While waiting for my hubby at the pool last night I was talking to two of the lifeguards, one (female) is a former student of mine. The other, a guy, is really nice as well.
"She" was eating some Greek food from the "newer" restaurant across the street from the pool. We started talking about her food and the conversation quickly took a turn to how she, and many other age groupers on the team, are throwing up during workout. I was stunned and asked her why. She said that she just does it to get out early. But the others go home from school and gorge themselves and then go swimming and intentionally throw up to get rid of it (usually in the gutter!). They are bulimic. The male lifeguard concurred and said he was disgusted but yes they do do it all the time.
They both said that the synchro girls are worse and that they are constantly told they are too fat by coaches and parents. (I haven't seen a synchro girl that isn't too skinny already). They too are bulimic.
Being a former student of mine, I put on my teacher hat, and told her that if she learned about nutrition she wouldn't be so hungry, etc..
She said, "Yea, they teach us about nutrition."
I said, "Who?"
"The coaches, but we don't listen."
I just don't remember being THAT stupid as an age group swimmer...
I would not be so quick to put this odd phenomenon on the lack of perceived "listening skills" of the younger generation. I am a bit older than current age-groupers (25), but I don't think things have deteriorated so much in less then 10 years. I swim with and around a USA swimming club team (most of the swimmers are in the 12-16 age range). They are all good kids, swim hard, and I never have observed any out of place behavior like that.
In all truth, I could never keep enough food down (much less throw it up on purpose) when I was putting in 5000 + yards each day in the pool plus dry land training!
I would not be so quick to put this odd phenomenon on the lack of perceived "listening skills" of the younger generation. I am a bit older than current age-groupers (25), but I don't think things have deteriorated so much in less then 10 years. I swim with and around a USA swimming club team (most of the swimmers are in the 12-16 age range). They are all good kids, swim hard, and I never have observed any out of place behavior like that.
In all truth, I could never keep enough food down (much less throw it up on purpose) when I was putting in 5000 + yards each day in the pool plus dry land training!