When friendly competition becomes a power struggle the line can be crossed into bullying. It’s not always physical and can be as simple as relentless high-spirited teasing. But deep down everyone knows what’s hurtful. There’s no hiding from it. If it’s happening to someone in the club, it’s happening to everyone in the club. 

How do swimmers balance school and swimming? Even when they’ve got that sorted, it can still be tough finding time for mates who aren’t swimmers.That’s where balance comes in. Sharing other events and sports in the club is a great way to relax and open minds to future possibilities. After all, even a gold medal is not a gold pass to success in the years ahead.

We encourage open honest communication in all areas of swimming. Writing things down and structuring  thoughts before talking signals you have something important to discuss. Making thoughts clearly understood is also skill that can make a big difference in all areas of life.  So let’s start a conversation.

Really this comes down to having open conversations with your coach, family and club. Clicking on Motivation, Goal setting and Getting along with adults could be pretty useful here.

Setting challenging yet realistic goals is the best way for a team to stay motivated. Remember Personal Bests aren’t just the times on the board. The time put in both in and out of the pool on a daily basis also counts for a lot. So keep on going and enjoy the journey.