First club swimming training overwhelming-normal?

[NewSwimmingMum]

Dd, 10, has just had her first club swimming session and had to have a little rest half way through and was teary and overwhelmed afterwards.

Please tell me this isn't totally out of the ordinary! She's a nice swimmer, but hasn't done more than half an hour at once before and not in a 25m pool.

Will it get easier?

@NewSwimmingMum she will! DS was swimming about 7000m in a session once they got well into training (in a performance squad all at regional and above standard).

One thing he is really struggling with is no longer being allowed to eat the amount he was used to. He complained last week about the lack of snacks in the house and then remembered why they’ve disappeared.

Oh, I see what you mean-he isn't burning as many calories now? I can relate, not as a sportswoman, but when I went from walking/cycling everywhere as a student to having a car I very much noticed that I couldn't eat what I used to!

Thank you to those who were so encouraging. Tonight's session went really well and she was buzzing with it afterwards. An hour, so that helped. Has made a friend and, if the lanes work like that, she seems to have moved up one. I'm going to imagine they do anyway!! 😉

DD has been in squad for 5 years (albeit with a lot of "not swimming" during lockdowns). I used to sit and watch from time to time.

Just to reassure you and your DD that it will take several weeks to get fit enough to participate properly. DD's club usually has a "newbie" lane with a dedicated coach/volunteer to ease the transition.

Snacks snacks snacks.....and plenty of sleep.

@Madcats thank you. So good to know.

@NewSwimmingMum - perfectly normal to feel like that after first one. DS stopped last year after 11 years and used to struggle at first having gone from half hour class to 1 hour 3 times a week. 10 is probably a little bit older than some starters to competitive swimming but she will soon fit in fine with the others and keep up for the full session. Definitely plenty of snacks. DS used to have a banana pre swim and chocolate milk afterwards or fruit malt. You may not be allowed to do shorter hours if they have a minimum requirement. DS first squad was 3 sessions of one hour swim and half hour land training (age 6) and he moved up age 8 to four sessions a week including one early morning and all sessions mandatory. Depends on the club. Your DD will get used to the training intensity quite quickly.

@estherfrewen more reassurance, thank you. She has loved the other sessions she has now had and coach said he's pleased with her. I can see progress already and she is working so hard to keep up. And, almost as importantly, seems to have made a couple of friends-smiles seem to indicate so, anyway!

Oh it's always good to hear that newbie-swimmers are settling in.

We've always found it really handy to have some close friends outside school. Maybe it's just her personality, but DD didn't ever get involved in playground/friendship dramas.

Time to dig out the fleece lined woolly hats this week, I think!