Can Hard Work be Fun? Ask Our Youngest Swimmers

Many years ago, a swim coach told me there was a study that showed the overwhelming reason children remain in the sport of swimming is because it's fun. He stressed the importance of keeping practices "fun" for the youngest swimmers. I never questioned the study because it made perfect sense. As an endurance athlete myself, I recall countless hard workouts when someone asked: "Are we having fun yet?" And as a swim coach, I constantly wonder to myself at every practice: "what IS fun?"

Coaching CSI's Primary group, I often require and expect our 10 & under swimmers to work hard, but in the back of my mind are those nagging questions: "Am I keeping it fun?" "Are they enjoying this, or are they doing it because I told them to?" Because, after getting to know these young athletes and their motivations, I am well aware that a big part of the FUN of swimming is improving. They GET it. They race each other in practice - in fact, at a recent practice, they asked to do MORE sprints, not fewer. They tell me they want to win races and are genuinely pleased with themselves for dropping time in their events at swim meets. 

It's a (welcome) dilemma. These kids are the future of local, and potentially national, competitive swimming. They have energy, talent, and drive, and, yes, they are willing to work really, really hard. But sometimes, after a hard set, one (or more) of them will look up at me and say, "Coach Jeanne, can we do dolphin dives now?" It makes me step back for a moment and think. Sometimes, they just need a short burst of vigorous goofing off in the water.

It's been especially difficult in 2020 because of the social distancing guidelines. We can't play like we used to. We can't do partner drills or relays. So I scour the internet and ask other coaches for ideas and unique drills that will challenge our youngest swimmers, hone their skills, AND make them laugh. I also wear silly hats and ask them silly questions. And, once in a while, we take it up a notch. Like, in our last practice before Christmas, at their request, I let them push me in the pool - and it WAS fun. And do you know what happened when I put my goggles on and challenged them to race me? They didn't hesitate. They put on their race faces and trounced me in every stroke - and, they had fun doing it. I don't think we would want it any other way.

Here are two photos of my swimmers being goofballs: