Mama Moments - Achievement or Despair

My daughter Tanya was introduced to her first swimming class when she was little over 4...in Bangalore....With all excitement and enthu ....we got up one morning...and I had a child who refused to swim....and cry...well to make the story short after about 4 classes I gave up,,more out of circumstances...that needed more attention.....

Then in March 2005 she (age 5 years 3 months) on her own told me I want to learn swimming ( the motivation being when she had kids want to have a play date at the swimming pool I would restrict her to baby pool ...)..so I found her a new lady teacher started her classes when she had her annual break... she took classes almost every other day ... for about 2 weeks and I could see her being highly motivated... to try and swim...

and then she continued her 45 minute class once a week....for almost a year....

The only notable achievement so to say she could do Breast stroke quite well...
After a year I prompted the teacher we need to move on....and she continued to learn Back stroke and her teacher kept telling me she says she gets a head ache when she does free style...so Tanya just didnt learn it....but she was very comfortable with water and it meant a even in a 2 metre deep pool.

For this I am to date grateful to her coach...- Lay Peng....

Then in Taipei ...I just found one set of classes....and they were grouped and free style being most important....she was taken only at level 2. nothing much came of the ten sessions...then there was some notice I received and as enthusuastic I can get ,I took her to do try outs - but the moment I mentioned she does not know free style...I was turned down ..not even given a chance to try .but I didnt give up...

The next time a tryout was announced for school teams ...I ran after school changed her to her swim suit....and had to leave her with the leading coach who monitors tryouts...to attend to Riona....

when I am back in few minutes...I see my daughter..doing laps at the tryout coach's instructions....he would just walk down the pool deck...and say freestyle , change...then breast stroke,, then back stroke.....and I saw her persisting and trying...knowing her weakeness in free style..I could see her switching strokes when she is done about 20 mts...but she did it....and at the end of it I was told ...ok she can join the "Baracudas Team" - next Semester....and we would improve all her strokes...

I was so excited and happy....and yet so nervous....I knew most others were great swimmers and she just managed to get selected...

So for the last 2 months she has been getting group trainings 2 times a week from the school coaches....they do about 10 laps a session at the minimum....she participated in a couple of meets more to establish her own timings....and as expected she still tries to concentrate only on breast stroke and back stroke....

She also told me in summer holidays can you get someone to teach me Butterfly stroke..
So I got her 4 half hour sessions and I believe she picked up the basics...


Then there was annual championships at the American Club...Here was an opportunity to test her competitive spirit I thought...

She was allowed to register for 5 individual events....
So I chose along with her chose 25mts - ( free style,back stroke,breast stroke,butterfly.)and 50 mts in breast stroke..which by far is her strongest..

Well the competition was tough and every event had heats and they would select four finalists...

She tried her best...in all heats....to be selected for two finals...
as expected in Breast stroke....

The timings of the four finalists were displayed....and it was all too obvious that she had the worst timings and a good 5 secs to catch up for even a third place...
and as the competition took place...I saw a mature 7 year old...with full knowledge she is swimming against much better swimmers put in her best to finish 3rd in both competitions to win 2 well deserving bronze medals....




needless to say I felt proud and a sense of achievement and most important she was least affected by her performance.(several kids were upset)...she went there and did her best....I think I would have been more upset if she had failed to win any medals....infact I saw her even trying to comfort the 4th place winner....thats what I thought was remarkable and display of true sportsmanship....

So we went home jubilant as we can of our daughter's achievement...for the day....we kept telling her you put up a good show and did a "GREAT JOB"...

And Next day was Riona's day where they had events for 5-6 year olds...she had just turned 5 less than 2 months ago and been introduced to swimming lessons formally last Summer....(July 2007)

She had only one race 25 mts kick board....all set and I tried every trick to motivate her.....and my expectation was she should just do a lap....time didnt matter at all.....

well ....on your mark .get set....GO....


Thats it I have a child who turns back with her kickboard clinging to me..."I dont want to swim" and lo...I was let down so much and wondering what went wrong...what could we have done better...And I know I have all the reasoning and logic she is still young....but what baffles me the spirit to try....well I guess its part of mother hood ...moments of achievement and despair....so we will wait for another opportunity,,,,.....for her to try again...and never give up.....

I hope this note inspires Moms who want their kids to swim....and also it was to acknowledge LAY PENG - her coach in Singapore for making Tanya love water and swimming....also her Father who tries to compete with her breast stroke doing free style....and also it will give me inspiration and persistence needed in months to come to get Riona to reach these levels....