Swim Meets

SWIM MEETS

Ivanhoe Neons Swim Club engages in a multi-level competition program with Swimming Australia (http://www.swimming.org.au/ ) that, like our training program, attempts to provide challenging, yet success-oriented competitive situations for swimmers of all ages and various abilities. Our meets are selected depending on training outcomes at the time and performances may be based on objectives other than PB's. We ask swimmers to participate in meets chosen by coaches on our competition calendar available online.

A. The following policies outline our philosophy:

1. We emphasize competition with oneself. Winning ribbons, medals, or trophies is not our main goal. If the swimmer finishes first, but has swum poorly in comparison to his/her own past performances, he/she is encouraged to do better. The individual's improvement is our primary objective.

2. Sportsmanlike behavior is of equal importance to improved performance. Respect for officials, congratulations to opponents (other competitors), encouragement to teammates, determined effort and mature attitudes are examples of behaviour praised and rewarded by the Neons coaching staff.

3. A swimmer is praised for improving his/her stroke or time. It is the coach's job to offer constructive criticism of a swimmer's performance. It is the parent's responsibility to provide love and encouragement that bolster the swimmer's confidence along the way.

4. Swimmers are taught to set realistic, yet challenging goals for meets and to relate those goals to practice to direct their training efforts.

5. Swimmers are prepared and encouraged to compete in all swimming events, distances, and strokes. This policy promotes versatility and encourages the swimmer to explore his/her potential in the wide range of events offered in competitive swimming.

6. Swimmers should not feel pressured to produce best times at all meets during the year. Quite often, the coaches will expect these swimmers to train very hard on days leading up to a meet and also on the same day as a meet. Each swimmer will give a full 100% effort at all meets. However, the championship meets, District, State and National are what we are pointing towards in our training. Let's not force swimmers into a situation where they must loaf a practice (or skip a practice) so that they may be fresh at a less important meet.

B. General Comments for Swimmers

1. Encourage and support your teammates.

2. We warm-up as a team at meets because it is part of our philosophy that there is strength in numbers. It is more intimidating to opposing teams to see us as a large group.

3. It is important that a full, proper warm-up be completed, therefore be prompt for warm-ups. Always warm-down before seeing your coach, if a warm-down pool is available.

4. The team sits together at meets. Swimmers should not sit with parents.

5. See the coach before and immediately after your swim to receive feedback on your performance.

6. Swimmers must wear only Neon's team apparel.

7. Always swim hard.- no excuses.