Family Guidelines
PARENT / GUARDIAN GUIDELINES
PARENT CONCERNS / BEHAVIORAL ISSUES
Any comments, concerns or questions from parents for the coaches MUST be saved until AFTER practice or meets so they may be addressed IN PRIVATE. The coaches want to give you their full attention, but when they are on the deck their focus must be on the swimmers. The coaches have each supplied a phone number and email where they can be reached to privately discuss any issues parents may have.
Coaches will also give parents the same respect and courtesy when addressing concerns or issues regarding a swimmer’s behavior. Coaches will handle all parent /child related issues in private and after meets or practices.
If a swimmer’s actions during practice or a meet force a coach to focus their attention on the swimmer and not the team the coach has the authority and full support of the Hurricanes Parent Representatives to take the following actions:
- Remove the child from the pool/practice until such time as the coach is confident the child’s behavior and respect for the coaches authority has improved. This may last for a portion of the practice, the entire practice or for as long as the coach deems appropriate.
- If the child’s actions are of such a magnitude that the coach feels the child’s continued presence at practice is/has created a negative atmosphere; the coach will call the parent to the pool and have the parent remove the child.
- Continued discipline issues with any swimmer could result in their season long dismissal from the team.
If during the course of the season a parent or swimmer feels it necessary to discuss an issue of a sensitive nature, please contact a Parent Representative to discuss in person. Neither the Parent Rep’s nor the Coaches will respond to terse emails or phone messages.
SWIM MEET DISPUTE PROTOCOL
The Rocky Mountain Swim League has instituted a policy where if during the course of a meet an issue arises that a coach, swimmer or parent wishes to contest – the issue MUST be channeled through our Parent Representative.
SWIMMER ABILITY, MEET ENTRIES
The coaches want to encourage every swimmer to do their best. The Hurricanes have, for now, instituted a “no-cut” policy. However, we do have a minimum requirement to participate on swim team to keep all our swimmers and coaches safe. Each swimmer must be able to complete 25 meters - one length of the pool. This length may freestyle or backstroke. The length must be swum without stopping and the swimmer may not be assisted in any other way; no coaches/parents/other swimmers or floating devices.
Rocky Mountain Swim League policies require a swimmer to participate in two dual meets during the regular season to be eligible for Prelims or Championships. Any swimmer who is not planning on participating in Prelims must notify the Coaching Staff at the beginning of the season.
Entries for weekly dual meets are set each Wednesday. If a swimmer has a planned absence from a meet, the swimmer’s coach must be notified no later than Monday evening at 5:00pm.
NOTE: We appreciate your courtesy in this matter, because unexpected meet absences affect everyone; the coaches who must change the lineup, the volunteers in the bullpen, the clerk-of-course who must change lane assignments to fill holes, families who have stayed through the entire meet to see their child swim in a relay and especially the relay teammates who are left without enough members because one swimmer is unexpectedly absent.
PARENT VOLUNTEER EXPECTATIONS
It takes a lot of people to run a swimmeet. Each family is expected to cover a total of at least 3 volunteer shifts at our 5 dual meets. To encourage/ ensure that families adhere to this policy, a $250 check will be collected at the beginning of the season and held by our treasurer until the end of the season. At that time, as long as all 3 shifts have been fulfilled, the check will be destroyed. We completely understand that time is precious so if you would rather donate the full amount rather than volunteer we get it!
