ELITE Otters Swim Team (EOST)

Rules and Regulations

Elite Otters Swim Team, LLC (EOST) is a year-round program that is organized and operated by the coaches.  Team membership, athlete placement and grouping are at the discretion of the coaching staff. The coaching staff has full power to accept or reject the application of any athlete for membership. Team membership can be terminated at the discretion of the coaches.

As a member of EOST, you are always representing our team.  Every action an athlete takes will reflect back on our program.  The following behavior guidelines state the principles and behaviors EOST expects all members to demonstrate and uphold.

 

Mission Statement

Elite Otters Swim Team is dedicated to providing positive encouragement and opportunity for all athletes to pursue excellence in a safe environment, while also working to build self- discipline, sportsmanship and integrity.  Our primary focus is teaching proper stroke technique, racing skills and building strength and endurance so our athletes can compete and excel at ELITE levels.  Coaches believe communication, high expectations, and setting goals are critical components in achieving success in life and in the pool.  In addition, EOST strives to create a safe and supportive environment for all swimmers.

 

Vision Statement

Elite Otters Swim Team has a vision that every athlete will reach his/her potential by being motivated to show up on time to train and with intention.  Through intensity and dedication swimmers will improve technique, increase endurance and learn lifelong skills through competitions and interactions with their peers. Our athletes will persevere through the hard times by being coachable and also observing how others around them are achieving success.  EOST will win humbly and lose gracefully, always showing excellent sportsmanship towards our peers and respect towards coaches, officials and parents.

 

Registration and Fees Policy

Every member is required to register and maintain an active Team Unify account before athlete is allowed to attend practice and/or team events.  Upon registration each family will be responsible for registration fees and monthly dues.  Dues must be paid by the 5th day of each month or a $25 late fee will be assessed.  Once dues become 10 days late the athlete will not be allowed to practice until late fees are paid in full.  Payment can be made through Venmo (ELITE Otters Swim Team) or by check made out to: Elite Otters Swim Team, LLC.

  1. Required Annual Team Registration will be billed to the account on annually on February 1.
  2. Required USA Swimming Membership options:
    1. Flex allows athlete to participate in 2 swim meets per year.
    2. Premium allows athlete to participate in unlimited swim meets.
  3. Required monthly dues are assigned to each athlete upon registration. Programs available for registration are: Otter Pups, River Otters, Sea Otters, Junior Otters and Senior Otters.

 

Practice Policy

During practice parents are not allowed under the coach's canopy, or sitting next to or behind the canopy, unless there is an emergency that requires immediate attention.  Additionally, parents are not to speak to their child during practice.  This policy is in place to benefit both the swimmers and the coaches.  EOST Coaches want to eliminate all unnecessary distractions, so everyone can focus solely on practice.

 

Required Practice Equipment 

The following items are required for every practice: water bottle, goggles, kickboard, fins, team swim cap, towel and swim suit.  When the weather is cold a parka is also strongly encouraged.

 

Team Travel Policy

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

  1. Club travel policies must be signed and agreed to by all athletes, parents, coaches and other adults traveling with the club. (305.5.D)
  2. Team managers and chaperones must be members of USA Swimming and have successfully passed a USA Swimming-administered criminal background check. (305.5.B)
  3. Regardless of gender, a coach shall not share a hotel room or other sleeping
  4. arrangement with an athlete (unless the coach is the parent, guardian, sibling, or spouse of that particular athlete). (305.5.A)
  5. When only one athlete and one coach travel 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)

Locker Room Policy

EOST policy states that swimmers are not allowed to remove their swim suits in the locker room unless:

  • The athlete is accompanied by an adult or
  • The athlete is in a locked bathroom stall

The bathrooms at the Palm Springs Aquatic Center are only occasionally checked by staff.  They are not monitored by the coaches.  In the event an athlete needs to use the restroom during a training session, every effort will be made to have that athlete accompanied by another athlete.  It is strongly recommended that you have your swimmer use the restroom prior to the start of practice.

Illness Policy

Do not attend practice if you stayed home from school due to not feeling well.  Athletes sick with diarrhea, vomiting, pink eye. the flu and/or any other contagious illness are not allowed to attend practice. Additionally, athletes with cold symptoms are encouraged to rest, rather than attend practice.

Photography Policies

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.

POLICIES:

  1. The publishing of a photograph of swimmer under 18 either on a notice board or in a published article or video recording (including video streaming) of swimming competitions (“publication”) should only be done with parents’ consent per the attached form.
  2. A parent or guardian has a right of 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. A suggested form allowing parents to indicate refusal of consent is to follow.

In the case of open meets and other competitions where the host club has an official photographer present, all parents attending will be made aware of this in our meet information. If photos are to be published anywhere, parent will be given the opportunity to withhold their consent.  All photographs must observe generally accepted standards of decency in particular:

  • Action shots should be a celebration of the sporting activity and not a sexualized image in a sporting context.
  • Action shots should not be taken or retained where the photograph reveals a torn or displaced swim suit.
  • 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.
  • Photographs should not be taken in locker‐rooms or bathrooms.

 

Swim Meet Policy

All athletes are expected to participate in all championship meets they qualify to attend.  Athletes are expected to wear designated team suits, T-shirts, and swim caps during all competitions and when awarded medals on the podium.  All athletes and parents are expected to win with character and lose with dignity. This means greeting fellow competitors in the same manner regardless of the how well you perform.  Athletes are expected to attend all meets that are held in Palm Springs.

 

General Code of Conduct: PARENTS

The purpose of a code of conduct for parents is to establish consistent expectations for everyone.  EOST rules are intended to ensure that every member can be successful in achieving goals in a safe manner. Parents are expected to know the rules and obey them:

  1. Support, believe in and follow the expectations of the mission statement of EOST.
  2. Support your coaches.  The methods they use are based on USA Swimming, the American Swim Coaches Association and research-based teaching methods.
  3. Maintain open and honest communication among all members of the EOST family.
  4. Be an active participant in all fundraising events and other team activities.
  5. Questions or concerns should be addressed privately with the coach.  DO NOT EVER interrupt the coach on deck during practice. 
  6. Parents coaching swimmers is prohibited
  7. Ensure swimmers arrive to practice on time and leave on time, as well as bring the proper equipment.
  8. Parents are invited to stay for practice.  However, they are not to sit or stand within 20 feet of the Coach's easy up canopy.  An exception with be made the first 2 weeks of a new swimmer's practices.

Swim Meet Code of Conduct: PARENTS   

Youth sports programs play an important role in promoting the physical, social and emotional development of children. It is essential for parents, coaches and officials to encourage youth athletes to embrace the values of good sportsmanship. Moreover, adults involved in or at practices, competitions or related team events should be positive models of good sportsmanship and lead by example demonstrating fairness, respect and self-control.

  1. Parents should not engage, or encourage their child to engage, in unsportsmanlike conduct with any coach, parent, participant, official or other attendee.  Nor should they encourage any athlete to engage in unsportsmanlike conduct. 
  2. Parents should not engage, nor encourage any athlete to engage, in any behavior that may endanger the health, safety or wellbeing of any coach, parent, participant, official or other attendee.
  3. Parent should not engage the use of profanity at team facilities, events and social media affiliated with EOST.
  4. Parents should treat any coach, parent, participant, official or other attendee with respect regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or ability.  They will encourage all athletes to do the same.       
  5. Parents should not engage, or encourage athletes to engage, in any verbal or physical threats aimed at any coach, parent, participant, official or any other attendee.
  6. Parents should not use non-prescription illegal drugs or alcohol during or while attending a team related event. This includes being under the influence when in the presence of coaches, parents, participants, officials or any other attendees.
  7. Parents should not permit or encourage any athlete to use non-prescription illegal drugs or alcohol during or while attending a team related event.
  8. Parent is responsible for their own personal conduct as well as the conduct of their children when representing EOST at competitions, practices and related events, or anywhere in public when they are wearing EOST identifying gear.
  9. It is strongly encouraged that parents communicate directly to the Coaching Staff regarding specific areas of concern in a respectful and productive manner to preserve the positive, family atmosphere of EOST.
  10. Respect the integrity of swim officials.  Any questions about disqualifications or judging should be directed to the coach. Only coaches may approach meet officials for clarification of rulings.

General CODE OF CONDUCT: ATHLETES

The purpose of a code of conduct for athletes is to establish consistent expectations for athletes.  EOST rules are intended to ensure that every member can be successful in achieving goals in a safe manner. Swimmers are expected to know the rules and obey them:

  1. All members will respect the coaches. When a coach talks, the swimmers’ eyes and ears must be above the water pointed toward the coach, and the voice must be off. If clarification is needed it is athlete’s responsibility to ask the coach.
  2. All members will arrive on time to practices and competitions.
  3. Foul language or name-calling is not permitted. Disrespectful, indiscreet or destructive behavior will not be tolerated. Any form of sexual harassment or bullying will not be tolerated.
  4. Disruption of practice by an athlete will be grounds for removal.
  5. Pushing, hitting, kicking, taunting, bullying, and other intentional unwanted touching or interfering is not permitted. Running or other horseplay activity is not allowed.
  6. Swimmers will never sit or hang on lane ropes.
  7. EOST is a drug free organization; using alcohol, non-prescription illegal drugs or tobacco is not permitted.
  8. No cell phones during practice time, including dryland. Cell phones are never allowed in the locker rooms.
  9. Athletes and Coaches are prohibited from communicating on any social media platform. Videos and photos of athletes may only be uploaded by the coaching staff to the team social media platform.
  10. Older athletes are expected to set a good example of behavior, work ethic and sportsmanship for younger EOST athletes.
  11. Athletes are expected to follow the rules of the facility used during practices, competitions, and team activities.
  12. Athletes are expected to focus on every drill and every set giving best effort.  EOST swimmers do not cut laps, pull on lane lines, miss send-off times or skip flip turns.
  13. Athletes must notify the coach in advance if they are planning to leave practice or swim meets early.
  14. Athletes will never chew gum in the pool.

 

Reporting of Sexual Misconduct Policy

USA Swimming Rule 306.1 states that “It is every member’s responsibility to promptly report any incident regarding sexual misconduct by a member as described in Article 304.3.8 to USA Swimming. Reporting must occur when an individual has firsthand knowledge of misconduct or where specific and credible information has been received from a victim or knowledgeable third party. Various state laws may also require reporting to law enforcement or to a designated child protection agency.

 

Swim Meet Code of Conduct- ATHLETES

  1. Athletes will arrive to meet no later than 20 minutes prior to team warm ups. 
  2. Athletes will conference with the EOST coaches before and after each event at a competition.  Athletes must know their heat and lane when checking in with the coach prior to their event.
  3. Athletes will warm up and cool down after every event at a meet unless otherwise directed by the coach.
  4. Good sportsmanship at all meets is the expectation for EOST.  Shake hands with other athletes, offer teammates praise, and speak respectfully to officials and coaches.

 

USA Swimming Code of Conduct

Parents and athletes must read and sign the USA Swimming Code of Conduct prior to the athlete participating in practices or team events.  

 

Violation of Code of Conduct: ATHLETES

The coaches have the authority to impose the following penalties for violation of the EOST Code of Conduct. The following measures are not in ascending order.  Any measure may be imposed immediately by the Head Coach based on circumstances and severity of infraction by athlete or parents.

  1. Verbal Warning
  2. Removal from practice
  3. Restricted or modified practice (i.e. time out, request for written apology, request for character essay, etc.)
  4. Suspension from team events, with corrective measures and/or specific behavior contract assigned to remedy the concern before returning to team participation.
  5. Depending on severity of conduct violation, an indefinite suspension or complete removal from the team may be warranted. Monthly dues WILL NOT be prorated if your swimmer is expelled from the team.

 

 

 

Sign below to acknowledge both PARENT and ATHLETE:

  1. Has reviewed the EOST Rules and Regulations;
  2. Understand the EOST Rules and Regulations;
  3. Agree to abide by the EOST Rules and Regulations;
  4. Accept the penalties for not abiding by the EOST Rules and Regulations;
  5. Have received a copy of USA Swimming Code of Conduct;

 

 Athlete’s Signature: ___________________________________________

 

*Athlete’s Signature: ___________________________________________

 

*Athlete’s Signature: ___________________________________________

 

Parent’s Name: _______________________________________________

 

Parent’s Signature: ____________________________________________

 

Date: ________________

 

 

***This form must be signed and turned into the coach of EOST prior to your child will be participating in EOST practices or swim meets.

***Only 1 signature required per swimmer.  Multiple lines have been provided for families with more than one swimmer.