By Swimming World Intern Brook Jiang<\/i><\/p>\n
PISCATAWAY, New Jersey, January 13. BEHIND every swimmer is a group of supporters. Parents, coaches, and friends \u2013 no swimmer can go without them. But for a parent, swimming is much more than a sport. It involves their child\u2019s happiness and success. As any loving mom or dad knows, their child\u2019s joy is their joy. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a fine line between supporting your child and being pushy,\u201d said Anne Piascik, mother of Scarlet Aquatic Club\u2019s Emma Piascik. She believes that parents should not meddle with the coaches\u2019 decisions, but rather support their child, which often means driving long distances. The farthest she has driven from New Jersey is North Carolina, a trip totaling six hours. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to help your child become better, and then let them soar on their own,\u201d said Piascik. Emma is part of Scarlet Elite and swimming plays a crucial part in her life and her mom\u2019s. <\/p>\n
\u201cEmma is the one who wanted to swim,\u201d said Piascik. <\/p>\n
She strongly affirms that swimming has taught her daughter how to be a successful person. Emma has gained many valuable skills such as independence, time management and self-motivation. For a swimmer, there is a constant cycle of meets and practices. A parent must help juggle the balance of academics with swimming. \u201cI appreciate the coaches very much, because they always look out for the swimmers,\u201d said Piascik. \u201cKudos to them!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSwimming teaches so much,\u201d said Allison Douglass, mother of Westchester Aquatic Club\u2019s Kate Douglass. \u201cYou always have to swim your personal best.\u201d<\/p>\n
She believes swimming is a team sport, and it teaches confidence. \u201cThe parents all cheer for each other\u2019s children,\u201d said Douglass. On Sunday, she stayed at the CeraVe Invitational for the whole day in order to provide encouragement for Kate. \u201cShe just loves to swim. All I\u2019m here to do is drive.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Nancy King, CeraVe Invitational Meet Director, parents are the backbone of the meet.<\/p>\n
\u201cSwimming is a volunteer-intensive sport,\u201d said King. \u201cYou need 40 officials to efficiently run a meet.\u201d King has three children who have all competed for Berkeley Aquatic Club, and one is competing in the meet. \u201cWe\u2019re second-generation swimmers. My husband also swam for Coach Jim (Wood).\u201d With such an amazing legacy, King strives to help Berkeley and other swimming clubs. She is part of a non-profit commission that provides support and consultation for clubs in New Jersey. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the coolest things about Berkeley is our system of meets,\u201d said King. \u201cMost of the parents all want to contribute their time.\u201d For the Berkeley senior championship, each family must contribute 100 hours and most exceed the necessary requirements. \u201cIt\u2019s funny, because when your children live in the water, your social life is also only swimming.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cSwimming builds character,\u201d said King. \u201cIt\u2019s just you and the wall, you and the watch, and you and the water.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are no excuses for failing classes or immoral behavior. Coach Wood stresses the importance of balancing work and swimming\u2014both require assiduity and effort. <\/p>\n
\u201cParents must provide life-long support for their child,\u201d said Christine Pearson, the CeraVe Hospitality Coordinator and Berkeley parent. Pearson is a strong advocate of the benefits of swimming for the child and the parent. \u201cIt teaches dedication, responsibility, discipline, and hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pearson states that the swimming world is full of kind and compassionate people. All of her four children have swum for Berkeley, and two of them are competing at CeraVe. <\/p>\n
\u201cSome children take to swimming like fish to water, but it\u2019s not easy,\u201d said Pearson. \u201cIt\u2019s the parent\u2019s job to get them where they need to go.\u201d She believes that if the parents can show their dedication, then the child will also be dedicated to the sport. \u201cMy boys have always loved to swim, and it\u2019s important to me that they\u2019re happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parents play different parts, some in the foreground and some in the background. However, every job is important. When asked about her role as a parent, Pearson smiles. \u201cWe listen to their frustrations. We celebrate their wins.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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