Excuse me while I swoon for a moment about Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. I love watching and hearing how much they respect and understand each other’s professional passion. Travis (why yes, we’re on a first name basis), awe-struck by Taylor’s intense work ethic and performances, hailed her an “athlete” when interviewed by GQ. During one of her documentary episodes, Taylor beamed with as much pride for Travis when she described how “he was the most charming, delightful performer you could ever be on stage with.”
This adorable couple crystallizes how similar athletes and performers are, and it is so endearing. They are using their very public platform to break down boxes that are often defined by shallow gender norms. So, now, I give you a list of several ways in which we, as parents, witness the overlaps as we raise our young athletes and performers.
1. Poof. All the Money that We Spend
For the athlete, it’s equipment, clinics during the off season, and registration fees for the regular season. If you’re part of a travel team, there are more fees for other uniforms, hotel stays, and gas. For the performer, it’s registration fees for classes, tickets, costumes, and company gear, make-up, professional recordings of shows, playbill ads, and flowers. For both of them, there are also countless charges for food, whether at a drive-thru, restaurant, intermission, or concession stand, as well as for cast or team parties.
2. Commitment to their Craft
Both athletes and performers, if serious, must put in a lot of effort to sharpen their skills through constant practice. There are seemingly minor exercises like breathwork and eye contact. There are more strenuous physical activities, like hours of dancing, blocking, running, weight training, hitting, and fielding. During each rehearsal or practice, they must be willing to try harder, take constructive criticism, and push their body and mind. If they do not bring their full heart and focus, they will not progress.
3. The Power of Teamwork
The expectation for building a shared community that helps the group as a whole learn and succeed is my favorite item on the list. Obviously, coaches and directors must be the ones to establish this expectation and, in turn, model this behavior among their team and cast members. Every individual has something to contribute to the game and the show. It is magical to watch how each athlete and performer, no matter their position or role, adds a crucial component.
4. Balancing Reality with Idealism
My son dreams of being an MLB player. My eldest daughter (her embodiment of Taylor’s song is a post yet to be written) currently plans to be a theatre major in college. These are their idealized futures, and each successive year, they become more realistic about how hard it will be to achieve such goals. And so, they become more driven. They are realistic about the sacrifices they need to make within their social calendar. They handle a spectrum of rejection and disappointment, be it not being cast in a certain role or messing up in a game. Their idealism fuels them, and their reality grounds them.
5. For the Love of Fans
They know we are their biggest fans. They understand we shell out all the money and drive them everywhere because we are their biggest fans. We cheer and clap the loudest, and are so incredibly proud of them. They may not be selling out arenas like Taylor and Travis, but as they perform on their smaller stage or field, they look out at their smaller crowd and feel the rush of adrenaline. They put themselves out there, hoping to make everyone in that crowd smile.
