Courtesy: Elizabeth Wickham
Swimming offers our kids amazing role models. Whether it’s older kids on their team, coaches, or Olympic heroes, the sport is filled with extraordinary people. This past week we saw Ryan Lochte make an amazing comeback and win gold at U.S. Nationals. With Lochte’s story, we can tell our kids that he’s human and messed up, wasn’t a great role model in Rio, but look how he’s learned, grown and improved as a person. And yes, he can still swim fast! Throughout the ups and downs of Lochte’s career, there’s one thing that is clear—he never gives up. Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history, and has overcome his demons to become an incredible role model for our children. Olympic medalist Kaitlin Sandeno overcame asthma, injuries, is a TV personality and serves as a spokesperson for the Jessie Rees Foundation, bringing joy to children fighting cancer.
Swimming is filled with talented, hard working people our children can learn from. It’s a proud moment when we watch our children become role models for the younger kids on their team, too.
Why are these swimmers worthy of our children’s admiration?
ONE
Amazing talent.
The world of swimming is filled with talent. Lochte, Phelps and Sandeno are three of many people who were given an extra helping of talent.
TWO
Hard work.
Swimming doesn’t allow shortcuts to success. At some point, talent won’t cut it without years of hard work. All successful swimmers put in hard work to achieve greatness.
THREE
Grit.
According to Angela Ducksworth who wrote the book “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” talent and luck will only get you so far. “Grit is holding steadfast to that goal. Even when you fall down. Even when you screw up. Even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow,” she wrote.
FOUR
Humility.
Being in the spotlight has tested more than a few of our famous swimmers. We tend to respect those who show humility and put their team ahead of their own glory. Humility is a trait of great character.
FIVE
Not afraid to fail.
It takes a special courage to lay it all out on the line with no guarantees for success. The top swimmers don’t show fear of failure. They are willing to give their races everything they have, all the time.
SIX
Pick themselves up.
The ability to fail yet try again is something that will benefit our children throughout their lives. It’s easier to say, I can’t do it, it’s impossible and quit. Yet, swimmers try again after experiencing excruciating injuries or setbacks.
What other traits do role models share that can benefit our kids?
Elizabeth Wickham volunteered for 14 years on her kids’ club team as board member, fundraiser, newsletter editor and “Mrs. meet manager.” She’s a writer with a bachelor of arts degree in editorial journalism from the University of Washington with a long career in public relations, marketing and advertising. Her stories have appeared in newspapers and magazines including the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Parenting and Ladybug. You can read more parenting tips on her blog.
Physically, as a 35-year old, yes, he grew up.
Ryan Lochte is swimming father or grand old man. No ideal but currently already fitness camp. Great come back.
You still have Nathan Adrian standing on the pool deck but you pick Lochte? Lochte has some redeeming qualities but overall I would give him a D+ as a role model
Say whatever about Lochte, I’m glad he’s still swimming and still working hard. Elizabeth, you always write great, thoughtful, well written articles. We share these with our team and I always get great feedback.
Thank you for sharing this!
I ‘d like to teach my kids to avoid wrongdoing in the first place, but that’s a radical and unrealistic parenting technique
I would just like to know what’s radical about that. There are many people who don’t get arrested or make such poor choices in their life times
Way to pick up on the sarcasm
He’s one of the very last swimmers I would ever consider/suggest someone look up to. He’s like Gronk, but worse. He’s a frat-boy who never grew up.
Yes, he is the sort of male who never seems to grow up that unfortunately is all too common, and excused and explained away. If he wasn’t a world class swimmer you would avoid like the plague.
As for being a father, good on him, but hardly an achievement.
I personally find scant lessons in the life story of Lyan Lochte to pass onto my kids. Sorry!
Let’s give the second most decorated Olympian and father of two more credit
A father no way
You clearly never saw Mr Lochte in action with his young swim fans. I saw him standing forever signing autographs at a Grand Prix event after sessions. This at the same event where the GOAT swam his race and ducked out of the facility as quickly as possible. Yeah, Ryan’s not perfect, but he does have many redeeming qualities. His work ethic leading up to London is legend, his continued efforts to bounce back and push his body past people’s expectations of what someone can accomplish at his age are also to be admired.
Kids should and do look up to him for his swimming- best male swimmer not named Michael Phelps – ever. He also shows he loves the sport- more visible and accessible at the meets than many stars. Wouldn’t want my kids to aspire to his off-the-deck behavior.
Lochte had some off the deck behavior that was not a saint but those are also the type of mistakes that anyone can made. He did eventually own up to his drunken behavior, served the suspension/punishment from USA Swimming. If we insist that only perfect person can be role model, there won’t be anyone left. Lochte’s willingness to stick with swimming and training through the thick and thin, and try to improve himself are lessons to learn.
Did you see him give his gold medal to the kid who brought out the medals? You know nothing about the man. He has taught my kids some incredible things.
How has he shown that he has grown as a person? He just finished serving a suspension.
It was a very innocent suspension. You clearly know nothing about it
Innocent? He is innocent of knowing the rules that govern the athletic world. And he was ‘allegedly’ recovering from a hangover when he did it. I’m all for his swimming and think it would be awesome if he makes the Tokyo team, but as a role model you’ve got to be kidding me.