heather and katlynn Welsch Tween Marathoners

Yeah, it is definitely pretty incredible to see talent that young, but there are some alarms.  Of course, I just have a Today Show piece to go on.  I guess it would sort of be like having a gifted child in any endeavor.  When do you push?  When do you let them find their own way?  How much is to much?  I'm so jaded to the stereotypical sports parent that I don't think I can make a rational judgment on them.  I found out that there are all-star tee ball teams where I live, so now I pretty much jump to major conclusions on parents and kids' sports.

So, what will you do if your kid ends up being extremely talented athletically?

Drive 'em like rented mules.

That's what I'm saying.  I don't know and I'm jaded from some of the things that go on where I live.   I guess I'll figure it out as I go.  All star tee-ball seems ridiculous (to me anyway), but pushing girls with that talent may not be as bad as it initially seems to most parents.  Part of me wants to think that Dad is going to burn those girls out, part of me thinks he may end up with the Williams sisters of track.

Funny....but it's a serious question.  I always hear opinions lilke the one I quoted, but it usually comes from people who don't have any skin in the game.  It's easy to make wide ranging comments about kids and atthletics, but it's a whole different deal for parents with a really talented kid or two....especially if the kid(s) has the dream of athletic greatness.

In this case I tend to think that all of that racing at those distances is probably not a good thing for kids at that age, but that's not an indictment of the way child athletics is handled in general.

This was my only concern reading the article, and the part where dad lied about one's age to get her in a marathon. 

I'm sure there are plenty of crazier parents in football/soccer/swimming/whatever, but it's usually the distance running for young kids that raises an eyebrow for me.

I don't think it's irrational for that situation to raise alarms.  But I also stated that I'm jaded, have limited information, admitted my initial reactions might not be valid, and don't really know how I would handle kids with such abilities.  Perhaps you shouldn't be so rushed to make a point that you miss mine.

My only concern would be if they are in some way hurting their growth because of the high miles they are running and the development of their bodies.  If the child likes to do the sport and is enjoying the sport, then why not as long as it is not hurting the child.  My kids were never focused on one sport, because I never wanted them to be stuck in one sport.  Other parents have chosen the sport for their child, while in elementary school.

While these parents are fooling around, my 3yo is cranking out an hour on the uneven bars.

I didn't miss yours....I also didn't miss the part where you said you jump to major conclusions with regard to child athletics.  I think we agree on much of this.....but again, I wouldn't want to "jump to comclusions" or indict an entire system of child atheltics over a few anecdotal experiences.

I've responded to your message.  And I certainly didn't mean jumping to conclusions as a good thing that I do.  

So she does the HM in 1:40 or whatever.  We are having adverts about getting kids exercising an hour a day.  Some kids are out playing for more than an hour a day.  Is it as hard as running a HM?  I don't know, my experience with running a HM is that really only the last 25 percent sucks bad.  So these kids are in the pain zone for like 20 minutes.  Is that driving them like rented mules.  Assuming they can knock down a 10k in around 40 minutes, I mean that is only a hard race for the last 5-10 minutes.

I would be curious to learn more about their training before commenting too much, although 100 races in 2 years is a bit much for anyone.

I get it.....thanks.

How do you define athletic talent, and at what age? I've seen plenty of athletically gifted children who didn't pan out to be athletically gifted teenagers. I think it's becoming a real problem with youth sports. I'm all in favor of youth athletics, and actual competitive athletics for kids, but I don't think kids should specialize or compete too far outside their age bracket until at least high school. Of course I think even then kids should play multiple sports that don't have overlapping seasons, but if they are hell bent on being single sport athletes make 'em wait until they are fully through puberty. Younger kids should also have down time and plenty of unstructured play. Little Johnny who is a stud on the U9 soccer team may well be just another kid on the bench when he gets to high school. I think that's more likely than not, at least in my experience as a parent and a coach over many years. The trouble is that parents don't see it because their kids haven't got there yet. They have no frame of reference. They haven't been around long enough to see the t-ball all star flame out at 15.

These girls are all kinds of talented.  Ran against them, (and got smoked by them) last March in a duathlon in Seguin.  They outran me on the first run, I caught and passed both of them on the bike, and then they "baby chicked" me on the last run. 

It was a pride sucking experience, until I started reading stories about how they were winning all sorts of awards and races.

I raced an Olympic distance in 2011, when I passed each of the girls on the bike they were bawling loudly. They caught me shortly out of T2 so I had the pleasure of hearing their dad 'encourage' them with some strong language for a good mile. He's running and screaming at the top of his lungs telling them they are too slow, behind by x minutes blah blah blah.

After another adult race I asked Heather if she enjoyed triathlons and she said no but she did like running. This was a Saturday race and when I asked her if she was racing Sunday she said "I don't know, we don't usually know what we are dong ahead of time, Dad just wakes us up in the morning. If the bikes are in the truck we are doing a tri."

That sounds like rented mules right there.

I know Laura Bennett's (US Olympian) family.  Her brothers have 6 and 14 kids respectively.  Between the Grandfather (Paul 73) and the youngest competitor (right now Kemper 10) they win every age group they have someone in. 

My buddy, Laura's Brother, David (father of 14) tells his kids "If you want to go to the track on Thursdays, you have to wake me up.  I'm not getting you up."  He also says "If you're not in the van when we pull-out to go to the race/workout, no sulking, it's up to you to be there ontime."

I worry about these girls if they aren't enjoying it. 

Keri, that is messed up for sure.

I like this story of David.

Thanks for both stories.

Awful.

Great family and talented kids, but no they don't.  They get beat just like everyone else. I've watched them quite a bit....maybe the first family of Draft Legal triathlon in the U.S.....but they get beat plenty.  There are just SO many talented Jrs. and U23 racers coming up, and almost all of them have supportive, nurturing parents....that's a big part of how they got there.  

The fact is, the majority of kids who make it to the top level of athletics have great parents.  I see some parents who are dumbarses...but I don't see them for very long, or their kids.

There comes a point where kids race/play for themselves.......you either help build that into them and help them achieve their goals and dreams, or you ruin their hopes.  It can't be a parent's dream, no matter how much you'd like to see them succeed.

Agreed.  It is the feeling of most of the folks in our area their father is out for his 15 minutes of fame.  There was an Outside article written about them a few months ago and the things he said were so sad to me.  He uses words towards and about his daughters I simply do not understand.  The younger daughter is quite social and will talk with other girls racing or if we are racing and our daughters are there to support/volunteer/cheer but the older daughter seems way shut down or maybe she is very shy but it didn't seem that way during the interview.  The fact that he even labels them 'the talented one' and 'the hard worker' is parenting fail 101.

Luckily for me, that isn't an issue.  In all seriousness, I will let them pursue their athletic choices on their own.  I will provide them the guidance and support they need, but I will also act as a "control" if I think it is getting out of hand.

I agree with your premise.......but if your kids are talented enough to "play/complete" at the top level of their chosen sport, that gets tricky.  "Out of hand" becomes harder to define.  Look at Gabby Douglas, the American Gymnast.  Her mother basically destroyed her own finances so that her child could pursue her dream.  Out of hand?