Practice Policies
Practices are an essential part of the swim team experience. This is where swimmers become stronger, faster, and more confident. They will receive feedback from coaches, but it’s important to remember that practices do not constitute “swim lessons.” That is something entirely different. If your swimmer needs one-on-one assistance, look into getting him/her swim lessons from a competent instructor. Most of our coaches offer lessons on the side, and you can inquire with them individually about this.
We would like your swimmer to attend as many practices as possible, but coaches do not take role during practices. We don’t keep up with who comes and who doesn’t come, and you don’t need to let the team coordinator know if your swimmer will miss a practice. We realize that families have many obligations during the summer, and this swim team is just one of them. Please remember that it *IS* very important to let us know if you’ll miss a swim meet.
Practices are fun and challenging events for our swimmers. Please remind your swimmer to listen carefully to the coaches, and obey their instructions at all times.
How to make the most of practice.
All piranhas should come to practice rested and ready to swim. Here are some points to remember so we all can make the most of these practices:
1. Have fun: Make sure to laugh, joke, and have fun during the practices. A recreational swim league that doesn’t have fun is a failure, no matter how many meets it wins. A good practice is a balance between fun and hard work.
2. Listen to the coaches: We are lucky to have dedicated and knowledgeable coaches. Please pay attention to them and their follow directions. If you do this, you can’t help but improve. And we will be successful as a team. Our coaches have many years of combined swim team experience, so it’s all ears on them when they have something to say.
3. Work hard during practice: Use your time wisely during practice. Put your heart and soul into the workout. If you’re tired after practice, then you probably worked hard enough. Good job! It’s important to note that working hard not only means exerting your body, but also engaging your brain.
4. Practice water safety: We model good water safety at all times. This includes not running on the pool deck, no rough horseplay, no diving in the shallow end, and being aware of what is around you at all times.
5. Take care of the pool and grounds: We are guests at the Parkwood Commons Pool. Pick up all garbage you see, don’t liter, put chairs back where you found them, and generally just treat the pool with the same respect as you would with your own property.
6. Drink lots of water and stay hydrated: It’s easy to forget to drink water during practice. After all, we’re IN the water, right? This does nothing to keep your muscles and tissues hydrated. Make sure to bring water to practice and drink it liberally. You won’t be at your best if you become dehydrated. Parents: please make sure your swimmers come to practice with water bottles.
