6 Everyday Struggles of a Swim Parent

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Photo Courtesy: Hayley Good

6 Everyday Struggles of a Swim Parent

There is a lot of pressure on swimmers. The training, the suit, the mentality all has to be perfect. However, behind every great practice, every great race, and every great swimmer is a great swim parent, even when the kids leave for a collegiate pool instead of the local YMCA.

As swimmers’ pre-meet meals evolve from hot dogs and nachos, to pasta with meatballs, to grilled chicken and vegetables, swim parents must evolve with their surroundings and their new teams. However, no matter how many times you have driven your carpool to the pool or have packed for travel meets, some things never change. You may be a pro swim parent, but some things just never get any easier!

Sometimes swim parents struggle just as much as the swimmers, but with far less credit.

Here are six everyday struggles of a swim parent:

1. Being Asked to Time

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If you’re my dad, you love being asked to time at swim meets. If you’re the majority of other parents, this is not your idea of fun. Some parents like to give their kids space, others like to get work done when their child isn’t swimming for 30 seconds. Either way, most swim parents try to avoid doing this chore.

2. Fighting for Seats in the Stands

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So you got out of timing. Yes! Unfortunately, so did a couple hundred other parents. Some parents share the wealth of the pool view when their child is swimming. But there is always that one person standing in the way or trying to take a video of the race by holding their iPad up in front of everyone. Just watching your own child swim can be a struggle sometimes!

3. Commuting

Early high school is a time when almost all swimmers change their routines, and so do their parents. Middle school is pretty easy, with one commute a day. And senior year, most athletes have the responsibility of driving themselves to practice. Before this glorious time for parents, there is that 14-16 age, when doubles start and your swimmers all of sudden make it back to finals in just about everything. Swim parents spend way too many hours in a car to count, listening to what mean thing the coach did or how hard the set was.

4. Perfecting Meals

When I was an 8 and under swimmer, feeding me was easy. A couple of granola bars and nachos after my 100 IM were all it took to make me happy. Easy. But as swimmers get older, their “lucky” meals and pre-practice requirements become much more complicated. And nothing makes a swimmer happier than a hot meal after a long day of school and practice. But preparing these meals after your own day of stress and work? It just never seems to end!

5. Trying Not to Coach

eva-jack-fabianPhoto Courtesy: Eva Fabian

For some lucky swimmers, their parent is their coach. For most, this is not the case. All parents want what it best for their child, swimmer or not. It is difficult for parents to let the coach do their job sometimes, especially when your child isn’t swimming well or is frustrated. Deciding on whether or not to lend your words is hard enough, let alone dealing with the aftermath if things don’t go as you thought they would.

6. Washing Towels

No matter how many times you do laundry, there never seems to be enough towels! Especially for swim parents with more than one swimmer, keeping a fresh supply of clean towels is a huge chore! Let’s say there are two in your family, that’s easily at least 14 towels a week (five days of practice and a two-day meet…everyone takes two towels to meets, right?) Now add in double sessions, showers, and the rest of your non-swimming family and you’ve basically picked up washing towels as a second job.

At the end of the day, going through all these struggles is stressful, but probably worth it. While your swimmer may not say it everyday, there is a certain sparkle in the grin after a lifetime best that makes the statement for them loud and clear: thank you Mom and Dad.

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Hayley Wilkinson
3 years ago

Simon Andy Claire Helen Juliet John Kelly Sarah Emily

John Bignell
3 years ago

Hayley Wilkinson so true

Sarah Lea Di Pane
3 years ago

Hayley Wilkinson this could not be more true!!!!

Helen Bignell
3 years ago

Hayley Wilkinson ?? so true ??

Anonymous
Anonymous
3 years ago

So true ?

Claire Hurry
3 years ago

Hayley. This is so true ?

Heather Thomas
3 years ago

My parents would barely drop me off at the curb and leave. Most of the time I rode my bike to swim practice and meets. They just didn’t have any interest in watching me swim. ?

Bev Maunus
Bev Maunus
1 year ago
Reply to  Heather Thomas

I am so sorry!!

zana
zana
1 year ago
Reply to  Heather Thomas

I am so sorry

Gavin Ward
3 years ago

Joanna Viserta-Galinis Ward

Becky Williams Slominski

Towels can be air dried and reused-my daughter still does that in college because there is no way she can have that many towels at school.

J David Hillery
J David Hillery
3 years ago

Tube Towels rock!!!

David Yeo
3 years ago

Kylie Richards Yeo Tanya Dowd Geoff Barnes Bec Barnes Nikki McPherson
how true!

Brian
Brian
3 years ago

Two more: Lost goggles and waiting for your young swimmer to get out of the locker room (“Are you still in the showers!”)

Dawn Watterson
Dawn Watterson
1 year ago
Reply to  Brian

I second that one as the biggest chore, stood ina foyer or waiting in the car for 45 minutes whist she chats and showers.

Angelina Rouille
3 years ago

It is so true, It s so great to see my two boys swimming every day!

Andrew Addlem
3 years ago

Kylie Addlem

Dakota Isaak
3 years ago

Miss these days Cyndi Isaak ?

Cyndi Isaak
3 years ago
Reply to  Dakota Isaak

Dakota Isaak absolutely!!!!

Angela Stanley
3 years ago

We miss that life !????

Sean Snow
3 years ago

D’Ann ??

Kylie Finlayson
3 years ago

Glenys Black

Glenys Black
3 years ago

Kylie Finlayson I remember those early morning starts so well. Did it for nearly 18 years until you got your license ??

John
John
3 years ago

What about getting up at 4am three or four times per week. The cost of fees and equipment (jammers goggles etc.). What if you are required to do turn judge but are nervous about water!!! And on the point about turn judge, there is the problem with parents who cannot even swim being asked to decide if a young swimmer has broken the rules…sure, there are instructional courses but it is still a problem when you do not fully understand each stroke and the turning requirements. And then there is the fact that serious swimming just takes over your life as a parent and dictates when and if a family holiday can be taken, as well as everything else!

Matthew Keeling
3 years ago

Emma Keeling

Jen Carey
3 years ago

Claire Lloyd Denice Maxey Andrew Pillow Lynsey-Joy Brodie Alexandra Clarke too true ??‍♀️?

Claire Lloyd
3 years ago
Reply to  Jen Carey

Jen Carey so true! Azu Hatch Amber Lloyd

Claire Lloyd
3 years ago
Reply to  Jen Carey

We’ll be back there again soon enough! X

Denice Maxey
3 years ago
Reply to  Jen Carey

Enjoy the rest while you can. Do miss it but the breaks been good too. I’m hoi g to find it hard getting to grips whih nights swimming is on!!!

Anna Davies Scarbro
3 years ago

Sian Mclaren x

Sian Mclaren
3 years ago

Anna Davies Scarbro definitely!! I’d do anything for her to back swimming soon ? xx

Mary Helen MacLean
3 years ago

2 towels at a meet? Try 5! (At least in fall/winter/spring when they don’t dry as fast.) But practice towels get hung up every night and reused.

Jackie Unwin
3 years ago

Becca Wall Karen Matthews Faye Emery ?

Faye Emery
3 years ago
Reply to  Jackie Unwin

Jackie Unwin “listening to what mean thing the coach did or how hard the set was.” And “It’s too hard, I want to quit” followed by “I had an amazing swim, I didn’t even think I was that fast and I got a PB!” Yep.

Maliha Hashmi
3 years ago

Yes, on all 6!!!

Daniel
Daniel
3 years ago

You have to be the father of a swimmers to say So True!

Anonymous
Anonymous
2 years ago

TOWELS we have 2 washers 4 swimmers 6 people in family

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