HOME OF THE PIRANHAS

Coaches’ Responsibilities

• Teach all swimmers the fundamentals of competitive swimming.
• Consistently provide instruction, advice and encouragement during practices and meets.
• Provide feedback to swimmers on race performance, suggestions for improvement and/or explaining disqualification infractions.
• Actively develop “team spirit” among the swimmers by instilling pride, self‑esteem and an overall positive attitude
• Encourage swimmers to use “cheers” and banners as a part of their sportsmanship
• Conduct themselves as role models at all times by setting good examples for punctuality, appearance, language, attitude, sportsmanship, team spirit, and character!
• Schedule swimmers for meets. Post heat sheets in advance of upcoming meets. As a general rule, swimmers will be scheduled according to best times from previous meets by events. Ideally, each swimmer will swim at least two individual events at each meet in which they participate.
• Work closely with the Board and/or delegated representatives to clear misunderstandings, to get help and to make the program as rewarding and successful for all as possible.

Swimmers’ Responsibilities

• Treat coaches, parents, and each other respectfully
• Arrive at practices and meets on time. Begin workouts and warm‑ups on time.
• Listen carefully to instructions.
• Work hard to improve your stroke techniques as instructed by coaches.
• Ask questions if instructions are not understood. Wait until instructions and explanations have been given before asking your question. The answer may be contained in the instructions and explanation being offered.
• Mentally engage yourself in practices and races. Swimming is an intellectual sport.
• Pay attention to the order of events at meets. Be focused and ready to swim.
• Seek out your coach before and after you swim an event to get tips and advice.
• Accept constructive criticism as well as you accept praise!
• Sign out of meets well in advance if you will not be able to swim. (This is very important to the coaches when they prepare relays and heat sheets)
• Be willing to make sacrifices for the Team. This means giving 100%, even at times when you may not want to
• Enjoy improving, competing, and supporting each other!
• Always demonstrate good sportsmanship toward other teams and fellow teammates
• Clean up your area before you leave practice or meets.
• Always do your very best
• Have a fun summer!

Parents’ Responsibilities

• Fulfill all Parent Work Assignment responsibilities. (See following section)
• let your coach know you would like to go to STATE OR REGIONALS at the beginning of the summer season! we will need commitments to prepare for those meets!
• Ensure that you arrive promptly at meets so that your swimmers are on time for warm-ups. Check in with the Meet Director for work assignment 45 minutes before the start of the meet.
• Communicate with the coaching staff only during time outside of practice. This is very important. Notes can be left for the coaches in their file folders.
• If your child swims in a meet, be sure that your child reports to the blocks when their event is called. Your child runs the risk of being scratched if he/she is not checked in on time.
• Promote a good attitude and encourage your children by having them attend practice regularly and participate in meets.
• Help your child maintain a clean pool area both during and after all meets.

Relays… we all love them. They’re often the highlight of the meet. Your child races their heart out for their team-mates while the crowd goes wild. It’s not surprising that everyone wants to be selected. However, especially in large teams this is not always possible. It can help to understand a few key points before you find that coach to give them a piece of your mind…

1. Firstly all relays require a multiple of 4 swimmers. Depending on interest and times, is how we will determine the teams!

2. Coaches select teams based on times. Remember that if the meet is short course they will consider the top 4 short course times, if it is long course, they will consider the top 4 long course times. Your child may have different personal bests in each course format, and this may affect selections.

3. The generally accepted format for selecting a Freestyle team is that the fastest swimmer will anchor the team and go last, the 2nd fastest with start the race and the remaining swimmers will fill 2nd and 3rd spots.

4. In larger Championship style meets coaches are not usually required to declare their relays until the beginning of the session and can name alternates. In fact, they may be able to swim a different combination of swimmers in the pre-lims than they ultimately field in the finals. This is very common in Olympic relays. In this scenario it is important to understand that the coach(es) may change selections right up until the team is declared to officials, based on form at the meet. If your child goes into the meet ranked 2nd fastest in the 100m Freestyle for your club and is penciled in to contest the 4 x 100m Freestyle relay… but after the prelims of his/her individual 100m event they are the 5th or 6th ranked swimmer from your club, it could be that the coach will choose one of the others to contest the final of the relay. This is a tough pill to swallow but usually only happens at Open level and not commonly at age group meets.

5. At most meets only the A team will score and often the B, C, D, etc… teams will not be eligible for medals, ribbons or points. So why participate? Relays are fun, first and foremost and also it is great practice for the day your child IS selected for the A team.

6. Medley relays… yes let’s open that can of worms… these multi-stroke relays often throw up surprising combinations. Your child may enjoy and be your club’s fastest at Breaststroker for example, however this may not be the best option for the team. It may be that for the group of swimmers available, it is better for your child to swim a different stroke as the combination of times is faster. This can be tough to get your head around. Keep in mind in very young age group team the coach may also have to consider if everyone in the team can swim each stroke legally to ensure the team is not disqualified. Try to take a TEAM approach to relay selections.

7. What about split times? Often due to the exciting team nature of relays, athletes swim “out of their skin” and post-super fast splits. Can you use these as new personal bests or records? Yes, and no. The first swimmer may use his/her split time as he/she had an official start, the remaining three swimmers cannot as theirs was a “flying start”. Occasionally a coach might choose to place a swimmer vying for qualification or a National cut in position 1 in a relay in order to give them an extra shot at qualification. This does contradict some of the points above but hopefully he/she talks it through with the team and they support the athlete in question.

8. Another important consideration which can complicate a coach’s selections is that of workload and the meet running order. It could be that an athlete has an enormous workload at a meet or a particularly hectic session of events. In this case the coach and athlete may make a judgement call that he/she is not suited for relay selection on that occasion. This is a positive for the next swimmer in line but can create tension with other team members. The coach will be carefully weighing the needs and well-being of the individual with the needs of the team.

9. Often relays are double points. This in itself can create a dilemma and relays can win meets! It might be that if events are restricted your child may have more relay events than individual ones. Both are of value.

If you want to participate in relays during competition season, please let your coaches know!