Coach Eure's Corner
Metro Swimmers and Parents,
As we begin the 2010/11 winter season, I want to continue to express my gratefulness to the swimmers, parents and board of Metro to have given me this opportunity to work with such a fine group of people. Please also note that the Davenport School District has been especially cooperative this summer by both heating the pool as well as allowing us to use the facility outside of regularly scheduled custodial times.
Instability in Quad Cities swimming seems to be all around us. I’d like to take this opportunity to address what my focus as a coach for Davenport Metro. The mission for the team according to our website is as follows:
The mission of the Davenport Metro Swim Team is to develop the technical skills, character traits, and intense desire of our swimmers for maximum realization of each individual potential.
If you notice, nowhere does it mention winning the state championship or even the Bistate conference meet for that matter. Placing high as a team at state is nice, but in my mind, it isn’t the primary reason we swim. Character development, goal setting, making friendships, self discipline, learning to be safe in the water, learning about ourselves, sportsmanship, all will follow us the rest of our lives.
As I reflect upon the past two years with Metro, I’d like to state the 10 things I like best about Metro.
1) Metro swimmers and parents have been easy to get along with.
2) The team is the most affordable team in the Quad Cities Area
3) We continually develop swimmers on all ends of the swimming spectrum from beginners right out of Mrs. Collins’ backyard to the boys Open state high point winner.
4) The team is very welcoming to new families and swimmers.
5) The board of directors is very cooperative, they let me coach while taking care of most non-practice and meet related issues.
6) My family has made lots of great friendships.
7) There has been a great deal of help offered by parents, (we still need a couple of parents to get certified as officials).
8) The team has allowed me to inject my coaching style and philosophies and has responded well to them. I can be myself.
9) The assistant coaches are great, they have to be to put up with me
10) It’s been fun.
Two notes:
1) Over the next couple of weeks, try to set some goals for what you want to accomplish this next upcoming season. Also, try to think about what sacrifices you may need to make to make these achieve these goals.
2) I’d like the parents to encourage their swimmers to ask questions if they are ever confused about something a coach is telling them. It is detrimental to the development of a swimmer to confuse them, and clarification needs to be immediate. If not, confusion will need to frustration of both the swimmer and the coaches. If you don’t understand, please ask a coach. That goes for parents as well as swimmers
I’m looking forward to starting this season. I’ll see you on September 13.
Coach Paul
(563)370-4950