Expectations for our Team Parents:
- Please get your child to practice on time. Create carpools with other Shark parents, if interested. Parents are invited to watch practice from the viewing area or on the bleachers in the pool area, if available.
- Make sure your child is signed up for meets prior to the due date on the meet schedule.
- Get your child to swim meets on time.
- Address any concerns to a Coach or Aquatics Director in a timely manner.
- Support the team and all of its members.
- Get involved! We rely on our volunteers to successfully run our program. Best place to watch a meet is working on the deck. (See Parent Service Responsibility Form)
- Be courteous to other parents also watching the meet. Meet viewing is VERY limited and you will not be able to "camp out' in front of viewing windows or bleachers.
As a nonprofit organization, we rely on support from all of our parents. During home meets, we need all parents help to make it run smoothly and be successful (once again volunteering time is mandatory for every family):
- Set-up and Take-down
- Timers and runners
- Starter and officials
- Clerks of course
COMMUNICATION:
Communication is important for any successful program. Our main line of communication will be the team website and email. For further questions about your child progress or general questions about the team, do not hesitate to talk to the coaching staff (please do not interrupt practice but contact coaches before or after practice) .
The Parent-Swimmer Relationship
It is not the intention of any YMCA coach to advise a parent, or parents, on how to raise their children. No one understands the parent-child relationship better than a parent. In an athletic environment, human nature often prevents a parent from remaining detached and objective in matters concerning their children. If you have questions or concerns, please get the coaches involved so they can help.
Everyone involved in the type of training program conducted by YMCA must realize that each individual learns at a different rate and responds differently to the various methods of skill development. The slower developer obviously takes more time to learn and requires more patience on the part of the parents and coaches. Each swimmer will reach their goals at a different rate.
Parent-Swimmer Tips
The ultimate swimming goal for a parent should be a swimmer that is self-motivated, self-confident and feels good about themselves and the goals they have achieved.
Swim parents are Beautiful when...
- You use positive encouragement to fill your child’s Emotional Tank because athletes do their best when their “Emotional Tank” is full. Fewer than 1% of youth sports participants receive college scholarships and the top three reasons kids play sports are: a) to have fun, b) to make new friends, and c) to learn new skills.
- You reinforce the ELM Tree of Mastery with your child (E for Effort, L for Learning and M for bouncing back from Mistakes). Winners are people who make maximum effort, continue to learn and improve, and do not let mistakes, or fear of making mistakes, stop them.
- You do your best to get the participant to practice and swim meets on time. Understanding that you may be putting him/her at risk by not providing adequate time for warm up. This shows respect for the coach, and it tells my swimmer that he/she is my top priority.
- You Honor the Sport of Swimming and understand the importance of setting a good example for your child. No matter what others may do, you show respect for all involved in swimming including coaches, swimmers, spectators and officials.
- You realize that coaches and officials are human, and feel terrible when they make a mistake - just like you do!
- You say, “What did you learn?” after your swimmer just got DQ’d.
- You promote team unity and cheer for athletes who are not your own children. You emphasize the importance of the “team” and cheering for teammates.
- You drive carpools that would make a NYC cab driver dizzy.
- You help set-up or breakdown for events that you did not sign-up to help with.
- You understand that only the four faster swimmers can be on the “A” relay team.
- You help new parents “learn the ropes” in a positive way.
- You know that there is nothing heavier than a great potential and won’t put your athlete under any additional burden.
- You realize that one single swim is not all that important; it’s the process that counts.
- You congratulate your son or daughter’s friend for doing a best time because recognition by another adult, besides a parent, is very important.
- You realize that every swimmer is a winner as long as they try their best.
- You support your child’s swimming by helping support the organization that brings your child the opportunity.
- You work a full day at a swim meet, and then want to know where the team party is!
Parent Service Responsibilites
The Y is an organization dedicated to building strong kids, strong families and strong communities. Youth participating in Y programs are more resistant and resilient to the negative social pressures, which they are exposed to every day at school, in your neighborhood, or through the media. By having positive role models, engaging in physical activity, volunteering, learning about Y core values, kids on the swim team are more likely to have a higher number of internal and external developmental assets, which ultimately can help them live healthier lives. Because of reasons like these, combined with an integral need for cooperative support at events and functions, the Y of the North Swim Teams have implemented a new Parent Service Responsibility Policy.
Team Membership – Parent Service Responsibility
As members of the Shark Swim Team, parents are needed to serve on the Parent Involvement Committee, volunteer at swim meets, volunteer at special events (team building, community outreach, banquet) and support our Annual Support Campaign.
Whichever areas you participate in, you can take great satisfaction in knowing that you are key in making the Shark Swim Team experience something that all swimmers will remember for the rest of their lives, and that they will be healthier in spirit, mind and body because of your support and cooperative help.
Home Swim Meet – Parent Service Responsibility
• Parents of all Shark swimmers who have been entered to swim in any given home meet are required to work at that meet. Sign ups will be available online when you sign up your swimmer. Those that do not sign up may be assigned a job/shift during the meet.
• The required minimum number of shifts is one, per day of competition (usually about 2 hours in length). The maximum number of shifts will depend on the size of the meet and the number of swimmer entered in that meet.
• Parents are able to request specific jobs and shifts up until the meet entry deadline. The Meet Coordinator will finalize all jobs and shifts.
• If a parent is unalbe to work an assigned shift, we ask tha tyou find your replacement. Parents must inform the Volunteer Coordinator prior to the meet, and have their subsitute sign in.
Check back on TeamUnify for your assigned volunteer position.
Away Swim Meet Parent Service Responsibility
• If a YMCA Swim Team parent accompanies a swimmer to an away meet, they may be asked to work at least one timing shift per day of competition. Officials working at away meets are exempt from this requirement.
It is extremely important to note that no child will be discriminated against, kept out of the water, or turned away from the team, due to lack of parental service participation. In addition, good communication goes a long way to preventing misunderstandings and ill will. We ultimately rely on the honesty, responsibility, respect and the caring attitude of all parents. ☺
