Reunited and It Feels So Good! Maritza Correia McClendon Joins us on The Carpool Lane
So we did a thing. Talking with Joanie Beisel last week was so much fun, we are going to keep the party rolling. I am going to host a weekly webinar called the Carpool Lane, which is dedicated to parent education! On this show we will bring in Olympians who are now parents, as well as parents of Olympians to hear all about how to best support your child’s athletic journey.
First up on The Carpool Lane is my dear friend Martiza Correia McClendon! Maritza and I swam together at the University of Georgia and she is a trailblazer. This incredible woman won championships in every freestyle event on the national stage. She is an American Record Holder, World Record Holder, the first black woman to make the Olympic team in swimming, and for however amazing she performed in the pool- she is even more of an exceptional human outside of the pool.
Maritza has a unique story that every parent needs to hear. Following not qualifying for the Olympic team in 2000 in her first two events, Maritza’s father sent her home from the meet before she swam her final event. She came back 4 years later to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games.
Martiza joined us on The Carpool Lane to talk everything about swimming, parenting, and how to turn your greatest disappointments into your greatest successes. Here are some of my favorite takeaways from our chat.
Never stop LEARNING! Athletes will learn from their wins and their losses. Find out what works for YOUR child and help them and recreate that. Find out what didn’t work so well and find a way to improve.
We can always RISE ABOVE anything when we put our mind to it. Look forward not backwards when dreams don’t come true the first time.
Positivity plays a large role in success. Surround yourself with positive people and stay positive for those around you.
Times of disappointment allow us to come back stronger. Lean on a support system- coaches, friends, parents, teammates to help get through tough times.
TAKE A BREAK when you need to! Change it up when feeling burnt out or stuck. Find a way to add a spark to your routine.
Not every practice or meet can be the best of your athlete’s life. Careers are a balance of the good and the not so good. Encourage your child to take those not so great days and come back the next day ready to be better than they were yesterday.
Let your children take the lead in their athletic journey. Their goals should be THEIR goals, not the coach's goals or the parents goals.
Support your child and create an environment where they can succeed. Expectations create unnecessary stress.
Encourage your child to love what they do without putting pressure on them.
Ritz, I LOVED having you on the Carpool Lane. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us. Catch the replay here!
