As we/CVAC grows, it becomes harder to make sure that everyone is on the same page and understand what CVAC is doing and were we are going.  As you know we are a development team which starts players at the lowest level of teaching them how to swim and egg beat and then brings them to the highest level in our age group sport.  Over the years, we have been highly successful in doing just that.  For a coach, there is nothing more exciting then to see our players grow up to be among the best players in their high school and beyond.  These are the rewards that we get back, because it is not the high pay that we receive.  When a player starts, they learn the basic fundamental skills and continue to develop those skills, until they reach high school.  CVAC is NOT an all star team we are a grass roots program that develops our home grown players.  Unfortunately as the players get better, there becomes more of a chance that the parents place more value in” winning at all cost” rather than watching their child have fun with the team mates that they have grown up with.  It is important that all players have fun and work hard as well to become the best that they can.  We as coaches see players for hours during the week and know that we have to go over the same things over and over again until they get it.  Our coaches know more about your son or daughter’s skill level as it applies to the team.  Games are won with solid team play and NOT individual super stars.  This becomes even more obvious as a player gets older.  Our CVAC coaches look at the full picture of the pool and can see who is or is not doing the things that we worked on for weeks and weeks.

CVAC has and has always had great and supporting parents that also become friends both on and off the pool deck.  We love our CVAC parents!  When we go to the big major tournaments we see coaches, players and parents that are not very positive to others around them from other teams.  At this point I would like to address some things that will help us to not fall in that trap of NEGETIVE behavior.  As a coach, I’m always telling my coaches to keep it positive around our players, parents and other teams that we compete with.  Negative comments and behavior are like cancer and spread to others unless we work in the positive side.  If there are parents or players that need to talk to me, please feel free to discuss problems you might have before they get blown out of proportion.  Here are some observations and rules that we all have to follow if we want to be successful.

CVAC parents are awesome in how they support our program.  We thank you very much for that.  Without the help I get from my Team Reps and coaches, none of this would be possible.  Here are some helpful hints that you might use.

• Parents should be positive at all times with their child and get them to work outs as much as possible and on time.
• Parents should be positive when talking to their child about the coaches.
• Parents should contact me if there is a problem so that we can address it.  Don’t wait until it is too late
• Parents should get the players to games and Tournaments on time.
• Parents should talk to their child about the experience they are having and any problems that might be on their minds.
• Parents should support the team and coaches at games and tournament.
• When we win everyone should celebrate and if we lose, we need to learn from that and not be sad or angry.  From the 10 and U to the 14 and U they are all still kids that we don’t want to burn out due to the pressures of winning at all costs.  Specifically the 10 and U are so young, that having fun and competing should always be a positive experience.

Here are some things that we should NOT do as parents at games and tournaments. 

• USA Water Polo rules state that non-competitors and parents are not allowed at or near the bench of the players at any time during the game.
• No bringing your child water or gator aid during the game or between the quarters, it is too distractive.  Image if everyone on the team went to the bench at the same time?
• Talking to you child during the game is not good practice
• Approaching the coach during a game for whatever reason is not good practice.
• Parents’ coaching from the side lines is totally unacceptable.  The coach works with them daily and may not be what the coach wants.
• Telling your child to shoot the ball is totally unacceptable. The coach may have told them something else.
• Talking negative in groups after, during, before or in general.  This is not healthy for the club.
• Approaching the coaches during work outs is not acceptable.  Talk to them before or after work out has ended.  Our time with the players is always too short in terms of time and we need every minute of instruction possible.
• If you are not happy with any aspect of the program, please come to me and let the coaches do what they do best.

I bring this to everyone’s attention so that we can continue to be an outstanding club with awesome parents.  What I have noted as NOT do, please make changes if you have been guilty of any of those principals.  I and my coaching staff all strive to make your children better players and learn to respect teachers, parents, other teams, referees and team mates.  Please join me in this continuing effort to become one of the best development teams in Orange County and the nation.