Natural athletes are not necessarily elite athletes. I have seen, at bsc at least, the best natural athlete fail miserably. She is a spectacular athlete but has 0 vision and the coaches gave up on her in the front where the best players play. She is now a wing defender. Spectacular speed, throws the ball in a mile but no training means she is not getting any better. Natural athletes should play, when they are young, where they get the most time on the field up front or in middle where they can learn to play and pick up skill. In a lot of ways the best athletes are the worst served by the win at all cost under 15 model

They'll then plunk down even more money for side-training to prove them wrong

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother's Dutch soccer Coach (former Ajax Academy player--U17 National team) used to say he could tell which kid would be a good soccer player by the way he walked. And he was dead serious.

He took to my brother---my brother ended up on full scholarship and going pro. He also pointed out several others over the years that had big success.

I started watching my own sons..and the one that is a natural definitely has a swagger, distinctive walk. So--I don't know if there's any truth to it--but I always found it funny.

My husband is in the sports business and also can evaluate basic athleticism by watching kids walk. I find this amazing, as I would only notice if a kid was unusually clumsy. We have 4 kids who have played a variety of sports, so we’ve watched tons of youth games. The kids he picks out as having the most potential at young ages are very often not the parent or coach favorites. I used to think the idea that you could watch a bunch of 8 year olds and confidentially decide that some of them had no potential to play elite sports while others had a chance depending on how life (including puberty) treated them was ridiculous, but his predictions have turned out to be remarkably accurate through the years.

I'm fascinated by this and feel like this skill could be monetized. It might not prevent folks forking over $$$ for their kids to play at higher youth levels... could probably be used to justify paying additional $ for extra training no matter where you fall on the walking/gait spectrum.

sorry Larlo, you're gate is wrong, so you're staying in rec. I'm sure that would be a service tons of people would utilize

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother's Dutch soccer Coach (former Ajax Academy player--U17 National team) used to say he could tell which kid would be a good soccer player by the way he walked. And he was dead serious.

He took to my brother---my brother ended up on full scholarship and going pro. He also pointed out several others over the years that had big success.

I started watching my own sons..and the one that is a natural definitely has a swagger, distinctive walk. So--I don't know if there's any truth to it--but I always found it funny.

My husband is in the sports business and also can evaluate basic athleticism by watching kids walk. I find this amazing, as I would only notice if a kid was unusually clumsy. We have 4 kids who have played a variety of sports, so we’ve watched tons of youth games. The kids he picks out as having the most potential at young ages are very often not the parent or coach favorites. I used to think the idea that you could watch a bunch of 8 year olds and confidentially decide that some of them had no potential to play elite sports while others had a chance depending on how life (including puberty) treated them was ridiculous, but his predictions have turned out to be remarkably accurate through the years.

I'm fascinated by this and feel like this skill could be monetized. It might not prevent folks forking over $$$ for their kids to play at higher youth levels... could probably be used to justify paying additional $ for extra training no matter where you fall on the walking/gait spectrum.

We have jokingly talked about how much money he could make as a youth sports consultant, especially once we learned how much friends have paid for college admissions consultants! He has actually put the skills to work informally in the local community. If he sees kids with potential whose parents don’t seem knowledgeable about sports, he makes sure to tell the parents he thinks the kid can do very well if they continue to put the work in and will suggest resources. He also lets coaches he trusts know if he has come across kids who he thinks they should look at. Along with helping our older kids negotiate the college athletic recruitment process, he helped a number of their friends and teammates, and the occasional people who heard of him through friends of friends.

I think that you are right that skills like these are not useful in preventing parents from spending money though. In my experience, parents who think their kid is a superstar will not be persuaded by any opinion to the contrary, and no one likes hearing that their kid’s athletic ceiling may not be high. Also, I feel like as long as families have money to burn and kids enjoy the training, there is nothing wrong with spending a lot on youth sports even if all the kid ever gets out of it is exercise plus an expanded social circle.

Np- I feel like we had this debate 3 months ago.

Anonymous wrote:Lol at people trying to link athleticism with golf. Golf is an activity, bro. Not a sport. Like bowling or fishing.

They aren't making the link to athleticism. They are making a comparison to skill development. Golf requires skill that demands thousands of hours hours honing. Being athletic can provide the necessary coordination to make developing those skills easier over time.

Soccer requires development of skills that can't be enhanced in the gym or with strength and conditioning routines.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother's Dutch soccer Coach (former Ajax Academy player--U17 National team) used to say he could tell which kid would be a good soccer player by the way he walked. And he was dead serious.

He took to my brother---my brother ended up on full scholarship and going pro. He also pointed out several others over the years that had big success.

I started watching my own sons..and the one that is a natural definitely has a swagger, distinctive walk. So--I don't know if there's any truth to it--but I always found it funny.

My husband is in the sports business and also can evaluate basic athleticism by watching kids walk. I find this amazing, as I would only notice if a kid was unusually clumsy. We have 4 kids who have played a variety of sports, so we’ve watched tons of youth games. The kids he picks out as having the most potential at young ages are very often not the parent or coach favorites. I used to think the idea that you could watch a bunch of 8 year olds and confidentially decide that some of them had no potential to play elite sports while others had a chance depending on how life (including puberty) treated them was ridiculous, but his predictions have turned out to be remarkably accurate through the years.

I'm fascinated by this and feel like this skill could be monetized. It might not prevent folks forking over $$$ for their kids to play at higher youth levels... could probably be used to justify paying additional $ for extra training no matter where you fall on the walking/gait spectrum.

Anonymous wrote:I see many times the term "Natural Athlete" being mentioned. What 3 traits best define this when you see one.

-loves exercising
-loves playing sports
-loves competition and going to practice

You can have a tall kid whose father could be a basketball star but if son prefers to be a pianist then your genetics theory doesn’t work.

Lol at people trying to link athleticism with golf. Golf is an activity, bro. Not a sport. Like bowling or fishing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stupid comments, who is the best female gymnast?
Surprisingly the best soccer players in a top teams are short or average size.
Every sport is different, yes to be a top athlete the first thing you need is discipline.

John Daly and his $10,000,000 in life time earnings disagrees

True. Soccer is closer to golf than say American football. Soccer and Golf are both skill sports. You have to learn the skill first before most physical attributes are applied towards it. American Football is the opposite. You have to develop your physical body first in order to play the game at a high level later. Quarterback may be a slight exception to this, but most other positions are very low skill, including receiver. You can wait until high school to play competitively and still become a pro football player. This has happened many times. Even after high school people have picked up the game and eventually played pro. Basketball and baseball have a little more skill involved than football, but both are still very low skill compared to soccer.

That is totally wrong every sport has unique individual skills . American football has just as many skills as soccer just different . Blocking techniques man coverage running through holes all have special skills to argue would be just as ignorant as to say all soccer players do is kick a ball. Actually I personally think one the hardest skill in sport is to hit a major league pitchers curve ball. And basketball takes more skill than soccer overall because more facets to the game with bigger faster athletes on a much smaller playing area not to mention more physical contact.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stupid comments, who is the best female gymnast?
Surprisingly the best soccer players in a top teams are short or average size.
Every sport is different, yes to be a top athlete the first thing you need is discipline.

John Daly and his $10,000,000 in life time earnings disagrees

John Daly is not even in the top 100 lifetime earners in golf.

John Daly is still a better golfer than you will ever be.

I hope John Daly sees this, bro.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stupid comments, who is the best female gymnast?
Surprisingly the best soccer players in a top teams are short or average size.
Every sport is different, yes to be a top athlete the first thing you need is discipline.

John Daly and his $10,000,000 in life time earnings disagrees

John Daly is not even in the top 100 lifetime earners in golf.

John Daly is still a better golfer than you will ever be.

Anonymous wrote:My brother's Dutch soccer Coach (former Ajax Academy player--U17 National team) used to say he could tell which kid would be a good soccer player by the way he walked. And he was dead serious.

He took to my brother---my brother ended up on full scholarship and going pro. He also pointed out several others over the years that had big success.

I started watching my own sons..and the one that is a natural definitely has a swagger, distinctive walk. So--I don't know if there's any truth to it--but I always found it funny.

My husband is in the sports business and also can evaluate basic athleticism by watching kids walk. I find this amazing, as I would only notice if a kid was unusually clumsy. We have 4 kids who have played a variety of sports, so we’ve watched tons of youth games. The kids he picks out as having the most potential at young ages are very often not the parent or coach favorites. I used to think the idea that you could watch a bunch of 8 year olds and confidentially decide that some of them had no potential to play elite sports while others had a chance depending on how life (including puberty) treated them was ridiculous, but his predictions have turned out to be remarkably accurate through the years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stupid comments, who is the best female gymnast?
Surprisingly the best soccer players in a top teams are short or average size.
Every sport is different, yes to be a top athlete the first thing you need is discipline.

John Daly and his $10,000,000 in life time earnings disagrees

John Daly is not even in the top 100 lifetime earners in golf.

Anonymous wrote:Natural athletes more often than not have more LENGTH than most people. Meaning longer limbs than average athletes. Longer legs and wingspan is something that is looked at in the elite natural athletes. most people have a wingspan either equal to or 1-2 inches more than their height. The elite natural athletes tend to a plus 4" or more up to +10 in wingspan to height ratio. Its not sport specific its athletes across the board.

I disagree with this. Look at Surya Bonaly or any gymnast. Or short top soccer players. You’re just thinking of top b-ball players.