At What Cost ?….The Elite Athlete

 Lauren training  with the “RIKSHA”for AAU National Championships 2007

The following questions are important discussion points for the parents of a potential elite athlete. They are very thought provoking. At what cost do we direct our elite athletes to move to the “Next Level Youth”, Whose choice is it really? Food for thought…..

 Recently, I did some math on a typical elite youth track athlete from the age of 8 through the age of 17 and the emotional, physical and psychological  cost of their sport, not to mention the financial burden on the family as a whole.

 WELL, Here’s a general break down….  If you travel with your child to the meets in and out of the state.Championship meets, Invitationals etc. Gas, airfare, hotels ( sometime for as long as 7-10 days),  equipment, special foods, training, gear,water , supplementation and proper nutrition(vitamins),personal trainers (sprint trainer, long distance trainers , jump coaches I could go on but I won’t. You get the idea don’t you? 

 Imagine this …Our sport is one of the least expensive  to participate in.  (A family member of mine has 2 children in tennis and they cost 45-85 bucks/hour 3 times per week for privates.)The learning curve is rough in tennis you need a lot more to get a level  success during youth competitions.) So the final cost  for track could be as high as $90,000 based on  over 10,000/year at 8 years of competition.

I guess if your child gets a scholarship  you  may think your ahead, but are  you really? Do you  break even financially?. 

 Something to think about.

Our sport is the most forgiving in terms of learning and skill acquisition. Allyson Felix started running at 15. She has only been running for a total of 7 years to date. A child athlete starting at 6 will have run almost 16 years by the time she is of same age Allyson is right now.

Allyson looks prime to take the track world by virtual storm in the next few years and maybe even retire before  she even hits the numbers  of  competitive years many of our children will  have  reached at the age of 25 0r 26. Allyson  at 25 would have participated 1o years , the 6 year old athlete would have participated 20 years. Who is more likely to burn out? Is it a fore gone conclusion?

I don’t think so.We must allow our children to have as much fun as possible in these years before it is not as fun as they approach  high school and college years and possibly beyond.

These are very hard questions to ask yourself. I ask myself them regularly. I don’t have the answer but I do know we need to dialog more on the topic for the livelihood of the sport. Does it really take starting at 6-8 in track to be the super star standout down the road?

No It doesn’t.Many children start out of love of being with other children and it is fun to be part of something new.

Take a look at the elite youth rankings from a few years ago.How many if any of those same girls or boys are still at the top or even competing?

 I spoke to a 13 year old last season who said she retired from track at  13 because she wanted other things . Well that’s just fine except can you really retire from anything at 13?? She said it just wasn’t fun any longer. That was very sad to me but a reality.Many youth athletes aren’t having “fun”. I hope Lauren continues to have fun as long as possible.

 Questions to ask yourself today

What drives athletes’ and their parents’ determination to excel at the national and international level?
What is the the financial sacrifice equivalent of a middle-class income, the full-time job of grooming and transporting one’s child to competitions. Is it worth the outcome?
What do we understand that outcome to actually be?
What effect, positive and negative, does allowing or persuading a young athlete to aspire to elite status have on the athlete, her parents, and her family?

 More food for thought

• Seek out Information the actual costs of parenting an elite athlete, and the actual percentage of household income that those costs represent.
•  Find Parents  who have been there and done it, sharing their strategies and outcomes.
• What does an elite track athlete have to look foreward to as he developo after college? Will the parents be able to continue to support at the same level their child as they did in Elementary,Middle and High School?
• Will the newly “open status” of  the gradauted college athlete have to train and work full time to realize her dream?(many do)   

Trackmom  (in a contemplative  mood)

Please weigh in on this topic via post I look forward to hearing from you.