How to help our swimmers juggle school, swimming and social life.
When I was coaching college, I think about 90% of my student-athletes were at the top of their class. What is it about the combo of swimming and academics that just seems to click?
I honestly think it is because swimmers learn how to work hard. They learn early on that to be a good swimmer you have to practice. There are some successful "high school" only swimmers out there, but the majority put in the work all year around, and are able to reap the benefits of their work. I think that transfers to how they attack their academics. Most swimmers are not okay with being just average. Be it at swimming or academics. We want to be the BEST (that we can be).
A couple ways to help your teenagers learn how to do this is:
Prioritize- identify what is coming up (swim meet schedule, class projects, big reports). What needs to be done when and encourage them to complete tasks in a timely manner.
Create a schedule- create time for all aspects, balance is key. There is time for everything on most days. Example (My High School schedule): Practice 3:30-6pm, Dinner and Homework 6-9pm, the getting on Instant Messenger with all my friends 9- 10. (I may have just dated myself). My parents knew my schedule, my friends knew it- it is what worked for me, so what will work for you, your kids, your family?
Minimize Distractions- This is huge! Remind your swimmer, the time they spend at the pool, is practice time. If their mind is obsessing about the big project at school, then they are not able to put 100% effort into training? They are just going through the motions and there is not anything they can do about the project until they are out of the water. And Vice Versa. When they are studying or working on that project after practice, they need to be focused on their studies. They can not do anything about swimming at that time.
So how do we tie in the social life? Of course there may be the missed prom or the big concert that everyone is going to. But for the most part, swimming is quite the social sport. Swimmers can go into huddles before or after practice to laugh with their buddies or talk about the Taylor Swift album that is coming out. Not to mention, the lovely weekend long swim meets, where in between events they are socializing with their friends from not only their team, but the other teams. When I was in high school, after our Friday night practice we would grab Subway or some pizza and then go to our football or basketball games. Home by 11 or so, and bright eyed and ready for morning practice the next day. It can work. But it takes a conscious effort to balance it all.
Sit down with your swimmer and make a schedule, have the conversation so that everyone is on the same page. It will help you as parents to know your swimmers schedule and expectations. Also, your swimmer will know what is expected as them.
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