Quote Originally Posted by Clash City Rocker View Post
I agree WP there is a point where success that was easily achieved young due to the kindness of the gene pool begins to be eroded through other athletes who are less gifted but are beginning to work harder and it is this age that is critical because it becomes hard for those who have enjoyed success to come to terms with losing. If its only been about the winning then this is harder to take. It is obvioulsy at this point that we begin to lose juniors. Losing juniors is inevitable whatever we do as parents coaches clubs. History shows as you point out with the fell scene over the last few years that the vast majority chose another route through life. The balance tha Biara seeks is right. Whilst I have a talented son who is amassing county honours for track and Xc who started on the fells and is targetting fells more this year I wnat him to succeed what parent wouldnt but more than that I want him to be running when is my age because he still loves the whole idea of just sticking a pair of trainers on and getting out there. Look at he power of 10 for any sport/discipline and track the juniors through from years ago and you will see names drop of the lists as the age groups progress. Very few make it through to the senior ranks and even less remain record breakers/holders. Seniors are more likely to come from runners who have come to the sport later those that start really young are done with it by then. Is this because we assume that progression is needed all the time and the whole competetive process is built around improve or remove?
As noted on the old thread I am not suggesting that we protect juniors from defeats its the nature of racing that only one person can win unlike team sprorts so the sooner kids get used to that the better. Thats life. But we have to come up with a better way of keeping kids in the sport. Who knows how many potential world beaters have gone aged between 14 and 18.
Clash City, this is really interesting. I agree there can be danger for talented youngsters for the reasons you suggest. Conversley, those children who enjoy fell running but who struggle to do well in terms of winning (ie. they work really hard but still come near the back in a race), they gain a lot in terms of emotional resiliance, working hard to make small gains, etc, and this is a fantastic benefit for their later life. It takes a special character to be slow or average in races time-and-again, and to keep turning up. I think these youngsters are more likely to stick with the sport because coping with the work and the pain involved will have become second nature - they have lived it already and they will not be fazed by coming up against better runners later - they are used to it! With children this is specially admirable because at this age racing IS about winning (nothing wrong with that) so if we can get these children into our clubs, they have lots to gain and probably lots to contribute to our clubs later.

For me it is similar to the problems of child prodigies in any field - outside sport too. Extra-clever or talented children get used to being admired and being on top, winning or being in sight of trophies, etc. So yes, for many it is such a big fall once the world stops saying how brilliant they are, and once 'being on (or near) the top' needs a work ethic and resiliance to failure, not just the luck of genetics.

And there is a gap between success in childhood and success in adulthood (again, in anything, not just sport). Maturity, late starters, etc. Some kids can run faster when they are young, and others catch up later. Average juniors can be top seniors, also through the luck of genetics.

I think about this a lot (it's interesting!).