That analogy doesn't fly. Top professional athletes are truly exceptional in a way programmers are not. They're the 0.01%. They're a good analogy to maybe Fields Medalists, not people working at Facebook.
I mentioned "top athletes", since they're a very visible part of the curve where we can demonstrate that longevity in a field from an early age increases likelihood of success.
I would expect that all levels of athletic performers would benefit likewise - although they won't end up in the top 0.01%.
We like to flatter ourselves and think that programming isn't a skill like athletic performance, but that's just because it makes us feel better since it's harder to measure.
