Swimmers are to call their coach if they are going to be missing practice.  This creates ownership of decisions.  It is ok to miss practice once in awhile and I am not unreasonable about this but the reason that I want swimmers to own their decisions is because of a few reasons.

1. The club is subsidizing the training of the Junior/Senior's swimming costs.  The club is structured in a way to support athletes that are dedicated to their training so that they can reach their goals.  Junior and Senior swimmers should acknowledge this support by communicating to their coach when they will not be able to attend practice. This ownership shows respect to the club and coaches and most importantly keeps the swimmers in close communication about their training needs with their coach. 
2. Missing practice not only hurts the athlete but also the team.  It is very hard to push through difficult sets if you do not feel the support of the team behind you.  If everyone has a strong dedication to the group then it is contagious and everyone will be stronger because of it. You may feel pressure from your team mates when missing a practice.  The expectation that you are there and supporting each other should make you feel valued and part of the team.  
3. Respect for yourself and the coach. Swimming years are a lot about learning life skills.  Athletes are expected to treat it like a job in terms of responsibility.  Parents do not call in for their children to work and the same should be for swimming.  If children call in to discuss their decision then they are owning it.  THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE TEXTS. When I was at the coaches course recently there was someone discussing the importance of communication and how he does recruiting for Universities.  He said that if a swimmer accepted the position they always called and if they declined they would always text.  This is a way to get out of difficult conversations.  He would insist that those swimmers called him.  The conversations were never negative but were respectful.  It is important that we expect this from our athletes.  If they are confident in their decision then the communication should not be hard.

It is extremely important that swimmers train the right amount at the right time in their development. If swimmers miss this training time in their growth period then it will result in less than optimal performances at competitions. This is different for every athlete so feel free to talk to me about your athlete and what you need during your growth period.  Sometimes if an athlete is hitting a growth period they may require more rest or more training and we need to have open communication about this.  Swimmers should feel comfortable to talk to me about how they are feeling in an open and honest way.  I want to do what is best for each and every one of them.  I am not unreasonable about how individuals have to find balance in their life.  This is ok but we have to talk about it.

1. As a coach I am 100 percent dedicated to the training and support of my swimmers.  Robert and I feel a lot of pride in them for how hard they work and how they support each other.  We would like this culture to continue and it will if we set out expectations.  We have come a long way this year with the attendance of athletes and dedication they have to the sport.  Lets keep this going!

https://swimswam.com/6-ways-swim-parents-can-encourage-great-swimmer-coach-relationships/

As a parent, there are a few things we can do—or not do—to encourage healthy, working relationships between our swimmers and their coaches. Here are my six ways to building better relationships...

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