There are so many lessons of life that children get from their involvement in swimming, such as the right way to manage their time, the importance of hard work, noble rivalry, persistence in the goal, their lightning socialization and so much more. The 6 great features
Through these they will be able to shape their character as adults. And what makes swimming a nursery for these lessons, is the time one needs to commit to reach the desired result. After all, there is no short path to success, and talent alone is not enough to complete the journey.
But the parents?
How are they affected by this experience?
What do they gain from their long hours of waiting outside the pools for years or even decades?
Here are 6 great features of these great supporters:
1. ORGANIZATION
Since parents of swimmers cannot be indifferent to the needs of their family, such as feeding, dressing, training, reading and so on, it seems that they learn to balance with great skill between their countless obligations.
2. SOLIDARITY
They are always by the children's side both in good and bad times. In successes but also in failures. But they are always there for the rest of the athletes and their parents to share their joys, sorrows, illnesses, injuries, difficulties and worries.
3. THEY KNOW HOW TO LISTEN
Being able to listen is a great skill to have when you're a parent. But when you are an athlete parent, it makes you the most important support in difficult times. Listening is often more important than speaking. There is no need to judge our children after every practice. When they feel the need they will speak, not to give them the solution, but because they need a loving shoulder to cry on, a support hug.
4. EXPECTATIONS
As parents, we know that our children work hard, have talent and great prospects. And the moments we share with them with their successes in sports meetings are wonderful. But distinguished places in the Olympic Games are... really few. The years we spend waiting in swimming pools show us that no defeat, no lost second, no false start, will bring the end of the world for our children. There are always so many avenues open to them, even at the end of a match with a negative result. So let's teach them to have fun, be healthy and strive with joy to achieve their goals.
5. VOLUNTEERING
There is so much that parents could do to make swimming even better. Teams need help in many ways, such as raising money, moral support for the efforts of the coaches, creating leaflets or most importantly creating a positive and supportive atmosphere in the stands when negativity threatens the mood of our young athletes.
6. PATIENCE
Speaking of patience, we think of the endless hours of waiting until the training sessions are over. And indeed as parents of young swimmers we learn to wait for our children until late in the cold winter nights or until the time comes for their participation in major sporting events. And yet these long waits are part of the treasure of memories that we will keep in our hearts, the most beautiful aftertaste of the moments that we enjoyed without haste with our children.
Saltamanikas Nikolas
TEFAA graduate
Specialty Swimming
Coach for many years in well-known Nautical Clubs in all swimming categories
nikos.saltamanikas@gmail.com
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