Hello
Our swim season has just ended with disappointing performances at the District Meet. Don’t get me wrong, we’re very proud of her for that achievement, but she wants to do better. She wants to train in the off season. Her strongest events are the 50 Free with a time of 28.94 and the 50 Breast with a 38.95. So she obviously leans towards the shorter sprints as she is very short. Any help is appreciated. Weights, dry land, pool workouts. Let us know.
Thanks!!!
If she’s in a club you may want to speak to her coach 1st as they’d be the best suited to answer. Also, I’d be very careful about starting weights at too young an age.
Just have her train with her team during offseason. She will get better; just don’t push her so hard she gets injured or make her hate the sport. This is ultimately her journey.
Her coach would be a better resource for this as they have better knowledge of her as a swimmer and the areas she needs to improve on. I know that this is her decision and you guys are trying to support her, but make sure that she can still keep the love she has for it. It still needs to be fun for her. My team environment at first was very supportive but then it became very much about trying to get better and faster with zero fun aspects when I got burnt out. To this day I still can’t do club swim and only swim on my own or for water polo. It needs to be a healthy mix to prevent burnout.
@Ridge
Thank you. We are going to speak with her most liked coach to get an idea of off season exercise.
Blai said:
@Ridge
Thank you. We are going to speak with her most liked coach to get an idea of off season exercise.
Why are you going to talk to her coach? This should be a conversation between the athlete and the coach, not you. This is not how you support. You’re backseat driving. There is no ‘we’ here.
@Aza
There is no ‘we’ because the athlete is in charge and fully mature. That’s why the athlete drives to practice, gym, and school. The athlete purchases and prepares healthy meals, pays club and meet fees, etc.
@August
This kid is capable of talking to her coach herself about how she would like to improve. That’s how you help your kids be independent and make their own progress with things they want to make progress in. If OP felt that way, they would have said ‘I’ll encourage her to go talk to her coach,’ or ‘I’ll go with her when she talks to her coach.’ Not ‘WE will go talk to her coach,’ because the parent shouldn’t be talking in that conversation when it’s about the kid wanting to improve and should be the kid taking the initiative.
@Aza
You don’t know this child. Some kids are capable, some are not. You sound like you’re not a parent, not an experienced coach, and speaking through only your own myopic experience.
@Aza
There is always a ‘we’ because it’s family! We’re trying to do everything we can to provide her with the tools to improve. That’s it.
Blai said:
@Aza
There is always a ‘we’ because it’s family! We’re trying to do everything we can to provide her with the tools to improve. That’s it.
Coach here that works with 13-14s. There is definitely a ‘we’ as the whole family needs to be supportive. But I highly recommend you have your daughter tackle this - help give her the tools to have that conversation with her coach rather than going to bat for her immediately. It’s hard but for her swimming (and I believe, her personal development) it’s better in the long run. As an aside, look at any elite famous swimmers’ swim cloud. Any event will show ups and downs. It’s normal. Plateauing is normal. Long term over short term, always.
I’d suggest talking to her coach… that’s always the first step in general (and online). Random internet strangers should not be giving you ideas about a 100 word post about your daughter. If coaches have no suggestions, I would suggest finding an equitable sport for the summer to boost her fitness (soccer, track, triathlon, etc.).
@Grier
Absolutely. She expressed an interest in running Cross Country.
Soooo 50 stroke events aren’t a thing past 12 years old, so having a time at a district meet in 50 breast tells me you’re not in a place that is training kids to be top competitors. If she’s happy with her times, let it go.
@Marlow
Can you clarify here? Not sure what you mean by ‘aren’t a thing past 12 years old?’
Corbin said:
@Marlow
Can you clarify here? Not sure what you mean by ‘aren’t a thing past 12 years old?’
Look at time standards https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/timesdocuments/time-standards/2024/2021-2024-national-age-group-motivational-times.pdf
Your daughter is a BB for 50 free - top 35% in her age group. 50 of strokes don’t exist past the age of 12.
@Marlow
Your 50 information is outdated in the US. USAS changed the rules this year to allow 50s for older age groups. https://swimswam.com/usa-swimming-adds-recognition-for-50-fly-back-and-breast-for-13-14-age-group/#:~:text=50%20fly%2C%2050%20back%2C%20and,Ted%20Stevens%20Amateur%20Sports%20Act.
@Marlow
Our LSC’s open champs had stroke 50s for the first time this year. NSCA champs has stroke 50s. World aquatics championships has stroke 50s.
@Marlow
50y freestyle is in high school swimming, but I agree with the rest of what you’re saying here.
Aza said:
@Marlow
50y freestyle is in high school swimming, but I agree with the rest of what you’re saying here.
Thank you, she is happy with her times and we are too. She just expressed an interest in trying to get better in the off season. I don’t know what swimmers do in the off season. She’s not in a club; she swims YMCA.