ON COMPETING AGAINST SPORTS PRODIGIES
From My Sport
MY PAPER MONDAY JULY 7, 2008
CHIA HAN KEONG
IN 1984, an eight-year-old American kid won the Junior World Golf Championships – competing in the nine to 10-year-old age category.
He went on to win six more times, victorious every time he jumped up an age category.
That kid, Eldrick Woods, grew up to be known as Tiger, and is dominating golf like few had done before.
Notice how he was allowed to continue playing in the junior championships – even while he was pulverising all the other young golfers time and time again.
When a youngster has a talent so prodigious, should one prevent him from competing, so as to avoid demoralising the others?
The answer is so obvious, yet some Singaporean parents are oblivious to it.
They displayed that laughable short-sightedness against 10-year-old Kang Yee Cher, who has been dominating the junior track and field scene since last year.
He clinched two golds and broke a record at last week’s Inter-Primary Track and Field Championships, but other parents are upset over his participation.
They questioned the logic in letting such a talent compete with their not-so-talented kids, arguing that their precocious sons will be demoralised.
They even had the gall to question the authenticity of his age, given that he is unusually taller and bigger than his peers.
How ironic. These are the same people who, for the past year, have probably been eagerly supporting
Yet, here they are, furiously suppressing a bright young talent, to the point that Yee Cher is afraid to even speak up about his wins.
Thankfully, the Singapore Athletic Association, as well as the
They recognise his wonderful potential, and are taking pains to defend him and nurture his unique physique into an explosive talent.
To those whining parents, I say shame on you for over-protecting your kids.
Yes, they are getting a battering from Yee Cher that, at their “precocious” age, is tough to swallow.
To which I say: Too bad. Ask all the professional golfers how they feel whenever they face Tiger Woods in million-dollar tournaments.
There is no shame in losing to such prodigious talents.
The worst thing one can do is to reject kids like Yee Cher and make them ashamed of their skills.
That would be the ultimate in short-sightedness, as they would have missed out on seeing potential greatness in action.
hankeong@sph.com.sg
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