What is practice like?

Tom: I have never been to a swim team practice and neither has my boy Marvin. What can I expect?

Answerman: First thing Tom, always have Marvin in his suit when he leaves the house whether you are going to a meet or practice. This will save you a lot of trouble. Nothing is more irritating than getting to an away meet and finding no suit in the swim bag. We once went to meet at Penn State, arriving at 9:00 PM; discovered no suit(we took our daughter's guarantee that there was a suit in the bag. "What could we possibly be thinking to even ask her such a question. What did we think she was? A slacker idiot?") for a 7:00 AM warm up. We went in mad pursuit of suit. Parents were not thrilled. Save yourself potential irritation. Have your kid wear his suit when he leaves your property. I would also check his bag until he is about 14 for goggles etc. This is irritating but has saved us much greater annoyance later. This is the practice of all experienced swim parents and thoughtful teenagers.

Tom: How will the coaches train my son?

Answerman: Since your son is new to swimming, the coaches will use their best initial estimate of his ability and assign him to a practice lane. Practice lanes are assigned by a combination of age and ability level. If you are standing at the deep end of our pool, the newest kids are generally assigned to the rightmost lanes with the experience level increasing as you move right to left. The coaches move kids as they improve, to a more demanding lane. New swimmers do a lot of work with kick boards. This helps give them confidence and support in the water, as they learn the parts of each stroke. Young children spend most of their time learning freestyle and backstroke. As they gain strength, stamina and coordination, breast stroke and butterfly will be introduced. I believe that it is more important to encourage your young swimmer before and after practice, than it is at meets. Swim practice is tough in ways that other sports are not. Water is not humans natural element. Your kid will spend a lot of time looking at the bottom of the pool or the sky while trying not to breath water. There is not much talking or standing around like there is in soccer, baseball, basketball etc. I have always found the will of swimmers to practice hard, far more impressive than their performance in a meet. I am more gratified by my daughters' willingness to keep slogging along than I am by the result of a 30 second race. Try to find some area of his performance to praise. "Hey, your dive is really improving! Your kick is getting really strong and tight! The water was cold today; that was tough of you to stick it out"

Tom: That's sooo Mother Theresa of you.

Answerman: Thanks

Monique: I have always tried to determine the direction and purpose of my life and my place in eternity by embracing the philosophy of life taught by exercise gurus marketing equipment on television infomercials. Can you give me one that I can apply to my child's swim training?

Answerman: Of course. Tony Little marketer of the Gazelle glider:" Passion, patience and persistence lead to perfection"

Monique: That will be my thought for the week!

Answerman: Happy to help, Monique.