News For Swim Parents
Published by The American
Swimming Coaches Association
5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200 Fort Lauderdale FL 33309
|
Coach O's Seven Habits of Saintly Swim Parents
Orlando S. Anaya, Mokihana Aquatics, Hawaii
Habit 1. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
With multiple-job families, single-parent families, and
just �being a family,� it is sometimes very hard to get
your swimmers to practice every day and on time. The
first rule of improvement is �show up!� A great swim
parent makes excuses for how they will get their
swimmers to practice on time. It�s a powerful message
and it teaches your swimmer that you care, amongst other
positive messages that it sends.
Habit 2. Providing Emotional Support In All
Circumstances.
We appreciate parents who see their primary role as
providing emotional support for their swimmers in all
circumstances. We�d love to say that kids should always
be happy but sometimes they are not. Happiness comes
and goes depending on the environment and is also
heavily influenced by what children hear their parents
saying about a situation. Parents who see temporary
difficulties as an opportunity for their children to
learn to �work it out� create a great life skill
opportunity.
Habit 3. Building Up The Coaches And The
Program
We like to view our club as a family and as such we
sometimes have questions about one another or the
direction of the program. We appreciate families who
keep it in the family and bring concerns to the proper
person in the chain of command rather than taking it to
the �parking lot.�
Habit 4. Comparing Your Swimmer With
Themselves
Every swimmer is different. Some have more passion than
others. Some swim only for the socialness of the sport.
Some are stronger and faster. Some become craftsmen of
their technique. Thinking about your own children you
may remember that they learned to tie their own shoes at
different ages. Trying to compare any swimmer,
regardless of time in the sport, or age, is a
problematic. The emphasis should be on your swimmer's
personal improvement and overall enjoyment of the
sport. Coaches tend to be �long term patient� with
swimmers in terms of technique and speed. Some get it
early, some later. In the meantime, we love them all.
Habit 5. Making Your Children Victors, Not
Victims.
This may be the most difficult of all the life skills a
parent seeks to instill in their child. In the world
today excuses abound and blame shifting is common
place. We hear the excuses all the time: "I have too
much homework," "I�m not feeling well," �I didn�t get
enough to eat today,� �The lane is too crowded,� �The
set is too hard,� �The coach yelled at me today.� And
on and on. We believe that victors are created by
toughing it out in the face of adversity and
difficulties. When we (coaches or parent) empower a
child to do what they want, when they want, it does not
promote athletic development or the ability find a
solution. If a swimmer is sick, keep them home. If a
swimmer is injured, bring the physical therapist�s
exercise routine to the pool so the swimmer can do it
there. Love and protect your kids, of course, but
don�t allow them to become victims.
Habit 6. Respecting the Coaches' Time During
Practice
We appreciate the parents who come early to talk to the
coaches or stay until after practice. If that is not
convenient please email. The coach�s focus needs to be
on the swimmers in the water during workout time.
Habit 7. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
See #1, above.
|
|
|
" height="140" hspace="5" border="1" vspace="5" width="319">
Coach O's Seven Habits of Saintly Swim Parents
Orlando S. Anaya, Mokihana Aquatics, Hawaii
Habit 1. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
With multiple-job families, single-parent families, and
just �being a family,� it is sometimes very hard to get
your swimmers to practice every day and on time. The
first rule of improvement is �show up!� A great swim
parent makes excuses for how they will get their
swimmers to practice on time. It�s a powerful message
and it teaches your swimmer that you care, amongst other
positive messages that it sends.
Habit 2. Providing Emotional Support In All
Circumstances.
We appreciate parents who see their primary role as
providing emotional support for their swimmers in all
circumstances. We�d love to say that kids should always
be happy but sometimes they are not. Happiness comes
and goes depending on the environment and is also
heavily influenced by what children hear their parents
saying about a situation. Parents who see temporary
difficulties as an opportunity for their children to
learn to �work it out� create a great life skill
opportunity.
Habit 3. Building Up The Coaches And The
Program
We like to view our club as a family and as such we
sometimes have questions about one another or the
direction of the program. We appreciate families who
keep it in the family and bring concerns to the proper
person in the chain of command rather than taking it to
the �parking lot.�
Habit 4. Comparing Your Swimmer With
Themselves
Every swimmer is different. Some have more passion than
others. Some swim only for the socialness of the sport.
Some are stronger and faster. Some become craftsmen of
their technique. Thinking about your own children you
may remember that they learned to tie their own shoes at
different ages. Trying to compare any swimmer,
regardless of time in the sport, or age, is a
problematic. The emphasis should be on your swimmer's
personal improvement and overall enjoyment of the
sport. Coaches tend to be �long term patient� with
swimmers in terms of technique and speed. Some get it
early, some later. In the meantime, we love them all.
Habit 5. Making Your Children Victors, Not
Victims.
This may be the most difficult of all the life skills a
parent seeks to instill in their child. In the world
today excuses abound and blame shifting is common
place. We hear the excuses all the time: "I have too
much homework," "I�m not feeling well," �I didn�t get
enough to eat today,� �The lane is too crowded,� �The
set is too hard,� �The coach yelled at me today.� And
on and on. We believe that victors are created by
toughing it out in the face of adversity and
difficulties. When we (coaches or parent) empower a
child to do what they want, when they want, it does not
promote athletic development or the ability find a
solution. If a swimmer is sick, keep them home. If a
swimmer is injured, bring the physical therapist�s
exercise routine to the pool so the swimmer can do it
there. Love and protect your kids, of course, but
don�t allow them to become victims.
Habit 6. Respecting the Coaches' Time During
Practice
We appreciate the parents who come early to talk to the
coaches or stay until after practice. If that is not
convenient please email. The coach�s focus needs to be
on the swimmers in the water during workout time.
Habit 7. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
See #1, above.
|
|
|
" height="140" hspace="5" border="1" vspace="5" width="319">
Coach O's Seven Habits of Saintly Swim Parents
Orlando S. Anaya, Mokihana Aquatics, Hawaii
Habit 1. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
With multiple-job families, single-parent families, and
just �being a family,� it is sometimes very hard to get
your swimmers to practice every day and on time. The
first rule of improvement is �show up!� A great swim
parent makes excuses for how they will get their
swimmers to practice on time. It�s a powerful message
and it teaches your swimmer that you care, amongst other
positive messages that it sends.
Habit 2. Providing Emotional Support In All
Circumstances.
We appreciate parents who see their primary role as
providing emotional support for their swimmers in all
circumstances. We�d love to say that kids should always
be happy but sometimes they are not. Happiness comes
and goes depending on the environment and is also
heavily influenced by what children hear their parents
saying about a situation. Parents who see temporary
difficulties as an opportunity for their children to
learn to �work it out� create a great life skill
opportunity.
Habit 3. Building Up The Coaches And The
Program
We like to view our club as a family and as such we
sometimes have questions about one another or the
direction of the program. We appreciate families who
keep it in the family and bring concerns to the proper
person in the chain of command rather than taking it to
the �parking lot.�
Habit 4. Comparing Your Swimmer With
Themselves
Every swimmer is different. Some have more passion than
others. Some swim only for the socialness of the sport.
Some are stronger and faster. Some become craftsmen of
their technique. Thinking about your own children you
may remember that they learned to tie their own shoes at
different ages. Trying to compare any swimmer,
regardless of time in the sport, or age, is a
problematic. The emphasis should be on your swimmer's
personal improvement and overall enjoyment of the
sport. Coaches tend to be �long term patient� with
swimmers in terms of technique and speed. Some get it
early, some later. In the meantime, we love them all.
Habit 5. Making Your Children Victors, Not
Victims.
This may be the most difficult of all the life skills a
parent seeks to instill in their child. In the world
today excuses abound and blame shifting is common
place. We hear the excuses all the time: "I have too
much homework," "I�m not feeling well," �I didn�t get
enough to eat today,� �The lane is too crowded,� �The
set is too hard,� �The coach yelled at me today.� And
on and on. We believe that victors are created by
toughing it out in the face of adversity and
difficulties. When we (coaches or parent) empower a
child to do what they want, when they want, it does not
promote athletic development or the ability find a
solution. If a swimmer is sick, keep them home. If a
swimmer is injured, bring the physical therapist�s
exercise routine to the pool so the swimmer can do it
there. Love and protect your kids, of course, but
don�t allow them to become victims.
Habit 6. Respecting the Coaches' Time During
Practice
We appreciate the parents who come early to talk to the
coaches or stay until after practice. If that is not
convenient please email. The coach�s focus needs to be
on the swimmers in the water during workout time.
Habit 7. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
See #1, above.
|
|
|
" height="140" hspace="5" border="1" vspace="5" width="319">
Coach O's Seven Habits of Saintly Swim Parents
Orlando S. Anaya, Mokihana Aquatics, Hawaii
Habit 1. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
With multiple-job families, single-parent families, and
just �being a family,� it is sometimes very hard to get
your swimmers to practice every day and on time. The
first rule of improvement is �show up!� A great swim
parent makes excuses for how they will get their
swimmers to practice on time. It�s a powerful message
and it teaches your swimmer that you care, amongst other
positive messages that it sends.
Habit 2. Providing Emotional Support In All
Circumstances.
We appreciate parents who see their primary role as
providing emotional support for their swimmers in all
circumstances. We�d love to say that kids should always
be happy but sometimes they are not. Happiness comes
and goes depending on the environment and is also
heavily influenced by what children hear their parents
saying about a situation. Parents who see temporary
difficulties as an opportunity for their children to
learn to �work it out� create a great life skill
opportunity.
Habit 3. Building Up The Coaches And The
Program
We like to view our club as a family and as such we
sometimes have questions about one another or the
direction of the program. We appreciate families who
keep it in the family and bring concerns to the proper
person in the chain of command rather than taking it to
the �parking lot.�
Habit 4. Comparing Your Swimmer With
Themselves
Every swimmer is different. Some have more passion than
others. Some swim only for the socialness of the sport.
Some are stronger and faster. Some become craftsmen of
their technique. Thinking about your own children you
may remember that they learned to tie their own shoes at
different ages. Trying to compare any swimmer,
regardless of time in the sport, or age, is a
problematic. The emphasis should be on your swimmer's
personal improvement and overall enjoyment of the
sport. Coaches tend to be �long term patient� with
swimmers in terms of technique and speed. Some get it
early, some later. In the meantime, we love them all.
Habit 5. Making Your Children Victors, Not
Victims.
This may be the most difficult of all the life skills a
parent seeks to instill in their child. In the world
today excuses abound and blame shifting is common
place. We hear the excuses all the time: "I have too
much homework," "I�m not feeling well," �I didn�t get
enough to eat today,� �The lane is too crowded,� �The
set is too hard,� �The coach yelled at me today.� And
on and on. We believe that victors are created by
toughing it out in the face of adversity and
difficulties. When we (coaches or parent) empower a
child to do what they want, when they want, it does not
promote athletic development or the ability find a
solution. If a swimmer is sick, keep them home. If a
swimmer is injured, bring the physical therapist�s
exercise routine to the pool so the swimmer can do it
there. Love and protect your kids, of course, but
don�t allow them to become victims.
Habit 6. Respecting the Coaches' Time During
Practice
We appreciate the parents who come early to talk to the
coaches or stay until after practice. If that is not
convenient please email. The coach�s focus needs to be
on the swimmers in the water during workout time.
Habit 7. Getting Your Swimmers To Practice
Regularly And On Time.
See #1, above.
|
|
|