Articles from USA Swimming...

Understand Long Term Development  (4/1/2007)  

One of the beauties of competitive swimming is that participation can extend from early childhood well into adulthood. Parents must understand that improvement is a long term process. It is critical that parents be supportive through the good times and bad, encouraging long term development over short term success.  Age group swimming is fun, exciting and rewarding.  Many children improve rapidly during the developmental stages due to growth and improved technique. It may be difficult to resist the temptation to push the young athlete. However, please don’t begin planning your child’s Olympic career. And remember, there are no 10 year olds on the Olympic Team. It is great to be the 10 year old state champion, but technique and fun, rather than intense training, are most important at this stage. Once a child reaches puberty, scientists and coaches feel that more serious training can begin. However, performances may sometimes plateau while training takes even more time and dedication. It can be a frustrating time and it often coincides with the normal trials and tribulations of puberty. It is critical that parents and coaches be cooperative and very supportive during periods of growth and adjustment. Remember, the role of the parent is to be supportive, not critical!