G&T at sports- any advice gratefully appreciated!

[nowwearefour]

My friend (and it really is my friend) is too modest to post about this but i really think her dd1 (turning 5 in august) might be G&T for sports. and she is too. we are wondering if there is anything she might be able to do to see which might be 'her' sport or whether there really is a talent there. she is just able to pick up anything physical amazingly easily. she can outrun 7 yr olds, can swim amazingly well, was able to ride a scooter age 18 months, a bike with no stabilisers age 3 etc. i wonder whether she might be brilliant at athletics or something. has anyone else got a particularly sporty child and what can be done to foster this/ see if she is just good or if anything exceptional?

She's nearly 5, just let her be active, try lots of things, persue the things she is interested in, and don't make too big a deal out of it.

thanks over. that is the laid back approach. but what if she really is v good! is it just too early to tell?

It depends whether outrun 7yo you mean, in a race with a set of 7yos she comes first, or when you watch her running she's not last. If consistantly first, probably good, if just beating some, probably isn't.

The other things might be good, and might be down to opportunity. For example when dd1 was at school you didn't get the preschoolers on scooters. Now ds is at school (7 years younger) you get a number of under 2yo on scooters racing along. The first few everyone cooed how wonderful the were to be able to scoot. Now no one bats an eye about it iyswim.

If she's keen on sports then choose one she's like to try and let her see if she enjoys it. If she enjoys it, carry on, if not you could look at another she's interested in. The emphasis should totally be on enjoying at this stage, not on achievement. Athletic's clubs round her are at least 8+ as it's very easy for a young one to damage themself.

yeah it's too early to be sure.
There isn't, in general, that much they do for most kids in most sports at this age, anyway.

Right thing to do is try a load of clubs over the next 4-5 yrs & see if there's anything she really loves & can excel at & that has a good youth development programme. Keeping in mind that she may find the right talent at a later age. Eg: as a child Chris Hoy was keen on BMX, then moderately successful rower in his late teens, while spending years being determined but fairly lousy at MTB races, until in his late teens somebody recruited him for track cycling (many Olympic medals later.... ).

Gymnastics clubs often have long waiting lists so enquire soon if interested. Although, imho, there are better sports to join (I just think that gym, like dance, has risk of being too ultra-pressured from an early age, and gym parents have some of the worst reputations to boot). A key factor is finding a supportive club & sporting community that makes the sport fun & that the parent wants to be involved in.

Sorts of min. ages when they can start working hard on development:
Gym, raquet sports: 5+
Footie, Rugby, Dance, Martial arts, Swimming: 8-9+
Cycling: 10-12+
Athletics: 11-12+

I knew (know) a young girl like you describe, at the same age; it turns out she's a very talented musician (now 11). Still good at sport, but nothing like what she can do in music.

I would try dance lessons first as the discipline & flexibility she gains from this will hold her in good stead for things like gym, karate etc. Personally I think a lot of it is down to perseverance - doi they get a kick out of challenging themselves to do something?My ds is sporty but at 5 does not want anything constricting, really not bothered about cluns. Eldest daughter has always pushed herself to get better physically, pushes her pain barriers etc. BTW, none of my kids likely to be Olympic champions!!!

What voles said. 5 is too young to fix on a sport.

My dd is a gymnast and in a squad. She joined when 7 but lots join when younger. The coaches' attitude is get them as young as poss. Gymnastics at squad level is at least 7 hours training a week (including holidays) and the general ambiance is strict, even sometimes bullying? 5 year olds are treated the same as the older children. Having said that they get to perform in regional, national and even international competitions and festivals.

On the whole dd enjoys it and that's why she continues but she sacrifices a lot for her sport (as her time for other non gym/school activities are so short).

I often think that I would prefer her to not be in a squad and enjoy other activities too (eg learning a musical instrument)

My dd1 is gifted at sports. She has won British championships and Southern champs for taekwondo and also plays football in an all boys team and has just joined a centre of excellence. She's great at any sport I just stick to her doing the two as it gets too much for her otherwise. She started taekwondo at 3.5 and football at 5

Athletics teams wont take till 8, a handful at 5/6 for fun sessions, there are waiting lists in many areas so worth checking.

Very early for anything other than gymnastics though.

Dd has decided she's going in the olympics in 2020 . She doesn't care what sport she just wants a medal.

My dds friends mum was told by school to take her dd to our local Athletics team trials as she was out running y6 kids when in y2. She is on G&t register for sport at school, but can only has the same opportunity as everone else.
I think this talent should be nurtured but school will definitely notice talent, do a couple of sports days and start looking for support at around age 8, this seems the age when most begin. My dds friend finds it hard work but very rewarding.