numbers from 165 to between 50 and 70 a year.
