Can the average kid really be a professional athlete???

By: Coach Little

     These days when we ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, we get answers like, " I wanna play in the NBA" or "I wanna play football"....  We as adults have always heard that the chances are slim so don't focus on sports too much....  My question is, should we really try to kill our children dreams by telling them their chances are slim in being a professional athlete? 

     Now, by no means do I want anyone reading this to think that I'm saying education isn't important....  Heck, I wouldn't be a teacher if I felt that way...  One thing I do believe is It's Impossible To Stop A Man Or Woman Who Will Not Quit!!!!   In order to have the opportunity to be a professional, a child has to practice being a professional student first.  This will put the child in a more focused frame of mind as they look forward to reaching their athletic goals....

     I truly believe it's important for parents to show kids at a young age what these colleges are looking for in an athlete from an academic standpoint...  This will help with the process of knowing how bad the child want to be a professional athlete...  That's how I look at it....  I get calls from kids up and down the East Coast about help getting into College but if they don't do their part, I can't do mine....

     So, what do we tell our kids when they approach us with the NBA/NFL dream???  I think it's a good idea to explain to them the process they have to go through just to get the opportunity....   The waking up at 6am to run and work out for 2 hours...  Going to camps/clinics to compete against the top players Statewide and Nationwide....  Shooting 300 - 500 shots in the gym when no one else wants to go with you....  Watching game film on certain college and pro teams so you can be a student of the game by learning pick n rolls, flare off screens, curl to the basket, etc....   Then maybe even a second workout in the evening by going swimming or doing another fun type activity.... 

     The focus has to be that of a laser beam....  I'm talking LASER BEAM FOCUS....  It's not easy, but the reward can be great...  If you're a parent reading this, ask your child, "Are you willing to do the things today others aren't willing to do, so tomorrow you can have things they couldn't possibly imagine?"....    Guys like Michael Jordan put in hard work to become great, but so did guys like Ron Artest.....  Ron wasn't a skilled kid when he was playing aau at the tender age of 13...  He was out of control and just drew affensive fouls all day....  He put in some time to get his game better and he lived in the weight room....  By time he was a sophomore in HS, his game began to get better and better....  Even at that point, he didn't look like an NBA prospect...  The thing that helped Ron Ron was he never stopped working and stayed humble.....

     If they're willing, it's our job to put them in position...  That's all we can do...  No matter how much strategy a parent try to have, the kids have to handle their part...   It doesn't matter how many times they re class, how much money they pay scouting services to rank their kids, how many aau National championships tournaments they attend, it's up to them to do their part.....

     So can the average kid really be a professional athlete?  I don't think the average kid will be one but I do think that the average kid with an above average work ethic can increase their chances by 40%.....  Another 40% increase based on academic focus and the other 20% will be based on skill development....   That's how I see it, how about you?  What's your thoughts?