Practice, Practice, Practice

Every child is different (thank goodness;) Some are very competitive and want to swim every day; others like to compete, but may not want to practice. So once a swim team member, how much swimming is too much?

For younger children, a few days per week is plenty. Make certain your swimmer gets plenty of sleep and nutritious food too. At this age, the goal should be to improve technique, and enjoy the sport.

Know your child. As preteens become more independent, they may resist going to practices. Forcing them to attend can be counter-productive. Negotiate and allow them to be a part of the decision-making process. Perhaps they like to swim a certain stroke or distance at swim meets or prefer water polo to racing. Allowing them to choose may magically improve a bad attitude. Being an overzealous, demanding parent can destroy your swimmer’s desire to swim...so resist the temptation! Keep children interested during the tough years. It will definitely pay off later.

Olympic medals go to talented, self-motivated, dedicated swimmers. Fortunately, the sport of swimming has much more to offer than just gold, silver, and bronze.