9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Mullenski — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 02:49:33 GMT

Early in this thread I believe OP said his daughter was swimming 4 days per week at 1,200 - 1,300 yards each and 1 1/2 hours. This doesn't strike me as much yardage, nor very fast even for a 9 year old. To the OP's original question of how other kiddos swimming are quicker than his daughter, perhaps; more farther, more faster, more workouts.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 07:10:57 GMT

Last memory I have of my dad with me at a swim meeting was last week. He just gave me a nice hand shaking and a smile while saying "congratulations!" after a disastrous 200 m breaststroke. By the way, I am 42 and my dad is 71. Thanks dad!:bliss:

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 11:30:41 GMT

I am myself dad to a 9 year old girl. Never done swimming as a youngster, I just love this sport and this was my first option when my girl was old enough to start sport in an organized manner. Extremely interesting thread. I'm not going to comment on the OP and his second appearance in the thread. But I think the thread is great for the parents of young swimmers. My girl started swimming at our local club at 7 and since then she always told me she loves swimming. I confess that in these two years I was very "implicated" in her development, mainly watching accomplished swimmers on Youtube and trying to emulate their technique, when I thought coaches were not giving good enough technical advice. I was also pushing her, checking she didn't forget the advice I was giving her before training. I guess I was all wrong. This thread was an eye opener. I never realized how early 9 years old is for someone trying to become a swimmer. I never realized that "fun" was so important at this age. I think I asked her ten times today "are you sure that you love what you do?", "are you sure you're not doing it just for me?". She answered "yes" and she was quite puzzled at the kind of questions I was asking her. So I guess all is good for us, nothing wrong happened. Thank you to all who contributed to this thread. Virgil.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 07:42:18 GMT

On the other end of the spectrum Rowdy Gaines started swimming at 17 and within 5 years held 11 World Records. Some swimmers are more "naturals" than others.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 08:06:05 GMT

First, I would take a step back and go to the USA Swimming website and click on the "Parent" tab. Then I would read all the articles I could about the parent's role with the Swimmer, Coach, and Club. http://www.usaswimming.org Kids develop at different ages. The sport is rife with anecdotes about "marvel" 8-year-olds who dropped out at a young age, while kids who matured later excelled in the big meets on the world's stage. Swimming is a magnificent sport for athletes of ALL ages and abilities. Having an excellent experience is not reserved for just the fastest swimmer. Nancy Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Nancy. Glad people are getting this! Swimming is far more than the fastest time. Ask this? Who is the child getting the times for and why? Getting them for themselves or because they are pushed both in positive and or negative ways? Jsut because a child is an early bloomer as they are called this has nothing to do with where they will be 5 years from now. More so the sport of swimming is personal to some extent. It is about goal setting not always time chasing. I, like Nancy HIGHLY suggest the articles on the USA Swimming site as suggested and the league that Michael Phelps swam for a s child aslo has some great literature. The important thing is that the kids have fun (number one reason they sate for swimming) so that they stick with it as they get older. Who cares how they are doing if when they are 24 they hate to swim because of how they were pushed when they were younger. You cannot by any means judge how a child will be by looking at where they are now. Afterall, Phelps started late and look at him. Others before him has swam like your son since the begning. Instead of focusing on the times, focus on the character building that comes with swimming as there is far more to gain from that than there is comparing one child to another or inadvertantly pushing you child away from swimming as they get older. Yes, you want to know how they swim so fast and there is not easy answer. Some kids just find the physiology of the water sooner than others and some kids have reached their peak in their great times as they fight the water but truly lack the best technique. My suggestion would be to look on the USA swim site as well as the ASCA site for coaches in your area and if you have that kind of distain for the coach and they are registered then you may should bring it to someones attention. Regarless your emphasis is on your childs time. It all takes time, sometimes even years. You say you dont have the time to coach your child but it very well seems you do. How about taking a step back, gathering thoughts, and not caring about the other 9 year old wonders. Who cares how they do it. How did Phelps do it and why can't locte do it? To each their own as every sport. I also hate it because when you child hits puberty you could be in for another rude awakening. If you want to see a happy loser you should try going to some Master meets. Pretty happy losers I would say, epsecially when we have drink afterwards. Just take time to read some articles like suggested and look around. Someitmes we just need new look on things and some room to breath. Dont overwhelm yourself with things we do not know like how some do great while others "lag". Some things only god knows.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

knelson — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 03:53:01 GMT

Afterall, Phelps started late and look at him Not really. He started swimming at seven and by the age of 10 had NAG records. Phelps was dominant pretty much from the beginning.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

tpost2 — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 02:13:17 GMT

Really interesting thread. Getting a good basis in technique seems to be a key in the earlier years, and it seems that should be the focus for the young ones. I got into swimming rather late (11-12 age group) and the few meets my dad attended were followed by 'helpful' comments like - 'if you would just you could shave 2 seconds off your time!' Now, don't mistake me - he's a great loving dad. He just didn't realize the effect these comments had on my young impressionable self. The subtext I internalized was 'you didn't do a good enough job'. It was well into adulthood before I realized he was proud of me and just trying to help me reach my potential. Kids just really want to please their parents after all! All I can say is that I'm super happy I don't have kids yet. I'm sure I would completely screw them up. Anyway, seems that RAC hasn't checked in for a while and I'm really curious to get an update. His daughter must be 14 or so by now - how is she doing? Is she still swimming? Are RAC's parenting efforts continuing to achieve his daughter's success? Inquiring minds want to know!

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

ande — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 12:55:35 GMT

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.)

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Rob Copeland — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 10:30:30 GMT

… 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. An excellent plan!

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 06:49:20 GMT

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.) That's funny, I looked up the book, the Love and Logic institute is just a mile down the road from us, had seen their building but never knew what they did. Going back to your original post on this thead on what makes fast youngins you wrote: There's plenty of 9 year olds who can do those times who's to say makes her able to could be good coaching? might be Physical strength? might be great technique might be great body shape might be her mental attitude and beliefs I think I can check all of those and add an advantageous birthday. It will be interesting as soccer changes from sign up and play to try out and a lot more serious after this spring season as she moves from 9 to 10yr old. She enoys soccer for the same reason she loves swimming, hanging with her buddies, but her team will get split up and put on two or three different teams next fall after tryouts.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Karl_S — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:32:42 GMT

I think Malcolm Gladwell mentions this in one of his books. Something about a study of youth hockey teams shows that the majority of elite players were born early in the year since January 1 is used as the cutoff date. So the kids born early in the year have up to a year more experience than those born late in the year. It matters in swimming. Here is an interesting article on the subject: swimswam.com/.../

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

knelson — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 04:01:36 GMT

I think I can check all of those and add an advantageous birthday. I think Malcolm Gladwell mentions this in one of his books. Something about a study of youth hockey teams shows that the majority of elite players were born early in the year since January 1 is used as the cutoff date. So the kids born early in the year have up to a year more experience than those born late in the year.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 07:22:26 GMT

I have been lurking for a little while. I did a search today on youth swimming as my 9yr old told me she was going to play soccer this spring and not continue with her year round club. I came across this thread. Her background, started summer club as a 5yr old part time, a few meets and practice 3X week and had a ball. She did summer club full time (here it is 2 months during the summer, 5 mornings a week practice and a meet on Saturdays) as a 6yr old and placed 7th in the state meet 8U in the backstroke (25m). As a 7yr old, she made the state tourney in Free (25m and 50m), Fly (25m), and Back (25m) and really improved her times all around, except her back which was about the same as her state time from a year previous. She swam for a couple of months during the winter last year (2X) a week as an 8yr old but didn't do any meets and then was a world beater in her summer club, state champ in both 50 free and 25 back and 2nd in 25 free. Qualified for state in every event and even swam a legal *** three times (B time, then League time, then State time). This fall, after soccer ended in October, she wanted to swim again for the winter. We limit the kids activities to something athletic and something else (music, art, chess, oral interp etc.) at a time, they would want to participate in everything it seems, at all times. Instead of the group she had swam with the previous winter, we decided to try out the local year round clubs (there are three about the same distance from our home). She spent a week with each. I sent an email to each of the three clubs with her experience and times and let them know that she was looking to swim 3X a week, but not necessarily race as ski season was coming up and she would be gone most weekends with the family skiing. It was an interesting three weeks. The largest club put her in a beginner group because all of their "serious" groups swam at least four times a week. So she swam circles around these kids for a week and we moved on to the next club. The next club had her come in and start with their beginner group. They pulled her out of the lane after a lap and told her to wait until the next higher group started in 45 minutes. In the 45 minutes she met a couple of the girls in the next group and was besties with them before practice had even started. She really enjoyed her new friends, the coach, and the workouts. The last club she really clicked with the coach and liked the workouts but didn't meet a soul in the week and didn't have fun. After the three weeks it was a no brainer, club #2. After Thanksgiving break we would start her in her first year round club. There was a meet at the end of that first week, there were office x-mas parties so we couldn't ski and she wanted to compete and the coach was able to get her into the meet. Whoa! What a difference between summer club and year round. Our little swimmer did great in her first meet but I found out the true meaning of those younger phenoms the OP referred to. It is a whole different level. She placed in the top 1/5 of her 10U events but there were a handful of girls her age beating her, and a couple decidedly so. After that first week and her first meet, the coach moved her up into the next training group (she's the only 9yr old in the new group). Luckily there are a few 10 yr old girls that she quickly bonded with so the fear of leaving her besties behind quickly subsided. She's having fun and told me the other day coming home from practice that "Daddy, I just love swimming." My wife and I were taken back by how accomplished some of the 9yr olds were. Being the obsessive Dad, I did my research, all of them had been swimming year round for at least a couple of years. Some more, to the OPs question about young speedsters: My daughter has a perfect late May summer club swim birthday, she beats the age cutoff by four days so has up to almost a year advantage on some swimmers. It's not bad for year round SCY either with state being in March. She is tallish and very muscular for her age. I presume she has had great and consistent coaching for four summer seasons, our summer club is a top club in the state and consistently has strong performances. I have no swimming background so I wouldn't know and I've never sat through one of her practices so I have no idea what they do. She is the younger sister to an older brother and competitive as hell, she will kill herself in practices, doesn't know any different. To Astro, my daughter did "Girls on the Run" last year as her fall and spring sports (5k run training program) with 2 months of 2X a week swimming in the winter, she dropped from 19-20 second 25m Free's as a 7yr old to 16-17 seconds, one season to the next. 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.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:24:21 GMT

Hi, I've been following this forum for more then a year but this is my first post here. My daughter is 9 years old and she's been swimming for 2 years. For the last six months she's been swimming with her team four times a week. She's a happy swimmer and they have a very good friendship within the team. They do half-hour dryland training + one hour pool. Her free and *** styles are quite nice so far. Her short-course(25m) 50meter times are: Free 40 Back 48 Fly 50 *** 52 Although she has a good night's sleep, eats carbs before the race, her stamina drops clearly after 35 meters. How can she improve her stamina? Any suggestions? Is there something we can do to help her at home? Should we take her out for hiking or jogging? Thanks in advance.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:12:30 GMT

When I look back some 40 years ago when I was a young kid swimming age-group, the lasting memories I have which mean the most are my dad saying he was proud of me.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Rykno — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 02:16:32 GMT

I let my wife take care of the babyswim with our first two girls, since she was home on leave and the classes were early. but I've been in the water with my first two for their "mini" swim school 2-3yrs (maybe slightly in to the classes when the oldest was 4). My oldest is turning 6 this summer and is in her 4th termin with swimschool, and I remember one of her first solo classes where it's only the kids and their instructor in the pool area and in the water. She wasn't doing anything the instructor asked, from a distance i just saw her sitting on the side shaking her head. I walked over tried to get her to do what the other kids were doing, I got irritated threated to take her home if she didn't start listening to the instructor but I never took the time to ask why she was sitting there. after 30-45 sec I gave up and walked away. After I left the group got up and went to the shallower pool for other drills. Afterwards she told me the reason she didn't want to swim was the water was too cold. it never crossed my mind that the "other" pool was 32-34C and the big pool is only 28-29C. From that day on I stay off deck when she is in the pool. I've only got 7 weeks left with girl #2 before she starts going solo, good thing we have a 3rd one on the way. when we go to the pool on our own (no classes that day) I use to try to teach my oldest to use her arms, but I have also given up on teaching her, it's better we just have fun at the pool. and to my surprise she's the one asking to go into my "swim school" pool so she can show me something...

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:54:23 GMT

Call me weird, call me crazy Ok, you are wierd and crazy.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:18:28 GMT

I agree, I have three of them (teenage girls that is). Regardless the sport, activity or interest, I enjoy seeing kids taking part in activities that they enjoy and that make them happy. Same here. I swim as a form of therapy more than anything. :) And agreed on the sports participation. As long as a kid is involved in some sort of activity (beyond the endless text messaging and Facebook-ing they all seem to do), then they should be encouraged to keep at it. ...meaning the sports. :2cents: It really doesn't matter if one's child goes a :55 or a :25 for the 50 free. On the other hand there are a small percentage of parents who live vicariously through their child's achievements. And making the cuts seem more important to the adults than the kids. Tiger parents. :) :bitching:

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Former Member — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:07:38 GMT

Last summer, my 8 yr old daughter had just won the 25 free in a summer league meet. (She had been swimming 3 years at this point.) She's just out of the pool, still dripping and I'm compelled to "coach" her how to improve her start. This was a common occurance. In the middle of it, she stops me and asks me "why I had to keep giving her advice and not just be happy for her". I hope I never forget that moment. I have to really bite my tongue with my 7 yo too, it is so hard when you can see how they can improve something so easily, but all they really need is a big hug! She swam summer league and the fall program to Dec last year, then we had a break. Out of the water she was miserable, she needed some activity and so I took a huge leap and put her in USAS a month ago. I had vowed not to do it, but she is loving it! Apparently swimming is "awesome" and when I mentioned a leaflet I got about summer sports camps she asked "is there swimming?" I think I now know she is doing it for her, not for me. I've told myself that if she wants to do something different in Middle school or whenever, so be it. But for now she's getting some great coaching and trying really hard, so its all good. If she stops and starts up again later she's still going to have been taught proper technique (almost) from the start. My only concern now is that her little sister is desperate to swim just like her.......

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

pmccoy — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:54:40 GMT

Kind of a coincidence that this would come up now. I don't know RAC's situation and don't want to imply that it is the same as what I've seen over the last week. Anyway, this week a young girl around 10 years old has been showing up at our pool with her grandmother. Sunday she swam next to me and seemed pretty strong. After a while she was asking her grandmother if she could stop. Answer was "no". All week she had been coming earlier and earlier. Today, she showed up at 5:30 and swam next to me. We pushed through 4650 yards today and I think she probably did at least 75% of that. I added it up in my head and was thinking 3500 yards is an awful lot for someone that age. After practice, the grandmother starts telling me about her situation. I was sympathetic to a lot of it. She has worked hard and continues to be placed on the B team. It crossed over to awkward when the grandmother made me read a letter she wrote to the team coach. I know the coach... not well... but I assume there are two sides to the story. Anyway, the girl is unattached now and presumably coached by the grandmother (although I'm not 100% sure of that). What had me really concerned was the grandmother told me she was trying to get her to keep up with us. That's hardly fair and I'd have slowed down if I knew. I wasn't exactly sure what to say. No doubt the grandmother loves her granddaughter and wants the best for her. At the same time I got the sense that the grandmother was motivated by showing the other coach he was wrong for holding her back. I don't doubt the girl wants to be there but I can see burnout coming in a couple years especially if she has to got at it alone for that long. I suggested to keep it fun and not worry about time too much. That was easy to illustrate since my 13 year old son came with me today. He is exicted about swimming 25 yards in 25 seconds. I'm excited for him. It was his goal that he set on his own and he worked hard on his own to get there. He swims 1500-2000 yards and then splashes around and watches us. I told the grandmother if he ever decides to get serious, I have no doubt he will be a very good swimmer. For now, it is fun for him... is just hope it is fun for the little girl also.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Karen Duggan — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:26:12 GMT

Hear was a conversation I heard at a rec meet last summer: (mom looking really pissed and shoving her daughter along after a race): "You didn't do ANYTHING I told you!" (I couldn't hear a response from the daughter) "All you were thinking about was that candy!" (I'm assuming that candy was promised for a "good" race) Sad thing is that this person is a masters swimmer and the daughter was 7! I was really upset, but it reinforced for me that I should keep telling my kids how proud I was of their "effort". I also know that this person takes their kid over to the high point trophy table at meets and tells them what they "could win". This kid never got a HP trophy, and I'd be surprised if they swim much past 12. I will just never forget that conversation as long as I live. And by the look on the mom's face you would have sworn this kid had done something horribly wrong. :chillpill:

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

That Guy — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:22:44 GMT

That Guy- he doesn't REALLY think "these boards suck horribly" nor does he think the opinions are worth :2cents:. i feel so used :badday:

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Glenn — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:05:29 GMT

When I was about 7 or 8 years old, my father had me join an organization called National Turners. It was a gymnastics club. My father was a state champion gymnast on the parallel bars. We did mostly tumbling in the club and the older kids did p-bars, rings, side horse etc. I remember being OK at it, enjoyed it, but it was not a passion (I loved playing softball). Not sure how long I stayed at it, probably the one year. Dad never pushed me. When I got to HS as a freshman, I wanted to go out for the football team. My folks said "NO". I was disappointed (but am now sooooo glad they would not let me do that.) On the east coast swimming is a winter sport and so the winter of my freshman year I thought, hey, I can swim, so I went out for the swim team. I did pretty well. My father came to all of the meets, but never tried to coach me. As I made progress through my sophomore year, my father made a big decision. We moved to another town that had the best swim team in the state, and one of the best in the nation. It was a great move for me and I spent the next two years on an excellent swim team. Several of my teammates went to trials and one made the team in '68. I went to a Division III school and dad continued to come to almost all my meets. I decided not to swim my senior year, but instead I went out for the gymnastics team. I did parallel bars and floor exercise. I wasn't the best on the team, but I really enjoyed that year and that competition. My father came to all of the competitions. Although he never said so, I am pretty sure he was pleased that I competed in gymnastics. And I of course am pleased that I did so as well. The point here is that I am very glad that he supported without pushing me. I have been swimming masters for over 30 years and have had some success. It is a passion for me and I still love it everyday! Thanks DAD!!!

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

no200fly — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:37:05 GMT

In the middle of it, she stops me and asks me "why I had to keep giving her advice and not just be happy for her". I hope I never forget that moment. *** Now she plays soccer and I make sure before every season starts that she is asking me to sign her up, not the other way around. Recently, she's been asking me if I'll take her to the pool to workout with me. I don't take it too seriously but secretly, I hope it becomes a trend. This is a great point. I had the same epiphany with my youngest daughter. I think as parents we want to help our kids succeed every way that we can. Sometimes the best way to help your kid is just to be a fan. I now provide advice only when specifically requested. My daughters also swam when they were young and then stopped. They went on to other sports and activities. Two of them picked it up again in high school – so don’t give up yet.

RE: 9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Karen Duggan — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:44:33 GMT

Mark- This is the first year my 11 yo son will not be doing summer rec swimming. He learned to swim at 5 and has done it every summer since. He was actually an A swimmer as a 6-UN but had an "unfortunate" experience, on the deck as a 7 yo, that left him not wanting to swim ever again. (Another swimmer punched him in the stomach right before he was going to swim- the shepherd had stepped away!) When he dove in he immediately swam back to the wall and started crying and holding his stomach, he couldn't "breathe". He was so upset. As a 9yo we changed teams and were able to coax him back. He agreed to practice but not race. He did that as a 9 yo and actually raced again as a 10 yo. This year he has stated to both my husband and I separately, and very succinctly, "I really don't want to swim." We listened him and he will not swim this summer. I too hope that one day he will get back into it. :bighug: