Rules and Guidelines

 Information and Guidelines for Swimmers and their Parents

The following rules and guidelines are designed to ensure the safety of the Clubs members, and provide information to parents on how best to support your son/daughter while swimming in the Club.

Ø      On joining the club, swimmers will be told which group they are in, and the club coaches will decide progression from one group to the next.  Times of the club sessions will be displayed on the Club Notice Board (At top of seating area in main pool) and in this booklet. Any changes of times for holiday period etc., will be displayed on the Club Notice Board.

Ø      Swimmers shall show respect for their Coaches, and obey their instructions at all times when they are under their control.

Ø      Swimmers should turn up on time for Club Sessions and if required should help with preparing the Pool for the session.

Ø      Children, who are conveyed to and from the pool by their parents or other adult, should remain at the pool until they are collected.  Children, who normally do not walk to the pool alone, should not walk home alone.

Ø      Adults, who bring and collect children to and from the pool, should ensure that the session has not been cancelled before they drop their children and depart from the pool.  Parents should be punctual when collecting children.

Ø      The coaching staff are responsible for swimmers throughout the Club session while swimmers are in the pool bank.  Responsibility reverts to the parents once the children leave poolside to enter the changing rooms.

Note: Be aware that the dressing rooms are available for use by the general public during and after training sessions.

Ø      In order to leave a swimming session early the swimmer should present the coach with a written request signed by his/her parents.

Coaching Sessions

Ø      A qualified Coach or teacher will supervise all sessions.

Ø      Parents may spectate during sessions; they should not encroach on the poolside or interrupt the Coaches during the sessions.

Ø      Discussion between parents and coaches should take place either before or after the session.

Ø      Coaches and teachers should be familiar with the “Code of Ethics and Good Practice in Children’s Sport” and “Officials’ Code of Ethics”.

Club Trips  - The Committee will appoint officials in charge of all Club Trips, and will ensure there is a gender balance and sufficient ratio of officials to the number of swimmers.  Parents must give written permission for their children to go on a Club Trip. (A special form must be filled in for overnight trips)   

Ø      Adults in charge of swimmers who travel to galas should travel to and from the gala on the bus, and remain at the gala until all Club swimmers are ready to depart.  If there are drop-off points on the return journey swimmers should not be left alone on the roadside.  The bus should wait until a parent or somebody known to them collects them.

Ø      It is important that the adult in charge has a contact phone number for every swimmer who is on an away trip.

       Code of Behaviour

Ø      All members shall show respect and courtesy to other members at all times.

Ø      Do not interfere with any other swimmers in the water.

Ø      Do not leave the pool without the coach’s permission

Ø      Offensive language should not be used at any time

Ø      Do not interfere with anybody’s property on poolside or in the dressing rooms.

Ø      Take off all jewellery when training.

Ø      No running on poolside.

Ø      During warm-ups, no diving or jumping in.

Ø      Stay off the lane ropes.

Ø      Stay away from the Jacuzzi.

Ø      Don’t throw water bottles; do not bring any glass bottles onto poolside and no chewing gum.

            When the Code of Behaviour is not adhered to a member  maybe disciplined according to the Club  Disciplinary Procedure.

Disciplinary Procedure

Ø      Any minor offence by any swimmer will receive a verbal warning by the coach/official in charge on the bank.

Ø      If a child persists with minor offences then the parent or parents will be approached by the coach/official in charge and informed of their child’s misbehaviour.

Ø      If after the parents have been notified, the child continues misbehaving, then the coach/official will bring this problem to the attention of the Complaints Committee.

Ø      Any major offence will automatically be brought to the attention of the Complaints Committee.

Ø      Complaints to the Complaints Committee will be dealt with in accordance with the Club Constitution.

We hope by supplying this booklet that you as parents will have a better understanding of the Club’s operations and how your child fits into the club and to swimming in general.  The Clubs Constitution and this Rule/Handbook are available to all