Program Core Values

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Effort is the foundation of success in life. It is an expectation that you will show up every day prepared to empty the tank. You never play a game at 50% effort, so we will not practice that way. Without continual, daily effort even the most talented athlete will not achieve their full potential. The effort will be the main focus of our training and competition. When we apply full effort on a regular steady basis, the results will follow.

Every result is a consequence of our actions. Whether it's a result we wanted or did not want, we must take extreme ownership of it. By owning what we do, we can strive to get better at things we can control. Part of being a teammate is holding each other accountable to team expectations, team core values, and team rules even when it feels uncomfortable. If someone comes to talk to you to hold you accountable, you need to be able to take it seriously – but not personally. The reason why someone would do this is that they know you are a key part of accomplishing the team goals and they want to see you do better.  

We must remember that everything we do needs to be better than the time before. It becomes easy and comfortable for us to go through the motions and complete the bare minimum. We owe it to ourselves and our teammates to be mindful of our actions and do it with a purpose. Don’t be afraid of failure! It is a necessary stepping stone to success. We do all of this without judgment and fear because we know why we do what we do.  

Only those who show up can get better. There is a direct correlation between attendance and success in the classroom and pool. Being prompt and arriving to practice on time ensures you are not wasting the opportunity to improve yourself. Being on time means you are physically, mentally, and emotionally checked in the second that practice starts. 

To work as one cohesive unit, we must trust one another. Trust is built by working together with full effort every day. Trust is a requirement for a truly cohesive team that wants to be successful. We genuinely believe that everyone is looking out for each other – we have each other’s backs. When there are hard choices to make, we know that our teammates are going to make those choices with the team in mind.  

Humility is realizing that it is not about you. It's about everyone. Knowing your role on the team is vital to understanding the big picture. It is okay to have pride in your effort and achievements, but remembering the journey that it took to get there is crucial. Composure is acting like you have been there before. After a goal is scored, we know that it is not our first goal and certainly not our last. We maintain the highest level of class and composure.