Side Coaching

I used to coach with a club team in Oregon a few years back, and we discouraged this "side coaching" by the parents. You want to try to maintain the attention of the swimmer with you, the coach, rather than the swimmer always going back to the mom/dad for advice. They need to get directive from one main source, rather than multiple conflicting sources, though both sources may have the same intent. We had "talks" with those over-eager parents that were in a way - overstepping the boundaries, and it seemed to work. We told them to give all the praise they wanted to, for the good and the bad. Encouragement is great, just be proud that your swimmer did their best, and let them know it...let the coach be the "bad guy". :) :2cents:

My daughter has the best answer for this - she wouldn't listen to me if I did have advice.

Do you agree that most of the best youth swimmers have been side coached to some extent? No. In my experience as both swimmer and coach, I have found that the parents who actually know a lot about swimming or were athletes themselves tend to let coaches do the coaching. And, if they have suggestions, they approach the coach at an appropriate time instead of walking the pool deck with the coach. It's the athletically frustrated and less knowledgable parent I usually see attempting to "side-coach." Trying to coach your kid during another coach's practice is not only disruptive but rude. How would you like someone "side-coaching" in a business meeting you were running?

I can't speak to this exact question, but I suspect it's similar to what I call "multiple editor syndrome" in the college essay process. Young achiever writes a college essay and gives it to a trusted adult (teacher, parent, counsellor, sibling, father's college room-mate who works @ the New Yorker, uncle's former boss who works in admissions at Prestigious U), and gets some advice and makes some changes. Young Achiever (or his/her parent) decides that if some advice is good, more is better, and then picks another person from the list above. YA continues this process until all of the above have been consulted. YA then checks in with 9th, 10th, and 11th grade teachers just to be sure. THe end result is a kid with a nervous breakdown and an essay that's a mish-mash of good intentions and bad juju. I don't imagine that multiple coach syndrome is much different. Too many cooks CAN spoil the broth.

As a coach, I can see the good and bad of it. If a parent is really experienced and knows what he/she is talking about, how can it be bad - we have all benefitted from advice from a variety of coaches. However, I am also a strong believer in quality practices make for a quality swimmer - so if the quality of a practice a parent may be providing is lacking then there could be problems. It is much easier to learn and practice good habits, than to unlearn bad habits that have developed. I guess as a parent, it all depends on the level of the swimmer. If they are a beginner or a just for fun club swimmer, I don't see how more time in the water could ever be a problem. However if they are a strong USA swimmer AAA/AAAA times and maybe on the verge of some national level cuts, I would say it is best left up a professional coach that is has been training them. But my twins turn 2 next month. Ask me in 10 years and see what kind of response I give.

As a parent of kids in sports I felt my job was to: 1) Make sure they get plenty of sleep. 2) Feed them wholesome and nutritious foods. 3) Encourage and support their efforts in practice as well as in meets. 4) Support the decisions and opinions of their coaches 5) Only give my opinion when it was asked of me. (not very often) 6) Oh, pay the fees, buy the equipment, provide transportation around the clock!! The child should feel ownership and control of their sport. I've seen too many parents get over-involved and embarrass the child, make a fool of themselves, and ultimately turn their child off to competitive sports totally.

I have never heard the term "side coaching". If it means giving support and a tip (if asked), I'm all for it. My problem is my kids rarely ask. If it means being like the knucklehead dad walking up and down the deck during practice, giving poor stroke and training tips, I'm good with it. But, the parent must wear really big shoes, a bright red ball nose, and a shocking pink wig.

My daughter has the best answer for this - she wouldn't listen to me if I did have advice. I suggested to my daughter that when she does a 50 free or 50 back in practice she should do flip turns. She was taught flip turns over the last year, but as a separate exercise. Her response: My coach didn't tell me to. :frustrated: Guess my advice isn't wanted either

The only thing my daughters will admit to is that I taught them to pull on the lane lines in backstroke. While they are correct, they have taken it to a new level.

Unfortunately in the sport of swimming it's a given that you have to worry about someone elses kid since it is they your kid has to compete against. I disagree. You or your child cannot control how others swim. It is great to use competition as a spur to advance, but ultimately the clock is the best measure of improvement. It never lies. Paul had a great post. My short version: I think parent "side coaching" is never a good idea, unless the parent is a paid coach on the swim team.