do you have to b good from the start

[tinie]

to make it as a swimmer do you hav to be good frome the begining ??
i was told ill never make it, but not by a coach by a swimmer in my club i dont like her so i ignored her but is she right do you always have to be good to male it ?
:wave:

[Pete]

I coached a swimmer who did not qualify for her county champs until she was 14. At 16 she won the senior 100 and 200 Breast and finished 12th at Nationals. There are loads of late developers in swimming; currently James Gibson.

[GettingFaster]

Tinie, you have to DO IT to make it. The swimmers who STICK WITH IT are the swimmers that make it!
How many swimmers that are pretty good just drop out? If they're not swimming at all, they won't make it, leaving room for the late developers or the ones who stick with it through the injuries and plateaux

[DangerMouse]

basicaly i would say no, some people show great talent when they are young, when i started i had about 10 other boys and girls in my age in my club most were better than me and showed great potential, now there are only 3 of us, most dropping out at the switch from primary school to seconday school or just loosing interest even though being very good, also there are some people i used to swim with who just never trained but could pull out amazing swims, and it just made you think, "what could have they been like if they had ever tryed!"

when i was young i got told something like that by a swimmer who was in my club, when a sheet went up for a gala i was in a relay, one of the other swimmers in it and quite a good swimmer at the time said, "oh your in it we won't have a chance of winning it then" but instead of getting me down i've used that against him as that gave me determination to show him wrong and now i'm quicker than him and he is lucky to even get a relay swim.

[Katie]

David Davies didn't qualify for nationals until he was 15 and look at him now!!!

[super_fish88]

There's a girl in my club who was much slower than me when we first started out and now she beats me in most races.

[Mac]

the important thing is to have your own goals and to strive to achieve them. The vast majority of swimmers will of course never 'make it' in the sense of representing their country or swimming at the Olympics but that doesn't mean they can't achieve anything as swimmers. I never swam at the Nationals but i can be happy that i made the most of the ability that i had in the circumstances that i chose (ie in a small club with relatively little water time)

[ktcute]

mmm.... remember who you are swimming for... thats you, for your own satisfaction.

Someone else who is not you will not determine whether or not you make it to your own satisfaction. You will.

Its hard to close your ears to people who come out with stuff like that, its a great shame that stuff like that still goes on. Its one way youngsters seek to eliminate or intimidate the oposition. It sounds like jealousy to me, maybe you pose a threat to the swimmer concerned?

I think there is one rule, and it probably applies to most of life. Do your own thing, do it to your own satisfaction. I bet there are people who matter who are right behind you, and you can choose who you listen to. But remember the most important person to listen to in life is yourself.

[sub24]

I currently coach a swimmer who was told by a coach that she would never make the Scotland team, she is now ranked number 1 in the world!!! :)

[mammamedley]

this is a great thread - and great replies!
remember tinie - swimming can be for life - enjoy every moment.

[nsswimmer]

i have a friend who is very short for a swimmer and was the slowest on the squad when he was 7, but now he's swimming in the us open and has made olympic trial cuts since he was 16 and is currently swimming for eddie reese in the fastest university in america. =)

also, ed moses didnt even start year round training till he was a senior in high school and look at him now!!!

[super_fish88]

Kerry Martin didn't start swimming until she was 15 and now she's made 2 Commonwealth Games!

[swimusa]

If you're really good really young, you have a better chance of burning out later on.

[lane4]

If I had "made it" in swimming, what exactly would I have done??

[swimusa]

I dunno, you tell me! Frankly my mom says that all success in swimming would get me was a cup of coffee.

[super_fish88]

Originally posted by lane4
If I had "made it" in swimming, what exactly would I have done??

I think you've 'made it' when you achieve your ultimate goal in swimming.

[Bazza]

Originally posted by lane4
If I had "made it" in swimming, what exactly would I have done??

Become a commentator.

[ktcute]

mmm... I remember when I said aged about 8 that when I grew up I wanted to be a swimmer.

I still remember the guffaws to this day :,|

[swimmer]

i would really love to be a commentator, but i guess you have to have been an olympian?

[swimusa]

Somehow being an Olympian makes you qualified on being a commentator. Hmmm

[swimmer]

well i dont know, i just guessed they would want someone with international experience?? or is just a love of the sport enough?

[DangerMouse]

I think they get people who have competed in them to comentate mainly because they are usally well known, also they tend to have alot of knowledge about the sport and have experienced what the current swimmers are experiencing so can reflect that in the comentry. Not that I think they can do any better job than anyone else, its just the fact that the tv company's want someone well known as it might increase the viewing figuars.

[GettingFaster]

Originally posted by bazzaroodoo
Become a commentator.

Does that mean I've "made it", cos I occasionally do announcing at galas and meets?

Oh well, maybe not. Better get back in the pool then.

- splosh -

[super_fish88]

My dad commentates at some meets and he certainly HASN'T made it!!! The only stroke he's mastered is 'Beached-Whale Stroke'!

[tinie]

lol super_fish88

[swimmer]

yeh dangermouse that's what i was thinking. o well..!

[DangerMouse]

i'm sure there is ways to get into it though, don't give up on trying to do it you never know, and I could be wrong! (wouldn't b the first time!)

[super_fish88]

My dad's only commentated once or twice though, so i suppose he's not really an official commentator.

[Bazza]

People seem to have got commentators and announcers mixed up.

[mitch]

Originally posted by tinie
to make it as a swimmer do you hav to be good frome the begining ??
i was told ill never make it, but not by a coach by a swimmer in my club i dont like her so i ignored her but is she right do you always have to be good to male it ?
:wave:

I don't think so. I didn't start competitive swimming until i was 14 and didn't make my first national age groups til 16 (finished 42nd out of 43!!!). It wasn't until i was 19 that i made my first National Final (B that is).

[tinie]

im 16 iv been swimming competiveyl since i was 12 i can only just get in to the counties :(

[super_fish88]

Originally posted by bazzaroodoo
People seem to have got commentators and announcers mixed up.

Oh yeah, he was an announcer although he did try to commentate a bit!

[GettingFaster]

Tinie, you're doing great. There are loads of swimmers who never make it to the Counties either because they don't have the ability or because they've given up.
Pat yourself on the back, swim the best you can whenever you swim, and tell yourself you've made it, (And don't aim to be a commentator, OR an announcer!)

[tinie]

lol thanks GettingFaster

[DangerMouse]

by the sounds of things tinie, you have really got to try and not put yourself down so much, try and enjoy this sport that you sound like you love and just aim to do the best you can do with your abilty and training you have, just try and show the people who put you down that they are wrong and that you should be recognised for what you can do if you have the training you want as you sound dedicated and determined, so don't let others get in the way of your dreams and aims

[tinie]

ill try DangerMouse ill try
ill always enjoy it if there r people like you in clubs, i know theres is in my club

[DangerMouse]

awww ain't u sweet, anyway i'm sure there are people you can talk to in your club as well that can give you inspiration (is that the right word?) to reach your targets, or that feel the same way as you do about some things in your club or have been through times like you, just try not to get down and all the best for your counties :)

[tinie]

i will thank you xx