Venus Williams Childhood

When Venus Williams was about four years old, she began playing tennis. She and her four sisters were taken to the park by their father to play tennis from a young age. The family did not have much money, so Richard Williams coached his daughters himself. Richard was not an accomplished tennis player, but learned technique by studying tennis books and observing great players. Because of the lack of affluence in the family, Venus Willams' childhood was spent in Compton, CA, near Los Angeles. This area was famous for the gang wars that took place there and claimed many lives.

Although all of the Williams girls played tennis, Serena and Venus, the youngest two, were the only ones who showed a read aptitude and dedication to do well. Venus Williams' childhood was marked by a relatively high rate of tennis victories, motivating her to continue and eventually go pro. Although she and Serena studied at the Nick Bolletieri tennis academy briefly when Venus was 10, most of her coaching was done by her father.

As a young girl, Venus immensely enjoyed practicing her tennis skills at the park. Unlike many "soccer mom" kids whose parents force children into a sport that they aren't really that crazy about, Venus was just the opposite. She was happy playing all day, and would cry when her dad finally made her come home at the end of a practice session. Venus watched tennis stars on television and tried to copy their footwork, to improve her game.

One of the lesser-known Venus Williams facts is that she and her sister Serena were homeschooled. This gave them the freedom and time needed to work on their tennis games, while still getting an excellent education.

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