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I attended college on an athletic scholarship (distance freestyle swimmer) and was pressured to swim when my rotator cuff was tearing. I would swim 10,000 yards some days with ONE arm. It was grueling. I left after two years due to phyical problems and the fact that I needed an education, not more pool time. My family NEVER pushed me, I pushed myself, and that combined with an inflexible program at school almost caused me permanent damage.
Laura
Sad reading... Just too many kid getting hurt because of parents trying to live their unfulfilled dreams of sports stardom.
I wish parents (and kids too) that the sports are supposed to be fun. It should never be about life or death thing. If you are hurt don't continue or do it for the team...
Reading stories like her makes me quiet, angry and introspective... It really is a shame to be crippled like that. :( The young girl has a full life ahead of her.
And Zen you're so right! monied family really is an enabler. and parents can stop it too. Child may seem to be in a driver seat; but really, if you don't have money, your child can't go to all those expensive practices and camps. Look at figure skating. look at gymnastics, tennis and all the other sports.
My sister did not go to camps for gymnastics, only what was provided by the public school. She chipped a bone in her elbow during a practice and my parents put an end to her gymnastics. I know she harped on my parents to send her to a camp and all but my parents absolutely refused. Instead, they made her focus on her education. Typical Japanese parents. And I am so grateful for that.
I mostly agree with everyone here ... and yet, I don't know ..
I know people who have been competitive athletes and are now paying for it. But they don't necessarily regret what they've done.
It's tricky when it comes to kids, but when it comes to adults, I have to think, who am I to tell them what they're doing is too risky? Plenty of people would say that about mountain biking, road riding, any number of things I do all the time.
It does seem to me that teens are more likely to get caught up in the team dynamic and feel that they absolutely *must* keep it up. And I don't remember having any concept as a teen that anything I did could possibly have a permanent effect. I'm not sure I realized that at 30 or 40, I would still want to be active and maybe even be learning new sports, let alone into my 50s and 60s and, well, as far as I can possibly go. Everything seemed much more immediate; I didn't really think long term.