We used to hire a lane at a pool, mainly so I could use the Sonr with him, and it worked really well. It’s incredibly frustrating now when they insist I stay in the water and can’t even see his stroke (other than above the surface) when he’s more than a few metres away.
How would you feel H if you knew you could be helping your lad get faster and someone was stopping you ? I am certain you’d feel as frustrated as I do.
The fact a pool we used to swim at would let me coach (so long as we hired a lane…) means it cannot be some farcical H&S rule.
But I am not sure I agree with the thrust of your argument anyway. You appear to be implying that if you’re “qualified” at something then you know what you’re doing, but if you’re not then you don’t.
As regards the former as I wait for my lanes session I often watch “qualified” swimming teachers yet I wouldn’t have been happy for some of them to teach my lad, and I get complaints about swimming teachers from other parents whose kids are being taught, which implies many others agree with me. On the other hand, despite having no “qualifications”, I taught my lad to swim and despite him being small for his age he has 3 or 4 Yorkshire times.
In a similar vein I have no “qualifications” in running a business, yet my mine is still going despite being in one of the trades (TV aerials was its basis) with the biggest fall off in sales ! So I must be doing something right, despite being “unqualified”…
No, but by being qualified you have proven to be of a level acceptable to the NGB, would have relevant DBS and safeguarding quals, and have a reasonable knowledge of assessing and minimising risk, all of which a lay person may have absolutely no clue on. The centre would have no knowledge of you , so typically require evidence of the above to hire a lane out to cover themselves. This isn’t some new thing, I’ve had to supply docs numerous times (I draw the line at my DBS when asked and gave the email address of the BTF who will just say “yes he can coach” as if there were any disclosures they are between the “employee” and the “employer” and illegal for someone outside that partnership to ask to see it. Even a club isn’t allowed to see that, only the NGB)
Thanks for that. As I was putting the post on I remember thinking to myself, I wonder of anyone will come up with a personal comment ?
You have not disappointed me.
Just out of interest, how do you know if I am a good coach or not ?
You are right in a way though, kids don’t really listen to their parents. I reckon I’d have been a more effective coach to someone else’s kid/ kids.
What risk are you putting a child at by coaching them to swim ? And why should you need a DBS check for coaching your own child ?
If you do then world has gone even more bonkers than I already think it has.
I know @Mungo2 loves seeing kids swimming times today we went rogue, and disappeared to do an independent gala without our club. Bottom story short they have failed to get galas before winter regionals so i did with the help of my new club, and the host club whose got the ex head coach of El Niño’s current club
Today session 1 we had a target of 50breast, to pre qualify for junior regionals (16 and under so a year under age still) smashed it, 34.37, 1 sec pb also which is huge. Nice silver medal to add to the shoe boxes of them.
100 back next, only about half hour rest and really was a free hit to make the trip worthwhile as hes already qf’d. Didnt go great, tried to pace rather than full throttle and hold on, 1.10; pb is 1.07 something! Still grabbed another silver but excuse time, bought him a new Speedo tech suit, Pure Valor 2. If its good enough for Leon Marchand, its good enough for us when i got it they also did a backstroke version, i think we have found out why now as the last couple of wears hes complained that his legs really fatigued on backstroke, even in a 50 and the compression feels wrong. I guess its back to mizunos for next Bk race Back tomorrow afternoon for the target 100breast to get his time, and a free hit (already qf’d) 200br.
I did some officiating as a J2 stroke judge, help host club out which gets you a seat at table as an individual, who also let him warm up and sit with them. More friendly than our own club.
You need DBS because by being poolside in an official capacity (hired lane, coaching), then you may be a risk to other children. (I won’t get into ths whole DBS system which isng fit for purpose BUT its what we have and its what we have to abide by.
What do you think about all these fancy swim cossies ?
Do you think they really help, even if it’s just psychological ?
But if they do then surely it should be banned, or made to be so small they cannot do much good, after all it shouldn’t it just be about the swimmer not how much he/she spends on a fancy cossie ?
I’m not sure it is H. A lot of people can do a lot of stuff without being qualified to do so. Obviously you need a qualification to be a doctor or a nurse, but even the latter is going to far, I heard that you need a degree to be a nurse these days…
Yes up to 2sec /100 watch theswimsuitguy on youtube pour water over them, he does it to a “cheaper” arena suit in a recent video. Water just rolls off and the top end are even better. El Niño’s mizuno, the water bubbles up You also wear them really small, take at least 10mins to get on! Compression is brilliant also, add snap and elasticity to the kick, but different suits compress differently, ie pure valor 2 is speedo 2nd suit BUT even elites wear it as its more “all round” but the pure intent is so compressed its only of use for 50free. Mizuno do 3 suits depending on race.
Cant be banned as there is nothing “special” just water repellant and elastic.
As for banned, US ban them for U14s as do many countries. NCAA try to keep it largely unsuited until Champs, so the rich schools dont dominate, but its not a rule, just a shake of the hand between coaches some do it, some dont
The thrust of the post was about you…it was challenge therefore to respond to anything that wasn’t about you.
The trouble with being narcissistic is that, whilst you want all the conversation to be about you, one day you wake up to the fact that the spotlight is on you…
I have the honour and pleasure to work with a number of good coaches, some would be considered to be high-performing and some high-performance…
A common feature of all of these coaches is their thirst for knowledge. Confronted with a concept that they did not understand or was new to them, their first comment would be to “tell me more” and not to double down or ignore the thinking. Although many of your posts have been socio-cultural or political in nature rather than coaching specific, being closed off to learning does not bode well.
That lack of curiosity is a part of what killed off Slogger’s contributions. Ignoring the reasonable replies to your comments in line with the above suggests a lack of humility. Nearly all the good coaches i know are humble and live with a high degree of imposter syndrome. In part, it is that imposter syndrome that drives their curiosity and their thirst for knowledge. An over-bridled confidence is not a good trait for a coach to demonstrate.
To be successful, coaches build effective relationships with people…in fact, high-performing coaches are far more likely to prioritise that ability to understand, communicate with and relate to their athletes. This level of caring exceeds the watered down variant of care - lawn care, hair care, child care - but reverts back to to the original definition of care which is closer to the German or Norwegian definition which means to care with worry. Although your social media posting might be you “off duty”, or on an “off day”, we have seen sufficient of your antediluvian thinking to suggest that pedagogical tact is not a part of your make up. Your inability to read the audience suggests strongly that your ability to adjust your approach is going to restrict your capacity to coach effectively.
There are other components to being a good coach, but i think there is enough here to be going on with. Could you coach someone to be successful? Possibly. Does that make you a good coach? Not necessarily.
You may or may not be more of a risk, but by being seen to be in a position of authority automatically creates a belief that you can be trusted, people, children may drop their guard somewhat over a complete stranger in the pool who they likely stay away from.
today we went rogue, and disappeared to do an independent gala without our club. Bottom story short they have failed to get galas before winter regionals so i did with the help of my new club, and the host club whose got the ex head coach of El Niño’s current club