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
I have to chime in here.
I can recall a great many world beater 9-12yos who disappear later on. Effective swimming relies on so many moving parts. And in children, there are so many aspects that can be at different developmental stages that trying to determine a single reason for performance differences is nearly impossible prior to puberty or even prior to full physical and mental maturity.
Just some of the moving parts of the maturity model:
1) Physical - being stronger, taller, etc.
2) Neurological - superior coordination, ability to recruit more muscle fibers during movement
3) Cognitive - better learning skills, grasp of concepts
4) Proprioceptive - better spatial awareness, understanding what a full arm extension feels like, etc
5) Perceptual - better 'feel' for the water, etc.
As for being the dreaded helicpoter parent. I'm terrrified of becoming _that_ parent with my 11yo daughter so much so that I think I overcompensate when she asks me swimming related questions (and I am a swim coach, with the team she swims with).
But at the end of the day, it comes down to this. Do they enjoy swimming? Because if they do and continue to enjoy it and continue to pursue it, that enjoyment may grow to a passionate love of the sport. And that is the goal. Everything that is destined to happen will come about as a result of that.
I have to chime in here.
I can recall a great many world beater 9-12yos who disappear later on. Effective swimming relies on so many moving parts. And in children, there are so many aspects that can be at different developmental stages that trying to determine a single reason for performance differences is nearly impossible prior to puberty or even prior to full physical and mental maturity.
Just some of the moving parts of the maturity model:
1) Physical - being stronger, taller, etc.
2) Neurological - superior coordination, ability to recruit more muscle fibers during movement
3) Cognitive - better learning skills, grasp of concepts
4) Proprioceptive - better spatial awareness, understanding what a full arm extension feels like, etc
5) Perceptual - better 'feel' for the water, etc.
As for being the dreaded helicpoter parent. I'm terrrified of becoming _that_ parent with my 11yo daughter so much so that I think I overcompensate when she asks me swimming related questions (and I am a swim coach, with the team she swims with).
But at the end of the day, it comes down to this. Do they enjoy swimming? Because if they do and continue to enjoy it and continue to pursue it, that enjoyment may grow to a passionate love of the sport. And that is the goal. Everything that is destined to happen will come about as a result of that.
