I made this comment on Bill's blog after he reviewed the book, but I'll repeat it: we once knew a couple who had focused everything on their son, who was a promising basketball player. The whole family revolved around the son's practice/training/playing schedule. Then he suffered a severe injury and could never play again. I think the parents had a harder time adjusting to the new reality than the son did. Even ten years later, whenever we saw them, somehow they would bring the conversation around to their son and what might have been. They could never let it go. There's a fine line between doing what you can to support your child's dream and being an obsessive and overbearing parent. A very fine one.
Here in Canada we have many parents who are convinced their kid will be the next NHL superstar and have them playing hockey 12 months a year. They are paying thousands and thousands of dollars for them to play and travel starting when they are as young as six or seven. Now we have hockey academys for female high school players where the annual tuition and board and room is $20,000-30,000 annually with no scholarships. There is no financial reward for these players other than the top ones who might get a scholarship at a US college. The exceptional playere might make Canada's National Team.
Yikes indeed. Yet it's probably true that the top gymnasts, swimmers, and youth of many other sports got involved at an early age and their parents supported their efforts with money and encouragement all along the way.I learned to swim at age 5 and competed starting age 7 all the way through my sophomore year of college. I was at the top state level in high school, but I wasn't good enough at the college level to get athletic scholarships. Still, I was competitive, and I loved swimming through all those years. My parents supported, but never acted like the woman in the video. That's too much.
Not to mention, in the nature of things, most sports are rather transitory elements in a young person's life. A gymnast might be one of the best in 2016, but by 2020 there will be a new, younger gymnast to take her place and this basically plays out in most sports all the time.
Patricia Abbott is the author of more than 125 stories that have appeared online, in print journals and in various anthologies. She is the author of two print novels CONCRETE ANGEL (2015) and SHOT IN DETROIT (2016)(Polis Books). CONCRETE ANGEL was nominated for an Anthony and Macavity Award in 2016. SHOT IN DETROIT was nominated for an Edgar Award and an Anthony Award in 2017. A collection of her stories I BRING SORROW AND OTHER STORIES OF TRANSGRESSION will appear in 2018.
She also authored two ebooks, MONKEY JUSTICE and HOME INVASION and co-edited DISCOUNT NOIR. She won a Derringer award for her story "My Hero." She lives outside Detroit.
Patricia (Patti) Abbott
SHOT IN DETROIT
Edgar Nominee 2017, Anthony nominee 2017
CONCRETE ANGEL
Polis Books, 2015-nominated for the Anthony and Macavity Awards
8 comments:
I made this comment on Bill's blog after he reviewed the book, but I'll repeat it: we once knew a couple who had focused everything on their son, who was a promising basketball player. The whole family revolved around the son's practice/training/playing schedule. Then he suffered a severe injury and could never play again. I think the parents had a harder time adjusting to the new reality than the son did. Even ten years later, whenever we saw them, somehow they would bring the conversation around to their son and what might have been. They could never let it go. There's a fine line between doing what you can to support your child's dream and being an obsessive and overbearing parent. A very fine one.
--Deb
I must say, "Egads."
Here in Canada we have many parents who are convinced their kid will be the next NHL superstar and have them playing hockey 12 months a year. They are paying thousands and thousands of dollars for them to play and travel starting when they are as young as six or seven. Now we have hockey academys for female high school players where the annual tuition and board and room is $20,000-30,000 annually with no scholarships. There is no financial reward for these players other than the top ones who might get a scholarship at a US college. The exceptional playere might make Canada's National Team.
Yikes indeed. Yet it's probably true that the top gymnasts, swimmers, and youth of many other sports got involved at an early age and their parents supported their efforts with money and encouragement all along the way.I learned to swim at age 5 and competed starting age 7 all the way through my sophomore year of college. I was at the top state level in high school, but I wasn't good enough at the college level to get athletic scholarships. Still, I was competitive, and I loved swimming through all those years. My parents supported, but never acted like the woman in the video. That's too much.
It is too much. How can a kid not go nuts trying to make these people think they spent their lives and money wisely.
Not to mention, in the nature of things, most sports are rather transitory elements in a young person's life. A gymnast might be one of the best in 2016, but by 2020 there will be a new, younger gymnast to take her place and this basically plays out in most sports all the time.
--Deb
Yes, I think I would try to move her to tennis! Go Serena!
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