Basement Whatever

Somewhere I recall reading that for elite athletes, the winning combination was genetic talent, the will to succeed, and the presence of a father or close family member with the capability and drive to act as a secondary coach. I thought about that when reading this interview with Rudy Kraft, one of the earliest writers on Chaosium. He talks about his early experiences with his dad:

I first got involved in gaming as a hobby because of my father. I was the oldest of five children—although we started gaming before the fifth child was born. We had family games of Clue and Monopoly—mostly Clue. At some point, my father bought me a Christmas present of the old Avalon Hill game Afrika Korps. He and I played that a lot often leaving it set up on the desk in my parents’ bedroom. Because I liked this game, he bought additional Avalon Hill Games at least once a year until I went away to college in 1974.

When it comes to standing out in his career, all the ingredients are there: His interest, his disposition, and a dad who recognized his interest and supported his hobby. I doubt there were any hangups or second guessing in his career, because thanks to his dad, his work was family approved and associated with positive memories. 

As a dad and to all the dads out there, what are we helping support in our children? What strong framework are we helping them build for their future success? 

At any rate, I love stories and interviews where people share their passions and their interests and why they geek out on things. This is a fun one. You can read the full interview here.