Club Swim: Do your coaches pick the swimmer events for meets?

[Anonymous]

I am curious about this. I want to understand the logic/point of it. I have seen a coach change a swimmer's events, but not pick them entirely. I was talking to a friend and she said their coach picks what the swimmer swims.

[Anonymous]

Our club lets kids pick their own events but coaches will make recommendations if kids become too narrowly focused etc.

[Anonymous]

Our coach picks the events but does talk to the kids ahead of finalizing the event choices. I like this approach because it helps my kid take ownership of their swimming (if they have thoughts on the events they want to do they need to have the conversation with the coach about it), and it makes sure they aren’t just doing the same events over and over again.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but they’ll listen to requests from the kids.

Doesn’t mean the kids always get their way, but they either swim the desired event or hear why it’s not quite time yet.

[Anonymous]

Kids pick the events, coaches consult if they see a problem or want the kid to move out of the comfort zone or something like that.

[Anonymous]

We enter in ondeck. I have heard that some people on the team have had their choices changed. We haven’t really seen that. One time we had entered 4 ( the limit for that session) and the coach bumped them down to three after saying he thought it was a lot for them for one session, which was certainly reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Kids/parents picks events with input from coach. If coach feels strongly about something, we go with coach.

[Anonymous]

My kids coach picks the events at most meets. Sometimes at off meets the coach lets the kids swim what they want.

[Anonymous]

At our club it differs by age and practice group.

[Anonymous]

For us, it varies by meet and group. Sometimes coaches pick them all. Other times, coach says “everyone swims 500 free plus 5 others that you choose.” This is for my age group swimmer.

My open swimmer works with his coach to pick events for each meet. Sometimes he has more input than others, but he’s always happy with his events and feels in control.

[Anonymous]

Our last club picked events. Current club allows the swimmers to choose. I prefer the coaches choose, but it’s a lot of work for the coaches.

[Anonymous]

At IMX the program is the same for all swimmers.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the age/level of the kids for us as well. At our club, my younger DC (10) can pick her own events, but my older DCs in higher level practice group consult with their coaches. They can put in requests, but the coaches have the final say. I think it's a great thing. My oldest would have never signed up for the 1000 on his own, but now says it's one of his favorite events!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the age/level of the kids for us as well. At our club, my younger DC (10) can pick her own events, but my older DCs in higher level practice group consult with their coaches. They can put in requests, but the coaches have the final say. I think it's a great thing. My oldest would have never signed up for the 1000 on his own, but now says it's one of his favorite events!

I came to say exactly this. Age and level really matter.