So my daughter is 6 and is swimming on the summer team. She is a very good little breaststroker and has a powerful kick. However she uses a modified version of this kick on her backstroke and freestyle, but it seems to affect the freestyle far more.
I have no idea how many times the coaches say and I say, "keep your legs straight"; "kick up and down from your hips"; "touch your big toes with each other", she STILL does this awful wonky breastroke kick action which slows her down and snakes her across the pool!
So I'm now wondering if she's doing something mega-wrong with her pull and feels she needs to compensate on her kick? She turns and looks at the ceiling to breathe, but I thought that was pretty "normal" at that age, but otherwise it looks reasonable. She is also very competitive in the lane, wanting to catch up with whoever is at the front, so I have said that it slows her down when she bends her legs, but she still persists.
Anyway if any of you more experienced in coaching littlies have any tips, I'd very much appreciate it.
OK better go and channel my competitive spirit into my own swimming.:bolt:
Good idea. As a coach, it's pretty easy to spot parents who are living/competing vicariously through their kids. And it's not pleasant to be around or to deal with.
One of the very best things about swimming for me (when I was a kid) was that it was MY thing. My parents were supportive but didn't ever try to tell me what to do or be overly involved. They let my swimming be mine.
OK better go and channel my competitive spirit into my own swimming.:bolt:
Good idea. As a coach, it's pretty easy to spot parents who are living/competing vicariously through their kids. And it's not pleasant to be around or to deal with.
One of the very best things about swimming for me (when I was a kid) was that it was MY thing. My parents were supportive but didn't ever try to tell me what to do or be overly involved. They let my swimming be mine.
