It's A Kid's World on the Halfpipe appeared in the New York Times on Sunday July 15. The article discusses big money sponsorship of child skateboarders. The initial example is of the 9-year-old Puehse twins of Ben Lomond, CA. Their father has been marketing the boys since they were age 6 to potential sponsors. The youngest sponsored skateboarders usually receive only free equipment, apparel and monetary payment, but the rewards increase significantly, the article says, if participants continue to excel.
Skateboarding ought to be a way for kids to engage in outdoor active free play and get away from the constrictions of adult sponsored youth sports leagues. it is one way to keep kids from gettin obese. But, we should not professionalize it, especially for children at such young ages.
We ought to let kids be kids and not place them in the world of big money sports where they can be exploited and manipulated by adults at such young ages.
I am afraid that this is just another sign of the professionalization of children's sports and another indication of the need for children's sports reform that groups like Moms Team are working for.
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