Here's a thread for the ladies to discuss anything that relates to women and swimming. For example, feel free to discuss how disgustingly ugly fastskins are, how the "curse" can kill a meet, how suits don't fit, how swimming wrecks your hair, how hormones unhinge you, etc.
:rofl: Sorry, I just feel your pain. I haven't enjoyed going to swim meets much lately because of the drama. I asked my kid about this phenomenon after recently scolding her for blowing things out of proportion. She says that "everyone" is upset/crying/pissed if they don't do a PB.
I think all this perfectionism can lead to burn out. And poor sportsmanship. Don't age group coaches have a game plan for dealing with this?! Logical explanations (like swimming progress is not linear, progress is measured in tenths of seconds, PBs are for big meets) do not seem to penetrate the cranium at all.
I was an age-group coach for 6 years for a USS team. I learned about all you could do was figure out the ones that would get upset, bend over backwards to not put pressure on them, and let them know that whatever time they did was o.k. as long as they tried their best. I also remember giving the speech that it was o.k. to be upset but take it to the locker room after showing good sportsmanship (fake it till you make it). Also, I tried not to give the drama too much attention because that seemed to just perpetuate it.
Don't know it that helps but I know what you are talking about because I've seen it way too much.
:rofl: Sorry, I just feel your pain. I haven't enjoyed going to swim meets much lately because of the drama. I asked my kid about this phenomenon after recently scolding her for blowing things out of proportion. She says that "everyone" is upset/crying/pissed if they don't do a PB.
I think all this perfectionism can lead to burn out. And poor sportsmanship. Don't age group coaches have a game plan for dealing with this?! Logical explanations (like swimming progress is not linear, progress is measured in tenths of seconds, PBs are for big meets) do not seem to penetrate the cranium at all.
I was an age-group coach for 6 years for a USS team. I learned about all you could do was figure out the ones that would get upset, bend over backwards to not put pressure on them, and let them know that whatever time they did was o.k. as long as they tried their best. I also remember giving the speech that it was o.k. to be upset but take it to the locker room after showing good sportsmanship (fake it till you make it). Also, I tried not to give the drama too much attention because that seemed to just perpetuate it.
Don't know it that helps but I know what you are talking about because I've seen it way too much.
