Crazy Parents???

[Jake Patterson]

Anyone see U.S. Olympian Aly Raisman's parents??

I would be an interesting study to see what happens to these kids' lives after they compete. We hear of a few that are successful, but I wonder how many suffer as adults because of the price they pay as youngsters.

[DerekD]

Anyone see U.S. Olympian Aly Raisman's parents??

I would be an interesting study to see what happens to these kids' lives after they compete. We hear of a few that are successful, but I wonder how many suffer as adults because of the price they pay as youngsters.

Are you talking about this?

http://youtu.be/1Ide4AT6Wd8

Yeah, I saw that. They look like they're in one of the roller coaster simulators.

[clayadams]

BAHAHAAAA... I, my wife and daughter were all watching that! We were making the same kinda comments. My daughter was just cracking up.

[jbolt_2000]

Interestingly, there was a report on the latest episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumble, on HBO that profiled an ex-Olympic gymnast who ended up getting emancipated from her father because he was so strict and abusive. The story was really about her older sister with no legs who was given up for adoption (small clip about episode).

I also remember a report (late 90's or early 00's) about a player who was a day from signing with the Mets for millions of dollars but balked at the last minute. He gave a press release explaining his decision. He said that he hated baseball. Said that his whole life his father groomed him to be a pro player. He worked out every day and took lessons and practiced during all his free time. Wasn't allowed to go to parties in high school or date girls. Had his first Big Mac while in college. He said he grew to hate baseball because of what his father made him do. Didn't even care that he was giving up on millions of dollars.

[crazyhawk]

I bet a few years pass and that player takes a look at his mortgage and bills and wishes he signed that contract.

[Jake Patterson]

I bet a few years pass and that player takes a look at his mortgage and bills and wishes he signed that contract.

I doubt it. If he hated it enough to not sign, then he would never have lasted.

[crazyhawk]

Hate it for two more years than quit and have more money that most will make in a lifetime. I work in a job that I hate as well...as does over 80% of America...only I don't get millions to be miserable.

[CircleChange11]

This is not something that's unique to sports.

Some cultures have much higher teen suicide rates due to the pressure to perform well academically and then as a a professional.

The hardest part of being a parent is know when to push and when to pull back (or be lucky enough to guess right).

We can all sit back and act like great players just happened (and maybe some of them did). But most of them had someone teaching them and working with them daily, and it wasn't always sunshine and roses.

I've stated before that my dad was abusive and used the constructive criticism strategy far too often, but I give him credit for being there every day and willing to work with me at it. I had plenty of buddies that I had to be the luckiest kid in the world. Some days I was, some day I wasn't.

If the standard for good sports parent is dilligent in support, lots of knowledge and teaching ability, commitment to daily practice, willing to sacrifice for the kid ... while holding the kid to high expectations, while never making it feel like work, and being positive in all of our comments ... then most, if not all of us, fail miserably. I think the standard that people place on others is, generally, far higher than the standard they use to evaluate themselves. It's reality.

We also need to keep in mind that there are some people in this world that will hate anything that requires too much effort and daily work. There are some adults/bosses that could eventually make anyone hate something they love.

These situations are also highly complicated and may contain far more than what we are privy to.

[BamaYankee]

These atheletes appear to be doing better than child actors. Don't hear a lot about them --good or bad-- once their Olympic careers are over.

But back to the parents: They seem to get a free pass. If the same intensity were applied to youth baseball players it would be outrageous. Ship your 11 year old slugger off to live and train in FL with a swing coach?

[marklaker]

This is not something that's unique to sports.

Some cultures have much higher teen suicide rates due to the pressure to perform well academically and then as a a professional.

The hardest part of being a parent is know when to push and when to pull back (or be lucky enough to guess right).

We can all sit back and act like great players just happened (and maybe some of them did). But most of them had someone teaching them and working with them daily, and it wasn't always sunshine and roses.

I've stated before that my dad was abusive and used the constructive criticism strategy far too often, but I give him credit for being there every day and willing to work with me at it. I had plenty of buddies that I had to be the luckiest kid in the world. Some days I was, some day I wasn't.

If the standard for good sports parent is dilligent in support, lots of knowledge and teaching ability, commitment to daily practice, willing to sacrifice for the kid ... while holding the kid to high expectations, while never making it feel like work, and being positive in all of our comments ... then most, if not all of us, fail miserably. I think the standard that people place on others is, generally, far higher than the standard they use to evaluate themselves. It's reality.

We also need to keep in mind that there are some people in this world that will hate anything that requires too much effort and daily work. There are some adults/bosses that could eventually make anyone hate something they love.

These situations are also highly complicated and may contain far more than what we are privy to.

Some very good points.

[marklaker]

These atheletes appear to be doing better than child actors. Don't hear a lot about them --good or bad-- once their Olympic careers are over.

But back to the parents: They seem to get a free pass. If the same intensity were applied to youth baseball players it would be outrageous. Ship your 11 year old slugger off to live and train in FL with a swing coach?

Ask Sheldon Kennedy and Theo Fleury how that worked out for them.

[The Uncoach]

The zenith of the best female gymnast's career is short-lived and usually occurs in the mid to late teens. The zenith of the best male baseball players occurs in the late 20's/early 30's. Apples and oranges.

[Jake Patterson]

But back to the parents: They seem to get a free pass. If the same intensity were applied to youth baseball players it would be outrageous. Ship your 11 year old slugger off to live and train in FL with a swing coach?

This is done in baseball.

[tg643]

The worst case I ever saw was a parent of a 2005 LLWS player. Tony Gwynn pointed her out. He said if a parent can't have better control they should think twice about attending the games. Our all-star team lost in states to them twice. My son and I followed them through regions and the LLWS. The mother must have thrown up at least five times. She must have broken at least ten pairs of sunglasses. One time I saw her under the stands on her knees, gripping her rosary beads trying to pray while throwing up. My son ended up playing showcase ball with the kid. The mother was just as much of a train wreck about where her son would play college ball. The dad was calm, composed and a real nice guy.

[tg643]

Dr Joel Fish is the head of the Center for Sports Psychology in Philadelphia. They work with Team USA's college and professional sports teams. But Dr Fish said the biggest client base is teen athletes whose parents have messed up their heads. For every Tiger Woods there are thousands of kids in counseling. And look what happened to Woods after his father died and there weren't any more controls on his life.