My grandson is a remarkable person. I know that all grandparents say the same or similar things. He does very well at school, and he is one of the top athletes in his country for his age, and if everything goes well will be in the Olympics in 2026 in Italy. I hope that I and his grandmother will be there to see him compete.
My daughter phoned us the other day and informed us that our grandson had been chosen to be in an emerging athlete’s program in his country. She said that means he would now get coaching and help for what he has been doing on his own for a few years. It will be an exciting time for him and for us as we watch to see how he progresses.
I have to admit that I am excited but a little bit afraid for him. He is sensitive and may feel the pressure of being one of the best brings. My hope is that he understands that all the people who love him expect him to have fun, enjoy himself and create memories that should last him a lifetime. We will do what we can to help support him both emotionally and financially as he moves ahead.
Being part of the emerging athlete program does not mean that there is any money to help him. There may be in the future if he does well, but until he has proven himself to the powers that be, the money needed for travel and competing is from him and his family. He is lucky that his parents work in the sports area that he is good at and that we can help him with some accommodations when he travels. We are excited by this latest step on his journey and hope that when he is older, he appreciates the sacrifices his parents will be making to help him achieve his dream.
