An Important Message From the Coaching Staff

I would like to take just a moment to share with you some of my philosophies on coaching and kids.  I want every child that moves through this program to come away with a positive experience.  I believe that diving is fun and challenging and can teach kids some great life lessons.  I believe that if the child’s individual learning curve is followed, with patience and encouragement, not only will they give themselves an opportunity to achieve competitive excellence, they will also learn a lot about themselves and how to meet a challenge.

Through coaching over the years I have seen kids of all different personalities, traits, and ability levels.  Parents are as varied as their kids are.  Through all of these differences, however, there are a couple of things that all parents and kids share:

1.     All parents want their children to be successful.

2.     All children want, above all else, to please their parents (whether or not they act like it!).

Keeping these things in mind I feel that the coach and parent(s) need to be a partnership.  The goal of this partnership is to see the child learn and improve.  Working together is critical and each side of the partnership has jobs it must perform.

       Coaches job: 

o        Provide technical expertise.

o        Provide encouragement and criticism.

o        Provide goals and a training regimen to reach those goals.

       Parent’s job:

o        Be the world’s greatest cheerleader when your child does something right!

o        Encourage and console them when they do something wrong.

o        Be Patient!!!  Every kid learns at his or her own pace, it can’t be forced.

       Working Together:

o        To achieve the goal of the partnership each side must perform its job.

       Parents need to let the coaches do the coaching!

         Criticism should only come from the coach

o        When kids get criticism from the coach and their parents they feel that they are letting everybody down.

         Corrections should only be given by the coach

o        This is not only a technical issue but it also involves safety.  Kids need to be focused on what the coach is asking them to do.

         Parents please sit in the stands above the pool or in the bleachers on deck.

The parent/coach team is very powerful when it is applied consistently.  I have seen it turn kids in to champions.  Let’s work together!