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
One way to discover the answer to your initial question -- what makes one swimmer the same age better than another -- is to join a masters group and swim with them for a while. I guarantee you that there will be at least one swimmer in the group who will amaze you by being one of the fastest swimmers there, but who looks like s/he couldn't complete a 200 of anything out of the water. Too fat, too thin, too old, too dorky, too whatever, and yet this masters phenom will click off set after set with the fastest group in the pool. Watch and try and figure out how s/he does it, ask him or her how it's done, talk to the coach, and try and incorporate what you learn into your own swimming. Try a local masters meet and note the same things. Go to USMS Nationals and check out the fastest heats.
The answer is that there are no universal answers, especially when it comes to age groupers and masters. Ultimately what makes a champion is a convergence of talent, desire, work ethic, and opportunity. A parent has limited control over opportunity. The rest is entirely up to the child.
One way to discover the answer to your initial question -- what makes one swimmer the same age better than another -- is to join a masters group and swim with them for a while. I guarantee you that there will be at least one swimmer in the group who will amaze you by being one of the fastest swimmers there, but who looks like s/he couldn't complete a 200 of anything out of the water. Too fat, too thin, too old, too dorky, too whatever, and yet this masters phenom will click off set after set with the fastest group in the pool. Watch and try and figure out how s/he does it, ask him or her how it's done, talk to the coach, and try and incorporate what you learn into your own swimming. Try a local masters meet and note the same things. Go to USMS Nationals and check out the fastest heats.
The answer is that there are no universal answers, especially when it comes to age groupers and masters. Ultimately what makes a champion is a convergence of talent, desire, work ethic, and opportunity. A parent has limited control over opportunity. The rest is entirely up to the child.
