Poolside Chat - parents of competitive swimmers continued

[Glittertwins]

Getting a bit close to the end of the previous one!

Well done your ds.

I didn't even know there were events you could win cash prizes other than the skins events that aren't usually that often!

Hope everyone has had a restful summer and is ready to get back into the swing of juggling training and work and school.

Ds went back Tuesday. They are on a skeleton programme until 18th Sept. Phase 1 starts tomorrow.

But just 3 mornings last week - just 1.5 hours.

Next week 3 mornings of just 1.5hrs, 2 evenings the same and both evenings 1hr LT too.

Not sure I'm 100% ready for the madness that is being a swim parent but at least we are broken back in gently 🤣

Hope everyone else's returns go ok

DSs club have a reduced programme over the summer and are encouraged to take some time off completely at some point.
Straight back in to full timetable as of Monday and that is also his first day in his new squad. We have had to get a parachute, ankle strap, tempo trainer for this new squad hopefully someone there will show him how to use the tempo trainer as I read the instructions and still haven't got a clue!

Ds didn't swim from when he'd finished competing at British until last Tuesday. They went back week of 21st (2 sessions that week) but we were away.

His club are really hot on rest and getting back in slowly to prevent injury.

They had 2 week shut down after nationals but the performance swimmers only trained up to their end of season meet. Then first 2 weeks back before school term starts they aren't expected at sessions and many are on holiday.

We had 2 weeks shutdown after all nationals had finished then a skeleton program but we missed some of that due to our holidays. Back in full time as of tomorrow morning but they'll miss some due to school trips.

How's everyone settled back in?

Our slow build has finished now and start back to full training programme on Monday.

Had their club champs last night (50s of each stroke) and ds on pb time so that's a good start!

I'm enjoying being back to walking 5k a few times a week and finding having routine again settling. (Although I don't need 4am alarms for routine!)

Yep, back to the early starts here too. He's rather enthusiastic about being back as well.

Rather too enthusiastic here 🤣🤣🤣 that's ds - not me 🫣

First gala of the season today. I cant believe we willingly spend our weekends like this and pay for the pleasure!

Oof, it was a hot one today, don't fancy melting poolside!!

How's everyone's training going?

Ds managed 4 days back to full training before his body gave up and halfway through his 5th session of the week had what they call "neurological episode".

Slept most of Friday and missed Friday evening. Trained really well Saturday.

Plus he now has a better LT session for Saturday morning as the BS s and c coach provided one for his when he asked for advice.

It's based around balance. Which if you saw ds trying to get ready on the blacks you'd understand why 🫣🤣 👀

@itsgettingweird oh no sorry to here your DS has had a bit of a struggle getting back into training but sounds like he has the right support around him.

My DS is battling a knee injury at the moment at the same time as moving up to a squad with a much more intense training schedule so we are on a constant round of ice packs and ibuprofen here.

It's not so much getting back in for DS rather than it's his neurological condition just choosing the wrong time to flare up! (Mostly likely though related to the increased stress on his body!)

Sorry to hear your ds is struggling in a knee injury. Can he use a pull bouy or band for a while (and no breast) to give it time to heal?

My ds has done one competition and managed a pb in his free, and a time in an event he hasn’t done before, but now we are back in do we reclassify (he’s a para and in my view in the wrong class) or wait, keep competing and see how he does and reclass next year when he has developed more as a swimmer, but which will probably make it clearer how disabled he is. I don’t know the answer so am going to let fate decide. Getting a reclass is difficult at the best of times! He’s enjoying it for the moment so that’s good. We are also thinking about how to get more pool time when he is obviously slower than able bodies, but possibly now needs more than the para squad… he,s also strayed cross training with rowing.

My DS is also a para swimmer.

People do get reclassed when they have their review if they are in the wrong class. My ds stayed same when WPS did his to what his BS one was but some swimmers changed.

Can you have a meeting with the coach about training? My ds is only para in club so trains with AB swimmers and sets are adjusted for him. He also does different land training one day a week when they do jumping and running - he does balance.

DD(16) isn't really competing these days (we don't have the pool time to get her fit and she'd rather be at concerts/parties at weekends), BUT she's started volunteering as an extra pair of hands/eyes for the younger kids for 90 mins/week and is loving it!

She can see what a difference a few minor tweaks to technique can make at that age and is really chuffed when she can see her suggestions working.

I was expecting to have to nag (doing it for DofE), but seemingly not.

If she can fit it round studies, she's super-keen to get her lifeguard qual (possibly because a local summerschool was so desperate to hire one they put the hourly rate up to £17/hr this summer).

At the moment DS is too disabled to swim with ABs (can't walk, can't stand, so can't dive) but we are in an active para squad including another swimmer who is quite similar, but all the 9, 10, 14s etc are far more able than DS will ever be as are most of the 8s. If we up the pool time that may change but I have to be realistic given he also can't easily share a lane for other health reasons unless with one very closely matched swimmer, which he does.

The reclass thing is because they initially said no need for 2 years but then he grew a lot taller and bulked up. But after having thought it is wrong for ages I am now thinking does it matter if it is wrong, we aren't aiming for anything other than improvement and experience and he only really competes with himself as so far in competitions if it is by age he is the only para, or sometimes the only male para so he wins on multiclassification just by showing up. If it is a para event by para points he competes with those who are 5 plus older than him and often several inches taller and post puberty with all the impact that years of growth has had. I think maybe I am therefore a fraud on this thread 😁as DS either always wins or will never have much chance depending on the event.

I have spoken to the coaches, they disagree about the next steps which I think is why I have decided to let fate (and Swim England) decide.

Madcats I am so pleased that the volunteering is working out. I am slowly working out how to improve issues of technique but someone who actually swims is so valuable when they have time to give back, * *In our area we are also always crying out for lifeguards...

whereonthestair purely going by the few meets we actually attend, the number of para swimmers seems to be increasing exponentially (or maybe people are moving down to SW because there are the coaches). Swimming for us is about the friendships outside school and the "mindfulness" when ploughing up and down the pool.

We are definitely on the lookout for a lifeguard courses (DD is a summer birthday so was always too young for the ones her friends were able to do). It struck me as a good way to earn some cash (albeit without the tips waitressing).

Lifeguarding has always been quite a lucrative summer job. My birthday is also late so I was always stuck a year behind over the summer as well.

Whereon the stair** yes the differences when your race multi classification can be different!

Im really pleased they are integrating programmes now and many more meets accept para swimmers in discretion realising they don't have qualifying times but need to race to get para qualifying times.

My ds is an S9. He can walk but due to his disability and leg spasms sometimes can't and uses crutches or a wheelchair.

Sounds like he's doing great for his classification and for being younger. My ds is 19 now so has that age advantage too and does alright for an S9.

Madcats good for your dd. It's so valuable for the younger swimmers to learn from swimmers themselves who have been there!

L2 meet for us this weekend. Anyone else at a meet?

Then a break until regionals first weekend in November.

Ds has also changed his timetable a bit with his coach. He's dropping Friday am kick set and picking the 3 hour LD training Saturday morning instead to train him up for 400m hoping to make Paralympic trials next year (he's unlikely too but great experience to try for 2028 when the chance is much higher!)

That’s fab, it would be a great experience for him if he can. Does he have to meet a certain time to be able to do the trials?

We haven’t got any meets for a few weeks, but club champs are starting soon. Both mine have just changed squads so doing a couple of hours a week more

No L2 meets here which is a bit annoying for winter nationals attempts. Qualification is not being left to last chance in winter regionals only so having to select those entries carefully!

That's annoying.

We usually do this week ds meet as L3 but upgraded it because of winter regionals and nationals. Also another L2 meet in November if needed.

Ds likely to swim them as club asked him to enter but he has winter nationals qualifying standard already so more race practice rather than was lifting pressure! Think it's easier when it's not "only chance" to qualify.

The SC season is so difficult because quite early for L2 meets although I think the summer qualifying times count but it's LC and SC time are the same?

(Paras have to get para points for nationals rather than times so I'm not 100% sure of AB rules).

Regionals is times here though.