A former swimmer organizes a fun and engaging session for first-year kids at a swimming meet, reducing stress for parents and kids.

Introduction to Kids' Swimming Meet

The organizer's meticulous attention to detail and thorough preparation ensures a smooth and stress-free event for the kids and parents.

The Importance of Detailed Preparation

The organizer's effective and engaging approach empowers others to take on similar responsibilities, creating a positive impact.

Empowering Others Through Example

A conversation about breaking down courses into manageable segments and the challenges of finding time for online courses.

Discussion on Course Structure

Exploring the balance between pricing and quality in educational materials, and the importance of finding a win-win situation for all parties.

Quality and Value in Education

**Swimming Meet Success**

*Creating a Stress-Free Environment for Young Swimmers*

In this week's newsletter, we are continuing to explore the importance of creating a stress-free environment for young swimmers at swimming meets. We have a new chunk of the transcript from a recent video that sheds light on the impact of a well-organized and fun atmosphere for young swimmers and their parents.

**Insights from the Transcript**

- A senior referee shared his experience of managing a group of first-year kids at a swimming meet.
- He emphasized the importance of creating a fun and stress-free atmosphere for the young swimmers and their parents.
- By taking the time to explain the marshalling and starting process in a fun manner, he was able to alleviate stress for both the kids and their parents.
- The approach resulted in a smooth and successful meet, with no kids crying or missing races.

**Key Takeaways**

- Creating a fun and stress-free atmosphere for young swimmers can lead to a successful and enjoyable meet experience for everyone involved.
- Taking the time to explain the process and make it fun can alleviate stress and ensure that the kids are relaxed and calm.

**Looking Ahead**

We will continue to explore the importance of creating a positive and stress-free environment for young swimmers in future newsletters. Stay tuned for more insights and tips on how to make swimming meets a positive experience for young athletes and their parents.

Thank you for being a part of our community, and we look forward to sharing more valuable insights with you in the future.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

"Creating a Stress-Free Environment for Young Swimmers at Meets"

- The speaker attended a 2-day swim meet and observed a senior referee managing a group of first-year kids
- The referee used a fun and interactive approach to instruct the kids and their parents, reducing stress and ensuring a smooth event
- The speaker was impressed by the referee's approach and plans to film it for future reference and empowerment for others
- The referee's detailed and engaging approach helped the kids stay relaxed and calm during the event

- The speaker discusses the need to break down online courses into smaller segments for easier consumption
- They mention struggling to find time to complete a 4-hour course in one sitting
- The importance of interactivity and providing value for the cost of the course is highlighted
- The speaker emphasizes the need for a win-win situation for both the course provider and the consumer

And I went to 1, I was at a 2 day meet at the weekend.

And the last day in the afternoon, the Sunday afternoon session, was just for first year kids, right?

Kids that haven't broken 4 minutes for 200 IM.

And 1 of my former swimmers, he's like a senior referee now.

It was quite funny, actually, because I'd never seen him before.

He had 100 kids, he was standing on a high block in the gym.

And he was going through the whole marshalling and starting on the whistles and everything else in a fun sort of atmosphere.

And it was full of parents was full of parents and these little kids.

And she took a whole bundle of stress away from all these little munchkins and their parents because their parents go, what are we gonna do?

And I put my arm around him and I said, Scott, that was absolutely brilliant, right?

He says, I just learned over the years, if I don't do it, I'm gonna have more problems.

The meat's not gonna run away, those kids.

After warmup, yeah, after warmup, he had it.

And in fact, we were running late because he was running late and I went into the gym trying to find my bloody sockets and they're all standing, all sitting there, like looking up

And they're having a big lecture as to what's gonna happen next.

I had a young lady with me as not an assistant, but like a gopher.

What that guy said before they're waiting.

And They all walked out together and somebody come through.

And I thought, he's taking that extra time and going, you know, probably most meat managers just get out on the deck and they walk around and I'm ready.

He's going right down into the nitty gritty with the little suckers that are going to do it.

In fact, next time I'll say to him, we need to film that.

Or at least not that you would want the kids to watch his replay, but you would want to to give somebody else some empowerment to say, Hey, if he can do it, you can do that too.

He's saying he's, he, you know, he sold it and it was better coming from him than me.

Cause he knew, knows what the process of the whistles on when he's going to put his arm up on when he's going to do this.

They were laughing and giggling And then he goes, what goes next?

And I'm going to tell him again that really helped my little guys.

I don't know how many whistles you have but we have a lot of whistles right?

Yeah it is like a water polo match right?

It's like first whistle and the second whistle then the third whistle.

If you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you I'm I had this conversation I had this conversation with people in England, the conversation is how do we take the course and break it down into bite-sized chunks?

And that that that's the part because, you know, as well as I coaches, I've got some online courses that I go.

It says this course is only going to take 4 hours, right?

And I'm going, yes, it asked you, but I have to go back 3 or 4 times.

Because I can't take 4 hours out of a day to just sit down in front of a computer, right?

I've been into it twice already and I think I'm

last halfway, but right now I hopefully I'll finish today, but and it does pick up where you left off Yeah There are a couple very dense PDFs that are really nice to have.

So yeah, I think some of the interactivity is good.

And I've always tried if we can, and it's not always possible, I know that.

If everybody comes out of a win-win and it's beneficial for both, for everybody, then you can go, hey, we can work a little bit on this, right?

Like you said, you know, their fees look high at the moment, but maybe the quality of the stuff needs to charge that much, right?

Because once you go down so low, then it's not people don't buy it if it's not worth anything, right?

Especially at that top end, that gold end.

And especially if it's a must-have for those agencies.


Speaker 0: And I went to 1, I was at a 2 day meet at the weekend. And the last day in the afternoon, the Sunday afternoon session, was just for first year kids, right? Kids that haven't broken 4 minutes for 200 IM. And 1 of my former swimmers, he's like a senior referee now. He had 100 kids.

It was quite funny, actually, because I'd never seen him before. He had 100 kids, he was standing on a high block in the gym. And he was going through the whole marshalling and starting on the whistles and everything else in a fun sort of atmosphere. And it was full of parents was full of parents and these little kids. I know.

I thought that is brilliant. That is marketable, right? And she took a whole bundle of stress away from all these little munchkins and their parents because their parents go, what are we gonna do? What are we gonna

Speaker 1: do? Right?

Speaker 0: And I put my arm around him and I said, Scott, that was absolutely brilliant, right? I said, when did you start doing that? He says, I just learned over the years, if I don't do it, I'm gonna have more problems.

Speaker 1: Yes.

Speaker 0: Right, I'm gonna have more problems. The meat's not gonna run away, those kids.

Speaker 1: So, he did that at like, after warmups?

Speaker 0: After warmup, yeah, after warmup, he had it. And in fact, we were running late because he was running late and I went into the gym trying to find my bloody sockets and they're all standing, all sitting there, like looking up

Speaker 1: at me. And they're having a big lecture as to what's gonna happen next.

Speaker 0: What's gonna happen next? And we had no problems.

Speaker 1: Yeah.

Speaker 0: We had no problems. I had a young lady with me as not an assistant, but like a gopher. I said, where's all our kids? They go, Barry, just follow him. What that guy said before they're waiting.

I go, where are they waiting? They're waiting. But he told him they had to wait.

Speaker 1: OK.

Speaker 0: And They all walked out together and somebody come through. And I thought, he's taking that extra time and going, you know, probably most meat managers just get out on the deck and they walk around and I'm ready. Right, and we're gonna go. He's going right down into the nitty gritty with the little suckers that are going to do it. Brilliant.

I should have filmed it. In fact, next time I'll say to him, we need to film that. Right?

Speaker 1: Yeah. Or at least not that you would want the kids to watch his replay, but you would want to to give somebody else some empowerment to say, Hey, if he can do it, you can do that too. Yeah.

Speaker 0: This is what you have to do, right? He's saying he's, he, you know, he sold it and it was better coming from him than me. Right? Cause he knew, knows what the process of the whistles on when he's going to put his arm up on when he's going to do this. And you guys, then we'll do this.

And he made it so much fun. They were laughing and giggling And then he goes, what goes next? Anyway, it was super. It really was. I'll see him again this weekend.

And I'm going to tell him again that really helped my little guys. I didn't have any kids crying. I didn't have any kids miss any races. They all seemed relaxed and calm. Because we have more whistles.

I don't know how many whistles you have but we have a lot of whistles right?

Speaker 1: It's like a water polo match.

Speaker 0: Yeah it is like a water polo match right? It's like first whistle and the second whistle then the third whistle. If you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you I'm I had this conversation I had this conversation with people in England, the conversation is how do we take the course and break it down into bite-sized chunks? Right. And that that that's the part because, you know, as well as I coaches, I've got some online courses that I go.

It says this course is only going to take 4 hours, right? And I'm going, yes, it asked you, but I have to go back 3 or 4 times. Because I can't take 4 hours out of a day to just sit down in front of a computer, right? So it's like

Speaker 1: I've been into it twice already and I think I'm

Speaker 0: yes

Speaker 1: last halfway, but right now I hopefully I'll finish today, but and it does pick up where you left off Yeah There are a couple very dense PDFs that are really nice to have. So yeah, I think some of the interactivity is good.

Speaker 0: And I've always tried if we can, and it's not always possible, I know that. If everybody comes out of a win-win and it's beneficial for both, for everybody, then you can go, hey, we can work a little bit on this, right? Like you said, you know, their fees look high at the moment, but maybe the quality of the stuff needs to charge that much, right? Because once you go down so low, then it's not people don't buy it if it's not worth anything, right? Especially at that top end, that gold end.

Speaker 1: And especially if it's a must-have for those agencies. They want to have this. I didn't want to have this, so.

See all Mark Rauterkus transcripts on Upload

what-happens-next-at-swim=meet-audio.mp3