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Swim Team Blues

I have a daughter who is a good swimmer. She has always loved swimming, her strokes are beautiful and she never tires of spending time in the water. So when she was finally the right age to try out for the swim team – I just knew she would make it, and of course… I told her so.
Try out day came, I didn’t make a big deal about it mostly because I didn’t want to make her more nervous and also because I just knew she would make it. Three days later they posted the team…needless to say she didn’t make the team. UUUGH. She was devastated and I am not sure if she was more upset about not making the team or the scene I might make because she didn’t make it.
I do not have a history of making a scene at school so I’m not sure where that comes from, but I guess I was so convinced she would make the team that she couldn’t imagine what I would do if she didn’t make it. Here is what we did:
I suggested she e-mail the coach and ask if she could practice with the team…she was rejected - the pool is barely big enough for the existing team let alone wannabes. Then I approached the coach about where to get swim racing experience, again she couldn’t help as she just moved here and doesn’t have many contacts in the Toronto swim world. Strike two!
Then a month later we got an e-mail from the coach; 4 kids decided to quit the team and there would be another try-out. Third time lucky my friends – she made the team.

In hindsight the initial experience of being omitted from the team was good for all of us. I have learned not to assume anything – no matter how talented I think my child is. By not mettling and raising a stink with the coach, my daughter earned her spot on the team fair and square.
My daughter has learned how to work hard for something and trying to achieve personal bests.
I can honestly say that the tears and heartache were worth the lesson learned - I just hope I don't have to go through that again.

To learn more about being a good parent to a good athlete, try visiting ResponsibleSports.com

Roz Heintzman
ECHOage Ambassador



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2009 09:58AM by Roz Heintzman.