The Sports Gene

For athletes, is it genetic or is it the environment creating talent through training?  That is the focus in David Epstein’s book called The Sports Gene.  One of our star student athletes provided this as their favorite book, a person who can run a mile in less than 4:18…. need I say more?  Epstein’s book searches the labs and all relevant studies being done to identify if genetically people are pre-disposed based on their DNA for competing at an elite level.  He himself was a college track star, so much of the book focuses on stories about track and field stars from the 1970s through today, though he also gives glimpses into golfers (Tiger Woods), basketball (the champion Bulls players), Olympic stars in multiple events, cricket, and football.  Is it nature or nurture?  Every time he seems to be leaning one direction, more information about the other area gives more credible evidence to suggest the opposite.  I learned some interesting tidbits about being born where altitudes are higher and it playing a role in the size of lung capacity, wing-span of NBA players in Africans being significantly different than Europeans, the 10,000 hour rule (for practice) in becoming an expert in an activity (a large focus in Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers as well.  Each chapter followed an athlete or a medical question about the genetics of a people and how it impacted the success of an athlete.  Two of the most compelling stories focused on baseball scouts who identified that athletes with a 20/11 vision were more likely to be successful and they focused on two future National League Rookie of the Year winners – Eric Karros and Mike Piazza, both initially not seen as MLB material.  The second was the stories and comparison of two high jumpers, one who never jumped before and one who practiced the 10,000 hours.  Wonder who did best?  For every rule there is an exception.  For those interested in going in sports medicine or just interested in how the elite athlete becomes the best, you learn there is both, nurture and nature.  I would even suggest, there is something that is missing, the ability to have a mind that allows one to “go through the wall” – never give up.  I was surprised he didn’t bring in the neuroscience argument.  A captivating read and one I would recommend to anyone wanting to know a bit more about the best of the best on the field!