9 Year Old Marvel What? But How?

Being a caring parent is fine, but getting unduly wound up in your child's accomplishments or swimming progress or "education" (in 3rd grade) is not. You bet I'm wound up with her education at 3rd grade. My parents never were and I suffered terribly for it in later years because they were never involved. Fact is, nobody on this message board gives a you know what about my daughter except her family. You get one shot at life and if you screw it up you will be working at the local Target in the check out line. Maybe that's why american kids score lower than many other countries in education because parents don't stick their nose in enough. Maybe that's why when I go to the mall all I ever see are young teenage kids doing nothing but acting stupid for their soon to be pregnant girlfriends. Am I too concerned with my daughters 3rd grade education? You bet and it ain't going to change anytime soon.

I believe this kids has gotten as fast as she will get but that's my own personal opinion. You think a nine year old has gotten as fast as she's going to get? This is the nature of sport. There will always be phenoms. I know it's difficult, but you really can't concentrate on them. Just do what you can to encourage your kid to get the most out of the sport as she can and don't focus on what others are doing. I also think you might need a reality check on what constitutes "fast" for young swimmers. The AAAA standard for a 50 free (SCY) for 10 and under girls is 28.29. There are lots of very fast 10 and unders.

The problem with such a group is, what if your daughter likes being the fastest swimmer in the group she trains with now. If that is part of the fun for her, you are going to take that away when you put her in a group with other top level age group swimmers. The other problem is that such groups aren't fun, they are lots of time, lots of yardage type groups. This is an excellent point. Our club has this type of team for every age group, beginning at age 10. It is a quantum leap up in intensity from the previous age group practice levels.

@uknick and a couple others on this thread. I agree the motivation has to come from within the child. In my experience, kids will do what their parents want, without complaint, until they are extremely unhappy. And I think the parents are sometimes unaware of how they feel - not because they are bad parents, but in this kids can be really tough to read. I had two nieces with a sports-minded dad. One played basketball but wasn't especially good. The other was a talented (state-level, not Olympic) gymnast. When their father moved out, each gave up her sport within six months. The same thing happened to me. My 11-year-old told me she wanted to run a 10K. She gamely kept up with her training, finished the race, then would have nothing to do with running for, well, it'll be a year next month. A real shame, because she is naturally quite fast. To the original post: some kids are naturally quite talented at an early age, but their progress slows. Others develop later. My nephew was an all star everything through sixth grade, but by high school he was 'merely' a good athlete. for example, he was a starter in basketball, but hardly the best player.

You're welcome The way for her to get faster is Tip 265 Train harder, smarter, faster, further, more often, with a coach, with a team, in a convenient facility & at a convenient Time (& have fun) increasing from 4 times a week to 5 or 6 times increasing from 1200 - 1500 a practice to 2, 3, or 4000 a practice adding exercises push ups, pull ups, jumps, sit ups, cross training from other sports Plus shes growing, she's getting bigger and stronger, that will make her faster. Just watch out for injuries and burn out I stay focused motivated and excited about swimming with dreaming, goal setting, planning, & doing my plans. All of these focus on preparing for one or two meets at the end of each season. People can do remarkable things when they are truly inspired. "When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds: your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person than you ever dreamed yourself to be." ~Patanjali Streamline Dolphin Kicking (SDK) is one of the most important skills in swimming. It's great to start early and it's fun. There's several Tips on SDK here's one with links to videos Hope this helps, relax, have fun, work hard be a great example for your kids, show them with your actions instead of your words I have a friend who's daughters were great runners, they'd go running with mom or dad sibling rivalries help, I often see families with several swimmers and sometimes the youngest ones wind up the best because they work hard to keep up with the older ones. Ande That was a very informing post thanks. To your questions.. She used to train 4 days a week on the team for 1 1/2 hours per session. she was swimming roughly 1,200 to 1,300 yards total. This new plan is she's doing 2 days week "swim club" 1,200 yards roughly which focuses on endurance and some technique and 1 day on sunday private lessons for 1 hour where the teacher is focusing strictly on some of the "competitve" techniques and stroke techniques to help her cut time. My belief s this private instructor is more qualified than her previous swim team coach. I wanted her to do at least 2 days a week where she would be with other swimmers and kids her own age and one day focusing on the competitive part of swimming. I guess I should give the kid a break though, I mean, she hasn't even puberty yet and she's an amazing swimmer! Puberty can make all the difference lol I do love her and I do support her but I just want her to take advantage of this golden opportunity while she is young to. You mentioned "skinny" swimmers? You mentioned "skinny" swimmers. Is being thin really a drawback? I know most flyers are heavy and built but I think there are quite a few fast "thin" swimmers out there to isn't there?

I will use the example of a friend on mine - he was an absolute swimming prodigy for our area (central CA). By 11 years old he was swimming a 24.5 50 yard free and a 30.0 50 yard ***. He was short and stocky - even at his peak in college he was only 5ft 9. He went on to swim at UCSB - great swimmer but never broke into the next level. I think there are 100's if not thousands of similar/same stories out there. It is probably especially obvious for parents who swam "club swimming" who now have kids doing the same. I know plenty of examples of kids who will never be as fast as a parent was in their "peak".

Seriously man, she's nine, relax and let her swim. Hard to tell from just internet posts but you seem a tad bit obsessed. Nothing concrete can be said about a 9 year old swimmer except maybe they get wet when they jump in the water. 33 seconds in 2 months is nothing, I've seen highly trained kids in elite programs do that and better and also go the exact opposite way, with the same pro calibre coach. They are kids, they do strange things with times. If you don't trust the coach, switch programs. The worst thing you can do for your kid is go berserk about all of this at 9 years. Word. I have a 9 year old who swims too. I drop her off at practice and leave. I don't know her times. She says it's fun. She hasn't even swum in a USAS meet yet, which is fine by me. Swimming is a long career. They have to love it cuz it gets rough. Too much pressure, especially from parents, and too many workouts when young = burnout. My other swimmer kid was gifted when young and physically mature, but has hit a plateau at 15. Not uncommon. I'm sure your daughter has plenty of room for improvement, especially if she is skinny and small now.

hello, your daughter is pretty good Don't know if pulling her off a team and away from a coach is the best move what keeps kids in swimming long term is fun and friends improving is part of the fun how often did she train? times per week hours per day with the coach and team? with private lessons? too much pressure from parents isn't fun get her to practice but don't watch encourage her, love her don't worry about her current ability training with a team makes kids good they get in and race the kids beside them and in front of them encourage her to do other sports so she finds what she loves it broke my heart when my kids didn't want to swim The difference was with swimming I'd tell my son "it's time to go to practice" with tumbling he'd get me and say "Dad it's time to take me to practice." 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 Is there any hope for my daughter to "catch up" to kids like this? sure I wasn't a youth marvel, I was a late bloomer. It's hard for skinny little kids who haven't matured to compete with the big muscular ones who have. don't worry about how fast she will be, if she likes swimming take her to practice If you were in my shoes what would YOU do with your daughter to help her attain these kinds of times? ask her what she wants to do, in the summer there are swimming camps where kids swim 3 times a day for a week or 2 and get lots of attention like Longhorn swim camp, now is the time to sign up for summer sessions, they fill up. there's parts of swim faster faster a 9 year old would get it helps to watch videos of really great swimmers it helps to have heroes they look up to and want to be like it helps if the kid has fun working hard Good luck with your daughter let her be a kid and have fun what city are you in ande

Ditto. Guess what, she went to a swim camp last year and met Megan Jendrick and Peter Vanderkayy (however you spell that) and she got to race against Megan in the breastroke. Megan gave her a half pool length lead and it ended up a tie. My daughter could have beaten her though but it was too early in the morning. Um yeah... wow So my daughter is really fast too. At 7 she is beating my age group times and not far off 10 and under JO cuts in Fl... That said, I don't think it is appropriate to really start pressing her training until she gets closer to her teen years. I want her to have fun! Have the great memories of friends and good-times that I had as a kid in age-group swimming. All the girls that she swims with are great friends.

I was really hoping comments would not be directed so much as "how I parent" but instead my actual question as to what allows 9 year old kids to swim so fast. Well, yeah.