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The following article is from the USA Swimming
website. The website has a parents’ section that
has very informative articles like this one. It is a valuble
resource for new swim families that are just getting their
feet wet with competitive swim. It is also a good tool for
parents that have been involved in swimming for a long time but
have some specific questions. Check it out.
Moving
Up to the Next Training Group
Gene Paliskis
Dynamo Swim Club
Head Age Group
Coach
Spring is here and baseball season
is upon us. Parents are attending Little League games. They are
yelling at umpires, pressuring coaches to play their kids in
certain positions and making spectacles out of their children
during the game. While this is a generalization of the Little
League experience, it is the perception that is often expressed
when pointing out poor examples of parental behavior during a youth
sporting event. Such examples have made national and local
newscasts in the past. While these may be extreme examples, the
impression has stuck and spawned a term in the coaching profession
known as “Little League
Parenting".
Why would a swim coach be writing
about baseball? The spring serves as a time for move-ups within our
program. It is at this time that swimming parents most frequently
mimic the “Little League Parent" mentality. If you are a
parent who politely requested a conversation about your
child’s situation revolving around move- up’s, then
this article is not about you. If you are a parent who demands your
child move-up, creates added anxiety to your child by discussing
move-ups, commonly gossips in the stands at practice and/or meets
about move-ups or treats move-ups as an absolute necessity to your
swimmer’s career, then this article is for
you.
The structure of our program is
different from other organizations with which your child may be
involved. In these other programs, a child who does not move by a
certain time is listed as a “failure" and held back to retry.
Conversely, schools and other activities may move children strictly
by age or by performance level, with little else influencing the
decision. In the Dynamo Swimming program, many factors go into the
decision to move a swimmer to another group. These factors vary at
different levels of the program.
1.
Attendance. Attendance is one factor. At the
early stages, it is important to attend regularly but not
imperative for move-ups. Being at practice frequently enough to
learn new skills is often good enough. During the later stages, it
is a very important factor.
2. Work ethic and
attitude. Attendance is coupled with work
ethic and attitude. A swimmer who attends every practice but fails
to push beyond a certain level is less likely to move than a person
with slightly less attendance who does not hesitate to work at a
consistently high level. Attendance, attitude and work ethic
usually combine to produce faster times as swimmers progress
through the program. But even speed cannot be a single determining
factor when it comes to
move-up’s.
3. Performance and skill
development. At an early stage in the age
group program, a faster swimmer may not move-up if she cannot
master basic skills that are being taught. “Fast swimming" at
this level commonly is a result of early physical maturity or
natural ability. Failure to learn how to better propel oneself
through the water may result in a very short career. Perception of
success will diminish as other kids physically catch-up and then
surpass the early achiever in skill
development.
4. Other
factors. Other factors include, but are not
limited to, time management skills (the ability to juggle
schoolwork and a training regimen without compromising either),
confidence level and emotional maturity. Because so many factors
are involved with a move-up, it is rare for a specific group of
athletes to move up at the same rate. Each individual is
“graded" on his or her own attributes. Consideration is given
to what conditions will best serve the athlete’s swimming
future.
It is this individual consideration
that usually causes the most confusion among parents. While they
often can discern some of the factors, they may not recognize all
of them. Sometimes this leads to questions. These questions are
welcomed by the coaches. Sometimes, however, it leads to
“Little League parenting", and this is abhorred by the
coaches.
Many “Little League parents"
see themselves as simply looking out for the best interest for
their children. Just how destructive can “Little League
parenting" be? Let’s go back to the examples. A parent who
demands that his child be moved-up has overstepped his position. As
mentioned above, he cannot know all of the factors involved in the
decision. In addition, the parent displays a lack of confidence in
the program. This can have a variety of effects on both the program
and the child. The child has worked in an effort to progress
through the program. When a parent demands a move, the child will
never truly know if she earned it. Since success in swimming is
attained primarily through hard work and dedication, it is
essential that the swimmer learns this lesson at an early
age.
If a parent creates added anxiety to
his child by frequently discussing move-ups or treating move-ups as
an absolute necessity, then the parent places value on group
placement above the swimmer’s personal development. Simply
put, he learns that he can only achieve success if he is in a
certain group. Instead the lesson should be that he is always in a
position to succeed if he applies himself to his
potential.
If a parent commonly gossips in the
stands at practice and/or meets about move-ups, then both of the
above factors come into play, as well as setting a bad example to
new parents and outsiders. Each of these examples displays a lack
of confidence in the program and the coach. An essential element in
coach/swimmer relationships is the support of the parent. Without
this support, it is more difficult for a swimmer to attain the
level of trust with the coach necessary to foster a good learning
environment.
The long term development of the
swimmer is the most important aspect of coaching. Within the staffs
at each facility, the coaches have witnessed the development of a
great number of swimmers. They have seen what happens to kids who
move-up too early seeking the prestige of a certain group. These
athletes often leave the sport prematurely. The coaches have also
seen that swimmers who move in a timely manner or even “late"
still have ample opportunity to
succeed.
The next time move-ups come around,
be a good “Swimming Parent" and discuss your swimmer’s
development in an appointment with the coach. Ask questions and
express your concerns, but in the end, trust in the coach’s
decision to do what is best for your
swimmer.
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