| November 7, 2011  Please send comments or subscription requests to news@swimmingcoach.org ===================================================================== Thanks, but…. Guy Edson, ASCA Staff and Senior Coach of a Club Team I received two sets of "Thank you's" from parents on one day a while ago. That's a rare thing in the world of coaching senior swimmers. One of the "thank you's" was about the care and concern I showed for her child and my continuing efforts to provide a good environment not just for her child, but for all the senior swimmers. Wow, that was deeply appreciated and it immediately elevated me a bit. A short while later I received another "Thank you" of a different type, but this one left me feeling uncomfortable. This "Thank you" was for the very nice performance his child had at the previous weekend's meet. I was gracious and thanked him but I left many words unsaid. To thank me for the excellent performance of their child implies that I had something to do with that performance. I am not comfortable being responsible for an athlete's excellent performance. If I accept thanks for a good performance must I then take the grief for a bad performance? Where is the line of separation in responsibility for a good or bad performance? I see a senior swimmer perhaps as much as 4 hours a day between morning workout, afternoon dryland, and afternoon workout. That leaves 20 other hours a day for the athlete to get behind in their school work, not get enough sleep, not eat right, and throw themselves into all sorts of dramas and high stress situations. And during the 4 hours I am with them, can I make them have perfect starts, strokes, turns, and finishes? No. Can I make them work beyond their perceived ability? No. Every swimmer is responsible for their work ethic. Every swimmer is responsible for becoming a craftsman of their technique. I can stand on the blocks and instruct them to streamline, kick7 dolphin kicks and go 10 meters off of the wall on every freestyle turn… but I cannot make them do that. It is when they chose to do so that they take advantage of the environment I establish. My job is creating the right environment. Thank me for that. I'll appreciate it. …but don't thank me for an excellent performance by your child, and don't look to me to be accountable for a lousy performance. Check out those other 20 hours first and then stop by at workout to further determine if your child is taking ownership of their workout performance. The proper positive relationship between athlete and coach is one where the coach provides the right environment which includes positive feedback when warranted, critical feedback when warranted, instruction when needed, encouragement when needed, challenges, and a level of adversity nearly all the time. The athletes apply themselves and take ownership of their progress. What's a parent to do? Ask your child if they are taking ownership of their performance and if they don't know what that means – help them understand it. Reinforcement from home is one of the best ways to help your child. |
Greetings to All FAST Members,
There are only 7 days remaining in our 2011 Citrus Campaign. All information and necessary forms are downloadable from our web site:
Go to www.swimmingfast.com>Parent Information>Fundraising
Reminder
- The order deadline is Sunday, November 13th.
- All product orders must be paid in full by one(1) cheque from FAST member before the order is recognized and placed.
Product Order Submission
- Nancy Corbett and Diane Foreman will be at the UNB Pool on Sunday, November 13th from 3-5pm to receive orders. Please have your completed Order Summary Form, cheque, and the bottom portion of all your Customer Order forms.
-OR-
- Place your completed Order Summary Form and cheque, and the bottom portion of all your Customer Order forms in an envelope addressed "2011 CITRUS" in the FAST Mailbox located in the Pool Office. If you do submit your order in this manner, you MUST email Monique (monique.chevarie-pelletier@unb.ca) and Diane (foremanj@nbnet.nb.ca) to indicate you've place your order in the mailbox, or else we have no way of knowing who is participating in this fundraiser and no means of verifying we have received the order. We will pick up from the FAST mailbox on Saturday, November 12th. We will then send a return email to inform you that we have received your order. If you DO NOT receive an email from either of us by Sunday, the 13th of November, then we HAVE NOT received your order.
If you have questions, please contact Monique Chevarie-Pelletier at monique.chevarie-pelletier@unb.ca and Diane Foreman at foremanj@nbnet.nb.ca.
Thanks in advance for your efforts in making this another successful fundraising event.
Best Regards,
Monique and Diane
| 1. | Head southeast on Forest Hill Rd toward Turnbull Ct | 1.2 km |
| 2. | Turn right onto Woodbridge St | 850 m |
| 3. | Turn left onto Canterbury Dr | 300 m |
| 4. | Turn right onto Kimble Dr | 700 m |
| 5. | Turn right onto the New Brunswick 7 S ramp to Trans Canada Highway/NB-2 E/Saint John/Moncton | 450 m |
| 6. | Merge onto NB-7 S | 5.6 km |
| 7. | Take the exit onto NB-2 E/NB-7 S | 10.9 km |
| 8. | Take exit 303 toward Oromocto/Gagetown/Geary | 450 m |
| 9. | Turn right onto Miramichi Rd (signs for Oromocto/Gagetown/Geary) | 500 m |
| 10. | At the roundabout, continue straight to stay on Miramichi Rd | 550 m |
| 11. | At the roundabout, continue straight to stay on Miramichi Rd | 600 m |
| 12. | At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto St Lawrence Ave | 850 m |
| 13. | Continue onto Tilley Ave Partial restricted usage road | 1.7 km |
| 14. | Turn left onto Hackaberry St Destination will be on the right | 130 m |
