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Karishim Swim Club Swimmer/Parent Handbook
Head Coach: Lauren Gale Email: [email protected] Website: https://bit.ly/4b9HGgr
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General Information
Welcome to Karishim Swim Club Welcome! As a member of the Karishim Swim Club (Karishim Swim Club), your child is training with a well-educated and highly experienced coaching staff. Your child’s swimming future is influenced by their individual desire, dedication and commitment. Guiding and developing these personal attributes has a marked impact on your child’s quality of involvement and performance in swimming. It is the Karishim Swim Club philosophy that it takes the coordinated effort of the athlete, parent/caregiver and coaching staff to help your child be the best he/she/they wants to be. To facilitate your child’s development in the sport, Karishim Swim Club coaching staff attends to the following aspects of training. In water training, which consists of all warm-ups, drills, intervals, stroke techniques and competitions. Dry land training, which consists of stretching, drills and other strength enhancing exercise done out of water. Psychological training, which consists of positive attitudes toward self and others, practice and race strategies, goal setting, team meetings and activities. All three aspects work together and are important factors in a successful swimming career. Karishim provides coaches with continuing education and professional development. Karishim Swim Club also offers parent education, parent mentoring and a variety of parent volunteer options. This handbook will serve as a reference for you as a member of the team. In this handbook you will find our philosophy, structure and policies. Information such as current schedule changes, meet timelines, and other updates will be communicated via email and/or through our team website . While this handbook contains a large amount of information, there will inevitably be questions not answered within its pages. Please contact me via email if you have a question concerning the program. With everyone’s cooperation and hard work, I feel certain your swimmer will enjoy a successful and fulfilling season. Again, welcome and enjoy! Lauren Gale - Head Coach
History and Philosophy of Karishim We pride ourselves in developing the technical skills of swimmers, while providing an atmosphere which allows each individual to attain their highest potential. Many of our swimmers who train in our top groups go on to swim at high levels and continue to use swimming as a way to stay healthy. Participation in Karishim Swim Club promises to be a rewarding experience. The program emphasizes individual development of potential in an atmosphere that is both supportive and fun. Karishim Swim Club (Karishim Swim Club) is offered to children between 6 to 18 years of age. We are a technique-based team, where each group is tailored to the swimmers needs while still achieving collective milestones. When grouping children they are placed based on performance and skill rather than age. Karishim Swim Club strives to:
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introduce and foster young people’s enthusiasm for competitive swimming
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provide a fun and enjoyable environment for all athletes
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demonstrate that competition and being part of a team/community is fun
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provide an opportunity for personal and social development
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teach responsible aquatic and team-based behavior
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teach swimmers to have respectful and healthy relationships with coaches, teammates, competitors and themselves
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model good leadership skills and encourage healthy leadership opportunities
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meet each child’s needs with consideration of level of commitment and ability
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provide tools to all athletes to excel in the sport and beyond
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encourage lifetime involvement in physical activity and healthy living
Organizational Flow Chart of Karishim Swim Club Head Coach ↓ Assistant Coaches ↓ Administrative Assistant Office Information Monday-Friday: 12-3:30pm 617.558.6490 [email protected] 333 Nahanton Street Newton, MA 02459 https://bit.ly/4b9HGgr Communications Any schedule changes will be emailed, posted on our team feed through Sports Engine, and/or a push notification text message will be sent if available. Please log on and verify all information is correct. If you would like to receive text messages for last minute changes, please be sure to verify your carrier on sports engine. It will say verify next to it.
Karishim Swim Club Directory At the beginning of the season, a link will be sent to the email we have on file asking if your family would like to be added to the Karishim directory. By completing and submitting the form, you give your permission for Karishim Swim Club to share your information with others on the team. This information is used for carpools, playdates or invitation to bar/bat mitzvahs, etc.
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Training Groups
Swimmer Progression Flow Chart Senior/High School ↑ Senior Prep/High School ↑ Age Group ↑ Junior ↑ Junior Prep ↑ Mini Karishim ↑ Pre-Swim ↑ LKSA/ Swim Lesson Graduate Group Placement Criteria All group placement decisions are made by the coaching staff and are in the best interest of the swimmer and their long-term development as well as the practice group as a whole. Many group promotions are done with consideration of the athlete’s past history of times and work ethic, not what is promised in the future. Swimmers will be moved from group to group as skills are met and there is no set time line for any group promotion. Moving groups generally happens at the beginning of the short course season (August) and possibly at the beginning of long course season (March/April). Coaches are looking at the following criteria: Attendance
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Athlete not only comes to practice, but also comes with all gear and equipment each practice.
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Athlete is meeting or exceeding the required number of practices for the group on a consistent basis.
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Athlete is attending USA swim meets per training group recommendation.
Effort in workout
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Athlete is working very hard on a consistent basis to reach his/her potential. Working hard is not just out swimming everyone in the group, but rather leading with group appropriate technique. As well as when doing strokes, drills, kicks, starts, turns, etc. they are exactly as instructed.
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Athlete is making every effort to swim technically correct and has consistency in their stroke that is appropriate for their swim level.
Showing initiative
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Athlete is leading the lane and being at the top of the entire group.
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Athlete is being positive and showing support for team mates.
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Athlete is asking questions when they are unsure or need help
Swim meets
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Athlete is performing at or near the level of swimmers in the next group.
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Athlete’s times (in practice or at meets) are equivalent to the athletes in the next group.
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Athlete’s strokes, turns and starts are also meeting the level of the next group.
Approval of the head coach
Training Group Information Mini Karishim Mini Karishim practice: Monday-Thursday 4-5pm Swimmers are required to attend at least two practices each week. Junior Prep Junior Prep practice: Monday-Thursday 5-6:30pm Dry land: 4-4:45pm Swimmers are required to attend two practices a week. Swimmers are also required to attend one dry land session per week. Junior Junior practice: Monday-Thursday 5-6:30pm Dry Land: 4-4:45pm Swimmers are required to attend at least three practices per week. Swimmers are required to attend a minimum of one dry land training session per week. Age Group Age Group practice: Monday-Thursday 6:30-8:30pm and Friday 4-5:45pm Dry Land: 5:15-6:15pm Swimmers are required to attend four practices per week. Swimmers in this group are required to attend a minimum of one dry land training session per week. Senior Prep Senior Prep practice: Monday-Thursday 6:30-8:30pm and Friday 4-5:45pm Dry Land: 5:15-6:15pm Swimmers are required to attend four practices per week. Swimmers are required to attend a minimum of one dry land training session per week. Senior Senior practice: Monday-Thursday 6:30-8:30pm and Friday 4-5:45pm Dry Land: 5:15-6:15pm Swimmers in this group are required to attend all practices and dry land training sessions High School Swimmers will be placed in either the senior prep or senior group during their time off from their high school season. These swimmers return to Karishim after their high school swim team finishes. This is not a training group but rather a billing group that is prorated for the time that your child will be away swimming on their high school team. Swim Practice Expectations Practices are the most important part of swim team. The purpose of practice is to improve the swimmer’s technique, endurance and speed. Attendance is critical to ensure athlete success. During practice, swimmers should:
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be on deck, dressed and ready to swim five minutes before practice.
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get in the water on time which means not before or after the coach instructs the group to do so.
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bring:
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stay for the entire practice session. If a swimmer needs to leave early, parents must email the head coach prior to practice. Otherwise, the child will not be allowed to leave early for safety reasons.
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attend the required number of practices for their swim group.
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not wear swim shirts or beach shorts, unless for religious purposes. It is much harder to drag extra fabric through the water.
We refer to the swimmer’s path to excellence a lot in practice. All swimmers should be familiar with it.  Season and Breaks Karishim Swim Club is an 11-month competitive swimming program that starts in August and continues through the swimmer’s last competition in July. From August to April we swim in short course yards (what most pools in this area are). From April to July we swim long course meters (these are the pools you see at the Olympics). Our registration seasons follow the same calendar as our meets meaning that Fall is short course and Spring is Long Course Pool and Diving Locations
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Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center 333 Nahanton Street, Newton 02459
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Boston Sports Institute 900 Worcester Street, Wellesley 02482 (diving)
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Additional pools may be added when/if we get space
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Fee Structure
At registration the following fees are due:
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Full payment of Karishim group fees for either fall, spring or full year
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USA registration fee for all athletes wishing to compete in swim meets
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Apparel fee (includes bathing suit/jammer, swim cap and t-shirt).
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Active JCC family membership or teen membership (if athlete is 12 years or older)
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Swim meet entry fee invoices will typically be sent out the Monday after each meet. We will charge the card we have on file 48 hours after the email is sent.
Karishim Swim Club Apparel Required gear for Karishim is a custom t-shirt, bathing suit and cap. We offer a variety of gear for your swimmer at the beginning of the season for additional purchase. Custom apparel typically includes: backpacks, parkas, sweatshirts and sweatpants. Avoid washing bathing suits in the washer. Instead rinse them with cold water and hang to dry.
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Parents Role
Parents Watching Swim Practice At Karishim, parents are prohibited from sitting on deck in order to observe swim practices.If you are inclined to observe practice, please sit in the viewing area that is above the pool. We ask that you limit interactions with the swimmer during practice and allow them to give their focus to the coaching staff. The reality of carpools and transporting young athletes is that many parents cannot be present every day; and we do not expect you to watch every minute of practice. You are a member of the Karishim as well and we strongly encourage you to use practice time to benefit yourself through healthy habits like working out or taking classes while your child swims, or just taking mindful break in your busy day. To view some class options at the JCC, click here . Here are some important guidelines to keep in mind when observing a practice:
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Young swimmers want their parents’ approval more than anything. If they know you are watching practice, it’s only natural for some of their attention to be directed to you. For the swimmers to learn as much as possible, it is imperative that the coaches have your child’s undivided attention during practice. We ask that you do not communicate with your child during practice so that you do not compete with the coach for his/her attention. Both you and your child deserve a coach's attention and that is not possible between practices.
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We strictly insist that parents do not interrupt the coaches on deck while they are coaching. If you need to communicate with a coach, please do so via email to set up a phone call or meeting. Our coaches coach back to back practices and they need the time in between to get themselves set for the next practice.
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Our coaches spend a considerable amount of time planning weekly training sessions for each of their practice groups. Each training set or instructional drill has a purpose and one practice and/or practice set often builds on another throughout the week. If you have questions please feel free to email and we would be happy to discuss training more in depth with you.
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Please do not try to coach your child based on what you see (or think you do not see) him/her do. Many times, when teaching stroke skills, the coaches ask our swimmers to do things that might not look correct or might actually be illegal according to the rules, but does have an important purpose in teaching skills (i.e., swimming one-arm fly or breaststroke with a flutter kick.)
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If you receive feedback from your child whether it is good or bad, we encourage you to share it with the Head Coach. While we do take time each day to check in with the swimmers, you will hear more about their likes and dislikes than we will. We invite you to email with feedback or set up a check in time to discuss any feedback or concerns you or your swimmer have.
Volunteer Responsibility/Job Descriptions at Swim Meets Timers are back up for our electrical touchpad system. There are two timers per lane. Your job is to time the swimmer in your lane with a stopwatch and record that time on the timer sheet or card provided to you. There is no previous experience needed to time. Families are strongly encouraged to work their sessions when asked. Parents are responsible for volunteering while they have a child competing. If Karishim Swim Club is asked to supply timers at a meet and we do not have any volunteers, each swimmer on the day of that meet will have a financial penalty of $75 per timer/per session added to their meet fees. Coaches WILL NOT be responsible for timing sessions. If we have NO parent volunteers then the head coach will assign a parent. Should that parent not accept the responsibility the ENTIRE team will be taken out of the meet. Timers must stay for the entire session to get credit for volunteering and cannot leave when their child is finished swimming unless they have arranged for another parent to assist. Parents who time during their child’s session, will receive $20 off of their swim meet fees for one child. Parents who become an official and volunteer as an official during their child’s session, will receive 50% of their swim meet fees for one child.
Team Banquet/Social Events Each spring, Karishim Swim Club has a gathering to celebrate individual and team achievements during the short course season. All swimmers receive a participation trophy, and a smaller group will receive special awards. In addition, graduating seniors receive recognition as they complete their Karishim Swim Club swim team careers. All information about the banquet will be on our Sports Engine calendar page and communicated through email when the date gets closer. We strongly encourage all families to attend as this is a great night for all the swimmers and coaching staff. If you are interested in helping volunteer, let us know and we will put you in touch with our parent volunteer coordinator. Other social events will be scheduled throughout the season like our annual Hanukkah party, annual pizza party and Olympics watch parties when applicable. We encourage you to make time for our social events to help us foster a strong sense of community and camaraderie amongst the swimmers.
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Competition
Conduct at Swim Meets Karishim will be known by its action in and out of the water.
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Arrive on time – report to coach
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Complete the warm-up as directed
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Be ready for each of your events
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Check with the coach before and after each event
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Be supportive of your teammates – CHEER!
Unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of any Karishim member (swimmer, parent and/or coach) may result in suspension from the team. Swim Meet General Information The Head Coach selects several swim meets each season to attend as a team. There are times that we may divide our team in order to participate in developmentally appropriate meets. While it may not be immediately obvious why your child is swimming in a particular event, they are expected to swim in the events the coaches have picked. We will not scratch kids from events just because they don’t want to swim a particular event. Coaches spend an enormous amount of time thinking through which events to put swimmers in for the best overall outcome for the swimmer. New events can be intimidating but the coaching staff will do our best to encourage and help each swimmer before each race. Moving out of their comfort zone with the support of the coaching staff is important for the development of a well rounded swimmer. Usually meets are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but some championship or upper level meets can be anywhere from three to five days. In a normal meet there are usually two or three sessions a day. A morning and afternoon session. Teams will be assigned certain warm up times for each meet and different age groups will compete at different sessions. Warmups can be anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour prior to the meet starting and swimmers must enter the water feet first. There is NO DIVING allowed in warmups until the last five minutes under the coaches supervision. Meet events and general division are decided by the hosting team and may vary meet to meet. In addition, some meets are age and ability restrictive. Meet schedules are posted on our Sports Engine website and are subject to change by the hosting site. Detailed meet specifics (including arrival times) will be shared with attendees on Wed/Thu before the meet. Important things to keep in mind:
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Do not commit to a swim meet if you have a prior engagement and/or plans with a tight window.
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Since swimming is an age-defined sport with the competitor’s age determined to the day, NE Swimming requires a copy of a birth certificate or passport to be sent with all registrations for all swimmers.
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Information for interested swimmers will be posted online. Deadlines for meet commitments will be strictly adhered to. Please note that timelines are sent by the hosting team and WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER WHEN THOSE ARE SENT . As soon as we get the timelines a few days before the meet, we will email all committed athletes and update them.
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Once you have committed to a swim meet and the deadline has passed you are responsible for any charges even if your child does not swim.
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Relays will be determined by the coaching staff. All participating swimmers are expected to swim relays when needed. Relays are extremely important to the Karishim Swim Club culture and are a privilege for the swimmers. Relays become very important to the athletes throughout their career with Karishim Swim Club. Anyone not available to swim relays should indicate this in the “optional comments” section when you sign-up. If anyone can only swim one of the weekend days they should indicate this in the “optional comments” section during sign-up.
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No one is allowed to take photos/videos while behind blocks or in the locker rooms at any time. This is a USA Swimming rule and they will stop the meet and reprimand any offenders.
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The coaches have final say in which events a swimmer will swim in. They may have communication with the parents or swimmers on competition events but, much like practice, the coach’s goal is the development of the whole swimmer. If you have questions or concerns about an event, we encourage you to communicate with your head coach.
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Heat sheets are used to know when your athlete is swimming their race. These are usually for sale or posted on the walls in the hallways for parents and swimmers to view. Event information can also be found on Meet Mobile which is a swimming app available for a fee in the app store.
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Depending on whether the meet is pre-seeded or not will determine how the heat sheet is printed. Pre-seeded meets will list the swimmers in their assigned heats and lanes.
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Meets that require check in will list all swimmers in each event in order of "seed time". Seed time is the best time your swimmer has as of the date of entry.
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If the swimmer is swimming an event for the first time, he/she will be entered as a "no time" or "NT". A "no-time" swimmer will most likely swim in one of the last heats of the event.
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DQ or Disqualification – There are a set of rules for each stroke set out by USA Swimming. When a swimmer does not swim the stroke according to these rules, the official will give the coaches a slip outlining why they were disqualified. The coaching staff may choose not to tell your child they were DQ-ed at the beginning of their swimming career as it can be detrimental to their confidence. However as they progress the coaching staff will go over with them what they need to do to avoid the same mistake in the future.
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Developmental swimmers are frequently disqualified. Parents and children should look at this as a learning experience. As their stroke techniques improve, their frequency of disqualification will drop. Even more experienced swimmers will occasionally be disqualified.
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Sometimes things go wrong at meets, and that is OK! Sometimes their time does not show up on the scoreboard or they dive in too early. Please do not interfere or react. Your child will feed off of your emotions and will become anxious thinking they did something wrong. Let the coaching staff assist the kids with these mishaps. Learning is a part of their swimming progression.
Getting Ready for Swim Meets
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All swimmers must report to the Karishim Swim Club coaching staff upon arrival. This is particularly important when relays are to be swum at the start of the meet. Any swimmer selected for a relay must participate in that relay. Any swimmer selected for a relay must stay for the relays.
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Swimmers must be on time; late arrivals without prior notice may result in being scratched from events. Being scratched means they will not be able to swim in the meet. Please email [email protected] if you will be late.
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We build in arrival time before the warmup so you do not need to arrive earlier than what the email states. If your child is not on deck at the appropriate time, your child will be scratched from the meet and will be unable to participate.
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Same day notices of swimmers needing to leave a meet early may lead to a swimmer being scratched from the meet entirely.
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Swimmers are expected to sit on the pool deck with the team. It is a swimmers’ responsibility to be on deck or in the team area so that they are present on time for their events. This promotes team support and unity, which in turn contributes to swimming success and fun. They will not be permitted to go back and forth from the pool to the parent viewing area.
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Each swimmer should have comfortable clothes, two or three towels, two bathing suits (including your racing/team suit for meets), two caps, two googles, a water bottle and crocs/slides. We recommend you put your child’s names on all apparel/gear.
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The average length of a swim meet is approximately four to five hours per session. Bring plenty of things for your swimmer to do in between races: homework, games, cards, books, etc. We recommend avoiding any expensive electronics or things of high value as things can get lost or broken at meets.
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In addition, bring plenty of nutritious breakfast/lunch and snack items. Snacks should be something healthy that will not sit heavy in their stomach. Items like granola/oatmeal bars, fruit, crackers, or small sandwiches. We generally recommend avoiding nuts as we have swimmers and coaches with allergies. We also encourage you to send your child with a plastic bag to put their trash in so it does not end up on deck.
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No glass containers are allowed in any pool facility.
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To prevent dehydration, fluids need to be consumed during the meet. Water is best – we do not allow candy or soda during swim meets.
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We encourage parents to bring a chair, seat cushions, stadium seats or something to sit on if watching depending on the pool's seating arrangements.
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Swimmers are strongly encouraged to use their cell phone ONLY to listen to music during a meet. Performance at meets can be directly linked to screen time.
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All swimmers are responsible for their own transportation to and from meets.
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Swimmers are allowed to leave after their last event (including relays are finished)
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Before swimmers leave any swim meet, they should make sure they are not in another event or relay, have cleaned up after themselves, have all their belongings and say goodbye to their coach.
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Meets focus on personal improvement, and oftentimes place or comparison to other swimmers is not relevant
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Please ensure that as parents you are reinforcing this message. Championship meets and doing well in USA swimming is based solely on the swimmers personal times. We encourage them to focus on that aspect rather than beating others.
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Results are available on the Meet Mobile app or our Team website.
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If there is an issue with a time showing up or if a child is concerned about their race, they must go to a member of the coaching staff first. Coaching staff normally have a very simple answer and will be able to sort things out quickly.
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According to USA Swimming and SafeSport rules parents are not allowed on deck unless they are serving as an official or timer.
How to Read a Heat Sheet 
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In a swim meet there is a set number of events and each event has multiple heats. In the example above there are 2 heats of event 13 girls 8 and under 25 freestyle.
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The number to the left of a swimmer’s name is the lane that they will be swimming their race in for that event.
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In the example above Laniyah Love is in Event 13, Heat 2, Lane 6 and she is swimming 25 Freestyle.
While at the Meet
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Your swimmer will stand behind the starting block prior to their race. The official will blow a whistle (three short blasts and then one long blast). After the whistle, the swimmers can step up onto the block. The official will then say “Take Your Mark” and the swimmers should be in the set position. There will then be a beep signaling that the race has started and the swimmers can dive in.
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Absolutely NO flash photography is allowed at swim meets.
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It is also suggested to keep phones on silent mode so that swimmers on the block do not get distracted and can have a fair start.
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Depending on the meet rules, children may be signaled to stay in the water after their race and the next heat will dive over them (Fly over start) or they may be directed to get out after each heat. The coaching staff will prepare them for each race
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If they miss their event they will not be allowed to swim that event, there are no “makeups”
Swim Meet - Registration If your child is attending swim meets, your swimmer must be registered with USA Swimming. Directions to register for USA Swimming: (computers recommended over iPhones)
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Click the USA Swimming Registration link found here .
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Follow directions for a new swimmer or to renew if you did meets last year. (There is a one-time fee EACH YEAR.)
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When setting up the initial account it is for the PARENT. You will then add children after the parent/ family account is set up.
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USA swimming requires:
Sign up for USA Swim Meets: (computers recommended over iPhones)
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Log on to Team Unify found here .
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Hover over Events and Competitions on the left-hand side and click Team Events.
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Scroll down until you see the meets and click on the date you want.
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Scroll to the bottom and click PDF and look for the session times. Sessions are typically between 4-5 hours however; some are shorter or longer depending on the number of kids registering.
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Scroll up to “attend/decline”.
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A screen will pop up and you will look for your child’s name at the bottom left-hand corner in a very small font.
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Click their name and select Yes they will attend. You will ONLY pick the days that they can attend. Coaches will always pick the events they swim.
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Day preferences are acceptable but specific time constraints will not be accommodated. You can either swim the full meet of that day or not attend that day at all. Please denote the days restrictions in addition to picking days.
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Click save changes.
 You can go in and update by repeating the process anytime up until the last day to register. Families will be responsible for all associated meet fees if declared to swim, regardless of attendance at meet! Preliminary/Final Meet Participation Policy Prelim/Finals meet is a meet where swimmers swim in the morning and then the top performers in each event are asked to come back to race again. These meets are always labeled and REQUIRE a full day commitment. The number of top performers are decided by the host team. As we have no way of knowing the entries ahead of time, any child can be among top performers. The following guidelines will govern procedures used at prelim/final Meets. When attending a prelim/final meet, it is expected that any swimmer who qualifies for finals during the course of a meet will attend and compete at those finals for the team.
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Swimmers and/or parents will not decide to scratch from finals during the course of a meet.
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Any qualifiers and alternates in a preliminary event should be prepared to return and compete at a final’s session, due to potential scratches. After the scratch deadline passes, a swimmer should check with the head coach for the final results to see if he/she has been scratched into a final.
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Swimmers who are alternates after the stated scratch deadline for an event should speak with their head coach to discuss options and determine attendance for that final’s session.
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What is USA Swimming
USA Swimming is the National Governing Body for competitive swimming in the United States. USA Swimming was conceived in 1978 with the passage of the Amateur Sports Act, which specified that all Olympic sports would be administered independently. Prior to this act, USA Swimming was the Competitive Swimming Committee of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) located in Indianapolis, Indiana. USA Swimming Headquarters office was established in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1981 and is located at the Olympic Training Center. As the National Governing Body for the sport, USA Swimming is responsible for the conduct and administration of swimming in the United States. In this capacity, USA Swimming formulates the rules, implements the policies and procedures, conducts the national championships, disseminates safety and sports medicine information and selects athletes to represent the United States in international competition. How USA Swimming is Organized International – The international federation for the aquatic sports is the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA). USA Swimming is affiliated with FINA through United States Aquatic Sports (USAS), made up of four aquatic sports – swimming, synchronized swimming, diving, and water polo. National – USA Swimming is a Group A member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and has voting representation in the USOC House of Delegates. Zone – We are divided into four separate zones – central, eastern, southern and western. Each zone elects two representatives to the national Board of Directors. Local – Within the United States, there are fifty-nine Local Swimming Committees (LSC’s). Each LSC is responsible for administering USA Swimming activities in a defined geographical area and has its own set of bylaws under which it operates. A House of Delegates with representation of athletes, coaches, members of the Board of Directors and Clubs are responsible for managing the business affairs of the LSC. How USA Swimming Operates USA Swimming is a non-profit organization made up of very dedicated volunteers. Interested individuals donate their time, energy and expertise at every level from the national Board of Directors to the local swimming Clubs. There are 50 standing committees. Staff liaisons, along with these committees, create, implement and evaluate USA Swimming programs. The House of Delegates meets annually to determine the rules and regulations for the following year. Between yearly meetings of the House of Delegates, an elected USA Swimming Board of Directors is charged with the responsibility of making decisions for USA Swimming. The Sport of Swimming The four competitive strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. In addition, there is the individual medley which features all four strokes; fly, back, breast and free, in that order. Relay events are comprised of four swimmers per relay team, each swimming ¼ of the total distance of the event. There are two types of relays: freestyle relay and medley relay; back, breast, fly and free, in that order. Participants compete in different age groups and meets depending on their achievement level and how old they are on the first day of the meet. Nationally recognized age groups are 10 & under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18 and 15-18, Senior or Open competition has no upper or lower age limitations. Local meets may also provide events for 8 & under swimmers. Each swim meet offers a variety of events and distances, depending on the age group and classification. Competition pools may be short course (25 yards or meters) or long course (50 meters). The international standard used in the Olympics is 50 meters. All world records are accomplished in 50 meter pools and recently in 25 meter pools. USA Swimming maintains records for 25 yards, 25 meters, and 50 meters. The technical rules of swimming are designed to provide fair and equitable conditions of competition and to promote uniformity in the sport. Each swimming stroke has specific rules designed to ensure that no swimmer gets an unfair competitive advantage. The technical rules for each stroke may be found in the publication, USA Swimming Rules and Regulations . Trained officials observe the swimmers during each event to ensure compliance with these technical rules. If a swimmer commits an infraction of the rules, he/she will be disqualified from that event, which means he/she will not receive an official time nor be eligible for an award in that event. Additionally, disqualifications result from actions such as not getting to the starting blocks on time, false starting, walking on or pushing off the bottom of the pool, pulling on the lane lines, or unsportsmanlike conduct. If your child is disqualified in an event, be supportive rather than critical. For beginning swimmers, a disqualification should be treated as a learning experience, not as punishment. A disqualification alerts the swimmer and coach to what portions of the swimmer’s stroke need to be corrected. The disqualification is necessary to keep the competition fair and equitable for all other competitors. A supportive attitude on the part of the official, the coach, and the parent can also keep it a positive experience for the disqualified swimmer. Officials are present at all competitions to implement the technical rules of swimming and to ensure that the competition is fair and equitable. Officials attend clinics, pass a written test and work meets before being certified.   Swimming Terms        
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Codes of Conduct
Electronic and Social Media Communication Karishim Swim Club recognizes the prevalence of electronic communication and social media and that many of our swimmers use these means as their primary method of communication. While Karishim Swim Club acknowledges the value of these methods of communication, we also realize that there are associated risks that must be considered when adults (coaches) use these methods to communicate with minors (athletes). Additionally, athletes need to adhere to a set of standards when communicating with one another via electronic communication and social media. Conduct for Electronic Communication All communication between a coach/other Karishim Swim Club adult and an athlete must be professional and solely for the purpose of communicating about Karishim Swim Club activities. The content and intent of all electronic communications must adhere to the USA Swimming Code of Conduct regarding Athlete Protection. All communication between an athlete and coach or athlete and their peers should be transparent,accessible and professional.
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Electronic communications must only be sent between the hours of 8am and 8pm, unless emergency circumstances exist or during competition travel. There is only one additional exception in relation to appropriate times during the day. For those swimmers whose practice goes until 8:30pm, they may text their group coach up until 9pm, but only in the event of an emergency situation.
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Vulgar, bullying or sexualized communication will not be tolerated between Karishim Swim Club athletes, coaches or parents via text, email, or social media
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Athletes may not text, email, post, tweet, or otherwise communicate with derogatory content regarding the team, a coach, or a teammate.
Transparent: Your communication should not only be clear and direct, but also free of hidden meanings, innuendo, and expectations. Accessible: All electronic communication between coaches and athletes should be considered a matter of record and part of Karishim Swim Club records. Whenever possible, include another coach or parent in the communication so there is no question regarding accessibility or content. Professional: All communication between a coach and an athlete should be conducted professionally as a representative of Karishim Swim Club. This includes word choices, tone, grammar, and subject matter that model the standards and integrity of a staff member. Social Media
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Coaches are not permitted to have any athlete member of Karishim Swim Club join their personal social media accounts as a “friend.”
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A coach will not “friend” request or accept any “friend” request from an athlete. In addition, the coach should remind the athlete that this is not permitted. Athletes should report (to a trusted coach, the Senior Aquatics Director, or NE Swimming) if they receive a “friend” request from a coach.
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Coaches and athletes are not permitted to “private message” each other through any social media accounts.
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Karishim Swim Club has an official Instagram page that athletes and their parents can “friend” for information and updates on team-related matters.
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Athletes, parents and staff will discuss proper social media usage at the beginning of each season.
Locker Rooms and Changing Areas
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Karishim Swim Club locker rooms have very specific signage that all athletes and applicable adults must adhere to.
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Locker room etiquette is vital. Each year we have issues with inappropriate conversations, children making large messes with the soap and writing on locker room walls. If we hear that inappropriate behavior is happening, we will take the privilege of the locker rooms away from any and all swimmers acting out of turn. There will be no exceptions.
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Karishim Swim Club has staggered practices with different groups arriving and departing throughout the evening. It is therefore not practical to constantly monitor locker rooms and changing areas over this extended course of time. While we do not post coaches inside or at the doors of the locker rooms and changing areas, we do make occasional sweeps of these areas. Coaches conduct these sweeps with women checking on female locker rooms, and men checking on male locker rooms after the athletes have vacated
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Vandalism of any kind on JCC property or at any Karishim event at any pool or facility will not be tolerated. Any athlete vandalizing, defacing or damaging property will be subject to disciplinary action which could include expulsion from the program.
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Athletes and coaches must use designated locker rooms or changing areas when changing into or out of a swimsuit. Changing, in whole or in part, is prohibited on the pool deck.
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Use of any device’s (including a cell phone’s) recording capabilities, including voice recording, still cameras and video cameras in locker rooms, changing areas, or similar spaces by a minor athlete or an adult is prohibited.
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An unrelated adult must not expose his or her breasts, buttocks, groin or genitals to a minor athlete under any circumstance.
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An unrelated applicable adult must not request an unrelated minor athlete to expose the minor athlete’s breasts, buttocks, groin or genitals to the unrelated Applicable Adult under any circumstance.
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At no time are unrelated Applicable Adults permitted to be alone with a minor athlete in a locker room or changing area, except under emergency circumstances. If the organization is using a facility that only has a single locker room or changing area, separate times for adult use must be designated.
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Legal guardians are not allowed to enter boys or girls locker rooms at the JCC.
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If an athlete needs assistance with his or her uniform or gear (for example, a child under the age of eight), or an athlete’s disability warrants assistance, then we ask that parents to use the private changing space available at the JCC to do so.
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Every effort will be made to recognize when a minor athlete goes to the locker room or changing area during practice and competition, and, if the minor athlete does not return in a timely fashion, to check on the minor athlete’s whereabouts.
Team Code of Conduct-Athletes The purpose of a code of conduct for athletes is to establish a consistent expectation for their behavior. I agree to the following statements:
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I will respect and show courtesy to my teammates and coaches at all times.
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I will demonstrate good sportsmanship at all practices and meets.
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I will set a good example of behavior and work ethic for my younger teammates.
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I will be respectful of my teammates’ feelings, personal space and identity. Swimmers who exhibit sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise inappropriate behavior will be faced with consequences.
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I will attend all team meetings and training sessions, unless I am excused by my coach.
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I will show respect for all facilities and other property (including locker rooms) used during practices, competitions, and team activities.
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I will refrain from foul language, violence, behavior deemed dishonest, offensive, or illegal.
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If I disagree with an official’s call, I will talk with my coach and not approach the official directly.
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I will obey all of USA Swimming’s rules and codes of conduct.
Team Code of Conduct-Parents The purpose of a code of conduct for parents is to establish consistent expectations for behavior by parents. As a legal guardian, I understand the important growth and developmental support that my child’s participation fosters. I also understand that it is essential to provide the coaching staff with respect and the authority to coach the team. I agree with the following statements:
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I will set the right example for our children by demonstrating sportsmanship and showing respect and common courtesy at all times to the team members, coaches, competitors, officials, parents, and all facilities.
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I will get involved by volunteering, observing practices, cheering at meets, and talking with my child and their coach about their progress.
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I will refrain from coaching my child from the stands during practices or meets.
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I understand that criticizing, name-calling, use of abusive language or gestures directed toward coaches, officials, volunteers, and/or any participating swimmer will not be tolerated.
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I will respect the integrity of the officials.
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I will direct my concerns to the head coach then, if not satisfied, to the appropriate supervisor.
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Parents who exhibit sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise inappropriate behavior will be held accountable for their actions. This may result in your child being asked to leave Karishim Swim Club
Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention There are a lot of great reasons to swim – at any level. As a life long activity, people often swim to have fun and spend time with friends. Swimming also encourages a healthy lifestyle and builds self confidence. Swimmers even benefit from the sport out of the water. They learn goal setting, teamwork and time management skills. Unfortunately, sports, including swimming, can also be a high risk environment for misconduct, including physical and sexual abuse. All forms of misconduct are intolerable and in direct conflict with the values of USA Swimming. Misconduct may damage an athlete’s psychological well being. Athletes who have been mistreated experience social embarrassment, emotional turmoil, psychological scars, loss of self esteem and negative impacts on their relationships with family, friends and the sport. Misconduct often hurts an athlete’s competitive performance and may cause him/her to drop out of our sport entirely. The U.S. Center for SafeSport is a separate, independent organization that oversees all sexual misconduct in Olympic sports. They created the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies to set a baseline for acceptable safety standards governing interactions between adults and minor athletes. USA Swimming is committed to fostering a fun, healthy and safe sport environment for all its members. We all must recognize that the safety of swimmers lies with all those involved in the sport and is not the sole responsibility of any one person at the Club, LSC, or national level. The U.S. Center for SafeSport, USA Swimming, and Karishim Swim Club are committed to safeguarding all our members with the welfare of its athlete members as top priority. This policy applies to:
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All USA Swimming non-athlete members and adult athlete members;
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Participating non-members (e.g., meet marshals, meet computer operators, timers, etc.);
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LSC and Club adult staff and board members; and
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Any other adult authorized to have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes.
General Requirements USA Swimming member Clubs and LSCs are required to implement this Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy in full. The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy must be reviewed and agreed to in writing by all athletes, parents, coaches and other non-athlete members of member Clubs on an annual basis with such written agreement to be retained by the Club. One-on-One Interactions Observable sand Interruptible
Meetings
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Meetings between a minor athlete and an Applicable Adult may only occur if another adult is present and where interactions can be easily observed and at an interruptible distance from another adult, except under emergency circumstances.
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If a one-on-one meeting takes place, the door to the room must remain unlocked and open. If available, it must occur in a room that has windows, with the windows, blinds, and/or curtains remaining open during the meeting.
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Meetings must not be conducted in an Applicable Adult or athlete’s hotel room or other overnight lodging location during team travel.
Meetings with Mental Health Care Professionals and/or Health Care Providers
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If a Mental Health Care Professional and/or Health Care Provider meets with a minor athlete in conjunction with participation, including at practice or competition sites, a closed-door meeting may be permitted to protect patient privacy provided that: the door remains unlocked; another adult is present at the facility; the other adult is advised that a closed-door meeting is occurring; and written legal guardian consent is obtained in advance by the Mental Health Care Professional and/or Health Care Provider, with a copy provided to Karishim Swim Club.
Individual Training Sessions
Local Travel Local travel consists of travel to training, practice and competition that occurs locally and does not include coordinated overnight stay(s).
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Applicable Adults must not ride in a vehicle alone with an unrelated minor athlete, absent emergency circumstances, and must always have at least two minor athletes or another adult in the vehicle, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the minor athlete’s legal guardian.
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Legal guardians must pick up their minor athlete first and drop off their minor athlete last in any shared or carpool travel arrangement.
Team Travel 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 of new changing areas, locker rooms, workout facilities, automobiles and hotel rooms is less structured and less familiar.
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Team travel is travel to a competition or other team activity that the organization plans and supervises.
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During team travel when doing room checks using two-deep leadership, two Applicable Adults should be present. Observable and interruptible environments must be maintained.
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Club travel policies must be signed and agreed to by all athletes, parents, coaches and other adults traveling with the Club.
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Team managers and chaperones must be members of USA Swimming and have successfully passed a USA Swimming criminal background check.
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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 particular athlete).
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When only one athlete and one coach travel to a competition, the athlete must have his/her legal guardian’s written permission in advance to travel alone with the coach.
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Athletes should not ride in a coach’s vehicle without another adult present who is the same gender as the athlete unless prior written legal guardian permission is obtained.
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During overnight team travel, if athletes are paired with other athletes they shall be of the same gender and should be a similar age. Where athletes are age 13 & over, chaperones and/or team managers would ideally stay in nearby rooms. When athletes are age 12 & under, chaperones and/or team managers may stay with athletes. Where chaperones/team managers are staying in a room with athletes, they should be the same gender as the athlete and written consent should be given by the athlete's legal guardian.
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When only one athlete and one coach travel to a competition, at the competition the coach and athlete should attempt to establish a “buddy” Club to associate with during the competition and when away from the venue.
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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 particular athlete).
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A copy of the Club Code of Conduct must be signed by the athlete and his/her legal guardian.
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Karishim Swim Club coaches must obtain a signed Liability Release and/or Indemnification Form for each athlete.
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Karishim Swim Club coaches must carry a signed Medical Consent or Authorization to Treat Form for each athlete.
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Curfews shall be established by the team each day of the trip. 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.
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The directions and decisions of coaches/chaperones are final.
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Swimmers are expected to remain with the team at all times 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 the permission/knowledge of the coach or chaperone.
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When visiting public places such as shopping malls, movie theaters, etc. swimmers will stay in groups of no less than three persons. 12 & under athletes will be accompanied by a chaperone.
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The Karishim Swim Club coach 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 minor athlete.
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Meetings during team travel must be conducted consistent with the one-on-one Interactions section of this Policy (i.e., any such meeting must be observable and interruptible). Meetings must not be conducted in an individual’s hotel room or other overnight sleeping location.
Massages and Rubdowns/Athlete Training Modalities
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In this section, the term “massage” refers to any massage, rubdown, athletic training modality including physical modalities (e.g., stretching, physical manipulation, injury rehabilitation, etc.) and electronic or instrument assisted modalities (e.g., stim treatment, dry needling, cupping, etc.)
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Any massage performed on an athlete must be conducted in an open and interruptible location and must be performed by a licensed massage therapist or other certified professional. However, even if a coach is a licensed massage therapist, the coach must not perform a rubdown or massage of an athlete under any circumstance.
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Written consent by a legal guardian must be obtained in advance by the licensed massage therapist or other certified professional, with a copy provided to Karishim Swim Club.
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Legal guardians must be allowed to observe the massage.
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Any massage of a minor athlete must be done with at least one other adult present and must never be done with only the minor athlete and the person performing the massage in the room.
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Any massage of a minor athlete must only occur after a proper diagnosis from a treating physician and be done in the course of care according to the physician’s treatment plan.
Anti-Bullying Policy Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at Karishim Swim Club and will not be tolerated. Bullying is counterproductive to team spirit and can be devastating to a victim. Karishim Swim Club is committed to providing a safe, caring and friendly environment for all our members. If bullying does occur, it will be dealt with promptly and effectively. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell a coach, board member, staff member, or other trusted adult who can relay the situation appropriately. Objectives of the Karishim Swim Club Bullying Policy and Action Plan
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To make it clear that Karishim Swim Club will not tolerate bullying in any form.
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To define bullying and give all board members, coaches, parents and swimmers an understanding of what bullying is.
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To make it known to all parents, swimmers and coaching staff that there is a policy and protocol should any bullying issues arise.
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To make it clear and understandable on how to report bullying.
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To spread the word that Karishim Swim Club takes bullying seriously and that all swimmers and parents can be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported.
Reporting Procedure An athlete who feels that he/she has been bullied is asked to do one or more of the following things:
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Talk to his/her parents.
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Talk to a Karishim Swim Club coach, board member, staff member, or another trusted adult.
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Write a letter or email to the Karishim Swim Club coach, board member, staff member, or another trusted adult who can relay the situation appropriately.
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Make a report to the USA Swimming SafeSport staff. 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 the appropriate Club leadership as soon as possible to make sure that memories are fresh, behavior can be accurately recalled, and the bullying behavior can be stopped as soon as possible.
How Bullying Situations are Handled by Karishim Swim Club If bullying is occurring during team-related activities, Karishim Swim Club coaches will stop the bullying on the spot by using the following steps:
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Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help.
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Separate the children involved.
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Make sure everyone is safe.
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Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.
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Reassure the children involved, including bystanders.
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Model respectful behavior when intervening.
If bullying is occurring at our Club or it is reported to be occurring at our Club, the Karishim Swim Club coaching staff will address the bullying by finding out what happened and supporting the children involved using the following approach:
There are many behaviors that look like bullying but require different approaches. It is important to determine whether the situation is bullying or something else. We use the following approach:
Once it is determined if the situation is bullying, support all of the children involved. Karishim Swim Club coaches support the children who are being bullied by:
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Listening and focusing on the child. Learning what’s been going on and showing the child that we are here to help. Assuring the child that bullying is not their fault.
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Working together to resolve the situation and protect the bullied child by making them feel safe. For example, the coaching staff might consider rearranging lane assignments for everyone. If bigger moves are necessary, such as switching practice groups, the child who is bullied will not be forced to change.
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Maintaining open communication between the Club and parents.
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Discussing the steps that will be taken and how bullying will be addressed going forward.
Karishim Swim Club coaches address the bullying behavior by:
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We make sure the child knows what the problem behavior is. Young people who bully must learn their behavior is wrong and harms others.
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We show children that bullying is taken seriously by calmly telling the child that bullying will not be tolerated while modeling respectful behavior when addressing the problem.
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We work with the child to understand some of the reasons why they were bullying.
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We involve the child who bullied in making amends or repairing the situation. The goal is to help them see how their actions affect others.
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After the bullying issue is resolved, continue finding ways to help the child who bullied to understand how what they do affects other people. For example, praise acts of kindness or talk about what it means to be a good teammate.
Karishim Swim Club coaches support any bystanders who witness bullying. They want to help, but don’t know how. Fortunately, there are a few simple, safe ways that athletes can help stop bullying when they see it happening.
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Be a friend to the person being bullied.
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Tell a trusted adult – your parent, coach, or Club board member.
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Help the child being bullied get away from the situation. Create a distraction, focus the attention on something else, or offer a way for the target to get out of the situation. “Let’s go, practice is about to start.”
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Set a good example by not bullying others.
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Bullies are encouraged by the attention they get from bystanders. If you do nothing else, just walk away.
Karishim Swim Club Photography Policy There has been much talk about whether it is safe to have images taken of children participating in sports. While the great majority of images are appropriate and are taken in good faith, it is a fact that images can be misused, and children can be put at risk if common-sense procedures are not observed.
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The publishing of a photograph of swimmers under 18 either on a notice board or in a published article or video recording (including video streaming of swimming competitions) should only be done with a legal guardian’s consent.
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A parent or guardian has the right to refuse to have children photographed. The exercise of this right of refusal cannot be used as grounds for refusing entry into a swimming competition. Therefore, any photo that may go to press or on a notice board, be it through a member of the Club or official photographer, should receive parental consent before publishing/displaying the photo, preferably in writing.
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In the case of open meets and other competitions where the host Club has an official photographer present, all parents attending should be made aware of this in the meet information. If photos are to be published anywhere, the individual parent should be given the opportunity to withhold their consent. Their right to do so should be specifically drawn to their attention.
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All photographs must observe generally accepted standards of decency.
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Action shots should be a celebration of the sporting activity and not a sexualized image in a sporting context.
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Action shots should not be taken or retained where the photograph reveals a torn or displaced swimsuit.
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Photographs should not be taken from behind swimming blocks at the start of a race or exhibit a child climbing out of the swimming pool.
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Photographs should not be taken in locker rooms or bathrooms.
Karishim Swim Club Behavioral Policy Members of Karishim Swim Club team are expected to behave appropriately and abide by all policies and procedures set forth, including this document, by the Karishim Swim Club head coach. In general, the head coach will utilize progressive discipline. The unique circumstances of each individual case will be considered before a decision regarding appropriate behavioral modifications are made. Every behavioral modification plan will involve a personal contact or conference with the parent or guardian from the group or head coach. The athlete’s behavior, based on the infraction, will determine the progressive nature of discipline. Possible consequences include but are not limited to the following:
Any infractions from the list below will result in immediate suspension and/or expulsion from Karishim Swim Club:
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Acknowledgement of Karishim Swim Club’s Policies
I acknowledge that I have received, read and understood the following policies outlined in the Karishim Swim Club handbook: O electronic and social media O locker rooms/changing areas O minor athlete abuse prevention O local/team travel O massages and rubdowns/athlete training modalities O anti-bullying O photography I further acknowledge and understand that agreeing to comply with the contents of the policies above is a condition of my membership with Karishim Swim Club. Failure to comply with any of the policies as set forth in this document may result in disciplinary action. Such discipline may include, but may not be limited to:
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loss of locker room privileges;
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dismissal from team travel and immediate return home at the athlete’s expense;
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disqualification from one or more events, or all events of competition;
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disqualification from future team travel meets;
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financial penalties;
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dismissal from Karishim Swim Club and/or the JCC; and/or
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proceedings with LSC or USA Swimming National Board of Review.
_________________________________ _______________ Swimmer’s signature Date
_________________________________ _______________ Swimmer’s signature Date
_________________________________ _______________ Legal Guardian’s signature Date
_________________________________ _______________ Legal Guardian’s signature Date |
