Long-Term, Not Short-Term: The idea that triathlon, and the healthy lifestyle it encourages, can become part of your child’s future is exciting to imagine. To help make this dream a reality, successful sport parents understand that children love to play and that triathlon must be a form of play. Otherwise, they are apt to lose interest very quickly. As Todd Wiley, former pro triathlete and former USA Triathlon youth coach, said “The training philosophy that more is always better does not apply to triathletes, especially at these young ages.” Wiley, who was trained as a sprinter as a youth, thinks tri-kids should not be significantly upping their volume until they are at least 14 or 15 years old. Wiley goes on to say that he would prefer to see the young triathletes he coaches compete in sports like soccer or cross-country to improve their fitness, and he discourages specialization in triathlon even though these days kids can train for triathlon during all four seasons. Wiley hopes kids can gain their love of competition in triathlon over time, and he knows from firsthand experience that triathlon must be something you love to do because even as a professional you cannot count on triathlon becoming the sole means by which you make your living.
So, remember, first and foremost, keep it fun. A little pushing is OK, but if you have to force your young athlete to participate in triathlon, I can assure you, it is no longer fun for him or her. You don’t want your child to feel forced into the sport or that they will be letting you down if they no longer want to participate. The same advice applies to all of us amateur (adult) triathletes. It’s supposed to be fun, not a second job.
Dr. Mitchell Greene is a sport and clinical psychologist, located in Wayne, Pa. He is the sport psychology consultant to the Philadelphia Triathlon and the SheROX triathlon series. He is also a contributing columnist to USA Triathlon. For more information about Dr. Greene and his practice, go to
www.greenepsych.com.
“It’s not about finding your limits. It’s about finding what lies just beyond them.”
-Unknown
USA TRIATHLON YOUTH GUIDE
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