Raising an Olympian

One mom weighs in the commitment, sacrifices, and drive behind raising a future Olympian, and when a sport can just be a hobby, not a career.

How do you raise an Olympic athlete? The first question you want to ask yourself is not “How?’ it’s "Why?" Do you want your child to be an Olympic athlete, because it is their dream, or yours? In the former case there is a foundation for success, as you are supporting your child in something they have a burning desire to do.  In the latter case, it can be a recipe for disaster and ultimately lead to the disintegration of your relationship. I have not raised any Olympic athletes, but I have a dear friend who was a nationally ranked athlete and continues to coach athletes who have gone to the Olympics. She concurs that there's a lot of gray area in between those two ends of the spectrum, but the rule hold true: if you’re raising an athlete in the United States, successful Olympic dreams are athlete driven and parent supported, not the other way around.

Being an U.S. Olympic athlete is beyond difficult. There are three requirements: mastery of the sport by the athlete, exceptional coaching, and long-term parent support.

The mastery requires an almost superhuman focus of long hours, little to no social life, and a lifestyle that is sparse on luxury. There is very little gold on the road to a gold medal. All money and time is spent on training. Having a well-rounded childhood is not a possibility for an Olympian in training. This is why the dream must be child-driven, or it will fall apart.

The coaching required to become an Olympian does not come cheap or easy. It requires that parents bring their kids to the ideal coach, whatever that may entail. Not just any coach will get your kid to the Olympics; they are a rare breed, and they run the show. Olympic programming is completely coach driven and to be successful, parents must sit on the sideline. That is why the next requirement is so important.

Parent support must be ongoing and committed. An athlete cannot do it all alone, no matter how talented they are. The parents must commit to long term financial, emotional and physical support on the medal road. All of this is without any guarantee that their athlete will make the team. That’s a tall order for any parent, especially if they don’t have a flush bank account. The time and monetary commitment scares off most parents before they even start, especially if their child does not live and breathe that sport.