Question about swimming

[Only me]

I've posted many times about my daughter and her insomnia and other health problems. We are trying to make life as normal as possible for her but quite honestly it is difficult lately. She she has had health problems for the past few years it has really prevented her from being involved in any sports, etc. except for bowling once a week on a league. It is pretty low key. She had to drop out of basketball in 8th grade since that was when her problems began.

 

Both my son and daughter had been interested in trying karate but we kept on putting it off due to her health problems. We recently decided to give it a try since we wanted a way for her to get exercise and thought it would be good since it is self paced. She was doing ok at first but her knees are back to giving her pain and swelling so it is not working out. The pain and swelling are not due to the karate. They will be fine for a few weeks and then get bad again, etc. Last week she missed both classes due to being sick and this week she is in a lot of pain so she can't go either. We are going to the rheumatologist next week. We told the owner of the club of the situation before she signed up and he said that if it didn't work out that they would just use the money we paid toward my son. She also feels out of place since most of the kids in the class are under 10 and she is 14 and quite tall.

 

My daughter would like to be involved in some kind of activity besides the bowling since it is only once a week. Even if she wasn't having these health problems she would have a hard time starting a sport since most kids start a particular sport when they are very young. She liked the basketball but quite honestly I don't think she had the skill or drive to continue in high school.

 

This afternoon we were talking and she would really like to start swimming. She has never had lessons. She can tread water and swim across the pool but that is about it. All of the classes around here are for young kids and the adult classes are over 16 plus she would feel out of place. I was thinking about getting her some private lessons and then going from there. I'm just wondering if swimming is another sport that is too late for her to begin. Of course I have no idea if she will even be good at at but at some point she thought it would be nice to be able to swim on some kind of a team or with a club.

 

I don't want to discourage her, especially in light of the situation. At times she has felt somewhat helpless and discouraged about her health etc. I know that right now she wouldn't have the stamina required for the amount of time that she would need to practice to become good but we are hoping that at some point they will figure out what is wrong with her and she will be able to handle it.

 

I would appreciate some honest feedback. Is it too late for her to start something like this? Would swimming (non competitive right now) be a good sport for her. I'm assuming it would be since it is non impact and she could go at her own pace. I'm not a swimmer so I'm clueless about all of this. Also would it be likely that she is the only one her age for this too?

Edited February 3, 2010 by hpymomof3

[Tap]

Swimming is a great sport to begin at any age. It is very low impact and is self paced. I would encourage you to find a private instructor to get her off to a good start and then she can either move up to a swim team or just swim for fun. I wouldn't look into a highly competitive team, but instead a community team/class or just one for fun. The very competitive teams will be full of kids who started very young. But there are plenty of opportunities for teens who want to swim for fun or exercise and not be ultra competitive. In our school district swimming is a non-cut sport meaning that anyone can join the team. They had 75 swimmers this year and about a quarter of them were new to swimming.

[myfunnybunch]

It's never too late to begin swimming!

 

I think your idea of private lessons is a good one. :)

 

Cat

[catalinakel]

Swimming is the only sport my daughter with Asperger's will do. And she didn't really start becoming comfortable with swimming until she was nine or ten. She and her brother did rec center lessons, and they were older than other kids, but quickly grew out of the lessons. Now they go to the rec center and swim laps on their own for exercise a few times per week. Often the swim team is practicing while they are there, and if they show some interest in that, I may pursue it, but for now they are just happy to be swimming laps by themselves.

[Starr]

Swimming is a great idea. The swim team members at our local colleges give private lessons.

[Harriet Vane]

Swimming is a great sport to begin at any age. It is very low impact and is self paced. I would encourage you to find a private instructor to get her off to a good start and then she can either move up to a swim team or just swim for fun. I wouldn't look into a highly competitive team, but instead a community team/class or just one for fun. The very competitive teams will be full of kids who started very young. But there are plenty of opportunities for teens who want to swim for fun or exercise and not be ultra competitive. In our school district swimming is a non-cut sport meaning that anyone can join the team. They had 75 swimmers this year and about a quarter of them were new to swimming.

 

:iagree:

 

A good private instructor can make a world of difference. Over time as she gains proficiency she can consider team options, but there is no need to rush the team experience until proficiency is gained.

[Lolly]

Okay, swimming. I have a feeling it is going to depend on what type of swimming you are talking about. Are you talking about a recreational league, typical YMCA team, or competitive league? You CAN start swimming at any age. You can even start at any age and become competitive. Private lessons to start are a VERY good idea. Many of the year round teams you are going to find are going to be competitive USA teams. Most of the kids her age are going to be pretty serious about their sport. Some teams, like the one my kids are on, have different groups depending on what the swimmer wants. They offer everything from noncompetitive (usually just learning), to high school (not that serious, just supplementing high school team), to future Olympian national record holders.

 

Can your dd swim without problems? Well, that is going to depend on what her issues are. She has knee problems? Swimming involves A LOT of kicking. It can be rough on the knees. Breast stroke in particular can be aggravating. A good coach will just let the swimmer use a different kick. Some just don't get it. There will also be dry land exercises that can be torture on bad knees. Again, a good coach will just give them something else to do in its place. Also, you mentioned a rheumatologist. I do not have a clue what your dd's health problems are. The water in pools is often VERY cold. Will that cause your dd problems? It is possible it could help? It is something you should check with at the pool you are considering.

 

The truth, there probably aren't going to be many swimmers your dd's age who are just beginning. She can become a proficient swimmer in a fairly short amount of time to where she can swim with her age group. I have seen middle school aged kids come in barely able to tread water and be able to be in the top half of their age group within 6 months. I have also seen middle school aged kids come in and after 2 years still be struggling to at all keep up with their aged peers. You are going to have to be very careful about finding a team that is suitable to your child's needs. The coach needs to be willing to give alternative activities if there is something that your dd cannot do healthwise. If you start private lessons now, she should be able to swim with a summer league team by the time they start up.

[dirty ethel rackham]

It is NEVER too late to learn to swim! I think it is a necessary life skill as well as a great source of exercise. If she is uncomfortable about her age, I would definitely look into private or semi-private lessons. Actually, she will probably learn more than in group lessons for beginners. In group lessons, very little gets done and there is a lot of standing around until the instructor can get around to each person. Once she gets more comfortable, she will probably progress fairly quickly.

[plansrme]

If your daughter can learn to swim, either with a private instructor or group swim lessons (are you sure adult group classes wouldn't work? I would think they would be very accepting), she could always work up to "master's" swimming. Most swim clubs have master's level swimming for post-high school swimmers. Some master's swimmers are very competitive, but many are not. Most teams will have a blend of the two.

 

The point about knee issues is a good one. My then-8 yo had a minor case of "breaststroker's knee" due to improper technique in her breaststroke. Not all strokes are this hard on knees, however, and your daughter needn't do all four strokes.

 

But back to adult classes: my 12 yo, due to scheduling issues, takes a ballet class with adults, the youngest of whom is probably 25. I completely dismissed this option when it was first suggested to me, but it has turned out to be an excellent solution for her. The ladies and the teacher have been very welcoming, and she is comfortable with them.

 

I hope you can find something that works for your daughter.

 

Terri

[Only me]

I didn't realize that it could be hard on the knees. She will see the rheumatologist next week so hopefully we'll find out more then. Right now I'm just considering getting her a few private lessons to see how it goes. She isn't near to the point where she could be on a swim team now (skill wise or health wise). I just was wondering if she was too old to be starting if she wanted to possibly go on a swim team at a later time.

[TravelingChris]

I have arthritis. Swimming is one of the few exercises I am allowed to do. It is great exercise for arthritics because it isn't weight bearing. Other things I am allowed to do is walking, tai chi, yoga, low impact aerobics, gentle weight training, bike, etc. I cannot run, ski, jump, play tennis, and many other things.

[In The Great White North]

Our team had two 14 year-olds start this year. Ds was 13 when he started. Our high school team is also non-cut and about half of them never swam competitively before high school. They ranged from just "wanting some exercise" to qualifying for the State Championships.

 

Finding the right team probably will be your biggest challenge. If you want warmer water, find a team that practices at a rec center or health club, instead of at a school. College pools, especially, are usually cold. Pools that also offer "Aquasize" type classes or therapy swimming tend to be warmer. Outdoor pools are usually cold.

 

A team that only does dual meets (a Y, Boys and Girls Club or state league) will be lower key than one that goes to the USA Swimming meets and will probably practice fewer times per week for fewer hours. (And probably be smaller and less expensive.)

 

I agree that some private lessons to start with would be helpful. Be sure that the instructor is familiar with competitive swimming and knows that your dd wants to join a team. There are differences between Red Cross strokes and competitive swim strokes that will make her transition easier.