The Role of the Parent

Rather than place specific questions and answers on this page, we thought reproducing a series of articles from the USA Swimming web site might be a better way to explain the role of the parent in competitive swimming. Where appropriate, we have placed links that will take you to a more traditional FAQ page about a particular topic and there are also links to the original articles on the USA Swimming website if you would like to get further information on a topic.

The USA Swimming website has a substantial section for parents on it. In addition to the materials we've incorporated on our site, you may want to visit that section of the USA Swimming site for additional information - click on the logo above to go there.

Parent & Athlete

Competitive swimming programs provide many benefits to young athletes including self-discipline, good sportsmanship, and time management skills. Competition allows the swimmer to experience success and to learn how to treat success and failure as two sides of the same coin, while becoming healthy and physically fit. As a parent, your major responsibility is to provide a stable, loving and supportive environment. This positive environment will encourage your child to continue. Show your interest by ensuring your child's attendance at practices, by coming to swimming meets and volunteering for your club at swim meets, or by participating in fundraising, etc.

Parents contribute to the success experienced by the child and the team. Parents serve as role models and their children emulate their attitudes. Be aware of this and strive to be positive role models. Most importantly, show good sportsmanship at all times toward coaches, officials, opponents and teammates. Remember that you are teaching your child at all times.

  • Be Enthusiastic and Supportive!

Remember that your child is the swimmer. Children need to establish their own goals, and make their own progress towards them. Be careful not to impose your own standards and goals. Do not over burden your child with winning or achieving best times. Let them know that first they are the child you love, and second, a swimmer. Tell them you will love them whether they swim well or not, and ask only that they give their best effort. Learning about oneself while enjoying the sport is the most important part of the swimming experience. The swimming environment encourages learning and fun, which will help your child develop a positive self‑image.

  • Positive Parenting Tips

Your child needs your emotional, physical, and financial support.  Be liberal in providing this support.

  • Support but do not push your child - that is the coach's job.
  • Understand development – long-term development as an athlete, and growth and development as it impacts performance.
  • Be realistic in terms of expectations; factor in age and skill level; be aware of your child’s perception of your expectations.
  • Emphasize performance and effort, not just outcome. The athlete only has control over his/her performance. Define and measure success as giving maximal effort and as personal improvement.
  • Keep winning in perspective.
  • Do not bribe.
  • Give plenty of encouraging and rewarding statements. Criticize sparingly.
  • View swimming as an arena in which to teach your child about commitment, hard work, and coping with adversity.
  • Work to form an effective Coach-Athlete-Parent Triangle.

Parent & Coach

The best way to help your child achieve goals and reduce the natural fear of failure is through positive reinforcement. No one likes to make a mistake. If your child does make one, remember that this is a learning experience. You and your child should learn to treat success and failure as learning experiences and not life changing situations. Encourage your child's efforts and point out the positive things. The coach is the one you have assigned to judge a swimmer's performance and technique. Your role is to provide love and support regardless of outcome.

  • Parent and Coach...The Other Stuff
  • by Tom Slear, Splash Magazine special correspondent
    • Coaching is about more than athletes, practices, and competition. As Mike Krzyzewski, Duke's hugely successful basketball coach said, it's also about "the other stuff." For coaches of club teams, that means parents.
    • “All that craziness,” is how Monica Teuscher describes the rituals of other parents who nervously follow their children’s swimming development. Teuscher, mother of Cristina, a 1996 and 2000 Olympian, never owned a stopwatch and rarely bought a meet program. She didn’t track her daughter’s times, yell during her races or seek out her coach after practices for private chats. During swim meets, she went off by herself to read or knit, only to be amused when other parents gave her a rundown on Cristina's swims, complete with split times.
    • "I thought it was important that I was there, but for support, not for coaching or to add pressure," Teuscher explains. "My job was to take my daughters (older daughter Carolina also swam) out for a good meal after they raced. The last thing we talked about was swimming."
    • Most coaches would agree that the best team to coach is one filled with parents such as Teuscher, who recognize the line between parenting and coaching and avoid it as if it were radioactive. They somehow manage to counterbalance their staunch support with a refreshing cluelessness. Years ago Debbie Phelps, mother of Michael, relocated the family so that her children would be closer to North Baltimore Aquatic Club’s practice facility. Yet when asked about Michael’s world record time, she can do no better than to say, “I’m not sure – 1:50 something?” (Actually, 1:54.58)
    • "The swimmers I've had who have had the most success were unencumbered by parents calling the shots behind the scenes," says John Collins, who has coached Olympians Rick Carey and Lea Loveless as well as Cristina Teuscher at the Badger Swim Club in Larchmont, N.Y." These parents are very good about backing up their kids, but they are hands off when it comes to swimming business."

Parent & Club - You and the Gators

Parental involvement is crucial to every team. Regardless of the organizational model of the club, parents play key support roles. Regardless of structure, clubs are looking for volunteers to help with swim meets, coordinate social events and organize fundraising. Volunteering to help your club is a great way to get involved, meet other parents and be a positive role model for your child. Contact the coach or an involved parent to find out more about what you can do and how you can be a positive force in your club

  • Roles and Responsibilities on the Gators

Getting involved with your child's club is a great way to meet people, have fun and teach your child about commitment. Many swim parents develop long-term friendships and enjoy the family-like atmosphere that develops when people work together. Working at a meet can be a lot more fun than sitting in the stands! Additionally, when your child sees you devoting time and energy to help the team, he or she understands that team loyalty is important and worthwhile.

  • How can we help support the team?

That’s a great question. Check with the coach to find out if there is a parent’s committee or booster organization that supports the team. Many clubs have programs in place to maximize parent involvement and resources. For example, your club may have a fundraising committee, or even a social committee. Find out from your board or coach how the team can best utilize your skills.

  • It looks like it takes an awful lot of people to run a meet. What can I do to help?

If you have already attended a meet, you have probably been approached to be a timer. This is a great way to begin to help run meets. It takes at least 25 volunteers to put one heat of 6 swimmers in the water. Some of the volunteer positions for our League meets are:

  • Timers & Runners;
  • Clerks of Course;
  • Scoring & Awards Workers;
  • Referees, Starters & Stroke & Turn Judges;
  • Marshalls and
  • Concession Workers
  • To sign up to volunteer, Click Here