PARENTS…

YOUR ATHLETE

NEEDS YOU

 

To have a successful program there must be understanding and cooperation among parents, swimmers, and coaches. The progress your youngster makes depends to a great extent on this triangular relationship. It is with this in mind that we ask you to consider this section as you join the Spirited United Racers (SPUR) and reacquaint yourself with this section if you are a returning SPUR parent.

 

You have done a great deal to raise your child. You create the environment in which they are growing up. Your child is a product of your values, the structure you have provided, and the model you have been. Human nature, however, is such that a parent loses some of his/her ability to remain detached and objective in matters concerning his/hers children's athletics. The following guidelines will help you keep your child's development in the proper perspective and help your child reach his/her full potential as an athlete.

 

The coach is the Coach!:        We want your swimmer to communicate and interact with his or her coach concerning swimming matters. This relationship between coach and swimmer produces best results. When parents interfere with opinions as to how the swimmer should swim or train, it causes considerable, and oftentimes insurmountable, confusion as to whom the swimmer should listen to. If you have a problem, concern, or complaint, please contact the coach.

 

Best kind of parent:      The coach's job is to motivate and constructively criticize the swimmer's performance. It is the parent's job to supply the love, recognition, and encourage­ment necessary to make the child work harder in practice, which in turn gives him/her the confidence to perform well in competition.

 

Consistency:        Inconsistent swimmers can be frustrating for parents, coaches and swimmers alike!  It is very important for swimmers to attend practice on a regular basis to progress.  Important skills and information are taught at each practice and lack of consistent attendance could lead to a discouraging season.

 

Not every time:   Even the very best swimmer will have meets where they do not do their best times. These "plateaus" are a normal part of swim­ming. Over the course of a season times should improve. Please be supportive of all their meets. The older swim­mers may have only two or three meets a year for which they will be rested and ta­pered.

 

Good nutrition:   Parents should contribute to the education of proper nutri­tion and eating habits (see the section on nutrition in this handbook).

 

 

PARENTS RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Please make every effort to have your swimmers at practice on time.  Realize that your child is working hard and give all the support you can.  Encourage good diet and sleeping habits.  They will serve your children well.

1.                 The greatest contribution you can make to your swimmer's progress is to be a loving, supportive parent. On pages 00 and 00 of this manual, there is a reprint of an article called, "The Ten Commandments for Parents of Athletic Chil­dren". It offers some very useful and sound advice on communicating with your swimmer.

2.                 The majority of SPUR's fundraising money will be generated by events requiring swimmer/parent participation.  In order to staff these events, we need each swimmer/parent to volunteer time.  If a swimmer/parent cannot volunteer their time, they may pay a fee instead.  Please refer to the "SPUR Volunteer Commitment" form, which you completed at registration for details.  A blank copy of this form can be found on the team’s website, (spurswimming.psend.com)

3.                 SPUR counts on raising around $8,000 through various fundraising events in order to pay our annual expenses.  Without this money, we would have to raise monthly fees substantially.  Please refer to the "SPUR Fundraising Commitment" form, which you completed at registration for details.  A blank copy of this form can be found on the team’s website, ( spurswimming.psend.com)

4.                 The following is a transportation policy that is in effect for all functions related to the club:

 

                   It is hereby the stated policy of the SPUR, effective imme­diately and until either revoked or restated by the SPUR Board of Directors, that transportation of swimmers and/or coaches to practices, meets, or any other event considered to be a club func­tion by any non-public conveyance, as defined to include pri­vately owned vehicles, is recognized by SPUR as a purely pri­vate agreement between the parties in­volved and that neither the SPUR, nor the SPUR Board of Direc­tors, separate­ly or as a group, except for the parties directly involved can be or will be considered as a party to such arrangement and that any liability in any form arising from such arrangement is purely and com­pletely the responsibility of the parties involved.

 

                                                             

COMMUNICATION

 

Family File:         Most written communication, such as the newsletter, meet information sheets and schedules, time standards, etc., will be put in a file folder on deck that has your family name on it. It is the swimmer's responsibility to check their folder daily.

 

 

Team Web Site:   The club has a website,

( www.frontiernet.net/~pbe151), that can be referenced for news and/or scheduling information. Photos will also be posted on the website. Please note that names of swimmers will not be listed next to photos and only swimmers who granted permission to have their photos posted will be shown. Meet results will be posted with the swimmers’ first and last names.

 

 

Telephone Committee: The club has a telephone committee that exists to provide emergency communication.  The staff does not want to overuse or misuse this tool and therefore tries to print as much information/utilize the web site as much as possible.

 

 

When contacting the coaches, PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE.  The best way to speak with the coaches is to meet them after practice.  They usually make themselves available then to answer questions, provide information, etc..  Sending a note to the coach with your swimmer or placing a note in their file folder are good ways to get information to them.