Poolside-Chat-parents-of-competitive-swimmers

[Glittertwins]

Hopefully this will work as we’re at 999 on the other!

That is also really worrying re the little ones, they really need and deserve a bit of encouragement

We just had an in-house gala.

Considering they aren't back fully and trained at 5am this morning ds did really well. Also their coach tells the performance swimmers to wear training gear.

Ds hit his 50 fly pb but was told to race it at 100m pace as S9s do the 100 only. And he did a small pb in the 50 free (somehow )

@itsgettingweird always atrange how the manage to do that. DS's fastest ever 50m was in the middle of a 400m race. Has never managed to replicate it in an actual 50m race somehow!

DS has his first gala of the season tomorrow. First time he will wear his different coloured hat that you earn after swimming at Nationals. None of his friends have one so like a typical 12 year old he doesnt want to wear it despite it being considered an achievement to earn one!!!

This doesn't sound encouraging at all, hope they reconsider.

Our times are quite quick so there's little chance of more than 24 getting the automatic qual time. They tried that one year and cut kids who had made the qual time - it did not go down well hence consideration times. This was before our time though

Good luck to minihello. Hope he wears his hat with pride!

We rarely ever have about 10 swimmers hit our auto times because they are so high but I agree it's so hard when they cut those that do make them. It's happened an odd time when they misjudge how well swimmers will do.

Our times aren’t out yet. We also don’t have consideration times, just qt.
I have just bought spectator tickets for SC counties though. I much prefer the online tickets they introduced post Covid

Well DS wore his hat, I think he was proud inside but he is so reserved you can never actually tell what emotion he is feeling.

Does anyone else find swim club can bring out the worst in parents? I have come to realise that whichever group of parents I sit with the main topic of conversation seems to be slagging off the parents and sometimes children of the other group. I dont go to training and just sit wherever there is a space at galas so I dont feel like part of any particular group but its becoming obvious there is a quite definite divide between them and honestly its quite nasty.

My club when I was small was horrible for that behaviour, the parents really created a rift and pushed it down to their children.
Our current club is not like that. We're often at training as we live too far to go home and come back. We have a good group of parents who support all of them. Our children swim and compete against each other but they are also good friends and really support during racing. For a club that is apparently elitest, the reality is that they are not.

A lot of sports are like this.

But yes - swimming can be one of the worst!

I get on and talk to everyone but there is a definite set of competitive parents who are good for amusement factor.

My favourites are the "we aren't competitive parents" who know everyone else's times and ranks which mean they've looked them up. But apparently they are also not interested and just hope their own child is happy.
Who discuss the sets with their kid, notice every time the coach speaks to them and obsess over what about - and obsess over what they say to the other swimmers.

I can't be arsed with it all. This is ds gig - not mine. I could think of better ways to spend my time and money but as his parent it's my job to support him 🤷‍♀️

Should say in general most are ok.

I just make sure instead the conversation to non swimming topics.

The Uber competitive swim parents don't talk to me now anyway. Ds having a good summer meet was great in more ways then 1

Oh God yes the "I'm just happy that they are enjoying themselves" parents who then go on to scrutinise their entire race and know all their times and that of their competitors off the top of their head.

I think I will maybe turn up a bit late to the next gala so I unfortunately have to sit by myself I cant be bothered with the drama.

I do happen to know the times on the databases mainly because I help coach and if they are x% effort in the sessions, I work out their rep times to make sure they aren't just going at the turn around time.

That's different glitter

I also find the competitive parents who find 101 reasons why their child didn't perform that day. Most involve blaming the coach or club.

Obviously nothing to do with their child?! Or their training ethic?! Or attendance?!

Or even just that they aren't robots and are growing children and will have days where it goes better than others like all athletes do!

I think many kids activities are full of bitter parents. Dds old club in England was formed as a split between parents and then coaches took sides... twice. So a small town had 3 highly competitive and bitter rival Clubs.
Current clubs head coach used to coach athletics and it was the same there. As was a Brownies group I helped lead!

At least at swimming we've never had a full on fight at any competition unlike at a local kids football match. The police had to be called due to parents and the abuse the officials were getting.

That is true, my other DS plays football. In general terms football seems to be dads getting angry and sometimes fighting and swimming seems to be mums being bitchy. Luckily both those groups are the minority though.

Ds just had his zoom for the SE talent programme. They are calling them the youth England team!

It's mad. They have so many opportunity and are planning European and international meets.

Although ds doesn't have international classification so I'm not sure he'll be going too far too soon

Sounds an amazing opportunity, he's going to have a lot of training but a great time

@itsgettingweird thats brilliant how exciting for him.

That sounds amazing, will he be getting an international classification soon?

No idea 🤣🤣

From what i understand SE have to apply and then we have to submit the same paperwork again on IPC paperwork and then you get done at an international competition?

His para talent coach did mention something about it at British swimming to ds.

But I don't think it's a simple or quick process!

Does anyones swimmer play water polo as well? There is a possibility of DS doing some waterpolo sessions (well probably just 1 a week) but it would then mean no full rest day each week. J treated to see if anyone does waterpolo alongside swimming and if they see it as an advantage or disadvantage to their swimming.

J treated was supposed to day interested 🙈

It sounds a frustrating process that you have to get it all assessed again, I would have assumed once it was done at the national level then that was it. But hopefully British swimming will be able to help you get it sorted, it would be incredible to be able to compete internationally

I know swimmers who play waterpolo and swim. Some go on to focus more on waterpolo, others just play water polo as a fun add on to their swim training.

For the latter, they might only play polo once a week and play league matches. The ones who go on to focus on waterpolo do it because there's a chance of getting on national teams.

Re: para - I think his coaches / NGB find a meet abroad that he can get his international accreditation at. I know our NGB did that for a para swimmer before she qualified for the Commonwealths.