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(Draft Copy: Final Version to be published September 2020)COMOX VALLEY AQUATIC CLUBClubHandbook“Pursuit of Excellence”Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 1
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Contents1 Club Management2 Swimming1. Squad Placements & Advancement2. Equipment Needs3. Club Wear4. Attendance at Practice5. Illness6. Preparation for Practices7. The Parent Swimmer Relationship8. Transferring to another Club9. Training Fees10.Swim BC Registration Fees11.Swim Meet Fees12.Swimmer Accounts3 Regular Communication1. Team Website2. Team Email3. Shark Report4. Bulletin Board4 Comox Valley Aquatic Club Code of ConductVolunteer Code of ConductSwimmer Code of ConductParent Code of Conduct5 Complaints1. Training2. Non-training / Club Operations3. Parent and/or Swimmer6 The Comox Valley Aquatic Club Privacy Policy1. Our Commitment to Privacy2. What is Personal Information?3. Why we Ask for Your Personal Information?4. Collecting Your Personal Information5. We do not sell Participant or Personal Information6. Accuracy of Your Personal Information7. How we Protect Your Information8. Obtaining Access to Your Information9. Your Concerns Are Important to Us7 Comox Valley Aquatic Club Discipline Policy8 Comox Valley Aquatic Club Social PoliciesComox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 3
1. Fair Play2. Gender Equity9 Comox Valley Aquatic Club Travel Policies1. Meet Head Coach Responsibilities2. Team Manager Responsibilities10 Comox Valley Aquatic Club Chaperone Policies1. Chaperone Selection and Responsibilities2. Chaperone Duties Prior to the Meet3. Chaperone Duties On Route to the Meet4. Chaperone Duties at Arrival5. Chaperone Duties At the Meet11 Team Travel1. Swimmers’ Responsibilities2. Swimmer Behavior3. Guidelines for Coaches and Chaperones4. Travel Expenses and Reimbursements12 Comox Valley Aquatic Club Volunteer Policy1. Minimum Points Commitment2. Who is Able to Earn Volunteer Points?3. How Are Volunteer Points Earned?13 Officials Training Bond Policy14 Fundraising Policy1. Personal Fundraising2. Club Fundraising15 The Comox Valley Aquatic Club Vacation, Illness and Withdrawal Policy1. Vacation and Illness Policy2. Withdrawal Policy16 Comox Valley Aquatic Club Account Financial/Payment Policy1. Regular Club Fees2. Terms and Conditions17 Financial Assistance PolicyAppendix I: DefinitionsAppendix II – Frequently Asked QuestionsAppendix III - Coach Code of Conduct;Appendix IV: Swim BC Personal Information Protection & Electronic Document ACTAppendix V: Medical & Liability Release WaiverComox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 4
Club ManagementThe Comox Valley Aquatic Club is managed by its board of directors which is comprised of fiveseven positions, four of which make up the club’s Executive Committee. The Head Coach, thePast President and the Representative for the Masters swim program serve in advisory roles tothis surerHead CoachDirector ofOfficialsPast PresidentRegistrarAt LargeAt LargeMastersRepresentativeThe board is elected by the membership annually at the annual general meeting in the fall.Executive members are elected on staggered two year terms and at large positions are elected anannual terms. The board meets at least monthly to discuss club business and determine direction.Communication with the board is best initiated via email, links to which can be found on theclub’s website using the appropriate link found under the ‘About’ tab. Presentations to the boardare welcomed. It is requested that a notice of intent to present, which includes the topic andestimated length of the presentation, be emailed to the club’s president at least five days prior tothe intended date for the presentation.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 5
SwimmingThe Sharks Group Structure follows Sport Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development Modelwith emphasis on level appropriate technical and physical development of the swimmers.Our FUNdamentals squads introduce theswimmers to the basic skills of competitiveswimming along with introduction tocompetition.Shark SchoolSquad 9Squad 8FUNdamentalsSquad 7Shark FitSquad 6Our Learn to Train squads work on refiningskills and the swimmers are introduced toregional competitions.Squad 5Learn to TrainActive for LifeSquad 4MastersSquad 3Train to TrainOur Train to Train and Train to Competesquads focus on implementing skills andexpand to provincial and national levelcompetition.Squad 2Squad 1Train to CompeteOur Active for Life groups provide swimmersage 11-77 a place to work on skills and stay inthe water.Squad Placements & AdvancementIt is the responsibility of the Head Coach to determine the appropriate Squad for each swimmer.Factors influencing group placement include age, swimming ability, ability to followinstructions and ability to train at the level of the rest of the group.Move-up opportunities generally take place twice per swimming season with swimmers beingnotified by their coach. Criteria include attendance, attitude, coachability, dedication, ability totrain during practices, times swum at meets, age, ability to listen, and the size and compositionof the receiving group. Decisions regarding moves are made on an individual basis for eachswimmer.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 6
Equipment NeedsSwimmers will require specific equipment dependant on the Squad within which they swim.Examples of this would be: fins; pull buoy; kick board; snorkel; paddles; mesh bag. Squadcoaches will inform swimmers of the required equipment for their squad.Club WearWhen on deck, whether at home or away, all swimmers are to wear Shark gear to assist withteam unity and pride. At minimum, a CVAC Sharks T-shirt should be worn.Attendance at PracticeSwimmers are expected to attend their squad’s practices according to their group schedule andshould be on deck ten minutes prior to the start of all practices. In order to avoid disruption ofpractice due to the late arrival of swimmers, all swimmers should be on time. Any absence ortardiness is to be accounted for by the swimmer. Please email your coach and let them know (ifpossible) if you will be away or late.IllnessIf a swimmer for any reason cannot attend practice, please call or e-mail your swimmer’s coach.Preparation for PracticesSwimmers shall have their goggles, suits and team shirts at every practice. Water bottles shouldbe filled. Back up goggles and caps are important in the event of breakage. All swimmers areresponsible for their own belongings and will remember to take them home with them at the endof every practice.A healthy snack should be eaten immediately following practice. Apple and nuts, chocolatemilk, or a baked potato are all good choices. Swimmers are to bring and/or purchase only foodsthat promote good health. Swimmers should avoid eating junk food such as chips, pop andcandy as these foods damage the body and prevent proper recovery of the body after exercise.The Parent Swimmer RelationshipIt is not the intention of any CVAC coach to advise a parent, or parents, on how to raise theirchildren. No one understands the parent-child relationship better than a parent does. In anathletic environment, human nature often prevents a parent from remaining detached andobjective in matters concerning their children. If you have questions or concerns, please getyour child’s coach involved so they can help. Contact them personally or via email to ensurethat everyone is aware of any situation that may be arising. When communicating andcontacting the coaches, please be respectful of times you are contacting them and understandthat it may take up to twenty-four hours to receive a response. Remember, it is imperative thatall lines of communication are kept open to achieve the most positive experience of swimmingpossible.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 7
Everyone involved in this type of training program must realize that each individual learns at adifferent rate and responds differently to the various methods of presenting skills. Eachswimmer is an individual who has their own skill sets and their own talents. The slower learnerobviously takes more time to learn, and by extension requires more patience on the part of theparents and coaches. Each swimmer reaches their goals at different rates. It is important foreveryone involved, that swimmers focus on their own achievements and not on theachievements of their peers. Parents need to keep the sport of swimming in perspective andrealize the ultimate swimming goal for a parent should be a swimmer that is self-motivated,self-confident and feels good about themselvesTransferring to another ClubAll financial obligations to the Comox Valley Aquatic Club must be settled before the Registraris able to approve a transfer to another swim club.Training FeesTraining fees to finance pool costs and coach salaries for the Comox Valley Aquatic Clubare based on an annual charge and take into account training breaks at Christmas and in theSpring as well as statutory holidays. The fee depends on the squad level of your swimmerand increase as the amount of pool time and coaching time increase. The annual fee isdivided into 10 monthly deposits. First month is paid upon registration.As a non-profit group the club is unable to finance overdue accounts, so please keep yourswimmers account up to dateSwim BC Registration FeesUpon registration each swimmer pays an annual insurance registration fee to Swim BC. Thisis assessed annually by Swim BC and administered by the Registrar. A portion goes toSwimming Canada, the national governing body for our sport. There are fixed fees for allShark School participants and non competitive swimmers regardless of age. The fees forcompetitive swimmers (those wishing to swim in sanctioned meets and time trials) aredependent on the age of the swimmer each season. Please see the Sharks website under thetab ‘Registration’ and the link ‘Fees’ for current season Swim BC registration fees. You areable to upgrade your Swim BC registration from non-competitive to competitive (and MUSTdo so to swim in more than one competition per season) at any time. Please contact theRegistrar if you require further information.Swim Meet FeesIf you choose to enter your children in swim meets there are additional meet fees set by thehosting club and published in a meet package prior to the event. The fees vary by meet andare billed to your account periodically throughout the season. A fee of 8/day is also appliedto fees to cover cost for coaching at the event.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 8
Swimmer AccountsEach swimmer (or family) has an individual account set up with the club in which fees andother expenses for that particular swimmer or family are recorded. YOUR ACCOUNTSMUST BE KEPT CURRENT. Itemized statements are emailed monthly. For detailedinformation please refer to section 14 Account Financial/Payment Policies.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 9
Regular CommunicationAs with any organization, communication with membership presents a continual challenge. Everyeffort is made to ensure that all involved are aware of that which they need to be. What follows is alist of methods the club regularly utilizes to communicate with its membership:Team WebsiteThe team’s website is in fact a club management system through which much of the business ofthe club is performed. On this site you will find informational items, contact information,notice of swim meets and sign up options for these and much more. It is very important tobecome familiar with this site and visit it regularly in order to stay up to date on informationimportant to your swimming family.Team EmailEmail is the number one means by which we try to communicate with club members.Whenever an event of note is approaching members can expect an email from the Team Unifysite (our website). It is extremely important that first, we have your correct email and second,that you check this email regularly. Please also be certain to read all communications carefullyas many of these communications include dates and deadlines that if overlooked might result indisappointmentShark ReportThe ‘SHARK Report’ is the name of our club’s monthly newsletter produced by our HeadCoach. As with other methods of communication it often contains critical information essentialto your swimming family. Please read each issue carefully. Be sure to watch for yourswimmer’s name and/or smile in this much enjoyed publication.Bulletin BoardThe club maintains a bulletin board and calendar on the pool deck of the Sports Centre as wellas a bulletin board in the lobby of the Aquatic Centre and Sports Centre. It is a great way topass the time as you wait for your swimmer to get out of the hot tub and it’s also veryinformative!Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 10
Comox Valley Aquatic Club Code of ConductThe Comox Valley Aquatic Club has developed a Code of Conduct for its Volunteers, Parentsand Swimmers. It is expected that all members of the club familiarize themselves with the Codeof Conduct and abide by the Code at all times. If a member of the club is found to be in breach ofthe Code of Conduct resulting action will be taken in accordance with the club’s DisciplinaryPolicy.Volunteer Code of ConductVolunteers should adhere at all times to standards of personal behavior that reflect well on theComox Valley Aquatic Club in particular, and competitive swimming in general.It is impossible to specify in precise terms all those actions that could be deemed to be prejudicialto volunteerism within the Comox Valley Aquatic Club. The following provides an indication ofthe standards of behavior that, if ignored, are likely to be considered breaches of this Code ofConduct: Volunteers are responsible for treating all other the Comox Valley Aquatic Club memberswith respect within the context of their activity regardless of gender, place of origin, colour,sexual orientation, religion, political belief, economic status or ability. Volunteers should abstain from the use of tobacco products while in the presence ofswimmers and discourage their use by swimmers. Volunteers should refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensivelanguage in the conduct of their duties. Volunteers should abstain from using intoxicants while working at the Comox ValleyAquatic Club, Swim BC or SNC sanctioned events and activities. Volunteers should refrain from criticism of coaches, swimmers, parents, and fellowvolunteers particularly to and through the media. When public comments are made,volunteers have an obligation to ensure such comments are made judiciously, reflective of thefacts, supportable and sensitive to the situation(s). Differences of opinion should be dealtwith on a personal or club basis. Serious disputes may be referred to the Board. Volunteers should ensure that they do not in any way misrepresent their qualifications,affiliations, or professional competence to any person(s), or any publication, broadcast,lecture or seminar. Misrepresentation, after due consideration by the Comox Valley AquaticClub, could be regarded as a breach of this Code.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 11
Swimmer Code of ConductThis policy applies to all levels of swimmers. Swimmers should adhere at all times to standards ofbehavior that reflect well on the Comox Valley Aquatic Club in particular, and competitive swimming ingeneral. It is impossible to specify in precise terms all those actions that could be deemed to beprejudicial to swimmers. The following provides an indication of the standards of behavior that, ifcontravened, are likely to be considered breaches of the Code of Conduct: Swimmers are responsible for treating other swimmers, coaches, parents, volunteers andofficials with respect within the context of their activity regardless of gender, place of origin,colour, sexual orientation, religion, political belief, economic status or ability. Swimmers should refrain from criticism of coaches, fellow swimmers, parents and officials,particularly to and through the media. When public comments are made, swimmers have anobligation to ensure such comments are made judiciously, reflective of the facts, supportableand sensitive to the situation(s). Differences of opinion should be dealt with on a personal orclub basis. Serious disputes may be referred to the Board. Swimmers should refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensivelanguage. Swimmers should not use tobacco, alcohol or other drugs that affect their physical ability,mood or behavior, unless prescribed by a physician for medical purposes. The Comox ValleyAquatic Club and Swim BC have a zero tolerance level regarding alcohol consumptionduring and around swimming activities and competitions. Swimmers jeopardize membershipwith Swim BC if found to be abusing alcohol in and around competition. Swimmers should strive for excellence according to their ability. Swimmers should respect the achievements of opponents. Swimmers who represent the Comox Valley Aquatic Club, Swim BC, or SNC should behavein a manner that reflects favorably on those organizations.The Head Coach has ultimate responsibility and authority to monitor, control and disciplinebehavior of swimmers while they are participating in club events. Discipline may also beadministered by coaching staff as directed by the Head Coach and executive.The Coach will follow the protocol below should an incident arise:a) verbal warning;b) sit out the practice or event. The club president and coaches are informed and theparent(s) are notified. Should this behavior persist the coach has the authority to move toComox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 12
“c”;c) one week suspension, repeated behaviour will not be tolerated. Action will then be takenin accordance with the Discipline Policy.Parent Code of ConductCommunication is the best way to reduce conflicts within the club. The best way to communicatewith your child's coach is to contact them via email or meet them outside of practice. Coachesusually have time after practice to answer questions or provide information. Sending a note to thecoach with your swimmer can also be a good way to get information to them as well.When conflicts between a swimmer or parent and coach arise, please try hard to increasecommunication between the affected parties. Refrain from discussing disagreements with otherparents; not only is the problem never resolved that way, but this approach often creates newproblems. Try to keep foremost in your mind that you and the coach have the best interests ofyour child at heart. If you trust that the coach's goals match yours – even though their approachmay be different – you are more likely to enjoy good rapport and a constructive dialogue. Keep inmind that the coach must balance your perspective of what is best for your child with the needs ofthe entire team or a training group. On occasion, an individual child's interest may need to besubordinate to the interests of the group. In the long run, the benefits of membership in the groupmay compensate for occasional short-term inconveniences.If another parent uses you as a sounding board for complaints about a coach's performance orpolicies, encourage the other parent to speak directly to the coach.Parent should adhere at all times to standards of personal behavior that reflect well on the ComoxValley Aquatic Club in particular, and competitive swimming in general.It is impossible to specify in precise terms all those actions that could be deemed to be prejudicialto the Comox Valley Aquatic Club. The following provides an indication of the standards ofbehavior that, if ignored, are likely to be considered breaches of this Code of Conduct: Parents are responsible for treating all other the Comox Valley Aquatic Club members withrespect within the context of their activity regardless of gender, place of origin, colour, sexualorientation, religion, political belief, economic status or ability. Parents should abstain from the use of intoxicants and tobacco products while in the presenceof swimmers and discourage their use by swimmers.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 13
Parents should refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensivelanguage. Parents should refrain from criticism of coaches, swimmers, officials and other parents,particularly to and through the media. When public comments are made, parents have anobligation to ensure such comments are made judiciously, reflective of the facts, supportableand sensitive to the situation(s). Differences of opinion should be dealt with on a personal orclub basis. Serious disputes may be referred to the Board.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 14
ComplaintsThe following procedures regarding questions, concerns or complaints must be followed by familieswho are members of the Comox Valley Aquatic Club.TrainingConcerns regarding practice, stroke instruction, meets, team rules or any other part of thetraining program should be discussed with the following individuals, in order, until thesituation is resolved:a) The swimmer's coachb) The head coach, in writingc) The President of the Board of Directors, in writingd) The Board of Directors at a board meetingNon-training / Club OperationsConcerns regarding any other area of the team should be discussed with the followingindividuals, in order, until the situation is resolved:a) The board member responsible for the area in question, in writingb) The President of the Board of Directors, in writingc) The Board of Directors at a board meetingParent and/or SwimmerConcerns regarding other parents or swimmers should be discussed with the followingindividuals, in order, until the situation is resolved.a) The swimmer's coachb) The head coach, in writingc) The President of the Board of Directors, in writingd) The Board of Directors at a board meetingComox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 15
The Comox Valley Aquatic Club Privacy PolicyOur Commitment to PrivacyComox Valley Aquatic Club respects your privacy and the confidentiality of your personalinformation. We are committed to keeping the personal information you share with us confidential.Use of such information will only be for the purpose for which it was collected. The Privacy Policyexplains how the Comox Valley Aquatic Club and its contracted coaches and affiliates collect, use,disclose and protect the personal information we obtain.For detailed information, please refer to:Appendix IV – Swim BC Personal Information Protection & Electronic Document ActWhat is Personal Information?Personal information is any information that identifies you as an individual. This includes suchinformation as your name, address, email address, age, gender, transaction records, health and creditcard/banking information.Why we Ask for Your Personal Information?We request personal information in order to establish and benefit you as a participant. We ask forinformation based on our responsibilities towards both you and our governing bodies. For example,Swim BC (the Provincial Swim Organisation) requires information such as your name, date of birth,gender, address, telephone number, preferred language, citizenship, dates of participation andcompetition level in order to complete your registration and insurance.Collecting Your Personal InformationComox Valley Aquatic Club obtains personal information through the registrations forms andwaivers.We do not sell Participant or Personal InformationPersonal information is only released under the following circumstances:1. When your give consent.2. When required or permitted by law.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 16
Accuracy of Your Personal InformationComox Valley Aquatic Club makes every reasonable effort to keep personal information accurate andup to date. Having accurate information about you enables us to give you the best possible experiencewithin our swim club. If you find any errors in the information held or have any changes, please let usknow as soon as possible and we will make the corrections.How we Protect Your InformationComox Valley Aquatic Club and its contracted coaches and affiliates store and process your personalinformation in the Comox Valley and will protect your personal information with appropriatesafeguards and security measures.Comox Valley Aquatic Club retains personal information only as long as it is required for the reasonsit was collected or as required by law.Obtaining Access to Your InformationComox Valley Aquatic Club will give you access to your information upon receipt of your request.Your Concerns Are Important to UsIf you have any concerns or questions about privacy and confidentiality you can take the followingactions:1. Contact the President of the Board of Directors. Your concerns will be addressed by the President.2. If you remain concerned contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner forBritish Columbia at:Information and Privacy Commissioner for British ColumbiaPO Box 9038 Stn Prov GovtVictoria BC V8W 9A4Tel: 250 387 5629Fax: 250 387 1696Email: [email protected]: www.oipc.bc.caComox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 17
Comox Valley Aquatic Club Discipline Policy1. The Comox Valley Aquatic Club is committed to providing a supportive framework through whichits members can achieve excellence in all areas of the sport of swimming.2. The Comox Valley Aquatic Club is an athlete-centered, coach-driven and administrativelysupported organization, which is characterized by open, clear communication and honesty, fairnessand mutual respect. These ideas are defined in the Swimmer, Coach, Volunteer and Parent Codesof Conduct.3. The Comox Valley Aquatic Club believes that these values and ideals should guide all of ourcommunications and actions, and that such conduct is in the best interest of all who participate inthe sport of swimming.4. Membership in the Comox Valley Aquatic Club brings with it many benefits and privileges. At thesame time, members are expected to fulfill certain responsibilities and obligations, including butnot limited to, complying with the policies, rules and regulations of the Comox Valley AquaticClub.5. Athletes, coaches, volunteers and parents are encouraged to, at all times, act in accordance with thespirit of the Codes of Conduct, Constitution and By-laws of the Comox Valley Aquatic Club.6. This policy applies to Comox Valley Aquatic Club members and all participants involved inCVAC activities including directors, volunteers, coaches, athletes and officials.7. Any member can initiate disciplinary proceedings by way of written complaint to the President orVice President of the Board of Directors of the Comox Valley Aquatic Club.8. Upon receipt and review of a complaint the President or Vice President shall, with reference toexisting policy guidelines, determine whether the complaint shall go forward. If, for any reason,the President or Vice President cannot carry out his/her duties under the Discipline Policy, thePresident shall designate another member of the Board to carry out such duties.9. Should the President or Vice President or his/her designate determine the complaint should goforward, the President or Vice President or his/her designate will appoint three members of theBoard to sit as the Discipline Committee. The person appointing the Discipline Committee shallnot be a member of the Discipline Committee.10. The Discipline Committee shall notify the individual who is the subject of the complaint(respondent) of the nature of the complaint and shall give that individual such opportunity as thecommittee, in the circumstances, considers appropriate to respond to the complaint. In determiningits investigation or inquiry procedures, the Discipline Committee will adhere to the basic principlesof procedural fairness, recognizing that these principles can be applied in flexible ways dependingon the nature of the complaint and the potential consequences of disciplinary action.Comox Valley Aquatic Club – July 2020Page 18
11. The Discipline Committee after such investigation or inquiries, as it in its absolute discretiondeems appropriate, shall determine whether the conduct in question warrants the taking ofdisciplinary action and recommend to the Board the appropriate disciplinary sanctions singly or incombination including:a. written reprimand to be placed in the individual’s file;b. hand delivered written apology;c. suspension from certain Comox Valley Aquatic Club events which may include suspension;from current competition or from future teams or competitions;d. suspension of all Comox Valley Aquatic Club financial assistance funding;e. suspension from certain Comox Valley Aquatic Club activities (i.e. competitions, coaching,officiating, volunteering) for periods up to 3 years;f. suspension from all Comox Valley Aquatic Club activities for up to 3 years;g. expulsion from the Comox Valley Aquatic Club; and/orh. other sanctions as may be considered appropriate for the offense.12. The Discipline Committee shall report its findings in writing and forthwith forward a copy to therespondent and the Board. If the Discipline Committee recommends disciplinary sanctions and therespondent wishes to challenge either the determination that the conduct warrants disciplinaryaction or the proposed penalty, the respondent shall within 15 days, or such extended period thatthe Board may allow, make a written representation to the Board which the Board shall considerbefore taking any action on the report of the Discipline Committee.13. If the respondent does not challenge the determination that the conduct warrants disciplinary actionor the proposed penalty, the penalty will take effect 30 days after the date of the DisciplineCommittee’s recommendations and the Board at its next meeting will ratify t
hosting club and published in a meet package prior to the event. The fees vary by meet and are billed to your account periodically throughout the season. A fee of 8/day is also
