Q: Should boys and girls be trained differently? A: During the early years of competitive swimming, children of both genders are predominantly pre-pubescent. This stage allows for some flexibility in grouping the young athletes. At this point, young boys and girls can train together with relative ease. Girls tend to move through biological development more rapidly than boys of similar chronological age (approximately 2-2.5 years earlier). This may cause initial differences within the training groups. Further, elements such as aerobic capacity (ability to use oxygen to make energy) and muscle...

Keeping Kids Healthy During Back-to-School Season It's that time of the year when schoolkids lament the end of the summer and parents enjoy their child's return to the classroom. However, keeping those kids in the classroom rather than at home sick is easier said than done -- especially since the common cold and other illnesses can spread quickly in a school setting. "Anytime you put people together in any type of crowded conditions, including schools, you see an increase in infectious diseases," said Vincent Fischetti, head of the bacterial pathogenesis...

Q: My son comes home every night and says, "Tommy doesn't help cover the pool or pick-up boarads." What do I say to him? A: First of all, be sure to commend your son for helping out and explain why that’s important. Praise him for helping without being asked. In this case you might encourage him to talk to Tommy and ask him to help the coach and the group by pitching in. This will begin to teach your son to deal directly with a problem and the person he...

Muscles Trained: Core Importance to Swimmers: By incorporating dynamic flexibility with core strengthening, this demanding drill can help with both flip turns and improving your streamline position. Execution: Sit on an exercise mat while balancing on your rear end. With your feet held just off the ground and arms wrapped around your shins, brace your core as you quickly extend into a streamline position. When your arms and legs are as straight as possible, pause for a split second before quickly curling back up to the starting position. Shoot for...

Q: My daughter is influenced by the senior athletes. How do I encourage her to have the appropriate role models? A: That’s a tough one. We suggest you begin by complimenting or simply pointing out the behavior of athletes you want her to emulate. Focus on such things as a good work ethic, sportsmanship, a good attitude, and other values held by your family. There have been many heroes and role models throughout the history of swimming, e.g. Tracy Caulkins, Mary T. Meagher, Pablo Morales, Jeff Rouse, etc. Encourage your...

Q: My daughter can beat several girls in the senior training group, but her coach won't move her up. Why not? A: While your child may have the physical skills or times to move to the next group, move criteria may also be based on emotional, social and cognitive skills. Additionally, having performance times does not necessarily equate to being able to train in that group. Progression from group to group is set by the coaching staff to ensure long-term development. This allows proper training to be introduced at the...

Preparing the Mind While an elite athlete can spend countless hours training his or her body, too often, little time or attention is devoted to preparing the mind for the challenges and demands of sport. Because an athlete's state of mind can significantly affect his or her performance or the eventual outcome of competition, developing strong mental skills can help athletes of all levels searching for a competitive advantage. Some of the influences affecting an athlete's state of mind include: the pressure and desire to win managing a unique and...

Q: I worry that my child is overwhelmed by all of his commitments. What can I do? A: Talk to your son. Is this your perception or is it really happening? If your son is overwhelmed, it’s time to work together in establishing priorities. Be sure to make any observations of “wasted” time in his day. After helping him establish his priorities, help your son determine whether it is necessary to drop some activities. Then, some decisions have to be made by you and your child to relieve this pressure...

Sport as Life Skills Education A key phrase used by coaches an parents is that sport is "an extension of the classroom." That is, they believe student-athletes should be learning life lessons through sport. 84% of the student-athletes agreed that they are learning life skills through their sport participation that will apply to life beyond athletics. Focus group participants said they saw sport as a "microcosm of the real world" in which student athletes are able to learn life skills in a controlled athletic environment and apply these skills to...

Have you ever set a goal for yourself, like getting fit, making honor roll, or being picked for a team? Like lots of people, maybe you started out doing great, but then lost some of that drive and had trouble getting motivated again. You're Not Alone! Everyone struggles with staying motivated and reaching their goals. Just look at how many people go on diets, lose weight, and then gain it back again! The reality is that refocusing, changing, or making a new start on something, no matter how small, is...