When I asked a ninth grade student and former competitive swimmer from Nest & M High School, if she thought that it was smart to miss practice in order to score better on tests, she replied
"I don't think it really matters if you go to swim practice as long as you get a good amount of sleep. And, it's not good to miss swim practice because you can fall behind and get out of shape."Junior Athlete Rep for Metro Swimming, Julian Mackrel, shared this thought regarding the subject
"Definitely go to practice when you have tests because it helps you concentrate. The practice relaxes you and increases blood flow to your brain."Senior swimmer Miles Blaney adds
"You won't get faster skipping!"My own opinion is that families should maintain the normal balance of their children's lives and keep status quo during assessment periods. My reasoning is based on empirical evidence of how mood and motivation are negatively affected when exercise is taken out of the equation. A reduction of exercise causes a reduction in the release of endorphins in an individual's system. Swimming is known to increase the production and release of endorphins. These endorphins are known to make a person feel good, increase confidence, and reduce feelings of stress and frustration.
For these reasons, my position on practice attendance for swimmers during testing periods is that swimmers should continue their sport regimens, eat well and get plenty of sleep. If I were to offer advice on cutting something from their routine, I would suggest that during testing periods parents should shorten the sedentary cycles that children engage in, namely to reduce television watching and video game playing...
