The Howard sisters have long lists of accomplishments that they began achieving shortly after they started playing at the tender ages of 4 and 6. Yet behind these two powerhouses, it is the support and sacrifice of their parents, Robert and Gianna, that has paved the way for Ginger and Robbi to reach their levels of success. The couple, married for 25 years on September 10th of this year, has raised the two burgeoning stars, along with their sons, Robert jr. (ArJay), 10, and Giulian, 4. In my interview with the Howards, they talked about the sacrifices the family has made in pursuit of Ginger and Robbi’s dreams, the often unspoken truth about what it takes to compete in the sport, and what keeps them going through it all.
On The Beginning
Robert, who once attended college on a tennis scholarship, introduced his daughters at ages 4 and 6 to golf when Gianna suggested that he take the girls with him to play one Saturday.
Robert: My Saturdays were typically me playing tennis and golf, but this particular time she told me ‘if you go out of here, you’re going to have to take these kids with you’ and I did…That was the start of something very special.
The girls soon started gaining the attention of experienced golfers, who remarked on their natural talents. After blowing past the competition at the U.S. Kids World Championship Qualifier in 2003, what began as a hobby for the girls started to transform into a career ambition.
Ginger: I started having those goals and dreams after my sister and I started winning consistently. I developed a passion and thought it would be really fun to do it on a bigger stage.
On Achieving Balance
Gianna has spent the last 11 years working night shift as a nurse in order to care for her family during the day, continuing the role in order to home school the girls as they dealt with increasing golf-related schedule demands.
Gianna: I’m a licensed practical nurse and for the past 11 years I’ve worked night shift because it allows me to be home with the kids during the day and to homeschool… It saves us a lot money because childcare expenses are very costly. Most of my salary would be going to daycare or a nanny if I worked during the day. Besides, I prefer to teach and take care of the needs of my kids. My husband and I own that responsibility. My working night shift is one of the benefits that has allowed us to accomplish so much in this journey.
On Sponsorships and Finances
A year ago, Robert left his successful career in corporate America for two reasons: 1) Ginger needed someone to accompany her as she moved throughout the country to compete for the LPGA and 2) In October of 2011, Gianna was diagnosed with an aggressive sub-type of thyroid cancer.
Robert: We initially thought it was going to be a routine in and out surgery. But when the test results came back, it resulted in having an second surgery and additional treatment which kept her out of work for a total of 3 months. My number 1 concern was to provide care of my wife! I said let’s just put it in God’s hands. Let me quit my job…
Unfortunately talent and drive aren’t enough to make it in a sport like golf. Tournaments can cost as much as $3000 to enter (Qualifying School), not to mention the cost of lessons and other expenses. With the Howards now supporting their family and the girls’ golf ambitions on one salary, the girls rely on sponsorships and donations to continue to compete. Ginger scored her first major sponsorship with Holiday Inn last year, but sponsorships for the phenoms have been hard to come by.
Robert: We live in a world, whether you like it or not, that’s based on the way you look, and I’ve gotten a rude awakening this year. She’s a pretty girl, she has game, and sponsors should be crawling up her wall. Some of her competitors are just getting sponsors out of the blue, and you can scratch your head all you want, but you still have to be better to be recognized. Venus and Serena, when they were coming up, they didn’t get a whole lot of sponsorship. They had to go win. That’s the reality. We’re not playing a sport that is open to a lot of African Americans to play because they know the expense is incredible… The amount of money I made [in corporate America] allowed for us to live a certain lifestyle. Now we’re in a situation where we have to depend on outside support particularly sponsors and when that’s not happening we’re trying to figure out where the next buck is going to come from. I’ve never been a man of that way. I’ve always been able to provide for my family without a doubt and I’ve given up that side of it to allow the girls to pursue their dream.
Gianna: Some people may think ‘If you need the money then why doesn’t [Robert] go back to corporate America and make some money?’ But there would be no way he would be able to manage a 70-hour work week and still take care of managing all of the golf duties and traveling with Ginger. … There’s a lot that we’re still teaching her for her to be able to spread her wings and fly on her own. She still needs that companion to travel with her and no one else is free to be able to do that at that level. My husband is the best qualified person for that job because he does know a lot about the business (of professional golf) and he definitely has our children’s best interests at heart.
On Raising Virtuous Girls
Gianna: I don’t allow them to follow the crowd. There are many other people they come in contact with that have a lot more freedom and that’s fine for them but we’ve always kept a tight watch on our kids… The communication lines have always been open. I started talking to them about appropriate behavior at a very young age. Just teaching them how to act like ladies and to be respectful of themselves.
Robert: In this world of sports and entertainment, it’s lucrative on one side but can be very heartless on the other side. There are a lot of people out there looking to make that fast buck and trying to swoop you up instead of helping you along the way. I think it becomes incumbent on us to ensure that we are managing that process appropriately.
On the Rewards of the Path They’ve Chosen
Robert: I’d never experienced being on the road with a 17 or 18-year-old girl for any amount of time and I’ve learned a whole lot. Being able to watch Ginger do what she can do on the golf course has been very enlightening to me. Just being able to be out there and watching everyone else cheering her on.
Gianna: What’s most rewarding over these past 11 years is that it [golf] has brought us closer as a family. We spend a lot of time together. It’s helped us to grow and to know one another as opposed to some families who do everything separately…We invest the quality time in our kids and raise them ourselves rather than to allow the streets to raise them. If nothing ever came of this we are at least still a close, tight-knit family who love one another dearly, and we have so many great memories over the years.
If you would like to help sponsor the Howard Sisters please contact Robert Howard at roberthoward@tampabay.rr.com
To learn more about the Howards visit them online at www.gingerthoward.com and www.gingerandrobbi.com. Follow them on Twitter @mygolfinggirls and @gingerthoward
BMWK — How far would you go to help your children reach their dreams?