7 Pet Peeves That Drive Coaches Crazy

7 Pet Peeves That Drive Coaches Crazy

Not only do swimmers develop several pet peeves over the course of their swimming career, but so do coaches. Inadequate swimmer etiquette, poor work ethic and an awful mindsets are all things that make a coach’s blood boil.

After speaking with some of my swim coaches, I gathered a list of pet peeves that I am sure many coaches can relate to. Listed below are seven pet peeves that bother coaches to no end!

When Swimmers Say They “Can’t” Do Something

It takes someone special to coach any sports team. Coaches need to be positive, supportive, knowledgeable, goal-driven and patient. One of the biggest pet peeves among coaches is when their athletes doubt themselves and say that they can’t do something. Coaches are always going to challenge their athletes with hard practices, sets and goals. They are aware that their athletes aren’t always going to succeed, and that is OK. It is expected that swimmers take on challenges in a positive manner with the mindset of giving it all that they’ve got, rather than saying that something is too hard or that they can’t do it.

When Swimmers Kick Fast Without Their Goggles

This pet peeve may seem a little silly, but it is something that some coaches find amusing to watch. The water splashing in swimmers’ squinting eyes is something that coaches can’t help but laugh about.

When Swimmers Ask to Cut the Set Down

A big pet peeve among coaches is when swimmers ask to cut out parts of the set. Coaches write sets with a purpose behind them. When swimmers ask to do less of the practice, it gives coaches the impression that their athletes aren’t motivated to improve.

Motivating the Unmotivated

Coaches are encouraging people who always want the best for their team especially when it comes to a person’s attitude and work ethic. One thing that coaches waste a lot of time doing is trying to motivate athletes who are not fully committed to the sport. Teams always have their fair share of swimmers who are determined to not only get better, but to also have a good mindset and attitude toward the sport and team. Along with that usually comes a few people who do not care nearly as much about the team as the rest. Coaches spend a lot of their time trying to change the attitude of those who seem careless and unmotivated. Unfortunately, what coaches say doesn’t always make the change in the athlete’s mindset that they are looking for.

When Swimmers Talk During Dryland Exercises

Swimming is a tough sport to hold a conversation during, considering your head is underwater for most of it. Many swim teams incorporate dryland during their practices so that swimmers can work on moving and strengthening their bodies in different ways outside of the pool. Dryland is often times the only time during practice when swimmers have the chance to catch up with their teammates about their day. Many coaches want their athletes to have fun at practice, but they also want them to focus on the workout when it is necessary. Coaches can’t stand when their athletes are joking around and not paying attention during dryland when they should be doing the exercises correctly and with a purpose.

When Swimmers Accidentally Leave the Wall Early, Then Wait in the Middle of the Pool

This pet peeve is a little meaningless, but coaches find it funny when swimmers accidentally leave the wall early, and then stop in the middle of the pool to look around confused as to why nobody else left the wall too. I am sure almost every swimmer is guilty of doing this at some point. I know I am.

When Swimmers Wait Until the Beginning of Practice to Use the Bathroom

Coaches like when their swimmers get to the pool with enough time to stretch, roll out, fill up their water bottles, get their equipment bags, and of course, use the bathroom. Coaches hate when swimmers get to practice with plenty of time to do everything that they need to do, and then wait until the last minute to go use the bathroom before jumping in the pool to warm up. Even worse, coaches get annoyed when swimmers do part of the warmup and then get out to use the bathroom halfway through it.

At the end of the day, coaches enjoy their job because of the athletes they meet along the way who create lifelong impacts on them. I hope that many coaches who read this article can relate and laugh about some of these pet peeves that probably drive them crazy too! Comment below some other pet peeves that coaches have!

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