Greetings all!!
Frequent lurker ... not so frequent poster. I've been swimming Masters for about a year now with my son's USA swim club. After only 45 years out of the water ... I have a LONG way to go, but I am generally feeling better than I have in a LONG time!!
Right now, my wife and I are increasingly concerned about our son who is 14.5 and a sophomore in high school (skipped a grade so he's a bit younger than normal). He's been a age group swimmer since he was 8. From the time he hit about 11, he was the only guy on his team to make it to PNS Champs (we're in Tacoma, WA). He's primarily a breaststroker. (When he was younger, his coach often joked that he ought to swim the *** during freestyle since he was faster doing *** than he was doing crawl!!) In the past couple of years, he has improved to the AG Sectional and Regional Levels. He's still a ways from Jr Nationals (5-10 seconds on his 100/200 *** times). He lettered last year in HS as a freshman and swam at the league and district levels. He was about 4 secs off a state qualifying time. (His immediate goal this year is to make the state time.)
His club swim team coach has ID'd him as having the potential to go much further ... at least into the NCAA level. She's talked to him about it, and he decided that that's what he would like to do. But ...
He also started playing water polo. Played some club last year and is currently on the HS varsity team. He enjoys the fun of the game and being with the guys on the HS team. But, it is taking a lot of time away from his club swim team. And, it's really sapping his energy. He's been pretty sick twice already this school year and seems to always be tired. (I know the easy answer is just to tell him to quit water polo and concentrate on swimming but that's easier said than done. Especially when he's having so much fun with his teammates.)
Our concern is really more than just the polo issue. It's the whole HS vs Club swimming focus. He wants to swim on the HS team again this year (season starts in late November) but it will take away from his club practices. Plus, it takes away a lot of his energy ... last year there were many days where he swam from 5:30-7:00am, then from 2:15-4:30pm with the HS, and then club from 4:30-6:30. Thats a LOT of time for a 14-year old to be in the pool!! (Luckily he's pretty smart so he's able to maintain a 3.5-3.6 GPA without a lot of studying.)
My question is ... how do y'all recommend dealing with this? How, or maybe even should, we balance between club and HS swimming? How did you do it when you were a kid? How are you doing it with your kids now? And, finally, how can we re-kindle and help him maintain his passion for swimming and encourage him to make it to the next level?
My wife and I have never really dealt with this problem before and we really need some advice.
Thanks in advance.
Ken
Hi Ken,
How do y'all recommend dealing with this?
He's torn several directions, he's trying to do it all.
Depends on how well he's handling things and if he gets to a breaking point where somethings gotta give.
There's only so many hours in the day and he has school, studying, practices, & sleep.
How should, HE balance between club and HS swimming?
Depends on his priorities, the requirements of each program and the flexibility of each coach.
Ask your son what his goals and priorities are for HS and beyond.
Then meet with the coaches and ask questions to find out what needs to be done and when.
It's OK to ask your child the questions but don't provide the answers.
How did you do it when you were a kid?
When I was in high school, there was 1 swim coach for all the high schools in Austin. The required HS workouts weren't as good as Longhorn aquatics workouts. So I swam HS my freshman yr only then trained club team with Longhorn aquatics the rest of the time, 10, 11 & 12th.
How are you doing it with your kids now?
my kids weren't swimmers. Daughter dabbled a little her SR yr in HS.
How can we re-kindle and help him maintain his passion for swimming and encourage him to make it to the next level?
Don't go there.
It's not the parents job to motivate and push their child in any sport.
Let them choose their sport/s. (if the family can afford the time and cost, allow your child to train.)
Make sure they get to practice on time and home from practice when they're done.
Make sure they have the stuff they need for practice and competitions.
But don't helicopter parent coming to the rescue when they forget something.
Get them a swim bag & encourage good habits so they don't lose stuff.
Don't watch your child practice.
Don't get more into their sport than they are.
Don't keep records of their times. Let them tell you how they feel about their times at a meet.
Give them a box to hold their medals and ribbons, news clippings ...
Do educate your child about inappropriate coach behavior and to immediately tell you if anyone ever does anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. Also to insist on 2 deep leadership and that at no time should an adult be alone with a child.
Trust the coach and give them some space but not too much.
Desire and motivation has to come from your child.
good luck Ken
Ande
Hi Ken,
How do y'all recommend dealing with this?
He's torn several directions, he's trying to do it all.
Depends on how well he's handling things and if he gets to a breaking point where somethings gotta give.
There's only so many hours in the day and he has school, studying, practices, & sleep.
How should, HE balance between club and HS swimming?
Depends on his priorities, the requirements of each program and the flexibility of each coach.
Ask your son what his goals and priorities are for HS and beyond.
Then meet with the coaches and ask questions to find out what needs to be done and when.
It's OK to ask your child the questions but don't provide the answers.
How did you do it when you were a kid?
When I was in high school, there was 1 swim coach for all the high schools in Austin. The required HS workouts weren't as good as Longhorn aquatics workouts. So I swam HS my freshman yr only then trained club team with Longhorn aquatics the rest of the time, 10, 11 & 12th.
How are you doing it with your kids now?
my kids weren't swimmers. Daughter dabbled a little her SR yr in HS.
How can we re-kindle and help him maintain his passion for swimming and encourage him to make it to the next level?
Don't go there.
It's not the parents job to motivate and push their child in any sport.
Let them choose their sport/s. (if the family can afford the time and cost, allow your child to train.)
Make sure they get to practice on time and home from practice when they're done.
Make sure they have the stuff they need for practice and competitions.
But don't helicopter parent coming to the rescue when they forget something.
Get them a swim bag & encourage good habits so they don't lose stuff.
Don't watch your child practice.
Don't get more into their sport than they are.
Don't keep records of their times. Let them tell you how they feel about their times at a meet.
Give them a box to hold their medals and ribbons, news clippings ...
Do educate your child about inappropriate coach behavior and to immediately tell you if anyone ever does anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. Also to insist on 2 deep leadership and that at no time should an adult be alone with a child.
Trust the coach and give them some space but not too much.
Desire and motivation has to come from your child.
good luck Ken
Ande
