Burn out is indeed a large problem. As a former age group swimmer
turned coach and (lazy) master's swimmer I see a lot of my peers slowly
returning to the pool after a decade or more.
Sometimes after working so hard, sacrificing so much, it's truly hard
to kinda just hang around part time.
That being said at a few of the programs I've worked with we've tried
to form a little tighter ties between the master's and the highschool
kids. If for no other reason then to offer a realistic migration path
for those kids who will never make a national team. Read: virtually
everyone who can't realisticly expect to sacrifice 20-30 hours a week
to, and warp the other 140 odd hours around, your sport.
Some mixed results.
It's really hard to get adults and kids to the pool at the same time
and, unless you've handled it well and have a good group, it's hard not
to make someone in at least one camp feel put on or slighted. It takes
a lot for some parents to have their asses handed to them by the
-warmup_ their kids breezed through. it's even worse when a 12 year old
woorks like a horse and can't hold a candle to a middle aged, pumpkin
shaped, exnational finalist who hasn't so much as gone wading in 30
years.
When it does work though it can be a lot of fun. Lots of work, but very
rewarding. Swimming is (or should be) for life.
--Mike
