Is there a pattern?

Me and my son both share a massive passion for playing football.
I went into county XC at 14, he has been trialed and just won a school team place at 13.
I started racing road bikes at 12. He started racing cyclocross at 12.
Is this common, I've always wondered.

I'm sure sporty parents are more likely to have sporty kids

Suppose cx & running are similar, slightly endurancy sports so any genetics might also be "helping". Footy, still largely the same I guess, with a bit of skill chucked in

If I were you, I'd worry a little why he's choosing exactly what I do/did – might you be encouraging him too much ?

ive always played footy,boxed for a bit and done a bit of kickboxing,didnt find bikes till 6 yrs ago at 31

my boys both thai box and one kickboxes aswell as thai box,eldest played footy for a bit but no interest youngest started his 1st season but not overly into it ,but just enjoys the training with mates,

oldest not really bothered about bikes but just getting into a bit of bmx,little one will follow me anywhere on a bike

My dad played rugby and did roughstuff cycling. I played a bit of Rugby and mountainbike. We also both like hillwalking / mountaineering.

son plays rugby league and mountainbikes……and is better than i was at his age.

My dad played footie, but his mainstay was Track cycling to a very high standard.

I played footie (county school of excellence level) and now ride alot, taking to the road riding thing very easily and loving it – only had my road bike since Nov' and 3 hours at 18mph is simplez

Hmmmm, maybe we didn't encourage ours enough 😉 . Papadirt used to play tennis very well and played footie regularly until a few years ago and is keen to get involved again as a ref. One of our three sons was a very good footballer and tennis player at junior level but no longer interested (pretty handy on a skateboard though unlike his mum – not for want of trying 😳 ). Neither have shared my passion for mtbing despite having been dragged out on a few occasions – my sons and myself used to spend quite a bit of time building dirt jumps on the riverside not far from home – tho' in retrospect I reckon they'd have preferred to be left at home . . . in fact once they were old enough that's exactly what they did 😕 . I no longer have an excuse for digging or building tiny bikes . . . but hey, what the heck . . . I still do it anyway 😛

I didn't encourage my lad at all.
He played for a football club from 4 because all the lads did that.
He asked to come out riding one winter. A month later he got a 2nd in a cross, then a 1st, then got into road racing. Then gave it all up because he missed his footie mates.
As for the xc again that was through school.
Though I'm glad to say he is coming back to cycling after a patchy football season due to the weather and seeing me out in all weathers.

my dad and brother played football and cricket both where team captains im the only family member thats ever been into mountain bikes but hopefully my son will like mtb,s if not i might have to play football lol.
thwang

Other way round for me, I got into mtbing or off-road cycling because of my son.

When I was young, living in the wilds of the country side, son of a farm worker with no car all we could do was walk or bike. Having bad asthma meant I was off school a lot during my primary yrs, there was next to no sport anyway(2 elderly teachers)
In my teens when I started secondary school I found swimming. My cousin and I used to cycle 10mls, swim for an hr and cycle the 10mls home, twice a week, did this for 3yrs till I started work. For 2 yrs until I got my licence I cycled the 20ml round trip to work and back.
Got my licenc, found wimmin, beer, dancin etc for a few yrs till I got married, house, 15% interest mortgage 😥 and it all ended there for a bit.
My son was about 5 when he started bmx racing, then mtbing.
He then went through the cubs, scouts, badminton, rowing,ice hockey, Duke of Edin, life guarding…
We started mtbing when he was 9/10, he is now 30 and can still do his old tricks as he proved last week at the Mabie jump park 😯

Having said that this; http://www.wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock was my playground when it was just a farm in my early years, many an hr was spent biking over the merse and along the sands.

Football – County Level & Higher (Professional trials etc)
XC Running – County Level
Pole Vault – COunty Level
Swimming – County Level

I didnt have a single sporty bone in my body, my brother got the sport genes and was national athletics champ at various age groups untill he discovered girls and drink. He had trials at various football clubs and played cricket, and a couple of other sports at high level. He was the guy who came home from school sports day with a pack of cards worth of certificates and i would come home with one. Unfortunately/fortunately i was used as his training mule so i ended up fit by default. I learnt from a young age that you can get to a 'good' level without having any real ability just by trying hard.

My son seems to have natural ability at things but doesnt have the head for it (Atm). He will try something then as soon as it needs effort he will back off quickly. He has 10x the skill i had on a football pitch. Maybe one day it will register with him how lucky he is but if not its no biggie.

Stepson #1 – aged 12, loves mountain biking and is very smart at picking his racing lines. I can't catch him on the descents.

Stepson #2 – 120 seconds younger than Stepson #1. Hates physical exertion of any sort, except for his constantly moving jawbone which never stops commentating and complaining. He's a hell of a rock climber though.

I've always used a bike and I'm glad to say my 3 kids like it too. Trying to get 12 yr old doing more, and got him a road bike now along with off-road. He's an ace swimmer ( I was quite handy) but won't do anything with it. Now plays Rugby and showing potential. My 10yr old daughter is keen on gymnastics and great at swimming, been accepted into local swimmng club, trails to be spotted etc…and my youngest despite being small for his age is very nippy at Rugby and flies up any climbing wall you show him which pleases his Dad, as he's been doing it for 40 odd yrs, and he loves biking! 😀 going to initiate them to Gisburn at half-term.

My father took up playing hockey as he got fed up ferrying me across the country as a lad (played regional level). He retired through a knee injury, in spite of never having had a problem playing football. I ended up playing North Premier level before injury stopped me.

Father introduced me to squash. I could beat him aged 11 onwards (got to play for my county as a junior).

I played football until 12, but rugby was my passion then (mother's Welsh). It was also her enjoyment of cycling that has meant it's always been in my blood one way or another.

Only now have I realised that, through my parents encouragement, I have played much more competitive sport than they got the chance to. I'm not that competitive, but am entering my first road racing season (aged 33) this year and still seem to make them proud.

Thanks Mum & Dad. 😀

Since I was 10 when I got first motorbike I always had a love of two wheeled things I think that I liked riding my Raleigh Chopper as much as the m/bike. My mates and I would be out after skool seeing who was able to wheelie thier push bike over as many white lines as possible, great fun as there was little traffic about in "those" days. I always had m/bike too and raced Enduro's, North Eastern rounds and British Championship.
My two lads were never bothered about bikes though, sure they had bikes but never had the passion like I did. When they had little to do one summer holiday from skool they went along to a small club and tried out to play basketball, thinking back I never knew what was going to capture thier hearts as the two wheels had caught mine. The eldest "Tintin" last year won player of the year 08/09 which was a massive feat by him. Both Tin and Dan (my other lad) played together for Mansfield Express and won the National Championship against some fierce competition, they have very proud parents. Dan is currently playing/coaching for Mansfield Giants in div 2 and Tintin is playing for Manchester Magic in div 1. Tin also played for the England team 6 or 7 times.

Dan.

Tintin.

I can only pray for thier fitness.