How to handle a situation

RE: How to handle a situation

Former Member — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:45:37 GMT

RE: How to handle a situation

Former Member — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:33:08 GMT

High School swimming is about team,letter jackets,sports assemblies,pep rallies etc.It is not going to build a base for college. In most cases, especially this one with an already elite sounding swimmer, this is true, HS isn't going to build a base because the base is already there for an elite. You can and will see HS build a collegiate base for a previously inexperienced swimmer though... so I don't agree with this statement 100%.

RE: How to handle a situation

aquageek — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 12:06:20 GMT

I doubt the situation this year is any different from previous years on this team. With such a small group of year-round swimmers, it is unlikely they will be the least bit competitive so the focus of why she is doing HS swimming should change from "me,me,me" to "team,team,team." What can she do to assist the coach and program to making it a better team? This will look far better on her college admissions than simply being on the team. Can she be team captain? Can she make the team more competitive? The kids that have impacts on HS teams are the ones that make the whole team better, not just the ones that whine because they aren't getting what they want. When she is a senior, what will be more satisfying - looking back on her 4 years and being proud she quit because she didn't get her wishes, or helping build a struggling program that is well established going forward? And, which scenario looks better to colleges? And, walking around calling other kids/families deadbeats won't make the team any better. Nor will refusing to swim on team relays, which score double points.

RE: How to handle a situation

Rob Copeland — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:48:43 GMT

I had not thought about suggesting she write coaches at the colleges/universities she is interested in attending!Before she starts contacting coaches and gets too too excited about college swimming, I suggest she and you check out USA Swimming’s College Swimming 101 She is only a freshman so she has a couple of years before she needs to get REAL serious about contacting schools, but Freshan/Sophmore years are a good time to start searching. In the mean time, she should be working with her USA Swimming coach to set goals that will get her to where she wants to be.

RE: How to handle a situation

Former Member — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:56:11 GMT

The team is allowed two fund raising events a year. Already been done. I only mentioned my family's philanthropic deed to demonstrate we realize not everyone can afford to have their child participate in sports. My DGD's goal is to qualify for state in *** and back. If she isn't given the chance to swim these events as many times as possible then how is she going to qualify? Thanks everyone for your input. I will definitely pass along your thoughts

RE: How to handle a situation

aquageek — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 02:01:42 GMT

Deadbeat is my word not hers. What else would you call someone who doesn't pay fees? And, before you come back with maybe the parents can't afford the fees, let me tell you what her parents have done. They sponsored 10 swimmers who couldn't afford the fees to the tune of $500.00. I'm not sure what I would call someone else's family who either couldn't or wouldn't pay fees. I'd likely call it none of my business and move onto matters I can control. Rather than call out your own generosity what many teams are doing when faced with the relatively new aspect of fee based HS sports is to work together on local sponsorships or other revenue producing activities. Get a local restaurant to buy ad space in the heat sheets and in return you will hold all team meals there. There are plenty of creative ideas out there. And, honestly, if a kid or parent came up and told me as a coach they flat wouldn't swim an event, guess what, they wouldn't swim any events.

RE: How to handle a situation

Former Member — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:08:52 GMT

Dave those are very good points! I will definitely mentioned them to DGD--give her something to think about before she decides not to swim for her HS next year. Orca, when you live in rural Georgia to get to any big meet you have to travel so far that you have to spend the night.

RE: How to handle a situation

Former Member — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:20:33 GMT

Or, embrace the envious position of being among the best on the team as a mere freshman and that your talent is so valuable to the team that it needs to be spread across three relays, capture an opportunity to take on a leadership role for older peers (builds character/college essay), stick around and become captain (builds character/college essay), mentor a classmate and watch her go from novice to point-scorer by sr. year (builds character/college essay), give technique advice (appropriately) to the less experienced girls...and so on. Splits aren't official times for meet qualification but college coaches care about them. The racing experience she will get trying to Lezak opponents in relays is at least as valuable as being in heat 17 lane 6 of a giant USS meet. College coaches are interested in times for sure, but also want young women who've demonstrated that they're good teammates and leaders regardless of the circumstances. Unless it requires a big tradeoff with the more valuable club training and competition, or the coach is mean in addition to having a "no swimmer left behind" approach, why not stick with it and see if there's some fun and value in the experience.

RE: How to handle a situation

Former Member — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:25:12 GMT

Thanks for the input. It is very likely that DGD will not swim for her HS next year. She was very disappointed when the coach took the meet to be held on the UGA campus was cancelled. Ande, I had not thought about suggesting she write coaches at the colleges/universities she is interested in attending!

RE: How to handle a situation

Allen Stark — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:04:24 GMT

High School swimming is about team,letter jackets,sports assemblies,pep rallies etc.It is not going to build a base for college.This coach wants to be inclusive,give everybody a chance to swim and not spend too much money.If the high school workouts don't hurt your granddaughter's performance and if the coach is reasonable nice I'd suggest she might want to do the high school program to sharpen her relay skills and be part of a team,especially if she gets to go to State.

RE: How to handle a situation

Former Member — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 07:56:54 GMT

The coach made another decision that rubs the wrong way. Swimmers are only allowed to swim in 4 events. The coach puts all four competitive girls on three relays (so the team will get higher scores) and one individual event. Well, my DGD flat out told the coach she would only swim on one relay... he has since put her in three individual events and one relay. DGD isn't having fun on the HS team and will probably not go out for the team next year.

RE: How to handle a situation

orca1946 — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 06:21:57 GMT

H S team that stays over night ??? Have not heard of that before. Colleges will not be looking at freshman/freshwomen times yet. Try to suggest changes for next year.

RE: How to handle a situation

ViveBene — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 03:41:11 GMT

My :2cents: : Teachers, adults, generally refuse to change course while in the middle, or while someone is watching. So this year is lost. Maybe suggest (to someone else, like admin) that a select group of swimmers go for each meet, with a couple of the noncompetitors added for the "meet experience" in round robin fashion. Not everyone who takes math is on the math team. Not everyone in chorus is in the select, madrigal choir. There are different levels of proficiency in every pursuit. I am bothered by an activity coach who says thou shalt participate in X events. It does sound like a lost cause, though.

RE: How to handle a situation

ande — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 03:37:38 GMT

Who cares, it's high school swimming, some schools have great programs but most are weak. Sounds like hers is not so great. in Texas, the important HS meets are: districts ( i think everyone goes) regionals ( only qualifiers go then state as in State HS championships where each event has 2 heats of 8 swimmers except for relays. Otherwise: Train hard with her USS team, go to meets with her USS team. Swim fast times that make college coaches take notice. Write college coaches where she wants to go to school. Apply to those universities. Swim FASTER FASTER

RE: How to handle a situation

Swimosaur — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 02:46:34 GMT

My :2cents: ... To me it sounds like the HS team is a lost cause; the coach is interested in the broadest possible participation, not the highest peak performance. Have fun with it, but don't expect much return on investment. Fortunately, in swimming, times speak for themselves. Invest your effort in the USA team. College coaches won't care if fast times were done in USA meets or HS meets, as long as they're fast.