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At 15 she broke a world record, then finished 7th at the Olympics. What Allison Higson's career teaches parents about tracking a young swimmer.
What actually happens to your swimmer's body after a championship meet, and how to help them recover in 24, 48, and 72 hours without overdoing it.
Your swimmer is training less and feels more tired. That is the taper. A plain-language guide to what it is, why it works, and how to support it.
What is a psych sheet, how is it different from a heat sheet, and what should you actually do with it before a swim meet? Plain-English breakdown.
A real packing list for an all-day swim meet, from a parent who has forgotten goggles, snacks, and once a swimsuit. Save it before the next meet.
Swimmer's shoulder is the most common injury in age group swimming. Here are the early signs, the real risk factors, and how to prevent it.
Why young swimmers often plateau or slow down during growth spurts, what the research actually shows, and how to talk to your swimmer about it.
Confused by swim meet results? This plain-English guide explains times, splits, DQs, and what it all means for your child's swimming progress.
Can't find your child's swim times from last season? Learn where old meet results go and how to get every time back in one place, for free.
Everything you need to know before your child's first swim meet, what to bring, how heat sheets work, and how to actually enjoy the day.
The line between support and pressure is thinner than you think. Here's how to stay on the right side.
Heat sheets look like a spreadsheet had a panic attack. Here's how to decode them in five minutes.
Club fees, meet entries, gas money, hotel rooms. We break down what competitive swimming really costs, and why families keep saying yes.
Your child loves the water. But is club swimming the right move? Here's how to know when they're ready, and what to expect.
The alarm at 4:45 AM. Breakfast in the dark. Empty streets. Here's how swim families make early mornings work, and why it's worth it.
Allison Higson's 1988 World Record at 15 and Halle West's 2023 Canadian age group record at 14 show parents how age group progress really works, and how the standards system gives real benchmarks for your kid.