KoriEllis
09-21-2004, 01:46 PM
Tiny toddler shoots hoops
Susan Wood, [email protected]
September 21, 2004
www.tahoedailytribune.com...14/-1/NEWS (http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040921/News/109210014/-1/NEWS)
To say Satura Cyr loves basketball is an understatement.
"His first word was 'ball,' then 'hoop,'" Derek Cyr said of his 21-month-old son.
The South Lake Tahoe boy shows a strong affinity and ability to play the sport.
He makes baskets 4 feet high at 6 feet away - one-handed, two-handed and a dunk with help from Dad. He even knows the alley oop - the assisted dunk.
"His record is 15 (baskets) in a row," Cyr said. "Until people see it, they think we're making it up. And sometimes he has perfect form."
The toddler, who uses a mini basketball, picked up the hobby watching his father shoot hoops. He threw a ball into the laundry basket before his 1-year birthday.
His parents, Derek and Krista Shewmaker, got him a hoop for his first birthday and attached it to his crib. The length and height of the baskets have increased, and the rest is history.
Satura doesn't like television, but he makes an exception when NBA games are aired.
Grandma, Anita Hasty, said he intently watches the games.
He'll stop at the neighborhood hoops to try the big-boy shots. Crowds have gathered in stores when he tries his hand there.
The passion prompted his parents to seek out an agent.
They called Nike for endorsement possibilities but got nowhere. In their travels, they drove to Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., where a representative said they'd need to contact its advertising agency, Cyr said.
They also considered whether their efforts may be exploitive of the youth.
"We thought about that. Friends would tell us: 'Don't sell out to Nike.' But we wouldn't sell out for a lifetime contract. We would do a commercial," the father said. "We're only encouraging his own desire. And he cries when we've taken the balls away."
Shewmaker agreed, insisting the couple has tried to get him to move on to other subjects because it may be better for their son's childhood development.
"It's so cute. We just wanted to share this with other people," she said.
Cindi Swalm, a childhood development specialist for Tahoe Youth and Family Services, said she understands the parents concern.
"The fact that he's obsessed - I would want to talk to a doctor," she said, adding the story is unusual.
"It's kind of alarming. But unless it hinders other activities like he's choosing not to go to bed or play with others because kids are curious, they shouldn't worry about it. Just make sure their pediatrician is involved. He could be so advanced in tactile motor skills or even a child prodigy for all we know," Swalm said.
Satura's been known to throw hoops for three consecutive hours, Cyr said, adding the driving force appears to be the entertainment value.
"He likes it when people watch," Cyr said.
If not commercial endorsements, Satura may want to play college or professional basketball. With a No. 6 Tigger emblem on his jersey, Satura now stands 32 inches high. He's got the spring in his step from Vans shoes.
"I wanted to get him some (professional basketball player) Allen Iverson shoes, but he'd just grow out of them," Cyr said.
Susan Wood, [email protected]
September 21, 2004
www.tahoedailytribune.com...14/-1/NEWS (http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040921/News/109210014/-1/NEWS)
To say Satura Cyr loves basketball is an understatement.
"His first word was 'ball,' then 'hoop,'" Derek Cyr said of his 21-month-old son.
The South Lake Tahoe boy shows a strong affinity and ability to play the sport.
He makes baskets 4 feet high at 6 feet away - one-handed, two-handed and a dunk with help from Dad. He even knows the alley oop - the assisted dunk.
"His record is 15 (baskets) in a row," Cyr said. "Until people see it, they think we're making it up. And sometimes he has perfect form."
The toddler, who uses a mini basketball, picked up the hobby watching his father shoot hoops. He threw a ball into the laundry basket before his 1-year birthday.
His parents, Derek and Krista Shewmaker, got him a hoop for his first birthday and attached it to his crib. The length and height of the baskets have increased, and the rest is history.
Satura doesn't like television, but he makes an exception when NBA games are aired.
Grandma, Anita Hasty, said he intently watches the games.
He'll stop at the neighborhood hoops to try the big-boy shots. Crowds have gathered in stores when he tries his hand there.
The passion prompted his parents to seek out an agent.
They called Nike for endorsement possibilities but got nowhere. In their travels, they drove to Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., where a representative said they'd need to contact its advertising agency, Cyr said.
They also considered whether their efforts may be exploitive of the youth.
"We thought about that. Friends would tell us: 'Don't sell out to Nike.' But we wouldn't sell out for a lifetime contract. We would do a commercial," the father said. "We're only encouraging his own desire. And he cries when we've taken the balls away."
Shewmaker agreed, insisting the couple has tried to get him to move on to other subjects because it may be better for their son's childhood development.
"It's so cute. We just wanted to share this with other people," she said.
Cindi Swalm, a childhood development specialist for Tahoe Youth and Family Services, said she understands the parents concern.
"The fact that he's obsessed - I would want to talk to a doctor," she said, adding the story is unusual.
"It's kind of alarming. But unless it hinders other activities like he's choosing not to go to bed or play with others because kids are curious, they shouldn't worry about it. Just make sure their pediatrician is involved. He could be so advanced in tactile motor skills or even a child prodigy for all we know," Swalm said.
Satura's been known to throw hoops for three consecutive hours, Cyr said, adding the driving force appears to be the entertainment value.
"He likes it when people watch," Cyr said.
If not commercial endorsements, Satura may want to play college or professional basketball. With a No. 6 Tigger emblem on his jersey, Satura now stands 32 inches high. He's got the spring in his step from Vans shoes.
"I wanted to get him some (professional basketball player) Allen Iverson shoes, but he'd just grow out of them," Cyr said.