WINDSOR WATER RAT EXPRESS SWIM TEAM
BY-LAWS
August 2025
Article I. General Agreement Section 1.01 Name. This organization shall be known as the Windsor Water Rat Express Swim Team or WWRX. The purpose of this Organization shall be to support and promote competitive swimming, to promote good sportsmanship, and to further the interest of swimming through the Central Connecticut Swim League, the Central Connecticut Winter Swim League and USA Swimming.The Organization is operating within the meaning of IRS Publication 557 Section 501(c)(3) or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code and is operating exclusively as a not for profit organization.
Article II. Membership
Section 2.01 Membership shall be open to all town of Windsor swimmers ages 5-18 and non-resident swimmers in accordance with the Central Connecticut Swim League (CCSL) and the Central Connecticut Winter Swim League (CCWSL) regulations. Membership is automatic for all parents/guardians of WWRX swimmers regardless of residence. Former WWRX swimmers between the ages of 19-22 who are swimming on a college team may swim with the team at the discretion of the coaches. Adult swimmers must follow all team rules and will be responsible for all volunteer requirements.
Article III. Team Operations
Section 3.01 Governing Body. The Organization shall abide by the rules and regulations of the Central Connecticut Swim League, the Central Connecticut Winter Swim League and USA Swimming.
Section 3.02 No WWRX swimmer may swim USA Swimming without also participating in recreation league competition, unless otherwise precluded by a high school league. Nor may a WWRX swimmer swim for more than one team concurrently except as outlined in the CCSL Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 3.03 Waiver/Release of Liability. Each family must sign a Release of Liability And Waiver of Certain legal Rights for the swimmer to participate in the WWRX program before the swimmer can enter the pool.
Section 3.04 Medical Liability. Each family must complete a Medical Release Waiver disclosing any relevant medical conditions for the swimmer to participate in the WWRX program before the swimmer can enter the pool. Since we do not have medically trained personnel, coaches will not be authorized to receive, hold, or administer any medications to swimmers. If at any time, the coaches do not feel that they can keep swimmers safe in the water due to medical conditions, they will notify the Board, who in turn will speak with the family. Medical conditions are at the discretion of the Board and may include, but are not limited to, concussions, epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, allergies, and cardiac conditions. Until an official note from the swimmer’s physician approving swimming as a safe activity is presented to the Board, the swimmer will not be able to enter the water.
Section 3.05 Fees. Fees are nonrefundable two weeks after practice commences unless the swimmer develops a doctor diagnosed medical condition. In this case, fees will be refunded on a pro-rated basis as determined by the WWRX Board.
Section 3.06 Volunteering. Each family is required to fulfill a minimum volunteer requirement each season. The minimum commitment will be designated by the Board of Directors and based on the season and the number of swimmers. Families who do not fulfill their volunteer requirement will be charged a fee as stated in the registration information for that season.
Section 3.07 Standing Committees. Standing Committees are created at the will of the Board for the proper management of the organization and require volunteers. These committees may include: Banquet, Concessions, Ribbons, Spirit, Fundraising, Website, Publicity.
Article IV. Board of Directors
Section 4.01 Members. WWRX shall be governed by a Board of Directors (the "Board"). The Board shall establish policies and directives governing business and programs of the WWRX and has authority and responsibility to see that the policies and directives are appropriately followed.
Section 4.02 Compliance - Each Board Member and Committee Member shall abide by the codes of conduct and ethics, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations adopted by Connecticut Swimming Institute (CSI) and USA Swimming, including its obligations and responsibilities set forth in these Bylaws. Each Board Member and Committee Member shall not take, or allow to be taken, any action or conspire with or instigate any other person to take, or allow to be taken, any action that could bring the sport of swimming, CSI, or USA Swimming into disrepute. By applying for and accepting membership in CSI and USA Swimming, each Board Member and Committee Member agrees to so abide and represents, except to the extent disclosed to CSI and USA Swimming, that he or she has never been convicted of a crime involving sexual misconduct, child abuse, violation of a law specifically designed to protect minors, or similar offenses, or to have been found by the Zone Board of Review or the National Board of Review to have committed actions that would be the basis for a conviction, and that she or he has never acted in a manner that might bring into disrepute CSI, USA Swimming, or the sport of swimming
The Board of Directors shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Varsity and Junior Varsity Representatives, USA Swimming Representative, and Diversity & Inclusion Representative, Head Coach(es) and Concession Manager.
Section 4.03 Board Compensation The Board shall receive no compensation other than for reasonable expenses. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed to preclude any Board member from serving the organization in any other capacity and receiving compensation for services rendered.
Section 4.04 Voting Members. All members of the Board of Directors are voting members. Voting members of the Board of Directors are to be elected at the Annual Meeting, with the exception of the Head Coach, who is appointed by the Board the Directors.
Section 4.05 Resignation. Each Board member shall have the right to resign at any time upon written notice to the Board or Secretary of the Board. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation shall take effect upon the ending of the season, and the acceptance of such resignation shall take effect upon receipt thereof, and the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Section 4.06 Removal. A Board member, regular or alternate member of the Board of Directors, committee chair, committee member, or coordinator who has failed to attend to his or her official duties or member responsibilities or has done so improperly, or who would be subject to penalty by the Board of Directors of Review for any of the reasons set forth in Article 404.1.3 of USA Swimming Rules and Regulations may be removed from the Board of Directors. A motion or order calling for removal of a member of the Board of Director shall be determined by a two-thirds vote after at least thirty (30) days’ notice.
Section 4.07 Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy of a Board member, regular or alternate member of the Board of Directors, the Board shall appoint an interim member until an election can be held at the next annual meeting to fill the remaining term. In the event of a temporary incapacity, the President may designate, with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, an individual member to act on behalf of the incapacitated officer for the duration of the incapacity.
Section 4.08 Authority. The Board of Directors shall have general charge of the affairs of the Organization. It shall have full authority to act for the Organization on any matters requiring action between the Annual Meetings of the Organization. It shall have the authority to:
(a) fill vacancies between elections,
(b) hire coaches in consultation with the Head Coach(es), and
(c) determine fees
(d) appoint a Nominating Committee and such other committees as deemed desirable for the proper management of the Organization’s affairs.
Section 4.09 President. The President shall be a parent of an active swimmer and preside at all regular and special meetings of the Organization and of the Board of Directors and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. In addition, the President shall preside at Awards Night(s), help develop the operating budget, coordinate fundraising efforts, develop the agenda for each meeting, and keep lines of communication open between parents, coaches and the Board. The President shall be the Board’s representative in the hiring and firing of coaching personnel. The President shall schedule all coaches, schedule the Organization’s use of swimming pools, report paid staff hours to the Treasurer and express custodial/facilities concerns to the proper parties. The President shall be the spokesperson for the Organization. The President must be a current USA Swimming member and must also complete a background check (www.usaswimming.org/backgroundcheck) before the USA practice season begins. This is required to represent WWRX at the House of Delegates.
Section 4.10 Vice President. The Vice President shall have all the authority of, and shall perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board. In addition, the Vice President shall be responsible for the cultivation of officials, as well as coordinate meet officials. In addition the Vice President must be a current USA Swimming member and must also complete a background check (www.usaswimming.org/backgroundcheck) before the USA practice season begins. This is required to represent WWRX at the House of Delegates.
Section 4.11 Secretary. The Secretary shall record and keep minutes of all the meetings of the Organization and Board of Directors and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President and the Board of Directors. However, in the event that the Secretary is unavailable, the President of the Board shall appoint an individual to act as Secretary at the meeting. The Secretary, or the individual appointed to act as Secretary, shall prepare the minutes of the meetings. A copy of the minutes shall be delivered to each Board member within 10 days after the close of each Board meeting. The Secretary shall create and distribute team rosters and other required information as required by CCSL or CCWSL rules. In addition, the Secretary shall coordinate public communications and disseminate information including printing and school notices.
Section 4.12 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall track registrations, collect and receive any moneys due the Organization, shall have custody of its funds, shall keep regular and correct accounts, and shall pay or cause to be paid all expenses of the Organization. The Treasurer shall provide written reports at each board meeting and make a yearly report at the Annual Meeting and shall perform any additional duties pertaining to the office including but not limited to: Federal and State tax forms, insurance matters, tracking and validation of coaching hours. The Treasurer must be a current USA Swimming member and must also complete a background check (www.usaswimming.org/backgroundcheck) before the USA practice season begins. This is required to represent WWRX at the House of Delegates.
Section 4.13 Varsity and Junior Varsity Representatives. The Varsity and Junior Varsity Representatives shall, for the respective divisions, represent the interests of each division in Board decisions. In addition, they shall act as meet managers for the league dual home meets, ensure the meets (home and away) are adequately staffed with timers, scorers, ribbon awards writers and other support personnel. They shall also be the liaisons between parents, coaches and the Board of Directors.
Section 4.14 USA Representative. The USA Swimming Representative shall represent the interests of the USA Swimming members in Board decisions, shall be the liaison between USA-S swimmers, parents and the Board. In addition, the USA Representative is responsible for the distribution of information from Connecticut Swimming and shall be the liaison with Connecticut Swimming. The USA-S Representative is responsible for and shall complete or designate a team parent(s) to complete all tasks:
(a) Attend House of Delegates and Zone Challenge meetings. Each club has one vote and the vote must be cast by a club delegate. Each club may list 3 delegates but may cast only one vote. All delegates must be USA registered. If you wish to register or change a delegate please notify [email protected]
(b) Assign families to work assignments for all regular meets, Regional Championship, Age Group Championship and Senior Championship.
(c) Register and administer forms for athletes and the team with Connecticut Swimming and make disbursements to Connecticut Swimming
(d) Work with USA coach(es) to decide which meets to attend, communicate USA-S meet information, ensure all swimmers have had an opportunity to sign-up for a meet, prepare necessary meet entry materials and conform to meet announcement requirements, collect meet entry fees, establish and maintain records, accounts and a USA checking account.
(e) Disburse any necessary communications to the swimmer/parents, establish and maintain all swim time records, maintain team records at least twice yearly and make necessary reports to the Board of Directors.
Section 4.15 Diversity and Inclusion Representative. The Diversity and Inclusion Representative shall be the liaison between minority swimmers and families and the Board of Directors and the liaison between swimmers with differing abilities and the Board of Directors.
Section 4.16 Head Coach. The Head Coach (or designee) shall be the liaison between the Organization, the Central Connecticut Swim League and the Central Connecticut Winter Swim League and shall attend league meetings, and report paid staff hours to the Treasurer.
Section 4.17 Concession Manager. The Concession Manager shall be responsible for providing concession stand refreshments at all league and USA meets sponsored by WWRX. The Concession Manager’s duties shall include but not be limited to purchasing the necessary food and beverages, setting up and taking down the stand, recruiting necessary volunteers, have custody of the concession funds, maintain necessary accounting of sales and expenditures and make reports at the Organization and Board meetings.
Section 4.18 Community Connector. The Community connector is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships between the organization and the broader community. This role focuses on public relations, fostering partnerships with local businesses, schools, and community groups to support the mission and growth of the team. This Board Member actively promotes team initiatives through grants and partnerships, in addition to enhancing the organization’s visibility and reputation.
Section 4.19 Coach Requirements. It is a requirement that the Head Coach(es) meet the following minimum credentials or obtain the following credentials in a reasonable time to be determined by the Board.
1. Complete a USA Swimming background check (www.usaswimming.org/backgroundcheck).
2. Complete a CPR/AED course (courses not on the list will not be accepted).
3. Complete Safety Training for Swim Coaches (Please refer to USA Swimming for Safety Training).
4. Complete the requirements listed on https://www.ctswim.org/Coaches/USA-Swimming-Coach-Requirements/new-coaches/
5. Send the completed form, payment, and your CPR/AED & STSC certifications to www.ctswim.org (amount due and address will be printed on the form)
6. Provide the Board with email confirmation that your application has been received and entered into the database; then complete Steps 7 & 8.
7. Complete Foundations of Coaching 101 (www.usaswimming.org/FOC).
8. Complete the online Athlete Protection Training course (www.usaswimming.org/protect).
Article V. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Section 5.01 Nominating Committee. The Board of Directors shall appoint a nominating committee at least one month prior to the election to be held at the Annual Meeting. The Nominating committee shall solicit candidates for the Board of Directors positions. At the Annual Meeting the Nominating Committee shall submit a slate of nominees to which may be added names proposed by any member to be voted upon by the membership in attendance. Additional nominations for any Board position may be made from the floor provided the nominee is a member of WWRX.
Section 5.02 Elections. Elections shall be carried out by voice vote unless a ballot is requested and that motion is passed by a majority of members present and voting.
Section 5.03 Majority. A majority of those present and voting will be sufficient to elect any Board position. The Board of Directors shall be elected every two years (bi-annually) but there shall be no term limit of the Board of Directors.
Article VI. MEETINGS
Section 6.01 Annual Meeting. An Annual Meeting of the Organization shall be held sometime between the completion of USA winter Age Group Championships and March 31st of each year. The Annual Meeting shall be for the purpose of presenting reports, electing the Board of Directors, and for the transaction of such other business as may be necessary.
Section 6.02 Board Meetings. Board Meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The purpose of Board Meetings shall be to conduct the business of the Organization, hear reports, fill Board and staff vacancies and make decisions necessary to maintain the continued operations of the Organization.
Section 6.03 General Meetings. General meetings or other forms of communication may be used from time to time by the Board of Directors when it is urgent and necessary to obtain the consensus of approval of the members between Annual Meetings. Calling of General Meetings may include, but not be limited to, amending by-laws, emergency or urgent communications, or a call to action. All meetings will be announced and the time and place of each meeting listed.
Section 6.04 Voting. A majority of votes cast on any motion shall be sufficient to pass the motion. The President or Vice President with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, may rescind or amend something previously adopted by the Organization.
Article VII.
Section 7.01 Amendments The by-laws may be amended at any general meeting of the Organization by a majority vote of those members present and voting provided a 15-day written notice has been given to all Organization members. The notice may be e-mailed to members or posted on the WWRX website.
