Hey guys and girls, im 14 and want to start swimming with my school swim team. I dont know how my families going to react to this they kind of think its a girly sport. How should i hanndle this and i need some tips on what type of swim suit and cap? What dry land training should i do? Should i shave?
Scott
Well, I’m sure most of the people who respond to you on this forum are swimmers and strongly disagree with the idea that swimming is a girly sport. If done well, it is one of the most technically involved and physically demanding sports around.
But back to your questions. First I would think that your family would be thrilled that you want to be on one of your school’s teams. Personally, both of my kids started swimming at you age and I’m very glad that they are involved in HS varsity sports.
Second, as far as swimsuit and cap; talk to the swim team coach. I’m sure the team has team suits and caps. The coach should also be able to get you in the correct dry land training. As for shaving, again I’d talk to the coach about this, but typically guys don’t shave until they get to the real big meets.
First don't shave. It will compound the girlie sport mentality for your family. Anyways, shaving only happens at the end of the season for 1 maybe 2 big meets...
Just be honest with your family. Granted swimming is not as rugged as lets say football, but the athletic abilities of swimmers are probably much more! Swimmers don't stop! There is weight training and running along with the laps and nutrition.
Try out for the school team and follow the recommendations of the coach for dry land training.
In terms of suits, most guys like the jammers suits down to the knees --those classic tiny Speedos are not the in thing anymore I suppose, and a standard classic swim cap is the laytex "US flag" by Speedo/TYR etc --I prefer black myself. I would recommend goggles also, Speedo makes some good ones, it's a trial and error thing to find the ones that work for you the best!
Good Luck!
Ok, so you're 14.
But if your family gives you a hard time about swimming being a "girlie sport", just remember this.
Girls dig swimmers.
As for tips about actually swimming and stuff, 'fraid I can't help you, because I am a new swimmer as well.
My high school did not have a swim team (small catholic school), but I think most high school swimmers can count on being teased at one time or another. I know a few people who were swimmers in high school and they were the subject of a few jokes but who cares? As you get older you will learn to care less about what others think and more about what is best for you. Hard to imagine for you right now I know, I wish I could have understood my own advice 12-13 years ago. :( Anyhow, I strongly suggest that you join your HS swim team. You will become physically fit, improve upon whatever swimming skills you currently have, meet new people (girls?:)), and maybe even make yourself happy at the same time! Best of luck to you.
My philosphy in life is if you want to do it, just do it and don't care about what other people think or say. When I got to high school I was the only freshman and girl trumpet player in the marching band. I tell you I got pick on and teased a lot by the older male trumpet players. I can tell you some true horror stories. If I had let them make me quit I would have never been a music teacher. So just go for it. You will never know where it may lead you in life. Also if you don't try you may regret it later in life.
Originally posted by aquageek
spending 2-4 hours a day with in shape girls you own age beats all other HS sports and they are jealous.
True, but in many (most?) states boys and girls swimming seasons are not concurrent.
How in the world do you have separate sex swim seasons? I have never heard of this. So, the boys do SCY in the fall and the girls in the spring or some other oddity. How do year round teams do this if prepping for different meets? I've been in and around swim teams my whole life and never seen this but I'm sure it's done if you say so.
Yeah, I think pool space is the major rationale. In the two states I've lived (MI and WA) girls swim in the fall (say Labor Day till November) and boys swim winter (November through mid March).
This system worked well--at least for boys, can't really comment on girls!
Yea, it does take away some of the fun, by it also alleviates overcrowding and under coaching.
In my HS days in Iowa the girls swam in fall and the guys in winter. We had about 20 -30 boys on the team and worked out in a 5 lane 25 yard pool. The head coach handled both girls and boys programs.
Now in Georgia, my son and daughter swim on the HS team with boys and girls combined season. They have 40 - 45 swimmers in 4 lanes, 10+ per lane, with one head coach and one assistant.
I’m sure there are a few swimmers here who would forego some of the fun of swimming 10 to a lane, for a little more space and some better swimmer to coach ratios.
