Policies
PRACTICE SESSION ATTENDANCE AND CONDUCT
- All practices are mandatory; however, if your school work requires you to miss practice, please discuss this with the head coach in advance, or as soon thereafter as possible. All school work must come first.
- Team members are expected to be on the deck at least 5 minutes before practice begins and remain until the practice is ended by the coach.
- Team members are expected to be prepared for each workout session with cap and goggles, having performed pre-practice stretching, having completed general socializing, and having completed personal "bathroom calls".
- The general well-being and safety of all team members while in the general pool area is very important. All safety rules of the pool, of the Lower Merion School District, and of LMAC must be followed at all times and will be strictly enforced. Violations of these rules will result in removal from the LMAC team. Behavior which detracts from the running of a practice and/or a meet may also result in a suspension and/or removal from the LMAC team.
- The use of tobacco, alcohol, any and all types of illegal drugs, and/or stealing is strictly forbidden at all times by any LMAC team member. Violation of this rule can result in immediate suspension and/or removal from the LMAC team.
- Food is not allowed in the locker rooms and/or the pool area.
- Personal locks must be removed each day.
- Do not leave any personal possessions in any locker which is not locked.
- No "Horseplay" is allowed at any time, for any reason.
- LMAC will participate in a complete schedule of Suburban
Aquatic League dual and championship meets. Attendance at each dual meet is
mandatory and attendance at each championship meet invited to is mandatory. Any
unexcused absence will result in disciplinary action at the discretion of the
head coach. If you are going to miss any meet due to illness, it is the team
member's responsibility to notify the head coach as soon as possible.
- The Lower Merion School District provides LMAC team members
with bus transportation to and from each away meet. All LMAC team members,
except those senior members who drive, are required to take the bus to each away
meet. Parents who wish to drive their children home after a meet must notify the
coach before the end of the meet. Bus departure, and return times to Lower
Merion High School are posted. Each team member must be prompt to avoid the
possibility of a late team arrival. Parents must pick up their swimmer when the
bus arrives at Lower Merion.
How to be a Successful Swimming and Diving Parent
The competitive swimming and diving program allows the swimmer and diver to
experience success and to learn how to deal with defeat, while becoming healthy
and physically fit. As a parent, our major responsibilities are to provide a
stable, loving, and supportive environment. This positive environment will
encourage your child to continue. Show your interest by ensuring your child's
attendance at practices, and by coming to meets. Get involved in your child's
team. Your role as a volunteer is important to our sport and to your child's
view of the future. Remember, there would be no team without the help of the
parents. With a positive attitude and willingness to lend a hand, you will also
have a great impact on your child's athletic environment.
The 11 Parenting Commandments
- Thou shall not impose your ambitions on thy child.
Remember that swimming and diving is your child's activity. Improvements and
progress occur at different rates for each individual. Don't judge your child's
progress based on the performance of other athletes and don't push them based on
what you think you should be doing. The nice thing about swimming and diving is
every person can strive to do their best personal best.
- Thou shall be supportive no matter what.
There is only one question to ask your child, "Did you have fun?" Your child
should not be forced to participate.
- Thou shall not coach your child.
Do not undermine the coach by trying to coach your child on the side. Your job
is to support, love, and hug your child no matter what. The coach is responsible
for the technical part of the job. You should not offer advice on technique or
race strategy. This will only serve to confuse your child and prevent that
swimmer/coach bond forming. Have your child ask the coach if they have
questions.
- Thou shall only have positive things to say at a meet.
When you go to a meet you should cheer and applaud, but never criticize your
child or the coach.
- Thou shall acknowledge thy child's fears.
A first time in competition or the first time doing a new dive or an event can
be a stressful situation. It's totally appropriate for your child to be scared.
Don't yell or belittle, just assure the child that the coach would not have
suggested the event or dive if they were not ready to compete in it.
- Thou shall not criticize the officials.
If you do not have the time or desire to volunteer as an official, don't
criticize those who are doing the best they can.
- Honor thy child's coach. The
bond between a child and coach is a special one and one that contributes to your
child's success as well as fun. Do not criticize the coach in the presence of
your child, it will only serve to hurt your child's swimming.
- Thou shall not jump from team to team.
The water is not necessarily bluer at the other team's pool. Every team has its
own internal problems, even teams that build champions. Often, times and
performances of swimmers and divers who do switch teams never do better than
they did before they sought the bluer water. The improvement they do show is
natural progression of their growth and maturity in the sport.
- Thy child shall have goals besides winning.
Giving an honest effort regardless of what the outcome is, is much more
important than winning. One Olympian said, "My goal was to set a world record.
Well, I did that, but someone else did it too, just a little faster than I did.
I achieved my goal and I lost. This does not make me a failure, in fact, I am
very proud of that swim."
- Thou shall not expect thy child to become an Olympian.
There are 225,000 athletes in United States Swimming alone. There are only 52
spots available for the Olympic team every four years. Your child's odds of
becoming an Olympian are 1 in about 4,300. The odds of a diver are even tougher.
Swimming and diving are much more than just the Olympics. Ask a coach why he or
she coaches. Chances are, he or she was not an Olympian, but still is good
enough in swimming and in diving that he wants to pass that love for the sport
on to others. Swimming and diving teaches self-discipline and sportsmanship; it
builds self-esteem and fitness; it provides lifelong friendship and much more.
Most Olympians will tell you that these intangibles far outweigh any medal they
have won. Swimming and diving programs build good people, and you should be
happy your child wants to participate.
- Support Your Child's Team by Volunteering.
All parents of participants are required to assist the team in some way. We
recognize that all of us lead busy lives, so there is a wide variety of roles
that you can volunteer for -- some are at home on "off hours" and some are at
meets. Whatever your availability, we have a need for help. This is what keeps
the team running smoothly and provides your child with the support he or she
needs to excel.
