I agree. Trading decisions that are at all impacted by a "competitve" nature are more likely to be wrong than right. Competition is the last thing that should be on a trader's mind.
Traders must be competitive, and those who are athletically inclined and competitive have a chance to excel early on in life in athletics. Those who are competitive and not athletically inclined are more likely excel at other things like competitive chess, bridge, poker, etc., or they compete and excel at the highest levels academically. In both cases, all that potential employers look for is that competitiveness and the proven ability to succeed. The bottom line is that nobody would consider recruiting a less than bright ex-athlete for a trader position just because they are an ex-athlete. That is all. BigMike p.s. the former athletes who work in the pits in chicago have an advantage because one's physical size and "presence" give you an advantage in that push-and-shove environment (I know, I have been there).
Correlation could be found in activies of the same nature: trading involve a mix knowledge, personality predisposition, think smart act fast, etc. sport are much more "phisically oriented", tranding, instead, is a very "psychological game". Competitive nature is in every aspect of life of an uman being, it isn't an exclusive of athletes, so sportmen aren't very differnt from other categories from this point of view. I belive traders have much more correlation with videogamers or chess players rather than people who succeed in sports.