Read about crazy tennis dads
There are crazy parents in any sport, but this is an interesting (and lengthy) article about yet another entry for tennis specifically.
Never far away, the 49-year-old Nigerian-born Clement Iyeyemi immersed himself in his children's training to the exclusion of everything else. But in the haven for ambitious tennis parents that is South Florida, that didn't seem strange.
"Not any more than a Capriati or a Pierce or a Williams," said tennis coach Rick Macci, who has coached the famously skilled daughters of all three famously driven men.
More than anyone realized, Iyeyemi fit in with that group: Jennifer Capriati's father, blamed for his daughter's burnout; Mary Pierce's father, accused of hitting his daughter; and the father of Serena and Venus Williams, who is said to have planned their careers before they were conceived.
As the Iyeyemi children were winning tennis tournaments across Florida, their cancer-stricken mother reported to French authorities that their father had tricked her into letting him take them out of France after years of terrorizing the family. French prosecutors said they found evidence that Iyeyemi had beaten them all with his fists and tennis racket, leaving broken bones and scars.
Federal authorities arrested Iyeyemi Jan. 24 in Boca Raton on assault, domestic violence and parental abduction charges. He remains in Palm Beach County Jail, awaiting extradition to France, where his children have returned with their mother.
Read the whole thing for the full story.
posted by milton at 8:52 PM
1 Comments:
The article on Clement Iyeyemi deeply saddens me. I knew him in France. He was my math and physics tutor and a personal friend. I truly looked up to him. Math and Science were my worst subjects in school. Not only was he persistant that I understand the subjects, he made them fun! He truly helped me with my self confidence. In fact, I am now in my early thirties and have spent the last 5 years of my life working for financial institutions, I give him all the credit to my success. I never knew him to be aggressive and it truly shocks me to think he could be violent.
He expected the best for himself. He was the best at everything he attempted. A true hardworker. He taught me so many things about life and had the patience for me when I was a somewhat rebellious, thickheaded teenager.
For some reason, I have been thinking about him over the last month. So, I decided to put his name in a search engine. I was shocked to read the articles. This is not the man I once knew.
I wish the best for him and his family. I have a really hard time believing that the allegations against him to be true. I do not condone violence of any sortat the same time I do hope life turns to a better road for him. My heart goes out to his wife and beautiful children.
7:55 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home