THE
SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THE NEW SWIMMING PARENT
Congratulations! You just joined a
swim team. The following are some
observations from a former new swimming parent. With luck, some of
these
musings might make some sense.
Necessary
Stuff: Suit and Goggles
The basic
items needed are a racing suit and a pair of competition
goggles.
Going to your local sporting goods store or paying the equivalent per
inch of
fabric as Tokyo real estate for a first suit is not the way to start.
Your team usually will sell you a team suit at cast, or you can check
out invitational meets
where vendors are set up with reasonable prices. Also, don't be afraid
to ask a returning parent -
they are a source of good tips.
It’s best to
have two suits. One to wear at practice
and one to wear at meets.
The practice suit will get worn out and become slow, but the meet suit
will stay
snug and fast. When the meet suit wears
out, it can be used as the practice suit.
You must have
goggles for practice and meets! Two or
three pairs are important
because they tend to break at the wrong time.
Goggles
protect the eyes from chlorine and help your child see underwater.
There are many types and styles. It tends to be a matter of personal
choice.
The longest lasting goggles are those with rubber like gaskets. A good
pair has soft
gaskets that conform around the eye sockets. "Swedish" style goggles (a
hard
plastic goggle that sits inside the eye socket) are not recommended for
beginners.
For first time swimmers who have difficulty with rubber gaskets, a pair
with foam gaskets might work. Anti-Fog goggles have a coating that
reduce
fogging. The coating degrades with time, but your child will have lost
his goggles
way before then. For those goggles without the coating try dipping them
in water
or applying a little saliva before putting them on.
Other
Stuff
Get a swim
cap for long hair, a swim bag and chlorine shampoo. A latex cap is
the cheapest though the most difficult to put on for the new swimmer. A
lycra cap
is softer and easier to use. A silicon cap is easy to pull on and gives
more
protection than a lycra cap, but is much more expensive than either the
latex
or lycra. Swim bags have lots or mesh compartments to separate
the wet from the
dry items. Chlorine shampoo helps to remove the chlorine from
your swimmer
when their hair starts to look like Tina Turner’s and they begin to
smell like a
swamp creature. Using it on suits also helps.
The
First Meet
Start with a
swim bag the size of your child, stuff it with everything you normally
would take to practice and then double this. Also include warm clothing
for your child. Pack light snacks and drinks for your swimmer. Your
coach will probably
have more to say about eating on the day of a meet. Don’t forget a
change of
clothing for yourself, indoor pools can be extremely warm.
Arrive 15
minutes before warm-up to allow time to change and find a home base.
Give yourself plenty of time and take a map.
If you have
non-swimming brothers and sisters going, pack some creative fun
things for them. Remember a pool can be a dangerous place, so keep an
eye on
them at all times. Don’t forget snacks. Otherwise, after numerous trips
to the
snack bar for candy, you wilt have to detox your child after the meet.
Still
There?
Can’t stop
without a message. Good sportsmanship starts with you; cheer your
child and your team. Remember that improvement and personal
accomplishments are more important than winning.
Parents’ Role
Competitive swimming programs provide
many benefits to young athletes. They develop
self-discipline, good sportsmanship and time management skills.
Competition allows the swimmer to experience success and to learn how
to deal
with defeat, while becoming healthy and physically fit.
As a parent, your major
responsibility is to provide a stable, loving and supportive
environment. This positive environment will encourage your child to
continue.
Show your interest by ensuring your child’s attendance at practices,
and by
coming to meets.
Parents are not participants on their
child’s team, but contribute to the success
experienced by the child and his/her team. Parents serve as role models
and
their attitudes are often emulated by their children. Be aware of this
and strive to
be positive models. Most importantly, show good sportsmanship at all
times
toward coaches, officials, opponents and teammates.
Be
Enthusiastic and Supportive
Remember that your child is the
swimmer. Children need to establish their own
goals, and make their own progress towards them. Be careful not to
impose your
own standards and goals.
Do not over-burden your child with
winning or achieving best times. The most
important part of your child’s swimming experience is that he/she
learns
about himself/herself while enjoying the sport. This healthy
environment encourages
learning and fun which will develop a positive self-image within your
child.
Let the Coach
Coach
The best way to help a child achieve
his/her goals and reduce the natural fear of failure
is through positive reinforcement. No one likes to make a mistake.
If your child does make one, remember that he/she is still learning.
Encourage his/her
efforts and point out the things he did well. As long as he gave his
best effort,
you should make him/her feel like a winner.
Ten
Commandments for Parents with Athletic Children
- Make
sure your child knows that, win or lose, scared or heroic, you love
him/her, appreciate his/her efforts, and are not disappointed in
him/her.
This will allow him to do his best without fear of failure. Be the
person in
his or her life he can look to for constant positive reinforcement.
- Try
your best to be completely honest about your child's athletic ability,
his
competitive attitude, his/her sportsmanship and his/her actual skill
level.
- Be
helpful but don’t coach you child on the way to the pool or on the way
back,
or at breakfast, and so on. It’s tough not to, but it’s a lot tougher
for the child to be inundated with advice, pep talks, and often
critical
instruction.
- Teach
you child to enjoy the thrill of competition, to be "out there trying,"
to
be working to improve his/her skills and attitude. Help your child to
develop the feel f or competing, for trying hard, for having fun.
- Try
not to re-live your athletic life through your child in a way that
creates
pressure; you fumbled, too, you lost as well as won. You were
frightened,
you backed off at times, and you were not always heroic. Don’t pressure
him/her because of your lost pride.
- Don’t
compete with the coach. If the coach becomes an authority figure, it
will run from enchantment to disenchantment, etc. with your athletes.
- Don’t
compare the skill, courage, or attitudes of your child with other
members of the team, at least not within his/her hearing.
- Get
to know the coach so that you can he assured that his/her philosophy,
attitudes, ethics and knowledge are such that you are happy to have your
child under his/her leadership.
- Always
remember that children tend to exaggerate, both when praised
and when criticized. Temper your reaction and investigate before over-
reacting.
- Make
a point of understanding courage, and the fact that it is relative.
Some of us can climb mountains, and are afraid to fight. Some of
us will
fight, but turn to jelly if a bee approaches. Everyone is
frightened
in certain areas. Explain that courage is not the absence of fear, but a
means of doing something in spite of fear or discomfort. The job
of a
parent of an athletic child is a tough one, and it takes a lot of
effort to do
it well. It is worth all the effort when you hear your youngster say,
"My
parents really helped."
THE
OFFICIALS
Officials are present at all
competitions to implement the technical rule of
swimming and to ensure that the competition is fair and equitable.
Officials attend
clinics, pass a written test and work meets before being certified. All
parents are
encouraged to get involved with some form of officiating.
Timers — operate timing devices
(watches or automatic timing systems) and
record the official time for the swimmer in his lane.
Turn Judges — observe from each end
of the pool and ensure that the turns and
finishes comply with the rules applicable to each stroke.
Stroke Judges - observe from both
sides of the pool, walking abreast of the
swimmers, to ensure that the rules relating to each stroke are being
followed.
The positions of Stroke Judge and Turn Judge may be combined into one
position called the Stroke and Turn Judge.
Relay Takeoff Judges - stand beside
the starting blocks to observe the relay
exchange, ensuring that the feet of the departing swimmer have not lost
contact
with the block before the incoming swimmer touches the end of the pool.
Clerk of the Course — arranges the
swimmers in their proper heats and lanes.
Starter — assumes control of the
swimmers from the Referee, directs them to
"take your mark’ and sees that no swimmer is in motion prior to giving
the start
signal.
Referee — has overall authority and
control of the competition, ensuring that all
the rules are followed; assigns and instructs all officials, and
decides all
questions relating to the conduct of the meet.
If your child is disqualified (DQ’d)
in an event, be supportive rather than critical.
For beginning swimmers, a disqualification should be treated as a
learning experience,
not as punishment. A DQ alerts the swimmer and the coach to what
portions of the swimmer’s stroke need to be corrected. They should be
considered in the same light as an incorrect answer in schoolwork. They point out
areas which need further practice.
The DQ is necessary to keep the
competition fair and equitable for all other
competitors. A supportive attitude on the part of the official, the
coach, and the
parent can also keep it a positive experience for the DQ’d swimmer.