It can be astonishing to witness these sorts of stories growing up can't it?The attrition rates across all sports are nasty through the teenage years,but I'm not sure they track the elite talent separately and I suspect more of them would be retained.Particularly those with quality, experienced mentors and access to development programmes I'm guessing.
Not always a linear thing either.
We had a kid at school set new 100,200,400 metre sprint records in year 10.
Big strong kid about 185cm and 80+ kg at 15.Ran like the wind and an all round sportsman.
Broke both legs in a motorbike accident the following year.Then returned in year 12 and reset all his own records.
He then embraced some of the available distractions and was lost to all sport and athletics.
Probably had a great life.
At the risk of getting nostalgic.. I remember growing up and going to school with a kid who displayed the same prodigious talents, he used to blitz all comers in inter-school carnivals over 100m by a good 10 metres, his dad was our weekend footy coach growing up, his dad was also Subiaco FC royalty.. or at least that's what he'd have you know, and since then I read has been an AFL player agent (which might give it away). But his son would win the leagues B&F's every year etc..
I had absolutely no doubt in my mind given his pedigree and athleticism i'd see him in the AFL one day, but he barely gave a yelp in the WAFL for 3 years and that was the end of it.
Given his dad's personality and standing - my guess is his dad probably pushed him too hard and it went pear-shaped - which i'm sure is also a pretty common story in the past with kids in the colts system. The enjoyment aspect gets left behind pretty young, im sure particularly so when your dad's so closely invested in your time with the game.