College kids and Burnout

Good grades and the job search are very mature priorities, and in some cases they really do need all the time and energy a student has to spare. I'm sure this is true, but I have a feeling more kids quit swimming during college because they feel like they are missing out on the whole college experience by spending so much time in the pool, not because they are concentrating on grades or finding a job.

Kids start to think rationally by around 30 yrs

As immature as it sounds now, turning 21, finishing school with decent grades, finding a (real) job, etc were bigger priorities and I couldn't wait until swim season was over. That doesn't sound immature at all. I think, the farther we are from that age, it's hard to remember how difficult it is to finish college on a strong note, and how important it can be for a lot of students to set narrower priorities than they had in high school or their first couple of years. Good grades and the job search are very mature priorities, and in some cases they really do need all the time and energy a student has to spare. It's only natural for something like a sport to fall by the wayside a little bit. A phenomenal final swim season is only great if it's really what the swimmer -- not the swimmer's parent, no the swimmer's coach, but the swimmer -- really wants. If it comes at the expense of things that have become higher priorities, then it's just a distraction.

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?

WOW! A HELICOPTER DAD IS PUSHING HIS SON TO DO MORE SO HE CAN FEEL BETTER! Let him start to live his life on his terms. as coach of 34 seasons, I have seen many athletes burn out with too much of any sport. 3 + 3 workouts are what most of us would really like to be able to do. I'll bet by the time he is out of college & working for a few years he comes back to Masters swimming - like most of us.

By the time I was approaching senior year, I had so many other interests and stress factors to focus on. I didn't swim a stroke that summer and still performed well during the season. As immature as it sounds now, turning 21, finishing school with decent grades, finding a (real) job, etc were bigger priorities and I couldn't wait until swim season was over. It took me 17 years to find my love for the pool again. As much as you want him "to go out with a bang," he's still staying in shape now, and you don't want to make him resent the sport. Sometimes it's harder on the parents than it is on the kids. And trust me, at Senior Rec night, he'll feel it too.

George Bernard Shaw: "Youth is wasted on the young". When you're young, you feel immortal and old age seems a distant impossibility. You aren't aware that the years shrink and time accelerates; for the young, it seems like there will always be a next time. They don't realize how lucky they are to be young with all of their energy, hope, physical prowess, and life's dreams ahead. But you do, because you have wisdom that came from living and can not be "instructed." I'm betting he works it out; when your young you bounce-back so quickly and it's so much easier. It's terrific that he intends to swim through his senior year. I quit after sophomore year and have regretted it ever since-what a dummy i was after all of that swimming and work. But there were other things going on in my life that were equally, or perhaps even more important, and I needed to work those out. Relish the remaining year and the "end of the era," don't let the dilemma of your age difference and wisdom impact your perspective or his.

You know, I don't appreciate being called a Helicopter Parent. YOU haven't seen how I behave at home or at meets at all. In fact, many people wonder if I'm even interested in his events, because I sit quietly while he swims (clutching my hands nervously) and don't hop up and down like some people. I just wanted a little commiseration, because it IS sad, the end of an era. We spend years going to swim meets practically every weekend, pour a lot of money into the sport, send them to expensive schools, because this one actually has a MEN's swim team, and then it all suddenly comes to a close. I'm proud of him doing so well in school, and being concerned about the future. In case you didn't read, Orca, I mentioned that he took a 2 year hiatus from swimming to go to Europe - serving a mission for the Church - where he didn't swim a single lap - and I am extremely proud of him for doing this, and sacrificing his time and money AND swimming career (and a swimming scholarship) to do so. I knew he would come back from the Netherlands different, but he says he wants to swim. So if he wants to swim, why not give it all he's got? (He actually did BEST TIMES last year, after only having been back in the water for about 6-1/2 months.) And although you may say that in 10 years it might not matter whether he went a second faster on that event or not, it might matter - there's nothing like "if only I had. . ." to make you regret things you did when younger. I know it's his choice, and I support his choice, I'm just sad, and thought other parents might have been through this too, and knew how it felt. Sad. Did I also mention he's the 5th child of 5? Just sad.

I'm sure this is true, but I have a feeling more kids quit swimming during college because they feel like they are missing out on the whole college experience by spending so much time in the pool, not because they are concentrating on grades or finding a job. I agree with this. I just think that the whole college experience ought to include getting out of bed before noon, and going to bed before 1am.

Hi Celestial, I remember when my youngest of 3 quit swimming; she was the most talented of the 3 and was doing great. I was very sad, but I got over it pretty fast. It seems like maybe your son's college coach should help him out by guiding him through some goal setting for his senior year. As we all know, it's much easier to work hard when you have a goal dangling in front of you. I agree with you in that it's fun to see kids go out with a bang, however I've known many kids who are happy finishing their collegiate athletic days on their own terms whatever that may be. Good luck to you and your son. I hope you both walk away proud and happy :)