Guidelines

Parents... Your Athlete Needs You! A successful swim program incorporates communication, understanding and cooperation among parents, swimmers and coaches. The progress your swimmer makes depends to a great extent on this triangular relationship. The following guidelines will help you keep your child’s development in the proper perspective and help your swimmer reach his/her potential as an athlete.

The Coach Is The Coach!: When it comes to swimming, ESC wants your swimmer to relate to his or her coach as soon as possible. The coach’s job is to motivate the swimmer and constructively criticize his/her performance. A strong relationship between coach and swimmer produces best results. When parents provide opinions on how the swimmer should swim or train, it can cause unnecessary confusion for the swimmer.

If a parent or a swimmer has a problem, concern or complaint, please contact the coach.  If there is a concern regarding coaching, swimmer or parent should contact the coach.  If not satisfied, they should discuss with the Head Coach.  If the Head Coach is unable to resolve the issue, the swimmer and/or parent should contact a member of the Board of Directors.

Parents need to be parents: It is the parent’s job to supply the love, recognition and encouragement necessary to encourage the child to work hard in practice and competition.

Ten and unders: Ten and unders are the most inconsistent swimmers. This can be frustrating for parents, coaches and the swimmer. Parents and coaches need to be patient and permit these youngsters to learn to love the sport. When a young swimmer first joins ESC, there may be a brief period in which he/she appears to slow down. This is a result of the added concentration on stroke technique. This will soon lead to faster swims.

Not every time: Even the very best swimmers will have meets where they do not achieve their best times. These “plateaus” are a normal part of swimming. Over the course of a session, times should improve. Please be supportive of your swimmer at all practices and meets. More experienced swimmers may have only two to three meets a year for which they will be rested and tapered for personal best performance.

Parents at practice: Parents are not allowed on the pool deck during practice unless it is an emergency or they are registered non-athlete members of USA SWIMMING working on behalf of the Board of Directors or other committee. Parents are allowed to observe practice from the balcony or spectator areas. In the summer months, parents may observe outdoor practice from the concession area of the outdoor pool. Parents should not try to communicate with any swimmer from the observation area. This is not only distracting to the swimmer, but can also be distracting to the entire team and the coach.

Timely pick up of swimmers: Parents need to pick up swimmers immediately after the published ending time of practice! If swimmers are regularly picked up late – a fee of $25.00 will be applied directly to the swimmer’s account to offset additional coaching fees and facility costs.

When do swimmers compete?  Click here!  "Meet Primer" 

Member Login