Parents Code of Conduct

In accordance with the principles set out in the Sport England Code for Parents we hope all parents will:

» Remember that children are involved in swimming for their enjoyment and achievement, not yours!

» Encourage your child/ren to learn the rules and train/compete within them.

» Encourage good sportsmanship.

» Praise good behaviour to show that you value it.

» Help your child/ren to recognise good performance, not just results – always look for achievement to praise, 
   however small. Remember, getting a personal best is just as big an achievement as a gold medal.

» Never force your child/ren to take part in sport.

» Set a good example by recognising fair play in training and competition, and applauding the good performances
   of all.

» Never punish or belittle a child for what you perceive as poor performance.

» Be realistic about your child/ren’s ability. Do not over-expect as much harm can be done when children
   consistently fall short of their parents’ expectations.

» Remember, children can have ‘off days’ and do not mean to make mistakes.

» Publicly accept officials’ judgements.

» Support your child’s involvement and help them to enjoy their swimming.

» Be helpful to your child, but do not coach them.  The coaches are there to coach – they have experience and
   specialist knowledge, lane helpers are working under the direction of the qualified coaches.

» Speak to the lane coach before or after a session, or go to the help desk, if you have any concern about your
   child/ren’s progress.

» Use correct and proper language at all times.

» Encourage and guide your child/ren to accept responsibility for their own performance and behaviour as
   set out in the LSC Teamship Rules and Code of Conduct for Swimmers.