So, my son is a college swimmer, home for the summer before his Senior year. He's swimming three times a week, at most, going to the gym 2-3 x a week. He says he is transitioning to other things. I don't get it! He had a 2 year break between his sophomore and junior years while he went to Europe. You'd think that he would want to really get back in shape and go out with a bang, but he acts like being just an average swimmer is ok. Here I am wishing I could put MORE time into swimming and I can't, and he has plenty of time, and won't! I've tried to persuade him to give this last year all he's got, but I think I'm fighting a losing battle. And I don't want a battle. Feeling sad, cuz it's the end of an era.
I came from a very competitive high school program; 3 state championships and a 2nd place the 4 years I was there. Numerous All Americans and All State awards. By sophomore year of college, everyone from my graduating class was done swimming due to burnout. Its hard to maintain the intense commitment college swimming takes, especially after all the commitment it took to get good enough to actually swim in college. The fact that he's still swimming means he's made it farther than most.
Let him back off a bit for the summer, and quit trying to project your goals onto him. At this age, a summer of intense workouts probably doesn't change his ultimate performance next season anyway. Three times a week in the pool and 2-3 in the gym seems like enough to keep from going backwards. Thinking about "transitioning to other things" is actually quite normal and healthy for someone about to finish their last year of college. 5 years from now, will it matter whether or not he was a few tenths quicker in the 100?
I came from a very competitive high school program; 3 state championships and a 2nd place the 4 years I was there. Numerous All Americans and All State awards. By sophomore year of college, everyone from my graduating class was done swimming due to burnout. Its hard to maintain the intense commitment college swimming takes, especially after all the commitment it took to get good enough to actually swim in college. The fact that he's still swimming means he's made it farther than most.
Let him back off a bit for the summer, and quit trying to project your goals onto him. At this age, a summer of intense workouts probably doesn't change his ultimate performance next season anyway. Three times a week in the pool and 2-3 in the gym seems like enough to keep from going backwards. Thinking about "transitioning to other things" is actually quite normal and healthy for someone about to finish their last year of college. 5 years from now, will it matter whether or not he was a few tenths quicker in the 100?
