My daughter has been swimming since she was 5, but started a swim team around 2 years ago. My daughter is 10 years old. She swims for a Naval Academy Swim Club and has been doing roughly 5 a week. She swims meets generally twice a month where we go to another school or university. Before she was at the another swim club that "went away". However when she was there, she made remarkable time reductions, she swims mainly 100-free, 100-back, 100-***, 50-free, 50-back, 50-*** and 100-IM (in the previous team and current team). What is bothering us is in the previous team (4-days a week 1.5 hours each time), she was making time reductions at each meet on each event. However she is at a new swim club (a Naval Academy Swim Club) and she spends more time during practice (5 days a week 1.45 hours each time), however she has recently beginning to ADD TIME, something she has never done before.
Some other information
- She has always been the fastest in her team (before/after) she has always been the fastest during each event during each swim meet (before after).
-100-back (1:21:85) / 100-*** (1:35:73) / 100-free (1:14:28) / 100-IM (1:23:56 / 50-*** (44:28) / 200-free (2:40:97).
-She has recently added 1 to 2 seconds "here and there" instead of dropping time.
-We have arranged a meeting with the coach to discuss.
-She's been with the new time for 3 months, 99% of the time the coach just practices freestyle with the students.
Along the lines of Jim and Dan, the most important things for your daughter should be enjoying what she is doing and who she is doing it with. At 10 if your daughter has swims that are disappointing to her, that disappointment is most likely from failing to meet your expectations, not hers. Many kids (and their parents) have dreams of being the next Missy or Michael but don’t confuse these dreams with goals. Don’t let your dreams and goals ruin it for your daughter.
As for adding time, it could be because she isn’t eating or sleeping properly or has other emotional drama unrelated to swimming. If it is, fix it. Otherwise when you meet with the coach the 2 main questions should be “Is my daughter having fun?” and “What can I do to keep my daughter excited about swimming?”
Also, from USA Swimming: “Being A Swim Parent - The most important thing you can do as the parent of a swimmer is to love and support your child, both in and out of the pool. This support is a key factor in fostering enjoyment and learning as well as contributing to the child's individual success in the pool.”
For more on this and other great “Swimming Parent” materials go to usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx
Along the lines of Jim and Dan, the most important things for your daughter should be enjoying what she is doing and who she is doing it with. At 10 if your daughter has swims that are disappointing to her, that disappointment is most likely from failing to meet your expectations, not hers. Many kids (and their parents) have dreams of being the next Missy or Michael but don’t confuse these dreams with goals. Don’t let your dreams and goals ruin it for your daughter.
As for adding time, it could be because she isn’t eating or sleeping properly or has other emotional drama unrelated to swimming. If it is, fix it. Otherwise when you meet with the coach the 2 main questions should be “Is my daughter having fun?” and “What can I do to keep my daughter excited about swimming?”
Also, from USA Swimming: “Being A Swim Parent - The most important thing you can do as the parent of a swimmer is to love and support your child, both in and out of the pool. This support is a key factor in fostering enjoyment and learning as well as contributing to the child's individual success in the pool.”
For more on this and other great “Swimming Parent” materials go to usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx
