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[quote=Anonymous]Like everything there are choices to make.  We always tease that my daughter could have easily made the Olympic dressage team if we owned a horse, and if she took years of lessons and competed.

All you can really do as a parent is: (1) provide support when and if you can.  Can’t afford a $30K horse and bording costs?  Well - guess Dressage is out.  (2) Stuff has to work with your family.  Multiple kids mean multiple activities.  On the other hand there is some truth that idle hands are the devil’s workshop.  Kids need activities of many types to learn and improve themselves.  (3) And this is a big one.  You have to be involved enough to know what is working and what is not.  Find some activities your kid can excel in.  Maybe that’s sports but it may not be a sport like soccer.  As a parent you have to stay on top of things enough to be a help in guiding your kid.

What makes a good soccer player?  At every age it is (1) speed. (2) quickness (3) coordination (4) skills.  A slow highly skilled player will not succeed beyond a basic level though that should get them through high school.  A fast less skilled player will not succeed either and likely could make use of their speed to better effect playing some other sport.

It is not a big deal now, but it is something you need to be cognizant of as your kid gets older.  Years ago, on another site mostly with coaches - the question was discussed as to how late a kid who was a good athlete, quick and fast, with good work ethics, could they start playing and potential be playing at a high amateur level by the time they were 18.  The conclusion was that with a couple years of supplemental private coaching a 11-12 year old could do it.  After that they don’t have time.

The thing is - in all competitive activities there are people who are already doing the activity.  Some of those folks have excellent talent and skills too.  They are working hard to improve too.  You can Usain Bolt at the starting line of the 100m race, and if you give old me a 80 yard head start, I will win every race.  The other kids are not waiting for your kid to catch up.

Finally, the thing a ton of parents of young athletes ignore is puberty.  You, as parents, have the best idea of where your kid is going to end up size and speed wise after going through puberty.  As my daughter’s soccer coach told us long ago, the best kids at 9 are rarely the best kids at 13, and there is a mother gyration by 18.  The difference with boys is that puberty is lengthened for the group.  Lots of boys keep growing during college.  Again, as a parent, you need to keep that in mind too.  When will your kid grow and where will he/she likely end up?[/quote]

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