Paleo or gluten-free? Frankly there isn’t one magic diet for swimmers. However, there’s no doubt that a healthy balance across all food groups enables swimmers to train harder and recover quicker. Come race time, there are certain ‘fuels’ that can also help performance. If their goal is serious competition, first talk to an accredited sports dietitian or a doctor.

Setting challenging yet realistic goals is the best way for swimmers to stay motivated. Remember their personal bests aren’t just the times on the board. The time swimmers put in both in and out of the pool on a daily basis also counts for a lot. So encourage them to keep on going but enjoy the journey along the way.

Young swimmers can often feel like they just have to listen. That’s why it’s important to encourage them to have a chat about training concerns or things happening in their life with you away from the pool. What often works is to create an adult conversation to empower them to share ideas or solutions.

How do young swimmers balance school and swimming? Even when they have that sorted, it can still be tough finding time for mates who aren’t swimmers. That’s where balance comes in. Sharing other events and sports with friends is a great way to relax and open their minds to future possibilities. After all, even a gold medal is not a gold pass to success in the years ahead.

We encourage open honest communication in all areas of swimming. Encouraging your child to write things down and structure their thoughts before talking to you helps when they have something important to discuss. Making thoughts clearly understood is also skill that can also make a big difference in all areas of life.