George asked whether age group swimmers are being bullied/pressured into swimming by parents, coaches and friends. Are they? Are parents living out their "unfulfilled dreams" through their young ones, as Geek suggested in another thread? Share your funniest/saddest story about overbearing swim parents or coaches.
I have two age groupers and mine have been part of three teams in the Austin area. I don't have any stories to tell per se, but I know of one family with kids at TXLA that requires their two kids to race in every single meet. Their kids are AAA times or better, but they race every meet, even meets that their coaches frequently do not send their fast kids to. And every meet - they swim 8-10 events. I hear stories about this family but can't say I've witnessed the pressure I hear is exerted on the kids.
I know of some demanding swimming parents, but most of the time it is about making practice, not pressure to win. I have never seen anything though that matches what I have seen with baseball or soccer parents.
I will add that some parents DO intervene on coaching. Some for good reasons, some not. Some youth coaches are terrible, even on the elite programs.
I have two age groupers and mine have been part of three teams in the Austin area. I don't have any stories to tell per se, but I know of one family with kids at TXLA that requires their two kids to race in every single meet. Their kids are AAA times or better, but they race every meet, even meets that their coaches frequently do not send their fast kids to. And every meet - they swim 8-10 events. I hear stories about this family but can't say I've witnessed the pressure I hear is exerted on the kids.
I know of some demanding swimming parents, but most of the time it is about making practice, not pressure to win. I have never seen anything though that matches what I have seen with baseball or soccer parents.
I will add that some parents DO intervene on coaching. Some for good reasons, some not. Some youth coaches are terrible, even on the elite programs.
