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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

What after Stage 7 swimming?

34 replies

AllTheShoes · 03/11/2016 21:33

Dd1 just go moved up into Stage 7, and (looking at the timetable for our local pool) it seems as though it's the final ASA stage. Is that the point at which children either go into a squad of some sort or drop it? Should there be some sort of option locally for once a week swimming for fun and fitness, and if so, what would it be called (so I can google it)?

I don't think she'll want to do more than once a week (she'd probably rather fit in some more dance) but on the other hand, it seems a shame not to keep up those skills as she doesn't get any more school swimming and we don't go that often as a family.

OP posts:
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Original poster
AllTheShoes · 02/07/2017 22:27

Sorry, that ^^^^ is to Bertrand

OP posts:
Original poster
AllTheShoes · 02/07/2017 22:25

As I said up-thread, she can't get there by herself, nor can her friends. And there's only one hour that she finds fun (the inflatables session) which is at a time that she (and her friends) can't always make. Most of the rest of the times they're free, the pool is either swimming lessons or lane swimming.

OP posts:
Sadik · 02/07/2017 21:31

Starlight I don't know about pool lifesaving, but for surf life while there's a small component of head up swimming, most of the pool swimming is regular / just as you would in lessons.

Sadik · 02/07/2017 21:29

I'd suggest rookie lifesaving - they'll do lots of swimming for fitness, and learning first aid and lifesaving skills is surely a bonus

BertrandRussell · 02/07/2017 21:19

Alltheshoes- can't she just go with her friends?

Original poster
AllTheShoes · 02/07/2017 21:17

The only suitable swimming I've found for an 8yo is the once a week inflateable session - but we're not always around for that. She doesn't want to lane swim (can, but doesn't want to) which I understand, I don't enjoy lane swimming either.

I definitely think there's a gap in the market for swimming for fitness for older primary school kids - in fact, you could market it as core fitness to help football, ballet etc, I suspect.

OP posts:
Starlight2345 · 02/07/2017 11:14

I agree there is a gap in the market..

I phoned local pool about lane swimming on inset day..My son was in a school swmming gala..I said it was to swim not play but no he had to be 16...He is 10 so wasn't allowed.

He doesn't want to join a club but I would welcome something where he just swims for fitmess like I do..We do go swimming but would like a fun club.. He has done an inflatable session at the pool.

He also did Rookie lifegaurds but the pool he did it at closed however lifeguards is a different way of swimming and for gala I had to reteach him to swim with head in water.

scaryschoolpost · 02/07/2017 11:06

I love swimming. I swim lengths twice a week. They often only have one lane though and it's used by the fast men (I'd be medium if there were 2 lanes).

I think she's rather swim with her peers - she loves her stage 7 class. She's only 8. I might see when the pool is quieter and we can swim together. I suspect she's faster but I can swim more lengths (I do about 1k , sometimes more.)

millymae · 02/07/2017 10:49

I early morning swim at the local swimming pool attached to a school. The pool opens at 7 00 am and we're a mixed friendly bunch - it's quite regimented in that the pool is divided into 3 lanes, slow medium and fast. You swim down one side and back the other, which means that no one gets in the way of anyone else other than if you catch someone up. We definitely wouldn't bag an eyelid at a child who was there to swim being in the pool - that's what its there for after all. I'd put good money on the fact that she wouldn't be troubling the slow laners like me at all and those in the fast lane would relish the competition. Even better - you would have no excuse for not joining her!

catkind · 02/07/2017 10:06

I'm sure they'd be fine with kids swimming lengths in the lanes potato - they just don't want them playing and getting in the way. Just make sure she knows the lane etiquette. Bet she'd be faster than me!

PotatoPrint · 01/07/2017 14:14

Oh sorry to hear that AllTheShoes. I was hoping to hear your daughter had found something and is recommend to mine!

I think there's junior rookies near me I can look out for but she loves actual swimming! I could take her with me but I don't think they encourage kids in the lanes /the pools full of kids playing when we could go.

Original poster
AllTheShoes · 01/07/2017 14:10

She gave up (tried stage 8 but it was late in the evening for her, and she was tired and didn't enjoy it). So its just the occasional family swim now.

Bertrand She can't drive herself to the pool, nor can her friends. So I can take her, if she wants, but there are quite limited times in which it's open for general swimming at the weekend, so fitting it in can be tricky between her activities, when her friends are free, my own commitments etc.

OP posts:
Lowdoorinthewal1 · 01/07/2017 12:42

Maybe check out what your local swim club offers. Ours has a 'junior' section, which is basically a non-competitive group for younger swimmers who either can't make the age related times to stay in the competitive strand or don't want to be in the competitive strand. You can swim once a week in this junior squad.

I think a lot of bigger clubs offer this type of thing as an alternative route for those not suited to competitive training.

shggg245 · 01/07/2017 11:24

My two boys have just joined a swimming club as they both want to keep fit and have fun. They're no way near as good as the other swimmers who have been going for years but it's about improving your own times and techniques and they'll catch up.

The competition will come if and when they're ready and not before. It was lovely to hear all the kids cheering and encouraging them on in the time trials so I think it's good for confidence. I'd def look at a club.Smile

PotatoPrint · 01/07/2017 11:01

I'm not sure what your point is? people go to the gym, I swim, others play football etc.

My daughter enjoys swimming and I was wondering how she could continue after stage 7, like the OP. I know there's swimfit but I think that's an older age. Surely doing an exercise you enjoy isn't that unusual...

BertrandRussell · 01/07/2017 10:51

Quite glad there arenMt that many 8 year olds who swim lengths for fun, frankly!

PotatoPrint · 01/07/2017 10:43

Mines 8 too and sadly doesn't have that many friends who swim lengths for fun! If any

BertrandRussell · 01/07/2017 10:42

If she's 8 why doesn't she just go once a week with friends? That's what mine did.

PotatoPrint · 01/07/2017 10:39

But club swimming requires more than one session a week doesn't it? And a commitment to competitive swimming.

We're at a similar stage and I'd be interested in my child continuing for health/fun/technique rather than club swimming.

I swim twice a week for fitness/fun and occasionally think about adult lessons. I don't want to be competitive though (apart from with myself) and imagine my daughter would be the same. She loves swimming as a hobby.

Potnoodlewilld0 · 23/11/2016 10:46

Club swimming style is different to normal swimming so I think leaving them in normal
Stage swimming encourages bad habits to develop

Potnoodlewilld0 · 23/11/2016 10:44

Swimming teacher here.

op if this is something she wants to continue then reslly you need to be looking at club swimming now. You don't need to go all through the stages and if she is good enough they will accept her with a bit of work needed.

I think the last stages are a waste of time money if it's just swimming you want to continue.

InformalRoman · 23/11/2016 10:39

Pressure on pool time and availability of coaching staff often makes it impossible to offer Swimfit type options. It would be good if swimming was seen as more of a life skill than a hobby.

CMOTDibbler · 22/11/2016 12:18

Why don't you just go swimming more often as a family? Ds and I go swimming together and he'll play while I do lengths, then he'll join me for a few hundred metres, we'll play diving/tumbleturns etc, swim some more and so on. If timing works out, he'll come lane swimming with me, but can duck out to play.

myfavouritecolourispurple · 22/11/2016 12:02

Our local pool is the same in that early morning swimming is for clubs and/or adults.

But our pool 's lessons go up to stage 10 and honours, and has swimfit. My 14 year old still swims once a week for an hour in a structured coaching session. He doesn't want to swim with a club and probably isn't really good enough, but he is a competent swimmer and enjoys what he does do. He has done his ASA gold and is working towards Honours. I think it's good that our leisure centre caters for the teen swimmer.

As well as the stages, he did a bit of personal survival (SEAL awards).

Rookie lifeguard is another option which is available from 8 years old.

M00MINMAMMA · 19/11/2016 01:22

Jumping in here because my ds also stopped at stage 7 as he doesn't like how aggressive our local clubs are. DH is Australian and gobsmacked that it is competition or nothing for swimming here - he swam every morning before school for fun but it's just not possible anywhere around where we live. Early morning swimming is adults or clubs only. I do think there's a real gap for kids who want to continue developing technique and have structured practice without the pressure of club training.

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