Tips for Parents
If you have never been a part of a swim team the following information may help you:
Swim Team is not swim lessons. Practices are for the coaches to teach proper technique to help swimmers improve. Practice is not mandatory, but the more your swimmer attends, the more they will benefit. You do NOT need to communicate if your swimmer will miss practice. Attendance will be taken at every practice for the purpose of end of the year recognition.
It is important to have your swimmer arrive at meets on time and with their events "sharpied" on them. A swim meet can appear chaotic at times. Coaches may need to make final adjustments during meets to relay teams and if your swimmer is not at the meet on time we have to assume you are not attending and did not let us know. As a result a late swimmer may be cut from a relay team. The head coach has the final say on who swims what events and relays. Please honor and respect their decisions.
It is helpful to your swimmer, especially younger swimmers, to encourage them. Cheer them on and congratulate them when they get out of the pool. Do not coach your kids. What you are telling them may be different than what their coach is telling them. Let our coaches do their job. Trust them!! The coaching staff are your child’s biggest cheerleaders and only want your child to do the best he or she can do.
Parents that are not participating in a meet are allowed at the end of the pool only during their swimmer’s event but have to remain a safe distance away from the end as to not interfere with the timers.
Parents are NOT allowed to approach any meet official or judge during the meet. Coaches are happy to chat with parents briefly during meets, but if there is an emergency and or any concerns and you cannot talk to a coach during a meet, please find the Team Parent or send an email any time to [email protected]
Meets are fun!
Please note: there is NO ALCOHOL permitted at any Greater Charlotte Swim League event.
PARENT PARTICIPATION
Parent Participation is a VITAL to the success of the Brace Family Y Swim Team. We need a lot of help during all swim meets. Families should strive to participate at a minimum of 3 half meets per swimmer on the team (with a 5 half meet maximum per family). Working the entire meet counts as 2 shifts. Any family member can participate (Mom, Dad, Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle, any non-swimmer preferably over the age of 14).
All parents participating in a home or away meet must arrive at the meets by 5:30pm and check in with the Team Parent. Timers and Stroke/Turn Judges will be required to attend a brief meeting prior to the start of the meet.
We will announce when the Sign Up is Open.
Participating in the meets may sound scary, but it is really easy and a great way to learn the sport and meet other parents. In most cases you also have the best seats in the house.
We will train and explain all positions. See the Parent Participation Tab in this section of the website.
