I'm sure you guys can help... I am a masters swimmer. Our son is 17, has been a club swimmer for four years, and swims on his high school team. He swims with the senior 1 group, and his practices are 2 hours 45 minutes on the weekdays and two hours on Saturdays. He is a decent, solid swimmer (state but not sectional cuts in numerous events). He is a junior in high school and is currently taking five AP courses (his decision, not my husband's and mine). His grades are good and he works hard.
Recently, he has been feeling a lot of stress due to his workload in school and swimming. He told me last night that swimming isn't fun any more. He says he thinks he still wants to swim club, possibly at the senior 2 level instead, and still wants to swim high school. He actually isn't sure he even wants to drop to a less demanding group; he isn't really sure what to do. While I think his academic load is part of why he is stressed, I know that constantly staring at a black line for hours is playing a large part as well. Aside from being supportive of him and encouraging him to talk to his coach (who is my coach as well, which could possibly complicate things), is there anything I can do to help? I don't want to be one of "those" parents, but I want to do what is best for my son. Obviously I would like him to stay in the senior 1 group, but I'm not the one swimming there. His coach knows him well, as he has been with this coach for four years. Part of the issue is that our son doesn't want to let his coach down. I know it is his call, and I'm trying to stay as objective as possible.
I'm sure many of you experienced swim burnout as a teenager. Any suggestions you can give are much appreciated.
Kristin
I've really enjoyed this discussion and thought I would add my thoughts.
I was surprised that the school offered 5 (and even 6) AP classes to a junior in high school. That's equivalent to full college freshman course load. I thought there were limits as to how many AP classes you can take in a year, but maybe that was years ago and times have changed.
In addition to swimming burnout, I would be concerned about academic burnout, considering he has another year of high school, plus college, and probably more after that. When you add in the swimming, it doesn't leave much room for anything else.
We often get the message that more is better, and so we go to more swim practices, swim more yardage. If 2 AP classes are good, then 3 is better, 4 even better and so on. But you inevitably get spread too thin and other parts of your life suffers. In retrospect, while its great that he really wants to push himself in school, taking fewer AP classes may allow him to do more outside of school, and do really well in the fewer AP classes he has.
The solution that he and his coach worked out with his swimming seems to be the best. Swimming has really helped him to grow outside of academics. Trying to find a balance I think is key.
In Fairfax County, there is technically no limit on the number of AP classes. But 5-6 is seriously discouraged and usually only the real prodigies take this number. (Fort Son takes 4 as a senior, which is plenty for him as he tends toward homework minimalism and endurance sport obsession.)
And high school is just the tip of the iceberg as far as homework goes ...
I've really enjoyed this discussion and thought I would add my thoughts.
I was surprised that the school offered 5 (and even 6) AP classes to a junior in high school. That's equivalent to full college freshman course load. I thought there were limits as to how many AP classes you can take in a year, but maybe that was years ago and times have changed.
In addition to swimming burnout, I would be concerned about academic burnout, considering he has another year of high school, plus college, and probably more after that. When you add in the swimming, it doesn't leave much room for anything else.
We often get the message that more is better, and so we go to more swim practices, swim more yardage. If 2 AP classes are good, then 3 is better, 4 even better and so on. But you inevitably get spread too thin and other parts of your life suffers. In retrospect, while its great that he really wants to push himself in school, taking fewer AP classes may allow him to do more outside of school, and do really well in the fewer AP classes he has.
The solution that he and his coach worked out with his swimming seems to be the best. Swimming has really helped him to grow outside of academics. Trying to find a balance I think is key.
In Fairfax County, there is technically no limit on the number of AP classes. But 5-6 is seriously discouraged and usually only the real prodigies take this number. (Fort Son takes 4 as a senior, which is plenty for him as he tends toward homework minimalism and endurance sport obsession.)
And high school is just the tip of the iceberg as far as homework goes ...
