The Positive Attitude
From News for Swim Parents
Published by The American Swimming Coaches Association
5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200
Fort Lauderdale FL 33309
Published by The American Swimming Coaches Association
5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200
Fort Lauderdale FL 33309
Written by Forbes Carlile, Head Coach of the Carlile School of Swimming and Head Coach of
numerous Australian Olympic Teams. His book, “Forbes Carlile on Swimming” was the first
modern book on competitive swimming.
Just as it is of utmost importance that coaches must be continually positive and optimistic, so too
must parents. It has been said that 95% of us are predominantly negative in our approach to
life—so most of us have a problem!
These notes are equally applicable to parents, and if not understood and acted upon by the whole
swimming family, swimmers will be greatly handicapped, and not reach full potential. Being
critical, no matter how much it may seem justified to the parents (“who have spent so much
money and time”) is clearly a negative approach with a strongly undermining effect. When
constructive criticism is needed to form the foundations of a revised plan for improvement,
parents should express their ideas to the coaches. The secure coach will be able to handle such
help. Most coaching organizations welcome constructive criticism, presented in the right way
at the appropriate time.
Parents should continually protect the swimmers from the damaging input of negative thoughts. If
they can make a habit of always being positive and only foreseeing success, swimmers will be
given the greatest opportunity to transcend existing performance levels. Clearly, the training must
be as good as well, but where, in addition, an atmosphere is of positive self-expectancy
continually promoted by coaches and family, even when progress seems to be slow
and the going difficult, swimmers will have the right mental approach. While doing their best to
carry out all aspects of preparation well, swimmers will learn to regard themselves as winners,
and eventually succeed in reaching realistic goals. The chances of this diminish greatly when
parents, often because personal shortcomings (in having a pessimistic, negative nature)
continually remind a child of the lack of improvement or failure to come up to
expectations. Swimmers should continually be programming their subconscious by positive selftalk
and visual imagery of success. This task should be made easy by
reinforcing positive vibrations around them.
It is important for the swimmers to know that they are loved no matter what their swimming
performance. The negative fear of failure is mush less likely to develop when parents emphasize
their love and compassion.
When setbacks occur, the attitude of parents and coaches must express the idea…”Well, you did
not do as well as you are capable of this time, but next time it will be better”…positive selfexpectancy
and optimism. This helps the programming of the subconscious mind that we should
be striving for. The coach and swimmer should analyze and determine what can be improved
and positive action taken. Parents, about all, should be the least critical and never suggest that
what has happened is more than a temporary setback. If such principles are applied to all our
thinking we might well improve our lives too. It is not only the swimming development of the child
that parents can help by the right psychological approach. We can all benefit greatly.
The parents eventual reward for their sacrifices of time and money will be when the grown-up,
mature swimmers realize that their parents have played an important part in their success as a
swimmer, and as an individual, by giving them the opportunity to train without attempting to
intrude, or basking in reflected glory.
numerous Australian Olympic Teams. His book, “Forbes Carlile on Swimming” was the first
modern book on competitive swimming.
Just as it is of utmost importance that coaches must be continually positive and optimistic, so too
must parents. It has been said that 95% of us are predominantly negative in our approach to
life—so most of us have a problem!
These notes are equally applicable to parents, and if not understood and acted upon by the whole
swimming family, swimmers will be greatly handicapped, and not reach full potential. Being
critical, no matter how much it may seem justified to the parents (“who have spent so much
money and time”) is clearly a negative approach with a strongly undermining effect. When
constructive criticism is needed to form the foundations of a revised plan for improvement,
parents should express their ideas to the coaches. The secure coach will be able to handle such
help. Most coaching organizations welcome constructive criticism, presented in the right way
at the appropriate time.
Parents should continually protect the swimmers from the damaging input of negative thoughts. If
they can make a habit of always being positive and only foreseeing success, swimmers will be
given the greatest opportunity to transcend existing performance levels. Clearly, the training must
be as good as well, but where, in addition, an atmosphere is of positive self-expectancy
continually promoted by coaches and family, even when progress seems to be slow
and the going difficult, swimmers will have the right mental approach. While doing their best to
carry out all aspects of preparation well, swimmers will learn to regard themselves as winners,
and eventually succeed in reaching realistic goals. The chances of this diminish greatly when
parents, often because personal shortcomings (in having a pessimistic, negative nature)
continually remind a child of the lack of improvement or failure to come up to
expectations. Swimmers should continually be programming their subconscious by positive selftalk
and visual imagery of success. This task should be made easy by
reinforcing positive vibrations around them.
It is important for the swimmers to know that they are loved no matter what their swimming
performance. The negative fear of failure is mush less likely to develop when parents emphasize
their love and compassion.
When setbacks occur, the attitude of parents and coaches must express the idea…”Well, you did
not do as well as you are capable of this time, but next time it will be better”…positive selfexpectancy
and optimism. This helps the programming of the subconscious mind that we should
be striving for. The coach and swimmer should analyze and determine what can be improved
and positive action taken. Parents, about all, should be the least critical and never suggest that
what has happened is more than a temporary setback. If such principles are applied to all our
thinking we might well improve our lives too. It is not only the swimming development of the child
that parents can help by the right psychological approach. We can all benefit greatly.
The parents eventual reward for their sacrifices of time and money will be when the grown-up,
mature swimmers realize that their parents have played an important part in their success as a
swimmer, and as an individual, by giving them the opportunity to train without attempting to
intrude, or basking in reflected glory.