Elizabeth Wickham

One Tip For Swim Parents: Don’t Speak

What’s the first thing most parents do if their child loses, doesn’t make their cut, or has a flat out bad swim? We talk.

  14 Comments

4 Swim Parent Tips About Consistency

I’ve missed some swim practices lately and I regret it. I found out that it’s hard to get back into the pool after getting out of the groove. I’ve seen this play over and over with kids, too.

  9 Comments

Are Leadership Skills a Side Effect of Swimming?

Here are five leadership traits learned through swimming…

  8 Comments

7 Parent Tips to Help Your Child Be More Positive

I’m definitely a “glass half full” person. I don’t like negative talk on the pool deck because I understand there isn’t a perfect team, perfect coach or perfect swimmer.

  6 Comments

5 Things Kids Gain From Swimming

When we look back at our kids’ swimming careers, we’ll remember some great races where they dropped time and finally made that cut they were chasing for months.

  1 Comment

7 Things Swim Families Share

Sitting in the crowded stands at a swim meet, I realized I had a connection with every person there.

  2 Comments

Do Coaches Look At Parents During Recruiting?

Standing at the end of my swimmer’s lane, I cheered loudly at the big meet. Next heat, I stood with a fellow swim mom and we cheered for her daughter.

  32 Comments

5 Things I Did Not Expect My Kids To Learn From Swimming

My kids learned things I never imagined they’d learn from being soaked in chlorine. Here are five things swimming taught my kids…

  12 Comments

6 Traits Swimmers Have That Employers Want

After years of swimming throughout their high school and college years, our children haven’t had much time for internships and part-time jobs.

  4 Comments

7 Tips for Swim Parents on the College Recruiting Process

I hope this helps you wade through pools of confusion and simplifies the process. Enjoy the recruiting experience—it’s an exciting time in your swimmer’s life—and in yours, too.

  25 Comments

4 Tips For Swim Parents About Recruiting

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime exciting time—having your swimmers recruited by colleges. At this point in their lives, choosing a college is the biggest decision they’ve ever made.

  10 Comments

One Tip for Swim Parents about Sports Specialization

Should your swimmer only swim, or participate in several sports? As a swim mom for almost 15 years, I’ve had this conversation on the pool deck over and over.

  15 Comments

Little Things That Count In Swimming

Whether it’s a t-shirt, cap or a bag tag, these little things in swimming mean a whole lot to our swimmers.

  Comment First!

4 Tips for Swim Parents on Why We Shouldn’t Coach Our Kids

If you are a coach and your son or daughter is on your team, this article is not for you. This is for us on the sidelines, the parents who give their swimmers tips, thinking we’ll help our kids improve. This is where the old adage, “coaches coach, swimmers swim and parents parent” comes into play.

  20 Comments