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.
Like pwb, our family spends most of our time in and around pools. Even at the tender age of 11, I have already seen some of my daughters swim pals kids leave the sport due to crazy parents. And many of those kids were terrific swimmers. If you have a good coach, trust him/her. Gently nudge when needed. But, most importantly, just support. Some meets are disastrous, some are jaw dropping spectacular.
Our club sends a lot of kids each year off to swim in college. Without exception the kids who go on to swim at the next level have very relaxed and supportive parents. That doesn't mean we can't harbor private delusions of grandeur, but they should be private.
I have seen parents write time standards in Sharpie on their kids legs at meets. I have seen parents escort their kids to the clerk of course berating them the whole time and then stand at the turn end screaming. Those kids look like they'd rather be anywhere else in the world.
Relax and let it happen. Something will happen, that's for sure, just maybe not what you want.
Like pwb, our family spends most of our time in and around pools. Even at the tender age of 11, I have already seen some of my daughters swim pals kids leave the sport due to crazy parents. And many of those kids were terrific swimmers. If you have a good coach, trust him/her. Gently nudge when needed. But, most importantly, just support. Some meets are disastrous, some are jaw dropping spectacular.
Our club sends a lot of kids each year off to swim in college. Without exception the kids who go on to swim at the next level have very relaxed and supportive parents. That doesn't mean we can't harbor private delusions of grandeur, but they should be private.
I have seen parents write time standards in Sharpie on their kids legs at meets. I have seen parents escort their kids to the clerk of course berating them the whole time and then stand at the turn end screaming. Those kids look like they'd rather be anywhere else in the world.
Relax and let it happen. Something will happen, that's for sure, just maybe not what you want.
