Got a question about practices that you don’t see on this FAQ? E-mail Us!

Should I force my swimmer to go to practice?

You should not force your child; you want his/her participation to be his/her decision. Reinforce the choices and decisions he/she has made to start swimming. For example, your son chose to go to practice on Tuesday and Thursday, on other days he has the freedom to do other activities. As a parent, explain your expectation that he fulfill the commitment he made by joining the team. You don’t want to force your child into a sport that he does not enjoy, yet you want your child to be involved in a lifetime sport, to learn about making and keeping a commitment and to interact with peers. So what are you to do?

Instead of allowing your child to make a daily decision about going to practice, allow him to decide whether or not he wants to swim for the season. Once the decision is made to swim, he is making a commitment to the team and needs to follow through on it by attending practice on a regular basis. A haphazard schedule is detrimental to the swimmer’s overall development.

How do I know if practice is cancelled?

Read the latest Shark Newsletter. The announcement boards at the pool also provide practice reminders. All practices are cancelled when the Shaker Schools are closed due to inclement weather.

Which practice should my swimmer attend?

The coaches will assess your child and tell you which practices your child should attend. While schedule conflicts may necessitate a rare practice switch, it is important that each swimmer attends his/her assigned practice time. Establishing a routine is essential!

How many practices can swimmers attend?

Your swimmer can attend as many practices as he/she wants within the schedule for his/her practice group. Youth Sharks should only attend one practice per day. Minimum practice suggestions for Youth Sharks are outlined in the Youth Shark Handbook.

How early do swimmers need to be at practice?

Swimmers need to be at the pool 10 minutes before the start of practice. Some practice groups may require earlier arrivals.

When should I pickup my swimmer?

Your swimmer needs to be picked up 10 minutes after the end of his/her practice.

Where can swimmers change for practice?

Both the Middle School Pool and Woodbury Pool have locker room facilities. Using the locker rooms is a privilege; the Shaker Sharks are guests in these spaces. Do not leave anything in the locker room. Spend no more than 10 minutes changing.

What are the procedures for changing and storing personal items?

The Shaker Sharks are fortunate to use the Woodbury and Middle School pools and locker rooms. Please respect these facilities. Since other athletes use the locker rooms, the Sharks strongly suggest that swimmers at the Middle School bring all their belongings and bags out to the pool deck. Shaker Sharks who swim at Woodbury need to lock their items in a locker.

What should swimmers do if they lost something?

Lost and found bins are located in some locker room spaces. Check the locker room first. Sometimes, coaches find lost items when cleaning up after practice. If you cannot access a locker room or did not find the item, consult a coach while he/she is not working with swimmers.

It looks like my child has too much fun, shouldn’t he/she be working harder?

Be happy that your child is having fun! According to a recent study conducted by USA Swimming, children who experience fun while participating stay in sports longer (Tuffey, Gould, & Medbery, 1998). At this stage of the game, the most important aspect of development is the mastery of skills, which means learning to swim the strokes with proper technique. Fundamentals must be established before true training takes place. And, if he/she is having fun in the process of learning, he/she is more likely to continue to swim.

Shouldn’t my child be swimming more laps instead of doing all those drills?

Your child needs to develop a solid foundation in stroke mechanics. Drills and drill sets serve the specific purpose of teaching skills and fundamentals. Drills develop motor coordination, motor skills, and balance. In fact, your child’s coach may prescribe a particular drill, just for your child, in order to improve a part of his/her stroke. In addition, he/she may actually be experiencing a training benefit from drills. Drills require concentration and aerobic energy to do them correctly.

Can I watch practice on the pool deck?

While it may be necessary to support young swimmers first experiences at practice by coming on deck with them, for safety reasons, coaches encourage parents to watch from the stands. Your child needs to learn to be independent as well as learn how to swim. If your swimmer is having trouble coming on deck independently, tell a coach.