When the whole family is good at swimming

[Anonymous]

It’s entirely possible to do year-round swimming for a decade and not get a times. Genetics aren’t sufficient, but they are sure necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at a nice community pool with a big swim team. We have had a few families where all 3 kids are amazing swimmers. What about their genetics makes that happen?

Why would you think genetics would make that not happen?
More generally, heritability is the norm in nature. You should ask what went sideways when traits don't inherit.

[Anonymous]

How strange that 3 people made from the same ingredients and raised with the same recipe would have similar results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

Definitely not the case. We’ve got a number of year round swimmers on our summer team and they are not particularly good (some don’t even make A meets). I’m sure they are better than they would be without swimming year round, but they still are not good.

It’s mostly about general athleticism, height and body type, particularly at younger ages. As you get older, you have to also train hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

+1. And most of them will flame out before college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at a nice community pool with a big swim team. We have had a few families where all 3 kids are amazing swimmers. What about their genetics makes that happen?

It's probably the flippers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And often the youngest swimmer has the most early success as they go into swimming at even younger ages to emulate their older siblings.

If they are standouts through age 12 it’s usually mostly the early intense training. If they are all still standouts 15-18 it is also genetics.

My kids swam, but not competitively from a young age. DH was a swimmer in college. When they started to compete in MS everyone was surprised, because they basically walked into competition swimming and started taking ribbons having never been on a team. It's genetics for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

Definitely not the case. We’ve got a number of year round swimmers on our summer team and they are not particularly good (some don’t even make A meets). I’m sure they are better than they would be without swimming year round, but they still are not good.

It’s mostly about general athleticism, height and body type, particularly at younger ages. As you get older, you have to also train hard.

We've got a boy at our pool who used to swim year round, but dropped it in favor of lacrosse in middle school. He's still challenging pool records five years later because he's just a freak athlete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

Maybe when they are young, but by high school, genetics wins

Fair, but without intensive coaching at a young age, the genetics would never be enough.

Not true. My kids only got non-intensive training at 12 onwards. They will likely swim in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

I agree with this, for most of these swimmers it's more about $$$ spent and length/amount of time practiced than genetics. Go to enough swim meets and you gain perspective on this.

To me genetics come into play when someone who doesn't swim much is able to keep up with more seasoned swimmers or when a swimmer is absolutely dominating the competition at every meet.

Agree. DH and his siblings are strong swimmers. They took tons of lessons when they were growing up. None of them have any other standout athletic abilities to say it’s genetic.

That’s not entirely fair either though. Most great swimmers don’t have other standout athletic abilities. I wouldn’t be surprised if Michael Phelps could barely throw a ball or would look incredibly awkward running 100m.

This.

My outstanding swimmers are mediocre at running and can't throw a ball if their lives depended on it. I've tried to train them too.

[Anonymous]

DS left swimming for 3 years. Came back in 8th grade and can beat out most of the competition, even those who swim year long.
He is over 6’, thin but strong shoulders, and has huge feet. For him, genetics plays a big role.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

Definitely not the case. We’ve got a number of year round swimmers on our summer team and they are not particularly good (some don’t even make A meets). I’m sure they are better than they would be without swimming year round, but they still are not good.

It’s mostly about general athleticism, height and body type, particularly at younger ages. As you get older, you have to also train hard.

We've got a boy at our pool who used to swim year round, but dropped it in favor of lacrosse in middle school. He's still challenging pool records five years later because he's just a freak athlete.

We’ve got 10 year old girl who only swims during the summer. She beats every other 9-10 girl on our team (including 2 club swimmers) in every stroke and usually places first at A meets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

Definitely not the case. We’ve got a number of year round swimmers on our summer team and they are not particularly good (some don’t even make A meets). I’m sure they are better than they would be without swimming year round, but they still are not good.

It’s mostly about general athleticism, height and body type, particularly at younger ages. As you get older, you have to also train hard.

We've got a boy at our pool who used to swim year round, but dropped it in favor of lacrosse in middle school. He's still challenging pool records five years later because he's just a freak athlete.

We’ve got 10 year old girl who only swims during the summer. She beats every other 9-10 girl on our team (including 2 club swimmers) in every stroke and usually places first at A meets.

My pool has a brother and sister who don't swim year round and make every A meet in 3-4 events each, on a competitive team and they usually place near the top. Their talent stands out to me. All the other kids who swim year round, supplement with private lessons but place about the same as these kids, not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

Definitely not the case. We’ve got a number of year round swimmers on our summer team and they are not particularly good (some don’t even make A meets). I’m sure they are better than they would be without swimming year round, but they still are not good.

It’s mostly about general athleticism, height and body type, particularly at younger ages. As you get older, you have to also train hard.

We've got a boy at our pool who used to swim year round, but dropped it in favor of lacrosse in middle school. He's still challenging pool records five years later because he's just a freak athlete.

Same at our pool but a girls! She has won All Stars before but stopped swimming year round. The first time she swims in 11 months every June she still has All Star times. She is a second or two slower but still good enough for a top 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Money and willingness to pay $$ for year round teams and private lessons. Not genetics.

+100