Parents are great people…….

Parents are great people, they are loving, they are caring, they are supportive, they are many things. However the one thing that they are not is coaches. In most cases a parent who thinks they are helping their child by interfering with the coaching process, only confuses the child.

When you decided to get your child into competitive swimming I am sure that you checked out all the local swim clubs to find out what kind of an organization they were. Then you investigated the qualifications of the coaching staff,had a meeting with the head coach, and discussed his philosophy of coaching and  then made your decision based on all these findings.

When your coach is working with your child he/she is looking for those skills that he/she is teaching to be performed at practice as well as meets. If you think that what he/she is teaching is wrong or not what you expected – talk to the coach….don’t start making stroke corrections with your child. Don’t discuss race strategies with your child…you don’t know what the coach already has discussed with your child. In simple terms just be MOM or DAD…not coach! Interfering with the coaching process only confuses your child. They don’t want to disappoint you and they don’t want to disappoint the coach

Your child needs your support, your understanding, your hugs…even when they are dead last! Take the pressure of winning off their back. Most of all let your coach …COACH!