Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Extra-curricular activities

If they don't do competitive swimming, what do they do?

21 replies

raindropsonwindows · 08/08/2019 23:17

I've just read the thread below about competitive swimming & have a slightly different question.
9yo DD has just completed stage 7 swimming. We're going to really struggle to get her into a stage 8 class due to lesson times clashing with other commitments. We could ask for a squad trial but I'm not sure she's quite good enough, fear she would find it dull and I'm not that keen on getting up ridiculously early in the mornings.
But if she doesn't carry on with stage 8 lessons and doesn't do squad, what does she do? And what will happen to all of the skills & technique she has learned? I'm not worried about losing fitness as she does lots of other sports... although am worried about those other sports causing an injury to her in which case swimming would be a great help.

OP posts:

Report

BillywilliamV · 08/08/2019 23:20

Our local club does a lovely thing called Mini Olympics, they do time trials, water polo, but of life saving, races, synchronised swimming. From age 11 to 16, just having fun in the water..Swimming clubs are far too competitive and so much hard work!

Cherry321 · 08/08/2019 23:25

Life saving?

BackforGood · 08/08/2019 23:40

Triathalon?
Water polo?
Life Saving ?

Moving on to something like rowing or sailing, kayaking or canoeing ?

estherfrewen · 09/08/2019 08:12

Our council runs junior masters which sounds a bit like the mini olympics above. Also our competitive club has a non competitive pathway from 7 up to 18 (three separate squads depending on age) where there is no pressure on attendance or to compete but they still train as though competing. Some move across to the performance side but most are happy swimming once or twice a week with no early mornings! And it is a great social group across all the squads (we have three performance squads and a disability squad too). I would ask round locally at the different clubs to see what is on offer or through your council.

HelloJackieYouLookNice · 09/08/2019 08:14

Do they offer synchronised swimming? Dd tried squad swimming and synchro and chose synchro, she’s been doing it for around 2 years now.

HelloJackieYouLookNice · 09/08/2019 08:15

And synchro is a lot less intense - twice a week as opposed to 4 with squad

Alliumlove · 09/08/2019 08:18

We found a non competitive club. They train a couple of times a week, but only do an internal gala once a term. It isn’t perfect but it works well for them. Now they are older they have started volunteering as poolside assistants (taking the odd lane) and doing the teaching exams.

wonkylegs · 09/08/2019 08:20

Do they do the challenge badges?
DS went up all the levels then did the challenge badges which are a mix of skills and distance swimming
He was going to go on to lifeguard training from then but unfortunately it clashes with another activity so we are currently just doing a weekly swim session. Bit of mucking around with his brother but also I challenge him to various activities

Bunnybigears · 09/08/2019 08:22

My non competitive DS did Rookie Lifeguards and surfing.

YobaOljazUwaque · 09/08/2019 08:22

Life saving training - there's a scale of badges to obtain and eventually she can become a qualified life guard and can get a Saturday job at the pool for extra pocket money.

Loubydoo · 09/08/2019 12:10

Diving?

WooMaWang · 09/08/2019 12:26

There are different levels of competitiveness and commitment in swimming clubs. DS2 (inadvertently) joined the most competitive club in our area, after being in a much less competitive dolphins club where they did life saving and other (fun) stuff as well as competitive swimming. Kids didn’t have to be amazing swimmers to be in the club, just working on a badge higher than stage 7. Amounts of training, expectations for performance and numbers of galas do definitely vary widely between clubs. So you could find one with a couple of sessions a week (at decent times) and a couple of (optional) local galas a year, rather than anything hardcore.

I officiate at local team galas and it’s definitely much more ‘have a go’ with an emphasis on fun in the lower division clubs than in division 1 where the clubs have/look to produce county and regional (and beyond) level swimmers.

DS doesn’t have early mornings even with his club - they don’t start them until they’re into their teens generally. Well, he’s got 7am on a Saturday which I think is grim. But it’s not 5am on weekdays.

There’s also water polo or synchronised swimming. As well as diving. Or surfing/kayaking/paddle boarding. Or triathlon.

raindropsonwindows · 09/08/2019 14:23

This is all really helpful. I had no idea there were so many options out there. I think I need to speak to one of the coaches where she has been having her lessons and find out what is going on there & elsewhere in the area.
Thank you MN

OP posts:

PinkFlowerFairy · 09/08/2019 14:29

Mine tried club swimming but here its all about county/regional times. Which is fab but mine were swimming 3x a week and didnt want to go up to 4. 9 was on the later age they'd take them too.

One of mine did a year of rookies at the poole and got all her rookie badges, but actually now theyve left the club thehy'e given it a complete break! I don't really think I thought it was an option after years of swimming, but they have fab technique and swim well so we've gained time to do other things! Mainly gym and waterpsorts.

TheLidoOfThighs · 09/08/2019 14:32

She could just swim for fun?

thirdfiddle · 10/08/2019 17:44

Could just go to the pool and do some lengths. Some pools have a system where you can work towards challenges like "swimming the channel" and track your times. The rookie lifeguard classes at our pool look like they have fun too. DS at similar stage is doing stage 8 as he definitely didn't want to swim more often, you could see if any other pools had a slot if any near?

reefedsail · 10/08/2019 19:04

My DS has 'retired' from competitive swimming (at 10 ). He was doing 7 hours already, one of which was an early morning.

Now he does 2 hours a week with a small local swimming club, lifesaving and sailing.

reefedsail · 10/08/2019 19:08

Sailing is not for the faint-hearted btw- it requires ££££ of equipment and hours and hours and HOURS of time. It's fun though.

NerrSnerr · 10/08/2019 19:12

Can she just go swimming with friends and family? It doesn't have to be an arranged activity (if she doesn't want or it doesn't fit in)

corythatwas · 11/08/2019 16:08

Wild swimming?

knottybeams · 13/08/2019 23:36

Kids triathlon?
Lifesaving? Pool lifeguard once old enough?
All things water based/boaty - sup, canoeing, sailing windsurfing etc
Synchro?
Diving? (scuba or springboard)
Swimathon?
Just saying sod the badges and swimming for headspace? It's what most adult swimmers do after all.

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.