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TEAM RULES & GUIDELINES
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DURANGO SWIM CLUB

TEAM RULES & GUIDELINES

         

1.1 INTRODUCTION                                                                        

1.2 PURPOSE & APPLICABILITY

This Rulebook is a supplement to the Code of Conduct and Parent Code of Conduct of the Durango Swim Club (DSC), and other policies and guidelines set out by USA Swimming and USA Safe Sport.

This document is in no way exhaustive, and circumstances will inevitably arise that are not explicitly covered here. In such cases, steps taken to adhere to DSC’s Code of Conduct and its Rulebook will be made at the sole discretion of the coaches and/or Board of Directors.

In all cases, decisions, rulings, and sanctions will be administered in the best interest of the group as a whole. This Rulebook, as well as any discretionary rulings, shall be read and interpreted as to best preserve the health, safety, and success of the group and community as a whole, not the individuals.

Throughout this Rulebook, athletes registered with DSC or participating in any DSC events, programs, or functions are referred to alternatively as athletes, swimmers, and children.

As athletes, these rules apply during all practices, meets, events, and at all other times while swimming, training, and attending competitions. Certain rules, such as those pertaining to doping, substance abuse, bullying, or sexual harassment apply at all times, even while you are not immediately participating in a DSC practice, competition, or related activity.

DSC has the discretion to suspend athletes and/or family members of athletes based on Tier 2 or Tier 3 violations of the Rulebook by that athlete or that athlete’s family members, occurring at any time. Such discretion will be exercised by the Board of Directors and its decision in writing will provide the basis for a period of such suspension.

When the team coach determines an athlete has violated a team rule of the team code of conduct in a way that requires a penalty or consequence beyond general counseling by the coach or designee, the team coach shall report such violation and the penalty/consequence as soon as possible to the President of the Board. In situations that call for a penalty/consequence beyond counseling by the coach or designee, the team coach, Head Coach and Board will create and maintain a written record of the violation and penalty/consequences in each case.

1.3 EFFECTIVE DATE

This Rulebook is made effective April 16, 2023, for all future DSC programs.

1.4 DESCRIPTIONS OF CONSEQUENCES

TIER 1 CONSEQUENCES

TIER 2 CONSEQUENCES

TIER 3 CONSEQUENCES

1.4 DEFERENCE TO OTHER PARTIES

DSC reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to defer to and support the decision of a coach, a parent, a school, or another extracurricular activity in responding to any violation of this rulebook.

1.5 UNLIMITED DISCRETION

DSC retains unlimited discretion to modify the penalty/penalties prescribed by these rules, including, but not limited to applying a more or less severe penalty depending on the circumstances.

2.1 RULES AT PRACTICE                                  

It is the goal of The DSC and the coaching staff to provide instruction and training during the entire practice session. The coaches create lesson plans for each day to teach swimmers proper technique, prepare them for competitive swimming, and meet the needs of each swimmer in the practice group. If time is spent disciplining children rather than coaching, the goals of that session are not being achieved. The DSC expects athletes to adhere to the following behavior guidelines:

RESPECT FOR TEAMMATES AND COACHES

All athletes must encourage and support their teammates at practice as well as in competition. Swimmers may not conduct themselves in any manner that is disruptive to others. Swimmers are expected, at all times, to follow the coach’s instructions, and to remain in the pool for the entire duration of practice. At no time will disrespectful attitudes or back-talk be tolerated from any athlete. Older swimmers are expected to set a good example for their younger teammates through their behavior and work ethic. [Tier 1, Tier 2 in repeated instances]

RESPECT FOR DURANGO RECREATION CENTER PROPERTY AND STAFF

All athletes using the locker room, pool deck, hot tub, or outside space within the Durango Recreation Center should exhibit proper behavior. Rough-housing, yelling, profanity, or disrespect of the Recreation Center rules or its staff, are unacceptable. [Tier 1-3]

Athletes will not use their phones during practice time. Phones will not be used in locker rooms for video or photography. (See SAFE SPORT GUIDELINES below) [Tier 2-3]

Vandalism or theft of personal or Durango Recreation Center property shall result in immediate suspension from the team. Any property that is stolen or vandalized by a DSC athlete will be repaired or replaced by the athlete’s family. [Tier 3]

Bullying, teasing, harassing, and any behavior that makes teammates feel uncomfortable will not be tolerated. Swimmers will respect other’s personal space at all times. (See BULLYING policy below) [Tier 2-3]

In addition to these guidelines, all athletes, parents/guardians and coaches acknowledge that they will comply with all rules of the Durango Recreation Center, including the appropriate City ordinances listed in its Municipal Code (see Article III 18-34 and elsewhere).

2.2 RULES AT COMPETITION

ATTIRE

DSC athletes should wear a team swim suit or appropriate competition attire (tech suit) at all swim meets. When not swimming, DSC recommends swimmers wear a DSC t-shirt and/or sweatshirt. [Tier 1]

RESPECT FOR COACHES

Athletes are expected to be on time for all team meetings and to swim all events entered unless otherwise discussed with their coach. Missing events without explanation reflects poorly on the team. Swimmers should talk to their coach or Head Coach before and after each swim event. Athletes should let their coach know if they are leaving the team area. [Tier 1]

RESPECT FOR OFFICIALS

Athletes will not approach officials directly in the event of a disqualification. At no time will athletes disparage or argue with an official about a decision. [Tier 2-3]

RESPECT FOR OTHER COMPETITORS

Athletes’ behavior at meets reflects on the team as a whole. They are expected to show good sportsmanship, a positive attitude, and cheer on their teammates whenever possible. Athletes will never disparage other swimmers, coaches, or teams; they will not use profanity or engage in inappropriate behavior; they will keep the team area neat and free of trash. [Tier 1-3]

RESPECT FOR HOST FACILITY

Any property that is stolen or vandalized during a competition will be repaired or replaced by the athlete’s family. Vandalism or theft of personal or host facility property shall result in immediate suspension from the team. [Tier 3]

2.3 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

All underaged use of tobacco, vaping, alcohol, and/or drugs is STRICTLY prohibited, regardless of whether this use occurs at a DSC meet, practice, or other event. [Tier 3]

2.31 TOBACCO / NICOTINE USE

Athletes who choose to use tobacco or vaping products will remain eligible for DSC participation only if they provide proof to their coach that they have made steps to quit tobacco or vaping use and refrain from use in the future. Continued use will result in the consequences laid out below for Alcohol and Drug use.

2.32 ALCOHOL AND THC

An athlete who has been confirmed to have been using alcohol or THC products during practice, competition, or other DSC events will be immediately suspended from the team.  In addition, a swimmer may be required as a condition of remaining in the club to have an assessment to determine their risk of chemical dependency. Upon request, DSC will provide a list of assessing agencies from which the swimmer may choose. If a substance abuse problem is identified by an assessing agency, the swimmer must successfully complete the treatment program recommended by the agency as a condition of remaining in the club. Any costs associated with the requirements outlined in this paragraph will be borne by the swimmer and the swimmer’s parents/guardians.

2.33         SUBSTANCE USE SUPPORT

Helping swimmers is DSC's first priority.  If an athlete is concerned about his own involvement in drugs or alcohol or that of another swimmer, the swimmer is encouraged to talk confidentially with a coach. A swimmer who voluntarily discloses involvement with drugs and alcohol to a coach will not be charged with a violation as a result of such disclosure. The swimmer will be referred to substance abuse counseling or treatment at his/her own cost. DSC recognizes the need for sensitivity in dealing with these matters and will make every effort to ensure that confidentiality is upheld and that the privacy of those involved will be maintained and respected. DSC further recognizes that parents/ guardians are the first and most important teachers of their children with regard to the use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco products, and that parents/guardians are primarily responsible for their children’s behavior in these and all other matters. However, it is DSC’s view that any behavior that brings discredit to the club is a legitimate cause of concern and falls within the purview of club review.

2.34 CAFFEINE AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS

CAFFEINE

The DSC discourages its athletes from using caffeine as a workout or performance enhancement. While caffeine is not banned by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) or USA Swimming, long-term caffeine use is linked to insomnia, anxiety, high blood pressure, and other health problems. The American Association of Pediatricians recommends children under 13 not consume any amount of caffeine, while adolescents (age 13-18) should ingest no more than 100 mg of caffeine a day because of its risk to neurologic and cardiovascular systems.

Because the mission of DSC is to cultivate healthy, responsible athletes, we ask that swimmers carefully consider the perceived benefits of caffeine use against its harmful side effects. If an athlete chooses to supplement his or her diet with caffeine, it will only be after consultation with a licensed dietician or similar expert, and the athlete will inform the appropriate coach about this decision.

ENERGY DRINKS

DSC athletes may not consume energy drinks at practice, competitions, or other DSC-sponsored events. Unlike caffeine supplements, many energy drinks contain banned stimulants ingredients prohibited by USA Swimming. Others contain ingredients which have shown by the FDA to be inherently hazardous, such as ephedra, or cause dangerous interactions with other medications, such as yohimbine. [Tier 1]

3.1 USA SAFE SPORT

Safe Sport is an organization authorized by Congress to help abuse prevention, education, and accountability for amateur sport, dedicated solely to ending the sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of athletes. Safe Sport’s authority derives from the bylaws of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the individual National Governing Bodies (NGBs) who have all agreed to be subject to its jurisdiction and processes.  In addition, in 2018, Congress passed The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 which mandates that the USOPC eliminate abuse and recognizes the Center’s jurisdiction and authority to fulfill this mission.

As part of USA Swimming, DSC uses the definitions and procedures outlined in the USA Center for Safe Sport Code. This Code covers abusive behavior from athletes, coaches, and other adults, including bullying, hazing, emotional and sexual misconduct, and other forms of harassment. DSC takes any violation of the Safe Sport Code seriously, and its Board has completed training on recognizing violations and responding appropriately. Safe Sport courses are available for both athletes and parents/guardians. The full Safe Sport Code is available on our website or at

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/governance/lsc-managementdocuments/interpretations-legislation-bylaws/code-of-conduct-expert-2018.pdf

3.12 DSC SAFE SPORT GUIDELINES

  1. Parents should be encouraged to appropriately support their children’s swimming experience.
  2. All swimming practices should be open to observation by parents.
  3. Coaches should not initiate contact with or accept supervisory responsibility for athletes outside club programs and activities.
  4. When only one athlete and one coach travel to a competition, at the competition the coach and athlete should attempt to establish a “buddy” club to associate with during the competition and when away from the venue.
  5. Relationships of a peer-to-peer nature between coaches and athletes should be avoided. For example, coaches should avoid sharing their own personal problems with athletes.
  6. Coaches and other non-athlete adult members should avoid horseplay and roughhousing with athletes.
  7. When a coach touches an athlete as part of instruction, the coach should do so in direct view of others and inform the athlete of what he/she is doing prior to the initial contact. Touching athletes should be minimized outside the boundaries of what is considered normal instruction. Appropriate interaction would include high fives, fist bumps, side-to-side hugs and handshakes.
  8. Coaches should avoid favoritism or the appearance of favoritism. Gift-giving, providing special favors or showing favoritism to individual athletes is prohibited.

3.13 FILING A SAFE SPORT COMPLAINT

To file a report, use the online reporting system at Safe Sport Portal or call (833) 5US-SAFE (587-7233). For more information, see Safe Sport . A good explanation of reporting procedures can be found here: Response & Resolution Process | SafeSport .

3.2 BULLYING, HAZING, AND ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR

Bullying, hazing, and harassing or abusive behavior is unacceptable at Durango Swim Club and will not be tolerated. No athlete, parent, or coach may bully, haze, or harass any person, nor aid or abet any other person to bully or harass another or to engage in conduct that may be construed by the target or witnesses to be bullying, hazing, or harassment. [Tier 2-3]

3.3 BULLYING REPORTING PROCEDURE

An athlete who feels bullied is asked to do one or more of the following things:

  1. Talk to a parent/guardian;
  2. Talk to a Club Coach, Board Member, or other designated individual;
  3. Write a letter or email to the Club Coach, Board Member, or other designated individual;
  4. Make a report to the USA Swimming Safe Sport staff.

There is no express time limit for initiating a complaint under this procedure, but every effort should be made to bring the complaint to the attention of the appropriate club leadership as soon as possible to make sure that memories are fresh and behavior can be accurately recalled and the bullying behavior can be stopped as soon as possible.

3.4 HAZING

DSC does not tolerate any form of hazing from its athletes or coaches. Hazing is any conduct that subjects another person, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or psychologically, to anything that may endanger, abuse, humiliate, degrade or intimidate the person as a condition of joining or being socially accepted by a group, team or organization. Purported Consent by the person subject to Hazing is not a defense, regardless of the person's perceived willingness to cooperate or participate. [Tier 2-3]

3.5 SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AND ABUSE

Sexual misconduct and/or sexual abuse, as defined in the Safe Sport Code, will be grounds for immediate suspension. Any action that falls within the “Prohibited Conduct”  section of that Code will be referred to the appropriate investigating body. [Tier 3]

4.1 ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

All communications between a coach or other adult and an athlete must be professional in nature, and solely for the purpose of communicating information about team activities. The content and intent of all electronic communications must adhere to the USA Swimming Code of Conduct regarding Athlete Protection. Any communication with an athlete, electronic communication should not contain or relate to any of the following:

Any electronic communication must be transparent, accessible and professional:

TRANSPARENT

Your communication should only be clear and direct, but also free of hidden meanings; innuendo and expectation.

ACCESSIBLE

All electronic communication between coaches and athletes should be considered a matter of record and part of the Club’s records. Whenever possible, include another coach or parent in the communication so that there is no question regarding accessibility.

PROFESSIONAL 

All electronic communication between a coach and an athlete should be conducted professionally as a representative of the Club. This includes word choices, tone, grammar, and subject matter that model the standards and integrity of a staff member.

4.2 SOCIAL MEDIA

Coaches may have personal social media pages, but they are not permitted to have any athlete member of the Club join their personal page as a friend. Coaches are encouraged to set their pages to private to prevent athletes from accessing the coach’s page. A coach should not accept any such request from an athlete. In addition, coaches and athletes are not permitted to private message each other through any social media website, application, or other program.

The DSC has an official Facebook page that athletes and their parents can join for information and updates on team related matters.

4.3 TEXTING

Subject to the general guidelines mentioned above, texting is allowed between coaches and athletes during the hours 7:00am and 9:00pm. Texting shall only be used for the purpose of communicating information directly related to team activities.

4.4 EMAIL

Athletes and coaches may use email to communicate between the hours of 7:00am and 9:00pm.

4.5 REQUEST TO DISCONTINUE ALL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

The parents or guardians of an athlete may request in writing that their child not be contacted by coaches through any form of electronic communication.

5.1 CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS

In addition to swimming technique, DSC seeks to instill good sportsmanship, respect for others, responsibility, fairness, kindness, and good citizenship.  We ask that all communications between parents/guardians, coaches and athletes be conducted in a respectful, conscientious, and discreet manner. Sensitive topics or issues involving other athletes or community members should be discussed discreetly and confidentially involving the fewest number of individuals possible, in order to protect all parties involved.

5.2 PARENT/GUARDIAN AND COACH COMMUNICATION

We encourage parents/guardians and coaches to communicate freely and openly with each other. However, in extreme cases where parents/guardians and/or athletes fail to communicate calmly and respectfully with a coach, the coach may request that all future communications between the parties be directed through either the Head Coach or DSC Board of Directors. In these cases, direct communication between the parents/guardians and the coach will be prohibited.

5.3 CONFLICT RESOLUTION

If a conflict between an athlete or parent/guardian and a coach arises, all parties should model appropriate problem-solving behavior.  Parents/guardians should be discreet and respectful in expressing their thoughts and concerns to coaches and other staff and should avoid criticizing coaches or other staff in front of athletes or other parents.  Concerns or complaints are best resolved at the lowest level possible.  Therefore, DSC encourages and requires adherence to the following “chain of command” in resolving concerns:

  1. Athlete conference with coach:  If appropriate, parents/guardians should encourage their athletes to first discuss issues first with the coach involved.  The athlete may contact the head coach in this process.
  2. Parent/guardian conference with coach: If the athlete’s conference with the coach fails to resolve the concern to the athlete’s satisfaction, or if the parent/guardian has a concern or complaint, the parent/guardian should schedule an informal conference with the athlete, coach, and the head coach, if applicable.  The parent/guardian should schedule this conference in writing.
  3. Written complaint: If the parent/guardian conference fails to resolve the concern or complaint, the parent/guardian shall cease all direct communications with the coaching staff and shall provide a written complaint to the DSC Board.
  4. Group conference: The DSC Board shall schedule a formal conference or conferences, as necessary, with the parent/guardian, the athlete, and appropriate coaching staff.
  5. Administrative determination:  The DSC Board shall determine whether: (a) the complaint is justified, and remedial actions should be taken; or (b) the complaint is without justification and no further action will be taken.  The Board shall mail or deliver a written copy of his or her decision to the parent/guardian, the athlete and to coaching staff involved. If an investigation of a violation of this Rulebook is deemed necessary, the Board will conduct the investigation and come to a determination through a vote.

 

Every effort shall be made to ensure an efficient resolution of the complaint.  Throughout this process, parents/guardians and athletes shall not attempt to intimidate, bully, threaten, or otherwise harass DSC staff, athletes, or other parents in an attempt to influence the outcome of the complaint. All parties shall treat the matter as confidential.

5.4        PARENT/GUARDIAN GUIDELINES

We hereby acknowledge that we have received and read the information provided in the DSC Team Rules and Guidelines. We confirm that we understand the contents and will act accordingly as required.

_____________________________________________________________________

Athlete #1 Name         

                                        

__________________________________________________________________________

Athlete #2 Name (if none type n/a)                                

__________________________________________________________________________

Athlete #3 Name (if none type n/a)                        

__________________________________________________________________________

Athlete #4 Name (if none type n/a)                                

I hereby acknowledge that both I and my swimmer(s) have thoroughly read and fully agree to the terms and conditions presented.

_________________________________________________________________________

Parents Name                                        Parents Signature                                Date