Is Swimming Eating Its Young?

It sounds like we can actually agree on a couple points with this. Some kids get pushed way too hard and burn out. Some kids don't have the opportunity OR don't get pushed hard enough by coaches and never get to the level they personally want to be at. Some kids need a fitness swimming outlet. Some need a mild-moderately competitive outlet. Some really want and need that extra dose of working out to make the goals they know they want. It seems like what really needs to happen here to prevent burnout is kids need to be put in the appropriate group for their goals. Just because you are lightening fast doesn't been you want to be on the elite team. Just because you are moderate speed doesn't mean you don't want to get to the elite team. It sounds like a whole lot more communication between the swimmers, coaches, and parents at the beginning of the season would do a whole lot of good in preventing burnout. Some coaches do this but likely not nearly enough. What it seems like is you have to be on a team that suits your goals rather than go into the correct program on the same team. Many kids don't have a choice on the team they end up on unless they are already a superstar. They go to the local team where it's easy for parents to drop them off and pick them up. They're told, that's the team you swim on or you can't swim. Or, their friends are on that team, so if they leave in persuit of their individual goals, they are traitors. If that team doesn't have an outlet for the different levels and goals of swimmers, there is a high liklihood of either frustration or burnout. It sounds like more programs with different tracks (fitness, competition, national/elite) for all ages and a goal setting process at the beginning of each season with a status report halfway though would be the optimum for younger swimmers. If only those types of teams weren't few and far between and cost a fortune. (At least around here.) There.:2cents: Now, off to swim...

It sounds like we can actually agree on a couple points with this. Some kids get pushed way too hard and burn out. Some kids don't have the opportunity OR don't get pushed hard enough by coaches and never get to the level they personally want to be at. Some kids need a fitness swimming outlet. Some need a mild-moderately competitive outlet. Some really want and need that extra dose of working out to make the goals they know they want. It seems like what really needs to happen here to prevent burnout is kids need to be put in the appropriate group for their goals. Just because you are lightening fast doesn't been you want to be on the elite team. Just because you are moderate speed doesn't mean you don't want to get to the elite team. It sounds like a whole lot more communication between the swimmers, coaches, and parents at the beginning of the season would do a whole lot of good in preventing burnout. Some coaches do this but likely not nearly enough. What it seems like is you have to be on a team that suits your goals rather than go into the correct program on the same team. Many kids don't have a choice on the team they end up on unless they are already a superstar. They go to the local team where it's easy for parents to drop them off and pick them up. They're told, that's the team you swim on or you can't swim. Or, their friends are on that team, so if they leave in persuit of their individual goals, they are traitors. If that team doesn't have an outlet for the different levels and goals of swimmers, there is a high liklihood of either frustration or burnout. It sounds like more programs with different tracks (fitness, competition, national/elite) for all ages and a goal setting process at the beginning of each season with a status report halfway though would be the optimum for younger swimmers. If only those types of teams weren't few and far between and cost a fortune. (At least around here.) There.:2cents: Now, off to swim...