COM Swim Team Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to COM Swimming’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). We want to thank you for being a part of our program. We have listed some basic information below plus several questions and answers, so please take some time to go through all of this info.

Section 1: Philosophy of COM Swim Team.

  1. What is the overall philosophy at COM? Long term. We are thinking long term. We base our daily decisions on what is in the best long term interest of the swimmer. We do what we can to make each and every swimmer better, somehow, in the time that we have them, every practice, every day. This doesn’t pertain to just in the pool, but out of the pool as well. We teach discipline, self sufficiency, delayed gratification, hard work, good sportsmanship, how to handle victories as well as defeats and temporary setbacks. The purpose statement of COM is “Creating life changing environments where success is certain.” Everyday our coaches strive to make this happen at COM. This statement is supported by 7 habits we hold our coaching staff to and what we strive to see in the athletes and parents of COM Swim Team.  We also have specific goals for each age group as well.  
  2. Core Habits of COM Staff
    1. Be Intentional
    2. Smile
    3. Be Responsible
    4. Do More, Not Less
    5. Be Honest
    6. Be Owners
    7. Listen
  3. Age Group Goals
    1. ​10&Under - FUNdamentals - All 10&Unders will learn the foundational skills to be successful in swimming while also developing a love for the sport through fun.  At this age, parents and coaches heavily guide goals and the relationship between athlete and coach. 
    2. 11-12 - Learn to train -  Our 11-12 year old athletes have developed the foundational technical and competetive skills and are now moving into a focus on training.  They learn high level practice skills, independence and owndership of their workouts and begin taking on more direct communication with their coach.  
    3. 13-14 - Train to Compete - at 13-14, athletes have a good understanding of training and technique.  At this age, we begin to help them connect specific elelments of training to their performances in competition.  This is a crucial time in the development of our athletes where we teach independent goal setting, and develop the understanding of the work needed to achieve those goals. At this age, the athlete is the primary communicator with the coach, parents facilitating or helping when needed. 
    4. 15&Over- Compete for Excellence - Our high school age athletes combine their knowledge of training and competition to be able to reach the highest levels of performance.  The athlete now must take a larger role in their swimming career.  They are now the primary communicator with the coach, the one that determines their goals and also their commitment level. 

Section 2: Group Placements/Changes/Admin

  1. How are the practice groups determined/organized? Our practice groups are organized to best match kids with similar ability, age, physical and emotional maturity, level of commitment, practice habits, and experience. The basic layout of each group is age first then ability.  Here is a quick explanation of sections of our team.  Please see our group description page for more details. 
    1. Developmental- Skills above all else, this is where they will learn the technique and skills to be successful in future groups
    2. Age Group White (Dolphin)- 10&Unders who are proficient in all 4 strokes
    3. Age Group Black 1&2- 11-12 year olds who are proficient in all 4 strokes
    4. Age Group Gold 1&2- 13-14 year olds who are proficient in all 4 strokes
    5. Senior- High school age athletes (14-19) who are proficient in all 4 strokes
  2. Group Advancement: We do move ups twice a year between seasons. The ways to move up are:
    1. Complete the skills necessary for the next group
    2. Age up into the next age group
  3. How do I withdraw from the COM Swim program? 
    1. ​A 30 day written drop notice is required to stop. COM operates on a monthly billing cycle. Your family will be removed from billing 30 days after the drop notice is received.  This notice must be recieved by the 15th of the month in order to stop billing for the following month. 
  4. How do I re-enroll back into the COM Swim Team.
    1. ​If the time passed does not exceed 6 months your swimmer is welcome back to the team on the group they left off on depending on their age. If more time has passed you will need to attend a try out to make sure the right placement happens.
  5. How many times per year do I have to register? 
    1. ​Once when you join the team.  Annual registration fees for USA Swimming will automatically be billed to your account in the fall as we prepare for the following calendar year.  No additional paperwork is necessary.

Section 3: Communication

  1. How do I communicate with my child’s coach? 
    1. ​The coaches have a compacted schedule while on the pool deck coaching group after group, and it serves the athletes well if our attention is focused on them during their practice times. For that reason, we prefer that you contact your coach by email and they will reply to you within 24 hours in most cases during the week. If you have not heard back from your coach within 24 hours, send an email to me at m[email protected] and I will get an answer to you.
    2. From time to time your child’s coach will make himself/herself available for a few quick minutes if in between practices, after a practice if no other scheduled practice right away, etc. If the coach looks free, please feel free to approach the coach and ask if they have a moment to answer your question. If it is an issue that you believe warrants a personal meeting with a coach, we’ll do our part to arrange a time convenient for you.
  2. How do I find out about team items like meets, social events, entry deadlines, schedule changes? 
    1. ​Every week we email out our COMmuicator.  This is the main form of receiving information. Other outlets are our social media platforms. Search @comswimteam on Instagram/facebook/twitter for upcoming information. You are also always welcome to check our website http://www.comswimteam.com/
  3. Addressing a concern. 
    1. ​If you have a concern/issue, please start by communicating with your child’s group coach and give them a chance to discuss the issue with you. If you and the group coach can not reach a solution you are satisfied with, the group coach will then get their direct mentor involved.  If further assistance is needed, the head coach will be involved.  
    2. Please remember that our culture is built by every individual at COM.  We ask that you go through this process without gossip or complaining in the bleachers or in front of your swimmer.  Even the smallest concerns a parent has can plant a seed of distrutst in a coach.
  4. ​General comment about “relationships”: 
    1. ​Whether it is family, school, church, your job, whatever, there is no such thing as a perfect relationship. If you were to rate the top 10 items you are looking for in a swim program, and grade each one of those items, COM would rate fairly high in most areas. However, there are probably a few areas in your eyes where we could use some improvement. It is your decision/choice how you respond to the “less than perfect” items.  We ask that you are a part of a solution, not simply dwelling on problems.  We offer a lot to our athletes. We have the most qualified coaching staff assembled anywhere – coaches who love to coach. We have our own indoor facilities with total control of the water, not dependent on any HOA, a city, a lease agreement, or any parent entity like a country club or the Y. We have multiple group options for most ability levels. We are committed to helping every COM athlete achieve their highest personal potential, and we’ll match energy for energy. 

Section 4: Practices

  1. Is there a plan/objective for each practice? ​
    1. ​Our lead coaches communicate the areas/strokes/drills to be addressed each week and the individual group coaches construct their weekly workouts based around that. For example, for our younger/developmental groups, kicking is a cornerstone of any quality swim program, so you will see some aspect of kicking in every practice. As the group levels progress, the skills/drills/intervals also progress in complexity and intensity.
  2. What is my role during my swimmer’s practice? 
    1. ​You are welcomed to view the practice from the bleachers or you may drop them off for practice. However, we ask that you pick up your child on time from practice. Please refrain from coaching from the bleachers, giving hand signals, getting their attention, or otherwise disrupting the group. We try hard to keep their attention, and we don’t need the added competition from the bleachers or at the end of the pool.  
  3. What is the wrong way to view a practice? 
    1. ​The wrong way is to sit in the bleachers and critique what the group, the coach, and/or the swimmers are doing wrong and how you believe you could do it better. The right way: Resist the temptation to get pulled into “discussions” like that. Better yet, take a stand for youth sports and speak up if you hear another parent going down the negative path. Let them know that it is not appropriate and if they have a concnern or idea, the group coach would happily visit with them. 
  4. Is it OK to arrive late to practice? 
    1. ​Yes, you may come in late if something unavoidable comes up but please make every effort to have your swimmer to the pool 5-10 minutes before their scheduled start time.  We teach the kids that we understand that they are not in control of the time they get to the front door. However, when they do walk through our doors, they then become in charge of their time. We expect them to hustle to the locker area, get their shower, and walk quickly to their group. The coach will let the athlete know what the group is doing.
  5. What if I have to get my child out early? 
    1. ​Just have your athlete inform the coach ahead of time, and when you need to get your child out, it is OK for you to get the coach’s attention and remind them that your child needs to leave.
  6. Where does my child go before their practice? 
    1. ​About ten minutes prior to the scheduled start time of their practice, swimmers will begin to gather on the pool deck.
  7. If my athlete is going to miss a practice, who do I notify? 
    1. ​A notification is not required but appreciated. Just email your coach ahead of time so they can make adjustments to the practice. If you do miss we’ll  see you next practice. You also contact your coach to see if you can make up the practice with another group. This is not always possible, but if it is we will let you know. 
  8. ​What does my swimmer need to bring to practice? 
    1. ​Each group has specific required equipment list.   All girls must wear a team swim cap during practices. Any boy with hair over their eyes or hair that comes over mouth during side breathing must also wear a swim cap. 

 

Section 5: Meets and Time Standards

  1. What are Time Standards? 
    1. ​Time Standards are event performance times set by either USA Swimming or the Texas Swim Association (TSA) that establish benchmarks for tracking progress in meets, qualifying for Championship type meets, and basically allowing an athlete to see how they “stack up” in the field of competitive swimming. The USA Swimming standards begin with “B” times, and as you climb up the ladder, next are “BB” times, then “A” times. From there it goes “AA,” “AAA,” and finally “AAAA.” You can access time standards at on our team website here under the times tab.  
  2. What is “Short Course?” 
    1. ​Short Course is defined as the season where the meets are held in 25 yard pools. It typically correlates with the school year, from September through the spring.
  3. What is “Long Course?” 
    1. ​Long Course is defined as the season where upper level meets are held in pools with the 50 meter configuration. It typically correlates with the summer season, May-August.  Developmental swimmers will still compete in a 25 yard pool during this season. 
  4. When are COM’s “Championship” meets? 
    1. ​We participate in various Championship meets each “season.” We also compete in the Texas Age Group Swimming Championships (TAGS), Sectionals, Junior Nationals, Nationals, USA Swimming Gran Prix meets, and other top end high level meets that all require pre-qualifying times to enter. This means there are short course championship meets for all of these standards as well as Long Course Championship meets as well. Currently it takes a “B” time to qualify for the first level of championship meets called West Texas Champs.
  5. What is TAGS? 
    1. ​TAGS stands for Texas Age Group Swimming Championships. It is the premiere 14 and under state championship meet in the country. It is one of our team goals each season to compete for this team title. The TAGS time standards are updated each year, calculated on a formula that takes the 20th place time from the current meet and averages it in with the prior two years. If the 20th place time isn’t faster than the current time standard, then the time for that event remains unchanged when the next year’s standards are published. The Short Course TAGS meet takes place in early March each year, while the Long Course TAGS meet is in mid July typically.
  6. How often are meets offered / Are they required? 
    1. ​Meets are not required, but they are part of the “reward” for the practices! We ask that you make meets a priority.  We like to offer meets (competitions) about once every 4 to 6 weeks targeted to our respective groups. For example, we host our own “Mini-Prix” meets for our developing swimmers.These are very small meets, low pressure, designed to allow the kids to experience competition in an unthreatening environment. These meets allow the kids to “show off” in front of their parents/grandparents and showcase what they have been working on. We enjoy having the luxury to host these at our own pools and can typically conduct them in under a two hour time frame, which the parents LOVE! We also will have more advanced meets offered, to our higher level athletes. Most of these meet require travel to Lubbock/Dallas/Austin/San Antonio and other cities in Texas.
  7. Will my athlete swim a “best time” every time they race? 
    1. ​No, they won't.  It's important to remember that a best time doesn’t necessarily mean it was a good swim. Contrarily, not getting a best time doesn’t necessarily mean it was a “bad” swim either.  We work on a lot of skills week in and week out. We work on developing good habits, and chasing away the bad ones. Your swimmer may have not received a “best time,” but it may have been the best swim of their lives! We don’t enjoy seeing the kids equate their swimming self-worth to whether or not they got a best time or not in a meet. This is a long journey. It is all part of the process. Everything we do is geared for the long haul – the life lessons, the ups, the downs, the peaks, the valleys. The valleys can be long and lonesome in this sport if not mentally prepared to handle! Any former competitive swimmer who “made it” past 15 yrs old, and stayed in the sport will surely attest to that. Support your kiddo, they are the first ones to know whether or not they got a “best time” or not, in the big picture, not that critical, and not a deal breaker. We want them to learn to enjoy the whole process. We also want YOU to learn to enjoy it – the ups and the downs.  
  8. How do I enter a meet?  
    1. ​Your swimmer is automatically entered in every meet on their meet schedule. It is the parent’s responsibility to remove your athlete from the meet before the entry deadline if you are unable to attend.
  9. How do I remove you swimmer from a meet?
    1. Considering this is before the meet deadline follow the instructions below. Click here to see your swimmers meet schedule. 
      1. Click Events Tab
      2. Click “Edit Commitment” on specific event
      3. Click “attend/decline” button
      4. Change “yes” to “no”
  10. How early do I arrive at a meet? 
    1. ​We expect the swimmers on deck ready to go 15 minutes BEFORE the scheduled warm up time. We sit together as a team and we warm up together as a team. If your swimmer shows up late for the team warm up, they will miss critical elements of the entire experience. The bonding, the jokes by the coaches, allowing to get into the right mindset for the meet are all part of the pre-warm up and warm up times. When you run late, the stress levels go up exponentially. Your swimmer doesn't need that, nor do you, right? Leave the house early, be packed the night before, and arrive stress free on time!
  11. What does my swimmer need to bring to a meet? 
    1. ​It depends on the venue. If a short Mini-Prix Meet, just a towel, cap, goggles, and a sweathshirt. These meets run quickly, and no need to bring food/drink. Bigger meets may require more snacks, water, warm ups and a chair. 

 

Section 6: Special Parent Only Reading

Here are some closing sports parenting thoughts, in no particular order:

  1. Be more like the grandparent 
    1. ​Grandparents are usually happy just to see their grandkids actively involved in about anything! They aren’t usually concerned with any outcome, they just enjoy being in the moment of the here and now with their family. 
  2. Always speak positively about the sport
    1. Always conduct yourself in the best possible manner while at any COM Swim Team function – including practices.
  3. Be a part of the team
    1. COM exists to change lives.  In order to do that and have our athletes be as successful as possible, it takes everyone.  Don't forget that you are a part of the team and influence our culture and ultimately our success or failure more than the athletes do.  
  4. How can I be a supportive swim parent for my swimmer(s)?
    1.  Learn to ask the right questions of your swimmer: What did you learn today? What was the hardest part of the workout? What was the easiest? What was the most fun? Also, be sure to keep in mind that the number one reason kids swim is because they enjoy it and they have fun. The number one reason kids quit is because – you guessed it – it is no longer enjoyable and fun. We have seen many cases of parents who mean well, but who chase their kids right out of this sport and sports altogether by placing too many demands and too much pressure to perform on their kids – spreadsheets, tracking reports that would make NASA envious, etc. Every swimmer has their own individual time line when they “flip the switch” and begin to really compete – even if it is on a limited basis. In some swimmers it takes a little longer than others to develop.  Your number one comment should be "I love watching you swim!" Read the guied from our web-site - Be a Suppotive Parents
  5. Lastly, your swimmer wants one thing from you more than anything else…They want to know that you are proud of them – on both the good days and especially on the days where life is delivering a lesson or two!