High Tides Swim Club – Member Responsibilities
Swimmers
1. Team members are expected to be on deck and ready for practice on time.
2. Team members are expected to display proper respect and sportsmanship toward coaches, officials, meet administrators and fellow competitors. No swearing or use of abusive/profane language is acceptable at any time or place. No yelling or lashing out at any official or opposing coach/team.
3. All team members are expected to follow the team uniform policy. Your personal appearance shall be neat and appropriate at all times
4. Meet warm-up times, which are set by the staff and published in the team meet information and on the website are to be strictly adhered to by all team members.
5. All swimmers who are members of the High Tides Swim Club are required to participate at their highest level of achievement in championship meets (including relays).
6. Team members must check with their coach prior to leaving a meet.
7. Swimmers are expected to meet with their coach after each of their events.
8. Swimmers are encouraged to sit with the team and participate in all team meet activities and team meetings.
9. While representing High Tides all swimmers will conduct themselves in a befitting manner at all facilities and team functions. No vandalism or destruction of property will be tolerated. Swimmers are expected to leave the High Tides team area in a neat and clean condition at the conclusion of each session of a meet.
10. All questions swimmers may have concerning meet results, an officiating call, or the conduct of a meet, should be referred to the High Tides coaching staff only. Our coaches, in turn, will pursue the matter through the appropriate channels.
11. In prelim/final meets, all swimmers who qualify to compete in the finals and consolation finals are encouraged to participate. All team members are strongly encouraged to return to the evening finals sessions to support the team and take advantage of the opportunity to learn from watching. At times, alternate spots and relay positions open up that need to be filled.
12. Any device capable of taking a picture or video is not allowed in the locker room at any time.
Coaches
The job of the head coach is to supervise the entire competitive swim program. The entire High Tides coaching staff is dedicated to providing a program for children that will enable them to learn the value of striving to improve oneself. Coaches will be in total control in matters affecting training and competition.
1. The coaches are responsible for placing children in practice groups based on the age and ability level of each individual and the group.
2. Sole responsibility for stroke instruction and the training regimen and practice sessions rests with the High Tides coaching staff.
3. The coaching staff will make the final decision concerning which meets High Tides swimmers may attend. The coaching staff also makes the final decision concerning which events a swimmer is entered into for all meets.
4. At meets, the coaching staff will conduct and supervise warm-up procedures for the team. After each race, the coaches will offer constructive criticism regarding the swimmers performance. (It is the parent's job to offer love and understanding regardless of their child’s performance)
5. The building of a relay team is the sole responsibility of the coaching staff, and all team members are expected to participate if called upon.
6.While participating at a practice or meet, the supervision of swimmers is the responsibility of the coaching staff.
7. High Tides coaches will work directly with the swimmers on planning their goals and expectations. The coaches will discuss with swimmer how to achieve these goals.
8. If a problem arises in practice, such as a child sitting out or misbehaving on a regular basis, the lead coach will contact the parent to let them know.
Parents
1. Get your swimmer to practice and meets on time.
2. Display good sportsmanship at all times. Respect swimmers, coaches, officials and spectators. Do not yell or use profanity to swimmers, coaches, officials, spectators, or members of our team. Parents will practice teamwork with all parents, swimmers and coaches by supporting the values of Discipline, Loyalty, Commitment, and Hard Work.
3. Do not confront a swimmer, coach, or an official. If you have an issue set up a meeting in private with the coach. During a competition questions or concerns regarding decisions made by meet officials should be directed to a member of our coaching staff. Parent’s should not address officials directly.
4. Do not coach or instruct a swimmer at a practice, or meets (from the stands or any other area) or interfere with coaches on the pool deck.
5. Support your child’s desire to swim. Do not force your child to participate. Children should participate for their enjoyment.
6. Emphasize skill development and how practice and consistency benefit young athletes.
7. Learn the rules of swimming.
8. Make sure you pay all fees and keep current. Coaches do not want to exclude kids from practice because of unpaid fees.
9. Parents will be responsible for their swimmers behavior at meets and practices when they are not on the pool deck or supervised by a coach.
10. Fulfill your volunteer requirement to the team. One of the commitments made when you joined the team was to help work our home swim meets. Every family is expected to provide workers for any meets the club decides to host.
All swimmers parents and coaches must abide by the rules of the High Tides Swim Club, Minnesota Swimming Inc., and USA Swimming Code of Conduct rules set forth in Article 302 of the USA Swimming handbook.
