Wondering about USS coaching. If a swimmer is on a particular team, is it permissible or desirable for them to get private coaching/lessons elsewhere or attend clinics in addition to attending all team practices? Heard of a couple coaches recently who went ballistic when their swimmers took private lessons from another coach not affiliated with their team (not affiliated with any other team either, just a private coach). Is this not politically correct for USS swimmers?
I think a swimmer needs to do what they feel is best.
However, that being said, I do think it is a problem for swimmers to receive private coaching on the side...without prior knowledge of their current coach. If their team coach is decent, they are very used to and have a plan for that particular swimmer. That coach understands the subtlties of their stroke. They understand the whole person. They may have them mastering one aspect of a stroke even though the whole thing isn't pulled together yet as part of an individualized learning plan. Going to a camp for a week or seeing a private coach can undo or negate all that hard work.
I think there is also an issue of lack of communication. If a swimmer feels they need to have a stroke clinic, they should go to their coach first. I think most of these swimmers are just going out and signing up for things without working with the primary coach first.
Although, there are plenty of cases where a swimmer will get more out of a clinic or private coach because they are simply more talented than their primary team coach. I think when this is the case the swimmer needs to let their primary team coach know beforehand and ask how they can work it into the season (or off-season) plan. That way there can hopefully be some sort of unification of coaching methods and it will really benefit the swimmer rather than two different coaching approaches.
I'm sure a lot of the upset comes from things such as a swimmer contradicting their primary coach saying "coach so-and-so wants me to do it this way instead". At best it's an ego hit to the coach and the swimmer improves, at worst, the swimmer is destroying and working against their season plan, contradicting the coach, and not swimming as well as they could be.
Absolutely swimmers need to try things on and see what works for them, coaches, technique, teams, etc. But they also need to blend advice and not be contraditory. Not many kids or teenagers, or even many adults are good at remembering they don't know everything.
I think a swimmer needs to do what they feel is best.
However, that being said, I do think it is a problem for swimmers to receive private coaching on the side...without prior knowledge of their current coach. If their team coach is decent, they are very used to and have a plan for that particular swimmer. That coach understands the subtlties of their stroke. They understand the whole person. They may have them mastering one aspect of a stroke even though the whole thing isn't pulled together yet as part of an individualized learning plan. Going to a camp for a week or seeing a private coach can undo or negate all that hard work.
I think there is also an issue of lack of communication. If a swimmer feels they need to have a stroke clinic, they should go to their coach first. I think most of these swimmers are just going out and signing up for things without working with the primary coach first.
Although, there are plenty of cases where a swimmer will get more out of a clinic or private coach because they are simply more talented than their primary team coach. I think when this is the case the swimmer needs to let their primary team coach know beforehand and ask how they can work it into the season (or off-season) plan. That way there can hopefully be some sort of unification of coaching methods and it will really benefit the swimmer rather than two different coaching approaches.
I'm sure a lot of the upset comes from things such as a swimmer contradicting their primary coach saying "coach so-and-so wants me to do it this way instead". At best it's an ego hit to the coach and the swimmer improves, at worst, the swimmer is destroying and working against their season plan, contradicting the coach, and not swimming as well as they could be.
Absolutely swimmers need to try things on and see what works for them, coaches, technique, teams, etc. But they also need to blend advice and not be contraditory. Not many kids or teenagers, or even many adults are good at remembering they don't know everything.
