Kind of a moot point performance wise given how wildly successful she's been up until recently, but has it ruined her relationship with the sport for life? Her identity and self worth formed around the sport and her stellar performances, not the sport around her.
With the experience of age, I am puzzled by young people who are so exceptional at a sport, and yet don’t seem to really like it. There are so few things in life that we are really good at. I think we owe it to ourselves to develop the skills that we are better at than most people.
While we love to talk out our backsides about the freedom to pursue whatever we want, the sad truth is society dictates that we identify a talent and then work it until we hate it in pursuit of the almighty dollar. Club sports are full of kids that resent their sport because their parents are hoping for a free college education via athletic scholarships. It ceased being fun for the kids but they feel compelled to honor Mom and Dad’s investment and vicarious dreams.
Same thing applies to child actors and musicians that had early success, nothing new to see here. Remember, sport are just entertainment, so we shouldn't be surprised when sports stars have similar career arcs as other's in the entertainment industry.
I’ve coached a youth sport for many years. I’ve never encountered a kid who shows up everyday with a great attitude and worked hard, while actually hating the sport and doing it only to honor their parent’s dreams. That’s largely a myth. If the parent is more committed than the kid, the kid will find ways to rebel, cut corners, self sabotage, and ultimately will quit or pursue the sport only at the recreational level.
Oh I’ve met plenty of pushy parents to be sure. But no successful kids without love for the sport.
Besides, I’ll say it again. Assuming your club environment is positive, it’s childish to be really good at something and decide to hate it. I suspect later in life, a lot of kids quietly regret their decision to rebel against their own talent. We can only expect to be better than most people in a couple of things, if that.
I guess that's my point, I think her early experience ruined it for her. If the cost of doing a sport you don't love is olymlic gold then who cares though.
Ridiculous post. She won the Olympic gold medal and a world gold medal. She is also NCAA champion. No starting early did not ruin it for her. She has won everything you could possibly win at all levels, starting early made her a champion.
Kind of a moot point performance wise given how wildly successful she's been up until recently, but has it ruined her relationship with the sport for life? Her identity and self worth formed around the sport and her stellar performances, not the sport around her.
When did she start competing and what is an “elite” youth sport? Most of the best HS runners started in middle school and I don’t believe their relationship with the sport has been ruined. What about Ingebrigtsen?
Kind of a moot point performance wise given how wildly successful she's been up until recently, but has it ruined her relationship with the sport for life? Her identity and self worth formed around the sport and her stellar performances, not the sport around her.
Yes,and no. She's an olympic champion. Teen phenoms usually come and go. Too much too soon,for most of them,although a few go on to have great careers.
The reality is she was a couple of years early from really capitalizing on NIL. If that was in place, she stays in school, gets her degree and her training situation is probably better for her.
The reality is she was a couple of years early from really capitalizing on NIL. If that was in place, she stays in school, gets her degree and her training situation is probably better for her.
I wish her the best. She is still young.
Who says that she can't get her degree at some other time, or just online these days and in her own time not defined by a scholarship clock. There are lots of people who get a college education (without an athletic scholarship) outside of the confines of 18-22 yo. So many of you have this narrow perspective on when and how people can get an education. The rest of the world manages to do so, without an NCAA athletics situation. Do you think Keely Hodgkinson isn't getting a College education simply because she isn't in the NCAA?! Not everyone is a Jakob Ingebrigtsen - who clearly wasn't interested in "school" - who chooses to forego his education to be a pro runner.