Team Travel Guidelines
(as of January 2022)
Team Travel charges - Travel charges are applicable when the team travels outside of the Metro Phoenix area. Team/Coach travel, lodging, and meal expenses will be split evenly across all the families that are attending, and fundraising dollars will be allocated as available.
Travel Policy (including Swim Meets)
The following rules are designed to help ensure the success of any Pitchfork Aquatics trip or participation in any swim meet. Any actions contrary to these objectives may result in immediate return home at athlete’s expense. Behavior, speech or demeanor, which does not represent Pitchfork Aquatics in a positive light may result in penalties including:
- Restriction from attending future out-of-town events
- Suspension from Pitchfork Aquatics
- Expulsion from Pitchfork Aquatics
1. In general, each eligible athlete should be considerate of their teammates, coaches, meet officials/volunteers, and/or chaperones, and must realize that the reputation of the Pitchfork Aquatics is associated with athlete behavior.
2. Athletes must be polite and considerate to all hotel staff, wait staff, meet management personal, bus drivers, flight attendants and any other service providers.
3. Athletes should exhibit good sportsmanship both towards teammates and competitors.
4. Please be on time to all departures and meals. We often move as a group and our schedule is designed to maximize athlete rest and performance.
5. All athletes must be respectful and deferential to chaperones at all times. Chaperones are volunteers and their presence helps ensure a smooth trip and allows the coaches to spend time on the meet and athletes and not on clerical tasks.
6. Appropriate attire is required, and Pitchfork Aquatics gear is encouraged. If the trip includes a planned event with specific attire, the coaching staff will inform athletes well in advance of departure. Please do not pack or wear clothing with inappropriate logos or messages.
7. All Athletes must be in assigned rooms at curfew and also follow lights out policies.
8. Hotel doors are to be propped open during free time between sessions or prior to curfew (if people of the opposite sex are in the room).
9. Use or possession of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs will not be tolerated. The strictest of punishments will be imposed for these infractions. Anyone found or suspected to be IN THE PRESENCE of others (regardless of team affiliation) associated with alcohol or illegal drugs will be subject to punishments and probable expulsion.
10. Discriminatory behavior or sexual misconduct toward or by a fellow teammate, competitor, staff member, chaperone or coach will not be tolerated at all and will be punished in accordance with USA Swimming policies and local laws.
11. Swimmers are responsible for all incidental damage to their rooms or other property while on the team trip.
12. The directions & decisions by coaches/chaperones are final.
13. All attendees must abide by all local, state, and federal laws.
14. Athletes are in the care and supervision of the coaches and chaperones from the beginning through the end of the trip when traveling together. Athletes may not leave events or deviate from team schedule without a prior, written agreement, which clearly details the athlete’s release from the trip.
15. Athletes may not engage in any activities, which endanger themselves or others.
16. Athletes should bring an appropriate amount of money and/or a debit/credit card to support any expenses not already billed for separately. Those expenses will be defined prior to the trip by the coaching or other Pitchfork Aquatics staff member.
The preceding clauses outline a general tone and vision for team travel. A specific trip may have additional specific rules and coaches may create and enforce rules as circumstances warrant during a trip. Athletes acting inappropriately may be subject to disciplinary action.
For each travel trip, Swimmers and/or a parent/guardian will be asked to sign an agreement that Pitchfork Aquatics, all coaches, and chaperones shall be held free and harmless from any and all liabilities or claims for damages arising by reason of injuries to anyone during the conduct of this event/trip, and also agree that any swimmer on the trip who does not follow the above the rules will be sent home at their own expense and will accept any further punishment deemed acceptable by the Pitchfork Aquatics head coach and Board of Directors.
