SWIM FORT LAUDERDALE

South Florida’s new USA Swimming and USA Masters Swim Team.

Dear SFTL Members and Prospective Members,,

Welcome and congratulations on choosing to join the City of Fort Lauderdale’s new team, Swim Fort Lauderdale.

As your SFTL lead coaching staff, Head Coach Dave Gibson, Head Masters Coach Marty Hendrick and Head Age Group Coach Jennifer Gibson, we want to assure you that our goal is to make this the best program in South Florida, Florida and the USA.

No matter the age (5-105), no matter the level (Novice to World Ranked), and no matter what program (Swim School, Age Group, Senior or Masters), Swim Fort Lauderdale will be cutting edge & a leading model for others to aspire to. We will take care of, educate and inspire our members/athletes/parents/clients.  

While we still have work to do behind the scenes, the day-to-day practices will be pretty smooth. Look for more information to come concerning, our new website, how to pay dues, meet schedules, Booster Club, parent & training group meetings, etc.

Again, welcome and Go Swim Fort Lauderdale!

Dave

Marty

Jennifer

SWIM FORT LAUDERDALE

Critical Objectives

• Provide a first class swim team program with excellent coaching for all participants.
• Provide a safe, people friendly environment.
• Promote our total team role in maintaining a clean, orderly and safe environment.
• Create a positive, excellence based environment.
• Provide appropriate and effective instructional, training and racing opportunities so each swimmer maximizes his/her potential.
• Design sound practice and racing opportunities that match and suitably challenge the emotional and technical skill development of each swimmer to allow him/her to accept challenges and confidently progress to the highest level possible.
• Create an environment through positive thinking and advocacy and secure the resources needed to allow the program and each athlete to reach the highest possible levels of swimming.
• Support, encourage and praise personal improvement for every participant.
• Create and maintain a positive environment in which every participant feels valued as a person, teammate and athlete.
• Use enthusiasm, positive thinking and creativity to make swimming and athletic achievement an enjoyable process.
• Promote a respect and appreciation for life long exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
• Use the swim team experience to teach about goal setting, dedication, cooperation, competition, positive expectations, winning and losing, joy and disappointment, risk taking and stress management, and healthy and productive decision making.
• Create an environment which promotes and reinforces good sportsmanship, appropriate behavior, and personal responsibility.
• Use positive reinforcement liberally.
• Use praise and constructive instruction to strengthen the confidence of every participant.
• Seize every opportunity to say thank you and well done.
• Seize every opportunity to recognize excellence.
• Create an environment for elite level swimming.
• Build team closeness and identity by functioning as a unit: teach each other; push each other; value each other; support each other – during successful moments and when people are struggling; sit together at swim meets; cheer for each other in practice and at meets; wear identifiable team attire at all team functions.