On Parents Not Pushing Their Kids Too Hard

Obviously by the title you know what this post is going to be all about. I read a little article on the Runner's World Racing News page that talked about a young man named Robby Andrews (who won the NCAA Indoor National Championships (video below) beating Andrew Wheating then taking 2nd in the Outdoor NCAA to Andrew Wheating in the 800 meters.)

Okay, so this kid is intense! He's a Freshman and he comes out in the prelims and runs a 1:45.54 which is smokin' fast then comes back two days later and runs 1:46.83 for 2nd place. Just a side note, had Robby equaled his prelim time in the final he would have won the whole thing (if we go by time) because Andrew Wheating took it in 1:45.69.

Now that we have validated Robby Andrews by naming his incredible achievements, let's cut to the chase. This is what the Runner's World Article on Robby Andrews said,
"Robby Andrews' Quick Progress Surprises His Parents
Andrews, of course, just completed a freshman year at the University of Virginia that included a victory in the 800 at the NCAA Indoor Championships and a runner-up finish behind Oregon's Andrew Wheating at the outdoor NCAAs. "I never would have projected this," says his father, Bob Andrews. “It might sound weird, but I wouldn’t have even desired for him to do this well so soon. I’m always more conservative. The coach hasn’t been training him to compete on this high a level. The coach has been training him as a freshman." Bob Andrews himself was a high school track coach, and his successor in that job remembers "he never forced anything on his kids…Bob always kept it fun for (Robby). And the relationship is still the same." Robby recalls "at the dinner table we would have a no-track rule. We definitely found a balance and I was really thankful for that. You hear stories of fathers who push their kids and drive them from the sport and my father wanted no part of that." Robby Andrews is running the 800 at the USA Junior Championships in Des Moines this week."

I'm not going to write a lot more, but this reminded me of my family and my parents. My dad was a swimmer growing up and a dang good swimmer at that. I had swimming lessons when I was young, but never really got into competitive swimming until my Sophomore year in high school. My dad NEVER told me to do swimming. I had a buddy named Scott who invited me because there were 2 or 3 people from my high school on this team, so I did it and I loved it (although not more than running because after my Sophomore year I didn't really competitive swim anymore until I started Triathlons.)

I remember my mom making a rule that we could only do one sport at a time. I remember not wanting to do Cross Country or Track and my parents telling me that that was fine with them. They let me make the decision myself and that has made all the difference. I will win an Olympic Gold Medal and I can say that much of that has to do with my parents not pushing. I am grateful to my parents for helping learn how to run fearless. Thank you Dad and thank you Mom. Have a great day and run fearless.