Give It a Chance- He Might Like It

My son recently had a classmate/neighborhood friend over to spend the night. During the course of the stay, he mentioned that his “dad” would not let him play soccer or swim because “it was for girls”. My immediate reaction (in my mind not verbally) was “why do you let your son socialize with my son?” You see, my son both swims and plays soccer. I’m not sure why this “dad” wants his son to play with such a “girly-boy” when he views both activities as just for girls. (I’ll let the soccer crowd weigh in on that sport since this is a swimming blog).

The day passed and I sat down to view the latest news. I checked my regular internet sites, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and CNN. On the CNN site I came across an article on Lewis Pugh. Pugh is a reservist in Britain's special forces regiment, who was swimming across some open water in the Arctic. In the course of the article he states "I want to swim until the last day of my life.” Yeesh! How girly can you get!

The military background in the CNN article got me thinking about national security. I did some quick searching on Navy Seals. In an effort to find young adults who can pass through their tough weeding out process they are actively seeking out the following high school athletes; triathletes, lacrosse, water polo, and rugby players, swimmers and wrestlers. Several of the sports listed (notably triathletes, swimming, and water polo) require the athlete to be a competent swimmer. Nowhere in the write-up could I find baseball, football, or basketball. That is not to say athletes in those sports could handle the Navy Seals. It may also be that those athletes in those sports not mentioned are better suited in different military branches.

In no way am I denigrating girl/women swimmers in this account either. I have played water polo/swam with my female counterparts and they were mentally and physically tough as nails. Whoops! That statement might add fuel to his fire about swimming being for girls.

I think that this “dad” should get on his son’s Facebook account and find him some wrestler or football friends to play with. No need to play with the “girly boys” that could swim circles around him.