My youngest son (whom I started this thread) had placed 1st twice in Indiana in Freestyle, a 2nd and 3rd in Ohio in Folkstyle, 1st twice in BJJ in Kentucky, 1st once in BJJ in Tennesee, 3rd once in TN in BJJ, 2nd once in submission wrestling, 3rd once in submission wrestling in TN.
The pressure of "winning" or doing well based on his past performance made his stomach hurt before his matches. I told him that he didn't need to compete and that it should be fun. Although I wanted him to face this and get by it, I wasn't going to push him till he was wanting it to be fun again.
No excuses made or given.
Case in point. My nephew was a youth football standout here in KY. When his mother moved to Jacksonville FL with his new step-father, all the love of the sport was killed. He was playing with the varsity team as a sophmore there instead of JV. His step-father hearing from the coach on how well he played decided he was going to get him a football scholarship by making him into a real football player. He had him run behind his pickup after school, exercise in the living room to his calls and put him on a special diet. In short, my nephew came back to KY to live with my piece of crap brother to get away from his stepdad. He couldn't stand to even watch football on TV and missed out on something he had loved during his final HS years here.
Right now my son is playing football and is the most football crazed kid I know. If after the season is over and he wants to start rolling again, I'll glady pay for the classes.
VOTE FOR PEDRO '08
Ever notice how virtually everyone agrees that 95% of all traditional schools are crap, but NOBODY ever admits to being in that 5%? Don't judge... your skill may suck also...
Quote from SevenStar
Just call me the Shaolin Do Wet Blanket. Gene Ching