Marinovich Project: Documentary Is Perfect Example of What Parents Shouldn't Do

Todd Marinovich was unlike any athlete we have seen in professional sports. His father, Marv Marinovich, personally trained him from a young age. He overworked his son, he started the workouts too soon in his life and most importantly, he expected too much from him.

The Marinovich Project, on ESPN Films, sets the perfect example of what not to do as a parent.

Every time you are at a minor league baseball or flag football game when the children aren’t even 10 years old, there is always one parent that cares way too much. Their kids are generally the ones that cry if they make the slightest mistake on the field.

In the case of Marv, he cared way too much in a different way. He created “Robo QB” as they called Todd by working him for countless hours, countless repetitions and countless exercises that were designed to increase strength and speed.

I’m not a father and I’m not saying that pushing your child in sports is wrong, but I am an older brother. As much as I would love to see my brother be amazing at sports, I don’t want to put too much pressure on performance.

Marv pushed Todd well over the edge. He cared too much about creating a monster instead of caring about Todd and his childhood.

Todd ended up playing college football at USC and being drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders in 1991.

But, his NFL success didn’t last long because of a serious drug issue.

It will be interesting to see why he had a drug issue, what he felt about the situation and how he is doing now. You have to wonder how much of his childhood was missed because of his father and his constant pushing of greatness.

If you are a parent that has a child in sports, I would recommend tuning in. Maybe this will give you some perspective on why you should let your children live their lives without putting too much pressure on them.