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 has all been a long drawn out way of getting to our fears that she was going to be left behind by not staying with the year round team and going back to soccer and hence the search and find of this thread this morning. To everyone here, I came with my worries, after reading all of this I intend to go home, hug her, tell her how proud I am of her and wish her the best when soccer comes around. She still intends to do summer club ("Dad, I would die for them!") and we will see what she wants to do next fall, next fall. USA Swimming should add this thread to their parents page.
Glad to read this thread helped give you some perspective on your / her situation. 9 is young and there's plenty of time. I think you have a great plan to "hug her, tell her how proud you are of her" and I suggest that you'll be there to support her dreams and help her do what she wants (within the family budget of time, logistics, and $)
Let her be a little girl, but try to weed out momentary whims from her true desires and intentions.
There's a parenting book called Love & Logic that suggests parents should act as consultants to their kids, guiding them to solve their own problems, rather than constantly rescuing them (ie being helicopter parents.)
This has all been a long drawn out way of getting to our fears that she was going to be left behind by not staying with the year round team and going back to soccer and hence the search and find of this thread this morning. To everyone here, I came with my worries, after reading all of this I intend to go home, hug her, tell her how proud I am of her and wish her the best when soccer comes around. She still intends to do summer club ("Dad, I would die for them!") and we will see what she wants to do next fall, next fall. USA Swimming should add this thread to their parents page.
Glad to read this thread helped give you some perspective on your / her situation. 9 is young and there's plenty of time. I think you have a great plan to "hug her, tell her how proud you are of her" and I suggest that you'll be there to support her dreams and help her do what she wants (within the family budget of time, logistics, and $)
Let her be a little girl, but try to weed out momentary whims from her true desires and intentions.
There's a parenting book called Love & Logic that suggests parents should act as consultants to their kids, guiding them to solve their own problems, rather than constantly rescuing them (ie being helicopter parents.)
