13-year-old Peter Lenz was hit and killed by another motorcyclist last Sunday. (Courtesy: AP)
The pursuit to become a professional athlete, and the millions of dollars that come with, has created a disturbing trend.
Children and teenagers are focusing their future solely on making the professional ranks, no matter the cost.
The latest example occurred Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the U.S. Grand Prix Riders Union race, which featured riders ages 12 to 18.
13-year-old Peter Lenz lost his life in an accident there after falling and being struck by another rider during warm-ups.
Lenz received his first motorcycle at the age of 5 and had been competing in races since he was 8-years-old. He joined the USGPRU in hopes to eventually join the MotoGP.
While his death is tragic, Lenz was like many other young athletes ignoring the risks while attempting to reach the professional level.
17-year-old Jeremy Tyler did the same when he announced he was going to skip his senior year of high school, obtain a GED and play basketball professionally abroad in April 2009. Tyler signed with Israeli team Maccabi Haifa that August but quit after only playing in 10 games with the club.
In June 2010, Tyler signed with Tokyo Apache to keep his NBA dreams alive. Before he became the first American-born high school player to leave school early to play overseas, Tyler was projected as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Scouts now project him as a mid to late 2nd round pick.
This phenomenon is not limited to team sports.
On January 23, 2010, Abby Sunderland set out to become the youngest person to sail solo non-stop around the world at the age of 16.
Eight days in, Sunderland stopped in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for repairs, but kept going. Nearly five months later, two emergency beacons were activated on her sailboat in the Indian Ocean, prompting a massive rescue attempt to find her.
Sunderland's parents endured harsh criticism for letting their daughter try and sail around the world alone. (Courtesy: AP)
Sunderland lashed out at criticism towards her parents for allowing her to sail solo at such a young age. Now, just over two months after Sunderland’s rescue, 14-year-old Laura Dekker of the Netherlands set out on her own solo circumnavigation.
But do not think teenagers are alone in this crazy chase for fame and fortune. The current issue of Sports Illustrated has a feature story on YouTube sensation Ariel Antigua.
For those who do not know, Ariel is a 5-year-old boy who can hit a 75-mph fastball with consistency and fields his position better than kids over twice his age.
He was invited to Citi Field and Dodger Stadium, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and, according to SI, his father, Luis Antigua, has spoken with a scout from the New York Yankees. The Yankees will not confirm but have yet to refute that report.
Luis told SI he created the video to “show his friends he was not a liar” and never expected such a clamor over his son.
Forgive me if I am little skeptical.
At what age are we going to take a step back and say, you know what, that kid is too young? When did sacrificing a child’s future for sports become OK? Who is to blame for that?
It’s easy to place the blame on the parents, but what about the universities and professional teams? They continue to be enablers by offering scholarships and contracts to young teens.
We know about the LeBron James and Bryce Harpers of the world. But what about the kids that do not make it? The ones where sports took priority over education during their childhood. What are they left with when they don’t go pro? Nothing.
Yet I seem to be the only one who thinks this is a major problem. I just wish I could suggest a solution before the next headline about a kid getting injured or killed chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
