Trophy Kids, anyone see this?

[Bacardibatman]

not new, it has been on before but i missed it first time round watched this last night


http://www.channel4.com/programmes/trophy-kids/4od

are sporting stars born or made? How do you raise a child champion?

Lee Spurling, known professionally as The Wolf, is 12 years old. His devoted parents, Lavinia and Ian, believe that he is the next Tiger Woods and they spend all their time and energy helping their son to become the best in the world.


Giving The Wolf a run for his money is the Iceman, Britain's youngest World Golf Champion - nine-year-old Billy Spooner. Billy's dad has turned his back garden into a golfing range for his only son and is always by his side, working as his caddie or offering him fatherly advice.


Eden Silva, from Essex, is trying to make her mark at the World Under 12 Championships. But will her skills match up to the expectations of her father Roger, who is taking a huge gamble on his daughter's talents?


Meanwhile, in South London lives one of the country's brightest boxing prospects, 15-year-old Charlie Edwards - the Under 16 Champion of Britain. Boxing has taken over his single dad Larry's house. His garage has become a gym. The garden has a full-size ring and there's a sauna in his bedroom...


all i can say is Im glad my parents werent like this

 

[USER1999]

I think it's even worse for the Korean kids, which is why there are so many Korean girls on the LPGA tour.

I guess Tigers familly were a bit like this, and that's probably why he is such a balanced individual.

 

[Aztecs27]

I didn't see this, but I was down the range last night and there was a kid there, with his dad, working on his driving.

He politely asked me if his son could have a bash with my R11. After agreeing to let him on the condition that if he sky'd it, he would pay me back double, his son proceeded to rip it and make his Ping look like a kids club.

We chatted for a bit and I got the impression that this guy was the same with his son. He currently (the son) plays off 3, and his dad is looking to get him a scholarship in the US and kept repeating "when you get to this level, it's all about the equipment and hitting it miles" (I think it was timgolfy from this forum ).

Seemed very devoted/obsessed with making everything the best for his son.

Was a bit weird but I think TM will have an R11 on order from them by the sounds of it.

 

[robbest3offthetee]

If the kids show natural ability all well and good,but see so many parents forcing them to do well,let them find there own way,thats my opinion,they will come to you if needed...

 

[Paul_Stewart]

That guy who took his kid to Florida for some junior tournament and then started slagging him off for not playing well, he made me sick. Reminds me of Sean O'Hair's dad. Thankfully Sean eventually had enough of him and has a court injunction against him now.

You see so much of this in kids' football. The parents living their dreams through their off-spring because they weren't good enough themselves.

For every true supportive parent with the right attitude and perogative, are around 10 total morons who don't deserve to have kids.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I saw this programme some time ago and the parent's attitude appalled me. The guy who shouted at his sone for messing up the golf comp should be shot in the face!!

But, the parent who, in my opinion, should have social services all over him was the Dad who's daughter played tennis. She got injured in a tournament - fair enough, these things happen. What does the Dad do?? Does he take her to the Doctor/Sports physiotherapist to receive expert care?? Seeing as he views his daughter as the next great tennis star surely he'd opt for one of these options??

OH NO!!

He decides to 'massage' her arm. He clearly doesn't know what he's doing as his daughter is in tears. He turns to the camera and as cools as you like says "if she's going to compete at the top, she has to know what pain is."

How can a Dad inflict such pain on his child??

As I say, in my opinion, social services should have been all over this cretin.

With regards all the children featured, it'll be interesting to see how many become household names in their chosen sports.

 

[stevek1969]

I hate programs like that i remember reading about Sean O'Hair if he had a bogey his father would make him run an extra mile as a punishmemt,shocking.

For me with 2 kids its about them enjoying sport and playing as many different ones as they want, just encouraging them to enjoy it and they'll get on better but if you force them they'll hate it.

Some of these parents want to take a look at themselves its shocking ,ive seen at kids football my youngest is a decent player and one father shouted to his son to go right thu mine after he skinned him again,not good.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm pretty sure this programme was originally show a couple of years ago and would love to see a follow up of how far these kids have got. I wonder once they hit their teens and aren't the best of their age even in the UK (good golfer still mind) whether they'd lose the drive and rebel and stop their pursuit.

Football in particular is full of these type of pushy dads, driving their son on to be the next big thing. As the take up at trainee level after getting through a top club youth academy is about 1 in 10 the odds are stacked and go out even further to then be taken on a pro contract at the end of it. Granted there is still a good living to be made in the other divisions but it isn't the return the parents are looking at. Division 3 doesn't have the same appeal as Barcelona. Far too many parents try and live their dreams through their kids and push them like on the programme. Sad to watch some of them as they clearly are so blinkered to the real world

 

[feary]

Just looked up the tennis player on the british tennis website, lta, she is 84th in the country for her age.

 

[NWJocko]

Disgusts me.

All i want for my daughter (and any future kids) is to enjoy life.

There's enough sh*te along the way that having some knob of a parent pushing them is the last thing they need.

Seen it all myself through representative football when i was younger. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff i've seen/heard.

 

[BoadieBroadus]

resurrecting this old thread because i noticed that one of the kids on this programme has just had a pretty modest season on the europro tour. Billy spooner has amassed season winnings of around £1600.

had wondered what would ever become of the two golf boys on this show. from memory Billy was an ok kid who's dad was just excessively enthusiastic. the other one "wolf" had a dad who really was a bit of a tool, and the wolf was quickly inheriting a number of his traits.

 

[ColchesterFC]

I was at an Under 8's football tournament last weekend and some of the managers were as bad as the parents. One had a kid in tears and was shouting at him "you'd better not let me down in this next match. You'd better not stop running". They're 7 years old just let them enjoy it.

Was at the driving range a couple of weeks ago with my two boys and there was a typical pushy father there with a boy around 9 years old giving instruction on every shot and criticising when he didn't quite hit it perfectly. I was letting my two get on with hitting balls while I took photos and videos of them. The other guy came over and started telling me they were doing it wrong and said the big difference between my boys and his boy was that they'd never be as good as he was. I turned round and said "the biggest difference is that my two have got smiles on their faces, are enjoying it and want to be here. Your son looks like he's about to burst into tears and is hating every minute of it". He didn't speak to me again after that.

 

[MendieGK]

Billy Spooner is part of Chubby Chandlers group aint he? he's literally only just turned pro and im not sure he even has a card on the europro.

He is also only about 18.

 

[BoadieBroadus]

yes 18 years old - turned pro at 17. played all season on the Europro this year though so assume he does have a card. and yes has signed up with chubby.

will be interesting to see how he turns out.

 

[BoadieBroadus]

The other guy came over and started telling me they were doing it wrong and said the big difference between my boys and his boy was that they'd never be as good as he was.

truly have to wonder about the type of person who'd walk up to a stranger at a driving range and tell them something like this...

 

[Pathetic Shark]

truly have to wonder about the type of person who'd walk up to a stranger at a driving range and tell them something like this...

That's why the word "nob" was created for use on this forum.

 

[harpo_72]

As a kid I did not feel supported by my parents they were more academic orientated. I love my golf, I would love it if my boy enjoyed it as well. But there are loads of fun sports to play and what ever one he chooses, he will be supported not pushed.

 

[GG26]

I was at an Under 8's football tournament last weekend and some of the managers were as bad as the parents. One had a kid in tears and was shouting at him "you'd better not let me down in this next match. You'd better not stop running". They're 7 years old just let them enjoy it.

My lad has been very fortunate in this regard. Last season at U9 level his team got a new coach and he has been a breath of fresh air. The kids are taught to pass and not to worry about messing up. The coach tells them if they pass back to a player and it leads to an opposition goal, that it is his fault for asking them to pass. The result, some lovely flowing football, the boys all get along and little moaning, the parents have bought into the system of long term development and not short term wins and the coach only encourages and never shouts but explains how they could do it better next time.

 

[MadAdey]

The other guy came over and started telling me they were doing it wrong and said the big difference between my boys and his boy was that they'd never be as good as he was. I turned round and said "the biggest difference is that my two have got smiles on their faces, are enjoying it and want to be here. Your son looks like he's about to burst into tears and is hating every minute of it". He didn't speak to me again after that.

I would have told him the biggest difference is that my kids dad hasn't got at broken nose, as I firmly plant my right fist into his face.