OUR VALUES STATEMENT AND EXPECTATIONS REGARDING MUTUAL RESPECT AND APPROPRIATE CONDUCT:
Whether we attend OFS as students, visitors, members of its associated programs, or are employed by the School, there are reasonable expectations governing our conduct designed to help ensure that all in our community are treated with the respect so that each person here is allowed the same opportunity to achieve success without bullying, insult, threat, or harassment.
These expectations apply to all forms of conduct and communications, whether physical, verbal, written, or electronic that are consistent with the values set forth above and which go to the very core of this school and its programs. Only those participants willing to show respect for their fellow members of our community belong at OFS.
SWIMMER S' BILL OF RIGHTS:
Swimmers have a right to:
- Be treated with respect and to be free of verbal or physical abuse from a coach or another swimmer.
- Expect that his or her coach, after being made aware of a limiting physical condition, will not ask the swimmer to perform or train in a manner that the coach knows will be harmful to the swimmer.
- Expect that all practices, both in and out of the water, will be conducted in a safe manner so that the swimmer will not be exposed to unnecessary risk.
- Know that his or her coach cares about them as a person/individual as well as an athlete.
- Be positively encouraged to do better, to be congratulated on a good performance, and to receive constructive feedback as to where, when and how improvement is needed and attainable.
- Expect practice to be challenging and that, overall, competition will be rewarding.
- Set his or her own swimming goals with his or her coach, and to change these goals as circumstances arise.
SWIMMERS' TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES:
As a swimmer's level of swimming ability increases so does their level of responsibility. The program is designed to encourage all swimmers to be High Performance bound. As swimmers improve, this is a deep commitment that requires great effort on all parts.
A swimmer has responsibilities to the team, the coach, his/her parents, and most importantly... to themselves. Swimmers need to prepare themselves to give a 100% effort each time they come to practice.
Swimmers have the following responsibilities:
- To treat their coach with respect at all times and to use proper channels to address any problems or complaints.
- To adhere to the coach’s rules governing training sessions and to focus on the training program.
- To take their commitment to swimming seriously at whatever their training level may be.
- To support the OFS Swim Team, fellow swimmers, and their coach by encouragement and attendance at practice and meets.
- To make the minimum number of training sessions set by the coach and strive for the recommended attendance percentage.
- The standard expectation on training commitment is calculated at 1/2 your age +/- 1 session.
Attendance is set at a minimum of:
4x a week for The Junior School Competitive Swimmers, and
6x a week for the Middle and High School Competitive Swimmers of the OFS Tigers Swim Team.
Swimmers must maintain an attendance of 80% by the end of the month in order to retain their place on the team. Falling below this standard will result in a discussion regarding their place on the team.
Missed sessions must be made up within the week and cannot be rolled over to the following week.
- To train and race as hard as they can.
- Swimmers will be required to bring specified training accessories (i.e., goggles, flippers, cap, etc.) to workouts. It is the swimmer's responsibility to make sure these items are properly adjusted and that spares are readily available. Equipment adjustment and repair will not be accepted as excuse to miss part of a training session.
- Swimmers are not allowed to wear any electronic devices and rash guard during training.
COACHES’ BILL OF RIGHTS:
- Each coach is a professional and has a right to be treated with respect by all swimmers, parents, officials and other staff.
- Each coach has a right to expect the full support of all parents in the OFS swim program.
- Each coach has a right to establish training programs which are safe and which will meet the needs and goals of the swimmers under the direction of the Lead Coach and Director of Aquatics.
- Each coach has a right to be free from unnecessary interruption from parents during training sessions, meets and after office hours/non-contact time.
- Each coach has a right to be compensated fairly for his or her services considering the financial abilities of the OFS Swim Program.
COACHES’ RESPONSIBILITIES:
The coaches' job is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. The OFS coaching staff is dedicated to providing an inclusive program for all students wanting to swim within the OFS Swim Team - that will enable them to learn the value of striving to improve oneself - "to be the best you can be." Therefore, the coaches must be in total control in matters affecting training and competition.
The coaches are responsible for placing swimmers in practice groups. This is based on the age and ability level of each individual. When it is in the best interest of a swimmer, they will be placed in a more challenging training group by their coach.
Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the training regimen rests with the OFS coaching staff. Each group’s practices are based on sound scientific principles and are geared to the specific goals of that group.
The coaching staff will make the final decision concerning which meets OFS swimmers attend. The coaching staff also makes the final decision concerning which events a swimmer is entered into.
At meets, the coaching staff will conduct and supervise warm-up procedures for the team. After each race, the coaches will offer constructive feedback regarding the swimmer’s performance; what went well, what needs to be improved upon, then next steps toward making those improvements. (It is the parent's job to offer love and understanding regardless of their swimmer's performance.)
- The building of a relay team is the sole responsibility of the coaching staff.
- Each coach has a responsibility to constantly be aware of the swimmers’ safety and wellbeing.
- Each coach has a responsibility to be a positive role model for the swimmers.
- Each coach has a responsibility to be a technical expert on the sport of swimming.
Each coach has a responsibility to help construct a vision for the athlete of what is possible in the sport of swimming and the path each swimmer will need to follow to achieve that goal.
The coaching staff is constantly updating and improving the OFS Swimming program. It is the swimmer's and parents' responsibility to make the most out of the excellent opportunity this program provides for success in swimming.
Swimming requires discipline, persistence, integrity, respect, and trust.
Your child can only learn these values if you live them yourself.
With the assistance of your coach and a positive, supportive atmosphere, your child could achieve dreams which they did not think capable.
PARENTS...YOUR ATHLETE NEEDS YOU.
A successful swimming program requires understanding and cooperation among the coaches, swimmers, and parents. This relationship is critical to your child’s successful development on the team.
The coaching staff understands your commitment to your child. Many coaches are also mothers and fathers.
The coaches understand that you will always be looking out for your child’s best interests. While the coaches are also committed to ensuring that your child’s best interests are served, their responsibility is to serve each athlete on the team.
Your perspective and the coaches’ perspective may differ when it comes to your child’s development. Patience, understanding, and most importantly, communication are the cornerstones of this relationship. With this in mind, please review and consider the following guidelines:
1. Individuals learn at different rates and in different ways. Some athletes will quickly pick up a skill while others may require more time to learn the same skill. Please be patient with your child and their development. Direct any questions to the coach.
2. Progress is rarely immediate. New team members will always go through a period of adaptation, no matter their age, that may impede immediate progress. This could be caused by greater training demands, a stronger emphasis on technique, or simply nerves!
Patience, trust, and communication among coaches, swimmers, and parents will help any struggling swimmer through such a period.
3. Plateaus can occur at one time or another in every swimmer's career. Plateaus can be both in competition and training. A plateau signifies the swimmer has mastered lower-order skills, but they are not yet sufficiently automatic to leave the attention free to attack newer, higher-order skills. It is important to explain to the athlete that plateaus occur in all fields of physical learning.
The most successful athletes are those who work through this momentary delay in improvement and go on to achieve greater performance to approach their personal potential.
4. Swimmers ten years and younger are the most inconsistent swimmers. This can be frustrating for parents, coaches, and swimmers alike! We must be patient and permit these youngsters to learn to love the sport.
5. Parents must realize that slow development of the competitive drive at an early age is normal and perhaps more desirable than precocious or forced early development. It is important that everyone learn to compete and develop some competitive spirit.
It is also important for children to learn to adapt to reasonable levels of emotional stress. The small disappointments we must learn to handle as youngsters prepare us for the larger ones we are certain to experience as adults.
6. It is the coaches' job to offer constructive criticism of a swimmer's performance. It is the parents' job to supply love, recognition, and encouragement necessary to help the young athlete feel good about him or herself.
7. Parents’ attitudes often dictate those of their children. A child might not be consciously aware of what is taking place while subconsciously absorbing powerful messages about their parents' desires. For example, be enthusiastic about taking your child to practice and meets, fund-raising projects, meetings, etc. – don’t look at these functions as chores.
8. If you have any questions about your child's training or team policies, contact the coach. Criticizing the coach in front of the child undermines the coach's authority and breaks the swimmer-coach support that is necessary for maximum success.
9. No parent should behave in such a way as to bring discredit to the child, the team, or competitive swimming. Any disagreement with a meet official should be brought to the attention of the coach and handled by the coach.
10. Children should swim because they want to. It is natural to resist anything they “have to do.” Self-motivation is the stimulus of all successful swimmers.
11. The etymology of the word ''competition'' goes back to two Latin words: ''com'' and ''pet ere,'' which means “together to strive.” Avoid ''playing'' your child against his nearest competitor, thereby creating friction within the team and swimming community.
Close competition provides two great services for the athlete: it brings out the best in them and shows where improvement is needed.
12. The communication between coach and swimmer is very important. A two-way relationship must exist daily at practice. It is imperative that the coach has the swimmer’s full attention at these times. For this reason, parents are allowed to watch practice only from the designated bleachers in the pool area. They are NOT permitted to participate or instruct.
Parents who attempt to coach their child during a practice may be asked to leave the pool deck.
Please leave all coaching to the coaching staff. If you have questions about technique or coaching strategies, we encourage you to arrange a time (NOT during practice) to speak to your child’s coach.
Remember, particularly in the case of younger swimmers, that attitude and behavior of the parents in regard to their outlook on the sport has an important effect on the child.
In swimming, as in life, nobody can “win” or succeed all the time – there will always be some disappointments.
Every child can gain from their experiences, whether or not they ever win a single race. The important thing is to keep on striving to do better next time.
The goal is not only to produce great swimmers, but to produce great young people who swim.
