December 2, 2008 10:04 AM
Swab your toddlers' cheeks to see if they're budding superstars
Think you might have a budding Chauncey Billups, Mia Hamm or Jay Cutler toddling around the house? Amazed at your child's ability to dash through the playroom and avoid objects like a tailback moving downfield?
Why not have your child's cheek swabbed and send the sample, along with $149 to a lab in Australia where your child's ACTN3 gene will be analyzed to see if your little offspring is a genetic fit for strength and power sports, endurance athletics or a combination of the two.
No, really, we're serious here.
Families can order the testing kit on the Atlas Sports Genetics Web site, www.atlasgene.com. After swabbing the inside of their child's cheek, parents send the sample back to the Boulder office to be processed and delivered overseas, said Kevin Reilly, president and co-owner of Atlas.In about two weeks, Atlas presents customers with a certificate indicating whether their child is a genetic fit for strength and power sports, endurance athletics or a combination of the two.
"A lot of times, people pick their sports based on influence from their parents, or they might do football or soccer if friends are doing that," Reilly said.
Upon receiving the information, parents can then immerse their children in extensive and expensive sports training, schedule family vacations around tournament schedules - only to have the kid break the news at 16 that they hate the sport and just want to hang out with their friends.
A better genetic test would be one that reveals if a parent is able to enjoy their child's sports activities without turning into an obsessive control freak.
December 3, 2008
9:55 AM
Observer writes:
Safe to say that Sascrotch's dad never would have had any need for this. Young Sas was probably the overweight mama's boy who wouldn't play outside for fear of getting dirty or hurt. Much like he cannot keep up with the guys here and resorts to CAPS or repetitive postings or outright namecalling.
Don't worry Sas...there's always alcohol. Your one friend who will never leave.