When you remember Usain Bolt’s speed, Serena Williams’ court know-how, LeBron James Jr’s stroking skills, you tend to be stunned by their performances. However, what comes to your mind in terms of their skills and traits? Do they possess a special form of DNA that already made them favorites of greatness? Or their endless hours of training made them outstanding in their chosen careers?
In 2010, Dan McLaughlin, a former photographer, made an announcement to quit his photography job to become a professional golfer. As much as the announcement – though seemingly funny – attracted a series of commendations, it also witnessed more hilarious comments. His goal was to compete on golf's pro tour, just like Tiger Woods.
Of course, he never golfed. He was just going to start golfing. According to him, there is no inborn, innate talent. Rather, people only need “to foster their own abilities through deliberate practice." To this end, he practiced for the number of hours stud claimed to be sufficient to attain true expertise. Maybe or not he was right, this brings us to the long-standing controversy that has surrounded the impact of genetics in making sports stars.
It is common to hear that sports superstars are rather born than made. On the flip side, it is also heard of that they are made. Well, both may be correct. Sports Betting Community Site, OLBG.com has provided insights through an article on the role of genetics in shaping the future of an elite sportsperson.
Sports stars may be born
It is true genes determine potentials for developing certain characteristics that impact sports performance. For instance, the ACTN3 gene is said to be the "gene for speed" while the ACE gene influences skeletal muscle function. Both ACTN3 and ACE genes are also linked to strength and endurance. People that are born with great height undoubtedly have a clear advantage in volleyball and basketball. In other words, success in the National Basketball Association requires an individual to inherit the gene for tall stature. This brings to remembrance Joe Bryant and Kobe Bryant of the NBA.
While many people know Kobe Bryant as an NBA star who had placed himself into the conversation as a top-10 player in the history of the league, only a few know his father was also a sports star. Traversing the NBA in the ’70s and ’80s, the name “Joe Bryant” tends to ring through the seasons. He was an NBA star who averaged 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in his eight seasons. The family is among the most famous sports families.
In baseball, the Ripkens are a household name. Cal Ripken Jr., the most recognized from this family, featured in a Hall of Fame that spanned 21 MLB seasons. Well, his dad, Cal Ripken Sr., and brother, Billy Ripken, are also baseball sports stars. Both sons played under the tutelage of their father for the Baltimore Orioles for some years in the late '80s. Cal Ripken Jr. played 2,632 consecutive games, setting a Major League record.
The Earnhardts also have proven over the past 60 years their dexterity in driving a race car successfully as they are the most famous family in NASCAR. This could be partly due to the position of their grandfather as a race car constructor. The driving skill started with Ralph Earnhardt back in the 1950s and then passed down to Dale Earnhardt (a winner of 76 races), and Dale Earnhardt Jr., the only 3rd-generation NASCAR champion. Dale Jr. is among the top 10 standings in 2014. It is obvious that the family legacy remains a sustainable one.
Sport stars may also be made…
On the flip side of the controversy, only a few athletes rose to stardom with natural talents. A host of them achieved success through due diligence and great commitment. According to Don Yaeger, a motivational speaker and New York Times bestselling author who built a career studying some sports stars, “sports stars know they need the ability to recognize the needs they have to be better every day.” Thus, they challenge themselves to learn new things every day.
Nadia Elena Comăneci is one star that has distinguished herself as a gymnast. As a five-time Olympic gold medalist, she is regarded as is one of the best-known gymnasts in the world. Neither her father nor her mother was a gymnast. In fact, her parents separated when she was about nine years old. Her mother only enrolled her daughter into gymnastics classes because she was so full of energy and very difficult to manage. She was the first gymnast to achieve a score of 10 (also regarded as “the perfect 10”) in the Olympic Games.
Usain Bolt is another sports star that earned himself a great reputation in sprinting through hard work. He is regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time. He is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist, an eleven-time World Champion, the first winner of four World Championship titles in the 200m, among others outstanding feats. Unlike the Burrells who are a family of sprinters, Bolt’s parents ran a local grocery store.
In boxing, Muhammad Ali remains one of the greatest sportsperson of the 20th century. He competed in some of the greatest fights in the history of boxing, including the ''Rumble in the Jungle,' Fight of the Century', and 'Thrilla in Manila'. He often refers to himself as the “double greatest” rather than the greatest. He was the winner of the 1964 world heavyweight championship and the only three-time lineal champion. At 18, barely six years after he started training as an amateur boxer, he won a gold medal. Also, his parents were not sportspeople. His father was a sign and billboard painter, and his mother was a domestic helper.
What then makes sports stars?
The stories of champions whose parents or grandparents were also champions indicate that parents can be responsible for the difference between winning gold or silver. Notwithstanding, there is no absolute truth as sports genes. Athletic performance is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. It would then be safer to say that almost every athlete requires a certain level of training to improve their “talent” or skill.
