Athing MU should NOT have turned Pro

everyoneisdoping wrote:

Said it in the summer, and I'll say it again now (and I hope I'm ultimately proven wrong).

But the advice to turn pro at 19, for this still maturing, very talented athlete, was 100% incorrect.

Her parents, Nike etc, have done her a disservice.

She obviously could only take the advice of the experienced folks around her.

They should have understood that it's hard enough to turn pro AFTER college, let alone right after freshman year of college.

She gains nothing by turning pro at 19, except some extra pocket change, in the long run, and that's if she makes it.

She could have been at Texas AM (or anywhere on a good college team), maturing, growing her aerobic strength, bonding with her teammates, maturing as a racer, etc etc etc etc.

Instead, she has a very limited training group, with girl 8 to 25 years older, she has the immediate pressure of a pro mentality, where a lot of it is about money for her, her agent, her sponsor, etc, and the pressure and disenchantment that might bring if she is running mediocrely (for a pro).

she had an incredible track season last year, and she is the future. But she is not the NOW.

I hope she's mentally and emotionally strong enough to weather the next 3 or so years.

And I still can't understand why the folks around her did her so wrong!

everyoneisdoping wrote:

Said it in the summer, and I'll say it again now (and I hope I'm ultimately proven wrong).

But the advice to turn pro at 19, for this still maturing, very talented athlete, was 100% incorrect.

Her parents, Nike etc, have done her a disservice.

She obviously could only take the advice of the experienced folks around her.

They should have understood that it's hard enough to turn pro AFTER college, let alone right after freshman year of college.

She gains nothing by turning pro at 19, except some extra pocket change, in the long run, and that's if she makes it.

She could have been at Texas AM (or anywhere on a good college team), maturing, growing her aerobic strength, bonding with her teammates, maturing as a racer, etc etc etc etc.

Instead, she has a very limited training group, with girl 8 to 25 years older, she has the immediate pressure of a pro mentality, where a lot of it is about money for her, her agent, her sponsor, etc, and the pressure and disenchantment that might bring if she is running mediocrely (for a pro).

she had an incredible track season last year, and she is the future. But she is not the NOW.

I hope she's mentally and emotionally strong enough to weather the next 3 or so years.

And I still can't understand why the folks around her did her so wrong!

everyoneisdoping wrote:

Said it in the summer, and I'll say it again now (and I hope I'm ultimately proven wrong).

But the advice to turn pro at 19, for this still maturing, very talented athlete, was 100% incorrect.

Her parents, Nike etc, have done her a disservice.

She obviously could only take the advice of the experienced folks around her.

They should have understood that it's hard enough to turn pro AFTER college, let alone right after freshman year of college.

She gains nothing by turning pro at 19, except some extra pocket change, in the long run, and that's if she makes it.

She could have been at Texas AM (or anywhere on a good college team), maturing, growing her aerobic strength, bonding with her teammates, maturing as a racer, etc etc etc etc.

Instead, she has a very limited training group, with girl 8 to 25 years older, she has the immediate pressure of a pro mentality, where a lot of it is about money for her, her agent, her sponsor, etc, and the pressure and disenchantment that might bring if she is running mediocrely (for a pro).

she had an incredible track season last year, and she is the future. But she is not the NOW.

I hope she's mentally and emotionally strong enough to weather the next 3 or so years.

And I still can't understand why the folks around her did her so wrong!