I imagine that many on this Board are like me in that they swam in intensely competitive programs as youngsters, got burned out and quit swimming, maybe played other sports, and finally came back to swimming at a later stage of your life.
So, if the above description fits you, what sports did you do in the intervening years before you made it back to the pool?
The mention of the term "side out" in another thread reminded me that I played competitive volleyball for 19 years. Before that I also competed in judo, eventually ran a marathon, and finally coached volleyball, wrestling and even little league.
After all of that, and all of the injuries that went with it, I am glad to be back in the pool. :cool:
I swam on a cliub team from age 10 until I was 13 or 14. I didn't get into Masters swimming until age 50....kind of a lengthy hiatus. When I quit at 14 or so it wasn't because I was burned out; our swim club folded and my parents weren't enthusiastic about joining another one, so I didn't do much of anything athletic throughout highschool. I guess you have to understand the context...this was in the mid-sixties and there were no girls' swim teams in either high school or college; or girls' teams for any sport really. If you were athletically inclined you were supposed to join some kind of private club...or become a cheerleader (for which there were generally additional requirements besides athletic prowess). If you weren't going to the Olympics at about 15 or so you were encouraged to quit swimming if you were female (at least that was the case for most of us). I finally got up off my butt in my 20s and began doing some running...but I've never been a great runner...just okay, although I liked it. Then when I found Masters it was like coming home! I never had a chance to get burned out in swimming....and I actually think I like it more now than I did as a kid.
Sally
I swam on a cliub team from age 10 until I was 13 or 14. I didn't get into Masters swimming until age 50....kind of a lengthy hiatus. When I quit at 14 or so it wasn't because I was burned out; our swim club folded and my parents weren't enthusiastic about joining another one, so I didn't do much of anything athletic throughout highschool. I guess you have to understand the context...this was in the mid-sixties and there were no girls' swim teams in either high school or college; or girls' teams for any sport really. If you were athletically inclined you were supposed to join some kind of private club...or become a cheerleader (for which there were generally additional requirements besides athletic prowess). If you weren't going to the Olympics at about 15 or so you were encouraged to quit swimming if you were female (at least that was the case for most of us). I finally got up off my butt in my 20s and began doing some running...but I've never been a great runner...just okay, although I liked it. Then when I found Masters it was like coming home! I never had a chance to get burned out in swimming....and I actually think I like it more now than I did as a kid.
Sally
