News For
SWIM PARENTS
Published
by The American Swimming Coaches Association
5101 NW 21
Ave.,
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When Your Child Is Disqualified
Concern: I've noticed that when some of our
team's swimmers are disqualified the coach does not approach the official to
question the call while at other times she confronts the official
immediately. There appears to be favoritism.
Response: If this is a case of favoritism we
certainly do not condone this type of coach behavior. We recommend a
direct, but polite discussion with the coach at a time when everyone has had
some time and distance from the situation.
If not favoritism, then the following may explain
your coaches behavior:
The coach observed the infraction, was not surprised
by the infraction, noted it, and talked with the swimmer about it.
Coaches work with their swimmers every day and know each individual's difficulties
with technique and tendency for mistakes. Coaches continually work with
their athletes helping them to improve technique and correct mistakes but the
results are rarely instantaneous. Swimmers take time to improve technique
and eliminate mistakes. Coaches will enter a marginally legal swimmer in
an event so that the swimmer gains experience. If the swimmer is
disqualified, the coach uses it as a learning situation for the athlete.
In some sports it is expected that there be a
confrontation between coach and official with every call but that has not been
our way in swimming.
When there is a confrontation it is generally over a
judgment call made by the official for an infraction that the athlete does not
have a history of making, and, in the eyes of the coach, was not a good
call. In this case the coach will usually ask the official for a
clarification of the call and the specific rule broken. The coach will
also ask the official if he was in a proper position to make such a call.