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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 him based on what you think he should be doing. The
nice thing about swimming is every person can strive to do his
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 offers 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. The coach is responsible for
the technical part of the job. You should not offer advice on
technique or race strategy. 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.
You should be encouraging and never
criticize your child or the coach. Both of them know when mistakes
have been made. Remember “yelling at” is not the same
as “cheering for”.
V. Thou shalt acknowledge thy child’s
fears.
New experiences can be stressful situations.
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 or meet if your child was not ready.
Remember your job is to love and support your child through all of
the swimming experience.
 VI. Thou shalt not criticize the
officials.
Please don’t criticize those who are
doing the best they can in purely voluntary positions.
VII. Honor thy child’s coach.
The bond between coach and swimmer is special. It
contributes to your child’s success as well as fun. Do not
criticize the coach in the presence of your child.
VIII. Thou shalt be loyal and supportive of thy
team
It is not wise for parents to take 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 find that it can be a difficult emotional experience.
Often swimmers who do switch teams don’t do better
than they did before they sought the bluer water.
IX. Thy child shalt have goals besides
winning.
Most successful swimmers 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. There
are only 52 spots available for the Olympic Team every four years.
Your child’s odds of becoming an Olympian are about
.0002%.
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