Swim Parenting
Tips For Being An Awesome Swim Parent
Tips For Being An Awesome Swim Parent
Whether you're a swim mom or a swim dad, you're probably very proud your child has chosen swimming as their sport of choice. You most likely want to be able to show that you support them no matter what. However, swimming is an involved sport, and when you have other commitments such as pets, other children and work, being a good swim parent can mean your life becomes even busier.
The swim parent lifestyle includes early morning practices, weekend swim meets, fees, event chaperoning and carpooling, among other responsibilities. In return for their own commitment, most parents want to get the best from their swimmers without pushing them too hard. Follow this advice for parents of competitive swimmers to know how to best support your child's goals!
10 Tips for Swim Parents
This swim parent advice could help you connect better with your children and help them love the sport that they are in.
1. Encourage Accountability
Accountability means your child takes ownership of their responsibilities, which means keeping track of their own gear, meets and practice schedule. Younger children may not be able to do all this independently, but encouraging them to follow through on their commitments can help build accountability.
You can also encourage them to set personal goals and evaluate and track their own workouts to instill a sense of control regarding their own swimming style and progress.
2. Take the Good Days With the Bad
As a parent, you have to control your own emotions and feelings when your child is playing any sport. Even if you swam and have a deep connection to the sport, recognize that your child is different from you. They may swim to have fun rather than to compete with others.
Through their good days and bad, you should show the same unwavering support and encouragement — showing your disappointment to your child on their bad days can make them feel even worse. You also cannot fall into the trap of thinking your child’s performance is a reflection of you. As long as you offer plenty of support and encouragement, you will be an awesome swim parent.
3. Set the Standard for Good Sportsmanship
How you react to your child's performance sets the stage and trains them for how they should react. Good sportsmanship is paramount in sports, and showing respect for other players, coaches and officials is essential. Fighting the coach's or official's decisions does not set a good example. Instead, you should set an example of sportsmanship and self-control for your child to follow, even if you are disappointed or upset.
4. Moderate Your Expectations
Swim parents are amazing at sacrifice — between fundraisers, driving, swim meets, hotel rooms and various travel costs, you put so much time and energy into helping your child. Some parents might see this as an investment that they should be getting a return on, whether through college scholarships or more professional sponsorships. However, your child's goals should guide your expectations.
Swimming and other sports should not be measured in dimes and dollars. Rather, expect your return on investment to be the lessons of perseverance, accountability and the memories your child gained along their journey.
5. Address Issues Privately and Directly
When issues arise with another swimmer, coach or parent it's important to take care of these issues privately and directly to avoid rumors and gossip. It's best to assume the best intentions from everyone and approach conflict with an understanding attitude. If you're upset as a parent, take some space to sort through your emotions before confronting anyone.
It's in your kid's best interest to keep them out of any drama — which includes discussing your issues with other swimmers or parents around them. If you do need to sort out an issue, set a meeting outside of swim time to get everything sorted out.
6. Let Your Swimmer Have Other Hobbies
Kids are kids and they will have more than one interest or hobby. It is important that their entire lives are not dedicated to swimming, especially at a young age. Kids still need time for friends, other interests, family and school. Constantly having to relive meets and practices outside of the pool can become mentally exhausting. Let your kids be kids and allow them space to explore multiple interests and passions.
7. Be a Good Role Model
Be there to teach your kids about good sportsmanship. Winning is not everything and losing is not the end of the world. Teach them to support their teammates no matter the circumstances and tell them your goals for them and help them set their own. Avoid setting unrealistic expectations — instead, set attainable goals so that your child does not get overwhelmed or discouraged. Accomplishing a goal can provide a major sense of self-gratification and pride.
8. Let Them Make Decisions
Going along with accountability, allow your child to make some of their own decisions regarding their sports. You can help them by laying out their choices and explaining the consequences, but assure them the decision is theirs. For example, allow them to decide if and when they want to practice outside of mandatory hours. Giving children this ability to make their own decisions teaches them better decision-making skills and affords them a sense of responsibility.
9. Let the Coaches Do the Coaching
One issue that a lot of sports teams face is a couple of parents who jump in on the coaching. This can be distracting and counter-productive if the children have more than one person telling them what to do. Many of these parents have good intentions, but generally, the coach knows best. Everyone who attends a meet must know their roles to keep everything flowing smoothly.
10. Be There for Them
The most essential, and perhaps the most simple, tip to be a good swim parent is to just be there. More than anything, your child wants to see you in the stands. They want to know that you are there for them for the rough meets and the amazing meets. They want to hear you cheering from the bleachers and calling their name. Be their shoulder to cry on, give them words of encouragement when they lose and toss them on your shoulder when they win.
Get Your Swim Kid the Best Swim Gear
Being a swim parent is not an easy task. There are a lot of sacrifices, including hard work, financial investment and time commitments, but the reward of seeing your child do something they love overpowers all of that.
More than anything, your child wants your support and to know that you are proud of them. Part of supporting your child is ensuring they have everything they need to succeed. Check out The Lifeguard Store for your one-stop shop to get all the suits and gear your child will need for swimming.
How to Prepare Your Child for Competitive Swimming
Competitive swimming for youth is an enriching experience. It's an excellent way to teach your child the importance of practicing and working hard to set and meet goals. It can teach your child how to accept and move past losses and celebrate their victories while making friends their own age. Competitive swimming can also help them maintain a healthy weight and establish lifelong fitness habits.
Here is what you need to know to prepare your child for competitive swimming.
What to Know Before Your Child Starts Competitive Swimming
If your child has expressed interest in competitive swimming, the first step is to enroll them in formal swim lessons if you haven't already. The time and dedication these lessons require will give you and your child a good idea of what to expect before beginning your competitive swimming journey, and it will teach your child the essential strokes and techniques they need to know to be successful.
Here are some other things you can do before enrolling your child in competitive swimming:
- - Research everything: Always research teams, coaches, and facilities before enrolling your child, as each one is different. Meet with the parents of other swimmers and get an idea of what to expect, including the time required.
- - You may need more than classes and practice: While classes and regular practice attendance are crucial parts of any competitive swimming routine, your child may want or need to supplement training to reach their goals. Dryland training is a type of exercise routine swimmers do on the land, and it includes strength and endurance exercises.
- - Your child may not enjoy it: While it's important to encourage your child to try new things and persevere when they don't catch on right away, be prepared for the possibility that they may not enjoy competitive swimming. Swimming competitively and swimming for fun are very different experiences and they may find it's not the best fit for them.
When to Start Competitive Swimming
Ultimately, what age you should start competitive swimming depends on your child's abilities, interests, and available time. The best time to introduce swimming to your child is when they are physically and mentally ready to learn the necessary skills to stay safe. You can find competitive swimming lessons and meets for kids as young as five years old, as long as your child is developmentally ready to participate.
You should also consider the other things happening in your child's life, including other sports, academics, and extracurricular activities. Make sure you pursue a swim schedule you can realistically fit into both of your lives. Finally, it's important to listen to what your child wants. If they aren't ready to commit to a competitive swim routine just yet, that's okay! Keep encouraging them to try new things and see if the interest develops on its own. Alternatively, if your child is excited to start something new, do what you can to help them pursue their new interest.
How to Help Your Child Prepare for Competitive Swimming
Swim lessons and practices will teach your child the rules of the sport and help perfect their form and techniques. You can also do some things at home with your child to set the groundwork for success. When it comes to swimming training for kids, there are a few things you can do together to make the experience successful and rewarding, such as:
- - Master the basics: Before you begin, take the time to get a full picture of your child's current swimming abilities. This will let you know what kind of lessons to pursue and which basics they still need to master before competing. Some basic swim techniques every swimmer should know are flutter kicks, front crawling, the butterfly, arm strokes, and breaststrokes. They will also need to know the correct way to breathe and balance underwater, and the correct posture and form they need to stay safe.
- - Set goals: Work with your child to develop short-term and long-term goals so they can record and track how their hard work pays off over time. It's also a great way to keep lessons and practices focused. For example, if your child wants to improve their lap time by two minutes, they can write down their lap time every day and celebrate when they meet their goal.
- - Create a routine: Although competitive swimming can be one of the most fun and enjoyable parts of your child's week, it does take work, practice, and discipline to improve and perform well at swim meets. Add these things to an already existing schedule of school, homework, family time, and extracurricular activities, and things can get overwhelming. The best way to combat this is to establish and stick to a daily and weekly routine, so everyone knows what to expect and what needs to be accomplished. A stable routine is also the easiest way to avoid forgetting practices or meets.
- - Be a cheerleader: Although your child is the one in the water, parents often work just as hard to make competitive sports a reality. Make an effort to be present at your child's meets and cheer them on. Celebrate wins together and encourage them to keep trying when they fall short.
- - Invest in quality swim gear: Although quality gear is not essential for beginning swimmers, you will want to invest in some when your child decides to turn their hobby into a competitive sport. Equipment like hand paddles, swim fins, junior goggles, kickboards, pull buoys, and swim training platforms can hone their skills and perfect their form. Quality kids swimwear will keep your child comfortable throughout long practices.
Get Swim Gear at Kiefer Aquatics
Competitive swimming can be a great choice for your child. It's fun, fosters a healthy sense of competition, and will teach them valuable fitness and social skills. With some pre-planning, plenty of practice, and the right gear, you're setting your child up for a successful, lifelong sport. Visit Kiefer Aquatics online to find the kids swim gear you need, including swimsuits, goggles, and kickboards. As your child advances, you will also find training equipment like hand paddles, swim fins, and pull buoys.
Read More Swim Parent Resources:
What To Pack In Your Swim Meet Bag
Whether you are packing for yourself or supervising your children, making a checklist and having extras is a great start to preparing yourself for a day of fun and fast swimming. Read our tips below for what to pack for your swim meet.
Indoor or Outdoor Swim Meeet?
First, is your meet indoors or outdoors? Also what time of year is it? If you are swimming outside packing sunscreen, a hat, sunglass, and a long sleeved thin shirt for protection are all a good idea. You will probably want to leave your clear goggles at home and opt for a dark colored or mirrored pair to help block the sun. Bringing sandals or flip flops is also a good idea.
If it is winter or fall, bring layers, and don’t forget your parka either! An insulated thermos of warm tea might be a nice comfort as well. Keep your feet and head warm too, by wearing the right kind of footwear and hat. If it is cold, fuzzy boots are great but at least sneakers and socks, a knit hat too. Losing heat from your head and feet will harm you.
Bring extra of everything to Your Swim Meet
Two pairs of goggles, two caps, even two suits. Certainly a few towels as well. Having extra is far better than needing something and not having it. However that doesn’t mean pack your bedroom.
Snacks and fluids, the more portable the better, toting around a small cooler may not sound so great, but cold water does! Regardless of your event’s timeline, bring ample fluids. It isn’t uncommon to see swimmers hauling around a gallon of water. I challenge you to not only bring one, but to drink the whole thing!
Extras to Pass The Time at Swim Meets
Music to help pass the time or a deck of cards, a book perhaps, but avoid gaming devices! They can be time sucks and a big enough distraction to miss a race. This may not apply to our master’s swimmers, but definitely our kids. As a coach I have seen it happen countless times. Be social, hang out, and chat with your friends and teammates to pass the time.
And finally, remember to bring dry clothes for when your day is done, so that you can get out of that wet suit.
Hope you have a great meet!
Learn More About Competitive Swimming:
- Training for A Triathlon? Here’s the Gear and A Workout Plan to Help You Prepare!
- How to Train for Your First Triathlon
- Why Every Swimmer Needs A Finis Tempo Trainer
- My First Triathlon
- 5 Ways Swimmers Self-Sabotage
- Summer Swim Training: 5 Tips To Keep It Fresh!
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Swimmers
- Raising a Swimmer – Part II: 11-12 Years
How Parents Can Help Their Children Overcome the Fear of Swimming
Exposure
Start with splash parks, start with the sprinklers in your back yard, start with a baby pool, but getting a child to see the fun side of water is far more effective than tossing them in and saying ‘get over it.’ Playing in the water and having a good time is the first step to eliminating fear, fun will overpower the fear in time. If a child can’t see the value in an activity their cooperation level will probably frustrate you.
Input
Let your children pick the water activity or let them pick out their accessories. Having their choice of swimsuit or goggles gives them a little more ownership; likewise letting them pick a water activity gives them some say. Make it their choice and not yours.
Bring a Friend
Everything is better with a buddy.
Swim Lessons
Group or private lessons can be great confidence boosters. If they have a competitive spirit or work well with peers, group lessons might be the next step to eliminating fear. If they need a little more attention a private lesson with an experienced instructor could be the way to go.
Swim With Them
Show them you aren’t afraid and be their partner. The bond you have with your child is special and they instinctively trust you to keep them safe. Play with them. If they are young enough take part in a swim lesson where you take instruction with them.
Regardless of how you introduce your child to swimming, make sure it's fun for both your child and you!
Read More Swim Parent Resources:
Parents: Here’s How To Find A Quality Swim Program For Your Child
Research is key in finding the right swim team and practice facility for your family and new swimmer. Whether your family and swimmer are in the sport of swimming for the long haul or just looking for a summer swim team, don’t just jump into the closest local program for convenience. Take some time and explore your options.
A good place to start, especially if you are new to the area, is USA Swimming’s website usaswimming.org. On this site you will find local teams listed with current phone numbers and individual team’s websites. By making a list of clubs that are commutable for your family, you can decide which programs to focus on. Visit team websites and check out practice times, coach biographies, and the general feel of the organization.
Many clubs will offer a visiting or trial offer including watching or participating in a few practices. Some teams offer an entrance interview where you can sit down and talk with the coaches. This is a great way to find out if these teams are a good fit for your family. Be sure to also get all of the team paperwork in advance. Most clubs have packets for all members which include member policies, behavior expectations, volunteer requirements, fees, and meet schedules. These are all important things to look at when selecting a potential teams for your family.
Of course you can ask other parents for recommendations, but in this day and age take all comments with a grain of salt. Sports are competitive by nature; parents of athletic children are often even more competitive. What is a good fit for another family may not be a good fit for your family. Also keep in mind that children are all different and will be successful in different situations.
Read More Swim Parent Resources:
Swim Team Pasta Dinner
Swimming Carb Loading
It's no secret that swimmers and other endurance athletes rely on carb loading to keep their muscles fueled for performance. Consuming carbohydrates helps build glycogen stores in muscles. Muscles "burn" or convert glycogen into energy more efficiently than any other power source.
Team Pasta Dinners
Over the years, pre-competition carb loading has become more of formal process and has evolved into a tradition.
Travelling swim teams and swimmers take over Italian restaurants in the towns and cities hosting swim meets, gobbling up plates of pasta to prepare for racing.
Historically, team dinners were more common for high school and college swimmers. More recently, club teams have embraced swim team dinners as a way to build team camaraderie and introduce younger swimmers to proper pre-race eating practices.
Pasta Dinners & Swim Parenting
As a team parent, you'll likely have the opportunity for you and your swimmer(s) to attend, or even host, a pre-swim meet dinner. You might be tempted to skip, but be advised- opting out will cause you to miss a great opportunity to:
- show additional support to the team
- build friendships with other swimming families
- avoid disappointing your athlete (team members will want to know why they didn't join the fun!)
Behind the Noodle Curtain - Team Dinners: Exposed!
On a recent "journalism assignment" (and at the behest of my wife, Stacey Kiefer), I attended the PX3 Swim Team pasta dinner at the Recplex, in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.
Dress Casual! Team members came directly from the afternoon swim workout- so our kids were in pajamas. The swim team carb loading dinner isn't an awards banquet - so anything goes.
Bargain City! The Kiefer family (Ginger, River, Robin, Stacey) paid a very reasonable $5 per head to attend the pasta dinner. Some swim team pasta dinners are fundraisers - this wasn't a fundraiser. The bargain entry feee was designed only to cover the cost for offering the event.
Pot Lucky! Families are asked to bring a side dish or desert - we brought tortillas, a mountain of avocados, limes, and other ingredients for fresh guacamole that I prepared on the spot, while under close scrutiny from Stacey Kiefer.
Basta Pasta! An ample buffet was presented for the full use of all diners - and there were plenty of carb sources: pasta, potatoes, bread, and diverse fruit salads. Baked Mostaccioli and Lasagna were served in both meat and meatless preparations.
Fun & Fashion! After dinner, kids began to produce blank t-shirts. The purpose was soon made clear as they began to decorate the "psych-up" shirts with permanent markers, adorning the garments with motivational sayings (and best wishes in other team mates shirts). Psych-up shirt decoration was a lot of fun and caused swimmers to circulate throughout the multi-purpose room, sharing ideas for the ultimate shirt design.
All In All, A Great Time!
Swim parenting can be demanding, but team dinners are fun. Don't miss out on a great chance to build relationships with the team and support your swimmers along the way.
Looking for more swim parenting advice? Check out our posts on Raising 11-12 Year Old Swimmers and Swim Parenting for swimmers age 10 & Under.
See you at the pool - or the pasta dinner,
Robin
Swim Fitness During Pregnancy
Swimming During Pregnancy
Swimming is great exercise for all ages and all abilities because it is so adaptable and low impact.
Exercise and general fitness are especially important during pregnancy. As you gain weight, it's easy to invent excuses for eating junk food and becoming sedentary. Don’t do it!
Should you swim during your pregnancy? Absolutely! If your doctor gives you the green light, the pool is yours!
The pool can be intimidating, but don’t let it be. Allow me to share my experience and some general tips and help you maintain your fitness for an easier post-baby body recovery.
Swimming During My 1st Trimester
Business As Usual?
During the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy (first trimester), your daily fitness routine may not change significantly. Despite being tired, I logged some great workouts! I did my farthest and fastest run this year, four miles in fifty minutes (don't laugh triathletes). Plus, I had some swims: a 4:12 400 yard free and 1:01 100 IM. I'm no longer an international athlete, but for someone who swims 3 times a week, not bad. I also maintained my weightlifting and participated in a Les Mills Body Combat class once a week that included punching, jumping, kicking, running, and core exercises.
Pay attention to your body!
Things to watch out for in this early stage of pregnancy would be fatigue or feeling lightheaded. Take breaks as needed and be honest with your body and mind. As a long time athlete, I know the difference between over-tired and just plain tired. I also know when I’m out of breath or lightheaded from exertion versus over-exertion.
Swimming During My 2nd Trimester
My swimming was still going well. As expected, my heart rate accelerated more readily. I continued swimming with my club team without falling too far behind. During sets of 12 x 100’s on 1:20, I managed to survive within reasonable limits.
I continued to lift weights at least once a week, focusing on moderate weight and higher repetitions. If you're after an aerobic lift, try for 20 repetitions of any given exercise with moderate exertion. For example, I repeat 30 repetitions of tricep pushdowns with 50 pounds on a machine. I continued with my Body Combat class, although some jumping became uncomfortable.
Running was still an option, but I shortened my runs to two miles, and eventually transitioned to an elliptical running machine and stationary bike.
Month 5
By month five, I stopped swimming with the club team, and began swimming with a masters group, and was still able to log 3000 meters in 75 minutes. Flip turns were uncomfortable, so I used a sloppy (but happy) form- instead of rapidly flipping in a tight little ball, I spread out. Butterfly was my friend, but backstroke and breaststroke were fine. I’m still riding the elliptical runner, typically 30 minutes at a time and burning over 400 calories while keeping my heart rate right at 140.
I still rode 20-30 minutes on the stationary bike, post elliptical depending on how I felt. My weight training remained unchanged. When done correctly, weight training can be a great exercise all the way through pregnancy.
Body Combat was no longer fun. Some kicks and jumps weren't achievable, so I substituted it every other week with more elliptical/bike/weights.
Challenges? Dealing with muscle stretching cramps. They hurt and didn't go away! Deep full belly breaths and overhead stretching helped, but sometimes I needed to stop and reset or just stopped entirely. Does it stink to stop when I was still motivated? Absolutely, but I learned to balance my enthusiasm with realism, making the best choice for my baby and I.
As I approach the third trimester, I read advice about keeping your heart rate below 140 beats per minute. I worked with doctor closely to decide on a safe heart rate. It's very important to monitor heart rate, because it increases and causes you to reach greater heart rates at your customary pace.
Swimming During My Third Trimester
My Plan
I planned to swim 2-3 times per week. I accepted that I may not be fast and it may not feel awesome. I would do flip turns until I can’t. I would continue biking and elliptical running at an acceptable heart rate. If I can’t keep it there I will lower the intensity level of the machine and not berate myself about it. I will lift weights weekly and attempt to make no changes to my routine.
What really happened....
I swam 3 times a week. I loved it, but my slower speed was frustrating. During a 3000 meter time trial, I was glad to clock 44 minutes. I slacked on the elliptical and the bike, but I didn't fault myself.
An unfortunate car accident earned me an 8 hour hospital visit and a totaled car. Thankfully, my baby was fine. I did sustain a new injury and was advised to take it easy for 3 to 4 weeks.
After that, I never really resumed my elliptical or bike training. I continued swimming and walking the dogs. Those muscle stretching cramps were killer, and grew worse every week - but my "reset" technique got me through it - stopping and stretching (or sitting perfectly still) for five minutes and try again. It worked almost every time.
My last swim was Friday, November 19th, and I enjoyed the weightless comfort of the pool and thought about my induction- scheduled for November 24th.
However, our baby boy chose Sunday, November 21st for his birthday. Amid tornado warnings and a swim meet that his daddy was running, he made his debut after 15 minutes of active labor and two pushes.
Caleb Edward Milak was born at 4:35PM, weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces - and we're all doing fantastic.
That Was My Story - But What About You?
I recommend swimming for everyone. As your pregnancy progresses, the simple feeling of weightlessness in the water can be a welcome reprieve. Doing something is always better than doing nothing. Swimming for 30 minutes easy back and forth is an excellent way to keep your muscles healthy, even 20 minutes, even 10.
I have heard from many nurses and doctors that women who swim regularly typically have easier deliveries. After two babies, I have to agree, so find a way to your local swimming pool and get active!
Learn More About Aquatic Fitness:
Raising a Swimmer - Part II: 11-12 Years
In my first post about raising young swimmers (10 & under), I discussed possible swim meet & swim practice time commitments. I also outlined the basics your child would be learning and what experiences they might be learning from.
Now I'll continue with the next age bracket, pre-high school, 11-14 year olds.
This age range encompasses two age groups that have very significant differences; so I'll start with 11-12 age group (and save 13-14 year olds for my next post).
Swim Practice Frequency For 11-12 Age Group
Practices will likely be longer but not more frequent. One a day, six days of the week will likely be offered. Instead of being 60 to 75 minutes long, practices may last 75 to 100 minutes with added dryland activities. Dryland might include stretching, abdominal exercises, shoulder exercises, or running.
I firmly stand by my previous statement of never planning a missed workout. Do not plan on taking every Wednesday off- like as not something else will come up during the week at some point to cause another miss.
At this age kids are still trying to do everything. If your child is involved with swimming and an additional sport, make sure they honor their commitments. If Suzie has Tuesday violin lessons, can she attend a partial practice before or after? Ultimately, fitness is not the primary concern for this age - communicating and making good on their activity schedules should be the primary focus.
Swim Meets For 11-12 Age Group
At this level, dual session meets, preliminaries, and finals are possible. Preliminaries (prelims) take place in the morning, while finals take place after a break from competition in the afternoon. Not all swimmers make finals - finals qualification is a selection process of the morning’s top times. Sometimes only the 8 fastest will swim again, sometimes it is the top 16. I've seen finals are 32 swimmers deep - but not often more than that.
If your swimmer doesn't make finals, consider having them attend anyway. They can learn about what happens during a finals session so they aren't overwhelmed their first time out. Socialization and cheering for teammates makes for excellent team building, and builds athlete character to boot.
What lessons are learned?
Your swimmer is learning to honor commitments. They want to be at practices and meets because their friends are as well. They want to get better together, compete together, and have fun together. They are learning to make lifelong friends.
They begin to see results - the returns of their effort and commitment. They're learning that if they work hard - good things happen! Coach is proud, my teammates are congratulating me, I earned a ribbon, achieved a personal best time- building confidence all the while.
Competitions and practices are teaching them how to be team players. They are learning how to be aggressive when exerting effort and being compassionate when a teammate fails to meet a goal.
Time is precious; swimming does demand a great deal of it. I hope you can see the trade value as we move through the ages and the lasting character it will bring your committed athlete.
Thank You Swim Parents!
Please let me know if you have any questions and watch for my next post on swim parenting for 13-14 year age group!
Learn More About Competitive Swimming:
- Training for A Triathlon? Here’s the Gear and A Workout Plan to Help You Prepare!
- How to Train for Your First Triathlon
- Why Every Swimmer Needs A Finis Tempo Trainer
- My First Triathlon
- What To Pack In Your Swim Meet Bag
- 5 Ways Swimmers Self-Sabotage
- Summer Swim Training: 5 Tips To Keep It Fresh!
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Swimmers
Swim Parenting - Raising A Swimmer - 10 & Under
Swimming is an excellent sport that teaches incredible life lessons and instills virtuous qualities within its participants.
But what is expected of young swimmers and the parents that raise them? Read on to see what swim team life looks like for parents of swimmers age 10 and younger.
Swim Parents - What are you in for?
Is that what you were wondering? Has your imagination run wild hearing other swim parents talk about endless weekends and early mornings? Don't let the pessimistic talk get you down. There are countless benefits that far outweigh the early mornings and long weekends if your child is in the sport for the long haul.
How Often Is Swim Practice?
For swimmers age 10 & under, you can expect a swim team to offer 5 - 6 practices per week. Some coaches will want their athletes there every day, without exceptions. Other coaches are more relaxed and will recommend a smaller number of practices per week. Personally, as a coach, I encourage kids to never plan to miss. Why? Because things come up. Last minute homework, family emergencies, illness, fender benders... there are a million things that can keep your kid from attending practice. Always plan to go to practice, this stands true to all ages. This is a basic life lesson you can start at a young age. Commitment.
Swim Meets
Swim meets will likely be timed finals, single session events, so just an afternoon or just a morning. Sometimes meets will only last one day, but more often will be two. Friday afternoon coupled with Saturday morning or Saturday morning and Sunday morning.
At this age, your young swimmer should be having fun and learning about being a team player (emphasis on fun). FUN. They are encouraging and cheering for each other and doing things together as a team.
Swimmer Goals & Progress
Young swimmers go through tremendous growth & development during early involvement with swimming, learning how to listen and take instructions- and execute them. Their motor skills are increasing drastically. They are exploring their limits and pushing themselves.
Coaches may talk about goals- short term and long term to help your swimmer build their intrinsic drive. The kids get to compete with their peers on a regular basis in a battle of who rules the pool. Sometimes it might be a kick set and other times a swim set. A good coach will find ways to have multiple kids be the victor and leaving everyone feeling accomplished.
Young Swimmer Nutrition & Rest
Expect your child's appetite to grow. Your swimmer may eat more than other kids their age who aren't in athletics. Make sure you feed them quality foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy, meats, and grains. Encourage them to drink plenty of water (not energy drinks) and make sure they get a reasonable amount of sleep.
Hope that helps!
Please let me know if you have any questions and watch for my next post on swim parenting for 11-12 year age group!
Read More Swim Parent Resources:
