Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:01:47 GMT -5
My daughters have decided that swimming, diving, and archery are the coolest things since sliced bread and want us to find them lessons. I could see archery being somewhat cheapish once you shell out money for the equipment. Swimming probably won't cost us a total fortune since we have a local team. God only knows how close the nearest pool with a 10 meter board is though.
In 7 and 8 years respectively, when we tell them they have no college fund because we spent all our money letting them play sports and get music lessons as kids do you think they'll hate me forever?
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:03:50 GMT -5
Oh, and gymnastics of course. The older one wants to do swimming, archery, and softball. The younger one wants to do gymnastics, diving, and piano lessons.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jul 30, 2012 13:10:08 GMT -5
I'd push towards archery, personally. We did a 2 week thing on it in high school gym and it was fun. Plus I have a bunch of cousins with bows would be able to help with the basics.
Hey Dark, around here, we've got a couple of parks with archery targets. I think they're free and on a first come, first served basis. I don't think my older brother had lessons per se, just a cousin to show him the ropes and then they hit the park targets at 0dark hundred in summer. Maybe you guys have something similar and once the girls get their safety/basic lessons you'd be able to use them?
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:11:25 GMT -5
The problem is the ones they really want to do, swimming and gymnastics respectively, are basically year round sports. We're still looking into the gymnastics, but the swim team here practices 5 days a week year round. We've already explained that we'll probably miss practices and possibly some meets during softball season, but the lady who runs it says they see the same thing during soccer season and it's not a big deal. Hopefully the local gymnastics coach is as understanding.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jul 30, 2012 13:15:19 GMT -5
Dark, do you have a local recreation dept, run out of the schools or parks? Here, the public school system runs a recreation program and offers assorted classes (including swim for kids) and your kids can try it out without committing to a club. Most of the classes met once a week for 7-9 weeks, take a couple weeks off and then the next set of sessions starts up. In general, the classes run about $30 for the 7-9 weeks session.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Jul 30, 2012 13:17:31 GMT -5
Usually to be competitive at the higher levels in gymnastics, you have to start pretty young - age 5 or so. So it should be fine, since your DD (10 or 11, right?) probably won't be on the super-competitive track that requires travel every weekend, extra practices, etc. (Just make sure she realizes this going into it - it can be difficult to watch 8yos who look like they're 5 tumbling circles around you.)
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:27:52 GMT -5
Yeah, both kids are taking swim lessons through the rec department right now. This will be the last year we do that. The other kids in their classes are very very beginning swimmers. Like, just learning how to back float and afraid to put their heads in the water beginners. Ours have been swimming since they were toddlers, since Loop's family is like half fish. Loop was on the swim team throughout her whole childhood, and her mom was fairly close to qualifying for the Olympic diving team back in the day. Grandma would love for one of the kids to take up diving, but she's 5'2" or 5'3". Our older one is already taller than her, and the younger one isn't too far behind. She ruined her chances of having a grandchild follow in her footsteps when she procreated with a dude that was 6'2".
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:29:37 GMT -5
She's probably going to be too tall to be a really competitive gymnast anyway. I will have to have a long conversation with her about the age and starting "late" thing though.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Jul 30, 2012 13:35:40 GMT -5
Honestly, she's probably at somewhat of an advantage starting "large", so to speak - the ones who have real trouble are the teeny girls who go through puberty halfway through the season and have to relearn how to do everything with an 8" taller body.
If she's already at or close to her adult height, and continues growing, she should be able to adapt more easily.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jul 30, 2012 13:38:43 GMT -5
Yeah, both kids are taking swim lessons through the rec department right now. This will be the last year we do that. The other kids in their classes are very very beginning swimmers. Like, just learning how to back float and afraid to put their heads in the water beginners. Ours have been swimming since they were toddlers, since Loop's family is like half fish. Loop was on the swim team throughout her whole childhood, and her mom was fairly close to qualifying for the Olympic diving team back in the day. Grandma would love for one of the kids to take up diving, but she's 5'2" or 5'3". Our older one is already taller than her, and the younger one isn't too far behind. She ruined her chances of having a grandchild follow in her footsteps when she procreated with a dude that was 6'2". So they don't offer individual swim lessons though your rec department? I think I can get those though mine.
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ontrack
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Post by ontrack on Jul 30, 2012 13:40:05 GMT -5
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:41:06 GMT -5
She's not that tall yet. I think she's somewhere around 4'9" right now. If that was going to be her adult height, she'd be golden. I'm guessing she'll be at least Loop's height as an adult though, at least 5'7", maybe taller. I'm starting to think the older one will be 6' or more, like her great grandmother, great great grandmother, and great great great grandmother. That last one was born in the late 1800's, or around the turn of the century I believe and was over 6' tall, which still seems crazy to me. There are a couple photographs of her and she looks like a giant compared to the women around her.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:42:28 GMT -5
Now it makes sense. They did both read the hunger games at the beginning of summer.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Jul 30, 2012 13:44:44 GMT -5
As soon as I saw HG, I knew that archery would become a big trend. And for what it's worth, young girls could do a heck of a lot worse than emulating Katniss.
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busymom
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Post by busymom on Jul 30, 2012 13:44:47 GMT -5
Dark, if they've got "Olympic fever", they're both at a good age to start learning tennis. It doesn't matter how tall they get as they grow to be good at that sport. (And, tennis isn't that expensive, compared to some sports.) I agree that swimming is a good option too. I agree with Miss M. One activity per kid was the rule at my house. Until the oldest got into high school. (There were too many options for activities.) DD ended up being in quite a few different things.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:44:56 GMT -5
No. They do small group lessons, and after the first lesson they moved our two into the group with the other "advanced" swimmer. It's something, but even the younger one could swim laps around the other kid in their group.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Jul 30, 2012 13:45:08 GMT -5
Message deleted by Rocky Mtn Saver.
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busymom
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Post by busymom on Jul 30, 2012 13:45:24 GMT -5
Dark, if they've got "Olympic fever", they're both at a good age to start learning tennis. It doesn't matter how tall they get as they grow to be good at that sport. (And, tennis isn't that expensive, compared to some sports.) I agree that swimming is a good option too. I agree with Miss M. One activity per kid was the rule at my house. Until the oldest got into high school. (There were too many options for activities.) DD ended up being in quite a few different things.
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imawino
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Post by imawino on Jul 30, 2012 13:47:27 GMT -5
Weird. I watched some of the olympics and my reaction was less about getting into sports and more just gratitude that men's swimming has outlawed those full-bodysuit swimsuit things and gone back to those low, tight trunks.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 13:50:48 GMT -5
Word!
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shanendoah
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Post by shanendoah on Jul 30, 2012 13:51:31 GMT -5
My parents competed in archery tournaments together when they were dating/first married, and a girl I grew up with was the alternate for the 1996 women's Olympic archery team, so I'm a pretty big fan of that sport. The top end equipment is really expensive, though.
I don't think being tall is a problem for diving- artistic gymnastics, yes, but not diving, and it's an advantage in swimming. And, if I remember correctly, height isn't an issue in rhythmic gymnastics either. (That won't be on until the last weekend of the Olympics, but it is my favorite of the women's events.)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2012 13:51:53 GMT -5
Weird. I watched some of the olympics and my reaction was less about getting into sports and more just gratitude that men's swimming has outlawed those full-bodysuit swimsuit things and gone back to those low, tight trunks. Makes note to start watching swimming again.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2012 13:55:01 GMT -5
My son is starting at a new school this year and it has an archery team. We bought him some lessons and practice time and he LOVES it. The school team is actually pretty cheap. I think it's only $75 compared to the fee for soccer which is $250. The school will lend him a bow but if he wants to purchase one the type they compete with is around $275. I figure it's much cheaper than the other sports he's played such as soccer, golf and Nordic skiing. Having to buy multiple sets of skis and roller skis adds up!
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 14:01:35 GMT -5
It's the same problem as it is in gymnastics. Short squat bodies are able to generate higher levels of proportional torque, and get into a more compact body position, so they literally rotate and flip faster than a taller athlete. The best divers are all pretty short. Same with gymnasts. All diving, and elements of gymnastics, rely on the same mechanic; only having so much air time to perform the most difficult movement you can. If you're short, and thus able to generate more force relative to your body size, you can fit more flips, spins, etc. into your window of air time than a taller athlete can.
Divers do tend to be a little taller than gymnasts, but the tallest male diver on the American team is only 5'9". Still fairly short for a young guy, and he's the big one.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Jul 30, 2012 14:02:38 GMT -5
Weird. I watched some of the olympics and my reaction was less about getting into sports and more just gratitude that men's swimming has outlawed those full-bodysuit swimsuit things and gone back to those low, tight trunks. Waiting for one of those things to fall off one day? ;D
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imawino
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Post by imawino on Jul 30, 2012 14:04:16 GMT -5
Waiting for one of those things to fall off one day? ;D If by "waiting" you mean praying fervently to that head of lettuce I worship, then yes.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Jul 30, 2012 14:06:58 GMT -5
Dark they could be into boys and girlie clothes and makeup
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jul 30, 2012 14:07:50 GMT -5
Something tells me that even after shelling out way too much for kids activities, I won't dodge that bullet anyway.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Jul 30, 2012 14:08:32 GMT -5
Waiting for one of those things to fall off one day? ;D If by "waiting" you mean praying fervently to that head of lettuce I worship, then yes. CL Bis!!!!!
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Jul 30, 2012 14:09:55 GMT -5
Not likely to happen, given that they are compression suits that just about allow the Olympians (and anyone else who wants to buy them) the ability to breathe. The suits are so snug, putting them on requires an extra set of hands. I've been to swim meets, and seen normal-szed adults attempt to get into them. Not a pretty sight. Anything over a couple of percentage points of body fat, and you'll either bust a seam, or wish you could.
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