Summer swim team?

[Anonymous]

For the summer swim relays they are at the coach’s discretion. 3 times now my son has been passed up for the top relay. He shows up at every practice, listens, etc. In addition they always put the fastest kids in certain lanes and the front kid the lane. He’s consistently in the back of kids younger than he is. The kicker is he actually has the best time in the league for his division so it doesn’t add up. What would you say?

[Anonymous]

Too bad. Sometimes you don't get what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too bad. Sometimes you don't get what you want.

Yah, but it’s supposed to be based on times. Top 4 times relay A, 2nd best 4 times relay B

[Anonymous]

I think it is totally fine to ask someone in charge about how kids get picked for relays as well as ask if there is anything your kid can do.

Though depending on the kid’s age they should ask the coach themself.

Our team uses the ladder, and only skips over people when they don’t show at practice, or in rare discipline issues

[Anonymous]

How are you doing relays already for summer swim?
Our pool hadn’t even opened.

[Anonymous]

Do the coaches assign lanes for practice and the order? Sometimes kids are not very good at figuring out lane order on their own. Is your kid not the type to speak up and place himself first? I have a kid like that. Nicest kid in the world to everyone but himself.

I also think it's fair to ask about the relays. My kids were on a team like you described. We ended up switching to a much nicer team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is totally fine to ask someone in charge about how kids get picked for relays as well as ask if there is anything your kid can do.

Though depending on the kid’s age they should ask the coach themself.

Our team uses the ladder, and only skips over people when they don’t show at practice, or in rare discipline issues

+1. I've also noticed that some kids at the 9-10 age group (certainly by 11-12) know who's fast and so if the team isn't putting the fastest group out there to compete, kids will talk amongst themselves. Usually i see a bit more drama on the girls than boys side of things, but both know what's at that point in time. And if there's a disciplinary aspect to the matter, kids know that too.

[Anonymous]

At practice they'll often mix up relay teams so that they can race each other and have it be a real competition. If all the fast kids are on the same practice relay, then it's not competitive or fun. It's really early in the season, OP, are you sure these groups aren't just for fun races at practice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are you doing relays already for summer swim?
Our pool hadn’t even opened.

Yeah this is some kind of summer swim troll.

[Anonymous]

Ours opened 2 weeks ago

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ours opened 2 weeks ago

Right, but there have been no meets so no one is the fastest kid in the division yet, and their haven’t been any competitive relays put together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too bad. Sometimes you don't get what you want.

Yah, but it’s supposed to be based on times. Top 4 times relay A, 2nd best 4 times relay B

Nope, you can put anyone in that you want. Otherwise the relays would just be computer seeded with an alternate and it would all be over. Is your kid good on exchanges or does he pop out just a tad too early or late? How's his dive? (You didn't say how old he is, which is why I'm asking - wouldn't be much of a question for an older kid.) Doss he have a full enough meet program otherwise that there could be concern he wouldn't be fresh for a relay? Is there another kid on the team that needs that relay slot for some other reason that might be known only to the coach? I'd ask all those things first before assuming that the explanation is like/dislike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the summer swim relays they are at the coach’s discretion. 3 times now my son has been passed up for the top relay. He shows up at every practice, listens, etc. In addition they always put the fastest kids in certain lanes and the front kid the lane. He’s consistently in the back of kids younger than he is. The kicker is he actually has the best time in the league for his division so it doesn’t add up. What would you say?

Do you have no idea how swim works?

Relays are at coaches discretion, but coaches will pretty much always pick based on the fastest combo of kids. It is really not that hard. I will say we have had times when the coaches swim a slightly slower kid in an individual even because the kid with the faster time never comes to practice and they want to reward another kid who shows up and works hard.

As for practice lanes- again they put kids in lanes based on how fast they are. if the practice is different age groups they will still place kids based on pace over age. This is just basic safety and logistics. Can't have a slow kid holding up the entire lane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the summer swim relays they are at the coach’s discretion. 3 times now my son has been passed up for the top relay. He shows up at every practice, listens, etc. In addition they always put the fastest kids in certain lanes and the front kid the lane. He’s consistently in the back of kids younger than he is. The kicker is he actually has the best time in the league for his division so it doesn’t add up. What would you say?

Do you have no idea how swim works?

Relays are at coaches discretion, but coaches will pretty much always pick based on the fastest combo of kids. It is really not that hard. I will say we have had times when the coaches swim a slightly slower kid in an individual even because the kid with the faster time never comes to practice and they want to reward another kid who shows up and works hard.

As for practice lanes- again they put kids in lanes based on how fast they are. if the practice is different age groups they will still place kids based on pace over age. This is just basic safety and logistics. Can't have a slow kid holding up the entire lane.

Did you actually read what I said? He has the fastest time by several seconds for his age division and he hasn’t been placed in a relay and he’s un the back of the lane and passing kids in practice who started 10 feet before him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the summer swim relays they are at the coach’s discretion. 3 times now my son has been passed up for the top relay. He shows up at every practice, listens, etc. In addition they always put the fastest kids in certain lanes and the front kid the lane. He’s consistently in the back of kids younger than he is. The kicker is he actually has the best time in the league for his division so it doesn’t add up. What would you say?

Do you have no idea how swim works?

Relays are at coaches discretion, but coaches will pretty much always pick based on the fastest combo of kids. It is really not that hard. I will say we have had times when the coaches swim a slightly slower kid in an individual even because the kid with the faster time never comes to practice and they want to reward another kid who shows up and works hard.

As for practice lanes- again they put kids in lanes based on how fast they are. if the practice is different age groups they will still place kids based on pace over age. This is just basic safety and logistics. Can't have a slow kid holding up the entire lane.

Did you actually read what I said? He has the fastest time by several seconds for his age division and he hasn’t been placed in a relay and he’s un the back of the lane and passing kids in practice who started 10 feet before him.

So why doesn't he go first in his lane? Our coaches certainly aren't dictating to that level unless there is chaos because kids aren't sorting it themselves. If he's the fastest in his lane, he should say so and go first.