Hi
I realise there will be a load of naysayers out there but I can't help thinking about this.
Having travelled around (A LOT) this season and observed a lot of young people taking part, I wonder how many of them feel weary of all the travelling involved.
The yp's I have seen are all obviously committed to taking part, which is excellent, but I can't help wondering if their life outside slalom can suffer because they are overtired i.e. academically.
I know it seems to affect the young people I know and I would like to hear if anyone thinks there is a way around it, allowing them to compete and get the necessary sleep quota. Especially when long distances are involved.
How flexible are the runs times? For example could those travelling over a certain distance be allowed to do all their runs in the morning on the final day of an event allowing them to get home earlier and get the offspring to bed for school the next day.
I don't believe we should expect this of them really!
Young Minds versus Slalom
I'm sorry I'm going to come off a bit harsh and probably big headed here....
Last year I managed to change category (K1 to C2), achieve U23 GBR team selection, complete my final year of university, and have a part time job. Involved in this I would drive to events and training etc and still have enough energy or sleep quota as you call it to function the next day.
Usually the young dears that are attending school the next day, can sleep in the car to recover as their parents drive home.
Where would one draw the line on allowing those traveling from a distance to go home early??
These aspects of 'overtirdenss' are unfortunately part and parcel of any sport. If you love doing it though, you'll cope regardless of age.
Paul Ramsdale
Age 22
Last year I managed to change category (K1 to C2), achieve U23 GBR team selection, complete my final year of university, and have a part time job. Involved in this I would drive to events and training etc and still have enough energy or sleep quota as you call it to function the next day.
Usually the young dears that are attending school the next day, can sleep in the car to recover as their parents drive home.
Where would one draw the line on allowing those traveling from a distance to go home early??
These aspects of 'overtirdenss' are unfortunately part and parcel of any sport. If you love doing it though, you'll cope regardless of age.
Paul Ramsdale
Age 22
-
GreenPeter
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:33 pm
- Location: Peterborough
Ahh, poor little darlings lets just wrap them up and put them in cotton wool it’s a big bad world out there.
I take by yps you mean Children or is that now a politically incorrect word. I’m now knocking on the door of Fifty and anyone under twenty five looks young to me.
Being a parent with 2 Kids ( English slang term for Children not to be confused with the offspring of a nanny & billy goat). We have been travelling the country to events this year and do you know, they ( the Kids) can even think and make decisions for themselves. If they are tried on a Monday night after an event they announce they are going to bed early, although we have warned about this and only to announce their intensions if we are sat down first.
As for the travelling they usually sleep in the car all the way back and when you arrive at home, you only have to mention unpacking the canoeing, camping gear etc for them to announce they have school tomorrow and are going for a bath and to bed.
And so what if they are tired for a couple of days after an event, think of all the new life experiences they have gained by travelling to different parts of the country, meeting new friends, being out in the fresh air, and all the new challenges of paddling on white water and the little risk this puts in their lives and the sense of achievement they get from over coming these risks.
In case you are in any doubt I’m a “naysayer”.
I take by yps you mean Children or is that now a politically incorrect word. I’m now knocking on the door of Fifty and anyone under twenty five looks young to me.
Being a parent with 2 Kids ( English slang term for Children not to be confused with the offspring of a nanny & billy goat). We have been travelling the country to events this year and do you know, they ( the Kids) can even think and make decisions for themselves. If they are tried on a Monday night after an event they announce they are going to bed early, although we have warned about this and only to announce their intensions if we are sat down first.
As for the travelling they usually sleep in the car all the way back and when you arrive at home, you only have to mention unpacking the canoeing, camping gear etc for them to announce they have school tomorrow and are going for a bath and to bed.
And so what if they are tired for a couple of days after an event, think of all the new life experiences they have gained by travelling to different parts of the country, meeting new friends, being out in the fresh air, and all the new challenges of paddling on white water and the little risk this puts in their lives and the sense of achievement they get from over coming these risks.
In case you are in any doubt I’m a “naysayer”.
I can sympathise with this view. When our son was younger, there is no doubt that his performance at school was affected after competitions. Not just from the late night on Sunday, but also from a late night Friday (travelling up). Sleeping in the car is just not the same.
This also applied to training sessions which invariably meant a late night. And of course squeezing in homework around kayaking has an impact too.
The top atheletes in any sport are those for whom the sport takes priority over all else, including school work! My son decided a long time ago that kayaking is for fun and school work takes priority. He quite probably would never have made the top few, but even if it had been and option, he did not want to give up all his other activities and school success to get there. We are therefore more selective of events and will sometimes skip second runs to leave early.
I think there is an issue for the youngsters competing around the country, but I don't think that it is practical to allow those travelling over a certain distance with kids under a certain age to go early (and potentially make others later). There is no fair point at which to draw the line.
What I would like to see is more events in the school holidays and a better spread of events around the country for all levels of ability.
In the meantime, I think each family has to decide for itself where the priorities lie.
This also applied to training sessions which invariably meant a late night. And of course squeezing in homework around kayaking has an impact too.
The top atheletes in any sport are those for whom the sport takes priority over all else, including school work! My son decided a long time ago that kayaking is for fun and school work takes priority. He quite probably would never have made the top few, but even if it had been and option, he did not want to give up all his other activities and school success to get there. We are therefore more selective of events and will sometimes skip second runs to leave early.
I think there is an issue for the youngsters competing around the country, but I don't think that it is practical to allow those travelling over a certain distance with kids under a certain age to go early (and potentially make others later). There is no fair point at which to draw the line.
What I would like to see is more events in the school holidays and a better spread of events around the country for all levels of ability.
In the meantime, I think each family has to decide for itself where the priorities lie.
Kit Washer, Entry Clerk, Chauffeur, Reluctant Organiser, Online Entry Advocate .....
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!
Anything I post under this user is my personal opinion; I am not posting as a member of the Slalom Committee!
I have to agree, it is for every family to decide what works for them, and what the priorities are.
I also think event organisers can help by considering competitors travel time when setting start and prize giving times, and providing clear info so families can make informed choices and trade-offs.
More local and summer holiday events would help as well.
But looking back .. when I was youngster. In a year .. 21 slalom weekends away (mostly camping), half a dozen WWR weekends, a smattering of Marathon, Sprint and club weekends. We must have been away 35 weekends of the year, on top of club nights, pool and training ...
... looking back I thank my parents for their sacrifices and opportunities they gave me ... but then I also remeber a lot of sleeping in the back of the car on the M1 ...
I also think event organisers can help by considering competitors travel time when setting start and prize giving times, and providing clear info so families can make informed choices and trade-offs.
More local and summer holiday events would help as well.
But looking back .. when I was youngster. In a year .. 21 slalom weekends away (mostly camping), half a dozen WWR weekends, a smattering of Marathon, Sprint and club weekends. We must have been away 35 weekends of the year, on top of club nights, pool and training ...
... looking back I thank my parents for their sacrifices and opportunities they gave me ... but then I also remeber a lot of sleeping in the back of the car on the M1 ...
Andy
(D1 K1 1981, D2 C1&C2 2010)
(D1 K1 1981, D2 C1&C2 2010)
It's tough - but then it's the same in any sport where you want to compete at the top level.
My daughter's life was revolutionised with a laptop computer.
Homework and study is done travelling to and from events and in between runs.
She's a grade A student and is making her way up the slalom ranks fairly fast.
Her only gripe is practically no social life as she trains on average 7 days a week - but then we all have to make choices at some point - hers have just come a bit earlier than most.
However when she had to choose between slalom or swimming I cant help but feel the 6am start every morning for swim training may have had something to do with it !
My daughter's life was revolutionised with a laptop computer.
Homework and study is done travelling to and from events and in between runs.
She's a grade A student and is making her way up the slalom ranks fairly fast.
Her only gripe is practically no social life as she trains on average 7 days a week - but then we all have to make choices at some point - hers have just come a bit earlier than most.
However when she had to choose between slalom or swimming I cant help but feel the 6am start every morning for swim training may have had something to do with it !
Life is about balance, and each of us will have a differing view on what that actually means. An adult thru life experiences can differentiate and prioritise what is important, to ensure the right balance is struck; a child is less likely to do this.
But we should not turn this country into a total nanny state and dictate what our children should and shouldn’t do, let the children decide for themselves, with the support and guidance of their parents. I think they call it parenting !
But we should not turn this country into a total nanny state and dictate what our children should and shouldn’t do, let the children decide for themselves, with the support and guidance of their parents. I think they call it parenting !
Ahhh being devils advocate is great and what a can of worms.
Yes everyone can make a choice, I guess the fact they are committed enough to attend in the first place should not be allowed to impact on them outside of the sport. I guess the comparative uniqueness of participating countrywide adds to the issue but sleeping in the cars is not a substitute for quality sleep.
For YP's read kids. I guess being 18 is different than being ten and yes sports people can be both successful and academic but we are talking kids here.
As expected a healthy across the board response, which was the whole point in the first place
Keep going!
Yes everyone can make a choice, I guess the fact they are committed enough to attend in the first place should not be allowed to impact on them outside of the sport. I guess the comparative uniqueness of participating countrywide adds to the issue but sleeping in the cars is not a substitute for quality sleep.
For YP's read kids. I guess being 18 is different than being ten and yes sports people can be both successful and academic but we are talking kids here.
As expected a healthy across the board response, which was the whole point in the first place
Keep going!
Kids (not the billy goat type) are more than capable of making their own decisions .... What doesn't help though is slaloms running over time ...Perhaps a cut off time or limit on numbers would help ensure events run to schedule ...
For example Stone slalom started over an hour later than planned due to the numbers....Although an enjoyable day the time between runs was just to long. Competitors just wanted to get the second run done and get home ..
???
I would just say - what about the taxi drivers? Particularly when having to drive back from Llandysul to the north of Scotland and then work at 08:00 the following morning. Sorry Gareth it was an excellent competition and well worth the drive! Possibly the first slalom to say that it has contributed to the health and welfare of passers by having a heart attack, by being there!
However I don't think any (or perhaps many) are pushed to do this - it is what they want to do and as noted many are high achievers.
It keeps them off street corners and gives them focus, they also benefit from keeping fit and active.
Yes it could be a problem but then so is life.
The only plea would be for organisers to plan to finish in reasonable time on the Sunday (as most do) and then work hard to achieve the planned finish.
Lets just try and keep enjoying it all. Besides the pleasure of living is Scotland is I suppose worth the drive - and if I say this often enough maybe I will believe it!
However I don't think any (or perhaps many) are pushed to do this - it is what they want to do and as noted many are high achievers.
It keeps them off street corners and gives them focus, they also benefit from keeping fit and active.
Yes it could be a problem but then so is life.
The only plea would be for organisers to plan to finish in reasonable time on the Sunday (as most do) and then work hard to achieve the planned finish.
Lets just try and keep enjoying it all. Besides the pleasure of living is Scotland is I suppose worth the drive - and if I say this often enough maybe I will believe it!
<<It has to be said that a large proportion of successful sportspeople (not just slalomists) are academically successful, despite the travelling and sacrifices, which are the same at any sport once you achieve a certain level.>>
I think there is a good evidence that athletes who are focussed and disciplined in their sport are better equipped to achieve these same traits in their academic studies than maybe their non-sporting colleagues.
So I think there are positive "side affects" to be had from the "toughness" of having to compete all over the country
I think there is a good evidence that athletes who are focussed and disciplined in their sport are better equipped to achieve these same traits in their academic studies than maybe their non-sporting colleagues.
So I think there are positive "side affects" to be had from the "toughness" of having to compete all over the country