I’ve been working on a new buddy system that I think could make our meets run much more smoothly. The idea is to pair Juniors and Seniors with 6th and 7th graders so that every younger swimmer has someone looking out for them.
Each older swimmer would take responsibility for:
- Introducing themself to their buddy and getting to know them.
- Checking in with their buddy before warmups to confirm lane assignments.
- Making sure their buddy knows their heat and lane before each event and before the meet starts.
- Helping their buddy be in the right place at the right time for the sequence leading up to the start of the meet, including warmups, team meeting, and national anthem.
- Making sure their buddy is on the deck cheering during the meet.
In addition, each captain will be assigned two or three older swimmers to regularly check in with and monitor how the process is going.
This system should cut down on confusion and last-minute scrambling and also give younger swimmers confidence that they’re supported. It gives upperclassmen a chance to lead by example, putting others first, and being willing to sacrifice a little extra time and focus to help someone else succeed.
As the “S” in the GEMS says “we offer it up, we love our teammates.” This system will promote a better relationship between the oldest and youngest members of our team.
Here are the buddy assignments. If you have any questions or additional ideas on how to make this better, please feel free talk to me at practice or at school.
Greg