The parent / athlete / coach team
Each person within this ‘team’ has a specific role to play. Overlapping the roles becomes confusing and often detrimental to the swimmer.
• The parent provides emotional and practical support for the athlete.
• The coach provides technical expertise, and motivation in the form of structure, vision and challenge.
• The athlete brings the raw material and the desire to succeed.
• Allow the coach to do the job you pay them to do. Realise what is being done with your child now is part of a plan for the long-term development of your child’s swimming career.

Swimming is something your child chooses to do.
• ‘There is nothing heavier than great potential’ – avoid putting expectations on your children (even in the form of ‘motivation’)
• Separate your child’s achievements from their value as a person (and your value as a parent) – love the person, not the swimmer.
• Measure performances against your child’s personal goals
• Allow your child to take responsibility for their swimming involvement, their ‘successes’ and their ‘failures’.

What can you do?
• You are a role model for your children – your behaviour in the swimming environment never goes unnoticed. Deal with outcomes and experiences in a mature, controlled manner.
• Show your support for your children’s choice of sport by becoming involved in the running of the club and of competitions you attend.
• Allow motivation to come from the enjoyment – extrinsic rewards (e.g. payment) are always detrimental in the long run.

PARENT – COACH LIAISON
It is important for coaches and parents to be in regular contact regarding the swimmers progress. All coaches are available to talk with parents – this could be an informal chat following training or you may prefer to contact the coach by phone or arrange a suitable meeting time. The coaches contact details have been provided on the squad information sheet to all swimmers.

If you have concerns regarding your child’s progress or the manner in which your child is being coached then initially you should take up the matter with your child’s coach at a mutually convenient time. Please allow a few weeks and dialogue between the two of you to assist the coach to address your concern. If you still have major concerns please contact N.

OBSERVATION OF TRAINING
We request that parents wishing to remain at or observe their children training at Nunawading and Tintern remain on the grandstand side of the pool. At Syndal, Wesley and other training venues we request that parents are seated well back from the pool deck area. It is important that parents are seated beyond eye contact with their children while they are training to avoid distraction by the parent’s presence.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS WITH RELATION TO PERFORMANCE
For many reasons performances of individuals will vary over a career and within a season. Swimmers may stagnate, regress or improve. It is common to observe stagnation or regression in female athletes post puberty because, for many, the natural hormonal activity dictates major changes to their body shape and metabolism and may no longer be as streamlined as they were prior to this period. Weight can sometimes become a problem for girls at this stage requiring them to be vigilant with respect to their diet.

Normal growth spurts can have a detrimental effect on training and performance; often swimmers need to have their workload reduced or be completely rested at these times. Illness also has obvious effects on swimmers, although they can train with many medical problems, constant observation must be maintained.

Schooling in the latter years becomes a problem for training but education must come first. With careful planning and organisation, training can be maintained at a level high enough to ensure improvement.

Lack of interest and enthusiasm will also result in waning performances. Often swimmers in this state will not want to take on the responsibility of making the decision to withdraw from training and will develop many reasons as to why they are not swimming well. It is difficult to admit that your heart is no longer in it, or that, you may not be able to swim any faster.

Hopefully the information contained in this webpage will help with your understanding of swimming as a sport, both training and competition, and some responses your child may display in certain situations.