Would you send your child to athletic school?

[Trien Chieu]

Let say you and your spouse are intellectual people living in a small city/town in China. Your combined income is like 2000-2500 Yuans a month. It is enough for basic needs but no luxury. Your child is slightly above average at school. He/she get like 70%-80% average. It is very likely that he/she will be end up like you that will make a decent income for living with no luxury. One day, the government officials show up and tell you that your child has great sport ability and asking you to sign a contract to send your child to athletic school. You know, they will tell you that how glorious, patriotic, and heroic it is if your child can win gold medal for olympic and so on....

What you you do? Accept the deal or denile?
Since both you and your spouse are intellectual, so you can access to articles like the following:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...813961,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...644120,00.html

I personally would denile the government contract.

[xJadedx]

If my kid wants to go to an athlete school and become the next gold medalist, then maybe. Otherwise, no.
As long as he's capable of making a living for himself, then that's fine.

[Trien Chieu]

If my kid wants to go to an athlete school and become the next gold medalist, then maybe. Otherwise, no.
As long as he's capable of making a living for himself, then that's fine.

Your kid is only like 6-10 years old. He/she can't make wise decision. If you let your kid to choose, then it's highly likely that he/she will say yes as the official tell him how glorious it is to become a gold medalist at olympic. The official will not tell your kid that the chance of succeed is like 0.1% or 0.01% or even lower while the chance of getting big injury and his/her life is forever ruin is very high as you read it from some articles and they make logical sense...

[sarakoth]

Let say you and your spouse are intellectual people living in a small city/town in China. Your combined income is like 2000-2500 Yuans a month. It is enough for basic needs but no luxury. Your child is slightly above average at school. He/she get like 70%-80% average. It is very likely that he/she will be end up like you that will make a decent income for living with no luxury. One day, the government officials show up and tell you that your child has great sport ability and asking you to sign a contract to send your child to athletic school. You know, they will tell you that how glorious, patriotic, and heroic it is if your child can win gold medal for olympic and so on....

What you you do? Accept the deal or denile?
Since both you and your spouse are intellectual, so you can access to articles like the following:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...813961,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...644120,00.html

I personally would denile the government contract.

Your kid is only like 6-10 years old. He/she can't make wise decision. If you let your kid to choose, then it's highly likely that he/she will say yes as the official tell him how glorious it is to become a gold medalist at olympic. The official will not tell your kid that the chance of succeed is like 0.1% or 0.01% or even lower while the chance of getting big injury and his/her life is forever ruin is very high as you read it from some articles and they make logical sense...

Trien, where are you getting this stuff from? All these random statistics you're making up, they make no sense to me.

[Trien Chieu]

Trien, where are you getting this stuff from? All these random statistics you're making up, they make no sense to me.

I got the statistics from the above articles

After all, for every Olympic champion the sports academies produce, hundreds of thousands of other children fail. Most of these kids miss out on the education provided in regular schools. The China Sports Daily estimates that about 80% of the country's retired athletes are plagued by unemployment, poverty or chronic health problems resulting from overtraining.

This make logical sense to me because there are hundred of thousands of athletes training at athletic schools while only a handful able to present at the olympic... There a lot of them got thrown out of school if they got injured and no longer can produce medals for the country... So...

[KeongJai]

I'd send them to some sort of sporting club. Depends which sports they'd prefer.

[pandamao]

This is a very unrealistic poll, TC. I think you created this to further pinpoint how China is inhumane based on a few articles you found.

The stuff that's written in Times magazine happens in Russia too and I'm sure in other countries as well. Why do you have to place the entire blame to China?

I don't understand the point of your poll. We understand the reprecussions to what these athletes go through and we compare it to our wonder Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps and of course we will never let our child go through such unstructured practices, if we were given the choice.

Since most people in China are not reading this forum or those articles you presented, do you think they know what they are sending their child to? I'm sure they understand not all of them will excel but it will feed them for the time being. There's a chance s/he will be the next Tian Liang, Guo Jing Jing so they will do whatever it takes to join the free ride.

Are you implying these Chinese parents are cruel and heartless because they put their kid through these rigorous trainings? Are you further implying the inhumane and unethical acts of the Chinese government, and the Chinese only, disregarding Koreans doing the same exact thing?

Nothing in life is guaranteed, that's why people have back up plans. I firmly believe a lot are enrolled in athletic schools but only a small percentage will go through the rigorous training and of those few, not all of them will end up picking up trash or cooking in the kitchen of the gymnasium. Most of them know by 12 - 14 that they don't have what it takes to endure further training therefore invest their time in other things.

[Bangs]

At the age of 6-10 I would send my child to train in athletics only and only if I know that he loves the sport. Of course I would personally watch him do stuff whenever possible. I will never let my child be alone as my parents did to me, wherein I had nobody to teach me along the way and had to rely heavily on my own judgement. I believe that to bring about a child's true potential, he/she has to love what he/she does and the parents must give him/her their full support.

[flamer]

I would say no. But if they love it SO much. I would not object. But thats just me. I would like to think I can support my children. Unlike villagers in China.

[Trien Chieu]

This is a very unrealistic poll, TC. I think you created this to further pinpoint how China is inhumane based on a few articles you found.

The stuff that's written in Times magazine happens in Russia too and I'm sure in other countries as well. Why do you have to place the entire blame to China?

I blame the entire system, not just china. I think the system is very inhumane. The reason I only mention china is because China hosts the olympic this year.

I don't understand the point of your poll. We understand the reprecussions to what these athletes go through and we compare it to our wonder Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps and of course we will never let our child go through such unstructured practices, if we were given the choice.

I agree...

Since most people in China are not reading this forum or those articles you presented, do you think they know what they are sending their child to? I'm sure they understand not all of them will excel but it will feed them for the time being. There's a chance s/he will be the next Tian Liang, Guo Jing Jing so they will do whatever it takes to join the free ride.

Are you implying these Chinese parents are cruel and heartless because they put their kid through these rigorous trainings? Are you further implying the inhumane and unethical acts of the Chinese government, and the Chinese only, disregarding Koreans doing the same exact thing?

I don't blame the parents and I agree with you that most of them don't know the situation. They are victimized by their heartless government. I feel sorry for them that majority of them have to live with the consequences that their children got incurable injury without compensation and care from the government...

Nothing in life is guaranteed, that's why people have back up plans. I firmly believe a lot are enrolled in athletic schools but only a small percentage will go through the rigorous training and of those few, not all of them will end up picking up trash or cooking in the kitchen of the gymnasium. Most of them know by 12 - 14 that they don't have what it takes to endure further training therefore invest their time in other things.

I don't know about this, according to the article, it said like 80% of them struggling with unemployment and poverty... Perhap the article exaggerated about the situation.... However, I agree that lot of them got incurable injured and the government sent them home without compensation and care....

[cristal entity]

I blame the entire system, not just china. I think the system is very inhumane. The reason I only mention china is because China hosts the olympic this year.

The system that dominates and produces the best comparable to everything. China wins and you have a cry, while how many ghetto bound blacks are in America with nothing?

I don't blame the parents and I agree with you that most of them don't know the situation. They are victimized by their heartless government. I feel sorry for them that majority of them have to live with the consequences that their children got incurable injury without compensation and care from the government...

Look at the bigger picture instead of one polluted with venomous hatred and propoganda. How many countries actually pay compensations to those injured at work and give them big compensations?

I don't know about this, according to the article, it said like 80% of them struggling with unemployment and poverty... Perhap the article exaggerated about the situation.... However, I agree that lot of them got incurable injured and the government sent them home without compensation and care....

Sure the media is all right, there is always just one side to the story isn't there?

[cristal entity]

Are you implying these Chinese parents are cruel and heartless because they put their kid through these rigorous trainings? Are you further implying the inhumane and unethical acts of the Chinese government, and the Chinese only, disregarding Koreans doing the same exact thing?

Not just Korea, many other undocumented nations too.

Nothing in life is guaranteed, that's why people have back up plans. I firmly believe a lot are enrolled in athletic schools but only a small percentage will go through the rigorous training and of those few, not all of them will end up picking up trash or cooking in the kitchen of the gymnasium. Most of them know by 12 - 14 that they don't have what it takes to endure further training therefore invest their time in other things.

Exactly, my good friend went to an athletic school in Fujian China, while excelling in Swimming , but by about 14 he and his knew he was not going to make it big swimming, so he pursued a excellent career in business.
People have to be pro-active and not dodos with everything presented to them.

[Trien Chieu]

The system that dominates and produces the best comparable to everything. China wins and you have a cry, while how many ghetto bound blacks are in America with nothing?

Oh, so you support the old-soviet system that only care about fame and disregard the livelihood of their citizens... I have nothing against china though as we are ethnic chinese living in Canada. I think practicing the old-soviet system is bad for the chinese people and china in general. For me, the livelihood of hundred of thousands of children are far more than those gold medals at the olympic...

Look at the bigger picture instead of one polluted with venomous hatred and propoganda. How many countries actually pay compensations to those injured at work and give them big compensations?

Sure the media is all right, there is always just one side to the story isn't there?

Here in Canada, we pay compensations to people who are injured at work. Not just Canada, I think the vast majority of first world countries do the same to some extent... The reason that they are relatively rich or well off than other countries is not because they have better resources, it is because of their uncorrupted democratic system. People can vote them out of power if they are unfit to rule....

[pandamao]

I don't know about this, according to the article, it said like 80% of them struggling with unemployment and poverty... Perhap the article exaggerated about the situation.... However, I agree that lot of them got incurable injured and the government sent them home without compensation and care....

Statistics can mean the world and can mean absolutely nothing. What is comprised of that 80%? Is it the entire athlete schools or just a selected few?

If the statistics were based on the ones that went through the entire training but were 3rd choices to being part of the Olympic team, then that really changed the whole definition. Of those 80% are struggling with unemployment is more believable because they were actually encouraged to go all the way.

Athletes that don't have the natural ability won't be encouraged to join and probably didn't put their life on halt for an event of a lifetime they knew won't come true.

[pandamao]

Oh, so you support the old-soviet system that only care about fame and disregard the livelihood of their citizens... I have nothing against china though as we are ethnic chinese living in Canada. I think practicing the old-soviet system is bad for the chinese people and china in general. For me, the livelihood of hundred of thousands of children are far more than those gold medals at the olympic...



Here in Canada, we pay compensations to people who are injured at work. Not just Canada, I think the vast majority of first world countries do the same to some extent... The reason that they are relatively rich or well off than other countries is not because they have better resources, it is because of their uncorrupted democratic system. People can vote them out of power if they are unfit to rule....

Livelihood of hundred of thousands of children? Are you kidding me? You think this is doing THAT much damage???

[yittz]

Let say you and your spouse are intellectual people living in a small city/town in China. Your combined income is like 2000-2500 Yuans a month. It is enough for basic needs but no luxury. Your child is slightly above average at school. He/she get like 70%-80% average. It is very likely that he/she will be end up like you that will make a decent income for living with no luxury. One day, the government officials show up and tell you that your child has great sport ability and asking you to sign a contract to send your child to athletic school. You know, they will tell you that how glorious, patriotic, and heroic it is if your child can win gold medal for olympic and so on....

What you you do? Accept the deal or denile?
Since both you and your spouse are intellectual, so you can access to articles like the following:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...813961,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...644120,00.html

I personally would denile the government contract.

Always simplify things...Lets say you are not well educated, coming from a village, earns around the poverty line, and how do you know how good your child is going to be academically at 6? What are you going to do then?

You sit on your comfortable computer desk bought up in Canada, of course it's easy for you to say no.

I don't know about this, according to the article, it said like 80% of them struggling with unemployment and poverty... Perhap the article exaggerated about the situation.... However, I agree that lot of them got incurable injured and the government sent them home without compensation and care....

How did they reach that number of 80%? What is unemployment and poverty defined by the article? What percentage of Chinese in mainland would fall into that? What percentage of those identified children who took up the offer, would fall into unemployment and poverty if they didn't take the offer?

I doubt Chinese companies are any better than the government.

[Trien Chieu]

You sit on your comfortable computer desk bought up in Canada, of course it's easy for you to say no.

I have said many many time and I will say it again. I am pretty poor myself and currently unemployed. However, I am the type of people that always think about possible serious consequences before my action, so I would say no. Again, I do not blame the parents, they are victimized by their government. Again, I think the livelihood of the children is more important to the country than those gold medals at the olympic. As for myself, I don't care about fame. I put good health above all.

[pemberly]

how is this a debate? this seems like a thread where you post up two options, advocate one, and then argue with whomever dares disagrees with you.

[kidd]

Oh, so you support the old-soviet system that only care about fame and disregard the livelihood of their citizens... I have nothing against china though as we are ethnic chinese living in Canada. I think practicing the old-soviet system is bad for the chinese people and china in general. For me, the livelihood of hundred of thousands of children are far more than those gold medals at the olympic...

Actually that's not true. Read this. http://www.china.org.cn/english/sports/165927.htm

It's the new market economy policy that caused these athletes to be unemployed. If China really follow the old-soviet system, which it used to, the athletes would have been taken care of.

Following the national training or sports academy methods derived from the former Soviet Union, the Chinese athletes used to be called up to the provincial or national teams and were then capable of getting jobs with the help of labor and personnel departments after they retired.

Things have changed a lot since the 1980s when the market economy policy was carried out and job assignments turned into recommendations. Less than 1 percent of athletes could stay to coach and the rest had to go back to where they came from, according to an official of the Jilin provincial sports bureau, requesting anonymity.

[Trien Chieu]

Actually that's not true. Read this. http://www.china.org.cn/english/sports/165927.htm

It's the new market economy policy that caused these athletes to be unemployed. If Chine really follow the old-soviet system, which it used to, they would have taken care for the athletes would have been taken care of.

kidd, thank you very much for the article.
I thought the old soviet system is the one that china currently have, but I was wrong. The old soviet system was actually more humane than I thought where as the current system of china is cruel, cold blooded, and heartless. How can china do this to her citizens who sacrifice so much of their livelihood to their country? I think everyone can agree that the lady in the article is not an isolated incident. I really feel sorry for the athletes, they are victimized by their own country. Shame on china for what she has been doing to her citizens. India is indeed better than china in this aspect. India does not do this to her citizens. China should either step up and take care of their athlete or stop training them. However, I doubt it will ever happen.