Parent Resources

Crawfish Aquatics Withdrawal Form
To withdraw from the program for the upcoming month, written notification must be given by the 25th of the month prior to be withdrawn from the billing system. Any refunds issued will include a $15 processing fee.

Terms and Important Notes about the Team Unify Financial System and Process:

• Accounts may be put on hold or terminated at any time. To avoid processing fees please give proper notification during the designated time period.
• To withdraw from the program, the online Withdrawal Form must be completed by the 25th of the month prior to be withdrawn from the billing system for the upcoming month invoice.  Requests made in person or on the pool deck will not be honored- please complete the withdrawal form.
• Any monetary refunds issued will include a $15 processing fee. 
• NSF returns will be issued a $30 processing fee.
• Annual Registration Fee:  $15 will be automatically charged to active accounts on January 1 each year (annual fee). Inactive members returning later in the year will be invoiced the fee at that time, provided it has not been paid for that calendar year.
• For groups that require USA Swimming membership, this membership will be renewed and invoiced in November each year (current rate for 2020 is $78).
• For groups that require fundraising, fundraising balances are invoiced each April and November (first half/second half). 

Fundraising obligations allow flexibility for families and a lower monthly dues amount, which is reviewed annually by our staff. You can utilize the fundraisers (Swim-A-thon or the Business Sponsor program) or have the amount post to your May and December invoices.  50% of your family's obligation is invoiced/due in May and the other 50% is invoiced/due in December.  

Review full policy from the handbook:
-Baton Rouge
-Lafayette
**There is a 6 month grace period for new members before fundraising obligation begins.

Group Placement
The decisions we make about practice groups, meets to attend and events to swim are designed for the long-term development of the swimmers, not short-term results. Our primary concern is with how Crawfish athletes will perform when they are senior swimmers. Because of this, our younger swimmers focus almost exclusively on mastering proper stroke technique, developing a positive attitude about competition and teamwork and the fundamentals of competitive swimming. Actual training does not become the dominant component of workouts until swimmers are aged 13 and older.

Group Placement and Movements
One of the most critical tasks for our coaching staff is our approach to placing athletes in training groups and moving athletes between the various training groups. Much time and effort is spent to ensure that athletes are in the training group most beneficial for their long-term development as a person and a swimmer.
When determining changes among training groups, Division Directors (Head Coach, Head Age Group Coach, 8 & Under Director) will meet with the coaching staff to review athletes in each practice group and discuss the most appropriate group for the given athlete. Specific criteria used to evaluate each athlete’s practice/training characteristics and skills have been developed to determine group placement.

Group Placement Criteria and Considerations
The weight of each criteria item varies from Division to Division based on the age and developmental continuum of the athletes in that track (example: 8 & Under Division swimmers do not need to attend more than 2 days per week to move to higher practice groups within the 8 & Under Division).

-Stroke and skill development.
-Practice attendance.
-Training ability.
-Level of commitment.
-Level of maturity and personal responsibility.
-Age and previous experience.
-Meet performance and best times.
-Space availability.
-Completion of placement skills and or test/tryout to the satisfaction of Division Directors.

Practice Groups Promotions
The swimmer under consideration:

-Meets attendance expectations for current group and demonstrates the ability to make attendance requirements for the next level.
-Consistently trains above the level of the current practice group.
-Demonstrates ability to train successfully on base intervals at the next practice level.
-Has mastered stroke and skill expectations of current practice group.
-Exhibits level of maturity and responsibility typical of swimmers at the next level.
-Fits age and experience parameters of the next training level.
-Has demonstrated potential to compete successfully at general competition level of the next group.
-Consistently makes choices that demonstrate the willingness to make the commitment level expected of swimmers at the next level.

The greatest contribution you can make to your swimmer’s progress is to be a supportive parent and allow them independence during the practice sessions. 
We are proud of our program and what we are teaching your child and will give our best efforts to develop them to the maximum of their potential.  Our progressions of teaching, training load increases, and group moves are all centered on this.  We want parents to watch their children in practice only when it is not a distraction for their child and only when it does not add stressors to the environment for the swimmers, coaches or other spectators. 

Our goal is for the swimmers to focus their attention on their coach during the practice session.
Please assist the coaches by not talking with or motioning to swimmers during practice.  Coaches and parents are on the same team in regard to wanting to see a child thrive in their learning environment and the skills being taught, but the coaches must be allowed to regulate a swimmer’s swimming speed on a given length (not everything is meant to be fast or a race), lane order and address behavioral issues.  At times, a younger swimmer may be directed to “sit out” in the spectator area with a parent or chaperone if the coach feels this is the appropriate move.

Parents are encouraged to allow their child the learning opportunities that come with group practices. 
Self-regulation to pay attention to the task at hand, successes and failures, and adapting to the learning environment are all part of the process.  Allowing your child to receive direction from the coach alone during the practice session will help strengthen the coach-athlete relationship and help build independence and confidence in your young athlete! 

Crawfish Aquatics enforces these guidelines by establishing specific spectator areas during practice sessions. 
Please do not stand behind the ends of the pools or in coach instruction areas. 

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• The Top 5 Ways to Support Your Child in Athletics
• What Kind of Sports Parent are You?
• Are you an over-invested Sports Parent?
• Parenting Your Champion: Developing Talent
• Losing Is Good For You 
• What Makes A Nightmare Sports Parent  (and what makes a great one!)
• How To Stay Hydrated During Practice
• When Sally Swims Poorly         
• When Sally Swims Great
• That's Not It   (what are the truly valuable gains this sport offers?)
• The Awesome 8 Year Old   (or 9, 10, 11 year old)
• Watching Swim Practice or Lessons
• On Praising Your Children
• 50 Things to Help your Child Achieve
• Understanding Athlete Progressions of Training
• Swimming Fast Under Pressure