A 13 year old should not be specializing. But it is also true that too many coaches in the DMV area don’t understand that we run off too many swimmers in this sport by trying to make them distance or mid distance athletes. There needs to be more options for kids who enjoy or have a talent for sprinting 50/100s.

Also sprinters are the most valuable commodity for a college program, so it’s kinda crazy how so many local programs deemphasize sprint training. Lol at a coach saying by training for distance then they will still have a great 100.

Former swimmer here (college) and now a parent to swimmers. I agree with other posters that 13 is too young to "specialize" or exclusively train in anything. They should be going about and trying everything.

It also makes sense to me that it seems like practices focus on longer distances as I would bet most swimmers don't have a lot of experience in those events thus requiring more practice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our coach also focuses on 200 and above. My DC is a 50/100 sprinter but as the coach says, if you train to be fast at a 200, which is actually a very difficult event, there’s just no way you’ll be slow at a 100.

Find a new coach. The way you train is different for the two and he/she should know that. How long have they been coaching?

A 13 year old should not specialize yet. Your kid should be trying different events. Your kid really doesn’t know yet if they’ll be good at distance or not.

But it sounds like the coach is trying to get the swimmer to swim more age appropriate events (not 50s) and not specialize.

DP - the coach is pushing 500/1000free and 400IMs, according to the OP. That actually is specializing, in distance swimming. A kid could absolutely focus on 50free and 100s in other strokes. Nothing wrong with that (and yes, the training methods vary).

I would email the coach nicely on their season plan, and not worry too much about which events they swim at meets. I am not a swimmer, so I don't know what is best. As for comparing club swimming to summer swim, by 13 it is night and day. It is a grind, lots of practice, very intense and a lot swimmers drop off then because they don't want to make that commitment. My swimmer's coach made them swim each event at least once per season. They swam their best events tapered at December, March and end of July meets.

If your kid is not enjoying their group or their coach, and still wants to swim club, maybe a change would be good. There are a lot of great club coaches in the DMV area.

Anonymous wrote:Go to a club/coach that focuses on sprinting like AAC or Mako. But it's too soon for your kid to know if he's a sprinter, mid-distance swimmer, or distance. If your kid really wants to be a great sprinter, have him focus on underwaters and lift weights.

I cannot speak for the Makos but AAC does not focus on Sprinting. They would agree with the coach above trying to get the swimmer to diversify in events. AAC doesn’t focus on strong strokes like NCAP in swimmers. It just isn’t their philosophy to improve your best three for college consideration.

Also sprinting for a 13 year old is 100s.

Go to a club/coach that focuses on sprinting like AAC or Mako. But it's too soon for your kid to know if he's a sprinter, mid-distance swimmer, or distance. If your kid really wants to be a great sprinter, have him focus on underwaters and lift weights.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our coach also focuses on 200 and above. My DC is a 50/100 sprinter but as the coach says, if you train to be fast at a 200, which is actually a very difficult event, there’s just no way you’ll be slow at a 100.

Find a new coach. The way you train is different for the two and he/she should know that. How long have they been coaching?

A 13 year old should not specialize yet. Your kid should be trying different events. Your kid really doesn’t know yet if they’ll be good at distance or not.

But it sounds like the coach is trying to get the swimmer to swim more age appropriate events (not 50s) and not specialize.

Anonymous wrote:Our coach also focuses on 200 and above. My DC is a 50/100 sprinter but as the coach says, if you train to be fast at a 200, which is actually a very difficult event, there’s just no way you’ll be slow at a 100.

Find a new coach. The way you train is different for the two and he/she should know that. How long have they been coaching?

A 13 year old should not specialize yet. Your kid should be trying different events. Your kid really doesn’t know yet if they’ll be good at distance or not.

Your kid should try all the events in a given season. Kids sometimes they discover they are good at an event. If you realize you can kill a 200 IM you have a huge leg up against other swimmers.

Our coach also focuses on 200 and above. My DC is a 50/100 sprinter but as the coach says, if you train to be fast at a 200, which is actually a very difficult event, there’s just no way you’ll be slow at a 100.

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind once you hit 13, the only 50 ever you can swim is Freestyle. Everything is 100+ That could be why there is a push to swim longer distances.

This. There is no value in club swimming for a 50 in anything but freestyle once a swimmer hits age 13.

Keep in mind once you hit 13, the only 50 ever you can swim is Freestyle. Everything is 100+ That could be why there is a push to swim longer distances.

What kind of coach insists that all swimmers should be distance swimmers? Should all runners only run 10Ks and above? No milers or 100m specialists? That’s silly. Have you asked the coach his rationale for this approach?

Do what he loves. He'll be done with competitive swimming in five years, so he should enjoy it while he's in it.

My son is 13 and is a solid club swimmer. He really enjoys summer swimming because he gets to focus on racing and going fast in the shorter events. He would like to continue to develop in the 50s and 100s but his coach insists that distance is the way to go for all kids. 500/1000 free, 200 fly, 400IM are the events he says are king. He really wants to put up big numbers at IMX. I’d love input from other swim parents