Even if you’ve been swimming competitively for years, becoming a swim coach isn’t an easy or automatic transition. Here are some of our top tips for new swim team coaches that will help you get off to a good start!

Get to Know Your Swimmers

As a new swim team coach, it’s important to remember that you are a teacher and a mentor. You will be there to help your swimmers on good and bad days, and it makes it easier to coach and give advice when you know your swimmers. You should make it a top priority to get to know each athlete as an individual, both in and out of the pool.

Take the time to check in and see how your swimmers are doing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Find out what’s important to them and build relationships. This can be tough when you have a large group of kids. But the time you spend understanding your swimmers will be what sets you apart as a coach. Not only will you be able to help your athletes better, but you will show your swimmers that you care about them and their well-being.

Be a Leader First and a Friend Second

On the note of building relationships with your athletes, remember to make sure you’re putting yourself in the leadership role first and foremost. You can establish relationships without giving the impression that you’re a peer and not an authority figure. Your swimmers have to understand and respect your position, so it’s important to demonstrate your authority. This includes being prepared for each practice with lesson plans and instituting rules and expectations off the bat. Know that it doesn’t include being overly hard on them.

Be Passionate About What You Do

It should go without saying, but be passionate about being a swim team coach. Obviously, this can’t be the only driving force in becoming a coach. But being passionate about the sport, paired with enthusiasm, intention, and knowledge, truly makes a difference in how you coach. Your passion will show through when you enjoy teaching your swimmers how to do various strokes, when you enjoy learning new things, and when you find meaning in the sport beyond competitive results. When you’re passionate, it will spread to your swimmers and help to create a positive culture on your team.

Remember to Stay Patient

Patience is a virtue, especially with you’re a swim team coach. As a coach, you’ll be dealing with kids who are growing up right in front of you. They are guaranteed to make mistakes. How you react to those mistakes is important to the connection you have with them. You, as a coach, need to realize and teach your swimmers that success is something that takes time, and nobody was born doing perfect butterfly strokes. Even the best athletes make mistakes. Teach them that they need to be consistent in their training and patient to get the results they ultimately want. And remember, the same goes for you: be patient and supportive as you help your swimmers get the results you as a coach want.

Ask for Advice

As a newbie, never be afraid to ask other swim team coaches for advice. Coaches with more experience are usually more than willing to contribute their insight to coaches just beginning their leadership journey. Whether you’re curious about handling internal conflicts or reinforcing techniques, fellow coaches can give you priceless advice. Similarly, don’t be afraid to ask your swimmers questions either. For some, swimmer feedback is the best way to reevaluate your coaching style or outlook.

Stay Open-Minded

There are some things that will simply never change for coaches. That includes technique, discipline, and the thirst for improvement, as they are central to sports as a whole. But it’s important to stay open-minded about your coaching style and continue to evaluate it as you and your team change.

As you come to understand your swim team and their habits more, you should adjust your coaching habits. Adapting to the changes will only ever help to continually improve your swimmers and you as a coach.

Never Stop Learning

The most important tip for a new swim team coach? Never stop learning. The best coaches are always trying to learn how to be better at what they do, and there’s always something new you can learn.

If you’re looking for someplace to start, our swim coach certification course is the perfect way to learn how to be the best coach you can be. It provides specific tips and techniques from leading researchers in sports and educational psychology and will equip you with the tools to grow in your craft. Coaches who complete the course are immediately equipped with the tools needed to positively impact their swimmers.

At SLS, our help doesn’t stop there. We also provide background checks and insurance coverage for swim leagues and teams. Our goal is to introduce youth from the ages of 5-18 to the sport of swimming by providing fun, safer, and healthy environments. No matter where you are in the United States, we’re ready to lend a hand. Let us help you reach your full potential!