Courtside Panthers Team Handbook

Mission Statement: At the Bay Club Courtside we are committed to developing young swimmers of all skill sets and levels, from the beginning swimmer to the collegiate athlete. We strive to harbor healthy competition and to have fun while also pursuing excellence in competitive swimming at a high level. We view swimming as a lifelong sport, and therefore we see swimming as a means to develop well-rounded adults and athletes who have the ability to work hard, to persevere, to accept challenge and adversity, to manage their time, and to lead their lives as positive, healthy, active adults.

Group Philosophy: Gold: The focus of Gold Group involves teaching athletes progressively through their individual strengths and weaknesses and the main focus is on competing at a high level. Gold Group swimmers will learn to take ownership of their individual goals and responsibilities, will practice goal-setting and planning, and will learn how to train and compete at rigorous and demanding levels. Above all, Gold Group seeks to develop responsible athletes that strive to achieve their maximum potential in swimming. Our goals include Junior Olympic, Far Western, and Sectional qualifying times and producing collegiate-bound swimmers. Silver: The emphasis of Silver Group is to grow swimmers into competitive and competent athletes. Technique will be refined in each stroke, as well as starts and turns. Swimmers will build their strength in their aerobic abilities to swim further and more challenging sets, as well as gain confidence as an athlete. The ultimate goal is to help athletes acquire the skill to compete at high capacities and to prepare them for advancement. Bronze: Bronze Group’s focus is on technical and skill development. Swimmers will learn the fundamentals of both long-axis and short-axis strokes, as well as the importance of starts and turns and how they relate to fast swimming. Our goal is to develop the necessary base-level techniques to progress onto higher levels of the sport and training.

Coaching Bios and Philosophy: Cameron Owen: Head Coach, Bronze Lead A native of small-town Indiana, I bring with me over 20 years of a competitive, collegiate, and professional swimming background, including numerous national championships and international swimming experience. Prior to joining Bay Clubs, I swam collegiately at the University of Arizona under current USA Swimming President, Frank Busch, where I earned four, 1st Team All-American honors. Even though I was an elite swimmer, I feel as though my strengths within swimming lie on the coaching side, specifically as it relates to sprinting.. I enjoy working with young swimmers to develop strong swimming technique and solid work habits and to ultimately watch them swim fast.

Maxim Dobrushin: Assistant Coach, Gold Lead During my early swimming period, I swam for Valley Splash and San Jose Aquatics. I forwent swimming in college to focus on my degree at the University of Southern California, where I continued my passion for swimming with various masters groups. My strength lies in developing and leading athletes to compete at a high level. During my time as a swim and triathelete coach, I helped swimmers attain Junior Olympic cuts, Far Western times, CCS and NCS finals spots, and Sectional qualifying times. I’m currently working on my PhD in Russian and American Literature at the University of

California, Santa Cruz. As a coach, I believe in developing athletes in mind and body. Swimming is a sport of balance, focus, and wholeness. It is a sport for life.

Sarah Giarritta: Assistant Coach, Silver Lead Ever since childhood my life found its center around the pool. I began my swimming journey as a competitive swimmer at the Almaden Swim and Racquet Club, but my passion for swimming formed while growing up on a neighborhood summer swim team with childhood friends. Swimming has become a lifelong friend to me, and my goal is to create that passion and love in the swimmers I coach. Not only do I want them to become excellent, disciplined athletes, I also want them to build solid character and integrity as individuals. My ambition as a coach is to inspire our swimmers to go beyond what they ever thought

possible, and not merely reach their goals but to exceed them in an environment of encouragement and enjoyment.

Practice Rules:

1. Show up on time. For example, if practice starts at 7am, be on the pool deck, with your gear––and dressed––at 6:55am.

2. Respect your teammates and coaches. We strive for a positive environment. 3. Bring appropriate gear. For example, Gold and Silver should have their gear bags at each workout.

Parent Role:

1. Please bring your children to practice on time. 2. Please do not talk to coaches during practice. That’s a time dedicated to the swimmers. 3. Your role as a parent is to support your swimmer in a positive environment. 4. Leave the coaching to the coach. 5. Please respect other coaches, meet officials, and other teams. 6. If you have questions about your child’s training, please address the coach of their respective group.

Year-round Swimming Expectations: Swimming is a year-round sport. While we understand the sport of swimming may not be every child’s primary extracurricular activity, we do believe swimming helps build well-rounded athletes and people. For this reason we encourage active and sustained participation in the sport. In order to excel and perform well (and achieve Junior Olympic, Far Western, and Sectional qualifying times), we’ve found that swimmers who attend 75% of the workouts will become "good" swimmers; 85% workout attendance will produce "strong" swimmers; and 90% or more attendance will produce "great" swimmers.

Group Advancement: The coach makes the decision to move a swimmer into a different group. These decisions are usually made by considering age, skill, technique, and ability to succeed in that group.

Communication: We foster open communication between parents and coaches. Please make us aware of any small issues that may grow into larger ones. We coach your swimmers 1-2 hours per day––it helps if we know what’s going on. Coaches are very open to meeting with you and your child to discuss nutrition, goal-setting, and performance.

Meet Etiquette:

1. Always show up on time. For example, if warm ups start at 7:30am, be at the pool at 7:15am. It’s important that your swimmers receive a thorough physiological warm up to prevent injury and maximize performance.

2. Do not miss your event. 3. Talk to your coach before and after each of your events. 4. Wear team gear. 5. Always warm down after your race. Your coach will tell you how much to warm down. 6. Respect other teams and their space. 7. Do not argue with meet officials. 8. Encourage your teammates.

Practice Equipment:

Gold Group Silver Group Bronze

Kickboard Kickboard Kickboard

Buoy Buoy Buoy

Water bottle Water bottle Water bottle

Mesh equipment bag Mesh equipment bag

Strokemaker paddles (yellow––boys; azure blue––girls)

Strokemaker paddles (yellow––boys; azure blue––girls)

Short fins (Zoomers or TYR Crossblades)

Short fins (Zoomers or TYR Crossblades)

Finis Snorkel Finis Snorkel

Goal Sheet

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” ––Henry David Thoreau

“A goal is what you are going to accomplish. It’s not what you hope you can accomplish, or wish you could do, or what you dream about…a goal is something that you are absolutely

going to do, and therefore it changes everything about you.” ––Richard Quick Goal Practice Attendance Percentage–––––––––%

Event Best Short Course Time

Best Long Course Time

Short Term Goal (Short Course)

Long Term Goal (Short Course)

50 freestyle

100 freestyle

200 freestyle

400 freestyle

800 freestyle

1500 freestyle

50 backstroke

100 backstroke

200 backstroke

50 breaststroke

100 breaststroke

200 breaststroke

50 butterfly

100 butterfly

200 butterfly

200 IM

400 IM

Practice Goals: What you will commit to in practice to achieve your goal? Technique goals: For each stroke, list what you need to develop in order to be faster (ask your coach if you don’t know).

I acknowledge that I have read the Courtside Panther Team Handbook and that I have filled out the goal sheet and submitted it to my coach.

Parent Signature Date

Swimmer Signature Date