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
This is a very bizarre thread, but perhaps reflective of how parents who didn't swim themselves think about their kids' swimming.
There are a few posters on this board who were very good age group swimmers and who went on to become very good senior/masters swimmers. Good here is a relative term.
Ask them if they can remember some of the 9-10, 11-12 or even 13-14 age group phenom's who disappeared from the scene before college, or perhaps even before Jr/Sr Nationals... I can recall several from my time.
Being "great" at age 9 is almost certainly a ticket to oblivion before the kid should be at their prime. Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule (Phelps, blah blah blah). But far more common is the age group stud who was big for their age and then stops growing (big=fast for age), plateaus when their body changes and are unable to make technique adjustments, or who loses interest when the pack catches up.
The OP needs to chill out and see what happens. Sure, technique is important when you're young. So is good coaching. But far more important is having fun at the pool. And a parent watching every workout is NOT fun.
This is a very bizarre thread, but perhaps reflective of how parents who didn't swim themselves think about their kids' swimming.
There are a few posters on this board who were very good age group swimmers and who went on to become very good senior/masters swimmers. Good here is a relative term.
Ask them if they can remember some of the 9-10, 11-12 or even 13-14 age group phenom's who disappeared from the scene before college, or perhaps even before Jr/Sr Nationals... I can recall several from my time.
Being "great" at age 9 is almost certainly a ticket to oblivion before the kid should be at their prime. Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule (Phelps, blah blah blah). But far more common is the age group stud who was big for their age and then stops growing (big=fast for age), plateaus when their body changes and are unable to make technique adjustments, or who loses interest when the pack catches up.
The OP needs to chill out and see what happens. Sure, technique is important when you're young. So is good coaching. But far more important is having fun at the pool. And a parent watching every workout is NOT fun.
