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Nothing Nike here, just borrowed their slogan.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mn/press/econ/econ0047.htm
Some second-hand history:
When this guy's daughter was in eighth grade, he was taking her all over the country to run in big races, usually road 10km. and up, but also indoor meets, etc, creating nearly the same kind of situation that almost destroyed Mary Decker and did cripple her for a number of years, probably setting the stage for all her later injuries.
A number of very good and decent Minnesota coaches and older athletes gently tried to warn him about simple overracing and the risks of high physical stress on a young female body still in a major growing stage, but he would have none of it. Clearly, he was living his athletic goals through his daughter.
There was a big problem when her high school coach--and the state high school league--didn't want her doing outside races during the high school season. He screamed bloody murder, claimed everyone was simply jealous of his daughter's talent, declared Minnesota coaches didn't know anything, and proceeded to hire a "professional" personal coach who lived in Portland, Oregon, vowing to remove his daughter from HS competition.
For whatever reason, things mellowed and she returned to the high school ranks, running well, at a new school.
Here's the perhaps final chapter in a sad story that (thankfully) could have been worse without the public outcry on what I call borderline athletic child abuse.
As a friend of mine just wrote, maybe she'll find peace and the space she needs to do well when she goes off to college.
Since Daddy-o is facing the very real possibility of 4+ years in the state pen, I think she'll have plenty of space during her collegiate years.
Kids can be cruel; I just hope her peers cut her some slack on this and remember it was her father's crime and not hers.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mn/press/econ/econ0047.htm
Some second-hand history:
When this guy's daughter was in eighth grade, he was taking her all over the country to run in big races, usually road 10km. and up, but also indoor meets, etc, creating nearly the same kind of situation that almost destroyed Mary Decker and did cripple her for a number of years, probably setting the stage for all her later injuries.
A number of very good and decent Minnesota coaches and older athletes gently tried to warn him about simple overracing and the risks of high physical stress on a young female body still in a major growing stage, but he would have none of it. Clearly, he was living his athletic goals through his daughter.
There was a big problem when her high school coach--and the state high school league--didn't want her doing outside races during the high school season. He screamed bloody murder, claimed everyone was simply jealous of his daughter's talent, declared Minnesota coaches didn't know anything, and proceeded to hire a "professional" personal coach who lived in Portland, Oregon, vowing to remove his daughter from HS competition.
For whatever reason, things mellowed and she returned to the high school ranks, running well, at a new school.
Here's the perhaps final chapter in a sad story that (thankfully) could have been worse without the public outcry on what I call borderline athletic child abuse.
As a friend of mine just wrote, maybe she'll find peace and the space she needs to do well when she goes off to college.
Since Daddy-o is facing the very real possibility of 4+ years in the state pen, I think she'll have plenty of space during her collegiate years.
Kids can be cruel; I just hope her peers cut her some slack on this and remember it was her father's crime and not hers.