On Becoming An Athlete at 52, swimming in my first USA Swimming meet
Here I am, about to jump into one of swimming’s most famous pools, the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis. I have been here at swim meets eight times previously, but never as a swimmer, always as a coach. This time I am here as a coach, but I could not resist the opportunity to swim in one of the world’s fastest pools.
During warm-ups with my age group team I plunge in feet first into a lane full of churning bodies, all of whom are much younger and faster than myself. As I go down the lane I periodically get a mouthful of water when I turn to get a breath . At the wall, I remind one of my swimmers, “ Keep going, don’t stop at the wall.” I now know why it is so hard to do a flip in a lane full of others. I can’t even see where the wall is with all those wriggling bodies in front of me.
Even with all those traffic problems, I am loving it. The pool is cold, the pool is deep, the pool is great. I am swimming and I feel like, wow, this is what it is like swimming here in a pool where world records have been made, where some of the world’s fastest swimmers have raced. I am here too. No, not a fast swimmer, but a new developing swimmer who is loving it.
Then the most difficult part of the entire warm-up, getting out of the pool. I cannot haul my 52 year old still overweight body out. Who could believe that the most challenging part of this experience would be leaving it? I finally get my knee hooked up on the edge of the gutter and then one foot. I have to stretch my tight 5’ 4’’ body up on the deck and roll on to it totally prone. It is not graceful. In fact, it is awkward. But I did it.
Tomorrow I will race in this pool. I will swim the 200 free and the 50 free. The 200 is a race I have done once before and I am now swimming it faster in practice than I did in my first meet. I really hope to swim it even faster in this pool than I have ever before. I will then swim the 50 free, swimming’s fastest race. The fastest I have done it is a 48 in practice, I have never raced it in a meet. I love the idea of going all out as fast as I can. I would consider it to be spectacular to be able to break 40 seconds. I am not at all sure I can do that, but I sure am willing to try.
This is me becoming an athlete, working to keep improving, to push my body and my mind to places where they have not been before. I want this so much, I want to not just be congratulated because some one my age is doing it, but because I am good at it. I am not really good at it,… yet. I am a work in process. I am becoming. So maybe next year I will be fast. I will be able to get out of pool with grace and strength. I will not only be an athlete, but a good athlete.
On Becoming An Athlete at 52, swimming in my first USA Swimming meet, Day 2
Today is the day. I am swimming in my first USA swimming meet, the 3rd meet I have done in my new career as an athlete. I feel pretty good during warm-ups and I am getting a handle on how to flip with all the bodies in front of me. I even start analyzing the strokes of my age group swimmers as I see the underwater portion of their stroke, up close and personal.
A man waiting to be a timer offers this advice after seeing me struggle to get up on deck. He says, “There are ladders built into the side of the pool, the handles are removed, but maybe the steps will help.” It does help, but I still can’t do it alone.
As I prepare to do some practice starts, I stand on the custom made blocks at the north end of the pool in lane 4 where I have seen Jenny Thompson start the 50 free. I grasp the bars on the side that are built into the block. There is enough room on this block to put my back foot pretty far back. It feels comfortable. First start, I get water in my goggles and I am too deep. Second start, I smack my thighs on the water, but goggles are clear and start is not too deep.
I still feel tight, but I have a small window of about 3 minutes to get a little more swimming in before my first race. After I swim a 100 in the warm up pool, I go to my lane for the race. I am swimming in the same heat with 2 of my swimmers. I know they will finish way before me. That is not important. I hope to break 4 minutes. I dive in and feel pretty good, although I am deep and come up about halfway down the pool. I feel high in the water and I feel strong. Wham, on the 2nd 50, I feel like lead and I have 150 yards to go. I think about keeping my stroke rate up and remind myself to finish my stroke and kick. Flip turns feel like a holding-my-breath contest. At the end, I try and sprint as much as I can, I really want to break that 4 minute mark. I look at the scoreboard-4:03. I will have to break 4 minutes the next time. I hear my swimmer’s parents applauding and cheering. I swim over to the ladder and the meet ref asks me to wait for the start of the next heat. They start and she leans over, “ Good swim.”
I get out and watch the rest of the next heat since some of my swimmers are in it.
I really want to warm down, everything is tight again. I can get in only 200 before I need to get out and coach again.
The 50 free will be right after the 200 back and I will not have time to warm up again.
In the 50 free I am swimming again with 2 of my swimmers. When we step up to the blocks, we look at each other and give each other a thumbs up and grin. The girls say, “ Good luck, Kay Lynne.” I say, “ Have fun.”
I dive in and kick really hard underwater. I come up and start moving my arms as fast as I can. Wow, this is fun. I feel incredible. I can’t believe how fast I feel and I look up a little and I see the wall. That came up much faster than I expected. The turn is a little close but not bad. I keep sprinting and about 7 yards from the end, it becomes difficult. I say to myself, “ Keep going, move it!” And then my trainers voice pops into my head, “it’s the end of the 400.” Of course it is not, but that is what he always says when I am pushing my body to move when it starts to get hard. I breathe once in the last 5 yards. I hit the wall hard and turn to look for the time. I hear whooping and hollering from the stands. I wanted to get a 43 and I get a 44. But I am happy; in fact, I want to swim this race again. That is the most concentrated dose of pure exhilaration I have had in a long time.
In the locker room, an official who is there with her daughter asks me if I swam with the children. I say yes, I swam 2 races. She is surprised and asks how long I have been swimming and I reply since this summer. She tells me my arms are buff. I have never been told that I am buff before.
When I get on the bus, the parents applaud. This is nice.
So You’re Going To A Swim Meet
Going to swim meets is about having fun, learning where a swimmer is at a particular point in time and learning how to compete well.
In addition to all of that, there is learning to prepare. Part of that is getting to the meet on time. Warm-ups are extremely important. For young and inexperienced swimmers, it is a way to become familiar with the environment and to get relaxed. For all swimmers, it is also a way to prepare your body to race. The first 1000 yards are always the hardest. Everything does not work well until at least 700-800 yards have been swum. Here is a link to an article by Saluki coach, Bill Price, about warm-ups with a link to an additional article that is important to read. http://www.swimsaluki.com/library/articles/231007.htm
Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the warm-ups begin so as to find your place. Swimmers need to be at the end of the assigned lane 5 minutes before warm-ups begin ready to get in as soon as it is allowed. Please realize that some of your swimmers take between 5-10 minutes to put on their caps and goggles on the pool deck.
Here is a list of what a swimmer should or could bring
Competition suit
2nd suit for just in case
2 caps, caps break, so be prepared
2 goggles, goggles break, so be prepared
Towels, remember you will be drying off after each event and after warm-ups
Clothing to wear over suit while waiting to compete Many times it is not warm where swimmers wait. Athletes need to keep their muscles warm to be able to avoid injury and to be able to swim as well as possible. Possible choices, T-shirts; jackets; pants that pull on; hats; deck shoes. I like polar fleece. It does not soak up water and get heavy.
Water bottle It is important to stay hydrated. When there is not enough fluid in the body, it is more likely for injury to occur. Muscles are 70% water. Headaches and cramps also occur when an athlete does not drink enough. If a swimmer likes sports drinks, I like the sports drinks to be diluted in half. That is what Gatorade Rain is, regular Gatorade diluted by half.
Food Swimmers need to eat during a meet. Racing takes a lot of energy. Possible choices-bananas, any kind of fruit; sport bars, I like Clif Bars; bagels. You want to bring food that is easily digestible and low in fat. This is the time to not have a complex carbohydrate because it takes too long to digest. This is the time for so called “white” foods. Please, no candy. Although, there is a tradition of eating peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches at meets on our team.
NO SODA. The carbonation is really detrimental. There is evidence that it softens tooth enamel, inhibits the body’s ability to absorb calcium and oxygen. In fact, any athlete should only drink soda as a treat, 2 or 3 times a year.
Something to do Swimmers need to rest and be quiet between events. Cards, games, books are all good. No balls. No running around. No wrestling
Something to sit on. Chairs are good, as are sleeping bags.
Sharpie markers to write events, heat and lane on arm
Things to expect at a meet.
Bullpen Some meets have what is called a bullpen to line swimmers up at a meet and get them on deck. This is usually done with the younger swimmers. Swimmers can get heat and lane information from their coach or their parent, if their parent purchases a heat sheet. Heat sheets are also usually posted on deck.
Concession stand The host at meet usually runs a concession stand, some choices there are good, some are terrible.
Vendors Many times there are vendors at meets and you can purchase swimming supplies.
Things a parent may want to bring
Chair Sitting on a backless bleacher can be no fun. If you stay in the bullpen area, sitting on the floor can be even more not fun.
Something to do I have seen parents who have done entire needlework projects in the stands. Books are good.
Highlighter markers If you buy a heat sheet, it is a good way to mark where your swimmer is in the pages.
A good attitude Remember this is a learning experience for your young athlete. There may be DQ’s, disqualifications. This is a normal part of the process. Everyone DQ’s. Please be sure that the rules of swimming have been addressed at practice. That does not mean your swimmer will always remember what was said in practice. That is what children do.They are also learning how to be at a meet, how it works, and how to race. You get to be supportive and enthusiastic. The coach will address any corrections that need to be addressed at the meet. In fact, for coaches, an ideal conversation between a parent and an athlete would go something like this, ” I really liked watching you race, Suzy. Was it fun for you?”
” What did your coach tell you after your event?”
” That sounds like what you should do.”
This is all part of a process. If your child does well, she will learn from that. If your child does not do well, she will learn even more from that. Please remember, your coach will not put your child in an event she is not capable of doing. Don’t let your fear stop your child from doing something. Your child may be far more capable than either you or your child realize.
Coaching Swimming
The most important thing I have learned as a coach is to never stop learning. Every individual whom I have had the privilege to coach has taught me something about how to be better. Every individual has something unique to bring to the team. I hope I am always up to the challenge of working with each athlete that I encounter.
It is important to learn what is the most effective way to teach each individual. Some are strongly kinesthetic or auditory. Most are primarily visual. To address this, coaches should be able to express their ideas in all three formats.
Example- body roll in freestyle- visual- have a good swimmer demonstrate, or show from the deck how it looks
Auditory-explain the concept and why it is effective
Kinesthetic- drills in the water to feel that aspect. Some swimmers may have to have their bodies actually moved by the coach before they get it.
Each individual has a different commitment to the sport. Coaches need to find out what that commitment is because it will directly affect the outcome of everything that is done in practice.
WHO ARE YOU TRAINING FOR?
Recently, I had a discussion with my sister about her work. She talked about how many people don’t hold themselves to a high standard when working because their perception is that they are working for the boss. People who work for themselves hold themselves to a high standard. People who work “for the boss” want to just say, “ I have it done, boss.”
I thought about this for the next 24 hours and came to this conclusion. The swimmers in my pool who flop around through the water think they are swimming for me! Or maybe their parents. They don’t really know that they are swimming for themselves.
I tested this idea at practice. I have a pair of sisters aged 9 and 10 who are talented and competitive, but I don’t see that at practice much. I do see it at meets. Their success at meets had been limited by their lack of self-discipline and commitment at practice. I know they give their mother grief about coming to practice, but at meets, it is obvious how much they actually like swimming.
I pulled them out of the pool right after warm-ups and had a talk with them while the rest of the team went on with practice.
I asked them, “Who do you swim for?” And the automatic learned response came out, “Ourselves.”
I said, “No, really, here at practice, are you swimming for me or for your mom?” (I knew it was not about them in their minds.) One of them said, “I swim for you.” I said, thank you for your honesty and challenged with, “Who do you swim for at meets?” The answer of course was themselves, but this time it was the truth. I asked, “Do you swim at practice like you do at a meet?” Thank goodness, they were open and honest again, “No.”
I said, “I think you swim the way you do at practice, because you just want to get it done, get it over with. In your mind, you want to say, I did it, coach. ” “ Do you believe that how you swim at practice affects your performance at meets?”
“Yes.”
I could tell they still didn’t really get what I was trying to convey to them.
“So, let’s say at a meet, you win some ribbons, who gets them? Do I get them or do you”
“We do.”
“Does anyone come up to me at a meet after you have had a great race and say, “Wow, coach, that was a great 50 free you just did! Good job!”
At this point, they are giggling and looking at me with knowing smiles. They understand. The sheer ridiculousness of my getting congratulated about their swims as well as getting the ribbons makes them realize that their mindset was not in sync with how they really feel. Plus the my scenario was pretty goofy.
“Now, get back in the pool and swim for yourselves.”
They had the best practice they had had all summer.
Now, I know this lesson will need to be repeated. The habit of commitment and self-discipline does not come easily. But at least, the idea is there.
I think we need to get rid of the question I hear often in the swimming world, “who do you swim for?” Many times the answer is whoever the coach is or sometimes it’s the team. In part this is true. A more accurate question would be, “Who do you swim with?” It is a partnership, not a boss-employee relationship. Granted it is not a partnership among equals, but until the athlete understands his responsibility to the process; progress and results will be limited.. When an athlete understands his own part in his success, progress and results are limitless.
I Coach, So You Don’t Have To
After a recent meet, a parent spoke to me about the conversations taking place in the stands about the swimmers. Some parents talked about everything that their child needed to change to improve. Others wondered why their child was not improving as much as another swimmer on the same team. Others expressed doubt that the coach was doing enough to make the swimmer improve. None of the comments were about whether the child was having fun or noting the improvements that did happen. Did these parents share their thoughts with their child when he or she came to the stands? I hope not. All of these concerns are the purview of the coach. All of these parents mean well. They want their children to be happy and to be successful. They want to help. Sometimes parents help their children so much that the activity, in this case swimming, becomes more about the parents’ feelings than the athletes.
It is important for the young athlete to be able to own her swimming. What I mean by this is that the desire and work and commitment need to come from the athlete. Some parents make the mistake of wanting swimming success for their children so much that there is no room for the child to discover on her own whether or not she wants to do it. Some parents are so busy making sure that everything is taken care of that the child never experiences any failure. If a child never experiences disappointment or failure, she will never learn how to recover from it. She will not know the value of appropriate consequences for her lack of action. She will not be motivated to change.
Parents are in the enviable position of being able to be their child’s cheerleader and primary emotional support for swimming. All corrections and instructions should come from the coach. The coach knows what skills and training levels the athlete should be working on.
I had a young athlete on my team for many years who loved to swim. When he became a teenager, he developed some performance anxiety issues and started swimming less well at meets that at practice. Worry became a part of every meet. He worried that he would not be good enough. He worried if he did not drop time at every meet in every event that he was not working hard enough. He worried about his mom’s reaction to his performance. That was the key it turned out. Other swimmers told me that this swimmer’s mom would tell him after every practice and meet all the things she had seen that he needed to fix. She had spent a great deal of time and effort to understand swimming and wanted to share her knowledge with her child. She wanted to be involved and to help him improve in every way possible. The result- he stopped swimming. It became not fun. He felt like he was a failure even though he had “A” times and was a leader in his lane. The message he heard with all the corrections was that nothing was good enough. The mother’s desire for the swimmer to be really good dominated the swimmers relationship with his sport. Instead of the swimmer determining the amount of time and effort he wanted to spend improving, he spent his time reacting to his mother. It became about her and not the swimming.
Parents over involvement with their child’s swimming even extends to simple things during practice.
Last year, I was in the hallway waiting for all the swimmers to be picked up and a brother and sister from the team were playing in the hall. I asked them where their mom was and they said she had gone back to the pool to get the water bottles they had forgotten. These siblings were 9 and 11 years old.
When will these children remember to pick up their water bottles for themselves? Never. Who would if someone else will do it for you? As a coach, my feeling is that swimmers should be responsible for their own equipment. Parents might want to remind, but they should not do something for a swimmer that they can do for themselves. One of the coach’s jobs is to teach the athlete to be able to take care of herself and her equipment.
All of this is not to say that parents should not have any concerns or responsibilities about swimming. Parents need to get swimmers to practice and meets on time and they need to make sure their swimmers have access to the proper equipment and supplies for their sport. Parents need to reinforce the concept that swimming on a team is a commitment to the team and to the sport and to themselves. If parents have concerns about training levels, skills, or stroke technique, those concerns should be discussed with the coach. The coach is responsible for the long-term development of the athlete and may have a different view of what is happening. Your child’s coach knows her as an athlete. Your child’s coach knows what your young athlete can do and what she is capable of doing. Let your young athlete have her own relationship with her coach and with her sport. Don’t become your child’s coach. Hopefully, she will have many good coaches in her life. No matter what, she will only have one mom and one dad. Be the parent.
