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South Jersey Aquatic Club

SWIM TEAM CODE OF CONDUCT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

PURPOSE

To provide for the best possible individual, team and program responsibility which promotes the sport of swimming, helps to develop the athletic ability and character of the individual swimmers, and helps maintain SJAC Swim Team’s reputation and standing as a “world class” swim team.

 

CODE OF CONDUCT POLICIES

All members and extensions of the team, including coaches, officials, volunteers, parents and athletes, must not only protect, but also improve the excellent reputation that SJAC has earned throughout the state and country. Members of the SJAC Swim Team must, at all times, follow appropriate code of conduct policies including but not limited to the following:

  1. Behave in such a way that their action reflects positively on themselves and the team at all team practices, meets, team trips, team or individual group outings and any team functions.
  2. Display proper respect and sportsmanship toward coaches, officials, administrators, fellow competitors, parents, and the general public in attendance at practices, meets or team functions.
  3. Follow the directions of the coaching staff during practice, meets, and other team activities.
  4. Do not purchase, possess, sell, or use alcohol, tobacco, or any illegal non-prescription drugs.
  5. Do not illegally purchase, sell or misuse prescription drugs.
  6. Do not remove or take any article that does not belong to them, such as clothing, jewelry, money or any other items regardless of value.
  7. Respect the property of SJAC and any other facility the team may visit or use. No swimmer shall tamper with or cause damage to any such facility.
  8. Promote positive team spirit and morale, which includes being humble in victory and courageous in defeat. Deal justly, kindly and impartially with all fellow team members.
  9. Refrain from all illegal or inappropriate behaviors that would detract from a positive image of the team or be detrimental to its performance objectives.
  10. Never interfere with the progress of another swimmer at any time.
  11. Obey applicable pool safety rules, including but not limited to the following:
    1. No running on deck or in the locker rooms. 
    2. Shower before entering the pool.
    3. No diving except where permitted and in the manner permitted.
    4. No unruly or disruptive behavior, such as; pushing, shoving, yelling on deck or in the locker rooms.
    5. No towel snapping or hitting.
    6. No fighting or roughhousing.
    7. It is the swimmer’s responsibility to familiarize themselves with and abide by pool safety rules applicable to the facility where a practice or swim event is being held.
  12. Refrain from verbal or physical abuse/assault or inappropriate touching behavior towards other teammates, coaches, officials, or fellow competitors.
  13. Swimmers must practice/compete to the best of their ability at all times.
  14. Never endanger the safety of another participant, coach or administrator.
  15. Never leave the supervision of the coaching staff without their direct approval.
  16. Never participate in inappropriate or unsupervised activities between participants.
  17. Come ready to practice and meets with all necessary equipment and on time.
  18. Swimmers must stay in practice area during entire practice.
  19. Swimmers must wear designated team suit, cap, and other clothing as prescribed by the coaches.
  20. Swimmers must avoid use of any nutritional supplements not approved by a coach or physician.
  21. Parents should remain within spectator areas unless volunteering in an official capacity that requires them to be on deck. Only swimmers, coaches, timers, officials and other meet representatives shall be allowed on pool deck during swim competitions and team practices.

Swim team parents, officials, coaches, volunteers, and anyone in attendance at any SJAC Swim Team event on behalf of any SJAC Swim Team member is expected to maintain compliance with applicable SJAC Swim Team Code of Conduct Policies and Procedures and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary actions for any events of noncompliance.

 

ADMINISTRATION

The SJAC Swim Team Code of Conduct Policies and Procedures will be governed by the SJAC Advisory Board (the “Board”) and the Director of Competitive Swimming (the “Director”). All decisions made by the SJAC coaching staff, at the site of any infraction will initially prevail. Appeals, if necessary, can be made in writing within 48 hours and in a rational, constructive, and fair manner and will be heard by the SJAC Advisory Board and the Director of Competitive Swimming as soon as possible. Parents shall have the right to request to have an appeal heard on an emergency basis in situations which are time sensitive. All decisions made by the SJAC Board Advisory Board and the Director of Competitive Swimming will be final.

Board Members will not be permitted to participate in processes which represent direct personal conflicts of interest in any way. In such a case a replacement(s) will be appointed to fill in for that process by the Board President(s).

 

SJAC Safe Sport Policies and Guidelines (adapted from USA Swimming’s Safe Sport Guidelines)

SWIMMER DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

All members (swimmers, coaches, swimmers’ families, volunteers, and officials) of the SJAC Swim Team (the “Team”) are required to comply with the SJAC Swim Team Code of Conduct Policies and Procedures (the “Code”). Parents and swimmers must understand that each swimmer is responsible for his/her own actions. During practice sessions and meets the coaches’ primary responsibility is to train and coach the swimmer, not act as a disciplinarian. Any member who violates any portion of the Code will be subject to the following disciplinary measures. Disciplinary actions with respect to any Level I or Level II incident may include, but may not be limited to:

i.          Dismissal from practice or Team trips and immediate return home at the swimmer’s expense;

ii.         Disqualification from one or more events, or all events of competition;

iii.       Disqualification from future Team travel meets;

iv.        Suspension from practices or events or reassignment to other groups; and/or

v.         Dismissal from the Team.

Final determination of any disciplinary action may be subject to the sole discretion of the Director.

Level II (major incidences):

Level II (major incidences) under the Code include the following:

  1. Purchase, sale, possession or use of alcoholic beverages or tobacco of any kind;
  2. Purchase, sale, possession or use of illegal non-prescription drugs;
  3. Illegal purchase, sale or misuse of prescription drugs;
  4. Verbal or physical abuse/assault or inappropriate touching behavior towards other teammates, Team coaches or other staff members;
  5. Destruction of any kind at the SJAC facility or any other facility we attend as a Team;
  6. Theft of any article, such as clothing, jewelry, money or any other items regardless of value;
  7. Misrepresentation of swimmer’s age by parent and/or swimmer; and
  8. Any other incident not specifically defined herein but deemed to be a Level II incident by the SJAC Board or the Director

 

All Level II (major incidences) will be subject to the following disciplinary procedures*:

  1. First Offense: The swimmer will be dismissed from the practice or event immediately and a disciplinary note will be emailed to (i) the swimmer’s parents, (ii) the Director, (iii) the Head Coach or Head Age Group Coach (as applicable), and (iv) and The SJAC Advisory Board President (the “AB President”).  The swimmer will be automatically suspended from the Team pending a meeting with all previously mentioned individuals, along with the coach observing the incident and the swimmer. During this meeting the final disciplinary action will be determined and documented. Any practices missed during any suspension  period will be counted as missed practices for attendance purposes. All parties involved in the meeting will be required to sign the disciplinary note and/or any further disciplinary action.
  2. Second Offense: The swimmer will be dismissed from the practice or event immediately, and the swimmer will be  dismissed from the Team with no refund of Team fees.

 

There will be a one year probationary period from the date of the first Level II offense.  If another offense (Level I or Level II) occurs during that one year period it will be considered as a second offense subject to appropriate disciplinary actions. If the one year probationary period expires without the occurrence of another offense, then the next offense will be considered as a first offense with appropriate disciplinary actions being taken.

If a swimmer commits three (3) Level II offenses in total, regardless of time period lapsed, then that swimmer will be immediately dismissed from the Team with no refund of team fees.

* Note: If there are extreme consequences, as determined by the Board or the Director, such as legal violations or physical injury to any party involved, the swimmer may be immediately dismissed from the Team with no refund of team fees.

 

Level I (minor incidences):

All incidences not identified as Level II (major incidences) above will be considered as Level I (minor incidences) pursuant to the Code

All Level I (minor incidences) will be subject to the following disciplinary procedures:

  1. First Offense: The swimmer will be notified by the swimmer’s coach and a disciplinary note will be emailed to (i) the swimmer’s parents (ii) the AB President and (iii) the Director explaining the unacceptable behavior on the day of the occurrence.  The swimmer’s parents must arrange for a meeting with the coach observing the incident to discuss the incident. The swimmer’s parents, the swimmer and the swimmer’s coach must all sign the disciplinary note.  The failure of the swimmer’s parents to timely arrange for the above-referenced meeting or the failure of the swimmer or the swimmer’s parents to sign the disciplinary note may result in immediate suspension of the swimmer or other disciplinary action in the discretion of the Director.
  2. Second Offense: The swimmer will be notified by the swimmer’s coach and a disciplinary note will be emailed to (i) the swimmer’s parents, (ii) the AB President, and (iii) the Director outlining the unacceptable behavior on the day of occurrence. The swimmer will be suspended from the next scheduled practice session or event, as applicable. A missed practice will be counted as a missed practice for attendance purposes. The swimmer’s parents must arrange for a meeting with the coach observing the incident and the swimmer to discuss the incident prior to the release of the swimmer’s suspension and return to training. The swimmer’s coach, with the approval of the Director, may impose further disciplinary measures as a requirement for releasing the swimmer’s suspension.  The swimmer’s parents, the swimmer and swimmer’s coach must all and sign the disciplinary note and/or any further disciplinary action.  The failure of the swimmer’s parents to timely arrange for the above-referenced meeting or the failure of the swimmer or the swimmer’s parents to sign the disciplinary note or action may result in immediate suspension of the swimmer or other disciplinary action in the discretion of the Director.
  3. Third Offense: The swimmer will be notified by the swimmer’s coach and a disciplinary note will be sent and emailed to (i) the swimmer’s parents, (ii) AB President and (iii) the Director explaining the unacceptable behavior on the day of the occurrence. The swimmer will be suspended from the next two (2) scheduled practice sessions or the event, as applicable. Missed practices will be counted as missed practices for attendance purposes. The swimmer’s parents must arrange for a meeting between the swimmer’s parent, the coach observing the incident, the swimmer, the AB President, and the Director prior to the release of the swimmer’s suspension and return to training.. The Director may impose further disciplinary measures as a requirement for releasing the swimmer’s suspension. The swimmer’s parents, the swimmer, the swimmer’s coach, the PBA President and the Director must sign the disciplinary note and/or any further disciplinary measure.  The failure of the swimmer’s parents to timely arrange for the above-referenced meeting or the failure of the swimmer or the swimmer’s parents to sign the disciplinary note or action may result in immediate suspension of the swimmer or other disciplinary action in the discretion of the Director.
  4. Fourth Offense: The swimmer will be dismissed from the Team with no refund of Team fees.

There will be a one year probationary period from the date of each Level I offense.  If another Level I offense  occurs during that one year period it will be considered as a second offense subject to appropriate disciplinary actions. If the one year probationary period expires without the occurrence of another offense, then the next offense will be considered as a first offense with appropriate disciplinary actions being taken.

All incidents of disciplinary action (Level I and Level II) will be recorded in the swimmer’s Record of Disciplinary Action. 

***The AB President and the Director will maintain all disciplinary notes and measures in the swimmer’s file.

 

Mandatory Meets/Attendance Disciplinary Action

Swimmers that do not participate in end of season Championship meets may be dismissed from the Team. Swimmers that are cut from the program will need tryout for a spot on the Team in the following season. The Team will not guarantee spots to swimmers that have been dismissed. Swimmers in the Platinum Group also are required to adhere to the Platinum Group’s attendance policy.