Carlynton Aqua Club

The place swimmers and parents “hang out” while waiting for their events to be called during a meet is called the beach. Once you see it, you will understand why. Sometimes we set up in cafeterias (like our home meets), gyms or even hallways.

• Blanket (a place for your swimmers to hang out between events)
• Folding chairs (If allowed by the hosting facility).
• Pen or Sharpie (to mark your swimmers hands with their event numbers)
• Extra towels
• Entertainment for the kids (cards, books, game boys, board games, etc., – no balls)
• Most facilities allow you to bring small coolers with drinks and snacks for your swimmer. All of the teams do offer concessions stands at their meets.

• Report to the cafateria at least 15 minutes before the specified warm up time.
• Check In – report to the Coach or Head Seeding Parent when your family arrives. Please be sure your swimmer is marked present for the meet!
• The Coach or Head Seeding Parent will provide you or your child with the list of your swimmer's events.
• Write your swimmer's  events on their hand or leg with marker/pen so they know what they're swimming.
• Do yourself a favor and write those evens on your own hand as well.

After Warm ups and throughout the meet, swimmers are to pay attention to what event is being called by the seeders so they know when to go sit on deck.

During HOME meets, swimmers age 10 and under are taken on deck by a seeding parent; swimmers age 11 and up are responsible for being on deck in time for their event.

Between events, it is important that all swimmers return to the "beach" or team area. Seeders are not able to search the locker rooms or on the pool deck to find swimmers for their events. If it is close to your event time and you leave the area for any reason, please let the seeder know.

Please clean up after yourself and your family.

Your child needs your emotional, physical, and financial support. Be liberal in providing this support.

Support, but do not push your child.

Understand development – long-term development as an athlete, and growth and development as it impacts performance.

Be realistic in terms of expectations; factor in age and skill level; be aware of your child's perception of your expectations.

Emphasize performance and effort, not just outcome. The athlete only has control over his/her performance. Define and measure success as giving maximal effort and as personal improvement.

Keep winning in perspective.

Do not bribe.

Give plenty of encouraging and rewarding statements. Criticize sparingly.

View swimming as an arena in which to teach your child about commitment, hard work, and coping with adversity.

Work to form an effective Coach-Athlete-Parent Triangle.

10 COMMANDMENTS FOR SWIMMING PARENTS

by Rose Snyder, Managing Director Coaching Division, USOC

Former Director of Club Services, USA Swimming

(adapted from Ed Clendaniel's 10 Commandments for Little League Parents)

I. Thou shalt not impose thy ambitions on thy child.

Remember that swimming is your child's activity. Improvements and progress occur at different rates for each individual. Don't judge your child's progress based on the performance of other athletes and don't push them based on what you think they should be doing. The nice thing about swimming is every person can strive to do their personal best and benefit from the process of competitive swimming.

II. Thou shalt be supportive no matter what.

There is only one question to ask your child after a practice or a competition - "Did you have fun?" If meets and practices are not fun, your child should not be forced to participate.

III. Thou shalt not coach thy child.

You are involved in one of the few youth sports programs that offer professional coaching, do not undermine the professional coach by trying to coach your child on the side. Your job is to provide love and support and a safe place to return at the end of the day. Love and hug your child no matter what. The coach is responsible for the technical part of the job. You should not offer advice on technique or race strategy or any other area that is not yours. And above all, never pay your child for a performance. This will only serve to confuse your child concerning the reasons to strive for excellence and weaken the swimmer/coach bond.

IV. Thou shalt only have positive things to say at a swimming meet.

If you are going to show up at a swimming meet, you should be encouraging, but never criticize your child or the coach. Both of them know when mistakes have been made. And remember "yelling at" is not the same as "cheering for".

V. Thou shalt acknowledge thy child's fears.

A first swimming meet, 500 free or 200 IM can be a stressful situation. It is totally appropriate for your child to be scared. Don't yell or belittle, just assure your child that the coach would not have suggested the event if your child was not ready to compete in it. Remember your job is to love and support your child through all of the swimming experience.

VI. Thou shalt not criticize the officials.

If you do not care to devote the time or do not have the desire to volunteer as an official, don't criticize those who are doing the best they can.

VII. Honor thy child's coach.

The bond between coach and swimmer is a special one, and one that contributes to your child's success as well as fun. Do not criticize the coach in the presence of your child, it will only serve to hurt your child's swimming.

VIII. Thou shalt be loyal and supportive of thy team.

It is not wise for parents to take their swimmers and to jump from team to team. The water isn't necessarily bluer in another team's pool. Every team has its own internal problems, even teams that build champions. Children who switch from team to team are often ostracized for a long, long time by the teammates they leave behind and are slowly received by new team mates. Often times swimmers who do switch teams never do better than they did before they sought the bluer water.

IX. Thy child shalt have goals besides winning.

Most successful swimmers are those who have learned to focus on the process and not the outcome. Giving an honest effort regardless of what the outcome is, is much more important than winning. One Olympian said, "My goal was to set a world record. Well, I did that, but someone else did it too, just a little faster than I did. I achieved my goal and I lost. Does this make me a failure? No, in fact I am very proud of that swim." What a tremendous outlook to carry on through life.

X. Thou shalt not expect thy child to become an Olympian.

There are 250,000 athletes in USA Swimming and USA Swimming keeps a record of the Top 100 all time swimming performance by age group. Only 2% of the swimmers listed in the all-time Top 100 10 & Under age group make it to the Top 100 in the 17-18 age group and of those only a small percentage will become elite level, world class athletes. There are only 52 spots available for the Olympic Team every four years. Your child's odds of becoming an Olympian is about .0002%.