Why We Love Swim Team #LetsPowerTheirDreams

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/P&G.

My family has been glued to the TV set for the past week.  We are obsessed with the Olympic Games, especially the swimming competition and for good reason.  My kids have been swimming competitively for a few years and we spend lots of time on our local pool deck and in the pool perfecting technique, cutting seconds off of of previous times and setting goals for the future.  Years ago, when my oldest was just a toddler and we started him in swim lessons I never thought that competitive  swimming would be such a big part of our everyday lives.  Now, my older four are all on the swim team and my youngest is taking lessons.

My parents live on a lake and our goal for our kids was to make them competent swimmers–nothing more. I always said that the goal was that if they feel off the dock they could save themselves by swimming to the steps and getting out. Instead, because of swim team we have gotten so much more.

Why We Love Swim Team

• It is a life skill that every child should know–drowning rates for kids are truly astounding and as a result I feel that every child should know enough swimming skills to be able to save themselves should they fall into a body of water, be it a bathtub, swimming pool or a lake.  Swim lessons don’t have to be expensive to be effective, check out your local YMCA for Learn to Swim programs.

• The fact that it is an individual sport, with an emphasis on team–My kids are part of of a swim team, that means that their results help the overall team when it comes to winning and losing a meet. However, swimming is a very individual sport, you are only competing with yourself, despite being in the pool with seven other people.  Talk to any swimmer and they will tell you what their PR (personal record) is for each stroke and what their end goal is.  They truly are just racing agains their own time and their own records.
• The health benefits–have you seen the  articles during the Olympic Games about how much swimmers eat?   They eat an astounding amount of food and yet are in peak physical condition.  That is because swimming is such a great workout.  It is a true total body workout, easy on the joints and offers amazing cardiovascular benefits as well.

• The friends–my kids have all made great friends due to swimming, and I have made some great friends with the swim team moms.  It is great for my kids to have friends that have similar goals and interest and understand the amount of time that they put into the pool to achieve their goals.  Will they become the next Olympic superstars, like swimmers Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky or a maybe diving champion like David Boudia?  Only time will tell, however, I can rest easy knowing that they are all involved in a sport they love that has amazing health benefits!

Whether they are a swimmer or a diver, every swim bag is packed full of swim team essentials including a few pairs of googles, swim caps (and yes, a backup, did you see what happened to Michael Phelp’s cap?) and a good shampoo to wash away the chlorine.

Hours logged in the pool each week can leave your skin and scalp dry, itchy and flaky–and who wants a itchy, flaky scalp? Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo leaves hair manageable and 100% flake free*. (*Visible flakes; with regular use.) Packed with 7 benefits: Fights dry scalp, calms itchy scalp**, relieves irritation**, reduces redness**, great scent, controls flaky scalp**, and leaves hair looking great.  (**Associated with dandruff.)

Let’s power their Olympic dreams by buying the brands that support Team USA. Shop for P&G products like Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo at Walmart.