Anti-Bullying Policy

RAC is committed to providing a safe, caring and friendly environment for all of our coaches and athletes and, consistent with being a USA Swimming club, adopts this anti-bullying policy.

Bullying by or against our coaches, swimmers and/or divers of any kind is unacceptable at RAC and will not be tolerated. If bullying does occur, all swimmers, divers and parents should know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening, is expected to tell a coach or a RAC board member.

What is Bullying?

Generally, bullying is the severe or repeated use of oral, written, electronic or other technological expression, image, sound, data or intelligence of any nature (regardless of the method of transmission), or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at an athlete that to a reasonably objective person has the effect of:

• causing physical or emotional harm to an athlete or damage to an athlete’s property;

• placing the athlete in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her property;

• creating a hostile environment for an athlete at any practice, SAL, USA Swimming or RAC activity; or

• materially and substantially disrupting the training process or the orderly operation of any SAL, USA Swimming or RAC activity (which for the purposes of this section shall include, without limitation, practices, workouts and other events of a SAL and/or USA Swimming club).

Reporting Procedure

An swimmer and/or diver who feels that he or she has been bullied is asked to do one or more of the following things:

• Talk to your parents;

• Talk to a RAC coach or RAC board member;

• Write a letter or email to a RAC coach or board member;

• Make a report to the USA Swimming Safe Sport staff.

  Please contact the individual(s) with whom you feel the most comfortable.

  There is no express time limit for initiating a complaint under this procedure, but every effort should be made to bring the complaint to the attention of a RAC coach or RAC board member as soon as possible to make sure that memories are fresh and behavior can be accurately recalled and the bullying behavior can be stopped as soon as possible. In response to a report, RAC will take appropriate steps to inquire, investigate and stop any bullying or other inappropriate conduct and will take such other action as appropriate to remedy the situation.