Parents When did you know your child was an athlete?

[tomtnt]

Not sure if it's athleticism or just being a quick learner, but our daughter learned to ski at 3 years old and learned to snowboard last year at 5 after a couple tries. That was when we realized she has some skills! Took my wife a whole season to learn!

If gym is her first love; snowboarding comes in a close second:

YouTube - Taralyn Last Day Snowboarding 2009/2010 Season

 

[Bajanswife]

Both of my DDs are very athletic, but I have only really thought of the younger one as an athlete. I think that's because of her attitude - she strives to improve, she likes to compete and she works really hard. My older DD is the opposite - she has a fair amount of gymnastics skill (they want to train her for the team), but she doesn't have the spirit. In the end she decided to stick with ballet - it suits her personality better, and she's really good at it.

Both have had a high degree of control over their bodies, from the time they were babies. Both have very well defined muscles - my younger DD has 6-pack abs and she's only 7! Younger DD has incredible self-preservation instincts e.g. when she was learning to walk, she'd fall backwards from time to time, but never hit her head - she fall onto her bottom, momentum would send her onto her back, but then she'd avoid having her head hit the ground by doing an awesome ab crunch as she was falling! Another thing she did that was amazing: she was at the top of a tall playground slide when she was about 18 months old (I let use it because she was so capable), but this day she was playing the fool, kicking one leg out to the side while sitting at the top. I spoke to her about it, and was just approaching the slide to make sure she was listening, when one kick overbalanced her and she flipped over the side. Almost any other kid would have fallen straight down to the ground, and that's where I was looking for her as I ran to the slide - but I actually found her at the TOP of the slide - the little monkey had shot out her hands and grabbed the edge as she fell, and instead of dropping to the ground, she pulled her body back up from a hanging position! The day I saw that I knew she was truly athletic and was going to do great things in some sport. I also never worried about her again on that slide, and she's been using it without incident ever since. This DD is shorter than all of her classmates at school, but wins every race on sports day.

 

[AGM78910]

Climbing up into tree fort.

When my DD was 14 months old, she climbed up the ladder into her brothers tree fort. It was about 6 feet off the ground. My neighbor almost had heart failure on the spot watching her.

 

[snowbound]

I guess when my brother made the comment about how irrestibly cute my little girl is. He went on to say that too bad that all the little boys will want to play with her but she will just beat them up because she is so strong. His words, not mine.

This cracks me up!

Snowbound

 

[snowbound]

This kind of makes me laugh. My DD is starting her 7th year of gymnastics (L6) and I really never thought of her as an athlete until year before last (she repeated L4). That was the first year that she was actually graceful. I know how sad that might sound, but until then, DD was just out to play and have fun. I put her in gymnastics at age 4, not because she had talent, or ability, but because she routinely ran into walls, door-knobs, door jams, etc. and I thought gymnastics might help her coordination.

I don't think it's just me, though. I think that was when she made the decision to get serious, and that she was an athlete. Her main goal is a gymnastics scholarship in 6 years...she wants to be a geologist. (of course she might be the most pretty and graceful geologist you'll ever see, in a mom's opinion of course...)

BTW, she doesn't run into things anymore
Snowbound

 

[Leria]

I am just now beginning to really see and appreciate my 4-year-old daughter as a budding athlete. You can really see the muscle definition in her arms and legs. She loves gymnastics and works hard at it.

 

[gymnut1]

'gymnastics at age 4, not because she had talent, or ability, but because she routinely ran into walls, door-knobs, door jams, etc. and I thought gymnastics might help her coordination. '

snowbound that is typical for a gymnast. They can throw a full twist on floor and then fall over the edge of the mat walking off the floor. yep we have all seen than done. haha. My girl is like that too. My husband constantly says how can she be a gymnast she cant even walk down the stairs properly.

 

[MdGymMom01]

'gymnastics at age 4, not because she had talent, or ability, but because she routinely ran into walls, door-knobs, door jams, etc. and I thought gymnastics might help her coordination. '

snowbound that is typical for a gymnast. They can throw a full twist on floor and then fall over the edge of the mat walking off the floor. yep we have all seen than done. haha. My girl is like that too. My husband constantly says how can she be a gymnast she cant even walk down the stairs properly.

This is so my dd as well!!! She has bruises up and down her shins, not from being in the gym, but from tripping up the stairs and bumping into things OUTSIDE of gym .

 

[Optionals United]

I agree gymnut1. The funny thing is they isally dont hyrt themselves doing the skill but what happens after it. Walking off the edge of the floor=spained ankle. landing disomunt on bars and walking off the mat backwatd=fall on the face!

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

My youngest daughter my gymnast was always strong and focused she always wants to improve and has a competitive nature. She did well in alot of sports but gymnastics was her true passion. My oldest daughter although did lots of sports always was in it for fun was not as focused and never cared if she came it first place. Funny thing is my oldest is now in High School and she is playing field hockey and I have never seen her as motivated and focused as she is now. So I quess they are both atheletes just different types. They both are very active and just always want to be doing something.

 

[Bella's Mom]

I agree gymnut1. The funny thing is they isally dont hyrt themselves doing the skill but what happens after it. Walking off the edge of the floor=spained ankle. landing disomunt on bars and walking off the mat backwatd=fall on the face!

We had one of our top tier gymnasts miss several days of training due to a sprained ankle she received in gym....at SCHOOL!