Hey everyone, wasn't sure were to put this questions so I decided to place it here. I also wanted to get some opinions from knowlageable swimmers like yourselves so I hope you don't mind me asking this.
Here's the story..
My daughter is 9 years old and has been competing for about 8 months but taking swimming lessons since the age of 3. She's extremely descent for her age (about 35 seconds 50 free, 43 seconds 50 fly, 45 seconds 50 back and 43 seconds 50 ***) just to give you an idea. I decided to pull her off the current team as I feel he was not improving enough as her coach did very little technique training and put her in private lessons with someone I think can really help her learn the little things to make her faster.
Anyways, here is the other thing.
During her swim meets I noticed another 9 year old girl who is swimming with times such as 32 seconds 50 free, 32 seconds 50 fly, 38 seconds 50 *** ect and could not believe it. Keep in mind this girl JUST turned 9!
My question is this,
How is it that a 9 year old child can swim times as fast as many of the top 11, 12 or 13 year olds? Is this a freak of nature? Is it just good coaching? Physical strength? or what.
I did not think it was possible for kids this age to swim so fast. Is there any hope for my daughter to "catch up" to kids like this?
I would like to know everyones opinion on youth marvels like this. I believe this kids has gotten as fast as she will get but that's my own personal opinion. She is sort of short and perhaps as she matures other kids will eventually get taller and stronger and catch up to her times?
If you were in my shoes what would YOU do with your daughter to help her attain these kinds of times?
Thanks
You got a lot of good (and some interresting) info here. But I wanted to add something small.
My suggestion would be to keep her progressing on the path that's good for HER. She's still young where she may one day become great at the one stroke she basically sunk at before.
I don't understand why you wouldn't watch? I don't want to hijack the thread so you can pm me. (I'm interrested, not arguing, Please help me to understand)
Lisa, watching isn't bad in and of itself, but it becomes very difficult for a parent to refrain from discussing the practice session with the child. And I suppose there's nothing wrong with THAT, either, but then the kid has to do things like explain why the coach did this or that, why so and so was the lane leader for this set, and so on. Or has to hear constructive advice on his stroke, or in some other way re-live the practice session. A person WATCHING a practice is not likely to understand it the same way as the people who are SWIMMING it... and I'm just telling you, after a while these conversations can get to be a real drag for the kid. The kid may be grateful to the parent for the opportunity to swim, but when the parent is always there, it can't help but change the dynamics, even in the best of relationships. Plus, if your parent is watching, it makes it impossible to goof off at all, ever, and even the very best swimmers love to have a little fun now and then. It's part of what keeps them coming back year after year after year.
You got a lot of good (and some interresting) info here. But I wanted to add something small.
My suggestion would be to keep her progressing on the path that's good for HER. She's still young where she may one day become great at the one stroke she basically sunk at before.
I don't understand why you wouldn't watch? I don't want to hijack the thread so you can pm me. (I'm interrested, not arguing, Please help me to understand)
Lisa, watching isn't bad in and of itself, but it becomes very difficult for a parent to refrain from discussing the practice session with the child. And I suppose there's nothing wrong with THAT, either, but then the kid has to do things like explain why the coach did this or that, why so and so was the lane leader for this set, and so on. Or has to hear constructive advice on his stroke, or in some other way re-live the practice session. A person WATCHING a practice is not likely to understand it the same way as the people who are SWIMMING it... and I'm just telling you, after a while these conversations can get to be a real drag for the kid. The kid may be grateful to the parent for the opportunity to swim, but when the parent is always there, it can't help but change the dynamics, even in the best of relationships. Plus, if your parent is watching, it makes it impossible to goof off at all, ever, and even the very best swimmers love to have a little fun now and then. It's part of what keeps them coming back year after year after year.
