Electronic Communication/Social Media Policy of Black Hill Gold Swimming
Black Hills Gold Swimming (the “Club”) recognizes the prevalence of electronic communication and social media in today’s world. Many of our swimmers use these means as their primary method of communication. While the Club acknowledges the value of these methods of communication, the Club also realizes that there are associated risks that must be considered.
USA Swimming member clubs are required to have an electronic communication policy for coaches and non-athlete members to follow. Similarly, athletes should be aware that there are certain standards for electronic communication for all individuals associated with the club. The ability of coaches and non-athlete members to adhere to the required policy relies, in part, on the ability of athletes to respect the boundaries established for healthy electronic communication with the team. Athletes should remember that swimming for the club is a privilege, and they are expected to portray themselves, their team, and their community in a positive manner at all times.
All communications between a coach or other adult and an athlete must be professional in nature and for the purpose of communicating information about team activities. The content and intent of all electronic communications must adhere to the USA Swimming Code of Conduct regarding Athlete Protection. For example, as with any communication with an athlete, electronic communication should not contain or relate to any of the following:
- drugs or alcohol use;
- sexually oriented conversation; sexually explicit language; sexual activity
- the adult’s personal life , social activities, relationship or family issues, or personal problems; and inappropriate or sexually explicit pictures
Note: Any communication concerning an athlete's personal life, social activities,relationship or family issues or personal problems must be transparent, accessible and professional.
Whether one is an athlete, coach, board member or parent, the guiding principle to always use in communication is to ask: “Is this communication something that someone else would find appropriate or acceptable in a face‐to‐face meeting?” or “Is this something you would be comfortable saying out loud to the intended recipient of your communication in front of the intended recipient’s parents, the coaching staff, the board, or other athletes?”
With respect to electronic communications, a simple test that can be used in most cases is whether the electronic communication with swimmers is Transparent, Accessible and Professional.
Transparent: All electronic communication between coaches and athletes should be 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 the Club’s records. Whenever possible, include another coach or parent in the communication so that there is no question regarding accessibility.
Professional: All electronic communication between a coach and an athlete should be conducted professionally as a representative of the Club. This includes word choices, tone, grammar, and subject matter that model the standards and integrity of a staff member.
If your communication meets all three of the T.A.P. criteria, then it is likely your method of communication with athletes will be appropriate.
FACEBOOK, MYSPACE, BLOGS, TWITTER, AND SIMILAR SITES
Coaches may have personal Facebook (or other social media site) pages, but they are not permitted to have any athlete member of the Club join their personal page as a “friend.” A coach should not accept any “friend” request from an athlete. In addition, the coach should remind the athlete that this is not permitted. Coaches and athletes are not permitted to “private message” each other through Facebook. Coaches and athletes are not permitted to “instant message” each other through Facebook chat or other IM method.
The Club has an official Facebook page that athletes and their parents can “friend” for information and updates on team‐related matters.
Coaches are encouraged to set their pages to “private” to prevent athletes from accessing the coach’s personal information.
TEXTING
Subject to the general guidelines mentioned above, texting is allowed between coaches and athletes during the hours from 8am until 8pm. Texting only shall be used for the purpose of communicating information directly related to team activities and must include the athletes parent or guardian.
Athletes and coaches may use email to communicate between the hours of 8am and 8pm. When communicating with an athlete through email, a parent, another coach, or a board member must also be copied.
REQUEST TO DISCONTINUE ALL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
The parents or guardians of an athlete may request in writing that their child not be contacted by coaches through any form of electronic communication.
The club holds the following expectations of athletes:
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Dishonorable content or derogatory language, including: obscene, profane, racial, ethnic, sexual, religious, and physical disability slurs or material of any kind are not tolerated.
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Athletes will not use social media to degrade, demean, or attack any person, team, or organization.
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Athletes will not use social media to contact his/her coach(es).
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All communication between athletes and coaches will be related to the activities of the team and should, whenever possible, be limited to in-person communication during team practices or events.
Things to remember – Texting:
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Text messages and photos can be saved or screen-shot. Once the message is transmitted, the sender does not have control.
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Texting between athletes and coaches is not okay unless it is directly related to team activities. If the content of the communication could be intercepted as anything other than this, another adult (such as a parent/guardian or another coach) should be copied on the text.
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It is typically more effective to discuss an issue in person.
Things to remember - Social Media:
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Once you post something online, it is public and permanent--even if you delete it.
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Many employers, college admissions officers, and athletic recruiters review social networking sites as part of their evaluation of an applicant. Carefully consider how others may perceive the information and content that you share about yourself.
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Never post your email address, home address, phone number, or other personal information, as it could lead to unwanted attention, stalking, or identity theft.
Reporting dishonorable behavior -
If an athlete views or personally receives any social media communication that they find offensive or makes them uncomfortable they should screen shot the content and report it the teams board of directors.
