Weston Swimming believes that swimming is both fun and competitive. Our dedicated coaches work together towards one common objective – success for every swimmer at every level. We strive to produce happy, confident and well-rounded athletes, both in and out of the pool. Weston Swimming is commited to providing a safe environment for all our members by adhering to our athlete protection policies. Weston Swimming has adopted the Safe Sport guidelines as required by USA Swimming. Weston Swimming allows each swimmer to dedicate himself/herself to achieving the highest levels of competition and personal performance while also developing a lifelong interest in the sport of swimming.

MISSION

Our team philosophy is reflected in our mission: to develop skills for competitive swimming as well as encourage team spirit, health and fitness, and sportsmanship.

VISION

Weston Swimming is dedicated to bring out the very best in our athletes and we aim to be successful at all competitive levels. We encourage our athletes to strive to do their very best through hard work and dedication. Weston Swimming is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all our athletes and endevour to develop prepared and focused individuals who can succeed and thrive both in and out of the pool.

COMMUNICATION

Weston Swimming strives to maintain strong and open communication with our swimmers and our swimming families. At the beginning of the season (September), we hold a mandatory parent meeting to enable our parents to meet the coaches, hear details about the program and volunteer expectations, and ask questions.

During the rest of each season, our coaches communicate as follows:

Email: This is our primary method of communication. When registering for the season, families are asked to provide a primary email address. It is important to inform our registrar and website coordinator of any changes to your email address so that you can receive emails from the team. Please check your e-mail often!

SportsYou: Each squad has a sportsyou group where information regarding practice, meets etc is shared. This is used for last minute communication also so please ensure you (and your swimmer) are signed up for the correct squad.

Team Website: The team website is www.westonswimming.org. As noted above, this website is updated on an ongoing basis and includes information about meets, meet sites, volunteer requirements and other important items. Please check the website on a regular basis for team updates.

Weston Swimmming Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westonswimmng/

Weston Swimming Parent Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1300964003374191

Instagram:@westonswimming

TEAM REQUIREMENTS

PRACTICE GEAR

Bathing suit: girls should wear racing back suits and boys should wear non-baggy suits such as Speedos
Swim caps (girls)
Goggles (bring spare)
Towel
Water bottle
Additional equipment such as fins and pull buoys are only used by our Age Group thru to National team swimmers - all equipment requirements are listed by squad on our team page at SwimOutlet - https://www.swimoutlet.com/westonswimming/?utm_source=soaffiliate&utm_medium=lookup&utm_campaign=7050843

MEET GEAR

Please note: Weston Swimming team suits and monogrammed swim caps must be purchased by each team member and are to be worn at meets.

Weston Swimming bathing suit
Weston Swimming bathing cap (boys & girls)
Goggles (two pairs are useful if one breaks or is lost)
Two towels (one for sitting on and one for keeping dry)
Healthy snacks (usually allowed on deck)
Water bottle
Portable chair
Sunscreen for outdoor meets
Waterproof bag to hold all gear
Change of clothes
Combination lock
Reading material or other items to pass the time at meets

Please refer to our online team store to view all required items.

https://www.swimoutlet.com/westonswimming/?utm_source=soaffiliate&utm_medium=lookup&utm_campaign=7050843

Please note that SwimOutlet donate a percentage of sales purchased through SwimOutlet back to the Weston Swimming.

PRACTICE GROUPS

Weston Swimming is organized into Practice Groups based on each swimmer's ability and age. At the beginning of each season, the coaches determine Practice Group assignments. The coaches also determine when a swimmer can be moved and/or promoted to the next Practice Group. At each Practice Group level, the goals are specific and directed toward meeting the needs of each swimmer. As each swimmer is different, he/she will progress at his/her own rate.

Please review the Practice Squad tab on our home page for complete practice group descriptions and requirements.

The more a swimmer attends practice, the faster his/her improvement will be. Progress is a direct result of attendance at practice. Set forth below are some keys to assist swimmers in moving to the next level:

Commitment/attendance to practice, meets, and team functions
Skill shown in practices, meet performance, overall improvement
Positive attitude

SWIM MEETS

TYPES OF MEETS

Weston participates in two types of meets: USA Meets (in Fall/Winter) or Connecticut Summer Swim League Meets (CSSL) (in Spring/Summer). All competitive team swimmers may participate in meets. USA Swimming, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the National governing body for competitive swimming. USA Swimming selects the teams for all international meets, including the Olympics. The organization is organized into 56 regional Local Swimming Committees (“LSCs”), which follow the same technical rules but, in many respects, operate independently. Our LSC is CSI, and is run by parent volunteers. If you are interested in becoming active in CSI, contact the team president or go to the Connecticut Swimming website, which can be accessed through a link on the Weston Swimming website.

USA Swimming publishes a yearly rulebook containing all the swimming rules, national time standards, and other useful information. If you would like to obtain a copy, contact USA Swimming at 719-578-4578, or download one for free at www.usa-swimming.org.

Anyone joining USA Swimming as a non-athlete member receives a rulebook as part of the membership fee.

DESCRIPTION OF SHORT COURSE AND LONG COURSE MEETS

Fall/Winter meets are called Short Course (“SC”) meets because meets are held in 25 yard pools and all distances are measured in yards. For example, a "50 free" during SC is freestyle for two lengths of the pool, with one “turn” at the end of the first 25 yards.

Spring/Summer meets are called Long Course (“LC”) meets because the meets are held in 50 meter pools and all distances are measured in meters. For example, a "50 free" during LC is freestyle for one length of the pool and a “100 free” is freestyle for two lengths of the pool, with one “turn” at the end of the first 50 meters.

USA SWIMMING MEET INFORMATION

USA Swimming meets make up the majority of the meet schedule. Swimmers compete in an age category based on their age the first day of the meet. These meets include many teams and can include 500+ swimmers. USA meets can be a half a day, one day or more.

They are divided by age, with certain ages swimming morning sessions, and others swimming afternoon sessions. Swimmers are grouped by ages as well as times. This ensures the athletes will be competing against swimmers of similar abilities.

Age Group Qualifiers: Swimmers are NOT required to meet time standards for entry, and events are generally conducted by sex and age group (10 & under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-18). Ribbons usually are provided to the top six in each individual event and to the top three in relay events. Heat awards may also be provided. These meets are designed to encourage maximum participation, to promote individual achievement and to enable swimmers to establish qualifying times for the championship meets described below.

Championship Meets: These meets are open to Connecticut registered swimmers only, with the exception of the spring CT Senior Open, and are held near the end of the SC and LC seasons. Championship meets have minimum and/or maximum time standards for entry and awards are provided. The SC season ends with several meets. Regional Championships are held at the end of February/beginning of March. You must have participated in USA meets to qualify for these Championships. You cannot swim in an event for the first time, i.e. you must have completed (not been disqualified) an event at a USA meet to swim in that event at Regionals. In addition, there are cut off times for some events; however, for 12/under swimmers, there are no cutoffs for 50 yard events, and for 13/over swimmers, there are no cutoffs for 50 yard and 100 yard events.

During the LC season, you must participate in at least 3 USA meets and you must swim during the summer session to participate at Regionals, which takes place in July. If you are away for the summer, try to incorporate a swimming regime/talk to your swim instructor at camp about setting up a workout for you.

The Regionals Championships are the last event of the SC and LC seasons and the last opportunity for a swimmer to try to qualify for the Connecticut State Championships, which are known as the Age Group Championships. Swimmers meeting Age Group qualifying times prior to Regionals cannot swim that event at Regionals. Every competitive team swimmer may qualify for Age Group Championships, if he/she meets time standards for his/her sex and age group as determined by USA swimming. Time standards can be found on ctswim.org or on our website. The Senior Championships are open to all swimmers regardless of age if he/she has made the cutoff times.

Eastern Zone Championships: Swimmers are selected for the Eastern Zone Championships, which are held in late March/early April, if they have one of the two fastest times for an individual event in their respective age group. To be selected for this meet a swimmer must also meet all the eligibility and pre-application criteria that are published each year by CSI. Swimmers from the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic States compete over the course of three days for individual and team championship honors.

Eastern Zone Long Course Age Group Championships: This is a four-day meet usually held in mid-August. A swimmer who has met all established eligibility criteria will be eligible to compete in up to six individual events for which he/she has met the qualifying time standards.

Sectional Championships: These are the first step into National level swim meets for swimmers meeting sectional qualifying times.

MEET REGISTRATION

We hold meet registrations at the beginning of each season. Each age group (e.g., 8 and under, 10 and under, 11/12s, 13/14s and 15 and over) has a minimum number of meets that he/she is asked to attend.

Please note that your swimmer will be automatically entered into every meet relevant to his/her age group. It is your responsibility to decline from any meets your swimmer is unable to attend. Please also reach out to your swimmers Coach to confirm.

More specific information about each meet can be found on the CSI website: www.ctswim.org

Information regarding events can be found through the "Meet & Events" tab on our website. USA meets entries cost from $5-$20 per event - please refer to individual meet announcments for cost.

You can choose to swim only one day of a two-day meet. Please note: Some two-day meets may actually be a one-day meet/age group (i.e., the meet lasts two days but there are different age groups swimming on each day). You will need to specify the days/sessions in the 'notes' section of your swimmer entry.

The coaches determine which events each swimmer will participate in. Usually this will consist of 3 or 4 individual events and sometimes includes a relay. Meets are sometimes oversubscribed, resulting in the meet sponsor cutting the number of swimmers that can compete in a particular event or entire relay events. The coaches have no control over the decisions made by meet sponsors to cut swimmers, events or entire teams from meets. In these circumstances, the coaches may identify a substitute meet for the swimmers to attend.

MEET INFORMATION

REPORTING TIMES FROM MEETS

If electronic touch pads are used at a meet they provide the "official" time. Buttons and manual watches are used only for backup. When watches are used, the middle of the 3 times is the official time. Official results are posted periodically on a wall usually near the locker rooms or the spectator area so you can see how your swimmer did.

Official times are only recorded in individual events. In general, relay swimmers do not have times recorded for their leg of the relay since they did not start from a starter's signal. The exception is the split time for the first swimmer in a relay, which is an official time and is reported.

MEET POLICIES AND INFORMATION

Meet Conduct

The coaches require that all swimmers sit with the team in the team area at all times between events. Team spirit is an important element of any team, so we expect swimmers to support their teammates by cheering, offering congratulations, and being positive. In addition, we expect each swimmer be a great representative of Weston Swimming, and thus to show respect for the meet officials, the other teams and the coaches.

Meet Guidelines

Listed below are some guidelines to help you through your first couple of swim meets.

In addition, Annex I contains a Glossary of Swimming Terms. If you have any questions, please ask your coach.

Meet information, dates, location, warm-up times, start times, events and directions to the meet are posted on the CSI website. When you review the meet information, typically, the first time listed on the meet sheet is the requested warm-up time by the meet directors, and the second time listed is the meet start time.

Before the Meet Starts

Team warm-ups are usually held one hour prior to the start of the meet. This time will be listed in the meet information posted on the CSI website. WE REQUEST THAT ALL SWIMMERS BE ON DECK DRESSED TO SWIM 15 MINUTES BEFORE WARMUPS.
If you are late, you may be scratched from your events for that day or you may not be able to warm up adequately for your events. You will be scratched from your events for that day if you are not on deck and ready to swim 1/2 hour before the meet starts, when the coaches are required to hand in their entry sheets. There will be no exceptions. This is done so that the meet coordinators can accurately post heat assignments for attending swimmers, and to avoid meet delays (i.e., looking for a swimmer who is supposed to be on a block, but decided not to attend and was not scratched from the meet). This is part of meet etiquette that all coaches adhere to for the reputation of the team. To avoid any confusion regarding scratches, please inform the coaches if your child is registered for a meet and decides not to attend or if you know in advance that your child will be on deck late (less than 1/2 hour before the official start of the meet). If necessary, call the emergency number(s) listed on the meet sheets that can be downloaded from the CSI website.
Upon arrival at the pool, the swimmer should change in the pool locker room. He/she should then take cap, goggles, towel, water bottle, snacks, reading material and sweats (if desired), proceed to the pool deck, and find the area where the team is seated. The coach will give the swimmer warm-up instructions. It is very important for all swimmers to warm-up with the team. A swimmer’s body is like a car on a cold day—he/she needs to get the engine warmed up before he/she can go all out. The swimmer should take his/her swim bag with him/her on the pool deck, or secure it with a lock in a locker, as there have been instances of belongings being stolen from locker rooms.
Parents are not allowed on the pool deck unless they have a specific meet-related work responsibility. Spectator areas are provided for family members and friends.
After warm-up, your swimmer will go back to the area where the team is sitting and wait for his/her events. This is a good time for a bathroom break, getting a drink, or just settling in.
The meet usually starts 15 minutes after warm-ups are over.
A “psych” sheet, or meet program, is usually available for sale in the lobby or in the concession area. Sometimes it is available in advance on the host swimming team’s website. You can find out who the host team is by looking at the meet information on the CSI website. The psych sheet lists the order of events, seeding and times for each swimmer. When a team entry is sent in, each swimmer is entered with his/her previous best time in that event. If the swimmer is swimming the event for the first time, he/she will be entered either as a “no-time” (NT) or at the coach’s best estimate from practice times. The “NT” swimmer will most likely swim in one of the first heats of the event. With the exception of certain distance meets, swimmers with the slowest times race first, in heat 1. Usually either six or eight swimmers race against each other in each heat. There may be as many as few as one or as many as twenty heats per event.
Events usually go by age group and alternate by sex (e.g., 9-10 girls in 50 free followed by 9-10 boys in 50 free followed by 13-14 girls in 50 free followed by 13-14 boys in 50 free followed by 9-10 girls in the next stroke/distance, etc.)
If the venue is large enough, e.g., the Wilton Y, the age groups may be split, with one age group competing at one end of the pool and the other age group competing at the other end of the pool.

The Meet Starts

It is important for every swimmer to know what event numbers he/she is swimming. He/she may swim right away after warm-up or may have to wait for a period of time.
Generally, girls’ events are odd-numbered and boys’ events are even-numbered.
A swimmer must check the heat sheets posted on the wall in the pool deck area to find out which lane and heat of the event he/she is swimming. The swimmer will stay with the team until one or two heats before his or her heat. At that time, he/she will go and stand in line behind the proper lane. If the meet is done with cards, the coach will give the swimmer his card, which will indicate the lane, and the heat the swimmer is in for that event. The swimmer will present this card to the timers for the lane when he/she goes to swim the event.
The swimmer swims his/her race.
After each swim:
1. He/she should ask the timers (people behind the blocks at each lane) his/her time.
2. He/she should go immediately to the coach. The coach will ask
him/her their time and discuss the swim with each swimmer.
The swimmer then waits until his/her next event is called and starts the procedure again.
“DQ" means that a swimmer was disqualified from the event because his or her start, stroke technique or flip-turn was not deemed acceptable by one of the USA judges who watch every swimmer compete. Being "DQ'd" usually happens to every swimmer more than once over the span of their career. The coach will review the reason for the DQ with the swimmer.
When a swimmer has completed all of his/her events, he/she may go home. Make sure, however, that your swimmer has checked with the coach before leaving to make sure your swimmer is not included on a relay. It is not fair to other swimmers who may have stayed to swim on a relay where your swimmer is expected to be a member and he/she is not there.
Results are usually posted adjacent to the spectator seating areas. Awards are often gathered for a team and given to the coach at the end of the meet. They will placed in the swimmer’s folder in the portable bins outside the pool office.

Typically a few days to a week after a USA meet, results are posted on www.ctswim.org. and under the "Results" tab of our website.

Special Parent's Note

The pool area is usually very warm, so make sure that you dress appropriately.

BECOMING A USA OFFICIAL

USA Officials (Starter/Recall, Stroke & Turn, Referee) are often parent volunteers who have undergone some simple training in the technical rules for swimming. Several clinics are held each year. To become a stroke-and-turn official, you need only join USA Swimming, attend a 3-hour clinic, take an open-book take-home test, and work 4 meets as a trainee. We welcome new officials at all times. To begin officiating once you have passed your tests, simply show up at meets ready to work. You are always welcome.

PARENT/GUARDIAN POLICIES

Please abide by the policies set forth below as they are necessary to provide the best experience and environment for your children at practices and meets.

POOL DECK

Please remember that families are not allowed on deck during tryouts or during the season because it is disruptive and distracting for all swimmers and coaches. More importantly, the team is not insured for anyone on deck other than a USA registered athlete or registered non-athlete.

PRACTICES

Please commit to get your child to practice on time. Children should be on deck ready to swim 15 minutes before scheduled practice or meet warm-up times. Children should be dropped-off and walk on deck no more than 15 minutes before practice and picked up no later than 15 minutes after practice.

PRACTICE VIEWING

Families may watch practice from the pool balcony during 'open viewing' sessions. These sessions will be communicated to the team during the season. However, please do not coach your child from the balcony or otherwise distract your child from practice.

Videotaping, pictures, or other distracting behaviors during practice is NOT permitted at any time. Video and pictures are allowed at swim meets as long as you disable your flash and do not stand in front of other coaches, safety marshals, timers, or officials during the meet. This is based on USA Swimming rules and regulations and MUST be adhered to at all times.

COMMUNICATING WITH COACHES

Preferred Methods: To speak with a coach, please use email or telephone. The necessary contact information is available on the website.

Practice and Meet Etiquette:

During Practices/Meets: Avoid interrupting coaches, except in emergencies. Coaches are focused on guiding all swimmers.
Personal Matters: Discussions about individual concerns should not take place during practice or swim meets.

Addressing Concerns:

Scheduling a Conversation: For personal concerns or issues, please schedule a conversation outside of practice and meet times.
Alternative Contacts: If needed, concerns can also be directed to a board member.

LOCKER ROOM CODE OF CONDUCT

Registration Agreement: All team members and their families are required to read and agree to this Locker Room Code of Conduct during online registration. The code applies to deck and locker room areas at any pool where the team is present.

Prohibited Items: Use of cell phones, cameras, and video recording devices in locker rooms is strictly forbidden. This applies to all venues, not just our home facility.

Time Management:

Before Practice: Swimmers should not be dropped off more than 15 minutes prior to their scheduled practice time.
After Practice: Swimmers are expected to spend no longer than 15 minutes in the locker room changing after practice.

Locker Room Supervision:

Team Responsibility: Coaches are responsible for swimmers only on the pool deck.
Monitoring Policy: Locker rooms are checked before practice and again no later than 15 minutes after practice ends. This policy ensures that swimmers vacate the locker rooms promptly and that the area remains secure. Access is limited to swimmers, coaches, approved personnel, and parents/guardians under specific circumstances.

Parental Access: Parents are generally not allowed in locker rooms except in emergencies, in line with USA Swimming SafeSport guidelines. If a swimmer needs assistance due to injury or disability, parents should inform the coach in advance.

Independence for Young Swimmers: Parents of younger swimmers may assist with dressing. We encourage teaching swimmers to dress independently as early as possible. Special arrangements for drop-off and pick-up can be made with the coaches.

Consequences of Non-Compliance: Failure to adhere to this Code of Conduct can result in disciplinary actions, including potential dismissal from the team.

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

All families were required to read the Parent Code of Conduct and agree to abide by it at the time of online registration. This code applies to all team parents/guardians

This is to help facilitate a nurturing environment for our swimmers and supportive environment for our coaching staff. As parents, it is absolutely essential to give our coaching staff the respect and authority they deserve to run their group. By working together in a partnership with them, our club can successfully help your swimmer achieve their full potential.

Parents Code of Conduct:

Set the right example for our children by showing respect and common courtesies at all times to the team members, coaches, competitors, officials, parents, and for all facilities and other property used during practice or competition.
Respect the integrity of swim officials by assuming decisions are based on honest, objective evaluations of performance. Only coaches may approach meet officials for clarification of rulings.
Understand that opposing teams, including their swimmers, coaches, and fans, want the same positive experiences for their swimmers as we do. Help Weston Swimming achieve our goals by avoiding criticism either verbally or by gesture. Look for opportunities to build rapport with teams that we compete and work with.
Demonstrate good sportsmanship during all practices, competitions including relays and team activities. Promote good sportsmanship by setting an example and by helping others to do likewise.
Realize that swimmers become easily confused when coached by parents and benefit most from positive reinforcement of the professional coaching staff’s instructions and advice. Your unconditional love and support before and after races will help them best.
Recognize that Weston Swimming coaches are professionals and allow them to coach your child without interference during workouts and meets, including not being present on deck during practice or competitions unless you are working at the meet.
Support your professional coaches as they strive to do what is best for each Weston Swimming swimmer.
Communicate concerns you may have with your swimmer’s coach or Head Coach in private.
Maintain open and honest communication among all members of the Weston Swimming family. We reach our common goals by working together.
Insist that your child refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, electronic cigarette, drugs, other prohibited substances, violence, abusive or foul language, inappropriate sexual conduct, or any other behavior deemed dishonest, discourteous, offensive, or disrespectful of others. This is a violation of the USA Swimming Code of Conduct and can lead to dismissal for the Club and USA/swimming.

Basic Responsibilities: What to do help your swimmer reach their potential

Practice teamwork with all parents, swimmers, and coaches by supporting the values of Discipline, Loyalty, Commitment, and Hard Work. Represent Weston Swimming with excellence, respect, team spirit, good sportsmanship, and politeness. Maintain self-control at all times. Refrain from inappropriate behavior that detracts from a positive image of the team or is detrimental to our performance objectives.
Assist the coaches in conducting effective practices by ensuring swimmers arrive and leave on time. Strive to build confidence in your swimmer. Support our philosophy of creating independent swimmers in order to develop athletes who possess a strong sense of confidence, self-belief, resilience and self-reliance.
Encourage swimmers to carry their equipment, pack their bags, and take responsibility of their sport.
Arrive at meets in time for volunteer or swimmer check in, stretching and warm-ups. Share the burden among parents by volunteering to help at meets.
Know your role. Swimmers – Swim / Coaches – Coach / Officials – Officiate / Parents - Parent.
Do not coach your child at practice, during meets, or outside the pool. Help your children learn values and positive character traits that will sustain them throughout their lives. When it comes to loving and supporting your child, particularly in public, winning and losing make no difference.
Assist the coaches by not talking with or motioning to swimmers during practices unless clearing it with a coach first.
Do not compare your swimmer to others in the pool, other teams, or siblings. Every swimmer is different and develops differently and independently from one another. Our coaches design and develop their program structures with a lot of thought, research, and experience behind it. Our mission as a club is focused on your swimmer’s long-term development and building them into well rounded athletes.
Do not interrupt or confront the coaching staff on the pool deck during practice or meets.
Trust and support your swimmer’s and coach’s decisions around goal setting, training commitments, swim event entries, and meet schedules. Do not impose your ambitions on your child and do not expect a best time or best times at every meet.
Get involved....be an official, help time, plan a group social. Find something you enjoy.

In exchange for the privilege of my child(ren) to participate in the Weston Swimming program, I understand and agree to the above terms and conditions. Should I choose to disregard any of these rules, or conduct myself in such a way that brings discredit or discord to Weston Swimming or USA Swimming, I voluntarily subject myself to disciplinary action that may include verbal warnings, suspensions or termination of membership from the Weston Swimming club program.

TIMERS FOR USA MEETS

Every team must supply timers at meets, depending on the number of swimmers from that team attending. All Weston parents are required to time, based on the number of days your child (or each of your children) swims at USA meets. You will only be assigned to a meet that your child is attending. If your assignment date is inconvenient, it will be your responsibility to switch with another parent. If multiple timers are assigned for your meet, then it may be possible to split the timing assignment amongst yourselves. You will have to determine the fairest way to split timing assignments at the meet.

Short Course & Long Course Season Timing Requirement:

Each Weston swimmer's family is required to time a minimum of 3 timing shifts per swimmer for each season. If you have more than one swimmer, the family timing requirement cap is 6 shifts for each season. **This excludes timing your own swimmer for distance races. It also excludes Championship meets, finals or travel meets. Those shifts are not included in the minimum requirement.

If any family has not met the minimum requirement there will be a fine of $250 charged to their account at the end of the season

If a family knows in advance, they are unable to meet the minimum requirement we offer a timing buyout option for $250 for each season per swimmer. If you are interested in this option please reach out to our registrar, Anne von Herrmann at [email protected]

SPECIAL EVENTS

We typically schedule several family-oriented special events during each season, so the team has fun both in and out of the pool. These events may include a bowling party, senior team skating night, team dinners, special fun meets, Halloween goody bag distribution, awards banquets, and team BBQs. The success of these fun-filled special events is contingent upon our parent volunteers. The time, effort and commitment put forth by our swimming families are greatly appreciated.

SWIM CLINICS

Swim clinics are offered periodically by the coaches during the season. An email will be distributed when any clinics are organized with registration information.

PRACTICE CANCELATIONS

Practice cancelations are infrequent, but will be posted on the website and sent to the email addresses provided at the time of registration. Some cancelations can be last minute, particularly during inclement weather. Email is our most reliable form of communication. When in doubt, please check your emails prior to taking your swimmers to practice.

LIGHTENING/THUNDER/SNOW

We are required to close the pool and the pool deck in the event of thunder or lightning. Therefore, parents MUST pick-up swimmers EARLY if a storm occurs DURING practice times. In the case of snow, if there is a delay in school opening, there will be no morning practice and if there is an early dismissal or school is closed for the entire day, there will be no morning or afternoon/evening practice. Parents are responsible for swimmers when the pool is closed. If the weather is questionable, please check your emails for practice cancellations prior to taking your children to practice.

LOST & FOUND

In an effort to facilitate our lost & found protocol, please note guidelines below:

* For lost/found swim gear and/or swimming related equipment, our boys and girls locker rooms each have a designated lost and found area.

* For lost/found non swimming equipment (i.e. a jacket, an ipod, a cell phone), please contact our Head Coach M ark Sedlak

TEAM FEES AND POLICIES

Weston Swimming is an independent, not-for-profit swim club. We are funded completely through swimmer registration fees, meet fees and team fundraising efforts. The only paid personnel are our coaching staff. There is no paid compensation to the Board of Directors or parent volunteers. Our registration and meet fees cover a variety of expenses:

Coaches’ salaries (including federal and state taxes and payment to payroll
service)
USA Swimming registration fee and insurance coverage
Weston Parks & Recreation Department pool usage fees
Insurance for coaches and Board of Directors
Meet entry fees
Coaches’ expenses for travel and professional development
General administration fees (website, computer equipment, supplies, accountant costs)
Special Events costs (e.g., end of year banquet, ice skating, including any costs for janitorial support)
Ribbons/Trophies

Weston Swimming is committed to providing the best possible developmental and competitive swim experience to all age groups and skill levels at the lowest possible cost. If there are any questions with regard to this information, please contact our Treasurer. Any request for financial assistance must be made prior to registering for the program.

All requests will remain confidential. Please contact the team President, Charlie Bailey

The deadline for requesting a refund of the registration fee is noted at the time of online registration. After that date, all refunds will be issued only for medical or other exigent circumstances. Requests for refunds should be mailed to the team Registrar. Note that the USA Swimming registration fee and the Weston Parks & Recreation pool fee are nonrefundable once paid by the team.

Weston Swimming Code of Conduct

The Weston Swimming, Inc. Code of Conduct is strict and meaningful in our sport. All people associated with the sport are always expected to act with sportsmanship, dignity and respect for others. This includes coaches, parents, players and referees.

As part of the registration process for Weston Swimming, all athletes and parents must check a box indicating the following:

"We, parent(s) and player, have discussed the Weston Swimming, Inc. Code of Conduct and agree to abide by it. We understand that there is no refund or recourse for dismissal from our program as a consequence of breaking this Code of Conduct."

Poor sportsmanship includes:

Arguing with coaches, officials, teammates, opponents or spectators,
Using threatening or profane language, Baiting or taunting coaches, officials, teammates, opponents or spectators, Uncontrolled behavior in the locker room or pool deck.

Poor sportsmanship will carry, at a minimum, the following consequences:

First Offense - Verbal warning
Second Offense - Dismissal from the pool deck
Third Offense - Dismissal from next meet/practice
Fourth Offense - Dismissal from the team

Locker Room policy violation - The use of cell phones, cameras, and other video recording equipment is strictly prohibited in our locker rooms. Failure to comply with this policy may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the team.

Swimmers:

All athletes are to follow all posted locker room policies at Weston Middle School pool and follow the Weston Swimming Code of Conduct. If the coach(es) become aware of any swimmer violating locker room policy, they will:

discuss with the parent(s) of the swimmer(s) involved
Repeated offenses may result in being barred from locker room use or swim practice.
Use of a recording device will be treated as the most serious offense and depending on content of recordings may require notification of law enforcement

Parents:

All parents should follow the Weston Swimming Code of Conduct:

Should use good judgment in any use of the locker rooms
If a parent becomes aware of locker room misconduct, they should notify a coach immediately
We strongly encourage USA swimming Safe Sport training for all parents (material can be found at www.usaswimming.org)

Coaches:

Are required to have completed Safe Sport training and must undergo a background check as a condition of employment
Are responsible for communicating any reports of misconduct to the swimmers, parents and board members when necessary
Will follow a standard process for handling misconduct as described in the Reporting policy
Weston Swimming coaches will not smoke or use alcohol or illegal substances while with the team at practices, meets, or other team events and understand that Weston Swimming may be required to take immediate action to suspend or terminate a coach who violates this policy.

Weston Swimming Injury Policy

Purpose: Protect the health of the swimmers and maintain club programming.

Who: Any swimmer who sustains an injury and is unable to fully participate in training and competition.

Procedures to Be Followed:

A physician must be consulted within 7 days of the injury occurring
The physician’s diagnosis and written rehabilitation program must be given to the swimmer’s coach before being permitted to practice again.
- A parent summary of what the swimmer can and cannot do will not satisfy this requirement.
- The medical note should cover limits on practicing, competing and an estimate of a return to full practicing.
If the physician’s training restrictions impact the training of other swimmers, the swimmer may be moved into another squad on a temporary basis.
If the coach decides that it would be detrimental to the swimmer if they trained, they will not be allowed into the water and/or dryland. This is at the sole discretion of the Head Coach.
Once the swimmer has received written permission from physician to return to full training and competing, the swimmer will resume training with their own squad.

~Swimmers and Guardian(s) have a responsibility of ensuring adherence to this policy.~

The Board of Weston Swimming approved a new Injury Policy in order to protect the health of the swimmers and maintain club programming. If you have any questions, please contact Charlie Bailey.

Anti-Bullying Policy

PURPOSE

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at Weston Swimming and will not be tolerated. Bullying is counterproductive to team spirit and can be devastating to a victim. Weston Swimming is committed to providing a safe, caring and friendly environment for all of our members. If bullying does occur, all athletes and parents should know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell a coach, board member or athlete/mentor.

WHAT IS BULLYING?

The USA Swimming Code of Conduct prohibits bullying. Generally, bullying is the use of aggression, whether intentional or not, which hurts another person. Bullying results in pain and distress.

The USA Swimming Code of Conduct defines bullying in 304.3.7. Bullying is the severe or repeated use by one or more USA Swimming members of oral, written, electronic or other technological expression, image, sound, data or intelligence of any nature (regardless of the method of transmission), or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at any other member that to a reasonably objective person has the effect of:

causing physical or emotional harm to the other member or damage to the other member’s property;
placing the other member in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her property;
creating a hostile environment for the other member at any USA Swimming activity;
infringing on the rights of the other member at any USA Swimming activity; or
materially and substantially disrupting the training process or the orderly operation of

any USA Swimming activity (which for the purposes of this section shall include, without limitation, practices, workouts and other events of a member club or LSC).

REPORTING PROCEDURE

An athlete who feels that he or she has been bullied is asked to do one or more of the following things:

Talk to your parents
Talk to a Club Coach, Board Member, or other designated individual
Write a letter or email to the Club Coach, Board Member, or other designated individual

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.

HOW WE HANDLE BULLYING

If bullying is occurring during team-related activities, we STOP BULLYING ON THE SPOT using the following steps:

Intervene immediately, It is ok to get another adult to help.
Separate the kids involved
Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs
Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.
Model respectful behavior when you intervene

If bullying is occurring at our club or it is reported to be occurring at our club, we address the bullying by FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED and SUPPORTING THE KIDS INVOLVED using the following approach:

FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED

1. First, we get the facts.

Keep all the involved children separate.
Get the story from several sources, both adults and kids.
Listen without blaming
It may be difficult to get the whole story, especially if multiple athletes are involved or the bullying involves social bullying or cyber bullying. Collect all available information.

2. SUPPORTING THE KIDS INVOLVED

Make sure the child knows what the problem behavior is. Young people who bully must learn their behavior is wrong and harms others.
Show kids that bullying is taken seriously. Calmly tell the child that bullying will not be tolerated. Model respectful behavior when addressing the problem.
Work with the child to understand some of the reasons he or she bullied. For example:

Sometimes children bully to fit in or just to make fun of someone is a little different from them. In other words, there may be some insecurity involved.
Other times kids act out because something else—issues at home, abuse, stress—is going on in their lives. They also may have been bullied. These kids may be in need of additional support.

If necessary, involve the kid who bullied in making amends or repairing the situation. The goal is to help them see how their actions affect others.

Source: www.stopbullying.gov – a federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Photography policy

PURPOSE

There has been much talk about whether it is safe to have images taken of children participating in sports. While the great majority of images are appropriate and are taken in good faith, it is a fact that images can be misused and children can be put at risk if common‐ sense procedures are not observed.

OUR POLICY

The publishing of a photograph of swimmer under 18 either on a notice board or in a published article or video recording (including video streaming) of swimming competitions (“publication”) should only be done with parents’ consent per form signed at registration.
Parent/Guardians have the right to change their permission status at anytime. Written confirmation should be given to the Head Coach and Board member/Registrar.
A parent or guardian has a right of refuse to have children photographed. The exercise of this right of refusal cannot be used as grounds for refusing entry into a swimming competition. Therefore, any photo that may go to press or on a notice board, be it through a member of the club or official photographer, should receive parental consent before publishing/displaying the photo, preferably in writing.
Consent form linked here

In the case of open meets and other competitions where the host club has an official photographer present, all parents attending should be made aware of this in your meet information. If photos are to be published anywhere, the individual parent should be given the opportunity to withhold their consent. Their right to do so should be specifically drawn to their attention.

All photographs must observe generally accepted standards of decency in particular:

Action shots should be a celebration of the sporting activity and not a sexualized image in a sporting context.
Action shots should not be taken or retained where the photograph reveals a torn or displaced swimsuit.
Photographs should not be taken from behind swimming blocks at the start of a race or exhibit a child climbing out of the swimming pool.
Photographs should not be taken in locker‐rooms or bathrooms.

USA Swimming Coach code of conduct

The purpose of this code of conduct for coaches is to establish common expectations for all members of the coaching staff of the club. It is to be used as a guide to promote a positive team environment and good sportsmanship.

At all times, adhere to USA Swimming’s rules and code of conduct.
Set a good example of respect and sportsmanship for participants and fans to follow.
Act and dress with professionalism and dignity in a manner suitable to his/her profession.
Respect officials and their judgment and abide by the rules of the event.
Treat opposing coaches, participants, and spectators with respect.
Instruct participants in sportsmanship and demand that they display good sportsmanship.
Coach in a positive manner and do not use derogatory comments or abusive language.
Win with humility and lose with dignity.
Treat every athlete fairly, justly, impartially, intelligently, and with sensitivity.
Always place the well-being, health, and safety of swimmers above all other considerations, including developing performance.
Continue to seek and maintain their own professional development in all areas in relation to coaching and teaching children.
Always maintain a professional separation between coach and athlete.

Any complaints of a coach violating this code of conduct will be brought to the attention of his/her supervisor and/or the club’s board of directors.

Weston Swimming Grievance policy

Purpose - your safety is paramount to Weston Swimming. If you experience or witness actions or events that concern you or make you feel uncomfortable, it is important to talk to someone about it. This policy outlines the processes where a swimmer, parent, or coach can bring forward a complaint or concern.

Procedures - Coaches, swimmers, and parents are encouraged to talk with each other to resolve their issues. However, if this isn’t possible, members of Weston Swimming should know how to file a grievance

Who to contact (Chain of Command)

Regarding the Conduct of a Swimmer - Contact the swimmer’s coach.

Should a parent or swimmer feel another swimmer’s conduct is inappropriate or violates the Weston Swimming Code of Conduct, the parent/swimmer should discuss these concerns with the coach of the swimmer responsible for the violation (Responsible Coach). This complaint should be made in person or in writing. Coaches will ensure the Weston Swimming Board of Directors is notified of the complaint and will participate in assessing behavior.

Regarding the Conduct of an Assistant or Age Group Coach - Contact the Head Coach, Mark Sedlak [email protected]

Should a parent or swimmer feel an Assistant or Age Group Coach’s conduct is inappropriate or in violation of any Club policies or procedures, the parent/swimmer should notify the Head Coach of this violation. This complaint should be made in person or in writing. The Head Coach will ensure that the Weston Swimming Board of Directors is notified of the complaint and will participate in assessing behavior.

Regarding Conduct of Head Coach – Notify the Weston Swimming Board President, Charlie Bailey [email protected]

Should a parent or swimmer feel the Head Coach’s conduct is inappropriate or violates any Club policies or procedures, the parent/swimmer should notify the President of the Board of Directors of this violation. This complaint should be made in person or in writing. If the President is not immediately available, this complaint may be presented to any member of the Board of Directors, with notification made in writing to the President. This complaint will be subject to review and discussion by the Board of Directors.

Regarding Board of Director Member Conduct - Notify the Weston Swimming Board President, Charlie Bailey [email protected]

Should a parent or swimmer feel a Director’s conduct is inappropriate or violates any Club policies or procedures, the parent/swimmer should notify the Board President of this violation in person or in writing. If the Board President is the Director whose conduct is in question, any other Board member should be notified in writing or in person instead of the Board President. This complaint will be reviewed and discussed by the Board of Directors.

Regarding Parent or Swim Official Conduct - Notify the Head Coach and Board President [email protected] or [email protected]

Should a parent or swimmer feel another Weston Swimming parent’s or an official’s conduct is inappropriate or violates any Club policies or procedures, the parent/swimmer should notify the Head Coach and Board President of this violation in person or in writing. This complaint will be reviewed and discussed by the Board of Directors.

Note: With the exception of issues which immediately affect the health and safety of swimmers, all matters should be discussed before or after a coaching session, as coaches should not be expected to deal with issues during water time.

HOW GRIEVANCES WILL BE HANDLED

The Board of Directors have the authority to impose penalties for infractions of the Weston Swimming Athlete, Parent and Coach Codes of Conduct or any behavior(s) they deem not conducive to the best interests of the Club or other swimmers. Consequences are at the sole discretion of the coaches and/or Weston Swimming Board of Directors and may include, but aren’t limited to, verbal warnings, dismissal from practice, contacting parents, temporary suspension from club activities and expulsion. Involved parties will be informed of the processes and range of potential consequences. The U.S. Center for SafeSport, USA Swimming and local law enforcement (if applicable) will be contacted within 24 hours if a coach, parent, or swimmer violates the SafeSport Code for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements, the USA Swimming Code of Conduct, Athlete Protection Policy, or local laws.

Gathering Information: The appropriate individuals will contact the person who filed the grievance, and the person against whom the grievance is being filed, to ask questions about what happened. In addition, other witnesses may be contacted for more information. All information will be recorded on the Weston Swimming grievance procedure form.
Assessing Behavior: The behavior of the person(s) against which the grievance was brought, will be assessed using club policies and facility rules, USA Swimming Code of Conduct, USA Swimming Safe Sport policies, as well as applicable local and state laws.
Consequences will be given and disciplinary action will be taken, if appropriate. These consequences and disciplinary actions will be decided using the following general guidelines:
1. Nature of the misconduct
2. Severity of the misconduct
3. Prior disciplinary actions
4. Adverse effect of the misconduct
5. Application of the Code of Conduct

If your concern relates to inappropriate behavior or activity that includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Criminal Activity

• Use, sale, or distribution of illegal drugs

• Physical abuse

• Inappropriate touching

• Coaches sharing hotel rooms with athletes

• Rubdowns or massages performed by coaches

• Pictures and/or videos taken in locker rooms or changing areas

• Violations of USA Swimming’s Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP)

Where to report: For issues dealing with sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and/or sexually explicit or inappropriate communication through social media:

U.S. Center for SafeSport: 833-5US-SAFE (587-7233) or https://safesport.i-sight.com/portal

For issues dealing with physical abuse, emotional abuse, criminal charges and the use, sale or distribution of illegal drugs:

USA Swimming Safe Sport: [email protected] or https://fs22.formsite.com/usaswimming/form10/index.html

For issues dealing with known or suspected child abuse:

Weston Police Department - 56 Norfield Rd, Weston, CT 06883. (203 222-2600)

• Swimmers or parents who have a grievance with another swimmer, parent, assistant coach, or official should contact Coach Mark or Board president, Charlie Bailey in writing within two weeks of the date of occurrence. Coach Mark and Board president will discuss the problem in a timely and confidential manner. All information will be gathered regarding the situation, which may involve sit-down meetings with all those involved and any witnesses. Decisions will be made within two weeks of notification. Disciplinary action that may be required is explained in more detail in the Swimmer, Parent, and Coach code of conduct. For bullying concerns, please also see the Weston Swimming Anti-Bullying policy.

VOLUNTEERS

Weston Swimming relies heavily on volunteers to help out at special events. The special events are important to fundraising efforts and to build team spirit. Each family is required to fulfill volunteer credits each season (both SC and LC).

Families can sign up to volunteer on our website. To do so, look under the "upcoming events" heading on the right hand side of our homepage to view upcoming events. Then click "job signup" under a given event to sign up for volunteer credits. Please note that our volunteer signup operates on a first come-first served basis so it is in your interest to register early!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Weston Swimming is run by a volunteer Board of Directors, that currently includes 6 members plus our head coach in an advisory capacity. The Board members include President, Co President, Treasurer, Secretary and Compliance Officer.

MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 1064
Weston, CT 06883

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