Travel Swim Team Policy

 

Team members will display proper respect and sportsmanship toward coaches, officials, administrators, teammates, fellow competitors, and the public always.

 

Purpose

Athletes are most vulnerable to misconduct during travel, particularly overnight stays.  This includes a high risk of athlete-to-athlete misconduct.  During travel, athletes are often away from their families and support networks, and the setting – new changing areas, locker rooms, workout facilities, automobiles, and hotel rooms – is less structured and less familiar.  

 

Travel Team is defined as overnight travel, to a swim meet or other team activity that is planned and supervised by the club or LSC.

 

Section 1 - USA Swimming Required Policies

Club and LSC travel policies must include these policies.  These items are Code of Conduct stipulations in the USA Swimming Rulebook.

 

a.  Club travel policies must be signed and agreed to by all athletes, parents, coaches, and other adults traveling with the club. (305.5D)

b.  Team managers and chaperones must be members of USA Swimming and have successfully passed a USA Swimming administered criminal background check. (305.5B)

c.  Regardless of gender, a coach shall not share a hotel room or other sleeping arrangement with an athlete (unless the coach is the parent, guardian, sibling, or spouse of that athlete). (305.5A)

d.  When only one athlete and one coach traveling to a competition, the athlete must have his/her parents’ (or legal guardian’s) written permission in advance to travel alone with the coach. (305.5C)

 

Section 2 – CCA Policies

a.  During team travel, when doing room checks, attending team meetings and/or other activities, two-deep leadership and open and observable environments should be maintained.

b.  Athletes should not ride in a coach’s personal vehicle without another adult present who is the same gender as the athlete unless prior parental permission is obtained.

c.  During overnight travel team, if athletes are paired with other athletes they shall be of the same gender and should be a similar age.

d.  To ensure the propriety of the athletes and to protect the staff, there will be no male athletes in female athlete’s rooms and no female athletes in male athlete’s rooms (unless the other athlete is a sibling or spouse of that athlete).

e.  A copy of the Club Code of Conduct must be signed by the athlete and his/her parent or legal guardian.

f.  Curfews shall be established by the team or LSC staff each day of the trip.

g.  Team members and staff traveling with the team will attend all team functions including meetings, practices, meals, meet sessions, etc. unless otherwise excused or instructed by the head coach or his/her designee.

h.  The directions and decisions of coaches/chaperones are final.

i.  Swimmers are expected to always remain with the team during the trip.  Swimmers are not to leave the competition venue, the hotel, a restaurant, or any other place at which the team has gathered without permission/knowledge of the coach or chaperone.

j.  When visiting public places such as shopping malls, movie theaters, etc. swimmers will stay in groups of no less than three persons.

k.  The Head Coach or his/her designee shall make a written report of travel policy or code of conduct violations to the appropriate club or LSC leadership and the parent or legal guardian of any affected athlete.

 

Behavior

a.  Be quiet and respect the rights of teammates and others in hotel.

b.  Be prompt and on time.

c.  Respect travel vehicles.

d.  Establish travel dress code.

e.  Use appropriate behavior in public facilities.

f.  Adhere to two different curfews established by coaches – in own rooms and lights out.

g.  Must stay in assigned hotel room.

h.  Needs and well-being of the team come first.

 

Financial

a.  No room service.

b.  Swimmers responsible for all incidental charges.

c.  Swimmers responsible for any damages or thievery at hotel.

d.  Must participate in contracted group meals.

e.  Communicate travel reimbursement information and policies.

f.  Team members and staff will refrain from any illegal or inappropriate behavior that would detract from a positive image of the team or be detrimental to its performance objectives.

g.  The possession or use of alcohol or tobacco products by any athlete is prohibited.

h.  The possession, use, or sale/distribution of any controlled or illegal substance or any form of weapon is strictly forbidden.

e.  No ‘deck changes’ are permitted.  Athletes are expected to use available change facilities.

 

Team members are reminded that when competing in meets, traveling on trips, and attending other meet-related functions, they are representing both themselves and CCA.  Athlete behavior must positively reflect the high standards of the club.

 

Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct as set forth in this document may result in disciplinary action.  Such discipline may include, but may not be limited to:

 

- Dismissal from the trip and immediate return home at the athlete’s expense.

- Disqualification from one or more events, or all events of competition.

- Disqualification from future travel team meets.

- Dismissal from the team.

- Proceedings for a LSC or USA Swimming National Board of Review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.usaswimming.org/protect