When could you tell that your child was a good athlete?
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Anonymous
| My 5 year old seems gifted at soccer. I attribute it to years of watching big brother play and knowing the game better than other 5 year olds. It will even out in a few years when the other kids understand the game more. |
Anonymous
| People commented on how fast my child could run at the age of two. In first grade, the PE teacher saw me in the hall one day and came over to comment on how athletic my child was. Was always the fastest in the mile run, earned the Presidential fitness award every year. Is now doing a sport professionally. |
Anonymous
You must have been a horrible coach if none of those super talented kids never realized their full potential under your guidance. 
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Anonymous
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Clearly your DD is interested in the various sports, attentive enough to pick up the rules, and focused enough to follow through on multiple rounds of play. That all counts for a lot at that age, and for many years to come. Just like it does for "academics" in elementary school, by the way. Strong Interest + Strong Attention Span + Focused Follow Through will get kids very, very far in the early years, regardless of their actual talent.
My advice is to focus on observing and praising those things above. When DD or DH or anyone else talks about how "good" she is at a sport, it's easy enough to answer, "She really enjoys it," or even better, "Yeah, she really likes it and has been practicing a lot." The message is that it's not all about talent or giftedness. It's about practice (and attentiveness and focus), which leads to good results. Down the line in middle school or high school, will lots of practice and focus compensate if she turns out not to have decent athletic skills? Probably not. But in the meantime, she'll internalize the lesson that she has a lot of control over her performance, both on the field and off. And of course, you really need to rein in your DH. It's exciting to see our kids doing something well, but he needs to control himself and his expectations before this becomes about HIM instead of your DD. The future will be what it will be. In the meantime, she's having fun and learning a lot. That's great, and it should be more than enough for DH. |
Anonymous
I think your bigger worry is that she doesn't play like she's on a team. |
Anonymous
Ha! My darling daughter's in 2nd grade, and if I throw something at her she just lets it hit her and grumpily exhorts, "Ow." ZERO early sports talents that I can discern.  She sure is great in many other ways, though.
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Anonymous
| This is kind of a sad thread, anyone who thinks they can peg their kid as an athlete or non-athlete in kindergarten will be a terrible terrible parent. As others have said, kids develop at different levels. Often times at young ages, the best kids are the biggest but they rarely stay the biggest. My kids are now older (14 and 16) and very few of the standout kids at young ages remain solid players today. Rather it was kids who were pretty good and engaged at a young age, and then who worked harder than everyone else. You need some base to begin with but then it is most frequently hard work. But as the college scholarship thread demonstrated, even all the hard work in the world may not lead to a scholarship so it is often the kids who enjoy their sports, rather than being pushed by an adult, who excel later. Chill. |
Anonymous
You must be a spiteful troll b/c many fewer kids play college ball than in Pop Warner. Some actually focus on their education. |
Anonymous
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OP here. Wow, lots of input!
I'm trying to get DH to take it easy. She's 6!! And she's not going to be a professional athlete. She passed up one sport this spring in favor of trying something new. DH didn't love that and wanted her to cram everything in, but I said no. I think that 17:37 really summed up my attitude well -- praise the effort and focus, not the result. I think I can get him to concentrate on that pretty easily. I also think that it is important that she have fun and enjoy what she's doing. To the poster who said to emphasize the team aspect of things, you're spot on! It is a little hard to do when she's playing with kids who are afraid to catch the ball or just hang out an pick grass. And the habit of not keeping score for the TEAM in rec soccer or basketball does lead a child to keep track of her own points. We figured that out with soccer and managed to change the focus during basketball a bit -- nice pass to lily! or good catch when Kate threw you a pass. It did distract her from counting her own baskets, at least. I'm sure a lot of this will even out with maturation. I've always loved sports and find them a fun, worthwhile outlet in their own right. So I'll support her if she wants to practice or play more (within reason), but I'm not going to force her beyond her interests at all. |
Anonymous
| Good enough for HS Varsity = self motivated. And assertiveness. And a good attitude. If they don't make the HS team in one sport, they try out for another. Athletic enough/and interested enough to challenge themselves. |
Anonymous
| The other aspect you can see about 1st to 2nd grade is a child's ability (or not) listen, focus, learn and apply what is coached. The one who have all four pieces go pretty far athletically. Coaches saw it w/ DD in gymnastics about that age. |
Anonymous
Nope, you are missing out a big factor in most team sports- aggressiveness. Some kids are simply more aggressive and don't mind getting bumped or bumping other kids. They want to be first to the ball, and won't easily give it up. You can be interested in soccer or basketball, be able to sustain your attention, focus, practice a ton but if you aren't willing to go push for the ball or use your body to defend the ball, it is hard to do well. OP's kid sounds athletic AND aggressive (and I mean it in a good way, not a mean way), so will do well in many types if team sports. My oldest is coordinated, attentive, has great foot skills, is really interested in soccer, and practices moves a lot. He is a good player but won't ever be a great player because he simply isn't aggressive. Meanwhile his younger brother has fewer skills, isn't as attentive nor interested, but is really aggressive on the field. He wants the ball, is confident when he steals the ball away, and if he loses the ball will chase down any kid and get the ball back. He wins all the 50-50 balls. I get told all the time what a great player he is. |
Anonymous
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Pretty much everyone knew my nephew was going to he a baseball player when he was two. He hit the first ball ever pitched to him. He was amazingly coordinated as a toddler and was obsessed with baseball. He played football and ice hockey in high school as well.
He is playing baseball for an Ivy League university now although it doesn't look like he is going to make the pros. |
Anonymous
I think PP was being sarcastic.
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Anonymous
You've got it! Your daughter will take her cues from you. And your DH. So keep on doing what you're doing to help him get with the program, and your DD will be just fine. |