Advice for a beginning 7 year old swimmer who wants to be competitive
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Anonymous
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Hi - my 7 year old DD just started summer swim team this year (we happen to be at a good NVSL club based on location). She absolutely loves to swim and wants to be good, but she has had limited swimming experience before now (goldfish lessons only). It is obvious that some of the other girls her age have had a lot more practice and instruction. What should we do this summer and over the next year for her to have a chance to swim A meets next year? It's a priority for me to keep it fun and for her to be in an encouraging environment.
Many thanks for any advice! I don't know anything about swimming and don't have the first clue what to do. But I'm really excited to have found something that makes my DD so happy. |
Anonymous
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For the summer, encourage her to attend practice regularly, and maybe do a one-on-one lesson, if that's easily available at your pool.
For the year, look into swim clubs nearby. Many are already conducting evaluations for the next year; club swim registration begins early! At her age, the goal should be keeping things fun while providing good technical instruction. Swimming is notorious for burning out kids who do too much, too early. It's a fantastic sport, though - I'm glad your DD enjoys it so much! 
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Anonymous
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The best 8 year olds tend either have a natural feel for the water or are big for their age or both. Both of those are out of your control.
The next best thing is to have good technique. Private lessons and lots of intentional practice will help here. Some kids do swimming drills mindlessly. Your kid needs to be one who does it with purpose. |
Anonymous
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Where are you located? People may be able to suggest a good developmental program for the winter season.
Last winter my 7 yo swam once a week with a Developmental program. Shes now 8 yo. This summee she'll be at A meets for at least one stroke. |
Anonymous
| Goldfish is actually a really good base if your kid completes all the levels. My 6 year old just finished pro 2 and as a result is legal in all 4 strokes. Swim team on top of that develops endurance. |
Anonymous
Agree with this — Goldfish gave my kid a good base that helped with the first stages of winter swim. |
Anonymous
| She will need to swim year round |
Anonymous
| This summer, get her to as many practices as you can, including the morning practices should your pool offer them. Time in the water can really accelerate progress over the summer. I’ve found the morning practices to be most valuable for my kid- fewer kids, less chaotic, more attention from the coaches, allowing for a more focused practice. I would also recommend you schedule or even weekly 1:1s with one of your kids coaches (whichever coach she likes best). This will really help work on specific gaps or skills that she needs help with, which is harder to do in a group setting. Finally, Research local swim clubs, talk to other parents and the coaches for local club recommendations, pick one or two for her to try out at that you think would be a good fit FOR HER. You will see some people in this forum say “pick the one that’s closest to your house” but if she really loves swimming, I’ve found that team culture, fit of the program for YOUR specific kid, quality of the coaching and overall program are the most important factors, and the commute and practice schedule being doable for you as a parent are very important considerations too (but secondary). Best wishes! |
Anonymous
| +1 Also, agree about goldfish pro 2 and learning the techniques to become legal in all the strokes. Definitely a way into the A meets for an under 8. |
Anonymous
OP here - This is great advice, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you! |
Anonymous
OP here: She has completed Goldfish Pro 2 series and is a confident and competent swimmer because of it - no shade at all to Goldfish. But she barely gets any swimming time in it - she needs more than that now to get on par with the very competitive kids. |
Anonymous
I think goldfish really depends on the location and instructor. We've had a lot of young kids come to our team after "being on the swim team at goldfish" and they are not competent swimmers. OP- I definitely agree with getting some lessons this summer. Most of the coaches do them on the side, depending on the pool. Then most clubs have year round stroke mechanic programs if you just want to hone in on skills and only swim 1 day a week. After that most clubs have 2 day/week programs. |
Anonymous
| Goldfish is good for introducing all four strokes but they will not help your kid become legal in them. After Pro 2 is Swim Force. The kids swim back and forth and the instructors do not stop them and correct their form when they are doing something wrong. There are too many kids for that. They just move them along. I watched my kid swim breaststroke while pulling his hands below his hips, butterfly with underwater recovery, etc. I am hoping summer swim will refine their technique and get them legal in at least one of these. Goldfish was good for building endurance, but they do not prioritize correct technique. Meanwhile kids are probably acquiring bad habits there that other coaches then have to try to break. |
Anonymous
| Get your kid private lessons and ask to focus on breast and fly. If they can get legal in breast and fly they will swim a meets. I’m in low division team (NVSL 1-3) and we still end up swimming kids who are not legal in these 2 strokes. |
Anonymous
| Do a developmental year-round program like Swim Smart, Swim with Beth, Makos Blue, etc. |