Swim Team Moms: This 'can' be done...right?

[MariannNOVA]

My three just got in the door from the first day of swim team practice.

 

All three learned to swim at an early age, but this is their first swim team experience.

 

Basically, they have spent all those long years since learning to swim (maybe 6 or 7 years ago), 'playing' in the water.....not building stroke skills or speed or anything.

 

I knew that they were in for a surprise this evening, and I did tell them beforehand what to expect as far as their need to get up to speed regarding strokes, endurance, etc. I'm sure it went in one ear and out the other as all three are accustomed to doing well at what they try -- I am not boasting and I don't need any flack about it -- it is just the way it is.

 

When I picked up dd13, who finished her practice first, she had made friends, and we left for home. On the way to the car, she confided that it 's*cked' and she stunk at it. We talked about her getting better at it, and she agreed but she is still down in the dumps about it.....and no doubt really tired.

 

DS11 almost echoed dd13's sentiments.

 

DD11 told me that she was going to look on this as a challenge and challenge herself to do better.

 

THIS is my question: With private quality one on one instruction by one of their coaches who gives private lessons/coaching, is it feasible that they can improve a great deal in a short amount of time....say 4 - 6 weeks.

 

I've explained to all 3 that they have the advantage of having their days free for swim lessons and private practice while everyone else is still sitting in a classroom for another whole month.

 

I know my kids and I think they can do it -- they are athletic, they are good at the sports they play, and I think that this is merely a case of getting their 'swimmer ON.'

 

I told them they don't have to be the fastest and it's fine with me if they are the slowest, but I want them to give it the work and effort so that they can do it as well as they are able. I told them b/c they stink at something is not necessarily a reason not to pursue it.

 

Is this reasonable?

 

Sorry this is so long.

 

ETA: I wanted to add that I was allowed to quit every single thing I tried that I did not like when I was a kid. I do not want to allow that.

[NorthwestMom]

Short answer: yes to all of it.

 

It's impossible to tell how they will do after one night. They will improve leaps and bounds after a week or 2 of practices. The goal is to improve individual times, not win every event.

[MariannNOVA]

Short answer: yes to all of it.

 

It's impossible to tell how they will do after one night. They will improve leaps and bounds after a week or 2 of practices. The goal is to improve individual times, not win every event.

 

Thank you -- that is what I told them. They are to challenge themselves to improve.....and one practice tells us nothing.

[kewb]

I will tell you my oldest echoed your oldest after his first competitive swim team practice. He was 12 at the time. After about a month of practice he felt a lot more caught up to the others and better about his performance.

 

It is a culture shock but they can rise to the challenge.

[MyLittleWonders]

Our oldest will more than likely be starting a swim team come this fall. Dh has always told him the first 2-3 weeks are the worst (dh was a swimmer), but if you can push through that, it gets much easier simply based on how much you have improved. (You can tell your oldest that my dh started swimming competitively for the first time at 13, struggled for about 2-3 weeks, and then did pretty well for himself until he finally stopped half-way through college.)

[catz]

I know with my kids it takes a good 4 to 6 weeks of something new and challenging to feel like we can reasonably judge whether they will like it or not. Totally reasonable to me. My oldest was whining today about his 2nd week of a new activity.

[MariannNOVA]

I will tell you my oldest echoed your oldest after his first competitive swim team practice. He was 12 at the time. After about a month of practice he felt a lot more caught up to the others and better about his performance.

 

It is a culture shock but they can rise to the challenge.

 

Our oldest will more than likely be starting a swim team come this fall. Dh has always told him the first 2-3 weeks are the worst (dh was a swimmer), but if you can push through that, it gets much easier simply based on how much you have improved. (You can tell your oldest that my dh started swimming competitively for the first time at 13, struggled for about 2-3 weeks, and then did pretty well for himself until he finally stopped half-way through college.)

 

Thank you both! All three of them DID ask me to 'ask the women on your board' when I told them they were going to stick with it.

 

I will share this with them.:001_smile:

[Kalypso]

You will be amazed at how much they improve in a few weeks. We only do a summer swim team but have been doing it for 7 years. The first 2-3 weeks is always the hardest.

 

Tell them to hang in there!

[coffeegal]

I told them they don't have to be the fastest and it's fine with me if they are the slowest, but I want them to give it the work and effort so that they can do it as well as they are able. I told them b/c they stink at something is not necessarily a reason not to pursue it.

Is this reasonable?

ETA: I wanted to add that I was allowed to quit every single thing I tried that I did not like when I was a kid. I do not want to allow that.

 

Yes, you're being perfectly reasonable. It's one thing to quit something you hate so you can spend more time on another activity you enjoy. It's another to quit after the first night because the activity was more difficult than you expected. :D

[gingersmom]

What is their choice to join a swim team?

 

In my neck of the woods kids join swim teams when they are like 6-7 and continue through high school. If your kids do decide to stick with it I am sure with a few short months they will be up to speed of the other kids.

 

When my daughter was 12 I signed her up for some kind of pre-swim team thing at our local Y. It was kinda like a 8 week practice before the swim team. She hated every second of it and never joined the swim team.

 

Weeks later she went ice skating with a friend. It clicked with her instantly (she already knew how to skate), practiced like crazy and 3 months later joined the skating team.

[MariannNOVA]

I know with my kids it takes a good 4 to 6 weeks of something new and challenging to feel like we can reasonably judge whether they will like it or not. Totally reasonable to me. My oldest was whining today about his 2nd week of a new activity.

 

You will be amazed at how much they improve in a few weeks. We only do a summer swim team but have been doing it for 7 years. The first 2-3 weeks is always the hardest.

 

Tell them to hang in there!

 

Yes, you're being perfectly reasonable. It's one thing to quit something you hate so you can spend more time on another activity you enjoy. It's another to quit after the first night because the activity was more difficult than you expected. :D

 

Thank you all - thank you!!!!!:)

[MariannNOVA]

What is their choice to join a swim team?

 

Yup - their choice. This is our first year at this pool, they have alot of friends here and swim team is a big thing. Many of these kids have been on the team since they were 6 or 7, but we just moved here and have not done swim team before.

 

In my neck of the woods kids join swim teams when they are like 6-7 and continue through high school. If your kids do decide to stick with it I am sure with a few short months they will be up to speed of the other kids.

 

Thank you -- I think it will be good for them to see improvement with their effort.

 

When my daughter was 12 I signed her up for some kind of pre-swim team thing at our local Y. It was kinda like a 8 week practice before the swim team. She hated every second of it and never joined the swim team.

 

Weeks later she went ice skating with a friend. It clicked with her instantly (she already knew how to skate), practiced like crazy and 3 months later joined the skating team.

 

I hear you -- ds is like that with golf, dd13 with lacrosse and dd11 is going to be like lightning in the pool.

[sassenach]

3 experiences.

 

First, myself. I didn't start swimming until I was 14. I enjoyed and did good enough at it. I could definitely see the difference between myself and those who had been swimming since they were young, but there were enough less experienced swimmers on my high school team for me not to feel out of place.

 

Second, my older daughter. She started at 9 and never really enjoyed it. She was turned off by the meets and thought the practices were boring.

 

Lastly, my younger 2. They both started at 6. I am amazed at just how skilled they become at this young age. I can now see why my 9yo found it so intimidating to join a competitive team at 9.

 

I think doing the private lessons is a great idea. I think it's also important to acknowledge that the gap is still going to be noticeable to your kids. If they're like me, they'll enjoy it anyways. It's a great sport!

[linders]

Agree with other posters, yes, some private lessons and lots of practice can do it.

 

Right now they are practicing with kids who have been doing this since they were 6, so of course they will be behind, but swimming is a sport that rewards effort, at least at the lower levels.

[PeacefulChaos]

Short answer: yes to all of it.

 

It's impossible to tell how they will do after one night. They will improve leaps and bounds after a week or 2 of practices. The goal is to improve individual times, not win every event.

 

:iagree:

[Just Kate]

Here's my swim team story...my ds was terrified of the water. Well, he went into the water but he was terrified to put his head under and absolutely refused to even try. When he was in first grade, he joined a homeschool PE class and twice per month the kids swam with a swim instructor. After a week he was putting his head under the water (great swim coach!!!). At the end of the school year, he could float on his back and swim freestyle. I decided to put him in swim lessons and after a few months he progressed to the point where he was invited to join the swim team. At that time, he could only swim freestyle and backstroke (about 25 m each). His first day of swim team practice, he actually left the pool and came to me crying. They pushed him hard and he thought that he wanted to quit (he was only 7). I encouraged him to stay on and the next practice he enjoyed it. A week later he loved it! He has been on the team for 7 months and he now is at the head of the JV team.

 

All this to say that his coaches shared with me that it takes a little bit of time for kids to get used to the difference in swimming lessons and swim team practice. But really, not nearly as much time as you'd take (one week for my 7 year old!).

 

Good luck to your kids. We love the swim team. :)

[Lolly]

Yes and no. Private instruction will improve their strokes faster. But, it will not make them be able to feel good about team practices. The only practice for that is...practice. They need to swim some distance to build endurance and lung capacity. That will not come from swim lessons. I've seen unbelievable athletes jump in a pool and barely be able to swim a few laps because they haven't practiced swimming. It is the only activity where a good athlete can't compete without proper practice. But, with practice and "growing gills", they usually do succeed. I have found that some of the best swimmers are athletes from other sports who start swimming competitively around 13. Two reasons I can see there: 1. they aren't burnign out on it like some who have been swimming forever and 2. they have the stick to it ness that is required to succeed. It is really hard to start at the bottom when you are used to being at the top in everything. So, as long as they are still attending group practices while receiving private instruction on the side, yes, they should wind up doing quite well. Do try to make it more about their personal improvement than how they place. All the good swimmers know they are first racing their own times; and then maybe one or two particular rivals.:D

 

Wanted to add: It may take more than 4-6 weeks for them to really see results. They will see improvement, but to stop struggling to keep up in practice might take longer. Some of that will depend on if this is a competitive team or a summer league team. 3-4 weeks to keep up in a summer league team would probably be very doable for the average team. On a competitive team, it may take 4-6 months. After a month or two, it shouldn't be nearly so bad. It real

Edited May 30, 2012 by Lolly

[MariannNOVA]

3 experiences.

 

First, myself. I didn't start swimming until I was 14. I enjoyed and did good enough at it. I could definitely see the difference between myself and those who had been swimming since they were young, but there were enough less experienced swimmers on my high school team for me not to feel out of place.

 

Second, my older daughter. She started at 9 and never really enjoyed it. She was turned off by the meets and thought the practices were boring.

 

Lastly, my younger 2. They both started at 6. I am amazed at just how skilled they become at this young age. I can now see why my 9yo found it so intimidating to join a competitive team at 9.

 

I think doing the private lessons is a great idea. I think it's also important to acknowledge that the gap is still going to be noticeable to your kids. If they're like me, they'll enjoy it anyways. It's a great sport!

 

Agree with other posters, yes, some private lessons and lots of practice can do it.

 

Right now they are practicing with kids who have been doing this since they were 6, so of course they will be behind, but swimming is a sport that rewards effort, at least at the lower levels.

 

:iagree:

 

Here's my swim team story...my ds was terrified of the water. Well, he went into the water but he was terrified to put his head under and absolutely refused to even try. When he was in first grade, he joined a homeschool PE class and twice per month the kids swam with a swim instructor. After a week he was putting his head under the water (great swim coach!!!). At the end of the school year, he could float on his back and swim freestyle. I decided to put him in swim lessons and after a few months he progressed to the point where he was invited to join the swim team. At that time, he could only swim freestyle and backstroke (about 25 m each). His first day of swim team practice, he actually left the pool and came to me crying. They pushed him hard and he thought that he wanted to quit (he was only 7). I encouraged him to stay on and the next practice he enjoyed it. A week later he loved it! He has been on the team for 7 months and he now is at the head of the JV team.

 

All this to say that his coaches shared with me that it takes a little bit of time for kids to get used to the difference in swimming lessons and swim team practice. But really, not nearly as much time as you'd take (one week for my 7 year old!).

 

Good luck to your kids. We love the swim team. :)

 

Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and for the wonderful encouragement you have offered.

 

I will share the latest stories with the kids in the a.m. At dinner, I shared what you all had written so far, and they were encouraged and had a much more positive attitude. By the time dh arrived home, they had a much better perspective.

 

Thank you all again --:grouphug:

[Cosmos]

My three just got in the door from the first day of swim team practice.

 

 

I hope they have a great experience. Swim team can be a great sport.

 

My niece and nephews in NOVA just started swim team practice today too. :)

[AngieC]

I think your kids will definitely see an improvement in 4-6 weeks time. While private lessons can help with technique, they really aren't going to do much for improving their aerobic capacity -- nothing is going to do that except time and training and since you can only ramp up training so quickly, doing too much too quickly isn't necessarily going to help.

 

I would say go out, do your best, make friends and HAVE FUN for this year. Next year, if the kids still want to swim, enroll them in a "get ready for summer swim" program so that they go into summer swim already fit and can work hard to refine their skills at that point. (Probably at least 4-6 weeks before summer swim starts.)

 

Today was the first day of our 4th year of summer swim and my dd is only 7, so I understand why it is frustrating for your kids. The thing to remember is that summer swim is about improving and having fun.

[Unicorn.]

Totally doable, even w/out the private lessons. Your 11 yo dd has the right attititude. Michael Phelps didn't start swimming seriously until he was 11, and if IRRC, Josh Davis was like 14 ( I think that's what I rember both of them saying). Josh Davis is a fabulous motivational speaker, and the kids on our swim team love to hear that he didn't start until he was a teen! Tell your dc that it will get easier!!

[Swimtaxi234]

We are a swimming family that started with a summer league. I have such great memories from that time. The families were so supportive and friendly and fun to be around.

 

The one thing I remember from my early days as a new swim mom is when another mom told me to remind my children to never compare themselves to other swimmers. It is so easy for our children to say, "So and so beat me," when the friendly competition might have encouraged your child to actually swim faster and beat their time.

 

To this day, I encourage our children to fight for a new personal best time.

 

I agree that your children will probably make nice progress in the next few weeks, but guard their hearts the first time they see year-round competitive swimmers practice. My children swim up to 5,000 meters a day and that could probably be intimidating for your children to see someone their age working that hard, etc., but remind them that my children (and others like them) started from nothing and built up to this level.

[Lolly]

Just had a thought. We are telling you to just compare their times to their own times. If this is summer swimming, that can be difficult. The times they get usually aren't all that reliable. They are random parents with stopwatches. Plus, the pools are not always the same sizes. Our summer league has a website that has a chart that lists all the pools dimensions (for each club). These pools can be oddly sized, like 25 yds (plus 14 inches) or 2 inches less than 25 m. There is no way you can compare the times from those two pools. So, just applaud every swim and enjoy.

[MariannNOVA]

Thank you for the excellent advice and suggestions -- stuff i would not otherwise know. :D

 

Second day of practice (wednesday) went 1000% better -- we went a little earlier and all three spent time practicing before practice and that was a real confidence booster. The coach saw them there practicing early and was a real encouragement to all three. Yay!

 

Practice went well with lots of individual attention and all three chose a favorite coach for private coaching on our own time and that starts tomorrow.

 

I just kept repeating to them what you all said about what a difference they see in a short amount of time -- and on day two they could already see that.

 

I would say we are on our way to becoming a swim team family as we have now had fettucine alfredo two nights in a row for dinner and have eaten after 8pm.;)

[NCMom]

If you are doing summer league they will be totally fine! I think extra practice and coaching will do wonders. Starts and turns will be something to work really hard on, as well as endurance and getting "legal" in all 4 strokes.

 

You will be shocked at how great they look in the water at the end of the season. :001_smile:

 

My kids have spent a lot of time encouraging others who have come to swimming later. It is tough. They use the Josh Davis example (he is the BEST speaker and our all time favorite swim clinic person!) all the time. His coach told him he needed to find a different sport...:glare: Really, coach? LOL

 

 

hth,

Georgia, who just loves those early AM practices :D

[MariannNOVA]

If you are doing summer league they will be totally fine! I think extra practice and coaching will do wonders. Starts and turns will be something to work really hard on, as well as endurance and getting "legal" in all 4 strokes.

 

You will be shocked at how great they look in the water at the end of the season. :001_smile:

 

My kids have spent a lot of time encouraging others who have come to swimming later. It is tough. They use the Josh Davis example (he is the BEST speaker and our all time favorite swim clinic person!) all the time. His coach told him he needed to find a different sport...:glare: Really, coach? LOL

 

 

hth,

Georgia, who just loves those early AM practices :D

 

Thank you, thank you -- you are the 2nd or 3rd person to mention josh davis. this is all great stuff for my kids. The two dds are SO into it already. DS is still looking longingly at the dive team and i think he can do both.