Spanish Springs Swimming

Varsity Co-Head coach – Ted Branson

Varsity Co-Head coach – Kathy Dohr

Dear Parents and Athletes,

Welcome to the Spanish Springs High School swimming program. We are very

happy that you have chosen to participate. We have established great traditions

and have set the bar very high being one of the top teams in Northern Nevada.

Our programs philosophy is as follows:

We will expect all of our student athletes to be model citizens and students of Spanish Springs High School. In a positive environment they will learn the skills to compete in swimming and learn life skills that will help them be successful forever. Everything will be aimed towards team success and individual improvement.

You Can If You Think You Can

If you think you are beaten, you are

If you think you dare not, you don’t

If you like to win, but think you can’t

It’s almost certain you won’t

If you think you’ll lose, you will

For out in the world we find

Success begins with a persons will

It’s all in the state of mind

If you think you’re outclassed, you are

You’ve got to think high to rise

You’ve got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the stronger or faster person

But sooner or later the person who wins

Is the person who thinks s/he can!

The following is a set of guidelines and regulations that we will expect all parents’ athletes and spectators to follow:

Athletes must be at practice everyday. To run a quality program we need a commitment from our athletes. We feel that every swimmer is important to the team and every one makes a contribution to the success of the program. If an athlete is going to miss a practice, the coaching staff needs to be notified either with a note or in person before that practice.

If an athlete must miss a practice, it will be excused only if the coaches are told about the absence in advance. Excused and unexcused absences may cause players to miss competitions or be removed from the team.

Swimmers are expected to take academics seriously. We expect all of our swimmers to stay eligible during the season and during the off-season. I will be checking. School comes first. If an athlete is not working to their potential or they are not meeting a teacher’s behavior expectations, competition and traveling with the team privileges may be removed.

Swimmers are expected to be

the best students at Spanish Springs High School.

Balancing athletics, academics, and interest may sound like a considerable task, but it’s just a matter of priorities. You decide what’s important and do it. If practice is important, you go. If school is important, you make time for homework. If working out is important, you do it. Rarely do interests conflict. Again, you have to decide what’s important. You spend 16 hours awake every day. I find that’s plenty of time to get things done.

Jeff Singleton, Denver post 1992 Gold Helmet Winner

There is a financial obligation to be on the swim team. If there are financial difficulties you must talk to the coaches as soon as possible and fully participate in fund raising events. No one should not be on the swim team because of money issues.

The City of Sparks is kind enough to let us use their facility. Please remember we are guest!!! Treat the facility and the employees with the idea we are their guest and not customers there. Inappropriate behavior or language will not be tolerated.

Communication between swimmers and coaches is expected. If you have a problem with something please come and talk to a head coach about it.

The following is a list of topics that are appropriate for parents to bring to the coaching staff.

If you have concerns that cannot be fixed by the coaching staff you may call our athletic director, Art Anderson at 425-7733.

We represent Spanish Springs High School at all times when we travel, etc. We expect proper conduct on buses, in public places, host schools, etc. at all times. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action, which could be loss of competing in meets or removal from the team. Remember the athletic team is an extension of the classroom. If you would not act in a certain manner in a classroom do not do it with the swim team.

Swimmers will be expected to have a positive attitude towards the team and coaches at all times. A negative attitude hurts the entire team and may destroy a team’s chemistry. Do not say, “can’t”, it is a four-letter word.

Everyone will say or do things that will hurt others, and we will all probably be hurt during the season. Usually this is unintentional, but not always. That is not for you to determine. Your job is to move on! Our team policy is:

If you can not accept this policy please do not join the swim team. Anyone not following this policy will be suspended from the team and a second offense could result in being removed from the team.

The head coach will determine lettering for varsity players. Lettering will be determined on adhering to team rules and contributions made to the team during the season. Coming to practice and all meets is expected.

Parents on the deck will be expected to use appropriate language and have a positive attitude. Negative comments directed towards the coaching staff or official’s only hurts the team. Parents also must volunteer to help time at meets we are hosting, without volunteer help swim meets do not work.

During a meet, swimmers will sit with the team. They will talk to the coaches before and after their races. As with any other varsity sport, swimmers and parents should wait until the meet is over to talk to each other. I need for parents not to be a distraction to the child during the meet. I would also request parents wait until after the meet to ask the coaching staff questions. Ideally the parents are busy working as a timer during the meet.

Swim team members are expected to be above average students. Academic eligibility will be determined by your last semester’s report card. You must have a 2.0 GPA and have passed 4 classes. To stay academically eligible you must be passing all your classes during the season. I expect to have a copy of your 3^rd nine weeks report card within two days of you receiving it.

If you did not get a 2.0 GPA first semester you are ineligible for the swim team. I can carry an athlete as a red shirt, which allows them to practice with the team, but they do not get to compete. After the nine-week grades are reported at the end of March swimmers can become eligible to swim with a 2.0 GPA or better. For me to take a red shirt they need to show me a grade report by the first day of practice that indicates their second semester grades are not questionable.

All swimmers will be required to ride the bus to and from all meets. Parent can only take their child with previous arrangements and a note with the coach. A parent may not take another athlete under any circumstances. Please plan on always riding the bus with the team. Parents, please only make these arrangements if absolutely necessary. I want the swimmers on the bus for the ride home.

Spring break is often a nice family vacation time, if your family has plans I want you to keep those plans with them. There will not be any team practices during spring break, but workouts will be sent home and the swimmers are expect to workout once a day during break. This can be swimming or out of the pool workouts.

Failure to adhere to the preceding list of rules and regulations or any of the Washoe County School District rules may lead to loss of swimming time, or removal from the team.

We consider it a privilege to be part of Spanish Springs High School swim team. As a coaching staff we will do our best and we ask all athletes and players to do the same.