Greetings all!!
A LONG time ago, I was an age group swimmer. Not all that good, really ... basically I was a 5-6-7 finisher from age 8 through high school. (Thus, no one wanted me for anything more serious!!)
My son, now age 8.5, started swimming on a team this summer and seemed to enjoy it. It was at an outdoor pool and it was a pretty laid back program. This month, we started him in a YMCA program that's considerable more organized. He seems to have a lot of natural talent (for his swimming, baseball, skiing, school work) but no PASSION for anything ... yet.
Now, I know that he's young and I definitely don't want to be a pushy parent, but I do have a question.
For those of you who had success swimming post-high school (college level or nationally), when did that spark of PASSION to really do something special ignite? Was it something your parents did ... or, maybe, did not do? Was it a coach? Happen young? Or late?
I want to encourage him but not pressure him. I had little talent, and thus wasn't able to do all that much athletically. But, he seems to have a LOT of natural talent and I don't want to see him pass up opportunities.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
Cheers!!
Ken
The real rub is for the natural athlete who excels at swimming, but also excels at other sports. A 13 year old boy on our USA team, nationally ranked as a 12 year old, just quit swimming for other sports. Without the lure of other sports, it's easier to fully dedicate yourself to swimming because it's where you feel most comfortable. For others, it can be a huge sacrifice.
You have to remember, though, that being nationally ranked at 12 can be a result of a lot of factors that don't always get recognized. Many kids who are great as age-groupers are just ahead of the curve in growth and coordination. Eventually things even out and they aren't the biggest and strongest anymore. If ever there was an age group where the discrepancy in size was glaring it's the 11-12 boys. Some of them look 8 and others look 15.
The real rub is for the natural athlete who excels at swimming, but also excels at other sports. A 13 year old boy on our USA team, nationally ranked as a 12 year old, just quit swimming for other sports. Without the lure of other sports, it's easier to fully dedicate yourself to swimming because it's where you feel most comfortable. For others, it can be a huge sacrifice.
You have to remember, though, that being nationally ranked at 12 can be a result of a lot of factors that don't always get recognized. Many kids who are great as age-groupers are just ahead of the curve in growth and coordination. Eventually things even out and they aren't the biggest and strongest anymore. If ever there was an age group where the discrepancy in size was glaring it's the 11-12 boys. Some of them look 8 and others look 15.
