Need help with this predicament.
Am currently 15 (About to be 16). Have been swimming competively since about 6. The problem is, after moving from my U.S.S. team (my mother's decision) my swimming has not improved. (Well it has, but not very much). I long to be the great swimmer I should be at this age. The Olympics are coming, and it makes me sad knowing that had I done my best and worked hard, it could be me there, (or in several years). I'm trying to get back into swimming and hopefully join a USMS team after I am too old for the Village teams.
Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions or tips? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Also please note my mom is wary to spend too much money because she feels I am not committed enough. (Truthfully I am responsible for that thinking).
Parents
Former Member
Krissi,
Why did your mother make the decision to move you? Was there disagreement about your training regimen? your lack of specific qualifying times? no competition?
I ask because I just had a swimmer yanked from my program (by his mother), much to his dismay. She felt that he would not get enough competition in practice to improve his meet performances and she is counting on swimming putting this kid through college. Now, we are a small team, lacking in fast 13 year old boys -- however we have a number of swimmers (younger and older, male and female) who swim faster than him both in practice and meets. Still, he wasn't improving fast enough for mom (went from B times to AA times from December til April.). Unfortunately, he wasn't, isn't swimming for himself. I asked all my senior swimmers to write a note answering the question, "why do I swim? why do I come to swim practice?" Answers to both questions from this swimmer were, "because my mom makes me, because my mom brings me..." So, unless he starts swimming for himself (whatever program he is in), and training with a goal in mind (his goal), he will never realize his potential.
I should note--he is getting faster (he would have anyway), but his summer season was cancelled and friends were lost, and he is still out of sorts with his mother -- was it worth it? Won't know for a few more years, I hope it was.
Thankfully YOU seem to WANT to swim now -- Show your mom your post, ask to get back into a program (bigger/more expensive is NOT necessarily better), and work your butt off! Show your mom that you are mature enough now to understand the difference between training and social practicing...
I wish you the best of luck, and remember, Jenny Thompson is over 30 and in the Olympics -- you still have time:)
Krissi,
Why did your mother make the decision to move you? Was there disagreement about your training regimen? your lack of specific qualifying times? no competition?
I ask because I just had a swimmer yanked from my program (by his mother), much to his dismay. She felt that he would not get enough competition in practice to improve his meet performances and she is counting on swimming putting this kid through college. Now, we are a small team, lacking in fast 13 year old boys -- however we have a number of swimmers (younger and older, male and female) who swim faster than him both in practice and meets. Still, he wasn't improving fast enough for mom (went from B times to AA times from December til April.). Unfortunately, he wasn't, isn't swimming for himself. I asked all my senior swimmers to write a note answering the question, "why do I swim? why do I come to swim practice?" Answers to both questions from this swimmer were, "because my mom makes me, because my mom brings me..." So, unless he starts swimming for himself (whatever program he is in), and training with a goal in mind (his goal), he will never realize his potential.
I should note--he is getting faster (he would have anyway), but his summer season was cancelled and friends were lost, and he is still out of sorts with his mother -- was it worth it? Won't know for a few more years, I hope it was.
Thankfully YOU seem to WANT to swim now -- Show your mom your post, ask to get back into a program (bigger/more expensive is NOT necessarily better), and work your butt off! Show your mom that you are mature enough now to understand the difference between training and social practicing...
I wish you the best of luck, and remember, Jenny Thompson is over 30 and in the Olympics -- you still have time:)
