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?
Former Member
Hey, are some coaches going to weigh in?
not touching this one.
I can only equate this to when the coaches ask for parents not to yell out instruction to their kids at sports events.
Maybe the coach told "their kid" to sit back and play the ball to the sides and not try to dribble upfield and take on the entire opposing team.
True, another coach may know what they're doing but perhaps they have differing views.
For swimming, maybe a good example is a Traditional coach, and the other a TI proponent. While I am certain they both respect the other coaching beliefs...trying to teach your method while your athlete keeps creating a pot pourri of both could frustrate both coaches.
That's my view on it. If it's taking offence because of ego, that's really childsh. If it's because of philosophy, then that should be respected and abided by, or politely rejected and replaced with the new coach and their methods.
I'll agree 100% with Michelle's post.
Also, it is not nice to take a kid who isn't attending practice regularly and take them "outside the family" and drop a bunch of money on some so-called expert. First, make sure your kid is going to practice; then ask your own coach for some private lessons first and then ask about referrals.
Some large swim camps may trumpet the famous college coach's name, but the workouts will be run by his college swimmers who may have no previous experience coaching.
I think many USS coaches are mediocre. And many USS programs are elitist groups that ignore solid but unspectacularl swimmers. Yet you might have your child there because of location or practice times.
In that case I think it is perfectly OK to seek out additional coaching. My kids swim for a fine team, with great team chemistry, etc. But the head coach cannot coach breastroke worth a damn. She just doesn't know how to teach the many fine points of modern breaststroke. So we occasionally have private coaching from a former club coach who is particularly good at breaststroke.
Swim camps are an entirely different thing to me. First - they are an adventure for the kids. They swim with a much different group of kids. And often with NCAA coaches. My kids have been to Texas A&M's camp twice each and not only do they enjoy it - they come back with improvements. Part of it is because they get "talk time" where the coaches sit them down and explain things. And they get video taped.
I think it would shock many how little the typical USS coach knows. They coach the way they were coached. They don't understand lactic threshold. They don't understand physiology. And they suck at communication.
