Learn From It and Be Better Next Time

If you're fairly new to the swimming world, brace yourself for the inevitable.  At some point, at some meet, perhaps next weekend, a person you may not know will deem your swimmer’s efforts unworthy.   The swimmer will get disqualified, aka DQ’d, perhaps for the first time.   It may seem unfair and unnecessary, but DQ’s are anything but unfair.  In fact, they help keeps things fair.

Regardless, your swimmer may want to cry.  You may want to cry. 

Most DQs materialize as mechanics violations, where a swimmer fails to demonstrate all the components that define a stroke.  One may turn onto their stomach at the end of their backstroke, for instance.  If they do, a judge, donned in white shirt and khaki pants, will raise their hand.  Newer swimmers, with less experience in swimming mechanics, become more susceptible to disqualification.  

How you and your swimmer react, matters.  A DQ presents an opportunity to learn … to correct a technical flaw.  Coaches, who receive a copy of the DQ slips use that info as feedback, identifying specific areas that need attention.  DQs are good.  DQs can be an essential part of a swimmer’s development, even if they do make you want to cry.

By the way, virtually every swimmer has gotten DQ’d, and DQs happen at all levels in the sport.  This past summer at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona, the USA Men’s 400 Medley Relay team, got disqualified. Olympic gold medalist, Matt Grevers, responded moments after the race … “Learn from it and be better next time.”   Great attitude, Matt. 

Here’s that relay team’s reaction as the DQ flashed on the scoreboard (Think they wanted to cry?) …

From left to right:  Adrian Nathan, Ryan Lochte, Kevin Cordes, Matt Grevers