8/Under News October 20, 2011
Recap of Coaches Meeting and New Information
Below is a recap of the parents/coaches meeting we had last Saturday as well as a couple things I forgot to mention at the meeting. First I'll mention the new stuff and then repeat the old for anyone who was not at the meeting.
Closed practices: In case anyone didn't know we hold what are called closed practices meaning that Parents are not allowed on deck during practice times. We try to enforce this policy for all age groups no matter which pool they are swimming in. The purpose for this policy is to create an environment where the coaches can work with swimmers without the distractions that comes from having parents watching. Although parents dont mean to be a distraction they often can be simply by having their presence on deck. We are lucky because our facility does have large windows so that parents can see into the pool area without encroaching on the work out. I do set up viewing days for 8&under parents to come by and watch practice. We will have our first viewing day in mid- late November. I'll keep everyone posted.
Signing out of meets & volunteers: On the WRATS we have a very large team which is a great thing! Because of the size of our team we are often asked to bring a few volunteers to away meets. Therefore if swimmers do not sign out of meets and then do not come to the meet we are on the hook to provide timers for swimmers that are not competing. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK ALL SIGN OUT DATES. If your swimmer cannot compete please sign them out. It will save you money and save me from the hassle of searching for timers while trying to warm up our swimmers.
Swimming is an Individual Sport: NOT TRUE. We swim and compete as a team. At practice we make each other stronger, faster, and tougher by working together for a common goal. Most races might be individual but all of our accomplishments are gained by our togetherness.
Speed vs. Technique & coaching your own child: Everything I work on with the 8&under is technique based swimming meaning that how fast a swimmer races is not important compared to the development of their strokes. Many times I will ask a swimmer to slow down in order to change their technique. You might sit in the stands watching your swimmer and find yourself thinking "I know billy can swim faster why isnt he?" It is most likely that I have asked him to slow down and just focus on how he is swimming rather than how fast. This is 100% intentional and your child is following direction.
Which brings me to coaching your own child PLEASE DO NOT COACH THEM! Even if you were a competitive swimmer please leave the coaching to Barb and I. The swimming world has moved light years in the last decade and it is possible that what you learned as a swimmer has changed over recent years. In order to not confuse your child let us do the correction and you take care of the support!
Meeting Recap:
My name is John Scaldini. I have been a full time coach for 10 years now working in New York, Maryland, California, and Connecticut.
For the last 5 years I have been working with highly competitive rec level swimmers as well as coaching USA swimming with Weston Swimming and for the last 3 years with Water Rat Swimming. I love working with all age groups but really love working with the 8&unders because it is a way for me to instill good values in them at an early age.
My goals for the 8&under is to help them develop a love for the sport. I want them to have as much fun as possible while learning that working hard and achieving goals is FUN in itself. I try and help young swimmers see their unlimited potential inside the pool and out of it with the hope of building great human beings. I believe that any child can be a strong competent swimmer and that it is my job to help them realize that about themselves.
Program Goals: I want all 8&under to learn all 4 strokes as well as race starts, turns, & finishes. Efficiency is more important than endurance at this stage and teamwork as well as self awareness in the water are key to future success.
Wrats Vs Other programs: The Westport Water Rats have been a premier program in CT for over 60 years now. We do not just build swimmers. We are building a family. A Family that grows every year and includes all members from the past. If your swimmer is 6 or 18 they are all part of one team THE WRATS!
Practice Groups, Do unto your soccer coach? Missing practice: At some point in the year almost every parent will ask if their swimmer can come to a different practice group for a day because of conflicting activities. Unfortunately this is not possible. We have such a large team that flip flopping groups becomes chaotic and results in over crowding. I also find that is causes a sense of uneasiness for swimmers because they are in an unfamiliar setting and arent sure how they fit in.
Do unto your swim coach the same as you would to your soccer coach :O) You are always welcome to ask me anything but please before proposing the question think to yourself "Would I ask this of my soccer (insert any other sport) coach?" If not why? and therefore is it a question to ask your swim coach.
Because your swimmer cannot drive themselves to practice we do not hold it against them if they are late. We just ask that when arriving at the pool they quickly and quietly get to their lane. We do not want them to mosey in and look around like it is their first day.
If your child is going to miss a practice feel free to email me but dont stress out if you forget to email me. All kids miss a day here or there for a multitude of reasons. Please let me know if your child will be out for an extended period of time.
Meets: When we go to swim meets there is a fee associated with the events your swimmmers race. Usually the fee is around $5 per event. If you do not sign out before the meet deadline listed on the website you will be charged for the events even if your swimmer does not race.
When you volunteer at swim meets you will receive credits toward part of your parent club fees. At the end of the year you will be reimbursed cold hard cash if you fulfill all volunteer requirements. If you exceed your volunteer requirements the team will pay you extra for your support. It is very much appreciated and necessary in order for us to run meets.
In February we have 3 meets scheduled over 3 consecutive weeks. If you need to miss one of these meets plan to miss Feb 4th if possible. The 12th is the state championship meet for all YMCA's so we like to get everyone involved for that. Feb 19th is the state championships for all teams including YMCA's. This meet is our biggest meet of the year so please plan on attending it as well.
Make Mahakeno Happen: As the youngest swimmers on our team your child is in the Golden Age Of the NEW YMCA. Meaning that when it is built your swimmer will reap the benefits more than any other age group. The High school wrats will get to come back from college and enjoy the new facility but your swimmer will be able to truly take advantage of what will be the nicest facility in the state. Please let me know if you would like any more info on the project plans. LETS GET IT DONE!!!
Let me know if you have any questions!
CJ
ps. We had a bunch of parents step up to volunteer at our meet. We still need 1 Head Timer and 1 lane organizer!!!!
Closed practices: In case anyone didn't know we hold what are called closed practices meaning that Parents are not allowed on deck during practice times. We try to enforce this policy for all age groups no matter which pool they are swimming in. The purpose for this policy is to create an environment where the coaches can work with swimmers without the distractions that comes from having parents watching. Although parents dont mean to be a distraction they often can be simply by having their presence on deck. We are lucky because our facility does have large windows so that parents can see into the pool area without encroaching on the work out. I do set up viewing days for 8&under parents to come by and watch practice. We will have our first viewing day in mid- late November. I'll keep everyone posted.
Signing out of meets & volunteers: On the WRATS we have a very large team which is a great thing! Because of the size of our team we are often asked to bring a few volunteers to away meets. Therefore if swimmers do not sign out of meets and then do not come to the meet we are on the hook to provide timers for swimmers that are not competing. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK ALL SIGN OUT DATES. If your swimmer cannot compete please sign them out. It will save you money and save me from the hassle of searching for timers while trying to warm up our swimmers.
Swimming is an Individual Sport: NOT TRUE. We swim and compete as a team. At practice we make each other stronger, faster, and tougher by working together for a common goal. Most races might be individual but all of our accomplishments are gained by our togetherness.
Speed vs. Technique & coaching your own child: Everything I work on with the 8&under is technique based swimming meaning that how fast a swimmer races is not important compared to the development of their strokes. Many times I will ask a swimmer to slow down in order to change their technique. You might sit in the stands watching your swimmer and find yourself thinking "I know billy can swim faster why isnt he?" It is most likely that I have asked him to slow down and just focus on how he is swimming rather than how fast. This is 100% intentional and your child is following direction.
Which brings me to coaching your own child PLEASE DO NOT COACH THEM! Even if you were a competitive swimmer please leave the coaching to Barb and I. The swimming world has moved light years in the last decade and it is possible that what you learned as a swimmer has changed over recent years. In order to not confuse your child let us do the correction and you take care of the support!
Meeting Recap:
My name is John Scaldini. I have been a full time coach for 10 years now working in New York, Maryland, California, and Connecticut.
For the last 5 years I have been working with highly competitive rec level swimmers as well as coaching USA swimming with Weston Swimming and for the last 3 years with Water Rat Swimming. I love working with all age groups but really love working with the 8&unders because it is a way for me to instill good values in them at an early age.
My goals for the 8&under is to help them develop a love for the sport. I want them to have as much fun as possible while learning that working hard and achieving goals is FUN in itself. I try and help young swimmers see their unlimited potential inside the pool and out of it with the hope of building great human beings. I believe that any child can be a strong competent swimmer and that it is my job to help them realize that about themselves.
Program Goals: I want all 8&under to learn all 4 strokes as well as race starts, turns, & finishes. Efficiency is more important than endurance at this stage and teamwork as well as self awareness in the water are key to future success.
Wrats Vs Other programs: The Westport Water Rats have been a premier program in CT for over 60 years now. We do not just build swimmers. We are building a family. A Family that grows every year and includes all members from the past. If your swimmer is 6 or 18 they are all part of one team THE WRATS!
Practice Groups, Do unto your soccer coach? Missing practice: At some point in the year almost every parent will ask if their swimmer can come to a different practice group for a day because of conflicting activities. Unfortunately this is not possible. We have such a large team that flip flopping groups becomes chaotic and results in over crowding. I also find that is causes a sense of uneasiness for swimmers because they are in an unfamiliar setting and arent sure how they fit in.
Do unto your swim coach the same as you would to your soccer coach :O) You are always welcome to ask me anything but please before proposing the question think to yourself "Would I ask this of my soccer (insert any other sport) coach?" If not why? and therefore is it a question to ask your swim coach.
Because your swimmer cannot drive themselves to practice we do not hold it against them if they are late. We just ask that when arriving at the pool they quickly and quietly get to their lane. We do not want them to mosey in and look around like it is their first day.
If your child is going to miss a practice feel free to email me but dont stress out if you forget to email me. All kids miss a day here or there for a multitude of reasons. Please let me know if your child will be out for an extended period of time.
Meets: When we go to swim meets there is a fee associated with the events your swimmmers race. Usually the fee is around $5 per event. If you do not sign out before the meet deadline listed on the website you will be charged for the events even if your swimmer does not race.
When you volunteer at swim meets you will receive credits toward part of your parent club fees. At the end of the year you will be reimbursed cold hard cash if you fulfill all volunteer requirements. If you exceed your volunteer requirements the team will pay you extra for your support. It is very much appreciated and necessary in order for us to run meets.
In February we have 3 meets scheduled over 3 consecutive weeks. If you need to miss one of these meets plan to miss Feb 4th if possible. The 12th is the state championship meet for all YMCA's so we like to get everyone involved for that. Feb 19th is the state championships for all teams including YMCA's. This meet is our biggest meet of the year so please plan on attending it as well.
Make Mahakeno Happen: As the youngest swimmers on our team your child is in the Golden Age Of the NEW YMCA. Meaning that when it is built your swimmer will reap the benefits more than any other age group. The High school wrats will get to come back from college and enjoy the new facility but your swimmer will be able to truly take advantage of what will be the nicest facility in the state. Please let me know if you would like any more info on the project plans. LETS GET IT DONE!!!
Let me know if you have any questions!
CJ
ps. We had a bunch of parents step up to volunteer at our meet. We still need 1 Head Timer and 1 lane organizer!!!!
