Hey sorry this is not quite related to Masters swimming but it is driving me crazy so maybe someone out there can offer some comments. My daughter recently tried out for a top area swim club. She has only swam one summer on a local team. She is dyslexic and ambidextrous so our pediatrican recommended year round swimming as a way to make both sides of her brain work together and also to strengthen both sides of her body. She is just 7. She is not fast yet but improved quite quickly over the course of the seven week summer team. She is a natural glider in the water and extremely tall for her age. When trying out last week for the competitive all year round team, the coach watched her swim freestyle and backstroke and then attempt breaststroke (she hasn't learned as she swam 6 and under this summer only free and back). He then had her get out of the water and stretch her arms over her head. He then had her lay on her belly and it looked like her was pushing her legs and ankles into a *** stroke kick all the way down to the ground. Then he put her back in the water and watched her kick with a board. Due to her extreme height he was very surprised at her age. After this he said he'd take her for the team even though technically she wasn't ready. I am going bonkers trying to figure out what all this means...especially the leg stretching exercise. Any thoughts?
Parents
Former Member
Some kids are referred back into lessons if they will need a smaller swimmer:coach ratio to give more individual attention on strokes. Maturity and focus varies tremendously for young kids and for some, we recommend that they do not join the ongoing swim team but just take lessons every other month until they are able to benefit (and not disrupt) in a group workout with up to 15-20 kids. The month off keeps their attitude fresh without losing much ground in between sessions and lets them be kids a little longer. I've also seen kids who are physically able to swim with much older swimmers but it would be a social disaster to put very young kids in with some street-savvy older kids, not to mention the beating a tiny kid will take with a clumsy older kid who outweighs them by 100#.
Some kids are referred back into lessons if they will need a smaller swimmer:coach ratio to give more individual attention on strokes. Maturity and focus varies tremendously for young kids and for some, we recommend that they do not join the ongoing swim team but just take lessons every other month until they are able to benefit (and not disrupt) in a group workout with up to 15-20 kids. The month off keeps their attitude fresh without losing much ground in between sessions and lets them be kids a little longer. I've also seen kids who are physically able to swim with much older swimmers but it would be a social disaster to put very young kids in with some street-savvy older kids, not to mention the beating a tiny kid will take with a clumsy older kid who outweighs them by 100#.
