This is very interesting. DH works with elite athletes and has identified our nephews as being "in the top 1%" in terms of athletic ability and drive. They are 10 and 12. What should their parents do about that? Support their interests, that's all. As the female author said on the Fox broadcast, a parent doesn't need a DNA test to see their child has aptitude and ability in sports. They just need eyes in their head.
In sports for children there are amazing pressures these days. It's completely out of control! Club sports are such that children are expected to pick one sport and focus on that exclusively, rather than dabble in baseball in the summer, soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter. Nowadays it's basketball all year long and nothing else.
Our niece showed promise in swimming to the point her coach suggested getting a private elite coach and focussing on swimming only. Her parents were reluctant to do that, but our (GT) niece has an A-type personality and insisted on it. She swam from age 7-17 (that's a lot of time in the pool looking at the line on the floor). As she grew she lost her speed, but in high school she was unable to transfer her considerable athleticism to another sport. While her peers had been dabbling in all sports, our niece didn't know how to dribble a basketball or jump off the floor, so she coudn't make the basketball or volleyball team.
Our nephews have had pressure to leave home to attend a year 'round ski academy. Elite gymnasts have to move to where the elite coaches are and enroll in concentration camps, I mean immersion schools.
So there actually is a lot of controversy among elite athletic kids. The "gifted" athletes have considerable pressure on them, as do their parents, to make good choices. It's quite different, perhaps, than academic giftedness, though, in that pull-out training could be detrimental, yet it's the norm. Parents these days are very guilty of hot-housing in athletics. It's hard to keep elite athletes well rounded, but it's perhaps more important for their overall mental health than their age peers of lesser ability.
Phew. Dismounting soap box now.
P.S. Lori - cute story!
