Swim Meet Protocol

 

Meet Entry Protocol

 

I wanted to send out one more e-mail to clarify how the meet entry process works. Below is a step by step process.

 

  1. Meet Information along with a participation form will be posted on the website 4-6 weeks before the first day off the meet.
  2. Meet sign up on line will be posted after the meet information and participation form are on the website.
  3. You have typically 2-3 weeks to indicate your intention to compete on line before the entry window has closed.
  4. Usually 10-14 days before the entries are due (based on your commitment of signing up on line), the coaches will enter the athlete in the meet.
  5. We will then send these entries to the families in an e-mail with weekly announcements. This allows everybody to look over the entries to make sure that their son or daughter is in the meet. We will follow up with one more updated version 2-3 days later, once everybody has had a chance to look at the first version.
  6. At that point the coaching staff will verify with the treasurer that the athletes entered in the meet have turned in their check for $50.00 for the meet fees.
  7. If a swimmer that is signed up on line has not paid the fees to the treasurer or put the check in the payment folder, then the athlete will be removed from that particular meet.
  8. The reason we send entries out so early is to guarantee our spot in each meet. If you decide to swim in the meet after the meet entry date, you will assume all late fees that are passed on to the team.
  9. Once we have closed out the meet and sent off the entries and something comes up and precludes you from participating in the meet, you are still responsible for your meet fees.  You will not be responsible for coaches’ travel, but all other fees will be invoiced to you because the team had to cover those costs.
  10. When the next invoice comes out the following month, the difference of those costs will be in your statement.

 

 

 

Please look at these at these entries and if you have any questions please follow meet entry protocol.

 

Swim Meet Protocol

 

This weekend was a great chance for H2A swimmers to sleep in their own beds, swim some best times and for families to save a little bit of money.  As we grow as a team it is important that all families are aware of proper meet conduct whether it is at home or another facility. Please read the following items as guidelines to follow when attending a meet.

 

  1. A meet has a specific warm-up time and start time designated by the meet host. The H2A coaching staff asks for their athletes to be there 15 minutes before the start of warm-ups. This allows them to stretch out, use the bathroom and get behind the block (with caps and goggles on) so they can get in on time. For example if wm-ups start at 9:00am every swimmer should be there by 8:45am.  Showing up late is a distraction to the other athletes and it does not give your child the best opportunity to prepare for their races.
  2. Every swimmer should always wear a team cap, team suit and the team shirt designated for that day of the meet. One of the things that separate H2A from other teams is our team culture.
  3. When you are at a sanctioned meet there are stroke and turn officials present. From time to time a swimmer will get disqualified in events and that is part of the learning curve. One of the reasons that we host these home meets is so we can make those mistakes, and when we get to bigger meets those kinks are ironed out. As a parent you should never talk to a stroke and turn official or the meet referee for clarification on your child. The first step is to ask your coach after the meet and then he or she will talk to the stroke and turn official about the specific situation. The also should be the case if your child misses an event. Always go to your coach first.  There is never a reason for a parent to talk to an official.
  4. When parents are at a meet they should always be sitting in the stands or in the designated area on deck. They should never go behind the blocks before a race.
  5. When a swimmer is done with their race they should go see their coach first, then go to the warm down pool, get warm and then they can talk to their parents.

  6. Please remember the following article as your child develops as a swimmer.  There are many key points and it is necessary for you to take the 3 minutes to read it.

 


News For

SWIM  PARENTS

Published by The American Swimming Coaches Association

5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200

Fort Lauderdale FL 33309

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Watching Your Child at Swim Lessons or Swim Practice

By Guy Edson

For many years I watched my daughter swim under the direction of other coaches. I have also watched her at basketball practice and games, and dance, and figure skating.  I know the joy of watching her in these activities.  I also know and understand the overwhelming desire to direct, correct, encourage, and sometimes scold her at practice.  But these are not proper parental behaviors once I have released her into the care of a coach or teacher.  As a parent, I am not to interfere with the practice or attempt to talk to my child during the practice session.

            At swim practice coaches want the children’s attention focused on the coach and the tasks at hand.  Occasionally children miss an instruction, or have a goggle problem, or are involved in some other distraction, or are simply playing and having fun – which are all normal behaviors for young children.  Coaches view these little difficulties as opportunities for the children to develop good listening skills, ability to reason, and self discipline.  Sometimes we allow failure on purpose -- a missed instruction leaving the child confused often results in the child learning to pay better attention the next time.  We endeavor to provide an environment for the children to develop these skills.  A well-intentioned and over-enthusiastic mom or dad sometimes has difficulty allowing their child to miss something and wants to interfere.  It’s understandable.

            We know it is common in many other youth sports for parents to stand at the sidelines and shout instructions or encouragements and sometimes admonishments to their children.  However, at swim practice coaches ask parents not to signal them to swim faster, or to tell them to try a certain technique, or to offer to fix a goggle problem, or to move away from some other “menacing” swimmer, or even to remind them to listen to the coach.  In fact, just as you would never interrupt a school classroom to talk your child, you should not interrupt a swim practice by attempting to communicate directly with your child. 

            What’s wrong with encouraging your child during practice?  There are two issues.   First we want your child to focus on the coach and to learn the skill for their personal satisfaction rather than learning it to please their parents.  Secondly, parental encouragement often gets translated into a command to swim faster and swimming faster may be the exact opposite of what the coach is trying to accomplish.  In most stroke skill development practices we first slow the swimmers down so that they can think through the stroke motions.  Save encouragements and praise for after the practice session!  This is the time when you have your child’s full attention to tell them how proud you are of them.

            What’s wrong with shouting or signaling instructions to your children?  When I watched my old daughter play in a basketball league I felt an overwhelming desire to shout instructions to my child and so I understand the feelings that most parents have.  But those instructions might be different from the coach’s instructions and then you end up with a confused child.  Sometimes you might think the child did not hear the coach’s instruction and you want to help.  Most of us do not want to see our own kids make a mistake.  The fact is that children miss instructions all the time.  Part of the learning process is learning how to listen to instructions.  When children learn to rely on a backup they will have more difficulty learning how to listen better the first time.

            As parents, many of us want our children protected from discomfort and adversity and we will attempt to create or place them in an environment free from distress.  So, what’s wrong with helping your child fix their goggles during practice time?  Quite simply, we want to encourage the children to become self-reliant and learn to take care of and be responsible for themselves and their own equipment.  Swimming practice is a terrific place to learn these life skills.  Yes, even beginning at age 6 or 7.

            If you need to speak to your child regarding a family issue or a transportation issue or to take your child from practice early you are certainly welcome to do so but please approach the coach directly with your request and we will immediately get your child out of the water.  If you need to speak to the coach for other reasons please wait until the end of practice. 

            Thanks for bringing your children to swim practice.  Every swim coach I know coaches each child with care for their safety and concern for their social, physical, learning skills, and life skills development.