The coach's job is to supervise their entire team. The
Langley and Taylor coaching staff is dedicated to providing a
program for youngsters that will enable them to learn the
value of striving to improve oneself "to be the best you can
be." Therefore, the coach must be in total control in matters
affecting training and competition.
- The coach is responsible for placing swimmers in groups.
This is based on the age and ability level of each
individual.
- Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the
training regimen rests with the coach and assistant
coach.
- The coaching staff will make the final decision
concerning what kids will compete in which event.
- At meets, the coaching staff will conduct and supervise
warm-up procedures for the team.
Practice and Attendance Policies
The following guidelines are to inform parents and swimmers
of the coaches' policies regarding practice. The policies are
designed to provide the best possible practice environment for
all.
- If a swimmer is dropped off at the pool, they should
arrive no earlier than 15 minutes prior to their workout
time. They should also be picked up no later than 15 minutes
after the practice is over. Swimmers should be ready 5
minutes prior to he start of their practice.
- Plan to stay the entire practice. There may be
announcements made at the end of each practice.
- Parents are allowed to observe practice. Do not try to
communicate with any swimmer from the deck. This is not only
distracting to the swimmer, but also distracting to the
entire team as well as the coach.
Code of Conduct
- Never interfere with the progress of another swimmer
during practice.
- At all team functions, whether practice, meets or social
gatherings, we expect each swimmer to behave in such a way
that their actions reflect positively on the team and with
Langley and Taylor.
Parent Responsibilities
- Please make every effort to have your swimmer at
practice on time. Realize that your child is working hard
and give all the support you can.
- Encourage good diet and sleeping habits.
- Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer. Your participation
improves the quality of the team as well as your child's
experience with the Langley and Taylor Swim League. We
welcome your help in any capacity, whether at home meets,
away meets, or behind the scenes.
- The greatest contribution you can make to your swimmers
progress is to be a loving, supportive parent.
Communication
- Family File Folder: some written communication will be
placed in your family file folder that will be located at
each pool. Ribbons, newsletter, place cards and more will be
placed in the family file folders. It is the swimmers
responsibility to check their folder daily.
- E-mail: the fastest and most efficient form of
communication for the teams is through e-mail. Please
provide us with an e-mail address that you check daily. This
will be our main method of communication. Schedule times
change, meet entries and last minute changes and more will
be e-mailed out to the team. Anything that is e-mailed will
be posted at the pool.
- Bulletin Boards: the bulletin boards at each pool
provide meet information in detail and entry summaries for
upcoming meets. It is the swimmer or parent's responsibility
to double check each meet entry after it is posted.
- Parent meetings: Meetings will be conducted twice a
month at each individual pool. The head coach, assistant
coach, and the Programs Director from Langley and Taylor
will be present. We will go over any concerns or questions
you may have with other teams or the way things are run.
Your attendance is welcome.
Problems With the Coach
One of the traditional swim team communication gaps is that
some parents seem to feel more comfortable in discussing their
disagreements over coaching philosophy with other parents
rather than taking them directly to the coach. Not only is the
problem never resolved that way, but in fact this approach
often results in creating new problems. Listed below are some
guidelines for a parent raising some difficult issues with a
coach:
- Try to keep foremost in your mind that you and the coach
have the best interests of your child at heart. If you trust
that the coach's goals match yours, even though his/her
approach may be different, you are more likely to enjoy good
rapport and constructive dialogue.
- Keep in mind that the coach must balance your
perspective of what is best for your child with the needs of
the team.
- If you child swims for an assistant coach, always
discuss the matter first with that coach, following the same
guidelines noted above. If the assistant coach cannot
satisfactorily resolve your concern, then ask the head coach
or programs director to join the dialogue.
- If another parent uses you as a sounding board for
complaints about the coach's performance or policies, listen
empathetically, but encourage the other parent to speak
directly to the coach. He/she is the only one that can
resolve the problem.
Meet Schedule
Each pool's meet schedule is distributed at the outset of
the season. The schedule will have a list of every child
enrolled on the team with contact information attached to
it.
- The meet schedule has been established with the
expectation that swimmers will attend every meet
available.
- The coaching staff reserves the right to make final
decisions concerning what kid will compete in what
event.
Everything you always wanted to know about swim
meets..but were afraid to ask (or didn't know what to
ask).
Swim meets are a great family experience! They're a place
where the whole family can spend time together. Listed below
are some very in depth guidelines geared to help you through
your first couple swim meets. It may seem a little
overwhelming, but we tried to be as specific, and as detailed
as we possibly could.
Before the Meet Starts
- Arrive at the pool at least 15 minutes before the
scheduled warm-up time begins.
- Upon arrival, find a place to put your swimmer's bag.
The team usually sits in one place together, so look for
familiar faces.
- You will need to write your child's name and what event
number they are swimming in permanent marker. This helps
him/her remember what events he/she is swimming and what
event number to listen for.
- Your swimmer now gets his/her googles and reports to the
pool and/or coach for warm-up instructions. It is very
important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team.
- After warm-up, your swimmer will go back to the
designated area and sit until there event is called.
- The meet will usually start about 15 minutes after
warm-ups are over.
Meet Starts
- It is important for any swimmer to know what event
numbers he/she is swimming. He/she may swim right after
warm-ups or they may have to wait awhile.
- A swimmer's event number will be called over a loud
speaker and he/she will be asked to report to the clerk of
course.
Volunteer's Needed to Operate a Swim Meet
- 1-Starter (home team responsible for)
- 12-Timers (1 from each team per lane)
- 1-Runner (home team is responsible for)
- 1-Place Judge (home team is responsible for)
- 2-Score Keepers (1 from each team)
- 1-Clerk of course (home team is responsible for)
- 2-Team Moms (1 from each team to get swimmers to
blocks)
Glossary
Backstroke: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes,
basically any style of swimming on your back. Backstroke is
swam as the first stroke in the Medley Relay and second stroke
in the I.M.
Breaststroke: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes.
Breaststroke is swam as the second stroke in the Medley Relay
and the third stroke in the I.M.
Butterfly: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes.
Butterfly (nicknamed FLY) is swam as the third stroke in the
Medley Relay and first stroke in the I.M.
Clerk of Course: The clerk of course will be provided an
area clearly marked "Clerk of course" where all swimmers must
report as soon as there event is called. The clerk of course
will be provided with a list of the names of all the swimmers
in all events, including relay swimmers in the order in which
they will swim.
Distance: How far a swimmer swims. 25 yards (1 length), 50
yards (2 lengths),100 yards (4 lengths) and 200 yards (8
lengths)
Event: A race or stroke over a given distance.
Event Cards: Cards that are filled out by the coaches on
each kid and their individual events. These cards are
completed by the timers after an event and given to the clerk
of course.
Freestyle: One of the 4 competitive racing strokes.
Freestyle (nicknamed Free) is swam as the fourth stroke in the
Medley Relay and fourth stroke in the I.M.
Kick Board: A flotation device used by swimmers during
practice. A lightweight object used with great accuracy by
coaches.
Lane: The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to
swim. (ie) Lane 1 or Lane 2. Lanes are numbered from Right
(lane 1) to Left (Lane 6).
Lane Lines: Continuous floating markers attached to a cable
stretched from the starting end to the turning end for the
purpose of separating each lane and quieting the waves caused
by racing swimmers.
Lap: One length of the course. Sometimes may also mean down
and back (2 lengths) of the course.
Length: The extent of the competitive course from end to
end. See lap.
Meet: A series of events held in one program
Practice: The scheduled workouts a swimmer attends with
their swim team/club.
Place Judge: A person that stands at the end of the pool
placing the swimmers as the complete the event. 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
4th, 5th.6th.
Relays
A swimming event in which 4 swimmers participate as a relay
team each swimmer swimming an equal distance of the race.
There are three types of relays:
- Medley relay - One swimmer swims Backstroke, one swimmer
swims Breaststroke, one swimmer swims Butterfly, one swimmer
swims Freestyle, in that order. Medley relays are conducted
over 200 yds.
- Freestyle relay - Each swimmer swims freestyle. Free
relays are conducted over 200yds.
- Individual Medley- Each swimmer swims 25 yards of
Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle
Ribbons: Awards in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors,
given after a swim meet
Schedule: list of meets with dates, meet host, meet
location, and contacts address and phone.
Stroke: There are 4 competitive strokes: Butterfly,
Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle.
Timer: The volunteers sitting behind the finishing end of
the pool, who are responsible for getting watch times on event
cards.
Watch: The hand held device used by timers and coaches for
timing a swimmers race.
Yards: The measurement of the length of a swimming pool
that was built per specs using the American system. A short
course yard pool is 25 yards (75 feet) in length.
SWIM MEET ORDER OF EVENTS
- 7 & 8 GIRLS-100 MEDLEY RELAY
- 7 & 8 BOYS- 100 MEDLEY RELAY
- 9 & 10 GIRLS- 100 MEDLEY RELAY
- 9 & 10 BOYS- 100 MEDLEY RELAY
- 11 & 12 GIRLS- 100 MEDLEY RELAY
- 11 & 12 BOYS- 100 MEDLEY RELAY
- 13 & UP GIRLS-200 MEDLEY RELAY
- 13 & UP BOYS- 200 MEDLEY RELAY
- 6 & UNDER GIRLS- 25 FREESTYLE
- 6 & UNDER BOYS- 25 FREESTYLE
- 7 & 8 GIRLS- 25 FREESTYLE
- 7 & 8 BOYS - 25 FREESTYLE
- 9 & 10 GIRLS- 25 FREESTYLE
- 9 & 10 BOYS- 25 FREESTYLE
- 11 & 12 GIRLS- 50 FREESTYLE
- 11 & 12 BOYS- 50 FREESTYLE
- 13 & UP GIRLS- 50 FREESTYLE
- 13 & UP BOYS- 50 FREESTYLE
- 11 & 12 GIRLS- 100 FREESTYLE
- 11 & 12 BOYS- 100 FREESTYLE
- 13 & UP GIRLS- 100 FREESTYLE
- 13 & UP BOYS- 100 FREESTYLE
- 7 & 8 GIRLS-25 BUTTERFLY
- 7 & 8 BOYS-25 BUTERFLY
- 9 & 10 GIRLS- 25 BUTTERFLY
- 9 & 10 BOYS-25 BUTTERFLY
- 11 & 12 GIRLS- 50 BUTTERFLY
- 11 & 12 BOYS- 50 BUTTERFLY
- 13 & UP GIRLS- 50 BUTTERFLY
- 13 & UP BOYS- 50 BUTTERFLY
- 6 & UNDER GIRLS- BACKSTROKE
- 6 & UNDER BOYS- BACKSTROKE
- 7 & 8 GIRLS-BACKSTROKE
- 7 & 8 BOYS-BACKSTROKE
- 9 & 10 GIRLS-BACKSTROKE
- 9 & 10 BOYS-BACKSTROKE
- 11 & 12 GIRLS-BACKSTROKE
- 11 & 12 BOYS-BACKSTROKE
- 13 & UP GIRLS-BACKSTROKE
- 13 & UP BOYS-BACKSTROKE
- 6 & UNDER-25 BREASTSTROKE
- 6 & UNDER- 25 BREASTSTROKE
- 7 & 8 GIRLS-25 BREASTSTROKE
- 7 & 8 BOYS-25 BREASTSTROKE
- 9 & 10 GIRLS-25 BREASTSTROKE
- 9 & 10 BOYS-25 BREASTSTROKE
- 11 & 12 GIRLS- 50 BREASTSTROKE
- 11 & 12 BOYS- 50 BREASTSTROKE
- 13 & UP GIRLS- 50BREASTSTROKE
- 13 & UP BOYS-50 BREASTSTROKE
- 7 & 8 GIRLS-100 IM
- 7 & 8 BOYS-100 IM
- 9 & 10 GIRLS-100 IM
- 9 & 10 BOYS-100 IM
- 11 & 12 GIRLS- 100 IM
- 11 & 12 BOYS-100 IM
- 13 & UP GIRLS-100 IM
- 13 & UP BOYS-100 IM
- 8 & UNDER GIRLS-100 FREESTYLE RELAY
- 8 & UNDER BOYS-100 FREESTYLE RELAY
- 9 & 10 GIRLS-100 FREESTYLE RELAY
- 9 & 10 BOYS-100 FREESTYLE RELAY
- 11 & 12 GIRLS- 200 FREESTYLE RELAY
- 11 & 12 BOYS-200 FREESTYLE RELAY
- 13 & UP GIRLS-200 FREESTYLE RELAY
- 13 & UP BOYS-200 FREESTYLE RELAY
THE ORDER OF EVENTS ARE LAID OUT IN THE OFFICIAL PROGRAM
CAN NOT BE CHANGED. EACH CHILD WILL SWIM IN THEIR APPROPRIATE
AGE GROUP. NO CHILD WILL BE MOVED UP.
