Code of Conduct

Swimmer Code of Conduct

As a member of the Tsunami Swim Team, I understand that my conduct reflects not only on myself and my family, but also on my team. I understand that participation in a sport is a privilege and that sportsmanship is an integral part of being an athlete. As a member of the Tsunami Swim Team, I will:

• Respect my coaches at all times. They are part of my growth as an athlete and a person, and they have valuable lessons to offer.
• Respect my teammates. Being a member of a team means helping my teammates, cheering them on at meets, and supporting them during long events. I understand that bullying in any form (verbal, physical, or emotional) will not be tolerated.
• Respect members of other teams. Being a good athlete means being both a good winner and loser. I will make an effort to congratulate other swimmers and understand that all swimmers on deck at an age group meet are potential future teammates in high school or college.
• Respect officials and coaches from other teams. Officials and coaches have a high level of earned expertise and are here to contribute to the sport.
• Be mindful at all times that my behavior reflects on my team. This is especially true when wearing Tsunami team wear or traveling with the team at away meets.
• Maintain an excellent code of conduct on deck at meets. I understand that my behavior on deck at a swim meet reflects not only my team and my coaches, but also myself.
• Maintain a high level of conduct in locker rooms.
• I will respect the property and privacy of my teammates.
• I will also respect the facility, whether it is at home at Northview or at an away meet.

Parent Code of Conduct

To have a successful program, we must have understanding and cooperation between parents, swimmers, and coaches. The progress a child makes depends, to a great extent, on this relationship. It is with this in mind that we ask you to consider the following carefully as a Tsunami parent:

• Every individual learns at a different rate and responds differently to the way swimming is taught.
• Plateaus occur in every swimmer's career, both in competition and in training. A plateau signifies that the swimmer has mastered lower-order skills, but the skills are not yet sufficiently mastered to leave the swimmer's attention free to attack newer, higher-ordered skills. It is essential to explain to the athlete that plateaus occur in all fields of physical learning. The most successful athletes are those who work through this momentary delay in improvement and then go on to achieve greater performance, ultimately approaching their personal potential.
• Children aged 10 and under are the most inconsistent swimmers, and this can be frustrating for parents, coaches, and swimmers alike. Assure them that time, patience, and practice will help them become consistent. Particularly in the case of these young swimmers, the attitude and behavior of the parent have a significant impact on the child.
• Parents should recognize that the slow development of a competitive drive at an early age is normal and likely more desirable than the precocious or forced early development of a competitive spirit. It is also crucial for children to adapt to reasonable levels of emotional stress. The minor disappointments they learn to handle as youngsters prepare them for the larger ones they will experience as adults. No one can win or succeed all the time. Every child can gain from his/her experience, whether they ever win a single race. The important thing is for the swimmer to keep striving to do better the next time.
• It is the coach's job to offer constructive criticism of a swimmer's performance. It is the parents' job to supply love, recognition, and encouragement to help young athletes feel good about themselves.
• Parents' attitudes and models often dictate those of their children. A child may not be consciously aware of this, but their subconscious absorbs powerful messages about their parents' desires. For example, be enthusiastic about taking your child to practices and meets. Do not look at these as chores.
• Do not criticize the coach in front of the child. This undermines the coach's authority and breaks the swimmer/coach relationship necessary for maximum success.
• No parent should behave in a manner that brings discredit to the child, team, or competitive swimming. Any disagreement with a meet official should be brought to the attention of the coach and handled by the coach.
• Ensure that your child swims because they want to. Young people will resist what they have to. Self-motivation is the driving force behind all successful swimmers.
• Effective communication between the coach and the swimmer is crucial. A two-way relationship must exist daily in practice and at meets. The coach must have the swimmer's full attention at these times. Parents do not participate in coaching. There will be times you disagree with the coaching staff and/or the board. By signing below, you are committing to the following procedure for a redress of grievances:
• I will wait for a minimum of 24 hours after an incident before contacting the head coach. This period will allow both myself and the coach involved time to reflect and gain perspective.
• I will respectfully contact the coach and schedule an off-deck meeting. I recognize that heated discussions on the pool deck during practice are disrespectful to our swimmers and detrimental to the coach-swimmer relationship.
• If I feel my concerns have not been addressed, I will contact a board member to act as an intermediary.
• I will not use the pool lobby or the stands at meets to air my grievances. This behavior only serves to create negative energy that is harmful to our swimmers and our club as a whole. I will address my concerns with the proper board member, rather than publicly tarnishing the club's reputation. 
• Please be sure you understand and reinforce the following with your swimmer:
  • ​Swimmers are encouraged to support their teammates both at practice and at meets. Working together as a unit for the benefit of all individuals in the group is a crucial aspect of the Tsunami spirit.
  • Swimmers are expected to follow the verbal directions of the coaching staff. At no time will disrespectful attitudes be tolerated from any swimmer. Disciplinary action may result.
  • Abusive language, lying, stealing, and/or vandalism are NOT tolerated. These behaviors are directly contrary to the objectives of the Sylvania Tsunami Swim Club and are detrimental enough to the group to warrant strict disciplinary action.

Finally...

Swimmers who are causing disciplinary issues are detracting from the sport for the rest of the team. If your swimmer is in violation of the Code of Conduct or is causing disciplinary problems during practice or meets, they will be removed from the situation.