How Should I Make Cuts?

I personally was not into "cutting" when I coached and at some times I had over 100 swimmers (not in one session) and their parents to deal with. I felt it was my responsibility to get the kids excited about swimming. Plus, with the obesity epidemic here in the States I really hated to turn anyone down. I can see potential in some of the talkers too, and usually those who talk are also the ones who want the most attention, which means they want to succeed deep down, too. I hate to make the cuts, but I can't have practices like I just had. I held team meetings on the first week. I made it VERY clear as to what my expectations were of the kids (I had ages 6 to 18) - both in and out of the water. I usually had 3 to 5 rules (they will forget any more than that) that HAD to be followed. Although the rules may seems silly (like NO talking while I was talking; raise your hand if you have a question; respect your teammates and NO horseplay; etc.), they WORKED. BTW, I made sure the parents knew these rules as well via communication to them in person or via email/ flyers. As the season progressed and the group gelled, the environment would be a bit more relaxed rather than military based.Well I had three rules: -be on time -be respectful: I told them our goal is to gain respect and the quickest way to lose respect is to be disrespectful - to coaches, to team mates, to other teams -always work hard: or you will be setting a bad example for your team mates. I even tell kids that some times, instead of simply yelling at them, especially the supposed ring leaders Punishments would be physical in nature and would include push ups, sit ups, duck walks, press outs, pull ups, and even water based sets. Punishements could be individual or group based. RARELY would anyone be thrown out of practice. As the kids found that they had a lot of fun at practice, they wanted to attend and stay the duration. I noticed as the season progressed, fewer and fewer *punishments* would be doled out. I could be a bit *boot-campish* with the older boys and would literally get in their face while I did the push up punishment with them and they struggled to complete it. They learned quickly to follow directions. Who wants to be shown up by an old woman?I had some do push ups. I could do them with them, but I doubt that it would be nearly as effective since I'm a 20 year old guy, but I'll try it. I could always do my one handers and shoot for a role model, but that's not exactly what I want to become. On being able to demand respect, I would get in and race the kids at the end of practice or on special days. They were sort of like USMS "gridges" come to life. I would also do demonstrations. Not sure if that's an option for you. . . but it really works.I could do this. I find it harder to keep control while I'm in the water though. I made most everything a game while incorporating physical challenges with skills. Kids love to play so I made sure to have plenty of silly stuff in with the real stuff. I'd have them do a lap of their worst free followed by 2 laps of their best freestyle stroke and so on. Kids love fins so we did some fin work (SDK and no breathers.) There were lots of relay races and team based competitions each practice. Gosh darn it if my 10&Us couldn't SDK better than me at season end!This is something I don't do, and on a team team I think that would really be-little some of the athletes because that would make it easy for the better ones. And, depending on how motivated the group was (and my groups REALLY varied in motivation and skill), I spelled out to them their goals/ skills that they would be expected to acquire by season end. I had a huge board with the swimmers' names and the skills to be learned and I charted their progress. Everyone REALLY got into it. Was really cool to see the 8&Us to older kids learn how to do the 4 strokes legally along with racing starts and SDK no breathers. Skills included not only water based skills but flexibility and dry land goals.With the girls team I had a Star Board. They got a star every time they broke their personal best time. However, I doubt the guys will like that as much. I was thinking of something like a best times board. Some sort of public display of the times of the best six swimmers in each event. That way if ever I had someone who wanted to compete for a position, they could try to beat that time. This works because it doesn't humiliate anyone and gives praise to the best, and allows other to covet the best. I could use more ideas if you have them. Not sure if you're into this but I was accessible via email and phone to my swimmers and their parents. I created a group/ team web site which recognized accomplishments and communicated administrative issues. Good communication got every more excited about swimming. I had NO qualms picking up the phone and calling a parent if there were issues. I found parents to be VERY receptive.I will be calling parents after every "strike" the kids get. Anything that's outrageous, I can send them home and give them a strike and call home. In the past I called home after the second strike, and what I realized was that the parents didn't realize how serious it was. So I'm going to try and be more harsh with it, and I'm going to try and call home more often. I planned out my practices so that there was ZERO spare time for anyone to play around. However, I would be able to alter the workouts depending on who showed up, what kind of day people were having and so on (that's where the experience in swimming comes in.)Well yesterday was the first practice. Once I get them into lanes what I like to do is send them on sets that end on different times. That way they don't get the chance to talk to the person in their lane. Run a tight ship and they will respond. I'm off to my tightly run ship headed up by Coach Landon "Laying Down the Hammer" Harris. Avg age of swimmers are 14 to 18. And then me. LOVE my swimming boot camp practices. :) I hope so. Thanks. I really didn't know what to expect yesterday, so I was a little unprepared. I'll get some order into it.

I had some do push ups. I could do them with them, but I doubt that it would be nearly as effective since I'm a 20 year old guy, but I'll try it. I could always do my one handers and shoot for a role model, but that's not exactly what I want to become. . Maybe there is come clarification needed but as a coach, why wouldn't you want to be a role model? Maybe I am reading this wrong but as a role model, you have the opportunity to help shape these boys. Will it be easy? Heck no...being a role model isn't supposed to be easy.

To me a role model is more of a mystical figure that is an example of what a person can become if they work really hard at it - someone like Michael Phelps. Mystical, huh? That's the problem, people use mystical people as their role models, someone like Michael Phelps. Role models should be tangible and present, not mysterious and aloof.

. To me a role model is more of a mystical figure that is an example of what a person can become if they work really hard at it - someone like Michael Phelps. . A role model is much more than a mystical figure. A role model is someone that sets an example of how to behave, how to work hard and esp. how to treat people. You can be a teacher/coach, as well as a role model. My coaches weren't just coaches...they have been role models. They worked hard to come up with the best possible plans to help us succed, how to be a positive person, how to work with others, etc. You can be a teacher but also a role model. Yes, parent's should be kid's role models, but that isn't always the case. You have the opporunity hear to do all three in one.

Mystical, huh? That's the problem, people use mystical people as their role models, someone like Michael Phelps. Role models should be tangible and present, not mysterious and aloof. Geek...this is why you are my role model

I could use more ideas if you have them. How about a time dropped board by event. This is where your slowest kids, aka the kids with the most potential, will be able to do the best. Your fastest kids are always going to be able to step up in any event and take the best time until your team matures. If you see this happening, your best times board might become the discouraging board. Dropped time by swimmer would be good if the swimmer picked the event they wanted to improve the most during the season. Not sure if your team would be ready to buy into this, but this would hit all the swimmers, instead of just the high end or the low end. Short term, you could do pick the race. You pick six kids, have them step up and do a 50, the winner picks the next six swimmers and what they will swim. The key being, the race is mixed, the worst kids swimming free against the best kids off strokes, giving everyone a chance to win. You have a time constraint, so maybe you have the heats preset, and the winner of the first heat picks the stroke for one of the kids in the next heat, and the rest are planned ahead of time.

How about a time dropped board by event. This is where your slowest kids, aka the kids with the most potential, will be able to do the best. Your fastest kids are always going to be able to step up in any event and take the best time until your team matures. If you see this happening, your best times board might become the discouraging board. Dropped time by swimmer would be good if the swimmer picked the event they wanted to improve the most during the season. Not sure if your team would be ready to buy into this, but this would hit all the swimmers, instead of just the high end or the low end.I like that. It fits the theme, too. I want them to know their times and know what improvement is for them. This will be perfect, and it will be like a badge of honor for the lower swimmers, and anyone who works hard. Short term, you could do pick the race. You pick six kids, have them step up and do a 50, the winner picks the next six swimmers and what they will swim. The key being, the race is mixed, the worst kids swimming free against the best kids off strokes, giving everyone a chance to win. You have a time constraint, so maybe you have the heats preset, and the winner of the first heat picks the stroke for one of the kids in the next heat, and the rest are planned ahead of time.This sounds fun, I don't think I could do it though. The team is very immature. I swear, this has to be the worst age group and the worst area to pick people to be on a swim team. xD They all know each other, so you lose the timidness most people experience when being on a big team. For example, when I joined a USS team, everyone already knew the program, and I pretty much had to learn how to conform. But getting all the boys like this is like trying to take a (forty) slob(s) and teaching him (them) table manners. I expect them to conform to all my rules, and they've never experienced it before.

As far as the actual cuts go, I told them "get in the water and don't stop swimming till I say you can stop. These are your cuts. I will keep the hardest workers." I cut three kids out of 36. Each one had been screwing around. I was sure to keep it respectful and privet. Each was mildly surprised, one cried, but it wasn't because I was unfair, it was because he wanted a second chance - which is ridiculous I told him personally that I was watching him and exactly what type of behavior he should have. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to cut 5 others for grades, and 5 more don't have physicals. They can swim if they get them, but usually that doesn't happen. I did get some really bad times (like a 1:17 fifty free), and according to some of the teachers I still have some real assholes on the team. I don't see it, but I'll be sure to get rid of it quickly, if I need to. So now my team of 40 should be closer to a team of 25.

A role model is much more than a mystical figure. A role model is someone that sets an example of how to behave, how to work hard and esp. how to treat people. You can be a teacher/coach, as well as a role model. My coaches weren't just coaches...they have been role models. They worked hard to come up with the best possible plans to help us succed, how to be a positive person, how to work with others, etc. You can be a teacher but also a role model. Yes, parent's should be kid's role models, but that isn't always the case. You have the opporunity hear to do all three in one.Well we just disagree. I think the major difference between a parent and a role model is that a parent is expected to love their children unconditionally, and in that respect, a coach is different from a parent. Coaches don't have to love you at all, and pretty much all the love they have to give is tough love. I do shower them with as much positive attention when they do something right so that they know to do it again, but I also make nothing easy for them. We're all expected to guide these kids into the people they will become, and I'm certainly pleased to have that opportunity, but I simply feel a role model is different and inspires kids differently than a parent, teacher or coach.

Maybe there is come clarification needed but as a coach, why wouldn't you want to be a role model? Maybe I am reading this wrong but as a role model, you have the opportunity to help shape these boys. Will it be easy? Heck no...being a role model isn't supposed to be easy.I want to be more of a parent figure or teacher. Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe we view this differently. To me a role model is more of a mystical figure that is an example of what a person can become if they work really hard at it - someone like Michael Phelps. A parent would be more of a real person who adds structure and provides the disciplines and help to attain that level. When I was swimming I never really wanted to be a coach. I trusted and respected my coach, but that's more of a student/teacher relationship.