Harpers Mill Manta Rays

HMST is fortunate to have experienced, professional coaches working to develop our children into better swimmers, and more importantly, teaching and instilling important life skills. These skills include time management, self-discipline, and sportsmanship. Your child will reap the benefits of swimming long after his/her participation with HMST ends.

As parents, it is absolutely essential that we give our coaching staff the respect and authority they deserve to run our swim team. Our coaches are hired for that purpose and the Head Coach oversees the direction of the staff.

• Per CAL and USA Swimming policies, no alcohol is permitted on the pool deck during swim meets.
• Set the right example for our children by showing respect and common courtesy at all times to the team members, coaches, competitors, officials, parents, and for all facilities and other property used during practice or competition.
• Respect the integrity of swim officials by assuming decisions are based on honest, objective evaluations of performance. Only coaches may approach meet officials for clarification of rulings.
• Understand that opposing teams, including their swimmers, coaches, and fans, want the same positive experiences for their swimmers as we do. Help HMST achieve our goals by avoiding criticism either verbally or by gesture. Look for opportunities to build rapport with teams that we compete and work with.
• Demonstrate good sportsmanship during all practices, competitions and team activities. Promote good sportsmanship by setting an example and by helping others to do likewise. Manta Rays win gracefully, lose graciously and congratulate their opponents either way.
• Be an active participant in all fundraising events and other team activities and encourage and support your child by permitting them to be timely for practices and competitions.
• Realize that swimmers become easily confused when coached by parents and benefit most from positive reinforcement of the coaching staff’s instructions and advice. Your unconditional love and support before and after races will help them best.
• Allow HMST coaches to coach your child without interference during workouts and meets, including not being present on deck during practice or competitions unless you are working at the meet.
• Support your coaches as they strive to do what is best for each HMST swimmer. Our expectations and methods are based on USA Swimming, the American Swim Coaches Association and other recognized swimming authorities.
• If you have concerns, you will address it with the appropriate coach or the team parent representative in private.
• Maintain open and honest communication among all members of the HMST family. We reach our common goals by working together.
• Insist that your child refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, drugs, other prohibited substances, violence, abusive or foul language, inappropriate sexual conduct, or any other behavior deemed dishonest, discourteous, offensive or disrespectful of others.
• Practice teamwork with all parents, swimmers, and coaches by supporting the values of Discipline, Loyalty, Commitment, and Hard Work.
• Assist the coaches in conducting effective practices by ensuring swimmers arrive and leave on time and bring the proper equipment.
• Arrive at meets in time for volunteer or swimmer check in, stretching, and warm-ups.
• Represent HMST with excellence, respect, team spirit, good sportsmanship, and politeness.
• Maintain self-control at all times. Refrain from inappropriate behavior that detracts from a positive image of the team or is detrimental to our performance objectives.
• Know your role. Swimmers swim; coaches coach; officials officiate; parents parent.
• Do not coach your child at practice or during meets; that is the coach’s job.
• Assist the coaches by not talking with or motioning to swimmers during practices unless clearing it with a coach first.
• Do not interrupt or confront the coaching staff on the pool deck during practice or meets.
• Trust and support your swimmer’s and coach’s decisions around goal-setting, training commitments, swim event entries, and meet schedules. Do not impose your ambitions on your child.
• Any questions about disqualifications, judging, etc. should be directed to your swimmer’s coach.
• Get involved… be an official, work on the board, help plan a fundraiser, help plan a group social. Find something you enjoy!
• Share the burden among parents by volunteering to help at meets.
• Pay your fees on time.
• Know and uphold HMST rules, regulations, management and coach directives, and by-laws that are designed to maximize the experience for all swimmers and parents.

• Swim for the fun of it, not just to please your parents or coach.
• Make every team practice, meet participation, and activity an opportunity to learn.
• Swimmers are expected to remember that at practice, during swim meets, team activities and in public they are representing HMST. They should represent HMST with excellence, respect, team spirit, good sportsmanship, and politeness.
• Swimmers are expected to follow the directions of any member of the coaching staff and respect any instructions by officials. Disrespect or failure to obey instructions will not be tolerated from any athlete.
• Swimmers are expected to show respect, common courtesy, and good sportsmanship at all times to team members, coaches, competitors, officials, and parents.
• Swimmers are expected to show respect for all facilities and other property used during practices, competitions, and team activities.
• Swimmers should be punctual and arrive on time for all practices, meets, and team events. Pool time is very valuable.
• Swimmers must notify the coach in advance if they are planning to leave practice or swim meets early.
• Swimmers should actively participate in all team practices, competitions, fundraising events and other team activities.
• Focus on every drill and every set. Be committed to putting forth your best effort every day. An honest effort does not include cutting laps or pulling on lane lines.
• Disruption of practice by an athlete will be grounds for removal. Continual cheating in a practice will be considered a disruption of practice.
• The coaches are there to help the swimmers. Swimmers are expected to pay attention and follow all the coach’s instructions completely and exactly. If any clarification is needed, they are to ask questions politely.
• Swimmers are expected to use appropriate language. Use of profane or abusive language or obscene gestures will not be tolerated.
• Dishonestly, theft, and/or vandalism will not be tolerated.
• Indiscreet or destructive behavior will not be tolerated.
• Every effort should be made to avoid guilt by association with such activities as those listed above.
• Swimmers are expected to respect each other. Fighting, intentional touching or striking another athlete will subject the swimmer to the most severe discipline.

Swimmers are expected to follow the spirit of the rules as well as the specific rules. The coach must adapt this philosophy to an infinite number of situations. Swimmers are asked to respect the coach’s directions and give their full cooperation. Cooperation with teammates and staff will produce a productive practice environment and competitive environment for all.