Friday evening I received a text from my daughter. She advising taking a DNA report. It involved nothing about confirmation of me as her biological dad. No need to go any further on that thread.

The DNA report she shared advised my daughter’s “genetic muscle composition is common in elite power athletes."  I muse back, “It makes me want to get one.” I added, “Wow.” She replied, “Do it!!!”

I suspect Marisa’s interest in DNA emanates from her interest in family genealogy; she done some research in that regard.

I know almost nothing about the test she used but she found its “traits report” as accurate. It also provides ancestry composition; I found those findings interesting based on my wife’s Sephardic heritage on her dad’s side (Indeed an apartment at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum bears his family name.).

The testing suggests at-risk diseases as well. A little research advised that only last year that the Federal Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved at-home genetic testing (for 10 diseases). When it approved this kind of test, the FDA also made clear genetic risk alone remains one piece of “a bigger puzzle” and does not mean someone will or will not develop a disease. Indeed, lifestyle and other factors play a role.

The disease piece played no role in my interest in the test. The “elite power athletes” reference caught my attention, and not just because Marisa attracted my attention with that comment when she disclosed her test results. I immediately shared it on the Gotham sports listserve and received some gratuitous comments. Another – an excellent athlete – advised thank you and he owes me a meal; we did not discuss what he plans to with the information.

I also shared it with a few friends after our weekend full-court game; some teasing resulted of course.

It certainly makes me wonder whether I missed some opportunities back in my day.  Frankly just getting on the court twice a week (most times) satisfies me.

As to being "elite," many ways exist to achieve that label, and not just in sports.

So any thoughts on testing and whether to confirm whether a certain phrase might apply to this correspondent?