Week of

The Baylor Swim Club coaching staff encourages parents to watch their swimmers practice occasionally. It is not best for parents to watch practice every day nor is it healthy to never come to the pool. The reality of transporting young athletes is that many parents are present every day. However, parents do not need to watch each practice. Here are some important guidelines to keep in mind when observing a practice.

First, young swimmers want their parents’ approval. If a swimmer is aware of a parent watching practice, it is natural for some of their attention to be directed toward the parent. However, for the swimmers to learn as much as possible, it is imperative that the coaches maintain the swimmers’ attention during practice. We ask that parents never communicate with their children during practice or compete with the coach for his/her attention.

Second, we insist that parents do not interrupt the coaches on the deck while they are coaching.  Please watch practice from the stands, not on the deck.  If you need to communicate with a coach, please do so by contacting them by phone, email, or in-person before or after practice.

Third, Baylor Swim Club coaches spend a considerable amount of time planning weekly training sessions for each of the practice groups. Each training set or instructional drill has a purpose and one practice and/or practice set often builds on another throughout the week. If a swimmer has not attended the recommended number of practice sessions, he or she may not understand the purpose or progression of what the group is doing on a given day.

Finally, please do not try to coach your child. Many times when teaching stroke skills, the coaches ask swimmers to do things that might not look correct or might actually be illegal according to the rules, but does have an important purpose in teaching skills (ie. swimming one-arm fly or breaststroke with a flutter kick). We need to progress through these drills to achieve an improved total stroke.

It is the goal of the Baylor Swim Club and the coaching staff, to provide instruction and training during the entire practice session. Baylor Swim Club coaches create lesson plans for each day and week of the short and long course seasons to teach the swimmers proper technique, prepare them for competitive swimming and meet the needs of each swimmer in the practice group.  If time is spent disciplining children rather than coaching, the goals of that session are not being achieved. Therefore, Baylor Swim Club expects swimmers to adhere to the following behavior guidelines:

1. All swimmers must encourage and support their teammates at practice as well as in competition. Swimmers may not conduct themselves in any manner that is disruptive to others.

2. Swimmers are expected, at all times, to follow the coach’s instructions. At no time will disrespectful attitudes or back-talk be tolerated by any swimmer.

3. All swimmers using the locker room should exhibit proper behavior. Rough-housing, yelling, and touching items that belong to other swimmers are not acceptable.

4. Abusive language, lying, or stealing are intolerable and grounds for immediate expulsion from the team.

5. Vandalism will not be tolerated. Any property that is vandalized by a Baylor swimmer will be repaired or replaced by the swimmer’s family.

Violation of the above-mentioned behaviors will be disciplined as follows:

The first violation will receive a warning.

The second violation will result in expulsion for the rest of that practice session and a phone call/meeting with the parents of the swimmer.

The third violation will result in suspension from practice for 1 week.

The fourth and final violation will result in expulsion from the team.

Monthly dues will not be adjusted for suspended swimmers.