When your child is a gifted athlete
Last summer,Kate Douglass qualified for the 2016 US Olympic Team Trials in swimming — atage 13.
去年，凱特·道格拉斯獲準參加2016年奧運賽游泳預選賽碧注，她只有13歲。
“She probably started swimming competitively at about six-years-old, and she had a knack forit,” said her mother, Allison Douglass, who lives in New York. “Now she’s 14, afresh man in high school and she’s training seven days a week. We fly all overthe country for various meets.”
“她大概從6歲開始學習競技游泳，她有游泳天賦⊥貉常”她的媽媽艾莉森·道格拉斯說绑嘹，她們居住在美國紐約祠丝。“現(xiàn)在他的14歲了嘶伟，上高一怎憋，她一周七天都要訓練，我們飛到全國各地參見不同的比賽九昧“泶”
As thrilled as she is for her daughter’s success, being a parent of an elite swimmer requiresa full family commitment. There are expenses for coaching and travel, the timespent on swim competitions and practice, and then there’s the fact that she’s not an only child.
她為女兒的成功感到激動，培養(yǎng)頂級游泳選手需要全家一起努力铸鹰“┍穑花在教練和旅行上的各種費用和時間讓人頭疼，因為家里還有其他孩子蹋笼。
“She’s the oldest of three kids, and I don’t feel like her brother and sister should have to suffer,” Douglass said. “I would never make them sit through a five-hour swim meet, so it’s a lot of split time where I’m at a meet and my husband is with the other two.”
“她是三個孩子中最大的一個展姐，我不想讓她的弟弟妹妹跟著我們一起受罪躁垛，”道格拉斯說，“我不會讓他們兩個跟著我們一起靜坐等待持續(xù)五個小時的比賽圾笨，所以我們的時間要一分為二教馆，當我在陪練的時候，我的丈夫會和他們在一起擂达⊥疗蹋”
This summer she will accompany her daughter to Nebraska for the Olympic trials, where they will stay for nine days. “We are fortunate that financially we can afford to do this,” Douglass said. “We can afford to pay for coaches and travel around, but it’s still expensive. It wouldn’t work for every family. It’s a lot of balancing.”
In the US, more than 26 million children aged six to 17 played team sports in 2014, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. In the UK, 80% of children aged five to 15 said they’d done some form of competitive sport in the last 12months, according to the Sport and Recreation Alliance. In Australia, 60% ofkids aged five to 14 participated in at least one organized sport outside ofschool hours, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
這個夏天她要陪同女兒到那不拉斯加州參加奧林匹克運動會的訓練，她們要在那里呆九天谍婉，“我們可以負擔得起這次旅途的費用舒憾，”道格拉斯說，“盡管我們能夠負擔得起訓練和旅途的費用穗熬，但這費用還是很貴的镀迂，并不是每一個家庭都能負擔得起，很多事情需要平衡唤蔗√阶瘢”據(jù)運動健身協(xié)會統(tǒng)計，2014年在美國有2600多萬妓柜，年齡在6-17歲的孩子參加團隊運動箱季。根據(jù)運動娛樂聯(lián)盟統(tǒng)計，在英國去年有80%年齡在5-15歲的孩子參加過一些形式的運動比賽棍掐。澳大利亞統(tǒng)計局報道說藏雏，在澳大利亞60%的5-14歲孩子參加過至少一個課余組織的運動。
Many of us havea sporty child, but if they turn out to be a gifted athlete, here’s what you should really know about helping him or her pursue their talent.
很多家庭會有一個愛運動的孩子作煌，但是如果他們真的有運動天賦掘殴，這里我們可以告訴你一些你必須知道的關于幫助他們發(fā)揮她們的天賦的建議。
What it will?take:?Participating in sport?at this level?is expensive, in terms of equipment,?time?off work for parents, coaching, travel to competitions andregistration costs. It’s also a huge time commitment that can impact other children and family members. “You’ve really got to go into it with your eyes open,” said Nick Holt, a professor in the faculty of physical education and recreation at the University of Alberta, Canada. “That sport is going to?become a major part of your life. When you’re not at work, you’re basically?supporting your child’s sport.It’s a hard slog.”
需要什么：要達到這個運動級別投入不菲粟誓，需要考慮到運動器材奏寨，爸媽的吳工時間，培訓鹰服，比賽必須的旅行和注冊費用病瞳。同時，無法顧及其他孩子和家庭成員悲酷。加拿大亞伯達大學體育教育和娛樂系教授耐克·霍爾特說：“你必須要親眼盯著套菜，這項運動將會是你生活中最主要的一部分，如果你沒上班设易，你基本上都在陪練逗柴，這是一個艱難的跋涉。
The Douglass family, for instance, find it nearly impossible to take a holiday together that will fit around Kate’sswim schedule.“Swimming is a grueling sport and you can’t take a week off from it,” Allison said. “It limits our family travel, which is a bit of an issue for us.”
以道格拉斯一家為例亡嫌，為了適應凱特的比賽日程嚎于，他們一家?guī)缀醪豢赡芤黄鸲燃佟?a href="" target="_blank">“游泳是一種非常折磨人的運動掘而，一周都不能停”艾莉森說于购∨鬯“這限制了我們的家庭旅行，頗為棘手肋僧“呤ぃ”
Holt also believes that if you aren't resilient,you should steer?clear.“The best athletes in the world constantly make mistakes,”Holt said. “It’s not about making mistakes, it’s about being able to rebound from them.” If, as a parent, you find it hard to watch your child fail,or you’ll be tempted to lean hard on him if he plays at less than his best, this is not the lifestyle for you.
霍爾特認為若你心理素質不過硬，還是放棄吧嫌吠，“世界上最好的運動員經常犯錯誤止潘，”霍爾特說”枳纾“犯錯沒關系凭戴，能否重新振作才是關鍵】话”作為父母么夫，如果你發(fā)現(xiàn)你很難直面孩子的失敗，或者是你的孩子不能全力以赴你不得不苦苦相逼的話肤视，這種生活是不適合你的”
How long you?need to prepare:This varies a great deal, because athletes peak in different sports at different ages. That said, experts believe you should give sporty children a broad base in a variety of activities before singling one out in which they specialize.Let them try different sports, or spend time running around outdoors learning fundamental movement skills before focusing on one thing.
需要準備多長時間：由于不同的運動項目運動員的最佳狀態(tài)在不同的年齡段档痪，所以你需要準備的時間也大為不同。據(jù)說邢滑，專家認為在確定他們應該專注于某項運動之前腐螟，你應該給孩子接受不同的運動項目訓練。讓他們嘗試不同的運動困后，例如戶外長跑乐纸，在專注于某一項運動之前學習基本的動作技能。
“Sometimes parents think they’ve got to get their kids in whatever sport as early as possible, and give them extra training and specialized coaching,” Holt said. “But there’s a greater chance of that leading to injury, and then the kid is burning out by the time they’re a teenager because they’ve had enough.”
一些家長認為任何一種運動都是讓孩子接觸的越早越好操灿，而且讓他們接受加倍的專業(yè)的訓練锯仪，霍爾特說“但是這樣會更容易讓孩子受傷泵督，在他們長到青年階段的時候會由于受傷過多而消耗殆盡”
That said, if your child is showing signs of being particularly skilled in one field, you may want to start saving toward future expenses, which will add up fast.
Do it now:Remember that you’re a parent, not a coach. “Ideally, a child has a couple of parents who play roles that are appropriate for a mother and father to play,”said Peter Jensen, who has a Ph.D. in sport psychology and is the founder of Performance Coaching in Ontario.“Then when the child is elite, whether it’s music or sport, they need expert outside advice, which usually comes in the form of a coach.”
據(jù)說趾盐，如果你的孩子顯示出都某項運動有特殊的技能，你可能想節(jié)約未來的開支小腊，而這些開支是越來越多的救鲤。那么，從現(xiàn)在開始：記著你是父母而不是教練秩冈”静“理想狀態(tài)下，一個孩子有一對父母入问，父母各司其職丹锹，”運動心理學領域的哲學博士彼得·延森說稀颁，他也是安大略省行為教練的創(chuàng)始人￠故颍“如果孩子具有天賦匾灶，不管在音樂還是運動方面，他們都需要來自外部的建議租漂，這通常來自一位教練阶女。”
When a parent starts doling out coaching advice, they are blurring the lines, depriving the child of a parent and adding one too many coaches to the pool. “I’m not saying you abdicate responsibility, but once you’ve found a decent coach for your child, you want to stay on the other side of that,” Jensen said.
當父母開始像教練一樣給予建議時哩治，他們的行為界限已經模糊秃踩，不再是孩子的父母，而是讓孩子多了一名教練业筏°狙睿“我并不是說要你放棄對孩子的培養(yǎng)職責，而是說一旦你給孩子找到了一個合適的教練蒜胖，你就會更愿意盡父母職責芍秆。”延森說翠勉。
Make sure your child is in the driving seat. Each year, you should check in with your mini athlete in the off-season and make sure they are still interested in playing the sport again next year. It should be your child’s decision and motivation,not yours. “Parents get stars in their eyes, and a lot of them were engaged in activities themselves and didn’t succeed,” Jensen said. “They get caught up in ‘vicarious success syndrome.’ Just because someone is good at something, it doesn’t mean they want to do it, and you have got to give kids the option.”
請確定你的孩子在他自己生活里的主導地位妖啥。每年，在季末你都應該觀察一下你的小運動員对碌，確保他下一年還會對他從事的這項運動感興荆虱，你孩子的決定和意愿才是主要的鸟整，而不是你一廂情愿掠廓《鲜ⅲ“父母都望子成龍慕购，望女成鳳赎婚，很多父母他們自己是未成名的運動員痴柔，”延森說铃芦′探希“他們患上了‘替代性成功癥’叁丧，僅僅是出于自己的意愿啤誊，而不是為孩子著想，我們必須尊重孩子的選擇拥娄∥们拢”
Cut costs where you can. All your expenses can add up quickly, but there are ways to save time and money. Take turns car-sharing kids to practices and sign up for coaching in groups, if your sport allows it. Some parents also volunteer with a club to get part of their fees waived. Others fundraise for their team to reduce travel or competition costs.
在任何可能的情況下節(jié)約成本。你的所有花費會很快增加稚瘾，但是也有方法來節(jié)約金錢和時間牡昆。輪流接送孩子去訓練，組團報名摊欠，請教練丢烘。有些父母還在俱樂部做義工柱宦，來抵消一些孩子的培訓費用，還有人為他們的團隊出行和競賽組織募捐播瞳。
For Michelle Gesky, whose 12-year-old daughter excels in horse riding, keeping expenses down means leasing a horse at a local stable instead of buying one. “There are kids out there who have really beautiful horses,” said Gesky, who lives in New York.“I’m not one of those parents who can afford the $120,000 horse.”
米歇爾·杰斯卡12歲的女兒擅長騎馬捷沸，為了減少費用，她們選擇租賃而不是買一匹馬狐史⊙鞲“那里有些孩子的馬真的特別漂亮，”住在紐約的杰斯卡說骏全，“我們不是能夠支付12萬美元購買一匹馬的家長苍柏。”
Be willing toask questions. When your child reaches a certain level, you may feel out of your depth because you don’t know enough about the sport or the training to know what the best steps are. “How do you know what advice to take, and what’s best for your child?” Gesky said. She recommends each parent does their research by talking to other parents or going online, or in her daughter’s sport talking to different stable managers, or people who have owned horses for years. “You have to get your hands dirty by being a heavy communicator,” she said.
愿意提問題姜贡。當你的孩子達到了一定的水平试吁，你有可能感到力不從心，因為你對這項運動或者訓練了解不多楼咳，因此也不知道什么是最好的方法熄捍。“你怎么會知道哪些建議是對的母怜，對孩子來說什么是最好的余耽？”杰斯克說。她建議每個家長要通過和別的家長面對面交流或者上網聊天苹熏，或者就他女兒的運動項目與不同的長期經營者或者是自己有馬的人交流碟贾。“要成為一個善于溝通的人轨域，必須親力親為袱耽，”她說。
Do it?later:?Don’t hang your hat on dreams of a ‘pro’ career. If you’re pushing your child to compete at an elite level because you have hopes of a professional sports career and sizeable payday, you may want to check your ego. “The odds are astronomical that that’s going to happen,” Jensen said.
不要急著做：不要總是期待著孩子成為專業(yè)的運動員干发，如果你為了想讓孩子成為專業(yè)選手能夠有巨額收入而逼迫孩子挑戰(zhàn)高水平訓練朱巨，那你就需要自我反省了⊥鞒ぃ“發(fā)生概率猶如天文數(shù)字冀续，微乎其微，”詹森說搀暑。
Know thats cholarships are also scarce. In places where university is very expensive(such as the US), shining at a sport could land your child a less expensive or free place at school. But those prizes are rare—only about 2% of high school athletes get some form of athletic scholarship to compete in university,according to the US National Collegiate Athletic Association.
要知道獎學金是非常少的沥阳。有些地方的大學學費非常昂貴（例如美國）跨琳，擅長某項運動能使你的孩子在學校減免學費自点。但是這種獎勵很少——美國大學運動協(xié)會表示，只有2%的高中學校運動員可通過競爭獲得大學的運動獎學金脉让。
That said,success depends on your sport, and it’s not impossible. Gesky has found that colleges with equestrian programs often have trainers at tournaments who may be looking for future team members. “A lot of these kids get scholarship offers out of having participated in this,” she said.
這就意味著桂敛，只依賴你的體育運動來獲得成功是不可能的功炮。杰斯凱發(fā)現(xiàn)，設有騎術專業(yè)的大學通常會有參與錦標賽的教練术唬，他們可能需要儲備隊員薪伏，“很多孩子因為參加過這樣的比賽而得到獎學金，”她說粗仓。
Do it smarter:Realise that it’s an investment — in your child. The money you’re spending can feel like a down payment on future success. But if your child decides, at 16, or half way through college, that she’s done with her sport, it’s not money wasted. Years of athletic endeavours will likely teach your child to handle adversity, be part of a team, work hard even on bad days, and to juggle sport and school commitments. “She’s learned all kinds of things that are going to be valuable life lessons,” Jensen said.
明智一些：要知道嫁怀，這是一項投資——對孩子的投資。你花的這些錢就像是對未來成功的一種投資借浊。但如果你的孩子下定決心塘淑，在16歲，或者是大學中期她還堅持做這項運動蚂斤，這筆錢就沒有白花存捺。多年的運動訓練有可能教會你的孩子克服困難，有團隊精神曙蒸，即使在困境中也會努力工作捌治，經常參加學校體育活動或者社團活動∨撸“她學得所有東西都講會是有價值的人生課肖油。”詹森說臂港。
“I think it’sjust about balance and keeping things in perspective,” Allison Douglass said.“As long as she’s getting something out of it, we’re all getting something out of it.”
“我認為問題在于平衡發(fā)展构韵，并滿懷憧憬，”艾莉森·道格拉斯說趋艘，“只要她能從中有所收獲疲恢，我們所有人的努力就沒有白費〈呻剩”
