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One of the swim
coach’s many responsibilities at each meet is the selection
of which swimmers will participate in the relay events. Unlike the
individual events that rely solely on the individual performance of
each swimmer, the relay events require the effective blending of
each individual swimmer’s talents together to achieve the
best possible performance by the group. The evaluation of the
swimmers and the criteria by which they are evaluated is the
responsibility of the coaching staff.
The Walnut Country coaches look at a number of factors to
evaluate swimmers to produce a good relay team. First and
foremost is the evaluation of times by the swimmers in their
individual events. As these times are a very objective way to
compare swimmers.
Unfortunately for the coaches, simply picking the swimmers
with the fastest overall times to fill the relay team does not
ensure a successful team. Consistency is also essential. A relay
team comprised of a group of swimmers who sometimes post
outstanding times and other times have average times will not
consistently beat a team whose swimmers consistently post above
average times.
While the evaluation of individual times is important, any
true team is more than the sum of its parts. The good relay team
must also have characteristics that are harder to evaluate team
chemistry, dedication, sacrifice, and reliability. There are
swimmers who in the context of the relay event will outperform
swimmers who have better times than them in the individual events.
Likewise, a true team working together will extract better
performances from its individual members. A team that does not have
this chemistry will not perform as well. As with any team sport an
outstanding individual performer not dedicated to the team concept
can hurt the team’s performance. The relay team must learn
skills that are unique to the relay event and require that team
members become intimately familiar with each other so the team will
perform at its best. Members of the relay team have to rely on one
another both at the meet and at practice to not only attend but to
consistently exert their best effort for the good of the team.
Finally, the team’s performance may vary dependent on which
swimmer swims a particular leg of the relay. There are swimmers who
are good starters and those who are better finishers. Some swim
better if they are ahead while others perform better when they are
behind. Some of it is physical and part is
psychological.
Needless to say, the selection of swimmers to participate
in the relay events is not an easy task; but it is a responsibility
that the head coach takes very seriously. They see the swimmers
every day in practice and at all the meets and it is their job,
based on the criteria described above to impartially select the
swimmers they feel will produce the best relay
teams.
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