If your child is excelling in swimming lessons, it may be time to consider competitive swimming. While introducing your child to a competitive environment may initially cause some anxiety, competitive swimming for kids has many benefits. But how do you know if your child is ready to swim competitively? Continue reading to find out.
So, how do you know when to move your child from regular lessons into competitive lessons? Before entering competitions, children should be familiar with the basic strokes and feel confident in and around the water. Competitions can be nerve-racking, so as well as being physically prepared, you need to ensure that your child is emotionally capable of dealing with the pressure of competition. Discipline, sportsmanship, and the ability to handle a loss are essential. But the most important thing to ask is, ‘does my child actually want to swim competitively?’.
Safety is always paramount regardless of how competent your child is in the water. Accidents can still happen even after a child learns to swim and improves their skills. Be sure your child is aware of the risks of water and knows how to react should anything go wrong.
Before competing, children should be confident swimming using the four main strokes: breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly. Developing a solid technique and mastering the skill involved in each stroke is important before competing.
Competitive swimming for kids requires a lot more time and energy than regular swimming lessons. If your child thinks they may want to compete, be sure they know it will require more patience and motivation than regular lessons. The best way to stay motivated is to establish and stick to a daily and weekly routine so everyone knows what to expect and what needs to be accomplished.
The pressure to perform can be a lot for a child to deal with. Celebrate wins with your child, but also let them know that they don’t have to win every time. Encourage them to keep trying when they fall short, without making a big deal of things.
Work with your child to develop short-term and long-term goals so they can record and track how their hard work pays off over time. It’s also a great way to keep lessons and practices focused.
Participating in competitive swimming can be beneficial for your child. Joining a squad swimming training program isa great way for your child to meet new people and learn essential skills, such as teamwork and collaboration. It can foster a healthy sense of competition while keeping them fit and healthy.
If your child would like to give competitive swimming a go, enrol them in a swimming training program with Aqua Artist. Over the years, Aqua Artist Swimming School has built a high reputation in the industry with its professional teaching system and good standard management. Our innovative teaching philosophy and effective teaching system have made a profound impression on over 5000 students. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our swimming programmes.