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.
Parents are the one thing I hated most about coaching age group swim teams. Parents can be outragious! I remember one father who was so determined to make his kids better swimmers he would come out on deck during workout and actually scream at his kids to work harder and to do the correct stroke. I eventually barred him from the deck, which he complete blew his top! Years later I saw the same father and kids at a high school meet and he was now an assistant coach for the team. He still yelled at his kids. What I found interesting was that kids really never became championship swimmers. They always placed way down the list. I think daddy had bigger goals than the kids.
I think the most horrible thing I've ever witnessed was when I was an age group swimmer in the 70's. A fellow swimmer who I always competed against (we were on different teams) would actually be physically abused by his dad. I don't know how bad the abuse ever got, but I remember that we always raced neck and neck in many events. Whenever I beat him, or anyone for that matter, in a race, his father would scream at him, grab his arm and shake him, and berat him for several minutes. I remember being very shocked at noticing this one day at meet and thanked God that my parents were never like this. My competitor and I were actually quite good friends and ended up going to the same university together. He quit swimming 1/2 way through his freshman year and I've never heard from him since. I think he got away from his father as far as he could. I alway wonder what happened to him?
Parents are the one thing I hated most about coaching age group swim teams. Parents can be outragious! I remember one father who was so determined to make his kids better swimmers he would come out on deck during workout and actually scream at his kids to work harder and to do the correct stroke. I eventually barred him from the deck, which he complete blew his top! Years later I saw the same father and kids at a high school meet and he was now an assistant coach for the team. He still yelled at his kids. What I found interesting was that kids really never became championship swimmers. They always placed way down the list. I think daddy had bigger goals than the kids.
I think the most horrible thing I've ever witnessed was when I was an age group swimmer in the 70's. A fellow swimmer who I always competed against (we were on different teams) would actually be physically abused by his dad. I don't know how bad the abuse ever got, but I remember that we always raced neck and neck in many events. Whenever I beat him, or anyone for that matter, in a race, his father would scream at him, grab his arm and shake him, and berat him for several minutes. I remember being very shocked at noticing this one day at meet and thanked God that my parents were never like this. My competitor and I were actually quite good friends and ended up going to the same university together. He quit swimming 1/2 way through his freshman year and I've never heard from him since. I think he got away from his father as far as he could. I alway wonder what happened to him?
