Arrested development

I was just reading about the downfall of yet another Olympian, one less noted - US Ice Skater Nicole Bobek was arrested last week on drug charges. In an article by Nancy Armour, it discusses the challenge for ice skaters chasing perfection on ice in not only performance, but also aestheticness.
The thing that came through for me in this story is how, by being involved in sport at such an early age and that being the only life the athlete knows, that any social development is 'arrested'. This was a concept I became aware of during a talk at the IART Conference. Athletes development in areas other than sport are not specifically catered for.
This can occur in career development also. Kansas University has just launched a Hoops 2 Heels program to facilitate life after sport for it's basketball players. Many collegiate athletes are not aware of how to write a resume, let alone be in touch with what they want to do in a life focused away from sport.
Athletes need to consider for themselves how they can develop in a more balanced way and coaches/managers need to encourage this. I have heard that in some sport cultures, that any attention other than on sport, is discouraged. This attitude can have long-term repercussions on the athlete's life and will hopefully be replaced by more programs like that supported by KU.