See Jane Run, Bike and Swim

ExtremeFitness · October 29th, 2009, 02:29 PM

Triathlons for children have become tremendously popular, drawing participants as young as 3 (who probably did not come up with the idea themselves).

**IMFREAKZILLA** · October 29th, 2009, 03:13 PM

I really believe Tiger Woods started at 2,2 years of age playing off,I think he
had a lot to do with the very young kids in sports, plus adults seem to push
their kids at such low ages ,Our T-ball now starts at 4,triathlons are the now
thing ,but you are still asking a lot from three and four year olds I dont care
what sport they are in,in my opinion the younguns are not ready.IMF

**justaguy87337** · October 29th, 2009, 04:30 PM

Well I like the idea, we started our son out with Hockey at 3. He loved it. I think it is better to start them early in a sport then to watch them wither away or get fat sitting around the house playing video games and saying they are bored.

**A1food4U** · October 29th, 2009, 04:54 PM

A long as the coaches and parents involved keep it in perspective then it's cool. FUN should be the object. If a kid doesn't finish you encourage you don't belittle. These kids want to have fun, they see it as bonding with parents because it is making mom and dad happy. They slowly build confidence and with the right nudges from a good coach TEAM identity is built, whether that be the family team, sports team or friends.

I can speak on this subject with certainty. I have coached girls softball from ages four to fourteen. I have managed girls hockey teams from six to fourteen. There is a HUGE difference in the sense of self, and a great advantage these kids have in dealing with their peers in a confident yet considerate (Unbitchy) way. They learn that as individuals they can set, attain and surpass goals, as a team they learn cooperation, empathy and a sense of self as part of something larger working towards a goal.

You will always have prima donnas both male and female in team sports. Coaches should identify them and work to show them that they are nothing without the rest of their team. even the teams high scorer can't do so without the plodders doing their jobs.

I am confident in saying my girls will never smoke, they will be much more unlikely to get really overweight and I hope the confidence they build will prevent them from becoming prey to every smooth talking teenage Romeo out there. Don't read this wrong, I want them to be active happy and romantically approachable, but I also want them to be confident enough to say no and not just roll along with whatecer idiot suggestion gets tossed out....

**IMFREAKZILLA** · October 29th, 2009, 06:55 PM

I feel in my opinion you have to let a CHILD be a CHILD and not an athlete
The next thing you know people want em going to college at 6 or 7.
Just a friendly rebuttle,no harm meant.........................................IMF

**mavgrad99** · November 3rd, 2009, 01:22 AM

do not live vicariously through your children, let your children live their lives and you encourage them in whatever path they choose

**justaguy87337** · November 3rd, 2009, 11:53 AM

I do not live through my son, he played sports at a young age when he turned 17 he didn't want to do organized sports anymore. That was fine with me. Sports did develop his social skills and taught him life lessons he couldn't learn elsewhere. He knows it's ok not to win everytime, he know winning by cheating isn't winning at all. He gives his all in everything he does. I think his time in sports is what developed his character to what it is today.

thecameraguy99 · November 3rd, 2009, 03:11 PM

I'm a competitive triathlete with a five-year old son and there's no way I'd let him do a triathlon until his mid-teens. It's a demanding sport in a physical and mental sense I think kids need to develop their minds and muscles while having fun. Suffice to say I can have good workouts and bad ones and good races and bad ones but all of them are draining in many ways and I'd like my kid to play other team sports so he can make friends and develop teamwork skills and all that stuff, instead of doing long runs and swims and bike rides where the focus is more individual (and often more taxing on a growing body)