Here is my .02. And this is an important question, it's worth noting I am not a coach or qualified to dispense coaching advice- so take this with a grain...
1. Desire: The kid has to enjoy it.
2. Commensurate support: Not pushing too hard, parents that are willing to let the kid fail and make bad decisions on thier own. That gentle balance of support without pushing too hard.
3. Good health: (physical, mental and emotional). Good athletes come from good families.
4. Education: In everything. Never neglect school and academics. There is a direct link between academic acheivement and sports apptitude.
5. Patience: This is an endurance sport. You don't "paek" until your mid to late twenties and even early 30s. That is a long career.

I hope that helps, and remember Mike Walden's (Cycling Hall of Fame Coach)quote about juniors: "Do no harm".

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Hi Spencer,

There've been many days when I look back on HS and wish...that I'd joined the x-country and track teams...but hindsight is 20/20! With those times he is already good and sure to get better in swimming, but if he wants to be a national/international level triathlete after or during college I'd really encourage sticking with the run teams. I realize that x-country is during the same season as the swim season, but that's the nature of the beast. At 16 the progress he can make by developing his running talents now will pay multiple dividends down the road. Of course, that's all in line with what Tom just wrote, school and fun need their places in life as well! Even if he just gets out and runs 10-20 miles a week with the team for the next couple years will make a difference.

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Marty Gaal, CSCS
One Step Beyond Coaching
Triangle Open Water Swim Series | Old School Aquathon Series
Powerstroke® Freestyle Technique DVD

I disagree with MartyG and agree with Tom Demerly.

The most important thing is he does something he enjoys. All of these things (swimming, cycling, running) can be learned later but the toughest to learn later IMHO (to get really good) is swimming. Cycling and running is particularly easy to improve now IMHO with PowerCranks, compared to swimming.

Running in HS or college is not a prerequisite to becoming world class, just ask Lindquist, Taorimina, Bonney, or Larsen and many others.

Frank

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Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

It is a given he should do what he enjoys.

It may not be a prerequisite, but running in HS certainly helps. Ask any of those world-class athletes if they ran in HS, and the answer is probably going to be yes, more than zero, even if it was just supplemental to their primary training. A 9:48 1000 yd free at age 16 is already good enough to latch onto the feet of some very fast people in the water. A 5:58 mile on the track (without training) will not take you anywhere beyond local triathlon competition.

Marty, I noticed a mistake and thought it should be corrected. Andrew ran a 4:58 mile 2 weeks ago, even splits. Sorry about that.

I really appreciate the thoughts being shared, as for school, he's got a 4.2 gpa thru 10th grade. To reply to his enjoyment of the sports, I will tell you that competing in sports is his enjoyment. He's a wonderful boy and he's got his family's support, but we really do not push him ever. My older son (18) was a swimmer/runner/triathlete as well, but decided that cycling was his thing, quit the others and will cat up to a 2 today. He deserves it, as he puts in the necessary training to be there.

Spencer

Here is my .02. I am a sister of an 16 year old cross country/ track / and now triathlete. He competes competively on his high school cross country and track teams. He started doing tri's last June on a whim and now loves them. Tri's are his passion. He still competes on his cross country and track teams during their season and on off seasons he competes in tri's. He has found that being on the high school running teams keep him fit and helps him during the tri's. He only swims during the summer months and he tends to place in the top 2 of his age division on a regular basis in the tri's. I think that any young athlete in high school should be involved with their high school sports. My brother stays involved in high school running and gets his swimming and cycling training with a triathlon club. Spencer, you might want to look into finding an outside club for your son to join this may help him be able to compete with his high school as well as in tri's. In regards to what sport he should do in high school I think it should be track. He gets his speed for running in track and then find a club to join for swimming where he can sharpen his strokes.

Ah why haven't I seen this thread sooner ;D

Well it's awesome he has a swimming background, because that's where most good triathlets come from. As swimming is the hardest of the 3 to improve in, he's already got a good head start.

Now, this really depends if he is going to do drafting or none drafting events, but I think (and this is my opinion), he should concentrate more on the bike. With those times in swimming he should be atleast 10-20 seconds ahead of everybody out of the water, and he if has a strong bike he can keep/improve that lead, and not get run down (Craig Walton anyone).

I'm 15, but I'm less of a swimmer (usually come out around 10-15th out of the water), but most of my races are draft legal, so it all comes down to the run. We spend a lot of time running (the maximum without doing any damage to the joints, which is hard because running and healthy joints are almost opposites). For the 5k I can do (on a good day) low 17's or mid to high 16's.

To sum it up, since he's more of a beginner Triathlete he should first get some running + cycling volume (as a good base), then as he improves decided what to concentrate on (depending on your strategy in races).

If development to one's utmost potential is the goal, there is one clear path for someone in your son's position. Swim. Maximization of one's bike and run potential can begin as an adult - but if you want to get the most out of your swim, starting early and keeping at it is the ONLY way.

Swim speed is not especially critical for Ironman racing . . . but if your son has any Olympic aspirations, he could increase his chances markedly by dropping his 1650 time to 15:20 or less. So, my advice is, emphasize the swimming, get a major college swim scholarship, then go and swim your butt off for four years. Most major college swim programs do some running in the off-and-pre-seasons, and that will be enough during this critical period of his life.

Why a major college program? Because he'll get much more testing competition (in practice, as well as in meets) and much better role models. Take Andy Potts, who is going to be the first legitimate U.S. men's contender at the top levels of Olymic distance triathlon. Andy started swimming as a kid, developed similarly to your son, and got a swim scholarship at the University of Michigan. For four years, he swam in one of the nation's top programs, and shared the distance free/IM lane with Tom Dolan and Eric Namesnik. Those two went on to win several golds and silvers in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games . . . and though Andy never made the Olympic team, the day-to-day competition brough out the best in him. By the end of his senior year, he had swum the 1650 in 15:00 and finished fourth in the 400 IM at the 2000 Olympic Trials. NOTE: After completion of his senior year in swimming, Andy went out for the U of M track team - and with but two months of run training, did a 4:18 mile.

Swim now, smile later.

Lew

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Lew

well.. I'm 19.. and have been playing this game for 3 years now. I was at Jr. Nats last summer.. and me coming from a running background, which is fine in a regular tri, its a totally different ball game in a draft legal tri. If you son wants to do olypmics, I would say swim first, learn to run second. There was one guy there, who on his off season for swimming, managed to come in seventh because he was out of the water in the top 3 or 4, and just latched on to them during the bike. and lost a few placed during the run. But if you don't get the main pack, then your toast, because its hard to make up the difference between a good swim/bike and a shitty swim, miss the pack bike, on the run.

just my .02 c.

And freestyle.. where do you live? If your in southern Ontario, we should get togeather some time for a bike ride.

David

Wow, after reading the above posts what a contridication I see. I am very involved in my brother's training and racing and I have never heard that the swimming is the most important. From all accounts that I hear the race is won on the bike or the run. As long as you come out decent in the swim if you have an above average ride and a great run then you are in contention for the top spots. I find this to be accurate as well. If you can maintain a very good bike ride and gain some ground there and then have the endurance and the speed on the run you beat many athletes to the finish line. A lot of the racing is mental and if you can pass another athlete on the bike and run you have a mental advantage. If you do not have the speed for the run then others will pass you up and then they gain the mental advantage.

And what are the graduation rates of the top 10 Div I basketball teams ? (sorry, couldn't pass that one up since you didn't qualify it).



On to the original post. I have two sons, 10 and 8. My 10 year old can run pretty well considering he doesn't train at all. He can go out and run 8min pace for 3-4 miles easily and run close to 6:20 or so for the mile. I'm coming from a running background myself so I think his progress is pretty cool so far. I managed to run 4:15 for the mile and mid 14's in the 5k so I have a pretty good grasp on what's going on with the running. I also feel I've developed into a decent bike rider, hoping to hit 55:00 for 40k this year (not the best, but OK for me). Obvioulsy, my son has aspirations of following in dads footsteps. However, he often gets confused why dad prefers to do du's rather than tri's though. Dad was a good runner when young, even a good wrestler at one time, but never learned to swim as a youngster, or swim proper when I did eventually learn. My son still doesn't know why dad prefers du's to tri's . . . he does enjoy swimming though as dad consistently keeps him in the water . . . in lessons to work on learning properly . . . in a swim club . . . etc. He still doesn't really know why dad prefers du's to tri's though . . . Dad is hoping that through his development as a swimmer that he will never have to realize himself why dad prefers du's to tri's should he ever decide to partake in multi-sport endeavors . . . and it was pure accident that I happened to marry a swimmer ;)

I don't have any knowledge of ball sports. I'm completely uninformed about them. I suck at them. I was always the last kid to be picked for the team. I was fat.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

 He'd really like to go to college as a swimmer or triathlete and I understand that USA triathlon has a scholarship to the University of Colorado for swimmers that can go 16 min in the mile, he should do that by next summer. His career choice is sports medicine so that'll also help him decide where he finally goes.

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I am 18, and let me tell you from experience, if he is only 16, everything will change 10 times by the time he is in 12th grade. I am now a senior, and I still feel I am up in the air as to what I am going to do. When I was in 10th grade, I wanted to be a marine biologist, then a teacher, then a marine, then a prosecutor, then a doctor. Even now I want to go to USMA upon acceptance, but a prosector looks good as well. My point is at 16 everything changes. Don't push anything. If your son wants to be a triathlete or a swimmer, as an athlete he will know he has to train. Just my $.02.