Dear Parents and Members:

As our organization grows and we continue to expand and improve our program, we seek to establish or clarify our policies. Our policies help to guide our organization and ensure our continued success. One of the areas important to us is parent behavior, specifically, what type of behavior is expected of sports parents.

Our team is fortunate to have highly experienced, professional coaches working to develop our children into better athletes and more importantly, disciplined young men and women. As parents, it is absolutely essential that we give our coaching staff the respect and authority they deserve to run our team. Our coaches are hired for that purpose.

Courtside Stingrays Team GOAL

Our goal is to introduce the sport of competitive swimming to the youngsters of our community. We want to provide the type of individual and team competition which has, as its primary goal, the safe teaching of swimming with the proper competitive strokes, and the enhancement of each swimmer’s self-esteem through the improvement of their individual performance. We also strive to promote sportsmanship, and to build lasting positive relationships between swimmers, their parents and their neighbors.

How We Achieve Our Goal

  1. Regardless of individual or team ability, every swimmer must have an opportunity to participate on an equal basis.

  2. Remember that each individual develops athletic skills at his/her own pace and success is realized at various stages. The job of your coaches is to help our swimmers improve during the season. Through improvement, our swimmers (and our team) will be winners!

  3. Swimming with the Stingrays should be a positive experience for all of our swimmers. They should feel that they belong, and should be encouraged to share their ideas and to improve their skills.

  4. Each swimmer should feel that the time they spend with the Courtside Stingrays has been well worth their time and effort.

  5. EVERYONE -  swimmers, coaches and parents, the entire Courtside Stingrays Family, should have FUN!

We as an organization highly encourage the following parental behavior:

  • Open communication between parents, athletes and coaches emphasizing goal-setting and focusing on the performance expectations of both the athlete and the parents
  • Meeting with the coaches/athletes/parents during normal operating hours to discuss issues
  • Positive reinforcement of all athletes in all situations; team spirit, team loyalty
  • Parental involvement on the Board of Directors and in organizing and running of competitions and other team events

We as an organization will not tolerate the following behavior from parents:

  • Coaching your children at practice or during competitions: that is the coach’s job
  • Interrupting or confronting the coaching staff during practice or competitions
  • Abusive language towards coaches, athletes, parents, officials and your own children
  • Any behavior that brings discredit or disruption to our athletes and our organization

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

Our “Parent Code of Conduct” was developed as a standard to emphasize our organization’s commitment to making everyone’s involvement with our club a positive experience.

As a parent of an athlete and a member of the Courtside Stingrays, I will abide by the following guidelines:

I. Practice teamwork with all parents, athletes and coaches by supporting the values of Discipline, Loyalty, Commitment and Hard Work.

II. As a parent, I will not coach or instruct my child or any other athlete at a practice or competition (from the stands or any other area) or interfere with our team’s coaches.

III. Demonstrate good sportsmanship by conducting myself in a manner that earns the respect of my child, other athletes, parents, officials and the coaches at meets and practices.

IV. Maintain self-control at all times. Know my role...

Athletes – Compete

Coaches – Coach

Officials – Officiate

Parents – Parent

V. As a parent, I understand that criticizing, name-calling, use of abusive language or gestures directed toward the coaches, officials, and/or any participating athlete will not be permitted or tolerated.

VI. Enjoy your involvement with our organization by supporting the athletes, coaches and other parents with positive communication and actions.

VII. During competitions, questions or concerns regarding decisions made by officials should only be directed to a member of our coaching staff. Parents will address officials via the coaching staff only.

Sanctions - Should I conduct myself in such a way that brings discredit or discord to the club, or national governing body, I voluntarily subject myself to disciplinary action. The club maintains the right to terminate any membership with/without cause in the interest of our vision, mission and objectives.