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
Parents
Former Member
Letting them be kids is important. So is teaching them about committment and hard work. Parents have to help them balance these two (at times) opposing forces.
That's the only thing I mandated with my daughter when she whined about wanting to give up soccer, so she could do a bigger part in the ballet. I told her she doesn't get to ditch her team halfway through the season--I don't think that's pushing I think that's teaching her commitment and respect.
Of course after we highlighted how her social life will be impacted if she's not with the team too, she weighed it all up a little more. It's great she's in the Nutcracker but I don't want her to blow off one thing just to get a bigger part in the show. After the final curtain comes down then she'd be moaning about giving up soccer.
If she really doesn't want to play that's fine but she has to make the call before the season starts.
I honestly don't think there is anything wrong with helping your kids with a sport in your spare time if they want to listen, and you're not contradicting the coach. You just can do it from the sideline etc. If I see something I don't like, I ask my kid if that's what the coach showed them...invariably it isn't and it's a skill or something you can help with. Maybe I'm different like that, I ask her what the coach said to do etc and, I know the coach too and know how he teaches them--which helps.
Letting them be kids is important. So is teaching them about committment and hard work. Parents have to help them balance these two (at times) opposing forces.
That's the only thing I mandated with my daughter when she whined about wanting to give up soccer, so she could do a bigger part in the ballet. I told her she doesn't get to ditch her team halfway through the season--I don't think that's pushing I think that's teaching her commitment and respect.
Of course after we highlighted how her social life will be impacted if she's not with the team too, she weighed it all up a little more. It's great she's in the Nutcracker but I don't want her to blow off one thing just to get a bigger part in the show. After the final curtain comes down then she'd be moaning about giving up soccer.
If she really doesn't want to play that's fine but she has to make the call before the season starts.
I honestly don't think there is anything wrong with helping your kids with a sport in your spare time if they want to listen, and you're not contradicting the coach. You just can do it from the sideline etc. If I see something I don't like, I ask my kid if that's what the coach showed them...invariably it isn't and it's a skill or something you can help with. Maybe I'm different like that, I ask her what the coach said to do etc and, I know the coach too and know how he teaches them--which helps.
