Code of Conduct

. Club Constitution, Grievance Procedure, Club Charter and Codes of Conduct

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DRAFT ONLY - currently being worked on by Executive & General Committee

Club Constitution

For Dunedin Swim Team Constitution, click here.

Grievance Procedure

For Dunedin Swim Team Grievance Procedure, click here.

Club Charter

Dunedin Swim Team undertakes to inform with adequate notice team / squad members and appointed staff of all relevant competitions and training programme, plus procedures and criteria for travel and accommodation.

Dunedin Swim Team has insurance in place to cover training / competitions. Details will be issued with each selection letter and are available from the Club Secretary.

All staff appointed to the team / squad will have signed the Code of Conduct, attended (or made a commitment to attend) Child Protection Training, and completed a self declaration form disclosing any and all criminal convictions (Disclosure Scotland).

Dunedin Swim Team will:

Encourage and support the improvement of swimming of it's members and offer quality coaching to the highest possible appropriate level.
Provide quality teaching/coaching in a safe, secure, fair and enjoyable environment, and uphold the terms and conditions of the Child Protection Act.
Provide competitive opportunities for all members on both an individual and team basis.
Communicate regularly, either by newsletter, Internet, E-mail, post or Club notice board at Dreghorn Barracks all current and future activities.

Swimmers Code of Conduct

All swimmers attending training (land or pool) or in a competition are under the direction and control of the coach/coaches present and must follow instructions given under the authority of the coach/teaching staff.
In the event of any swimmer wilfully disobeying or undermining the authority of any coach, disciplinary action will be taken against that swimmer/s.
Swimmers will be given no more than one verbal warning regarding misbehaviour. Thereafter, parent(s) will be informed and, depending on the misdemeanour, a swimmer may be excluded from that session, suspended for a certain period of time, or indeed, in very worst situations, be asked to leave the Club.
Land training is an integral part of the training programme and swimmers are required to participate in this aspect of training.
All swimmers must stay within the confines of the training and competition areas. Do not wander off. Stay with your team-mates.
No adult or child will be allowed on the poolside/gym during training or galas/meets unless invited to do so by a member of the coaching team.
The Club cannot accept responsibility for swimmers outside Club activities. Swimmers should not arrive too early for training or competitions (not sooner than ten minutes) and should leave promptly (no later than fifteen minutes) when a Club activity has finished.
At a gala / meet, you will be expected to wear a Dunedin Swim Team swim cap and polo-shirt for presentations.
Arrive promptly, with appropriate kit for training / galas, i.e. swimwear, T-Shirt / track suit, towels, goggles, water bottle, paddles, pull-buoy, kick-board, etc.)
If you are more than fifteen minutes late for a training session, you may not be allowed to swim as it's very disruptive to the training of other swimmers.
Advise the Head Coach or any member of the teaching staff of non-attendance at training and galas/meets.
Attendance at all training sessions is expected unless agreed with Head Coach.
Any swimmer with an injury which precludes them from any aspect of training should contact either the Head Coach or any member of the teaching staff in the first instance.
Do not argue directly with the decisions of officials or lifeguards. Coaches will make all official protests and ask any necessary questions.
Liase with poolside staff where swimmers are ill, unfit or injured. It may not be appropriate for them to swim.
At all times, be respectful to coaches, poolside helpers, officials and other swimmers, in all situations, especially during training and galas/meets. Language in group situations or relevant public situations must always be appropriate and socially acceptable. Swearing and name-calling is not acceptable. Behaviour and conduct must at all times be of a high standard. Bullying will not be tolerated.
A grievance can be raised by anyone against a Club member in relation to any comments, conduct or gestures which are considered by them to be insulting, intimidating, humiliating, hurtful, malicious, degrading or in any other ways offensive. This includes but is not limited to:

written or verbal abuse

physical assault, hitting, kicking, spitting, pinching, etc.

unwelcome remarks, jokes, innuendoes or taunting about a persons body, sexual orientation, gender, dress, age, race, religion, abilities, etc.

Illegal drugs, illegal substances and performance enhancing drugs are strictly forbidden. Particular care must be exercised if anyone is on medication prior to or during a training session and/or gala/meet.
It is important that all information on all medication being currently taken should be reported to the Head Coach / Coaching Team / Club.
Allergies to any substance must be reported to the Head coach / Coaching Team / Club.

Swimmers Lane Discipline

Always follow coaches instructions: Coaches will take all of the decisions about swimming in lanes but if you pay attention to small details, life will be made easier for everyone involved.
Note which way round your lane is to swim, i.e. clockwise or anti-clockwise. You should not be going in the opposite direction to the swimmers on the other side of the rope in the next lane.
The lanes usually alternate in terms of the direction of the swim in a general warm-up situation (odd lanes counter-clockwise, even lanes clockwise)
Most swimmers will be in a lane with swimmers roughly of the same speed and ability. If they are going too fast or too slow, check with the coach if you should move up or down within this lane. Do not put yourself at the front of the lane if there are other faster, more capable swimmers who can maintain the required pace more easily than you.
At the end of the pool, do not stand in the way of incoming swimmers.
Do not sit on the rope lanes.
Do not swim down the black line in the middle of the lane unless the coach has organised the lanes to enable you to do this, i.e. when being timed. Keep to the side of the lanes except when overtaking.
If passing in the middle of the pool, it may be necessary to sprint. This should not result in a race!!
When passing a swimmer on a swim longer than 100m, brush their toes if you are close to the end of the wall. The slower swimmer should stop at the wall just long enough to let the faster swimmer past.
On longer sets, all swimmers should keep close to the lane rope to let faster swimmers past and down the middle.
If stopping and resting, stand close to the lane rope. Leave a gap in the centre of the lane for others to turn. Avoid disturbing the timing of other swimmers who have not stopped and rested.
In longer sessions, remember that you need to pace yourself. Swimming flat out for three lengths and then very slowly for the other seven because you are tired disrupts the other swimmers. It does not help you to improve your own performance overall.
Always take the rest periods as instructed by coaches. Your training has been designed to improve your swimming.
Swim 5 seconds apart unless the coach has given you another instruction. Do not set off on another swimmers feet.
Turning can be a dangerous manoeuvre. Give yourself enough of a gap between swimmers so that you can go into and out of a turn without colliding with another swimmer. Come out of the turn on the opposite side to which you've just swam, not down the centre where you'll collide with others.
Work equally hard for yourself and for your Club. In working this way, it is you that benefits but so does the Club.

In becoming a member of the Dunedin Swim Team, it is understood that you agree to abide by the Constitution, Bye- Laws and Regulations of the Club. This Swimmers Code of Conduct will be set down within the regulations of the Club. Disciplinary action may be taken if it is established that a Club Member has breached the Swimmers Code of Conduct.

Swimmers Charter

Arrive promptly with appropriate kit ready to train.
At all times, be respectful to coaches, poolside helpers, officials and other swimmers.
Encourage and support team mates in all situations.
Maintain a good attitude and show commitment and responsibility for training.
Endeavour to observe good habits, including eating to observe a healthy lifestyle.
Always give of your best and never underestimate what you can achieve.

Coaches Code of Conduct

A responsible coach helps the development of individuals through improving their performance. This is achieved by:

� Identifying and meeting the needs of individuals.

� Improving performance through a progressive programme of safe, guided practice, measured performance and / or competition.

� Creating an environment in which individuals are motivated to maintain participation and improve performance.

Coaches should comply with the principles of good ethical practice listed below:

� Coaches must abide by the Scottish Swimming and Club Child Protection Policies, and be a member of Scottish Swimming.

� Coaches must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and treat everyone equally within the context of their sport.

� Coaches must place the well-being and safety of the performer above the development of performance. They should follow all guidelines laid down by the sports governing body and hold appropriate insurance cover.

� Coaches must develop an appropriate working relationship with performers (especially children), based on mutual trust and respect. Coaches must not exert undue influence to obtain personal benefit or reward. In particular, coaches must not use their position to establish or pursue a sexual or improper relationship with an athlete or someone close to them.

�Coaches must encourage and guide performers to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.

� Coaches should hold relevant, recommended, up-to-date and nationally recognised governing body coaching qualifications.

� Coaches must ensure the activities they direct or advocate are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual.

� Coaches should, at the outset, clarify with performers (and where appropriate with their parents) exactly what is expected of them and what performers are entitled to expect from their coach. A contract may sometimes be appropriate.

� Coaches should co-operate fully with other specialists (e.g. other coaches, officials, sport scientists, doctors, physiotherapists) in the best interests of the performer.

� Coaches should always promote the positive aspects of their sport (e.g. fair play) and never condone rule violations or the use of prohibited substances.

� Coaches must consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance.

Coaches Charter

Parents Code of Conduct

Swimming is a process - your child / children are there primarily to enjoy the sport. As they swim, they will learn some of the lessons in life. They will learn discipline, commitment, motivation, teamwork, goal-setting, timekeeping, how to stick to a task in hand, how to win and how to lose, in an enjoyable safe environment.

Everyone appreciates that, as a parent, your support and interest is vital to your child's participation. Without your services as a taxi driver, organiser and lifestyle manager, cook, supporter, confidence builder and piece picker upper, not only would there be no sport for your child, there would be no sport.

However, as you take an interest and as your child / children improves, sometimes a mother or father can be become over involved and inadvertently put pressure on the child / children to train harder than they want to, or to win at the expense of enjoying taking part. You may find yourself taking your child's / children's sport more seriously than they are.

Read through the following questions (1) - (8). If you have answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you may be putting unnecessary pressure upon your child / children, which could lead to his or her eventual rejection of the sport or even lasting damage to your parent/child relationship.

(1) Do you want your child to win competitions more than he or she does?

(2) Do you show your disappointment if he or she has a bad result?

(3) Do you feel that you have to psyche your child up before a competition?

(4) Do you feel that your child can only enjoy swimming if he or she wins?

(5) Do you conduct post mortems immediately after competition or training?

(6) Do you feel you have to force your child to go training?

(7) Do you find yourself frequently wanting to interfere during training or competition thinking that you could do better?

(8) Do you find yourself disliking the competitors swimming against your son or daughter?

To maximise your contribution to your child's / children's swimming while minimising any adverse effects, think about the following:

Coaches and teachers only have their time and their experience to give. Of course they're going to give it to those who want to listen. If a child is not interested enough to listen, the coach / teacher will ignore that one and focus on the others who do. They genuinely have the best interests of the young swimmers at heart although it might not appear so at times.

Remember that coaches are the only constant Dunedin Swim Team. They see parents and swimmers come and go. Year after year, parents across the country take their children to the swimming club, expect miracles, don't get them, blame the coach / teacher, scream, shout and leave.

Coaches will want respect for themselves and their team, punctuality, support, volunteers for the programme and will expect you to perform all of your other parental duties expertly. Before being critical of the coach and teaching staff, imagine yourself at at work and the coach and all the parents watching you every day, taking notes and telling you they've figured out how you should be doing your job, then telling everyone else this! Give the coach and teaching staff the same respect you would expect yourself.

Get to know the coach and teaching staff and respect their opinion. He or she may know more than you about swimming and about the development of young swimmers. If the coach / teacher puts little Jimmy in front of your child in the lane that day, there is a reason for it.

Do assess your child's progress and ask the coach about his or her plans and objectives for your child? Find out when it is convenient to talk to your coach and, if necessary, make an appointment with them. Ask the coach to explain the reason for their plans if you don't understand them. Never voice your criticisms to or of the coach or your child in front of other parents or swimmers.

Remember - no one is perfect! It's a three way street. Parents want results and pay the coach and teaching staff for his or her time, experience and effort to coach the swimmer to deliver performance, but do all these people have the same goals and agree the path they'll take to reach them? Or agree how to adapt to accommodate any of the inevitable changes each of their circumstances might bring?

Parents Charter

Ensure that swimmers are left safely in the care of poolside staff and not left outwith the poolside building, thereby complying with the Child Protection regulations.
Ensure swimmers arrive and are collected at the end of their designated session promptly.
Ensure swimmers arrive suitably equipped, for example, towels, swimwear, goggles, water bottle, paddles, pull-buoy, float, etc. for the session they are about to participate in.
Advise either the Head Coach or any member of the teaching staff of non-attendance.
Liase with poolside staff where swimmers are ill, unfit or injured. It may not be appropriate for them to attend.
Support all poolside staff and the swim programme in place.
Actively support the committee with their efforts to ensure the smooth running of the Club, for example, at fund raising events or helping at swim galas/meets.
Regularly check the club notice board at Dreghorn Barracks or club web-site for up-to-date information.
Ensure that fees and other related expenses are kept up-to-date to help balance the club monthly accounts.

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